California

September 24, 2005

About 12:30 am a custodian finds Skinner slumped over the table in the security room. "Sorry, sir." He starts to back out of the door, then realizes something is wrong. "Ah, sir?" The custodian shakes Skinner's shoulder and manages to wake him. Skinner is horrified to find his gun on the floor and then the memories of Rupert start to come to him in a confused jumble. Skinner pulls himself to his feat and stumbles out of the security room. By the time Skinner has walked back to his car, he has a fairly coherent version of Rupert's words assembled in his mind.

Skinner calls Doggett but the call goes to voice mail. He gets through to Reyes. "Reyes here."

Skinner says, "I have an address for you. A molecular biology lab in San Diego that

Scully may have had dealings with during the past few months."

Monica asks, "Is this more information from Rupert?"

Skinner replies, "Yes. I'm counting on you and John to start getting us some leads of our own."

Doggett is asleep in the seat next to Reyes. Monica has been reviewing her computer notes on the Floreana case. "I have the address of the Marine Science Institute."

Skinner is looking at the slip of paper given to him by Rupert. "No, that's not it." Skinner reads off the new address provided by Rupert, an address which is actually San Diego, not Chula Vista. "The lab is listed as Champion Research in registration papers with the state of California. They have permits for doing Level 4 Biocontainment work."

Reyes yawns and says, "We'll drop by first thing tomorrow if you can get us a search warrant. What grounds are there for a warrant?"

Skinner says, "This is a federal kidnapping investigation, we'll have no trouble getting a search warrant. Call me from your hotel once you get settled for the night. I'll set you up with a backup team from the San Diego office. They'll collect all the paper and connect with you tomorrow." Skinner breaks the connection, starts his car, then thinks better of driving.

Skinner calls the San Diego office of the FBI and directs agents there to obtain a search warrant for Champion Research and to expect agents Doggett and Reyes to arrive to spear head the investigation. He puts away his phone, reclines his seat and almost instantly falls asleep.

Reyes puts away her phone, makes a few notes about Skinner's phone call on her laptop computer, then shuts off her computer. She reclines her seat and tries to sleep. Soon she is cold, but John is stretched out and blocking her from getting to the isle and having access to blankets. She looks around the cabin, notes the large number of sleeping passengers and wonders if all the blankets are in use already. Her injured arm is aching from being bent within its sling all day. She takes the sling off her arm and uses it and her jacket as blankets. She lifts up the side of John's blanket and snuggles under it next to John.

Doggett never opens his eyes but says, "What did Skinner have to say?"

Monica replies, "Rupert coughed up some more information; the location of a research lab in San Diego that apparently has some connection to Scully."

Doggett had been puzzled by what he could hear on Monica's end of the phone call from Skinner. "I thought we were following a connection between Rupert and the Floreana. This lab Rupert is pointing at is not part of the Marine Science Institute?"

"I don't know. Skinner is arranging for search warrants. We will have to see what turns up." Monica weighs the possibilities. "Rupert may be directing us towards a private lab that does contract work for the Marine Science Institute."

John opens his eyes and turns his head to face Reyes. He looks into her eyes from just a few inches away, "Why are you so sure we can trust Rupert? My hunch is we are walking into a trap."

Monica does not agree. "My guess is, these clones could abduct us any time they want. No, they would never have returned me or anyone else from captivity if they wanted anything to do with us. Scully is special. Special because of what was done to her with the branched DNA. And Rupert is NOT responsible for that. As much as I hate Rupert and what he IS responsible for, we have to trust him now. I doubt if he enjoys having to work with us any more than we like working with him. These are desperate moves."

"I still cannot imagine how Scully could be back on Earth for months without having contacted Mulder or anyone." John thinks about the poorly veiled desperation that was audible in Mulder's voice when he called. "Mulder is in a bad way. I think he is close to interfering with this investigation."

Reyes thinks she can understand Mulder, but she understands how strange their behavior must seem to Doggett. Monica tries to explain to Doggett the extent of the power that the clones have over her and the other former captives. "Its not just that we were made to forget the events of our captivity. Some how Rupert maintains control over us. When there is something that I want to tell you about what I remember from my captivity, it causes me great pain to try to tell you about it."

