Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, do not, have not, nor ever will be mine. A tragedy, I know. They both (can you believe it?) belong to Chris -who-wouldn't-meet-my-sister-so-she-had-a-coffee-with-the-guy-who -played-DPO-and-sold-a-movie-and-a-CD-to-Nick-Lea (true story)) Carter . I'm jus' borrowin' 'em. No hard feelings, Chris? Alex McRae and Joanne Thornton belong to me. Well, the last one of the year, this one is. 1996 has been one hell of a ride, and I hope I have a better one next year, however. I also hope I'll be able to churn out more stories as I get more pratice (1996: 28 (29 if you include the one that doesn't exist :-))) Big hugs and many thanks go to Rachael McMillan and Diamond Fotiadis for the help with my Spanish and with all the editing. Extra thanks go to Rachael for letting me use her looks and personality for Alex McRae. Those of you who can speak Spanish, I apologize profusely because my computer can't do any accents in this program (well, it can, but I didn't feel like touring the character map, there's just too much Spanish... at least I know there are accents and am apologizing that I didn't put any in). To those of who can't, everything that is important to the plotline that is said in Spanish is translated. Not to worry. :-) Rating: R (language, content) Summary: Mulder and Scully travel to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to investigate three mysterious deaths and end up running into a familiar face... 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 Camalidad Del Maya Nicole van Dam Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 12:00am The fire from the torches cast their light over most of the clearing. The pounding of drums disturbed the quiet jungle as the chanting began. A line of men walked over to a small stone building. The first three were dressed in bright coloured feathers and skins, as were the last three. But there was a man in the middle who walked with a slouch; dragging his feet. He was without any clothing; the dirt and sweat providing his only cover. His hands and feet were tied with vine, but loose enough so he could walk. He was placed on a cold stone platform; raised a foot from the ground. He was tied down onto the rock without any struggle; the strength was lost. A minute later, a tall man emerged from a small room behind the platform. He wore a tall, feathered headpiece and bands around his arms, legs and ankles made of leaves. He stopped at the platform and looked down at the frightened man. The man wondered absently why he was there. He didn't speak the language this other man did. He was simply there for research. When he looked at the man above him, he heard the words spilled from his mouth and it was only when he stopped, and looked to the sky, that the knife came down on him. ******** The jeep drove through the jungle and pushed through the dense underbrush. It came out into a large clearing where a group of people were scattered; most on their knees. Tents were set up around the site where a small stone building was being uncovered. Stopping by one of the larger tents, the jeep doors opened. Fox Mulder stepped out and was almost knocked over by the heat. He pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose and closed the door behind him. He looked over the site and adjusted his t-shirt; running a hand through his already wet hair. Looking to his side, he saw his partner walk up and stand next to him, completing her own survey of the land. She pushed the loose strands of hair that had managed to escape the elastic and took her sunglasses out of her pocket. "Who's our contact?" she asked mildly. Mulder scanned the area. "Someone by the name of Fuentes," he told her. "He's the head archaeologist for the dig. I hope he speaks English." He took a deep breath and expelled it quickly. "Man, it's hot out here." Scully touched his arm when she saw someone approach them. A woman dressed in a pair of dusty blue jeans and a loose patterned shirt that blew around with whatever breeze happened by. The green Packers baseball cap hid most of her face, along with dirt. "Hola mis amigos!" she called to them. Once she was close enough, there was no mistaking her. Joanne Thornton took the hat off and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, replacing the hat. She embraced Mulder with strong arms. "Que estan haciendo aqui?" Fox frowned. "What?" She laughed and nodded. "You'll have to pardon me," she told them. "I've been speaking Spanish for the past three weeks. I'll try again: What are you doing here?" "Oh," he said. "Haven't you heard about past three deaths?" She nodded solemnly. "It's got quite a lot of people shaken up around here." She motioned to the group of people. "You see our team has shrunken quite a bit. We used to have twenty here. Now there's only ten." "They've all been killed?" Scully asked. "Oh, no," Jo replied. "Three killed. The rest ran away. I was called after the second death and dragged my sister down with me." "Your sister?" Mulder asked. Thornton nodded. "Yeah, she was visiting for a few days when I got the call. I was surprised she wanted to come." She looked over to the group and smiled. "She's a real trooper." "Wait a second," Dana said. "You're not an agent. How did they get in touch with you?" "Miguel's a old friend." She motioned to a man bent over an artifact that someone had found. "I went to school with him. Even dated him a few times." Mulder looked over at him, recognizing the name. "Miguel Fuentes?" Jo looked up at him. "Yeah." "He's our contact." "Oh, right," she said. "Of course." She turned to the group of archaeologists huddled around the latest find. "Miguel!" she called. The man looked up at her. "Viene aqui! Hay gente aqui para verte!" He stood and dusted his jeans off. He gave the tools to the woman beside him and started toward them. He stood tall, about the size of Mulder and he was well muscled; his arms strong from years of digging. His skin was dark and he didn't show any indication that the heat was bothering him. "Que es?" he asked in a smooth, deep voice. Jo smiled at Mulder and Scully's confusion. "Miguel, no comprenden bien espanol. Habla ingles." He looked at Mulder and Scully and outstretched his hand. "Hi. Miguel Fuentes." Mulder and Scully took his hand in turn. "Fox Mulder. This is my partner, Dana Scully. We're with the FBI." "FBI?" Fuentes asked. "We were asked by the Mexican police to help out with the case involving the