TITLE: None So Blind (4/5)
AUTHOR: bcfan
FEEDBACK: bcfan@shaw.ca
RATING :strong NC-17 for disturbing content. Please heed the warning.
SPOILERS: post-episode, Fallen Angel
CATEGORY: X (casefile), M/S UST
SUMMARY: Child sexual abuse cases leave Mulder and Scully struggling for resolution.
NOTES at the end.




Boss unlocked the door. The windows were boarded up, but he didn't need light to savour 
his prey. His newest - Jimmy - was a lump hidden under an old throw, curled up tight on an
old mattress. Boss smiled to himself. They always tried to hide, as if that could stop him. 
Foolish babies.

He slowly pulled back the blanket, enjoying the frisson of feeling as the boy's flesh was 
revealed, inch by bruised inch. Life was strong in this one, and Boss licked his lips for more 
pleasure to come. A freshly minted body to explore - Boss's eyes caressed Jimmy's face and 
torso.

Two rosebuds waiting for his pleasure, both red and attractively swollen. Small hands which 
fluttered like butterflies when he was taken. Silken hair to grip.
Soft. So soft.

Boss nodded approvingly. This one was well-trained, too. No screaming to bring unwanted 
attention, and fear made him pliant rather than rigid like the last two. He wanted more. Boss 
felt the eternal hunger of need in the power of the new to ignite the old.
He reached down and roughly caressed the boy's genitals. 

Jimmy gasped awake and began to softly chant, "Nonono."

***

Scully noticed the slight limp. "Are you wearing your ankle brace?"

Mulder pulled up the cuff of his suit pants. "Yes, mom," he drawled. "My ankle is officially on the mend."

"That's good, because we've got some walking to do today."

She led the way down a driveway to the caretaker's cottage at the back of the park. Scully felt refreshed
after her shower and breakfast, eager to find Mary's son. To restore justice. Mulder had a search plan
and, whether they were looking for man or even boogyman, she felt success was within reach.
Scully stopped at the front steps and turned.

"I only have one question, Mulder. If this boogyman or Boss does turn out to be supernatural, how 
are we going to catch him?"

Mulder smirked. "Better hope the boogyman isn't bulletproof."

Scully nodded. "We'll pick you up some garlic before we search the rest of the area. And I've 
already got my cross."

"Nice that you're thinking of me, Scully. The smell will drive him away."

Scully lifted her hand to knock, then noticed the neat, hand-printed sign - Please ring bell. She 
pressed the button twice before an elderly gentleman came to the screen door. Wispy white hair circled 
a bald pate, and he muttered, "Just a minute," as he fiddled with something in his hand. Hearing aids, 
Scully realized, as he put them into place

He blinked owlishly. "How can I help you?"

Scully held up her badge. "I'm Agent Scully and this is Agent Mulder. Are you Vincent Dearson?"

"Yes, I'm Vince Dearson."

"May we come in, sir? We have some questions about recent activities in the park."

"Of course, come in." He waved them inside.

Scully and Mulder sat, knees touching, on a worn sofa. Dearson smiled from his armchair.

"I don't believe I've met any FBI agents before. Must be important business."

Mulder leaned forward. "It is, sir. Three children are missing, and we have reason to believe that 
the person who took them has visited the park, maybe even stayed in the area."

Dearson shook his head. "That's terrible. So many kids come here, have fun, I never heard about 
this. Of course," he touched his hearing aids, "I can't hear much."

Scully looked up, noticed the bare light bulb over the door. It must be connected to the doorbell, 
she realized.

Mulder faced Dearson and spoke clearly. "Have you noticed a man dressed all in black, sir?"

"No, can't say as I have. I've noticed some other strange things, though. I thought it was tramps, 
but it might be who you're looking for."

"What do you mean?"

"It's my job to clean the toilets every day, and to call maintenance if anything's been vandalized.
In the last month the tool shed's been broken into, and somebody stole a shovel. I think someone 
used it to dig a couple of places I found at the back of my garden."

Scully looked at Mulder and he solemnly gazed back. Her stomach knotted. She was sure she knew 
why two holes had been dug.

