The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972) - full transcript

Ah!

Where is this son of a bitch?

Bender's out with a search party.

What's the damage?

Max Security corridor's all blocked off.

Equipment's on its way.

Excuse me, sir, they've located him.

- We've sent an ambulance there.
- Where?

River Road about 300 yards.

Take me to the River Road, haul ass.

Here's his ID, here's what else he had on him,
computer tape.



Got a lot of answers out of that slot machine.

- Did you get a look at his face?
- What face?

I'll tell you one thing, I'm no plastic surgeon

but if I were I sure as hell
wouldn't take the job.

Well, he should've run faster.

Whoever paid him to fix their computer's brain

might try to shut his mouth before he can open it.

Could make the play between here and the hospital.

Anybody tries.

All right, let's move it, move out!

Nicole Devon.

This house belongs to her, verified.

Family's summer place left to her last year.

Mother and father killed on the freeway
the same week her husband filed for divorce.



Nothing yet to establish
a prior connection with Welles.

- Coincidence?
- Possible.

Yeah.

Mrs. Devon?

Mrs. Devon?

I'm sorry, Mr. Tuxan, she's out, I sedated her.

Great.

She was coming apart at the seams.

Get her a room at the hospital,
max security, no visitors, no phone.

- Registered as?
- Guest of the government.

- Step aside, Sergeant.
- I'm sorry, sir, those are my orders.

Nobody beyond this point, no exceptions.

You're getting to be a novelty,
a soldier who doesn't disobey orders.

Incredible.

Tuxan, Tuxan!

Tuxan!

- Mr. Gossage.
- Would you mind telling your man here

exactly who we are?

Delighted.

General Hackett, the Air Force co-director
of this project,

Mr. Frank Gossage,
Civilian Director of this Project.

Carl Mosely, Public Relations Director.

- Sergeant Zabrinski.
- Fine, fine, now that we're all pals

perhaps you'll direct
the Sergeant to let us pass?

Can't do that General.

He's under orders to shoot any unauthorized person

who attempts to cross this line.

Unauthorized, who the he” gave such orders?

- I did.
- Then resend them.

I'm not ready for that.

You could back off a bit, Sergeant,
up here at earshot.

Yes, sir.

Now, Tuxan, you don't really mean
to interfere with an Air Force General

and the Civilian Head of this entire project

and their performance of their duties?

Yes, I do until I release this area.

Well, uh, kind of takes care of that,
doesn't it, General?

This whole thing never would've happened
if the Air Force

had been in control from the beginning

without a lot of damn civilian crap.

It began with civilians.

It was my conception Senator Stanton fought for
the appropriation

and I personally selected the staff.

And you blew it.

You both did

or I wouldn't be here.

I think I'm gonna have to talk
to your superiors, Tuxan.

Sorry, General, I talk to them
but they only talk to God.

Tuxan?

So you take the responsibility
for the investigation, right?

I mean, just so we get this all straight.

- For the record.
- For the record, yes, I take all responsibility.

Okay, okay.

Now that that's out of the way
let's deal with my problem.

The press, radio, television,
they'll be on me like ants on a pear.

What can I tell them?

- No comment.
- That will hold them for about two seconds.

Like you say, that's your problem.

Well, you can at least tell us
what you've got so far.

Seven bodies, one breathing,
the other six were incinerated, charcoal.

We'll never know which part belongs to which

but the components add up to six.

- The seventh?
- They're sewing him back together

so he can tell us how he did that.

- You think he set the explosion?
- I know it.

We caught him with his pockets full.

Stuff he could sell for any price
to any power in the world.

He robbed that computer blind
before he blew it up.

- Who is he?
- John Welles.

One of your handpicked personnel.

Henshaw!

Get some shots of the computer console,
the tunnels are clear.

Right.

Tuxan, just a minute.

I selected key personnel, Roger Bidof
was in charge of computer data,

Welles was his man.

Seven minutes before the blast I talked to Bidof.

Yes, gentlemen, I tap my own phone too.

Yes, I have to see you Tuxan.

As soon as possible about Welles.

- Welles?
- One of our computer technicians on Galaxy Probe.

- Go on.
- I can't.

Not now, but Welles isn't one of us he...

Welles must've walked in at the minute.

End of talk, end of Bidof, end of project.

- That was Bidof's voice all right.
- Mhm.

My God, what a terrible thing.

I was on my way here when the lid blew off.

This John Welles,
he's a man with impeccable credentials.

Impeccable credentials,

qualification, clearances, impeccable, forgeries.

You're saying that everything we know
about this man...

Is false, pure and simple.

By documents we couldn't prove
he was alive before January 17th.

The day he began here.

Tuxan.

Picked up an awful lot of information in a hurry,

how much of it can I use?

Not word one, it's classified.

Anything you release clears through me first.

You better give me some help, my friend.

Something official sounding.

Fact, fantasy, science-fiction, I don't care

just so it makes sense and I can release it
within an hour, maximum.

All right, climb in.

- Zabrinski?
- Yes, sir.

Business as usual.

It's not gonna work.

- No?
- No way.

It's a very nervous world we're living in.

People want straight answers.

- So?
- A gas stove and water heaters can blow up

from causes unknown.

Not an entire research computer complex
and everybody knows it.

Nevertheless, that's your story.

