From: rhonilak@icontech.com Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (14/?) Date: 18 Dec 1995 22:37:34 -0500 ALL THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS APPLY! THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 14/?) Maddie heard them leave, looked outside to see them run off behind the house, weapons drawn. She shivered and ran to turn on the small CB she kept in her room to monitor Tom. "Tom! Tom come in... the FBI people just ran out of here like they were after something. They had their guns. Tom they are headed for Eighth street running through the yards behind my place. Do you read?" There was a burst of static then her brother's voice"...ck, godamnitall, why the HELL couldn't they call me for backup? I'm on my way Maddie. I'll try to meet up with them or head them off." Having done all she could Maddie let the mike fall from her fingers as she wilted into the wooden chair next to the radio table. She began to pray. Mulder was getting too far ahead. Scully cursed and stumbled on something in the dark. She went down in a semi-controlled roll regaining her feet quickly, ignoring the slight pain of bruised knees and elbows. Now he was out of sight... swallowed up by the darkness. Damn his long legs anyway. "MULDER!" She wasn't sure how she managed to shout when she was running out of air. She was usually able to pace herself for a long run but not this time. Not if she wanted to keep up with her partner at all. "COME ON SCULLY THIS WAY!" His voice called from the left. Whatever he was chasing must have moved off that way. Thank God... they were heading back into town, no longer going for the forest only three blocks away. She took off again in the direction of his voice. It was ahead of him, keeping the same distance between them. Mulder slowed, it slowed. Damn.. it was leading him. He clicked the safety off his Smith and Wesson. Something was wrong here. Yah right like chasing a ball of red light is normal, he thought to himself, but then who ever accused me of being normal? He looked behind him but caught no sight of Scully in the faint light of the street lamps. "SCULLY!" He called back to her and was answered only by silence. Up ahead the orb of light was beginning to dim. He watched, fascinated, as it dimmed to a third of it's previous luminance then split into two pinpoints. The two distant spots headed back towards him. It registered. Eyes. It was somehow one of the dogs. He stood his ground automatically assuming the shooter's stance, feet slightly apart as the world shrunk to the point just beyond his gun's crosshair. He aimed directly between the oncoming points of red light. He saw it as it ran beneath a street light. Grey, large, no breed he recognized. He squeezed the trigger gently. The loud crack of the shot filled the night. The dog did not even slow. He got off two more rounds to no avail. He knew he hadn't missed. A sudden vision of the bodies of Patrick Murphy and Jimmy McGowen blossomed in his mind and he felt a chill that went to his bones. With a muffled curse Fox Mulder turned and began to run, the glowing eyes of the hound behind him slowly gaining ground. Scully made it to a side street and looked up and down the road. No sign of him. What the Hell? "MULDER WHERE ARE YOU?!" There was no answer. Then she heard, faintly, the sound of gunfire. Once, then twice more in rapid succession. It was off the way she had originally be heading. Confused but far too worried about Mulder's safety to bother thinking about it now, she headed back in the direction of the shots. His heart felt as if it would pound right through his rib cage, and his legs were beginning to burn from the exertion... but a quick look back told him that not only had he not lost the huge tooth and fur pursuer, but other's had joined it. Over the pounding of his own shoes on the pavement and his heart in his ears he could hear the clicking of their claws. He could barely breathe. He did NOT want to die being torn apart by a pack of dogs. After everything else I've lived through, he thought as he ran - forcing the fear down before it turned to blind panic, ending my days as an Alpo substitute is gonna be a big let down. Out of nowhere blinding light shone into Mulder's eyes and he cried out at the ear piercing squeal of tires and protesting breaks. The police cruiser swerved around him and spun to block the road between Mulder and the dogs. "Git yer skinny ass in here boy!" Green's voice called from the car. Mulder turned and ripped open the rear driver's side door, throwing himself inside even as the car began moving again. Green backed up, over the curb, into someone's lawn, then aimed his car right at the pack of dogs as they skidded to a confused halt. "Hold on ta yer hat!" The Sheriff floored it. A shower of dirt and grass fanned out from beneath the rear tires and the car took off. There was a satisfying thud as something connected with the front of the car, accentuated by the jarring bump as the wheels ran over whatever was hit. "Scully! Where's Scully?" Mulder looked out the rear window and then leaned forward to grab Green's shoulder. "LOOK!" The car's sudden stop threw them forward a bit. green looked in his rear view mirror, then turned around, his eyes wide with a touch of fear. "Mother of God..." The road behind them was empty. No dogs... no remains of whatever had been hit. Nothing A block back, at a crossroad, the corner street light shone on a shock of coppery hair. Scully came into view. "Go back, pick her up." Mulder was almost frantic. They had to still be out there, yet there was no sign of them as they stopped for the petite redhead to get in the passenger side door. She was gasping for breath and the look she gave Mulder was withering. "Don't you EVER do that to me again!" =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (15/?) Date: 19 Dec 1995 19:20:35 -0500 DISCLAIMERS ATTACHED TO PARTS 1, 4 AND 8. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 15/?) Green drove, not to the B&B but to the house of Agnes Kelly. He briefly radioed Maddie and told her he'd found Mulder and Scully and that they would not be back tonight, adding that she should make sure all her doors and windows were locked up tight. He parked outside Mrs. Kelly's home and as they got out of the car he took a look at the trunk and cursed. Thus was the attention of both agents drawn to the arrow protruding through the fiberglass trunk door. They moved swiftly to the house and the door flew open before they reached the top porch step. Agnes Kelly motioned them to get inside quickly. "What are we doing HERE?" Scully finally asked as Green closed and locked the door behind them. Mrs. Kelly took Scully's hand and patted it as if she were a young child. "You are here because I know the old ways... I know how to ward you." Mulder and Green both looked at the old woman with shock. "Wait a minute... you knew we were comin? How the..." Green sputtered. "I got the feelin I was needed. Maybe there's more of the psychic in me then I thought." She winked at them. "But time's a wastin. I don't know if the rule about bein invited in applies here... so take this and pour some on all the upstairs window sills and in each doorway. I'll take the downstairs." Mrs. Kelly pressed a round container of Morton's Salt into Mulder's hand. "Just do it. Humor an old woman boy. Then we can talk." "This is insane." Scully stood in the middle of the living room, not moving as Mulder went upstairs with the salt and Mrs. Kelly poured a line of white granules across the base of the front door. Just as Mulder came back to the first floor an eerie chorus of howls sounded from outside, raising the hairs on the back of the necks of everyone inside the house. "Humph. They're cryin their frustration. You are safe for now." Agnes leaned heavily on a cane made of twisted wood. Mulder was struck by the amusing image of this woman as Yoda in Star Wars. "Alright everybody, sit. Talk. I'll get some tea." Mrs. Kelly's tone brooked no argument and the three took seats. "What the Hell went on out there?" Scully's gaze shifted from one man to the other, directing her question at both. "I don't think I want to know." Green shivered and the burly Sheriff wrapped his arms around himself. He looked pale and defeated. "I think the Wild Hunt was after us Scully." Mulder peeled off his jacket. He had regained his breath but he was still overwarm from the exercise of the night. "You were chased by dogs?" She frowned, he had obviously been through something tonight. Something that disturbed not only him, but the Sheriff as well. "I followed the Fox Fire... I thought you were right behind me. It kept a pace just that much faster than me so I was never any closer to it. When I had to slow down because I was winded it slowed down too. That set off my Spidey Alarms." Mulder leaned forward with his elbows on his knees as he ran his hands through his hair before looking Scully straight in the eye. "The Fox Fire became one of the dogs. I *watched* it dim, then the light turned into eyes. Even I'm having a hard time believing it... but I know what I saw. I shot at it when it started to come after me. No way I missed three shots, but it didn't even phase it. I was running for cover when Sheriff Green came across me." "Mam, I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it. When I rounded the corner to Ninth I saw Mr. Mulder here running at me Hell bent for leather and the red, glowin eyes of a good dozen dog's hot on his heels." Green related what had transpired - a haunted look in his eyes. "No body... no pack... just you roundin the corner." He finished. Scully stood and crossed to the window. Pulling back the drape she peered outside and