Zodiac Redux Author: Kimberly Category: Case File, Doggett/Other UST, D/S UST Rating: PG-13 for character jeopardy Summary: When an old case becomes new again, Doggett is called in to help investigate. Archive: Addicted to Doggett and affiliated websites may archive. Any others please email me so that I know where you would like to put it. Thank you. Disclaimer: All X-Files characters belong to Chris Carter. The original Zodiac Case occurred during the 1960s and is still an open murder investigation. The following story has no connection to the case and is purely fictitious. Feedback: Please? My email box would appreciate it: starbuck20032000@yahoo.com _____________________________________________________________ It took three days for the information to be collected, verified, connected, and filtered from the Phoenix field office to FBI Headquarters and down to the darkness of the basement office. But, in that time, events had been put into place that would bring two people – once so close, now so far apart – into a situation that would force them to see their past in a different light. An FBI courier had delivered the file to Scully’s apartment late Saturday evening, giving her plenty of time to read over it and conclude she was going to sit this one out – a choice she knew would not sit well with her partner. “Scully,” Doggett sighed heavily after hearing her decision bright and early Monday morning, “It’s been almost a year. This is our first big case since –“ He stopped abruptly. Mulder’s death was still hard for Scully to discuss and he did not want to push it. “I’m gonna need you on this, Agent Scully.” Scully nodded but remained firm. “I understand that you feel that I’m abandoning you but, please, respect my decision. Agent Doggett, I am just not ready to get back out there yet. Especially when it’s a case of this magnitude.” She pointed to the folder lying open on the desk. “However, I’ll be here and I’ll help you from here. I just can’t…go out…yet.” ” ‘kay,” He gave in, though he was never going to force her into doing something she was uncomfortable with. “Phoenix, huh? This oughta be interesting.” John Doggett had a six hour journey that allowed him to discover just how interesting his new assignment could turn out to be. To cops and Bureau vets, serial killers were old news. But every now and then, a few stood out – the Hillside Strangler, Ted Bundy, Son of Sam. Yet, what Doggett was reading caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. Police in Phoenix, along with local newspaper reporters, had begun to receive cryptic notes – handwritten – following rather gruesome murders that started a week before. As the authorities investigated their third crime scene and added another note to their collection, they determined it was time to call for help. Doggett could not have agreed with them more. “This is the Zodiac speaking” read the first sentence of the photocopied letter he was holding and he would not go further until speaking with investigators on this case. If this was indeed a copycat of a murder spree that started over 40 years ago, they had a heard road ahead of them. **** Random, vicious murders – not the normal type of case she would be inclined to push for the x-files unit to pursue. Yet, her intentions were not of the normal kind. It had been three years since their last face-to-face conversation, but she continued to hold onto the hope that he had not forgotten her. She certainly had not forgotten him – nor did she think it would be possible for her to let go of their past anytime soon. The murders in Phoenix had been her chance. And now Doggett was on his way to the area. Marita’s source at the field office confirmed it. She felt guilty for using such a serious situation to contact someone, but it was her only hope. **** No agents met him at the airport. It took Doggett half an hour to get in contact with an agent who would talk to him and another half an hour to get from the airport to his hotel. There would be no going over evidence on files tonight, he had been gruffly informed, the Special Agent in Charge of the case was in San Francisco interviewing retired police officers who had personally investigated original Zodiac crime scenes. “What do they think I’m doing here? I certainly ain’t here for the hospitality,” Doggett mumbled to himself while pushing and pulling his bags into the room. There was something about the entire case that struck him as odd. Why was he the only FBI agent from DC asked to help out? Why the x-files? Why not Behavioral Sciences? But those questions were forgotten following a quiet knock at the hotel room door. Nothing could have surprised him more than what he saw when he opened it. ”Hello, John. It’s been a long time.” Marita smiled softly. She hoped her face did not betray the fact that her heart was beating hard in her chest. Doggett was totally taken aback, unable to clearly focus for several seconds. “H…hi,” he stuttered and opened the door further. As Marita walked into the room, things begin to become clearer. “Wait, is this you? Oh come on! Don’t tell me you orchestrated this whole thing?!” Calmly, Marita allowed him to absorb the shock of her appearance and allowed him to toss out angry accusations. He was just as handsome