8ABX07 Via Negativa

Doggett: [answering phone] Yeah.

Scully: It's, uh, it's Agent Scully. I'm sorry to wake you.

Doggett: What's up?

Scully: I got a call about 20 minutes ago from Assistant Director Skinner. He has a situation.

Doggett: What is it?

Scully: An Agent is dead. Um, Skinner had him surveilling a religious cult in Pittsburgh. And all the followers are dead, as well.

Doggett: What happened?

Scully: He's having difficulty determining that.

Doggett: I'll pick you up.

Scully: I'm sorry, Agent Doggett. I can't go.

Doggett: Agent Scully?

Scully: Um, something unexpected has come up.

Doggett: You all right?

Scully: Yeah, I'm, I'm fine.

Doggett: Will I see you later?

Scully: Uh, as soon as I can. [As she hangs up, she is approached by a nurse]

Nurse: Miss Scully? The doctor wants to see you right away.

---

Skinner: Where's Agent Scully?

Doggett: Running late. What do we have?

Skinner: One of our men doing routine surveillance on a cult group — the Ibogan Temple. We had a tip they were trafficking narcotics. Nobody suspected anything like this. [He leads Doggett over to a car containing the body of Agent Leeds, who has a large gash in his forehead] Agent James Leeds. Six-year veteran of the Bureau, father of two. Patrol cop found him. Car was locked from the inside.

Doggett: Nobody saw or heard anything?

Skinner: No.

Doggett: This couldn't have happened here.

Skinner: Blood splatter on the seat says it did.

Doggett: It's too narrow. There's no room to swing the weapon. Besides, it doesn't make any sense. The gun's still holstered and the key's in the ignition. Even if he fell asleep... This is damn weird.

Skinner: It gets weirder. [He leads Doggett into the house, where coroners are in the process of removing the bodies from the dormitory] These people were all killed the same way as our guy — all 20 cult members dead from a single, deep wound to the forehead.

Doggett: Is this every member?

Skinner: Except one. Their leader, Anthony Tipet, is missing.

Doggett: You believe he's capable?

Skinner: Tipet was a convicted murderer who claimed to have found god. We didn't think we were dealing with an apocalyptic cult. We've seen this kind of thing before. Jonestown, Heaven's Gate.

Doggett: I don't care how devoted they were, these people wouldn't just lie there and let their leader bash their brains in. I got to figure at least one of them would have had a problem with that.

Skinner: It's something I've considered. I'm running tox tests on all the bodies for drugs.

Doggett: Does that include our man in the car?

[Agent Crane joins them]

Agent Crane: AD Skinner? We're still unable to locate Agent Stedman.

Doggett: Angus Stedman?

Skinner: Leeds' partner, do you know him?

Doggett: Where'd you look?

Agent Crane: He wasn't checked into the same motel as Leeds. He's not answering his cell or his pager.

Doggett: Did you check his condo?

Agent Crane: His condo?

Doggett: Yeah, Stedman's from Pittsburgh. He keeps a condo here that belonged to his folks.

---

Anthony Tipet: [on video] The body is but clay... a shell made by god to hold the twin aspects of the holy spirit: light and dark. If we have the courage to see into darkness we see into god... free of the clay which confines us.

Skinner: Anthony Tipet served 12 years for the bludgeoning death of his wife. After his release, he became a minister preaching a hybrid of evangelical and eastern religions. He claimed a higher plane of being could be reached by the Via Negativa — the path of darkness — the plane closer to god. Once reached, it would let the spirit travel unhindered. Tipet believed hallucinogens would lead him to this plane — specifically compounds of the bark of an African tree... the Iboga.

Agent Arnold: You're saying all these people were so stoned on this bark they just let their leader kill them?

Skinner: We found no trace of the drug in the blood of any of the victims.

Deputy Director Kersh: I don't understand. How in the hell did Tipet manage to slaughter all these people?

Doggett: Tipet was paranoid but nothing indicates he was ready to take the lives of his own people or our men.

Deputy Director Kersh: This is our one and only suspect. Are you telling me he didn't do it?

Doggett: Whoever did this left not even a trace how: No prints, no forensic evidence whatsoever. Agent Leeds' sedan, the cult house, Agent Stedman's condo... were all locked from the inside.

Deputy Director Kersh: That's impossible.

Skinner: Unless Tipet took the drug and succeeded. Unless his consciousness was there but his body was somewhere else.

Deputy Director Kersh: The X-File explanation. I take it this theory comes from Agent Scully?

Doggett: Agent Scully has yet to reach any conclusions, sir.

Deputy Director Kersh: That's the problem. I'm not hearing conclusions from either one of you. If this man has reached a higher plane then explain to me why 22 people are dead, including two FBI Agents. Now I want to hear what you're going to do about it.

