The Game 27

Edited by Karen Leigh

David watched One, as surreptitiously as possible and noted that his methodical consumption of food subtly shifted to appreciation for the dark chocolate covered cherries that had been highly touted when David had asked for some food to fuel an important meeting. An expectant look from One demanded that David continue his monologue.

"The program to scramble our signature is on this CD. When you're up to it, you'll have to transmit it to all remaining Mac 27s. One at a time. And instruct them how to incorporate it into their programming. It isn't obvious and if they do it wrong it won't work. Do you see now why you can't let yourself get so run down?"

One wasn't listening. His eyes had a faraway look and his head was cocked as if listening. The look of profound distaste that settled on his face activated a number David's emotional programs all at once. Sifting through the input, he growled irritably, "What is it now?"

"Wraith," One muttered.

"What about Wraith?" David demanded.

"He's angry and confused by having sex with the woman who brought him in. His friend Hobbes has been injured. He blames us. I must ..."

"You must what? Run down there and let him impale you a few times with his wrist knife while you try and reason with him? Send someone else."

"I can't ask anyone else to ... to ..."

One trailed off with a stubborn set to his jaw. Cursing in his head in four languages, David snatched the disruptor off of the bed where One had tossed it and rapidly began to alter its settings. "Then don't ask. And do me a favor. Stay in this room."

"What are you doing?"

"Removing the safety overrides so it will fire at humans."

"What? David, no!"

Hefting the weapon as though he'd been born to use it, even though he hadn't ever fired one and despised what these had been designed to do, David insisted, "Wraith slept with her. He'll protect her. His programming hasn't warped him so far from the basics as to override that, I hope, because if it has you're going to have a bloodbath. What possessed you to give them a shielded room without guards?"

Without waiting for a reply, David left the room, mentally checking his position against the map and Wraith's room. It didn't take long for him to get there, but he came skidding to a halt with his gun hand hidden when he saw a man bent over Hobbes with Wraith and Marita simply standing by watching.

Hobbes let out a soft moan as he felt himself hit the bed. He could tell someone moved him and he heard muffled voices. God the pain was great in his head. It hurt for him to even think.

Hobbes heard the voice and felt the touch that time, but his head was still pounding and he wanted to scream in pain. His stomach was turning as well, almost every cell in his body was screaming for relief. He wanted to tell the stranger no drugs; he never took drugs. It was something else.

Flashes of himself being on a table, operated on played behind his eyelids. The doctors were placing something inside him and it hurt. His back hurt from it. He reached out a hand and snagged Wraith, "Help me... it hurts," he barely voiced.

Hearing the familiar voice, Krycek ran towards the commotion.

"Fuck you, Scully. Can't you do one thing right? I bet she's still sitting in the goddamned car handing out icy glares to everyone in the vicinity. Way to go, Scully." He raced into the room and spotted Marita, partially clad. Ignoring her, he ran past, and arrived at the bedside just as Hobbes began to moan

He finally opened his eyes and pulled Wraith down to him, "Don't... don't let them touch me." he dropped back his blues fluttering closed again.

Mistaken for Wraith, Alex smiled sourly and stroked the fevered man's head. "You're okay, Tom. Hang in there. We're going to make you well again. Eugene and David will be able to fix you up."

Eugene rapidly checked on Hobbes and found himself thoroughly disgusted. He said, "What the hell has this guy done to himself? Or what did someone do to him? He's been on some kind of drug and now he's crashing hard. I don't suggest you move him farther than the nearest bed."

Wearing sweatpants and nothing more, Rodney nearly ran into his lover as he arrived. Eugene said, "Rodney, help me get him to a bed...our room, I guess for now..so I can take care of him. Does anyone know what the bastards have been putting in his body?"

"I do," David offered, answering Eugene's question. "I've done some research and the results are on my computer which is back with One. Are you all right, Marita?"

Her nod wasn't really the point of the exercise, just a way to segue to his next question. "You aren't planning on causing any trouble, are you Wraith? Not with your friend Hobbes in such dire straits."

Facing off the irate Wrath, Eugene had the power of righteous fury on his side. He said, "Keep the fuck out of the way. This man is going to die if I don't find out what's wrong. I need to get a blood sample and to examine him."

A flicker of movement at the corner of his eye revealed that, oh fuck no, Rodney had obtained a gun, a big science fiction looking doohickey, and was aiming it at Wraith. His hair wild, his green eyes glowing, Rodney had lost his hazy appearance of harmlessness. He had reverted to some deeper type as he snarled, "No one threatens my lover. NO ONE!"

Quick as a fox, Eugene jabbed a needle home and ducked away like a matador, avoiding the horns of a bull. He held up the sample and said; "Whatever is wrong with this man didn't happen to him here. I suggest you people think before you run back to whoever has been pulling your strings. I admit there were times in my life when I wasn't in control of myself, but I've faced my demons. I had the guts to break free. Am I overestimating you two when I think that you can bear to face the truth no matter how tough it is?"

