220 1227 <31OCT94.23584815@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu> article
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From: willis@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Subject: Mason Pt 1 repost
Message-ID: <31OCT94.23584815@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu>
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Date: Mon, 31 Oct 1994 23:58:48 GMT
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After several people inquired about this story, I thought I
would repost it:

My friends and I have been writing this story back and
forth for awhile.  It doesn't take place at any particular
time, but it was begun when the X-Files, Scully, and Mulder
were still together (though after Tooms, when Scully and
Mulder were getting along.)

DISCLAIMER:  The airplane part was written several weeks
before the US Air crash.

**********
The characters are the creation and property of Chris
Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and FOX Broadcasting.
**********

                         The X-Files
                            Mason

     "I don't understand why Agent Mulder and I are being
assigned to this case."  Agent Dana Scully was sitting in an
air-conditioned office on the second floor of the FBI
Headquarters in Washington D.C.  The owner of the office,
Assistant Director Skinner, was sitting behind his impressive
desk, while another man stood behind him, smoking a cigarette
and looking out the window.
     "As I've said, Agent Scully, this is an important case,
and I trust that you and Mulder can do it."
     "But with all due respect, sir, the two of us are
assigned to the X-files.  Why are we being brought in on this
case?"
     "Because I need two partners such as Mulder and yourself
to carry this off.  Besides, I'm doing this partly as a favor
to your partner."
     "Sir?"
     "I think Mulder will find Mason's background, shall we
say, intriguing."
                        *     *     *
     "So what was Skinner's explanation?" Mulder asked as he
drove Scully to the motel where they were to meet their
charge.
     Scully shrugged.  "He was very evasive.  All I really
know is that this guy is part of the Federal Witness
Protection Program.  The rest of his family has already been
relocated, and we are to accompany him to meet with them."
     "Why was the family already moved?"
     "Apparently when they are relocating entire families,
they like to move the witness separately to lessen the chance
of the family being endangered."
     "What'd this guy do, anyway?"
     "Apparently he blew the whistle on a large bank job that
was to have come off last week?"
     "You mean the one at First International?  I heard they
were able to capture four robbers in that sting, including
two that were out on parole for armed robbery."
     Scully nodded.  "So this guy is being relocated so that
there can't be any retaliations against him.  This is it,"
Scully said, indicating the motel.
     Mulder pulled the car into the parking lot.  "What was
the room?"
     "134."
     As Mulder pulled the car to a stop, he asked, "So,
what's this guy's name?"
     "Well, his _new_ name is Mason Montgomery."
     Mulder laughed.  "That sounds like something out of a
bad spy film."
     The two of them walked up to the door and knocked.
After a moment, the door opened up a crack, stopped by the
chain.
     "Agents Scully and Mulder," Scully said, holding up her
i.d.  "We're here to accompany Mason to the airport."
     The door shut and then opened wide.  "Here!" a man said,
shoving two large suitcases at the agents.  "You can go ahead
and put these in the car."  And the door shut again.
     Scully and Mulder gave each other looks as they put the
suitcases into the trunk.
     "Friendly sort," Scully said sarcastically.
     They returned to the door and knocked again.  This time
the man actually let them inside the motel room.  The room
was dark, with the shades pulled tight - the only light came
from the bathroom, where voices voices were coming from.
     The man who had handed them the suitcases looked Scully
and Mulder up and down.  "You two will do well.  You even
look like him."
     "Excuse me?" Scully asked, confused.
     "Weren't you two briefed for this assignment?"
     "Yes," Scully said.  "We were told we were to accompany
Mason Montgomery to Columbus, Ohio, where he is to meet up
with his family."
     "But you were told that Mason is--"
     The man was interrupted by a young boy running out of
the bathroom.
     "--Four-years-old," Mulder finished for the man as he
and Scully stared at the boy.
                        *     *     *
     Scully glanced over at the airport window, where Mulder
was pointing out the airplane to Mason.  The boy did look
surprisingly like a cross between herself and Mulder - he had
her freckles and reddish hair and Mulder's penetrating eyes.
It was easy to see now why Skinner had chosen them for this
assignment.  It was good thing that both of them were so good
with kids.
     Mulder and Mason walked back to Scully, hand in hand.
     "So what'd you think?" Scully asked Mason.
     "I don't like the plane," he said.  "I don't want to
fly."
     "But Mason, we _have_ to fly," Scully said, pulling him up
onto her lap.  "How else can we get to where were going?"
     "I liked his car," Mason said, pointing at Mulder.
     "You liked daddy's car?" Scully said.  "Well, we can't
take daddy's car because it's too far to drive.  It's easier
to fly."
     "I don't want to fly!" Mason said, burying his face in
Scully's chest.
     The old lady sitting next to Scully smiled at them.  "Is
this your first time on an airplane?" the lady asked in the
annoying voice old people often use when speaking to
