========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 12/?
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations
CLASSIFICATION: MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in part 1. 

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(12/?)

the seeds from which hope is born.
*************

Eddie was lost in thought. Hellen's information had set to rest some of his
fears and raised new ones. This Mulder character had some freaky beliefs.
That didn't really bother Eddie that much. One of the best cops he's worked
with was convinced Elvis was alive and well and living in Tacoma,
Washington. To be honest Eddie wasn't sure where he stood, himself, on the
whole little green man issue. He tended to take everything with a grain of
salt while keeping in mind that ANYTHING was possible.

So 'Spooky' Mulder's penchant for the strange didn't worry him. What did
worry him was things left unsaid. People avoided Mulder and his partner for
fear of some of the crap they drug in rubbing off. What kind of crap was
that? The kind that had an FBI Assistant Director take immediate charge of
them? Not good. Was it the kind of crap that got doctors killed because
they'd adopted the wrong kid?

Could it be the kind of crap that puts said kid in the line of fire? 

He was so lost in his inner thoughts, and the downtown was so crowded, he
never noticed his tails.

                                    XXX

Cross watched Kline pull into the parking lot of a Red Roof Inn. Bingo! 

He pulled into the parking lot of the mini-mall across the street and fished
out his binoculars. He couldn't move until he was sure the girl was there as
well. He felt time pressing in on him. He'd have to act soon.

He also noticed the other car drive on by. It didn't stop. Now who the hell
was it? They were shoddy in the surveillance department, that was for sure.
He was just as glad. He didn't want to have to go through the bother of
wasting them. The more bodies left behind the sloppier the job. The sloppier
the job the less happy his employers were. 

Cross held the binoculars up and watched Kline enter a second floor room.
Damn. Curtains were drawn, and he wasn't able to see inside. The girl was
the key. He just had to wait and be sure of her location.

Personally he was going to enjoy his job a lot more now that he didn't have
that damn stupid 'don't hurt the kid' order over his head. He was looking
forward to the upcoming conversation. He hoped she was a tough nut to crack.
Even though it would cause some delays, the thought of breaking the little
bitch was a tantalizing one. She was too smart and full of herself. Probably
never had to struggle a day in her life. Spoiled rich kid. 

And she was pretty. He'd seen her picture. He was going to really enjoy
this. Because once he had the briefcase and files he had to get rid of the
witnesses. Especially the girl. The best way to do that was to disguise her
death as another crime. He'd get to have fun. Enjoy himself a little. He
wondered if she was a virgin...

                                  XXX

"Should I pull in?" Marty asked as they approached the parking lot their
query had entered.

"No, we know where he is now. I don't think he saw us. It's best not to be
too conspicuous. Let's head back." Jackie started chewing on her bottom lip.
Something was up. Her 'spidy sense' was tingling. As soon as Mulder and
Scully got back she was gonna have to tell them what she'd overheard.

                                  XXX


Eddie walked into the room and closed the door before leaning against the
wall and enjoying the floor show. 

Hope was wearing a pair of jeans she must have used a shoehorn to get into
and a plain red t-shirt. Her hair was loose and swayed gracefully with her
movements. Movements which at this time was a dance. She was wearing a pair
of earphones and had a cd player clipped to her hip. He didn't know what she
was listening to, but her movements were slow and weaving, almost sensual.
But above all, they were familiar and precise. He'd originally thought she'd
had the body of a dancer. Now he knew he was right.

She did a spin and spotted him before flashing a blushing smile.

"Anything good?" He asked as she slipped off the headphones.

"Shaharazade. It's no Aerosmith, but I didn't feel in the mood for the bump
and grind, and this little room doesn't have the space for a full out
Aerosmith dance fest." She shuddered and hugged herself. "Can I open the
drapes now? I can see the sun coming through them and all, but I really
could use a glance at the outside.

"What's wrong kiddo? Claustrophobic?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Please don't try to argue to my rational side.
I'm holding up. But small spaces drive me out of my mind, and this hotel
room has been shrinking the entire time you were gone."

"Go ahead, open them. Then I have to tell you what I found out today." Eddie
stripped off his suit coat and sprawled on the bed. "And I'm not sure what
to make of it myself."

Hope felt the world open up as she yanked back the curtains. She was able to
see the sky, the street, the city. She wasn't closed in anymore.

                                 XXX

Cross grinned. This was too good to be true. The girl just opened the
curtains. She was there. Now he just had to watch and wait till dark. Less
conspicuous under cover of the dark.

                                 XXX

Mulder dropped Scully's bags in her bedroom. He was tired. Not just
physically.  He didn't want to go back to his dark apartment alone. Not yet
anyway. 

"Are you gonna call your mom?" he asked as he made his way into the kitchen
where she had started tea brewing. She'd informed him on the flight home
that she was giving up coffee. The cup of his she'd had the day before was
her last, until the baby was born.

Baby. It was still so damn hard to reconcile. She was carrying his baby. It
made him feel helpless and giddy all at once. It tied his stomach in knots
and on the most basic, primitive level, inflated his ego a bit. No shooting
blanks here. Despite their precautions his swimmers were in top order. God,
how caveman. If he'd actually voiced those thoughts, Scully would most
likely take out her gun and shoot him in an area that would assure there
would be no second mistake.

Or should he make that third? God, the thought of Hope Jamison made his head
hurt. Maybe he should go get himself fixed on his own. He could just hear
Scully's voice in his head saying 'snip, snip, Mulder.' The thought made the
parts in question try to run and hide. He winced.

"Nope. Mulder, you don't just call your mother to tell her this kind of
news. We both have to go see her. This weekend. I don't know if she's going
to be thrilled that she's finally getting the son-in-law AND the grandchild
she was hoping for, or angry that we got things backwards." Scully poured
the tea into two cups. Herbal. No caffeine.

"I don't know. I was kinda planning on calling mine."

The look he got was enough to immediately change his mind. OK, he could tell
her in person. Should he slip in... 'By the way mom, you might already have
a granddaughter. She's seventeen.' Not unless he wanted to induce another
stroke.

Scully's phone rang and she moved past him to pick it up.

"Scully."

"Didja tell him?" Scully heard the same question she'd heard two days ago in
the same voice.

Mulder watched her smile. Her smile was something he could never get enough
of and he was just a little resentful that he wasn't the cause of it this time.

"As a matter of fact, I did." 

Mulder was looking at her strangely. He could only hear half this conversation.

"Did he faint?"

"No, he proposed." Scully looked down at the ring she now wore and turned it
on her finger with little moves of her thumb. An easily disguised ring. He
was more practical then she gave him credit for. 

"He WHAT? Did you punch him or accept? Don't leave me in suspense here, Dana!"

"I said no. But I got convinced." She winked at Mulder and mouthed 'Jackie'.

He nodded. 

"So... are you going to do the deed before or after junior arrives?" Scully
heard the teasing tone in her friend's voice.

"Junior is arriving because we already did the deed, Jackie. I thought you
might have picked that up in high school."

Mulder almost spewed his tea across her kitchen and Scully smothered a laugh.

"Har, har. You know what I'm asking."

"We haven't really discussed it. I think the sooner the better, though.
Personally I'm routing for a nice quiet ceremony BEFORE I have to report
this little bombshell to Skinner."

She looked in at Mulder who was nodding solemnly.

"Oh, PLEASE let me be in on this. I wanna see Skinner's face. I wanna bring
a camera.  You owe me favors, Dana."

Scully chuckled. "We'll think about it."

"Talking about favors, I thought you two should know. Marty and I went to
Brandy's for lunch today and overheard a man and woman talking about Mulder.
The woman was a Fed. The guy was the one prying."

Scully straightened and Mulder noticed the change in posture immediately,
his own body tensing in response. 

"Was this nosy person's name Kline? Was he missing two fingers on his right
hand?"

"His name was either Eddie or Calvin from what I could hear, and I didn't
exactly get a chance to examine his limbs. I did follow him to the Red Roof
Inn in Alexandria, though."

"Eddie? That's our man. Calvin? Wait... a nickname to go with Kline..."
Scully grabbed the scratch pad near her phone and wrote down the location of
the Inn.

"Your man? You lookin' for this guy? Why didn't you let me in on it?"

"Because we just found out this morning. He's looking for Mulder, we're
looking for him. We were bound to meet eventually."

"Is he dangerous?" Jackie sounded more interested then worried.

"I don't think so, but we aren't ruling it out yet. Thanks, Jackie. Consider
yourself invited to that meeting with Skinner.We might need the witness to a
potential double homicide anyway."

Scully hung up the phone and handed the paper she'd written on to Mulder.
"Jackie found Kline without even looking. What do you say we go out there
and meet the elusive Ms. Jamison?"

Mulder's hand was shaking slightly as he held the note. He nodded.

"Yeah. Right away. After you eat something, though."

Scully looked at him, startled. "Mulder, stalling isn't going to help here."

"I'm not stalling. Your last meal was airline lunch, which doesn't fall into
any of the known terrestrial food groups. You have to eat regularly now,
Scully," he admonished, "no more skipping meals because you're too busy."

"Now who has turned into my mother? Ok, you're right. We'll stop for dinner
first." Scully conceeded, however she still felt like this was an
uncharacteristic stalling tactic. She had the distinct impression that
Mulder was afraid of this girl, of all she might mean.

end part 12...

I always welcome comments, constructive criticism and critiques.


========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 13/?
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in part 1. 

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(13/?)

What is love without the pain?
***************

He had only recently pulled into the parking lot. Other business had kept
him away til now. Stupid shit. It was almost as if they were jerking his
chain again. Trying to remind him who was in charge. He didn't think they
even realized who was in charge anymore. 

He noticed the car leave the lot he was sharing to cross the street and park
in front of the hotel. Dusk had fallen, and the dim light hid much.  It
didn't completely hide the recognizable figure of Cross climbing the stairs
to the second floor balcony. What the HELL was he up to now?

                                 XXX

Eddie tucked the lid on the last of the pizza they'd had delivered. He was
worried. Hope was getting antsy. 

After telling her what he'd learned about Agent Fox "Spooky" Mulder, she had
just looked at him, completely serious, and said, "Eddie, then he's just the
one who needs to see those files. He'd know what to do. My dad said the DNA
documented there was not of any known earthly origin."

"You buying into this ET stuff?" He was surprised. The kid so far had seemed
to have her head screwed on right.

"Dad always said to think with your mind, but always keep alive your sense
of wonder. Did Shakespeare say there are more things..."

"Ok, ok. I get the point. So you think this is all some conspiracy linked to
little green men? That's stretching your sense of wonder quite a bit."

"Eddie, my dad was a very sensible man. If he said those files document
something not of this earth, then they document something not of this earth."

"So what DID you do with the briefcase?" he asked.

"Hid it someplace safe," was her answer.

Now she was in the bathroom. 

He heard the soft rap at the door and frowned.

"What is it?"

"Pizza" came the muffled response.

Eddie sighed, the damn pizza places in DC were as screwed up as the ones in
Cleveland.

