FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C.
Office of Assuistant Director Skinner
Monday, 8:06 a.m.
Assistant Director Skinner nodded as they entered, his glasses gleaming as he sat behind his desk, a few beads of sweat on his bald head. "Good morning agents," he said a bit tiredly, "glad you could make it."
Fox Mulder sat down with a tired sigh, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I wish you hadn't had to pull us away from Roswell, sir," he said respectfully, "I think we were close to finding the alien teenagers."
"Supposed alien teenages," Dana Scully corrected, her redish brown hair falling into her eyes. "Except for a few unverified eyewitness accounts we found no hard evidence," she said simply.
"The eyewitness reports were pretty convincing," Mulder argued, "and I'm certain that police chief wasn't telling us all he knew..."
Skinner cleared his throat loudly, bringing their attention back to him. "Be that as it may, I have a new case I need you to look into," he said to them severely, "one that may be a matter of national security."
Mulder leaned forward in his chair, his expression much like a hunter sighting his prey. "Is it an X-File?" he asked intently.
"For now it's a missing person's case but it could very well become one," Skinner said, taking a file and passing it over.
As Mulder flipped the folder open they saw a atractive young woman, blonde hair falling over her shoulders, staring out with pure blue eyes. A attached sheet identified her as Madeline Sinclair, a National Security Agency operative who lived in Washington and worked out of her home analyzing transmission data and documents.
Scully kept silent,. waiting for more information while Mulder ventured, "Is she the missing person, a concerned relative, or the kidnapper?"
"Madeline Sinclair didn't report into work two weeks ago," Skinner verified, "the next day agents were dispatched to her home where her on-file passwords revealed that all of the sensitive data was there intact and apparently untampered with. She didn't take an airplane, her vehicle is still parked at the NSA and her credit cards haven't been used."
"Cash withdrawl?" Scully asked thoughtfully.
"A small one on the day of her disappearance, other than that all her accounts remain untouched," Skinner revealed.
"You wouldn't have called us in based on just this," Mulder said, studying their superior.
Skinner nodded, reaching over to reveal another photo in the file, an image of Madeline in front of a nightclub. "The only thing that has changed significantly in her behavior the past few months appears to be this," he said, "and this club seems to be quite unusual."
"Oh?" Scully asked.
"It moves," Skinner shrugged.
There was a moment's pause. "You mean it's a floating club, like the rave parties that teenages attend," Scully suggested tentatively.
"No," Skinner shook his head, "investigative officers have reported the club at different locations in the city, and there are less reliable reports saying it's appeared in different parts of the country and the world."
"That's impossible," Scully said flatly.
"Not necessarily," Mulder pointed out, "there have been stories of Brigadoons over the years, as well as shops that seem to appear and disappear." A smile, "This is the first time I've heard of a nightclub doing that, though."
"Either way I want you to investigate the club and Agent Sinclair's disappearance," Skinner said simply. He paused, "Oh, I believe Agent Scully will need to take the lead on this investigation."
"Eh?" Mulder looked up from reading more of the report.
"It seems that only women can find or enter the club," Skinner said calmly before returning to his paperwork.
"What's the name of the nightclub?" Scully asked doubtfully as she and Mulder headed towards their offices in the basement.
"Arisugawa's Locket," Mulder read.
Washington D.C.
Tuesday, 9:06 p.m.
"This is rediculous," Scully said as she looked into the car's mirror, checking her hair. She was dressed casually, wearing a dark skirt and jacket along with a white blouse, heels on her feet.
"The investigators who found the club reported that they went out to look and literally stumbled over it," Mulder said from behind the wheel, "and our attempt to find a address or location in the phone book or online failed."
"Unless you count the address in Tokyo," Scully added sourly.
Ignoring that Mulder continued, "So it seems reasonable that there must be some unusual phenomenon involved with the club."
"But the idea of looking for the club causing it to appear..." Scully shook her head.
"Well. quantum theory says that observing an event can effect the event," Mulder offered, "who's to say that this club might not be similar?" He hesitated as Scully got out of the car, "Are you sure you don't want to wear a wire?"
Standing by the car Scully straightened out her skirt, trying to get into the mindset of a women who was casually going out to a club. "We don't even know if I can find the club," she sighed, "much less if there's anything hazardous about it."
"A woman did disappear," Mulder said disapprovingly.
"But we don't know if it was unwillingly," Scully countered. In investigating Madeline it soon became apparent that she was a closeted lesbian, and from discussions with co-workers she had been increasigly balking at the restrictions her job placed on her life.
