(Fade in. A warmly lit Baltimore bar. We see a man's hand, that of CARL WORMUS, inside a tumbler of Scotch, removing an ice cube out of his drink. He is sitting at the bar and tosses the ice onto the ground behind him. He turns to see a woman, SHANNON MCMAHON, walking into the bar. We do not see her face, just her torso and her arm from the side. She is dressed up in a low-cut black dress. She slides into a seat at the bar. We can now see her strong face and long dark hair.)

SHANNON MCMAHON: (To the bartender) Vodka on the rocks.

(The bartender pours her drink for her on the bar.)

(CARL WORMUS rises up and moves over to SHANNON MCMAHON and sits at the seat next to her.)

CARL WORMUS: Hi. How are ya?

SHANNON MCMAHON: Thirsty.

CARL WORMUS: (Turning to the bartender for another drink) Um, straight up. And no ice this time.

(Turning back to SHANNON MCMAHON)

CARL WORMUS: I tell this guy about the ice and then he pours me a scotch rocks.

SHANNON MCMAHON: What's wrong with the ice?

CARL WORMUS: It's the water, actually, in the ice. I'm kind of an expert on it.

SHANNON MCMAHON: Well, what's wrong with it?

CARL WORMUS: No big secret. It's been in the news. Government additive. Something they call chloramine.

SHANNON MCMAHON: Yeah, they say that's good for us, it's like fluoride or something.

CARL WORMUS: Well, that's what they say. Look, um, I didn't sit down here to scare you. (He smiles) On the contrary.

SHANNON MCMAHON: (with a smile) Would you like to get some air?

(CUT TO: Night. Outside. CARL WORMUS and SHANNON MCMAHON are seated in the front of his silver convertible, driving along a road.)

CARL WORMUS: Long way to go for a drink, huh?

(No response.)

CARL WORMUS: Do you like living out here?

(SHANNON MCMAHON just smiles, without saying a word. He grins, but seems to be getting impatient.)

CARL WORMUS: How much farther?

SHANNON MCMAHON: Just over the bridge.

(CUT OVER TO: A bridge over the river. It is a drawbridge over the Potomac River and now it is in the process of rising up. The barricade is being closed and we see the lights of the CARL WORMUS's car approaching at speed.)

(CUT BACK: In the car. CARL WORMUS is slowing the car down because of the rising bridge. SHANNON MCMAHON slowly puts her left hand down on the CARL WORMUS's right leg. He smiles, as she does it. All of a sudden, she presses her hand down firmly on his leg pressing his foot down on the accelerator. The car begins speeding up.)

CARL WORMUS: (Alarmed) What the hell you doing?

(SHANNON MCMAHON just stares ahead of her.)

CARL WORMUS: Let go! (She leans over and grabs the steering wheel. The car is still speeding up as it nears the barricade.)

CARL WORMUS: You'll gonna kill us!

(The car crashes through the barricade and flies off the bridge, straight into the water. Once in the water, it sinks to the bottom of the river quickly. SHANNON MCMAHON appears to be unconscious, just sitting in her seat motionless. CARL WORMUS struggles to release his seatbelt to swim to the surface. With a little effort he manages to release himself and begins rising up. Suddenly, SHANNON MCMAHON opens her eyes, outstretches an arm and grabs him by his ankle. CARL WORMUS desperately tries to escape her grip and get to the surface, but SHANNON MCMAHON pulls him back down towards the car. We see CARL WORMUS's outstretched arm slowly drift down out of the shot.)

[Fade to black]

(Scenes from the last two episodes from Season 8, Essence, 8X20 and Existence, 8X21.)

CHRIS CARTER: (Voiceover) Last season on The X-Files ...

(KNOWLE ROHRER and DOGGETT talking in the X-Files office.)

KNOWLE ROHRER: There was a rumoured program out of the cold war. A plan to create a super-soldier.

(A series of shots showing BILLY MILES beheading DUFFY HASKELL, a shot of a deformed embryo inside a jar and a shot of SCULLY lying on an examination table in the hospital. This shot is from Per Manum, 8X08.)

DOGGETT: I didn't want to believe it. He said Agent Scully's a part of that program too.

CUT TO:

(KRYCEK talking to MULDER, SCULLY, SKINNER and DOGGETT in an FBI office.)

KRYCEK: Your baby was a miracle.

SCULLY: My baby is normal.

CUT TO:

(BILLY MILES falling down from the roof of an FBI building.)

KRYCEK: She may never even make it out of this building.

(DOGGETT and SKINNER in the car in the FBI parking garage with AGENT

CRANE on the roof of their car and KNOWLE ROHRER in pursuit.)

SKINNER: Get him off!

CUT TO:

(SCULLY and REYES in their hiding place in Democrat Hot Springs. Surrounded by a bunch of alien replicants. BILLY MILES is one of them.)

SCULLY: This is my baby! Please don't let them take it!

REYES: Push, Dana!

CUT TO:

(DOGGETT and REYES in KERSH's office.)

