Gibson Praise, the telepathic boy with an extraterrestrial genetic structure, has grown up to be the FBI's top profiler and secret weapon. He owes him big time for this.
Mulder looks through the cartons of old X-Files case reports. He believed they'd been destroyed when his office was torched, but in actuality Alvin Kersh, at the time an Assistant Director had personally removed them. Kersh had been assigned to oversee Mulder's probationary period and when he received an anonymous tip about an arsonist and the basement of the Hoover building, he calculated they were worth saving. They had recently been found in storage and sent to the U.S. Government Electronic Records Archive where Gibson saved the hard copies from becoming confetti.
As he peruses the files, every report and every photo brings back a flood of memories. This was the culmination of his life's work.
He laughs out loud. "No wonder I'm so screwed up!"
The dark humor and irony he feels vanishes when he sees Scully's name peppered throughout the files. It is his biggest regret and will always fill him with guilt and remorse.
The last year has been a difficult transition for Mulder, a revolution has taken place since that fateful day in 2009 when Walter Skinner contacted him and asked him to tell his story to the President.
Almost eighteen years have passed since he was officially tossed out of the FBI, and after years of devoting his life to finding the truth and exposing the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity, he found his sole purpose in life had become everyone else's cause and obsession. He's been replaced. There are others who will carry on his work, as they have the tools, the backing and the belief needed to succeed. It's a bittersweet victory.
FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder aka Spooky Mulder in charge of the X-Files, who has spent his life searching for answers to the alien global conspiracy, has become a footnote in history.
In February of 2011, in a supposed response to the nuclear threat from North Korea and Iran, and under the auspices of a Homeland Security Stimulus Package, the Government appropriated the funds needed to re-open and excavate any closed iron ore mines in the country. The mineral would be used by the Department of Defense to build weapons in the form of bombs, grenades and other ammunition. Homeland Security would use the iron ore to reinforce an underground bunker for essential government personnel as well as for protecting sensitive sites such as power stations and water reservoirs. Each State was given funds to build relocation camps, thousands of jobs were created each month including the building of magnetite barriers, which were trucked in to each site. Unemployment was a thing of the past and only elderly, unpopular and overweight talk radio hosts complained of the "unnecessary" Government's spending.
Where does a covert government agent who's spent the better part of a decade hunting Super Soldiers go after halting an alien invasion of the planet? Not to Disneyland, it's been closed for seven years.
He goes and gets a business card inscribed consultant and stands aside while men and women half his age holster weapons and confront conflict. On occasion he provides security for one of Mulder's former informants who now assists the private sector by acting as liaison to foreign dignitaries.
He first saw her in 2002, A.D. Skinner tracked her down and brought her in to testify at Mulder's Kangaroo Court trial and somehow she escaped the makeshift courtroom unscathed and unharmed. The next time he saw her was seven years later, Skinner found her again and brought her in to join them in talking with the President. Her involvement with the Syndicate, a group of men who had conspired to save themselves and their families by cooperating with the aliens, had proven to be invaluable in piecing together the events that led to the colonization attempt of 2012. She worked closely with Skinner on identifying and bringing down the Super Soldiers who posed as government officials.
Since then, their paths have crossed numerous times. He used to be wary of her, but after learning of her past, and the cruelties she endured at the hands of the conspiracy, he has nothing but respect for her. She has proven herself a worthy adversary and a worthier ally.
The Four Season's Hotel in San Francisco, while looking somewhat tired, still reeks of wealth when wealth meant money. John Doggett waits patiently on the sidelines while a meeting between Marita Covarrubius and the Ambassador to the Republic of Korea concludes. As she rises to say good-bye, he can clearly see the man making moves on her, but like the expert she is, Marita makes him feel like a million bucks while telling him to get lost.
"How long you gonna run around the country talking these big wigs into doing business with your cronies?" Doggett opens the door to the Electric Towne Car for her. He slides into the driver's seat and they leave the hotel for the airport.
She gives him that intriguing almost smug smile of hers. "John, we can't all retire with a fat government pension and direct lines to the White House. I work so I won't be bored, like you are."
He laughs out loud. "Damn Marita, you're great for a man's self esteem."
