Chapter Text
(All specific places are fictional)
Flying Bird Amusement Park, Texas
June 14, 3:00 p.m.
"It's time to go home, Billy," a mother said to her child. "We've spent the whole day here."
"No! I don't want to!" he pouted and sat on the ground.
"Billy! You've had your fun!"
She tugged at his arm but he wouldn't move. "Let's go back to the hotel!"
"No!"
"Fine. Then I'm going." The mother looked away as she made her way to the car. She knew her son would follow because he was too attached.
After about a minute, she looked back after realizing her son was missing. Frantic as any mother would be, she called out his name, some concerned families looking as they were leaving too.
"Billy?" She kept repeating his name and looked around. "Has anyone seen my boy?"
She went to call park security and soon they were looking everywhere for him but after an hour, they called the local police who came out to search.
"Ma'am, I don't want to alarm you, but there have been kids missing lately from around this area."
"Then why the Hell aren't you doing anything about it!"
"Ma'am, I'll take you to the station."
"I want my son back!" She cried as she took a trip to the station, as if that was going to make it any better. People were traveling over state lines to the park which made it a federal case. She and her son were out of state so they had to call in the FBI, especially because it might be foul play and the kid was young. But somehow this case got swept in the hands of the x-files.
Flying Bird Amusement Park, Texas
June 29
9:30 a.m.
"Mulder. you're crazy."
"Wasn't news yesterday, won't be today." Mulder replied. "This'll be fun." He motioned to the big rollercoasters and attractions that were ahead of them.
"What on Earth makes you think a giant owl snatched these children? Now this- this is insane. What does Skinner think?"
"Reports and mess come later."
"Why are we undercover?" Scully asked. "It'd be so much easier to just walk around and ask questions as law enforcement."
"Mostly young teens are in this park. Wouldn't want to be catching attention. It's the middle of summer in Texas. We need to blend in."
"I think you just want to have fun because you never have been to a theme park."
"Well."
"So what makes you think a giant eagle is snatching these children?"
"Owl. It's an owl. La Lechuza. This theme park was built on native land from ages ago. Legend has it Lechuza was a witch who was exposed for practicing the devil's magic. The townsfolk weren't happy with that so they murdered her. Seems reasonable. To enact her revenge, she came back as a creepy bird lady. In fact, she's a shapeshifter who can appear as an ordinary old lady during the day and then as a huge owl with a woman's face at night. To give you an idea about what we're talking about here, "lechuza" means "owl" in English. So, basically, Lechuza is a huge owl lady who kills people. She likes children, ignorant ones especially."
"Geez, Mulder. So we flag every old grandmother with their kids here?"
"Seems about right, Laura. Remember. I'm Rob Petrie."
Scully rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation. "I thought I get to choose the names this time."
"We didn't have time to make new IDs."
Mulder felt his pocket and concealed gun. Hopefully it was secure. He was just wearing a white polo and cargo shorts. He had to fit in and Scully was wearing a T-shirt and shorts as well. Mulder liked how she looked. He could easily slip off her t-shirt if he felt like it, but not that it would happen.
They waited in the ticket line behind teenagers all younger than them, Scully not looking pleased. They couldn't help but just listen in on the conversation in front of them between a couple of brothers.
"Manuel! What if they take you!"
"They'll probably take you first, Mark!" The younger boy replied. He looked around ten. "Why are we even here?"
"Mom's out of town. As an adult, you're under my watch! Who doesn't love theme parks!"
"Didn't you read the news? Within the past couple weeks, children have been going missing! Teens around my age!"
"That's not stopping the parks from closing. Besides, like I said, I'm an adult. They'll take you."
"Not funny," Manuel said slapping his older brother's shoulder.
"Children are missing?" Mulder asked, pretending not to know.
"Yeah, old man," Mark told him before snickering with his brother. Mulder frowned and Scully couldn't help but hide a small smirk.
"Did your mother teach you to talk that way to strangers? I doubt it."
"Why are you interested? You're an adult. You're not going to get taken."
"Have you heard of La Lechuza?" Mulder inquired.
