Subject: NEW: Odyssey 8/12 Sent: 31/01 11:17 AM Received: 31/01 6:14 PM From: Sharon Nuttycombe, avalon@terranet.ab.ca To: dobbo@c031.aone.net.au Odyssey part 8/12 Sharon Nuttycombe avalon@terranet.ab.ca September 13, 1996 ************************************************************ This is a Scully and Skinner action/adventure story. It is not related to my former story, Crossing the Line. (There will be a sequel to Crossing the Line, but this is not it). It is rated R for violence. Especially this episode. You have been warned. SUMMARY: When Mulder disappears in the Caribbean, Scully and Skinner are drawn into a web of intrigue and danger. I am a permanent resident of the State of Denial -- Avatar never happened. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Alistair Maclean's "The Golden Rendezvous". OK - I shamelessly stole his ideas, but I made lots of changes. Honest. This is an homage... :) I would appreciate any comments or criticism. Many thanks. Acknowledgements: Thanks to Linda Campbell for racking up a huge phone bill helping me plot this monster, and for refusing to let me pack it in when the going got tough... Disclaimer: Scully, Skinner, and Mulder belong to Chris Carter. I don't own them, I'm only borrowing them for a while (But do I have to return Skinner? Can I keep him, huh Chris? Please...?) ************************************************************ Odyssey part 8/12 WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING THE ODYSSEY. CABIN 24B Heinrich steps forward and, seizing Scully by one wrist, jerks her to her feet then pushes her against the wall. HEINRICH: We have a score to settle, Doctor. SCULLY: Let me go! HEINRICH: After I finish with you. He leans closer and runs a finger over her cut lip. She jerks away. Moving his hand to the back of her neck, he drags her closer and roughly kisses her. Scully stiffens, then drives her fist into his throat. Coughing, he loosens his grip enough for her to pull free. She bolts for the door. Heinrich launches himself at her, bringing them both crashing to the floor. The wind is knocked out of her and, for an instant, she lies motionless. Heinrich pins her to the floor, holding both wrists above her head with one hand, while pulling at her clothing with the other. HEINRICH: (Thickly) I'm going to enjoy this. She cannot gain any leverage but manages to work one hand free and throws a punch at his jaw. Shaking his head slightly, he pulls out a knife and holds it to her throat. A thin line of blood wells up beneath it. Scully stills and holds her breath. HEINRICH: Stop struggling, bitch. His hands return to her blouse. Desperately, Scully reaches for the bedspread hanging nearby and pulls it down, obscuring Heinrich's vision for a moment. She grabs at the knife and pushes it away from her throat. The terrorist locks both hands around the hilt, trying to wrest it from her grasp while she kicks at him and attempts to slash at his face. As he recoils, she climbs to her knees, still grimly fighting for possession of the weapon. Heinrich lets go with one hand and hits her hard across the face. Together they tumble to the floor, their combined weights coming down on her left wrist. A bone snaps and the knife skitters across the floor. Scully gasps in pain. Without pausing, she claws at his face with her right hand and he flinches backward. Swearing in German, Heinrich loses control. His hands go to her neck and he tightens his grip. Scully stretches out her hand, looking for any defense, while futilely pushing at Heinrich with her injured arm. Her fingers brush the fallen knife and she desperately pulls it toward her. As her vision begins to darken, she seizes the hilt and with all her strength drives it into Heinrich's side. He stiffens, draws back, and clutches his side, blood welling between his fingers. Scully gasps for air, unable to move as Heinrich tries to struggle to his feet. Clutching her throat, she manages to sit up as her attacker slowly collapses. Scully leans back against the bed, trembling. An endless moment passes. Heinrich does not move. A pool of blood begins to soak into the carpet. * * * WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING THE ODYSSEY. CABIN 24B Scully makes her way to the washroom, shaking uncontrollably. She puts the knife down, turns on the tap, and holds both hands under it, wincing as the water hits her left wrist. She finds a first aid kit under the sink and awkwardly wraps her broken wrist. Then she leans back against the wall and closes her eyes, breathing deeply. After a long moment, she opens them again and stares sightlessly into the mirror. SCULLY: (To herself) He wasn't drugged. (She frowns, trying to put her thoughts in order.) He couldn't have drank the coffee...She lied. (Her eyes widen as realization dawns.) Skinner... She turns, picks up the knife, and bolts from the room. * * * WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING THE ODYSSEY. MAIN DECK. Skinner and Victoria are preparing to leave the shelter of the lifeboat to reach the radio room. He draws Heinrich's gun and automatically checks the clip. It is empty. He frowns and stares at it for a moment, then pockets it and turns to Victoria. SKINNER: It's empty. VICTORIA: What? SKINNER: The gun. It's not loaded. VICTORIA: It must be. SKINNER: (To himself) Damn it. VICTORIA: What are you going to do? SKINNER: (Pauses) Scully's gun... VICTORIA: Who? SKINNER: (Looks at her) I know where I can find another weapon. You wait here. VICTORIA: I'm not waiting here by myself. SKINNER: Fine. Just stay close. VICTORIA: (Smiles slightly) I will...Walter. He half-turns away from her, checking for any approaching guards. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees movement. Victoria is drawing a derringer from inside her jacket. He takes a quick step toward her, but freezes as she aims the gun at his heart. VICTORIA: Don't move. SKINNER: What do you think you're doing? VICTORIA: My job. Now, drop the gun. SKINNER: You're working with them. VICTORIA: Very good. All that FBI training has really paid off. And I told you to drop the gun. (He does so.) SKINNER: Why even let me get this far? VICTORIA: Josef wanted to know how much you knew, what your plan was. Now I can tell him you don't have one. Shall we go? She waves toward the bridge with her gun. At that moment, the ship lurches sharply. Using the momentary distraction, Skinner launches himself at the woman, seizing her gun arm and wresting the weapon away. She does not pause, but kicks at his injured leg. Skinner staggers then hits her hard, catching her as she slumps to the ground unconscious. Trying to keep his footing as the ship continues to toss, he sets her down and clutches his leg wound. SKINNER: Damn it! I am not having a good day. He checks her pulse, then hastily but efficiently searches her, pocketing the gun. He removes her belt, ties it tightly around her wrists and pulling aside a tarpaulin, lifts her into the lifeboat. He moves the tarpaulin back, hiding her from view, then checks that the Derringer is loaded. Without hesitation, he leaves the shelter of the lifeboat, moving cautiously toward the radio room. He pauses outside the door but can hear nothing above the sound of the storm. With a last glance over his shoulder, he opens the door. * * * WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING THE ODYSSEY. DINING ROOM. Scully has hurriedly made her way to the dining room in an attempt to retrieve her gun. She pauses outside the doors, checks for guards, then opens it and enters. The room is deserted and is still a shambles from the gunfight. Picking her way through the debris, Scully locates her purse underneath a table and hastily opens it, one-handed, withdrawing the gun and her ID. She checks the clip, tucks the gun into the back of her waistband, and pockets her badge. She then hastily leaves the dining room. * * * WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING THE ODYSSEY. RADIO ROOM. Inside the radio room it is dark, lit only by the faint glow of the equipment. Moving quietly, Skinner steps forward into the room. He does not turn on the light but moves stealthily toward the main radio. Turning it on, he speaks quietly but urgently. SKINNER: This is Assistant Director Walter Skinner of the FBI with a general distress call from the American cruise ship Odyssey. The ship has been taken over by terrorists. Our last known location was several hours South-East of Eleuthera Island. There are at least twenty terrorists on board, led by a man named Josef. Repeat, this is an S.O.S from... JOSEF: (From the door) That's quite enough. Skinner whirls around to find himself confronted by Josef and three terrorists. All have their weapons trained on him. He makes an abortive movement to raise his gun, then stops, realizing the futility of the action. JOSEF: Drop the weapon and move away from it. (Skinner complies.) Josef steps cautiously forward and picks up the Derringer. One of the terrorists searches him, finds nothing and steps back. JOSEF: Where's Victoria? SKINNER: I killed her. JOSEF: What? SKINNER: She was a spy. She tried to kill me. What did you expect me to do? JOSEF: (Incredulously) You killed her. (With growing anger.) Damn you. Damn you to Hell! He raises his gun and cocks the trigger. Skinner braces himself. After an eternity, Josef lowers the gun. JOSEF: No. Not yet. (He turns and says something in German to one of the terrorists, who promptly leaves.) Do you speak German, Mr. Skinner? SKINNER: No. JOSEF: Too bad. Allow me translate. I just sent Hans to sickbay with a message for Heinrich. SKINNER: What message? JOSEF: To kill the Captain and the First Officer. I've also given Heinrich free rein. SKINNER: What do you mean? JOSEF: I need the Doctor alive, but I told Heinrich he could...play...with her as long as he likes. But not to damage her _too_ badly. Skinner lunges at Josef but is brought down by the other two terrorists, one of whom holds a gun to his head. From the floor, he speaks hastily. SKINNER: Victoria's not dead. She's in one of the starboard lifeboats. Now call Heinrich off. JOSEF: (Josef pauses and a look of relief flits over his face. Then it is gone, and he speaks coldly.) Too late, Mr. Skinner. The message has already been sent. SKINNER: Damn you, you son of a bitch. It's me you want. Leave them alone. JOSEF: (Kneels down beside him) I think it's time you stopped underestimating me, Secret Agent Man. I am in charge here. Now, get up. SKINNER: Why? So you can shoot me standing up? (The terrorists allow him to stand.) JOSEF: Don't be more obtuse than is necessary, Mr. Skinner. Do you think I would risk hitting any of the radios? SKINNER: Who knows? Madmen aren't known for thinking rationally. JOSEF: You think I'm mad? No, I assure you, I'm quite sane. SKINNER: You've won. I can't stop you. Just call off Heinrich. JOSEF: (Speculatively) I wonder What bothers you the most? The thought of the First Officer and the Captain being shot in their beds, or Heinrich enjoying himself with the Doctor. (Skinner takes an unconscious step forward, the gun of one of the terrorists pressing into his ribs.) Ah, I see. The Doctor. She does mean something to you then. SKINNER: Stop this. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. JOSEF: (Smiles chillingly) Yes, Mr Skinner. You will. * * * END OF PART 8 Sharon Nuttycombe avalon@terranet.ab.ca celtic@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca "Knowing's easy. Everyone does that ad nauseum. I just sort of hope." -- Doctor Who Sharon Nuttycombe avalon@terranet.ab.ca --"I have as much respect for the chain of command as the next guy. --Only if you're standing next to Fletcher Christian." -- Adderly