ACT ONE

INT. MULDER'S FBI OFFICE - NEXT DAY - MORNING

Mulder is seated at his desk flipping through some notes. He glances over at his answering machine. A red light is blinking, he hits the "PLAY" button.

KRYCEK (FILTERED)
Yeah, hey Mulder. I can't
make it in today (beat)
something important
came up.

Mulder looks up, as Scully enters the office, holding a box of doughnuts. She looks like she's had a good start to her day.

SCULLY
(happy)
What are you doing
here so early?

She places the box of doughnuts down on Mulder's desk.

SCULLY
Here's the doughnuts
you guys wanted.

Mulder ignores the doughnuts, he's got something more important on his mind. Scully just looks at him, waiting for what's to come next.

MULDER
London Airlines, Flight 194
from London to New York went
down this morning at approximately
three a.m., under unusual circumstances.

Scully wasn't expecting something this serious. Off her look:

MULDER
I got a call about an
hour ago, telling me
some of the more vague
details of the crash.
How just moments before
it disappeared from radar
it seemed to be suspended,
not moving, almost hovering
over the Atlantic.

Scully takes this all in.

MULDER
Then, almost by magnetic pull,
it plunged into the Atlantic
(beat) no exactly what I'd call
"luxury flying". (beat; off her
reaction) We've been invited
down to listen to the black box.

Mulder holds up two airplane tickets.

MULDER
Our flight to New York
leaves at four p.m.

Scully give him a look.

SCULLY
(dead panned)
Good morning to you too, Mulder.

Mulder looks up at her.

MULDER
I'm sorry Scully, i-it's just
been awhile since we've had
a really good case.

SCULLY
What's Krycek's take on this?

MULDER
(eating a doughnut)
Got me! He said he had
something 'important'
to do. (beat to swallow)
He can't come in.

Mulder takes a sip of coffee.

SCULLY
So I bought a dozen
doughnuts for me and you?

Mulder grins, and takes another doughnut.

MULDER
I'm a growing boy.

Off her look.

CUT TO:

INT. EAST 46TH ST. - NEW YORK

The setting sun is shining down on wooden blinds. Smoke covers the room. First Elder is standing in the shadows, Well-Manicured Man is sitting in a chair in front of the phone. The whole Syndicate is watching a news report about Flight 194.

On the TV, a news reporter, wearing a yellow rain coat, reporting from a boat, it's raining... Vancouver drizzle.

REPORTER (ON TV)
This is the scene where Flight
194 took a terrifying plunge into
the Atlantic. The Flight lost all
power at approximately 3:03 a.m.
and disappeared into the ocean
with no survivors. Officials say-

MARITA
There is no clear data
at this time. (she holds
up a clear vial with metal
a chip) However, this was
found in one of the recovered
bodies. (beat) That of a child.

WELL-MANICURED MAN
Do we know who?

The First Elder looks panicked, worried and at a loss about what to do.

2ND ELDER
(deadpan, paranoid)
What is going on here?

1ST ELDER
(paranoid, deadpan)
This can't be.

The Well-Manicured Man is seated in his chair, he's calm and more aware than the others.

WELL-MANICURED MAN
Perhaps the time is
closer than we think.

1ST ELDER
I don't like this.

2ND ELDER
What is being done to
cover this?

The Cigarette-Smoking Man is holding onto a cigarette in the corner of the room, he takes a drag.

CIGARETTE-SMOKING MAN
(superior)
I've taken all the necessary
precautions. (beat) The ship
is being relocated away from
the site.

No one let's down their paranoia.

CUT TO:

INT. INVESTIGATION ROOM - EVENING

Mulder and Scully enter the room, they are all serious. The Head Investigator of Flight 194 is standing next to a table with the black box.

HEAD INVESTIGATOR
It's all yours (beat) but,
I'm sure it won't be much help.

He motions to Mulder and Scully to take a seat and listen.

MULDER
Thank you.

Mulder and Scully take their seats at the table and turn on the reel-to-reel player.

Once again, Borodin's "Notturno" is heard. Mulder and Scully sit silently, listening to the conversation between the Pilot and Co-Pilot, they are listening to "Notturno".

PILOT (FILTERED)
Ah.. almost home. Can't
wait to get some good food.

CO-PILOT (FILTERED)
Need some coffee?

PILOT (FILTERED)
(chuckles a little)
Ohh yeah...

Background noises indicate coffee being poured into a mug. "Notturno" is turned off.

PILOT (FILTERED)
(serious)
Air traffic control, this
is Flight 194.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (FILTERED)
Go ahead 194.

PILOT (FILTERED)
No problems, clear sky. Flight's
been great. (beat) We are currently
at 33,000 feet. Cabin pressure normal.
Looks like we'll be in early. Over.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (FILTERED)
You'll have clearance. Over.

"Notturno" is turned on once again.

