Title: Orcas in the Mist II: Max
Author: Kirsten Wahlquist
E-Mail: dkscully@softhome.net
Distribution: Anywhere's fine! Just let me know where it's going
Rating: PG
Keywords: MSR, X-Files/Free Willy Crossover
Spoilers: None
Category: CR
Summary: Mulder and Scully return to the Pacific Northwest to help Jesse 
discover the truth about the disappearance of Willy's son, Max.
Disclaimer: Very simple: I don't own any of them. Mulder and Scully belong to 
FOX, TenThirteen, and Chris Carter. Jesse, Randolph, Dial, Max, and Willy all 
belong to Warner Brothers.
Author's Notes:
-This story is a sequel to Orcas in the Mist. If you don't read the first one, 
it may be hard to follow. Both Orcas in the Mist I and II can be found at my 
site at http://members.tripod.com/~keikolover/fanfic/index.html. There is even a 
multimedia version of Orcas I!
-If you love dolphin stories (or animal stories in general!) I have an archive 
set up specifically for those at http://animalfiles.freeservers.com.
-Thank you to Genevieve for editing, and a big thenk you to everyone sent 
feedback on the first story!
-Plllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaassse send feedback! Did you like it? Hate it? Adore it? 
Tell me! dkscully@softhome.net

Enjoy!

Orcas in the Mist II: Max

Strait of Georgia
Late December, 1999

The morning arrived slowly, awakening the creatures of the Pacific Northwest. A 
brisk wind blew whitecaps to and fro. The sky remained a dismal grey even as the 
sun rose behind a thick layer of clouds.

Below the wind-blown waves, life never slept. For the most part, the inhabitants 
were always up and about. Morning meant only that it was either time to start 
eating or stop eating, and for some it meant nothing at all.

For a pod of killer whales, morning meant that it was time to stop resting and 
hunt down salmon. Their clicks and squeals echoed through the water as they 
cooperatively chased down their meal and swallowed it whole. Younger calves 
nudged their mothers for milk. To the older calves who dared to stray from their 
mothers' sides, it was playtime. They nipped at salmon experimentally, then 
darted away. The flashing silver fish made for an excellent toy.

Not far away, a boat's engine roared to life. The older members of the pod 
recognized the sound and grew wary. Some had been through numerous capture 
attempts and seen family members hauled away. Some remembered the loud 
explosions that ripped through the water in an attempt to herd them in a certain 
direction. These older orcas understood the danger behind the boats and steered 
the pod away from the offending noise.

Nevertheless, the rumble of the engine grew steadily louder. Ahead, another boat 
appeared. It headed straight for the pod at an alarming rate. With a high 
pitched squeal, three orcas broke from the pack and headed in the opposite 
direction. It was a tactic not unknown to the capture boats of old - one or more 
whales swim apart from the pod to act as a diversion. The boats were unswayed by 
the attempt, and steadily pushed the pod toward the shore.

Orcas squealed with panic as nets hit the water. Several of them managed to slip 
out safely, but most were not that lucky. They cried out as men on the boats 
drove them ever closer to the shore. A few rushed at the nets, only to swerve 
away at the last second. In the end, they realized too late what was upon them.
***
FBI Headquarters
Washington, DC
January 18, 2000
8:37 AM

Dana Scully trudged into the basement office and dumped her coat unceremoniously 
on a chair. She wiped a lock of hair from her face and sighed.

"Bad morning?" asked Mulder with a hint of amusement. He leaned back in his 
chair and smirked at her.

"You need to ask?" She sat across from him. "I slept through my alarm this 
morning. When I got into the shower, there was not hot water - the hot water 
heater was broken. Traffic was unusually bad and it took an eternity to get 
here."

"No kidding." Mulder sat upright. "Guess who I just talked to."

"Elvis?"

"Don't I wish. No, actually it was Jesse Greenwood."

Scully's eyebrows shot up. "Jesse?" They hadn't heard from their young friend in 
nearly two years, ever since their case involving the orcas of Puget Sound.

"Yeah, he sounded pretty worried," Mulder replied. "He said there's an orca 
missing in the area - specifically Max, Willy's son."

"Why did he call here?" Scully asked concernedly. "Does he think there's more 
whaling activity going on?"

Mulder shook his head. "No, but he claims that something quite suspicious has 
been going on in the area - and that Northwest Adventure Park just happens to 
have a new orca that looks remarkably like Max."

Scully wrinkled her nose at the name of the amusement park. It had been Willy's 
former home. Although she'd never seen it herself, it sounded as if the tank was 
nothing more than a concrete goldfish bowl. "And he hopes we can help?" She 
asked. Mulder nodded. Scully let out a breath slowly. She had felt connected to 
Willy and his family. It had been so long, though, she wasn't even sure if he 
would remember her. Still, the idea of letting Max rot in an inadequate tank was 
*very* unappealing. "What is Skinner going to think?"

Mulder looked squarely at her. "Who says he has to know?"

Scully raised a skeptic eyebrow, catching on. "You don't think he'd approve it," 
she stated simply.

"Of course he wouldn't. That's what vacation time is for."

Scully opened her mouth to protest, then shut it promptly. She hadn't taken a 
day off in ages. Why not? "Isn't it going to look a bit suspicious when you and 
I both take off at the same time?" she asked after several moments.

"Yes, it probably will, but wouldn't that just be comfirming what the rest of 
the Bureau already suspects?" answered Mulder, smiling.

"What did you tell Jesse?" queried Scully, changing the subject.

Mulder replied, "I told him I'd talk to you about it and call him back."

"At-" Scully looked at her watch "-5:45 in the morning, his time?"

"He got up to call, didn't he? That's got to count for something."

Scully looked down in thought. After several silent moments, she looked back up 
at Mulder. "Okay," she said finally, "let him know we'll look into it. Besides, 
I could use a nice trip right about now."
***
Anacortes, WA
January 19, 2000
6:57 PM

Mulder and Scully pulled into the small, roadside diner. Inside, they found 
Jesse sitting at a small table in the corner, sipping a cup of coffee. He wore a 
Seahawks jersey sporting quarterback Jon Kitna's number seven, apparently 
disregarding the football team's playoff loss a couple weeks earlier.

"Jesse?" asked Scully.

He turned around with a grin on his face. "Hey!" They exchanged hugs, and Mulder 
and Scully sat across from him. "How are you doing?" 

"Pretty well," replied Mulder. "As well as chasing down the FBI's most unwanted 
can go, anyway." He laughed lightly. "And you?"

"I'm surviving, at least. It's my first year of college at the University of 
Washington." 

"Cutting classes already?" asked Scully with a hint of a smile.

"Yeah, well..." Jesse trailed off.

"So what's this about Max?" Scully began. "You think he's been taken into 
captivity?"

Jesse nodded solemnly. "I swear it's him. I read a blurb in the paper about 
Northwest Adventure Park acquiring a new orca. Naturally, I had to see for 
myself." He shook his head. "Seven years, and the place hasn't changed a bit. 
The tank is in awful condition, and it hasn't been expanded at all."