gasped. "They're out there." Her words were barely more then a whisper but Mulder and Green were instantly behind her. "I thought that was my line." Mulder quipped before he looked outside. One dog was standing on the roof of the cruiser, it's eyes glowing horribly as it stared through the distance and the glass... right at them. Other's moved about the house, padding around the yard sniffing at their scent. Every once in a while one would follow the scent as far as the porch steps then rise it's hackles to growel, sharp, white teeth seeming to glow red as much as the eyes before it moved back to rejoin the rest of the prowling pack. "I'm callin for backup." Green went to Mrs. Kelly's antique French phone. After picking up the receiver he dialed, then began clicking the cradle. "Godamn phone is dead," he glared, "aint no pack of dogs did that." Scully reached into her coat for her cellular phone, only to remember she'd left it next to her bed at the Bed and Breakfast when she ran out after Mulder. She looked at him but her partner shook his head. Great, his was left behind too. Fat lot of good they were doing back there. Hunter did it." Mrs. Kelly re-entered the room bearing a teetering tray of teacups unsteadily. She dropped it rather heavily on the coffee table before collapsing into her own chair. "Camomile, it'll help yer nerves. You two git away from that window, you'll only rile them up more." "Look," She settled herself into the chair, almost becoming a part of the old piece of furniture, "the Pack never sets off on a Hunt without the Hunter. He's out there as well, you just can't see him, cause he is good at keepin hidden. He cut the phone, probably with nothin more magical then a pair of wire cutters. Now... as long as you stay inside this house you are safe. Come mornin they'll be gone. The Wild Hunt can't stand the light of day. You may as well sit down and make yerselves as comfortable as ya can." =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:THE HUNT (16/?) Date: 19 Dec 1995 21:06:07 -0500 DISCLAIMERS ATTACHED TO PARTS 1, 4 AND 8. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 16/?) "Oh he's out there alright. He put one of his fancy arrows in my car." Green flopped onto the other chair leaving the couch for Mulder and Scully. "So he's managed to cut us off and terrorize us. Now I'm startin to get pissed again." "Nothin you can do till mornin Sheriff. Bullets won't stop 'em. You should know that by now. The iron in the shells has been forged." She looked at Mulder then, "You still got the iron I gave you? Good. Keep it in yer pockets." "So how DO we stop them?" Mulder took a seat on the couch. "I don't know." She wouldn't meet his eyes now, and Mulder could tell she was lying. She wasn't very good at it, so why was she doing it? He was tired, emotionally wrung out and frustrated at the who situation. "Tell us." He practically hissed. Mrs. Kelly stiffened, then looked him in the eyes. Her dark brown gaze cutting through his hazel one. "I'll tell ya what I can then boy... for all the good it will do. The one who did the callin. They are the anchor to this world. The blood that went into the summoning was theirs, only their blood can undo it. But it must be shed willingly... and totally." "So we have to convince this Hunter person to commit suicide?" Scully threw her empty hand up in the air in disgust. She still held her gun. "That's VERY helpful." "Look, the glowing eyes are easily explained. The street lights and the head lights reflected at an angle. It's the same effect you get in snapshots known as red eye." "Look out the window Scully... they're still red... and red eye reflection doesn't cause that glow. They are too bright for that." Mulder shook his head but he spoke gently. The familiar ritual of debating the rational and the irrational with her helping to wipe away the fear of earlier. "Yah, and how did they disappear in less then two seconds after I ran through 'em?" Green looked hard at Scully. "They move quickly. It isn't unheard of. Perhaps they are part greyhound. You obviously didn't kill the one you hit... probably just grazed it and in the excitement you *thought* you did more damage." Scully rationalized. "So how did the Fox Fire become a dog right before my eyes?" Mulder crossed his arms and looked at her, daring her to come up with an explanation to that one. "Hallucination aided by the darkness. The mushroom you've been handling all night. If it's a hallucinogen then perhaps you absorbed some osmatically through your hand when you picked it." Mulder shook his head again. "Hallucinogenic mushrooms have to be ingested. It doesn't wash." "Neither does balls of light becoming the Hound of the Baskervilles. Neither does the fact that we have a pack of feral dogs... albeit odd ones, and a serial killer lurking outside this house and you are gathering around a cup of tea and a glorified story teller feeling all safe and cozy because you put SALT at the doors." "They can't enter now child. They are bound by laws of their own, and that is one of them." Mrs. Kelly didn't look at all offended. "But if you feel better to pace my house with your gun... feel free. Just don't shoot any of us by mistake." "We'll keep a watch." Mulder touched Scully's arm. "I don't think anyone is going to get much sleep anyway." "Do you seriously think that they are going to just go away come sunrise?" She stared at him. "And how do we know that they aren't going to attack any of the other townspeople? Just sitting here might be endangering lives." "If we can see them in the yard then they aren't off terrorizing anyone else." He gave her one of his lopsided grins. "And if they are still there in the morning we can get better shots instead of wasting bullets in the dark." "Fine." She pressed her full lips together in a tight line. "I'll take first watch." She went to the window to watch the pacing Pack. "What happened to you Scully?" Mulder's breath was warm on her cheek as he whispered next to her. She started a little as she had not heard him approach. She didn't turn from the window but her gaze shifted to look at his reflection in the glass. "I fell over something. When I called you- you answered and I followed your voice. There must have been a wierd echo effect or something because I thought you'd gone in a different direction." Their each met the other's eyes in the reflections of the glass. "I never heard you call me. It wasn't me who answered you. He intentionally split us up." Mulder shivered a little. They had fallen for the trick... one arrow out of the darkness... or if the pack had gone after her instead... he didn't want to think about it. He'd come so close to loosing her before. Scully saw his shiver but pretended not to. "He's got a future in impressions then. He has you down pat." She drawled to lighten the mood, a half smile playing at her lips before fading into a worried expression that was almost a match of Mulder's. "You know what that means don't you? He was after YOU. You specifically. The dogs went for you, while I was left stumbling around in the dark." "It's tough being popular." He grinned, turning her ploy back on her. "Maybe I should stop wearing the Purina logo on my clothes." She gave another brief smile then settled down to watch the restless pack outside. Shadow on shadow now, their terrible eyes the only thing betraying them. "Don't you think the neighbors would call for help? I mean this can't be the norm around here." She gestured out the window. "Who are they going to call? The Sheriff is in here and the Deputy's dead. After a few months of dog savaged bodies turning up I wouldn't count on anyone charging to the rescue." Mulder moved away, back to Green and Mrs. Kelly. He brought out the evidence bag and began to question Mrs. Green on mushrooms. =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (17/?) Date: 20 Dec 1995 13:50:57 -0500 Though far from my first writing effort, this IS my first attempt at X-Files fan fiction. PLEASE, please, please send me your responses to this. Comments, criticisms, flames and David Duchovny's home address accepted. Though I reserve the right to ignore the flames. This work is PG-13, due to violence and mild expletives. There is NO M&S romance, and no UST either (ok maybe there is a little after all, but it was unplanned). This is simply an X-File. DISCLAIMER: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully and all characters associated with the X-Files are the property of Chris Carter and Ten Thirteen productions. I took them off the shelf, I played with them for a while then I put them back right where I found them. Please don't sue me for using them as all I own is this Computer and my Dog. Without my computer I can't read every one elses' fan fiction. However time sharing arrangements on the dog can be made. