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"Knock, knock, anybody home?"
Lee Stetson glanced over the top of his computer screen. The voice had been familiar and the face, even more so, but Fox Mulder appearing in his office at the State Department was a surprise. Lee invited the F.B.I. agent in and stood to shake his hand.
"Well, well, Spooky Mulder, what're you doing here?"
"Slumming of course," Mulder dryly replied as he introduced the petite woman with him. "Lee, this is my partner Dana Scully. Scully, Lee Stetson."
After the usual amenities of coffee, doughnuts and the Washington weather were quickly covered, the talk turned to business.
"You know I work on the X-Files now, don't you, Lee?"
"Yeah, I'd heard the rumors," was Stetson's easy reply. "But I'll admit my friendship anyway."
Mulder offered a thin smile in acknowledgement. "Something's come up and we were hoping you could help us out."
"If I can, Mulder, I'd be glad too."
Scully unfolded a map and smoothed it out on top of the desk. It was a topographical representation of Arizona and New Mexico. There were four, small red dots in a rough circle shape near a small reservation.
"You need my help because of the area," Lee stated, realizing the circle was almost on top of the Michaels ranch. The reservation was only a few miles from his old boyhood stomping grounds. Lee pointed at the map. "This is my Uncle Jake's place... well, actually Scott and Nicky own it now."
Scully explained, "Mulder told me you grew up around here."
"I didn't really grow up there, but I did spend some of my summers as a kid there," Lee corrected.
"You still know the territory and the people. We were hoping you could put in a good word with the locals."
"Particularly with the tribe's Shaman, Wolf Claw," Mulder added. "Local law enforcement's been given the cold shoulder. To conduct our investigation, we need a toe in the door."
"What investigation?" Lee wondered with a trace of wariness. His colleagues seemed to have danced all around the reason for their interest in New Mexico. "And what do you mean the cold shoulder? The sheriff there's married to one of my cousins. If something was going on at the reservation, Ironhorse would be the first to know."
Lee didn't like the sound of any of this. If Scully and Mulder were investigating a possible X-File near the ranch, Lee wanted in on it. Amanda and he had been planning to attend the annual family reunion with the children later that summer. If there was any threat to his family, now was the time to find out. "I haven't heard of anything going on around there."
"The Indians won't talk, and the sheriff... you said his name is Ironhorse...?" Mulder queried
"Colonel Paul Ironhorse, U.S. Army retired," Lee supplied.
"He's also been close-mouthed," Mulder continued. "One of the ranchers, a James Costain, called the Bureau for help."
"Help against what?
"These red dots," Scully tapped the map, "are attacks or sightings over the last two months."
"Attacks and sightings of what?"
Scully started to give her opinion but had no sooner opened her mouth when Mulder overstepped her.
"A werewolf."
The little airstrip at Glorieta had not changed in the last several years. Lee imagined it never would. It was one of those timeless dust-bowls preserved in a dimension where progress could not co-exist with the already established structure.
As arranged, Andy had left a jeep for them. He walked over to the four-wheeler, checked under the driver's floor mat, grabbed the keys, and tossed his bag in the back seat.
Mulder and Scully made slow progress over to the jeep. They constantly surveyed the area in a manner more curious and disbelieving than wary. They piled their bags on top of Lee's, then Mulder climbed in the back seat next to the luggage. Both he and Scully had dressed in jeans and light shirts -- strictly out of F.B.I. norm, but in keeping with the surroundings. Already, their shirts were damp with perspiration from the heat. It was May and the temperature was creeping up on one hundred. Hard to imagine a more unlikely place to hunt for a... werewolf. Lee shook his head. He still had a hard time swallowing that one, even from Mulder.
The Glorieta sheriff's substation was a small building on a side street of the little town. The dull adobe walls were pocked with weather damage and, like the rest of the Glorieta, this place seemed stuck in a time that no longer existed.
Sheriff Paul Ironhorse warmly greeted Lee, then shook hands with the F.B.I. agents. Ironhorse was the elected sheriff for Santa Fe County, which included some of the surrounding wilderness areas and smaller communities like Glorieta. He had deputies stationed in every town and spent his time traveling from one place to another as needed. Lee and Ironhorse took a few moments to catch up on family news, then Lee introduced the subject that had brought the three of them to town.
"What do you know about these attacks, Paul?"
"Oh, you mean the 'Werewolf,?" Paul scoffed. "My guess is that what the ranchers and others have been seeing is a real wolf."
"I didn't think wolves were native to New Mexico, Sheriff," Mulder commented.
"That's what most people think, Agent Mulder. Actually there was a species that used to roam here -- the Mexican Wolf. They haven't been seen for a good many years, and almost never this far north, but there's always a possibility one could have drifted up."
"The report we received from Mr. Costain mentioned that a number of large animals had been killed, and there were tracks left behind from both a man and an animal," Scully related. "Mr. Costain also mentioned the wounds weren't consistent with any creature he'd ever seen."
"Has there been any speculation from the locals about these killings, Paul?" Lee asked. "Maybe some talk on the reservations?"
"Lee, anytime something unusual happens in a town this size, everybody immediately starts pulling out the old Indian legends. Either that or the aliens from Roswell." He narrowed his eyes as he continued. "Anyway... you know my people are Cherokee, not Navajo. I'm as much an outsider to them as you are. They don't exactly confide in me."
"You're not going along with the theory that a supernatural creature killed those animals?" Mulder pressed.
"Mr. Mulder... I believe in a lot of things that can't easily be explained. I grew up listening to all kinds of stories from my grandfather. But if you're looking for your basic Lon Chaney, Jr. werewolf, these attacks haven't been consistent with what I know of the old legends. There's no discernable pattern or timetable and some of the kills occurred during the crescent moon. Hardly fits the folklore. I don't even know why the F.B.I. is involved."
Lee looked at Paul curiously. "You know some of the slaughters occurred on federal land. That makes it F.B.I. business."
Paul nodded. "I'm just surprised there's any interest in random animal killings."
Before Mulder or Scully could respond, they were interrupted by a deputy bursting through the front door.
"Paul, we got another one of those mutilations over near the Benson ranch. I left Connie there to keep the curious away. Oh, Lee... how ya doing?"
"Fine, Pete." Lee introduced the Federal Agents.
Ironhorse interrupted the niceties. "What did you and Connie find?"
"I think you need to see it for yourself, Sheriff."
Ironhorse sighed wearily. "I guess I'd better. You three coming?"
Lee glanced at his companions and smiled wryly. "That's why were here, Paul."
"Then let's go." Ironhorse said resignedly.
The drive to the Benson ranch was hot and dirty. The sheriff's patrol car ahead of the jeep made it even worse, spewing up dust from the unpaved access road. The Benson ranch was a large, sprawling site used as a preserve for a small herd of buffalo.
The animal carcass was already pungent in the hot sun. Its neck was torn open as well as its back where the attacker had brought it down. Part of the torso was missing as if it had been dragged away and yet there was no sign of this. Scully was already kneeling beside it, checking for any possible evidence.
"Damn," Lee swore softly. "I never knew a buffalo could be taken down like this."
"It doesn't happen often," Paul concurred. "At least not to a full grown adult."
"And not by itself," Mulder observed, then added evenly, "Unless you're talking about the Big Bad one, most wolves hunt in packs."
"It certainly took something huge to bring that beast down," a decidedly British accent interjected into the conversation. "Maybe a mountain lion?"