Okay.

But what if missus... what's her name?

- Devon.
- Devon, what if Mrs. Devon

decides to give her version
of the story to the press?

I'll tell yah after I've heard it.

Tell you what, I'll tape it
and we'll go over it later.

You can't get in hospital max security,
your card won't work.

You're taking away my triple A clearance?

Nobody gets in but top medical and me.

You reprogrammed the hospital cardets?

Yes.

Feeling better, Mrs. Devon?

No, I'm not feeling better.

I feel very confused and very edgy.

What's going on?
What am I doing here?

How long have you known this man?

I've never seen him before.

Well, you saw him last night,
he came to your house?

This is the man?

You don't recognize him?

He had no face, he was nothing but blood.

That's a man,
what I saw last night wasn't even human.

But I'm sure you knew,
you must've known it was a man.

I didn't know.

He could've been anything.

He could've been from outer space.

That's what you thought?
That he was from outer space?

Yes, I suppose I knew he was a man.

- This man?
- No.

Who are you people?

Why do you all insist I knew him before?

Because he came to your house last night.

The first night you were there,
suddenly you show up and then he appears.

That's a coincidence?

Were you expecting him, Mrs. Devon?

Was he supposed to bring you something?

No!

He was hurt.

He came from God knows where for help, I suppose.

Iran.

I was frightened and I ran.

From God knows where.

You heard the explosion at Groundstar
and you couldn't guess where it came from?

I didn't know about this place,
I didn't even know it was here.

Mrs. Devon.

A space project this close
and you didn't know it was here?

It wasn't, not the last time.

Don't you understand?
I haven't been here in three years.

Then why last night?

Summer's a long way off.

I've already told one of your people, mister...

Tuxan.

This hasn't been the best of years for me.

I just wanted to get some peace and quiet.

I just wanted to get things together.

That's pretty funny, isn't it.

Thanks.

Well, is that it?

You may put on your shoes.

I want you to get a hold of Senator Stanton
and Hackett.

Now give them the official line and tell them
not to go into business for themselves.

No, he's got the place sealed off
like a plague area.

Incommunicado's a good word for it.

Nah, I can't even get in myself.

Listen, I'll have to talk to you later.

Carl Mosely, Mrs. Devon.

How would you like to do your country
a service and take the lady home?

Pleasure.

Only I don't have a car, I came with you.

Car's waiting for you downstairs.

Thanks for the help, Mrs. Devon.

Yeah.

- How soon can I talk to him?
- Talk to him?

He's in one piece and that's about all.

His jaws are wired.

He may be able to grunt for you
in a couple of days.

- Maybe.
- How about a couple of hours?

He's barely alive, Mr. Tuxan.

- May not survive.
- Okay.

Before he dies he talks or grunts.

It's funny, I've loved this place all my life,
now I can't wait to be rid of it.

Hey, listen, if you'd rather
I'll take you to a hotel, out to dinner.

Thanks anyway.

Why don't you come in and have some wine.

Love to.

Go on in the living room, I'll get the glasses.

I can't offer you anything else,
the cupboards are bare,

the house has been closed up for almost a year.

Hey, would you like some friendly advice?

Sure.

I don't know how much you told Tuxan,
if you're holding anything back

I'd give it a second thought.

Tuxan's a bastard,
head hunter with a one track mind.

He's smart, he's devious
and he's rough, very, very rough.

- And you?
- Me?

I'm sort of a governmental disc jockey.

I sell dreams to the public,
feed lies to the press,

get hooked on very attractive, vulnerable ladies.

Thank you for the advice.

But I haven't anything more to tell Mr. Tuxan.

I think he's convinced.

Don't believe it.

Then why did he release me?

Well, maybe he felt that congenial companionship

would get better results
than heavy handed harassment.

- Then you do work for him.
- No, I don't.

But you don't think we were really alone
in that car, do you?

I don't believe that.

No.

Well, he didn't have time to rig the house.

But were I you, I'd be very, very careful about
what phone calls I made in the future.

It's not time for games.

Anything at all, Senator, on the explosion?

- Pretty close, sir.
- Not now, gentlemen.

Carl, these men need information,
this has been a tragedy.

The media has been cut out of the entire project
since the explosion!

- Yes, that's the most important.
- That's a 48 hour blackout, sir.

Can you tell us anything about the project
without violating security?

I'm sorry, no comment.

Senator, one question, you sponsored
the appropriations bill for Groundstar.

- Yes, I certainly did.
- You fought for its location here in the state.

- Yes.
- Is it gone forever?

With the view of the time lost, Senator,
will the other aerospace venders take over...

Oh, now, just a second, I can't answer that.

I want you to know
that I intend to fight for funds

to reestablish Groundstar in this state
on that same site, thank you.

Senator, one more question,
if the house doesn't approve your program

- where do you intend to get the money?
- No, no comment.

Has he talked?

Tuxan hasn't come out,
he's been with him most of the last 24 hours.

- At least Welles is still alive.
- Oh, yes, Frank, yes.

You may yet find out who your trusted employee is.

All right, there was a breach in our security
but you share the responsibility.

And if it comes to proving negligence,
well I would go around on that too.

Now, gentlemen, please.

There's no question of that.

Even Tuxan will admit that the man's credentials,
even though they were forgeries

would've fooled anyone.

