"Piper Maru"

SCENE 1

PACIFIC OCEAN

LATITUDE 42 DEG NORTH

LONGITUDE 171 DEG EAST

(Several men are on an ocean vessel preparing to send a man, GAUTHIER, down in a deep sea dive suit. They are speaking French. ENGINEER #1 is giving directions to the other men while inspecting the suit.)

ENGINEER #1: [Ready for the dome. Let's go, let's go. Are the oxygen tanks ready? How is the oxygen pressure? Is the oxygen at 20.8?]

GAUTHIER: [20.8 Check set.]

ENGINEER #1: [Are you ready for the dome?]

GAUTHIER: [Yes.]

ENGINEER #1: [Close it... tighten it up.]

(Gauthier, in dive suit, is hoisted by a crane and lowered into the water.)

ENGINEER #1: [Cable detached. He's solo.]

(Gauthier descends into the depths of the ocean.)

(Crew monitors Gauthier's descent on ship's computers.)

ENGINEER #1: [Water temp is 2 degrees. Surge is negligible.]

ENGINEER #2: [Two hundred and seventy meters.]

GAUTHIER: [I should be close to the bottom.]

ENGINEER #1: [We're picking up some radiation.]

(View changes to Gauthier's dive suit camera.)

ENGINEER #1: [A strong reading, Gauthier.]

GAUTHIER: [Maybe this thing's right down below me.]

ENGINEER #2: [After three months, to find the needle in the haystack now...]

(Gauthier continues to descend. A World War II era P-51 Mustang airplane is resting on the ocean floor. Gauthier's camera continues to transmit the live image of the airplane to the ship.)

GAUTHIER: [Are you seeing this up there?]

ENGINEER #1: [We see something. What is it, Gauthier?]

(Gauthier scans the ship with his flashlight. The flashlight highlights the airplane's call number JTTO 111470.)

GAUTHIER: [I think it's one of the squadron.]

(Gauthier's flashlight highlights the saying "DROP DEAD RED" on the airplane's body.)

GAUTHIER: (A banging sound occurs.) [Do you hear that?]

ENGINEER #1: [We hear it. What is it?]

GAUTHIER: [I don't know.]

(Gauthier's camera loses its connection.)

ENGINEER #1: [We're losing him! Try a different frequency!]

ENGINEER #2: [Gauthier? Gauthier? Gauthier!? We've lost contact. Gauthier!?]

(Banging sound continues as Gauthier studies the airplane. Gauthier sees a young man in the cockpit of the airplane, banging on the window and yelling. The young man stares blankly and blinks. The black oil passes over his eyes. Gauthier looks on in horror.)

(View of the ship at night. Gauthier rises to the surface.)

ENGINEER #1: [Wait a minute! There he is!]

ENGINEER #2: [All hands activate the winch.]

(Gauthier is hoisted by the winch back onto the ship.)

ENGINEER #1: [Quickly - open the mask and get him out!]

(ENGINEER #1 passes his hand over the dive suit, seemingly puzzled by something.)

ENGINEER #2: (Dive suit dome is removed.) [Are you all right, Gauthier?]

GAUTHIER: [Yes. I think so.]

ENGINEER #1: [What happened down there?]

GAUTHIER: [I don't know. I became disoriented.]

ENGINEER #1: [We lost all contact.]

ENGINEER #2: [Are you sure you're okay?]

GAUTHIER: [Yes. Yes. Just help me out of the suit.]

(Gauthier stares straight ahead and blinks. The black oil passes over his eyes.)

SCENE 2

FBI HEADQUARTERS

WASHINGTON DC

(Scully walks out of an elevator, reading a folder)

(a door in the alleyway opens behind her, it's Skinner)

SKINNER: Agent Scully? Can I see you for a few minutes?

(Scully enters his office)

(Skinner's office)

SKINNER: Kimberly would you excuse us please?

KIMBERLY (THE SECRETARY): Certainly sir.

(Kimberly stands up and walks out the office)

(Skinner and Scully are both standing)

SKINNER: A memo came across my desk last night. I debated whether or not to call you at home but I decided to..

