"Hey, I..." "Hey, I was playing that." "Yeah, I just went to go take a whiz and now I'm back." " Even good guys blow it." " Damn!" "You got a problem?" "It's my game." "I was playing here." "Were you, pinhead?" "Now you're not." "Maybe you didn't hear me right." "I said it was my game." "It's his game." "Man, I'd step aside if I were you." "All right." "You guys wanna play a game?" "We'll play a game." "I go first." "Oh, man, you shouldn't have done that." "Why?" "What's he gonna do?" "So, is it my turn now?" "I'm not wasting my time." "I feel a new record coming on, man." "Both eardrums are ruptured." "Cataracts over both eyes." "Probably heat-induced." "Probably?" "Looks like his heart was cooked right in his chest." "I have to admit I've never seen that kind of localized tissue damage." "Well, there is extensive charring along the sternum, with concomitant rib fractures, consistent with electrocution or exposure to high-voltage current." "But I see no point of contact." "Best I can figure is the lightning struck the car, killed the kid on contact." "Were there contact wounds on any of the other five victims?" "I'd have to look at my notes." "It's clear to me what killed these kids." " Lightning." " Well, yeah." "Are you aware that something like 60 people die from lightning strikes each year?" " And five happened here in Connerville." " It's statistically improbable..." "There are only four deaths." "Stan, you don't have to defend your work." "Give us a minute, please?" "Yeah, sure." "I'll be in my office." "My name's Teller." "Sheriff's department." "I got word there was an FBI investigation." " Yes, I'm Agent Scully." " I know who you are." "I just wonder what the hell you're doin' here." "These deaths match other cases of fatalities attributed to lightning, with the same inconclusive forensic evidence." "Do you know anything about lightning, Agent Scully?" "Yes, I know a little." "That lightning kills several people a year, at home in the shower, or on the phone?" "That people have seen it dancing on the ground like balls?" "The scientists will tell you that they don't know what makes lightning work." "No, I didn't know that." "I know that, because I have breakfast with those scientists every morning." " I don't understand." " That's as clear as glass" "Do you know what we manufacture here?" "What one of our little local commodities is?" "We make lightning." "Down at the Astadourian Lightning Observatory." "100 ionized rods pointing up into the sky, designed to stimulate lightning." "I didn't know that either." "You didn't do your homework, did you?" "You're doing work that's already been done." "With all due respect, these autopsies don't quite add up." " Based on what?" " Based on my opinion as a medical doctor." "Then, based on your medical opinion, if you had to give one, what do you think this boy died of?" "Since there is no other explanation, right now I'd have to concur with the coroner." "That lightning is the most probable cause of death." "And I won't have you or anyone else suggesting otherwise to this boy's family." " Feel free to jump in anytime." " Why?" "You were doing just fine." " Do you have a theory on this?" " I just don't think it's lightning." "Mulder, wait." "What are you expecting to find here?" " I don't know yet." " Would you stop for a second, please?" "After everything we've just been through, after all that we've just seen," "I hope you don't think this is to do with government conspiracies or UFOs." "No evidence so far indicates either possibility." "What are you looking for?" "Just cos a forensic profile isn't cut and dry doesn't mean it's not true." "Teller's explanation works for you?" "The only scientific conclusion is that Jack Hammond was killed by lightning." "Then this lightning is more predictable than Teller realizes." "It has a definite preference for the type of person it strikes." " What?" " Look at the files." "Look at all the other victims." "They're all male, aged 17 to 21, just like Jack Hammond." "At least let's go see where Jack Hammond was killed." "Maybe we'll find something we both can agree on." "Police found Hammond in his car at 17 minutes past midnight." "The entire electrical system was shorted out." "All the circuitry and wiring had melted." "Looks like he was trying to get away in a big hurry." "Get away from what?" "What time was Jack Hammond's last pizza delivery?" "Sometime