X Files:- Forever Autumn
Created | Updated Sep 23, 2004
Forever Autumn
By Coral Bale
Washington Memorial Hospital 14th October 2002 5.30pm
Alex Krycek is in the ER, he is watching an FBI agent with a gunshot wound being helped into a cubicle, the doctor comes throught the door her badge says Dr. Dana Scully, dressed in blue scrubs she looks at the notes the nurse has given her
"So you're Agent........Mulder right" she says to him, Mulder nods "care to tell me which one of the bad guys did this to you"
"I dunno it was like Dodge City out there it could have been anyone" he replies, Dr Scully starts to peel off the temporary dressing and clean up the wound
"I know I've been patching up the others, it's been a regular bloodbath" she smiles at him "if I had a dollar for everytime I've patched up one of you FBI types I could retire tomorrow" she starts to stitch the wound "so which department do you work for" she asks him
"Violent Crimes" replies Mulder
"Can I give you some advice" Scully smiles at him
"Sure" says Mulder
"Change departments to something like the motor pool and you might just see your next birthday" Mulder starts to laugh, then winces in pain
"Thanks for the advice doc" he replies,
Krycek gets up to leave he's seen what he needs to, his collegues will be pleased with the success.
He leaves the hospital and walks down an alley, he pulls a device out of his jacket pocket and points it at the wall, the wall shimmers and ripples and Krycek walks through it.
OPENING TITLES
The line The Truth is out There is replaced with The Truth is Here
Santana Building corner of 53rd and 3rd New York 5.30 pm 15th October 2002
Krycek is sitting opposite a small group of men explaining about his last mission
"It works perfectly" says Krycek "I had no problems with it at all"
"I'm not sure about this quantum physic stuff" says a Tall Arabic Man "What happens if you meet yourself aren't things supposed to start imploding"
"You're not likely to meet yourself are you" snaps the Well Manicured Man "you won't be there will you" the Tall Arabic Man looks embarrassed and mumbles he supposes not, Krycek carries on
"I've been to a couple of different realities, I don't think you can get to the same one twice I've tried a couple of times but I haven't managed it yet" Krycek looks slyly at the Well Manicured Man, what he doesn't know won't hurt him he decides, the Well Manicured Man nods
"Well we have a little more time to perfect the device, I suggest we meet again in two weeks time gentlemen" the Well Manicured Man says, the rest of the group including Krycek get up to leave, "not you Alex, I've got something else for you to do" Krycek nods and sits back down. When the last of the group has finally left the Well Manicured Man relaxes a little,
"So what do you want from me" asks Krycek, the Well Manicured Man gets up and crosses the room
"Drink Alex?" he asks, Krycek nods
"So?" he prompts as he accepts the drink, his superior sighs
"It has finally become reality, we are now able to fight back against the colonists"
"But" Krycek remarks, the Well Manicured Man sighs again
"I don't know" he says "something still doesn't feel right, it's not just the aliens we're fighting it feels like something else is here too, something else is trying to take over, there's a cancer growing inside the govenment not of our making, our trusted agents on the inside are being overuled, the President is listening to others now, others that are feeding his fears" Krycek finishes his drink and faces him,
"That cigarette smoking son of a bitch told me that the time of the Evil Man was approaching, do you know what he means he also said something about signs and portents?" he enquires, the Well Manicured Man walks over to the bookcase and picks up a Bible
"I don't suppose you thought of looking in here when the strange signs started to appear" he asks, Krycek gives a humorless laugh
"Why should I God and I aren't exactly on speaking terms any more" Krycek replies, the Well Manicured Man opens the Bible and starts to read
"This is from the Book of Revelation Chapter 8 verses 10 and 11, The Third angel sounded his trumpet and a great star blazing like a torch fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water, the name of the star is Wormwood" he closes the Bible and waits for Krycek to put the pieces together
"And" says Krycek, the Well Manicured Man sighs
"You do speak Russian don't you Alex" Krycek nods "well what does Chernobyl mean in Russian" he asks
"Bitterness.......Wormwood!! oh my God yes the water wasn't fit to drink for years and the people who didn't die outright suffered" Krycek is beginning to put the pieces together
"It's all in here" the Well Manicured Man waves the Bible in the air "read it Alex and work it out, the end of the world is nigh, the Devil stalks our world now" Krycek is thunderstruck
"Is he in league with the Aliens" he asks
"I don't know, we have to find out who he's disguised as first, that will be your job" he replies, Krycek nods and makes his way to the door, the Well Manicured Man calls out after him "Alex you may have to swallow your pride and go to Mulder" Krycek groans inwardly, every time he comes face to face with Mulder he usually ends up getting his ass kicked, and after the last time they met, this is going to be no exeption.
The White House 15th October 2002 6.00pm
Nick DeAbalo is in the Oval Office with President George W Bush the conversation is going well for DeAbalo
"Well Sir I can assure you my information is correct as of........" DeAbalo looks at his watch "......... thirty minutes ago, there was definatly a meeting held at this building" he shows Bush a photo of the Santana building in New York, he passes photo's of the 'New Syndicate' including the Well Manicured Man and Alex Krycek to the President "and these men were present, I have got it on good authority that these men have been under investigation by the FBI for some time" Bush gets up and starts to pace the office looking at the photo of the Tall Arabic Man
"Who is this man Nick does he have links to Bin Laden, Hammas, the Shi-ites, Arrafat and his goons, IRA ,UVF UFF, the Klan....." Bush's voice takes on a slightly hysterical tone, DeAbalo grins at this he has the most powerfull man on Earth just where he wants him
"We understand that they have been appealing for funds from the 'Black Budget' but they wont give any idea as to what they're building, they just tell us that it's defence based of course that's what they say who's to say that's what it's for it could be attack based" he cajoles, Bush's face goes pale
"You mean members of our own government could be involved in the attacks against us, plotting to destroy America from within" DeAbalo nods "get them Nick, get them, do what you have to, I must have people I can trust we must get rid of the traitors" Nick smiles his best cheesy 'you can trust me' smile
"You can trust me Sir I'm always here for you Sir" he smarms, Bush smiles, relieved
"I know Nick I am so lucky to have you to advise me, I can't trust anyone else but you, now you will be here for the War Cabinet meeting tomorrow, I need you to tell me if we're doing the right thing going after Saddam" he pleads
I can tell you that now Sir you won't regret it your poll ratings will soar, you'll be a hero to the other world leaders and all the problems you have here at home will just melt away, no one will care, we'll be one big happy family again" DeAbalo can't help but feel slightly sick at this sugar overload he's spouting, but it's what the boss wants to hear, as he leaves the office he can't help but dance a few little steps on his way back to his own office, he produce's a cigar out of the air and lights it with his finger
"Sucker" he says "this is gonna be easier than I thought"
2
The Office of The Department of Internal Security
Nick opens his office door and spys his chief of staff going through some files
"Hey Michael how's everything going" he says, his chief turns around and we see the face of Michael O'Bannion, this time he's dressed in a US Army Colonel's uniform, his name badge says Colonel M O'Halloran
"Fine thanks, I'm glad to be out of those Priest's robes, so what did the boss have to say" replies O'Bannion, Nick grins at him
"This is going to be soooo easy, he's believeing everything I tell him all we need to do is sweep out those that try to stop us and the world is ours at last" Nick hands O'Bannion the photo of the Well Manicured Man and Krycek "know anything about these two" O'Bannion shakes his head
"Why?" he asks "what do they know" DeAbalo shrugs
"I don't know Michael" he points to Krycek "this guy has links with those FBI agents who got in the way of my ceremony and the other guy is his boss, they've been building something, they've had funds from the black budget, I need you to find out what" O'Bannion nods "he's got agents in here too, Clinton used to listen to them, I've been listening to them they've got some crazy idea that aliens are going to invade....." O'Bannion starts to laugh
"Aliens!! they're crazier than Bush, they're not going to be a problem are they?" he notices that DeAbalo is not laughing "you don't really believe in aliens do you" DeAbalo paces the room thinking
"Don't forget I've been around since the beginning so I know what's been going on" he sighs "they turned up millions of years ago and just kind of set up home, then they just left for no reason, I thought they'd be a good allies, but no they kinda had a deal with....you know" Nick points up "....him, I don't know what it is but if they are in league with him we could be in trouble" O'Bannion looks at Nick pacing and realises it's the first time his boss has been worried
"Are they a danger to your plans?" says O'Bannion, DeAbalo sighs
"They could be" he beaks into a grin "but that paranoid FBI Mulder guy could be just what we need" he points to Krycek's picture "and this guy too, he changes sides more often than most guys change their socks, if we can get them working together with us to get rid of the aliens we're laughing, I don't want you involved in this Michael they can still recognise you, the surgery isn't quiet complete yet, that Doggett guy want's your head on a pole, I'll deal with this"
The X Files Office October 16th 9.30am
Mulder, Scully and Doggett for once have nothing to do, Doggett is doing the crossword in the paper, Scully is reading the latest medical journal and Mulder is sitting in his chair shooting his basketball into the hoop on the door, the phone starts to ring they all look at each other,
"You're nearest Scully" says Doggett without looking up, she looks at Mulder he grins
"You heard the man" he replies, she sighs and rolls her eyes
"Y'want me to get coffee too" she says in her best air-head secretary voice
"Black, two sugars" says Doggett grinning at her, she throws the journal at him and picks up the phone
"Scully" she subconciously straightens up "....oh yes Sir......right away Sir.....as soon as possible Sir.....yes Sir.......goodbye Sir" Doggett and Mulder look at each other and shrug
"What's with the yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" asks Mulder
"You're not going to believe this but that was the Director he wants to see us" she replies "now" she runs her fingers through her hair, Doggett straightens his tie and Mulder picks fluff off his jacket, they head out of the door, on the way they meet Skinner,
"What's going on Sir" asks Doggett
"Have no idea John" he replies "I just got a call to go and see the Director"
"This is not good, this not good at all" mutters Mulder,they get to the door and Skinner knocks
"Come in" says a soft well spoken voice, Mulder has a confused look on his face as he tries to work out where he's heard the voice before.
3
The Office of the Director of the FBI
A grey haired man is sitting at his desk his eyes flit to the door as there is a knock at it, he sighs he really doesn't want to see these people especily Mulder he didn't want to reveal his identity this soon but things were moving quicker than he'd anticipated
"Come in" he says, the door opens and the others enter Mulder looks at the Director and takes a step back
"You!!!!!" he gasps
"Yes me Mr Mulder" the Director smiles at him, Skinner looks at the Director and then at Mulder
"Anyone care to tell me what's going on?" he asks, Mulder recovers himself a little
"Yes this is my contact, that Well Spoken Man I told you about, the one who's been tipping me off about the Syndicate, this is him" Mulder replies
"The one who warned you we were players in a rigged game during the Devil Worshipper's Case" remarks Doggett, Mulder nods, "is the game still rigged.....Sir", the Director indicates for them to sit down
"I've asked you here because things are moving quicker than I'd realised and other forces are beginning to make an impact now" Mulder looks puzzled
"Are these the outside forces you warned me about a couple of months ago?" asks Mulder, the Director nods "why did you risk you position to help me, you've got too much to lose"
"I've taken a great interest in your work Agent Mulder, in the X Files, I knew that your relentless digging and resolve to find 'The Truth' would bare fruit eventually" he sighs "I couldn't be directly involved it would raise too many questions, I am 'playing both sides of the fence' if you like, it has taken years to get all the pieces in place for the coming darkness, partnering you with Agent Scully, the tests on you my dear I tried to get to you before they did, but.....even I could do nothing for you, I tried to 'soften the blow' if you like, the tests could have been a lot worse, I know it's of little comfort now but......." his voice trails off
"What's the point of all this Sir" asks Skinner
"All in good time Assistant Director all in good time, Agent Doggett I'm afraid your investigation into the 'Black Oil' back in the spring ultimately led you to the X Files" Doggett looks surprised
"But that came out of the blue surely, you can't be telling me that Catherine set me up are you?" he demands
"No she is not involved in this, but your relentless digging and curiosity got the better of you and you would have eventually found out exactly what was going on that's why I had you sent to the X Files, let you find out for yourself later rather than sooner...."
