Scully sits among family and friends as they all sing happy birthday to her brother Bill. It's nice to be around family and close friends she thinks. It's been awhile. Bill's wife Tara comes up and sits next to Scully.
"It's nice to see you again Dana."
"Yeah you too, Tara it's been awhile."
"Yeah the last time I saw you was when--" Tara suddenly stops in mid sentence remembering that the last time she saw Dana was when that whole scenario unfolded with her daughter Emily. What a hard time that must have been for Dana.
Scully places her hand gently on Tara's shoulder. "It's okay Tara."
Tara looks down at her hands embarrassed. Scully quickly changes the subject.
"So, where's little Matthew?" Scully asks. "I haven't seen my nephew in so long I'm dying to see him."
"Oh he fell asleep on the way here so he's upstairs sleeping. He should be awake soon though. Time sure flies I can't believe he's a year and a half now." Bill walks up and kisses his wife on the cheek. "What are you two ladies talking about?" Scully looks up at her brother and smiles. "We were talking about your son actually."
"Yeah you haven't seen him for awhile have you Dana?" Bill asks.
"No, and I feel bad about that." Bill pats her on the back.
"Well, I'm just glad you could come tonight."
"Are you kidding? It's your birthday I wouldn't miss it for the world," Scully says and smiles.
"I was afraid that your crazy partner would drag you off on some case," Bill says with sarcasm. Scully gets up and hugs Bill. "Well, not tonight he won't. This is your night my big brother." She squeezes him tightly.
"You know I worry about you Dana." Scully lets go of Bill and looks up at him confused.
"Are you all right? You seem I don't know, not your self."
"Can we go talk in private?" Bill asks.
"Sure Bill." Scully walks out of the noisy kitchen and into a secluded area in the living room. Bill follows her.
"Okay, now what's on your mind?" Scully asks him.
"Okay, your probably going to get mad at me for saying this, but I have to. Dana you're throwing your life away." Scully looks up at him shocked.
"What?!Bill how can you say that?!"
"Calm down, lower your voice," Bill says. Scully looks around the room to see a few people looking over at her and Bill. She sits down a little embarrassed. Bill sits next to her on the couch. He puts his hand on her shoulder. "Dana, will you just hear me out? I'm telling you this because I care about you."
"Okay, I'm listening Bill."
"It's just that you spend so much time at your job and with that paranoid partner of yours that you never have time for the family. Or to have a family of your own.
"Bill, are you jealous of Mulder?"
"Of course not." He pauses for a moment and then says, "You know actually I'm am. And I'm also angry with him for all the time he's almost gotten you killed.
"Bill, It's not his fault. I'm the one that choose to work for the FBI. It's my decision so I'm responsible for the repercussions of this job." Bill looks at her and with frustration in his voice says, "Dana, why do you always defend him?! It's as if you're in love with the guy." Scully is shocked by his statement. "Bill, just because I defend him does not mean that I'm in love with him!" Suddenly the door bell rings. Scully sees her mom walk up to the door and answer it. Suddenly Mulder's familiar voice wafts through the house. Scully gets up and walks to the door.
"Mulder? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, hey Scully. I'm really sorry to bother you at your mothers house but I really need to talk to you and your cell phone was turned off and when I tried calling over here the phone was busy."
"Fox, why don't you come in and have a seat," Scully's mom says and gestures for him to come in. Mulder walks in and suddenly sees Scully's brother walking towards him. "Oh great, Mulder thinks, "Just what I need a confrontation with Bill."
Bill walks up to him with an angry look on his face. "Why do you always do this?" Bill asks.
"Do what?" Mulder says confused.
"Interrupt Dana's time with the family. That's what!" Bill says starting to raise his voice. Scully touches her brothers arm as if her touch can calm him down. "Bill come on, don't be like this." Bill turns and looks at her angrily.
"See there you go again defending him. You know I'm starting to think that he's more important to you then the family. But I just don't understand why. He's just your co-worker. Unless---" He pauses.
"Scully's more to me then just a co-worker," Mulder says. "She's also a great friend. Scully looks at Mulder and smiles.