deaths of the three archaeologists," Dana told him. "We understand they were part of your team." "Yes, they were," he replied. "We found them back here, killed like they had been sacrificed; they're hearts cut out and taken." "Are these new ruins?" Mulder asked. Miguel nodded, looking behind him. "Yes. We found it a month and a half ago. After these deaths, people have started calling it El Lugar del Sangriente Camalidad. The Place of the Bloody Curse." Scully frowned. "Curse?" Miguel sighed. "Perhaps we should take this into the tent?" Mulder and Scully nodded, happy for an opportunity to get out of the sun and followed Fuentes into the largest tent. The two agents, however, were out of luck in the coolness factor. The tent was just as hot if not hotter than the outside. A thin man at one of the tables looked over his shoulder at them. Miguel waved him out of the tent. "Salga aqui, por favor." The man walked out of the tent as Mulder and Scully sat down in the wooden chairs. Fuentes moved some papers aside as Jo pulled a chair over; turning it backwards and straddling it. She pulled her hat off and placed it on the table; shaking the dirt out of her hair with her hand. "So, what's this about a curse?" Mulder finally asked. Jo looked at Miguel and decided to field the question. "Since this place has been uncovered, there have been some strange goings on. People hearing drums, chants; seeing fire light coming from in the trees, but only recently has it turned to murders." "Why do you think that is?" Scully asked. "Many of the natives did not want this place uncovered," Fuentes replied. "They protested for many weeks, but we still received the grant." "Since the three deaths," Thornton added. "We've been thinking that these ruins are larger than we first thought." "Why?" "That building outside is small," Miguel told them. "It's most likely a house, or some kind of worshipping platform. The sacrificial platform is often placed on a far side of the city. This only leads us to believe that wherever the sounds are coming from, is where the sacrifices are being performed." "Has anyone gone out there to see if they could find anything?" Mulder asked. Jo looked at Miguel, then back to Mulder. "The only three that went are dead." ******** Thornton squinted as she stepped out of the tent. She pulled her hat on backwards and slipped her sunglasses on her nose. Mulder and Scully stepped out a moment later and stood beside her; their sunglasses already on. "So, when are we going out there?" Fox asked. Scully looked at him incredulously. Jo shrugged. "Whenever," she replied. Scully's eyes turned on her. "How about tomorrow? It's too dangerous to go out at night." "Are you two serious?" Dana asked. "Are these three murders not registering in your minds?" Mulder chuckled. "Now how are we going to find the perpitraitor if we don't investigate, Scully?" Jo laughed silently; watching the dig continue. Scully delivered a flawless glare that caused Mulder to look away. He cleared his throat. "So, Jo... Which one's your sister? I think I'd like to meet her." "Alejandra!" Jo called to a small cluster of escavators. One looked up and Jo waved her over. "Puedes venir aqui por un momento?" "Por que?" the woman called back. Jo rolled her eyes and sighed. "Porque estoy mas grande y mejor que ti!" she said and was immediately responded with rucous laughter from the woman. Alejandra stood, dusting herself off, and started toward her sister with a big smile on her face. "What did you tell her?" Scully asked. Jo smiled, watching her sister. "I told her I was bigger and better than she was." "And you expect her to come over here after that?" Jo shrugged as Alejandra approached. "Tu necesitas trabajar sobre su argumentos convenciendos." She put her hands on her hips and looked up at Jo. "I got you over here, didn't I?" Alejandra chuckled and shook her head. Her short dark hair was tied up in a tiny ponytail; a few tendrils escaping the elastic. She wore a white t-shirt tucked into her jeans and a dark, button down shirt hung open over top of it. She lifted a foot and dusted the dirt off her brown hiking boot and looked at Mulder and Scully. "Quienes son ellos?" she asked, pointing her chin at the two feds. "Fox Mulder and Dana Scully," Jo replied. "And speak English." "No comprenden espanol?" Thornton shook her head. "No." Alejandra smiled slyly. "Puedo divertirme con eso..." "Alex..." Jo's sister held her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, no jokes... For now." Mulder and Scully looked at each other, smiling as the woman extended her hand. "Hey. I'm Alex." "Jo's sister," Mulder said with a smirk, taking her hand. "Ooo..." Alex said, an eyebrow raised. She looked at Thornton. "Is he always this good?" Jo nodded. "All the time." Alex reached over and took Scully's hand. "Hi, Dana, how are you?" "Fine, thanks," Scully replied. "Jo told us that you were visiting her when she was asked down here. Can I ask what you do for a living if it's not this?" "Massage therapy," Alex told her, wiping her forehead. "I took an archaeology course in university," Jo stepped in. "There was an exchange to Cairo and I took her with me." "You mean you dragged me." "Hey, you liked it. Anyway, she learned the way you do things at a dig, so we figured she'd be an asset." "Yep," Alex sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets. "They'd be lost without me." "Alejandra!" someone called. "Viene aqui! Hemos encontrado algo por aca!" Alex turned and saw a couple of people waving her over. "I gotta go," she said. "They found something." She looked at the two agents. "Nice to meet you guys. I'll see you later." Running off, Jo turned to Mulder and Scully. She looked at Scully, who wiped her forehead and smiled. "She's nice," Dana told her. "Now, she's your sister..." "Through the family in Winnipeg," Jo filled in for her. "We're not blood related." "You look so much alike." Thornton had to laugh at that. "Yeah... We were born through in-vitro... Just two long-lost sisters brought together by a freak incident where one was--" "All right, I get it," Scully interrupted. "Mulder, w--" She stopped ubruptly at the look on Mulder's face. He was in some kind of trance like state. "Woah," Jo said. "What's with Mulder?" She stepped up beside him and followed his gaze; turning her head... Which lead her to her sister. Jo rolled her eyes. "Oh, no, Mulder," she said sharply. She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Mulder!" Fox