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JUGGERNAUT

FADE IN

INT. THE INFIRMARY -NIGHT


    MULDER
(expansively)
Both she and the ship's doc conjecture
it might be some form of pathogen at
work

    LANGLY
Or,
(he gulps several times, then winces)
A. . .biotoxin.  What's goin' down
weighs in a little too heavily on the
side of this not being a fluke of
circumstance.  I haven't worked with
you guys for this long to gloss over
the possibility that extreme
possibilities could be at work here,
man.  Maybe the Syndicate is messed up
in this 'Ebola moment' in some
convoluted way.  Couldn't it, Mulder?

    LISLITA
(frowning, and looking lost)
The Syndicate?

Mulder gives Langly his most critical
eyeballing.

    MULDER
Like Scully just said, let's not jump
the gun before having anything concrete
to go on.
(his eyebrows do a trampoline routine
in Lislita's direction)

Langly looks shocked, as though he'd
just heard something like Skinner
taking part in a peace rally.  But, all
the same, he catches on, sighs heavily,
and nods, sorry that he opened his big
mouth.

    LANGLY
I'm cool with that.
(to Lislita)
I'm exaggerating about the blindness,
sweetie.  I'm seein' stuff fuzzy, that's
all.  Scully says I'm gonna be fine.
A good night's rest here, and in the
morning, I'll be as good as new; really
overdid the sun bit today.

    MULDER
(leans down and close to Langly's right
ear)
My other half could be contacting the
CDC even as we speak, I'll go check.
Maybe she and Dr. *E* have already
made a preliminary diagnosis.  Lemme
see.  Meanwhile, you've got some mighty
fine company.

He goes next door, and closes the door
after himself.

    LISLITA
(encouragingly, as her fingers gently
scuff Langly's irritated cheek)
I'm staying too, all night.

She lies down beside him, after he
haltingly makes room for her, and
lays her head upon the corner of his
shoulder and begins a circular massage
at the center of his chest.

    LANGLY
(dreamily croons)
'. . .Girl, you really got me. . .you
got me so I don't know what I'm
doin'. . .'
(stops on an upbeat)
Lisa?

    LISLITA
Yes, 'chulo?'

    LANGLY
Could you get me some water?  I'm dyin'
of thirst.

    LISLITA
Right away.  'En seguida.'

SUBTITLE
At once

She rises, and Langly senses she's
looking around for some.  For moments,
he thinks she's left the room because
she doesn't feel close.  A faint noise
issues from nearby.  The gelatinous gunk
that's formed over his eyes prevents him
from opening them now.  Lislita quickly
returns to the bedside, bearing a stain-
less steel pitcher and a clear plastic
cup.  Before 'watering' him, she removes
his glasses.

    LISLITA
Here, drink this.
(patiently, she fits the cup into his
right hand, and with her hand at the
back of his head, guides his lips to the
lip of the cup)
Easy, 'chulo,' easy.  Not too fast.
Slowly. . .

    LANGLY
(his lips fall way from the cup)
Ahhh, that's good.  Thanks, sweetie.

She directs the cup close to his mouth
again.

    LISLITA
More?

    LANGLY
(tiredly)
Yeah. . .a little.

He manages a thin grin.  He drinks his
fill and she eases him back down.
From the box of tissues sitting on
the nightstand, she plucks one and dabs
at the corners of his mouth to sop up
a little run-off.

    LISLITA
(promise and hope in one breath)
It's going to be all right.

    LANGLY
You're gonna stay, right?

    LISLITA
(gently)
Wild horses couldn't drag me away.

Krycek slides himself from behind the
door with a hungry look.  He wants her
to turn around, wants her to see him
standing there with his eyes steeped in
urgency.  Bonelessly, he moves in closer.

    LISLITA
'Chulo?'

    LANGLY
Yeah?

    LISLITA
I think I hear. . .

    MULDER
(O.S. from the outer office)
Hey, Langly.

    SCULLY
(O.S. on his heels)
Shhhush, Mulder, he can do without the
bluster.

Langly strains to hear what more the
duo are saying.

Krycek shrinks back into the woodwork
behind the door.

PULL BACK

    SCULLY
How're you doing, Langly?

    LANGLY
(muffled)
Cruddy.  With this gunk sealin' my eyes,
it's like havin' pink eye.  A mutant
strain.