youngsters.
     Scully, of course, did not know the answer, so she
bounced Mason on her knee and said, "Can you answer the lady,
Mason?"
     "No!" he said, burying his face against Scully again.
She wasn't sure which question he was answering, and she
hoped that the old lady didn't care.
     "He'll be fine," the lady said to Scully.  "How old is
he?"
     "He's four."  Scully knew that one.
     "And a half," he said, his voice muffled against
Scully's shirt.
     A voice suddenly was heard over the loud-speaker.  "Good
morning, and welcome to United Airlines flight 603 with non-
stop service to Columbus and St. Louis.  At this time we
would like to start pre-boarding.  This is for all people who
require a little extra time boarding, including families
traveling with small children."
     "That's us," Mulder said.
     Scully set Mason onto the floor and stood up.
     "I gotta go potty!" he suddenly said.
     "Well, it's time for us to board the plane now," Scully
said.
     "I gotta go!" Mason said, jumping up and down.
     "I'll take him," Mulder said.  "We can board later."
     Scully sat back down as the two boys walked away down
the terminal.  She then dug into the "Bag-O'-Fun", as Mulder
had referred to it when it was first handed over to them at
the motel.  The top was stuffed mostly with toys and books
for Mason.  Scully dug deeper, though, and found some
audiotapes of Barney and a stray assortment of clothes,
including a pair of swim trunks.  None of the clothes
matched, and Scully figured they were just what had been left
over after filling Mason's two enormous suitcases.
     Scully sighed as she tried to stuff all the toys back
into the bag.  She wondered how such a young, sweet kid could
have gotten involved with a bank robbery.  She had Mason's
file in her briefcase, and she planned to read it as soon as
they got on the plane.
     Scully heard them announce more boarding and glanced
down the terminal.  She wondered what could be taking them so
long.  She started to stuff the last book into the bag and
then discovered it was "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel",
which had been one of her favorite books as a child.  She
glanced around to see if anyone was looking, but the old lady
had already boarded, so Scully grabbed up the book and began
to read it.
     She was on the last page when something charged into
her.  "My book!" Mason said, grabbing it away from her.
     "I know it's your book - mommy was just reading it."
Scully looked up at Mulder.  "Where did you go?  They just
announced the final boarding call."
     "You can blame the airport designers - the nearest
restroom was at the far end of the terminal."
     "We better get on the plane," Scully said, standing up.
     "I'll take our bags and the 'Bag-O'-Fun' if you'll take
Mason," Mulder said, grabbing up the bags.
     "C'mon," Scully said, grabbing Mason's hand and starting
toward the gate.  "It's time to get on the airplane now."
     "I don't wanna go.  I don't like the airplane."
     Mason tried to pull his hand away, but Scully grabbed on
with her other hand and tried pulling him toward the gate.
     "I think you'll have to pick him up," Mulder suggested.
     Scully glared at her partner.  "I now understand why you
were so eager to carry the bags."  She picked up Mason, but
he continued to thrash around in her hands.
     Mulder handed their tickets to the lady at the gate, and
then they started down the tunnel to the airplane.
     "No!  No!  I don't wanna go!"  Mason was practically
shrieking at the top of his lungs.  They were almost to the
door of the plane when Mason put all his energy into one last
struggle.  "No!" he said as he elbowed and kicked Scully
simultaneously.  She was so surprised, she let go of him, and
he dropped to the ground and bolted out of the tunnel.
     Scully was after him in a flash, but Mason had two
advantages.  One, he had a head-start.  And two, he was small
enough to dodge under the crowds of people, whereas Scully
had to skirt around them.  However, a four-year-old's legs
are no match of a grown-up's, and Scully soon caught up with
him.  He made one last sideways bolt and ran through a door
in the side of the terminal with Scully hot on his heels.
     Scully was already well inside before she realized that
she had followed Mason into the Men's room.  However, Scully
just ignored the yells from the men at the trough and grabbed
up Mason.
     "That was very naughty!" Scully yelled at him as she
carried him out of the bathroom.  "You should never run away
like that!  Do you hear me?!"
     "Half the airport hears you," Mulder teased as he met
them at the door.  "The acoustics of the linoleum are
fantastic."
     "Mulder!  This is no time to joke!  What Mason did was
very bad, and he needs to know that!  I won't let him act
that way on the plane!"
     "You're right - by the time we get back, the plane will
already be taking off."
     "Then what do we do?"
                        *     *     *
     "At least he's got some clothes in the Bag-O'-Fun,"
Scully said as she drove Mulder's car away from the city.
"Though they don't really make an outfit - it's almost as if
someone just threw them all in at the last moment in case of
an emergency."
     "I packed 'em," Mason said from the back seat.
     "_You_ packed the clothes in your bag, honey?" Scully
asked.
     "Yep.  For the motel."
     "Well, Mason, it's not that far a drive.  We'll be in
Columbus by late tonight, so we won't be staying at a motel."
     "But I wanna swim!  I wanna swim at the motel!" he
whined.
     "Maybe you can swim later, once you're with your
parents."
     "I wanna swim tonight!" he said, crossing his arms and