DOGGETT: This office is under investigation. For the late-night meeting between you and an intelligence operative named Knowle Rohrer.

KERSH: You investigate what I tell you.

(DOGGETT and REYES standing in the doorway of the office.)

DOGGETT: You put me on the X-Files.

CUT TO:

(MULDER and SCULLY at SCULLY's home in her bedroom holding their new son WILLIAM between them.)

MULDER: I think what we feared were the possibilities. The truth we both know.

(MULDER leans closer to SCULLY and they kiss.)

(Day. A beautiful shot of the Washington Monument.)

CUT TO:

(Inside SCULLY's apartment. There's a person taking a shower in her bathroom. Although we do not see the figure's face we know that it is MULDER. Then we hear baby's cries, as the camera pans out of the bathroom into the bedroom where SCULLY's little boy, WILLIAM, is crying louder and louder. SCULLY closes the bathroom door so that MULDER does not hear the cries and picks up her little son.

SCULLY: (To William) It's going to be okay ...

She pats him on his back and walks with him into the living room, gently holding him in her arms. On the living room floor we see several packed suitcases.)

(DOGGETT's house. We hear an alarm clock ringing. He's lying on his stomach in his bed asleep. He wakes up. When he rolls over onto his back he winces at the sight of bruises on his chest.)

(CUT TO: REYES's hotel room. She's also asleep. A phone rings and she wakes up. REYES slides over the bed to answer the ringing phone. She's also chest-naked and we see her from behind her.)

REYES: (on phone) Hello?

MAN ON PHONE: (voice) Monica, it's me. Did I wake you?

REYES: (still waking up, recognizing the voice of the man on the phone) Brad. Um-hmm, no, I'm awake.

(CUT TO: The office of ASSISTANT DIRECTOR BRAD FOLLMER.)

FOLLMER: (on phone) You're in town?

REYES: (on phone, voice) Yeah, I, I came in on short notice.

FOLLMER: (sitting down into his chair, on phone) Listen, if you're coming into the Hoover Building can you stop by my office on your way in?

(CUT BACK: to REYES. Camera pans around her face.)

REYES: (on phone) Yeah. Sure. I can do that.

FOLLMER: (on phone, voice) Good. Looking forward to it.

(CUT BACK: to DOGGETT's house. The kettle on the stove whistles. He pours some boiling water into a cup. As he's making his breakfast, he listens to a news report on TV.)

TV ANNOUNCER: ... last night. The 38 year old body of Carl Wormus, a deputy administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency was pulled from the Potomac by divers this morning ...

(On TV, we see images of CARL WORMUS's car being pulled out of the water.)

CUT TO:

(FOLLMER's office, he's watching the same news report as DOGGETT.)

TV ANNOUNCER: ... it appears Wormus drove his car through a barricade on the drawbridge into the river. A police spokesperson said it appears he was alone in the car ...

(When he hears some noise from the outer office, he shuts the TV off, and walks over to the door leading out of his office. He opens it, surprising REYES who's been leaning over his assistant's desk.)

FOLLMER: Monica?

(REYES turns around, surprised.)

REYES: Hi.

FOLLMER: What you doing?

REYES: (Shyly) I was leaving you a note. Your assistant was out and ... I didn't want to knock. I was gonna call you, uh. Um, hi, Brad.

FOLLMER: (inviting her into his office) Come on in.

(REYES walks into the office, FOLLMER entering after her and closing the door behind them. REYES turns to face FOLLMER just at the moment as he leans toward her and kisses her on her lips. She pulls back a little.)

FOLLMER: (surprised) What?

REYES: We're at work.

FOLLMER: (with a grin) You used to ask me to close the door at work back in New York.

REYES: Is that all you called me here for, Assistant Director?

FOLLMER: I probably shouldn't tell you how hot you look either, because you do. How long's it been? Two years?

REYES: (nodding) Yeah. We should catch up, Brad. Really. I've got to get downstairs.

(REYES is on her way out of the office, but FOLLMER's words stop her.)

FOLLMER: I've got something for you.

(REYES turns around to FOLLMER as he sinks into his chair, pulling two videotapes out of his desk drawer.)

FOLLMER: Forgive me, but... uh... it didn't take a whole lot of digging to figure out why you're here in D.C., Monica.

REYES: (seeing the tapes) What are those?

FOLLMER: Something you're gonna see... but I wanted to show you first. They were taken from security cameras in the FBI parking garage. One of them (putting one of the tapes on his desk) ... shows you arriving in a cab meeting with John Doggett.

REYES: Yeah, I'm working with him. He called me up here on a case.

FOLLMER: (still holding the second tape) I heard. Believe me, (leaning back in his chair) this whole thing about a chase and a crash and a fire. And now Doggett's internal investigation of Deputy Director Kersh ... it's ... big news.

REYES: What's so important to show me?

(FOLLMER does not respond. He sits at his desk looking back at Monica.)

REYES: What's on the other tape?

(CUT TO: Elevator doors opening. We see DOGGETT standing inside the elevator. DEPUTY DIRECTOR KERSH was waiting for the elevator and now enters, glaring at DOGGETT, who's glaring back at him. The doors close and as the elevator begins moving as KERSH stands beside DOGGETT.)

