(Old, perhaps abandoned bus stop on a little used highway in the middle of the desert. Definitely not a twenty-four hour type of place. A soft wind blows an old sign under which is an old telephone booth and a bench. CarriK's tape is bad, name on the sign looks like "Bus Stop – Roadrunner Bus Lines." A young man, HANK GULATARSKI, early twenties, dressed for comfort and life on the road, is looking around the place, waiting. He has a wrapped package and a dufflebag. He takes a pill, puts on his walkman, and gets some change. He walks to the old phone booth nearby. Looks like he makes a call, then he hangs up and checks to see if he got his money back. As he checks his watch, he hears a large vehicle approaching. He quickly runs out of the booth.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Hey, now we're talking.

(He retrieves his bag and the package and begins waving them at the bus that is approaching.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Hey. Right here, man, right here!

(The bus does not slow. He waves the bag and package harder.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Hey, come on! Stop, you son of a...

(The bus passes him, then slows and stops. HANK GULATARSKI runs to the front door and boards the bus. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER is a large woman, 40ish.)

HANK GULATARSKI: You know, you got, like, highway hypnosis or something. You didn't see me standing there, yelling, waving?

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER glances at him, then looks straight ahead.)

HANK GULATARSKI: You better watch that.

(HANK GULATARSKI enters the body of the bus. It is almost full. All the passengers are awake. No one takes notice of the new guy. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER closes the door, and drives away. HANK finds the one open seat. It is next to an older woman. She doesn't acknowledge him. He stores his bag overhead, then sits and puts his Walkman on and closes his eyes. Near the front of the bus, a DISABLED MAN, around 30, is sitting beside a kindly looking OLDER GENTLEMAN. The DISABLED MAN turns around and looks intently at HANK. A moment later, the FEMALE BUS DRIVER stops the bus again. HANK, irritated, takes off his headphones.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Oh, come on. What now?

(Led by the DISABLED MAN, everyone begins getting off the bus silently. They gather in front of the bus.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Where's everybody going?

(No one answers. His seatmate exits the bus also.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Is, is the toilet broken? What?

(HANK is the last one off of the bus. They are only a short distance from the bus stop. The others have all surrounded the DISABLED MAN who got off of the bus first with the aid of crutches and leg supports. The DISABLED MAN, assisted by the OLDER GENTLEMAN, kneels down on the ground.)

HANK GULATARSKI: Can someone please tell me what's going on here?

(The DISABLED MAN looks toward HANK. Suddenly, the FEMALE BUS DRIVER grabs a large rock nearby and knocks out the DISABLED MAN. She continues to hit him as other riders pick up rocks and begin calmly stoning the DISABLED MAN to death. We hear his groans, but he does not resist. HANK stares on in horror. He backs up a few steps and trips and falls. The others turn toward HANK and begin walking slowly to him.)

HANK GULATARSKI: No!

(The others surround him. He begins screaming.)

HANK GULATARSKI: No! No!

(SCULLY, tight white t-shirt, olive dress shirt, and dark blazer, is alone at the area near the same bus stop we saw before. She looks at the many footprints in the sand, including the scrape of the crutches. With a digital camera she takes a picture of what looks like a round bloodstain about the size of a human head. A few feet away, she finds a hand-sized rock with a few ounces of white gooey stuff on it. Still wet. Must be a humid day in the desert. She pulls out a latex glove and transfers the substance to an evidence bag. She checks her cell phone. No service.

SCULLY: Damn.

(SCULLY sighs. She calls from the old phone booth. Phone rings.)

(DOGGETT answers the phone in the X-Files office. Looks like he has been using MULDER's desk.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) John Doggett.

SCULLY: (on phone) Hey, it's Scully. Good morning.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Good afternoon. I've been trying to reach you.

(He sounds a little pissed. She sounds a little guilty, but unrepentant.)

SCULLY: (on phone) Well, actually, I'm out of town. I'm … north of Sugarville, Utah, roughly.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Utah? What are you doing there?

SCULLY: (on phone) The, uh, local coroner wants a consultation on a murder victim.... a man who was found beaten to death in the desert. Apparently, his corpse shows some anomalous characteristics.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Anomalous? How?

SCULLY: (on phone) From what they're telling me, he is a, uh, 22-year-old backpacker who was last seen by his family about six months ago in perfect health. However, his body is now showing advanced signs of osteoporosis, arthritis, and kyphosis of the vertebrae. In other words, he's got a spine of a 90-year-old woman.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Sounds anomalous, all right. You didn't need me to tag along?

