"What do you mean she's missing?" Skinner sat upright in his chair while on the phone with Mulder.

"She's been missing since late last night. No one saw her leave the hospital. She just vanished. Sir, I know what you're going to say. But I need to do everything I can to find her. If you get any leads, let me know."

Mulder closed his cell phone and got out of his car. Walking up the path to Mrs. Scully's house, he wondered whether this was a good idea or not. But knowing that she was the last person to see Scully in the hospital, he had to question her. He knocked softly on the door and waited. A few moments later, Mrs. Scully opened the door a crack. Mulder could tell she had been crying.

"Did you find out anything?"

"No, I'm sorry Mrs. Scully. I wanted to ask you a few questions, though."

"Fox, I told you, I don't know anything either. I was asleep and didn't see or hear anything. Believe me; I've played it over and over in my mind, trying to remember."

"Maybe I can help you remember. Can I come in?"

"I'm sorry...this isn't a good time. Bill is here and...well, let's just say it's not very safe for you to be here right now." Mrs. Scully promptly closed the door and left Mulder standing alone on the porch.

She must be dreaming, because this place she was in wasn't real. It couldn't be. It was too cold and void of life. She was lost in a vast empty space, with no color or sound. Scully felt trapped and was full of confusion. Was this what it was like to die? Feeling your own existence, but knowing somehow that you don't exist? She couldn't remember how or why she got here. Nothing made sense. Her mind wasn't functioning properly. Why couldn't she wake up from this nightmare? She never felt so alone.
With no sleep and two days worth of stubble on his face, Mulder walked like a zombie through the corridor of the hospital parking ramp back to his car. He thought he could pull some information off the hospital's security tapes from the night that Scully disappeared, but he cameup empty-handed. Dana Scully. The never-ending X-File. Mulder was slowly losing his mind.

A speeding car up ahead shook Mulder out of his trance. It was coming down the ramp, heading straight for him. Mulder quickly dove off to the side just in time to avoid being hit. The car passed Mulder and came to a screeching halt. Then, just as quickly, the car was thrown into reverse and stopped right next to Mulder. The driver rolled down the window.

"Get in."

"No. You're a dead man, Krycek." Mulder seethed. Mulder immediately pulled his gun and aimed straight for Krycek's head.

"Go ahead. Kill me, Mulder. But I know what happened to Scully."

"Go to hell. I am so SICK of your games."

"Mulder, put your gun down and get in the car," Skinner said from the passenger side of the car. He leaned his body forward in the seat and out of the darkness so that Mulder could see he was there.

"Oh great, now it's a party," Mulder said sarcastically. Despite his first instinct, Mulder drew down his weapon and got in the back seat of the car. After he slammed the door shut, he said, "To what do I owe this great pleasure?"

Krycek parked the car off to the side in the shadows.

"Krycek has some information for us," Skinner informed Mulder.

"Right. Whatever," Mulder said.

"Agent Mulder, I'm here as a friend," Krycek spoke up.

"If I had a dime for every time I heard someone say that to me..."

"You have no clue what you are up against."

"So I'm clueless. I'm used to it. It comes with the job."

"Agent Mulder, we're talking about Agent Scully's life here."

"Exactly. And why is it that you care, Krycek?"

"Scully is part of an on-going project to protect the human race from alien colonization. That chip in her neck is very valuable. There are those that would kill for it."

"And you're one of them," Mulder said, his teeth grinding.

"Why would I be here telling you this if I was? Don't you think I would have done it by now? Believe me, Agent Mulder, I've had the chance."

"You know where she is," Mulder stated.

Krycek sat silent.

"Krycek?" Skinner asked, annoyed that he wasn't answering.

"Look, all I know is that whoever has her now, they are working on improving the chip so that it can heal her of the cancer. She will be returned to you at the appropriate time."

"I've heard enough." Mulder got out of the car and started walking away. Skinner got out of the car as well. Krycek drove off.

"Agent Mulder!" Skinner shouted, trying to catch up with him. But Mulder blew him off as he got into his car, smoked the tires, and sped away.