sitting back in his seat, pouting.
     "Aren't you glad we got this assignment, Mulder?" Scully
sarcastically asked her partner.  However, he was too
engrossed in reading to notice.
     "Have you read this file?!" he asked a few miles later.
     Scully shook her head.  "I was planning to read it on
the plane."
     "It's incredible!  Skinner was right when he said he was
doing me a favor."
     "What do you mean?  We're just watching a kid."
     "A kid with extraordinary powers.  Mason _knows_ things."
     Scully made a face.  "Of course he knows things - he's a
four-year-old."
     "I mean he _knows_ things - he's clairvoyant."
     Scully raised her eyes skeptically.
     "Didn't you wonder how a four-year-old could be involved
in a bank robbery?  Well, according to the file, he just _knew_
that it was going to happen.  His parents called the FBI to
warn them about what Mason had told them, and that's how the
sting was set up."
     "But how could a four-year-old know a robbery was going
to be committed beforehand?"
     "Apparently he just has knowledge of things that others
don't have access to - he has the ability to sense things
that others don't even realize are there.  I've always
thought that clairvoyance was a trait one is born with, and
Mason seems to prove it.  And what I find really incredible
is that his parents state that, when he was just a baby, he
would scream and scream if they took him into a cemetary.
Explain _that_ in scientific terms."
     Before Scully could answer, Mason drove his play car
over Mulder's head.  "Vrroom, vrroom!"
     "Mason, are you wearing your seatbelt?" Scully asked,
glancing into the back seat.
     "Put your seat belt on," Mulder said.  As Mason sat back
down, Mulder reached into the back seat and fastened the seat
belt across Mason's lap.
     "Vrroom, vrroom, vrroom," Mason said, driving his car
over Mulder's arm.  "Vrroom, vrroom, BOOM!"
     Suddenly there was a large explosion and the car swerved
violently into the other lane.  Scully got control of the car
and pulled over onto the shoulder.  She and Mulder got out
and stared at the remains of the front tire strewn across the
highway behind them.  They then looked in the car at Mason,
who was still playing with his little car on his lap.
                        *     *     *
     As they pulled up to yet another motel, Mulder said,
"I'm starting to feel like Mary, Joseph and the donkey on
Christmas Eve."
     "And who is the donkey in this scenario?" Scully asked
snidely.
     "How was _I_ to know that the spare had a flat?" Mulder
asked defensively.
     Scully rolled her eyes as they entered the motel office.
"Do you have any vacancies?" she asked as if she already knew
the answer.
     "Yep," the guy behind the counter said.
     "You're kidding!?"
     "Great!" Mulder said, stepping up to the counter.  "Then
we need two... _one_ room with two double beds."  Mulder
glanced at Scully, wanting to see if that met with her
approval.  She nodded at him - they needed to put up the
appearance of a family, and she could always change her
clothes in the bathroom.
     "Room 117 - right by the pool."
     "The pool!" Mason said excitedly.  "Let's go swimming!"
     "We can't go swimming - it's too late," Scully said.
     "The pool's open till 10 p.m.," the guy behind the
counter said helpfully.
     Scully glared at the guy and said to Mason, "You've had
a long day - it's almost your bedtime."
     "But I wanna go swimming!"
     Mulder got the keys and the three of them walked out of
the office toward their room.
     "Mulder, explain to him why we can't go swimming,"
Scully said frustratedly.
     "I didn't bring a swimsuit, Mason, and Sc--_mommy_
probably didn't, either."
     "Yes she did," Mason insisted.  "And you have shorts you
can wear.  Please?!"
     Mulder glanced at Scully, who nodded.  "Don't ask me why
I packed it," she said.  "I rarely do."
     "So can we?" Mason asked as Mulder unlocked their door.
     Mulder sighed and looked at his partner.
     "I guess," Scully said.
     "Yay!" Mason said, skipping into the motel room.
     They brought in the bags, and then Scully disappeared
into the bathroom to change into her suit.  She barely had it
on before she heard Mulder holler, "Scully!  Get out here!"
     Scully ran out of the bathroom and looked at the TV.
Firetrucks were spraying water on an airplane which was on
fire as the newscaster said, "United flight 603 from
Washington D.C. to Columbus and St. Louis had to make an
emergency landing today at a small airport in West Virginia
after what appears to have been a small bomb exploded in the
body of the plane.  No one was hurt, but police are
investigating the incident to find out who was responsible
for the bomb...."
     As the newscaster continued with the story, Scully and
Mulder looked at each other in shock.  They then looked over
at Mason, who was standing in his swim trunks by the door.
"Can we go swimmin' now?"
                        *     *     *
     By the time Scully and Mason managed to get to the pool
it was nine in the evening.  Mulder had wanted to watch the
entire newscast as well as get a newspaper, so at the risk of
Mason exploding with impatience, Scully took him down to the
pool by herself.  Secretly she wondered if Mulder was just
afriad to show off his legs by wearing shorts.  She had to
wonder since she'd never actually seen him in shorts.
     Scully sat on the edge of the pool dangling her feet
while Mason stood on the pool steps joyfully splashing water
everywhere.  She watched him pensively, wondering what else
was going to happen to them.  It was strange to think that
such a normal looing kid could be some kind of psychic.
     Mulder came into the pool area waving a paper at Scully