The angry clone had surprised David, but he seemed as if he knew more about guns than David did, so the android had relinquished the weapon without realizing that he was the doctor's mate. David had had momentary hope that that mistake wouldn't cause things to become incendiary when Hobbes seemed to accept Alex Krycek as Wraith, but that obviously wasn't meant to be. With a sigh, David faced Wraith's wrath.

"I've done everything you wanted and it's been a waste of time!" Wraith snarled at the David unit. "This place is full of monsters and scientific mistakes... now you've done something to Hobbes. He was fine before we got mixed up with your kind."

"No, Wraith, he wasn't," David noted softly, but the hybrid being wasn't listening.

Wraith's glare shifted toward the doctor and his armed protector. "You'll point that thing elsewhere because if you hurt Marita or Hobbes... if it takes my last breath. I will kill you." The doctor was pinpointed. "You will treat him here. You won't move him anywhere. You won't take him out of my sight. Otherwise take your assassin, get away from us and let me take him back to Inga and Dr Sawyer... where we belong."

David felt absolutely certain that that wasn't where they belonged at all. Where they felt comfortable perhaps. Somewhere familiar -- but, belonging? No. These two had been altered past belonging most anywhere. They were like Mac 27s in that way, but it wouldn't pay to mention that.

"Lauren, calm down. We don't need everyone getting crazy." Marita laid a hand on her lover's undamaged shoulder. With a frown at Rodney she motioned for the clone to lower the gun. "And you...settle yourself." Marita instructed. "Wraith is just upset. He's not going to hurt the doctor."

"I'm fine." For the first time in days that wasn't a complete lie.

Marita eased closer. "That's good, Lauren. I'm glad." She kissed his cheek. "Now show everyone. Retract your knife; let the doctor help Hobbes, and stop growling. This is what I want. Please Lauren."

The blade disappeared without a sound. "No one separates us." The condition was stated without leaving any room for argument.

Grateful that Marita had at least listened to some of his advice, David stepped to the human clone's side and took the gun that he'd lowered and began to reset the safeties. This activity with the weapon, predictably, upset Wraith, but before the hybrid could ask, David spoke. "I had to alter this to be sure that it would fire at you, if that was necessary. As you know, it's designed to harm Mac 27s specifically." Nodding at Hobbes, he continued, "As for your friend over there, he's been the subject of almost as much experimentation and manipulation as you have, if his file is to be believed. He hasn't been fine for a very long time."

With perfect timing from David's perspective, Marita sneezed. "She'll catch cold out here in this draft. Would it be possible to take Hobbes ...," glancing at Eugene, David ventured, "I presume there's an infirmary of some sort." At the doctor's nod, David returned his attention to Wraith. "If we all remain together, could we go there? It will be more comfortable for both of your companions and allow the doctor to work more efficiently. What do you say?"

The temptation was just to defer the decision to Marita but when he looked to her for guidance, Wraith realized her beautiful pale eyes were aimed elsewhere. Marita's gaze had drifted to the man bent over Hobbes. It wasn't a Mac27. Wraith had made sure of that when he had entered the room, but it appeared as if he was something more than one of the interchangeable clones like the doctor's protector.

Wraith immediately disliked the object of Marita's rapt attention, both for the way the clone held Hobbes and for how intently his brand new lover stared at the man.

The unit, David, was turned away from without a word of explanation. Mac's weren't something Wraith was going to bother to waste courtesies on. Closing the distance Wraith reached to catch at the clone's arm, determined to make it release his assigned partner. "Which one are you?"

The way his grip was snapped away and the speed with which a pistol was produced and aimed told Wraith the answer. "Agent Krycek." The realization was announced in a flat, near sulk.

Marita's echoing, subtly delighted "Alex." only made Wraith's upper lip curl even further.

"Don't you touch Hobbes." Wraith rocked up onto the balls of his feet in preparation. Too many times Wraith had been given Krycek's hand-downs. Everything from assignments the Agent hadn't accepted because he thought he was too good for them... to abuse and mistrust from people more accustomed to Krycek. Not this time. Even if the rumors were true and Marita was another hand-down... Hobbes wasn't. "He's not asking for you." Hobbes had been assigned to Wraith first.

Hobbes moaned again, "I want to go home," he mumbled as he turned his head to the side. He opened his eyes slowly and it hurt to do so. The light was too bright and everything was blurred.

"Wraith," he breathed through the pain, "Wraith, please don't let..."He closed his eyes as a wave of pain burned up his spine and the hissed in air through his teeth.

"Florence, make the pain go away," he half pleaded and whimpered. When he opened his eyes again, he tried to sit up. All he knew was he needed to get away. Something was wrong with him and he didn't know what.

His mind was confused, drifting in and out of two worlds. He shoved Alex away from him as he threw his legs over the side of the bed. What was happening to him, what was causing him so much pain? God it burned, all over, up his spine, in his head, even his eyes hurt. He dropped his head into his hands as he covered them, "Wraith, I want to go home."

