A family drives up to their house. All around are people protesting against them. The boy in the car, Jason, has cancer, but his parents refuse treatment on religious grounds.
During the night Jason is awaken by the sound of trees hitting against his window. When he goes to look, he sees some men, surrounded by light.
ACT ONE
Scully is headed out the door for work when she finds a newspaper on her doorstep. It tells of Jason, and how he was healed by angels.
At the office, Scully is ready to tell Mulder what she found, but he beats her to it. Someone from the Defense Advanced
Research Project’s Agency (DARPA) sent him an anonymous email about the boy.Scully tells him about the newspaper she found, which she doesn’t subscribe to. Mulder tells her that he’s going to go over to DARPA and for her to find out what she can about the boy.
MULDER: I just gotta know whether it was Roma Downey or Della Reese.
GOOCHLAND, VIRGINIA
Scully goes to see Jason, and he is indeed better, except he has an implant in the base of his neck.
When Scully gets back into her car, she finds Cancerman sitting in the passenger seat. She yells at him to get out.
From the window, he asks her if she’s not at all curious as a medical doctor about the chip that was put in the boy’s, and her own, neck. He tells her that he’s gone to great lengths to prove his intentions – the newspaper, the email, and the demonstration of saving the boy. He tells her that he is dying, and that he wants to make right and share his secrets, and use the cure to save more people. Scully asks if he wants to give the cure to them, and he says he wants to give it to her only, and not Mulder. He says that she can’t tell Mulder anything, or he won’t give her anything, and will take the secrets to his grave.
He drives away, but has left a phone number on her seat.
FBI HEAD QUARTERS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
At the office, Scully calls the number (202-555-1030) that she was given. She hangs up and decides to trace the call.
Scully arrives at the address. She is in what looks like some kind of government facility. She starts to leave, but the guards stop her. She tells them that she made a mistake and just walked through the wrong door, but they demand I.D.
Scully shows them her badge and they automatically give her a visitor’s pass. She’s been expected.
Scully enters the room marked “C.G.B. Spender.”
As she walks through the door, someone is watching her.
In his office, Scully talks to Cancerman.
CSM: In the end, a man finally looks at the sum of his life, to see what he will leave behind. Most of what I’ve worked to build is in ruins. Now that the darkness descends, I find I have no real legacy.
Scully asks Cancerman what he is dying of, and he tells her that its cerebral inflammation, a consequence of the brain surgery he had in the fall. The doctors have given him just a few months to live. She asks if he wants to use her to clean the slate and make himself a respectable person, and tells him that it won’t work. He tells her that so many people are dying of cancer, and they’re wasting time with the past.
Scully asks him where the ‘miracle cure’ is, and he tells her that they need to take a trip that will require a few days. She sarcastically says that she’ll get back to him, turns, and starts to walk away.
He stops her by saying that he has access. He has miraculous chips, with the genetic research that makes them work, that are closely guarded. He says that there are men in the building who would kill them both in the blink of an eye for the offer he is giving to her. He tells her that he’s destroyed a lot of things in his life, including the people most precious to him, and all that he wants is a chance to do something in service to man before he goes.
Mulder enters his apartment and checks the answering machine. It’s Scully, who tells him that she will be out of town for a few days because of a family emergency, and that she will call him as soon as she can.
Scully is at her apartment packing when her phone rings. She lets the answering machine pick it up. It’s Mulder, but she doesn’t answer it.
Before she turns around to Cancerman who has been in the room, she unbuttons her shirt and fixes a tape recorder microphone inside her bra.
ACT TWO
Scully is driving herself and Cancerman to where he wants to take her, but she is scared that she is doing the wrong thing. She keeps fidgeting with her blouse.
