WRITTEN: 6-12-99
X FILES
UNKOWN FACE PART 1
INTRODUCTION:
STATE PARK, IOWA
10 P.M.
(The scene opens with two teenage boys standing under a group of "Y" shaped telephone poles. The scene shows them walking up a hillside within a forest with lanterns. Crickets and owls are heard in the woods. The teenagers get to the top, looking around at the sky. They walk over to a large clearing ahead of them. They sit down in the middle of the clearing with their notebooks.)
TIM: (As he is writing, holding his light in his left hand.) How much of this assignment did you get done so far, Rick?
RICK: (Looks up from his book.) Who are you kidding? I can't even get into the assignment of read our astrology book.
TIM: (Still writing in his notebook.) Then what are you doing out here?
RICK: (Looks up at the stars) Well I like this part of the assignment. Being outdoors looking at a clear starlit sky. I don't know much about it. But I like being out admiring it. (Looks at Tim.) Need I go?
TIM: (Looks at Rick.) I think you made your point. (Suddenly a bright flash of light races across the sky, making a sound like a sonic jet engine as it moves. Then, as quickly as it came it disappears, then silence. Tim and Rick look at each other.)
TOGETHER: What was that?
RICK: (Looking at the sky.) I don't think that was part of our assignment- (Looks at Tim.) was it?
TIM: No I don't thin…. (Music starts)
-1-
(A bright light interrupts his speech as it shines out of the woods. Once again, there is a loud mechanical sound. The two teenagers start to run from it. When another light, in front of them, shines brightly with the same strange noise. The light moves toward them, almost surrounding them. They try to scream, but the light engulfs them. Suddenly, the light disappears. The boys are laying on the ground. Tim gets up and looks around for his friend. Rick is a few feet away. Tim walks toward him.)
TIM: (Trying to get Rick to move.) Rick, are you all right? (He don't respond. Tim shakes him gently.)Rick, says something. Talk to me, man!
(Rick starts to move slowly. He looks around somewhat in a daze. He looks at Tim but sees an alien face instead.)
RICK: (Dazed and confused.) Where am I? Who are you?
TIM: It's me, Tim. Don't you recognize me? (The scene reveal from Rick's view point, he sees an alien face.)
RICK: (Quickly backs away.) Who are you? What do you want with me? (Stands up and runs away from him.) Go away! Leave me alone! (Tim runs after him.)
TIM: Wait, Rick! Stop! (Tim stops running as Rick continues to run off screaming. As he's running off, the scene reveals the "Y" shaped telephone poles.) (Music stops)
10 A.M.
FBI HEADQUARTERS
(Mulder walks into Skinners office. Scully is sitting in front of Skinner's desk. She looks back at Mulder. He gives her a half a hand wave and winks as he sits beside her.)
SKINNER: (Reaches for his pen.) You're late agent Mulder. (Mulder sheepishly looks at him, nodding yes.) This won't take long. I received a call this morning from the Iowa State Police. Two teenagers were outside last night supposedly observing the constellations (Mulder looks at Scully smiling at Skinners remarks. She looks at him as if to say, "All right. Behave." Skinner notices.) Agent Mulder, this is not an X file, as far as I know.
-2-
SKINNER: (CONT.) That's why I'm assigning it to you. I figured it would be in your best interest. Besides, no one else wanted to deal with it. Now keep in mind, these teenagers I'm talking about are "normal" as any teenager can be. But they both ran into something.
MULDER: (Anxious) And what kind of something might that be? (Scully rolls her eyes back at him.)
SKINNER: They don't know. Tim and Rick were well thought of in that small town. They were clean cut, didn't do drugs, and did their homework, got average grades in school. And from what they tell us, they are perfectly normal well-adjusted kids. Until last night.
SCULLY: Why did they call us? What really happened? (Mulder looks at Scully and back at Skinner.)
SKINNER: Well, apparently while they were out there, they saw a bright light. After which Rick did not know his friend Tim at all. I guess Rick ran away from him rattling on that he was an "Alien being." (Mulder smiles, Scully looks at him.) They didn't get to much out of the two boys other than that.
MULDER: (Wanting to hear more.)Is that right. (Scully looks at him again and shakes her head with the expression of asking, "why me?")
SKINNER: The crazy part about this case is that eyewitnesses found the two teenagers running out of the woods. Not from something but what seemed like form one another.
MULDER: (Thinking.) Hmmmm.. (Scully looks at him and back at Skinner.)
SKINNER: That's your assignment. You are due over there as soon as possible. That'll be all. (Mulder sits there in a daze. Scully stands up t o leave, looking down at Mulder.)
SCULLY: (Tapping him on the shoulder.) Let's go, Mulder. (He stands up and walks out of Skinners office with Scully, closing the door behind them.)
-3-
MULDER: Hey Scully. (She turns around to look at him.) I can't make out what kind of an assignment he just gave us. It's not even an X file.
SCULLY: Yeah it is. You got your alien faces, strange phenomenon, and two teenage boys running from an unknown source. What else do you want? That these two boys have a history of being abducted, or they found alien beings in the forest?
MULDER: (Looking at her.) Scully. You never cease to amaze me.
SCULLY: (They start to walk toward the elevator.) Don't get used to it.
MIDDLETOWN, IOWA5:30 P.M. POLICE DEPARTMENT
(Music starts) (As Mulder is driving, Scully is looking out the window. She starts narrating as they move along.)
SCULLY: After Mulder and I had been assigned to this case, and on our way to Middletown. I discovered that it is a little town, hardly visible on our map. We have been traveling this stretch of road for two hours. As we are going along, I have noticed along the side of the road, in different areas, and in-groups, "Y" shaped telephone poles. They're quite different from most and unlike anything I had ever seen before. They had a character all their own. I guess I didn't give them a second thought but just watched them as we drove by. I figured I noticed them out of boredom, (Looks at Mulder.) driving so long and in silence. (The scene shows them arriving into Middletown. Mulder pulls the car into the police department parking lot.) (Music stops) (They both get out of the car. Mulder, still silent, walks into the police department. As he opens the doors, one of them open to wide and knocks over a gumball machine, breaking it and flinging gumballs everywhere. Scully enters and looks down at the gumball machine and all the gumballs laying everywhere. She looks at Mulder. Then she looks at everyone staring at them.)
SCULLY: You sure know how to get peoples attention, don't you Mulder.
-4-
MULDER: (Aggravated and embarrassed, shaking the glass off his shoes.) It's not my fault they put that thing to close to the door. (The sheriff comes rushing out of his office and over to Mulder and Scully.)
SHERIFF: What happened here? What's going on?
MULDER: (Starts to take out his badge.) Are you the sheriff?
SHERIFF: No I'm Bill Clinton! YES, I'm the sheriff and you must be Clumsy the Clown.
MULDER: (Showing his badge.) Good guess. I'm special Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI. This is my partner Dana Scully. We've been sent here on assignment concerning a strange occurrence between two teenagers here.
SHERIFF: (Looking at his deputy standing at the door.) I should have figured. (Looks at Mulder.) A couple of FBI government paid agents coming in here destroying stuff. (Scully smiles, looking down at the floor, she notices Mulder looking at her and she quits smiling.)
MULDER: I'm sorry about your gumball machine, but it was to close to the door.
SHERIFF: (As he is walking toward Mulder.) We've had that gumball machine here in that same exact spot for the past ten years I've been sheriff here. And there have been no problems with people coming in knocking the thing over! (Glares at Mulder.) Until now. (Scully walks by the front desk, snickering. Mulder glares at her, then back at the sheriff.)
MULDER: (Getting frustrated.) Again I'm sorry, but we are here to investigate an incident with two teenagers.
SHERIFF: (Walks to his desk and sits down. Mulder and Scully follow him.) They're locked up.
MULDER: Locked up!?
SHERIFF: That's right.
-5-
SCULLY: (Staying close to Mulder.) From what we understood, these two kids committed no crime.
SHERIFF: That's right.
MULDER: (Becoming hyper.) Can we have some answers here?!
SHERIFF: (Getting annoyed.) Look, Murder, I—
MULDER: It's Mulder.
SHERIFF: Whatever! I ain't answering no questions. I'm not even giving my name! (Grabs his nameplate off his desk.) Not until the gumball machine (Points at Mulder.) That YOU broke gets fixed!
MULDER: (Looks at Scully and back at the sheriff.) Let's get out of here, Scully! (Mulder rushes out of the office. Scully looks at the sheriff and then catches up with Mulder. Outside Mulder is pacing back and forth. As Scully walks out, he stops and looks at her, getting more and more mad. As Scully approaches Mulder, she notices the "Y" shaped telephone poles. She then looks at Mulder.) What kind of hick town is this anyway?!
SCULLY: (Wanting to annoy him.) All right Murder!
MULDER: (Glares at her in irritation.) What are we doing here, Scully?
SCULLY: Mulder, enough of the attitude. We didn't come into this town in a normal fashion you know.
