The Satan Bug (1965) - full transcript

Thanks. I'll see ya.
Yes, sir.

Hello, Mr. Reagan.
Hello, Raskin.

I see you've got
the duty again.

You've been back there a week.
It comes around.

Thanks.

Good night,
Dr. Ostrer.

Good night,
Reagan.

Oh, Reagan.

Reagan, I've gotta
talk to you.

I've got a minute now.

No. But I want to see you
tomorrow morning.



I'll come by your house.
10:00?

Fine.

What's this?
Laboratory equipment replacements.

Well, what happened
while I was gone?

Nothing, sir.

The Director?

Well, you know Dr. Baxter,
he's still...

Introverted.

Yes, sir.

Who's left in E Lab?

There's six, Dr. Baxter, Hoffman,
Yang, and three technicians.

Correct.

Gonna get these inside?
Yes, sir.

Hello, Mr. Reagan.
Hello, Mason.



Who's left in there?

Six, sir.
Dr. Baxter, Dr. Hoffman, Dr. Yang, and three technicians.

Dr. Hoffman.

Good evening, Reagan.

Is the Director in there?
Yes.

Working late tonight?

No.

Well, how was it
on the Potomac?

Not quiet.

I...
I understand the man has given us a new administrator,

Dr. Leonard Michaelson?

Who told you that?

Dr. Hoffman.

The cleaning woman told him.

Not funny.

Well, it's Friday.

Good night, Reagan.
See you Monday.

Good night, Doctor.

Any trouble? No, sir.
Just some minor residuals.

There's a couple of crates outside.
Let's get 'em in.

Yes, sir.
Raskin just called.

Good evening, Doctor.

Oh.

What is it, Reagan?

Working late?

No. But I'll be
in tomorrow.

What time?
8:00.

I'll set the time lock
for you.

Last time you locked
yourself out until Monday.

I know.

You've been away,
haven't you?

Washington.

How worried are they?

Well,
they're always worried about the security of this place.

My job's like that.

What they're really
worried about is that.

Yes, sir.

Did you, uh,
reassure them?

No. I leave that to you.

Yes.

Sir, do you think...

Why don't you take this Saturday and Sunday off,
Doctor?

Do you good.

No time for that, Reagan.

No time.

Tired men
make mistakes, Doctor.

God help us
if a mistake's made here.

Goodnight, Doctor.

Good night, Mr. Reagan.
Good night.

Good night, Mr. Reagan.
Good night.

Good night, Mason.
Good night, Mr. Reagan.

Good night,
Dr. Hoffman.

You are leaving, Doctor?

I'll be a few minutes.

Do you need me
for anything?

No.

Good night, Hoffman.

Goodnight, Dr. Hoffman.
Goodnight, Mason.

Good night, Doctor.

Good night, Doctor.

Mason speaking.

Is Doctor Williams in?

Dr. Williams
is not in E Lab.

Good night,
Dr. Baxter.

Two sixteen.
That's administration.

You're welcome.

It's Mason.
E Lab clear and closed.

Right.

Good night,
Doctor Baxter.

Good night, Doctor.

Raskin.

Yes, sir.

Reagan.
I'm going into E Lab.

The shoulder on
that back road's caved in.

We ought to take care of that tomorrow.
All right.

Might as well make a note of it in the
log for Mr. Reagan in the morning.

I'll tell him
when he leaves.

He's still here?
Mmm-hmm. E Lab.

What time
did he go in there?

Mr. Reagan.

Mr. Reagan.

Hello, Mr. Reagan?

Hello, Mr. Reagan?

Get over there and check
that security door.

This is Lieutenant Raskin,
Duty Officer, Station Three.

Get me the Director, Dr. Baxter, at home, or Mr. Tasserly.
Right.

There's a phone call for you.
What?

There's a phone call for you.

Thank you, very much.

Hello. Who?

Okay, put him on.
Yes. Mr. Martin?

Well, I could, but I don't
particularly want to.

Yeah. All right.
I hope it's as vital to me.

Mr. Martin?
Yes.

Good evening.

Good of you to see me at such a late hour,
Mr. Barrett.

You didn't care for a drink?
Oh, no, thank you.

Do you live aboard
all the time, Mr. Barrett?

No, just some of the time.

I don't imagine your law practice
is too demanding these days.

Could be better.

Yet, you can afford this yacht.
Must be rather expensive.

What can I do for you,
Mr. Martin?

We have a job for you.
We think you're the right man.

Oh? Why?

You have the background
for it.

And in the past,
you've been quite outspoken on the immorality of war.

Everybody says
he's against war.

Not ex-United States
Intelligence Officers.

Let's take a look
at some of the record.

"Lee Barrett. 1950.
University student. Pre law."

"Then active service,
Korea and helicopters."

"Detached for special service.
Excellent war record."

"Citation.
Superb lone operator who has no master in cunning,"

"secrecy or violence."

"Promoted to captain.
Recommended for three decorations."

First discordant note.
Last two refused.

You are quoted
as saying that war

"had aged you so fast,
you were too old to play with toys."

Rather a whimsical statement,
Mr. Barrett.

You think so?

Why did you
leave the service?

Poor prospects.

Discharged, 1952.

Allowed to resign commission after
altercation with a Major General.

Some people
have flat feet.

I dislike taking orders
under certain circumstances.

Then you got your law degree.
Passed the bar examination, but didn't practice.

Joined a government agency.

Fired.

A stint with another one.
Fired for the usual reason.

You rate rather high
on insubordination.

My record is easy to check,
Mr. Martin. Make your point.

A year ago you were appointed
Security Chief at Station Three.

How do you know
about Station Three?

The most secret chemical warfare
establishment in this hemisphere.

Fired three months ago.

Reason? "Emotional rejection
of purpose of project."

"Council for World Peace."

"Henry Martin,
Executive Secretary."

You heard of us?

Oh, yes.

But you don't approve of us?

I don't like semi-secret organizations,
Mr. Martin.

Neither do I,
Mr. Barrett.

But the Council is
a potent weapon for peace.

We're not communistic
or anti-communistic.

You just want
a workable peace.

Like you, perhaps,
Mr. Barrett.

You have been outspoken
on the foolishness of war.

That was removed from Station
Three a few hours ago.

It doesn't matter
how at the moment.

Do you know
what it is?

Botulinus?

No.

A vaccine
against botulinus.

The contents of that flask can be
cultured to provide enough vaccine

to immunize
any nation on Earth.

We want it delivered
to this address.

Europe?
Yes.

How does that help peace?

It neutralizes
a terrible weapon.

If we both have it, well,
neither side can threaten the other with it.

Very dangerous assignment,
Mr. Martin.

$10,000 should cover
your expenses.

I'm afraid not.

Then you refuse?

No.

It'll cost you 20,000.
10,000 each way. Cash. Now.