"Yeah, a great friend," Bill says sarcastically. "If she was a great friend then you'd stop pulling her along on your death missions."
"Bill that's enough!!" Scully says raising her voice.
"I'm finished anyway," Bill says and storms off.
Mulder looks at Scully's face noticing how sad she looks, and suddenly feels very guilty for coming over and interrupting her time with her family.
"Scully, I'm sorry."
"Mulder what's this all about?"
"It's about a case," Mulder replies.
"And it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?" Scully asks a little angry. Mulder pulls Scully into a secluded corner in her moms living room.
"Mulder, please explain to me why this case is so important that you felt you had the right to interrupt my brothers birthday party! You know how he feels about you.
"Yes, Scully and I apologize. But I got a very disturbing phone call from my cousin up in Matton Illinois."
"About?"
Mulder lowers his voice a bit and then starts to talk. "He woke up to find that he was paralyzed. He was helpless he couldn't move for 90 minuets. And he described a sweet smelling odor, and caught a quick glimpse of a strange man standing at the bedroom window. He described him as tall, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a tight-fiting cap." Scully looks at Mulder incredulously.
"Okay, I'm not even going to tell you what I think because you won't listen anyway and I want to get back to my brothers party." She starts to walk away and then Mulder grabs onto her shoulder. "Scully, I was kinda hoping we could leave tonight. My cousin is deathly afraid."
"Okay let me get this straight," Scully says. "You want to go investigate this case because you want to help your cousin out and not because you think this case is an X-file."
"Well, actually both,"Mulder says. "There's an X-file dating back to 1944 and in the same town, Matton Illinois. Several people reported the sudden infusion of a sickening sweet odor in their homes which left them paralyzed for as long as 90 minuets. And they two reported a tall man dressed in dark clothing and a tight-fiting cap. Who is now known as the "Mad Gasser."
"And they never caught this person?" Scully asks although she already knows the answer.
"No, he mysteriously disappears. And I think he has come back now to finish what he started."
"Mulder that's ridiculous! What reason would he have for coming back not to mention that it's been over 50 years and he's most likely dead by now or very old and incapable of doing any thing of the sort. Forget it Mulder, I'm not leaving tonight. I'm not going to do that to my family. I already feel guilty enough for not spending any time with them in several months."
"What if I explain it to them, that way it won't be your fault. Scully, I already got the tickets. He takes out two plane tickets from his pocket and shows them to her. He looks up at her with pleading eyes.
"Scully, please do this for me." Scully stares at him for a moment contemplating.
"Okay, Mulder I'll do this for you, but your going to owe me big time." Mulder reaches out to hug her but she steps away.
"Now you stay here while I go and try to explain this to my brother." Scully walks away from him and Mulder sits on the couch and waits patiently for her to come back. Five minuets later he sees Scully walking back; with Bill not too far behind.
"Don't do this," Bill yells angrily to his sister. Scully keeps on walking ignoring him.
"Dana, don't do this! If you walk out now that just proves--" He suddenly pauses.
"What?! It proves what Bill?" Scully yells back to him.
"It just proves that he's more important to you then family." Scully glares at him angrily.
"Well, you know what Bill, I consider Mulder as part of my family." Mulder looks at Scully shocked.
"If you can't accept that Bill then just don't come around, because you won't be welcome." Scully walks out the front door in a huff. Mulder quickly follows her not wanting to be there a second longer. She walks quickly to her car and opens the door. Mulder runs after her.
"Scully, wait!"
"Just tell me what time to meet you at the airport," Scully says impatiently.
"The plane leaves in two hours." Mulder walks over to Scully just as she's about to get inside her car.
"Scully, I'm really sorry that I've caused all this trouble with your family but if it's any consolation, it meant alot to me what you said back there, about considering me a part of your family." Scully looks at him and gives him a half smile.
"Well, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I'll see you two hours Mulder." She starts her car and drives off.
ONE DAY LATER.......MATTON, ILLINOIS
Mulder knocks on Scully's hotel room door. "Are you about ready Scully? I told my cousin we'd meet him at his place in 20 minuets." Scully opens the door and walks out.
"Lets go."
