The X-Files Page #11

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Scully pulls out an autopsy report that was laid on the

gurney under the body of the sheet-wrapped corpse.

SCULLY:

This body has already been autopsied,

Mulder. You can tell from the way it's

been wrapped and dressed.

Undeterred, Mulder works to get the sheet off. The first

thing we notice is that he's still in his fireman's

uniform. His face looks familiar to us, not because we

know him, but because of the translucency of skin we saw

in the other fireman. (We will also notice he's

missing an arm, a leg and large part of his torso.)

MULDER:

Does this fit the description you just

read me, Scully?

Scully comes around, reacting to what she sees.

SCULLY:

Oh my God. This man's tissue...

Scully is quickly removing a pair of latex gloves,

stretching them on to palpate the man's tissue.

MULDER:

It's like jelly.

SCULLY:

There's some kind of cellular

breakdown. It's completely edematous.

She palpates the spongy skin on the man's face, neck.

Unbuttoning the uniform now, seeing:

SCULLY:

And there's been no autopsy performed.

There's no Y incision here; no

internal exam.

MULDER:

You're telling me the cause of death

on the report is false. That this man

didn't die from an explosion, or from

flying debris.

SCULLY:

I don't know what killed this man. I'm

not sure if anybody else could claim

to either.

Off Mulder's reaction to this:

CUT TO:

INT. MORGUE - PATHOLOGY LAB - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER

The gurney with the fireman is pushed through a pair of

swinging doors into the darkened lab. Scully flips the

lights on, looking around at the giant facility.

SCULLY:

(pushing him)

You knew this man didn't die at the

bomb site before we got here.

MULDER:

I'd been told as much.

SCULLY:

You're saying the bombing was a

cover-up. Of what?

MULDER:

I don't know. But I have a hunch what

you're going to find here isn't

anything that can be categorized or

easily referenced.

SCULLY:

Mulder, this is going to take some

time, and somebody's going to figure

out soon enough we're not even

supposed to be here.

(beat)

I'm in serious violation of medical

ethics.

MULDER:

We're being blamed for these deaths.

Scully, I want to know what this man

died of. Don't you?

Scully stares at Mulder, then back down at the body. How

can she refuse, given the finality and the personal

appeal of the request? After a moment's hesitation, she

turns to the body, and to the tray table of tools

nearby. Resigned, if not resolved.

CUT TO:

EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - NIGHT

A LEGEND appears: WASHINGTON D.C., DUPONT CIRCLE. 4:00

AM. The street is fairly empty, save for a garbage truck

picking up the stacks of green garbage bags laid out on

the sidewalks. Then A TAXI turns off a main street,

MOVING TOWARDS US.

INT. WASHINGTON D.C. STREET - TAXI - NIGHT

OVER MULDER to the street: Where the taxi is moving

forward toward a spot where two ARLINGTON PD cruisers

are pulled up to the curb. Mulder checks the address he

has written down.

MULDER:

(to the Cabbie)

I think this is it up here.

EXT. SIDE STREET - NIGHT

The taxi pulls over and Mulder exits, starting up the

steps of a walk up where the door is open.

INT. KURTZWEIL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

There are UNIFORMED OFFICERS inside, and a DETECTIVE.

Mulder steps into an office. FOUR PAIRS of eyes give him

the once over. The Detective stepping over to him.

MULDER:

Is this Dr. Kurtzweil's residence?

DETECTIVE:

(suspiciously)

You got some kind of business with

him?

MULDER:

I'm looking for him.

DETECTIVE:

Looking for him for what?

Mulder pulls out his ID, flashes it at the Detective.

DETECTIVE:

(to his partners)

Feds are looking for him, too.

(turns to Mulder)

Real nice business he's got, huh?

MULDER:

What's that?

DETECTIVE:

Selling naked pictures of little kids

over his computer.

Mulder nods, though this is news to him. He steps in a

little further, noticing a shelf lined with books. Their

spines all have the author's name written large: DR.

ALVIN KURTZWEIL.

Mulder picks up one of these books, with the title: THE

FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE GLOBAL DOMINATION CONSPIRACY.

DETECTIVE:

You looking for him for some other

reason?

MULDER:

Yeah, I had an appointment for a

pelvic examination.

They stare at Mulder like he's a sicko. He smiles and

they break into RAUCOUS LAUGHTER.

DETECTIVE:

You want a call if we turn up

Kurtzweil?

MULDER:

No. Don't bother.

Mulder puts the book back among the others on the shelf.

And exits. Onto:

RESUME EXT. KURTZWEIL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Mulder starting up the street when he notices:

MULDER'S POV

Kurtzweil has stepped from between two apartments. He's

staring at Mulder, nodding furtively to him. Then

stepping back.

RESUME MULDER:

Slows, then speeds up.

EXT. SPACE BETWEEN TWO APARTMENTS - NIGHT

Mulder appears at the end of the narrow walkway, finding

Kurtzweil tucked a few yards in.

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