- Simon, are you ready? - Yeah.
- ..Reincarnation... - Excuse me, Warden. It's five o'clock, sir.
- How's Neech? - He's still in with his wife.
- No. I mean, how is he? How's he doing? - Well, he won't eat his meal.
And he won't see the chaplain. Told him to get the hell out.
- What about the hired man? - He's travellin'.
- All right. Let's get Neech prepped. - Yes, sir.
If God can't save his sorry ass, neither can I.
Time's up, Neech!
2,000 volts, man! You ain't never comin' back!
Freak!
Just like I've always told you. I swear on my life, Neech.
Time to go.
I ain't ever gonna love another man. You hear me?
I won't.
I won't betray our love. Ever.
It's time, Neech. Time to go.
That phone call's gonna come.
The governor is gonna come through.
- Gotta go now.
We've got a hood if you want it. It's your option.
No.
Is there anything you wanna say, Neech?
Last words?
Yeah.
I've been here 11 years, 56 days, and now you're gonna murder me.
The Lord says thou shall be merciful and just. I know no mercy.
Allah says the spirit shall rise again and be reborn into this life.
- The soul shall... - You should begin, Father.
The Lord is my shepherd...
I will return to avenge all the petty tyranny and the cruelty I have suffered.
I will be recast, reincarnated.
Reunion of spirit and flesh.
Mark my words. Five men will die.
Five men will go down! This will be my justice!
This will be my law! This will be my capital punishment...
...and no stay of execution will be granted. For there is no prejudice.
No evidence to be admitted, no lawyer...
Fry him.
These men will die righteous death!
Napoleon "Neech" Manley.
He was convicted in 1984 for double murder in the hold-up of a Florida liquor store.
The gunman was killed. Manley was the getaway driver and got sentenced to death.
He was put to death in the electric chair three days ago.
He'd been to the chair twice before, but the governor granted him last-minute stays.
Third time's a charm. What's your interest?
Manley was interesting. He's well read, charismatic. He became a writer.
A prison philosopher. A week before his execution...
...word spread that Neech said he was gonna be reincarnated.
He was gonna come back from the dead.
Well, reincarnation has always been popular on death row. For obvious reasons.
Apparently, this was more than a dying man's hope against hope.
- What do you mean? - He didn't just claim he was coming back...
...but that he was gonna take vengeance on five men who had mistreated him.
Yesterday a death-row guard was found dead
inside the cell that Manley had occupied.
His death cannot be explained.
- Has a cause of death been determined? - Suffocation, near as we can tell.
Must have been snuffed with a pillow.
Any idea how a guard could get murdered in an empty cell like this?
No. Not with all the precautions we take.
The guards all wear panic devices. Was the victim's activated?
No. Apparently he never touched it.
Reports say there were threats this might happen.
There's always threats of violence. Prison's nothing but a police state.
Do you give any credence to Neech Manley's claims that he'd come back for revenge?
Neech Manley... Smart man.
Very smart man. If he'd stayed outside, I would have figured him for a Nobel Prize.
But he made a mistake. Paid for it with his life.
You put a man of that intelligence inside for 11 years, you're gonna pay for it.
What do you mean?
There's bitterness and resentment in here, seven days a week, 24 hours a day...
...365 days a year. It gets honed to a real fine point.
So Manley planned this and is carrying it out with the help of someone else.
Elaborate as Shakespeare. Now, you wanna see the victim's body.
Visitors coming through! Woman on the block!
We're holding the corpse until the state pathologist conducts the official autopsy.
That information should help us solve the murder.
Did Manley have many friends?
A man has to have friends here to watch his enemies. Mostly people were afraid of him.
- Warden? - What is it?
The body. I think you should take a look.
You should get it into refrigeration or you won't have anything left to autopsy.
Oh, God!
I've been told you believe Neech Manley's claims.
It's not a matter of how or if he's comin' back. The question is when...
- ..is he comin' back again? - What are you saying, Speranza?
- Do you believe Manley killed that guard? - How else would you explain it?
- A prisoner waits for an opportunity... - Look around! We ain't got no opportunity!
But you've got prisoners on work detail. A man slips away...
This is Q block. Death row. Don't nobody come in and out without a guard watchin'.
- And lately you got double that. - Why?
Cos everybody's afraid of what they say can't be true.
- Neech is back. - Reincarnated?
He would have called it transmigration of the soul.
- Into what form? - You. Me. This mattress.
I don't know! He didn't specify. But he's back.
I can feel it. The man was electric. You know what I'm sayin'? Pure energy.
Would it be possible to see the cell where the guard was murdered?
I'll open it up for you.
- Any idea how he did it? - Like I said...
Yes, sweet girl. Hi.
Nothing's been touched. It's pretty much the way Neech left it.
Did you know Neech Manley?
