Story Code '#8X16'
by Steven Maeda
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'Vienen' Story Code '#8X16' by Steven Maeda |
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SCENE 1 - GALPLEX-ORPHEUS PLATFORM GULF OF MEXICO, 158 MILES OF THE COAST OF TEXAS
(It is night and in the middle of the ocean. The camera closes in towards a large oil-drilling platform. Cut to: inside the crew's quarters. about two-dozen men are sitting around eating dinner and watching an ice hockey game on the TV. A Hispanic-looking man looks at another man eating his dinner. The man returns his gaze, they are clearly thinking about something. Suddenly the TV signal goes and the screen is static. The crew aren't happy and one, BO TAYLOR, smacks the top of the TV. The picture comes back and the others give him a cheer)
TAYLOR:
You boys eat your vegetables or I'll do the same to you!
(We cut to the cook dishing up food for the workers. He puts some food onto a worker's plate)
COOK:
Hot meat, Senor.
(The cook sticks his large knife into a large piece of meat on the chopping board. The worker stares at the piece of meat. He makes eye contact again with the man eating his dinner, who looks up from his table. Cut to: a stairwell. The worker is slowly descending the stairs, holding both rails. He turns onto a walkway. Cut to: the communications room. An engineer is sitting at a bench fixing some equipment. The worker enters the room)
ENGINEER:
Hey Amigo! Que paso mister noche?
(The engineer smiles. The worker stares back)
ENGINEER:
How was the roast beef? Commo is. Bueno.
(The engineer continues working. The worker is carrying the cook's knife from the canteen. Suddenly, he lunges forwards and stabs the engineer, who falls forward in pain. Cut to: in the quarters, a goal is scored and the crew cheer. Suddenly the picture goes again, and the crew moan. TAYLOR, from earlier, gets up again and approaches the TV. He gives it three hard smacks, but the picture doesn't come back. The crew look depressed)
TAYLOR:
Who's our communications officer?
(Cut to: TAYLOR is walking down the same walkway as before. We see some bright flashes. As he approaches the communications room, we hear load banging)
TAYLOR:
Hey, what gives with the...
(He goes inside. He sees someone attacking the radio communications equipment)
TAYLOR:
What the hell are you doing?
(The man get up dropping his weapon, and tries to run. TAYLOR catches him, and throws him back onto the wall)
TAYLOR:
Enough.
(He notices the engineer on the floor, doubled up. He turns him over)
TAYLOR:
Oh man.
(Black oil is on the man's neck and face and moving into his eyes. We see the worker's face, looking scared)
TAYLOR:
Now you gone and done it.
(The worker tries to run, but TAYLOR gets hold of him around his neck and starts to strangle him. He's thrown to the ground. He looks up. Suddenly TAYLOR's eyes begin to glow bright white. We can see a white glow around his whole body. The worker cowers on the floor in fear, uttering words in Spanish)
WORKER:
No, no, no, no, noooooooooooo!
(The worker continues to scream out as TAYLOR is consumed in pure white light. Fade to white)
OPENING TITLES
SCENE 2 - F.B.I HEADQUARTERS, 8:57 AM
(We see DOGGETT walking down the hallway in the basement to the office, reading the sports page of the newspaper. He gets to the office door and tries the handle. It's locked. He gets out his keys and unlocks the door. He opens it, and lo and behold MULDER is in the corner going through some papers)
DOGGETT:
Am I interrupting anything, Agent Mulder?
(MULDER looks up to notice DOGGETT. He then looks back down at the papers)
MULDER:
Nothing you'd be too terribly interested in Agent Doggett.
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder, What are you doing down here?
MULDER:
Looking into the recent death of an oil worker.
(MULDER hands DOGGETT the case file)
DOGGETT:
I got a heads up from you a couple of days ago.
MULDER:
That's what I'm doing here.
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder, I understand you have more than a proprietary interest in these cases, but I can't help it if you're not assigned to this unit any more. I didn't see any reason to pursue this oil worker's case.
MULDER:
Well maybe you missed the fact that this victim's corpse washes ashore in Port Arransis, Texas with massive flash burns on ninety percent of his body.
DOGGETT:
I read the report Agent Mulder, if you're insinuating I didn't.
MULDER:
Then you must also know that this man was not the only man to disappear from the Galplex-Orpheus platform that night, but one of two men. The communications officer is also missing.
DOGGETT:
The company attributes that to an explosion on the rig, a blow-out. Which is what they say caused Simon de la Cruz his burns.
MULDER:
Burns the M.E. said in his report we not inconsistent to exposure to high levels of radiation.
DOGGETT:
Not inconsistent. It's not exactly who I call a ringing endorsement.
MULDER:
These files include the same kind of radiation phenomenon. Tissue destroyed by exposure to...