You mind if I say something,
Mr. Barrett?

Yes, I do.

Keep your speeches and
moralities for your council.

This is a business deal.

No wonder you were thrown
out of so many places.

Satisfied?

Yes.

Put your forearms
on the table.

You have a strange way of doing business,
Mr. Barrett.

What is this?
A holdup?

Put your forearms
on the table.

First,
vaccines are not stored at Station Three.

So this has got to be
some kind of a virus.

Second,
no one's supposed to know anything about Station Three.

And third,
I know quite a bit about the World Peace Organization.

There's a fat, balding man who is the secretary,
name, Henry Martin.

I know him.

What do you
intend to do?

Turn you over
to the right people.

I know this isn't evidence,

but with your fingerprints on the flask,
and the money, it'll do.

I guess
I underestimated you.

I guess you did.
Now, stand up.

Turn around, put your hands on
the bulkhead and lean on them.

Cavanaugh? What the hell
are you doing here?

Now, don't get sore, Barrett.
I had to do this in a hurry,

and it's the only way
I could handle it.

Handle what?

I had to check you
for security and quick.

That character's one of your agents?
That's right.

And you planned this whole thing
just to see if I could be bought?

You could put it
that way, I guess.

I didn't know what kind of
a security risk you'd become.

People change, you know.

You did have me worried on
that radio there for a moment.

Get out of here and get your
tail back to Washington.

Mr. Barrett,
I'm Dr. Leonard Michaelson.

I know who you are.
You, too. Get out.

Get your props
and get off this boat.

Barrett, you know the way
our security agency works.

Mr. Barrett, I can understand
how you might interpret this

as a reflection on your loyalty...
Sir.

Barrett, the General has asked
that we come to you.

He wants you
in on this.

In on what?

Station Three was broken into
a few hours ago.

Reagan's been murdered
and Dr. Baxter has vanished.

Mr. Michaelson?
Right.

I'm Pelton Tasserly, Deputy Administrator here.
Mr. Tasserly.

Lieutenant Raskin.
Lieutenant Johnson.

Good morning.
I'm very sorry about this, sir.

No sooner take over and...
Yes, yes, Tasserly.

You know Mr. Cavanaugh?
Yes, I do.

Mr. Barrett?
Hello, Barrett.

Anything on Baxter?

Nothing. But the net's out.
All points.

What steps have you taken?

None, really. I figured
you'd get here pretty fast.

So I've touched nothing,
talked to no one.

I did bring in all the security
people who were on duty last night.

Whom have you told about this,
Mr. Tasserly?

Well, no one,
other than you people,

and our security men,
of course.

And Doctor Hoffman.
Why him?

Well, he was the last one out,
except for the Director.

He's waiting
in E block now.

Let's take
a look at Reagan.

Are you with us,
Barrett?

I'll be there
in a minute.

How do you see this,
Johnson?

Well, Mr. Tasserly says,
and Mason swears that nobody got into E Lab.

But I don't think Reagan
committed suicide in there.

Neither do I. What's the
sentry dog doing over here?

He's got a lump on his head
that wasn't there yesterday.

But he was still on patrol this morning?
Mmm-hmm.

I think maybe he might've
been knocked cold for awhile.

Of course, being a dog, he couldn't tell me about it.
He just went back to work.

Yeah.

Has Raskin got men
going over the fence?

Every inch.

Right in that corner, sir.

Dr. Hoffman's terribly distraught.
Insists he must talk to you.

Immediately, in private.

Perhaps you should
see him, sir.

Hmm.

Dr. Hoffman,
this is Dr. Michaelson.

How was it done?

Blow on the head.
No weapon.

Who set the time lock?

I don't know, sir.
I suppose Dr. Baxter.

Another half an hour to go.

Is there any way
to work that combination

and go in before
the time is up?

We've got to find out if
anything has happened in there.

No way on earth until those
red lights go off at 8:00.

You fool with that door before that,
well, you'd die quick.

It's booby trapped.
A thousand volt charge and lethal gas.

Mr. Raskin.
Yes?

We've found
a break in the fence.

Don't touch it.
We'll be right there. Yes, sir.

Raskin,
have your men move Reagan's body

to one of
the side laboratories.

Yes, sir.

Taped.

So that you can't even see
it unless you look closely.

Very careful job.

Raskin, open
the other side.

Cut left to right.
A right-handed man, maybe.

Or a left-handed man who wants us
to think he's right-handed, maybe.

The alarm didn't go off.
The wire hasn't been touched anywhere.

Someone'd really have to know
their way around this place

not to trip over this
at night.

The thing
I don't understand,

is how anybody
can get past the dog.

I don't get that, either.

What do you
think happened?

I don't know, sir.

What's his name?
Rollo.

Can I handle him?
He's under sedation. Go ahead.

Easy, Rollo. Easy, boy.
Easy, Rollo.

Easy. Easy.

There it is.

What do you
make of that?

Hmm.

Those are cuts.
How'd they get there?

From the wire.

Right.

Raskin, you be Rollo.

Now, you tape up your arm,
stick it through, thus...

Okay, grab it.

You hang up Rollo on the
wires so he can't pull free

without tearing
his throat out.

He'd make a noise. No.
These dogs are trained not to bark.

No matter what. Right?
Right.

Then you clobber him
with something heavy,

you tape up the wire
and you're gone.

When Rollo comes to,
he's got the world's most massive headache.

But being a dog,
he can't tell anybody

so he just goes
back to work. Simple.

So that's how he got in.

No. That's how he got out.
Out?

Right. Look at the ends of
these wires where they're bent.

He took Rollo
from the inside.

Mr. Barrett, a telegram for you.
It came to our office in town.

How come you get
a telegram here?

Magic.

I'd certainly like to know
what it says.

I'll bet you would.

Mr. Cavanaugh,
it's 10 minutes to 8:00.

I know it is
an outside possibility,

but it is a possibility
and a horrible one.

And you cannot just kick it under the rug.
You have not the right...

What is it?

We have a very difficult
situation here.

Dr. Hoffman feels that E Lab
should be sealed in concrete.

Why?

Because he's afraid that
some chemicals in that vault

may have been
broken or tampered with.

Even if they weren't,
we still cannot take the chance.

The possibilities are
too monstrous to gamble with.

What possibilities?

I think you better
tell them, Doctor.

More than 40 bio-chemical weapons
have been developed at Station Three.

I will confine myself to two which
we have developed here in E Lab.

First, botulinus.

We have 1,200 grams
in six flasks.

If 10 grams of it were allowed
to contaminate a city,

that city is a morgue
in four hours.

It is an ideal weapon,
God forgive the phrase,

because it destroys
only people.

And it oxidizes itself.
In effect, dies, disappears after eight hours.

Well, then,
it's safe to go in there.

