Are © Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. Return to the Secret City is © Matt Quinn, 1998. Contains violence and profanity. She called to the other members of the team. They were Christopher Thomas, an epigrapher, one of the few skilled in translating hieroglyphs from the Indian civilizations in Mexico; Kelly Jones, the chief photographer, and Randy Johnson, another archaeologist. They had wrangled a $5,000 grant from Whitney University where they worked, as well as matching funds from the government of Mexico. At the current rate, $10,000 equaled 60,000 pesos and they were suitably funded. The expedition had been an astounding success, but an aura of mystery hung around these half-buried ruins. No one came. "Hello!" she yelled. "Where are you guys?" She heard the tramping of feet, and saw the other members of her team. Their arms were pinioned behind them, and they were being marched by five mysterious men, all armed with a pastiche of M-16s, AK-47s, and Mexican knockoffs. "You will come with us, senorita. If you do not resist, you will not be harmed. If you resist, you will die." She weighed her options. They had subdued her team quickly and presumably quietly, but if she ran, in the confusion the other members of the group might escape. She decided. She took off in the other direction, toward the tunnels that led to the barely explored city beneath the desert. They had concentrated on the artifacts outside the caves, reconnoitered the underground section only briefly. There, she hoped her enemies would get lost and not be able to kill her. Gunfire chattered, and ricochets bounced around her, but they had a frightfully bad aim. A bullet grazed her leg, cutting it slightly. She reached the caves, and went quickly in one direction. Down. Her pursuers kept up the chase, but she had surely lost them by now. It was pitch dark, and she knew the ruins better then they did. Probably. She had no idea where they had come from, and she hoped it wasn't from the buried city. Special Agent Dana Scully felt like she was descending into the bowels of the earth when she came down to visit her partner, Special Agent Fox Mulder. "Nothing down here but the FBI's most unwanted" he called to her when she was assigned to him. Still, after 5 years, he had stayed steadfastly sure in the existence of paranormal phenomenon; excluding aliens, which he now believed were a government fraud; while she had grown to at least have an open mind about such things. "Good morning Scully" Mulder said cheerfully from the bowels of his desk. "What brings you to my lair?" "Skinner's assigned us a case. A team of American archaeologists disappeared while investigating Toltec ruins in the southern Mexican desert. Don't start on ancient astronauts and feathered serpents." "But what about those stelae showing fire imagery combined with an astronaut-like figure?" "That's primarily Maya, and we're on the other side of Mexico. Skinner also would like to see you immediately." Mulder stalked up from his office, leaving Scully studying the new photos of aliens, monsters etc. that decorated his office. "Good morning Agent Mulder" Assistant Director Walter Skinner said. "I have a case assigned to you." "Scully already told me. Archaeologists go missing in Mexico. Don't get started on ancient astronauts and feathered serpents." "I told her to tell you that. This is a very sensitive area. I've heard rumors of a California government team operating in the area before, and remember, if you screw up, you'll not only have to answer to me, but the State Department as well, since you and Scully are now Legal Attaches to the embassy, or LEGATs." "Yes sir." "Agent Scully has your gear and tickets. Two round trip to Acapulco. I've prearranged a guide, a Mr. Victorio Gonzales. He'll meet you at your hotel, Acapulco Hilton." "Thank you sir." "Now be off. I have work to do." On the other side of the country, in Los Angeles, Dr. Sloan Parker was reading reports from Reuters. Apparently there was mysterious activity going on in the Secret City in Mexico; and four archaeologists were missing. It all pointed to the new species reoccupying the underground city in Mexico. She summoned her boss, Dr. Walter Attwood. "Interesting, Dr. Parker. But what do you propose we do about your little problem? Nuke it?" "No" she said determinedly. "There are 4 archaeologists who may be hostages. Besides, we never did get to explore the Secret City anyway. Interesting new stuff might come up." She remembered the pillar. The pillar with the bizarre code of dates and stars. The pillar that resurrected long-buried memories in Tom Daniels, one of the new breed who betrayed his own kind. Those of his abusive childhood, when he was given the tattoo that matched one of patterns on the pillar, one that marked him as the Chosen One who would lead his kind in race war against mankind. "Remember the pillar, Dr. Attwood? That brought us a wealth of information, and that was before we had to destroy it half-translated. If we could recover more artifacts, perhaps secure the city, then we would have a new edge on these people." "You've convinced me, Dr. Parker. You'll have a vast amount of government resources available." Tom Daniels was sitting at a bar five miles away, drinking tequila and astounding the rest of the barflies with his ability to drink large amounts of liquor and not get drunk. His cellular phone rang. He reached down and answered it. "Hello?" he asked. "Tom, this is Sloan. The Secret City has been reoccupied, and four people are missing. You are needed at the lab immediately." "Sure" he said, simultaneously paying his tab.