DOGGETT:
(Interrupting) Black oil. Five years ago, you and Agent Scully investigated a case of a World War Two plane salvaged from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, where a substance was brought to the surface which you describe as a highly contagious virus of extraterrestrial origin. That has radioactive properties and can take over a man's body. And it's part of an alien conspiracy to colonise the planet, if I'm not mistaken.
MULDER:
(Smiling) And you'd love to help, but you left your light-sabre at home.
(DOGGETT nods)
MULDER:
How'd you get stuck down here, Agent Doggett? Did Kersh catch you peeing in his cornflakes?
(There's an uncomfortable pause. The office phone rings, and both men reach to answer it. They look at each other. MULDER picks up the phone, but gives it to DOGGETT to answer)
DOGGETT:
John Doggett.
SCULLY:
(On phone) the Deputy Director is waiting, Agent Doggett.
DOGGETT:
Yeah, I was just on my way up.
SCULLY:
(On screen) Why didn't you tell me you were pursuing the Texas oil worker case?
DOGGETT:
(On phone) 'Cause I'm not.
SCULLY:
Well there's an executive here from the oil company who says he was contacted by a man in our office.
DOGGETT:
(Looking at Mulder) That'd be Agent Mulder.
SCULLY:
What are you talking about?
DOGGETT:
I'm going to let him answer that.
SCENE 3 - KERSH'S OFFICE
(The door opens and in walks MULDER. KERSH, SKINNER, a bearded man named MR ORTEGA & SCULLY are in the room. SCULLY gets up and MULDER smiles)
MULDER:
Just like old times.
KERSH:
(Staring forwards) Now it's all making sense.
(SKINNER looks up and MULDER and then down again. SCULLY looks blankly at MULDER, and sits)
MULDER:
Tough crowd.
(KERSH stands up at his desk)
KERSH:
Mister Ortega, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder, the person you spoke to on the phone, I believe. (To the Agents) Mister Ortega is Vice President of Operations for ‘‘Galplex’ Petroleum’ out of Galveston, Texas.
MULDER:
I believe we did speak, yeah.
KERSH:
There's also confusion about who spoke to certain Government officials who seem to think the FBI is running an investigation into the accident.
MULDER:
That would have been me as well, Sir, and that was in the best interest of the FBI and Mister Ortega. I believe.
KERSH:
Mister Ortega would beg to differ, as would I.
ORTEGA:
You complicated an already sensitive situation, Agent Mulder. ‘‘Galplex’ Petroleum’ has discovered what we think may be a massive new oil province beneath the Gulf of Mexico. One that would give a huge advantage, financially and politically, to whoever gets to drill it.
SCULLY:
Who else are we talking about?
ORTEGA:
US territorial water cover the northern half of the Gulf. Our wells are on our side, but the field may spread well to the south. The Government of Mexico could claim it's theirs.
MULDER:
This incident has nothing to do with that whatsoever. It's about the unexplained death of Simon de la Cruz.
ORTEGA:
Simon de la Cruz was a Mexican national killed in a US business enterprise. They'd like nothing better than to use his death to get us to abandon the Orpheus rig so they can be the first to drill the province
KERSH:
Leaving me no choice but to conduct a criminal investigation, quickly and quietly, to take away any legal position that would affect American interests.
MULDER:
A criminal investigation isn't going to clear up anything.
KERSH:
You've done more than enough Agent Mulder. Thank you
MULDER:
I don't think you know exactly what you're dealing with here sir.
KERSH:
No, I think I do Agent.
MULDER:
This is an X-File!
SCENE 4 - GULF OF MEXICO, 26 HOURS LATER
(It is morning. A helicopter approaches the rig and lands. DOGGETT and YURI VOLKOV get out of the chopper and join the two waiting men)
VOLKOV:
(Shaking hands) Yuri Volkov, Communications Specialist.
GUY 2:
Bring the new gear?
VOLKOV:
Yes, it's in there.
DOGGETT:
(Shaking hands) John Doggett, Special Agent.
GUY 2:
Who?
DOGGETT:
From the Bureau.
GUY 2:
FBI you say?
DOGGETT:
Yeah. Someone told you I was coming I hope.
GUY 2:
No, got some new comm equipment.
DOGGETT:
(Following GUY 2 down some steel steps) You had radio problems? No-one told you about me coming?
GUY 2:
They got shipped ashore. When they gave us the message it said just one Agent was coming.
(They stop on the steps)
DOGGETT:
Right, I'm the one Agent.
GUY 2:
Well then, who's the guy who get here this morning. Been talking for an hour
(DOGGETT realises and looks annoyed)
SCENE 5 - INTERVIEW ROOM
(MULDER is at a table with BO TAYLOR. DOGGETT enters)
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder, can I have a word with you?
MULDER:
If you give me a minute, I'm just getting in with details of the investigation. Why don't you pull up a chair and introduce yourself so Mister Taylor won't have to repeat himself.
