Author: XScout
Rating: R
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: The X-Files is the property of Chris Carter and 10-13 Productions, no infringement intended

Summary: Drawn into the forest to investigate the disappearance of five hikers in what may be a case of alien abduction, Mulder and Scully are caught in the middle of a life and death fight to find the abductees and get out of the woods - alive.

Author's Note: This was written for the Virtual Season 8 and a small reference is made to the story preceding this one. Knowledge of the story is not necessary, but you might as well go read all the episodes in Virtual Season 8 because they're all high caliber.

INTO THE WOODS

Bearhead Lake State Park
Minnesota
Thursday
6:49 p.m.

Amanda stopped where she was and let her backpack slide off her shoulders. She rotated her neck to the left and then the right, stretching sore muscles. She turned in a slow circle, taking in the quiet serenity of the snow-laden forest.

It felt right. She couldn't be positive, everything looked different in the winter, but she was sure this was the spot. Something inside her told her so.

"Mark, don't you think we should camp here tonight?"

A young man, no more than twenty years old, emerged from the trees, his panting breath obscuring his face with a white cloud. He dropped his pack next to hers and pushed shaggy black forelocks back under his cap. "Yeah, this is the place all right. Let's get the tent set up."

An hour later and they were seated around a small fire in front of their tent, warming their hands with hot cups of cocoa. Amanda took a sip from her cup, looking over the rim at her boyfriend. "Do you think they'll come tonight?"

Mark licked his chapped lips and looked at the sky. "Maybe. I dunno. We're just gonna have to wait and see."

Setting her mug down on a stump that served as a makeshift table, Amanda yawned. "God, I'm tired. I didn't know hiking took so much out of you. I don't remember being so tired last time." She rubbed her eyes with a gloved hand, getting cold snow in the face for the effort. Pulling off the glove, she rubbed again, this time succeeding in clearing away some of the sleep in her eyes. "How long do you think we'll have to wait?"

A high pitched noise and rush of wind startled them both, causing Mark to drop his cup of cocoa in the fire, the liquid hissing as it hit the flames. He pointed up at the sky. "Not long."

Together they tilted their heads up and gazed at the object hanging above them, its dark shape silhouetted against the sky, a few small colored lights casting an eerie glow on their white surroundings. Wind rushed about them, the trees creaking as their branches swayed under the weight of snow. The hikers flinched as a blinding light suddenly burst forth from the center of the object, shining directly on the two campers. It grew brighter and more intense with each second that passed until everything was indistinguishable in the whiteness.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, it disappeared, leaving behind a collapsed tent and smoking embers surrounded by stones.

Dana Scully's Residence
Georgetown, Washington
Saturday
5:28 a.m.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look at me!" the little girl shouted as she jumped up and down on the trampoline, her red hair bouncing about her head.

"We see you, sweetheart! You're doing wonderfully!" the tall man laughed, flipping the hamburgers over on the smoking grill. The woman next to him chuckled indulgently, a wide smile spread across her oval face. Hair that matched the child's crowned her head, but her eyes were blue, unlike the girl's own hazel pair.

The woman stepped away from her husband and watched the playing youth for a moment. "Sarah, be careful!" she called out.

Long arms encircled her waist. "She's fine Dana, stop worrying."

"I know Mulder, but I can't help it. My maternal instinct is in overdrive." She turned around and stood on her toes, reaching up to kiss her husband. Their lips were mere centimeters apart...

*Brrriiinnng! Brrriiinnng!*

She sprang up in bed, her heart beating frantically. Glancing at the clock she sighed heavily and reached for the phone next to her on the nightstand. She picked the annoying appliance up and spoke groggily into it. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"C'mon Scully, don't tell me you're going to waste this beautiful Saturday morning in bed?" a too cheery voice asked.

"Mulder, it's five thirty in the morning! The sun isn't even up yet. If you called to ask me if I want to go for a run I am going to make you do the expense reports on the next five cases." She wearily rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Actually a run sounds great right now. But alas, we don't have time. We have to go to Minnesota."

"Did you just say what I think you said? No, don't answer that. Mulder, it's Saturday, can't this wait?" she lamented.

Completely ignoring his partner's questions, Mulder continued. "It has come to my attention that there have been several disappearances in Bear Head Lake State Park. A total of five backpackers have vanished over the past month, each time bright lights were sighted near the area where the hikers were last seen."

Scully groaned. "What does this have to do with waking me up at the crack of dawn?"

A sigh could be heard from the other side. "Scully I'm sorry, I know how much your time off means to you but my hands are tied. Skinner called me half an hour ago; seems the last pair of hikers to disappear were Senator Huntsacker's daughter and her boyfriend. He already has us booked on a 7:00 flight to Duluth."

Her annoyance drained away as she took in this information. Mulder got called at five, but he waited until 5:30 to call her. He really *was* sorry to wake her. "All right Mulder, it's not your fault. I'll get my stuff together and be ready by six thirty. You had better pick me up on time, I don't want to have to run to the gate like last time."

"Scout's honor. Pack something warm, I hear there's three feet of snow up there. Just think, it'll be a nice trip to-"

Scully's voice cut him off, "Don't! Don't *even* say it."

