From: lone_jaguar@geocities.com (Nicole van Dam aka The Warfarine Dealer) Subject: New: El Tigre (1/7) Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 22:30:22 -0500 ******* El Tigre (1/7) By: Nicole 'the Warfarine Dealer' van Dam lone_jaguar@geocities.com DISCLAIMER: Yeah, yeah. They ain't mine. I'm not creative enough. BAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! Okay, I'll give the recognition. Ummm. Yeah, so, Mulder an' Scully belong to that guy with the curly hair an' the prod. studio that he named himself. Pfft!! Birthday? How original is that? All right, all right. Chris Carter. There. His name's on it. An' FOX too. Even if I absolutely loathe them, I thought I'd say they're part of it too so I don't get bound and gagged and tarred and feathered. (I got a lot of feathers but I ain't no chicken) The Jaguar Spirit belongs to herself. Dr. Joanne Thornton is mine however. Feel free to borrow her, provided you ask me. COMMENTS: WOOOOHOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!! AHHAHAHAHAHA! Woah guys. Sorry. I'm ridin' a little high 'cause I just saw Canada win the men's 4x100 relay! Yeah! Canucks rule! Robert Esmie rocks!! You blast off baby! Plus the whole Donovan Baily thing. You know, it gets ya' right there. Umm yeah, got my own character in here thanks to the Dragon Sheryl Martin who gave me that final kick in the ass (or 'arse' as most Americans seem to think we say it) to create her. So, thanks Sheryl! :~) (I hope it's okay that I mentioned Jackie. BTW, absolutely *loved* the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 referral in Dragons of a Child, brought tears to my eyes (in a good way). You're awesome!) Okay. So I made it a multi-parter to screw with all those other authors who do 'em an' make me so angry (Don't stop though. The stories are great! :~)). An' I'm purposely leaving out consonants in these comments 'cause I don't feel like using 'em (Not like the English language is screwed up enough already). RATING: No sex, no profanity, well, not a lot and no MSR. sorry. perhaps the next time I boot my comp. Like tomorrow. :~) I think I'll rate it in between PG and R suppose. I don't know. Comments, suggestions and flames are always welcome. Though, I should add, the flames will be used for various things. Warm my house, roast weenies, toast marshmallows (even if I don't like them that much) and well . . . amuse me because I love fire. :~) Enjoy. ********************************************************************** El Tigre (1/7) By: Nicole 'the Warfarine Dealer' van Dam (I know what you're thinking, and there's no relation :~() Amazon Rainforest 1969 "I see them! They're over there!" A group of Brazilian authorities ran through the dense jungle in the direction that one was pointing. They had been sent out to retrieve the two 'Wild Children' that had been spotted near some rancher's cattle. Apparently, they had killed two already. Some of the neighbouring farmers said they had seen them with one of the most elusive animals in the world: The jaguar, evidently untouched. Some said they had been raised by the wild cat; like one of the cubs. The theory was well taken with the locals and now they wanted them apprehended. The lead of the group hushed his companions. The two children, one girl, one boy, were sitting by a stream washing themselves--just like a cat. The girl licked her arms and hands, wiping them on her face. When one of the officers stepped on a dry twig, the snap of the wood caused the young pair to stop their activity and listen intently. They turned their heads from side to side. One of the men brought his tranquilizer gun into his sights. The click of the shoulder strap gave their location away. The pair turned and faced the group of uniformed men. The man got one good shot off before they darted off into the dense underbrush. Both were out of their sights before they could even start a chase. The little girl sped through the jungle; leaping over logs and bushes like they didn't exist. She turned to look behind when she heard her companion. **The tree!** he told her. **Into the tree!** The girl looked overhead and spotted a large branch protruding from the large tree trunk. Without a look back, she leapt into the tree, using other branches to grab hold of. Once safely perched, the girl removed the dart that was lodged in her thigh and dropped it to the ground. **Keep going,** she returned to her friend. **Don't worry about me.** Her sight began to blur; the effects of the tranquilizer kicking in. She could just see the group of authorities looking up at her when it all went black. **I love you**. . . 1996 New York City Zoo South American Pavilion 1:25am The full moon cast its white light on the deserted zoo. It danced on the large pool of water that was located in the middle of a lush jungle. At least, what was meant to be a jungle. The curators of the zoo had done their very best to make the cage resemble the animal's habitat. A pair of deep yellow eyes appeared in the shadows. Stretching beside the large rock/cave, a black cat lurked around the pool. It crouched and bent its head to lap up some of the cool water. Another cat watched from the tree branch; its limbs dangling over the sides. It seemed disinterested; as most cats are. The blinding light was what caught its attention. It looked to the source overhead. There was a humming that was heard and a platform was lowered level to the tree branch. Three dark figures stood, holding onto the chains. In one's hand, a gun. The figure aimed the small gun and shot at the unsuspecting cat. It let out a wild yowl but before it could fall off the branch, the other two figures pulled it onto the platform. The dark cat watched from the confining shadows. Something was really wrong. It saw its companion being raised into the machine and carried away. It was then that it decided to come out of the shadows to watch the machine disappear over the horizon. New York City 8:30am Sunlight spilled into the large living room that was adorned with all sorts of decoration. Wood floor and walls were ornamented with photos and artwork from many lands. Mainly tribal work. Sculptures, carvings and paintings. A large window in the room looked out onto the famed Central Park. A glass door led to a patio where a woman sat, reading the morning newspaper. She wore a long caftan which was generously decorated with deep reds and yellows and a necklace dangled low on her chest. It was unlike most jewellery. An amethyst and metal amulet of an unusual design. It was hung on a leather chain. A cool breeze teased the tendrils of hair which had escaped the elastic that had been placed there. The woman opened the front section while sipping a cup of coffee. The headline immediately leapt out at her: JAGUAR STRIPPED FROM UNDER ZOO'S NOSE. "Damn," she whispered. She stood, quickly gathering her things from the table and ran inside. She nearly tripped over her cat. It yowled at her annoyed. "Well maybe if you didn't get in my way all the time," she replied to her furry companion. "Stupid cat." This was it. She'd decided that on the way to work. She wasn't going to stand by and let these innocent animals be captured by God knows what. She burst into the New York City branch of the FBI and rushed straight up to her boss's desk. "John," she said. The portly man looked up from his breakfast of coffee and a donut. "What is it Jo?" he asked. She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "I need a ticket to DC." FBI Headquarters Washington DC 1:00pm The basement office was silent as usual. The only sounds were of paper rustling and the keys of a laptop. Agent Fox Mulder had buried his nose into a file right when he stepped into work. It was a usual ritual when there wasn't a case to go on. His partner walked in not too long after and after saying their good mornings and getting herself a cup of coffee, she dove into her laptop, finishing off paperwork she started the night before. "Hey Scully," Mulder said, breaking the silence. She looked up at him from her desk. "You think that a man could pry open a five foot thick steel door with his bare hands? I mean, given the circumstances." Scully stared at him blankly and blinked a few times. He nodded. "Me either." "Look, I don't care. I'm not scared of you. I need to talk to them." Dana frowned at her partner after hearing the exchange of a man and a woman coming from the hall outside the door. Fox stood from his desk and walked over to open the door. A woman, standing about 5'5 shoved herself past a security guard. The guard grabbed her arm and she turned to Mulder. "You think you could call off your dogs?" she asked in an annoyed tone. Fox looked at her, then to the security. He nodded and the guard let her go and left. "Thank you." She brushed past Mulder and into his office. "Man, for two outcasts like yourselves, you sure got a lot of people worried about you." She brushed herself off and straightened the leather vest she wore. She walked over and sat in Mulder's chair, letting out a big sigh. Mulder looked at Scully as their visitor started rooting around Mulder's desk. Fox decided he should speak. "I'm sorry, and you are?" he asked her. When she looked up at him, Mulder had to bite back the shock. Her face was naturally tanned and smooth with the exception of three identical scars that lined her cheek bone from her ear to her mouth. She smiled warmly and stood, extending her arm. "The name's Joanne Thornton. Friends call me Jo and really good friends call me Jag. I'm from the New York City Bureau." Mulder cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you Ms. Thornton," he said. He shook her hand. "Fox Mulder." He motioned to his partner. "Dana Scully." "Fox huh?" She looked him over. "Did you name yourself that? . . . Nevermind, I think I'll call you