The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Disappearing Floor - full transcript

[screams]

(Fenton)
Antique furniture, you said?

There was a lot of it. There was a
small couch here and a coat rack here.

What happened?

You saw a flying saucer?

Yeah, we did.

Take them away.

(Dr. Craddock) Don't let
them get to the Professor!

Stop them!

I can't very well
find a thief

unless I know what it is he's
supposed to have been stealing.



(male narrator)
Tonight, the Hardy Boys

in The Disappearing Floor.

(Fenton)
It's murder.

You're working on
a murder case?

Oh, no, no.
Industrial espionage.

As a matter of fact, it could be
more than industrial espionage.

Professor Desmond
is missing.

(both)
Who?

Professor Desmond is one of
this nation's top scientists.

He's the Wernher Von Braun
of electronics.

He was working
on a major project

that had everybody all
worked up into a frazzle.

Fantastic.
What's he working on?

Yeah, what is it?



I haven't the faintest idea.

Oh, it's nice to be on the
inside of a new discovery.

That is not funny.

Just think about
how I feel.

I've been trying to find out
what happened to the Professor

and who's been stealing the
secrets and the equipment.

And Alphatech Corporation will
not give me a thing to go on.

(Fenton) For all I know,
the Professor has defected

or he's been abducted
by the Chinese

or the Russians
or anybody else.

Come on, Dad, that only happens
in movies like Casablanca.

Don't you believe it.

When a new scientific discovery
has military applications,

the cutthroat tactics
make James Bond look like,

like Snoopy.

What exactly does this Alphatech
Corporation expect you to do?

Well, I was hired
to find Professor Desmond

and to find out if he or
someone else was responsible

for the leaks in security
at Alphatech.

He disappeared weeks ago.

Do you have any leads at all?

I think he was working on
something called Project K,

along with three other people
that I have to check on.

I need you boys
to help me follow them.

That's it?

That's it.

And it may be
day-in-day-out tedious.

I don't know
if it means anything,

but one of the three has been
taking trips away from his home

at odd hours.

I'm assigning you two
to keep your eye on him.

Nothing more.

Just watch him.

He may just be paying visits
to a sick aunt out of town.

We'll find out either way.

What's his name?

Sidney Tabor.

If we keep sticking
this close to him,

he's gonna know
we're on his tail.

But if we don't,
we might lose him.

Let's check with Dad
and see what he's found out.

Dad?

[crickets chirping]

I followed Evans to his house.
I don't think he's our thief.

How are you doing with Tabor?

(Joe)
Still moving.

Passing through Crestwood.

(Fenton)
If he's got equipment

stolen from Alphatech
in his truck,

it could be dangerous.

It's kind of isolated
out here.

He's gonna spot us.

Take it easy.

Don't worry,
we'll keep our eyes open.

(Fenton)
I mean it now.

He's no one to play with.

Hey, he's turning off.

We better get
back to you, Dad.

[bleeping]

Frank!

I don't know, Joe.

I was kind of hoping
you didn't see what I see.

[bleeping]

Stop! Stop!

[tires screeching]

It's coming right at us!

Let's get out of here!

You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Tabor's gone.

Forget about Tabor.
Do you see that thing?

I wish I didn't.

Come on,
before it takes off.

Wait a minute.

[camera clicking]

We might be safer
if it does take off.

Come on, Joe.

[continues bleeping]

(Frank)
Duck!

[frog croaking]

(Frank)
Do you think it was a...

Whatever it is,
I got it right here.

(Frank) Joe, are you sure
the film wasn't overexposed,

overdeveloped?

Frank,
I've done this before.

I know. But then why
didn't they come out?

I don't know. I checked the
solutions, the temperature.

Maybe it was radiation
or something.

How are we gonna prove to Dad
what we saw?

You'll just have to
tell him the truth.

Why me?

You're the oldest.

Well, I'm glad
you boys are finished.

