The X-Files Page #4

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Scully squints into the sun, staring at Mulder. But he's

quick on the draw, and realizes what she's up to. He

grabs for the door and... it opens. Looking to Scully

whose hard look of mock-scolding has become a smirking

smile.

SCULLY:

Had you.

MULDER:

No you didn't.

SCULLY:

Oh yeah. Had you big time.

And that's how it continues as they re-enter the

stairwell, the door slamming shut behind them.

CUT TO:

INT. BUILDING LOBBY - DAY

As an elevator DINGS and the doors open. Scully and

Mulder exit into the lobby where people move in and out.

Heads turn due to their FBI jackets. (Included

atmosphere:
a GROUP OF KIDS on a field trip, being led

into an elevator by THEIR TEACHER.)

SCULLY:

I saw your face, Mulder. There was a

moment of panic.

MULDER:

Panic? Have you ever seen me panic,

Scully?

SCULLY:

I just did. You're buying.

Mulder fishes for change, but more out of

sportsmanship.

MULDER:

Alright... what'll it be: Coke, Pepsi?

A saline IV?

SCULLY:

Something sweet.

Scully flashes a thin victory smile, as Mulder heads

off.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Mulder moving to a door with a small shingle above it

which says SNACKS/BEVERAGES. As he approaches, sorting

through the change he's fished up, the door opens and A

MAN IN A VENDOR'S UNIFORM appears. He makes casual and

ever-so-brief eye contact with Mulder as he brushes past

him. Mulder making no note of this as he moves to catch

the door before it closes.

CUT TO:

INT. SNACK AREA AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM - DAY

Mulder takes a few steps down into the windowless room.

Moving past the snack machines to a LIGHTED soda

machine.

Finding the correct change and plunking it in. Hitting a

button, but... nothing comes out.

MULDER:

Oh, come on.

He beats his fist a couple of times on the front of the

machine.

Nothing. He finds more change. Plunking it in. Hits the

button. Nothing. He stares at the machine a minute, then

BEATS IT HARD with his fist. Nothing.

Moving around to the back of the machine, looking for:

ANGLE ACROSS BACK OF MACHINE

Mulder's face peering in on the slim space between the

machine and the wall. Reaching down and lifting the PLUG

on the end of the electrical cord. It isn't plugged in.

Realizing now why the machine hasn't spit out his

sodas.

RESUME FRONT ANGLE ON MACHINE

As Mulder appears, stepping very lightly in front of the

machine that he was just pounding away on. Looking at

it, then moving quickly to the door he entered through.

Grasping the knob, but finding it... LOCKED. He jiggles

the knob, pulls on it. But there's no two ways about it,

he's locked in.

CUT TO:

INT. BUILDING LOBBY - DAY

Scully stands looking at her watch. Wondering where

Mulder is. When her CELL PHONE starts ringing. She

answers it.

SCULLY:

Scully...

MULDER (FILTER)

Scully, I found the bomb.

SCULLY:

(thinks he's joking)

Where are you, Mulder?

MULDER (FILTER)

I'm in the vending room.

Scully is on the move, but she doesn't believe him for a

second.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Scully appears, heard A POUNDING. Following this noise

to the door Mulder is obviously on the other side of.

Tries the door.

SCULLY:

Is that you pounding?

INT. SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM - DAY

Mulder holds his phone to his ear, using his other hand

to pound.

MULDER:

Scully, get somebody to open this

door.

SCULLY (FILTER)

Nice try, Mulder.

CAMERA FOLLOWING MULDER as he steps back, revealing now

that he's gotten the hinged front of the coke machine

open. But we can't yet see what's inside.

MULDER:

Scully -- listen to me. It's in the

coke machine. You've got about

fourteen minutes to get this building

evacuated.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Scully is shaking her head. Tries the door again.

SCULLY:

C'mon. Open the door.

His response to this is MORE HARD POUNDING.

SCULLY:

Mulder? Tell me this is a joke.

MULDER (FILTER)

Thirteen fifty nine, thirteen fifty

eight, thirteen fifty seven...

As he is doing this, Scully is bending to see:

THE KEYHOLE:

It's been freshly soldered over.

INT. SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM - DAY

Mulder stands pacing in front of:

AN ELABORATELY ENGINEERED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

Wired with circuit boards, electric belts and generally

looking like it would take an expert a good long time to

figure out where to even start. A lot longer than the

13:
58 that reads on the digital read-out.

MULDER:

...thirteen fifty six...

SCULLY (FILTER)

Hang on. I'm gonna get you out of

there.

The line goes dead. And off Mulder's deepening anxiety,

we:

CUT TO:

INT. BUILDING LOBBY - DAY

Scully enters like General Patton, taking charge.

Barking at the security guards who sit behind their

security console.

SCULLY:

I need this building evacuated and

cleared out in ten minutes! I need you

to get on the phone and tell the fire

department to block off the city

center in one mile radius around the

building --

SECURITY GUARD:

In ten minutes.....?!

SCULLY:

DON'T THINK! JUST PICK UP THE PHONE

AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!

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