PART 4


The van pulled into the same spot outside the compound as before.
“What are we doing here?” Jimmy filled the silence, “shouldn’t we be waiting at the hospital?”
“And what? Twiddling our thumbs doing nothing?” Frohike still gripped the steering wheel, “I can’t just sit around and let everything happen like with Frank,” he fell silent, sniffling once.
“They can’t get away with this,” Langly absently stared out the window.
“Then write an article and expose them instead of this comacozie mission,” the younger man challenged. Langly turned, “Careful not to hurt yourself with the big word.”
Jimmy didn’t take offence at the comment, mostly knowing it was said because Langly knew he was right.

“They could be doing this to some other kid,” Frohike’s grasp on the wheel turned his knuckles white. What he wouldn’t give for a bottle of whiskey, just to take the edge off his nerves and his emotions. Nothing like a little liquid courage. Also would help him forget everything for a while. Maybe even help him feel like less of a coward. Sure he was here, willing to go into some black-op’s turf and kick ass, but he couldn’t bring himself to stay and watch his niece suffer. He couldn’t bring himself to be there to hold her hand, no he ran, fled.
“But what about Anderea?” Jimmy broke through his running thoughts, “The two of you are acting like she’s gone and not lying, struggling in some hospital. You’re avenging her instead of working to save her,” his voice caught in his throat, choking on emotion.
“What are we supposed to do than?” Langly turned around sharply, his lips quivering holding back tears and his eyes stained red.
“Be with her. Just be there instead of here,” his voice was sympathetic and sad, “What good will it do her if the two of you don’t come back? You know what these people are capable of doing.”
Langly turned back to the window, Jimmy’s words had broken down his rage and pulled on his heart. His shoulder’s slumped and tears fell down his face.
On the other side of the van, Frohike had his head down against his clenched hands. The van became deadly silent.


X X X


Byers walked back and fourth down the hall, one end was where Anderea was and the other a resting Yves. He stuck his head in the door, “Yves?”
She looked up, feeling a little woozy and extremely uncomfortable with her venerable state.
“How you feeling?” he asked, uncertain about the friendly banter between them, but needing badly to keep busy.
“fine,” she replied sitting up, slightly feeling pain in her right arm, “Any word on her?”
He shook his head, his eyes down. They were silent for a while until Byers asked the question that had plagued him since they arrived here, “Why do all this for us, for her?”
Yves didn’t look surprised by the question, rather expecting it, “you’d do anything for your friends, corrected?” He nodded without hesitation, “Precisely.”

If the question didn’t surprise her, the reply certainly did for him. He never thought she considered any of them apart of her world really. Jimmy of course because of the odd relationship between them, but Anderea? He didn’t feel like dissecting it now.
“Where are the other three?” she asked, slowly standing.
Byers’ face clouded, “back at the compound,” he shook his head in disappointment.
“For what purpose? Getting themselves killed?” Yves eyes widened in concern as she pulled her leather jacket back on.
He shrugged
. Yves sighed moving toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“After them,” she replied a matter-of-factly.
Before he could voice another objection she was gone.


X X X


It was coming up on seven am and no one had returned or called in or anything. Byers was going a little stir crazy, but at least he could now hold his vigil at Anderea’s side. He sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair, his suit jacket draped over the back and his tie loosened. Even in the dim light of the room he could see that her colour had returned and Scully reported that her body wasn’t struggling now either, she was in a state of peaceful sleep, unconscious peaceful sleep.
“Come on, wake up,” he was almost pleading with her. He clasped her hand in his. Part of him felt awkward for being the one here instead of Langly or Frohike, the other connected to his duty and all of him was concerned for her. He was concerned for all of them. Sure, they had functioned perfectly before her, but she had turned their lives upside down. She changed the whole dynamic of the warehouse and they couldn’t have been happier. She was just what they all needed: Langly’s love match, Frohike’s family, Jimmy’s childhood playmate and for him, he couldn’t think of a category for it. As completely cheesy as he knew it was, she was a shinning star in his life, in all of their lives. He had no idea what they would do if that star came crashing down. Sure they had been surviving when she was gone, but that was with the knowing hope that she would be back and that was just barely.