between 11 and 11:30." "Why?" "Well, all these stores would have been closed by 11." "Except maybe this one." " Seven, eight, nine..." " Excuse me?" "Ten..." "Eleven..." "What's your name?" "Zero." "Zero, do you mind if we talk for a minute?" "What for?" "I'm with the FBI." "All right." " Were you working here last night?" " Sure." "Every night." "Do you recognize this person?" "Nah, never seen him." "Why don't you take a closer look?" "He was here between 11 and 11:30." "He was killed in the parking lot." "That was his car." "So, if you were standing here at this counter, you must have seen it happen." "Oh, that was him!" "Last I saw, the dude fed a bunch of quarters into this one." "Then the ambulance shows up." "Before the ambulance showed up, did you notice anything unusual outside?" "It's hard to tell." "I mean, the place gets pretty loud." "Kinda hard to hear much of anything." "Did you notice anyone else around who might have seen something?" "I can't..." " I don't really remember." " Scully, take a look at this." " What?" " What were the names of the other victims?" "Corey Hufferd, Darin Oswald, Burke Roberts and Billy..." "Darin Oswald." "What's his middle name?" " Darin Peter." "Why?" " DPO." "Darin Peter Oswald." "Of the five victims, wasn't he the only one to survive?" " Yes." " Well, he was here last night." "Hey, Mrs Kiveat." " God, Darin, you scared me." " What?" " Where's Frank?" " He's out on a tow." " Is there anything I can help you with?" " No." "We're supposed to go to dinner." "Are you hungry?" "I can get you something to eat." "I gotjelly donuts." " No, thank you." " Are you sure?" "They're from yesterday, but they're still good." "I had one." "Hey..." "Mrs Kiveat..." "Hey, about those things that I said yesterday..." "Sorry I'm late, hon." "I had to tow that poor pizza delivery kid's car." "Oh, hey, Darin." "I just got a call on the radio." "Some people are coming to see ya." "They say they're with the FBI." "So this is the dude that died, huh?" "It's pretty harsh, man." " How'd it happen?" " They say he was struck by lightning." "Yeah... that happens." "Right outside the video arcade." "Not a cloud in the sky from what we can tell." "You were there last night, weren't you?" "Broke your own record, too." "Yeah." "Well, you must have seen something." "Oh, no, man." "When I'm into my game, man, I'm there, you know?" "It's like a nuclear explosion could go off, right?" "And I wouldn't even notice." "Can I ask you a personal question?" "Yeah." "Do you consider yourself a lucky person?" " Me?" " Yeah." "I don't think so." "Of all the people hit by lightning, you're the only one to survive." "Don't you think you're lucky?" "Well, I guess if you look at it like that, you could be right." " I could be considered lucky." " Mulder?" " Yeah?" " What's in your pocket?" " What happened?" " I don't know." "Itjust got hot all of a sudden." "Bummer." "I'm gonna go now." " Thanks for your help." " Yeah." "I'll see ya." "Teenagers have been into piercing and sadomasochism, and, um, rebellion extremism." "That's something I think is skipped over..." "Quit fooling' with the remote." "..and I used to sleep in a belt at night..." "Why do you want to watch that stuff?" "They're all a bunch of losers." "At least they're on TV." "I don't see you on TV." "Manners don't cost, Darin." "They're free." "What girl's gonna want a belching' fool like you?" " Darin?" " Maybe you'd be surprised." "Dude?" "You won't believe who came by today." " Let me guess." "The FBI?" " How did you know?" " They came by the garage." " How did they find you?" " You tell me." "You must have said something." " No, man!" "I didn't say squat!" "Wait up!" "Come on, man!" "You know I wouldn't do that to you." "I think you wanna be someplace else right now." " Cos I'm in the mood for a little barbecue." " No, man, not the cows again." "Come on, don't." "Don't do this." "Not now." "All right, I'm listening." " I'm ready." " Don't do it, man!" "I'm ready, so come on down!" " I'm outta here!" " Come on down!" "Come and get me!" "I'm right here!" "Come on, man!" "I'm waitin'!" "Come on, man!" "Talk to me!" "Come on!" "Dude?" "Are you OK, man?" "Excellent." "Have that faxed to my office." "Right away if you can." "Thank you, Dean." "I appreciate it." "What happened here, Sheriff?" "Three dead cows." " How do you think they died?" " Lightning." "I just got off with Dean