Somewhere over the United States
Flight 1650
8:53 a.m.

Dana Scully took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose with thumb and forefinger. She closed the file lying in her lap and reached for the next one, which was presently in her partner's lap. He had finished reading all the files in less than an hour and was now sleeping peacefully in the window seat. She envied the speed at which he could absorb information, easily accessing it with his eidetic memory.

But she also knew that his memory was a constant source of anguish for him. So while she envied him, she pitied him at the same time. He could remember the most minute details from his entire life except for the few times he'd had his memory 'wiped'. And of course that fateful night twenty-seven years ago that shaped his entire life thereafter. It seemed as though he was sentenced to a life of false hopes and unfulfilled dreams.

Carefully removing the stack of papers from Mulder's lap, she thought back to her own dream. She and Mulder were married, had a child of their own. Was it some sort of reflection of her unconsciousness? If a dream was an answer to a question you haven't yet learned how to ask, what was this an answer to? They were still testing the waters of their new relationship and the topic of marriage had never come up. She smiled softly at the idea of growing old with her partner, but the smile soon faded as she remembered the girl in the dream. No matter how much she wanted it she couldn't have children, and that was the end of that.

She blew air out in frustration. It was all too complicated, too much to think about while also trying to concentrate on a case. She would go by Scarlett O'Hara's philosophy - 'I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day.'

She yawned loudly and looked despairingly at the papers in her lap. This was going to be a long flight.

Mulder woke up to someone nudging his shoulder. "Huh?" Opening his eyes, he turned to find a flight attendant standing over him. "Sir, we are about to begin our descent, you should wake your wife."

"Thanks." He tilted his head to the left where Scully had fallen asleep against him. A soft smile graced his lips as he took in her countenance. Lifting his hand he gently brushed away a long strand of hair that had fallen in her face. "Scully," he murmured. She let out a tiny sigh and nestled closer to him. God, he hated to wake her up. "Scully, we're about to land." This time he trailed his finger up and down her cheek.

Her eyelids flickered open. "Land?"

"Yeah, looks like you dozed off for a bit."

Finally realizing what he was saying she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "We're here already? I didn't finish reading the files." She sounded angry that her body had so betrayed her.

"Don't worry about it. This *is* supposed to be your day off, remember? I think we can let this one slide. Either that or we can ask the pilot to circle around some more until you finish your nap." He started to look around as though to spot a stewardess.

"No, that's okay," Scully said quickly, stamping her left foot on the floor of the cabin. The sooner she got off this cramped plane the better. Her foot had fallen asleep along with the rest of her and it was on the verge of being painful.

Mulder chuckled. "Now you know how *I* feel every time we fly."

Thunderhead Road
10:28 a.m.

Mulder leaned forward over the dash, his eyes squinted as he tried to see the road through the veil of snow. "Why would anybody want to live here?"

"Most of the people here are of Nordic ancestry, they're used to it." Scully turned up the heat and then used her closed fist to wipe at the windshield so that her partner could see a bit easier.

"Thanks. Well, the news said that this storm should be over by tomorrow, so it looks like we'll have to hold off on our nature hike. We can have a leisurely lunch and then stop by the local sheriff's to get the details not in the files. Of course, at this rate we'll probably won't make it to Ely until dinner."

"We have to find a motel first. Then we can call the head ranger of the park and let him know that we won't be there until tomorrow."

"You're gonna love it, Scully. Tent camping, ice fishing, canoeing - though not in the winter, of course - snow mobiling, hiking; I could go on and on. Beautiful country up here, lots of wildlife. I believe it is a major reserve for timber wolves or something like that, I didn't get to read the brochure." Mulder dared to turn his head from the road and flash a smile at his partner.

"Mulder, isn't it possible that the missing hikers got lost? Were attacked by wild animals? Fell into a ditch or ravine that was hidden by all this snow?" she reasoned.

"Certainly. All we need to do is figure out which one of those, if any, it is."

"Mulder, what aren't you telling me?"

"What makes you think I'm not telling you anything?"

"I can tell by the tone of your voice. We're not up here looking for Bigfoot or the Abominable Snowman are we?"

"Not at all. The Yeti is most commonly found in Asia Scully, not North America. And, while Bigfoot seems to be an American phenomenon, it doesn't care much for colder climates." His face was serious.

"You're avoiding my question."

"Me? Never." An angry sigh warned him that he should proceed post haste. "All right, all right. Don't get your panties in a bunch. I ju- Ow! Jesus, Scully." He freed a hand from the wheel to rub his right shoulder. "You don't have to get violent. Maybe the Abominable Snowman *does* live here."

Scully pulled back her fist again.

"I'm sorry, okay? Really, I'm sorry." The fist dropped. "You know how I said they have lots of wildlife here? Well, this particular wildlife has a tendency to disappear. Over the past ten or so years animals have been vanishing. No, not poaching, if that's what you're thinking. Because most of the animals are found later on. Some dead, some alive. The dead ones appear to have been sliced and diced, a few unidentifiable growths here and there. The ones that come back alive are different. Bigger, stronger, faster.

