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JUGGERNAUT

FADE IN

INT. MAIN ENGINE ROOM-NIGHT

Krycek, with Lislita painfully in
tow, have reached the area of the
engine room where there is a lack
of personnel since the precisely-
mechanized operations are governed
by control systems three decks above.
The air is close, it's dim, and a
dank odor permeates everywhere, but
the noise level is remarkably
minimal; an almost dulcent humming
blankets the surroundings.

Abruptly, Krycek stops between the
towering pitch stabilizer housing,
and a small anteroom used for storing
hoses.

    KRYCEK
(holds her chin like a vise)
The moment you've been waiting for. . .
and I.

    LISLITA
(defiantly, as she gathers her
falling-apart costume about her)
'Bicho.'

SUBTITLE
Disgusting creep.

    KRYCEK
I can be that too, if that's what
turns you on.

    LISLITA
'Vaya al infierno!'

SUBTITLE
Go to hell.

    KRYCEK
(gives a derisive laugh)
We'll make that trip together.

His insuperable fingers release her
chin and dig into her shoulder,
molding her against the gleamy brass
of machine housing.

    LISLITA
(mustering all of her strength)
Find someone else to defile!

She slaps his face, which startles
him for a moment, but before she can
flee, he flashes her the vial, and
she freezes.

    KRYCEK
(dangerously)
Come here.

She obeys, he crowds into her face
again, and mauls her breasts this
time.  Before he can capture her
plump lower lip with his teeth, she
strikes a resounding blow for freedom,
calling upon a move her father taught
her if ever a date got fresh.  Krycek
recoils, as the shock of pains
explodes between his legs.

    KRYCEK
YOU BITCH!

Taking advantage of his world of hurt,
Lislita plucks the fallen vial up from
the floor of the deck and escapes.

TIGHT SHOT OF KRYCEK'S FACE. . .AND THE
SHADOW FALLING UPON IT

    MULDER
(O.S.)
I figured you'd be down here with the
rest of the rats.

Camera brings him into the shot with
his back away from audience.

    MULDER
Can't seem to stop meeting in places
like this.  Marita bared her soul one
rainy night she came to my apartment
about what happened on a filthy
steamer.  Some impressions never fade,
and now this-- with Scully's cousin.

Krycek manages to sit up and prop
himself up against the second
auxillary wall, holding his throbbing
crotch.

    KRYCEK
How'd you know?

    MULDER
(testily)
Know what?

    KRYCEK
About *this*?  My being here.

    MULDER
(close to the vest)
Right place, right time; purely
coincidence.  It's our vacation, but
you've made it business, turning up,
conducting this experiment for the
cowards who exist behind a smokescreen.

Mulder grasps him to a stand, hearing
Krycek's croaking gasp, and the Agent
slams him into the wall.

    MULDER
Before I kick the living crap out of
you, I want the antidote.

    KRYCEK
(smugly)
Haven't got it.

Mulder knees him in the groan again,
and Krycek writhes in renewed agony.

    KRYCEK
(gasping)
*She's got it; the girl*.  Quicker and
tougher than I thought.  Your knee's
got nothing on hers.

    MULDER
What's its composition?

    KRYCEK
Damned if I know.  You think I'm told
everything?  Works though, I'm the
first test case.

Krycek leans in tight to Mulder's face,
his intent clear, gleaming in his eyes.
In disgust, Mulder heaves Krycek's
leaden body back down to the deck, and
he stalks away.

CAMERA FOLLOWS MULDER

    KRYCEK
(O.S., sardonically)
Ironic, isn't it, Mulder?

The Agent doesn't slacken his pace as
he nears the squat first bulkhead
access, but we can still hear Krycek's
raspy voice echo.

    KRYCEK
(O.S.)
The harder you try, the more you fall
behind.  So much easier if you joined,
and be a winner for once.  Mulder. . .
they won't let you keep this up
forever.

Mulder raises his right arm high above
his head with middle finger fully
extended, and pointed in the direction
of Krycek's faraway voice.