Scully and Mulder pull up to a very nice victorian three story house.
"Wow, this is nice," Scully says. "What does your cousin do for a living?"
"Oh, you two share a mutual profession. He's a doctor."
"What kind of doctor?" Scully asks intrigued.
"He's a pathologist," Mulder says as he steps out of the car, and starts walking to the front door. Scully gets out of the car and follows. They reach the front door and before Mulder even has a chance to ring the door bell is cousin quickly opens up the door startling Scully.
"Fox! Long time no see buddy!" He gives Mulder a brotherly hug , and then lets go and looks at Scully.
"Well, well, well. You've been holding out on me Fox. You didn't tell me you had such a beautiful girlfriend. Or is this your wife?" Scully blushes.
"Trent, this is my FBI partner,"Mulder says
Scully cuts in.
"Hi, I'm Agent Scully."
"Oh, my bad," Trent says and shakes her hand.
"Don't worry about it," Scully replies and smiles
"Well, why don't you two come in and have a seat and I will explain to you what happen to me." Trent says and gestures for them to come in. Scully walk in and sit down on his couch.
"This, is quite a nice house you have Trent, " Scully says.
"Why, thank you."
"Hey, Trent you know you and Scully share a mutual interest. She's a doctor too."
"Oh, really what area?," Trent asks and smiles at her; already feeling very smitten.
"Forensic Pathology," Scully replies. Mulder notices how Trent is staring at Scully and suddenly gets very jealous.
"So, Trent tell us about the encounter you had. I mean that is why we are here," Mulder says.
"Ok well like I said on the phone I woke up and found that I couldn't move my body. I couldn't even move my head, and there was a sweet smelling odor wafting through the room."
"Was it the smell of gas?" Scully asks. "Because gas tends to have sweet smell."
"No, it smelled nothing like gas. It almost most smelled like.....umm" He starts gesticulating with his hands. "Ummm you know the way sour crout smells like but sweeter."
"Oh,Sour crout, Scully says and starts piercing her lips together the way she does when she's having a hard time believing something. Trent catches the dubious manner in which she looks at Mulder and quickly says, "Well, sorta. I can't describe it really."
"Tell us about the man you saw," Mulder says.
"Ok, well he was very tall, 6'6 maybe and he was wearing dark clothing. From the looks of it, it looked like a cape, and he was wearing a tight fitting hat. Almost like a base ball cap but with out the rim."
"And Trent you told Mulder that you didn't get feeling back in your limbs until ninety minuets later."
"Yes, that's correct" Trent replies.'
"Is there anything else you didn't tell me over the phone?" Mulder asks him.
"Yes, there is," Trent replies. My neighbor that lives across the street, Mrs. Gullab told me that she saw a white cloth by the front door. When she picked it up, she happen to sniff it and said that she felt a reaction like coming into contact with an electric current racing down her body and to her feet and then settled in her knees leaving her paralyzed for over an hour."
"Would it be possible for us to talk to Mrs. Gullab," Scully asks Trent.
"Sure. Any thing to help you catch this guy. And no one better then Fox over here. I know he works on odd cases like this so as soon as this happen I thought of him. I hope you guys can catch this lunatic. I've been very perturbed about this whole thing. I haven't been able to sleep since it happen."
Scully gets up from her chair. "Trent could I use your bathroom?"
"Sure it's just down the hall first door on your right."
"Thanks," Scully says and walks off towards the bathroom.
"Wow, you lucky dog you," Trent says to Mulder.
"What do you mean?"
"You're partner, she's gorgeous. I mean to be paired with a beautiful partner like that, and intelligent too. You can't get any luckier then that. So you two ever---" Mulder cuts him off. "No, Trent or relationship is strictly platonic."
"Oh, come on you can't tell me that you've never kissed before."
"We haven't," Mulder replies.
"Well, do you think she'd be interested in going out to dinner with me?" Tent asks.
"I don't know Trent why don't you ask her." Scully walks into the living room.
"We were just talking about you,"Mulder says. Scully looks a little perplexed.
"You were?" Trent walks up to Scully.
"I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight. I know of a great chinese restaurant we could go to." Scully is caught off guard and doesn't know what to say.
