The X-Files Body Count: Season 4, Episode 21: Zero Sum

Synopsis

A Virginia postal worker is killed when a swarm of bees mysteriously appears in the bathroom of the distributing center where she works. Skinner deletes all of the files related to the case from Mulder's computer, then sterilizes the center's bathroom and incinerates the woman's body. Masquerading as Mulder, he also gathers forensic evidence from the local police, but the cover-up hits a snag when the detective who sent Mulder the information questions Skinner about the case.

Mulder, who has found out about the cover-up, surprises Skinner by saying that someone murdered the detective. He also says Scully has been hospitalized since her cancer might be metastasizing. Skinner confronts Cancer Man, angry over the murder, and Cancer Man tells him he's in no position to be questioning their arrangement to save Scully; Skinner declares the arrangement over. However, he is angered to see that the Syndicate has apparently used his own weapon to kill the detective, and Cancer Man tells him there's no way to report it without casting suspicion on himself or admitting to evidence tampering. Skinner nevertheless threatens to turn state's evidence if anything happens to Scully.

Skinner returns to the bathroom and finds honeycombs in the walls. After getting a forensic entomologist's independent opinion on it, Skinner finds that Mulder was looking into the idea of killer bees six months ago. Skinner finds the file related to the Canadian farm, as well as a contact for Marita on the case, and calls to let her know that he might have access to the bees (the sticking point of further investigating the prior matter). The entomologist is killed after he is attacked by bees, and his body is found to be infected by smallpox, apparently as a result of the stings; Mulder notes that the photos of the postal worker showed the same symptoms.

A co-worker of the postal worker tells Skinner that two men came to the center after the death demanding a package, which had been stored in a room adjacent to the bathroom. An analysis of security camera footage of the detective's murder seems to reveal Skinner as the killer. As part of the Syndicate's "trial run," a schoolyard is swarmed by bees. Skinner urges the hospital to start treating the injured children for smallpox. Mulder confronts Skinner about the surveillance tape, but covers for him after Skinner says he's innocent in the murder admits to entering an agreement with Cancer Man against his own advice to Mulder. Skinner confronts Cancer Man, but leaves him alive. Cancer Man gets a call from Marita, and she reveals that she's been taking orders from him.

Fred Keating, who plays Detective Ray Thomas, had a role on Da Vinci's Inquest as Councillor Jack Pierce. The episode is dedicated to the memory of Vito Pileggi, father of Mitch Pileggi.

Episode Body Count