"That's what you meant" interrupts Mulder " when you said the only way to stop me losing the X Files was to stop Doggett learning the truth, if he'd found out about the purpose of the Black Oil he'd have gone to the wrong people with it and we'd all be 'sleeping with the fishes' right", the Director nods
"Kersh was being leant on by the outside forces, he wanted to send you to a regional office in the back of beyond but I over-ruled him and had you sent to the X Files where I had Mulder keep an eye on you" the Director replies, Scully who has been quiet up till now suddenly speaks up
"Who are these outside forces, the Syndicate?" she asks, the Director shakes his head
"No my dear this is something new, something darker a new evil is coming and they could be in league with the colonists" this gets Mulder and Scully's attention
"Colonists, they're coming aren't they, they'll be here soon" says Mulder, the Director nods
"Yes my contacts tell me that they'll be colonizing within the next month" he replies the three agents all start talking at once
"They can't be I thought we had years left" say's Mulder
"Oh my God, we're going to Hell aren't we" says Scully
"You're kidding me, the Martian's are coming" says Doggett, the Director holds up his hand for silence
"Yes I'm afraid it's true" he replies "we haven't much time, but there is a way we can fight back, the New Syndicate have been working on a new device which will give us a fighting chance, they accquired this technology from the Russians"
"That Chronospheric displacement thingy we found out about in Lake Arial" interrupts Mulder the director nods again
"Yes they have developed it into several new devices, I have no idea how it works...." there's a knock on the door " but I believe my visitor can explain it better than me, come in" Alex Krycek comes through the door, Mulder attempts to get to his feet but Scully has her hand on his shoulder
"Don't give him the satisfaction" she says, Scully looks at Skinner and Doggett who are also rising from their chairs "any of you"
"Do you know what kind of evil you're dealing with" splutters Mulder
"You've got some nerve showing your face in here" growls Skinner, Krycek eyes Doggett and Scully
"What no welcoming words from you two" he sneers
"I wouldn't waste my breath" says Scully
"Agent Doggett?" asks Krycek
"Got better things to do with my time than talk to scum like you" replies Doggett
"Well now that we are all aquainted shall we get on with it" says the Director, Mulder utters a few obsenities and Krycek stands behind the director with his hands in his pockets
"So Alex what have you got for us this time" spits out Skinner, Krycek shifts positions
"I take it the Director has told you about the colonization starting soon" the others nod "well the New Syndicate have managed to accquire technology to win the war for us"
"We know this already" snaps Mulder "get on with it", Krycek reaches into his pocket and pulls out the Alternative Reality device
"This is the prototype, larger versions are being made as we speak, these devices will enable us to send the colonists to alternative realities", Doggett starts to laugh
"You've been watching too much Star Trek" he says, he turns to the others "you don't seriously believe him do you, a month ago you were telling me that he's a no good, lying, murdering, pain in the ass and now you're listening to him feeding you fairy tales" he turns back to face Krycek "which reminds me what did exactly happen to Karen Palmer, Domenica Covarrubias or whatever her damn name was", Krycek looks uncomfortable
"She's in a place where no one can hurt her, anyway that's not why I'm here, this device is the answer to our prayers", the other's don't look convinced
"How do we know this isn't another one of your traps, another attempt to fool us into doing the Cancer Man's dirty work" retorts Scully
"Because I don't work for him anymore, he's.......outlived his usefullness to me" replies Krycek
"Did you kill him?" says Skinner
"No" he smirks "I've got something else planned for him"
"So who do you work for" asks Doggett
"That well spoken, well manicured man we saw you with in Russia?" says Scully, Krycek nods
"Yes he's the one who set this meeting up, got your boss here involved, the one who fitted the pieces together and the one who'll save our asses" he replies
"Stop talking in riddles Alex and tell us why you're here" snaps Skinner, Krycek smiles, he's enjoying being the center of attention
"I've told you, I'm here to help you fight the aliens with this" he points at the device
"So.....how does it work if it works" says Mulder,
"I don't believe you're listening to this" exclaimes Doggett " you know this man's a born liar and after what happened last time you're not seriously going to listen to him" he can't believe what he's hearing
"I've seen something like this before" says Mulder "it can be done and if we can get rid of the aliens........" his voice trails off as Doggett gives him a venomous look "look it's taken up most of my life, I'd like to know what Ratboy here knows"
"I can do better than that I can show you" Krycek replies, he walks towards the door and beckons Mulder, Scully and Doggett to follow.
4
Regents Park, London, 16th October, 12.45pm
A red haired woman is running down the path looking at her watch,
"He's going to kill me, he's definatly going to kill me, this is the second time this week I've been late, US Embassy and FBI wait for no woman" she gasps as she heads towards a man sitting on the bench,
"John!! John!! I'm here" she calls to him he gets up and turns to face her, it's John Doggett and she is Catherine McGuire, she runs up to him, throws her arms around him and kisses him "I am so, so sorry I'm late, Professer Knutz's meeting went on longer than anyone anticipated, personally I think she's got it in for me ever since she found out about you" he grins at her
"Your boss is a bitter old woman" he says "she can't stand the thought of anyone being happy" Catherine shrugs
"No I think it's got to do with Vietnam" he looks amazed
"Why? it was one of the greatest victories in American history, we rid the world of one of the most evil men, Ho-Chi-Minh" he says with surprise
"Yep and she also lost her Son in the battle for Hanoi, he was a journalist covering the VietCong's retreat, she's had it in for America ever since, she also hit the roof when I told her I was marrying you, if I hadn't been the best at what I do she'd have got rid of me ages ago" she sighs deeply, he wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head
"Don't let that old witch upset you" she looks up at him
"You don't regret chucking it in at FBI headquarters and moving to London do you" she asks
"No way, this is my home now" he replies, Catherine smiles up at him and they carry on eating lunch
"Seen enough now?" asks Krycek, Doggett can only nod, dumbstruck at what he's just seen.
FBI Directors office.
Doggett is sitting back in his chair still dumbstruck at what he's seen
"What the hell was that I just saw? how the hell did you set that up" he asks, Krycek shakes his head
"I didn't set it up, it's an alternative reality some where out there you moved to London and married....." he licks his lips ".......a perky little red head....." he smiles suggestively at Doggett "who'd have guessed it......some guy's have all the luck, is she any one I know" Doggett rises from his chair and looks like he's about to punch Krycek's lights out, Scully puts her hand on his shoulder
"Don't do it John" she whispers "he knows what it's doing to you, don't let him get to you, it's not easy but let it go" Doggett takes a deep breath and sits down
"Leave her out of this" he snarls, Krycek grins, he's touched a nerve here, something worth remembering, find out who the perky little red head is in this reality and go from there, he decides
"So" says the Director "I assume that you've had a chance to see this work" the agents nod "and do you think it will have the desired effect"
"I suppose" says Mulder "if we knew what the plan was" he looks at Krycek who shrugs
"I have no idea what they plan to do, I was asked to make sure you would be willing to help us" he replies "seeing as you have the most information outside the Smoking son of a bitch's syndicate" Mulder looks at the Director
"Do you want an answer now" asks Mulder, the Director looks a little puzzled
"No but....." he blusters
"Good because I'm sure we'd like to discuss this amoungst ourselves" he looks at the others who nod "we'll let you know what we decide" the three agents get up and head to the door, Krycek starts to follow them
"You must give me an answer I need to know if you'll help us" he shouts "Don't you understand what's at stake", Mulder waves his hand in a 'whatever' gesture and closes the door.
The X Files Office ( again )
Scully sits Doggett down and hands him a coffee cup as he still seems a little shakey,
"You ok" asks Mulder, Doggett nods
"I think so" he groans "I've seen some freaky things since I started working with you guys but I've always managed to find a logical explaination for what I've seen but not this time, I mean somewhere in God knows where I'm marrying Catherine and did you hear what I........what she........we said about Vietnam how is that possible and what else is out there..........what.............I don't know........." he struggles to find the words to carry on, Mulder sits opposite him
"Well the theory is this, every decision you make the alternative is played out in another reality, so what you saw is the otherside of a decision you must have made sometime ago" he explains "same goes for world events somewhere in another reality Hitler won the second world war, the Confederates won the Civil War" he grins "the Lakers are a crap, second rate, third division basketball team", Doggett nods absentmindedly then suddenly looks Mulder in the eye
"Yes I did consider moving to London, about four years ago a post came up in the Embassy there, I just wanted to get out, but some friends made me see sense, so what I saw was what would have been if I'd moved" Mulder nods "but why Catherine I only met her this spring"
"Some people believe that groups of souls travel together throughout eternity, she could be your soulmate, you could have been together since the beginning of time, we've seen it before" explains Scully "but that's another story for another time" she says quickly, seeing the look of confusion on his face
"It's one I'd like to hear" says Krycek, appearing at the door, Scully crosses over to him and slams the door in his face and jams a chair under the handle
"Do you think he'll get the hint now" she says, the others start to laugh.
On the other side of the door Krycek lets fly a string of obsenities
"I need to talk to you" he shouts "look you don't know what's going on, it's not just the aliens who threaten us now, something else is here something more evil" he sighs "ok ask yourself this, did you really stop the Devil raising ceremony a couple of months ago" this piques Scully's interest, she opens the door and pokes her head out
"Go on" she says and she lets him in, she stands between him and the others "ok get on with it you've got five minutes" Krycek sighs
"You must have seen the strange goings on, the biblical signs, Scully you must have recognised them" he replies, Scully looks blank "wars, the rumor of war, a bid for world domination, peace gone from the world, famine, plague the signs are there but no repentance, not even the church can see what's coming, and what about the mass abductions, how many people have dissapeared" Scully shrugs Krycek continues "144,000" Scully's mouth drops open
"No way!!!!! you're making this up" she retorts, Krycek shakes his head and takes the bible from his pocket
"Bet you never thought you'd see me with this, but it's all in here" he hands it to Scully "you know what to look for Dana, I'm telling you the Devil is here waiting to see how we handle this, we need to get rid of the Aliens if we can fight them we can fight Satan, send him to another reality along with the colonists show him we can fight back," he turns to go, Mulder calls after him
"How do you know about all this and if things are going according to the bible why not just ride it out, let it come to it's natural conclusion" says Mulder
"Do you want to wait for the Apocolypse because I don't, I'm going to Hell anyway just not yet if I can help it" Krycek replies, "you both met Jay Fernandez, Scully you knew who he was even if Mulder couldn't, you know what's been happening since, this is tied into the colonists, you said yourself that Jay assended to 'Heaven' in a UFO and now Satan is here, according to this, a bit earlier than he should have been, but he's still here and he has a position of power he must have" he moves forward and lowers his voice "but who?.......that I don't know the answer to, he could be anyone"
Mulder, Scully and Doggett look at each other not knowing what to say, Scully is the first one to speak
"Ok just supposing for one minute you are telling the truth, what do you want from us" she ask
"Any data you can give me on Monsignior O'Bannion, all the data you have on the colonists and your support when the colonizing starts you know their weaknesses better than anyone" he replies
"What about Satan, aren't you trying to find out who he is" says Mulder
"Of course, but where do you start, since 9/11 it could be anyone, maybe you could help me for once in you life" he adds "you have access to all the files on the world's bad guys, see what you can do" he turns and opens the door "so can I count on you" Mulder looks at Scully and sighs
"Going against my better judgement, ok you got a deal" Krycek smiles
"I'll call in a couple of days" he leaves and closes the door, Mulder slumps forward and rests his head on his desk
"I'm going to regret this but what could I do" he wails.
Outside Krycek pulls out his phone and dials
"All is well" he says "yes they'll help me, it took some convincing but they'll do it.....ok I'll meet you there"
he crosses the road and heads for the Watergate building.