In Acapulco, Mulder and Scully waited in the Hilton hotel for their guide, Victorio Gonzales. After arriving at Acapulco International and getting their gear through Customs, they had waited for an hour. Their guide was obviously not prompt. Suddenly, they heard their name being called. It was the hotel clerk, who told them that Gonzales was delayed, and would come around six. Leaving their bags with the clerk, they went out to lunch. At the Los Angeles Military Airstrip, the team from Whitney University finished loading their gear for a second expedition to the Secret City. There were the travel bags of the expedition-goers; Dr. Ed Tate, Sloan, Tom, Ray Peterson, and another expert on the new species, Dr. Bailey Johnson, an anthro-geneticist. Then, after checking the straps that held their gear, they entered the passenger area and sat down. The plane, a C-15 Army surplus transport, flew off into the sky, heading southward toward the Secret City. "What do you think will be waiting for us down in the city" Ed asked Dr. Johnson. "Well, considering a new abandoned city was discovered in China, I imagine..." "I've already been there, Johnson. I mean how many bad guys would be there?" "I'm not sure. Only 2 such cities have been discovered, and one was abandoned, and so was yours but now it seems to be reoccupied." "Well, we brought a large amount of gunnery and military equipment, so we'd have an advantage in a fight. All members of the new species we've encountered so far were only minimally armed, with pistols and such." "You've encountered only assassins. My team from London was attacked by 5 soldiers bent on retaking the city and killing us all." "Who won?" "My team did, but we lost 20 people." "Twenty!" "My team was composed of 15 scientists and 30 Chinese nationals. We lost 5 scientists and 15 Chinese before the soldiers were killed." "Oh dear. What exactly was in the Chinese city?" "Well, it was built partly in a swamp, and partly inside a large mountain. The architecture was traditional Chinese, but there were many Greco-Roman pillars covered in hieroglyphs." "Have you translated them." "Partly. It says: 'The Chosen One has become a traitor. We must pick as new leader to lead our people in the Great War against Man.' Do you have any idea who this Chosen One is?" "He's sitting right in front of me. Tom! Our anthro-geneticist wants to speak to you!" Ed cannily switched places with Tom; himself now sitting next to Sloan while Tom was stuck with the long-winded anthro-whatever-ist. "So" Ed said to Sloan. "How do you think Tom is going to stand up to that windbag." "Don't call him a windbag" Sloan whispered fiercely. "He's somewhat necessary in order to study the mutations in the new species that may have occurred in the year since their discovery. The new species mutation rate is much faster, you know." Ed shook his head in defeat. Sloan was right, but the old man was still a windbag. "So" the anthro-geneticist said to Tom. "What motivated you to betray your kind?" "Knowledge of human emotions, and that my kind and yours can co-exist." "Okay. So how many of your kind have crossed sides as you did?" "None that I know of." The plane flew on towards the burning desert; Tom trying to stand the prying old man.
