Yeah, I know you were expecting to see a post from The Dragon, but you're stuck with me for this one, folks. Well, it had to happen-with my propensity for writing weird stuff and of course, writing Erin into it-This is a crossover of characters, Jackie St. George meets Erin Mulder. I told you I write weird stuff. Jackie, Rosie, and Marty<snicker> 'belong' to The Dragon, Sheryl Martin, and are used with her permission<I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!>. Erin and Michael Mulder belong to me. Oh yeah, and there are these two other characters, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who belong to some guy named Chris<shrug>. You may have heard of them.

This takes place after 'Gossip Rides Again' in my Erin timeline(and during Christmas-er, winter-vacation<must be PC, must be PC>); After Dragons On The Line in the Dragon timeline, or whichever one happened last<Hard to keep up...>. Hopefully I didn't corrupt it too much:-) Book list: If you need to know who Jonathan is/was, read Dragons On The Shore

If you need to know what the Resurrected Reich is, read Dragons Of The Dead

If you wish to make a collect call, press 3 now...

Part 1

Mulder was sitting at his desk, attempting to hypnotize himself using his wall clock and the white noise generated by the rarely-working air conditioner, when the phone rang.

Snapping out of his trance, he picked up and waved Scully off it.

"Mulder."

"Pop quiz, hot shot!" an adolescent voice on the other end said exuberantly. His cousin Erin. The girl who made him twitch nervously just thinking about her. Could be fun.

"Shoot." He leaned back and heard his spine crack.

"Question 1. Multiple choice. Where is Scully? A, on a case, b, kidnapped, c, working on paperwork, d, getting yelled at by Skinner for something you did."

"C."

"Good answer! Two, what are you doing? A, paperwork, b, annoying Scully, c, about to go out on a case, d, downloading porn, e, trying to hypnotize yourself with the wall clock again."

"B and e."

"Excellent! You're 2 for 2. Now for the short answer section. What does ESP stand for?"

"Extrasensory Perception."

Scully was watching him, eyebrow raised. He mouthed 'Erin' at her and she nodded. Erin was weird. Fox was weird. It was okay.

"Half credit..." Erin was saying.

"What? Why?"

"Just making sure you were listening. Question four: Define Parapsychology."

"A field of study concerned with the investigation of evidence for paranormal psychological phenomina."

Scully was openly staring now.

"Okay, let's check with the judges...yes, we can accept that. The thirty-two dollar question: Define Paranoid."

"What, have you been memorizing the p section of the dictionary?"

"Answer the question, Agent Mulder."

"Characterized by or resembling paranoia."

"Congrats! You pass!"

"What do I win?"

"My respect?"

"Try again."

"An all expenses paid dinner at Mike's Place?"

"Rip-off. The food stinks."

"Ooo, is that a challenge? Da, Do you know what Fox just said?"

There was a murmur as Mike demurred to answer.

"He's busy making petit fours." Erin stalled. Mulder shifted some papers on his desk. "Is there a reason you call me and bug me while I'm trying to work?"

"Yah, I needed to know what a Parapsychologist was."

"Why? Are you interested in becoming one?"

Her voice lowered. "Fox, some guy claiming to be one came around today. Asked me a bunch of questions. Said it was for a new study."

"Did you answer them?"

"No, told him to go stick it, but how the hell did he know?"

"Give me his name." Mulder reached for a pen and found a scrap of loose blank paper on his desk.

"Left a card saying Bank Hills. What sort of person names their child Bank?" Erin snickered. "Same sort of person who names their child Fox, I guess."

"Bank Hills. There a number?"

"Yah...555-0431."

"Great. Listen to me. Do not, under any circumstances, answer any questions he asks, you understand? None at all."

"Jeez, don't be so anal about it. Just some weirdo. You want to come down tonight?"

"Hang on." He put his hand over the mouthpiece. "Scully, you interested in a chicken-fried steak for dinner?"

"Sorry, I'm going out with Jackie tonight."

"So? She can come too." He grinned. "You passing up Mike's for central Washington fare?"

"I'll call her."

"Okay, tell Mike to keep the grill warm." Fox turned back to the phone. "We get off at five so we should be there around...six thirty."

"Jeez, we only live twenty minutes away."

"Traffic, late work, flat tires-"

"I forgot, weird stuff happens to you guys. Okay, okay, six thirty. See you then." And she hung up.

Scully was reaching for the phone to call Jackie when it rang again. She answered. "Scully."

"Define Paranormal."

"Go away, Erin."

"Just checking."

"CSIS." Rosie's no-nonsense voice almost crackled over the line.

"Bad day?" Scully asked sympathetically. Rosie sighed. "Yah, you could say that. Marty's out of town, she's out of her country...things in general are miserable. Why?"

"Are we allowed to talk to her?" "Let me check." There was a pause. "Okay, I'm putting you through." Rosie said, reisgned. "But she's going to hate me again."

After a few seconds St. George came on the line. "Please, if you value my sanity and your life, don't tell me you're cancelling."

"Not...exactly." she temporized.

"How can you 'not exactly' cancel a dinner appointment?"

"Well...is there any chance we could change location?"

St. George heaved a sigh of relief. "That's all."

"Have you ever heard of a restaraunt called "Mike's Place?"

"No. Do I want to?"

"It's a great place, good food..." Dana sounded as sincere as she could. "It's in Bethesda. Mulder's coming along."

"Oh. Is that all?" Jackie sounded sarcastic. "Any other unexpected guests?"

"I could hook you up with the owner while Marty's out of town...tall, dark, handsome, available..." Dana smiled into the phone. Jackie snorted. "Doubt he could handle me. And I seriously doubt he could take Marty on." She snickered. "I think I'll decline. But just out of curiosity...what's his name?"

"Michael."

"That's it? No last name, Like Fabio?"

"Michael...Mulder."

"You must be kidding."

"And his daughter."

"Daughter?"

"Erin Mulder."

"Can we back up just a little?" Jackie asked. "Mike Mulder. As in, Fox Mulder? Relative? He actually has family he talks to?"

"His uncle."

"This I must see. Can I get a ride?"

"Pick you up at six."

"See you then."

"Da, they're here!" Erin yelled, tossing her serving apron on the counter. "Put the food on!"

"Figures." Mike muttered to himself. "They get here right at the busiest time of the evening. Karen!" he yelled at the assistant cook. "Take over!"

"Gotcha, Mr. M!" Karen yelled back over the clatter in the kitchen.

Mike took the food he'd been keeping warm off the grill and piled the plates onto a tray.

Fox and Dana were waiting at the door, watching Erin weave her way over to them. Some woman stood behind them, probably waiting for a seat. Mike hoped Erin would have the grace to seat the woman first. Jackie looked around. Jesus, so it turned out even Fox Mulder had family. The man never stopped surprising her.

"Fox!" a young, dark-haired girl greeted them effusively. "Dana!

Come on, Da's been holding food just for you!"

She began to run through the crowds towards the back booth. Dana shook her head and motioned for Jackie to go first. Fox was already halfway across the room, being dragged by the arm by the girl who must be Erin.

