Mulder had spent day and night at the Gunmen's office, the waiting and worrying wearing him down. Even with Skinner pressing, neither of them had received permission to see Scully. The month was up, but the facility's stonewalling continued—an endless loop of calls and vague responses. Every answer pointed to the same excuse: Scully was reportedly "uncooperative," and a visit could "disrupt her therapy." Mulder knew a brush-off when he heard one, but this was different. The more he and Skinner pushed, the tighter the facility closed around her.

As Byers went over the evidence Mulder had brought them again, scanning documents and recordings they'd pieced together from past encounters, Langly hissed, his tone thick with dread.

"According to her file," Langly said, eyes fixed on his screen, "after being cooperative for a while, she was caught going through files at the nurses' station. In the middle of the night."

Mulder's eyes narrowed as Langly continued, his voice tense. "So now, she's back to restraints and being injected with some kind of… medication."

Mulder's pulse quickened. "Injected? What kind of medication are they giving her?"

Langly shook his head, looking up, visibly disturbed. "Our database doesn't recognize it, and we've combed through everything we've got. Whatever it is, it's not standard."

Byers adjusted his glasses, his expression grave. "They're saying she's uncooperative, but Mulder, she's trying to get answers. And the more she pushes, the more they suppress her."

Mulder's jaw clenched, the weight of it sinking in. "Restrained and drugged... because she checked files? She was just trying to understand what they were doing to her."

Frohike shook his head. "It's more than just punishment for her going rogue. They're shutting her down, keeping her in line because she's onto something."

Mulder leaned over Byers's desk, pressing his fists against the table, his voice low and angry. "This whole thing is rotten. They're manipulating her, breaking her down, and now they're hiding her from anyone who might question it."

Byers looked at Mulder, worry evident in his face. "She's under heavy sedation, confined—she's basically trapped. The longer she's there, the harder it'll be for her to get out of this on her own."

Mulder shook his head, determination flickering in his eyes. "We've got to get me inside that facility. If I can't get in with permission, then we find another way."

Langly leaned back in his chair, his expression focused. "We might have a way to get you in… sort of."

Byers nodded, his voice picking up with urgency. "The facility reports are digitally transmitted to the state every few days. We've been tracking their network activity, and there's a window we can exploit to slip you in as a 'temporary staff member.' We could create a fake identity, something that would give you limited access. You'll have maybe a day or two, but you'd have to be careful."

Langly added, "This would only buy you a little time, but enough to see Scully, maybe enough to help her."

Mulder's face softened, his worry giving way to a steely resolve. "That's all I need. Just get me close enough to reach her."

Frohike glanced up, his eyes dark with concern. "Mulder, if this blows up, they could arrest you—or worse. These people are playing by rules we don't know yet."

Mulder nodded, his voice unwavering. "Whatever it takes. I'm not leaving her there alone." He turned back to the Gunmen, his decision made. "Get it set up. I'll be ready."

The Gunmen exchanged looks, then nodded in unison, each of them reflecting the same urgency Mulder felt. Finally, Byers spoke, his voice filled with the same fire.

"We'll get you in, Mulder. Let's make this happen."