They wont find anything. Wilczek's virus was thorough and there was no trace of artificial intelligence
The episode begins in the Virginia headquarters of the (fictional) software company Eurisko, where an argument between the company's founder, Brad Wilczek, and a company executive, Benjamin Drake, is in progress. Wilczek tells Drake that his recent, unspecified decisions are "killing my company" and angrily leaves. Later on, Drake writes a memo in which he proposes to end the "C.O.S. project," citing a "disastrous performance" and projected quarterly losses. Seeing this, the C.O.S. (Central Operating System), which is a computer that runs the entire building, sets up an elaborate booby trap, luring Drake into a bathroom with an overflowing faucet. While distracting Drake with a phone call, the door to the bathroom shuts. Seeing that the door can't be opened either by hand or with a key card, Drake resorts to using an electronic key instead. However, when he put the key into the keyhole, a massive electric current sends him flying across the room, killing him. Seeing its work done, the C.O.S. says, "file deleted."
We then switch to FBI headquarters in Washington, where Mulder introduces Scully to his old academy friend, Agent Jerry Lamana, It appears Jerry needs Mulder's help with the investigation into Drakes death, and solving the case would take some of the heat of him since he had previously bungled a case which resulted in the near death of a federal judge. Mulder agrees and Scully accompanies him to the Eurisko building - where the two enter a lift that is temporarily stuck - however the camera appears to scan Scully and produce details of her person, as if seeking to inform itself of those entering the building. On reaching the room where Drake died Mulder is told that the COS system runs the building and regulates everything, and that whilst accessing the system would not be easy there were a few people who could do it.
Back at the office the team pull together and Jerry wows those present with his assessment - the killer was undoubtedly a gameplayer who sought to avoid detection and any form of contact with the victim - unfortunately that was Mulder's profile and he had stolen it from Mulder's desk. Scully later speaks to Peterson, an engineer, who tells her that Brad Wilczek despised Drake, and so the natural progression for the agents is to visit Brad's home. He explains to Mulder that he had a different vision for the company, and that Drake was short sighted and power hungry - however he maintained that he did not kill him. He acknowledged that as he designed the system (COS) he is a suspect nevertheless. Scully seems adamant that he is guilty, suggesting him to be a gameplayer, possessing an intimate knowledge of the system and having a motive for murder.
Back at FBI HQ Scully listens to some tape recordings of Brad conducting a lecture at a university, and a computer spectagram concludes that the voice matches the one used for the telephone call made to Drake shortly before his death. Scully suggests that she apply for a warrant, and Jerry, who is again let in on the act, says he will make sure Brad stays at home.
At his home, Wilczek is seen trying to access the C.O.S. from his personal computer. However, all of his attempts to enter the system are denied. Worried and frustrated, Wilczek gets in his car and begins driving to the Eurisko building. He is followed by Agent Jerry Lamana. Upon making it to the building, Wilczek makes his way to the C.O.S' control room, where his efforts to gain access are still denied. To his surprise, the C.O.S. talks to him, even though Wilczek claims it was never given a voice synthesiser. An armed Agent Lamana also makes it to the Eurisko building, and gets in the elevator. However the machine stalls the elevator. While Wilczek tries to shut down the machine manually, the C.O.S. forces him to watch as it causes the elevator to crash, killing Agent Lamana.Mulder watches the evidence of Brad sat at the COS system whilst his friend his killed - however he feels that Brad did not commit the murder and heads back to the Brad's home. Once there he is told by other agents that the place is off limits to him, and that Brad had just signed a confession. Mulder takes action and meets with Deepthroat, who walks about artificial intelligence and the fact that Brad had designed some of the most sophisticated software programmes - and that some were adaptive programmes, a learning machine that actually thinks. This added deepthroat was the holy grail for the military. At the Federal Defence Centre Mulder talks to Brad and offers him a third option - telling Mulder how to destroy the super computer. The answer lies in the composing of a virus, and Mulder gets Brad a computer to achieve this, before securing the disk and making his way to the building, where Scully awaits him. Of course the COS system does everything it can to stop the agents, but they eventually make it to floor 29.
Mulder finally comes face to face with the COS control centre - and Peterson is also there. The latter holds a gun to Mulder and tells him not to put the virus into the computer - and it seems that he is actually from the Military. Enter Scully, fresh from her brush with death in an air vent...and she instructs Mulder to feed the virus into the computer - which he does. As a result the machine dies, there is no sign of AI...and a second meeting with deepthroat reveals that Brad has disappeared, probably being co-erced to continue his work for the military.....
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| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1X06 |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Nutter |
| Written by | Chris
Ruppenthal Glen Morgan James Wong |
| Guest Stars |
Jerry Hardin, Rob LaBelle, Wayne Duvall, Blu Mankuma, Tom Butler |
| Original Airdate | October 29, 1993 (Fox) |
| Theme(s) | Artificail Intellegence |