"Take a look at page twenty-eight. You'll see a report made by Robert Gustaffson, one of the researchers who worked up here. Natasha, a black bear that went missing for a month, normally weighed approximately four hundred pounds and stood five foot ten high. She was returned two hundred pounds heavier and four inches taller. Now, tell me that isn't odd."

"Perhaps it was a different bear?"

"Nope. The bear was tagged and had all the same markings, she was definitely the same one. Several other examples are listed. Black bears the size of grizzlies, wolves bigger than great danes, even a badger as large as a big dog. But apparently it is only limited to non-herbivorous animals. You want to know what I think?"

"Not particularly."

"Tough, I'm going to tell you. I think that these animals were preliminary tests. Someone has been experimenting on them like lab rats and now they've reached the human trial stage."

"And who are these mysterious scientists?"

"C'mon Scully, it's obviously the Consortium. They're trying to come up with the ultimate human, one more easily hybridized with alien DNA. Stronger and more resistant to diseases or injury. You know They have been trying for years." He stopped at what he thought was an intersection and looked both ways before pulling ahead.

"Sounds like a B movie on the Sci-Fi Channel to me." Her eyes roamed over the map unfolded before her.

"Now that you mention it, I've been thinking of selling some of our case notes to movie companies. We could make a fortune in the B movie industry."

"I think there's a left turn up ahead. Why would the Consortium kidnap hikers when they have plenty of their own people to play guinea pigs?"

"Because these kids are special."

"Special? How?" She waved at a tiny blotch of red against the white surrounding them. "There's the stop sign."

"It's in the file, but I'll save you the trouble of having to read it. All five of the missing hikers claim to be alien abductees." He waited a moment. "Well?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me that there is no way those kids were abducted, how ridiculous it sounds, and that there is no evidence to support my theory?"

"You're doing a fine job of that yourself Mulder. Seriously though, don't you think it odd that all five of them were hiking up here recently? Maybe they have a cabin here that no one knows about."

"That's the point Scully. All of them were drawn here after their abduction in February of 1998 on a field trip with the Science and Nature Club. We've seen it before."

Scully couldn't help but smile as she thought back to their first case together.

Etta's Diner
Ely, Minnesota
1:09 p.m.

A tiny bell above the door let out a cheerful ring as the two agents walked into the restaurant. It was as though the bell signaled their arrival into another time, having been transported back to the 1950s. The café was small, a long counter stretching across its length with booths against the windows. There was a jukebox in the corner to accent the other fifties décor abounding as well as to provide the appropriate music. A woman behind the counter, dressed in a pink skirt, reading glasses, and wearing a white cap on top of curly brown hair looked at the two newcomers and smiled toothily. "Afternoon! What can I get you folks?"

Mulder couldn't help the grin spreading across his face. He looked down at Scully, who was similarly affected by the atmosphere. They stepped up to the counter and took their seats, Mulder hesitating for just a moment until his partner sat down before seating himself. "What's your special?" he asked the waitress.

"We've got Etta's Specialty Plate, which is a quarter pound burger with the works, a load of fries, all you can drink soda, and an ice cream sundae to top it off." The waitress, her nametag displaying the name 'Nadine', leaned toward them and whispered conspiratorially, "And since I can tell you two aren't from these parts, I'll have Earl throw in a cup of hot cocoa to warm you up."

Dana answered for them. "That would be lovely. We'll have two, thank you."

With that, Nadine gave the pair and wink and bustled off into the kitchen. Mulder chuckled softly, "Charming."

"I think she has her eye on you, Mulder," Scully said with an eyebrow raised.

"Me?" His brows scrunched together. "Why do you say that?"

Dana feigned a world-weary sigh. "Mulder, don't you ever notice how women treat you?"

He looked her directly in the eyes, his hazel orbs gazing straight inside her. "None of those women are important to me."

There gazes remained locked for several seconds until Scully averted her eyes, cursing her Irish heritage as she felt heat rising in her cheeks.

Mulder decided to give her a moment to collect herself and turned back to the waitress. He smiled warmly at her as he pulled out his badge. "Nadine, we're with the FBI and I was wondering if we could ask you some questions."

"FBI? I didn't cheat on my taxes..." Nadine cried.

"No ma'am, I'm sure you didn't; besides, that's the IRS," Scully reassured her. "We were wondering if you've seen any of these young hikers over the past month." She pulled out large glossy photos from her bag and displayed them on the counter.

Nadine leaned her elbows on the tabletop and peered at them through her reading glasses. "Can't say I remember those three," she pointed at the first three hikers to disappear, "But this couple came in just a few days ago... Wednesday I think. Cute couple, nice for their age. Surprising considering young folks these days. Once a group of backpackers came in-"

Mulder interrupted before she could launch into an hour-long diatribe on the evils of teenagers. "Can you remember anything strange or suspicious about them? Did they seem like they were afraid or worried? Anyone follow them?"

Straightening up, Nadine pulled the pencil from behind her ear and stuck it in her mouth. "No, nobody following them. They weren't scared, certainly not, quite the opposite. So excited about going hiking they could barely wait to eat."

Mulder cast a meaningful glance at his partner. Scully pursed her lips and gathered the scattered photos. A bell chimed and Nadine popped the pencil out of her mouth. "Speaking of eating, you're food's ready. Be back in a jiff."

