We will have you begging us to stop yet. Here is yet another foray into

that mysterious van parked not far from Mulder's apartment. 

    Please send any comments to either myself at rhonilak@icontech.com or to

girlgone@geocities.com 



Disclaimer: They all belong to CC and 10/13, you should know that by now.



LISTENING IN 3 

by GirlGone and Rhondda Lake



     The same van. The same headset. The same pissed off listener.



     "Uh. Scully I think we have a problem?"

     "NOW what? How can you POSSIBLY screw THIS up?"

     "Well... I uh... I thought this would work. But it isn't and now I

don't know what to do."

     "You don't know what to do? Did you look in the manual?"

     "I uh, don't know where the manual is. I threw mine out. I figured I

looked it over once so I wouldn't need it. I don't recall there being

anything in there to cover this anyway. And if there were I would

remember."

     "That is such a TYPICAL male response. Maybe if there were more

PICTURES you would have gotten the IDEA."

      "Well you don't have to get mad at me about it. It was your idea,

you know."

      "Oh, so now its MY fault?"

      "You made me put it in."

      "And I just twisted your arm." A heavy female sigh. "All right, all

right I should have known you haven't had much practice at this. That

thing hasn't been used in years. I'm surprised it worked at all."

      "Hey..."

      "I should have REALIZED what I was up against."

      "Well, arguing about it isn't going to help. Do you think we should

call in a professional?"

      "Only as a last resort. With any luck we can figure this out

ourselves. Mulder, did you ever have any lessons for this kind of thing or

did you just play around with it on your own?"

      "I could have been in 4-H Scully, I believe you learn by doing."

      "Obviously not that well." Another female sigh. "There are high

school kids out there who are more proficient. Let's start with the

basics. Is it all right? Did you protect it in a cover?"

      "I'm not that ignorant. No telling what I'd get on it if I didn't."

      "It's still not working. All right lets try going at this from

another direction. If you get out of there and try entering through here."

      "Ummm... We're going into new territory here Scully, I've never done

it that way before. I'd be even more lost."

      "FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, Mulder you are practically helpless. Maybe you

should just get out of there and let me do this myself."

      "No, I want to do it. Really. I'm going to get the hang of this

eventually. Just help me out here."



     The operator froze in the van, his eyes wide. He discarded his

questionnable magazine and turned the volume up. LOUD. 



     Sounds of scuffling. A male sigh. A sharp rap. Then a disgusted

female groan.



     "Mulder, get your hands off it. Let me try."

     "Don't break it Scully."

     "If it doesn't work anyways, we aren't going to lose anything by

trying."

     "But I have a lot invested in this."

     "Here, get out of the way. I'm going to give it a good yank."

     "Well, I'm closing my eyes. I can't watch while you do it."

     "You're a baby."

     "STOP IT SCULLY. Oh look, a piece of it just fell off."

     "I don't think that part was important. Look it's almost out. Maybe I

should try sticking it back in."

     "What are the chances of it working if you do? You've already damaged

it, I don't want it ruined beyond repair. I know it works perfectly well

with others."

     "Now you're trying to blame ME? Oh no you don't. It's YOURS, My

equipment works perfectly. I keep it in top order. If there's any problem

it's your outdated accouterments."

     "Now you're getting nasty. I prefer to think of it as classic. Can we

get it going or not?"

     "What do you mean we? You know damn well I'm going to end up doing

all the work if this is to be salvaged at all. I'll teach you on something

a bit more basic. For now just relax and let the master do her work."

     "Yes mistress Scully. I just love it when you get tough."

     "Shut up Mulder. Ahhh ha... I think I see the problem. Do you have a

pair of tweezers around anywhere?"

     "I'm insulted Scully."

     "Shut UP Mulder. Let me concentrate."

     "Ooooh, there you go again. I love it when you talk to me like that."

     "Here. I'll try this."



     Scuffle. Slam. Bang. Two Groans.



"Finally!"



     The operator's eyes bugged out of his head. He reached for his cel

phone. Someone would sure be interested in hearing about *this.*



     "Mulder, don't *ever* use those cheap, old, plastic diskettes in my

laptop again. I don't care *what* files you have saved on them. You're

just lucky that damn thing came out of my disk drive and I can get my

report done, or Skinner would have my head."



     The van's occupant threw his cel phone across the cramped space in

disgust. What he wouldn't do for a bottle of aspirin. And a fifth of Jack

Daniels.