Frozen In Time 3

Still feeling flushed from the sight of Fox Mulder's bare flesh, Wade du Prés swallowed hard as Mulder bent down to pick up his discarded shirt. Mulder scooped it up and looked directly into Wade's eyes. Was it his imagination or had they flashed? Wade hugged the medical chart he carried close to his body. The cold metal of the clipboard seemed to reawaken his senses. It took an almost monumental effort, but he finally caught his breath.

"Are you okay?" Mulder asked.

"W-what?" stammered Wade. He shied away from the penetrating stare of Fox Mulder's beautiful face. 'Remember why you're here,' Wade told himself.

Despite the situation, Mulder gave the young man a crooked grin. "I asked if you were okay," he repeated. Wade reminded him of James, his flatmate from university. He had that same innocent longing Mulder remembered so vividly. Thinking exactly how long ago that was suddenly made Mulder's heart sink.

"Yes, of course," Wade answered. Seeing Mulder's face fall, he immediately recognized the haunted sadness. "What about you?" he asked.

"Do you mean medically or philosophically?" Mulder looked over his shoulder to stare across at Alex, who was hurriedly dressing under the watchful eyes of Dr. Gethin. Mulder could still feel Alex's warm body next to his own. His entire being ached to make love to him again. Touching his lips absently, Mulder couldn't shake the electric tingle he'd felt when their mouths had met for the first time. Watching Alex slip a shirt over his muscular torso, Mulder sensed the glowing fire rising within.

As if dowsed by icy water, he remembered the situation they were in. Mulder wanted more than anything to get his lover and himself out of this hell hole.

Wade smiled a little. "Um... philosophically?"

"I'm fine," Mulder replied to Wade, a little gruffly. As he buttoned up his shirt, he immediately felt guilty for snapping at him. Wade sighed a little sadly and stared down at the chart. He seemed genuinely concerned for his welfare. Mulder could have kicked himself. He seemed genuinely concerned for is welfare. There was the possibility that Wade might be the key to helping them find out...

"Look, I'm sorry about that," Mulder quickly apologized.

"C'mon, let's get this over with," Alex called.

Mulder turned to find him fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed. Alex looked absolutely... 'Now let me find the right word' ...delicious. Mulder wanted to return so badly to his arms. So badly in fact that he thought his bones might crack. Sitting next to him, he took care not to let his leg touch Alex's in case it caused a spontaneous erection. Wade sat down the medical chart and checked Mulder's pulse, then breathing pattern. "Your heart is a little fast," Wade noted.

"That's to be expected," Gethin chimed in. Alex cocked his head at Mulder, who noticed the mischievous twinkle in his eye. A small fire crackled warmly within the confines of Mulder's slacks. He understood all too well why Alex was so anxious for them to be alone again.

As Wade approached Alex, he gave the boy a whispered growl. Rather surprisingly, du Prés didn't flinch. Instead, he carefully checked over Alex's vitals. The Russian gave him a look of new-found respect.

"Do we pass?" Alex asked.

"You pass," Wade said, removing the stethoscope from around his neck and writing down the results on their charts. "You're both in excellent health."

Dr. Gethin moved up behind them. "Should they... ah... try to take it easy?"

Alex gave Mulder a hungry look. There's no way on earth, past or future, he could hold back now that he finally had Fox. "A little exertion is just what they need," Wade observed.

"Oh I'm sure they'll have plenty of exercise," said Gethin. His comment elicited surprised looks from Wade and Mulder, and a snicker from Alex. The doctor quickly corrected his meaning. "One of the empty rooms is being prepared for physical fitness." He finished before he could say more. 'If only they knew what kind of exercise Kamarov has in mind,' he thought darkly.

"Now gentlemen," Gethin cleared his throat, "the other reason for our visit."

"Just a moment," Mulder cut in. "I'd like an answer to a few questions first."

"Go ahead."

He licked his lips, then took a breath. "Well for starters, when are we going to be released?"

Gethin adopted a friendly smile. "That's entirely up to the general. At the moment your health is our primary and scientific concern. Not one living soul has ever survived cryogenic suspension as long as you both have."

Mulder nodded skeptically. "There's still the question of why we haven't been sent to a proper hospital?"

"Because of the danger that awaits both of you beyond this bunker," Gethin said.

"I can assure you that I can take care of myself," Alex replied.

Sighing heavily, Gethin adopted a pose he reserved primarily for lectures. Gripping the lapels of his coat, he stood before them. "Sir, I have no doubt of your abilities but you both are the only survivors from before the Dark Time. Your bodies are in a state of perfection that many in the outside world would kill to get their hands on."

Alex gave the doctor a curious stare; noting the feverish tone in his voice. Beside him, this grim news did nothing to deter Mulder. "Just exactly what is outside?"

"Most of us live and work within the City, which used to be what I believe you knew as New England," Gethin replied.

"And the Wasteland," Wade whispered. He blushed, suddenly aware that all eyes were upon him.

"A wasteland?" Mulder pressed.

"Yes, now if the questions are over," Gethin quickly changed the subject. He presented both patients with a plastic notebook.

"What's this?" Alex asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

"A copy of the journal found along with your stasis chambers," Gethin told him.

Mulder stared down at the blue plastic. His hands shook with anger as he realized that he was holding the journal of Spender.

Dr. Gethin moved toward the doors, gesturing for Wade to follow. "We'll leave you two to revisit your past. If you need anything or have an emergency," he pointed toward an intercom set into the wall, "just call."

Walking toward the door, he swiped the card key all of the personnel wore around their necks into a reader. The double doors hummed open to reveal a heavy-set guard waiting outside. Showing his authorization, Gethin turned back to the patients. "If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask."

Mulder raised an eyebrow to Alex, who seemed about ready to tackle the guard and make a run for it. However, he knew it was best to learn all he could about the outside world and about this place before taking any action. Alex read the expression on his face and nodded. Mulder looked back up and saw Wade lingering in the doorway.

"Is he always so forthcoming with information?" Mulder asked with a hint of sarcasm. The man had neatly avoided going into any detail whatsoever.

Wade shook his head and laughed, "I'm afraid so." He'd become quite familiar with Gethin's evasive manner since arriving at the bunker.

"It's very annoying," Alex said, throwing his copy of the journal onto the rumpled bed.

"Take care," Wade smiled, closing the doors behind him.

As soon as they were alone, Alex slid up beside Mulder and nudge his chin against his neck. "Should I be jealous?"

"What?" An incredulous look spread across Mulder's face.

Alex leaned forward and nibbled on his ear. "You're so cute when you act naive. Come on," he whispered huskily, "let's hit the shower."

Mulder turned his head toward Alex's and found his waiting lips. Mulder's own opened a fraction allowing his lover's long tongue to find its way inside. Feeling it twist along, exploring the hot moistness of his mouth then lovingly wrap around his own tongue sent Mulder's senses exploding.

Alex's breathing increased rapidly, his fingers moving up and through Mulder's silky hair. After a few moments, Mulder broke the embrace and stared into his pleading eyes. "I'll be there in a minute," he promised.

Staring down at the notebook clutched in his hand, Alex clicked his tongue. "Your constant thirst for knowledge?"

"And you," Mulder added.

Alex stood up and began to undress once more. Mulder simply could not tear his eyes away. "Don't forget what curiosity did to the cat," Alex told him.

"And don't forget about finding a way out of here," Mulder reminded him. He waved the journal in front of him. "There could be something very important in here."

"I can't imagine what that sick bastard was writing," Alex confessed as he stripped out of his underwear. "Don't be long," he said, heading for the bathroom.

Mulder watched the fluid movements of his body. "Don't worry," he called. Breathing out and trying to control the aching need of his body, Mulder settled back and began reading the first page of the journal.

~oo0oo~

Going over his notes one last time, Wade replaced the chart outside the room and made to move after Dr. Gethin. A large, gloved hand closed around his arm. The guard's strong grip pulled him in close. Wade's heart quickened with fear.

"Sweet thang," the guard leered. Wade fell back from the man's rancid breath. "Why don't you come back here and see me when you're finished?"

"I-I have a lot of work to do," Wade replied, trying to ease his arm away. 'Goddess, hadn't they ever heard of a cold shower?' He despised being anywhere near the military. What he wanted to do was yell 'I don't think so!' but thought better of it. He'd heard enough horror stories at school to know it was not wise to defy a member of the elite. Instead Wade concentrated his gaze on the guard's name patch: Jenkins.

Jenkins breathed in closer. "Now, you're not afraid of little old me are you?"

"N-n-no," he stammered back.

"du Prés?" A voice called.

Wade sighed with relief as Gethin appeared 'round the corner. Jenkins released his hold and Wade stumbled away toward the doctor. "What's wrong?" Gethin asked, concerned.

"Nothing," he lied. Wade made a mental note to make sure his quarters were securely locked tonight.

~oo0oo~

By the time Gethin returned to the general's office, he was somewhat surprised to find him entranced by an image on the monitors. What could distract Andrei so? Surely he would be preparing for their meeting with Dr. Ignu? "General?" Gethin questioned as he approached him.

Kamarov smiled up at him as Gethin took in the wondrous sight of Alex Krycek bathing beneath steamy water. "Beautiful, is he not?"

"Very," Gethin agreed. "How did you?"

"Luckily they haven't discovered the hidden camera above the shower head," Kamarov chuckled.

