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Dr. Tara Breslin studied the enlarged color photographs with a critical eye to the details in the grisly depictions of the ravaged corpse. Her expression screwed into irritated perplexity as she saw beyond the gore to divine more than what the two-dimensional pictures could reveal. If force of will were a factor she would have commanded the crime evidence to speak in a more tangible voice than the mute testimony of inanimate objects. Her alien powers were unique and considerable compared to those of her adopted planet's native humans, but she did not have the power to summon clues out of the reflected image of light and shadow.
"What's wrong?"
Releasing another sigh, she placed the prints on the desk and glanced up into the eyes of her husband.
"Sorry, Jack, what were you saying?"
"I said we'll have green cheese with the man on the moon for supper," came Detective Jack Breslin's long-suffering remark. "You know, when you started as a Medical Examiner, I thought it would give us a chance to work together." His complaint was softened by the smile on his face.
"It has."
Jack came around the desk, lovingly brushed a strand of flaxen hair out of her eyes, and gave her a hug and kiss. "But you're not supposed to be more of a workaholic than I am... or used to be, anyway." He tightened his hold around her waist. "I have more worthwhile obsessions now."
Tara returned his embrace. "There are still human idioms I don't understand, Jack, but I think you just gave me a compliment."
"Right on."
For six years she had been exiled on Earth. Forced to flee the Andulan prison starship where she had been a medical officer, she was grateful that her tracking of the escaped Xenomorph had placed her on a collision course with Detective Sgt. Jack Breslin of the L.A.P.D. Despite almost dying at the claws of the shape-shifting alien criminal, they had quickly fallen in love, married, and adopted a wonderful young girl named Tori. Tara glanced at the family picture on her desk, happy that such an incredible series of events had brought her to this time and place in the galaxy.
"What about Tori?"
"The new nanny has everything under control. Come on, Tara, we were supposed to meet Ian and Randy in the lobby."
"But you're late," declared a voice from the doorway. "And we're anxious to get on the trail."
The smooth, accented tones of Ian Matheson matched the outward image of a British professor of the erudite subject of mythology. His best selling books and television documentary series had made him a well-known personage around the world. That fame had opened a multitude of supernatural doors for himself and his companion.
Randi Wallace Michaels, a bouncy, exuberant woman with brown hair nearly as untamable as her personality, gave the Breslins a dazzling smile. "Got any more leads?"
"Not yet," the detective admitted. "Tara's still going over the photos of the crime scene. Wish we could've kept everything intact for you to see first hand."
"It would have created some curious questions, anyway." Ian chuckled. "How could you explain the spook chasers, Matheson and Wallace, at a murder investigation?" Ian crowded in behind the M.E. "What about these?"
Tara spread out the pictures on the desk and swung an overhead light above the graphic scenes. Civilians weren't normally allowed such easy access to evidence or information, but these were not average people and this was not a typical investigation. Extraordinary suitably applied to everyone in the room... and the two murders they were trying to solve.
It had been nearly three years since the foursome had met, a friendship started when Ian and Randi were called to check out a supposed case of telekinesis. Their inquiries had led them to a nine year old girl living in an L.A. suburb -- Tori Davis. But Ian and Randi weren't the only ones investigating the youngster. They found they had two police officials also ostensibly inquiring after the child.
Neither team trusted the other, but Tara was especially suspicious of the paranormal investigators. She watched Ian's show, How Strange, regularly, insisting it was a valuable asset in keeping a lookout for the Xenomorph. Tara soon realized that she enjoyed Ian Matheson's show, though she would have never admitted that to Jack. Meeting Ian had been a pleasure, but Randi had puzzled her.
Tara's abilities gave her the capacity to read a human's thoughts, especially when that person was under great stress. Randi Wallace revealed more than she would have cared to. But, almost at the same time Tara and Jack discovered the secret of Randi being a werewolf, the paranormal investigators had divined Tara's extraterrestrial origins. The four had become fast friends and Tara, with her superior medical technology, took up the challenge of curing Randi's disease, believing it to be viral based and treatable.
"There's something here," Tara insisted. "I just don't know what."
Randi glanced over Ian's shoulder, then quickly looked away. She had seen enough. "Except for the obvious," she replied miserably, "both victims were killed by a werewolf."
Ian drew her close and sympathetically caressed her hand. "But not by you."
Her depreciating smile was humorlessly tight. "Yeah, I was locked in our basement. I have an iron clad alibi."
"At least this time it was easier for you, Randi."
Tara turned from the desk . "Did the medication work?"
"It decreased the severity of the attack a great deal," Ian confirmed gratefully. "If only you could find the cure."
"We will, don't worry," Tara assured them.
Jack hit his knuckles on the photos. "What I'm worried about right now is this killer... no matter what he is or where he's from. Two killings, one before the full moon and one the night of the full moon. You know what that means?"
"There'll be another tonight," Tara finished.
"Just like New Mexico," Ian stated with a tinge of excitement.
It had been at the Michaels' ranch where the Medallion had been stolen from the Navajo shaman, Wolf Claw. A series of killings had almost immediately followed. Not long after the second murder, Agents Mulder and Scully from the F.B.I.'s X-Files division had joined with Ian and Randi to track down the werewolf. They had been unsuccessful and the werewolf died -- alongside Wolf Claw. But the man who had controlled the beast with the mythical Kilkelsheena medallion escaped with the amulet. Ian and Randi had waited a year and a half for the culprit to surface again. They never expected it would be on their own turf.
"And unless we can get some answers, there'll be more." Jack's beeper sounded, and he speed dialed the number on his cellphone. "The captain," he informed the others.
"More killings could mean this is not your run-of-the-mill werewolf," Randi whispered.
"Might be our unknown adversary with the medallion," Ian speculated.
Jack folded his phone with a snap and turned a grim face to his companions. "We've got another one. Looks like our guy. Avenue of the Stars. Let's go."
The foursome reached the Century City Twin Towers on the Avenue of the Stars. Tara sent her own team ahead and had ridden over with Jack. The killing had taken place in the underground parking garage and Jack's car had to traverse the usual combination of police, reporters and the curious gawkers who always seemed to cluster around a tragedy.
They located the area of the murder on the second sublevel of the structure. The police had been careful to keep everyone out. Only the detectives and the coroner's team were present. Jack got out of the car immediately and joined his officers, while Tara, Ian and Randi followed more slowly.
The body was sprawled next to the open driver's side. The car evidently belonged to the victim, with the deceased still clutching the key in his hand, as if he had been interrupted getting into the vehicle.
"Who found it?" Jack asked one of his detectives.
"The lady over there talking to Jensen. She was just leaving for the day."
"Did she see anything?" Tara bent to get a better look at the body.
"Nothing."
"I'll talk to her." Jack set off to speak with the witness, his young detective in tow.
"Do we have an I.D.?" Tara inquired.
"Not yet," he commented as he finished taking shots of the corpse and started on the surrounding area.
Ian and Randi joined Tara.
"Is this the way the others looked, Tara?" Ian asked the M.E.