The son of a bitch can even remember his name.

You mean he won't remember.

I mean he can't.

Concussive shock, traumatic amnesia,
authentic the doctors say.

You're saying he may never remember?

That would be too convenient,
Mr. Gossage, for someone.

Someone, what does that mean, someone?

- Someone higher up?
- Did I say higher up, Senator?

He is high up and I am sure.

You sound as if you know who it is already.

All I need is proof, General,
and I'll get it out of Welles

if I have to dig it out
of his head piece by piece.

Know this man?

I don't remember, I don't know.

You don't know?

Who the hell are you?

Now you don't remember me.

- You in this room.
- The wheels under me back and forth.

- This room.
- Where they cut and slice, the smell.

One more time, Welles, who is this man?

How many times do I have to tell you?

Until you tell me.

I don't know.

I don't remember if I've ever seen
that face before.

You know damn well it's the face
you're wearing under those bandages.

Devon, Nicole Devon, Mrs. Nicole Devon.

- I don't know.
- You ran right to her house.

- No, it means nothing.
- And you don't know, liar.

- Don't play that again.
- Welles isn't one of us.

One of the six men you killed.

Welles isn't one of us.

All right, not one of us, then what is he?

- Who is Welles?
- You are.

This is your picture, it's you.

It better be, that's all the doctors
had to put you back together again.

What if it isn't a picture of me?

It's your identification.

It was found in your possession.

That doesn't make it mine.

What if I'm one of the others?

Can you prove that I'm not?

I don't have to prove anything.

And you had better pray to God,
I don't believe you've lost your memory.

I've only kept you alive this long
so you can tell me who you're working for.

If I didn't think you could do that
I wouldn't have to keep you alive.

To keep me alive, you can make that decision?

Tuxan?
Tuxan!

Who are you?

I don't remember.

This is probably the last time
we'll be doing this, Mr. Welles.

For now on, you stay unwrapped.

While you've seen this face of yours
in various stages of completion,

you should be getting used to it by now.

It's getting used to you.

I still don't know it.

It's your face, Welles.

It isn't even the face in the picture.

It'll be closer when the sutures are out,
the scars heal and the swelling gone.

But there will always be differences.

Sections of the bone
had to be restructured synthetically.

A lot of it was guess work.

I don't recognize it.

I don't like it.

It'll grow on you.

Ugh.

Uh.

Marika.

Who am I?

(speaking Greek)

(speaking Greek)

Marika.

(speaking Greek)

Marika, Marika, Marika.

Marika.

(speaking Greek)

There it is again, what did you say?

- I don't know.
- Bullshit.

Mr. Tuxan.

Will you believe it, the man's memory is gone.

He has no memory.

He's making sounds, that means something.

Loss of voice doesn't necessarily
go hand in hand with loss of memory.

- Is that a fact?
- Believe me it's gone, wiped out.

Pentothal couldn't bring it back,
electroshock couldn't do it.

Try it again.

Electroshock.

Get it over with, Tuxan!

Not a chance, I want you alive
until you remember who you were working for.

I want to remember, I have no memory, nothing!

You got somebody somewhere.

The others, the ones you were working for!

The enemy, them?

Well, I don't know who they are!

Maybe you're the enemy!

- Know this man?
- I've never seen him before!

Roger Bidof, the man that hired you.

Then let me speak to him,
maybe he'll recognize me and tell me who I am!

He's dead, one of the six you killed.

Know her?

Look at it.

Read it!

Nicole Devon, 16923 Karen Way
apartment 706, Bayshore!

I don't understand.

Why can't I talk to her?

What for, you said you didn't know her.

She saw me first after the explosion.

Maybe she can tell me who I am.

I'm satisfied as to who you are.

You're satisfied, Tuxan, that's something new.

What I want to know is who are the others?

The ones you were working for.

Are you afraid if I see her
I may remember something?

You've got all you can handle with amnesia,
I wouldn't try for paranoia.

- You rotten bastard!
- Keep your distance.

This might be execution day.

- Without a trial.
- Without a memory

I'm about all the trial you'll ever get,
you're mine.

My case, my disposition.

Is he alive?

No.

What happened?

Strangled with this.

What's his name?

Dr. Smolet.

His pockets were empty.

No security pass?

No.

If I'd wanted him dead I
would've killed him myself.

Who is he?

You tell me.

Tell you what?

I don't know him, I've never seen him before.

You don't know, you don't remember,
we”, I don't buy that.

Neither did he!

There's just one difference between us,

I'm trying to get you to talk,
he's trying to shut you up.

Think about it!

I can't.

I can't tell you anything, I can't!

Get him out of here.

What's going on?
Where are you taking me now?

- Tell me.
- You wouldn't want me to spoil a surprise.

Morning, Welles, you'll be happy to know
this is our last day together.

I'm giving up on you.

Have you decided to kill me?

After saving your life?

No.

But I am gonna send you away
somewhere your friends can't drop in.

Prison.

More like your own private hole in the ground.

I'm gonna drop you in and slam the lid.

And I'll...

never know why or who I am?

Who knows.

Maybe it'll come back to you

in a year, five years, ten years,
however long it takes.

At least you'll be alive.

So in a way, you could say
I was doing you a big favor.

I'd rather be dead!

