Father Joe

The story follows Mulder and Scully who have been out of the FBI for several years, with Mulder living in isolation and Scully having become a doctor at a Catholic hospital, where she has formed a bond with a critically ill child patient. 

When an FBI agent is mysteriously kidnapped and a former Catholic priest who has been convicted of pedophelia claims to be experiencing psychic visions of the endangered agent, Scully is asked to bring Mulder back to the bureau to consult on the case because of his work with psychics. 

The narrative goes through the push and pull of his at-first reluctant involvement 

and Scully’s attempts to stay out of it.

SCULLY: 

How long as she been missing?

WHITNEY: 

Since Sunday evening. 

Almost three days.

SCULLY: 

I know you know this, but after 72 hours there's a slim chance that she's still alive.

WHITNEY: 

We have some reason to believe she is. 

But so far we've got no evidence to the contrary 

and the facts give us hope. 

Soon after she was missing, we find this. 

A severed arm.

[She shows them some photographs.]

MULDER: 

Where?

WHITNEY: 

About ten miles from her home.

SCULLY: 

I don't understand. It's a man's arm.

MULDER: 

Is it a match for evidence found at or near the crime scene? 

Blood or tissue?

WHITNEY: 

Blood. Found in her garage and on the tool that matches the wound.

MULDER: 

I take it you were led to it.

WHITNEY: 

Like a needle in a haystack.

MULDER: 

By someone claiming psychic powers.

WHITNEY: 

Joseph Fitzpatrick Crissman.

MULDER: 

And you think he's full of shit.

DRUMMY: 

What makes you say that?

MULDER: 

Psychic.

DRUMMY: 

Father Joe...

SCULLY: 

Father? He was a priest?

DRUMMY: 

Catholic. He cold-called six hours after Monica Bannan was reported missing, claiming a vision of her, a psychic connection.

MULDER: 

And he tells you she's alive.

DRUMMY: 

That's right.

MULDER: 

Have you found any other connection?

DRUMMY: 

To Monica Bannan?

WHITNEY: 

No. That's why I sent for you. 

I need to know we're not wasting time.

MULDER: 

He's a religious man, clearly educated man. 

He took right action, said nothing to cast doubt upon himself, has no material connection to the crime. 

You are wasting time, only it's mine and your agents'.

WHITNEY: 

There's a question of credibility.

MULDER: 

If you have no reason to doubt the man, why doubt the man's visions?

DRUMMY: 

He didn't lead us to Monica Bannan. 

He gave us a guy's bloody arm in the snow.

MULDER: 

This is not an exact science. If it were me, I'd be on the guy 24/7, I'd be in bed with him kissing his holy ass.

[The FBI agents murmur.]

WHITNEY: 

Father Joe's a convicted pedophile.

[Mulder isn't quite sure what to say.]

MULDER: 

Maybe I'd stay out of bed with him.

SCENE 4 

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

1:01 A.M.

[The two agents and Mulder and Scully arrive outside at a housing complex.]

SCULLY: 

What is this?

WHITNEY: 

Dorms for habitual sex offenders.

SCULLY: 

Dorms?

WHITNEY: 

They manage the complex and police themselves. 

Father Joe lives here voluntarily with his room-mate.

MULDER: 

Just avoid the activities room.

[The two women glare at him, as Mulder grins. Inside one of the apartments, there's a knock at the door. A man who is cooking answers the door.]

MAN: 

Joe?

FATHER JOE: 

Tell them to come in.

[The four enter as Joe's room-mate moves to one side. There is music coming from a black-and-white TV in a bedroom containing a double bed. In room leading off from the bedroom, Father Joe is kneeling, saying his prayers.]

DRUMMY: 

Father Joe?

[Father Joe, wearing a dressing gown, stands up and walks into the bedroom.]

FATHER JOE: 

Excuse the mess. 

I haven't been sleeping.

DRUMMY: 

Father Joe, this is Fox Mulder.

FATHER JOE: 

Okay.

DRUMMY: 

He'd like to ask some questions.

SCULLY: 

Actually, I'd like to ask something. 

What was it you were praying for in there, sir?

FATHER JOE: 

For the salvation of my immortal soul.

SCULLY: 

And you think God hears your prayers?

FATHER JOE: 

Do you think he hears yours?

SCULLY: 

I didn't bugger thirty-seven altar boys.

FATHER JOE: 

Oh....!

[He sits on the bed.]

MULDER: 

That's a colorful way of putting it.

SCULLY: 

I have another word, if you like.

MULDER: 

I'm sure you do.

FATHER JOE: 

I have to believe he does hear me, 

or 

why would he send these visions?

SCULLY: 

Maybe it's not God doing the sending.

MULDER: 

You call them visions. 

You see them?

FATHER JOE: 

They're what you might call my mind's eye.

MULDER: 

What do you see?

[Father Joe picks up a cigarette and lights it.]

FATHER JOE: 

I see the poor girl being assaulted. 

See her putting up a fight. 

I hear dogs barking.

WHITNEY: 

Where?

FATHER JOE: 

Can't tell.

MULDER: 

But you see her alive.

FATHER JOE: 

No, but I feel that she is.

MULDER: 

Can you show us how you do it?

[Father Joe puts down his cigarette, closes his eyes and concentrates.]

FATHER JOE: 

I don't know that I can do this right now. 