at the observatory, which is about a mile through those trees." "Did they report lightning last night?" "They can detect every flash of lightning on this planet." "Did you know that?" " Each one emits radio waves at the exact..." " The Schumann resonance." "Eight cycles per second." "You can pick it up on any transistor radio." "See that, Sheriff?" "I did my homework." "Not much question that lightning killed these cows last night." "Just like it killed Jack Hammond the night before last." "Well, that's certainly the way it looks." "Let me show you something else." "It's right over here." "You see this?" "You know what this is?" "It looks like a fulgurite." "That only happens with lightning." "When sandy soil fuses into glass from the heat of a discharge." "How much more proof do you need?" "I'd say your business here is finished." " Mulder, I'd have to say I think he's right." " That we're wasting time chasing lightning?" " Look at the evidence." "What else could it be?" " I don't know yet." "This is the first lightning strike I've ever seen that left behind a footprint." "Here we go." "Considering it's a partial imprint, there's a lot of information here." "That's great." "Now can you make me a little cherub that squirts water?" "The tread looks like a standard military boot." "Men's." " Size eight and a half." " Eight and a half?" "That's pretty impressive." "Well, it says it right here on the bottom." "But I may have something even better." "When I cleaned the imprint to take the mold," "I found trace amounts of a viscous substance actually embedded in the fulgurite." "What is it?" "Well, I'd have to conduct a chemical analysis to be sure, but it looks like antifreeze." " Darin Oswald." " But why?" " And how?" " I don't know, but let's see if the shoe fits." " Jeez!" "You think you own the whole road?" " God!" "You jerk!" "Dude, what's happening?" " What's going on?" " I don't know." "Nothin'." "You know, I've been thinking." "First time for everything." "Oh, damn!" "ABS brakes." "I'm thinkin' we should go somewhere." "Get out of this hole." "Maybe check out Las Vegas." "You could do some serious damage someplace like that." "I'm not going to Las Vegas." "I'm not going anywhere without Mrs Kiveat." "Why do you think she'll wanna go anywhere with you?" "She failed you, remember?" "She thinks you're a retard." "Forget school, man." "I'm talkin' about proving my love." " How you gonna do that?" " By letting her know how I feel." " How all I ever think about is being with her." " Wake up, dude." "There's another slight problem." "She's married to your boss." " Maybe I could fry him." " Dude, he's your boss." "Not if he's dead, he won't be." "Are you high?" "With the FBI hangin' around?" "Just forget about it, OK?" "You can't compete." "Frank's good-looking, he's got his own shop." "Plus, he fixes things, instead ofjust smashing' stuff up." "A woman like that... wants someone special." " I'm special." " Right." "And I'm gonna show her just how special I am." "That was a good one!" "That was a good one!" "Come on, man." "Let's go check it out." "Darin ain't worth much" " I'm the first one to say it." "But he wouldn't hurt a soul." "What kind of trouble is he in, anyway?" "Can we have a few minutes, Mrs Oswald?" "Thank you." " Mulder?" " Yeah?" " We've got a size match." " Eight and a half?" "Yeah." "But it still doesn't prove that he killed Jack Hammond." " I'm surprised you haven't read that issue." " Oh, I have." "April is the cruelest month, but mine didn't come with this." "It was between Miss April and Women of the Ivy League." " Who is she?" " It looks like it's from a yearbook photo." "See?" "There's a yearbook in Darin's closet." "Her name is Sharon Kiveat." "Kiveat." "The garage where Darin works is called Kiveat Auto Body." "What happened?" "Kid got center-punched." "Just got his license." "He's pretty bad off." "Man, that's rough." "You guys ready for me to start clearing' the road?" "I'm just directing traffic." "Check with the deputy." "Hey, pal, are you OK?" "You don't look so good." "Somebody get the EMS guys!" " Easy." "You'll be OK." " What happened?" "He just collapsed." "Pulse is thready." "I'll get the kit." "It's all right, buddy." "Here we go." "Where you goin'?" "What are you doin'?" "Let's get outta here." "I got one... two... three." " Give me 300 joules." " Already charged." "No, it's not." "Something's not