x files - collectors (no title page)

8/14/2019 X Files - Collectors (No Title Page)

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COLLECTORS (Copyright 2001)

TEASER

FADE IN

INT. NIGHT.

Automobile INT. Toronto, Canada, 9:20 p.m. Hwy. 401. Rain.

A man is in a sports car driving eastbound. He is exiting thefreeways collectors to get on to the Don Valley Parkway totake him down to his home in Rosedale.

Car radio is playing softly. He is tuned into a lite-rockstation. Playing is Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night". Theman is agitated and impatient. His driving is erratic,bordering on careless. He is in a hurry. There is a

thunderstorm and his car's windshield wipers are strugglingagainst the torrents of rain. Slightly ahead of him are redtaillights reflecting through his windshield into his car'sinterior, casting an eerie red and shadowy glow. Our visionof him is obscured in a semi-shadow.

The song plays: and i wear my sunglasses at night so i can soi can forget my name while you collect your claim and i wearmy sunglasses at night so i can so i can see the light that'sright before my eyes

RICK WATTERS

How could I have been so stupid?Gotta get home before it's toolate. Gotta get rid of it.

RICK winces at the song on the radio.

RICK WATTERSSorry, Corey. You're hitting alittle too close to home tonight.

He begins to flip stations, going through typical radio fare -commercials, jokes, parts of songs - ending up on the rockstation, which is playing the Manic Street Preachers' "Found

that Soul". The song remains continuous throughout thecourse of the scene and the next time we see him. (Show me awonder you can't be sure of I exist in a place a self-madevacuum But still stranded here With all the scum So clean -so lost - so beautiful)

RICK WATTERSMissy, please don't be home. Oh,God, please don't let her be home.

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Please, don't let them take her.Why didn't I listen?

Rick reaches for his cell phone and tries to call home. Itrings four times. There is no answer. He does not see thatthe battery level is dangerously low.

DRUMS his fingers impatiently on the steering wheelCome on, come on.... Missy.... pickup!

EXT. NIGHT. 9:25 P.M.

A house (276 Chestnut Drive) in the affluent Rosedaleneighborhood. Heard through the rain is a woman screaming andan unintelligible montage of voices. CAMERA enters the housethrough the living room window in search of the source and

reason.

INT. Watters Residence. Living Room.

CAMERA slowly travels through the living room. The roomitself is softly lit and its furnishings are typical of itsupscale owners. There is a fireplace on one wall. On itsmantle are various photos, including a wedding photo. We arealready familiar with the man in the photo. He is furiouslydriving to get home. CAMERA stops at this photo for a moment,then resumes its journey. Two sconces illuminate a particularpainting hanging above the fireplace. CAMERA lingers on thepainting and pans horizontally. The painting is of a French

country garden and celebrates La Belle Epoque. CAMERA alsoshows its title on a small gold plate under the framed canvas- "Le Jardin d'Abolique" - Jean Engare.

INSERT

CLOSE-UP OF PAINTING. THERE ARE SEVERAL MEN AND WOMEN IN THEPAINTING, WHICH IS IN THE STYLE OF RENOIR. IMPRESSIONIST.ALL SEEM TO BE ENJOYING A LOVELY SUMMER DAY IN LATE 19THCENTURY FRANCE. AS PER THE IMPRESSIONIST STYLE, THE FACESSHINE WITH LIGHT AND THE FIGURES SPARKLE WITH DAPPLED COLOR.

Also noticeable is the addition of a partial new figure inthe painting, strangely resembling the woman in the photo.CAMERA then pans to show an interesting and extensivecollection of paintings adorning the walls before finding thesource of the screaming. In the middle of the room stands thewoman in the wedding photo in a state of absolute terror.She is in her early to mid-30s. Surrounding her appears to beseveral dark, wispy, semi-transparent, yet opaque human-like

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RICK WATTERS (cont'd)


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shapes resembling wet paint, or it is perhaps the play ofshadows resulting as the trees surrounding the house wave inthe strong wind and driving rain. The effects of the storm(i.e. lightning and thunder) coupled with the way the room islit makes it unclear as to what we are seeing. The womanherself appears to be almost fully brush-stroked in variousdark colors of paint.

MELISSA WATTERSNooooooooooooooo.

Melissa struggles to get away from an apparently imaginaryfoe.

Help! Somebody, please, help me.Help!

VOICE 1(male and flat)

It's no use screaming. Nobody canhear you.(desperate and pleading)

VOICE 2(female soothing and flat)

There, there. Everything will beall right. You'll see.

Melissa struggles against the shadows that are around her andtries to escape her apparent captivity.

MELISSA WATTERS

Let me go!

She puts her hands on her head, trying to escape the noise inher mind.

All these months you've been inhere. Whispering, laughing. Tryingto make me become one of you.Making everyone think I was losingmy mind. And now it comes to force?If nothing else has worked, nowthis?

VOICE 3

(female and flat)You're the one.

MELISSA WATTERSI still don't understand. Why?What... what do you want from me?

VOICE 1(impatient, flat) )

You will understand.

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You know perfectly well what wewant. You've been far toodifficult.

MELISSA WATTERSNooooooooooo. I won't. I won't bepart of the collection.

The telephone rings. With great effort, Melissa maneuvers toit but finds that the shadows she appears to see block herevery move. After four rings, it stops.

VOICE 3Did you think that you could getaway? Did you think that he couldhelp you?

Shapes grab her again and try to drag her towards the

painting. She struggles against them.

MELISSA WATTERSGet away from me!

VOICE 4Not so fast. You belong to us now.

MELISSA WATTERSNo, I'll never belong to you.

With great effort, Melissa breaks free from her apparentattackers and tries to plot her next move, one made on the

seeming brink of insanity fused with the horror of herperceived situation. The shapes she envisions appear tofollow her, dripping paint as they move. She attempts to makeher way out of the house, but finds that the shapesanticipate her every move and block and seal the doors as sheapproaches them and tries to open them and then tries toforce them open. Any move results in failure. She tries thetelephone but it does not work. The windows become black andimpenetrable. She screams out the window anyway. Any objectshe tries to throw through it fails. The shapes appear tojust pick them up and pull them away from her, teasing her,taunting her, increasing her torment. Her terror thencompounds with a sense of hopelessness at the impossibility

of her escaping her apparent fate. She makes her way to thekitchen, opens a cupboard under the sink, and removes abottle of a flammable substance. She then opens a drawer bythe sink and takes out a package of matches. Voice 1 takesthe matches from her.

VOICE 1Well, if you play with fire, youwill get burned.

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VOICE 1 (cont'd)


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INT. AUTOMOBILE.

Rick Watters panics and dials 911. "Found that Soul" isstill playing. (Not a subject not a subject am I Sick andpale but strangely alive Broken blood vessels line my cheeksReflections look bad and somehow unreal But I found that soulYeah I found that home But I found that soul Yeah I foundthat now)

RICK WATTERS(erratically and withfear)

Operator, it's - it's my wife.Melissa. Melissa Watters. I thinkshe's in trouble. Something's wrongat home. She's not answering thephone. Her life... is in danger....They're... they're... going to kill

her.... Gotta stop them.... beforeit's too late. Yeah, I know there'sa storm. Yeah, the lines might bedown. But you don't understand.They're going to kill her.

LONG PAUSE.

RICK WATTERSWho? I don't know. You wouldn'tbelieve me.

PAUSE.

RICK WATTERSNo, I know, I can't hear youeither. Please, you have to help.

CAMERA moves to the cell phone to show that the telephone'spower has depleted and that its battery has died. It movesback up to Rick Watters.

RICK WATTERSPlease, you have to help. Send a

police car. Her life's at stake.276 Chestnut Drive. Hurry....

Rick does not realize he has said it to himself only.

RICK WATTERS (CONTD)Almost there. Missy, hold on....it won't be too much longer. I'llbe home soon.

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He appears relieved at first, glances at his cell phone, andsees that it is dead. A tear falls from one eye, as hewonders if his efforts were all for nothing and in vain.

EXT. NIGHT. WATTERS RESIDENCE.

The house has been set ablaze.

INT. NIGHT. AUTOMOBILE.

The song continues. (Show me a wonder Show me a wonder Showme a wonder Show me a wonder)

RICK WATTERSMissy! Is it too late?

Rick senses that something is very wrong. He puts his foot onthe gas pedal and his speed increases. He tries to slow downbut cannot. He then tries his brakes. They are stuck. Whatthe? He skids on the slippery road and loses control of thevehicle.

EXT. DAY. THE NEXT AFTERNOON. APPROXIMATELY 3:18 P.M.

A fire crew inspects the burned house to determine the causeof the blaze. Curious onlookers and neighbors are millingabout. Fire Inspector is talking to one of the onlookerswhile he makes notes in his casebook. Police Officer drives

up to the curb, exits his car, quickly surveys the scene, andthen approaches the Fire Inspector, who is moving towards thehouse.

POLICE OFFICERWow. What happened?

FIRE INSPECTORPossible suicide. Judging by theneighbors' accounts, perfectlystable, good members of thecommunity. Nothing to warrantburning yourself alive. Sometimes

you wonder what makes people dosomething like this. One of theneighbors did say that Rick Watterstold him that some strange thingswere going on in the house and thathis wife hadn't been feeling welllately.

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Maybe we'll find out more when theCoroner's office has finished itsinvestigation. What brings youhere?