"Erin! Stop already!" Fox pulled and she whirled around. "Erin, will you wait! We've left Scully and St. George behind."

"Scully and who?"

"Well, if you hadn't run off, I would have introduced you." He waved at the two women working past the waiters towards them. "Now, if you'd calm down, maybe you can be introduced."

"Sorry, we got tied up behind waiter number two." Scully finally arrived. "Either that or a waiter at table number two." Jackie put in. "Or a two headed waiter."

"Erin, this is Jackie St. George." Fox tilted his head at Erin in a 'be polite, she's a friend' gesture. "St. George, my cousin Erin."

"Pleased to meet you, and I'm sorry I ran off," Erin said formally. St. George smiled. "Isn't every day young women haul him off to secluded corners of dim diners." She jerked her thumb at Fox. "Hi, did I miss anything?"

Mike came up behind them. "Like, why isn't this customer seated, Erin?"

"She came with Fox, Da."

"Okay, then why aren't any of us seated?"

"Um...'cause we're standing up?"

"Sit, child." Mike ordered. Erin slid into the booth, followed by Fox. Dana sat on the other side next to St. George. "I'm sorry...I didn't know Fox was bringing a guest." Mike set the tray on the table. "Be right back, don't move." He ran off to the kitchen.

"I assume that rather nervous, energetic man was Mike Mulder?" Jackie asked.

"He went to get more food. Mike doesn't let anyone go hungry."

"I didn't tell him what I wanted."

"He'll know." Erin grinned. "Da has a thing about feeding people. He'll know what you want."

"Hamburger for Erin, steak for Scully, BLT for me, and I assume the...whatever they are...is for Mike." Fox handed plates out.

"He's experimenting with a new sort of stuffed chicken recipe. It's not much to look at, but it tastes good."

Jackie eyed the young girl askance. After a minute, Mike returned. "Steak, rare, extra juice?" he asked her. "Knew you were a steak person. I'm Michael, by the way."

"Jackie St. George. And I am a 'steak person'." She smiled.

"Thought so," Mike said smugly.

"Jackie is a friend of ours." Fox explained.

"Fellow bureau agent?" Mike asked. Fox didn't cultivate friends outside the bureau...Did he?

"CSIS." Jackie answered, taking a bite of her steak.

"C...what?" Erin asked. "I don't want to sound stupid, but..."

"Canadian Security and Intelligence Service." Dana answered. Erin stared blankly but said nothing more.

"Erin." Fox chewed thoughtfully. "I wanted to know about what that man asked you."

"Him? What a weirdo." Erin shook her head. "Came down here with some story about feeling my psychic vibes and wanted to know all about me. Name, birthday, parents, down to what sort of chemicals were in the water around here."

"And what did you tell him?"

"That my daddy told me not to talk to strangers, and if there were any chemicals in the water I wasn't aware they would induce psychic powers. Basically I said he'd have a lot more luck hawking his product on the Psychic Phone Reader's Network."

"Which is about when I came out of the kitchen and told him to stop harassing my employees." Mike cut in. "Mr. Hills....ran...for the hills."

While the three of them groaned at Mike's bad joke, nobody noticed Jackie stop chewing, or the blood drain from her face.

"What I want to know," Erin continued, "is how he knew...I mean..." her eyes fell on the CSIS agent. "Uh oh, I just put my foot in something, didn't I?" she asked suddenly.

"Bank Hills?" St. George asked quietly.

"That was his name...did I say something wrong?" Erin asked. Jackie shook her head. "Excuse me." She put her fork down and looked at Dana, who moved out of the way. Without looking back, she headed for the door.

"I'll go." Fox stood up and moved past Mike to follow her.

"What?" Erin demanded. "All I said was-she's really upset, isn't she?"

"I don't know, Erin. Let Mulder talk to her." Scully answered, looking down at her plate.

"Anyone want to give me a map of this conversation? I'm lost," Mike said plaintively.

"Jackie is...unusual." Dana tried to explain. "She has certain-abilities."

"Oh jeez, she's one too." Erin looked from Mike to Dana. "Thanks for the warning."

"Jackie-St. George-" Mulder followed her into the parking lot.

"Give my regards to your uncle." Jackie tried to hail a cab. "I've got to go."

"What? What's going on?"

"And would you tell your cousin to-if Bank Hills comes near her again-"

Fox looked at her, puzzled. Jackie didn't get upset. Not like this, anyway.

"What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything." She pulled her jacket tighter. "Go back and finish your dinner. I'll get a taxi."

"I'd like a straight answer, if that isn't too much to ask." He grabbed her arm, knowing she could break it about six different ways if she wanted to.

"The sins of the fathers..." she whispered. "Mulder, let me go."

"Not until you tell me why you walked out like that!"

"Bank Hills."

"Yah, I kind of guessed that part," he said sarcastically. "What about him?"

She shrugged. "Nothing. Forget it. Go back to your family-" she spat the word, "And finish your dinner."

"Fox? Ms. St. George?" someone called from the doorway. Erin looked out. "Ms. St. George...I'm sorry if I upset you-"

"Go back inside, Erin," Mulder ordered.

"Jackie...?" Erin's eyes widened. "He came for you too, didn't he? That's why you got angry. You get so angry-you want-" she picked through the emotions for a minute. People like her and Fox had so many complex emotions to go through before you could make a clear connection- "In the name of St. George?" she asked. "What does that mean? And your hands..."

Jackie looked down at her palms, covered with old scars from puncture marks, flesh wounds, and half-healed tack-holes.

"Please come back in?" Erin asked. "I don't care. Michael doesn't."

"Now." Mulder sat back in the booth and fixed Jackie with his stare. "What do you know about Bank Hills?"

Jackie shrugged, resigned. "He's been pestering people for the better of thirty years. When I was a kid he came after my father. Something about a glorious quest worthy of a Dragon. When I was fourteen, he came after me, too." She turned to Erin. "Do *not* let him tell you anything."

Michael looked bewildered. "So...this man is some sort of-telepathic recruiter?"

"You could say that." Jackie stabbed the steak with her fork. "He finds out about people and he harasses them. We..." she faltered. "We finally got rid of him. My dad-" Her voice lowered. "I'd never seen him that angry."

"So, he's come for the next generation of talents. He's been poking around my school, too." Erin supplemented. "But he hasn't shown up since Da yelled at him."

"You wouldn't either if the last time you pissed off someone's father they did what mine did." Jackie took a bite of the steak. "This is great."

"We aim to please," Mike said proudly.

"Anyway, I doubt he'll be back," Erin said slowly. "So we can talk about cooler stuff. What do you do at the CSIS?"

Dinner progressed...all members carefully keeping off the subject of telepathy or parapsychology. Finally, the three government agents had to leave. Fox warned Erin again to call him if Hills came around, and Jackie seconded it. Erin's eyes grew wide. This man must be something if St. George wanted to keep away from him. Jackie had risen to Fox and Dana's status of idol in the short time she'd known her over dinner. Anyone who could hold her own like Jackie obviously could had Erin's respect.