in an uproar as he was in a solemn mood. But she needed to get back to business – dragging him back to her. “Now, John, you don’t honestly believe…?” She pretended to be hurt. “Alright! I’ll admit I used a source in the Bureau to help find you, but I did not have anything else to do with bringing you here!” A half truth – half – lie, combined with tear-filled eyes could easily bring a man down. It worked. “Hey, uh,” Doggett crossed the room to where Marita was standing and gently took her clasped hands in his, “I’m sorry. I’ve had a rough time getting here, not to mention the facts of this case, and now…” He glanced into her eyes as his thumb brushed over the smooth skin of her hand, “Can we start over? Let me take a few minutes to jump in the shower, change clothes, and we’ll see if we can get you settled into a room for the night.” John Doggett, always the gentleman, Marita thought wryly as she agreed. The wait for him to emerge was tedious but she passed the time contemplating just what had gone wrong in their relationship everyone believed was going to lead somewhere. **** They had met each other at a relatively early point in their careers. Doggett had barely made detective at the NYPD and Marita was celebrating her six month anniversary at the UN by accompanying the Secretary General to the graduation ceremony at John Jay College, where he was to give the commencement speech. The college decided a police escort should be required. Detective Doggett tagged along with “his boys” because he could not shake the need to be on the street. He had impressed Marita with his rugged good looks but his status as married, father of one, prevented her from pursuing him. Yet, as they both knew, that changed drastically. They worked together on UN security needs within the city of New York for a year before she attended his son’s funeral. She considered it a sad coincidence that she was working with him as his family fell apart while her career was beginning to take the first of many new turns. Through their intimate conversations, Marita had learned Doggett believed his son’s murderer was being protected. By whom, he could not put his finger on. While Doggett was distracted with those thoughts, Marita spent her time gaining access to files normally off limits to most – though it helped she had gained Doggett’s trust enough to acquire his password. Her job was to learn where and when Doggett’s team of detectives involved with undercover operations would be conducting their raids on mob operations throughout the city. Marita was still unsure how Doggett learned it had been she who tipped off the men. How could he throw away all that had developed over the last two years? She had tearfully asked him when he stormed out of her apartment after a hostile confrontation. Nothing had been done to hurt him and, besides, she was moving forward and could work with other companies so she would not have to collect information for the mob any longer. But it had not been good enough for Doggett. He was crushed and refused to listen to her pleas. He told her he was leaving town, going to start over. He did not need her baggage to carry with him. Other than a chance meeting in Washington, D. C. three years ago, that night in her apartment had been their final contact. Marita still loved him. She was now more sure of it than ever. **** Doggett felt numb as he went through the motions of showering and dressing. Was her sudden reappearance stirring up feelings in him? He could not be sure. There were too many unanswered questions – mainly regarding why she would use him the way she had. After his family’s collapse, he had needed someone to hold him together. He had thought that person was going to be the sweet, vivacious, and often mysterious blonde he had been made to cooperate with because the Department needed to keep the UN happy. What had been the first clue that something was amiss? They had shared many intimate moments and secrets that Doggett had struggled to erase from his memory. But there had been that one moment following dinner at her apartment that he knew she was using him for something other than just a romantic relationship. She slipped up and they both immediately knew it. They had been discussing work when Marita made an off-the-cuff remark about a case and a mob hangout Doggett’s team of detectives was going to visit the next day. She had stopped talking quite abruptly and Doggett found himself staring into her wide eyes wondering just how much more she knew and what she had done with the information. One underlying reason for taking the Bureau’s assignment to D.C. was to escape Marita and the unyielding pain that New York held for him. But apparently she had refused to let go. Doggett sighed heavily and buttoned his final shirt button before heading out to his uninvited guest. **** Though it held no further surprises, Doggett had an uneasy night’s sleep. Marita had been given the room next to him. He constantly envisioned her attempting to listen through the walls. Around 5, he finally gave up. Sleep was not going to come at this point and he decided to get a jump on things at the field office. An agent by the name of Sullivan had been told to help him with anything and everything he needed. Case