Underneath
“So how does someone go about catching a killer who hides inside an innocent man?”
Scully takes a moment to collect her thoughts before responding. While the explanation Monica is positing does not precisely match something they’ve seen before, neither is it so wholly without precedent that she can discount it entirely.
Have they ever encountered a person so haunted by their sins that they physically manifested an alternate personality? No. Does she believe Fassl is some sort of shapeshifting alien bounty hunter or that he can cloud minds like Modell could, making people see things that aren’t there? Also no. (Besides, even Modell couldn’t fool security cameras.)
But she also remembers Eddie Van Blundht.
True, they were never able to fully explain his physiology or figure out the mechanism behind his ability to physically alter his appearance so completely. Further, given Fassl’s reaction to the security camera photo, if indeed he is transforming himself into this murderous other personality, she does not get the impression that he is doing it voluntarily or consciously. However, the fact remains that a physical transformation of this nature is possible, no matter how unlikely or inexplicable.
She cannot recall if Van Blundt’s file was one of the ones restored after their office was set ablaze, and explaining the whole thing to Agent Doggett right now is neither necessary nor likely to help much; the man is exhausted and at the end of his rope. She decides to keep things simple, at least for the time being.
“Well,” she says at last, “logically, if Fassl and this bearded man truly are one in the same person, then it stands to reason that we’ll only catch the killer by monitoring Fassl and waiting for the other man to… come out of hiding, as it were.”
“C’mon, Agent Scully, you can’t possibly–”
“Alternatively,” Scully cuts him off, “if this man is working with Fassl, or was working with him 13 years ago, if he somehow got into and out of the prison undetected and committed the murder there, then it also stands to reason that he might try to reconnect with Fassl again now. By surveilling Fassl, we have a chance to apprehend the killer when he tries to make contact.”
Doggett heaves a sigh, leaning forward and resting his hands on the table. Monica reaches across to place one of her hands on his.
“It’s a lead,” she says gently. “Whether or not we believe the same thing about what is happening here, surveillance is the only thing that will get us any answers.”
“Except there’s no way in hell anyone’s going to give us authorization for that. Especially not after what Duke did.”
Scully feels for him. The bitterness in his voice and the betrayal on his face leave no doubt that he is still reeling over the egregious actions of his former partner.
“So we wait until it’s dark,” Monica counters. “Jana Fain may well cry foul if we follow her home now, but she might not notice a car parked across the street from her house at night.”
Doggett shakes his head, standing up straight again. “You’re outta your damn mind if you think I’m gonna step even one toe out of line on this. I’m not Duke. We do this by the book all the way, you got that?”
“There’s nothing illegal about sitting in a parked car, John–” Monica starts, but Scully holds up a hand.
“I think I might be able to convince the DA that Fassl is still a person of interest in ADA Kailer’s disappearance,” she says. “Pressure from his office should be enough to get us the okay from the NYPD.”
***
In the end, it does take several more hours to get all of the relevant parties on board, but authorization for surveillance is eventually granted. It’s fully dark outside as John all but sprints to the car the moment they’re given the okay, and Monica hurries after him. The tension radiating off of him as they drive to Jana Fain’s house is palpable, but so is the undercurrent of complete and utter exhaustion.
For her part, Monica is hopeful that this all might finally be nearly at an end. She has no doubt that Fassl’s alter-ego is responsible for the ADA’s disappearance, which means that whatever measure of control Fassl maintained while in prison has clearly evaporated upon his release. If they can catch his transformation here tonight, then this can all be put to rest, and her partner can finally put this case behind him once and for all.
“I’ll take the next couple hours. You should get some shut-eye.”