KERSH: (Smugly) How's your investigation going, John? Have you turned up any incriminating evidence on me yet?

DOGGETT: It's only Monday morning, sir. It's nothing personal, Deputy Director. I hope you know that.

KERSH: I know, John. I think we've pretty much always seen eye to eye. I'm sure if you can't find anything on me, John, nobody can.

(The elevator doors open and as KERSH walks out of the elevator, DOGGETT stares hardly after him.)

(CUT TO: The X-Files office. REYES is watching the video footage. She looks up as DOGGETT walks in.)

REYES: Hi. How you doing?

(DOGGETT, clearly frustrated by something, says nothing and walking into the office he puts his coat off.)

REYES: That good?

DOGGETT: (Frustrated, rolling up his sleeves) I didn't ask to be put down on the X- Files. Deputy Director Kersh put me down here. I'm just doing my job. What did they think? That I'd be thankful? That I'd do anything less?

REYES: It's not gonna be easy, John.

DOGGETT: Hell no it isn't. I'm going after the Deputy Director, the one man removed from the head of the FBI.

REYES: No, I mean it may be impossible.

(His interest piqued, DOGGETT walks over to REYES. He looks at the TV screen and sees a video-recording of an empty parking garage.)

DOGGETT: What's this?

REYES: A security tape two nights ago from the FBI garage. You're not on it.

DOGGETT: What are you talking about?

(He grabs a remote controller and begins scanning the tape. It shows that the garage is empty.)

DOGGETT: No. This is the wrong damn tape.

REYES: I've been backwards and forwards on it. There's nothing there.

DOGGETT: (Insisting) We were chased. AD Skinner and I were attacked and chased. This man Knowle Rohrer drove his car into the garage wall and it blew up in a ball of flames.

REYES: Not on this tape.

(DOGGETT ejects the tape out of the recorder and looks at it.)

DOGGETT: Where'd you get this?

REYES: From someone who wanted to give me a heads-up.

DOGGETT: They can't just make this all go away. There's evidence down in that parking garage, there were victims.

REYES: I went down to that garage, John. Whatever happened, they've had 48 hours now to clean it up.

DOGGETT: There were witnesses.

REYES: Witnesses who are gonna stand up to this tape?

(DOGGETT stares at her for a moment, then puts his coat back on and walks out of the office. REYES, frustrated, watches him go. She exhales heavily.)

(DOGGETT opens the door to MULDER's apartment.)

DOGGETT: Mulder?

(Hearing no one, he walks into the apartment. It's empty. Completely empty. No furniture. No fish tank. Nothing. Camera pans around him. Empty walls. Empty floors.)

DOGGETT: Mulder, you here?

(DOGGETT looks around and seeing the whole apartment empty, he turns and walks out.)

(Camera pans around a big dark tank full of water. There's a worker, ROLAND MCFARLAND walking around it, wearing overalls and a white hard-hat. He does not notice several bubbles floating to the surface of the water. As he goes to the side of the tank, SHANNON MCMAHON's head emerges from the water. She intently watches ROLAND MCFARLAND walking away, just keeping her nose below the water. He walks toward a phone and she swims to the far edge of the tank. The ROLAND MCFARLAND picks up a phone receiver and makes a call.)

OPERATOR'S VOICE ON PHONE: Naval telecommunications command.

(He's holding a newspaper in his hand, containing the obituary of CARL WORMUS.)

ROLAND MCFARLAND: Yeah, I need to make a shore to ship call, to the U.S. Valor Victor.

OPERATOR'S VOICE ON PHONE: Sir? ...

(He turns around to the tank and notices the naked SHANNON MCMAHON walking away from the tank, her back turned to him. He drops the phone receiver, takes out his gun and runs after the woman.)

OPERATOR'S VOICE ON PHONE: Sir? ...

(SCULLY's apartment. There's a knock at the door. SCULLY answers it. DOGGETT's standing there, looking panicked.)

SCULLY: What? What's the matter?

DOGGETT: What's the matter? I've been trying to call you.

SCULLY: Yeah, the phone's off the hook because of the baby.

DOGGETT: I got panicked that you're not going to be here, that you left, too.

SCULLY: (after an uncomfortable pause) Come in.

(SCULLY closes the door behind him.)

DOGGETT: I've been looking for Mulder. I went to his apartment.

SCULLY: I know.

DOGGETT: Where'd he go?

(SCULLY looks as if she's going to cry. Music is sad, perfectly reflecting a mood of this scene.)

DOGGETT: (emphatically) Dana... where'd he go?

(SCULLY looks down a moment, then back at DOGGETT.)

SCULLY: He's gone.

(DOGGETT is stunned.)

SCULLY: He's just ... gone.

(DOGGETT looks away for a moment, then back at SCULLY. He sighs.)