MULDER: So I broke a stupid gumball machine. We are here on a case about two teenagers, not gumball machines!
SCULLY: Settle down, Mulder. Let's go back to the hotel and call Skinner. (Briefly taps his arm for reassurance. They both walk back to their car.)
-6-
6:16 P.M.
THE INN HOTEL
(Mulder is sitting on Scully's bed, digging through newspaper articles that deal with the teenagers. Scully is on her cell phone, call Skinner.)
SCULLY: (Watches Mulder throwing newspapers all over the bed and floor of her room.) Yes (Throws paper back on the bed from where Mulder threw it. He looks at her making a strange face.) May I speak to A.D. Skinner, please? This is agent Dana Scully. (Pause.) Thank you. (Waits for two minutes, watching Mulder ripping through newspaper.) Mulder, you're making a mess! (Mulder looks around the room.)
MULDER: OOPS! Sorry! (Throws another article on the floor. Scully sighs in frustration.)
SCULLY: Hello, sir. I have a question.
MULDER: (Looking at an article.) Make that two. (Scully looks at him and back at his mess.)
SCULLY: Mulder and I are out here in Middletown. We just left the police department fifteen minutes ago. The sheriff was unwilling to talk to us. We were under the impression that he was the one that asked for the FBI. (Pause.) Yes sir. (Pause.) That's right. He told us he had the teenagers locked up. (Pause.) Yes. (Pause.) No. (Pause.) Yes. (Mulder looks at her with the expression, saying, is your needle stuck or what?) But how are we…. (Pause.) Yes sir. (Pause.) Alright. (Getting frustrated.) Goodbye. (Looks at Mulder as she turns her phone off.)
MULDER: (Looks at her.) Well?
SCULLY: (Looking at the mess he made.) Skinner said he didn't understand why the sheriff is being so uncooperative. (Looks at Mulder.) He said he would call the sheriff himself and give us a call back.
MULDER: (Rustles through the papers again) I know why. (Looks at Scully.) I broke his stupid gumball machine. (Wades through the papers looking for more articles.)
-7-
SCULLY: (Sitting in a recliner across from him.) Must you go through all those newspapers? You look like you're getting ready for hibernation.
MULDER: (With a sinister smile, being almost buried in newspapers.) You jealous, Scully? You want to hibernate with me?
SCULLY: (Glaring.) No! (Looks at her watch, then back at Mulder) Mulder? Do you ever get tired?
MULDER: (Rolling up an article) Why?
SCULLY: We traveled over four hours from the airport to get out of the car and immediately start the investigation. And—her cell phone interrupts her.) Scully. (Pause.) Yes sir.
MULDER: (Looks over at her.) Who is it? (Scully points her finger at Mulder to tell him just a minute.)
SCULLY: Yes. (Pause.) Yes sir he did. (Looks at Mulder. Mulder looks back at her in concern.) It was an accident. He opened the door to wide and it knocked it over. (Mulder looks up in disgust as he continues to dig through articles.) Alright sir, thank you. (She turns off her phone and looks at him.) The sheriff told Skinner that he would talk to us tomorrow.
MULDER: (Looks over at Scully.) In other words we wasted our time. With nothing accomplished or started.
SCULLY: Not really. You got to break a gumball machine. And now your getting to investigate fifty pick and throw newspaper articles.
MULDER: (Looking at all the newspaper.) Funny!
SCULLY: (Sits down by Mulder, on top of some newspapers.) Did you find anything?
MULDER: (Sees her sitting on the newspapers he wanted.) Woe! Stop. Stand up.
SCULLY: Why?
-8-
MULDER: Stand up. You're sitting on my articles.
SCULLY: Oh brother. (Stands up as he moves the paper out of her way.) Sorry. How do you know which article you want? (Looking at all the newspapers surrounding her.)
MULDER: (Looks at her like, why are you picking on me?) You're just out to get me today aren't you?
SCULLY: (Smiles) What do you mean?
MULDER: Telling Skinner, oh he opened the door too wide and broke it. You're messing up my room, Mulder.
SCULLY: (Puts her hand on his shoulder.) I'm sorry. (Mulder looks away from her and at the article he took from her. He notices an ad about the teenagers.)
MULDER: (Shows Scully.) Scully, look. (She holds one side of the article as he holds the other.) Two teenagers were seen screaming out of the State Park yesterday. They were seen screaming about aliens chasing them. (Smiling looks further down the article.) Eyewitnesses report a bright light emitting out from the woods. As if it were going after the teenagers. (Looks at Scully.)
SCULLY: So what's this have to do with anything, Mulder?
MULDER: A lot. You were right. (Scully looks at him.) It is an X file. (Scully sighs, not believing what she's hearing. Knowing she stepped into her own trap trying to encourage him back in D.C.) To start out with, we should go to that park. And start our investigation there. (Scully raises her eyebrows as if to remark, "okay".)
-9-
IOWA STATE PARK
9 P.M.
(Music starts) (Mulder and Scully get out of their car. While getting out, Scully looks up and notices the "Y" shaped poles again.)
SCULLY: (Puzzled.) Mulder? (Notices he is already walking out toward the clearing, where the teenagers were. Scully walks out to the middle of the clearing, looking around. As she does she looks at Mulder. He's looking up at the sky and around the ground. Scully walks over to him from behind.) Finding anything? (Mulder jumps.) I'm sorry!
MULDER: (Looks at her.) Don't be. It's alright. You just startled me.
SCULLY: What are you so deep in thought about?
MULDER: (Looking up at the sky.) I'm just in awe.
SCULLY: About what? (A mechanical sound is heard from behind them. They both look back. They see nothing. The scene shows the "Y" shaped telephone poles. Then it shows Mulder and Scully. The sound is heard from behind them again. They turn around to look the other direction. Again to see nothing. Scully moves closer to Mulder.) Mulder! What's going on here?! (The mechanical sound turns to a jet engine noise and mechanical sound mixed into one. The sound now surrounds them. Mulder gets wide eyed.) Mulder! (Grabs his arm.)
MULDER: Easy Scully. Let's get out of her. (Starts to run. Scully runs with him. Suddenly a surrounding bright light stops them. It engulfs them. The light disappears. Both of them are laying on the ground. Mulder is eight feet away from Scully. Scully sits up, looking around in confusion. She looks around for Mulder. She sees him and staggers to get to him.)
SCULLY: (Kneels down beside him and touches his shoulder.) Mulder? Are you okay? (No response. She starts getting worried, and shakes him gently.) Mulder! Talk to me! (Mulder moves slowly and turns on his back.)
-10-
MULDER: (Eyesight is blurred as he tries to see who's talking to him.) What happened? (Tries to get up.) I can't see!
SCULLY: (Keeping him from getting up.) No. Stay put. (Looks at his eyes in concern.) What do you mean you can't see, Mulder?
MULDER: (Tries to look around.) Everything is blurred. (Looks at Scully. From his viewpoint he can't make out Scully's face. But then her face turns into an alien. Mulder starts to scoot away from her.) Get away!
SCULLY: Mulder! (Trying to get him to stay still.)
MULDER: (Scoots away from her and starts to stand up.) Get away! You're not taking me! (Starts running.)
SCULLY: (Nervous about his condition) Mulder! It's me! (Stands up and runs after him. They run through the woods toward their car. Nearing the car Mulder run into it real hard. It causes him to fall backwards to the ground out cold. Scully catches up to him and kneels down beside him. He had hit his head on the car on impact. Scully touches the red bump on his head. She reaches the back car door and opens it. Then she drags Mulder into the back seat of the car. She closes the door and goes around to the driver's side. She gets in and starts the car and drives off. On the road, heading back to the hotel, to take care of Mulder. As she's driving, Mulder starts moving and slowly sits up. Scully notices and locks the car doors via power locks.)
MULDER: (Confused and scared.) Where am I? (Looks at Scully, not knowing her.) What do you want with me? (Tries to open the door.) Who are you?
SCULLY: (Looking at the road then at Mulder through the rear view mirror.) Mulder! Settle down! You're hurt! (Notices more "Y" shaped telephone poles near the road, as they approach the hotel.)
MULDER: (Gets his gun out from under his suit jacket. Points it at Scully.) Stop the car!
-11-
SCULLY: (Looking at the road then at Mulder through the rear view mirror.) Mulder put the gun down! I'm not going to hurt you!
MULDER: (Puts the gun to her head and yells louder.) Stop the car now!
SCULLY: (Pulls into the hotel parking lot. She stops the car and turns off the ignition.) I don't know what's got into you, Mulder. But I'm here to help you. (Mulder tries to open the door again.)
MULDER: (Pulling the trigger on his gun, with it still pointed at Scully's head.) Open the doors, now! (Scully quickly turns around to look at Mulder trying to grab his gun. He fires the gun, taking out the windshield. He manages to get the door unlocked and runs out and away. Scully sits there in half shock.) (Music stops)
12 HRS. LATER
FBI HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON D.C.