POLICE OFFICERThis is a weird one. Strange thatyou mentioned Rick Watters. Lookslike we have two victims. Singlevehicle crash on the 401 lastnight. He was killed instantly.Body was identified earlier thismorning. Couldn't reach the next ofkin. Guess I have a reason now.Speed and slippery roads make for adeadly combination. Seemed like hewas in a hurry to get home. Wonderif we'll ever find out why.

POLICE OFFICER AND FIRE INSPECTOR begin to walk through theremains of the burned house, examining the damage andsurveying the extensive art loss.

POLICE OFFICERArt collectors, eh? What a waste.

Both go to the living room and look at the destroyed artwork.Police Officer picks up one or two ruined paintings and looksat them sadly.

POLICE OFFICER (CONTD)

I'm sure some of these could havehung in a museum. Not any more.

FIRE INSPECTOR

Cautiously walks to what was the living room.Careful where you walk. We'll seewhat can be saved. Fire apparentlystarted in the kitchen. A bottle ofa still- to-be-identified substancewas found near the body. Couldhave been an accelerant.

Looks at a splotch on the floor.Bends down to examine it.

Hmmm. Looks like paint.

He touches the splotch with his index finger and examines it.

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FIRE INSPECTOR (cont'd)


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FIRE INSPECTORStill wet. Wonder if they wereredecorating.

He notices a painting partially covered by a charred board,and walks toward it.

FIRE INSPECTORWhat's this?

He picks up the painting with the garden scene on it. Hegives it a quick glance. It is in perfect condition anduntouched by the fire.

FIRE INSPECTOR (CONTD)No damage. Nice. I'll make sureits put in with the rest of thesalvageables. Let the estate deal

with it. Once arson is ruled out,this case should be wrapped uppretty quick. Don't know if youguys will be investigating.

POLICE OFFICERLooks pretty cut and dried. We'lljust wait for your report to see ifyou come up with anything unusual.

Both leave the house, go to their respective vehicles, anddrive off.

INT. NIGHT. Art auction house storage room. New York, twomonths later.

A painting has been uncrated and is ready for cataloguing andan upcoming auction. Its the painting discovered in theToronto fire. CLOSE-UP of painting reveals it to be lackingone figure, that of the latest "addition". A dark shapeappears to step out from the painting and unfolds into ashadow-like being.

INT. NIGHT. FOX MULDER'S BEDROOM. 12:29 A.M.

Fox Mulder is asleep and in REM dream state. His sleep isdisrupted and agitated, as if he is having a nightmare. He istalking incoherently.

MULDERI know you. We've met before.something went wrong... Youcouldn't take her... She wasn't theone. They had to die... no... no.

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His agitation at his nightmare has increased. He startleshimself awake, and wakes up sweating, disoriented, and a bitshaky. We see him in half-light. Voice 1 and Mulder deliverthe following almost simultaneously as he jumps up from hispillow. It will appear to be almost like a superimposition ofthe two scenes/settings. In the lighting used to capture theeffect, we are to see that both have in a way become the sameperson in a type of bookpage effect. Dark versus lightmeeting in shadow.

VOICE 1/MULDER(flatly)/(with emotion andalmost screaming)

No mistakes this time.

FADE to opening credits.

TAGLINE - Know Your Enemy

ACT ONE

FADE IN

INT. NIGHT. MORRISON RESIDENCE. FOUR MONTHS LATER. 2:34A.M.

The house and its furnishings should be one right out of adecorating magazine. Taste, style, elegance.

KAREN MORRISON is asleep in the library. ADAM MORRISON, herhusband, enters the room. In his hand he has a paintbrushthat is covered in paint. Quietly talking on his cell phone,he walks toward her.

ADAMYeah, this oughta do it. Your ideais brilliant.

Adam smiles, then pauses as the voice on the other end speaks

ADAM (CONT'D)Yes, you were right all along.

It's almost.... foolproof. Didn'tthink I could pull this off soeasily.

He gives Karen a gentle kiss on the forehead and then walksaway to a bookcase, and pulls a book from it, revealing atape recorder.

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ADAM (CONT'D)Even the tape is convincing -almost like she's really losing hermind. The info you gave me aboutthe painting was priceless. Toobad it has to cost this much.

He pauses.

ADAM (CONT'D)Yeah, the payoff will be worth it.You think I should call them yet?

Adam waits to hear from the person on the other end of thetelephone.

ADAM (CONTD)You're right. See what Karen does

first. Guilty? Me?

He laughs at the voice on the other end of the phone.Almost.

Adam goes back to Karen and gently paints a small mark on herexposed leg.

He then hangs up, quietly leaves the room, all the whilesmiling at his handiwork.

VOICE 1He's even more clever than we hoped

he'd be... Child's play this time.

VOICE 2What do you think he's up to?

VOICE 1Does it really matter? Ssssh.She's waking up.

Hearing voices, Karen then wakes up. She is frightened andshe screams when she sees a dark bruise-like mass on her leg.

KAREN

Adam!

Momentarily, Adam Morrison frantically enters the library.

ADAMKaren? What is it? What's wronghoney?

KARENLook at my leg. Look at this.

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Karen points to the dark mass on her leg.

KAREN (CONT'D)They're...They're going to dosomething to me. Child's play. Iheard them. Adam, I heard them.Ever since we got that painting. Wehave to get rid of it.

ADAMKaren, no one is going to doanything to you. Did you have thatnightmare again? Everything's fine.It just looks like some dirt onyour leg. Nothing that a littlesoap can't take care of. Nothing iswrong with the painting. It's justyour imagination. Come on darling,

let's go back to bed. I'll fix yousome warm milk.

Adam smiles and treats her tenderly - kisses her, caressesher.

ADAM (CONT'D)By morning, you'll have forgottenall about your dream.

They leave the room, Karen close to tears and Adam seeminglybeing the comforting husband.

VOICE 3And what he doesn't fix, we will.

INT. DAY. FOX MULDER'S office. 9 A.M. THREE WEEKS LATER.

Dana Scully is sitting comfortably at Mulder's desk, feet up,heels on desk, facing towards the "I Want to Believe" poster.She is cradling a sketchpad in her lap with her left arm andis completely engrossed in drawing. Her pencil skillfullymoves across the page. She looks at her subject thoughtfully,pausing before adding to its shading. There is a slight traceof a smile as she surveys her work.

CAMERA draws closer to her. It is curious and tries to travelover her shoulder to capture what she is doing. She appearsto sense that she is being observed and moves in the chair toavoid the camera's eye.

CAMERA changes focus as the office door opens. Mulder entersthe room. He notices the determination, fascination, andalmost childlike joy in his partners face.

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For a moment, he smiles wistfully, as if he was taken back toa place back in his own childhood; a time before innocencelost and conspiracies found.

Mulder slowly walks to his desk, and quietly drops arelatively thick file on it. Startled, Scully looks up athim. She then regains her composure.

MULDERMorning, Scully. What are youdoing?

Mulder begins to walk to where she is sitting and in order topeek at the drawing in her sketchpad.

SCULLYNothing.

She closes the pad and puts the pencil down on the desk.

MULDER(Nods to the sketchbook.)

I didn't know you could draw.

SCULLYI haven't in a long time. Not sincecollege actually. I was sittinghere not long ago, catching up onsome files, and then the idea justsort of hit me on the head. Like asign. From above.

On cue, a pencil drops from its perch on the ceiling on tothe desk. Mulder grins and softly laughs. Scully half-suppresses a giggle at fate's comedic timing.

MULDERSo when do I get to see it?

SCULLYIt's just a doodle.

She notices the thick file on the desk.Whatcha got?

(Picks up the file andwaves it seductively.)

You know, the artist in you justmight be interested in this one.Sometimes art's a crime.

SCULLYUh-huh..... Mulder, you're gettingthat look.

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MULDERWhat look?

SCULLYYou saw the white rabbit, ran afterhim, chased him down the hole,apprehended him, stuck his haunchesto the wall and yanked out a filemarked X from his trembling ears.That look.

MULDERYou forgot to mention that he waslooking at his watch and keptsaying "I'm late".

Mulder looks at her wrist.

Scully gently pulls the file from his hand.

SCULLYEvery detail.

As Scully takes the file, Mulder gazes at the closedsketchpad. Mulder then proceeds to gently tug at it. Scullypulls it back. This goes on a few times. He stops for amoment as she peruses the file. Thinking she is unaware ofhis movements, he tries to smoothly slide the sketchpad awayfrom her notice. Sensing his motion, her hand comes down onhis and slaps it as she looks at him disapprovingly.

Caught red-handed, he looks sheepishly at her, removes hishand from the pad, gently holds and softly touches her handfor a moment, and entwines his fingers with hers. After amoment, she loosens his grip, firmly takes his hand, and putsit far away from the sketchpad.

MULDERI see you've been working on yourgrip.

The sketchpad sits enticingly on the desk.

SCULLY

Do you know how many peoplesuffered serious pencil-inflictedstab wounds last year? And doyou know how many head traumas arecaused by blunt objects, such assketchpads, coming into contactwith people's skulls?

Mulder quietly accepts defeat for now. He positions himselfbehind her. Scully takes her feet off the desk.

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MULDERScully.... All right, all right.

SCULLYWhat am I looking at?

MULDERPossible X File. Go to page 4.

Scully flips to the page and looks at a photo of a painting.

SCULLYMmmm. Pretty painting.Impressionist. Le JardinD'Abolique. What kind of an X file?Art forgery or someone gettingripped off at an auction isn'tquite enough to lure the fox to the

henhouse.