Lee turned quickly around, surprised to hear a familiar voice. "Ian, what are you doing here? Is Randi with you?"
"Right here, Lee." An American female answered from behind Ian. "We were just checking to see if there were any tracks left by whatever did this."
"Did you find any?" Mulder asked as he looked closer at Ian. "You're Dr. Ian Matheson aren't you. I've seen your show."
"What show?" Scully stood up and came over to stand beside her partner.
"You remember Scully, 'How Strange' with..."
"Dr. Ian Matheson." Scully knew Mulder had read all of the books published by this man.
"You're a mythology expert."
"Tops in his field," Randi popped in adoringly, wrapping an arm around Ian's waist.
Ian smiled at Randi in response to her comment.
Randi continued in a more conventional tone while sticking out her other hand. "Randi Wallace Michaels, Lee's cousin, and you seem to already know Ian."
Lee stepped in quickly with introductions.
"Fox Mulder..." Ian seemed to consider the name. "I've read your book on Serial Killers, Agent Mulder. Very informative."
Randi felt Ian stiffen when Mulder's name was mentioned and realized he was disturbed by meeting with F.B.I. operatives. Not that Randi wasn't nervous herself. They really didn't need Federal agents here at this time, not while they were tracking another werewolf.
"And I've read all of yours, Dr. Matheson. You always present..." Before Mulder could finish they were interrupted by a female deputy.
"Sheriff?"
"Connie," Paul greeted. "What've you found?"
"There seem to be tracks heading off to the northwest. But they stop about 600 hundred yards when the soil gets rocky."
"Are they the same ones you've seen before?" Mulder asked the deputy.
"Yes, Sir, exactly the same."
Lee had arranged for the agents to stay at the Michaels' house. No one, save Stetson and Paul knew the reasons for the F.B.I. interest, but Lee suspected Ian and Randi had already guessed why the agents were in town. They were staying at the ranch as well... taking advantage of the open invitation family members had to come for a visit.
Once there, Lee's guests were welcomed by Andy and Caitlin. They were given rooms on the second floor. The bunk house, where everyone usually stayed, was being renovated for the summer family reunion. Andy had decided to see if he could make the ranch a going concern. His plans to open the place up to the public as a dude ranch included a lot of long-needed improvements, starting with the old bunkhouse. After that had been repaired he planned to build a new one to accommodate more guests.
Mulder was still unpacking after having cleaned away some of the grime of the road, when Scully came into his room.
"I had the carcass sent to the lab in Santa Fe. I'll be heading there later to do the autopsy."
"Did you notice the teeth marks on the neck?"
"So it was a rather large wolf, if that's what did it, but it could just as easily be a mountain lion as Dr. Matheson suggested."
"He doesn't believe it's a cat anymore than I do, Scully."
"Do you really think they're here to do research at the Indian reservation?"
"Research... yes. The Indian reservation... maybe." Mulder turned to look at Scully after putting the last of his clothes away. "What do you think about our Sheriff?"
"He seems to know more then he's saying."
"Yes, I think so too."
Randi breezed into the room she shared with Ian and found him staring out the window thoughtfully. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his back. "You seem very far away, Dr. Matheson. What's troubling you?"
"Our two F.B.I. agents."
"We've had to deal with the authorities before. Why are these two any different?"
Ian turned around in Randi's arms to look at her, giving her a quick kiss on the nose, and then pulling himself out of her arms. He moved restlessly over to the bed. "Because Fox Mulder and his partner are different. They belong to a section of the F.B.I. known as the X-Files."
"The X what?"
"The X-Files. Or more specifically, 'Fox Mulder investigates the unusual.' U.F.O.'s, the Paranormal... anything out of the ordinary."
"The government of the United States actually has agents investigating aliens and ghosts?"
"Yes, and I used to think it was pretty absurd when I first heard about it back in '90. I mean really... investigating unnatural phenomenon, vampires..."
"...werewolves," Randi finished for him.
Ian smiled lovingly. "I've grown rather fond of werewolves." Randi returned the smile. "I do not find the X-Files quite so absurd anymore. If it wasn't so detrimental to us personally, I would applaud what they do."
"But they could hurt more than they could help." Randi grew thoughtfully quiet.
"Exactly, my sweet. We need to keep them as off balance as we can."
"Or find them a simple answer to this puzzle," Randi suggested. "Though Mulder and his partner don't strike me as two people who will be easily fooled."
"I'm afraid you're right about that."
Randi put out her hand for Ian to take as she pulled him towards the door. "Let's go eat, Ian, I always think better on a full stomach."
"I've noticed," he laughingly replied.
Everyone met downstairs for lunch. Paul had decided to stay at the ranch for a couple of days to be available. Andy sat down next to Lee as Ian helped Caitlin bring out the salad and pasta she had prepared for lunch. Randi had helped Cait put her youngest, B.J., in his crib for an afternoon nap. Because of the recent unexplained killings, the older Travis children had been sent down the hill to their grandparents for a few days for safety's sake, leaving only the adults for the noon meal.
"So have you figured out what's been slaughtering the animals yet, Paul?" Andy asked matter-of-factly.
Paul shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm hoping with Lee's help and his friends here, we'll soon have an answer to the problem."
"I hope so. I sure don't like the idea of wild animals near the ranch."
"With the reunion coming up, we need to solve this immediately," Lee stated.
"Is that why you and Randi are here, Dr. Matheson?" Mulder inquired. "To help solve this mystery?"
"Actually, no. As we mentioned before, we're here doing research," Ian explained.
"We needed some new ideas for our show and what better place than an Indian reservation. The unusual killings are just an added bonus."
"I didn't know you worked on the show."
"Randi's the producer," Cait informed Mulder proudly. "I try and watch it as much as possible."
"No offense," Andy spoke up, "but I think it's kinda weird myself." He looked apologetically at Randi and Ian when he said this. "But Paul here," Andy playfully slapped his brother-in-law's back, "is an avid fan, according to my sister."
Paul smiled, but made no comment as Andy stood up to help Cait clear the table. The conversation continued after they left the room.
"Mulder'll fit right in with you two." Lee grinned at Randi and Ian. "His specialty at the bureau is weird stuff."
"Sometimes 'weird' is easily explained," defended Scully. "Don't you agree, Dr. Matheson?"
"In many cases, yes. In others, no."
"So what, if anything, have you picked up at the reservation?" Lee asked, trying to gauge his cousin's real reason for being here at this time. "Some mysterious legend of the sun god or something?"
Randi was dismissive. "Oh, nothing so exotic."
"Just a little kick Randi and I have been on for a while. These old medicine men are filled with trivia," Ian revealed.
"Like Wolf Claw?" All attention was riveted on Lee.
"What about Wolf Claw?" Professor Matheson's voice was wary.
"He's an expert on all the old legends of shapeshifters... you know, men turning into animals," Lee supplied.
Paul looked annoyed. "You mean werewolves? Are we off on that again."
"What about them?" Randi questioned.
"That's what we're here to find out," Mulder replied.
Randi glanced over at Ian.
"Quite a coincidence finding you here to investigate werewolves," was Scully's dry observation.
Ian looked calmly at the F.B.I. agent. "What better place to be to study the old manbeast legends than where there are reports of actual sightings?"
"How did you know about werewolf sightings in the area?" Scully questioned. Her tone was the practiced hardness of a veteran interrogator.
