The Lambs: Part 1 (8/10) by Lamia (AKA so kiss me goodbye) Rating: PG-13 (violence, strong language) Category: S Spoilers: Seasons 1-9, Fight the Future Keywords: William; Colonization Summary: Liam van de Kamp's life changes the day two FBI agents kidnap him and his parents. Author's Note: The Lambs is a three-part story (with prologue). Chapter 8 August 10, 2011 Fremont County Wyoming They left the cabin as they found it. Liam labored with a large woolen blanket while the adults helped Mr. van de Kamp limp to the car. When Mr. de Rosier returned, he picked up a leather bound book from a shelf. He flicked through it with an occasional chuckle. After one last look at it, the big man put the logbook back. "They say you can't go back, but sometimes you can, Liam." He grabbed one end of the blanket Liam was struggling with and they folded it together, squaring the edges. Liam reached for the last blanket left on the bed, but Mr. de Rosier stopped him. "You'll probably need it in the car." He spun on his heel and waited to close the door behind them. Dr. Scully allowed the van de Kamps to sit together. Mr. de Rosier predicted the ride over Swindlers Pass would be bumpy and Liam's dad would handle it better if he sat upright. Since her revelation about Mr. Mulder, the doctor had shut down; without discussion, she took the front seat. Before he got in, Mr. de Rosier examined the cracked driver's window, prodding and knocking loose the wobbly glass pane. He was slow to start the car and when he did, he let the engine idle. He looked over the rugged hills and mountain faces much the way he had looked over the cabin. Dr. Scully touched his arm. "We shouldn't really waste anymore time." He nodded. "Well, van de Kamp family," he said. "Say goodbye to the valley. It's been a good little haven over the years. I got a lot of good, good memories of this place." Liam thought the man was being weird; his mother was fussing over his father, and neither appeared to be listening. "A good little haven." Liam had some idea what to expect from the ride - he still had a sore spot on top of his head where it had smacked the roof on the way into the valley - but further along was even worse. Tossed from side to side, Liam wondered if they were driving up a rocky, giant staircase. His dad bore the jostling with jokes delivered through gritted teeth. "I'm disappointed, Garrett," he said after his head struck the window with a wince-inducing thunk. "I thought you were taking us along the hard route." Mr. de Rosier's laugh was deep and hearty. At last the track evened out. Dr. Scully twisted in her seat to scan the area. "Are you sure this is the right way?" The valley floor was beginning to sweep up, and they had gone almost as far as they could. Ahead rose the impenetrable base of a mountain range. Liam realized he'd been deceived: from a distance the mountains had just seemed like hills; up close, his mistake seemed stupid. The sides of the valley were like long roots stretching down from the looming peak. There was no way they would be able to pass it unless a helicopter picked them up and dumped them on the other side. Unless there was a tunnel? Not a tunnel. Mr. de Rosier told them to look back. He pointed out a brown, broken line zig-zagging up the northern side of the valley, right to the top of a saddle ridge between two peaks. "It's an unofficial shortcut hunters have been using for years. It's not marked on any kind of map and, unless you know what you're looking for, you don't notice it from this track. It'll get us to an old mine access road on the other side." The trip up Swindlers Pass was slow and scary, but it was a good kind of scary. On any other day Liam might have enjoyed it. The track seemed no more than a dirt path cut by animals. He stopped counting how often they came close to rolling sideways; the track wasn't even. At times he swung from his handhold while his mom squished into his dad. Suzie Craddock wouldn't find a roller coaster at Disney World scarier than this. The higher they got, the steeper the drop became and, despite the sunshine, a chilly wind whistling through the broken window turned the car into an icebox. As he huddled under it, Liam was thankful Mr. de Rosier had suggested he take the extra blanket. It was strange to be so cold in August. Mr. de Rosier didn't seem fazed by the temperature or the danger. He kept up a running commentary, pointing out landscape features and recounting old hunting tales. His stories were colorful and humorous and took Liam's mind off the plunging cliff. And, just like that, it was over; the track flattened and they were on the cusp of the ridge. Reaching the top brought its own reward. Grinning, and with no warning, Mr. de Rosier stopped the car. "I don't care who's chasing us. Would you get a look at that." If Dr. Scully was worried about supersoldiers catching up, she didn't let on. Arms wrapped across her chest, she climbed from the vehicle and stood beside Mr. de Rosier. Tendrils of hair whipped about her face, which was as inscrutable as ever. "Are you sure you want -" Liam's mother asked his father when he shifted in the vehicle. "And miss this?" The pride in Mr. de Rosier's voice was unmistakable. