California Case File

Title: California Case File - Part 3/4 (Chapters 13 - 18)
Author: Margie
Rating: R (mostly for violence and/or graphic descriptions of corpses
and things)
Pairing: MST, ST, M/Sc/Sk friendship

Summary: Mulder and Scully are loaned to ISU to help profile and
catch a serial killer in Santa Barbara, CA.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. 1013, Fox and Chris Carter have
carte blanche on all. (Except maybe Jon Engle)
Feedback: Yes please! margaritagomez1@msn.com
Archive: If you want it just email me to tell me where it's going. It will
eventually be on my own website when I get the chance to update
(www.angelfire.com/indie/margarks/index.html)

Author's Note: ** Warning ** If you don't like descriptions of serial
murders and the affects they have on family members left behind
don't read this fic. Otherwise, enjoy.

Beta: Thanks to Fran!! My wonderful Beta. This story wouldn't have
been anywhere near as well written without your insightful character
and storyline comments, and your wonderful grammar skills!

***

Ch. 13

Sheriff’s Department
Santa Barbara, CA
January 5, 2003 10:53 PM PST

Agent Engle’s eyes swept the room. He was just returning from a
food run, since no one had remembered dinner until about 30 minutes
ago. He was laden down with copious bags of burgers, fries, and
drinks from the nearby In & Out. Despite the circumstances, he
smiled slightly. He would at least try to get to eat at all his local
favorites while he was in town.

It looked as if A.D. Skinner had not yet returned from the motel. He
had left about the same time as Jon to go take a quick shower and
change, since it looked like they might all be in for the night.

He found Agents Mulder and Scully in the war room. Both heads
were bent in study over the various faxes that littered the table.
Neither acknowledged his presence.

He examined them for a moment. He hadn’t really spoken to Mulder
since the morning of the accident. He didn’t really know what to say.
After his talk with A.D. Skinner, he just wanted to forget the whole
thing.

So far, Mulder was proving to be as brilliant as his solve rate
indicated. They were close, and Jon wasn’t anywhere near arrogant
enough to believe that they would be here without Mulder.

And really, it didn’t bother him one way or the other. He’d been
embarrassed at the situation as, he thought, anyone would be.
Whether Mulder and Scully were more than just partners was none of
his business. At least that’s what the A.D. had told him.

Anyway, it wasn’t like it was interfering with tase.ase.

“I’ve brought burgers,” Engle announced, taking a seat.

Scully looked up at Mulder’s grunt of acknowledgment. She was
already reaching into the bags to find her stash of the fries. “Mulder,
you do know that you have to do more than just grunt at the food,
don’t you?”

He acknowledged her quirked eyebrow by taking a fry and stuffing it
in his mouth before returning his gaze to the invoices spread before
him. He’d found that taking a few quick bites was easier than arguing
with her.

The invoices were for several of the video games and equipment
found at each murder site. He was hoping to find a link between
them. But they were still waiting on the trace from the games found at
the Lassiter and Jackson homes.

Scully unwrapped the first burger she pulled out and pushed it toward
Mulder. “You might as well eat, Mulder. We’re still waiting on the rest
of the data.” She was already biting into her own.

“Scully, it’s here. I can feel it.” He shuffled the papers, trying to make
a connection.

“Do you mind if I take ak?” k?” Jon asked, wiping his greasy hands
on a crumpled napkin. Mulder quirked an eyebrow at him. “Fresh
eyes?” Jon offered.

Shoving the faxes toward Engle, Mulder shrugged. He took another
fry, ignoring the unwrapped burger.

Scully pursed her lips in resignation. Well, at least he was eating
something.

“Agents,” Skinner greeted them.

“Sir. There’s an extra burger in the last bag there,” Agent Engle
gestured.

“Thank you, Agent.” He took his seat next to Scully, facing Mulder.
“Where are we?”

“Well, sir, we’re checking on employees who might fit the profile at
most of the local electronic stores. Best Buy, Circuit City. It’s
important to check any possibles, but I doubt our UNSUB will be from
one of the larger chains.” Mulder had already gone over this with
Scully, but he understood why she insisted that they check all
possible leads. “He’s a solitary person. His low self-esteem didn’t
allow him to develop any lasting healthy relationships growing up.
He’s much more comfortable alone or with a small group, though if
pushed, he can handle larger crowds for short periods of time.”