a few minutes later.  "Last one in the dispenser," he
announced.  He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and Scully
was surprised at how different he looked.
     Scully looked up at him seriously from beside the pool.
"Do you think they know yet that we weren't on the plane?"
     "Who knows?" Mulder replied matter-of-factly as he
pulled a lounge chair up to sit by Scully.  He opened the
paper and began skimming through it.
     "If they figured out what flight Mason was on they
probably know where he's being relocated to," Scully said
trying to keep her voice low so Mason wouldn't notice.
"Shouldn't we contact someone?"
     Mulder continued reading the paper as he answered her
also in a low voice.  "I already made some calls.  Just be
patient...and keep your guard up."  Before he could say
anything else the two of them were suddenly doused with
water.
     Mason was laughing as he stood there in the pool holding
someone's abandoned ice bucket.  "That makes a good splash!"
he said delightedly.
     Scully had to laugh too after a minute off sputtering at
the cold water.  "You might as well give up on your paper and
come swimming now...Daddy," she smirked at him.
     Mulder stood up and put the soggy newspaper on his chair
before turning to Mason.  "Now you're in trouble," he said
teasingly.  Mason screamed as Mulder got a running start and
did a cannonball into the pool, soaking both Mason and
Scully.
     Scully ended up having to save Mason from being tickled
to death by Mulder.  Scully had just managed to dunk Mulder
when a man in a three piece suit walked into the pool area.
Scully let go of Mulder immediately and went over to Mason,
swinging him into her arms protectively.
     "Don't go too near the deep end, honey," Scully said
loudly, hoping that her over-protectiveness would just be
construed as motherly instinct.
     Mulder, however, unaware of the danger, came up
sputtering, "You're in for it now, Scully."
     Scully winced at the sound of her own name and looked
pointedly at him, hoping that he would notice the man.  "No
more dunking, dear - he's getting tired."
     "No, I'm not!" Mason said, struggling away from Scully's
grasp and floundering over to the side of the pool.
     Mulder didn't say anything, but when his eyes met
Scully's she realized that he was now aware of the man, who
continued to walk around the pool.
     "We should probably be getting to bed - it's well past
his bedtime."
     "Oh, honey, let him stay up for once.  Afterall, it's
vacation.  And he can always sleep in tomorrow."
     "But I told your mother we'd be there by lunchtime,"
Scully said.
     "It's only a few hours drive to Pittsburgh, though,"
Mulder said, trying to glance at the man without being seen.
"We'll make it easily."
     "Pittsburgh?" Mason asked, confused.  "I thought we were
goin' to--"
     Mulder and Scully both lunged at him simultaneously,
dunking him before he could say anything more.  Scully then
quickly grabbed him close again as he sputtered wildly.  At
first she thought he was going to cry, but after he got the
water off of his face he said, "I thought we were goin' to
Grandma's."
     Smart kid, Mulder thought.  He'd make a hell of an
agent, if he lived that long.  "We are," Mulder said.
"Remember, Grandma moved to Pittsburgh last year?"
     "We helped her move," Scully added.  "Remember all those
big boxes?  And the big yellow truck."
     "Oh, yeah," Mason said, already bored with this game.
"Can I jump off the side?"
     Scully looked worried.  "I don't think that's such a--"
     "He's gone," Mulder said, looking around the pool for
the man in the three-piece suit.
     Scully looked around expectantly, but she couldn't see
him either.  At first, that is.  "There," she whispered to
Mulder.  "He's standing by our door."
     "Shit!"  He then glanced at Mason and quickly corrected:
"I mean, shoot!"
     "What'll we do, Mulder?"
     Mulder shook his head.
     "I wanna jump off the side!" Mason said, trying to
struggle away from Scully's grip once again.
     Mulder, however, grabbed him up and said to him quietly,
"We gotta go now.  We gotta go in the car."
     "I don't wanna go in the car!  I wanna swim!"
     Mulder looked at Scully.  "Do you think they're watching
the car as well?"
     Scully shrugged.  "They could've traced the name on the
rental car, I suppose, but it's unlikely.  Let's just go;
that guy is making me nervous."
     "I don't wanna go!" Mason whined.  "I don't wanna go in
the car!"
     "I don't think we should risk the car," Mulder said.
"Remember the airplane."
     "And remember that he's four years old.  He's just being
a kid, Mulder, a kid who wants to keep swimming."
     "Yeah, I wanna keep swimming," Mason said.
     Mulder looked at the boy meaningfully and said, "Your
mother's right - you need to get to bed.  Let's go back to
our room."
     Scully flashed Mulder a worried look, but he looked back
steadily, as if asking her just to trust him and follow his
lead.
     Mulder picked up Mason and walked the two of them out of
the pool.  He wrapped one of the hotel towels around Mason
and then one around himself.  Scully also departed the pool
and grabbed the last towel.  It was barely big enough to wrap
around her, and it was so thin that it was hardly worth the
bother.  But the night air was cold against her wet skin, so
she frantically tried to dry off her arms and then her hair.
     "Let's go," Mulder said, picking up Mason in his towel
and walking out of the pool area around to the far side of
the motel.
     As they stood next to the ice dispencer, Scully asked
through chattering teeth, "What do we do now?"
     "Know anyone who can wire you money, Mrs. Smith?"