- Tuxan!
- So long, Welles.

Hey, man, you play for real.

Oh, shit, I think I got me a couple busted ribs.

Have you got him?

Yeah.

Yeah, I got him.

Christ, Tuxan, I don't believe it, how.

How would I know, he took an invisible pill
and disappeared, okay?

- Sure.
- But don't make a big thing out of it.

Uh, sole survivor explosion turns up missing,
doctors concerned about his fragile condition,

the usual garbage.

Anyone seeing him,
report him to hospital authorities.

That's all,
everything else stays classified, okay.

Got it.

Well, hop to it Mosely, I want his ass back.

To all wire services for immediate release.

John Welles, sole survivor of the devastating
explosion at the government's Groundstar Project

was found missing from his bed this morning
in the government's Maximum Security Ward.

Welles, a specialist in computer technology for
the ultra secret Space Science Research Center,

has been under treatment for five months

since his near fatal injury in the disastrous
explosion that destroyed the laboratory.

His disappearance is causing considerable concern
among Groundstar authorities.

- Hello?
- Are you all right, Mrs. Devon?

I don't know, who is this?

I'm sitting in the car across the street,
I saw your lights go on.

- Who is this?
- Mr. Henshaw, I'm here for Mr. Tuxan.

- What do you want?
- Nothing to be concerned about,

I'm just here for your protection.

- Mr. Tuxan...
- Listen, tell Mr. Tuxan to leave me alone.

I don't like being watched
and I don't like being followed.

We'll try not to be obvious, Mrs. Devon.

Oh, go to hell.

Listen, I'm more of being afraid of being caught
than you are of me.

You make a sound I'll kill you.

I don't want to hurt you but I can't be caught.

Now if I take my hand away you won't make a sound.

And you won't try to attract his attention.

Okay.

Please don't make me hurt you.

What do you want?

An identity.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I want you to tell me who I am.

You remember, you know me, who am I?

You're John Welles.

All right, John Welles it is.

Who is he?
Tell me about him.

- 1... That's all...
- He meant something to you.

I don't know anything else.

I don't believe you, I wasn't born five months
ago, you must know something about me.

I don't know, please.

You're hurting me.

Please.

I'm sorry.

Could I get some ice?

It really hurts.

I'm not gonna scream or anything.

Why did you come here?

Why me?

They said they found me in your house
after the explosion.

It's all I have to go on.

You don't remember being there?

I'm a blank, Mrs. Devon,
haven't they told you that?

Who, who would've told me?

Whoever they are, Tuxan.

The doctors, the guards, all of them.

Well, I've met Mr. Tuxan
but he doesn't exactly confide in me.

I'm not one of his people.

And the man in the car?

My protection, unsolicited.

Or my executioner, also unsolicited.

Even though I have it coming to me
if what they say is true.

They say I've killed six men
and that frightens me.

Somehow I've got to know.

That night, when I came to your place
was it the first time

or had I been there before?

I honestly don't know.

I was hoping you could tell me
if this was the face I had before they fixed it.

I only know it's an improvement.

Hey, how'd you figure he'd be going to her place,

after you planted the bug?

I didn't.

But he had to go some place

and I've had her under standard
audio surveillance since the first night.

Yeah, but I thought you were satisfied
there was no connection between the two.

Well, now there is.

Hunch players usually die broke,
you lucked out, Mr. Tuxan.

Luck my ass, if I had my way there'd be a bug
in every bedroom in the country.

Hey, how many bugs would it take
to make an epidemic?

Shut up.

- I'm sorry.
- I think you are.

How did you find me here?

I've seen your ID card everyday for months.

I've gotta get out of here.

Well, where will you go?

I don't know, anywhere.

I just don't want to be caught and killed
for something I don't remember doing.

But how do you feel?

What... what do you mean?

Could you have killed those men?

Do you feel guilty?

Funny, they never asked me that.

- Do you?
- No.

Stay here.

I can't.

Stay tonight anyway, you need a place.

You can't make it alone.

If I could have something to eat.

Sit down before you fall down.

I've got plenty of soup.

Can make you an omelet
with either ham or with bacon.

Uh, uh.

Welles isn't one of us.

It's all right.

(speaking another language)

Henshaw, they're going to sleep.

My protection seems to be gone this morning.

Please, just don't ask where am I.

Listen, I know your secret, you're a closet Greek.

- A what?
- You speak Greek in your sleep.

- Greek?
- Well, it's Greek to me.

You mean, it's just some language
you haven't heard before.

No, I know a few words,
you know, restaurant Greek.

(speaking Greek)

See, you know a few words too.

(speaking Greek)

What was that?

I said...

"If I had a dollar for every word I know,
I'd be a millionaire."

Hey, I do speak Greek.

Of course, that's what it is,
the ruins of a Greek temple.

- What?
- Something I see.

A ruin at the top of a hill
and children laughing somewhere.

I always thought it was a dream but...

It's a memory.

Do you think so?

Anything happening?

Yeah, I think your boss,
Gossage is going through the change.

What's he in such a big sweat about?

Paranoia, it does things to his glands.

- You heard anything about Welles?
- Mhm.

Hm, hang in there, Tuxan, he's bound to show up.

Bank on it.

Oh, by the way, how are you and Mrs. Devon doing?