(DOGGETT looks at MULDER. There's a significant pause. DOGGETT then approaches Taylor)
TAYLOR:
I'm Bo Taylor. I was on night watch the day this thing went down.
(DOGGETT sits down opposite TAYLOR)
DOGGETT:
Go on Mister Taylor.
TAYLOR:
Men can go off the deep end out here, it's like a cabin fever of sorts. They're hundreds of miles away from their family and friends, six weeks at a stretch. Some of them might as well just be doing hard time.
DOGGETT:
So how does that figure with the victim, Simon de la Cruz?
TAYLOR:
Well, mestizos are normally the most reliable men I know off on the drill floor. Simon, just lost his nut I guess. It's the only good explanation.
DOGGETT:
Simon de la Cruz's body was found with flash burns. What's that got to do with him going off the deep end?
TAYLOR:
Well hell, he tried to blow up the whole damn rig. I mean it was sabotage, pure and simple. He knocked a cock of the gas valve, he must have sparked it cause it went faster than a Friday paycheck.
DOGGETT:
What about the second victim?
MULDER:
Communications chief wasn't he?
TAYLOR:
(Nodding) He probably never knew what hit him.
DOGGETT:
What's the communications chief doing on the drilling floor?
TAYLOR:
A man can die out here sir, just going for a walk. Probably what happened when it blew. Nobody knew he was gone until the shift change.
MULDER:
I guess that's it, in a nutshell. Thank you Mister Taylor.
(Mulder gets up and leaves)
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder...
(Doggett gets up and follows Mulder. The camera closes in on Taylor's staring face. We can see the black oil swirling around in his eyes)
SCENE 6 - DECK
(DOGGETT is following MULDER)
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder, don't walk away when I'm talking to you. Like it or not I've been assigned this case. One call to the Deputy Director and your up for insubordination.
MULDER:
How are you going to call when the radio's broken?
DOGGETT:
Don't push me Agent Mulder.
MULDER:
You wont do it.
DOGGETT:
You think?
MULDER:
We're both in the same boat, Agent Doggett. We're just paddling in different directions.
DOGGETT:
No we're not going in different directions here, we're going in one direction. My direction.
MULDER:
I don't think Kersh expects you to come back empty handed on this one. Since you have already told me about what you think about this case in so many words, business let alone your own ass.
DOGGETT:
Well you really got me pegged. Anything that doesn't fit in my narrow field of vision may as well not exist, is that right Agent Mulder?
(MULDER looks at DOGGETT)
DOGGETT:
So why is this man Taylor lying? You do know he's lying?
MULDER:
I think he knows that truth about what happened, and he may not be the only one.
DOGGETT:
I never would have believed it. These stories about you.
MULDER:
Really, what stories are those?
DOGGETT:
That you can find a conspiracy at a church picnic.
MULDER:
What church?
(DOGGETT smiles. MULDER heads off. Someone walks over a grating, and someone is hiding below - a crew member named. DIEGO GARZA)
SCENE 7 - AUTOPSY ROOM
(SCULLY is dressed in surgery gear and stands above DE LA CRUZ's body, SKINNER walks in)
SCULLY:
Close the door and lock it.
SKINNER:
What's going on? You said you want to see me straight away.
SCULLY:
I didn't know who else to talk to, and I haven't been able to reach Agent Mulder.
SKINNER:
About what?
SCULLY:
About what I found in the autopsy of the oil rig victim Simon de la Cruz
SKINNER:
Agent Scully, this man's body was supposed to be transported back to Mexico completely intact.
SCULLY:
I found it by accident in the third ventricle of his brain.
(She uses her tweezers to pull something out from his dissected skull. Suddenly a large pool of black oil forms on the table beside his head. SKINNER looks shocked. He reaches for SCULLY to pull her away to safety)
SKINNER:
Scully!
SCULLY:
No it's OK, it's alright.
SKINNER:
What do you mean? I was under the impression that this stuff could literally jump into a man's body.
SCULLY:
No, it can, and I've seen that happen. But that's the thing - this man was clearly infected by the alien virus. It entered his system and it was massing in the pineal gland, but it's dead.
SKINNER:
What killed it?
SCULLY:
Well intuitively, you would say the same thing that killed him - exposure to high levels of radiation. But it makes no sense because the virus itself has radioactive properties.
SKINNER:
Someone needs to tell Agent Doggett that. He needs to have some kind of idea as to what he's dealing with out there.
SCULLY:
No, you need to tell Deputy Director Kersh that he has to order a controlled evacuation of that rig right now.
SKINNER:
Don't tell me to go to Kersh with this evidence. Telling him to order an evacuation for something that you cant even explain
SCULLY:
If the virus is loose, Agent Doggett's life is in danger.
SKINNER:
We don't know that for sure. There are nearly two dozen men on that rig and not one other case. Why?