"Exactly. Is this the same M.O. as New Mexico."
"It's the Wolf Claw Medallion all right," Randi confirmed for Tara. "The damage is unmistakable."
"That was one of the things I found unusual from the beginning." Tara gestured to the massive trauma inflicted. "They were killed identically."
"It's the medallion," Ian told her. "For some reason, and I still don't know enough about the artifact to explain it to you, the mutilations are almost ritualistic in manner and order."
"The werewolf, even when controlled by the medallion, or maybe because of it, tears the victim apart in a specific order. The throat," Randi gestured to the murder victim, "is always the last."
Tara looked thoughtful for a moment.
"What?" Randi inquired.
"Nothing, really. An old childhood memory trying to surface, but it is gone," Tara sighed.
Jack stepped up behind them, having finished his interview with the witness. "Anything?"
"Same M.O., but no clues are obvious. Ian and Randi did confirm these are the same as in New Mexico."
"Oh great, just what we need -- a werewolf prowling around L.A.," Jack grumbled, disgusted. Seeing Randi's rueful expression, he added quickly, "No offense, Randi."
"It's okay, Jack. I understand the sentiment. I'd prefer there weren't any..." Randi stopped suddenly, as if distracted by something.
"What's the matter?" Ian asked.
"It's here, Ian, it's still here," Randi whispered to her partner excitedly.
"The werewolf?" Jack glanced quickly about to see if anything were amiss.
Tara questioned her friends. "How do you know?"
"Randi can sense another werewolf if it's in the vicinity," Ian informed her.
"Do you know where it is in all this, Randi?" Jack gestured around the labyrinth of the Century Towers underground parking.
"I think it's below us."
Jack yelled over to Jensen. "Tom, how many levels in this structure?"
Jensen quickly conferred with the security guard standing next to him and turned back to Jack. "Eight."
Jack looked at the others. "And we're on sub-level two, wonderful. Can you lead us to the creature, Randi?"
"I'll try. But it's not an exact science."
Ian rolled his eyes in agreement. "I'll vouch for that."
Jack smiled tightly. "Okay. You and Ian come with me and we'll check the lower levels. Tara, you keep working here. See if you find any other clues on the body."
"I can do that in the morgue, I am going with the rest of you."
"Tara..." Jack started to object, but seeing his wife's determination, thought better of it and grudgingly agreed. "Let's go."
The group headed further into the bowels of the parking garage with Randi in the lead. The track led them into the lowest part of the facility, and at this time of night there were no cars in evidence this far below. The fluorescent lights were sparking intermittently, as if trying to burn out. Shadows loomed throughout the area.
They moved slowly and carefully down the ramp into the last level. Randi's senses had brought them this far and they were proceeding cautiously. Jack pulled out his gun.
"That won't help, Jack," Ian pointed out.
"Why not?"
"Silver bullets, my friend. Legend and all that," Ian informed him wryly.
"Great, now you remind me."
Instead of answering, Ian pulled a pistol from under his sweater and handed it to Jack. "Try mine instead."
"Silver bullets included?" Tara asked him curiously.
"Of course, I have had practice in this area."
"Hmm." Jack looked at the gun oddly and addressed his wife rhetorically. "Wonder if these would work on the Xenomorph?" Tara shrugged uncertainly.
Ian's instructions to Tara and Jack were quick and concise. "Whatever you do, don't get too close. It only takes one bite or scratch for the virus to be transferred."
"That's a comforting thought," Jack muttered gloomily, then took the lead as they reached the bottom of the ramp.
Randi, still consumed somewhat by her contact with the new werewolf, stayed next to Jack. Ian and Tara brought up the rear. Ian noted that Randi was almost totally lost in concentration, barely aware of her surroundings. He kept a careful eye on her. In this state, she could easily get hurt.
The foursome cautiously moved further into the dark garage. They had reached the middle of the underground area when they heard nails scraping across the cement. The sound echoed through the place, not giving them a chance to localize it. Randi had no such problem. Her instinct pushed her unerringly toward the creature they were hunting. The others tried to keep up as she chose the direction of the werewolf.
They found a large storage area surrounded by a chain-link fence. The place seemed to be filled to capacity with large crates and filing cabinets. The gate was opened -- the lock broken. Randi went through it without hesitation, becoming more agitated as she neared her target.
"It's here," she whispered to Jack, who was following close behind.
He clutched his gun tighter as they all heard a low growl echo through the garage. Ian and Tara hadn't quite made it through the gate, when suddenly a silhouette appeared. Moving swiftly, it bounded out from behind the crates. In the middle of the storage area, and far enough away from the creature as it emerged from cover, Jack and Randi watched as it headed right for the opening. Seeing the danger, Ian and Tara leapt quickly out of the way as the beast came barreling past them. Jack immediately raised his gun and got off a hasty shot that missed as he ducked for cover. The bullet ricocheted off the wall behind the creature.
The shot resounded loudly through the cavernous garage. No one moved for a full second and then Jack and Randi rushed over to check on their respective partners who were already pulling themselves up from the concrete floor where they had landed.
"You guys okay?" Jack asked concerned.
"Yes, we're fine," Tara reassured him as he drew her into an embrace. She wasn't sure whether is was more to comfort her or himself.
"Well that was exhilarating," Ian quipped as he dusted himself off.
"You're awfully blasé, pal, considering you almost got rundown by a werewolf."
Randi laughed shakily at Jack's comment. She had her arms around Ian in comfort. "That's old hat for Ian."
"Good point," Jack conceded.
Something hanging on the chain-link fence caught Tara's eye and she pulled herself away from Jack's embrace. "Look at this."
"What'd you find?" Randi asked curiously.
"A piece of hair." Tara produced a pair of tweezers and a plastic bag and quickly stored the evidence.
"So what now?" Ian asked, as they made their way back up to the crime scene on level two, still pumped with adrenaline from their encounter below.
"How about dinner?" Randi suggested hopefully.
The foursome headed over to The Islands for dinner. A simple restaurant, it catered to a younger crowd, with burgers, salads and tacos as the main items on the menu. It also had a fully stocked bar. Jack liked the neighborhood hangout atmosphere and it was loud enough that you could talk about almost anything and not be overheard.
After they ordered, Tara glanced at Ian across the table from her. "You have never fully explained what you know of the medallion."
Ian took a deep breath, then plunged into his narrative. "It's known in mythology as the Kilkelsheena... thought to be thousands of years old. Experts have traced back references from the Mayans, Aztecs, Toltecs and possibly even the Anasazi."
"Anyone know which group it belongs too?" Jack inquired.
Ian added a healthy portion of salt to his fries. "No, it could be any one of them. The legends are too vague, but point to all of them."
"Those four tribes may have had contact with alien races a long time ago," Tara postulated.
"You'd probably know that better than any of us, Tara," Randi commented as she took a bite of the burger placed in front of her.
"I do know that other species visited this solar system many centuries ago, but whether they made contact with the natives, I can only speculate."
Ian looked intrigued. "I never considered that the medallion could be of alien origin."
"That would explain the alchemy it is considered to possess," Tara agreed.