"Ummm, yeah, sure, okay," She says hesitantly.
"Okay great, how about I pick you up at your hotel say around 6:30."
"Okay that'll work," Scully says.
"all right then, I'll see you tonight, and thanks again Fox for coming down here and looking into this for me."
"It's no problem," Mulder says and walks towards the door. Scully follows. They walk outside and towards their car.
"Looks like you have a date tonight Scully."
"Mulder, did you put him up to this?"
"No why would you think that? He happens to think you're a beautiful woman."
"He said that?" Scully asks a little embarrassed.
"Yes he did,"Mulder says and gets in the car. Scully gets in after him and they drive off.
"I wish he wouldn't have asked me," Scully says.
"Why,you don't find my cousin as attractive as me huh?" Mulder jokingly asks and smiles."
"It's not that. I just feel uneasy around him or something."
"So, then your going to cancel?" Mulder says hoping she will say yes.
"No, I told him I would go so I will."
At 6:30 Scully walks down to the lobby and meets Trent.
"You look lovely," He says to her.
"Thanks."
"Well, shall we get going?"
"Sure."
They arrive at the restaurant and Trent orders them both some red wine.
"So how long have you been working with my cousin?" Trent asks.
"Well, lets see, umm I believe it's been 6 years", Scully replies.
"Wow, that's a long time. He's got some pretty strange theories huh? Oh but I guess your used to them by now." Scully starts to answer and then he cuts her off.
"I've got some pretty interesting ideas myself."
"Oh do you?" Scully asks
The waiter suddenly appears with their food and sets it down on the table.
"Wow, this looks great!" Trent says.
"Yes, it does," Scully says and starts to eat; very anxious for this dinner to be over.
"Can I ask you a question, Dana?"
"Sure."
"Okay well you being a doctor I was wondering if you ever thought of the possibility of a drug that could enable a person's brain to stay alive and function after the death of their body." Scully looks at him shocked.
"Okay I'm sorry but you've got me confused here,"Scully says very perplexed. "Why would anyone want to do that?"
"Never mind,"Trent says. "I should of known you wouldn't understand."
Scully thinks to herself. "Oh god get me out of here! This guys is crazier then Mulder."
Trent abruptly stands up. "You'll have to excuse me. I'm suddenly not feeling very well." He walks out of the restaurant leaving Scully very confused."
Scully gets back to the hotel and knocks on Mulder's door. Mulder opens the door.
"Back so soon? How did your date go?" Scully exhales and looks at him frustrated.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure,"He gestures for her to come in. She walks in a sits down on his bed.
"So, I take it that it didn't go to well," Mulder says and sits down on the bed next her.
"Mulder, your cousin is so what's the word for it.....enigmatic."
"How do you mean?"
"I just can't figure him out. There's just something very odd about him. He said the weirdest thing at dinner."
"What did he say?" Mulder asks concerned.
"He asked me if I'd ever thought of the possibility of a drug that could enable a person's brain to stay alive and function after the death of it's body."
"Now that is odd. What did you say?"
"Well, at first I couldn't say any thing. I mean his comment caught me off guard. But then I asked why would anyone would want to do that."
"And then what did he say?" Mulder asks intrigued.
"It got even weirder after that. He said something like, "I should of known you wouldn't understand." "Then he got up and said that he wasn't feeling very well and he left."
"Talk about a date from hell. I'm sorry Scully. That's not like my cousin. He's usually very pragmatic person. It's not like him say any thing like what he said to you. Maybe he's just having a bad day. I wouldn't worry about it Scully."
Scully yawns and looks at her watch.
"Why don't you get some rest Scully and we will question Mrs.Gullab in the morning."
"Okay, goodnight Mulder," Scully says and walks out of the room.
A man dressed in black clothing silently sneaks into a house. He opens up a bag and takes out a gas tank. He then places the small gas tank in the ventilating system and opens the tank letting the gas slowly drift out and through the ventilating system.
"Now it will be carried through every part of the house," He says to himself. "And maybe this time it will work like it's supposed to." He runs out of the house and stands outside the bedroom window to watch.