"Yeah. That's a legend, a myth, a folklore. Don't tell me you believe in that shit." Mark laughed again. "My little brother Mark is batshit crazy like that, believing in UFOs, and aliens or whatever."
Manuel slapped him again. Mulder couldn't help but feel for the younger kid. His brother was being an asshole. Let him believe.
"Is that your wife?" Manuel asked, looking up at Scully.
Scully was about to say something but Mulder spoke for her. "Yes. This is my wonderful wife. He pulled Scully closer and kissed her cheek. Scully forced a smile and as soon as the boys nodded and looked off, she let go of him.
The boys were next in line for their tickets. They bought the passes and Manuel looked back at Mulder with a look, almost as if he was looking at Mulder as a father figure of some sort. "I know you believe," he quietly said.
Mark didn't hear him but tugged on his brother's arm. "Let's go!"
Mulder smiled before they took off to the attractions.
"I know you enjoyed that," Mulder replied.
"Not as much as you," Scully replied. "The bureau is not going to like the amount we're spending here. To be honest, I think they'll make you pay for it out of your own money."
"Ya think?"
After getting their passes and wristbands, they entered into the theme park and it was starting to get crowded fast.
"Now what?" Scully said, standing in the shade. "As much as I like theme parks, we're still working and I don't want to burn myself on the metal seats."
"Are you even tall enough to ride?"
"Shut up."
"Keep your eyes peeled for grannies!" Mulder started walking wherever the paths took him, Scully in tow. Mulder stopped at one of the food stands.
"I know you're hot," he said as he looked at the drinks they had to offer. He said that on purpose, maybe in hopes of also Scully being turned on so they get along right now.
"Mmmhmm."
As Mulder paid, he asked the teen working behind the stand, "Have you heard of the missing kids? Why hasn't this place been taped off as a crime scene?"
"Well, they don't want the public knowing or something. Sweeping the area was useless. So many people come and go everyday and our cameras are not working."
"Oh, they just happen to not work?"
"Yes. Why are you asking so many questions? Makes me think you're suspicious."
Mulder frowned and paid for the drinks before walking away.
He got them some drinks and handed Scully's to her. "Remember when those twins poisoned our drinks?"
"You think of the most random things," Scully said taking a long sip, to show it was fine.
"Never can be too careful. Put that man on the watchlist."
"Why? He's just some 17 year old kid selling drinks for a summer job."
"Yeah, but his attitude wasn't nice. Something's off."
"Being paranoid, I see."
Of course Mulder didn't like this joke. He sighed. Undercover was the only way to go about this case and rescue the children. Children!!! In fact, it was ridiculous that they didn't have more undercover agents there.
"We can't look suspicious by just walking in circles. Let's go on a ride," Mulder pointed to a big rollercoaster.
"Mulder having fun!? You weren't this excited since the video game ya ya thing."
"It'll be fun."
"So when we write the report, I'll start off by saying we rode a rollercoaster." Scull reluctantly waited in line with Mulder, and she eyed a grandmother with possibly a grandson.
"Let's put her on our watchlist," Scully joked. "Could actually be an owl."
They waited in an average sized line of course being somewhat older there besides the one grandmother.
Mulder kept patting his side because he felt like his gun was so obvious, the bulge was there. Maybe he should've put it behind his shorts but he didn't want it falling out either.
It was time to get on, and Scully and Mulder sat together, the bar going down twice for Scully, but once for Mulder. The guy came by and lazily tugged at the to make sure it was secure but actually didn't care. It wasn't his responsibility if someone flew out.
"He's on the watchlist too. Doesn't care for safety," Mulder muttered. "Are you ready, Laura?" He gave his big grin that Scully couldn't just ignore and she smiled back.
"Why not, Rob. You seem like the type who doesn't have fun on rollercoasters so I'm surprised."
"Well-"
The ride started and Mulder couldn't stop looking at how beautiful Scully was. She was just beautiful doing anything.
"Gives us a great birds eye view of the park once we reach the top," Mulder replied as they started the ascent and the buildup. "Like an owl." He mimicked an owl's "hoo" as Scully rolled her eyes for the hundredth time.
They got to the top, and as every coaster does, they wait for a half a second before sending you straight down.
