Bait and Switch (X-Files story)

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Fanfiction
Title: Bait and Switch
Author(s): Syntax6
Date(s): 17 September 2006
Length:
Genre:
Fandom: The X-Files
External Links: Bait and Switch (Fanfiction by syntax6)

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Bait and Switch is an X-Files story by Syntax6.

Reactions and Reviews

Like most of Syntax6’s longer works, “Bait and Switch” is about murder, but in this case Mulder isn’t just an investigator, he is also a suspect. The time line is early season six. Mulder and Scully are under Kersh’s thumb, doing background checks. Diana Fowley is in charge of the X-Files. The plot is intricate, with the mystery directly connected to Mulder’s past with Diana, and his relationships with both Diana and Scully in the present. Her portrait of Diana Fowley is complex and original; her Mulder and her Scully voices are uncannily close to the series. Even the second time through, “Bait and Switch” was a fast and insanely compelling read for me.

She doesn’t provide ratings or warnings and you can only read this fic at her website. This excerpt from the Author’s Note (which is no longer up) gives a decent idea of what to expect.

Q. So what’s this story about, anyway?

A. It’s a noir-ish tale where good people may do bad things, bad people may do good things, and sometimes it might not be possible to tell the difference. The lucky ones live to tell about it.

Q. Yeah, but do Mulder and Scully get to have sex and stuff?

A. Yes.

Q. Wait, that was too easy. This sex, do they have it with each other?

A. Totally possible.

Q. When they’re not having sex, what are they doing?

A. They’re caught up in a murder that cuts very close to home. The investigation reveals truths about each other that they may never have wanted to know.

“Bait and Switch” isn’t exactly a “guilty pleasure” story, since those mostly involve Mulder/Scully/Krycek and/or paddling (giving a whole new meaning to the term “crackfic”), but I will say I found the sex scene really hot. The first time I read it, I thought I was going into ventricular fibrillation, my heart was beating so rapidly. As always, sexy is in the eye of the beholder, so there’s no guarantee you’ll require resuscitation.[1]

References