The next day, St. George got the call.

"Hello, Jaclyn. Remember me?"

Her blood went cold. "Mr. Hills."

"I was calling to ask if you'd ever reconsidered my offer. It could be quite enriching, you know."

"I don't know how you got this number, but I swear I'll find you-"

*Where's a phone trace when you need one?*

"Now, Jaclyn-"

"That's Agent St. George to you."

The voice on the other end sighed. "Really, Agent St. George, don't underestimate me. Your blonde friend did, and about now he's probably recovering in intensive care."

"Who-where did you find out..."

The line went dead.

At the same time Jackie was trying to figure out how Hills knew about the blonde man, Erin was chatting on the phone.

"Look, I'm telling you, he like-oh, hang on, there's another call on the line. No, stay on, won't take a minute." Erin clicked the reciever lightly. "Hello?" "Erin, it's Bank Hills."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Just listen, then." He had a persuasive voice, and he knew how to use it. "I'm in a position to help you with your unique abilities. You know, if you CSIS friend had listened to me, she could probably control herself."

"I don't understand."

"Jaclyn is an interesting case. Purely uncontrollable. Do you know what happens when she gets a cut, or a scrape...whenever her blood is drawn?"

"No..."

"She goes insane, Erin, she goes nuts. Attacks anything and everything in her path. She's even attacked your cousin."

"No, she wouldn't do that." Erin could tell her voice was laced with doubt.

"Listen to me, Erin Mulder. The government would do anything to get its hands on your type. St. George is no good to them until she's in control. She's marginally useful, at best. But someone who could direct her powers-they'd give a lot to get at them. Take my advice. Don't screw up your life like she has."

"I don't believe you-I won't!" her voice rose. "Leave me alone!"

"For now, dear girl, for now."

Erin frantically hung up on her friend and dialled Fox's number with shaking hands. No success; he must be out. She tried to recall his cellular number but her memory failed her. What about the CSIS? Information...

She barely heard the man on the line give her the phone number for the embassy, and the right extension.

"CSIS."

That wasn't her. "Um...Jackie St. George, please?"

"I'm sorry, Agent St. George is busy right now. Can I have her call you back?"

"Okay...are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." The woman sounded annoyed. "Who is this? How old are you?"

"Ah...could you tell her that Erin Mulder called?"

"Erin who?"

"Mulder, ma'am."

"Related to Fox Mulder?"

"Yes ma'am. Will you tell her-"

"I think I can make an exception." Rosie shook her head and hit the hold button. Tapping the intercom, she asked, "Boss, you know an Erin Mulder?"

"Patch her through."

"Whatever." Wondering who Erin Mulder was, and why she would want to call here, Rosie hit the button.

"Agent St. George?"

"He called you, didn't he?" Jackie sounded resigned.

"Yah...he's scaring me."

"Why?"

"He was talking about government conspiracies and he said some awful things about you...couldn't control yourself, stuff like that."

"Erin, calm down. He called me too. What exactly did he tell you?"

"That you weren't useful to the government because you were out of control, but if you'd stayed with him he could have helped you; that if I work with him I could have total control-I could control *you*..."

"And he told me he had insider information." Jackie finished.

"Uh...is...that true?"

"What? That I'm uncontrollable?"

"Yah."

"Just remember not to get in my way if my blood is drawn." Jackie said bitterly. "And if he calls again, call me."

"If he calls again, I'm going to hang up."

"Good girl."

"Thanks, Agent St. George."

"Think you could call me Jackie?"

"Jackie. Got it."

St. George hung up, the words echoing in her mind. <If you'd stayed with him he could have helped you...>

Part Two

Bank Hills was a powerful man; he had worked with and for the government for over thirty years. He knew how to maneuver within the bureaucracy, and he knew people. Lots of people. Lots of *important* people. And usually, he used them.

But this time...

When he'd first found the special files, he'd been impressed. At that point nobody had known about his extra little talents. Like knowing, instinctively, when an 'unusual' person was in the room. And, after a while, he could sense it if one was in the state. He took the files, and after twenty years working on them he had amassed a small following of similar people-superior people. But even together, they were too weak for what the files called for. They needed a leader.

The government wanted St. George, wanted her for Blackstrike-but they wanted a *controlled* St. George. Which was why her father was so damned important, curse him. And which was why, now, Erin Mulder was also of utmost importance. A young talent, young enough to learn to control her own powers.

And other people's.

And Bank Hills didn't want to use bureaucratic power. He wanted to prove to them that he was still strong, that after all this time he was more powerful, mentally, than ever. That he could beat a Dragon, and a sniveling brat of a girl.

So he used harassment, and he used persuasion. The girl was young, impressionable. She would come around.

He picked up the phone and made another call to the restaraunt where the girl's father worked.

"Ye-hello!" Karen picked up the desk phone. "Mike's place, Karen speaking."

"Hello. My name is Richard Cameron. May I speak to the proprietor of this place, please?" The man's silky voice scratched over the line.

"Um, sorry, he's indisposed at the moment." Karen said suspiciously.

"How sad. I was going to ask if I could reserve his restaraunt for an evening."

"The whole place?" Karen asked, surprised. "For what?"

"A party," he purred. "Rather large, catered. My daughter's sweet sixteen party."

"I'll...see what I can do." Karen glanced back at the kitchen. Her boss would be ecstatic to have the restaraunt rented for an evening. And a sweet sixteen party! Mr. M's kid was sixteen. He'd understand.

"Mr. M!!" she yelled. "Got a guy on the phone. Wants to rent the place for a whole evening. Think you'd better get out here!"

"All right, Karen, I'm coming." Mike wiped his forehead and emerged from the kitchen. "Mike speaking."

"Ah, Mister Mulder. I thought that might get your attention."

Mike stared at the phone. "Who is this?"

"Bank Hills."

"Hey listen, you sonofa-"

"Mr. Mulder, I merely want to talk."

"Tough. You keep away from Erin, d'you hear?"

"Mr. Mulder, please. I think it would be in her best interest."

"Really." Mike's finger hovered over the cutoff button. "And that would be..."

"I think you'd see that if she decided to accept my offer, there are certain perks."

Ooo, what a slimeball. "Like what?"

"Our specialists are highly trained. Government funded. She could attend the best schools, private tutoring, the works. I see she's having trouble in math..."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, her last report card...let's just say I know people."

"I see." Mike mouthed <cover for me> at Karen, who headed for the grill.

"If she was acceptable to the program, she could even get a college scholarship." Hills baited his hook.

"College scholarship? Acceptable?" Mike repeated dumbly.

"Acceptable to what program?"

"Our Program."

"Ah." <Well, that cleared things up. Not.> "And what would that program consist of?"

"Just a few tests, a few times a week. Nothing stressful, I assure you."

"Yah, well, she doesn't have anything stressful in her life now, either." Mike snapped. "If I talk to her about it, will you leave us *alone*?"

"As you wish, Mr. Mulder."

Mike hung up, disgusted.