Doggett cannot imagine how Rupert can maintain such control over Monica. "Do you think Rupert implanted something inside you? Can he hear everything you say? Can he know everything you think and want to say?"

Monica replies, "No, its not like that. When we were returned to Earth, a team of experts went over us with every available tool and scan. I think they would have found any implanted transmitters. No, its more subtle. Its as if I edit myself. Only I could know what would need to be known in order to do that kind of on-the-fly editing."

Doggett is irritated by the thought of Rupert turning Monica into some kind of puppet and Monica's riddles are not helping any, either. "Is this brain washing? You are doing Rupert's will? He ordered you not to reveal his secrets and something inside you will follow his order even if another part of you does want to talk?"

"It must be something like that." Monica tries to put Doggett's general idea on more solid ground. "It reminds me of I book I read in college. The book is called The Intentional Stance."

Doggett says, "Sounds like some newfangled football play."

Reyes giggles and grabs onto John's arm. "The book has nothing to do with football. But it could. For example, if it is fourth down and fifteen yards to go for a first down, what play do you call?"

"Doggett replies, "Punt, or try a field goal kick if you are close enough."

Reyes asks, "Any exceptions?"

"Sure, if it is late in the game and you are behind, you have to go for the first down anyhow."

"Any other exceptions?"

Doggett nods, "There are endless exceptions. You do not always want to do the expected. Sometimes a team will fake a punt play. Set up as if you will punt, but try to pass for the first down."

Reyes nods. "That's what the "intentional stance" is all about. We anticipate what other people will think and do, then we decide what we will do based on what we expect other people to do. And there are endless echoes of that kind of thinking. If you know that the other team knows that you might fake a punt, you can put your best receiver on the field during a fourth down play and make them expect a pass, but you can just use the possibility of a pass to draw away blockers from their punt receiver, and go ahead and punt anyhow."

Doggett says, "So what does this have to do with Rupert?"

Monica replies, "The point is, each of us is constantly keeping track of what everyone else knows. If I know that there is something you do not know about Rupert, I can't tell you about it. When you figured out the idea that Rupert did not put the branched DNA into Scully, it suddenly became possible for me to talk to you about that and to speculate openly with you about who was responsible. Only I know that kind of detail about what you know, so in some way, it must be my own mind that is acting to control what I can and cannot say to you."

Doggett complains, "It still sounds like magic. How can Rupert exert that kind of control over you? Worse, if it is true, you are aware of what is going on but you still cannot do anything about it. If we are up against that kind of power, what chance to we have?"

Reyes thinks that there is a bright side to the situation. "I know it is not much, but I have learned that you know enough about me and what I have been through so that you can watch me for clues. If I remember something, you can notice that I am trying to tell you something. Then it is like a game of reversed twenty questions. As long as you ask the wrong question then I can tell you that you are wrong. If you are getting close to the truth, I cannot say anything and I start to suffer pain just by thinking about you getting closer to the truth. But if you can guess the truth, then I am no longer prevented from discussing it with you. See, John, we can work around Rupert's mind block."

"But it all depends on you remembering something from when you were abducted. What if these tidbits you can remember were planted in your mind by Rupert? It is rather convenient for him that you "remembered" that he is not responsible for the branched DNA inside Scully."

Reyes has no further argument to make. She realizes that she is just relying on faith that her memories can be trusted. She does not like the look in John's eyes when he looks at her. His eyes do not speak of trust. She sighs and tries to tell herself that it is his job to doubt everything, including his partner when she starts trusting the bad guys.

By mid-afternoon, Doggett and Reyes are tired and demoralized. Doggett sits down next to Reyes and says, "I need a nap."

Reyes takes her arm out of its sling and massages it with her other hand. They are sitting on the loading dock of Champion Research while movers haul the last of the equipment from the lab onto moving trucks. Reyes mutters, "Not a single piece of paper."

The laboratory staff must have been tipped to the fact that the FBI was coming. The lab showed evidence of recent use, but nobody showed up for work. Their search warrant specified that the FBI could search for documents indicating who the lab did business with, but there were no documents. Not even a filing cabinet or a desktop computer. The only thing with writing on it in the entire building had been the laboratory materials like flasks and tubes.

