Title:  A Different View
Author: Kindli
Fandom: X-Files/Highlander crossover
Pairing: Mulder/Kronos-- (and a witness)
Rating:  NC-17, slash
Status:  snippet
Website: http://trelaRose.tripod.com
E-mail: kindli27@hotmail.com
Archive:  Just let me know.
Series: It takes place in my 'Manipulations' universe, but is not part of 
the story- so if you haven't read it, don't worry about it.
Disclaimers:  Chris Carter, Fox, 1013 Productions---Panzer/Davis
Notes: No canon. This is just a snippet.  Special thanks to Quinn and Meri 
Lomelindi, who helped me beta this.  Oh, there are two spoiler's in here 
though, a certain well known event from the Tunguska/Terma ep in X-Files and 
suggestions for another well-known event from 'Comes A Horseman/Revelations' 
in Highlander.
Summary:  When Krycek sets out to spy on a mad scientist, he gets the 
surprise of his life.


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                      *****Chapter*****


Cautiously peering down into the dim swath of a lab, Krycek balanced on the 
edge of a splintered barn rafter.  One hand gripped the beam tightly while 
his prosthetic arm rested with awkward heaviness against the nearby wall.

Alex had begun his quest upon hearing local gossip about a scientist who was 
plotting world destruction.  Not that such a rumor was unusual in and of 
itself; it was pretty common in his line of work.  This time however, the 
man was supposedly using human guinea pigs to test some sort of virus.  It 
begged the question-- was he involved in the Consortium or was this the work 
of a simple madman?

Days of calling in favors had led him just outside Richmond to this 
dilapidated excuse for a barn.  Suspicion blossomed in his belly as soon as 
he saw the decided lack of security, gnawing deep when he managed to slip 
inside the archaic structure without even a hint of detection.  What kind of 
lab was this; did the fool think he was invincible or something?

At first, little was visible in the darkness.  But then a door in the far 
corner opened and the room was suddenly bathed in a soft glow of 
yellowish-light.  Walking to a table littered with test tubes and a jumble 
of scattered papers, a man wearing a white lab coat and black jeans 
immediately set to work mixing different colored substances into the glass 
tubes.  The mad scientist, Krycek supposed, began scribbling his findings 
into a notebook.

Dispassionately, Alex squinted through the gloom as the man walked through 
the narrow aisles, ignoring the ragged breathing and pitiful pleas of the 
young men and women.  Some cowered in the corners of their small cells 
trying to fade into the background as he strode past, others crouched 
closer, foolishly trying to catch his attention with whispered promises of 
rewards for their release.  Finally the researcher stopped before one of the 
cages and grabbed the sole occupant, a young hispanic woman of about 20 
years, and pulled her arm through the bars to jab a needle into the soft 
muscle.  The woman, too weak to put up much of a struggle, whimpered 
fearfully, pleading desperately for mercy.

Moments later she started to scream as the contents of the needle began to 
work its way into her blood stream, and she writhed on the floor of the 
small cage in agony.  Without a flicker of remorse in his posture, the 
scientist began taking notes. As he was jotting notes into his journal, he 
suddenly raised his head and began to peer into the shadowy corners of the 
barn.  Eyes flashing in the funereal light, he strode to the back door of 
the barn with determination, grabbing his sword along the way.

Krycek stood frozen in place, ears straining for a clue as to what had 
caught the other's attention. The sword seemed like a ludicrous weapon to 
Krycek and while the aura of danger that surrounded him as he gripped the 
hilt confidently gave credence to his ability as a dangerous opponent, it 
did nothing to even his odds against a gun.

The man stepped outside with a soft snarl.  Risking splinters in certain 
delicate parts of his anatomy, but anxious not to lose his prey, Alex 
scrambled to get to the ladder a few feet from where he stood.  Before too 
much damage could occur the 'doctor' reappeared, dragging a man along beside 
him, sword held at his captive's throat.  Krycek muffled a soft growl when 
he realized the idiot's identity.  Why couldn't Mulder stay out of trouble 
for just a few weeks?  Straining to hear the muffled conversation, he pulled 
out his gun and debated the necessity of the troublesome agent's usefulness. 
  Did he really want to bother rescuing his ex-partner from this madman's 
vengeance?

"Fox Mulder.  To what do I owe your esteemed company?"  the man asked, 
amusement clear in his voice as he pressed the blade of the sword a little 
further into Mulder's neck.

In typical Mulder fashion, he answered the question by glancing at the 
cages.  "Test subjects?"

The scientist chuckled.  "Once the monkeys died, I needed replacements.  
These were cheaper."