There were six types of talent in the files Bank Hills reviewed that afternoon, all but two of them taken from the MHPRD files that St. George's file had come out of. The categories, whimsically, were mostly named after mythical creatures; Phoenikoi, Gnomes, Cyclopes, and Dragons were the four from the MHPRD. St. George was the only Dragon file.

But the MHPRD was so hell bent on building the next killing machine, the next 'perfect soldier', that it never bothered with the other two types Bank Hills specialized in-what he called faeries and unicorns. The first being talents whose rather weak powers came and went, he thought cleverly, just like faeries, and the second being near-useless talents, the kinds who were too noble or too sissified to actually do anything on their own.

No prizes for guessing what that little girl-child Mulder was. The sniveling brat Jon had been a Unicorn, too. Alone, she was useless. But, when one coupled her with a Phoenix, for instance, she might be a bit more helpful. The other agencies never thought of that, did they? And, when coupled with a *Dragon*, both of them were in a position to be more powerful than anyone.

He would stick to his word and leave them alone for the time being. But if they didn't come around on their own, and St. George with them...

His own category was Cyclopes, men and women who could direct their powers in one direction only, but with perseverance. Dragons had their weak spots, and unicorns were placid by nature. It shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Agh, paperwork." Mulder shifted a large stack of files from his desk to the floor. "I think we should burn it all and start over. You?"

Scully looked up from her computer. "How long do you think it would take to get this way again?"

"Forty minutes, tops."

"My point-" she began to say, but the phone rang. Arching her eyebrows in surprise, she answered. "Scully."

"Friday night. The Boston Philharmonic. You 'n' me," the man on the other end of the line suggested.

She sighed. "Sorry, Frohike, I'm scheduled for an out of body expreience Friday night."

"No can do, huh?" he sounded crestfallen.

"Sorry. But you know how it is, gotta keep track of those things or they get away from you."

"Maybe some other time. Is Mulder around?" Frohike switched topics.

"Yah, hang on." she glanced across the room, where Mulder was already picking up. "I'm here."

There was a click as Scully disconnected. Mulder grinned. "You don't give up, do you?"

"She wants me."

"In your dreams."

"Every night..."

"Listen, is there a reason for this call? Not that I love paperwork, but chatting about your love life is not high on my list of entertaining ways to spend an afternoon." Mulder tossed his pen on his desk and winked at Scully.

"Langly said you needed to talk with me."

"Ah, right. I need all the info you can find or steal on a Bank Hills."

"Don't they specialize in mutual funds?"

"It's the name of a man who's been harrasing us."

"Gotcha."

Mulder could hear tapping in the background. He waited for a few seconds.

"Fifty-nine, six foot two, two hundred ten pounds, works for the government. Working on a classified project called Blackstrike." Byers picked up an extension. "He's very, very popular in the Pentagon, Mulder."

"What can you find about Blackstrike?"

"Not much." Byers reported after another pause. "Classified, but it's been going on for about thirty years, off and on. Mostly on since he started heading it. Both US and Canadian governments have a version of it."

"When did he take over?"

"About 1973. Maybe a little earlier."

"And you can't find anything else?"

"It's classified a recruitment outline, for a new military program. That's all." Byers sounded frustrated. "The military databases aren't the easiest to get into. And this file's protected by about ninety thousand codes."

"Then it's important." Mulder said. "Call me back if you get anything."

"Mulder-" Frohike started, but he'd already hung up.

Half an hour and almost one speeding ticket later, Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and Jackie St. George showed up on Michael and Erin's doorstep. One look at their faces and Erin stood aside. "Fox...?"

"Where's Mike?" The agent demanded, pushing into the room.

"He's at the restaraunt, it's his night to cook-what's going on?" "We need to talk. Now." Jackie glanced around. "Is anyone else here?"

"Yah, I've got my boyfriend hiding in the closet." Erin cracked.

"No, nobody else is here," she answered Jackie's stern look.

"Get your coat."

The ride to Mike's Place was silent. Erin burrowed into her jacket, trying to shield herself from the conflicting emotions in the car, while Jackie took out her asprin box.

"One of these days I'm buying stock in Advil." she mumbled softly.

"I could be a millionaire."

Fox and Dana were silent and pale in the front seat.

By the time they reached the restaraunt, the three agents had calmed down somewhat; some semblance of color had come back into Dana's cheeks and Fox had stopped driving at breakneck speed. Jackie fingered the glove in her coat pocket thoughfully.

Mike came out of the kitchen carrying a tray full of mugs. "Don't ask. I just knew," he answered Mulder's questioning look. "Coffee and cocoa."

"We need to talk." Fox slid into the booth. "We've got to get you three out of here."

"What?" Mike asked.

"Bank Hills isn't some private scientist." Dana began.

"He called me." Mike answered tiredly. "He's working for a

government funded study."

"Study." Erin repeated. "I'm not a gunea-pig."

"Of course not." Mike retorted. "But you should have heard him-"

"He's working on a top secret project." Jackie filled in.

"Blackstrike. Mulder says it's some sort of recruitment program."

"They offered to do...useful things," Mike said slowly. "He said they could tutor her, pay for college if she was acceptable..."

"And he told my father he would be a national hero," Jackie snapped. "You hear of any hereos working with Blackstrike lately?"

"You should feel it." Erin breathed. "He's so strong. He could do things. But he doesn't want to."

"Trust me, I feel all I want of it." Jackie pressed her fingers to her forehead. "And he's not going to leave you alone this time. He knows you can't fight him."

"He knows you won't."

"I'd like nothing better. But it's not worth the risk."

"I didn't mean..." Erin trailed, but St. George shook her head.

"No, it's fine. Nobody's saying *I* could beat him either."

"So." Mike steepled his hands. "What do we do?"

None of them left the diner that night until late, and even then they'd resolved almost nothing. Hills probably wouldn't be stopped by something as trivial as a change of address or telephone number. With both government funding and military backing, they'd be lucky if the phone company would *let* them change their phone number.

Paranoia was the name of the evening, however, and it was agreed that Erin should stay with Fox until they could figure out what to do. Jackie refused to stay at Dana's for a time. If Hills wanted a fight that badly, she'd give it to him.

Michael and Erin packed a few of her clothes, while Jackie polished her sword. It was up to Hills to make the next move. The following day, despite Michael jumping every time the phone rang, nothing happened. Or the next.

Slowly, Jackie relaxed. A week had gone by. Erin was a little sick of staying in Fox's apartment with the door bolted and his father's gun stashed below the TV. She'd finally talked him into letting her keep it nearby-it wasn't as if she'd never fired one before. At the end of the week Marty arrived back in town, and Fox and Dana were assigned to leave on a case the next day. Everyone's guard dropped a little further. Erin made plans to pack up again and move back into her room in Mike's apartment.

It had been a week, and it had been boring. So it was natural to want to get out-just for a minute or two, she told herself. She'd jog down to the corner, grab a slurpee and some varied junk food from the Stop-N-Rob minimart, and be back before Fox knew she'd left. Halfway to the store, she strolled past a high hedge in front of a residential house.