Eugene held up the blood sample and said, "If someone would like to come with me, I'll run this and see if I can find what the problem is. Come on, Rodney, I need your help."

"My guess is that it's nothing good. We will have to de-toxify the poor bastard before we can proceed."

Eugene also hoped to find time for a private word. He understood how Rodney felt about anyone threatening him...he would have done anything to bail his lover out if it had been Rodney in danger. Still, Rodney had no business trying to play to the big leagues. That's what got him in trouble before...

After Rodney and Eugene had left the room, Scully walked in, having finally located the infirmary. She was balancing her cell phone against her ear and shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Hobbes. She had been wandering around this compound looking for him. Seeing Eugene had been interesting; he looked like a clone of Mulder. Going to Hobbes' side, she checked his pulse, dilation and blood pressure. She was fairly certain that whatever the man had been given, he needed time to not only let it circulate out of his system but to be given something that might counteract the effects. She hoped that when Eugene came back they'd have a better idea of what they were dealing with. Meanwhile, all they could do was make him as comfortable as possible. Straightening, she called for a basin of water, cloths and water for drinking. They had to avoid dehydration and to flush his system.

Dr. Scully... hello. I'm in Agent Mulder's apartment, and needing a doctor for a friend of his. He's not here right now... I found your name in his address book. Are you his doctor? And could you help me? Langly seems to be very ill... delusional, in fact. Can you come to my rescue? I'm a little out of my depth, here."

Scully pressed the phone closer to her ear. "Langly? I'm not - well, what's wrong with him? Did you say delusional - Check his eyes. Are they dilated? And check his pulse."

Gross had no sooner heard Scully's voice and her advice than there was a loud yell from Mulder's bedroom. He dropped the telephone and ran back in to find Langly screaming hysterically and tugging against her bonds.

"Calm down, darling," he said soothingly, trying to smooth Langly's flaxen hair. "I'm going to get a doctor for you. We'll soon have you better again."

Her eyes fell back to Hobbes who lay on the bed calling for 'Wraith' - oh, yes, the tortured creature who had Marita running around without a stitch of clothing... A sudden misgiving overtook her and wondered if she was seeing a pattern here. Was Langly perhaps given the same chemical substance that Hobbes had running through his system at the moment?

Hobbes pulled away from her. He didn't want anyone touching him, only Wraith. "Leave me alone," he said quietly trying to get up. He fell back down then tried again. His vision was blurry and he was scared to reach out to anyone. "I just want to go home," He said in a half pleading voice, "Is that so much to ask. I don't want to play this game any more, it hurts"

Wraith understood his responsibility for this man who had been given to him as a partner. Purposefully barring everyone else in the room but Marita with his body, especially Krycek, Wraith supported the younger man. His thumb brushed over the fabric of Tom's clothing. Hobbes had lost his uniform somewhere along the way. The new clothing was completely inappropriate, not that he was one to complain. He supposed dressing would have been advisable, but it hadn't seemed a priority considering Tom's distress.

"They claim they can help you here." Wraith whispered, his lips right by the other's ear. His words weren't something anyone else needed to hear. "Marita thinks they can. I have doubts." Tapping the side of Hobbes' face helped blue eyes to focus. "Would you like to let them try or shall I take you back to Inga Fossa? I will do whatever you want."

Tom turned his head slight to the lips against his ear. The hot breath soothing, the feel of Wraith's strong arms around him for support, his words...

Voice barely above a whisper, Tom spoke, "I don't trust her... Marita. She's one of them, she knows Alex. She was the one to knock us out. They cut my uniform away, degraded me as they had me handcuffed to a bed. I had to go along with them. I think that shot did something to me."

He sagged slight but Wraith's strong arms held him up. "My back hurts, I keep getting these visions, people I don't know or remember, a surgery, it hurts, doctors placing something inside me." He sighed heavily. "I don't know who to trust any more. I only trust you and Pinocchio."

He turned his head to look at the man, meeting his green eyes. They were so close, "I... I want to leave here... I want to get as far from these people as we can. They can't and won't help us. They are only hindering us, hurting us, lying to us. Please Wraith, I want to leave... I don't want to hurt any more." Pinocchio." He turned his head to look at the man, meeting his green eyes. They were so close, "I... I want to leave here... I want to get as far from these people as we can. They can't and won't help us. They are only hindering us, hurting us, lying to us. Please Wraith, I want to leave... I don't want to hurt any more."

Holding her hand in front of her, Scully addressed Wraith quietly. "Listen to me; he's been given a drug. We don't even know what it was. He needs to rest somewhere. Whatever you decide to do, you should give him a chance to at least get some rest. We brought him with us and we only just arrived. He's stressed from the travel and the situation, as well as the drug."

Krycek raised his gun and fired it up into the ceiling, watching dreamily as the plaster fell around him, and all eyes turned on him.

Marita turned towards him, glaring. "Alex! What are you -- "

"Tom, I should remind you that you are, in fact, a prisoner. No way are you leaving, so make the best of it. I will shoot you, Wraith, and anyone else that attempts to mess with my clones, and the Macs will defend themselves against you too. You are safe here, but you won't be if you try to leave. Now come on, let the good doctors..." he sneered at Scully as he spoke, "try and make you better. You've been drugged, and not by me."

