ECHOES OF THERMOPYLAE [continued from part 1]


by Joseph Anderson JAnder5988@aol.com


Chapter 7


The pale slightly stooped man with a lined face looked at the others as
they came in the room.  They were grim.  He smiled slightly as he lit
another Morley.

"Do we know what has happened?" the heavy man said.  He looked around
at the others.  "Well?  The world money markets are in a shambles.
Areas that we all thought were stable have erupted in violence. Even
simple communications and transportation is disrupted and food riots
are imminent.  It is as if some cohesive force has simply disappeared. 
Well?"  

One of the others looked at the smoking man and said, "What are you
smirking at?  Does this amuse you?"

He took another drag and said, "Was I smirking?  No, the situation does
not amuse me.  But you all do.  You want to know what is different?
Langland is dead.  That is what's different."

"This is no time for your paranoia!"  the well dressed man said
harshly.

"You are all fools.  We could have prepared for this eventuality but
you would not listen to me.  Well, so be it.  Truthfully, I am amused
by what is happening now but only compared to what may be coming."

"Explain yourself," the heavy man demanded. 

"There have break ins at armories around the world.  You should be
receiving word any time that one of our nuclear submarines is missing
along with the aircraft carrier Ticonderoga.  In addition, fifty F14
Tomcat fighters have disappeared, ten Stealth bombers, along with two-
thousand SAM missiles, five-hundred SCUDs, and any number of
experimental prototype weapons.  That is all in addition of course to
the large numbers of conventional weapons stolen from armories
including tanks.  NATO and Russian armories have also been raided."

"My God!  And you're only telling us now?" the well dressed man
exploded. 

"Who is behind this?  Is it somehow related to the breakdown we were
discussing earlier?" the heavyset man said.  

"Yes, it is related.   I confess I underestimated Langland. Though that
was your fault for preventing me from adequately monitoring him."

"Get on with it.  We don't need to listen to you saying 'I told you
so'!" another man who was usually quiet said grimly.  The man took
another puff of his cigarette and said, "Jilly Snopes."

"Langland's mistress or whatever she is?  What has she to do with it?"
the well dressed man said.

"You've never even read any of the memos I've sent you.  I see. She is
raising an army.  Precisely what she intends to do with it is
questionable, however.  She may not know herself.  Mental stability is
nothing she's ever been accused of.  Killing thousands with her own
hands, being a tactical genius, being an expert with a hundred
different weapons, oh, and at torture: yes; but being stable: no.
Mulder considers her a paranoid schizophrenic though I think that is
going a bit far.  At any rate, with Langland gone she may be seeking
comfort so to speak by doing what she knows best."

"That is ridiculous!  She is nothing but a criminal.  This is serious
and you are the one who is unstable!" the well dressed man said. 

The cigarette smoking man said, "Yes, I anticipated you would feel like
that. She will soon show herself.  When she does call me if you wish,
though there is nothing any of us can do.  It is already too late.  The
other forces Krycek may have aligned with are my only hope.  We shall
simply have to watch what unfolds. Possibly the end of the world we
have all known and a new dark age of rampant violence and warlords.  As
I said, the Snopes woman may seek comfort in the familiar."

"We cannot be distracted from the alien colonization plans by this
fantasy," the heavy man said. 

The cigarette smoking man said, "I doubt very much you will need to
worry about that any longer.  It bore all the trademarks of a diversion
by Langland.  Jilly the Butcher does not seek her goals in such
roundabout ways.  Goodnight.  Call me when you need me."  He left the
room.  

The gray clad men looked at one another.  "Could he be right?" one
said.

"Of course not!" the well dressed man said too forcefully.  The others
looked at him, hearing the uncertainty. 


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

The huge figure in a rumpled suit came walking up to the tent and
stepped inside.  "Jilly," he said slurring his speech.  The left side
of his face had a drooping quality.  The woman dressed in tan military
khakis at a small table and studying reconnaissance pictures looked up.


"Yeah, Paulie."

"Somebody to see you.  Lotta brass and shit on their chests."

"Bring 'em in.  No wait," she said.  

The woman came walking around the table to look at Paulie's face with
concern, "You taking your medicine, Paulie? And eating like they said?"

"Ah, Jilly.  It tastes like crap!  Your dad never ate like that."

"And where's Cal now?  Do what I say, Paulie.  Don't make me lock you
up and feed you."

The big man looked nervously at her, "You wouldn't do that to me would
ya, honey?"  

The fear in his voice made Jilly wince.  That was new since his stroke.
She straightened his tie.  "Nah, Paulie...I'd never do that.  Please,
take care of yourself though, huh?  Now go get General Dukes and his
aides "

"Okay, Jilly," the big man said and lumbered off. 

Major General Dukes representing the Joint Chiefs along with three
lieutenant colonels followed the hulking man.  This was absurd.  He
seemed like a retarded fighter out of some old movie.  However, the
rest of the men and women they saw weren't absurd.  They were
disciplined troops of many different nationalities.  A jet flew by
overhead and one of the colonels looked up and frowned, recognizing it
as a US Navy fighter.   

In the tent the men took their hats off and waited.  Jilly smiled at
them.  "Hello, Gentlemen.  What can I do for you?"

General Dukes said, "We demand the return of the US military equipment
you have stolen.  You will pay the consequences if you do not comply."

Paulie exploded, "Don't talk to Jilly that way, faggot!" 

Jilly said sharply, "Paulie...wait outside!"  

The big man had been about to attack the general but froze, then
mumbling to himself lumbered out of the tent.  

"Sorry about that.  He's been with me a long time.  Well, General, is
that all you came to say?  Because you wasted your time coming here if
you did.  As for me stealing ...a fine sword is made to be used and the
best swordsman should have it.  Since I was able to take the
Ticonderoga and the rest, it's mine by right.  If you can take 'em back
you'll show you deserve 'em. We are at the basis of everything here,
General.  When you get down to it, might makes right.  Believe me,
General, that's the basis of civilization.  I know, I was there.  Not
that I consider what we have now  real civilization.  Not compared to
Athens or Corinth.  But I'm gonna do something about that."

"You're a madwoman who will bring nothing but destruction on yourself
and anyone following you," the general said frigidly.  

Jilly smiled but the corner of her mouth was twitching slightly,
"Really?  You know, Paulie had a point.  I don't like your tone. My
mother would have cut your head off by now.  Callisto would probably
hang you over a fire for talking like that to her.  But I'm not like
that...at the moment, anyway."

Collingswood was assessing the situation carefully.  He wasn't really a
staff officer.  If there was an opportunity to eliminate her he should
take it.  Before he could make a move the woman he towered over just
walked up and poked him in the chest with her index finger. 

"Listen, I actually have a lotta respect for somebody who would accept
a suicide mission.  You must figure on being killed after you do me.
You're outta your class though and whoever sent you had his head up his
butt."  She looked at General Dukes.  "You maybe?  That's brave itself.
Stupid but brave.  Kinda like Paulie.  You wanna kill me, the only
one'd who'd even have a chance is Ahmat.  He'd know not to meet me one
on one now, and he's not half crazy like I am.  I'm telling you that to
make things interesting."

Collingswood struck down at her and the others also jumped for her.
He found himself on the ground.  Both of his shoulders were dislocated.
He looked around and saw the others were unmoving and had staring eyes.


Jilly said, "You guys are okay...real Spartans."  She studied the man
grimacing in pain, then said, "I'm not gonna kill you. Tell 'em what I
said about Ahmat.  He's the only one.  Well, he's the only one you guys
can get.  Things could get real interesting if...never mind."  She
loudly called out, "Hey, Paulie..bring some body bags."  Jilly said to
the man.  "I'm gonna let you take your comrades back.  Be sure their
families know they died well."

The CIA assassin said through gritted teeth, "Who, Jilly?  Who could
make it real interesting?"

Jilly smiled at him as she grabbed one arm then the other and snapped
his shoulders back into their sockets, ignoring his cries of pain.  She
answered,  "My brother's girlfriend, Angela, or else his best boy,
Kush.  Now THAT would be interesting."

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

Mulder was walking down an empty hallway in the Bureau.  He sensed a
movement and looking over saw Helms had pushed a tall figure against a
wall.  Mulder said harshly, "What do you want?"

The man looked ironically down at the old figure holding him with an
inhumanly strong grip.  He took his time lighting a cigarette and said,
"Impressive, Agent Mulder.  I suspected you might come in contact with
the same forces as Krycek in your pursuit of him.  Introduce me to your
little friend, why don't you."

Helms smiled and said in an ingratiating tone, "Do not speak of me like
that.  I show respect to those who deserve it.  But you are not such a
one."  With that the apparently old man flung the cigarette smoking man
against the opposite wall where he fell in a heap.   

Mulder began to say something but Helms said, "I will not injure him,
brave one.  He needed to learn some manners."  He looked back at the
man awkwardly getting to his feet and staring coldly at him.  

Mulder said, "I've been wanting to do that for years.  Thank you,
Helms."

The old man beamed up at him.  "You are welcome, brave one."  

The tall man brushed himself off, stepped out the cigarette he had
dropped and lit another.  He didn't speak for a moment, then said,
"Jilly Snopes is loose.  If I was a religious man I'd start looking for
the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  I also know if there is a
way to stop her it will be with the help of whoever or whatever sent
this thing here."

"I warned you, dog," Helms began to say then stopped and seemed to be
listening.  He glared at the cigarette smoking man but did not speak. 

Mulder looked curiously at him but the cigarette smoking man smiled
slightly.  "Yes, I thought so.  They are interested. Should I be
speaking to you and not my young friend here?"

Helms said, "I haven't disliked one so much since the Gudean,
Gagrathelusha, insulted my mother and sought my position serving my
great lord."

The smoking man said, "You had a mother, Helms?  Did she also look like
something an animal vomited up?"

Mulder looked nervously at the bald old man whose face had gotten red
and was opening and closing his hands which momentarily had an
amorphous appearance.  

Helms said, "Enjoy taunting me.  My master forbids me harming you for
the time being.  That may change.  One greater than me will come to
you."  Helms walked stiffly away, as if he didn't trust himself.

The smoking man said to Mulder.  "We are on the same side now. Amazing,
isn't it?  It's finally happened.  Speaking of mothers say hello to
yours for me."  He walked away down the hall.  

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


Sarah Weinstock stood on her back porch looking perplexed at the clear
sky.  This weather was insane.  It was all over the news that tornadoes
had been tearing a path of destruction through Nebraska but this sure
didn't seem like tornado weather to her. She could hear far off thunder
or something too, and even see flashes in the horizon.   They were all
supposed to be in their tornado shelters but after a few hours it just
seemed ridiculous, so most everyone had come out.   They were still
careful though and not going far.   She called out, "William! Susie!
Don't go far!"

William called back, "Okay, Mom.  We won't."  He was ten.  Susie was
five and waved at her, holding her brother's hand.  

Then Sarah heard it, a roaring coming closer.  It didn't sound like any
tornado she'd ever heard of but she said, "Get back in the shelter
kids!"  She ran to open up the door to the underground room.   Looking
up she saw the roaring sound was coming from several planes flying
overhead.   She was relieved but when one of them broke formation and
began coming toward them she was perplexed.   Then to her disbelief she
saw something shoot out from the plane.  She had seen movies and knew
what missiles looked like.   "Kids!" she screamed just as her house
exploded.  

In the lead plane Jilly said, "Nice shot, Jack."  Below where there had
been a structure and some targets moving around, now there was just a
smoking crater.  "Jack, you and Arlene,  head over to Franklin.   I
don't want a telephone pole left standing or a dog left alive."

"Yes, Commander," a voice answered and two planes veered off.   

Jilly said, "The rest of you, get ready.   We're going into Lincoln,
now.  It's a population center so after we drop our payload we'll come
back in for strafing runs.   The ground troops will be along to finish
the cleanup."

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


The cigarette smoking man frowned as he approached his simple home in
Connecticut.  He looked around, sensing something.  

"Hey you."

He turned and sauntering toward him was a tall red-haired woman with
freckles and wearing a long black leather coat.  She stopped and seemed
to be studying him with an ironic expression in her pretty, cold, green
eyes.  "Yes."

"Helms wants to shove a red hot pincer up your ass.  What'd you say to
him?  He doesn't take the job personally."

The man dropped the cigarette he was holding and stepped it out. He
took another Morley out but before he could light it the woman was
holding a lighter for him.  He nodded his thanks, took a drag and said,
"I just asked a question about his mother."

The woman grinned and said, "And you knew at least somewhat what Helms
is, right?"

He shrugged.  "No point in letting the help get uppity."

The woman licked her lips as she looked at him like he was a cut of
meat she was considering buying.  She said softly, "You're a real
motherfucker.  I like that.  Not too many of us around who don't even
try to put a pretty face on it.  I'm Angela.  Screw with me or my boss
and you're dead.  I'm no Helms either.  You piss me off and Sam tells
me to leave you alone...I'll still kill you.  We understand each
other?"

He smiled thinly at her.  "Perfectly.  Who do you work for?  Who is
Sam?"

"Lemme give you a hint.  The blood is the life." 

He froze for a moment then took another puff.  "Good Prince Samuel."

Angela smiled and said, "It's been a while since anyone's called him
that.  They usually just call him Lord Progenitor these days."

"What does Lord Progenitor mean?"  He asked. 

Angela licked her lips again and said with a purr, "Sorry.  You don't
have clearance.  I'm sure you understand."

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

Alex was sitting beside Kimberly at a table.  After what happened last
time she had finally given up on her favorite dive bar.  Somebody would
be sure to remember them from the shooting and call the cops.  Krycek
looked around.  This place was even worse.  They could get shot here in
the crossfire between drug dealers or pimps.  He never went to places
like this unless the job required it.  He did what he did partly so he
could afford to live well and own nice things.  Kimberly had told him
she used to be into all that, designer clothes, the works.  She was in
a new phase now.  She said it ironically but Alex could tell she was
telling the truth. She wasn't forcing him to hang out with her.  He
kept thinking he should put as much distance between them as possible,
but then he just found himself still with her. Kimberly seemed like a
lightning rod for trouble.  Of course, she also knew some very
interesting people.  He looked one more time at his new hand.  Whatever
that scary little woman from the restaurant wanted, he would do it
gladly.  

Kimberly glanced over.  Alex was checking out his hand again. She
frowned but what was there to say?  He'd sold his soul to the devil but
he was already as bad as they come.  What difference did it make?
Athena wouldn't ask him to do anything he hadn't already done worse.
She was a class act after all. If Athena wanted to screw with her she
might tell him to kill her, forcing Kimberly to kill him.  Or she might
order him to do something bad that would also force Kimberly to stop
him.  That seemed kinda small time and petty for Athena though.  Maybe
she just wanted to screw with Hades by taking Krycek away from him.
Her uncle obviously had plans of some sort for him.  That could be it,
Kimberly thought.  She threw down another shot and sensed Alex's
disapproval.  He actually cared for her, it seemed, and liked less and
less seeing her get hammered.  One more thing to feel crappy about and
drink to forget. 