Mulder." Mulder opened his mouth to reply, but she had moved over to a chuckling Scully and shook her hand. "Hey there . . . Seems you're a little more 'with the Norm'. Mind if I call you Dana? I work better under more personal circumstances." Dana shook her head. "So what can we do for you Ms. Thornton?" "Please," she said, leaning against a shelf. "Call me Jo. Ms. Thornton makes me sound stiff." Fox smiled at his partner. He was liking her already. "And I've ah . . . got something that might interest you two." "What's that?" Scully asked, taking off her glasses. Jo smiled. "For the past two weeks, seven animals have disappeared from the New York City Zoo. All of which are endangered feline." "Cats?" Mulder asked. Thornton looked at Dana and pointed a finger at Fox. "He's a sharp one isn't he?" Scully smiled. "What happened?" she asked. Jo sighed. "No one knows exactly," she replied. "There haven't been any witnesses as the disappearances have happened when the zoo's deserted. There hasn't been any evidence of poachers or anything of the sort. None of the cages or security devices have been destroyed or tampered with." Mulder rubbed his chin. "What about cameras?" "Nothing," Jo told him. "None of the cameras picked anything up . . . Barring the fact that they were abducted." She chuckled. "But since when have aliens been interested in animals?" Scully looked at her desk. Fox watched her. Jo looked at them both. "What? They haven't, have they?" Mulder looked at her. "Jo," he said. His face was serious. "Do you believe?" Thornton was confused. "In what?" The man cleared his throat. "UFOs." He could feel Scully roll her eyes at him. "Sure I do," Jo answered, as if it didn't matter. "But you don't really think they did this, do you?" Neither Mulder or Scully wanted to tell her, but they both knew they were thinking of Sophie and the zoo in Fairfield. Fox looked at Dana. "I think we should check this out." New York City Zoo 8:00pm It was after hours for the zoo. Mulder and Scully felt that this was the best time to go. Jo led them straight from the airport to the zoo. After speaking to security, they wandered through the pavilions until they ended up at the South American one. Jo walked slowly around the cage that once held two Jaguars. Now only one. She couldn't see it. She finally met up with Mulder and Scully who were talking to a zoo official. ". . . No," the official told the two agents. "He's not letting anybody near him. Not even his trainer whom he's known for a long time. Someone tried to sedate him but . . ." The keeper shrugged. "He almost took his hand off." "Why do you think that is?" Fox asked. "Probably the shock of his companion being taken away." The man sighed. "Especially in his presence." Jo stood with them, but couldn't keep her eyes off the cage. She had to see the jaguar. Just to make sure. She hadn't told Mulder or Scully about her 'ability'. She wasn't sure if she wanted to; wasn't sure if they could be trusted. Then she saw him. He was beautiful; walking over to the pool of water. "He's an Amazon?" Jo asked, keeping her eyes on the cat. The keeper was shocked at her knowledge. "Yes," he answered. "How did you know?" "Melanistic," she said. "Black jaguars, the fiercest and most aggressive of the species, have been recorded in the Amazon forests." She brought her hands up to the cool metal of the cage. "I want to see him," she told them suddenly. Fox and Dana looked at her as if she was off her rocker. "I'm sorry, I can't let you risk that," the official told her. "It's too dangerous." "Dangerous my ass," Jo snapped. "I want inside." "Take it easy Jo," Mulder said. Jo looked at the cat, then at Mulder who watched her with soft eyes. Her eyes flicked to Scully and the zoo official. Suddenly, she leaned forward and pushed Mulder into Scully and the zoo keeper. Leaning around Mulder, she stole the keeper's keys. She turned and unlocked the door deftly and locked it up again. With her inside. ***** End o' part one ***** El Tigre (2/7) "Dangerous my ass," Jo snapped. "I want inside." "Take it easy Jo," Mulder said. Jo looked at the cat, then at Mulder who watched her with soft eyes. Her eyes flicked to Scully and the zoo official. Suddenly, she leaned forward and pushed Mulder into Scully and the zoo keeper. Leaning around Mulder, she stole the keeper's keys. She turned and unlocked the door deftly and locked it up again. With her inside. "Jo!" Dana exclaimed. "What are you doing?" Jo looked at her intensely. Scully almost thought that her eyes changed. "I'm going to talk to the animals." She turned to the keeper who was brushing himself off; fuming about her taking his keys. "What's his name?" she asked in a low voice. Her chin pointed toward the cat who was now watching them. "I can't let you--" "His name!" she yelled at him. Her chest heaved at the activity and urgency. Mulder and Scully watched her with wide eyes. "Attila," the official told her quietly. Jo turned her back on them and looked at the jaguar. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "What the hell is she doing?" the keeper demanded the agents. "Talking to the animals," Fox replied with a faint smile. **I'm not here to hurt you,** she told the cat. **I need to know what happened to your friend.** She advanced on the animal slowly, so not to scare it. The deep yellow eyes bored into hers. **I'm your friend Attila.** Scully looked up at Mulder who was watching Jo with a smile. "Mulder, what--" "Exactly what she said Scully," he told her, answering her unasked question. Jo stopped in front of the cat and knelt on the soft grass. She reached out slowly and the animal jerked slightly. **It's okay Attila,** she said calmly. **I won't hurt you . . . I promise.** Her palm finally stopped and rested on the jaguar's soft head. It's eyes closed and it brushed up against her, knocking her over. Jo laughed and sat back, watching the cat sit between her and the three spectators. She reached out again and touched its back. It turned its head and flicked its tail. Fox smiled down at Dana. His partner was equally amazed. "Mulder," Jo called. "Would you two like to come in?" The two partners exchanged glances. "Is it . . . is it safe?" Scully asked. Jo smiled and nodded. She stood and walked over to the door. She picked up the keys where she had dropped them beside the door. The jaguar stood and began a low growl deep in its chest. Mulder and Scully stopped at the door, unsure about setting foot inside. Jo looked back at the cat and raised a hand. **It's okay,** she said. **They're my friends.** The cat stopped and sat where it was. Jo turned back to her companions. "I told him you were my friends," she said. Not wanting to go much further, Fox and Dana stopped a few feet inside the door and crouched low to the ground. Jo moved next to them. **Come here Attila,** she said. **They want to meet you.** The cat approached them slowly. It stopped right in front of them and lay down. Jo looked at the astonished agents and smiled. "Pet him." Mulder wasn't too sure about this, but Scully stretched out a hand, very slowly, and touched the cat's head. When it rubbed up against her palm, she smiled. "Jo, this is amazing," she told her. "How d--" Jo silenced her with a hand. "All in due time Dana." 9:30pm The car ride was quiet. Neither Mulder or Scully knew what to say. They had never had such a close encounter with a wild animal. Jo drove the car, smiling all the way. She didn't get to do that very often; introduce the human world with the animal one. But when she did, she loved it. She looked in the rearview mirror at Fox. "Uh, how 'bout you guys stay at my place," she offered. "Save you the money . . ." She smiled. "Well, the citizen's money." "Oh, no," Dana said. "We wouldn't want to--" "Nothing to it," Jo interrupted. "I've got a big place. There's plenty of room." Scully looked back at Mulder. He just smiled at her and shrugged. Jo's House 10:00pm When Jo said she had plenty of room, she wasn't kidding. Her house was massive. For one person anyway. Jo shut the car door and sucked in a deep breath. "Ahhh," she exhaled. "Gotta love that New York air." Dana smiled as Mulder walked around to the trunk of the car. "Jo?" She turned to him. "Keys?" She tossed him the keys of the rental car and headed up the steps to her house. "You need a hand Mulder?" Scully asked. "Naw it's okay, I got it." Jo looked back at Scully. "He's pretty handy." Scully smiled as she fell in step with Thornton. Fox was only a few steps behind. "So Jo," Scully started. "How did a federal agent like yourself land a place like this?" Jo chuckled. "Side jobs," she replied, unlocking the door. "Side jobs?" Jo nodded as the door opened. Scully had to keep her eyes from bugging out of her head. The front hall was huge. A large staircase on the left led upstairs. The floor was hardwood, and waxed to a perfect shine. Odd sculptures and other pieces of artwork adorned the walls and tables. A rug covered a good portion of the floor. It was a real wild design with dull blues, greens and yellows. The hall was very open. You could see part of the kitchen, the living room and part of what could have been a den. Scully wasn't sure. Suddenly, Jo found her arms holding a Siamese cat who seemed to be extremely happy to see her home. "Hey Thai," she said, petting its head. Dana watched the two of them. She was never all that fond of cats but, there was something about this case. Fox stepped in a minute later and let out a low whistle. "Swanky," he said softly. "How'd you pull this off Jo?" Jo shook her head. "Like I said, side jobs." "Like what?" Scully shot him a look that told him he shouldn't be pressing their hostess. Jo walked into the kitchen with the cat. "Books," she replied. Mulder and Scully followed her in. "Books?" Scully asked. "What kind?" Jo chuckled. "Animal behaviour. You can see I've got a little bit of an advantage." She set her furry companion on top of the refrigerator and opened the door. Fox skimmed a small bookshelf beside him. "*Dr.