X-Files: Clear as Mud

Chapter 1

Deep in the vast plains of North Dakota, the sky is restless.  Clouds swirl, obscuring the full moon and stars and casting shadows across the ragged landscape.  A lone figure walks through the muddy street, stumbling over rocks and sloshing through puddles.  Mud and oil have stained his clothes from years of hard work, and fresh oil stains glimmer in the moonlight when it is allowed to poke through the tumultuous ceiling above. 

Falling to all fours in the street the solitary figure groans in agony, arching his spine and turning his head skyward screaming with his pain.  Finally, collapsing to the ground he lays there writhing in distress until at once, all is silent.  From his mouth oozes thick black oil, forming a viscous pool which slowly seeps into the soil until all that remains on the surface is the quiet, still man.

Chapter 2

“Who gave you permission to examine this body?” screamed a uniformed man with a gleaming sheriff’s badge that designated himself as Sheriff Whitiker.

“We are with the federal government,” Scully replied apologetically, “we are only here to help with your investigation.”

“And from what Agent Scully here has told me about the autopsy and medical report that was performed on this patient you greatly need our help.” retorted Mulder, not looking away from the model skeleton in the corner of the autopsy room. 

“My autopsy?” Sheriff  Whitiker yelled furiously, “There is nothing wrong with how the autopsy was performed.  And the report clearly states the cause of death.  We did our job.  This was a text book case, plain and simple.”

“Clearly?” inquired Mulder turning to face the sheriff, “This case is as clear as the mud this man was found face down in.”

“Can you explain to me the deposits of crude oil residue in the tissue of the victim’s mouth and organs?  Did the medical examiner fail to discover them or did he fail to report it?  Either way is seems like a pretty big error was made during the process.” Scully said calmly and inquisitively. 

“Crude oil?” asked the Sheriff sarcastically, “Do you know where you are?  This is Minot, North Dakota.  This is the oil capital of the nation right now.  These men work in the oil fields all day long.  They are covered in oil 70% of their day, and you want me to worry about a little bit of oil in a man’s mouth?”

“I understand the job, but why wasn’t the oil mentioned in the report?  It seems like an oversight was ma—“ started Scully before she was cut off by Whitiker.

“Listen to me, and listen good.  This is a shut case.  This man, Leonard McCully, was a mechanic for the fields.  He went into equipment and fixed it.  He got in to the gears, levers, pulleys, and God knows what else in these machines and with a job like that, it’s no wonder he had oil in his mouth.”  The Sheriff raged, 

“And between me and you, Leonard was a drunk.  Everyone here is.  What else are they supposed to do in the free time, it’s not like we have a beach around here.  He was just an unlucky drunk this night, passing out in a wet street and drowning.  I would appreciate it if you would leave now, you’re disrupting our police work.”

Shaking his head, Sheriff Whitiker ended the conversation by turning and slamming the door to the autopsy room as he left leaving Scully and Mulder alone with the corpse.

Turning to face Mulder, Scully tries to gauge the situation with her partner, “Maybe he’s right, Mulder.  Maybe this is just an open and shut case like Sheriff Whitiker says.”

“I don’t know Scully, something doesn’t feel right here.  I think we should stick around for a little bit, I mean there isn’t a beach, but I’m sure the accomadations are lovely.”

“Let’s just go Fox, we aren’t wanted here and we have piles of paperwork back at the office.”

“I didn’t want to say it to you yet, but this feels like an X-File to me.  Think about it Scully, these guys are drilling into places that haven’t seen light in millions of years.  Is it that unlikely that they could have released something that killed this man?”

“C’mon Fox, be serious.  The pressure in these places should be enough to kill anything, not to mention the heat and the millions of years.”

“But Scully, you’ve told me about it before, bacteria going dormant and lasting years until they are released in a more optimal living climate.  Why couldn’t this happen here, beneath lovely North Dakota?”

“Let’s just go home Mulder, I’m tired and I want to sleep in my own bed tonight.”

“Just one night Dayna, give me one night.  If everything is the same tomorrow we will leave.  I’ll even let you pick where we eat.”

“Fine Mulder, one night and one night only.” Scully says as she walks to the door, opening it for Mulder, turning off all lights, except the operation light, as she follows Mulder from the autopsy room.

The operation light shines down on the open body, casting no shadows and glinting off the metal operation table.  Slowly the open chest cavity of the body fills with oil, seeping from the incisions made during the investigation.  The cavity overflows, creating rivers of black, viscous oil that cascade onto the table pooling around the body and dripping onto the floor. 

As if alive, the oil moves to corner of the examination table where it proceeds to fall to the ground in a magnificent black waterfall, only illuminated by the operation light.  The oil, moving in tides to the floor drain beneath the table disappears through the grate, leaving only a glimmering, narrow trail in its path across the floor.

Chapter 3

“My God, Mulder. How could anyone live in a place like this?  There is nothing here.” Scully asked, squinting in the bright sunlight at the massive oil pumps.

They stood on the edge of the oil field on top of a small mound overlooking the giant mechanical machines drawing oil from the ground. 

“What do you mean Scully?  This is paradise.  How could anyone not like –“ Mulder started to say before he was cut off by a screeching that pierced the air.

The screeching continued as an oil pump at the bottom of the hill, still when the agents arrived, was coaxed to live by a crew of oil covered men.  Slowly, as the men persuaded the giant beast to move quicker with cans of oil, wrenches, and sweet talk, the labored yells of metal rubbing metal diminished until all that was left was the rhythmic churning of the pump.

Watching this miracle of rebirth, Mulder turned to Scully, “See there Scully, these men have made a go at it here.  It can’t be all bad if these fine cut men call this place home.”