THE NEXT MORNING..........
Mulder lays peacefully sleeping in his hotel bed when he is suddenly awaken by the sound of the telephone ringing. He sleepily reaches over and picks it up. "Hello," He says yawning. "Fox, it's me Trent."
"Good morning,"Mulder says still very tired. "What time is it."
"I know, I know It's early, but--" Mulder looks down at his watch it says 6:00AM
"What's going on Trent?"
"I'm really worried about my neighbors. They were supposed to come over last night for coffee and dessert, but they never showed up. I tried calling their house but no one answered. I tried again this morning and no one picked up. I'm worried about them. Do you think you and Agent Scully could come down here, go over to their house and make sure they are all right?"
"Sure, Trent....give us an hour." He hangs up the phone and calls Scully. The phone rings for a very long time and then he hears Scully's sleepy voice over the phone.
"Yeah...." Scully says barley awake.
"Scully it's me. I'm sorry to wake you but I just got a call from Trent....he wants us to come down to his house as soon as we can." Scully sits up fully awake. "What's going on Mulder? Why so early?"
"Hopefully nothing Scully but we will know more when we get down there."
"Okay Mulder I will meet you down in the lobby in an hour."
An hour later Mulder and Scully arrive at Trent's house and knock on the door. He opens it and gestures for them to come in. Scully looks at Trent and remembers there so called "date" last night and suddenly feels very uncomfortable around him. Trent glances at her and then quickly looks away.
"I'm sorry to drag you two down here so early but I'm worried about my neighbors, they were supposed to come over last night but they never showed and now they won't answer their phone."
"No, problem Trent...we will go over there and check it out. Do you have a key to their house?" Mulder asks.
"Nope I'm sorry."
"It's ok hopefully they will answer the door and we won't need it. Come on Scully lets go." Trent starts to follow them out the door and Mulder stops him.
"I think it would be best if you stayed here. Agent Scully and I will call you and let you knows what's going on."
"Okay", Trent says and walks back into the house.
Mulder and Scully reach the neighbors house and knock on the door. No answer. Scully reaches out and tries the door bell. Still no answer.
"What do you think is going on here, Mulder?"
"I'm don't know....but I think we are about to find out." He pulls out a lock opener from his coat pocket.
"Mulder, you can't just brake into this person's house. There is no just cause to do so."
"Scully, but there is they may need medical attention." Scully opens her mouth to argue with him...but then decides to let it go and steps back. "Fine."
Mulder slips the lock opener into the lock and opens the door.
"Hello, any one home," Scully yells out.
"Hello, we are with the FBI we just want to make sure you are ok," Mulder yells. No answer. Scully pulls out her gun. "I'll take the bedroom."
"Okay,"Mulder says and pulls out his and starts to explore the living room.
Scully slowly and cautiously walks up the stairs to the bed room. She walks up to one of the closed bed room doors and knocks. "Hello, any one in here." No answer so she slowly turns the knob ,kicks the door open and points her gun into the open room. She suddenly sees a woman and and man laying on the bed not moving. She slowly walks up to them and checks their pulse to find that they are both dead.
"Mulder!! I think you better come take a look at this." She hears thumping on the stairs and then Mulder enters the room out of breath. "Are they dead?"
"Yeah."
Mulder walks up and looks at the dead bodies laying on the bed. "What do you think killed them?"
"I have know way of knowing until I can do a complete autopsy on them."
"I think it's the mad gasser," Mulder says. Scully looks at Mulder.
"Mulder!" Scully says with incredulity in her voice. "You're jumping to conclusions...there is is no evidence to support that."
"Yeah, but there is no evidence to support that's it's not the mad gasser, and I don't know about you Scully but I detect a sweet smelling odor." He sniffs the air.
"I don't smell anything," Scully says and walks out of the room.
"Where ya going?" Mulder calls out after her.
"I'm going to search the rest of the house make sure there aren't any more victims."
"OK, I'm going to call the police," Mulder yells back.
Ten minuets later Scully meets Mulder down stairs. "Find anything?" He asks her.
"Nope, did you call the police?"
"Yeah they are on their way."