(Scully is sitting outside Skinners office. Across from Skinners secretary. His secretary's phone rings. She answers it. Scully sits there watching.)
SECRETARY: (Picks up the phone.) A.D. Skinners office, may I help you? (Pause for two seconds.) No, I'm sorry sir, (Scully looks up at her, thinking it could be Mulder.) he's in a meeting right now. (Pauses for a second.) All right. I'll tell when he's done. Thank you. (In Skinners office, there are three people in there. A chairmen and a supervisor of the FBI and the smoking man.)
SKINNER: All right gentlemen. I have called agent Scully. She's waiting outside my office. Now I have sent her and Agent Mulder to Iowa on a case. Two and a half-hours later, they have yet to even start to investigate the case assigned.
SMOKING MAN: (Removing his cigarette from his mouth.) And why not?
SKINNER: Because Agent Mulder has been missing a little over twelve hours now. I got the call form Agent Scully yesterday.
SUPERVISOR: He didn't go AWOL did he?
-12-
SKINNER: Not Agent Mulder. If anything he's going on an investigation without his partner again and without my permission.
SMOKING MAN: (Looks over at Skinner standing across from him.) He's been doing that a lot lately. (Puts his cigarette out, in the ashtray in front of him.)
SKINNER: (Looks at him.) To what are you insinuating?
SMOKING MAN: Agent Mulder running out without permission or authorization is grounds for dismissal.
SKINNER: That is the fate in Agent Mulders case. But before we cast judgment. I'm going to ask Agent Scully a few questions in regard to this issue. (Walks over to his phone to page his secretary. Outside Skinners office, Scully is still sitting there looking around. A beep sounds on the secretary's phone.)
SECRETARY: (Pushes a button and picks up the phone.) Yes sir? (Pause.) I'll tell her. (Hangs the phone up and looks at Scully.) A.D. Skinner will see you now.
SCULLY: Thank you. (Stands up, carrying her briefcase. She walks on into Skinner office. She notices the three men inside sitting around the conference table. She gets a worried expression on her face, after noticing the smoking man at the table. Skinner walks to the head of the table.)
SKINNER: (Sits down.)Sit down, Agent Scully. (She sits down) Now. Why I called you in here is in regard of you and Agent Mulders case I assigned to you two. You haven't even started it yet. And further more…
SCULLY: (Interrupting him.) But sir we did star—
SKINNER: (Interrupts her.) Please Agent Scully. Let me continue. And further more, you guys enter into the police department breaking private property for no reason. Then you both leave there and call me and then in calling you back to say you can talk to the sheriff again. You two never show up. And secondly Agent Mulder disappears. Where is he Agent Scully?
-13-
SCULLY: I don't know.
SMOKING MAN: I thought you two always knew where one another were at all times.
SCULLY: I don't keep tabs on Agent Mulder. Only times I know where he is, is when he calls me and I ask him then.
SKINNER: Have you tried calling him on his cell phone?
SCULLY: (Holds up Mulders cell phone.) That would be kind of hard, sir. Being that I have it.
SKINNER: What are you doing with his phone?
SCULLY: He left it in the car.
SMOKING MAN: How was he acting before you left Agent Mulder?
SCULLY: He threatened me. (Looks at the four men, they're looking at her as if to say he did what? She starts getting irritated from noticing their expressions.) Because Agent Mulder was scared.
SKINNER: Of you?
SCULLY: (Getting more upset.) No. I mean, yes. I don't know! He acted like he didn't know me. (Smoking man and the other two men look at her in anticipation of what she is saying.)
SKINNER: (Acting concern.) What caused Agent Mulder to react this way toward you?
SCULLY: As I was trying to state earlier, as you were talking. Agent Mulder and I did start the case that you assigned us to. We drove out to the sight where the teenagers you described were. Mulder read in a newspaper article where they were and suggested we go investigate. When we got out there, everything seemed normal. Until a noise started from inside the woods. (As she's talking the scene shows when Mulder and Scully heard the mechanical jet engine sound. There both looking toward the direction of the sound wide eyed.) -14-
SKINNER: (Tapping at his notebook with his pen.) What kind of noise? (The smoking man looks at him.)
SCULLY: (Looks at Skinner, then at the table in front of her.) It was a noise like that of a jet engine and a mechanical sound. (The smoking man starts getting uneasy in his seat.) Then after that we started to run. Then before we knew it, a bright light surrounds us. (The scene shows Mulder and Scully getting engulfed by the bright light.)
SKINNER: (Gazes at Scully.) Do you have any scientific explanation for this Agent Scully?
SCULLY: (Looks at him. Then at the other men looking at her.) No sir, I don't.
SMOKING MAN: (Leaning on the table.) Then what happened?
SCULLY: (Not trusting him.) When I came to. I found myself on the ground. I looked around for Agent Mulder. He was eight feet away from me. I don't understand how we got in that position. But when I got up I was slightly disoriented. And Agent Mulder couldn't see for a minute. Then that's when he claimed he didn't know me.
SKINNER: You still haven't answered my question. Where is Agent Mulder?
SCULLY: (Shocked at his tone of voice.) All I know is that he is still somewhere in Iowa, sir.
SMOKING MAN: (Looks over at Skinner.) She's protecting him. (Looks over at Scully.) Aren't you? (Scully glares at the smoking man.)
-15-
MIDDLETOWN, IOWA
10 P.M.
(Music starts) (The deputy sheriff, with a flashlight is checking door locks on the different business buildings, through the town. In an alley of the store the deputy is headed toward, Mulder is limping and leaning against the wall of the building. His hair is all messed up, clothes are all muddy and torn. Mulder is limping around in a daze. The deputy checks the door locks and starts to move on. As he does he notices Mulder in the alley. He shines the flashlight to Mulders face to see who it is.)
DEPUTY: Who are you? (Mulder looks at him and takes off running and limping at the same time the opposite way down the alley.) Hey, wait! (Starts to run after him.) I'm not going to hurt you, sir. Just stay put. (Notices Mulder is hurt and out of breath as well.) Everything is going to be all right. (Mulder gazes at the deputy. As he does the deputy's face changes to Kryceks face, from Mulders viewpoint. Mulder shoves the deputy away and takes running and limping again. The deputy stands there bewildered.) (Music stops)
IOWA SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT
9 A.M.
(The sheriff walks into his office and notices his deputy sitting at his desk.)
SHERIFF: (Glaring at the deputy.) Deputy Mike! What's the reason for you sitting in my chair?
MIKE: (Stands up and gets out from behind the sheriff's desk.) I have something to tell you, sir.
SHERIFF: (Sits down, behind his desk.) And what would that be? (Opens his coffee mug.)
MIKE: Do you remember those two FBI agents you called out here to question those teenagers?
SHERIFF: Yeah. What about them? (Takes a sip of his coffee.)
-16-
MIKE: While I was checking the locks last night. I ran into one of them. His clothes were all torn up. He was cut up. He looked like a bear had attacked him. When I went to question him he took off running and limping.
SHERIFF: (Looks at the deputy, interrupting.) How can someone limp and run at the same time?
MIKE: I don't know. But he did. He's hurt bad, apparently. But anyway, when I went after him and got him cornered. He glared at me like he knew me, shoved me against the wall and took off limp running again.
SHERIFF: I thought they had left. And further more, why was he all torn up like you said he was.
MIKE: I don't know, sir. But I think you better call the FBI headquarters about him. He looked highly unstable to me.
SHERIFF: I will. I'll let them know.
FBI HEADQUARTERS
WASHINGTON D.C. 10 A.M.
(Skinner is in his office working on paper work. The phone rings.)
SKINNER: Skinner. (Pause.) Hi there, sheriff. (Pause.) I'm sorry? (Pause for two seconds.) He did? (Pause.) Where at? (Pause.) I'll get someone to get him before he causes harm to anyone. (Pause.) Yes sir. Goodbye. (Disgusted, hangs up the phone. The smoking man walks out of the dark area in Skinners office, lighting a cigarette.)
SMOKING MAN: Trouble?
SKINNER: (Looks up at him.) Agent Mulder was found. He's still in Middletown Iowa. Apparently he's hurt and acting very unstable.
SMOKING MAN: What are you going to do about it? (Smokes the cigarette.)
-17-
SKINNER: I'll call Agent Scully and send her back out there. If anyone can get him to settle down and listen to reason. It would be her. That is "if" she can find him.
SMOKING MAN: You better send someone else behind her as well. (Skinner looks at him.) Just in case.
MIDDLETOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT
3:35 P.M.
(Scully walks into the sheriff's office. She notices the gum ball machine has been moved to the other side of the office. The sheriff steps out of a back room to meet Scully.)
SHERIFF: (Recognizes her.) Hey there FBI lady.
SCULLY: It's Agent Scully, sir.
SHERIFF: Sorry ma'am. I didn't quite catch your name the last time we met. The teenagers are in the back if you want to question them.
SCULLY: (Getting irritable.) I'm not actually here to see them, sir.
SHERIFF: Oh?