"Shit," she heard Alex say quietly.  She looked up quickly following
his gaze to see four figures had come in the bar and were looking
around distastefully.  Mulder, Scully, that chain smoking creep she'd
been told about...and Angela.  

"Don't try anything with the tall redhead, Alex, no matter what," she
said quietly as they spotted the two of them and came their way.
Krycek looked at her hearing her tone.

"Angela...it's been a while," Kimberly said.

Mulder and Scully were tense and actually wished Helms were here.  He
had just shown up at Mulder's apartment with this tall woman and said
his master had recalled him.  "Farewell, brave one.  Give my regards to
the beauteous wise one."

"Okay, Helms," Mulder said.  He had really come to like the old man or
whatever he was.  "Take care of yourself."  Fox held a hand and Helms
beamed up at him and shook it. 

"Get lost, Helms.  We don't have time for this," the tall woman said. 

Mulder thought Helms would teach her some manners like he'd done with
the smoking man, but instead the old man looked at her and said in a
cringing tone, "Forgive me, exalted one."   He quickly left the room.  

Mulder looked at her.  She was taller than he was.  "All right, so
you're Angela.  Who are you besides that?"

The pretty freckled woman smiled slightly.  "Oooh, you're a hero.
Except you're not really.  You got the attitude but not the chops.  I'm
here to help.  Let's go pick up your frigid friend and Joe Camel.  Then
I wanna talk to Kimberly."

"Tell me what's going on first," Mulder said. 

The woman softly laughed and Mulder found himself on his knees and in
agony for a second.  It went away when the woman did something with her
hands to his neck.  "Listen, hero, we're on the same side but I'm not
here to protect you like Helms.  And nobody's gonna rescue you like
before.  So do what you're told and don't ever demand anything from me.
Helms has a soft spot for noble hearts.  I just like to see how long it
takes to make 'em  squeal like pigs."

Mulder could hear something wet and excited in her voice. Angela was
restraining herself he suspected.  This was her on a nice day.  "I
can't endanger Scully," he said. 

The woman's eyes lit up and she ran her tongue over her lips. Then she
helped him up.  "Like I said, I'm here to help."

"Okay," Mulder said, thinking he had pushed his luck as far as he
could.  Now the four of them were in a rough bar looking at Alex Krycek
and Kimberly sitting at a table.  Something seemed different about
Krycek but Mulder wasn't sure what. 

Angela smiled and took a seat as Scully did.  Mulder and the smoking
man grabbed chairs from another table.  Angela said, "Hey, Mom."

All of the table looked at her and at Kimberly who frowned.  She
glanced around.  "She's joking.  I'm sorta her mother-in-law just like
with Langland.  Who are you working for, Angela?"

Alex was carefully watching the exchange.  He felt a caution from
Kimberly he hadn't before as she talked to Angela.  Mulder was looking
at him with hatred.  Alex smiled and picked his beer up with his
restored hand and saw Mulder's and Scully's eyes widen. 

"I'm here from Sam...I'm not sure who he's getting orders from. This
could be one of those joint operations," Angela said.  

Kimberly nodded.  "Makes sense.  Athena and Hades sent me here but
didn't bother telling me it was to save Langland.  Now I'm supposed to
feel bad for not figuring it out on my own.  Friggin gods."

"What are you.." the smoking man began to say but stopped at the look
both Angela and Kimberly gave him.  

Angela said, "Yeah...Sam takes his regular marching orders from
Bacchus, of course, and Ares hasn't told me not to help.  So whatever
that says.  And with Sam getting involved the Slithlocs might be in it
just to make sure he stays safe and sound."

"Slithlocs?" Kimberly said. 

"Oh, you don't know about that.  Sam's bigger than you know," Angela
said with a smile.

"He seemed pretty big anyway," Kimberly said.

"Not like this," Angela said.

"That's what you meant when you called him the Lord Progenitor," the
smoking man said, ignoring the cold stares he again received. 

Mulder caught Scully's eyes.  Lord Progenitor was a term they had run
across in an X-File once involving blood sacrifices.  He said, "The
blood is the life," just to see what reaction it would bring. 

Angela and Kimberly froze and looked at him.  The smoking man said,
"Yes, I see now.  You should be happy, Agent Mulder.  Many of your
obsessions are coming to a head."  

"Magic and little green men," Scully said with disbelief. 

Angela grinned as she saw them all looking at her for answers. She
said, "Not little green men; big scaly lizards.  The blood angle is
just for us though.  Slithlocs don't care about that neolithic crap."

Kimberly said, "Maybe it's Sam himself behind it.  If he's got that
much juice maybe the gods are doing this for him."

Angela looked thoughtful and nodded.

Scully was remembering the history books Mulder had shown her. They had
been looking at Jilly and Langland, but there were constant references
to Jilly's younger brother who, although not a great soldier like Jilly
or a genius like Langland, had eclipsed both of them.  She remembered
something else.  "You're Captain Angela.  Where's your thumbscrew?"

Angela smiled widely and reached into a pocket of the leather coat and
came out with an article that resembled some sort of nutcracker.  She
said, "You should try it sometime, Doc.  Might surprise yourself."
With a chuckle she put the torture instrument, engraved with Prince
Samuel's symbol, back in her coat. 

"Will Sam be coming here?" Kimberly asked.  She tried to keep the
emotion out of her voice but didn't succeed and she felt the looks.  

Angela said kindly, "Yeah.  He wants to see you too."  

Kimberly looked away, her eyes red.  She felt like a fool, a guilty
fool to be feeling this way.  Like Athena had said, she was a lousy
mother.  She'd abandoned Sam when she flipped out that last time.
She'd seen him once since and he forgave her, but she didn't forgive
herself.  "When?" she said.  

"That I don't know.  Depends on what happens, I guess.  He's pretty
busy after all.  People don't realize what it takes to be Ming the
Merciless, Emperor of the Universe.  I sure wouldn't want the job.  I'd
rather do what I'm doing, crushing goodness and trying to kill Flash
Gordon."

"You have a smart mouth, Angela.  I still think somebody's gonna shut
it for you one of these days," Kimberly said. 

Angela smiled sweetly and stood up.  She looked around the table.
"I'll be in contact with all of you."  She looked at the smoking man.
"Call those dumbasses you work for together again. I'm here to
coordinate forces against Jilly.  Kimberly, you and your studmuffin are
taking orders from me now.  Check it out with Hades and Athena if you
want."  She looked at the two FBI agents.  "I'm gonna try and get you
two assigned to me.  There's gonna be plenty for a couple of smart
cops.  It won't all be big battles."


"I can arrange for that," the smoking man said. 

Mulder glared at him but Angela said, "You can?  Good, that'll simplify
things.  Kimberly, try to cool it on the drinking a little, okay?
Jilly's nobody to go up against with a hangover."

Kimberly said, "I'm not gonna fight my own daughter."

Angela said, "I won't send you directly against her. Gimme some credit.
There's gonna be plenty of fighting to go around.  Sam doesn't want her
hurt anyway.  He just doesn't want her destroying civilization and
slaughtering two-thirds of the world's population."

"You think you're gonna stop Jilly without killing her?" Kimberly said
with disbelief. 

Angela frowned then said, "Maybe it won't be possible.  You stopped the
Bitch, Kimberly.  Sacrificed your friend Callisto to do it.  Jilly
killed more than the Bitch of Tartarus her first ten minutes, what with
modern technology.  I think she'll destroy all of her fancy hardware
when she feels she can though. She wants to bring back the good old
days.  Sam knows I might have to kill her.  He'd rather I not.  I don't
want to either; she's my sister-in-law after all.  Plus she trained me
just like you and Callisto trained her."

Mulder interrupted, "There's been fighting?  Where? Why haven't we
heard anything about this?"

The smoking man smiled and said, "Really, Agent Mulder, it surprises
you the news has been suppressed?  I thought conspiracies were your
forte.  It will only make the situation worse if people learn there is
an insane military genius running amok.  We estimate fifty-million dead
in China so far, and another twenty-million worldwide.   The Wanli, an
organization on both Taiwan and the mainland, killed Langland, so she
began there and has been particularly harsh.  The Sword of Ares a.k.a.
Kimlee was at her most savage in China, so there are nostalgic reasons
as well."  

He paused as Kimberly muttered something, downed her drink and slammed
the glass down on the table.  He looked curiously at her then got a
look of realization.  He continued, "The Chinese at first blamed Russia
and launched quite deadly reprisals which naturally were returned in
kind.  Jilly has forces in Southern France, Austria, the Midwest and
Florida.  Something is happening in Brazil as well as East Africa but
it is unclear what.  She has been using nuclear weapons as well as
conventional ones."

Scully said, "The storms, the tornadoes, the hurricane damage, the
droughts...that's what you're using to hide it!  My God!  My God!"     


Taking a drag on his cigarette, the man said, "The Ticonderoga may be
making for Japan.  Densely populated as it is, it would certainly be a
tempting target, since maximum loss of life appears to be her goal."

Kimberly said quietly, "Is she crucifying people, burning 'em?"

Angela said, "No, she's not the Bitch of Tartarus.  In Indonesia when
some of her men tried to get creative like that she personally led a
force in and exterminated her own troops.  The people thought they were
being saved and thanked her.  Jilly said you're welcome left and
dropped a bomb on 'em.  That has happened other places too.  When you
start killing like this it's natural to wanna have fun with it, but
she's trying to keep it clean."

Mulder said with distaste, "Atrocities are 'natural' and 'fun?'"

Angela slowly smiled as she glanced at him.  Mulder sensed a movement
and saw Kimberly was staring Angela in the eyes and shook her head.
The freckled woman shrugged.  

"What does she want?  Does she have demands?" Scully said, wanting to
defuse the tension.  Scully wasn't anxious to see a demonstration of
that thumbscrew on her partner. 

Angela said, "This IS what she wants. She's been pent up for years,
held back by Langland, not doing what she's good at.  Now she is."  She
smiled.  "Sorta orgasmic, really.  She's trying to destroy modern
civilization and go back to a simpler time."

"That's insane!" Scully said.  

"Duh..." Mulder said.

Scully glared at him and continued, "Destroying the infrastructure
won't bring back Antiquity, won't destroy modern civilization."

The smoking man said, "It depends how thorough she is willing to be.
This may be step one.  Step two may be targeting modern knowledge
itself.  Information is largely stored and disseminated electronically.
If she can destroy the ability to create electricity on a world wide
scale, if she can destroy libraries, etc.  Step three could be hunting
down individuals who persist in remembering.  I am only speculating
here, of course.  Recreating Antiquity, I agree, is impossible but
essentially destroying modern civilization is conceivable."  

Angela smiled at him.  "I'm surprised she hasn't offered you a job."

"What makes you think she hasn't?" he responded dryly.

Kimberly said, "This is my fault for not making peace between Langland
and Jilly."

Angela said, "It's the friggin gods like you said.  You got enough
stuff that you are responsible for.  Don't let'em psych you out over
this."  Kimberly looked up at her with surprise. Angela continued, "Say
what you like about Ares.  At least he doesn't play these sick mind
games."

Kimberly muttered, "He plays other sick games.  You got a point this
time though." 

The tall redhead looked around the table again with her glittering
green eyes, smiled, turned and walked out of the bar with her long
leather coat sweeping about her. 

The smoking man rose and also left. 

The table was awkwardly silent.  Kimberly broke it and said, "I'm glad
Hades stopped me from killing you.  It was nothing personal.  Since I
said I would I had to do that."  She heard Alex chuckle. 

Scully and Mulder looked at her, rose, and left themselves. Kimberly
looked over at Krycek who shrugged.  

"Don't worry about it, Kimberly.  Some people just don't have a
professional attitude," Alex said. 

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


Mulder and Scully had been told to stay out of this operation but that
made them suspicious and they came anyway.  Angela smirked but didn't
say anything. There were three-hundred soldiers in the cavernous
hangar.  Angela and fifty men had come out of the plane the soldiers
thought they were going to be getting on.  Another hundred men had been
hidden around the hangar.  They all carried machine guns and the
unarmed soldiers had their hands clasped behind their heads.  Looking
around Fox saw a shadowy figure in a car, recognizable by the glowing
cigarette.   

"Who's in charge?" Angela said harshly. 

A middle aged black man in a US Army major's uniform said, "I am."

The tall redhead in her long black leather coat smiled at him but there
was nothing friendly about it.  "You're traitors. What about that, huh?
You see how good Jilly is and just throw in with her?  Is that it?
You're elite; she's elite; screw your country.  That it?  People don't
follow Jilly for ideals, not like with Sam.  Figure on being King of
Los Angeles when the dust settles or something?  You were gonna set up
a regular little boot camp for her, besides being a strike force.  Be
worth a lot and Jilly's not stingy."

The officer didn't answer. Scully and Mulder looked nervously at each
other, not liking this.  Scully said,  "What provisions are there for
prisoners? They need to be questioned."

Angela looked over with her pretty freckled face. "Prisoners?  I KNEW
there was something I forgot.  These guys don't know anything I don't
already have.  But they can carry a message for me."

Mulder yelled, "NO!" as Angela brought the machine gun up and fired
into the officer's chest just as he began running at her.  The rest of
her men opened fire into the other prisoners.  Mulder ran up and tried
to grab the gun away from her and found himself on the ground, having
received the butt of it in his gut without Angela even looking at him. 
She continued firing, the noise deafening in the echoing hangar.  

Scully pulled her own gun out and pointed it at Angela.  "Stop it!" she
yelled as loudly as she could in order to be heard but Angela ignored
her. 

The firing stopped a moment later.  The tall redhead looked
sardonically at Scully who was pale faced and still had her gun on her.
The soldiers were all dead although they had managed to take twelve of
Angela's men with them, and eight others were injured.  The remainder
now aimed their weapons at Scully.  

Mulder got to his knees, then his feet.  He put himself in Scully's
line of fire.  "Mulder!  Move!" she snapped but he just walked toward
her and put his hand on her gun.

"Scully," he said.

She looked around at the machine guns pointing at her and Angela
smirking.  Scully put her pistol back in it's holster.  The men didn't
take their guns off of her until Angela made a hand gesture.   

Mulder looked back at Angela who was watching them with glittering
green eyes.  She took something from a pocket and walked to the body of
the major she had killed and dropped it on him.  She tossed them on a
few other bodies as well. 

"Let's go," she ordered and went to the car the smoking man was in and
got in the back seat with him.  The rest of her men ran to waiting
cars, taking their dead with them, and soon Mulder and Scully were
alone with the hundreds of dead bodies and the spreading blood. The two
agents walked over to see what Angela had left behind and found black
matchbooks embossed with a red logo.


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

Alex had just emerged from a phone booth when he was surprised to see
Kimberly across the street.  She was talking to a blonde woman a little
taller than Scully.  He hadn't told her where he was going but her
finding him when she wanted to didn't surprise him.  She was dressed
differently in a sort of Diana Rigg leather number. He liked it.  Alex
walked up and lightly touched the small of her back.  He found himself
held up against a brick wall and Kimberly glaring at him.  The few
people on the street pointedly acted like they didn't see anything.  

