[Story] The Parallel Constant - Part 2/7
Title: The Parallel Constant
Chapter: Chapter 2
Rating: Teen
Featured: Case fic: A man disappeared in thin air, and Mulder and Scully investigate his disappearance. Mulder eventually finds the missing man, but at what cost? They can't go back, and Mulder finally realizes how much Scully means to him.
Chapter 2
Unknown Time
Unknown Place
So different, and yet, so much the same. The notion that one small change can change the course of history, or even humanity, is beyond my comprehension. One small change can change your whole life, and that frightens me. Even a different choice of someone you don't even know can change your life. Just imagine for a second what would happen if some crazy old bastard did decide to go to the same bank, at the same time that you're there, and start shooting everybody and himself, instead of just shooting himself, in the loneliness of his apartment?
Life is full of variables, and the most of them you can't control. Most people say that you control your own life, but after all I've seen I have to
disagree. Not only you, but also every human on this planet and the forces of nature control your life. I came to realize that everyone on
their own is just a small and pivotal part of something enormous, that even in this time and age, we can't comprehend.
Therefore, I'm wary of being here. I fear that my presence will affect something I'll not foresee until it's too late. Everything here already appears so different, that it is hard to believe that this place has some connection or influence with the other, but I'm not willing to take the
risk.
I'll stay here for the time being, only as an observer. I hope that I can keep a low profile in this way, but this is too good an opportunity to let it pass by me only because of my fears. And besides, I have no idea if I can re-enter this place when I've returned.
10.05pm, 20 April, 1998
Waker Field Airport
Grand Junction, Colorado
Max and I go way back. That little sentence troubled him the whole trip to Colorado. He didn't like it one bit. He had experienced such situations before, but those were with new, unknown men. Mulder could handle that, but this was worse, some love interest actually from her past, some she knew. This was almost as bad as the one time that Scully sort of transformed to a reckless person, and got that horrible snake tattoo on her back.
All of this went through his mind, but the only thing he could consciously grasp of this was the nasty feeling that was spawned. He couldn't really put his finger on the spot why he was bothered by this so much. He would know, however, sooner than he maybe has thought.
When their plane landed, they went in search for a motel as soon as possible. The flight wasn't as 'pleasant' as usual. A lot of turbulence disturbed them on the way and gave them no rest. They rented two single rooms at the first motel that crossed their path. The motel wasn't much, but by now, they didn't care anymore. They've grown so accustomed to small, and sometimes unclean, rooms that they didn't even notice it anymore.
Mulder and Scully left the motel early the next morning to interview the witnesses. Luckily for them, they both lived in the same house. The witnesses were the wife and daughter of Donald Green. Mary Green, the wife, opened the door when the agents arrived and guided them to the living room, where the daughter, Angie, was already present.
"Thank you so much for coming here all the way from Washington and help my find my poor husband! Oh, I haven't slept since he disappeared. I have no clue what I would do without him! My poor husband," Mary moaned in distress, "but where are my manners? You came all this way, and the least I could do is offer you some coffee. Do you two want some?"
"Yes thank you," said Scully as she accompanied her to the kitchen. Mulder saw the look she gave him and nodded. The witnesses must be interview separately, so while Scully was interviewing, he turned his attention to the teenage girl who was sitting across from him on the other couch.
She had beautiful long blonde hair, and looked like a typical popular cheerleader. Lots of make-up, more than appropriate for her age, an
independent and defiant look in her eyes, and a slim body. She was staring disinterested through the window, as if Mulder wasn't even
present in the same room. He pondered if this behaviour was because of the shock of the disappearance of her father, or that this was her
normal conduct. The next few minutes, however, took all the doubts away he had.
"Hi Angie, how are you holding up? I guess it must be quite shocking with what you've been through the last two weeks and actually seeing your father disappear."
Not bothering to move her gaze away from the window to Mulder, she responded: "I guess…"
"I hope it's not too troubling for you to talk about it, but I wanted to hear your story of when he disappeared. What happened that day, Angie?"
"I don't know… My parents thought it was a great idea to spend the afternoon at the mountain, and drag me along. So there we were, on the
mountain on a wonderful afternoon, and my father was scavenging close to where my mom and I sat. He called to us and as we looked up, he disappeared. That's all I know. Why don't you ask my mom? She can tell you a lot more than I can. I didn't even want to be there! I was supposed to go visit some friends of mine. This wouldn't even have happened if he wasn't so bend on his adventures and sightseeing tours. Argh."
So much for worrying about the welfare of your own father, Mulder thought.
"He just vanished into thin air? Just like that?"
"Yes, that's what I just told you didn't I? He was gone, suddenly. That's all I can tell you. Can I go now? My friends are waiting for me, and I'm
already late." Angie asked, annoyed of all the questions by now.
Mulder told her she could go as he realized that he couldn't get any more information out of her. He sincerely hoped that Scully was having more success in the kitchen.
Fifteen minutes later, in the car, Scully told Mulder what she had heard in the kitchen. It was basically the same story that Angie had told Mulder, but Scully already had her own, more down to earth theory stand-by.
"Mulder, it's so obvious! He didn't disappear into thin air, and it's certainly not a big misunderstanding."
"What is it then? They're both crazy? Psychotic? I doubt it." Mulder returned.
"No Mulder, they're FAKING it. They probably want the insurance company to pay up, supposedly that he's missing and dead! You have seen the way his wife acted. Didn't you notice all the theatrical drama, way out of proportion and reality?" Scully fumed.
