Part 3
Mama Flo’s Diner
Thursday, June 5th, 1997
“I’m really sorry about what happened back at–”
“Forget it,” Scully said, cutting Logan off. Her tone made it clear she didn’t want to discuss the matter. “So, did you find out anything?” she asked as she took another bite of her turkey club sandwich.
“Quite a few things. First off, her name isn’t Crystal Lear.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Come on. Crystal Chanda Lear? It’s a joke. Like Rose Budd, Paige Turner, Ann B. Dexterous, or Eileen Dover. I assure you, that woman’s name is not Crystal Lear. If you want, I’ll run a check on her when we get back to the hotel.”
“What else did you learn?”
“She made the phone calls.”
An auburn brow arched skeptically. “She told you?”
“No, but it was her.”
“How do you know that?”
“Her eyes.”
“What?”
“It was in her manner, the way her expression changed, the look in her eyes.”
“I didn’t notice anything.”
“With all due respect, you were outside,” Logan said in a gentle and nonjudgmental tone.
Scully took a slow breath and looked at the blonde across the table from her. Logan was a mystery... and displayed too damn many traits in common with Mulder. “So let me get this straight. The only thing we had to go on to identify the caller was a hat that completely covered her face. We went to the payphone and after only a quick look around, you decide to go into a store and talk with the clerk for a few minutes, after which you’ve decided she’s our caller even though she didn’t admit it.”
Logan simply smiled.
“Is this the way you always handle a murder investigation? Jump to a conclusion and only then look for evidence to support your theory?” Like Mulder always did.
The blonde was a little taken aback by the venom in her partner’s voice. She didn’t know where it was coming from. She frowned. “Normally I don’t get to flash a badge and have pleasant conversations with nice people.” Logan sat back with sigh. She continued in a soft voice, but there was a new timbre to it that Scully hadn’t heard before.
“I usually work undercover. Have you worked undercover before? Do you know what it’s like being around a bunch of sadistic degenerates whose favorite pastimes include raping women and selling children, killing them? Or how about the ones who take pleasure in seeing how long they can take to completely bleed out a woman’s body to the last drop while bathing themselves in the blood? I’ve had to gather information and determine the truth any way I can to solve cases, to stay alive. I’d had to use all my senses and listen to my instincts because I’ve been completely alone with no backup.”
Scully started to say something, but Logan wasn’t finished.
“Let me tell you something about me, Agent Scully. I know how to pay attention; to not just look, but see; to not just hear, but listen; to not just touch, but feel. I know when someone’s afraid, and when they’re hiding something. I may not be the most experienced agent in this kind of investigation, but I’m very good at what I do, at reading people. I’m telling you that Ms. Lear made those phone calls.”
Scully was silent, digesting not only Logan’s words but her very presence. The blonde never raised her voice or appeared anything other than completely calm and professional. Suddenly Scully realized she had completely prejudged Logan, or more correctly misjudged her. The woman sitting across from her was not a young, inexperienced agent, which was the mental picture Scully had already formed of her. She had done Logan a disservice. She felt a shiver run along her spine as she remembered that moment when they met and she noticed the blonde’s dark green eyes – sensing they saw things others didn’t. There was more to Nicole Logan than she had bothered to see. She looked into the blonde’s eyes.
“So, can you always tell if someone is lying?”
“Most people give themselves away – something in the eyes – but you have to be looking to see it. It wasn’t that difficult with Ms. Lear. Her pupils dilated, her heart rate spiked, and her hand was damp with a slight tremble when I shook her hand to leave – very different from when she placed the crystal in my palm for her little demonstration.” Not to mention I could smell the fear rolling off of her.
Scully’s eyebrow went up in surprise. “Her heart rate?”
Logan tapped the side of her own neck. “Pulse point.”
Scully was very impressed with Logan’s observations. They were valid and precise. The blonde wasn’t just jumping to unfounded conclusions; she was using valid investigative techniques. “So what do you suggest we do next?”
“If you agree, I’d like to have another talk with Ms. Lear... alone.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Scully pinned the blonde with a look. “You’ve already arranged to meet her, haven’t you?”
“Just the option, nothing concrete.”
“Do you really think you’ll get any more out of her if you meet with her again?”
“I’d like to give her the chance.”
Scully pondered the matter for a several seconds. “Alright, but you check in with me before you go in to meet with her and as soon as you leave.”
“Of course.”
~~~
Crystal Lear’s Apartment
Logan parked in front of Crystal Lear’s apartment building and pulled out her phone, calling to let her partner know she was ready to go in.
Lear let the blonde in, though it was obvious she was nervous.
“Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Lear.”
“Y-You can call me Crystal, Agent Logan.”
The blonde smiled. “Crystal, you know why I’m here, right?”
“You want me to read your aura again?”
“No. I really need to talk to you about the phone calls... they’re related to some murders.”
Crystal paled. “I’m not a suspect, am I?”
“No, of course not.” Logan locked eyes with the woman. “But you do know about them... before they happen. Tell me how.”
Lear felt confused and disoriented, but compelled to explain. “I-I see them... in visions.”
“Do you know who the killer is?”
“No. I only see what he does, never him.”
“How do you know it’s a man?”
“His hands.”
Logan nodded in understanding.
“You believe me... don’t you?” she asked in a surprised tone.
“Yes, Crystal, I do.” Logan took out one of her cards and handed it to her. “You don’t have to make anonymous phone calls anymore. The next time you have one of your visions call me. That’s my cell number.”
Lear looked unsure.
“With your help we can stop this guy, Crystal.”