"Are you suicidal?" she said angrily.  

Alex instantly understood this was a performance for the blonde. 

"I mistook you for somebody else," he said.  "Sorry."

She released him and looked at the little blonde.  "Great...this again!
Who is it this time? Meg, Diana, Leah?  Or is there a new one running
around?"  

The blonde, dressed like a soccer mom, said in friendly voice, "Excuse
us.  We're new in town."

Alex nodded.  "Sure.  My fault."

Kimberly was studying him like she didn't trust him.  She was good all
right, Alex thought.  She growled, "You're a killer.  I can always spot
'em.  Who did you think I was?"

"Kimberly," he answered, playing along.  

"And just who is Kimberly?" she said.

"A friend of mine."

"People like you don't have friends," the dark woman said. 

"Xena, by the Gods!" the blonde said.  "Excuse her.  She doesn't
usually act this way."

At the name Alex tensed and the woman caught it.  "Oh, my name means
something to you.  Why?  No one would know me here; wherever 'here' is.
Not unless there was a reason to."

Krycek was trying to imagine what her angle could possibly be when she
grabbed him again and pushed him back against the wall. 

"You still think I'm Kimberly.  You two double team people all the
time."

"That's right," Alex said, suppressing a smile.  She released him with
a disgusted expression.

"Take us to where you think I should be, if I wasn't running this scam
with you now," the dark woman said.

The short blonde said, "Maybe it's a descendant, Xena.  We're in the
future, I bet.  Look at those horseless chariots and these buildings.
Gods!  It has to be the future!"

The woman looked around.  "Gabrielle, if they have horseless chariots
and giant buildings like this, what kind of weapons do you think they
have?"  She studied Alex and just reached and took his gun from where
he wore it in back under his coat. "This...this must be a weapon."

Alex was watching her carefully.  He nodded.  The woman snorted and
replaced it. "What's your name?"

"Alex Krycek," he answered.  

"Let's go, Alex Krycek.  Oh, and, Alex Krycek, if you draw that weapon
on me I'll shove it down your throat, just to be safe. I'll bet you
know I can too, whether I'm Kimberly or not."

Alex nodded and said, "Follow me, Destroyer of Nations."

The little blonde had an intake of breath but the big woman smiled
grimly. 

Scully was stepping out of the FBI building when she frowned as she saw
Kimberly and Krycek again down the street.  There was a baby faced
blonde with them too.  She moved to intercept them. Krycek still had
information on open cases even if her superiors had made a deal with
him for his cooperation.  She was also curious about his restored limb.

"Krycek, I want a word with you," she said abruptly as she caught up
with them as they waited at a crosswalk.

Xena stopped to watch curiously what happened.  The little woman had an
edge to her that she associated with security officers. It didn't
surprise her Alex Krycek was known and disliked by one.  She realized
the woman was directing the same kind of looks at her...thanks to
Kimberly she assumed. 

Alex flashed one of his handsome smiles.  "Hello, Dana.  What can I do
for you?" The tone was meant to insult.

Gabrielle smiled and stepped forward, instinctively trying to defuse
the situation.  "I'm Gabrielle and this is Xena."  She held her hand
out.  

Scully looked coldly at the outstretched hand.  Xena wanted to smile.
She wouldn't be too friendly to any companions of Krycek either.
Finally the small redhead shook Gabrielle's hand peremptorily.  Xena
liked her already.

"Another alias, Kimberly?"  Scully said frigidly.

"I'm not Kimberly," Xena said calmly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Scully said, not wanting to give her any
satisfaction by arguing.  "Krycek, what about your arm?"

"Somebody fixed it," Alex said, enjoying how much Scully hated not
being able to slap handcuffs on him...or even shoot him if she had an
excuse.

"What was wrong with his arm?" Gabrielle asked with concern.

"I only had one," Alex and flashed a grin at the small blonde.

Scully asked "Who fixed it?" 

"Athena," Alex with a smile. 

Scully saw Kimberly go rigid.  The dark woman demanded, "What did she
say?"

Alex looked at Kimberly.  When she was acting she went all the way.
He'd play along.  "Asked what I'd do for a new arm.  I said anything
and she said it was a deal."

"That's wonderful!" Gabrielle exclaimed, missing the irritated look
Xena directed her way.

Scully said suspiciously, "I'd like to meet this Athena."

"No, you wouldn't," Xena said seriously.  The short redhead looked
curiously at her then frowned when she remembered she didn't like her.

Xena grunted, looking at Krycek.  There was more to him than it seemed.
Had to be.  Athena didn't go around helping killers. She wasn't like
Ares after all.  Xena had her problems with Athena but that didn't
prevent her realizing the Goddess of Wisdom and Protector of Cities was
the best of the Olympians. Xena was worried about her friend though.
Gabrielle didn't get it about Krycek.  She was falling for his good
looks and charm and thought Xena was being unfair.  He was like
somebody Xena would have had as a lover in the old days, then sent to
his death when he thought he was betraying her.  She bet he was great
in bed.  Guys like that always were.  

Scully was thinking about Hades .  Why not Athena?  The only way she
could deal with all of that was to put it in a compartment and hope it
was rationally explained somehow eventually; for example, she was
crazy.  That had occurred to her.  But until then she had to act like
what seemed real was real.  What else could she do?

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


The door opened, Angela entered and looked around carefully. She
stepped to one side and a tall blue-eyed man with long dark hair and a
mustache came in tripping slightly.  He appeared around thirty and was
wearing a beautiful cream colored suit and a maroon tie. 


He was followed by another tall man, this one with almond skin,
straight blonde hair, massive shoulders, and wearing a long black
leather coat like Angela.  The men noticed another figure stationing
himself outside the door before it closed.  He was also in a long black
leather coat.

The smoking man said deferentially, "Welcome, Prince Samuel," and
inclined his head slightly.  

The tall man smiled slightly in answer and looked around the room at
all the grey clad white men, who were just watching him carefully.  

The well manicured man stepped forward and said, "About time you got
here."

The Prince glanced at Angela whose hand lashed out.  The man made a
choking sound and fell to his knees holding his hand to his throat
which was pumping blood.  Angela replaced her chakram in her coat,
pulled him to his feet, and said to the smoking man, "Bring me one of
those." She indicated some glasses beside a carafe of water on the
large table.

Without a word he handed a clean glass to the redhaired woman. Angela
bent the struggling choking figure over and let the glass fill with
blood.  Then she dropped him still twitching and handed what looked
like a glass of tomato juice Prince Samuel. The Prince looked around at
the men who were all pale and speechless watching him.  He raised the
fresh warm blood to his mouth and sipped as if he were evaluating it,
then took a swallow.  His lips were red before he licked it off.  

"Let's try again," Angela said with a smile.

The heavyset man said in a whisper, "Welcome, Prince Samuel" and
inclined his head.  The others followed suit.  Angela was leaning
against a wall with her arms crossed; her fair face and red hair seemed
almost to be floating above her black coat and against the dark wood
wall.

Prince Samuel took a seat at the head of the table and said, "I'm very
happy to be here, my friends.  I wish it could have been under more
pleasant circumstances.  Please, be seated."  He turned, "Kush..." he
said quietly and indicated the body.  

The big foreign looking man picked the corpse up, opened the door and
tossed the body out.  "Dispose of this, Laconius," he said in an accent
none of the men in the room recognized.  

Samuel looked around the table and said, "Jilly Snopes is my sister for
those of you who don't know.  I'm here to help you stop her.  We need
to begin military operations immediately, which is why I've come to
you.  Angela will coordinate that.  It will take some time for me to
bring the rest of the world into the struggle against my sister.  When
they do Kush will lead them.  Any questions?"

A grim faced man said, "The Chinese and Russians will never cooperate
with each other."

The Prince smiled.  "They will when they see me.  If need be I will
depose their governments and rule them once more myself. Now, arrange a
meeting for me with the President in six day for three AM here.  I'm
going to attempt to talk to Jilly before then.  It may be hopeless but
it is just possible she will abandon her plans when she realizes she
will be fighting me."

"What if she kills you?" the smoking man said.

Prince Samuel sipped his cup of blood again before answering. "She
won't. She'll make sure to never put me in danger."

"Don't get any ideas about holding Prince Samuel hostage against
Jilly." Angela said with a smile.  "She'd never fall for it. She knows
I'd never stand for that.  That's not even taking into account what the
Slithlocs would do to anybody screwing with their Lord Progenitor.
Right, Kush?"  The blonde man nodded but did not speak. 

The heavy man said, "And what if the president doesn't want to
cooperate with you?"

Angela snickered.  The Prince glanced at her with irritation and said,
"I hope he doesn't make a mistake like that.  I have a sentimental
attachment to the United States and don't want to impale its leaders
and create a new government.  I will if I have to though.  Democracy is
a noble experiment, gentlemen, but it doesn't give people emotionally
what a leader can.  The people will support me if I make myself known. 
They have for three thousand years."

"You're crazy!" the heavy man. 

Angela smiled and took a step toward him but stopped when Samuel held a
hand up.  He said, "I'll let that one go.  Never talk like that to me
again."

The heavy man was pale as he realized how close he had just come to
dying.  The others were looking at him like he was a fool. Just as he
would if one of them had done something so stupid. They would never
listen to him in the same way again.

The grim faced man said, "We understand, Prince."

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

Kimberly was watching Get Smart when she heard someone at the door and
could tell it was more than one person.  She turned the TV off, stood
and watched as Alex, Xena and Gabrielle came in. Krycek looked
surprised which was understandable.  She watched Xena.  Time traveling
was a tricky business.  Xena might see her as family or a rival, might
be guilty about her, or might not even know her, depending upon where
she had been grabbed from.  

"You must be Kimberly.  Do you know why we're here?" Xena demanded.

Answers that question, Kimberly thought.  She said, "Save the world.
Same old, same old."

Xena was studying the woman carefully.  "Who sent you?"

"Hades.  Ares probably sent you.  He still thinks he owns you no matter
what you feel about it."

Gabrielle said, "Why would Hades be the one to send you?"

Xena said, "Because she's dead, Gabrielle.  Probably handles situations
Helms isn't up to."

Kimberly shrugged, "Beats hanging out in Tartarus or the Elysian
Fields.  Of the two, I prefer Tartarus.  More interesting group."

Xena jerked a thumb at Krycek.  "What's trash like this doing with an
agent of Hades?"

Gabrielle said, "Xena!"

Kimberly said dangerously, "He's my friend."

Xena looked from one to another, sensing she had gone too far. There
was something vicious about the man that rubbed her the wrong way.  She
could see some of her old self in him.  

Alex didn't say anything.  He knew he was hopelessly outclassed. It was
happening so often he was getting used to it.

Kimberly said, "Hades and Athena are both interested in him...just so
you know."

Xena nodded.  "Hades too?  I heard about Athena.  That's in addition to
what you might do if I hurt him, I suppose."

Kimberly said, "That's right."  She glanced at Gabrielle.

Xena scowled but before she could say whatever she was going to the
bard stepped between them and said, "Can't we all just get along?"

Xena stopped and said, "Yeah.  Good idea."  Kimberly and Alex Krycek
relaxed slightly.


Alex smiled at Gabrielle and she returned it.  He sensed something and
turned to see four pairs of similar cold blue eyes looking at him. 

"Think, I'll be going.  They gave me a new assignment, Kimberly. See
you later," Alex said lightly.  

"What kind of assignment?" Xena said suspiciously.

When Alex didn't answer, Xena stood up to shake it out of him but
realized Kimberly had also risen.  The warrior Princess glanced over
and could feel the woman's readiness, even eagerness.  

Kimberly nodded at Alex and said "Be careful out there."

Krycek gave all three of the women his charming smile and left. Xena
immediately said, "Stay away from him, Gabrielle.  He's murdering
scum."

Before Gabrielle could say anything Kimberly said, "If anybody would
know murdering scum it would be you, Xena.  What's wrong? Scared he's
gonna steal a piece of your pie?"

"I've had about enough of you!" Xena snarled at Kimberly. 

"Stop it!  Both of you!  Xena, what's wrong with you?" Gabrielle
exclaimed. 

Kimberly sneered,  "Alex reminds her too much of the old days. And
she's afraid of what you might do if you ever get a taste of a real man
instead of that twerp you were married to.  You might discover there's
more to life than carpet cleaning."

"What do you know about Partakes?  Don't talk about him like that!  And
what are you saying?  I don't even know what you're talking about."
Gabrielle said angrily.  She could see the two warriors were barely
holding themselves back.  

Kimberly smiled at the bard.  "Oh, you don't?  Even better, Xena.
You're pathetic!"

Xena hit Kimberly in the face sending her spinning around, but found a
foot in her own face that she hadn't seen coming.  

"All right, Xena!  About time.  I've wanted a piece of you for three
thousand years.  You're not the Bitch of Tartarus but you're close
enough!"  Kimberly's eyes were blazing.

Xena reached up and caught a dagger flying at her.  She threw it back
and it buried in the wall where Kimberly's head was a split second
before.  Then Kimberly was on her and sent her crashing against a wall
with a combination punch and kick.

"Stop it!  Stop it!" Gabrielle cried and put herself between the two
big dark women. 

"I just love a good catfight! Meeeowww...rowwrrrr...spit..spit!"

The warriors and Gabrielle froze at the new low voice and turned. He
was in his usual studded black leather and grinned through his
perfectly trimmed black beard.  "Don't stop on my account. I can't wait
till you tear each other's clothes off.  Maybe I can get some mud in
here."

"Ares..." Kimberly and Xena both said in similar tones of dislike.   

He got a disappointed look on his face and disappeared in flame. 

"What was that?" Gabrielle said, mystified. 

Kimberly and Xena were looking wryly at each other.  Kimberly said, "He
wanted to make sure we didn't hurt each other.  He just did it in the
most obnoxious way he could find."

The bard looked at Xena questioningly.  The warrior Princess said,
"Yeah, I'd say that's it.  We're not here to fight each other.  You
wouldn't let a horse you wanted to race get hurt would you?  Same
principle."  

Kimberly said, "Let's get something to eat."


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


Jilly was directing the artillery and air support when a message came
over the radio in a clipped tense voice and French accent. "White
Queen, White Queen, this is Foxfire Two.  Come in, White Queen."

"This is White Queen.  Go ahead, Foxfire Two," Jilly snapped. They had
been drawn from an elite regiment she had created made up of men from
various Special Forces units.   She had sent them to destroy a
communications center and hopefully a good number of the most able
generals fighting her.  It wouldn't be easy but it was do-able, and
they wanted tough missions.  That's why so many Russian Blue Berets,
American Green Berets, etc, had come over to her.  Jilly had been a
pinup for Soldier of Fortune for years.  Her last recruits had never
shown up though.  There were unclear reports of an incident in an
aircraft hangar.  

"We have met unexpected resistance and are sustaining heavy
casualties."