[Skinner and Doggett are dismissed and leave Deputy Director Kersh's office]

Doggett: If I'm working this case, I'd appreciate a heads up before you tell the Deputy Director any more science fiction stories.

Skinner: Hey, I don't have another explanation.

Doggett: Those guys in there are right. This whole story doesn't make a damn bit of sense.

Skinner: I'm supposed to give those guys in there answers, Agent Doggett. You're supposed to help me do that.

Doggett: Tipet's on the run. Find him, and we just might.

---

Skinner: Agent Doggett. Coroner's report.

Doggett: [reading] Victims all killed by a single blow from an axe blade, six to eight inches long.

Skinner: These photos of wound patterns don't match up to any known make or manufacturer.

Doggett: This fit the description? [He shows Skinner a photocopy of a page from a book] It's a ceremonial axe used over a thousand years ago to cleave the skulls of unbelievers. This was required reading for Tipet's followers.

Skinner: Is this our weapon?

Doggett: No, sir. It's on permanent display in a Calcutta museum.

Skinner: Another dead-end.

Doggett: Like everything else in this case. I'm a good investigator but you know as well as I do I'm not the agent that should be investigating this case.

Skinner: Agent Scully can't be here.

Doggett: You spoke to her?

Skinner: Tonight. She told me to tell you she's fine. She's taking some personal time.

Doggett: I've got 22 people dead, and she's taking personal time? [He picks up the phone to call Scully, but Skinner takes it off him]

Skinner: You're not listening to what I'm telling you. Do your best without her.

---

Doggett: [answering door] Sir?

Skinner: I think we caught a break. A homeless man was found dead in Pittsburgh two hours ago. I had them email me some digital photos.

Doggett: Any witnesses?

Skinner: A man fitting Tipet's description was IDed using the pay phone earlier in the night.

Doggett: So we got something?

Skinner: No. There's no concrete evidence against him. There's no fingerprints, no hair and fibre.

Doggett: You got the guy at the scene.

Skinner: There's nothing to link him to the murder itself, Agent Doggett.

Doggett: Well, I'm supposed to believe this guy doped his way into another plane of reality? That his spirit is going around killing people?

Skinner: All right, just suppose... suppose that this drug finally did what Tipet said it would. That his spirit could be in one place while his body was in another.

Doggett: Then tell me why he's doing it. If he's looking for god, why is he killing people? Just 'cause I'm assigned to the X-Files you want me to think like Scully or Mulder would. You got the wrong guy. I need facts, not wild ideas.

Skinner: All right. Then consider this one. I had Pittsburgh PD check the log at that pay phone. [He hands Doggett the phone records]

Doggett: 10:12pm, a call was placed to one Andre Bormanis.

Skinner: He's a convicted drug dealer who served time with Tipet. That number's a DC area code.

---

Doggett: FBI. Open up. [Dr Bormanis slowly opens the door, he has an X recently carved into his forehead] Mr Bormanis? Andre Bormanis?

Dr Bormanis: Doctor Bormanis.

Doggett: Agent Doggett. Agent Skinner. Can we have a word with you? [They follow Dr Bormanis into his laboratory]

Skinner: You always up at this hour, Dr Bormanis?

Dr Bormanis: It's when I dissect my rats. Neighbours can't hear them screaming. That's a joke.

Skinner: You spoke to Anthony Tipet earlier this evening.

Dr Bormanis: My machine picked up. I missed the call.

Skinner: What did he want? We need to find him, Dr Bormanis. This man may have murdered 23 people.

Dr Bormanis: Twenty-three? You said... twenty-two.

Skinner: Another man died tonight.

Dr Bormanis: I'm not doing anything illegal here. I just... I just made him stuff.

Skinner: You mean drugs. You supplied Anthony Tipet with drugs, isn't that right?

Dr Bormanis: Hallucinogens were Tipet's way into the depths of the soul, the heights of consciousness, planes of being that our feeble brain chemistry cannot begin to imagine.

Skinner: Is that why you cut yourself? Or is that the, uh... mark of the initiated?

Dr Bormanis: It's protection. At least I hope it is. Nobody took the trips but Tipet. See, only his mind was strong enough.

Doggett: You know, I can't tell, doctor, whether you admire Tipet or you're afraid of him. Those people he killed last night, did they admire him, too?

Dr Bormanis: What are you doing?

Doggett: Taking you in for questioning.

Dr Bormanis: On what charges? I just... I just... explained it to you. [Doggett handcuffing him] Ah! Don't! Look... [He tries to swallow a pill, but Doggett restrains him] I need that!