He opened the door a bit. "Look buddy we already..." The words cut off when
he saw the silencer-equipped gun leveled at him. He looked up into the
smiling face of a tall, muscular man sporting a dark crew cut. He
automatically started to reach for the gun tucked into his belt with one
hand as he shoved the door closed with the other. 

The man's hand came out to block the door as Eddie felt the punch in his
gut. Followed by wracking agony. In shock he looked down. Blood spread in a
dark blossom over his middle as he fell back.

No. His mind raged in denial even as dark spots swam before his eyes. No. He
had to protect Hope. He wasn't going to die like this. 

His killer stepped over him and headed for the back of the room. 

The bathroom door swung open. "Eddie what's..." 

Hope saw the man and her eyes darted to Eddie's leg, all she could see of
him lying on the floor on the other side of the bed.

She backed into the bathroom and slammed the door, setting the lock.

She frantically searched for a weapon. Any weapon.

The lock of the door exploded silently, accompanied only with splintering wood.

Hope grabbed the only weapon on hand.

As the door swung open she drove the wooden end of the plunger at the groin
of her attacker. He crumpled over as her arm felt the jarring impact.
Pulling the plunger free she smashed it down over the back of his neck and
sprinted for the door.

Something caught her ankle like a vice and she screamed as she fell.

The gunman had her leg and was pulling her in. 

She kicked at him.

"Where's the file, bitch?" His voice was gravely.

She raised the plunger handle again only to have it intercepted by his arm.

The wall next to the man exploded loudly. Hope looked back to see Eddie,
weaving on his feet, a mass of wet redness covering his middle. His gun held
unsteady in his left hand.

She screamed again as she saw a second burst of red appear in Eddie's chest.
He fell back against the wall. Sliding down it and leaving a ghastly smear
of blood in his wake.

Pain exploded in the back of Hope's head, and the world went mercifully black.

                                       XXX

He pulled out at the sight of the door being pushed in. That damned fool!

The traffic of the highway was against him. He couldn't find a break. He saw
Cross emerge from the Inn, Hope slung limply over his shoulder. It was too
dim to make out much more. 

He didn't need more. How DARE he touch her? He made a silent vow, then and
there. Devon Cross was a dead man!

Where the HELL was all he cars coming from?

Cross was stuffing Hope into the trunk of his car. The fucking bastard! She
was afraid of small spaces. He'd take every fucking inch of skin off that
shithead before he killed him. 

Cross got into the driver's seat and closed the door as another car pulled
into the Inn's parking lot. A Wrangler.

Mulder and Scully got out, completely unaware of the man even now driving
away with his precious cargo.

Cursing the whim of fate he found an opening at last by almost ramming an
oncoming car and tearing off after Cross. 

                                   XXX

"Mulder, the door is open." Scully had her gun out already and he had his in
hand without conscious thought.

They took positions and with a nod swung into the room, sweeping it. Him
high, her low.

The room had been completely trashed. It was empty except for the body.
Mulder fought down the surge of panic. No, not body. A feeble breath rattled
from the man slumped into a sitting position against the wall. Two shots by
the look of it, either one could prove fatal.

Scully spotted the man's limp right hand. "It's Kline." She was already on
her knees ripping open his shirt. "Call an ambulance, Mulder. He's still
alive. Barely."

Kline's eyes flickered open. "Mulder?" His voice was a weak whisper.

Mulder finished relaying the situation to the 911 dispatch operator and went
to one knee beside the wounded man. Kline's bloody hand grasped at Mulder's
trenchcoat lapel with surprising strength.

"Hope. He took Hope. Find him... stop him..." 

"Where? Where did he take Hope?" Mulder felt the panic renew itself and
fought it down only by transforming it into rage.

"Don't know. Tall... muscular... dark hair... crew cut... Werther ppk with
silencer... rectangle face..." Scully was applying pressure to the man's
chest. He didn't seem to feel her. Instead he blacked out again.

"Scully, stay with him. You have to wait for the ambulance. If he manages to
tell you any more then call me."

"Where are you going?" The look she gave him was alternately angry and
understanding.

"Car just pulled out of here. He couldn't have been gone long from Kline's
condition. I'm going to find that car. I have to do SOMETHING."

She nodded. She couldn't take the pressure off of Kline's chest wound. She
looked at the spot she held bare handed, fascinated for a moment by the
sight of the blood seeping over her engagement ring. She shivered at the
feeling of superstitious dread, unfounded and ridiculous, that surged
through her.

Mulder started toward the door. "Mulder, be careful."

He looked at her. His eyes telling her everything. "I will."

Then he was gone.

                                        XXX

He managed to keep the car in sight, but once again traffic was conspiring
against him. He weaved through the other cars at a suicidal pace. Where were
all these people coming from? Where the hell were they all going at this
hour. He was ready to suspect a conspiracy.

He saw the car pull onto an off ramp up ahead just as he hit the tail end of
a traffic jam. Cursing he tried to pull onto the shoulder and ride it to the
ramp, but some other fucking idiot in a too-wide Caddy had tried that. 

He was stuck. He itched to take down every license plate around him and send
people to eliminate the idiots in the world. Improve the human race. But he
didn't have time for such idle thoughts. Cross was getting away.

What was in the direction he was heading? Then it hit him. The warehouse. It
was a site often used for unpleasant interrogations and potentialities due
to its relative isolation.

If he couldn't get to Hope he knew someone who had to. He'd kill Cross later.

He slapped open his glovebox and extracted a scrambler and a voice modulator
then dialed his cell phone.

                               XXXXX

"Mulder. Scully, how's he doing?"

Mulder kept to the highway. Traffic was slowing down though.

"Get off the highway. There is a roadblock. He's going to the abandoned
Kelworks Factory." The voice was electronically disguised.

"What? Who are you? What the hell is going on?" Mulder swerved to avoid
hitting some early eighties-style Pontiac most likely being driven by
someone in their early eighties.

"None of that is important. What is important is: can you live with yourself
if she dies because you didn't listen to me?" The line went dead.

Mulder thumbed a number he knew by heart. No the question was could he live
with himself if she died because he listened to an anonymous voice on the phone.

"Danny? I need a trace on the last phone to dial into this number. Yeah, I
need it right away." He pulled off the nearest ramp and headed for the
Kelworks Factory. Using back roads was going to take longer though.

"What do you mean piggybacked? Ok, print it all out. I want a hard copy to
look over later. Thanks, I owe you." He snapped his phone shut angrily.

                                      XXX

Hope was first aware of the throbbing of her head. She could feel her whole
skull expand and contract with her heartbeat. It hurt. It hurt bad. 

Unfortunately the next awareness was that she was in the dark. A darkness
that smelled of gasoline and oil. She tried to move her hands but they were
secured behind her back. She fought the binding, discovering herself too
securely held by what could only be duct tape. Was there a special section
in the hardware store that had weekend sales on duct tape for wackos?

She felt the world around her vibrating. The sounds of a car. She panicked
and tried to sit up, only to bang her already sore head against the hood of
the trunk. She wasn't gagged. She was in a tight closed place, a car trunk.
She struggled to breathe. Air, could air get in? Didn't trapped air stay in
trunks of cars when the vehicle was submerged in water? Didn't that mean
they were air tight? 

Oh God, she was going to die in a small, dark hole. She didn't have the
strength to scream, only to whimper. Each heartbeat the space in the trunk
got smaller. Her breath grew more rapid and shallow. She couldn't think,
couldn't plan, she was aware of nothing but the stifling darkness, the
smothering tightness. She was in Hell again, and this time there was no
rescue worker to save her. 

She tried valiantly to fend off the attack of raw fear, of primal panic that
clawed its way from the depths of her soul. It was a losing battle. She
curled into herself as much as she could and began to keen. A lost sound. A
mourning sound that ate up the little gasps of struggling breath she'd
managed to take.

Something cool touched her back. Stroked over her cheek, her forehead. She
was only partly aware of it. Some small part of her mind not completely
occupied by the panic did register it though, and took in the soft scent of
lilacs that filled the trunk, chasing away the oil and gas smell. Wether she
could actually hear a tuneless humming or just the car's engine combining
with her own soft keening she would never know. But the scent, the touch,
brought with it some comfort. Something warm and familliar and peaceful. She
felt... at home.

As the panic began to slowly recede, she felt the car stop. Heard crunching
footsteps. The hood of the trunk was suddenly flung open and a bright light
shone into her face.

"You and me are gonna have a little fun, baby doll." She felt something jab
into her leg, through her jeans and she cried out as an acidic burn flowed
through her. He'd injected her with something. What?

She didn't have time to question as she was roughly yanked out of the trunk
and into the blessedly open night. She screamed then, praying someone,
anyone could hear her.

"Shut up. If you scream yourself hoarse you can't answer my questions." The
man shook her. "You'll have plenty of time to scream, later."

end part 13...


========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 14/?
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations. This section contains
disturbing descriptions of both physical and sexual assault and violent
activity.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in part 1. 

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(14/?)


And what is light without the dark?
*****

Scully moved to allow the EMT's to work around her. "I'm a medical doctor."
It was all they needed to hear. 

"Two gunshots. One to the chest cavity, possible damage to the heart, but no
observable breathing problems associated with a punctured lung. One
perforation of the abdomen. Definite perforation of the large intestine and
possibly to the kidney. Keep pressure on this chest wound and take immediate
precautions against sepsis. I want..."

She shot off orders rapidly as the EMT's fitted Kline with a mask and
attached an electrocardiograph. They moved him to a gurney and wheeled him
out to the waiting ambulance as they worked frantically to keep him alive
long enough to reach the hospital.

                                 XXX

Hope was dragged inside the dark, dank-looking warehouse, through a maze of
twisted pipes and warped machinery oddly reminiscent of an Aliens movie.

She was more alarmed at what she was feeling than at the prospect of dying.

She was warm, feverish, and everything around her had started to move in
slow motion. At the same time she was extremely aware. She could smell the
rust and mildew, the rot and decay of this place. Every detail of the
machinery observable only by moonlight filtering through broken windows was
imprinted on her brain.

The pain of the grip on her arm as the nameless man dragged her after him,
the realization that her feet weren't completely in synch with what she was
ordering them to do.

She saw the room completely as she was pulled into it. Her captor palmed a
light switch and it was lit by three bright, bare, light bulbs dangling from
the ceiling.

A plain wooden chair sat in the center of the room. She was shoved roughly
into the seat and the man taped her feet to the legs. She tried to kick at
him, but she. like the world, was moving so slowly. She regretted never
trying recreational pharmaceuticals in high school now, only because it
might have given her some point of reference. Someplace to draw from. Some
hint at what the drug in her system might do next.

"What did you..." The question slipped out for no other reason then because
she wanted to know.

"Inject you with? An interesting little chemical cocktail, highly
classified. Its main base is sodium pentothal, although it tends to work a
little better then its base. You know, the whole being greater then the sum
of its parts." The man looked pleased with himself.

"Fuck you." Her head felt so heavy. She let it drop.