It's been over eight hours since
that vault door was closed.

And if all 1,200 grams of the
botulinus were spilled on the floor,

it would still be safe.

The closed air circulating system is still in operation.
So it would be oxidized.

That is correct. But there is
something else in there.

It is only three weeks since Dr.
Baxter refined it and only three days

since he communicated
its existence to anyone.

There's something beyond
the botulinus?

Yes, the second weapon.

Also a virus, air borne.

But self-perpetuating.
Indestructible.

Once released,
it will multiply at a power beyond our calculations.

It perhaps, will never die.

To this virus, we have given
a highly unscientific name,

but one which
describes it perfectly.

The Satan Bug.

If I took the flask which contains
it and exposed it to the air,

everyone here would be
dead in a few seconds.

California would be a tomb
in a few hours.

In a week,

all life,
and I mean all life,

would cease
in the United States.

In two months,
two months at the most,

the trapper in Alaska,
the peasant on the Yangtze,

the aborigine in Australia,
dead.

All dead.

Because I crushed the flask and exposed
a green colored liquid to the air.

Nothing, nothing can stop
the Satan Bug.

What would be
the last to go?

Perhaps a great albatross winging it's
way around the bottom of the world.

Perhaps an Eskimo
deep in the Arctic.

But the seas travel the world
over and so do the winds.

One day, one day soon,
they, too, would die.

The Satan Bug is
behind that door.

One flask. It has got to be locked up.
It has got to be.

I must make you understand.

If botulinus is spilled,
as Mr. Barrett here has just said,

then it does not matter.

But, by God,
if someone did get in there,

and the Satan Bug is spilled,
and the vault door opened half an inch

and left open,
then the airlock room is lethal.

Open this door for more than
five seconds

and everything that I have told you will happen,
will happen.

I beg you, sir, seal up the door.
You cannot take the risk.

I agree. There's
nothing else we can do.

We've no option.

We've no option,
but to make sure it's in there and untouched.

All right,
you're all set.

Barrett, if that hamster does die,
you'll be contaminated.

You won't be able
to come out of there.

I know.

Well, I trust your intentions,

but if there is
something wrong in there, I...

You wonder if I can
go through staying in there?

Yes.
So do I.

Eric, do you have your gun?

If I come out of that vault
with this face mask down,

open that airlock door
just a crack and use it.

It's below atmospheric
pressure in there,

so the outside air
will rush in.

You'll have time.
You'll be safe.

Lee, you know if I have to,
I will use this.

I know.

There's no danger.

Baxter's in there.
He's dead.

Botulinus.

There was a accident last month,
a technician.

Oh, no, it is all right.

There's just the odor now.
It's oxidized.

What about
the Satan Bug, Dr. Hoffman?

Don't touch the handle, Doctor.
We need fingerprints.

It is gone.

And the botulinus.

All the flasks.
Yes. They are all gone.

It can't be gone.
It can't be. It's impossible.

Baxter walked out
last night.

He was checked out. He was!

Somebody else
walked out.

Good morning. Good morning.
I'm Lee Barrett.

Oh, yes, Mr. Barrett.
You're in suite 15.

I am?
Yes, sir.

You're already registered.

I am?
You certainly are.

Hello, Lee, darling.

Thank you, very much.

Don't mention it.

I thought you'd
never get here.

I've read the newspaper three
times and had four cups of coffee.

Well, I hope
you saved one for me.

I certainly did.

What the hell
are you doing here?

I'm using a new strategy,
darling.

I thought you might like
the Mata Hari type.

But that telegram,
"The sooner the better."

Can you think of a better way
to get you here fast?

At least you
could've signed it, damn it.

Hey, your language hasn't improved a bit,
by the way.

You need a wife's influence.

Ann, honey,
what are you doing here?

Isn't this a beautiful part
of the desert?

It's marvelous,
almost a hideaway.

Where is he?

About 10 miles from here.

Well, who's the cover
this time?

Me.

You?

You know, you're not very bright this morning,
Lee, darling

and you're certainly not
a bit flattering.

You and I are spending
a quiet little weekend here.

Supposedly.

Oh.

What is it this time, Lee?

It's not good.

Why didn't you say so?

I know a darling place
out in the desert for lunch.

Green pepper burritos
and cold Mexican beer.

Ole.

Oh, hello, Ann, darling.
Good morning, Dad.

Good morning, sir.
Good to see you again.

Hello, Lee.
It's good to see you. Sit down.

Thank you.
That's it for romance today, Lee.

I'll get your breakfast.
No, that can wait.

Sit down, Ann.
There's no reason why you shouldn't hear this.

It didn't take you long to
get here from Washington.

No. I'm a member of the Mach two club now.
A little over two hours.

No, Ann came ahead of me.
I was going to talk to Baxter.

We've just learned
of the Satan Bug.

Baxter hadn't told you?

No, not until three days ago.
He was quite disturbed.

So were all of us.
A difficult decision.

Didn't know what to do.
Destroy it or not.

Is it gone? Yes, sir.
And all the botulinus.

And I warned him.

You set a project like this in motion,
something has to blow.

You think Baxter took it?

No, I found him in the lab.
He's dead.

Baxter's dead?

Somehow two men
got into E Lab yesterday.

They must've found Baxter there alone,
just before closing.

One of them threw the flask at
him and then shut the vault door,

then he walked out
as Baxter.

As Baxter?
There must've been

a reasonable resemblance,
and with Baxter's hat and coat,

everybody expected
to see Baxter.

So they saw Baxter.

And?

The other man went through
the fence with the stuff.

Reagan must've stumbled
on them in the lab.

Does Cavanaugh
have any ideas?

None. But he's
all over the place

with fingerprint men
and cameras.

He'll interrogate everything, everybody,
but he won't come up with anything

that will be of any value.

You agree
that it was an inside job?

Certainly an inside assist,
but too smooth to be caught

by fingerprints
and conversation.

Anyhow, sir, as you know,

the "how" is not important,
it's the "who" and the "why" that counts.

Yes.

Lee,

have they told you just what
this new virus will do?

Dr. Hoffman filled me in.

It's throwing that botulinus
that worries me.

That's the work
of a lunatic.

There're three
possibilities.

Foreign power, possible.

Criminals, hijackers,
improbable.

It's the first and the
third that bother me.

What's the third?
Well, you said it, a lunatic.

Well,
psychotics don't generally engage in team work like this.

Paranoids do, and they're very brilliant,
some of them.

What sort of paranoid?

The kind that we grow
the most of in this country.

A messiah.

What kind of messiah?

Take your pick.

Extreme right,
extreme left.

From the "I'd rather be Red than Dead"
fanatics

to "Bomb Moscow
right now" fanatics.

My choice, a messiah.

Let's say you're right.
What next?