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 17/?) Mrs. Kelly frowned at the withered mushroom she was shown. "And you say this came from a ring? Lad, you have got to be one of either the stupidest or the most suicidal people I know. Don't you know you never take from a ring unless you are sure you destroy the whole thing? If you touch a ring without askin permission of the Fair Folk you risk their wrath. No wonder The Hunt went after ya. The only way to keep safe is to ask that permission or to completely destroy the ring so they can not trace the defilement back to you." She shook her grey head, "I guess I should be glad you didn't stand in the center of it during the full o' the moon. Then you'd be lost for sure." "Well I certainly didn't hear music while we were out there." Mulder smiled gently. "Good thing too." Mrs. Kelly snapped. "Well," She took the bag and turned it over and over in her hands, "it's no kind I've seen before. Most rings are formed by what is actually known as Fairy Ring Mushrooms. They are even edible." She sniffed. "But this... I've never seen it's like locally." Mulder thanked her and looked over at Green."How are you holding up?" "Pretty damn good considerin." Green looked over to Scully, then back to Mulder. "She makes a good case though don't she? I tell ya my brain want's to go along with everythin she said, evidence to the otherwise or no. But my gut..." "We both saw them disappear... she didn't. Besides it's her JOB to come up with nice logical explanations for the unexplainable. She's good at it." "And what's your job agent Mulder?" Green tried to get the measure of the man before him. It seemed he wasn't as cut and dried as Green's first impression. "To get to the Truth, no matter what it may be. Even if it isn't logical." "You chase after boogie men." It wasn't a question. "I've learned... we've learned," He looked briefly at Scully's back, "that some boogie men are real." "Mister, if you told me any of that yesterday when we met... I'd have written you off as a nut case." Mulder nodded, it was expected. "But not now." He smiled. "Yah, well, tonight I saw more then a plain man should. Maybe by the end of the week I'll convince myself that the little lady is right and this whole nightmare was the result of stress and coincidence... but right now I'll make sure there's salt at the door." Mrs. Kelly chuckled, reminding them suddenly that she was there. "Lads, that's all that can be asked of ya." The sun in his face woke Green up. He blinked rapidly and looked out the window he was seated before. They were gone. He mentally berated himself up and down... he could not believe he fell asleep. Mrs. Kelly had gone to bed around midnight, completely confident that all was as well as it could be. Ms. Scully had even let exhaustion over take her around three ack emma and she'd curled up on the couch, her partner seated in the chair next to her, his gun on the coffee table prepared to snap to the defensive at any moment. He wasn't in the chair now... and Green was pretty sure it was Mulder he heard puttering around in Mrs. Kelly's kitchen. "They're gone." His simple statement woke Scully who uncurled herself with a languorous stretch before getting up to stand by him to look at the empty yard. "When?" Green brushed scarlet. "I don't know. I must have dropped off for a moment... when I opened my eyes they were gone." "They disappeared about five thirty, just when it started to get light. One minute there... the next..." Mulder came in with three mugs balanced in his hands filled with last night's tea, now steaming again. "She's into old Celtic lore but she believes in all the modern conveniences. She has a microwave." He handed them each a cup. "You let me sleep?" Green accused. Mulder rubbed the side of his nose with his thumb for a minute. "It looked like you needed it. I was awake, so we were not completely unguarded." "Do you think the killer's still out there?" Green asked. "We could always send Mulder out to check. He seemed to be the target last night." Scully grinned. Mulder shrugged and put on his jacket while picking up his gun and thumbing off the safety. "Mulder I wasn't serious." Scully set down the tea and grabbed his arm. "I know, but someone has to do it." Scully grabbed her own coat and gun. "Then let's go." She raised an eyebrow. There was nothing outside. They carefully combed the whole block, searching every conceivable hiding place all the while feeling their back's itch, waiting for the arrow that never came. There was no sign of the Hunter... or the dogs. They were still on gaurd when they returned to the house, the lack of any sign of him intensified their paranoia instead of allaying it. They didn't speak until they were back inside. "He even removed the arrow from the car." Scully was obviously discouraged. "The hole is the only sign that it was ever existed. That and the cut phone wire are all there is to prove last night happened at all." "Can I get you folks some breakfast?" Mrs. Kelly descended the stairs. She wore a faded green terry robe and fuzzy slippers over something high necked and flannel. "No thank you Mrs. Kelly. We have a lot to do.It seems we are in the clear for now." Mulder surprised Scully by crossing to the woman and bending to kiss her on the cheek. "Thank you for helping us last night." The old woman actually blushed. "I wish I could have done more ta help." There was something sad but honest in her eyes. "I really do. But you are welcome to what aid I could provide. And remember the salt. It's not as good as cold Iron against the Fay, but good enough." Mulder nodded and they took their leave. Outside Sheriff Green walked around the front of his patrol car and stopped dead. He beckoned both agents over and pointed. "So much for the theory of just grazin one of the critters." The fender and grille were both heavily dented, but there was no sign of blood or fur. =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (18/?) Date: 20 Dec 1995 17:37:22 -0500 THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS ATTACHED TO PARTS 1, 4, 8 AND 17. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 18/?) Green drove them back to Maddie's so they could get cleaned up and eat. He himself did not escape the B&B until Maddie had seen for herself that he was alright before she checked over both agents with the same concern in her eyes. "Well gee mom, it was just a sleep over." Mulder grinned at the older woman, touched by her concern. "Not much sleeping by the size of the luggage under your eyes." She crossed her arms. "Next time ask permission before you leave or I'll ground you." She managed to quip back. As they headed upstairs Mulder winked at Scully, "I think I like her." Green took the mushroom sample with him. Mulder had decided he could trust the man shortly after he'd come between Mulder and death. With luck they might know what kind of fungi it was by evening. Once clean and after a hasty meal of cold cereal, leaving Scully not so much amazed that Mulder ate Cocoa Puffs so much as that Maddie HAD them, they went back to the police station. Green was in his office and on the phone. He motioned them to have a seat while he listened to whoever was on the line. "Is that all you can give me? Cheeerist... do you have any idea what a situation we're having out here? Fine. I know... I'm just under a lot of pressure, and I had one hell of a night Kenny. Yah, well... I guess it's better then we had this mornin. Talk to ya later... Oh wait... I just sent Carl Terrence out your way with a mushroom... I'd really appreciate it if you could get me an analysis on it as soon as possible, it's related to this case. Thanks buddy." Green looked for a moment like he was about to slam the phone down, but he reigned in his temper and gently cradled the receiver. "That was the lab. They sped things up giving us top priority. The dog hairs were from a Mutt, at least not from any breed they ever saw before. They assured me it wasn't a wolf... but we learned that fer sure last night." Green ran a hand down his face. "The arrow was clean as a whistle. Hand made, silver barb, oak shaft and the fletching was..." "Turkey.. wild turkey." Scully finished for him. It was identical to the others. Green nodded. "I have two deputies from Mammoth Springs comin in to help me out... til I can fill Jimmy's job." Green looked pained for a second then shrugged it off. "That should keep us from another night like last night. At least we'll have some back up around here." Green tugged at his bottom lip when the phone rang. He picked up and after a few comments turned to Mulder and Scully, his hand over the mouthpiece. "Been gettin calls all mornin, people want ta know what was goin on last night. I think I'll put it all on the answerin machine tape and save me some trouble." He grumbled and made a face while giving brief reassurances to the caller before cautioning them to stay inside at night. There was a knock at the door and Mulder sent a puzzled look to Scully. A knock on the door of a police station? He shrugged, and since Green was busy he went to answer it. Michael Gallagher was outside, Puck sitting docilely at the end of a bright red leash whining in the back of his throat. The boy shuffled his feet and his face was a mask of misery. "Come on in Michael. What's wrong?" Mulder put a hand on the kid's trembling shoulder as he guided him into the station. "Momma won't wake up. She's breathin an everythin. I checked. I watched Rescue 911. But I shook her and yelled an she won't move any. Grampa used to get like that once in a while... but with HER like that I'm all alone." Scully stood in the doorway to the Sheriff's office shaking her head. "I'll come with you and check on her if you want Michael. I'm a doctor." The boy's round face brightened considerably, and there was a sparkle of tears in the magnified image of his eyes through his glasses. "Would ya? Thanks. I would have called an am-blance like they say to on 911... but momma pulled the phone out and I didn't know how to make it work again." "Why don't I come along and see if *I* can fix that." Mulder offered. He wanted to get a better look at that house anyway... Michael was eating cereal in the kitchen, Puck laying at his feet waiting for cheerios to drop and give him a treat when Scully called Mulder upstairs. He stopped looking over the few scattered family photos on a bookshelf and navigated the stairs. Scully stood in a doorway just a little down the hall. Inside Maire Gallagher lay sprawled across a bed on her stomach. The smell of alcohol was strong. Burbon... maybe some whiskey on top of the