CO-PILOT (FILTERED)
(ruffling through a bag)
When I get home, I'm gonna
give my little girl this book
about all the different types
of flowers in England. (beat)
She's fascinated with flowers
and bees.

There's some more background noises of the plane's engine.

Scully gets a tear in her eyes, as "Notturno" continues from the tape. Then the tape stops. No more.

Scully looks up at Mulder, surprised by the abrupt end.

MULDER
He said nothing was wrong
with the plane, but I wasn't
expecting this.

There is a tense, quiet moment between Mulder and Scully. Both of them are numbed by how these people lost their eyes.

The door to the room opens and the Head Investigator and the investigating agents enter the room.

HEAD INVESTIGATOR
Well, what do you think?

INVESTIGATOR #1
(sly, to Mulder)
Knowing your reputation,
this outta be good.

Mulder is not impressed.

MULDER
If you are suggesting that I'm
going to say it's the work of
little green men, you're mistaken.

Off the Investigator's embarrassed look:

MULDER
Actually I'm not sure what
to make of this yet. There's
no clue about the cause of the
crash on the tape, no reason to
believe there was anything wrong
(beat) until I learn more, I'll
get back to you.

Mulder gives the Investigator a sly grin and hands him his FBI card. He and Scully exit the room, and enter the hallway.

SCULLY
So tell me, what do you
think really happened?

Mulder gives her a look, Scully returns his look, awaiting his theory. She crosses her arms in front of her chest.

MULDER
I've been reading in "UFO
Sightings" about mass alien
abductions in Japan and Singapore.
What if someone, or something on
that plane caused it to be pulled
by a force, which ended the lives
of 342 souls on board.

SCULLY
I thought you said you
didn't think this was
the work of "little
green men".

Off Mulder's look:

SCULLY
So how do you plan on
proving your theory?

MULDER
Well, I was hoping
Skinner would get us
passes to see the crash
remains, and you could
examine the recovered bodies.

SCULLY
And what about Agent Krycek?

Mulder shrugs.

MULDER
I'm sure he'll help out
once he's done doing his thing.

Mulder walks off leaving Scully standing there, she soon follows Mulder out on their way back to the office.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCULLY & MARITA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Scully gets out of a taxi, she's returning home from the airport and from a confusing and unresolvable day at work. She enters the apartment building and climbs the stairs to her floor. As she is walking down her hallway, she takes her keys out of her pocket and enters.

Marita is on the phone with someone, se is speaking quietly. She waves at Scully and turns her back on her, she obviously is having an important conversation.

Scully heads to the kitchen to get a glass of water. A few moments later, Marita hangs up and Scully joins her in the living room.

SCULLY
Who was that?

MARITA
It was a business call (beat)
no one important.

They sit down on the couch, Scully kicks off her shoes and relaxes. There is an awkward tension coming from Marita.

SCULLY
So, we got a new case today.

MARITA
Flight 194?

SCULLY
Yeah, how'd you know?

MARITA
The people I work with
are investigating the
flight as well. (beat)
Do you have any leads?

SCULLY
As of yet (beat) no.
But Mulder does have
a theory.

MARITA
Can you discuss it?

SCULLY
I'm not sure if I should yet
(beat) not until we have a
chance to investigate the
remains. But his preliminary
thought is that it's alien.
(she laughs) I'm not sure how
Walter is going to handle yet
another alien case.

Marita laughs with her. They both know how irritated Skinner gets when Mulder asks him for help on an alien case.

TIMT CUT TO:

INT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT

Scully is seated on an airplane, with a handsome man and a little girl, a familiar girl, that shares the same hair color as Scully. They are all happy.

LITTLE GIRL
(to Scully)
Mommy! Mommy!

The Little Girl hugs Scully. Scully pulls her away and touches the little girl's hair back with her hand. The man smiles a the two of them, he looks down to his hand, which holds Scully's, both wear a wedding ring.

MAN
It's what we've always wanted.

He brings Scully's hand up toward his face and gently kisses it.

Out of nowhere the airplane JOLTS! Scully looks out the window with a worried expression on her face. She looks down a the Atlantic Ocean. A blue beaming light surfaces from out of the ocean, steadily and quickly rises and hovers by the side of the plane, just as the plane loses power and becomes stationary.

SCULLY
(whispering to herself)
No...

Scully takes hold of the little girl, holds her in her arms, as the plane starts to shake violently, the Man takes hold of Scully's hand, he knows this is the end for them. Off their terrorized, gentle, knowing looks:

SMASH CUT TO:

Scully suddenly sits up in her bed, in a cold sweat.

SCULLY
(screaming)
John!!

Realizing this is just a dream, Scully brushes her hair behind her ear, and sits there breathing hard, when she settles down, she begins to cry... her face in the pillow trying to calm herself so Marita doesn't hear her silent cries.

FADE OUT:

END ACT ONE

Continue to Act Two