"How nice of you to offer. I intend to. But first a little Q&A time. Where
were you taking the files?"

"What files?" She forced her head to raise up, to meet the bastard's eyes. 

He was smiling. "Excellent. You intend to fight me. I'll win in the end, but
it will make the game that much sweeter. The files your father stole from
Delmark, my dear. The ones you have no real use for."

"Oh... those files." She chuckled a bit. "Didn't know where to take them." 

Where had that come from? She hadn't intended to tell him that.

"You had to have some idea. After all you came all the way to DC from
Cleveland. Not exactly aimless wandering now is it?" He had pulled out a
knife. A Bowie, part of her mind registered. 

"Lookin' for my father." She mumbled. She didn't want to say that. She hated
that she said that. She felt defeated.

"Your father is dead, little girl. I put the bullet in his brain myself.
You're holding out better then I thought." The knife slashed and Hope
gasped, flinching.

The knife had opened her bright red t-shirt from neck to jeans. He reached
forward to flick the tip of the blade against the place where her bra's
front hook was secured to the fabric. A few more movements of the knife
against shirt seams and bra straps and she was naked from the waist up. Her
shirt and bra just useless scraps on the floor.

She felt humiliated. No one had ever seen her like this before. She felt a
tear slide down her cheek. 

She cried out as the knife scraped over her cheek, catching the tear but not
drawing blood. 

"Why were you going to DC?" He asked again. He was in front of her, his
breath foul in her face.  He openly leered at her nakedness and she felt the
fear return to the pit of her stomach.

"Was a... adopted." She stuttered. She was visibly shaking now, and hated
the loss of control. She didn't want him to see her fear. 

"Adopted? I see. So you were in DC looking for your father... your... real
father." The knife blade danced and scraped over her breasts and belly,
blood seeped up in a few shallow cuts. She didn't know if he'd meant to cut
her yet. She looked down in fascination at the sight of her own blood.

The madman with the knife ran a fingertip over her ribs, tracing one of the
fine lines of blood. He raised the bloody finger to his lips and licked the
salty redness from the tip.

"So who is your real father?"

Hope ground her teeth together. She would not speak. She refused to. The
knife flashed again and a cry escaped her lips as a deep slash appeared on
her left breast, just above the nipple. 

"Talk to me darlin' or I'll cut your tits off without ever thinking about it."

"M...Mulder. Fox William Mulder." She stuttered out. The pain was intense.
She didn't want to die yet. Not like this. Not cut apart by some animal.

"So where did you hide the files?"

She clamped her lips shut again. Prepared for the next slash of the knife.
She felt the knife scrape against the tight denim of her jeans, over the
crotch. 

"We both know I'm gonna kill you anyway. And we both know I'm gonna fuck
your little brains out. You get to decided right here and now on weather
that comes before or after, and if you die quick and clean or slow and
painful. Now where are the files?"

She swallowed hard, trying not to vomit. What had Karen said? Take yourself
out of your body. Don't let the bastard touch you, only your body. Karen.
Tough little hard-as-nails Karen, her college roommate. She'd told Hope
tales of horror once. Because Hope had asked. And in listening, Hope had
learned.

The next slash didn't come as she heard the squeal of tires and blown up
gravel outside. Someone was here!

Unfortunately, wacko knew it too. "Looks like we move this party." He cut
her feet free and proceeded to drag her up a flight of stairs.

                               XXX

Mulder saw the other car immediately. It matched the one that had pulled
away from the Inn as they'd arrived. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest.

He had his gun out and ready. He approached the car cautiously. No one
inside. His eyes flickered to the trunk. He was reaching for it when he
heard the scream. It was a shrill, woman's scream coming from inside the
warehouse.

He looked up and saw a pale figure move past the door. A flicker out of the
corner of his eye, lasting no more then a fraction of a second.

He ran to the building at a crouch. He was breathing heavily when he swung
inside the door, ready for the first gunshot. None came.

Another flicker up ahead. A hint of something pale in the darkness. "Freeze,
Federal Officer." He called at the retreating form.

It didn't stop, it just faded into the blackness. 

Running at a crouch, moving from one outcrop of pipe or machinery to
another, he gave chase. As he followed he could swear he smelled flowers.

The aisle he'd been following ended at a single door. It was closed. 

He kicked it open with everything he had in him. and entered at a roll,
making a small, moving target. Nothing. The room was empty. However, it was
lit. Bare light bulbs swung from the ceiling. A wooden chair was overturned
in the center of the room. He took in the duct tape still attached to the
legs, crudely slashed. beside the chair was a pile of cloth. 

He toed at the material and felt his heart freeze when he discovered it had
once been a shirt and bra. A single drop of blood lay in the dust by the chair.

Movement again. There was a staircase against one wall, at the top of it was
a door. Someone had just gone through the door.

He raced up the stairs, praying to a deity he wasn't sure even existed that
he wasn't too late.

Flinging open that door he saw them ahead. The door led to a catwalk, it was
three stories above the shadowed warehouse floor below. In the middle of the
catwalk was a tall body-builder type with a dark crew cut. His arm was
clinched around the neck of a young woman. She was naked from the waist up,
and he was pretty sure he saw something wet gleaming on her chest. 

The man held the girl before him, between himself and Mulder, but his gun
was aimed right at Mulder's head. It was a draw, as Mulder had a similar
bead on him. His aim was unwavering while the rest of his body shook with fury. 

Mulder's eyes flickered to the girl again. Only to meet the terrified gaze
of his own eyes looking back at him. 

Hope. This was Hope. He'd found her at last. And this bastard was NOT going
to walk away with her.

end part 14...

Comments are welcome. Gifts and bribes work. But the threats have been fun
too. Ok, ok... I'm going back to writing. Drop me a line, it might speed me
up. (See I can bribe as well...)


========
Disclaimed in part 1.

Rating: R

Content Warning: Language, violence, and adult situations. This part also
contains scenes of violence that may be offensive to some. It isn't for
those who can not handle disturbing imagery.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 15/?)

To savor the sun there must be rain,
*******************

Hope was afraid. She was very afraid. But it was a different fear than the
full grown panic attack of closed in places. 

No, now her fear was of the man behind her, holding her in a death grip, and
for the man before her. Each step her Captor retreated, dragging her along,
The man before them advanced. A slow dance. A waltz of death. Someone was
going to die here. 

The moonlight came through six broken skylights above them. The moon was
close to full, she realized in some detached part of her brain. One shaft of
light fully illuminated the man before them, bathing them in silvery light.
The sight closed off her throat more then her captor's arm did. 

This was the grown up version of the boy whose image was captured forever in
a handful of polaroids in her purse. He was no longer all knees and elbows,
he didn't look like a geek. He looked like the wrath of God himself. 

This was her father.

His eyes darted from her captor to her. Their gazes met and locked. He knew.
She didn't know how, or why, but he knew who she was. He knew how they were
connected. She was as certain of this as she was of her own name.

His whole body was tense with rage. He shook with it. The moonlight revealed
a muscle twitching along his jaw. She knew that meant he was on the verge of
losing it. She knew because she had the same muscle twitch when her temper
was about to go through the roof. But for all this, his gun never wavered.
It didn't shake, but held a steady course. Her gaze broke from his and she
found herself looking down the barrel of that gun. He had seemed so far away
on the catwalk, but the small circle of darkness seemed way too close.

"Federal Officer. Drop the gun and let the girl go." His voice was tight,
but authoritative. A bit raspier then she'd imagined.

"I don't think so. She too much fun to play with. You aren't about to shoot
her. And she's such a lovely insurance policy." The voice in her ear made
her want to vomit again. She fought it.

Her captor was using her as a shield. Agent Mulder wouldn't shoot for fear
of hitting her. However HE was right out in the open. His brains must be
scrambled!

Her captor pulled her further back, they were now past the wall to their
right and out in the open. To either side was nothing. There was only the
catwalk, and down.

She felt her captor's gun arm tighten and she knew, knew in her heart he was
going to fire.

If her arms were free she'd try to push his gun arm up, making the shot go
wild. Unable to do that, Hope provided the only distraction she could and
prayed Agent Mulder would use it. 

She allowed herself to go completely limp, letting the man choke her as her
body's weight dragged at his arm, his side, making him lose a fraction of
balance. 

The sudden shift did waver his attention for a second. 

She heard a sharp crack and felt the man behind her twitch. Hot wetness
poured down her back. His grip on her tightened as he toppled against the
waist hight railing of the catwalk. She screamed as he began to fall. She
braced her legs and fought back, but he was so heavy,and he wouldn't let go.
She looked down into the darkness below.

                                   XXX

Mulder realized he had no cover. He couldn't let his gaze falter to look for
any, either. Not after one look into Hope's terrified eyes. If he had to
kill the bastard he would, but he wasn't going to allow him to leave with Hope.

They had backed beyond the wall that separated the room downstairs from this
part of the warehouse. 

Hope met his eyes again, seeming to search for something before she seemed
to faint, going limp in the arm of her kidnapper.

No sooner had the man's attention wavered for a fraction to the girl he held
then half the man's head disappeared in a spray of blood, and explosion of
bone. 

Mulder didn't have time to look for the shooter. To his horror the dead man
retained his grip on Hope and was toppling over the railing.

He heard her screaming as he ran the four steps to her. He just managed to
grab her arm, pulling her and the corpse behind her back to the security of
the catwalk.

He spun quickly to scan for the shooter, but that end of the warehouse was
lost completely in shadow. Nothing, he could see nothing. Which meant the
shooter could still be there, and he might have been aiming for Hope.

Mulder checked the girl again. He went to one knee beside her.

"Get him OFF me." She managed through clenched teeth. She looked very pale
in the faint light. Her eyes were large and glazed.

Mulder pried the stiff arm away from her and she squirmed away, unable to
get up to balance with her hands taped behind her.

He pulled her to her feet and half ran with her to the cover of the wall.
She stopped there, leaning against the concrete wall, her breath coming in
little pants.

She slid down the wall. She was shaking. In shock, she was in shock.

He pulled out his pocket knife and flipped it open. She saw the flash of
blade and shrank back with a whimper.

"It's alright. I won't let them hurt you again." He was surprised at the
conviction in his own voice. He reached behind her and urged her to turn so
he could cut her hands free.

That done he slipped off his trenchcoat and draped it around her nakedness. 

Hope's eyes were darting everywhere.

"He... he stuck me with somethin'... said it had a pentothal base... I feel
funny. Wide awake but tired..."

Mulder pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed 911 for the second
time that night.

"I need an ambulance at the Kelworks warehouse in Alexandria. Yeah, the old
industrial road. We have a white female, seventeen, she's been forcibly
injected with an unknown combination of drugs. Inform the police there is
also a body here. No, I'm with the FBI." He gave his badge number, growing
more irritated with each word. "Just send the damn ambulance."

"It's on its way sir. We received another call two minutes before yours.
Just hang on, their ETA is three minutes."

Mulder didn't stop to wonder at that bit of information. Hope was fading out.