"All right," Mulder sighed, "just be careful."
The night air was cool on Scully's skin as she walked away from Mulder's car, feeling a slow prickling of excitement within her. While she was quite comfortable with her work as a dispassionate scientist there was also a certain degree of pleasure in actively investigating a case out in the field, trying to find the answers in a hands on way. She strode by neon lights, bars and other businesses, feeling eyes on her as she looked around where one of the investigators had found the club last. Of course, it wasn't there.
'I wonder where it is?' Scully wondered as she went around a corner... then stopped in surprise. A lineup of women waited to get inside the club, a band of women who came from a variety of backgrounds and ages, all quite attractive and finely dressed. Up above them a neon light colored the darkness reading, 'Arisugawa's Locket.'
Washington D.C.
Arisugawa's Locket
Tuesday, 10:03 p.m.
"Madeline Sinclair?" Ryouko asked, the blue haired woman pouring a glass of ginger ale for Scully. "Yeah, she's a regular."
Scully leaned against the bar, feeling gazes resting on her body as she took the glass and drank a bit. After talking to several people in line and the door woman Hitomi she had been sent up to see the bartender. "You mean she's still coming in?" she asked.
"Yeah, she was in last night," Ryouko said then excused herself, heading up the bar to serve another customer.
Scully turned around to sweep the place with her eyes, wondering at the odd customers and unique staff. Most of them seemed to be dressed in outlandish costumes like maid's clothes or uniforms and even the customers wore everything from party clothes to costumes out of science fiction or fantasy.
"I understand you've been asking about me," the amused voice said from behind her. Turning around Scully saw Madeline Sinclair looking at her with a frown, a lovely looking young woman standing close to her side with brown hair and glasses.
"Miss Sinclair," Scully made sure no one was looking at them as she flashed her identification, "there's been some concern over your disappearance."
Madeline sighed softly, the vibrant looking blonde woman looking faintly pained. "I guess I should have taken the time to close up my old life," she quietly admitted, "but it all seemed so irrelivant to me, somehow."
"Oh?" Scully asked.
Madeline smiled as she squeezed her companion's hand, "I met Yukino here a few months ago, and we started dating whenever I could get away from work." She frowned, "But more and more I began to resent how little time we could spend together..."
"I didn't want her to give up her old job," Yukino confessed shyly, "I know that moving away is going to be hard for her." She looked at Madeline with love in her eyes, "But I'm sure we'll be all right together."
A faint blush colored Scully's cheeks as she watched the two womenn. "And the money and things you left behind?" she asked as businesslike as possible.
Madeline actualy blushed faintly. "We've been a bit busy honeymooning," she admitted, "I plan to take care of all of it later."
'I so didn't need to know that,' Scully thought to herself wryly.
Washington D.C.
A room in Arisugawa's Locket
Wednesday, 12:03 a.m.
The sound of a computer was quiet as Scully typed away. "...and apparently Madeline Sinclair was intending to resign in the near future. She has promised to clean up her affairs, as well as signing all the appropriate nondisclosure agreements with the NSA."
"The unusual nature of the club itself can be easily explained if one looks at it logically. Arisugawa Juri, the owner of the Locket, is known to be somewhat eccentric and has encouraged the mythology of the moving club, possibly even shipping around the neon sign that adorns the building. The similar staff that witnesses have reported can also be easily explained if one takes into acount the unique costumes the staff wears, which could easily be duplicated amoung several clubs."
"In conclusion Madeline Sinclair is safe, alive and well and there appears to be nothing paranormal about Arisugawa's Locket," Scully finished typing her report, sitting back with a sigh.
"Are you finished yet?" the young woman asked from where she sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Scully with a seductive intensity. She was in her early twenties, some brown hair falling into her eyes and a length on one side secured back with a ribbon.
"Yes, thank you for lending me your computer, Lain," Scully said, blushing as she felt a very different tinge of anticipation.
Lain gave a slow smile, "I can think of a few ways you can pay off the loan..."
End
Notes: Yes, I used to be an X-files nut back in the first couple of seasons and before they moved the production to Hollywood. The idea of the agents looking into the Locket amused me, and it was surprisingly easy to write. Of course I had to have Scully come up with a "rational" reason why the bar moved, but I hope it wasn't too far fetched.
Arisugawa's Locket Characters: Ryouko is from Tenchi Muyo, Yukino is from Mai-Hime, and Lain is from Serial Experiments Lain.