SCULLY: And it concerns me?

SKINNER: Yes, and your sister. It's been 5 months and there have been no leads or new evidence on her murder investigation by the DC police team or the Bureau. I've been told the case is to remain inactive until further notice.

SCULLY: I see.

SKINNER: I don't think there's anything to be read into this. I think it's a case of manpower and workload. I want you to know that I am going to appeal this decision and I am gonna go back over all the evidence again myself and make sure that nothing has been overlooked.

(Scully walks towards the door, and turns back)

SCULLY: You know, it's strange. Men can blow up buildings, and they can be nowhere near the crime scene but we can piece together the evidence and convict them beyond a doubt. Our labs here can recreate out of the most microscopic detail the motivation and circumstance to almost any murder, right down to a killer's attitude towards his mother and that he was a bed wetter. But in a case of a woman, my sister, who was gunned down in cold blood in a well-lit apartment building by a shooter who left the weapon at the crime scene, we can't even put together enough to keep anybody interested.

SKINNER: I don't think this has anything to do with interest.

SCULLY: If I may say so sir, it has everything to do with interest. Just not yours, and not mine.

(Scully turns back, opens the door and walks out the office)

SCENE 3

(Mulder's office)

(knocking)

MULDER: Yeah?

(Scully enters)

SCULLY: Sorry I'm late.

MULDER: Anything up?

SCULLY: No. It's nothing. What did you want to talk to me about?

MULDER: Something interesting came into my attention last night. A French salvage ship, the Piper Maru, limped into port in San Diego yesterday, all the way from the north Pacific.

SCULLY: Why is that of interest?

MULDER: Using the national weather service satellite system, I was able to track its course. This was its original position.

SCULLY: Longitude uh.. 171 east, latitude 42 north.

MULDER: Yeah, that's where the boat we know as The Talapus pulled up what you believe was a Russian sub, but what I believe was the remains of a UFO.

SCULLY: Mulder...

MULDER: Look Scully, I don't know what it is but something is still down there and now the French are looking for it too.

SCULLY: So what?

MULDER: So why all the attention paid to this site? What information are they acting on?

SCULLY: Why don't you just ask them?

MULDER: I would but the entire crew is being treated for radiation burns.

SCULLY: From exposure to what?

MULDER: The French government is keeping that information classified for some reason.

SCULLY: Could it have anything to do with their resumption in nuclear tests?

MULDER: I checked. It's thousands of miles away from any test sites. (Scully smiles and laughs) What?

SCULLY: I'm just constantly amazed by you.. you're working down here in the basement, sifting through files and transmissions that any other agent would just throw away in the garbage.

MULDER: Well that's why I'm in the basement Scully.

SCULLY: You're in the basement because they're afraid of you, of your relentlessness and because they know that they could drop you in the middle of the desert, and tell you the truth is out there, and you would ask them for a shovel!

MULDER: Is that what you think of me?

SCULLY: Well, maybe not a shovel. Maybe a backhoe.

MULDER: Well that's good because there's some garbage in San Diego I want you to help me dig through.

(Scully takes the flight ticket Mulder hands her)

SCENE 4

SAN DIEGO NAVAL HOSPITAL, CA

(in a room full of patients with burns, a doctor standing is writing a report)

MULDER: Dr Seizer?

DR: Yes?

MULDER: Special agent Mulder. This is agent Scully.

DR: You're here about these French sailors with the radiation exposure?

MULDER: Yeah, how are they doing?

DR: Not real good. (Scully looks over the patients) It's been difficult to determine a proper course of treatment, because there's an air of secrecy around what happened. The source of their exposure is still undetermined.

SCULLY: These symptoms, would you characterize then as acute or somatic? (Dr Seizer is confused) I'm a medical doctor.

DR: They're somatic, although I don't think we've seen the worst of it. The effects are degrading rapidly, spontaneous internal bleeding in the mouths and intestinal tracts (Mulder looks around), blood in the urine. All these men are suffering severe delirium, the pre-advanced stages of coma.