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Huddled together from the blustery wind, Liam's parents agreed. "It's *almost* like being on top of the world!" Liam said. "Almost?" Dr. Scully had a small smile. In every direction mountains rose, some close and some far away. Of course, they'd always been there - but higher up, he could feel their presence on a scale he'd never imagined. And, of course, he'd never seen them all at one time. Liam wheeled about, feeling at the same time both insignificant and mighty; here, he was just a very small speck in a massive world - but his vision stretched so far he could see everything. It was worth more than the miseries of feeling chilled or scared by the ride to the top. "Over there, Liam. Do you know what that is?" his father said, raising his voice against the rush of wind. Liam squinted at the features his father pointed to. "Yellowstone!" They had visited the park a couple of times, but this was the first time Liam had appreciated the mountains. "That means Tessa and home's that way, right?" He pointed southwest. Miles and miles away, dense and hilly forest stands ran in and out of flatlands bordered by a river - a snaking gray ribbon wrapping itself about the feet of the mountains. A hand tapped his shoulder. "Look ..." Words died on Dr. Scully's lips. In a fold of slope below them, among swathes of rippling grass, a dark shape and another and then more, walked along the edge of the hill. Liam had seen enough mounted stag heads to recognize elk. Overhead, thin cloud veiled the sun, casting a dazzling light over the animals. Liam felt outside himself - dissolved into his own vision, seeping into the earth and the air. Dr. Scully squeezed his shoulder when the last elk turned its head, its antlers tall and proud. The moment could not last forever. The elk threw back his head and sailed over the ridge line - the haze lifting with his leap. The outlines of the landscape sharpened and Liam felt back in the real world again. He turned on Mr. de Rosier. "You could live your whole life up here!" "Why do you think I keep coming back?" It was hard to draw themselves away from the moment. "We can't stay here freezing all day," Mr. de Rosier said. But once again, although he hurried them along, he was the last into the car. He surveyed their surroundings one last time - like the elk. As he ducked his head getting into the vehicle, Liam had the momentary illusion that large antlers protruded from the man's head. The thought made Liam both sad *and* happy, but he didn't know why he should feel this way. In the car Liam couldn't stop himself talking about the experience. Even his parents had been moved. Dr. Scully kept her thoughts on the subject to herself while Mr. de Rosier appeared to be concentrating on his driving. They started the downward traverse, and he told the doctor where to find some field glasses in another compartment. She used them to see the road below. Heading down the hill was less exciting than going up, although the track was no less steep, nor scary. Satisfied no one was waiting at the bottom to ambush them, Mr. de Rosier accelerated and took them out onto a gravel road. It was a better road than the one that had taken them into the valley, and they made better progress, but the area was just as empty. They were alone on the dry route for miles. Faint rumblings in his stomach told Liam lunch time wasn't far off. There were no houses and definitely no shops to stop at; by the look of it, there wouldn't be any for miles to come. The road continued to wind over undulating fields, passing in and out of arid grassland and parched, cracking tree copses; eventually Liam found the only way to combat his hunger was to close his eyes and nap. He woke, sleepy and overheated. A swirling cloud of dust on the road in front of them was the first evidence of human activity he had seen all day. "Traffic from the mine," Mr. de Rosier said. "We're not far from Atlantic City. Population - fewer than fifty. There's a few people who still work the mines and the town attracts tourists in summer and winter." As they came over a rise, they were afforded a view of the tiny town spread over a gentle hill. Uneasiness grew at the sight of the houses - few as they were. Dr Scully drew out her handgun. But they didn't head into town. Dr. Scully checked the cellphone and directed Mr de