X-Fool n° 1: Smoke Hurts
by Monica & Stefano

Mulder, kneeling on the floor, was searching frantically in a drawer.
Scully, standing up near him, kept ahold of the flashlight. Finally, 
Mulder found a big envelope. He opened it: inside there were a lot 
of photographs and sheets.

"Here, Scully, here. They killed him for these. They knew... and they
knew he knew too..."

Scully looked the photos. She was going to speak, when the sound of 
footsteps came from stairs. Mulder put everything back in the 
envelope. "Go, Scully, quick!"

They went to the window, heading for the ladder. But they heard steps. 
At the door, four men arrived with machineguns, and another three men 
came from the window. All the weapons pointed to them. It was a trap.

Then Smoking Man entered. "I'll take this." he said, keeping the
envelope from Mulder's hands. The machine-guns suggested him not to 
oppose. He didn't. But Mulder hold in his anger.

"How long will you hide the truth?!" he screamed in his face.

"The truth." Smoking Man calmly said. "Where's the truth, agent
Mulder?"

Mulder shook his head and leaned on the stove, the hands behind his
back, the head lowered. "The truth is out there." he answered. "And in 
that envelope." He looked at him. "Let's go, Scully." he said,
taking his partner's arm and heading for the door. The militarists
raised the guns.

"Let them go." said Smoking Man.

He looked at window, seeing two agents' car leave. Then Smoking Man
sat down, searching for the cigarette in his pockets.

Mulder broke into a laugh. It wasn't a hysterical laugh. He really was 
very happy.

"Why are you laughing?" Scully asked. "Were that false photos?"

"No. They were authentic and I don't know what I'd give to have them, 
but... I turned on the gas."

"What?" Scully was perplexed.

"How long can Cancer Man wait, before smoking a Morley?"

A big explosion behind them. The agents turned and saw big smoke
pillars between ruins and flames.

"Not too long." Scully answered, smiling.

"I've always said smoke hurts." Mulder smiled back to Scully. "Where
do you want to go to celebrate?"

THE (SMOKING MAN'S) END



copyright 98, Castiglioni