SCULLY: What kind of exposure are we talking about here?

DR: 200, maybe 400 Roentgens, with a high rate of absorption.

SCULLY: That's verging on the levels of victims of Hiroshima suffered.

DR: Whatever these men came in contact with, it was man-made, levels like this just don't appear in nature.

MULDER: Not on this planet.

SCULLY: Did you get the chance to talk to any of them?

DR: No, they were in pretty bad shape by the time they got to me, except for one man, and this was strange because he's the only one who seems to be completely unaffected. I held him for the 1st day, but I detected none of the symptoms of the others. His leukocytes and erythocytes were high. Actually, he was in very good health.

MULDER: How could that be? With that level of radiation, how could one man not be exposed?

DR: Doesn't make any sense, but it's lucky for these men because he was the one who piloted the boat in. And none of these men could've done that in their condition.

MULDER: Could it be possible for us to talk to him?

DR: You could if he was still here, but he discharged himself this morning. He's a Frenchman, has a San Francisco address, his name is Gauthier.

SCENE 5

PACIFIC HEIGHTS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

(a man enter house #64, looking around, looking at a picture of himself and a woman.. the phone rings, he doesn't answer and continues to look around)

SCENE 6

US NAVAL STATION

SAN DIEGO, CA

(on the Piper Maru, people in yellow isolation suits take off their masks and get off the ship)

A MAN'S VOICE: Ok let's wrap it up and get in the trucks.

(Mulder and Scully arrive in their car)

Scully (with her cell phone): I'm getting no answer at this man Gauthier's home number.

MULDER: Try the INS or the French Consulate, see what you can pull up on him.

Scully (talking on the phone): Yes can I have the number for the French Consulate please?

(A man in blue approaches)

MULDER: Agents Mulder and Scully, FBI.

MAN: I'm Wayne Morgan. I'm with the uh Navy's investigative services unit.

MULDER: Have you turned anything up?

MORGAN: No nothing, but I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to be looking for.

MULDER: The crew of this ship is being treated for radiation.

MORGAN: Yeah we got all that, we had hazmat team poring over the boat, didn't find a trace.

SCULLY: Nothing?

MORGAN: We have divers in the water going over the hull, put probes down the bilge. Couldn't detect the slightest level.

MULDER: So it's ok for us to go on board?

MORGAN: Sure, you'll probably get more radiation off your cell phone.

ON THE BOAT

(the lights are out)

(Mulder, alone, looks around with his flashlight, he takes a look at a dive suit, there is some sort of oil all over it. He notices the suit is equipped with a video camera)

(Scully, on her side, looks at a charted map with Zeus Faber written at the bottom of it with a marker)

(lights are back on)

MORGAN TO SCULLY: Generator's back, is that better?

SCULLY: Yeah, thanks. Is this the way you found this room?

MORGAN: Nothing's been touched, not since you've been tied up here anyway. (Mulder enters) It's a mess huh?

MULDER: Feels like home.

SCULLY: It feels like somebody was looking for something, any idea what?

MULDER: No, I'm looking for the vcr.

SCULLY: What for?

MULDER: The dive suit has a video camera.

(Mulder finds the vcr, switches on a monitor, and browses through the tape)

MORGAN: What the hell is that?

MULDER: Looks like the fuselage of a plane.

SCULLY: It's a North American P-51 Mustang.

MORGAN: Yeah it sure is.

MULDER: I just got very turned on.

SCULLY: It's the shape of the canopy. I used to watch my father and brothers put together World War II model planes as a kid.

(Mulder passes drawing "Drop Dead Red")

MULDER: Would it have been carrying anything radioactive?

(Mulder stops on call numbers JTT0 11470)

SCULLY: No it was just a fighter.

MULDER: Then what was it those men exposed to?

SCULLY: I don't know, but I might know somebody I can ask.