Rosier down a side road away from the built-up area. They pulled up beside a row of large pine trees. Mr. de Rosier surveyed the area in doubt. "This is it?" "Yes." "And we just wait?" "It would seem so." Wincing, Mr. van de Kamp leaned forward. "You still don't know what we're waiting for?" "No." There was little noise outside the vehicle - just the clack of insects, the faint nickers of horses in a field, and the rustle of a breeze in branches. Liam's stomach gurgled. No one mentioned food - or their lack of it. Baking pine needles filled the car with a crisp, woody aroma. It was the smell of freedom and relaxation; lying under the pine trees at home on a hot day was one of Liam's favorite summertime treats. He found himself wishing for a less exciting vacation. Dr. Scully glanced at her watch. "Where are they?" She didn't have long to wait. The distant drone of an engine was followed by steaming brakes. "Dr. Scully," Liam asked, "is that it?" He was surprised her jaw hadn't dropped. He doubted she was expecting a large, silver touring bus. They watched the bus slow, its wheels crunching on the gravel. It stopped opposite them and Liam saw a husky painted on it. Despite its cheerful appearance, Liam was anxious to see who would step off. He wasn't the only one. He heard a jangle as Mr. de Rosier fumbled to put the key back in the ignition. Shapes moved behind the coach's tinted windows. The door was on the other side. Liam heard it hiss as it opened. When a figure in army fatigues stepped into view, his heartbeat took off in a sprint. His fear was fleeting, though. This was no supersoldier. The young man's chest was bare and his pants were rolled up to his calves. He wore sandals. His hair was piled around his head, like a brown turban. Liam bet it itched worse than poison ivy and wondered how the man ever brushed it. Maybe he never brushed it? Would his own sandy brown hair look the same if his mother wasn't so regular with a brush and comb? Dark sunglasses hid the man's eyes but his mouth was spread wide in delight. "Pinch me," Dr. Scully said to no one. "This is not happening." "We can outrun the bus - no problem. Want me to drive?" Mr. de Rosier said. The grinning man padded across the road. The doctor sighed. "No. Not yet, at least." Her hand tightened around the gun. "Stop right there," Mr. de Rosier called through the broken window. The man obeyed. He halted in the middle of the road and put his hands up. He wasn't in the least bit supersoldiery. He bent and spied Dr. Scully. "It *is* you!" His grin seemed glued on. "This is just *too* unreal. And you got here before we did!" Dr. Scully gave a weak smile. "Give me a minute," she said to Mr. de Rosier and the van de Kamps. She was out of the car gesturing at the man before Mr. de Rosier could protest. "You're sure Dr. Scully knows what she's doing?" Mrs. van de Kamp asked Mr. de Rosier. About twenty paces in front of them, Dr. Scully stopped. The man turned, putting his back to her, and she stepped on tiptoes to inspect his neck. She put her hand to her own neck and tore the bandage away. Liam remembered Dr. Scully inspecting Mr. de Rosier the same way. "What's she doing?" "Always look at the back of their necks, Liam," he said. "A nodule at the base of the neck - it's the only obvious sign you might be dealing with a supersoldier. They've all got them. It's the only easy way we can identify them." The doctor and the man were now engaged in conversation. He flung his arms about, stuck his thumb out (indicating the bus) and finished with a flourish of palm rubbing. Dr. Scully said something. The man's shoulders sagged, like she'd just punctured his balloon. Liam laughed, but a second later the man was jogging across the road and beckoning to Dr. Scully. Mr. de Rosier was halfway out of the car, ready to rescue her, when she waved him back. She disappeared behind the bus and Liam sucked in a breath, not releasing it until she reappeared a minute later, leading the young man and a large, older man to the car. "The University of Washington," she said without a hint of humor, "has come to our rescue." "Hello!" The strange man with the bird's nest hair waved through the window and fixed his perpetual grin on Liam's father. "Let me help you out there, Harry." How did he know their names? He put a hand out and Mr. van de Kamp reached out to accept it. The doctor didn't stop the man, but when Liam's mom hopped out to support her husband, Dr. Scully turned to him. "Look, Alan - was it?" She used her no-nonsense voice. "Can you let me have a word with the van de Kamps?" The man backed off. "Sure thing, Dr. Scully. But you'd better do it quick. We don't want to be hanging round here too much longer." She watched him retreat. "Dr. Scully?" Liam's mom said. The doctor turned to Liam's