(SCULLY can't give an answer)
SCENE 8 - COMMS ROOM
( YURI, the comms engineer is working with the radio, apparently trying to get it working. TAYLOR enters wearing a hard-hat and walks up to him)
TAYLOR:
Hey Yuri, heard you had some problems with the radio.
YURI:
This gear's all online working fine. But there's some sort of high frequency interference that I have no idea how to get rid off. Hear that? that's the signal that's coming in. Filtering in across a large range of channels. I don't think I have any choice but to power down and restore.
TAYLOR:
(Threatening) No, you can't do that!
YURI:
I hate to argue with you.
(TAYLOR grabs YURI around the neck and throws him through the air into some shelves. He grabs him around the neck and holds him down on the floor, leaning over him. YURI's mouth is open trying to breath. We see black oil pooling in TAYLOR's eyes. Suddenly, the oil starts pouring from his eyes and mouth all over YURI's face. The black oil starts to move towards YURI's eyes, nose and mouth, quickly entering his body)
SCENE 9 - COMMS ROOM, LATER
( We hear a garbled transmission being received on the radio)
VOICE:
This is the marine operator for ‘Galplex’ - Orpheus . Come in Orpheus . I have a priority transmission, repeat, this is a priority transmission.
(YURI approaches the radio)
YURI:
This is Orpheus , go ahead.
SCENE 10 - LABORATORY
(Laboratory. We see some scans on a light box. SCULLY is on the phone, giving the priority message to the rig. She's examining what look like possibly DNA blots)
SCULLY:
Orpheus , I've been trying to reach you for hours. This is Special Agent Dana Scully. I have an urgent message for an investigative agent on board, an Agent John Doggett.
YURI:
I'm ready to take that message.
SCULLY:
No I'm sorry, I need to speak with Agent Doggett directly.
(Cut to: We see a hand appear on YURI's shoulder. We see its Mulder)
MULDER:
I got it.
(MULDER sits down in front of the microphone. YURI leaves)
MULDER:
Well I'm sorry, Agent Doggett's gone fishing. Can I take a message please?
SCULLY:
(Surprised) Mulder?
MULDER:
I was just in the neighbourhood.
SCULLY:
Mulder you can't just flout orders like this. It's not like old times. Kersh isn't going to tolerate this.
MULDER:
Kersh doesn't need to know.
SCULLY:
(Worried) Mulder.
MULDER:
You need me out here Scully, you know that better than anyone.
SCULLY:
I'd hate to say as of this morning I'd have to agree.
MULDER:
Who's flouting orders, you found something didn't you, in that victim's body. The virus?
SCULLY:
Yes I did, and it's dead Mulder.
MULDER:
Dead? What killed it?
SCULLY:
Possibly radiation.
MULDER:
That's not possible.
SCULLY:
I know I know, and this could be an isolated event, but that he's infected at all means that everybody out there could be at risk. And that means you and Agent Doggett.
MULDER:
We got to quarantine this rig.
SCULLY:
No Mulder, you need to get off the rig. Get Agent Doggett to give the order. We can quarantine you and the crew when we get back here.
MULDER:
Scully, if these men are infected the last place we want to is onshore where they can infect other people. You're sitting on the answer right there, Scully. The body, you find the virus, you can find what knocks it out, you can find what kills it.
SCULLY:
And what if I can't?
MULDER:
When he's old enough, tell the kid I went down swinging!
DOGGETT:
Who were you talking to?
MULDER:
That was Agent Scully.
DOGGETT:
What did she say?
MULDER:
She said it was lucky that I'm out here.
DOGGETT:
No, you're lucky that I'm letting you stay. You got information important to this investigation then I damn well better know about it. I'm the Agent in charge out here, Agent Mulder.
MULDER:
Alright, then go ahead and take charge, Only you might not like what it means in this case. What you're going to have to do with this information you're so anxious to have.
SCENE 11 - INT. RIG
(An open space inside the rig. We see a man walking along a walkway to some stairs)
MAN:
I'm gonna make this brief. We've been given an order to quarantine the rig.
(The crew show their annoyance)
MAN:
At fourteen hundred hours we officially shut down and lock down. You're gonna be stuck here a while, all flights in and out have been suspended; cooperate until the FBI's certain everything is shipshape. Now for everybody's protection we need to all of us cooperate fully.
OTHER MAN:
Oh man.
TAYLOR:
Protection from what?
DOGGETT:
From a possible contagion
TAYLOR:
(Turning to crew) Anybody here feel sick?
CREW:
(Together) No!
MAN:
Alright, knock it off, I need everybody to check their water consumption, and we'll be cutting back to half rations.
(The crew are not happy with this news. We see MULDER and DOGGETT moving around the room, checking the men. MULDER approaches the man in charge)
MULDER:
I've been going over the crew manifest Mister SASKA, and there appears to be a problem.