"What kind of resistance?" Jilly said, looking at aerial photographs as
she grabbed a shoulder holster, preparing to personally go to the scene
if she could pinpoint their location. Sounds of explosions and weapons
fire came over the radio. Jilly held on listening, trying to piece
together what must be happening.  She heard crunching footsteps then
breathing on the other end.  Jilly finally said, "Who is this?"  

"Well, well,...the White Queen.  I just took your Frog Knight, Jilly,
or was he just a Pawn?" a sardonic voice came over the speaker. 

"Angela!" Jilly said.  "Where's Sam?"

"He's around.  Wants to talk to you.  Get you to call it off.  I told
him it was a waste of time.  Langland held you back just like Sam does
me.  Hell, if anything happens to Sam...  But he thinks maybe he can
reason with his big sister.  Men...they just don't understand.  Stand
by your man and if somebody whacks him, destroy the world!  I can dig
it, Jilly.  I might be the only one.  Maybe we can get this all wrapped
up in time so you can come over for Thanksgiving.  Oh, Maurice
Chevalier here has something to say to you."  

Jilly heard a scuffling sound then the tense but disciplined voice of
Foxfire Two's leader.  He had literally been in the Foreign Legion.
"The unit is no longer a viable force, General." He began to quickly
say, "Coordinates 263..." but then he made a grunting sound and there
were sounds of a scuffle.  

Jilly's fingers were white as she gripped the phone, heard Angela laugh
and say, "Nice try!  I'm gonna make an example of you traitorous fucks,
starting with you!"  Jilly kept her face expressionless as she heard
soft grunts, which broke out into yells, and finally screams of agony. 
She thought of her sister-in-law's thumbscrew and wondered exactly
where she was using it; she didn't think that officer would have
sounded like that from his thumb.  When Angela's voice came back on
Jilly could hear how turned on she was.  "Unfortunately, I don't have
time to give your boy the full treatment."  There was a crack Jilly
recognized as a pistol shot.  "I heard you wanted me or Kush to show up
to make things interesting.  Lucky you.  We're both here.  Bye for now.
I've got the rest of your men to say hello to.  Thanks for sending them
my way.  Ya know, what's really cool, Jilly? I'm the good guy!"  The
radio went silent. 

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

Jilly cursed and stood up in her command care as her driver dissolved
in blood.  She pushed his body out and began weaving the vehicle in and
out of the incoming shells.  She'd underestimated Ahmat.  Jilly stopped
the jeep and looked at her army which was having huge holes ripped in
it by the incoming shells.  Well, she'd asked for it.  She wanted it
interesting but was so arrogant she'd hadn't really anticipated that it
would be. Ahmat was almost certainly a better general than she was.  He
was a lot like Kimberly.  Jilly just used her tactical brilliance and
personal ability to overwhelm her foes. Kimberly's victories often had
a feeling of inevitability about them.  Jilly's often were dependent on
Jilly herself being there to personally take out communications, kill
enemy commanders at key moments, etc, snatching victory from defeat.  

This was only a portion of her forces, of course; she wasn't that
stupid.  She began barking orders into a radio, launching a
counterattack since there was no way to avoid the shells.  Two jet
fighters caught her eyes.  They were heading her way.  

"Shit," she said, then realized the planes weren't together. One was
coming after her without a doubt.  But she could tell the other was
pursuing the first plane.  She took off in her command car again.  She
heard the rocket and sent the vehicle flying off an embankment and
leapt clear.  The smart missile followed the jeep and Jilly covered her
ears against the explosion.  Looking up she saw the two F-14s were in a
dogfight now, diving, rolling, and climbing.  Jilly tried to imagine
who this could be.  He or she was in for a promotion, that was for
sure.  Her rescuer finally caught the pursuer with a missile.  Jilly
was glad to see the pilot eject, respecting him.  Then as she watched,
the winner opened up on the parachutist with machine guns, and kept on
long after there was any need.  Jilly frowned and returned to giving
orders into the radio.  She had to get back into the fighting.  Without
her they wouldn't stand a chance. 

Jilly and her men were back at her base camp.  She had managed to
extricate them by going deep into the enemy's lines herself and
disabling the rocket launchers.  She pulled her men out before Ahmat
could regroup.  He'd nearly got her with that jet he'd sent after her. 
That could've ended the whole thing if whoever it was hadn't come
along.  Now she heard a roar and looking up recognized the black F-14
that had rescued her.  She watched it land and ran over to a jeep and
drove out to meet the pilot.  The plane wasn't one of her's she
realized.  It was probably a defector who had decided to throw in with
her.  The pilot in a flight suit clambered out of the cockpit.  Jilly's
heart began beating quickly and she found herself running toward the
figure who was taking the helmet off.  

Jilly stopped and felt her face getting red.  The pilot frowned and
said, "What did I always tell you?"

"Crying is dangerous and weak," Jilly said in a choked voice.

The pilot nodded and said, "Let's go back to your command tent. Lemme
see your plans.  You can't just have everything dependent on you, no
matter how good you are.  You should know better than that."

"I'm sorry."

The blonde fighter pilot looked around with a smile that was too wide
for her face.  "Quite an operation you've got going here. I hear you've
killed something like three-hundred-million people so far.  I can't
even imagine that many people being alive." Callisto put an arm around
her shoulder and hugged her.  "Good girl, Jilly!"

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

Gabrielle jumped at the loud sound and Xena's chakram was in her hand. 
Kimberly waved at them reassuringly and picked up the phone and said,
"Hello...What's up, Angela?"

Xena was embarrassed and put her chakram back on its clip.

Kimberly's tense voice caught her attention. 

"Jesus!...Yeah...I can't figure where Ares is in all this either.  He
was just here...being a dick, what else?  He could go either way...the
fighting itself...What about Bacchus?..yeah, but there's lots of
blood... Hades, sure...I ran across somebody too and it's just
perfect...Who do you think?  If you were some asshole god...You got
it...She's right here...her too...stuffing her face, yeah..."

Gabrielle stopped chewing the Bacon Double Cheeseburger a moment. In
her other hand the onion rings were momentarily halted in their journey
to her mouth.   She glanced at Xena and saw she was trying not to
smile.  That was wise of her.  

"Well, I'm not fighting HER either...I don't care...I don't care...I
remember even if she doesn't....Take it up with Hades...neither of 'em,
nope...You know what you can do with your thumbscrew, Angela!... Okay,
yeah, I know...I didn't either...I know you're under a lot of pressure
...Okay...Ahmat would be good...well he's got one, I suppose, but she
had standards.  She wasn't like...got a point there, Angela.  Kiss Sam
for me."  Kimberly set the phone down and looked at Xena.  

The Warrior Princess said,  "Callisto."

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


Mulder and Scully looked up at a knock and their office door opened.
They were both hoping it would be Helms but a young man stood there in
the same kind of long black leather coat Angela had been wearing.
Gestapo-wear, Mulder thought.  The agents stood up.  

"Can we help you?" Mulder asked with unconcealed hostility.

"Kush would like to see you," the man said pleasantly. 

Mulder still said sarcastically, "I suppose we are to drop everything
and go with you, and if we object you've got a little motivator like
Angela."

The young man had a half smile.  "We aren't all like the great Captain.
I'll pick you up at your apartments around seven. You can tie up
whatever loose ends you have.  Don't eat first. Kush hopes you will
dine with him."

Mulder looked sheepish.  "Sorry.  Guess, I flew off the handle there a
little."

"Sometimes Captain Angela can be a little abrasive, I know," the young
man said.  

Scully said, "We'll be waiting.  What's your name?" 

"Laconius.  I'm the Lord Military's aide."  He shook their hands.  Both
of the agents noted he wore several rings on all of his fingers.  He
saw their look. "Just a fashion I picked up when I accompanied Kush to
his homeland.  Goodby."

The man left.  Scully and Mulder looked at each other.  Mulder said,
"Is that homeland or home world, I wonder."  Scully rolled her eyes. 

Laconius picked them up as he said he would in a limousine which he
drove.  "I love cars.  These chariots are amazing," he said.

"Chariots?" Scully said curiously.

Laconius smiled at her.  "Vehicles, automobiles, whatever."

"Where are you from, Laconius?" Mulder asked. 

"Originally a farm in the Greek countryside," he answered.  

"And now you're fighting Jilly the Butcher," Mulder said.  

Laconius frowned and said, "Please don't call her that.  It is not
respectful.  Yes, though I hate that it has come to that."

"Why?" Scully asked.  

The young man turned down a side street.  "I left home to serve her.
She's not my first loyalty anymore but it doesn't feel right."

"Who's your first loyalty?" Mulder asked curiously.

"The Prince of Blood," Laconius said matter of factly. 

"Prince Samuel?" Scully said.  Laconius nodded.  

"Is he the Slithloc Lord Progenitor?" Mulder asked.

"This is not for me to discuss, Agent Mulder," Laconius said and drove
in silence for several more minutes until they reached an expensive
looking townhouse.  He got out and opened the door for Scully to her
surprise. 

Inside he led them to a dining room and stopped seemingly surprised.
The agents looked at the occupants of the room, two men.  One was tall
and clean shaven, with almond skin.  He had blond hair, massive
shoulders, and was wearing a suit which had the look of a uniform.  The
other was white and slightly shorter with long dark hair and a mustache
and dressed in a beautiful ivory white suit.  Scully and Mulder both
recognized him from the history books.  

"Laconius, it's good to see you," the long-haired man said.  "I arrived
unexpectedly."

"Your royal highness," Laconius said, approached him and kissed his
hand.

The Prince smiled at the agents and approached them. 

Laconius said, "This is Agent Scully and Agent Mulder, Lord. Agent
Scully is a healer."

"Your highness," Scully said falteringly, and tried to curtsy though
she really didn't know how.  She added, "Actually, I'm a forensic
pathologist." 

Mulder nodded his head, not sure what to do.  He didn't want to commit
a faux pas but didn't intend on groveling either. Neither he or Scully
had ever felt anything like this before. There was just something about
the Prince, though they didn't know what it was exactly. 

"Come, my friends.  Let's eat," the Prince said and lightly touched
both of their arms.  It was like a pleasurable warmth went through them
from where he had touched them.  

Three maids began bringing food in.  Mulder and Scully felt something
odd, a kind of tension from Kush and Laconius when the servants came
near them.  

"Thank you very much, Clea.  Have you girls eaten yet?" the Prince
said. 

The maid shook her head and another one said.  "Not yet, but we have
something ready.  Something you'll like."  She had a Greek accent.

Kush and Laconius got even more tense.  The agents both understood
something was happening they didn't have an inkling about.  The Prince
smiled and said, "Elvira, I know that look! German, I'll wager."

"Even better, Swiss," the maid said and smiled.  Mulder thought he was
seeing things.  For a moment it seemed she had long canines.  

"When I was a child I loved Swiss-Miss Cocoa.  My sister made it for
me," the Prince said. 

"Swiss Miss," Elvira said and nodded.  Then she bent down to whisper in
his ear.  His blue eyes flicked quickly over to Scully again.   

"We'll see. I'll join you later.  You can leave," he said.  The maids
didn't move and the Prince indicated Kush.  "I'll be all right.  You
can leave."  The maids returned to the kitchen. 

"They are concerned.  We all are, Lord.  This is a primitive dangerous
place.  A bomb or missile would be unimpressed by your station.  There
is no need for you to be present," Kush spoke for the first time.
Neither Scully or Mulder could place his accent, or his look for that
matter.  Who had black eyes, brown skin, and blonde hair?

The Prince said, "I do have to be here.  This is Jilly."  He looked at
the agents.  "You've met her, I understand.  What did you think of her?
Be honest.  You don't have to worry about what you say."

Mulder answered, "A paranoid schizophrenic who has the talent and
resources to act out her delusions of mass murderer.  I always thought
of her as a crazy gangster.  I've only learned recently that crazy war
criminal would be closer to the mark."   

Prince Samuel listened closely.  "She's so talented and that's what she
does with it," he said with sadness.  "I think paranoid schizophrenic
is a bit harsh, Agent Mulder.  In my opinion she has more of a
personality disorder or adjustment disorder, from what I know of them. 
Though she hears voices sometimes, I know."  

Mulder said, "Most of the other profilers agree with you, sir. I'm a
minority opinion.  They feel she wouldn't be able to function at the
level she does if she was as disturbed as I think.  But I feel she
makes it work for her.  It energizes and focuses her."

"Semantics.  It doesn't really matter.  We have to stop her," the
Prince said. 

The pain in his voice prompted Scully who slowly said, "Sir, is she
really your sister?"

The man looked in her eyes and she felt lightheaded.  He said, "Yes.
Jilly has had a hard life.  There's a lot I don't know. Things she
can't talk about...to me anyway.  I think she could talk about anything
with Langland.  Without him... She and Langland raised me after my
mother was killed."

"We met Kimberly," Mulder said. 

The Prince looked at him and Mulder felt like a butterfly being pinned
by those blue eyes, then  the Prince turned his head to look at Kush.
The big man said, "My caste brother, Angela, felt it was best not to
tell you yet."

The Prince said, "Excuse me a moment," rose and went in the kitchen.
They heard murmuring voices.  Kush and Laconius seemed tense.  The
Prince returned a moment later carrying a golden cup which he sipped
and sat back down.  

Observing him, Scully suspected it was more than wine. Something laced
with amphetamines perhaps? Or some personal blend of psychotropics.  He
was Jilly's brother after all and mental illness often ran in families.
He caught her eyes again and she felt fear and something else.  He
said, "It's Swiss Miss.  Perhaps I'll let you try it.  Elvira, Clea and
Fotena are impressed by you.  Would you be interested in coming to work
for me?  There are excellent benefits.  Good life and medical. Plenty
of travel."

Mulder was frightened for Scully.  He had no idea what was happening
here.  His partner seemed mesmerized and there was something
overwhelming and cruel in the ironical way the Prince was speaking.
Mulder said, "She's not a servant."

The Prince looked at him and Mulder felt like he was falling. The
Prince said, "My girls are far more than servants.  Body guards would
be more accurate, though they are more than that too.  It is up to Dr.
Scully, not you, if she wants to come serve me.  My girls have never
before indicated they would welcome a new addition, and it has been a
very, very, very long time."  He turned his attention back to Scully.
She knew she would do whatever he wanted but he released her will and
said, "Think about it.  No hurry.  I have plenty of time."

"I..I..I don't think so.  Thank you for the offer," the small woman
said.  

"Please say you'll think about it," the Prince said smoothly.

"I'll think about it," Scully said and meant it. 

They returned to their meal.  One of the maids, the only one with
blonde hair, came in once and took the Prince's cup which she then
returned with from kitchen.  "Thank you, Fotena," he said.  Then she
refilled the wine glasses of the others.  Mulder wondered what the
Prince was drinking, then he remembered what Laconius had called him.  