“These fine cut men covered in oil and wearing ripped jeans seem to be mechanics for this oil field.” Scully observed, “Since we’re out here, why don’t we have a chat with them and see what they can tell us about the victim.”

Strolling down the hill in front of Scully, Mulder says over his shoulder, “You read my mind Scully.  I’m sure these men have only glowing opinions of our new dead friend.”

Together they sauntered towards the group of oily men, now leaning on oil drums smoking, admiring their now functioning oil pump.  The smooth, oscillating humming of the recently oiled machine overtook the sounds of any conversation audible to the agents until they were nearly upon the crew of mechanics.  The smell of oil, sweat, and cigarette smoke had washed over the agents replacing the smell natural smell of the prairie lands and letting the agents know, if they hadn’t realized already, that they had entered a different world.

Approaching the three men, Mulder started the conversation, “Good work on this pump here.”

“S’pose so.” replied one of the men in oil covered overalls, not taking his eyes off the now fluid movements of the pump.

“You guys work fast.  That must have taken you only five or ten minutes to fix.” said Scully, attempting to coax along a conversation that appeared, from the beginning to be going nowhere. 

“Gots to be.” another mechanic replied.  Turning his broad shoulders towards the agents to address them directly he continued, “Bosses say fix the pump and we fix it.  The quicker we fix, the happier the boss men be.  Everyone knows, out here, if the boss a’int happy, a’int nobody happy.”

“Knowing that you gentlemen are in a rush, we will be quick.” Mulder began as he reached into the pocket of his suit coat for his badge, “ I’m Agent Mulder and this is Agent Scully with the FBI.  We’re looking into the death of one of the mechanics out here in this field, a Mr. –“ Mulder paused as he looked into his notebook for the name of the victim.

“McCully.” the first man said, finishing the sentence of Mulder.  Continuing to speak he said, “I heard the other day that he drowned.  It’s funny, the man drank like a fish and he drowned.”  Looking at Scully, winking and smiling he finished, “I’m Reyney, but everyone calls me Wrench.  Isn’t it funny?”

With a look of scrutiny look on her face, Scully responded to the man, “I’m afraid I don’t see the humor, Mr. Wrench.  Is there anything else you can tell us about your friend McCully or his death?”

Joining in the investigation, Mulder continued, “Anything that might seem odd or unusual about your friend or the events leading up to his death?”

At the mention of odd and unusual events, the mood of the group abruptly changed.  No longer did a smile cover the face of the mechanic, replaced instead by a nervous face shown through oil streaks.  Clearly ignoring the question, Wrench chose to throw his cigarette on the ground, spit, and light another cigarette; all the while avoiding eye contact with the agents.

“You keep calling him our friend, like that is supposed to mean something to us.” One of the men chimed anxiously into the conversation, filling the silence left when Wrench became uncooperative, “McCully was a good mechanic but we weren’t his friends.  The only friends McCully had were Jim and Jack.  He used to take at least one everywhere he went, and they were the only ones he would work with.”

“Jim and Jack?” Scully inquired.

“You know, Jim Beam and Jack Daniels.” The man continued, “He worked with them and no one else.  The man was a good mechanic, but he was a lonely drunk with no one to care for him.  No family and no friends.”

“Look, we don’t know anything.  We weren’t there.”  Glancing around the group of mechanics, Wrench questioned, “Right boys?  We weren’t there, we know nothing.”

Nervously squinting through the sun at the detectives some men mumbled in agreement, while others averted their gazes.

“Anything, anything at all could be a big help.  There is nothing you can tell us?”  Scully implored of the men

Taking a moment to survey the scene, Mulder furthered the questioning, “I see that there is a camera directed at this pump. Tell me, are there cameras like this at all the pumps?”

“I s’pose so.” Wrench said, now agitated.  “We got work to do, are we finished here?”

“Yes, we are finished.” Scully closed the conversation, “Thank you gentlemen for your time.”

“I hope all folks here are as helpful as you fellas.” Mulder added as he turned and walked away.

Both parties, having exited the interview, returned to their previous actions, the mechanics smoking and the agents to the peak of the hill.  Walking up the gentle slope, the agents discussed their less than successful conversation with the mechanics. 

“Nice guys, eh Scully?  Nothing but glowing opinions of our corpse, just like I said.” Mulder joked.

“Be serious, Mulder.  I’m still not happy that we are here, and that conversation was a waste of time and agency money.” Scully said frustrated, side stepping over a mud puddle, ”The only thing we got out of that was that mechanics are jerks.”

Smiling at his partner, Mulder said nothing as they crested the hill and walked towards their rented Caprice.  Unlocking and opening the passenger door for Scully, he continued grinning silently.

“What are you so happy about?” Scully said, still frustrated.

“Oh, come now Scully.” Mulder said as he walked around the back of the car to the driver’s door.  Opening the door and entering the car he continued, “It wasn’t all bad.  Did you see how anxious they got when I mentioned odd or unusual events?  Plus we know they have cameras at the pumps.  Assuming whatever happened to McCully started at the pumps, we have a chance to see it on film.  You know you love the movies, Scully.”

“Fine Mulder.” Scully said, warming slightly to her partner, “But still nothing has changed, and remember our 

agreement, we leave tomorrow if we have nothing new to go on.”

“Of course I remember.” Mulder said, still smiling.  Slipping the key into the ignition and turning, Mulder added, “I’ve been told I’m a great listener Scully, you of all people should know that.  Now, grab that map and direct me to the field security office, I want to get my hands on those surveillance tapes.”

Directing the car out of the ditch where it had been parked and onto the gravel road, Mulder drove them away from the oil field and the mechanics that resided there and towards the town of Minot.