ATF Untold - Ian (R)

It was with grim faces that they started out that morning.  The weather was good, for now, but according to MJ a storm was coming and they wanted to be home before it hit.  Whatever happened to Ian during the storm wasn't a consideration.  If he lived, well, that would be too bad.

Scully hadn't wanted Mulder to kill him.  Okay, but if it happened by 'accident,' then it was fate.

Ian hadn't been allowed a walking stick, though they had untied his hands.  He had made no untoward moves yet, to the disappointment of more than one of his guards.

What surprised them was that he was still sullen, as though he were being mistreated.

Todd, Greg and Jerry were armed.  George was with them, but keeping quiet.  Ian had tried talking to him when they left the compound that morning but he'd been ignored.  The big blonde now limped along in the middle of them.  George and Jerry were in front, Todd and Greg behind.  Greg and Jerry were the best shots, but Todd was in charge whether he wanted to be or not.

They kept a brisk pace; no one was in much of a mood for conversation.  Their original anger had abated, now they were . . . sad.  Their guardian angel, Mulder's Scully, had been attacked. 

"I need a break," Ian broke the silence finally and Todd's eyes narrowed.  He glanced at Greg, then nodded.

"Jerry?"

"Yeah, I got it."  He brought his shotgun up and motioned for Ian to step toward a nearby tree.

"A little privacy?"

Todd saw Jerry's fingers whiten around his weapon.  "Go to hell."

Ian glared at him but kept quiet.  He faced the tree and yanked his zipper down.  After he was through, he adjusted his clothes.  "I need to rest my leg."

"Too bad."  Jerry grabbed his arm and shoved him back into the formation they had created.

"I need to rest my leg!"

"What you need to do is die, so don't ask for anything more from us."  Jerry growled and pointed his gun directly into Ian's face.

Ian blanched, still seemingly caught off guard by the ire of his escort. He started to say something but George moved forward and the moment passed.  They continued on, moving north.

When they finally did stop for the night, Ian's limp was pronounced and his mood was grim.  They had hobbled him, leaving his hands free.  He took the food George handed him with a glare.  "I can't believe you condone this treatment."

George looked startled and took a seat beside him.  "Condone?" he spoke in a low voice, not wanting the others to hear their conversation.

"I don't get all this.  I went after some bitch - "

"You tried to rape Scully.  Mulder's woman."  It was still a whisper but the intensity of a yell was there.

"Rape, hell, I wanted sex, she was - "

"She was fighting you off."

Ian grinned. "That's what makes it fun, you know that."

Rather than answer, George looked over to see if the others were watching.  It looked like they were purposely not watching.

"Come on, loosen these ropes."

"No way."

"You owe me, George."

"Owe you?  What the hell are you talking about?"

"You promised me a roll with Julie and you didn't deliver.  So it's actually your fault all this happened with Scully.  I'm a man, I need a woman occasionally."

George stared at him for a long moment, then without a word rose and moved to where his stuff was laid out.

"George, hey George, I was kidding."

George didn't bother to look back.

*****

Jerry sat silent on his side of the fire.  There had been almost no talking on this trip, none of the camaraderie he was used to on forays out.  But this wasn't a hunting trip.  His eyes went back to Ian again.  What was missing in a man that would do what this man had tried to do? 

Scully.  He known her for years now, hell, he and Todd had known her from the beginning, back when it was just the five of them, trying to do everything for survival.  She had never shirked for a moment, she and Brittany.  They had worked like dogs and never complained.

She was an icon now, for the world, but Jerry felt more than a little possessive of her.  Hell, he had been at their wedding.  He'd seen what she and Mulder were to each other and, if he admitted it, he envied them that. 

His sweet little Pam couldn't have done it.  She was already too ill before . . . but if she had lived and this . . . he couldn't think of anything evil enough to call the SOB if he had tried anything with her.  How had Mulder managed not to kill him?  Jerry had heard the stories - three.  It had taken three men to pull Mulder off of Ian.  Frankly, Jerry was glad he hadn't been one of them, because he wasn't sure he would have given it his all.

