The X-Files (1993–…): Season 5, Episode 9 - Schizogeny - full transcript

A teenager becomes the prime suspect in his stepfather's odd murder. Mulder is not buying it since the man was literally swallowed by the ground. After another parent is killed by a tree, the suspicion falls on someone close to the kids.

Bobby?

Phil. I've had it with that kid, Patti.

I've already
talked to him.

Yeah, like
he ever listens.

did you hear
me calling your name?

Get up! what are you doin'?

You think this is why I go to work
every day so you can sit on your ass?

What did I do?
What'd you do?

You never do anything.
That's the problem.

What kind of a loser are
you gonna turn out to be?

Put your boots on.



you don't
leave my tools out in the rain.

Tools are for work.
They cost money.

All right,
I'll put it away.

After you've finished.
Pick it up.

I'm not gonna let your mother watch
you grow up to be some kind of a jerk.

Fine. I'll put it
away... Phil.

No way.
You'll finish the job.

Now.

Get away from me!

- Get away from me now!
- Bobby!

Bobby!

Where are you going?
Come back here, Bobby!

I'm calling you!
Can't you hear me?

Bobby! Bobby!



Bobby!

Bobby!

Bobby!

Bobby?

Bobby!

Bobby!

Bobby!

No.

Twelve pounds,
nine ounces.

All that came out
of his stomach?

Most of it. The small amount
in his lungs is what killed him.

Is it possible that he took
the term "mud pie" literally?

I'm sure if Mr. Rich were alive,
he would find some humor in that.

According to his police report, Mr.
Rich was a man who could tell a joke.

He grew up here, worked
the same fields for 20 years.

Well liked around town.

Funny he should
turn up murdered.

Is that what you concluded?

I have concluded that this
man's head was held forcibly...

Down in the Michigan mud
just a little too long,

Most likely by his stepson who was named
in the report as Bobby rich, age 16.

According to the same report, the
coroner had to hire a backhoe...

To remove the body, which was buried
completely in a standing vertical position.

There is some indication that his
stepson may have dug the hole...

And that a recent rainstorm may have
helped turn it into a muddy trap.

- Some rainstorm.
- They say it rained 400 inches a day.

Now, that sounds like an
exaggeration, don't you think?

Would you like me to show
how he may have done it?

How a 6'4", 250-Pound man
was buried alive...

In less than five minutes
by a 16-Year-Old kid...

Whose classmates lovingly
refer to as "dork weed"?

He may have had
an accomplice.

"Ich bin ein auslander."

"I am an outsider."

When Kennedy told the Germans
"ich bin ein Berliner,"

He was actually saying
"I'm a cocktail sausage."

Who's Kennedy?

I'm not here to accuse you
of anything, Bobby.

What are you
here for, then?

I want to hear your story.

I tried to help.
I couldn't.

Well, the police aren't entirely
convinced that that's the truth.

So, what the hell am I
supposed to do about it?

They want me to confess
so they have someone to blame.

Right.
But, you see,

You're not making it very easy
for them to believe otherwise.

You understand that?

what can I say?

Everybody knows I hated him.

They were real close
when Bobby was little.

Always kidding around
and stuff.

But Bobby sort of got into
that teenage stage,

And he don't want
to listen to nobody.

And that came to a head
last night?

Phil was late comin' home.

He'd been stressed out
'cause of the blight and stuff.

How do you mean? The hazelnut
trees all got a disease.

And... Bobby don't help things
out with his attitude and stuff.

Did Phil instigate
what happened?

It's hard to tell
what starts these things.

Phil could be stern, just like
his own father was to him...

But I never saw him
raise his hand.

And when I saw him
lying in the mud,

I half-Expected him to pull me in,
like he had planned it or something.

Did he ever hurt you?

Phil, he used to get off
shoving me around, yeah.

Did you ever shove him back?

he's twice as big as me.

That's why some people thought
you might have dug the hole,

Or attacked him when he fell in
the hole, 'cause he was down there.

That's their problem,
isn't it?

Do you remember what was going
through your head at the time?

I guess... I felt
he had it comin'.

He was kneeling over Phil,
struggling real hard and stuff.

Could you tell that he was
definitely trying to help him?

It seemed that way to me.

You know, there's
a strong chance...

The police are gonna
arrest your son for murder.

I don't see how.

But if they do,

And if there's evidence of abuse
that you're not coming forward with,

It could hurt his chances.

I know everything happens
for a reason,

But I still don't see
no reason for this.

They're all dying.

According to Bobby's mother, that's
the big reason why her husband blew up.

His hazelnut orchard was hit with
a blight. So he pounds the kid?

And the kid pounds back.
Is that what she told you?

Well, not in so many words. Actually,
she won't admit to any abuse in the house.

