SCULLY UNDERGOES HYPNOSIS IN AN EFFORT TO REMEMBER
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MASS BURNING SITE. In this continuation
of the previous episode... a man, his face unseen, types a letter to his son (whose
identity is unknown). The man, who lives in a remote cabin, addresses the letter to the
FBI and pays a boy to mail it.
Meanwhile, rescue workers sift through the area near the dam
where blackened bodies lie along the length of a bridge. Amongst the bodies is Quiet
Willy, the Syndicate's hit man. Skinner directs Mulder to a nearby provisional tent, where
Scully is ministered by medics. Nearby is the body of Dmitri, the Russian boy, his exposed
skin blackened by the fire. When Scully regains consciousness, she tells Mulder she has no
memory of what occurred at the dam. Outside of Scully's room, Spender tells Mulder that
rescue workers were unable to locate his mother, Cassandra.
The Well-Manicured Man and a physician, Dr. Bronschweig, tend
to Maria Covarrubias inside a hospital quarantine room. Later, the Well-Manicured Man
speaks with Krycek, imprisoned aboard the Russian freighter. The Well-Manicured Man is
aware that Krycek deliberately exposed Dmitri to the black oil to insure the infection of
anyone who attempted to ascertain what he knows about the burnings in Russia. He also
believes that Krycek possesses a vaccine, that would create resistance to the alien
colonists. The Well-Manicured Man offers Krycek freedom in return for the vaccine.
Meanwhile, a spacecraft crashes at Fort Wiekamp Air Force
Base. A faceless alien pirate drags one of his comrades from the wreckage. Later, members
of the Syndicate study photographs of the alien. They realize the man is a resistance
fighter, a member of an ongoing battle against alien colonists. The Well-Manicured Man
explains that Krycek gave him the vaccine, meaning resistance may, in fact, be a
possibility. But the Elder concludes that the captured fighter should be turned over to
the colonists, the Well-Manicured Man has Covarrubias injected with the vaccine to ensure
it actually works.
Back at the hospital, Mulder tells Scully that x-rays have
revealed the presence of implants inside the people who were at the dam. Mulder recounts
his belief that the U.S. government manufactured and implanted the chip as part of a
bio-chemical weapons project. Scully agrees to be hypnotized by Dr. Werber in an effort to
recall what happened at the dam. In a trance-like state, Scully recalls how a UFO flew
overhead, and shortly thereafter, how the faceless aliens set congregants on fire. Then
another craft appeared overhead, which began attacking the faceless men. Cassandra was
then pulled upward, out of her wheelchair, by the ship. Afterward, Werber tells Mulder
that the same event will happen yet again.
Skinner reviews an audio tape of Werber's session with Scully.
Mulder tells Skinner the entire event was staged to cover up a classified military
project. Skinner admits, however, that Scully's UFO scenario is more plausible. Meanwhile,
when Covarrubias fails to respond to the vaccine, the Elder informs the Well-Manicured Man
that the captured alien is being turned over to the colonists.
Spender shows the agents a videotape of himself, as a young
boy, answering questions while under hypnosis. As the tape plays, the young Spender
describes his abduction by a UFO. Spender then pauses the tape. He tells the agents the
story is untrue, a falsehood told to him by his mother many times. He maintains that Dr.
Werber's regression memory theory is without merit. Spender also points out that Mulder
has expressed his UFO theories to Scully many times... suggesting that she has recounted
the information in a similar manner.
Krycek surprised Mulder inside his apartment. He explains that
Kazakhstan, Skyland Mountain and the site in Pennsylvania are all beacons for
colonization. The burnings, Krycek explains, were the work of alien rebels attempting to
foil the colonist's plans for takeover. Krycek gives Mulder the location of the captured
alien rebel. He maintains that if the captive perishes, so does the resistance.
Accompanied by Scully, Mulder drives to Fort Wiekamp. As they attempt to bluff their way
through the front gate, the agents notice Quiet Willy at the wheel of a military truck as
it is about to exit the base. As the vehicle pulls away, Mulder sneaks aboard the cargo
area. There he finds faceless alien pirate imprisoned inside. Quiet Willy brings the rig
to a stop... then morphs into the alien bounty hunter. He climbs into the cargo area, but
shortly thereafter, a white light illuminates the truck. A second faceless alien, armed
with a firestarter weapon, enters. Mulder opens fire. Shortly thereafter, a confused
Mulder is swarmed by MPs and placed inside a car with Scully. Mulder has no memory of how
he got aboard the truck. Meanwhile, the envelope seen in the opening teaser is delivered
to Spender. Several days later, back at the cabin, the envelope, labeled with the words
"return to sender," is delivered to the Cigarette-Smoking Man.