milliways_bar | (no subject)

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The door swings open and in, letting in the tail end of a conversation.

"…wasn't the nicest guy, sure, but Jerry didn't deserve to go like that. Not at the hands of a homicidal talking computer system."

Mulder steps in, long-limbed and languid. His spine straightens as he sees where he is, a keen excitement overtaking his features.

"Scully. Hold the door."

He disappears from the bar again, ducking out of sight. Seconds later he's back, suit jacket abandoned, sleeves rolled back, armed with a camcorder. It looks brand-new but that's relative—it probably came with a manual that looked something like this. He boots it up right away.

"This is it. Evidence of the Bar Abduction Phenomenon." Swivelling the recording end at his partner: "Smile. We're making history."

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"One tape? Maybe not. But I intend to accumulate enough evidence to make doubt impossible. This is just the beginning."

All of this is delivered through the camcorder's viewfinder, which he now trains on the man.

"On that note, care to answer some questions?"

Artie doesn't say a word, yet. He does, however, give Scully a sympathetic look.

Scully looks at the gentleman and gives him an apologetic look.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Special Agent Dana Scully, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder."

She offers a hand in greeting, gracefully placing herself between Mulder and Artie, in case things get testy over the camera.

"Artie Neilsen. Secret Service." He shakes the offered hand politely. "Special agent of which agency?"

Scully's eyebrows rise, clearly impressed with this new information. Of course, she assumes he's some sort of analyst, as he doesn't have the standard physique for a field agent.

"Bureau," she says, casting a glance back at Mulder. "X-Files, specifically."

Scully's more or less got his job duties pegged, but Artie isn't about to tell her that unless she asks directly. Possibly not even then.

"Uh-huh. What year?"

"Nineteen ninety-three," Mulder replies. He is, of course, still filming.

Artie nods. "Two thousand nine," he replies. "And no, I'm not going to tell you any significant historical events between your time and mine, so don't even bother asking."

There are Protocols for that sort of thing.

"Understood."

He does his best not to pout.

"But would you object to answering some questions about the bar…?"

Artie considers this a moment, then shrugs. "Fire away. But I can't guarantee I'll have the answers you're looking for, this place defies even the people who live here."

"Well, let's start there, then. You say people live here? Full time?"

"Some, yeah. But it's not--they don't do it voluntarily, at least not that I know of. Do you know what being 'Bound' means?"

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