~oo0oo~

Rubbing his bleary eyes, Wade sat back at the little desk in the room assigned to him by the military. His notes on both Fox Mulder and Alex Krycek laid out before him. Both men were progressing well and he hoped that they wouldn't be kept in this dreary hole in the ground much longer.

He stared down at the digital photograph of Fox Mulder beside his medical profile. In the short time Wade had known him, this man had managed to stir feelings within him that he'd never known before. What had Nicola called it? Love at first sight? He wasn't sure.

The thought of his beloved sister sent a wave of sadness and hope through him. Reaching into his shirt, Wade brought out a small, silver locket. It was the only thing he had left that belonged to his late mother. Opening it, he looked at the worn picture of two young kids. He'd memorized every detail of his sister's lovely face and her long, dark hair. Closing the locket, his tired eyes returned to the captured image of Mulder.

~oo0oo~

Mulder's fingers caressed the warm flesh of his thigh, slowly working its way up. The world melted away being held in his arms. The smell of Mulder's skin was intoxicating.

As his sinfully full lips moved in closer, an insistent pounding invaded Wade's senses. Shocked awake, Wade lifted his tired head from the desk and quickly became aware that the pounding was not from his head but from the door. Standing, he took several deep breaths. The dream had been so real and the residual feelings were overwhelming. After a few moments, and another round of knocks, he moved toward the door.

"Who is it?" he asked, trying to hold onto the dream as it slipped away.

An irritated voice called from the other side of the door, "Troy McKenzie."

Wade sighed in exasperation. What on earth could the general's aide want at this hour? Hurriedly opening the door, he found himself face to face with a red-headed man just a little older than him. "How can I help you?" Wade asked, uncertainly.

Troy gave First Class du Prés a disapproving look at the wrinkled state of his clothes. "We're not sure. Patient X-1," he began.

"Fox Mulder," Wade corrected the young aide, then bit his lip.

"...has requested to see you," Troy finished.

A look of alarm flowed across Wade's face. "Is he all right?"

"He won't say," the aide admitted. "He specifically asked to see you."

Hurrying over to the desk, Wade slipped into his lab coat and grabbed a stethoscope. "I'm on my way," he said.

Troy stopped him out in the corridor. "Just a minute. General Kamarov wants a full report after your examination. No delays."

Wade simply nodded, not wanting to waste any more time. Breaking into a jog, he made his way down to the restricted area. 'What could have gone wrong?' he wondered. He was now a certified expert in the cryogenic field, and a number of terrifying thoughts raced through his mind. He'd shrugged the increased heart rate of both men off as a result of their sexual activity; but what if it had been a warning sign?

Rounding a corner, Fox William Mulder's room came into view. Ignoring the lascivious glare from Jenkins, Wade slipped his security card into the reader and palmed a metal panel. Infuriatingly the doors seemed to take longer than usual to open. Wade pushed his way inside and exhaled in relief at the sight of Mulder sitting up in bed pouring over the journal.

"I came as soon as I heard," Wade explained, moving toward the bed.

Mulder looked up at him as he carefully moved the stethoscope along his chest. He caught Wade's look and gave him a half-smile. "Your heart rate is perfectly normal," Wade breathed.

"As normal as I can be," Mulder replied.

"You mean there's no emergency?" asked Wade, who received a guilty look. "Fox Mulder, you scared me half to death!"

"Wade, it was important that I see you alone," Mulder explained.

He shook his head. "Alone? I don't understand."

Mulder waved the journal before him. "I think that you can tell me so much more than these can."

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"Why is the military keeping us here?"

"Dr. Gethin explained," he began.

Mulder swiftly cut in. "No, I want to know why the military is here." He knew all too well about corrupt governments not to recognize a conspiracy.

"Because the military controls everything," Wade said sadly. "They have an interest invested in this project."

"Yes," Mulder nodded. "But exactly what is their interest? Now you don't really believe that it's for our well-being do you?"

Wade shrugged a little, not knowing what to say. He had a bad feeling, like an itch at the base of his spine.

"You yourself have pronounced that Alex and I are in perfect health. Why wouldn't the military let us leave?"

Wade honestly couldn't answer. "I believe the general is taking precautions in case anything goes wrong with your revival," he tried to explain.

"Precautions?" Mulder questioned. "Like surveillance cameras and a squad of goons guarding the doors?"

"You have to understand it's dangerous out there," Wade said. "The guards have strict orders to protect you, and the cameras are for your security."

Mulder laughed at the word 'security.' "Something more is going on here and I think you know that."

"I'm sure that you'll be released soon," Wade replied half-heartedly.

"And go where? Everything I knew is gone."

"Surely they'll send you to the City," Wade suggested.

Mulder decided to try a new approach. "What if Alex and I don't want to go to your City? What if we'd rather find our own lives in the Wasteland?"

"But it's forbidden!" Wade protested, then lowered his voice. "No-one has ever returned from the Wasteland."

Now he was getting somewhere. "Why? What's so terrible about it?"

"If you set one foot into the forbidden zone, you would die from radiation poisoning."

"You mean that many areas of Earth are still contaminated from the war?" Mulder was silent for a while. This news was something he didn't want to hear.

"Listen, everything's going to be fine," Wade tried to cheer him up. "I won't let anything happen to you or Mr. Krycek."

Mulder couldn't help but smile at his youthful enthusiasm. "You're going to protect us?"

Shying away a little, Wade gave him an embarrassed grin. "Yes, I guess that was a bit silly." How could anyone be this handsome?

"Tell me how did you ever get involved in all of this?" Mulder wondered.

He shrugged. "I was drafted into the project. Fortunately the fee paid by the military will help..."

Mulder's expression immediately changed. "Money? Is that why you're here?"

Sensing the change in attitude, Wade flustered, "Please let me explain."

"And I thought you were a bit better than the others."

"I need the money to find my sister!" Wade blurted. Holding back tears he turned and made to leave the room. Two strong hands gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.

"I'm sorry," Mulder apologized. "What happened to your sister?"

"She was taken away years ago to a Consortium Breeding Camp," he said, unable to resist the wall of emotion. "I was hoping that this project would pay well enough for me to track her down." Mulder couldn't believe what he was hearing. They had more in common than he ever realized. "What's her name?"

"Nicola."

"I lost a sister, too."

Wade sniffled and wiped his eyes. "I've got to go now. General Kamarov wants a report on your medical status."

Mulder stopped him once more. "Wade, you're the only friend we have here. I don't want to put you in any danger, but I have to ask... Can you help us?"

"I'll try."

"Try to find out all you can about why the military are keeping us here, please?" He squeezed the boy's shoulder as he nodded uncertainly.

~oo0oo~

Reaching Kamarov's makeshift office, Wade found himself ushered inside by two burly guards. General Kamarov, Dr. Gethin and Dr. Ignu looked up from the monitor screens. Kamarov switched them off with a flick of his wrist. "du Prés!" the general bellowed. "How is our patient?"

"Mr. Mulder is going to be fine," Wade explained. "His heart rate has returned to normal."

"What was wrong with him?" Gethin pressed.

He hesitated for a second. That bad feeling was getting stronger. "Just a... little scare. That's all."

"Good." Kamarov seemed pleased. He turned back to the doctors. "Now the project can proceed."

Wade's ears pricked up at the word 'project.' Ignu watched his student's reaction and glanced at Kamarov in alarm. "du Prés, you're dismissed!" the general called.

Nodding at Dr. Ignu, Wade slipped quietly out of the room. As the guards closed the door behind him, it bumped into his back sending his notes scattering across the floor. The two guards snickered while Wade knelt to retrieve them.

"You shouldn't have mentioned 'The Project' in front of du Prés." He heard Dr. Ignu's voice say.

"The boy is of no consequence," General Kamarov shot back. "Security cannot be breached here. Now that our two..." he hissed the next word "...specimens have been granted a clean bill of health, plans can..."

The last of the sentence was drowned out as one of the guards behind Wade chuckled. "Just take your time with those papers."

"Yeah, that's a great view you're giving us," the other taunted.

Nervously pulling his hair behind his ears, Wade collected the remaining notes and hurried away from the office. Halting in the corridor, he leaned against the cool wall and breathed heavily. 'Mulder had been right,' he thought. 'What plans do the military have for them?' A sense of dread fluttered in his stomach. This was soon replaced with a new determination.

~oo0oo~

Dr. Ignu, returning from another meeting with General Kamarov and Dr. Gethin, wearily opened the door of his quarters. He was surprised to find someone waiting for him. "Wade," he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Wringing his hands, Wade moved toward him. "Dr. Ignu, I need to ask you something. It's very important."

"Of course," he said. "Come and sit down." He gently lead the clearly distraught Wade to a chair.

"Why haven't Fox Mulder and Alex Krycek been released?"

Ignu was taken aback by the bluntness of his student's question. He hesitated. "You know that we must keep an eye on them."

"But they're both perfectly fine!" he hissed.

"That's the point," Ignu mouthed, half to himself.

"What?" Wade questioned. Ignu saw the anger burning in those electric green eyes. "You know what's going on here, but you're not telling me. About General Kamarov's project."

"You shouldn't have heard that," Ignu said, warningly.

"Why not? I want to know."

"Wade please, you wouldn't understand," the older man said, placing a protective hand on his arm.

"I'm not a little boy any more. Do you still think I'm so naive?" Wade's anger flared.

"No, that's not it." Ignu turned away from him. "Please stop asking me these questions."