Skinner took a bite of his burger and handful of fries before
responding. “What about the invoices? Any leads yet?”

“We’re still waiting on the last fax from the lab. They haven’t finished
tracing the items at the Lassiter and Jackson homes. We should be
receiving it within the hour.” Sc’s t’s tongue peeked out to dab at the
mustard at the corner of her mouth.

Mulder’s eyes flicked up to catch the scene. He blinked once slowly.
‘Believe it or not I’m walking on air…’

“We’ve been through the invoices we already have, but we haven’t
been able to find any links. We’re hoping that the last fax will yield
something more substantial.” This time he took a handful of fries and
popped them into his mouth.

“Sir?” Jon ventured.

Three pairs of eyes swiveled to meet his. “I think I’ve found
something.” He turned the pages so that they were facing the other
three occupants of the room.

“These two stores here are the same. Well, I mean, they’re owned by
the same person. At least they were about 9 years ago when I was
still in school here.” He was pointing to two different invoices.

“Software City and Electric Ave?” Scully queried.

“Yes. They’re not stores exactly. You know those carts in the mall?”
He paused for their nods of understanding. “That’s what they are.
This guy owns like 5 or 6 of them. At least he used to. I had to take
an Econ course to graduate so I took one that focused on local area
businesses. This guy was on the syllabus. I never actually met him.
He wasn’t one of the ones that guest lectured. But I remember
reading about it because I used to buy all of my PC games at
Software City.”

“Yo sur sure?” Mulder was already reaching for the stack of papers.

“Yeah. I don’t remember the names of all his carts, but we can
probably get them from the chamber of commerce. He was a
member, at least back then.”

“But Mulder, if he’s the owner, that means that he wouldn’t have been
on site. How would he have met the kids?” Scully debated.

“Oh, he’s not on site, usually. But he used to go to each site once a
month or so. My prof. said that’s why he was such a good
businessman. He didn’t lose sight of his customers' and employees’
needs because he made sure to keep in touch with it all,” Jon
answered.

“Well, we should at least wait on the last of the invoices. We need to
make sure he can be linked to all five families.” Scully insisted.

“You’re right, Agent Scully. But we can at least look into the suspect
in question. We need to know what and where his other locns ns
are.” Skinner began organizing tasks.

“It’s him, Scully.” Mulder’s eyes peered calm and clear into hers,
before turning toward Engle. “What’s his name?”

“I remember it because I thought it was unusual. His first name was
just an initial.” Jon’s brow furrowed in thought. “J. His name was J
Charles Addison.”

***

Addison Home
Montecito, CA
January 5, 2003 11:27 PM PST

At the sound of the soft knock, Elizabeth Parker Addison opened her
front door. She had been on her way down to the kitchen to heat up
a glass of warm milk when the rap had caught her attention.

She took a quick peek through the peephole before taking the chain
off the door, her irritation evident. She hadn’t seen him in at least 6
months. Maybe he was finally here to drop off her alimony check.

“JC?” Her frown let him know what she thought of the late hour.

“Liz.” He stepped into the foyer without invitation. “Jason needs
you.”

She was unconscious before his statement could fully penetrate her
tired haze.

Ch. 14

Addison Family Home
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 7:20 AM PST

Liz’s eyes fluttered open. There was a dull throbbing in her head and
she felt groggier than her usual morning wakefulness. When she
tried to sit up her head began to spin, so she quickly lay back down.

She opened her eyes to stare at an unfamiliar ceiling. She turned her
head and took in the rest of the room. It was fairly sparse. The bed,
a desk, and a small night table were the only furniture. There was an
alarm clock on the night stand indicating that it wasn’t even 8 AM yet.

Slowly, the events of last night came back into focus. She had been
heading down for a drink when JC had shown up at her door. The
last thing she remembered was letting him into the house.

“Oh, my god.” The words were whispered in shock. With sudden
clarity, she remembered the last words JC had spoken. “He’s crazy.”

Her head swiveled to the door as it swung open.

“Good morning, dear.” JC smiled wide when he saw his wife was
ready to start the day.

