----------------

Title: Sacrifice 
Author: Claudia Modell
E-Mail:  claudia@subsolo.org
Classification: V, A, mild MT
Rating: R (not for children)
Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: The characters of Mulder and Scully belong to
1013 Productions and Fox Broadcasting Company. No infringiment
of copyrights intended. The characters of Thomas Grapes and
Cristine Krischer belong to me.

Notes: I want to thank Sunny, who gave me this translation
for my birthday:)

Sunny Notes: * This fan fiction have been written originally
to appear in Sci Fi News - the best science fiction/adventure
magazine in Brazil. This story is the first fan fiction
published in a big magazine in Brazil. And it had to be
written in a very short period of time and in a way that it
could appear in only one sheet of the magazine! So, it goes
directly to the point.

Feedback: Always:)

Final Note: Sunny and Lisa, thank you so much for taking your
time helping this story get translated and fixed. You are two
angels!

***************************


Sacrifice
by Claudia Modell


The only noises Mulder could hear were the sirens outside
the building, and the gasping breath of the man holding
him hostage with a knife in his neck.

Mulder was on his knees, his legs hurting like hell. He didn't
dare to try and find a more comfortable position, though.

The knife was always there with its sharp blade making little
cuts at any movement. The sweat dropped down his face and neck,
mixed with the little drops of blood in his shirt.

Scully was trying to convince the man who was taking Mulder
hostage to release him. Mulder noticed how calm she was. Even
when the aggressor was impatient, Scully showed comprehension,
sending a message that he was the one in charge.

That was the right thing to do and it seemed to be working, since
Mulder was still alive. For how much time no one could predict.

Mulder closed his eyes when the aggressor pulled his head back
 violently,  making his throat more exposed. He stayed motionless,
 waiting for the  blade to cut him, to pierce his skin, his neck.

He opened his eyes when it didn't happen.

Scully wasn't there. There wasn't any other person there, but
him and his soon to be executioner. The moment of confusion hit
the man too. He relaxed and pushed the knife away, giving Mulder
some hope.

Suddenly Scully re-emerged and everything went to back hell,
the knife reappearing at Mulder’s throat. Mulder almost fell
to the ground when the man grabbed him again.

She motioned to him and kneeled in front of Mulder.

"Thomas, I need to talk to you."

"Get out of here now! I have a mission. You’re not going
to stop me."

"I know, but I need to tell you the truth about this man.
He's the devil, Thomas."

"The devil?"

Mulder didn't like this. Scully wasn't helping and could
even be putting his life in greater danger.

The man squeezed the knife against Mulder's chest cutting through
his shirt and breaking the skin beneath it. It wasn't a deep cut
but the blood started spotting his shirt.

"Thomas, did you hear what I told you? He's the devil. I had a
vision about this man."

Thomas seemed to be impressed by that revelation.

"Tell me about this vision. I want to know about it."

The following silence was almost palpable. Thomas didn't release
the knife but at least he seemed to be a little calmer, ready to
listen what she had to say.

She started to tell him her absurd dream. A dream that could mean
the difference between life and death to Fox Mulder.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Cristine Krischer was an extraordinary psychology student who
couldn't wait to finish her studies and go practice all she had
learned. While the graduation day didn't arrive she dedicated
her time studying and preparing her thesis.

She decided to study the influence of religion in people's behavior.
It was a rich theme and should be studied carefully. Cris studied many
religions and interviewed volunteers. And then she met Thomas Grapes.

He had no brothers or sisters and was twenty two years old. He lived
alone since his mother died.

His father left them when he was a kid and he had been raised by his
mother alone, following the religion principles she taught him. The
religion became a very important part of Thomas' life and it could be
easily seen by the cross he was always wearing, or by his few words,
all about religion.

He was a shy person but the interviews with Cris were making him
open himself up more and more to his new friend. Cris knew that
the guy's problems weren't restricted to his religious fanaticism,
but came from the way he was raised, the very few friends he had,
the missing father.