jolted himself straight and looked at her. "What?" "Not Alex," she told him. Then he realized what he had been doing and blinked a few times. "Why not?" Jo put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in closer to him. She opened her mouth, trying to find the right words. "She's married," she said finally, hanging her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Scully biting her lip to stifle her laughter. "She's what?" Mulder asked incredulously. "Married, you know, hitched, linked, spoken for." She looked at him, hoping she was getting through. Mulder was still in the dark. "But her last name--" "Is McRae," Jo told him. "Come on, let's get out of the sun, shall we?" She turned him back to the tent. "It was the massage therapy, wasn't it?" Mulder shrugged. "A man can have dreams." Thornton chuckled. "Not with her, Tarzan," she said. "But Dana... Now *that's* a whole diff--ow!" She rubbed her shin, hopping on one foot. She glared at Scully. "All right... Maybe someone else..." ******** The fire crackled and sparked at the team of archaeologists surrounding it. Some talked of the day's finds, some played games and joked, and some just sat by themselves and poked the fire with long sticks. Jo was one of those people. She had always loved to 'play with fire'... figure of speech, or not. She smiled, remembering the time a piece of melted plastic fell on her finger after she held a plastic bag in the fire and took it out to examine it. Sure, it hurt, but she learned to laugh at herself... very early on in her life. "Que pasa, mi hermana?" Thornton looked up to see Alex sit in the spot next ot her. She shugged. "Nada de particular," she replied. "Donde estan Mulder y Scully?" Alex smiled. "Discutiendo sobre algo... No se." As if on cue, the two partners walked out of the largest tent and made their way to the fire. Jo turned around and rested an arm on her knee. "Don't you two ever *stop* arguing?" she called. They smiled. "Of course not," Mulder replied. Scully shook her head. "That would ruin the entire relationship." They sat down on the dusty ground; Mulder on the other side of Jo, and Scully on Mulder's far side. "So..." Mulder started. "What were you two talking about?" Jo and Alex smiled at each other. "Debemos decirles?" Jo asked. "Oh, no se," Alex replied, bringing a hand to her chin. "Piensas que pueden ustedes suportarlo? Mulder and Scully watched the exchange, catching only a few words... Like 'no se' and 'ustedes'. "Sin duda pueden," Thornton said. "Pero, pueden suportar escuchar la verdad?" "Que quieres decir? Que verdad?" "La verdad sobre el amor imperecedero que lo lleva su socia." Alex couldn't stifle the burst of laughter even slightly. She covered her mouth and looked at the fire; not wanting to make any eye contact until she had collected herself. Mulder frowned. "Hey, no fair!" he cried indignantly. "Speak English!" "Ellos sesuenan casi el uno al otro todas las noches," Jo continued, bordering on her own hysteria. Alex closed her eyes tightly and waved at her sister to shut her up. Fox was getting quite frustrated, and he grabbed Jo's shoulder and turned her so she had to face him. She tried her absolute best to cover her laughter. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. She started laughing again. "I think I'll get some dinner," she told them, getting to her feet as fast as she could. She disappeared into the group of people around a table. Alex watched her go with a smile on her face; occasionally allowing a chuckle to escape. "So, Alex," Mulder pried. "What was she saying?" She stopped, suddenly realizing the potential of this particular opportunity to really lay it on her sister. Alex turned to him. "Oh," she said. "You mean when she said that she loved you and wanted your body?" Scully's jaw dropped. "No way..." she whispered. "Get out of here." "True story," Alex continued. "She talks about you all the time." She had to fight the laugh that tickled her throat. Dana shook her head. "No way... Get out of here." Mulder turned to his partner suddenly. "Why is that so hard to understand?" he demanded. "She can be attracted to me if she wants to." His eyes shifted to Alex. "She does, doesn't she?" Alex nodded. "There, see?" He suddenly realized the situation he was in and as if on cue, Jo appeared with some food. "Got some grub guys," she said and stopped dead at the look Mulder and Scully gave her... actually, the look Mulder gave her. "What?" she asked. His eyes seemed much darker than they usually were. "Mulder? Are you okay?" He grinned at her. "Oh yeah," he replied. "I'm fine... Why don't you come sit down?" Alex bit her lip... hard. She turned away and coughed into her hand as Jo made her way between Mulder and Scully... albeit reluctantly. Something told her that this case was going to be one that she was never going to forget. Jo laid out the food and shifted uncomfortably at the presence against her shoulder. She turned her head to see Mulder had managed to get much closer than he was before. "What are you doing?" she asked him calmly. He shrugged. "Nothing." She raised an eyebrow and turned back to the food in front of her. "All right," she said, rubbing her hands together. "We got rice, tortillas, and even a quesadilla made by yours truly. Dig in." Mulder reached around her and grabbed a plate. On the way over, he 'accidentally' brushed his hand aginst her side and along her back. Jo straightened as Mulder returned to his previous position and raised her finger. "Okay, see, I felt that." Scully looked at her. "Felt what?" she asked. Jo looked at Mulder. "Can I ask--" She stopped short at the look on his face. She frowned and looked past him to her sister. Then it finally clicked. "Oh, you're dead." Alex smiled. "Oh, you're so dead." ******** 5:00am "Psst!" Alex shifted restlessly underneath the handmade blanket. She refused to open her eyes. she told herself. Her breathing slowed slightly. "Psst! Alex!" She groaned and turned onto her back. "What is it?" She opened her eyes to the faint sunrise leaking in through the tent and immediately brought her hands up to cover her eyes. "What do you want?" Mulder shifted to rest on one knee. "Which one's Jo's tent?" Alex's hands came away to look at him incredulously. "I thought we went over the fact that she wasn't attracted to you." "I don't mean for that," he said. "I need to talk to her." "Suuuure you do." "Alex, come on." She sighed. "Two to the left," she told him. Mulder rose slightly to open