beer. "She's dead drunk alright, but I don't think she's in danger of an alcoholic coma... yet. I wanted you to see this though." Scully pointed to the unconscious woman's jeans and sneakers. There were burrs on her jeans, and her sneakers were muddy. "Looks like she was doing some partying outside last night." Mulder sighed. "I think we're gonna have to bring her in Scully." "May I ask your reasoning now?" Scully crossed her arms. "I didn't want to mention it... but I think Thom Gallagher was more then a drunk. I think he was Michael's father." Scully only raised an eyebrow, not saying anything. "Marie's reaction to any mention of Michael's father made me start to consider the man a suspect... but it was Maddie who fit the peices together. Thom Gallagher beat her... and she never dated, kept to the house mostly... or wasn't allowed to leave. Classic scenario for child sexual abuse. Then the fact that he brought in Meghan Thomas' grandmother to deliver Michael instead of going to the hospital... it didn't make sense unless he had something to hide." "So you think Maire Gallagher summoned the Wild Hunt to either avenge herself on or to escape her father." Scully had to admit it made sense. Maybe in her own drunkenness she suffered the delusions of being the Hunter figure. A way to strike out at the world without the guilt. "Yes I do. He was the first victim. And I bet if we get a search warrant and go through this place we'll find a bow and some arrows that match those found in the victims." "Alright... I'll cuff her and try to bring her around enough to read her her rights. But what do we do with Michael? I don't think this town is big enough to have a local Social Services." Mulder gave her a lopsided grin, "I bet I know someone who'd just LOVE to have someone to fuss over for a while." Scully matched his grin. "Maggie." She nodded. "Call Green. I don't think it would be a good idea for Michael to see us taking his mother out in cuffs. I just hope we can make this case hold with circumstantial evidence and you doing a profile on her." Green was there in five minutes. He nodded to Mulder who was sitting across the table from Michael, diverting the boy's attention with talk of Basketball, a subject the boy knew a great deal about to Mulder's initial surprise. Mulder pointed in the direction of the stairway and Green went up to join Scully. Maire Gallagher was conscious, but not at all coherent. Her speech was slurred and rambling and she kept twisting in the cuffs. "What the Hell is going on here?" Green demanded. Scully began to explain. It didn't take much to convince him. He just shook his head sadly. "Damn... you know if I had even suspected any of this twenty year ago none of this woulda happened... I'd a killed the bastard myself." He sighed. "OK, will you two run Mike over to Maddie's? You're right, she'd love to take him in. I'll take Maire in. I'll also make sure she understands her rights when she's sober enough." He moved to half haul the inebriated woman to her feat, she didn't protest. "One thing though Ms. Scully... What about the dogs? Puck hasn't got a mean bone in his body... and there aint any other dogs here." Scully shook her head. "I don't know Sheriff. Mulder and I plan on sticking around until Ms. Gallagher is sober enough to give us some answers... that will definitely be on the list of questions." =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:THE HUNT (19/?) Date: 20 Dec 1995 21:55:06 -0500 DISCLAIMERS ATTACHED TO PARTS 1, 4, 8 AND 16. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 19/?) Michael had been told that his mother was sick, and she was going to get some help. It was the truth as far as both agents were concerned. Scully didn't like it... but she felt Mulder was right. It twisted her up inside to know that Maire Gallagher had been through so much... it was almost understandable and forgivable that she go insane. If only so many people hadn't died. Maggie had the boy installed in one of her guest rooms and set about getting a rope run set up in her back yard for Puck by the time Mulder and Scully left. "I wonder why she never got married? She's got all those mother genes down pat." Mulder mused as Scully drove for once. "Mother genes? I don't think there is a genetic code for mothering." She shook her head and smiled. "But you are right... she is nice. She'd drive me crazy in a month... but she's nice." Enid Thomas was painting in her upstairs studio when Hela began to fidget downstairs. She heard him whining and pacing. Something was wrong. She wiped her brushes and went down to check when she heard the gentle rapping at her front door. Opening it she was confronted by the small figure of Agnes Kelly. "Enid, we need to talk. There's some major trouble." The young woman sighed and let Mrs. Kelly in. Somehow she didn't think she was going to like this. Maire Gallagher had passed out again as soon as she was in a holding cell. Green sighed and ran the idea of calling a public defender for her against his general dislike of all lawyers. The lawyers lost. He hated pitying the woman behind the bars. But if those FBI people were right... damn it he could almost give her a clap on the back for gettin her own back against her old man. If the killin had stopped there he'd probably even do his best to support her. Temporary insanity and all that. But Jack O'shay, Meghan Thomas, Ian Jones and Jimmy McGowan didn't deserve to die. He made sure to leave Pat Murphy's name off the list though... good bye to bad rubbish. He was still looking in the cell, contemplating the whole mess of a situation when Mulder and Scully came in. "She hasn't come round. I'm brewing up some coffee, but I doubt it will do her any good. Time is all that will clear up that much booze. I've locked up enough drunks to know that. She probably won't be able to talk straight till she wakes up on her own. I'll call ya the minute that happens. We might get more out of her if she's hung over and off gaurd." "What about the search warrant? We HAVE probable cause." Mulder leaned against the cell bars. "I got a judge signin it right now in Mammoth Springs. I'll be radioed the ok for an emergency search as the paperwork is brought here by courier." As if on cue the Radio in the Sheriff's office fell out of it's usual staticy pattern. "This is Mammoth Springs Dispatch to Woading Law Enforcement come in..." Green moved quickly into his office and picked up the Mike. "This is Woading. Green here, give me some good news." "It's all clear. Warrant is on it's way, you are clear for an emergency search of 283 Williams Street. Repeat you are clear for an emergency search of 283 Williams Street." The woman's voice over the CB was completely neutral. "Clara honey, I could kiss you." Green grinned into the mike. "Promises, Promises." The neutral voice faded into one filled with humor. "I was expectin at least a marriage proposal though." "I would but you deserve better then me. I'm outta here." Green replaced the mike before gesturing to the door. "After you folks. We got a house and grounds to search." "Agnes... are you sure? I mean..." Enid shook hear head then put her face in her hands. "Child, I am as sure as I ever have been. I saw them bring her in. They drove right past my house." "This is so hard... I suppose if I'd done my job a little better none of this would have happened." Enid began to cry and Agnes wrapped her arms around the much younger woman, pulling her close and rocking her slightly. "It's no more your fault then mine. What's done is done. Now we got to put it to rights. And don't you start blamin yerself for poor Meghan. You've been doin good so far... I won't have ya fallin apart on me now. Not when I need ya. Now... I need ya to get your things together and to try to work another summoning. Lockin up poor Maire is a mistake, and I'm afraid things are just gonna get worse for it. We may need to fight Fay with Fay." Enid shook and straightened herself up. She looked straight into the older woman's eyes. "Last time I tried to call on the Telwyth Teg..." "Was for selfish reasons. That's why it fell apart. Now ya got to do it for others. Shove your fears aside girl... it won't do any good... and if ya CAN help, and didn't... THEN's the time to be blamin yerself." =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:THE HUNT (20/?) Date: 21 Dec 1995 22:15:40 -0500 DISCLAIMERS ATTACHED TO PREVIOUS POSTS. