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"I don't know what to say, Mr. Mulder. Mr. Skinner's vitals show a severe case of acetone poisoning, but the tox screen came back clean." A one Dr Myers said as Scully & Mulder stood to greet him. "If it's all right with you, Doctor, I'd like to conduct my own analysis on Mr. Skinner." "Actually, I was just about to suggest that." He replied. "I ran the test results three times, that's what took me so long &…" Scully said as Mulder met her in the lab later that day. "Three times, eh? I've never known you to second guess yourself more then once." Mulder said dryly, a shadow of a grin on his face. Scully shot him a look as she continued. "It just doesn't make since, Mulder. Everything about how his body is behaving points to acetone poisoning, but there is absolutely no trace of it in his system. In order to cause that much damage to the body, one would have to be given almost a lethal dose, one that would certainly show up in a tox screen." "So… what do you think?" Mulder pressed, urgency was leaking into his voice. "I… I don't know what to think… I'm completely stumped." Scully replied, Mulder thought for a moment before striding to the door. "Where are you going?" Scully called after him. "To enlist some help in this." His fading voice replied.
Scully was surprised to find Reyes & Dogget waiting with Mulder down in their office early the next morning. "I e-mailed them last night & told them about the case, they were nice enough to come all the way up here to help us." Mulder said as Scully shared a warm handshake with them. "It's very nice to see you two again; I just wish the circumstances were better. How's the X-Files Division down in New Mexico doing?" "Well… we've got Roswell & Area 51." Dogget said as he rolled his eyes. "What he means is that we run into a lot of… weird people." Reyes clarified. "Weird doesn't even begin to describe them; they devote their lives to this alien conspiracy crap." Dogget added. "What? You mean they're weirdoes like us?" Mulder said with a boyish grin. "Skinner's conscious, I think we should try to get some information." Scully said hesitantly, she hated to break up this light exchange because she knew they would be few & far between in this case.
"It must be tough if… you're here." Skinner said, his voice was barely audible. "Sir, do you remember experiencing a fruity odor or a sweet taste before you collapsed?" Scully asked. "No, I just remember severe pain in my stomach, then waking up here." Skinner replied. "Okay, that's enough questioning for now." The nurse said as he ushered them outside. "Someone that exhibits this level of symptoms would most surely have had an odd taste in their mouth, it just doesn't make sense." Scully said on their way back to their office. "It's not any more bazaar then Byers mysterious injuries." Mulder replied as he fumbled for his ringing phone. "Fox." A voice greeted him before he could even utter his signature "Mulder." "Who is this?" He said suspiciously. "You'll find out soon enough, change course for your apartment."
Mulder was surprised to see Candace, the mind reader sitting with her feet propped on his coffee table. "I told you we'd be meeting again soon." She said. "You know it's dangerous for you to come back here." Mulder replied. "I know, but I'm not helpless, you know." She said. "It's nice to finally meet you, agents Reyes & Dogget; I see that you've made a lucrative career out of crackpot stories & outlandish claims." She said, Reyes smiled impressively, Dogget looked slightly sheepish. "Now enough pleasantries, about this case… I can help you catch him because I know who he is."