The agents ate slowly, savoring the home-cooked taste and letting their minds delve deep into the case. They finished and stood, not looking forward to going back out into the formidable weather. Mulder thanked Nadine for her help, tipped her well and ushered Scully to the door.

"Agent Mulder?"

They stopped and turned back to the counter.

"I don't know if it has anything to do with those kids you're looking for, but there have been a lot of lights flashing up in the forest." She shrugged, "If that helps any."

Mulder have her his most winning smile. "Thanks again, Nadine."

Ely County Sheriff's Office
3:57 p.m.

"The lights have been sighted here, here, here and about here." Sheriff Dawson pointed to red pins stuck in the large map on the wall depicting the entire State Park. "We sent out search parties starting from these points and working outwards. We found four campsites abandoned but no sign as to where the kids disappeared to."

Mulder leaned back against a nearby desk, his arms folded as he contemplated the map. He noticed a small space surrounded by black hashmarks almost centered in the forest and pointed to it, "What is this area?"

"Oh, that's an old wood mill that was here before the park became protected. It's been closed for years."

"Did you search there?"

Dawson blinked at the agent. "No, why would we? It's nowhere near the campsites. There is no way those kids could have made it there in the time between when they were last seen and when we sent out search parties."

Scully rummaged in her briefcase and withdrew a map similar to the one on the wall. "Sheriff, could you show us the easiest way to the mill?"

"Don't know why you want to bother with that place, but okay." He spread out the map on another desk and stuck his finger on a square. "This is the Park Information Center; take this road up along the the mountain - be careful, there are some sharp turns - and take it to the end. Now, that won't get you all the way there; there was an avalanche and the road to the mill was cut off. We never bothered with clearing it because the mill was closed anyway, so you're going to have to hike the rest of the way in. It's only about a mile or so from the road, it shouldn't take you more than half an hour to get there."

Scully memorized the places the Sheriff had indicated and folded the map back up. "Thank you very much for your time. We'll keep you updated if we find anything."

Sheriff Dawson nodded and watched the FBI agents walk out the door, shaking his head. "All they're gonna find up there is snow, trees, and a broken down building," he muttered.

Black Bear Lodge
On the outskirts of Bear Head Lake Park
5:20 p.m.

Mulder and Scully pushed open the large wooden door and stepped inside quickly as a gust of wind tried to enter with them. They shook off the snow on their coats and moved in to the reservation office. The entire place was built from logs, fake candles illuminating the room abounding with green and brown colored furniture. A fireplace was set in the far wall, a large fire cheerfully crackling in it. The required amount of stuffed animal heads adorned the walls and a large chandelier made from antlers hung from the center of the high ceiling. An old woman was sitting behind the reservation desk, reading a magazine.

Mulder cleared his throat to get the woman's attention.

"Oh, my dears, I'm so sorry. Simply got too involved in my reading. I'm Audrey Benson. You two must be the FBI agents Roy was talking about."

Dana raised an eyebrow. "Roy?"

"Yes, my husband, Roy. He's the Park Ranger and he called to let me know that you two would be on your way. You told him you couldn't come up to the park until tomorrow and that you were going to check into a motel. Well, Black Bear Lodge is the only motel around here so we figured you'd be stopping by. He told me to give you our best cabin, free of charge."

"That's very kind of you," Scully said, throwing Mulder a glance that communicated her uneasiness about sharing a cabin. It was not that she had any qualms about sleeping in the same room with him, in the same bed for that matter, but they were on a case and had made an agreement to keep their intimate relationship separate from their work relationship.

Mulder simply shrugged and followed the old woman as she led them out the door, babbling about how much she hoped they would find the kids safe and sound and how this sort of thing never happens in Ely and...

Scully plucked the keys out of Audrey's hand when they reached the front steps of the cabin, thanking her again for her hospitality, eager to end the woman's incessant chattering. Mulder asked her if she could let her husband know they'd be by his office around ten and then disappeared inside after his partner, leaving the old woman muttering to herself about what the world was coming to when kids disappeared in Ely.

The cabin was very cozy; a lower level contained a small living room with couch and television, kitchenette and table as well as bathroom. Upstairs was the bed, separated from the rest of the cabin only by railing.

Mulder looked up at the loft. "If it would make you feel better Scully, I could take the couch," he offered.

"Don't be ridiculous," she answered. "We are grown adults and we can certainly behave like it when we're sharing a bed."

Mulder leered. "Adult behavior in bed is my specialty."

She scowled at him. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Spoil sport." Mulder moved to the table by the kitchen and set his briefcase down on it, opening it and spreading its contents all over. He separated the papers into piles and sat down in the chair, lost in thought as he regarded one of the piles.

Scully walked up behind him, peering over his shoulder. "Who are they?"

Mulder held up the photograph he was looking at. It was a picture of a group of thirteen people composed of eleven teenagers and two adults. "It's the Science and Nature Club: eleven kids and two teachers. What I want to know is if we are just seeing the beginning of the abductions or if the five who are missing are different from the others, specifically chosen?"

"Do they have anything in common?"

"They all participated in sports, three were in R.O.T.C. and that's about it. They are healthy and strong, making them good candidates for testing."

"Do you have medical exam records?"

