(two part episode; part 1)
\r\nNow we know more then ever about the Smoking man – it’s time to get on with the X-Files plot! We dive straight in with Mulder and Scully both having gun moments attempting to bust some small time terrorists when who should be driving the truck…. but Krycek! He claims he’s been rescued by these crazy terrorists but he’s really there to help Mulder and Scully find the men above the law, that killed Mulder’s father (even though we know who did it!) and Scully’s sister. He rigged the bust so Mulder and Scully would find him (and save the world of course!). Krycek gets punched in the face for the first time in this episode by Mulder.

He give them details about a pouch that arrived in the US from Russia a while ago, Mulder and Scully obtain the pouch after some silly operative dropped it during a chase through the airport, and funnily enough – it contains a rock that’s got some weird properties which baffle the poor FBI labs. It’s identified as being from a meteor or comet, but who knows what it contains. It’s only until the poor lab tech cut into it, that he gets sprayed by the black oil.

Meanwhile, Mulder has to come to terms with admitting he needs Krycek’s help, so decides to put him up in a safe house for the time being, which just so happens to be Skinner’s apartment. Krycek gets smack number two in the stomach when meeting Skinner at the door. It turns out not so well for Skinner though when the silly operative comes looking for the mysterious rock, only to encounter Krycek who throws him off the bouncaney. Mulder doesn’t really have a lot to go on so heads to his new (and only surviving!) source – the woman from the United Nations. She informs him that rock came from Russia, so naturally he’s on his way, giving Krycek his third smack in the face on the way to the airport.

While thinking about leaving him in the long stay car park, he learns Krycek can speak Russian, so takes him with him. Skinner finds trouble when Cancer man requests the pouch be returned, and before they know it, Skinner and Scully are up before the senator having to explain why there’s a dead guy at the bottom of his apartment block. Mulder is already in Russia with Krycek when things get really bad. They are captured and held – Mulder is informed by a prisoner that Krycek’s Russian should be questioned – he’s not saying what Mulder thinks, and before he knows it, Mulder has lost Krycek, and is being held on a table – the black oil dripping from above, into his skin and infecting his eyes.