SOFT LIGHT

                        My shadow isn't mine....its like a black hole, it splits molecules into component atoms,                             it rips electrons from their orbit, reduces matter into pure energy.

The episode begins in a hotel room in Richmond, Virginia. In room 606 a man who is relaxing on his bed, spies through the doors peep hole when he hears a noise in the corridor. He sees a male knocking on the opposite door and asking for Morris, however this man appears to be hiding under the soft light, which is dimming. The man looking on suddenly appears to be sucked into the floor....

Mulder and Scully receive a call for help from one of Scully's ex students, who works for the Richmond PD and needs help with her first investigation concerning a number of disappearances with very few clues. We learn that there have been two apparent abductions in less than a month, and that the third one last night has left them hitting a brick wall. The missing man from the previous evening, Patrick Nevat, was a 52 year old top executive at Morley Tobacco - the doors and windows were locked from the inside and the room was six stories up. Forensics can find nothing other than burn marks, as they had with the previous two cases. These marks were analyzed and contain mostly carbon, with some potassium containing trace minerals. At the crime scene Mulder suggests that the victim had stood at his door and looked through the peep hole, and he considers spontaneous human combustion. The agents decide to pay a visit to the second victim, Margaret Wysnecki, who lived in Richmond. Again there is a burn mark visible, and whilst she too worked in the tobacco industry the first victim did not. However upon rummaging in the rubbish Mulder discovers a train ticket and makes the link that the other victims also had been near to Richmond train station - maybe these people were being hunted.

Meanwhile the man we saw in the first scene, knocking on the door opposite the victims room, is asked to stop by the Police. He raises his hands and tells them he is dangerous. However as the cops approach him they get sucked into the ground. Later Mulder and Scully arrive at the scene and continue to be mystified. Mulder decides to view some CCTV tapes of the train station, and after a while he observes a man who seems to be spending a lot of time at the station. The image is blow up and they are able to make out a symbol on his jacket, Polarity Magnetic's, where the first victim also worked.

The agents go to the company and learn that the man they are looking for is Dr Chester Banton, the business partner of the man they meet. He explains that Banton has not been seen for five weeks, and that he was involved in an accident at work. He explains that Banton was interested in researching dark matter, quantum particles and sub atomic particles in the aim of understanding the universe. He goes on to suggest that Banton wanted to isolate a new particle, which would involve the bombardment of bader particles. It would seem that Banton set the experiment inside a particle smashing room, but at the last minute had to enter the room to re-adjust some settings. However a she entered the room the door shut behind him, and the experiment burned Bantons shadow into the wall. Despite this Banton survived, likening his experience to an x ray.

Mulder goes to Richmond train station to find Banton and eventually catches up with him. Banton warns him not to come close and Mulder listens, shining the light away from him. At Yaloff psychiatric hospital in Virginia Banton insists on soft light. He tells Mulder and Scully that he lived at the train station day and night because of the lighting, and that the accident in the lab resulted in his physical alteration. He explains that his shadow isn't his, but rather it is like a black hole which splits molecules into component atoms, unzips electrons from their orbits and releases matter into pure energy. He continues that he needs to study this 'before they do,' adding that the government were after him. He asks for the agents help. However a transfer of the prisoner is organized , and despite Mulders warning that they would need soft light, he is told that this is not his jurisdiction.

Mulder goes to meet X in a bid to find out what the governments involvement is in this case - however he is told nothing. We then see X at the hospital in light of Bantons transfer. However the attending team transferring Banton die and he manages to escape. Banton returns to his company and meets with his business partner, Chris, and he tells him that he has found dark matter. He asks for Chris to help him destroy it and steps into particle smasher - however when the door is closed Chris tells him that he cannot help him destroy it - and he calls someone to tell him that he has Banton imprisoned....and then X turns up.

Banton is sealed in a suit in some unidentified location , where he is subjected to ongoing tests. Mulder, realising that he has been used, meets X and claims that X has killed Banton. X says very little and walks away....

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