the tent doors. "Oh, Mulder?" He turned. "Try to keep it quiet." ******** 5:30am "Alex?" "What is it?" Alex asked, throwing the blanket back. Her head dropped back at the sight of the other federal agent. "Geez," she said. "Don't you Americans ever sleep?" Scully smiled. "Not past six," she replied. "Do you know where Mulder is?" Alex closed her eyes, trying to fall back asleep before she had to get up in another hour. "Yeah, he needed to talk to Jo. He's probably there-- Oh wait." She thought for a moment. "Oh, no, it's okay. They've had a good half hour." Dana frowned and shook her head. "I already checked there," she told her. "Jo's not there either." This time, Alex sat up. "What? Then where are they?" ******** "Don't touch that!" Thornton pushed Mulder out of the way of a small green plant. "What's the matter?" he cried, turning to her. "That thing'll kill you," she told him. "Never touch them." Mulder raised an eyebrow at her. "The little plant will kill me?" he asked, stopping in the middle of the trail in the rainforest. Jo turned around. "Well, no," she said, walking over. She lifted one of its leaves and stepped out of the way of the black spider that crawled out from underneath it, scrambling for another leaf to hide under. She stood straight and looked at him. "That little thing will, though." Mulder nodded. "Point taken." Jo smiled and continued down the damp path. The forest conopy blocked most of the sunlight, so the heat was mostly humid. The white tank top she had been wearing at the beginning of the trek had somehow acquired a few spots of dirt, as had Mulder's shirt. She pushed a branch out of the way, warning Mulder about it and stepped out into a clearing. "Mulder," she said. "Look at this." Fox stepped into the sunlight and shaded his eyes from the bright light. A small pyramid stood, not tall enough to be seen above the treetops, but taller than a two story house. At the bottom of the pyramid's staircase, was a large slab of rock. "The sacrificial platform," Jo told him, walking up to it. She looked down at the surface, noting its dark red stain. Mulder stopped beside her. "The blood's recent," he said. "Two, maybe three days." Jo nodded, looking up at the pyramid. "El Castillo," she whispered. Mulder looked at her. "What?" She smiled. "It means 'castle'. They're in just about every ruin in Mexico. Some small, some large. One of the largest is in Chichen Itza." Jo walked up a few steps and looked ot the top. "An amazing piece of architecture." She turned around to face him. "You know, it was believed that some of the survivors of Atlantis came here to colonize. The rest went to Egypt." Mulder nodded. "Because of the pyramids," he said. "They were so unusual, it was so strange that two totally different cultures on two different hemispheres could create buildings that were so alike." The two stood in silence, checking out the various stone structures throughout the clearing. Jo noticed a small coloured feather on the ground. She knelt beside it and examined it carefully without picking it up. The snap of a twig caused her to straighten suddenly, frowning as she looked around her. Mulder saw her and walked over. "Jo, what is it?" he whispered. Thornton turned her head around. "Did you hear that?" "What?" Jo's head snapped away from him. "There it is again." "What?" Mulder asked, exasperated. "I don't hear anything." She silenced him with an open hand. "Trust me," she said. "We're surrounded." "By who?" The Brazilian stood slowly; her muscles tense. "I don't know... There." Mulder nodded. He heard it too. A snap... a rock. They looked around the clearing, hoping it was just the forest. But it wasn't. And all hell broke loose. ******** "Do you have any idea where this is?" Scully asked, following Alex through the jungle. "Kind of." Dana stopped. "What do you mean, 'kind of'?" Alex looked back at her. "I mean I kind of know. Come on, it can't be far." ******** Mulder dove behind the platform; the three arrows sailing over him. He peeked over the edge; looking for Jo. He disappeared again when a spear was sent his way; pressing his back against the sun-warmed rock. A second later, Jo rolled past him in a cloud of dust and stopped, lying face up. She scrambled to her knees and crawled over to him; her body laden with dirt. "Let's see how fast you can run, Tarzan," she said. "These are not friendly natives." Mulder nodded and as she turned, his eyes widened. "Jo," he said, pulling her back to him. The right strap of her tanktop hung by only a few threads; most of it coloured red by, what he guessed to be, a seven inch slash across her shoulder. He fingered the area lightly and guessed it was done by an arrow. "Are you okay?" She looked back at him for only an instant before she continued to survey the battle and nodded. "Fine enough, for now," she told him, getting to her feet. "Let's just get the hell out of here." She pulled him up and the pair took off into the dense forest; the natives not far behind. ******** "What is that?" Alex asked. She stopped Scully and the two of them listened. "I don't know," Dana said, shaking her head. "Sounds like... a war cry." No more than a second later, Mulder and Jo sped toward them, the other two women stopping them. "Jo, what's going on?" Scully asked, holding her arms. Thornton looked over her shoulder. "No time," she wheezed. "Get... out of here." She and Mulder turned Alex and Scully around and pushed them ahead. "And hurry!" ******** The four of them made it onto the dig site without injury; except Jo's and a few scrapes. The rest of the team looked at the foursome with raised eyebrows. Jo smiled and waved at them. "S' all right everyone," she breathed, bracing herself on her knees. "We're okay." Scully straightened and looked at Jo's shoulder. She touched it lightly and Jo flinched. "You're not," she said. "You have any First Aid?" "I got it," Alex told them, running to the largest tent. "Hey," Jo said, tapping Mulder's shoulder with a smile. "It's not you for a change." ******** "Hold still!" "Ow! For crying out loud, stop touching it!" Scully frowned and reached for the bottle of Peroxide and a cotton ball. She pulled the one strap of the tank top down to expose the entire cut, which was about seven inches from Jo's shoulder to the inside of her shoulder blade. Mulder sat off to one side, nursing his own wounds which Scully had done first to shut him up, and Alex sat on a rock across from Jo. Dana brought the alcohol-soaked cotton ball