WRITTEN BY
Chris Carter
&
Frank Spotnitz
DIRECTED BY
Tony Wharmby
AIRED ON
January 6, 2002
RUNTIME
44 minutes
STARRING
VIEWS
467
LAST UPDATE
2024-08-13 08:30:06
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Version 12
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SUMMARY
Agent Scully finds herself targeted by an elusive cyber entity after receiving cryptic messages that seem to know intimate details of her life. As she and Agent Doggett investigate, they uncover a network of covert surveillance and manipulation conducted by a shadowy organization known as Trust No 1. The episode explores the boundaries of trust and deception in a world where technology blurs the lines between reality and illusion, raising questions about privacy, truth, and the consequences of unchecked surveillance. Ultimately, it challenges the agents' perceptions of reality and forces them to confront the sinister forces that seek to control information and manipulate their lives.
STORY
No story yet.
BEHIND THE SCENES
- Third and last appearance of Terry O'Quinn in The X-Files. Strangely though, since his part was memorable in The X-Files movie, a lot of fans though during the entire episode if he was still Darrius Michaud from "Fight the Future", but the answer was not.
MYTHOLOGY
Mulder remains in hiding, while Scully is contacted by others who want to exploit William's powers for their own ends.
The episode highlights the growing danger to William from various factions, all interested in his potential as a human-alien hybrid.
PLAYLIST
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:The seasons - June (Barcarolle)
PHOTOS
5 photos
QUOTES
FILMING LOCATIONS
TOPICS
REVIEWS
The X-Files Jumps the Shark
Written by
Pike on 2015-12-26
★
"Trust No 1"... I remember pretty well when I first heard about the name of this episode. I was really enthusiastic, hoping to experience the return of a good-old mythology episode. But, as usual with the late seasons of The X-Files, I was left feeling deeply disappointed.
For me, this is one of the worst episode of the show, ever. If I had to name 5 bad episodes, "Trust No 1" would be on this list, and for plenty of reasons, some of which I will write about:
First, the teaser. Of course it is very moving to see a nice montage of pictures of Mulder and Scully with the beautiful Barcarolle from Tchaikovski. But this should have been a YouTube fan-made video made from and for teenage girls fans of the show, not a teaser of The X-Files!
Remember the first five seasons of the show? When Chris Carter was saying over and over again "They will never get in bed together"? Well... things have changed, obviously.
Frank Spotnitz is saying all the time that The X-Files is a story about love. The answer is no. At least mine is no. You could say that The X-Files includes a storyline of a relationship base of mutual friendship, you could even say that Mulder and Scully fell in love for each other at one point, but this is not a show about love.
Sometimes, I even think that Spotnitz doesn't know the show as it is. But it would be very pretentious to me to think that I know what the show should be about. It's like saying "I don't want things to change." But I have nothing against evolution. On the contrary, I welcome it originality and new things! The X-Files isn't a comedy show, but we all praised "funny" episodes such as "Humbug" or "Jose Chung's...". There is a reason for that: those episodes weren't just "light", they had a strong script.
"Trust No 1" has not a strong script at all. The storyline is very simple: some men are lurking Scully's apartment from years through electronic surveillance. The idea wasn't that bad, but you don't think of this episode like a good version of George Orwell's "Nineteen Eigty-Four", you think that it's just ridiculous to think that the shadow man was lurking Scully's bedroom for years. The worst thing about this is when the shadow man tells Scully that he was surprised to see her and Mulder get in bed together. This was plain ridiculous. This is serialized television at its worse.
Second thing, the shadow man is played by Terry O'Quinn. It was a bad choice for the fans, because we already seen him in The X-Files. If it was only from his appearance in "Aubrey" (season 2), it would have been okay, but O'Quinn played a character in the movie "Fight the Future", not a major character, but a very memorable one! Therefore, during the watching of the episode, I was thinking "Is this Agent Michaud? Is Agent Michaud a supersoldier? (he actually was one) So if he is a supersoldier, he could have survived the attack in the bulding from The X-Files movie? So he's the same character?
And the answer is no, this is not Agent Michaud. So I found this very disturbing.
Then, talking about disturbing... After the fan-made teaser, Scully can be seen in an Internet café, receiving cheesy romantic e-mails from Mulder. This all sequence is just pathetic. The answer is worse than this: "My hands are physically shaking right now (...)".
The all character of Dana Scully was based on her being a strong FBI woman, like Clarice Starling in Thomas Harris's "The Silence of the Lambs". We can understand that she fell in love with Mulder and that she is now missing him, but we saw this during ten episodes in season 8. Now it's "I miss Mulder" all over again. It worked in season 8, because it was the first time, because of Mark Snow's Scully's theme, because it was done in a touchy way. But now this is just the big artillery! Fan-made teaser, e-mails with "I love you Dana", Scully crying reading the e-mail, Mulder and Scully's baby... Imagine watching the first season of the show and then jumping straight to this episode! Talking about jumping, at this point, we can really say that The X-Files jumped the shark. And not a small jump, a jump so huge that it would win every world athletic competition and triple-break any record!
I don't want to sound rude against Frank Spotnitz and Chris Carter, but this episode made me sad. It was very disturbing to watch it. This was the first time I felt this way in front of an episode. All my dreams about a good ending of the show fell apart that very day, when I saw "Trust No 1", thinking I would see a good mythology episode when I actually saw Terry O'Quinn chasing Scully until he died, flying in a rock mountain... I have never seen a worse special effect in my entire life. It wasn't really badly made, but it is just ridiculous, you can see this is riduculous, just reading it on paper. "And then, the supersoldier will fly into the rock and die!".
