Title: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man's Shadow Author: Pattie Rated: PG (Kids, don't go following folks around a lot. It's naughty). Category: Missing Scene Spoiler: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man Feedback: patfiler@hotmail.com Archive: Gossamer, I take care of the others, but anyone else please ask. Disclaimer: Mulder, Scully, and the Cigarette Smoking Man belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and Fox Studios. I still make no money writing fanfiction and it's still not my intention to break copyright laws. Scully was still not sure she should be driving around with her co-worker in an unofficial capacity. Was this what the man did when they weren't in the office or on the road? "Mulder, if we follow him around enough, he might just turn around and confront us one of these times." Mulder threw a sunflower seed hull into the street. "I doubt it. He's got his mind on something besides us these days. Don't ask me how I know this, but I think he may be looking at another line of work." Mulder stopped the car. "Okay. There's the news stand. He's been coming here a lot lately, just looking for... hold on... Yeah, I can make it out. He's been checking on those magazines you write articles to free-lance for extra money. You ever do that kind of thing, Scully?" Scully took a sip of her now cold coffee. "Can't say I have, Mulder. I can say I've written some good drug monographs in my time, and of course you remember my thesis: 'Einstien's Paradox'." "Yeah, that was a classic," her partner conceded. "Just bear with me a moment. I've heard from a friend of a contact of a contact that Cancerman has a new hobby." "Writing? Mulder, I'd think he'd be more interested in reading "American Mercenary" or some other piece of crap." The Smoking Man had purchased the magazine and entered an alley not far from the stand. He was still visible to Mulder and Scully. "Looks like he doesn't like what he'd reading, Scully. I wonder what he's saying to that bum?" "I gave at the office?" Mulder smiled. "Nah, Scully. I think he's probably found out that editors take license with whatever you submit. I have done a few free-lance stories myself, you know." "Whatever he IS doing, he looks kind of upset. I mean, if I could feel sorry for him, I'd think he felt like he wanted to change his life, this was his chance, and he's blown it. Mulder, do you follow him around on a regular basis or something?" Mulder threw another sunflower seed shell out his car window. "Well, no. I mean just sometimes. You know what they say: 'Keep your friends close; keep your enemies even closer'." "What's your favorite sport again?" "Basketball. Look, he'd going back to his hovel, like a dog with his tail between his legs." "I see. So you don't even know his name, you follow him around periodically, and you could be watching or playing basketball on a dull Saturday afternoon. I'd say your second favorite sport is stalking." Mulder laughed again, and started the car. "Let's get a move on before he doubles back and sees us." He pulled out of the parking spot and drove about four blocks before hitting a red light. "Scully, I am not stalking him. Besides, life is like a bag of licorice all sorts ... " "Don't you mean chocolates, Mulder? Life is like a box of chocolates?" "No, like a box of licorice all sorts. It's a mixed bag of things and it's up to you to find out their various merits and shortcomings. Light's green." "So, next week, if we're not out of town, you're going to stalk him again? I think you're obsessed, Mulder." "Maybe, Scully. But I'm watching out for the both of us." Mulder reached for a magazine in the pocket on his door. "Okay. Tell me what you think of my latest submission to Omni. Maybe I can finally get out of this FBI business and make it on my own." Scully just shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Then who'd go off looking for all those aliens? You're not serious, are you?" "No, Scully. But it is an interesting side-line. Who knows, maybe some day I'll write a book, maybe a best-seller." As he thought about it, suddenly the statement didn't seem that far-fetched. "Nah, I like the unpredictable too much." END