to Jo's shoulder. "Okay," she said. "This is going to hurt a bit." She touched the ball to the wound and Jo flinched, sucking air in through her teeth. She closed her eyes. "Ow... A bit, huh?" She raised an eyebrow over her shoulder at the redhead. Alex chuckled. "You're such a wuss." Thornton glared at her sister. "I am not-- ow!" "You are too. You always have been." "Ow! Holy geez Dana, what are you using, the entire bottle?" Jo turned back to Alex. "You were always jealous of my tolerance to pain-- ow." She shifted slightly. Alex stifled a laugh. "What tolerance?" Scully struggled to keep to her job. "The tolerance I learned in my work experience when I was younger," Jo continued. "Work experience? As what? A gift wrapper? Yeah, there's a real payroll for danger there." Jo's eyes narrowed. "Shut up miss-work-experience-from-a-dental-office. What kind of pain is there in that job? Other than boredom-- ow!" "A lot more than getting a paper cut." "Ow!" Jo cried. "What the hell are you doing back there, Dana?" Scully looked up innocently. "Stitches," she replied. Thornton's eyes widened. "Stitches?" "Well, the cut is about a centimetre deep. I thought you'd like it fixed." "Awww... What's wong wif d'macho jaguar?" Alex taunted. "The widdle needle hurt?" Jo growled and tried to stand, but Scully put an iron grip on her other shoulder, holding her down. "If you want this done, and done properly, I suggest you sit still. That is, unless, you want me to sew something to something else that shouldn't be there." "Yeah Jo... Baby." "Shut up!" Jo yelled. "Oooo, good comeback." "Loser." "Wuss." "Chicken." "Hey!" Scully yelled. "Am I going to have to separate you two?" Jo smiled. "I'll separate her for you..." "Joanne..." Thornton looked at her sister. "All right, all right... moron." "Idiot." ******** It was about noon and the escavators were in the midst of taking their two hour break to avoid heat stroke. Most were under trees, draping themselves over branches and rocks; drinking anything but the water. Mulder took refuge in his tent, making some excuse about being tired, or sick, or something. No one was really listening at the time. Alex was off doing something with her dig crew... Mainly, the time between eleven thirty and one thirty, no one really did much of anything; most concentrating on keeping cool... Which ultimately made them think about how hot it was, so the entire thing always backfired. Jo sat in the largest tent with a few others looking a small feather in her hand. It had been the one she saw beside the sacrificial platform before she and Mulder were ambushed. She twirled it around between he fingers; admiring the bright blue that seemed to shimmer off it. Her other arm hung straight down, her hand in her lap. Doctor's orders. she mocked Scully in her mind. She moved her right arm slowly, bringing out of her lap until she reached about a forty-five degree angle when the stitches pulled. She grunted softly and returned the arm to its previous position. With a frown, she stared at the feather again, trying to discern why there would be one where she found it. She sighed just as the flap to the tent opened. She turned her head and squinted her eyes at the black figure. "I'm going back," it said. Jo closed her eyes and shook her head. "Mulder, what are you, nuts? Do you think those natives will be gone?" He sat down next to her. "I don't care," he told her. "I'm going back anyway... Are you coming, or not?" "No... I need to find some things out." "Like what?" "Like this," she said tersely, showing him the feather. "Where this came from." "A bird?" Thornton pushed herself away from the table and stood up. "Oh, you know what I mean, Mulder. I know it came from a damn bird." She looked at him. "My question is, why would it be there? This is the same kind of feather the Mayas used as ceremonial dress... *for sacrifices*. Can I be any clearer?" He stared at her with a frown on his face; the corner of his eye catching a few people watching the exchange. "No," he said, lifting himself from the chair. "No you couldn't... That's fine. I'll go by myself." He walked over to the tent door. "I'll... see you later." The flap to the tent closed, dusting a circle of dirt around the floor. Jo sighed and shook her head; finding her way to the chair again. She dropped into the chair; tossing the feather away from her. ******** Mulder pushed his way through the jungle, trying his absolute best to remember the route he and Jo had taken earlier. It *had* only been a few hours ago. He was fascinated, not only by the fact that those buildings were made so long ago, but by the fact that those natives that ambushed them... shouldn't have been there. Human sacrifices were abolished long ago with the arrival of the Spaniards, along with most of the Maya that practised it, so it didn't make any sense. Sure, there were still Maya around, but they were much more modernized, as the term went. And now that Jo had found that feather, it made it even more of a puzzle. He stumbled out into the clearing and looked around; checking for the possibility of the natives. He saw no one. Not a living soul... unless you counted the plants. He wandered carefully over to the sacrificial platform to check around per chance there may be more feathers, or something that could lead them a little further in the investigation. He knelt down in the dirt beside it, running his fingers through the dry ground. It was so quiet there, he could of heard a pin drop. Which made him wonder why he didn't hear whoever was holding the sharp object that was pressing into the back of his neck. He froze completely. His hand, body, and heart. The person behind him said something in Spanish... of which he didn't understand. He assumed they wanted him to stand, so he did. When he looked up, he saw about fifteen dark-skinned men surrounding him. Some were armed with bows and arrows, some with spears, and some with rocks. Either way, he knew this wasn't good. "Vuelta alrededor," the grainy voice behind him said. He couldn't understand. He had no idea what they wanted him to do. Apparently he took too long guessing what it was, and was hit in the kidneys with one end of the spear. Mulder grunted and crumbled a little. He almost lost his balance when the man grabbed his arm and turned him forcefully. "Que estan haciendo?" he asked. Mulder shook his head, his eyes tired all of a sudden. The end of the spear was jabbed into his stomach and he fell to his knees. "No..." he