Mulder studied the paranormal investigators. Casually he commented, "Reports about sightings weren't given to the media."
"Mulder, we have our sources or we wouldn't be in business," Ian explained patiently.
Mulder's gaze strayed over to Ironhorse who looked unperturbed. "I suppose you're right."
When Andy and Cait returned to the table with coffee, the conversation immediately returned to more mundane matters.
Wolf Claw's house was an adobe structure set against the foothills of the mountains. It was a large dwelling, surrounded by huge trees which supplied welcome shade. As the agents' jeep came to a stop in the gravel yard, a dog yapped from inside the house. The front door opened before the three investigators knocked.
The man in the doorway was tall and broad. His dark hair was tied back in a tight pony-tail, giving his strong-featured, dark face a severe countenance. His tie-dyed t-shirt stretched over well-developed muscles.
"What can I do for you?"
Scully and Mulder proffered their i.d.'s.
"Don't get many government men, or women, out here." The man introduced himself as Wolf Claw, and invited the agents in.
The house was cool in spite of the heat outside. The agents sat on cushioned sofas and chairs carved from indigenous wood. The decor was simple, reflecting a theme of southwest patterns and colors. Wooden animal statues were sparsely set around the room. Over the mantle hung a round plaque about three feet in diameter. The carving featured the face of a wolf and from the bottom protruded the front claws of the animal.
From a nearby end table Mulder picked up an intricately carved serpent. "Quetzelquotal."
"You know your mythology well, Agent Mulder."
"So do you," he indicated by gesturing around the room. "Your work?"
Wolf Claw nodded.
"You have Qutezelquotal, a unicorn, a griffin, a wolf." Mulder looked quizzically at the Indian. " Something's missing."
"What?"
"A werewolf," Scully finished for her partner.
Wolf Claw looked questioningly at the agents.
"Or the local equivalent," Mulder added. "Some unknown animal is killing sheep and cattle in the area. Do you know anything about it?"
"Why do you ask me about this, Agent Mulder?" Wolf Claw wondered and then laughed humorously. "Do you suspect one of my people is a shapeshifter?"
"The killings aren't being done by any animal known to science," Scully explained. "This morning a buffalo was found torn to pieces."
"I would have never believed government agents could be so imaginative," Wolf Claw returned in amusement. "Isn't that something to be handled by the Sheriff?"
"Then let's talk facts," Lee broke in, trying another track with the medicine man. "I used to spend summers here. I've never seen any wolves around. Have you?"
"Not any longer," was the man's thoughtful reply. "There haven't been any buffalo wolves in this part of the country for many years, but nothing is impossible."
"Then what do you think is killing the local animals?" Mulder questioned curiously.
Wolf Claw shook his head. "I don't speculate."
"Aren't you even curious?" Scully picked up and continued the inquiry. "These are your neighbors."
"I mind my own business."
While Scully questioned their host, Mulder wandered the room, studying the various carved sculptures. He stopped at a plaque over the fireplace.
"Are your statues for sale?"
"That's how I pay my bills."
"What about this?" Mulder gestured to the plaque.
"Not for sale. I made that for myself."
"I hope you'll call us if you have a sudden bout of civic interest," Lee said as they moved to the door. He picked up a pamphlet from the table and wrote down the phone number at the ranch. "This is where we're staying."
Mulder pocketed one of the brochures and followed the others out to the jeep.
The rest of the day was spent traveling to the sites of the other animal killings. There was no physical evidence left to examine. Wind, rain, vehicles and people had trampled out any useful information. The locations themselves held no clues in themselves, but were all similar in two respects. One, the slaughters had taken place in a gully or gulch where they would not be easily observed. Two, they all circled the property of Wolf Claw.
The weary investigators returned to the ranch as the sun was nearly touching the foothills to the west. They gathered on the porch with Ian and Randi and shared the day's events. Mulder showed them Wolf Claw's brochure. Caitlin delivered cold drinks to her guests and remarked that some of Wolf Claw's paintings were in the living room. The Indian was a local celebrity and frequently travelled to all parts of the globe on art exhibits.
"Are you going to buy some of his sculptures?" she asked.
Mulder shook his head.
"The one he was really interested in wasn't for sale," Lee offered. "Anyway, most of his stuff is already overpriced."
"Just wait till he's really famous," was Caitlin's response.
"Why were you so interested in that wolf plaque?" Scully wondered.
"Wolf plaque?" Ian and Randi questioned simultaneously.
Mulder drew them a sketch on the back of the pamphlet. "It seemed familiar," he admitted, " But I couldn't place the memory.
"It's the Kilkelsheena medallion," Ian explained. "The ancient medallion is thought to be thousands of years old. It can be traced back to the Mayans, Aztecs or even possibly the Toltecs no one is really sure which tribe it might have belonged too. The medallion is said to have the power to change a human into an animal. The legend says the person who has the medallion controls the subject. The medallion is held by the possessor and the chain that connects it is worn by the shape shifter. We believe the Ancients used it in their ceremonies."
Cait was fascinated by the story Ian was telling. She asked the question that the others already knew the answer to. "What kind of animal does the human turn into?"
"A wolf." Ian looked over at Randi for an instant then continued his story. "But it is also believed that if the medallion is worn in it's entirety that any human who is cursed as a werewolf will be cured."
The sun had just slipped past the mountain ridge when an old pick-up truck turned into the yard of Wolf Claw's house. The Sheriff's vehicle was already there. For the second time that day, the shaman had visitors. Dusk was slow in the desert, and there was still plenty of light for Ian and Randi to clearly see the beautiful carvings through an open window. For a moment, they were transfixed by the intricate statues caught in the mystic reflections of the dying sunset.
Ian and Randi were met at the door by Paul and Wolf Claw. No introductions were necessary. Ian and Randi had been there a few days before with Ironhorse. The Shaman nodded and motioned them inside.
Ian glanced briefly again at the magnificent fantasy and mythological statues in the room, then both Randi and he gravitated toward the sculpture over the fireplace.
"Mulder asked about the medallion legend."
"You told him?"
"What else could I do, Paul," Ian exclaimed in dismay. "He knows I'm an expert on mythology."
"He would have been more suspicious if Ian had denied knowledge of it," Randi said defensively.
"He is deep as the ocean, that one. Hidden powers there too," Wolf Claw commented.
"He hasn't put all the pieces together yet, but he will," Ian predicted glumly.
"If he had, he would be here now," Ironhorse soothed.
Randi smiled at Paul gratefully. A few days ago he had let Ian and Randi know about the possible werewolf sightings in the county. Contrary to what he had postured to the F.B.I. agents Paul Ironhorse believed the legends of his people and felt certain that some kind of creature was indeed roaming the countryside.
Randi glanced thoughtfully over at Paul again as he talked with Ian and Wolf Claw. Ironhorse was the only person besides her brother Russell and of course, Ian, who knew of her curse. The first time he'd seen her after she had come back from England for one of the family reunions he had sensed the wolf in her.
Just as Wolf Claw had when they had come to the ranch that day after the first killing.
"In many cultures of the world there is the legend of the manbeast. I believe it is a supernatural spell, not a permanent curse, as the old Europeans thought. I feel the creature comes and goes through the power of the medallion."
There was a profound reverence within Wolf Claw, and Randi felt rather than heard the underlying truths of his beliefs. She sensed things she didn't understand. She knew Wolf Claw was not the werewolf, but he knew more about the medallion than he was sharing with them.
