The Invaders (1967–1968): Season 2, Episode 24 - The Life Seekers - full transcript

(tires squealing)

Unit 21 reporting
a 618, Highway 34.

Maroon sedan heading north,

license UTP-725.

Repeat, UTP-725. Out.

(siren blaring)

Are you trying to kill yourself?

Look, I'm sorry, Officer,

but we've got to
get to the hospital.

My uncle's had a heart attack.

Follow me.



What is that?

(gunshot)

NARRATOR: Starring Roy
Thinnes as architect David Vincent.

The invaders...

alien beings from
a dying planet.

Their destination... the Earth.

Their purpose... to
make it their world.

David Vincent has seen them.

For him, it began one lost night

on a lonely country road

looking for a shortcut
that he never found.

It began with a
closed, deserted diner

and a man too long without sleep

to continue his journey.



(eerie whirring)

It began with the landing of
a craft from another galaxy.

(whirring intensifies)

Now David Vincent knows
that the invaders are here.

That they have taken human form.

Somehow, he must
convince a disbelieving world

that the nightmare
has already begun.

The guest stars
in tonight's story:

R.G. Armstrong, Diana Muldaur,

Arthur Franz, Kent Smith

and special guest
star Barry Morse.

NARRATOR: A
critically wounded officer;

a garbled account of
glowing, vanishing assailants;

a phone call from a physician

who has come to believe
in invaders from space

and David Vincent
moves into the center

of a widening dragnet.

May I have your keys, please?

Can I see your license?

Where are you headed, sir?

Redstone.

Fine. Thank you.

Okay, let him through.

Just give us a few minutes.

Joe, this is, uh...
David Vincent.

I asked you not
to bring him here.

He can help find who shot you.

Battersea will find them.

Well, the police don't know
what they're looking for.

Two people who don't
want to be brought in.

But, Joe, everything
you discussed

when you regained
consciousness...

I was delirious. I didn't
know what I was saying.

Well, the old man's condition...

The glowing you
were talking about

means there's a facility nearby
for what they call regeneration.

Now, we can
find that facility...

Yeah, I have nothing
to say, Mr. Vincent.

Now, butt out.

Morning, Doctor.

Morning, Captain.

How's it coming, Joe?

Ah... I'm making it.

Captain Battersea,
this is David Vincent.

I know who he is.

Why do you think I put a
24-hour guard on this room?

I'd like to help if I can.

Listen, Vincent, I'm
running a manhunt

not a three-ring circus.

You're not going to
jam my switchboard

with crank phone calls

and send my officers
out after Buck Rogers.

I'd like to speak to Joe alone.

And don't give me
any medical reasons

why I can't have it.

I'm not some crank
you've dragged in here.

I'm like his next of kin.

Two minutes.

Joe... if you change your mind,

I'll be at the hotel.

Nash is lying.

I know.

What did the captain
mean by next of kin?

He brought Joe up
after his father was killed.

What'd you tell Vincent, Joe?

I told him to leave me alone.

You said some things
when you were brought in.

I was out of my mind.

You sure?

Why would I lie about it?

I can think of a
couple of reasons.

You mean the
Tanner kids, don't you?

Forget it, Bill.

'Cause if you're doing
this to protect me,

I don't need any help, Joe.

Just find the
people that shot me.

All right.

We'll find them.

We got the plate
number, make of the car.

We got the prettiest dragnet
going you've ever seen.

Roadblocks on every road out.

We got dogs coming

and I've asked the
state police for choppers.

I promise you we're
going to search

every square
yard in this county.

You give them the devil.

You, too. Now,
get well, won't you?

Yeah.

RADIO ANNOUNCER: Although
Vincent would not comment for the press,

it was clear that he
means to stay in Redstone

until the manhunt is concluded.

Meanwhile, in Washington...

(turns off radio)

Try him at the hotel.

I said, try him.

Now, you know that I've
never disagreed with you before,

but this is a mistake.

If it were anyone but Vincent.

This would only
work with Vincent.

Now, Claire...

Mr. Vincent, please.

(phone rings)

Hello.

Yes.

My father and I,

we heard about you on the radio.

Mr. Vincent, we were hiking
and we came across this...

this terrible thing.

It seemed to be almost half...

half human and
half something awful.

Have you called the police?

They thought I was insane.

Mr. Vincent, this monster...

is it one of those
aliens you talk about?

Well, I don't know.

Who are you? Where are you?

All right.

Captain Battersea?

Yes.

Jim Trent, State Police.
This is Lieutenant Rawlings.

Captain.

Came down to see
if we could help out.

Appreciate it. You
want to check the map?

Good.

Oh, your request for
helicopters came through.

We could sure use
them. Any dogs?