MAN:
Problem with what?
MULDER:
According to the manifest there's supposed to be eighteen men onboard. I count only seventeen including you.
MAN:
This is my whole crew in here.
(We see a close up of part of the crew's manifest that Mulder is examining)
’DE LA CRUZ, SIMON DELL, EDS GARZA, DIEGO GORDON, MAC HARBOUR, ROBERT HOXWORTH, JACK...’
MULDER:
(To SASKA) Diego Garza, where's he?
DOGGETT:
Who?
SASKA:
Deck hand. A friend of Simon de la Cruz. The man who tried to sabotage the rig.
(SASKA walks into the middle of the room to check everybody)
SASKA:
Well I'll be damned.
DOGGETT:
What, he's not here?
(SASKA shakes his head)
MULDER:
Any idea where he might be?
SASKA:
Well he didn't leave the rig, not by any means I know of.
MULDER:
(To Doggett) What do you say we go and find him?
(DOGGETT nods in agreement)
SCENE 12 - AUTOPSY ROOM
(We can make out a body lying under a white sheet. Suddenly the sheet is pulled off revealing the body of SIMON DE LA CRUZ)
SCULLY:
This man was exposed to a virus.
(We see MR ORTEGA standing next to SCULLY. He turns away as SCULLY lifts up the sheet)
ORTEGA:
And why do I need to see this?
SCULLY:
To understand what your crew may be infected with. What they risk spreading on or off that rig.
ORTEGA:
You understand ‘Galplex’ is eager to cooperate, but shutting down a producing rig costs us in the neighbourhood of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, a day, and according to my OIM, no-one on that rig is sick, they're just hungry and tired.
SKINNER:
You don't know that for sure.
ORTEGA:
Well, what symptoms would they be showing, what would we see?
SCULLY:
Unexplained behaviour, possible detection in the eyes ..
ORTEGA:
We've seen none of that.
SKINNER:
You're relying on suspect data.
ORTEGA:
I'm relying on medical reports, and unless you give me more than this, I'm calling that Orpheus crew back in. Bringing them home, and rotating a fresh crew onto that rig.
(SCULLY looks very worried and can't believe what he's saying)
SCULLY:
Oh my god.
(A worried look appears on SKINNER's face)
SCENE 13 - THE RIG
(MULDER is climbing to metal steps on the very edge of the rig. We can see the sea far below him)
DOGGETT:
So what are hoping to find Agent Mulder, honestly?
MULDER:
I'm hoping to find Diego Garza
DOGGETT:
There's no chance of that if you ask me. A man could disappear of this platform and no-one would even notice.
MULDER:
Did you see the crew manifest? It listed Diego Garza as mestizo, of mixed Mexican descent, just like his friend who died?
DOGGETT:
Yeah. So what?
MULDER:
Well the crew chief said the mestizo were particularly good workers, but we've got one dead trying to sabotage the rig and another missing. If he's one of their best workers you'd thing someone would've noticed him missing.
DOGGETT:
Yeah so maybe he's still here. Maybe he's waiting to finish his to Mexican oil.
MULDER:
These men are hiding something, but that's not it.
DOGGETT:
You know, I quarantine a whole oil rig without any evidence to support what you're saying, but you still have yet to give me straight answer as to what you think is going on out here. If these men are hiding something, if they're protecting something, then what the hell is it?
MULDER:
I don't know yet.
DOGGETT:
And when you do, let me know, cause I've got to get on the radio to justify this action.
(DOGGETT walks off. MULDER follows after a moment. They head down some stairs)
MULDER:
I didn't come out here just to bust your ass. I've seen this substance. I've seen it can take over a man's body. This crew could be infected and not even know it. They may have no idea they're being controlled.
(DOGGETT touches an oily piece of machinery, and rubs the oil between his fingers)
DOGGETT:
This? This is what you're saying is going to take over my body? Well when's it going to kick in?
MULDER:
That's not how it works. It body jumps from man to man, and I'm not sure that it's in all oil.
DOGGETT:
Well that's a relief, because only ninety percent of the planet is dependent on the stuff.
MULDER:
The man from ‘Galplex Oil’ lied...
DOGGETT:
What, he's infected too?
MULDER:
No, the new oil field is already in production. It's already being pumped by this rig. It's how this crew got infected.
DOGGETT:
You're reaching, Agent Mulder
MULDER:
Billions and billions of barrels lying right underneath us, waiting to be produced, waiting to infect that ninety percent of the planet you talked about.
DOGGETT:
If these men are hiding something. That'd sure be something to hide.
(DOGGETT turns and walks off)
MULDER:
Agent Doggett? What if that's why this man is hiding, this Diego Garza, because he knows what they're up to, and he knows what they're up to because he's the only one who's not infected with the alien virus.