    SCULLY
Let me have a look.
(beat)
Consistent with ophthalmitis.  It's the
eyes' normal reaction to severe inflam-
mation.

    LANGLY
There ain't nothin' normal about any of
this.

    SCULLY
Been there, thought that.  It's all re-
lated to your overall condition.  The
children are not far behind your stage.

    LANGLY
(petulantly)
Which is?

CLOSE ON

    KRYCEK
(soundlessly)
Your funeral, geek.  If you think it's
bad now, just wait. . .

    SCULLY
We should know something soon from the
blood samples taken.

    LISLITA
I gave him a little water, Dana.  Was
that okay?

She nods.

    SCULLY
Fine.  He shouldn't get dehydrated.

    LISLITA
Where's Fox?

Scully looks off in the direction of
the other examination room.

    SCULLY
Still speaking with the ship's doctor.

    LANGLY
(shakily)
Scully?  You think I'm, I'm go-gonna
die?

Krycek nods with an evil grin.

Scully makes use of the stethoscope
hanging about her neck, while she
listens to his heart.

    SCULLY
Let's not lose our heads.  You, Jessica,
and her brother, Robin, the Dunns, as
well as a sixteen-year old named Kellog
Westin, who has subsequently presented,
all seem to have the identical condition.
A truly baffling one.  Dr. Renaldeni
thinks it's wiser to keep all of you
quarantined, even from each other, until
we know better what we're dealing with.
He's analyzing the blood samples.  Mulder
was speaking circles around him before my
coming back in here, but he's going to
collect some of the pool water.

    LANGLY
Where're the kids?

    SCULLY
The Dunns are in ward one-a, and the
teenager, in one-b for the time being.
The Infirmary is much larger than I
first thought.  It encompasses a good
part of this entire deck, with private,
and semi-private sickrooms.  The doctor
and I will be monitoring all of you,
which conceivably may include whomever
else comes down with this.

Langly begins clawing at his throat.

    SCULLY
Scratching yourself raw is something
you really must avoid.  Your risk of
infection is high.

CLOSE ON

    KRYCEK
(soundlessly)
And that's *so* not all. . .

PULL BACK

The reason Scully is holding a bottle
of Calamine lotion becomes apparent
within the next few minutes.

    SCULLY
This should allay some of your
itchiness.

Langly winces several times before she
finishes slathering him with the milky
pink balm, and once she does, he looks
like a living mosaic of the worst color
scheme imaginable.

    LANGLY
What's the teenager look like?

    SCULLY
Well, he's about five-ten, jet black
hair, pinched looking sort of face.
Eyes, your coloring, and set fairly
wide apart.  He's got a strawberry mole
the size of--

    LANGLY
(nods confirmatorily)
A mini palm pilot, on his upper right
pect.  Skinny, dweeby lookin' dude,
wearin' glasses kinda like mine, oval-
lensed.  Even wore 'em while he was in
the pool.

    SCULLY
Good memory.  He's somewhat cross-eyed.

    LANGLY
Check.

    SCULLY
There's a definite pattern forming here.
(sounds quizzical)
Do you remember any others who were
wading about the same time you were?

Langly, all set to reply, is interrupted.

    RENALDENI
(O.S. urgently, now coming from the
dispensary)
Dr. Scully, your partner's returned with
some of the water.  Come see what we
have.

She prepares to leave them.

    LANGLY
Scully?  Can I have a painkiller?

    SCULLY
Are you in a lot of pain?

    LANGLY
Kinda.  Yeah.

    SCULLY
I'll see what's available, but do you
think you can tough it out until we get
more of a handle on this?  Taking one
could aggravate your symptoms.

    LANGLY
Okay, I'll 'ct' it as best I can, but
see what you and Dr. E. can do about
gettin' to the root cause, and licking
this budding epidemic.

Scully departs for the dispensary, but
not before handing off the Calamine
lotion to her upset-looking cousin.

    LANGLY
(a mild whine)
Lis, more Calamine?  My legs are itchin'
me alive.  I'm goin' nuts.

    LISLITA
(she hefts the nearly-empty bottle,
then places it on the nightstand)
There isn't much left.  I'll get more.

    LANGLY
I'd appreciate it.

Before leaving on her quest, she kisses
the crown of his head which is beginning
to scab.

