Misprision: (pronounced, miss-prizz-ee-on); adjective; Middle English, a mistake, misdirection or a misunderstanding, deliberate concealment or deflection in the release of information - from Old French 'mesprendre' to mistake, ... was still in common usage in 16th century England.
Emily Dickinson
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightening to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind---
Chapter Eighteen
Private Office of Dr Conrad Borrachio:
Agent David Maloney was bored beyond belief. Being stuck with this assignment was bizarre to say the least. He'd always had the utmost respect for Assistant Director Skinner, but he was beginning to think that perhaps the man had lost the plot. It made no sense to him that he and his fellow agent should be here essentially guarding a dead body. Just who did the AD expect to be interested in stealing a dead body. Burke and Hare?
"Troy." he said to his companion.
"Yes?"
"You got any idea why Skinner sent this body to Dr Borrachio?"
"What?."
"I mean wouldn't he have done better to send it to Quantico? It's not as though the FBI can't conduct its own autopsies."
Troy Wilson sighed. "Look Dave, The AD is trying to keep this under wraps for now. He suspects there might be an attempt to tamper with the evidence. Dr Borrachio is skilled at what he does, He knows the AD from way back and owes him a favour. I guess that answers the reason why we're here. "
David sighed. "OK, but just who does he expect to show up and steal a dead body? From what he said it's already decomposing, who in hell would want to steal a corpse that's already breaking down?"
"Someone who doesn't want Dr Borrachio to discover whatever it is the autopsy will reveal." Troy said "I thought you were up for this."
"Hey I've got no problem in working for the AD, I like the guy, he's a stand-up guy, but it just seems a bit farfetched is all."
Troy made no reply. Maloney turned to see his partner sliding down onto the linoleum blood spurting from a deep wound in his throat, his eyes glassy and unfocussed. Maloney barely had time to draw a breath before he felt a blade at his own throat and then he knew no more.
Somewhere near Owl Lake - Upper New York State:
Outside the day was warming up considerably. Though still cool and sharp, the air carried the scent of some of the herbs and grasses that had not succumbed to the frosts. On any other day Margaret Scully would have taken the time to enjoy the assault on her senses, but right now there were questions she needed to ask and answers she needed to have.
Skinner was closing the door of the large utility vehicle and turning towards the house by the time that she reached him. He started at her approach. Clearly he had not anticipated her appearance at his side. Nonetheless, he greeted her courteously.
"Mrs Scully. Is there something I can do for you?" he asked.
"You can tell me about that young man on your couch, Mr Krycek. Perhaps you can explain why my daughter pulled her gun on him."
The look of alarm on Skinner's face prompted her to reassure him that nothing untoward had happened.
"He's OK, she didn't harm him, but he is clearly far from well. Shouldn't he be in a hospital?"
"I assure you, Mrs Scully, that everything that can be done for him is being done. If it was possible to have him treated in a hospital I would have done it. However, he has received the best of care, and for now this is just the best place for him as it is for us. In fact it's not just the best place for him it's the only place he will be safe."
"I suppose I'll just have to accept that for now, but I shall be keepng a good eye on him. Now what about Dana? She clearly wanted to deal violently with him. I've never seen that side of Dana before, and it was very disconcerting. Why would she react so towards a man who was not a threat?"
Skinner sighed. This was going to be difficult. Maggie Scully had a right to know why her daughter might want Krycek dead, but whether he was the man to give her those explanations was not easy to say. Given the things he had learned in the past two days about Alex, Nicholas and the onsortium he doubted he could even begin to discuss this with her and not involve her in this whole debacle more than he was comfortable with. However, she was entitled to an explanation and it seemed it was to be his lot to try and provide one.
"Let's go inside Mrs Scully. This will take some time and I really need a drink before I begin.
Maggie Scully nodded in agreement and followed him back into the house.
Conrad was exhausted. He'd never imagined any of this when he'd agreed to help Walter with the problem of 'The Body'. Coming here with the rest of them had been necessary, but he would have to return to his office by Monday or someone would come looking for him. If Walter really wanted to be able to regroup here, far from prying eyes, he would have to be gone before the end of the day so as to help keep his alibi plausible when the shit hit the fan. That said shit would hit the fan was not even open to question in his mind.
In the meantime, he needed to check on his patient and get some sleep before he started to tackle the long trip back home.
Alex was lying on the couch where Walter had left him. His eyes were closed, but the careful shallow breathing alerted Conrad to the fact that the man was not asleep. In sleep he would have been able to draw deeper breaths, the pain caused by his injuries would not have troubled true sleep.
"Alex." he said, wanting to alert the man to his prescence early enough to avoid startling him. "I need to check you over."
Alex opened his eyes wearily.
"Go ahead, I'm not exactly in a position to stop you."
"I just want to make sure that you are not in any discomfort." Conrad said.
"Depends how you define discomfort." Alex said. "I'm alive, that's a comfort. I'm wrapped up like a mummy, that's not particularly comfortable. I can't move and I'm dying for a piss. Other than that I'm just dandy."
Conrad smiled. He recognised the bravado as Alex's defence mechanism.
"Well then we'll have to see what we can do about that. No more mummification, and a visit to the bathroom should have you up and ready to run the marathon in no time."
As he placed a hand on Alex's forehead, to check if his fever was going down, Alex suddenly gasped as if he'd been struck.
"What is it?" Conrad asked.
"Kolya's awake" Alex said.
"Kolya? Your brother? Alex, your brother is dead."
"I only wish that were true Doc." Alex said, "I only wish that were true."
To be continued.......
end of chapter 18
Yes I know it's short, and I'm sorry but the muses were adamant that this was chapter 18 in toto... so I had to take their word for it. I hope they are more chatty next time.
Many thanks to Ursula and Helen for beta reading duties, and efforts to catch the typo. Any remaining mistakes are mine, which I will do my best to catch at the end of the saga.
please send feedback here
sharonmarais@sam27.demon.co.uk