CUT TO-INFIRMARY-WARD A

Lislita arrives, heavily out of
breath, clutching the little vial in
her tight fist.

    LISLITA
(sounding winded)
I have it, 'Richillo'--I took what
will make you. . .well.

Langly appears unconscious.

Just then Scully, who's been consulting
again with Dr. Renaldeni, returns to
the ward.  Lislita, upon hearing her
enter, turns to her with a look of
relief.

    LISLITA
Dana, here's the cure.
(perplexedly)
But, should he drink it, or smear what-
ever's in this all over himself?  'Dios
mio,' his rash looks very, very bad.

Scully nods.

    SCULLY
Where's Mulder?  Did you see him?

    LISLITA
No.  I got away from that disgusting
man, but not before I took this from
him.

She hands the vial to her cousin with
a hopeful expression.

    LISLITA
He said it can cure whatever this sick-
ness is.

    SCULLY
(contemplatively)
Yes, I know, but I don't think it's a
good idea taking that madman's word for
it without an analysis.  He could be
lying.

Mulder barrels into the ward, a mingling
of relief and agitation stitched in his
face.

    MULDER
It was Krycek--

    SCULLY
You can't be serious.  Krycek--here!!

Mulder nods, looking as desperate as his
stunned partner.

    MULDER
Freak coincidence.  I wouldn't bet he's
lying.

    LANGLY
(coming out of his drowsiness)
Wha'. . .t-the hell?

His eyes bug, and he snaps to alert-
ness, seeing that his sweetheart's safe
and sound, and from all indications,
unscathed, although, her clothes that
hang in shreds might suggest otherwise.

    LANGLY
*Lisa*--how'd you. . .?

    LISLITA
(breathlessly)
I got away--  I took what he said will
save you, 'mi amor.'
(anxiously to Scully)
You must save him.  Please, Danita, you
must.

Looking sympathetic, Scully looks
from her cousin to her partner, and
in turn, Mulder gently rests his hand
upon her shoulder.

    MULDER
Analyze it first, Scully, so we know
its makeup.

    SCULLY
Good idea.

And. . .wasting no time, Scully heads
for Renaldeni's office.  Regardless of
how bad Langly's rash is, that fact
doesn't impede Lislita from sitting
beside him on the bed, and stroking his
hand, while Mulder looks on in silence
until. . .

Scully, in what feels to be instantan-
eously, returns, with Renaldeni tena-
ciously on her heels.

    SCULLY
You're never going to believe this,
Mulder.

    MULDER
Knowing me all these years, Scully,
how can you say that?

She gives him an 'I was a fool' roll
of her expressive eyes.

    SCULLY
This stuff checks out to be simple
quinine water.

    LANGLY
(barely audible)
Quinine's the alkaloid isolated from
South American cinchona bark, used to
treat malaria. . .what the Syns gave us
might be some wack, mutated form of the
disease.  *They* never run out of ideas
for  creating some mass crisis
diversion, huh?

    RENALDENI
That could explain the Planaria. . .as
perhaps the microscopic agents used as
the infection vehicle for this
particular P. Falciparum, quotidian, or
irregular type of the disease.

    SCULLY
Insidiously effective.

    RENALDENI
I quite agree, Dr. Scully.

    MULDER
Scully, there're over forty people
who've been contaminated.  How much's
left?

He eyes the minute receptacle.

Before the full import of Mulder's
words have time to elicit a response
from Scully, Renaldeni casts
hope-filled eyes at the Agents.

    RENALDENI
We're in luck, with that.  Our
libational stores are well-stocked
with the mixer.  I'll put a call into
the head Stores Steward, and the
Captain.  Explain the situation, and
have enough on hand to clear all these
cases up in short order.

    SCULLY
Doctor we'd better get moving on this.

    RENALDENI
I'll put those calls in immediately.

Scully casts angst-filled eyes at her
partner.

    MULDER
I know, Scully.

    SCULLY
He can't get away with what he tried
to do.