He tried to look at Ian with an unbiased eye.  Jerry had to admit the man was physically what some women could consider attractive, normally.  He was tall, slightly over six feet, blond wavy hair that he wore long.  Jerry had watched him on more than one occasion casually brush hair that wasn't long enough for the leather tie, back off of his broad brow.  His eyebrows were a darker blond over startlingly blue eyes, which of course right now were blackened because of Kevin's well aimed punch.  He'd had a well-shaped nose, which from now on would be slightly crooked.  Some women dug that kind of thing.  He had full lips and a strong chin.  His teeth had obviously been well cared for before, because they were too damn straight and white.  Yep, the Nordic ideal and just looking at him made Jerry want to smash those teeth in, make him less attractive to the next woman he tried to . . .

Jerry forced his eyes to George.  He didn't know George well, although they had worked together often enough.  The man never tried to get out of his share of the manual labor, and had seemed like an okay kind of guy.  But he was afraid of the kids.  Jerry couldn't really understand that.  Yes, the kids were different, better, but nothing to be scared of.  He hadn't spent that much time around kids in the before, but he hadn't really cared for them.  Maybe he'd assumed that any kids that he and Pam would have would've been different, better, but he was used to spoiled, whiny brats that he saw in stores and restaurants - strangers to him, but on his nerves in any case.  Then Katy had been born.  There was none of that about her.  He remembered her toddling around as a baby, with her big smile and princess airs as though bestowing her love on her grateful entourage. 

Inwardly Jerry smiled, Katy had been a little princess, but he never remembered seeing her cranky or whiny.  If she was tired, she'd find a free lap, usually Kevin's or Walter's and make herself comfortable.  If she was hungry, she'd toddle into the kitchen and someone would give her something, and they would smile doing it because that's what you did around Katy - you felt good.

The other kids, as they'd come along, were the same.  Maybe with his lack of experience he hadn't really realized they were different, but George's daughter, little Esther, had been the reason the kids had used their magic that first time. Okay, not magic, he knew that, but it was the easiest explanation for him.  And they had used their magic for good.  'His' kids had saved that little girl's life.  She was another joy to be around, all that blonde curly hair and bright smile.  It would have been more than criminal if that old bitch had ruined that smile.

George had offered Julie to Ian.  Jerry wasn't supposed to know that, and he wasn't sure how many people did.  It would never be spoken of, but he knew it, and he couldn't forgive it.  What man could think that little of his wife, of the mother of his children?  If Pam had lived . . . No, don't go there.   He sighed and rose.  He was tired.  It wasn't that they had hiked that far today, it was the burden of what they were doing.

He turned to Todd, who'd volunteered for first watch.  "I'm gonna turn in.  Call me when you're ready to get some sleep."  Todd nodded, and shifted to get more comfortable.

Todd nodded goodnight to Greg, but didn't speak.  He didn't feel like talking.  Part of him was still in shock over everything that had happened.  He'd volunteered for this duty, hell, everyone had, but Mulder had chosen him to lead it.  Jerry and Greg were better shots, not that it was supposed to matter on this trip.  Scully didn't want them to commit murder.  He wondered if murder would have made this easier.

*****

It was quiet now, everyone asleep now except him.  The small fire had burned low.  Todd pulled his cap down around his ears and decided to get inside of his sleeping bag.  He leaned up against a tree, warmer now.  Almost immediately, he saw that Greg and Jerry had become restless.  Todd wasn't surprised, he hadn't slept well himself since this whole thing had started.  Anne had helped, she had held him last night, giving him more comfort than he had given her.

Their restlessness seemed to ease and everything was quiet again.  He hated to disturb him, but it was Jerry's turn.  Todd needed some sleep as well. 

He left the sleeping bag and shook Jerry's shoulder.  "Sorry guy, it's time."

"Yeah, no problem."  He started to rise from his bag.

"It's cold out here.  You might want to take that with you."