~~~
Ramada Inn
Chattanooga, TN
Friday, June 6th, 1997
Since there wasn’t anything more the agents could learn in Albuquerque, they flew to Chattanooga on Friday, where they met with Agent Max Cogley. He brought them up to speed with the four murders, including the one from Thursday that Ms. Lear had called about.
Scully went to the morgue to perform the autopsy while Logan went to the crime scenes with Cogley. They discussed the case over takeout in Scully’s hotel room.
Scully was hungrier than usual, which pleased her. When looking into the mirror she couldn’t deny that that the outline of her ribs was becoming much more distinct. Her face was gaunt and she’d lost more than a little of her physical strength, as demonstrated by her daily exhaustion and her inability to perform an autopsy without taking a number of breaks. The cancer, her treatment, and even Mulder’s suicide were all taking a toll. Her clothes were looser and she was as pale as death.
So it was a welcome change to have a more normal appetite. Perhaps it had something to do with being away from home... and no treatment sessions since Monday. If nothing else, the current case had taken her mind off of Mulder. Well... except when Logan was acting too much like Mulder. Finding the caller in Albuquerque without talking to more than one person was uncanny, and very Mulder-like.
Scully shook her head to clear her thoughts.
“What?”
“We should talk to the families and friends of the victims tomorrow.”
Logan sighed but nodded. Her reticence wasn’t lost on her partner.
“What’s wrong, Logan?”
“Nothing.”
Scully didn’t believe the blonde, but she decided to let it pass. It wasn’t like she was willing to share all of her thoughts with Logan.
~~~
Saturday, June 7th, 1997
Logan’s cell phone woke her up at 1:45 in the morning. Crystal Lear had had another vision. She turned on the light on the nightstand and wrote down what Lear described to her. It wasn’t a lot to go on, but they had to try. Logan got up and grabbed her clothes, knocking on the adjoining door to Scully’s room on her way to the bathroom.
“Scully! We got another call from Crystal Lear.”
“Okay.”
Just as they got into the car Scully’s cell phone rang. It was Agent Cogley letting them know they had another murder. They exchanged a look and Scully started the car.
~~~
Montclair Apartments
Apt #14
Scully and Logan took in the crime scene and the body on the bedroom floor.
“Her name is Darcy Huffaker. According to the ME she’s been dead about an hour,” said Agent Cogley.
Logan looked at her watch. “So Crystal didn’t call until afterwards.”
“Do you think she didn’t find out about this one until after the fact,” Scully asked.
Logan shook her head. “Actually, I think it has more to do with fear.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that we’ve talked to her and she knows the murders are real, it’s... scary.”
“You talking about the suspect that’s been calling?” asked Cogley.
“She’s not a suspect,” Logan declared.
Scully wasn’t at all convinced the woman knew about the murders because she had visions. She suspected someone was passing the information along by much more conventional means, but she didn’t say anything to contradict the blonde in front of the locals. She nodded at the scene. “Tell me what you see, Logan.”
“Ligature marks indicate she was bound, possibly with zip-ties based on the size of the marks. The room shows signs of struggle, yet nothing is broken, so it was short-lived and he overpowered her quickly. No one heard her yells, so she was probably gagged. Since there’s no sign of struggle anywhere else in the apartment she invited him into the bedroom. Despite the fact that she was bound he beat her mercilessly. I’d say he has a lot of rage. There’s no sexual assault, so he could be impotent – a possible source of his rage.” She looked around the room. “The only pictures on display are of her family; none of a boyfriend or girlfriend. Her computer is set up in her bedroom, there are takeout menus in the nightstand drawer, no makeup or perfume on the dresser, only the most basic jewelry – a ring and a necklace – so she’s not one to go out and meet people. The victim led a very solitary life. She probably worked from home. I wouldn’t be surprised if she actually met our killer online.”
Cogley looked at her surprised. “She did work from home. She worked for a customer service call center as a telecommuter.”
“Not from this computer though. This is her personal space. She has to have another computer.”
“The smaller second bedroom is set up as an office,” Cogley verified.
~~~
Ramada Inn
Scully went with the body to perform the autopsy while Logan went to the FBI satellite office and began going through Darcy Huffaker’s computer trying to track her life and how she could have met the killer.
Once Logan tracked Huffaker’s online activities and found the logs of her chats with someone called Gumby_37 she put in a request for a subpoena to obtain information from the ISP. When she was finished she returned to the hotel. Scully arrived only a few minutes later. It was almost 5:00 in the morning.
Scully tapped on the adjoining door, which they now kept unlocked, and stuck her head in. “You still up?”
Logan sighed as she looked up from her laptop and leaned back in her chair. “Yeah. I’m trolling through the websites and chat rooms that Darcy did. What were the autopsy findings?”
“Nothing different from the others. Darcy Huffaker’s death was consistent with the previous victims. There was some alcohol in her system – .04 BAC. What about you? What did you find out?”
“Darcy had a date last night with Gumby_37.”
“Gumby?”
Logan smirked. “His online username. I’ve requested a subpoena for the ISP; see if we can track him down. In the meantime, I’m trying to see if I can hook up with him online.”
“He sounds like our best lead.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’m going to try to get a couple of hours of sleep. Let’s meet up at 9:00 to start the day.”
“Sounds good.”
“Goodnight, Logan,” she said with a tired, thin, partial smile.
~~~
The two agents had spent all day interviewing grieving friends and relatives of Darcy Huffaker, and the previous victims. They finished around 8:00 that evening.