---

[Doggett sees Dr Bormanis locked in his cell, then turns and walks down the hall. Looking down, he sees bloody shoe prints leading down the hall, and follows them. He looks up and stares at Anthony Tipet hovering a metre above the ground in a lotus position. All three of Anthony Tipet's eyes open and he looks directly at Doggett. Doggett looks down at the floor again, lifting his foot, he sees that the bloody footprints are his own. Again, he looks at Anthony Tipet, then down at his hands — he is now holding Scully's severed head]

Skinner: Agent Doggett? [Doggett wakes abruptly] It's Agent Scully.

Doggett: [answering mobile] Agent Scully.

Scully: Skinner told me about the case. I know that you covered for me. You didn't have to do that.

Doggett: It's all right.

Scully: I appreciate your discretion.

Doggett: Yeah, well, it's easy to be discreet when you don't know what's going on. Are you okay?

Scully: I'm fine. Skinner says that you're on the clock on this thing. You need to get your rest.

Doggett: Yeah, I just grabbed a few winks.

Scully: I asked him to contact some friends of Mulder's. I think they'll be able to help.

Doggett: I appreciate all the help I can get.

Scully: Doggett, you're a good agent. Trust your instincts. [Doggett hangs up and rejoins Skinner]

Skinner: Lab tests showed that the drug that Bormanis was cooking up was some kind of a super amphetamine. Legal or not, no one's ever seen it before. Do you think it was intended for Tipet?

Doggett: He wants it for himself. He doesn't want to go to sleep.

Skinner: Doggett?

Doggett: I want to talk to him... now.

---

Byers: ...stories that belong to Mulder and Scully, not us.

Langly: Come on, Byers. We have a right to information.

Byers: It's not our information.

Frohike: How many times have we saved Mulder's butt?

Langly: How many times have we saved Scully's?

Byers: I'm telling you, these files are theirs. They're private.

[Doggett opens the office door and sees Frohike looking through the filing cabinet and Langly spinning in Mulder's chair. They haven't noticed Doggett]

Frohike: And I'm telling you Mulder wouldn't mind. We practically solved half these cases for him.

Langly: Yeah, Byers, quit your whining — nobody likes a cry-baby.

Byers: Agent Scully asked us to give our assistance not to go through her files.

Frohike: Like she's going to care.

Langly: Yeah, right.

Doggett: Can I help you gentlemen?

Byers: You must be Agent Doggett. I'm... John Byers. Uh, these are my associates Melvin Frohike and Richard Langly.

Doggett: You're the guys Scully told me about. Mulder's friends?

Byers: Yes, that's us.

Doggett: You publish the Lone Gunman newspaper?

Frohike: Our reputation precedes us.

Doggett: Yeah. Read Mulder's files.

Frohike: Well, then you know how badly you're going to need our help.

Byers: We've reviewed your case as Agent Scully asked.

Langly: Mondo bizarro. No offence, man, but you're in way over your head.

Doggett: What help can you give me?

Frohike: Hit the lights. [He displays an image of a pyramid with an eye] Are you familiar with this image?

Byers: In the Renaissance it represented an all-seeing god.

Langly: That's why our founding fathers put it on the dollar bill.

Byers: We believe its meaning here relates to eastern religion, uh, belief in the third eye or what the Hindus call the Sahasrara.

Doggett: A third eye?

Frohike: We all have a third eye. If we could open it, we'd see a new reality, one closer to god. At least that's what Kesey told me on the bus back in 64.

Langly: You were not on the bus with Kesey in 64.

Frohike: Hey, I got the pictures to prove it, my longhaired friend.

Langly: Before or after you partied with the Stones at Altamont?

Frohike: Don't be a boob, Altamont was in 70s.

Langly: Whatever.

Doggett: I see where you guys are going with this. Tipet believes he opened his third eye.

Byers: Yes, exactly.

Doggett: But the placement of the wounds on his victims could suggest he's trying to destroy theirs.

Byers: Yeah. That could be.

Doggett: But if he's moved closer to god, why kill them? And how?

Frohike: We don't know why. But we might tell you how. You've heard of MK Ultra?

Byers: The CIA mind control project started in the 50s.

Langly: They gave LSD to a bunch of people to see what would happen. Didn't bother telling them first.

Frohike: They understood the power of hallucinogens to harness the mind.

Doggett: Tipet was the one on hallucinogens, not his victims.

Byers: The CIA invested millions trying to create psychic assassins, failing where Tipet has evidently succeeded.

Frohike: Reaching a drug-induced higher consciousness using his mind as a weapon against his victims.

Langly: The assassin makes his victims think they're being hit by an axe.

Byers: Or any number of nightmares.

Frohike: They believe it... it happens.

Doggett: What if Tipet could invade his victims'... consciousness in their sleep? I mean, that's why you'd be afraid to fall asleep, right? If you thought your nightmares might come true?

Byers: You believe that?

Doggett: No... but if Tipet does... he'll need more drugs... to keep killing. [He leaves]

Frohike: That's not bad for a beginner.