* Joanne Thornton?" he asked. Jo smiled. "Yeah. When I was 24, I got a PhD in biology." "Where?" Scully was suddenly interested. "UBC," Jo answered. "I moved to Winnipeg when I was 13, then decided I wanted to go to B.C. for university." She sighed. "I guess I just had a knack." Mulder laughed. "I don't know," he said. "Getting a Doctorate within, what, four years? That's gotta be more than just a knack." Jo dodged the comment and grabbed some cat food out of the cupboard. "I do artwork too." She motioned to pictures on the wall. Dana looked at her partner. "Wow," she said. "These are beautiful." Scully had always wished that she could create images like those hanging on the wall. She was just never that creative. She smiled to herself. Not in that way anyway. "So," Jo interrupted Scully's line of thought. "You guys hungry?" The pair nodded. "Well then, what are you in the mood for?" Jo looked from one to the other. "Chinese?" Fox suggested. Scully nodded. "Awww," Jo said. "Ordering out?" The partnered agents just looked at one another. Jo shrugged and picked up the phone. "All right. Chinese it is then. But tomorrow, I'm giving you some real food." 11:00pm The trio sat in the 'party room' as Jo called it. The TV blared an old rerun of Jeopardy! that she and Mulder played. Dana sat in the back, enjoying the competition. "Answer: A landlocked country in Asia which has four different climates." "India," Mulder stated. Jo nearly choked on her chow mein. "India?" she asked incredulously. "He said landlocked you fool." "Then what's the answer Miss I-know-everything?" Jo smiled. "Nepal." "Jeff." "What is Nepal." "You are right. And that ends the Jeopardy! round. Double Jeopardy! right after this." "Hah!" Jo exclaimed. "See? I was right." Mulder dove into his egg roll. "Actually," Scully's voice came from the background. "You're both wrong." "What?" Jo asked. "You heard the guy." "Yes. But Jeopardy! rules state that you must answer in the form of a question." Mulder laughed. "Okay, okay," Jo gave up. "But when double Jeopardy! comes around, your ass is mine Mulder." 1:30am The house was silent. Jo had shown Fox and Dana two rooms upstairs where they could sleep. The rooms were big, and had the most comfortable beds in them. Scully fell asleep once her head hit the pillow. Mulder, however, was still awake when Jo walked by his door. "Hey," he whispered. Jo appeared in his doorway. "Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you." Mulder shook his head. "You didn't. Where are you going? Want some company?" "No, no," she said. "I'm just going for a walk. I'll be back in an hour." Mulder nodded as she left, but . . . ************************* Jo breathed in deeply. The cool night air filled her lungs. She stretched out a few tired muscles. God, it had been a while since she did this. She hoped she remembered how. But she really needed to. She was wide awake and needed to release some energy. She glanced down the street both ways, just to make sure no one saw her. She chuckled to herself. Last time someone caught her in the act, she almost got arrested. She just told the police, you know, it was late at night. Things come alive at night. A sly smile crept across her face. Oh, do they ever. After one last look, she grasped the amulet around her neck in her right hand and dropped to her knees. She closed her eyes and bowed her head; words from another world spilled out of her lips. Over and over again. The cloud of blue and green dust swirled around her. Then she felt it. It was happening. She felt the power surge through her; to every part of her body. She felt the wisdom enter her head. Her arms expanded in diameter as well as her legs. Her body grew an extra three inches as she chanted further. Then the final change. The tail. Jo stood in her new body; the strength and power giving her the energy of a hundred men. She stretched again, feeling the muscles contract and relax; the muscles she never had before. God, this felt good. She looked at her hands and what she could see of the rest of her body. She smiled and with the sharp glint of her new yellow eyes, she leapt onto the nearest roof. Time to go try it out . . . Jag. ***** End o' part two ***** El Tigre (3/7) She looked at her hands and what she could see of the rest of her body. She smiled and with the sharp glint of her new yellow eyes, she leapt onto the nearest roof. Time to go try it out . . . Jag. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop; enjoying the sense of freedom. It took almost no energy to jump the ten metres to the next house. And, oddly enough, she felt more secure running on all fours than on two feet. She could also do it much faster. This was what she meant when she told Mulder and Scully that her really good friends called her Jag. It just made sense. If they saw her like this, she told them to refer to her as Jag. It would give them some kind of detachment to her human form. It also took a hell of a long time to convince them that she wasn't some kind of monster from another planet. She'd had her picture in the paper once. Some crazy drunk who happened to have a camera when she decided to 'go for a walk'. No one believed him of course. Thank God. The only people who bought into it were those tabloid papers. It was a good laugh for her coworkers, but once she was shown the picture, she found it kind of tough not to react a different way. Jag stopped and perched herself on a tall building a few blocks from her house. She looked down at a large puddle of water and decided that she wanted to know what she looked like. She leapt from widow sill to widow sill down the side of the building until she was a floor above the water. With a quick check around the dark neighbourhood, she jumped down to the street and bent over the puddle. Her face was mostly human with few 'adjustments'. Her nose more or less was that of a jaguar's. Her eyes were the deep yellow that most animals feared. Her ears had pointed . . . as had her teeth. She still had the physique of a human female, but it was much more defined. She had grown another few inches and her arms and legs looked as if she had been working out since she was five. Her hands and feet had changed to those of a jungle cat. She flexed them, watching the retractable claws slide in and out. She also had been adorned with the fur of a jaguar. Something she could have done without. But she wasn't spotted. Well, she was, you just couldn't see them. She was one of those melanistic jaguars. Like Attila. The . . . transformation had, much to her relief, given her clothes since the expansion of her limbs had ripped her previous ones. But these were very primitive in the sense of design. A hide ensemble with straps that went over her shoulders and a metal belt was wrapped snugly around her waist. Jag sighed, partly amazed at the magic and partly depressed at it. That's why most people steered clear of her. She was what most call a 'loose cannon' of sorts. Everyone said that the only reason she was still in the bureau was because she was such good friends with her boss. With a look around again, Jag lifted herself up onto the side of the building again and started her ascension. She should be getting home. There was something different about Mulder and Scully. There was some . . . trusting aspect to the two of them. Jag thought to herself, leaping onto her roof. Mulder jerked up in bed and frowned. he wondered. He was leaning up against the head board of his bed going over the day's activities when he heard the thump on the roof. He stood and walked to his door. The hallway was dark and he had a hard time seeing anything. Then he heard it again. Jag grasped the amulet again, this time in both hands, and dropped her head back; looking to the black sky. The swirl of coloured dust enveloped her again, spinning the opposite way. Within a few seconds, the reversal was complete. Jo dropped to the roof; her eyes closed. "I forgot about that," she told the deserted rooftop. The transformation took more out of her than she had remembered. She sat up and leaned back on her hands. Looking down at herself, she realized that the reversal had restored her clothes. "Hey," she said approvingly. "Neat trick." "Jo?" a male voice called. The agent straightened. "Yeah," she called back calmly. Mulder climbed out of the window a few feet from her. "What are you doing out here?" he asked. Jo shrugged. "I come out all the time," she replied. "To get some air. And it's quiet up here; no bugs." Fox nodded and watched her. She looked very worn out. Very different from the way she looked when she left. There was something she wasn't telling him, but he figured it wasn't his business. She'd tell him if she wanted to. 10:00am "So where is she?" Dana asked, sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her partner shrugged, joining her. Thai jumped up on his lap and rubbed his face on Mulder's chin. Scully smiled. "I think he likes you." "Yeah, well," Fox said, lifting his mug of coffee above the cat's head. The animal's response was to curl itself up in his lap. He looked up at Scully. "What did I do?" he asked. "I don't know," Dana replied. She patted the cat's head and stood to walk to the kitchen. The cat started purring. As Scully walked into the large kitchen to refill her cup of coffee, the front door swung open. Scully turned to see who it was. Thai leapt of Mulder's lap, leaving him swearing at the scorching heat of the coffee which spilled on his chest. "Hey Dana," Jo said, bending over to pet Thai. "Hey buddy," she told the cat, then walked into the kitchen. Scully watched her silently; Mulder joining a minute later. It was