220 1228 <1NOV94.00004812@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu> article
Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative
Path: ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!noao!CS.Arizona.EDU!rainbow.cse.nau.edu!nauvax.ucc.nau.edu!willis
From: willis@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Subject: Mason Pt 2
Message-ID: <1NOV94.00004812@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu>
Sender: news@rainbow.cse.nau.edu (Usenet News (system))
Nntp-Posting-Host: nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Organization: Northern Arizona University
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 1994 00:00:48 GMT
Lines: 131

***********
The characters are the creation and property of Chris
Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and FOX Broadcasting.
***********

                         Mason Pt. 2
                      by Willis and Co.

     It was hard to think clearly standing there dripping
water, and Scully decided quickly that they'd have to risk
the room in order to get dry clothing.  It wouldn't do to
save Mason from the Mafia just to have him die of pneumonia.
     "Did you bring the room key?" Scully asked Mulder, her
teeth still chattering.
     Mulder held up the key.
     Scully started forward, keeping an eye out for anyone.
The strange man had moved away from their door, but Scully
had a creepy feeling he was nearby.
     "I'll check the room first," Scully said, taking the
key from Mulder's hand.  "Why don't you wait a few minutes
before joining me."
     Mulder had agree with her reasoning, although it made
him uneasy.  Still, Mason was probably safer out in the open
in public places and Mulder knew they should use that to
their advantage.
     "How would you like to go get some candy?" Mulder asked
Mason as Scully unlocked the room door.
     Mason clapped his hands.  "Yeah!  I want bubblegum!"
     Scully put her hadn on Mulder's arm before he turned
away.  "Please be careful."  Then as Mason wriggled out of
his arms to walk by himself she mouthed "No bubblegum" and
smiled.
     Once they had disappeared back past the ice machine,
Scully walked into the room and quickly turned on all the
lights.  So far so good, she thought, when the room appeared
to be empty.  Grabbing her clothes off one of the beds she
headed into the bathroom.  Quickly she stripped off the wet
bathing suit, dried off, and put on the pant suit.  The dark
green at least kept the suit from showing that she'd worn it
the day before.
     Last of all she checked her gun.  It was loaded and
cocked with the safety on, ready to fire.  She put it in her
shoulder holster and took a deep breath.  It didn't look
like she and Mulder would be getting much sleep tonight.
     She stepped out of the bathroom and stopped short.  The
door to the room was standing open and she knew that she had
closed it.
                        *     *     *
     Mulder was holding Mason up so the boy could put the
money in the candy machine himself.
     "What should we get?" Mason asked him.
     "Hmmmmm.  How about the M & Ms?" Mulder asked, hoping
Scully would approve.
     "Do you eat M & Ms?" Mason asked skeptically.
     "Sure," Mulder replied.  "They're my favorite."
     Mason thought about this carefully and then pressed the
button for the M & Ms.  He had only just gotten the package
open when he suddenly froze.  Mulder looked around them but
they were alone.  He knelt down and put his hands on the
boy's shoulders.
     "What is it, Mason?"
     Mason thought for a moment before answering, "We have
to hide."
     Mulder suddenly felt quite vulnerable standing there in
only a wet t-shirt and shorts.  He wondered if there were a
way to get back to the room for his gun at least.  He turned
to head for the room but Mason grabbed onto his hand.
     "No!  Not that way!"
     Mulder looked around them again.  This time he noticed
that door to the janitor's closet next to the vending
machines was not closed completely.  He quickly pushed it
open and made sure that it was empty, then gestured for
Mason to get inside.  Mulder stepped in also and closed the
door tightly, hearing the lock click shut.
                        *     *     *
     Scully's first impulse was to step back into the
bathroom, but then she realized that it would be a bad idea
to let herself get cornered like that.  She took the safety
off her gun and stepped into the room cautiously, her gun
ready.  She caught some movement out of the corner of her
eye and turned just in time to see a gun coming down...
     Scully's head was throbbing.  'I must have a
concussion,' she thought to herself.  'I must tell Mulder to
makesure I don't fall asleep.'  But where *was* Mulder?  And
where was she, for that matter?  She tried to open her eyes,
to see, but the pounding in her head was too much.  She
quickly closed her eyes again - she'd attempt it once more
whenthe pounding stopped but for now she'd just lay here.
     But the man standing over her had other ideas.
     "Where's the boy?!" the man demanded.
     "What boy?" Scully asked, hoping to feign ignorance.
     But he wasn't buying it.  "Don't play stupid with me,
Agent...Scully, wasn't it?  You and your partner Agent
Mulder will be in a lot of trouble if you don't hand him
over."
     "Look's like I'm already in a lot of trouble," Scully
mumbled drily.  She'd opened her eyes to see the man from
the pool standing over her.  He'd been rifling through her
and Mulder's wallets, which was evidently how he'd learned
their names.  She tried to think of what to do, but the
poundingin her head kept impeding her thoughts.  Her mind
kept on returning to the same thought:  I hope Mulder
doesn'tdo anything stupid!
                        *     *     *
     "I hope she's okay."
     It took Mulder a moment to realize that it wasn't
himself that had said it.  He kneeled down in the darkened
closet so that he could be closer to the boy and whispered,
"What do you mean?"
     "Her head hurts," Mason whispered back.
     "Agent Scully's?" Mulder asked, knowing the answer.  "I
should go check on her."
     "Don't!" Mason said, frantically trying to grasp ahold
of Mulder in the dark.
     "Why?  Will something happen to me?!"
     "I don't know - I just don't want you to go!"
     "It'll be okay," Mulder said, sounding more confident
than he really was.  "I'll be right back.  Now don't open
the door to anyone but me.  Do you know 'Shave and a
haircut'?"
     "Shave and what?" Mason asked, very confused.
     Mulder tapped the rhythm softly onto Mason's shoulder.
"Only open the door when you hear me knock that rhythm,
okay?"
     Mason nodded, and as Mulder stepped out of the closet,
Mason added, "Just make her head stop hurting."
     'I hope I can,' Mulder thought as he cautiously closed
the closet door.

TO BE CONTINUED (AS MORE IS WRITTEN!)


she frantically tried to dry off her arms and then her hair.
     "Let's go," Mulder said, picking up Mason in his towel
and walking out of the pool area around to the far side of
the motel.
     As they stood next to the ice dispencer, Scully asked
through chattering teeth, "What do we do now?"
     "Know anyone who can wire you money, Mrs. Smith?"



Article 1486 of alt.tv.x-files.creative:
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From: willis@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Subject: Mason Pt 3
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Here is the next segment of Mason.

I would like to apologize for the lengthy pauses between postings.  When my
friend and I began writing this, my friend was very punctual about
returning her contributions post-haste.  However, due to some
personal problems, she has not been quite as punctual lately.
I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused, and I hope you enjoy
this next installment of the story.

*******
The characters are the property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions,
and the Fox Network.
*******

                            The X-Files
                               Mason
                          by Willis and Co.

