I-Man Fic: Dancing with the Devil 1: Criminal 3/4
Title: Dancing with the Devil 1: Criminal 3/4
Author: Sun
Fandom: The Invisible Man
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Maggie/Dairen, Claire/Hobbes, Maggie/Krycek, Mulder/Scully
Disclaimers: don't own 'em, wish I did (at least Darien). Maggie's mine.
Summary: The Agents attend a conference in Washington, DC and meet Mulder and Scully. Part 1 of the Dance with the Devil series. X-Over with The X-Files.
Timeline: May 2001
Maggie climbed out of the shower feeling all together more human. She wiped off the mirror and peered at her reflection. There were dark bags under her eyes and she looked pale, her freckles standing out on her nose. She picked up a silver comb from the countertop and ran it through her hair, combing her normally wild locks straight back. Wrapping the towel around herself, she opened the door to her room cautiously. She half expected Alex to be waiting for her on the other side.
Her room was empty, save for some clothing folded on her bed. Quickly, she grabbed the clothes and ducked back into the warm bathroom. The jeans were, predictably too long and she rolled the legs up. The soft black t-shirt was also too big, falling to her knees. Maggie tossed the towel on the floor and went out into the bedroom. Alex had said nothing about staying in the bedroom so she opened the door and went into the other room.
The living room was empty. Looking around furtively, Maggie tried the door and found it unlocked. She slipped out, shutting the door behind her silently. The room was at the end of a hallway. Maggie crept down the hall, her back to the wall, watching for any sign of Alex or the British man. A set of stair appeared to her right and she hurried down them. They ended in a pantry type area. An open door looked into an empty kitchen. She could see a door leading outside. Like the rabbit Mulder called her, she dashed across the kitchen and out the door.
Alex stood at the window, gazing out over the gentle Virginia countryside. He liked it here. The temperature was moderate, not too much snow. Not like Russia. Sighing, he started to turn from the window when something caught his eye. A small figure was darting across the back lawn.
"Son of a bitch!" He exclaimed and flew out of the room.
Maggie was almost to the tree line when something tackled her from behind. She hit the ground with a thud and a muffled groan.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Alex asked as he rolled her over, his grip tight on her arms.
Maggie glared at him. "Get off me Alex." She growled.
He laughed. "Neither one of us would last through the day if you escaped." He pushed to his feet and pulled her up with him. "I thought I could trust you enough to let you shower alone. Guess I was wrong."
She pulled against him but his grip was too strong. She gave him a telekinetic shove and he stumbled but didn't let go. Alex turned back to her, his fist lashing out suddenly. She crumpled into his arms. "Not smart angelchra." He said softly as he gathered her up and carried her back into the house.
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Maggie startled awake. It was pitch black and she stretched out her hand, feeling out her surroundings. She was seated on the floor of a very small room, her back against one wall and feet near another. Panic started to creep in and she banged her fists against the walls. There was a door to her left and she frantically twisted the knob but it wouldn't turn. She banged on the door.
"Let me out! Alex! Let me out of here!" There was no response to her cries and she sank back to the floor. Wrapping her arms around them, she pulled her knees in as close to her body as possible. Closing her eyes against the pressing darkness, Maggie began to cry.
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"Where's the girl Alex?" The Well-Manicured man demanded.
"She tried to escape. We would both be dead if she got away. I happen to like living."
"Where is she?"
He looked at the floor. "In the kitchen utility closet. That black lunged bastard saw me coming back in with her. He took her and put her there. She's claustrophobic."
"How long has she been in?"
Alex looked at his watch. "Half hour."
"Go get her. I'll speak with him." He turned and went in search of the Smoking Man.
Alex went downstairs to the utility closet and unlocked the door. When he pulled open the door, Maggie pulled even further into herself. She turned her face against the wall, trying to disappear.
"Maddie?" He turned on the light in the tiny space and knelt down next to her. She flinched when he touched her shoulder, not seeing or hearing him. "Come on." He hauled her to her feet and helped her walk out of closet. Slowly, they walked back upstairs to the bedroom and he tucked her into bed. The Well-Manicured Man entered the room a minute later.
"Our friend has gone out. I thought you might need some assistance." He set down a tray with some items on it. "Get her some water. And a cloth for her forehead."
Alex went into the bathroom. He came out a moment later and handed the items to him. "I wouldn't have done this. There are better ways to prove a point than torture."
"I'm inclined to agree with you. She will be of no use to our cause if she is broken." He held her head up so she could drink. When she was done, he placed the cool cloth on her forehead. "Poor child. She's been unconscious for most of her time here." He turned to Alex. "We should let her rest. I'll check on you both later."
"Thank you, sir." Alex perched on the edge of the bed.
"Alex, my son, be wary of your attachment. She may have a higher place in the plan than you." Alex nodded, understanding the warning. "I will be in the study if you need me."
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The sun was streaming in through the windows when Maggie woke the next morning. She sat up and stretched, her sore muscles protesting the movement. Alex was sprawled on the other side of the bed, still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. She watched him as he slept. He appeared so much younger, she wondered if he was closer to her age than she originally thought. The hard lines were gone from his face and the constant tension in his body had been released in sleep.
Carefully, so not to wake him, she slid off the bed and opened the door to the living room.
"Good morning, Maggie."
She turned and saw the Well-Manicured Man seated at a small table by the windows. He rose as she closed the door and came into the room. "Morning William."
He gestured to the table. "Join me for breakfast."
"Thank you." She sat across from him and selected some fruit and toast. He poured her a cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. "What time is it?"
"10:30. A bit later than usual, but I thought you could use the sleep. It has been a long couple of days."
"Thank you."
