The X-Files Page #16

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WELL-MANICURED MAN

More concerns than that?

STRUGHOLD:

We've been forced to reassess our role

in Colonization by new facts of

biology which have presented

themselves.

GROUP ELDER:

(speaking up)

The virus has mutated.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

On its own?

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

Its effect on the host has changed.

The virus no longer just invades the

brain as a controlling organism. It's

developed a way to modify the host

body.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

Into what?

STRUGHOLD:

A new extraterrestrial biological

entity.

It takes a moment to sink in. The weight of this fact.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

My god...

STRUGHOLD:

The geometry of mass infection

presents certain conceptual

re-evaluations for us. About our place

in their Colonization.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

This isn't Colonization, it's

spontaneous repopulation. All our

work... if it's true, then they've

been using us all along. We've been

laboring under a lie!

2ND ELDER

It could be an isolated case.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

How can we know?!

STRUGHOLD:

We're going to tell them what we've

found. What we've learned. Turn over a

body infected with the gestating

organism.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

In hope of what? Learning that it's

true?! That we are nothing more than

digestives for the creation of a new

race of alien lifeforms?!

STRUGHOLD:

Let me remind you who is the new race.

And who is the old.

(beat)

What could be gained by withholding

anything from them; By pretending to

ignorance? Our knowledge may forestall

their plans to step up the timetable.

To start Colonization early.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

And if it doesn't? By cooperating now

we're but beggars to our demise! Our

ignorance was in cooperating with the

Colonists at all.

STRUGHOLD:

Cooperation is our only chance of

saving ourselves.

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

They still need us to carry out their

preparations.

STRUGHOLD:

We'll continue to use them as they do

us. If only to play for more time, to

continue work on our vaccine.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

Our vaccine may have no effect!

STRUGHOLD:

Well, without a cure for the virus,

we're nothing more than digestives

anyway.

All eyes go to the Well-Manicured Man. He is respected,

if not the odd man out in this room. But he is all

restrained anger now.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

My lateness may have well been

absence. A course has already been

taken.

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

There are complications.

He turns back to the TV monitor where Mulder and Scully

remain frozen on the screen.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

Do they know?

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

Mulder was in Dallas when we were

trying to dispose of evidence. He's

gone back there again. Someone has

tipped him.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

Who?

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

Kurtzweil, we think.

STRUGHOLD:

We've allowed this man his freedom.

His books have actually helped us to

facilitate plausible denial. Has he

outlived his usefulness to us?

WELL-MANICURED MAN

No one believes Kurtzweil or his

books. He's a toiler. A crank.

STRUGHOLD:

And Mulder?

ELDER:

Our new situation makes us vulnerable.

If he learns information as we do, he

could jeopardize the Project's

secrecy.

2ND ELDER

Control of information means control

of Mulder.

CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN

I can control Mulder. I've always

controlled Mulder.

STRUGHOLD:

This may take another approach.

He says this, casting his look toward the Well-Manicured

Man. A look of cold malevolence. The W.M.M.'s reaction

is disdain.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

You can't kill Mulder. He's got too

much light on him.

STRUGHOLD:

You need not kill a man to destroy

him.

WELL-MANICURED MAN

(personalizing the

inference)

No, you need only take away what is

most precious to him.

HARD CUT TO:

EXT. SMALL PUBLIC PARK - CENTRAL TEXAS - DAY

AGENT SCULLY:

She stands against a backdrop of Texas flatland,

squinting into the sun. Shaking her head.

SCULLY:

I don't know, Mulder...

We are:

WIDE ANGLE REVERSE, TO INCLUDE MULDER, standing in the

middle of a park, replete with jungle gyms, playground

equipment. All brand spanking new. They are standing

right where there had once been a hard scrabble, parched

and barren little field. Where the earthen hole had been

dug by the young boys. And what had later been the site

of so much activity by the group of scientists. But

where there's now a park, thick green grass covering the

parch of ground, including the spot where the hole had

been.

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