He bent to pick her up. She wasn't very heavy. He carried her down into the
well lit room.

Laying her on the floor, he examined her. Her hair and back were coated with
her assailant's blood, now soaking into his coat. 

"How badly are you cut?" He asked, trying to keep her focused.

"Not too bad... except my... my chest. It... burns. Hurts." She tried to sit
up and failed.

"I have to take a look, I don't want you to bleed to death." Mulder moved to
open the coat but she grabbed his wrist. 

"No. It'll be ok." Her hand moved to touch his cheek. "I feel cold."

"You're in shock." He told her as he turned to pull the chair closer. He
propped her feet on it. 

"Fox Mulder. All the ways... I imagined... meeting you. This... wasn't
among... them."

"You know who I am?" He was surprised. Scully was convinced she'd come
looking for him, but to know him on sight?

"Mother left... pictures." Hope's eyes fluttered closed.

"Stay with me, Hope. Hang in there." He clasped her hand. He wasn't going to
lose her now.

"You know what?" Her eyes flicked open and her mouth turned up in a lovely
smile. "I'm glad I got... mom's nose." 

Her eyes drifted closed again as he heard the far off cry of the ambulance
and police sirens.

                                     XXX

Alexandria Hospital
4203 Seminary Road
Alexandria, VA

Scully saw them arrive. 

The first thing she noticed was the gurney. Two EMT's wheeled it past her,
crashing through the ER doors to her left. She had only caught a glimpse. A
very pale, wraithlike girl, her long, dark hair spread out against the
pillow except where the oxygen mask's elastic pinned it to her head. The
mask hid her features completely. Her eyes were closed and she'd been hooked
up to an IV. A gray blanket was thrown over her body, but Scully saw
evidence of a lot of blood.

She hadn't really registered the girl on the passing gurney as important
until she saw Mulder, following the wheeled bed and being denied access to
the ER the doors led to.

"Look, I'm a Federal Agent, that girl is a federal witness, her life is in
danger and I'm not letting her out of my sight." He was shoving his badge
into the orderly's face even as he pushed him aside.

Scully gripped her burden tightly as she dug out her badge and followed,
shoving the ID under the orderly's nose she stated simply, "I'm with him."

Mulder hadn't even noticed her. He'd been too intent on following the
gurney. She found him, however, standing in a corner while a doctor and two
nurses set up another IV and started to draw blood from their unconscious
patient.

"Mulder?" She tentatively put her hand on his shoulder and noticed his
trench coat was gone and his dress shirt was covered with blood. "Ohmygod..."

"I was almost too late, Scully." The blank expression on his face and the
deadness of his voice alarmed her. "But at least one thing came of this...
she has red blood. Not green." 

He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as if unable to watch the
procedures before him.

"What happened?" She pulled a plastic chair over and made him sit down.

"He injected her with something. I don't know what. It looks like... he was
TORTURING her, Scully. She had all these little cuts, one pretty bad.
Jesus." He rubbed a hand down his face. "Musta' heard me coming. He was
trying to make a run for it with her. Used her as a shield. There was
someone else there. I don't know who, or why, but the guy's head just
exploded. Almost took her over the edge with him."

"How much of that blood is hers?" She heard herself asking.

"Not that much. Enough though, enough. She was so scared, Scully. She was
scared but... she trusted me. She knew who I was. She'd been through Hell
and she trusted me."

"Of course she did, Mulder." She couldn't add 'you're her father', not yet.
They had to be absolutely sure first.

"Agents?" They looked up at the ER doctor as he spoke.

"We've gotten the preliminary blood screen back as we didn't know what she'd
been injected with." He held a clipboard and scanned it. "Nothing in itself
lethal, I'm glad to report. We are concerned about the trace amount of
cocaine we are fairly certain was part of the solution. She was suffering
from shock and some blood loss. We're going to have to ask you to wait
outside while we have a plastic surgeon come in and suture the worst of her
wounds. And we're going to need some information off of you."

They moved with the doctor into the hall as a curtain was pulled around the
gurney.

"She'll be staying here until we are certain the chemicals are out of her
system. I'm also going to suggest counseling. She will most likely need help
dealing with this." The doctor handed Mulder a second clip board. "Just fill
this out and we'll set up a room for her.

Mulder looked blankly at the paper. The standard Hospital admittance form.
He felt a humorless laugh escape him.

"I don't know any of this." His eyes darted over the words. "Is she allergic
to anything? Does she have insurance? Medical History... I know absolutely
nothing."

Scully saw what was happening and took charge. First she took the clipboard
from him and started to wield the pencil.

"Yes, you do. Name: Hope Maria Jamison. Birthdate: February 10th, 1979. Next
of kin..." she looked up to meet his eyes briefly, for once not sure what
she saw there, "Fox William Mulder." Scully continued to fill out more
lines. "Our coverage has a family plan, Mulder. You better get used to that.
Once we figure out this whole mess we'll get the paperwork done. But for now
it will do."

"As soon as she's well enough... I want a paternity test done. I have to be
SURE, Scully."

She nodded. "I know. So do I. I'll arrange it. But until then I'm going to
believe my eyes. I think you already have. You heard the doctor, Mulder.
She's going to be all right."

"Physically." He added, only then noticing what Scully had tucked under her arm.

"What is that?"

Scully's mouth turned up into a sad smile. "This is a teddy bear. I'm
assuming this is who Mr. Pookie is. Kline wasn't really with it, he kept
fading in and out. He did managed to say that Hope would need her Mr.
Pookie. But after that he also said that Elvis has left the building. You'll
like him, Mulder."

"He's alive?" His eyebrows shot up.

"For now." her face became guarded again. "He's still in surgery. It'll be a
few more hours. I was able to learn the bullet clipped his heart. I also
found a business card on him. Hard to make out covered in blood but it was
one of ours. Or rather an FBI one. I called the agent named. Hellen
Matthews. She's upstairs in the surgery waiting room."

Mulder nodded and took the ragged, balding, one eyed stuffed bear. It looked
like it, too, had been through heart surgery once in its life. It was worn
and pathetic, and obviously much loved. "Thanks, Scully. When she wakes up
I'm sure Hope will be happy to have it with her."

end part 15...

No it isn't over yet. We still have those files, and people willing to kill
to get them... plus dirty deals and precarious positions...








========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 16/?
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in Part 1.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 16/?)

'ere we come home, must embark.
*****************

Scully looked through the window of the ICU at the two figures. One prone,
the other sitting silently grasping the prone figure's hand.

Eddie Kline had been in surgery for five hours. It was still touch and go
but the doctors were optimistic. Hellen Matthews was in with him now. She
was allowed five minutes every hour. She'd gotten that only by claiming to
be his fiance'. 

Scully didn't know Hellen all that well. She'd seen her around, but it was
Mulder the other woman had worked with on occasion way back when. 

Scully hoped Eddie recovered. Because it looked like there was someone
waiting for him. 

She sighed and started yet another leisurely stroll through the hospital
hallways. 

Mulder had wanted to be alone with Hope. He hadn't said it in words, but she
sensed that need in him. He needed that much at least, so she had told him
she was going for a walk to check in on Kline after she woke up. Well after
letting Mulder know she'd woken up. It was early morning and she'd spent
five hours last night curled up on the empty bed in Hope's room. She'd been
so tired she couldn't fight it. She had awakened sick to her stomach yet
again. She lay perfectly still and watched Mulder as he watched Hope. The
girl had still not revived. The bloodwork they took every two hours had
shown the drug was leaving her system, though.

Now, her duty done with Kline, she was free to wander.

She didn't know if it was coincidence or some magnetic attraction that
brought her before a second window. This one looked in on rows of small
bassinets. Most were empty but there were five infants sleeping in pink and
blue colored receiving blankets. They were all so tiny. So fragile. So
completely helpless. Her hand smoothed down her front. Nothing to show yet,
no hint that in seven months one of those little sparks of life would be
hers. Hers and Mulders. 

She was scared. Oh, she knew full well she wanted this child. She'd do all
she could to give it its best chance... but so many things could go wrong. 

She hadn't told Mulder she'd already scheduled an amniocentesis in two more
months, or her insistence on bi-weekly ultrasounds. Next week she'd be
seeing a trustworthy high risk pregnancy specialist whose name Megan had
given her.

He didn't need to know that yet. Not when he had Hope to worry about. And
right now she feared that if she shared her fears with him, their weight
added to his other burdens, might crush him.

They still had no answers on what had been done to her during those three
missing months, or if it could effect her baby. No guarantee that any of the
biological or toxilogical hazards they had faced might not have some
hithertofore unknown effect of either of their reproductive systems.

She felt alone in these fears. Her inability to share them right now left
her feeling more isolated than she had in almost a year.

And damnit, she was more than a little angry and jealous as well. Yet, there
was no one she could truly blame. No one to lash out at. It hurt. It hurt a
lot. After the shock and before the fear had set in, she'd been so happy.
She was going to give Mulder a child. She was going to present him with
something no one else could. 

She balled her fist against the glass and pressed her forehead against the
coolness. 

But someone had. Mulder had a daughter. A child that was only his. Well,
maybe not a child anymore, but it was an oportunity stolen. It sent a pain
through her heart. One that had to be carefully hidden. Hidden because it
wasn't Mulder's fault that he hadn't known, and it certainly wasn't Hope's
fault for being born. 

And now he was alone with her. He had wanted to be alone with her. Already
she was coming between them. Scully was certain that Hope would never really
drive a wedge. She knew Mulder loved her, unconditionally. It was greed, she
realized. She'd held Mulder's undivided attention for nine months, longer
than that. Almost five years really. But now his focus had shifted. He
hadn't shut her out, but he'd invited Hope in. 

It was senseless to be resentful and jealous over a teenager who right now
was lying in a hospital bed after going through Hell. It wasn't fair. It
wasn't fair to Hope. It wasn't fair to Mulder. But, damnit, the whole
situation wasn't fair to HER, either. 

Directionless anger was unhealthy. She knew this. She needed an outlet as
surely as Mulder did. It was best to focus on the men who were after Hope.
Shift the anger to them. Maybe relieve some of it. Maybe. Hopefully. Because
Scully didn't want to end up hating Hope. If she did, she might end up
hating herself.

Trailing her fingers over the cold, smooth glass of the nursery window one
last time she turned back to seek out Hope's room.

                                   XXX

Mulder had dozed off, but became instantly awake at the whimper from the
occupant of the hospital bed before him. 

Hope's eyes were moving rapidly under their lids, and her body twitched. A
fine sweat had broken on her brow. Nightmare. How long was she going to have
them after this? For the rest of her life? To the point where she fought the
need for sleep on a regular basis just to escape the dreams? 

He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

Her eyes snapped open and she was looking right at him, pinning him to the
chair.

"Um... hi." Completely inadequate, but all he could summon at the moment.

"Hi..." her voice was rough, "think I could get some water?"

He nodded and stuck a straw into the plastic cup already waiting by the bed,
then passed it to her. She drank slowly.