You can add your notes
to mine

so Callie doesn't have
to type up separate memos.

Where are they?

Uh...

We don't have any notes.
Tell him, Frank.

(Aunt Gertrude)
Fenton, your coffee.

Thanks, Gert.

Have you eaten?

No, I'm starved.
I could eat a horse.

Uh, first the report.
Then the horse.

Fenton, they're growing boys.

And I'm a man
of growing curiosity, Gert.

Well?

We lost Tabor.

That's it?

Not exactly.

Dad, you really
don't want to hear this.

Oh, personally, I can't wait.

Me neither.

I'm all ears, boys.

Well, there was this old road, it
had sort of swerves and dips in it.

I'm afraid
I scratched up the van.

You scratched up the van.
That-that's what this is about?

Well, it wasn't Frank's fault.

Dad, what would you say
if I told you

that we were run off the road
by a disc, a flying disc?

[scoffs]

I'd say that's
the best story I heard

since the "F" you got
in volleyball

was because your shorts
were too tight.

They were.

But it's true. We were
buzzed off the road by a UFO.

Unidentified Flying Object?

I think it's a polite way of
saying they saw a flying saucer.

No, there is no polite way.

I knew it!

Fenton, putting them
under the pressure

of your profession
at their age was a mistake.

(Joe) Hey, thanks for your monologue.

We're here.

(Frank)
I'm sorry, Joe.

That flying saucer
bothers me.

Something that's so far out
in left field.

(Frank) Hi. We're supposed
to meet my father Fenton Hardy

in the security office.

Building 46A.

Thank you.

Maybe the answer is here
at Alphatech.

Tabor must've seen
the flying saucer, too.

(Joe)
I just hope so.

At least that way we don't
look like two space freaks.

Sure, I took that cutoff
to outrun 'em.

How did I know
anybody was following me?

Who did you think
we were?

Look, I deal with classified
material every day, okay.

Could've been anybody.

Have you ever
been followed before?

Not on a lonely road, and
not by a van. That's for sure.

And you didn't see anything
other than the van?

Anything like what?

A UFO.

You're putting me on.

He's not. He's quite serious. We saw it.

You saw a flying saucer?
Both of you?

Yeah, we did.

Hmm.

Then your father has a bigger
problem on his hands than Alphatech.

(Frank)
Are you sure?

(man)
Absolutely.

What about one of the
other stations up the coast?

No. Not in that either.

All right, thank you.

No weather balloons, huh?

No meteors?
No aurora borealis?

Dad, Joe and I saw something.

Maybe that's what Project K
is all about: flying saucers.

Could be.

I bet it has something to do
with Alphatech.

Do you remember
Project Blue Book?

Yes. The Air Force
found no evidence

to believe that
flying saucers exist

or were
a conceivable development.

[sighs]

Ah, it's getting late.
You boys better hit the sack

if you're gonna
pick up Tabor by 6:00.

You mean
we're still on the case?

Of course you are.

I'd hate to tell you
how many times in my career

I lost the suspect I was
following, and for what reasons.

Thanks, Dad.

Fenton, was that the boys
driving off in the van again?

Unless somebody just stole the
thing right out of our own garage.

But, Fenton, they're going right
back into those woods again.

It's after midnight.

I know.

Took them a lot longer to make up
their minds than I thought it would.

[crickets chirping]

I think it was
somewhere around here.

You don't have to remind me.
I remember.

Did you bring the camera?

Yeah, complete
with fast film.

Good.

There are no signs
of jet exhaust.

I don't see
any landing-gear marks.

Just trees.

[leaves rustling]

Shh.

Uh, sir!

Sir, we just want
to talk to you.

Listen, flesh and blood
doesn't just disappear.

Sometimes it does.

I suppose you're gonna
wanna go in there.

We've come this far.

I had a feeling
you were gonna say that.

There's no welcome mat.

Why do I have the feeling
that wasn't an oversight?