"Is that your only argument? That's not very conclusive, empirical evidence is it?"
"Yesterday, when we were still in Washington, I did some more background checks upon Donald Green, and not a month ago, he increased his death insurance! It's all there, Mulder; you just have to see it. Not every case we get really is an X-file."
"Oh come on Scully," Mulder said with a grin, "while we're out here, we might as well go to the mountain and see what's up there. Don't you like a nice peaceful walk over a little pretty mountain, huh? Maybe I'll even throw in a picnic, and maybe you could forget all about Dave."
Scully turned her head away from him so he couldn't see the tiny smile that appeared on her face.
They drove to the mountain, and as they arrived, Scully had to concede that it indeed was a very pretty mountain. The view was simply stunning. When she was young, her family often went on outdoor trips to such places. She'd loved it, scavenging around with her elder brothers, searching for adventure and exciting places. Her sister Melissa also wandered off, but not with Scully and her brothers. She searched for the beautiful serene places where she could sit the whole day, just enjoying the view, nature and silence around her.
She would've loved this place, Scully thought. She was so absorbed in the memories of her now dead sister, that she didn't even hear Mulder approaching.
"I told you it was pretty," he said and put his hand on the small of her back. He led her to the place where Donald Green supposedly had disappeared, and they started their investigation for any clue that could confirm the story of the wife and daughter. As Scully had expected, they couldn't find anything, either to confirm or compromise the story. Not even black scorch marks.
The next thing they did was re-enact the scene. Scully took position at the spot where Angie and Mary sat, and Mulder took Donald's spot. From Scully's point of view, everything was clear. Mulder was clearly visible, there were no trees nearby or descending planes behind Mulder, where he could easily hide behind or walk off.
"There's nothing here, Mulder. Let's go back to the Green's residence and talk to them again. Maybe, if we face them with the facts, they'll admit it's just a big scam."
A large bird screeched in the sky above Scully, an eagle, but when she looked back to Mulder, he was gone.
"Mulder?" she inquired but didn't receive any reaction, "Mulder, this isn't funny. Where are you?"
Scully walked over to where he just stood, but she couldn't see him anywhere. She was the only one there. Mulder had vanished. She didn't want to admit it, but this was no game of Mulder. He vanished, into thin air.
"Mulder!"
~~``~~
"Maybe if we face them with the facts, they'll admit it's just a big scam," Mulder heard Scully say before he felt someone, something, pulling at him. He fought against it, but it was no use. He was sucked in by some sort of force into a space unknown. He couldn't see anything but he felt he was moving, and it was making him nauseous.
The next thing he knew, he was smacked down to the ground. He held his eyes closed for a moment and didn't move. He waited until the nausea would go away.
Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around. He was still on the mountain, but Scully was nowhere to be found. He slowly got up and walked towards the car, while calling out for Scully. To his surprise, the car was gone. Did Scully just leave him behind? What happened to him?
He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and dialled in Scully number.
"I'm sorry, this number does not exist. Check if you dialled the correct number and please try again," he heard the computer voice say.
This was really starting to get under his skin. Scully's phone number doesn't exist? How did that happen, and when? Mulder had no idea how long he had lain there on the ground, but it couldn't be more than ten minutes. He'd better call the Green residence, maybe Scully went by them, and he did need some form of transportation. The nearest house was more than 15 miles away.
"Good morning, Mary Green speaking."
"Hi Mrs. Green, it's Fox Mulder, from the FBI. Say, did my partner Dana Scully came by your house just now?"
"Who do you say? A Dana Scully you say? No, I've never had a visit from a FBI-agent in my whole life!"
"Mrs. Green, this is no time for jokes! My partner and I were just in your house this morning! Come on, this is an emergency, did she come by or not?"
"YOU WERE IN MY HOUSE THIS MORNING? WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE? YOU BROKE IN? You freak! Don't let me ever see you near my house again, or I'll call the cops and my husband on you!" Mary yelled and hung up.
Fox Mulder really lost it then. What in the world was happening? Hell, was this even the right world? Did that force change the world around him, or did it change him, or moved him? No matter what happened, he had to get out of here and to the local police station. This wasn't looking good. So Mulder started jogging towards the nearest house, and thanked himself for keeping his daily jogging routine.
Luckily the person of the nearest house was home, and was so kind as to drive him to the local police station. Once there, Mulder thanked the man, and went in search of the sheriff. He wasn't so hard to find, it appeared, as this police district was a small one, and therefore had a small, very small, station. Sheriff Rodney greeted Mulder kindly as Mulder flashed his badge, but soon regretted that, and wondered if he wasn't a crazy fool.
Mulder explained to him what happened, of course not the incident on the mountain. He told him about Scully, the car, and the reason why
they were here: the disappearance of Donald Green. Things went downhill from that point.
"Donald Green missing?" the sheriff asked incredulously, "since when? I haven't heard a thing about that, so I find it highly unlikely that you do. You sure you've got the right man? Wait a minute; I'll give them a call."
Mulder was so flabbergasted that he didn't know what to say; only that calling them wasn't necessary. As he saw that the sheriff was getting suspicious, he figured that the smartest thing he could do right now was to give his excuses to the man and say that he indeed have the wrong man and get the hell out of there.
Once clear of the police station an idea crossed his mind. He dialled the car rental and asked if the car Scully and he had driven was still in their garage or not. At that moment, the answer didn't surprise him anymore.