What Evil Lurks

CHAPTER TWO

Mulder watched Krycek through his lashes and waited for the cell door to clang shut. When the loud bang sounded, he bolted from his cot and crept up on the cowering man.

The assassin had been taken out three times now. And he always came back in a state of major confusion.

"Krycek?"

The younger man glanced up, beaming. "I know you..."

Whoa, now that was a surprise. Mulder's lips quirked in a half smile. "Yeah?"

Krycek nodded eagerly. "You're Spooky Mulder. I'm supposed to be assigned to you."

Mulder took a moment to process that, more than a little fed up with the forward fast, rewind back phasing that seemed to be the current norm for his beloved enemy and sometimes confidant. "Assigned....?" he asked, pulling his attention back to the switch in what he had come to think of as ?Krycek time?.

The younger man nodded shyly, hero worship shining in his green eyes. "You got the orders, right? We're really gonna work together?"

"Yeah." Hiding his disappointment, Mulder hunched down next to the other man. At least he'd gotten to this point.
"Yeah, you and me, kid. You and me."

Krycek grinned. "I can't tell you how excited I am. You were my inspiration for joining the FBI."

Mulder suppressed his irritated frown. "Really?"

"Well sure. They say you don't follow the book. You get results and you break the rules. I love it."

A brow lifted. Well that was different. "You don't like following the rules?"

Krycek shrugged. "I like getting results."

"Is that right?"

Krycek nodded eagerly, casting a curious look around. "Ah ...Mulder?"

Mulder tilted his head, staring curiously at the deformed arm. It had grown, filling half the sleeve this time. "Hmmmmm?"

"Mulder, this isn't your office.....Is it?"

Mulder sighed, looking around the cell. "This? Nope. Although now I've been here so damn long, well, I guess you might say..."

"Mulder, I..." A note of tension crept into Krycek's voice . "I don't know why, but...."

Mulder held up a hand. "Let me look at your arm, Alex."

The younger man blanched. "My....arm?"

"Yeah. It's bleeding again. I want to take a look."

"No....." Krycek bolted to his feet, cradling the deformed limb close. "I...I mean...Its fine."

"Every time they bring you back it's grown some. Each time its bleeding. I know it hurts you. Why won't you let me see?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about." Krycek said, becoming agitated. "I've never laid eyes on you before. Just heard the rumors. The stories made you out to be a marvel. A legend. I wanted to see the man behind...."

"You know what, Krycek? I'm really getting tired of playing this game with you. Now I think you should answer some questions for me."

"Questions...?" Krycek stammered.

Mulder nodded. "Like... why are you pretending you don't know me?" he snarled. "Why pretend you don't remember killing my father. Scully's sister. Infecting Skinner."

Krycek lost the last color in his face, backing away. "You're crazy. I haven't killed anyone."

"What happens when they take you out of here, Krycek?" Mulder demanded, advancing on the other man. "What mindgames are you playing with me this time?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, Kry-rat," Mulder closed the distance between them. "You'd love me to buy into that, wouldn't you? Spooky Mulder will find an explanation for anything, right?" He grabbed Krycek's arms in a talon grip and slammed the man against the wall. "What's the game this time, Krycek?"

Krycek cried out as his head struck the hard wall.

Mulder got his hands around the other man's neck, rage spitting from his dark eyes. "I'm going to kill you, Kry-rat." His fingers tightened.

Krycek whimpered softly, clawing at the biting fingers without much enthusiasm.

"I'm going to rip your cock and balls off your body and feed them to you," Mulder rasped in the other man's ears. "I'm going to tear your beating heart out of your chest with my bare hands and stomp on it while you watch," he growled.

Krycek's fingers loosened in stages, his breath stuttering in his throat. Dying.

And the world rocked under Mulder's feet. Muscles jerked as the electric pulse flooded him, throwing him back against the wall forcefully. Stars dazzled his vision, but not enough to make him miss the robed and hooded form bending down over a stunned Krycek.

The figure reached out a slender hand and brushed back Krycek's dirty blonde hair. "He lives." She said over her shoulder. "Alex, my precious one. Can you hear me? Can you speak?"

Breath rattled in the emotionally charged room. "Lady..." Krycek's trembling hand reached, fell. "He...Please, my guardian..I want....Joshua....Please, Lady..."

The woman smoothed his cheek. "He is coming, precious."

Mulder shifted, getting his feet under him.

"Don't..." The woman snarled, turning to face the older man
"Don't you move, Fox."

Mulder's gaze meshed with the furious one and was rocked to his soul. "Sam?" A slow smile spread over his face and he coiled, getting his feet under him.

"If he moves," Samantha hissed an order at the two hulking men with her. "Terminate him."

Mulder blanched. "Sam..."

"So, this is how you treat a child I place in your charge."

Mulder's shocked gaze rocketed toward the large dark skinned man who strode into the cell.

"Milord," Sam drew his attention. "Our precious child is...injured."

"Child...?" Mulder's head spun under that one. "Krycek....?"

"He will survive?"

"In body," Samantha said. "But his mind....is delicate, Joshua."

Joshua hunkered down beside Krycek and enfolded his good hand in both of his.

"Lord..." Krycek murmured. "He hurt me."

"I know child. He will be punished."

"No, Lord...My fault...Punish me..."

Mulder stared at the scene acted out before him and wondered if he was losing his grasp on his sanity.

Joshua patted the pale hand. "Don't fret your mind, child. Trust me. I know what is best for you."

"But..." Krycek bit his lip, nodding. "Yes, Lord."

Smiling, Joshua gained his feet and directed a cold stare at the two guards. "Take the child to regression. I don?t want this...episode to surface. Take him back to eighteen, I think."

One of the guards stepped forward gathering Krycek in tender arms.

Krycek cast a quick glance toward Mulder. "I am sorry I displeased you."

Mulder watched, stunned as the other man was carried from the room. "What are you going to do to him?"

Joshua closed on the agent, dragging him to his feet. "You have no right to ask." He flung Mulder onto the cot. "You will not attack your companion again. Do you understand?"

"I don't understand anything? I..."

"The child has begged for you this time. His plea amuses me, so I'm feeling generous. But the next time you violate the mandates, even the child's plea will not save you."

"That man isn't Krycek?" Mulder asked softly.

"Of course he is...." Samantha said. "Or he was."

"Was.." Mulder glared at the woman who was and was not the child he had sought for so many years. "You said something about.. regression...."

Samantha nodded. "It was best for him."

"Best...?"

"He knows.." Joshua smiled grimly. "Knew too much about us. The choices for him were termination or regression. It suited my mood to claim a child."

"Jeez..." Mulder whispered. "What kind of man are you?"

Joshua's lip curled. "An inhuman man." He strode back to the door and waved. "Bring the others in." He turned back toward Mulder. "I think it would be best if you had more of your...kind here to monitor your behavior before my ward is returned here."

Two men were thrust into the room.

The sandy haired man moved with quiet dignity even when a hard hand shoved him the last few steps into the middle of the room. The dark haired man was ushered in uttering a storm of angry words.

"You three are welcome to kill each other." Joshua proclaimed. "But you will treat the child with respect. Any violation of this will result in the instant termination of," His black gaze fell heavily on Mulder and he smiled a wolf's smile. "One of your number."

It didn't take much thought for Mulder to figure out just who he meant by one.

Joshua saw the understanding in his eyes and nodded as he offered his arm to Samantha. She gifted him with a loving smile, he hand resting lightly on the offered arm, and together they swept from the room with the guards taking up the rear.

TBC