DOGGETT:
Alright, he knows. Why doesn't he just come down here and tell us?
(Suddenly an alarm sounds. MULDER and DOGGETT look around. The move in search of the cause of the alarm. We see flames coming from inside one of the rooms. MULDER and DOGGETT race to the flames)
MULDER:
It's the radio room!
(MULDER and DOGGETT enter the communications room and reach for the fire extinguisher, held back by the flames)
DOGGETT:
I'll go find another one.
(MULDER tackles the fire with the extinguisher. We see DOGGETT running around looking for another. He sees one and rushes up to it. Just as he takes it off the wall, he is hit from behind and falls to the ground, unconscious. We see the culprit is the man they are looking for, DIEGO GARZA)
SCENE 14 - AUTOPSY ROOM
(SCULLY enters and is shocked to hear someone is already in the room)
KERSH:
Agent Scully
SCULLY:
Sir?
KERSH:
You're in a hurry. To do what?
SCULLY:
To continue with my work, Sir.
KERSH:
I'm not privy to this work. I'd have thought this body would have been on its way back to Mexico.
(The door opens, and SKINNER appears in the doorway. SCULLY exchanges glances with him)
KERSH:
I obviously haven't been able to rely on those to keep me apprised and informed. I have to rely on phone calls, like the one I received from Martin Ortega. Why doesn't somebody make me privy to who the hell gave the order to shut down that rig?
SKINNER:
I did.
KERSH:
Well I'm giving the order that this quarantine is lifted.
SCULLY:
We could do that Sir, but all radio contact has been cut off.
KERSH:
As soon as it's re-established I want that rig up and running, and the entire crew taken off the Galplex-Orpheus and debriefed.
SCULLY:
Sir, I think that would be a mistake...
KERSH:
I think it would be a mistake not to, Agent Scully. And you're running out of mistakes, both you, and the Assistant Director. If I didn't know better, I'd say this was a Mulder stunt.
(Kersh stands in the doorway for a moment, looking straight at SKINNER with contempt. SCULLY is noticeably shaken by the Deputy Director)
SCENE 15 - COMMS ROOM
(MULDER and SASKA are looking through the remains)
SASKA:
This stuff was all brand new.
MULDER:
What is it about this room that inspires men to violence?
SASKA:
You think this fire was set?
(MULDER bends down and picks something up)
MULDER:
Molotov cocktail anyone?
(SASKA looks at the remains)
MULDER:
Can I borrow your radio Mister Saska?
(SASKA gives him the radio)
MULDER:
Agent Doggett, you there?
MULDER O.O.V.:
(ON RADIO) Agent Doggett, do you copy?
(We can see DOGGETT's radio on the ground. A shape starts to move, as it comes into focus we see it is DOGGETT coming to. He's holding his forehead)
MULDER:
Agent Doggett. Come in Agent Doggett.
(We see DOGGETT getting up, but GARZA attacks him with a blade and cuts his forearm. DOGGETT grimaces. GARZA notices the blood on DOGGETT's arm and hand)
GARZA:
(In Spanish) [Red blood.]
DOGGETT:
Yeah my blood's red
(DOGGETT stands up)
GARZA:
(In Spanish) [They killed Simon. If they find me, they'll kill me, too.]
DOGGETT:
I don't speak very good Spanish. (Reaching) Diego (In Spanish) your name is Diego Garza?
GARZA:
(In Spanish) They wanted the radio. That's why I started the fire.
DOGGETT:
(Trying to understand) That's too fast. You're saying you set the fire? What are you afraid of?
(GARZA reaches toward Doggett)
GARZA:
(In Spanish) [ We have to stop them before it's too late. They're coming. They're coming.]
DOGGETT:
Vienen. Vienen (Understanding) They're coming? Who? Who's coming?
GARZA:
(In Spanish) [The ships. The flying ships.]
(GARZA looks upwards, indicating what he is trying to explain)
SCENE 16 - LABORATORY
(SCULLY and SKINNER are at the computer - the monitor is displaying what appear to be computer generated 3D organic molecules. There are only two shown)
SCULLY:
I think I've got something.
SKINNER:
what?
SCULLY:
This is an SEM image pulled at random from anonymous donors.
SKINNER:
What of?
SCULLY:
Blood. More specifically, normal T-cell antibodies. By comparison these are from the blood of the oil rig worker
(A new image appears, showing many more objects on the screen)
SCULLY:
T-cells in impossible numbers. In layman's terms, this victim was a virus fighting machine.
SKINNER:
How do you explain that?
SCULLY:
Well, there are isolated cultures. In northern Italy for one, where people are immune to certain diseases - heart disease in that case, through a genetic mutation.
SKINNER:
So what, this man had genetic immunity to the alien virus?
