The E-Files File 1: The Pilot
Part 2
Chapter 2

Residential area
Pikeville, Kentucky.

"Hey you kids get out of my tree!"
  Joey ran laughing with his friends. Ever since the disappearances started he had found himself getting more and more time off school. His parents had told him to stay indoors throughout the day unless he had an adult with him. But as they were working most of the time he did what he felt like.
  He and his friends ran laughing as the tree owner yelled after them. It was a fine day and Joey's head buzzed with ideas. They were going to explore the woods or find the hornet's nest they'd been told heard about. the day seemed full of endless possibilities. they were young and nothing was going to stop them having fun, certainly not an old man with a tree worth climbing.
  The conversation got round to the missing children.
  "You know what I heard?" said the shortest of the group, "There's this wolf man out there and he's kidnapping all the kids because he needs to feed his family, so he picks the weakest he finds."
  "You'd better run then Drew, before he gets ya."
  "Shut up Steven."
  "You shut up. I heard my dad say there were some FBI guys round here now. They wouldn't send any FBI agents after a wolf man. My dad reckons there some sicko after kids. He's kidnapping them as trophies and he cuts out their tongues and makes ties out of them."
  "Ewww gross."
  "What's the matter Joe? Can't stomach it?"
  "Of course I can."
  "Yeaaahhh."
  "Shut up. I know what's really going on."
  "Yeah? Do enlighten us oh great one."
  Joey stopped walking and the others gathered around him. He broke off a stick from a nearby bush.
  "Well it all started fifteen years ago." he said in a conspirational tone. "There were these scientists working in a secret lab just north of the woods. Nobody knew what was going on there. Not even the cops.
  "One day there was this huge explosion. Everyone in town rushed to see what had happened and they saw this big shape rising up out of the building. My dad was there. It was huge he says. Bigger'n a house. It shot off really quickly, like in a big hurry. Noone saw it again. But a few hours later some men came round and talked to everyone who had seen it. They said they were government but there was something odd about them. My dad says they had this symbol on their jackets."
  Joey used his stick to etch a crude shape in the dirt. It was a rough circle with two straight lines coming from the circle. Imitating a clock face at three o'clock but the hands extended past the face.
  "Anyway, everyone was, like, what was that? what happened in that place? But they weren't told nothing. The guys just went away. So I reckon the thing that escaped from the building is back and is after revenge or something. going after all the people that were involved with whatever they were up to down there."
  "Oh yeah? I heard that story too except it was a spaceship and it was aliens that came round. And they had a VW logo on their clothes. And the ship's come back to take everyone off to Mars. So that Earth'll be empty for them to move in."
  "Hey I bet Joe here would like to go to Mars with Sally." said Drew.
  "Shut up Droopy."
  "Joey and Sally sitting in a spaceship.. k..i..s.s.i..n..g."
  "Shut up!"
  Joey had started to blush which only increased the taunts.
  "Oooh Joey's really upset it must be love guys."
  "Well I guess he won't be needing us any more. Let's go."
  "C'mon stop messing around." pleaded Joey.
  The boys laughter continued.
  Joey shivered. "Hey do you all want to come to my house? I got a new game."
  A wind sprang up from nowhere. The laughter died
  "Man it's getting cold. Let's go."
  Noone responded.
  "What's up with you guys?"
  A shadow drifted across the streets. The wind had vanished and an eerie calm descended over the small group. The world blurred, the shadow deepened. Joey felt himself floating down to the ground his eyes streaking with moisture. He thought briefly of his friends, his family and sally as the abyss enveloped him.


Chapter 3

Pikeville police station
2:36 p.m.

"Were there any witnesses?"
  Mulder and Scully stalked along the corridor heading for the interview room.
  "Just the boy. They were in a fairly remote part of town." said Mulder "he's fairly shaken after his encounter that's why they wanted you along."
  "Me?"
  "Yeah I guess they think Dr Scully is the soft touch they need" grinned Mulder.
  "Soft touch or not, Mulder, there must be something happening to these kids."
  "So?"
  "So, it seems to me you've already worked out what's happened here and you're not telling me."
  Mulder was silent for a few seconds.
  "You're right Scully, you've been very professional though out this investigation and I've been very discourteous in not telling you what I think is going on. I apologise. But now isn't the time."
  "Why not?"
  "Because we have an interview to conduct."
  Mulder stepped away from Scully and opened a door into the interview room.