"Are you drinking blood?" he asked abruptly.  The Prince nodded, smiled
at him and sipped his drink.  Mulder stood up and said, "Scully!
There's a woman in the kitchen.  He's drinking her blood!"  He reached
for his gun and found himself held in a headlock by Laconius.  Scully
hadn't moved.  The Prince was looking in her eyes.  

Laconius took Mulder's Glock 9 and released him but a pair of even
stronger hands held him instead.  He looked over to see Fotena.  Her
eyes were glowing yellow and she bared her teeth at him and there was
no missing the long canines this time.  Mulder looked back at Scully
but she was still gazing into the eyes of the Prince of Blood, while
Clea and Elvira stood behind her running their hands caressingly
through her red hair. 


Chapter 8


Prince Samuel stood up and put his arm around Scully's shoulder in a
friendly way.  "Keep your hands off her!" Mulder yelled. Fotena picked
him up with one hand and began to shake him but stopped when the Prince
gestured at her.   Trying to clear his head  Mulder saw that his
partner was just staring with a rapt expression at the tall long haired
man.   Kush and Laconius were keeping their faces expressionless but
Mulder knew they hated this.  

"Let's finish that off," the Prince said.   "Bring him," he added as he
walked through the door into the kitchen, stumbling slightly.  Still in
Fotena's tight grip Mulder saw a blonde woman who resembled Heather
Locklear slumped in a chair.  She was pale but breathing and her eyes
were half open and glimmering in fear.  An IV line with a nozzle at one
end  was inserted in her right arm.  The Prince picked the line up and
twisted something and half refilled his golden cup.  Then he nodded at
the three girls and said, "Go ahead." 

Kush and Laconius had followed them in and were standing stiffly.
"Hold him," the Prince said to Laconius, and the young man grabbed
Mulder again as Fotena and her sisters moved next to the woman, who
made a fearful mewing sound.  Their eyes were all glowing and they were
smiling.  Fotena tore the IV line out and sank her teeth into the same
spot, as Elvira bit the woman's throat and Clea took her other arm.
The Prince was sipping his drink idly.  He looked at Mulder with his
piercing blue eyes.   "She deserves it.  I don't kill innocents.   Only
my enemies or the enemies of society, which is the same thing. Elvira,
what did she do?"  

The creature looked up at him, her mouth smeared with blood. "Credit
card fraud."  Then she bit down again, this time almost ripping the
throat out, sending blood splattering on the wall and floor.   

"There see!  And she's Swiss!  This isn't even her country but she's
committing crimes.  I don't want you to get the wrong idea," the Prince
said to Mulder.  He looked back into Scully's eyes and held his cup to
her lips. 

"NO!" Mulder yelled before Laconius slapped a hand over his mouth.
Scully obediently took a sip and then licked the blood from her lips. 

The Prince looked at Kush and said, "You too?"

The big man answered, "I serve you as always, Lord."

"But you don't like it," Prince Samuel said.

"No, I do not," Kush answered calmly.  The bacchae began making
growling hissing sounds.

The Prince said, "I understand.  I'd feel the same if I was anyone else
most likely."  He caught Mulder's eyes and the agent felt a kind of
weakness come over him.   Prince Samuel said, "Laconius, make Agent
Mulder comfortable.  Kush, we need to discuss some things.  Wait for me
in your study.  Leave me and my girls alone for now."

Mulder weakly struggled as he was led  out of the kitchen and then up a
flight of stairs to a bedroom by the young soldier, who bound Mulder to
a bed frame with his own handcuffs. Laconius said, "Don't worry, Agent
Mulder.  You won't be hurt. We're all on the same side here.  As for
your partner...the Prince said it was up to her...he won't force her.
I don't know what else I can say."

"You bastard!  You're lying!  This makes you sick!  I can see it in
your eyes.  It's not her choice; he has some kind of power! You and
Kush both wanted to stop him!  Coward!  Coward!"  Mulder was almost
screaming.  

The young soldier looked at him.  "You don't understand who Prince
Samuel is."  He turned and left as Mulder continued yelling curses at
him. 


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

"Admiral, a message has arrived for you.  It appears to be in code."

Jilly looked at the Japanese sailor speaking to her.  He was wearing a
headset and sitting at a control panel alongside several other
technicians.   She was on her aircraft carrier, the former USS
Ticonderoga that she had rechristened The Cirra. They were southeast of
Hawaii  and sending daily squadrons in. Honolulu was a nothing but a
giant barbecue pit now, although she had lost a fair portion of her
navy to Angela's wolf pack of submarines. 

"Play it," Jilly ordered, setting a hand on the back of his chair. 

A low voice came over the speaker.  "Hey, Sis, can we go to the San
Diego Zoo, huh?  Please, please?  I finished my homework. I'll be in
front of the tigers at three PM tomorrow."

Jilly said "Have an F-14 prepared for me.  Tell them to expect me in
San Diego."

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

The huge zoo seemed odd being empty.  It was full of the dead animals
which had starved after everyone who cared for them had been killed or
fled.  Jilly frowned, regretting that.  There was no way around that
kind of thing happening.  She'd kill a person before an animal any day.
She made her way to the tiger pits and saw two figures.  She was
relieved Sam hadn't come alone. There could be looters around, and he
was so clumsy he was well capable of tripping over his own feet and
breaking a leg or something.  

"Hello, Sam.  Agent Scully...I knew something was up with either you or
your partner."

The tall long haired man smiled walked up and grabbed Jilly in a hug.
The small red haired woman with him hadn't said anything; just standing
there in her long black leather coat and dark glasses, her face pale
and lips red. 

"Oh, Jilly!" Sam said.  "It's been too long."

"Longer for you than me, Sam.  I just went back and forth to Greece.
You actually lived it all.  I can't even imagine what that's like,"
Jilly said, holding her brother's hand. "Sam...I'm not going to call it
off.  Don't fight me.  You might get hurt by accident.  At least go
somewhere else.  You don't have to personally be here.  It's too
dangerous."

"Jilly, what are you doing?  You used to get on my case for impaling a
few enemy soldiers.  What will this accomplish?"  Sam said.  He did
something he had never done before...he tried to use his charisma on
his sister and looked in her eyes.  He saw them widen. 

She said in a choked voice, "God...god...so that's what all the fuss is
about.  If I hadn't changed your diapers, besides the fact I'm a
fucking lunatic, it might even work on me."  

Her voice had a wild quality to it and Sam broke eye contact. He saw
she wasn't immune to him like Angela was but he wasn't going to get
this from her.   She was crazy and dangerous and wasn't someone to
push.  She'd never intentionally hurt him but she could lose control.
Angela and Kush didn't realize that. They let him come because they
believed Jilly was incapable of harming her brother, and Sam had
allowed them to think that because he wanted to see her.   If Clea,
Fotena and Elvira had known what he planned they would have chained him
up. 

"Sam, this world stinks.  I'm gonna make it like in the old days,"
Jilly said too forcefully. 

The Prince looked sadly at her.  "No, Sis.  First of all, you're going
to lose. I have limitless resources and at least half a dozen generals
as good as you and others coming up.  You can't possibly win.  And,
second, Jilly, even if you do somehow destroy civilization, what makes
you think it'll be like Ancient Greece?"

She said harshly, "Don't underestimate me, Sam! As good as me? I don't
think so...you're no judge...your pansy strategists...I'll cut their
hearts out myself in the middle of their own armies...that'll take care
of that..I'm JILLY!  JILLY THE BUTCHER! Do you understand that?  Do
you?!"  Her body was vibrating and starting to weave as she spoke.  Sam
saw his sister was struggling to control herself.  She said in a calmer
voice with feigned nonchalance, "When there's nothing but rubble left
I'll start rebuilding.  We'll have all the old texts, Homer, Herodotus,
Sophocles, Gabrielle...I'll make it happen!" 

"You think your mercenaries who followed you for loot and power and the
few traumatized survivors you let live are just gonna morph into being
Periclean Greeks?" Sam said evenly.

His sister looked uncertain for a second then said, "They will if they
know what's good for 'em.  If I give 'em a choice of rebuilding the
Parthenon or being impaled, what do you think they'll do?  You got
great results with impaling, why not me?"

"Jilly...oh Jilly..."

His big sister said enthusiastically, "You'll see, Sam!  When it's done
you'll love it yourself! It'll be just like the old days.  Queen Jilly
and Good Prince Samuel."

Sam said, "No, Jilly, it won't be like the old days.  It'll never
happen.  I won't let you destroy the world.  I won't allow billions of
innocent people to die just because you got Langland killed.  This
won't bring Langland back."

He grunted as a foot planted itself in his gut and some stiffened
fingers stopped just before they crushed his throat. He keeled over.
Scully pulled her gun and found herself flat on her back with Jilly
standing over her, holding her gun and weaving, eyes wide and blank.
The blonde took the clip out and just handed the weapon back to her.  

Jilly went over and helped Sam up.  "Sam...Sam...don't talk like that
to me...please.  Never talk like that to me."  Her voice was stricken
and she was pathetically petting his broad chest. She hugged her little
brother again, turned and jogged away, her hair worn in a ponytail
bouncing behind her.  

Scully came over to look with concern at Sam's pale face. "Master, are
you all right?"

The Prince was still slightly hunched over but smiled down at her.
"I'm all right, Dana."  He put an arm around her shoulder and they
began making their way to his car.  

A shadow began passing over them, like night was falling. Scully looked
up and gasped but the Prince glanced skyward without much interest.  A
huge irregular shape was blocking out the sun.  The Prince said a
little sharply directed skyward, "I said I was all right."  The massive
ominous shape began moving off.  Sam looked down at Scully's frightened
face and said, "Don't worry, they won't hurt you.  You are mine just as
they are."  

As they reached his white limousine he got in the back and Scully slid
behind the wheel.  She was working out wonderfully. Originally he had
been unsure, but his girls requested anything so rarely he certainly
wasn't going to deny them this, since Dana was willing.   Sam found he
liked having her with him during the day.   Really, he would like to
keep her as she was now...have to do something about her aging,
however.   Scully wanted to be a bacchae though and Sam hated to
disappoint any of his girls.  He'd request it of Bacchus one of these
days, Sam supposed.

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

Mulder was lying on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head.  He
was watching sound bites of the president's address about the
cataclysmic weather conditions which had been convulsing the world.  It
amazed Mulder they could pull it off. The people who said it was a
coverup and a war was being fought were ridiculed regularly on all the
talk shows.  Mulder wondered if guys like Jay Leno and Bill Maher
really believed that or if they were on the payroll.  And what about
all the refugees? Were the people who managed to survive Jilly all
being herded into big camps somewhere so they couldn't talk about it?  


There was a knock on his door.   Mulder tensed and swung his legs off
the bed.  "Come in," he said.  The bedroom door unlocked from the
outside and Scully stepped in.  "How's life as a vampire slave girl?
Everything it's cracked up to be?" Mulder said bitterly. 

Scully looked down at herself a moment, her  fair skinned body naked
under the diaphanous gown.   Looking back up she said, "Yeah, it's all
that and more, Mulder.   I'm happy.  Just accept it.  I hate to think
of you locked up this way after all we've been through."

Mulder stood up and grabbed her shoulders.  "All we've been through is
why I know you would never accept this if you were in your right mind. 
We  can get away!  You aren't one of them yet."

"Mulder," she said, removing his hands from her shoulders, "you just
don't understand who Prince Samuel is.  That's your loss."

"I'll get you away from that bastard!  I swear it, Scully!" he said.
It didn't surprise him when she slapped him.  She always did.   

"Don't speak of Master that way!" she hissed.   Mulder thought he
detected something new this time.  Like there was flicker of yellow in
her eyes and something inhuman in her anger.  

"Scully..." he started to say and she pushed him and sent him careening
back rolling over the bed to bounce off the far wall.  

"And it's bacchae...not vampires!"  Scully  spat.  She left slamming
the door.  

Mulder got up.   She had never been that strong before.  Maybe her
teeth looked a little longer too.   

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

Callisto leapt up on a moving tank and put her binoculars to her eyes. 
She spotted the figure in a jeep talking into a headset and studying a
map.  

"Ooooh...Xeeeenaa!  I've missed playing with you soooo much!"  

She swept her eyes over the approaching forces and found a truck with a
red cross on it.  A familiar form in green fatigues was walking beside
it with a staff and wearing a helmet with a similar red cross.  "And
you even have your little friend!" With a wide smile Callisto looked
around and yelled, "Idi!" 

 A motorcycle driven by black man in a brown beret went zooming by
without slowing down as the blonde leapt into the sidecar. The
Nigerian, with ornate scarification covering his face, glanced at her
and she said, "Let's go to high ground.   I wanna give my old friend a
nice welcome!"

The African grunted and said, "Edelman will strike soon."

Callisto grinned and slapped Idi's shoulder.  "No time like the
present.  I don't wanna have that hanging over me now.  Know where to
find him?" 

The scarred face nodded.  "Company 3.  Right over there."

The blonde  giggled and said, "Why, Idi, I do believe you are
manipulating me!  You don't much like Edelman, do ya?"

The African didn't answer and Callisto laughed again.  In a few minutes
she said, "There he is...easy there, Idi....NOW!" 

Captain Frank Edelman had been watching Callisto as she jumped from the
tank into the sidecar.  He wasn't sure where she was now though.
Plenty of the men would follow him.  That maniac Callisto was more
interested in fighting than making a profit. Keeping her men alive
wasn't a priority with her either, unlike Jilly who at least seemed
concerned that her troops weren't slaughtered.   Callisto was always in
the middle of the fighting but that didn't make 'em like the situations
she kept putting 'em in any better.  They had an ambush planned for the
next night, though if the opportunity came to frag her before that
they'd take it.  He'd kill Idi too.  They'd hated each other ever since
they were in Ghana years ago.  Each tried to sell the other out and
both had had to run when it turned out they were all just pawns in a
scheme of Langland.  

The men who weren't actively with him would accept Edelman's leadership
if he killed Callisto.  They didn't particularly care who was in
charge, as long as there was money and blood.  He heard a loud roaring
and was turning  as the motorcycle swept by and Callisto  leaned out
and wrapped a chain around him, snapping a clasp shut.  The man yelled
in panic and rage as the motorcycle pulled him off his feet.

"Go to the end of the column, Idi.  I want everybody to get a good
show!" Callisto laughed gleefully.  They were just riding slowly as the
man tried to get to his feet and was yelling at them.  Their victim was
frantically clawing for his pistol, but as he reached it Callisto
giggled and shot him in the hand. The motorcyle turned spraying dirt
and sending Edelman rolling and then accelerated down the line of
laughing soldiers.  The motorcycle was going sixty miles an hour down
the rough road, with Edelman bouncing off rocks and the sides of tanks
or jeeps. "Okay," Callisto said.  Idi made a screeching turn as he
stopped and the form went flying past them to be stopped by the taut
chain.  Her men were watching as she and Idi went back to look at
Edelman. 

"Oh, TOO GOOD!" Callisto said.  He was still twitching and even
moaning, though had left various pieces of himself along the way.  She
took the bloody chain off and tossed it back in the sidecar for next
time and climbed in.  Idi spat on what was left of Edelman and started
the motorcyle back up and they rode off. A few men thought of putting
Edelman out of his misery but decided not to.  He wouldn't have for
them.  So they marched on and left him for whatever scavengers there
might be around here. 