He handed her one of the piles and she slid into the chair next to him. "Looks like it's going to be a long night."

They studied the case notes for hours, offering and refuting possibilities, wracking their brains for every imaginable reason these kids had been chosen. It was almost midnight when Scully forced Mulder to go to bed, reasoning that they would be hiking tomorrow and needed their rest. They changed their clothes and climbed into the large bed, careful to keep a good distance between them.

"Goodnight Mulder."

"G'night Scully."

Sleep came quickly and soon morning was upon them. Despite their efforts to the contrary, they woke up wrapped in each other's embrace.

Bear Head Lake Park
Ranger Station/Information Center
10:02 a.m.

"It looks like you expect us to be spending a month in the wilderness!" Scully exclaimed.

Roy Benson was a friendly old man, his shoulders stooped and his blond beard sprinkled with white. He wore a cowboy hat on his balding head and thick glasses made his eyes appear abnormally large. He spoke with a slight accent and was deaf in one ear so that you had to make sure you were standing on his right side in order to be heard. At Mulder's request Roy had supplied the gear they would need for their trek into the forest - which amounted to two large backpacks outfitted with everything from canteens to sleeping bags.

"Storms come up mighty sudden in these parts and you never know when or where you could get stuck. Better to be prepared than to be caught in freezing weather without the proper equipment," the old man reasoned.

"This is just fine, thank you for the precautions," Mulder said as he tossed his smaller backpack in the back of the Explorer on top of the gear.

"You know where you're goin'?" The ranger sounded dubious.

"Sheriff Dawson showed us on the map. About how far would you say it is until the road ends?" Scully asked.

Roy stroked his short beard. "Hmm. I'd say it's about nineteen or twenty miles in, though it'll take about two hours to get there 'cause the roads are winding and not in the best condition, 'specially in this weather."

"Then we had better get started." Mulder shook Roy's hand and got in the driver's side of the S.U.V., tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as he waited for Scully. She hurried over and had to climb into the large vehicle, throwing Mulder a dirty look that squelched any snide remark he was about to make regarding her height. Since she certainly couldn't wear heels on this case she had lost several inches and the top of her head barely reached her partner's shoulder.

He just grinned and started the car.

Bear Head Lake Park
11:16 p.m.

"Stop here."

"You sure?"

"Postive."

"Only fools are positive."

"And how many times have you been positive on a case? I think that sums up to you being one of the most foolish men in the world."

Mulder put a hand over his heart. "You wound me to the quick, woman."

Scully laughed and pushed open the door, having to jump to the ground, her boots crunching in the snow. She unfolded the map in her hand and double-checked her directions. "The newest crime scene is a few miles hike to the west."

Mulder was now out and around at the back of the vehicle, pulling out the backpacks. "Just in case," he said as Scully looked at him questioningly.

Once they were ready they took a good look around them to place their surroundings firmly in their minds and then headed off away from the sun. Mulder started out at a fast pace, forcing Scully to jog to keep up. "Mulder, slow it down. Remember you've just recovered from broken bones; no need to strain anything."

"Yes Mother," he grumbled.

"Well I wouldn't have to treat you like a child if you took better care of yourself," she reminded him.

"Oh yeah, it's all my fault that the bar blew up," he groused, tossing her a sour look.

Scully just returned his look.

It took them approximately an hour and a half to reach their destination, coming upon it so suddenly that Dana let out a startled "Oh!"

The scene looked like a tornado had run through the campsite. The tent was leaning precariously to one side, its door flapping in the wind. The remains of a campfire were partially covered with snow, ashes scattered about in a gray mush. A tree stump next to it had a coffee mug lying at its base, any food long eaten as wild animals had most certainly carried it away. Scraps of yellow crime scene tape fluttered from where they were tied around trees, having been broken by the wind, animals, or a combination of both.

They stood and surveyed the area in silence, making initial observations. Birds continued to chirp and the trees creaked in the wind, normal everyday sounds of the forest. Scully thought it was somehow a violation of the abnormality of the the crime scene. But nature was indifferent to the plight of humans. She shook herself to rid her mind of unwanted thoughts and turned to her partner. "Any sign of aliens?"

"Actually no. No burn marks on the trees, no disturbances in the snow. Even if there had been snowfall in between the time of the abduction and now there would be some evidence of tremendous heat."

"If it wasn't aliens, what happened to those kids?"

Mulder chewed on his lower lip as he stared blankly at the tent. "I don't know."

They had only stayed for forty-five minutes, searching for any sign of what tragedy had befallen the campers, but to no avail. Giving up the investigation as futile they headed back to the car. The hike back began in silence, each agent deep in thoughts of animal attacks, serial murderers and cult sacrifices. Anything that might explain what happened. The quiet was broken by a soft voice.

"Scully?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you pray?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, if God gave us free will, why pray?"

"I don't follow."

Mulder paused in his forward trek and turned, placing his hands on his hips. "People pray to God because they think that it will in some way have an effect on their lives, right? That they can ask Him for things in hopes that He will bestow their wants upon them or influence events in their lives. But if God gave us free will, then it isn't up to Him to decide our fate, but us. So, why pray at all if it doesn't matter?"

Scully stood next to her partner, tilting her head slightly to look up at him. "Why are you asking?"