"Alex is still sleeping?" She nodded, her mouth full of toast. "We'll let him. He gets so little uninterrupted sleep."
"You seem very concerned about him."
He took a sip of his coffee. "I was a good friend with Alex's parents. When they passed, I took him in."
"How old was he?"
"Young."
"I was 12."
Maggie and William turned around to see Alex standing in the doorway. He ran a hand through his short hair, walking over to the table to snatch up a piece of toast.
"Good Morning Alex. Did you sleep well?"
He nodded, watching Maggie. "Yes, sir. What about you? No ill affects from last night?"
She startled when he addressed her. "No. I slept fine." She squirmed a little under his gaze.
"Good. I'm, I'm sorry about yesterday."
Maggie turned and looked out the window. "If you hadn't kidnapped me, you would have no need to apologize." She stood up and turned to William. "Thank you for breakfast William. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get cleaned up." She hurried into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Leaning back against the door, she slid to the floor, her head in her hands. "Darien." She whispered, tears streaming down her face.
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"Maggie." Darien leaned against the cool window of his hotel room. He'd stayed up most of the night wandering around his room until Claire threatened to force-feed him a sleeping pill. When he finally relented, sleep wouldn't come. Mulder and Scully arrived at the hotel early that morning with no news. The FBI had no known whereabouts for this Krycek. Mulder said he could have taken her as far away as Russia. "I was thinking. Why can't we track her? Y'know, the tracer in her dog tags?"
"She left them here when she went out. Darien, did you get any sleep last night?" Claire touched his shoulder gently, her voice filled with concern.
He turned and looked at her. "I couldn't. I just kept seeing Maggie."
"We'll find her."
"What if we can't? He could have taken her to Russia." He exclaimed, sitting down on his bed, running his hands through his hair nervously.
"She hasn't been taken to Russia." Claire sat down next to him.
"Mulder said Krycek has connections in Russia. She might have been sold to white slavers." He said, his eyes wide.
"Darien, no one is going to sell Maggie to white slavers. From what Scully told me, this Krycek person is an errand boy for a group of men known as the Syndicate. She also said there has been some dissention in the ranks of this group. Chances are better than not that she's still in Virginia. Probably near by." She told him. "Besides, I don't think they have white slavers in Russia." Standing up, she pulled on his arm. "Come on, come back to my room. You can mope with Hobbes and I."
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A knock on the door startled Maggie. She hastily wiped her eyes and backed away from the door. "What?"
"Are you okay?" The door muffled Alex's voice.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm gonna shower." She hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door against anything else he was going to say.
Alex leaned his head against the bedroom door. Maggie was obviously upset and he could understand why. Sighing, he went to get some clean clothes for her.
Maggie stepped out of the steamy bathroom and found a pile of clothes on the bed. She changed and opened the door to the living room. She glanced around to see if anyone was there.
"Not thinking of trying to run again, are you? Cause I would think you'd learn your lesson last time."
She looked around and saw Alex standing by the window. "I wouldn't dream of trying to escape Alex." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Good."
She sprawled on the couch, gazing at him through half closed eyes. "How old were you when you came here?"
"Why do you want to know?" He sounded suspicious.
"You seem like an interesting person. I like interesting people."
"Let's play a game." He leaned back against the window, his arms crossed over his chest.
"A game?"
"Of questions. You ask me one, I'll answer and then I get to ask you one."
"I have to answer?" He nodded silently. "You have to answer?"
"It's only fair."
"All right. So answer my question."
"Four. I was four." He thought about it for a moment.
"How old were you when they did the experiment?"
"Four, also. If your mother wanted to be more American when you moved here, how'd you learn Russian?"
"She wanted to be more American but she didn't want me to forget my roots. After dinner, we only spoke Russian. So I wouldn't forget." He walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "When did you become claustrophobic?"
"I was trapped in the car accident that killed my parents. It took the rescued workers four hours to pull me out of an upside-down car that was under a semi. I was lucky I survived."
"You weren't hurt?" His voice was uncharacteristically concerned.
"Head wound. A tiny part of my brain was damaged. The part that helped me control my gifts. How did your parents die?"
"Plane crash. Case is still open. The authorities thought it might have been a bomb but the case has been cold for ten years now." Alex leaned forward. "Tell me about your father."
She slouched low. "What about him?"
"Why did he pick you?"
"Because he needed a test subject for his project. Because his project wouldn't have been able to continue without one and I hate him for it." She spit out the last part. A tear welled up and she swiped at it hastily. "Why does loneliness scare you so much?"
He looked at her, his eyes hard. "Why does it scare you?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"Neither did you." They stared at each other, waiting for the other to break first. The door opened and they both spun around as the Smoking Man stepped inside. Alex stood up and moved in front of Maggie, who sat up straighter.
"Good afternoon Alex, Magdalena." He kept to the walls, lighting a cigarette as he settled in a darkened corner of the room. "You look older in the pictures." He finally commented, his cigarette glowing in the shadows.
"I'm 25." She turned to face him, putting Alex at her back.
"A child in the scheme of things." The tip grew brighter as he took a drag off the cigarette. "Alex has told me he has seen you move things without touching them."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He sighed. "Please don't play games with me, Magdalena." Alex stepped closer, leaning down to speak in her ear.
"Just agree with him. Otherwise this will go badly." He moved around her to lean against the wall between them.
CSM moved suddenly and pulled out a gun. Maggie threw up a hand to stop him and he froze in his tracks, unable to move. The gun flew out of his hand and landed at her feet. Alex scooped up the gun before she could.
"Well done, Magdalena."
When she realized what she had done, she released him and took a step back. "No." The word came out on a breath, almost to soft to be heard.
