Gambled Parts 13/17
By Debbie Eng (Wan-ping@juno.com)


3:39 PM
Better Beef Meat Packing Plant

	Cold.  It was the first thing that Mulder thought as he gradually woke
up.  What the hell happened? he asked himself, one minute he had been talking 
to Peter, the next minute he had woken up here.  His head ached as he slowly 
moved into a sitting position.  It wasn't easy to do since his hands were 
tied behind him  To his right, he heard a low moan.  " Peter?  Is that you? "

	" Oh god, what the hell was in that stuff? " Mulder heard Peter's 
voice complaining in the dark.  He heard some shuffling noises and then a curse.

	" What happened? "

	" Just had a painful reminder that this isn't a dream, " Peter 
muttered back under his breath, " God its like an ice box in here.  Where are 
we? "

	" The smell is sort of familiar, but I can't quite place it yet.  My 
thoughts are a bit scattered.  Did I get hit in the head or something? "

	" No, some guys jumped us, and hit us with some drugged darts. "

	" Great.  At least that's something new that I can tell Scully, " 
Mulder sighed, " I don't think that's happened to me yet. "

	" Get hit a lot, do you? " Peter asked as he looked around.  There was
almost no light at all, but that didn't stop him.  With his inner eye, he was 
able to see that they had been locked into a small room.  On the shelf above 
Mulder were stacks of square foam plates and rolls of plastic wrap.  The
important thing, Peter thought was to get his hands free so that they could 
get out of there.  God, the last time he did this trick was when his father 
had first come back and Tan had captured him.  Ignoring the pain that was 
already in one arm, he started to struggle with the rope until he could feel 
more blood flowing.  Finally, he pulled his ropes apart.  He quickly stood up 
and wished that he hadn't.  I could kill for some Excerdrin.  He crawled over t
o Mulder.

	Mulder sensed the movement near him, " Peter? "

	" Yeah, its me, I managed to get free, " he looked at Mulder's bonds.  
His wrists were already throbbing with pain, but he had to get Mulder free.  

	" Can you reach my jacket pocket? " Mulder asked, " I've got the pen 
knife Scully gave me for my birthday in there.  Its attached to my key chain, 
and I know its there because I rolled over it when I sat up. "

	Peter quickly got the knife out and freed Mulder.  Feeling for the 
wall, Mulder used it for support as he slowly got up.  " Alright, now what? "

	" Now we get the hell out of here, " Peter said, " Come on, the door's
this way. "  He led Mulder to the door.  Then silently thanking his father for
finally teaching him this trick, he raised his hand to the lock and with his 
chi, he convinced it to open for him.  The light momentarily blinded them.  
When they're eyes finally cleared, they saw haunches of meat hanging from the 
ceiling.

	" I knew that smell was sort of familiar, " Mulder said, " We're at a 
meat packing plant. "

	" You visit them often? " Peter said  Then he felt his father's 
presence.  " My pop is here. "

	" So is Scully, " Mulder replied with a grin.

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