Doggett had sent digital photographs of some of the mysterious writing to Washington. By 1 pm, word came back from Skinner that the obviously foreign script matched no known language. Skinner put the lab under the heading of a suspected bioterrorism workshop and ordered everything that could be moved to be confiscated.

Doggett says, "I can't help thinking that Rupert tipped this place off. He wanted us to shut it down, but not catch who ever was working here."

Reyes shrugs. "I don't think it matters. All this lab equipment is standard molecular biology equipment. Modern and expensive, but nothing- alien. I bet the people who have been working here are also unremarkable- as human as we are."

John is dubious. "Then why are they hiding?"

Reyes offers some guesses. "Oh, they probably could have been useful as witnesses. And a bit of detective work will find the people who worked here." All of the local FBI agents has scattered to work with the local police on finding the Champion Research work force. "But I fear that while we sit here, Scully is in danger. At the very least she will be moved out of our reach."

Doggett resists reminding Monica that Dana has been out of reach for months. He knows that Monica had been hopeful that it would be easy to find a link from Champion Research to Scully. One of the workmen says, "Reyes? Are you Monica Reyes?"

Monica looks up and recognizes the foreman for the moving crew. She had signed papers for him earlier. Monica yawns and says, "I'm agent Reyes."

The mover says, "You better take this phone call. Some woman named Scully. Claims she knows you."

Reyes rushes inside. Doggett uses his cell phone to call the San Diego office of the FBI. "Special Agent Doggett, here. I've got an emergency in an abduction case. Connect me to your office that handles phone call traces."

Reyes enters the lab, finds the phone and says, "Dana? Are you there?"

Scully replies, "Monica! Where are you?"

Reyes thinks that is the stupidest question she's ever heard Scully ask. Monica asks, "Where are you?" Reyes hears Dana gasp. "Dana, are you okay?" Dana, are you still there?"

After a pause that seems horribly long, Dana speaks again. "I'm here. I was trying to reach anyone associated with the Marine Science Institute who might know what's going on."

Monica says, "So you are involved with the Floreana."

Dana does not recognize the name of the ship at first, then remembers. "Oh, that ship. No. I had nothing to do with that. And it looks like Roberta Lincoln also had nothing to do with it."

Monica is lost, "Roberta Lincoln?"

Scully has no idea where Monica is or what she knows. "Monica, please, tell me where you are. I can't understand how I got you on this line."

Monica explains, "This is Champion Research, in San Diego. John and I are here looking for you. Skinner got a tip suggesting that this research lab was somehow linked to you. Is that true? Have you been working here?"

Dana replies, "I know nothing about Champion Research. I've been calling people at the Marine Science Institute, trying to find anyone who might be able to tell me about Roberta Lincoln. Finally they found this phone number in their accounts database." Scully is just fitting the puzzle pieces together. "I guess Roberta used to work for Champion and had some business with the Institute."

Reyes is still confused. "Who is Roberta Lincoln?"

Dana replies enigmatically, "I wish I knew. She has been claiming to work for the Marine Science Institute. She told me that I have been getting paid by the Marine Science Institute. I've been cashing checks that say "Marine Science Institute" on them. But payroll at the Institute has never heard of either of us."

Reyes demands, "Dana, where are you?" Monica hears what sounds like Dana panting. Monica thinks she knows what is happening. "Forget it Dana! Don't try to tell me! I've been going through this myself. Rupert has some kind of control over what we can say. We'll find you Dana!"

John enters the lab, his cell phone to his ear. "She's in Mexico. We're getting the trace."

Reyes smiles at the good news and says to Dana, "Doggett is tracing this call. We will find you, even if you cannot tell us where you are!" Suddenly Reyes hears a dial tone. She says to Doggett, "She hung up."

Doggett says, "That's okay. We got it. Its some private satellite link phone line in Mexico."

Reyes looks at the screen of the lab's digital phone. "I've got the number here."

Doggett grabs the phone from Reyes and looks at the number. He explains, "That's the number for the company that rents the private line. We're doing an emergency warrant based on the Floreana terrorism investigation. We'll get Dana's location" Then he talks on his cell phone, "Okay, call me when you have it. Make sure Skinner is told."

Reyes sprints for the door. "Come on!" In her mind, she's already in Mexico.