Wade grabbed him by the shoulders. "Tell me!" he cried.

In that instant, Ignu realized that his star pupil maybe grown up but he still needed protecting. "All you need to know is that the military have it's own plans for those two men!"

Wade held onto him. "You must tell me what's going to happen." Ignu's silence spoke volumes as the pieces clicked into place. His arms fell limp. "It's just wrong," Wade whispered.

"Listen, you have to forget about this," Ignu told him urgently. "It's for your own good. Those men will be well taken care of."

'I'll bet,' Wade thought mutinously. Ignu moved forward and grasped Wade's arms. "Trust me," he said.

Trust? Hearing that word sickened Wade. How could the man he respected so be a part of General Kamarov's plans? Breaking away from him, Wade moved toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Ignu asked. As Wade turned back to him the emotions radiating from his eyes were like a cold, hard slap.

"To my room," he answered, closing the door firmly behind him.

~oo0oo~

Mulder looked up when the bathroom door slid open to reveal Alex, dripping wet and towelling off. "Where were you?" his lover asked. "I stayed in there until I started to prune."

Mulder sighed at the missed opportunity. "Let's just say I blew our chances with Wade."

Before Alex could reply, the doors burst open and the person in question stood breathlessly before them. "Come on, I've got to get you out of here," he announced.

"Wait a minute," Mulder began but Wade soon caught his breath. "Get dressed as quickly as you can," he told Alex.

Mulder rushed over to the clearly upset boy. "What's happened?"

Wade stared up at him. "I've already told the guard that I'm escorting you both to the gymnasium. Now hurry!"

The chance to escape was all too much for Alex. He dressed hurriedly and joined them beside the door. Mulder took Wade by the shoulders. "What about finding your sister?" he asked.

Wade swallowed. "If Nicola were here, she'd want me to help you." And with that, he keyed open the door. As soon as the trio passed by him, Jenkins grabbed his walkie-talkie.

~oo0oo~

Forced to hide in the dark passages every so often, Wade lead Mulder and Krycek carefully through the bunker. Luckily at this time of night most of the personnel would be in their quarters. The flickering lights cast eerie shadows over the stone walls. At one point, Mulder pulled Wade into hiding as he sensed footsteps approaching. After the fifth time of ducking out of sight from a squad of guards, Alex hissed, "Where exactly are we going?"

"There's a service tunnel just ahead with a map of the complex," Wade explained. "There should be a path indicating a way out."

Peering cautiously around the corner, Wade found that the danger had passed. He silently indicated for the pair to follow. Just as he had stated, the tunnel featured an ancient map of the bunker. Time had eroded the wall mounted paper to the point that it had almost crumbled away. Alex studied it for a while.

"Look, there's air ducts three junctions down that lead straight to the surface," he said, pointing out the right way.

Mulder shook his head. "Count on you to find your way into the tightest places." Alex smiled back at him.

"Good luck," Wade whispered.

"Whoa! You're coming with us," Mulder told him. "There's no telling what will happen if they find out you helped us." Wade was about to protest, but Mulder silenced him. "No arguments."

They moved forward into the darkness, Alex taking the lead. Further along, the passage seemed to get darker. Mulder silently wished he had a flashlight. He imagined the perverse pleasure CSM would get out of seeing him trapped like a rat in a maze. He kept his eyes fixed on Alex's back, all the while keeping reassuringly close to Wade.

His thoughts were broken as Alex disappeared into the gloom. "This is it," Alex whispered.

Mulder felt a distinct blast of cool, fresh air from up ahead. He and Wade found Alex kneeling beside a large metal grille. "A ventilation shaft? Oh marvellous. I'm a cliché," Mulder grinned, remembering a line from an old TV series.

Alex grabbed him by the arm. "Just get in there and let's get the hell out of here!"

"Did you hear something?" Wade whispered nervously.

Alex sighed. "It's your imagination, kid."

All three men froze at the sound of a voice ahead. "Well, well, well what have we here?" General Kamarov appeared, flanked by four armed guards. "It seems like you boys will be gaining first hand knowledge of my project after all." Mulder gripped Wade's shoulder protectively and Alex prepared himself for a fight while Kamarov's mocking laughter echoed along the walls.

Wade stared up at General Kamarov's eyes frozen, not minding the pain of Mulder's fingers digging into his shoulder blades. There would be bruises tomorrow, if he lived long enough. A blur of motion at his side was the only warning that Alex had not stayed frozen in fear, a push at this back sent him sprawling, he twisted and landed on his side, air whooshing out of his lungs. The corridor was dim but he could still see Mulder's headlong rush into the guard holding a stun weapon. Alex moved too quickly for him to see what fist went where, but Wade knew the game was up. No matter how good Alex Krycek was in his former life, here he was just a small piece of the puzzle controlled by a vast military government.

He heard shouting and more running steps, he scrambled to his feet using the wall to help keep his balance and to avoid Alex's flying kicks, and Mulder's wildly swinging fists. He'd never seen two men fight so differently. Alex had knocked out one guard quickly but the other two had more warning and years and years of training. Wade didn't know how Alex managed to hold out to the two men for so long, Mulder and the other men continued to exchange punches, until the guard tripped over Alex's outstretched foot. Mulder and the guard fell to the ground, rolling, kicking, punching, grabbing hair, and cursing. Heavy breathing echoed in the corridor. Wade ducked a flying fist and moved away from the fighting, he wanted to help, but didn't know what to do except throw himself in front of the guard. General Kamarov stood on the other side of the fight frowning, which only made him look meander.

"Alex! Mulder! We have to get out of here!" Wade yelled. He knew more guards were going to be here any minute and this would be their last chance to escape.

The guard fighting Mulder turned his attention away from Mulder for just one moment and it was enough for, Mulder to deal the knockout blow. "Mulder, take Wade and go!" Alex panted not even sparing them a glance; too busy concentrating on the six foot five soldier circling him.

Wade clutched Mulder's arm, before the older man could run and start beating up the soldiers coming down the corridor, going to be here any minute. "Mulder you've got to get out of here! You and Alex, they'll split you up and make you work as sex slaves if you don't escape!" Mulder stared at him not comprehending the real danger.

Pulling and tugging at Mulder's arm he managed to get Mulder jogging away from the oncoming guards. "I'll get Alex! Just keep going, don't stop." Wade turned around and ran towards Alex and the tall blond guard. Heedlessly he threw himself at the guard. Wade had a moment to see the startled blue eyes widen in surprise before the guard clutched his arm and backwards onto the hard concrete floor. Wade landed on top of the guard, but couldn't get his arm free from the big man's grip. "Alex! Run!" He screamed, panicking, at the louder footsteps. He could read the indecision on Alex's face, but then whatever survival instincts that allowed the man to survive this long, took over and Alex high tailed it out of there, down the corridor into the darkness. Wade watched until he couldn't see Alex's tall form running anymore.

"That was very stupid, Wade Du Pres' and it's going to be so much fun punishing you." Wade blanched at the voice behind him. The fingers tightened around his arm, as hands grabbed him around the throat and dragged him to his feet. Tears threatened to fall, no one had ever treated him so roughly before. General Kamarov, stared at him, then barked out an order for the guards to follow after Mulder and Krycek. "I'll let my guards track down the runaways. You are coming with me. I was hoping you would give me an excuse to hurt you and I'm glad you did." General Kamarov said softly, running a thick hand through Wade's hair, pulling at the knots, before releasing his head.

"Bring him with me." General Kamarov ordered moving back to the upper levels. Fear pounded through Wade's veins, two large guards dragged him along one corridor after the next. The walk took forever but wasn't long enough. They paused outside of the general interrogation room. Dr. Gethin kept him away from this area of the base, so he had no idea what to expect, when the metal doors slid open. It certainly wasn't a plain metal room, with hooks in the wall, and a black harness hanging from the ceiling.

"Secure the traitor."

The two beefy guards pulled him to the far side opposite of the door, while the General opened a box sitting in the corner of the room; he hadn't seen it when he walked in the box blended in with the other plain metal walls. The metal collar General Kamarov pulled out looked too big for his neck, but the older man brought it over anyway.

"Hold his head still so I can collar him."

"No! You can't do this I'm a scientist! Just ask Dr. Gethin. Please." Wade tried twisting away from the tight grips on his arms, he was small and untrained.

"Wade, I liked you. Out of all the young men I've seen come out of the university you had the most promise. It's for the reason alone you are still alive. Instead of execution you shall be punished. In a month or two, after you have sworn new vows of honor and duty you may return to work. However, first we need to break you of this notion that you are better than everyone else." General Kamarov continued to speak, while locking the collar around his neck, and securing the chain to a loop high in the ceiling. There wasn't much room for him to move, definitely not enough to sit down.

Wade wanted to go home, to his nice quiet dorm room, with his books and no worries except to wonder in which order would he study his books that night. Anything was better than trapped in a room with three military men; with the same hungry look in their eyes. "Strip him."

Smiling the guards easily tore through his clothing until he was clad in nothing but his skin. "Please, General Kamarov, I'll do anything you want me to do, just don't hurt me." Wade hated begging, but he could never remember ever being so terrified in his life.

"I don't think so Wade. Because of you, two the most important men we had ever held are on the loose. Every man who misses a meal will get a chance at you, for making them work harder than they should. This will be your home for the next two months, when we find Fox Mulder and Alex Krycek, they will join you here, till then you will take orders from any man who steps through those two doors. Now turn around and spread your legs."