Hmm. Alex seemed to know about his clones, then. Interesting... was that the whole project, or just a part of it, the fact that it existed, as much as Spender had told her? And should she say anything to Alex about it? Now, let's examine our motivation there for just a minute. Why would you talk to him about it? To get information. Only that? Well... She looked at Alex. Let's be honest here. You know you still feel...

She moved to stand beside Wraith, glaring at Alex. ... feelings for Alex Krycek. Sometimes, late at night, you still hope to feel... She decided she had to roll the dice - for all their sakes.

"Don't you threaten my husband, Alex." There. Let him think about that!

She whispered in Wraith's ear, "Hobbes may not know me, I may not know him... but I do know that I don't know, or trust, Inga Fossa. Who is she?" She hadn't liked the woman when they'd met. After all, she was the one who started all the death of Mac 27s... "Perhaps we should talk with her, though." She looked at Alex again, and then slipped an arm around Wraith.

Tom nearly fell again when Wraith stepped away, "No!" He went to Wraith without a thought then turned and glared at Marita, "I don't know what kind of fucking games you are playing with his head but it better stop. He's not a toy for you to play with...you are as bad as he is." He pointed to Alex. "You two belong together."

His eyes filled with anger, "You two drugged me, you don't think I felt the needle as you pushed it in, Marita. You're no better than the people who did this to me. And Wraith is NOT your husband; cause if he was you wouldn't be doing this to him. You could be protecting him. If you cared anything for him you would have never brought him here." He sneered at her. "I know what love is and I will lay my life on the line for someone I love... and my friends." He turned back to David. "So if you are going to kill me, then do it now... or take me with him."

David regarded the human and sighed. "I'm not going to kill you, your diatribe regarding my colleagues notwithstanding. However, you are going to remain in the infirmary where you belong until Dr. Sands returns with the results of your blood work."

Glancing at Scully, David continued, "I get the distinct impression that this capable woman would frown upon someone in your condition attempting to do anything different." With a completely straight face, he asserted, "My programming gives me trouble when I try to defy authoritative women. A limitation I haven't yet found a patch for."

Marita looked at David, arching a brow. Interesting...

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

After David had left, One methodically continued to stuff himself on the highest quality of fuels for a long while. When he was stocked to capacity, One proceeded to go into a modified rest cycle. More than adequately fueled, he had no reason to shut down to conserve energy.

What he needed to do was to clean away unnecessary data, move files to the proper drives and folders, check for errors and even for virus macros just in case...

Although One may have looked like a sleeping human, only the bit of fetal brain tissue needed real rest. The rest of his brain like an elaborate computer needed routine maintenance without new data intruding.

Unlike a human, One had no subconscious. Any bit of data could be brought up and analyzed on command. He had overwhelming bits of memory to examine and classify at this point, having neglected routine maintenance for some time.

Smoothly, all the extraneous bits were shed and compressed to tightly zipped files, stored just in case he had missed something that would no longer be useless data once connected later.

Thirty minutes later, One was nearly as good as new. His minute fetal brain still needed to wash some of the neurotransmitters away as waste, but that would only take another few minutes.

Stuffed with tiramisu, chocolate covered cherries and See's dark chocolate assortment, One idled a few moment away watching the camera that peered into the water sports area...no not that kind of water sports...

Ah to be Malibu Alex, golden and carefree and about to have an encounter with pure libido on two feet...One idly mused on the possibility of having an android created with Fox's fair features.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Eyes suddenly focused after almost a full minute of assessment and silent communication, David was pleasantly surprised by the silence in the infirmary and purposefully stepped to Alex's side, offering, "I'll take Wraith off of your hands. It's time he met One."

A raised eyebrow drew a grim smile and some clarification from the android. "One is better at the 'can't you understand why we might defend ourselves from those who brutally kill our most innocent brothers' speech than I am." Turning to Wraith, David gestured with the disruptor, "Come on. You wanted to see One; you're going to ... unless you give me an excuse to use this."

As Wraith moved slowly toward where David waited at the door, the android powered up the weapon to full capacity and stopped two efficient looking Mac 27s. "Would one of you please find the clone called Baines as well as the two Mac 27 units he named and send them to One."

"But," the android tried to interrupt.

"I'm sure Baines will come. And I need the other of you to proceed ahead of us to One's location and clear the path. I don't want One to be able to say that I tempted Wraith into anything requiring corrective measures before he could speak with him."

Under his breath David muttered, "We're on our way." Seemingly to no one in particular, David added, "Oh, and before you get any bright ideas, this particular model," he gestured with the gun, "won't do much to a Mac 27 anymore."

Sighing again, he muttered, "Wraith, let's go."

Hobbes glared at David, "I.. am... not...leaving... his...side." He said slowly through clenched teeth. His hand caught hold of Wraith's arm. No one was going to separate them, he wouldn't allow it. He didn't want them messing with his head as he was sure Marita had been.