"You have the medallion," she stated. "But you're not committing these animal killings."
"Ironhorse knows that or he would not have brought you to me." Wolf Claw stared at her for several minutes. "You have powers that are well hidden," he finally commented. Sagely, he nodded his head as his eyes locked with hers. "I am a Shaman. My fathers before me held possession of the medallion. They passed it on to my care."
Ian could barely restrain his excitement. This was the answer to their long quest of finding a cure to Randi's curse. It was part of the legend that the medallion could create a werewolf as well as cure one. Finally, within their grasp, was the means to the end of their nightmare.
"Two months ago, while I was on tour in New York, my home was burglarized. The only thing taken was the medallion. But it was not taken far."
Ian's hopes were dashed. "Who else knew about it?" he muttered hopelessly.
"Just our luck," was Randi's despondent comment.
"No one knew it was there. But it would not be a great leap of deduction to guess. The legend is an old one, known well in these regions. I have had many wealthy and powerful men wanting to buy the medallion. It would not surprise me if it had been stolen by one of them."
Randi's thoughts came back to the present and she looked again at her cousin's husband. Instead of condemning her, Paul had helped her and Ian to set up a special place in the mountains. Using one of the many mine shafts honeycombing the hills, they were able to create a place for her just in case it became necessary. If it did, she and Ian would just decide to go camping and leave the ranch for a few days. No one was the wiser, since all her cousins had grown up camping in the mountains by themselves.
Now here they were a week later, no closer to finding the medallion nor finding out who the werewolf was, and the F.B.I. was one step behind them. Randi listened to the conversation going on between the three men.
"So you think whoever stole the medallion is still here?" Ian said excitedly.
"For lack of a better explanation, I can feel it is close," Wolf Claw explained.
Randi shook her head, finally joining in on the conversation. "I still don't understand the killings."
"Tests," Paul answered. "When the thief has control of the medallion's powers he will leave."
"Why would anyone want to be a werewolf?" was Randi's forlorn question.
"The power. It is like a drug. The creature can incite fear and panic and open up more opportunities for more prey. Our people," Wolf Claw commented indicating Paul and himself, "discovered that power and used it to survive. When the white men pushed the Indians into corners, some of my ancestors used it as a way to fight back, then as a means of revenge. My great, great, grandfather saw the danger in this and hid the medallion so the powers could no more be misused."
"It can also be used for good," Matheson countered.
Wolf Claw nodded at Ian, then Randi. "That is why you seek it. I wish it was in still in my possession so it could be used in that way."
"We must find it! We're so close!"
"Don't lose hope, Ian," Paul insisted. "I hate lying to Lee, but it's better he not know the reality of what's going on."
"I don't think my cousin really believes in the supernatural anyway. I think he's just doing this as a favor for Mulder."
"Randi's right, Paul. It's Mulder and Scully we have to watch out for," Ian observed. "We still haven't figured out where the beast is going to strike next."
"I would think the person controlling the creature would need a place that would protect himself as well as this shapeshifter he's created." Paul looked over at Randi. "I've never seen the change happen, but you and Ian built a very safe hide out to keep you out of trouble."
"That's it," Randi said excitedly.
"What's it, sweetheart?"
"I know where the change takes place." Randi looked suggestively at Ian.
"Of course, how could we be so stupid," Ian responded.
"The mine shafts," Paul said, also seeing the light.
"The mine shafts," Randi confirmed.
The moon was not a perfect, full circle, but it was formed enough to cast a brilliant glow over the cool, clear night of New Mexico. Mulder and Scully had taken an after-dinner walk around the stables and the partially renovated bunkhouse. They ended their tour on the front porch of the house. The night sky was close and sparkling bright on the wide-open range. The stars glittered with shimmering intensity and seemed to crowd out the deep indigo backdrop of the universe. The agents sat in silence, appreciating the stunning view of a close galaxy they never glimpsed in the city.
"Not a full moon, yet," Lee observed as he joined them with steaming mugs of coffee. "Expecting another attack tonight?"
"Impossible to predict," Mulder admitted. "I'd like to go out there tonight."
"The range land?"
"We won't find out anything here."
Stetson nodded his agreement. "The others already left before dusk."
"I think it would be a good idea if we tried to pick up their trail," Mulder suggested. "Don't you Scully?"
Lee maneuvered the jeep down the road. "Where should we start looking?"
"Wolf Claw's place. That's where a number of the attacks have occurred," Mulder answered.
"Do you think we'll find everyone else?" Scully asked her partner.
"Probably, Scully."
"Hey, look, guys," Lee spoke up. "That's Paul's jeep. It's heading off towards the north."
"How can you tell from this distance?" Scully looked skeptical.
"Broken tail light. The family's been razzing him for a year about getting it fixed but he's never bothered to."
"Lucky for us he hasn't. Let's see where they're headed."
Ian, Randi and Wolf Claw sat on the cold dirt in the silvery moonlight. Paul was standing guard above them. Nature's background noises kept the night from complete silence. Wolf Claw's legs were folded and his eyes were closed.
"Can you feel it?
Randi had tried to sense the medallion, but had not picked up the same vibes. She could feel though, a little psychic tingle she'd associated with another werewolf.
"No, I can't pick it up but the werewolf is close."
Wolf Claw asked urgently, "Are you sure?"
"Trust me," Ian replied. "She's never wrong. Why?"
"Because the medallion is no longer close. I did sense it for a little while but now it is gone," Wolf Claw sadly informed them.
"Paul, do you see anything?" Ian whispered as he and Randi stood.
"No, but if Randi senses the other, I suggest we go after it before we do anything else."
"As much as I hate to admit it, Paul, I agree with you," Randi responded.
"Then let's go." Ian headed off towards the mine shafts.
Randi quickly followed as the two other men brought up the rear, the latter drawing his weapon as he walked.
Everyone but the Shaman was familiar with the area since it was close to where they'd built the safe haven for Randi's transformation. Ironhorse had a couple of flashlights in the car and Ian had procured some torches which were kept close to the mine opening.
Randi, in the lead, stopped abruptly as they were about to enter. "You do realize that even if we find this werewolf we have nothing to stop it with. And none of you can even afford a scratch or you risk the curse." She turned to look at the three men behind her. "Maybe I should go in there myself. I doubt if another contact is going to make much of a difference."
"We have never tested that theory, Randi, and we're not about to find out what the result would be now," Ian protested. "We all go in together."
Paul lifted his hand, which still gripped his gun, and showed it to the others. "Silver bullets. I made six of them up sometime ago."
"Maybe around the time I first came back from England," Randi inquired quietly.
"Yes. Not only do I need to protect you, I need to protect all the other people we love?"
"I understand," Randi answered soberly. She stepped out of the way. "And since you're carrying the weapon, Sheriff, I'll let you lead."
Paul started into the mine first, followed by Wolf Claw, Randi and then Ian who clutched one of the torches tightly.
"Randi, can you still sense the other?" Paul asked as he led the other three deeper into the shaft.
"Yes, I can."
"Which direction?"
She stopped, as if to get her bearings, and pointed in a southwesterly direction. "Kind of in that direction."
"Kind of?" Paul said somewhat sarcastically.
"It is not an exact science," Ian protested on Randi's behalf. "Besides, Randi has never been very good with direction."