MULDERCaught me ruffling feathers again?Don't know. The painting's currentowner, Adam Morrison, hasapproached the Bureau for its, andespecially our, assistance. Eversince he purchased the work a fewmonths ago, strange things havebeen going on. He says his wifeKaren claims to hear voices andsees shapes or some sort of

creatures (CAMERA notes Scullysskeptical reaction) in the house,and that they're out to get her -they being unknown. Ordinarily,this case seems psychological.

SCULLYLooks like the Red Queen wont beoff with her head any time soon.

(Mulder laughs softly witha touch of sarcasm.)

However, what could turn this intoa possible X file is the painting

itself.

SCULLY (CONTD)Let me guess...

(Cuts her off.)

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What's in the file regarding thisparticular piece of artwork showsthat anyone who has owned it atleast during the past 20 years hasdisappeared without a trace or diedin a horrific manner. The previousowner, Melissa Watters, apparentlyset herself and her house on fire.Case was closed as a suicide. Nohard evidence to suggest otherwise.

SCULLYBut...

Scully envisions a large neon paranormal sign being put up atthe henhouse.

MULDER

But, nothing except the end resultjustified the case being closed inthat manner. What's also peculiarabout that case is that her husbandRick was killed in a single vehiclecrash that same evening. Brakefailure on a brand new car. It wasalmost too perfect, too tidy (Hegazes at the organized chaos of hisoffice), too convenient. Completeerasing of any evidence to suggestotherwise. Scully, somethingstrange, possibly connected to that

painting, was going on in thathouse. It's all in the file, alongwith the complete Metro Toronto PDreport. Read the transcript of RickWatters' 911 call that Augustnight. Read the psychiatrist'sreport. Melissa Watters wasdesperately trying to get away fromsome one or some thing the nightshe died in that fire.

SCULLYLike what? It's all conjecture and

speculation on your end, Mulder.All I see here are some commentsfrom their neighbors, attestingthat Mrs. Watters wasn't feelingwell.

She flips through the file and scans its contents.

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SCULLY (CONTD)


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SCULLY (CONTD)And the report from herpsychiatrist at the ClarkeInstitute, obtained under warrant,I might add, noting Melissa Wattershad suffered a breakdown a fewmonths before she died. Sheclaimed that she believed thatsomeone was going to kill her andthat there was some sort of evilpresence in their home. Apparently,she had begun therapy but herdoctor indicates that her conditionhad severely deteriorated since herfirst visit. Overall, the reportappears to be thorough, except onpage two where the investigatingpolice officer observed a few

inconsistencies concerning Mrs.Watters' apparent suicide.

MULDERInexplicable paint splotches on thefloor... Why that painting was theonly item that wasn't burned andthe only item salvaged from thehouse. Scully, something'smissing.... Now, there'ssomething... almost familiar aboutthis case and the painting itself.I'm sure I came across a file on it

a few years ago or something. Toobad I wasn't able to save them allfrom the fire.

SCULLYChances are there's a completelyrational explanation for this.Most likely psychological, as youpointed out. Schizophrenia?

Scully remembers her own experience.Or, it could simply be ahallucinogen in the paint itself.

The tox screens don't appear toshow any signs of substance abuse.Only drugs in her system were herprescription medication.

MULDERWe all go a little mad sometimes.No, Scully, that's not it. MelissaWatters was playing with somethingand it wasn't madness.

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It kept changing the rules and shelost. We'll learn a lot more whenwe get to LA.

SCULLYLA? The case makes perfect sensenow.

EXT. DAY. LOS ANGELES. MALIBU.

9:42 a.m. The next day. MORRISON RESIDENCE.

Agents Mulder and Scully arrive at the front door. Scullyrings the doorbell. Adam Morrison answers the door. Mulderretrieves his FBI badge from his jacket's inside pocket andflashes it to him.

MULDERAdam Morrison? I'm Special AgentFox Mulder from the FBI, and thisis my partner, Dana Scully.

ADAMWe've been expecting you.

INT. LIVING ROOM.

SCULLYMr. Morrison, from the vague

information we have about thismatter, your initial contact withthe Bureau via Assistant DirectorSkinner indicated that some strangethings were going on here in yourhome. Can you elaborate on them forus?

KAREN (O.S.)Screams.

ADAMKaren! Are you all right?

Karen Morrison enters the room, distraught.

KARENAdam, it's.... it's nothing. I'mfine.

She looks hesitantly at the visitors.

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ADAMKaren, these are agents Mulder andScully from the FBI. They're hereto talk to us about the painting.

KARENPlease forgive me. I don't usuallymake such a dramatic entrance. It'sa pleasure to meet you.

ALL take a seat.

SCULLYWhat has been going on since youbought the painting?

KARENIt started just after we brought

the painting home from the auctionin New York. We were very happy topurchase a work of its quality.There have been some stories aboutthe possibility of it being anunknown Renoir. As you no doubtknow, Impressionism was onceconsidered the dishonor of France.

SCULLYYes, the Impressionist style was atfirst received with bewilderment,suspicion, and abuse.

Scully and Mulder exchange a humorous look.

MULDERDid you not find it a bit peculiarthat it has been auctioned at least6 times in the last 20 years?

ADAMA bit, but these sorts of thingshappen all the time in the artworld. We were lucky that we wereable to add it to our collection.

SCULLYWhat happened after you bought it?

KARENWell, at first, it just felt like Iwas being watched. I thought itwas because the painting seems solifelike.

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It has this way of mesmerizing youand drawing you in to it. You'llsee for yourself when we go to thelibrary. About a month after webought it, the voices started.

MULDERWhat kind of voices?

KARENWhispers. I couldn't make them outat first. I thought I was imaginingthings or that maybe there was amovie or television crew filming inthe area. Very sweet. Veryalmost... seductive, I guess. I'dhear my name and I would turnaround and there would be no one

there. Like a caress. Then notlong after that the voices startedto have no emotion. I felt coldanytime I heard them. They startedto get louder (indicates her headpounding and puts her hand to herears as if they were screaming ather even now). They talked aboutwanting to be free, and about beinghumiliated the last time orsomething, and that this time theywould succeed. That they were goingto do something to me. Even kill me

if they had to. Can't you hear themnow? They're here, Agent Mulder,and Agent Scully. In this room.Watching you. Studying you.Laughing at you. Look in thecorner.

Karen indicates a shadow cast on one end of the room by apiece of furniture.

ADAMShe's been like this for a while. Idon't know what's going on. I

certainly don't hear anything orsee anything.

KARENAdam, they're there. I too believedI was imagining things when itstarted. But then I found myselfdoing weird things.

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SCULLYWhat sorts of things?

KARENWell, going upstairs to bed atnight and finding myself in thelibrary the next morning without areason. No idea how I got there,or how long I was there. Feelingvery very tired all the time. Andthen, just a couple of weeks ago, Inoticed this.

She lifts her pant leg to show a bluish-purplish-black masson her lower leg - it appears to be a rather large bruise.

KAREN(CONTD)It was this small.

(She indicates the size ofa quarter.)Until just now, when I changedclothes.

SCULLYMay I have a look at that? I'm adoctor.

MULDERHave you been under any stresslately, Mrs. Morrison?

KARENNo, nothing out of the ordinary.

MULDERDo you drink or take any drugs?

KARENNo, no drugs. Hard to believe inthis town. An occasional glass ofwine. Because Adam works for oneof the networks, we go to partiesall the time. I'm not imaginingthis, Agent Mulder.

MULDERMrs. Morrison, I'm just trying tosee if there is a rationalexplanation for what you seem to beexperiencing.

Scully looks up at him questioningly. She pulls out a pair oflatex gloves from her bag. She puts them on and begins toexamine the bruise-like marking on Karen Morrisons leg.

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(Looks at the mark andgently touches it.)

It resembles a bruise, but itdefinitely isn't. Have you seenyour family physician about this?

KARENAbout a week ago. It wasn't healingthe way it should if it was abruise. And now, it's even larger.

SCULLY(looks closer at the"bruise".)

If anything, your bruise looks likepaint. Perhaps you just spilledsome on to yourself withoutnoticing. Have you been painting

your house recently? Do you take anart class?

KARENNo, Agent Scully. I'm a collector,not an artist.

SCULLYIt should be fairly easy to removewith a little paint thinner.

She examines it in greater detail.The skin around it seems pretty dry

and chafed.

KARENWhat do you think I've been tryingto do? Agent Scully, each morning Iwash it off and by thenext day it's back. I'm on mysecond bottle of turpentine.

SCULLYLet me try.

KAREN

You're just wasting your time.It'll be back and even biggertomorrow morning. Nothing I doworks for very long. It's anightmare. I'm covered in paintthat won't go away no matter howhard I try to scrub it off my body.

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SCULLYWould it be all right if I couldtry to take a swab or some sampleof it to the lab for furtherexamination?

KARENAgent Scully, I don't know what'shappening to me. I want to get tothe bottom of this. I can't take itmuch longer.

Scully exits the house to get her medical kit from thevehicle parked outside.

Both Mulder and Adam Morrison walk to the Library to examinethe painting.

MULDERHave you been collecting for a longtime? You have some interestingpieces. Mainly French, Isee, with a little Italian, andsome Chinese.

ADAMFor a few years. You haveexcellent eyes. "Le Jardin" is ourfavorite. It reminds Karen andme of our honeymoon in the south ofFrance.

MULDERYou work for a television network?

ADAMVP Legal. Nothing too glamorous.

MULDERLegal? As in contracts? Anythinginteresting? Some actor hit $30million per picture yet?Inquiring minds....

