The X-Files (1993–…): Season 4, Episode 21 - Zero Sum - full transcript

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(beep)

Cover for me in case dorkface comes back.

- Where are you going?
- For a cigarette.

- You had one 15 minutes ago.
- 45 minutes.

Why don't you get
one of those patches or that gum?

- What do you think I'm chewing?
- Then maybe you should just quit.

Look, just cover for me, OK?

Tell her I got a stomach bug or somethini

(93595)

Thank you.



Jane, come on. You're gonna get in trouble.

Jane?

Hey, Jane.

(screams)

(dial tone)

(football game on TV)

(thud)

(keys jangling)

"Brody, Jane L_"

We've got the pathologist's work but
the crime scene hasn't been checked yet.

- Let me see what you got.
- Your name?

Special Agent Fox Mulder.

Workin' the late shift?

- Yeah. Somebody's got to.
- You need to sign that.



I'm all set here.

- Finished?
- Yeah. Thanks.

No problem.

Agent Mulder!

I'm glad I caught ya.

- Who are you?
- Detective Thomas. Ray Thomas.

I'm the one who e-mailed
the pictures to your office.

Officer Robbins said you'd come down
to take a look at the forensic evidence.

That's right.

So, does that mean you've found
something? Something worth lookin' into?

- I'm afraid not.
- No?

Nothing to recommend
my further involvement.

How do you explain the woman?

She walks into a bathroom. A minute later,
she turns up... Look, you saw the pictures.

I saw 'em.

I was told you were part of somethin' called
the X-Files. You'd look into stuff like this.

If there's really nothin' to this, why come
all the way here in the middle of the night?

I'm just doin' my job, Detective,
same as you.

- Oh, you are home.
- Yeah. What are you doin' here?

I was tryin' to reach you.
Your phone's off the hook.

I needed some sleep.

Is that why you're takin'
the garbage out at 4am?

- What do you want, Agent Mulder?
- I want some answers.

- Concerning?
- The death of a postal worker...

_.that somebody has gone
to great lengths to keep unexplained.

These photos were sent by a detective
who thought I might have a fresh take on it.

But when I went to retrieve them
from my e-mail,

somebody had hollowed out the files.

- Then where'd you get 'em?
- From his partner.

When?

After he finished questioning me
about the detective's death.

- What are you talking about?
- He was killed, execution-style.

His body was found near the precinct
two hours ago.

Possibly by the same person who forged
my name to gain access to the forensics lab.

- What do you want from me?
- I'd like your help on this, sir.

What about Agent Scully?

Agent Scully's in the hospital.

Has something happened?

She's undergoing some imaging tests.

Her oncologist was concerned that,
uh, her tumour may be metastasising

Anyway, I'd like you
to take a look at those photos, please.

Yeah, first thing in the morning.

You want me to, uh,
dump this on my way out?

No, I got it.

(sighs)

(tyres screeching)

Was it you?

Did you pull the trigger
or did you have him do it for you?

- I'm not here to answer your questions.
- You murdered him!

- You killed an officer of the law.
- Keep your voice down,___

_.unless you want your neighbours to know
the hours and the company you keep.

I won't be a party to murder.

I wouldn't get too comfortable
on your moral high ground, Mr Skinner.

This only happened
because you left your job unfinished.

I handled him just like I've handled
everything else you've asked me to do.

I've followed your instructions.

You failed to neutralise
a potentially compromising situation.

You didn't have to kill him.

He didn't have to die.

You're in no position to question
the terms of our arrangement.

Then we have no arrangement.

You'll find it's not that easy
to walk away from.

No?

A man digs a hole, he risks falling into it.

(phone ringing)

- Skinner.
- Her body's gone, sir.

- What are you talking about?
- The postal worker.

It was stolen from the morgue
along with any evidence

that might explain how she died.

- Slow down.
- I'm sorry, I can't.

I'm playing catch-up here.

The man who impersonated me at
the forensics lab replaced a blood sample.

How do you know?