started. "No... com... comprendo espanol." "Mentiroso!" the man yelled. Mulder shook his head and looked up. The man glared at him and waited a second before he decided what he wanted to do. Mulder closed his eyes when he saw the man raised the blunt end of his weapon. Before it went black, Mulder's last thought was that he hoped that they would at least be easy on him... ******** After a few hours, Jo hadn't moved from her spot at all. Everyone had left once the sun died down; escaping back outside to do more digging. The blue feather lay on the table in front of her, beside a cold washcloth to cool her... She still hadn't found out why or how the feather had gotten to the ruins. She fingered it lightly; twirling it around on the table. "Oh, God," she groaned lowering her head to her arm on the table. "I'm never going to figure this out." Her breathing slowed a little as she stared at the wood, taking in its scent. I was really quiet, she oberved. Minus the talking outside which wasn't all that loud. From in there anyway. She must have been more tired than she thought, because the pair of hands that touched her shoulders caused her to jerk and take in a quick breath. "Woah, take it easy." Thornton's eyes closed. "Geez, Alex, you scared you the hell out of me." Her sister smiled and began a slow massage. "Well, I aim to please." Jo shifted slightly in the chair and grimaced. "Hey, watch out fo--" "The stitches, I know, I see them." Alex shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I *do* do this on a regular basis, Jo." Her left hand dug a little deeper and Jo groaned. Alex frowned and moved down her sister's back. "Geez, Josie... You're as tight as a wire." Thornton made a quiet humming noise. "I hate it when you call me that... And I'm not surprised." "What are you working on?" she asked, looking onto the table. Jo sighed and reached for the cloth to wipe her face down. Then she set it aside and picked up the feather. "Trying to figure out where this came from." "Oh, that's easy," Alex replied, moving her hands to Jo's shoulders. "It's from a quetzal bird." Jo rolled her eyes. "I know *that*," she said tossing the feather back down. "I want to know how it got to where I found it." Her sister shrugged. "It was probably molting." Jo groaned. "You're not helping, Alex." "Oh, sorry," she said, removing her hands. Her sudden abscence was immediately missed. "No, no, no, I didn't mean it that way," she said, calling her back. "*That* was good... the *answer* was bad." Alex smiled. "Ohh, I see," she said, returning to the ministration. "So... it came from a headdress?" Thornton raised an eyebrow. "Maybe... I don't kn..." She frowned and looked at her fingers. "What is it?" Jo brought her left hand closer to her face and examined it closely. "They're... blue..." she told Alex. And suddenly, it clicked. "It's fake." Alex frowned. "What is?" "The feather," she said, grabbing the cloth. Using her right arm carefully, she held the feather still. Her sister watched over her shoulder as she rubbed the cloth along the thin feather. After a couple of times, the blue started coming off; bringing it the true colour of white. "It must have been coloured." "But, how?" Thornton stood from her chair. "You remember that group of Mayas who didn't want us to dig?" "You mean the ones Miguel said kept coming to the camp?" Jo nodded. "I think those are the people who are doing these murders. They probably couldn't find enough real quetzal feathers to make their clothes look convincing, so they made their own." "So why would they do this?" "To scare us off." "Jo!" The two sisters turned to the sudden outburst to find a breathless Scully at the entrance to the tent. "What is it, Dana?" Thornton asked. Scully wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Mulder's gone." "What?" Alex said. Jo smiled. "That's okay, I know where he is." "Where?" Scully asked. "He's at the..." Her face fell. "Ruins... Shit." ******** "Para ultimo tiempo! Que estuviste haciendo!" Mulder's tired and pained eyes tried to see the man in front of him. The recently lit torches made it hard for him to see much, ironically. His licked his lips, which had become dry and bloody from the many hits he had taken. "No... comprendo..." "Parada que deciendo!" Mulder shook his head and curled up; his eyes closing. "No... comprendo..." The native scowled at him for a minute, before he turned to one of Mulder's guards. "El no voluntad hablar. Preparar el por sacrificio." With that, he turned and left. The guard grabbed the beaten agent's arms and dragged him toward another door. Mulder's eyes opened as far as they could as he was being dragged through the door. No, he didn't understand most Spanish, but he *knew* that last word was sacrifice... ******** "Jo!" Scully called. She pushed the branch from her face, casting a glance to her side to make sure Alex was still there. "Wait up, huh?" Thornton stopped and turned to them, bracing herself on her knees with one arm. "Would you tell me what's going on in your head?" Dana asked. Jo closed her eyes and shook her head. "Not a good idea... What I can tell you, is that anytime from now until whenever, they're going to bring Mulder out and sacrifice him. I don't know when, but it'll be soon." Scully's eyes widened. "What?" "Listen, Dana... These people do not know what they're doing. They probably amushed him like they did earlier to find out what he was doing. They've probably been the ones who killed the three archaeologists before hand." "But why?" "*Because*... He now has connections to the project *they*," she pointed through the trees. "didn't want to happen." "But they're not sacrificing on the right date," Alex said. Jo wiped her forehead with her hand. "They... don't... care," she stressed. "They have no idea what they're doing, other than they're killing innocent people in the way their ancestors did. They don't care about it being the right date." She continued to the edge of the clearing; checking for any natives and looked back at them. "Come on," she whispered. ******** The three women crawled to the edge of the stone structure; looking over the platform from about ten feet above. The torches were set, along with the fire, the chanting and the crowd. Scully scanned the group. "I don't see him," she said. Jo and Alex looked at her dubiously. "Dana," Jo whispered. "They're sacrificing him, not worshipping him." Scully looked at them, and quickly looked away. "So, who are those