Confused and exhausted, Wade shook his head, terrified of the unknown, he just knew that turning his back on these men was a extremely bad idea. Scowling, General Kamarov said, "You go get a pair of cuffs out of the toy box." The younger of the two guards jumped to obey, smiling slightly. He came back with metal cuffs that could probably tear through his wrists.

This time it was General Kamarov who manhandled him into the cuffs. It was a pitiful struggle, and within minutes his hands were stretched above his head the side of his face pressed against the wall, warm tears fell down his tightly closed eyes, and he realized that for the first time since his sister was stolen he was crying.

Wade stood on his tiptoes as the metal from the handcuffs bit into his wrists. His calve muscles quivered under the strain as a cold sweat broke out on his naked body. Wade knew he was about to be beaten then raped. The stories he had heard of criminals being used as sex slaves for the pleasure of the military and ruling elite, scared him to death. As a descendent of the first family and a medical student, he never thought he'd be condemned to their fate. He didn't really believe that it would only be for two months, either.

He whimpered as he felt the rough hands, pinching and caressing his naked flesh. Wade closed his eyes and pressed his face against the cold wall, trying to lose himself in daydreams of a better time.

"Very lovely," General Kamarov purred.

A sudden explosion shook the small room and slammed Wade into the wall as the hook securing the handcuffs overhead broke. Wade dangled from the collar around his throat as he tried to regain his feet.

"What the hell is going on?" the General bellowed and dashed out of the interrogation room followed by the guard.

General Kamarov turned to the guard. "Go secure the stairs!"

Kamarov's communication device chirped and he answered it, covering his ear as more explosions rocked the base. "Kamarov!"

"General, we're under attack!"

"I believe that's obvious, Commander Morrison. Do you have a handle on the situation?" The General made his way down the corridor, ducking into a room as four black clad rebels rushed passed him.

"So far we're detecting at least three dozen rebel troops in the upper sections of the installation."

Kamarov gazed out the door. "Keep your voice down, Morrison. I'm in the upper section. Do you have any word on Subjects X-1 and X-2?"

"We apprehended them ten minutes ago. We're in the process of returning them to their room--"

"I want them taken at once to the hovercraft and transported to the dome city. I'll meet you topside at the ship. If for any reason I'm not there leave without me. It is imperative that they are brought to the city. The future of our society depends on it." The General disconnected and stealthily made his way to the surface through a secret exit to where their ships were docked.

***

Wade was near panic. He was certain he'd die naked and trussed up like a common criminal. Blood dripped into his eye from the cut over his brow, impairing his vision. Wade jumped when hands touched his body. He turned, trying to see through his good eye. The figure was dressed from head to toe in black. Even the facemask attached to the helmet was black, hiding the man's face.

"Who are you?" Wade asked nervously.

The young resistance fighter spoke into the communicator in his helmet. "Captain Adams, we found one."

"Which one?" a female voice answered.

"Wade du Prés, sir."

"Bring him to the helicar."

"Don't worry, Mr. du Prés, you'll be safe with us," the rebel said, gently removing the collar from Wade's neck. Then taking off his long black duster, he helped the frightened young medical student into it. While one of the other black-garbed men found Wade's shoes.

"Who are you?" Wade asked again, feeling braver with the coat covering his nudity and shoes on his feet. He looked back and forth at the four tall men surrounding him as they made their way out of the room and down the corridor. They passed several dead bodies of consortium soldiers.

"We're the resistance," the young rebel fighter answered proudly as they paused.

"The resistance was wiped out long ago--"

"No. Your military and government has kept our continued existence a secret from its citizens." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which he pressed to the cut above Wade's eye. "We'll fix that up once we're away from here."

Wade jumped as another series of loud explosion sounded from below his feet. He was suddenly worried about Doctor Gethin's and Doctor Ignu's safety, not to mention Mulder and Krycek. "I have friends here who aren't part of the military."

"Don't worry, we have orders not to kill civilians."

A moment of sudden clarity struck Wade. "You're here for Fox Mulder and Alex Krycek aren't you?"

"Cute and smart." The facemask hid the smile on the young rebel fighter's face. His compatriots fanned out ahead and scanned the corridor for danger.

Wade glanced at the tall faceless stranger, wondering what this man, with the warm voice, looked like. "What's your name?"

"Jack Scully."

"Thank you, Jack Scully," Wade said as he followed the rebels up the stairs to the surface.

***

Mulder glanced over his shoulder at Krycek. His lover was separated from him by nearly a hundred feet. Six guards surrounded Krycek, while only four surrounded him. They were both in leg irons and handcuffs. The corridor ahead was dimly lit. Mulder was careful not to trip as he shuffled along. The clattering of their leg irons echoed around them. His ears perked up to the sound of fighting overhead. He glanced back at Krycek to see if his lover heard the commotion, too.

"Keep your eyes forward," barked the guard, shoving him roughly.

Mulder licked his swollen lip, but kept his silence. He had taken quite a beaten earlier. His whole body felt stiff and sore.

The sound of footsteps racing after them had the guards grabbing his arms and hurrying him along. A shot rang out, taking down one of the guards surrounding Krycek. The other guards pushed Krycek to the ground and took defensive positions around him, returning fire.

"Fuck! You two get Subject X-1 to the hovercraft! We'll hold them off," the lead guard barked.

"What about Subject X-2?"

"Shut up and get moving!"

The two large guards manhandled Mulder toward the steps leading up to the surface.

"ALEX!" Mulder struggled to free himself.

"FOX!" Krycek shouted, trying to crawl toward his lover. He was roughly grabbed by his hair and forced to his feet.

One of the guards struggling with Mulder used his rifle butt to smack the former FBI man in the head. Mulder slumped forward and was hoisted over the shoulder of the other guard. They headed quickly up the steps with their senseless prisoner.

"FOX!"

Three more of the guards were gunned down around Alex as the lead guard dragged Krycek in front of him and placed his gun to Alex's temple. "I know who he is! Do you want to watch the Father of the Resistance gunned down like a dog?"

There were several moments of tense silence, then a voice echoed out of the shadows. "Name your price, jackal!"

"A trade. Minister Lermontov has his eyes of Subject X-1, don't interfere with my men taking him to hovercraft and I'll give you Alex Krycek--"

"NO! Don't listen to him!" Krycek screamed, twisting in the larger man's arms.

The resistance leader watched angrily from her hiding place. She didn't like leaving the other beautiful male in the hands of these scoundrels, but her number one priority was to rescue Alex Krycek. The consortium jackal left her very little choice. If she had the time to stall him until they could get a fighter behind him and Krycek, she would, but the consortium patrols have been notified of the attack and it was only a matter of minutes before their forces arrived.

"Very well, jackal. Free him and we won't interfere with your hovercraft."

"Get going," the lead guard barked to the remaining three men.

They took off in the direction the other guards had taken.

The lead guard held his ground until they were out of sight. He whispered into Krycek's ear. "Your pretty boyfriend is going to become intimately familiar with Dmitri Lermontov and the ruling families. While you're safe and warm, he'll be used as a lab rat and to satisfy the families insatiable lust."

Krycek struck like an enraged cobra. The suddenness caught the larger man and the rebels by surprise. Krycek had his handcuffed hands wrapped around the guard's neck before the man could blink, pulling him down to his knees. The gun clattered to the ground. In one smooth motion he grabbed the guard's head and twisted it sharply, snapping the man's neck.

The resistance forces were around him instantly, staring at him in awe. One stepped forward and unlocked the leg irons.

Krycek jumped back and glared angrily at the black clad men and women. "Dammit! Don't just stand there we have to rescue Fox!"

"There's no time! We need to get out of here. In a few minutes this place will be swarming with government troops!"

"No! I'm not leaving without him!" Krycek growled, running in the direction Mulder had been taken in.

The resistance leader and her troops raced after Krycek. They made it to the surface just as a large craft shot by overhead.

"If you want to save him then you'd better come with us! We'll try to overtake them before their ship can reach its full speed!" the leader said.

Krycek had no choice but to follow her as the resistance fighters raced from the compound. They hopped into the vehicles the size of cars. Krycek got in the front seat with the rebel leader. While one other fighter climb in the back.

"Hang on," she said.

Krycek watched out of the window as the small ships took off. Most headed northeast while the craft he was on, and five others, headed southwest in hot pursuit of the larger craft that was carrying Fox.

He kept his eyes on the lights of the hovercraft as the helicar flew after it. At first they were quickly gaining on it, but as each minute ticked by they started loosing ground.

"Holy Mother," the female rebel swore. Then she shouted into her communicator. "Abort! Jackals at ten o'clock."

Glancing down at the radar display, Krycek was dismayed to see several dozen bright green dots filling the upper left corner heading in their direction. He held on as the craft made a hard turn and headed down into the pitch black river valley below.

The pilot wove in and out of the trees at frightening speeds. Before finally settling down and cutting her engine to hide from their pursuers.

After nearly a half-hour had past she said, "I'm sorry."

Krycek looked over at her. "Where are they taking him?"

"To the dome city. It's a consortium fortress."

"How do I get there?"

"You can't rescue him alone. You'll never make it pass the city gates."

"Do you have a name?" Krycek asked.

"Captain Beverly Adams."

"Okay, Captain, I need your help. What do you recommend?"

"Sir, I recommend you meet with Commander Samuel Jefferson. He is the leader of the resistance, but now that you're back...."