ADAMNot particularly. The same oldbusiness of money changingeverything. Once upon a time, itused to be about the pictures butnow it's about greed plain andsimple. Everyone's out to outscreweveryone else.

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Adam Morrison opens the door to the library. Mulder followshim inside. The room is filled with a vast and impressivecollection of books, artwork, and antique furniture. Typicalhome office set-up, along with a chessboard. Knight crossesQueen. Adam Morrison approaches the painting and points itout to Mulder.

ADAM (CONT'D)The pride of our collection.

INT. LIVING ROOM.

Scully is collecting a sample of the paint from KarenMorrison's leg. Karen softly moans in a dull pain as a bit ofpaint is being extracted.

INT. LIBRARY.

Mulder gives the painting an initial cursory look. He goesto it and touches it in a typical investigatory manner. Heruns his hands across it, and touches it carefully, probing,unconsciously looking for something that would be familiar tohim. As the sample of paint is being extracted the paintingalmost gasps/shudders in pain, as if a part of it is beingremoved. Mulder senses something not quite right, andalthough he is touching the painting at the exact spot, can'tput his finger on it.

INT. LIVING ROOM.

SCULLYHmmmm. It shouldn't be bleeding.

Scully cleans the resulting wound and puts a bandage on thearea where the paint was removed.

That's strange.

KARENI can't wait for you to see thepainting. I know you'll love it.

Both go to the Library. Karen feels slightly uncomfortableand looks worried as she watches Mulder touch the painting.

INT. LIBRARY

SCULLYIs that the painting?

Scully walks toward it and looks at it.

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It's even more beautiful than itsphoto.

Scully gazes at it closely, but does not touch it. Theaddition of Karen to the painting is conspicuously absent.There is a brushstroke that is reminiscent of a new figurebut Mulder and Scully do not see it yet.

SCULLY (CONT'D)Is it possible to take it down sowe can look at it more closely?

ADAMCertainly.

He goes to the painting, and with Mulders assistance, takesit down from the wall, and puts it on the desk.

Mulder looks at the back of the painting.Do you have a magnifying glass?There's something written here thatI can't make out very clearly.Maybe it's the painting's title...

KARENOf course.

Karen goes to the desk, opens a drawer, and takes out amagnifying glass.

KAREN (CONT'D)

I'm sure everything is in order.We're fairly certain the paintingisn't a fake. Except for a briefperiod of unknown ownership, itsprovenances are fairly impressive.

MULDERAn impeccable pedigree stilldoesn't rule out the possibility offorgery or fraud. You are awarethat about 10 percent of allImpressionist paintings aresuspected of being

fakes?

ADAMYes, you hear about artists signingblank pages and canvases on theirdeathbeds. Fraud comes part andparcel with the art world.

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MULDERDid you read about the recent casein England? Possibly the biggest,and most ingenious and damagingmodern art fraud of the 20thcentury? A con artist and anunremarkable painter made fools ofthe art world, and by doing so,punctured its aura of perceivedsophistication.

SCULLYMulder?

MULDEROver a span of a decade, startingin the 80s, John Drewesystematically infiltrated some of

the most reputable and security-conscious art archives in the worldand altered the provenances ofgenuine paintings with the purposeof establishing a lineage to makeway for his partner-in-crime JohnMyatt's often sloppy forgeries.Matisse, Braque, Giacometti, and LeCorbusier all became part of hisrepertoire. He faked their styleswith such virtuosity that hispaintings passed for thereal thing.

As part of the fraud, Drewe thenalso proceeded to seed thecollections with false records toprovide those very forgeries withan instant, although fraudulentheritage. He also set up acompany that authenticated thepaintings he had faked in the firstplace.The scale of the corruption in themodern art world was unprecedented.What distinguished this particularcase from most of the others was

how methodical Drewe was,and how well he understood theprocess of validation in the artworld.And that he exposed the artindustry as its own worst enemy;one much too reliant on sources

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of authenticity vulnerable tomanipulation, and one riddled withconflicts of interest that invitefull-scale corruption.

SCULLYMulder, one of these days you'regoing to strike out with thatphotographic memory of yours. I'msure we don't need to hear allabout something that probablydoesn't relate to our case.

Mulder glares at her and continues.

MULDERChief motivation of an art forger.Intellectual gamesmanship with the

end result of exposingyourself as a genius and the artexperts as fools. However, it isalso known that fraud in the artworld, when discovered by dealersand auction houses, is usually keptsecret so that the public wouldcontinue to have confidence in theart market. Chances are that themuseums, galleries, and auctionhouses affected will never know howmuch of their collections have beencompromised and otherwise

corrupted.

SCULLY

Aside and to herself. Mulder overhears.Same chairs, different desk.

To the group.Has interest in art become nothingbut a mere romanticism of names, ofowning a Picasso, or Van Gogh, or aMatisse, or whomever, withoutcaring about what's on the canvas?

Considering only social climbing orstatus instead of the painting'sintrinsic beauty? What makes apainting worth millions of dollarsone day and having peoplepractically fight to the death toacquire it and that not even oneperson would want to see it thenext?

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Is it nothing more than about beingor having the One?

MULDER/KAREN(Simultaneously)The One?

ADAMYes, we heard about that scandal.You take your chances.

SCULLYDo you have the provenances handy?We'd like to have a look at them aspart of our investigation. We'llmake copies and then return theoriginals to you later today orearly tomorrow. You did know aboutthe previous owners?

ADAMYes, they died in such a horriblemanner.

MULDERAnd you're hoping to avoid theirfate.

KARENExactly. Agent Mulder, I don't wantto die just because I happen to ownthis painting. I'm sure I'm

worrying about nothing.

Scully looks agreeingly at Karen. She then proceeds to lookat the writing Mulder did on the back of the canvas.

SCULLYMulder? It's almost like it's beenwritten over or something.

Mulder moves closer to his partner and looks again at thewriting on the canvas. As he touches the canvas, a slight,but seemingly familiar chill runs through his body. Heshivers, looks up, sees Karen, and sees her as being dark and

covered in paint for a moment, with the only light spot beingthe bandage on the leg that Scully has just examined. Shethen returns to normal and smiles. He has a slightly puzzledlook.

MULDERCan't make it out. We'll have totake a photo of it and do somescans on the wording. If that

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doesn't work, we may have to x-raythe painting.

Karen looks upset about the possibility of an x-ray. BothMulder and Scully look at the painting once more.

SCULLYExcept for that writing on the backof it, nothing appears to be out ofthe ordinary. Mrs. Morrison, an x-ray should not damage your work ofart.

Scully returns the canvas to Adam Morrison. He hangs it backup on the wall.

Scully then turns around, looks at it, and sees for a moment,as the sun hits it, the painting in its mesmerizing true form

(as a portrait of evil and notices that Karen has been addedto its dark, rotting, and insect-infested canvas). Shebelieves it is her eyes playing a trick on her and shakes herhead in disbelief. Scully then looks at the painting again.It is in its sparkling, light-filled form.

MULDERScully, is something wrong?

SCULLYNo. Must be the sun in my eyes.

Scully then touches the painting.

After she is finished, CAMERA notes her favoring her indexfinger and that she is touching it as it appears to be"tacky" as if she has touched some still-wet paint but apaint that has left no residue on her hand. Scully ispuzzled.

She continues to look at the painting.

KAREN

Notices Scully gazing at the painting. She is a bit nervousas to what Scully has apparently discovered.

It's pretty, isn't it. Art shouldbe pretty. There are far too manyunpleasant things in this world.

SCULLYRenoir.

She takes the folder containing the provenances.

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SCULLY (CONT'D)We'll get this back to you within aday.

MULDERHopefully, we can find some answersfairly quickly and put this matterto rest.

SCULLYIf you don't mind me asking, whydid you contact the FBI?Right now, there doesn't appear tobe much of a case of any sort, muchless a Federal one. AssistantDirector Skinner should havereferred you to the art theftsection of the Bureau. It

specifically handles these types ofcases. We're well out of ourjurisdiction and field ofexpertise. The LA Field Office oreven the art history department ata university is more than equippedto handle this sort of matter.

ADAMA friend, a private investigator,recommended you. He's read aboutyour work and your reputation. Hesaid that if anyone could get to

the bottom of this, you could. Youknow what's happened to everyonewho has owned this painting. Mywife and I don't want to be next.

KARENYou're the one. No mistakes. Thistime.

INT. LIBRARY. NIGHT.

Karen has come to the library for her regular nocturnal

visit. She is in a trance-like state.

VOICE 2Are we alone?

VOICE 3Yes, he's in the study. Probablyasleep.

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VOICE 5/KARENI took care of them. For now. He'sseen who I am becoming. He willremember soon. He was shocked whenhe saw me. How soon he forgets. Hesuspects though. She sees too. Shesaw who we really are. Perhaps shecan be useful for a while. Onlyuntil she believes. Until she findsher proof. They won't stay away toolong.

VOICE 3Long enough. I didn't like hertouching me.

(to VOICE 5/KAREN)We must do this right. No mistakes.You're lucky he didn't pick up on

what you said. He would have knownfor sure who we are.

KARENI followed your instructions.

VOICE 4What about Adam?

KARENWhat do you mean?

VOICE 2

Oh, nothing.

KARENPlease. Don't kill him. It was partof the agreement.

VOICE 3No. We keep our agreements. Youbecome one of us in exchange forhis life.

Voices become still. Karen proceeds to fall asleep.

VOICE 3 (CONT'D)He's of value. He doesn't quitehave the upper hand he thinks hehas.