parents. "Do you trust me?" They shared an uncertain glance. "You have a choice to make. Maybe you haven't made up your minds yet. Maybe this *is* simply too much to accept in a day. Maybe you're scared to accept what I've told you, what Mulder's told you, what Garrett told you." She ducked her head. "I need to tell you another scary thing. That bus" - she nodded in its direction - "is probably your only chance at reaching safety. "I can use my gun - force you to come with me - but I don't want to do that. You have to make a decision. God knows I don't want you to do it, but if you want to stay here, find your own way home, and take your own chances when you get there, I'll let you go." Dr. Scully's eyes fell on Liam. He stared back at her, watching her mouth sour, as though she had eaten something putrid. "Or, you can put your trust wholly in me. You decide - but whatever decision you make, you need to make it now, because if you get on that bus there won't be any going back." She walked away, leaving his parents in shock. Mr. de Rosier was still in earshot. "Dr. Scully, are you sure ..." Liam didn't hear her response. His parents had put their heads together in urgent discussion. He was left out until his mother knelt beside him at the car's door. "Lee, honey. Do you understand what Dr. Scully said to us?" "We don't have to go with her. She'll let us go - if we want to." "Sweetie, I'm so proud of you. Never forget that." She took a deep breath. "We want to know how you feel about all this, Liam. It's our decision to make - Dad's and mine - but this affects you too." "Those supersoldiers were real, Mom." He didn't need anyone making up his mind on that score. If his parents thought otherwise, that temper tantrum he'd refused to stoop to at the gas station the day before might come in handy now. He needn't have worried. "They looked pretty real from where I was sitting, too," she said. "But Dr. Scully's unpredictable. She shot Dad, remember?" "But Dad's still alive. If those soldiers had gotten to him ..." Just thinking about it made him sick. When he had told Dr. Scully his father would have died if he had been left with the supersoldiers, he had known it was the truth. What hadn't hit him then, was just how close that had come to happening. His eyes filled, forcing him to brush them with his hand. "Do you know what you want us to do, Liam?" He nodded. "Can you tell me?" He willed his words to come out steady. "I want us to go home," he said. "I want us to go home and feed Blue and take Sal for a run and find a better home for Jerry. But home's not really there anymore, is it?" "We don't know that for sure, Lee." He shook his head. "Mom? I think we should stay with Dr Scully." "So do I, Liam," his mother said as she wrapped him in a hug. "So help me, God - so do I." "Guess that settles it," Liam's dad said. The man with the hair was already stepping over to lead him to the bus. Overcome with a need to make sure his dad was really there, Liam extracted himself from his mother's hug and pushed in under his dad's arm. "What does your leg feel like now, Dad?" Hearing his father was the only thing which could banish the awfulness of realizing just how close he had come to losing him. As they passed Dr. Scully, she nodded. If the doctor felt she'd claimed a victory in winning them over, she gave nothing away, and she was quiet as they made their way to the bus. -o0o- It took Liam five seconds to decide he liked their new mode of transport. When his head popped around the tiny stairwell, he counted ten adults. Two looked up from papers and said hello as he made his way slowly down the aisle. Not everyone appeared to be paying them attention; one man near the back, curled into the corner of his seat, was ensconced in a book. *Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics,* Liam read. Beside him a piece of paper was scribbled with chains of numbers. He didn't lift his head to acknowledge any of the newcomers. Liam didn't want to be caught staring, so he followed his parents past a tied-up curtain which divided the back from the front of the bus. This was no ordinary touring coach; the back contained a sink and cupboards, and several beds set on the walls. "We ripped out the back stalls to make room for some mattresses and stuff to - you know - give it a more homey feel," Alan said. "Anyways, welcome aboard and please enjoy your Greyhound experience - UDub style." "Give it a rest, Hirsch," a voice said. "There's no universe anywhere, ever, where that joke was funny." Liam had to agree. Peeping around the divide, Liam decided the man practicing sums and reading was the source of the voice. Alan didn't seem offended; if anything his grin grew wider. "We'll do introductions once we get back on the road. We've got a strict itinerary to