SCULLY: (on phone) Well, it was just a, uh, a simple consultation... and, uh... he called me over the weekend and I figured I wasn't going to bother you.

(Pause.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Well, if there's anything I can do from here…

SCULLY: (on phone) Well, actually, there might be, if you don't mind. Somewhere in our files... there is a, uh, an unsolved murder case.

(She looks at the bag of goo.)

SCULLY: (on phone) Unfortunately, I , uh, don't remember any of the particulars like where or when it took place but I do remember that there were some glycoproteins found at the crime scene.

(DOGGETT has never heard the word "glycoproteins" in his life.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) "Glycoproteins."

SCULLY: (on phone) Yeah, mucous... But it was, uh, unable to be identified, and seeing as how you, uh, recently read through all of our files I thought maybe it would ring a bell with you.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Well, I don't have a great memory for mucous... but I'll be happy to look.

(SCULLY smiles. The bus approaches and passes SCULLY, making it very difficult for her to hear DOGGETT.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Remember anything else? Are you still there? Agent Scully? Agent Scully?

(The bus has passed. SCULLY watches it.)

SCULLY: (on phone) I'm sorry?

DOGGETT: (on phone) Do you remember anything else?

SCULLY: (on phone) No, no, no, just, uh, just mucous. Look, when you find that file, will you fax it over to the Juab County Sheriff's office? That's the best place to reach me. My cell phone doesn't seem to be working out here.

DOGGETT: (on phone) All right, you got it.

SCULLY: (on phone) Thank you.

(SCULLY hangs up and steps out of the booth to watch the bus turn left onto a small side road a half mile away. About where she found the goo.)

(Later, SCULLY in her rental sedan is traveling along the small desert road. She arrives at a small collection of rundown houses and buildings. No sign of the bus, or any other functional vehicles. She pulls up in front of the gas station and gets out, map in hand. [She is driving a silver Impala.] A sign in front asks "Missing a Hubcab?".)

SCULLY: Hello?

(No answer. She honks the horn. Still no answer. She closes the car door, sighs, and spreads the map out on the hood. She appears to be way southwest of Salt Lake in the middle of nowhere. Behind her, we see the GAS STATION MAN step into view.)

GAS STATION MAN: How you doing?

(SCULLY turns to face him, startled, but quickly composed.)

SCULLY: Good … thanks. I, uh, I was wondering. A bus came through here a little while ago. Uh, do you happen to know where it might have gone?

(The GAS STATION MAN is young, country accent. A crude bandage is wrapped around a nasty looking wound on his right hand.)

GAS STATION MAN: Well, I was around back.

SCULLY: Do you know what's up that road?

GAS STATION MAN: Eventually it'll get you to Salt Lake... I mean, if you're not in too much a hurry.

SCULLY: Uh, can I ask what happened to your hand?

GAS STATION MAN: Aww… I was changing the blade on my bow saw. It's kind of gross.

(SCULLY inspects the wound with concern and interest.)

SCULLY: Yeah. There was a, uh, murder out here last week about 15, 20 miles off the state road. Did you, uh, did you hear about it?

GAS STATION MAN: Yes, I did. It's scary.

SCULLY: Yeah. Well, you're going to want to wash this out. Put some iodine on it. You don't want it to get infected.

GAS STATION MAN: You sound like my mother.

SCULLY: Yeah, well, I also sound like a doctor.

GAS STATION MAN: (interested) Medical doctor?

SCULLY: Yeah. Can you sell me some gas?

GAS STATION MAN: Oh. Oh, I'd love to... but I'm all out. See, the tanker was supposed to be here yesterday but... well, I'm hoping for this afternoon. How low are you?

SCULLY: I got a... quarter tank, I think. I'll make it. It's all right.

GAS STATION MAN: I'd feel awful bad if you didn't. Hang on.

SCULLY: Thanks.

(She looks at the map some more. He runs back behind the station and returns with a large gas can.)

GAS STATION MAN: Should be enough in here to tide you over.

SCULLY: Oh, that's great. Thank you.

GAS STATION MAN: Do me a favor. Don't go telling people that I'm giving away free gas back here.

(He opens her gas tank and begins pouring in the contents of the can.)

SCULLY: Where is "here," exactly? 'Cause I can't seem to find this town on the map.