- We're not.
- I thought it had the makings of a great romance.

You know, so did I.

- Then Welles skipped out.
- What's he got to do with it?

Well, under the circumstances I didn't think the
lady would be exactly starving for companionship

- knowing you.
- Got something to hide?

Not at all.

I just work better in private, old buddy.

Good luck.

Mr. Tuxan is here.

- Send him in.
- You can go in now.

- And stay on the line.
- Yes, sir.

What's the trouble?

I've asked my secretary to stay on the line.

Would you see what you can hear?

Heavy breathing.

What else do you hear, clicks,
hollow metallic clicks.

Mice.

Who told you to tap my telephone, General Hackett?

- No.
- You took it upon yourself.

Mr. Tuxan, I am not under suspicion
as a security risk.

I am in charge here.

Do you understand that?

I am in charge.

Most people in such a secure position
don't have to talk themselves into it.

Now you listen to me, I created this project.

I know every aspect of its research.

I am not about to sell
Space Probe secrets to the enemy.

You couldn't sell Space Probe secrets
for two kopeks in from of the Kremlin

if you had a push cart full of them.

The miniaturized fuel system,
that's where the money is.

That's what the computer was working on.

That's what Welles was selling.

Are you in charge, Mr. Gossage?

You don't seem to know what you've got here,
or do you?

I want that tap taken off my telephone.

There's a dime.

Use a phone booth.

Get me Senator Stanton.

So while you harass me
and General Hackett and Frank Gossage

and God knows how many others,

you allow Welles, this traitor,
this saboteur, to escape?

I can get him back.

Unless somebody kills him
before you get to him.

Oh, I don't think anyone would be
foolish enough to do that.

They tried it the other night.

Because he was my prisoner.

He could've implicated his friends
if he'd talked.

That, they didn't want.

Now it's different, he's loose.

The tape with the essential data
on the mini fuel system

was in his pocket
when he blew the computer.

He didn't have time to deliver it.

But he knows what's on that tape.

What they want now
is what's locked up in his head.

But he can't remember.

You said yourself,
his mind is a complete blank.

True. It was.

But it could come back to him anytime.

Thanks for the tennis, Senator.

Hello.

Hello, Nicole.
Carl Mosely, remember?

Uh, yes, of course.

Listen, I'm not catching you
at a bad time, am I?

Uh, no, not at all. How are you?

Well, to tell you the truth,
I had kind of a gloomy day, and I, uh...

I was wondering
if you'd take me out and cheer me up.

Well, I'd feel fine, ordinarily,
but I'm afraid...

That's okay.

How 'bout me taking you out
and cheering you up?

No, really, I... I'd love to,
but I've already made plans.

In fact, I was on my way out the door
when the phone rang.

Uh, could you give me a rain check?

Name it.
- Call me next week,

- and we'll find a night.
- Great.

I've really been wanting to see you again.

What do you think about
your friend from outer space?

My who?

Welles. You knew he escaped
from the hospital ward, didn't you?

No... no, I didn't know.

But thanks for telling me,
it's just the sort of news I needed.

Hey... hey, I didn't mean to upset you.

- I'm sorry.
- Me too.

Listen, uh... next week, huh?

Bye.

First she says
I wasn't catching her at a bad time.

Then she says
she was practically out the door.

Then she said she didn't know anything
about Welles escaping.

You know what I think, Charlie?

I think the lady's a liar.

Where are you going?

I'm not going, we're going.

I've got a bad feeling
they're closing in.

Let's not be here when they do.

Thank you, Carl Mosely.

It'll be chilly at night, but there should be
some things of Pete's that'll fit you.

- Pete?
- Pete and Judy Carpenter.

Old friends of mine.

They've got a place at Rock Shore
that's just sitting empty while they're in Europe.

I've used it before,
it's all right, really.

Carpenter, Peter;
Location, Rock Shore.

Move on it, MGR.

Why do you lie for me?
I might not be worth it.

Don't do that.

What you feel is what you are.

I could be a monster.

Terrific.

I always liked that story
about the girl who takes a frog to bed

and wakes up with a prince.

My trouble is, I'm always taking princes to bed
and waking up with frogs.

I don't wanna drag you into this mess.

- John, you need me.
- I'll manage alone.

You do.

I can ask questions, get directions.

I can help you to remember.

Please.

Blind leading the blind.

Okay.

We know I speak Greek.

The columns, they're Greek.

But who are the children?

And that girl, the girl in the surf,
who is she?

Well, as of now, she's going to be me.

Let's find a beach
and see if you can swim.

Today? You'll freeze, you're crazy!

No, you'll love it! Come on.

What's the matter?

What is it?

The girl in the water.

She's dead. I saw it.

You imagined it.

She is dead.

I know it.

- You know it?
- Don't ask me how.

There's something else I know for a fact.

What?

I'm afraid of the water.

I'm afraid of drowning.

Come on, let's go back to the house.

When Mrs. Devon buys the wine,
money is no object.

Special for you, imported.

What it is?

Retsina.

A resin wine, very, very Greek.

If you've never had it,
you'll hate it.

Pleasant memories.

I'll drink to that.

Mm, yes.

- Yes, what?
- Yes, I've had it.

Yes, I like it.

What else?

I like it now,
I like being here.

Efharisto

Parakaló.