***

Addison Home
Montecito, CA
January 6, 2003 8:12 AM PST

Scully watched as Mulder circled the living room. She noticed his
hands were shaking slightly as he rubbed his jaw in concentration,
the stubble on his face leaving his skin red with irritation.

He was tired, but they were all tired. They’d been up all night tracing
the victim families back to Addison. They’d finally located his ex-wife,
one Elizabeth Addison, only to find thhey hey had been too late.

Though there was no sign of forced entry, the front door had been
unlocked and there had been no sign of the former Mrs. Addison.
Her boss confirmed that she had been at work on Friday, January 3rd.
Her abduction must to have occurred sometime after 5:30 PM that
day.

Mulder doubted that the kidnapping had taken place before Sunday.
Addison had only taken Mark on the 2nd and he would have needed a
few days to settle in his new ‘son’, and plan his wife’s abduction.

Scully knew that Mulder would be taking on his requisite burden of
guilt for Elizabeth Addison’s abduction. She’d watched him become
increasingly agitated since arriving at the site.

“Too late.” Mulder mumbled, sitting in an overstuffed armchair, hands
rubbing at his scalp and face.

Scully moved to sit on the matching ottoman, her hands reaching out
to grab his. She pulled them away from their self-castigating mission
to cup them between her palms.

“Mulder?” she called to him softly. One hand stole out to brush a
stray lock from his forehead. She could spend the next day trying to
convince him he wasn’t to blame, but it would do no good. “We don’t
have time for this. Elizabeth Addison doesn’t have time for this."

His eyes remained downcast. Scully reached up to cup his cheek
with her palm. "Mark Jackson doesn't have time for this.”

He pulled away from her, visibly strengthening his resolve. She
watched him, admiring the power and strength he exuded. When he
was able to focus his concentration, he was amazing.

His eyes took on an intense glare as he once again stood, studying
the room around them. He found himself at the fireplace mantle. A
collection of pictures in colorful frames decorated its surface.

“Scully?” She stood to join him. “What do you see?”

“I’m assuming that’s Jason Addison.” She indicated the photo
montage.

“Look at this one.” It was a picture of the young boy, his body half
td asd as he waved to the camera, a bright red backpack on his
shoulders. “See there?” Mulder pointed to a section just above
Jason’s shirt collar.

Scully leaned in and squinted her eyes. “What is it, Mulder?”

“The shoelace, Scully.” He pointed again. “See the strand there? He
must have worn the house key around his neck to keep from losing
it.”

“I guess Addison thinks it’s poetic justice to use it as the murder
weapon?”

“It probably started out that way. Now it’s just become another
obsession. The murder isn’t complete without it.” Mulder continued
to study the photograph.

“The other victims. He must have noticed the children during the
original purchases. I’m sure that some of the children must have
visited the mall on their own, after school most likely. I bet if we ask,
the children will all tell us that they also wore their keys for safe
keeping. It’s a pretty common practice.”

“Well, at least now we know how he’s been picking his victims.”
Scully offered.

“Yeah. A lot of good that did Elizabeth – “ Mulder was interrupted by
a chirp from his breast pocket. “Mulder.”

“Agent, we’ve gotten Addison’s current address.”

“We’ll be there in ten minutes, sir.”

***

Addison Family Home
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 10:13 AM PST

"Shhh. Don't worry, honey." Elizabeth cradled the small child to her,
rocking back and forth on the bed.

"I want my mommy!" Mark cried, hugging Elizabeth's waist.

"I know, sweetie. I know." She kissed the top of his head as she tried
to soothe him. "You'll be back with her soon. I promise."

Shortly after JC had entered her room this morning, he'd told her that
Jason had been very upset that she had left. He said that Jason had
been asking for his mommy. When he came back about an hour later
with breakfast, he had brought 'Jason' with him.

She'd soon found out that the poor boy's name was Mark. He didn't
know how long he'd been , ju, just that JC had woken him up one
night and carried him out of his home. He didn't know where his
mommy and daddy were.

From the second she had awakened this morning, it was clear to her
that JC had gone mad. The reality of Jason's death was no longer a
part of JC's world. Although he hadn't shown any violence since her
initial kidnapping, she only halfheartedly believed her promises to
reunite Mark with his parents.