"Good idea.  Thanks."  He seemed distracted, but Todd didn't ask.  Instead he settled down and closed his eyes.

*****

They were all especially quiet when they woke the next morning.  It was Todd that finally mentioned it when Ian was out of earshot.  "Did any of you dream about Walt last - "

"Yes! Thank god," Greg breathed a sigh of relief.  "Are we going to do it?"

"It makes sense, and it would protect others."

Jerry looked between the two.  "I'm for it, and I volunteer."

"When?"

"After dinner tonight."  All three men nodded solemnly and finished their coffee.

They kept up a brisk pace that day, despite Ian's grumbling.  They called a halt fairly early to George and Ian's surprise.  Greg fixed a quick meal and Todd cleaned up, then looked over at Jerry. 

He nodded and pulled out his gun.  George noticed it first and froze.  "What?"

Todd stepped closer.  "Scully asked that we not kill you."  Ian blinked, shocked.  "We're going to do as she asked, but we've been trying to figure out how to protect other women from you in the future.  That's important to us.  There were a lot of ways to make sure you never raped another woman, but we think this one is best.  George, come over here."

George looked at Ian for an instant, then did as Todd instructed.  Ian looked murderous by kept quiet. 

"We're not asking you to help us," Todd spoke to George, but didn't look away from Ian.  "But don't try to stop us.  Do you understand?"

George swallowed but nodded.  What the hell were they going to do?  Would he be able to watch?

Ian jerked back as they approached him.  "What do you think you're going to do?"

"Less than we could be doing."  Jerry raised the gun again.  "Shut up and sit down."

Todd and Greg settled on either side of the man and each took an arm.  He struggled until Jerry ratcheted a round into his rifle.  "You touch me and I - "

"Don't worry about your manhood, Ian.  That's not our plan."

"P-plan?"

Todd and Greg pulled his arms out away from his body and despite his struggles, tied his arms stretched between two nearby trees.  He attempted to kick out until Jerry aimed the rifle between his eyes.

"What are you - "

Greg had one leg tied and Todd was working on the other now. 

"What are you going to do to me!" Ian's voice was higher now, and his struggles increased.

"Relax, Ian, it won't hurt as bad."  Jerry's eyes were hard, purposeful.  Ian glanced at the other two that knelt beside him.  He saw no mercy in either face.  When he looked back at Jerry, he saw the razor in his hand.  Ian's eyes widened impossibly. 

"No!"

"I'm not going to kill you, I told you that.  Hold still."

*****

Ian lay in his sleeping bag, probably not asleep but with his eyes closed.  George sat separately from them, but also away from Ian.  He'd been very quiet and no one wanted to talk with him anyway.

"We'll let him go in the morning.  There's food for more than the three days Mulder specified but . . . " Todd shrugged.  "We'll leave him the sleeping bag and the heavy clothes he's wearing.  He's used to hunting, being outdoors, so he should be okay."

"Does it matter that I don't care if he's okay?" Jerry asked.

Todd grinned.  "No, because I feel the same way.  But Scully . . . "

"Yeah.  Well, I don't think he'll get away with anything like that again."

Greg and Todd nodded.  It had been a good idea.  The man wasn't incapacitated in any way.  The kids had found a way to protect any woman he saw, without really hurting him, only his pride.

Jerry had been very careful, meticulous with his razor.  The letters were crisp and clear.  There hadn't even been that much pain or blood, probably Walt's doing there.  But the word was there, permanently - across that previously perfect brow - RAPIST.  Those long blond locks had been shaved away from his face.  He wouldn't be able to hide those scars for a while.  They had no fear of infection for Ian, not with Walt looking after him, but they had no doubt the word would be plainly visible for the rest of his life.

It wouldn't be mentioned.  They would never talk about this.  If the kids let Mulder and Scully know what had happened, that was their business.  They would make sure that George kept quiet as well, though the act itself would probably do that.  It wasn't a perfect solution, there wasn't one.  He had hurt Scully, damaged Mulder, but it would never, ever happen again.

~~~