"What make you think it's Max?" queried Mulder.

"I know every orca in the three local resident pods, and that is definitely Max. 
I've known him since he was born - literally. I watched his mother give birth to 
him." He paused. "One of my friends got ahold of the papers for me. Northwest 
Adventure Park claims that he was bought from a Japanese park. The only thing 
is, no parks in Japan have a record of Max or any transactions with Northwest 
Adventure Park."

"Is there any record of killer whale captures in this area?" Scully interjected.

Jesse shook his head. "No. Washington State is effectively an orca preserve. In 
the seventies, Sea World killed several orcas in a capture attempt. To make a 
long story short, they were taken to court and then banned from ever capturing 
another whale in the state. The ban was extended to other groups out to capture 
the whales as well."

"Then how was Willy caught?" Scully asked, frowning.

"Illegally," Jesse snorted. "It *was* Kevin Campbell and his crew that caught 
Willy, after all."

Scully shuddered at the name. In the course of their previous case involving 
Willy, Campbell had killed numerous orcas, and then almost killed Scully 
herself.

"Have you talked to Randolph yet?" questioned Mulder. Randolph was Jesse's 
mentor and close friend. He worked with the Orca Research Institute to study the 
whales in the region.

"Yeah," Jesse replied, wrinkling his nose. "He doesn't quite believe me. Since 
most of the resident pods go up north during the winter months, he takes the 
time to study data from the previous summer. He thinks that Max either got 
separated from the pod or is dead." He bit his lip nervously.

"What about the photo identification studies? Couldn't he identify Max from 
those?" Scully asked.

"Sure he could. I just need a way to get a good photo of Max's dorsal fin."

Scully nodded slowly. "It's getting late. Why don't we go down to Northwest 
Adventure Park tomorrow and see what we can do about that photograph?"

Jesse and Mulder nodded in agreement and stood to leave. Mulder handed Jesse a 
slip of paper. "Jesse, if you need to get in touch with us, this is where we'll 
be staying. Our cell phone numbers are on there, too."

Jesse and the two agents said their goodbyes and headed back out to the parking 
lot. The rain was already pouring down in sheets.

"Remember, when we had the first case out here, and you wondered where all the 
rain was?" Mulder asked. "Well here it is."

"I think I was happier with the sun," replied Scully as she wiped her hair out 
of her eyes.

They drove to the motel in silence. After they checked in, Scully trudged toward 
her room tiredly. "I'll see you in the morning, Mulder," she yawned. Mulder 
flashed her a quick smile of acknowledgement as he entered his own room.

Scully sat on the bed for a few moments, looking out the window at the churning 
water beyond. Her mind flashed back to the case a year and a half ago, when she 
and Mulder first met Jesse, Willy, Randolph and the rest of the gang. This time, 
though, everything felt different. The air of friendship seemed somehow 
overshadowed. Even Mulder seemed distant.

During their three month stay in the San Juan Islands, Scully and Mulder had 
grown closer then either of them thought they ever would. They had finally 
confessed to each other the love they had felt for so long. When they returned 
to DC, it seemed as if they were on the path toward engagement.

Then everything turned sour. Several tough cases drove a wedge between them. 
Tensions sprang up between the two, and they began to avoid each other. It was 
only in the last couple weeks that she felt Mulder was opening up at all. Their 
conversations were short and to the point. Neither one added any jokes in, and 
their discussions seemed like something out of a textbook.

Scully sighed and got up to close the drapes. The familiar sights and sounds of 
the region made her miss the closeness she had with Mulder. The thought crossed 
her mind that their trip might bring out similar feelings in Mulder, but she 
passed it off as wishful thinking. Whatever it was then, I suppose it's gone 
now, she mused. Shaking her head, Scully headed toward the bathroom to get ready 
for bed.
***
Northwest Adventure Park
January 20, 2000
11:34 AM

Mulder, Scully and Jesse walked briskly through the park. The two agents were 
dressed casually, in an attempt to blend in as tourists. Jesse led the way 
toward the aquatic theater, where a sea lion show was scheduled for noon. He 
knew from experience that after the show, they would let Max into the main tank 
for the public to see.

Mulder tapped Scully on the shoulder and pointed at a large statue of a killer 
whale that marked the entrace to the aquatic theater. She nodded absently and 
follwed Jesse into the amphitheater. A few people were seated around the tank, 
talking quietly. Mulder, Scully and Jesse took a seat about halfway up. Scully 
looked with disgust at the small bits of gum and popcorn that littered the area 
around them.

When she took her first good look at the tank, she understood exactly why Jesse 
and Randolph had been unhappy with it. It was much too small to hold an orca 
calf, let alone a full-grown bull like Willy.

"That water's too warm, too," whispered Jesse. "It's around seventy-five 
degrees."

Scully's eyebrows shot up in surprise. An image ran through her mind - a picture 
she had seen of Willy when he was still in the tank. "Is that why he had lesions 
around his flippers?" she asked.

Jesse nodded in response. "Disgusting, isn't it?"

Right about noon, the sea lion show began. It was almost exactly the same as it 
was when Jesse had worked in the park seven years ago. The act was cute and got 
a few laughs, but for the most part, it was unremarkable. 

When the two sea lions and their trainer left the stage, the announcer's voice 
came over the intercom. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, you will have the 
opportunity to see our new orca whale here in the main tank."

Mulder and Scully snapped to attention. Jesse drew a camera from his jacket. In 
the tank, a dark form appeared. As if in slow motion, the orca rose to the 
surface to take a breath. The small audience broke out in a chorus of "oohs" and 
"ahhs."

"It's him," confirmed Jesse seriously. He snapped several pictures of Max's 
dorsal.

Max turned suddenly onto his side to look directly at Jesse. Scully gasped 
involuntarily. The orca's eyes held as much expression as any human's. The pain 
of confinement was evident in his gaze. He let out a small squeak before ducking 
his head below the surface and continuing to swim circles around the pool.

Scully stood in shock for several moments. "Did you see that, Mulder?" she 
whispered. Mulder could only nod solemnly.

"Hey!"

Mulder, Scully and Jesse turned in unison to face the harsh voice. A balding man 
stood behind them, glowering at Jesse.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he growled. Jesse straightened and shot 
the man a look of pure contempt.

Mulder finally broke into their staring contest. "Excuse me, but who are you?" 
he asked.

The man turned his gaze on Mulder. "I own this park." 

"Dial thinks he owns everything," Jesse sneered.

Mulder and Scully exchanged glances and drew their badges.

"Mr. Dial, we're Agents Mulder and Scully from the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation," Mulder informed him.

Dial pinned Jesse with an accusing stare. "Is there something I can help you 
with?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Actually, yes," replied Scully. "We'd like to talk to you about this new orca 
of yours."

Dial shifted nervously. "What about him?"

"Like where you got him," Mulder answered.

"We bought Sam from a marine park over in Japan," Dial explained. Mulder's head 
snapped up at the name that sounded so much like that of his sister. "He lived 
there under the name Toki. We changed his name, of course. We wanted something a 
bit more American."