"Alex, please make certain she understands how important it is for her to work with us." Alex nodded and the CSM stood. "Excellent. You have exceeded my expectations of your abilities, Magdalena. I'll see you both in a few days." He nodded good-bye to them both and left.
Maggie recovered and flew at Alex in a rage. "You knew he was going to provoke me. Bastard!"
"My parents were married, angelchra." He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her into the bedroom. "There is nothing I could do that wouldn't get both of us hurt or killed." He said through gritted teeth as he dropped her on the bed. "Don't move from this room." He told her and slammed the door behind him. She shrieked and the lamp launched itself at the door. Sighing, Maggie flopped back on the bed and was soon asleep.
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Alex threw the door open. "Get dressed." He tossed a box on the bed and slammed the door behind him. Maggie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before pulling the box to her.
She tugged the lid off, tossing it to the side. Underneath the layers of tissue paper was a scrap of pale green silk. She spread it out on the bed, looking at it with a raised eyebrow. "A dress." She squinted at it. "At least, I think it's a dress." She muttered and went into the bathroom to shower.
The silk slid over her skin like a cool breeze falling to mid-thigh. Thin straps held it up and the back was more of the same crisscrossing her back, tied in a bow at the waist. When she was dressed, she felt more like she was wearing a negligee than a dress but she padded barefoot out to the living room.
Alex was there, standing by the fire. The flames cast a light over him, causing his tan skin to glow. Wearing black dress pants and black button down over a white v-neck t-shirt, he looked decidedly less like a crook. He turned to her, his eyes catching the light from the fire. "Maia krassivaya angelchra."
He spoke in Russian. The only word she thought she recognized was something that sounded like angle.
"What?"
"I called you my beautiful angel."
"Oh. Thanks." She looked around the darkened room and saw a small table set for two sitting near the window.
"What's going on?"
"The Smoking Man says thank you. And he thinks you need to relax." He smiled sardonically and gestured to the table. "Shall we?"
"Does he think I'll work with him if you seduce me? Is that why he sent all this?" Maggie asked angrily.
Alex shrugged. "What if he did? He's not usually so generous. Enjoy it."
"I'm not drinking that." She pointed to the wine.
"Fine." He picked up the bottle and put it by the door. She heard him turn on the faucet in the bathroom and he appeared a moment later with a pitcher of water. "Better?"
"Humor me." She grabbed the pitcher and marched back into the bathroom. She dumped the water and washed out the container before filling it again.
He was trying hard not to smile when she returned with the fresh water. "Better now?"
"Yeah." She set the pitcher on the table.
"Can we eat now?"
"Yes."
He held out her chair for her and she sat down, letting him slid her in. "I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. But I don't think he would poison us. He sounded like he was really impressed with you."
"Well, my life's complete."
He laughed and filled her glass with water. "Relax and enjoy your dinner." He held up his water glass. "To new partnerships."
Maggie hesitated for a moment before raising her own glass. "To new partnerships." She echoed and touched her glass to his.
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Maggie pushed herself back from the table. "That was wonderful. I think he meant to kill us with chocolate." She poked her fork at the remains of the rich fudge cake.
"Anything's possible." Alex stood up and went to the stereo tucked in away on a bookcase. Soft music filled the room and he held out his hand to her.
She shook her head. "I don't dance."
He looked at her in disbelief. "How can you not dance? Didn't you go to dances in high school?" As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. He had read her file and knew she had never attended school with other children.
"I didn't go to high school." She said sadly and looked down at the floor.
Alex lifted her chin so their eyes met. "I'm sorry." He pulled her to her feet. "I'll teach you." He put an arm around her waist and took her hand in his other hand. Slowly, he began to waltz her around the living room. "Did I tell you that you look nice in that dress?"
"If you can call it a dress. I've seen more material on Victoria's Secrets models." She looked up at him.
"Did you pick it out?"
He shook his head. "No. I'm sure he wanted it to be a surprise for both of us."
Maggie tucked her head against his chest, listening to his heart and the music. Her eyes drifted closed, letting him lead her around the room. The song ended and Maggie realized they had stopped moving. She looked up at Alex.
He was gazing down at her, his green eyes very dark. Leaning down, his lips met hers. She jumped back startled. "I'm sorry, Maddie."
She slumped down on the couch. He sat down next her, his arm across the back of the couch. His fingers played along her shoulder, pulling her into his arms. She curled her legs up on the couch next to her and leaned into him. "I can't do this." She muttered more to herself than to him.
"I know. Neither can I." His hand slid down her back, playing with the silk straps of her dress. His other hand moved slowly up her leg, slipping under the hem of her dress.
"Right." She was breathless as his mouth slid hotly over her throat. "This isn't happening then?"
Alex pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. "It's not happening."
"Good." She leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth. He pushed her dress up to her waist, fingers kneading at her hips. She trailed kisses down his neck, her hands pulling his shirt down his arms. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it over her shoulder. He reached behind her and pulled on the bow. The straps loosened so Alex could slide the thin straps down her shoulders.
As his hand cupped her breast, Maggie shook her head. "No." She whispered.
"Hmm?" His mouth tasted the pulse in her throat.
She pushed him away, falling off his lap. "No. I can't."
He stared down at her. "Maddie, what's wrong?"
"Everything." She got to her feet, stumbling back from him. "I won't do this. Stay away from me." The fire jumped in the fireplace and the table crashed over.
He reached out to her and the candlesticks flew off the mantel, barely missing his head. "Maddie stop this." She turned on him and he drew his gun. "I don't want to shoot you Maddie."
"Stay away Alex."
"Maddie, I will shoot you. Don't make me. Please." He clicked off the safety.