  Inside the room were three wooden chairs and a rickety table. Behind it sat a dishevelled young boy. His hair unkempt and his clothes covered with dust. Marty Turner was standing in the corner. He noticed the agents enter and approached them with a serious look on his face.
  "The poor boy is so shaken, be very gentle with him. We don't want to upset anyone else round here" he said quietly.
  "Anyone else? Who have we upset?" said Mulder
  "Other than the rest of the police force? Well, it would appear that our transient had lots of friends, and they're blaming you for his death."
  "Me? Why?"
  "Well, you're FBI, you're meant to stop this sort of thing. Just tread gently, I've got enough problems without irritated parents bugging me."
  Marty left the room and the two agents exchanged glances before sitting down in front of the desk.
  "So Drew," started Scully, talking softly "why don't you tell us what happened?"
  Drew started to speak, sniffling and stuttering throughout.
  "We were just hanging around, you know there was no school. We ended up talking about all those kids that have gone missing. Just talking about stuff. But it started getting cold. This big shadow crossed over us and I guess I passed out.
  "I can't remember much, but when I came to I could feel heat all around me, there were these fires. they didn't seem to be burning anything it was really freaky. It think I passed out again. The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital."
  "Did you hear any noises when the shadow came over?"
  "N-no sir. It was completely quiet."
  "Do you remember what your friends did when the shadow came over?"
  "Well Joey was trying to get us to come to his house. He had his back to the darkness but I really don't remember much."
  "OK Drew, I think that's all we need to ask you. But if you remember anything else be sure to come find us." said Scully.
  Drew left the room.
  "Well?"
  "Well what Scully?"
  "Well now would be a time for you to tell me what's going on here."
  "Your really want to know?"
  "Of course."
  "You'd better sit down. What's happening here seems to be fairly typical."
  "Typical?"
  "Yes. I have many unsolved cases back at the Bureau documenting very similar cases from all over the world. Each one telling the story of children going missing in suspicious circumstances."
  "How have these been classed?"
  "For the most part they're regarded as runaways. Just kids striking out against their families or neighbours. They're generally not seen again."
  "So what's so special about these cases? Why do they help you any more?"
  "Usually I've been unable to gather evidence on the other cases, either I've been too late to gather hat was left or I've been blocked."
  "Blocked?"
  "Yes, for some reason I've been stopped from accessing some cases. I've been told it's cultural significance but the cases that I've been blocked from aren't in places which would have any reason to stop my investigations."
  "And now you have evidence?"
  "Yes. The scorch marks, the dust the eye witness. It's all very encouraging evidence."
  "Evidence of what exactly Mulder?
  "For centuries man has pondered the existence of life on other planets. It has captured the imagination of writers and artists. The twentieth century has developed a near obsession with the idea. The media is full of aliens. Everywhere you go. For the most part it's entertainment but projects like S.E.T.I suggest someone is taking it seriously."
  "And this means what exactly?"
  "What if the aliens have already arrived? What if they've made contact with someone and the public has yet to find out?"
  "The discovery would be monumental for the human race, why would anyone suppress it."
  "Think of the panic it would cause Scully. Governments would lose control mass hysteria would be prevalent. The major religions would also face quandaries. Many of them suggest no other life than that on Earth. Holy wars may break out. The reaction may not necessarily be good."
  "I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad Mulder."
  "Perhaps, but someone out there isn't taking any risks. Also there's no guarantee the aliens want to be revealed or are friendly. Think about it, if an invading force wanted to subdue the opposition what would they do first?"
  "Eliminate the weaker members?"
  "Exactly."
  "My God Mulder. You're saying these kids are being taken away by aliens to soften up the human race for conquering?
  "Exactly. These cases have given me proof I need to expose what is happening."
  "What proof? What proof do you have?"
  "The dust we collected. I got the results back from he lab a few hours ago. It's a complex protein chain, slightly oxidised. It contains an unusual atomic structure indicating an unknown element. At least unknown on Earth."
  "And?"
  "The scorch marks are consistent with the size and shape of reported UFOs, they are found in the classic 'flying saucer' shape and would require great temperatures to reproduce them."
  "This is hardly conclusive Mulder, certainly not for the elaborate conspiracy you proposed."
  "I know, but there is one piece of evidence I've yet to get."
  "Which is?"
  "Who killed Fred Stoifait?"

To be continued.. maybe even concluded.....