when Jo opened the fridge that she noticed the eyes one her. She stood straight and looked at her houseguests. "What?" she asked. Scully looked to Mulder. "Where did you go?" she asked. "We were worried." Jo smiled. "Aw, gee guys," she said. "That's cute." Jo pulled out some cat food from a cupboard. "I went back to the zoo to talk to the keepers. Find out what other animals have been taken." "And?" Mulder enquired. "There have been seven . . . abductions." She smiled at Fox. "An African Lion, a Siberian Tiger, a South Arabian Leopard, a Snow Leopard, a King Cheetah, a Mountain Lion, and the Amazon Jaguar." She set a bowl of the food on the floor for Thai. "All of these animals are on the endangered list. Except the Jaguar." "How come?" Scully asked. Jo sighed. She seemed very frustrated at the subject. "Because," she started. "Hunting has been outlawed through most of its range, but enforcement is usually lax or nonexistent. I've been trying to get the jaguar on the list, but no one listens to me." "It seems to be important to you," Mulder said. "Yeah," Jo said. "But don't worry about it. I think we should go to the zoo tonight after hours and stake the place out." The sudden subject change led Mulder to believe there was something more to her story. "I think that's a good idea." "Do we know when they'll come?" Dana asked. "No," Jo told her. "We know that they come after the entire place is empty, save the animals." "So what time would that be?" "I asked the manager and he said the last security guy leaves sometime after twelve." Fox looked to his partner then to Jo. "Well then," he said, clapping his hands together. "I guess we go at midnight." "Oh, by the way, I had to take the rental car back to the garage." "Why?" Scully asked. Jo chuckled. "Funny thing . . ." Over looking the NYC Zoo 12:30am "Jo?" Mulder asked softly. "What is it?" "You never told me how you're able to communicate with animals." Jo stifled a laugh. "It's a long story," she said, somewhat bitterly. "I've got time." "No you don't." Fox shifted his position on the dirt hill. His jacket had been discarded; the heat becoming to unbearable, even at midnight. He hated being defeated. He really wanted to know how Jo was able to do that. Instead of dwelling on it, he brought the binoculars to his face again and stared at the zoo. "See anything Mulder?" came Scully's voice. "No," he replied, passing the binocs to his partner. Jo stood and started to pace. "This is really boring," she said. "It was your idea," Mulder told her. "I know," she replied. "I'm not used to people agreeing with me. Or listening to me for that matter." In a fit of restlessness, Jo leapt into the tree that the trio were stationed under. "Jo?" Mulder asked, looking around him. "Up here G-Man," she said. Mulder looked up at her and smiled. "How did you get up there so fast?" Jo smiled slyly. "I'm a cat." Mulder chuckled and shook his head, returning to his partner. He glanced over to the pickup truck they borrowed from a neighbour of Jo's, their car had to be brought to the shop. Something about the brake lines. But something in the back intrigued him. "So, Jo," he said nonchalantly. "What's under the cover?" "My pride and joy," she replied. "It was my fa . . ." He voice trailed off as she looked toward the zoo. Fox and Dana looked up at her. "What is it?" Scully asked. Jo's eyes were glued to the compound. "Attila," she replied. "It's Attila." Mulder shook his head. "The jaguar?" Jo nodded as she slid slowly from the tree. "They're back." Mulder and Scully stood. "Who is?" Scully urged. "The kidnappers," Jo answered. "They've come back for Attila." "What?" Dana was thoroughly confused. And it didn't help much when Jo ran to the truck. She yanked off the cover, revealing the most beautiful vintage Harley Davidson that Mulder had ever seen. "Jo, where are you going?" Mulder asked. Jo straddled the bike and slipped on a black helmet. "I have to go save him," she told the two agents. She kicked the bike into motion and drove it off the back of the truck. Within a minute, she had disappeared down the hill. "What the hell's going on here Mulder?" Scully asked, watching the cloud of dust that was Jo. "I don't know Scully," he replied. "But come on." He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the pickup. ************************* Jo hopped off the bike and ran to the gate of the zoo. She could hear Mulder and Scully in the distance with the truck. She pulled at the gate with all her strength, but couldn't get it open. She climbed up the cool steel just in time to see the bright light. "No!" she yelled. The truck skidded to a halt beside the bike and Fox and Dana leapt out. "Jo!" Mulder called. "Come on!" She turned back to them. "They're taking him!" She tried to climb further, but she felt a hand on her ankle. She looked down into Mulder's face. "Then let's follow them," he told her quietly. Jo looked back at the light, which was beginning to turn away. Jo jumped down and ran to her bike. Mulder and Scully returned to the truck as Jo sped off after the light. ************************* The trio ended up at an abandoned warehouse far out in the country. It almost looked as if it would fall apart any minute. Mulder and Scully crawled up beside Jo who was looking in a window. She turned to them. "Apparently, the police don't watch too many movies," she said, speaking of the warehouse. "What are they doing?" Fox asked. Jo turned back to the window. "It looks like they're poachers." Mulder looked at Scully. "The animals are being put in cages on that far wall." She pointed them out. "The man over there on the phone seems to be in charge of . . . merchandise." "Merchandise?" Dana asked. Jo looked at her with sad eyes. "Merchandise," she assured her and paused. Her finger pointed to the far wall which was anointed with horns, pelts, and various other things. "For the Black Market." ***** End o' part three ***** El Tigre (4/7) "Merchandise?" Dana asked. Jo looked at her with sad eyes. "Merchandise," she assured her and paused. Her finger pointed to the far wall which was anointed with horns, pelts, and various other things. "For the Black Market." Jo's House 2:00am The house was very quiet. Jo sat looking out the window; Thai curled up on her lap. Mulder and Scully shared the couch; neither daring to speak of what they had found. It was obviously hitting Jo pretty hard. Jo thought to herself; rage and sadness gripping her body. She chuckled inwardly. She looked over at Fox and Dana, sitting very quietly on her couch. She was glad they had the decency not to talk about any of this. She wasn't sure if she had the energy. But still, they had agreed to come up here, without knowing a whole lot about the case *or* her. She felt that she owed them something. Like the reason she asked for their help. "I was about two I guess," she started; her voice soft. "He was maybe three." Mulder and Scully looked up in surprise at the sound of her voice. But the normal, rich and mellow sound had turned dark. "Being born in a place like Brazil, such a calm, laid back demeanor, you don't take a whole lot seriously." She chuckled sadly. "I guess that was my problem . . . The wars in my part of the tribe got out of hand . . . Since my father was . . . a 'white man' as the term went in the tribe, my family was in danger of surviving." Jo turned back to the window as the other two agents listened and watched her intently. Her tone turned bitter. "My father thought it best that we be led away from the rest of our family and friends. So he took us into the forest, and left us to the wild animals." Scully's eyes turned soft and compassionate. She turned to Mulder. He shook his head. he seemed to answer. "But after a while, we were taken care of. Food would appear in front of us when we woke up, and we would be given a place to sleep." Jo smiled. This time, it was warm and loving. "I guess we were too naive to back away from 'el tigre'." Mulder and Scully looked at each other. Dana cleared her throat. "'El . . . el tigre'?" Jo smiled at them. "Wherever the jaguar is found throughout Latin America, it's called 'el tigre'. I know I'm from Brazil but . . ." She shrugged. The partners were speechless. "It went on like that for about seven years; we were cared for by 'el tigre'. We were allowed to associate with them, learn from them." She turned to Fox. "That's where I learned to communicate with animals. It was the only way. We were too young to know many words, so that's the communication we opted for." Her face turned sad. "When I was maybe nine years old, the 'white man' came. Many of them. They caught us by the stream one morning, cleaning ourselves. I was shot with a tranquilizer, but we ran . . . We were separated and I was taken to the city." "You . . . you keep saying 'we'," Mulder pointed out. Jo turned to him with haunted eyes. "My brother," she told him. Mulder's heart went out to her. He knew that situation all too well. "I've never seen him since" she continued. "But he told me she would take care of him and he would see me again." "She?" "The Jaguar Spirit. She was always with us." Jo chuckled. "That's how I got these," she told them, bringing a hand to her face. "From a little visit a year before I was returned. I woke up one morning, and there they were. But scars, not fresh cuts . . . I know you've wanted to know ever since we met . . . Thing is, no one ever believes me when I tell them." Mulder looked at Scully. "We do," he told her. Jo smiled. "Thank you Mulder, but you don't need to." "Jo," he said. "In the cases we deal with, it's a normality. If you haven't had anything unusual or unexplained happen to you . . . You're the one who's the freak." Jo laughed. "Thanks," she said. "Your brother," Scully asked. "Do you know where he is?" Jo smiled cryptically. "I think so." Fox