SCULLY: I came back here to see if you have seen my partner around here anywhere.
SHERIFF: (Turns his back on her to go to his desk and sit down. Scully follows him.) My deputy has. Two night ago. But neither one of us has seen him since.
SCULLY: (Getting concerned.) Where did he see him?
SHERIFF: (Yells across the room.) Hey Deputy Mike! (Mike looks over at the sheriff.) Come over here. (Looks at Scully.) He's the one that seen him. He would know more than I do.
-18-
MIKE: (Looks at Scully and winks at her. Then he looks at the sheriff.) Yes sir?
SHERIFF: The FBI (Points at Scully.) lady here has a few questions for you.
MIKE: I'm sure I can oblige ma'am. What can I do for you?
SCULLY: (Looks at him strange.) The sheriff tells me you've seen Agent Mulder.
MIKE: Who's Agent Mulder?
SCULLY: My partner. The one who came in here a week ago?
MIKE: Oh yeah! He's the one that broke the gumball machine. (Scully smiles, faintly.) I saw him tow nights ago. At first I didn't recognize him. He was trying to run from me. When I caught up with him he was staring at me like he knew me. Then he shoved me against the wall and limped ran away.
SCULLY: (Worried.) Limp ran?
MIKE: Yeah. He didn't look too good. His clothes were torn. He looked like a bear or something got a hold of him.
SCULLY: (More worried about Mulder.) And you haven't seen him since?
MIKE: No ma'am.
SCULLY: (Starts to walk out of the police department.) Thank you.
MIKE: (Yells out to her.) I'm sure he's alright. (He smiles, as he starts talking to himself.) She's kind of cute. (Walks toward his office. Outside the department, Scully starts to walk over to her car. She gets her cell phone out. As she does, she notices a guy with a black suit on. Form behind he looks like Mulder. Scully walks up to the man.)
-19-
SCULLY: Mulder? (The man turns around, looking at Scully strange.) Sorry. I thought you were someone else. (The man walks away. She dials her cell phone.) A.D. Skinner please. (Pause.) Sir? I just talked to the sheriff and his deputy. They haven't seen him in two days. (Pause.) I wanted to know if you would permit me to stay here a wee or two. In hopes to find him. (Scully happens to notice the "Y" shaped telephone poles again. She looks in wonderment and curiosity. Wondering if for some unexplained reason they may have something to do with the strange occurrences that had been going on. The scene shows Skinner in his office on his phone. Then the scene shows the smoking man, listening on another line. Skinner looks at the smoking man then down at his desk.)
SKINNER: All right. I'll give you permission, Agent Scully. Just one week. If you don't find him. We will consider him gone and dismissed. (The scene shows behind Skinner. And sitting directly in front of Skinner is Krycek. And the smoking man to the right. The scene goes back to Scully, who is leaning on her car, still gazing at the strange telephone poles. She gets into her car and drives off.)
I-10 COUNTRY ROAD
FIVE MILES FROM MIDDLETOWN
6 HRS. LATER
(Music starts) (A mid-fifty year old man is driving an old Ford truck down the road. Further down the road, Mulder is still wandering in a daze. He is limping and staggering on and off the road. He is staggering in exhaustion out to the middle of the road. The old man driving sees Mulder and slams on his brakes and swerves to avoid hitting him. The old man gets out of the truck. Mulder collapses to the ground. The old man walks over to Mulder, kneeling at his side. The scene shows at this point, the "Y" shaped telephone poles behind the old man. he checks for Mulders pulse. He then picks Mulder up and carefully carries him over his shoulder to his truck and puts him in. The old man gets back in and drives off. The scene shows the old truck drive away. Then it shows the "Y" shaped telephone poles, with blue light sparks shooting off the power lines.) (Music stops)
-20-
HOTEL INN
10:30 P.M.
(Music starts) (Scully is pacing back and forth in the hotel room with tears in her eyes. this scene re-shows the moment when she was talking to Skinner over her cell phone, while Mulder was throwing newspapers all over the room. Then the scene sows when they were out in the open meadow in the middle of the woods, investigating the area were all the strange things have been happening. The bright light engulfs them. Scully stops pacing the hotel room floor. Breathing heavy from the memory of that moment. With a thinking expression on her face, she walks out of the hotel room.)
IOWA STATE PARK
11 P.M.
(Scully drives up near the clearing; her and Mulder were at almost a week ago. She gets out of the car and walks to the clearing. She turns her flashlight on and looks around.)
SCULLY: Mulder! (Her voice echoes in the woods.) Where are you?! (The scene shows Scully from above.) (Music stops)
TWO DAYS LATER 11:15 P.M.
STAPLETON FARMS IOWA
(A two story old farmhouse is shown. The old man that picked up Mulder, is in his living room feeding Mulder. Mulder has a blanket on his back. Mulder takes the bowl of soup from the old man and starts to slowly eat it.)
OLD MAN: You've been asleep for two days since I found, Agent Mulder. I was afraid I was going to lose you there for awhile.
MULDER: (Real weak.) How did you know my name?
OLD MAN: Your ID badge from the FBI. (Mulder shrugs his eyebrows as if to say, "Oh, yeah.")
MULDER: (Taking a sip of his soup.) Where did you find me? Where am I?
-21-
OLD MAN: I found you on the road. You were wondering like you were in daze, then you collapsed in the middle of the road. And you're at Stapleton farms fifteen miles out of Middletown.
MULDER: (Puts his soup down on the coffee table in front of him.) Middletown. (Looks at the old man.) Where have I heard that name?
OLD MAN: When I found you. You seemed to be heading from there.
MULDER: (Remembering why he's even there.) I remember. I was sent here to investigate two teenagers that were attacked by a bright light. (He looks over at the old man. His face changes to Scully from Mulders point of view.) Scully?
OLD MAN: (Confused.) Who? Who are you talking about?
MULDER: (Trying to stand up in his weakness.) She's my partner. She could be in danger.
OLD MAN: (Makes Mulder sit back down.) Sit down. You're too weak to go anywhere. Besides what danger could she be in? This is a small town. There's no danger here.
MULDER: (Not paying attention to the old man.) How did I leave her? All I remember is walking through the woods into a pasture where teenagers were. (Tries to stand up again.) I gotta go.
OLD MAN: (Stands up.) Wait. You're not strong enough. You're hallucinating and running a fever. You don't need to be going anywhere.
MULDER: Scully could be in trouble. I need to get to her.
OLD MAN: How do you know she didn't go back home?
MULDER: I don't. (Staggering in weakness to the door.) I appreciate all you've done for me. But my concern is with my partner. And she's also a doctor. She can take care of me.
-22-
OLD MAN: Wait just a minute. (Walks into another room. Three seconds later he comes out looking at Mulder. He hands him a key to a car.) There's a car right outside here by my truck. Use it. When you find your partner. Put this key under the mat and give me a call where it is. And I'll pick it up. (Hands Mulder a sheet of paper.) This is my phone number.
MULDER: (Opening the front door. He weakly walks out the door.) Thanks again. (Slowly limps his way to the car. The old man watches him nodding his head no.)
IOWA POLICE DEPARTMENT
1 P.M.
(Music starts) (The scene shows the sheriff talking to someone from the FBI. The scene shows the guy from behind.)
SHERIFF: I seen the lady you're looking for, two days ago. And the guy she was looking for, none of us seen him for four days now.
KRYCEK: (The scene still only shows him from behind.) Do you know where Agent Scully is staying?
SHERIFF: Well sir, we have one hotel in this small town. It's a mile east of here.
KRYCEK: Thank you. You've been very helpful. (He turns around and walks out of the police department. The scene shows his mouth as he walks out smiling.)(Music stops)
HOTEL INN
1:15 P.M.
(Music starts) (In Scully's hotel room, she's sitting on the bed. She's talking on her cell phone at Skinner.)
SCULLY: (Moving her hair out of her face.) Sir. You promised me a week. Not three day! (Pause.) I know I haven't seen a trace of Mulder being anywhere. But what does that have to do with—(Skinner interrupts her.) Don't say that! You don't know for sure he's gone! (Pause.) I don't care. I know he's still alive.
-23-
(She turns the phone off. Outside the hotel, in the main office, Krycek walks up to the front desk. Again the scene shows only his back as he walks over to the hotel attendant behind the desk.)
HOTEL ATTENDANT: (Turns around and looks at him.) Yes you may. Are there any rooms available?
HOTEL ATTENDANT: Yes. Would you like a room?
KRYCEK: Yes I would. And also. Is there a Dana Scully staying here.
HOTEL ATTENDANT: I'm sorry, sir. We're not allowed to give out that information.
KRYCEK: (Takes out his badge. The scene at this point shows hi badge, then reveals his face.) It's all right. I'm a FBI agent.
HOTEL ATTENDANT: (Embarrassed.) I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize. (Starts going through his files.) Yes she is. She is in room one fifty on the lower level.
KRYCEK: Can I have room one fifty next to her?