"Oh, thanks a lot, Ian," Randi snipped good-humoredly, knowing Ian was right. She was lousy with directions.
The government team had followed the other jeep for over a half hour then suddenly lost it. It had disappeared somewhere in the hills. Lee pulled their vehicle over to the side of the road in hopes of spotting it.
"Any ideas on where they might have been going, Lee?"
"Yeah, I think I do." Lee had a renewal of confidence as he started up the jeep and set out again. "They're heading for the mines."
"Mines?" Scully asked.
"This whole mountain range is littered with old shafts. My cousins and I used to love to play in them when we were boys. But they can be dangerous. We ended up in a cave-in my first summer here. Look, there's Paul's jeep."
Lee pointed it out. As he pulled off to join the other vehicle, Lee suddenly swerved to avoid a large boulder hidden in the overgrown road, but it was too late. The front end smashed into the rock, jolting them to a dead stop.
"Sorry about that," Lee apologized. "You two okay?" When he got an affirmative from his passengers, he jumped out to check under their vehicle. "Damn."
"Axle broken?"
"'Fraid so. Andy's gonna kill me.".
"Don't worry, Lee. I'll make sure the government reimburses him for the damages," Mulder assured his friend.
"Scully, look under your seat. There should be a flashlight," Lee instructed the agent. "When we get inside we might be able to find some torches."
Lee took the lead as Mulder and Scully followed.
They'd worked their way at least a half a mile into the shaft and had found no sign of the werewolf. Randi had stopped every so often to keep them on track but they had still not found there quarry.
"Some of these tunnels do interconnect," Paul reminded them as he paused to catch his breath in the dank passageway.
"Maybe we should split up?" Ian proposed.
"Shhh, I hear something." Randi signaled for silence.
"So do I, other voices," Paul agreed. The foursome waited in silence for a time, straining to identify who else might be here with them. At last however, Paul allowed himself to smile. "It sounds like our friends," he announced with some relief.
"Should we invite them to the party, do you think?" Ian wondered.
"I don't think we have much of choice, do you?" Paul replied evenly.
"I'll go then," Ian volunteered. "Lee'll be looking for the torches we've already commandeered and he's not as familiar with these mines as he used to be.
"Be careful, Ian, and warn the others. I know the werewolf is somewhere near," Randi cautioned.
"I will, I promise," Ian responded as he headed back down the way they had already come.
Ian worked his way towards the entrance, hoping to run into the other group. Paul had been correct about the tunnels interconnecting. There were many different directions one could go if you didn't know your way. Ian had gotten to know these shafts very well on long lonely full moon nights.
Ian saw a faint light ahead as he neared the opening. He could see Mulder and Scully standing at the entrance. "Mulder, Dana... what are you doing here. Is Lee with you?"
"He went to see if he could find some torches," Mulder explained, obviously ignoring his first question. "He was coming right back." He gave Ian a penetrating look. "Did you find anything?"
Ian vacillated whether or not to play this straight. He finally decided it would be better to be up front about it to avoid more probing questions. "Not yet, but we suspect the animal, whatever it might be, could be hiding in here. The others are up ahead. Keep to the main shaft, or you could easily lose your way. Go about a half mile and you'll meet up with them. I'll wait for Lee." Ian handed Mulder his torch and the two F.B.I. agents headed off deeper into the mine.
Lee returned about five minutes later carrying two torches.
"Good, I see you found some more."
Lee looked faintly surprised to see Ian. "Where are Scully and Mulder?"
"I sent them on ahead. We'd worked our way about half a mile into the mine," Ian explained as he led Lee back the way he had come.
"Nice of you and Paul to let us in on this, Ian," Lee said sarcastically.
"Nice of you and the F.B.I. to let Randi and I in on what you're up too," Ian returned. "In case you haven't noticed, this is my area of expertise. Paul knew that, that's why he included us.
"Ian, I... What was that?"
Ian had heard it too and stopped to listen. "It came from over there," Ian told him, standing at the entrance to one of the shafts that branched off to the left of the main artery.
"We better check it out. If it's anything important one of us can go get the others."
"Agreed. Come on," Ian said, leading the way.
It took Mulder and Scully only ten minutes to catch up to where the others waited for them. Mulder had checked each offshoot of the main shaft but hadn't tried going down any of them. Ian had been right about how easily you could wander lost.
"Nice night for a wolf hunt," Mulder commented dryly.
"Where are Ian and Lee?" Randi asked anxiously, ignoring the agent's sarcasm.
"Lee was off getting more torches so Ian sent us ahead," Scully related.
"Dr. Matheson said you haven't found anything yet."
"No, but I do think we're on the right track here, Mulder."
"I agree, Sheriff. This would be the perfect place for an animal to hole up, wolf or..."
A bloodcurdling howl echoed through the mine.
"...werewolf," Mulder finished quietly.
"It sounded like it came from up ahead," Scully suggested.
"It's hard to tell with the echoes where noise comes from," Wolf Claw informed her.
"Randi!" Paul called as she bolted past him.
"This way, Paul... hurry... please!" Randi shouted back.
It was no more then six hundred yards when Ian and Lee came upon another turn off. They started down this secondary shaft and Ian was instantly aware of something in the tunnel with them. As Ian turned to mention his feeling to Lee he saw a large, hairy creature behind Stetson ready to leap.
"Lee, look out!" he yelled as he thrust the agent out of the way of the charging animal. "Don't let it draw blood, whatever you do."
Ian swung his torch and heard a scream as he touched fur. In the torchlight Ian could see the chain hanging on the werewolf's chest. Lee was on the ground where Ian had pushed him, scrambling to get his torch and trying to stay out of the way of the two combatants above him. He watched as Ian forced the wolf farther down the secondary shaft, giving Lee a chance to get up and join the fight. Lee picked up his torch as he regained his feet and joined his friend in the fray. Starting into the side tunnel, he heard the sound of a body slamming hard against the side of the support. The tremendous noise of cracking wood reverberated through the mine and the whole tunnel came down.
Randi and the others had stopped abruptly as the noise of the battle echoed through the mine. Their frantic efforts only increased when they heard the ominous sound of the cave collapsing. Checking each turn-off, the dust and the debris finally led them to the correct one and then there was only silence.
Randi was the first to reach the secondary shaft Ian and Lee had gone down but the others weren't far behind her.
"Ian! Ian, where are you?" Randi called desperately. "Lee, can you here me?"
"Over here," came Lee's strained voice.
She found her cousin over near the pile of dirt, rocks and timber blocking the entrance, as the others joined her. One of the fallen beams had missed him by inches. He was conscious, various cuts and lacerations visible, as he struggled to rise.
"Lee, are you all right? Where's Ian?"
"Ian?" Lee seemed confused as Mulder and Paul helped him up. "He was here." Lee looked around, dazed. "We saw it."
"The werewolf?" Mulder asked excitedly
"Did it touch you, Lee?" Paul demanded.
"Touch me... no." Lee shook his head as if to clear it. "Ian pushed me out of the way. He was trying to force it back with his torch."
"Where?"
"The tunnel." Lee pointed to the wall of rubble.
"No!" Randi grabbed her flashlight. Shining it down the shaft she could see debris mixed in with rocks and split beams. Mulder and Ironhorse joined her, adding their lights. The shaft had only partially collapsed and Randi could see the tunnel was still intact.
