From: Steve Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 22:18:15 -0400 Subject: The Joshua Tree 1/1 by Steve This story was originally written in screenplay/script format. The text here does not appear exactly as it should. If you wish to read this story in it's correct screenplay format you can read it at my website, where it is available in a Word 6 document file, along with a snazzy graphic at the x-filing cabinet section. (http://fox.nstn.ca/~nstn1788/x-files) The format doesn't change the story at all, but it does take away the effect of being a screenplay. Perhaps to an episode that was never made. Disclaimer: This story was written the week after the episode "Drive", and before "Triangle", and chronologically takes place during that time. The X-Files and all related characters that appear herein are trademark and Copyright 20th Century Fox. "THE JOSHUA TREE" FADE IN: EXT. A MOTEL - NIGHT It's a small motel poised at some backwater desert. Although the nearby scenery is breathtaking, the place still feels oppressive. The sign reads "Great Southern Motel: Vacancy" There is a few cars parked out front, and lights on in some of the rooms. A car pulls up and a passenger get out. It's Scully. SCULLY Be right back. MULDER I'll get my stuff out of the trunk. Mulder gets out of the driver's side of the car. Scully walks to the office. SCULLY Get mine too, thanks. Mulder walks around the car and pops the trunk. INT. THE MOTEL OFFICE - NIGHT The motel office clerk is watching an old black and white TV with the sound cranked in an adjacent room. He's an older man, with a gray to white stubbled face, who's obviously weathered the desert all his life. Scully Gets up to the desk and calls over to the man, who's sitting such a way to be seen, but not notice Scully's entrance. SCULLY Excuse me. He doesn't hear her. She raises her voice. SCULLY Excuse me? Sir? Still no response. Scully looks down and sees a note taped to the desktop. It reads "please push button for service". Next to the sign is doorbell button. Scully pushed the button. It rings a doorbell, but that probably doesn't get his attention either.. But when the doorbell is pushed, the lights flicker on and off with an audible electrical crackle. The clerk looks over. CLERK Just a second.. He slowly gets out of his chair, and wobbles over to the desk. CLERK Yes, hello young lady, how may I help you? SCULLY I'd like two rooms please. He walks over to the cupboard containing the room keys. There are two keys still hanging up. He takes one and walks back tot he desk. CLERK Sorry ma'am. Only one room. SCULLY You have another key over there.. CLERK What? Scully practically yells. SCULLY You have another key over there..! The clerk yells back. CLERK Another key? He looks back. CLERK That's to room 13. Nobody gets room 13. SCULLY Then why do you have it? CLERK I've got 15 rooms. Can't get to 15 without a 13. So... You want this room or not? Clean. TV. Double bed. Bathroom.. SCULLY Yes. Please. CLERK Well I'm sorry if.. Scully repeats herself, loudly. SCULLY I said I'd take it! CLERK Oh, sorry. The clerk taps his hearing aid. It shrieks. CLERK Batteries must be running low. That'll be 18 dollars. Scully pays the man, signs the book, and he gives her the key. CLERK Room 10. Just.. It's right down there. SCULLY Thank you. CLERK You're welcome. The old man waves and hobbles back to his TV. Scully leaves the office. EXT. THE MOTEL - NIGHT Scully exits the Motel. SCULLY Mulder, you're not going to believe the man at the.. (pause) Mulder? The car is gone, but the luggage is on the ground. SCULLY (pause) Mulder?? Scully looks down and sees some scrapes in the dirt, Mulder's badge and a couple drops of blood. FADE TO BLACK FADE IN: EXT. THE DESERT - DAY The desert is wide and expansive. There's an old dirt road with no signs winding it's lonely path through the valley. Down by the old road, in a crumpled heap is Mulder. He eventually wakes up. There is a noticeable bruise on his head, and a trickle of blood running down his face. He checks his pockets, and finds he has nothing on him, not even his ankle pistol. MULDER Oh, great. Mulder winces in pain, and checks his head, and finds the blood. MULDER Perfect. Mulder notices his wallet lying on the ground next to him. He picks it up. He opens it. It's empty. Mulder sighs, and puts it in his wallet. He Looks down one length of road, and then another. He checks the position of the sun and then pauses. He looks down and enie-menie's which way to walk down the road and then starts walking down the road in a south westerly direction after scratching a big arrow in the dirt pointing which way he's going. EXT. THE