Since season 7 (actually since the season 6 finale "Biogenesis"), the mythology became the characters. In the previous seasons, the things happening to Mulder and Scully were happening as a result of their search for the truth (Scully's abduction in "Duane Barry", Mulder's tests in "Tunguska"). Now, it's the opposite. Mulder and Scully are the mythology and the storylines are the results of it. It was great in "Amor Fati", it was not that bad in season 8 (the search for Mulder was quite enjoyable to watch), but now it is just pathetic. The love of Mulder and Scully finally became apart of the mythology: the secret about the conception of the child is an element of the mythology...
I can understand that after the full disclosure from season 6, the mythology would become personal things happening to Mulder and Scully - because all the mythology episodes were more personal - but the all storyline of the baby savior is, for me, not only wrong, but simply painful to watch. And when this is not about Mulder and Scully, this is about the supersoldiers, which is worse.
For all of those reasons, I am giving this episode a 1 out of 5.
TRANSCRIPT
SCENE 1
(Fade In.)
(During SCULLY's opening voiceover we see a montage of images and scenes from previous seasons and classic MSR (Mulder Scully Romance) episodes. The whole opening teaser is in slow-motion. The classical music playing during this montage of clips is Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "The Seasons: Barcarolle", arranged and performed by Richard Grayson. The teaser gives the impression that MULDER and SCULY have been under surveillance for a long time.)
(Black and white image of SCULLY looking at herself in a mirror.)
(From "WITHIN" 8X01)
(It dissolves into a colourful image of two cars passing each other on a city street at night.)
(Black-and-white image of SCULLY looking down in front of a mirror takes place up-front on screen.)
(From "WITHIN" 8X01)
(It dissolves into another colourful city street shot, with moving cars and the Capitol Building in the background, well-lit and clearly visible at night. The scene freezes and turns black and white.)
(We cut seamlessly onto SCULLY exiting the hospital, lost in her thoughts, holding a bouquet of flowers in her right hand. Black-and-white footage.)
(From "all things" 7X17)
(Black and white shot of SCULLY seated in a car behind a steering-wheel in a parking garage. Very sad. Its format is that of a surveillance footage.)
(From "THE END" 5X20)
(Another black and white shot of SCULLY looking at herself in a mirror.)
(From "WITHIN" 8X01)
(Black and white image of SCULLY holding an umbrella. As the scene begins playing the screen turns colourful and SCULLY comes up to join MULDER at a crime scene. Then the scene freezes and turns into a black and white surveillance photograph.)
(From "LEONARD BETTS" 4X14)
(Fade to white)
(The white light melts into a black and white image of MULDER running towards a phone booth, SCULLY close behind him. It is a surveillance photograph, then other black and white surveillance photographs appear, all fast-forwarded until we see a close-up of MULDER holding a phone receiver to his ear. It is also a black and white surveillance photograph.)
(From "PUSHER" 3X17)
[Fade to black]
(Colourful image of MULDER and SCULLY appears, both sitting in The X Files office. MULDER sitting in his chair behind his table, SCULLY sitting in a chair in front of the table. Very awkward atmosphere, yet *very* memorable moment. The scene freezes and turns black and white.)
(From Final images of "NEVER AGAIN" 4X13)
(Black and white scene of SCULLY following MULDER through the street. Police officers can be seen in the background.)
(From "PAPER HEARTS" 4X08)
(Black and white scene of MULDER and SCULLY kneeling over a dead body lying on a floor at the Metro Diner.)
(From "KILL SWITCH" 5X11)
(MULDER and SCULLY sitting on a couch at MULDER's apartment. The camera angle is from the airvent.)
(From "MILAGRO" 6X18)
(Black and white surveillance image of MULDER staring ahead of himself, contemplating the next move. The shot freezes, then begins playing as SCULLY leans closer to MULDER to speak to him privately. Very lovely image.)
(From "THE FIELD WHERE I DIED" 4X05)
(Hallway hug at the hospital. MULDER and SCULLY holding each other. MULDER has his chin on the top of SCULLY's head. He then stokes her hair.)
(From "MEMENTO MORI" 4X15)
(MULDER smiles at SCULLY, then leans down to her and they kiss.)
(From "MILLENNIUM" 7X05)
(MULDER embraced SCULLY after her failed attempt at IVF pregnancy. We see her face over his shoulder. Her eyes are filled with tears.)
(From ("PER MANUM" 8X08)
(MULDER sitting on bed in his motel room, SCULLY examining him.)
(From "DEMONS" 4X23)
(Standing at SCULLY's apartment close to each other.)
(From "PER MANUM" 8X08)
(Night. SCULLY approaching MULDER in a desert before their touching "Good-bye" conversation.)
(From "DREAMLAND II" 6X05)
SCULLY: (Voiceover) One day, you'll ask me to speak of a truth - of the miracle of your birth. To explain what is unexplained. And if I falter or fail on this day, know there is an answer, my child, a sacred imperishable truth, but one you may never hope to find alone. Chance meeting your perfect other, your perfect opposite - your protector and endangeror. Chance embarking with this other on the greatest of journeys - - a search for truths fugitive and imponderable. If one day this chance may befall you, my son, do not fail or falter to seize it. The truths are out there. And if one day you should behold a miracle, as I have in you, you will learn the truth is not found in science, or on some unseen plane, but by looking into your own heart. And in that moment you will be blessed - and stricken. For the truest truths are what hold us together, or keep us painfully, desperately apart.