"Why is it that none of the marine parks in Japan have any record of a sale to 
this park, Mr. Dial?" Scully said accusingly.

Dial raised his eyebrows in surprise. "It must have been an error in their 
record-keeping," he replied easily.

"We'll check into that," Mulder interrupted.

Dial's gaze shifted back to Jesse. "I want you out of this park, and I don't 
want to see you here again," he told Jesse.

Jesse glared at Dial's back as the owner stormed out of the theater. Then he 
turned back to the tank. Max floated listlessly in the middle of the pool. 
"We'll get him out of here, Jesse," Scully said quietly. The reassurance was as 
much for her own benefit as for Jesse's.
***
Randolph's House
San Juan Island
3:08 PM

Scully looked around at the front of Randolph's small house. A smile twitched at 
the corners of her lips as she remembered the last time she had been there, when 
Randolph had thrown a party there at the close of the case two summers ago. The 
door swung open in front of her to reveal a surprised Randolph.

"Hey, how's it going?" he exclaimed. "Come on in!"

The threesome followed Randolph inside, each stopping to get a big bear hug from 
him.

"What brings you all the way out here?" he asked Mulder and Scully.

"We're looking into an illegal orca capture," responded Scully.

Randolph raised and eyebrow and looked at Jesse. "Oh, really?" He sighed. 
"Jesse, I told you-"

"Actually," Scully interrupted, "Jesse may be right."

Randolph looked up at Scully in surprise. "No kidding?" Jesse handed Randolph 
the undeveloped roll of film. "What's this?"

"Dorsal fin and saddle patch photos, taken this morning at Northwest Adventure 
Park," Jesse replied.

Randolph frowned down at the film cannister, then looked up at the FBI agents. 
"Come on," he said. "I've got a darkroom in the basement." Jesse, Scully and 
Mulder followed Randolph downstairs to develop the film.

When they had finished, they headed into Randolph's den, where he kept his 
catalog of identification photos. Randolph frowned as he thumbed through the 
prints. "I don't recognize the dorsal right away," he admitted. He flipped 
through the pages of photographs until he came to Max's pod. "There," Randolph 
said, pointing. "That was taken this past summer." He set the best photo from 
the park next to the one in the catalog. A frown creased his face. "They're 
similar," he announced. "But there are too many nicks in the photo from the 
park."

"Could the netting used to catch Max account for the extra nicks?" asked Scully.

Randolph nodded. "Sure, but there's no way to tell for sure, especially since 
this orca's fin has begun to droop," he answered, pointing to the photo taken 
that morning.

"Well, Dial claimed that they bought him from a Japanese park," Jesse pointed 
out. "If that were true, wouldn't the fin be considerably *more* drooped?"

"It would," confirmed Randolph. "Still, there's only one way to be sure that 
this is Max."

All eyes turned to Randolph.

He reached onto a shelf above his head and pulled out a thick binder. On the 
cover, in bold letters, were the words "DNA Tests."

"DNA?" Scully asked.

"Still quite new to the study," Randolph clarified. "A lot of others in the 
field have begun using it with other species, such as belugas and bottlenose 
dolphins. It's hard to get samples, though. We had to have what seemed like 
dozens of permits to do it. Luckily, Willy and his family were fairly trusting, 
and we were able to get samples from them." He flipped open to Max's record.

"But how are we going to get a sample from the park?" questioned Jesse.

"Warrant," Scully said simply. "I can't see Dial going along with this 
willingly."

Mulder nodded in agreement, then glanced at his watch. "I doubt we'll be able to 
get it tonight. We'll have to try in the morning."

"So what's been going on with you guys?" asked Randolph. Mulder and Scully 
started telling him about some of the bizzare cases they'd investigated, while 
Jesse and Randolph listened with rapt attention.

After another hour of talking and catching up, Mulder, Scully and Jesse said 
goodbye and left to catch the ferry.
***
Mulder's Motel Room
January 21, 2000
4:39 PM

Mulder and Scully treaded into the room dejectedly. Scully sat heavily in a 
chair and pushed a wet lock of hair from her eyes. Mulder fell onto the bed, 
staring up at the ceiling. Neither one moved for several minutes.

The ringing phone broke the harsh silence.

Mulder rolled over and picked it up. "Mulder."

"Hey, it's me," Jesse said from the other end. "Did you get it?"

Mulder let out a breath he'd been holding. "No, we didn't."

"What?!" Jesse cried. "Why?"

"We don't have enough to go on," Mulder replied in a mocking tone. "We weren't 
able to get one."

Jesse remained quiet for a few seconds. "We have to get that sample."

"I know, Jesse, but we can't-"

"We can," Jesse shot back. "I can get us in there." 

Scully moved to sit next to Mulder on the bed. She could faintly hear Jesse 
talking on the other end of the line.

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" Mulder asked warily.

Scully's eyebrows shot up and she tilted her head reprovingly.

Mulder could almost hear the smirk on Jesse's face. "Of course. I've done it 
millions of time before," he answered. "Their security is awful. That's another 
thing Dial hasn't really kept up."

Scully didn't have to hear Jesse's idea. She was already shaking her head and 
backing off.

Mulder glanced up at his partner. "Okay, let's do it."

Scully's jaw dropped. "Are you out of your mind?" she exclaimed, jumping up. 
Mulder ignored her outburst. He and Jesse set up the meeting time and place, 
then hung up. Scully was shaking her head slowly. "Mulder, every time you try 
sneaking in someplace, something bad happens," she reminded him.

"Scully, I need you on this one. You've got the medical expertise," he replied 
with his best wounded puppy dog look.

Scully held up her hand. "With humans, yes-"

"But you helped with Willy last time," interjected Mulder. "It shouldn't be that 
much different."

Scully sat back down on the bed, her face screwed up in thought. "All right," 
she finally caved in. "All right, I'll do it."

A triumphant smile flickered across Mulder's face. "Thanks," he said, squeezing 
her hand. He got up and left the room. Scully sat alone on the bed, dazedly 
wondering if the gesture had been meant as something more than just friendship.
***
Northwest Adventure Park
11:46 PM

Jesse led Mulder and Scully into the aquatic theater. They glanced around 
warily, just to make sure that Dial hadn't upped his security measures. When 
they were sure that the coast was clear, the trio moved stealthily toward the 
tank. Max was already waiting at the edge of the pool for them. He spyhopped and 
let out a short train of clicks as they approached.

"Hey, boy," Jesse whispered, holding out his hand. Max nudged closer until Jesse 
could rub his nose reassuringly. "We just need you to do one thing for us, 
okay?"

Scully stood beside Jesse, holding the syringe. Max rolled onto his side and 
drifted toward her. He watched the needle carefully, aware of its purpose. 
Scully imitated Jesse's non-threatening movements, allowing Max to approach her. 
When her hand rested on his nose, a smile crept across her face. She'd long 
since forgotten what it felt like to touch an orca. "All right, Max," she said 
softly. "I need you to lift your tail."

