• Kid chess player reads minds and Mulder and Scully figure out that the kid is more than a prodigy, that he's actually using parts of his brain we are only just now learning about .. Though Mulder never says it, I think he concludes Mulder the kid is likely a result of ""the project.'' Both he and Scully believe the kid is the potential answer to all XFiles and are willing to risk all to find out, including giving immunity to a killer to confirm their theory. CSM lives and the consortium again wants him to clean up their mess. Kill the assassin who botched the job of killing the kid and bring the kid alive to the consortium. (which he does) Diana Fowley is Mulder's former partner and indeed former lover who has returned to the US from abroad to ""get back to things she left behind.'' When she says this line, she and Mulder exchange looks in the rear view mirror. ARGH! The green-eyed devil does indeed bite Scully, but she maintains an persona of cool, though she's seemingly upset when she's alone. She sees Diana clasping his hand she walks quickly back to her car, pauses for a good 15 seconds (trying to get a grip) and then calls Mulder on his cell and tells him to meet her at the office (gets him away from her clutches.) In a conversation between M&Diane Fowley Mulder tells her that Scully makes him work for the answers. Diane says things might have been easier if "like minds'' worked together on the XF. Mulder tells her ""I've done OK without you.'' Krychek has a minimal role, playing fetch boy and chauffeur for the consortium folks. Skinner has more of a role, making sure Mulder is assigned to the chess match shooting (though Spender is in charge of the investigation and doesn't want Mulder involved.) Fowley is shot while she is taking care of the kid. She's near death (but not dead) at the end of the episode. M&S realize that they've been set up in all of this. It was strategized and the XFiles are compromised. When the kid disappears (CSM takes him to Well Manicured Man) and the assassin is murdered, the Justice Dept. begins talking of reassigning M&S and closing the XF. CSM's final act is to go to the XF office, pull Samantha's file and light a cigarette. He meets Spender in the hall upstairs and Spender asks who he is. He tells him he's a man with access, a man who can help him. He is his father. Fire alarm goes off. CSM leaves. Mulder's office burns. Final scene is M&S in his office. He is dumbfounded and in shock. His arms are limp at his side. Scully walks up to him. Puts her arms around him and her head on his chest. Fade to black.