SCENE 7

GAUTHIER'S HOUSE

(Gauthier's looking all over his files and documents in the drawers of his desk)

(he finds a letter, opens it and reads it)

WOMAN'S VOICE: You're home! (it's his wife) I was so worried about you. Why didn't you call me? (she comes and hugs the man but he has no reaction) There were these men from the consulate, they said there've been an accident...Why aren't you answering me? (she gets scared when she sees the guy has been going through his own papers) Why aren't you answering me?

(she runs, and tries to flee but Gauthier gets to her and he has some dark glow in his eyes) (next, the woman gets out of the house and she now has the thing in her eyes)

SCENE 8

MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION

(SCULLY ARRIVES IN A BLUE CAR AT A CHECK POINT)

SCULLY: Hi, I'm here to see Commander Johansen.

MILITARY: Name please?

SCULLY: Special agent Dana Scully, FBI. (she shows her ID)

MILITARY: You have an appointment?

SCULLY: No, uh.. he used to be a friend of my father's. I'm out here from Washington and I wanted to surprise him.

MILITARY: Let me give you directions.

SCULLY: I know my way, thanks.

(as Scully is driving, she sees kid playing, in particular 2 girls...then she flashes back her and her sister playing the same game)

SCENE 9

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

(Mulder knocks at Gauthier's door, with #64 on it)

MULDER: Mr Gauthier? Mr Gauthier? open the door, it's the FBI.

(Mulder opens door, it's unlocked, he enters) Mr Gauthier?

(he looks at the picture, looks around, notices the mess at the desk)

(Mulder finds a letter in French with the reference JTT0 111470)

(then he looks for the envelope return address, because the top of the letter is torn, and he finds it, the address is J. Kallenchuk Salvage Brokers, 3702 Medlock Street, San Francisco, CA 94101. We can also see the 1st name of Gauthier: Bernard, and part of his address: Number 3215, his zip code being either 94161 or 94164)

(Mulder puts the envelope in this coat and then, there's a sound coming from the kitchen, he draws his gun)

(Gauthier is lying on the kitchen, with oil all over him like on the dive suit)

MULDER: Mr Gauthier? I want you to lie still. I'm with the FBI. What happened?

GAUTHIER: Just fall, I don't know.

MULDER: How did you get here?

GAUTHIER: I can't remember. I was on the boat.

MULDER: The Piper Maru? That's the last thing you remember?

GAUTHIER: Yes, I was on the dive.

MULDER: Do you know where you are?

GAUTHIER: I'm at home.

MULDER: Yeah.

GAUTHIER: Where's my wife?

MULDER: Nobody else's home, but somebody has been going over your papers.

GAUTHIER: Where's Joan?

MULDER: She's not here, look.. you need to be careful, you have some kind of oil all over you?

GAUTHIER: What's going on here?

MULDER: I want you to remain calm, ok? I'd like to ask you a few questions about a letter. About a J. Kallenchuk Salvage Brokers.

GAUTHIER: I don't recognize that name.

MULDER: Well, somebody did. And I think you know why.

GAUTHIER: I would like to speak with the French Consul General. I have nothing more to say.

SCENE 10

BASE

Woman (to Scully): He'll be right out.

(shortly after)

OLD MAN: Yes?

SCULLY: Commander Johansen?

JOHANSEN: Yes?

SCULLY: I'm Dana Scully, I used to live 3 doors down. My father was Captain William Scully. I went to school with your son..

JOHANSEN: I'm sorry.. my memory isn't quite what it used to be. Richard doesn't live here anymore.

SCULLY: Actually sir, I came to see you. I work for the FBI now and there's a question I'm hoping you can answer.

JOHANSEN: Um.. well would you come in. Do sit down.

SCULLY: Thank you.

JOHANSEN: Would you like something to drink?

SCULLY: No thank you. I know that you were an officer in the Pacific during World War II. I wanted to ask you about a plane that's been discovered.

JOHANSEN: Discovered?

SCULLY: Yes, a P-51 Mustang at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean (Scully looks at her notes..) with the uh..call numbers JTT0 111470.

JOHANSEN: Well those are not the call numbers of a P-51.

SCULLY: There was an illustration on the fuselage with the words "Drop Dead Red".