VOICE 1Neither does she. They're all thesame. Gullible. Some things neverchange. We expect too much.

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VOICE 2She will realize that we do keepour word. But it is a question ofsemantics.

All Laugh.

VOICE 4We must do this slowly. They arehere now, remember.

VOICE 3What do we do about them?

VOICE 1The intruders?

VOICE 4

We must wait. Let them solve theirmystery as far as we want them toand let them go home. It's up tohim to decide their fate.

VOICE 2We've waited a long time for them.We must use this opportunitywisely.

VOICE 4Yes, to observe.

VOICE 3And maybe have a little fun?

Voice 1 glares at Voice 3.

VOICE 1He is a force to be reckoned with.We must be cautious. He'llcontinue to dig until he gets hisanswers. She is getting strongeras he turns her to the dark withinher. She may be even stronger thanhim. A more formidable challenge.

The unknown variable. We must watchher closely.

VOICE 2He has a weakness. They all do.Perhaps it is her. Perhapssomething else. We will find it andturn it to our advantage.

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With him out of the way, she ispowerless to stop us. And if we areright about her, we will take careof her too.

VOICE 3Yes, Dana Scully does not realizehow big our plans are for her andhow important she is to us. Shemight be the key we're looking for.And the beauty of it is that Mulderwon't realize what has hit him.Until it is far too late.

VOICE 1He's a sly fox. We mustn'tunderestimate him on any count.

VOICE 3Yes, but he's in our lair.

Voice 2 looks at where Scully touched the painting.

VOICE 2She made a mess.

(to VOICE 4)I think you should fix it.

All move toward Karen, who has fallen asleep on the sofa.

Voice 4 softly touches Karen's leg. Another brush of dark

paint is added to it. Another brushstroke of Karen is alsoadded to the painting on the wall. She softly moans as herlife essence is entwined with those of the beings in thepainting. All sigh pleasurably.

INT. STUDY. A few minutes later.

Adam Morrison is in the study, and talking on the telephone.Voice 2 is also in the room, taking the form of a shadow.

ADAMYeah, the FBI agents were heretoday. Everything is working

according to the plan. It won't belong now before our little problemis taken care of.

He hangs up the telephone and smiles. He turns off the lightat his desk, gets up, and proceeds to exit the room.

Voice 2 goes back to the library.

INT. Library.

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VOICE 3Our plan is working perfectly.

Voice 3 then runs its paint tendril hand suggestively acrossKaren's leg. With the touch WIPE to BLACK (like a brushstrokesweep).

ACT TWO

FADE IN

INT. DAY. MORRISON RESIDENCE. LIBRARY. 8:42 A.M. THE NEXTDAY.

Karen is performing her morning ritual of removing the paint

from her leg that was brushed on the night before. Adamenters the room, sees her, smiles slightly, and then exhibitsthe behavior of a concerned husband.

KAREN(Tears welling in hereyes.)

Is it ever going to end? Why isthis happening to me?

ADAM

Comforts her. He holds her, hugs her and helps wipe the

brushstroke away. He then kisses her on the forehead.Karen, once the FBI agents get thelab results back, we'll know what'sgoing on and how to help you.You'll just have to be patient forjust a little bit longer.

KARENHow much longer? I could be dead bythe time they find out what'shappening to me. Maybe we shouldjust get rid of the painting.That's the right thing to do. You

know I never wanted it in the firstplace. Why you bought it....

ADAMFor you. Those weeks in France werethe happiest of my life. I wantedyou to remember them forever.

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KARENYou were adamant about buying it.It really was too expensive. Maybewe should call the auction houseand sell it to the man who reallywanted to buy it. He seemed sodesperate.

ADAMLet's talk about it later.

He smiles at her and abruptly changes the subject.

ADAM (CONT'D)I'll make breakfast.

Adma leaves her to go to the kitchen.

Karen gets up from the sofa and her eye catches a book out ofplace and sticking out on the bookcase. She goes to thebookcase to put the book back in its spot. She's curious whenshe struggles to fit it into its proper place. She then movesa couple of books near it to fit it back in and discoverssomething quite interesting. A microcassette recorder andplayer.

KARENNow what is this doing here?

She then finds the play button and turns it on, keeping thevolume low but just loud enough for her to hear what is going

on - various voices are on the tape, very similar to thoseshe initially heard. She is shocked at what she hears, andthen takes the cassette out of the player and slips it intoher pocket. Karen leaves the room, with a slight hint of herbeing Voice 5.

KAREN (CONT'D)Adam, you've been sloppy. Tsk. Tsk.Maybe it's time to give the devilhis due.

INT. DAY. HOTEL ROOM. ABOUT THE SAME TIME.

Mulder is finishing dressing, adjusting his tie. Scullywatches, with a slight hint of a smile.

SCULLYThere's something weird going on inthat house. I doubted this was an Xfile. You know something?

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MULDERWhat?

SCULLYIt's the painting. For a second, Isaw... I don't know what I saw...if I can even describe it exceptthat it was almost... alive... andevil.

MULDERWhat exactly did you see?

SCULLYI don't know. The painting becamedark. Instead of the prettypastels, it was a sea of angry,raging color. Almost

Expressionist. But not quite. Idon't know. Maybe more Dorian Gray.Rotting. Dark. I thought I imaginedit or maybe it was just the way thelight hit the room. And then when Itouched it, it was sticky, as ifthere was fresh paint on it thatwas still drying. That'simpossible. It's over one hundredyears old. And do you know what?

MULDERWhat?

SCULLYAnd I could have sworn I saw KarenMorrison in it, like she's become apart of the painting.

MULDERNow this is a Polaroid moment.Maybe we should...

SCULLYSee what develops?

MULDERScully...... I had the samesensation when I touched it. Therewas some sort of... dark ...presence, for lack of a betterword. Melissa Watters. KarenMorrison. Too many similarities. Isaw her as being black, maybealmost inhuman, if that's a way todescribe it, just for a second.

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Almost like she was brushstroked. Ithought it was just a shadow.

Scully nods in agreement.I see things. We both don't. Wejust have to wait until we get thelab results back. And it was Karenthinking she recognized me andsomething she said. I've never mether but there was something abouther that was familiar. Toofamiliar.

SCULLYCelluloid-familiar?

MULDERNo, not that familiar. No mistakes

this time. I'm the one. Where haveI heard that before?

SCULLYWhere haven't you heard thatbefore? You know what's funny? Thisreminds me of the old horror B-movie "Don't Be Afraid of theDark."

Mulder laughs.

SCULLY (CONT'D)

What's so funny?

MULDERYou. Always full of surprises. Ilike it. I always suspected thatunder that cool scientist exteriorlies a scared little kid hidingunder the bed or sleeping with thelights on.

SCULLY(being her usual bad liar self)You've always out-surprised me.

And I never slept with the lightson. Or hid under the bed. Until Imet you.

MULDERNever let it be said that I haven'tshown you a good time. But, whatif? What if there is some one orsome thing inside that painting?Some sort of I don't know...

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SCULLYLike what? Lonely little creaturesdragging and consigning some poorvictim into their tortured world?

MULDERWhat other explanation can there beScully?

SCULLYDefinitely not a literal take onart collecting.

MULDERYou aren't afraid of the dark,Scully? Not even just a little?

Mulder then startles her with a quick and unexpected touch,

reminiscent of the hi-jinks of a 6-year-old. After a moment,Scully absently takes his hand, entwines her fingers in hisand then lets go.

SCULLYThat's not the issue. We're herebecause there's a woman whobelieves that there may besomething living in her paintingand that whatever it is - thatsomething is out to get her.Something is definitely going on.But not in the painting.

MULDERWhat we've seen ...

SCULLY...has made me sometimes questionsome of my beliefs... but...

MULDER... you still haven't proven mewrong. Something is going on withthat painting, but you won't admitit because it goes against your

need to hang everything on yourscience. Well, you know perfectlywell that sometimes science doesn'thave an explanation... yet. Part ofyou knows that some one or something is in that painting. You sawsomething. At least admit it to meif you can't admit it to yourself.

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SCULLYI've seen more darkness workingwith you than most people see in alifetime. I'll admit it. And yes,sometimes I have been afraid. AndMulder, I do want to believe, but Istill need the facts. Not simplefaith in possibilities.

MULDERBut... what if there is somethingevil living in that painting? Andwhat if it's playing a cat andmouse game and using the Morrisonsas the cheese to lure us into itstrap? Scully, I know it and thatsomehow it knows me... and you. Andit's hiding. And waiting. Patiently

biding its time.

SCULLYLike what? What's biding its time?Mulder, come on. It's paint, it'scanvas.

MULDERAmong others who have worked withthe paranormal over history,Emanuel Swedenborg warned of thedangers of evil spirits who willuse all manner of subtlety,

brilliance, and affection to reachtheir victim. Hovering aroundpeople like phantoms, secretlyinfusing them with evil. Why not ina beautiful painting? Literallyhanging around, waiting for theperfect opportunity. Satan himselfcould masquerade as an angel oflight. Fairy tales use the motifall the time. Beauty and the beast.Well, what if beauty is the beast?

SCULLY

Does everything have to be Jungianwith you? Mulder, this isn't a caseof who's afraid of the big badwolf. And besides, Swedenborg wasconsidered a bit of a nut. Forevery one of your books that sayone thing, there are four more thatrefute it.

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He looks at her, impressed that she has read some of hisbooks, but still frustrated that after all she's experienced,her mind is seemingly just as stubborn and that she still hasto challenge him.