God, what were they going to do?

Mark's sobs were slowly quieting as she continued to hold him close.
The door swung open as JC strode in.

He was smiling at the picture his wife and son made. "See, I told you
he'd feel better once he saw you!" He beamed at them both.

Ch. 15

Sheriff's Department
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 11:51 AM PST

Scully pressed the pads of her fingers to her temple, trying
unsuccessfully to rub away her hche.che. They were once again in
the war room, going over the most likely prospects for Addison's
hideout. The list was narrowed down to two likely properties.

One had been the first home that the Addisons had bought together;
a typical two bedroom starter home they'd purchased in the early
90's. When Addison's business began to grow, they bought a larger
home in the more luxurious area of Montecito. That was Elizabeth
Addison's current residence. Instead of selling their first home, they
decided to rent it out. During the divorce, JC had taken possession of
the property.

Their second possibility was an old house originally owned by JC's
father. The senior Addison had passed away a little over two years
ago, leaving the old cottage home to his son. Both properties were in
Santa Barbara, although there are about 25 - 30 minutes apart.

Mulder was trying to determine whether one was a more likely choice
than the other when Jon re-entered the room. He watched as Engle
took a seat next to Scully, handing her a glass of water and a small
bottle of aspirin. He scowled at Scully's brief grin and silent thank
you.

Scully caught a flash of Mulder's expression before he schooled his
features. She threw him an inquiring look but was ignored.

Mulder cleared his throat. "Okay, now that everyone's here…" He
gave Engle a pointed look.

Jon had also caught Mulder's expression, and so ignored the implied
jibe. Maybe he was a rookie profiler, but even he could see the
hostility the other agent was trying to suppress.

"Get on with it, Mulder." Skinner prompted.

Mulder managed to look slightly chastened. "Either property could be
it. We should keep a team on JC's home, but I doubt he'll go back
there. He's with his family now. They're going to stay together in
whatever home he deems theirs, until one of two things happens."
The cadence of Mulder's voice was losing inflection. "There can only
be two outcomes. We catch him. Or eventually Elizabeth and Mark
do something 'wrong' and he kills them."

Skinner suppressed a shudder. He couldn't quite understand how
Mulder could describe the killer's thoughts and actions in such a dull,
emotionless way. He glanced to his left to see a small frown marring
Scully's features, her eyes fixed on her partner.

"Mulder?" Scully ventured. Mulder remained silent. His eyes focused
on the conference room table.

She took a furtive glance at Skinner and Jon before reaching out. To
Skinner's astonishment she placed her hand atop Mulder's and
leaned in to once more murmur his name. "Mulder?"

Jon watched the scene with interest. He hadn't yet been able to
observe Skinner's reaction to Mulder and Scully's 'partnership' anwas was curious to see his response.

Scully's face was flaming red. She knew both Skinner and Engle
were watching her and that her behavior was not only abnormal but
unprofessional as well. She cringed inwardly, but kept her outward
appearance calm, save for the blush.

Under normal circumstances, she would never touch Mulder so
openly or intimately, especially in the company of other agents. But
while he was profiling she knew that sometimes only human contact
could bring him out of wherever his brilliant mind would take him.

Jon watched Skinner from the corner of his eye. He didn't appear to
be affected by the display in front of them. His facial expression had
not changed and he made no comment.

Skinner was studying the interplay between his agents. Mulder still
remained silent. He could tell that Scully was embarrassed at the
situation, yet she continued to hold Mulder's hand. He watched as
her other hand came up to rest below Mulder's chin. She tipped his
head until his eyes were facing her own and called his name once
again.

Mulder's eyes cleared and he shook his head slightly. As soon as
Mulder revived, Scully pulled her hands back, the blush in her cheeks
slowly dissipating. Oblivious, Mulder continued as if he had never
paused. "We need to split up. We should hit both houses together.
We don't have time to go to one then the other. We don't know how
much time Mark and Elizabeth have left."

Mulder turned toward Scully, looking for her reaction to his plan. It
was then that he noticed the color in her cheeks. She wasn't looking
at him, but instead took one or two quick peeks at Engle from below
her lashes. Mulder's mood darkened.