"Where can I find this Commander Jefferson?"

"He's at the resistance headquarters below New York City. We need to regroup with the other troops in Winnipeg first. Then we'll take you to our headquarters."

Krycek looked at her questioningly. "I thought all the major cities were destroyed during the initial war?"

"New York City was laid to ruin during the war. It's uninhabitable. Our headquarters is located deep beneath the city."

Krycek looked sadly out at the dark trees, looming around them. His stomach was in knots. He wanted to reach Mulder before anything happened to him. He hoped the guard had just been toying with him about what awaited his lover.

-oOo-

Another fifteen minutes passed before Captain Adams restarted the ignition. The helicar rose slowly to just below the tree line then hovered while they watched the radar display anxiously for any unusual blips. Nothing. Alex pursed his lips, understanding her wariness all too well. They were deeply involved in a game of cat and mouse and there had been plenty of occasions when he had been on the other side of this game, where he had been the cat waiting out the prey, giving it all the time it needed to believe it was safe and then pouncing as soon as it resurfaced. However, this time he was the mouse: this time he was the prey.

A deep male voice, filled with apprehension, floated across from the rear of the helicar.

"If we're to reach the rendezvous in time then we have to go now."

Alex frowned, still rubbing his wrists from where they had been stripped raw by the tight-fitting handcuffs that now lay at his feet. "How important is it that we rendezvous?"

The still heavily disguised leader of the rescue team turned partially towards him. "The helicar doesn't carry enough fuel to reach New York. We have a tanker concealed within the ruins of Winnipeg."

Alex closed his eyes in resignation. Even though every fibre of his being was screaming at him to go after Mulder, he knew that course of action would be foolhardy at best, suicidal at worst. He started to chuckle softly to himself. Over three hundred years had passed and he was still trying to figure out a way to extricate Mulder's ass from whatever disaster the man had brought upon himself. Three hundred years... and nothing had changed at all. He wondered if Mulder was even aware of the number of times he had placed the fate of humanity onto the back-burner just to ensure Mulder lived another day.

He gritted his teeth. If this City of Domes was as heavily fortified as Adams made out then this was one occasion when rushing headlong would gain him nothing but his own incarceration: a fate worse than death if Wade Du Pres was to be believed. There remained only one course of action open to him; he would seek help from the remnants of the resistance, and the sooner they reached New York, the sooner they could start formulating rescue plans.

"Let's get going... to Winnipeg."

Adams nodded, her agile fingers flicking over the controls, sending the helicar racing into the night. Two blips appeared on the radar almost immediately, heading in their direction.

"We have two jackals on our tail, coming up fast."

Several explosions to either side rocked the helicar as the two Consortium craft raced past. Alex kept a white-knuckled grip on the console in front of him as he watched the attackers circling back around, the faster, more manoeuvrable crafts easily avoiding a strafing from the helicar's weapons.

"They're coming back round."

Red lights were flashing on the console, the whole car juddering as Adams pushed it to the limit. They were buffeted by more explosions and Alex heard the fearful voice shouting from the rear seats.

"We have to surrender."

"No." He gave Adams an implacable look. "If you surrender then we're all dead... or we'll wish we were."

Adams nodded briskly, then shouted back over her shoulder as she wrestled with the controls. "He's right."

Alex licked his lips, eyes narrowed. "Head straight for them."

"What?"

"That's suicidal."

"Do it."

He could see the indecision in the Captain's eyes but then she wrenched the steering column round, sending the helicar on a collision course with the Consortium vessels. As the vehicles rushed towards each other the seconds seem to lengthen and Alex found his thoughts racing back through the years to his misspent youth. He was back in his hometown, daring other boys to play 'chicken', feeling the exhilaration as their cars sped towards each other, waiting for that fleeting moment of glory when the other boy 'chickened' and wrenched the wheel hard to avoid the collision, thereby forfeiting the game. His thoughts clarified once more to the here and now. He jabbed back viciously as the panicking man in the back seat tried to grab the controls. The front weapons array spat bullets as the gap closed, metal tearing into metal as the Consortium vehicles banked away sharply, exposing their wings and flanks. Bullets must have hit the fuel tank of one vehicle; a ball of flame lighting the sky before plummeting towards the earth like a shooting star. The other craft was spinning madly and, by the time that pilot regained control, the helicar had reached the safety of the Black Hills.

Adams whooped in excitement, thumping the console in pleasure as they dived and rolled through the small canyons, and Alex captured her golden eyes in a shared moment of triumph before full remembrance came crashing down. They had evaded capture, for now, but they had lost Mulder. With a more subdued atmosphere, Adams set the helicar back on course for the rendezvous at Winnipeg.

-ooOOoo-

Mulder groaned, raising his cuffed hands to the side of his head and hissing as over curious fingers found the ragged gash from where he had been hit with a rifle butt. He did not need to look at the warm fluid coating his fingers to know it was blood. He tried to stand but found he was wedged into the middle section of a hovercraft between two burly guards. Ahead of him he could make out the hardened features of General Kamarov and the equally cruel profile of the pilot, Morrison. Mulder grimaced in pain as he tried to check over his shoulder, part of him hoping Alex was at the back of the craft while another part prayed that his newfound lover was in far safer hands.

No Alex.

Did that mean Alex was safe? Or was he being transported in another vehicle? Mulder had no memory of events following the rifle butt impacting against his skull but, just prior to then, he was certain Alex had been in danger. There had been a guard dragging Alex to his feet by his hair - and there had been the sound of gunfire.

Please be safe, Alex.

Mulder prayed to a dozen deities, mumbling so softly that neither guard could hear him. His mind drifted back to that last image of Alex, of seeing his lover crawling towards him, crying out his name, before the guard reached down to grab a handful of the mussed, mahogany hair. His thoughts raced back further, his fingertips tingling in remembrance of the soft strands rippling through his fingers. He had fallen back onto the loveseat, with Alex on top, his hands exploring those so familiar features with a lover's caress, tracing the elfin tips of those perfect ears, smoothing along the firm jaw line to the narrow chin.

Elfin.

For a man who was a little taller but of a similar lean build, it felt strange to consider Alex elfin - but he was. From the tips of those ears, to the slightly upturned nose, to the full lips with that deep cupid's bow and then down to the narrow chin... he was elfin, delicate... beautiful. The high cheekbones, the dark arching eyebrows and those soft, forest-green eyes enhancing the image of this mythical creature that had captured his soul.

Mulder licked his lower lip, catching a cry of pain in his throat as his tongue slid across swollen, torn flesh. He focused on the memory of Alex's perfect lips; so soft and yet so demanding against his own. The velvet tip of an inquisitive tongue had touched his, exchanging pleasure and taste in equal measure, before curling around, seeming to explore every inch of his mouth. Mulder had welcomed the invader, drawing it into him, moaning softly as he surrendered to the sweetness of his lover's kiss.

They had quickly grown tired of the lack of comfort on the loveseat, and Alex had drawn him to his feet, wrapping him in two strong arms, their kiss deepening. Clothes had been discarded hastily as they moved blindly towards the bedroom, parting only long enough to disable the recording equipment.

Mulder closed his eyes, letting his body recall the feel of Alex's silky skin pressed against his, the play of muscle rippling beneath the ivory surface. He bit back a groan as his body reacted to the memory of hardened flesh pushing against his belly, rubbing against the hard evidence of his own desire.

They had fallen to the bed in each other's arms, mouths still locked together. Mulder smiled as he recalled how he had dragged himself away from the luscious, kiss-swollen lips so he could trace a path down the smooth throat, nipping then licking to soothe the satin flesh. He had clamped down hard at the base of the vulnerable throat, raising a welt of possession on this man who had brought such chaos into his life, feeling a reverberation tingling against his lips as Alex purred in contentment.

Strong fingers had caught in his hair when he lowered his head to latch onto the nearest nipple, leaving him teetering on the razor edge of pleasure and pain as those agile fingers tugged sharply at the short strands. Small cries of agony and ecstasy had filled the air as he worried the tight bud with his teeth before sucking hard on the puckered flesh. His hand had smoothed down the strong rib cage, trailing over the sharpness of hip before cupping one firm asscheek.

Mulder bit back another cry; one of loss. He had wanted Alex so badly, had wanted to sink into his heated flesh, had wanted to lose himself in the glory of Alex's body... and Alex had given him everything he desired. With only saliva for lubricant he had been almost crazy with fear that Alex would refuse him, but his saliva-coated fingers had slid into the tight, hot channel with surprising ease. Alex had welcomed him, his body relaxing, displaying a total trust that brought tears of wonder and joy brimming into Mulder's eyes, both then and now.

Sinking into the heat of Alex's firm flesh had given him a sense of homecoming. Here was where he belonged... where, unknowingly, he had always belonged.

A profound sadness overtook him as Mulder considered all of those wasted years searching for the truth. What had Alex once said to him? There is no truth. He tightened his lips to keep the bitter laugh inside. Perhaps the truth he believed he had been seeking had not existed, but what he had found in Alex's arms far surpassed anything he had ever hoped to discover.

Both body and mind returned to that moment of discovered truth, to the body lying open before him, willing, wanting to be filled. He had plunged into the firm ass, feeling muscle yield before his thrusts as he drove himself deeper into the writhing, passion-inflamed body. His hand had wrapped around his lover's hardened flesh, sliding from root to tip in time with his own thrusts. Strong internal muscles bore down on him, a sharp keening cry falling from the kiss-ripened lips as Alex found completion; the scent, sound and feel of his lover overloading his own senses. Mulder remembered sobbing in pleasure, calling out his lover's name as his own annihilation and rebirth swept over him.