"And that would be what?" Jack asked.
"The medallion's said to have the power to change a human into an animal," Ian related.
Jack looked amazed, a french fry frozen half way to his mouth. "Is that possible?"
"Jack, consider the Xenomorph," Tara reminded him.
"Thanks, sweetheart, I'd rather not... but I get your point."
"You're really going to have to tell us more about this Xenomorph one of these days," Randi mumbled, still chomping on her meal. Her companions watched in amusement as she consumed the hamburger in record time.
"Okay, so I'm hungry."
Ian laughed delightedly. "You are always hungry."
"You know, that might be a new angle I can work on." Tara regarded Randi thoughtfully. "It is possible your particular virus needs to be fed and that if we don't feed it, we may weaken it."
"And me along with it," Randi groused. "Sorry, I'm not giving up food."
"It's all right, Randi, I promise I won't let Tara starve you," Ian vowed.
"Thanks a lot, partner," Randi told Ian sweetly. "Now, why don't you finish the rest of the legend, while I order another burger."
"Another one!"
"I'm still hungry."
"You know, Tara, maybe your starvation idea wasn't a bad one."
"Ian...!" He ducked, laughing, as Randi took a swing at him.
"Just kidding, sweetheart."
Tara and Jack watched their friends' antics in amusement.
"Maybe you should get back to the story, Professor," Randi suggested, a fist raised in mock anger.
"Good idea," Ian agreed, feigning fright. "Okay, where were we? The person who has the medallion controls the subject, while the chain which holds it is worn by the shape-shifter."
"So the big problem is the person controlling the beast could be using an unwilling subject," Jack surmised, after hearing the tale.
"Yes, exactly," Ian confirmed.
"The killer could be much harder to find with no motive for the murder," Tara added.
"Yup, the motive -- if their is one -- is decided by the person who commands the werewolf," Randi confirmed the Breslins assessment.
"Great," Jack sighed in exasperation. "A needle in a haystack."
"'Fraid so, old chum, and this haystack is much larger than Glorieta," Ian pointed out gloomily.
"Then I think as soon as we finish here, we better get back to headquarters and see what scenario we can come up with to find our beast and his friend," Jack told them.
Jack was furious as he stormed back into Tara's office. Randi, Ian and Tara were gathered around the newest photographs of the crime scene they'd visited earlier. Tara noticed her husband's agitation as he came in.
"What did Victor want?"
"He told me that the F.B.I.'s serial task force out of Atlanta was suggesting, politely of course, that they take over the investigation."
"Is that normal procedure, Jack?" Ian asked as he and Randi joined the other two.
"Usually, no... but it can happen."
"There must be some reason why they're interested in this case," Tara mused.
"The agents aren't from Washington, are they?" Randi questioned, perking up.
"No, Vic said they were based in Atlanta. Why?"
"You're thinking of our friends Mulder and Scully, from the X-Files," Ian realized.
"Yup." Randi nodded excitedly.
"Who are Mulder and Scully... and what is an X-File?" Tara asked confused.
Ian grinned. "Now that I think about it, Tara, you are... something Fox Mulder has been looking for most of his life."
"Looking for what?" Jack growled, not happy at his friend's cryptic comments.
"He and his partner investigate anything out of the norm," Randi supplied. "But he's mostly obsessed with discovering extraterrestrials."
"Oh, that's just great."
"Calm down, Jack. The agents are from Atlanta, not D.C." Tara put a gentle hand on her husband's arm. "They cannot be this Mulder and Scully, can they, Ian?"
"Not likely."
"But Mulder was heavily involved in the medallion case in New Mexico. I don't think he and his partner will be too far away," Randi added woefully
Randi watched avidly from her usual vantage point in the control booth, as Ian interviewed the latest guest on their talk show. How Strange with Dr. Ian Matheson had become very popular in mass syndication. More and more people clamored to be guests; the obvious frauds, as well as those who'd actually experienced the strange or supernatural. Ian skillfully maneuvered the man claiming to be an alien from the planet Xenos into a corner. She still marveled at how adept Ian was at rooting out the charlatans.
Of course, when she'd first met him, that was all Ian did -- debunk anything out of the ordinary. He had taught mythology at the University and consistently explained to his students that nothing supernatural existed. All that altered, however, after Randi spent an eventful night on the Moors and ran into a cursed werewolf. Both of their lives changed forever that day. Now Dr. Ian Matheson, unquestionably an expert on parapsychology, as well as his first love, mythology, was doing what he did best -- finding out the truth, real or imagined.
"Well, well, Mulder, just your type of a show."
Randi broke out of her reverie at the sound of a familiar voice behind her.
"You're right, Scully. You can see Dr. Matheson has this guy pegged. No way is he a Reticulan."
Scully laughed lightly and Randi turned around to warmly greet the newcomers. "Agent Mulder... Agent Scully, can't say I'm surprised to see you two."
And she wasn't shocked that they had turned up here and now. She and Ian had both known that with the medallion murders starting over again, these two wouldn't be far behind. They'd already discussed ways to keep the agents off balance enough so they wouldn't uncover Randi's carefully guarded secret... nor discover the truth about Tara. Scully's comment just a minute ago had hit too close to home.
"It's good to see you again, too," Mulder quipped, genuinely smiling at the young woman. She'd made an interesting ally last year in New Mexico during their search for the werewolf.
"Mulder thinks your killer might be our old friend from Glorieta," Scully advised.
"You just might be right," Ian agreed as he appeared in the control booth. He'd finished his show and had seen the agents enter. "Hello, Dana... Mulder. Pleasure to see you again."
"What can you tell us, Professor?" Scully asked him.
"This is a police investigation," Ian responded offhandedly. "Have you checked with them."
"We thought we'd see what you two might have found out before we go to the locals," Mulder replied, ignoring Ian's obvious lack of cooperation. "And since you both are already well acquainted with this particular perp..." He let the sentence hang deliberately.
Randi and Ian exchanged a look, knowing they would never convince Mulder or Scully they weren't already investigating the incident. And did they really want too? Mulder was very receptive to anything out of the ordinary. For paranormal investigators, it was a novel thing to have law enforcement working on the same wavelength. Their only problem was the two agents were too perceptive. It would be a fine line between using their help and keeping them away from certain areas.
"Lt. Jack Breslin is assigned to the case," Randi finally told them.
"He's a friend of ours, actually," Ian added. "We could take you to the police station and introduce you if you like."
Victor Maldanado was knee deep in paperwork as usual. Being a Captain of Detectives, especially homicide, left little time for anything else.
Right now he didn't mind. It was better than listening to Jack rail against the F.B.I. expected in his office any minute. Victor surreptitiously watched as Jack, in his own office, teased his daughter Tori who had dropped by after school as she sometimes did. Tori was a sunny child, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. He could see Tara keeping an eye on the byplay from her vantage point behind Jack's desk.