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 20/?) Just as Green was about to suggest the two agents go without him so he could stay with the prisoner a Mammoth Springs cruiser pulled up outside. Two uniformed officers got out and reported in. "Good, I thought you boys wouldn't arrive in time." green clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "These are agents Mulder and Scully of the FBI, they've been helpin run this puppy. I've got a suspect in there now with only me an the janitor to stay here and watch her. One of you now has that happy duty. She's sleeping off a drunk now, so she shouldn't be trouble. We also have an emergency warrant release to search the suspect's house and grounds, the other of ya can come along and help with that end." Both men nodded and after a quick discussion between themselves the younger of the two volunteered to stay at the station. "Sir, what are we looking for when we conduct our search?" The officer who had volunteered to join them was in his mid thirties, short but built like a wrestler. "Well Mark, we are lookin fer a bow and some hand made arrows with silver tips. We are also lookin fer a pair of deer antlers and maybe a hollow spike of some sort. Anythin at all that will help link our suspect to the murders, includin an overlarge bill fer dog food." At the Gallagher place they decided to split up to cover the most ground in the least time. Green headed for the upstairs while Officer Mark Brody was taking the first floor. Mulder volunteered to check the basement with a lopsided grin. "I'm used to basements." Scully started going over the acre and a half yard. It was still slow going. Enid Thomas knelt just outside the ring of mushrooms in her side yard. Agnes Kelly sat in a wicker chair off behind and to the side of the younger woman. Agnes did not know how to do what Enid did, she didn't have the gift, but she knew the gist of it. She had told the truth before... she was no witch. That was Enid's forte. Agnes smiled a little at the thought. Those nice FBI people would never believe that. Especially not this term for witch anyway. Enid was a witch born, then a witch trained in a tradition older then those who now claimed the title of witch. Enid's magic was orally passed down from teacher to student since before the Romans conquered the Britons. Agnes shook her head as she watched the young woman before her sway and chant as she arranged some of the things she would need for this summoning. There were damn few teachings as old as those Enid followed and some would find the idea of such an ancient tradition harder to believe in then the tue magic involved. Enid set a small brass brazier within the fairie ring, a bundle of dried herbs and powdered charcoal mixed with incense filled it's bowl. She lit them with a match and began to chant. The words were not English, nor were they Gaelic or Welsh... but a much older language. After the readying ritual Enid paused and looked over her shoulder at Agnes. "I'm ready to start. This is best done at night though...under the moon and stars." "An yer most likely ta git yer throat ripped out tryin it at night here and now aint ya?" Agnes shook her head. "There's no time, things are gonna come to a head tonight. If we want to try and stop more deaths... it has to be now." "Alright. Just like the ritual to summon the Hunter whatever answers my summons is going to need a vessel. It will most likely be me, as I am doing the ritual, and all the old magics and those who dwell in the spirit realm consider Names and blood important. I was named after one of the Telwyth Teg from my mom's fairy stories, and my blood is almost pure Welsh. Hopefully the one I was named for will be listening." With those words she began to chant again. She picked up a silver dagger and after making intricate patterns in the air in front of her that seemed to leave an after image of light, like writing with sparklers on a fourth of July night. After the last symbol was traced she brought the blade across her palm, cupping it to catch the blood, then allowing the blood to trickle into the brazier. The smoke flowed upwards before drifting away on the breeze. It seemed an eternity, but it was really no more then an hour before Enid's constant chanting received an answer. At first it seemed only an odd shimmer of sunlight, then the light gathered into a floating ball of sapphire light. The light floated from the center of the ring to Enid, stopping just before her before simply blinking out. Enid collapsed with a groan. Agnes moved as quickly as she could to the young woman's side. "Enid?" She brushed stray strands of dark hair from the woman's face. Enid groaned and opened her eyes. "I was answered. It worked... but it she didn't choose me. *I* would know if she chose to stay in my body even if any other vessel would not. It was female... and at least as old as the Hunter... but.... where did she go? Who did she choose? It could be anyone, male or female so long as they are directly involved with the mess the Wild Hunt has made of our world." Agnes Kelly frowned and helped the girl up, lost in thought. Then as Enid regained her feet and her balance Agnes slowly smiled. "Oh... I think I have an idea." The old woman winked. "Ya think too much of the Welsh version of the tales, but yer Telwyth Teg are known by many names. Faieries, The Sidhe, The little Folk, The Folk of the Air, the Spirits... and the Tuatha de Dannan..." Agnes Kelly laughed at the sweet irony of what she was guessing. "Agnes? Have you snapped? What is so funny?" "I'll tell ya inside child. It's chilly out here... and my bones are aching." =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (21/?) Date: 21 Dec 1995 22:18:29 -0500 Yah, yah... insert the usual disclaimer stuff here. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 21/?) Mulder was half way through the basement and had yet to find anything more then dirt and dust. It looked like he was going to have to take another shower after they were through here and he idly wondered if Woading had a dry cleaner. There was also a lovely mildew odor and he was sure he was allergic to something down here because his sinuses had filled up and his eyes were beginning to burn and itch. Just great, he thought, the Hounds of Hell miss me but I'm brought low by a basement... pun intended, he smiled to himself, oh the indignity of it all. He was going through a filthy aluminum shelf filled with an odd assortment of junk. Old toys -Hey a slinky, dusty puzzle boxes- nothing in there but slightly molding cardboard pieces, an HO train set- got a whole town in these boxes wonder if it has working lights, a box filled with outdated hunting licenses and old pictures of past successes- hold on... BINGO! Mulder brought the box closer to the bare overhead light bulb that was his only source of illumination down here. The licenses were for BOW hunting. The pictures were of Thomas Gallagher with different dead animals before him. The slight variation in hair styles and one try at a mustache marked the progression of years. He was a buck hunter. There was a picture taken in 1975, if the licence it was pinned to was any indication. In it Thom Gallagher held up the head of an eight point buck...He held a recurve bow in his free hand and Maire was present. God- she couldn't have been more then fifteen, a skinny little kid with a bruised cheek visibly attempting to edge away from her father in the picture. Mulder's jaw clenched in anger. He stopped from grinding his teeth to bite back a curse. In the picture young Maire Gallagher was holding a bow of her own. OK, still circumstantial evidence and not overly helpful... but it proved she knew how to use a bow. Three of the licenses were for her, but there were no success pictures to go with them. The licences with her name on them were from 74, 75 and 76. He put the lid back on the cardboard box and tagged it as evidence. As he turned back to the shelves of junk he heard light footsteps on the wooden stairs behind him. He turned around to greet Scully. "I take it you had no luck." She shook her head. "Yard is clean. Even Puck's dog house is clean... though smelly." She reached out and wiped a finger against Mulder's cheek pulling it back so he could see the dirt smear on it. "Looks like you've been having fun though. If you keep this up mom really will ground you." Mulder grinned then sneezed. "Damn... I swear I'm allergic to something down here." He handed her the shoe box full of licenses and photos. "Take a look at this." She took the box and was about to open it when she went suddenly pale. The box fell from her hands, scattering laminated licenses and faded pictures over the dusty floor. She started to crumple. Mulder caught her and gently lowered her to the floor, kneeling with her a look of confusion and distress on his face that she would have thought funny if she saw it. "Scully?" She seemed unconscious. What the Hell... "Green! Brody! I need some help down here, Scully collapsed!" He heard the pounding of two sets of feet above him followed by those same feet rushing down the basement stairs. Both Lawman were by his side in seconds. "What the Hell happened, she hit her head?" Green took off his wide brimmed hat and checked Scully's pulse. "No... she was fine then all of a sudden she collapsed." Scully opened her eyes to see three concerned faces peering down at her. "What happened? Mulder, why am I in your lap?" The concern in his eyes did not fade as he gave her a familiar lopsided grin. "Guess you finally fell for me. Can I sweep a girl off her feet or what?" "Even *I* have more of a life then THAT." Scully pushed at him and sat up, one small hand fluttering up to touch her temple. "Seriously, what happened? I remember you handing me a box... then... nothing." "You passed out. Maybe you need more sleep. Exhaustion can do that to you." Mulder got to his feet and helped her stand genuine worry in his voice. Scully shook her head. "No... I'm fine. I FEEL fine anyway. Maybe I'm more allergic to something down here then you are." Scully brushed at her clothes, embarrassed now at the whole incident. She was NOT the type to pass out for no reason. "Sheriff Green, do you need some help going over the upstairs?" Green continued to look worried. "If ya promise not to pass out on me too." Scully actually felt herself blush, which added insult to injury. "I don't usually," she assured him. "I guess there's a first time for everything." Mulder watched her go making sure she was steady on her feet before he bent to gather up the scattered contents of the shoe box. The house yeilded no further evidence or clues. They did indeed find deer antlers, four sets. Green declared all of them too old to be from the deer carcass they'd seen in the woods. Most likely they had been hunting trophies. If the murder weapons had ever been there they were not there now. Not even Thom Gallagher's old hunting bow, or Maire's. It was disappointing to say the least. By the time they left Scully really did seem