Scully had given Lee a quick cursory examination to be sure he wasn't too badly hurt, before they joined the others.
"Ian?" Randi called as she started down the tunnel.
"Careful," Mulder warned. "The creature might still be in there too."
"No, it's gone..." Randi started to say, without considering her remark.
But Ironhorse, realizing the young woman wasn't thinking clearly in her fear for Ian's safety, quickly interrupted her comment with one of his own. "We just need to be careful as we move down the tunnel, Randi."
"Ian is here somewhere and we have to find him." Randi started moving some of the rocks out of the way.
"We know that," Lee reassured.
They all set to work quickly and tried to clear a path to where they hoped to find Ian.
After about ten minutes of searching and hauling rubble out of the way, they found Ian trapped underneath a large piece of timber. There was know sign of anyone or anything else.
Randi quickly moved to Ian's side as Mulder, Ironhorse and Wolf Claw hefted the beam off of him. Ian was unconscious, a huge gash bleeding on the left side of his head as well as numerous cuts and abrasions.
"Ian, Ian, can you hear me?" Randi pleaded urgently.
"Let me take a look at him," Scully requested. She quickly checked the professor's vital signs.
"He'll be alright, Randi," Lee told her. "Scully's a doctor."
"Possible concussion. Probably cracked ribs as well. I can't tell if anything else is broken."
"It not going to be easy getting him out of here," Mulder pointed out.
Randi, who hadn't focused on anything but Ian, suddenly noticed his eyes opening. "He's coming around. Ian." Randi's voice quavered as she spoke his name. "You had me so worried."
"Randi?" Ian whispered.
"Do you remember what happened?" Randi asked him.
"Happened?" Ian seemed confused at first, then, "Lee? Where's Lee? It was the werewolf!" Ian tried to pull himself up but collapsed back, groaning in pain.
"It's okay, buddy. I'm right here." Lee squatted down so Ian could see him in the faint light. "You pushed me out of harm's way while you fought that... whatever it was," Lee finished lamely, not sure he wanted to put in to words what it was he might have seen.
"Ian, can you tell me what hurts?" Scully probed.
"Hurts?" Ian mumbled. "Shoulder hurts."
Scully immediately checked both. As her hands touched the left one, Ian winced in pain. "It's dislocated.
"Can you fix it here, Scully?" Mulder questioned.
"I wouldn't want too try, it would be too painful."
Scully looked at Ian. "If I bind it up for you, it shouldn't be too bad until we get you to the ranch."
Ironhorse crouched down, addressing Ian. "I can carry you out of here, my friend."
Ian attempted to sit up again. "It is all right, Paul. I can walk. We need to get out here before that thing comes back."
Randi and Lee both helped him as he painfully came to a sitting position. "I agree with you about that,, but you're in no shape to go very far."
"Lee, I promise I won't fall on my face." Ian was leaning into Randi for support and he smiled. "If I do, then one of you can carry me."
Scully bound up Ian's shoulder using strips of material from what was left of his jacket. Mulder offered his own coat to Ian to keep him from getting chilled. Then the group began the slow trip back to the entrance and out to the jeep.
The closest hospital was in Santa Fe. Ironhorse had called ahead on his radio to have the local doctor meet them at the ranch. Dr. Sawyer was there waiting, along with a very worried Cait and Andy, when the group arrived.
Scully went with the doctor to assist and Lee was coerced into a quick once over and to have his cuts attended too. Ian was unconscious by the time they reached the ranch and Mulder and Ironhorse helped carry him upstairs. Wolf Claw had decided to head back to his home as soon as they had seen to Ian.
Randi had wanted to go with Ian, but had been persuaded by Cait to wait until the doctor had some time with him before joining him.
Cait went into the kitchen to get some coffee for everyone. Mulder and Ironhorse, feeling useless had gone to help her. Andy remained with his cousin. He watched as Randi paced nervously in front of the fireplace.
Andy wondered what had changed her so much. As a little girl, she was the happiest child. Very precocious, she got into all sorts of mischief. She used to drive her older cousins crazy because so was so curious, she got into everything. Randi was also very independent, going through life at breakneck speed. Andy had always felt Randi was a lot like he had been... defying conventions and Uncle Jake. If Andy looked back, he would be hard pressed to figure out who'd gotten into more trouble with Uncle Jake, himself or Randi. Maybe that's why he'd always been so fond of his young cousin. When she had decided to head for England to get her doctorate, Uncle Jake had been the first one to disparage the plan... not that Randi ever listened to him.
When she returned to America and came back to the ranch, she had Ian with her and she'd changed. There was a sadness about her that was hard to define. Andy knew it wasn't her relationship with the English professor. He had watched them together and it was obvious they loved each other fiercely. She was still his very independent cousin and yet she and Ian shared an unusual interdependency that went deep.
He looked at Randi again and could see she was crying softly. Andy went over to her quickly and took her in his arms to comfort her. "Shhh, Randi. He's going to be all right. Everything's going to be all right."
Randi continued crying as Andy tried to soothe her. "We don't know that, Andy. Not yet."
"Yes, we do. You said yourself that Agent Scully believed he would be just fine."
"I know, but the animal that attacked him might have bitten him," Randi tried to explained.
"You think it might've been rabid?" Andy asked his cousin, trying to understand her concern.
Randi looked up at Andy as she realized she couldn't explain to him that what she feared most... that Ian might have been bitten by a werewolf, with consequences far worse then rabies. "I'm sorry Andy..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Ironhorse, Mulder and Caitlin came into the room carrying coffee, cups and a tray of some pastries. It was almost dawn and Cait figured everyone could use something to eat.
Randi and Andy came over to get some coffee and Ironhorse pulled Randi aside for a moment.
"I heard part of your conversation with Andy. I had the Doc and Scully confirm that all of Ian's cuts were definitely caused by the cave-in and not by any bites."
"Are you sure?" Randi asked hopefully.
"Positively sure."
"Oh, thank you, Paul," Randi cried happily as she put her arms around him and gave him a quick hug.
Andy watched this exchange and wondered what Paul had been able to say to Randi to reassure her when he'd been unable to do that himself.
It was a few minutes later that Dr. Sawyer and Scully came downstairs. As Scully had suspected, Ian had a concussion, a couple of broken ribs and the dislocated shoulder.
"He'll need to stay in bed for at least a few days. I've given him a sedative and he should sleep for the next eight hours or so," Sawyer explained.
"I'll go up and sit with him," Randi immediately volunteered.
"I thought you might. I left his medication on the nightstand with instructions." The doctor addressed himself to the others. "Lee has a slight concussion as well and I've already persuaded him to go to bed and get some sleep. By the looks of the rest of you, I would advise the same thing to you."
"Good idea, Doc," Ironhorse concurred. "We can decide what we should do next in the morning."
Randi sat up and watched over Ian for a few hours until fatigue gradually overtook her. She fell asleep, head resting on the side of the bed. It was almost dusk when she was awakened by the touch of a hand stroking her hair.
"Ian?" Randi smiled as she caught sight of Ian staring at her, his hand still resting on her head.
"You promised to be careful," she scolded him.
"I was careful, Luv. I made sure the werewolf never touched me or Lee." Ian's voice sounded tired and weak. "I just didn't plan on the ceiling falling down."
"I was so worried."
"I know." Ian closed his eyes in weariness, then almost immediately opened them again. "What about the creature? Did it get caught in the cave-in?"