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

"Xena."

The commander looked up at the figure standing in the tent door. She
gestured to the two officers around her in fatigue uniforms. "Bring me
word immediately when the reconnaissance planes land." They saluted and
left.  

"Xen..." the woman in the doorway started to say again but was cut off
by the other. 

"Don't call me Xena in front of my officers, Gabrielle; it's General.  
Remember that.  They resent me anyway because I'm a woman and they
think I'm a mercenary.   I've gotta have their respect.  You ought to
remember that from the outpost and the Horde...I mean the Pomira."
Xena spoke sharply, then softened at the effect she saw her words had. 
"Gabrielle...this is a twentieth-century army.  It's not you and me and
Joxer going after two-bit bandits, okay.  Discipline is important." 

"Okay, Xena."

"Now what is it?"  

"Someone to see you," Gabrielle said and a tall long haired figure in a
elegant clothes came up beside her.

Xena stood up.  She went to the tent and looked out.   The men were all
staring at him.  She inclined her head.  Since she had just given
Gabrielle that speech about the chain of command, she thought she ought
to.  Prince Samuel hadn't openly revealed himself but rumors about him
were everywhere.  Xena could feel the emotion of the army as he stepped
into her tent and she glanced out at the men.  It had been building.
This war wasn't about defeating Jilly so the same old politicians could
come back.  More and more it was so Good Prince Samuel could rule,
although he claimed repeatedly he didn't want it.   Before now Xena's
command didn't know what he looked like.  Now her army would realize
she was related to him since they bore so much resemblance to each
other.  That could help and hinder her.  His shine might rub off on her
but others would wonder if she was a commander through nepotism.  She
would suspect that in their position. 

The tall handsome man seriously said, "Kush told me you're going into a
battle, with high casualties very likely."

Xena nodded.  "He wants me to take the western slopes so we can be in
position for a push into Manchuria.  Callisto's regiment just arrived
to reinforce 'em.  It'll be bad."   

At Callisto's name the man looked down a moment.   His father had been
a reincarnation of Callisto.   She and Jilly were the last two people
in the world he wanted to be fighting. Gabrielle squeezed his arm
comfortingly.  Finally Prince Samuel said, "I came to encourage the
men.  They did some studies and found that when I did that it improved
efficiency from 22 to 34 percent."  Then he brightened and said, "Thank
you, Dana."   A small redhead came into the tent and handed a gold cup
to him which he sipped. 

Xena studied the short woman in dark glasses with a long black leather
coat.  Sam noticed her look and said cheerfully. "Ah, my new girl.
This is Dana Scully."

"We've met," Xena said frigidly as she looked back at the Prince.
Samuel sighed.  

"It's her choice.  Ask her.  Why does everyone assume the worst?"  He
said in an aggrieved tone.   "No one is forced to serve me.  I turn
people away in fact; all the time.  Dana, do you want to go back to
your old duties and leave me?"

The small woman shook her head.

Gabrielle said, "Sam...it's because when you want something choice
becomes a very iffy concept."

Scully grabbed Gabrielle's shirt front and held a gun to her head.  

"Dana!" the Prince said sharply and she released Gabrielle and stepped
back beside him.  Xena hadn't moved, knowing Sam wouldn't let Gabrielle
be hurt.  The blonde was shaken though. "Wait in the car,"  Prince
Samuel ordered.  Scully didn't move. "I'll be all right," he said
resignedly.  

Finally, the small red head walked off but not until she said to the
dark woman, "I'm not Trilby with Svengali."  

Xena looked puzzled at the reference then said, "The men will be glad
to see you.  I'm sure it will mean a lot to 'em.  I'll assign you an
escort, unless you want me to take you around myself."

Samuel smiled.  "An escort is fine.  You certainly have better things
to do."

"All right, Sam," Xena said.  She frowned as he drained the cup and
licked the blood from his lips.  Gabrielle shuddered.  

The tall man smiled at the bard with his white teeth and there was
something mocking and cruel in his voice when he said, "Nothing like a
taste of home."  He caught Xena's blue eyes with his own and she felt
like she was falling though was able to quickly stop it.  The Prince
smiled and turned, and tripping walked toward some soldiers who began
to kiss his hands. 

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

Elvira came up behind her new sister and slid her hands under her
diaphanous gown to cup her breasts.  Scully smiled and turned her face
to kiss her.  "Ellie," she murmured.   Reaching back she found the dark
hair between the bacchae's legs and gently inserted a finger, finding
her already wet.   Clea came up and kissed Scully's white belly.   

"What a pretty picture!"  The Prince had come in the room.  He was
wearing a long white robe which had his symbol of an impaled man
embroidered in a small tasteful pattern over his heart. Fotena was with
him, naked, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders much like
his dark hair.  

Scully looked over at him, "Master.." she said then moaned slightly as
Clea's tongue found its mark.  Scully's fingers continued their
movements around Elvira's clitoris.   Sam and Fotena approached them.  
Scully got on her knees and opened the Prince's robe.  She ran her
tongue over the head of his rigid penis then took it in her mouth. Clea
had repositioned herself and was kissing Scully's breasts and fingering
her.  Elvira and Fotena were kissing each other  but had arms around
the Prince and Scully.   

Prince Samuel glanced over and said, "See, Agent Mulder.  She's not
doing anything she doesn't want to.  The truth is out there. All you
have to do is accept that."  He reached down and patted the rhymically
moving red hair.  

Mulder was tied to a chair and gagged in a corner.   He closed his
eyes, excited in spite of himself.  One or another of the bacchae had
masturbated him several times, amused at how embarrassed he was.
Mulder opened his eyes and saw Elvira eyeing him.  He shook his head
but she smiled at him and approached, unzipped his pants and took his
hard member out and began rhythmically working her hand.  Mulder looked
over and saw the Prince, Clea, and Fotena watching with amusement.
Scully had a perplexed expression.  The Prince tapped her on the nose
and she returned to sucking him. 


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

They were in Geneva.  Walking beside Master as he spoke with a very old
man, an executive with I.G. Farben, Scully didn't like the purposeful
way a teenager with a shaved head seemed to be heading their way on the
sidewalk.  Laconius was near and Scully glanced quickly at him.  She
could see he was also looking at the teenager and was signaling to
other men stationed on the street.  

When the boy made a fast movement reaching into his plaid jacket Scully
threw herself at Master knocking him down as she drew her Walther PPK
and began firing.  She heard a grunt behind her and saw her first
bullet strike the assassin in the chest.  Other bullets were also
striking him.  He was wearing a bulletproof vest, so Scully began
aiming at his head, missing with two shots, then shooting him in left
eye and seeing him drop.  She whirled around to find Laconius helping
Prince Samuel up. Laconius indicated the small old man and said, "He
threw himself in front of the Lord Progenitor."

Prince Samuel was frowning and brushing himself off.  He squatted down
next to the gray haired dead man and put a hand on his bloody chest.
The old man kept calling him "Fuhrer" then looked embarrassed and would
apologize.  Sam stood back up and looked  around the street.  A squad
car came screeching up but the Swiss police froze when they saw Prince
Samuel.  He said something sadly to them in German.  They saluted him. 

"Come on Dana, Laconius.   We're going to Argentina.  I want to speak
to his brother," Sam said.  As they walked off Dana glanced back and
saw one policeman speaking into a car radio as another remained beside
the dead executive.   They weren't even going to question her
apparently.

"Master, your sister wouldn't send an assassin after you, would she?"
Scully said.  She glanced at Laconius but he was on a cell phone just
like Mulder would be.

The Prince said, "No, she wouldn't.  But she has a huge organization
full of dangerous people and she can't keep track of everything the way
Langland did.   They want to win and that means killing me.  She has
plenty of people smart enough to see that.   Only Paulie and Callisto
are with her from loyalty.  I'd be surprised if she had a single
lieutenant who didn't have a possible plan to murder her if she wins or
sell her out if it seems smart.

"That's awful!" Scully exclaimed.  

"Yes...it is," the Prince agreed. 

"Um, Master, what about...?" and she glanced skyward  

The Prince smiled ironically.  "Interesting question.  The Military
Caste will probably make the moon look like a garden in comparison to
Earth. Then there'll be a lot of soul searching as the Lord Caste I
created points out  that I wouldn't have wanted that, and the Clerical
and Technical Castes will start mulling it over finding subtleties I
can't even imagine.   Might be good in the long run for 'em.  Big moral
debates have a good effect on the Slithlocs.  They really sink their
teeth into that kind of stuff."

"Can't you order them now not to do that?"  Scully asked. 

"I already have but it probably won't do any good.  When the Military
Caste gets mad, I mean as pissed off as me getting killed would make
'em, they tend to react predictably.  I think it's genetic.  They can't
help it.  Angela will just egg 'em on. She's worse than they are.
Kush would argue against it.  He's pretty one of a kind for a Lord
Military though."

Something else occurred to Scully.  "Master, Paul Cerruti protected you
as a child as well as Jilly.  Why is he with her against you?"

Sam answered,  "Paulie doesn't know who I am.  He worked for my father
and then my sister.  He still is.  Paulie just does what's he's told."

"What if he did know about you?" Scully asked. 

Sam shrugged.  "I hope he doesn't find out.  I'm afraid he'd have
another stroke or something.  You're the doctor, Dana. What do you
think?"

She remembered talking to Paulie's cardiologist and neurologist.
"Master, that's definitely a possibility."

He smiled down at her.  "Maybe I'm in the wrong line of work. Who
knows?  If I'd stayed in school maybe I coulda made something of
myself."

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

Bodies were stacked up in high piles and ash covered the ground. The
soldiers who had just taken the camp were holding weapons on the guards
who looked frightened, seeing the hatred on the faces of their captors.
A jeep entered the camp and stopped.  It was driven by a young soldier
who, like the big man riding as a passenger, wore a long black leather
coat and had rings on all of his fingers.  Both got out and approached
the prisoners.  

Laconius touched Kush's arm and pointed.  The large dark man looked and
saw the ovens.  Far off the skyline of Paris was barely visible.  The
big man looked back at the prisoners.  

"Who is in command?" Kush said in his deep voice.  He glanced over at
Laconius.  He feared his young caste brother would lose control.  Kush
could feel his rage. 

"I am,  I'm Colonel Esterhazy," a balding, distinguished looking man
said smoothly.  

Kush studied him.  "How do you explain this?" he finally asked.  

Colonel Esterhazy answered clearly, "I was following orders. You are a
soldier yourself.  We do what we are told.  We do our duty."

Kush was looking at the piles of fresh naked bodies, estimating their
numbers as at least a thousand.  They had been killed even after it was
clear the camp would be taken.  "Duty...I see. Following Jilly, who up
until a few months ago was nothing but a criminal, is your duty.
Abandoning your NATO command because you thought you could gain wealth
and power...that is your duty. You like  killing, I think.  That is
your duty."  

Colonel Esterhazy didn't respond for a moment then said, "Everyone
knows your reputation, General Kush.  You aren't like General Gilroy.
We are your prisoners."

"So you continued murdering your victims because of that.  If you had
feared me as you do  Angela, you would have ended your butchery
sooner."  

Colonel Esterhazy's hands were sweating.  He repeated, "We are at your
mercy, sir."

Kush looked around and said to his men, "Wait outside camp. Shoot any
prisoners  who attempt to leave before I summon you back." 

A Captain said, "Sir?" but Kush didn't respond.  The Captain looked
curiously at Kush's aide but he nodded that it was all right.  

The 72 camp officials and guards were carefully watchful, not sure what
was going on.  Secrecy was the only thing Colonel Esterhazy could
imagine.  Kush had to speak to him about something and would put
himself at risk rather than chance a security breach.  Taking Kush and
his aide prisoner or killing them wouldn't accomplish anything.  It
would help Jilly but Colonel Esterhazy was in this for himself.
Harming or taking them prisoner might bring  Angela Gilroy down on his
head.  That wasn't a prospect he relished.

When the men had gone Kush said to Laconius, "I recall you found it
most congenial when you accompanied the Lord Progenitor and I to my
home."

"Yes, Lord Military.  Very much so."  The young man said and approached
the colonel as all the men watched.   

Colonel Esterhazy looked shrewdly at the young soldier who he assumed
must be an intelligence officer, "Yes?"

Laconius felt a long tail growing and his face extending forward into a
snout.  He flicked a scaled claw and broke Esterhazy's jaw, then
slashed him open with his talons as he screamed.  The other men were
also crying out.  Kush had resumed his natural Slithloc form and leapt
right into the middle of them and was ripping them apart with his claws
and impaling them on his tail. Laconius flicked his forked tongue,
jumped and came down on top of men who were trying to run.  He broke
one man's back with a whack of his tail.  Another man was hysterically
screaming as he stared at the unwinking black eyes under red ridges and
the long teeth Laconius now had.  He struck at the creature and
Laconius snapped his forearm off with a bite and spat it out.
Slithlocs weren't beasts.  Some didn't even eat meat anymore.  Several
men ran out the camp gate and were shot down by the waiting eager
soldiers.  

The two Slithloc Militaries stood amid the carnage, their claws and
tails covered with blood.  Their uniforms had simply adapted to their
new more bulky forms.  Twenty bodies surrounded them. Thirty-three men
were shot escaping the camp.  The remaining 21 men were hiding amid the
camp buildings: the barracks, the store sheds, the guard's infirmary,
the ovens.  Kush and Laconius sniffed the air with their long snouts
and hissed.  They could smell the men's fear, literally, and with their
long tails winding behind and their tongues occasionally flicking they
set off in pursuit.  This wouldn't take long.  

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

Mulder was looking with controlled hatred at Prince Samuel. They were
eating dinner together.  The Prince had remained unfailingly polite in
spite of Mulder's insults.  Samuel had warned him to watch his tongue
because he could not always control his girls.  Mulder had gradually
acquiesced to that. Scully had punched him out several times.   The
Prince's bacchae felt even stronger and Mulder's life meant nothing to
them at all.  If he was dead he couldn't rescue Scully, and that was
still what he intended to do somehow.  Scully was eating with them but
had helped bring the food in and the three bacchae did not serve her as
they did the Prince and, reluctantly, Mulder. Scully, like the bacchae
was in a diaphanous gown and nothing else.  That enraged Mulder as much
as anything, knowing how she would feel about that if she were in her
right mind.

The phone rang and Fotena brought it to the table for the Prince.  As
he listened the bacchae began making soft moaning sounds and came to
stand around him.   Scully stood but Elvira looked at her and she sat
back down.  

The Prince began speaking on the phone, "You're sure, Laconius? Maybe
she didn't know...oh...okay...yeah...I'm all right...thank you,"  He
set the phone down and rose.      

Samuel looked at Scully and said, "Keep your partner company a bit,
Dana."  He began walking out of the room.  It was hard to tell if he
was being supported by the bacchae or they were by him. 