A knife from the table flew at Alex suddenly, lodging in his shoulder. He cursed and shot her, hitting her in the thigh. Angry and in excruciating pain, Maggie threw Alex back against the wall. He slid to the floor unconscious. Grabbing his t-shirt she pulled it on over her dress and limped out of the room. She stumbled through the house, encountering no one before yanking open the door and tumbling out of the house. She moved as quickly as she was able toward the covering of trees at the edge of the property.
"I can't believe he shot me." Maggie mumbled as she limped toward the road. Her leg was on fire and the dress stuck oddly to the bloody wound. "I can't believe you fucking shot me you asshole." She came upon the road suddenly and turned in the direction she hoped was away from the house. Walking was becoming impossible. Stumbling down the road, Maggie was unaware of the car coming toward her. She turned as it approached and lost her balance, falling to the road. It was the black sedan from her dream, the windows tinted darkly. "Shit." She whispered as it slowed to a stop next to her. The rear door opened and she tried to stand up but her right leg wouldn't support her.
The Well Manicured Man got out of the car and approached her. The driver had also gotten out and they were discussing her.
"Put her in the back of the car. We'll take her to the hospital." He told the driver.
"Yes sir." The driver bent down and picked her up easily, setting her gently on the back seat of the car. He got in next to her and the car sped off.
"Don't worry, my dear. You're going to be back with your friends soon enough." He took her hand and patted it, like a grandfather would. Maggie nodded and drifted out of consciousness.
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Mulder looked up from the laptop he borrowed from Scully when his phone rang. He snatched it up and answered it. "Yeah?"
"Mr. Mulder?" The voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar.
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"A friend. Maggie Rourke is at Georgetown University Hospital. I'd get there soon before my associates realize she's gone and attempt to retrieve her."
"Who are you?"
"I told you Mr. Mulder, a friend."
"Wait-" He called but the line was already dead. In an instant, Mulder was on his feet and across the hall, banging on Claire's door. "Dr. Morgan! Maggie's at the hospital."
Claire's door swung open and Mulder found himself surrounded by the agents, all asking him questions at once. He held up his hands.
"She's at Georgetown University Hospital." He told them. "We need to move quickly on this." He ran back into Maggie's room and grabbed his phone and car keys. Everyone was waiting for him and they ran down to the elevators. Mulder hit the speed dial on his cell.
"Scully, it's me. Yeah, she's at Georgetown. Anonymous phone call. We'll meet you there." He hung up as the elevator let them out in the parking garage and they sprinted to his car.
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The four agents ran into the emergency room of Georgetown University Hospital, badges out. Mulder and Hobbes grabbed the first medical looking person.
"Federal Agents. We're looking for a young woman. 5'4", red hair, green eyes. We were told she was brought in here earlier." Mulder told the young woman.
She looked startled, her eyes darting from Mulder to Hobbes and then back to Darien and Claire. "Let me find Dr. Sands. He's the attending. I'm just an intern." She scurried off behind a partition where the nurses' station was. A moment later, the intern reappeared with a woman in her thirties.
"I'm Dr. Sands. You're looking for our Jane Doe?" Her gaze skimmed over the group, taking in each badge.
"Agent Mulder, FBI. These are Agents Hobbes, Fawkes and Dr. Morgan." Mulder introduced them. "She's another agent. Her name is Magdalena Rourke."
"She's this way." Dr. Sands turned around and led them down a hallway to a small curtained area.
Claire pushed to the front of the group. "I'm her doctor. What happened to her?"
"Agent Rourke was dropped off a few hours ago by a couple men, who left as soon she was in our care. Right now, she's in a lot of pain. She has some minor scrapes and contusions. There were some very mild symptoms of exposure. The thing we were most worried about was a bullet wound in her leg. The bullet passed through her upper thigh. It didn't cause any major damage and she should have full range of motion after some physical therapy. We also ran a tox screen and discovered trace elements of the drug Rohypnol, a date rape drug more commonly known as roofies. The rape kit was negative for any signs of rape though. I've given her some painkillers and she's going to be admitted for a few days, mostly for observation. I want to keep an eye on that leg."
Agent Scully, who had joined the group moments before, spoke up. "Can we get a description of the men who brought her in?"
"Sure. I think Dr. May saw them. You can go in and say hi, and I'll go find him." She told them with a smile and went to find Dr. May.
Darien poked his head around the curtain. Maggie was propped up in the bed, her eyes half closed. "Hi Princess."
After a moment, she focused on him. "Darien?"
He approached the bed, leaning down to kiss her gently. "This is getting to be a habit I don't like."
She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "I didn't think I was going to see you again."
When he pulled away, she was crying. He reached down and wiped away her tears. "Oh, hey, don't cry. There's people here to see you."
Hobbes and the others spilled out into the small area.
"Hi guys." Her greeting was subdued due to the pain meds dripping through her IV.
Hobbes kissed her forehead. "Hiya Rourke. Good to see you in one piece."
Claire picked up her chart and scanned it over. "How are you feeling?"
"They've given me something for the pain so everything's pretty dull. Doctor said I should be able to leave in a few days."
"We'll set up a watch by your door once you get in a room." Mulder spoke up from the back of the curtained area.
"Hi Mulder." She waved feebly. "Thank you."
Scully poked her head back in. "I've got a description."
Everyone started to move at once but stopped, looking back at Maggie. Darien sat back down, waving everyone out.
"Go on. I'll stay." He looked back down at Maggie with a smile, cupping her face in his hand.
"We'll see you later." Claire told her. "Try to rest."
"From what the doctor could tell me, it sounded like the Well Manicured Man and his chauffer." Scully told them as Claire joined the group. "I called Skinner and he found an address. He's sending a team to meet us there."