Despite the lack of sleep from doing an autopsy in the middle of the night, Scully was surprised to find she felt better than usual. She was emotionally exhausted from their interviews, but physically she felt stronger than she had in some time. It had started the day after she’d gotten so sick in Albuquerque. Since then her appetite had improved and she didn’t feel as fatigued.
Scully had taken a hot bath and changed into her pajamas. She was sitting on her bed reading when there was a knock on the adjoining door. The door was open, but Logan waited a couple of seconds before stepping around it. She was wearing shorts, a tank top, and running shoes.
“I’m going for a run.”
Scully didn’t like the dull look in the blonde’s eyes. “Are you sure? You look tired.” It was after 9:00 and she knew Logan had been up since before 2:00 that morning.
“I need to.”
“You okay?”
Logan stiffened slightly. “I’m fine,” she said, her voice brittle. She turned and left.
Yeah, I’ve heard that one before, Scully thought to herself, remembering her own extensive series of ‘I’m fine’ lies.
~~~
Ramada Inn
Fitness Center
Sunday, June 8th, 1997
A ringing cell phone woke her up. Groggily, Scully, groped for her phone on the nightstand. “Scully.” The phone rang again – it wasn’t hers. The ringing was coming from the other room. “Logan! Answer your phone.”
The phone continued to ring.
Scully got out of bed and walked into the blonde’s room. She found the phone and silenced it as she noted the absence of Logan. Her bed was untouched. It was 2:00 in the morning and Scully knew the blonde had been up since the phone call the night before. She returned to her room and pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt over her pajamas. Out of habit she slipped her gun in the waist of her jeans and slipped her credentials in her back pocket. With her room key in hand she left in search of her coworker.
Downstairs she headed to the lobby, but something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She stopped at the door to the fitness room and watched Logan through the glass. The blonde was working out on the Nautilus equipment as if her life depended on it, almost in a frenzy. Logan had removed her tank top and was wearing a sports bra. An auburn eyebrow arched as Scully took in the sculpted muscles of Logan’s arms, legs, and abdomen. The woman was clearly fit while still maintaining a decidedly feminine physique.
Suddenly the blonde stopped. She moved to the wall, leaned against it, and slowly slid down to the floor. Scully felt a pang of pain at the misery she saw in the blonde’s dark green eyes before Logan covered her face with her hands. It was obvious the woman was crying.
Scully hesitated before reaching out and pushing open the door. She sat on the floor next to Logan and leaned against the wall, their shoulders a hairsbreadth from touching. She could feel the heat radiating from Logan’s body. Scully felt an almost overwhelming sorrow, as if the blonde’s pain was drawing her own buried heartbreak to the surface. Her father was gone, her sister was gone, her partner was gone... and soon enough she would be gone. So why should she go out of her way for anyone? She mentally shook that thought loose.
Logan leaned her head back against the wall, a few straggling tears slowly rolling down her face.
Scully placed her hand over Logan’s and gave it a squeeze.
“I guess you’ve discovered my secret.” The blonde wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Other people’s personal pain... gets to me.” Which is one reason I prefer the dark of night, fighting non-human things. Their pain can’t touch my soul. But human, good humans’ pain can... including yours, Dana.
“In our job we see the worst of humanity... but we also see humanity’s best qualities – in the way people persevere and even flourish following tragedy. What we did today, speaking with the family and friends of the victims... it hurts, all of us, including me. But it’s our job to help the families by giving them answers and by stopping the perpetrators from hurting more families.”
“I know.” Logan paused before continuing. “And we both know what that kind of pain feels like first hand.”
Scully felt tears sting her eyes; she fought to keep them from spilling. “Yes, we do.” The memory of Missy’s death caused a painful lump to grow in her throat. It took a few seconds for her to be able to swallow around it.
“I’m sorry... I never meant for you to see me like this.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Logan.” Scully hesitated only a few moments before continuing. “We’re... partners. Which means we’re here for each other.”
Logan looked at Scully for the first time. “You know I’ve got your back, Dana. I mean... neither of us chose this, but I would never leave a partner hanging.”
Scully nodded. “Yeah, I know. You’ve already shown me that.”
The blonde frowned, not knowing what her partner was talking about.
“You covered for me when I was... sick. Just as you helped me last week, it’s now my turn to help you. It’s late and you’ve been going for over 24 hours now. So come on, let’s go back to our rooms to get some sleep.” Scully stood and held a hand out to the blonde.
It was a symbolic gesture since Logan could have easily toppled Scully if she really pulled on her hand. But she took the proffered hand and rose from the floor.
“Thanks, Scully.”
“You’re welcome.”
The redhead picked Logan’s tank top off one of the machines and tossed it to her partner. They returned to their room and both women slept well the rest of the night.
~~~
Ramada Inn
Scully’s Room
Scully couldn’t believe the bright-eyed, professional woman standing before her was the same brokenhearted one from only a few hours before.
“Ready?” the blonde asked.
Feeling ready to face the day, Scully smiled. “Let’s go.”
~~~
FBI Satellite Office
Chattanooga, TN
Special Agent Cogley stood as soon as Scully and Logan entered the office. “The subpoena you requested came through.”
“So who is Gumby?” Scully asked.
“We don’t know. The information provided by the ISP proved to be completely false.” He paused for a beat. “As did the six other identities associated with Gumby’s account.”
Two eyebrows, one auburn and one blonde, quirked upward.
“But there are two pieces of good news.”
“What?”