GAS STATION MAN: Oh, we're not really a town. Just a... just a few like-minded people trying to keep the modern world at bay.

(He finishes pouring and closes the tank.)

GAS STATION MAN: You're good to go.

SCULLY: Thank you very much.

(SCULLY gets in the car, starts the engine and drives back the way she came. The GAS STATION MAN watches her go.)

(CUT TO: GAS STATION MAN opens a door into a bedroom.)

GAS STATION MAN: Help is coming.

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER is in the room. She acknowledges the GAS STATION MAN, then turns back to a man lying on the small bed. The man is shivering as if from a high fever. It is HANK GULATARSKI. He does not look well.)

(CUT TO: SCULLY in her car, perhaps a few miles away. The car engine sputters, then stalls. She rolls to a stop. All gauges on the dashboard look all right.)

SCULLY: Okay.

(She gets out.)

(Later. Jacket over her arm, SCULLY arrives on foot back at the gas station. She looks tired and more than a little pissed off. She confronts the GAS STATION MAN who is sitting on the porch of the station.)

SCULLY: Hey. Excuse me. You put something in my tank that killed my engine.

GAS STATION MAN: (all innocence and concern) What?

SCULLY: Where's that gas can? I'd like to see it, please.

(SCULLY, followed by the very nervous GAS STATION MAN, walks over to the gas can that he used to fill her tank earlier. She pours some of the remaining contents into her hand and holds her hand to her face.)

SCULLY: That's water. I barely even smell any gasoline.

(The GAS STATION MAN also smells the contents.)

GAS STATION MAN: Oh, God, you're right. I'm sorry. I... I left it out. (looks at the tiny nozzle opening) It must have gotten rain in it.

SCULLY: Oh, and it rains a lot here, does it? Seeing as how it's basically the desert.

GAS STATION MAN: I'm really sorry.

SCULLY: Yeah. I'm going to use your phone.

(Mad!SCULLY starts into the station.)

GAS STATION MAN: I don't have one.

(SCULLY turns and faces him, clearly disbelieving.)

SCULLY: You don't have a phone. So how did you call up the tanker that was supposed to come here yesterday?

GAS STATION MAN: There's a phone up the street. Mr. Milsap's place. He'll help you out.

(SCULLY goes up the street to an old house. She enters through the screen door. No sign of anyone.)

SCULLY: Hello? Hello?

(Looking up at the top of the stairs, she sees the kindly OLDER GENTLEMAN who we saw earlier on the bus next to the DISABLED MAN. He is MR. MILSAP.)

SCULLY: Hi.

MR. MILSAP: Hi.

SCULLY: Mr. Milsap?

(He comes down the stairs.)

MR. MILSAP: Can I help you?

SCULLY: Yes, I hope so. My, uh, car has stalled up the street and I was wondering if I could use your phone.

MR. MILSAP: Sure. It's in here.

(SCULLY picks up the phone in the room, starts to dial, then sets it down again in disgust.)

SCULLY: The line's dead.

MR. MILSAP: Oh, no. Let me see.

(He takes the phone from her. Surprise, surprise, it is indeed dead.)

MR. MILSAP: Damn phone company. They're updating the lines, so the service gets interrupted. It'll come back on.

SCULLY: How long?

MR. MILSAP: Ten minutes... two hours... I could say, but I'd just be guessing.

(SCULLY gives him a "Yeah, right," look and follows the phone cord to the wall. It is plugged in.)

MR. MILSAP: You're welcome to wait here. I could even give you a room if you like. This was a boarding house.

SCULLY: I won't be here that long.

(She stands and looks directly at him. She does not trust this kindly man.)

SCULLY: What the hell is going on here?

MR. MILSAP: Sorry?

SCULLY: I get the distinct impression that somebody doesn't want me to leave.

MR. MILSAP: (defensively) I don't know anything about that.

SCULLY: A bus came through here about an hour ago. Where did it go?

MR. MILSAP: A bus?

SCULLY: Don't tell me you didn't see it.

MR. MILSAP: (chuckle) Oh, I think I'd have known if a big bus came through. (intensely serious, almost desperate) Are you sure I can't help you out with a room?

(SCULLY turns and walks out of the house. MR. MILSAP follows.)

MR. MILSAP: It's 18 miles to the state road. Another 20 to Sugarville.

(SCULLY, halfway down the porch steps, rests her hand for a moment on her abdomen. Very subtle.)