(We see a new image of SCULLY's devastated face. She is leaning over a lifeless male body laying on a train platform. The green surveillance footage changes into a real- life colourful image.)
[OPENING CREDITS] [OPENING CREDITS] [OPENING CREDITS] [OPENING CREDITS] [OPENING CREDITS]
TAGLINE: THEY'RE WATCHING
SCENE 2
(Night. SCULLY is still on the platform, waiting for someone. She is being covertly watched through a surveillance camera. She paces down the platform and checks her watch.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 3
FEDERAL GROUNDS INTERNET CAFE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
(Day. SCULLY is pushing WILLIAM in his stroller along a street. She enters the cyber cafe and walks over to the counter, where she orders a drink. The WAITRESS recognises her.)
WAITRESS: (from behind a counter) Hey. Tall coffee with milk?
SCULLY: Yes, thanks.
SCULLY: And can I get a warm-up, please?
(SCULLY hands the WAITRESS a bottle of baby milk to warm.)
(Minutes later, SCULLY is sitting in front of a computer and has logged into her mail account. A voice informs her "You have 5 new messages." The screen says "Welcome Dana Scully". The messages listed on the screen are:
Subject From
Lose 25 lbs. in TWO WEEKS - Gauranteed! tracy1893@dieters
Travel Bargains-Airfare Discounts! HotTravelBargains
Tired Of Your Old Job??? Sue185@RRS
Requested Research Link drstanton@fbi.gov
Dearest Dana trust_no1@mail.com
(The camera moves in towards the email from "trust_no1@mail.com. SCULLY looks happy to see it. She opens it. We see the message on the screen.)
E-Mail From: Trust_No1@mail.com
To: Queequeg0925@hotmail.com
Date: 07 Jan 2002
SCULLY: (Voiceover) I've resisted contacting you for reasons I know you continue to appreciate. But, to be honest, some unexpected dimensions of my new life are eating away at any resolve I have left. I'm lonely, Dana, uncertain of my ability to live like this. I want to come home. To you, and to William.
(SCULLY looks sad after reading to message to herself. She looks down at WILLIAM, who is sucking on his bottle. We hear another baby cry. SCULLY looks up)
(A woman, PATTI, enters the cafe, pushing another stroller. She stops at the counter to attend to her baby.)
PATTI: Shhh-shhh.
(SCULLY starts writing her reply on the computer.)
SCULLY: (Voiceover) I am physically shaking right now seeing your words. Wishing it were you speaking them to me. I want so badly to see you too, but you are still not safe here.
(SCULLY looks up. The baby's mother is nowhere to be seen. The baby continues to cry. SCULLY gets up and walks over to the stroller. The WAITRESS has also walked over to the baby.)
SCULLY: The child's mother, she was just here. Where did she go?
WAITRESS: I think that's her out there.
(Through the window, we can see PATTI talking to a MAN ON THE STREET. They seem to be having a heated discussion. She suddenly turns away from him and comes back into the cafe.)
PATTI: Excuse me.
(She kneels down, tending to her baby.)
PATTI: I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
(She stands back up. SCULLY smiles at her. The PATTI quickly turns the stroller around and leaves the cafe.)
SCENE 4
FBI TRAINING ACADEMY
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
(Day. SCULLY is looking at a print out of the E-Mail from earlier on a piece of paper. She hears doors opening and sees DOGGETT and REYES enter. She quickly hides the piece of paper in a drawer.)
DOGGETT: Can we talk to you a second?
REYES: It's about Agent Mulder.
SCULLY: What about Mulder?
DOGGETT: We got a guy contacting us through intelligence channels. He keeps saying he wants to talk to Fox Mulder only he won't say why.
SCULLY: Well, who is he?
REYES: We don't know. He always covers his tracks. But this morning we finally got him to tip his hand. He says he has highly classified military files.
SCULLY: Files on what?
DOGGETT: These bio-engineered soldiers we've all come in contact with. So-called super-soldiers. The same ones threatening Mulder's life, forcing him to live underground.
SCULLY: What does he want with Mulder?
DOGGETT: He wants to give him the names of these super-soldiers, and Mulder's the only person he'll give them to.
(Pause)
SCULLY: Well, even if this was a good idea I don't know how to contact him.
(SCULLY leaves, going into her teaching lab where her FBI class is waiting for her.)
SCULLY: (To her class) I'm sorry about that. I believe that last class we were covering petechia and evidence of death by -
DOGGETT: (standing behind SCULLY, interrupting) Agent Scully.
(SCULLY and DOGGETT leave the lab. They stop outside the door.)
DOGGETT: What the hell are you doing?
SCULLY: I'm trying to teach a class.
DOGGETT: You understand what we're being offered here? If we know who these super-soldiers are we can go after them. This is somebody giving us a way that can make it safe for Mulder to come home.
SCULLY: That's the operative word here - somebody. Somebody that we don't know.
DOGGETT: And you don't want to check it out.
SCULLY: (Insistent) What I don't want is Agent Mulder's life to be endangered any more than it already is.
DOGGETT: How long are you going to do this?
SCULLY: Do what, Agent Doggett?
DOGGETT: Refuse to trust me ... or anybody. How else you going to get him home?
(SCULLY looks away before going back into the lab.)