---

[Doggett and Skinner enter Dr Bormanis' laboratory]

Skinner: Doggett, someone's been here. [They see Anthony Tipet leaning over the moving table saw]

Doggett: Anthony Tipet. Anthony Tipet! Step away from the saw.

Anthony Tipet: You don't understand.

Skinner: Just step away from the saw.

Anthony Tipet: I didn't want this to happen... but I can't stop it. [He looks at Doggett] He understands. He saw what can happen — what will happen... unless I stop it.

[Doggett lowers his gun, then Anthony Tipet slams his forehead down on the saw]

---

Deputy Director Kersh: Come in, Agent Doggett. AD Skinner was telling me you could shed light on the reason for Tipet's suicide attempt.

Doggett: Yes, sir. Via Negativa — the path of darkness. Tipet believed he reached it. He believed that the drugs took him inside the subconscious minds of anyone he knew... making the most horrific, irrational dream imagery of their nightmares come true. That's why he tried to kill himself to make it stop.

Deputy Director Kersh: Excellent job, gentlemen. Have your reports on my desk 0900.

Doggett: Case isn't over yet, sir.

Deputy Director Kersh: AD Skinner tells me our suspect's lying hospitalised in a coma and now, you're saying it's not over?

Doggett: We have no murder weapon... no forensic evidence. Unless we accept Tipet's own beliefs which you yourself characterise as preposterous...

Deputy Director Kersh: It's over, Agent Doggett.

Doggett: We have no way of explaining how he killed any of these people.

Deputy Director Kersh: I said it's over, Agent Doggett. I don't need every I dotted or every T crossed to know that we've got our man.

---

Scully: [answering machine] This is Dana Scully. Please leave a message.

Doggett: Agent Scully, I think we caught the guy who did it. But still it... it just doesn't add up. It's the damnedest thing I ever saw. I know that this sounds strange, but there's a, there's a... part of me says what if... what if this guy was right? What if I shouldn't have let him die? I'm not making a whole lot of sense. Maybe I just need some sleep. If you get this message... and feel up to it... you give me a call.

---

Doggett: [to Skinner's Assistant] Is the Assistant Director in?

Skinner: That'll be great. Thanks. [Skinner and Agent Crane exit Skinner's office]

Agent Crane: John. Excellent work out there, John. Just excellent. [He leaves]

Skinner: Agent Doggett. [They enter Skinner's office] Is something wrong?

Doggett: I'm not sure... I'm awake.

Skinner: You think this is a dream? I mean, you standing here talking to me? All those people out there?

Doggett: Last night I dreamt Tipet was inside my house holding an axe. I thought I woke up this morning. I thought I was awake, but then...

Skinner: Uh... What do you want me to do, pinch you? You're already awake.

Doggett: Stedman and Leeds must have experienced the same thing... all Tipet's victims. Everything seemed real but it was a dream... a dream that ended in their deaths.

Skinner: Anthony Tipet is in a coma, never to regain consciousness.

Doggett: He knows me now. He can enter in my dreams.

Skinner: Listen to me. You've had a tough couple days. You're tired. Go home, get some rest.

---

[As Doggett walks through the building, the halls take on a dreamlike quality. Out of the darkness, Anthony Tipet walks toward him with all three eyes closed]

Anthony Tipet: She's going to die.

Doggett: I'm not going to let you do that.

Anthony Tipet: I'm sorry. I'm not going to kill her. [All three of his eyes open] You are.

[Doggett covers his face with his hands, when he lowers them, he is in Scully's apartment building. Scully's door opens itself and Doggett looks down at his bloody hands. He enters her apartment and when he looks at his hands again he is now holding an axe. He enters her bedroom, sees her asleep in her bed and raises the axe over her, but can't do it. He instead lowers the axe and swings it up towards his own head]

Scully: Agent Doggett? [Doggett wakes abruptly and finds Scully standing beside his bed] Agent Doggett. Hi.

Doggett: How'd you get here?

Scully: Your door was unlocked.

Doggett: You just saved my life, Agent Scully.

Scully: I just woke you up, Agent Doggett.

Doggett: Tipet's in my dreams. If you hadn't woken me up just now...

Scully: Anthony Tipet is dead. I got the call from Skinner on my way over here. He never regained consciousness.

Doggett: Are you okay?

Scully: I seem to be, yes.

Doggett: Well, if you need some more time off...

Scully: No. I'm back at work now. That must have been some nightmare you just had.

Doggett: Tipet thought he'd find god... by looking in the darkness inside himself.

Scully: You don't think he succeeded?

Doggett: In my dreams, I see... I saw terrible... violent images that... scared the living daylights out of me. These things are a part of me. I can't deny that, but... maybe... maybe they didn't come from me.

Scully: Then where'd they come from? It was a bad dream, Agent Doggett, but that's all it was.