He found himself crying over her. His head resting on their clasped hands and his body shaking with sobs. He croaked out her name, “Anderea,” being taken over by grief. Usually the most controlled he couldn’t hold back now.
A hand clutched his shoulder, almost making him jump up.
“Agent Scully,” he sat up, his voice almost as shaky as he felt.
She gave his shoulder another squeeze, noticing the wetness in his eyes, “She’s doing much better.”
He rubbed his eyes from tears and extreme exhaustion.
Automatically, she picked up the chart and read over it, “Where did everyone else go?”
Byers ran his hands over his hair, sighing heavily.
“I don’t want to know, do I?” she commented, learning for previous dealings where not knowing was best.
He nodded.
She shook her head, putting the chart back in it’s plastic folder, “I’m glad you’re here with her. Speaking from experience, she needs people here who love her.” She noted the way he watched her, the longing eyes and the clasped hands, “You’re in love with her.” The comment was more of an observation then anything else to her. But created a thought wave through him.

He thought about the times they had together. The first bonding moment late at night, musing about life, the time they almost crossed the line in their friendship and the feelings that fluttered in him.
“Maybe in some alternative universe,” he smiled a little lopsidedly, an uncomfortable smile. The concepts of ‘what ifs’ were always in his head. He looked over at her again, and let go of her hand.
Again she squeezed his shoulder, “Just keep convincing her to come back.”


X X X


“Come on, wake up”
She could hear a voice calling her, but couldn’t see from where. She felt as if she were lost in the fog. Everything was thick and grey and heavy. And she was stuck in the middle of it. Maybe stuck wasn’t the best word, she was trapped and lost and alone. There was only one voice she could hear now, but wasn’t sure who it was or what direction it came from. If she only had some direction, guidance, anything. At least the fog was lighter then before. She felt so weak and groggy, her whole being in a haze.
“Ree! Help me!” she called out, but no one heard her, or at least they pretended not to. She longed to hear his voice, it would comfort her so much. She was determined to get back to him from where ever she was now. All she needed was a little help. She needed to know that they wanted her to come back. Even in the think grey around her, her thoughts were darker still. Feeling alone always made it worse for her. The dark outside her had seeped into her.
“God, please wake up.”


X X X


The three men had been almost still as they sat in the van, each one lost in their heads. Thinking over the possibilities and scenarios and memories that Jimmy had unintentionally triggered. Although they had sat there for hours, no one felt time move.
The rapping on the side door grabbed all of their attention. Langly took a quick glance at the presence through the passenger side window. He had to squint against the sun, it was now full in the sky, “Open the door, it’s Yves.”
Jimmy nodded and did as he was told, unlocking and pulling open the door.
“What the hell do you think you are doing!?” she scolded them as soon as the door was open enough, “Have you gone completely mad!”
The three of them gave no reply, just casted their eyes down like punished children.
She sighed heavily, climbing into the van and sliding the door closed after her, “Did you even have a plan or were you just planning on going in with guns blazing?” She rolled her eyes.
“We hadn’t gotten that far yet,” Frohike confessed then asked sheepishly, “How’s Anderea?”
“Why don’t you go back to the hospital and find out for yourself instead of this!” She didn’t hide her disapproval in them. The three of them taking off on another mission impossible instead of staying around to deal with reality.
They were all silent, but Jimmy smiled. Someone else was on his side in this.
“So get the hell out of here,” Yves climbed back out of the van, “I mean it, go!”
“Wait –“
“Just go…” She told them again creeping into the tree line. It was going to be tricky in the middle of the day, but it was now or have them risk everything, “Go!” She reluctantly moved through the light cover, before she heard or saw them leave, but she had to do this for more than one reason.

She was paranoid about just how easy this was seeming to be. She had crossed the compound without spotting one guard or even security camera. She slipped into a side door, not the same one they had used before and quickly through the halls. She knew exactly where she was headed. The lab on the first floor. It was only down around the corner.

The lab was empty, even for mid-day. Must be a universal lunch break, she laughed to herself. Using the same card as before she opened the glass door and slipped in. Various glass beakers and tubes sat on the counter and in a glass door fridge. Test charts and computer graphs lined the walls, all marked as PJ. She picked up a blood sample, watching the think liquid through the overhead light. She knew what subject it came from, the only living one that she knew of. She pocketed it.
Yves gave the room one more once over and settled on the trash can. She struck a match and let it drop in. Extremely simple arson. Not really worth her expertise but it was safer than having the stooges try. On second though she decided on a back up. After fiddling with a computer wire she slipped back out of the lab, locking the door after her. She had enough time to reach the end of the hall before the glass blew out from the lab. The whole room ablaze.


X X X


Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 5