Maybe it'd be better if she wasn't here.

[He indicates Scully.]

SCULLY: 

Maybe what you see is a way to try and make people forget 

what it is that you really are.

[Scully walks out. Mulder stares at him intently. Scully is outside the apartment looking through a folder. Joe's room-mate emerges and Scully stares at him as he makes his way downstairs. She jumps as a hand touches her shoulder.]

SCULLY: 

Jesus, Mulder.

MULDER: 

So much for kissing his holy ass.

SCULLY: 

I'm sorry. I've had too long away from this business. 

Or not long enough.

MULDER: 

No, you were good in there. 

All I had were questions. 

But you pushed him, you challenged him. 

Like old times.

SCULLY: 

Well, he's a creep, and a liar. 

He knows who did this and they're supplying him with information.

 And look where he lives. 

And this arm they found - it wasn't severed in any fight, it was cut cleanly, chopped off. 

And tell me how he's been able to lead them straight to it and not even muster a guess as to where the victim is? 

And two things you're going to find in the next 24 hours - a dead agent and that this guy, Father Joe, is a big fat fraud.

MULDER: 

You could be right, Scully. 

You could be right. 

But what if you're wrong?

[Drummy opens the apartment, as Joe is putting on his coat and scarf.]

SCULLY: 

What are you doing?

MULDER: 

Going to take him for a ride, 

see just how psychic this Father Joe really is.

SCULLY: 

Yeah, well, it's been fun.

[She starts walking away.]

MULDER: 

Scully. Nobody's going to make you sit next to him.

SCULLY: 

Thanks, but I've already been taken for a ride. 

Anyway, he doesn't want me there.

[She walks down the steps and he follows.]

MULDER: 

I want you here.

SCULLY: 

This isn't my life anymore, Mulder. 

I'm done chasing monsters in the dark. 

I think you've done all they've asked of you here too. 

You know, no-one says you have to stay here.

MULDER: 

These people need my help. 

I could really use yours.

[He holds out another case file. Reluctantly she takes it and walks to the car.]

[Father Joe's apartment. He is sitting on his bed, in his dressing gown, when there is a knock on the door. He opens it to find Scully standing a little away from the door, her hands on her hips.]

FATHER JOE: 

A vision, if ever I had one.

SCULLY: 

May I speak with you?

FATHER JOE: 

Would you like to come in?

[She pauses slightly at the door, then enters the apartment.]

FATHER JOE: 

Make yourself comfortable.

SCULLY: 

I won't be staying long.

FATHER JOE: 

Have you come here by yourself?

SCULLY: 

Yes.

FATHER JOE: 

Sit. Please, I insist.

[Rather uncomfortably, she sits on the edge of the bed. He picks up his bible and sits down next to her.]

FATHER JOE: 

Now, you came to ask something.

[There's a sudden noise from an adjoining room, and Scully looks round .]

FATHER JOE: 

We're alone. 

Free to speak in confidence.

SCULLY: 

You said something to me the other night in the snow.

FATHER JOE: 

Yes. I said, "don't give up".

SCULLY: 

I need to know why you said that.

FATHER JOE: 

I haven't the faintest idea.

[She stands up.]

FATHER JOE: 

Were you hoping for another answer?

SCULLY: 

Do you know anything about me?

FATHER JOE: 

Other than that you loath me?

SCULLY: 

Do you know what it is that I do?

FATHER JOE: 

No. I can see you're a Woman of Faith, 

but not in the same things as your husband.

SCULLY: 

He's not my husband.

FATHER JOE: 

Do you care to tell me about yourself?

SCULLY: 

No!

FATHER JOE: 

Do you care to offer confession?

SCULLY: 

I don't think you're...

FATHER JOE: 

What? In a position to judge? 

And yet you've judged me, haven't you?

SCULLY: 

You deserve to be judged.

FATHER JOE: 

Do you know why we live here? 

The men who call this vile box of monsters home? 

Because we hate each other, 

even as we hate ourselves for our sickening appetites.

SCULLY: 

This doesn't make it any less sickening.

FATHER JOE: 

And where do they come from, these appetites, 

these uncontrollable urges of ours?

SCULLY: 

Not from God!

FATHER JOE: 

Not from me. 

I castrated myself when I was 26. 

And the visions weren't my idea either! 

Proverbs 25:2.

[She storms out of the room then turns back.]

SCULLY: 

What?!

FATHER JOE: 

God's glory to conceal a thing, 

for the honor of kings. 

To search out a matter.

SCULLY: 

Don't you quote scripture to me!

FATHER JOE: 

What are you doing here? 

What are you afraid of?

[She walks back to confront him.]

SCULLY: 

"Don't give up"! 

What was that for?!

FATHER JOE: 

I don't know.

SCULLY: 

I don't believe you!

FATHER JOE: 

I'm telling you the truth.

SCULLY: 

They were your words!

FATHER JOE: 

I don't know why I said...

SCULLY: 

You said them to my face!

FATHER JOE: 

All I ever wanted was to serve Him. 

All I've ever wanted was to serve God.

[His hands start shaking.]

SCULLY: 

You can ask for His pity, but don't expect mine. 

You can stop the act any time.

[The bible falls out of his hands on to the floor, his hands visibly shaking.]

SCULLY: 

Look at me!

[She takes hold of his chin. Shaking all over now, he falls back on to the bed.]