LOCAL SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY A beat up old pickup pulls in to the sheriff's office. Scully get out and thanks the driver. She walks into the Building. INT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY Scully pretty much barges into the office. SCULLY Sheriff Waxman? Sheriff Waxman is a slightly overweight good old boy, balding, glasses, lots of attitude.. And not too fond of government agents. He doesn't stand up from behind his desk, he just puts his arm up. SHERIFF WAXMAN Special Agent Scully? SCULLY That's right. SHERIFF WAXMAN Hello Ms. Scully. I'm Sheriff Waxman. From your call I understand your partner's missing? SCULLY That's right. SHERIFF WAXMAN And you have no idea where he is? SCULLY Look, I don't mean to rude, but let's skip all this bull, ok. My partner is missing.. SHERIFF WAXMAN Or awol. SCULLY He's not awol. There was evidence of someone else at the scene.. SHERIFF WAXMAN Evidence? Like what? SCULLY Footprints. Scrapes in the dirt. Some blood. Anyway, my partner is missing, and we have to find him. We're going to need a helicopter to.. SHERIFF WAXMAN Whoah whoah whoah, missy. Where do you think we are? We ain't got no helicopter here. We've barely got enough bullets for our pistols. I have two deputies, and that's it. If something happens here, I can't afford everyone to be out looking for your lost partner. SCULLY I'm sorry. I'm not asking for you to donate your entire department to help find my partner. SHERIFF What were you two doing way out here anyway? SCULLY I'm sorry sir, I can't talk about that. SHERIFF WAXMAN Uh-huh. The phone rings. The Sheriff answers. SHERIFF WAXMAN Just a second. Hello? Uh-huh. I'kk be right there. The Sheriff hangs up, and gets out of his seat. SHERIFF WAXMAN Well, Ms. Scully I'm sorry, but I got to go. Mr. Bates is threatening to shoot himself again. I have to go. I'll see you out. EXT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY After Scully Leaves, Sheriff Waxman locks up behind her. SHERIFF WAXMAN Knowing Mr. Bates, I probably won't be back for another hour or so. The Sheriff gets into his car. SCULLY Sheriff? SHERIFF WAXMAN Yes? SCULLY Do you have a map I could borrow? SHERIFF Hmm.. I think so. Al opens up the glovebox and leafs through the junk. He grabs a map and tosses it over to Scully. SHERIFF WAXMAN I want that back. The sheriff's car takes off down the road, kicking up a could of dust, which blows right in Scully's face. Scully wipes her eyes, and walks to the shade. She unfolds the map to Silver Springs, and takes out her cellphone and dials. No service. She sees a payphone down the road at a gas station and begins to walk. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY Mulder's walking down the road. He's hot, and sweating and really bored. MULDER Well I'm walkin'. Yes indeed, I'm talking.. to myself.. A SOUND comes from the desert. Mulder can't quite tell if it's a voice or a buzzard or what. MULDER Hello? Nothing. MULDER Great. Not only am I talking to myself, but someone's answering back. And here I am still talking to myself. (pause) I gotta get out of this desert. EXT. THE PAYPHONE - DAY OPERATOR Operator. SCULLY Hello? operator? This is Special Agent Dana Scully of the FBI. I'm in Silver Springs, can you put me through to the nearest FBI office? Thank you. OPERATOR Just one second. There's a series of clicks and scratches followed by a ringing. It rings a few times before someone answers. GREENE FBI office. Special Agent Greene speaking. How may I help you? SCULLY Hello? This is Special Agent Dana Scully. My partner and I.. GREENE What's your partner's name? SCULLY Mulder. Fox Mulder.. Like I was saying, my partner and I were at a motel last night, and I went inside the rental office to get our rooms. When I got out both my partner and the car were gone. GREENE Do you think your partner had any reason to run off with the car? SCULLY No I don't think so. Our luggage and his badge were on the ground where the car used to be. There was also some traces of blood. GREENE Do you think it's your partner's blood? SCULLY I'm not sure. INT. FBI OFFICE - DAY The FBI officer on the phone talking to Scully is typing away on a computer. GREENE Where are you again, agent Scully? SCULLY (over the phone) I'm at a payphone by the local gas station in Silver Springs. GREENE Just one minute, agent Scully. Agent Greene types a few things into the computer. A list of things come up. The closest is a bank robbery. GREENE We had a bank held up two days ago in Pheonix. The robber was last seen two towns away from Silver Springs. Your partner may just have gotten taken by the robber in attempting to