    MULDER
I'm on it.
(edges over to the doctor, preparing to
leave with him)
Doctor, once you've handled the matters
at hand,
(he levels his arm about the man's
shoulders)
there's another matter I'd like to take
up with the Captain.

PAUSE

HOURS LATER-

INFIRMARY-WARD A

    SCULLY
(uncapping another bottle of quinine
and pours it into a liter sized plastic
cup.  Hands it to the patient who has
recovered full use of both upper limbs)
Drink half of this.
(rips open another package of Bunsolve
gauze)
The rest I'll salve on your chest, back,
arms and legs.

    LANGLY
(sounding self-conscious)
Uh...can't I get into the pool with
the rest of the victims?

    SCULLY
That's only if you can stand, and walk
under your own power.  Can you?

    LANGLY
Well, I've drunk enough quinine till
it's comin' outta my ears to give it
another try.

    SCULLY
It's been over an hour since you did.

    LANGLY
I'll try again.

    SCULLY
Fine.  Go ahead.

    LANGLY
Gimme a sec.

The effort shows in his face, and
gritting his teeth, he shifts his body
along the edge of the bed, and forces
his legs to the floor.

Lislita hesitates before coming into
the room, having since changed into
straight leg pants and a matching
creamy orange top.  She wastes not
another moment, rushing over to his
bedside, wanting to lend a hand.

    LISLITA
Should you be doing this so soon?

    LANGLY
Now's as good a time as any.  I'm
feelin' a whole lot better.

    SCULLY
You're looking much better too.

    LANGLY
(looks up from his quivering limbs
with his glasses sliding down his nose
an inch.)
Seeing lots better too.  Where's
Mulder?

    SCULLY
Conducting a stem to stern search of
the ship for Krycek, enlisting the help
of Security.  He's beside himself for
letting his anger get the best of him
and leaving him in the engine room.

    LANGLY
(shrugs)
So, what does he plan to do with him
when he gets his hands on him?  Make
him walk the plank?  That rat'll never
fink-out his shadow handlers.

    SCULLY
That excuse for a man has hurt Mulder's
and my families in so many ways.  I'd
just like to have him standing here
right before me so I can tell him what
a maglinant bastard he is, to his face.

    LISLITA
(her voice slips from her like air from
a balloon)
How is it all of you know my kidnapper?

Agent and hacker exchange guarded
looks.  Scully is about to reply, when
a rambunctious Mulder bursts into the
room.

    MULDER
Splashiest pool party you ever saw.  I
wouldn't label them victims anymore.
(resigned)
Well, Scully, seems the rodent must
have jumped ship, no thanks to my
losing it.  He's nowhere on board.
The search detail organized and
headed by the Captain is still combing,
but he won't be found.  I discovered
his clothes in a heap next to the main
bilge water tank that you and I saw
earlier yesterday.  Our guide of
morning told me that there's an
in-laid ladder on the reverse side of
the tank, and its the easiest access
into the ocean, compared to say,
plummeting from topside.  In a cubbyhole
of a storage room, or a small tool crib
of sorts, I found casings that could
have come off a scuba tank.  Discarded
packaging for a deep-sea mask, wetsuit,
hand and feet fins, along with breathing
equipment were nearby.

    SCULLY
Obviously carefully planned in case of
discovery.

    LANGLY
(brashly)
Yeah, big fat surprise.  Given time
and opportunity, *they* avail
themselves every chance *they* get.
Gotta make sure whatever they decide
to unleash on an unsuspecting world
works foolproof, eh, Mulder?

    MULDER
(curls his lips)
Can't say they'll fail for lack of
trying...

    LISLITA
Why do I have this uneasy feeling you
three know too much about...about.
(throws her hands up)
Okay, how should I know, what, for my
own good?  Being blacked-out, well,
it's just not fair.  That's what it is.

The suspect trio coast upon the heavy,
loaded silence.