[knocking on door]

[door creaking]

(Joe)
Hello? Is anybody home?

(Frank)
Sir!

We know you're here.

[door slams]

Maybe he didn't come in here.

[whispering]
Sure he did. Come on.

[door creaking]

Empty.

Wouldn't exactly
call this place empty.

Makes the Taj Mahal look
like a redevelopment project.

Well, he's not here.
I'm gonna look around.

Frank.

Frank!

(Joe)
Frank!

What is it?
What's wrong?

You gotta see it
to believe it.

Okay, show me.

Get a load of this.

W-what is it?

The walls and the bed,

they were all growing.

And what's this all about?

I don't know.
Let's just get out of here.

No. We're not gonna go until
we find out what's going on.

Let's keep looking.
Come on.

Let's see
what's in this room.

[birds chirping]

(Frank)
This is impossible.

(Joe)
Now do you believe me?

Frank, we're on
the second floor.

I don't believe it.

[wolves growling]

Look out!

[wolves snarling]

This is crazy.
It's like a fun house.

Not for me.
I'm gettin' out of here.

Wait a minute.
Where's your curiosity?

Come on.
Let's try this door.

[scoffs]
Curiosity.

Curiosity killed the cat,
if you recall.

(Frank)
Joe! Joe! Joe!

Frank. Where are you?

Joe!

[grunting]

Hang on.

I'd appreciate it
if you'd do the same.

I got you.

I don't get it.
What's this floor made of?

Frank, there's
nothing there.

You're tellin' me.

[whispering]
Come on.

Flying saucers,
shrinking rooms,

disappearing floors.
What's going on, Frank?

I think it's connected
with Alphatech.

Dad's gonna have to
see this to believe it.

Well, at least we know a house
can't fly away like a UFO.

Right now, I wouldn't
bet on it. Come on.

(Gertrude) Well, did you
see any more flying saucers?

Not exactly.

I thought not.

If you're going in to talk to
your father, he's at Alphatech,

where you should
have been an hour ago.

Uh-oh.

(both)
Bye, Aunt Gertrude.

Bye.

What section are we in?

Yellow.
Blue.

Oh, blue or yellow,
whatever,

Dr. Craddock's office has got
to be around here someplace.

Well, why don't you go
that way, I'll go this way.

We'll meet back here in a couple
of minutes. One of us will find it.

Okay.

So what you're saying

is the results of your
investigation are negative.

Mostly negative, yes,
Dr. Craddock.

And they're not going to get
very much more positive

until I find out
what Project K is all about.

I don't see
where that affects you at all.

I mean if you can't
handle the job

without knowing
the details of Project K-

I can't very well
find a thief

unless I know what it is he's
supposed to have been stealing.

Hi.

Hi. I'm looking
for Dr. Craddock's office.

I'm afraid
you've got the wrong corridor,

almost the wrong building.

Well, is it far?

Not by cart. Hop aboard.

Oh, great. Thank you.
I'm Frank, Frank Hardy.

I'm Marsha Collins.

It's nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Doctor Craddock's office
is not too far from my lab.

As a matter of fact, I told her I'd
drop by some test results this morning.

Test?

Biochemical
unit substitution.

DNA transference.

That's very interesting.

It fulfills
my fellowship requirement.

What field of research
are you in?

Detection.

Mr. Hodges, is there any
market for this equipment

outside
the scientific community?

Well, there could be,
but I don't think so.

By market, I mean, maybe
something like espionage.

(Fenton)
Or a defector.

Espionage? Defectors?

Who said anything
about defectors?

Dr. Robert Desmond was head
of your mysterious Project K.

Now this is all
circumstantial, but the fact is

that all
of the missing documents

and pilferage
have been reported

since Dr. Desmond disappeared
from Vienna four months ago.

No one has suggested
he defected. No one.

Janice. Doctor Craddock
was the Professor's prot?g?.