MR. MILSAP: You don't want to walk it.

(SCULLY sighs looks down the street, then notices a WOMAN walking quickly into one of the houses. She follows quickly.)

SCULLY: Excuse me. Ma'am, excuse me. Ma'am. Excuse me, ma'am.

(The WOMAN goes into the house. SCULLY follows onto the porch and knocks at the door.)

SCULLY: Hello? Ma'am, I need some help.

(She tries the door. It is locked. No answer. She goes to the window and looks inside. The WOMAN and several other people are standing in a circle in the room reading from what looks like the Bible. They glance up at SCULLY's knocks on the window.)

SCULLY: Hello?

(The people in the room turn away again, ignoring her. Mismatched lawn furniture in the yard. SCULLY crosses over to another house. MR. MILSAP is watching her. She knocks at the door.)

SCULLY: Hello?

(She looks through the dustcovered window. She sees another group of people in a circle. They ignore her. She sighs and looks back up at MR. MILSAP.)

(CUT TO: Later that night. SCULLY is in an upper floor room in MR. MILSAP's house. It is lit only by candle and oil lamp. She nervously checks her weapon, and sits tensely on the white iron bed, gun in her hand. The camera pans across her curtained windows. Out in the dirt street, we see all the residents of the town silently carrying oil lamps. They are all heading to the house.)

(SCULLY's room, next morning. She is asleep. A knock at the door causes her to jerk awake. She grabs her gun off of the bedside table and points it steadily at the door, ready for action.)

MR. MILSAP: (voice, from outside the door) Doctor, can I speak to you? It's... it's an emergency.

(SCULLY holds the gun at the door for a moment regaining her composure. She goes to the door and opens it cautiously. MR. MILSAP looks contrite.)

MR. MILSAP: I'm sorry to bother you. There's a man downstairs that needs help. Please.

(SCULLY and MR. MILSAP enter the room where the FEMALE BUS DRIVER is watching over HANK GULATARSKI. HANK is convulsing. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER is holding him down. SCULLY runs to the bedside and takes the FEMALE BUS DRIVER's place.)

SCULLY: Let go. Don't hold him down.

(HANK GULATARSKI continues to convulse. SCULLY tucks a pillow under his head to keep him from hurting himself.)

SCULLY: How long has he been seizing?

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: (flustered) Uh, three... four minutes.

SCULLY: It's okay. You're all right. You're okay.

(He calms. She looks at HANK GULATARSKI with concern.)

SCULLY: What's his name?

MR. MILSAP: He's a stranger. He needed help.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Wha... what's wrong with him?

SCULLY: He had a grand mal seizure. As far as I can tell, he's in status. It's a continuous seizure state. He doesn't smell like acetone, which would indicate that he's hyperglycemic and … uh … he doesn't appear to have any head injuries. He could be epileptic and just ceased taking his medication.

(SCULLY turns him over and sees a gaping bloody wound on his lower back. She looks up at the FEMALE BUS DRIVER and MR. MILSAP.)

SCULLY: How did this happen?

(They act like they don't know as they both shake their heads. SCULLY doesn't buy it.)

SCULLY: Uh-huh. At any rate, we need to get him to a hospital. Immediately.

(MR. MILSAP and the FEMALE BUS DRIVER look at each other. SCULLY looks to MR. MILSAP.)

SCULLY: I assume that your phone's still not working.

MR. MILSAP: Sorry.

SCULLY: Well, do you or one of your "friendly" neighbors happen to have a car?

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: No one here has a car.

SCULLY: No cars?

MR. MILSAP: (helpfully) We could send someone to the state road on foot. All right? We could get them to bring back help.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: (hopefully) In the meantime, please, anything you can do for him.

(SCULLY nods and sighs.)

SCULLY: All right, do you... um … do you have any Karo syrup? Any corn syrup?

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER goes out of the room. SCULLY turns back to HANK. MR. MILSAP watches SCULLY.)

(DOGGETT is calling from the X-Files office.)

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Joab County Sheriff's office, Sheriff Ciolino speaking.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Yeah, hi, this is Agent John Doggett with the FBI. I have some material my partner, Agent Scully, requested. What's your fax number there?

(SHERIFF CIOLINO is in his office in Utah.)

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Agent Doggett, uh, when's your partner going to get here, by the way? The murder victim's family's waiting for us to turn the body over.