    LISLITA
(breathes into his scalp)
I'll be right back, 'chulo.'

    LANGLY
And I'll be right here, waitin'.

WIDE CAMERA ANGLE

Krycek mocks the 'sweetness and light'
banter between them by making a face.

    LISLITA
I love you.

    LANGLY
I love you too.

Krycek cannot stomach any more.  He
steps out from behind the door to con-
front the object of his unwholesome
desire.

    LISLITA
(rattled, recognizing the same
animalistic quality in Krycek's
bearing)
Ar-are you here to clean up in here
too?

Langly's ears prick up, as he battles
the desire to scratch the skin of his
chest raw.  Krycek remains wordless.

    LISLITA
(clearly annoyed)
What business do you have here?

    KRYCEK
(huskily, disguising his voice on
purpose) Your boyfriend's dying. . .

He goes to the door farthest from
him, and closes it, so this
conversation won't be overhead by the
people who are spiritedly discussing
the matter at hand, two rooms away.

    LANGLY
What the fuck?

He fights with the increasing pain to
lift himself up from the bed.

    KRYCEK
(arches)
*I* know what's wrong with him.  Do
you want me to save him for you?

    LANGLY
(rasping)
Who are you?  What the hell are you
talking about?

    LISLITA
Yes, what are you talking about?

    LANGLY
(sounding as though he's bargaining
with kizmet)
Lisa, who are you talking to?

    KRYCEK
Are you coming, or would you rather
stay here, and watch him die a
hideous, agonizing death, 'dulcita?'

SUBTITLE
Sweetie.

Lislita's breath catches, and as though
she's in a dream, she edges away from
Langly and towards Krycek.

    LISLITA
You say you can help him?

    KRYCEK
That all depends on you, and your
willingness to cooperate.
(he tugs on her arm)
C'mon, let's go someplace where we can
strike a deal.

    LANGLY
(frantically)
*Lis*, what's goin' on?

    KRYCEK
His life's in *your* hands, 'chulita.'

SUBTITLE
Doll.

    LISLITA
(acquieses with a knowingness)
Then, I go with you, mustn't I?

    KRYCEK
'Bueno, mi reina.  Vamos, entonces.'

SUBTITLE
Good, my queen.  Let's go then.

    LISLITA
(to Langly, soothingly)
I'll be back with the lotion at once,
'mi amor.'

    KRYCEK
(nips close to her ear)
You're nice to me, I'll let him live.
It doesn't have to be an ordeal, if
you're nice to me.  Very nice to me.

    LANGLY
(frantically)
Lisa--ANSWER ME--WHAT'S HAPPENING!!?

    KRYCEK
(still close to her ear)
Let's go.

CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM OUT.  WE HEAR A
LOUD THUD, AND CAMERA PULLS BACK

We see Langly lying face down upon the
floor, struggling to crawl his way to
the door of the outer office.

    LANGLY
(faintly)
Lisa, Lis. . .dammit--where the hell
are you?

Using his good arm, and some very
serpentine movement, he is nearly to
the door when Scully and Mulder
hurriedly re-enter the ward.

    SCULLY
(reproachful blare)
LANGLY!  What the hell do you think
you're doing?

    LANGLY
(babbling)
I gotta save Lisa--gotta save her
from the perv.

The duo rush to his sides, lift him
up from the floor and get him back
into bed.

    MULDER
What perv?

    LANGLY
The one who told her she'd better be
nice to him, or he'd let me die.  My
life's in his hands.

    SCULLY AND MULDER
(chorus)
*What*!

    LANGLY
(while being settled)
You heard me.

    MULDER
How long ago?

    LANGLY
Just happened; coupla minutes.

    MULDER
They're probably not far.

    LANGLY
Find 'em--find 'em quick before the
scum hurts her.

    MULDER
I'm on it, buddy, I'm on it.

He departs that very instant, but
not before throwing Scully a look
brimming resolve.

    SCULLY
(softly)
It's going to be all right, Langly.
Try to calm down.

    LANGLY
(scornfully)
Find out anything else about this
bummer of an epizootic we
unsuspectings've picked up?

    SCULLY
(purses her lips)
The commonality is the pool.  Fifteen
more people have presented with the
identical symptoms, all claiming to
have taken a swim some time today.
Counting yourself, and the three others,
that makes--

   LANGLY
Eighteen.  Leave the math to me. . .