SCULLY:
Well his employment records show Mister Simon de la Cruz of mixed Mexican ancestry, when in fact he is Waicha Indian. The Waicha are an indigenous Mexican culture that has a rare undiluted gene pool. Now these genes may have an innate immunity to infection.
SKINNER:
OK, so he was immune to the virus. That's still not what killed him. He died from being burned.
SCULLY:
No, not burned. Irradiated.
(SCULLY pulls the sheet from the body)
SCULLY:
Because the virus had no effect on him. The crew members who were affected by the virus couldn't control him, so they killed him, by irradiating him.
SKINNER:
Then why not kill Mulder? Or Agent Doggett? Why kill only this man?
SCULLY:
This man must have been a threat, because of something he knew.
SKINNER:
What?
SCULLY:
That I don't know.
SKINNER:
So even if we did know, and we're able to give word to them, It'd put Mulder and Agent Doggett in danger too.
(SCULLY and SKINNER exchange very worried looks)
SCENE 17 - THE RIG
(A shot of a photograph of a woman and two children, perhaps a wife and children. We pan back to DOGGETT and GARZA)
DOGGETT:
Photographia? Your family? You want to get back to them? I can help you. Señor. Confiema en.
GARZA:
Confio en nadie.
DOGGETT:
Right. Trust no one. (Pause) If you stay here, they will find you, just like your friend. (Pause) Let me go. I will get you back home. You have my word. Il promesso.
(GARZA looks at Doggett who nods his head in reassurance. Cut to: a man walking through the rig - we see it's DOGGETT)
TAYLOR:
Where's Garza?
(He looks menacingly towards DOGGETT)
TAYLOR:
Where is he?
DOGGETT:
I'll go get Agent Mulder.
(He turns away but TAYLOR grabs him around the neck. As they grapple with each other, DOGGETT sees with alarm the oil welling up in TAYLOR's eyes. Suddenly TAYLOR is hit from behind by MULDER. MULDER hits him repeatedly with a weapon which he then drops with a clang on the floor. He helps DOGGETT up)
MULDER:
Get up, Agent Doggett. There’s more where that came from.
(MULDER and DOGGETT run off and into the comms room)
MULDER:
You know anything about radio, Agent Doggett?
DOGGETT:
Yeah, I know a little.
MULDER:
Let's see what little you know and get that ship-to-shore working.
(MULDER secures the door)
DOGGETT:
Call who?
MULDER:
Anybody who can get us off here.
(Someone starts hammering on the door)
MULDER:
Get to work!
(As the attack on the door continues, MULDER stands armed with a metal pipe, while DOGGETT sits down at the radio. Cut to: outside the door: It's SAKSA. He stops kicking at the door and slowly looks around - crew members are standing there, one approaches him. We hear sounds of battering while oil starts to well up in the eyes of the watching crew members)
SCENE 18 - OIL RIG, NIGHT
(The Comms door is weakening. MULDER pushes furniture up against the door)
MULDER:
Agent Doggett!
DOGGETT:
I'm working on it.
(The static changes to music)
DOGGETT:
I think it's working but I'm getting Wagner.
MULDER:
Wagner?
(We hear strains of ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ on the radio)
DOGGETT:
What do you want?
MULDER:
I take it back. It's perfect.
(Doggett searches through the mess of wires and finds the microphone)
VOICE ON RADIO:
Orpheus , this is the Marine Operator. I repeat, this is an emergency priority transmission for the ‘Galplex’ Orpheus .
DOGGETT:
Yeah, you got John Doggett on board the ‘Galplex’ Orpheus . Come in.
(There is just static. The hammering on the door continues)
DOGGETT:
This is John Doggett.
SCULLY:
Agent Doggett?
DOGGETT:
Agent Scully, yeah, I'm right here.
SCULLY:
Can you hear me?
DOGGETT:
Yes!
SCULLY:
What was that?
MULDER:
That's someone knocking on the door.
(MULDER runs back to the door)
SCULLY:
Mulder, listen to me. I think I know why they killed this man, if not how they killed him.
DOGGETT:
Right now we got bigger problems. We need a chopper.
SCULLY:
We've got choppers on the way.
MULDER:
Tell her all the men here are infected. She's got to get the word to the choppers. Not to land on the platform.
DOGGETT:
Well, how they supposed to get us?
(The door is disintegrating)
MULDER:
Well, that problem is rapidly becoming moot!
DOGGETT:
Agent Scully, listen - there are three men on board here that are not infected, me, Mulder and a man named Diego Garza who may be mentally unstable, could be why he tried to wreck this radio room just like his friend Simon de la Cruz. He may resist rescue attempt because he believes there are men in flying saucers who are coming to get him. Do you get that, Agent Scully?
(During this, MULDER has picked up a metal pipe and approaches DOGGETT)
DOGGETT:
You're breaking up!
(MULDER pushes the radio which sparks on to the ground. MULDER kicks it repeatedly)
DOGGETT:
What the hell are you doing?