The blood sample in the police forensics lab
is B-positive, as is the postal worker's_

She suffered from a mild form of anaemia
characterised by folic acid deziciency.

The blood sample at the police forensics lab
has a normal folio serum level.

Any suspects?

No, but I have a place to start.
The gun that killed Detective Thomas,__.

__Ballistics has identified it
as a Sig Sauer P-228.

Ballistics are running comps on all weapons

registered to federal agents
and local ofllcers.

Sir?

- Let me know what they find.
- I will.

(ringing)

- Yes.
- You can't do this!

You sound agitated, Mr Skinner.

- Was it my gun?
- Your gun?

Used to kill the detective.

If it was, you'd want to report it
to the police immediately.

- Don't think I won't.
- Then why are you calling me?

You realised you'd be admitting
to obstruction of justice,___

_.criminal conspiracy
and destruction of evidence?

The consequences could be very serious,---

_.even if you were able to persuade the
authorities that you didn't kill the detective.

What did I cover up?

I think the less you know, the better,
under the circumstances.

I need to know what that man died for.

He died for you, Mr Skinner:

He died so you could have what you wanted.

A cure for Agent Scully.
isn't that what you want?

Agent Scully is in the hospital.

If you can do anything for her,
I want it done now.

I'm aware of Agent Scully's progress.

If anything happens to her, I will
expose you. I'll turn state's evidence.

I don't care what happens to me.

Agent Scully stands to live
a long and healthy life.

I would hope the same for you, Mr Skinner.

(dial tone)

Right in here.

The police said we could use the bathroom.
But the truth is, no one wants to use it,...

_.not after what happened yesterday.

Do you mind my asking
what you're looking for?

I need a hammer.

Any reason you're not running this
through the FBI lab?

This evidence is classified.
We've had some controversy over security.

- I'd appreciate your discretion.
- Certainly.

- Can you tell what kind of bees made that?
- I might be able to give you an answer.

If I told you the bees that made that
could be lethal, would that help?

Any kind of bee can be lethal,
provided you get stung by enough of them.

Even Africanised honeybees, "killer bees",__.

_.have the same venom
as European honeybees.

It's just that they attack in swarms.

Ah, you may be in luck.

- What is it?
- Royal jelly.

A highly nutritious secretion
of the honeybee's pharyngeal gland.

It's fed to the very young larvae in a colony.

Here, see for yourself.

Is that gonna hatch?

Once they pupate, I should be able
to give you some definitive answers.

The minute you learn something,
I'd appreciate a call.

Is this related to that other case?

- If you don't mind my asking.
- What other case?

I got a call from an agent about six months
ago, asking me about killer bees.

- Who was it?
- Uh, name was Fox Mulder.

I wondered if there's any connection.

No.

Anyway, I'll call you.

Sir?

You looking for me?

I was just writing you a note.

- Where have you been?
- First Nations Bank of Virginia.

- What am I looking at?
- The bank is adjacent...

_.to where the detective was killed.

A surveillance camera caught this.
That man is Detective Thomas.

This man in the baseball hat was identified
by the officer on duty at the forensics lab...

_.as "Agent Mulder".

- Can you get a usable image off this?
- I'm gonna deliver it to Special Photo now.

What did you want to talk to me about?

You were writing me a note.

I was, uh, I was
just checking on your progress.

Ms Covarrubias? I'm Walter Skinner,
an assistant director at the FBI.

- Yes?
- I was hoping you could help me.

I understand Agent Fox Mulder has been
in contact with you about a project.

A project?

An agricultural project
involving bees or bee husbandry.

Yes, but I wasn't able
to give him any information.

Why was that?

The project he cited
turned up no viable evidence.

- Evidence of what?
- Beehives or bee husbandry.

What if I said I had access to that evidence?

You have access to these bees?

I may, soon. Very soon.

(faint buzzing)

(screaming, groaning)

- Agent Mulder.
- Thanks for gettin' here so quickly.

- What is it?
- A break. Maybe even a lead.

I wanted you to look at this body
before somebody stole it.