DOGGETT: (on phone, concerned) Agent Scully's not there? She's supposed to be there yesterday.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Yes, sir, that was our understanding.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Sheriff, could I trouble you to send a car out? Agent Scully –is- in Utah. She called me yesterday somewhere north of Sugarville.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) You got it. I'll get someone right out there.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Okay, thanks. I'll be in touch.

(DOGGETT thinks a moment then makes another call.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Danny, hi. This is John Doggett. I need YOU TO TRACE A CALL FOR ME. IT CAME TO THIS OFFICE YESTERDAY ABOUT 1:30 in the afternoon.

(In HANK's room. SCULLY is pulling old phone cord off the wall. She holds the cord against the antenna of her cell phone. Still no service. She sighs. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER is spooning syrup into HANK's mouth.)

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Am I doing this right?

SCULLY: Yeah, you can hold off now.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Nothing's happening.

SCULLY: I'm sorry, but, uh... I'm just winging it here. I mean, raising his blood sugar only helps if his condition is brought on by hypoglycemia, but this could be the result of any number of things.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: So what do we do?

SCULLY: Well, I'm afraid that I have done all that I can do … unless you know how to get ahold of diazepam or phenobarbital other than the nearest hospital … which is where we should be, of course.

(HANK begins gasping and regaining consciousness. SCULLY sits beside him.)

SCULLY: Hey, hey. Can you hear me? How are you feeling?

HANK: (weakly) Okay.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: (delighted) Thank God. Thank God. We were all so scared. (SCULLY looks up at her in disbelief.)

HANK: I think I just need rest.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: (to SCULLY) We should leave him alone.

(HANK grabs SCULLY's arm)

HANK: Can, uh, you stay?

(SCULLY looks at the FEMALE BUS DRIVER.)

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: I'll go tell everybody.

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER leaves SCULLY and HANK alone.)

HANK: Are you a doctor?

SCULLY: Yes. I am.

HANK: Thank you. For, uh, helping me.

SCULLY: Well, I'm not sure if I've actually done anything. In fact, I don't even know, uh, I don't even know what's going on with you right now. Do you know what your name is?

HANK: Um…

SCULLY: You don't remember do you? How about how you got here?

(He doesn't answer.)

SCULLY: What about these people who have taken you in? Do you know anything about them?

HANK: Um, they, uh, take good care of me?

SCULLY: Yeah, I'll say they take very good care of you. The sun seems to rise and set on you as far as they're concerned. In fact, they seem to have stranded me here in order to nurse you back to health.

HANK: What … why would they do that?

(SCULLY glances back at the door to see if the coast is clear.)

SCULLY: A murder took place about 20 miles from here. A man was stoned to death. His head was so badly crushed, that they couldn't identify him from his teeth. Now it looks like upwards of a dozen people may have participated due to the footprints at the crime scene, but it's a very tight knit group of people who would murder together. A cult, in a word. And I'd say that these people qualify.

HANK: What are you? Detective?

SCULLY: FBI. And I need to get you out of here, but I don't know how. Okay, do you think that you can you walk?

HANK: I don't know. Kind of weak.

(He starts to weakly rise.)

SCULLY: I understand.

(She starts to help him out of bed.)

SCULLY: Hang … hang on a second. Just let me look at something, okay?

HANK: Mmmm?

SCULLY: All right.

(SCULLY looks at the wound on his lower back. She compresses the wound. Fluid bubbles out. HANK gasps.)

HANK: That thing hurts! Maybe you shouldn't do that. (He gasps in pain as she squeezes.)

SCULLY: Hold on, hold on.

(She gasps as she sees something moving along his lower spine. She presses on it. He begins convulsing again as it moves up his spine, then he relaxes. SCULLY takes out a pair of medical forceps-clippers, and reaches into the wound and clips onto something. She snips off a piece. He grunts. The rest of whatever it is crawls back up HANK'S spine. SCULLY holds up the still quivering hunk of flesh in her forceps and stares at it. It twitches like the back half of a severed worm.)

(X-Files office. Phone rings. DOGGETT is printing out a missing persons, information needed picture of HANK. He answers the phone.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Doggett.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) It's Ciolino. We checked out the number you gave us. It's a pay phone a half-mile from the crime scene.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Agent Scully must've just come from there when she called me.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Looks like. We're sorry. Still no sign of her.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Are you canvassing? Talking to NAVIS?