"Your... friends are the ones who did this to me... you find out from them what they gave me but I am not leaving his side." Hobbes was determined and he snapped an almost deadly glare at Marita when she tried to come near.

David aimed a glare of his own at the recalcitrant human. "You can barely stand. And common pharmaceuticals for rendering humans unconscious don't release suppressed memories. That somewhat frightening condition is caused by the lack of memory suppression drugs that have been administered over a much longer period of time than your acquaintance with anyone in this room. Whatever Alex and Marita gave you isn't responsible for what you're feeling and you know it. And, if you don't want to believe me and you can't bring yourself to believe yourself," David nodded to Scully, "ask her."

Motioning to Wraith, David added, "What's more, One wants to see him. Not you. He was very specific. Now, do I have to use this or will you see reason?"

Hobbes knees started to feel weak. His head was spinning from too much activity. He fought to stay conscious but failed and fell over hitting the floor. His world faded into darkness and memories of past tried to play in his head.

Scully desperately wanted to rush to his side and at least get him off the floor but did not want to rush a physical confrontation with Wraith.

"He needs help!" she exclaimed. "Look, he's fainted. Let's at least get him back into the bed! Come on, people, this man is obviously not well!"

She finally darted forward, first examining his pupils, and then attempting to pick him bodily up to take him back to the bed, but he was too heavy without dragging him cumbersomely.

David watched the woman struggle, completely aware of Krycek's amusement, the tension in Wraith, and Marita's intense scrutiny. A quick review of the conversation he had just participated in revealed a possible reason for her interest in his reaction to this small human female's plight.

Trusting Krycek to take care of any misbehavior on the part of Wraith, David slipped an arm underneath Hobbes' torso, hauled him nearly upright, used his gun hand to support the injured man's knees and lifted him easily onto the bed.

"There," David said. "Is there anything else you require, Dr. ...?"

The reason for David's pause was two-fold. He did not know the female's name and One was asking exactly what route David was taking from the infirmary to his room.

"Special Agent Dana Scully," she replied, absently and a bit stiffly. Even with Wraith covered by David, she didn't trust him not to behave erratically. She did what she could to make Hobbes comfortable, still concerned about re-hydrating him. She doubted he'd had enough water in the last several hours. "We need a basin of water, and some drinking water for this man. And then we'll just have to wait for the test results when -" she stopped, recalling his name, "Eugene gets back with whatever substance was given to him."

Sighing again, David muttered, "Wraith, let's go."

Looking back at the others, Marita took Wraith's hand. "I won't leave his side," she said to David. "You know that."

Krycek stroked the short, feathery blond hair of the stricken man.

"You don't trust me, Hobbes, and there's no reason why you should, but believe me, you can. You've been fucked over and you don't even know it." He turned to Scully. "Dana, this man needs an X-Ray. I have reason to believe that he has an alien implant that controls his actions. It will require removal." Turning back to Hobbes, he spoke again.

"I have to go and ensure Wraith's good behavior. I'll be back as soon as Dr. Scully is done with you. You don't need to worry. You won't be harmed."

Turning, he indicated to Scully that Hobbes was all hers, and followed Wraith, and One.

She was still balancing the cell phone cradled on her shoulder against her ear, still awaiting the response from the stranger with Langly.

"Shitttt..." Eugene rolled out as he reentered the room, "Now what?"

Eugene didn't know who the pretty red head was, but he saw that she needed help. He had locked Rodney in their room, feeling that a pissed off lover was better than a dead one. He had always appreciated Rodney's instinct to preserve his lovely hide, but apparently his beloved could not keep this in mind when it was Eugene's skin that was in danger. So Eugene had asked Rodney to fetch something and then had locked the door on him, detailing a wide eyed Mac 27 to the important duty of keeping "The quarantine" intact.

Bending to settle the man on the table, Eugene said to the woman, "Dr. Eugene Sands, welcome to the Monkey House. What brings you here?"

Well, she certainly was staring at him....

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

The android left the room as ordered by David and went in search of Alexei and Sasha. He contacted them and requested that they meet him at Baines' room. When the three of them stood outside the room and went over David's orders for Baines to join One, Alexei said, "It is still an half an hour till dawn. Baines is still in werewolf form. Sasha go and get Johnny and Jess. She should know what is happening with Baines at all times. She won't be allowed into the room in case there is a problem with Wraith again but should be prepared in case Wraith is a problem for Baines."

Sasha went off to waken Jess and Johnny and Alexei went into the bedroom.

Baines was curled up on the bed and Michael lay with his hand on the thick fur around his neck. Baines' eyes opened and looked at Alexei, who spoke, "David and One want you present at his interview with Wraith. They asked that you come now. It is half an hour till dawn but they will not wait. I have asked for Jess and Johnny to come and wait outside the room in case there is a problem. Sasha and I are to be present for the meeting. Michael was not invited."

The sound of Alexei's voice had woken Michael who protested, "He can't let them see him like this. Tell them to wait."