HOTEL ATTNENDANT: Let me check. (Looks through his computer for availability.) No. But you can have room on forty-nine. (Smiles at him.)
KRYCEK: That's fine, I'll take it. (Outside the hotel, Scully is closing the door to her room. As she does she drops her keys. She bends down to pick them up. Once she stands upright she happens to look toward where the main office is. She notices Krycek but doesn't know for sure that it's him. Krycek notices her looking at him and turns his back to her and walks away. Scully walks on over to her car and gets in. as she does her cell phone rings.)
SCULLY: (Turns her phone on.) Scully.
MULDER: (Real faint and weak sounding.) Scully? (Pause.) Help me.
-24-
SCULLY: (Excited to hear his voice, but concerned.) Mulder?
MULDER: (Sounding exhausted.) Yeah.
SCULLY: (Getting worried.) Where are you? Are you alright? (Silence for three seconds.) Mulder?! (The scene shows who is really talking to her. The bounty hunter is at a pay phone disguising his voice to sound like Mulder.)
MULDER: Meet me back at the park. At the state park. Around ten p.m. I'll let you know there. (Hangs the phone up..)
SCULLY: Let me know what? (Pause.) Mulder? (Sighs while turning her phone off. She turns the phone back on to dial Skinners number. Skinner answers the phone almost immediately.) Sir, I just heard from Agent Mulder. (Pause.) Yeah. He's asking me to meet him at the State Park. (The scene shows Skinner inside his office, on the phone. Then it shows the smoking man listening in on the line across from Skinner.)
SKINNER: What time did he say?
SCULLY: (Can be heard over Skinners phone.) I'm to meet him at ten p.m.
SKINNER: Agent Scully. Don't you go alone. We'll send you some help, okay?
SCULLY: (The scene shows her in her car.) Sir, I don't thing that would be a good idea. A group of people may scare him off.
SKINNER: (The scene shows Skinner in his office.) Fine. I'll come out myself. I'll try to make it out here by three p.m. (Hangs up the phone and looks at the smoking man. He staring at him.) What?
SMOKING MAN: (Points at Skinner.) You find Agent Mulder before I do. Arrest him!
SKINNER: (Looking at him strange.) For what? What do you mean?
SMOKING MAN: For me to know and you to find out.
-25-
SKINNER: You're not going out there too are you?
SMOKING MAN: (Smokes a cigarette.) I'm all ready there. (Music stops)
MAINSTAY GASOLING STATION, IOWA
2 P.M.
(Mulder is in the car the old man loaned to him. Still weak and exhausted, he opens the car door to get out. He staggers his way to the cashier. She look at him strange.)
CASHIER: Are you all right?
MULDER: (Leaning against the window. Almost out of breath.) Yeah. I need five dollars worth of gas, please. (Hands her a five-dollar bill through the window slot.)
CASHIER: You're on out there. Thank you.
MULDER: (Getting weaker.) Thanks. (He limps his way back to the car. Leaning on the car, he fill the car up. As he does he notices the "Y" shaped telephone poles. He gets the five dollars worth of gas and gets back into the car, driving off toward Middletown. Driving down the road, he finds a phone in the old mans car. The phone on the line he's calling is heard ringing.)
MULDER: Yes. (Pauses out of weakness.) May I speak with A.D. Skinner please? (Pause.) This is Agent Mulder. (The secretary is heard on the other line while the scene shows Mulder.)
SECRETARY: I'm sorry Agent Mulder. A.D. Skinner is out on a call.
MULDER: (Weak voice.) All right. (Turns the phone off. He starts thinking out loud.) Scully. (Turns the phone back on and dials Scully's number. Her phone rings busy.) Come on Scully.
-26-
HOTEL INN
2:15 P.M.
(Scully gets back out of her car and back into her hotel room, holding her cell phone up to her ear. She closes and locks the door.)
SCULLY: May I speak to A.D. Skinner, please? (Pause.) Okay. Thank you. (Pause.) I'm sorry? (Pause.) He did?! When?! (Pause. Scully gets a worried expression on her face.) (Music starts) Thanks again. (Turns her phone off looking around the room bewildered. She starts talking to herself.) How could Mulder call Skinners office? If he didn't want to tell anybody anything of his where-abouts. (Her cell phone rings, she jumps. She turns her phone on.) Scully. (Hears Mulder over the phone.)
MULDER: (Real weak sounding.) Scully, it's me, Mulder.
SCULLY: Where are you at now, Mulder? (The scene shows them off and on at their different locations.)
MULDER: (The scene shows Mulder driving.) What do you mean, where am I at now?
SCULLY: (Concerned.) I thought you said you weren't going to talk to me till tonight?
MULDER: (Coughs.) I didn't tell you anything. This is the first time I've talked to you. (Stops talking, running out of breath from weakness.) Are you alright (Pauses.) Scully?
SCULLY: (Concerned and frightened.) Mulder, I'm confused. (There's no response.) Mulder?
MULDER: (Getting weaker.) Yeah.
SCULLY: Are you okay?
MULDER: (Hear him over Scully's phone.) I need you, Scully. (Pause) Where are you?
-27-
SCULLY: At the Hotel Inn in Middletown.
MULDER: I'll see you there in ten minutes. (Scully turns her phone off. She sits down on the recliner, by the windows, and waits. Next door to her, Krycek sits by the windows with the blinds pulled. He's peeking through the blinds.) (Music stops)
12 MINUTES LATER
(Mulder pulls into the Hotel Inns parking lot and parks the car. Sweating from his fever, he sits there a minute. He slowly reaches for the cell phone. It falls on the floor of the passenger side. Mulder, in his weakness, drags himself over to the passenger's side to reach for the phone. As he's doing that, Krycek walks out of his hotel room and starts to walk over to Scully's hotel room. Mulder gets a hold of the cell phone and starts to dial Scully's number. In Scully's room, her phone starts ringing. The scene shows it on her bed. She's in the bathroom. Dropping stuff all over the bathroom, she stumbles out toward her bed and picks up her phone.)
SCULLY: (Out of breath.) Scully.
MULDER: (Faint sounding.) I'm here, Scully. (Sits up in the car.)
SCULLY: Where, Mulder?
MULDER: I'm out here in the parking lot. Sitting in an old Buick.
SCULLY: Mulder, you don't sound so good. (Heads toward the window to look for him.)
MULDER: (Trying to get his eyes to focus.) Scully, what room are you in?
SCULLY: Room one fifty, why?
MULDER: There's someone at your door! (Turns the car headlights and puts the brights on and honks the horn. Krycek looks that direction of the car and walks off. Scully looks out the window.) Never mind Scully, he ran away.
-28-
SCULLY: Was that you honking?
MULDER: Yeah. (Pause.) Scully?
SCULLY: Yeah?
MULDER: I'm too weak to get out of the car.
SCULLY: (Unlocks the door.) Hold on, Mulder. (Opens the door and looks around with the phone to her ear.) Where are you? (Mulder flashes his head lights on and off on the car. Scully runs over to him, turning her phone off. Reaching the car, Mulder opens the door. Letting it fly open. Falling out of the car, Scully catches him in her arms.) Mulder! (Helps him stand up.) Come on, come on.
MULDER: (Looks at her.) I always wanted to fall in your arms (She looks at him with the expression of saying, "stop it." He leans on her shoulder and she helps him into her hotel room. She lays him down on her bed. She goes to the bathroom and gets a wash clothe, putting under cold water. She walks quickly by Mulders bedside and put the towel across his forehead. He looks at her.)
SCULLY: Mulder what happened to you?
MULDER: (Trying to talk, but real weak.) Someone is watching us, Scully.
SCULLY: (Concerned.) What do you mean?
MULDER: When I was out in the car, there was someone at your door.
SCULLY: May be they thought this was their hotel room.
MULDER: (Starts to close his eyes.) Yeah, maybe.
-29-
SCULLY: Mulder—(Mulder starts to fall asleep. Scully notices and sighs. She leaves the wet towel on his forehead. There's a knock at the door. (Music starts) She stands up and walks over to the door, peaking through the eye peek hole. She sees no one. She starts to walk away from the door. Someone knocks again. She looks through the eyehole again to see no one. Scully looks back at Mulder then at the door. Getting frustrated, she opens the door. Seeing no one out there. She turns to shut the door. Krycek barges in, slamming the door open. Causing Scully to fall to the floor. The noise scares Mulder out of his sleep. He sits up in the bed startled. With blurred vision focusing, he notices that it's Krycek.)
MULDER: (Yells at him.) Get out of here, Krycek! (Krycek starts heading toward Mulder. Scully goes to grab Kryceks legs. He shakes her loose of his legs and kicks her in the stomach) You jerk! (Tries to get up.) Get away from her!
KRYCEK: (Kicks her in the back. She gasps for air from the hit.) Why? Are you in love with her, Agent Mulder?! Is that why you two are together in the same hotel room? (Gets closer to Mulder.) Is that why you're alone with Agent Scully? In her bed yet?!