                           *    *     *
     Scully was hoisted roughly to her feet by the man.  A wave
of nausea swept over her and she concentrated on fighting it.
She had a feeling that puking all over this guy would not lighten
his mood.  Although the thought of ruining his expensive Italian
suit did cheer her slightly.
     "Amused by something?" the man's voice intruded on her
thoughts.
     Scully shook her head slightly and controlled her features
back to a deadpan expression.
     "You seem like a smart woman, Agent Scully.  Is the boy
really worth dying for?" he asked, his face right next to hers.
"Tell me where your partner took him, and no one has to die."
     Between the sickening pounding in her head and the queasy
feeling in her stomach, Scully couldn't think of a damn thing to
say.  She knew this man was going to kill her whether she gave
him any information or not.  And yet... she kept thinking of
Mulder.  Had something happened to him as well?
     The man grabbed Scully's chin and tilted her head up to him.
"Don't you have an answer for me?" he smirked.
     "I don't know where Agent Mulder is," Scully managed
finally, the words sounding forced even to her own ears.
     "That's too bad," the man said almost cheerfully.  He shoved
Scully away from him and into the wall separating the bathroom
from the rest of the room.
     Scully pressed her cheek gratefully against the coolness of
the wall.  The rapid movement had caused her head to start
spinning and she held onto the wall with both hands to keep from
falling down.  It took her a second to identify the sharp object
poking her in the back of her head as the muzzle of a gun.  When
it jerked suddenly, she was surprised that she didn't feel any
pain.  Am I dead now? she wondered as she slid down the wall.
     Scully woke up suddenly with a wet, cold washcloth on her
face.  She tried to brush it away and it was moved for her.
     "Are you all right?" Mulder asked her.
     She smiled despite herself when she saw him.  "I think I
have a concussion."
     Mulder looked closely at her eyes and nodded.  "Yep, you
do."  He stood up and hastily dressed, putting on the rest of his
clothes over the slightly damp shorts.  Then he grabbed up their
wallets, Mason's bag, and after a few moments of searching,
Scully's gun.
     "Can you walk?"
     "Yeah," Scully answered.  She stood up somewhat shakily and
her eyes fell on the body of the strange man.  She followed
Mulder to the window without another look.
     Once Mulder was out, he turned back to help Scully climb
through.  Her head was throbbing so loudly in her ears, Scully
wondered if anyone else could hear it.  She had to stop at the
base of the window to rest.
     "Where is Mason?" she asked for the first time.
     "Inside," Mulder replied evenly.  "I'm going back once I get
you to the car."
     Scully looked up at him despairingly.  "This is never going
to work," she said.
     Just then, the noise of a bus coming to a stop nearby jarred
the quiet of the night.  Both Scully and Mulder turned to look at
the Greyhound bus stopped in front of the motel's 24 hour cafe.
It's glowing destination sign read Columbus.  They stared at one
another in disbelief and Mulder had to laugh.  Maybe they'd have
a chance after all.
     Quickly, Mulder handed Scully her gun and wallet, as well as
Mason's bag.  "Go see if you can get us on that bus."
     Scully nodded and watched him until he disappeared back
around the side of the motel.
                           *    *    *
     Mulder found an entrance near the vending machines and stood
outside of it listening for voices.  When all seened quiet he
opened the door and cautiously looked around.  So far so good.
He walked up to the janitor's closet and rapped the well-known
rhythm softly.  There was no answer.  He tried the knob, but the
door was securely locked.  He tried the knock again, but there
was still no answer.  Damn! he thought.
     He looked around the hallway carefully.  Since the door to
the closet wasn't broken he'd have to guess that Mason had left
of his own accord.  Or someone had been able to fool him into
opening it.  Stick with one hypothesis at a time, he reminded
himself.  If Mason had left on his own, where would he have gone?
He was too small to reach the candy machine, and besides which he
didn't have any money.  And Mason knew that something had
happened to Scully in the room, so he wouldn't go back there.
     Or would he?  After all, he was just a little kid.  Perhaps
he got scared and went looking for the only comfort around -
Mulder and Scully.  Mulder ran back to the room, but Mason wasn't
there.  And neither was the man that Mulder had knocked
unconscious.
     "Shit!" Mulder said.  He frantically turned around and
started searching everywhere.
     "Dad?" he heard a small voice inquire.
     "Mason?!" Mulder asked, relieved that the boy was still
alive.  "Where are you?!"
     Mason crawled out from under a table on the other side of
the pool.  Mulder rushed to him and picked him up.
     "What were you doing under there?!" Mulder asked as he
cautiously looked around.
     "I wanted to go swimming some more, so I came back here.
But then I saw the bad man come out of our room so I hid."
     "Well, that was a good boy," Mulder said, not wanting to
lecture him at the moment about having left the closet OR
swimming by himself.  "And we're gonna go now," he said, starting
out of the motel.
     "Where are we going?" Mason asked.
     "On a bus."
                          *     *     *
     "I _told_ ya, lady - there ain't no room!"  The bus driver
was getting annoyed.
     "But there's got to be room," Scully insisted as she clung
tightly to the railing near the door.  "Our car broke down, and
we're got to get to Ohio."
     "But there ain't no seats, and I can't have you standin' the
whole way."
     "But--" Scully began, but suddenly the impact of having run
over to the bus caught up with her.  Everything started spinning
and the next thing she knew she had vomited all over the steps of
the bus.
     The bus driver was not pleased.  "Jesus, lady, now look what
you done!" he said, frantically searching for some paper towels
to clean up the mess.
     Scully felt her knees start to buckle beneath her, but
suddenly strong arms were around her, holding her up.
     "Barbara, honey, are you okay?" Mulder asked.
     "Did you get sick again, mommy?" Mason asked.
     God, the kid's a natural, Mulder thought.
     "I'm really sorry about the mess," Mulder said to the bus
driver.  "If we could just get her into a seat, I could clean
that up for you."
     The bus driver sighed frustratedly.  "Like I been tellin'
the missus here, there ain't no seats."
     "They can have ours," an older woman said, standing up with
her husband near the back of the bus.  "We can just stay the
night here at the motel and take another bus tomorrow.  We're not
in any hurry."
     "That would be wonderful!" Mulder said as the couple
squeezed by them, being careful to step over the vomit on the
stairs.
     "But we'll need our luggage," the couple said back to the
bus driver, who sighed and exited the bus.
     "C'mon, dear," Mulder said, helping Scully onto the bus and
back to the two vacant seats.  After he had her sitting, he
returned to the front to clean up the mess.
     Scully leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the
window.  Her body was still shaking, and her head continued to
pound.  But at least they'd made it onto the bus.  Now if only
they could make it to Columbus in one piece.
     She suddenly felt a hand upon hers.  "Does your head still
hurt?" Mason asked, concerned.
     Scully nodded.  "But I'll be okay," she said, smiling at the
boy.
     "Move over, champ," Mulder said from the aisle.  Mason slid
out of the chair and Mulder sat down, taking Mason onto his lap.
Then he reached over for Scully's hand.
     "Barbara?!" Scully asked quietly.
     Mulder shrugged.  "It's the first name that came to mind.
How are you feeling?"
     "Awful," Scully said, leaning her head against the window
and closing her eyes.
     "You can't fall asleep," Mulder said, concerned.
     Scully opened her eyes and smiled dully.  "I don't think
I'll be able to stay awake.  It's been quite a night."
     "I'll help you stay awake," Mason offered.
     "No you won't," Mulder said.  "YOU need your sleep."
     Mason sighed but lay down across their two laps without a
fuss.  Mulder covered him with his trenchcoat, and Scully
tenderly ran her fingers through his hair.  And in a matter of
minutes the boy was fast asleep.
     Mulder grinned at Scully.  "I must say I was impressed,"
Mulder teased.  "I never knew you could barf on cue."
     Scully smiled dully.  "It's a gift."
     "Well, you certainly made an impression on the bus driver!"
                          *     *     *