Well, I'm sorry.
But the implication is there.

Yes. But there's no proof.

Mr. Hardy, Professor Desmond has one
of the finest minds I've ever known.

Inventive, original,
and meticulous.

And what about loyal?

All right.
Hold it there a moment.

Your passes, please.

I was taking him
to Dr. Craddock's office.

This is for
the public areas only.

I'm sorry. I'm supposed
to meet my father.

Corbin, corridor three.
Check a name for me.

(Corbin)
What's the name?

Frank Hardy.

You're speculating.
We'd rather you dealt in fact.

Well, now how can I
deal in fact-

[buzzer sounds]
For which you do not need

to know the details
of Project K.

Yes?

Security wants to know
how many sons you have.

Just two.

Yes, Captain,
you have them all.

Will you take full responsibility
of the boys, Mr. Hardy?

I always have.

Make sure
you keep an eye on them.

I will.

Dad, I'm sorry
we're late.

You must be Mr. Hardy.
I'm Marsha Collins.

It's a pleasure,
Miss Collins.

Marsha's one of our
fellowship researchers here.

Now if you gentlemen will excuse
us, we have some work to do.

(Fenton)
Of course.

Hope to see you again.

(Joe)
Bye.

Listen, Tabor rolled in
over an hour ago.

I was expecting you
to be right behind him.

Dad, we found something
a lot more important.

Another flying saucer.

You have to see this
to believe it.

Pretty long way from the
road, even as the saucer flies.

We weren't actually
following the UFO, Dad.

There was this old man. We
figured maybe he saw it, too.

(Joe) If he did, we'd have
ourselves a witness, right?

(Frank) We went up to
talk to him and he ran.

That's when we
stumbled upon the old house.

An old man. How old?

Sixty, 65.

I caught a shot of him,
if it comes out.

But why wouldn't it?

Because the pictures Joe took
of the saucer didn't come out.

I'll want to see the prints
either way.

Let's go take a look.

[door squeaking]

(Fenton)
Antique furniture, you said.

There was a lot of it. There was a
small couch here and a coat rack here.

What happened here?

Huh?

Let's look upstairs.

(Fenton) I can sure tell
you boys have been here.

Frank. Joe. I'd recognize
those sneaker tracks anywhere.

Dad.

(Frank) Wait. This isn't the right door.

This isn't the bedroom.

Wait, maybe you'd better tell me
what I'm gonna be walking into first.

If you thought we
were seeing things

when we told you
about the flying saucer...

Just don't walk into
any bedroom too fast.

Wait. Come this way.

Dad, wait!

I fell right through
this floor.

This floor?

Well, it was here
but it wasn't here.

If Joe hadn't helped me...

Well, maybe where you fell as over here.

Was it here?

(Frank)
I don't understand it.

The room was
full of furniture.

The second time.

What do you mean by
"the second time"?

Well, the first time
we came in here, there-

You really wanna
tell him about that?

Tell him about what?

All right, I'll meet you boys
back at our house

after I've checked into
a few things.

We'll go over this,
step by step.

Maybe I can come up
with some answers.

I sure hope so.

Dad, we weren't
imagining things.

Like I said, I'll come
up with some answers.

[engine starts]

(Frank)
Joe, do you remember

leaving the back of the van
open?

Uh-uh. Maybe I did
when I took the bikes out.

We would've noticed it
while we were driving.

There was nothing
in the brown car, either.

(man) But, uh, they are all
three involved with Alphatech.

They must know something.

(Frank)
Let's get out of here!

Frank, look out!

You all right?
Yeah.

Sure?

[tires screeching]

Did they come out
this time?

Fogged, just like
the other ones.

Oh, not one shot
of the old man at all?

No.

Did you find out who was the
owner of that license plate?

Oh, I'm sorry,
it was a diplomatic number.

(Callie)
One of the embassies.

Frank, that guy we heard in
the van had a Russian accent.