stick to and orders to get you out of Wyoming ASAP," he said. Mr. van de Kamp eased himself onto a bed, examining the bus and its modifications. "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation why a Washington State University bus is deep in No Man's Land, Wyoming," he said. Alan chuckled. "I don't know that there is - unless you count driving to the aid of one half of the Internet's most wanted duo." He looked to the front of the bus where Dr. Scully was talking to the large man who had taken the driver's seat. There was no room for Liam in the back. He took a seat opposite the man doing math and looked out the window. The Ford was no longer parked on the other side of the road. Mr. de Rosier appeared from behind some trees and Liam guessed he had moved the car out of sight. The bus engine was already running. The bus driver was waiting for him to board. Mr. de Rosier bounded up the steps but halted in the aisle. The creases about his eyes suggested he was stuck on a thought. Their driver didn't waste any time. "If you're sure there's nothing else you want from the car, we'll get a move on. We've got a long way to go today." "Wait." Dr. Scully pushed past Mr. de Rosier and off the bus. She wasn't gone long. She returned clutching a small container. *The finger.* "I'm sorry," Dr. Scully said to the bus driver as she paused to recover beside Mr. de Rosier, who still hadn't taken a seat. "Doctor ..." Mr. de Rosier touched her arm. The disparity in their heights forced her to crane her head. "I can't go with you." Dr. Scully stared at him. "But -" "I'll meet up with you later," he said. "There's something I have to do." "It's not safe. Your life -" "Just got going again." He signaled the driver to wait, then made his way up to Liam's parents. He put his hand out. "Goodbye, Harry, Marie. I'm grateful I could help. You made the right decision today." Liam scrambled to his feet. Mr. de Rosier gave him no time to attack. "Goodbye, Liam. Be good to your parents. Remember, when you meet someone new, check the base of their neck. One more thing" - his grin spread - "sometimes, Liam, you *can* go home." Liam felt like the floor was disappearing under his feet. "I thought you were coming with us?" You couldn't share an experience like the supersoldiers and just *go back*. Even his parents had realized that. First Mr. Mulder and Jerry, now Mr. de Rosier. His third goodbye in two days if he counted leaving his home and his pets. It wasn't right. Dr. Scully recovered enough to join him. "Why?" The corners of Garrett de Rosier's mouth stretched up. "I woke up today, Dr. Scully. And what do you know? I've still got some life to love." Dr. Scully's eyes widened just as they had when she watched Liam with the elk on the mountain. "Your family ..." "Maybe." His face was bright with hope. "I'm no fool," he said, sensible and solid again. "I know what's happening to the world. I know it's happening faster than expected. It - it didn't matter yesterday, but today - if I don't try ..." Liam nearly yelled at the doctor when she tipped her head in the smallest nod. Mr. de Rosier would do exactly what she told him to do if she ordered him. Why didn't she order him to stay? Instead she was going to let him go. He couldn't believe how stupid the grownups were being. "Please don't take any unnecessary risks," was all Dr. Scully said. "I don't aim to." Before Dr. Scully had a choice in the matter, he closed the space between them and bear-hugged her. "Good luck, Agent Scully. You tell Agent Mulder when this is over I'm looking forward to meeting him one day." The doctor regained her voice as he was stepping from the bus. "At least tell us where you're going?" His answer sailed over his shoulder as he hopped down with a lively leap. "Lander ... she's in Lander." He disappeared with a jaunty whistle. Their bus driver swung around in his seat to glare at them. "No one else wants this stop? Good. Can we go now?" Liam pressed his head against the window pane, trying not to lose sight of Mr. de Rosier. Perhaps if he kept his eyes on him, he just wouldn't be able to go? Their early morning rescuer stood, his hand lifting in a wide wave. His figure shrank as the bus gathered speed. Just for a second, in the shimmer of dust and bright sunshine, he appeared bathed in the same light which had settled on the mountaintop. The bus swept around a corner and he was gone. Liam kicked the seat in front of him. He brought his fist down on the cushion, once, twice and a third time. His stomach betrayed him - again. The man doing math raised an eyebrow. Liam glowered, not caring if his behavior was rude. "Hey, Hirsch, we got a feral one here. Got any food to tame it?" The bus had everything. At the mention of food, a happy chattering broke out. Alan Hirsch dropped a roughly-made