Alone (The X-Files) - Plot

Plot

In Ellicott, New York, Arlen Sacks is killed by an unknown creature that sprays venom on its victims, and his son Gary goes missing. In the meantime, at the FBI headquarters, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), preparing for maternity leave, packs up her belongings at the X-Files office. Scully finds a medallion commemorating the Apollo 11 space flight that was given to her for her birthday by Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Scully gives John Doggett (Robert Patrick) the medallion, explaining that it symbolizes teamwork. After Scully leaves, Special Agent Leyla Harrison arrives and tells Doggett that she is his new partner. The two are soon assigned to investigate Sacks bizarre murder.

At the crime scene, Doggett and Harrison search for clues. Doggett finds evidence of the venom, which is sent to an FBI lab for analysis. Harrison explains to Doggett that, in her previous job, she processed Mulder and Scully's travel expenses during their time on the X-Files, and has thusly gained an encyclopedic knowledge of their investigations. Following a wooded trail from the crime scene, Doggett and Harrison stumble upon an upscale mansion makes his way inside. The strange creature, clinging to the wall, observes their every move in secret. Doggett pulls out his gun, sensing that something is amiss, and instructs Harrison to position herself outside and try and flush the creature out. However, she accidentally falls through a trap door just as Doggett runs to the front lawn.

During an autopsy, Scully correctly deduces that Arlen was blinded by reptile venom. Meanwhile, Doggett and Harrison, having fallen into catacombs below the mansion grounds, encounter the creature and are sprayed with venom, temporarily blinding them. The two find Gary Sacks, in dire need of medical attention, nearby. Noting Doggett's and Harrison's absence, Mulder searches the area around the mansion for clues and encounters the owner, Herman Stites - who identifies himself as a biologist. Mulder soon leaves the area and Stites notices Doggett about to escape the catacombs but knocks him back in. Mulder waits in his car in Stites' driveway until dark, telling Scully that he found the Apollo medallion near Stites' estate and is convinced Doggett is somewhere nearby. He spots the creature and chases it to the mansion where it climbs up to a second floor. Mulder follows the creature into the house and down into the catacombs, where he encounters Harrison and Doggett. With the creature approaching, Mulder tells the still-blinded Doggett to open fire at him on his command. The blinded Doggett then shoots the creature as it leaps at Mulder; the deceased creature then turns into Stites.

Later, Scully and Mulder meet Doggett, who has now fully recovered, at the hospital. He tells them that Harrison will make a full recovery as well, but that she is transferring herself off of the X-Files. Mulder attempts to give Doggett the Apollo medallion, but Doggett insists that it be given to Harrison instead. Mulder and Scully then present it to Harrison together, who accepts it in awe.