The Invaders (1967–1968): Season 2, Episode 7 - The Spores - full transcript

Courier Tom Jessup loses track of a briefcase containing something vital: spores. These organisms, properly nourished, will grow into aliens able to tolerate Earth's high oxygen content. Through mischance, Jessup loses track of the briefcase, which changes hands several times. Finally, some kids wind up with it, and meanwhile inside it the spores continue to grow, and outside it, Jessup is increasingly desperate.

Shortly before dawn,

a spaceship landed near
Phillipsburg, Colorado,

bringing to Earth

a strange and ominous
experimental cargo:

two dozen spores.

After exposure to the
Earth's atmosphere,

each will develop and grow
into a perfectly formed alien.

On the success
of this experiment

rests the possibility of future
shipments numbering hundreds,

perhaps thousands
of alien invaders,

and possibly, the
future of the human race.



Why don't you get
yourself a grown-up car

instead of that little scooter?

Maybe I don't want

to get fat and lazy
like some guys.

You call that fat?

That's solid muscle.

How they doing up there?

There's about 40 tons of
dirt sitting all over the road.

Listen, if you see
the guy with the dozer,

tell him to get it
out of low, will ya?

All right.

Stick around.

I'll be back.

Good hunting.



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.

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

Now David Vincent knows
that the invaders are here,

that they've taken human form.

Somehow, he must
convince a disbelieving world

that the nightmare
has already begun.

The guest stars
in tonight's story:

Gene Hackman... Mark Miller...

Patricia Smith...
John Randolph...

Wayne Rogers.

Let me ask you once
again, Mr. Jessup:

Are you absolutely
certain that what you saw

is not what Sergeant
Goldhaver here reported?

You mean the disappearing act?

That's right.

I'm afraid not.

You must have!

You were right there.

I'm not saying it didn't happen.

I just didn't see it.

I'd been walking along the road,

and when this truck came at me,

I guess I threw
myself into the ditch.

Must have blacked
out a couple of seconds.

And what happened

to the people in the truck?

Ernie, we don't know

that there were any
people in the truck.

Except the driver, of course,

and he probably wandered

off in the woods...
Shock and everything.

The boys are out
looking for him.

They'll probably find him.

Well, I told you I saw two...

Ernie, could we talk for a sec?

Mr. Jessup, you'll excuse us?

When we get back,
you can be on your way.

Ernie.

Sit down, Ernie.

You don't believe me, do you?

Ernie, sit down.

All right, how about it?

How about what?

Oh, come on, now. You
know what I'm talking about.

You mean, maybe I've
been hoisting a couple.

Well?

Not today.

Not for two years.

Ernie, level with me.

I am leveling with you.

I haven't been near a bottle
since I came off suspension.

Look, how much time you got

before retirement, huh?

One year and three months.

Why?

What do you think's going

to happen when I
send up that report?

I don't know.

Oh, yes, you do.

You'd know that whoever wrote it

was up to his eyeballs in booze.

Is that what you think?

Look, Ernie, ever
since I've been here,

you've had a good record.

One of the best.

I'd kind of like to think

maybe you're telling the truth.

I am telling the truth--

To you and in that report.

Yeah, and to that kid
from the radio station.

Oh, Ernie, I wish you
hadn't have done that.

I saw it!

The whole thing!

No, you think you saw it!

Now, listen, you go
on suspension again,

and your retirement
starts right now.

No pension.

Tell me something.

Could you swear
that what you saw

was not an optical
illusion or something?

I don't know.

Maybe it was.

That's exactly what it was.

Come on. We'll tell Mr. Jessup
he can be on his way.

Several hours ago,

a radio newscast
carried a strange report:

A deputy sheriff in
Phillipsburg reported

an accident in which
the passengers vanished

in a burst of flame.

A policeman's delusion
or evidence of invaders?

David Vincent
travels to Phillipsburg

to discover which.

Look, we already told you
it was an optical illusion.

That's all.

Well, what if it wasn't?

What if the sergeant
really did see that?

Well, if you'd gotten here
a couple of minutes earlier,

you could have talked
to the other eyewitness.

Now, he said nothing happened.

Maybe you would
have believed him.

Wait a minute.
Another "eyewitness"?

That's right. A
fella named Jessup.

My man just put him on a bus.

I guess you missed him.

What did he look like?

A guy in his mid-30s,

sandy-haired,
gray suit, I think.

No, it was brown.

Say, he was just leaving
when you came in.

You probably saw him outside.

Yes, I think I did.

Where did this accident happen?

What difference does it make?

I'd like to know.

A bend in the road

about a hundred yards this side

of the Milford junction.

Okay, thanks.

Ernie, you, uh, you'd better
start changing this report.

I wonder if you could tell me,

is this the way to Milford?

You lost? Yeah, I guess so.

I rented this thing.

Forgot to ask for a map.

Take your first right down here.

It's about 25 miles.

Okay, thanks. You want a ride?

If you don't mind stopping
while I use a phone.

No. No trouble.

Yeah, my car broke
down a few miles back.

I got an appointment in Milford.

Harper, Dave Harper. Insurance.

I'm Tom Jessup.