5
Underground Car Park, The Watergate Building
In the car park Krycek heads towards a black car, the window is open and cigarette smoke is wafting out, Krycek opens the passenger door and gets in
"Well Alex" says the CSM "what do you know now that you didn't earlier" Krycek smiles
"I know Agent Doggett has a weak spot, a very pretty weak spot " CSM frowns
"That's not what I meant but it's.........interesting, do they know about the colonization", Krycek nods "what about the time of the Evil Men" Krycek shrugs
"They never said anything to me" the lie's slip easily from his lips, the CSM stubs his cigarette out and then lights another
"It will soon be our time Alex, whoever wins you and I will be there at the dawn of a new era" Krycek contemplates this for a moment, I'll be here at the end old man but if I have my way you'll be in Hell, he decides,
"Do you know who Satan is" he asks, the CSM nods
"Of course I do but if you think I'm going to share that information with a trecherous rat like you, you're mistaken" he replies, Krycek grins
"Suit yourself" he says "so now what?" CSM blows smoke in his face and smiles
"When the colonists arrive, they'll take the replicants first to extract the mutated DNA so they can use it to make the slaves"
"So how are they going to find the replicants, the chip in the neck?" asks Krycek
"Yes, it was arranged long ago, that's why we inserted the cancer gene so if it was removed the.......subject couldn't be traced back to us and it's real purpose" replies the CSM
"But why Scully, you had me kidnap her as part of the programme but why did you give her back to Mulder, why cure her cancer" inspiration flashes across Kryceks face "but you've known about this for ages that's why you've been working on this NAT, BAT, DAT or whatever the hell it's called, it's the vaccine we've spent years developing" the CSM nods "Scully was the first test subject you injected her with the stuff removed her chip and sent her into that warehouse to be gassed with the mob, she can't die can she, she's immortal" CSM nods again
"You've worked this all out well Alex, maybe I should have kept you closer instead of letting you go out there and you working things out for yourself" he leans closer to Krycek "yes it's all true, Scully is immortal and so am I, now I know it works I'm going to win whatever happens, if they turn on me I'll win nothing can hurt me, if they don't I'll outlive them" he says, Krycek gets out of the car
"But why? Mulder has been a pain in the ass to the programme for years, why give him what he wants" he asks, CSM actually looks sorry for himself
"Because I can't do it to my boy any longer, I took his sister away from him, you killed Bill, Teena couldn't live with the guilt, I couldn't take Dana away from him too I couldn't do it" he replies, Krycek slams the car door and pokes his head through the window
"So it is true" he sneers "you have gone soft in your old age", he walks away from the car
"Not soft Alex, I've just covered all the bases that's all" CSM calls after him
X Files Office ( yet again ) 5.30pm
Mulder is by himself, Scully has gone home to make some kind of sense of what Krycek has told them, Doggett has also gone home, to call an old friend of his, Mulder is leafing through some old files concerning the colonists, there is a knock on his door he looks up and standing there is Nick DeAbalo,
"Mr DeAbalo sir what.......erm......what are you doing here, I didn't expect.......I.......um didn't know you knew about me" blusters Mulder, Nick grins
"I know everything about everyone" he replies "but I want to talk about your favourite subject.......aliens" Mulder's interested now
"And?" says Mulder
"And I know they're coming and I also know you've been meeting with some pretty unsavoury characters" he produces a picture of Krycek leaving the building "this guy, he's if you'll forgive me a dirty rat, finger in every pie, changes side to suit himself, any other cliches I've forgotten" Mulder shakes his head
"I think you've just about got it covered, what do you want from me" asks Mulder, Nick takes a cigar out of his pocket and flicks open his lighter
"D'ya mind" he enquires, Mulder shakes his head "we all need our little vices don't we" as he says this he goes to Mulder's filing cabinet and pulls open the bottom draw and pulls out Mulder's 'collection' "ah my kinda guy"
"Well what do you want" says an embarrassed Mulder
"To stop them invading of course" replies Nick "and I understand your buddy here may have the answers" Mulder eyes him
"Maybe he does" he says
"Come on Mulder get over the paranoia I'm the head of the Department for Internal Security for Gods sake" Nick winces as he says this "C'mon Mulder I've got the means to help you, I want to save the planet as much as you do, we know they're almost here, we've been tracking them for months...."
"What!! the govenment knows they're coming why hasn't anything been done, why hasn't the President said anything" splutters Mulder
"Panic Mr Mulder, I advised the President against it, you've seen Independance Day, the population's gonna panic when they get here, what's the point of starting it early, anyway where would they go it's not like they can pack up and move to the moon no Mr Mulder I....erm ....we've decided it's for the best to keep this under wraps" explains DeAbalo, Mulder considers the options
"Ok I'll contact Krycek, Doggett and Scully and we'll come up with a plan" agrees Mulder
"You're not gonna regret this and you never know if you become the hero that Ice Queen partner of yours may just melt a little" Nick wheedles, Mulder smiles and just as quick wipes the thought from his mind "c'mon you know it's what you want, what you've always wanted" Nick pulls himself up quick before he gives himself away "ok I'll wait for your call.
Nick leaves the Hoover Building looking mighty pleased with himself
Department of Internal Security, Midnight, 17th October 2002
Nick DeAbalo, Krycek, Mulder, Scully and Doggett are in Nick's office of course O'Bannion is nowhere to be seen, Krycek is explaining the workings of the Alternative Reality Device, Mulder explains the Syndicate's deal with the aliens, Scully explains about her abduction, the experiments, the cancer and finally her inability to conceive, Nick decides thet he'd like to meet the CSM, his kinda guy.
After all the demonstrations, confessions and so on they start to form a plan,
"So the devices will be ready in two weeks" says Nick to Krycek, Krycek nods,"and your 'employer' will be willing to let us use it" Krycek nods again
"I'll have to make the plans know to him, but I can't see any problem" he replies, Nick agrees
"Ok" he says "I have min.........erm....... agents that are willing to set the devices off"
"They do know it's one way only" says Krycek, Nick nods
"Yep, they've been briefed, they know what's expected of them" he replies
"How are we going to get your agents into the spacecrafts" asks Scully
"I think your friend here has the answer to that" Nick indicates for Krycek to carry on
"You remember all those chips and metallic implants you been finding over the years", Mulder nods
"But they've been lost or destroyed, whenever we've needed them for evidence, they've mysteriously disappeard" he says, Krycek smiles
"But I know where they went and who put them there, I can also get them out, the Smoking son of a bitch has a store of them in the Pentegon vaults, I can get you as many as you need to implant into your agents" he replies, Mulder decides not to question this, as much as he hates to admit it they need Krycek
"Ok" say Nick "I'll make the preperations for the initial responce, brief the President, make the necessary arrangements, for you guys to do whatever it is you do, what do you say meet again in a week for an update breifing" the others agree.
As they leave the building Doggett remarks,
"Does anyway else think that guy's a little to good to be true, I mean he turns up with just what we need when we need it" he shakes his head "nah I've been hanging around with you guys too long, I'll see you in the morning", the others say good night and go their seperate ways.
6
The Pentegon Vaults 1.30am, 20th October 2002
Alex Krycek has broken into the vaults with great ease, this has concerned him a little but he thinks maybe Nick DeAbalo has arranged for the light security, he finds the door and opens it cautiously, he remembers the last time he was in an underground vault, he gasps as he begins to grasps the size of it, he begins to look around for the chips and anything else that could be usefull to him, he starts to serch, he finds the chips with no problems, then he spots some vials containing a dark golden liquid the name on the box says NAT-Trial Successfull,
Krycek can't believe his luck the Immortality Drug, he pockets half a dozen of the vials and carries on looking around the vault, he walks over to the back wall which is covered by a huge filing cabinet, he opens the first draw marked C and pulls out a file marked Colonists, he starts to flick through the files, as he reads his eyes widen in shock he grabs a few more of the files and takes some more files from other draws, stuffs them in his jacket and runs out of the vault.
He gets back into his car and sits there staring into space, he can't believe what he's found out he's also realized he can't use this information because the Devil would know there's a flaw in his plans, he needs to keep these files safe, he gets out of the car and pulls the Alternative Reality device out of his pocket and points it at the wall and walks through it.
A plume of smoke rises from behind a piller as the CSM witnesses Krycek walk through the wall
"Well well well Alex is this what you have in mind for the colonists you poor misguided fool, or are you saving your own skin, you can run but you can't hide from me" he says to himself.
FBI Headquarters One Month Later
Everyone is standing around TV screens waiting for the President's emergancy broadcast, outside several triangular shaped UFO's are hovering over Washington Mulder, Scully and Doggett they are in the basement, going over the plan,
"Do you think it'll be like Independance Day" asks Scully, Mulder smiles
"You know their plans better than anyone, no they want us alive to do their bidding, but are they in for a shock" he replies, Doggett is staring at the pictures of the UFO's
"You know I owe you an apology Mulder, I alway said this UFO/Alien abduction thing was your nutty obssession, now I know you were right, maybe I won't be so quick to judge in the future..........if we have one" he says
"Well Nick DeAbalo's plan seems pretty flawless, he's got everything worked out so well it can't go wrong" says Mulder, Doggett doesn't seem convinced
"I've still got this feeling in my gut that says he's too good to be true, it's been a month now and I still can't shake this feeling" Doggett replies, Mulder gets up and sticks out his hand
"Welcome to Paranoia Anonymous" he says, Doggett grins and shakes Mulder's hand
"Thanks I think" he replies, Mulder turns to Scully and says
"What do you think Frohike, Langley and Byers will do now, they've got no more conspiricies to uncover" Scully laughs
"Don't be so sure they'll find something" she replies
The Oval Office 20th November 2002 11.30am
The Oval Office is crammed with General's, Advisers, CIA, FBI, Security Men and general hangers on, hovering quietly in a corner is O'Bannion now unrecognisable after his plastic surgery but still the same old him. President Bush is pacing the floor rehersing his speech and looking out of the window at the UFO's.
"I am doing the right thing Nick, you're sure aren't you" he asks, Nick grins his famous cheesy grin
"Of course you are Sir, all the other world leader's are waiting for you to lead the attack against them" Nick repiles, the Secretary of State is not convinced
"How do you know they're hostile Nick, they maybe here in peace this isn't the movies you know, somehow I don't think they're going to melt the White House with heat rays, we need conformation before we strike" says Secretary of State Powell, Nick ignores him
"But Sir, we must make arrangements to fight back just incase they turn out to be hostile" says Nick, Bush stops pacing
"I agree with Nick I'm afraid Colin we need to make the troops ready just in case" Powell conceads defeat
"Ok Sir, I'll see the Secretary of Defence and make sure he knows what's what" says Nick looking pleased with himself his plan is going really well no one suspects what he's really up to not even the X Files agents.
7
The Washington Monument
A large group of people are gathered at the monument waiting for the UFO's to take them away, amoung them are the X Files agents, they are waiting for the aliens to take DeAbalo's agents so they can send the colonists away
"Can you see the Gunmen Scully" says Mulder, she shakes her head, she's just staring up at the ship, Mulder puts his hand on her shoulder "you ok?, I won't let them get you this time" Scully smiles at him
"I know, but...........deja vu you know I've been in this position before or I thought I had or maybe I really have, but now.......maybe it was all true what I saw in that regression therepy", Doggett is also staring at the UFO
"I can't believe I'm seeing this, I can't believe I'm looking at a UFO, after this I think I'll believe anything you tell me" he says, at that moment a woman's voice is heard shouting
"Oh my God look!!!! it's opening" she says, a beam of light comes down, Mulder grabs Scully's hand
"Time to get out I think" says Mulder, Doggett looks at him
"I agree" he replies, they duck into some trees to watch what happens, as they do another group of people move into the light, one of them morphs into the Alien Bounty Hunter, he moves out of the group and goes to round up more people. When he comes back with the final group the force field lifts them into the air and onto the ship, the ship suddenly accelerates off into the sky, panic breaks out as people try to run from the monument park, watching the panicking population is the CSM and Krycek,
"Poor fools do they really think they can run and hide from them this is only the beginning" he smiles "the culmination of twenty five years work, the sacrifices will not have been in vain, you and I Alex, you and I are the only ones left alive to see this day, Bill Mulder was a fool when he thought we could defeat them, Jeffery my own son turned on me, sold me out, Fox Mulder even when he knew they couldn't be stopped refused to join me, even to save himself and Scully, but you Alex have always been at my side even during your.............indescressions you have always been a true believer in the project, you have been more loyal to me than any of my children" the CSM lights another cigarette "this is not the end, it's the begininng", Krycek looks out of the car window and spots Mulder, Scully and Doggett watching from the trees as another ship drops from the sky
"Well look who's at the party" Krycek points to where the agents are standing "why don't we drop in and say hi?" they both get out of the car and move to the trees where the others are standing
"I knew you'd be here to see them first hand" CSM says to Mulder "it's a shame Bill couldn't be here to see this", Mulder decides to ignore him "what's the matter Fox not willing to admit that I was right"
"It's not over till the fat lady sings and she ain't even warmed up yet" spits out Mulder.