A hand clamped around her mouth and a needle stabbed into her arm.

Before she could call out, vocally or mentally, she was unconscious.

"Good work. Get her out of here."

"Erin?" Fox called, hanging up his jacket. "Erin, Mike's gonna be here soon. Are you packed up?"

Nobody answered. He checked his couch, then his bedroom. She wasn't anywhere. He knocked on the bathroom door, which opened. Nobody there. She wasn't in the closet-why she would be there in the first place, he couldn't guess, but she had to be somewhere.

The gun was still in the drawer. But her wallet was gone, as were her shoes and coat.

Oh, *shit*.

She came to with a groan. Headache. Big time. Ow. Her eyes felt glued shut. Man, must have stayed up too late last night cramming for a math test....

Wait. She hadn't been to school for the past week. Winter vacation. And she had been passing the hedge when something poked her... The headache seemed a lot more minor suddenly. Mustering all her effort, she managed to open her eyes. The scene didn't change much. A little light was spilling into what must be a room of some kind, from a window. The lights in the room flicked on suddenly, and she squinted. A door opened.

"Good evening, Erin. Feeling all right?"

"Unngh." she shut her eyes again. It really wasn't worth the effort.

Someone chuckled. "The headache should abate in a few minutes. We did have to drug you rather heavily, you know." Bank Hills sneered.

"Couldn't have you calling your friends for help."

Deep breath. Two. Okay, snappy comeback. "I could call them...now." No, dummy. Snappy, not obvious.

"That's what I'm counting on."

"Huh?" She wasn't grasping something.

"It will all work out in a little while. Water?" he offered her a cup from the table. She considered. Her mouth felt sticky. He could be trying to drug her again. Aw, the hell with it. She nodded. He held the water to her lips, before she realized she couldn't take it because, like any good victim, her hands were bound behind her back. This just got better and better.

"I'll be back in a little while, girl."

She tried to call back "I'll try and contain my impatience", but all that came out was "Trptnce." He laughed and locked the door behind him.

<Damn, of all the times to be without my uzi.>

"What do you mean she's *gone*?!?!" Mike yelled. "*GONE*?!?! Where the hell would she *go*??"

"I don't know, Mike," Fox said from the couch. "I've called Scully and St. George. Someone may have picked her up-she could have gone out-"

"She would have left a note. There wasn't a note, was there?" Mike glanced around, suddenly, as if a note would magically appear.

Fox sighed. God, he hoped this wasn't what fatherhood did to everyone. "The door was locked from the outside. The gun is still here, and more importantly, her coat and shoes are gone." he pointed out. "If she *was* taken, she wasn't taken here. Which means she went out."

"That doesn't help much." Mike looked out the window. "It's getting dark out. Do you know what could happen to a young girl in DC?"

"Yes, I do. And I don't think she's been caught by muggers, druggies, or rapists. I think-" Fox glanced at the packed bags sitting on the floor, "I think Hills took her."

"And I thought we'd seen the last of him." Jackie barged in, banging the door. "Sonofa-five minutes with him, is all I ask..." Scully and Marty came in behind her, quieter but about as angry, Marty looking more than a little confused. Mike dropped to the sofa. "Can we call the police? Get out an APB or something? You guys know people, Fox..."

"I don't want to get the whole city looking for her until we know she's *lost*." Fox shook his head. "She could have gone somewhere for a while to get out of the apartment."

"I don't think so, Mulder." Jackie examined the street below the apartment through a window. "I think you were right the first time. Hills took her."

"Who?" Marty asked.

"I'll explain later."

"How...?" Mulder interjected.

"Call it a hunch."

Mulder was about to ask for a little more information that that is when he felt something tug at the back of his mind. Almost like a yell.

<....>

Jackie whirled. "What did you say?"

<f...>

"Nothing." he looked at her. "What did you *hear*?"

<fox...>

"Tell me you heard that?" Jackie demanded. *Jon?* But Jon was long dead....

"No...heard what?" Marty asked.

<Fox...>

*Erin?!* "She's..." St. George turned abruptly, pointing at the agent. "She's calling you."

"I can't hear her." Fox looked up.

"I can."

She needed something to concentrate on. Usually it would have been her crystal, Melissa's crystal, which was supposed to focus her energy. This time, though, she hadn't been wearing it when Hills had abducted her.

Erin glanced around the room. What a weird place. She had expected, if she was ever imprisoned, that she'd be locked in a small white room like in Vr.5 or that weird science-fiction movie on TV last night. She hadn't expected to be tied and bound in a museum.

At least that's what it looked like at first. The walls were lined with bookshelves, full of books with titles like 'Psychology as applied to the pentagon effect' and 'Parapsychology in the coming age'. Thick books, the kind that gave you a headache trying to read. On one shelf was a pile of what looked like oversized pickup sticks, until she realized they were weapons-rapiers, bayonets, swords. All shapes and sizes. Next to them-

Bingo!

A wooden bowl full of rocks. One of them was bound to be crystal.

Oh, wait. She was tied to a wall, on the other side of the room.

Small problem.

She cast around again. Glass cases in the room held masks, daggers, and other odd stuff she couldn't even begin to place. Framed pictures on the walls reflected Escher paintings, what looked like acupuncture charts, and in one case, a full deck of Tarot cards under glass. How weird.

The crystals it was then. She leaned forward as far as she could

and screamed.

<FOX!!!>

Nothing. She must not be getting through.

<**FOX**!!>

There-she felt something twitch. Stretching, she reached out through the crystals to the most receptive person she knew. She thought.

<__**FOX!!!!!**__>

Someone heard it that time. She sagged against the wall. A few minutes. Then she'd call again.

Can you see the shaft of sunlight? can you see it in my eyes? I can feel the fire that's burning anger and hope so deep so deep within my heart Before my eyes for some it's too late it seems there's no-one listening...

Genesis<Tell Me Why>

Part 3

Jackie leaned forward over the car wheel, taking another turn at seventy.

"You know...I think...you may be going a bit...fast..." Fox grabbed onto the dash. "If we crash before we get there, we won't be much help..."

"And if we don't get there soon I don't want to be responsible for what happens to her."

"Let me get this straight." Michael and Marty, seated in the backseat, held on to the car doors. "She's a psychic, and this guy came after her because...?"

"He thinks that she has a chance to control St. George." Mike filled in. Marty sighed. "I doubt it. I've tried."

"I heard that." St. George yelled from the front seat. Then she hit the brakes.

"What happened?" Mulder demanded irritably.

<fox...>

Jackie shut her eyes. This was too close to the last time she'd 'heard' people, when Jonathan had been imprisioned. Ten years old....Erin was only sixteen. Why did it always have to be the young ones? She concentrated. *he can't hear you.*

<j...ackie...?>

*erin, where are you?*

<can't.....>

*where are you?!*

<i...not sure.>

Something tugged at her right shoulder. Well, what the hell. She hit the gas again, jamming the three men back against the seat. Scully pulled up in her car just as they started off again. Damn, they were going to get themselves all killed. She pulled the car to the right and followed.