SCULLY (CONT'D)C'mon Mulder. Karen Morrison is anice woman who's looking for alittle attention. There aren't anyspirits, evil or otherwise, oranything else living in herpainting. Yes, I have seen evidenceof the paranormal. But not in theMorrisons' home. My eyes deceivedme for a second when it turneddark. It could be just some cleverfilm stunt. You said Adam Morrisonworked for a television network. He

could have access to all sorts ofprops and equipment.

MULDERWhy go to all the trouble?

SCULLYWhy not? It's the city of theAngels. Everyone is looking fortheir break. To get out of theireveryday lives and pursue a careerin fantasy. I'm sure the producersout here have seen it all and maybe

the Morrisons have stumbled on to agood gimmick to get noticed.

MULDERWhen are the test results comingback?

SCULLYThis afternoon. We'll expose thefraud and then we'll be on thefirst flight back to Washington.

MULDER

(to himself but loudenough for her to hear)

No, Scully, something tells me it'snot some stunt. It's all a set-up.Making us the fools.

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INT. LA BUREAU FORENSICS OFFICE. AFTERNOON.

Scully enters the office. There is a Female Lab Tech, AgentFiore, inside the room.

AGENT FIOREAgent Scully?

SCULLYAgent Fiore. Thank you for gettingthese test results back to me soquickly. Is there anything in thepaint sample worth noting?

AGENT FIOREA couple of interesting things.Where did you get it?

SCULLYCase involving a possible artfraud.

AGENT FIORE

Picks up a case file from her desk.What we have here are two verydifferent types of paint. Both areoil- based. On the surface bothappear to be identical.

SCULLY

But?

AGENT FIORE

Indicates the two specimens near a microscope and motions forScully to take a look at the slides.

They're anything but. The paint onthis first slide is pretty ordinaryand common, the kind you buy at anyart supply store. Inexpensive. It'sprimarily the kind of paint that abeginning student would use.However, the second sample is

highly unusual. Its chemicalcomposition resembles the type ofpaint that would have been used atleast 100 years ago, if not evenlonger.

SCULLYHow is that possible?

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AGENT FIOREDon't know. Do you know much aboutpaint itself?

SCULLYNo, not really.

AGENT FIOREWell, painters today tend to useraw linseed oil diluted withturpentine as a medium. About ahundred or so years ago and beyond,painters generally preferredpolymerized oil, which is alsoknown as "stand oil". It tended tobe heated or otherwise dried andthen thinned to a paintingconsistency by mixing it with

turpentine, or sometimes even anemulsion mixed with an egg yolk.Stand oil by itself is not what'sunusual. It's not common today, butsome painters still use it. Thepigments in the stand oil in thissecond sample are what'sinteresting. They don't exist todayin a truly identical form. I'veisolated two colors from the sampleyou provided. There are more, butin insufficient quantities toanalyze. This blue color (POINTS to

a very small speck of paint underthe microscope) is what is knowntoday as synthetic ultramarine,which is the exact color of thefirst sample. However, the tests onthe second sample show it tocontain lapis lazuli.

SCULLYLapis? I thought it was usedprimarily in ancient Egyptianjewelry.

AGENT FIOREIt was also used in the creation ofpigments in paint. Some artistsprided themselves on the colorsthey could create with naturalmaterials - which ran quite thegamut. Insects to gemstones to evencow's urine. Indian cows were aparticular favorite.

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SCULLYUntil India became Hindu. And then....

Gets a Mulder-like thought and is somewhat embarrassed atwhat she thinks Mulder would think if he was there... andstarts to giggle.

Holy cow...

AGENT FIOREThat's one way to put it.(Both laugh. Scully then regainsher composure.)

SCULLYWhat about this purple splotch?

AGENT FIORE

This color is also highly unusual.The dye appears to have been madefrom some sort of insect, and mostlikely a specimen of the ordercoleoptera, species Candidae,otherwise known as the groundbeetle. I'm not an entomologist,but my knowledge of art historymakes me suspect that the beetleused to make this color most likelycame from either Central America orIndia. It's rather unusual. If youneed to know the exact species,

I'll call in an entomologistspecializing in beetles from thoseparts of the world to try todetermine it for you. If it's abeetle that has been classified, itshouldn't be too difficult.However, there's very little of it -just this tiny fragment of whatwould have been its shell - and itcould take some time. There's alsoanother compound in the secondsample, that, to be honest, Ihaven't a clue how to classify or

even understand. It emulates humanskin in that the skin is somehowbecoming the paint. In layman'sterms, it's reminiscent of someweird sort of flesh-eating disease,but one that's not bacterial.Definitely not Strep A. And thatisn't even a good way to describeit.

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It's almost like human cells, andeven DNA have in some way become asort of emulsion, like thissubstance is somehow overwritingthe DNA. Where did you get thisfrom?

SCULLYA bruise-like mass on a woman'sleg.

AGENT FIOREA leg? I was expecting an actualpainting to be the source.

SCULLYYeah, she said it grew from aboutthe size of a quarter to taking up

most of her leg in a matter ofmoments. She says she couldn't washit off no matter what she used.

AGENT FIORENo, that's not right. Thenineteenth-century paint wasn'tfresh. It was dry. It's been on herleg for at least a few days if noteven a few weeks. There was alittle blood from where you scrapedit off. Wet paint wouldn't makesomeone bleed. The modern paint was

fresh. No more than maybe a dayold. A breeze to get rid of withturpentine. What's turning into asort of "human emulsion" is beyondme. And it is growing or spreadingrapidly.

SCULLYThat doesn't make any sense. Ifsomeone wanted to pull a fraud,could he buy this paint anywhere?

AGENT FIORE

The modern one, yes. The other one,doubtful. Not unless you can find away to time-travel back about onehundred years or find a way toobtain the gemstones and beetlesand the follow the exact techniquesused at the time to make thepigments. And age the painting.It's not that it can't be done.

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You'd have to be a fairlyknowledgeable about paint at thattime and be an extremelysophisticated forger to pull itoff. We're state-of-the-art herewhen it comes to art forgeryinvestigations and we'd be likelyto detect that sort of fraud.

SCULLYWhat about someone buying some oldpaint somewhere or finding it in anattic or basement?

AGENT FIOREIt's possible but not likely. You'dbe looking at decomposition. It'sbeen a hundred years. What you have

here are two very different thingsmasquerading as one. There'sdefinitely fraud of some sort, butnot what would be typical to anordinary art crime investigation.The real mystery is what'sunderneath the modern paint and whysomeone is masking it. Or imitatingit, for whatever purpose.

Scullys cell phone then rings.

SCULLY

Excuse me.

She reaches for her phone and answers it.

SCULLY (CONT'D)Scully.

MULDERScully, it's me. Did you find outanything?

SCULLYYeah, I'm starting to think like

you. Don't even ask. Looks likewe're not flying home thisafternoon. Where are you?

INT. MORRISON RESIDENCE.

Karen is searching the house, looking for more evidence thatshe has been the victim of a sinister game.

44.

AGENT FIORE (cont'd)


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Upon going through Adam's walk-in closet, she discovers ashoe box containing two tubes of dark paint and some brushes.All show evidence of recent use.

INT. DAY. ART HISTORY DEPARTMENT. UCLA. OFFICE.

Small cluttered office, typical of academia. Computer, in-baskets containing student assignments and generalcorrespondence. File cabinet against one wall. SeveralImpressionist prints - Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas,Pisarro. The door is open. Scully enters the office. CAMERAnotes a framed degree hanging on one wall. It is from theUniversite de Paris - Sorbonne.

MULDERDr. Marie LaMarche, this is mypartner, Dana Scully.

BOTH exchange pleasantries. DR. LaMarche then goes to herbookcase and pulls out a large, but thin and weathered bookfrom its top shelf. As she is doing this, Scully shows Mulderthe lab report and points to its findings. He looks at itquizzically. Marie then moves back to her desk and puts thebook on it, noting Mulder gazing at the file that Scully hasgiven to him. Marie then flips the pages until she finds apicture of a painting. It is the garden scene.

MARIELe Jardin Diabolique. Jean Engare(EN-GAR-AY). Garden of Demons.

SCULLY(examines the picture -INSERT copy of paintingthat does not look as"complete" as the versionhanging in the Morrisonhome)

It looks a little different.Emptier.

MARIEUntil Agent Mulder showed me the

photo of it, I thought that itexisted only in stories andbackroom gossip. I never thought Iwould ever come across it.

SCULLYWhat's so remarkable about it?

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MARIEWhat it truly is. Evil incarnate.The painting was rumored to havebeen destroyed about 20 years ago.Since it has appeared at least twotimes since then, the rumors wereobviously incorrect. Your partnertold me about Melissa Watters. Verydisturbing. And now Karen Morrison.The usual form the painting takesis the pretty French garden scene.It's gone through a number ofchanges over the years. Namechanges. False provenances createdto give it a lineage that would bean art collector's dream. All thewhile covering its death toll andadding to its unspeakable carnage.

The real painting is said to besomething like this.

DR. LaMarche turns the page over to reveal the Expressionistform. INSERT dark form, again slightly emptier, missing someof the newer "additions".

SCULLYWhich I saw just for a second. Howis this possible? We examined thepainting thoroughly.

MARIE

The art world has its secrets,Agent Scully. Ones that have beenburied a long time.

SCULLYHow did the other people get intothe painting? Did some other artistadd them? The one here doesn't lookfinished compared to the onehanging in the Morrisons library.What do you mean by its death toll?A painting doesn't kill people.