Alex.

They had collapsed in a tangle of limbs, sweat-slicked flesh sliding against flesh, unmindful of the stickiness of spent passion laying between their close-pressed bodies. Hard, desperate kisses became softer, more gentle, reaffirming that there was far more than lust between them.

Alex.

What if I never see him again? Never hold him again? What if that was the one and only time I would ever love him?

"There. On the horizon. Your new home."

Mulder raised lifeless eyes to stare through the front screen at the City of Domes, finding no awe in the shimmering city that hugged the flat plain of the Arizona desert like glistening soap bubbles on a sandy beach.

This place would never be his home for he had already found his home in Alex's arms.

-ooOOoo-

The long journey from Winnipeg to New York took the last of his strength away as Alex gleaned as much information about this new world as possible. He listened as Adams explained the role the resistance had played in those final years, how the disappearance of its leader - of Alex Krycek - had crippled the movement at a time when he had been needed most of all. She explained how they were forced, eventually, to seek shelter in the old subways and sewers beneath the great cities, and how the population had slowly dwindled due to disease and sterility. Alex frowned when she told him how the remnants of the resistance in the United States had banded together in New York, having lost contact with the rest of the world almost a century before. It was a bleak picture, filling Alex with images of great hardship and misery.

The long journey, the emotional shock of losing Mulder so soon after they had found each other along with the beating he had sustained during their bid for freedom eventually took its toll. By the time they reached the hidden tunnels beneath the once great city, Alex was barely able to walk and yet he staggered on in the darkness, refusing any assistance from those around him.

Strong arms grabbed at him as he stumbled once more but, this time, his attempt to shake them off was met with a grip of steel. His protests fell on deaf ears as he was swept up into those powerful arms as if he was a mere babe. The rocking motion as they made their way through the dark tunnels lulled him, sending him burrowing against the dark-clad figure. He was not even aware that his body had given in to exhaustion until he awoke some time later to find he had been stripped naked and tucked into a comfortable bed.

Alex sat up and gazed around the dimly lit room, eyes widening in surprise when a dark shadow detached from the wall opposite. Momentary confusion vanished as he recalled the events leading to this place, a sense of calmness flowing over him as he realised he was in safe hands.

"Awake at last. I expect you must be hungry. I'll fetch you something to eat."

"Wait."

The shadow paused on the threshold of the room then stepped back into the small circle of light thrown out by a kerosene lamp. The dark hood was pulled back to reveal white hair crowning a handsome face. The almost translucent, alabaster skin gleamed in the semi-darkness as golden eyes with large black pupils held Alex in a questioning gaze.

"I need to speak to whoever is in charge here."

"The Leader will know you are awake."

"How? No, never mind that. Take me to him."

"No. You should rest a while longer. The Leader will send for you soon, Alexander Krycek."

The large man turned away once more but Alex refused to let this man go so easily.

"How long have I been here?"

"You've slept a full day."

The man walked away but, this time, Alex was too stunned to take notice.

A whole day?

He pushed back the heavy covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, dropping unsteadily onto his feet. The sound of fast approaching feet brought him swinging round to face the door, and he snatched up the top coverlet to retain his dignity, wrapping it around his naked body just moments before a familiar figure stepped into his room. Alex found himself smiling back in relief as he recognised the young medic who had tried to help them escape from the Consortium's clutches. He had feared the worst when Wade had been grabbed by the guard but Alex had realised, quickly, that there was nothing he could do to save the boy. His first priority had been to save Mulder... just as it had always been.

Alex felt his heart contract painfully. He had to get Mulder back. A sudden loneliness and despair filled him, reflecting back from the face of the younger man who had come to a halt only a few steps away. Alex gave himself a silent reprimand and then straightened up, holding the coverlet tight about his otherwise naked form, and he forced a welcoming smile onto his face.

Wade du Pres had raced to this room the moment he heard Alex was awake, not needing to question how the others could know as he had already guessed that the people of the Resistance had some telepathic ability. The unrestrained smile on Alex's beautiful face had sent his spirit soaring but it crashed moments later as that smile faltered only to be replaced with a false show of bravado. Wade understood the reason and blurted out the first thought that came into his head.

"I'm sorry about Mulder."

The smile tightened almost to a grimace before fading away altogether.

"I know."

"Here, let me find you some clothes."

Wade stepped over to a bureau and opened several drawers quickly in succession, pulling items from each. He placed the clothing onto the bed near to Alex then stepped away.

"Shall I wait outside while you..."

"No. It's okay."

Wade tried to ignore the heat flooding through his body as Alex dropped the cover and pulled on the dark-coloured clothing, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as he was caught silently appraising the handsome man. For a moment he envied Fox Mulder, knowing that the other had been granted the joy of touching, and of possessing the beautiful body displayed so casually before him. He forced his thoughts, and his gaze, away from the perfection of ivory flesh and well-defined muscle on the lean, graceful figure.

"My sister is here."

"What?"

Wade bit his lip, realising that he had spoken only to Mulder about the sister who had disappeared almost four years ago. However, he needed to tell someone, needed to share the joy he felt at finding his sister safe in this strange place.

"My twin sister. She never came home from school one day, but I knew what had happened. You see, they do the female tests on the sixteenth birthday; the tests to assess if a girl is fertile or not. Nicola disappeared a few days later. Everyone had heard rumours of the breeding camps, where fertile women are forced to bear one child after another for as long as they are fertile. I knew they had taken her to one, and I prayed I'd find a way to free her."

"But she's here?"

"The Resistance liberated some of the women last week. Nicola was one of them... and I have a niece. They saved her too."

Despite his own despair at losing Mulder, Alex was unable to resist the joy emanating from Wade, understanding that Wade wanted to share his happiness with someone he knew. Awkwardly, he hugged the younger man who had flown into his arms but then he gently pushed Wade away as he sensed another presence. His shadow had returned bearing a tray laden with a greyish mass that had to be some kind of gruel.

Wade smiled at the man with a familiarity that raised Alex's eyebrows, noticing the covert but equally warm response.

"Jack, I was telling Alex about my sister."

The man grinned openly with pleasure and Alex gave a wry smile at the obvious affection between the two younger men. The tray was placed onto a low table, the golden eyes holding his for a moment.

"Doesn't look very appetising but its highly nutritious... and it's all we have to offer."

Alex nodded and took a mouthful, surprised to find that it actually tasted very good. He glanced back up at Jack, nodding his approval then placed the spoon back onto the tray.

"When can I speak with the Leader?"

"As soon as you've eaten."

Alex tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he recalled the same gentle blackmail he would gain from his mother as a child. He gave a resigned sigh and picked up the spoon once more.

Ten minutes later he and Wade were led into a large antechamber where almost a dozen dark-clad figures with the same white hair, alabaster skin and golden eyes were ranged around a conference table. An elderly man rose to his feet, moving swiftly round the table to greet him.

"I am Commander Samuel Jefferson, leader of what remains of the Resistance. You will never know how much pleasure it brings me to meet you in the flesh, Alexander Krycek."

Alex was momentarily stunned to realise Jefferson was speaking the truth. He could read the pleasure, perhaps even some awe, in the golden eyes and started to feel a little overwhelmed. Jefferson must have sensed his discomfort, his demeanor changing to one far more business-like as he led Alex to a vacant seat before making a round an introductions. Wade was seated beside him but seemed already aware of the identity of every person present. Alex endured the introductions, outwardly stoic but inwardly a mass of raw emotion as he wished he could bypass all these pleasantries and get down to the real issue.

His eyes widened as, no sooner had the thought raced through his head, than Jefferson broached the subject.

"I understand your need to press on with more urgent matters. Namely the liberation of Fox Mulder from the clutches of the Consortium." Jefferson turned aside, picking up a thin stick and using it to point at a map of the United States. The tip rested above an area in far south west of what would have been Arizona. "The City of Domes is located in the flat expanse of the Gila Desert. It is impossible to approach the city by helicar without being seen, and just as suicidal to attempt to walk across the desert."

Alex waited for more, expecting the leader to inform him what would be possible. All eyes had turned to Alex and, as he glanced around the table, he recognised the sorrow held in each set of eyes that met his own.

"No. I won't accept this. There has to be a way to free Mulder." Alex ignored the pitying glances, refusing to believe that he would never hold his lover in his arms again. A coldness swept through him and Alex jumped to his feet, the chair clattering to the floor behind him as an icy rage filled him. "So you're just going to give up on him? You're not going to make even the slightest attempt to rescue him?"

He looked from one person to the next, his anger building as they lowered their eyes to avoid contact.

"Is this what we fought for? To hide like rats in the sewers, living off scraps of obsolete technology and gruel."

"There is no way into the city. It's impenetrable."

"Suicidal to even attempt to reach the city without proper authorisation."

"Authorisation?"

"I'm sorry. I understand how much this man, Fox Mulder, means to you. But it's impossible."

Alex hissed between clenched teeth. "Nothing's impossible. You just haven't found the key yet." He narrowed his eyes. "How did you know where to find me?"

"We have a few outsiders in the City of Domes who are sympathetic to our cause. Some have infiltrated the higher echelons of..." Jacqueline paused as if she could read the thoughts spinning through his mind. She shook her head. "No. They are already at great risk just by sending what little information they can glean from..."