The White House
Panic is breaking out in the Oval Office as news reports of the abductions filter through, Nick DeAbalo and the Secretary of Defence are pressing President Bush for action
"Come on Sir we need to act before they kidnap anymore of our citizens, send our fighters in, show them we mean business" says the Secretary of Defence, Bush turns to Nick
"What do you say Nick" he asks, the others look at the President wondering why he bothers with them as the only person he listens to now is DeAbalo
"I say blow them out of the sky Sir" replies Nick, Bush nods at the Secretary of Defence
"Do it Don" he says, Nick rubs his hands in glee any moment now and nothing will stand in his way, just find some way to get rid of Bush, set himself up here in the White House and watch it all go the way it was prophisised, he goes over to O'Bannion,
"Not long now Michael just another hour max and nothing will stand in my way, nothing" he states
The Washington Memorial
The Agent's, CSM and Krycek are watching another group of people being transported into another ship, this seems to be the last group, the CSM lights yet another cigarette
"Are you still sure you can defeat them, serve them and you can see Samantha again" he says to Mulder, as he says this a squadron of fighters appear and unleash a barrage of missiles, they inflict some minor damage to the UFO
"FOOLS!!!!!!!" screams the CSM "they cannot be defeated, why can't you accept it", the UFO fly's off after the fighters, as they bank to the left, the UFO fly's into a shimmering heat haze and disappears, this happens to all the UFO's everywhere, DeAbalo's plan has been a success. On the ground the rest of the population are staring in wonder at what happened including the group at the Washington Memorial
"What have you done!!!!" CSM shouts at Mulder "you fool you're worse than Bill, you've been determined to ruin this, you've ruined fifty years of work, you've ruined any chance of getting our families back YOU FOOL!!!!! they'll be back, you can't get away with this"
"I had nothing to do with this it was all the doing of you right hand man here, right Alex" says Mulder, Krycek starts to laugh
"Maybe you should have taken Mulder's advice trust no one, I've been working for the resistance for years, they knew your plans and were one step ahead evey time, did you really think you could get away with this and did you honestly think the colonists would honor their agreement to spare your miserable life" the resentment in Krycek is building up now "you've been controlling my life since I was a kid and now it's time to break free, but not before you pay for what you've done" Krycek pulls out his gun and points it at the CSM
"You've had plenty of chances to kill me in the past Alex, what makes you think you can do it now" he sneers, Krycek isn't really listening
"You've taken away everyone that ever meant anything to me, I've been on the run for seven years thanks to you, now it's payback" he points the gun at Mulder and pulls the trigger, the bullet catches Mulder in the temple and he goes down.
8
The Washington Memorial
For a split second time seems to stand still, Scully screams and Doggett moves to grab Krycek, he points the gun at Doggett
"Now you know how I feel, your family's dead just like mine, now live my life you son of a bitch" he says to the CSM as he runs off into the crowd, Doggett follows him, Scully runs over to Mulder
"Call 911" she screams at CSM, she crouches next to Mulder and try's to stop the blood flowing "Mulder, Mulder don't leave me, not now, please don't leave me"
Doggett reappears
"I couldn't catch him, he's disappeared he could be anywhere" he looks at the CSM and bends down to whisper to Scully "you know what I mean.....anywhere" Scully nods she looks at the CSM and swears that she can see a tear rolling down his face as the ambulance appears.
Washington Memorial Hospital, 20th November 2002 7.45pm
Doggett is sitting outside the hospital it's been six hours since Mulder was brought in, Skinner had been in a few hours earlier, vowing to hunt Alex Krycek down but Doggett knew he'd never be found not in this reality anyway, Margaret Scully had been there too trying to persuade her daughter to eat and doing what mothers do best, just being there, he remembered being in this position before, waiting for news, preparing himself for the worst, the doors open and Scully comes out looking tired and drained he gets up and crosses over to her,
"So?" he asks, Scully is having great difficulty keeping her voice steady
"He's alive, they were able to keep the bleeding under control and they were able to remove the bullet" she takes a deep breath
"But" says Doggett
"His frontal lobe was scarred quite badly........and they don't know" a tear starts to run down her face "......they can't say if he'll..........if he'll......." more tears start to fall
"If he'll wake up" finishes Doggett, Scully nods, he puts his arms around her as she starts to cry
"Why!! why Mulder, after all we've been through I can't lose him now it's.......oh God it's just not fair" she breaks down and let's the pain of the last eight years flow out, Doggett knows the last thing she needs to hear are meaningless comforting words so he just lets her cry. In the hospital the CSM is by Mulder's bed, he looks at Mulders heavily bandaged face
"I never meant to hurt you, I never meant to hurt Teena either but I had no choice, Bill wanted to send you instead of Samantha but I couldn't let him send my son to the project so I made him send Samantha, I know it sounds heartless but you are my son, I couldn't lose you and Cassandra, I thought no one could touch me, that I was so tough that no one could hurt me they way I hurt others, it seems that Alex knew me too well, he always said he'd have his revenge and now he has, I will help you get through this with all the years of medical reserch we've done something must be able to help, you are all I have left, I am all you have left" he settles in the chair and watches the machines keeping his son alive.
The Office of the Department of Internal Security
Nick DeAbalo and Michael O'Bannion are watching the celebration's in the streets, O'Bannion is smiling
"It's finally begun everything we dreamed of will start" he says, Nick is puffing on his cigar and his grin is begininng to become more demonic
"Now it will start, now there is no one left to stop us, the world is now ours" DeAbalo replies and starts to laugh, as his demonic laughter carries on the wind a jet liner falls from the sky into the river Jordan, a car bomb explodes in Belfast, a gunman opens fire in a school in Texas, an earthquake hits St. Petersburg, a fire ignites in the Austrailian outback, in London a tube train crashes into another killing hundreds of people in the rush hour, the Devil is here to stay.
9
23rd November 2002, Margaret Scully's Kitchen, 11.30am
Margaret and Dana are sitting at the kitchen table, a coffee pot and a plate of cookies are between them, a radio is playing in the background
"So Dana what are you going to do" asks Margaret
"I don't know Mom, he's got no one left now I'm not sure I can do anything" Scully replies, she pours some more coffee into her cup
"Are you going to leave him the way he is, you know he fought us every step of the way when you were in a coma" says Margaret, Scully smiles
"I know but I had a living will, he doesn't have anything like that, I don't know what to do I'm not family" Margaret pushes the cookie plate towards her
"He doesn't see it like that, to Mulder you are his family and to me too, he's always been welcome here" Margaret says "I think you're father would have welcomed him into the family too, I know I'd like him to be my Son in Law" she grins at her daughter, Scully blushes
"Mom" she moans
"I'm your mother I know about these things, the signs are all there" says Margaret slyly, Scully is letting her mind wander and is listening to the song on the radio it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, the line 'my love will be Forever Autumn now you're not here' makes the hair on the back of her neck stand on end
"Dana, Dana are you ok" asks Margaret, Scully shakes herself out of it
"Yes Mom I'm fine, I was listening to the radio, I'm going to leave Mulder the way he is, I want him to be here with me" she says, Margaret smiles at her
"Good, I knew you'd do the right thing"
23rd November 2002, The X Files office, 11.30am
John Doggett is sitting in the X Files office, a blank computer screen in front of him, somewhere in the distance a radio is playing breaking the uneasy silence, he has lost count of how many times he's started to write this report then deleated the whole thing, Skinner has been down to see him telling him he was on his own for the forseeable future as Scully was on an indefinate leave of absence, Kersh had been to see him too, wanting to know what was going into his report, he'd laughed and asked Kersh how he was supposed to cover up something that was witnessed by the whole world, he looks at the 'I Want To Believe' poster behind Mulder's desk and then at Luke's picture on his desk, the song on the radio catches his attention it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn he hears the words 'now you're not here' and looks back at Luke's picture maybe the one concilation in this case is that somewhere out there his son is still alive, that's what he wants to believe. He picks up the phone and dials
"Hello" says a sleepy female voice
"Hi Catherine it's me" he looks at his watch "oh my God I'm sorry I didn't realise it was so early"
"S'ok I had to get up the phone was ringing, what can I do for you" she replies
"Can I come and see you for a couple of weeks" this suprises her a little
"Sure, are you ok, I mean did you have anything to do with what happened a few days ago, I assume your friend Mulder was in the middle of it this is his thing right"
"Yes, Yes and of course he was" Catherine laughs "I just need to get out of here and I need a friendly face" he says
"So what happened" she asks, he sighs
"I don't know where to start, but you are not going to believe what I found out a few weeks back..........." he begin's to tell her about the Alternative Reality he visited
23rd November 2002, Central Park, New York, 11.30am
Alex Krycek is sitting under a tree enjoying the late autumn sunshine, he's enjoying the freedom he has now, no one is trying to kill him, no one is hunting him down, he spots a woman walking down the path and smiles to himself, she sees him and smiles back as she walks up to him
"If I was the paranoid type I'd swear you were waiting for me" she says
"What makes you say that" he asks, she leans forward and whispers
"This is the third day I've seen you here" a voice calls out behind her
"Marita I'm over here" she turns around and waves at her friend
"I'll be there in a moment" she turns back to Krycek who is getting up "so will you be here tomorrow" she asks as he walks off
"Maybe" he says,
"Hey what's your name" she calls after him
"Alex, I'll see you around.......Marita" he replies, Marita's friend joins her
"Nice" she says
"Bad boy rough stuff, just my type" replies Marita. As Krycek passes a news vendors stand a radio is playing Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, he stops to listen for a minute and hears the words 'my life will be forever autumn, now you're not here',
"But you are here and so am I now, maybe I can do it right this time" he mutters
"Say what buddy" says the vendor
"Nothing" Krycek replies he walks around a corner and points the Alternative Reality Device at the wall
"Oh yeah I'll be here tomorrow" he says as he walks through the wall.
23rd November 2002,Intensive Care Unit, Washington Memorial Hospital 11.30am
The CSM is still sitting in the chair, he is talking to Mulder
"I don't regret what I've done I thought I was doing the right thing, I thought we could preserve our race, I've worked on this project for fifty years and now it's over I don't know what to do with myself, what can I do I've got no one who needs me no one who cares whether I live or die, all I have is you Fox I'll find a way to help you, it's the least I can do, as much as I hate to admit it I need you back at the X Files, you and your partners are the only ones who can stop Nick DeAbalo, yes he's the Devil, but I can't tell them about it, he knows I know who he is, you may think I made a deal with him long ago, maybe I did and now he want's payment, would life under the colonists be better, I wish I could tell you"
he stops as he hears the words of a song on the radio, it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, he hears the line 'My life will be Forever Autumn, now you're not here',
"Yes how true my life will be forever autum now" he closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.
Mulder's Room, 30 minutes later
Scully tiptoes into the room, the CSM opens his eyes with a start,
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you" she says apologeticaly
"No Dana it's ok, I must have dozed off" he replies
"The nurse's say you haven't been home in three days, you can't stay here forever" she says gently
I know Dana, but what else do I have now, I was once a powerfull man now I have nothing" he replies
"In the eyes of the law you are his next of kin, what are you going to do" Scully asks
"Everything I can to restore my son's life to the way it was, don't ask me to turn the life support off" he replies
"I won't" says Scully, she looks at the broken man she once despised so much and can't help but pity him, she takes his arm
"Come on I'll take you home" she says, he nods
"Thank you Dana", as they prepare to leave a doctor comes in his badge says Dr. Baumbach, as Scully and the CSM pass him they fail to notice his eyes glow red.