Mulder continued. "Anything else, sir?"

Dearson scowled in thought. "Yeah, there is. I can't hear good but I can smell all right. I went into a 
room behind the outdoor stage because I thought I smelled something smouldering. When I got there, 
there was a peculiar singed odor, but there wasn't any fire."

Scully stood. "Please show us where your garden's been disturbed."

Scully and Mulder followed the caretaker, walking slowly to the back of his garden. Two small
mounds of disturbed earth edged the plot.

Scully turned and gave Mr. Dearson her card. "If something happens or you think of anything 
else, please let us know."

Dearson solemnly shook each of their hands. "I will."

Mulder pulled out his phone as soon as Dearson was out of sight. He called in and described 
the crime scene, requested a forensics team.

"Scully, when the team arrives we should head back to the station and talk to Captain Ortega.
We need to concentrate on finding Jimmy, and we're going to need some manpower for our
search."

Scully nodded. "Good idea. And Mulder - I'll drive."

xXx

Mulder unfolded his map, smoothed it down on Ortega's desk. "We've got to start a serious search 
because, according to Ramirez, the Boss was talking about leaving National City soon." Ortega nodded,
pointed a blunt finger at the pattern Mulder had drawn.

"What are you thinking?"

"He's either in the park or somewhere close by. The caretaker found evidence that suggests he was 
one of the outbuildings in the recent past."

Ortega nodded again. "All right. I don't have a lot of people here right now, but I'll call some in. Everyone 
knows what we found during last night's bust and, believe me, they'll want to help. Give me half an hour."

Mulder led Scully into the lunchroom and sat, propping his leg up on an extra chair. Scully chewed on a 
vending machine sandwich and drank bad coffee while dreaming of Caesar salad and lattes. Why didn't 
they ever investigate five star restaurants, she wondered, and laughed quietly to herself. Mulder yawned, 
and began rotating his shoulders until he slumped back.

Scully studied his weary face and shadowed eyes, and couldn't keep the concern out of her voice. "How 
much sleep did you get last night, Mulder?" Mulder shifted in his chair and looked away.

Scully frowned. One minute Mulder seemed to welcome her attention, and the next it felt like a 
barrier was being hastily constructed in front of her eyes. She shrugged it off. "Should we interview
Ramirez's mother while we're here?"

"No. Judging from our last meeting she's the toughest of the bunch. The INS guys didn't get much out 
of her, and I don't think we'd get anywhere."

Scully pinned Mulder with her eyes. "I've never heard of a mother and son prostitution ring, especially 
one that deals with children. I'd like to know more."

Mulder shook his head, muttered, "No, you wouldn't."

"What do you mean?"

Mulder shrugged, seemed to be dismissing her questions - but began to shift uncomfortably under her 
glare. Good, she thought.

"Mulder, I'm your partner. That means I need to know what's going on."

"What are you talking about, Scully? Everything's under control."

"I mean it, Mulder. This better not be some 'protect the little woman' crap. I've got a gun and I'm 
not afraid to use it."

"I know that." Mulder sighed. "You're right, Scully. It's just that - well, it's just that I wish I didn't
know some of this myself."

"Look, Mulder, I'm grateful for how you helped me last night, but we've got to keep our lines of 
communication open. How else can we watch each others backs?"

"Okay, Scully. You're right. Here." He took a sheaf of papers out of his inside pocket. "My notes."

Scully read Mulder's difficult writing, which got smaller and smaller with each detail of the Los Lenones
organization. The calculated inhumanity of their group sickened her. Pimps based on family hierarchies. 
Childhood sexual slavery. Brutal lessons passed down from father to son. She handed the papers back 
without a word. 

A knock on the open door, and Ortega poked his head in. "We're meeting in the bullpen, Agents."

They followed Ortega, and more than a dozen people turned towards them as they walked to the
front of the room. Scully watched as Mulder taped his map to the wall. Using a black felt pen, he 
drew a teardrop shape around the park with the point at the Ramirez place.