As if on cue, Max ducked underwater and raised his flukes into the air. It took 
Scully several moments to recover; she hadn't actually expected Max to respond. 
Quickly, she stuck the needle into his skin and drew a sample of blood. Max rose 
again to the surface to watch the threesome.

Scully capped the tube of blood and handed it to Mulder. She turned back to Max 
to give him one last pat.

As she did so, the sound of footsteps caused them all to whirl around. "Cops!" 
Jesse hissed. Jesse took off in the other direction, followed by Mulder, then 
Scully. Hopping over a metal railing, they scampered down into the underwater 
viewing area. It was lit only by the dim light that filtered through the tank. 
Max appeared beside them, squawking in alarm.

A door around the other side of the tank remained unguarded. "This way!" cried 
Jesse. Scully heard the footsteps of the policemen behind them. She hopped 
around boxes and equipment that were stacked in the small passageway, always 
keeping an eye on Mulder's retreating form. Jesse and Mulder ran out, assuming 
that Scully was right behind them. 

But as she was turning the corner, Scully slipped on a floor that had been 
soaked by rain that had blown in. She hit the cement hard, right on her chin. 
The air rushed out of her lungs, immobilizing her. There was no trace of Mulder 
or Jesse anywhere. She lay dazed on the ground, unable to get up as the police 
caught up to her. Moments later, a police officer appeared. He slapped the 
handcuffs on her and began to read her rights.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held 
against you in a court of law..."

Scully grunted as she was hauled to her feet. She raised her eyes, only to find 
herself face to face with Dial. His eyes were narrowed in anger at her.

"Let's go ma'am," the officer ordered. Scully gritted her teeth and followed him 
out.
***
Anacortes Police Station
January 22, 2000
8:14 AM

Mulder handed Scully her belongings as they left the police station.

"Breaking and Entering, Scully, I'm impressed."

Scully shot Mulder a glance that silenced him. She rubbed at the bruise that had 
formed on her chin. "I learned from the best," she replied in a cold tone. 
Mulder winced visibly. "Why is it that I got busted when this was your idea?"

"But it wasn't my idea," Mulder answered defensively. "It was Jesse's." Scully 
rolled her eyes. Mulder stopped and stood in front of her. "Look, I'm sorry," he 
said honestly, taking her hand. "I really thought you were right behind me." He 
gazed into her eyes, willing her to believe him.

Scully studied him for a moment, then shook her head. "It's not your fault, 
Mulder." Mulder began to protest, but she cut him off. "Not everything is you 
fault, you know. It wouldn't have turned out any better if you had stopped, 
anyway. Quit blaming yourself." 

Mulder pursed his lips and nodded. "How about I buy you breakfast," he offered.

Scully nodded and allowed a smile to tug at her lips. "Breakfast sounds very 
good right now," she admitted.

"Jesse's taking the sample to Randolph as we speak," Mulder informed her as they 
walked back to the car. "He says we should have an answer by early afternoon."

"That's good," Scully answered.

The ride was spent in uneasy silence. Scully gazed thoughtfully out the window 
at the water. Mulder glanced sideways at her several times. he wondered. 

The silence between them didn't break until they reached the small diner where 
they had met Jesse the first night. Scully poked at her waffle, mindlessly 
pushing it around the plate.

"Are you okay?" Mulder finally asked. Lines of worry creased his forehead.

Scully looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"I'm fi-" Mulder's reproachful stare stopped her in mid-sentence. She sighed 
deeply. "I'm just tired, that's all," she lied. Mulder could see that she was 
lying, but chose not to mention it. "It was a long night."

Mulder nodded absently. "We can go back to the motel, and you can get some rest. 
If you're feeling up to it, maybe this afternoon we could take a ferry ride out 
to the islands to see about those test results." He watched her fiddle with her 
food for several more moments before his worry got the better of him. "Really, 
Scully, what's wrong?"

Scully set down her fork and rubbed her face. "It's just...well...it's just that 
this is bringing back memories," she admitted.

"Is that a bad thing?"

Silence again.

Mulder reached across the table and took her hand. "If this whole thing bothers 
you-"

Scully shook her head slowly. "No, no." She shifted uncomfortably. The air 
between them grew tense. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, standing. "I can't-" On 
the verge of tears, Scully left Mulder sitting at the table, watching in shock 
as she hurried out of the diner.
***
Mulder's Motel Room
3:32 PM

Jesse tossed a folder into Mulder's lap. "Positive match," Jesse announced. "I 
was right." He smirked as he thought about pinning Dial with hard evidence.

Mulder looked up at him. "All right!" 

Jesse set the two prints side-by-side. "This is the one we took at the park last 
night, and this is the one Randolph had on file. A perfect match." He paused, 
glancing around. "Where's Agent Scully?"

"She took a walk," Mulder answered quickly.

Jesse nodded, then continued. "So, that means we can bust them, right?"

"We hope so," agreed Mulder. "But I think we should go have a talk with Mr. Dial 
and see if he can give us an explanation."
***
Northwest Adventure Park
Dial's Office
5:28 PM

Mulder and Scully sat across from Dial, watching intently as he studied the test 
results. Anger flickered across his face.

"What exactly do you plan to do about all this?" Dial asked finally.

"That has yet to be determined," answered Mulder. "Do you have any explanation 
for those results?"

"This is obviously a mix-up. Who did these tests?" demanded Dial.

"That doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. If the person who did these tests had something against me 
or this park, they could've been doctored," he responded.

"Let's just say that the person who ran the tests was originally skeptical of 
the allegations," answered Scully.

"If you'd like, we can get a new sample and send it down to the National Marine 
Mammal Laboratory for analysis," Mulder offered.

Dial shook his head, defeated. "I still don't know what you hope to accomplish 
with all of this. Besides, if I'm correct, this sample was obtained without a 
warrant, and I certainly didn't authorize it. How is that going to stand up in 
court?"

"Our goal is simply to find out what's really going on here," Mulder stated. 
"It's up to the Department of Agriculture what to do about Sam." He and Scully 
stood to leave. "If you think of anything else, here's where you can contact 
me." Mulder handed Dial his business card.

Mulder and Scully left the office, making sure they were well out of earshot 
before talking. "He knows he's in trouble," Mulder remarked. "Tomorrow we should 
contact the Department of Agriculture. If we act fast, Max may still be 
releaseable."

Scully nodded in agreement, but otherwise remained silent. Mulder frowned at 
her. He knew that asking her what the problem was would be futile. Instead, he 
shut his mouth and returned to the motel in silence.
***
Mulder's Motel Room
January 23, 2000
2:23 PM

Jesse waited hopefully in a chair as Mulder argued with someone over the phone. 
He winced as Mulder raised his voice.

"This isn't a simple case of harassment," he argued loudly. "This is an 
illegally taken whale!" He paused, listening. "No, we didn't...look, disregard 
the evidence that's been gathered so far. Just send someone out here to look 
into the matter!" Mulder took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. "I 
don't have anything more to go on," he replied dejectedly. "Yeah, well I'm 
sorry, too." Biting his lip, Mulder hung up.

Jesse watched, horrified. "They didn't believe you?"