"You know something's very odd about this Mulder, I can't put my finger on it but I think it as something to do with your cousin."
"My cousin?! Scully, what are you implying?"
"Nothing, never mind forget I mentioned it." Suddenly they hear a knock on the door.
"Must be the police, Mulder says and opens the door." Standing at the door are four police men. "Are you the FBI Agent that called about a possible murder at this residence?
"Yes I'm Agent Mulder." He flashes them his badge. "And this if my partner Agent Scully." Scully walks up to the door and shows them her badge. "Who discovered the bodies?" One of the police men asks as he walks through the door and into the living room.
"I did," Scully replies.
"Is there any sign of foul play?" Another police man asks.
"No as a matter of fact it could simply be that they died in their sleep of a heart attack. There is no blood, no weapon of any kind." Mulder cuts her off.
"Come on Scully two people mysteriously die in their sleep both of a heart attack. Now what are the odds on that?" Scully turns her head to the police man ignoring Mulder.
"Officer,I think once I do an autopsy on the victims, I will be able to determine if they simply died in their sleep of a heart attack or if they were murdered."
"Okay I will call the county coroner and let him know that you want to perform the autopsy."
Mulder's cell phone rings in his coat pocket. He knows immediately who it is . Lately when Scully calls him he's known right away that it was her as soon as he hears the first ring. He picks up the phone and answers it in his usual manner. "Mulder."
"Mulder it's me."
"You done with the autopsies Scully?"
"Yes, and I think there is something that you'll be very interested to see. Can you meet down here?"
"Sure I'm on my way."
Mulder walks in the door of the autopsy bay.
"So, what did you want to show me?" Scully walks up and pulls the cover off one of the corpses, exposing it."
"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Mulder asks.
"Just, look at the body and tell me if you notice any thing out of the ordinary," Scully replies.
"Okay,"Mulder says intrigued and walks up to the body. He looks at it for a few moments and then notices that the head of the corpse appears to be alive. The skin looks healthy and alive and there is color in the cheeks. But the rest of the body is a blueish-gray color as it should be. Scully looks at him.
"Well....Mulder what do you see?"
"It looks to me that the rest of the body has started to decompose, while the head of the body hasn't."
"Yes, exactly," Scully says. Mulder looks at Scully confused.
"How is that possible?"Mulder asks her. Scully exhales frustrated.
"I don't know Mulder, but I detected a high about of electrical activity in the brain."
"And that's not normal?" Mulder asks.
"Well, there is always trace amounts of electrical activity stored in the brain after death. But never the high amounts that I've detected in this brain. And not to mention by now almost all electrical activity would have dissipated. It's almost as if---" Scully pauses not wanting to say it. "It's almost as if this brain is still alive even though the rest of the body is dead."
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Mulder says.
"And there is something else," Scully says. " I found high amounts of carbon monoxide and an unknown substance in the lung cavities."
"Unknown subtances?" Mulder asks
"Yes, I don't know what it is. I've never seen anything like it before. I sent it to the lab for further analysis, and they couldn't even tell me what it was.
"Wow, Trent's lucky that when he was gassed this didn't happen to him. I think our killer is getting bolder. But what possible reason would the killer have for doing this?" The mention of Trent's name jogs Scully's memory and reminds her of what Trent said to her. "Have you ever thought of the possibility of a drug that could enable a person's brain to stay alive and function after the death of their body." Mulder notices the serious almost scared look on Scully's face and touches her shoulder. "Scully are you okay?" Scully looks up at him.
"Yeah I'm fine," she says not wanting to tell him her theory . "I have to find out for sure first," she thinks to her self. "Mulder I have to take of something," she says and walks out of the room.