people?" "Chacs," Jo told her. "They... hold the arms and legs," Alex added reluctantly. "Until the Nacom comes." Dana swallowed. "Who's that? Or do I want to know?" Jo chewed on her bottom lip. "He opens the chest," she said quietly. Scully's eyes closed and took a deep breath. "Oh, God..." They opened again when she felt a hand on her arm. Jo looked at her with determined eyes. "That's *not* going to happen." Scully opened her mouth to say something, but Jo shook her head. "I won't let it." ******** Mulder opened his eyes and looked out the doorway that lead to the clearing. His hands were tied, as were his feet, but not tightly, just enough so he could move. Two natives flanked his sides... which were bare. He looked down at himself, realizing they had stripped him of his clothing and cleaned him head to toe. He was surprised that he didn't care. At this point, unless he got a sign from God - which was doubtful - he was as good as dead. he thought. A sharp prod in his back sent him stumbling forward into the cool night. A path had been set with torches so he could follow them to the platform. Four men stood at each corner of the stone slab; their hands folded in front of them. He turned his head from side to side, taking in the faces, and the chanting. It was all foriegn to him. He had no idea what they were saying, but he knew what was going to happen... Though, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. ******** Scully's breath caught in her throat at the sight of her partner walking to his death. She raised herself up a bit, but lowered again when she felt Jo's hand on her back. It was the that she realized what must be happening to her friend. "Jo?" she asked. "How's your heartbeat?" Alex frowned at the question, looking first to her sister, then to Scully. Thornton swallowed. "Speeding up... rapidly." She watched the scene below, waiting for it to happen. She was feeling a little strange, she knew it was inevitable. "I need to get up," she said suddenly. She rose to her feet and backed up so she wouldn't be spotted. Alex and Scully followed her and stood on each side. Her breathing was becoming a little erratic and it was only a second before she fell to her knees in pain. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes tightly. Alex dropped beside her. "Jo?" she asked. "Jo, are you okay?" Scully watched them and her partner in turn. "Dana..." Jo said. Scully came to her side. "What is it?" "Hide..." she grunted. "Stay out of the way... and take my sister with you." Dana nodded and stood. "Come on, Alex," she said. Alex looked at her incredulously. "What? I'm not leaving her like this." "Alex--" "No. I'm not going." "She's changing!" Scully finally said. This caught her attention. "What?" She looked at her sister, kneeling in pain. "How... she..." "No time," Scully said, pulling her away. "We need to get out of her way." ******** They forced Mulder down onto the platform, not like he was really protesting. He laid, spread eagle on his back, looking up at the star-lit sky. The four men at each corner reached for his arms and legs and held them down tightly. The stone was cold, but warmed quickly. His side and back hurt where he had been hit and his eyes were becoming harder and harder to keep open. The chanting got louder and the spectators turned to one side. Mulder became a little curious and tried to see what they were looking at. He was unsuccesful to witness the Nacom's entrance. But he saw him. He saw him standing over him, looking down through the feathered mask; decorated by the feathers that resembled the one Jo had found. He was never going to see them again. He never did the things he wanted to, he had never found his sister. The Nacom said something in Spanish, and raised the curved knife above Mulder's chest. There was a sudden roar coming from the background. Mulder's eyes shot open and saw that everyone was looking for the source. It wasn't that unusual to find a wild cat in the jungles here. The men holding him down had loosened their grip on him and he found he could move. Then the Nacom turned to him and looked down at the agent. Mulder's heart sank as he realized the Nacom was not going to let him live... Wild cat or not. Mulder's eyes closed, and he waited. And waited. And waited. He opened them again and saw the Nacom frozen with fear; staring across his chest. The agent on the platform turned his head to see what the reason was and almost smiled. Almost. The familiar jaguar-human mutant was poised on the other side; yellow eyes glowing, a deep chesty growl emanating from her. "No!" the Nacom cried. "Estas aqui traerme a infierno." He laughed. "No voluntad voy!" He raised the knife to Mulder again and in a second, he was gone. Mulder frowned and looked over the other side to see the Nacom lying dead; his throat a few inches from him; Jag no where in sight. Mulder leaned back, not wanting to move; mostly because his body didn't allow him to. He just wanted this to be over. He closed his eyes and tried to think up some kind of pleasant thought... Like that was going to be forthcoming. He felt almost asleep; in a dream, hearing the screams and cries of frightened men. He clenched his eyes shut; trying to block it out. Then he felt soft, gentle hands lifting him. He also felt the sharp points pressing into his skin; not hard, but hard enought to be noticeable and the... fur. He was only half aware he was being lifted on Jag's back. He wrapped his arms around her neck; burying his face in soft coat as she leapt up the side of a stone building. Mulder closed his eyes and prayed to God she didn't let him go, or he didn't let go of her. He hoped he had enough energy to hold on. Jag landed on a patch of grass and lowered him onto his back. She crouched over him, cocking her head to the side. He looked up at her, realizing she had just saved him, but that she still didn't have control; ruled about ninety percent by instinct. He wasn't sure if he should try to move, not look her in the eye, or what. He wasn't up on animal behaviour. He couldn't really not look at her. She was about fifteen inches from his face. he told himself. He decided to try a major taboo; figuring he didn't much to lose, really. Licking his lips, Mulder reached a tentative hand to the face above him. Jag jerked back, causing him to stop; his hand hovering in the air. "It's okay," he said and she seemed to respond to the sound of his voice. Like it was a cable to the human world. He continued