From: mrkeller829@gmail.com   
      
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   "Chermera" by Mary Ruth Keller Part 29  of 45   
   E-mail: mrkeller@eclipse.net, mrkeller829@gmail.com   
   PG-13   X-File: Myth-arc   Disclaimed in Part I   
   Already sent to Gossamer   
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   Meyer Hall   
   University of California at San Diego.   
   Saturday, June 20, 1998   
   12:58 am   
      
   Jerry Donato held the door for Judy Wilton. "Let's hope Sandra's still in   
   there. If what I've seen over the past twenty-four hours is any guide, there   
   is a lot we need to do to keep her safe."   
      
   The slight, blonde professor led him to the elevators. "Detective, does this   
   have anything to do with the Osaka Collective?" She tapped the square button,   
   orange light shining through an over-sized four, then she turned her attention   
   to him.   
      
   He chewed his black mustache for a moment. "It has everything to do with them,   
   Judy. If they come sniffing around that collection of artist studios where you   
   work sometimes, give us a call, but, don't engage them. They're very   
   dangerous."   
      
   As the doors rolled open, she sighed. "I was afraid of something like that."   
   She was working her way through her keys as they walked. "The outer door is   
   usually unlocked, but Sandie may have turned both." She rattled the handle,   
   then inserted a key with    
   a blue identifying band. Once through, she knocked at the inner door. "Sandie?   
   It's Jerry and I. Are you in there?"   
      
   A few thumps sounded. "Is it just you?"   
      
   "Yes." The black-haired detective leaned against the wood. "Everyone else is   
   at Northern Division. We have some evidence in Japanese we need your help   
   with, Sandie."   
      
   They heard a click, then Sandra stepped through the opening. She was in her   
   black latex riding shorts and a navy blue and gold jersey, her feet covered   
   only in the undercut cycling socks. "I'm sorry, Judy. I know I should have   
   asked, but, after today, I    
   needed to be here. Right here." She waved into the enshrouding darkness.   
      
   The slight blonde wrapped an arm around her tall friend's waist. "I know,   
   Sandra. Jerry told me about what happened at the wind tunnel last night."   
      
   The hazel squinted at him. "Jerry? How did you know?"   
      
   He attempted to grasp her shoulder. "Agent Mulder told us, Sandra. He's   
   horribly worried about you, as are we all. You shouldn't just disconnect like   
   that."   
      
   She pushed his palm away, then broke free of Judy's embrace. "Oh, so it's   
   infected all of you, now?" She snorted. "These secret societies out to get us   
   all? Destroy America as we know it?"   
      
   Jerry reached into his jacket pocket. "Sandie. I don't want to get into that   
   with you. Can you translate these?" He held out the three Polaroids.   
      
   She eyed him as she took them from his hand, making an effort to avoid   
   physical contact with his fingers. Once they were hers, she crossed through   
   the piles of documents to reach the desk. A paper pad on her lap, she was   
   squinting at the first photograph    
   when they joined her.   
      
   Jerry pointed. "I tried to take pictures top, middle, bottom. I wanted to get   
   everything as closely focused as possible."   
      
   She smiled up at him. "This is good. I can see it all." She began writing,   
   marking the paragraphs 1, 2, or 3. When she was finished, she tore off the   
   paper. "Okay. I see why you wanted me to read this. There are instructions on   
   accessing medical files    
   somewhere on a server." She tapped the page. "That's the IP address. They're   
   not using a name-server, which makes sense for the lean operating system they   
   must be running. All you need is the password, and you can start the ftp." She   
   handed the    
   photographs back, along with the paper. "This is for a case, right?"   
      
   "Yes. The Bureau and the U. S. Marshals are involved. If we can get these   
   files, we can know why there are two people dead, and, almost a third."   
      
   She tossed the pad back on the piles before she looked up again. "A third?"   
      
   Jerry sighed. "The people who may be behind this information tried to kill   
   Agent Scully. She'll be okay, but she's got one arm all bandaged up to over   
   her shoulder, in a sling."   
      
   She sprang to her feet. "So, where was this brother of mine?"   
      
   The thick-chested detective turned to Judy. "Doctor Seymour-Wilton, would you   
   wait outside, please?"   
      
   The willowy blonde looked from one to the other, finally settling her gaze on   
   Sandra's face. "You'll be okay?" She would ask her friend about her brother at   
   a quieter hour.   
      
   The brunette moved over to hug Judy. "Yes, I will. Just wait for us, please."   
      
   After another concerned check of both their faces, the blonde professor   
   stepped into the hall.   
      
   Sandra rounded on Jerry. "So, where was he?"   
      
   The black-haired detective had been considering how little he needed to say to   
   sate her curiosity, yet not deepen the rift between sister and brother. "He   
   was right there, Sandie, he pulled her to safety, or else she would be dead."   
      
   Her hands on her hips, she was tapping her foot. "But?"   
      
   "They had quarreled, and I don't mind saying it was because of you." He folded   
   the paper around the Polaroids before slipping the lot into his inner jacket   
   pocket.   
      
   She responded first with a hard glare. "What? That's between us. How did you   
   know?"   
      
   Feeling the lateness of the hour, Jerry rubbed his face. "Because he told us.   
   They're stone-cold professionals, Sandie. They're Bureau, focused like hawks   
   on the investigation. Scully should be in the hospital, but she's right there,   
   pulling her weight,    
   and more. Nothing stands in the way of a case, which is what this is. I   
   suspect they've been through hell and back on these people more times than   
   they've let on. I respect that, deeply. So should you." He crossed his arms.   
   "Do you have any clue what the    
   password is? Any insight?"   
      
   She shook her head. "No. Let me come back with you, Jerry. If this is as   
   important as you say, I'll need to go over it with Dana. I trust her. If there   
   are medical data in the files, she should be able to work out what they are.   
   Maybe my brother can be    
   of some use. We shall see. My street clothes are in my pack in my office. Let   
   me get changed and we can be on our way." The two stepped out to the waiting   
   blonde, who locked the outer door before they left.   
      
   --o-0-o--   
      
   Interrogation Room Two   
   Northern Division   
   San Diego Police Department   
   San Diego, CA   
   Saturday, 1:31 am   
      
   Richard Gonzales’s gaze bounced from one face to the next, the five of them   
   gathered around the dark table. "Okay. What you're telling me fits with the   
   documents from the trial, but, what's this about the Arctic? About Africa?   
   Does it have anything to    
   do with the rocket in the news?"   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)