"How long have I been out?"

Mulder looked at his watch. "About twelve hours. Between the drugs and the
shock they told me it wasn't that unusual."

"You stayed here all that time?" She looked surprised.

He shrugged. He'd missed too much time already. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. My stomach isn't too good and... um... I think I need a pain
killer." Her hand drifted up to almost touch her chest, hesitated, then
dropped again. She looked down at the hospital gown she wore. She was
bandaged up underneath it. "Oh great, as if they weren't small enough they
go tie 'em down so I'm almost a board. Sheesh."

She looked up to see Mulder actually blushing. "What? That blush better be
because I inherited my figure from YOUR side of the family. Mom looked like
she was built." 

"You certainly... have a way with words." He shook his head. "I'll call a
nurse about that pain killer."

"Don't bother. I got it." She thumbed the call button at her side. "Yeah, my
dad used to say I tend to let my mouth vent my brain." She smiled briefly
but it faded, and a sadness settled over her.

"Was he a good father?" Mulder could no more stop from asking than shield
himself from the pain any answer would bring.

"The best." Her lips twitched up a bit. "He was the best. Didn't put up with
any of my crap, but encouraged me, ya know. He came close to spoiling me
rotten at times, but he knew how to make me appreciate earning things for
myself. He was... the sweetest, most honorable person I've known. And I was
his world after momma died." She shook her head. "You don't have to worry
about that. I've had a good life."

Mulder nodded. Not trusting his voice. His throat stung. He was jealous and
thankful all at once. 

"You're awake." The voice in the doorway turned both of their heads.

"Hope, this is Dana Scully... my partner." Mulder gestured to the petite
woman who had just entered the room.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Scully." Hope held out her hand and Dana shook it.

"You might be glad to know that Eddie Kline is hanging in there. He's in the
ICU, but the doctors are looking hopeful."

Hope bit her bottom lip and swallowed hard before nodding. "Thanks. I... I
thought he was dead." Silent tears slipped down her cheeks. "I thought
I'd... killed him."

Scully shook her head, already noticing similarities between the girl on the
bed and Mulder. "You didn't kill him, Hope. You didn't pull the trigger. You
are just as much a victim in this as he is."

"He wouldn't have been here at all if I hadn't run to him."

"I'm glad you did." Mulder spoke up at last. "I'm glad you had somewhere to
run to. I'm glad Kline was there for you."

Hope nodded silently then reached up to scratch at her hair. "I feel icky." 

She looked at her hand and began to shake. A flaky brownness was under her
nails. All at once it crashed into her. She began to shake. She couldn't
look away from the dried blood under her nails. 

"Hope?" Mulder sounded worried.

"He's on me. Oh God, he's on me, all over me. I gotta get him off. I can't
keep him on me." Her words began to run together .

Scully left the room to find the nurse immediately as Mulder tried to calm
Hope down. She flinched away from his touch and scampered back on the bed,
pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, even
though he knew that position had to have hurt her. She buried her face in
her knees and began to sob.

He knew what it was, and it didn't make it any easier. Post Traumatic
Stress. She'd been through Hell in the last few days, the last twenty four
hours especially. It had just caught up with her. 

"Scully went to get a nurse. I'll make sure you get a bath and your hair
washed. We'll get him off you. He's off you. He can't hurt you again."
Mulder's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. She didn't want to be
touched as much as he wanted to touch her, to hold her and promise to make
everything better. But he couldn't. 

Two nurses arrived with Scully and both Mulder and Scully were chased from
the room. A few minutes later one of the women emerged from the room and
approached them. "We called her doctor and got the ok to give her a sponge
bath and let her wash her hair in the sink. He doesn't want to administer a
sedative until her system is completely cleared out, which according to the
steady rate of her improving bloodwork will be about three more hours."

Twenty minutes later they were allowed back into the room. Hope sat up in
the bed. Her hair was wet from washing and she was holding the teddy bear
Scully had retrieved from the hotel room. She looked embarrassed.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what happened."

"It's ok. You've been through a lot lately." Mulder offered the chair to
Scully and chose to lean against the wall.

She lifted the bear and wiggled it. "Whose responsible for this?"

Mulder inclined his head to Scully. Hope smiled brightly at Dana. 

"Thanks. You have no idea how much this means to me." She sat it on her lap
then looked at them both. "So what happens now?"

"Hopefully you'll be discharged once your blood work is cleared. Then we
have to go to the office and talk to our boss. After that, we find you a
safe place to stay." Mulder answered.

"Not with you?" Hope managed to keep the disappointment from her face, but
not her voice. 

"Not... yet. The people who are after you may have put one and one together,
in which case they'll be watching my place, and Scully's. However... I think
I know just the place for you."

Scully looked up at Mulder. Hope watched in wonder as a whole conversation
seemed to take place without a single spoken word. In that instant she
understood something. That Dana Scully was much more than her father's work
partner. 

"Oh no. Mulder, you can't be serious." Scully's words broke Hopes reverie.

"What?" Hope asked.

"Why not? Who else can we trust to watch out for her? Who else has what it
takes if they find Hope before we clear this up?" 

Hope felt like she'd been locked out of the room.  "WHAT?"

They both looked at her, as if momentarily startled to see her there. Then
Mulder smiled.

"A friend of ours. She should be able to keep you safe while we try to find
out what's going on."

"Oh wonderful." Hope rolled her eyes. "By the way, in case you two are the
least bit interested I've got the files my dad died for."

Well, that worked. She was immediately the focus of their full attention,
and it was decidedly unnerving.

"Where?" Both asking at once. Did they practice that?

"Hidden in the drop ceiling of the laundrymat of the hotel Eddie and I were
at." Hope grinned. "I really doubt anyone would have looked there."

Mulder and Scully looked from her to each other then softly chuckled.

"She has a point, Mulder. I'd never have guessed it in a million years."

"So... why don't you two go GET it? I'm gonna be here for a few more hours
at least. I want to try and sleep a bit more, and I doubt I can do that with
you two acting like vultures."

Mulder shook his head. "No. I'm on you like glue until I hand you over to
Jackie's safe keeping."

Scully was surprised. Mulder was going to wait? While the evidence he was
after just sat around? She looked sidelong at Hope, and wondered if he even
realized how much the girl had changed his life in a few short hours.

"Fine but can you, like, wait outside or something? I really won't be able
to sleep with you standing over me and staring at me like you expect me to
grow horns or gills or something." Hope scooted back down on the bed and
pulled up the sheet.

"I suppose we could go get something to eat. Would you like us to bring you
back something?" Scully spoke up when it looked like Mulder might object.
The poor girl needed some time to adjust.

"Ick, hospital food. I guess some boxed corn flakes and milk would be
harmless, but don't go for the eggs. They grow them in a petri dish." Hope
curled up and closed her eyes to get her point across.

"Corn flakes it is. Come on, Mulder. She won't be going anywhere for the
length of time it takes us to get breakfast. I'm not supposed to skip meals,
remember."

Mulder nodded. "I CAN take a hint you know. Hope, just yell for a nurse if
you need us."

The girl waved at them as they left the room.

Sleep did not come though. Hope tried thinking of nothing, tried to relax
and drift. She was so tired, yet the sandman was being elusive. Fifteen
minutes after Mulder and Scully had left she heard the door open again.

"I told you I can't sleep with you staring." She turned to face them and gasped.

"Hello, Hope. I'm glad to see you're recovering so well." 

"You! Get out. I don't know who you are and right now I don't give a flying
fuck. Just leave me the hell alone." She sat up and the sudden move made her
wince as her stitches pulled.

"Such language is hardly becoming of a lady. And I'm here to offer you a deal."

"You can take you deals and shove them up your..."

"The files for a promise of non interference in the life of your future
sibling." He smiled tightly. 

Hope just sat there for a few seconds. "What?"

"The lovely Agent Scully is pregnant, with your brother or sister. Things
can become very... unpleasant for her. Pregnancies are precarious things.
All sorts of tragedies can happen."

"You son of a bitch." Hope gripped Mr. Pookie so tichtly her knuckles had
gone white.

"Possibly. But I can make guaranties. Certain parties will not in any way
interfere with Agent Scully's pregnancy, nor in the life of the child once
it's born, all that for the price of a few sheets of paper. Quite a good
deal, really."

"I wouldn't trust you any further then I could spit at you." 

His smile was actually a trifle sad. "I don't blame you. But I have never
lied to you, Hope. Not to you. I don't plan on starting now. I can get you
out of some troubles, but others are beyond even me." 

He slipped out the door, leaving Hope feeling sick inside.

What if he WAS telling the truth? If he was, how had he found out?

His parting words left her feeling more nauseous than the rest as similar
words played back in her memory. <I'll get you out, Hope. I'll always get
you out.> Her mind now supplied the missing fragment of memory, what she had
smelled under coal dust, dirt and mildew. The odor of her rescuer's cigarettes.

end part 16...



========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 17/?
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in Part 1.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 17/?)

Of fear and pain our estate
***********************

Mulder and Scully re-entered the room quietly, but Hope was still awake. She
was sitting up, staring out the window. Her room had a view of a park. She
appeared to be watching the children on the playground.

"I thought you were gonna try and sleep." 

She looked around at Mulder's voice ans saw Scully deposit a single serve
box of corn flakes, pint of milk and styrofoam bowl on the tray near her bed.

"I think I'm turning into an insomniac." Hope sighed and looked back out the
window, ignoring the food. "You wouldn't believe what creeps up on you when
you close your eyes."

"Yeah, I would. And insomnia is NOT a recommended lifestyle." Mulder sat on
the empty bed, leaving the seat for Scully.

Hope turned to face Mulder. "Ok, we've been dancing around it. What am I
supposed to call you? Mr. Mulder? Agent Mulder? Fox? I hardly know you yet,
so Dad just wouldn't feel right, to either of us."

Mulder winced. "Just Mulder. No one call's me Fox." He shot Scully a warning
glare which she answered with a tiny smile. "And Mr. Mulder was my father.
That brings up another point..." Mulder looked down at his hands, unsure how
to continue.

"What Mulder is so eloquently trying to say is, we'd like both of you to
undergo a paternity test. We have to be sure, Hope. There have been other
instances in our lives when someone has claimed to be... someone they were
not in order to manipulate Mulder, or undermine his work." Scully cut in and
smiled briefly at the thankful look Mulder gave her.

Hope frowned. "Really? Why would someone want to do that?" She shook her
head sadly. "Alright. They've already poked me more then I'd like to think
about, what's one more?"

Mulder got up to stand beside Hope, his fingers reached out to brush against
the silver charm bracelet she wore. "I noticed this while I was waiting for
you to wake up."

"Mom left it for me. This and some pictures of you and her, and her journal.
She wrote that you gave her this." Her arm rose to let the tiny charms
twinkle in the sunlight. 

"Yeah. I bought the bracelet and the first three charms for her birthday.
The rest came sporadically, as we went somewhere or did something and I
found them. I'll have to tell you what they all meant one day."

Hope smiled. "I'd like that." 