(Back at the water reclamation facility ROLAND MCFARLAND is still walking around and looking for SHANNON MCMAHON. Seeing no one, he turns around, then turns back at a noise in front of him. SHANNON MCMAHON is standing there, naked. The next shot is from under the water as SHANNON MCMAHON and ROLAND MCFARLAND hit the water surface of the tank and she pulls him down, deep into the water, holding his sleeve in her hand. He's struggling to get out of her grasp, but she continues pulling him down into the blackness ...)

(SKINNER's office. Day. REYES is sitting there in front of SKINNER's desk. SKINNER is sitting in his chair behind his desk.)

SKINNER: (to REYES) I don't know where Mulder is. I don't know that I'd tell you if I did.

(The door opens and DOGGETT enters the office.)

REYES: (to DOGGETT) I checked with movers, airlines, car rental agencies... no Mulder.

DOGGETT: Somebody get to him, that it? That doesn't seem possible, does it? (he turns to SKINNER) Okay, so where does that leave us? Just me and you, our word against Kersh and the FBI.

REYES: You'd better sit down, John. It's more complicated than that.

DOGGETT: What's more complicated?

REYES: This investigation.

DOGGETT: What about it?

(SKINNER takes off his glasses and looks down.)

SKINNER: I wanna ask you to drop it.

DOGGETT: No, not from you. Not from you. Not, not after what we've been through. I mean, we barely escaped with our lives.

SKINNER: That's something worth thinking about.

DOGGETT: I'm sorry, you're not that reasonable. What, did they get to you too?

SKINNER: No one got to me, John, they didn't have to, that's the point.

DOGGETT: (walking closer to SKINNER's desk) You're afraid of them.

SKINNER: (leaning back in his chair) I'm not afraid of them.

DOGGETT: Well, you're afraid of something. What? The real tape showing up, them calling you a killer for you having to shoot Alex Krycek?

SKINNER: No, I'll stand by my actions, Agent Doggett, but I won't stand by yours if you're gonna continue to push and push until you get somebody killed. You wanna know what I fear? I fear for Mulder and Scully. I fear for the life of that child if you don't stop pushing it, John.

DOGGETT: You don't think I fear for those things, same as you?

SKINNER: If you did, you'd let it go.

DOGGETT: So what I'm hearing is... if I don't drop it, I'm alone on this.

(SKINNER says nothing. DOGGETT sighs. He looks down at REYES, who is also silent and staring back at DOGGETT. DOGGETT is on his way out of the office when REYES turns to him.)

REYES: John.

(DOGGETT turns around in the doorway.)

REYES: You're not.

(REYES stands up and looks at SKINNER. SKINNER looks down, avoiding looking into her moist eyes. REYES turns around and walks toward DOGGETT and out of the office. DOGGETT closes the door behind them.)

(Back at in the Baltimore bar. FOLLMER is sitting there over his martini. He notices REYES approaching him. She sits at a seat next to him.)

FOLLMER: Hi. I hope it wasn't too presumptuous of me. I've ordered you a Martini.

REYES: No, the presumption's all mine. Anyway, I called and asked you out, didn't I?

FOLLMER: You, uh, actually a little confused me this morning in my office. I had this crazy notion that you're avoiding me.

REYES: Maybe I was trying to avoid myself.

(She smiles.)

REYES: And those tapes you pulled out of your desk drawer weren't exactly Pamela and Tommy Lee now, were they?

(She laughs.)

FOLLMER: I'd heard that you and John Doggett are tight.

REYES: You make it sound like I go home from work with Post-Its on my ass. It's nothing like that.

FOLLMER: Then I don't get it. Why risk your name and your career getting caught up in this... rabid investigation of his?

REYES: There isn't going to be an investigation. Not anymore.

(FOLLMER eats a nut and stares ahead, pensively.)

FOLLMER: I wouldn't have thought Agent Doggett would be thrown off so easy. Not what I've heard about him.

REYES: Whatever you may think about him, Brad, he's not a fool, you know.

FOLLMER: Now you're pissed off at me.

REYES: No, I'm pissed off because this means I'll be shipping back to the New Orleans field office.

FOLLMER: What are you talking about? The way I heard it you're with the X-Files?

REYES: If this investigation drops, they're gonna drop the X-Files right along with it. You know me, where my interests lie, this was my dream assignment. Not to mention how excited I was to be appointed here in D.C.

FOLLMER: But you just got here.

REYES: Yeah, I know.

(They look at each other.)

(SCULLY's apartment. After looking through the peephole, SCULLY opens the door, revealing DOGGETT standing in the hallway. She is holding her baby in her arms.)

DOGGETT: I'm really sorry. I... Dana, I need your help.

SCULLY: I don't know how to find him.

(She lets him into her apartment, and walks into her bedroom to put William to sleep. Doggett closes the door behind him.)

DOGGETT: It just doesn't make any sense. Mulder leaving you here all alone, just walking out on you, not telling you where and why.

SCULLY: (voice from her bedroom) It makes sense in its own way. That's all I can tell you.

DOGGETT: Then tell me why you can't trust me. Everything I did to try and protect you when you thought your baby was in danger. What changed? Why is it suddenly I'm now the enemy?