Captain Ortega began. "I've just been informed by the forensic team that two bodies were found in 
the park, young males, and very likely two of our missing boys." A hushed murmur went up, and 
Ortega raised his voice slightly to be heard. "The third, Jimmy Findlay, is still unaccounted for. 
We have reason to believe he is still alive at this time. Agent Mulder-"

Mulder stood. "Thank you, Captain. Okay, this map shows the victims' homes and information from 
the park caretaker. Our best bet is to search the park and any abandoned houses or buildings in 
this target area. The man Ramirez fingered as the Boss is on the move. The sooner we find Jimmy -" 
held up an 8 x 10 of the boy "-the better. Captain Ortega has gridded the target area and will divide 
it among the teams."

As officers began to talk quietly, one called out, "Agent Mulder, do we have a better description of 
the prep yet?"

Scully spoke up before Mulder had a chance to confuse the crowd. "We believe he's a black male, 
age 20 to 35, 175 lbs., and at least six feet tall. He dresses in black - gloves, hat, trench coat, 
sunglasses - and has been described to us being able to disappear into the night.

A number of witnesses have also mentioned that he has a peculiar burning odour, perhaps from time 
spent near locations such as a junkyard or industrial incinerator."

It was quiet for a moment, then Captain Ortega began reading off assignments. Two pairs of plainclothes
officers paired with Scully and Mulder and discussed ways to search the southern - and wooded - half of 
the park.

xXx

They met at the park's perimeter. Within five minutes, they were poking through the trees in pairs.

Scully spotted a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye, and raised her gun.

"Careful of the squirrels, Scully," Mulder whispered.

Scully felt her face heat, but ignored Mulder's jibe. Every shadow reminded her of their quarry, and
she bit her lip in concentration.

They swept their area, moving on silent feet for another ten minutes. Scully noticed her hand shaking
slightly, and eased her grip around the strain of a gun at the ready.

Suddenly, she heard a slight rustle in the brush - and smelled smoke. Scully raised her left hand and 
Mulder nodded. They stepped apart slightly and came in high and low.

Scully spotted the edge of a boot when Mulder shouted, "FBI. Come out slowly with your hands up!"

Two stained and weather beaten hands shot up in the air, and Scully immediately relaxed after catching 
sight of his tattered, faded clothes. Not the Boss.

As the stranger lumbered to his feet, she was surprised at his sheer bulk - and by the layer of grime 
that seemed to cover him, head to foot. Two bloodshot eyes peered out from behind a tangle of 
greasy hair.

He spoke, and Scully could see gaps where teeth used to be. His voice combined bravado and 
nervousness. "Make it quick, mister, my arms are getting tired."

Mulder gestured and the vagrant lowered his arms, folded them defensively.

A plaintive complaint, "Can't a man get any privacy around here?"

Mulder pulled out his badge. "FBI. I'm Agent Mulder and this is my partner, Agent Scully. We're 
looking for someone."

"Partner, huh?" the man sneered, and Scully swallowed frustration when Mulder moved part way 
between her and the vagrant.

She stepped to Mulder's side. "We're looking for a black man with black clothing and sunglasses 
who's been spotted recently in the park. Have you seen him?"

"I've seen him. I call him Blackie." He wheezed at his own joke.

"Where?" Mulder demanded.

"He's been hanging around, enjoying nature's finest, same as me. Don't think he ever set up camp, 
though. Mostly just walking on that trail to the playground."

"Did you ever talk to him?"

"This ain't a social club."

Mulder spoke. "Did this man see you?"

"Sure, we spotted each other. But I don't have what he wants. Blackie's got a hungry vibe, but 
not for me."

"What do you mean?"

The vagrant shrugged, sat back on the ground and kicked at the ashes from an evening's 
campfire. "Just a feeling. He's not nice like me." He wiped the top of a battered plastic container 
with his fist and offered it to Scully. "Water?"

"No, thank you," she murmured.

Mulder holstered his weapon. "One more question. When did you see him last?"

"A couple of days ago. Over there." He pointed.

Scully led the way through the brush and into a clearing before Mulder spoke. "You've got an 
admirer."