SCENE 5
(Night. A silver car, license plate 51 - CORI, turns round a corner and stops at the kerb. SCULLY gets out and goes to the rear door to get WILLIAM out of his car seat. She overhears someone in the street. She doesn't recognise her.)
PATTI: Leave us alone.
MAN ON THE STREET: I am not going to do this.
PATTI: Get away. Get away from us. Leave us alone.
MAN ON THE STREET: She's coming with me.
PATTI: What are you doing?
SCULLY: (To the WOMAN) Do you need help, ma'am?
(PATTI has her back turned to her.)
PATTI: No. Don't ...
SCULLY: Hey.
PATTI: Don't take her with you.
MAN ON THE STREET: No. I'm not letting you have her.
SCULLY: Do you need me to call the police?
PATTI: Don't go. Don't go! Please.
SCULLY: Ma'am? Are you all right?
(The WOMAN turns and SCULLY sees that it is the woman from the Internet cafe, PATTI.)
SCENE 6
(Night. SCULLY's apartment. Her front door opens and SCULLY enters, holding WILLIAM in her arms. PATTI follows her in. SCULLY turns some lights on.)
SCULLY: Come on in. The phone's over there.
PATTI: I don't know if it's such a good idea. Making out a police report.
SCULLY: Well, you've (pausing) obviously got a problem. I saw you this morning at the cafe. Is he your husband?
(PATTI looks upset, and avoids eye contact with SCULLY.)
PATTI: Yeah.
SCULLY: It's okay. I understand. I mean ... it's hard enough caring for a child.
PATTI: You don't have anyone, do you?
SCULLY: No. (SCULLY looks down.) But I wish I did.
PATTI: (With a smile) Maybe he'll come back.
(SCULLY looks up at PATTI, a beautiful smile on her face.)
SCULLY: Do you have anywhere to go?
PATTI: (Shaking her head) No.
SCULLY: I'm going to get you a blanket and something hot to drink, all right?
PATTI: Thank you.
SCULLY: (Extending her hand) My name's Dana.
PATTI: (Smiling back) I'm Patti.
(They shake hands.)
SCENE 7
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
9:32 PM
(Night. DOGGETT is sitting in his car, watching a 3-storey brick building across the street in front of him. REYES' car pulls up behind his. He sees her in his rearview mirror. She gets out of her car and joins DOGGETT in the front seat of his.)
REYES: What do you have?
DOGGETT: This source of ours decided to give my cell phone a call tonight. I ran a trace.
REYES: Did you get a number?
DOGGETT: No, but I got a node. A sector of six City blocks. The area's pretty vacant, except for this building here.
REYES: Say this source is for real, and this is Mulder's chance to come home. We spook the spook, and maybe that chance goes away. Or worse, it drives Mulder deeper.
(A dark car pulls up in front of the building. A man gets out and opens a door into the building. He enters, checking behind his before he closes the door. We see it is the MAN IN THE STREET from earlier.)
REYES: Where are you going?
DOGGETT: Take a little look into his car.
REYES: I'll say it again - what we risk is compromising Mulder's return.
DOGGETT: I don't plan on getting caught.
(DOGGETT gets out of the car.)
SCENE 8
(A surveillance room. There are maybe a dozen desks in the room, each with several monitors on them. Staff sit in front of the screens, working at terminals. The MAN IN THE STREET enters the room, taking off his jacket and sitting down at a desk. Another man is sitting at a desk next to his, his fade in shadow.)
MAN ON THE STREET: Good evening. How are you?
SHADOW MAN: Good. You?
SHADOW MAN: Your wife and kid?
MAN ON THE STREET: They're good. Good. Everybody's good.
(The SHADOW MAN turns back to his monitor. On the screen, we see a feed from a surveillance camera outside. We see DOGGETT and REYES run across the road to investigate the MAN IN THE STREET's car. The SHADOW MAN watches intently.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 9
(Surveillance footage. We again see SCULLY being surveilled on the train platform. The camera zooms in to show her face. We see REYES standing on the platform. A solitary man in shadow walks down the platform.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 10
5:41 AM
(Day. In the car, REYES is asleep, whilst DOGGETT reads the paper. He notices the MAN IN THE STREET leaving the building, moving towards his car.)
DOGGETT: Monica, wake up.
REYES: What?
(The man starts the car and drives away (license plate 29 - DOTH), past DOGGETT. Once he has passed, DOGGETT turns the car around in the street and follows.)
SCENE 11
(Early morning. SCULLY's apartment. PATTI is laying awake on the sofa. She gets up and sees SCULLY sleeping in her bedroom. She goes to the baby monitor and turns it off. She stands over WILLIAM and outstretches her arms to pick him up.
(In SCULLY's bedroom, her cell phone starts vibrating on the bedside table. She wakes up and answers it.)
SCULLY: (On phone) Hello.
DOGGETT: You awake?
SCULLY: Yeah. I just laid down. What time is it?
DOGGETT: 6:00 AM
(We see DOGGETT and REYES are walking up the street in front of SCULLY's apartment.)
DOGGETT: Agent Reyes and I just tailed a car onto your street. We watched a guy go into your building. A guy we're guessing you've got no business with.
DOGGETT: (on phone, voice) You there, Agent Scully?
(SCULLY appears from around a doorway with her gun, aimed in front of her. She sees PATTI holding WILLIAM.)
SCULLY: Put him down. Now!
PATTI: Oh, my God.
SCULLY: Put my baby down.