“The Gumby ID has gone inactive, but we do have the records of his chats linking him to Darcy Huffaker. And, we have his currently active ID – Red Ryder,” he said, handing a file to the redhead.
Scully opened the file. “Gumby_37, Red_Ryder_14, Radio_Flyer_42, Raggedy_Andy_63, Slinky_Dog_3, Curious_George_51, Potato_Head_28.”
“This guy’s into nostalgic toys. Maybe he’s in the toy business. I’ll check out any websites that sell nostalgic toys and chat rooms I can find that cater to collectors.” The blonde settled at a desk, opened her laptop, and began searching online.
Logan had been able to make contact with Raggedy_Andy_63. She was also able to arrange a face to face meeting, over lunch, the next day.
~~~
The Choo-Choo Grill
Monday, June 9th, 1997
The blonde sat at the table and waited... and waited. Scully and Cogley sat at a nearby table, dragging out their own lunch as long as possible while keeping an eye on everyone in the café.
Two and half hours past the designated meeting time they finally gave up. The three agents left the café and spoke for a few minutes in the parking lot. Cogley indicated that they had a possible lead – an assault victim whose attack seemed to fit the MO of the killer. It was decided that he and Scully would follow up on that interview while Logan went back online to see if she could make contact again and possibly find out why ‘Andy’ didn’t show. It was late afternoon, so Logan was going to just go back to the hotel and work from her room.
Scully rode with Cogley and Logan drove away in their rental. Lost in thought, the blonde didn’t notice the car that followed her from the café to the hotel.
~~~
Ridgewood Apartments
Apt #8
“Miss Getzler, can you tell us how you met Curious_George_51?” Agent Cogley asked.
“It’s so embarrassing,” the young woman replied, dropping her gaze and blushing.
Scully sat down next to the woman on the couch and spoke softly. “It’s alright, Miss Getzler, no one is here to judge you.”
Wendy Getzler glanced at Cogley, her discomfort plain to see. In an effort to make the young woman more comfortable, Cogley excused himself to use the bathroom. As soon as he left the room Wendy began to talk.
“My sister and I loved Curious George as kids and now my niece is at that age and inherited a love for Curious George. I met George in a chat room when I was looking for some hard to find Curious George books to complete my niece’s collection. He seemed like such a nice man. Anyway, after chatting with him online for some time he suggested we meet in person.” She paused before continuing.
“What happened?”
“Despite how nice he seemed, I was hesitant to meet in person. But then he said he’d found two of the books I was looking for, so I broke down and agreed to meet him for lunch.”
“What did he look like?”
Wendy shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t make the meeting. I had forgotten about another obligation that I couldn’t get out of. The next time we chatted online he said he was very disappointed, but was willing to try again. I felt bad about it, so I let him pick the time and place. He chose a really nice restaurant, an expensive one. When I got to the restaurant there was a message saying he’d been delayed a few minutes. And he’d ordered a nice bottle of wine, telling me to enjoy some while I waited.” She sighed. “He never showed up... and I got stuck paying for the wine.”
“So he showed up at your apartment?”
“I don’t know. In truth, I can’t positively say if it was him. All I know is I answered the door and someone hit me. Knocked me out. When I came to, the paramedics were checking me out. A friend of mine had come over to see me. She said my door was slightly ajar when she arrived so she came in to check on me. She was knocked over by some guy rushing out of my bedroom – she never got a good look at him. I never heard from him after that night.”
“How did he know where you lived?”
“If it was him... I can only guess that he followed me home. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, Agent Scully.”
“No need to apologize, Miss Getzler. You’ve been quite helpful.”
~~~
En route To FBI Satellite Office
“So what did Miss Getzler have to say?” Cogley asked as he drove back to the office.
“She never got a look at her attacker. A friend arrived and interrupted him. He fled without being caught.”
“How did she meet him?”
“Online – looking for books for her niece. They set up a lunch but she couldn’t make it, so they tried again with dinner.”
“What happened?”
“He never showed.”
“Then how did he know where she lived?”
“She thinks he may have...” her voice trailed off as realization struck her. “Get us to the hotel, now!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Getzler thought he may have followed her home from the restaurant after he didn’t show up for their dinner.”
Cogley just looked at her.
“Logan! He could have followed Logan back to the hotel!”
~~~
Part 4
Ramada Inn
Logan’s Room
Monday, June 9th, 1997
Logan immediately got online when she returned to her hotel room. Besides trying to make contact with her missing ‘date,’ she set up another username to try and draw out their suspect under one of his other usernames.
When there was a knock on her door she was in the middle of a chat with someone.
“Scully?”
She took the quiet, muffled voice on the other side of the door as confirmation. With her attention on her computer screen, she didn’t bother to look through the peephole. She simply turned the handle without thought and immediately returned her full attention to her computer as she took a step back to the small table.
She didn’t get very far.
Once she’d turned the handle unlocking the door, it was kicked open with enough force to almost knock her out when it hit the side of her head and threw her against the wall. A dark-haired man burst in. He said something, but Logan couldn’t make it out through the ringing in her head. She clumsily reached for the weapon at the small of her back, but he drew back his arm and landed a hard punch in her already swelling left eye. Logan saw stars as the blow knocked her head into the wall again. It took everything she had to not black out. She kicked blindly, connecting with his shin.
“You fucking bitch!”
Logan once again tried for her weapon but the man threw his body against hers, slamming her against the wall and ramming her head into the wall yet again. Two more punches to her face and she was bleeding from her nose and the corner of her left eye. A knee to her midriff dropped her to her knees. With Logan on her hands and knees, he took the gun from the holster at the small of her back and then viciously kicked her in the stomach.