A telegram, a letter,
or something to the papers with,

"Mankind must abolish war,
or war will abolish mankind."

And they'll make demands and end up with,
"Obey or else."

Where were you
at midnight last night?

I beg your pardon?

This was delivered
about 10 minutes ago.

"Mankind must abolish war,
or war will abolish mankind."

"I have what
you're looking for."

"I order your Citadel
of the Antichrist destroyed."

"The President will publicly
announce immediate compliance."

"To prove that I am to be obeyed,
there will be an incident."

Unsigned.

They were carried in.
Routine delivery of crates.

Carried in!

Phony.

My God, Mr. Barrett,
we had no way of knowing.

We had no idea they'd do anything like this.
No idea at all. It's...

It's so simple
it's ridiculous.

It's always the simple way
that works.

Nothing?
Nothing.

Only the fingerprints
that belong here.

The crates were coded with the right number,
the right color.

And they were delivered late Friday afternoon,
at 5:35.

No reason for the technicians
to open them.

Exactly.

We're just to see
that nothing gets out.

Nothing. Everything that
comes in stays...

Eric.

The General's here.
He got this this morning.

It was phoned in last night.

Pay phone,
Los Angeles Airport.

My God.

How did they even know
he was here?

Good question.

Well, there's only one thing to do.
Rip this whole place apart.

Get everybody in here.
Everyone else connected with this place.

Work them over.
Meanwhile, we'll keep the whole area completely sealed off.

I think, except for
sealing off the area,

we should do
the exact opposite.

What do you mean?

Everybody here, at E Lab,
knows exactly what happened.

Certainly whoever
took the bugs know.

But nobody outside
knows anything yet.

Keep it that way.
Leave it wide open.

Why?
So we don't force anybody underground.

Eric, there's got to be at least
an inside assist from someone here

at Station Three.

Whoever it is,
let's keep them in the dark.

Let's hope they make a move,
and if they do, we'll know it.

It may be the break
we're looking for.

Pretty dangerous, Lee.
Lot of ways to make a slip.

You know how long it'll take
to interrogate everybody.

Cross check stories, and run down leads.
We're under a time gun.

You cannot conduct this
like a normal investigation.

We've got to hope that somebody,
somehow, will lead us to the bugs.

Only the flasks are important,
nothing else.

- What do we say about Baxter?
- Tell them nothing.

What about this?
It doesn't exist.

I'll give the word
to Raskin.

Raskin.

Anything, Mr. Barrett?

Mr. Cavanaugh will be in
in a moment.

That was a very brave thing you did,
Mr. Barrett.

To go into that vault.

Maybe I knew there wasn't any risk.
How could you know that?

Well, certainly,
whoever planned this had accurate information.

Very accurate information.

Like me you mean?
I'd put me at the top of the list.

Why would you steal
the Satan Bug, Mr. Barrett?

Possession gives one
limitless power.

Military power?

And political power
and limitless wealth.

The Satan Bug could make one god on earth,
or the devil, if you please.

Isn't that enough
to tempt anyone?

Dr. Hoffman, how long
will it take us to develop

a vaccine against
the Satan Bug?

As a scientist,
I cannot say never, but...

Dr. Baxter was not getting anywhere,
none of us were.

Tasserly,
institute a crash program.

Now.
Yes, sir.

Sir, except
for those present,

we're taking the official
position that nothing is missing.

There's been a murder,
that's all.

We say nothing
to anyone.

A murder?
What about Dr. Baxter?

There's a dead body in there.
It'll keep till Monday. Dr. Baxter's just missing.

Meanwhile, of course,
we'll proceed with the investigation.

How?
The usual way.

What are we
supposed to do?

What do you propose,
Mr. Tasserly?

I think I will stay here at Station Three,
if you do not object.

I'm very tired,
and I do not feel like going home.

I'll go with you.

Somehow, I...

Well, I should
like to be on call.

I will be in D Wing rest area.
Do not hesitate to awaken me.

Very well.

The General is here,
Dr. Michaelson.

All of this is being transmitted
to Washington in detail.

All right.
I'll be in administration with Tasserly.

Station Three personnel?

Yes.

That telegram.

Could there have been a leak?
I mean, you don't think it was a phony, do you?

It could be a maneuver.
The bugs are gone.

A lunatic
with the killer of all times.

Gives me the creeps.

This whole operation
gives me the creeps.

How was Florida?

Okay.
Quick trip.

No quicker than
it was scheduled.

How'd you make out?

I made out fine.

Where's Ainsley?

I don't know.

When did he get here?

He didn't.

What do you mean,
he didn't?

I mean
he didn't get here.

And he didn't call.

Did you call him?

No, I didn't.

Hello.

Yeah, this is
Dr. Ostrer's house.

Oh, I'm just the air conditioning man.
I'm fixing the unit.

Well, he just stepped out.
He said he'd be right back. Can I take a message?

To call who?

Ah, Ainsley?
How do you spell that? A-N-S...

A-I-N-S-L-E-Y.

Ah, that's right, Mr. Ainsley.
What number?

What the hell
are you doing here?

Do you usually make a habit of hanging
around people's swimming pools?

I do when I see that.

Is that Ostrer?

Yeah. They wiped him out.

Could he have been
the inside assist?

Could be.

Cavanaugh, please.

Cavanaugh, Barrett here.
I'm at Ostrer's. He's dead.

It's murder to me,
but it looks like it could be suicide.

He's floating
at the bottom of the pool.

I'll fill you in on the details later,
but more important,

see if you can check a call that just
came in to this number a minute ago.

What does the name
Ainsley mean to you?

Charles Reynolds Ainsley.

Uh-huh. That's him.
Millionaire crank.

Right at the top of the list
of crackpots.

A place in New York,
Santa Barbara and another one,

I think, somewhere outside
of Phoenix. Nail him.

Don't touch him,
but don't let him out of your sight.

And don't let him know
he's being followed. Okay.

Now, honey,
what are you doing here?

I was looking for you.

The incident?

Florida.

Well,
it's happened, Lee.

Key West, Florida.
About an hour and a half ago.

We have helicopters
in the area

making 16 millimeter films of
everything they can see from the air.

Meanwhile, the coast line
is blocked off

and we're at the present time clearing
the ocean for 200 miles off shore.

How'd it happen?

Nobody seems to know, exactly.

One reports says
there was a small explosion.

Then everyone downwind
started dying.

We've closed down
all the news media,

but we won't be able to
keep it quiet for long.

What's the attitude
in Washington?

I would describe it
as controlled panic.

What do they expect
you to do?

Find whoever it is.
Deal with him.

Buy him off, kill him,
whatever's necessary.

But meanwhile?

Yes. Speaking.

Oh, are they clear?

That bad, huh?

When will the film be here?

Well, yes, he's here now.
I'll tell him.