"Seriously, you know I appreciate your help and enjoy your company on the few occasions we work together, but, what are you doing? Why are you here?" Her tone has more than a hint of concern.
He shrugs. "I got put out to pasture, let go. The President refused my offer to go to Saudi Arabia. He actually told me he didn't want my death to be on his conscious."
"Its true, you've paid your dues, your debt to society. It's time to give someone else a chance to be a hero." Marita smoothes back the stray hairs in the French knot she wears.
She likes John and knows he is at loose ends. "You know, I think we're all too old to be alone. Walter and I figured that out. We would rather be together than be alone. Besides, he fills my daddy issues quite well." She says tongue in cheek. Marita has a way of making sly look cheerful.
"We can't all be as lucky as Skinner, Marita."
"Go back to Monica, John. She'll save you from yourself."
2011 is coming to an end and the clock is ticking. A summit among world leaders has been called for the New Year. Our allies now believe in the imminent threat of alien colonization, and the luxury of political posturing has become irrelevant. The President hopes our friends will join us in fighting the takeover of our planet and that our enemies will become our friends.
Dana Scully has been a key member of the alien resistance since 2009. In her previous lives she was a doctor at Our Lady of Sorrows Hospital, a fugitive from the law, hunted by Super Soldiers, and Mulder's partner at the FBI.
No one could have told the fresh faced FBI agent that her partnership with a gifted but eccentric young agent would span over twenty five years and set her on a path that would be filled with more loss than any one person should have to endure. No one could have told her of the importance of their work, their mission to uncover the truth and how it would effect every man, woman and child on the planet. And no one would have predicted that Dr. Dana Scully would hold the dissenting vote in the World Health Organization's recommendation to distribute the black oil and host virus vaccine to the continent of Africa.
Morality and science are at odds with each other again, something that Scully has constantly dealt with in her career. What brought Scully here today are her integrity, her belief in science and more importantly, her love of mankind. Some choices are never easy and some should never have to be made, but in this world filled with peril, difficult decisions must be faced.
"Dana, we have all struggled with the moral, ethical and even spiritual ramification of continuing to withhold the vaccine from the African nations. Because their belief system is rooted in superstition, it may be impossible to distribute it effectively. What do you propose?" Dr. Sherman asks.
Scully rubs her temples. "I have no doubt the reasons you give are valid. What I worry about is the judgment in allowing a continent of people to die. It will come back to haunt us. And, it should. Should we not do everything in our power to save these people? It is true, it will be difficult, but is it not worth it?"
"I sympathize with your outlook Dr. Scully, but I feel you are misguided by your emotions." Dr. Benton comments.
Scully fingers the small cross she wears. "Dr. Benton, as doctors, we have taken an oath to save lives not take them. I for one believe this oath is true, and the truth will never misguide us."
For many Americans, the days leading up to December 22, 2012 were filled with last minute holiday shopping and indulging in eggnog lattes. Others were preparing for the celebration of the Winter Solstice when the midday sun is at its lowest point above the horizon and winter officially begins, and some might be contemplating the Mayan long count calendar and the lost civilization's prediction of the apocalypse.
A few, like the President of the United States, were anticipating an alien invasion of the planet.
More than a year ago, her work with the FBI and resistance movement ended. The government had a new crop of intensely dedicated personnel both in the public and private sector and they would carry on the work of taking the planet back. Her contribution to this effort would never be over, but her day-to-day involvement was.
There has been little time for a personal life, no husband, no children, no dog or cat, only her work and her partner. She and John Doggett have been involved for years, possibly out of need and desperation, or possibly, because of the immense trust and respect they have for each other. There have been times like this, when circumstances would separate them and their hearts and body might stray, but no matter where they might be in the world, they would always be able to count on each other, like now.
Monica Reyes will never forget watching Dana dress William for the last time. The decision to give her baby up for adoption was heartbreaking and as terrible as she felt, she could only imagine how much worse the anguish in Dana's heart must be. That day would forever stay with her.
John, a father who had lost a son himself, shared her sentiments. The sacrifice of this child is something neither of them would accept. Together, someday, they would find him. That vow is the reason she is here today, a Spanish teacher for a government run program, for orphaned teenagers.