I know.

You don't know
if there's anybody else.

Well, you're you and I'm me.

I don't mean much to anybody anymore.

My parents are gone,
my husband is gone.

All my people,
very powerful people.

But you and me, we're here.

Did you remember anything?

I don't remember being with a woman before.

Then it'll be like the first time.

Now I know something more about you.

What?

You've been with a woman before.

Okay, a computer technician
who can't add...

but does speak Greek

and sees a girl in the ocean.

I have a past, I have a life.

Somewhere, somebody knows me.

Someone I've worked with or...

Someone you've loved.

1/17/71. Date TSP.

GS.

That's got to be Groundstar.

SPD... space probe data, probably.

AAA.

Triple-A priority.

Where are you getting all that?

I'm reading it off my ID card.

Tuxan showed it to me so many times,
I can see it up there, projected.

I still carry it with me,
it's all I've got.

Subject: Welles, JD.

John David.

F17W, just a number.

Clearance...

Stop that.

I'm afraid.

Of what?

That you will remember.

This is a tape, of course.

This is at 2300 hours last night.

It's the fourth 24-hour period
of standard visual surveillance.

And where's all this taking place?

In a bed.

We recognize the arena.

Where is the bedroom?

Well, they don't have foghorns
in the desert,

so we can narrow it down that much.

- Good ear, General.
- We try.

Tuxan, you didn't get us here
to watch a stag film.

If you don't want to reveal his whereabouts,
then what's the point of this?

Reassurance.

And rebuttal

to some recurring doubts.

As you can all see,
Welles is alive,

still under surveillance,

still very much our prisoner.

Regardless of that,
I resent having to watch it.

I'm no voyeur.

I'm not either,
but it is informative.

- He's remembering things.
- Some things.

It's intolerable.

You don't have to stay, Mr. Gossage.

Nothing important happens
from this point on.

- They're going to go to sleep.
- Aww.

You gave away the ending.

All right. Now suppose
your hypothesis is correct,

that somebody knows where he is
and will try to get him.

Then I get to them.

Unless they see your trap
from a mile off and duck the bait.

Which, unless they're complete idiots,
is exactly what they'll do.

Except for two things.

One.

What Welles has sealed up in his head
is worth $50 million to $100 million.

Who to?

Russia? China?

Those are the buyers.
These are the sellers.

They'd sell it to anybody.

If we got the money up,
they'd sell it back to us.

And the second reason?

When Welles starts remembering,

he can do some selling of his own.

He can sell them to me.

Sooner or later,
they'll have to kill him.

You reduce life to such simple terms.

Henshaw, anything happening down there?

Yeah, he caught one.

We”, tell the dude he's doing
a damned sight better than we are.

Everybody's gotta eat.

Carpenter.

Got it. Let's go.

Well... I might not have been
much of a fisherman,

but I must have been one hell of a cook.

Take a look at this beauty.

You didn't seem to mind the water
as much today, either.

No, I didn't, did I?

The occasion calls for wine.

- Make it white.
- Okay.

Hey! Come and get it
while it's hot, huh?

In a minute!

A feast fit for a king.

John?

John?

John!

John!

I think it was twin screws,
but I'm not sure.

I was too late.

It took me the better part of three minutes
from the time I heard her scream

until I found her
just standing here on the beach.

Where is he?

- We haven't got him.
- You're lying.

You're the one he was running from,

- you're the bastard.
- We are all bastards.

The only difference is what kind of bastard,
ours or theirs.

I'm one of ours.

Would I be here if I had him?

I'm not gonna help you find him.

Henshaw, gimme that spear.

Now, they knocked him out with this.

If they don't get what they want,
they'll kill him.

"They"?

You're the one who was gonna
drop him in a hole and cover it up.

He had to believe that.

I was about to open a door,
I had to be sure he'd take it.

His escape was not an accident.

I could have had him back
anytime I wanted him, day or night.

I was using him.

He's the cheese to bring out the rats.

Well, the rats are out
and they've got him,

and they will kill him.

I don't believe you.

Well, you're about to believe something.

Bring her over here.

Now, look in the mirror.

Look in the mirror.

Now, the lady doesn't believe
we've been keeping tabs on Mr. Welles.

I want you to tell her.

Call her on the phone and tell her.

980-3270.

Answer the phone.

You dirty son of a bitch!

The only real thing I've got,

and you had to make it ugly.

Just like you.

Isn't there any privacy for anybody?

To hell with privacy.

Murders are planned in privacy.

Sabotage, revolutions,
they all begin in privacy.

I'd put my own family, anyone,
in the spotlight naked

to protect this country.

And who decides when it's necessary?

I do.

Attaboy, John.

Easy now.

You know, it's a good thing for you
you got a hard head.

Who are you?

You can drop it now.

We're all on the same side.

All I remember on the beach,
something hit me.

One of Tuxan's men.

- Nicole.
- She's okay.

Are you sure?

Would I lie?

You said Tuxan?

One of his men.
We were following him.

- He led us to you.
- And that's luck, John.

Otherwise, right now,
you'd be tucked away for good.

So you owe us, pal,
in more ways than one.

No, the motor sound was deeper than that.

Like a big boat.

Only the water's not deep enough here.

- But it sounded powerful.
- Yes.

Okay, you heard it.