Author: Sun
Fandom: The Invisible Man
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Maggie/Dairen, Claire/Hobbes, Maggie/Krycek, Mulder/Scully
Disclaimers: don't own 'em, wish I did (at least Darien). Maggie's mine.
Summary: The Agents attend a conference in Washington, DC and meet Mulder and Scully. Part 1 of the Dance with the Devil series. X-Over with The X-Files.
Timeline: May 2001
Maggie climbed out of the shower feeling all together more human. She wiped off the mirror and peered at her reflection. There were dark bags under her eyes and she looked pale, her freckles standing out on her nose. She picked up a silver comb from the countertop and ran it through her hair, combing her normally wild locks straight back. Wrapping the towel around herself, she opened the door to her room cautiously. She half expected Alex to be waiting for her on the other side.
Her room was empty, save for some clothing folded on her bed. Quickly, she grabbed the clothes and ducked back into the warm bathroom. The jeans were, predictably too long and she rolled the legs up. The soft black t-shirt was also too big, falling to her knees. Maggie tossed the towel on the floor and went out into the bedroom. Alex had said nothing about staying in the bedroom so she opened the door and went into the other room.
The living room was empty. Looking around furtively, Maggie tried the door and found it unlocked. She slipped out, shutting the door behind her silently. The room was at the end of a hallway. Maggie crept down the hall, her back to the wall, watching for any sign of Alex or the British man. A set of stair appeared to her right and she hurried down them. They ended in a pantry type area. An open door looked into an empty kitchen. She could see a door leading outside. Like the rabbit Mulder called her, she dashed across the kitchen and out the door.
Alex stood at the window, gazing out over the gentle Virginia countryside. He liked it here. The temperature was moderate, not too much snow. Not like Russia. Sighing, he started to turn from the window when something caught his eye. A small figure was darting across the back lawn.
"Son of a bitch!" He exclaimed and flew out of the room.
Maggie was almost to the tree line when something tackled her from behind. She hit the ground with a thud and a muffled groan.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Alex asked as he rolled her over, his grip tight on her arms.
Maggie glared at him. "Get off me Alex." She growled.
He laughed. "Neither one of us would last through the day if you escaped." He pushed to his feet and pulled her up with him. "I thought I could trust you enough to let you shower alone. Guess I was wrong."
She pulled against him but his grip was too strong. She gave him a telekinetic shove and he stumbled but didn't let go. Alex turned back to her, his fist lashing out suddenly. She crumpled into his arms. "Not smart angelchra." He said softly as he gathered her up and carried her back into the house.
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Maggie startled awake. It was pitch black and she stretched out her hand, feeling out her surroundings. She was seated on the floor of a very small room, her back against one wall and feet near another. Panic started to creep in and she banged her fists against the walls. There was a door to her left and she frantically twisted the knob but it wouldn't turn. She banged on the door.
"Let me out! Alex! Let me out of here!" There was no response to her cries and she sank back to the floor. Wrapping her arms around them, she pulled her knees in as close to her body as possible. Closing her eyes against the pressing darkness, Maggie began to cry.
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"Where's the girl Alex?" The Well-Manicured man demanded.
"She tried to escape. We would both be dead if she got away. I happen to like living."
"Where is she?"
He looked at the floor. "In the kitchen utility closet. That black lunged bastard saw me coming back in with her. He took her and put her there. She's claustrophobic."
"How long has she been in?"
Alex looked at his watch. "Half hour."
"Go get her. I'll speak with him." He turned and went in search of the Smoking Man.
Alex went downstairs to the utility closet and unlocked the door. When he pulled open the door, Maggie pulled even further into herself. She turned her face against the wall, trying to disappear.
"Maddie?" He turned on the light in the tiny space and knelt down next to her. She flinched when he touched her shoulder, not seeing or hearing him. "Come on." He hauled her to her feet and helped her walk out of closet. Slowly, they walked back upstairs to the bedroom and he tucked her into bed. The Well-Manicured Man entered the room a minute later.
"Our friend has gone out. I thought you might need some assistance." He set down a tray with some items on it. "Get her some water. And a cloth for her forehead."
Alex went into the bathroom. He came out a moment later and handed the items to him. "I wouldn't have done this. There are better ways to prove a point than torture."
"I'm inclined to agree with you. She will be of no use to our cause if she is broken." He held her head up so she could drink. When she was done, he placed the cool cloth on her forehead. "Poor child. She's been unconscious for most of her time here." He turned to Alex. "We should let her rest. I'll check on you both later."
"Thank you, sir." Alex perched on the edge of the bed.
"Alex, my son, be wary of your attachment. She may have a higher place in the plan than you." Alex nodded, understanding the warning. "I will be in the study if you need me."
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The sun was streaming in through the windows when Maggie woke the next morning. She sat up and stretched, her sore muscles protesting the movement. Alex was sprawled on the other side of the bed, still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. She watched him as he slept. He appeared so much younger, she wondered if he was closer to her age than she originally thought. The hard lines were gone from his face and the constant tension in his body had been released in sleep.
Carefully, so not to wake him, she slid off the bed and opened the door to the living room.
"Good morning, Maggie."
She turned and saw the Well-Manicured Man seated at a small table by the windows. He rose as she closed the door and came into the room. "Morning William."
He gestured to the table. "Join me for breakfast."
"Thank you." She sat across from him and selected some fruit and toast. He poured her a cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. "What time is it?"
"10:30. A bit later than usual, but I thought you could use the sleep. It has been a long couple of days."
"Thank you."
"Alex is still sleeping?" She nodded, her mouth full of toast. "We'll let him. He gets so little uninterrupted sleep."