MULDER: (Glares at him.) It's me your after, Krycek! (Still weak.) Not Scully.
KRYCEK: (Punches Mulder in the gut with his elbow.) You don't know that for sure Agent Mulder. (Mulder leans over holding his stomach, in pain.) I could be just after your partner. (Punches Mulder across the face, knocking him out. Krycek gets his cell phone out of his pocket and dials a number.) It's done. (Pause.) He's ready for you. (Pause) Hey, check this out. Agent Mulder and Scully are in the same hotel room. He was in her bed. (Pause.) Something fishy is going on here. (Pause.) All right, I'll wait for him. (Pause.) Yes sir. (Turns his phone off and looks around the hotel room. Scully, regaining consciousness slowly moves toward her jacket that's hanging on the coat rack, by the door. There's a knock at the door she lays down on the floor acting like she's still unconscious. Krycek open the door. The bounty hunter is standing there.) Come on in.
BOUNTY HUNTER: (Walks in, looking around the room.) What's going on here?
KRYCEK: Scully, behind you is unconscious. And Mulder on the bed here is knocked out. And he's here for the taking.
BOUNTY HUNTER: (Walks over to the bed. Looks at Krycek.) You've been busy. (Grabs Mulder and puts him over his shoulder.) What about her?
KRYCEK: I'll take care of her. You just make sure you do your part. (The bounty hunter carries Mulder on out to the car. He opens his trunk and throws him into it. He closes the trunk, gets in his car and drives off. Inside the hotel room, Krycek has a gun pointing at Scully. He fires the gun three times at her. He then puts the gun in her hand, then removes it and lays it beside her. He wipes his fingerprints off the doorknob, walks out of the hotel room, closing the door behind him and leaves. His phone rings as he heads to his car.) Yeah. (Pause.) It's done. (Pause.) He's got him. And Agent Scully is history. (Pause.) Yes sir. The X files will forever be closed. (Smiles with victory.)
IOWA STATE PARK
2:45 P.M.
(The bounty hunter drives up to the clearing where Mulder and Scully heard the mechanical noises. The bounty hunter pulls up to the clearing and stops. He gets out of the car and opens the trunk. He drags Mulder out of the trunk. Slam's the truck shut and drags Mulder to the middle of the clearing, and lays him there on the ground. He looks around the sky then around the clearing. The bounty hunter grazes over at the "Y" shaped telephone poles. The mechanical sound starts up and a bright light, out shining the daylight, shines on the bounty hunter and Mulder. The bounty hunter backs out of the light. The scene shows Mulders body on the ground with the bright light shining around him. Suddenly the light is gone and so is Mulder. The bounty hunter gets back into his car and drives off.) (Music stops)
HOTEL INN
3 P.M.
(Skinner pulls up into the hotel parking lot. Not knowing what room Scully is in, he walks over to the hotel office. Inside he walks up to the front desk.)
SKINNER: (Showing him his FBI badge.) Excuse me. (The hotel attendant looks at him.)
HOTEL ATTENDANT: Yes sir?
SKINNER: I need to know what room Dana Scully is in, please.
HOTEL ATTENDANT: (Looks her up in the computer.) Gees. She must be popular with the FBI. This is the second time the FBI asked what room she was in.
SKINNER: (Looks at him strange.) What do you mean? Who were they, what did they look like?
HOTEL ATTENDENT: (Looks at Skinner.) He was close to your height. Clean cut. But I can't remember if he gave his name. But he did get a request a room next door to her. (Skinner stares at him.) Dana Scully is in room on fifty.
SKINNER: (Starts walking out.) Thank you.. (Outside, Skinner looks over at his car. (Music starts) The smoking man gets out of the car and starts walking toward Skinner. Skinner yells over to him.) She's in room one fifty. (They both walk over to the room, and Skinner knocks on the door.) Agent Scully? (No answer. Skinner knocks again.) Agent Scul—(The door comes open. Skinner looks at the smoking man and back at the door. Withdrawing his gun, he walks into the room. As he does he trips over Scully's body.) What the heck?! (Looks back at what he tripped over. Notices it's Scully and kneels down beside her to check her pulse.)
SMOKING MAN: (Looking down at Skinner.) This is Agent Mulders doing.
SKINNER: (Looks up at him.) How can you be sure? She has a faint pulse.
SMOKING MAN: Notice her gun laying at her side? She looks like she was trying to protect herself from him. (Skinner stares at him in unbelief.) Don't you get the picture here? The sheriffs department in this town said he was unstable.
-32-
SKINNER: I can't believe Agent Mulder would turn on his own partner. But everything is pointing to him. (Thinks a minute.) I think we should put out a warrant for his arrest. Classify him as armed and dangerous.
SMOKING MAN: Now you see why I told you when you found him to arrest him. (Skinner looks at Scully and glares at the smoking man.) Call the hospital for Agent Scully. (Walks out of the hotel room. (Music starts) The scene shows the room, as it becomes bright white. Then Mulder is shown on a table with a whole bunch of tubes hooked to his body. He has no shirt on. But he has pants on. He wakes up, unable to move but only able to watch the testing they're doing on him. He looks around in fear. All he sees is deformed shadows working around him. A needle is robotically headed toward his right arm to inject him with the black oil virus. Mulder starts screaming no.) (Music stops)
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
WASHINGTON D.C. 2 DAYS LATER
(Inside the hospital, Scully's mom walks off the elevator and toward the nurse's desk.)
MARGARET: What room is Dana Scully in, please?
NURSE 1: (Looks through some files.) She's in room three o four.
MARGARET: (Starts walking to that room.) Thank you. (She reaches the room and opens the door. She see Dana laying there watching TV. Walks over to her.) Dana?
SCULLY: (Little weak sounding.) Mom. (Takes her moms hand.) You didn't have to come here.
MARGARET: I know. But I wanted to be sure you were all right. You were unconscious for two days.
SCULLY: (Tries sitting up.) Mom, where's Mulder? Is he here with you?
MARGARET: No honey. I haven't seen him. Should he be?
-33-
SCULLY: He needs medical treatment, mom. He's sick.
MARGARET: If he is here. I'm sure you'll be told of his where abouts. (Skinner walks into Scully's room.)
SKINNER: I'm sorry. I didn't know she had company.
MARGARET: Oh no. You're not disturbing us. (Skinner walks by Scully's bedside.)
SKINNER: (Looks at Scully.) How are you feeling, Agent Scully.
SCULLY: I've been better, sir. (Sits up.) Do you know if Mulder is here, sir?
SKINNER: I haven't seen Agent Mulder. All I found was you.
SCULLY: (Getting upset.) What do you mean you haven't seen him? Before Krycek kicked me, Mulder was in my room in bed. He was severely weak.
SKINNER: When I got to your room there was only you and a gun beside you. It appeared to me that Agent Mulder came in and attacked you. (Scully's mom looks at him with an expression of saying, "what?") The sheriff told me over the phone that he was acting highly unstable. When he saw him.
SCULLY: I know what I saw, sir. Agent Mulder called me saying he needed help and he asked where I was. And I told him. Krycek shortly after Mulder arrived broke into my hotel room!
SKINNER: There was no sign of a break in.
SCULLY: (Getting more upset.) That's because someone was knocking at the door. I open the door and he forced his way into my room.
MARGARET: (Trying to get Scully to lay back down.) Settle down, Dana.
-34-
SCULLY: (Mad.) Stop, mom! (Looks at Skinner.) Where's Mulder?!
SKINNER: Agent Scully! I don't know. But we got a warrant and APB out on him for his arrest.
SCULLY: (Glares at Skinner.) What?!
SKINNER: Agent Scully! You did your job. In watching Mulders work for us. Now it's our turn to take over. Once we find him. We're dismissing him.
SCULLY: You can't do that! (Skinner walks out of the room. Scully's mother follows him out.)
MARGARET: (Stopping Skinner.) What do you thing you're trying to do?
SKINNER: (Turns around and looks at her.) Excuse me?
MARGARET: Telling her that you are taking her partner away. The one, second to me, she cares about most!
SKINNER: Look Mrs. Scully. I got no choice. To do what I got to do. Agent Mulder hasn't reported to me in over a week and half. And threatening your daughters life like he apparently has is not only grounds for dismissal. But also prison.
MARGARET: Dana said it wasn't him. She would know. He's her partner.
SKINNER: She's protecting him, Mrs. Scully. She's grown to close to him. She'll do whatever is in her power to protect him. Even if it means her own life. Besides, being beat up like she was. She couldn't fully remember details anyway. (Walks toward the elevator.) Trust me Mrs. Scully. Agent Mulder is guilty. (The elevator doors open he gets in. The doors close. Margaret, with a shocked look on her face, turns around and walks back to Scully's room.)
-35-
IOWA STATE PARK
10 P.M.
(Two teenage girls are walking up to the clearing where the entire phenomenon had been going on. They walk to the middle of the clearing, looking around at the sky. They sit down with notebooks on their laps.)