Oh, yeah. I knew him.
What was he like?
Neech? Neech was so full of BS he couldn't stand it.
How was that?
He started to believe that crap he'd been preachin' all those years...
...as if knowin' all them religions made him some kind of god.
- Who do you think killed the guard? - I don't know who killed him.
But I damn well know who didn't kill him.
- Are you afraid at all? - Me?
I just keep my ass covered and my eyes peeled. Same as always.
Fornier! Hey! Down here!
I'm gonna check back on your partner.
- Everything OK in there? - Yeah, I'm fine.
Sh!
I'm not gonna hurt you. I only wanna talk to you, OK?
I know who he's gonna kill. There's a list.
One of the cons has it. A man named Roque.
- Who are you? - My name's Parmelly. I want to help you.
Agent Scully?
- I was just looking around. - Not a place for a woman to do that alone.
Mulder.
- I'm ready to go now. - OK. I'll be right there.
- Guard! - What's wrong, Scully?
I'm just ready to get outta here.
I want every paintbrush and putty knife to be accounted for. Understand?
Come on, gentlemen, move it.
- It's the guard. It's Fornier. - Come on, you guys. Break it up!
Get back!
I said get back!
They haven't recovered the body yet, so it'll be hard to establish an exact cause of death.
What did your preliminary exam turn up?
Well, the head was severed below the jaw line
with repeated blows from a putty knife.
There were no other indications of trauma.
From the eyewitness reports, there were already fly larvae infesting the flesh.
That's unusual given the time-of-death window.
Not altogether.
Here, let me show you this.
Lucilia cuprina- better known as the greenbottle fly.
They lay their eggs within a minute after death occurs.
And they breed more rapidly in a hot, humid environment.
In the anaerobic environment of the paint can?
On my autopsy on the first victim, the lungs were absolutely alive with infestation.
Hm. What was determined to be the cause of that death?
Best I can figure, given the lack of indicators, he was suffocated to death.
Either that... or he drowned.
You've got a visitor, Roque.
- I hear you have a list. - I prefer not to talk about it here.
Not on the block.
Guard?
Youse a dead man, Roque! You hear me? I'm gonna peel that head like an onion.
I'm gonna break you off a big chunk! You hear me?
He'll tell you nothing but a bunch of lies!
You talk, punk, I'm gonna make you my Maytag! He's a liar!
How did you come by this list you claim to have?
I heard Neech on the bars one night telling Speranza.
- How many names are on the list? - Five.
Just like Neech said.
So you knew those two guards were gonna be murdered?
I knew they were on the list, yeah.
- Who do you think killed them? - I don't know.
I just know who's on the list.
- You wanna make a deal, huh? - That's right.
I want a transfer out of this hole.
- Why? Are you on the list? - I ain't saying nothin'.
Not until I get my deal.
What if they don't give you what you want?
Then they're gonna see the other three die.
I can't make that deal.
- You don't have the authority? - It's not that. If I make that deal...
...every con with half a brain would come up with a scheme like that.
What if it saves three lives? Isn't that a deal worth making?
My job's about controlling anarchy. I don't run this prison, I just patrol it.
Basically, it's war in here. We have freedom, they don't.
Anything these men want, somehow... it finds its way in here.
They want a prisoner dead, somebody'll find a way to put a shiv in.
- These are guards being murdered. - Yes. And if I back down now...
...all I'll be doing is sending a message about the benefits of killing prison guards.
There's a conspiracy at work here.
I don't know who's behind it, but I am gonna crack it. That's my job.
What the hell...? Guard?
Guard!
Guard! Get in here!
I guess you'll be able to finish up that autopsy now, Scully.
- He had quite a library. - Yeah.
Looks like Neech Manley knew his Bible.
Listen to this:
"I come in return to the beginning of the end to begin again the journey of souls...
...the godhead universal for whom there is no death, only life eternal."
- What's that from? - Neech Manley, 1994.
This goes on for hundreds of pages. References to the Hindu Atman...
..parabdha, the Rosicrucians, Zoroastrianism.
He was obsessed with reincarnation.
Being obsessed doesn't mean you can do it.
- Unless he knew something we don't. - Like what? The secret password?
Every world religion encompasses the idea of life after death.
Millions, even billions, of people believe in transmigration or rebirth of the soul.
Sorry, that's not what I learned in catechism.
Christianity teaches about the resurrection and ascendancy of the heavenly body.
Do you honestly believe that Manley came back from the dead to kill?
- Is there another theory? - A very good one.
- And one much more believable. - That this is a complex scheme.
The headless man planted at the warden's desk is the work of a conspiracy of inmates.
Or guards.
OK, but imagine if it were true, Scully.
Imagine if you could come back and take out five people who had caused you to suffer.
- Who would they be? - I only get five?