Scully arrives at Trent's house. She walks up to the door and knocks. She waits at the door for a few minuets. No one answers so she tries the door to find that it is unlocked so she opens it and steps inside the house. "Hello, Trent are you home!" No answer. She walks down the hall and sees the door is open to the basement. Out of curiosity she walks down the dark stairs to the basement. "Hello any one down here!" She reaches the bottom of the stairs and sees a long table. On the table are Beakers and Flasks bubbling full of some sort of substance. Scully walks around the table examining it. Suddenly Trent grabs her from behind. Scully jerks and tries to break free but Trent pushes a gun into her back. "Stop moving now! Or I'll blow your head off. Now I want you to sit down in this chair and listen to what I have to say." He pulls out a chair and makes her sit in it. He steps back and sits in a chair across from her. Still pointing the gun at her he says, "So, you found me out? Was it the comment I made to you at the restaurant? I know that was a mistake but I thought you would agree with me." Scully glares at him coldly.
"Why are you doing this?" Scully asks him.
"Why, do you think?" Scully stays quiet for a moment trying to pick her words carefully.
"I think that you are sick and you need help. Mulder and I can get you help. Just stop this." Trent looks at her angrily.
"Don't try and rationalize with me to by you time, because I can tell you right now it's not going to work!"
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, just calm down," Scully says trying to calm him down.
"I'm sure Mulder as told you already about the Mad Gasser that terrorized the people of Illinois in in the late 40's. But what he didn't tell you and what I'm sure he doesn't know is that the Mad Gasser was our Great Uncle." Scully looks at him shocked.
"Your Uncle?"
"Yes, see he had a plan in mind. But he could quite get it to work. He ran out of time before he could try out his experiment any further. They were on to him so he had to flee. But not before he left me his journals on his studies. You see they were in his Will so when he died last year they were given to me." He looks at Scully. "Why so quiet?"
"Maybe it's because I have nothing to say," Scully says her voice cracking slightly.
"Oh but you must be curious why I called Mulder down here? It was because of you actually."
"Me?"
"You sound surprised, Yes you. I knew that Fox had a partner that was a doctor and I've heard alot about you. I thought you would be the perfect person to help me with my little study, experiment what ever you want to call it."
"I'd never help you," Scully says disgusted.
"Hey, don't get an attitude with me...or I will just shoot you now and not let you have the privilege of being a test subject in my experiment."
"Privilege?!" Scully says shocked.
"Stop repeating what I'm saying. I don't like that!" Scully just sits there starting to panic.."What am I going to do, how should I handle this,"she thinks
"Trent, tell me more about your experiment and maybe I will decide to help you. You know it's starting to sound pretty interesting, "Scully says in a convincing tone.
"YOU LIE! Your just trying to buy yourself more time!" Trent yells. "But I will still tell you more about my experiment, since you will be part of it," He says and giggles. "See what my uncle couldn't get right was the mixture of carbon monoxide and well, lets just say the mystery gas."
"What's the mystery gas?" Scully asks.
"Shut up! I'm talking now. See he couldn't get it right he could only get the gas to paralyze it's victims. What he wanted it to do was, kill the victims but leave the brain alive and functioning so he could study how a brain would react and function if it's body were dead. And he hypothesized that the human brain was so powerful that after a few weeks the brain would start to regenerate the body and bring it back to life."
"That's crazy, your crazy...that would never work!" Scully says.
"Ahh the skeptical Dr Scully. I knew you wouldn't believe that but now you will have a chance to find out for yourself.They took my bodies away,so I need a body and I'm going to use yours." He gets up and pulls Scully over to a small room.
"Sit on the bed and lie down."
"Trent don't do this."
"DO IT!" He screams Scully lays down on the bed. He walks over to her and ties her feet to the foot of the bed and ties her hands to the head of the bed.
"Trent, please you don't have to do this. Mulder and I can get you some help."
"I don't want your help," Trent says back to her.
A tear runs down Scully's face.
"Why me?"
" I don't know, there are several reasons. One, you wouldn't help me, two I need a body for my experiment, three I was always envious of what Fox had. He had everything as a kid. So now I want to make him pay for that buy killing someone I know he loves more then life it's self. Are those good enough reason for ya!? Well times a wasting. I'm going to go turn on the gas. Pleasant dreams Dr Scully," He says with a smile on his face and walks out of the room. As so as he closes the door Scully squirms and wriggles trying to free her hands from the ropes. Suddenly she smells a sweet odor starting to waft through the room. " Oh shit," she says to herself and frantically tries to free her hands from the rope. After a few minuets of struggle she manages to free one of her hands. She then immediately reaches for her cell phone and pulls it out. She frantically punches in Mulder cell phone number. It rings a few times and then she hears Mulder's sweet soft voice.