The doctor arrived in the room shortly after to announce Hope's system free
of contaminants. He frowned at the request for a paternity test, but given
that both parties agrees to it he ordered it done. 

When the nurse arrived to draw the blood samples Scully ordered two vials
from each of them. One set to be tested through the hospital and another set
to be tested by 'outside sources'.

                                  XXX

Mulder wheeled Hope into the ICU. Hellen had given up this hour's five
minute allotment to the girl. Hope was fully clothed again, due to Scully's
foresight in bringing a change of clothing with the teddy bear.

She felt her eyes fill with tears at the sight of Eddie. He had tubes and
wires all over. He looked so pale. hellen had told her he was drifting in
and out but he was mostly out.

She reached out and gently took his hand, the unblemished one. 

"I'm so sorry Eddie. I never wanted you to get hurt. If I could take this
for you, I would. You're one of the best friend's I've ever had, do you know
that? I thought... I thought that bastard had killed you. I was ready to
give up hope, to just give up, cause I thought you were dead. That you had
died trying to protect me. Then I thought you'd want me to fight. You are so
brave Eddie. Please, get better. You don't want to die and be a blight on my
conscience forever, do you? And hey, I met your lady friend out in the hall.
She's hot. I think she's got it for you Eddie. So, you better get better and
prove to her that you're the man."

Hope felt his hand squeeze hers and she saw his eyes flutter open. He looked
at her, and tried to smile around the tube in his mouth.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Kline." She grinned hugely.
"You're gonna make it. You're just to stubborn to die." Lifting his hand she
kissed the back of it. His skin was feverish against her lips. 

"Hey, guess what? You did great. This is Fox Mulder." She jerked her thumb
to indicate the man behind her, holding the handles of her wheelchair. "You
know the guy who owes seventeen years of back child support."

"Gee, thanks." He mumbled. "I wish I could thank you under better
circumstances Mr. Kline. But I do thank you. For being there for Hope, and
for tracking me down." 

Kline blinked twice. He squeezed Hope's hand once more, then faded out. Back
into the realm of amorphous dreams where the pain couldn't follow.

                                  XXX

Red Roof Inn
Alexandria, VA

"I'll go get the briefcase. You two go get Hope's things. Hellen said she'd
stop by to pick up Kline's stuff later, so leave it, ok?"

Hope nodded and got out of the backseat of the car. "Third tile in from the
left hand corner, against the back wall. The case should be balanced on the
railings, I figured it'd buckle or go right through those cheap tiles
otherwise."

Mulder smiled, giving her more points for brains. He WANTED to believe. Hope
was one hell of a kid.

Hope walked alongside Scully as they went to the hotel room she'd recently
shared with Kline. The yellow police tape set it apart from the others. It
didn't deter Scully, however. She just pulled it aside and used the key from
the front office to enter.

Hope winced. The room was trashed. She refused to look at the blood smeared
wall, or the tape outline of where Eddie had fallen. She, instead, started
to shove clothes into her bag. Looks like she was gonna become a compulsive
clothes washer. The thought of that creep touching her underwear made her
want to vomit.

She noticed the wooden box had been smashed open. Tears sprung to her eyes
and she crouched beside it, collecting the papers and pictures, and the
small journal. She hadn't realized she was so openly weeping until she felt
a small hand on her shoulder.

She looked up to see Dana Scully's worried face.

"It's ok. This," she picked up the box and it's contents and deposited it on
the bed, "was all my real mother left me. Do you want to see a picture of her?"

Scully sat on the bed. "Yes. I think I would."

Hope handed her six photographs. Snapshots. Moments of time eternally
frozen. The girl in the pictures was lovely, and exactly Mulder's type.
Leggy brunette with a figure to stop traffic. The pictures of this girl and
a much younger Mulder together were not as painful as she'd thought they
would be. Connie McKenzie was dead. Scully found herself unable to maintain
a grudge against a woman she never knew and whose life, in the end, had been
so tragic. If anything, she did feel sorry for the girl Connie had once
been. Her situation wasn't an easy one. 

"There was also my birth certificate and my adoption papers, my bracelet,
and mom's journal." Hope placed each item back into the intricately carved
wooden box with deliberate care. Her fingers danced over the broken brass
lock. "He broke it. I don't have much of her, and one of the few things she
left me that mother... shit..." She wiped at the tears with the back of her
hand.

"It can be fixed, Hope." Scully placed the pictures into the box as well. "I
might even know a place that will do it."

Hope smiled sadly. "Thanks. You've been so nice to me. Especially when you
have every right not to like me very much."

Scully frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind, Ms. Scully. I see the way you and my... Mulder look at each
other. I wish someone would look at me like that someday. I've got to be...
inconvenient at best."

"I wouldn't say that." Scully looked away. Uncomfortable with this girl's
perceptions. She could deny that there was anything between her and Mulder,
but what would be the point? In a few months it was going to be painfully
obvious anyway.

"I got it." Mulder announced from the doorway, holding up the briefcase,
triumphantly.

Hope's eyes riveted on the case. It held what her daddy had died for, and it
held the possible future of the two other people in the room. It looked
so... plain... so innocuous for all that it carried. 

What was she going to do?

                                XXX

They stopped at an old warehouse first, and Hope waited with Scully as
Mulder ran inside with the two vials of blood.

Hope read the small sign by the door. "The Magic Bullet? You've got to be
kidding me." 

"Yeah, well, they can be totally off the wall on most things, but they are
pretty reliable in other areas."

"Who? What are we really doing here?" Hope eyes the battered looking sheet
metal door speculatively.

"Mulder trusts the people that run this newsletter. And even I have to admit
they have some pretty useful resources. He wants to make sure the test
doesn't get tampered with."

Hope sighed. "You know Mulder gives paranoia a bad name."

Scully chuckled. "Unfortunately a lot of it is well earned."

"Really? Wait a minute, who am *I* to ask really, after the mess my life's
become in the last few days?" Hope began to chew at her bottom lip. Or after
learning the smokestack's been connected to her a lot longer then she realized.

Hope watched Scully call the mysterious Jackie over her cell phone. "Jackie,
we need a favor. I know we're in the hole at this point, but it's a big
one." Scully pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Yes, I
know Marty's in town. We wouldn't ask you if it weren't really important.
Can you meet us in Mulder's office? Thanks." 

She snapped the phone closed as Mulder emerged from the dingy looking door a
few minutes later and they were off again. This time to FBI headquarters.

J. Edger Hoover Building
Washington D.C.

Hope fidgeted with the visitor clip stuck to the neck of her t-shirt. She
felt out of place amidst all the suits and tourists. She followed the two
agents into an elevator and held her breath as she saw Mulder push the B
button. B as in basement? Oh shit...

Sure enough the doors opened to a dimly lit hallway that screamed basement
from the boxes and tubing lining it.

Hope kept chewing on her lip as she was led to a single door on her right. 

"X-Files Division. Special Agent Fox Mulder," she read, "Gee, do they
occasionally shove food under the door?"

"Smartass." Mulder gave her a playful shove into the room. 

"Better a smartass then a dumbass. So why are we here?" Hope crossed to the
desk prominent in the room and flopped into the chair.

"You're safe here until we can make arrangements with Jackie. Your
surrounded by the FBI's best a brightest." Mulder smirked.

"Forgive me if I'm under whelmed." Hope spotted the picture on Mulder's desk
and snatched it up. "Hey, where'd you get this?"

"Mulder plucked the frame from her fingers. "It's not you. It's my sister,
Samantha."

"You mean I have an aunt?"

"Sort of. It's a LONG story." Mulder ignored the phone, leaving answering it
to Scully. "She's been missing for twenty four years."

"Mulder, that was Margi. Skinner wants to see us, NOW. He wants to know
what's going on." Scully stood, waiting.

"Great. Look Hope, I'll pull up my newsgroup server for you, it'll give you
something to do while we're gone. Just... stay on the news-server, the rest
is password protected anyway." Mulder switched on his computer and punched a
few keys.

"Could you... um... leave the door open? I'm kinda freaky in closed in spaces."

"Sure. Come on Mulder. We don't need to piss of Skinner right now." Scully
picked up the briefcase and left the room. Mulder gave Hope an apologetic
look and shrugged. 

"Look another redheaded lady is gonna be stopping by. Her name is Jackie St.
George. Just let her in and tell her we'll be back as soon as we can."

"Gottcha. Hey, Mulder, can you cram anymore adult newsgroups in here?
Jeesh... my dad's a perv." Hope scrolled down the list.

"It's research." He shouted over his shoulder as he moved to catch up with
Scully.

"Yeah, right. And I have this bridge to sell you." Hope muttered to no one
as she clicked on the alt.startrek.creative group.

They'd taken the briefcase with them. If she actually went along with
this... how was she going to get it away from them?

end part 17...


========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 18/20
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:Paperclip, Erlenmeyer Flask...
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in Part 1.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 18/20)

inherent from the opened locks.
****************

Mulder held the door open for Scully. She wasn't fooled; that meant she had
to proceed him into the lion's den. She shot him a 'gee-thanks-Mulder' look.

Skinner was seated at his desk and his eyes followed them as they entered
and seated themselves.

"Do either of you feel like telling me why the Alexandria police department
called me last night, at midnight, to inform me that one of my agents had
been involved with a fatal shooting?"

"There was a hostage situation involving the case we are working on. The
victim is an as yet unidentified white male. The hostage was taken to
Alexandria Hospital for treatment of wounds and observation while the drugs
she was injected with left her system," Mulder answered, his professional
face back in place.

"Yet I was informed by the Alexandria PD. Not by you, Agent Mulder. Why is
that?" Skinner was leaning back and at an angle in his chair, his fingers
absently toying with an ink pen.

"The victim needed immediate medical aid, sir. I didn't want to leave her
unguarded for any length of time, so I accompanied her to the hospital."

"And, Agent Scully, you were involved with first aid measures to another
victim in this same case, were you not? That's why you were not there to
back up Agent Mulder."

"Yes, sir, I was. I could not possibly leave that victim, as he was
suffering from multiple gunshot wounds."

Skinner held up the three fingers not holding his pen and got immediate
silence. 

"Agent Mulder, do you have any idea who the shooter is?"

Mulder licked his lips, whether it was in or discomfort wasn't readable. "I
think you'll find the dead man's gun was used in the shooting of Edward
Kline. As for who shot him... no, sir, I do not. I couldn't see anyone, and
my primary concern was retrieving the kidnap victim. Both she and the dead
man were going to go over a railing thirty feet above a concrete floor. By
the time I had her safe, there was no sign of the shooter."

"And where is this kidnap victim now? I've made some calls, she was
discharged this morning."

"Um... sir, she's in our office. Jackie's coming to help us keep an eye on
her until we know exactly what her late father was dealing with." Scully met
the A.D.'s gaze directly.

"I see. Is there anything else you'd like to add to this discussion... Agent
Mulder?" Skinner's gaze moved from Scully to pin Mulder to his chair. 

