The throbbing in his head only intensified as Mulder's eyes opened and began to take in his surroundings. They were in a dimly lit room, spacious and dank. Mulder felt Scully's form next to him. He took in her condition; the hit on her head was more severe than his own. Mulder noted the matted hair entangled with blood on the point of impact; he only hoped that the hit wasn't too damaging.

His hands were still cuffed together, but he was no longer gagged and so was Scully. Mulder sat up with much difficulty, working through the pain in his head and trying not to disturb Scully.

"You're awake I see."

"Who said that?"

"Over here. The wall opposite from you."

"You're voice. I know you."

"I'm sorry about all of this Agent Mulder. This was not of my design."

"You're the Red Mole."

"You are correct."

"Where are we?"

"In a house, somewhere in Martha's Vineyard with quite the basement I suppose."

"This is no time for jokes."

"Who said I was joking?"

Mulder struggled to get up and maneuvered his body so his cuffed arms could be in front of him. He squinted to try and get a better look at 'The Red Mole' but the room was too poorly lit. Hesitating for a moment, Mulder made his way across the room. What he found was an elderly man, at least in his sixties, beaten and chained to the wall.

"As you can see Agent Mulder, they take no special care for the aging."

Mulder bent down to the man's level.

"What are you thinking Agent Mulder? There's a look of anger in your eyes."

"It's your fault that we're stuck here. You led them to us."

"Is that so? Then explain to me why I'm in the same situation you are."

"You're a decoy. They stuck you down here to fool me."

'The Red Mole' laughed.

"Is everything always centered around you? Take a look around Agent Mulder. You and Agent Scully aren't the only ones they're after. I was deceived just as you were. My eagerness to help you is true and it still burns and just as I was a source to you, I have sources of my own. When I leaked that disk to you, I suspected that something was brewing. I obtained too easily and when I passed it on, I knew that they were watching me.

As soon as I dropped of the disk at your apartment, I was apprehended and taken to this place. They're cruel, merciless people Agent Mulder. You can see what they've done to me and you can trust they'll do the same to you."

For the first time, Mulder examined the man in front of him. He had badly beaten, bruised from head to toe. His clothes were torn revealing welts and cuts and burn marks. 'The Red Mole's' wrists were chaffed from the shackles and there was evidence that his legs were once bound as well.

"Okay, fine. Say I believe you. Who are they?"

"That, I'm afraid, I do not know."

Just then, a door opened, and Mulder stepped back.

"Ah! Agent Mulder, I seen you've meet our mutual friend."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"That is none of your concern. Now, step away from our friend before I decided to hurt you."

The man made his way down the long staircase. He was tall and large in statue, obviously made for causing pain. Mulder stepped back without a second thought. When he reached Scully, she began to stir, but Mulder's attention was diverted to 'The Red Mole.' The man who had just entered unchained him from the wall and dragged him away.

With 'The Red Mole' gone, Mulder attended to Scully. She was moving a little, but her eyes had yet to open.

"Scully?"

His plea elicited no response. Mulder brushed his hand across Scully's cheek and began to arrange themselves in a more comfortable position. At the end of his work, Mulder had his back against the wall with Scully's head positioned onto his lap.

"Wake up Scully. Please, wake up."