Victor marveled how much Tori and Tara looked alike, even though they were not biological mother and daughter. Tara and Jack were natural parents, even if one was from another planet. The captain was one of the very few who knew Tara was not from Earth, and when she had first applied as Medical Examiner, Victor had been skeptical. But he quickly learned Tara was a first rate doctor and pathologist. The realization that the chance of ever getting home was slim hadn't stopped her. Instead of bemoaning her fate, she had chosen to settle and form a new family.
In his office, Jack was enjoying himself immensely. He loved being a father. He watched happily as his wife and daughter sat at his desk working on a particularly hard math problem, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw two people enter the Captain's office. One was a tall, dark, almost swarthy man and the other a blonde female. Jack sat up straight.
"Tara, I think our F.B.I. agents have arrived." Before his wife could make any reply to his observation, Jack continued. "Vic's bringing 'em over now."
Tara stayed where she was, with Tori in her lap, continuing with the math question. Tara couldn't really understand why Jack was so upset by Federal agents. She still had trouble from time to time understanding human undercurrents and logic. If the F.B.I. could help them, then what was the problem with that?
The Captain knocked briefly, then pushed Jack's door aside and ushered two people into the room.
"Agents Bailey Malone and Samantha Waters from the special F.B.I. task force in Atlanta," the captain introduced. "This is Lt. Jack Breslin and his wife Dr. Tara Breslin one of our M.E.'s"
Suddenly Victor felt a hand in his. He looked down to see Tori peering up at him.
"Uncle Victor, you didn't introduce me," Tori scolded.
"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry." He addressed the two F.B.I. agents again. "And this is Tori, Jack and Tara's daughter."
Sam came over and put out her hand to the child. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tori. I have a daughter just a few years younger than you."
"Really? What's her name?"
"Chloe."
"Gee, don't you miss her?"
"All the time when I'm gone."
Tara broke in softly. "Tori, I think it's time to head home. I'm sure Nancy wonders where you've gotten to and you need to finish your homework."
Before Tori could answer her mother, Ian and Randi arrived with their F.B.I. agents in tow and were unpleasantly surprised by the fact that the others had arrived as well. And just recently, from what Randi could tell by the gathering in Jack's office. Tori was still there and gleefully threw herself at Ian and Randi in greeting. Ian introduced Mulder and Scully to Jack and Tara, and they returned the courtesy. But the Federal agents seemed to already know each other, and by the looks exchanged, it wasn't an amiable reunion.
Mulder's face was a placid mask, but his eyes sparked with antagonism. "Hey, Scully, looks like the locals called the psychic hot line for help."
Sam's bristling retort was interrupted as Bailey cut her off. "She's the best damn profiler... ever," he stated pointedly at Mulder, his voice like flint. "Better Sam's abilities than your spooky fantasies, Mulder. I didn't realize we were dealing with little green men here."
Mulder was unflappable. He gave Bailey a lopsided smirk. "I like to keep an open mind," he replied evenly. "I don't have the ability to overrun other departments while sitting in the Atlanta Batcave and dreaming up theories, Malone."
Sam Waters stepped face to face with Mulder. "You were one of the best profilers in the Bureau, Mulder," she stated coolly. "But you gave it all up to hide in your basement." She studied the taller man curiously. "I was very sorry to see you end your career like that."
"I look on it as a promotion, myself," was his acerbic reply. "I'm searching for something a little more important than the latest psycho of the week."
The rest of the spectators in the room were frozen for the moment in the grip of the tension emanating from the combatants. Tori had pushed herself as close to her mother as possible, frightened by the sudden negative emotions flooding the room. Randi noticed Tori's uneasiness and was quick to grab the pitcher on Jack's desk as it started to take off. Randi knew when Tori got upset she sometimes lost control of her telekinetic powers. It wouldn't do to have Mulder see that.
Noticing the little girl's fright, but not the wayward pitcher, Scully shouldered her taller partner aside, inserting herself between him and the other F.B.I. team.
"Agent Scully," she introduced, offering her hand.
With a nod of understanding at the maneuver, Sam accepted the shake, then nudged Malone to do the same. Almost reluctantly, he broke off the confrontation with Mulder and shook hands.
"Now," Scully breathed with relief, "I suggest we get down to business."
She took control again to forestall more conflicts. She explained to the other agents their legitimate connection to the case, following up on the New Mexico murders they had worked on. Malone explained they had investigated a similar crime in Ohio, and one in Wyoming.
Jack interrupted this time. "How 'bout we compare notes?"
Malone nodded in agreement. "Of course, Lieutenant. Anything we have on the other killings will be made available to you."
"Obviously our killer likes to see the sights. If he is the same person, he's been on the move a lot." Mulder, intrigued by the new information, set aside his irritation. "Where can we set up a command center?"
The misfit task force assembled in a meeting room provided by the police department, where computers, phones, maps and a coffee machine became partners in the investigation. Ian and Randi, settling into chairs near the Breslins, finally came under the scrutiny of Malone. The craggy, sharp F.B.I. agent fixed them with an intent glare.
"I caught your names, but not why you're here. Civilians, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, that's true," Ian admitted. "We were in New Mexico and were part of the investigation there."
Sam stared at them for a moment, seemed about to say something, then shook her head. She riveted here eyes on Randi. "You're personally involved with this somehow, aren't you?"
"Uh, well, uh, I guess so," Randi nodded. "Like Ian said, we were there, you know. We're just trying to help."
"How?" Malone wondered.
"Besides being witnesses to the crimes in Glorieta," Tara interrupted, "they are sometimes used as police consultants."
"They are?" Jack questioned.
"Unofficially," Tara corrected.
Sam looked up from a computer screen and studied Tara in unnerving silence.
"They help us sometimes," Tara continued uncomfortably. The F.B.I. agents' thoughts were spilling out so clearly that Tara was having trouble keeping her mental shutters closed.
Randi noticed her discomfort and whispered, "You all right?"
"Yes, thanks, she's just projecting so loudly..."
"They all are. Even I can hear them!" Randi teased, trying to ease her friend's discomfort.
Tara smiled back at her in appreciation and then they both went back to listening to the ongoing discussion.
Scully rolled her eyes and Mulder smiled. The expressions were not lost on Malone. "Just what are your credentials, Dr. Matheson?"
No one seemed willing to answer the question.
"You're all connected," Sam announced. Her tone was confident, certain, even though she could not supply details. "The Breslins, Professor Matheson and Miss Wallace, you all have a commonality."
"Maybe they're neighbors," Mulder suggested blandly.
"Let me rephrase the question," Malone opted impatiently. "What do you do when you're not unofficially consulting with the police department?"
"We're paranormal psychologists," Ian supplied. "We work on a television program called How Strange."
Sam stared at them in puzzlement. "A tabloid show?"
"An investigative program," Randi argued protectively, leaping to Ian's defense. "Ian's written several definitive volumes..." Her voice trailed away when she noted Malone's building anger.
"I don't believe this!" Bailey snapped. He glared at Mulder. "You brought in these kooks, didn't you?" he accused. "You're looking for some kind of alien connection to these mutilations! Maybe you think the murderer is a monster from Mars... or a werewolf?"
"Your words, not mine," Mulder placidly replied. "The evidence, however, could certainly point to the latter."