steal the car. SCULLY Do you know where he may be going? GREENE Well, like every local bankrobber, we're pretty sure he's heading south towards Mexico. SCULLY So Mulder is somewhere between here and Mexico? GREENE If he's still alive. Yes ma'am. Now this perpetrator isn't a known felon. This is first offense. He may not what a hostage, and drop your partner off somewhere. SCULLY What if he's been dropped off in the desert somewhere? GREENE That wouldn't be good. He wouldn't last to long out there with no shelter or water. I'll tell you what, I could take a car and meet you down there, but I wouldn't get there until sundown. That's the best I can do. SCULLY Ok but first we have to find that car. And I can't do that on foot. GREENE Well, you'll just have to find yourself some of your own transportation until I get there. Ok. I'll meet you at the sheriff's station at about 6 or 7. SCULLY Thank you. Scully hangs up. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY It's extremely hot out. Mulder is walking thirstily along, with his jacket over his head. MULDER Looks like the wrong day to forget my sunblock, right Scully? There's no answer. Mulder laughs to himself. Mulder continues walking down the old road, pretending that Scully's walking with him. When he jokes, he turns to look at Scully for her reaction, but of course, she's not there. MULDER Hey Scully. I'm so thirsty I could drink a Moutain Dew. (pause) You're a tough crowd today Scully. You get enough sleep last night? Mulder continues his trudging down the road. Time passes. Mulder looks up at the noonday sun. MULDER I'd give good money to find out where the hell I am. EXT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY Scully is sitting in the shade apparently taking a siesta. She suddenly shakes herself awake, puts her hand to her neck and sighs. Soon thereafter the Sheriff gets back. SHERIFF WAXMAN Agent Scully, you still here? SCULLY Sheriff could I ask you to drive me southward to try to find my partner? SHERIFF WAXMAN Agent Scully, the Silver Springs sheriffs department is not a taxi service. SCULLY Well then Sheriff, I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to take your car. Sheriff Waxman gets out of the car and walks to the office. SHERIFF WAXMAN Like hell you are. SCULLY Sir, on the authority of being an Special Agent of the FBI, I am authorized to.. SHERIFF WAXMAN If you even think about taking my car, I'll have you put in jail. SCULLY My partner's life is at stake, and you're too busy pulling this macho backwater sheriff bull? I don't know what kind of grudge you may have against me, or the FBI, and I don't care. If you insist on stopping me from borrowing your car I can have you arrested for impeding a federal investigation. SHERIFF WAXMAN Well who's going to arrest me? The sheriff looks around. SHERIFF WAXMAN I'm sure as hell not going to arrest myself. CUT TO: INT. A JAIL CELL - DAY Sheriff Waxman is forcibly shoved into the cell wearing handcuffs, and the cell door is shut behind him. SCULLY I'm sorry about this, sheriff. Scully starts to leave the office. SHERIFF You won't get far in a stolen police car. My deputies will get you if I don' t first. Scully's on her way out the door when she pauses. SCULLY I'd like to be there when you tell your Deputies how a woman half your size put you in jail, But I have to find my partner. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY Mulder continues his trek across the desert. MULDER It's damn hot out here, Scully. Mulder walks a bit and notices something weird going on with the ground. It' s mushy. MULDER What the? Mulder begins sinking into the ground, almost like quicksand. He tries to get out, but there's nothing to grab onto. When he gets neck deep, it slows down, but then he notices the scorpions walking out from behind the rocks. At least 10 or 20. They're all walking towards his head, which it sticking out of the dirt. Mulder strains and yells for help, for Scully, for ANYBODY, but he can't get free and the scorpions get closer. Right when they're at his face, he yells, and closes his eyes. When he opens them, he's on his knees on the road. It was just a hallucination. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY The police car which Scully commandeered is ripping down the dusty road. There's a glint of light in the dirt, and she pulls over to check it out. She gets out of the car and picks up the glinting object. It's broken pieces of Mulder's cellphone. SCULLY Well, at least I know I'm going in the right direction. Scully gets back in the car and continues driving down the road. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY Mulder is really a little wigged out now since that scorpion hallucination. He walks a while, and bends his head down to wipe his brow. He walks into someone. MULDER Ooops, sorry I didn't.. Mulder looks up. The man he's bumped into is himself. MULDER #2 You should watch where you're going. MULDER Who are you? MULDER #2 Shot in the dark.. I'm you. MULDER Where did you come from? Motions down the road. MULDER #2 That way. MULDER You wouldn't happen to have anything to drink on you? MULDER #2 No. But I had a big gulp about four miles ago. MULDER What are you doing here? MULDER #2 Where? MULDER Don't get smart with me.. myself.. Dammit. Looks If you were coming from down there can you tell me what's down there? MULDER #2 The future. MULDER So where was I? The past? MULDER #2 No, you were just down the road there. MULDER I'm running out of patience with you. Have you seen Scully? MULDER #2 No. Dana isn't here, Fox. But I'll bet our next paycheck she's looking for you as we speak. She really cares about you. MULDER I know. MULDER #2 Hey, you know, being stranded out here isn't so bad. At least there's no paperwork. (pause) Come on. I'm only trying to lighten things up. Take the Piece of coal out of your ass before it becomes a diamond. MULDER You cheap cynical bastard! I'd kick your ass if it wasn't for the fact I'd only be kicking myself in the ass. MULDER #2 Hey, calm down. You don't want to do that. You'll create a paradox or something. Mulder's doppelganger looks at his watch. MULDER #2 Well, I can't hang around here all day. I've got to keep moving. MULDER Where are you going? MULDER #2 Where you've already been. MULDER Wait.. Mulder's doppelganger walks down the road ignoring Mulder. MULDER #2 I'll be seeing you around. INT. THE CAR, IN THE DESERT - DAY Scully's driving along an old desert road in the appropriated police car. She passes by another police car. One of the deputies is travelling the other direction. He waves to the sheriff , but sees then Scully driving, and urns around, lights flashing. SCULLY Oh, damn. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY Scully puls her car over. The deputy pulls up behind her and gets out, pistol drawn. He's a little shaky. DEPUTY Don't move! (pause) Out of the car! Scully gets out of the car. DEPUTY hands on your head! Get on your Knees! Scully does so. SCULLY If you'll look in my jacket pocket, you'll find my ID. I'm an FBI agent, and I'm looking for my partner who's lost in the desert. DEPUTY Is that so? The Deputy chekcs Scully's jacket and pulls out the ID. DEPUTY Why do you have the Sheriff's car, "special" agent Scully? SCULLY He loaned it to me so he wouldn't have to leave the station empty. DEPUTY Ok. Get up. Keep your hans on your head. Follow me. The Deputy walks back to the other police car. DEPUTY Stand right there. The Deputy picks up the radio. DEPUTY Sheriff Waxman, come in please, this is Deputy Rowan. Over. The radio crackles. DEPUTY Deputy Rowan here, sir. I've got ad FBI agent says you lent her your vehicle. Over. INT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DAY The Sheriff is going ape in his cell. DEPUTY (over the radio) Doesn't look like there's anyone at the Station. SHERIFF WAXMAN Arrest her you idiot! She stole the car! Dammit! EXT. THE DESERT - DAY DEPUTY I suppose he's just gone out to the john. We'll wait for him to answer the radio. SCULLY I'm sorry I can't do that. DEPUTY What? SCULLY My partner's out there somewhere and I have to find him as soon as possible. I have to go now. Scully starts to walk back to the other police car. DEPUTY Not untill the Sheriff verifies your story. Hey! put your hands back on your head! Ma'am! Come back here! The Deputy gets out of his car and follows Scully. Scully turns around.. CUT TO: The rear door of the police cruiser closes. With the Deputy in the back, unconscious. SCULLY I'll leave the air conditioning on. CUT TO: The police cruiser driving off down the road away from the deputy's car. EXT. THE DESERT - DAY Mulder is still walking. Driven by some geomagnetic power perhaps. Pushing him further down the road. Or he's just too whacked from the heat to realize he's doing anything else. With his head down, and his jacket on his head, Mulder watches his shadow on the ground in front of him. It soon becomes two shadows. Mulder looks up from under his jacket. SCULLY Mulder? MULDER Scully! Boy are you a sight for sore eyes. How did you find me? SCULLY A little bird told me. MULDER I never thought I'd see you again. SCULLY Well, here I am. MULDER So what's an FBI agent like you doing out here in a desert like this. You come here often? SCULLY As much as I can. Here. I've brought some