CUT TO-

INT. FORWARD BULKHEAD, AFT, DECK BELOW
SEA LEVEL-NIGHT

Krycek roughly pushes Lislita along
again to keep her moving.  She
stumbles onward, through the cramped
passageway which leads to the
secondary containment section of the
engine room.

    LISLITA	
'Naco!  Muerto de hambre!'

SUBTITLE
Idiot!  You nobody!

Krycek chuckles.

    KRYCEK
(carelessly)
'Puedo entenderte perfectamente, chava.
Hablo un chorro.'

SUBTITLE
I understand everything perfectly, doll.
I'm fluent.

Lislita winces and receives another
unsettling shove.

    KRYCEK
Speak any Russian?

Lislita fords on, trying her best to
forget he's there.

    KRYCEK
'Nyet?'

    LISLITA
(stonily)
What do you want?

    KRYCEK
(flexes the delivery)
What do you think?  *You*.

He halts her with an iron hand upon
her shoulder, and reaches into an
inner pocket.

    KRYCEK
See this?

He extracts an olive-amber colored
vial.

    LISLITA
What is it?

    KRYCEK
Salvation for all who've been infected.

    LISLITA
Who are you?  Why would you do such a
thing to my friend, and other innocent
people?

Unthinking, she tries making a swipe
for the vial, but Krycek's hand engulfs
it, and whisks it away.

    KRYCEK
You know what I want.  You give it to
me, and I might save your blond.

    LISLITA
(responds automatically)
*No*. . .

    KRYCEK
(with a merciless smirk)
Your final answer, 'chica?'

    LISLITA
(eyes glisten, steeped in tears
welling up)
I. . .I don't wa-want to.

    KRYCEK
You want to.  I've seen you with him.
You love him.  You give me what I
want, I'll save him for you, but if
you wait too long, it'll be too late
to do anything for him except bury
him at sea.

Lislita stiffens, and defiantly wipes
away the streaks, staining her
bedarkened face.

    KRYCEK
(pressing her in against the wall's
seam of rivets)
I do you, you save him. . .your choice.

Lislita nods helplessly, which ignites
Krycek's sumptuous grin against her
cheek.

    KRYCEK
Smart girl.

Lislita shuts her eyes, as though about
to pass out then and there.

    KRYCEK
(close to her mouth)
Don't look like its the end of the
world, 'bonita.'  It's not, at least
not tonight it's not.  Soon, but not
tonight. . .

CUT TO-

INT. THE INFIRMARY -NIGHT

    SCULLY
You say this man said he could cure
you?

    LANGLY
That's what I heard--*if* Lisa does
what he wants.  Mulder better find 'em
fast.
(beat)
It's funny, since my sight's gone down-
hill, my hearing seems sharper.

    SCULLY
If what you heard is true, then I hope
Mulder can somehow convince him to hand
it over.  We don't know where to begin
to help you and the other victims
recover from this mysterious condition.

    LANGLY
I hope Mulder beats the bastard to a
pulp if he lays a hand on her.  This
stinks of Syndicate to me, Scully.

    SCULLY
But, how?

    LANGLY
How?  After all you've seen, how can
you even ask, 'how?'  The freakin'
shadow government never takes a
vacation.  They picked this ship to
run their shitty experiment.
(grumbles)
Me, blind as a frickin' bat, and now
Lisa's mixed up in this too.

    SCULLY
Don't jump to any conclusive
conclusions until there's real
evidence.

Langly balks, but says nothing more
until...

    RENALDENI
(appears at the ward door)
Keeping our victims quarantined from
each other isn't an option, I'm
afraid.  My other wards are full.  All
in all, there are twenty-six people
infected.  One victim, a man in his
late thirties, looks the worst of
those I've seen, so far.  I took a
sample of his blood and wasted no time
analyzing it.  I saw, what looks to me
like some form of Planaria, Dr. Scully.
Comparable to what the water sample
from the pool yielded.  Please, come
have a look.  My two nursing assistants
are doing their best trying to make our
patients comfortable.

    LANGLY
(pointedly to Scully)
The shadow government strikes again.
I don't care what you refuse to believe.
They're experimenting with something
new.  Unsuspecting folks out soaking up
some rays, and a hell of a lot more.

END IV

FADE OUT

THEME

BREAK

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