I'll get back to you as soon as I've seen the film.
Goodbye.

They have the film on Florida and they're
shipping a print out here right away.

Cavanaugh tells me that he and his
staff have drawn a complete blank.

They checked out everything and
everybody in Station Three,

except Hoffman.
I want you to get on Hoffman.

And push Cavanaugh on that Ainsley lead.
That's the only one we've got.

And we're not going to be able to
control this thing very much longer.

Yes, sir.

Oh,
that film is going to arrive at Station Three about 4:00.

Get it here
as soon as it arrives.

Get me this number,
will you, Ann?

Now,
you left the research center in Zurich

after you accepted your position here.
Is that correct?

Yes. But as you know,
I went on a four-week motor tour before I reported.

Reported to Washington?

Yes. Well, actually,
to the United States Counsel at Naples

before I boarded the Da Vinci.

And that was in...

That was five months ago.
The exact date was...

Oh, I have it here.

You were out of touch
while touring?

I had no set plans.
I motored through the Tyrol, across the Brenner,

Lake Lugano.
Naturally, if I had been needed here immediately...

It was a... It was kind of
therapeutic irresponsibility.

Lee, we just got
the last word on Ainsley.

Looks like we're on target.

Excuse me.

Mr. Barrett.

Yes?

That bulletin over the radio about the trouble in Florida,
the...

It sounded as if...

We think
it's the botulinus.

My God.
Why, Mr. Barrett?

We don't know.

But for what purpose?

We're trying to
find that out. Excuse me.

He's disappeared.

The Santa Barbara house and the Phoenix
place have been closed for months.

He was last seen
in his New York place.

How long ago was that?
Eight months.

We ran everybody who ever said
hello to him through the wringer.

His ex-housekeeper
in New York

said that he told her
he was going on a world tour.

Somebody bought the tickets.
Travel agency must have a schedule.

She said Ainsley is not the kind
of man you ask questions of.

Well, what does he look like?
We have any pictures?

No.

There's no reason for anybody
to keep a file on him.

No pictures, newspaper morgue,
no personal stuff?

None. He's an eccentric.
No pictures, no relatives, no public life.

Visual description
from all concerned.

Age, 50-something. Height, medium.
Hair, brown. Coloring, normal.

Distinguishing
characteristics, none.

No other leads, nothing?
No.

If anybody could beat any haystacks
any flatter than we have.

Lee, look. He's the only name that's
dropped into this from the outside.

And he's vanished
from the face of the earth.

Everything we know about him fits
the man that sent that telegram.

Lunatic fringe, crank,
rich, with resources.

Now, it's too much
to be a coincidence.

Barrett here.

Thank you.
The film is here.

I thought something had happened
when I didn't hear from you.

What?

I see.

Everything's perfect here.

What?

Where?

Where?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, we can.

Well?

No doubt about it.

Williams here. Thank you.

Hello, sir.
We're looking at the film now.

Michaelson said there's
no question about it.

Did they
tell them everything?

No, sir, I'm sorry,
I can't.

Not a thing.

I understand. Goodbye.

Well, they've had to
give the press everything.

Except the connection
with Station Three.

Hello.

Yes.

Who is this?

Who is this?

All right, I'm listening.
Go ahead.

You have seen
what I have done in Florida.

You have ignored my order.

Continue, and you will sacrifice
hundreds of thousands of innocent lives.

Who is this?

Who is this?

My name is
Charles Reynolds Ainsley.

Now listen,
don't hang up.

I'll agree to meet you
anywhere you say.

But you must realize
that we have to discuss...

Operator! Operator!

A call just came through
on this phone, trace it.

Why not?
This is vitally important.

Well, why is it impossible?

I see.

This number can be reached
by an area code number.

That call could have come from
any place in the country.

It would take a week
to track it down, if then.

Don't interrupt.

All right,
I'm listening. Go ahead.

You've seen
what I've done in Florida.

You have ignored my order.

Continue, and you will sacrifice
hundreds of thousands of innocent lives.

Los Angeles next.

Noon tomorrow!

Who is this?

Who is this?

My name is
Charles Reynolds Ainsley.

Now listen,
don't hang up.

I'll agree to meet you
anywhere you say.

But you must realize
that we have to discuss...

Operator! Operator!

A call just came through
on this number, trace it.

We have to get every man
in the country to find him.

We're already doing that,
but it's too late, he could be anywhere.

And he has those flasks.

Yes, I know that General,
and we can't evacuate Los Angeles.

We don't have time.

We'll have to try.
Meanwhile, we keep stalling and hope for a break.

Sir.

Don't you think
we should capitulate?

Station Three
will only be the beginning.

It's a bluff. It must be.
No one would do such a thing.

Are you prepared
to take that chance?

Bring the tape recorder
with you.

There's no point in continuing
this charade of hiding out here.

Lee, I'd like to have you
check out...

What is it?

Why did he give his name?

It doesn't make any sense.
It would have been better to keep us guessing.

I don't agree.
That's exactly what a paranoid would do.

You heard that voice.
A monstrous ego working.

No, sir,
there's something wrong.

What?

I can't put my finger on it,
I don't really know.

We'll be at Station Three.

I checked out
the car for you, Lee.

He got a flat coming down the canyon.
Where?

It was picked up about a
half mile down the road.

A couple hundred feet
above split rock.

You remember, we caught
some trout there.

You can still see the marks
on the shoulder.

See you.

What's the significance
of the car, Lee?

Nothing, just checking,
you check everything.

Is that where
the car got the flat?

Well, the car
slipped off the jack.

Obviously,
he tried to dig a hole to get it back on and couldn't,

so he abandoned it.

Come on.

All right, sit down here, Ann.
Now follow me on this.

Everybody figures

that whoever
took the bugs got out.

They're gone.

The inside assist,
Ostrer, he's dead.

But let's suppose that there's another
man that's tied up in all this,

who's still here,
who can't get out.

Why does he have to get out?
Why doesn't he just stay here?

Because he's got
something vital.

Something that Ainsley's got to have,
and he's got to have in a hurry.

I don't understand.

Two men got into E Lab.

One got out as Baxter,
he walked out.

The other one through
the fence with the bugs.

Let's say that they met
this third man,

who took all the flasks,
except two,

which he gave to them, and then they took off,
probably in Baxter's car.

One flask for Florida.
One for Los Angeles.

I've got that.

Now, let's say that this third man
takes off with the rest of the flasks.

But he's got one more thing
that he must do.

Knock off Ostrer,
who's a threat somehow.

Let's say
he knocks off Ostrer,

comes down this road,
free and clear.

And then the nightmare
of all criminals happens.

The senseless accident.

The flat.
Right!

He tries to fix it,
the car slips off the jack.

Now he's stuck.
What would you do?

I'd hitchhike down the road.

But the bugs?