files, photographs, and plastic bags that held physical evidence were provided at his beck and call yet working alone had its limitations. Doggett could silently work out possible motives or pose questions to himself but he needed someone to work with, to toss out suggestions to, or someone to just tell him he was headed down the wrong path. “Hey, Agent Scully, look I know you said you didn’t want to get mixed up in this-“ Scully interrupted Doggett with a heavy sigh into the phone. “Now, don’t put words in my mouth. I said I would help you, just from this end of things.” See, it’s just that…I’d really like you here. I need someone who can look at these files with an open mind-“ Again, Doggett found himself interrupted. “Can’t an agent there help? They would be more familiar with what’s going on.” This time, it was Doggett who sighed. “Yeah. I’ll call you later, okay? Would you be able to do forensic analysis if I needed it?” ”Of course.” Scully smiled softly. She really did like Doggett. “Be careful out there.” “Sure.” Doggett said goodbye and hung up, still feeling the need to have a partner helping on the case Phoenix papers had dubbed ‘Zodiac Redux’. He picked up the phone, dialed a second number and was soon connected with the next person he sought out. “Hi. I could really use your help on this.” ”What took you so long to call?” Marita asked with a smile. One Week Later - - ‘Zodiac Redux’ had taken a dramatic turn for the worse in the days Doggett and Marita had struggled with the case. Two more women had been murdered and left with letters promising a dozen more per victim. The vicious tone of the letters was escalating as well – and that worried every agent working the case. “I like to know I have even the pigs in blue scared. Isn’t it funny that the people who are supposed to be looking for me are frightened of me? Guess they’ll never find me and I can go on having my fun. HA HA HA” Marita had dealt with her share of criminals. For years she had consorted with them secretly. But this – this was an entirely different type of criminal. Though neither valued lives, the Syndicate had at least had an agenda to promote. ‘Zodiac Redux’ had none. For once in her life, Marita felt inadequate and incapable of maintaining any control over her present situation. “I have to leave,” she announced suddenly and took her purse from the back of the chair, “I need some air.” Startled, Doggett looked up from the useless profile they both had been staring at for hours. “We’ve still got work to do. A couple more hours and we can call it a night.” She sighed softly and closed her eyes. The man before her was the same John Doggett she had fallen in love with, only his workaholic attitude had multiplied ten-fold. And, he was not in love with her. “John,” her tone was slow and quiet, “We have already been at this for hours and we are at a dead end. They didn’t catch the first Zodiac. You aren’t going to catch this one. And, if you do, it won’t be with my help.” ”What are you saying?” Doggett pushed back his chair to walk towards her. “I’m a hindrance to you.” Marita’s eyes met his. “We both know why I’m here and it’s not to help you on this case. You should be on the phone to Scully. She’s your partner.” Gently, Doggett let his finger glide across her jaw line. The moment had come when he had to know. He had to know if there was still anything left. He leaned down until their lips met and did not pull back until they had both kissed each other. “I’ve missed you, Marita. I won’t deny that.” ”But you can’t deny that I hurt you, either.” Marita lifted his hand to her mouth, kissed it, then rested her cheek against the inside palm. “I have to go. It’s for the best.” This time, he did not object. “You’ll call me when you get to New York?” She nodded and finally released him. “Some how I think you’ll get your man, John.” Together they walked to the door of the field office. Dusk had settled across Phoenix and a chill was in the air. ”Let me call a cab,” Doggett offered. Marita sighed and smiled at the same moment. “No thanks. A walk back to the hotel will help clear my head and…” There was sadness in her eyes as she glanced back at his dark figure, “I won’t be there when you finally decide to call it a night. We can’t forget the past, John. Just now, when you kissed me, I knew you were wondering why I was really here. Selfish reasons, really,” she huffed, “I thought I could make you love me again. But that’s not possible, is it?” Doggett did not respond. Instead, he ran his hand through his hair and waited for the inevitable continuation. “No, it’s not. You see, you can’t force a man’s heart to be where it’s not and yours is back in Washington. I hadn’t counted on Agent Scully being a factor. Goodbye, John.” He watched her slip into the night as softly and mysteriously as she had appeared. Sullivan approached him with a cup of coffee and motioned towards the door. “Beautiful girl. But you got another one waiting on the phone for you.” Doggett returned quickly to the piles of paperwork to find a phone, receiver off the hook, lying on top. “Agent Scully?” ”Before you ask any questions you should know I’ve decided to join you in Phoenix. If the man who answered the phone is any indication of the help you’re getting, you need something