Mulder pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "The 
evidence was not entirely conclusive," he mocked, then shook he head. "DNA just 
doesn't lie!"

Scully looked up from her seat on the other side of the room. Her face was taut 
with frustration. "So what are we going to do?" she asked softly.

"I don't think there's anything we can do," Mulder responded.

Jesse stared out the window, deep in thought. "Maybe there is," he said slowly. 
Mulder and Scully turned to look at him. "I've done it before."

"No way," Scully growled.

"Why not?" Jesse queried.

"That's what you said last time," she answered.

Mulder looked back and forth between the two. "Are you suggesting that we...?"

"Free Max," finished Jesse. "Let's free Max."

"That's crazy," Scully cried.

"Well, it saved Willy, didn't it?" Jesse shot back.

"Security will be tighter," Scully pointed out. "Max may not know how to survive 
in the wild anymore. Not to mention that it's *illegal*." She counted off the 
list on her fingers.

"You saw him that day in the park! It's torture for him!" Jesse's eyebrows 
creased in anguish. "All his life he's had the whole ocean to roam. Now they've 
taken that away and replaced it with an inadequate concrete tank. Before he had 
his whole family to spend time with. Now all he has is a toy or two. Please," he 
begged. "He needs this. And if you won't help, I'll do it myself." Tears pricked 
at his eyes.

Mulder took a deep breath. "Count me in," he answered quietly. 

Scully looked at him in astonishment. "Are you both insane? I love Max and his 
family as much as you do, but this is crazy. You'll just end up sitting in jail 
for years, and Max may not even survive. Is it really worth the risk?"

Jesse and Mulder responded in unison. "Yes."

Scully's mouth hung open. "You've both lost it," she said quietly. With that, 
she got up an left the room.

Jesse and Mulder stared after her for several moments. Then Mulder turned to 
Jesse. "How in the world are we going to pull this off?"
***
Northwest Adventure Park
January 24, 2000
12:04 AM

Jesse and Mulder slid through the shadows of the park, keeping a wary eye out 
for security. "Dial just doesn't learn, does he?" Mulder whispered. Jesse shook 
his head with a smirk. Mulder wore a black fleece vest and dark jeans, and Jesse 
wore a navy blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Together, they crept to the edge of the tank. Max rested in the middle of the 
pool. When he saw the intruders approaching, he floated to the edge to watch. 
Jesse leaned over to talk to the orca. "We're going to get you out of here, 
okay?" He reached out to rub Max's nose. Nervously, Mulder reached his hand out. 
Max nudged it gently, urging Mulder to pet him. Mulder's hand came to rest on 
Max's chin. A small smile flashed across his face as the memories of playing 
with Willy came back to him.
***
Beachside
12:10 AM

Scully strolled along the beach, wondering for the millionth time what had 
posessed her to take a walk at midnight. She stopped beside a large piece of 
driftwood and hopped up to sit on it.

A gentle breeze blew through her hair, causing her to shiver. She wrapped her 
arms around her waist and wished that she had brought a heavier jacket.

Scully absently watched the waves lap at the sand, and thought briefly of her 
father. she wondered. She shook the thought off and looked up at the horizon.

A soft whoosh caught her attention. At first, she thought it was just the waves, 
but it was soon joined by another, then another.

By the moonlight, Scully could make out several dark triangular shapes cutting 
through the water. A smile came to her lips as she watched the pod drift by. She 
slid down off the log and wandered closer to the water. As she did so, the 
whales slowed to a halt. She saw a flash of white as one orca popped its head 
out of the water.

The pod turned in unison toward the shore. Scully inhaled sharply. They 
approached slowly, seemingly wary of her. Then, about thirty feet from where she 
stood, they stopped. Her breath caught in her throat. They raised their heads 
out of the water, one after another, looking around. At one point, Scully 
thought she caught a glimpse of an orca bearing three black spots on his chin, 
just like Willy.

That's when they began to call out. It was like nothing Scully had ever heard 
before. One by one, they rose up into the cold, night air and wailed pitifully. 
The sound was almost human in it's tone. They sounded just like human beings, 
crying for lost loved ones. Scully felt their cries tugging at her.

Somewhere, Scully thought she heard an echo, except the sound was slightly 
different. She turned to look over her shoulder, only to see the concrete walls 
of Northwest Adventure Park in the distance. Her mouth fell open, and she gazed 
back at the small pod of orcas, still calling out. "Max," she breathed.

It was then that Scully saw him clearly. Willy spyhopped, adding his own voice 
to the mournful chorus. He sunk back under the surface, then reappeared moments 
later, still crying out.

Scully bit her lip, holding back the tear that threatened to fall. Presently, 
Willy fell silent. He edged his way toward Scully, periodically letting out a 
moan. She froze in place as he turned his eye toward her pleadingly. After 
several moments, Scully turned and raced in the other direction.
***
Northwest Adventure Park

Mulder lowered the net into the water, then turned to Jesse. Jesse held out a 
fish, wiggling it around. "Come here, Max, come on," he urged. Max kept his 
distance, despite the reward. He remained in the center of the tank, avoiding 
the medical pool that contained the net. 

Mulder jumped out of the small crane, and jogged to the side of the tank. He 
watched Max with frustration. "What is he afraid of?" he called to Jesse.

"The net. He only remembers it as something bad," Jesse answered. He got down on 
his stomach and held the salmon just above the water. "Come on, please!" Max 
didn't budge. "Please, Max, you can trust me!" The orca edged toward Jesse 
warily, keeping an eye on the fish. "That's it, boy, keep coming."

Max stopped again. He ducked his head underwater, then swam to the other side of 
the tank. Jesse slapped the water in frustration. He got up and moved to stand 
next to Mulder. "This is never going to work if we can't get him into that net," 
Jesse said quietly. He turned away and began trudging back to the medical pool.

Just then, Max, popped up on the far side of the tank. He let out a wail, long 
and drawn out. Jesse's stopped and turned back, his mouth hanging open. His eyes 
focused on Max. "That sound," he whispered.

Mulder was totally transfixed, and he didn't see Jesse move toward the stage. 
Jesse climbed the small tower that overlooked the bay beyond. Below, Max 
continued to cry out sadly. When he reached the top, Jesse turned to look out 
over the water. What he saw brought back a torrent of memories. Several orcas 
were spyhopping, calling out to Max.

"What are you doing?" Mulder called up. Jesse looked down at him, then proceeded 
to climb back down.

"It's his family," Jesse replied when he reached the bottom. "His family's 
talking to him."

Mulder turned back to look at Max. "Let's get him out of here, Jesse, now," said 
Mulder softly. Jesse nodded in response and ran back to the fish bucket. He 
grabbed the biggest salmon he could find and called to Max.

To their amazement, Max turned on a dime and made for the fish. He stopped just 
before the gate to the medical pool and opened his mouth expectantly. "All the 
way," Jesse told him. The orca hesitated for a moment, then darted into the 
smaller pool. As soon as Max was in, Mulder pulled the gate shut. Jesse tossed 
the fish to Max, who ate it greedily.