I suspect she's just trying to move on
and protect what family she's got left.

The kid says his stepfather
teed off on him regularly.

Is that his excuse? No,
that's his explanation.

He says he's innocent.

What do you think?

I think he's
a hard kid to love.

I'm still finding it hard to reconcile
the facts with the physical evidence.

Even if he didn't dig this hole, the
disease could have killed root systems,

Creating weakened soil.

Then how did the victim
swallow 12 pounds of this stuff?

Well, when you fight for air,
a vacuum is created.

And maybe once he sucked down
a mouthful of mud,

It turned his esophagus
into a siphon.

And with his head pushed down, it filled
all of his passages like a gas can.

Well, you asked me for answers.
Those are the best ones I've got.

Did you ask if anybody else
might be involved?

His mother says that Bobby
can't make friends.

He's been in therapy
for his anger since 1995.

That could be me.

- What is it?
- Someone's watching us.

Sir?

Hello?

Who was it?
I don't know.

He's gone.

Lisa.

What are you doing here?

I called you last night. How
come you didn't call me back?

They're saying
you killed him, Bobby.

I finally stood up to him.

Psycho! Think fast.

Just get away from me, okay? Or what?

What are you
gonna do, huh?

Maybe I'll kill
you too, huh?

Psycho killer!

See? All you gotta
do is stand up.

I'll see you later, then.

Karin Matthews?

yes?

we're agents Mulder
and Scully from the F.B.I.

I hope my directions were clear.
I'm a little tucked away.

I first worked with Bobby
after an incident at school.

He's had difficulty
developing relationships,

And this difficulty
has caused him to act out.

In what way?

By putting on certain airs,
affecting an attitude...

That has drawn the wrong
kind of attention to himself.

I've seen him come in here
pretty beaten up.

Physical violence?
More than just kid stuff.

Was his stepfather
ever involved?

I'm not free to speak with
perfect frankness, of course.

If you know that Bobby committed a crime,
you're under legal obligation to tell us.

Bobby once spilled
a glass of milk at dinner.

For the next two weeks, he was
forced to eat in the cellar.

No table, no chair,
no light.

Sometimes he was left down there
until the following morning.

You see, there are
all sorts of crimes,

Not just the ones you might
find reason to investigate.

So you're saying Bobby would have
good reason to kill his father?

I'm saying there are some crimes
where there are only victims.

You're free not to answer,
Miss Matthews,

Or you're free to make
these vague allusions,

But your evasiveness is only gonna land
this kid in jail for a long, long time.

I'm not sure I understand.

You make it sound
like a justification,

Like Bobby did it,
and I don't think he did.

Hey, what are you doin'?

Going home. Well, I,
uh-- I waited for you.

I thought, uh,
we were gonna talk, so--

You scared me today, Bobby. Why?

Was it because I stood up
for myself, or, um...

Because I didn't let them
beat me up like usual?

I gotta go.
You gotta stand up, Lisa.

You gotta tell your dad you're
not gonna put up with this crap.

There's a way...

To make it go away...
forever.

What the hell business
you got with him?

Nothing.
He's just a friend.

I don't want you
seeing that kid.

I don't want him coming
round here. Do you hear me?

Stop it, okay? I'm doing
what's right for you.

Just shut up!

The victim's name was...
Eugene Baiocchi, 40s.

He was a foreman for one of the
local growers, a single parent.

Did you get a look
at the body?

It had already been removed. I think
it's pretty clear what killed him, though.

From what they put together, they've all
but concluded he was pushed out the window.

- Pushed out? - His daughter Lisa
made the 9-1-1 call at 8:08 p.m.

She says she and her father
had a fight.

- About what?
- Bobby.

I don't want you to worry
about anything, all right?

I'll be here for you
as much as possible.

But they're going to come
and ask you some questions,

And the most important thing
is that you feel comfortable.

If you don't feel comfortable answering
them, then I don't want you to answer them.

Can I have a moment
with Lisa?

Was Lisa another
of your clients?

Lisa? Yes,
for four years.

What were you
treating her for?

An eating disorder.

Have you asked her
what happened?

Isn't that your job?

We gather that she had a fight
with her father over Bobby rich.

Well, it doesn't
surprise me.

Lisa's father was very
disapproving of her generally,

Which stemmed to a lot
of her problems.

Had you counseled her father? No.

My approach is
with the victims solely,

To allow them
to empower themselves.

In what ways? By breaking
the cycle of abuse,

By owning it, by confronting it
and by standing up against it.

It seems to be working.

When I told Lisa her aunt was
coming to pick her up tomorrow,

She started to cry.

It wasn't out of sorrow.

Three guesses who followed Lisa
home last night...