"It got away. It must have left through one of the other connecting shafts."
"Then we're looking for a person familiar with the mines," Ian speculated. "And who might be from around here."
"That's what Paul and I suspect. He came in here about two hours ago. He was going into Santa Fe with Lee and Scully for a few hours."
"Why?"
"Scully wanted to do some tests on that buffalo and Lee decided to help her. Paul needed to check in at the office and go see Carol and the kids."
"What about Mulder?" Ian's voice was beginning to fade as he started to drift back to sleep.
"He's here," Randi answered, watching as Ian's eyes closed once again. She reached over and gently caressed his cheek. "And so am I," she whispered.
Randi sat up with a start, uncertain what had awakened her. She'd been asleep in a chair near Ian's bed and immediately checked to see if he was alright. He was sleeping peacefully. The house was quiet. Randi got up and walked over to the window. She was feeling restless, but unsure what was causing her anxiety. Then she heard it in the distance... the mournful howl of a wolf. A minute later she heard the back door open and close and a figure emerged from the house. As the person came into her line of sight she knew it was Mulder and he was heading towards the stables. Randi realized that Mulder had heard the howl as well and was heading out, alone, to try to track the werewolf again. Randi looked over at Ian for a moment and then made her decision.
Walking over to the bed where Ian still slept, she bent over and kissed his forehead. "I can't let Mulder go without back up, now can I?" she whispered. "I'll be back soon, I promise."
Grabbing her jacket, Randi checked the pocket to see if she was still carrying her flashlight, then she quickly left her room. Heading down the stairs, she went out the kitchen door and also headed for the stables.
Mulder kept his horse going at a moderate clip toward the hills. He realized it probably wasn't a good idea to venture out after the beast by himself but couldn't pass up the chance to possibly find it. He knew Scully wouldn't approve of what he was doing but she would understand the need to prove his theory. He still wasn't sure what the others weren't revealing to them about this supposed werewolf, but he was convinced they knew it existed and that Ian and Lee had met up with the creature in the mine the previous night. The two men had been lucky the animal hadn't torn them to shreds or maybe it wasn't luck at all. Lee had told him earlier that day, before he'd left for Santa Fe, that Ian had seemed to know just what to do. Dr. Ian Matheson seemed to know a great deal about how to deal with werewolves. Of course, he was an expert in the mythology field, but it seemed to Mulder that he had an almost hands on experience in dealing with the creature. Had Ian encountered a similar animal before this one?
The sound of another horse behind him interrupted his thoughts. He pulled up and turned around to see who was following him.
Randi, going at a full gallop to catch up with the agent, reined in her horse as she reached him. "Hello, wonderful night for a ride, don't you think, Mulder?" Randi's voice was still a little breathless.
"What are you doing here?"
"Agent Mulder, first rule of good police work is always have back up."
Mulder smiled at her. "Oh, is that what you are?"
Randi smiled back, surprised at Mulder's levity. He hadn't struck her as the humorous type. There seemed to be much more to Fox Mulder then appeared on the surface. "I couldn't let you try and track this werewolf down by yourself. It isn't safe."
"So you believe it is a werewolf?" Mulder was surprised at her admission.
"If Ian said he saw one, then he did."
"You and he seem to be very familiar with that particular kind of creature. Why is that?"
Randi looked at Mulder warily before she answered. "I told you when we first met, Ian's tops in his field."
Before Mulder could voice another question, a long howl echoed through the area. Mulder felt a shudder run through his horse and understood the animal's uneasiness. The sound made his blood run cold too. He glanced over at Randi and could see her look of apprehension in the partial moonlight. Then she tilted her head, as if she were listening for something.
"It came from over there. Let's go." Randi reined her horse in the direction she'd indicated and started off. Mulder could do nothing but follow.
They had gone maybe five miles when they came across a sheep carcass. It had obviously been attacked recently. The animal was lying in a wash and in the faint moonlight, they could see that the gully seemed to stretch about a half a mile.
The horses shied away from the smell of the fresh kill. Randi and Mulder quickly dismounted, each pulling out a flashlight. They tied their horses to a small scrub cactus. Mulder climbed down into the wash and leaned over checking the body. "This is fresh. The blood is still warm."
He looked up to see if Randi had heard him. She was still standing a short distance away, up on the rim. To Mulder, it looked like she was listening to something. He scrambled back up to join her. Immediately the horses started stamping their feet and snorting fearfully, as if they too heard or smelled something. Then their restlessness turned to fright and they started to scream. They pulled their heads up and jerked the reins loose. Before either Mulder or Randi could corral them they had already galloped away towards home.
"They know the animal that did this is near," Randi explained, having felt the creature herself. She was a bit discouraged, certain the other was near but unable to pinpoint exactly where. She sometimes had trouble concentrating when she was distracted by other things. Well, as Ian had said to Paul, "it wasn't an exact science."
"I figured that out myself," Mulder replied dryly. "The question is how close?"
"Too close. We need to get out of here or we could end up like this sheep here."
"Randi, behind you!" Mulder yelled frantically, his cry almost drowned out by the sound of the wolf's howl.
Before Randi could even move, Mulder grabbed her and pulled her down with him into the gully. They heard the creatures's frustrated snarl as it momentarily lost it's prey. Neither of them even thought about it as they both jumped and started running down the wash, away from the beast. But the animal had anticipated their move and appeared almost in front of them. They both turned around and headed back the way they'd come. The wash continued on for a few hundred yards and then was blocked, their lights shining on a tree that fallen across the path. They started to climb out of the gully when the werewolf again appeared in front of them. Mulder pulled out his service revolver and started shooting. The werewolf was stunned for a moment but then started to attack. Mulder emptied his gun, but the animal kept coming.
Randi had, by this time, managed to pull off a branch from the fallen tree, lighting it up with some matches she had in her jacket. "Mulder, get back!" She shoved the pseudo-torch at the werewolf and it backed off, afraid of the fire. Randi could see the silver chain around the other's neck. The beast was stymied by the fire for a few seconds, then started towards them again. But it stopped its forward momentum abruptly. It stood still, as if listening, and then suddenly took off, scrambling up the side of the wash and vanishing into the night.
Mulder and Randi both stood stunned for a moment as the danger so close had passed.
"Randi, you, okay?"
"It's a female," Randi whispered in surprise, still looking in the direction the other had gone.
"What did you say?" Mulder asked her quickly.
"I said, I'm just fine. How about you?"
"Okay." Mulder glanced at her curiously. "We got lucky tonight. It would've attacked us if someone hadn't called it home."
"I think you're right about that, Mulder." Randi turned to look at him and smiled. "Thanks for warning me."
"Anytime. Thanks for being my back up," Mulder reciprocated.
"Any suggestions on which way we should go?"
"North. Wolf Claw's place. It's only a couple of miles. We can either get a ride or call over to the ranch. Besides, they'll probably be worried. The way the horses were running, they ought to be back home soon."
Mulder agreed. "And just in case our friend comes back, it will be better protection."
They climbed out of the gully and started their journey north, towards Wolf Claw's.
Ironhorse, Scully and Lee returned from Santa Fe about midnight. Surprisingly, they found Cait and Andy waiting for them as they came into the house.
"What's wrong?" Lee voiced the question for the others.
"Two horses are gone and so are Randi and Mulder."
They turned around at the sound of Ian's voice on the stairs. He was dressed, his left sleeve dangling as his arm was secured to keep his shoulder immobile.