(SCULLY walks out of the bedroom and looks at DOGGETT closely.)

SCULLY: Let it go, John. Drop it. Please.

DOGGETT: (insisting) These people tried to kill me. They tried to kill AD Skinner. They wanted to kill Mulder, too. They're still out there, Dana.

SCULLY: Exactly right, and they are unstoppable, and they are inside the FBI.

DOGGETT: You know something you're not telling me. Mulder knows something. How long can you hide it from me? Knowle Rohrer, this old military buddy of mine. He told me your pregnancy was a result of a Government cloning experiment to try to create what he called a Super Soldier.

SCULLY: I don't want to hear this. Look, there is nothing to any of this.

DOGGETT: Knowle Rohrer, my buddy, was one of the men that tried to kill us in the FBI garage.

SCULLY: (slowly, to stress what she's saying) My baby... my son... is fine.

DOGGETT: I hope to God that's true. I just don't want to pretend.

SCULLY: I'm going to ask you to leave.

(DOGGETT's jaw drops.)

SCULLY: I'm going to ask you to leave and not come back here.

(Again, DOGGETT is stunned by this, but he does what she is asking him to do. Doggett leaves without looking back at SCULLY, who watches him go. Fear is clearly visible in her eyes.)

(DOGGETT's apartment. The TV is on. He takes a picture of his old Marine buddies off the wall and looks at it. He sits down and picks up the phone to make a call.)

OPERATOR'S VOICE: Directory assistance, may I help you?

DOGGETT: (on phone) Let's try Maryland, Virginia.

OPERATOR'S VOICE: (on phone) What district?

DOGGETT: (on phone) Number for a Ryan Bracker. B-R-A-C-K-E-R.

(We hear a phone ringing through Doggett's receiver.)

DOGGETT: Yeah hi, I was given this number for a Roger Erickson, formerly with the US Marine Corps.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Roger, hey, it's John Doggett, Bravo Company.

VOICE ON PHONE: How you doing?

DOGGETT: Eh, I'm good. It's good to hear you. Listen, you remember Knowle Rohrer? What's the story with him? Didn't he get involved with something when he got back Stateside.

DOGGETT: Yeah, let's get you a beer sometime.

(He puts down the phone. We cut back to Doggett making another call.)

VOICE OF SHANNON MCMAHON: (on phone) This is Shannon. Leave a message and I'll return your call ...

(The answerphone picks up ...)

DOGGETT: (on phone) Yeah, hi, this is John Doggett. I'm trying to reach Shannon McMahon who was with Bravo Company U.S.M.C. (We see the close up of a SHANNON MCMAHON's face on the Marine picture Doggett took off the wall) If this is she can you please contact me to the FBI in Washington, D.C. as soon as possible?

CUT TO:

(FBI Headquarters. The elevator bell rings. REYES is standing in the hallway waiting for the elevator. The doors open as it arrives and SHANNON MCMAHON, SHANNON MCMAHON, wearing a dark business suit, emerges from inside of the elevator and walks purposefully down the hallway. REYES gets into the elevator and watches her go down the corridor.)

(SCULLY's apartment. She's putting WILLIAM to sleep. She gently lowers him into his cot. He's almost asleep.)

SCULLY: Sleepy time, sweet William. See you in a couple of hours. (SCULLY is very gentle with him.)

(She lies down in her bed to rest, pulling a blanket over her. As she closes her eyes, we see and hear William's mobile with star-shaped ornaments over the cot start eerily moving on its own.)

[Fade to black]

(The X-Files office. REYES is there, sitting at a table and editing a report. As she is doing this she breaks a tip of her pencil.)

REYES: Uh... (She looks at the broken tip of the pencil.)

(REYES opens the desk drawer. Seeing no pencils, she looks around the table. Still seeing nothing, slowly, she looks up over her head where 10 of MULDER's old pencils are still stuck in the ceiling, surrounded by many holes. A variation of The X-Files theme plays in the background. [Thank you Mark Snow.] REYES takes off her shoes and climbs onto the desk and reaches for one of the pencils. As she's standing there, she hears someone from the hallway.)

REYES: Hello?

(With no response, she climbs off the desk and walks into the empty hallway. She rushes to the elevator. Its doors are just closing, but she doesn't manage to see who's inside. She turns around and notices an envelope lying on the hallway floor. She kneels down to pick it up. It contains CARL WORMUS' newspaper obituary.)

(SCULLY's apartment. WILLIAM's crying in his cot. SCULLY, lying on her bed, leans over and sees the mobile spinning. She sits up, clearly disturbed. The mobile is still moving as she stands up and walks over toward WILLIAM's cot. She reaches over and stops the mobile from moving. WILLIAM begins crying and mobile starts spinning again. SCULLY looks scared.)

(The X-Files office. REYES answers the ringing phone.)

REYES: Monica Reyes.

(SCULLY is standing in her bedroom.)

SCULLY: It's, er, Scully. (SCULLY'S voice sounds very worried. REYES picks up on this.)