"I see.  So, um, how 'bout you let me go now?"  Mulder pulled a little at 
his captor's grasp, outwardly unperturbed by his situation.

Apparently amused by Mulder's attitude, the man loosened his grip enough to 
let the agent slip away.  "No weapon?"  He set down his blade and crowded in 
close again, hardly giving 'Spooky' space to breathe.

Cautiously, Krycek lowered his weapon, allowing his arm to rest at his side. 
  The two on the floor still knew nothing of his presence and he preferred 
to keep it that way.  There was no reason to act until it was absolutely 
necessary.  Very little Mulder did surprised Alex anymore, but the agent's 
casual acceptance of the enemy confused the hell out of him, and he hoped to 
understand more before he did anything rash.

Instead of backing away as Krycek expected, Mulder smiled sardonically and 
opened his trench coat to reveal a gun.  "None that you need to worry about. 
  I didn't expect to be meeting you tonight.  I got a tip that something was 
going on down here and followed up on it."

From his vantage point in the shadows, Alex tensed and again angled the 
barrel of his gun back to his target, shaking his head with incredulous 
fury.  //God Mulder, you're such an idiot!  What do you expect him to do 
now?  Ignore you?  You think Conan here is going to let you keep your gun, 
just because he has his sword?//  But oddly enough, Mulder seemed to be 
right for once.

Frisking the agent, the scientist laughed again.  "Still searching for 
aliens, Mulder?  Don't you ever get tired of looking stupid?"

"You know me, Kronos.  I like amusing people."  Stepping closer, Mulder 
reached out a hand to tentatively caress the other's face.

The man called Kronos snatched Mulder's hand before it could trace the 
narrow, jagged scar running along his cheek.  With one sharp tug, Kronos 
jerked Mulder against him, forcing the agent to grab at his hip to retain 
his balance.  "Is that lovely teacher of yours still teaching you to make 
love, and not war?"  The man's honey-smooth voice carried through the air 
and settled like a weight in Alex's gut.

Mulder nodded just a little, a small smile suggesting more could be expected 
upon request.  Alex felt his stomach clench when he realized what was coming 
next.

Kronos was resting a hand on Mulder's shoulder and with the lightest of 
pressure, he pressed him to his knees.

Appearing to kneel willingly, Mulder needed no encouragement to turn his 
head into the man's groin and lick at the denim-covered bulge.  Like a cat 
being stroked, Kronos' eyes slitted with pleasure while one of his hands 
moved to clasp Mulder's neck, forcing him even closer.  Mulder's hands went 
to the zipper and freed his cock, taking the partially soft meat into his 
mouth, bringing it to life with his tongue.

Kronos sighed in contentment as he looked down at the man on his knees.  
"You're such a slut, Fox."

Mulder didn't react as Krycek thought he would; but then again, Mulder 
wasn't doing anything he normally would.  What was going on here?  And how 
the hell did Mulder know this man's name?  They appeared to know each 
other.... obviously quite intimately.  Alex watched in rapt fascination as 
Mulder brought the man off quickly, a loud cry leaving Kronos' mouth, while 
the agent held his own body away from this Kronos, face expressionless as 
the other swayed unsteadily.

For the first few moments Kronos stood very still, his hand clenched in the 
silky chestnut hair, keeping Mulder's face pressed tightly into his leg 
until he regained his equilibrium.  Then he tugged on Mulder's neck, 
indicating he should stand while he refastened his pants.  Mulder let one 
hand rest on Kronos' hip as the other traveled up to squeeze his arm, 
eventually moving to caress the nape of the man's neck.  Kronos stiffened 
for a moment before relaxing into the touch, allowing Mulder to rest his 
forehead on his shoulder.

"You have to leave, Kronos.  Your presence here is screwing up the plans.  I 
can't be getting tips that lead me to you.  It's too dangerous.  If someone 
sent me to you, then it's obvious they also know what you're doing."  
Mulder's voice was muffled in the man's chest.

Kronos growled.  "I'm not leaving here just because it doesn't fit into the 
plans, Mulder."  He twisted his fingers into the other man's hair, pulling 
the agent's head back cruelly.

Rolling his eyes in irritation, Krycek raised his arm, and carefully took 
aim.  //Of course they know what he's up to, Mulder.  Don't you?//  Mulder 
never did anything right.  Didn't he know how to be subtle?

Wincing, Mulder tightened his grip on Kronos' neck.  Gaping at him in 
disbelief, Kronos' mouth dropped open in startled pain as his hand fell away 
from Mulder's hair.