working here." "Get the backup." "Hang in there, buddy." "Don't worry, Mr Kiveat." "I've seen how they do it on TV." "Wait, we got a rhythm." "How the hell...?" "Rescue 911." "Let me give you a hand with that." "Thank you." "Mrs Kiveat?" "My name is Fox Mulder." "I'm with the FBI." "I know this is a hard time, but I'd like to ask some questions." "You were in my husband's garage yesterday." "Yes." " I'm sorry..." " I'd like to ask you about Darin Oswald." "He was at the scene of the accident, wasn't he?" "Please, I need to see my husband." "I just talked to one of the EMS workers." "He was rattled." " Why?" " Frank Kiveat's electrocardiogram." "Take a look at this." "See that spike?" "It indicates that electrical intervention started his heart." "Except the defibrillator wouldn't charge." "The paddles were dead." " How did he explain this?" " He didn't." "All he saw was Darin Oswald touching Kiveat's chest." "I've been going over Oswald's chart." "There's something I want you to take a look at." "He was admitted five months ago in cardiac arrest." "Respiratory failure, with class-three burns on his back and scalp." "Resuscitated after 21 minutes..." "Hang on, this is odd." "His blood test showed acute hypokalemia." "Yeah, what is that?" "A severe chemical imbalance characterized by high sodium and low potassium levels." " Electrolytes, right?" " Yeah." "What do electrolytes do?" "They generate the electrical impulses in our bodies." "Every time our heart beats..." "It's a leap, but what if Oswald's electrolyte imbalance lets him generate electricity at levels higher than normal?" "It doesn't work like that." "Unless his body is abnormally conductive." "If that heel print is Oswald's, he conducted millions of volts into the ground and just walked away." " You think he's some kind of lightning rod?" " No, that he is lightning." "And we've got to get to him before he strikes again." "Darin?" "Darin!" " Darin." " Don't you touch me, man!" " Relax, Darin." " Don't you touch me!" "We just want to talk to you, that's all." "Just ask you a few more questions." "I didn't do anything." "How many times do I have to say it?" "I don't know how all those people died." "Why did you run when you saw us?" "I was taking a walk." "Now, that's not against the law, is it?" "Anyway, you guys should be giving me a medal." "I mean, I saved my boss's life." " We're not so sure." " Why?" "Who told you that?" "Who you been talkin' to?" "You been talkin' to Zero?" "He the one who told you that?" " What'd he say?" " Not much." " Except that he's a hero." " How'd he say he revived Kiveat?" "CPR." "He claims he paid attention in health class." "I don't think he just resuscitated Frank Kiveat." "He set the whole thing up." " Causing a heart attack?" " You see what he did to my phone?" "So we charge him with assaulting a cellular phone?" " We should run lab tests on this kid." " Look where we are." "We don't have the capability or the time to perform those tests." "And, without a confession, we can only keep him in custody for 72 hours." "I can think of one other person who might be able to help us." "Mrs Kiveat?" "Please, I can't do this now." "I'm just leaving for the hospital." "Darin Oswald's in custody, Mrs Kiveat." "We arrested him this afternoon." "But we can't press criminal charges without your help." "Is it OK if we come in?" "I teach remedial reading at the high school." "Darin was my student." "How would you describe your relationship with him?" "Well, I'm not blind." "I knew he had a crush on me, but..." "I felt sorry for him." "I thought he was just..." "Itjust seemed he had more than his share of bad luck." "Did you get him the job at your husband's garage?" "Yeah." "And then about six months ago I started getting these phone calls." " Someone would call and then hang up." " How did you know it was Darin?" "The way he looked at me in the garage." "The phone calls made me feel the same way." "I just knew." "When did you first suspect that Darin was involved in more than prank calls?" " He told me." " He confessed to killing those people?" "No, but he... he told me that he had... powers." " Dangerous powers." " When was this?" " Right after the last boy was killed." " Jack Hammond?" "See, at first I didn't believe him." "I thought he was just mouthing off." " But after what happened today..." " Did you tell anyone?" "Who would have believed me?" "And I was afraid." "I was afraid of what he might do to me, and what he would... do to my husband." "Well, you don't have to be afraid anymore." "You and your husband are safe as long as we can count on your testimony." " Where's Oswald?" " I sent him home." " You released him?" "When?" " After I read your arrest report." "I'm gonna go call Sharon Kiveat." "\x22Suspicion of homicide by emission of direct electric current.