things for you. Scully takes off her necklace and puts it on Mulder. SCULLY Hang on to that for me. Scully then gives Mulder a bottle of water. MULDER Oh thank god.. Mulder goes to drink the water, but as he does both the water and the bottle turn to sand. And Scully has disappeared also, leaving behind only blowing dust. MULDER What? Scully? (yells) SCULLY! (yells again) SCULLY! Mulder claps the dust from his hands and notices he still has the necklace on. He goes to touch it, but stops, as if he does, it would also turn to dust. Mulder keeps walking down the road. INT. THE CAR, IN THE DESERT - DAY Scully sees someone up ahead. She slows down and pulls next to him. Scully gets out of the car and walks to the man, he's a native american, and he's no spring chicken, but he's pretty spry. SCULLY Excuse me, sir. REDBEAR Yes? SCULLY My name is Dana Scully of the FBI. My partner was kidnapped and left out in the desert somewhere, I was wondering if you had seen anything, or anyone. REDBEAR That depends. One sees lots of thing out in these deserts. SCULLY Excuse me? REDBEAR My people would travel out into the desert and to have visions. We would directly communicate with our spirits that way. Some say, this desert is a boundary between life and death. Between this world and the next. SCULLY Are you on one of these.. REDBEAR Vision quest? No. I'm going to the Restaurant up the road. I live just back there. I thought I'd take a walk today. SCULLY There's a restaurant up ahead? REDBEAR Yep. Good cup of coffee too. So, what's your friend look like? SCULLY He's about this tall.. Levels her hand above her head approximating Mulder's height. SCULLY Caucasion male. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Probably still wearing his tie. REDBEAR Well there's no reason not to be well dressed even if you're lost. SCULLY Well, have you seen anyone? It's very important. He's been out there all day with no food or water. REDBEAR No, I haven't seen anyone I didn't recognize. And while it is true the desert has claimed many lives, I believe the great spirit will provide. SCULLY And if he dies? REDBEAR Then he will become part of the great spirit. (pause) You look very concerned for your friend. You'll need this when you find him Here, take it. Redbear gives Scully a camping canteen. REDBEAR Fresh spring water. For your friend. I can get more at the restaurant. But I 'll want the canteen back. SCULLY Yes, of course. Thank you very much. REDBEAR If I see your friend, I'll call the Sheriff. SCULLY Uh, thanks. Scully gets back in the car. REDBEAR You and your friend must be careful as well. The Coyote spirit lives in this desert. He likes to torment and play with those lost in his home. Scully yells out the window. SCULLY Thank you. The car makes off down the road. EXT. THE DESERT - DUSK Mulder continues walking as he loosens his tie, but doesn't take it off. MULDER Almost too hot for a tie today. INT. THE CAR, THE DESERT - DUSK Scully is driving along half looking at the road, half looking at the map. She finds a diner with a couple cars parked out front. One of them is the stolen car. She jams on the brakes. INT. THE DUSTY DINER - DUSK There aren't that many patrons in the Dusty Diner, which is pleasantly clean, and not as dusty as the sign leads on. Scully walks in and sizes up the patrons. There's a larger man, probably the owner of the truck outside. There's another man sitting over by the jukebox ,and a younger man in a cowboy hat at the counter. The man in the hat looks nervous. Scully walks over to him with her hand at the ready. SCULLY Excuse me, sir. THE HAT Yes ma'am? SCULLY I was wondering if you could tell me if you had anything to do with stealing that maroon car out front. THE HAT I.. The man moves. Scully draws her gun. SCULLY Don't move! FBI! The man over by the jukebox bolts out the door. SCULLY Damn. Scully tears out the door of the diner in time to stop the man from backing the car out of the parking lot. SCULLY Out of the car. Hands on your head. NOW! The man thinks about it. SCULLY I SAID NOW! The man shuts off the car and gets out. SCULLY On your knees. Hand on your head. The man complies. Scully walks over and shoves him face first into the sand. She cuffs his hands behind his back. SCULLY I'm going to search you. Do you have anything sharp in your pockets I should know about? FLEEING FELON No. Scully checks the man. She finds his wallet, a pocketknife, and some spare change. Scully shows the man the pocketknife. SCULLY So what'll you call this? FELLEING FELON It wasn't open.. SCULLY Don't move smartass. Scully checks the car. Mulder's gun is in the glovebox. She takes it. SCULLY Where's