MORE WILL BE POSTED AS WRITTEN...



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From: willis@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Subject: Mason Pt 4 (new section!)
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******
The characters are the creation and property of Chris Carter, Ten
Thirteen productions, and FOX Television.
******
                           Mason Pt. 4
                        by Willis and Co.

     Mulder jerked awake and immediately felt guilty that he'd
fallen asleep.  He glanced over at his partner and saw that she,
too, had her eyes closed.
     "Scully!" he whispered frantically, nudging her.
     "Yes?" she said calmly, opening her eyes.
     Mulder breathed a sigh of relief.  "I'm not much help
keeping you awake, am I?"
     Scully smiled.  "That's okay.  I'm just glad the you were
able to get some sleep."
     Suddenly the sleeping figure on their laps began to stir.
Scully stroked the boy's hair, trying to lull him back to sleep.
But all of a sudden he sat up, his eyes wide with terror.  "NO!"
     Scully felt the hair rise at the back of her neck.  She
looked quickly over at Mulder and then back to Mason, who was
starting to cry.  She tried to quiet Mason down before the other
passengers started complaining by talking quietly to him.
     "It's all right, Mason.  Mommie and Daddie are right here.
It was just a dream, honey."  Scully glanced again at Mulder,
more to reassure herself, they smoothed back Mason's hair and
asked, "What did you see?"
     "Th-they stop-ped the b-bus."  Mason hiccupped out between
sobs.
     Mulder squeezed Scully's hand.  "I'm going to head up to the
front of the bus.  Will you be O.K.?"
     Scully managed another dull smile.  "Yeah, I'm fine,
really," she lied.
     Mulder hesitated a moment then stood up and made his way
toward the driver.  He could hear Mason crying, although the
sound seemed distant and forlorn.  The thought came back to him
suddenly that Mason was just a little kid, scared to death, and
missing his real mother and father.  Mulder felt the anger sweep
over him in a wave, the rush of adrenalin sharpening his
exhausted senses.
     He felt more than heard the first strain of a police siren
and his focus was suddenly on the bus driver.  Mulder watched as
if in slow motion as the driver saw the flashing lights in his
rearview mirror, registered surprise, and then prepared to pull
over.  With no time to lose, he grabbed ahold of the driver's
seat with one hand, reaching for his ID with the other.
     "I'm Agent Mulder with the FBI," Mulder said, shoving his ID
in front of the driver. "I am ordering you NOT to pull this bus
over under any circumstances."
     The bus driver was astounded to say the least.  He looked up
at Mulder angrily.  "But if I don't pull over I'll be arrested,
maybe lose my job.  I've got a family too, you know."
     Mulder nodded at the man.  "Fine," he said, putting away his
ID and taking out his gun.  "Consider yourself an innocent
bystander.  Get up and move to the back of the bus," Mulder
gestured with the gun.  The driver obeyed quickly and Mulder sat
down behind the steering wheel.
     With Mulder driving, the bus lurched heavily at first and
then began to accelerate rapidly.  Mulder could hear the
passengers murmuring worriedly as the bus driver walked past them
to the back of the bus.  Not having much choice, he concentrated
on driving and keeping an eye on the flashing lights of the
police car, hoping that Scully could handle the passengers in her
present condition.
     It didn't take long for the police car to overtake the bus,
even at the reckless speed that Mulder was maintaining.  He
looked down at the black and white sedan speculatively.  From his
vantage point above it, he could see two men in the front seat.
The one driving was in uniform, but the other just wore a suit.
As he watched, Mulder saw the man in the suit load a gun and
start to lean out the window.  Without another thought, Mulder
turned the bus steering wheel hard to the left, ramming the
police car side on.  There was a horrifying grinding noise as the
bus careened into the sedan and Mulder heard the passengers
behind him start screaming.  The police car ricocheted off the
bus and disappeared over the side of the road into a thicket at
the base of a steep ditch.  The blue and red lights continued to
flash for a few minutes, then stopped.
     Mulder saw Scully out of the corner of his eye as she came
to stand beside him.  They watched the mirrors together, waiting
to see if another set of lights would take up the chase.  The
minutes ticked by like ages, but the road behind stayed clear of
any traffic.  After a few moments Scully spoke.
     "We need to either get off this bus or let the passengers
and driver off...we can't knowingly put their lives in danger
like this."  Her voice was quiet and measured.
     Having reached the same conclusion, Mulder nodded back.  He
backed off of the accelerator a bit and kept an eye open for a
convenient place to pull over.  The next sign heralded a rest
stop complete with restrooms, so Mulder took the exit.  They
pulled into the parking lot and came to a halt.  Mulder opened
the door, then stood up beside Scully.
     They worked together getting the bus emptied of people.  It
wasn't especially difficult considering that most of the
passengers were anxious to leave after the police car incident.
Only a few wanted to argue, and these Mulder took care of
brusquely.  Mason sat in the driver's seat while this was going
on, pretending he was in the Greyhound Grand Prix, as far as