By Coral Bale
Washington Memorial Hospital 14th October 2002 5.30pm
Alex Krycek is in the ER, he is watching an FBI agent with a gunshot wound being helped into a cubicle, the doctor comes throught the door her badge says Dr. Dana Scully, dressed in blue scrubs she looks at the notes the nurse has given her
"So you're Agent........Mulder right" she says to him, Mulder nods "care to tell me which one of the bad guys did this to you"
"I dunno it was like Dodge City out there it could have been anyone" he replies, Dr Scully starts to peel off the temporary dressing and clean up the wound
"I know I've been patching up the others, it's been a regular bloodbath" she smiles at him "if I had a dollar for everytime I've patched up one of you FBI types I could retire tomorrow" she starts to stitch the wound "so which department do you work for" she asks him
"Violent Crimes" replies Mulder
"Can I give you some advice" Scully smiles at him
"Sure" says Mulder
"Change departments to something like the motor pool and you might just see your next birthday" Mulder starts to laugh, then winces in pain
"Thanks for the advice doc" he replies,
Krycek gets up to leave he's seen what he needs to, his collegues will be pleased with the success.
He leaves the hospital and walks down an alley, he pulls a device out of his jacket pocket and points it at the wall, the wall shimmers and ripples and Krycek walks through it.
OPENING TITLES
The line The Truth is out There is replaced with The Truth is Here
Santana Building corner of 53rd and 3rd New York 5.30 pm 15th October 2002
Krycek is sitting opposite a small group of men explaining about his last mission
"It works perfectly" says Krycek "I had no problems with it at all"
"I'm not sure about this quantum physic stuff" says a Tall Arabic Man "What happens if you meet yourself aren't things supposed to start imploding"
"You're not likely to meet yourself are you" snaps the Well Manicured Man "you won't be there will you" the Tall Arabic Man looks embarrassed and mumbles he supposes not, Krycek carries on
"I've been to a couple of different realities, I don't think you can get to the same one twice I've tried a couple of times but I haven't managed it yet" Krycek looks slyly at the Well Manicured Man, what he doesn't know won't hurt him he decides, the Well Manicured Man nods
"Well we have a little more time to perfect the device, I suggest we meet again in two weeks time gentlemen" the Well Manicured Man says, the rest of the group including Krycek get up to leave, "not you Alex, I've got something else for you to do" Krycek nods and sits back down. When the last of the group has finally left the Well Manicured Man relaxes a little,
"So what do you want from me" asks Krycek, the Well Manicured Man gets up and crosses the room
"Drink Alex?" he asks, Krycek nods
"So?" he prompts as he accepts the drink, his superior sighs
"It has finally become reality, we are now able to fight back against the colonists"
"But" Krycek remarks, the Well Manicured Man sighs again
"I don't know" he says "something still doesn't feel right, it's not just the aliens we're fighting it feels like something else is here too, something else is trying to take over, there's a cancer growing inside the govenment not of our making, our trusted agents on the inside are being overuled, the President is listening to others now, others that are feeding his fears" Krycek finishes his drink and faces him,
"That cigarette smoking son of a bitch told me that the time of the Evil Man was approaching, do you know what he means he also said something about signs and portents?" he enquires, the Well Manicured Man walks over to the bookcase and picks up a Bible
"I don't suppose you thought of looking in here when the strange signs started to appear" he asks, Krycek gives a humorless laugh
"Why should I God and I aren't exactly on speaking terms any more" Krycek replies, the Well Manicured Man opens the Bible and starts to read
"This is from the Book of Revelation Chapter 8 verses 10 and 11, The Third angel sounded his trumpet and a great star blazing like a torch fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water, the name of the star is Wormwood" he closes the Bible and waits for Krycek to put the pieces together
"And" says Krycek, the Well Manicured Man sighs
"You do speak Russian don't you Alex" Krycek nods "well what does Chernobyl mean in Russian" he asks
"Bitterness.......Wormwood!! oh my God yes the water wasn't fit to drink for years and the people who didn't die outright suffered" Krycek is beginning to put the pieces together
"It's all in here" the Well Manicured Man waves the Bible in the air "read it Alex and work it out, the end of the world is nigh, the Devil stalks our world now" Krycek is thunderstruck
"Is he in league with the Aliens" he asks
"I don't know, we have to find out who he's disguised as first, that will be your job" he replies, Krycek nods and makes his way to the door, the Well Manicured Man calls out after him "Alex you may have to swallow your pride and go to Mulder" Krycek groans inwardly, every time he comes face to face with Mulder he usually ends up getting his ass kicked, and after the last time they met, this is going to be no exeption.
The White House 15th October 2002 6.00pm
Nick DeAbalo is in the Oval Office with President George W Bush the conversation is going well for DeAbalo
"Well Sir I can assure you my information is correct as of........" DeAbalo looks at his watch "......... thirty minutes ago, there was definatly a meeting held at this building" he shows Bush a photo of the Santana building in New York, he passes photo's of the 'New Syndicate' including the Well Manicured Man and Alex Krycek to the President "and these men were present, I have got it on good authority that these men have been under investigation by the FBI for some time" Bush gets up and starts to pace the office looking at the photo of the Tall Arabic Man
"Who is this man Nick does he have links to Bin Laden, Hammas, the Shi-ites, Arrafat and his goons, IRA ,UVF UFF, the Klan....." Bush's voice takes on a slightly hysterical tone, DeAbalo grins at this he has the most powerfull man on Earth just where he wants him
"We understand that they have been appealing for funds from the 'Black Budget' but they wont give any idea as to what they're building, they just tell us that it's defence based of course that's what they say who's to say that's what it's for it could be attack based" he cajoles, Bush's face goes pale
"You mean members of our own government could be involved in the attacks against us, plotting to destroy America from within" DeAbalo nods "get them Nick, get them, do what you have to, I must have people I can trust we must get rid of the traitors" Nick smiles his best cheesy 'you can trust me' smile
"You can trust me Sir I'm always here for you Sir" he smarms, Bush smiles, relieved
"I know Nick I am so lucky to have you to advise me, I can't trust anyone else but you, now you will be here for the War Cabinet meeting tomorrow, I need you to tell me if we're doing the right thing going after Saddam" he pleads
I can tell you that now Sir you won't regret it your poll ratings will soar, you'll be a hero to the other world leaders and all the problems you have here at home will just melt away, no one will care, we'll be one big happy family again" DeAbalo can't help but feel slightly sick at this sugar overload he's spouting, but it's what the boss wants to hear, as he leaves the office he can't help but dance a few little steps on his way back to his own office, he produce's a cigar out of the air and lights it with his finger
"Sucker" he says "this is gonna be easier than I thought"
2
The Office of The Department of Internal Security
Nick opens his office door and spys his chief of staff going through some files
"Hey Michael how's everything going" he says, his chief turns around and we see the face of Michael O'Bannion, this time he's dressed in a US Army Colonel's uniform, his name badge says Colonel M O'Halloran
"Fine thanks, I'm glad to be out of those Priest's robes, so what did the boss have to say" replies O'Bannion, Nick grins at him
"This is going to be soooo easy, he's believeing everything I tell him all we need to do is sweep out those that try to stop us and the world is ours at last" Nick hands O'Bannion the photo of the Well Manicured Man and Krycek "know anything about these two" O'Bannion shakes his head
"Why?" he asks "what do they know" DeAbalo shrugs
"I don't know Michael" he points to Krycek "this guy has links with those FBI agents who got in the way of my ceremony and the other guy is his boss, they've been building something, they've had funds from the black budget, I need you to find out what" O'Bannion nods "he's got agents in here too, Clinton used to listen to them, I've been listening to them they've got some crazy idea that aliens are going to invade....." O'Bannion starts to laugh
"Aliens!! they're crazier than Bush, they're not going to be a problem are they?" he notices that DeAbalo is not laughing "you don't really believe in aliens do you" DeAbalo paces the room thinking
"Don't forget I've been around since the beginning so I know what's been going on" he sighs "they turned up millions of years ago and just kind of set up home, then they just left for no reason, I thought they'd be a good allies, but no they kinda had a deal with....you know" Nick points up "....him, I don't know what it is but if they are in league with him we could be in trouble" O'Bannion looks at Nick pacing and realises it's the first time his boss has been worried
"Are they a danger to your plans?" says O'Bannion, DeAbalo sighs
"They could be" he beaks into a grin "but that paranoid FBI Mulder guy could be just what we need" he points to Krycek's picture "and this guy too, he changes sides more often than most guys change their socks, if we can get them working together with us to get rid of the aliens we're laughing, I don't want you involved in this Michael they can still recognise you, the surgery isn't quiet complete yet, that Doggett guy want's your head on a pole, I'll deal with this"
The X Files Office October 16th 9.30am
Mulder, Scully and Doggett for once have nothing to do, Doggett is doing the crossword in the paper, Scully is reading the latest medical journal and Mulder is sitting in his chair shooting his basketball into the hoop on the door, the phone starts to ring they all look at each other,
"You're nearest Scully" says Doggett without looking up, she looks at Mulder he grins
"You heard the man" he replies, she sighs and rolls her eyes
"Y'want me to get coffee too" she says in her best air-head secretary voice
"Black, two sugars" says Doggett grinning at her, she throws the journal at him and picks up the phone
"Scully" she subconciously straightens up "....oh yes Sir......right away Sir.....as soon as possible Sir.....yes Sir.......goodbye Sir" Doggett and Mulder look at each other and shrug
"What's with the yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir" asks Mulder
"You're not going to believe this but that was the Director he wants to see us" she replies "now" she runs her fingers through her hair, Doggett straightens his tie and Mulder picks fluff off his jacket, they head out of the door, on the way they meet Skinner,
"What's going on Sir" asks Doggett
"Have no idea John" he replies "I just got a call to go and see the Director"
"This is not good, this not good at all" mutters Mulder,they get to the door and Skinner knocks
"Come in" says a soft well spoken voice, Mulder has a confused look on his face as he tries to work out where he's heard the voice before.
3
The Office of the Director of the FBI
A grey haired man is sitting at his desk his eyes flit to the door as there is a knock at it, he sighs he really doesn't want to see these people especily Mulder he didn't want to reveal his identity this soon but things were moving quicker than he'd anticipated
"Come in" he says, the door opens and the others enter Mulder looks at the Director and takes a step back
"You!!!!!" he gasps
"Yes me Mr Mulder" the Director smiles at him, Skinner looks at the Director and then at Mulder
"Anyone care to tell me what's going on?" he asks, Mulder recovers himself a little
"Yes this is my contact, that Well Spoken Man I told you about, the one who's been tipping me off about the Syndicate, this is him" Mulder replies
"The one who warned you we were players in a rigged game during the Devil Worshipper's Case" remarks Doggett, Mulder nods, "is the game still rigged.....Sir", the Director indicates for them to sit down
"I've asked you here because things are moving quicker than I'd realised and other forces are beginning to make an impact now" Mulder looks puzzled
"Are these the outside forces you warned me about a couple of months ago?" asks Mulder, the Director nods "why did you risk you position to help me, you've got too much to lose"
"I've taken a great interest in your work Agent Mulder, in the X Files, I knew that your relentless digging and resolve to find 'The Truth' would bare fruit eventually" he sighs "I couldn't be directly involved it would raise too many questions, I am 'playing both sides of the fence' if you like, it has taken years to get all the pieces in place for the coming darkness, partnering you with Agent Scully, the tests on you my dear I tried to get to you before they did, but.....even I could do nothing for you, I tried to 'soften the blow' if you like, the tests could have been a lot worse, I know it's of little comfort now but......." his voice trails off
"What's the point of all this Sir" asks Skinner
"All in good time Assistant Director all in good time, Agent Doggett I'm afraid your investigation into the 'Black Oil' back in the spring ultimately led you to the X Files" Doggett looks surprised
"But that came out of the blue surely, you can't be telling me that Catherine set me up are you?" he demands
"No she is not involved in this, but your relentless digging and curiosity got the better of you and you would have eventually found out exactly what was going on that's why I had you sent to the X Files, let you find out for yourself later rather than sooner...."