And was sitting out front in his father's
truck just minutes before this happened.

- Does she think Bobby did it?
- She thinks he's quite capable.

I think we're all
quite capable.

She says that he also threatened
to kill a boy in school yesterday.

Come here.
Take a look at this.

If Lisa's father was pushed out the window,
then all the glass would be on the outside.

There's glass here
on the inside.

The paint on the mullions is cracked
on the outside, not on the inside here.

I don't understand.

It seems to me like some
facts have been assumed.

It looks to me like Lisa's father
was pulled out the window, not pushed.

How?
That I don't know.

Well, there's
nowhere to stand.

Even if he did use a ladder,
there'd be no leverage.

I mean, especially
for a scrawny 16-Year-Old kid.

That's my point exactly.

Sodium hydroxide
and hydrochloric acid.

All right, class. There will
be a quiz on this tomorrow.

- May I help you?
- I'm sorry to interrupt.

I need to ask you
to come with us, please.

- What for?
- To answer some questions.

About what?

I don't want to have to embarrass
you in front of your class.

Well, I ain't embarrassed.

I'm fairly certain this man
died from a broken neck.

But there was a substantial
amount of blood loss, wasn't there?

Yes, but the cuts all missed the artery.
I have x rays if you don't believe me.

It's the fourth
and fifth vertebrae.

Have you determined if the neck
injury was caused by the fall?

Well, what else
would it have been?

Have you seen this?

What do you make
of this here?

Oh.

Are you satisfied?

No, I'm not.
Mm.

Scully.

- What is that?
- Evidence.

Of what?

Are you just
trying to scare him?

No, I think he's
scared enough as it is.

Of what?

I'll help get the rest
of your things packed.

But I think it's best you go to
your aunt's as soon as possible.

When did she say
she was coming?

First thing in the morning.

Hey.

Feel it.
It's okay.

Come on.

you never learn.

I'm sorry. Please--
Please just don't yell.

What will you ever
amount to?

Stop it.
Stop it!

Where are you going?
Up to my room.

you're ruining my life.

You hear me?

I wish you'd
never been born.

What are you looking for?

That splinter you're holding
came from Mr. Baiocchi's neck,

But it didn't come
from the broken window.

Where did it come from?
It's greenwood.

Fresh from a living tree.

What?
Excuse me.

It's been a few years.

You think that Bobby climbed this tree
to pull Lisa's father out of that window?

It kinda begs the question,
doesn't it?

Hey, Scully,
is this demonstration...

Of boyish agility
turning you on at all?

Who are you?
I take care of the trees.

Scully?

I didn't expect you to be
standing right there behind me.

You were watching us
the other day in the orchard.

The trees are dying.

- Scully!
- Maybe you should come down here, Mulder.

Do you, uh, know what kind
of tree this came from?

Same as this tree.

You, uh, said these trees were
dying. This splinter's live wood.

twenty years ago this happens.

What causes this?

A very bad man.

the little
snoop. She's just like you.

Where is she?

Ms. Matthews, we'd like
to ask you a few questions.

About what?
Your father's death.

We need to clarify
a few details.

My father?
He died 20 years ago.

Yeah, under rather
curious circumstances.

His body was pulled
from the mud of an orchard?

I-I'm sorry.
I was just a young girl, uh--

I don't know why
you want to talk to me.

We just thought it was strange that
you didn't bother to mention it.

I don't see that it matters.

We spoke to someone who thinks it does,
someone who worked for your father.

According to the orchard man, your
father's death brought about...

The end of a blight
affecting the trees.

My father was a powerful man, and powerful
men are prone to inspire this kind of fantasy.

Don't tell me you've
been taken in by it too.

Is Lisa still staying
with you? No, she's not.

She's gone to her aunt's.
Look, I'm sorry I can't help.

Help me!

I'm down here! Help!

Lisa.

Lisa.
Karin?

Karin!

Karin.

Karin. Lisa, you've got to be quiet,

Quiet as a mouse, or he's
going to hear you down there.

Karin, I'm scared.
Let me out, please.

I will, but not
until it's safe.

Karin? Karin, I don't
want to stay down here.

Please let me out!

Karin.

Mulder, whatever you're
hoping we find here,

Without a court order
it won't be admissible.

I'm not expecting it to be.

Mulder,
where's the body?

Yes?
I'm Linda Baiocchi.

Lisa's aunt.

Are you Karin?
Yes.

- Is Lisa here?
- No. She went--

She's gone
to the bus station.

She has?
But it was all arranged.

I don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry.
There must've been a misunderstanding.

help me! I'm down here!

don't leave! I'm down here!

Aunt Linda, I'm down here!

- What are you doing down there?
- Just get me out, please!

Okay. I-It'll be okay.
I'm gonna call the police.