"Mulder."
"Mulder it's me."
"Scully, are you okay you sound scared."
"Mulder, Trents the killer."
"What?!"
"He's got me locked in his basement room. He's tied me to a bed and is trying to gas me to death. You've gotta get me out of here."
"Scully, hold on I'm coming" He says and hangs up the phone.
Scully tries to move her arm so she can untie her feet but realizes that she's been in this room too long. It's too late she's paralyzed."
Mulder breaks through Trents door and runs frantically down to the basement; his gun out in front of him. Trent greets Mulder at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ahhh, I see you have arrived. It's a little to late though. She's been in that room for over 20 mins. She's long gone by now."
"What?! No!! Trent how could you do this to me?! I loved.....I love her."
"I know and that's why she had to go. But look at it this way Fox, she will be able to partake in my wonderful experiment."
"You sick bastard." Mulder walks past him and to a closed door where he is sure Scully is. Trent blocks the door way. "Don't go in there."
"Move out of my way or I will shoot you," Mulder says and presses the gun into Trent's head. Trent moves out of the way but then suddenly throws himself on Mulder's back. Mulder falls to the ground and they roll fighting on the floor. Mulder gets on top of Trent and then grabs a hand full of his hair in his hand and then slams Trents head into the hard tile floor rendering him unconscious. He then gets up and runs into the bedroom. The order is unbearable and he almost collapses. He then sees Scully and quickly unties her hand and feet from the bed. He picks her up and runs out of the room gasping for air. He runs up the stairs with her in his arms and into the living room. He sits down on the couch with her in his arms. He checks her pulse and can't find one. "Oh god no! Scully no!" He rocks her in his arms. "Please don't leave me, I can't live without you. Scully I...." His voice starts to crack. "I love you." He kisses her on the cheeks and starts to weep, still rocking her in his arms. Suddenly Scully opens her eyes, and weakly says, "Mulder....I love you too." Mulder, shocked that she came back to him starts to cry even harder. His tears drop upon Scully's face. "Mulder don't cry. I'm okay I won't leave you." She tries to reach her hand up to wipe away his tears but finds that she is still paralyzed.
"Mulder, I can't move." Mulder gains his composure and says,"Scully, don't worry you're going to be okay. I'm going to call an ambulance." He pulls out his cell phone.
"911 how can I help you."
"Yes, this is special Agent Fox Mulder. I have an agent down. I need an ambulance at 7009 Trinity Rd."
"Okay, we will send one right over." He hangs up the phone and notices that Scully is unconscious. He panics and checks for a pulse and is relieved when he finds one.
The paramedics show up 10 minuets later and take Scully out on a stretcher. Mulder rides along with her in the ambulance, holding her hand.
Hours later Mulder walks into Scully's hospital room to find Scully's brother in her room. "I'm sorry I'll come back."
"No Mulder stay. I told Bill the whole story. He understands."
"Mulder, could I speak with you in private outside," Bill asks him. Mulder looks at Scully and she gives him a look that says go ahead it'll be fine.
"Okay, we can talk," Mulder says and walks out of the room. Bill follows behind.
They walk out into the waiting room.
"If your going to yell at me again, you can just save because I'm not going to listen this time," Mulder says.
"No, actually I wanted to thank you," Bill says
"Thank me? "Mulder says shocked. "Now that's a change."
"Cut the sarcasm Agt Mulder and just let me get out what I want to say."
"Okay, I'm listening Bill."
"Dana, told me how you saved her life today, and about all the other times you have saved her life. And well I guess what I'm trying to say it that I owe you and apology."
"Apology excepted," Mulder says.
"And I also want to thank you for saving her life today. I couldn't bare to lose another sister."
"Well, I love your sister. I'd do anything for her and she'd do anything for me." Bill smiles and pats him on the back.
"She's waiting for you," Bill says. "Why don't you go in and see her."
"Okay," Mulder says and walks off to be with Scully.
The End.......