SHEILA: (Turns her flashlight on.) It's nice out here tonight. Wouldn't you agree, Terry?
TERRY: (Looks at Sheila, nervous.) This place gives me the creeps. Why do we have to do our homework out here?
SHEILA: For one. It's part of the class requirements. And for another, the teacher requires personal opinions on the observation of constellations.
TERRY: But all those stories going around about this area. I don't think we should be here. Look at those weird "Y" shaped telephone poles.
SHEILA: (Looks at the poles.) Chill out, Terry. Those things had been there for a year.
TERRY: I heard to many horror stories, Sheila!
SHEILA: (Looking at the sky.) Yeah. All the ones that are not true.
TERRY: How can you be so sure?
SHEILA: Because I don't believe in UFO's! (Music starts) (A bright light suddenly shines over them. The mechanical jet engine sound is heard.)
TERRY: (Panicking.) Then what do you call that?! (Terry runs off screaming. Sheila passes out. The light disappears. Laying three feet away from Sheila is Mulder. He has no tee shirt on, but only jeans. Mulder slowly moves to sit up. He looks around confused. He notices the person laying a few feet away from him. Thinking its Scully, he crawls on his hands and knees over to her.)
-36-
MULDER: (Lightly shakes the girl.) Scully? (Sheila opens her eyes. She sees Mulder and starts screaming. Mulder quickly backs away from her.)
SHEILA: (Stands up.) Go away! (Starts running.) You're not taking me! (Runs away, Mulder sighs and lays back down on the ground, exhausted. Suddenly bright lights shine over Mulder. And sounds like a helicopter and winds from its propellers are heard.)
MULDER: (Screams.) Not again! (Mulder quickly stands up. A swat team of FBI agents surrounds him with guns. Mulder puts his hands up.) I'm an FBI agent!
AGENT 1: We know! (Grabs his arms and puts them behind his back and cuffs him.) Let's go! (Shoves Mulder into the helicopter. It takes off leaving the scene.) (Music stops)
4 DAYS LATER
5 P.M.
(Out of the hospital, Scully is at Mulders apartment door. In hopes Mulder is there, she knocks on the door. She waits a few seconds, no answer. She knocks again with no response. She gets her keys out and unlocks the door. As she opens the door she notices his apartment. (Music starts) It's been ransacked. With a worried look on her face, she looks around. She talks to herself out loud.)
SCULLY: What's happened here? (Looks over at a filing cabinet. Everything had been torn up and thrown everywhere. She picks one up. It reads UFO documents. She opens the file and it's empty. Mulders phone rings. Scully jumps and looks over at it. Mulders answering machine comes on. The person can be heard over the intercom.)
SMOKING MANS VOICE: I know you're there Agent Scully. If you want to keep you're job and life. You'll get out of there in ten seconds. Or you will be an obituary in tomorrow's newspaper. (Hangs the phone up. Scully stands there bewildered of him even knowing she was there. She quickly runs over to Mulders computer and ejects a floppy disk and runs out of the room. Just as she steps out of the door and a few feet down the hallway. The room explodes, knocking her down to the floor.) (Music stops)
-37-
2 HOURS LATER
(Outside Mulders apartment complex, the fire department, ambulance, and police department are surrounding the building. The building is roped off with caution tape. The FBI just starts pulling in. Agent Skinner rushes out of one of the FBI vehicles. He notices Scully sitting on the bumper, in back of an ambulance, and rushes over to her.)
AGENT 2: (Walks over to Skinner.) A.D. Skinner, sir?
SKINNER: (Looks at the agent.) Yeah?
AGENT 2: The sheriff over here wants to speak to you.
SKINNER: Okay. I'll be right over. (Looks at Scully.) Are you going to be okay?
SCULLY: (Wiping the tears from her eyes.) Yeah. You go ahead.
SKINNER: All right. (Walks away from her. Before Skinner reaches the sheriff, the smoking man stops him. Skinner looks at him.) What do you want? (Scully notices and is able to hear them.)
SMOKING MAN: What did she tell you? (The agent yells for Skinner again. While Scully recognizes the smoking mans voice from the phone call. The scene shows the moment Scully was listening to the phone call.)
SKINNER: I got to get over there. (Walks away.) She told me nothing. (The smoking man takes out a cigarette and lights it.)
10 A.M. FBI HOLDING CELL
WASHINGTON D.C.
(Mulder is pacing back and forth in a private prison cell. The scene shows Mulders eyes. They suddenly turn bright white. Causing Mulder to bend over in pain, holding the temples of his head. The light disappears from his eyes as he stumbles around the cell and sits down on his bed. An officer comes up to his cell with keys. Mulder look at him, as Mulder is sweating from his pain.)
-38-
OFFICER: (Unlocking the cell door.) There's an A.D. Skinner here to see you. (Mulder stands up slowly and walks slowly out of the cell. The officer follows him into the questioning cell room. In there Skinner is standing in a corner with his arms crossed. Mulder sits down at a table that is in the room. The officer leaves the room, locking the door behind him. Mulder just sits there, sweating, staring at the table in front of him. He lightly taps on the table.)
SKINNER: (Walks over to him. Notices him sweating.) You've been working out or something? (Mulder nods no.) You're sweating like crazy. Are you sick or something?
MULDER: (Not looking at him.) Maybe.
SKINNER: (Noticing he's not willing to talk.) So. Where have you been, Agent Mulder?
MULDER: (Still staring at the table.) Like you care.
SKINNER: You haven't reported to the bureau for almost a month since I have sent you and Scully on that case I assigned you to.
MULDER: (Glares up at Skinner.) Where's Scully?
SKINNER: She's at home.
MULDER: (Getting mad.) Bull! Last time I seen her, she was getting kicked by your friend Alex Krycek!
SKINNER: I don't know anything about that. But Agent Scully is home. She was in the hospital due to the beating. But it wasn't from Alex Krycek.
MULDER: (Glares at the table.) You weren't their, how would you know!
SKINNER: All evidence is pointing to you, Agent Mulder!
-39-
MULDER: (Looks at Skinner.) of course it is. (Getting more frustrated.) That's what he wants it to look like! (Looks at the table and back at Skinner.) Are you insinuating that I did that to my own partner?! (Skinners expression is refusing to answer that question.) Bear in mind, sir. That I was too sick to stand up. I hardly knew where I was. Then in that sickness, Scully helps me into her hotel room and makes me go to bed. Then Krycek barges in, knocking Scully down, beating her by kicking her. Then he comes over to me and knocks me out. When I come to. (Looks at the table.) I'm in here.
SKINNER: (Looks at Mulder, then around the small room.) We're holding a court case concerning you working with us in the future.
MULDER: (Looks at Skinner.) I always wanted job security.
SKINNER: (Glares at Mulder.) Your career is at stake here, Agent Mulder. We think you have been working to long on the X files.
MULDER: (Looking at the table.) The X files are all I know to do sir. You take that away from me. You might as well put a gun to my head and pull the trigger. (Glares up at Skinner.)
SKINNER: You're due in court tomorrow afternoon. (Walks out of the room.)
FBI COURTROOM
1 P.M.
(In the courtroom, Scully walks in and notices the Chief Administrator, judge, and the Executive Assistant and Assistant Director Skinner. She walks over to the defense side and sits down, opening her briefcase. Skinner walks over to her.)
SCULLY: (Looks up at him.) Sir. I came in as soon as I could. Who's this trial for?
SKINNER: I called you in here so you could act as the prosecuting attorney to suspect and put the case against him.
SCULLY: Against who? I don't understand what this is all about. I don't have any suspects to put before the jury. (The double doors in the back of the courtroom open up. Two security guards walk in behind Mulder following him. They have him in handcuffs. The other few agents that are part of the jury look back and watch him walk through. Scully looks back to see who's coming in. She notices Mulder and her eyes get wide and tears start filling her eyes.) Mulder!? (Stands up and rushes over to him.) Mulder! (He looks at her and smiles with relief to see her. She gives him a hug and notices he's handcuffed.).) Mulder why are you handcuffed. What's going on? (He looks at her and shrugs and looks at Skinner. She looks at the security guards.) Why is this man handcuffed? (Glares at Skinner, getting mad.) Why is this man handcuffed?!
SKINNER: (Knowing she would be upset. He looks at the security guards.) Uncuff him. (The guards uncuff him and Mulder gives Scully a hug, rubbing her back.)
SCULLY: (Still hugging him.) Are you alright? (Looks at him, holding on to his arms.)
MULDER: I've been better. (Whispers in her ear.) Get me out of here, Scully.
SCULLY: (Her eyes start watering again. Lets go of him.) What's going on here, Mulder? What have you done?
MULDER: (Still whispering.) I haven't done anything. But they're blaming me for beating you up!
SCULLY: (Yells out loud.) Beating me up!? (Her voice echoes the courtroom. Everyone looks at them.)
MULDER: (Whispering.) Shhhhh! (Looks at Scully.) Will you help me?