MULDER(laughs)

Scully, the extra people in thepainting we saw are some of itsprevious... owners. They're being... collected. You were right.Lonely, or in this case, ratherevil little entities or creaturesthat used to be people.

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Consigning other people to spendeternity in their world.

SCULLYWhat?

MULDERIt's true, Scully.

SCULLYWhy? How? If it's such a secret,how do the two paintings exist? Whywould these... creatures allow thereal painting to be shown?

MARIEMadness. Not many people believe lefou. The fool. This book was

discovered in 1943. WWII. Time ofGerman occupation in France. Theowner at the time was EtienneFournot. A simple man, a farmer.Thought to be insane. At leastafter he had owned the painting fora time. He drew what he saw asbeing the real painting - whatyou're seeing. He kept a diary -this book actually - of things thathappened to him and believed thatit would be evidence to prove thatthe painting harbored what he felt

were killers of a sort unknown tothis world. No one ever believedhim. He hid it well, so they - theentities - couldn't find it anddestroy it. The diary and Fournot'sbody were found in the remains ofhis bombed-out home. The paintingwas not found and was presumablytaken by looters.

SCULLYHow did you get the book?

MARIEMy research interests. A few yearsago, one of my students found it inan attic in a friend's home nearNice. He thought I might like agood story.

MULDERThe why? The paint on KarenMorrison.

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MULDER (cont'd)

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The "bruise" you examined. You sawher in the painting. How? Each newaddition's life force is capturedand absorbed by brushstrokes in theapplication of paint to his or herbody.

Marie nods in agreement.

MULDER (CONT'D)Which works in tandem to tortuouslytransfer this force, the soul, thespirit, that which is human, thatwhich is good, from the physicalperson to the physical,impressionist painting. In reality,each addition becomes non-human,dark, immortal, and predatory. What

remains of the person'sconsciousness would stay alive,active, and evil. The realpainting. What Karen thought werethe voices she first heard. Theones that plotted to kill her, orthe part of her they wished to feedon, before she made her bargain,whatever it is, whatever is keepingher alive. And Adam Morrison alive.After the collection of the newaddition, the requisite killingsand the erasing of any evidence

that would implicate the painting,it moves on to its new home, andthen the occupants or entitieswithin it continue to prey on andpossess and collect other humanbeings. The why? Obsession. Atfirst, finding the One that willset them free. Now, frustration.Rage. No sign of the One. Allthat's left is the joy of the kill,the thrill of the game. They wantedyou to see.

SCULLYBecause I wouldn't believe. Andthat my scientific findings wouldremove any suspicion of thepainting, and inadvertently, Iwould become an accomplice.

MULDERThat's too easy an explanation.They want something, Scully. And

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MULDER (cont'd)

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they're using you, playing youagainst me to get it. Or find it.

MARIEBut why go to all the trouble todraw you to LA? Those living in thepainting do not want the two ofyou. Adam Morrison has not beenaffected. Their goal is to completethe painting and by doing so, to bereleased from their damnation.

MULDER(to himself)

You must be careful. It knows you.

Marie smiles. Mulder and Scully do not notice.

SCULLY(overhearing)Unless we can help them somehow.Finding their One.

MULDERI don't think so. It's deeper thanthat.

MARIE(quietly to herself,Mulder overhearing)

Far deeper.

MULDERScully, you touched Karen. Youtouched the painting. You told meyou thought you had touchedsomething sticky - maybe still-drying paint. Scully, your eyes canand do deceive you. You see people,but you rarely touch who or whatthey truly are. This time you did.And they weren't expecting it.

SCULLY

Which is why you saw Karen as onlybeing dark for a moment. Likeattracts like. So they...

MULDERThey hid the truth from us. KarenMorrison, or what's left of her, isonly the illusion she wants us tosee.

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MULDER (cont'd)

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Adam Morrison may be part of theillusion himself, or a pawn in theelaborate game she's playing alongwith the creatures in the painting.Or he may be playing his own game.The Morrisons wanted us here. Theyspecifically asked for us. We haveto find out why.

MARIEWould it be possible to arrange forme to see the painting? Perhaps Imight be able to help somehow.

Mulder unconsciously nods in agreement and picks up theDiary.

He knocks a small object over - an Eastern European craft

item. Unconsciously, he notices.

Marie smiles.

MARIE (CONT'D)Maybe it will shed some light foryou.

SCULLYIs there any way to stop theentities from their plan to collectKaren?

MARIEIf you can remove the painting fromher home, it is possible that itsinfluence on her can be stopped andthat her fate can be changed.

MULDERHer fate was sealed the day shetook her new painting home.

INT. DAY. A SHORT TIME LATER. DR. LAMARCHE'S OFFICE.

Marie is working on her computer and talking on thetelephone.

MARIEI've made arrangements to see ittomorrow.

She pauses.Yes, mon cher (my dear), Iplayed my part to the hilt.

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MULDER (cont'd)

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(laughs) It won't be long now. Thediary was the piece-de-resistance.It's very convincing. It always hasbeen. The truth makes forinteresting reading. At least theversion we want them to know. Yeah,he took it with him.Fox Mulder? He's exactly what youtold me to expect. Brilliant,intuitive mind. He hasn't put allthe pieces together yet. He needsjust one more clue. Yes, he knockedit over. That should trigger hismemory. Yes, you were right. Yourold friend is the one. Hisskeptical partner is another story.She's the question mark.Yes, I know, we're running out of

time.

(O.S.) A knock on the office door.

MARIE (CONTD)Someone's at the door. Must run. Aurevoir. Je t'aime.(Goodbye. I loveyou.) Un moment. Entrez. (Just aminute. Come in.)

Adam Morrison enters the office and moves towards Mariesdesk. He notes her hanging up the telephone. Both are tense.

MARIE (CONT'D)I've been expecting you. You justmissed them.

ADAMYeah, I know. I watched them leave.(indicates phone) Well? That washim, wasn't it?

Marie nods.

ADAM (CONT'D)It worked?

MARIEWhat did you think?

ADAMGot a call from Agent Mulder askingif you could take a look at thepainting and tell us how to ridourselves of its "curse".

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MARIE (cont'd)

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Let me guess. He fell hook, lineand sinker for that "diary".

MARIEDid you think he wouldn't? We hadto do it this way. Don't be sonervous. It's for the best. Do youwant Karen to suspect?

ADAM(picks up and plays withcraft)

Not like she doesn't already. I'msure she thinks I'm having anaffair. With you.

Pauses.Now that would be a laugh. And be

the least of my problems.

MARIEDisappointing me again, Adam? Somethings never change. And you shouldknow that your jig is almost up.Agent Scully has discovered yourhidden creative talents.

ADAMThat's all I need. This whole thinghas been wrong from day one. Ishould have put an end to it and

you a long time ago.

MARIEYou know you can't get rid of methat easily. Adam, when will youever learn? And since when have yougrown a conscience? Are the paintfumes making you see some sort oftwisted light? Cut the guilt Adam.It doesn't become you. We're soclose.

ADAM

To being exposed? God help us both.

MARIETo getting what we want. Ourfreedom.

ADAMTo getting what you want. I'm onlyyour errand boy. This has to end.

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ADAM (cont'd)

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The price for my freedom is toohigh. This wasn't part of thebargain. Karen doesn't deservewhat's happening to her. God, if itwas happening for real.

MARIE(smiles)

You chose unwisely. You have asmuch at stake as I do. She must paythe price for your bad judgment.

ADAMDon't remind me. And every day yousqueeze out yet another drop of mysoul.

MARIE

You sold it far too cheaply. Soquick to sign on the dotted line.Lawyers.

ADAMDamn you.

MARIE CELINEYou damned yourself Adam. I offeredyou a solution.

ADAMIf those FBI agents knew the truth.

MARIEWe need them. It will end. Soon.They will know. Panicking won'tsolve this.

ADAMIt will end tonight.

He glares at her, leaves, and slams the door behind him,cursing his folly.

MARIE

(Alone in her office.)Yes it will.

INT. NIGHT. 10:49 P.M. MORRISON RESIDENCE.

Adam Morrison is alone in the library, working up the courageto come clean and admit what he has done to Karen, so he canclear his conscience, beg for her forgiveness and find a wayout of the mess he has gotten himself into.

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ADAM (cont'd)


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He sits at his desk, picks up his wedding photo and gazes atit. He wonders, where, in his eyes, it all went wrong. Hethen puts it down. The desk is strewn with legal papers. Heis in no mood to work. A rare-edition copy of Lewis Carroll's"Through the Looking Glass" (Alice in Wonderland) is on thedesk. CAMERA holds on the book for a moment. He picks it up,absently thumbs through it, and then puts it back down on thedesk when he hears a noise. (O.S.) Door opening. CAMERAfocuses on determining the source of the sound. Karen entersthe library. She is angry. She is carrying the box thatcontains the paint, brush, and the cassette tape. She movescloser to Adam and throws the box on the desk in front ofhim.

KARENAren't you a little late for yourart class tonight, Adam?

ADAMKaren, I don't understand.

KARENWhat part of paint your wife bynumbers?

Adam looks at her in shock.

KAREN (CONT'D)It was you all along. Pretending tobe the concerned, loving husband.Karen, darling, was it the

nightmare again? Karen, myprecious, let me tuck you in. Thepaint you brushed on me everynight. And helped wash off the nextday. What did you do, put ahallucinogen in the milk that youmade me drink? And what's this?