Mulder put his hands up of course to prove himself brave. "C'MON SCULLY! DON'T YOU LOVE THE ADRENALINE!"
"MAYBE NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN DANGER AND I'M NOT RUNNING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!" Before they knew it the ride was over and nothing much changed besides Mulder hair looked ridiculous because of the fast wind messing it up. She thought it made him hotter.
As they stepped off, Scully went to fix his hair. "Mulder-"
"Who?" he asked playfully.
"Robby poopoo head, let me fix your hair." Scully heard the kids behind them laugh.
"Laura honey, I'm not working right now."
"I don't want other women falling for you," Scully said and then stopped silently stopped. That just came out of her mouth. Luckily for her, Mulder seemed to already be in his own world again, or maybe he did hear and was taking it in.
"More rides?" Mulder asked. They stepped off the platform and looked around at the various directions they could go.
"Mulder, because these are children missing, I think it's best if we shut down the park and bring a whole team. I'll call the nearby field office. This is not an X-File!"
"How do you know?!"
"BECAUSE A GIANT OWL IS NOT GOING TO COME SWOOP THESE KIDS UP!"
"After everything you've seen?"
"I want a divorce."
"What?"
"No, Scully, I'm sorry."
Mulder apologizing sincerely? That was new, but Scully was only kidding as I guess he couldn't tell that.
"I'm kidding," she replied. "Let's just keep walking around."
"Hold my hand?" He reached for hers before should could say anything. "It's just for cover," he quickly added.
Scully hid her smile and they walked around some more adding a few more older women to their "watchlist."
"I feel like we're being watched," Mulder said after some silence. Both their hands were getting sweaty from holding but Mulder didn't want to realease.
"Aren't you always?"
"Yeah, but if you know me, it's a different feeling when it's not human. It's here. We have to warn the delinquent children." Mulder looked around at the sky. It was awfully bright and hurting his eyes. He wished he brought his sunglasses.
"Yeah. We just go to the speaker system and say "Warning! Your child who misbehaves might get kidnapped!"
"Look, Scully, I know an owl might seem ridiculous, but it does exist. I don't know what's so hard to believe."
"Rob? Who's Scully?"
"Sorry Laura." Mulder patted her shoulder.
The walked along the rows of carnival games and Scully stopped when she noticed a big prize was a plush Pomeranian, the size of a beanbag. "I miss Queequeg."
"Let me win it for you, sweetie," Mulder went up to the game which was a sharpshooter contest. If his FBI firearms training came in handy, it was now.
He walked up to the rifle game and asked how much. $7 for five shots to hit the four cans."
Mulder paid in cash and grabbed the rifle looking at the cans lined up in the distance.
The first three shots he got three cans, but then missed the last one. He cursed. "You rigged the game!"
"No, sir."
"Then let me inspect the cans!"
"No. Wanna play again?"
"Can't you be nice enough to let me win that for my wife?!" Mulder was getting into it. He angrily slapped down another 7 dollars and shot all of the cans in less than five seconds. His concentration and determination paid off.
The man scoffed at him and brought down the huge Pomeranian, showing it to Scully. "Here you go, Laura!"
Scully just could make out with him on the ground right then and there but she resisted the urge.
"I'll carry it around for you," he said. The stuffed toy was actually quite heavy but he didn't want to make a fuss out of it. "We need to show it off anyway. Make all the annoying kids who think we don't fit in here jealous."
"Oh Mulder, I can tell you're struggling. Let's put it back in the car."
"Alright, but we're putting it in the driver's seat."
They trekked back and quickly dropped it off in the car, Mulder appreciating the looks they were getting. He sure knew how to make Scully happy.
Walking back and showing their passes, it was lunchtime by now. THey always got a lunch break anyway, and not much progress was being made so they went to the food area, holding hands.
While they waited in line, Mulder stood slightly behind Scully and could still smell her perfume. She smelled nice but she abruptly turned around.
"Are you smelling me? Is it that bad sweat?"
"No, Laura. I just love your perfume." He gave a light kiss to her cheek. Was he taking their cover thing too far? Nah. A couple had to act like that and he sure as hell enjoyed it.
MORE CHAPTERS COMING