fine, if embarrassed enough that Mulder refrained from teasing her about it. Green and officer Brody returned to the Station with the box Mulder had found while Scully went with Mulder to the B&B so he could get cleaned up. Michael was watching an old Road Runner cartoon when they came in. He was so absorbed he didn't even notice them. Puck just looked up, his ears perked before letting his furry head fall back to his paws with a muted 'whuff'. Maddie was less circumspect. She took one look at Mulder and made an attempt to stifle the purely girlish giggles that came bubbling up making her seem younger then she was for a moment. "You're a mess. What happen you loose a fight with a dust bunny?" "Hey that dust bunny had teeth." He started to shrug out of his suit jacket but Maddie held up a hand. "Not in MY living room bucko... upstairs in the bathroom or I'll have to dust everything again today." As he ascended the stairs Scully met Maddie's eyes and both women broke into unrestrained laughter. =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (22/26) Date: 22 Dec 1995 19:24:50 -0500 insert the disclaimer of your choice here... THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 22/26) A half an hour later Mulder was feeling much better as he fished the bottle of iced tea out of Maddie's refrigerator. The shower had helped to clear his sinuses and his itchy eyes, but for more permanent relief he popped three antihistamine tablets in his mouth and drained a glass of tea. He looked up when Maddie's phone rang and when the lady herself swung around the doorway into the kitchen to answer it. She spoke very briefly before hanging up and looking at Mulder. "Maire woke up five minutes ago. Tom said to send you over right away. He said she hasn't asked for a lawyer yet." It was getting late again. Close to five when they went into the Station. There was no interrogation room, just the short little isle in front of the cell. Maire Gallagher sat on the edge of a bare cot, holding her head in her hands. A paper cup filled with steaming, black coffee sat on the floor next to her, untouched. "Where were you last night Maire?" Green started as soon as Scully and Mulder arrived. They thought it best that he start. He was the familiar face here. "I was drunk... where do you think?" "Yah, but where were you drunk?" Mulder leaned back against the wall across from the cell. "I got wasted on my couch." Maire rubbed at her face, then pushed the mass of her blonde hair over her shoulder. "What is this about? Why am I here?" She was still bleary eyed, but at least she was thinking. "You were in your room when we found you with evidence that you had been outside very recently." Scully crossed her arms. "Well then I don't know where I was. What is this about?" She demanded a bit more harshly. "It's about the fact that there was an attempt on three lives last night. Tell us about your daddy Maire." Green placed a hand on the bars, almost coming between Maire and the agents. "What about him?" "He raped you didn't he? HE was Michael's father." Mulder this time, but his tone was not harsh, was in fact sympathetic. Maire paled, denial on her lips... then she simply lay down and wept. After a full minute she looked through puffy eyes at Mulder. "How did you know?" She sniffled. "There were a lot of signs. I've been trained to see them. Is that why you set out to have him killed?" Mulder's gentle question brought out another sob. "I used to be taught... old lady Llewellyn said I had had a gift... anyway when she saw I wasn't payin much attention to the lessons I snuck off to take she told me to come back when I had straightened myself out." Maire gave a little hiccup, "I never did... but she had taught me enough." "What did she teach you?" Scully moved a little closer to the bars. Maire looked up from her seat to meet her eyes, then she gasped and pulled back slightly from the agent. "Maire, you were taught WHAT?" Green pushed. The woman seemed to sober up fast. Her eyes never left Scully and she was shaking again. "Old lady Llewellyn taught me the old magics till I was twelve. By then I couldn't sneak away much... couldn't concentrate. I... I heard she'd taken another student before she passed on." "You expect us to believe you learned magic? Real magic?" Scully shook her head and Maire looked terrified of the other woman's disbelief. "You tried to summon the Wild Hunt." That was from Mulder, who frowned a little at Gallagher's reaction to Scully. Maire Gallagher nodded slowly, then grabbed her head with a wince. "I did. It was stupid... but I had to get away. He was starting to beat Michael. Where is Mikey?" The woman started to look frantic. "He's safe Maire. Maddie's with him." Green shook his head sadly "Maire... did you kill all those people?" Maire looked at each of the people outside the cell in turn, her gaze lingering longest on Scully, before she dropped her eyes to stare at the tops of her sneakers. She did not look up when she finally breathed the word. "Yes." "Jesus H. Christ!" Green swore. "You did it didn't you? You actually called up the Wild Hunt... and the Hunter went into you." The woman shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. She still did not look up. She looked defeated. "Yes. I did it. I did it ALL. I didn't know what I was doing when I called them... then it was too late." "Maire..." Green closed his eyes and the hand he had wrapped around the cell bar was white knuckled, "are you confessing?" "Yah.... I guess I am. What's gonna happen to Mikey?" "I'll make sure he's taken care of, I promise. I think I better get this in writing then... do this by the book. Do you want to call a lawyer? You are entitled." Green pulled at his bottom lip. Maire looked at Green with tears in her eyes. "No. I'll sign your confession." Mulder rubbed the side of his nose with his thumb. Something was NOT right here, it just didn't fit...but he couldn't quite put his finger on what. "Tell me Maire... after you shot them... why did you slit their throats?" Mulder looked at her curiously and Scully frowned at him, her eyes questioning. "I guess to make sure they were dead. To do it right." Maire sniffled and hugged herself once more. Green's mouth hung open. Mulder nodded then placed a guiding hand at the small of Scully's back and escorted them from the room. "She didn't do it." He said simply when the door closed behind them. "So I gathered after that little curve ball of yours." Green looked out the front door to the darkened street. "But why would she confess?" "I think she did try to summon the Wild Hunt... but she isn't the killer... the Hunter. She is trying to protect the one who is." "No Mulder... you don't seriously think..." Scully had by now learned to follow some of her partner's lines of thinking. "Think WHAT?" Green spun to face them and growled through gritted teeth. "The Hunter needed a vessel. Maire isn't that strong, barely any stamina... but Michael IS. And he doesn't have much of a will to stand in the way of being possessed." The Sheriff's face turned grey. "Oh God... Maddie!" =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (23/26) Date: 22 Dec 1995 19:28:11 -0500 Insert the disclaimer of your choice here. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 23/26) They burst through the front door of the Bed and Breakfast, guns drawn. Green shoved past Mulder and Scully. "MADDIE!" No answer. The TV was on in the living room, old cartoons playing to an empty room. Green took it all in with a growing sense of dread. "MADDIE ANSWER ME!" Scully moved through the door of the kitchen her gun sweeping the room before her. The kitchen itself was empty, but the back door hung open, a cold wind coming in and the darkness outside seemed to press inward, instead of the light spilling out. Green bounded up the stairs while Mulder checked the closets. Everyone was relieved when Green returned a moment later hauling his sister down the stairs. Maddie Green was sopping wet and dressed in a huge fleece robe. She'd obviously been hauled out of the shower and looked none to happy about it. "Just what the Hell is goin on here Tom?" She glared. "Where is Michael?" The Sheriff gestured to the empty room. Maddie paled. "He... he was here when I went up... watching TV. Oh lord... if he went out..." Scully looked at Mulder and Green. "The back door was wide open. He left." "Oh Lord, those dogs are still out there aren't they?" Maddie clutched at her brother's arm. "I don't think Michael has anything to fear from those dogs." Green sighed, frustration and anger at the whole bloody situation welling up. "OK let's see if we can find him." Officer Harold Ridge sat back at the desk after answering natures call and sipped at his coffee while listening to the radio playing softly in the background. Reba was crooning "Does he love you?" over the airwaves and Ridge found himself humming along. He drained his cup and went back for another. Despite the caffeine he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He and Mark had been sent here because a serial killer had murdered this little backwater town's deputy. It was so quiet here it was hard to imagine a crazed killer out there on the empty streets. Almost as hard to imagine the smallish woman in the cell in back being that killer. He sighed, hopefully Mark and him could go home soon. He liked dealing with familiar people, familiar situations in Mammoth Springs. He smiled to himself as his eyelids got heavy. Damn but he was tired. It had been a two hour ride out here and now the most interesting thing to happen was the paperwork on that search warrant arriving by courier and the Sheriff and the FBI people takin off in a hurry. It was quiet...he was alone... it