Bailey scowled. "So you've already turned this case into a circus." To his partner, he said, "They need our help more than we realized, Sam. A serious reality check is in order here in La-La land." To the group he announced, "Look people, we are investigating gruesome murders here. Let's get serious."
Mulder's expression was as cold as his voice. "Someday the truth is going to turn up, Malone, and you're going to trip over it because you're blind to any possibilities other than your own narrow little criminal world."
"We certainly utilized their expertise in New Mexico," Scully stated. The calm, neutral comment broke the tension and everyone seemed to retreat behind their own invisible barriers. "If we could all stop bickering about them, they might prove useful here too."
"Just stay out of my way," Malone warned.
"Nothing to worry about there," Ian promised.
"That does it, boys," Jack broke in harshly, having just about enough of the sniping. Besides being irritating, he could tell that so many raw emotions were becoming uncomfortable for Tara. "You may be the F.B.I. but this case is still in my jurisdiction. We didn't ask you here. Agent Malone, I decide who works on my cases, not you." He shifted his gaze down the table. "And Agent Mulder, if you can't play nicely, then you can leave. Is that clear, gentlemen?"
"Why don't we show the agents the bodies in the morgue," Tara suggested to defuse the tension in the room. "There might be some forensic clues you can add to the case, especially you, Agent Scully. Randi mentioned you're a pathologist."
"Yes, I am."
"A little solid detective work sounds good to me," Malone agreed.
"Great." When the four F.B.I. agents reached the door, Mulder stopped and looked over at Ian. His face held a curious expression. "Professor, have you explained the medallion to Malone and Waters yet?"
All eyes turned to Matheson and Randi, stricken with a sudden attack of muteness. Then all attention riveted on Mulder.
"Medallion?" Sam asked.
"A little trinket stolen from one of the victims in New Mexico. I'm sure Professor Matheson will be happy to fill you in."
"Whenever we're in the mood for ghost stories?" Malone questioned.
"Or werewolves," Mulder offered with a cryptic smile.
Malone shook his head and left, followed by his curious partner. An exasperated Scully tugged at Mulder's arm and drew him out of the room.
The four friends exchanged distressed glances. The professor finally put their mutual disturbance into words.
"I think this is going to be a very difficult investigation."
They started to leave the room, but Tara stopped them momentarily before they joined the agents. "I finished the preliminary tests on that hair sample we found, definitely an animal."
Jack laughed, amused by the report. "Honey, was there any doubt? You and Ian got a real good look as it went by you yesterday."
"I know, Jack. It also had human characteristics, which we knew we would find." Tara looked excited. "I believe, though, we may be able to trace where the creature might be hiding."
"How?" Randi asked her.
"I found traces of a substance coating the hair. I should be able to break it down."
"Great, you think you can figure out which area of the city that particular substance can be found," Jack asked.
"Yes, and hopefully I can have that information for us very soon."
The trip to the morgue was no more encouraging than the meeting in the conference room. Putting Mulder and Malone together in the same place continued to be exhausting to all. It was finally decided that Scully and Tara would go over the bodies, while Jack took Malone and Sam to see the crime scenes. Mulder opted to go with Ian and Randi. Scully wasn't sure if he did that to annoy Bailey or if he really wanted to spend time with the paranormal investigators, two people they had both come to like while in New Mexico. But whatever Mulder's reason, it would keep the peace for a short while.
Ian and Randi took Mulder to Century Towers, while Jack escorted the other two to the first site. The only common element to the killings seemed that they all took place at a time when the victims would be by themselves and in a secluded area.
In the morgue, Tara and Dana had gotten along so well by themselves that they were on a first name basis after the first few minutes. Scully told Tara she agreed with Ian and Randi's assessments that the killings in L.A. had been committed by the same person or persons who had murdered the victims in New Mexico a year and half ago. The appearance of the latest victim confirmed that.
Having finished examining the bodies, the two women were now sitting cozily in Tara's office, discussing the dynamics of the investigation as it had progressed so far.
"Tell me, Tara, what do you think did that to those people?"
Tara didn't answer Scully's question immediately, but instead asked one of her own. "You do not believe anything unusual caused the deaths of these people do you, Dana?"
"No, but you do?"
Tara hesitated a moment. "Not necessarily, but I have always been open-minded about exploring other options when they are presented to me."
"So you think a werewolf did this?"
"Mulder seems to believe so."
"Yes," she sighed. "My partner also believes there are extraterrestrials loose on our planet," she finished with a long-suffering smile.
"You do not share his views?"
"I'm a scientist. I deal in facts," Scully answered defensively.
Tara looked over at the other woman, delving past the facade Scully presented to the world. "You want to believe, but you fear to admit it."
Scully had no answer for that probing statement, and chose to shield herself by returning to study of the forensic evidence.
Mulder followed Ian and Randi down to the second level of the subterranean garage. All traces of yesterday's police presence had all been swept away. Mulder cursorily inspected the designated spot where the body was found. He didn't really expect to find anything. He had checked up on Jack Breslin before coming to L.A. and had learned that the man was a thorough and experienced homicide detective. Mulder also knew that Ian and Randi would be able to trace the beast more efficiently than any of the rest of them. That was why he had chosen to stick with the paranormal investigators. Since he'd first worked with them last year in New Mexico, Mulder had held a theory about those two. He knew without a doubt they had more than a passing acquaintance with the habits of werewolves. Besides, they were certainly much better company than Bailey Malone.
"I can tell you right now, this in not your stalker, the Jack of all Trades. The M.O. isn't even the same."
"Jack changed his M.O. recently, Mulder, so we need to check every lead that comes our way."
"I'd say you're grasping at straws," the Washington agent answered.
"Better than chasing werewolves," Bailey snorted disgustedly. "Mulder, you've got a great talent, and you waste it on the absurd."
Tara and Randi kept their distance as the four F.B.I. agents sat around the conference table, with Mulder and Malone going at it yet again. They were all waiting for Jack to show up. They were assembled this evening to go over what information the different groups had gathered at the various crime scenes.
"How did it go with, Scully, today?"
"Fine, she seems like a very nice person," Tara murmured distractedly.
Randi watched her friend for a moment. "What are you doing?"
"Just checking the room."
"Anything interesting?" Randi was always intrigued when Tara used her powers.
"Hmm, not really. Sam is thinking about her daughter, Chloe. Bailey is trying to figure how he can get Mulder off this case and Mulder's working on the same thing."
Randi sighed. "What about Scully?"
"She's considering whether Mulder could be right about a possible werewolf."
"Ugh, that's not good."
"What are you two up to?" Ian asked as he and Jack came into the room.
"Oh, Tara was just reading minds."
"Tara, I thought we had a deal. No hocus pocus while Mulder's around," Jack scolded her.
"Define hocus pocus!"
"Tara!" Jack admonished warningly
"Mulder could not possibly know I'm reading him."
"I still don't like it."
"It might prove helpful. We certainly can't have them with us when we find the medallion," Ian pointed out.