"They should be here soon." Hills was back. Great. She tried to ignore him. He didn't notice. "You know, when I was your age-"

"-dirt was young." She glanced up. Her teachers hated it when she did that.

"When I was your age," he continued, unperturbed, "I was already reading people. I was good at it, too. And I wanted more than anything to grow up and help people like me."

Erin watched, silent. That last smart remark could have killed her.

"And here I am."

"Do you, um, have a point you're going to be getting to?" she asked politely.

"Actually, I do. Girl, alone, you're what we call a Unicorn. Completely useless. Nice to look at, but not much good to the government."

He ran his hand along the spine of a book. "I've read the report on St George. I know the physics behind what she does. And if she were paired with a useless little *twerp* like you, she could use you as a safety valve. She wouldn't have to take more energy than she needs."

"And that energy would overflow into me, is that it?"

"Well, that would be one side effect, I suppose," he said thoughtfully. "I'm not really sure. We've never tested it."

"Great. Amateurs." One of these days, Erin Alison, that sense of humor is going to get you shot.

"Not really. We've run tests on *similar* cases-they all turned out rather unfortunatly, but then you're a special case."

"What if I don't *want* to be your safety valve?"

"Then you are disposable." He left the books and touched one of the swords. "We'd *like* to think it would be beneficial to you. If you survive, you'd never have to worry about anything ever again. We'd need your talents every once in a while for Blackstrike-sabotaging missils and such-but you'd lead as normal a life as you can expect to."

"Gee, just a few killings every now and then. That doesn't sound so bad."

"Don't you *see*, you stupid child? You are a superior race! You and Jaclyn and I are the next evolutionalry step up the ladder. We are Homo Superior!" he bent until his face was level with hers. "And we need to stick together. Because if they find out, they will kill us."

"You know, feels like I've heard this before. Only that guy was wearing a uniform and standing in front of a bright red banner with a swastica on it." Erin shot back.

"Ah, he was a genius, he was." Hills didn't bat an eyelash. "You know, the Resurrected Reich men and women were some of my best friends. The old St. George, the man, he knew what I'm talking about. He knew that control can only come through breeding a superior race." He smiled smugly.

Erin stared. He really believed what he was saying. An honest-to-god believer in racial superiority. Nothing like a good dose of surreality to make history come alive for you. The Resurrected Reich? Oh, lord.

Hills rambled on, about old St. George coming to his senses, black dragons, bone tea, and other strange things. Erin paid more attention to yanking Jackie towards her, wherever that might be.

After maybe ten minutes, Hills fell silent suddenly. "They're coming." he announced. "So now is the time for you to show me what you've got."

He pulled a key out of his pocket. "I'm going to break you, girl, and then I'm going to break St. George. Shall we begin?"

He uncuffed her from the ring in the wall. She stood, dumbly, rubbing her wrists. This wasn't your everyday situation.

Jackie pulled the car up onto a gravel driveway in front of an old house. "She's in there."

"Let's go." Mulder checked the safety on his Sig. "Mike-"

"-Stay here, I know." Michael climbed out of the car, waving to Scully as she pulled up. "Dammit, she's my daughter, Fox-"

"And if you want to be alive the next time you see her, *stay here*." St. George ordered. "Marty..."

"Go on, love." He glanced around. "Mike and I'll circle around back, see if we can spot anything."

"Scully, come on." Mulder called.

The three agents slowly walked up to the front of the house. The tallest of the three, Mulder looked through one of the raised windows.

Empty room. No lights.

He looked back at Jackie, who nodded and began to move around to the side. Scully started for the stairs to the door. He saw Marty slide around the opposite side and shake his head. No light. Which left the back and the upper floor.

Michael joined Marty on the right side of the house. There was nothing they could do from here.

"Come on, girl." Hills stood in front of her. "Give me your best."

Erin eyed him. In a decisive movement, she lunged for the far side, towards the crystal. He blocked her.

Back up. Regroup. Try again. Blocked.

"Erin, you're using your body. Use your *mind*."

"Go to hell-" she feigned left, dove right, and-he caught her arm, twisting it up behind her.

"I'm stronger than you. You won't make it that way."

"I thought I was expendable." she yanked free, drawing back.

He expected her to go for the crystals again. Maybe if she tried another tactic-

<Those shelves are bolted to the wall. You don't have the strength to pull one down on me.> the voice in her head echoed. <You have no options left.> the strength of the voice almost knocked her against the wall. He took advantage of it and held her there.

<Reach into my mind. It's easy. Just reach and *twist*> her head jerked to the left <like so.>

"I can't...."

"You can, ignorant girl." he tossed her across the room. She hit hard, grabbing a bookshelf for support. <Leave me alone!!>

<Good girl. Louder.>

"No." she pulled herself up. "You can't make me..."

<Your beloved Fox and Dana will be here soon.> his voice rang with scorn. <Do you want them to see you like this? What about your father? Or do you want them to see you triumphant over my fallen body?>

"They...don't...care..."

<Oh, yes they do.>

"No..."

<You think the crystals will give you power, young one?> he nodded at the bowl. It shattered silently, raining shards on both of them <Crystals are ineffective and a poor substitute. But a human focus-you could do *anything*...>

Outside, Scully had opened the unlocked door cautiously, clearing the bottom floor. She regrouped with St. George and Mulder in the hall.

"They must be upstairs."

St. George winced, pulled out a few more asprin, and downed them.

"I can hear them up there."

_thunk_

"I can, too." Mulder started up the stairs. "St. George...?"

"Gloved and ready. Marty's going to hate me for doing this again."

"That's all right." Scully cracked from behind Mulder. "Erin will love you."

"It's not exactly the same thing." she whispered back. "Sh. They're talking."

<Louder.> the noise sounded muffled. Her headache increased.

"No. You can't make me." they all heard that. Mulder almost took off, but Jackie put a hand on his arm. "Let me. You can't win this one with a gun."

Nodding reluctantly, he stood aside. Jackie leapt up the last few steps, pounding the door in. Hills whirled.

On the floor to her right, Erin was leaning against the wall, holding her arm. Blood seeped through her fingers from a slash. Splinters of glass and crystal were everywhere.

"Hand her over. *Now*." She ordered.

Hills stared. Blinked.

Laughed.

"It worked! You both...oh, dear, please, do try to take her from me." Hills turned sober. "I dare you, Jaclyn Amanda St. George."

"I don't want to hurt you, Hills..." Jackie willed Erin to jump for him, now that his back was turned. But the girl huddled in a corner, almost whimpering.

<Don't bother, St. George. She's been broken.>

"You wouldn't dare..." she yelled, lunging for him. He held up his hand. Erin screamed.

"She's mine, now," he said calmly.

"Never." The woman beat her hands together, ripping the tacks across her palm. "In the name of St. George..."

Static crackled across the room. Jackie jumped for him again, but he held out his arms and a clear field stood out against the crackle of the background. She froze, suddenly.

"In the name of St. George, you are mine now," he said, advancing. "In the name of St. George, you have always been. And in the name of St. George," he yelled mockingly, "You kill for *me*!"

