The X-Files

I always say there's three kinds of people in the world.

Them who make things happen, them who watch things happen,

and them who wonder what happened.

I made things happen.

The wrong things.

I caused pain to anyone who came near me.

This tattoo, it used to be my badge of honour.

But I'm a different man since ljoined group. A better man.

I never thought words like that would come out of my mouth.

It's all because of the help and the love that I found in this room.

- You're new here. Is it Ed? - Yeah, I'm new to this BS.

Why do you think it's BS?

Listen, man, I turned my life around. A lot of us here have.

Our kind of lives go one way.

And you can't change, any more than you can undo the crimes you've done.

Well, I feel sorry for you, man.

Don't feel sorry. You're going to hell just like I am, brother.

Why are you here, Ed?

I drove Victor. He knows I'm right.

- Victor's been doin' good. - Oh, yeah. Just look at him.

Victor, you wanna talk about it?

I've just been having bad dreams.

Really bad dreams.

What kind of dreams?

Oh...

seeing people skinned alive.

It's a hard road, Victor.

It's a shock to the system, changing the way we think, taking charge of our lives.

We're all afraid, and that fear preys on us night and day, brother.

In our minds and in our dreams.

You ever get enough of that crap?

The "shock to the system" crap? This "fear preying on us night and day" crap?

Those boys are afraid of one thing: themselves, their true natures.

- You know what I'm saying, Victor? - Sorta.

What do you mean? Don't tell me that bull does you any good.

And don't tell me you feel any better about yourself coming here,

that it makes these nightmares go away.

No... it don't.

Hey.

- Thanks for coming. Sorry about the hour. - Sounded like it couldn't wait.

No. I needed another set of eyes on it. I called Scully in, too.

It's a little late to be looking for a sitter. What's so pressing?

Victor Dale Potts.

Ex-con. Three-time loser. Career criminal.

He was murdered five days ago. Scully's got the crime report.

- I'm sorry, what am I missing? - It's the way he was killed.

Agent Doggett.

Agent Scully.

I'd like him to see the body.

Damn!

I seen a bunch of these when I was a cop. It's a favourite of Pan-Asian gangs.

The difference is, Victor Potts had a premonition of his death.

- And? - That was my question.

What I'm saying is, this man was skinned alive just hours after describing it in detail.

Maybe somebody had threatened him.

He said it came in a dream, according to the woman who last spoke to him.

- Who's that? - Dr Lisa Holland.

She's a therapist who runs an anger management group for ex-cons.

A lifelong criminal's bound to have some bad enemies, people capable of this.

I mean, unless there's something here that I'm just not seeing.

From my visual exam, the skin was removed with considerable skill,

by someone using a hunting-type knife.

Arteries and veins were left intact so as to prolong the period the victim would suffer.

Terrible way to die, for sure.

I know.

Is there anything else, Agent Reyes?

Something special that brought this case to your attention as a possible X-File?

No.

I just know I need to solve this, and I'd appreciate your help.

- Are you Reyes? - I'm Doggett. She's Reyes.

- Detective Van Allen? - That's right.

- I appreciate your help on this. - What help is that?

- On this investigation. - There isn't a lot to investigate.

Victor Potts wasn't one of the FBl's Ten Most Wanted.

I think she means your insight into the way he died.

Don't have any.

But I'm sure you'd rather talk to somebody who actually gives a damn, right?

I hate to say it, but he probably sums up most people's feelings.

It's hard for the Victor Pottses of the world.

Nobody cares much about them in life or in death.

Victor told the group a story, about a dream he'd had.

These men are haunted by their pasts. That's why they're here.

But this dream came true.

Sometimes the past they want to escape won't let them.

There was a man - Ed. He drove Victor to group that night.

He was all over Victor's case.

You think he could have killed him?

I try to help these men.

Some have been violent, some still are. It's not my place to judge them.

Dr Holland, there's justice to be served here.

You can't forget that.

I'm sure Agent Reyes won't let me.

Probably won't let anybody.

Thank you for your help.

She contacted you with this case?