Shallow draft with a lot of horses,
let's find the mother.

Hey, don't be hostile.

- What do you want from me?
- What we paid for.

You paid me? For what?

In Switzerland, there is a bank account
of which only you know the number.

Amnesia or not, no one is gonna forget
he's got $400,000 tucked away.

I've got that kind of money?

You earned it.

You... paid me to rob the computer bank?

It's coming back to you now.

Totally beautiful job.

All the way.

All the way,
except for the touchdown.

When we get that,
we're home free.

What was on the tape, John?

The tape.

I know you got the tape out.

You had to read it first.

I mean, you don't have to hold anything back,
block anything out.

You're not with Tuxan now.

You're one of us.

Welles isn't one of us...

Welles isn't one of us.

Then it's true.

All of it.

I robbed the computer,
Bidof suspected,

so I blew it up,
him along with it.

You're remembering good.

I was working for you?

With us!

You, me, Charlie.

We all work with the same man.

Uh, I don't know who you mean.

It's all right, you never did.

You never will.

But you do remember his money.

I don't remember him, his money,
you, Charlie...

You better start remembering the tape.

Not a goddamned thing, nothing.

I think Johnny's got some wild-ass notion
of going into business for himself.

I tell you, I don't remember.

If Tuxan couldn't get it outta me,
nobody can.

Compared with this outfit,
Tuxan is a pussycat.

In there, Henshaw.
I'm working over coordinates 63 to 66.

Stay with me, use your siren.

That. Circle over there.

You know, they say
when a man is drowning,

his whole life passes before his eyes.

You know, we should
be getting to that part

where you're in the computer room,
making that final readout.

Not yet, huh?

Prepare to submerge.

Matter of fact, a man can drown
in less than an inch of water.

I knew a man drowned in his bathtub.

Well, they say 80 percent
of the fatal accidents in the home

take place in the bathroom.

80 percent.

Wants air.

Yeah.

Let him want it more.

Sawmill by the lumber yard.

Okay.

Take her around again.

I want another look at that boat.

Nothing. Swing it around,
go over it again.

Come on, Johnny,
don't die on me now.

I'm about to let him.

You giving up?

He's not holding anything back.

There's nothing there.

Tuxan's had him brainwashed.

What'd they to do him
in that hospital?

Am I a doctor?

Give him some more oxygen or something.

Yeah, I need a beer.

There's still some on the boat.

All right, get it.

And one for me too, will ya?

Bring him around one more time
and then 20 more minutes in the tub.

If he don't remember by then,
he never will.

Yeah.

All right. Roll over, bub.

There it is down there.

All units rendezvous wharf 74,
sawmill by the bridge.

Son of a bitch, guy's there.

Land it.

In the shed.

Hold it! Drop the gun.

That one's wiped out.

Mosely.

And a miss.

- Any sign of Welles?
- None.

We'll probably find his body,
but this one's alive.

He won't stand up
the way Welles did.

He'll tell me everything I wanna know.

Central Communications holding
for checkpoint signoffs.

All wings report secure,

all stations report secure,

all stations going manual.

Emergency switch
over to central security control,

frequency 420-Boston
and signal out.

Alien alert.

I'll need these for a while,
if it's all right.

- No problem.
- But I could have copies made,

- if you'd prefer.
- Suit yourself, either way.

Yes?

All right.

Excuse me, small emergency.

Hello?

Fine.

- Drop it!
- Who?

Oh, no, go ahead.

Mm-hm, yes.

Kick it over here, real slow.

But has Worth seen him?

Hold a second.

Would you like some more coffee?
This could take a minute.

No thank you.

I'm sorry, Ted, go on.

Mm-hm, mm-hm.

I understand.

I see.

Now open that door.

- I don't have a key.
- Don't waste my time!

Yes, that's correct.

Well... yes, of course.

All right, tell you what,
have him processed right away.

Well, we'll do what we can.

Right. Thanks for filling me in. Goodbye.

Forgive me.
Back to Mr. Welles, I...

No alternatives
and damn little time, Doctor.

Well, certainly time enough
to see what can be accomplished

without a radical lobotomy.

In my opinion, Mr. Tuxan,
that's a last resort.

I'll go to the last resort first
if I have to.

I want the son of a bitch
so he can't remember his name.

Nothing.

Tuxan chopper, clearance on.

Not his name, not his face,
not even a dream.

The man may never
remember anything again.

Report, security F26.

26, report to the tower.

- Who else have you notified?
- No one. Those were your instructions.

Good.

Tuxan.

Yeah?

Tuxan, this is Welles.

I want to give up.

To surrender?

Yes, but only to you.

There's a lot I've got to say,
but only to you.

Such as what?

I remember, Tuxan.

I remember everything.

- You do?
- Yes. I wanna see you alone.

I want YOU to come to me.

Where are you?

He's in non-max Corridor 17.

He's knocked off scanners
in Corridor 17.

Now, call off the MPs
unless you want some people killed.

Clear the whole area.

Do it, Tuxan.

I'm watching.

I'm sure you are.

Go ahead.
Keep him going.

We'll surround and wipe
before you get there.

Negative. I need him, he's mine.

He's my only witness.

Tuxan!

Okay, Welles.

Security tower, punch me up
on the central speaker system.

You're on, sir.