REYES: Dana, are you all right?

SCULLY: Is Agent Doggett there?

(DOGGETT takes the cell phone from REYES.)

DOGGETT: Dana. Something wrong?

SCULLY: Yeah. Yeah, something. Um, I think I might have been wrong, telling you to drop your investigation.

DOGGETT: Well, I didn't drop it. As a matter of fact, we found something that sure as hell fits with what we are working on.

SCULLY: What is it?

DOGGETT: A body.

(SCULLY enters the autopsy room. DOGGETT and REYES are already there, standing over the dead body on the table, covered by a sheet.)

DOGGETT: Thanks for coming.

DOGGETT: The deceased's name is Carl Wormus. Deputy Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency.

REYES: Drove though a barricade and off a bridge two nights ago.

SCULLY: (Looking through some medical papers) And?

DOGGETT: And somebody at the FBI thought it was important enough to stick his obituary right under our noses.

SCULLY: Who?

REYES: We don't know.

SCULLY: (Examining some figures on the papers) Well, his blood alcohol level was up 0.15. He was drunk, he crashed and drowned.

DOGGETT: There's got to be something more.

(DOGGETT's cell phone begins ringing. DOGGETT picks it up, walking aside from SCULLY and REYES.)

DOGGETT: (on phone) John Doggett.

SKINNER: (on phone) What the hell are you doing?

DOGGETT: (on phone) Excuse me?

SKINNER: (on phone) Do you know how many people are just waiting to see you screw up. To see you make a mistake like this.

DOGGETT: (on phone) I didn't know I made a mistake.

SKINNER: (on phone) This EPA guy you checked out of the morgue in Maryland without any jurisdiction.

DOGGETT: (on phone) Oh, come on.

SKINNER: (on phone) All your friends, John. All your former buddies at the FBI.

DOGGETT: (on phone) What are you talking about?

SKINNER: (on phone) They're not your pals any more. Not since this investigation here, since you launched an attack on one of your own. Just watch your back, John.

(DOGGETT hangs up and walks over to SCULLY.)

DOGGETT: Definitive answer how this guy died, what'll that take?

SCULLY: Careful autopsy.

DOGGETT: How fast can you do it?

SCULLY: That's not what I'm saying.

DOGGETT: I understand if you don't want to do this, Dana, but you're the only person we can trust.

(DOGGETT's house. The doorbell rings. Knocks on the door. Coming to the door, DOGGETT looks through the peephole. FROHIKE looks into the peephole from the outside.)

FROHIKE: Collecting for the needy and unemployed. Open the door.

(DOGGETT opens the door for THE LONE GUNMEN.)

DOGGETT: Thanks for doing this, guys.

BYERS: Yeah, like we got anything better to be doing these days. (Referring to the events after the finale of their own series no doubt, and its cancellation.)

(BYERS and FROHIKE enter DOGGETT's house, in suit and leather jacket respectively as usual. LANGLY stands outside with his back to the door. He's wearing an Ozo T-shirt.)

FROHIKE: Just to let you know, we may need to get you up for some coin.

DOGGETT: (Looking toward LANGLY) What happened to him, you guys?

(DOGGETT looks at LANGLY. When LANGLY turns around DOGGETT sees that he has a completely blue face. LANGLY walks closer.)

(LANGLY's face is still quite blue because of the disguise LANGLY used in the finale of their own spin-off series, The Lone Gunmen, screened last year from February 2000 onwards. They obviously managed to escape from the clutches of MORRIS FLETCHER.)

LANGLY: (With a resigned look on his face) Don't ask.

(Later, they are all inside with THE GUNMEN working on the laptop. We see a Carl Wormus file on the screen.)

BYERS: We were able to hack into the Department of Interior's mainframe and get the EPA files you wanted. On this man Carl Wormus ...

DOGGETT: And?

FROHIKE: Hey, what are we mind readers? That's all that you asked us to do.

BYERS: What exactly was it you are looking for, if we may ask?

DOGGETT: I don't know. I was hoping you'd find something.

LANGLY: (working on laptop) Well, if he had any secrets he took 'em to his grave. Nothing hinky in these files except for some rabid obsession with water.

DOGGETT: With water?

(The autopsy room. SCULLY takes off her protective glasses. REYES is there with her.)

SCULLY: Water. Asphyxiation produced by the inhalation of water>. There are contusions on the forehead and on the chest but that isn't in fact hat killed him. (Conclusively) This man drowned. You're looking at me like you hope that there's something more, but there isn't.

REYES: I'm sorry, that's not it. I'm just impressed that you can do this.

SCULLY: This is what I do, Agent Reyes.

REYES: But you're here doing it now. Something did happen, didn't it.

(SCULLY looks down.)

REYES: I know what you're afraid of. That there's something wrong with your baby.

SCULLY: We can let our fears get the better of us. We can, uh, imagine things, make connections with things that aren't there. Like with this man.

REYES: If you ever feel the need to talk to someone, Dana, I'm here. I'd never betray a confidence.

SCULLY: (looking down at the table) There is something.

