Within the hour, Mulder had indeed joined their ranks, as had Monica Reyes. The little blonde secretary, who Sydney introduced as Claudia, kept the entire group supplied with a steady stream of coffee and tea as they pieced together history and current events, trying to incorporate the old in hopes of stopping a new horror.
"If this guy really believes he’s Attila, we might have hope. The real king of the Huns hammered out peace treaties, collecting a pretty impressive tribute from Rome rather than continuing to pillage. Before his death, Attila began to question the senseless, seemingly endless destruction. I don’t think he would ever have qualified for a good neighbor award, but we might appeal to that aspect when dealing with the modern-day counterpart." Sydney tapped a finger over a textbook, one of several books spread over the top of her heavy mahogany desk.
"So what, you think we should bribe our killer into not killing any more?" Mulder retorted skeptically.
"No, I’m talking about a trap. Isn’t the plan to bring your Attila out into the open?"
Doggett pursed his lips. His arms were crossed in front of him. "We already suspect that this guy is building himself an army. What’s to stop him from sending one of his toadies along to collect any bait we set?"
"Maybe nothing, but I’d bet that toady could lead us back to his fearless leader," Reyes pointed out. "Willingly or not."
"What’s your take on this?" Scully interjected, her question aimed at Reyes. "Mulder’s not in the Bureau any more. Officially he’s not here, remember?"
"True, but even FBI agents are allowed to have their sources, aren’t they?" drawled Doggett, grinning. "We’ve profiled this guy up one side and down the other, and everybody agrees. He’s certifiable. We suspect he’s also extremely charismatic, probably along the lines of Charles Manson or your average psycho cult leader. We find him, we still gotta be careful or we’ll make him into a martyr."
Mulder mused, "Sydney, were you able to find out where the sword turned up, or any leads on how our suspect might have acquired it?"
"Only rumors," Nigel interjected. "And the rumors have been floating about for decades. The only reason I’d give any credence at all to the current ones is the photograph, and it could be a fake, though I don’t think it is."
Sydney cocked her head to one side. "Maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way. Obviously, the killer is nuts, he thinks he’s Attila the Hun reincarnated. So if our 5th century warrior were plopped into 21st century America, the question is, where would he go? What would he need to survive? Would he be in a population center, out in the country, what? There are arguments for both sides of that scenario. We know that the Huns were accomplished riders. Some accounts actually credit the real Attila with the invention of the stirrup, which gave the Mongol army tactical advantage sixteen hundred years ago. We know it first appeared during his reign. It seems minor now, but back then it permitted them power, speed, and accuracy with bow and arrow and spears while on horseback. Does our modern-day Attila ride a horse or drive a Mustang?"
"There’s another possibility," Mulder said quietly. "What if our killer really IS the reincarnation of Attila the king of the Huns?"
Predictably, Doggett rolled his eyes. Reyes glanced at Scully, who shrugged. Nigel smothered a grin. "Still at it, eh?" he remarked to Mulder. "Well, I for one won’t automatically dismiss the possibility, though I’d be more inclined to say he’s possessed by the spirit of the warrior."
"Either way, he’s deadly and he’s out to get you." Reyes’s comment halted all other conversation. The dark-haired FBI agent had picked up the letter from the killer, the one addressed to the historian. "He wants you, Sydney. I also don’t think he has the sword, not yet. I think he WANTS it, and he expects you to find it for him." Her fingers trailed over the page protector, tracing the large print. "He will do anything to get it, including killing someone close to you. Whoever he is, he knows you well, or knows a lot about you. You weren’t a random choice."
Go to Part Five.