The entire structure vibrated as Mulder strug-gled on, fighting his own flagging energy as he half-carried, half-pulled Scully as quickly as he could down the fog-shrouded corridor.
Approaching the place where Mulder first slipped down into the passage, the walls were now slick with ru
Its body was no longer encased in solid ice. Through the layers of ice and translucent skin the embryonic creature inside could be glimpsed, turning very slightly as though coming awake. Mulder gazed at it transfixed, then quickly turned and stared up at the ceil-ing.
"Scully, reach up and grab that vent."
She did not respond. He looked downward and saw that she had lost consciousness. With gentle urgency he laid her on the floor. "Scully, come on, Scully—"
He hastened to unzip her jacket, his fingers moving across her neck as he sought a pulse. "Scully—"
She strained harder to breathe as he thrust his fingers into her mouth, clearing her pas-sageway.
"Breathe, Scully." He straddled her, palms flat against her chest as he pumped hard, forcing air into her.
One. Two. Three.
He leaned down and put his mouth against hers, feeling how cold her lips were, and her cheeks. He breathed into her, turning his head away and listening for the telltale gurgle of air in her lungs.
Nothing.
He pumped her chest again, his move-ments growing more and more frantic as her eyes bulged and her face darkened from scarlet to nearly purple.
One. Two. Three.
His mouth against hers, breathing; his ear against her chest.
Still nothing.
Behind him, unseen, the embryonic crea-tures thrashed within their hosts, as the ice around them began to fall in chunks to the floor. At the sound, Mulder turned and saw them striving to escape, and realized their urgency was even greater. With new haste Mulder continued CPR, oblivious to anything but Scully. Abruptly he drew back from her.
Then beneath him she suddenly moved. A shudder as she sucked in air, and then began to cough. The awful bruised color drained from her face, as did that dreadful panic. She gazed at Mulder, eyes focusing on his, and her lips parted.
"Mulder—" she said in a pained whisper. He lowered his face until it brushed hers, lis-tening raptly.
"Mulder—
"Had you big time."
The faintest grin flitted across his face. Before he could reply, a loud chunk echoed from behind him.
Mulder whipped his head around.
"Holy shit—"