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Well, we would but there's no one to canvass. We're looking at a pretty desolate area. There's really nobody out there.

DOGGETT: (on phone) All right, listen. You got help coming your way from our Salt Lake City office. I'm heading out there, too. There's a new angle we need to be looking at.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) What's that?

DOGGETT: (on phone) That pay phone. Before Scully's call to me, the last call was placed on it was four days earlier, the night of the murder.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) Yeah?

DOGGETT: (on phone) It was placed to a Juliette Gulatarski. Of Fort Collins, Colorado. She tells me it was her brother Hank. He was on his way for a visit. Said he was stuck in the desert, but would be there in two days.

(DOGGETT looks at the missing persons image he printed out of HANK. HANK is 5'10".)

DOGGETT: (on phone) He never showed.

(Back in HANK's room. SCULLY, the FEMALE BUS DRIVER and MR. MILSAP are still watching over HANK. A damp cloth is on his head.)

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Something's happening.

SCULLY: He's coming to. Hey. Can you hear me? How are you feeling?

HANK: (weakly) I'm alive. And that's a start.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Oh, praise God.

MR. MILSAP: Praise Him. Praise Him.

(SCULLY seems uncomfortable with the open display of religious fervor.)

HANK: What's wrong with me?

(No one answers.)

HANK: I just need some rest. She can take care of me.

(MR. MILSAP and the FEMALE BUS DRIVER leave the room. SCULLY closes the door.)

SCULLY: It's lucky they're still listening to you for the time being.

(SCULLY rewets the cloth for his head.)

SCULLY: This... wound in your back... it seems to be a point of entry for a parasitic organism that has taken up residence along your spine. Now, this is something that I am completely unfamiliar with.

HANK: Oh, boy.

SCULLY: I don't know how far this extends or how to get it out of you without harming you.

HANK: Does that mean I'm dying?

SCULLY: You will die if we cannot treat you properly. Now, these people don't seem to want to let you go. I think that they put this thing inside of you.

(HANK looks upset.)

SCULLY: Now, I have no idea what the motives of these people are-- whether it's some bizarre religious activity-- but they killed the last person who was in your condition and I'm afraid that they're going to try and kill you, too.

HANK: This is a lot to take in.

SCULLY: No kidding.

HANK: What are you going to do?

SCULLY: I'm going to try and get us the hell out of here.

(She looks out the window.)

SCULLY: These, uh... people tell me that they have no cars. I don't believe them. They've got to have transportation hidden around here somewhere.

(She opens a window.)

SCULLY: I'm going to go take a look around, okay?

HANK: You're not going to be gone long, right?

(SCULLY thinks a moment takes her gun out of the holster.)

SCULLY: You know how to use a gun?

HANK: Pretty much.

(She gives him her gun.)

SCULLY: I'll be back soon.

HANK: The sooner the better.

(She climbs out the window.)

(There is a knock at the door. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER and MR. MILSAP enter.)

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Where did she go?

HANK: She says I'm dying.

(MR. MILSAP and the FEMALE BUS DRIVER look at each other.)

HANK: We need another swap.

(Juab County Sheriff's office. DOGGETT arrives in a rental sedan. SHERIFF CIOLINO is there as well as the FBI agent, MAYFIELD. Manly men.)

DOGGETT: Sherriff? Agent John Doggett.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: You made good time.

DOGGETT: Good to know you.

BRIAN MAYFIELD: (shaking hands) I'm Brian Mayfield, Salt Lake office. We're at your disposal.

DOGGETT: (shaking his hand) Appreciate it.

(They enter the office.)

DOGGETT: Sheriff, does this wound look familiar?

(He shows him a picture of a lower back wound.)

SHERIFF CIOLINO: It's the victim in our morgue. Where'd you get it?

DOGGETT: That's not your murder victim. That's a photo of a John Doe found off a West Texas highway in 1991.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: Our guy has the same wound.

DOGGETT: Yeah, I thought you were going to say that.

(DOGGETT tosses down three more crime scene photos along with his lines.)

DOGGETT: Arizona, '93. New Mexico, '97. Nevada, '99. All four victims had their brains beaten out and were dumped in remote areas. All four cases are unsolved.

MAYFIELD: How'd you run these down?

DOGGETT: Agent Scully had me track down this first one. It noted glycoproteins at the crime scene which is what she found. This same wound kept showing up. These murders range throughout the southwest, zigzagging all over the desert. The more remote the better.