(PATTI puts WILLIAM back down in his crib. She looks visibly shocked by SCULLY's actions.)
(The door handle starts to turn slowly. Outside her apartment door, we see the MAN ON THE STREET picking the lock. DOGGETT exits the stairwell and sees him. He races towards him and pins him up against the wall. He wrestles him to the floor as REYES appears from the stairwell. REYES moves towards the door.)
REYES: (Pounding on door) Agent Scully?
(SCULLY still has her gun aimed at PATTI, as the door opens.)
REYES: Agent Scully, do you know this man?
(SCULLY looks down at the MAN ON THE STREET.)
DOGGETT: I wouldn't think so. Not with him trying to pick his way into your place.
(DOGGETT shows SCULLY the lockpick he was using to pick the lock.)
SCENE 12
(Inside SCULLY's apartment. DOGGETT, REYES and SCULLY are interrogating PATTI and the MAN ON THE STREET, who are sat next to each other on the couch.)
DOGGETT: Start with who you work for.
MAN ON THE STREET: I'm not at liberty to say.
DOGGETT: Is this your wife? Maybe she's at liberty. Maybe she doesn't want to accompany you to prison.
SCULLY: You staged this, didn't you? Arguing on the street. Everything.
PATTI: No.
SCULLY: It's a con job. What are you after? My baby?
PATTI: No, no. I want to protect William.
MAN ON THE STREET: That's enough. You want to get us killed?
PATTI: You said ... you said that they could help us. You told me that. That's what you said.
DOGGETT: What the hell is going on here?
MAN ON THE STREET: They're watching.
DOGGETT: They're watching?
(SCULLY walks over to the window and lowers the blinds.)
SCULLY: You got something to say, say it.
MAN ON THE STREET: I work for the National Security Agency. The name on my driver's license is false. If you were to call the police I would be detained only long enough for another NSA agent to authorize my release. I don't exist as a citizen, nor does anyone I work with.
DOGGETT: So what are you doing here?
MAN ON THE STREET: As you can see, my wife is upset. I was coming to get her to stop this very event.
REYES: What's she so upset about?
PATTI: We have a daughter ... Joy. There's something about her. Something different. Just like there's something different with her son William.
(SCULLY is silent, listening carefully and shocked at PATTI's revelations.)
DOGGETT: Different how? How do you know anything about her or her son?
MAN ON THE STREET: (To DOGGETT) I know virtually everything about you. (To REYES) And you.
(To SCULLY) And you. Several months ago, you saw your son affect the movement of the mobile over his crib. He spun it, as if with his mind. It happened to us the same way.
REYES: So you've been looking in this apartment with what, cameras?
MAN ON THE STREET: Various forms of technology.
REYES: Then it's you who's been contacting us.
MAN ON THE STREET: Not directly. My scope is limited. I only look at what they tell me to. But I have a supervisor who I've told everything I'm telling you about my daughter, and her son, and he started to look into it. He learned things about a super- soldier program. Things he won't tell us. Crimes, he says, against innocent people.
SCULLY: What does he want with Mulder?
MAN ON THE STREET: Mulder's the only one capable of making the connections, he says.
PATTI: Maybe we can help you. And maybe you can help us find out the truth. About what our babies really are.
(During the pause in conversion, SCULLY's home phone rings. She picks it up and answers.)
SCULLY: (On phone) Hello.
SHADOW MAN: (On phone) You've had quite an earful.
(The voice we hear through SCULLY's phone is distorted to disguise it.)
SCULLY: Who is this?
(We see the SHADOW MAN sitting at his desk.)
SHADOW MAN: As my associate indiscreetly told you, we don't have names.
SCULLY: You've been listening to us?
SHADOW MAN: It's all I could do after you closed the shades, Agent Scully.
SCULLY: You ever heard of the Constitution?
SHADOW MAN: Yes. It's what allows foreign terrorists to live here and enjoy the American dream, until time comes to destroy it. But my trespasses are the least of your concern, after what they've done to you and Mulder.
SCULLY: What have they done?
SHADOW MAN: Actually, it's what they're prepared to do next.
SHADOW MAN: I'd be happy to tell Agent Mulder.
SCULLY: (Tearful) Well, you're going to have to tell me 'cause I don't know how to reach Agent Mulder.
SHADOW MAN: You reached him yesterday. You sent him an e- mail. Would you like me to read it to you?
SCULLY: (Tears are now welling up in her eyes) Look why should I trust you? You're just a voice on the end of the phone. I'm not going to give you anything unless I can meet you. Unless I ... unless I can see your face. Are you still there?
SHADOW MAN: If you think you can flush me out you're making a big mistake. Bus bench, Internet cafe. Come alone. You have 20 minutes.
(The SHADOW MAN hangs up the phone. SCULLY puts on her jacket.)
DOGGETT: Agent Scully? What are you doing?
SCULLY: I'm going to meet your contact. I think you should watch William, Monica.
DOGGETT: I don't like this. I don't like the feel of it and I don't like you agreeing to it without backup.
SCULLY: You said I had to trust someone, right? Well, that's what I'm doing.
(SCULLY gets ready to leave.)
SCENE 13
(Outside the Federal Grounds internet cafe. SCULLY stops and sits on the bench. Her cell phone rings as soon as she's sitting.)
SCULLY: (On phone) Hello.
SHADOW MAN: (On phone, distorted) Are you armed, Agent Scully?
SCULLY: Yes.
SHADOW MAN: Then you're prepared to use your weapon should anything go wrong?