"There's more where that came from," Jesse said with a grin. He pulled off his 
shoes, then jumped into the water.

Mulder grabbed the ropes to hold the net steady. He watched as Jesse slowly 
approached Max. "It's all right, Max, it's just me," Jesse soothed. Max stilled 
as Jesse placed a hand on the orca's nose. "Come on, now, just come into the 
net." Inch by inch, Max moved toward the net. "That's it!" Jesse praised him.

Finally, Max settled into the net-like sling. Jesse ducked underwater to grab 
the cables, then attach them securely. All the while, Max remained absolutely 
still and calm, as if he knew exactly what was going on. Jesse placed both feet 
on the metal poles and grabbed ahold of the cables. "Okay!" he called out.

Using the crane, Mulder lifted the orca and his companion from the water. Max 
let out a nervous squeak, unsure of the new environment he found himself in.

Jesse hopped down from the sling to guide it onto the trailer. He called out 
directions to Mulder. "Bring it my way a little more! Keep it coming...okay, 
you're fine, bring it down more..." Jesse took a firm hold of the poles that 
supported the sling, making sure that they fell into place just right. 

Several tense minutes later, the sling rested on the trailer, and Jesse was 
backing in a truck to pull it. Mulder quickly hooked it up, then jogged to the 
side of the tank to pick up the bucket of fish.

"Stop!" 

Mulder froze, then looked around frantically. A group of burly men were rushing 
at him, blocking his path to the truck. He sprinted in the other direction, but 
only had time to take a few steps before they were upon him. They tackled him to 
the ground, pulling his arms behind him. Mulder tried to wrestle them off, but 
it was no use. They had him solidly pinned to the ground.

It came as no surprise when Dial appeared in front of him.

"I told you to leave this whale alone," he growled. "You didn't listen."

"The government told you to leave him alone, but you didn't listen, either," 
Mulder shot back. He struggled fiercely with the two men who had pulled his arms 
behind him.

"Where's the kid?" demanded Dial.

Mulder shook his head. "He's not here."

"Don't lie to me. Where is he?"

Behind the front seat of the truck, Jesse crouched in fear. He listened to the 
argument going on outside the truck, sure that Max would end up back in the tank 
after all. He closed his eyes and mouthed an old Haida prayer that Randolph had 
taught him years ago. We need help, he thought desperately.

Unbeknownst to him, the help they needed was crouched in the shadow of the 
trailer, hiding. Dana Scully bit her lip nervously as she listened to Mulder 
fight with Dial and his henchmen. Her eyes flicked up to Max, who still rested 
on the trailer. Last chance, Dana, she thought. She looked up at the truck, 
where she knew Jesse was hiding. She could see his face in the mirror, and he 
was watching her.

*Go!* she mouthed. Jesse crawled into the driver's seat and gunned the engine, 
just as she hopped onto the trailer beside Max. Dial and his men whirled around 
and rushed the truck. Before they could reach it, though, Jesse had pulled out 
and left them behind.

Mulder caught a glimpse of Scully as they pulled away. A small smile crept 
across his face. Max was in good hands.
***
En route to the marina

Scully ducked behind the shelter of the sling to avoid the wind. She rubbed Max 
soothingly, trying to assuage his fears. "It's okay," she whispered, as much for 
her own benefit as for his. She glanced back the way they had come, but there 
was no sign of pursuit.

Her thoughts shifted to Mulder, who was undoubtedly still in Dial's hands. She 
bit her lip nervously, praying that he would be all right. Her last words to him 
had been in anger. She was fairly sure that Dial wouldn't do anything drastic, 
but the worry nagged at her nonetheless.

She glanced up as Jesse pulled off the main road into a small rest stop hidden 
in the trees. As soon as he had stopped, she jumped off the trailer and ran to 
him. "Are you okay?" she asked breathlessly.

Jesse nodded. "Yeah. How's Max?" He jogged to the whale's side.

"Scared," Scully responded. Max let out a moan.

"We need to keep him as wet as possible," Jesse instructed her. He handed Scully 
a small tank of water. "Just spray him down with this whenever he needs it. Make 
sure to get inside his mouth, too."

Scully nodded and took the tank from Jesse. "How far is it to the marina?" she 
asked.

Jesse frowned. "See, that's the hard part," he said slowly. "Dawson's Marina is 
closed right now. They're fixing up their boat launches."

"So, where are we supposed to go?" asked Scully, eyebrows raised. 

Thinking for a moment, Jesse replied, "I know where there's another marina, but 
it's a lot longer drive. Right now, though, it's our only option."

"How far is it?"

"An hour, give or take. There's a smaller road that goes there, and it's hidden 
in the trees for most of the way. It would be the least conspicuous."

"Let's do that," agreed Scully. She glanced down at the tank in her hands. "Is 
there enough here to last the trip?"

Jesse bit his lip. "I think so. That's fresh water in there. Salt water would 
eat up the metal. If we run out, we should be able to stop to get more. Just 
make sure that Max stays wet enough."

Nodding, Scully climbed back onto the trailer. She sat next to Max, then set a 
hand on his rostrum. Jesse ran back to the truck, jumped in, and pulled away.
***
Northwest Adventure Park

Mulder glared at the men who surrounded him. He sat on a bench in the trainers' 
locker room. The lights were all off except one, right above Mulder's head. He 
wasn't tied up, but any attempt to run would've resulted in disaster. The men 
were all easily half again his weight. One of them had a gun holstered at his 
hip.

Dial studied Mulder from across the room. "Where are they going?" he asked 
gruffly.

"I don't know," Mulder replied, shaking his head.

Dial advanced on him. "Yes you do."

"No, I don't! We never talked about where we were taking him! I just assumed 
Jesse would head straight for Dawson's Marina," he argued.

"It's closed. The boat launch is under repair. There's a couple other marinas, 
all about the same distance from here." 

Dial stared Mulder directly in the eye for several moments before turning to the 
other men. "Get loaded up," he ordered. "A couple of phone calls and I should 
know where they're headed."

Two of the men grabbed Mulder roughly and led him out to a waiting truck.
***
En route to the marina

Scully pulled her sleeves over her hands and rubbed them together briskly. She 
huddled closer to Max, hoping to share body heat. The surrounding trees provided 
some shelter from the wind that had sprung up, but the temperature still seemed 
to be dropping.

Running her fingertips along Max's side, Scully felt a sudden awe. She was 
sitting next to a huge killer whale. She closed her eyes and tried to remember 
what it had felt like to swim with Willy. Scully leaned her head against Max, 
then placed a hand on his nose. He whistled softly to her, and a smile came to 
Scully's lips.

She started to drift off into a sleepy daze, but shook herself awake when she 
realized that Max's skin was getting too dry. Reaching down, she picked up one 
of the water tanks and began to spray it over Max's back and sides. Max opened 
his mouth wide, and Scully showered his tongue. 

After setting down the tank, Scully saw that his mouth was still open. "What?" 
she asked with a smile. "You want more or something?" To her surprise, Max shook 
his head. "No?" She was incredulous.