and Dana exchanged confused glances. "Well, where?" Scully asked urgently. Jo stood and walked toward the stairs. "All in due time Dana," she said putting a hand on her shoulder. "All in due time." 9:30am Mulder opened his eyes drowsily. If it wasn't for his loud stomach, he'd sleep for another few hours. At least, he'd like to. The aroma that filled his nose woke him up immediately. It smelled like . . . eggs, toast, bacon and that smell that no one could mistake . . . coffee. His stomach rumbled again. He put a hand over it and pulled the covers off himself. Without another thought, Fox walked out into the hall and down the stairs; letting his nose lead him. When he reached the kitchen, Scully was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in front of her and Jo was at the stove cooking what was responsible for waking him. "Look who's up," Dana told Jo. Jo looked up from the sizzling bacon and turned to him. "Oh, damn it," she said. "I guess we'll have to give him some after all." Scully chuckled to herself, taking a sip of her coffee. "So, is any of that for me?" Mulder asked, motioning to Scully's mug. "Sure," Jo replied. Mulder walked passed her to the coffee machine. Suddenly, Jo stuck her hand out in front of him; her palm facing the ceiling. "Fifty cents." Fox smiled; enjoying the joke. "Ha, ha." "You think I'm kidding?" Jo asked. "Did you have to pay?" Mulder asked Scully Dana smiled and shook her head. She took another drink so she wouldn't laugh. Mulder turned to Jo incredulously. "Well why do I have to?" Jo returned to the frying pan and smiled into it. "'Cause she wasn't half naked at the time," she told him casually. Scully laughed and Mulder looked down at himself. Sure enough, all he was wearing were his boxers. "I mean, come on Mulder," Dana said. "You're an attractive man, but do you have to flaunt it first thing in the morning?" Jo turned to Scully. "It's a good thing we haven't eaten yet eh?" Fox's cheeks reddened and he turned from the laughing women to retreat upstairs. "So, your brother," Scully started. "What's his name?" Jo started cooking the eggs. "He didn't have one," she told her. "Neither did I. Not until I was returned. Since we didn't communicate by speaking, there was no use for names." Jo put the plate of bacon on the table and moved back to the stove. "How do you like your eggs?" she asked. "Uh, whatever you're having," Scully answered. "I'm not that picky." "What about you Tarzan?" Jo called to Mulder who was just coming down the stairs again. "By the way, I thought you were more of a leopard skin underwear kind of guy." "Ha, ha," he said, now dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. "Sunny-side up." "Comin' right up." Fox sat at the table and stole a piece of toast from the other plate in the middle of the table. As soon as he had made himself comfortable, Jo's cat Thai leapt onto his lap and curled itself up. Mulder leaned forward, surprised at the sudden weight. Scully laughed. "What's with this cat Jo?" he asked. He didn't exactly hate cats, he was just surprised at the sudden affection. Jo smiled. "He likes you," she replied. "Yeah, I can see that. Why me?" Jo walked over to the table to put Mulder's plate of eggs in front of him. She leaned over close to his ear. "Because you're cute." Mulder wasn't quite sure how to take that and that was exactly how Jo planned it. Dana was laughing when he looked up at her. Jo sat down at the table, delivering Scully's plate as well as her own. Dana grabbed a few pieces of bacon off the plate in the middle of the table. She looked at Fox and smiled. "Close your mouth Mulder." 1:00pm "Hey Tarzan." Jo peeked around Mulder's bedroom door. She found him sitting cross legged on his bed; papers spread out in front of him. "What," Mulder replied, trying to hide the smile. It seemed that she'd found a nickname for him, not that he minded. Just as long as she didn't tell anyone how he got it. "Dana said you liked jogging, wanna go?" Fox frowned. "Jogging?" Jo sagged a bit. "No, driving," she told him. "Of course jogging." Mulder smiled. "Sure, just let me get changed." "Aww, no leopard skin?" Jo ducked out just before the pillow hit the door. Mulder could hear her laughing as she made her way down the hall. He really did like her. She had the same dry humour and quick wit. he thought. Well, there was Scully, but even she had times where she was at a loss for words. Mulder chuckled to himself. Then there was Jackie. She was in a category all by herself. Mulder pulled on a pair of shorts and walked down to the family room where Jo and Scully were waiting. "Hey," he said, announcing his presence The two women looked up. Mulder noticed that Scully was in no way ready to jog. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. "Scully," he said. "You're not jogging in that, are you?" Dana smiled at him. "I'm not jogging at all Mulder," she replied. "Just you and Jo." Jo cast him a sly smile. Mulder was suddenly scared. "Why not?" Jo laughed. She knew that smile would get to him. "Take it easy Tarzan," she said. "I won't bite." Scully smiled at him as Jo stood to join him. She walked by Mulder and leaned into his ear. "Much." She continued on her way out and Mulder looked at Scully for help. Scully waved him back. "Mulder, she's kidding." Fox looked back at his jogging partner, then back at Scully. "Go." 2:00pm "Jo, wait up!" Mulder put his hands on his knees and leaned over once he caught up with her. Jo looked around them and discovered they were at an outdoor market. "Man," Mulder panted. "Where'd all this energy come from?" "Come on Mulder," Jo said. "Dana said you jog all the time." "Not . . . usually . . . this . . . long." Jo clapped him on the shoulder. "So what do you want for dinner?" Fox stood; sweat pouring down his face. "What?" "Din-ner," Jo enunciated with a smile. "What do you want? I figure we can buy something here. What does Dana like?" Mulder shrugged. "Got me," he said. "Whenever we have dinner together, it's usually take-out." Jo shook her head. "You poor, poor souls . . . Well, I guess it's up to me. I told you two I'd cook you some real food and this is the place to get it. Come on." She grabbed Mulder's sleeve and tugged him over to one of the vegetable stands. "What the hell is that?" Mulder asked, pointing to a green, flower-looking veggie. "It's an artichoke Mulder," she told him. "You don't eat a lot of vegetables, I gather." He shook his head. "Not unless it's on a pizza." Jo rolled her eyes. "Your arteries must be a constant topic on Science Frontiers." "You sound like Scully," he told her. Jo laughed. "I'm going to tell her that." She surveyed the stands. "Hey, these look good." "Potatoes?" Fox asked. "Don't you like them?" "Yeah, but they're so . . ." "Boring?" "Yeah." "Well, they won't be when I'm through with 'em." She paid for six, and pulled Mulder over to another stand. This one was refrigerated, so it was located just inside a building. "How 'bout meat? You've got to have had meat." Mulder laughed. "Of course I have." "So, what's your favourite?" "Uhh . . ." Mulder looked over the selection. "Hmmm. How about steak?" "Ooo," Jo said. "Big spender. What kind? Serloin, blade or flank?" Mulder was taken aback. "I don't know," he told her. "Which is the best?" "Well," Jo started. "Flank steak has the most protein that you'll get out of the cow, therefore more expensive. Serloin is next, then blade." "Flank?" he suggested with a smile. Jo nodded. "Sure." She motioned to the vendor and she and Mulder began their trek back home. 3:30pm Dana sat on the couch, enjoying the peace and quiet. Thai sat on the back of the couch, beside her head. She found one of Jo's books on one of the many shelves. This one was called "Fear's companion: A portrait of the Amazon Jaguar" and it was amazingly good. Of course, Scully hadn't read the entire thing, but she read enough of it. The sudden opening of the front door, shocked Scully out of her little 'world' and Thai bolted off the couch. "Hey Thai." Scully heard Jo's voice from the front hall. "Dana?" she called. "In here," Scully told her. Jo and Fox walked in holding two bags. Thai trotted in and found his spot on the couch again. "What's that?" Dana asked, motioning to the bags Mulder held. He lifted them. "Dinner," he told her. "Here," Jo said, taking the bags from Mulder. She walked into the kitchen and put he contents into the proper places in the fridge. "So what'd you do while we were gone?" Mulder asked, wandering into the room. "Uh, not much," Scully told him. "Just hung around and read." "Read?" "Yeah, one of Jo's books." She handed it to him. "It's really good too." "Hm." Fox turned it over in his hands, reading the front and back. "Hey Tarzan," Jo's voice came from the doorway. "If you want the shower, you'd better grab it now." "Oh, right." He gave the book back to Dana. "Okay, thanks." Mulder ran upstairs leaving Jo and Scully alone. "So," Jo started. "You like it?" She motioned to the book in Scully's hands. "Oh, yeah," Scully replied. "I thought I might give it a read and see what I could find out. I . . . I don't know much about cats. Foreign or domestic. Since we're on this case, I thought I should brush up." Jo turned solemn at the mention of the case. "Good. The more people know, the less animals that get killed." "Jo, I'm sorry about this case," Dana said. She put a hand on her arm. "I know you're close to it." "No, that's okay," Jo told her. "I'd give anything to put those bastards in their place." "Which is?" Scully asked. Jo looked her in the eye. "Hell." ***** End o' part four ***** El Tigre (5/7) "No, that's okay," Jo told her. "I'd give anything to put those bastards in their place." "Which is?" Scully asked. Jo looked her in the eye. "Hell." 7:00pm "Man, Jo, this is fabulous." Mulder shoved another piece of steak into his mouth. Jo smiled. "Thanks Mulder," she said. "Now, isn't this better than take-out?" He nodded. "Definitely." He looked at his partner. "Hey Scully, can you cook like this?" Dana chuckled. "I wish," she said. "Explains why we always get take-out then." "Come on Dana," Jo nudged her. "I can give you some pointers." She leaned closer to her. "Besides, the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Isn't that how the saying goes?" "Yeah," Fox laughed. "But in her case, she'd probably take it literally." Jo laughed and dove back into her plate. "But Mulder," Scully started with a grin. "I thought you liked skin-splitting experiences." This stopped the entire table. Jo stopped mid-chew and stared at Scully, then at Mulder, then at Scully again. Mulder didn't seem phased at the least. He simply smiled back at his partner. "Do . . . you two want to be left alone?" Jo asked cautiously, backing away from the table. The two partners looked at her. "No, no," Mulder told her. "We do that all the time." Jo still wore a blank look. " . . . Really. . ." Fox and Dana couldn't hold it in anymore, and started laughing. 