"Ian, what are you doing up?" Scully's medical instincts overrode her agent status. "You're supposed to be in bed."
"That's my fault, Dana," Cait apologized. "Andy went out to check on the animals for the night and found the horses missing. I mentioned it to Ian and he insisted on getting up."
"They've gone off to track down the animal," Ironhorse stated.
"I suspect that is exactly what they're doing," Ian affirmed.
"Well, we just can't wait here. We have to go after them before they get into some trouble they can't handle," Scully added.
"Any ideas which way they might have gone?" Lee asked.
"Wolf Claw's," Ironhorse stated.
"Or the mines," Scully suggested.
"Let's take Wolf Claw's place first and work our way back up into the hills," Ian recommended.
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go."
"Lee... Randi is out there. I am going."
"I still don't think it's a good idea," Lee pointed out.
"If it were Amanda out there, Lee, you'd do the same thing," Andy observed knowingly.
Lee looked sheepishly over at his cousin, realizing that Andy was right and he had no right to try and stop Ian from doing something he himself would do. "You're right, Andy. Let's go and see if we can track down that headstrong cousin of ours."
The group headed for the back door. In the yard, they were surprised to see two horses standing lathered and heaving. Andy went over to the two exhausted animals and checked them out. "They were in quiet a hurry."
"If the looks of these horses are any indication, Randi and Mulder are in trouble," Ironhorse noted.
"The faster we find them, the better," Ian uttered.
Once more, Paul, Lee and Scully climbed into Ironhorse's jeep, heading out quickly towards Wolf Claw's home.
It took Mulder and Randi about an hour to reach the area around Wolf Claw's house. They had seen no sign of the werewolf during that time and assumed it had gone off in another direction.
They approached the dwelling, surprised to see the front door ajar and the house dark, always a sure sign of trouble. Mulder pulled out his gun and flashlight and slowly pushed the door all the way open. He motioned for Randi, who had pulled out her flashlight and was holding it like a club, to follow him as he cautiously started into the building.
They carefully worked their way into the entry hall, checking the first door they came to. Finding nothing, they started for the living room. The house was eerily silent. Mulder slowly came around the dividing wall between the hall and the living room with Randi right behind him. Holding his position, Mulder gestured for Randi to wait as he proceeded. Randi could see as Mulder moved his flashlight around the room. She heard an exclamation of surprise from him.
"What's wrong?" Randi didn't wait for an answer, suddenly smelling the stench of blood. Knowing what it meant, she came into the room. Shining her flashlight onto the same spot as Mulder's, she saw the two bodies. One of them had been ripped apart. The other had a single bullet wound to the head. As they stood there stunned, they didn't hear the sound of a jeep pulling into the yard.
Moments later Ian, Scully, Ironhorse and Lee came charging into the room, the latter three with guns drawn. Ironhorse found the light switch and illuminated the ghastly scene. They all stopped, as shocked as Randi and Mulder had been. Then Ian came over and put his good arm around Randi and hugged her whispering, "You scared me to death."
Scully stepped over to her partner. "You okay, Mulder?"
"Yes."
"It's Wolf Claw, isn't it?" she asked, pointing to the mutilated corpse.
Ironhorse knelt down near the two bodies. "Yes it is and the other is Connie Jacobs, one of my deputies."
"It looks like she committed suicide," Lee pointed out, indicating the revolver in her hand.
"Yes, it does," Ironhorse agreed. "But I doubt it."
"She was the werewolf," Randi stated.
"No proof," Mulder observed.
"No, no proof," Ian conceded. "The medallion isn't here."
Randi sagged against him in disappointment.
The next day, Mulder, Scully and Lee were booked on a plane headed towards D.C They thanked Cait and Andy for their hospitality. Going out to the yard, they put their suitcases in Ironhorse's jeep. Randi and Ian had come out with them to say good-bye.
"It was a pleasure meeting and working with you," Mulder said as he shook their hands.
"Maybe we can do it again?" Ian answered. "That is, if you and Dana ever make it to L.A."
"I've got a great idea. Why don't we have Mulder on the show, Ian?" Randi looked at the F.B.I. agent to see what his reaction would be.
"I don't think so..." Mulder started to stammer out and then noticed the look of mischief on Randi, realizing she was pulling his leg. He laughed. "Thanks for being my back up when I needed it."
"Anytime, Mulder, anytime."
Ironhorse was driving the threesome to catch their plane and then heading on to Santa Fe.
"I'll see you two at the ranch next month?" Ironhorse addressed this question to Ian and Randi.
Ian nodded in the affirmative.
"Hey, Cousin, you and Ian coming to the reunion?" Lee asked.
"You bet, Cousin, wouldn't miss it for the world," Randi told Lee.
"See you then."
Ian and Randi had decided to stay over a little longer to give the injured professor a chance to mend. Luckily the full moon was still at least a week away. They were sitting on the front porch swing enjoying the colorful sunset. Randi's head was resting on Ian's good shoulder.
"You know, Ian, I really liked Mulder and Scully."
"So did I, sweetheart."
"They'll be looking for that medallion, whether they believe in it or not."
"Yes, they will, but I think Mulder does believe in it."
"Uh-huh."
"What are you thinking about?"
"Wolf Claw. I'm just sorry he got caught up in all of this."
"His responsibility was to guard the medallion. Something with that much power leaves you open to all the dangers and curses associated with any object like it," Ian explained. "I think Connie was the one who really got caught up in this thing."
"Curses, huh?" Randi looked up at him. "You think the medallion is cursed?"
"Of course it is. What self-respecting ancient artifact isn't?"
"We're still going to look for it, aren't we?" Randi asked.
"Of course we are. And we're going to find it," Ian answered optimistically.
As the jet streaked through the vast blue sky dappled with clouds, Mulder stared out the window. Scully opened her laptop and started entering her initial observations on the conclusion of their investigation. She paused to study her partner.
"You don't really believe that old myth about the medallion, do you Mulder?"
The agent shrugged. "Maybe not."
Scully leaned forward and stared at him for a moment. "I detect a hint of skepticism."
"So do I."
"Touché," she returned. "But I'm supposed to the skeptic."
"And I'm not," he countered. The bluntness of the words were tempered by a slight twitch of a grin. "In this case, it doesn't seem to matter what we believe. Others believe it's the power."
"Do you think Ian and Randi will find it?"
"I don't know, but they strike me as two people who won't give up easily."
"And neither will we?" Scully asked Mulder.
"And neither will we," Mulder confirmed. "I believe the medallion and the person who stole it, will turn up again. Somewhere."
Scully offered a nod of silent agreement. Then she returned to inputting her assessment of the case.
This will be an X-File left open. Whether Deputy Jacobs was a werewolf was mere speculation. Nothing could be proven. The death of Wolf Claw was attributed to the "creature" who had been killing other animals in the area. Though no animal was found, the mysterious slaughter has stopped and state wildlife officials are saying it was a rogue wolf that had drifted up from Mexico and has now left the area. The Deputy's death was officially ruled a suicide, though there is still the question of the missing medallion. It has not been recovered and since no one except Wolf Claw had ever seen it, there is no actual proof that it exists. Just how much of it's so-called powers had to do with these occurrences will forever remain a question. If it was truly stolen, then whoever took it, still has it. But it is, after all, only a mythological artifact and has no established bearing on this case.