“As much as I’d love to blow your brains out, your gun would make too much noise.”
He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her towards the bed. When he threw her onto the bed Logan grabbed for her briefcase from where it lay on the bed and swung it at him. Her instinctive action caught him by surprise. He touched his hand to his cheek to find she’d drawn blood.
“Now you’re going to pay!”
Fighting to stay conscious, Logan barely managed to use the briefcase as a shield when he lunged at her with a large knife, landing on her and pinning her to the bed. As they struggled Logan managed to wrest the briefcase from between them, tossing it away and taking with it the knife imbedded in it.
“I don’t need a knife to take care of a bitch like you!” He punched her again on the left side of her face and then wrapped his hands around her throat.
On the verge of passing out, Logan managed a sharp knee to his groin. He let go of her neck as he toppled over and onto the floor, both hands belatedly guarding his privates. Logan tried to move but darkness was taking over. She managed to roll over and slip to the floor on her knees. One eye already swollen shut, her vision was blurry as she tried to look around for her gun. She was hit from behind and into the small table, knocking it over. Her arms were pulled and twisted around her back. She winced as a zip-tie tightened around her wrists and dug in. An arm around her throat dragged her backwards and onto the bed.
In a last ditch effort before losing consciousness she jerked her head back, hearing, and feeling, the satisfying crunch of a broken nose. He grabbed the clock radio from the nightstand and smashed it against the side of her face. She went completely limp. He finally let her go, but only to retrieve his knife still stuck in the side of her briefcase. Smiling, he knelt on the bed and raised the knife.
Suddenly the door to Logan’s hotel room burst open. He looked up to see Scully and Cogley.
“FBI! Freeze!” Scully yelled.
He grabbed Logan by the neck again, moving behind her and using her as a shield. His knife pressed against the skin of her throat, drawing a thin bead of blood and threatening to do more with the slightest provocation. “You’re too late!” he sneered.
“Drop the knife!”
“No. You drop your guns, or I’ll slit the bitch’s throat!”
Scully saw her partner’s eyes flutter open for a moment, but the blonde had the good sense to remain still. There was no mistaking the madness in the man’s eyes. Scully knew her partner’s life was in her hands. She couldn’t miss. She exhaled and then squeezed the trigger.
The dark-haired man fell back, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead. His knife hand fell away from Logan’s throat, but not without inflicting a deeper cut. Cogley rushed forward, verifying the perp was dead and calling for an ambulance. Scully ran to the bed and knelt next to the still form of her partner and pressed her hand against the cut on Logan’s throat. Looking down at her beaten and bloodied partner made her heart ache and tears sting the backs of her eyes. She’d known the blonde less than two weeks, but she couldn’t bear the thought of losing another person in her life.
A soft moan preceded the blonde’s undamaged right eye fluttering open.
“Easy... don’t move.” Scully took her partner’s hand in her own, giving it a squeeze. “It’s okay, Nicole, you’re going to be okay.”
“Dana?” she asked weakly.
“Yes, I’m right here. Hold on, Nicole, the ambulance is on the way.”
“Mm... ‘kay.” Her right eye closed. She spoke again after a few seconds. “Dana?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks...” Logan murmured before passing out.
“You’re welcome... partner,” Scully whispered and squeezed the hand in hers.
~~~
Parkridge East Hospital
Chattanooga, TN
Monday, June 9th, 1997
Nicole Logan awoke to the distinct smell of a hospital and the equally distinct feeling of a concussion and heavy drugs. Her eye was no longer completely swollen shut and as she tried to swallow she felt the tug of butterfly stitches on her neck. She tried to reach for the cup of water on the bed table, but the movement made her head swim and her stomach roll.
Scully, who’d fallen asleep in the chair, jumped up at the moan that came from the blonde. She stood beside the bed and looked down at her partner. “Hey, how you doing?”
Logan took in Scully’s appearance – the blue scrubs and the weariness in her eyes. “I’m alive, so...” she croaked past her dry throat and mouth.
The redhead nodded. “Turns out you’re pretty hardheaded.” Scully tenderly felt around the swelling on the side of the blonde’s face. “You’re lucky all you’ve got is a bad concussion and a fairly minor cut on your throat.” She then held the glass of water to her partner’s lips so Logan could take a couple of sips.
“What happened?”
“You were attacked. What do you remember about it?”
Logan closed her eyes with a sigh. “I was online, heard a knock...”
“Anything else?” Scully asked when the blonde trailed off.
“I royally fucked up.”
“What do you mean?”
“Being back here, not working undercover... I dropped my guard too much, got careless. I allowed myself to be distracted and didn’t follow basic procedure.” Logan opened her eyes and looked up at her partner. “I thought it was you at the door... I didn’t look.”
Scully didn’t miss the self-recrimination in the blonde’s dark green eyes. Nothing she could say would be worse than what her partner was already telling herself. Besides, she knew what it was like to make a mistake. She put her hand over Logan’s and gave it a squeeze. “It’s okay. We both know it’s a mistake you won’t repeat.” She paused, taking in the blonde’s drooping eyes. “It’s late; get some sleep. If you need anything, I’ll be right here.”
The drugs in Logan’s system finally pulled her back under.
~~~
Tuesday, June 10th, 1997
It was midmorning when Logan next woke.
Scully was still sitting in the chair, reading a file. The redhead looked up when she heard the rustling of the sheet. “Good morning,” she said with a smile.
“It’s morning anyway.” The blonde recognized the file as a case file. “What are you reading?”