A white cloud formed briefly in front of Mulder's face before it dissipated in the chill wind. "I was just looking around at the beauty and majesty of Nature and our place in it and I realized how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps people pray because they want to feel important, they want to feel like they aren't at the mercy of uncontrollable forces. God is a safety net for those who need to believe that things happen to them for a reason."

Dana pursed her pale lips, one gloved hand reaching up to push a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "I suppose that is one way to look at it. But Mulder, who's to say that things don't happen for a reason? Yes we have free will, therefore things happen because *we* make them happen."

"True, but think of all the variables. There are over five billion people on this Earth, all of them with free will, interacting with each other and making hundreds of choices every day. We can't control what other people do and so we have no real say in what happens to us that is not immediately within our own limits. It's chaos theory - a butterfly can flap its wings in the Amazon and it rains in Central Park."

A bird warbled off to their left and Scully turned her head in that direction, staring off into the pristine beauty of the forest. "No, we can't control what others do, think, or feel; we can only deal with our own reactions to them. People pray because they look to God for guidance in helping them respond to events and to help them make the right decisions. He isn't a dictator; He doesn't want to reduce us to mere automatons that follow His every word. He's a guiding hand whom we turn to for comfort in times of need and for direction when we are lost."

"How can anyone receive comfort from a deity who is blind to the pain and despair of so many lives? Who stands idly by as horrific crimes are committed every single day? I'm sorry Scully, but I can't find faith in something or someone that allows the things I've seen to happen."

"He doesn't allow it to happen Mulder. It all comes back to free will, He gave it to us because He loved us enough to trust that we would make our own choices. Some people just make the wrong choices."

"Maybe they should have prayed harder."

4:35 p.m.

It took just under two hours for them to reach the roadblock. Boulders and dirt had slid down the mountain and come to rest in a pile fifteen feet high at the apex, directly in the middle of the road. The forest hemmed in the other side and it was obviously impossible for a car to get through. Mulder pulled the vehicle around so that it was facing the open road and put on the brakes. Having regained their emotional equilibrium on the drive over, their spirits were buoyed by the hopes of finding an explanation at the mill. "We're here."

"Thank you for clearing that up," was Scully's wry response.

"C'mon, Scully, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't looking forward to this."

"Gee, I wonder why. Perhaps it's because of all the fond memories of other 'nice trips to the forest'." Dana pushed open her door and exited the car, walking around to open the trunk.

Mulder followed her, helping her pull up the back door. He removed his small backpack and slung it over his shoulder then turned to take the canteens from the larger packs. He stuffed one in his backpack then handed the other to his partner. "Well we've learned from our mistakes, haven't we?"

"You mean after man-eating ancient bugs tried to devour us in Olympic National Forest? Or after an enormous alligator sunk our boat in the Blue Ridge Mountains? Maybe after you were chased through the Siberian forest by Russian spies? Perhaps when mothmen sucked us into a pit full of bodies in Northern Florida? No wait, it was after we spent time inside a giant goo-spouting fungus in the Brown Mountain region. Then again, it could be-"

"Okay, okay, I get the point! Jeez, will you ever let me live it down? It's not like I knew we would run into so many problems." He cringed at the venomous look she was giving him. "All right! So I did have my suspicions in a lot of those cases, but that doesn't mean I expected them to turn out the way they did."

"Mm-hmm."

"And this time is going to be different."

"Mm-hmm."

"Honest!"

"Mm-hmm."

"Scully!"

She sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Mulder, sometimes I seriously worry about you. Now get your ass in gear and let's get moving."

Mulder jerked in surprise at her command and, relieved at her improved mood, mock saluted her. "Yes, Ma'am!"

They started heading east, circumventing the avalanche debris and hiking up the slope leading deeper into the forest. Their footsteps crunched in the snow and birds chirped happily as the trees closed in around them.

5:11 p.m.

The hike to the mill was uphill, bringing all talking at a halt as they saved their breath for the exertion. As they neared the top of the incline they began to hear sounds that had no business being in the middle of a national park. There was a flat voice being emitted through a loudspeaker issuing what sounded like commands. The hum of engines and the chant of many voices in unison were painfully familiar.

"I'd say that sounds more like a military base than an abandoned wood mill," Mulder remarked. Scully nodded in agreement and they crept up to the top of the rise, ducking down below the edge so as not to be seen by any of the people in the valley below. Mulder's observation had been correct - it was indeed a military base.

It was a low building with fences surrounding it, groups of men marching across the open fields in front. A helicopter was positioned off to the side, large searchlights suspended from its frame. Mulder pointed at it. "Looks like we found our UFO."

"What would the military want with the hikers?"

"It could still be the Consortium, they work with the military you know. My best guess is that, if it is the military, they are probably trying to create a superior soldier. They've been trying for years and that would explain the condition of the animals..." Mulder pulled the backpack off his shoulder and rummaged around until he withdrew a pair of binoculars. Peering through them he was able to make out the words on one of the doors. 'Biohazardous materials inside - Level 2 Decontamination Suit required'.