"That's what you meant" interrupts Mulder " when you said the only way to stop me losing the X Files was to stop Doggett learning the truth, if he'd found out about the purpose of the Black Oil he'd have gone to the wrong people with it and we'd all be 'sleeping with the fishes' right", the Director nods
"Kersh was being leant on by the outside forces, he wanted to send you to a regional office in the back of beyond but I over-ruled him and had you sent to the X Files where I had Mulder keep an eye on you" the Director replies, Scully who has been quiet up till now suddenly speaks up
"Who are these outside forces, the Syndicate?" she asks, the Director shakes his head
"No my dear this is something new, something darker a new evil is coming and they could be in league with the colonists" this gets Mulder and Scully's attention
"Colonists, they're coming aren't they, they'll be here soon" says Mulder, the Director nods
"Yes my contacts tell me that they'll be colonizing within the next month" he replies the three agents all start talking at once
"They can't be I thought we had years left" say's Mulder
"Oh my God, we're going to Hell aren't we" says Scully
"You're kidding me, the Martian's are coming" says Doggett, the Director holds up his hand for silence
"Yes I'm afraid it's true" he replies "we haven't much time, but there is a way we can fight back, the New Syndicate have been working on a new device which will give us a fighting chance, they accquired this technology from the Russians"
"That Chronospheric displacement thingy we found out about in Lake Arial" interrupts Mulder the director nods again
"Yes they have developed it into several new devices, I have no idea how it works...." there's a knock on the door " but I believe my visitor can explain it better than me, come in" Alex Krycek comes through the door, Mulder attempts to get to his feet but Scully has her hand on his shoulder
"Don't give him the satisfaction" she says, Scully looks at Skinner and Doggett who are also rising from their chairs "any of you"
"Do you know what kind of evil you're dealing with" splutters Mulder
"You've got some nerve showing your face in here" growls Skinner, Krycek eyes Doggett and Scully
"What no welcoming words from you two" he sneers
"I wouldn't waste my breath" says Scully
"Agent Doggett?" asks Krycek
"Got better things to do with my time than talk to scum like you" replies Doggett
"Well now that we are all aquainted shall we get on with it" says the Director, Mulder utters a few obsenities and Krycek stands behind the director with his hands in his pockets
"So Alex what have you got for us this time" spits out Skinner, Krycek shifts positions
"I take it the Director has told you about the colonization starting soon" the others nod "well the New Syndicate have managed to accquire technology to win the war for us"
"We know this already" snaps Mulder "get on with it", Krycek reaches into his pocket and pulls out the Alternative Reality device
"This is the prototype, larger versions are being made as we speak, these devices will enable us to send the colonists to alternative realities", Doggett starts to laugh
"You've been watching too much Star Trek" he says, he turns to the others "you don't seriously believe him do you, a month ago you were telling me that he's a no good, lying, murdering, pain in the ass and now you're listening to him feeding you fairy tales" he turns back to face Krycek "which reminds me what did exactly happen to Karen Palmer, Domenica Covarrubias or whatever her damn name was", Krycek looks uncomfortable
"She's in a place where no one can hurt her, anyway that's not why I'm here, this device is the answer to our prayers", the other's don't look convinced
"How do we know this isn't another one of your traps, another attempt to fool us into doing the Cancer Man's dirty work" retorts Scully
"Because I don't work for him anymore, he's.......outlived his usefullness to me" replies Krycek
"Did you kill him?" says Skinner
"No" he smirks "I've got something else planned for him"
"So who do you work for" asks Doggett
"That well spoken, well manicured man we saw you with in Russia?" says Scully, Krycek nods
"Yes he's the one who set this meeting up, got your boss here involved, the one who fitted the pieces together and the one who'll save our asses" he replies
"Stop talking in riddles Alex and tell us why you're here" snaps Skinner, Krycek smiles, he's enjoying being the center of attention
"I've told you, I'm here to help you fight the aliens with this" he points at the device
"So.....how does it work if it works" says Mulder,
"I don't believe you're listening to this" exclaimes Doggett " you know this man's a born liar and after what happened last time you're not seriously going to listen to him" he can't believe what he's hearing
"I've seen something like this before" says Mulder "it can be done and if we can get rid of the aliens........" his voice trails off as Doggett gives him a venomous look "look it's taken up most of my life, I'd like to know what Ratboy here knows"
"I can do better than that I can show you" Krycek replies, he walks towards the door and beckons Mulder, Scully and Doggett to follow.
4
Regents Park, London, 16th October, 12.45pm
A red haired woman is running down the path looking at her watch,
"He's going to kill me, he's definatly going to kill me, this is the second time this week I've been late, US Embassy and FBI wait for no woman" she gasps as she heads towards a man sitting on the bench,
"John!! John!! I'm here" she calls to him he gets up and turns to face her, it's John Doggett and she is Catherine McGuire, she runs up to him, throws her arms around him and kisses him "I am so, so sorry I'm late, Professer Knutz's meeting went on longer than anyone anticipated, personally I think she's got it in for me ever since she found out about you" he grins at her
"Your boss is a bitter old woman" he says "she can't stand the thought of anyone being happy" Catherine shrugs
"No I think it's got to do with Vietnam" he looks amazed
"Why? it was one of the greatest victories in American history, we rid the world of one of the most evil men, Ho-Chi-Minh" he says with surprise
"Yep and she also lost her Son in the battle for Hanoi, he was a journalist covering the VietCong's retreat, she's had it in for America ever since, she also hit the roof when I told her I was marrying you, if I hadn't been the best at what I do she'd have got rid of me ages ago" she sighs deeply, he wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head
"Don't let that old witch upset you" she looks up at him
"You don't regret chucking it in at FBI headquarters and moving to London do you" she asks
"No way, this is my home now" he replies, Catherine smiles up at him and they carry on eating lunch
"Seen enough now?" asks Krycek, Doggett can only nod, dumbstruck at what he's just seen.
FBI Directors office.
Doggett is sitting back in his chair still dumbstruck at what he's seen
"What the hell was that I just saw? how the hell did you set that up" he asks, Krycek shakes his head
"I didn't set it up, it's an alternative reality some where out there you moved to London and married....." he licks his lips ".......a perky little red head....." he smiles suggestively at Doggett "who'd have guessed it......some guy's have all the luck, is she any one I know" Doggett rises from his chair and looks like he's about to punch Krycek's lights out, Scully puts her hand on his shoulder
"Don't do it John" she whispers "he knows what it's doing to you, don't let him get to you, it's not easy but let it go" Doggett takes a deep breath and sits down
"Leave her out of this" he snarls, Krycek grins, he's touched a nerve here, something worth remembering, find out who the perky little red head is in this reality and go from there, he decides
"So" says the Director "I assume that you've had a chance to see this work" the agents nod "and do you think it will have the desired effect"
"I suppose" says Mulder "if we knew what the plan was" he looks at Krycek who shrugs
"I have no idea what they plan to do, I was asked to make sure you would be willing to help us" he replies "seeing as you have the most information outside the Smoking son of a bitch's syndicate" Mulder looks at the Director
"Do you want an answer now" asks Mulder, the Director looks a little puzzled
"No but....." he blusters
"Good because I'm sure we'd like to discuss this amoungst ourselves" he looks at the others who nod "we'll let you know what we decide" the three agents get up and head to the door, Krycek starts to follow them
"You must give me an answer I need to know if you'll help us" he shouts "Don't you understand what's at stake", Mulder waves his hand in a 'whatever' gesture and closes the door.
The X Files Office ( again )
Scully sits Doggett down and hands him a coffee cup as he still seems a little shakey,
"You ok" asks Mulder, Doggett nods
"I think so" he groans "I've seen some freaky things since I started working with you guys but I've always managed to find a logical explaination for what I've seen but not this time, I mean somewhere in God knows where I'm marrying Catherine and did you hear what I........what she........we said about Vietnam how is that possible and what else is out there..........what.............I don't know........." he struggles to find the words to carry on, Mulder sits opposite him
"Well the theory is this, every decision you make the alternative is played out in another reality, so what you saw is the otherside of a decision you must have made sometime ago" he explains "same goes for world events somewhere in another reality Hitler won the second world war, the Confederates won the Civil War" he grins "the Lakers are a crap, second rate, third division basketball team", Doggett nods absentmindedly then suddenly looks Mulder in the eye
"Yes I did consider moving to London, about four years ago a post came up in the Embassy there, I just wanted to get out, but some friends made me see sense, so what I saw was what would have been if I'd moved" Mulder nods "but why Catherine I only met her this spring"
"Some people believe that groups of souls travel together throughout eternity, she could be your soulmate, you could have been together since the beginning of time, we've seen it before" explains Scully "but that's another story for another time" she says quickly, seeing the look of confusion on his face
"It's one I'd like to hear" says Krycek, appearing at the door, Scully crosses over to him and slams the door in his face and jams a chair under the handle
"Do you think he'll get the hint now" she says, the others start to laugh.
On the other side of the door Krycek lets fly a string of obsenities
"I need to talk to you" he shouts "look you don't know what's going on, it's not just the aliens who threaten us now, something else is here something more evil" he sighs "ok ask yourself this, did you really stop the Devil raising ceremony a couple of months ago" this piques Scully's interest, she opens the door and pokes her head out
"Go on" she says and she lets him in, she stands between him and the others "ok get on with it you've got five minutes" Krycek sighs
"You must have seen the strange goings on, the biblical signs, Scully you must have recognised them" he replies, Scully looks blank "wars, the rumor of war, a bid for world domination, peace gone from the world, famine, plague the signs are there but no repentance, not even the church can see what's coming, and what about the mass abductions, how many people have dissapeared" Scully shrugs Krycek continues "144,000" Scully's mouth drops open
"No way!!!!! you're making this up" she retorts, Krycek shakes his head and takes the bible from his pocket
"Bet you never thought you'd see me with this, but it's all in here" he hands it to Scully "you know what to look for Dana, I'm telling you the Devil is here waiting to see how we handle this, we need to get rid of the Aliens if we can fight them we can fight Satan, send him to another reality along with the colonists show him we can fight back," he turns to go, Mulder calls after him
"How do you know about all this and if things are going according to the bible why not just ride it out, let it come to it's natural conclusion" says Mulder
"Do you want to wait for the Apocolypse because I don't, I'm going to Hell anyway just not yet if I can help it" Krycek replies, "you both met Jay Fernandez, Scully you knew who he was even if Mulder couldn't, you know what's been happening since, this is tied into the colonists, you said yourself that Jay assended to 'Heaven' in a UFO and now Satan is here, according to this, a bit earlier than he should have been, but he's still here and he has a position of power he must have" he moves forward and lowers his voice "but who?.......that I don't know the answer to, he could be anyone"
Mulder, Scully and Doggett look at each other not knowing what to say, Scully is the first one to speak
"Ok just supposing for one minute you are telling the truth, what do you want from us" she ask
"Any data you can give me on Monsignior O'Bannion, all the data you have on the colonists and your support when the colonizing starts you know their weaknesses better than anyone" he replies
"What about Satan, aren't you trying to find out who he is" says Mulder
"Of course, but where do you start, since 9/11 it could be anyone, maybe you could help me for once in you life" he adds "you have access to all the files on the world's bad guys, see what you can do" he turns and opens the door "so can I count on you" Mulder looks at Scully and sighs
"Going against my better judgement, ok you got a deal" Krycek smiles
"I'll call in a couple of days" he leaves and closes the door, Mulder slumps forward and rests his head on his desk
"I'm going to regret this but what could I do" he wails.
Outside Krycek pulls out his phone and dials
"All is well" he says "yes they'll help me, it took some convincing but they'll do it.....ok I'll meet you there"
he crosses the road and heads for the Watergate building.