Alex stopped her protest with a single glare, his eyes circling the table, forcing each person to look at him before moving on to the next. Finally his gaze rested on Commander Jefferson.

"It's time to stop hiding in the dark. Time to mobilize our forces before there is no one left to fight."

~zz~

Alex stared hard at each member around the table, and again the yellow-eyed group had avoided his hard glares.

"Fine." He said firmly, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I'll find a way in myself." And with that, Alex spun on his heel and stalked out of the room. As he strode toward his room, possible plans ran though his head. Alex figured that rescuing Mulder was the easy part of the plan, after all, he may be 300 years out of practice, but subterfuge and covert activity was something that one never forgot how to do. Finding a way into the dome, now that would be the hard part.

Once at his room, Alex went through the drawers, looking for anything that might aid him in his journey. As he rummaged around, Alex thought to himself that the easiest way into any building was through the front door, all he had to do was find the city of domes front door and knock on it.

~zz~

"He's right." Commented Jack. The large man had made to stop Alex from leaving the war room, but Wade placed a gentle hand on his arm and stopped him from doing so. "The best way is through the front door."

The entire group had been reading Alex's turbulent thoughts. Even Wade knew what Alex was thinking.

"Do you have a suggestion?" Commander Jefferson asked.

"Yes." Replied Jack.

"Go on." The commander encouraged.

"Beverly and I could go with commander Krycek. We could tell the officers at the gates that we escaped from the nomads. That will get us inside and if we have false memories of being captives and suffering at the hands of the nomads, then population control is sure to let us stay."

"Nomads?" Questioned Wade. He had always been told that the lands outside of the dome were poisoned with radiation, that no creature could live for long in the forbidden zone.

"I'll explain it later." Said Jack, turning toward Wade,

"I don't know." Hesitated the commander, he wasn't so sure he wanted to risk the father of the revolution as well as his two best soldiers for the offspring of the founding father of the consortium movement.

Beverly, anxious to do her part piped in. "I think it will work Sam. If we implant into my memories that I used to be a civilian programmer within the ministry of defence, I'm sure that after they scan me, they will put me back to work in the department. Even in a low-level position, I'll be able to gain access to the main frame. All I need to do is implant the virus that we've be working on and their defence grid will be rendered useless. You and the troops can storm in and retake the city in the name of the people and the revolution." Her dark golden eyes glowed with the thoughts of victory for the rebellion. She had spent her whole life living underground and fighting. She wanted to have a normal life.

"I can pass as former heavy labourer with the military. That way I can stay close to the captain, and back her up if need be."

The commander nodded, he liked the idea of the revolution taking over the city, its what they had been planning for generations. It seemed fitting that Alex Krycek should lead them. Jefferson pushed the romantic notion that the newly found Krycek would be their savoir and asked pragmatically, "What of Krycek? He may have been the leader and our founding father, but it's been over 300 years. Times have changed a great deal since he first ran free on the planet. We cannot let population control discover his true identity. He will not be trained in the art of mind disguise like you two."

"We can keep him close to us by having the laboratory plant memories of him being a prostitute. The military will be sure to keep him inside the barracks."

"I doubt Alex will be thrilled to find out that his 'cover' is that of a well used whore." Interrupted Wade. "What if they try to have sex with him?" A pang of jealous streaked through Wade. Not so much because he wanted Alex for himself, though he did in a varying degree, but because Fox would not like another touching Krycek in such a way. Wade might be in love, but he was a realist. He knew where Fox Mulder's devotions lay; Wade did not have to be a mind reader to figure that out.

Jack as well as all the others felt the strong emotions within the medic. The seasoned soldier smiled, the young man had no idea how transparent he really was to the rest of them. The young blond lusted for Alex Krycek and loved Fox Mulder.

"Well, I don't see any other way to get him inside. The technology today is too far advanced from what he would remember, for him to learn in such a short amount of time." Stated Beverly.

"Besides," countered Jack, "I doubt Alex Krycek will stay in the military dome. Population control will probably send him to the consortium dome. You know as well as I do Wade that those old goats wouldn't let such a good-looking man serve the regular army for long. I have no doubt that he will be passed around from one consortium dog to another, but commander Krycek is a soldier and I *know* he would willingly do whatever he has too to retrieve Fox Mulder. The two of them will most likely be housed together in the consortium dome. Bev and I can shut down the defence grid and when Commander Jefferson arrives, she and I will go and rescue them both."

Commander Jefferson nodded his assent. He looked to each member in the room. "Are we in agreement? Captains Scully and Adams and commander Krycek will make their way into the city and we will wait for the signal and then attack?" The members nodded in unison. "It's settled then. Make haste Captain Adams. You can leave in twelve hours." The group in the room stood up and then filed out. Wade followed Beverly out and set off straight for Alex's room to let him know that there was hope yet.

When the room was cleared, the commander called Jack back. "We need to set up some alternative plans in case things don't go according to schedule..." The two men put their heads together and commander Jefferson brief Jack Scully on an alternate plan of action.

~zz~

No matter how much he washed, Mulder could not erase the stink of Lermontov from his body. He had been in the consortium's secure dome for one week now and in seven days, the minister had had sex with him twelve times. In the beginning, Fox fought the well kept fifty year-old, but a collar around his neck ensured that he did not 'act up' too much.

The collar was controlled by a small remote that the minister carried with him at all times. At the back of the metal collar, there was a number pad. Only the right combinations of numbers would release the apparatus. The collar worked much like a dog-training collar. Whenever Fox made the 'wrong' movement or said the wrong thing, the minister would depress a switch sending an electrical jolt through Fox. The force of the jolt depended on how severe the minister judged the infraction that Mulder had committed.

After five days, Fox gave up fighting too hard, and instead, put up with the minister's attentions; preferring to concentrate on a way to get himself out of this mess. Once he escaped he might be able to find out what happened to Alex.

"Ohhhh Alex..." murmured Fox falling to his knees beneath the hot spray. He was sick with worry, no one would tell him a thing when it came to what had happened to his lover.

In fact, when Fox asked the minister, he was severely punished by the older man, whose jealousy concerning the much younger, far more handsome man was a clear as the crystal decanter on the dresser.

A loud knock at the bathroom door drew Fox's attention away from the plight of his lover. He sighed heavily and standing up, he turned off the taps. "Who is it?" He asked. It couldn't be Lermontov, he was in a meeting tonight; Fox had been given the night off.

"It's Lieutenant Commander Morrison." Came the reply.

Fox grabbed the deep blue towel that carried the emblem of the ministry and wrapped it around his waist. He opened the door and stepped out of the steamy room. "What do you want?" He demanded, unable to keep the contempt from his voice.

The handsome Commander, decked out in his military 'dress' uniform, scratched underneath the cool metal collar that he wore. As soon as Mulder emerged from the minister's bathroom, he quickly pulled his hand away from the embarrassing device. "I'm here to escort you to a get together that's taking place after the meeting."

Mulder hmmphed cynically. He knew what the Commander really meant was that Fox was to appear on the Minister's elbow for the rest of the night, dressed up and looking pretty so the old goat could show him off to the rest of the consortium pervs.

"The minister requests you presence as soon as possible." Morrison studied Mulder for a second, then pulled his gaze away from him and projected it toward the suit that hung on an expensive, 20th century antique coat rack. "I brought the suit that you are supposed to wear to the function."

The change in the formerly cocky commander was apparent to Mulder, who had only known the man a short while. Something was up; the commander was dressed to the nines and wearing a collar just like him. Mulder smiled, so the commander was being disciplined too. The former agent dropped his towel and as he dressed, he asked Morrison casually, "Do you know what happened to Alex?"

Morrison unconsciously fiddled with the collar then dropped his hand before answering. "No." He said dully.

Mulder did his pants up as Morrison answered him. "Liar!" He yelled just before launching himself at the much stronger soldier.

The commander easily wrestled Mulder to the bed and pinned him down. "I am telling you the truth Fox, I honestly don't know where Alex is." He continued to hold down the struggling Mulder.

"Bastard, don't think that I can't see the lust you have for him in your eyes."

Suddenly, Morrison gave up. He let go of Mulder and stood.

Mulder got up off of the bed hesitantly and then resigning himself to the fact that regardless of what he wanted he was still going to have to get dressed and go with the Lieutenant Commander to the reception.

He resumed dressing.

"You're right. I do lust after Alex, but that still doesn't change the fact that I don't know where he is." Morrison undid the top buttons to his uniform and exposed the very same 'training' collar that Fox was wearing. "I'm being punished for my part in the coup. We were supposed to bring you and Alex to the city but then the revolutionary's broke in. Our orders were to save you first. I wanted to go back for Alex, but we were cut off from him....." Morrison did his buttons back up and straightened his uniform. "I honestly don't know if Krycek is dead or alive. Part of my punishment is *not* knowing."

Morrison watched Mulder dressed, but even the handsome former agent's beautiful body could not lift his spirit. "It's just as well Alex is not here, better he should be dead."

Mulder stared hard at the lieutenant. "Don't say that...don't ever say that again! I will never believe him dead until I see his corpse....and even then..."

The lieutenant scratched below his collar again, the cold metal chafed at his neck where his laser-razor could not reach the rough blond whiskers. "If he were here Fox, his fate would be much worse than yours or mine. At least only Lermontov forces himself on you, I know for a fact that the plan was for Alex to entertain several of the consortium ministers, most likely all at once. I personally know several members who like to gang bang a pretty man. If Alex is found alive, they will not hesitate to use him. "

"Oh god..."whispered Mulder, feeling rather nauseous. When would this nightmare end? Maybe it would be better if his lover was dead.