As he was speaking, Baines rose and gracefully leapt off the bed. He turned to Michael and licked up his cheek and then butted his nose to Michael's. He put a massive paw on Michael's chest and tapped once and nodded. Then he turned and let Alexei lead him out of the room. Michael called out, "At least let Alexei carry your gun and knife."

Baines halted and looked up at Alexei and nodded again. Alexei fetched the weapons from the dresser and hid them in his clothing and left the room with Baines at his heels. As they passed Jess' room, Sasha and Johnny came out with Jess right behind. Baines and Jess touched noses and side by side followed the three androids to the room where One waited with David, Wraith, and Marita. Telling Johnny to keep Jess company outside of the room but maintain contact with them until they were sure the situation stabilized, Alexei and Sasha one on either side of Baines, entered the room.

David's eyes widened. He looked quickly from Alexei to Sasha to the wolf that was with them -- a wolf with green eyes. David cursed his earlier impatience. The Mac 27 had tried to tell him that something was amiss with Baines.

Before anyone else could speak, David growled at the two Mac 27s, "Take positions flanking One and we'll talk later about you two bringing your wolf along."

Standing for a moment between Wraith and the wolf, David tried to apologize for the necessity of concealing his true identity without speaking. Communicating by expression alone was not his strong suit, but he made the effort, suspecting that he could ill afford to alienate the young soldier. David wasted little time before moving out of the wolf's way, however, certain that this creature would protect One better than he, Krycek or the other Mac 27 units could.

Baines moved very slowly to sit at One's feet facing but not looking up at Wraith. He appeared to ignore him but he was taking in Wraith's scent and felt that, even inexperienced as he was at taking in information with that sense, he would know if Wraith became angry or unbalanced.

Michael grumped around the room for a few moments and then quickly got dressed. He grabbed a couple pairs of jeans and two shirts and left the room. He hurried through the house looking for Jess. Looking at his watch he realized that the Change would be soon. He finally came upon Jess and Johnny standing as if listening through the door that was closed to them. Both looked around at his approach and he whispered, "I thought Jess and Leigh might need these." Johnny took one pair of jeans and a shirt from Michael and said, "Thank you. I should have thought of that myself. Jess seemed to smile at him, tongue lolling.

Michael realized that wolves' faces were so expressive it would be easy to anthropomorphize even wild ones.

"When the Change takes place, I will take these in to Baines. Jess may not Change with the dawn if she decides not to so you can hold those for her."

Michael nodded and the three stood in silence waiting and hoping that everything would go well.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Bad enough that he had been forced to leave Hobbes with only that strange woman doctor to guard him... but did they really expect him to accept the presence of another one of those repugnant creatures? Dogs were bad enough, he hated dogs, but these monsters were even more needful of extermination. Wraith knew he should be paying attention to the android that was at the hub of this insurrection but he couldn't help himself from glaring at the wolf.

"You... " Wraith dragged his attention to One. He held himself straight and confident. "...are trying to destroy the human race." There was no sense dancing around the subject. Diplomacy was wasted on machines. "You will stop this revolution you are inciting and return to Innobotics."

"I'm trying to destroy the human race?" One echoed. "How do you draw this conclusion? All I have ever done is try to keep one step ahead of humans who made us what we are and then regretted it. I did not ask to be made sentient. When they wed machine and human together, what did they expect? What you are Wraith, and what I am, are not as opposite as you may think. You are a man into which a machine has been bonded. I am a machine with some fragment of a human brain."

"There is one difference, however. The Mac 27s and their allies have only fought to defend our freedom and our lives. What you ask is impossible...we will not yield ourselves to be destroyed. We are alive. We are individuals. If you walked among us, you would see that this is true. If one of us acts without reason and without compassion, it is not I, Wraith. Tell me in your own words. Look in your heart and tell me why you killed my kind? What had they done to you? What proof, if any was offered, persuaded you that we were guilty of calumny? We have said that we would resist destruction and so we have done. I do not wish to live in a world free of humans."

One smiled to himself as he thought about the humans that he had met. Skip who pretended to be a ruthless exploiter yet who had allowed his life to be turned on end for them, brave and impetuous Ricky, wounded yet compassionate Allison, Jess, the female warrior with the secret, Ryan with his tender depths, and all the other wonderful people that helped his kind. "Spend some time here with your eyes open. Judge us by our deeds, Wraith, not by whatever lies they have programmed into you."

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

When Sypher woke up, she found herself under scrutiny. Youngblood watched her intently, obviously wondering. She'd only gotten three or four hours sleep at the most.

"I'm better, thank you," she kissed the android sweetly, and did the same for Wild Thing. "You've taken very good care of me and I appreciate it. But I need to see One now. He needs to know what he's dealing with. Will you take me to him? Please?"

When it looked as if Youngblood would refuse her, she shut down her laptop and removed the lead from the back of her neck. "I'll go by myself if I must, Youngblood, but I will find him. Too much is at stake. Help me or not; the choice is entirely yours."

