TV. As he drove through town, desperately searching for an animal care clinic, he wondered why the inhabitants hadn’t bothered to roll up the sidewalks with sundown.
Finally he saw an unlit painted sign, “Hughart’s Family Veterinary Clinic,” and he swerved into the empty parking lot. Megan and Rory both sniffled in the backseat; his wife sat tight-lipped and silent next to him up front.
Richard took the responsibility himself, climbing the cement steps and ringing the buzzer at the veterinarian’s door. He vigorously rapped his knuckles on the window until finally a light flicked on in the foyer.
When an old man peered at them through the glass, Richard shouted, “We’ve got a hurt dog in the car. We need your help.”
The old veterinarian showed no surprise at all, as if he had expected nothing else. He unlocked the door 26
T H E X - F I L E S
as Richard gestured toward the Subaru. “We hit him back up the highway. I . . . I think it’s pretty bad.”
“We’ll see what we can do,” the vet said, going around to the rear of the car. Richard swung open the hatchback, and both Megan and Rory clambered out of their seats, intently interested, their eyes wide with hope.
The vet took one look at the children, then met Richard’s eyes, understanding exactly the undertones here.
In back, the dog lay bloody and mangled, somehow still alive. To Richard’s surprise, the black Lab seemed stronger than before, breathing more evenly, deeply asleep. The vet stared at it, and from the masked expression on the old man’s face, Richard knew the dog had no hope of surviving.
“This isn’t your dog?” the vet asked.
“No, sir,” Richard answered. “No tags, either.
Didn’t see any.”
Megan peered into the back to look. “Is he going to be all right, Mister?” she asked. “Are we coming back to visit him, Daddy?”
“We’ll have to leave him here, honey,” he answered.
“This man will know what to do with the dog.”
The vet smiled at her. “Of course he’ll be all right,” he said. “I’ve got some special kinds of bandages.” He looked up at Richard. “If you could help me carry him in back to the surgery, I’ll let you all be on your way.”
Richard swallowed hard. The way the old man looked right into his heart, he knew the vet must see cases like this every week, hurt animals abandoned to his care.
Together the two men reached under the blanket, lifting the heavy dog. With a grunt, they began to shuffle-walk to the back door of the clinic. “He’s hot ,”
the vet said as they entered the swinging door.
Leaving the dog on the operating table, the vet went around the room, flicking on lights.
antibodies
27
Anxious to be away, Richard stepped to the door, thanking the old man profusely. He left one of his business cards on the reception table, hesitated, then thought better of it. He tucked the card back in his pocket and hurried out the front door.
He rushed back to the Subaru and swung himself inside. “He’ll take care of everything,” Richard said to no one in particular, then jammed the vehicle into gear. His hands felt grimy, dirty, covered with fur and a smear of the dog’s blood.
The car drove off as Richard desperately tried to relocate the peace and joy of a family vacation. The night insects resumed their music in the forest.
FIVE
Mercy Hospital
Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, 10:03 A.M.
The middle of morning on a gray day. Early X mist hanging above and through the air made the temperature clammy and colder than it should have been. The clouds and gloom would burn off by noon, giving a blessed few minutes of sunshine before the clouds and the rain rolled in again.
Typical morning, typical Portland.
Scully didn’t suppose it made any difference if she and Mulder were going to spend the day in a hospital morgue anyway.
In the basement levels of the hospital, the quiet halls were like tombs. Scully had seen the same thing in many hospitals where she had
Finally he saw an unlit painted sign, “Hughart’s Family Veterinary Clinic,” and he swerved into the empty parking lot. Megan and Rory both sniffled in the backseat; his wife sat tight-lipped and silent next to him up front.
Richard took the responsibility himself, climbing the cement steps and ringing the buzzer at the veterinarian’s door. He vigorously rapped his knuckles on the window until finally a light flicked on in the foyer.
When an old man peered at them through the glass, Richard shouted, “We’ve got a hurt dog in the car. We need your help.”
The old veterinarian showed no surprise at all, as if he had expected nothing else. He unlocked the door 26
T H E X - F I L E S
as Richard gestured toward the Subaru. “We hit him back up the highway. I . . . I think it’s pretty bad.”
“We’ll see what we can do,” the vet said, going around to the rear of the car. Richard swung open the hatchback, and both Megan and Rory clambered out of their seats, intently interested, their eyes wide with hope.
The vet took one look at the children, then met Richard’s eyes, understanding exactly the undertones here.
In back, the dog lay bloody and mangled, somehow still alive. To Richard’s surprise, the black Lab seemed stronger than before, breathing more evenly, deeply asleep. The vet stared at it, and from the masked expression on the old man’s face, Richard knew the dog had no hope of surviving.
“This isn’t your dog?” the vet asked.
“No, sir,” Richard answered. “No tags, either.
Didn’t see any.”
Megan peered into the back to look. “Is he going to be all right, Mister?” she asked. “Are we coming back to visit him, Daddy?”
“We’ll have to leave him here, honey,” he answered.
“This man will know what to do with the dog.”
The vet smiled at her. “Of course he’ll be all right,” he said. “I’ve got some special kinds of bandages.” He looked up at Richard. “If you could help me carry him in back to the surgery, I’ll let you all be on your way.”
Richard swallowed hard. The way the old man looked right into his heart, he knew the vet must see cases like this every week, hurt animals abandoned to his care.
Together the two men reached under the blanket, lifting the heavy dog. With a grunt, they began to shuffle-walk to the back door of the clinic. “He’s hot ,”
the vet said as they entered the swinging door.
Leaving the dog on the operating table, the vet went around the room, flicking on lights.
antibodies
27
Anxious to be away, Richard stepped to the door, thanking the old man profusely. He left one of his business cards on the reception table, hesitated, then thought better of it. He tucked the card back in his pocket and hurried out the front door.
He rushed back to the Subaru and swung himself inside. “He’ll take care of everything,” Richard said to no one in particular, then jammed the vehicle into gear. His hands felt grimy, dirty, covered with fur and a smear of the dog’s blood.
The car drove off as Richard desperately tried to relocate the peace and joy of a family vacation. The night insects resumed their music in the forest.
FIVE
Mercy Hospital
Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, 10:03 A.M.
The middle of morning on a gray day. Early X mist hanging above and through the air made the temperature clammy and colder than it should have been. The clouds and gloom would burn off by noon, giving a blessed few minutes of sunshine before the clouds and the rain rolled in again.
Typical morning, typical Portland.
Scully didn’t suppose it made any difference if she and Mulder were going to spend the day in a hospital morgue anyway.
In the basement levels of the hospital, the quiet halls were like tombs. Scully had seen the same thing in many hospitals where she had
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