He starts to smoke, but she doesn’t like it so he throws the cigarette out the window and tells her that it’s time he quits. She asks, “Just like that?” He says that no sacrifice is purely altruistic. People give, expecting to receive. Scully asks him what it is that he’s expecting to receive. He answers simply, “Trust.” He tells her that she’s questioned his sincerity and thinks he’s heartless. He asks if it would soften her opinion of him if he confessed that he’s always had a particular affection for her. He says that he assures her his intentions are honorable – he holds affection for Mulder too, however for her he holds a special affection. He held her life in his hands – her cancer was terminal, and he had to cure it. He asks if she can imagine what that power is like. He’s giving that to her.
Mulder is worried about Scully. He goes to her apartment and has the landlord let him in. Mulder asks him questions, and he reveals that she left with a tall man that smokes a lot. Mulder leaves without even looking in her apartment.
Scully is still driving, and CSM tells her that she’s been at the wheel to long, and that she should let him take a turn driving. She says that she might if he tells her where he’s going. He asks her if that would make her feel comfortable, and make her trust him.
CSM: How long did it take Mulder to win your trust?
SCULLY: I’ve always trusted Mulder.
CSM: You’re not being honest with yourself. Think back. There was a time when you feared for your future, for your career. When you first partnered with this man. I told you, I’ve studied you for years. And if you would permit me, I’d like to make an observation…You’re drawn to powerful men, but you fear their power. You keep your guard up. A wall around your heart. How else do you explain that fearless devotion to a man obsessed, at a life alone? You’d die for Mulder, but you won’t allow yourself to love him.
During this, Scully doesn’t say anything, and it’s obvious it’s true. She’s surprised that he knows this.
He tells her that all his life he’s been a destroyer, but that before he dies, he’d like to prove that he’s capable of something more.
Cancerman tells Scully to turn left, so he can show her what he’s capable of.
As they drive, the camera pans to show that the man that was watching Scully before, is following them.
The two of them arrive at a woman, Margery Butter’s, house. CSM tells Scully that she considers him her angel because he saved her life. She is 118 years old.
When Scully sees the woman, she sees the implant scar in the back of her neck.
After Margery goes into her house, Cancerman says to Scully that it’s great to feel such joy from her because he saved her – that must be why she became a doctor.
Mulder goes to see Skinner and asks for his help in finding Scully. He doesn’t know where to look.
Suddenly the phone rings. It’s Scully. She tells them that she’s sorry she called his private line, but he doesn’t care, he’s just worried. She tells him that she’s okay, and she wants him to tell Mulder that as well. Skinner tells her that Mulder is standing there, and he goes to hand the phone to him. Mulder seems happy to hear from her, but Scully tells Skinner that she doesn’t need to talk to him, and just to tell him that she is all right. Obviously she can’t lie to Mulder.
Scully stops the car at the gas station and tells Cancerman that she has to use the restroom. Meanwhile, Cancerman puts
gasoline in the car.Inside the restroom, after checking to make sure no one is there, Scully talks into the tape recorder as if she were talking to Mulder. She tells him that she’s safe and she tells him her location. She proceeds to take the recorder off and switch the tape. She puts the old tape into an envelope and writes Mulder’s name on it.
On the way out of the bathroom, Scully sneaks and puts the envelope in the mailbox, and then heads back to the car.
In the car, from the driver’s seat, Cancerman offers Scully a lifesaver, but she declines. He tells her that she might as well get comfortable, they’ve got a lot of driving ahead of them.
As Scully and Cancerman pull away, a man who has been following them, has Scully’s letter.
ACT THREE
1:04 AM
Cancerman and Scully finally get where they are going. Scully is asleep in the passenger seat. Cancerman (fatherly) gently pushes a strand of hair that has fallen into Scully’s eye, off of her face.
The Lone Gunmen arrive at Mulder’s apartment. They are in disguise and look really funny. They tell Mulder that Scully’s
email account has had some deleted emails of her corresponding with “Cobra,” that weren’t deleted from her hard drive. They
tell him that she has gone to great lengths for him not to find out. He knows it’s not true.In the morning, Scully wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, in her pajamas. She searches everywhere for the recorder and realizes that it is still on her.