I remembered your birthday this year, didn't I, Scully?
Well, here's somebody we haven't talked to yet.
She should know better than anybody else.
- Mrs Manley? - Yes?
We're from the FBI. We'd like to ask you a few questions about your husband.
I had this dream. Had it many times.
That they put Neech in that chair...
...and they flipped the switch...
...but that he wouldn't die.
You couldn't kill him.
He's a powerful man.
A very powerful man.
Did he ever share his thoughts about dying with you?
- Neech wasn't afraid to die. - Because of his beliefs?
Sometimes...
See, I only got to have personal visiting days right before the execution dates.
There was three in the last 11 years.
But sometimes...
...I could feel the power of his beliefs right through that visiting glass.
You think he's come back, don't you?
You know...
I think that if anyone could...
...it'd be Neech.
Get up, Roque. Puttin' on the chains.
- Hey, man. For what? - The warden wants to talk to you.
- Other way. - Where we goin'?
This way.
Let go of my arm! I'm goin'! What you want with me anyway?
Stop pushin'!
Hey, Roque.
- I wanna talk to you about this list. - I ain't saying' nothin'.
Come on, Roque. You got a big mouth. What are you shuttin' up now for? Hm?
Who's on the list?
Am I on the list, Roque?
Am I on that list?
Is my name on that list?
You're number five.
How's it feel to be on death row, Warden?
- Did you catch her body language? - She was nervous. Or scared.
Of what? That her husband's gonna keep his word?
A lot could have happened in her life in those 11 years. A lot probably did.
- She thinks she's on the list? - I don't know.
But I've been thinking a lot about that list, Scully.
Scully.
We're on our way.
That was the warden. There's been another death.
Who?
Roque. They found him beaten to death in the showers on death row.
Gotta go now.
God! You scare me when you do that.
Why? You think it's him?
- Where you goin'? - I'm goin' to work.
Parm, I'm scared.
- You feel me? I'm shakin' like a little kitten. - Hey...
Now what are you scared of?
What if somebody finds out? I mean, what if...
Will you stop your worryin'? Everything's gonna be all right.
Hm?
He ain't comin' back, Danielle.
He ain't.
Hey, you movin' in?
I got room in my cell for ya, baby!
- Who found the body? - One of my guards.
- No one heard anything? - Nobody who should have.
I'm ordering a lockdown until the situation is back under control.
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who had contact with Neech Manley is a suspect.
Warden?
I warned you. That's three.
Warden?
Why Roque?
Neech hated Roque. They nearly tried to kill each other once.
- Then why the other victims? - He probably hated them, too.
Did he have a history with the dead guards?
Neech had a small behavioural problem about a year, a year and a half ago.
Fornier and the other men had to discipline him.
- How badly was he beaten? - He took his licks.
So there's a pattern here. They all had a violent history with Neech.
- They all caused him to suffer physical pain. - What are you gettin' at?
A lockdown may not solve your problem, Warden.
- It'll put a lid on it. - If it's a conspiracy among inmates.
But how many inmates could have gotten access to put that body in your office?
You're saying the guards are involved.
I'm saying Roque may not be number three.
Now, I need a name from you. I need the name of Neech's executioner.
- It's confidential. - How many men know it?
Three men, including me.
We place an ad, pay him cash. There's no written record.
- His life may be in danger. - There is no chance...
Look at it this way, Warden. If I'm right, it'll reduce your list of suspects to four.
- I said three men knew that name. - I'm counting Neech Manley.
Mr Simon?
Perry Simon?
Couple of days' worth of mail.
Mulder.
What is it?
Oh, God!
I told you, didn't I?
You told me everything but what I need to know.
- Who else is on that list? - I can't tell you that.
- How's he doing it? - I really can't tell ya.
- You'll let those men die? - Ain't my call!
They'll pin it on somebody. They'll pin it on you.
- What'll they to do to me? - Solitary.
One hour a week outside your cell, no contact with anyone.
They say it can break a man.
I can't tell you, man.
You're afraid of Neech?
- I saw him. - You saw Neech?
Standing outside my cell. Big as life.
Tell me who else is on the list, John. Who's next?
I can't tell you who's on the list.
- But I can tell you Roque wasn't on it. - Roque's not on it?
Mulder, can I have a minute?
I've gone over Neech's phone calls over the last two months.
Over 30 were made to a man named Danny Charez. Twice as many as to his wife.
And?
Charez has been here three times to see Speranza since the first murder.
He could be working with him on the outside.
Look, I've got nothing to hide.
OK, then. What's your business with John Speranza?
I was trying to get Speranza a deal.
- What kind of deal? - Retrial, maybe.
Reopen the case. I've got connections with the government.
- What kind of connections? - I used to be an attorney.
Actually, I represented Neech Manley.