Whatever... I'm
not too proud to ask.

Oh, I can put 20
men into ten cars

and maybe nail them,

but Lord help me if a cat
gets stuck up a tree today,

so whatever you
could do... Yeah, will do.

You know, we
don't think very much

of people who shoot cops,

no matter where in
the state it happens.

This boy,

Joe Nash... he
going to be all right?

If praying helps.

Now, we closed off all roads

within minutes
after it happened.

So we have to believe
they're still within the perimeter.

Now, I've got roadblocks
at each of these points.

There, there, there and there.

Mr. Vincent?

Yes.

Thank you for coming.

Get in.

Now, where's this, uh... thing?

It's a dirt road just
off the highway.

I'll show you.

What are you going to do
with this creature, Mr. Vincent?

I hope to keep it alive.

That's why I brought oxygen.

Oxygen? But oxygen can kill...

(coughs)

MAN: I'm not armed, Mr. Vincent.

Neither is she, or you'd
probably be dead by now.

Keith, he won't listen to you.

We need you, Mr. Vincent.

For what?

To help us in our
search for peace.

You mean surrender, don't you?

We're hardly in a position
to dictate terms, are we?

No.

Claire and I are fugitives
from our own alien compatriots

as well as from your police.

We're marked for death

because we favor the
abandonment of Earth

as an objective.
Keith, don't trust him.

We have to.

But I don't have to trust you.

Mr. Vincent, we
don't have any time.

This cellar has a primitive
regeneration system...

One of our first on Earth.

It saved my life.

But my compatriots knew
that I needed regeneration

and they'll be coming here soon.

Now, will you listen to me?

Then shoot!

I'll listen to you first.

Three miles.

KEITH: Yes, we used gasses

before we brought
regeneration tubes down.

Oh, they're quite
harmless to you...

Somewhat similar
to what you'd find

in your own deep sea
decompression chambers.

I was one of six leaders

who came here to
plan the final assault.

I hadn't been on Earth
a month before I realized

that we'd been deceived
by the expeditionary forces.

The human brain
is a supple, complex,

highly efficient organ.

It would be a crime
against creation to destroy it.

With ten billion
planets to choose from,

it would be lunacy to continue
our fight against this world.

As soon as I saw that, I
planned to return home

to fight against the
coming slaughter.

That was when they
decided to kill me.

What would stop them...
from killing you at home?

I have many friends there...

Powerful friends... leaders.

And I have this.

This is a memory bank.

It contains a million
facts about man.

His philosophy, his science,
his civilization, his world.

It could change a
great many minds.

We finally made contact
with a spacecraft commander

who agreed to take us home.

We were to meet at 9:00
tomorrow morning, then...

You're not asking me to
help you through the dragnet

after all the nice
things you said

about the human mind?

I told you... he's obsessed.

He doesn't want peace.

If you want peace,
you'll let me arrange

your surrender
to the authorities.

And bring about the
catastrophe I'm trying to avoid?

With the Earth
aware of our plans,

our forces would be
compelled to attack.

Your planet would be destroyed.

(rhythmic beeping)

My compatriots are here.

Do you want to
witness an execution...

or are you willing to
help us, Mr. Vincent?

We've been authorized
to spare your lives

if you'll give us
the time and place

of your rendezvous tomorrow

and the names of
your collaborators.

We are quite ready to die.

Claire?

There's no need
for you to die, too.

Get it over with.

Thank you, Mr. Vincent,

but I'm afraid it's
only a reprieve.

They won't stop trying.

Let's get inside.

If you're absolutely
sure that there's no way

to get out of here, Mr. Vincent,

I'd like you to have
this attaché case.

No. He'll take it
to the authorities.

That in itself will
convince them of nothing.

There are others of
us who think as I do.

If they contact
you, give it to them.

Say that it came from a leader.

I assure you, it will
be to your benefit.

How much of a chance
are you willing to take?

To do what?

To get through the roadblock

and meet the saucer tomorrow.

Keith, he's leading
you into a trap.

That whole scene outside
could've been staged for my benefit,

but there are several
billion lives at stake,

so I'll go along with you.

If you don't want to try...

that's all right, too.

Of course I see the
implications, David...

We could win with one big
play, but you'll never make it.

There's no other way.

The farmhouse is in the
center of the search area.

We can't go four
miles in any direction

without running
into a roadblock.

Isn't there any way you could
get the police on your side?

Eh, the chief of police
down here won't even listen.

And I've told you
about Officer Nash.

There's something going on
here, and I don't understand it...

but I have to make a move.

I'm going to catch a plane.

I'll be in Redstone
before midnight.