"No, sir. At this time there's nothing I'd like to add."

Skinner sighed and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You both better make sure you know what you're doing. If I regret not
stepping in you will both regret ever leaving Quantico. Do I make myself clear?"

Both agents looked slightly puzzled but nodded. "Then you are dismissed."

As they got up to leave Skinner spoke again, "And Agent Mulder, for a man
who has your distaste for paperwork you certainly generate enough. This is
the only time I'll suggest you hold off on filing certain forms until a case
is closed. The insurance company can stand to wait."

Mulder froze and turned to look back at Skinner, who appeared to be
interested in the form before him, "That will be all Agent Mulder."

                                   XXXX

Jackie St. George was not in a good mood. Whatever Laurel and Hardy wanted
it had better be DAMNED important.

As she moved down the dim hall towards their basement office she immediately
sensed something wrong. The office door was open. Mulder never left the door
open.

Approaching cautiously, she looked inside to see... a kid sitting at
Mulder's desk. OK, not a kid, a girl in her late teens dressed in a baggy,
UofOH tee shirt, was going through Mulder's computer.

Jackie noticed the visitor badge pinned to her collar.

"This is a little off the tour route." Jackie stepped into the office,
cutting off the girl's means of escape by blocking the doorway.

"You're telling me? They're lucky the janitorial staff comes down here." The
girl had a quick yet familiar grin. When she looked up at Jackie there was
something... odd about her. Jackie felt like she should know her from somewhere.

"You must be Jackie." The kid continued. "Mulder said you'd be by. My name's
Hope, by the way. Hope Jamison."

"Nice to meet you, Hope. So where is Mulder? Or Scully for that matter?"

"Someone named Skinner wanted to see them, and from they way they moved I'd
say they were in deep shit or something." The girl reached into a plastic
baggie of Mulder's sunflower seeds and extracted a few, popping one into her
mouth she chewed on it, shell and all.

"And they left you alone down here?" Jackie was having a hard time believing
that one.

Hope shrugged, "I guess they figured here was as safe as anywhere right now."

"Safe? Are you in trouble?" Jackie pulled over Dana's chair, sitting she was
still between the kid and the door.

"Well some nasty characters have tried to kill me." Hope clicked off the
computer. 

For the first time Jackie noticed Sam's picture, out of place and turned
towards the door, the resemblance between the girl and the child Sam had
been was uncanny. Hope noticed Jackie's reaction and followed her gaze. With
a smile she picked up the picture and held it against her cheek. 

"Big family resemblance, huh?"

"You're related? How? Why are people trying to kill you?" Jackie had the
feeling she was falling into deep waters here.

"People are trying to kill me either for the stuff my father stole
documenting non terrestrial DNA, or because I'm Mulder's love child with his
high school sweetheart." The kid shrugged. "Go figure."

"What?" 

There was a distinct throat clearing behind her and Jackie turned to see
Mulder and Scully standing in the doorway.

"I see you two have met." Scully swept into the room. "Thanks for coming,
Jackie."

"What the hell is going on here?" St. George shot Mulder an 'explain-or-die'
look.

"Well, sounds like Hope pretty much summed it up." Mulder suddenly found his
shoes intently interesting.

Hope got out of the chair to stand by Mulder. There was something in the way
they stood. Hope had better posture, but the lean was the same... and the
resemblance was definitely there. "Congratulation's, its a girl." she
announced. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to say that?"

Jackie just stood there, her mouth hanging open. Not many things could throw
a dragon for a loop; leave it for Mulder to find one of them.

"And the bad news is, I'm asking YOU to keep her safe, at least until Scully
and I can figure out what to do with this." Mulder took the briefcase from
Scully and set it on his desk.

"Me? God, Mulder, you really know how to ruin a girl's plans." Jackie
couldn't help it, she kept looking from the girl to Mulder and back again.
"What is that anyway?"

Mulder unlocked the case and pulled out the files Scully had gone over in
the car. "The same kind of medical files as those we found in West Virginia.
Plus film and readouts documenting a fifth and sixth nucleotide in a gene
sequence. Something unearthly."

"Mulder, we haven't determined that yet. It could have been a botched test,
a contaminated specimen..." Scully cut in.

"And the consortium are trying to get their hands on it so badly because
it's a botched test? I don't think so."

"I want to take this to some people who know what they're looking at. Get an
objective outside opinion," Scully insisted. 

"Last time you did that with similar findings the good doctor you contacted,
and her entire family were killed, unless you believe it really was a random
car accident." Mulder shot back.

"Well, until you decide what to do with it... I keep it." Hope chimed in.

"No, absolutely not. It's too volatile. As long as you no longer have it
they might leave you alone." Mulder's response was immediate.

"Look, my dad DIED for that. I've kept it safe up until now. I don't want it
leaving my sight. It's mine. I'm only loaning it to you." Hope crossed her
arms, winced, then uncrossed them. It was hard to appear tough when your
breast still throbbed with pain.

"And we are thankful for that. But now we're here to take some of the heat
off of you."

"Fine, then whichever of you keeps it stay with Jackie too. That way, *I*
still get to keep it in sight as well. Try to see where I'm coming from
here, guys." Hope threw her arms up in the air.

"Oh no... I'm not running a boarding house, for cryin' out loud. The kid only."
Jackie's tone and look broached no argument.

"No, Hope. We take this with us." Mulder wasn't going to relent either.
"Jackie, can we see you in the hall for a minute?"

The three moved into the hall and Mulder closed the door. Refusing to panic,
Hope eyed the briefcase speculatively.

                                XXX

"She's had a rough couple of days." Mulder started. "Her adoptive father was
murdered, she was on the run with that file, and just last night a real
bastard kidnapped her and..." his hands tightened into fists, "and cut her.
Tortured her to try to find those files. She was injected with a chemical
cocktail that just left her system this morning. She just needs some rest
and... normalcy."

"So you ask ME to take her? Mulder, I'm as far from normal as you get...
except maybe YOU." Jackie shook her head, amazed that after what Mulder just
told her the girl in the room wasn't a gibbering idiot. She had guts, she'd
give her that.  "Ok, I'll do it. You want a dragon to protect her, you got
it. But remember, I don't pull any punches."

"I don't want you to." Mulder's face was without humor. 

"Right. And in payment for this little service, you owe me one hell of a
story when this is over. Like how you got a teenage daughter for starters."

end part 18... 


========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 19/20
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:Paperclip, Erlenmeyer Flask...
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in Part 1.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 19/20)

But worth the cost to fill our plate 
**********************

Hope held her gym bag of meager belongings close as Jackie escorted her into
her apartment. Hope had told Jackie about her search for her birth parents,
and about the last few days on the ride over. Jackie had told Hope about
meeting Mulder at a UFO conference, and later being assigned to work with
him on one fateful case that had led to a long and deep friendship.

"Do you think he'll have time for me when the baby comes?" Hope asked
cautiously.

"They told you about that? Hope, don't worry, they'll have time for you. If
nothing else you present a not-to-be-missed babysitting opportunity here."
Jackie winked and gave the kid a playful shove into the apartment.

Hope felt herself crumble inside. It was true. There was a brother or sister
waiting to be born, and right now its future rested solely in Hope's hands.
She felt sick. She wanted to run and hide. She didn't want this. Any of it.
She didn't want the responsibility. 

"Marty... we have company." Jackie called into the apartment.

Marty emerged from the kitchen, a glass of juice in his hands. He looked at
Hope with a puzzled expression.

"This is Hope Jamison... Mulder's daughter. Hope, Marty Nantus." Jackie was
grinning like a Cheshire cat at the look on Marty's face. Hey, if it got
pulled on her the least she could do was enjoy pulling it on someone else.
Marty just happened to be the only available person.

"You're kidding, right?" 

Hope shook her head. "Long story. Longer few days. I hate to be a pain,
but... is there somewhere I can crash for a few hours? I'm exhausted." 

Jackie nodded. Hope felt bile rise in her throat at the understanding look
the woman gave her. "Right through there. Use my bed, I changed the sheets
this morning." 

"Thank you. Jackie, you are being so nice. I want you to know I really
appreciate it. No matter what."

"It's only a bedroom, kid. Tonight you get the couch." Jackie smirked as
Hope dashed into the bedroom.

Turning to Marty Jackie's grin disappeared. "I'll give you the Readers
Digest condensed version..."

                                    XXX

Hope felt both blessed and cursed when she saw the fire escape at the
bedroom window. She tossed her gym bag on the bed and opened it.

She hadn't lied. She was exhausted. But there was still much to do. 

She pulled out the files she taken from the briefcase and felt their weight
in her hands. They weighed as much as a mountain. Approximately two pounds
of paper and medical film. The weight of a life. Of two lives. Of three...
for if anything happened to Dana and the baby what would happen to Mulder?

She felt the weight of a family she didn't know, a family she might be
throwing away the chance to know. She wiped away a tear and slid open the
bedroom window. She moved slowly, to keep the metal from creaking.

It was only a matter of time before the theft was detected. Only a matter of
time before her escape was noticed. She just prayed the smokestack was still
watching her, would find her and make his bargain. She just prayed she
wasn't selling her soul to Satan.

                                      XXX

"Mulder, we have to get an outside opinion. Then we have to decide what to
DO with these files." Scully drummed her fingers against the briefcase on
her lap.

"First thing we do is make copies. Lots of copies." Mulder muttered.

"We could have done that at the Bureau." 

"I didn't want anyone there to see what we have yet. Office Max is just
ahead." Mulder made the turn into the parking lot of the named store.

"You don't trust anyone so you're going to make copies at a chain store.
Mulder, sometimes your logic eludes me." 

"Logic? It just seemed a good idea at the time. Come on."

They approached the copy center and placed the briefcase on the counter. "We
can make the copies ourselves." He opened the briefcase to find the files...
missing. "What the..." realization dawned on him and made his stomach lurch.
"Hope."

"But why? She knows how important they are." Scully frowned.

"I don't know. I really hope it's just her need to protect them herself."
They turned around and retraced their steps to the car. "Call Jackie, tell
her Hope has the files and we're coming by to pick them up."

                                 XXX

Jackie had just finished explaining what she knew to Marty when the phone rang.

"Yo." She listened to the voice at the other end. "That kid has more balls
than brains. Takes after her father alright." Jackie stood and crossed to
the bedroom door she gave a few quick raps before opening it and finding
it... empty.

"Oh shit!" 

One "What?" came from the living room, the other from the phone.

"She's gone, out the window by the looks of it. You said I was supposed to
guard her. Not that I was supposed to be her guard. Jesus... I'm goin' after
her, she can't have gotten far on foot."

Jackie slammed the phone down.

"I'm going with you." Marty was already grabbing his jacket.

                                  XXX

Hope walked swiftly. She couldn't run. It hurt too much. 

She had no idea where to go. She had to assume he'd find her. Well, he'd
better hurry. 

She crossed a park full of children and set on a bench. Moving targets were
harder to find. She wondered who'd find her first.