He handed the binoculars to Scully and pulled a camera out of his pack, using the long lens to capture as many details on film as possible. Dana, who had also noted the signs, was now scouring the rest of the camp. "No sign of the hikers, most likely inside. I don't see any way in except through the main gate and I doubt they'll let us just waltz right in."

Mulder pondered the implications for a while. "Let's stay here and see what we can; get as much information as possible before we make any decisions. There might be a way in that we can't see or they might bring the kids out. If nothing else we'll have good evidence to get a whole police force up here."

Scully accepted this as the best possible plan and scooted down in the snow, making herself as comfortable as possible, preparing herself for a long wait.

An hour passed and they had nothing more than photographs to show for their time. There was no hint as to the whereabouts of the kids, no clues into the true purpose of the compound and no indication of any other entrance. The light was fading fast, a light snow drifting down and Scully didn't want to stay out here in a blizzard at night. She nudged her partner, whose eyes were glued to the binoculars. "Mulder."

"What?"

"It's getting dark, we should go."

Prying himself from his search he turned and looked at her, then the sky, then back at her. "You're right, we should- wait a minute!" Mulder turned to his left where he had seen something move out of the corner of his eye. Squinting into the dense forest he saw it again. He put the binoculars up to his face and had to move them around a bit before he pinpointed what he had seen.

It was a troop of men in white jumpers, each one armed with machine guns. And they were heading straight for the FBI agents.

"Scully, run!" Mulder sprang to his feet, pulling his partner with him, and began sprinting back the way they had come, pine needles slapping him in the face as he crashed through branches, dodging rocks and low hanging limbs. Scully instinctively followed, not even questioning his sudden command. He glanced behind him every few seconds to make sure she was keeping up.

Suddenly bullets were flying around them, making little 'thwack' sounds as they hit trees and whizzed by the agents' bodies. Suddenly Mulder hear an "Oomph!" behind him and turned his head just in time to see his partner fall. "Scully!" he cried, skidding to a halt in the muddy snow. He whirled around and ran back to where she was pulling herself out of a pile of snow. Mulder grabbed her arms and hauled her up, frantically asking, "Are you all right?"

She nodded, breathlessly adding, "Snow drift." Then they were off again, Mulder holding tightly to Scully's hand, pulling her after him at a breakneck pace. He heard several more 'thwacks' to his right and a sharp pain in his side made him stumble slightly. He ignored the fire quickly spreading across his abdomen and continued down the path they had just made a little over an hour and a half ago. He could see the car, its blue shell standing out starkly against the whitened wilderness. "Almost there!" he shouted over his shoulder.

The second he reached the vehicle he pulled open the driver's side door, thanking his foresight in leaving it unlocked, and threw Scully inside. She scrambled across the gearshift to settle into the passenger seat. The 'thwacks' became 'pings' as bullets peppered the car, shattering the back left window. The second Mulder closed the door behind him he started the engine and yanked the shift to four wheel drive. He slammed his foot on the gas pedal and prayed that the snow chains would work. For a few terrifying moments the wheels spun ineffectually, but just as the white clad figures appeared out of the trees the car lurched forward down the slippery road.

They sped through the forest, windshield wipers at full blast as the snowfall thickened, Mulder calling upon every ounce of strength he had to control the vehicle. They almost skid right off the road around one corner only to have Mulder pull them back with a sharp wrench of the steering wheel. He was starting to believe they'd lost their pursuers when the sound of a helicopter roared overhead. "Damn it!" He hit the steering wheel with an open palm. "We're not going to lose them like this, we need to turn off the headlights!" he shouted over the noise.

"We're on the main road, they'll be able to follow us no matter what!" Scully returned as her partner flicked off the beams of light, using the last few remnants of daylight filtering through the clouds to drive by.

Mulder's mouth set in a grim line as he stared at the ever-increasing snowfall in front of them. All of a sudden an idea sprang into his mind. "Wasn't there a maintenance road up here somewhere? The trees overhang and the chopper wouldn't see us!" He yanked the wheel back to the right to avoid a fallen tree. More bullets rained down on them, kicking up sprays of snow and a few decorating the hood with small holes. It was hard to see without the headlights but he could just make out the edge of the forest, keeping them on the road - barely. He was so concentrated on staying on the main road that he almost missed the turn off onto the maintenance road. Scully hadn't though.

"Mulder! There!" She pointed to the dark opening in the trees that constituted the entrance to their escape route. Mulder braked, desperately pulling the wheel left to make the sharp turn. The back of the car slammed into a thick tree trunk, fishtailing the vehicle slightly but not enough to send them off course. Mulder slowed a bit, carefully navigating through the dark tunnel of trees, not willing to turn on the headlights for even a second. They could still see the helicopter circling above, its searchlight flicking back and forth over the main road.

Mulder continued, wanting to get as far away from the men in white as possible. It was getting harder to concentrate though, the ache in his side was growing, persistently sending shooting pains across his stomach, back and up his chest. His eyes were becoming heavy, sounds were muffled and breathing was starting to become a chore. But he kept his foot on the pedal, putting as much distance between them and the soldiers as he possibly could.