5
Underground Car Park, The Watergate Building
In the car park Krycek heads towards a black car, the window is open and cigarette smoke is wafting out, Krycek opens the passenger door and gets in
"Well Alex" says the CSM "what do you know now that you didn't earlier" Krycek smiles
"I know Agent Doggett has a weak spot, a very pretty weak spot " CSM frowns
"That's not what I meant but it's.........interesting, do they know about the colonization", Krycek nods "what about the time of the Evil Men" Krycek shrugs
"They never said anything to me" the lie's slip easily from his lips, the CSM stubs his cigarette out and then lights another
"It will soon be our time Alex, whoever wins you and I will be there at the dawn of a new era" Krycek contemplates this for a moment, I'll be here at the end old man but if I have my way you'll be in Hell, he decides,
"Do you know who Satan is" he asks, the CSM nods
"Of course I do but if you think I'm going to share that information with a trecherous rat like you, you're mistaken" he replies, Krycek grins
"Suit yourself" he says "so now what?" CSM blows smoke in his face and smiles
"When the colonists arrive, they'll take the replicants first to extract the mutated DNA so they can use it to make the slaves"
"So how are they going to find the replicants, the chip in the neck?" asks Krycek
"Yes, it was arranged long ago, that's why we inserted the cancer gene so if it was removed the.......subject couldn't be traced back to us and it's real purpose" replies the CSM
"But why Scully, you had me kidnap her as part of the programme but why did you give her back to Mulder, why cure her cancer" inspiration flashes across Kryceks face "but you've known about this for ages that's why you've been working on this NAT, BAT, DAT or whatever the hell it's called, it's the vaccine we've spent years developing" the CSM nods "Scully was the first test subject you injected her with the stuff removed her chip and sent her into that warehouse to be gassed with the mob, she can't die can she, she's immortal" CSM nods again
"You've worked this all out well Alex, maybe I should have kept you closer instead of letting you go out there and you working things out for yourself" he leans closer to Krycek "yes it's all true, Scully is immortal and so am I, now I know it works I'm going to win whatever happens, if they turn on me I'll win nothing can hurt me, if they don't I'll outlive them" he says, Krycek gets out of the car
"But why? Mulder has been a pain in the ass to the programme for years, why give him what he wants" he asks, CSM actually looks sorry for himself
"Because I can't do it to my boy any longer, I took his sister away from him, you killed Bill, Teena couldn't live with the guilt, I couldn't take Dana away from him too I couldn't do it" he replies, Krycek slams the car door and pokes his head through the window
"So it is true" he sneers "you have gone soft in your old age", he walks away from the car
"Not soft Alex, I've just covered all the bases that's all" CSM calls after him
X Files Office ( yet again ) 5.30pm
Mulder is by himself, Scully has gone home to make some kind of sense of what Krycek has told them, Doggett has also gone home, to call an old friend of his, Mulder is leafing through some old files concerning the colonists, there is a knock on his door he looks up and standing there is Nick DeAbalo,
"Mr DeAbalo sir what.......erm......what are you doing here, I didn't expect.......I.......um didn't know you knew about me" blusters Mulder, Nick grins
"I know everything about everyone" he replies "but I want to talk about your favourite subject.......aliens" Mulder's interested now
"And?" says Mulder
"And I know they're coming and I also know you've been meeting with some pretty unsavoury characters" he produces a picture of Krycek leaving the building "this guy, he's if you'll forgive me a dirty rat, finger in every pie, changes side to suit himself, any other cliches I've forgotten" Mulder shakes his head
"I think you've just about got it covered, what do you want from me" asks Mulder, Nick takes a cigar out of his pocket and flicks open his lighter
"D'ya mind" he enquires, Mulder shakes his head "we all need our little vices don't we" as he says this he goes to Mulder's filing cabinet and pulls open the bottom draw and pulls out Mulder's 'collection' "ah my kinda guy"
"Well what do you want" says an embarrassed Mulder
"To stop them invading of course" replies Nick "and I understand your buddy here may have the answers" Mulder eyes him
"Maybe he does" he says
"Come on Mulder get over the paranoia I'm the head of the Department for Internal Security for Gods sake" Nick winces as he says this "C'mon Mulder I've got the means to help you, I want to save the planet as much as you do, we know they're almost here, we've been tracking them for months...."
"What!! the govenment knows they're coming why hasn't anything been done, why hasn't the President said anything" splutters Mulder
"Panic Mr Mulder, I advised the President against it, you've seen Independance Day, the population's gonna panic when they get here, what's the point of starting it early, anyway where would they go it's not like they can pack up and move to the moon no Mr Mulder I....erm ....we've decided it's for the best to keep this under wraps" explains DeAbalo, Mulder considers the options
"Ok I'll contact Krycek, Doggett and Scully and we'll come up with a plan" agrees Mulder
"You're not gonna regret this and you never know if you become the hero that Ice Queen partner of yours may just melt a little" Nick wheedles, Mulder smiles and just as quick wipes the thought from his mind "c'mon you know it's what you want, what you've always wanted" Nick pulls himself up quick before he gives himself away "ok I'll wait for your call.
Nick leaves the Hoover Building looking mighty pleased with himself
Department of Internal Security, Midnight, 17th October 2002
Nick DeAbalo, Krycek, Mulder, Scully and Doggett are in Nick's office of course O'Bannion is nowhere to be seen, Krycek is explaining the workings of the Alternative Reality Device, Mulder explains the Syndicate's deal with the aliens, Scully explains about her abduction, the experiments, the cancer and finally her inability to conceive, Nick decides thet he'd like to meet the CSM, his kinda guy.
After all the demonstrations, confessions and so on they start to form a plan,
"So the devices will be ready in two weeks" says Nick to Krycek, Krycek nods,"and your 'employer' will be willing to let us use it" Krycek nods again
"I'll have to make the plans know to him, but I can't see any problem" he replies, Nick agrees
"Ok" he says "I have min.........erm....... agents that are willing to set the devices off"
"They do know it's one way only" says Krycek, Nick nods
"Yep, they've been briefed, they know what's expected of them" he replies
"How are we going to get your agents into the spacecrafts" asks Scully
"I think your friend here has the answer to that" Nick indicates for Krycek to carry on
"You remember all those chips and metallic implants you been finding over the years", Mulder nods
"But they've been lost or destroyed, whenever we've needed them for evidence, they've mysteriously disappeard" he says, Krycek smiles
"But I know where they went and who put them there, I can also get them out, the Smoking son of a bitch has a store of them in the Pentegon vaults, I can get you as many as you need to implant into your agents" he replies, Mulder decides not to question this, as much as he hates to admit it they need Krycek
"Ok" say Nick "I'll make the preperations for the initial responce, brief the President, make the necessary arrangements, for you guys to do whatever it is you do, what do you say meet again in a week for an update breifing" the others agree.
As they leave the building Doggett remarks,
"Does anyway else think that guy's a little to good to be true, I mean he turns up with just what we need when we need it" he shakes his head "nah I've been hanging around with you guys too long, I'll see you in the morning", the others say good night and go their seperate ways.
6
The Pentegon Vaults 1.30am, 20th October 2002
Alex Krycek has broken into the vaults with great ease, this has concerned him a little but he thinks maybe Nick DeAbalo has arranged for the light security, he finds the door and opens it cautiously, he remembers the last time he was in an underground vault, he gasps as he begins to grasps the size of it, he begins to look around for the chips and anything else that could be usefull to him, he starts to serch, he finds the chips with no problems, then he spots some vials containing a dark golden liquid the name on the box says NAT-Trial Successfull,
Krycek can't believe his luck the Immortality Drug, he pockets half a dozen of the vials and carries on looking around the vault, he walks over to the back wall which is covered by a huge filing cabinet, he opens the first draw marked C and pulls out a file marked Colonists, he starts to flick through the files, as he reads his eyes widen in shock he grabs a few more of the files and takes some more files from other draws, stuffs them in his jacket and runs out of the vault.
He gets back into his car and sits there staring into space, he can't believe what he's found out he's also realized he can't use this information because the Devil would know there's a flaw in his plans, he needs to keep these files safe, he gets out of the car and pulls the Alternative Reality device out of his pocket and points it at the wall and walks through it.
A plume of smoke rises from behind a piller as the CSM witnesses Krycek walk through the wall
"Well well well Alex is this what you have in mind for the colonists you poor misguided fool, or are you saving your own skin, you can run but you can't hide from me" he says to himself.
FBI Headquarters One Month Later
Everyone is standing around TV screens waiting for the President's emergancy broadcast, outside several triangular shaped UFO's are hovering over Washington Mulder, Scully and Doggett they are in the basement, going over the plan,
"Do you think it'll be like Independance Day" asks Scully, Mulder smiles
"You know their plans better than anyone, no they want us alive to do their bidding, but are they in for a shock" he replies, Doggett is staring at the pictures of the UFO's
"You know I owe you an apology Mulder, I alway said this UFO/Alien abduction thing was your nutty obssession, now I know you were right, maybe I won't be so quick to judge in the future..........if we have one" he says
"Well Nick DeAbalo's plan seems pretty flawless, he's got everything worked out so well it can't go wrong" says Mulder, Doggett doesn't seem convinced
"I've still got this feeling in my gut that says he's too good to be true, it's been a month now and I still can't shake this feeling" Doggett replies, Mulder gets up and sticks out his hand
"Welcome to Paranoia Anonymous" he says, Doggett grins and shakes Mulder's hand
"Thanks I think" he replies, Mulder turns to Scully and says
"What do you think Frohike, Langley and Byers will do now, they've got no more conspiricies to uncover" Scully laughs
"Don't be so sure they'll find something" she replies
The Oval Office 20th November 2002 11.30am
The Oval Office is crammed with General's, Advisers, CIA, FBI, Security Men and general hangers on, hovering quietly in a corner is O'Bannion now unrecognisable after his plastic surgery but still the same old him. President Bush is pacing the floor rehersing his speech and looking out of the window at the UFO's.
"I am doing the right thing Nick, you're sure aren't you" he asks, Nick grins his famous cheesy grin
"Of course you are Sir, all the other world leader's are waiting for you to lead the attack against them" Nick repiles, the Secretary of State is not convinced
"How do you know they're hostile Nick, they maybe here in peace this isn't the movies you know, somehow I don't think they're going to melt the White House with heat rays, we need conformation before we strike" says Secretary of State Powell, Nick ignores him
"But Sir, we must make arrangements to fight back just incase they turn out to be hostile" says Nick, Bush stops pacing
"I agree with Nick I'm afraid Colin we need to make the troops ready just in case" Powell conceads defeat
"Ok Sir, I'll see the Secretary of Defence and make sure he knows what's what" says Nick looking pleased with himself his plan is going really well no one suspects what he's really up to not even the X Files agents.
7
The Washington Monument
A large group of people are gathered at the monument waiting for the UFO's to take them away, amoung them are the X Files agents, they are waiting for the aliens to take DeAbalo's agents so they can send the colonists away
"Can you see the Gunmen Scully" says Mulder, she shakes her head, she's just staring up at the ship, Mulder puts his hand on her shoulder "you ok?, I won't let them get you this time" Scully smiles at him
"I know, but...........deja vu you know I've been in this position before or I thought I had or maybe I really have, but now.......maybe it was all true what I saw in that regression therepy", Doggett is also staring at the UFO
"I can't believe I'm seeing this, I can't believe I'm looking at a UFO, after this I think I'll believe anything you tell me" he says, at that moment a woman's voice is heard shouting
"Oh my God look!!!! it's opening" she says, a beam of light comes down, Mulder grabs Scully's hand
"Time to get out I think" says Mulder, Doggett looks at him
"I agree" he replies, they duck into some trees to watch what happens, as they do another group of people move into the light, one of them morphs into the Alien Bounty Hunter, he moves out of the group and goes to round up more people. When he comes back with the final group the force field lifts them into the air and onto the ship, the ship suddenly accelerates off into the sky, panic breaks out as people try to run from the monument park, watching the panicking population is the CSM and Krycek,
"Poor fools do they really think they can run and hide from them this is only the beginning" he smiles "the culmination of twenty five years work, the sacrifices will not have been in vain, you and I Alex, you and I are the only ones left alive to see this day, Bill Mulder was a fool when he thought we could defeat them, Jeffery my own son turned on me, sold me out, Fox Mulder even when he knew they couldn't be stopped refused to join me, even to save himself and Scully, but you Alex have always been at my side even during your.............indescressions you have always been a true believer in the project, you have been more loyal to me than any of my children" the CSM lights another cigarette "this is not the end, it's the begininng", Krycek looks out of the car window and spots Mulder, Scully and Doggett watching from the trees as another ship drops from the sky
"Well look who's at the party" Krycek points to where the agents are standing "why don't we drop in and say hi?" they both get out of the car and move to the trees where the others are standing
"I knew you'd be here to see them first hand" CSM says to Mulder "it's a shame Bill couldn't be here to see this", Mulder decides to ignore him "what's the matter Fox not willing to admit that I was right"
"It's not over till the fat lady sings and she ain't even warmed up yet" spits out Mulder.
