CHAPTER 26

 There was laughter. Cassie suddenly realized she was still alive. She opened one eye and looked around. Then she opened the second eye and saw Santoro. Nicky was bent at the knees next to her. He pointed to the blade which had somehow went through her and was now resting at the bottom of its rails. He tapped it with his baseball bat, “you don’t have to worry about that kid. That’s just a magic trick thing-a-ma-bob.” He held his bat up right in front of her face, “this is what you got to worry about. Now how about lets be civil and you answer me a few questions before I start having to break bone.”

Cassie closed her eyes tight this time. She was mumbling something incoherent under her breath. Nicky took that as a, “no.” He raised back up and leaned over the stocks, between the blade’s guide rails, and picked a good spot to poke with the grip of his bat. A rib would be an appropriate place to start this interview. Then he had to wonder why the blade came flying up at him?

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Not only was there the flash of igniting powder but, Mulder also watched the dancing blue charges of electricity flying in every direction. It was too dark to make out where that was coming from. He was also in a bad way so figuring out the blue lights would have to wait. He had no cover! Fortunately, and ironic even, a burst of machinegun fire gave him what he needed. The door next to him was shot up just enough that Mulder put his shoulder into it and it gave way. Mulder rolled out into another hall. This one appeared to be clear except that far down on the other end he heard a scream. It was definitely one that belonged to a young girl. Mulder ran in that direction.

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When Nicky’s sight began to return he tried to stand up. That damn blade might have been some kind of a trick but it was most certainly solid! He swore out loud, in anger, as he checked the bruising around his eyes. That thing had slammed him just above the bridge of this nose! His bat was still in hand at least. That was all he needed anyway. No matter what the cause, that bitch was going to pay for this! He was going to break every bone in her body! As he staggered forward, the guillotine started to come into focus. The blade was back up at the top. The stocks were open and empty? He took a step back and almost tripped over his victim who was now standing behind him. Nicky jumped from the sudden appearance. Then, as he rubbed his eyes some more, Nicky Santoro pointed at her, “just as well. You make a better target standing.”

This time Nicky went back with the bat as if he were about to make a home run scoring swing. He came around with it using all his strength. He aimed for her left arm but before he could make contact the bat stopped cold. It felt like something invisible had just reached out and grabbed it. Nicky’s own grasp broke and the momentum of his swing sent him twirling around. He lost his balance and fell to the floor.

The girl was still just standing passively in the same spot, her eyes closed. Nicky saw his bat too. She was not holding it but, there it was like someone was about to hit a home run. No one was holding it! It just floated in the air all on it’s own! 

“What the…”

The bat came flying at Nicky. The grip made contact with his ribs and then the bat flew back. Nicky rolled, groaning in pain, grasping at his broken rib. He tried to get up. He had to get up! Every time he did the bat took another swing at him. 

 Nicky went to his knees and began crawling away as fast as he could. Then the bat made impact with his hip. When he finished rolling this time he found himself next to the cage. He still had his gun! He even had that fancy Taser thing. Nicky could no longer see the girl but, he had weapons and hostages. He pulled out the Taser thing first. When he did the bat came at him swinging like a propeller. Screaming, reacting with no thought, Nicky fired the Taser thing as fast as his thumb could press the button. 

His eyes were closed right about the time he thought the bat would hit. Nothing happened. He peeked out to see nothing over him. After catching his breath, he once again started to laugh. Nicky pulled himself to his feet and yelled out, “nice try little honey. Only if you don’t come out I’m going to do to your friends what I just did to my bat.” 

Nicky pulled the tarp off the cage.

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Mulder cracked the door and slipped into the room. He was about to let everyone know the Feds had arrived. Then he saw the dancing bat. He ducked down behind a crate and watched in amazement, “oh cool. Poltergeist. Where the hell is Skully when the neat stuff happens.”

The little short guy in the black leather jacket shot the bat with the same dancing blue light that Mulder had seen back in the hall. So that’s what that was! It was obvious to him now. Benedict was obviously a patsy of the New World Order and had obtained alien phasers. This short guy was his goon because he had one. It was the only thing that made any sense. Now Mulder had to figure out if the phaser was a type one or two?

Then the goon threatened whoever was under the tarp. Mulder got ready to take action. He hesitated when the short guy pulled the tarp off what turned out to be a cage. The cage was empty? Maybe he had captured some Grays and they beamed out? Maybe whoever was in the cage had invisibility shields? Maybe, but unlikely, the cage was just empty?
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 Nicky cursed. Where the hell did they go? As he looked around something slammed into his shoulder. He cried out in pain as his arm went limp. His face slammed into the bars, then he fell to the floor. Before he could recover he saw another object, some kind of metal plate flying in his direction. He dropped flat and the steel plate impacted the bars above him. The entire cage sounded off with a metallic ringing. Nicky sighed in relief that it had missed him. Then whatever magical force was holding it up no longer did. The flat side of the plate landed on his face as he looked up. Now he was angry! That thing had broken his nose! He pushed it off and got to his feet. The world was one giant blur. He defiantly yelled out. “I’m going to kill you!” 

The fancy Taser was nowhere to be seen but he still had the pistol in his belt. With his good arm Nicky yanked it out and began firing in every direction. His fire was answered with a barrage of flying metal objects. Nicky could no longer hold this position and he knew it. When he saw the metal plate float back up he decided it was time to find cover. Where? 

The door to the cage was ajar now! He ducked inside and closed the bars behind him. He could shoot out but those things flying at him were too big to get in! He laughed and yelled out, “try and hit me now you little bitch!”

This time she answered him, “just try and get out.”

 “What?” Nicky kicked at the door to the cage. It was frozen shut like someone had just welded it! He thought for a second, “those other two got out, how?” He looked around the floor and sure enough, “damn Sigfried! Have to put a stinking trap door in every single cage!” Cradling his pistol, Nicky reached down to open it. It was quite a strain considering the number of broken bones he had. He screamed in pain as he jerked the door free. He looked down in the darkness beneath the floor. Something was moving down there so he yelled, “I still got my gun you two! Come the fu…..ahhh!” The tiger jumped out of the darkness.

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Mulder went to one knee beside the cage, “bit of a spot?”

The man inside the cage was flat on his back. The huge white tiger was lying on top of him. The large cat lowered his head and licked Santoro’s face. In an almost panicked voice, “come on! Don’t kid around! Get me out of here!”

Mulder thought about it and then responded, “well that depends on what you can do for me.”

“Anything!”

Mulder smiled, “what do you know about Terry Benedict?”

“Everything!” The Tiger licked Nicky again and then began sniffing. 

“Good,” then Mulder took his time, “but first I have to advise you of your rights. Plus I need to point out that you don’t have to make any statements that are self incriminating. You also understand that you don’t have to make any statements under duress. Oh you can also contact an attorney. Do you want me to call one for you?”