"You seem very concerned about him."
He took a sip of his coffee. "I was a good friend with Alex's parents. When they passed, I took him in."
"How old was he?"
"Young."
"I was 12."
Maggie and William turned around to see Alex standing in the doorway. He ran a hand through his short hair, walking over to the table to snatch up a piece of toast.
"Good Morning Alex. Did you sleep well?"
He nodded, watching Maggie. "Yes, sir. What about you? No ill affects from last night?"
She startled when he addressed her. "No. I slept fine." She squirmed a little under his gaze.
"Good. I'm, I'm sorry about yesterday."
Maggie turned and looked out the window. "If you hadn't kidnapped me, you would have no need to apologize." She stood up and turned to William. "Thank you for breakfast William. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get cleaned up." She hurried into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Leaning back against the door, she slid to the floor, her head in her hands. "Darien." She whispered, tears streaming down her face.
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"Maggie." Darien leaned against the cool window of his hotel room. He'd stayed up most of the night wandering around his room until Claire threatened to force-feed him a sleeping pill. When he finally relented, sleep wouldn't come. Mulder and Scully arrived at the hotel early that morning with no news. The FBI had no known whereabouts for this Krycek. Mulder said he could have taken her as far away as Russia. "I was thinking. Why can't we track her? Y'know, the tracer in her dog tags?"
"She left them here when she went out. Darien, did you get any sleep last night?" Claire touched his shoulder gently, her voice filled with concern.
He turned and looked at her. "I couldn't. I just kept seeing Maggie."
"We'll find her."
"What if we can't? He could have taken her to Russia." He exclaimed, sitting down on his bed, running his hands through his hair nervously.
"She hasn't been taken to Russia." Claire sat down next to him.
"Mulder said Krycek has connections in Russia. She might have been sold to white slavers." He said, his eyes wide.
"Darien, no one is going to sell Maggie to white slavers. From what Scully told me, this Krycek person is an errand boy for a group of men known as the Syndicate. She also said there has been some dissention in the ranks of this group. Chances are better than not that she's still in Virginia. Probably near by." She told him. "Besides, I don't think they have white slavers in Russia." Standing up, she pulled on his arm. "Come on, come back to my room. You can mope with Hobbes and I."
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A knock on the door startled Maggie. She hastily wiped her eyes and backed away from the door. "What?"
"Are you okay?" The door muffled Alex's voice.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm gonna shower." She hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door against anything else he was going to say.
Alex leaned his head against the bedroom door. Maggie was obviously upset and he could understand why. Sighing, he went to get some clean clothes for her.
Maggie stepped out of the steamy bathroom and found a pile of clothes on the bed. She changed and opened the door to the living room. She glanced around to see if anyone was there.
"Not thinking of trying to run again, are you? Cause I would think you'd learn your lesson last time."
She looked around and saw Alex standing by the window. "I wouldn't dream of trying to escape Alex." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Good."
She sprawled on the couch, gazing at him through half closed eyes. "How old were you when you came here?"
"Why do you want to know?" He sounded suspicious.
"You seem like an interesting person. I like interesting people."
"Let's play a game." He leaned back against the window, his arms crossed over his chest.
"A game?"
"Of questions. You ask me one, I'll answer and then I get to ask you one."
"I have to answer?" He nodded silently. "You have to answer?"
"It's only fair."
"All right. So answer my question."
"Four. I was four." He thought about it for a moment.
"How old were you when they did the experiment?"
"Four, also. If your mother wanted to be more American when you moved here, how'd you learn Russian?"
"She wanted to be more American but she didn't want me to forget my roots. After dinner, we only spoke Russian. So I wouldn't forget." He walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "When did you become claustrophobic?"
"I was trapped in the car accident that killed my parents. It took the rescued workers four hours to pull me out of an upside-down car that was under a semi. I was lucky I survived."
"You weren't hurt?" His voice was uncharacteristically concerned.
"Head wound. A tiny part of my brain was damaged. The part that helped me control my gifts. How did your parents die?"
"Plane crash. Case is still open. The authorities thought it might have been a bomb but the case has been cold for ten years now." Alex leaned forward. "Tell me about your father."
She slouched low. "What about him?"
"Why did he pick you?"
"Because he needed a test subject for his project. Because his project wouldn't have been able to continue without one and I hate him for it." She spit out the last part. A tear welled up and she swiped at it hastily. "Why does loneliness scare you so much?"
He looked at her, his eyes hard. "Why does it scare you?"
"You didn't answer my question."
"Neither did you." They stared at each other, waiting for the other to break first. The door opened and they both spun around as the Smoking Man stepped inside. Alex stood up and moved in front of Maggie, who sat up straighter.
"Good afternoon Alex, Magdalena." He kept to the walls, lighting a cigarette as he settled in a darkened corner of the room. "You look older in the pictures." He finally commented, his cigarette glowing in the shadows.
"I'm 25." She turned to face him, putting Alex at her back.
"A child in the scheme of things." The tip grew brighter as he took a drag off the cigarette. "Alex has told me he has seen you move things without touching them."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He sighed. "Please don't play games with me, Magdalena." Alex stepped closer, leaning down to speak in her ear.
"Just agree with him. Otherwise this will go badly." He moved around her to lean against the wall between them.
CSM moved suddenly and pulled out a gun. Maggie threw up a hand to stop him and he froze in his tracks, unable to move. The gun flew out of his hand and landed at her feet. Alex scooped up the gun before she could.
"Well done, Magdalena."
When she realized what she had done, she released him and took a step back. "No." The word came out on a breath, almost to soft to be heard.
