Whenever an actor does a voice over… you know something tragic is going to happen.

This episode starts off with the death of AD Skinner, after lying in a hospital bed looking rather ‘green’. As the episode recounts the moments leading up to Skinners death, We see Mulder drop by to say hello, only to notice Skinner isn’t looking too well. Upon an examination by Scully, they determine he may have been poisoned. The next 45 minutes is a race against time as Mulder and Scully follow up leads to help uncover what happened. Mulder still believes this is to do with the X-Files, since Skinner still manages them, and uncovers a scientist who’s been talking with Mulder’s old senator friend from mid season one\early season two.

Only this time, the senator is being forced to authorise a bill which will introduce funding for a new type of weapon – nanotechnology. Scully identifies that the substance in Skinners body seems to be intelligently attacking his blood vessels, and will eventually cause him to die. Mulder cottons on to the senator’s involvement and ‘brings it on’, while Scully looks after Skinner who confesses that if he dies now, it will be in vein, and that he’s never taken sides.

Scully reminds him he’s been more of an ally then anyone to them, and we see Skinner flat line. What we also then see is a strange man controlling a device which seems to be causing Skinner to die, and as he reverses it – Skinner comes back to life. Skinner remembers this man from being in the FBI office, at the hospital, and actually saved him by running over a man trying to kill Skinner earlier on in the episode. It seems that with a full recovery on the way, and the strange substance in his blood laying dormant, Mulder requests Skinner let him continue the investigation into the men behind this.

Skinner informs then he has neither the authorization or will to allow an investigation to continue, and that they are to continue following AD Kersh’s directions. Both Scully and Mulder are puzzled by this, especially after what he said on his deathbed. It’s only when Skinner leaves for the day, heads into the parking lot and gets him his car… only to say ‘I’ve been expecting you, what’s this all about?’ To which Krycek replies ‘All in good time’….!