Done with dressing himself, Mulder ran a brush through his hair and check his suit in the large floor to ceiling mirror that covered one entire wall of the large suite of rooms that the minister called 'home'.

At the door, before leaving, Fox turned to Morrison and fingered the barely visible collar. "Who are you wearing this for?" He asked.

The lieutenant commander paused for a few seconds and Fox thought that perhaps the man was considering not answering, but the lieutenant replied.

"General Alderton put this on me for failing to return with both you and Alex. I've been his whore and an ornament for his arm for the last week and will continue to be so for the next three weeks. The General is a most brutal man, especially when he feels that he is not being respected." Morrison quickly undid his military dress pants and pulled them down along with his underwear. "This is what happens when soldier's of the resistance break into a secure military base."

Fox could not help but gasp at the site of the lieutenant's buttocks. The creamy white cheeks were criss-crossed with angry red welts and raw stripes; evidence of being whipped.

Morrison hiked up his clothes and turned to Fox. "Come on, we better go before the minister and the General miss us too much."

With that, the pair of men, formerly enemies - left the Minister of Air and Space apartment as semi allies.

~zz~

After eight days of planning, the trio of Krycek, Adams and Scully were finally ready to depart. Wade had wanted to go, but Jack, in love with and over-protective of the young medic would not let him. Jack reasoned with Wade that he should stay to care for the members of the rebellion and that he should also stay so he could get to know his sister again.

Wade couldn't argue with the soldier's logic.

On the night before departing, Wade went to Jack's room. He wanted to find a way to thank the soldier for saving not only his life, but Alex's too, and he especially wanted to thank him for putting his precious life of the line in order to save Fox Mulder's. After a few minutes of small talk, Wade swallowed his courage and leaning in, he kissed the golden-eyed man fervently. Jack knew what was on the younger man's mind and why, which was why he only let the kiss continue on for a few seconds. He reached down and gently pried Wade's hands from around his neck.

"What?" Asked Wade, lust evident in his large blue eyes.

"Thanks is not necessary Wade. I know where your heart lies; with Fox Mulder. But that doesn't matter to me, I'll gladly do my part to save him simply because I am a soldier. I know you know that I am in love with you, which is why you come to me today. You want to thank me for going with commander Krycek and for watching over him." Jack smiled down lovingly into Wade's eyes.

"I want to be here with you Jack. I may not love you yet, but I am really fond of you. Fox and Alex belong together, Fox will never look at me like he does Alex....but you...do. I'm a virgin still Jack, and I'm tired of waiting, I want you to be my first. I admit, when I first walked in my intentions were to give myself to you as a way of saying 'thank you'. But I'm also here because I *want* to be and because, I really do want you." Wade smiled and stood up on his tip-toes and began to kiss the shocked soldier again.

Jack quickly scanned Wade's mind, found that blond really did want him, and then he gave in to the younger man's needs as well as his own. It had been a long time since he had made love, and Jack intended to make this night memorable for both of them

~zz~

Alex, Jack and Beverly sat around the tiny campfire warming their hands. They had been travelling on foot for three days now, and in two more, they would be at the domes general entrance. The group had stashed a helicar in a large cave hidden by some large birch trees. They could not risk using the car in the forbidden zone, or else the domes security would know that they were not really escaped captives of the nomads.

The nomads used wagons and horses much like their ancestors did four hundred years ago. Though they could have had the technology given to them for such luxuries by the city of domes, the nomads rejected it. They had their own methods and means and the domed city had wisely chosen to trade with the brutal people as opposed to enslaving them. For it was the nomads who knew where to find and mine the exotic gems that were so coveted by the rich in the city. Along with gems, the nomads also dealt with human slaves. It was common knowledge to the powers that be within the secure city that there were many pockets of 'innocent' people living in the forbidden zone. Every once in awhile the nomads would find a small band of natural born humans and raid their camps...taking all those who survived, to the city to be sold.

Jack and Beverly had warned Alex extensively about the ferocity of the nomads, and though the Russian was well aware of the danger, nothing could prepare for the new barbarians.

A high pitched yodel broke the stillness of the clear night and all three immediately knew that they had been discovered. Each pulled their weapon and formed a triangle by standing back to back. The nomads swept in like a tsunami, and within minutes, it was clear that unless they took to flight, capture was imminent.

"Run!" Yelled Jack who valiantly tried to shoot his way through the growing swarm of bearded, reeking men.

Beverly screamed when the first of the nomads over took her as she tried to run and shoot her path clear.

Alex turned, wanting to help the brave woman, but he immediately saw that there was nothing do be done, so he turned his back on his comrades and took off. He had managed to make it to a stand of trees and from there he broke into an all out run for his freedom across the darkened dessert. The yells and screams behind him silenced, and were replaced by the eerie yodels of nomadic pursuers. Alex ran on, not daring to let up even though he could hear the in eligible voices growing closer. Alex turned and fired over his shoulder, hitting the horse that a nomad sat upon. To his surprise, sparks flew out from the animal's flank and rained out over the cold dessert sands.

The horse was not real, but mechanical.

Knowing all hope was lost, but still unable to give himself up, Alex forced his legs to carry him.

The nomad whose horse had been hit pulled up the reigns of his ride and took aim at the fleeing man. He fired his weapon and a small pellet, which grew larger as it gained on the target, opened up. A strong net sank over top of Alex and took him down. He had been captured. Pissed that his horse's circuits had been damaged, the nomad jumped down and ran toward his quarry. Once he had reached the man, the nomad delivered several kicks to Alex's body and face. His aggression satisfied, the nomad rolled over Alex over and cut away the netting. Then he used the ropes of the damaged net to bind Alex's hands tightly behind his back.

The nomad hoisted Alex up and over his shoulder and carried him to his steel steed and tossed him over the horses bare back. The nomad jumped up and turned the horse around and made his way back to his companions who were holding the other two outlanders captive.

~zz~

Two Days Later: City of Domes general population gate house.

The smelly guard manning the sealed entrance turned Alex's bruised face this way and that. The guard pushed his fat hand beneath the small tunic that the nomads had dressed Alex in and felt the Russian's genitals. The guard's intruding hand lingered longer than it should have; he ignored the daggers that were shooting from Alex's furious green eyes.

Alex had a ball gag in his mouth, so menacing looks was the best he could do at the moment.

"I'll give you the usual fee plus two sets of new circuits for you horse for all three of the slaves."

The nomad nodded, accepting the terms. Not wanting to be in the city any longer than was necessary, the nomad told the guard that he would be back the following day to collect his price.

~zz~

Another guard joined the first and all three, still bound and gagged, were ushered into a small cell where their 'memories' were read. Jack and Beverly were to be sent, as expected along to the military dome where doctors would read their minds more closely then determine a place for them in the military community. A third guard collected the two captains and took them away, neither one had time to ask that their comrade be sent with them.

Alex found himself alone in the cell with the two guards, and suddenly a memory, one not implanted by the rebellions scientists, flashed through his mind. He remembered a stainless steel shower room, and man behind him, grunting and groaning his pleasure. Alex quickly tried to shake the vision, it wouldn't do to have the guard see *that* on his palm sized screen. The second guard ran his portable apparatus over Alex's frontal lobe, and hazy images of servicing soldiers played on the screen.

"Figures...pretty boy like you...all you're good for is fucking." Sneered the second guard.

Alex stared hard at the men and silently willed one of them to remove the gag. His hands were also restrained. They were held down tightly to his sides by means of thick metal magnetic bracelets attached to a chain around his waist.

"I guess we'd better send him along with the other two to the military dome." Said the second guard as he put away his device.

"No." Fat and Smelly replied. "Send him to the dome of vices, he'll earn us a pretty penny on the black market." As if reacting to Alex's silent wishes, the guard reached up and started to untie the gag. "We'll sell him on the underground slave market....."

Alex didn't like the sounds of that. He didn't want to be separated from the two captains for very long. As soon as the first guard pulled the gag out of his mouth, Alex launched himself at the guard who had dared to invade his person, successfully taking a large chunk out of the man's rotund cheek before being pulled off by the second guard.

"You filthy little whore!" raged the guard, jamming his palm against his cheek trying to staunch the flow of blood.

Not one to back down from a fight, Alex spit the quarter sized chunk of flesh back at it's former owner and seethed, "Fuck you...."

Outraged by the Russian's actions, the first guard hauled off and hit Alex in the gut. The punch forced the air of Alex, and he sank to his knees, the second guard released him just in time for the first guard to lay a severe beating on him.

Unconscious Alex after the pommelling, Alex was cleaned up and the healing wand passed over him so that all his bruises and scrapes were gone.

After that he was revived, transported and then placed upon the auction block.

It took only a few minutes for the auction to grow frenzied, no one had seen a man with a foreskin for a very long time; all of the city's males were genetically engineered not to be born with one.

But in Alex, the crowd of men, young and old alike, saw an exotic beauty. They all assumed that they had a genuine 'natural born' in their midst and every pimp and whore-master taking part in the auction wanted Alex in their stable.

Gagged again so as not to bite another, all Alex could do was stand on display and watch, as the price for his flesh grew higher and higher.

~zz~

Chapter 4