Their guide had two trucks, and they got to the site in about 2 hours. The first thing they saw was a satellite dish, and several tents. All empty. Agents Mulder and Scully climbed out of the trucks and unloaded the gear. Gonzales and his assistant, Fernando Eduardo, took one truck, leaving the pair the other truck, 'in case of trouble.' "So what shall we do now?" Mulder asked Scully. "Set up camp?" "That would be a good idea. But why don't we just borrow the expedition members's tents. They're not here." "But what if we find them" Mulder protested. "Then what will we do?" "Set up camp" Scully said practically. "Alright. Now what?" "Get our guns and go looking for them." For hours they searched through the rocky desert, finding no one. Occasionally, they found pillars, half-excavated. Next to them were notepads held down with rocks, with translations of the hieroglyphs written on them. Mulder stopped to examine them. They said things like "We will reign in the kingdom of Man" and "We will kill you all!" "Peculiar" he said. "Why would the Toltec whine about reigning in the kingdom of Man and killing all of someone." "Perhaps this was a temple site, for the temple of Quetzocoatl. The priests of that cult were militaristic and bloodthirsty." "Maybe. But all this seems suspicious." "Mulder, you see conspiracies where there are none." "A fault I clearly admit, Scully." They returned to the camp, and went to bedded down for the night. Later that night, a military transport rumbled onto the desert floor. Five people got out and unloaded a large quantity of gear. The plane turned around and flew away. They were left alone, in the Mexican deserts of mystery. "Well" Tom said. "What to do now?" "Since it's late" Ed suggested. "Why don't we set up camp and get some sleep. Then we can explore the city." "Sounds like a good idea" Sloan said. They set up their camp in the cool Mexican night. Then, they went to sleep. They awoke in the early morning, and a decent breakfast of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). "Funny" Tom remarked. "How modern technology can make somewhat tasty food taste exactly like cardboard." "An astute observation" Dr. Johnson said. They finished their breakfast and disposed of the wrappings. Then, they set off to the city entrance.
Mulder poked his head out of his tent, formerly occupied by Christopher Thomas. He saw four men and a woman going into the entrance of a cave, where he could vaguely see buildings. All five of them were heavily armed. "Scully" he called when they were out of sight. "I think we have company." Roused from their sleep, they got their pistols and entered the cave. The Secret City was just as they remembered it. Dark, musty, and damp, empty and mysterious. Tom could sense people in the area, hiding, apprehensive. His kind. His enemies. "We're not alone" Tom whispered to Sloan. "Some people are here. My kind. Things are going to heat up soon." A warning shot was fired. All eyes turned toward the origin of the sound. It was a black man with dreadlocks, holding an old M-14 machine gun. "You have entered the Fortress of the New Ones. Who are you." Tom introduced them. "Dr. Sloan Parker, Dr. Ed Tate, Dr. Bailey Johnson, Security Director Ray Peterson" he paused. "And ex-FBI agent Tom Daniels." Upon mention of his name, the man's eyes lit up. "The Chosen One, the traitor? Here?" "Yes you little dreadlocked Rasta freak. In the flesh. Now why don't you just get your greasy-haired ass out of our way." "No way." "Way." "Sorry. Wayne's World impersonations not accepted." Tom raised his rifle. "I suggest you move, you bastard, before I blow you to hell." The man lowered his gun, as if to fire. Tom fired a short burst, sending the man flying backward, dead. "Anyone else" Tom called loudly, daring his enemies to challenge him. "Yes" a voice rang out. It was Mulder, with Scully beside him. They were both pointing pistols at them. "Ah" Tom said. "Agent Fox Mulder." "How do you know him?" Ed asked. "I heard from some FBI agents around Washington that there was an FBI agent who was obsessed with aliens, monsters, ghosts, etc. He was partnered with a younger agent, Alex Krycek, who was working for a high government official." "You know about that," Mulder asked, surprised. "Yes, Agent Mulder. So it would be wise to put the gun down and tell us what you've discovered." "Why?" "We came to investigate rumors that this city was reoccupied by its former inhabitants. Four archaeologists have disappeared." "Funny" Mulder said, voice