Yeah, at least we have
something concrete to tell Dad.

Oh, I'm afraid
someone's beat you to it.

The people from Alphatech
are in there with him now.

Dad's here?

Those people followed him in,
and they looked pretty grim, too.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hardy.

But your report contains
too many absurdities.

And since you don't refute
Mr. Tabor's statement,

you leave us no choice.

Well, I'm sorry, too.
I like to finish what I start.

Well, I think
what he's really saying

is that it would be embarrassing
to take a report of UFOs

back to
the board of directors.

Please, Janice.

Mr. Hardy
knew the restrictions

the board imposed on this
investigation from the very beginning.

We do have a corporate image
to protect, you know.

Doctor Craddock doesn't seem
to take my report too seriously.

Well, as a scientist, I like
to think I keep an open mind.

However, I do have to
get back to the lab.

Yes. There doesn't seem
to be any point

in continuing
this discussion any further.

Uh, Mr. Hodges,

let me ask you something.

Could anything
that my boys encountered

have been connected
with Alphatech's project?

Hardly.

Good day, sir. Janice.

(Dr. Craddock)
I'm sorry, Mr. Hardy.

[sighs]
Well...

I doubt
if I understand why,

but that is that.

They fired you?

Yes.

Why?

Because Sidney Tabor told them

we're asking a lot of questions
about seeing flying saucers.

No, that's not it. Because
your dad put that in his report.

You did?

Well, if I don't trust your powers
of observation, who do I trust?

Well, that makes me feel
a little better.

But I still
don't feel right

not getting
to the bottom of it all.

I guess
you won't need these.

They're fogged again,
anyway.

Yeah, but they have
a license plate

and they have
one heck of a story.

Well, I haven't heard
one of your stories yet

that wasn't
at least interesting.

I knew this case would
get to him sooner or later.

Frank, if you like
dancing dolls,

I have several boxes
at home in the attic.

Not like this one.

What's so special
about this one?

I think this is what
those Russians were after.

A doll?
Come on, Frank.

I'm not talking
about dolls, Joe.

I'm talking
about holograms.

Holly who?

Holograms.

You use light to project
a three-dimensional image.

Light and lasers.

With a good laser hologram you
can walk completely around it,

and you'd swear
it was the genuine article.

I get it. Like the 3-D glasses
they give you at the movies.

You won't need glasses

when they learn to project movies
with the holographic system.

No, but you will need a special
camera to photograph one.

Here, look at these.

This is the fogged film.
What about it?

Look again.
You'll see your flying saucer.

I don't see anything.

Just a lot of spots.

The film's still fogged,
Frank.

We're the ones
who were foggy.

Does that look familiar?

"lllustration of a film negative
reaction to a hologram image. "

That's exactly
what Joe's film shows.

You mean to tell me that flying
saucer you saw was a hologram?

It was moving.
It-it was coming right at us.

In three dimensions, with
no visible laser projection.

Think about it, Joe. The
military potential's enormous.

Well, if they could create a saucer,
they- they could create a tank-

Or 1,000 tanks,
men, planes, whatever,

once they perfect the system.

Now the question is
"Who is 'they'?"

You can eliminate
the Russians.

They wouldn't
be working here.

Project K?

We'll find out
the answer to that

when we find out who's using
that old house as a laboratory.

You mean the rooms,
the wolves,

and the flying saucer,
none of it was real?

The old man,
he was real.

Easy. Now all you two
have to do is prove it.

No. Now all we three
have to do is prove it.

Dad. Dad, wake up.

[mumbling]
What? What is it?

We've got it.

You got what?

Holographs.

Hello. Hello.

No, not hello, holograms.

Three-dimensional images.

Holograms.
Three-dimensional images?

Hmm?

He's waking up.

I'm awake. What is it?

There's only one thing
that can explain

the kind of images
that we've seen.

It's something so real
that it makes you duck.