The White House
Panic is breaking out in the Oval Office as news reports of the abductions filter through, Nick DeAbalo and the Secretary of Defence are pressing President Bush for action
"Come on Sir we need to act before they kidnap anymore of our citizens, send our fighters in, show them we mean business" says the Secretary of Defence, Bush turns to Nick
"What do you say Nick" he asks, the others look at the President wondering why he bothers with them as the only person he listens to now is DeAbalo
"I say blow them out of the sky Sir" replies Nick, Bush nods at the Secretary of Defence
"Do it Don" he says, Nick rubs his hands in glee any moment now and nothing will stand in his way, just find some way to get rid of Bush, set himself up here in the White House and watch it all go the way it was prophisised, he goes over to O'Bannion,
"Not long now Michael just another hour max and nothing will stand in my way, nothing" he states
The Washington Memorial
The Agent's, CSM and Krycek are watching another group of people being transported into another ship, this seems to be the last group, the CSM lights yet another cigarette
"Are you still sure you can defeat them, serve them and you can see Samantha again" he says to Mulder, as he says this a squadron of fighters appear and unleash a barrage of missiles, they inflict some minor damage to the UFO
"FOOLS!!!!!!!" screams the CSM "they cannot be defeated, why can't you accept it", the UFO fly's off after the fighters, as they bank to the left, the UFO fly's into a shimmering heat haze and disappears, this happens to all the UFO's everywhere, DeAbalo's plan has been a success. On the ground the rest of the population are staring in wonder at what happened including the group at the Washington Memorial
"What have you done!!!!" CSM shouts at Mulder "you fool you're worse than Bill, you've been determined to ruin this, you've ruined fifty years of work, you've ruined any chance of getting our families back YOU FOOL!!!!! they'll be back, you can't get away with this"
"I had nothing to do with this it was all the doing of you right hand man here, right Alex" says Mulder, Krycek starts to laugh
"Maybe you should have taken Mulder's advice trust no one, I've been working for the resistance for years, they knew your plans and were one step ahead evey time, did you really think you could get away with this and did you honestly think the colonists would honor their agreement to spare your miserable life" the resentment in Krycek is building up now "you've been controlling my life since I was a kid and now it's time to break free, but not before you pay for what you've done" Krycek pulls out his gun and points it at the CSM
"You've had plenty of chances to kill me in the past Alex, what makes you think you can do it now" he sneers, Krycek isn't really listening
"You've taken away everyone that ever meant anything to me, I've been on the run for seven years thanks to you, now it's payback" he points the gun at Mulder and pulls the trigger, the bullet catches Mulder in the temple and he goes down.
8
The Washington Memorial
For a split second time seems to stand still, Scully screams and Doggett moves to grab Krycek, he points the gun at Doggett
"Now you know how I feel, your family's dead just like mine, now live my life you son of a bitch" he says to the CSM as he runs off into the crowd, Doggett follows him, Scully runs over to Mulder
"Call 911" she screams at CSM, she crouches next to Mulder and try's to stop the blood flowing "Mulder, Mulder don't leave me, not now, please don't leave me"
Doggett reappears
"I couldn't catch him, he's disappeared he could be anywhere" he looks at the CSM and bends down to whisper to Scully "you know what I mean.....anywhere" Scully nods she looks at the CSM and swears that she can see a tear rolling down his face as the ambulance appears.
Washington Memorial Hospital, 20th November 2002 7.45pm
Doggett is sitting outside the hospital it's been six hours since Mulder was brought in, Skinner had been in a few hours earlier, vowing to hunt Alex Krycek down but Doggett knew he'd never be found not in this reality anyway, Margaret Scully had been there too trying to persuade her daughter to eat and doing what mothers do best, just being there, he remembered being in this position before, waiting for news, preparing himself for the worst, the doors open and Scully comes out looking tired and drained he gets up and crosses over to her,
"So?" he asks, Scully is having great difficulty keeping her voice steady
"He's alive, they were able to keep the bleeding under control and they were able to remove the bullet" she takes a deep breath
"But" says Doggett
"His frontal lobe was scarred quite badly........and they don't know" a tear starts to run down her face "......they can't say if he'll..........if he'll......." more tears start to fall
"If he'll wake up" finishes Doggett, Scully nods, he puts his arms around her as she starts to cry
"Why!! why Mulder, after all we've been through I can't lose him now it's.......oh God it's just not fair" she breaks down and let's the pain of the last eight years flow out, Doggett knows the last thing she needs to hear are meaningless comforting words so he just lets her cry. In the hospital the CSM is by Mulder's bed, he looks at Mulders heavily bandaged face
"I never meant to hurt you, I never meant to hurt Teena either but I had no choice, Bill wanted to send you instead of Samantha but I couldn't let him send my son to the project so I made him send Samantha, I know it sounds heartless but you are my son, I couldn't lose you and Cassandra, I thought no one could touch me, that I was so tough that no one could hurt me they way I hurt others, it seems that Alex knew me too well, he always said he'd have his revenge and now he has, I will help you get through this with all the years of medical reserch we've done something must be able to help, you are all I have left, I am all you have left" he settles in the chair and watches the machines keeping his son alive.
The Office of the Department of Internal Security
Nick DeAbalo and Michael O'Bannion are watching the celebration's in the streets, O'Bannion is smiling
"It's finally begun everything we dreamed of will start" he says, Nick is puffing on his cigar and his grin is begininng to become more demonic
"Now it will start, now there is no one left to stop us, the world is now ours" DeAbalo replies and starts to laugh, as his demonic laughter carries on the wind a jet liner falls from the sky into the river Jordan, a car bomb explodes in Belfast, a gunman opens fire in a school in Texas, an earthquake hits St. Petersburg, a fire ignites in the Austrailian outback, in London a tube train crashes into another killing hundreds of people in the rush hour, the Devil is here to stay.
9
23rd November 2002, Margaret Scully's Kitchen, 11.30am
Margaret and Dana are sitting at the kitchen table, a coffee pot and a plate of cookies are between them, a radio is playing in the background
"So Dana what are you going to do" asks Margaret
"I don't know Mom, he's got no one left now I'm not sure I can do anything" Scully replies, she pours some more coffee into her cup
"Are you going to leave him the way he is, you know he fought us every step of the way when you were in a coma" says Margaret, Scully smiles
"I know but I had a living will, he doesn't have anything like that, I don't know what to do I'm not family" Margaret pushes the cookie plate towards her
"He doesn't see it like that, to Mulder you are his family and to me too, he's always been welcome here" Margaret says "I think you're father would have welcomed him into the family too, I know I'd like him to be my Son in Law" she grins at her daughter, Scully blushes
"Mom" she moans
"I'm your mother I know about these things, the signs are all there" says Margaret slyly, Scully is letting her mind wander and is listening to the song on the radio it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, the line 'my love will be Forever Autumn now you're not here' makes the hair on the back of her neck stand on end
"Dana, Dana are you ok" asks Margaret, Scully shakes herself out of it
"Yes Mom I'm fine, I was listening to the radio, I'm going to leave Mulder the way he is, I want him to be here with me" she says, Margaret smiles at her
"Good, I knew you'd do the right thing"
23rd November 2002, The X Files office, 11.30am
John Doggett is sitting in the X Files office, a blank computer screen in front of him, somewhere in the distance a radio is playing breaking the uneasy silence, he has lost count of how many times he's started to write this report then deleated the whole thing, Skinner has been down to see him telling him he was on his own for the forseeable future as Scully was on an indefinate leave of absence, Kersh had been to see him too, wanting to know what was going into his report, he'd laughed and asked Kersh how he was supposed to cover up something that was witnessed by the whole world, he looks at the 'I Want To Believe' poster behind Mulder's desk and then at Luke's picture on his desk, the song on the radio catches his attention it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn he hears the words 'now you're not here' and looks back at Luke's picture maybe the one concilation in this case is that somewhere out there his son is still alive, that's what he wants to believe. He picks up the phone and dials
"Hello" says a sleepy female voice
"Hi Catherine it's me" he looks at his watch "oh my God I'm sorry I didn't realise it was so early"
"S'ok I had to get up the phone was ringing, what can I do for you" she replies
"Can I come and see you for a couple of weeks" this suprises her a little
"Sure, are you ok, I mean did you have anything to do with what happened a few days ago, I assume your friend Mulder was in the middle of it this is his thing right"
"Yes, Yes and of course he was" Catherine laughs "I just need to get out of here and I need a friendly face" he says
"So what happened" she asks, he sighs
"I don't know where to start, but you are not going to believe what I found out a few weeks back..........." he begin's to tell her about the Alternative Reality he visited
23rd November 2002, Central Park, New York, 11.30am
Alex Krycek is sitting under a tree enjoying the late autumn sunshine, he's enjoying the freedom he has now, no one is trying to kill him, no one is hunting him down, he spots a woman walking down the path and smiles to himself, she sees him and smiles back as she walks up to him
"If I was the paranoid type I'd swear you were waiting for me" she says
"What makes you say that" he asks, she leans forward and whispers
"This is the third day I've seen you here" a voice calls out behind her
"Marita I'm over here" she turns around and waves at her friend
"I'll be there in a moment" she turns back to Krycek who is getting up "so will you be here tomorrow" she asks as he walks off
"Maybe" he says,
"Hey what's your name" she calls after him
"Alex, I'll see you around.......Marita" he replies, Marita's friend joins her
"Nice" she says
"Bad boy rough stuff, just my type" replies Marita. As Krycek passes a news vendors stand a radio is playing Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, he stops to listen for a minute and hears the words 'my life will be forever autumn, now you're not here',
"But you are here and so am I now, maybe I can do it right this time" he mutters
"Say what buddy" says the vendor
"Nothing" Krycek replies he walks around a corner and points the Alternative Reality Device at the wall
"Oh yeah I'll be here tomorrow" he says as he walks through the wall.
23rd November 2002,Intensive Care Unit, Washington Memorial Hospital 11.30am
The CSM is still sitting in the chair, he is talking to Mulder
"I don't regret what I've done I thought I was doing the right thing, I thought we could preserve our race, I've worked on this project for fifty years and now it's over I don't know what to do with myself, what can I do I've got no one who needs me no one who cares whether I live or die, all I have is you Fox I'll find a way to help you, it's the least I can do, as much as I hate to admit it I need you back at the X Files, you and your partners are the only ones who can stop Nick DeAbalo, yes he's the Devil, but I can't tell them about it, he knows I know who he is, you may think I made a deal with him long ago, maybe I did and now he want's payment, would life under the colonists be better, I wish I could tell you"
he stops as he hears the words of a song on the radio, it's Justin Heywood's Forever Autumn, he hears the line 'My life will be Forever Autumn, now you're not here',
"Yes how true my life will be forever autum now" he closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep.
Mulder's Room, 30 minutes later
Scully tiptoes into the room, the CSM opens his eyes with a start,
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you" she says apologeticaly
"No Dana it's ok, I must have dozed off" he replies
"The nurse's say you haven't been home in three days, you can't stay here forever" she says gently
I know Dana, but what else do I have now, I was once a powerfull man now I have nothing" he replies
"In the eyes of the law you are his next of kin, what are you going to do" Scully asks
"Everything I can to restore my son's life to the way it was, don't ask me to turn the life support off" he replies
"I won't" says Scully, she looks at the broken man she once despised so much and can't help but pity him, she takes his arm
"Come on I'll take you home" she says, he nods
"Thank you Dana", as they prepare to leave a doctor comes in his badge says Dr. Baumbach, as Scully and the CSM pass him they fail to notice his eyes glow red.