Mulder, you
still haven't answered my question.

What happened to Karin's father?
Why would anybody steal his body?

I don't think this was an
act of grave robbing, Scully.

No, that's what we were doing.
More like an act of nature.

What do you mean? The orchard
man said that the blight...

That plagues this town was caused
by a man, implying a connection.

I'm a little afraid to ask
what kind of connection.

Between the people of this valley
and their livelihood-- The trees.

Look at the victims, Scully.

Bobby's father, Lisa's father--
And Karin's father 20 years ago.

All men who worked in these orchards,
their lives and deaths tied to these trees.

We removed this sliver of
greenwood from Lisa's father's neck.

And the bruise that you found on Bobby's
father's ankle could've been caused by a root,

The same root system that pulled
Karin's father from his grave.

Mulder, there is a connection
between these deaths,

One that provides
a clear motive and intent.

These were abused children.

Who couldn't
defend themselves.

What, so nature
did it for them?

Something did it for them,
or someone controlling nature.

Karin said she was counseling
Bobby and Lisa to empower them.

I think we should
talk to them.

I called Lisa at her aunt's house 20
minutes ago, and there was no answer.

- Then we should talk to Bobby.
- Mulder, we've already questioned him twice.

Maybe we haven't asked him
the right question.

I don't know what you're
talking about. Yes, you do.

Maybe you hated your stepfather,
but you didn't kill him.

You don't have it in you.

That's good. That's
really good. Can I go now?

No. You can't go
until you tell me the truth.

For the first time in your life,
people are taking you seriously,

And I think they
should take you seriously.

I think you're
a serious kid.

You're not an outsider
anymore, huh?

Yeah. I'm thinking about
running for A.S.B. President.

So why don't you
just give it up?

Why don't you give it up?

Why don't you tell me
what happened that night?

You took the shovel to him, but
you couldn't do it, so you ran.

You ran to the orchard, but not
because you dug a hole or laid a trap.

Because you were afraid.

Not of Phil.

You weren't afraid of Phil. Phil
never hit you or hurt you in that way.

In fact, I think
you wanted to help Phil.

you wanted to save him.

You didn't want Phil
to die, did you?

What were you afraid of?

I couldn't do it.

You couldn't do what?
I couldn't stand up to him...

But she made me--

She who?

Ka-- Karin.

Karin, she--
She made me, uh--

You're a loser!
You understand me?

I wish you would have never been
born! You're ruining my life!

Karin made you what?

She made me say
those things.

She had me pretend
that I was him,

That I was Phil.

She made you believe you were a
victim, but you weren't, were you?

She said I have
the power...

To-- To make it
all go away.

But I-- But I didn't mean
for him to die.

It's okay.

you think
you can hide down there?

You think you're safe?

you'll wish you were dead.

Karin?

Scully, take
a look at this.

Mulder.

Talk about
putting down roots.

what the hell is going on here?

I think we're looking
at Karin Matthews' father.

But how did he get here?

The same way Bobby's father
got pulled down in that mud.

- Mulder, I-- - This has to do with
Karin, with her own father's abuse.

It was never Bobby that was
locked in the cellar. It was Karin.

- Karin caused all this.
- You think Karin is the killer?

I think she's the killer
and the victim.

Lisa.

Where's Karin?

you're gonna be okay.

You stay with her, Scully.

- I need to see Bobby.
- I'm sorry, Bobby's not here.

He's in danger!
Get away from here, please.

Bobby!
He's not here!

where is he?

Bobby! Bobby!

Bobby!

- Bobby!

Stay away from me!

I'm warning you.

you're pathetic.

You little piece
of garbage.

Karin, stop!

- You stay away from him!
- Stand up to him!

Karin deserves
what she gets.

Make him stop, Karin!

Tell him what you should've
told him 20 years ago.

- You're not gonna take it anymore!
- Karin's dead.

It's done now.

No more.

coats grove authorities
conducted a detailed examination...

Of the soil and root composition
in the rich family orchard,

But could not explain what pulled Karin
Matthews' body into the Michigan mud;

Nor could the authorities determine
how the body of Karin's father...

Was pulled from its grave into her
root cellar three years earlier.

While the forensic data is inconclusive,
I believe the explanation lies...

In hospital records dating back
to Karin's childhood,

Which suggests she herself
was a victim of abuse.

Rage, unconfronted,
takes its own path.

I believe it was
Karin's unconfronted rage...

That forced her to face
her buried father.

This same rage made her imagine
victims in the children around her,

Trying to instill in them a
strength she never found in herself.

What happened to Karin Matthews in
the orchard that night was a release,

Release for a victim who, unable
to face up to her own past,

Was finally consumed by it.

I made this!