more and besides, what are partners for?” He grinned broadly. They had a chance of catching this jerk with Scully on their team. He also knew Marita was right. “Can’t wait to see ya, Scully.” His eyes were focused. He was crouched low. The key was preparation, silence, then to attack. He was a lion stalking its prey – only, in his world, it was human versus human. ‘Zodiac Redux’ – a name given him by local papers, a name he hated – was ready to leap beyond the boundaries of the original Zodiac. He was ready to prove his cunning genius far exceeded anything anyone could ever imagine. Today he would take one of their own. She was a new addition to the three-ringed circus seeking him and he had decided she was right from the moment he saw her. Pretty red hair, petite frame – he could tell she meant a lot to her partner. ‘Zodiac Redux’ had decided they would make a cute couple, the partner and red-head, and that would make this act the Coup de Gras of his journey. **** Scully had noticed an immediate difference in Doggett’s mood since she had arrived. He was joking more and sighing less – completely different from their phone conversations. She and Agent Sullivan had taken to teasing him about his favorite phrase, “Dollars to Donuts.” And she admitted to herself she was glad to be back in a partnership. Old wounds were healing fast. “You leavin’ for the day?” Doggett was quick to react. After last time, he was not going to let another woman leave him without talking first. Heck, he thought, he was not going to let her leave at all. She smiled and shook her head. “I thought we could use some lunch. What about Agent Sullivan?” Doggett glanced around, “Maybe he’s out already. Forget about him. Bring us a steak dinner.” “Yeah. On a G-Woman’s salary. Okay.” Scully rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ll be right back, John.” An hour later, Doggett looked at the clock and mumbled to himself something about long lines. Two hours after Scully had left and now quite nervous, Doggett snapped at Sullivan who shuffled into the small conference room looking rather bored. “Finally decided you’ve had enough lunch, huh? I could have done twice as much work had your sorry ass been here helping me!” “Whoa there. Let’s just settle down.” Sullivan tossed his jacket across the back of an empty chair and loosened an already loose tie. “What’s your gripe with me? You and Scully seem to be handling things pretty well and –“ “I came out here at the request of this field office! Your SAC assigned YOU to ME! No matter where Scully is, I want you here dammit! There’s a nutcase on the loose!” Sullivan raised his eyebrows at Doggett’s interruption but decided it would be better not to argue the point of what his job was supposed to be. “So…where is Scully?” He tried to act nonchalant, though he was certain this was the source of Doggett’s agitation. “She went to lunch.” ”Oh,” Sullivan shrugged, “She’ll be back soon.” Doggett stared out the window, his mouth dry like cotton. “That was two hours ago.” **** She was afraid to scream. He had threatened her life if any loud noises were made. Her thoughts turned to location – Where was she? It was terribly dark and the air was heavy with a thick, musty smell. Maybe a basement but the floor had not seemed hard enough when she had walked across it. With her hands tied to the arms of the hard chair, she had no choice but to wait for his next move. How could she have been so stupid? Scully silently berated herself for not trusting her instincts when he had asked if she had the time. It had taken only an instant for her to glance at her watch before he had forced her into the back of his car making her the next victim of the man she and Doggett were so desperately hunting. It is odd how the mind works in situations one has no control over. Scully had to laugh at the fact that she was already coming up with various motives as to why this man had become ‘Zodiac Redux’. Then again, did it matter? She wondered as she sat surrounded by total darkness and still in shock. He had said she was the first one he had not killed upon meeting. Did that mean her fate was still to come? And would Doggett be able to see that he had every clue, every suspect right under his nose before it was too late? **** “Okay, I need five men in each of the four sectors I’ve drawn out here.” Doggett pushed the ink-stained map of Phoenix across the table to the men gathered before him. “Split up. Two go to the restaurants, delis – flash her picture. The other three start canvassing neighborhoods, alleys, shopping centers. See if anyone has seen anything. Sullivan, stay here. I need you to help me make calls. Hey, guys?” He stared at the group. “Let’s find her. We’ve only got a few good hours before leads go stale. Go! Go!” As the men dispersed into their groups, Sullivan approached Doggett and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Man, it’s though losing a partner –“ “She’s not gone,” Doggett responded dryly as he fumbled through his wallet for a card he handed to Sullivan. “Call the number at the bottom. That will connect you with A.D. Skinner. Tell him what’s going on and that I’m busy but will call him as soon as I have a chance. Got that?” ”Loud and clear.” Sullivan nodded and walked to another room, pocketing the card for safe keeping. In the quiet of the room, Doggett could hear himself think. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He could hear the rhythmic sounds of his own breathing. It was too quiet. Where was she? He had dialed Scully’s cell even though he knew she would not answer. If anything happened to her, it would be his fault. He believed that he had selfishly coerced her into coming for the same reasons Marita had trailed him – they both wanted to fulfill their heart’s desire. And now Doggett wondered if his heart would be breaking. The leads had been few and far between since he had arrived on the case. Doggett had the feeling that the killer was watching over his shoulder. There had been another pair of victims after Scully arrived that sent shivers down his spine. The couple had been found in the parking lot of a low-rent motel shot to death. The scene fit ‘Zodiac Redux’s’ motive but it was the physical appearance of the couple that startled Doggett. Through the drying blood and almost overwhelming odors that accompanied death scenes, he could see the man was approximately sic feet tall with dark brown hair and blue eyes that had glazed over as life drained away. The woman had been blonde, around 5’6”. With the note received the following day, there was no doubt the homicide was meant to mimic Doggett and Marita. Someone was watching. From the lack of evidence left at the scene, he believed it could be a person directly involved with law enforcement or who knew a great deal about the subject. He had no doubt this same person had abducted Scully. “Doggett!” Sullivan sprinted into the room and thrust an envelope at him. “This just arrived by courier. Look familiar to you?” Eagerly, Doggett examined the envelope then put it down gingerly, realizing it would have to be tested for fingerprints. “Same loops on the ‘O’s. Odd slants on the ‘T’s. It looks the same. Now we’ve gotta read it.” He sliced open the side of the envelope to shake out the enclosed paper. “Pen leak?” Sullivan gave him an odd look. “What are you talking about/” ”Your hand.” Doggett pointed to Sullivan’s right. “Looks like ink.” Sullivan turned his hand on the side to see blue streaks across it and along his fingertips. “Huh. Guess I didn’t even notice with all of this going on.” “Yeah.” Doggett had already gotten a look at the letter and had made a decision. “Why don’t you take the envelope to fingerprinting and I’m going to see Charlie about the handwriting.” ”What does it say?!” Sullivan shouted as Doggett left. **** He was physically shaking as he called the SAC in charge of Phoenix and asked him to immediately leave his meeting on the third floor for the lower level conference room. There were ink splotches on the letter. Doggett had called the front security desk to ask about courier service and then the local post office just to double check. No letters had been sent to the Phoenix field office via special courier. Not that he had believed he would find otherwise. It was all too hard to imagine and, yet, he could now see that the clues had been in front of him all day – The two hour lunch. The talk about losing a partner. Now the letter and obvious ink spots. Doggett placed his head in his hands. The need to break down was there but he had to keep his cool to rescue Scully. All he could do was thank God Marita had left when she did and had not become a victim herself. He would use Sullivan to lead him to Scully. The letter he had just received mentioned that the police wanted to tighten the noose around ‘Zodiac Redux’s’ neck. Fine. Doggett retrieved information on Sullivan’s car from the DMV. After a couple of calls to bring his men back in from their search, he decided to drop the news in Sullivan’s lap. “Got an old lady who saw Scully pushed into the back of a green SUV. She had the presence of mind to write down the license plate number.” He hurriedly pulled on his jacket as he spoke. “DMV’s pulling records for me so I’ve gotta get down there.” Sullivan showed little emotion at the news. “Wait a minute and I’ll go with you.” ”Don’t have time for that. This may be my only chance to get a solid lead. You stay here and wait for me to call with the info.” Doggett rushed out to his car as Sullivan broke into a grin. Did Doggett think he was stupid? ”Agent Sullivan.” He turned around to face his SAC and two other agents, one of which held a pair of handcuffs. So, big John Doggett had left the local boys to do the pick up? Like he was some common criminal. “Can’t say I haven’t had fun boys,’ Sullivan snickered, “But now Doggett has to find her in time. Tick tock, tick tock, it’s my grand finale.” Slowly her eyes had begun to adjust to her surroundings. Scully could now make out that she was in an older house with shades drawn tightly over the windows. The ropes around her wrists had loosened as she struggled with them but they still kept her down. Oddly enough, she found that her feet were not bound. There was a table across the room the room and, if there was a table, maybe there was a kitchen with knives or some other weapon. She had been able to establish that her captor was gone. Again, she thought this odd but decided it should be used to her advantage. As she stood, the floor