REYES: (As if SCULLY's about to reveal something) What?

SCULLY: (Moving over to the body) Right here on the ankle.

(REYES looks closely at the lower right leg of Wormus' body.)

REYES: Are those... fingerprints?

SCULLY: Yeah, that's what they look like.

REYES: Was someone holding him down?

(SCULLY takes a magnifying glass.)

SCULLY: I don't know how, or who.

(SCULLY starts inspecting the ankle.)

(FBI Headquarters. KERSH's office. FOLLMER is sitting in front of KERSH's desk, KERSH is seated behind his desk.)

FOLLMER: I don't know if you're aware where Agent Scully is. She's at Quantico. Called in by John Doggett to autopsy a body he's got not authority to touch.

(FOLLMER hands KERSH a report. KERSH examines is closely.)

FOLLMER: If I may be blunt, Sir, Doggett's put his tit in the wringer.

KERSH: Maybe. So what?

FOLLMER: All of think he's lost all judgment. That not one man's actions should affect the entire FBI. We're feeling he should be called out for this.

KERSH: Punished?

FOLLMER: Yes, Sir.

KERSH: Thank you, Assistant Director. It's a difficult situation to be in, I appreciate you doing this.

FOLLMER: It was a right thing to do.

KERSH: (handing the report back to FOLLMER) Let me know how it goes.

FOLLMER: (surprised) Me? No, no, I can't, Sir. There... there is a conflict. I, I can't do this myself.

KERSH: I can't very well do it. How would it look? I'm under investigation by Agent Doggett. You have no personal axe to grind.

(SCULLY's apartment. MARGARET SCULLY is there caring for and watching WILLIAM. She put's William down in his cot. He almost waves at her. The doorbell rings. MARGARET SCULLY goes to the door and looks through the peephole.)

MARGARET: Hello? Can I help you?

(SHANNON MCMAHON is standing in the hallway.)

SHANNON MCMAHON: Hi, I'm looking for Dana Scully.

MARGARET: Uh, I'm sorry, she's not here right now. Can I tell her who's calling?

SHANNON MCMAHON: We work together. Do you know where I can find her?

MARGARET: No, um, would you like to leave a message?

(MARGARET sees as the doorknob shakes.)

SHANNON MCMAHON: I'll leave a note if you wouldn't mind opening the door.

MARGARET: Why don't you just leave your name and I'll have Dana call you.

(No answer. After a moment MARGARET looks through the peephole. She unchains and opens the door and looks out into the hallway. It's empty. MARGARET turns back around, a worried look on her face.)

[Fade to black]

(SCULLY takes a photo of CARL WORMUS's dead body with an evidence camera and hands it to REYES.

SCULLY: I need to get this body into refrigeration if you want to preserve it as evidence. Whatever he's evidence of ...

REYES: Whatever it is I can't reach John to even tell him about it.

(SCULLY starts taking off her scrubs. Monica is leafing through some polaroids.)

SCULLY: Monica, I don't know what to say, but good luck. I gotta go. I gotta get home.

(They both walk out into the hallway.)

(REYES notices SHANNON MCMAHON turning around the corner into the hallway.)

SCULLY: Third floor they have a cooler for the teaching cadavers. We could temporarily put him up there.

REYES: Behind us. Just keep walking.

(They both walk to the elevator, REYES without turning back and SCULLY catching a glance at SHANNON MCMAHON.)

SCULLY: Who is she?

REYES: I've never seen her before this morning. Now I've seen her twice.

(When they reach the elevator doors they both turn around, but SHANNON MCMAHON is gone. The elevator doors open to reveal FOLLMER with 4 of his AGENTS inside. They exchange uncomfortable glances and FOLLMER walks out of the elevator and grabs REYES by her wrist as they walk through the hallway.)

FOLLMER: Where's Agent Doggett?

REYES: What are you doing, Brad?

FOLLMER: What am I doing? I'm doing my best to cover your ass.

REYES: What are you talking about?

(FOLLMER takes the polaroids from MONICA and holds them up to her.)

FOLLMER: (Going through the polaroids) This ... and this ... I'm talking about these.

(FOLLMER takes REYES by the wrist and leads her toward the autopsy room.)

REYES: Let go of me.

SCULLY: What's going on here?

(They reach the autopsy room. It's empty. The body's gone. SCULLY and REYES both stare at the empty autopsy table. FOLLMER walks toward it.)

FOLLMER: Okay, where'd he go?

REYES: Who? Where'd who go?

FOLLMER: Where did Doggett take the body?

REYES: You're not making any sense, Brad. Agent Doggett didn't take any body anywhere.

(FOLLMER doesn't believe her.)

REYES: What? You're looking at me like you don't believe me. Ask Agent Scully.

(REYES turns to SCULLY standing on her side. FOLLMER looks at her, too. SCULLY looks at FOLLMER uncomfortably.)

SCULLY: I'm gonna go now. I've got a child at home.

(SCULLY walks out of the room and FOLLMER crosses over to REYES.)

FOLLMER: Body or no body, you were here, doing an autopsy. Doggett was here, without authorization.