"What are we going to do about this?" Jack asked his wife, holding the evidence bag with the hair sample they had found at the storage shed.
"I wish we did not have to show it to them, but since it's already been tagged, we have no option."
"It really won't matter if they see it and do an analysis on it," Ian added.
"Why do you say that?" Tara asked him.
"Only Mulder will believe what the evidence shows. The others will ignore the facts placed before them and try to find more rational explanations."
Tara presented the documentation on the hair sample and the reactions from the four F.B.I. agents all followed the course Ian predicted they would. Mulder accepted the report and told the others this was proof that there was a mythical creature running the streets of L.A. Scully held her own counsel. She was used to seeing her partner present his views, however unpopular. The other two agents wouldn't accept any of the conclusions that had been presented by the evidence.
But Tara did give her permission for them to send parts of the hair sample to their labs so they could run their own tests. That was fine with Jack. That would give his group a chance to get a jump on the others when Tara finished her examination of the substance she had found on the hair.
She had told Jack she expected to be able to pinpoint the area where the creature might be by late that evening. They didn't have much time. The next attack could happen soon.
It was midnight when Jack and Tara met up with Randi and Ian. Tara had traced the werewolf's possible hiding place to a spot near the Los Angeles River. The substance she had discovered was an algae found predominantly in the Basin. This had been determined by the salinity of the water which part of the river the substance might have come from. She had narrowed their search down to three possible places. The first one they would examine was near downtown.
They gathered at the entrance of one of the large waterways. The possibility of the werewolf and it's master using the spillways under the city streets to hide made sense. The werewolf in New Mexico had used the gold mines that dotted the mountains all over Glorieta. They started to walk into the place when Ian stopped a minute and gazed at the huge entrance.
"Them -- James Arness, James Whitmore and Edmund Gwenn -- l954. Police and scientists enter the Los Angeles River Basin and encounter giant ants."
Randi stopped and stared at him incredulously. "I knew it was a bad idea for you to be spending so much time with Remington playing poker."
"Why do you say that, Sweetheart?" Ian grinned crookedly.
"Ian, giants ants are only indigenous to Piepata in the Robadus galaxy," Tara piped in instructively. "They cannot possibly exist on Terra."
"And if anyone on planet Terra would know that, my wife would," Jack added facetiously.
The mood lighter, they continued on as far as the mile they'd designated and found no sign of the creature they were searching for. Randi had tried to make contact, but had felt nothing.
They next headed into the valley and tried the second area. This site was near the Sepulveda Dam River Basin, with the same results -- no werewolf and no sign that anyone had ever been there.
Mulder knew that the werewolf was here in Los Angeles, and he was not about to let his chance to prove it slip away. Nor did he want to see the person behind these killings -- the one controlling the beast -- get away again either. They had been unlucky in New Mexico. The man who had stolen the Wolf Claw medallion had been one step ahead of the investigators chasing him.
So Mulder had chosen to follow Ian and Randi. If the homicide detectives knew anything about the case that they were not sharing with the Federal agents, their close friends would most likely be involved. He also knew local police did not like to turn cases over to the F.B.I. They tended to be closed-mouth about information if they could get away with it.
What amazed him about Breslin and his wife, was that they didn't seem at all bothered by the fact they might be chasing a mythological creature. Mulder found it extraordinary that a cop in the big city might believe in something most people wouldn't even dream in their worst nightmares.
Mulder was sitting in his rental car near the Sepulveda Basin, chewing distractedly on sunflower seeds. He'd followed Randi and Ian -- who were indeed with Breslins -- first to downtown, then to this spot. It wasn't hard to figure out what they were up to.
Mulder heard the beep of his phone. He pulled it out. "Scully? I thought you were sleeping."
"Mulder, where are you?" Scully's voice sounded concerned.
He ignored her question and checked his watch. "It's 3:00 a.m., why aren't you asleep?"
"I was until I began to think about how your mind works."
"What do you mean by that?" Mulder chuckled.
"We both know how... focused you get," Scully accused wryly.
"You can say obsessed, Scully. I won't get offended." Mulder could almost see her grin. "Is that why you called?"
"No. Where are you?"
"Near the Sepulveda Dam."
"What's going on?"
"Our homicide detectives and their friends..."
"Randi and Ian."
"Uhhuh, I guess they find strolling through the sewers in the middle of the night entertaining."
"Tara's results on the hair sample."
"Yup." He cracked a shell with his teeth and extracted the nut. "Hypothetically, Scully, if you were a werewolf, where would you hide... if you didn't have a mine available?"
"The sewers. Have they found anything yet?"
He leaned out the window and spit out the empty shell. "I don't think so. This is the second one they've checked."
"I'll be right there."
"Thought you might." Mulder shut his phone, and reached into his pocket for another handful of seeds.
The last place on Tara's list was near El Segundo. This time they actually had to pry off the manhole cover and descend the ladder into the darkness.
Jack was the first down, followed closely by Randi and Tara. Ian came last, after he carefully secured the manhole cover.
"Ah, this brings back not-so-pleasant memories," Jack groused as he turned on his flashlight and beamed it around the area.
"Yes, it does," Tara agreed, adding her light to his.
"You guys do this on a regular basis?" Randi inquired wryly.
"The last time we were hunting the Xenomorph," Jack explained. "Not something I ever want to go through again. Tara, any ideas on which way to go?"
"No." Tara glanced over at Randi. "Are you getting anything?"
"Nothing. If the other is here, I'm not feeling it."
"Anyone notice anything peculiar?" Ian asked.
"Not really. It seems to have the same wonderful smell as the last two we sloshed through," Randi pointed out to him.
"Rats!" Jack announced, understanding what Ian had deduced. "There aren't any rats down here."
"Because they were either scared off..." Tara began.
"Or eaten," Randi finished, disgusted with that particular idea.
"I would say we are in the right place," Tara commented. "Now the only question is which way do we go."
"I think that way." Randi pointed south.
"Any particular reason?" Ian inquired.
"Intuition, it just feels right."
"Good enough. Let's go." Jack led off in the direction Randi had suggested.
"They're on the move again, Scully," Mulder informed his partner as he followed discreetly behind Jack's car.
"Where are they headed?"
"They've taken the 405 south, we're just passing the 90 now. Where are you?"
"The 10, heading west. I'll hit the 405 in about three miles. By the way, I've got company."
Mulder sighed. "I may not like Bailey, but he's smart and knows his job."
"I tried to shake them, but I'm not familiar enough with this city."
"Let 'em come along for the ride. They might just witness something they won't be able to rationally explain."
"See you soon."
Randi was now leading the group as they all sloshed through the spillway. About a quarter mile in Randi started to perceive the other. She looked around at the slime coating the cement. She could feel the dampness as it clung to the walls surrounding them. This was always the part she hated in any investigations -- finding themselves pursuing their quarry in disgusting spots like sewers. The only good thing about this one was it being devoid of rats. Randi hated rats. She heard the comforting sound of Ian and the Breslins behind her as she led them further into the sewer. She knew they were gaining ground, for the strange werewolf was pulling her closer and closer to where it was hiding.
