impact wound to her chest—but we decided to risk a second scoop. There were other ambulances on the scene, but the accident was as bad as it gets. Many more bodies than wagons.”
102
Skin
Mulder watched as Canton grabbed a passing nurse by the waist. The young woman laughed, wriggling free.
Mulder could tell that Luke Canton was well liked. “And he remained stable en route to the hospital?”
“Unresponsive,” Canton answered. “But certainly stable. We doubted he was even involved in the accident itself; there were no exterior wounds you would expect from someone thrown from a crash, no bruises or cuts or anything—”
“Except the slight scratch,” Ross chimed in as they reached the curtain that led to the changing room. “A circular little thing on the back of his neck. But it didn’t look like much—I don’t remember if we even bothered to tell the interns when we brought him in.” Canton tossed a glance at his partner, who quickly looked at the floor. Canton looked at Mulder. “It was a crazy night. We had to get right back to the accident for the walking wounded. I’m sure the kids spotted the little scratch on their own. Anyway, I doubt it had anything to do with why the guy died.”
They pushed into the small changing room. There was a row of metal lockers on one side, three parallel wooden benches, a closet full of hangers, and a door that led to a shower room. Canton and his partner moved to their adjacent lockers. As they changed into clean uniforms, Mulder contemplated what Canton had just told him. His thoughts kept coming back to the scene of the accident, where the John Doe had been picked up. If he wasn’t thrown from one of the cars—why was he unconscious in 103
THE X-FILES
the breakdown lane, twenty yards away?
When the paramedics had finished changing, Mulder turned to Luke Canton. “I’ve already spoken to the dispatcher, and if it’s all right with you, I’d like to borrow an hour of your time.”
Canton raised his eyebrows. Then he glanced at his partner and shrugged. “If you’ve got the authority, I’ve got the hour.”
Mulder grinned. He liked Luke Canton’s attitude.
104
8
X The ambulance seemed to float through the three lanes of New York traffic as Luke Canton navigated between the moving bumpers with an expert’s grace.
Only twice did he have to reach above the dashboard and flick on the colored lights. Mulder watched the chain-link snakes of traffic slither by beneath the high side windows, amazed at how the cars stayed so close together at such high speeds. Coordinated chaos.
“It’s not surprising when they crash,” Canton said, reading his mind. “It’s surprising when they don’t. You know how many people die every year in cars?” Mulder had an idea, but said nothing. Canton pointed to a dented pickup truck weaving through the lanes two cars away. “More than fifty thousand. About the same number as die from AIDS. Funny thing. We’re quite will-105
THE X-FILES
ing to give up casual sex. But give up casual driving? No way.”
Mulder felt his seatbelt tighten as Canton punched the brake, and the ambulance suddenly veered to the right.
Mulder watched the guardrail grow closer as they rolled to a stop in the breakdown lane. The lane was actually more like a gully, stretching fifty yards along a curved section of rail. It was half the size of a regular lane, a few bare feet wider than the ambulance itself. Mulder saw a glimmer of broken glass a dozen yards ahead and the twisted remains of a rear bumper in the grass just on the other side of the railing. Other than the bumper and the glass, there were no visible signs of the accident.
“Looks like it’s been cleaned up pretty well.”
“Should have seen it right after the accident. The whole Drive was cluttered with metal and glass. All three of these lanes were closed. The cars looked like crumpled socks. You couldn’t even tell the front few apart. Found one woman sitting in the
102
Skin
Mulder watched as Canton grabbed a passing nurse by the waist. The young woman laughed, wriggling free.
Mulder could tell that Luke Canton was well liked. “And he remained stable en route to the hospital?”
“Unresponsive,” Canton answered. “But certainly stable. We doubted he was even involved in the accident itself; there were no exterior wounds you would expect from someone thrown from a crash, no bruises or cuts or anything—”
“Except the slight scratch,” Ross chimed in as they reached the curtain that led to the changing room. “A circular little thing on the back of his neck. But it didn’t look like much—I don’t remember if we even bothered to tell the interns when we brought him in.” Canton tossed a glance at his partner, who quickly looked at the floor. Canton looked at Mulder. “It was a crazy night. We had to get right back to the accident for the walking wounded. I’m sure the kids spotted the little scratch on their own. Anyway, I doubt it had anything to do with why the guy died.”
They pushed into the small changing room. There was a row of metal lockers on one side, three parallel wooden benches, a closet full of hangers, and a door that led to a shower room. Canton and his partner moved to their adjacent lockers. As they changed into clean uniforms, Mulder contemplated what Canton had just told him. His thoughts kept coming back to the scene of the accident, where the John Doe had been picked up. If he wasn’t thrown from one of the cars—why was he unconscious in 103
THE X-FILES
the breakdown lane, twenty yards away?
When the paramedics had finished changing, Mulder turned to Luke Canton. “I’ve already spoken to the dispatcher, and if it’s all right with you, I’d like to borrow an hour of your time.”
Canton raised his eyebrows. Then he glanced at his partner and shrugged. “If you’ve got the authority, I’ve got the hour.”
Mulder grinned. He liked Luke Canton’s attitude.
104
8
X The ambulance seemed to float through the three lanes of New York traffic as Luke Canton navigated between the moving bumpers with an expert’s grace.
Only twice did he have to reach above the dashboard and flick on the colored lights. Mulder watched the chain-link snakes of traffic slither by beneath the high side windows, amazed at how the cars stayed so close together at such high speeds. Coordinated chaos.
“It’s not surprising when they crash,” Canton said, reading his mind. “It’s surprising when they don’t. You know how many people die every year in cars?” Mulder had an idea, but said nothing. Canton pointed to a dented pickup truck weaving through the lanes two cars away. “More than fifty thousand. About the same number as die from AIDS. Funny thing. We’re quite will-105
THE X-FILES
ing to give up casual sex. But give up casual driving? No way.”
Mulder felt his seatbelt tighten as Canton punched the brake, and the ambulance suddenly veered to the right.
Mulder watched the guardrail grow closer as they rolled to a stop in the breakdown lane. The lane was actually more like a gully, stretching fifty yards along a curved section of rail. It was half the size of a regular lane, a few bare feet wider than the ambulance itself. Mulder saw a glimmer of broken glass a dozen yards ahead and the twisted remains of a rear bumper in the grass just on the other side of the railing. Other than the bumper and the glass, there were no visible signs of the accident.
“Looks like it’s been cleaned up pretty well.”
“Should have seen it right after the accident. The whole Drive was cluttered with metal and glass. All three of these lanes were closed. The cars looked like crumpled socks. You couldn’t even tell the front few apart. Found one woman sitting in the
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