"What happened?" Mulder demanded.  Clea turned with a hiss ready to rip
his throat out but the Prince restrained her.  He said, "Jilly has
death camps.  They captured one in France and found records for others.
Ovens, the whole nine yards.  China, Brazil, Texas, Idaho...makes
sense, I guess.  It just surprised me.  They've  got an instructional
video she made for her executioners.   They weren't efficient enough
for her, apparently."  He continued out of the room with the three
creatures.  

Scully looked blankly at her food a moment then up at Mulder. "Don't
say anything, Mulder,  Not right now.  I mean it.  You don't understand
who he is.  You just don't."

"Scully, I lost my sister.  I think maybe I can sympathize," Mulder
said quietly.  "Even with him."



Chapter 9


Langly had his second to favorite Dungeons-and-Dragons T-shirt on.   He
pushed his heavy glasses back up on his hooked nose and looked at Byers
in his neat suit and tie and Frohike who was wearing overalls.  "That's
where they are.  Scully and Mulder are both in the Washington
townhouse."

Byers asked,  "So what do you propose we do about it?" 

"Go in and rescue both of 'em," Langly said.  

"No wonder we're a joke to people," Frohike said contemptuously. "Go
play with your joystick, Lord Man Hammer."

Langly sneered, "You're the one talking big to Scully all the time.
You just talk?"

The bug eyed short man said angrily, "Being realistic isn't cowardice,
you hippy jerk off!"

Byers ignored them and said, "Everything big we thought we knew was
wrong.  But the people who were playing us were pawns themselves of
Langland.  It's out in the open now...we just have to look in the right
places.  We aren't in the rescue business. Besides Scully doesn't seem
like a prisoner and we don't know Mulder is either, assuming he's
there.   But we do look for answers.  The Washington townhouse; that's
where the answers are.  The encrypted communications, the officials
coming and going; it's there.  GPS is there."

Frohike smiled, "Much as I feel like a jerk, I don't feel as bad as
those DEFCON assholes must.  They thought they were the pulling the
strings when they were running around in Langland's maze, pressing
levers for cheese.  GPS doesn't  even bother with fooling 'em like
Langland.  I love how he sent the CEO of Boeing out for bagles and
coffee the other day.  Classic!"   Byers and Langly also smiled.  

Langly said, "I like his style too but who is GPS?   A silent partner
who had to surface when Langland was blown away?  It's like he's some
kind of cult leader; David Koresh as Pope.   GPS also adopted the
persona of an ancient ruler like Jilly and Langland did.  Talk about
role playing!  Xena herself and the Sword of Ares are supposedly
running around now too.  Wow!" 

Byers stroked his carefully trimmed beard.   "The original Prince
Samuel was Queen Jilly's little brother.  She doted on him from all
accounts."

Frohike said, "I get ya.  This maniac thinks she's Jilly the Butcher so
to psych her out they manufacture a Good Prince Samuel."

"That could explain Kimberly and Xena too," Langly interjected.

Frohike sarcastically raised his eyebrows.  "No.  Really?  Don't forget
Shining Kush and Captain Angela.  I bet they all got make overs just to
screw with Jilly's head."  

Byers said, "That makes sense but I don't think it's as simple as that.
For one thing who's ultimately behind it if not GPS himself?   Not who
we always thought.  Langland was playing them for stooges.  And that
also doesn't explain how everybody feels. It's not just that lunatic,
Jilly, who you'd expect to fall for it.  There's over seven-hundred
sites dedicated to him online but officially he doesn't exist.   Russia
and China started cooperating after his visit.  Who is he?"

Frohike and Langly shrugged.  

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


It was night.  The bell rang and the door was opened by a beautiful
blonde woman dressed as a French maid.  

"Special delivery for Prince Samuel.  Will you sign for it?" Frohike
was in a Federal Express uniform.   What a babe, he thought eyeing the
maid in her tight clothes. He held a small box that contained a Ginsu
knife with a microphone in the handle.  They only wanted a look around
but figured trying to slip the bug in was worth a shot.  The knife was
indeed ordered for "GPS, Inc." so they had covered themselves.

The maid looked at him then at the box.  She signed for it and caught
his eyes.  She's hot for me, Frohike thought.  "Well, hellooo
there...I'll bet we met in a previous life," he said.

The blonde smiled at him showing white teeth.  With a mild Greek accent
she replied, "I have lived only one life."

Frohike said, "Realist, huh?  Don't buy that froo-froo reincarnation
stuff?"

"I did not say that.  Just that I have never been reborn.  If I die one
day perhaps I will."

Frohike chuckled suavely.  "What's your name, honey?"

"Fotena...honey," the maid answered and reached out to touch Frohike's
neck lightly with a graceful pale finger.  He grinned confidently. 

Upstairs Scully was watching the monitor with Elvira and Clealisthsia. 
"I'm embarrassed to know 'em," Scully moaned. She glanced over at her
sisters, seeing how amused they were.  

Elvira said, "Dana, are they in league with your partner?"  

Scully shook her head.  "Mulder would never bring 'em here. They're
good with computers and research but that's all.  They might have found
something and are just fishing now."  

Clea said, "Perhaps they  hope to 'rescue' you.  Like your partner
does"

At the word 'rescue' Scully grimaced.  She looked worriedly at her
sisters.  "I know coming to our master's residence under false
pretenses is bad.  But they mean well.  Do we have to kill them?"  She
reached out as she spoke and took Elvira's hand.  

Elvira said, "Since they are not assassins, perhaps we can spare them."
Scully saw from Clea's eyes she disapproved.   The bacchae looked at
one another, communicating with their minds so that Dana could not
hear.  Elvira nodded.  "If they learn details of how we guard Master
they could aid his real enemies, even unintentionally.   We cannot
allow that."

"Thank you, sisters," Scully said.   "I'll see to it."  They were all
still watching the monitor.  Fotena finished toying with the troll-like
man and he left with a swagger.  She looked up at the surveillance
camera and smiled, her eyes glowing and her long canines showing since
she no longer had to disguise her nature. 

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

The three men had just finished their Early Bird breakfast specials in
the Denny's when a familiar figure walked up.  

"Hi fellas.  Can I join you?" she asked. 

"Agent Scully! By all means!" Frohike said.   

"Absolutely!" Langly said. 

Byers got up to be gentlemanly and said, "Are you all right?"

Scully smiled ironically at them.  She hoped to keep them alive. Her
sisters would have killed them as a matter of course if not for her,
especially after they examined the package and found the listening
device.  The three bacchae had been protecting Prince Samuel for
thousands of years.  They hadn't accomplished that by giving people the
benefit of the doubt or second chances. 

"I know you came by the townhouse last night.  Just forget about it.
I'm on assignment.  Go looking for Oswald's missing twin or something."


Frohike said, "That hot maid was talking about me, right?  I'm gonna
have to be less charming." 

"You really swept Fotena off her feet all right.  She wouldn't mind
another taste of you," Scully said drily as Frohike grinned.  She
looked back at Byers and Langly.  "You might get hurt; no, you WILL get
hurt if you come back."

"Are you actually threatening us away?  Is that what you're doing,
Agent Scully?"  Byers said. 

She tried not to lose her temper, knowing it would have the opposite
result of what she wanted.  Scully glanced out the diner window at the
dim morning light and put her dark glasses on. Scully meant to say
something diplomatic but instead dangerously whispered, "That's right. 
Threatening you is exactly what I'm doing."  She caught herself.  "I
can't explain. You guys helped me and Mulder over and over.  Now I'm
trying to return the favor.  Don't come around again, or try planting
any bugs, tapping the phones, or whatever other state-of-the-art
nerdery you've got up your sleeves.   Stay away from the townhouse and
from me or else!"  She'd started calmly but by the end was almost
hissing.  

Langly said, "'Or else', 'or else'!  You've been brainwashed, Agent
Scully!   Don't worry though, we'll save you!  And Mulder too!"

"I second that!" Frohike said, hitting the table for emphasis.  

Scully felt her anger rising.  Since joining her sisters she had been
becoming more and more emotional.  And she wasn't even a true bacchae
yet although she wanted to be.  She stood up quickly, grabbed both
Frohike and Langly by the collars and pulled them to their feet.
Scully bared her teeth, wishing she had long beautiful canines like her
sisters.  Perhaps soon.  

"Listen you pathetic geeks!  Stay away or you're gonna find yourselves
shishka-bobbed on a flagpole!"  She released them with a shove and they
fell back into their chairs.  She looked at Byers who hadn't moved.
"John, you have your head screwed on straight, at least comparatively. 
I don't need rescuing. Mulder doesn't need rescuing.  Walk away before
you get hurt. And take them with you!"  She turned and left the diner,
slamming the door behind her so the glass rattled. 

"We have to save her!" Frohike said. 

Byers looked after her.  "Agreed," he said.  

Langly was nodding vigorously.  Then he said, "Can you believe how
strong she is?  Man!"

"What a woman!" Frohike chimed in.

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

Fox had just stepped out of the shower and was drying himself when he
heard a knock on his door and Scully's voice calling, "Mulder, I need
to talk."

He called "Hold on!" and came out wrapping a towel around himself.
"Come in."

The door unlocked and Scully came in.  Mulder was surprised to see she
was back in her normal clothes.  "Are you...?" he started to say. 

"Nothing's changed.  I talked to the three stooges.  They're snooping
around."

Mulder said, "Uh oh.  Do you mind turning around so I can put some
clothes on?"

Scully made a derisive snorting sound.  Mulder turned around himself
and pulled shorts and a T-shirt on.  Scully's sense of modesty had
completely disappeared.   She also had a quicker temper now.  Along
with the way she felt about Prince Samuel, those were the only changes
he could see.  How could he convince her she was brainwashed when she
was as smart as ever?  She had become uninhibited.   And that's bad
because...?

Turning back around he saw she was watching him and smiling. "I never
realized what nice buns you have, Mulder.  Course when I've seen you
naked before you were usually shot or we were both in a vat of demonic
slime or something."  

"God, Scully, listen to yourself!  That's not you talking," Fox said
fiercely.    At her mocking expression he resignedly said, "What  about
Byers, Frohike and Langly?"

"They wanna save me.  Probably hope to find out all they can, too.
Mulder, the only reason they're still alive is I told the others I'd
take care of it.  I tried to warn'em off but that had about the effect
you'd expect."  Scully was speaking in frustration.  "We don't kill
innocents, Mulder.  But when they come around like that....well, they
stop being innocent as far as my sisters are concerned."

"What about the Prince?" Fox asked. 

Scully answered, "We don't bother him with things like this. He's got
enough to worry about.   You just don't understand who he is, Mulder.
What he carries on his shoulders....it makes me wanna cry....poor
Master!"  

Mulder shook his head in disgust.  "Okay...so you want me to talk to
the boys?"

She nodded.   "They have to stop, Mulder.  If they don't they're dead. 
It's that simple."

"Scully, it might not be easy for me to convince 'em since I think
they're right.  You do need rescuing and this just shows how on the
money they are."  He held his hand up to stop her protest.  "But it's
out of their league. "

"And yours too, Mulder," she said coldly.

He didn't respond. 

"Mulder, Fotena is as good with computers as they are.   They try to
hack in here and she spots it...she'll just grab Clea and that'll be
all she wrote."

Fox curiously said, "What about Elvira?"

Scully said, "Usually she takes the lead.  But she's the one who agreed
to let 'em live if they walk away now.   Fotena and Clealisthsia didn't
like it."

"Scully, is there something else going on here?"  He said carefully,
wondering if this was the opening he needed.  A rift among the bacchae.

"God, Mulder!  I just said that to make you understand what'll happen
if those guys try absolutely anything.  Never mind about Elvira.   I
shouldn't be talking about it to you."

"Why?"

"This is like a family, Mulder.  I'm coming in and upsetting what's
worked fine up to now, at least as far as Fo and Clea were concerned.
They love me and I love them but it's sticky, okay?"

"You love them?  Scully, they're three thousand year old vampires!"

"That is such a bigoted, narrow minded thing to say, Mulder, that I'm
not even gonna dignify it with a response.  And they're bacchae not
vampires."  She added, "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Of course not," Mulder agreed, unsure how else to respond.

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



The large gray cat leapt up onto the new television set and stared
balefully at the old woman.  Janice Covington took a puff on her cigar
and said, "I know, Ares, I know.  You think I don't?"  

She pushed the bushy tail aside and turned the TV on and CNN came up.
She sat down watching as the cat's tail swished angrily in front of the
screen before the big feline leapt off and disappeared out the cat
door.   A national security advisor was ridiculing the rumors that were
circulating.   There were a few hot spots like always but nothing like
what hysterical paranoids were claiming.   Then she watched the
meteorologists discussing the relation of the anomalous weather to
global warming.  The worst of the storms had moved on from Europe and
were in Asia now as he showed on the weather satellite pictures. The
Western hemisphere was largely calm, though the storm cleanup would
take a long while, and the terrible loss of life would never be
forgotten.  Janice was making notes as she listened.   "Jackass," she
muttered as she rose and started pushing colored pins into a large
world map on one wall.  She studied it.   "Manchuria....about goddamn
time," she said to herself, then puffed more on her cigar frowning.
Jilly was being crushed.  Never stood a chance after her brother showed
up.  She was making a stand in China.  

"There is no Good Prince Samuel.  Let me state that unequivocally.
Send the kids out the room.  I'll wait.   Okay? There's no tooth fairy
or Santa Claus, either.  I wish there was."   

The old woman turned at the words and looked at the trustworthy news
anchor.   She smiled cynically.   Sam had gotten so big that they
couldn't just ignore him anymore.  Janice could read the signs.  They
didn't want to make the same mistake as the German industrialists and
aristocrats who thought they could use Hitler.  They needed him but
feared him.  She wondered if any were dumb enough to try and kill him. 
Probably.  Janice had finally  gotten a computer at the same time as
the television so she could follow events.   All those sites dedicated
to him and it was all bullshit.  Just the fact of their existence
though said something.  People were electrified by nothing but rumors. 



There was one site, however, that seemed to actually have something to
it; it wasn't a Good Prince Samuel fan site.  It was a grim little
thing called The Lone Gunmen, and at first look it seemed just another
crank page.  She was mentioned herself on it in passing because of her
findings about the Sword of Ares.  Instead of swooning over some
juvenile vision of Samuel as King Arthur, the site succinctly gave what
was known about the original Queen Jilly and her brother and said
straight out a war was being fought and leaders on both sides had
modeled themselves after them.  The site moved around a lot since they
were constantly being booted off by their servers, no doubt with some
encouragement from whatever agency handed out licenses. The old woman
could imagine what they were like, having known gadflies who stuck
their necks out trying to tell people what Franco and Hitler were like,
back when they were the darlings of assholes like Henry Ford who
bankrolled 'em.   Der Furher had a painting of Ford in his office to
the very end.   