Scully cursed her fair coloring. She knew all three wer were able to
see the bright blush still staining her cheeks. Skinner was one thing.
He had a vague idea of Mulder's state of mind during these kinds of
cases. He had even told her about Mulder's lapse at the Jackson
home and the subsequent slap. Scully thought that he would at least
understand the situation.

But she was worried that Agent Engle would wonder at their
familiarity. She was relieved to see that he wasn't exhibiting any
outward reaction. At the sound of Skinner's voice, she raised her
gaze to meet his.

"Okay, then. Engle, you're with me. Mulder, Scully, you take the
father's home, and we'll take the starter home."

Ch. 16

Addison Family Home
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 12:11 PM PST

Mark had quieted down as Elizabeth continued to whisper words of
comfort. Her eyes wandered around the room, hoping for some form
of escape, or at least a weapon of some kind.

There were no windond tnd the only exit was through the main door.
If they were going to get out, she had to overpower JC, but she wasn't
sure she would be able to. He wasn't much taller than she, but he
had a larger frame. And she hadn't exactly been making all of her
aerobics classes in the last few weeks.

She needed a weapon.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much in the room. She'd already
searched the drawer of the small nightstand, but found nothing. It
looked like the only useful things in the room might be the small table
lamp, or even the alarm clock. If nothing else, she could use it as a
projectile.

Her main concern would be getting both her and Mark out together...if
she even had a chance at all.

"Good afternoon." The door swung open to reveal the smiling face of
her ex-husband.

"JC." Elizabeth gave him a tentative smile back. One thing she had
already learned within the past twenty-four hours was that if she
wanted to survive, she needed to play along.

"Honey." He pecked her on the cheek.

She hid her grimace from him.

"How is Jason doing? Feeling better?" He placed his hand on the
small of Mark's back in a comforting gesture.

Mark cringed and pulled away. Elizabeth saw JC's features darken.
Her arms unconsciously tightened around the child.

"He's just tired, JC. " She tried to reassure him. "He should probably
take a nap."

JC's mood lightened at the suggestion. "You're right. He still hasn't
fully recovered from the accident." JC fingered Mark's cast as he
spoke. "It's a good thing you were home to take him to the hospital."

"Yes, " Elizabeth answered softly. She held back the hysterical sob
that threatened. She knew JC blamed her for Jason's death. A small
part of her felt the same. She wasn't going to have another child's
death on her conscience. Her grip tightened, causing Mark to
whimper softly.

She loosened her hold, but JC had heard the small child's response.

"Why is he still so upset?" JC's brow furrowed. "Why doesn't he stop
crying?"

"He has stopped, JC, " Elizabeth reasoned. But at the sound of
anger in JC's voice, Mark's breath had started hitching once again.

"Jason! You're a big boy now. The accident was days ago. Don't be
such a sissy, " JC admonished him.

Mark jumped out of Elizabeth's lap. He stood facing JC, his face
scrunched up in a stubborn scowl. His cheeks were still wet from
tears of fear and anger.

"My name's not Jason!!!" he screamed.

Mark went down hard at the smack to his face. He lay whimpering on
the floor, Elizabeth kneeling beside him, trying to cover his slim form
with her own. She looked up at the man she once thought she loved.

"Please. He's just tired. I'll take care of him, "she whispered.

"You'd better teach him not to talk back to me. Jason would never - "
He paused, then shook his head. "Jason should never talk back to
me."

***

Sheriff's Department
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 12:32 PM PST

Mulder was shrugging on his vest when he spied Skinner. He
handed the A.D. a vest of his own. "Sir."

"Mulder." Skinner returned his agent's greeting. Mulder had a
faraway look in his eye, and Skinner wondered about its origin.

Both teams were readying themselves to soon leave for their
operations. Mulder had spent the morning in the war room, trying to
add more detail to his profile. The more informed they were, the
better they would be able to handle Addison's reactions upon being
found. His agent was probably still dwelling on the unknowns of the
case.

As he donned his own vest, he studied Mulder. It looked like had lost
some weight since the start of the case; alarmingly, Skinner realized
that was only eight days ago. He obviously hadn't shaved this
morning, or even yesterday. Skinner wondered if he'd remembered
to eat in the past twenty-four hours.