hardening. "That's what we were here for as well." "You don't know half of it" Tom drilled on. "This city was once controlled by members of a new species of man. It was abandoned 50 years ago, though a few of my kind have been seen nearby. We've come to rescue the archaeologists and take over the city." "Five of you" Scully asked. "How the hell do you expect to do that?" "They have a member of the new species who knows his kind well. Who can raise hell with the best of them." "Who" Mulder asked. "That guy with the weird haircut?" "No, it's not Dr. Ed Tate. Me." "You? You don't look too weird." "Stronger, faster, smarter. Care to find out?" "We're not getting anywhere with this bullshit" Sloan said. "Why can't we just put out guns down and talk this over like sensible adults?" "I don't know" Mulder said. "Ask him." Tom just got angrier. "Ask him." They went silence. They heard the sound of boots on stone, and were turning, raising their guns when... Sandra Mckenneth ran out of the darkness, followed by 5 heavily armed men. As she came closer, they began firing. Bullets ricocheted off walls and bodies fell. Soon, only Sandra Mckenneth was left. "Who are you" Ed asked. "And who were those men chasing you?" "Demons" she said, sobbing. "Killed...all of them. Bastards..." "Okay" Mulder said. "What now." "You can go" Tom said. "We have work to do, and less time to do it in." Something exploded, and they all ran. It was Mulder and Scully's truck. A man ran off into the rocks, where they had no hope of finding him. "Looks like we are having some trouble. You can't go, and we can't until we clear out the new species." "You'll need help," Scully said. "Why would we need help kicking those bastards' ass?" Ed asked pridefully. Gunfire roared, as did an exploding grenade. Dr. Johnson was hit several times, hollow nose bullets exploding through his chest, spraying blood everywhere. "Au contraire" Mulder said. "You need all the help you can get." "Fine" Ed conceded. They returned to the Secret City, leaving Sandra in one of the tents. All of them were fairly angry, wanting to avenge the deaths that had occurred, blood spilled on the desert rocks. When they reached the first of the large buildings, Tom bowed his head and suddenly turned and fired. Gunfire roared through the caverns. Two men fell dead, blood spilling from their ruined heads. A grenade went off. Three, four more. Several buildings collapsed, clouds of dust filling the air. "Call in the plane" Tom yelled over the din. Sloan typed in a code on the radio-transponder. Then, the signal began blazing like a beacon. They backtracked toward the entrance, seeing dozens of gun wielding men and women, homicide all in their faces. Several bullets hit Mulder, in the shoulders, chest and abdomen. He was wearing a bulletproof vest under his shirt, but he began bleeding anyway. Tom sprayed another burst from his machine gun, cutting down several of the soldiers. They were out of the city now, and the tide of the battle began to turn. When the soldiers of the new species came out, they were disoriented by the sudden upsurge in light; while the Americans' eyes had already adjusted. The team hosed them with ammunition. "Surrender" Ed roared, somewhat stupidly. "There's an army coming." One man distinguished himself from the rest. "They've defeated us" he roared to the other survivors. Sloan realized that there wasn't a very large force there, just a small group. "I would rather die an honorable death" he hissed. "Then live a cowardly life!" The others roared in assent. He pushed a button. The mountain in which the city was buried exploded in a cloud of flame. When the smoke cleared, there was only a smoking pile of rubble. "What the hell motivated them to do that?" Peterson asked. "Maybe the leader was insane, or we really did defeat them. Or maybe my threat of an army convinced the dumb bastards." The plane landed on the desert, filling the air with clouds of dust. Mulder was hauled into the plane, which took off. Mulder came to in a Los Angeles hospital, aware that someone was stroking his face. It was Scully. "What happened? he asked. "The city was destroyed. Their experts confirmed it. The information and artifacts were never found." "Just my rotten luck" Mulder laughed weakly. "I come in on one of their little jaunts, and it was a failed mission." "Ha, ha. They've invited us for pizza when you get out of the hospital." "I've never had LA pizza. Tell them I accept." "Sure."
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