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Cruento Somnium 17/17
NC-17 the eviltwins Lana and laine
the_eviltwins@hotmail.com
see part one for disclaimer
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What was left of the van was surrounded by officers, agents, a
forensic team and a crime scene photographer, all of whom wore
expressions varying between disgust and shock at the scene before
them. Mulder strode purposefully up to the wreckage with Scully
at his side. His eyes narrowed as he looked into the front of the van
and he heard Scully gasp softly at what they saw.

Oozing green slime covered the driver's seat, or, what was left of
it. It appeared to be eating its way through the seat slowly, and
with each drop that fell through the gaping hole in the vinyl, a
small hiss came up from the floorboards beneath.

Mulder's jaw clenched tightly and he glanced at Scully, who was
slightly paler than normal, her porcelain features set in grim
observation of the scene before them. Feeling his eyes on her, she
met his gaze, her own eyes wide.

"We've seen this before, Scully," he started, but she held up a tiny
hand to stop him as Det. Lawson approached.

"Don't know what the hell to make of it," he said, his gravely voice
uncharacteristically breathy. He shook his head slowly from side to
side, unable to comprehend what was happening. "It looks like
some kind of acid or something...I don't know. Near as we can
figure, looks like someone may have killed our killer."

"Or something," Mulder muttered, more to himself than to Scully
or Lawson. Turning to address Lawson more fully, he pushed out
his words carefully. "I'd advise you to be careful, very careful, in
trying to get a sample of this substance," he said. "I'd also advise
you, at the risk of upsetting the balance of interagency cooperation,
to leave retrieving and analyzing the sample to us."

Lawson, for once, had no arguments.

Scully merely raised an eyebrow at her partner, knowing what he
was thinking. Knowing that, no matter what her bruised and
battered scientific psyche told her, that he was right. This
substance would undoubtedly match similar samples taken by the
two of them on a number of different occasions. She let him guide
her with one hand resting lightly on the small of her back, away
>from the crime scene and back to the car.

Once safely ensconced inside the vehicle, her partner spoke in a
measured voice. "I think it's safe to say you won't have any trouble
sleeping after this," he said, although no humor laced the slightly
sarcastic comment.

Scully said nothing, merely fastened her seat belt and prepared
herself for more analyzing, more hours spent in the lab and writing
yet another inconclusive report. Somehow, she was numbed by the
events that had taken place, so much so that she could once again
easily distance herself from it, calling upon that clinical
detachment she had always relied upon before this case.

As Mulder drove toward the office, neither of them spoke, though
their thoughts were heavy with the implications of the case. They
still had no solid answers, which was not unusual, but no less
unsettling.

Mulder slowly reached over and covered Scully's hand with his
own and squeezed it reassuringly before beginning to pull away.
Instead of letting go, however, Scully firmly ensconced him in her
grasp and settled both their hands in her lap. Neither spoke, and
neither took their eyes off the road.


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