Staring in surprise when Kronos slid silently to the floor, a soft thud 
resounding as his body landed slightly atop Mulder's shoes, Alex's eyes 
followed his former partner's movements with renewed respect, wondering who 
had taught him to use pressure points to defend himself.

"Moron."  Alex couldn't help grinning when Mulder echoed his own sentiments 
as he pulled his feet free from the unconscious man's prone form.

The brief flare of pride faded into disappointment though, when Mulder 
messed up again, turning his back on a clearly unhinged psychopath, instead 
of pulling out his gun to finish off the man's existance.

Mulder moved to the cages and unlocked them, but while some of the prisoners 
scrambled to escape, others remained crouched in the corners of their small 
cells, eyes flickering in confused terror, glancing fearfully between their 
rescuer and their unconscious captor.

"Get out of here."  With a voice harsh and commanding, Mulder reached in 
impatiently and pulled a man out of his cage.  It seemed to stir some latent 
survival instinct in the others and they scrambled to escape.

When Mulder stood before the cage holding Kronos' most recent test subject 
he reached in gently and eased her out, tenderly caressing her cheek.  
Mulder's whispered words carried to Krycek in the rafters and stirred 
confusion in him as he tried to process their meaning.

"It's all right, young one.  You'll find your peace soon."  Mulder took her 
wrist and appeared to be taking her pulse-- except his fingers were pressed 
so deeply into the flesh that it would have been impossible to get an 
accurate reading.  Whimpering softly, her eyelids fluttered rapidly and with 
a sigh she pressed her face into Mulder's chest.  Moments passed before she 
was laid back into the barred crate and he moved on to the next cage.  
Disbelief and a tinge of fear coursed through Krycek's veins as he wondered 
if Mulder had just used another method of pressure point control to end the 
woman's life.  As the last of the prisoners were escaping, Kronos regained 
consciousness and grabbed his sword, preparing to swing it at Mulder, who in 
a blur of motion grabbed a nearby pitch-fork and spun to block the first 
blow.

Kronos was obviously an experienced sword fighter, but it became evident 
that Mulder was even better.  Alex couldn't believe what he was seeing.  
Mulder couldn't even keep hold of his gun-- where the hell had he learned to 
use a pitch-fork to defend himself against a sword?

Finally overpowering the other man, Mulder swatted the sword out of Kronos' 
hands.  He easily knocked Kronos onto his knees and hissed at him,  "Get out 
of this country.  I don't care where you go, just get away from here.  I 
don't want you in the way.  If you want to go about creating the apocolypse, 
you do that, but not around here."

Krycek stared in disbelief, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that 
Mulder had just given away humanity on a platter, but then decided it was a 
bluff.  Mulder couldn't be serious-- it had to be to gain Kronos' 
confidence, though a tiny voice reminded him that Mulder had never been 
subtle in the past.

Kronos chuckled without humor.  "Sure, Mulder.  Whatever you say."  Even 
with his sword out of reach, kneeling on the ground in a submissive posture, 
he didn't appear to be too concerned with his defeat.

Alex hardly wondered why.  If Kronos knew Mulder as well as it apppeared he 
did, then he knew Mulder would never kill him.  He drew his gun, preparing 
to finish the job-- before the 'morally impeded' agent could screw things up 
by letting himself get killed because of his totally scewed sense of ethics. 
  His mouth fell open in surprise and he almost fell off the beam when 
Mulder whipped out his gun and aimed with deadly intent for the madman's 
chest.

The shot from the gun ricocheted from one end of the building to the other, 
an eerie silence echoing in its wake.  Kronos crumpled to the ground, an 
expression of shock marring his features as he died.  Krycek knew how he 
felt.  This was Mulder?  Fox Mulder?  He blinked in amazement as Mulder 
turned away, leaving the building without a backward glance.

Krycek scrambled out of the building, wanting to follow Mulder-- and force 
him to reveal his secrets-- but by the time he stood in the grassy clearing, 
the agent was gone.  When he stepped back into the warehouse to take some 
samples of the virus, he found that the body had vanished, leaving only a 
stain of blood on the floor to prove tonight really occured.  A shiver of 
unease whispered along his spine as he glanced around nervously, cautiously 
stepping back into the shadows.  Someone must have followed Mulder and 
decided to take care of the clean-up.  If he weren't so confused, he would 
be furious at having missed out on another set of answers.  But now he had 
another mystery to solve.  Who and what was the real Mulder?  And what was 
'the plan' that they had spoken of so casually?

Now that all the major players had vanished he decided it was time to pull 
his own disappearing act.  Leaving as silently as he had come, Krycek 
wondered when Mulder had learned survival techniques-- and how these 
abilities could be used to his advantage.