Cristine considered the man perfect for her thesis, a person who
was trying to win over his insecurities through his faith.

But she was sure that he would need much more help than she
could offer. Cris became closer and closer to him, creating a
friendship between them based on comprehension of his problems.

Because of that, Thomas sought out Cris to tell her he had a mission,
he would have to kill a man, the same one who had saved little children
last month. Cris tried to understand Thomas' logic. How he saw his future
victim not as a good man, almost a saint who had come to save innocent
lives but as a man that should be killed.

Maybe, by being killed, the man would become a saint in Thomas's mind.
And that would be his mission.

It had been easy to Cris to find out, who was the FBI agent who was
predestinated to be the first victim of Thomas. She had made too many
mistakes and had underestimated his illness, not sending him to a
psychiatrist. But now she would have to make a decision. She should
get in touch with Fox Mulder and warn him about the danger he was in.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


That morning Thomas didn't go to the faculty and Cris blamed herself
for mistakenly thinking that he wouldn’t attack Agent Mulder in a
distant future, underestimating he’d strike this soon.

Thomas could have planned the attack a long time ago, and maybe it was
too late to save Agent Mulder's life. When she started trying to call
him she discovered that he had already taken Agent Mulder hostage, but
maybe she could do something.

She thought about going to the building Thomas was in on the other
side of the city, but it could turn to be too late. It would be
easier if she found someone in the FBI and tried to convince that
person to use a different kind of strategy in the negotiation. She
prayed the woman she had talked that morning would follow her advice.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


"Thomas, did you hear what I have told you? He is the devil.
I had a vision, Thomas, about this man."

"Tell me about this vision. I want to know."

"I saw a light, a very bright light and then a stairway with
steps made by clouds. Then an angel appeared. He was beautiful,
all dressed in white clothes. But he seemed sad. And I became
sad. It was not only sadness it was a very deep sorrow. I
wanted to cry but I couldn't. Then he stopped in front of me
and with the sweetest voice I have ever heard he told me that
you shouldn't shed this man's blood, that he is the devil and in
the moment his blood touches the ground the world will end."

Scully felt ridiculous telling this absurd story but she was
trying to play Thomas' game.

"I hurt him and nothing happened! You are lying!"

"No, I was trying to tell you that you can't kill him. Don't
you see that? It's what he wants. He could have run away anytime
he wanted to. He is a well trained FBI agent. He wants to die
by your hands."

Mulder made a mental note that one day Scully would pay for that.
Maybe she knew what she was doing, who knows? It would be better
that she did know. He had to trust her strategy.

"Then I can't let him go!"

"Don't worry about that, the FBI already called competent
authorities and they are going to solve this. He won't run."

"They are going to exorcize him?"

"Yes, Thomas, they are going to exorcize him. He is using the
body of an FBI agent."

And that is a federal crime, right, Scully? Mulder thought and
fought back nervous laughter. The idea of having the FBI exorcizing
their agents was really funny.

"Look, Thomas, that is why you can't kill him. You would be killing
an innocent man and the devil would escape."

Thomas hesitated. The tension was still in the air but he was no longer
holding the knife to his throat. Mulder started to believe that he would
escape, with many cuts, but alive. He would take care of Scully later.

Finally, almost as acting in slow motion, Thomas put the knife down on
the ground beside Mulder. Scully took it with  and threw it away not
bothering with the evidences she would have to collect later. Then
Thomas got up and walked to the door, where knowing he would be arrested.

"Scully, you'll pay for that."

"I just saved your life. Don't complain."

"He could have killed me!"

"I knew what I was doing, Mulder. Don't exaggerate or I'll not take
off the handcuffs."

"That's what I'm waiting you to do."

"You are really cute that way, you know?"

"I'm injured. You’re not planning let me stay this way, are you?"

"No, of course not. I will take the handcuffs off and you will be
treated",  she grinned wickedly at him, teasing, "but before this
we are going to wait for the exorcist, We don’t know what kind of
demon could be hidden in there..."

"Scully!"



*** The End ***