As soon as they
finish at the riverbank,

I want the main
force to spread out...

in this direction... Up
toward the Old Mill Road.

Okay?

Anybody wants me,
I'll be in the photo lab.

Vincent, get out of my way.

I have something I
think you'd like to see.

What's this?

Aren't you looking for
that license number?

Where'd you get this?

Well, if it told you, you
wouldn't believe me.

But I'll take you
there... alone.

Don't give me that
"alone" baloney

or I'll have you behind
bars for obstructing justice.

That won't solve
your case, will it?

Even the greenest
rookie wouldn't

walk into a situation
like this by himself.

Either you come with me
alone, or you don't come at all.

Okay, let them through.

All right, where
do we go to now?

The Mill Road.

There's a farmhouse
down this way.

That's not where
we're headed, is it?

Is there something
wrong, Captain?

(beeping)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Hold it.

Inside.

Now, don't make a move
and you won't get hurt.

CLAIRE: Captain Battersea...

you will remember nothing
of what is about to happen.

You will remember nothing.

Is that clear?

Yes.

My name is Trent.

I'm Special Assistant
to the State Chief.

This is Rawlings, my aide.

I bet the captain
was glad to see you.

Joe, the captain left his
office with David Vincent.

Can you think of any reason why?

Vincent?

He doesn't buy what
Vincent's spouting, does he?

You know better than that.

I understand you met
with Vincent earlier today.

Yeah.

RAWLINGS: What
could you tell him?

Just that, uh...

he's bad news, that's all.

Well, whether we like it or not,

he's gotten himself involved.

Joe... if you think of anything

would you give us a call?

Yeah, sure.

The captain's not
in trouble, is he?

I hope not.

A Sergeant Thompkins called.

Said there's a Captain Trent

down from State
Police headquarters.

I know him.

He's a good man.

Is everything all
right, Captain?

Fine.

What's holding us up?

BATTERSEA: I don't know.

Leeds, we've got to get going.

Okay.

Why are we stopping here?

That's your car, isn't it?

David.

(whirring)

(crystal shattering)

We're going to have
to take him with us.

You're going to do what I say.

Get in that car.

Vincent, do you know
what you're doing?

The penalty for
something like this...

They'll throw away to key.

Get in.

(rotors whirring overhead)

Better get off the highway.

We'll have to stay out of sight

until we get to a phone.

I've alerted every peace officer

in the northern
half of the state.

How many units have
you transferred up there?

40, Captain.

What about choppers?

Four. They'll be up
again with first light.

Good.

Captain Trent.

Yes?

Edgar Scoville.

Chief Kusick and I
are pretty good friends.

Oh, yes, Mr. Scoville.

I've heard him
mention your name.

What can I do for you?

Captain, I think
you're setting the stage

for a tragic mistake in
regard to David Vincent.

Oh? I know him.

What I think of his
theories is beside the point,

but he is neither a criminal
nor dangerous to your men.

Well, then just what
are you afraid of, sir?

That in this atmosphere,
you're building

to shoot first and
ask questions later.

I can assure you

that that will never
happen on this police force.

Good.

Thank you for
your time, Captain.

Good night.

Watch him.

Right.

We have adjoining cabins.

Come on, Captain, out.

Come on, move.

I don't know what
you think you're doing.

Just hope you know
what the ante is.

I guess I was
wrong about Vincent.

Now they'll kill him.

We can't concern
ourselves with that.

Can't we?

Isn't he as good an
argument for humanity

as that case you're carrying?

Vincent, she's quite a
dame, I'll have to admit.

But she's not worth the
price you're paying for her.

You think we're
kidnappers, don't you?

(knocking)

Who is it?

Claire.

David, I came to
see if I could help.

If you two want to be
alone, why don't you just...

Captain!

You've been chief
of police in Redstone

a long time, haven't you?

Remember the Tanners, Captain?

You remember the
Tanner children?

Twins, 16 years
old, a boy and a girl?

One day, they came
to you with a story.

Outside that farmhouse,

they saw a man burn
up and disappear.

Men had shot at him as
he ran through the woods.

They imagined it.

That's what you told them

because you investigated
and found nothing.

We're very good at
covering our tracks, Captain.

That farmhouse hasn't
been used in years.

But the real
trouble didn't start

until the children read
about David Vincent

and decided that what
they'd seen were aliens.

You laughed at them.

But they insisted.

And then one night,

the Tanner house burned down.

No one escaped.

Aliens set that fire,
Captain, to keep them quiet.

Garbage. A lot of garbage.

Yes, that's what you've
been telling yourself for a year,

because if we exist

and you didn't care
enough to find out,

then you're responsible
for their deaths.

Well, we do exist.

No.

There's no pulse in that arm.