You couldn't take a chance
on taking them with you

and you wouldn't leave them
in the car.

So, where would you put them
where they'd be safe?

Where you could get to
them when you were free to

and where they'd stay cool.

The water.

I'd hide them in the water.

That's what I think.

Lee!

Whose car was that?

Just stand.

Perfectly still.

Handle that gently.

Those misses were intentional.

Stand exactly
where you are, Ann.

And that I presume
was Doctor Baxter?

Just put the flask
back in the box.

Sit down.

There's a phone call for you in the administration,
Mr. Cavanaugh.

Thank you.

Absolutely no sign of them.

We checked out
Barrett's car.

No sign of violence
there or anywhere.

Just some footprints down by the bank of the stream.
Nothing else.

Have you heard
anything here?

No.

He hasn't been missing long.
He could be anywhere.

You know what
he's like, sir.

I don't understand why Barrett is
so interested in Dr. Hoffman's car.

I don't either, sir.

The Highway Patrol
officer said...

Yes?

Mr. Cavanaugh?
Johnson's on the line.

Put him on.
Hello?

Yes, Johnson.

No sign of them in any of the
places we've looked in town.

Keep looking.
Yes, sir.

The officer said that Barrett just wanted
to know where the doctor had had the flat.

Well, so what? We knew about it.
You had a flat last night.

You started to hitchhike,
they picked you up outside of town and brought you here.

I was very lucky.

That road is lonely at night,
but I was picked up in the canyon.

Not outside of town.

Yes.

Barrett is liable to call us
anytime from anywhere.

I think it means nothing.

I've pulled
all the roadblocks.

You want me to put them back,
just in case?

No point in that.

Yes?

There's a call
for Dr. Hoffman.

Put it through. Doctor.

Doctor Hoffman?
Yes.

Hello, Gregor,
this is Donald.

Sorry to disturb you,
but we were going fishing this afternoon, remember?

Well, I... I couldn't,
I was tied up here.

Sorry you missed out,
the fishing was good.

Do you have to work tonight?
We're at your trailer. How about dinner?

Well, Donald,
I... I do not see how...

I wish you could.
There's something I want to talk to you about.

Well, it would be
very nice, Donald...

There's no need
for you to stay here now.

Jeff, run the Doctor home.
All right, Eric.

Thank you.

I will be there in a few minutes, Donald.
Good.

Thank you.

He stopped on
the road, slid down the bank,

and got to the flasks
before we did.

This is the only place
we had to hide 'em.

I know it was taking
a chance to call you.

But I was afraid you were caught.
He knew about your car.

Now we're stuck.
There are roadblocks all over the place.

Everything's fine, Donald.

Nobody's suspicious,
and the roadblocks have been removed.

It seems that Mr. Barrett
is so unpredictable

that nothing has been made
of their disappearance.

Did Los Angeles
go as planned, Veretti?

I put it there.

We will take them
with us.

That's dangerous.

If there is any trouble,
they will be our best protection.

There's nothing happening yet.
They're still all in the trailer.

What about
the manager?

Oh, we're keeping
the manager out of the way.

Do you think Barrett saw you?
Possibly.

But he'd never recognize me,
he's never seen me before.

Can you see anything
going on in there?

There's no movement, no sound,
no, nothing happening.

Keep on the line.

Why would Dr. Hoffman
be connected with this?

Why? I don't understand.

He checked out perfectly.
There's nothing in his background

to indicate that he's...
Dr. Michaelson, please.

We've got to grab them, sir.
Right now.

Certainly not,
Cavanaugh.

Now, we know that Barrett is in Dr.
Hoffman's trailer with two strange men.

And we know that Dr. Hoffman is there
and he's connected with those men.

And we know Dr. Hoffman's car had
some special significance to Barrett.

And that's all we know.

We don't even know if Barrett went
there willingly or unwillingly.

Let me grab them, sir,
and I'll find out.

I don't think you'd find out
anything that would be worth

losing the only advantage
we have.

What is that?

They will lead us
to Ainsley, to the flasks.

Only the flasks
are important.

This is the break
we've been praying for.

They're going to leave.
We let them.

Then we shadow them,
very carefully.

Let one eager beaver show our hand,
and we're through.

Now set it up.

In the desert we're okay,
not much traffic.

But we could lose them
in the first town.

And what if they head
for that mess that'll be

coming out of Los Angeles?
We'll change our strategy by then.

At least we'll know
which way they're headed.

Set it up.
Yes, sir.

The evacuation of
Los Angeles is under way.

It is too early to say yet how effective this will be,
or how possible it will be.

There is no further official word as
to the exact imminence of the threat.

It means nothing.
There are military training fields all around here.

Incident in Florida
is related to this situation.

I'm staying above
and behind them.

They're still traveling west
on 17.

They seem to be stalling.

They're almost
going around in circles.

Why?

Evasive action.
They're taking the long way to wherever they're going.

It's getting a little difficult
to keep them in sight.

This is pretty rough country and
it's closing in on the road.

I don't like this section
they're going through.

It's impossible to keep visual contact
without the chopper tipping its hand.

There are only three points they can come out of there,
here, here and here.

You have men covering
all of them, haven't you?

Yes, sir. I'll double up
here and here.

I'm going to lose them
for a long stretch now.

Unless I close in.

Don't close up,
stay out of sight

until you can pick them up on
the other side of the section.

Will do.

Where's your follow car?
Right here.

Tell him not to move until
he can make absolutely sure

that the road ahead is clear.
Yes, sir.

Hold your position unless you
can see the road is clear ahead.

Understood.

You'll have
no problem, Veretti?

None.

You know where I'll be.

It'd be better
if we stayed together.

Got 'em again.

They're moving down the grade.

They're going to be out
in the open desert any minute.

Back away to 1-1-9-30
and stay out of sight.

Right.

Tell your follow car
to close up.

Zebra to X-Ray.

Position ahead
clear now, move up.

Understood. Moving up.

Donald!

Is he following?

I don't know.

Take that turn.

They've turned left
onto Seco Road now.

They slowed down and...
Well, for a moment we got awfully close to them.

Did they see you?
Well, I'm not sure, they might have.

You want us to take them
if they spot us?

No!

Only if they stop, and if they do,
get on the radio immediately.

Understood.

Pull in up there
and let's see what this is.

Damn!

Hello, Zebra, come in!
This is X-Ray.

Hello, Zebra, come in.
This is X-Ray.

Hello.

Ah, it's dead.

Come out
and keep your hands up!

Show yourself and keep
your hands in the air.

Come out
and show yourself.

We're armed
with riot guns.

Now, come out of there
with your hands up!

All right,
drop that gun.

Tell them I'll throw it.

Don't move.

Just do exactly
whatever he tells you to do.

Toss the shotguns
on the ground.

Throw them down.

And the revolvers.