JOHANSEN: I'm .. sorry.

SCULLY: Would the words Zeus Faber mean anything to you?

JOHANSEN: No.. but as I said, sometimes my memory is not so sharp.

SCULLY: Well would you know anybody I might be able to talk to? Somebody who might be able to give me that information?

JOHANSEN: I wish I could help you.

SCULLY: I wish you could too. There's a number of French sailors who may die from radiation exposure. If we knew more about the plane, we might be able to understand why. Anyway.. it was very good to see you again sir.

(they stand up and shake hands)

JOHANSEN: Oh say hello to your father for me.

SCULLY: I wish I could, he's passed away.

JOHANSEN: I'm very sorry.

SCULLY: I have to say this place brings back memories for me. I remember all the kids used to play a game called beckons wanted, right out there. Well.. if you talk to your son, will you tell him I stopped by? (Johansen nods) Thank you. (she walks out the house)

SCENE 11

3702 MEDLOCK STREET

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

(a woman is looking into files)

(knock on door)

WOMAN: Who is it?

MULDER: My name is Mulder, I'm with the FBI.

(she closes back all the drawers, and put the files she's holding an attache, and locks it)

(she sits at her desk)

WOMAN: It's open. (Mulder enters) Can I help you?

MULDER: I'm looking for Mr Kallenchuk.

WOMAN: I'm sorry Mr Kallenchuk is out of town, perhaps I can help you with something?

MULDER: Maybe you can tell me where I could find him.

WOMAN: Sure, the Far East. (she puts her hand on a gun under the desk)

MULDER: Well I've got a letter here typed on his stationary. Maybe you typed it for him.

WOMAN: Sorry I don't type. What did you say your name was again?

MULDER: Mulder.

WOMAN: Mr Mulder I'd be happy to relay any messages you have for him, but I really have no way of contacting Mr Kallenchuk just now.

MULDER: Ok well, why don't you have him call me as soon as he can. (Mulder hands her his card)

WOMAN: Sure, the FBI.

MULDER: Yes, what did you say your name was?

WOMAN: Geraldine.

MULDER: Thank you Geraldine. (Mulder leaves)

(outside, Mulder lay lows in his car parked in front of the Kallenchuk office)

(3 cars arrive, with French MIBs in them, they bust in the office, Geraldine drives away using the back door, Mulder follows her)

SCENE 12

THE BASE

(Scully approaches the check point, she's about to leave the base but she's stopped)

MILITARY: Agent Scully, would you step off the car please?

SCULLY: Why?

MILITARY: Turn off your engine and step off the car please.

SCULLY: What's this about?

MILITARY: You're being detained .

(another car arrives with Johansen in it, he gets out of it and makes a sign to the guard, he gets in

Scully's car)

JOHANSEN: Pull over there.

(Scully acts as she's told)

SCULLY: What's going on?

JOHANSEN: I can't give your regards to my son, Miss Scully, he was killed in a training accident during the Gulf War.

SCULLY: I'm sorry...there's something else, isn't there?

JOHANSEN: We bury our dead alive, don't we?

SCULLY: I don't know if I understand.

JOHANSEN: We hear them everyday, they talk to us, they haunt us, they beg us for meaning. Conscience... it's just the voices of the dead.. trying to save us from our own damnation.

SCULLY: You know something about that plane don't you?

JOHANSEN: I know because, I was sent to find it.. as an officer in a submarine, called the Zeus Faber.

SCENE 13

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

(Geraldine picks up a flight ticket at a desk under a sign : Hong Kong, flight 621)

(Mulder keeps an eye on her, his phone rings)

MULDER: Mulder.

SCULLY: Mulder, it's me, where are you?

MULDER: San Francisco airport, where are you?

SCULLY: Miramar Airbase. I think I've just found out what those men were exposed to, what the Piper Maru was out there looking for.

MULDER: What?

SCULLY: That P-51 Mustang was part of an escort for a B-20 carrying an atomic bomb, just like the one we dropped on Hiroshima. Only this one never reached its target.

MULDER: Says who?

