Agent of Chaos (The X-Files: Origins #1)(52)

Pounding.

Followed by stairs creaking and voices.

An army’s worth of black boots came down the steps.

“County sheriff. Put your hands in the air,” an officer shouted at Earl Roy.

“Don’t touch the paintbrush on the floor,” Mulder warned. “It has poison all over it.”

When the deputies realized Earl Roy wasn’t armed, three of them rushed the killer and threw him to the ground, while another cop grabbed Mulder by the shoulders and dragged him out of the way.

“There’s a little girl over there.” Mulder nodded in Sarah’s direction. “I think she was drugged. Her name is Sarah Lowe. Please help her.”

Another officer rushed to the child’s side.

The cop quickly untied the rope around Mulder’s wrists. “Are you all right?”

Mulder nodded.

Not even close.

Earl Roy was lying on his stomach, with his hands cuffed behind his back. Most of the white paint had smeared off his face, and he looked more like a regular person.

Monsters shouldn’t be able to blend in with normal people. If a kid came face-to-face with one, how were they supposed to know?

A deputy freed Sarah Lowe and wrapped his jacket around her small frame to scoop her up into his arms. Mulder rushed over and wrapped the edges of the jacket tighter around the little girl.

“Will she be okay?” He swallowed hard, afraid of the answer.

“I don’t know what he gave her, but an ambulance is on its way.” The deputy noticed the worried look in Mulder’s eyes and added, “But she’s breathing and her pulse rate is normal, and those are good signs.”

The sheriff surveyed the symbols painted on the walls with a look of pure disgust and stormed over to the spot where the killer was lying on the floor.

“Earl Roy Propps, you’re under arrest.” The sheriff nodded at one of his deputies. “Read the son of a bitch his rights.”

Earl Roy began to sing. “‘As Chaos lays me down to sleep, I beg the Law my soul to keep.…’”

“What are you waiting for? Get those kids out of here.” The sheriff motioned to the stairs, then returned to issuing orders to the rest of his team. The deputy carried Sarah as he led Mulder along the perimeter of the room to the stairs.

The sheriff caught up with them on the first floor. “I’ll need to take your statement. But I’m curious. How did you end up here tonight?”

“Didn’t my friends tell you?” Knowing Phoebe, she probably hadn’t wasted any time on the details.

“You mean those kids outside in the orange car?”

“Yeah.”

“We haven’t talked to them yet,” the sheriff said. “Someone called in an anonymous tip. The caller said he witnessed a man dragging an unconscious teenager into a house and gave us this address.”

An anonymous tip?

This house was in the middle of a wildlife refuge, and nobody except Mulder’s friends had been around when Earl Roy choked him out. Why would Phoebe and Gimble call in a tip instead of just telling the cops what happened?

When they reached the front door, Mulder stopped. “Sheriff, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What’s on your mind?”

Mulder rubbed the back of his head, where a huge knot had formed. “Earl Roy wasn’t working alone. He has a partner, and the other killer is still out there.”

The sheriff put his hand on Mulder’s shoulder. “You’ve had a rough night, and I think you’re in shock. It can cause paranoia. But it’s normal. It’ll pass.”

“I’m not in shock. Earl Roy can’t stand the sight of blood. He’s terrified of it. I cut my hand and—”

“You need some rest, son.”

“I’m fine. I swear. If you could just—”

The deputy nudged open the front door, and when the paramedics saw the child in his arms, they descended on Sarah Lowe and whisked her away. The dirt driveway was now a sea of police cars and flashing lights.

“Fox?” Phoebe shouted, racing up the porch steps. Her pigtails had come loose and her hair was tangled. She threw her arms around him and squeezed. “I’m sorry. We tried to find the police station.”

“But we went the wrong way,” Gimble said apologetically.

“The sheriff said someone called in an anonymous tip. Why didn’t you just tell them who you were?” Mulder asked.

Phoebe looked confused. “It wasn’t us. I turned the wrong way on the main road. Eventually, we figured it out and turned around. Then we saw the police cars, so I followed them.”

“Then who called in the tip?” Mulder was stumped. The hair on the back of his next stood on end. Had someone else been watching them?

Gimble shrugged. “I don’t know. Just be happy they did.”

A paramedic slipped past Gimble and Phoebe and approached Mulder. “I need to check you out.”

“I’m okay.”

“Let’s make sure.” The paramedic examined Mulder’s hand.

“Is the little girl all right?” Mulder asked.

He nodded. “She’s still disoriented, but her vital signs are good.”

“You saved her life.” Phoebe rested her head on Mulder’s shoulder and reached for his hand. She noticed the blood and gasped. “You’re hurt!”