Scully could tell.
     After a short while Mulder joined Scully and Mason.
     "So, you want to drive the first leg to Columbus?" he asked
Mason seriously.
     "Sure," Mason piped up.  "I can drive just like you.  See?"
Mason mimed driving really fast and crashing into some unknown
objects.
     Scully had to laugh, even though it hurt.  Mulder gave her a
warning look, but it had little effect.
     "All right, enough hysterics," Mulder declared, scooping up
Mason and handing him to Scully.  "We've got to get going."
     Mulder slid behind the wheel, and Scully took Mason and
moved back to the first row of seats.  They set off from the rest
stop and soon after that Mason had fallen asleep again.  Scully
made sure he was comfortable and covered up, then moved again to
the front to talk with Mulder.
     "Asleep already?" Mulder asked, surprised.
     "Yeah," Scully replied softly.  "I think we're actually
wearing him out.  So much for a quiet trip to Columbus, huh?" she
joked.
     "We definitely need to get rid of this bus," Mulder said in
a quick change of subject.  "For one thing, I don't know if that
police car was genuine, but if it was, there may be a roadblock
somewhere ahead."
     Scully suddenly felt really depressed.  "We shouldn't start
second-guessing," she replied tiredly.  "One thing we do need to
do it find a place to get some rest and food."
     "Rest?  Why didn't you say something back at the Rest stop?"
Mulder teased.
     But Scully didn't even smile.  Her head was pounding, and
Mulder's reckless driving was causing her nausea to resurface.
     At his partner's silence, Mulder glanced over at her and saw
that she was looking green.  "Why don't you go lay back down on
one of the seats?" he suggested worriedly.  "I'll pull over first
chance I can and see if we can get some other mode of
transportation."
     "Why?  You think driving a renegade Greyhound is a little
too conspicuous?" Scully teased.
     Mulder was relieved that she hadn't completely lost her
sense of humour.  "Go lay down.  I'll handle everything."
     "That's what I'm afraid of," Scully mumbled, returning back
to the seats.
                          *     *     *
     Mulder was relieved when he saw the sign for the truck stop
up ahead.  "Scully," he whispered back.  "There's a truck stop at
the next exit."
     "Good," Scully mumbled through a yawn.  "Maybe we can get
something to eat at the diner."
     "I don't think we should," Mulder said.  "If they're still
looking for us, we'd be easy to spot in a truck stop diner at
this time of night.  No, I think it's best we see if we can find
a driver who'll take us."
     Scully got up from the seat she'd been lying down on and
returned to Mulder's side.  "I guess you're right.  But who's
gonna want to carry a whole white-bread family in their truck?"
     "Who says we need to advertise that fact?" Mulder said,
grinning broadly as he pulled the bus to a stop at the far end of
the parking lot.
                          *     *     *
     Scully felt uncomfortable as she walked into the truck stop
and all eyes fell on her.  No doubt most of the drivers sitting
around the diner eating hadn't seen a woman of Scully's caliber
for ages.  She self-consciously went up to the counter and
ordered a coffee, knowing that everyone was staring.  Out of the
corner of her eye she saw Mulder slip inside with Mason and head
for the restrooms, but she was sure she was the only one who saw
them since everyone else was concentrating on her.
     It was only a moment before one of the drivers sidled up to
her, sitting down on the next stool.
     "What's a babe like you doin' in the middle of nowhere?" he
asked.
     Scully forced a smile.  "My car broke down, and I'm trying
to get to Columbus.  Are you going that way?"
     The guy's face fell.  "'Fraid not, toots.  But Sly over
there is headin' that direction.  Hey, Sly!  C'mere!"
     Scully didn't relish the idea of traveling with someone
named "Sly", especially when she saw him start towards her.  He
evidently wasn't big on personal hygiene, for she smelled him
before he reached her, and he had several days worth of stubble
on his face.  But a ride was a ride, she reminded herself.
     "She needs a ride to Columbus," the first driver informed
Sly.  "Interested?"
     Sly nodded.  "What's your name?"
     "Barbara," she said, remembering what Mulder had called her
earlier.
     "Nice to meet you, Barbara," Sly said, extending his hand.
"I was just about to leave anyway.  Let me settle my bill, and
then we can be on our way, unless you want some food first?"
     Scully shook her head, and she couldn't help smiling.  For
someone with his appearance, he had remarkable manners.  Perhaps
this was going to work out just fine.  She glanced in the
direction of the restrooms, wondering if Mulder and Mason had
already slipped back outside.
     Suddenly the door to the diner opened and a policeman
stepped inside.  "Can I have everyone's attention, please?" he
said loudly.  "Have you seen a man and woman traveling with a
young boy come in here?"
     The truck drivers shook their heads, and the head waitress
answered, "No, sir.  No family's come in here that we've seen."
     Scully frantically glanced towards the restrooms again.  She
hoped that Mulder had gotten safely away, or else that he stayed
put inside until the police were gone.
     "Well, the bus they were traveling in is parked out in the
lot so we know they're here," the policeman said.  "The question
is, where?"  And the policeman's eyes settled on Scully's face.


