Mulder and Scully travel to a weird town where they investigate a number of bizarre deaths involving circus freaks.

A leisurely scene in the swimming pool as Jerald Glazebrook, a reptile skinned circus freak, plays with his kids. When he is left on his own, he is suddenly attacked by an unknown creature which fills the whole pool with blood.

The agents come in to investigate and Mulder explains that the attack is similar to 48 others over the last 28 years. Visiting the funeral of the "crocodile man" they suddenly witness the enigmatic Dr. Blockhead rising from beneath the coffin and performing another one of his tricks. This really is a weird town.

Mulder is interested in what appears to be the Fiji Mermaid and believes it may be the main suspect so he talks to Hepcat Helm, a fun house creator, who tells him about P.T Barnum's fake exhibit of the mermaid. Mulder is intrigued by the tracks which were left outside the swimming pool and which appear to be simian.

Scully thinks Mulder's theories are over the top so they book into a local trailer park for the night where they meet Dr. Nutt, a midget proprietor and Lanny, a strange man with his twin brother growing out of his side. Meanwhile, Hepcat is murdered by the same creature which murdered the first victim.

First thing in the morning, Mulder goes for a jog and discovers the Conundrum, a fully tattooed circus freak able to eat anything at all. Later, Mulder and Scully see to Hepcat who is dead on the floor. The only way the killer could have entered is the small window at the top of the hut. This leads them to believe that the only possible suspect could be a contortionist so they talk to Dr. Blockhead.

As Mulder searches the trailer park, Scully visits the local museum but soon finds out that the sheriff used to be a circus freak himself, Jim-Jim the Dog-Faced Boy. The agents go to take a look at what the sheriff is doing and see him digging in his backyard, it turns out to be nothing though. Meanwhile, Mr. Nutt is killed by the same strange creature who enters the trailer through the doggie door.

This proves to M & S that the killer is Dr. Blockhead so they bring him to jail but soon are proved wrong when they find that Lanny's twin has disjointed. Lanny admits that it is his brother who is responsible for the killings and explains, "I don't think he knows he is harming anyone, he's merely seeking another brother".

A chase ensues for the escaped twin leading them into the horror house and then searching the trailer park. The Condundrum eats it though unsuspecting to the agents who think that it has just disappeared. As they question the Conundrum and Dr. Blockhead who are ready to leave, the tattooed freak looking a little sick speaks for the first time,"It's probably something I ate" as the pair drive off into the sunset......