(DOGGETT walks over to the map of the area on the wall. He taps the map near where the one red pushpin is placed on the map.)

(The pushpin flashes into a maglite beam. SCULLY, maglite in hand, looks through a barn's peephole, then enters the barn and looks around. She finds the bus. The letters MCI are on the front. As she investigates the exterior of the bus, HANK enters. He has a crutch on his arm. He stumbles weakly into the barn.)

SCULLY: Hey. How'd you...?

(The others enter the barn and surround SCULLY and HANK.)

SCULLY: You had me convinced.

(She runs, then grunts angrily as the other grab and restrain her.)

SCULLY: (yelling) I'm a Federal Agent! At this moment, the FBI is searching for me!

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: They won't find you.

MR. MILSAP: Talk to her.

(HANK is leaning on the arm braces.)

HANK: Your life... is about to take a wonderful turn. You're going to become a part of something much, much greater than you are. (smiles) You're going to be... so loved.

MR. MILSAP: Amen. Amen.

ALL: Amen. Amen.

(HANK kneels down. MR. MILSAP nods and smiles at the FEMALE BUS DRIVER. She smiles back. She raises a hammer above her head and brings it down with great force on HANK's head.)

SCULLY: No! Ahhh!!! You son of a bitch!

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER proceeds to bash HANK to death with the hammer as the others chant. Blood splatters the side of the bus.)

MR. MILSAP: Amen!

SCULLY: You just murdered him!

ALL: Amen!

MR. MILSAP AND ALL: Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen!

ALL: Amen!

(HANK is dead. The FEMALE BUS DRIVER reaches into HANK's body, removes an infant sized organism from HANK's spine and begins walking toward SCULLY with it. It is squirming and slimy, like a really big nasty slug. It has some sort of horns or teeth at one end.)

SCULLY: No. No! I'm pregnant! No! No, don't do this! I'm going to have a baby!

(They come closer.)

SCULLY: No! Don't do this! No! I'm going to have a baby!

(They turn her around and expose her lower back as the FEMALE BUS DRIVER approaches with the organism. Not a pleasant scene at all.)

SCULLY: No! No! No! No!

(Night. SCULLY is tied spread-eagled, stomach down, to the bed. The others watch her. She is groaning in pain. Some of the groans are really low. Sound almost male. Maybe looped in post-production?)

SCULLY: What did you put in me?! I'm going to get every last one of you bastards!

MR. MILSAP: No.

(SCULLY pants and groans.)

MR. MILSAP: You'll love us. You'll protect us. You'll teach us, make us better than we are. We're taught not to envy, but I do envy you so. That you'll soon be one with him.

SCULLY: Him?! That thing in my spine is a "him"?!

(We see the circular wound on her exposed lower back, and the lump moving slowly up her spine. She yells in pain MR. MILSAP places his hand tenderly on SCULLY's swollen back.)

MR. MILSAP: Please. This is such a wonderful, wonderful thing... for you... and your unborn child. That last man just wasn't a suitable tabernacle. The thing of it is there's always the chance that your body won't fail him... that he'll be in you forever.

(SCULLY groans and struggle. Car headlights illuminate the window.)

SCULLY: Help! Help! Help!

(The FEMALE BUS DRIVER shoves a cloth in her mouth. MR. MILSAP closes the window.)

(Down on the street, DOGGETT gets out of his car. MR. MILSAP and the FEMALE BUS DRIVER come to greet him.)

DOGGETT: Good evening.

MR. MILSAP: Good evening. You lost?

DOGGETT: Well, I may be. I'm way the hell off the main road, that's for sure.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: Can we help you?

DOGGETT: Yeah, I hope so. I'm, uh... looking for this woman. Have you seen her?

(DOGGETT unfolds and shows them a picture of SCULLY.)

MR. MILSAP: No.

FEMALE BUS DRIVER: No.

MR. MILSAP: Can't say I have.

(In her room, SCULLY, tied to the bed, manages to tip over one of the oil lamps with her foot. The room is set on fire. She screams, muffled, as the GAS STAION MAN who had been looking out the window, attempts to put out the flames.)

SCULLY: Help! Help!

(BACK DOWN ON THE STREET:)

DOGGETT: She would have been driving a rental car like mine. You sure she hasn't been through here?

MR. MILSAP: No. We get so few visitors we remember each one pretty well.

DOGGETT: All right. Thanks for your time.