She hadn't liked what she saw when she checked their site today. Janice
could see they had actually zeroed in on Sam, mentioning Washington,
D.C.  and a townhouse, naming people coming and going.  The bacchae
wouldn't like that either.  She could call up the picture in her mind
of over a hundred German soldiers impaled on makeshift stakes torn from
fences and barns.  They had tried to harm  their master.  Now these
guys were trying to harm him; that'd be how his girls looked at it.
Once in France during the war Janice had been warned the Gestapo would
be coming for her.   The man who warned her refused to leave with her
and Mel.  He'd stay and keep on putting out his paper; said he had a
"secret plan."  She remembered how annoying Marcel was in a lot of
ways.   The Gestapo coming for Janice beat him to death beside his own
printing press.  Janice chewed on her cigar.  The old archaeologist
picked her phone up.  She had to arrange for somebody to take care of
Ares.

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

They glanced nervously at the door when the bell rang then looked at
the monitor.  It was a small elderly woman wearing a wide brimmed hat
and  men's clothes. 

"She looks familiar," Byers said curiously, then got up and went to
answer the door.  "Yes," he said politely to the little old lady.  

Janice Covington sized him up.  He wasn't as eccentric appearing as she
had anticipated.  The two others fit the bill though. "You guys the
Lone Gunmen?"

"Who wants to know?" Frohike said trying to be cagey.  

"Oh brother," Janice said and took out a cigar and lit it.  She
squinted up at Byers.  "I'm Janice Covington."

Byers said, "Of course!  I recognize you from the book jacket. I read
Journey to Amphipolis in college.  Come in!  Please!"  He backed up and
she looked ironic and followed him in.  The other two had stood up, a
tall guy with long blonde hair and a little guy with a lined face and a
ponytail.  Both were dressed ridiculously in her opinion.  

She said to the three men.  "I'll make this simple.  There's someone I
owe a lot to.  He's dead and gone but you guys are just like him.  So
helping you is how I'm gonna do something for him."  

"Um...how are you going to help us?" Byers said.  

Janice hoped she wasn't as useless as she had been fifty years before. 
"You boys have to lay off Prince Samuel.  For one thing, he's trying to
save the world.  For another, you're gonna wind up like hotdogs on a
stick if you keep sniffing around. His people play hardball."

Langly said, "Did Scully send you?"

Janice said with surprise.  "No.  FBI agent?  Little redhead?"  

"You know that's who," Frohike said sharply.   "She said the same thing
to us.   Even threatened us the same way.  Well, no dice!  We're gonna
tell the world about Prince Samuel when we uncover all there is to know
about him!  Nobody elected him. He's just some power broker."

Janice waited a moment before answering, wanting to shake sense into
them but knowing that wouldn't work.  "You should've listened to her.
That was good advice."

Byers spoke up.  "Thank you for your concern, Dr. Covington. But we
will continue our investigation.  We can handle ourselves.  What is
your interest, if I may ask?"

"You can, huh?"  Janice said sarcastically.  She glanced at Langly and
thought I'll bet he can handle himself.  She answered, "My interest is
trying to save your dumbass lives, like I said.  Oh, and as a human
being I'm interested  in stopping Jilly from destroying civilization.
You're helping Jilly by getting in Prince Samuel's way. Who would you
prefer? Someone trying to save everybody or someone trying to kill
everybody, because that's the choice.   Listen, he's nobody to cross,
believe me.  I've seen what can happen.  You don't want to."  Janice
was trying to not say too much.  If she gave them something new and it
showed up on their site, that could bring the bacchae.  She had half
expected to find them skewered on chair legs already.

Byers said reasonably, "We understand what you are saying about the
fight against this so-called Jilly the Butcher.  It's not like we're
stealing the timetable of D-Day for her.  But what happens after
Jilly's defeat, Dr. Covington?  We want the truth about Prince Samuel. 
We're acting now because after the war it may be too late.  For god's
sake, according to official sources he's not even real, but he might be
ruling us all in a few months.  What if he's not so nice once he's won?
You know more than we do and you're making our case.  You're saying we
should be scared.  That's exactly why someone should shine a light on
him."

Janice chewed her cigar angrily.   She couldn't out argue 'em anymore
than she could out argue Marcel.  Janice actually agreed with almost
everything Byers had just said.  She'd given some thought to what would
come later herself.  But mixed in with everything they were right about
was their delusion that they could handle what could be coming their
way.  Just like Marcel thought he could talk his way out with the
Gestapo or whatever stupid idea he had.  Janice wished Mel were here.
She'd have these dopes eating out of her hand by charming and
flattering them.  Or maybe not.  Marcel had practically worshiped Mel
like a lot of homosexual men.  They loved that Southern Lady stuff. But
Mel couldn't get him to run from the Gestapo either. 

"You won't accomplish anything if you're dead," she said haplessly.
She had said those same words to Marcel.  She could still see him: his
frizzy hair and cokebottle glasses and that supercilious expression
like he knew something she didn't. She'd waited as long as she could
then left, dragging Mel who was crying.   She looked back once and seen
the long black leather coat of  a Gestapo officer and the SS troopers
who were kicking in Marcel's door.

Langly said, "You're brainwashed just like Scully.  But we'll save you,
too, Dr. Covington, when we get to the bottom of this!"

Janice made a disgusted sound.  "I tried.   'Brainwashed.' Scully
seemed brainwashed?   How?"

Byers answered, "She was acting differently.   Short tempered, even
violent.   We've known her for years and  Agent Scully is nothing like
that.   GPS has done something to her."

The old woman was listening closely.  "Was this at night when you saw
her?"

Langly said, "What difference does that make?"

"No, in the morning.   She claimed she was at the townhouse on
assignment."  Byers said. 

Janice thought about that.  Scully was trying to keep these schmoes
from ending up in the morgue too.  That fit from what she'd seen of
her.  Scully could really be on assignment.  Why not?  Though if she
was acting that differently...and knew enough about Sam to threaten 'em
with impaling...there could be more to it.

Frohike smiled and said arrogantly, "Anyway I'm going back cuz I wanna
see Fotena.  That little lady needs some TLC."

"Who?" Janice said carefully.  

"A maid at the townhouse.  Hot blonde with a sexy accent," Frohike said
with a leer.  "She was giving me the eye."  He winked at Janice.

They had actually gone there and met at least one of the bacchae,
Janice realized.  What were they doing still alive?

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

Fotena had risen from her daily death, taken a shower and brushed her
teeth.  Now with her hair in curlers and wearing an oversize T-shirt
with Betty Boop on it, the blonde bacchae went to one of her computers
and began checking the Internet for anything of note to Master.   She
never even bothered looking at the many sites devoted to his worship
after an initial examination.  Their existence pleased her and her
sisters really.  It was right and proper for Master to be exalted.   

There were other sites, however.   Sites produced by evildoers seeking
to harm Master.  Some mocked him.  She and her sisters would allow
harmless jibes to go unpunished but occasionally coarse humor was
directed at him.  Those they sought out for punishment.  She and her
sisters never drank them, considering such purveyors of filth to be too
foul.  There were others too who warned against their Master.  They
were traitors to their own kind.  They too were only punished if they
became too insulting.   Now Fotena checked the site of  those men known
by her sister Dana and allowed to live against their better judgment.
The one she had toyed with had been amusing; he was such a fool but
thought he was so clever.  Their site called The Lone Gunmen was
interesting.  Along with ridiculous theories about flying saucers and
government conspiracies it gave true information about Master and his
sister from the distant past which was of no danger.  It did not praise
Master as it should but did not denigrate him either.  Now as she
looked at its newest entries she began to softly growl.  Her sister
Clea, also wearing curlers but with Van Gogh sunflowers on her T-shirt
approached and looked at the monitor as well.  

"What is it?"  Dana asked.  She and Elvira had come in, both naked,
looking like they had been interrupted at their sport.

Fotena indicated the monitor and her sisters approached.  The townhouse
was mentioned, even the neighborhood.  It named industrial and
political leaders who were seen coming and going. It called Master a
power broker who had to be watched and probably had evil intentions
when the war was won.

Elvira said, "Dana...."

Scully eyes were blazing and she bared her teeth.  "They were warned!
Sisters, I'm ashamed!   I'll make'em suffer for this wickedness!"

"No need for that, Dana.  Killing them is enough," Elvira said. Clea
and Fo agreed but understood how Dana felt.  She was still young and
new in the ways of serving Master.  They would be disappointed in her
if she were not zealous to avenge such outrages.

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

Dana checked the load in her Walther PPK and slipped extra clips of
ammunition into one pocket and a switchblade in another. Under the long
black leather coat she wore a white T-shirt, a black miniskirt, fishnet
stockings and boots with stiletto heels.  Her red hair was slicked back
and had a glossy sheen. At a sound she looked up and saw Mulder.  Dana
put her dark glasses on. 

"Where ya going, Scully?  Killing somebody for your lord and master?"
He was sarcastic.  

She just lifted the gun and aimed at his heart.  "You if you ever use
that tone about him again, Mulder."  

He froze.  "Okay," he said and Scully put her gun in the holster she
wore under her coat in back.  "Scully, I'm gonna go talk to the boys
today.  I can get 'em to stop."

The pale woman looked at him, reached into a pocket and pressed
something.  Mulder said,  "What?" as two guards appeared and grabbed
him.  

"Lock  him up.  Don't hurt him," Dana said and walked toward the front
door of the townhouse, as the guards starting hauling Mulder struggling
back to his room.  

"Scully!  You're an FBI agent!  Remember that!  They've helped us!
They're our friends."  He yelled at her from the top of the stairs.  

Dana stopped and looked back up at him.  "Some things are more
important than that.  It's your loss that you don't understand that,
Mulder.  I hope someday you will."  She turned and continued out of the
townhouse as Mulder was flung into his gilded cage and the door locked
after him. 

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

"It's Agent Scully!" Frohike said.  

"Cool look!  Hold on, Agent!" Langly called to her through the door.  

Janice had been looking through some of the back issues of The Lone
Gunmen.  She looked up as all three of 'em were going to the door to
welcome Scully.   "No!" She got up as fast as she could manage.  She
hated being an old lady, hated it, HATED IT! She used to dodge Nazi
assassins and now she had to worry about slipping and breaking a hip!
Those idiots were about to open the door though they stopped and looked
curiously at her.  

"What?" Langly said.  

Janice had just reached them.  She was relieved since she recognized
Scully's 'cool look'.  Then Byers opened the door.  

"Goddamn it!" she said and used all of her strength to push them away
and she flattened to the floor.  The shots were deafening. Part of her
mind thought it sounded like something European.  A Walther maybe.
Those idiots were scrambling away as Scully came walking in holding the
smoking gun and scanning the room.

Janice was afraid she HAD broken a hip.  She was trying to get to her
old  .45  but she couldn't seem to move too good.  Then the gun was
pointing down at her.  

"What are you doing here?" the cold face pale face said to her from
behind dark glasses.  

Janice was still trying to surreptitiously get to her weapon. Scully
reached down and took it, then said.  "Do you have osteoporosis?" 

The old woman said, "Yeah."  

Scully nodded and said, "I'm a doctor.   As soon as I finish what I
came for I'll take care of you."

"You mean murder your friends!" Janice spat at her.  

The Walther PPK came back to aim at Janice's face.  "They aren't my
friends.  They aren't anybody's friends."  Scully paused. "You came to
warn them away like I tried to.  Kindness and concern is wasted on
fiends who would harm the Prince of Blood. He's weighed down by cares
and trying to save us all, and they repay him like this.  My sisters
knew what they were.  I had to learn for myself."

Byers stood up followed by Frohike and Langly.  The neatly dressed man
said, "Fiends?  How often have we helped you and Mulder?" 

Scully didn't answer but smoothly brought the gun up preparing to shoot
Byers between the eyes.

"You'll have to kill me too!  I'm a witness!"  Janice said, through
gritted teeth.  Her hip hurt like hell.  

"Fine.  You're aiding the wicked,"  Scully said.  

Janice said, "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not...but I'm under your Master's
protection.  He ordered your sisters years ago not to harm me.  I'm
important to his bloodline.  Get that, Agent Scully?  I'm important to
the blood.  The blood is the life, Agent Scully.   Know what he calls
me?  Aunt Janice.   He was the little boy in the pictures with Kimberly
and Jilly that you and your partner saw."

Scully was about to shoot Byers but stopped.  The old woman continued
in a rush.  "You don't have to believe me.  Call your sisters.  Call
your Master."

Frohike made a fast dash for the door and Scully shot him in the
shoulder and he fell moaning.  She said, "All right."

Byers started to say, "Agent Scully..." but stopped as the gun came
back to aim at him, then gestured at Frohike.  

She said, "I'll tell you how to take care of him.  Don't try anything
else."

"Thank you," Janice said from her position on the floor.   The cold
face came back to look at her but didn't speak.   Scully knelt and
began examining the old woman's hip, but keeping an eye on the
frightened men. 

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

Prince Samuel was reading a report from the cigarette smoking man about
political parties jockeying for power in Italy.  All were making secret
overtures to him.   He was sitting on a leather couch beside Clea who
was leaning against him as she wrote in her journal.   Fotena was in
her laboratory and Elvira was reading a Tom Clancy novel and sitting
near the various phones and computers and televisions linking the
townhouse with the outside.  A phone rang and she picked it up.  Clea
set her journal down.  Fotena came in.  Sam looked up at the activity
and what he sensed.  

"What is it?" he said.  

Elvira said, "Our sister asks to kill Janice Covington." 

Sam rose and took the phone.   "What's going on, Dana?"  He listened
for a few minutes, and glanced at his girls.  "She said that?.... No,
but I still don't want you to hurt her. Put her on......Hello Aunt
Janice.... I hear you're not feeling too good.  What's that line of
bull you were spouting?  Well, yeah you are still alive......  What are
they to you?.....I'm still alive aren't I?  I'd say that's a pretty
good argument for my trusting their judgment....Put Dana back on."

The three men were tied up, Frohike also had a bandaged shoulder.  They
were fearfully watching Scully talking on a cellphone.  Then she handed
it to the old woman and now Covington had given it back to her and she
was speaking again. Finally she punched in new numbers and said for two
ambulances to be sent for a shoulder GSW and an elderly patient with a
broken hip.  Scully put the cellphone back in her pocket, and the gun
also disappeared in her clothes.  

The redhead took her dark glasses off.  "Looks like you were right, Dr.
Covington.  Though you exaggerated a bit.  I'm glad. I didn't wanna
shoot you."

"Call me Janice.  Like I told Sam, I'm still alive aren't I."

Scully smiled but it disappeared when she looked at the bound men.  "If
there's a next time, fellas, even she won't be able to save you."

Janice prayed they at least knew to  keep their mouths shut now. 

Byers said, "This won't stop us.  You're brainwashed, agent. We'll save
you."  Frohike and Langly both looked as horrified as Janice felt.   

Scully put her dark glasses back on and went to stand over the neatly
dressed man looking defiantly at her.   She knelt down and untied him
and the others, then waited for the private ambulance crews, who she
directed when they arrived.


[continued in part 3]