10:00pm Jo slid on her 8-hole Docs and sat down to lace them up, tucking her jeans inside them. Her entire ensemble was black. Black jeans and black turtleneck covered by a black leather jacket. She knew she wouldn't really need them. As soon as the time arose, she'd perform the ritual, metamorphosis would take over and she'd turn into Jag. Her long brown hair was tied up with an elastic and a pair of sunglasses sat on the arm of the couch; waiting to be put on. She finished her second boot and stood. She jumped on the spot a few times, making sure they fit right. After grabbing her shades, she felt in her pocket, making sure she had the second amulet. Then she walked over to the stairs and yelled up at her companions. "Hey guys! You comin' or what?" Mulder and Scully met at the top of the stairs. Mulder was decked out in his usual 'government conspiracy hunting' gear: Jeans, jacket, dark clothing, the usual. However usual it could be. Scully wore just about the same. Together, the three of them looked as if they'd be robbing a back or putting someone 'on ice'. "Hey," Jo said at the sight of them. "You must have the same tailor." Mulder smiled and made his way down the stairs. "Nice boots Jo," he told her. "Where'd you get 'em?" Jo looked at her feet. "Toronto. I stopped there on the way to New York from Winnipeg to visit a friend and snagged the last pair on the way to the airport. I was in luck." "Why?" Dana asked, reaching the hallway. "These were the last steel toed ones." Fox visibly flinched. "Ouch." Jo laughed and shook her head. "Is there anything that you don't relate to aliens, sex, or some part of your anatomy?" "No," Scully replied for him. Mulder glared at her. Jo cleared her throat. "We should get going," she told them. "I doubt they'll be at the warehouse much longer." "Should we go to the zoo first?" Fox asked. Jo shook her head. "No. We should hit them as soon as possible. If we're lucky, they'll be out getting another animal, and we can surprise them on their way back." Mulder grinned and rubbed his hands together. "I love surprises." Scully rolled her eyes at him as Jo opened the door and stepped outside. The night was cool and crisp. The sky was free from any cloud cover; the stars twinkling brightly. Jo took a deep breath, letting the oxygen fill her lungs. She stared at the empty sky. She heard Mulder and Scully step out behind her and the shutting of her door; the click of the lock. She walked over to the two vehicles in the driveway: A black 4x4 pickup, and a black and red vintage Harley Davidson; the helmet sitting on the seat. "You and Mulder take the truck," she told Dana. "I'm taking my bike." The two partnered agents made no protest and jumped into the truck. Jo straddled the bike and slipped on the shining black headgear. The rough purr from the Harley signalled thier departure. The truck revved into motion as the bike rolled out onto the street. Jo waited for Mulder and Scully to pull out before she took off down the street; the pickup not far behind. Abandoned Warehouse 11:00pm Jo, Fox and Dana peered over the window sill from outside. The warehouse was bustling with activity; about fifteen men and women scurried around. The animals were making an awful racket; they seemed to know something was going to happen, good or bad, just *something*. "Shit," Jo whispered to no one in particular. Mulder and Scully turned to her. Jo didn't expect that she'd have to morph into Jag so quickly, but it looked as if she had no choice. "What is it?" Scully asked from beside her. Jo shook her head. "No one appears to be gone. I guess they've filled their quota." "So what happens now?" Mulder said, anxious to do something. Jo sighed. "They're probably going to start skinning them, if they haven't done so already . . . As for us . . ." She thought for a moment. "Any ideas? I don't know about you, but I'm fond of the direct approach." Dana shook her head. "They must have weaponry in there." "We've got weaponry," Mulder pointed out. "Yes, but there're also fifteen people in there. We're outnumbered six to one." "No we're not." This from Jo who was wearing a sly smile. Mulder thought. "What do you mean?" Scully asked. "There're seven cats in there. Maybe more." "That gives us some help." "You mean you can get them to help us?" Dana enquired. "Why not?" Fox said. "She was able to control the one in the zoo." Jo smiled. "You two take the back door," she told them. "I'll follow you in a minute." With that, Jo climbed up to a roof a few metres above them. Mulder and Scully watched her disappear over the edge. "Where's she going?" Scully wondered out loud. Mulder shrugged. After a minute, he turned to his partner. "Well?" he suggested. "Shall we?" Scully nodded and the two of them made their way around the back. ************************* Jo crawled to the middle of the roof and looked behind her. She hated not telling Mulder and Scully. She would later; after this was finished. Grasping the amulet in her right hand and closed her eyes; her head bowed. ". . . The chesty roar of the jaguar in the night causes men to edge toward the blaze and draw serapes tighter. It silences the yapping dogs and starts the tethered horses milling. In announcing its mere presence in the blackness of night, the jaguar puts the animate world on edge . . ." The words that followed were not of English, but of some ancient dialect; lost forever when the 'white men' came . . . ************************* "So how do you suppose we do this?" Scully asked Mulder, pressing herself to the wall beside the door, her gun drawn. Fox looked through the crack in the door. "We could sneak in?" he suggested. After a moment of thought, Dana nodded in agreement and began to push the door open, careful to limit the sound. Mulder followed her, watching behind them; waiting for Jo. ************************* The power surged through her and she cringed at the feeling. The blue-green dust flew around her as the Jaguar Spirit gave her the strength and wisdom she needed. Her arms and legs grew to a high level of musculature; her clothes ripping and falling off. They were replaced with the hide and metal clothing she was always given. Her teeth pointed, followed by her ears. The fur sprouted from her skin, replacing the dark, smooth skin with the soft, black hair of the jaguar. The tail protruded from her lower back and the swirl of dust disappeared. Jo stood and stretched, feeling the strength she now possessed. ************************* The lights in the warehouse lit the major area where the animals were being kept, but couldn't reach around the crates in the back of the building. Mulder crept behind one and peeked around the corner. Scully was behind him; a hand on his back to tell him she was still there. Fox surveyed the room; counting the number of poachers. Thirteen. Mulder frowned and counted again. It was then that he felt Dana's hand move to his shoulder. Her fingers gripped him and pulled him backwards. "Scully," he whispered, annoyed. "What do you think you're . . ." The two agents were faced with the two missing poachers . . . and two 12-gauge shotguns. " . . . doing," Mulder finished. He cleared his throat. "I don't suppose we could talk rationally about this?" The guns were cocked and held steady. One by a tall, well-built man with dark, short hair and an earring, and the other by a woman; her hair tied back in a ponytail and a black baseball cap on her head. "Your weapons, if you please," the woman instructed. Mulder looked at Scully, who swallowed hard. They handed their guns to the captors reluctantly. "Turn around," the man said. "Hands on your head." The two agents obeyed and turned around. Fox jerked forward when the man poked him in the back with the barrel of the shotgun. The woman did the same to Dana and the four of them walked out into the cleared area. "We got visitors!!" the man yelled. The operation stopped and turned to the captive Mulder and Scully. "Fine mess we're in," Mulder mumbled. "What do you bet Jo's in on this?" "What?" Scully whispered. "You can't be serious. Didn't you see how she reacted to this place?" "Shut up!" the woman ordered Scully. She struck the small agent in the lower back, causing Scully to fall to her knees. "Scully!" Mulder said as she went down. He turned to the woman. "What, you needed to get your point across?" The woman glared at him and the man behind Mulder shoved the barrel of the gun against Mulder's back to silence him. Scully cringed a bit at the pain in her knees; nothing major, just a few bruises. She massaged her back where the gun had made contact and turned around to her captor. "Who are you?" a man asked, walking up to her. He was tall; his blue eyes drilling