SCULLY: Says one of the men originally sent to find it, on a submarine called the Zeus Faber.

MULDER: That was the name we saw written on that dive chart right?

SCULLY: It all makes sense Mulder, why would they build a nuclear weapon when they can salvage one?

MULDER: Why if they knew about it, why wait 50 years to try to recover it? And why was the only person not exposed, the diver, sent down to find it.

SCULLY: I don't know.

MULDER: Why don't you try to find out?

SCULLY: What about you?

MULDER: I gotta go to Hong Kong.

SCULLY: Hong Kong?

MULDER: Yeah, look, uh..(going into the gate) I'm gonna miss my flight, so uh... I gotta call you back ok?

(Joan, Gauthier's wife, is behind Mulder, and she follows him)

SCENE 14

WASHINGTON DC

(IN A RESTAURANT, STREET NUMBER 3205)

(the restaurant is empty except for Skinner who is drinking coffee and reading the menu)

(3 MIBs enter)

WAITRESS: Hi.

(MIB#1 sits in front of Skinner, MIB#2 sits besides him, and MIB#3 stands still)

MIB#1: Anything good here? Anything not on the menu?

SKINNER: You'll have to ask the waitress. (the 3 MIBs stare at Skinner) You gentleman have a problem?

MIB#1: When something is not on the menu Mr Skinner, there's usually a reason, wouldn't you say?

SKINNER: I'm sorry I didn't came here for conversation.

MIB#2: A hierarchy exists in the FBI, isn't that right? A man has status, like yourself, you're assistant director, those under him obey his orders, right?

SKINNER: Who are you guys?

MIB#1: We work with the intelligence community.

SKINNER: Remind me not to move there.

(Skinner stands up, and grabs his coat)

(MIB#1 and MIB#2 stand up also)

MIB#1: You take your orders like those below you, Mr Skinner. A case is made inactive, the death of an FBI agent's sister, maybe that's because those above you have done the hard work of arriving at that decision.

SKINNER: Thanks for the enlightenment, I'm gonna go now. (Skinner walks away)

MIB#1: It helps to know these things when a man looks forward to his career, to his plan for future.

SCENE 15

BASE

(a black and white picture with sailors on it)

JOHANSEN: We'd all joined thinking we'd come home heroes. That's me. (points at his face on the picture) The rest of the men of the picture...a month later they were all dead. The madness we planned to unleash on the Japanese...we ended up setting it loose on ourselves.

SCULLY: Radiation killed all those men?

JOHANSEN: The men you say had burns on their bodies.. that's how it began with us. Awful burns.

(flashback in black and white of what happened)

Johansen (voice over): We'd found the sunken squadron, when a Japanese destroyer moved into the area.. but rather than attempt to return home, Captain Sanford ordered us to go to silent running. After 3 days the burns started to appear. Baker got them first, then Vorce and Innocenti. No one had seen burns like these before. But a lot of us began to suspect they had to do with the planes that we'd been sent to recover. The men were all frightened to die. As the X.O. I urged the captain to return to port but against all reason and good sense, he refused to leave the area.

(in the sub)

MAN: Captain Sanford, I'm not an MD but I know a lost cause when I see one, these men are all dying and there's nothing that I can do to stop it.

SANFORD: Just do your damn job.

MAN: Sir I'm trying, but if we stay down here any longer, none of us are going home.

(later)

MAN (WHISPERING): Johansen, you've gotta get us to the surface .

JOHANSEN: We are under the captain's orders.

MAN: He's losing his mind.

JOHANSEN: The Japanese are shadowing us. That destroyer is doing wide circles above our position.

MAN: You have to take control of this sub sir, you have to make a decision.

ANOTHER MAN'S VOICE: We're all gonna die!

(Johansen and the man rush to see what's happening)

(in the room with all the sick people, one of them is holding a gun)

All of us, we're dying, can't you all see that? You've gotta get us outta here (speaking to the captain)

(he fires but the captain manages to disarm him) (Johansen and the man arrives)

Johansen (voice over): Our silence had been shattered by the gunshot, the only command that could save us from the Japanese destroyer now was the command to return home, an order I knew the captain would never issue..