As he watched, he noticed Mulder's periodic sweeping of the room,
his eyes constantly settling on the same location. Following his line
of sight, Skinner sighed.

Across the room, the A.D. watched as Engle and Scully checked their
weapons. They were too far away for him to hear their conversation,
but he assumed that they were discussing the case, although the
chuckle from Engle had him doubting his presumption.

Mulder's features were an impassive mask when Skinner turned to
regard him. Mulder's vest now secure, he pulled his weapon from its
holster.

"We leave at 1300 hours, Mulder. We'll be able to keep in constant
communication through the radio ear pieces."

"Yes, sir. Remember that he's extremely unstable. He's probably
deteriorating fast. Everything that Elizabeth and Mark do that doesn't
fit into his fantasy family will cause him to become even more
volatile." Mulder's eyes were still sweeping the room as he outlined
his cautions to Skinner.

"Yes, Mulder, we've already discussed this. We'll all take the proper
precautions. That's why none of us are going without backup."

"I know, sir. I'm just not sure what he'll do once we find him." Mulder
scrubbed at his jaw. "As I told everyone in the war room, he's
probably not expecting us. He doesn't actually realize what he's done
is wrong. He's already incorporated Mark and Elizabeth into the
fantasy and actually believes that they are his family. " Mulder re-
holstered his gun, checking to make sure the extra clips were secured
on his vest before he continued. "Somewhere in the back of his mind
he knows that he's killed, and that there will be repercussions. But at
the same time, he's living in a paradox, because now that he has his
family back, he's thrown himself into the time before Jason died,
before he'd killed anyone."

The agent's brow furrowed, reasoning out the logic. "It will be almost
like he's two different people. That will increase the likelihood of a
breakdown. The present and the past will be clashing in his head and
soon he won't be able to keep them straight anymore. All I know for
sure is that he'll be confused. He won't understand what we're doing
there. But he will defend his fantasy. He's finally got his son and the
woman he loves. He won't give them up easily."

Mulder's voice had quieted at the end of his speech. Skinner once
again followed his line of sight to find Scully standing by herself, a cup
of coffee in her hand.

Skinner watched his agent for a few moments. Mulder was obviously
distracted and not surprisingly, by his partner. Yet he was still able to
focus enough on the case to re-emphasize his earlier warnings.

"How are you feeling, Agent Mulder?" He broke the silence.

"Fine, sir." The answer was clipped.

"Don't worry, Mulder, " he reassured the agent. "I'm not about to
take you off the case or ban you from this operation."

"Thank you, sir." Mulder nodded. "But I am actually feeling much
better. If I weren't, it wouldn't be you that I'd be worried about."
Mulder smirked as he glanced toward his partner.

Skinner chuckled. "Well, I'm glad that there's someone you actually
take orders from."

"I don’t think she would agree with you, sir." He sighed.

They were quiet for a moment.

"Come on, Agent." He slapped Mulder on the shoulder. "Let's get
some coffee."

Ch. 17

Scully watched the two men as they made their way across the room.
She felt a small ball of uneasiness bouncing around her stomach.
She was tempted to blame it on the upcoming operation, but had a
feeling that it had more to do with the strange looks her partner had
been throwing her all day.

Normally, she could decipher his looks with only a modicum of
difficulty. That's why they made such good partners. She could read
him as well has he could read her. But today, something seemed a
bit off.

She continued to peer at her partner from below her lashes. He was
pouring himself a caffeine fix. She frowned, trying to remember the
last thing he had eaten. He still wasn't fully recovered from the
accident, and she couldn't remember him having anything more than
coffee all morning.

She noticed that he'd lost a few pounds this week. It wasn't anything
she hadn't seen before, and he would most likely gain it back within
the first two weeks they were back in DC. She had the fleeting
thought that even with his current haggard appearance, he still looked
good.

He definitely looked like he hadn't slept, and his tailored suit looked a
bit the worse for wear. But, she thought, the rumpled look was a bit
sexy. He looked up at her then and caught her eye. She colored
slightly and looked away, the idea that he could somehow sense what
she was thinking flitting through her mind.