Behind her, the door had shut. Mulder and Scully were both throwing themselves against it. It held long after it should have stopped.

Jackie tried again, grasping for the berserker rage that should have taken over. <Good> that damned voice. <Reach for it.>

She strained against him.

<You're no match for me. You lack control. I don't. Resistance is painful, I warn you, St. George->

"Jackie!"

Hills turned for a fraction of a second. "Back in your corner, child."

"Jackie!" Erin held up her arm. "Control!!"

Hills turned, unsure which pest to take care of first. Outside, a gun fired at the door lock. It stuck shut.

St. George nodded slowly. Flinging herself to one side, she hit the wall near Erin. "Give me your hand!"

<STAY, GIRL!>

Erin reached out, grabbing her hand. The blood on her wrist flowed over the glove. "In the name of my ancestors..." she recited. The blood from the glove ran across the linked hands.

"In the name of my defenders..." Erin responded. It mingled on their fingers.

<YOU CAN'T...> Hills screamed. Jaclyn smiled.

<Oh, yes we can.>

And the floor fell out from under them, and the world went dark.

The explosion took all of them by surprise; the door Mulder and Scully had been throwing themselves against blew outward, knocking the two agents against the wall and pinning them there. The floor of the room and hall seemed to disintegrate from the room outwards.

The two-three-in the room took it hardest. Hills was lost in the flying debris, while Jackie and Erin were pinned against the wall. The center of the blast was hard to pinpoint; it was more like a huge wave of air than anything else.

Marty and Mike, outside, saw the back half of the house collapse.

They stood, stunned, for a moment. Marty's heart leapt into his throat and Mike choked slightly. Then, from the still-intact section of the house, someone started yelling.

Both men took off across the wreckage.

They had been pinned beneath the door for a few seconds before the floorboards in the immediate area began to collapse. When the wood beneath them buckled, Mulder, being closest, jumped for the stairs-or rather, slithered, from under the door. Scully, further away, leaned... And scrabbled on the edge.

Too late, Mulder reached out to grab her, catching her arms. He began to haul her up, when a stray chunk of plaster caught the side of his head. His eyes turned glassy. Scully gripped his sleeve harder as he lost consciousness. "Mulder? *Mulder?*

MULDER!!"

No response. She didn't have much choice-she'd only fall one floor. Of course, looking down it looked a lot more dangerous than normal; bits of wood and nails stuck up all over. But she couldn't hang on forever, and now Mulder was sliding over the edge too... Taking a deep breath, she dropped, ready to take a beating when she landed.

"Gotcha." Arms wrapped around her from below. Someone set her down gently-two someones. Marty and Michael grinned down at her.

"Whaddaya think, Nantus?"

"Good catch."

Mike glanced around. "Did you see..."

"She was in the room-the one that exploded..." Dana gasped. Both men paled. Marty turned, surveying the wreckage. In the half-light the moon cast, it was impossible to see what might be a hand and what might be a bit of wood.

From above, Mulder groaned.

"One of these days I'm going to buy the big one, and when I do, I hope to god this isn't anyone's version of hell..." Jackie mumbled to herself. "I wasn't meant to die from anything *normal*..."

From far away she could hear thumps and yells as people pulled wreckage apart. She would have yelled, but she just didn't have the energy, and she doubted anyone would hear her anyway. Looking around, she took stock-everything seemed relatively intact on her body...her ankle was throbbing, but that was what happened when one was stuck under a hardwood bookcase. She didn't dare move it; the angle of the shelves was the only thing keeping about two hundred pounds of plaster and concrete from tumbling down on her. She'd have to wait for them to dig her out.

She yelled once, lifting her face off the first floor concrete to do so. It sounded hoarse and weak even to her. Something crunched above her. *Sound vibrations* she thought idly. Great. She glanced to the left to see if there was another way out, maybe she could prop the bookcase up with something. Nothing that way...

Something warm shifted to her right. Erin was curled up against her side, unconscious. She reached for her pulse-weak but steady. She must have taken the backlash from the explosion, being the most vulnerable.

She sighed and yelled again. A chunk of concrete dropped to the floor two feet away. "Well, Mulder, I hope you guys manage to get around to us sometime in the next century..."

Erin stirred and shifted again. "Da...?" she mumbled.

"Oh, lord. No, your dad isn't here." Jackie twisted around.

"Da, I had the weirdest dream..."

*Can we say Deja Vu?* Jackie thought. *Da, I had a dream about bleeding and killing people...* she could see herself telling *her* father that...

"I..."Erin opened her eyes wider. "Hm? Jackie...? Oh, then it wasn't...geez, what happened? My head..."

"You got the backlash from the explosion...probably took some hard stuff from me, too..."

"Tell me about it." Erin muttered. "Are they looking for us?"

"Yah, but if we yell the next avalanche that falls could be a little more fatal...I don't suppose you could try calling any of them..."

"I'm having trouble seeing straight. I doubt it." Erin announced.

"Don't go comatose on me, okay?"

"I'll try." Erin fell silent. "I think I need to talk. Hey, you know one of the few places in America I never went with my dad?"

"Michael?"

"No, my real dad," she said crossly. "He used to take me cross country a lot." she fingered the shoulder of her shirt. "We went to Canada...but we never did go to Toronto."

Jackie let go with a hoarse laugh. "We'll have to go sometime."

"You know...I'd like that," Erin said thoughtfully. "Hey...what's that?"

"What's what?" Jackie put her head back on the concrete. It was easier that way.

"Stuck under your foot..." Erin crawled down to where Jackie's ankle was caught and examined it. "There's something under there..."

"I wouldn't-" Jackie warned, but it was too late; Erin grabbed her ankle and dislodged it. The shelves toppled down on the concrete with a colossal crash. Both of them braced for the plaster hail...

...that never came. A framing slat from the wall fell over, blocking the debris. Erin let out a whistle. "Oops."

The crash was enough to draw the searchers to the general area, and it wasn't long before the two tired psychics were hauled out, Jackie to be encased in Marty's arms while Erin leaned into Michael's chest tiredly. Fox plucked something out of her hand.

"Erin?" He held up the slip of slick plastic. On one side was an involved geometric design; on the other...

"It's a Tarot card." Erin burrowed into Mike's sweatshirt. "Melissa told me about them."

"Card eleven." Fox read. "Strength." He passed it to Jackie.

She examined the design on the face of the card. At the bottom was the Title and numeral. Inked in above it was a small sketch; a woman holding a flaming dragon at bay with her hand. The dragon, withdrawing into the cave, was little more than two points of light for eyes and a snout. The woman was vaguely familiar...like the time he'd seen Jackie in Renaissance dress.

"Mulder..." Dana was crouched near a pile of wood. "I think you'd better see this." She held up a plain, unlabeled file folder. He stumbled over, taking from her. Flipping to the first page, he read aloud.

"This report has been commissioned by the Agency's Meta-Human Potential Research Division....findings of the Research Teams on the matter of Project:

Dragonflame...theories concerning the test subject's abilities and attempt to back them with observable facts or data...Data collection on subject #11328 has been accomplished in the following manner..."