Then it dawned on her.

"Oh..." Slowly, Scully reached out, acutely aware of the large, sharp teeth. Her 
hand stopped short of his mouth momentarily, then she carefully reached in. She 
placed her hand on his tongue, and Max showed no signs of agression. Braver, 
Scully rubbed at his tongue. A grin spread across her face. She pulled her hand 
back reluctantly and glanced at her watch. It was four-thirty in the morning.

Sighing, Scully sat back. She continuted to stroke Max's skin thoughtfully. "I 
hope Mulder's okay," she said aloud. "I hated having to ditch him like that." 
Scully didn't even realize that she was carrying on a one-sided conversation 
with a whale. "We used to be so close, but now it seems like he's a million 
miles away. I miss what we had." Another sigh. "Ever since we got here, I keep 
remembering how it was when we first came out here. Mulder and I were so..." Her 
voice drifted off, unable to find the right words. In love. She winced at the 
thought. It's over, Dana, she tried to tell herself forcefully.

But deep down inside, Scully knew that was wrong.
***
Dial's Henchmen's Truck

Mulder sank back in his seat and stared out the window. He was smooshed between 
two of Dial's men, each of whom watched him like a hawk. Outside, the view of 
the water had given way to that of the freeway and farms. The endless pastures 
and field rolled by, interrupted by the occasional Burger King or gas station. 
Mulder wasn't sure exactly where they were going, only that it was a marina and 
that Dial was positive that they could stop Scully and Jesse before they could 
free Max.

Soon, Mulder found himself lost in thought. Specifically, thought about his 
partner. He still hadn't figured out what was bothering her, but he had a good 
guess. It's me, he mused. Me and this place. He bit his lip as he realized that 
the last thing he had said to her was in anger.

Why can't it be like it used to be? When we could say more than a sentence to 
each other without arguing? He sucked in a deep breath when it hit him - that's 
why Scully was so agitated. The return to the northwest reminded her of their 
past together. But does she want to be together again, or is she regretting it? 
Mulder wondered. He could only hope that it was the former.
***
En route to the marina

When Jesse pulled up to a stop sign, Scully climbed forward. "We need to stop 
and wet him completely down," she told him though the open window. "He's too 
dry." Jesse nodded thoughtfully, and Scully scampered back to the trailer.

A few minutes later, Jesse pulled into the empty parking lot of an elementary 
school. He shut off the engine and walked back to where Scully was already 
grabbing two water tanks. "Wait," he interrupted. "I've got a better idea." 
Scully watched in puzzlement as he pulled two empty fish pails from the truck. 
Jesse jogged to the side of the building, where there was a faucet for a garden 
hose. He quickly filled the buckets, then carried them back to Scully. "Like 
this," he instructed. Climbing up onto the trailer, he dumped the bucket onto 
Max's back. "He'll get good and wet that way."

Catching on, Scully grabbed the second pail and did the same. Jesse took them 
back to refill them, and Scully took them as he finished and dumped them over 
Max. It was several minutes before they were satisfied, but Max seemed more 
comfortable.

The sound of an appraoching car startled them both. Scully whirled around to see 
a police car pulling into the parking lot. She gasped nervously, then turned to 
Jesse. "Look busy," she hissed. Jesse scurried to obey, grabbing one of the 
water tanks and continuing to spray Max down.

The policeman approached slowly, an odd look of confusion on his face. "Now 
there's something you don't see everyday," he muttered. "Can I help you folks 
with anything?" he asked.

Scully smiled politely and shook her head. "No, thanks, I think we've got 
everything under control."

"Is that a killer whale?" asked the policeman, studying Max.

"Yeah, it is," Scully replied proudly. "We're moving him to an aquarium in 
Canada." She hoped her voice sounded convincing. The last thing they needed was 
a police officer checking into the matter.

"Oh, that one in Vancouver? I heard they were looking for another one."

Scully swallowed nervously and nodded. "Yeah, that's the one."

Jesse watched closely from the trailer. He gave Max a reassuring pat, then 
climbed down.

"Well, good luck to you," the officer said finally. He gave a friendly wave, 
then climbed back into his patrol car and left.

Scully and Jesse breathed a collective sigh of relief. Jesse hurried back to the 
truck and climbed in, while Scully climbed up next to Max. They were running out 
of time.
***
Griffin Marina
5:14 AM

At such an early hour, the marina was deserted. Jesse had feared that Dial would 
beat him there, but there was no sign of him or his cronies. The sky was still 
pitch black, and Jesse had to rely on the dim lighting of the parking lot to 
find his way around. He took his time backing into the boat launch. A grimace 
crossed his face as he realized that he would have to back the truck in so far 
that water would spill into the cab. Otherwise, Max wouldn't have enough water 
to move around in. He took a deep breath, then backed in.

Scully gasped audibly as she was plunged waist-deep into the 45-degree water. 
Her legs froze immediately. The water had seemed so much warmer last time she 
had gone swimming in those waters! Then again, this time it was January rather 
than August.

Jesse was next to her in a flash. "Okay, on the count of three!" he urged, 
placing his palms on Max's nose. Scully mimicked him. "One...two...three!" 
Scully pushed as hard as she could, but she felt her feet slipping on the slick 
trailer beneath her.

They stopped pushing and stood back. "Come on, Max," Scully said tiredly. "You 
gotta help us now." After several deep breaths, she and Jesse began pushing 
again. Max wiggled and squirmed, slowly moving backwards. Moments later, he slid 
free of the sling.

Jesse and Scully let up a cheer. They had done it!

But Max wasn't out of the woods yet. He floated in one place, disoriented. 
"What's wrong?" Scully asked breathlessly.

"I don't know," replied Jesse. "He must've been out of the water for too long." 
He waded toward the other end of the trailer, then jumped all the way into the 
water. "Come on. We gotta lead him past the breakwater."

Scully took a deep breath, then dropped into the water. She came up gasping. 
"God, that's cold." She fought the momentary shock and swam to Max's side. 
"Okay, Max, come this way," she cooed softly. "That's it."

Max began to drift beside her, slowly making his way toward the open water. 
Jesse picked up the tempo in an attempt to liven the orca's seemingly deadened 
spirits. Max just squeaked pitifully and continued to drift.

"Come on, Max," Scully begged. "We don't have much time!"

At that moment, a truck pulled into the marina and slammed on the brakes. It was 
followed by another, then by Dial's car. Men leapt out, some heading directly 
for the water, while others scrambled into waiting boats.

Jesse turned to Max. "Go, please!" he pleaded. "Before they get you again!" But 
Max didn't respond.

Jesse was grabbed from behind by a strong pair of arms. He struggled and cried 
out, but it was no use. The man was easily twice his size. Jesse was slowly 
being dragged back to shore.

On the other hand, Scully kept ahead of Max, trying in vain to lead him to 
freedom. She placed both hands on his chin and glanced back over her shoulder. 
The breakwater was still 50 feet away.

A nearby boat gunned its motor. It began to pull away from the dock, moving 
toward the opening. Scully turned back to Max frantically. "You know that noise! 
It's bad! You have to get away from it! Go!" Max rolled onto his side and looked 
at her with one eye.