Easy!

I'm now hovering over 1-1-9-3-3-0.
Nothing but empty road.

Stay put.

Veretti?

What about the girl?

Why don't you
take her with you?

Lee.

Take her with you.

Ann,

get out of here.

What the hell kind of a thing was that?
Shh!

Don't you see,
he's going to throw the flask.

It'll probably come through
one of those two holes.

Where ever it comes through, we've got to grab it.
We've got to.

If it smashes on the wall or the
floor or any of these objects,

the three of us
are dead men.

If we miss it,
I'll douse it with this.

It's hygroscopic.
It has an affinity for water.

This isn't water,
it's kerosene.

It's got water in it.
Besides, it's all we've got.

Sand. Put sand on it!

Lee!

Let's go!

Zebra to X-Ray.
Zebra to X-Ray, come in.

Something's wrong,
Cavanaugh.

Two more minutes,
and we go in there.

Zebra to X-Ray, come in.
Come in, X-Ray!

Zebra to X-Ray.
Zebra to X-Ray.

Come in, X-Ray.
This is Zebra, come in, X-Ray.

Zebra to X-Ray, come in.
Zebra to X-Ray, come in.

Come in, X-Ray, come in.

Zebra to X-Ray.
Zebra to X-Ray.

Come in.

Zebra to X-Ray,
come in.

Come in, X-Ray.

This is Zebra,
come in, X-Ray.

Come in,
this is Barrett.

Cone in, X-Ray,
this is Zebra.

Come in,
this is Barrett.

Cone in, X-Ray,
come in.

Move and I'll smash it!
I'll never be taken alive.

Your friends can't help you.
You're on your own now.

I always have been.

You might be able to take this away
from me before I could smash it.

But it would not help you.

The flask in Los Angeles.

Exactly.

You cannot evacuate the city.

If anything happens to me,
Los Angeles will be a cemetery by this time tomorrow.

If things go your way

and it's announced that Station
Three is being destroyed,

will you take me to where the
flask is and immobilize it?

Perhaps you had better
get in the car, Mr. Barrett.

On the other side.

I determined in
the laboratory

that only a four and a half pound
pressure shatters this flask.

I can easily apply that.

I spotted
the station wagon again.

They're still moving north
on Seco Road.

Any sign of
the follow car?

No.

It looks like there's some kind of
fire back there where they came from.

A lot of orange flame
on the horizon.

You'd better get
somebody in there, fast.

What are your plans now,
what do you intend to do, Mr. Ainsley?

Ah, I can't believe
how stupid I've been.

Ainsley's been missing for months and
Hoffman's been on the scene for months.

Or at least you're an
impersonation of the real Hoffman.

What happened to him?

That's not hard to figure.
Gregor Hoffman, living in Vienna,

hired by Baxter
from Austria.

Did you kill him
or did you have him killed?

You're no biochemist,
how did you fool them?

I am a biochemist,
Mr. Barrett, of sorts.

If you were more familiar
with the name Ainsley,

you'd know I made my fortune
in patent medicines.

Sometimes a little bit of
knowledge goes a long way.

The accent? Easy.

I lived for years
in Austria.

Besides, Gregor Hoffman,
though he lived an obscure life,

was a world famous chemist.

You don't ask a famous
chemist the formula for salt.

But Ostrer did.
You had everyone fooled but Ostrer.

He knew you weren't the real Hoffman,
so he died, too.

That tone is surprisingly juvenile,
Mr. Barrett.

I believe that hundreds of people
might have died in Florida.

This afternoon when I was interrogating you,
you heard Cavanaugh say that.

Ainsley was our man.
Then you knew what to do.

Somehow you made
two telephone calls.

One to your boys to pick up the
flasks where you had to leave them

in the stream and the
other to the General.

So you could give us
your ultimatum on Los Angeles.

Use the name C.R. Ainsley so
he would drop the road blocks

and you could get out,
and he fell for it.

That's correct.

I didn't make the telephone calls somehow,
Mr. Barrett.

I made them from
Station Three.

As you're so fond of saying there's
no such thing as perfect security.

Don't try it, Mr. Barrett.

You're lucky but you're mortal.
We all are.

Tank vehicles carrying
liquids, assembly point B.

Ambulance section
re-designated, C.

Repeat, ambulance section
re-designated, C.

Control requests the following be
read at five minute intervals.

An unidentified scientific
research installation

based in Southern California
has ceased operation.

It will be dismantled and cease
to exist. End announcement.

There he is.

Who's that with him?

I don't know.

You're under arrest,
Doctor Hoffman.

You're Lee Barrett, aren't you?
That's right.

What are you
doing here, Barrett?

That's a long story.

Get out of the car, Doctor.

Be careful,
he's got a flask in his pocket.

All right,
hand it over, Doctor.

Right now.

The end of the line?

All right,
get into the car, Doctor.

Better come along
with us, Barrett.

How did you get here?

We're spread
all over the place.

This is one of
50 we're covering.

What about the girl
and the two other guys?

I don't know.
Where's Cavanaugh?

They could be anywhere.
Our orders were to pick up Hoffman,

stay off the radio,
and don't say a word

until we get him
to Station Three.

Have you got enough sense
to keep your mouth shut?

Yes.

We've got a jack-knifed truck up here.
You can turn your engine off.

It won't be long.
The tow truck will have it out of here in a few minutes.

Anybody hurt?

No, he was lucky.

We got a jack-knifed truck,
it won't be long.

Won't be long he says.
Did you ever hear a cop say anything else?

It'll be hours.

By that time,
that mess from L.A. will hit us and we'll never move.

Look at all those cans
and busted beer bottles.

You'd think people wouldn't throw
things out there like that.

You got a match?

Would you look at the jerk
handling that tow truck?

He's worse than the man
that was driving the rig.

Oh, boy,
that's all we need.

A sidewalk superintendent.

Wise guy, huh?

There's your daughter,
but what's happened to Barrett?

Where's Hoffman?

Dad! Dad!

Dad, Lee's dead.
They threw a flask,

they threw a flask
back at the gas station.

What happened to Barrett,
where is he?

You've got to go clear out the area.
He's at the station.

Don't you understand?
That man Veretti, he threw a flask.

Sir.

Where is the Satan Bug?

Hoffman took it.
He changed cars

and he went back the way we came from.
What kind of car was it?

It was a green Ford sedan.

License?
Oh, I don't know,

I couldn't see it very clearly.
It was FGA, something, 7, I think.

Put it on the radio.
Hey, give me that stuff.

Dad, you've got to go back
and clear out that area.

That's all right, dear,
that's all right.

The flask is harmless now.

The station burned.
There's nothing to worry about.

We found the bodies of Cavanaugh's men,
but not Lee's.

But Lee was in the building.
He was in the building.