"On a par with your Jersey beast woman, I'd say."

Mulder smirked.

They didn't see anything or anyone else on their search.

It was early evening by the time Mulder and Scully reached the edge of the woods. They sat for a 
moment on the same playground bench they'd occupied the previous day.

The park looked forlorn. A few kids were hanging by the swings, which were shadowed by the dusk. 
A knot of skateboarders stood whispering, and they finally sidled closer. The tallest boy spoke. "You're
FBI, aren't you?"

"That's right," Mulder replied easily. "How did you know?"

"Heard stuff." The boy hitched his board under his arm.

"You can help us," Mulder said. "Do you boys know anything about a person kids around here 
call the boogyman?"

The boy looked at his companions, then shrugged. "Nope."

Another, slighter boy spoke up. "My little sister's afraid of the boogyman. I told her it 
was a bunch of shit."

"Don't be so -" Mulder began.

Scully's phone rang.

"Ortega?" Mulder asked.

Scully shrugged, opened the phone. "Agent Scully here."

Mary was sobbing hysterically on the other end of the line. "Dana - he's gone, he's gone, he's
gone!"

"Mary, take a breath. What's-"

"He's gone, Jimmy's gone, Jimmy!" Mary's litany dissolved into broken screams, and Scully rose 
to her feet with the phone still grasped tightly in her hand.

"Mary, calm down. I'm in the neighbourhood. I'll be right there."

"Scully?" Mulder asked.

"Mary. She's hysterical. I'd better get over to her place. She sounds pretty bad."

Mulder nodded. "Okay. Take the car. I'll catch a ride with Captain Ortega."

"Mulder - don't go solo on this."

"Me?" Mulder faked innocence. "Have I ever?"

Scully headed towards the rental. Mary needed her, but she was Mulder's partner, and
past cases had proven they were usually better off together. She couldn't fend off the 
slightest of concerns. Halfway down the path she turned. "Promise me you'll get backup."

"I will, I promise. Now go."

She wanted to believe.
xXx

She knew something was terribly wrong the second that she got to Mary's house. The 
screen door was open, and the living room had been trashed. A hole had been punched 
into one wall, and shards of glass covered the floor. Scully drew her gun.

"Mary, it's Dana. Where are you?"

She heard a wail. "Oh god! Oh god oh god oh god!"

Scully made her way carefully to the kitchen. Mary was sitting on the floor, still clutching 
the phone in her hand. Scully's card lay at her feet.

"Mary?" Scully crouched next to her friend. "Mary, it's Dana Scully." She began to rub Mary's 
back in soothing circles. "I'm here, Mary. How can I help?"

Mary looked around wildly, her face streaked with tears and snot. "He's not here, Dana. 
Jimmy's not here. I've looked everywhere. I went into his room to read him a bedtime 
story and he's gone!"

Scully's stomach flipped, and she impulsively hugged her friend. "I know, Mary. I know. I'm 
going to help you now."

"He's gone! He's gone!" Mary sobbed over and over.

Scully righted a chair and guided Mary into it, went to the bathroom and came back with a 
wet cloth. Scully gently washed Mary's face as she sat, mute and shivering. Scully took the 
phone from Mary's unresisting hand and called 911.

xXx

Scully's head throbbed, and she was grateful to find a tiny bottle of aspirin in the gift shop. 
She'd been forced to rush Mary, who had gone from hysterical to unresponsive, to the 
local hospital. She walked back into a corner of the lobby, sat wearily in a rigid plastic 
chair, and phoned Mulder. He answered on the first ring.

"That you, Scully?" He sounded worried.

"Yes. Sorry. I'm at the hospital. Mary needed to be sedated, and they're keeping her 
overnight. I think Mary's having a breakdown."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Me too." Scully swallowed. She could hear a hum of voices in the background. "How's 
the investigation?"

"We're at an abandoned apartment block at Chesterfield and Fifty- seventh," came Mulder's 
quiet reply. "On the east side of the park. Witnesses place the Boss here over the last few days. 
How soon can-"

Scully stood. "I'm on my way."


Continued in chapter 5