This is Tuxan.

Code 3, all internal security
to outer exits.

Alien will be in communications booth.

Leave me alone with him.

Head security taped.

Clear and secure outer exits.

Allen not to leave alive
unless I do.

All right. Get moving, Tuxan.

Come to the glass booth
on the balcony just ahead of you,

and come alone.

You said you remembered everything.

Sure.

Do you wanna know
the final phase, Tuxan?

What was on the tape?

I know what's on it,
I have the tape.

Yes, but you had to make it seem
to come from me, not you,

when it turned up
in the marketplace.

That's why you let me escape.

It was you, Tuxan.

You're the one I was working for.

- You remember that?
- I remember all of it.

Robbing the computer,
blowing it up.

Killing Bidof and all the rest.

All that.

I remember you hammering at me
so that I couldn't remember.

So that to save my life,
to save myself from drowning,

nothing... nothing could make me remember.

And I thank you for that.

You can. If you had remembered,
you'd have died.

I want his memory wiped out blank
like his fingerprints.

If you can do that without a body, okay.

We can, but there's a danger.

The man may never
remember anything again.

I don't give a damn
what he remembers.

I want him to forget.

Everything, and that means
up to and including tonight.

Do you read me, Doctor?

Nothing before that explosion.

If those orders are official,
I'd like them in writing.

Now, you know I don't work that way.

Well, you taught her, Tuxan.

And she learned
all your rules for survival.

Always keep your ear
in the other fellow's business...

...and fight dirty in the clinches.

Okay, good for Dr. Plover.

Open your coat.

I thought you wanted to give yourself up.

I got you up here to kill you.

- Am I gonna know why?
- After what you've just heard?

Now you're mine, Tuxan.

My case, my disposition.

I decide if you live or die.

You can't get out alive,
you know that.

I won't anyway.
I've killed six men, remember?

Walk with me a few hundred feet

and I'll prove to you
you didn't kill those men.

You're trying to trick me.
You're lying.

No. You've been lying.

You don't remember anything, do you?

No.

You did a perfect job.

I still have no memory.

But I can think.

I still have a brain.

- You should have taken that too, Tuxan.
- No.

Because now you have to use it.

Come on.

I'll take you to your answer.

I'm warning you, Tuxan.

I can put a bullet in you at any time.

Sure you can; That's the edge,
and you've got it.

But if you do,
you'll never know.

You'll kill me,
you'll die for it,

and you'll never know.

One sudden move.

No sudden moves.

Is Tuxan still inside?

Yeah, he sealed off the whole area.

Almost there.

A few more steps
and you'll know it all.

There it is.

Where does it go?

- Open the door.
- You open it.

You guessed a lot of it.

You were working for me.

I did let you escape.

I did make sure
you couldn't remember.

But you missed
the most important thing.

The important thing is,
you're not Welles.

This is Welles.

At least, that's what he called himself.

We're keeping him frozen,
still trying for a positive ID.

He's the one that robbed the computer,
blew it up, and killed the others.

He died ten minutes after surgery
the next day.

He's no good to me dead.

I needed one that was alive

to get me to the others.

Where did I come from?

We ran a computer check
on our personnel.

We're gonna alter the vocal cords,

use plastic surgery
to excuse the differences.

They found a fair double in Athens
working in our consulate.

You were flown in the same day.

- Athens?
- Where you were born.

Your parents were American,

but you lived there until you were six.

Seven years ago, you went back there
to join the State Department.

Here's your passport.

Peter Bellamy.

I don't recognize
the face or the name.

Just as well.

You have to live
with the one I gave you.

Did you tell me
what you were gonna do to me?

You volunteered.

I don't believe it.

You said you had nothing to lose.

The girl you were living with had died.

You were swimming.
She got a cramp.

You tried to keep her afloat
but she got away from you and drowned.

You believed it was your fault.

You tried to kill yourself.

When I got to you,
you were all ready.

No, dammit!

That could be Bellamy.

What's the difference?
A face, a name.

I don't trust you.

I don't trust myself,
that's what you've done to me.

You did it to yourself
when you volunteered.

- So you took my memory.
- I had to.

I couldn't give you Welles' memory,
I didn't know it.

I couldn't take the chance
you'd remember your own,

so I had it removed.

What did it get you?

It got me the man I wanted,
the one I suspected.

The one I had to have
absolute proof for.

You don't just accuse a man like Stanton,

you have to have it locked up
four ways to hell and back.

Stanton?

United States Senator Douglas Bell Stanton.

He was the enemy.

Tuxan!

What are you gonna do now?

What I came here to do.

Your enemies don't scare me, Tuxan,
not the way you do.

You and your kind of power.

When you can take a man's identity,

his face, his mind, his memory,

and use it for something
you consider more important,

that scares me.

Nothing scares me more except
the willingness to let you do it.

I still don't know who I am,
but I know who you are.

A man who took nothing from nothing.

You've got something
nobody in the world has:

A chance to start over,
clean, fresh.

You wanna blow that chance?

I could care less.

You had that one coming.

Maybe a couple more.

But it'd bust hell out of your hand,

I don't think the lady'd like that.

This is Tuxan, Code 3.

Alien is disarmed.
Release him.

Secure videotape.
I'll check it tomorrow.

Back to standard surveillance.