He looked up at Jackie. "St. George..." He held out the file. "This belongs to you, I think."

She reached out for it-

And it burst into flames. Bright, lighting the ruins of the building, and the faces of the six men and women, licking upwards towards the sky-

"<*NO*>!!!" Jackie grabbed it from Mulder's hand, watching helplessly as the last of it went up in smoke, except for a few scraps of yellowed folder.

From under the remains of three windows and part of a stairway, Bank Hills smiled and took his last breath. She still hadn't won. Not this time.

Are you fearless, reckless, homeless and all alone?

Can you make love, heal things, make my heart, go wild again?

Rod Stewart <This>

Part 4

"I'm sorry, Jackie..." Fox slumped onto the couch in his apartment. The others ranged around the room, from Erin perched on the desk to Marty standing behind the couch to Jackie pacing the room. "If I'd known that was going to happen...I could have gotten at least half the file down by the time he managed...pyrokinetic too..."

"And we beat him!" Erin said triumphantly. "Way to kick butt."

"At what cost, Erin, at what cost?" Michael murmured, pulling shards of wood out of her hair. "You were both in those files, I'd wager."

"Meta-Human Research Project Division, subject 11328...it's like something out of a bad spy movie." Erin wondered.

Jackie kept silent, pacing furiously, pounding her fist into her palm. Finally Dana came out of the kitchen, carrying antiseptic spray and bandages. She deftly intercepted the Canadian and steered her into a chair. "You first. And then I want you to get some sleep."

"We were that close, Dana...ow...I had it in my *hands!* And he..." Jackie trailed off angrily. "We *had* the file, and we lost it."

"We didn't lose it." Marty reasoned. "He took it."

All of them exchanged wearied glances, well aware that setting the folder on fire might have been the last thing Bank Hills ever did. The police had come within minutes of the call, bringing dogs with them-who had promptly discovered Hills' body. Buried under layers of wood and glass, and still warm. They'd managed to slip off before the police could ask many questions. That was the last thing they needed.

"He took it, the bastard, and he had *no right*!" Jackie raged. "It's *my* file, dammit!"

"Shh." Marty moved to stand beside her, massaged the shoulder of her good arm. "It couldn't be helped. Mulder...?" He looked questioningly at the other man.

Mulder shook his head. "I only got snatches...nothing worth anything. Mostly information on record collection."

"Take these." Dana handed Jackie two small pills. "You need sleep."

"I don't want 'em..."

"Take them anyway. We'll sort everything out in the morning."

Jackie sighed, downed the pills, sipped the water she offered.

"Mulder, can I use that sorry excuse for a bed you have..." She exited wearily, followed by Marty.

"And you're next, young lady." Michael took the spray from Dana. "Can you see straight yet?"

"Mm-hm." Erin offered her arm, winced when he sprayed the antiseptic on it. "Watch it, Da." She bit her lip while he wrapped her arm in layers of gauze, determined not to cry in front of Fox and Dana. "How does she put up with it..."

"The pain?"

"The not-knowing. The wondering."

"The same way you do, you just don't realize it," Dana said cryptically. "And here's your dose." She handed Erin one of the pills, which she took obediently.

"I think I'll just crash in here, thanks."

"All the really good things in life are worth the pain..." Dana said quietly. "Now we just have to figure what's so good about all this..."

"Aha! Got you!" Erin twisted herself around and kicked out at Jackie, who blocked and threw a punch, missing, but barely. Erin kicked again and whirled, taking her down. Jackie jumped up, ducking the second kick, and took the punch she never saw coming.

Both of them sat in front of the TV screen, watching the two duelers on the display duke it out. Erin hit the control pad in a series of rapid movements and Jackie countered, thumping loudly. Erin threw her hands up. "Victory! You're mine, canuck."

"No fair, I've got a handicap." St. George held up the still-sore left hand, pausing the video game. Erin laughed. "That's what they all say. Take no prisoners!" And she unfroze the game before Jackie could pick the pad up again. "I win."

"You fight dirty."

"So?"

"Ever get the feeling some people never grow up?" Michael asked Marty from the corner.

Marty nodded and grinned. "All the time. Along with the feeling I've gotten in over my head..."

"I heard that." Jackie growled. Erin reached up and turned the gameset off, switching the TV back to normal broadcast. "We could make a pair, you'n'me," she cracked. "Somehow, I don't think the CSIS hires kids still in high-school."

"So what? I'll lie about my age. What, you don't think I could get in?" She struck an angry pose. "I bet I could."

"Wait a few years, kid, do a little more growing." Fox came in from the kitchen. "Mike, don't you keep even bare necessities here?"

"I don't have sunflower seeds, if that's what you want."

"Yah? Lemme see." Erin charged Fox, trying to knock him backwards.

He caught her in the ribs and lifted her a few inches off the floor.

"You're a fighter, all right."

She kicked his knee, shouting in glee as he went down. "Jackie, help, the big bad G-Man's gonna get me."

"I think I'll let Dana take him down." Jackie was flipping channels. "She's been dying to do it for months..."

"Oh really? This is something I hadn't heard about." Mike glanced at Dana, blushing from the doorway. "Dana, something you two haven't told me?"

"Off!" Fox threw the teenager off of him, rolling over and pinning her.

"Uncle! Okay, I admit it, I work for the Reticulans! Lemme up!" Erin shouted.

"Give it a few more years, Erin," Jackie said. "Ten dollars says by the time she graduates Quantico she can pin you, Mulder."

"I'll take that." He let go and Erin squirmed up. "But by then, Dana will be having all the fun," she whined.

"Yah, say that again and you're dog chow." Dana threatened. "Come on, Mulder, we've got work tomorrow."

"Coming, coming." He dusted himself off. "And Jackie...twenty says that Marty can pin *you* tonight..."

The video game flew at the closing door, bouncing off with a clatter.

"We should go too, babe." Marty stood up. "I need some time if I'm going to have to win that twenty off of Mulder..."

"Hey, Da, know what?" Erin peeked into her father's room. He looked up from the book he was reading.

"No, what?" Michael asked, mystified.

"I figured it out today. I looked up in the Tarot book I got from the library. Power and energy in all it's expressions, is what it said. About Jackie's card."

"Oh really?" He took his glasses off. "And what do you think that means?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I think it's a good thing, don't you?"

"Definetely." He smiled. "Go to bed, Erin. We've got to go shopping tomorrow."

"Yes, Da. I guess what Jackie was thinking is right."

"And what's that?" Mike gave her a stern look.

"You have to keep working on love."

"Realize that at your age and you're a good ten years ahead of your friends. Remember it, and you're a very lucky girl."

"G'nite, Da."

"Nite, Love."

THE END

I just wanna touch you I wanna feel you close to me without your love I would give up now and walk away so easily. So maybe while we're young We'll figure out together that even with the pain there's a remedy and we'll be all right I don't wanna live to see the day we say goodbye...

Hootie And The Blowfish<Goodbye>