The next thing she knew, Scully was dragged underwater by a heavy weight. She 
clawed her way up to the surface, gasping for air and choking on sea water. An 
arm wrapped tightly around her neck. "Let go!" she coughed. The wake of a 
passing boat hit her from behind, submerging her again. Water poured into her 
mouth and lungs. When she surfaced again, she could hear Mulder's voice 
screaming her name. The man began to pull her back to shore.

Scully struggled to see what was going on, but the man's arm prevented her from 
turning her head very far. She continued to cough and sputter, fighting the 
burning feeling in her lungs.

*Thud!*

The man's grip on Scully suddenly loosened. She broke free and swam frantically 
back toward the breakwater. The boat had just set the net across the opening. 
Max lingered near the net, listlessly hanging in the water. When she stopped to 
turn around, she saw the man who had grabbed her struggling back to shore. He 
was groaning in pain, holding his arm and side.

Suddenly, the huge head of an adult orca appeared beside her. She gazed at it in 
amazement for several moments, wondering when Max had started perking up. It 
wasn't until she saw the familiar markings on the chin that she realized what 
had happened.

"Willy!"

She reached out and gave him a pat, to which Willy responded with an energetic 
squeal. He nudged her gently, and she wrapped an arm around his back.

On the shore, Dial was furious. "Where did that whale come from? Get him out of 
here!" he yelled. The men ran to and fro, trying to find a way to chase Willy 
out of the enclosure without losing Max.

Scully looked at Jesse, who was being held at the edge of the water. He gave an 
almost imperceptible nod. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Willy.

"Okay, Willy, I need you something for me," she told him. "First of all, get 
Max's attention!" She pointed at the younger whale, who was still lethargically 
floating around. Willy bobbed his head, then ducked underwater. Scully could 
faintly hear his squawking at Max. A smile came to her lips as she was reminded 
of her mother yelling at her to do her chores. Max slapped the water with his 
flukes, but otherwise remained in the same place. Scully rolled her eyes in 
frustration. she thought.

When Willy returned, she laid a hand on his nose and regarded him for a moment. 
"All right, I know it's been a long time," she said slowly. "You remember the 
signals, right? The ones Jesse taught you?" Willy answered with a small squeal. 
"One more," promised Scully. Biting her lip, she gave him one last hug.

Then, she threw her arm outward, and Willy disappeared beneath the waves. Scully 
held her breath as she stared at the opening in the breakwater. Everyone on the 
shore fell silent, watching. The water grew alarmingly calm, betraying no trace 
of the two orcas below the surface. Even the men on the boat stopped what they 
were doing and focused on the water.

In a flurry of movement and splashing, Willy broke from the water in a graceful 
bow. He hung in the air as if in slow motion, then fell with a tremendous crash 
upon the net. It came apart under his weight, falling slowly away. Willy led Max 
out of the marina into the open waters.

Scully threw her arms in the air and cheered. The men who held Jesse and Mulder 
gave up ant let go. It was over. Jesse pulled away from the man and leapt around 
victoriously. 

Mulder ran from his captors and sprinted for the water. With a whoop, he dove in 
and swam out to Scully, who was intent on watching the whales swim back out to 
sea. He placed a hand on her shoulder and grinned at her. "Come on," he laughed, 
tilting his head toward the nearby breakwater. Scully swam after him and climbed 
out of the icy water. Mulder gave her a hand up, then turned toward Willy and 
Max. They broke the surface in joyous leaps as they rejoined the pod.

Mulder wrapped his arms around Scully, and she smiled warmly up at him. She 
leaned her head on his chest and looked out over the early morning water. Mulder 
dropped his head down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her hair. "We did 
it," she whispered, beaming.

"You did," replied Mulder.

Scully looked up at him, puzzled. "It wasn't just me," she argued. Mulder 
laughed and shook his head. He bent down, and their lips met in a gentle kiss. 
It lasted several seconds, and when it ended Scully immediately missed the touch 
of his mouth on hers. With a grin, she reached down and took his hand, leading 
him back toward the shore.
***
Mulder's Motel Room
4:24 PM

Mulder zipped up his duffel bag and glanced around to make sure he hadn't 
forgotten anything. Then he slung the bag over his shoulder and left the room.

Jesse and Scully waited outside as he placed his bag in the trunk.

"Are you sure you guys can't stick around for a couple days?" Jesse asked.

Scully shook her head with a smile. "Not this time," she responded. "As much as 
I'd love to, I'm sure there's a huge stack of work waiting." Jesse wrinkled his 
nose. "Besides," she added with her eyebrows raised. "Aren't you supposed to be 
at college right now?"

Jesse looked around uneasily, prompting a laugh from Mulder.

"Anyways," Mulder saved him, "you wouldn't be in school now if Dial had pressed 
charges, right?" 

Jesse thought it over. "Yeah. See, since I can't get out of it that way, I have 
to make up for it. Then again, I don't think I'd press charges either. If word 
got out that I'd nabbed an orca illegally, that'd be pretty bad for business."

Scully rolled her eyes, then glanced at her watch. "We'd better be going, 
Mulder. Our plane leaves in a couple of hours."

Mulder nodded and turned back to Jesse. "Hey, take care of Willy and Max for us, 
okay?"

"Always," answered Jesse. Everyone exchanged goodbyes, then Mulder and Scully 
climbed into the car. 

As they pulled out of the parking lot, a pod of orcas glided past the motel.
***
Epilogue
FBI Headquarters
Washington DC
February 23, 2000
8:02 AM

When Mulder entered his office, Scully was already leaning back in his chair, 
reading the newspaper. She glanced up and smiled as he came in.

"Happy birthday, Scully!" Mulder greeted. He drew his hand from behind his back, 
producing a small bouquet of roses. He handed them to her, admiring the childish 
way she grinned at him.

"Thank you," she responded, sniffing the flowers.

"What is that, 36 years?" asked Mulder.

Scully wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, but let's call it 25."

"Do I get to give you your birthday spankings now?" Mulder wiggled his eyebrows. 


Scully laughed lightly. "In your dreams, G-man!"

"What's that?" he asked, indicating the paper. Scully turned the paper around so 
that he could see the small article.

"Captive Killer Whale Dies of Stress, Infection," it read.

Mulder took the newspaper from her hands and read over the blurb.

"ANACORTES, Washington - Northwest Adventure Park has come forward to blame the 
death of it's newest attraction, a young killer whale, on a stress-induced 
infection. The strain of the long-distance transport from Japan caused the 
whale's immune system to weaken, allowing the infection to spread..."

Mulder set down the paper and looked at Scully. She had a half-smile on her 
face. "Falsified reports," she commented. "Where have I seen that before?"

"Personally, I think I like the true story better," Mulder responded.

"So do I."

Mulder remained silent for a moment. "Hey, I got this over e-mail while we were 
gone," he started, handing Scully a photo. "Look at this, here. It looks to me 
like it could be some sort of apparition..."


THE END

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