wouldn't hurt to close his eyes for a minute would it? In no time he was asleep. Enid Thomas slipped quietly through the front door. She went to the coffee maker and dumped the used filter and wet grains into a baggie, then she washed out the filter unit and dumped the pot, washing it out as well. She moved over to the sleeping policeman and took his paper cup, dumping that as well, and adding the cup to the mess in the baggie she slipped into her purse. She then set the machine to make a fresh pot of coffee, minus the powder from some of her sister's home made sleeping pills. Enid took a shuddering breath and exhaled slowly. She couldn't believe she'd let Agnes talk her into this. She quickly poured a half a cup of the fresh coffee into a cup and added milk and sugar, sitting the cup next to the sleeping cop she then took the keys off his belt. Let's see, she thought as she went in the back to the single jail cell, this is drugging a police officer - jailbreaking - aiding and abetting... let's see if I can keep this to thing that will let me get out in twenty years or less if I get caught. "Maire." She whispered into the cell as she found the key that unlocked it. The woman in the cell had been curled up on the cot but at the sound of her name she jumped up and looked at Enid in shock. "Come on Maire. Michael is out again tonight, and there is little time. He has to be stopped tonight or never." Enid held the door open. "How did you... Michael? How did you get in here, how did you know about Michael?" Enid grabbed the slightly older woman's arm and dragged her out of the cell. "Because I'm the one Mrs, Llewellyn taught after you. We haven't much time. The Hunter's been collecting blood from the victims. If he kills again tonight he'll have blood from seven people. With that blood he can make a new mask... can break the bonds that bind him to you. You never learned that part did you?" Enid pushed Maire out the door and herded her to the battered Volkswagon parked in a shaded corner of the station. "We haven't got much time. I summoned help but that help can't send the Hunter back, only protect the prey. YOU have a job to do Maire." Enid's eyes pierced the other woman pinning her for a moment before they both got into the car. Maire nodded, resigned. "I think I saw your help." Maire sighed and began to weep again. "I don't want Mikey hurt." "With luck you'll be able to prevent that." Enid started the car. Thick, blunt fingers brushed the protective leaf cover from the tools of his trade. They glowed softly in the darkness. Lovingly he picked up the mask. The leaves formed a face. molded together with mud made from the caster's blood. The stag's horns raising from the brow improved it. All in all it was a poor piece of craftsmanship. When he made the next one it would be better. He placed the mask over his face. Now he was complete. The Green Man, The Hunter. Somewhere in the back of his mind the mortal boy slept, unaware of the other who now shared his body. The Hunter took up his long bow, made from the bones and sinew of his prey over the millennia, and his quiver. The dog by his side growled with anticipation. The magic of the Hunt had transformed the overly docile pet of the boy in more then temperament, it had transformed him physically so he became a true Hound of the Pack. "We have to find the defiler." He whispered through his mask. The dog snorted once, it's glowing eyes registered understanding as it summoned the rest of the Pack. Eleven balls of red light floated into the clearing before dimming and transforming into the rest of the Pack. It was time for The Hunt to begin again. =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW:THE HUNT (24/26) Date: 23 Dec 1995 11:55:58 -0500 I've got the disclaimers spread out throughout the story. THE HUNT By Rhondda Lake (Part 24/26) They poured out the back door door of the Bed and Breakfast. The day's soft autumn breeze had changed into a real wind now and the temperature had dropped. Their breath misted for an eye blink before their faces before the wind ripped it away. "Alright he is on foot, and hasn't been gone that long. He can't have gone far." Mulder took the flashlight Maddie passed him. She passed two more to Scully and Green. "He might be armed." Green groaned, "An those damned dogs..." "I don't think Michael knows what he's doing... try to go for a disable if you are forced to shoot." Mulder headed in the direction he had taken the night before. To the waiting woods three blocks away. Enid pulled the car over to the side of the road and both women got out, their eyes frantically scanning the darkened forest. The wind forced through the trees was producing an eerie moaning sound. Mire shivered and felt Enid press something on her. An old dark sweatshirt. "Try to talk to him, get Michael to come out and suppress the Hunter." Enid pushed the dark strands of her wildly whipping hair out of her face. Maire huddled in the oversized sweatshirt. She knew talking was not going to help. She was afraid down to her bones, more afraid then she'd ever been of her bastard father. Michael... what had she done to the only good thing ever to come in to her life? Her poor, darling baby boy, the picture of an innocence she never remembered having. Was it worth it Maire, she asked herself, your pa's gone, but was it at all worth all the innocent lives.... worth turning Michael into a monster? No, she had to be honest and face the truth that she'd taken to drinking to avoid, it was not worth any of it. "You ever make a mistake with the magic Enid?" Maire looked at the younger woman with an expression of resignation. "Yep. Before today I was terrified to try summonin the Folk of the Air, because when I was seventeen, horny and full of myself I tried to summon a Fairie lover. It exhausted me.... and the answer I got back was a magical smack upside the brain that had me laid up with the worst headache anyone can imagine for a whole week. I guess... I guess I got off light huh?" Enid hugged Maire. "Agnes told me that the only time we really screw up is when we don't learn, and when we don't face our responsibilities." "And this is mine." Maire looked at Enid and tilted her head in the direction of the car. "Go home Enid. You've done more then enough. Staying here'll just get ya killed. You know that as much as I do I guess. There is too much happening to add one more body to the confusion. And Enid..." Maire hugged the woman and pulled back, tears flowing down her cheeks, "I am so sorry about Meghan." Enid just nodded and patted Maire's shoulder, then returned to the car. She hated leaving, it felt like an act of cowardice... but she knew Maire was right. This was not her battle, she had done what she could. Maire had started this alone, and now she had to finish it alone. Maire watched the battered Volkswagon pull away and get swallowed into the night and repressed the urge to chase after it. Steeling her nerve for what she knew she had to do she stepped into the moaning trees. Scully felt strange. There was a pulling in her chest, drawing her forward. She was barely aware she had sped up from a rapid walk to a jog, moving past both Mulder and Green till her partner called her name. "This way." She pointed into the woods and to the left, utter conviction in her voice. "Women's intuition?" She swung her flashlight around to see him looking at her with an amused glint in his eye. "I... I don't know. I just know he is that way... waiting." She frowned. Curiouser and curiouser. They did not split up. If they ran into those dogs again they knew they would need each other. Green moved into step at Scully's left and Mulder walked to her right. The Pack sniffed the air, they made no noise but looked to their Master with questioning eyes. "Yes, go my children. Avenge the insult dealt us." The dogs sped off into the night as the Hunter notched an arrow with a predatory gleam in the eyes visible through the mask. "Holy shit!" Green gasped as they all spotted the oncoming glowing eyes at the same moment. They all raised their guns at once and started shooting. When not a single dog went down in the gloom Mulder accepted that bullets were really useless. With no other real option he pulled loose his tie and dug into his pocket, coming up with an iron nugget. Please let me remember how to do this... he dropped the nugget into the middle of the doubled tie and began whipping it in a circle over his head... and let Agnes Kelly be right. He let loose with the improvised sling. He hadn't used one since he was fifteen and shooting out bottles with rocks, but his near perfect memory served him well. He heard a yelp of pain and one of the dogs went down. He squelched the thrill of triumph though... he only had two more nuggets. There was a hiss to his left and he looked just in time to see Green go down with a cry of pain, an arrow seemed to have sprouted from his shoulder. "MICHAEL!" Mulder cried hoping for some recognition from the hidden boy. Then there was no time. The dogs were there. One leapt straight for Mulder and he raised his arm in a futile effort to protect himself as his other hand grasped a second iron nugget. It took him a second to realize the dog had not connected and for the canine yelp of pain and surprise to register. There was a flash of blue light and the dogs all stopped, the one that had leapt for him had collapsed in a whimpering heap. The rest of the demonic Pack backed up one step, two... They were not looking at Mulder, or at Green who had managed to sit up to stare at them through eyes glazed with pain, their focus was entirely on Scully. She stood with her gun held limply at her side. She raised her other hand and a dome of soft blue iridescent