Rating: G, just good clean weirdness.

Description: We have had unseasonably warm weather here (Minnesota) and it's to the point of weird. Just a little something I thought up.

Spoilers: The movie. As I said, it was just something I thought up and the movie explains how it actually might work. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE!!

Stuff: That's it. Leave all flames, e-mail bombs, or book deals at: issaquah@mailexcite.com. That said; let's begin.

Heat Wave

By: Happy

Date: Dec. 10, 1998

Time: 4:30pm

Basement of FBI building

"So what's the story on this one," asked Scully as Mulder came in with the paperwork.

"Taking a "vacation"," said Mulder "There have been reports of some really warm weather, up in the 50's"

"I suppose it depends on your definition of warm," said Scully

"Yeah," said Mulder grabbing his jacket "But for Minnesotians, that's pretty warm."

"Mulder, I've heard of chasing weather balloons," said Scully "but weather *reports*?"

"Actually," said Mulder "I think it could be our alien friends. They could be manipulating the weather to prolong their activities."

"Mulder," said Scully "Those *aliens* operate best above 98.6, not 50. It's warm, but that will happen. Especially during El Nino."

"Normally I would agree with you Scully," said Mulder "but El Nino was last year. Besides, I don't have much of a choice. My vacation time's built up again and this was the only way Skinner would let me work."

"Fine," said Scully sighing "Let me get my coat."

"You don't have to go," said Mulder

"Yeah, I know," said Scully "but somebody's got to keep you out of trouble."

"Riiightt," chuckled Mulder "If I remember correctly the last time I left you..."

"I can't believe he sent them up there!" exploded one of the men at the meeting.

"Don't worry," said the cigarette man quietly puffing "They won't find anything. They never do."

"You'd better hope so," growled the man

"So now where do we go?" asked Scully as they sat in the rental car 10hrs later.

"Well," said Mulder looking at the map "St. Cloud just broke their record high that has stood for the last 100 plus years. I think we oughta start there."

"First we need to find a hot spot," said Mulder as they came into St. Cloud an hour later.

"Strange," said Scully looking at the laptop screen "This shows a five degree difference in the Quarry park area."

"I think that qualifies," said Mulder and off they headed.

They reached the park and started off on the woody trail.

"Nice little place they've set up here," commented Mulder as they walked. Small trees and bushes lined the path. Larger trees grew in the forest a little ways off and every now and then they came to a large pile of granite.

"Not bad," agreed Scully. She stopped for a second to examine something.

"Woah," said Mulder coming to a stop. "Hey Scully, come over here a minute."

Scully walked over.

"Strange," she said "It's substantially warmer over here. Mulder, look at that pond." She pointed to a pond nestled in the rocks of granite just off the trail. The water was steaming. They walked over. Scully took a thermometer out and took the temperature.

"Mulder," she said in disbelief "This water is 80 degrees Fahrenheit! Mulder?"

He was standing atop a pile of granite that didn't look to stable.

"Mulder! What on earth are you doing?" she asked "Get off of there!"

"I've got it!" he said as he came down

"Got what?"

"They're underground." he said excitedly "Just like in Antarctica. These piles of granite are what left of what they've dug out! They heat the chambers that they've dug out and it keeps them from going into hibernation. That's what's causing the pond to steam, it's their chimney!"

Scully gave Mulder a hopeless look.

"Mulder," she said "This is an old quarry, they *dig* in quarries. As for the pond, it could be a seismic fault."

Now it was Mulder's turn to give Scully a look.

"You know as well as I do there are no faults around here," he said. He glanced at the sky, it was getting dark. "Anyway, we'll have to look more tomorrow. There a Motel 6 around here?"

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The next day it was cold. Mulder waited in the car as Scully turned in both sets of keys. Once she was back in he started the car and they drove out. They went back to the park, but the water had dropped in temperature along with everything else. They stayed there for the rest of the "vacation", but the water never went above 40 degrees and the temperature never went above 35. The only evidence they had was the temperature reading.

"They must've known we were coming," said Mulder as they drove back to the Twin Cities to catch their plane.

"Uh, huh," said Scully "and who would tell them?"

"The shadow government," said Mulder in complete sincerity "The man that gave me the cure for you said they had been working with them for years."

"And that's what we're going to put on the report?" asked Scully

***********************************************************************

Back in D.C. Mulder read the paper while Scully gave the "official" report. He turned to the Lifestyle section and looked at the back page to read the weather. Temperatures were cool for the most part except with one tiny exception: "The middle of Minnesota is back up there with a high of 52 and a low of 40." it read. He cut out the article, dated it, then slipped it into a brand new folder. Reaching over he pulled open the drawer and slipped it in alphabetically.