(We see a surveillance camera is monitoring SCULLY outside the cafe.)
SCULLY: (on phone) I'm not sure I follow you.
SHADOW MAN: Then do exactly as I say. If you vary my instructions in the smallest way, we're over. If I see, or suspect that you're not working alone I will terminate our communication. If I believe a third party is trying to use this meeting to prevent our exchange you must be prepared to use your weapon in your own defence. Am I clear?
SCULLY: (on phone) Yes.
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) There's a green sedan across the street from you. The keys are in it. I want you to get in the car.
(SCULLY notices the car on the other side of the road. She gets up and goes over to it. The camera tracks her whilst she does this. She looks around before getting into the driver's seat.)
SCULLY: (on phone) All right, what next?
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) Start the engine, put the car in drive and await my next order.
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) Pull out quickly! Go now!
(In front of an approaching car, SCULLY accelerates from the side of the road into traffic. The car she cuts up slams on the brakes and sounds their horn in anger. SCULLY continues to accelerate down the road, driving with one hand and holding to phone to her ear with the other.)
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) Agent Scully?
SCULLY: (on phone) Is it absolutely necessary to get innocent people hurt?
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) You're free to stop the car and walk away at any time. Up to you. I'm doing this for your own protection and for Mulder's.
SCULLY: (on phone) So where am I going?
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) Turn right. Right now.
(SCULLY looks up ahead. There is a narrow alley to the right up ahead. She turns into it and stops the car. The camera is watching her. She walks away from the car.)
SHADOW MAN: (on phone, voice) Stop the car. Get out, Agent Scully. Turn the engine off, take the keys out. Walk to the top of the alley. There's another car there. Get in and drive directly to the interstate on-ramp heading west. You will continue driving west until I tell you otherwise.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 14
(Night. Road. SCULLY is driving alone in the dark. She is still holding the phone to her ear.)
SHADOW MAN: That's far enough. Get out of the car.
(She moves to turn off the engine.)
SHADOW MAN: Leave it running.
SCULLY: Where are you?
SHADOW MAN: Move around to the trunk. You'll see a change of clothes inside for you. Put them on.
SCULLY: Look, uh ... we're in the middle of nowhere.
(She opens the trunk. There are clothes inside.)
SHADOW MAN: There is no middle of nowhere anymore, Agent Scully.
(We see SCULLY being watched from about 20 metres, by someone standing behind bushes. We are in a deserted clearing, the car's headlights providing the only illumination. SCULLY is changing into the new clothes. She bends down to the ground to pick up her old clothes when suddenly we see somebody's foot appear in front of her. It is the SHADOW MAN.)
SHADOW MAN: Put the gun in the trunk. Your clothes, too.
(She does as he asks. The SHADOW MAN takes a remote control device out of his pocket and turns it on. The car starts moving away from them. We see the license plate is 48 - INXU. SCULLY watches in semi-shock. When the car is sufficiently far away, he presses another button on the device and the car explodes in a huge ball of flames. He turns to SCULLY.)
SHADOW MAN: Your watch. Give it to me.
SCULLY: This is ridiculous. This has gone far enough.
SHADOW MAN: Do you want to see Mulder again?
(She takes her Omega from her wrist. The SHADOW MAN examines it before giving it back to her.)
SCULLY: These clothes that I'm wearing ... they're my size. How the hell do you know my size?
SHADOW MAN: Your size? I know your blood type, your resting heart rate, your childhood fear of clowns. I know the name of your College boyfriend, your true hair colour, your ATM pin number, favourite charities, pet peeves. I know you spend too much time alone. And I know ... that on one lonely night you invited Mulder to your bed.
(SCULLY cannot believe all this. Her eyes starts to well up.))
SCULLY: (Speechless) Oh, my God.
SHADOW MAN: I was as surprised as you are.
(Tears have started to stream down her face.)
SCULLY: Who authorizes you? I mean, what gives you the right? Who are you?!
SHADOW MAN: I'm the future, Agent Scully. And I risked my life being here.
SCULLY: Well, then why do it? I mean, why meet me?
SHADOW MAN: Because you can reach Mulder. Mulder needs to know what I know or he may have no future. Perhaps no one will. Another car is parked on the main road, half a mile out. If I see that you haven't contacted Mulder in the next twenty- four hours, I disappear and you never see me again. Do you understand, lady?
(He holds out some car keys and she takes them. She walks off into the night. The SHADOW MAN watches her.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 15
FBI TRAINING ACADEMY
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
(SCULLY is in the teaching lab, standing over a cadaver with a group of students. DOGGETT is standing outside in the corridor. She notices him.)
SCULLY: (To her students) Excuse me.
(SCULLY comes over to the lab door, opening it and standing in the doorway.)
SCULLY: I'm teaching a class, Agent Doggett. Is it something pressing?
DOGGETT: Yeah. I'm worried now about what it is I've gotten you into.
(She joins him in the corridor.)
SCULLY: You're right to be worried.
DOGGETT: This guy that led you all over town last night ... he says he wants to talk to Mulder, right? Why does he need you? Why not go to Mulder directly? 'Cause this guy knows Mulder resurfaces only if the one person he trusts asks him to.
SCULLY: That guy didn't come to me, Agent Doggett, he came to you. That woman that I took in blew his cover. He had no other choice.
DOGGETT: Did you ever stop to think that this woman and her husband are in on this, too?
SCULLY: I don't believe that. That woman is truly scared for her child for the same reasons that I am.