    LISLITA
(again, sighs heavily)
Just be glad I'm not the biggest
stickler that needs all kinds of
details supplied before knowing when to
feel safe.
(removes the gauze and dark green-tinted
bottle of quinine from Scully's hands)
'Mi amor,' wouldn't you rather have me
rub this all over you, instead of having
it splashed in your face by fellow
recoverees?
(snickers in her throat, and gives her
cousin and Langly especially a contrite
look)
I know, I shouldn't eavesdrop, but it's
hard to overcome when you live and work
in tight quarters, like this ship.

Scully and Mulder, with his hand
anchored to her shoulder, begin edging
themselves nearer to the door, where
Dr. Renaldeni seems to be waiting to
speak with them.

    LANGLY
Well, when you put it like that, I'd
be crazy, turning an offer like that
down.  You still gonna stay with me
all night?

    LISLITA
Do I look like I'm going anywhere
soon?

Scully raises an eyebrow to answer
Mulder's rowdy waggling of both of his,
and she has no other choice but to
counteract his cocky smile with a more
tempering one of her own.

    MULDER
(mumbles into Scully's ear)
Let the kids have their fun.

    SCULLY
Try getting some rest, Langly.  You've
had a busy day.

    LANGLY
(off-handedly)
Oh, yeah, sure.  Rest.

    RENALDENI
(in an aside to Scully)
One seeming epidemic stopped dead in
its tracks.  All who presented are
back to normal, without any discernable
side effects.  I have several questions
though.  Doctor, humor me?

Scully nods.

    SCULLY
If I can, Doctor.

The Agents depart with Renaldeni.
Lislita disposes of the gauze, but
Langly finagels the bottle of quinine
out of her hand to sip its dregs,
then chucks it into the nearby clear
plastic-lined trash can.

    LANGLY
Well?  You haven't changed your mind,
in the space of two seconds?

    LISLITA
Just as long as you don't hog all the
blanket...

They grin into each other's face as
Langly makes room for her in the
atypically wide hospital bed.

    LANGLY
Not exactly the kind of bed I had in
mind for...well, you know...

    LISLITA
Yeah, but how many beds can do this?

She raises the bed's 'head' up and
down, then its 'feet' with the
controls that are wound around the
side's rail which happens to be down.

    LANGLY
Craftmatics can.

    LISLITA
They're expensive.

    LANGLY
So are these.

He pats the mattress.

    LANGLY
(mocking mildly)
Speakin' of hoggin', the blanket ain't
all I'm gonna hog.  Those arms of
yours've got a nice feel when they're
wrapped around me.

    LISLITA
(as she fits her 'accomodaters' about
him snugly)
I'm just so glad you're going to be
all right.

    LANGLY
That makes two of us.

    LISLITA
How is it you, someone so gentle, and
good, know that evil man, 'chulito?'

    LANGLY
(hestitates awhile before answering)
It's a long, insane story.

    LISLITA
(hugging him harder, waiting for him
to slip his head into the soft, warm
crevasse of her neck)
We've got all night...

    LANGLY
And I'm hopin' for even longer.

    LISLITA
I want that too...

The leisurely-paced, long-loved kiss
they share tranquilizes them both
after Langly extinguishes the light
on the nightstand.

CUT TO-

EXT - MANY NAUTICAL MILES BEHIND THE
CRUISE VESSEL

CLOSE ON

It is two-thirty A.M.  Krycek has
since surfaced.  He removes his mask
which is densely fogged, to clear it.
The long-range transceiver he holds
in his hand is emitting sharp pops,
two ever four seconds.  The lengthy
beams of the blazing cam lights
mounted at both corners of the mask
slice through the intense darkness
enveloping him.

He waits.  A shiver he ignores goes
through him, and he swims a body
length, before halting.  The
transceiver's pops step up, and he
checks the time on his florescent
diving watch.  When he looks up,
his vision transects the swiftly
retreating ship.

Another second to go...and then the
sub breaks above the pitching,
frothy surface of the open sea to
retrieve the deserter, the sole
possessor of an oily smile in these
watery parts.

END V

FADE OUT

COMMERCIAL BREAK

"I made this..."

THEME

ROLL FINAL CREDITS

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