See these pocks and blisters?

They're the same as we saw
on the deceased postal worker.

- Symptoms of what?
- Smallpox.

The first reported case in over seven years.

Smallpox?

It's an especially virulent strain
caused by a mutated variola virus.

Caused how? How could he have contracted
a disease that doesn't even exist anymore?

From these.

What are they?

Bee stingers and venom sacs recovered
from the victim's face, arm and neck.

He was stung by bees carrying smallpox?

He was a forensic entomologist. I consulted
him months ago about a similar fatality.

- You've seen this before.
- But I've never had any evidence until now.

I think that's what somebody's
trying to prevent.

- Why?
- I can only guess.

I think somebody is trying
to engineer a method of delivery,...

_.for a disease that has killed
more people throughout history

than any other contagion_

- I can suggest an appropriate response...
- Can they be stopped?

We don't know who they are. And we won't
until we know the identity of that shooter.

- How close are you?
- Very.

I've got a photo tech
working on the surveillance video.

He can show me something soon.
I told him you'd authorise the overtime.

Of course.

I'm gonna go over there right now.

Tell me what you find.

(man) Just grabbin' a cup of coffee.

Misty Nagatta?

My name is Walter Skinner.

I was just going. We only get a ten-minute
break, and my supervisor's pretty strict.

I need to talk to you, Misty.

- About your coworker.
- If this is about Jane,.__

_.I already told the police everything I know.

Everything?

- I don't wanna lose my job.
- You're not gonna lose anything.

I'm asking you to cooperate
in a criminal investigation.

Jane? What do you mean?

Jane's death may not have been
an accident.

What?

She was my best friend.

I'm sorry.

We worked it out
so that our vacations overlapped.

We were going to Palm Beach.

Both of us were tryin' to lose weight
so we could buy new bathing suits.

The men who came here,.._

_.they said if I talked to anyone,
I'd lose my job.

Did these men say who they were?

No, and I didn't ask.
They just wanted the package.

What package?

Damaged packages are routed here
for inspection before they get reshipped.

The place where these packages are kept,
how close is it to the rest room?

It's just the next door down the hall.
They've got a storage room.

The damaged package that they wanted,
do you remember where it was being sent?

No. Not offhand_

- Is there any way of finding out?
- I can look up the tracking number.

That would be a big help to me, Misty.

And maybe to Jane.

We went through every inch of that tape
to find the best angle for identification.

It was videotape, shot at a distance,
under extreme low light.

So this is the best you could do?

It's better than I thought it would be.
I tried every trick.

I'm not trying to be difficult.
It's just that this is very important to me.

I need to be sure.

(tapping on keyboard)

I need you to print out
a hard copy of that for me.

This is the last remaining specimen.

The bees from the scientist's house
have been contained and destroyed.

And the body?

It also has been sanitised.

How did this happen?

The details are unimportant.

Details are everything.

Much more important
than your vague assurances.

You'll have to trust my assurance
that all breaches have been handled.

Handled by whom?

I have a man in place.

A man with no other choice but to succeed.

And what "assurance" can you give us
that he can be trusted?

We can't risk even the slightest exposure.

He has nothing to expose,...

_.except his own duplicity_

Should we assume that the trial run
is proceeding as planned?

It's already begun.

(bee buzzing)

- Hey, it's my turn.
- No, it isn't.

OW! OW!

(buzzing)

Mrs Kemper! Billy got stung by a bee!

Mrs Kemper!

(bees buzzing/children screaming)

Everyone, inside! Everybody, inside!

Inside! Move it, move it!

(screaming continues)

Slow down!

Oh, my God! David!

David, get up!

Quick!

Come on! Run!

(screaming)

(machines beeping)

Dr Linzer?

My name's Walter Skinner.

You're overseeing the treatment
of these children?

YSS.

- You'll wanna hear me out.
- I'm in the middle of it.

If you're treating them
for bee stings, you're wrong.

- What should I be treating them for?
- Smallpox.

Is this a joke?