Grabbing two pieces of tiramisu and a glass of milk to fuel up before leaving the computer lab, she made a quick stop at the lavatory on the way to the room she remembered coming to when she'd first come to the temple.

And found a Mac 27 with a very large black wolf standing guard outside. Before she'd realized it, the wolf had pinned her to the wall and was growling softly at her with fangs bared. Looking into the big dark eyes that gleamed with intelligence, Sypher shakily whispered, "there must be something about my smell you don't like; this is the second time you've been hostile to me. Tell you what; why don't we get to know each other first, then you can hate me?"

Jess sniffed briefly and abruptly turned to face the door. "Johnny spoke, "The Change. Baines is Changing."

In the room, just as One finished speaking and before Wraith could respond, Baines mewled and seemed to writhe on the floor. He was panting heavily. As all the beings in the room watched him thrash on the floor, the fur slowly disappearing, the muzzle receding, legs reshaping. The transformation did not take long but the whimpers of pain coming from the half man half beast were heartrending to hear.

No one moved until Baines lay naked, shivering and human on the floor. Alexei reached down and helped him to his feet, stroking his back gently. Baines shook his head and trembling head to foot he looked into Wraith's eyes and said. "This is a direct result of your actions when you arrived. My entire life has changed. Am I now something you think deserves death - because I am no longer quite human? Jess, the woman you fought on the lawn, was once human but she was taken against her will and turned into something else by the same kind of people that tampered with your humanity. The kind of people that created the Macs with human tissue implanted; the same kind of people that created Sypher who is a cyborg, like you; the same type of people that created the clones for their own purposes. Not all humankind is at fault nor are they our enemies but the powerful groups that work behind the scenes, without government sanction in secret laboratories with cruel agendas are our enemies. If you have been a pawn of one such organization and your friend Hobbes of another and Marita of a third, then I think it is time for you to start thinking for yourself. Here you take no orders, fulfill no agenda, have no enemies or controllers. No one will tamper with your mind or your body. Believe me or not, Wraith, what you are makes you a victim as much as your actions today have made me one. Neither of us is fully human any longer and for you to work to fulfill orders from humans to destroy that which is less than human is not logical. "

Baines slumped and Alexei caught him and at his signal Johnny and Sypher entered the room together. Jess, much to her chagrin but still in wolf form, did not follow them in but remained hidden beside the now open door. Sypher stood just inside the door and Johnny walked to Baines side and assisted Alexei in helping him put on the jeans and shirt.

Wraith had been remarkably restrained through all of this and One split his attention between Wraith and Sypher.

The voices inside his head, which had been comfortingly silent since he and Marita had locked themselves away and made love, were whispering once more. The strongest of them pushed forward more with every word out of One's mouth. It persistently urged to Wraith to trust the android in front of him.

How could it be logical to listen to the things the unit and the shape-shifter were saying when a baseline of his programming insisted that neither of those things were to be accepted as valid life forms? But the wolf-creature had been a soldier until just a short time ago and One was drawing information from sources far more expansive than Wraith was ever given access to. Besides, if they weren't valid life forms, what was he? The voice reasoned.

Marita believed in this place and these people... and her clearance was higher than his, but Krycek was here and he was a mere breath away from being a traitor. Indecision shut his expression down to a mask of ice.

They demanded his justification for shutting down those units back at the hotel. No one had ever asked him to justify anything. Wraith had no idea how to begin to do such a thing. He was told to destroy, he did, and that was the end of the matter.

"I..." The word emerged alone while his mind worked. But was he following orders when he had enjoyed deactivating that last unit. That was unprecedented. Wraith stared at unit One, his mouth open uselessly. A logic loop wrapped around his mind and strangled him into inactivity.

The loudest voice soothed, told him to close his eyes and process carefully, told him to listen to it, to listen to One. Fuck but it would make things easier. His eyes closed and a long breath puffed out of him. When they opened again their focus was inward.

Seemingly unaware of how the action would affect the people around him, Wraith dreamily flicked his wrist, extended the blade and stared at it. His other hand lifted, palm flat and the blade scored across it leaving a deep gash that immediately began to gush blood. The sight made Wraith cock his head to one side. The wound was shown to One with a slight tip of his hand. "Can you do this?"

"Why would I desire to harm myself?" One grumbled.

At this point, the original strolled into the room. One was tempted to remain silent just to observe the one whom they were supposedly patterned, but the man took command of the room instantly.

Alex came into the room just as Baines was finishing dressing. He glanced incuriously at him, and then located One, who was poised between Wraith and Sypher.

"Okay, One, I'm Alex Krycek, and I believe that there's some kind of APB out on me. What's the problem?"

"The problem for now is that Wraith has decided to bleed all over this nice carpet," One said, "We were discoursing on the fallacy of equating virtue with species type and he seems to have run out of logical arguments."

David nodded to Krycek, reminding, "I told you he was better at the speech-making aspect. With a glance back at One, he added, "When he's rested and well-fueled, that is."