sandwich and an apple into Liam's hands. Liam's stomach was so excited by the prospect of lunch he forgot to be angry, but once he'd wolfed down the sandwich and the apple (he ate so quickly he couldn't remember what was in the sandwich) the food seemed to fuel his bad temper, and he sat scowling and ignoring the changing scenery and bubbling voices about him. With so many new people he was not going to be allowed to stew for too long. Mathman put his book down and spent five minutes studying Liam over steepled fingers. Liam ignored the man, refusing to be goaded. He was unprepared when mathman made his move. "You look like you could do with some cheering up," he said, ambushing Liam's surly sulk. "Hey, Shoe!" A black head rose over the seat in front of him. "You on the net, Shoe?" "*So da, Toby-san.*" "Bet the kid here doesn't know how famous Agent Scully is!" Liam went on pretending to be uninterested. "Go on," mathman said with a nod. "Shoe'll show you the best thing on the net ever, kiddo." Liam knew he was being invited to look at something. He hesitated until the Asian man appeared with a tablet. Liam made a face. "Is your name really Shoe?" "Shu. S-h-u. Short for Shuichiro." The man spoke with a strong accent. "You're Japanese. Like Ichiro!" "*Not* like Ichiro." Shu patted his rounded stomach. He shifted the tablet to give Liam a better view. "*Douzo.*" Liam read the Federal Bureau of Investigation banner and saw a series of black and white head shots set about a large caption: "*FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives.*" "Cool - hey!" His initial interest transformed into surprise when he took a closer look at two faces peering back at him: Dr. Scully and Mr. Mulder. There were long lists under their names: abduction, escaping custody, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, conspiracy to defraud the United States public, treason. He didn't understand everything, but it didn't get worse than murder or abduction. "That's not all," Shu said, oblivious to Liam's increasing confusion. He tapped the photo of Dr. Scully. The FBI banner was still there. Below it was a map of the country (plus Canada and Mexico) with red spots dotted all over it. "This is the best part!" Shu said. "Each dot is a confirmed sighting of the FBI's most wanted duo ... *Ara*? New sighting at 11am in Raleigh, North Carolina!" A loud cheer went up in the bus. "What's in Raleigh?" Liam asked. "Agents Scully and Mulder, of course." "But ..." When Shu tapped a link, an image loaded. Liam watched in increasing amazement as a photo revealed itself. The couple *looked* like Dr. Scully and Mr. Mulder - kind of - except it was obvious they weren't. They were clearly wearing wigs, and the suits they had on didn't look right - far too small - and they were handcuffed together. Liam could tell they were handcuffed because they were both holding up a sign and the cuffs were obvious against their upraised wrists. The sign made no sense either: "We support S and M!" Mathman poked his head over the seat and laughed. "Brilliant! Save that one, Shu." To Liam, he said, "You're looking at the most important website in the world at the moment, kiddo. This is the free world's appeal to sanity." Liam was lost in this conversation. "See," mathman said, "when the FBI announced three days ago it wanted a little help locating a couple of former employees, a few people decided to help them out. Somewhere in the world a very helpful hacker created the *very* official-looking upload program and map site, and linked it all to the FBI. "Now people are able to tell the feds exactly where former Agents Mulder and Scully are with the click of a button. They can even upload images and video if they download the special software designed solely for this purpose. It's proving very popular. The site's had over a half a million hits and more than ten thousand uploads!" Liam cocked his head. "I don't get it. This says Dr. Scully and Mr. Mulder were in North Carolina half an hour ago." "And twenty minutes before that they were in Florida!" Shu said. Mathman's smile was vicious. "The FBI won't be taking any of these sightings seriously, but I bet it's giving them a real headache double checking just in case. Then on top of that they have to work out who hacked their system and how they can fix it." "But what does it mean?" "It means, kiddo, that at least ten thousand citizens on Planet Earth think the American Government's up to something sneaky, and a pair of former agents named Mulder and Scully are worth going out on a limb for. "It means at least ten thousand people woke up today knowing war's on their doorstep, and they have to act now. "It's telling people not to give up, not to give in, because hope *lives* ... and there is somebody worth fighting for!"