I think the police would have given up on who murdered Potts if it wasn't for her.

You know something, Agent Reyes?

You seem real familiar to me.

Excuse me?

You ever visited Novi before?

No, I never have.

You eyeballin' me? You got some kind of problem or somethin'?

Problem? Your friend is dead.

Yeah. I guess the good news is I get to move up the ladder here now.

You know how it happened.

Now, why don't you just back off?

The FBI wants to talk to me now because of the way he died.

- They wanna talk to you, too. - I got nothin' to tell nobody.

- You were messing with his head. - I'd watch what you go sayin'.

Or what? You're gonna do me, too?

I got a ride to catch.

Yeah, that's right, walk away.

But, just like you said, you can't run from what you are.

Yeah?

And I'll see you in hell.

Here you go, Dr Scully.

Everything you ever wanted to know about skinning people but were afraid to ask.

This is every case of removal of the human dermis I could find within the last 12 years.

- Most of these are postmortem skinnings. - That's all I could find.

Most of it's Asian-gang related, like you mentioned.

Wait a minute. What's this?

I probably shouldn't have included that one. It's pretty much ancient history.

There's a pattern. The way the skin's been stripped off, it's identical.

How could it be? Did you notice the date?

1960.

- (knocks) - Excuse me?

Dr Muehler?

Dr Bertram Muehler?

Yes?

My name is Dana Scully. I'm with the FBI.

I want to ask you some questions about a John Doe you did an autopsy on in 1960.

You honestly expect me to recall some case from way back when?

I'm 84 years old.

Sir, this particular victim was skinned alive.

In all my days, I never saw anything as inhuman as this.

Sir, I haven't located police records from the investigation.

Was there ever a suspect who was charged or arrested in this case as far as you know?

No suspects. No investigation, for that matter.

I don't understand.

The victim was a John Doe, a nobody.

Carl Hobart, the county sheriff, figured he was a drifter.

Hobart said he didn't want to stir up the community.

And no one called him on that?

I tried. The sheriff had other things on his mind, I suppose.

Why do you say that?

It wasn't long after that he put a bullet through his head.

What are you thinking, Doctor?

This is some copycat murder, 40-odd years later?

If so, it's the most perfectly executed that I've ever seen.

And why copy an obscure murder that nobody's ever even heard of?

A string of murders.

I'm sorry?

I thought you knew. John Doe was only the first.

Hey. I'm workin' in here.

That you, Ed?

Come see what I got for ya.

Tell you what, you best clear the hell out, whoever you are!

Hey!

Oh God! Oh God, no! Let me go! Let me down!

Dr Holland?

Lisa?

Dr Holland?

Monica?

What the hell are you dreamin' about?

Nothing. It was a nightmare.

How did you know? To come in here?

I was on the phone. I could hear you through the wall, calling out.

- Who were you on the phone to? - Dr Lisa Holland.

That anger management group she runs, it's getting smaller.

I'm gonna need to see some identification.

- It's OK, let 'em through. - Go ahead.

- What happened to the lights? - Somebody cut 'em.

You might wanna watch your step. We got some blood on the floor.

Not as much as you'd expect.

- 0h, my God! - Hey, you OK?

Monica?

Agent Reyes.

I got a call from Agent Doggett. He said there's another victim.

Monica? You OK?

- I'm just catching my breath. - I've got something to show you.

Case files from crimes back in 1960.

- What are they? - More skinned bodies.

Cut with the same precision as the body I examined.

Can I see that light a second?

He's still alive. Somebody get in here and get him down!

We need a medic in here!

Can you hear me? Do you understand?

Who did this to you? Do you know who did this to you?

- Are we gem' somewhere, baby'? - You're not. Get out.

- Eddie? - What did I just say?!

- I'm not even dressed. - What else is new?

Get out.

Why are you such a jerk?

Get her outta here.

FBI! Stop right there!

What part of "Stop right there" did you not understand?

So what? He's just waiting for his lawyer?

He's in a bad place. I've been there myself,

sitting right where he is now, not thinking you have a chance.

You ever murder two men?