“Agent Cogley’s report on the man that attacked you.”
“What does it say?”
“Bottom line – he was Gumby.”
“He’s sure?”
Scully nodded. “There’s no doubt. He was our perp.”
“So the case is closed.”
“Yeah.” She paused for a beat. “There’s one other thing.”
“What?”
“Crystal Lear called your cell phone when we were in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.”
“Oh?”
“She wanted to thank us for stopping the killer... and to let you know she was leaving Albuquerque.”
“Undoubtedly changing her name in the process. Oh well, she was only an unwilling and innocent participant in all this.”
“You seem so sure of that.”
“I am.”
Scully still wasn’t totally convinced, but had nothing to dispute the point. Besides, the case was closed.
~~~
FBI Headquarters
Washington, DC
Monday, June 16th, 1997
When Scully had dropped Logan off at her apartment Wednesday evening after returning from Chattanooga, she had specifically told the blonde to stay home until the following Wednesday. So when Logan walked into their office Monday morning, Scully was not happy.
“What are you doing here, Logan?”
“My job.”
“As your doctor, I told you to take a week off and not come in until Wednesday.”
Logan looked at Scully from behind dark sunglasses. “I’m fine.”
“You were severely beaten. You have a concussion and your eye was practically swollen shut.”
Logan sat down in her chair. “I already told you that I heal quickly and didn’t need to take a whole week off. I know my own body and what I am capable of. I’m here – deal with it.”
Scully sighed with exasperation. She could either argue about it, or get on with their day. She shook her head. “Fine. But I’m going to take a look at you,” she replied as she stood and walked over to the blonde. “Take your sunglasses off.”
Logan took off her sunglasses and turned her face upwards so the redhead could exam her eye. Scully’s heart broke when she looked at the damage done to the attractive woman. Although, she had to admit the swelling and bruising wasn’t nearly as bad as she had expected. She tenderly examined the blonde’s bruised nose and black eye, apologizing as Logan winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know it looks bad, but I really do heal quickly. You’ll see.”
“Headaches?”
“Not really. I admit I’m not 100%, but I am able to work. I feel fine.” Actually, the blonde didn’t feel well at all, but not because of her head. Sitting at home she had been doing nothing but beating herself up over the exceedingly stupid mistake she’d made in Chattanooga. It had been so out of character for her. She really had let her guard down too far. Her assignment may not have been what she typically did, but it was no excuse to get sloppy.
Scully simply sighed and gave Logan’s shoulder a squeeze before returning to her desk. She didn’t want to stop and count the number of time she had returned to work before being 100%. Hell, you’re not a 100% now, her inner voice nagged.
~~~
Medical Examiner’s Office
Alexandria, VA
Scully had an autopsy to perform in Alexandria, VA for the local authorities that morning, so she soon left the basement office, leaving Logan to work on her official statement about the events in Chattanooga.
By the time the redhead finished, it was after lunchtime, but she wasn’t hungry. In the locker room she stripped off her scrubs and stepped under the shower, turning the water on as hot as she could stand and letting it run over her head and down the tight muscles in her neck and back.
Suddenly, tears that she’d suppressed for weeks defied her will and began streaming down her cheeks, mixing with the water and disappearing through the drain. Everything inside her was a morass of conflicting thoughts and emotions. She was full of sorrow, pain, confusion, doubt, and fear.
She was so tired. Tired of losing people and mourning them. Tired of making life and death decisions on the job. Tired of cutting open dead bodies. Tired of fearing her own death. Tired of fighting for her life.
She was dying. There was no denying it. There was nothing to look forward to. So why was she fighting it?
Scully turned her face upward and let the almost scalding water sluice away her tears and the tracks they left behind. She needed to get herself together and get back to the office. She wanted to check on Logan again to make sure she was alright. Scully was suddenly struck with the realization that she was looking forward to seeing the blonde again. Special Agent Nicole Logan was the only bright spot in her dreary world.
That thought took her completely by surprise. She’d met the blonde less than three weeks ago and barely knew the woman. For all she knew the Consortium had planted Logan in the department to spy on her. She sighed. Despite not knowing if she could really trust the blonde, Scully admitted to herself that she liked Logan. There was something about Logan she couldn’t put her finger on, but whatever it was it drew her to the woman.
She shook her head and finished her shower. She had an appointment she needed to get to before returning to the office.
~~~
FBI Headquarters
Washington, DC
Logan was reading when Scully returned to the office. When the door opened the blonde looked up and smiled. “So how did your autopsy go?”
“Routine. What are you reading?”
“Requests from the IN box. How do you feel about trying to stop a ghost from haunting a church? Or how about tracking down a chupacabra in New Mexico?”
Scully rolled her eyes. “Is there anything remotely worth investigating in either case?”
The blonde smirked. “Would it be sacrilegious to say no?”
“Sacrilegious? No. A refreshing change? Definitely,” she replied with a smile. She glanced at the clock. “Come on, Logan, let’s call it a day.” Even as Logan drew breath to object Scully continued. “I’m tired and I can tell from here that your eye is bothering you.”
Logan could tell from Scully’s tone that it wouldn’t do to argue the point, so she acquiesced. Besides it was only an hour until quitting time. “Alright.”
As they rode in the elevator Scully took a closer look at Logan. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive home?”
“I didn’t drive, I took the Metro.”
“I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Okay.”