into hers. Scully focused her attention to him. "Agent Scully from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If you'll let me, I can get my ID." The man nodded and Dana reached into her jacket pocket. She flashed her ID at him. "And him?" he enquired. "Mulder," came her partner's acid reply. "Well, how good of you to join us. The name's Jade." He motioned to the man and woman behind them. "Kaffar and Hess." "There's another agent on the premises and she's most likely called for reinforcements," Scully told the man in front of her. "There's nowhere to go." "On the contrary," Jade said. "If we have you, who's going to come in here?" His expression turned cold. "Tie 'em up." ***** End o' part five ***** The quote used before Jo turned to Jag I borrowed from the book "Wildlife of Mexico" by Aldo Leopold. I hope he doesn't mind. El Tigre (6/7) "There's another agent on the premises and she's most likely called for reinforcements," Scully told Jade in front of her. "There's nowhere to go." "On the contrary," Jade said. "If we have you, who's going to come in here?" His expression turned cold. "Tie 'em up." ************************* Jag peered through the window. A deep growl came from her chest at the sight of her friends. She leapt off her perch and ran to the back door. It creaked quietly as she made her way in. To be on the safe side, Jag leapt onto the crates a few metres above her head. She was amazed at how silently she could advance on them without them knowing. **They're here.** came a familiar . . . thought. Jag stopped and sat up straight. **Attila?** **Yes.** came the reply. **They're underneath the window you were looking in.** **Where are you?** **Facing them.** Jag crept to the edge of the crates; careful to remain in the shadows. She looked over the clearing and spotted Mulder and Scully sitting against the wall; their hands bound. She moved her gaze to the opposite wall and spotted Attila watching her from his cage. "Hey," someone said. "That cat's lookin' at somethin'." Jade looked over at Attila. "Shock 'im Bates," he said. Bates smiled and grabbed a stick with a round ball on the end. He walked up to Attila's cage. The cat backed up as far as he could. Unfortunately, it wasn't far enough. Jag tensed at the movement and frowned. **So help me God.** Bates smiled. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty," he sneered and poked the stick through the bars. The roar of pain from Attila made Dana jump. Her heart ached for the cat and she looked over at Mulder. She saw the same in his eyes. she prayed to whoever was listening. Bates chuckled and shocked the cat again. "That's enough," Jade called. But Bates didn't listen. He continued to electrocute Attila for all it was worth. For *fun* as one might say. There was a sudden roar that made him jerk and step away from the cage. This one didn't come from Attila, but from the back of the building. His eyes widened at the flash of black from the crates. He flew to the floor a few metres away with a painful thud. Bates grunted and opened his eyes. He was met with a pair of flaming yellow eyes. It almost looked . . . human? Jag stared him in the face; poised above him. "He said that's enough," she snarled. Bates swallowed hard, suddenly sweating. Mulder and Scully watched in amazement from across the room. Both with wide eyes; but not from fear . . . From pure astonishment. "Mulder, what the hell is that?" Scully asked, her eyes never leaving the sight. Fox shook his head. "I don't know." Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He saw one of the poachers grab a gun from the floor and raise the barrel. "Hey!!" Mulder yelled, trying to capture Jag's attention. It worked. Jag turned her head in time to leap away from the fired bullet. Once she landed, she bounded off again in one movement to tackle the shooter. She grabbed his shoulder with her hand; the man cringed as her claws dug into him. With one effortless movement, Jag tossed him into the crates. He broke a few boxes and lay still. Jag suddenly felt someone jump onto her back; arms encircling her neck. She snarled and grabbed his shoulders. The man cried out at the pain her claws inflicted. Jag knelt and threw him over her shoulders. He flew a good ten feet before landing amongst three other poachers, knocking them all out. Jag noticed some poachers tending to their friends. With the minute of free time, Jag bounded over to Mulder and Scully. The agent's eyes widened at the approaching mutant; not being quite sure about what was going to happen. Jag smiled at the look on Mulder's face. "Relax Tarzan," she said. Mulder frowned. Dana looked at her partner, then to the assisting . . . animal? "Jo?" she asked tentatively. "Jag," she corrected. "Call me Jag . . . But yes, it's me." Jag turned Scully around and cut the rope with a claw. "I'll explain later," she said. "Right now, I need a hand." She helped the two of them up and bounded over to the animal's cages. Scully met a familiar woman blocking her way holding a shotgun on her. Kaffar. Scully suddenly thought of something. Looking over the woman's shoulder, she pretended to look surprised. Her eyes widened with mock fear. "Oh, God, don't!!" she cried. Kaffar frowned and glanced over her shoulder for a second. Scully smiled and took the opportunity to grab the barrel of the gun. She yanked it out of her ex-captor's hands. Kaffar turned in shock and was met with the butt of the shotgun. She toppled backwards as blood gushed out of her nose. She was out cold. Scully looked at the unconscious woman. "Bitch." Fox followed Jag until he was faced with his old buddy, Hess. The man took a swing at Mulder, who ducked and countered with an upper-cut. Tha man staggered backwards, but didn't fall. Mulder lashed out a fist that was caught in his opponent's hand. Hess kicked him in the stomach and watched him fall to the concrete floor. He chuckled. His fist drew back for a strike and Mulder braced himself for impact . . . . . . But the punch never landed. Actually, it was never thrown. The man fell on top of Mulder. Unconscious. Fox looked up to see Dana with a smile on her face. She leaned on the shotgun. "I'm so good, I don't even need bullets." Mulder laughed and accepted her proffered hand to help him up. The two partner's were suddenly faced with four poachers. "Awww man," Mulder whined. He ducked as one swung for his head. Mulder threw him over his head. "I'd better get major danger pay for this." Scully smiled and turned to her opponents. "Guys," she said, spreading her hands. "I don't suppose we could discuss this rationally, could we?" She was answered with a clout to the jaw. She spun to the floor and grimaced. After concluding that it wasn't broken, she cleared her throat. "That's okay," she grunted. "I can do this too." She raised herself up and ducked an oncoming foot. Grabbing it on the way over, she countered with a kick to the man's face. His hands covered the point of contact. Scully dropped his foot to prepare for the next poacher. Mulder fell to the floor by her feet, holding his head. He groaned. "Where's a Dragon when you need one?" Jag found herself faced three men. She smiled slyly at them. She knew they wouldn't make the first move, so it was up to her. **Attila,** she called. **I need your help.** **What is it?** came the weak reply. **Talk to the others,** she told him. **I need their help.** Within a few seconds, the cats were growling and snarling; clawing at the bars on their cages. Jag smiled and charged the three men. They separated, one of them laughing saying she was good for nothing. Jag stopped in front of a few cages and broke the locks off them. She ducked as the doors flew open and three animals leapt out. The men screamed and ran as the cats jumped them. Jag turned to Attila's cage; preparing to brake the lock on it as well. **Are you okay?** she asked. **Fine.** Suddenly, Jag roared and arched toward the cage. She turned to see Jade with the stick used to shock Attila. With one quick swipe, the stick was lost in the crates. Jade yelped and looked at his hand. Blood dripped onto the floor from the scratches. Jade was overcome with anger. He lashed out at Jag. Deftly, she moved to one side and countered with another swipe. This time to the side of his face. He fell to the floor, clutching the point of contact which bled profusely. Mulder and Scully busied themselves by tying the unconscious poachers up for the police. Jag turned back to the cage. Jade opened his eyes slowly; dealing with the pain. He saw the gun an arm's length away. He reached for it and aimed at Jag. The cocking of the gun caught Mulder's attention. "Jag!!" he yelled. Jag turned in time to hear the shot go off and feel it sink into her shoulder. A loud, ear-piercing roar echoed throughout the warehouse. She clutched her shoulder as she staggered backwards. The warehouse was suddenly plunged into darkness and a few emergency lights came on. "No!" Mulder yelled. He moved to help her, but Dana held his shoulder. A low growl could be heard. Jade stood and held the gun on Jag with shaking hands. She blended into the dark so well, Jade was re-thinking his actions. Jag released her shoulder, letting the blood flow freely and raised her head. Jade's eyes widened at the sight. Her eyes glowed yellow. Mulder and Scully fell silent. They could see her eyes and stood, utterly amazed. They jerked back slightly when Jag lunged for the poacher in front of her. Jade didn't have a prayer. She was way too fast for him. He dropped the gun as she slammed him into the wall. A hand went around his throat and she lifted him up against the wall. He cried out as her claws dug into him; around his windpipe. "I ought to kill you for what you've done," she growled at him. "I . . ." he sqeezed out. "I was just . . . following orders." He whimpered