\x22 You don't believe this?" "I believe that Darin Oswald was involved somehow in those four deaths." "And that it was irresponsible for you to let him go." "Let's get this straight." "This kid's throwing lightning bolts?" " In effect." " \x22In effect.\x22" "There is no scientific basis for that claim." "It's speculation." "No hard evidence, no proof..." "You said yourself, science can't explain how lightning works." "Mrs Kiveat's not home." "She's on her way to the hospital." "Dude?" "Come on, man!" "Where are ya?" "What are you doing, man?" "I said I didn't tell 'em!" "What the...?" "I didn't say nothin', man!" "I swear!" "Why are you doin' this, man?" "We're buddies!" "Excuse me, miss." "Call Security." "Have them deny entry to the hospital to everyone except emergency personnel." "Sharon?" "What is it?" " We need you to come with us right away." " Why?" "What's wrong?" "Darin Oswald." "He was released from custody." "But how?" "How could that happen?" "You said not to worry, that we were safe." "We don't have much time." "Come with us and we'll explain." "The doctor said my husband cannot leave this room." "I'm not leaving him here." " I'll stay with him." "You go with Agent Scully." " No." "Sharon, please." "He's here." "He's dead." " Oh, my God!" " How many other access points to this floor?" " Other than the elevator, the stairway." " Stay with them." " Mulder..." " I'm going after Oswald." " Mrs Kiveat?" " Darin..." " Don't move." " Where is she?" "I said, don't move." "Darin..." " Mrs Kiveat?" " Stop." "I'm warning you." "All right, come with me, please, Mrs Kiveat, cos there's some things..." " Stuff I need to tell you." " I want you to step back inside that room." " Are you comin' with me?" " She's not going anywhere with you, Darin." " I can hurt you." " I can hurt you, too." "You have three seconds." " One..." " Now I'm done fooling' around now!" "Stop it!" "I'll go with you." "OK?" "If that's what you want, we'll go." "Just..." "Stop it." "Sharon, we can work this all out right here." "No, we can't." "All right." "All right, then." "You were the only person that was ever nice to me, you know that?" "I mean..." "Hey, you remember that first day in class when you wore that green dress with the yellow flowers on it?" "And when you stood in front of the window you could almost see through it?" "Where are we going?" " Where are you taking me?" " I don't know." "Anywhere you wanna go." "I got money from the cash machine, you know?" "Plus, you know, we can take any car you want." "You know, you just take your pick, you know." "I mean, we can take an Accord or a Maxima." "Do you like any of those?" "Or, you know, if you don't wanna go Japanese, you know..." "How about a Taurus?" "No, you're right." "You know, all these cars suck." "We'll just boost one of 'em for right now, and then... we'll trade it later." "Just take it easy, Mrs Kiveat, all right?" "No." " Mrs Kiveat..." " Hey, come over here." "Come on over here!" "Mrs Kiveat?" "Mrs Kiveat, where are you?" "Come on now!" "I said I'd take care of you!" "What else did you want?" "I'd have given you anything!" "Anything you wanted!" " Mrs Kiveat!" " Hey, son, turn around." "Let's go." "I don't know what kind of trouble you're up to," " but I want some answers." " No!" "I want some answers!" "Where is she?" "Come on, now!" "You're pissin' me off!" "Teller, get out of there!" "Tell me where she is!" "I just got off the phone with the coroner." "He's ruling Teller's death accidental." "Lightning?" "What do the scientists at the observatory say?" "They also reported lightning last night." "I talked to the DA." "He has no idea how to begin building a case." " What about the tests?" " The results came in five minutes ago." "And?" "Nothing unusual was detected, Mulder." "The electrolytes, the blood gas levels, brain-wave activity, based on the signs of all the gathered data..." "Darin Oswald is a perfectly normal, perfectly healthy kid." "You believe that, Scully?" "Neither do I."