DOGGETT: How do you know they're not being used by this Shadow Man to lure Mulder out? To kill him?
SCULLY: 'Cause that couple doesn't even necessarily trust the Shadow Man. I mean, for their own reasons.
DOGGETT: You think about it. This guy seems to know everything. He even reads your e-mail. How can you, or anybody hope to ensure for Mulder a safe passage home?
SCULLY: Mulder and I already considered that even before he left. His return has been pre-arranged. The place, the mode of transport, everything's been set.
DOGGETT: Well, you can call the whole thing off?
SCULLY: I can't. I've already sent for him. Mulder's on a train. He'll be here at midnight.
DOGGETT: Maybe you can reach him.
SCULLY: You can't do that to me.
DOGGETT: I'm sorry.
SCULLY: (Passionately) I want to see him so bad.
DOGGETT: I know. And I want to make sure that you get to, Dana. That's the whole reason I'm here.
SCULLY: Well, it's too late. And I have to go.
SCENE 16
10:48 PM
(SCULLY is on the train platform, walking down it alone. She checks the time on her watch. A surveillance camera watches her every move. It zooms in on her face. She looks very anxious.)
SCENE 17
FBI EVIDENCE LAB
(DOGGETT enters the lab, carrying an evidence bag. We see an female agent sitting at a bench, wearing glasses with magnifiers on each lens and a small light source attached to the bridge of the glasses. She is hard at work examining something.)
DOGGETT: Agent Boal? Edie Boal? Yeah, I'm John Doggett. We spoke a few minutes ago. You said if I came right down you might be able to help me out.
(She looks up from the bench. She moves the magnifiers so she can see him.)
AGENT BOAL: What'd I get myself into?
DOGGETT: I've got some clothing here. I'm looking for anything you can find that might give me an ID.
AGENT BOAL: Male or female?
DOGGETT: It's a male who handled them and he gave them to a female agent.
AGENT BOAL: When do you need them?
DOGGETT: I got a little over an hour.
AGENT BOAL: Your staring over my shoulder doesn't make me go faster.
(She turn and looks at him, her expression clearly making her point. DOGGETT leaves the sample with her and heads for the door.)
SCENE 18
(SCULLY is still pacing the platform. She checks the time on her Omega watch again, 11:26 PM. She turns back towards the station building, and REYES appears. SCULLY is still being surveilled. She turns away and we see the MAN ON THE STREET walking down the platform towards her. He stops in front of her, looking up the wall of the platform building. We notice a small camera attached to the wall. He takes out a black spraycan and sprays over the lens, obscuring its view.) CUT TO:
(DOGGETT is in the X Files office, watching the clock. It is now 11:38 PM. He takes his jacket and heads out the door.) CUT BACK TO:
(The Postal Telegraph clock at the station shows it is now 11:56 PM. REYES is on the platform. SCULLY is now looking very anxious. She checks up and down the platform. The MAN IN THE STREET is still there.)
STATION ANNOUNCER: (On Tannoy) May I have your attention please? Southbound 112 now arriving. Southbound 112 now arriving. Please stay clear of the platform until the train comes to a full stop.
(In the distance we seethe light of a train approaching the station. A bell starts to ring as the crossing closes.)
(The scene suddenly change to slow motion. SCULLY looks over at the MAN IN THE STREET. He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a handgun. He aims it in SCULLY's direction. REYES notices this and shouts to DANA. She runs over to her and pulls SCULLY to the ground. The MAN IN THE STREET shouts as he holds his aims. From the other end of the platform, and from behind a ground of waiting people, the SHADOW MAN appears. He has a handgun aimed back towards THE MAN IN THE STREET as he pushes his way past the group of people.)
(The SHADOW MAN walks towards him and fires, hitting the MAN IN THE STREET in the left side of the chest. He continues towards him. The MAN IN THE STREET collapses onto the platform. The SHADOW MAN moves closer. REYES reaches for her gun, protection SCULLY. Suddenly the SHADOW MAN is hit in the leg and chest. The camera pans to reveal DOGGETT standing a short distance away, his gun still aimed at the SHADOW MAN who falls backwards off the platform in front of the train. It looks as though he falls inbetween the rails.)
(The scene changes back to normal speed.)
STATION MANAGER: (On radio) Two men shot! Two men shot! Keep rolling!
(SCULLY runs up to him.)
SCULLY: Stop the train!
STATION MANAGER: (on radio) Keep rolling!
SCULLY: I'm a Federal Agent!
STATION MANAGER: (on radio) Keep rolling!
(SCULLY checks the carriages for any sign of MULDER, getting more agitated as the train passes.)
SCULLY: (Shouting) Mulder!
(The train passes the platform. SCULLY runs back over to REYES and DOGGETT, who are standing over the MAN IN THE STREET's body. He is just barely alive. SCULLY cradles his head in her hands, and he drifts away. SCULLY is very upset and kneels over him.)
[Fade to black]
SCENE 19
Night. Later on the platform, a police car pulls up, its blue lights flashing. DOGGETT and a police officer are inspecting the tracks where the SHADOW MAN fell. SCULLY is sitting with REYES in silence on the platform bench. PATTI walks over to her.)
PATTI: (Tearfully) Agent Scully? It wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to happen at all. All we wanted was answers. We never meant to harm you. My husband was not a part of this.
SCULLY: I know. I know that he was only trying to protect me.
PATTI: The man who he works for ... he's the one who's responsible for this.
