A military funeral is taking place. The mourners are predominately black and a Baptist preacher is conducting the service. At the back of the group stands the FBI's Deputy Director Alvin Kersh. At the end of the service as the mourners are paying their respects he moves towards the woman surrounded by her family.

Kersh: 'I am so, so sorry Martha. He was such a good son to you".'

Martha Jackson: *she pleads* 'Thank you Alvin. You don't believe them do you? Tell me you don't believe that my Marty killed himself.'

Kersh: 'Of course I don't. He'd never do anything like that.

Martha Jackson: 'He was murdered, I'm telling you, and the Marine Corps are covering it up. Why won't anyone believe me?' She starts to cry again. Kersh puts his arm around her.

Kersh: 'I'll do what I can Martha but the FBI have little jurisdiction over the military. They like to keep things in house.'

Martha Jackson: 'Well the murderer will get what's coming to him soon enough.'

Kersh: 'What do you mean by that?' Kersh is sure he's not going to like the answer.

Martha Jackson: 'An eye for an eye, Alvin, thats what the Bible says. When a murderer is confronted by his crime, justice will be done. My Great Granny told me how it happens.'

Kersh: 'Now, Martha, don't do anything stupid like taking the law into your own hands.'

Martha Jackson: 'Too late, Alvin, it has begun.'

Joshua Kendrick is in his home, a bottle of whiskey by his side. He is talking on his mobile phone to a friend.

'Anyway Colonel O'Kill said that it was a job well done and he was going to see that we get... well you know... rewarded... and we also owe him a few favours now. After he swung the Court Martial in our favour, we owe him big time... ok I gotta go now... yep I'll see you in a few days... yep we'll celebrate then... see ya buddy.'

He gets up and wanders into the bathroom. As he looks in the mirror he sees a black man in Marine Dress Uniform standing behind him. He turns around to find no one there. He turns back to the mirror to find his face has turned into that of the black Marine. The mirror starts to steam up and the word MURDERER forms. Joshua steps back and tries to scream but, as he tries, his throat closes up, his eyes bulge and his tongue lolls out of his mouth and he drops to the floor, dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special Agent Monica Reyes is driving her car back to DC from Quantico. She has been delivering a series of lectures on Satanic and Ritualistc Crimes. She is tired and a little depressed; these lectures always take it out of her. So much sadness. She drives past the J Edger Hoover Building and, on impulse, she pulls into the parking garage. She makes her way to the front desk and flashes her badge to the security guard. He nods.

Monica Reyes: *To a fellow Agent* 'Excuse me, where would I find Agent Doggett?'

'In the basement. You can't miss it, it's the only office down there.'

Puzzled Monica heads for the lift.

Special Agent John Doggett is sitting by himself contemplating what has happened in the last few months or so. He has looked into the eyes of Satan, helped save the world from alien colonization and seen the lives of his partners fall to pieces - and he thought he'd had it bad! He looks at Mulder's desk. He'd promised Scully ages ago that he'd clear it out for her and he still couldn't bring himself to do it. Poor Dana. She'd told him last year when they first met that the X Files had cost them so much. He hadn't believed her but, for the want of something to do, he'd read the files in the cabinet. Now he had a better understanding of what she'd meant. They'd cost Scully her health and her chances of motherhood and cost Mulder his family and almost his sanity. He looked at the 'I want to believe' poster behind Mulder's desk and wished he had the faith they did. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the knock on the door.

'Knock, knock, anyone home?' says a familiar voice.

Doggett: 'Monica!' He gets up and hugs her. She is a little suprised at this gesture and more than a little pleased. 'What are you doing here? I thought New Orleans was your home now.'

Monica Reyes: 'I'm giving a lecture at Quantico, I thought

I'd come and say hi.'

Doggett: 'It's really great to see you after so long.' He has the first genuine smile on his face in days.

Monica Reyes: *laughing* 'Do you really mean that? You usually break out in hives when you see me.' She looks around the office. 'So who did you hack off to get sent down here?'

Doggett: 'Everybody, I think. Kersh, Satan, the Catholic

church, you name them and I've upset them.'

Monica Reyes: 'Satan?!! I'd heard rumours in New Orleans that you'd caught the Devil Worshippers from Brooklyn. What happened?'

Doggett: 'Yeah we caught them, but I don't think we stopped

them.' Reyes' eyes widen. 'C'mon, Monica, this is your thing. You must have seen the signs.'

Monica Reyes: 'I know what's been going on and it had

crossed my mind but are you really sure?' He nods.

Doggett: 'We've had several tips that the devil is here, but

the only person who knows who he is ain't saying. We're still looking for O'Bannion but he's disappeared or changed his appearence and you were right all along. He was the one who killed Luke, but not for the reasons you thought at first.'

Monica Reyes: 'What!!! Why?'

Doggett: 'Revenge. O'Bannion killed my son for revenge.'

Monica Reyes: 'Why for Gods sake?'