It makes you gasp.
It's that scary.

And that is what?

A hologram.

[mumbling]

I don't think that science is
developed to that point yet.

What if it is?

We're talking about
laboratories.

We're talking about
the frontier.

We're talking
the threshold of science,

our best scientists.

Desmond. (Callie) Right.

And if it has developed
to that point,

what a tremendous weapon
in the hands of an enemy.

That could be why
Desmond defected.

If he defected.

Dad, why would they
fire you at Alphatech?

You know why.

But if we tripped across what
Project K was all about, why fire you?

I see what you mean.

At that point, all they'd have
to do is call me in and say:

"Okay, so you know
what we're working on. "

The last thing they'd do
is let me get away.

Right.

But for some reason, they
wanted to put up a smoke screen.

Hire you to find somebody as a
front to pacify somebody else.

But the minute you started to
really catch on, they dumped you.

What you're saying is that someone
who's on the inside of Alphatech

is involved in
the Professor's disappearance.

It's the only thing
that makes any sense.

Dad, if I may suggest,
go to Alphatech.

Confront them with the facts.

No, I think I'll find
the answer in Washington.

If I go to Alphatech,
whoever's on the inside there

will prevent them
from listening to me.

I'll go to the Pentagon.

I'll tell them
I know what Project K is about

and I'll watch their reaction.

You know, if we're right,

there's one other possibility
that occurs to me.

What's that?

If someone inside Alphatech
is a traitor,

then Professor Desmond
with his discovery

could be in a great deal
of danger, wherever he is.

Uh, unless he's involved
in the conspiracy.

But when are you going
to go to Washington?

Right away.
Hand me the phone, Callie.

While I'm gone, you boys
stay out of trouble, huh?

Well, I guess
I better go home.

Bye, Callie.
Bye-bye.

Bye. See you tomorrow, guys.

Good night, Callie.

(Fenton) Hello, this is Fenton
Hardy. I need a reservation

for the next flight
to Washington, D.C.

What are we gonna do
while Dad's in Washington?

You heard him, we wait.

We wait?

...whatever gets
me there fastest.

I suppose there are a few loose
ends that we could look into.

For instance?

Well, for instance,
who owns that house

with all
the funny accessories.

Hall of Records.

Right.

[Joe snickers]

Number 6. The last volume
of The Corporate Registry.

Oh, Callie,
you're the greatest.

Are you aware of the fee
for this kind of title search?

Put it on our bill.

Let's see. Uh, three blind
holding companies.

Beauregard Investment,
all the way to, uh, um...

"Mason Equity. "

Mason Equity.

You know, someone went
to a lot of trouble

to cover their ownership
of that old house.

Mason Equity.

"Wayne Zeigler,
chief executive officer. "

Zeigler. Who else?

"Eric Bauer, Steve Burum. "

Bauer, Burum.

"Marsha Desmond Collins. "

What was that last name?

Collins.

Desmond.
Marsha Desmond Collins.

Yeah, Desmond. The same name
as the missing Professor.

Might be
a close relative.

Who are you
talkin' about?

Oh, It's just a- just a girl
that works at Alphatech.

Cute girl.

(Frank)
What it comes down to

is you're part-owner
of that land out there.

(Joe)
And the house.

(Marsha)
Grandfather never told me.

Aunt Jan never said anything,
either.

Who's Aunt Jan?

Doctor Craddock.

Since
Grandfather disappeared,

she's been handling
his affairs.

Unless the house
was mentioned

when we went over
his assets,

it didn't make
any impression...

?[music playing]

That's gotta be it.

(Marsha) It was just
after he disappeared.

Hey.

It's okay.

Listen, Aunt Jan
ought to be home by now.

I'm sure
she can clear this up.

Do you think
she'll talk to us?

She'll talk to me,
I'm family.

[crickets chirping]

(Marsha) My aunt may be out.
It looks like no one's home.