~~~
Logan’s Apartment
On the way to Logan’s apartment, the blonde noticed that Scully appeared tense. There was a tightening around her eyes and mouth. Also, while stopped at an intersection, Scully had failed to notice the red light had changed to green. Logan had to prompt her partner to go. When it happened a second time she became worried.
“Scully? Are you okay?”
The redhead took a couple of slow, deep breaths. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“There a 7-11 right up here on the right. Pull in there.”
Scully pulled into the convenience store parking lot and bolted from the car. Logan reached over to turn the car off and removed the keys. She then locked the car as she got out and followed her partner. She found Scully in the ladies bathroom kneeling in a stall and throwing up. When the redhead was done, Logan helped her to her feet and over to the sink. She was surprised to feel the sick woman lean against her heavily. The blonde turned on the water and wet a paper towel, handing it to her partner.
“Sorry...”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. You think you’re ready to go?”
Scully nodded weakly. She didn’t object to the arm around her waist steadying her on the way back out to the car.
Logan settled her partner in the passenger side and then got behind the driver’s wheel. Scully passed out almost as soon as the blonde pulled out of the parking lot. At her apartment, Logan parked the car. It was obvious the redhead wasn’t in any shape to go anywhere, so Logan gently picked Scully up in her arms and carried her up to her apartment. She took the woman straight to her bedroom and laid her on the bed. She didn’t know how long Scully was going to be out of it, so she decided to make her as comfortable as possible. Logan got out a t-shirt and shorts. She carefully changed Scully out of her clothes and into the t-shirt and shorts. She then pulled the covers over the redhead.
Logan stopped and petted the white cat who had watched the whole procedure from the foot of the bed. “Keep an eye on her for me, Lyssa. I’ll be in the other room.”
The cat meowed her understanding.
Logan went into her office and turned on her computer. While the system booted up, she placed a call.
“Hello?”
“Thea, it’s Nicole.”
“Hi! How are you?”
“I’m okay. But I need your help, Thea.”
“You’re kidding! What happened to the whole ‘I work alone’ bit?”
Logan closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she sighed. “You know that I work best alone when I’m hunting... This is different. This whole assignment is different,” she added with another sigh. “I need your help, Thea. Will you do it?”
“You know I will,” came the sincere reply.
“How soon can you come to DC?”
“You’re in the States?”
“Yeah.”
“Believe it or not, I’m already here. I had a meeting about a software program I wrote for a Beltway company.”
Logan couldn’t believe her luck. “That’s great. Are you doing anything tonight?”
“Other than ordering expensive room service and relaxing, no.”
“Then I need to meet with you. I need your expert skills.”
“Hacking or witchcraft?”
“Both.”
“Sounds interesting. Come to my hotel and I’ll order us both an expensive dinner from room service.”
“I’m afraid I can’t, Thea. I need you to come to my apartment.” She gave Thea the address and they ended the call. Logan started a search online, but Lyssa soon came into the room and meowed at her. “What is it, Lyssa?”
She meowed again.
Logan got up and hurried into the bedroom where she found Scully trying to sit up, looking disoriented. “Easy does it, Dana. Just relax.” She moved to her partner’s side.
“Where...”
“You’re at my place. You fell asleep in the car after we stopped, so I brought you here.”
Scully’s expression turned green and it was clear she was about to throw up. There was no time to get her to the bathroom so Logan quickly grabbed the wastebasket and held Scully as she leaned over the side of the bed, supporting her weight easily. After Scully’s stomach finished contracting, Logan gently helped her partner to lie back on some pillows. She went to the bathroom and returned with a clean, wet washcloth and a glass of water. She tenderly wiped Scully’s face.
The redhead took a sip of water. “I should go home.”
“You’re not in shape to go anywhere. Get some sleep. You can go when you feel better.”
Despite her will, Scully didn’t have the strength to argue. She was asleep as soon as her eyes closed. Logan left her alone.
It didn’t seem more than a few minutes before there was a knock on Logan’s door. She opened it to find Thea Wickersham there smiling. They greeted each other with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“It’s so good to see you, Nicole.”
“It’s good to see you, too.”
The petite brunette took a good look at her. “What happened to you?” Thea asked, lightly touching the bruising on the side of Nicole’s face.
“It looks a lot worse than it really is.”
“Then why haven’t you healed?”
“It happened in front of my partner, and she’s a doctor. If I heal too quickly she’d get suspicious. Come on in and make yourself comfortable.”
“So what can I help you with this evening?”
“Have a seat, Thea. I’ll tell you over some food.”
Logan quickly made them a light meal and they talked as they ate.
“So you think someone actually gave her cancer? Is that even possible?” Thea asked.
“We’ve both seen stranger things, Thea. What I need to know is if it was done magically or not. I have to know how to fight it. If it’s magic we have to find a way to break the spell. If it’s not magic, then I need to fight it organically.”
The brunette nodded in understanding and agreement.
“And, Thea, she doesn’t believe in magic so... can you check her while she’s asleep?”
“Yes. It’s a simple spell to see if magic has been used to make her sick.”
“Do you need anything special?”
“No.”
Logan took Thea to her bedroom where Scully was sleeping. Thea was struck with how pale and gaunt the redhead appeared. She centered herself and recited the spell. There was no indication of magic in use. They quietly left the bedroom.
“Magic isn’t what’s making her sick, Nicole.”
The blonde nodded and they returned to her office. “To be honest, I didn’t think magic was the cause. I’ve been researching her cancer and the treatments for it ever since the first time she got sick after her treatment. And things aren’t adding up the way they should. When we’re out of town on a case, there’s a marked improvement in her health. Her coloring, her appetite, her stamina, everything. But when we’re in town she’s worse. And while her reaction to the treatment is not particularly unusual, the timing is – she shouldn’t be getting so sick from it immediately afterwards. It should take a few hours or more before her body reacts so strongly.”