MULDER:
Destroying their ability to transmit just like Diego and Simon de la Cruz.
DOGGETT:
What are you talking about?
MULDER:
I'm talking about contact.
DOGGETT:
Contact with whom? The mother ship?
MULDER:
Agent Doggett, listen.
(He puts his hand on DOGGETT's chest. DOGGETT angrily brushes it off)
DOGGETT:
Now you just back off.
MULDER:
No, no, no, listen.
(There is silence. MULDER pushes the furniture away from the door and opens it. MULDER and DOGGETT exit - there's no one around)
DOGGETT:
Where they go?
MULDER:
I don't know, and I don't want to stick around to find out.
(They look around)
MULDER:
Let's go, Agent Doggett.
(MULDER runs through the rig, and climbs a metal ladder, DOGGETT following him)
DOGGETT:
Agent Mulder! I can't leave him.
MULDER:
Who?
DOGGETT:
Diego Garza.
(DOGGETT runs off)
MULDER:
Agent Doggett!
DOGGETT:
Diego! Diego!
(DOGGETT sees him in the shadows)
DOGGETT:
Diego, get up. Come on, let's go.
(He grabs GARZA, who slumps to the floor. He is covered in burns)
MULDER:
Is he coming?
(DOGGETT gets up)
DOGGETT:
No.
(They hear choppers approaching and run off to rendezvous with them. Cut to: helicopters approaching the oil rig. Cut to:)
VOICE ON RADIO:
Come in ‘Galplex’ Orpheus .
MULDER:
Agent Doggett, I think I know why they let us go.
DOGGETT:
What?! Agent Mulder, what are you talking about? What's going on?
MULDER:
They're going to blow the rig.
DOGGETT:
Who?
(They see several crew members approaching them)
DOGGETT:
Let's go.
(They run. As they run along a walkway, flames arise in front of them. They double back. There are flames everywhere. They run into crew members again. Changing direction they emerge out on the outside of the rig. The chopper is there. A loudspeaker message from the chopper: "Abandon rig!” The chopper pilot points down towards the sea)
DOGGETT:
What's he saying?
MULDER:
I think he wants us to jump.
(They both hesitate, looking down at the distance to the water's surface below them)
DOGGETT:
Now, wait a minute Agent Mulder, I'm in charge here. On two count.
MULDER:
How about a twenty count?
DOGGETT:
One! Two!
(As they both jump there are explosions and flames just above them. We see them falling in slow motion. Then the rig starts to collapse into the sea)
SCENE 19 - X-FILES OFFICE
(DOGGETT approaches the office, enters and picks up a box)
MULDER:
Where's the fire, Agent Doggett?
DOGGETT:
I've been called up to see Deputy Director Kersh. As have Agent Scully and A.D. Skinner. I think it's all hitting the fan.
MULDER:
You mean ‘Galplex’ Oil?
DOGGETT:
Word came down that ‘Galplex’ has lost the right to drill that entire Texas oil province.
MULDER:
That oil should stay right where it is. You should do everything in your power to make sure that it does.
DOGGETT:
Me?
(The phone rings but nobody answers)
MULDER:
That is the Deputy Director calling to tell you there is no need to see you. That the blame has been properly assigned for what happened out on that platform. I'm out. Eighty-Six-ed, Agent Doggett.
DOGGETT:
What do you mean. You're out of the FBI?
MULDER:
Kersh could barely contain his happiness. He stuck it to me.
DOGGETT:
So, you taking the fall?
(MULDER shrugs)
DOGGETT:
Not for me?
MULDER:
For you. For the X-Files. You're all the credibility this office has left. You have Kersh's ear and you have seen it now. Out on that platform. You saw it for yourself.
(The phone rings again)
MULDER:
Answer the phone, Agent Doggett. You're in charge here now.
(MULDER shakes DOGGETT's hand, then walks out the office. The phone continues to ring as DOGGETT looks at it…)
[THE END]
David Duchovny (Special Agent Fox Mulder), Gillian Anderson (Special Agent Dana Scully), Robert Patrick (Special Agent John Doggett),
James Pickens Jr (Deputy Director Kersh), Mitch Pileggi (A.D Skinner), Casey Biggs (Saska), Gregory Norman Cruz (Diego Garza), MC Gainey (Bo Taylor), Kevin C Loomis (Chef), Lee Reherman (Yuri), Miguel Sandoval (Martin Ortega), Luis Villalta (Simon de la Cruz), Steve Wilcox (Ed Dell)
Directed by Rod Hardy
TX:
US TX - 29th April 2001
Notes:
*Featuring Special Agent Fox 'Spooky' Mulder, Special Agent Dana Scully, Special Agent John Doggett and A.D. Walter Skinner
*‘Vienen’ is Spanish for ‘they come’