as her grip intensified. "Who's orders?" Jag demanded. Dana noticed the faint traces of blood dripping down his throat. "Jag!" she yelled. "Let him go!" "No!" Jag replied. "I told you I wanted to send these bastards to hell Dana." She lowered Jade to her level. "And that's exactly what I'm going to do." Jade closed his eyes; preparing himself for the inevitable. "No!" Scully ran up to Jag's side. "Let him go." "Why should I?" Jag snarled, looking down at Scully. Scully had to refrain from shuddering under the intense glare. She swallowed the fear. "Because," she replied, putting a hand on Jag's arm. "If you don't, you're no better than him. Jo, please." "She's right," came a soothing voice. ***** End o' part six ***** El Tigre (7/7) "No!" Scully ran up to Jag's side. "Let him go." "Why should I?" Jag snarled, looking down at Scully. Scully had to refrain from shuddering under the intense glare. She swallowed the fear. "Because," she replied, putting a hand on Jag's arm. "If you don't, you're no better than him. Jo, please." "She's right," came a soothing voice. Jag dropped the whimpering man and turned around. "Who's that?" The lock on one of the cages flew off and a spotted jaguar leapt out. It stretched and yawned; a soft roar escaping. Mulder walked to Scully's side and watched the jaguar stand on its hind legs. Within a second, it transformed into a human. A woman. Tall, and draped with thin fabric. She wore many necklaces and bracelets. In her right hand, she held a staff. It was long and made of wood. There was a hand at the top holding a rock; crystal or something. She walked up to Jag, who dropped to her knees. "Jaguar Spirit," she said, her head bowed. "What brings me this honour?" The woman lifted Jag to her feet. "They'll be none of that," she said. She reached over and touched the wound on Jag's shoulder. When her hand retracted, it was gone. Scully's eyes widened and looked at Mulder. He gazed at her for a second; a faint smile on his face. The Spirit smiled and waved the staff. A swirl of dust fell over Jag. In a few seconds, her clothes were replaced. She looked down at herself and realized she had become Joanne again. She looked at the Spirit quizzically. "Before you were given to civilization," the Spirit started. "You were told something." She smiled. "Can you remember what it was?" "My brother said you would look after him and that I would see him again." Fox and Dana watched the conversation unfold. They were seemingly unnoticed by Jo or the Jaguar Spirit. The Spirit waved her hand at Attila's cage and the lock flew off. Jo watched as Attila leapt out and stretched his aching muscles. Jo knelt and pet him softly. "You have the amulet?" the Spirit asked. Jo looked up at her and nodded. She reached into her pocket; searching for the nacklace she'd placed there earlier. She soon and retrieved it. It was identical to her own. "Put it on." The Spirit motioned to Attila. Jo obeyed her and slipped the necklace over the cat's head. The dust swirl appeared again. This time over Attila. The cat was whipped up onto his hind legs and transformed into a mutant like Jag. He was a few inches taller and had green eyes instead of yellow. Hide was wrapped tightly around his waist. Jo looked at Attila; the trace of a smile appearing. She turned to the Spirit. "The amulet, as you know, only has the power to change you into your alternate form and back again." Jo nodded and watched the tall woman move over to Attila. Within a moment, she morphed back into a jaguar. Attila, knowing what she wanted, knelt to her level. The spotted jaguar brought a paw to his face and ran it along his cheekbone. Blood dripped from the new gashes, but the Spirit waved her paw and they disappeared; leaving three scars. In the blink of an eye, she was human again. "In order to have the ability to metamorphose, you must have the marks." The Spirit motioned to Atilla. "Three identical scars, anywhere on the body plus the magic of the amulet." Mulder and Scully looked at each other. They knew what was happening, but for some reason, they felt that this was something to discuss on the plane ride home. The Spirit raised her staff and waved it again. The dust swirl spun around Attila until he was transformed into a human. She looked at Mulder and at one of the poachers on the floor. Using them as models, she created appropriate clothing for Atilla. She turned to Jo for the final time. "I trust you'll both have much to discuss," she said. "I'll see you soon." With those final words, she disappeared into the warehouse's dim lighting. Attila turned to Jo. **It's so good to--** Jo 'silenced' him with her hand. He looked at her; confused. "Try your voice out," she told him. He looked at her; unsure about it. He cleared his throat. "It's good to be human again," he told her. His voice was music to her ears. It was smooth and rich and had a faint Portugese accent. Scully watched the two siblings embrace for the first time in twenty-two years. It was amazing at how alike they were. It seemed like they were more whole when they were together. Like they wouldn't be able to go on without the other with them . . . . Now where had she heard *that* before? She looked over at Mulder who had tears in his eyes. He had been waiting for a moment like that since he was a child. He was still waiting for it. But she knew he was just glad that Jo had found her brother again. Scully reached down and took her partner's hand in hers. He looked down at her and she smiled. He squeezed her hand. Jo put her arm around her brother's shoulders. "Come on . . ." She stopped. "Okay, we need a name for you." "I thought Attila was my name," he said. "No, no," she told him. "A *human* name. Mine's Joanne. We need one for you." "I like Steven," he pointed out. "He was my trainer." Jo paused. Fox and Dana watched them with a smile. "Steven Thornton," she thought out loud. "Yep. It works. Okay. You're Steven from now on." She sighed. "*Now* I can introduce you . . . again." She turned him toward Mulder and Scully. "Steven, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder and Dana Scully." "Nice to meet you," Steven said. Jo's eyes flicked over Mulder and Scully and widened. "My God," she said. "Are you guys okay?" The two partners looked at each other. Mulder had a cut on his cheek which was rapidly growing into a bruise. Another was forming around his mouth. Scully had about the same conistency of wounds. Her lip was cut and had bled out the corner of her mouth. She smiled at Jo. "Oh sure," she said. "These're just flesh wounds." "Hell," Mulder told the siblings. "You should see us when we lose." New York Airport 2:00pm Fox and Dana stood in front of the newly re-introduced brother and sister. They were both positively glowing. Scully was sure that they had been talking all night . . . well, morning long. Steven was surprisingly up with the times. He told them that the Jaguar Spirit taught him everything that he needed to know. Though, she seemed to miss the bit about the Internet. When Jo showed him her computer he was absolutely taken with it. They almost had to pry him off with a crowbar. *DING* "Flight 407 to Washington D.C. is now boarding in gate 34." Mulder turned to Jo and rocked back on his heels. "It's been good Jo," he said, holding his hand out. Jo smiled and took his hand. She pulled him into a hug. She was going to miss him; miss teasing him. He was so good to do that to. "See ya' Tarzan," she said. "I've had fun. Keep in shape. Next time I see ya' we're going jogging . . . And you're going to keep up." "It was the Chinese food," Fox told her. She smiled slyly. "Suuure it was." She turned to Dana and embraced her as well. She was going to miss her too. Hell, she was going to miss both of them. They were the first ones in her life who'd understood her story *and* believed it. "Bye Dana." She smiled at her. "You keep this guy on his toes." She poked Mulder in the stomach. "Oh, you betcha," Scully replied, eyeing her partner. She turned to Steven. "Good bye Steven," she said, shaking his hand. "It was nice to meet you." He smiled down at her. "It was my pleasure," he told her. "Well," Mulder told them. "We should be going." They picked up their bags and started off to their gate. "Don't be strangers guys," Jo called after them. "Keep in touch!" Mulder and Scully waved back to them and continued on their way. Jo turned to Steven. "So brother," she said. "What do you want to do?" Steven smiled. "Well," he replied. "There was one Web site that I didn't manage to crash last night. How about that?" Jo laughed. "That depends," she told him. "Is it one Mulder showed you? 'Cause if it is . . ." She smiled slyly at him. " . . . I want to see it first." THE END ************************* August 3, 1996 O CANADA!!! "Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but out emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there." --Eric Hoffer So what did you think? Good? Bad? I wanna know either way. Don't be afraid to be nasty if you really didn't like it. I'm an open-minded person. /\ /\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ ^^^^^^^^/ \ ____ ____ <_(o)_> <_(o)_> \ / ______ \ /_______ ( \o o/ ) _______(_____o | | o____)________ __________(___o o___)___________ ________(____o / \ o____)_________ (_ ___/ \__ __) \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \/ \/ Tyger, Tyger Burning bright In the forests of the night Through what immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? William Blake -- Tyger, Tyger "I have so much to do that I'm going to bed." --Savoyard Proverb ;~) "If I did everything I was supposed to do, there wouldn't be any time for creativity." --Nicole van Dam "I don't call it mess . . . I call it 'The Creative Process'." --Nicole van Dam ;~) "What you got a date or something?" - Mulder - "Never Again"