***

Addison Family Home
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 12:48 PM PST

She recognized it now. He'd changed some of the furniture around,
getting rid of most of it, really,which was why she didn't recognize it
when she first awoke. Not that knowing where she was would have
been all that big a help to her. She still hadn't found a weapon she
could use, but at least he'd let them out of the room.

He'd come back with some clothes for both her and Mark. They were
now both dressed fairly casually. She was in khaki pants and a tank
top with a white button up over it. Mark had on some blue jeans and
a t-shirt with a dolphin on the front. It looked like JC had bought it
from one of those tourist vendors on State Street.

She pulled Mark behind her as the door swung open. Instead of
seeing JC's smiling face she heard only a "you can come out now"
from the hallway. She stepped cautiously out of the room, holding on
to Mark's hand behind her.

Walking down the hall, she had recognized the house. They reached
the living room to find JC lounging in an overstuffed armchair with a
newspaper. Her eyes darted to the hall leading to the foyer,
wondering if she could get them both out before JC could catch them.

"Hi, lazy bones. Sit down." JC indicated the couch.

She sat stiffly, holding Mark in her lap.

"JC, what's going on?" she asked tentatively.

His eyes rose from the paper to meet hers. "Nothing, honey. Just
checking the paper before we go out."

Liz's eyebrows rose in shock. He was taking them out? This might
be her chance.

"Where are we going, dear?" She asked, her voice dripping with fake
honey, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Oh, it's a surprise!" He beamed a smile at them.

Elizabeth covered up her wince at the expression on his face. She'd
have to watch and wait. If they were going somewhere public, could
she just grab someone's attention? She didn't know. She'd never
been in this type of situation re. re. God! Who had?

So she sat staring at the walls and contemplating the situation,
waiting for JC to take them on his demented version of a family
outing.

***

Sheriff's Department
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 12:51 PM PST

"Ahem." Skinner cleared his throat.

He had been watching Mulder for the past 5 minutes. His agent
hadn't said a word during the entire time.

"Sir?" Mulder questioned as he turned to face his superior.

"I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of the work you and
Agent Scully have done on this case." Skinner watched as Mulder's
eyebrow rose, laughing silently at the gesture he'd acquired from his
partner. "You've managed to make more progress in the past week
than they have in the past six months."

"Thank you, sir, but we just happened to arrive just as Addison
decided to escalate," Mulder demurred.

"Regardless, your profile has been dead on so far."

"Thank you, sir."

"I know that it's virtually impossible for you to know which location
Addison will be using..."

"Yes, sir." Mulder nodded wearily.

"We're taking a risk splitting the teams up."

"I know, sir. I'm sorry, but -"

"Agent Mulder, I'm not reprimanding you." Skinner interrupted.
"There are times when decisions need to be made based on less than
certain outcomes. We make these decisions to the best of our
abilities."

Skinner's eyes flicked away from Mulder's to land briefly on Scully.

"In my experience, it's usually worth the risk." He paused for a
moment. "So don't second guess yourself."

"Thank you, sir."

Mulder mulled over Skinner's words. He wasn't entirely sure, but he
thought Skinner might be referring to more than just the case. He
hadn't missed Skinner's brief study of his partner. Was Skinner
actually telling him to 'go for it'?

Then again, maybe he was just reading too much into the whole
conversation.

Either way, he didn't really have time to worry about it now.
Hopefully, they would have both Mark Jackson and Elizabeth Addison
home safe and the case wrapped up within the next twenty-four
hours. Deciding to deal with it later, Mulder pushed everything but
the case out of his mind.

He stood, collecting his partner on the way out the door, his hand on
the small of her back as they walked out to the parking lot together.

Ch. 18

Addison Cottage
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 1:27 PM PST

Mulder pulled up to the cottage, the patrol car a few blocks behind.
The car had been silent since they left the station, Mulder's mind
occupied by the case.

Expelling a deep breath, he turned toward Scully. "Ready, partner?"

"Ready." Scully's eyes scanned the perimeter as she stepped from
the vehicle.

Mulder glanced behind them to see no sign of the patrol car. They
had parked two streets down and just around the corner. He nodded
his head in absent approval.

