The Conspiracy:
It all began thousands, perhaps even millions of years ago, when an alien race landed and surveyed planet Earth. For some reason (with convenience to the plot) they decided to forego colonization of our planet at that time. But in 1947, the aliens decided that for some reason (also with convenience to the plot), they were ready to colonize Earth. It turns out that these aliens were [conveniently] lazy, and they made a deal with various members of our world governments, asking them to prepare our world for their approaching colonization. In exchange, this group of people would be allowed to survive beyond the colonization. Believing that survival was the ultimate ideology in this situation, the group (known as the Syndicate, and led by the omnipresent Cigarette-Smoking Man) was originally in charge of keeping the plan hidden from the rest of the world. But gradually the Syndicate became increasingly powerful and more private than any other government organization or global enterprise.

The aliens’ colonization plan centres on a weapon in the form of a genetically engineered alien virus (commonly in the form of a black oil). The Syndicate’s first responsibility to the aliens involves spreading this virus. To achieve this, the Syndicate have bred Africanized Killer Bees that pollinate specially-bred plants which have been genetically crossed with the oil virus. Therefore the bees can deliver the virus to anyone with their sting and, if dispersed globally, can cause a viral apocalypse wiping human life off the planet.

The second half of the Syndicate’s job is to create an alien-human hybrid immune to the effects of the black oil, which will serve as a model for the creation of further alien-human hybrids. These hybrids will survive the viral apocalypse, but will become a slave race to the [conveniently] lazy alien colonists when colonization begins. The genetic material used in the hybrid experiments was taken from “abductees” in the form of gamete cells (therefore linking the “alien abductions” to the alien colonization).

In addition, the Syndicate has detailed records of every person in the US under the age of 35. A genetic sample was taken from each person during their smallpox inoculation, and a molecular marker inserted into their scar. This has allowed the Syndicate to keep tabs on a huge proportion of the planet, determine their suitability as genetic donors for the hybrid experiments, and potentially catalog them once colonization has begun.

(But the aliens are not entirely lazy.) In order to aid the project and make sure that it remains on-course, the aliens have contributed their “bounty hunters”. These are expert alien assassins who can shift their appearance at will, and therefore monitor the Syndicate’s progress and loyalty to the aliens.

But the alien surveillance is surprisingly superficial and, unknown to the aliens, the Syndicate has a third objective: to develop a vaccine against the black oil. If they can do this without the aliens’ knowledge, they might be able to foil the aliens’ plans and avert the alien colonization. A Russian group succeeded in developing a vaccine before the Syndicate, and had been testing their vaccine on live suspects. But the Syndicate managed to acquire this vaccine themselves, although they have not yet begun the process of using it (perhaps in loyalty to the lazy alien colonists, or in fear that the inefficiently supervising aliens might find out).

A more obvious threat to the alien colonists has been a small fraction of rebel anti-colonization aliens, who have been mutilating their faces in order to avoid infection by the black oil. These comparatively compassionate aliens have been attempting to stop the colonization effort by destroying essential parts of the colonization plans (such as the abductees). Recently, they have been using their power of disguise to infiltrate and destroy the Syndicate.

Now is a crucial point in the Conspiracy. With the preparation of the virus-carrying Killer Bees completed, and the creation of the first successful alien-human hybrid (Cassandra Spender – the Smoking Man’s wife), the Syndicate have successfully prepared the way for the alien invasion. Any of their actions hereafter will have profound and far-reaching implications for the entire planet. But my guess is that the alien colonization will be unsuccessful (therefore conveniently allowing the continuation of the series). If aliens really were content on colonizing our planet, and had technology capable of interstellar travel; then surely they would also have the initiative and ability to take over our planet rapidly and comprehensively, not allowing time for their plans to be interrupted. Comparing this scenario to Independence Day, why didn’t the aliens just blow up everything straight away? The aliens deserved to win. But it makes for entertaining viewing and interesting story-lines when they don’t.