light surrounded the three of them. Mulder felt his mind go numb... what the Hell was going on? =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (25/26) Date: 23 Dec 1995 11:56:02 -0500 Almost done folks. Is that a collective sigh of relief I hear? ;D THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 25/26) "Reveal yourself!" The voice was Scully's, but not. There was an odd echo to it, a second reverberation as if two people spoke the words not one. As she spoke the wind around them died. Mulder let his flashlight skim the woods. He was amazed the beam penetrated the odd dome of light. Michael stepped forward into the beam of the flashlight and Mulder held it there. He was wearing a mask of some sort, it seemed to be be made of leaves... and the missing antlers. In his left hand was a bow, it seemed a nightmare amalgamation of bleached bones and twine. "You have interfered between me and my prey Dana." The voice was also not Michael's, and the boy's eyes glowed the same hellish red as the dogs. The infliction he gave Scully's name was wrong some how, not quite right. Mulder raised his gun again, aiming for the boy's shoulder. He still did not want to kill him if it could be helped. "You have broken the law of The Hunt my son. This prey escaped you last darkness, eluded you and your Pack for a full night. Thus are they free of you for the span of their lives. You yourself made the rules, how dare you now violate them so carelessly." Green was pale from loss of blood as he clutched at the arrow in his shoulder, but he was looking at Scully as she spoke. "My God, look at her eyes..." Mulder let his gaze flicker from the Hunter to his partner. Scully's eyes glowed with a blue light that matched the brightness of the Hunter's. "Who are you?" He asked the familiar form next to him. His voice filled with rage as he rasped, "what have you done with Scully?" For he knew in the depths of his terror choked heart that the woman beside him was NOT Dana Scully. A gentle smile curved Scully's lips. "I am the first Dana. From me came all the Tuatha de Dannan.... the Children of Dana. Even the Hunter must acknowledge me as mother figure. Your friend is unharmed mortal... for I do not harm my vessels. She is sleeping right now within her own mind. Completely unaware that I am here." The Hunter growled, "He violated the ring that served me, my gate. He must pay." The Hunter/Michael pointed to Mulder, drawing their attention back to him and the Pack gathered at his feet. "He did it unknowing. Return my child, this world holds no place for us any longer. We are neither needed nor wanted here." The being within Scully answered him. "Michael?" The plaintive voice came from behind the Hunter figure, and he turned so all could see Maire Gallagher stumble into the darkened clearing. "Michael stop this. Oh baby, it was never meant to be you. It was supposed to be ME." "Woman, you called on forces you knew next to nothing about. It is up to ME to choose. And now I choose to break that which binds me to you. Leave this place, this is no longer your concern." The Hunter turned his back on her. Mulder barely had time to wonder how Maire had gotten out of jail before she gave out a wild cry, she held something in her hand as she rushed at the Hunter's back. The dog closest him snarled and sprang. It's weight bore Maire Gallagher down even as it buried it's muzzle in her throat. She didn't even scream. Mulder did. "NO!" Mulder dropped his gun and used the second nugget in his improvised sling. It connected solidly with the head of the attacking dog. The dog collapsed without a sound. All at once the other hounds vanished, simply blinked out of existence as if they had never been, and Michael Gallagher slumped to the ground to lay as unmoving as the dog and his mother. His bow and arrows were gone. The blue dome of light that had surrounded Mulder, Green and Scully dissolved around them and Scully walked calmly forward and bent over the boy. Mulder looked from the wounded Sheriff to Scully and the Sheriff waved him away. Mulder went to crouch over the other side of Michael. The being within Scully removed the mask from the boy's innocent, round face. She traced a finger across his forehead trailing a faint blue light that faded when she removed her hand. "Forget." She whispered. "What happened here?" He had a hard time meeting the strange glowing eyes across from him, it rose his gorge. This thing inside Scully was a violation, a rape of his partner's being. He wanted it OUT. But he also wanted answers. "Maire Gallagher bound The Hunt here with her own blood in the spell of calling. Unless the Hunter left voluntarily it was her blood more then Michael's body that bound him here. He was collecting the blood of his victims for once he had the blood of seven mortals he could make his own mask, and break that blood bond. YOU were to be the seventh." Those burning eyes pierced him. The being moved away from Michael's unconscious form and led him to where Maire lay, the dog on top of her. Maire's throat was gone. The Dog was Puck. Scully/Dana bent to pick the broken piece of tree branch out of Maire's hand. "She knew what she was doing. She made it appear she was attacking the Hunter to the Pack would have no choice but to defend him. She shed the last of her blood willingly, thus breaking the bond and sending the Hunter and his Pack back to the realm they belong in." She bent to stroke Puck's fur. The dog's head was half caved in from a wound that smoked and burned. "The poor beast was as overcome as his master. The Pack Leader took him. It wasn't his fault. I wonder if some small portion of his own mind remained when he attacked her... if he did it to free his master..." The being within Scully moved away to approach Sheriff Green who looked at her with awe and wonder. She smiled and touched the arrow in his shoulder. It dissolved in a cloud of glowing dust and Green cried out. She touched his shoulder and a faint blue light marked his wound. "The bleeding is stopped. You will need aid though, as will the boy." She turned to look at Mulder, "And when I leave your friend will be weak and confused. I will make sure she remembers nothing. Farewell. I do not think my kind will bother you again." The light in Scully's eyes faded, and Scully crumpled to the ground. =========================================================================== From: rhonddal@aol.com (RhonddaL) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: THE HUNT (26/26) Date: 23 Dec 1995 11:57:11 -0500 At last the end. I hope you all enjoyed this. I look forward to hearing your opinions of it, good and bad. THE HUNT by Rhondda Lake (Part 26/26) EPILOGUE: Woading Arkansas October 10th 4 pm For the report of Special Agent Dana Scully: I AM STILL UNAWARE OF WHAT TRANSPIRED ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 7TH. MY MEMORY STOPS IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE ENTERED THE WOODS. I MUST ACCEPT THAT SOMETHING REMARKABLE HAPPENED ON THE WORD OF AGENT MULDER AND SHERIFF GREEN, BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THEIR OBSERVATIONS AND THEORIES. I HAVE HAD A COMPLETE PHYSICAL AND A BATTERY OF TESTS ONLY TO FIND NOTHING UNUSUAL. THERE IS ALSO NO EXPLANATION OF HOW MAIRE GALLAGHER ESCAPED THE WOADING POLICE STATION WITHOUT OUTSIDE AID. OFFICER HAROLD RIDGE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY REPRIMANDED FOR FALLING ASLEEP ON DUTY AND SUSPENDED FOR TWO WEEKS FOR ALLOWING MS. GALLAGHER'S ESCAPE THUS LEADING TO HER DEATH. BUT HOW SHE MANAGED TO UNLOCK HER CELL AND GET TO THE WOODS REMAINS UNSOLVED. SHERIFF TOMAS GREEN WAS TREATED FOR HIS INJURY AND RELEASED. HE HAS ALREADY RETURNED TO PARTIAL ACTIVE DUTY AND HAS MADE AGENT MULDER PROUD BY SEEMINGLY OPENING UP TO EXTREME POSSIBILITIES. MICHAEL GALLAGHER HAS BEEN TAKEN TO MAMMOTH SPRINGS PSYCHIATRIC CENTER. DUE TO EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND LACK OF EVIDENCE HE IS NOT BEING CHARGED WITH THE MURDERS IN WOADING. AGENT MULDER AND SHERIFF GREEN ARE NOT ARGUING THE POINT. MADDIE GREEN HAS ALREADY FILED FOR TEMPORARY CUSTODY OF MICHAEL GALLAGHER PENDING ADOPTION UPON HIS RELEASE FROM THE PSYCHIATRIC CARE FACILITY. THE MUSHROOM AGENT MULDER TOOK FROM THE SITE OF JACK O'SHAY'S MURDER WAS IDENTIFIED AS PSILOCYBE BAEOCYSTIS, A POWERFUL HALLUCINOGEN. PSILOCYBE BAEOCYSTIS HAS NEVER BEFORE BEEN REPORTED TO GROW IN ARKANSAS DUE TO INHOSPITABLE CONDITIONS. OFFICIALLY THIS CASE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE CENTERED AROUND THE MARKETABILITY OF THIS DRUG. THE MUSHROOMS FOUND IN THE YARD OF ENID THOMAS WAS IDENTIFIED AS MARASMIUS OREADES, AN EDIBLE AND HARMLESS VARIETY. DUE TO THE LACK OF EVIDENCE THIS CASE WILL REMAIN OPEN AND UNSOLVED. Dana Scully pressed the enter with relief. It was not much, but it was closure of a sort. Just then Mulder swept into the living room of Maddie's Bed and Breakfast. He had something hidden under his overcoat and Scully gave him a suspicious look. "Mulder what are you hiding?" Mulder had that little boy grin on his face as he opened his coat to reveal s squirming bundle of fur wearing a bright red ribbon. It was a pure bred Husky puppy if she was any judge. "You didn't..." "I did." He grinned. "Maddie said it would be ok, and... I feel responsible for Puck's demise. So... what do you think? Does she look like a Dana to you?" He held the big eyed bundle of puppy out to her. "Mulder if you are calling me a..." "Never." He looked hurt. "It just seemed like the perfect name for her after the past few days. Do you think Michael will like her?" Scully took the puppy and scratched it behind her ears. "I think he'll love her. And don't worry... I won't tell a soul you have such a soft spot."