Scully knew that they would be in constant contact. She tapped her
ear piece firmly. "Testing. Johson? Lee?"

"We read you, Agent Scully, " Lee answered.

"Be ready to move on our signal, " Mulder responded.

"Yes, sir."

Mulder and Scully converged at the top of the front walk.

In the back of his mind, Mulder knew that Skinner, Engle, and Crane
were heading up their own walkway, with their backup two blocks
down.

Because Mulder believed that Addison wouldn't be expecting them,
they didn't want to spook him by showing up with uniformed officers in
tow. Both backup teams were in radio contact with their leaders and
each other.

The plan was to gain entry to the home using an innocuous excuse,
like the tried and true car trouble or lost tourist. Hopefully, Addison
would be so far into his fantasy that he wouldn't think twice about the
situation. If he became nervous or refused entry, then the team was
to retreat. The team at the incorrect site would then meet at
Addison's location and they would all go in together.

They reached the front door, Mulder ringing the bell. They heard it
echo through the house, but no answering footsteps approached.
Mulder waited a beat before peering through the etched glass at the
top of the door.

It didn't appear as if anyone had lived there for quite awhile. The
couches still had dust covers and the living room had an empty feel to
it. Just as his hand reached out to try the knob,
the radio in his ear exploded with sound.

"Sir! Beta team has an officer down!"

***

Addison Family Home
Santa Barbara, CA
January 6, 2003 1:30 PM PST

Liz clutched Mark's hand in her own as she followed JC out the front
door. Her heart was hammering in her chest, the adrenaline pumping
through her system. She had told JC that 'Jason' would need to use
the bathroom before they left and had taken him back down the hall.

She had tried to explain to him the necessity of being quiet and
obedient until she could take him back to his parents. He had nodded
but she doubted that he fully understood.

She waited patiently as JC turned to lock the front door. Her eyes
roved the neighborhood for any possible help. As JC slid the key
home, Elizabeth caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She
turned to find three men approaching on the sidewalk.

Her mind spun frantically. Could she run fast enough with Mark in her
arms? She shot a quick look back to find JC still facing the door. Her
heart rate tripled as she pulled Mark toward her.

She winced as he let out a small cry, but she had no time to hesitate.
She sprinted across the lawn toward the men within seconds crying
out, "Please! Help us!"

***

Skinner heard the shout and was already pulling his weapon.
Surveying the scene before him, he cried out, "Gun! Get down!" In
his peripheral vision he saw both Crane and Engle taking a firing
stance, both men hunched with one foot slightly forward from the
other.

He could see the woman running toward them, small child in hand.
His gaze quickly moved past her to the man standing at the door, and
he set his sights. Before he could fire, he felt a sharp sting as a bullet
ripped through his muscle.

Skinner went down, his glasses flying off his face as he hit concrete.
The fierce burn was now giving way to a steadying numbness. He
could feel the blood as it flowed thickly from the wound. He couldn't
concentrate on the shouts around him, and as he felt strong hands
grip his shoulders, he slipped into unconsciousness.

***

What was going on? Before she knew, it a shot was fired. She saw
one of the men go down,the one that had cried out to her. His tall
build crumpled to the ground, his glasses flying off his face as he hit
the pavement.


She dropped, landing atop Mark to shield him from the gunfire as the
shots continued. She heard another voice call out, "FBI, freeze! Put
your weapon down!" This came from the young man in the center.
He was hunching over the one on the ground now. The third man
continued to fire at JC.

Her shout echoed as she felt JC's hand wrap around her ankle. He
pulled her roughly toward him. She struggled against him but he
soon had his arm around her waist.

She could smell the gunpowder and she shuddered.

She took one last look at the officers before she was hauled back
through the front door. Two more had arrived and were dragging the
unconscious one away. The other two still had their weapons out and
were scanning for JC.

As the door closed in front of her, she felt a sob well in her throat at
how close she had come. She collapsed on the carpet in the foyer.
Her breath shallow and quick, the adrenaline was now draining from
her body.

She heard JC pacing behind her and muttering to himself. A soft
whimper had her turning toward Mark. For a second her heart
stopped. His face was almost as white as the carpet...at least, where
his blood had not yet seeped in to turn it a dark shade of red.