“So you think they’re doing something they shouldn’t be when she goes in for treatment.”
Nicole shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know something isn’t right.”
“You know, you haven’t been working with her very long, Nicole, and you’ve only been out of town on the one case with her. Her partner just recently committed suicide and she’s battling terminal cancer. That’s a lot to deal with, and maybe that’s all it is. God knows it’s enough for any one person to have to deal with.”
“I hear you, Thea, but my instinct says it’s more than that. There’s more going on here than meets the eye.”
Thea looked her hard for a moment. “You know something that you’re not telling me.”
“What I know is that if we don’t do anything Dana’s going to die, and I know it’s not her time.”
“Alright. Then let’s see what we can figure out.”
They got down to work at the computer in Logan’s office. Thea hacked into Scully’s medical records and printed them out for Nicole. She then downloaded everything she could find on Dr. Munson – including all personal and financial records. Once that was done, Logan gave Thea some other names and faces to track down. As Thea did that, the blonde started studying the thick stack of information they already had. About an hour later Thea interrupted Logan’s silent study.
“Nicole?”
“Hmm?”
“Just who are these men?”
“What do you mean?”
“These guys are some really heavy hitters in business and politics. Very influential.”
“I know. They’re also on my take down list.”
Thea looked up at the blonde with surprise all over her face.
Logan looked up from her reading and met the brunette’s look. “Not all evil comes in the form of demons, werewolves, and black magic. Sometimes it’s just plain human.”
Thea was a little surprised by the tone she heard in her friend’s voice.
“These men are about as evil as they come.”
Thea nodded. “Okay. I’ll get you everything I can on these guys. There’s quite a bit in the public records. But I’ll get everything I can that’s not public as well.”
“Thanks, Thea.”
It was almost midnight when Lyssa came in and meowed urgently at Logan.
“I thought it was witches who were supposed have familiars, not angels,” Thea said with a smirk.
The blonde got up and started to follow Lyssa out of the room. “Now, now, Thea, remember, I’m as human as you are.”
“Yeah, right.”
Logan just followed Lyssa out of the office and to the bedroom to check on her partner.
Scully was leaning over the side of the bed throwing up in the trashcan again. Nicole sat next to her and supported her again as before. She could feel Dana’s whole body tremble with the effort. She helped the redhead lie back when she was done.
Logan brushed some hair away from Scully’s face. “I’ll get you some more water. I’ll be right back.”
“No. I have to go to the bathroom,” Scully replied, trying to sit up.
Logan helped her sit up, but Scully indicated she wanted to stand and walk on her own. Her stubbornness and independence evident even through her obvious weakness and illness. The blonde walked next to her, making sure she remained on her feet.
“If you need anything, just yell,” Logan said when they arrived at the bathroom.
Scully nodded and closed the bathroom door. Logan went back to the bedroom and cleaned out the trashcan again. She then went to the kitchen and put some water on to boil for tea. With that done she headed back to her office.
“Do you want some tea, Thea?”
“Do you have some coffee?”
“Sorry, I don’t. But if you need caffeine, I’ve got some Coke.”
“That’ll do.” Thea followed Nicole back out to the kitchen.
Logan retrieved a large glass of Coke for Thea. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“Thank you, for all your help.”
Thea smiled. “You know me, I’m always up for the good fight. Besides, my clan has always served yours, Nicole. It’s the way it’s been for countless generations. You’re usually just too stubborn to let me help you.”
“I know,” the blonde sighed. “I just work better alone when I’m hunting.”
“And we’ve had this conversation countless times,” Thea said with an affectionate smile. “Regardless, I’ll always be here for you – no matter what.”
The blonde spoke after a few moments. “So, are you seeing anyone?”
“Nope. I’m enjoying being single for now. What about you?”
“Me? When do I have the time to get involved with anyone? I’m usually busy tracking and killing.”
“Well you’re not now.” Thea paused. “Oh, wait... you can, can’t you?” she lightheartedly challenged.
Nicole smirked. “Yes, Thea. I’m just as human as you are.”
“I know; that’s not what I meant. I meant, it’s not against the rules or anything, is it?”
“You know it’s not against the rules. How else would the family line be continued down through the generations?” Logan replied as she poured hot water into a cup making some tea. She then extended her snow white wings and pulled out an inner feather. “Just keep in mind, Thea, I’m human in every sense of the word,” she said as she broke open the quill of the feather and poured the thick liquid into the hot tea.
“Right. Everyone I know has angel wings.” She paused for a beat. “Weren’t your wings black the last time I saw you?”
Logan retracted her wings and gave Thea a smirk. “That’s because it was nighttime. White wings at night would be too noticeable, so I make them black. I’m going to check on Dana.”
Nicole went to the bathroom. The door was still closed. She was a little concerned since Scully had been in there for a quite a while. She gave a light tap on the door. “Dana?”
There was no answer.
“Dana? Are you alright?”
Still no answer. Nicole took a moment to listen carefully, she could hear soft crying.
“Dana, if you don’t answer me, I’m coming in.” Logan waited a couple seconds but there was still no response. She turned the doorknob, glad to find it wasn’t locked. Once the door was open she found her partner huddled and shivering on the floor, tears rolling down her face, holding a blood-soaked hand towel to her still bleeding nose.
~~~
XF Dana's Malakim 3-4