(MR. MILSAP and FEMALE BUS DRIVER start back to the house. SCULLY is still trying to scream.)

SCULLY: Help! Help!

(DOGGETT drives out of sight, then dials his cell phone.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Sheriff, this is Doggett.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) I'm reading you, Agent Doggett. Where are you?

DOGGETT: (on phone) 20 miles off the state road, just north of the crime scene. Some kind of outpost. It's on your map. I'm getting a definite vibe from it. Just talked to a guy who had a gun in his pocket and I don't mean he was happy to see me.

SHERIFF CIOLINO: (on phone) I'll send everybody I've got.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Hurry. I can't wait for you.

(DOGGETT gets out of the car and runs back to the town.)

(In SCULLY's room. SCULLY is still tied to the bed, groaning. The GAS STATION MAN is watching her. He doesn't hear DOGGETT enter.)

DOGGETT: Hey.

(The GAS STATION MAN turns his face to DOGGETT who promptly punches him unconscious. DOGGETT crosses over to SCULLY. He sees the wound on her back.)

DOGGETT: What in the hell...? Agent Scully...

(She groans.)

DOGGETT: God all mighty. Agent Scully. Agent Scully.

(AGENT SCULLY gasps. He removes the gag.)

SCULLY: Agent Doggett. Get me the hell out of here.

(He unties her hands and feet.)

DOGGETT: Can you walk?

SCULLY: I don't know. How far is your car?

DOGGETT: It's about a half a mile up the road.

SCULLY: I know something closer.

(He carries her to the bus in the barn. He sets her down in the front of the bus, whips off his jacket and then crawls under the steering column and begins messing with the wires.)

SCULLY: Can you hot-wire it?

DOGGETT: (manly confidence) Can I hot-wire it? Gone in 60 seconds, Jack. I'm going to strand these lunatics.

(She groans.)

DOGGETT: Agent Scully... talk to me.

(The slug thing in her back is moving further up her spine. Looks incredibly painful.)

SCULLY: You got to cut it out. Cut it out. Oh... Oh... Now it's going to come to my brain.

(She sounds like a woman in labor.)

SCULLY: (screaming) Cut it out of me now!

(She clamps her hand on her neck to keep the thing from moving into her head. DOGGETT pulls out his pocketknife and hesitates, watching it move. He looks up to see the others entering the barn. They begin hammering at the windows of the bus. DOGGETT moves behind SCULLY again. She screams again.)

SCULLY: Aah! Just do it, Doggett!

(As the people continue pounding and banging outside and SCULLY screams, DOGGETT takes his pocketknife and cuts into SCULLY's neck. He has to dig around in her upper back with the knife to get hold of the thing. In one of the most disgusting X-Files moments ever, he pulls the squirming slug thing out of her spine. As he does, the others are breaking the bus windows. DOGGETT stares at the thing in revulsion, then throws it to the back of the bus and shoots it three times. MR. MILSAP has stepped on the bus, SCULLY's gun in hand. DOGGETT turns his gun on MR. MILSAP. MR. MILSAP lowers the gun as he realizes the thing is dead.)

MR. MILSAP: Why?

(MR. MILSAP is devastated. DOGGETT holsters his gun and wraps his jacket around SCULLY. He picks her up and carries her out of the bus and through the now silent group of people. Down the street, we see the flashing lights of the police. DOGGETT carries SCULLY toward them. He head hangs limply.)

(SCULLY's hospital room. SCULLY is packing things from the closet into a small suitcase. She is wearing a scoop necked brown sweater that doesn't get in the way of the large bandage on the back of her neck. DOGGETT knocks at the open door and enters.)

DOGGETT: Ready to go?

SCULLY: Yeah, I'm ready to go.

DOGGETT: Grand Jury convenes today. All 47 cult members are sticking together. They're not offering up much defense other than that they're being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

SCULLY: They believe they worshipped Christ. That that thing was the Second Coming.

(Uncomfortable pause.)

SCULLY: Look, I, uh... I wanted to apologize. I … I left you out of this case, and that was a mistake on my part. It was almost a fatal mistake.

DOGGETT: It was. You screwed up.

(SCULLY takes the reprimand.)

SCULLY: And I won't do it again.

DOGGETT: I appreciate it.

(SCULLY picks up her bag. Without hesitation, DOGGETT takes it from her hands and carries it out of the room. SCULLY nods to herself and follows.)

[THE END]