There's no heart in here...

and no blood, Captain.

No blood.

Vincent, get her out of here.

Get her out of here!

Vincent, how could you...

how could you help them?

These two are different.

All they want to do is
get to their own planet

and stop their people
from making war with us.

Vincent, you've
got to kill them.

Do you understand?

You've got to kill them.

Kill them!

Thanks for coming
down again, Captain.

What is it, Joe?

I, uh... I think we'd
better be alone.

Police business, Doctor.

Would you excuse us?

Any word on the captain?

No.

There's something I
think I'd better tell you.

I wasn't delirious.

That first story I told...

That's the way it
really happened.

About the glowing man who
disappeared when you shot him?

That's right.

See, the captain...

the captain couldn't
live with that.

Something that happened
about a year ago.

If he knew there really
were aliens, he'd...

And there really are, huh?

And they may have the captain.

I see.

What's that?

What is that?

What is...?

(phone ringing)

Hello.

David.

Are you all right?

They almost spotted us twice.

We'll need another car.

Where are you?

A motel... The other
side of Travistock.

I'll get started right away.

So long.

You have a minute?

For what?

Just to sit and talk.

Sure.

What's going to happen to you

if we do get away?

I don't know.

Nothing good.

Police captains don't
like to be kidnapped.

Then why help us?

You're a chance worth taking.

You can stop your people
from making war with us.

That's all that matters.

If you spend the
rest of your life in jail?

Is it that important?

Why?

Why don't I butt out?

I don't know.

You know what
your people are like.

What will happen if
we don't fight back?

Sooner or later,
you'll be killed.

Or wind up in Captain
Battersea's jail.

Is that any better?

Anyway, what else would I do?

You've been told we have
no feelings, haven't you?

I've seen it.

No. You've see the
murderers, the executioners.

David...

some of us are able to
feel with our minds as...

as deeply as you
feel with your heart.

You're a woman here on Earth...

but, uh... are you...?

A woman where I come from?

Well, its equivalent, anyway.

Does that make a
difference, David?

Rawlings here.

He's still on the main highway.

Either he knows
he's being followed

or he just likes to drive fast.

TRENT: He must have seen you.

Pull him over.

See if you can get any answers.

Then lock him up for six hours.

Reckless driving.

Right.

(siren wailing)

MAN ON RADIO: We interrupt
to bring you a late news item.

Officer Joe Nash
died suddenly tonight

at Redstone General Hospital

of wounds received in a
gun battle some 30 hours ago.

Details on our 11:00 newscast.

Hello? Hello?

This is Captain Battersea...

The one they're looking
for over in Redstone.

You got to make a call for me.

They can't stop us now.

My friend will be here
any minute with a car.

From then on in,
it's all downhill.

For us.

Not for you.

Oh, I don't know.

Battersea will see
the saucer tomorrow.

If that doesn't convince him,

maybe I'll hitch
a ride with you.

Good night, David.

Good night.

That's right.

Riverview Motel,
outside of Travistock.

They...

It's going to be
tough during daylight.

I wish Scoville could have
arranged a car last night.

(rotors whirring overhead)

David.

Police.

Can we stay clear
of them until 9:00?

Depends where
their ground units are.

We're talking
about exactly 9:00.

The ship won't wait
five minutes in daylight.

You'll all be out
of action by 9:00.

I got it.

Captain.

One of the 'copters
spotted them.

Where?

Route 10, headed north.

Uh-huh. The chopper
still with them?

Needed fuel.

We've got them.

There's no way out

until they reach this cutoff.

Unit 22.

Right.

Unit 22. Come in, Unit 22.

Unit 22.

Subject car headed
north on Route 10.

Set up a block at the
Bitter Creek intersection.

Roger.

(siren wailing)

Only another half hour.

(tires squealing)

Hey! Hold it!

Listen, Battersea,
millions of lives depend

upon whether these people
get to that spacecraft or not.

Get us through this roadblock.

After what they did to
Joe and the Tanners?

All right, out!

If you want your
captain alive, move back.

Don't listen to him. Back off!

All right, back off.

Drop the guns.

Keep moving.

Get out.

Get out!

Go on.

We'll take their car.

Come on. Move!

Go on! Move!

Look out!

What's that?

That's what this is all about.

How could they?

All right. Here.

Take it.

Let's go.

Come on!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Well...

there's eight minutes.

Let's see if we can
get to that spaceship.

David, Captain,
we're going to try.

Will you come back?

No, David, I... I won't be back.

NARRATOR: For David
Vincent and his new ally

sadness for what they have lost

and hope for what
they may have gained.

Already, tens of
thousands of miles away,

an alien saucer
speeds through the void

on a mission not
of death, but of life.