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


7:47 PM
Sleep A While Motel

	Peter pulled the stealth to a stop with a low whistle.  Mulder started
cursing.  They were fire engines every where.  Smoke was billowing out from 
the back section of the motel.  Firemen were busy doing their duty.  They were
evacuating all of the guests and spraying water everywhere.  They got out of 
the car and flashed their badges when someone moved to prevent them from 
getting any closer.

	" Chief Crocker, what happened? " Peter asked the guy who was 
directing men.

	" From what we can tell, someone fell asleep while smoking a cigarette.
It fell to the carpet and whoosh, it started spreading like crazy, " the 
chief shook his head and excused himself.

	Mulder looked as the flames engulfed the rest of his room, as he 
turned he saw a man smoking in the crowd of people gawking at the fire.  When 
he saw Mulder looking at him, he raised his cigarette in salute then turned 
around.  As Mulder started towards him, the man disappeared in the crowd.  
Peter caught up as Mulder started to chase him, but it was no use, Cancerman 
had disappeared.

	" What was that all about? " Peter asked.

	" The fire, it wasn't an accident, it was done deliberately to destroy
the files, " Mulder said dejectedly.

	Peter looked at the fire behind them, " Guess you must have been 
getting too close in something. "

	" Yeah, just like always.  Close but never there. "

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				The End?