Assurance
by Maidenjedi

Fandom: The X-Files
Rating: R
Category: post-ep
Spoilers: My Struggle, Part 1

Disclaimer: Not my characters, my concept,
or my show. Damn it.

Summary: Tad O'Malley escapes with his life, 
just barely.

Notes: Spoilers.  Lots and lots of spoilers.
But none for the upcoming episodes, so this
is likely gonna get jossed to hell 
(Cartered?). No beta, just good 
old-fashioned write and post.

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"We live in a great age."

He kicked the door open.  That felt good.

"We live in an age of instant gratification.  
Text messages, social media.  So much we can
learn, so quickly."

Tad O'Malley's face was a study in 
shock and awe.  

Alex Krycek laughed at his own joke.

"The downside, Mr. O'Malley, the downside,
for people like you, is how people like
me can make sure all the texts and social 
media at your fingertips," and at this, 
he reached for O'Malley's phone, made 
useless only moments ago, like everything 
electronic in this building, "won't ever 
reach their intended audience.  And it'll
be like you never existed anyway."

O'Malley, in this moment, gaped like a fish 
and words failed him.  Probably just as well.
Krycek never had done well with talkers.  

It wasn't wholly necessary to put a bullet
in O'Malley's brain.  There were numerous 
accidents that could be arranged.  But 
there was an elegance to doing things the 
old-fashioned way.

There was assurance.

-

The downside to doing things the old-fashioned
way, though, was the chance that someone would
stop you, and you, like a fool, would never see
it coming.

"Alex, you idiot, put the gun down."

And her voice would make him do whatever 
she wanted, like it always had.

That was assurance, too.

"Marita Covarrubias."

"In the flesh."

-

O'Malley was dealt with.  Marita had a 
small goon squad in tow, and whatever 
O'Malley had thought or supposed before,
well. 

They were far from the studio offices 
when Krycek finally spoke to her again. 
He was unsure if he was with her of his
own volition, or if he was her prisoner.

But whatever his own situation, he was 
pissed as hell.

"He's useful."

"He's a liability."

"Regardless, you won't be making that
call today."

"I'll remember you said that when it all 
goes to hell.  Again."

"I have orders."

"Fuck your orders."

"You do, too."

Marita handed him a cell phone, and backlit
in soft blue was, God help him, a text 
message.

"Do nothing without further word from me." 

From him.

"After all this time?  I thought..."

"We all did.  You too, if you'll recall."

His death, their deaths.  Was nothing 
certain in this life?

"O'Malley has his orders.  He'll follow 
them.  It isn't over."

Another text message vibrated her phone. 
Reading it, Krycek froze, and swore under 
his breath.

"No, it isn't over."  He held the phone 
out to her.  She didn't take it, but 
read the message out loud.

"The X-Files are reopened."

She stared coldly, and Krycek knew that
this came as no surprise to her.  He 
wasn't surprised, either.  Just angry.

"It could have been prevented."

He looked out the window as they pulled
up to the non-descript brick home.  
He knew who was in there, and the 
conversation they were about to 
have.  What next, how to reign it 
in, how to keep Mulder dangling 
on a thread.

It could have been prevented.

-

"Truth Squad WILL Return!  We are 
experiencing difficulty with our 
servers but DO NOT FEAR!"

Message on Truth Squad's Twitter 
account, screen capture at 10:13am.

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