She didn't have a long wait. His car was black, but nondescript. He rolled
down his window.

"You have the files." His watery eyes fell on them.

"Your word. Your word Dana and her baby will be left alone." Hope clutched
the files over her chest, hugging them to herself.

"You have it. I'll make sure there is no interference with the pregnancy or
the child's development once it's born."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." He took a drag from his ever-present cigarette. "You'll have to
take my word on faith. But my word IS good, especially when given to you, Hope."

"Who are you? Who are you to me?" Hope snapped.

"Family is important, don't you think? One must remain loyal to one's
blood." He held out his hand.

Hesitantly, Hope placed the files in his waiting palm.

"You've made the right decision, Hope. Is this all of it?"

Hope looked him straight in the eye. "It's all I have."

"You've done well." His eyes flashed across the park. "It's time to go.
Don't worry too much, Hope. I'll be watching you."

His car sped out of sight and his words sent a chill down her spine.

She looked across the park, following where his gaze had gone. She saw the
Wrangler, the two people getting out, and at the edge of the park, Jackie
and Marty running in her direction.

She steeled herself. Time to face the music.

Mulder and Scully were running across the park as well. Scully paused and
pulled out her cell phone, slowing as she spoke into it. Of the four heading
for her, Mulder arrived first. He grabbed her arm painfully.

"You handed them over, didn't you?" There was such venom in his voice she
flinched away from it. "It's been a set up from the start. Just get the Hell
out of here. Go back to you masters and tell them you've done a good job.
You've earned your thirty pieces of silver. How could I ever have thought we
were related? Your worse then He is. At least He admits up front about his
agenda." His voice was at top volume and he hadn't released her arm. He
raised his arm to point at the flow of traffic the black car had disappeared
into.

His accusations cut to the bone. Deeper then the madman's knife, and much
more painful.

Hope flinched as much from the verbal assault as from the raising of his arm.
"Go ahead, hit me, you bastard. It's probably what I would have had to live
with if Connie never gave me away. A lifetime under a control freak with a
temper. Go ahead, hit me, punch me. Are you going to hit the new baby, too?
Fuck you Mulder. You only hear what you WANT to hear. Eddie told me I might
be better off never looking for my birth parents. I think he was right." 

She wrenched away from his grip, feeling the soreness that would mark bruises. 

Mulder had frozen. Her words had struck to the bone. "How... how did you
know about the new baby?"

"He told me asshole, he told me and promised to leave it and Scully alone
for those files. But you don't want to hear that. You'd rather fling
accusations. I don't want, need or deserve that. So fuck off. I'm going
home. Where I'm wanted. Where I have a LIFE. Where I'm FAR away from YOU!" 

Hope didn't care that there was an audience. She didn't care about the pain
in her chest, the emotional far outweighed the physical anyway. She fled.
Past the stock still and dumbfounded Jackie and Marty, past Scully, and down
the street.

Scully approached Mulder slowly. "Mulder." He flinched a bit but spun to
face her. Both anger and confusion on his face. "Mulder, that was Frohicke.
Your cell phone's off, by the way." She looked at him sorrowfully. "Mulder,
they ran the test at top priority, and rechecked it three times. Hope IS
your daughter, Mulder. Yours makes up half of her genetic makeup."

His mouth opened and closed like a fish. 

Jackie elbowed Marty in the ribs. "Come on, I think I know where she went."

"Where?" He asked.

"Her gym bag and teddy bear were left at my place, remember."

"What about him?" Marty gestured to Mulder.

"I think he better cool down first. The poor kid got herself backed into a
corner. Now she has to live with her choices. Mulder has to learn to live
with them, too." Jackie tugged at Marty's sleeve and led the way back to her
apartment.

                                   XXX

Hope was out of breath and her arms ached. She'd climbed back up the fire
escape, figuring the front door was locked. Luck was with her, in their
haste Jackie had left the window open.

Luck wasn't with her. Jackie was waiting inside. Seated on the bed.

"Shit," Hope muttered under her breath.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance, young lady."

Hope raised her chin defiantly. "I only came for my things. I wasn't going
to rob you blind or anything."

"I know." Jackie's face was still sympathetic. It made Hope want to run to
the older woman and cry on her shoulder. She wouldn't allow that, however.
She hated the knowledge that her face was still wet from the tears she'd
shed on her run over here.

"You can't hold me against my will. I didn't commit a crime." Hope knew she
sounded afraid, and grit her teeth against it.

"Technically, you stole evidence and hampered a federal investigation, which
is a federal offense. Lucky for you, I'm not with the FBI. I'm not here to
stop you. Not if you really want to go. I'm here to ask you to give Mulder
another chance. I think you both need one."

Hope shook her head and grabbed her gym bag. She picked up her teddy bear
and laughed at some joke only she could fathom. She tossed the bear at
Jackie, who caught it easily.

"Give that to Mulder. Tell him to rip Mr. Pookie's heart out like he did
mine. The payoff's better." Hope slung the bag over her shoulder and walked
out, with only a nod to Marty.

                                    XXX

Mulder and Scully arrived ten minutes later. Mulder was still sullen.

"Did she come back here?" He asked.

Jackie nodded and handed him the bear. "She said, and I quote 'tell him to
rip Mr. Pookie's heart out like he did mine. The payoff's better."

Mulder looked down at the teddy bear, at the neat row of stitched over its
heart. His eyes widened and he dug out his pocket knife. He carefully cut
each stitch, trying not to further damage the battered doll. With a shaking
hand he probed into the stuffing. He bit his lip as he pulled out a small
yellow case. A specimen case. Exactly like the ones he and Scully had seen
both in the West Virginia mine and at Delmark labs.

Hope had kept the final piece, and despite her hurt and anger, had left it
for him.

"Mulder?" Scully's voice barely registered as his knees gave. He felt the
tears on his face, but couldn't associate them yet. 

What had he said? What had he done? "Where is she?" he asked Jackie.

"I don't know, Mulder. She left. She needs time to herself now. Without
those files I think she'll be ok." Jackie watched Scully kneel beside Mulder
and wrap her arm around him, she watched him bury his head into her shoulder
and begin to sob. 

Uncomfortable about seeing anymore she motioned for Marty to join her and
they both left the apartment. Allowing the two inside to cope as best they
could.

end part 19...


========
TITLE:Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
PART: 20/20
AUTHOR:Rhondda Lake
EMAIL ADDRESS:rhonilak@icontech.com
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT:Archive and distribute freely
SPOILER WARNING:Paperclip, Erlenmeyer Flask...
RATING:*R* 
CONTENT WARNING: violence, language and situations.
CLASSIFICATION:MSR, X
SUMMARY: Alien DNA, a genius teenager and secrets from the past all end up
interrupting Mulder and Scully's life just as Scully discovers some
surprising news. Conspiracies, mysteries, some MSR and a dash of the
paranormal for extra flavor. 

Disclaimed in Part 1.

Dogged Determination III: Pandora's Box
by Rhondda Lake
(part 20/20)

With the final content of Pandora's box. 
*******************

Two weeks later:

Scully looked across the office at Mulder. He was unusually quiet. Had been
for the past two weeks. Hope had disappeared out of DC, but they were able
to confirm that she was back in Cleveland, at her dorm. Trying to get on
with her life. She had not returned any calls, and if the answering machine
didn't pick up they were always greeted by the cheerful yet firm voice of
Hope's roommate, Karen.

Hope did, however, repeatedly call the hospital to check up on Eddie. Eddie
was recovering nicely, and seemed to look forward to his short phone
conversations with his favorite 'client'. Almost as much as he looked
forward to the visits he got from Hellen.

Mulder had visited Eddie, and confessed all, hoping the other man's longer
association with Hope might give him some insight on how to proceed.

Kline had told Mulder to give her space. Let her heal. 

In the past two weeks Mulder only brightened when they visited their mothers
and told them of the upcoming wedding. Maggie had embraced him so hard he
complained of bruises. Teena Mulder had given Scully a warm hug and a softly
spoken welcome to the family.

They still hadn't told Skinner. 

The ringing of the phone cut through the silence of the office.

"Mulder" His answered numbly.

"What does one asshole say to the other?" The voice on the other end of the
phone was one he'd been wanting to hear for an eternity.

"I... I don't know. What?" Scully saw the look on his face and made all the
proper connections. She smiled at him encouragingly.

"Pucker up and kiss my face. I guess being an asshole is another genetic
drawback I can trace to you, huh?"

"Probably. I've been accused of it more than once." He smiled softly.

"Yeah, well, so have I. You know what? I discovered something in the past
two weeks, other than that you're a jerk and I'm just as much of one."

"And what might that be?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I don't have a life. Funny, isn't it? No friends, other than Karen. My
boyfriend dumped me for a sorority chick who puts out. My classes fill up my
mind and my time, but there is nothing here but memories. I miss him, Mulder." 

"I know you do." He wanted to reach through the phone line and embrace her.

"Everywhere I look there are memories. It's getting awkward. I think Karen
is getting tired of babysitting me and trying to drag me into a social life.
So... I hear Georgetown has a damn good Pre-Med program..."

Mulder's smile nearly split his face. Scully was watching him and patiently
waiting to be filled in.

"An excellent one, in fact. And there happens to be a bridesmaid position
open here as well..."

                                  XXX

Location Unknown
New York, New York

The man steepled his fingers as he sat at the conference table. Between his
elbows and under his steepled fingers lay the files.

"What made you make such a deal?"

The man at the other end of the table inhaled smoke and gestured with his
cigarette. "If we keep it, we can deal with her again. She's in interesting
tool. One with many possibilities."

"Yes, I can see the potentialities presented here. What I want to know is
why you ordered her protected, and what happened to Cross?"

"I dislike wasting resources that can be put to better uses. As for Cross,
we both know we are not the only agency interested in Mulder's work. Perhaps
another intervened." The man's eyes never wavered as he took another drag.

The man folded his gentleman's hands over the files. "Very well. That will
be all, for now."

With the dismissal the Smoking Man left the room.

Well manicured fingers drummed against the retrieved files. Yes, Hope
Jamison was going to prove an interesting game piece. For he realized she
could control more them Mulder, but his own dark knight as well...

Fin---


For those interested the full poem quoted line by line in this story:

Pandora's Box - Rhoni Lake 1992

Of dark and light, mysteries cried out
Look here, look here and learn of fear.
Unutterable deeds of men does shout
For mankind to shed but a single tear.

Past and present coalesce.
Single minded passions run
till bowed they angrily acquiesce
To that which foul deeds are done.

As the hawk does stalk the dove
elusive dreams shatter with morn.
And over all the triumph of love
the seeds from which hope is born.

What is love without the pain?
And what is light without the dark?
To savor the sun there must be rain,
'ere we come home, must embark.

Of fear and pain our estate
inherent from the opened locks.
But worth the cost to fill our plate
With the final content of Pandora's box.


Look for 
Dogged Determination Interlude IV: Endless Knot and 
Dogged Determination IV: Suffer The Children 
coming soon to a server near you.

Feedback always welcome.