SCULLY: I know. I'm sorry.
SCULLY: I'm so sorry.
(PATTI and SCULLY are now both crying. SCULLY comforts PATTI and they hug.)
(DOGGETT leaves the trackside and walks up a flight of steps to the platform. REYES walks over to him.)
REYES: What is it?
DOGGETT: What I was afraid of.
SCULLY: Agent Doggett, what?
(SCULLY walks over to them.)
DOGGETT: We can't find him.
SCULLY: Who?
DOGGETT: The man I shot. He fell in front of a frikkin' moving train but he ain't down there on the tracks.
SCULLY: Well, where is he?
DOGGETT: Nowhere. It shouldn't make a bit of sense, but it does. I went to run the DNA on the clothes he gave you, only the man's DNA can't be tested. They say it's some kind of weird DNA complexed with iron or some damn thing.
REYES: That doesn't make sense.
DOGGETT: I think it does. 'Cause he's not a man. He's a super-soldier.
(SCULLY now realises what this means.)
SCULLY: Mulder. I've got to warn Mulder.
(SCULLY runs over to the STATION MANAGER, who is standing on the platform with some other passengers.)
SCULLY: Get on the radio! Get on the radio and alert them that there's a situation on that train.
STATION MANAGER: A situation?
SCULLY: The man who fell on the tracks, he's gotten on that train.
(Suddenly, a voice is heard over the STATION MANAGER's radio.)
MAN FROM THE TRAIN: This is the Southbound 112. We got a jumper. A man jumped off the train at the mile 19 connector, ran into the Manville rock quarry there.
(SCULLY turns away, sure of who they are referring to.)
SCENE 20
MANVILLE ROCK QUARRY
1:17 AM
(Night. A car is driving into the quarry. We see its license plate is 86 - WFMG. It comes to a stop and Agents SCULLY, DOGGETT and REYES get out. SCULLY runs around from the passenger seat as DOGGETT and REYES get out.)
DOGGETT: Agent Scully, you drive. Head down into the quarry and we'll meet you at the bottom.
SCULLY: Okay.
(SCULLY gets into the driver's seat whilst DOGGETT and REYES head off to explorer the quarry on foot. SCULLY starts the car and drives off.)
(DOGGETT and REYES are climbing down a rather steep rock face, littered with stones and boulders. DOGGETT stops and sees a man running across the bottom of the quarry, too far away to easily identify.)
DOGGETT: Agent Reyes!
(DOGGETT calls out. The figure stops momentarily.)
DOGGETT: Mulder! Mulder!
(The figure stands there.)
DOGGETT: Mulder, it's John Doggett!
(The figure starts to run again.)
SCULLY: Mulder? Mulder?
(A man appears through the mist. It's the SHADOW MAN.) CUT TO:
(SCULLY parks the car at the bottom of the quarry and gets out. She calls out.)
SCULLY: Mulder?
(Silence. She calls out again.)
SCULLY: Mulder?
(A figure emerges from the mist ahead of her. His face in shadow to start with, as he approaches his identity is revealed. It is the SHADOW MAN, alive and well as DOGGETT predicted. Recognising him, SCULLY runs off in the opposite direction. She continues as far as she can go. She finds herself in an open area surrounded by the high, steep sides of the quarry. There is heavy plant machinery standing idle around her. SCULLY stops and draws her gun as the SHADOW MAN appears from behind one of the diggers. He starts walking towards her.)
SCULLY: Stop there! Stop right there! Why do you want to kill us?!
(The SHADOW MAN continues walking towards SCULLY.)
SHADOW MAN: Mulder must die. Mulder or your son.
(Taking no notice of SCULLY he continues towards her menacingly.)
SCULLY: What are you talking about? What does this have to do with my son? What's wrong with my son?! Answer me!
(The SHADOW MAN suddenly stops in front of her. His expression becomes pained. His body goes rigid. He looks at the rocks around him. There is a reddish colouring around the base of the quarry. The SHADOW MAN starts shaking and drops to his knees. SCULLY holds her gun on him, unsure of what is happening. He drops onto his chest. Patches of black start appearing on his forehead. He tries to get up, but cannot resist the invisible attraction to the rock. He struggles to his feet, his exposed skin now completely blackened by a chemical reaction. Suddenly without warning, his body is pulled towards the quarry wall at great speed, flying past Agent SCULLY. He hits the wall with enormous velocity, his body exploding into dust on impact. Nothing remains.)
(SCULLY, laying on the ground to avoid him, looks over at the rock wall. She scrambles to her feet and runs off back the way she came, back to her car.)
SCENE 21
(Night. SCULLY is sitting in the internet cafe, typing an email to MULDER. WILLIAM is awake in his stroller next to her.)
SCULLY: (Voiceover) I hold no hope you can respond to this. Or that it reaches you. I only hope that you are alive.
I cannot help believing that you jumped off that train because you knew what I now know - that these "super-soldiers," if that's what they are, can in fact be destroyed. That the key to their destruction lies in the iron compound at that quarry.
I am scared for you, Mulder. And for William. The forces against us are unrelenting. But so is my determination. To see you again. To regain the comfort and safety we shared for so brief a time.
Until then, I remain forever yours... Dana
(SCULLY looks down at WILLIAM, who looks very content. She strokes his face with her hand, and smiles warmly at him.)
(She clicks the "Send" button. Seconds later a message message appears on the screen "Your Mail Has Been Sent.")
[Fade to black]
[THE END]
No history.