Marsha, who's the man
in this picture?

My grandfather. Why?

He's the man
Frank and I saw in the forest.

(Marsha)
I'll see if my aunt's asleep.

[papers rustling]

[screams]

Two men in the bedroom.

What?
In there.

Tell Callie to call
the police.

Hold it!

Now just a minute,
young man.

I'm an attach?
with the Russian Embassy.

You're also breaking
and entering.

[police radio chattering]

Well?

All we can do is drive
them back to New York.

Blazevich and Gregori.

Russian diplomatic corps.

Complete with immunity.

They didn't say
what they were looking for?

We'll sick the State
Department people on them.

Maybe they'll get answers.

I doubt it, though.

Probably just
a diplomatic recall.

Thanks, boys.
Good night.

(all)
Good night.

What they were looking for
was your grandfather.

But my grandfather
disappeared in Vienna.

Some thought
he defected to the East.

Even Mr. Hardy.

But he didn't.

Are you sure?

We can't be sure of anything about
that old place. At least not yet.

Maybe in a few hours.
Come on, Joe.

I'm going with you.

(Frank) Marsha, I think
it's better you stay here

and talk to Dr. Craddock.

We'll need to find out all
we can about that old place.

Be careful, Frank.

All of you.

(Joe)
Dad's gotta be there.

Wait till he hears
what we found out.

(Gertrude) He called from
Washington about an hour ago.

Look, Aunt Gertrude,
we're going out to the house.

What?

The old man we saw
at the house

is Professor Desmond.
Tell Dad.

Callie will be
manning the CB.

We're on our way.

Okay. All you gotta do is
honk the horn

and that'll let us know
Dad's on the line.

We'll come running.

What if I see your
flying saucer? Two honks?

Normally I'd think that
was funny, but not here.

You see that UFO,
make it two loud honks.

And three for
Marsha's grandfather.

[door slams]

There's another way in.

How do you know?

Desmond couldn't have made
it to the house ahead of us.

Not the way
we were moving.

He could always have taken
the flying you-know-what.

[scoffs]
I don't think so.

Right here on the ground
somewhere.

We're talking
about an elderly man.

One who wasn't
really into athletics.

It would make it
a lot easier

if we knew
what we were looking for.

Something like that.

What is it?

Looks like the lid
to an old well or cistern.

[creaking]

Well, just be thankful
it's not flying.

[owl hooting]

Welcome to Transylvania.

[droning]

Frank, do you hear
something?

[whispering]
Yeah.

(man) One hour, 10
minutes so far, Professor.

Are the laser projectors
in the columns overheating?

No, sir, and no sign
of image break-ups.

(Desmond)
Good.

Because If we've really,
truly solved this problem,

we could project
a massive hologram

that'd last for days
without disintegrating.

With refinement,

you could put a whole
phantom army on the field.

(Desmond) I did not develop
this system for the military.

It is for people, to make
the world more beautiful.

[droning continues]

Frank.

Yeah?

Alphatech.

Holograms.

(Gertrude) Hold on, Callie.
I'm patching Fenton through.

Mr. Hardy, are you back
from Washington?

(Fenton)
No. Where are the boys?

(Callie)
They're in the house.

Look, get them out
of there, Callie.

Call the police, Callie.

The boys are in
terrible danger.

Right away.

Breaker. Breaker. Channel
9, I have a 10-17. Breaker.

Over.

The laser projectors must be
in the columns surrounding-

Looking solid as life
and in three dimensions.

Everything we saw,

you could have done it all
at Alphatech. Why here?

Don't be naive.

Then everyone
would've known.

There'll be millions
available to the person

who controls
Professor Desmond's process.

And you don't
have any intention

of giving that money
to the foundation.

Marsha was right.
You are a very bright boy.

Take them away.

[crashing]

Don't let them get
to the Professor!

(Dr. Craddock)
Stop them!