Well, he's not there now.
Ann, Los Angeles,

did anyone say anything
about Los Angeles? Anything?

No. Nothing.

Put everything you've got
on Hoffman's car.

Yes, sir.
We're already on it.

But there are an awful lot of
green Fords around.

And there's nothing on these
guys except this stuff.

Guns, money, watches,
phony drivers license

and keys.

Maybe one of the keys
fits something in Los Angeles.

But how the hell
do we check that?

Sounds like the ignition.

Take a look
at that fuel pump.

You didn't really think that I'd
fall for those goons of yours

posing as Cavanaugh's men,
did you?

Okay, I've got the gun now.

Put the bottle down
and step away from it

before that copter of yours
settles down.

You haven't given me any
reason why I won't smash this.

This is the end of the line,
Ainsley.

For real now.

Put the bottle down
and step away from it

or I'll blow
a hole in your head!

You're psychotic,
but don't be stupid.

If I blow a hole in your head
or you drop that bottle,

you'll die,
then you'll have nothing.

Perhaps I am psychotic,
but I'm certainly not stupid.

If I smash this,
I wouldn't die, Mr. Barrett.

Why do you think
Baxter waited so long

before telling anyone
about the Satan Bug.

Why do you think he was working nights?
Weekends?

The vaccine!

Well, I waited for
the vaccine.

Two days ago he made it,
that's why he had to die and Ostrer.

You were wrong
about him, too.

He didn't suspect me.
He didn't suspect anyone.

He just knew
about the vaccine

and now I'm the only one
who has the formula.

And the vaccine is
in my bloodstream.

I'm immune!
I won't die, I'm immune!

But you told us
what the Satan Bug would do.

You mean to say that you'd live on this world alone?
By yourself?

I told you about the Satan Bug
to keep you from finding Baxter.

Even so,
he believed every word I said.

But I'm not sure
how good a biochemist he was.

Some scientists thought that the
H-bomb would start a chain reaction

that would blow up the world,
but it didn't.

Now, nobody really knows
about this.

Theoretically, yes.

But it hasn't yet
been put to the real test.

Perhaps it will
destroy all life.

Perhaps.

Certainly it could
destroy millions.

Do you want to test it?

Mr. Ainsley?
Yes.

I was watching for you
and saw the car stop.

Thought I'd better
pick you up here.

The engine failed.
Don't worry about it, we'll take off immediately.

Yes, sir.

Any trouble, Mr. Ainsley?
No, no.

Well, Mr. Barrett?

The flask is still in
Los Angeles.

Still nothing?
I'm afraid not, sir.

Nothing on Los Angeles,
nothing at all?

Nothing of any consequence.

Hello.

Only two tie-ups
to Los Angeles.

One of them is an office building, here.
Where?

Ten stories high,
we've got men going through them.

Starting from the top.

Now,
the only other thing is this little notation in red ink.

Glendale 73.

We've got men calling
on every house with 73,

every phone number
beginning with 73,

every cab, well,
you get the idea, sir.

Yes.

Veretti did that,
he was doodling while they were waiting for Hoffman.

Hold on, Jack,
take this.

Well, they found
the green car.

Where?
It was abandoned in front of a restaurant

next to a service station
near Palmdale.

They were both closed,

but a watchman in a gravel
yard across the street

saw the green car park
and two men get out.

He described
Hoffman perfectly.

And the other man?

It sounds like Barrett.

Well, what happened to them?

There were two other men
waiting in a black car.

They held guns
on the first two.

Then they got in the black car
and all four drove off.

Didn't the night watchman
try to stop them?

No.

God!

There's something else.

The watchman said one of the
men was carrying something

that looked like
a small flask.

No license plate
on the black car?

Wrong angle,
couldn't see it.

Eric.

This was doodled by that maniac, Veretti.
Look at this.

That could be a flask.

It is a flask.

I think all these
are flasks.

That is something real.

He's unconsciously trying to
draw or doodle something.

What is it?

Those lines look like parking
dividers on a parking lot.

Sir, look at this.

A diamond?

A baseball diamond?

A baseball stadium?

Jack, give me that.

Put me on Los Angeles 47
right away.

Hopeless, isn't it,
Mr. Barrett? And pathetic.

They can't run away.
Nobody can.

There's plenty of time.

Anything?

Nothing.

Anything over there?

Nothing yet.

Telephone for you,
Captain.

It's Mr. Cavanaugh.

Hello!

Yes, we're here looking.
Nothing.

Yes, they're looking there.

Of course,
we'll look in there.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

We'll be running out of land
pretty soon.

And time. Where is the flask,
Mr. Ainsley?

Don't press,
Mr. Barrett.

Judas H. Priest!

Get Olsen!

Olsen!

Fifteen, 20 degrees,
eight miles.

Now, here is
the helicopter, sir.

We've kept everything away from it.
But we think it's the one.

Fifteen, fifteen degrees,
four miles.

Here it is, sir. Here it is now.
It's a new plot.

No voice contact?

No, sir. We're on
113.6 Los Angeles radio.

They should be on this setting
if they're trying to contact us.

Hold that.

That cap is fulminated mercury.
So don't drop it.

Sometimes you're
booby trapped.

You cut the wires and

phfft.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

That's it.

Now, don't anybody
move a muscle,

till we get this
thing collected.

We're heading for Catalina.

You don't have any intentions of going where the flask is,
do you?

As much as you have of
destroying Station Three.

That's not very clear
thinking, Ainsley.

If you intend to take Los Angeles,
I'll take you,

I've got nothing to lose.

Except this.

I see, he takes you
to a yacht,

and tomorrow you get on the mike
and you dictate your terms.

That's right.

You'll become everything,
everyone else, nothing!

And then?

Then, for the first time
in the world...

What are your plans
for the world, Ainsley?

War, peace,
back to the middle ages?

Forward to the future?

It doesn't make any
difference what you choose,

because it all means
one thing to you.

Power!
Power for its own sake!

You're a little man
again, Ainsley.

Where's the flask?

Your life for Los Angeles.

Oh, no. Los Angeles
will be my epitaph.

Los Angeles radio, come in.

Los Angeles radio, come in.

This is Williams, Lee,
we've been following you on radar scope.

I've got the big one,
it's safe.

Hoffman's over the side.

I can't give you any
information on the other flask.

We found it, Lee,
it's safe.

What about Ann?

I'm here, Lee.

She's here with us.

What was that
you said about Hoffman?

He jumped!

Oh, and tell Cavanaugh
to stop looking for Ainsley.

Ainsley and Hoffman
were the same man.

I'll be setting down at LAX.
Tell the boys to be on the lookout for me.

I'm a little rusty
at these things.

We'll meet you there, Lee.
Take it nice and easy

and for God's sake
make a good landing.

I'll put down safely
and I'll give you the flask.

And then we're right back
where we started.