Doggett: 'Because I ruined his world domination plans.'

Monica Reyes: 'And he leant on the Director and Deputy

Director to make sure your life was ruined again.'

Doggett: 'Something like that. I'm beginning to wish the

aliens had colonized.'

Monica Reyes: *Laughing* 'Excuse me, are you telling me that you, John Doggett the worlds biggest sceptic, helped stop the aliens taking over the world?'

Doggett: 'Yes. We stopped them but it wasn't a happy ending.

Mulder was shot by some guy called Alex Krycek, a former FBI agent apparently. He's still

alive but he's... you know... a vegetable. His partner, Scully, she took it bad. She's still out on leave at the moment. I don't know if she'll come back she's... kinda lost

without him. They've been together for nine years.' His voice trails off, not knowing what else to say. Suddenly the phone rings. 'John Doggett... yes sir... erm, yes I'll be there in a couple of minutes.' He puts the phone down. 'Sorry, Monica, I'll have to leave you for a bit. Deputy Director Kersh wants to see me. Hopefully I won't be too long, I'm not exactly flavour of the month with him at the moment.'

Monica Reyes: 'Sure go ahead. Umm... John, do you mind if I have a look at some of these files? I've heard all about Fox Mulder and his X Files. This is some kind of dream come true for me to be here.' The expectant look on her face reminds him of a child in a sweet shop. He can't deny her request.

Doggett: 'Sure, I don't mind.' He can't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

He makes his way to Kersh's office wondering what the hell he could want. He knocks on the door and goes in.

Doggett: 'You wanted to see me, Sir?'

Kersh: 'Yes, John, come on in, I'll come straight to the point.' He hands Doggett a file. 'Lieutenant Joshua Kendrick was found dead at his home two days ago. Asphixiation, so the autopsy report says, and his family are claiming it was the family of Lieutenant Commander Martin Jackson - a Marine who commited suicide. Lieutenant Kendrick and two of his collegues were cleared at a Court Martial of any involvement in Commander Jackson's death but Jackson's family are sure he was murdered and that's where I come in. His mother, Martha Jackson, is a friend of mine. She asked me to look into it and that's why I'm asking you to do me this favour.'

Doggett: 'Me!! You want me to do you a favour? You've gotta be kidding me.'

Kersh: 'Please, John, you've got every reason to distrust me but you're the only person on whose... discression I can rely.'

Doggett: 'Discression? What's going on?' Doggett is intrigued now. 'Surely this is a job for the Judge Advocate General's office?'

Kersh: 'I know, but I know something they don't.' Kersh takes a deep breath. 'I think Voodoo maybe involved.'

Doggett: 'You think Voodoo maybe involved? You who's been

trying to close down the X Files since you got here, now you suddenly want our help!'
Doggett starts to laugh. 'I wish Mulder was here to see this. Ok, I'll help you. It's worth it just to hear you plead.' Doggett is beginning to enjoy this now. 'So, the Voodoo hoodoo.'

Kersh: 'Well Martha said that her Great Granny told her how, when a murderer was confronted by his crime, justice would be done. It just seems coincidental that the day she told me this the man she accused of killing her son dies mysteriously. Plus you must still have contacts in the Marine Corps. You can cut through the red tape.'

Doggett: 'Well, I don't know about that but I'll try - and while we're talking favours, Sir, I need one.'

Kersh: 'I can't move you from the X Files.'

Doggett: 'No, I don't mean that but, as Scully's still on leave and I'm on my own down there, I'd like Agent Monica Reyes to assist me on this case. If Voodoo's involved, she'd be an ideal partner. This is her speciality.' Kersh thinks about this.

Kersh: 'Ok, John, you've got yourself a deal. But remember I need you to be discreet.'

Doggett: 'You can count on it.'

He heads back downstairs to his office wondering what made him agree to do Kersh a favour. Something to do? A desire to keep the X Files open for Mulder's sake? A chance to get back on solid ground again with the Marines or a chance to work with Monica? He gets back to the office to find Reyes engrossed in one of Mulder's precious X Files. He supresses a smile as he walks in.

Doggett: 'Having fun?' She looks up from the file.

Monica Reyes: 'God, this file will put you off having kids for life. Nope no IVF for me, no, nien, non, uh uh, no way.' Doggett starts to laugh.

Doggett: 'Is that the one with the two little girls who poisoned their fathers with Digitalis that they made themselves?' Monica nods. 'I know, that put the fear of God in me, too. So how do you feel about dreams coming true?'

Monica Reyes: *suspiciously* 'Why?'

Doggett: 'Well Kersh wants me to do some discreet digging into a case involving the death of a Marine which may have been caused by a Voodoo curse.'

Monica Reyes: 'Voodoo?'

Doggett: 'That's what he said. So do you want to join me on

this X File or not?' He's teasing her now. A big grin breaks out on her face.

Monica Reyes: 'Try and stop me.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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