creaked and she held her breath. What if she had been wrong? But several second passed in silence and she began her walk. She found the kitchen quickly, though it was a struggle to open the drawers while pulling the arms of the chair too. “Dammit,” Scully muttered and closed her eyes. All the utensils were gone. She sat her chair down in the middle of the kitchen and cried. How much longer? Was this it? What if Doggett simply had no clues to find her? Her mind raced and her vision temporarily blurred from tears. There were so many things she had not yet done. **** The light turned red the instant Doggett approached. “What the…? Screw it.” He accelerated quickly, barely missing on coming traffic. There was no time and he knew it. Sullivan’s move had been bold and purposeful. Evil had a face now. “I’m coming, Dana, hold on.” He spoke allowed to give both of them hope. She had to know he was trying to find her. “Delancy, Parkade,” Doggett ticked off street names as he entered a respectable middle-class neighborhood towards the outskirts of Phoenix. “Chauncey!” Adrenaline pumped even more vigorously than it already was when he found the street he needed. He had barely come to a stop before jumping out and rushing to the door. “Dana!” Doggett’s tone bordered on panic. What if Sullivan had an accomplice? Maybe that was why everything had been so easy to find. “Dana, can you hear me?!” Scully’s head shot up from the defeated position in which it had hung for half an hour. Her name! Someone had said her name and she knew it was a voice of safety. “I’m here! I’m okay, John!” She struggled to get to her feet once again as the ropes continued to hold the chair to her. Nothing could describe the rush he felt when he heard her voice. Doggett quickly ran to the windows, only to find each blocked and nailed shut from the inside. Sullivan wanted to keep her within the old house on the dead end street. But why? It was apparent no one else was inside. Sullivan would have known Doggett would go to find her. “It’s Agent Sullivan, John,” Scully shouted, eager to tell what she had learned, “I don’t know why he did it but he kept mumbling something about partners taking care of each other. How…how did you find me?” ”He wanted me to.” Doggett responded as he leaned close to the window. “But…why?” Scully asked the question softly. It did not make sense for such a vile man to give up so easily. Doggett carefully twisted the knob of the front door. It was unlocked. He let go quickly and looked along the top of the door. A wire had been snaked across the opening. What it was attached to, he could only guess. That was the big surprise, he huffed silently as he understood why Sullivan had told Scully partners had to take care of each other. “Dana, the place is wired. Probably set to explode if I open the door. I need to call back up okay? But I promise we’re gonna get you out.” Her heart dropped into her stomach. Had Doggett not been paying attention or had she been more hysterical they both would have been killed. **** The bomb squad and SWAT team assembled quickly with their equipment in tow. In record time, they got a fix on the situation. “The wire is linked to a shotgun set to go off when the door is opened,” the bomb squad commander informed Doggett, “It’s situated to hit a person directly in the head. The rest of the house appears to be clear.” Doggett took the shotgun information in stride but raised his eyebrows to the rest. “It “appears” to be clear?” With a roll of his eyes the commander explained, “There are no hot spots. He may have weapons stored in the house but they aren’t set to go off.” ”Great. Let’s do this.” Doggett started for the front door but was stopped by the SWAT leader. “Sorry, sir. I have to open it. We aren’t allowed to let you go in first.” Scully could hear the noise outside and wondered if anyone was actually going to rescue her. Then it started suddenly. The door flew open and a loud explosion filled the air. There was a strong smell of gun power as men rushed in, all seeming to ignore her. As chaotically as it began, the scene calmed and the sea of men parted. Doggett walked between them and crouched before Scully. They both saw the blood on her wrists from where she had struggled with the ropes. He pulled them off of her and silently led her out to the car. “We’re going home now.” ”Thank you,” Scully whispered. “For what?” She smiled slowly through her tears and drew him into a hug, “You saved my life.” **** “Final word is that Sullivan cracked after seeing his partner killed when he was a police officer.” Doggett placed a cup of coffee and the report on Scully’s desk. “So that explains the partnership thing. What about his fascination with Zodiac?” Doggett shrugged, “Maybe a case he recalled hearing about as a child? Who knows how his mind worked?” He smiled when he got to his desk, “Flowers? Aww, Dana, you shouldn’t have.” Scully grinned. There had been an obvious change in their relationship since the incident in Phoenix. She never thought she could get use to another partner, but this was different. This was distinctly different. “They aren’t from me. Must be a secret admirer.” “Uh huh.” Doggett grinned a sideways grin and opened the attached card: ‘Good job in Phoenix. Love always, Marita’