Mulder waited by his car and watched as Scully pulled up, followed by the Bailey and Sam. Scully got out and came over to where Mulder lounged.
"Where are they?"
He pointed to the manhole in the middle of the street.
"Are you really going to go chasing through the sewers, Mulder?" Malone asked him as he and Sam joined the other two agents.
"Of course, Bailey, watch me." Mulder put actions to words and went over to the manhole. He turned around to look at his partner. "Coming, Scully?"
Scully didn't hesitate. "Right behind you, Mulder."
Sam looked at her partner. "Well?"
"Let's go!"
Sam smirked, knowing that Bailey may not believe Mulder's theories, but he wasn't going to be left behind either.
The agents found themselves in the exact same spot that Randi and her group had been ealier. Mulder flashed his light around, wondering which direction the others might have gone.
"Any ideas, Scully?"
"Sorry, Mulder. Sewers are more your specialty."
Sam had been looking around as well, trying to choose a direction by perceiving something the others hadn't yet seen. "Anybody notice anything unusual?"
Bailey had gone further down one side to see if he could find a good direction. "Yeah, no rats!"
"It's got to have rats," Scully reasoned.
"Not a rat in sight. Something scared them or..."
"Ate them?" Mulder deadpanned.
"Oh, give me a break, Mulder," Bailey snorted.
"Everybody loves a midnight snack, Malone."
They had gone over two miles when Randi felt the other as if it were above her. She stopped, trying to get a fix on that feeling.
"We need to go up, Ian. I don't know why, we just do."
Jack flashed his light around the spot where they had gathered. Farther up on the right he spied a ladder. "How 'bout this?"
"Let's try it," Randi agreed.
Jack headed up first. He pulled himself through the hole, finding himself in an old abandoned factory. He moved out of the way and Randi came up, with Tara and Ian in the rear.
Randi shivered in anticipation. "He's here, very close."
"Let's be careful," Jack urged as he pulled out his gun, now loaded with silver bullets. He watched as Ian also produced a weapon. "Randi, it's your party. You lead."
Randi started off towards the main area of the factory. She could sense this creature very clearly, which amazed her. The werewolf in New Mexico hadn't been as easy to feel. She couldn't figure out what was causing it to happen. Maybe because they were in such close proximity, or somehow she was becoming attuned to the Wolf Claw medallion.
They reached a set of stairs. The place seemed to be littered with catwalks. Randi indicated that up was where they wanted to go next, when Tara spied a movement out of the corner of her eye.
"Jack, there's someone here besides us," Tara whispered quietly. "Something moved and it was not the werewolf."
"Where?"
"Down near the other set of stairs."
"Okay, you three start. I'll go check on our other guest."
"Jack?"
"I'll be fine Tara, go with Ian and Randi. Trust me, human criminals I can handle."
Jack scurried away into the shadows and the other three began climbing cautiously. They reached the first level and then the second. Tara kept looking below them, trying to see if Jack was all right, but it was hard for her to discern anything in the dimly lit building.
Randi had made it to the third catwalk and stopped abruptly, as if listening to something only she heard. Ian asked her a question, but she didn't answer him. Intent on finding the other, she concentrated solely on that. She knew it was close. She could feel it near -- hiding from them.
Randi reached the last level. The walkway extended all the way around the plant. She unerringly headed right. Ian and Tara followed close behind her. They hadn't gone more than a hundred yards when Randi cried out.
"Watch out! He's right behind you!" Randi jerked her head up suddenly. "The skylight!"
When Randi yelled, Tara and Ian moved out of the way as fast as they could manage, but it wasn't fast enough. Ian tried to get off a shot, but it missed as the beast charged towards them. The only option to avoid being clawed by the werewolf was to get off the catwalk. They both had the same thought and dived off as the beast went thundering by them, roaring out his disappointment at missing its prey.
But the werewolf stopped it's headlong plunge as it came within a few yards of Randi. She could see the chain glistening on its neck. She waited breathlessly to see what it would do. To her surprise, it turned away and headed in the opposite direction.
Randi was amazed by the beasts reaction, but had no time to consider it. She had seen her friends fall off the walkway. They were safe from the charging animal, but at what cost? "Ian, Tara, you all right?"
"Randi!" Ian called to her. She caught sight of him hanging onto the side of the catwalk, and rushed to help him crawl back over. He lay flat for a moment, trying to catch his breath.
"Are you okay?" she demanded worriedly.
"I'm all right, but Tara... I couldn't grab her fast enough... she fell right past me."
They peered over the edge to see if they could spot Tara. They found her lying two levels below.
"Where's Tara?" Jack cried, as he ran breathlessly up to them, gun in hand.
"We had a run in with the werewolf and she fell," Randi told him anxiously, gesturing to the edge.
Jack looked quickly over the catwalk. "Tara!"
"I'm fine," Tara yelled up at her husband as she slowly stood up.
"You're not hurt?"
"No, I am capable of falling safely in this gravity.
"Oh yeah, I forgot." Jack still sounded concerned. "We'll be right down."
Tara glanced off to her left. "Hurry, Jack, the beast is coming my way."
The F.B.I. contingent had gone about two miles through the sewers and were getting very discouraged. They had seen no sign of the homicide detectives.
"I'm beginning to think we went the wrong way," Scully told her partner.
"I'll second that," Bailey chimed in.
"No," Sam insisted, "we're very close. They were confused about which direction," she explained, eyeing the damp walls curiously. "But they suddenly knew which way to go."
Bailey knew Sam and knew her hunches were usually right. Come to think about it, Mulder had rarely been wrong either.
A shot rang out, muffled, but close enough that the agents all pulled their guns.
"That didn't come from down here," Scully announced.
"No, it came from above," Mulder said. He began searching for an entrance that would lead them aloft and spotted the ladder a few yards down from where they were standing. "I found it."
"What?"
"The way out of here," he muttered, then proceeded to climb up out of sight.
Tara had just about decided another leap might be in order, when Jack, Ian and Randi came pounding up behind her. Jack swept his wife briefly up in his arms in reassurance then turned to look at their quarry. The werewolf had stopped further down the catwalk, as if it was undecided about what it should do now.
Jack raised his gun. Ian did the same. The beast just stood there. The chain around it's neck glinting, even in the subdued lighting.
"I've seen this before," Randi explained to the others. "In New Mexico, the other creature had Mulder and me at it's mercy, but it turned around and left instead."
"Why?" Tara questioned her friend.
"We assumed the controller called it back," Randi answered.
"The shadow you saw, Tara," Jack suggested. "He's the controller."
"Did you catch him?" Ian asked.
"No, and he's long gone by now. Only saw a glimpse of him," Jack said regretfully. "I'd never be able to identify him."
"Something's happening," Randi announced.
Tara's face grew troubled. "Yes, I can read his thoughts as jumbled as they are. He's going to..."
"...charge!" Randi finished.
The werewolf went down only after Jack and Ian combined had pumped a full load of silver bullets into it. It fell, plummeting to the platform below. They hurried down the stairs to reach the creature. Already the beast was beginning to fade and the human underneath started to emerge.
