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The flight into Albuquerque was relatively uneventful. Fox
Mulder read up on the Navajo and the Anasazi and made
some mental notes to prepare himself for the task at hand:
securing the cooperation of the Navajo mining rights for magnetite.
Agent John Doggett made an effort to understand the prophecies
stated in the book, but was not certain he fathomed any of the
events that Mulder had said led them to this day.
As Mulder knew the way to the reserve well, he drove the rental car
to the home of Eric Hosteen, son of the late Albert Hosteen. As
Doggett flipped the pages of Scully's book on the ancient people,
he came across a sheet of paper that had some translations and a
key to the pronunciation of a special phrase.
"So, What's this got to do with the mining rights..."
"Well, there's a custom set out in the prophecy that I must utter those
words with the correct punctuation and tone of voice to the elders, as I
represent those who will fight the big battle foretold in the ancient Anasazi
accounts. Loosely translated, they mean that I am there to fulfill the
prophecy, and I am asking that the key to the weapon be given to those
of us who have come to defend."
"A saviour."
"Not really," Mulder continued. "A symbol, sign, go-between, facilitator,
I guess."
"Must be nice having such an honor."
"Not when you miss your wife and son and you really miss many of your loved
ones. In my search for the Truth, I found that the truth hurts a thousand times over.
Even the ones you love who are living pay a price. This is it for my quest. And this
is where we stop."
As the car pulled to a stop in front of the Hosteen house, Eric was fixing his
motorcycle. He turned and said to an elderly Navajo man in the Navajo tongue,
"He's here, as you said he would be."
Mulder and Doggett approached young Hosteen and each shook his hand."Okay,
Eric. Let's get on with this so I can see my wife and child."
Eric led the two men into the house, and the Navajo elder followed.
"We have much to do to prepare you. Tonight, you will meet with the elders and tell
them what you have to say. You remember the Meeting House, Mr. Mulder."
"Yes, I do recall it was where your father took me during my recovery from the fire.
Eric here found me, John, and they saved my life."
Doggett felt quite out of place. "I, uh, I read the files that you wrote after Scully came
out here looking for you. It was quite a report. Look, I have to ask about Gibson."
Eric put a pot of coffee on the stove. "Gibson told us you were on your way out here.
He's well and safe. He cannot be here with us, but he says the aliens are unaware of
what will occur. They believe they have control. Their mission is their only concern. They
are unaware of the magnetite deposit."
"They must know its power," Mulder reminded him. "They destroyed the pueblo where
Spender was hiding."
"They destroyed the one who told you the truth and they thought they had destroyed you.
That was their goal at the time. They believe that you will never know what to do with it,
how to use it to destroy them. Gibson and the resistance aliens are keeping them busy
in their thought and their control of the governments. Will you have coffee with me and
my uncle and then we will prepare for the ceremony?"
The Meeting House was already full of Elders and their future successors when Mulder,
Doggett, and Eric Hosteen arrived there after dark.
"We could smell you coming, G-man," one said.
To which Mulder replied, "Yes, but I changed to Sport Scent."
"I don't understand," a befuddled Doggett whispered.
"An old joke," Mulder explained. "I'll tell you later." Mulder took a seat at one of several
tables that the Meeting House had set up. "I'm ready. The magnetite location is needed
by those who are fighting back. I understand you know where it is."
An elder stood. "It is first your duty to utter the words that the ancestors said we would
hear."
Mulder recited a long phrase in the old language of the Anasazi.
"You could almost be one of us," the elder remarked, smiling broadly. "Fifteen miles
north-east of this place, you will find an impressive source of what your people have
called magnetite. My fellow elders have received a request, and we will sign now the
two copies of it. This form will be returned by your friend to the men who will need it
in the up-coming battle."
"That, Mr. Doggett, is all I came here for." Mulder shook the hands of several of the
men. The elders lined up to sign the papers.
"Short but sweet, Mulder. So, we take this paper... "
"No," Mulder corrected him. "YOU take that paper and I go back to Scully and William.
I have a family, a new baby to look forward to, and a job."
Later that night, Mulder and Doggett were sitting at Eric Hosteen's kitchen table before
retiring for the night, and Doggett brought up a taboo subject. "When this is all over and
done with, you should consider going back to the Bureau."
"Or, I should consider shooting you for suggesting that, John. Seriously, I enjoy my new
life."
"There are no surprises, no mysteries. No weird things to investigate. Nothing drove
you more than the need to know!"
"There are surprises every day I look at Scully, her ever growing belly, and William. Even
the birds in the trees surprise me now. I am not the old Mulder, the old 'Spooky' who
wanted to chase down leads for his sister, all the while following flukemen, vampires,
gender-switching cult members, genies and fat-sucking goons. I am a family man and I
am happy now investigating what it's like to have a normal family."
"You're sure of that. I can see it. But you are a born profiler and investigator. Well
-educated and with keen instincts... "
"And that is why I chose to teach. I can pass on those skills to young people ready to
enforce the laws of the land. That fulfils my need to work, and there is always something
new on the horizon. The newer techniques are things I need to keep up on. That is my
investigation. My job now is to pass on the skills and practical use of the newer techniques.
I never had a normal family life. Scully and William have given me all that and much more."
"So, that's a 'no'. Well, I can tell Skinner I tried."
"Yes. Well, I'm beat. We can go to the airport tomorrow morning, and be at our own homes
by dinner time."
"Sounds good to me." Doggett put an empty coffee mug in the sink. "Good night, Mulder."
"Good night, John." Mulder stayed seated at the table as John went to bed. He sipped his
coffee thoughtfully. "I have everything I could ever want. Now, I hope we can save it all."
That said, he stood and put his cup into the sink, turned out the light, and headed off to bed.
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