the money? FLEEING FELON In the trunk. SCULLY Get up. He gets up. She leads him over to the police car. She drops the bag and makes him lean over the hood. SCULLY What did you do with my partner? FLEEING FELON I dropped him off somewhere. SCULLY Where? FLEEING FELON I don't know. Somewhere. I was staying off the main roads. SCULLY You stay right where you are. Scully gets the map out of the front seat of the car through the window. She unfolds it, and puts it on the hood. She slams the felons face against it. SCULLY SHOW ME. CUT TO: Scully's tearing off down the road in her now repossessed stolen car, leaving behind the Fleeing Felon handcuffed and locked in the backseat of the Sheriff's car. A few of the patrons of the Restaurant come outside. WILL What'll we do now? BARRY I dunno. Call the sheriff maybe? INT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - DUSK The phone is ringing in the sheriff's office. In his cell the Sheriff is still trying to get out of his handcuffs. Not that being locked up in his own cell is making any more pleasant a man to be around at this moment. He's murmuring obvious swear words under his breath. Almost ala Fred Flintstone. Razza frazza rickin frickin. Etc. SHERIFF WAXMAN Dammit! Special Agent Greene enters the office. GREENE Hello? Anybody here? SHERIFF WAXMAN Get me the hell out of here. Agent Greene walks down the office to the back where the cells are. GREENE Excuse me, sir? SHERIFF WAXMAN I'm the sheriff in this here town. Some kind of renegade insane FBI woman locked me up in my own cell. GREENE Why'd she do that? SHERIFF WAXMAN I dunno. She claimed I was impeding an investigation or some nonsense. Tossed me in here. You gotta let me out so I can nail that bitch so I can chuck her government ass in here. Greene pulls out his FBI badge, and shows it to the sheriff. SHERIFF WAXMAN Aww.. INT. THE CAR, IN THE DESERT - DUSK Scully comes to a fork in the road. She checks the map. It's not clear from which direction The Fleeing Felon came from, and he wasn't sure either. Both roads lead to about the same place on the map, but they go around some terrain opposite ways. Scully looks up to decide which way to go. She starts to pull ahead, and then turns the car and drives down the other fork. EXT. THE DESERT - DUSK Mulder continues his trek. MULDER It's getting cold, Scully. I don't know if I can do much more of this. It doesn't seem like I'm going to get out of this one alive. I've lost. There's no hope for me now, Scully. Go on without me. EXT. THE CAR, IN THE DESERT - NIGHT The car speeds along in the closing night, and the rear left tire hits something and blows. Scully brings the car to a stop and puts her head on the steering wheel. EXT. THE DESERT - NIGHT Mulder's still walking. MULDER Well. Getting to be the end of the line, Scully. Don't feel much like walking much longer.. I think I'll try to find someplace to have a rest. EXT. THE DESERT - NIGHT Scully is replacing the rear left tire of the car. The tire Iron slips and she hurt her hand. SCULLY Damn. Scully stops and puts her hands to her head. SCULLY I'm so sorry Mulder. I tried. I tried so hard. But I can't do it. I'm so tired.. Things just seemed to be working so hard against me. I don't know what else to do. I wish you were here just so I could.. VOICE Dana..? SCULLY Mulder? VOICE Dana? SCULLY Mulder is that you? Scully stands up and shines her flashlight into the darkness. As she quickly whips around the light, for a split second her father can be seen. It scares the hell out of her, and she immediately shines it back but he's gone. SCULLY Dad..? (pause) It's just my imagination.. Those things that the man said about the desert.. (pause) That's all. EXT. THE DESERT - NIGHT More of the same. Heat, sun, dirt, thirst, etc. It's much later now. Mulder' s walking a little slower now. There is something on the horizon. Mulder walks towards it. No matter how far he walks, it seems to stay the same distance away from Mulder. After much more walking, Mulder finally reaches it. A Joshua tree. MULDER Well, Scully, It's not a water cooler, but it'll do. Mulder sits down by the tree. MULDER Hmm. I haven't listened to that album in a long time. (pause) Well, Here I am stuck in the desert Scully. Some guy whacks me on the head, takes the car and dumps me in the desert. No aliens. No conspiracies. No monsters. Just me.. and the Joshua tree. VOICE You always talk to yourself this much, Mulder? MULDER Who? Standing across the road is Deep Throat. MULDER Wha.. Is that..? DEEP THROAT Hello, Mulder. Long time no see. How've you been? MULDER Fine. DEEP THROAT I don't think talking to Agent Scully when she's not here, and