Scully wiped the fogged window beside her and peered into the darkening sky. The light from the chopper was nothing but a tiny pinpoint, the only sounds left were her own heavy breathing and the grumble of the car's engine. She looked back at her partner, her eyes wide with appreciation at his skilled driving and their luck at losing the helicopter. His eyes however were at half-mast, almost struggling to stay open. His breaths were coming in shallow gasps, sweat beading his forehead. He blinked several times, his jaw clenched tight, and his body leaning forward.

"Mulder? What's wrong?" The clouds had consumed all the light and she could barely see his face anymore.

She could hear him swallow before answering. "I... I think I-" he was cut off as the car jerked suddenly, the wheels sliding on a bad patch of ice, throwing Scully against her seat belt. "Hold on!" Mulder shouted as he fought with the steering. They continued to slide, the back end swiveling around so that they were moving sideways at a frightening speed. The car slammed into a pile of boulders, glancing off them right before crashing into the trees, crushing the hood.

The forest was silent now, as if Mother Nature was holding her breath. Dana broke the silence by whispering a heartfelt "Thank God." She quickly checked herself for injuries, and, finding none, turned to her partner. His head lolled towards her, his eyes glowing in the dim light. "You okay?" he asked hoarsely.

"Yeah. You?"

"I think so." He tried to shift in his seat so that he could face her fully but the movement seemed to make his side explode in agony. He groaned and arrested his movement, waiting impatiently for the pain to recede.

Scully was frantic with worry, her heart constricting in her chest at the sound of her partner's suffering. "Mulder? What's wrong?"

"I think one of the bullets might have grazed me," he confessed.

"What? Where?" She reached out blindly, finding his hand in the darkness. "Show me."

He took her hand and guided it to his side, shuddering involuntarily when he pressed her palm to the source of pain. She could feel something thick and warm ooze between her fingers, soaking the jacket underneath her hand. "Jesus," she mumbled. "You call that a graze?"

"You don't think so?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"I won't know unless I can look at it. Lie back," she ordered. Now that her eyes had become accustomed to the night she could see Mulder more clearly, his features painted a pale gray by the bit of moonlight peering through the clouds. He reclined his seat and began unbuttoning his coat, the fabric rustling noisily. He gasped as she peeled the underlying sweater and wet shirt back to reveal a dark patch on his skin. Pursing her lips at the thought of such unsterile methods, she grabbed the Kleenex box from the back seat and dabbed at the area.

Clearing away enough of the blood, she saw a small, yet ragged, hole about an inch below his last rib. This was *not* a graze. She had to check for an exit wound. "Mulder, I need you to sit up for me now, okay?"

He nodded, complying slowly, hoping it would be less painful that way. No such luck. Dana lifted up the layers of clothes on his back, finding a twin to the hole on his front. "All right, I'm done." Mulder sighed gratefully and sank back into the seat.

He looked at her troubled face. "So?"

"It went through, which is a relief. The cold should keep the bleeding to a minimum but I want you to move as little as possible." It had gone through on his left side, maybe hitting his spleen if he was unlucky but more likely cutting through some intestines if nothing else. At least there were no major organs hit and she thanked God for small miracles. He had to get to a hospital soon, there was no telling what kind of internal damage the bullet had done. However, it didn't look to her like there was any possibility of that in the near future. The car was useless and the soldiers could still be out there.

"We'll have to wait until daylight," Mulder said, as though reading Scully's thoughts. "Too dangerous to hike at night."

Not to mention the fact that he was probably too injured to hike. Dana bit her lip in fear. This was a nightmare. She and her injured partner were stranded in the middle of the wilderness with a military special ops unit after them, no help for miles around, cell phones were useless, and where temperatures dropped below zero at night. There was no way. Absolutely no fucking way.

Despair threatened to overwhelm her but suddenly Mulder's hand squeezed hers. "We'll make it. Rest tonight and set out in the morning."

Scully smiled, thanking him silently for bringing her hope, however faint it was. She managed to push away all the obstacles facing them in the future and focused on the here and now. First thing first - get Mulder warm. He was due for a heavy case of shock and the snow outside continued to fall. "At least the snow should keep the helicopter out of commission for a while."

"It didn't seem to stop it earlier," Mulder commented wryly. "Must be one of those unmarked helicopters - they can fly in any weather."

"Great. Reverse engineered from UFOs, I'm sure." Scully smiled back at him. Then she climbed into the back seat and rummaged around in the trunk area, hefting her backpack over the seat. She untied the sleeping bag and tossed it up front before removing the metal rods that kept the pack stable. She unzipped the largest compartment and removed all the clothing that she felt might come in handy over the next day, praying that twenty-four hours was all that she need plan for. Next she wadded up the backpack and shoved it into the gaping hole that was once the left window, ignoring the sharpness of shattered glass beneath her knees, making sure that no cold air was leaking in around the edges of her makeshift insulation.

She returned to her seat and unrolled the sleeping bag she had deposited a minute ago, scrunching it up slightly so that there was enough room to completely unfold it. She unzipped it all the way around, creating a very large flannel blanket. She laid it over Mulder, whose teeth had begun to chatter loudly.

"I th-think now would be a g-good time to test that n-naked person in a sleeping b-bag theory," Mulder said, a tiny gleam in his eye.

To his surprise Scully paused and thought it over. "Actually, I think you may be right."

He was so shocked that he couldn't even come up with a witty reply.