SCULLY: (Whispering.) Mulder, I don't know if I can. Skinner just told me to put a case against someone. But I never dreamed it was going to be you.
-41-
MULDER: (Still whispering, getting nervous.) They're thinking I'm crazy, Scully. They think I'm Jack the Ripper here.
SCULLY: (Holding on to his arms.) Settle down, Mulder. What really happened to you?
MULDER: (Worried look on his face.) If I tell you, Scully. You're going to think I'm crazy too.
SCULLY: (Concerned.)What, Mulder? What is it? (As Scully look at him, (Music starts) his eyes glow with a bright white light. Mulder bends over holding his head in pain.)
MULDER: (Loud voice.) Scully! Make it stop! (Everyone looks at them again. The security guards rush over to them. Skinner stands up from where he is sitting and rushes over to them.)
SCULLY: (Puts her arm around him.) Come on. Let's sit down. (He puts his arm around her. Scully sits him down at the plaintiff's desk. She puts her hand up to his head to see if he has a fever. Mulder settles down and looks at her. His eyes are back to normal.) (Music stops) It's going to be okay. (Mulder takes her hand.) I promise. We'll get out of this. (Scully looks at Skinner.)
SKINNER: What's going on here?
SCULLY: He's not well sir. I wouldn't advise the trial at this time. Not until he gets medical attention.
SKINNER: This trial wasn't my doing, Agent Scully.
SCULLY: Then who's doing was it?
JUDGE: (Hits his gable on the gable plate.) Order in the court! Everyone please take your places please. (Scully reluctant releases Mulders hand and walks on the defense side by Skinner.)
-42-
SKINNER: (Sitting down as Scully does.) Don't let him get to you Agent Scully. (Scully looks at him as if to say, "drop dead.")
JUDGE: This court is now in session. Chief Administrator Stone come forward to start the case at hand. (Stone walks up to the judge.)
STONE: Thank you, your honor. (Turn around to the people in the courtroom.) Now as we have it. Agent Mulder has defiled the standards the FBI represents in its code of conduct. He is very disobedient to orders from Assistant Director Skinner. This has been going on now for seven years that Agent Mulder has been working the X files. His records before the X files were highly esteemed. But since he got into the "X files". Files I might add that are classified and confidential. Files that are to be ignored and not disturbed by any governmental influences of any kind. These files are to be remained as "exited" out by our knowledge and remained as closed causes. They are files that cannot be explained nor ever proven. The cases Agent Fox Mulder would work on are not eve FBI required or authorized. These quote; unquote "X files" have been detained due to unknown circumstances and results. (Paces back and for the. Reading off his notes.) Also, Agent Mulder has been known to break into military guard bases without proper clearance or authorization. Claiming they had a confidential aircraft that was of alien origin. (The other agents in the court room laugh. Mulder looks in disgust at the desk in front of him. Scully looks over at him, noticing.) Then other times he would take it upon himself to go investigate different cases then the ones he was originally assigned to. Again disobeying orders. (Looks at Mulder.)
JUDGE: Is that all, Administrator Stone?
STONE: (Look at the judge.) Yes, your honor. For now.
JUDGE: You may be seated. I now call Assistant Director Walter Skinner. (Skinner stands up and walks before the judge.) Do you have anything to add this A.D. Skinner?
SKINNER: Yes I do, your honor.
JUDGE: Please carry on.
-43-
SKINNER: Thank you, your honor. (Turns to the court room people.) My main concern here is Agent Mulders behavior in the past two months. I have known agent Mulder going on seven to eight years now. And yes, Agent Mulder has had his times of disobeying orders. But if he obeyed them, at certain times he didn't, there would have been a lot of lives lost. But however. Agent Mulder is leaning on terms of dismissal. (Scully looks in shock over at Mulder. Mulder notices her looking at him. And he shrugs not understanding either. Scully looks back at Skinner.) His absences had been over the limits of the FBI rules of attendance, which was ignored. And due to this disobedience that causes even better grounds to be dismissed. That is all I have to say your honor. (Sits down without looking at Mulder or Scully. But she's glaring at him.)
JUDGE: Agent Scully. Would you come and give a word on the case at hand? (She looks at the judge and stands up. As she walks before the judge, she looks at Mulder. He gives her a little smile. Scully looks at the judge.)
SCULLY: Yes your honor.
JUDGE: I want you to tell us as much as you can remember at the Hotel Inn that night when Agent Mulder was with you and how you supposedly found him.
SCULLY: (Turns to the people in the courtroom.) Well, I had flown back to Iowa in hopes to find Agent Mulder. So I checked back into the Hotel Inn. I questioned the police department and they described him like he was mentally unstable and sick. While I was there for three days I had no luck in finding him at all. (Paces back and forth. Staying near where Mulder is sitting.) Then in the afternoon I get a phone call. Agent Mulder at that time sounded exhausted and physically ill. At that time I told him where I was. Twelve minutes later he drives into the hotel parking lot and gives me another call. Letting me know he was there. I run out of the hotel room to him. When I reached him, he almost fell out of the car out of weakness. I helped him into the hotel room and laid him down on my bed. While I was in the restroom getting a cold wash clothe to put on his head. There was a knock at the door. I looked through the eye peek hole and there was no one there. So I turned away from the door only to hear the knock again. (Notices Mulder listening intently to her.)
-44-
Out of frustration, I opened the door and still no one was there. I turned to shut the door when suddenly Alex Krycek slams the door open. (Music starts) (The scene shows that moment when Krycek slams the door open causing Scully to fall.) The door caused me to fall to the floor. And I heard Agent Mulder yelling at Agent Kry…. (Gets interrupted by the smoking man walking into the courtroom. Sound effects of a heartbeat is heard. Making this scene threatening. Mulder looks at her, concerned in why she stopped. He looks back and notices the smoking man. Mulder turns around and glares at his desk in front of him.) He was yelling at someone. But I don't remember who it was. (Intimidated by the smoking mans presence. Mulder looks at Scully in unbelief. The heartbeat stops as the smoking man watches Scully.)
MULDER: (Stands up.) It was Agent Krycek, your honor! (The smoking man and A.D. Skinner glare at him.)
JUDGE: (Looks at Mulder.) Sit down, Agent Mulder! (Mulder sits down.)
SCULLY: (Interrupting.) He's right, your honor. (The judge and Skinner look at her.)
JUDGE: Excuse me?
SCULLY: That moment in the hotel room happened so fast. I wasn't able to get a glimpse of the man. But I remember Agent Mulder yelling his name.
SKINNER: (Stands up.) if I might add something, your honor? (The judge looks at Skinner. Scully glares at him.)
JUDGE: Go on.
SKINNER: I was told from Middletown Iowa's sheriff that when they saw Agent Mulder. He was reacting in such a way like he was hallucinating. Now Agents Scully heard Agent Mulder yell Kryceks name. As Agent Mulder was thinking Agent Scully was Krycek.
MULDER: (Stands up getting mad.) It was Agent Krycek! I saw him with my own eyes! And so did Scully!
-45-
JUDGE: (Getting upset with Mulders outbursts.) Sit down Agent Mulder! (Mulder sits down.)
SKINNER: (Looks over at Mulder.) Agent Scully doesn't remember Agent Mulder! For all we know it could have been you and you alone!
SCULLY: (Interrupting.) Objection your honor!
JUDGE: (Looks at Scully.) Go ahead.
SCULLY: Sir, I may not remember every detail of the incident that had occurred in that hotel room. But I do know that someone barged in to that room knocking me down. And it couldn't have been Agent Mulder, yo8ur honor. He was laying in bed at that time it happened. (Looks over at Skinner and back at the judge.)
JUDGE: You may sit down Agent Scully.
SCULLY: Your honor. Before I do. May I say a few words that may help clarify this case? (Skinner glares at Scully.)
JUDGE: Are you trying to protect Agent Mulder, Agent Scully?
SCULLY: (Not believing what the judge just asked her.) No, your honor.
SKINNER: (Stands up and interrupts.) She's lying your honor! That's her formal partner in the X files. (Mulder glares over at Skinner.)
JUDGE: Step down Agent Scully.
SCULLY: I can't do that your honor. Not until I finish my statement.
JUDGE: (Sighs in irritation.) Go ahead.
-46-
SCULLY: Thank you, your honor. (Notices Skinner getting uneasy with her perseverance.) I was assigned to Agent Mulder, six years ago to debunk his work in the X files. Through the years I have followed him, I kept him in the line of scientific evidence and theories. As was asked of me to do. But regardless of my skepticism and criticisms, his belief in the X files has been unquenchable. (Notices the judge getting impatient.) What I'm getting to, your honor, is this. Everything agent Mulder and me have been through has brought me to this conclusion. That there is something out there that is beyond our control and ability to do so. And as we try to manipulate things that we have no business messing with or touching. We cause more damage and problems for ourselves than we ever bargained for! That is all I have to say your honor. (She looks at Mulder and smiles He smiles back at her.)
TO BE CONTINUED!