having hallucinations counts as being fine. Deep Throat walks over and sits down next to Mulder. MULDER Aren't you dead? DEEP THROAT Aren't you? MULDER I don't think so. Is this another hallucination? (pause) DEEP THROAT So, how goes the battle? You've learned much since the last time we spoke. MULDER It's all there now. I can see it. But I still can't do anything about it. Scully and I are off the X-Files, and That cigarette smoking bastard has Agent Spender around his finger. DEEP THROAT Agent Spender? MULDER Yeah. He's on the X-Files now with Diana. An old.. friend of mine. DEEP THROAT Well now. Spender. I could tell you things about Agent Spender. MULDER Like what? DEEP THROAT You'll see. It's not important. What's important is your work. MULDER My work. I don't have my work anymore. It's been taken from me. DEEP THROAT It's been taken from you before. and you still have Scully. And you still have the knowledge. Those things can't be taken away from you. MULDER The colonization is happening. You knew. You knew all about it. Everything. Why did you lead me along instead of just telling me? DEEP THROAT Nobody likes to know the ending of a movie before they go in the theater agent Mulder. You enjoyed it more this way. Besides, I was killed before I could even begin to tell you what was really going on. But you got there on your own. And it's not too late to stop it. MULDER What kind of bull answer is that? Deep Throat shrugs. MULDER Look, Mulder, you have to trust yourself. Your instincts. If the system is working against you, make the system work against itself. Take your disadvantage, and make it advantage. MULDER How do I do that? Deep Throat gets up and dusts himself off. DEEP THROAT I can't help you anymore than that Mulder. I'm dead remember? MULDER Wait.. DEEP THROAT Good-bye Mr. Mulder. I'll keep in touch. Deep Throat starts walking down the road and fades away. MULDER Wait.. Mulder gets up but Deep throat has gone. EXT. THE DESERT - NIGHT The tire is on the car now. Scully gets in and hits the gas. EXT. THE DESERT - NIGHT Eyes float across the desert nearby. There's skittering and breathing sounds from all around, and Mulder envisions the alien creatures are circling him, and he's throwing rocks at them to keep them at bay. It's also gone from incredibly hot to unbearably cold. Mulder shivers in between stoning. All the sweat he put out during the day is now like an blanket of ice in the cold desert night. MULDER Stay away! Go on! Beat it. The eyes dart and run, AND come back. MULDER I know what you're doing here! Mulder throws some more rocks. MULDER I know! Again, Mulder throws some rocks. MULDER You're here to colonize the earth! (pause) You're here to take over, and use us as incubators for your disgusting little children. (pause) But we'll beat you. You and the men you're working with! We can stop you, and your virus! Mulder slumps to the ground. Exhausted. Mulder turns around to see a bright ethereal light, and a form emerges from it. He doesn't know what's going on until a feminine shape emerges from the light. MULDER Samantha? The form gets closer until it's kneeling right next to Mulder. SAMANTHA I've been looking everywhere for you. MULDER I've been looking you too. SAMANTHA I was scared maybe you had died out here. MULDER I'm not dead. At least I don't think I'm dead. I don't feel dead. SAMANTHA You're not dead, Fox. You're ok. You're going to be ok. MULDER How did you know where to find me? SAMANTHA A little bird told me. Here. drink this. Samantha holds a canteen of water up to Mulder's mouth. He starts to drink. MULDER It's real. SAMANTHA Of course it's real. (pause) You'll never believe everything I've had to go through to find you. MULDER You'll never believe everything I've gone through waiting for you to find me. SAMANTHA Well, I've got you now. And I'm not letting you go. Mulder hugs Samantha. MULDER I'll never let you go again. SCULLY Mulder? Samantha has turned into Scully, who it really was all along. The ethereal headlights are just the Sheriff's car headlights. MULDER Scully? SCULLY C'mon Mulder let's get you into the car. Scully helps Mulder up and to the car, when she notices the necklace. SCULLY Mulder..? MULDER Yeah? SCULLY Where did you get this necklace? MULDER You gave it to me. SCULLY No I.. Scully checks for her necklace. She's not wearing it. MULDER Scully.. SCULLY What? MULDER Did you.. SCULLY What? MULDER Did you find my cellphone? SCULLY We'll get you a new one. Scully helps Mulder into the back of the car, and She gets in the driver's side. The car drives off down the road. The Coyote is standing by the Joshua tree as the car drives off down the road.