"Alex, please make certain she understands how important it is for her to work with us." Alex nodded and the CSM stood. "Excellent. You have exceeded my expectations of your abilities, Magdalena. I'll see you both in a few days." He nodded good-bye to them both and left.
Maggie recovered and flew at Alex in a rage. "You knew he was going to provoke me. Bastard!"
"My parents were married, angelchra." He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her into the bedroom. "There is nothing I could do that wouldn't get both of us hurt or killed." He said through gritted teeth as he dropped her on the bed. "Don't move from this room." He told her and slammed the door behind him. She shrieked and the lamp launched itself at the door. Sighing, Maggie flopped back on the bed and was soon asleep.
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Alex threw the door open. "Get dressed." He tossed a box on the bed and slammed the door behind him. Maggie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before pulling the box to her.
She tugged the lid off, tossing it to the side. Underneath the layers of tissue paper was a scrap of pale green silk. She spread it out on the bed, looking at it with a raised eyebrow. "A dress." She squinted at it. "At least, I think it's a dress." She muttered and went into the bathroom to shower.
The silk slid over her skin like a cool breeze falling to mid-thigh. Thin straps held it up and the back was more of the same crisscrossing her back, tied in a bow at the waist. When she was dressed, she felt more like she was wearing a negligee than a dress but she padded barefoot out to the living room.
Alex was there, standing by the fire. The flames cast a light over him, causing his tan skin to glow. Wearing black dress pants and black button down over a white v-neck t-shirt, he looked decidedly less like a crook. He turned to her, his eyes catching the light from the fire. "Maia krassivaya angelchra."
He spoke in Russian. The only word she thought she recognized was something that sounded like angle.
"What?"
"I called you my beautiful angel."
"Oh. Thanks." She looked around the darkened room and saw a small table set for two sitting near the window.
"What's going on?"
"The Smoking Man says thank you. And he thinks you need to relax." He smiled sardonically and gestured to the table. "Shall we?"
"Does he think I'll work with him if you seduce me? Is that why he sent all this?" Maggie asked angrily.
Alex shrugged. "What if he did? He's not usually so generous. Enjoy it."
"I'm not drinking that." She pointed to the wine.
"Fine." He picked up the bottle and put it by the door. She heard him turn on the faucet in the bathroom and he appeared a moment later with a pitcher of water. "Better?"
"Humor me." She grabbed the pitcher and marched back into the bathroom. She dumped the water and washed out the container before filling it again.
He was trying hard not to smile when she returned with the fresh water. "Better now?"
"Yeah." She set the pitcher on the table.
"Can we eat now?"
"Yes."
He held out her chair for her and she sat down, letting him slid her in. "I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. But I don't think he would poison us. He sounded like he was really impressed with you."
"Well, my life's complete."
He laughed and filled her glass with water. "Relax and enjoy your dinner." He held up his water glass. "To new partnerships."
Maggie hesitated for a moment before raising her own glass. "To new partnerships." She echoed and touched her glass to his.
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Maggie pushed herself back from the table. "That was wonderful. I think he meant to kill us with chocolate." She poked her fork at the remains of the rich fudge cake.
"Anything's possible." Alex stood up and went to the stereo tucked in away on a bookcase. Soft music filled the room and he held out his hand to her.
She shook her head. "I don't dance."
He looked at her in disbelief. "How can you not dance? Didn't you go to dances in high school?" As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. He had read her file and knew she had never attended school with other children.
"I didn't go to high school." She said sadly and looked down at the floor.
Alex lifted her chin so their eyes met. "I'm sorry." He pulled her to her feet. "I'll teach you." He put an arm around her waist and took her hand in his other hand. Slowly, he began to waltz her around the living room. "Did I tell you that you look nice in that dress?"
"If you can call it a dress. I've seen more material on Victoria's Secrets models." She looked up at him.
"Did you pick it out?"
He shook his head. "No. I'm sure he wanted it to be a surprise for both of us."
Maggie tucked her head against his chest, listening to his heart and the music. Her eyes drifted closed, letting him lead her around the room. The song ended and Maggie realized they had stopped moving. She looked up at Alex.
He was gazing down at her, his green eyes very dark. Leaning down, his lips met hers. She jumped back startled. "I'm sorry, Maddie."
She slumped down on the couch. He sat down next her, his arm across the back of the couch. His fingers played along her shoulder, pulling her into his arms. She curled her legs up on the couch next to her and leaned into him. "I can't do this." She muttered more to herself than to him.
"I know. Neither can I." His hand slid down her back, playing with the silk straps of her dress. His other hand moved slowly up her leg, slipping under the hem of her dress.
"Right." She was breathless as his mouth slid hotly over her throat. "This isn't happening then?"
Alex pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. "It's not happening."
"Good." She leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth. He pushed her dress up to her waist, fingers kneading at her hips. She trailed kisses down his neck, her hands pulling his shirt down his arms. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it over her shoulder. He reached behind her and pulled on the bow. The straps loosened so Alex could slide the thin straps down her shoulders.
As his hand cupped her breast, Maggie shook her head. "No." She whispered.
"Hmm?" His mouth tasted the pulse in her throat.
She pushed him away, falling off his lap. "No. I can't."
He stared down at her. "Maddie, what's wrong?"
"Everything." She got to her feet, stumbling back from him. "I won't do this. Stay away from me." The fire jumped in the fireplace and the table crashed over.
He reached out to her and the candlesticks flew off the mantel, barely missing his head. "Maddie stop this." She turned on him and he drew his gun. "I don't want to shoot you Maddie."
"Stay away Alex."
"Maddie, I will shoot you. Don't make me. Please." He clicked off the safety.