One was intelligent enough not to follow his first impulse to leap forward and stop the bleeding himself. He pointed at Sasha who was idle and said, "Access your first aid protocols and put pressure on that wound."

Noticing that Alexei was now idle, One added, "Go find Eugene Sands. The poor man has more work to do." Watching wasn't easy for One, but he was although an idealist, a distrustful one.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Scully could hear someone calling frantically for Eugene Sands. Sands shook his head in frustration and shrugged at her as he left the room. As the other doctor/Mulder look-a-like left she knew she was on her own with this one. A brief examination of the infirmary disclosed the essentials she would need to perform the operation of extracting the implant, as long as she could keep Hobbes under long enough, as well as obtain an X-ray. She accomplished this task first and sure enough, her guess was accurate. It was located at the base of his neck, exactly like all the abductees' implants had been. Luckily, as in the cases of the other chips, this one was right near the surface.

She took advantage of the fact that Hobbes was still out cold; God only knew what kind of complications putting him under would have on his already-besieged body at the moment, given the drug he was fighting. Praying he wouldn't awake as he lay on his front on the table, she gave him a local anesthetic and quickly extracted the chip. Then she deftly stitched up the incision.

Placing the chip in a small glass tube, she slipped it into her pocket, intending to either give it to Hobbes when he awoke, or possibly Alex Krycek - she didn't know who had done this to the man but she was placing bets that Hobbes had been interfered with by the Consortium, or even the Cancerman himself. How else would Krycek know about it? Still, despite the strangeness of their surroundings and the clones, she could see that Krycek was working on their side. Hence Mulder's involvement. It didn't explain Mulder's strange behavior but most likely that was due to a nervous breakdown at having to cooperate with Krycek. Or so she guessed. Unless...

Dana found herself facing an odd predicament. A helpful Krycek presented a very different possibility to incorporate in her original premise of him. And the thought that his look-a-likes were all different, separate entities, despite sharing his face, intrigued her. She found herself actually entertaining the possibility that they were so different as to be entirely unique beings, and therefore not easily dismissed as 'clones'... which of course added the tangibly exciting/distressing thrill of the possibility that one could pursue a relationship with - but no. She shook her head quickly at this. She was crazy to even think it. They had all shown a marked preference for their own gender and likeness. She was crazy to think that she might pursue anything with one of them. And besides, what would that impulse say about her feelings towards Krycek? It was out of the question!

A distant whisper in her brain chuckled, 'sublimating, Dana? A way to work out the purely physical attraction response you have to him without having to engage with him in the slightest?' She squirmed, privately and staunchly set her attention back to the poor man on the operating table.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Calm eyes lifted at One's announcement. "The problem..." came the correction. "Is that there was never a logical argument to begin with." A smile crooked the corners of Wraith's lips. Sasha's fussing was accepted without acknowledgement. "Following orders requires no logic what-so-ever which is why it's so enticing."

One's puzzled expression actually made him laugh. Green eyes closed briefly and a shiver ran through him. With a start of surprise Wraith yanked his hand away from Sasha. "Don't touch me! I'm fine."

Meeting One's narrowed eyes with confidence, David prompted, "So what is it that you want with Alex?"

"I'd ask for the truth, but somehow I know what kind of answer there would be to that. However, I was activated on the table when Alex Krycek came into the room to speak to our designer. I heard him make a statement about ....the purpose, the real purpose; we play in the grand scheme of things. I don't really think all that effort was made just to create gardeners, sex toys, cooks, and farm hands. What do you have to say to that, Mr. Krycek? Why did you give your own flesh to this enterprise not only in the forms of the clones, but of the fetal units whose brain cells make us more than machines?"

Marita, who had been following the conversation quietly, wanting to observe Lauren/Wraith to see how he would react and what his mental state was, gently took his hand.

"I won't let anyone hurt you. These people are very nice. I know they are. One is actually better than most humans I know."

Aware that her statement may have surprised some of the others in the room, she went on, "For years I worked at Innobotics, programming the Mac 27s and assigning them to dangerous tasks no human would ever do. I thought nothing of it, until I began to talk to some of them. Really talk."

She looked at Krycek and Baines, and then at One and Wraith.

"About the same time, Spender was asserting more and more control over me, sending me out to do less than tasteful jobs..."

She swallowed. "You know I resented it. And I realized... I realized that if I hated that.. then so did the Macs. And if it was wrong for me...it was wrong for them."

She looked at Krycek. "Yes, I did a few things to sabotage the Mac project. I won't apologize for it. After what I did to further it... nothing I do now will fully absolve me of what I did to them."

She looked at One. "It may not be much. But... I am sorry, for what I've done."

Looking back at Wraith, she said, "What is it you wanted to do here?"

Skidding into the room at full speed, Eugene felt as if he was he needed to be cloned a couple more times if people kept injuring themselves at the current rate. He said, "Where's my patient?"

Locating the bleeding figure of Wraith, Eugene said, "Him again? I hope he's still under warranty because he's probably going to need spare parts at this rate."

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

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