She goes out into the kitchen and yells at him for drugging her. He tells her that he didn’t, and that she fell asleep. He carried her into the bedroom and changed her so she was more comfortable.
Scully asks where they are, and he tells her “Milford Pennsylvania.” She tells him that that wasn’t part of the deal, and she doesn’t know what he’s up to.
Scully is mad and starts to leave, but he says that she can leave whenever she wants, so she doesn’t.
Meanwhile, she is being watched from the man again, who is hiding in the bushes.
Mulder comes into Skinner’s office unannounced, followed by the Lone Gunmen. They explain that someone has been posing at Scully by hacking into her computer, and has been corresponding with Cobra, in order to gain his trust. One of the messages tells of a meeting and an exchange.
Mulder is upset and thinks that she is in trouble.
6:22 PMCancerman comes into Scully’s room and gives her a black evening gown, and tells her that they have a dinner meeting.
The two of them come into the restaurant. Scully looks really beautiful.
Cancerman explains to her that a scientist, Cobra is coming to meet them. He needed Cobra to gain Scully’s trust and know that what he is giving her would be in good hands. He tells her that it is not a cure for Cancer, but rather a Holy Grail -- a cure for every human disease. She asks him how, and he tells her that it’s largely extraterrestrial.
She thinks he wants it to cure himself, and he says:
CSM: That which makes miracles can also make great evil. There are those who would use this power for their own purposes, to choose who will live and who will die.
Cancerman tells her that theoretically he can be cured…everything he’s told her about making everything right…he’s a lonely man.
Cancerman excuses himself and goes outside.
Behind Scully, a man is watching her.
Outside, the man who was following them comes up to him. CSM tells him that Cobra hasn’t shown up, and that they need to wait. He tells CSM that Scully won’t wait forever, but he just tells him to do his job.
Back at the table, Scully has gotten a note from Cobra on where to go.
ACT FOUR
Cancerman and Scully head down to the water. She leaves in a motorboat.
After awhile, she sees Cobra. He hands her the disk and says that they cannot correspond anymore. She starts to tell him that she has never spoken with him before. He becomes confused and frightened.
Suddenly, the man that Cancerman had been talking to shoots Cobra down. He starts to shoot at Scully, but she ducks.
Cancerman comes up behind the man and kills him.
Scully comes back to Cancerman and tells him what happened. She angrily gives him the disk. He gives it back to her and says that he wants her to have it. She takes it and says that she’s gotta go.
The Lone Gunmen are looking at the mini CD in Mulder’s apartment. Mulder is upset because of what happened.
The Lone Gunmen tell Scully that the disk is empty.
4:32 PM
Mulder and Scully go back to the building where Cancerman worked. The office has been completely cleared out. Mulder tells her that she was used. She tells him that Cancerman was there, and that she had proof with the tapes she sent him. Mulder tells her that she saw what she needed to see in order to make her believe. She mentions Jason – his cure is undeniable proof. Mulder asks that even if they could convince his parents, how long they could march him out before the chip in his neck would mysteriously disappear. He tells her that the plan was perfectly laid out and executed. What he can’t figure out is why she’s still alive.
She tells him that she looked in his eyes and knew that he was telling the truth.
Scully and Mulder continue in voice over as Cancerman is on screen. He’s sitting on a chair drinking some wine. Scully asks Mulder if he thinks he used her to save himself at the expense of the human race. Mulder tells her that Cancerman knows how much the science is worth, and that he’ll let nothing stand in his way.
SCULLY: You may be right, but for a moment I saw something else in him. A longing for something more than power. Maybe for something he could never have.
Cancerman is standing by the water’s edge with the right disc. He contemplates it, and then sadly throws the disc into the water.
He lights up a cigarette and starts to smoke it as the screen fades out.