You hear what she said
about Desmond?

That they're holding
him against his will.

Come on,
we gotta get him out.

[door shutting]

(Marsha)
Frank.

Joe!

Callie!

Frank, where are you?

Are you thinking
what I'm thinkin'?

[grunts]

Are you ready?

Any time you are.

[police sirens wailing]

Frank, Joe,
where did you come from?

We'll explain later.

Where'd the police
come from?

Your dad told me
to call them.

Let's get Professor Desmond. Right.

They must be downstairs.
Come on.

Hold it!
You're under arrest!

We have to leave,
Professor Desmond, now.

Why?

Our security
has been breached.

By whom?

Agents of the competition,
foreign powers.

Hurry, please. Let's go.

[humming]

Dr. Craddock.

You've interfered with one of the
most important scientific experiments

the world has ever known.

Doctor Craddock,
where's the Professor?

You do not understand
the sacrifice and work

that went into this project.

We-we don't have time
for this, Doctor Craddock-

I will not allow any
further intrusions.

But I want you to understand.

I know that my motivations are
going to sound strange to you

but I want you
to understand them.

I know that my motivations are
going to sound strange to you,

but I want you
to understand them.

You must under-

I see.

You won't in a minute.

[high-pitch beeping]

[switch clicking]

...stand them.

That this confession
is very hard for me.

(Dr. Craddock)
You must understand...

Hey, she could be
halfway out of here by now.

With the Professor.
Come on. Let's go.

Nice talking to you.

I'm not even sure
where to begin.

(officer)
ONE-81, CLEAR.

Please hurry, Professor.

But I don't understand.

Its potential
for both peaceful and

Ma'am.

...and military use
is staggering, frightening.

(boys)
Professor Desmond!

It's for your safety.

Professor Desmond.

She lied to you.

Her concern
isn't for you.

...confession
is very hard for me.

And I'm not even sure
where to begin.

She's confessing.
Get this down, will you?

Holograms is a laser science that
has been worked on in top secret

for the past 20 years.

Now, its potential for both
peaceful and military use

is staggering, frightening.

But when I realized
the breakthrough

that Professor Desmond
had made...

[police radio chattering]

She's only interested
in stealing your creation.

The past four months, Alphatech
hasn't even known where you were.

They're under the impression
that you defected.

But, Janice, Vienna.

All this.

You said it was to protect me
from foreign agents.

You're such a fool,
Professor.

You would've given it
all away

when it could've been
worth millions.

Let's go,
Miss Craddock.

But when I realized
the breakthrough

that Professor Desmond
had made...

Ma'am, it would
- It would really help a little bit if you would just slow down.

I had to keep this discovery out
of the hands of foreign agents,

spies who might have been
working even at Alphatech.

You see, Professor,

she's the one you should've
been protected from.

I had to keep this discovery out
of the hands of foreign agents...

Are you getting all this?

...to whom this advanced work
would be worth a fortune.

Now this is the reason

I arranged for Professor
Desmond to disappear...

This is fantastic.

It's almost as fantastic
as Dr. Craddock's image.

You know, my boys told me
that it reacted to them.

Carefully planned.

Voice-activated.

I was a fool to believe that they
kept me cooped up in that old house

for security reasons.

And Janice Craddock stood to make
millions if she had brought it off.

And all that time she let
everyone suspect you had defected.

You know,
it's a good thing

Frank and Joe stumbled
onto Blazevich and Gregori.

Or it might've happened whether
the Professor wanted to go or not.

Mmm. Thanks, boys.

It's just luck.

Oh, don't be so modest, Joe.

Joe, your brother tells me
you're very interested in science.

Yeah, as a matter of fact,
I am.

I-I've got a lab downstairs.

But it's probably nothing
compared to what you're used to,

but would you
like to see it?

I'd love to.

(Joe)
Come on.

You know, I'm glad Joe's found
someone to share his interests.

I am, too.