(Johansen locks the door, and the captain with all the sick people)

SANFORD: Johansen! Open this door! Open this door! Johansen!

JOHANSEN (VOICE OVER): I knew mutiny was our only chance for survival. But I also knew, by sealing that door, I was sealing the fate of the men I locked behind it.

(Sanford has the thing in his eyes, and all the other crew men in the medical room are afraid)

(back to now)

JOHANSEN: By luck, or the grace of God, we made it to Pearl Harbor.

SCULLY: What happened to Sanford and the sick crew men?

JOHANSEN: When they opened that door, those who weren't dead were dying. There were 144 men on that boat, only 7 of us had survived. Whatever killed then, I was allowed to live, to raise a family, to grow old. None of us never got an explanation why.

SCENE 16

HONG KONG

(in a restaurant, Geraldine is having Chinese food with chopsticks)

(Mulder joins her table)

MULDER: Is this seat taken Miss Kallenchuk? Geraldine Kallenchuk, isn't it?

GERALDINE: Jerry, with a J.

MULDER: I noticed you flew 1st class, must be good money selling classified government secrets.

GERALDINE: It's a bull market, hon, and I'm Miss Popular. Let's make a deal.

MULDER: How much for the location of that P-51 Mustang you sold the French government?

GERALDINE: Why should I tell you?

MULDER: Actually I'd rather know who sold you the secret.

GERALDINE: I'm a middle man Mr Mulder, pardon my gender type. I take a cut, then slice off the top. It would be bad business to divulge my sources.

MULDER: Why did you run off to Hong Kong?

GERALDINE: To meet the buyer.

MULDER: To sell him what?

GERALDINE: Pardon your gender type.

MULDER: Oh your buyer's a woman.

GERALDINE: Actually you know, it's none of your damn business.

MULDER: Actually you know it is my damn business because whatever you're selling is killing half a dozen sailors in a California Hospital. Which is why I'm gonna arrest you.

GERALDINE: Arrest me? With what? Your chopsticks? This is Hong Kong Mr Mulder, they don't allow handguns here, they took yours away.. at the airport. (Mulder cuffs the woman to himself) Hey! Hey! You can't do that!

MULDER: I just did it, now let's make a deal.

(Mulder makes Geraldine stand up and they get out of the restaurant)

(they walk now down a dark corridor)

GERALDINE: You are violating my civil rights.

MULDER: You gave up your civil rights when you committed treason.

GERALDINE: You can't force me to do anything.

(they are now in front of a J. Kallenchuk Salvage Broker door with Chinese words below)

MULDER: Open it. (she does nothing, so Mulder kicks the door open) Pardon my gender type, but after you. (he pushes Geraldine in) Where are the lights?

MAN'S VOICE: Right here.

(it's Krycek with a gun pointed on Mulder)

MULDER: Krycek. I thought guns were against the law here.

KRYCEK: You know what they say when guns are outlawed...

MULDER: Why don't you take that gun and shoot yourself in your head like you shot my father?

GERALDINE: Great.. High Noon in Hong Kong.

KRYCEK: Aw... why don't you SHUT UP!

(he pushes Geraldine out the office and closes the door... she's still cuffed to Mulder)

GERALDINE: My God!

MULDER: It's no way to treat your business partner, especially since she's been moving those secrets you've been selling so well.

(on the other side of the door, Geraldine is shot down by MIBs)

(Krycek is on his way to the window)

KRYCEK: Looks like she's your partner now.

(Mulder looks for his key but drops it)

MULDER: Damn. (he tries to reach the dropped key on the floor)

(on the other side, the MIBs approaches, they bust in, but there is nobody on the office)

MAN'S VOICE: Au fond a gauche. Allez on s'depeche, on s'depeche. (they look through the window Mulder's running away) Il est parti. Allez on s'depeche vite, allez les gars on y va.