moving his hand, which she watched intently, not sure of its intentions. His hand finally reached the short, soft hair that lined her face and he smiled, feeling its smoothness. It happened so fast, he almost missed it. One would think it would take a long time, but before Mulder knew it, the figure in front of him was the same old Brazilian, returning his smile ten-fold. She reached up and took his hand from her face, closing it in her own and stood. "I'll be back in a sec," she said, and disappeared from his sight. It was unbelieveable. One second, she was a half-jaguar-half-human, and the next, she was a complete, one hundred percent human. Mulder stared into the dark sky, wondering exactly how it was all possible when Jo returned. She smiled at him, mentally telling herself the injuries weren't that bad. She pulled out a huge green leaf from behind her, draped it over him and shrugged. "It's not Fig, but it'll do," she told him. Mulder realized he now couldn't open his left eye because of its swelling, but the other one widened at the comment and Jo chuckled. "Not to worry, Tarzan," she said, patting his shoulder. "Now we're even." "What was that?" came Alex's voice from the trees. Jo's sister and Scully emerged from the jungle, along with Miguel and another man from the dig. "Is there something you should tell me, Josie?" Thornton smiled and stood. "No," she said, embracing her sister. "And stop calling me that." "Never..." Alex's smile faded as she looked at her hand, spotted with her sister's blood. She looked up at her, concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked. Jo pulled Alex's hand over so she could look at it and groaned. She looked over to Scully. "Hey, Dana," she said. "Looks like those stitches got pulled out anyway." Scully smiled, watching Miguel and the other escavator pick Mulder up to carry him back to the camp. "That's okay," she told her, lacing her fingers and pushing her palms away from her. "I need the practice." ******** The camp had settled down considerably once the mexican authorities apprehended the group of Maya. There was a very relaxed atmosphere; now without the threat and danger of murder. Mulder, Scully, Alex, and Jo sat out in the sun, the two Feds taking advantage of their last couple days in the jungle, before having to go back to the concrete one of Washington. "Jo," Mulder asked from a rock a few metres from the Brazilian. She turned to him. "What did that guy say to you before he tried to kill me?" "The Nacom?" she asked. He nodded and she looked at a group of diggers on the other side of the camp. "He said I was there to take him to the Underworld... That he wouldn't go." "How come?" he wondered. Thornton smiled and sighed. "The Jaguar God of the Underworld is told to have taken the dead to Xibalba, the 'Place of Fright'. Its face appeared on many of the Maya war shields." She chuckled. "They weren't Maya," she said. Mulder and Alex frowned. "What?" She looked over at them. "The Nacom spoke Spanish... The Maya language is very different. If it *had* been Maya, I wouldn't have understood him." Mulder took it into consideration and smiled. "So, he thought you were the Jaguar God?" She nodded. "So, you could, like, come back here, change, and rule the entire Maya population." Jo laughed and shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "My ability is no longer something I can turn on and off when I want to." "How come you don't need the necklace anymore?" Alex asked, looking over at her sister getting the stitches redone. Jo turned toward her and grimaced as Scully worked on her shoulder. "I - ow - was out in the snow too long." Alex raised an eyebrow. "Yeah...?" She wasn't quite understanding it. "The temperature - ow - altered me somehow... I don't know. Ask Mulder." Alex turned to the agent in question, reclining on a rock. He smiled. "It's too complicated," he told her and she raised an eyebrow at him. "Not that you wouldn't understand," he added. "Basically, she changes when either she, or someone she cares about is in danger." "The access - ow - adrenaline in my bloosdstream causes it," Jo said. "It's more biological now, than magical." "So why did I have to get out of the way?" Scully, Mulder and Jo all stopped and looked at each other. "It isn't good, is it?" Alex asked. Jo took a deep breath. "I lose control," she told her sister. "What do you mean?" "I become ruled by instinct. I become a wild animal." Mulder suddenly interjected. "Wait a second though," he said. Jo turned to him as Scully continued. "You allowed me to touch you... would that have happened to a wild animal?" Thornton's eyebrows raised. "I don't know," she replied. She smiled at him. "I guess I'm improving, huh?" Mulder shrugged. "Maybe..." He closed his eyes and looked up to face the sun. "So, Scully... How long do you think we could stay here?" Dana looked up from Jo's shoulder. "Not long, Mulder," she told him. "The police took them in already... Skinner's going to want us back asap." Thornton moved slightly and Scully sighed. "Jo, listen to me... You *have* to stop moving." "Yeah, yeah," Thornton mumbled. "I don't see why you have to do those." Scully rolled her eyes. "For the last time," she said, exasperated. "It'll heal about ten times faster if you get them. Now hold still." Jo groaned and shifted. "Ow..." Alex looked at her sister. "You know, Josie," she said; ingnoring the glare sent her way at the use of the name. "The Maya must be a pretty gullible group." Thornton frowned. "How so?" Alex shrugged. "Well, you, sitting there, keep complaining about those stitches. And it makes wonder just *why* the Maya would be afraid of such a baby." Jo narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Just be glad you're way over there, and I'm attached to the needle she's holding." "Why? What are you going to do? Bleed on me?" Mulder and Scully stopped, wondering just what Jo was going to do with that comment and were practically blown out of the water when she laughed. She looked up at her sister. "Damn, you're good." THE END December 31, 1996 [with regards to cell division] "You know a furrow is something a farmer makes in his field and cleavage... is uh, cleavage." --David Danter (my bio teacher) "Dick, permission to bitch." --Sally "3rd Rock From the Sun" "You got anything fun in your pocket?" --Katherine Gray "Yeah, he gets to jump people's bones." --Gillian Anderson of Fox Mulder -- CBC RealTime Too many quotes... I know. Death to Roborat!! >:-)