Every child in this town who hasn't already
been infected needs to be vaccinated.

We don't vaccinate against smallpox
because there is no smallpox.

Run tests if you don't believe me.

I don't need to. Smallpox
has an eight-day incubation period...

_.and these kids were stung a few hours ago.

How do you reconcile that?

I can't.

Excuse me.

Let me know when you've got an answer.
In the meantime, I've got things to do.

- Doctor!
- Mr Skinner?

How do you know who I am?

Because you contacted me.
I'm Marita Covarrubias.

What are you doing here?

Your call about those bees
prompted me to make inquiries.

Into what?

Seven packages that were sent from Canada
to a PO box in Payson, South Carolina.

I came here to find out
what was in those packages.

- You're a little late to do anything about it.
- So are you, apparently.

What brought you here?

You came to me for information,

but you still haven't told me
what you know about this.

My office has to answer to the
Secretary-General of the United Nations.

This is a very serious matter.
I need to know what's going on.

I think it's some kind of experiment.

- An experiment?
- Using bees as carriers.

That's what was in those packages?

- Have you told Agent Mulder this?
- Not yet.

- Why not?
- I can't.

Why?

- Are you involved in this, Mr Skinner?
- I didn't.._

- No, I'm not involved.
- Then what are you doing here?

- What aren't you telling me?
- Nothing.

If you Know who's behind this, you have to
come forvvarcl, Mr Skinner. No one else can.

Put the gun down
and move away from the desk.

- I was just calling...
- I said put the gun down!

(sighs)

You don't understand.

No. I do now.

No, you don't.

Is that the gun you shot the detective with?

No!

You shot an innocent man.

- I didn't kill him!
- You're a liar!

You've been working
with the Smoking IVlan.

You knew when he killed my father
and when they took Scully.

- Listen to me.
- I've heard enough.

He set me up!
He stole my gun and then he put it back!

So the police are probably on their way.

- I don't believe you.
- Look at my desk drawer, Agent Mulder.

Look at it!

Why would I force my own lock?

If I lied to you...

I have lied to you,
and I won't make excuses for those lies.

But there's a reason that I did what I did.

One that I think you're in
a unique position to understand.

I advised you against a certain
course of action some time ago,...

_.concerning Agent Scully.

I didn't follow my own advice.

Give me the gun.

How soon will you know if that's
the weapon that killed Detective Thomas?

As long as it takes to put one of these slugs
into a scope and run a comp.

This is the slug we recovered
from the detective's body.

You see this stria here and here?

They're rifling patterns,
imprinted from the barrel of the same gun.

So this is definitely the murder weapon?

If I were called to testify,
I'd say without a doubt.

So where'd you find it?

In a sewer grate, around the corner
from the crime scene.

- Hm.
- Sometimes you get lucky.

- And sometimes you don't, right?
- What do you mean?

The serial number - it's been filed clean off.

Now, unless Forensics pulled a print,
this gun's virtually untraceable.

(Skinner) Leave it off.

I'm starting to get used to the dark.

- Is this part of our deal?
- We never had a deal.

No?

Agent Scully is dying
and you haven't done a damn thing about it.

- You think that's funny?
- Just enjoying the irony, Mr Skinner.

Only yesterday you said you wouldn't
be party to murder. And now here you are.

Yours isn't the first gun
I've had pointed in my face, Mr Skinner.

I'm not afraid to die.

But if you kill me,
you'll also kill Agent Scully.

You have no intention of saving her.
You never did.

Are you certain?

I saved her life once before
when I had her returned to Agent Mulder.

I may save her life again.

But you'll never know
if you pull the trigger, will you?

(phone ringing)

Now, unless you intend to kill me,
I'd like to answer my phone.

(ringing continues)

(ringing continues)

(ringing)

Yes?

He was just here.

He threatened to kill me.

I'm sure Mulder will be contacting you.

He'll want to know if Skinner's
seen all there is to see.

I'll tell him what you want me to tell him.

Tell him what he wants to hear.

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