She shows him the cassette she has found. Karen then goes tothe bookcase, pulls a book from it, and retrieves the taperecorder. She puts the tape in the recorder and plays it forhim. Adam acts surprised.

KAREN (CONT'D)Why are you gaslighting me?

ADAMKaren, it's not what you think.

KARENReally? You're not trying to driveme insane? It just looks that way?

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ADAMThat wasn't part of the plan,darling.

KARENI want the truth. Now. Who is she?You don't think I look at your cellphone bills?

ADAMKaren, there is no other woman. Ilove you. Let me explain... I'vewanted to.

The rest of the voices are now noticeable, taking the form ofshadows. Karen notices them slipping out of the painting andsmiles slightly. Adam is oblivious. Note: Each word spokenreveals brushstroke after brushstroke on Karen - this is

incrementally done until her appearance is one of a figure inan impressionist painting that can flip into theexpressionist one at a second's notice. Contrasting lighting(i.e. Karen in shadow and Adam in "harsh" light) should beused in Adams move to his discovery of the light of truth asit compares to Karens own search for the truth - she willleave the "light" and descend further into "darkness". As thescene progresses, the lighting should reverse, although wewill not see Karen in the harshest of lights. We will see itreflected through her. She will be like a shadow looking atits reflection in the light.

KAREN

Liar. I paid the price. For you.

ADAMWhat do you mean?

KARENThe deal. With them.

(She points to thepainting.)

To spare your life. Letting themhave me instead of you.

ADAM

(Does not understand and thinks theplan worked all too well to makeher crazy.)There's nothing in the painting,Karen. It was all a ruse.Everything. No one was supposed toget hurt.

VOICE 1Everything?

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ADAM

Looks around the room and sees nothing.What's that?

KARENDon't you see them Adam?

Voice 1 steps out of the shadow on the wall and stands beforeAdam.

VOICE 1We meet our creator.

Studies him.Imperfect as he is.

Looks at Adam with a sort of contempt visible in its form and

especially, tone.

ADAM(Frightened, backs away)No, you're not real this time. Weinvented you.

Adam waves his hand through Voice 1 of course realizing thatit is just a shadow - there is after all, nothing there.

VOICE 1(steps closer to him)

How could you forget the last time,

Adam?

ADAMShe said it was over. That thepainting was a fake.

VOICE 4

Picks up the book that was on the desk and throws it acrossthe room. It starts to burn.

I thought you believed in fairytales, Adam.

VOICE 3Only the ones with happy endings.

All shapes laugh.

VOICE 2Fool.

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VOICE 1Come, come Adam. It's been too longsince we last met. It's been what?Twenty years?

Voice 3 moves closer to him. This allows for an eclipse-likeeffect to occur. Part of Adam darkens because of the shadow,remembering what happened all those years ago.

VOICE 3We've waited a long time for thisreunion.

VOICE 2He hasn't changed much. Run Adam.Like the last time.

KAREN

Adam, what's going on?

VOICE 2You did your job. You've given usthat which is most precious to youand more importantly, what we'vesought all these years. Mulder andScully.

ADAMWhat do you want with them?

VOICE 1

(motions to the burned book.)Things. What you won't dare to seethrough the looking glass. (Adam isconfused.) As for you, you'vebecome expendable. Like all therest.It's time for you to join them.She's waited a long time. It wasyour turn the last time. Youcheated.

ADAMSo Karen's retribution for my past

sins?

Adam realizes that his plan backfired, and that heunderestimated Marie. That bitch. His mind is also closing into knowing he was lied to and was little more than a pawn inher own game instead of a player. He should have suspectedthis all along. He feels angry and stupid. The joke he hadbeen playing on his wife has turned full circle and he is nowits victim.

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He looks at Karen, who has started to exhibit brushstrokesall over her body. She is trying to process what she islearning but still does not understand.

ADAM (CONT'D)This wasn't supposed to happen.Please believe me.

KARENWhat wasn't supposed to happen?

ADAMLiving the past 6 years on borrowedtime. Hoping I'd never have to...(walks closer to the painting.)Hoping I'd never have to see thatagain.

He becomes angry and tries to shake it off the wall.

VOICE 2I don't think so.

ADAMI destroyed it 20 years ago, when Isaw it for the first time. When Ifound out what it was. I watched itburn. The fire couldn't get hotenough to send it back to Hell,where it came from. It wouldnever...

He breaks off, not wanting to relive what happened all thoseyears ago.

Karen starts to put things together.

KARENYour family was killed in a fire 20years ago.

VOICE 1Such a tragedy. All thoseinnocents.

VOICE 3And now we can finish what westarted.

ADAMIt was all my fault. They didn'tlisten to me.

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Karen moves closer to him, wanting to comfort him and sparehim the pain of the terrible memory from his childhood. Theshapes pull her away from him. She struggles.

VOICE 2He's lying to you Karen. Do youwant to know what really happened?

KAREN(not believing the shapes,turning to Adam.)

You were only 12 years old.

ADAMThey died because of me.

KARENNo, it was an accident.

ADAMA little gypsy girl gave me thatpainting as a present. She said itwould bring me and my family luck.She had such a beautiful, innocentsmile. I believed her. I was neverto tell them where it came from. Iwas to keep it until they cameback. My parents didn't like her orher family. My father, especially.He thought they were evil. Strangethings had gone on just after they

arrived in town from Romania and hethought they had some sort ofvendetta against our family andpretty much anyone in the town. Myfather argued with hers all thetime. I would listen to them in myroom. It was horrible. He told meto stay away from her. I didn'tlisten. She was my friend. Afterthe fire, they disappeared. I neversaw her again, until 6 years ago.

KAREN

Our trip to France.

ADAMIt was at one of those open-airmarkets we went to. A woman at oneof the stalls, haggling over asmall painting. She smiled at me asI looked in her direction.

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She was that same little gypsygirl, who remembered the little boyall those years ago. She told meshe knew we'd meet again. She saidshe had something she wanted toshow to me. That she never forgotme. She took me to her car, openedthe trunk and unwrapped a largeobject that was in it. It was thepainting. I was horrified that itstill existed. I was sure it hadburned with the house. She thentold me she knew what I had done.That I didn't listen to her. Thatbecause of what I did, my familydied. That I was to blame. And thatit was time for me to start to payfor my crime.

KARENYou were just a little boy. Itwasn't your fault.

VOICE 2He's lying to you. He set the fire.

ADAMTo destroy the painting. Theyweren't supposed to be home. It allwent horribly wrong.

VOICE 3You failed. So now, we destroy you.

KAREN/VOICE 5You had to buy the painting so youcould do this to me?

ADAMI was to wait until she contactedme. And then do whatever I was toldas punishment for my crime. Iprayed that day never came. I wasto get those two FBI agents here at

any cost. I hated it. I hated doingwhat I did to you. I had no choice.Nothing was supposed to happen toyou. It was part of thearrangement. I don't know what theplan is. There is someone elsebehind all this who wants them forsomething. The real painting wassupposed to have been destroyed andthis one was to be a fake.

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ADAM (cont'd)


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Voice 3 surveys him.

VOICE 3You were misinformed. You reallydon't know much about art.

Picks up the burned book and flips to the last page.And now this chapter must come to aclose.

KAREN/VOICE 5This was never part of ouragreement.

VOICE 2No?

VOICE 1

Perhaps you misunderstood?

VOICE 3We're changing it.

The shapes move closer to them and swoop in on Adam and Karenand surround them. At a certain angle, it would look asthough they are being attacked. Karen screams and tries torun away, and to try to save Adam. And herself. Two shapeshold her back.

KAREN(Struggling)

Let me go!

Voice 1 lets go of her, but she is still restrained by Voice3. Voice 1 goes to the painting and pulls something from oneof the trees in it. It appears to be an apple.

Voice1 offers it to her and seeing her turn away from it,forces it into her hand.

VOICE 1Give it to him.

It as a test of truth - Karen is to give Adam the apple and

he is to eat it. She doesn't want to. In her darkincarnation, she knows it's poison and made of acid and thatanyone who bites from it will die.

KARENNo. You can't do this. I won't. Youcan't make me. Adam, it's poison.Please, don't do this to him. Hewas just a little boy. Not thisway. Take me instead.

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The shapes grab Adamkand then hold him down on the floor. Hestruggles to no avail and becomes a prisoner, by seeminglyinvisible means. The shapes then push Karen closer to him andas she resists, THEY forcibly push her down on him. Adam....The apple is dangerously close to his body. He turns away.Karen struggles to keep the apple away from him.

SHAPES(together, echoing)

Make him eat it Karen.

Snakelike, one wraps itself around Adams neck, and lowersKaren further on to him and the apple closer to his mouth.This would slightly parallel the Biblical story of Adam andthe tree of knowledge.

Voice 3 forces Karens arm and hand closer to him and bringsthe apple near his lips - Adam gasps as he can feel a slight

touch of acid on his face.

VOICE 3This is the truth you've beenseeking all these years Adam. Can'tyou almost taste it? Don't you wantto really know what happened toyour family?

ADAMYou killed them.

VOICE 3

No, you did.

VOICE 2They were in the way.

KARENNo! Please don't make me do this.Please let him live. It's my lifeyou want. Take it.

The voices then put her hand to his mouth, hold it open, andforce the apple near it, making it so that he has no realchoice except to bite it. He is very much pinned and has

nowhere to move.

KAREN (CONT'D)Adam, turn away. Don't do this.

She goes closer to him and whispers to him to pretend to biteit.

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VOICE 3Do you think you're going to pullsomething on us? Backing out?

The Voices and Karen then strugg

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