Chapter 8: Precognition

It took them almost three hours to find something.
"I think I got something here", Scully mentioned and began to read.
"Precognition is the direct knowledge or perception of the future, obtained through extrasensory means. Precognition occurs most often in dreams. It may also occur spontaneously in waking visions, auditory hallucinations, flashing thoughts entering the mind, and the sense of knowing. Usually the majority of precognitive experiences happen within a forty-eight hour period prior to the future event, most often it is within twenty-four hours. In rare cases precognitive experiences occur months or even years before the actual event takes place."
Mulder nodded slowly while listening. As Scully had ended he said: "Yeah, I've heard about that. But something still doesn't fit."
"What, Mulder? What else? What is it? Not enough alien involvement?"
Mulder ignored that remark.
"Before we came here", Mulder told his partner. "I did a little background check on John Jakob Stamp."
"And?"
"Well, after the completion of an apprenticeship as a clock maker in 1954, he studied English and journalism. After that he applied for a job at several local newspapers. Without success. So he finally had to work as a clock maker. And that is what he did until two years ago when he suddenly retired and began to write books. All of a sudden."
Scully closed the book and put it aside. "Two years ago, you said? Stamp's wife told me that two years ago John had a stroke…"
"That's it!", Mulder cut her off. "That must be the reason, that's probably when it began."
Scully frowned. "What?"
"The precognition, Scully. You just read it yourself."
She grimaced. "Look Mulder, I don't see how a stroke could make somebody foresee the future. I don't believe that anyone can predict or perceive the future in any way. I think it's like a Déjà vu. Several psychoanalysts attribute déjà vu to simple fantasy or wish fulfilment..."
"So he wanted Diana to die?", he cut her off again.
"Some psychiatrists ascribe it to a mismatching in the brain that causes the brain to mistake the present for the past. Déjà vu has also been firmly associated with temporal-lobe epilepsy. Reportedly, déjà vu can occur just prior to a temporal-lobe epileptic attack. People suffering an epileptic seizure of this kind can experience déjà vu during the actual seizure activity or in the moments between convulsions."
Mulder dismissed that by shaking his head.
"But we're not talking about Déjà vu, Scully."
"I know. But think about it. Maybe the stroke had similar effects and his brain just mixes up past experiences."
Mulder stood up and took his coat. Scully watched him puzzled, then decided to follow him. They let the librarian know that they were done and went to the car. Outside Mulder turned to her and asked: "Do you know where exactly the stroke was?"
He opened the drivers door and got into the car. Scully got in on the other side.
"No", she said when they were both inside. "I don't know, Mulder."
He started the car. "Could you find out for me if I drive you to the hospital? Let them show you his medical records."
He pulled out and headed for the hospital.
The Community Hospital was much easier to find than the library. Mulder stopped in front of the door and got out of the car. He walked around it to open the door on Scully's side. She got out as well and was on her way to the entrance when she noticed that Mulder didn't follow but walked back around the car, instead.
"Where are you going?", she shouted uncertain.
Mulder opened the driver's door. "I'm gonna investigate the environment this man lives in. Maybe it helps putting myself in his position."