REYES: Without authorization?

FOLLMER: He's out of control you know, Monica. Forget the X-Files, he'll take you down with him.

REYES: (Realising what his comment has revealed.) This was you, wasn't it? You floated that obituary to me... to set Agent Doggett up, using me.

FOLLMER: (Surprised) What obituary? I don't know what you are talking about. You came to me for help, remember? I'm only trying to help you help yourself.

REYES: I know exactly what you're doing, Brad. Don't forget to piss on all the corners before you leave.

(REYES turns her back to him and begins to leave.)

FOLLMER: (Strongly) I didn't float any obituary!

(REYES leaves.)

FOLLMER: What is she talking about?

(FOLLMER stares after her from the doorway.)

(DOGGETT's house. The doorbell rings. FROHIKE goes to the door but despite even FROHIKE's impressive stature, he can't reach the peephole to look through it.)

FROHIKE: Son of a...

(Annoyed, he opens the door anyway.)

FROHIKE: Yeah?

(Opening the door he sees REYES standing in the doorway.)

FROHIKE: Oh, hello.

REYES: Considering the recent violence against Agent Doggett, you might want to want to know who's at the door before you actually open it.

(She walks inside past him.)

FROHIKE: (Resigned) Next time I'll get a chair.

(REYES enters DOGGETT's living room. She sees BYERS and LANGLY there.)

BYERS: Agent Doggett's gone.

REYES: What do you mean gone?

LANGLY: He and Assistant Director Skinner split for Maryland together.

FROHIKE: Show her what we found. Before she makes any nasty remarks.

(They all walk to the laptop on the table. It's displaying some data on the screen.)

BYERS: It took some real hacking but uh, Carl Wormus, the man from Environmental Protection Agency who drowned in his car, he'd been receiving encrypted email data from a water reclamation plant in Maryland. From a worker there named Roland McFarland.

REYES: Encrypted data on what?

LANGLY: Don't know. Whatever it is may have gotten both these men killed.

(A copy of the Baltimore Chronicle appears on screen, along with a photo of Wormus. The headline reads "Worker's Death Ruled Accidental Drowning.")

(Inside the Water Reclamation Plant. We see lots of valves, pipes and vats. DOGGETT and SKINNER run through the plant and into the administrative offices.)

SKINNER: (Looking around) There's no nameplates.

DOGGETT: Yeah, I see that.

SKINNER: This is madness. Even if you're right and this guy can actually help your investigation we don't know if we're in the right area.

DOGGETT: This has got to be McFarland's area.

(SKINNER moves from desk to desk, looking for useful information. He finds a note on a piece of headed paper. It simply bears an email address, cwormus@epa.gov.)

SKINNER: This might be his desk.

(Doggett comes over and looks at the computer under the desk.)

SKINNER: (Anxious) Let's just grab the computer hard drive and get out of here.

DOGGETT: We're not sure if it's his.

SKINNER: Someone could walk in one of these doors any minute and it's not gonna matter.

(SKINNER crosses to the door.)

DOGGETT: Just keep an eye out.

(SKINNER guards the door. DOGGETT is searching a filing cabinet and sees several files marked Chloramine.)

DOGGETT: What's chloramine?

SKINNER: What? Why are you asking me about chloramine?

DOGGETT: If this is McFarland's desk he's got tons of files on chloramine in it.

(SKINNER sees FOLLMER and his AGENTS approaching from outside of the office.)

SKINNER: (Worried) Agent Doggett - grab the files and go.

(DOGGETT takes the files. They run out of the office and down a flight of stairs. FOLLMER opens the door out of the office and indicates to his agents to be quiet. He hears banging noises as DOGGETT and SKINNER run down the stairs. A chase ensues, the camera switching between DOGGETT and SKINNER, and FOLLMER and his AGENTS. who follow them. Just as he gets to a flight of steps going down, SKINNER's shirt gets caught onto some pipe and he catches himself.)

SKINNER: Arghhh!

DOGGETT: Assistant Director?

(They are separated now and FOLLMER catches up with SKINNER, who is still recovering.)

FOLLMER: Looks like you and I are chasing the same man.

(Smiling, FOLLMER walks past him, approaching a big circular tank full of water. SKINNER watches the rest of the agents follow FOLLMER.)

FOLLMER: (Looking around) Agent Doggett?!

(FOLLMER walks over to the tank of water. FOLLMER looks at the gently rippling water surface. Hiding under the water, DOGGETT is holding his breath and holding onto a pipe, looking up toward the surface. Suddenly, DOGGETT is pulled down, and he gasps. Bubbles leave his mouth and float upwards. He looks down and sees SHANNON MCMAHON, naked, who has appeared from further down inside the tank and has grabbed him around his ankle. The files he was carrying start to slowly drift upwards towards the surface. Doggett is now fighting to hold onto the pipe. As he drifts down, he tries to swim against the pulling of SHANNON MCMAHON. It is helpless. He gradually sinks down into the darkness.)

[TO BE CONTINUED ...]