Jack hit the bottom first and intending to cross to where the victim lay, when Tara screamed at him in warning. A wall of fire sprang up between Jack and the corpse. They could all smell the pungent odor of gasoline. Someone had set the floor below ablaze. The foursome watched as the fire began to consume the body of the werewolf. The man behind the beast must have decided to forfeit the chain rather than let anyone else have it.
The flames began to lick up the space between the floor boards, driving inexorably toward the body and the chain he wore. Randi saw her last chance to become normal begin to go up in smoke. She instinctively started forward, ready to make an impetuous leap through the blaze to rescue the chain. As she prepared to lunge, Ian anticipated her move and snatched her back.
"Randi, no. It's too late."
"But we're so close," she sobbed.
"There has to be another way."
Tara understood what Randi had wanted to do and was glad Ian had stopped her. She would have been hurt badly. The only one of the four who was capable of trying for the chain and surviving the intense flames was Tara herself. Jack's attention was focused on the other two. Knowing this, she quickly left his side. Covering her face with her arms, she vaulted through the fire.
"Tara!" Jack screamed as he realized what his wife was doing. He started after her, but Ian grabbed him and pulled him aside before he could follow his wife into the inferno..
They stood there horrified as the area was consumed by the rapidly moving fire. They were forced to move back as the heat intensified and the smoke choked them. They could no longer see the body, nor any sign of Tara.
Mulder was the first to arrive on the scene. They had all heard the second round of shots. As they worked their way through the factory, they smelled smoke and could the see the fire. Bailey stopped and quickly called 911 on his cellphone. Sam and Scully raced to keep up with the rapidly disappearing Mulder. He reached the main area of the plant in time to see Tara jump back through a wall of flame.
Randi, Ian and an extremely grateful Jack looked on in relief as Tara emerged from the blaze. Jack and Ian quickly tore off their coats and put out the flames that were enveloping her hands and arms. Randi could see Tara clutching the chain in her right hand -- a hand that seemed to be devoid of any burns whatsoever.
"Don't you ever do that to me again, Tara," Jack breathed out anxiously.
Tara pulled him into a comforting hug.
"I think it would be wise if we retreated from this area," Ian pointed out. "Besides, I see Agent Mulder heading this way with a very determined look on his face."
"And if there's one F.B.I. agent, there's more to follow," Randi quipped.
"Leaving's a great idea," Jack agreed. He didn't let go of his wife, but he did take the chain she had risked her life for and put it in his pocket before they started off. It wouldn't help the situation to let the Feds get their hands on it.
"Well, I can't say it was dull," Bailey Malone commented dryly as he signed his name to some paperwork on Vic's deck. "Perhaps -- mundane -- is a better word," he finished, as he straightened and fixed Mulder with a wry smirk. "Who would have thought a werewolf would turn out to be just an indigent living in the sewers?"
An irritated Mulder shrugged off the jibe. "If that's what you choose to believe, Malone, then by all means, put that in your report." He didn't move from the corner of the desk where he casually perched.
"I am," Jack Breslin confirmed quickly.
"The evidence was conclusive," Tara reminded.
Scully agreed. "Forensic traces of his last victim skin and hair were still under the man's fingernails. I'm satisfied with the conclusion of the case, Mulder."
"As to his motives," Sam Waters interjected, "we may never understand those."
"According to the evidence, the homeless man was our killer," Captain Maldanado affirmed.
"Why look for anything more sinister, Mulder? It's just not there," Malone added.
Mulder shrugged, not letting any of his frustration show to his rival agents. He was used to ending cases with no clear-cut proof of his theories. Long ago he had learned to live with the anomaly. Not even Scully believed, even after she had seen so much. The only contentment he could find was that one day he would be proven right. Simply by the law of averages, one day he would have to find proof of his theories. But that day was not today.
"Just don't be surprised if this happens again next year, Malone. How did this homeless man travel from Ohio and Wyoming and New Mexico to commit similar murders?"
"Ever hear of trains or hitchhiking?" Malone countered.
Mulder stood to face the other agent. There was no antagonism, only disappointment. "You're accepting the easy answer, Bailey. That's not like you."
"Sometimes cases aren't completely explained to our satisfaction, but we close them and move on," was Breslin's attempt to finish the investigation and get the F.B.I. out of his office and his hair.
"Maybe we're both too ready to accept what we want to," Malone offered, mellowing. "You're still a damn good agent, Mulder. Don't let the stars in your eyes blind you to things that are just plain down-to-earth."
With parting words of thanks, Sam and Bailey offered handshakes to the other officers. When Bailey turned to Mulder, he held out his hand.
Mulder shook. "You sound like my partner," was his rueful reply. "Maybe you should try looking at the stars more often."
"Maybe."
"This isn't over yet," Mulder offered as a final warning to all of them.
"I hope you're wrong, Agent Mulder," Tara countered, knowing he was probably right.
The serial specialists left and Scully and Mulder made their farewells. Mulder paused as he shook Tara's hand, intrigued by her. He had watched as she had seemingly jumped through a wall of flame without a singe on her. There was more to Tara than met the eye. He just wasn't sure yet what that was. After several seconds he released her hand and the Washington agents departed.
"You really think it was necessary to come back here again, Sam?" Bailey questioned, standing in the ruins of the burnt out warehouse. Sam's far-off expression told him all he needed to know as she ignored his question.
"He wasn't in control, Bailey. He was being forced to kill against his will," she stated.
Bailey eyed her incredulously. "You're starting to sound like Mulder," he grumbled.
Sam acknowledged him with a slight shrug. "I'm not saying I believe in werewolves," she informed him. "I only know this fire was set for a purpose... and it wasn't done by that dead man,
Randi and Ian were sitting comfortably with their arms around each other on the couch in the Breslin's living room. They'd all had a nice leisurely dinner together and now Jack and Tara were putting Tori to bed. A few minutes later they came downstairs. Tara walked over to the mantel. She picked up a small vase and pulled the chain out of it, bringing it over to the table for the others to see.
"This is definitely from the Xenomorph's world," she told them, pointing out the strange inscriptions on the links. "They might have been visitors to Earth many centuries ago, or other travelers brought it from their culture to Earth's first peoples."
"It's amazing it wasn't damaged in the fire." Randi picked it up and studied the mystical artifact.
"The killer must have known that," Tara guessed. "Otherwise he would not have left it. He knew no conventional means could destroy this chain. He set the fire to destroy us, not this."
"You think he'll come looking for it?" Jack asked, the idea obviously worrying him.
"He must. It is how he controls his victims."
"The really important question is how does this help us?" Ian asked as he held both of Randi's hands in his. "Randi, I mean. We still need both pieces."
Tara sadly shook her head. "I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. For now." She placed a sympathetic hand on Randi and Ian's. "Don't worry, the medallion will turn up again."
"Don't give up hope," Jack advised.
Ian gave Randi a tight hug. "We never do."
"It's what keeps us going," Randi assured them. She picked up the chain. "We have one half now. And someday we'll find the other one."