- You were Neech Manley's defence lawyer? - I was 26.
I was court appointed. I had no business on a death-penalty case.
Why help Speranza now?
I heard about Neech's death list. Word gets around.
I know he blames me for him getting fried so I had to try something.
You think Speranza's got some sway with Neech?
I'm just trying to save my ass. I've been to the governor, Speranza, Neech's wife...
- Why Neech's wife? - Maybe she's got some mojo with him, too.
Anyway, I got run outta there by her crazy boyfriend.
- She has a boyfriend? - Works at the prison.
Waving a freakin' gun in my face.
Hello, John.
- What do you want? - Oh, no, sit down. Sit.
- I'm here to do you good. - What you talkin' about?
I wanna be your advocate.
I'm gonna get 'em to look at your case again, pull a few strings.
- And what do you want from me? - Just call off the dogs.
That's all.
What do you say? Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
All right.
I'll have somebody from the governor's office down here
to see you by this weekend.
Where have you been?
Out.
Out? What do you mean, out?
What's with you?
You see who is sittin' outside watchin' this house?
You see that car out there?
You know who that is? Huh? It's the stupid FBI.
- They came here tonight askin' about you. - About me?
Said they saw you wavin' a gun in some lawyer's face in my front yard.
- That's crazy! - You said nobody knew about us.
Now lookit! Just lookit!
A woman gets lonely.
Sometimes she can't wait around for her man to be reincarnated.
I think we should notify the warden.
- Is that the man? - That's him.
Parmelly.
Yeah, give me Vincent Parmelly's work sheet for the last week, please? Thank you.
- Now, you saw him with Neech's wife? - Yes.
I hadn't reported it, but that same guard cornered me...
- ..and made an overture for prisoner Roque. - He's tied in with Roque?
Well, does it make sense to you that Parmelly is Neech's assassin?
Parmelly's a transfer in from out of state. He's only been here six months.
Well, according to an attorney we spoke to, he had brandished a gun at the residence.
- What attorney? - A man named Charez.
- You know him? - Everybody knows Danny Charez.
He was found dead earlier this evening in his apartment.
- Murdered? - Suffocated to death, or so it seems.
Well, he could be the fifth victim.
I think somebody ought to go out and arrest Vincent Parmelly.
Oh, my God!
No...
Neech...
- What the hell are you doin'? - He's here.
- What are you talking about? - Neech. I saw him.
Somebody's here, but it ain't Neech.
They're comin' here!
- It's you, isn't it? - What?
- You're him. - You're crazy, baby!
- Put that gun away. It's the police out there. - I should have known.
- Please open the door. - I should have opened my eyes.
We're federal agents. Open the door.
- The way you touched me... - Danielle?
- ..And the sound of your voice. - Point that gun away, Danielle.
I'm tellin' you, they're gonna put you away just like your old man.
- Don't you come near me. - You're seeing ghosts.
Mrs Manley, open the door.
She's got a gun on Parmelly.
- Centre room, facing away. - On a count.
- Drop your weapon! - Put it down!
- Drop your weapon, Danielle!
- Let's get a paramedic in here! - It was him.
He came back.
Forget it.
I swear it was him. It was Neech.
- No, go this... - What you talkin' about?
Go this way. Somebody wants to talk to you.
Who wants to talk to me? The warden's office is that way.
- We're goin' down here. - Uh-uh. No.
Man, this is bull! I ain't goin' for it!
What the hell is this? Why do you want to talk to me in the shower? Huh? What the...?
John...
- Hear about your friend Parmelly? - He's not my friend.
Oh, he's not your friend? Well... doesn't matter any more anyway, does it?
You promised me a deal.
Yeah, well, that was when there was a deal to be made.
- Who else was in on it, John? - I can tell you...
- Tell me what? - I can tell you what I know.
- Well, tell me what you know. - Neech's list...
...got one man left to die.
What's goin' on out there? What's goin' on?
Hey, leave him alone!
Speranza! Hey, come on!
Why are we stopping?
You know, it just doesn't make sense.
- What? - Laying it all on Parmelly.
We've been through this.
He was only on duty for one of the guards' murders...
...and he didn't know the name of Neech's executioner.
Then he was working with someone.
- Why would he try to get you the list? - To use fear as leverage for Roque's deal.
Neech hated Roque. He wouldn't have done that, would he?
I don't know. Maybe Parmelly didn't stick to the original plan.
I'm sure shacking up with Neech's wife wasn't part of it, either.
Maybe Neech's wife killing Parmelly was part of the plan from the start...
- ..so that he'd take the proof to his grave. - I don't see the motives. Do you?
I don't think Parmelly killed anybody.
Well, then who did? Neech Manley?
Speranza and Neech's wife both said they saw him.
It's over, Mulder. Let's just go home.
Claire Bates
I made this!