A knife from the table flew at Alex suddenly, lodging in his shoulder. He cursed and shot her, hitting her in the thigh. Angry and in excruciating pain, Maggie threw Alex back against the wall. He slid to the floor unconscious. Grabbing his t-shirt she pulled it on over her dress and limped out of the room. She stumbled through the house, encountering no one before yanking open the door and tumbling out of the house. She moved as quickly as she was able toward the covering of trees at the edge of the property.
"I can't believe he shot me." Maggie mumbled as she limped toward the road. Her leg was on fire and the dress stuck oddly to the bloody wound. "I can't believe you fucking shot me you asshole." She came upon the road suddenly and turned in the direction she hoped was away from the house. Walking was becoming impossible. Stumbling down the road, Maggie was unaware of the car coming toward her. She turned as it approached and lost her balance, falling to the road. It was the black sedan from her dream, the windows tinted darkly. "Shit." She whispered as it slowed to a stop next to her. The rear door opened and she tried to stand up but her right leg wouldn't support her.
The Well Manicured Man got out of the car and approached her. The driver had also gotten out and they were discussing her.
"Put her in the back of the car. We'll take her to the hospital." He told the driver.
"Yes sir." The driver bent down and picked her up easily, setting her gently on the back seat of the car. He got in next to her and the car sped off.
"Don't worry, my dear. You're going to be back with your friends soon enough." He took her hand and patted it, like a grandfather would. Maggie nodded and drifted out of consciousness.
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Mulder looked up from the laptop he borrowed from Scully when his phone rang. He snatched it up and answered it. "Yeah?"
"Mr. Mulder?" The voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar.
"Yeah. Who's this?"
"A friend. Maggie Rourke is at Georgetown University Hospital. I'd get there soon before my associates realize she's gone and attempt to retrieve her."
"Who are you?"
"I told you Mr. Mulder, a friend."
"Wait-" He called but the line was already dead. In an instant, Mulder was on his feet and across the hall, banging on Claire's door. "Dr. Morgan! Maggie's at the hospital."
Claire's door swung open and Mulder found himself surrounded by the agents, all asking him questions at once. He held up his hands.
"She's at Georgetown University Hospital." He told them. "We need to move quickly on this." He ran back into Maggie's room and grabbed his phone and car keys. Everyone was waiting for him and they ran down to the elevators. Mulder hit the speed dial on his cell.
"Scully, it's me. Yeah, she's at Georgetown. Anonymous phone call. We'll meet you there." He hung up as the elevator let them out in the parking garage and they sprinted to his car.
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The four agents ran into the emergency room of Georgetown University Hospital, badges out. Mulder and Hobbes grabbed the first medical looking person.
"Federal Agents. We're looking for a young woman. 5'4", red hair, green eyes. We were told she was brought in here earlier." Mulder told the young woman.
She looked startled, her eyes darting from Mulder to Hobbes and then back to Darien and Claire. "Let me find Dr. Sands. He's the attending. I'm just an intern." She scurried off behind a partition where the nurses' station was. A moment later, the intern reappeared with a woman in her thirties.
"I'm Dr. Sands. You're looking for our Jane Doe?" Her gaze skimmed over the group, taking in each badge.
"Agent Mulder, FBI. These are Agents Hobbes, Fawkes and Dr. Morgan." Mulder introduced them. "She's another agent. Her name is Magdalena Rourke."
"She's this way." Dr. Sands turned around and led them down a hallway to a small curtained area.
Claire pushed to the front of the group. "I'm her doctor. What happened to her?"
"Agent Rourke was dropped off a few hours ago by a couple men, who left as soon she was in our care. Right now, she's in a lot of pain. She has some minor scrapes and contusions. There were some very mild symptoms of exposure. The thing we were most worried about was a bullet wound in her leg. The bullet passed through her upper thigh. It didn't cause any major damage and she should have full range of motion after some physical therapy. We also ran a tox screen and discovered trace elements of the drug Rohypnol, a date rape drug more commonly known as roofies. The rape kit was negative for any signs of rape though. I've given her some painkillers and she's going to be admitted for a few days, mostly for observation. I want to keep an eye on that leg."
Agent Scully, who had joined the group moments before, spoke up. "Can we get a description of the men who brought her in?"
"Sure. I think Dr. May saw them. You can go in and say hi, and I'll go find him." She told them with a smile and went to find Dr. May.
Darien poked his head around the curtain. Maggie was propped up in the bed, her eyes half closed. "Hi Princess."
After a moment, she focused on him. "Darien?"
He approached the bed, leaning down to kiss her gently. "This is getting to be a habit I don't like."
She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "I didn't think I was going to see you again."
When he pulled away, she was crying. He reached down and wiped away her tears. "Oh, hey, don't cry. There's people here to see you."
Hobbes and the others spilled out into the small area.
"Hi guys." Her greeting was subdued due to the pain meds dripping through her IV.
Hobbes kissed her forehead. "Hiya Rourke. Good to see you in one piece."
Claire picked up her chart and scanned it over. "How are you feeling?"
"They've given me something for the pain so everything's pretty dull. Doctor said I should be able to leave in a few days."
"We'll set up a watch by your door once you get in a room." Mulder spoke up from the back of the curtained area.
"Hi Mulder." She waved feebly. "Thank you."
Scully poked her head back in. "I've got a description."
Everyone started to move at once but stopped, looking back at Maggie. Darien sat back down, waving everyone out.
"Go on. I'll stay." He looked back down at Maggie with a smile, cupping her face in his hand.
"We'll see you later." Claire told her. "Try to rest."
"From what the doctor could tell me, it sounded like the Well Manicured Man and his chauffer." Scully told them as Claire joined the group. "I called Skinner and he found an address. He's sending a team to meet us there."