Everyone wants Niki

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Mulder," said Niki in response to Agent Fox Mulder's accusation.

"Yes, you do," said Agent Mulder. "And by the way, it's Agent Mulder, not Mr. Mulder. Anyway, we have a photo of you on the bank security camera. Apparently when you robbed that bank, you were so arrogant that you did not even try to hide your identity. So if you'd just come with me..."

"There must be some mistake," said Niki. "I don't know who you saw in that photo but it wasn't me. And in case you haven't noticed, there are more than a few women in this club who are tall and blonde like me so what makes you so sure it's me?"

"Well, for one thing," said Agent Mulder, taking out a photo of a woman who looked a lot like Niki, "this tattoo on your neck that says, 'Property of Jessica Sanders'. Do you happen to know a Jessica Sanders, Miss --"

"Smith," said Niki hurriedly. "Jaclyn Smith."

"Seriously?" asked Agent Scully.

"Well, you appear to have a tattoo just like that on your neck, Ms. Smith," said Agent Mulder. "I noticed it during your -- ahem -- performance on stage just a few minutes ago."

Damn it, Jessica, thought Niki. Why did you have to do me like that?

But for once, Jessica was silent.

"Please don't arrest her, Agent Mulder," said a voice from behind her. "I can vouch for her. She was with me that day."

"Oh, really?" asked Agent Mulder. "What brings you out here to Las Vegas, Dexter? I would have thought that the crime in Miami kept you busy enough."

"Well, even the most dedicated workaholic has to take a vacation sometimes," said the red-haired white guy whom Agent Mulder called Dexter. "Even us hard-working blood splatter analysts."

"Why are you here, Dexter?" asked Agent Mulder. "It seems like every time we run into you, there turns out to be a weird serial killer on the loose."

"Yes, it's strange how that keeps happening," said Dexter. "My sister Deb complains about that all the time. But speaking of that, how is it coming along on that latest case you feds have gotten involved in? You know. The one where some maniac keeps killing people who have claimed to have superpowers."

"You know that Scully and I are not at liberty to discuss a case like that," said Agent Mulder.

"Oh, right," said Dexter. "I bet that guy is probably miles away from here, anyway."

"What makes you think it's a guy?" asked a gentleman with dark brown hair who looked suspiciously like the same customer whom Niki had seen arguing with a waitress over a tuna fish sandwich while she was on stage.

"I don't know," said Dexter. "What makes you think it's any of your business, Mr. -- Er, I didn't catch your name."

"Er, Smith," said the brown-haired gentleman. "Hugo Smith. I'm -- er, a sales rep for the Blue Pill Company."

"You two must be related," said Agent Scully, pointing to Niki and the brown-haired gentleman.

"Not really," said Niki. "I would have remembered having him as a relative."

"Oh, don't be that way, sis," said the brown-haired gentleman who called himself Hugo Smith. "Don't you want to come take a walk with me for a bit and leave these nice people alone?"

Sis? thought Niki. What game is he playing? Still I have to be polite.

"No, thanks, I'm not interested," said Niki.

"Well, you're obviously going to end up leaving here with one of these good people so it might as well be me, sis," said Hugo Smith.

"I said no thanks," said Niki.

"Excuse me, but is there a problem here?" said a brunette in a black suit who looked like she worked security for the strip club.

The brunette in question wore dark glasses and seemed very interested in Niki as well. Yet her attentions were not quite as irritating to Niki as those shown by Hugo Smith and the man called Dexter.

"No problem at all, L," said Agent Scully. "Mulder and I are just investigating a case."

"Oh, good, Dana," said the woman called L. "Then you won't mind too much if I do this."

Then the woman called L held up something that looked like a metal tire gauge and pushed a button. A bright light flashed in Niki's face and then suddenly she did not remember a thing.