(a woman arrives by the corridor)

(the French operatives get out of the office)

(it's Joan, she glows and shines)

(the MIBs are down, blinded by the light)

(then the light dims, and we see all the men have burns on them)

SCENE 17

BACK IN DC, THE SAME RESTAURANT

(Skinner enters with a newspaper)

SKINNER: Is the coffee hot?

WAITRESS: Yeah.

(Skinner sits)

(a guys passes him by and goes to the counter)

SKINNER: How's the blue plate?

WAITRESS: Looks good. (she pours coffee for him)

SKINNER: I'll have one medium rare please. (she takes his order)

Man at the counter (speaking with a Hispanic accent): You got a pay phone that's out of order nobody complains? I'm complaining.

WAITRESS: I'm sorry sir, I'm sure it's been called in. (Skinner looks up)

MAN: You're sure? Meanwhile, I'm going to miss the phone call. That's gonna cost me time and

money..Who's gonna call that in?

WAITRESS: I'm sorry, sir, I don't know what else to say.

(Skinner, irritated, stops reading)

MAN: Say you're gonna pay me.. the 1.75 the phone ate.

(Skinner stands up and goes to the counter)

WAITRESS: No you'll have to deal with the phone company sir.

(Skinner is right behind the man)

MAN: You'll deal with 'em, I want my money.

SKINNER: Is there a problem there?

(the man turns)

MAN: Yeah there is a big problem. (draws his gun and shoots it)

(Skinner collapses)

(the waitress screams)

(the man spits at him)

MAN: Chupa dura ("suck hard"), amigo. (he splits)

WAITRESS: Oh my god! I'll call 911.

SCENE 18

SCULLY'S APT.

(Scully gets home)

(phone rings, she answers)

SCULLY: Scully.

WOMAN'S VOICE: Agent Scully, this is Kim Cook from the director's office.

SCULLY: Yes.

KIM: We've just got some bad news, AD Skinner has just been shot.

SCULLY: When?

KIM: About an hour ago, he's been taken to Northeast Georgetown.

SCULLY: I'm on my way.

SCENE 19

HONG KONG AIRPORT

(Krycek looks at a sign: flight 1121 to Washington)

(he walks towards Mulder who has his back turned, Mulder's acting like he's on the phone)

(when Krycek arrives at Mulder, Mulder turns back, punches him in the face)

MULDER: That's for your partner. (he kicks him under the belt) This is for me (Mulder draws Krycek's gun and points it at his gut) And this is for my father (Krycek has blood all over his face)

KRYCEK: No! I didn't kill your father.

MULDER: Now you tell me.

KRYCEK: It wasn't me.

MULDER: Oh yeah? Then who was it?

KRYCEK: I don't know, don't know.

MULDER: Either way Krycek you're a liar.

KRYCEK: Come on, finish it Mulder, c'mon finish it, come on.

(Mulder releases Krycek but still has him at gun point)

MULDER: I want that digital tape.

KRYCEK: I don't have it.

MULDER: Like hell you don't, it contains the secrets you were selling as well as everything else our government knows about the existence of extra terrestrial life .

KRYCEK: How could I sell anything? The tape's encrypted.

MULDER: Obviously, you found a way.

KRYCEK: I don't have it...I'll give it to you if you let me go.

MULDER: Where is it?

KRYCEK: DC... in a locker. (he takes a key out of his pocket) No. (he doesn't give it to Mulder) If you let me go, I'll tell you.

MULDER: You put that tape in my hands and we'll talk about it. Why don't you go to the bathrooms and clean yourself off? If you're not out of there in 3 minutes, I'm coming in there to kill you.

(Mulder escorts Krycek to the bathrooms, but before, he looks to see if there's no exit in it, Mulder tells him he can go in, and waits outside)

(outside, Joan passes by Mulder and goes in the bathrooms)

(when Krycek sees her in the men's bathrooms, he smiles but she smashes him against the wall)

(next Krycek walks out the bathrooms and walks ahead Mulder)

MULDER: Feel better?

KRYCEK: Like a new man. (dark glow in his eyes)

[TO BE CONTINUED ...]