I'm a... salesman.

What do you sell?

Huh?

Jewelry?

Case like that?

Seeds.

No kidding.

Everything started
from seeds once.

Even you and me.

Never thought about it that way.

Can't tell.

They might come up with a
whole new species someday.

Of what?

Who knows?

Maybe even people.

There's a coffee shop.

They must have a phone.

Mr. Harper...

I wonder if you'd
mind locking your car.

My sample case, you know?

Sure.

I guess I'll take it in with me.

Some people, you know?

I know some people have
some pretty big mouths.

Coffee, please.

Wow, baby brother.

You really dragged
us to a great joint.

I told you. They got good food.

Yeah, I can see.

They got samples
all over the menu.

No, they weren't damaged

but three of our
people perished.

I know, but I have
to get the spores

to the incubation point.

All right.

Where will you meet me?

Good.

I'll get this man
to drop me off.

Hal, put it back.

Mister, those kids
stole your suitcase.

I'll call a doctor.

No, call the police.

Call the police.

What do you think's in it?

Well, it's got to be something

we didn't have before.

So long, fella.

That was a real dumb move.

We lost him, didn't we?

I mean about taking that thing.

Shut up.

You saw the way he put us down.

That didn't mean you
had to steal from him.

You, too, huh?

Why don't you both
just clear out of here?

What if he calls the cops?

If he did, it's your fault.

If you hadn't started
to panic back there,

nobody would have
seen me take it.

They were looking right at you.

They were watching the fight.

Now... let's see what we got.

You want me to try?

The guy next door
has some tools.

Be right back.

This is Jessup.

The spores have been taken.

No, they don't know
what they have.

I can't. I'm driving
a stolen car.

You'll have to pick me up.

Yes, but hurry.

If they manage to get it
open, it could be dangerous.

All right, the kids don't
matter, but Jessup does

and so does that case.

So how can you
call him a car thief?

After all, all he
did was take out

after those kids who
stole his sample case.

He's not just a car thief.

What are you trying to tell me?

All I know is, I'm
responsible for that car.

Look, Mr. Vincent, he'll
probably bring the car back.

Maybe he already
has, so the best...

Look, I'm reporting
a stolen car to you.

It's up to you to
follow it through.

Wait a minute, you
trying to tell me my duties?

It looks as though
somebody has to.

All right.

All right.

Ernie, uh...

get a description of
the car from Mr. Vincent.

Put out a routine circulation.

Look, time is very important.

I got a whole town
full of problems.

What do you want from me?

Take care of him, Ernie.

What are you planning to do?

Go back out there, I guess.

Have to start somewhere.

Well, uh... mind if I tag along?

I-I could, uh, drive
you out in my car.

Well, the way I see it,

there's something
funny on the fire,

and I think maybe you
got hold of the handle.

May be.

Uh... what's in that,
uh, sample case?

Nothing good.

Man, this must be the
hardest stuff in the world.

Hal.

What?

Hal, let's take it back, huh?

You're kidding.

Look, maybe if we take it back

they'll just forget we took it.

Maybe he's right.

You want him so much, take him.

I'm tired of playing
wet nurse anyhow.

Come on.

He's the one that's got the job.

He's the one paying the rent.

It's just 'cause every time
I get a good deal going,

I got him around to foul it up.

Do not.

What about the time that
guy offered us $200 a week

just to do some crummy driving?

You blew the whistle.

Yeah.

Yeah, he wanted us to take
stolen cars out of the state,

and you call that a good deal?

I can't get this thing open.

Then let's take it back.

Well, we can't just sit
around here all day, huh?

Okay.

What are you going to do?

You mean, what
are you going to do?

You took something of mine.

I don't know what
you mean, mister.

I'd like it back.

I'd like it back now.

I got nothing of yours.

What are you doing?

Well, where is it, I said?

Uh... You want to die, son?

My brother.

He's got it.

Where's he?

I don't know.

I meant what I said about dying.

I'll just keep this key.

I'm surprised you didn't
toss her for the check.

Your brother says
you got my case.

I got rid of it!

Where?

I threw it in the white
convertible out front,

the one with the black top.

You'd better not be lying, son.

I never thought we
couldn't afford to go to sleep.

Well, we have seven dollars.

A day late and a dollar short.

They'll accept a credit card.

Look, I'm sorry
about going to Vegas.

I'm sorry about
losing the money.

I'm sorry about a lot of things,

but what's done is done.

Now I'm tired,

and I have to get some sleep.

Something will turn
up. It always has.

Not this time, Jack.

You are tapped out
financially and spiritually,

and I've had it.

Whose is this thing?

It's not ours.

I never saw it before.

Well, I told you
something would turn up.

Not to worry.

Are we desperate
enough to steal now?

No, but we're desperate
enough to accept a reward

when we return it to the owner.

Anybody locks
something up this tight,

it's either a woman or diamonds,

and that doesn't look like
any woman I've ever seen.

Listen, go check us in.

I'm going to go see
if I can find a chisel.

Sure. You stole that suitcase
and never even looked inside.

We couldn't get it open.

I swear, we
couldn't get it open.

You got a phone?

Frank, Ernie.

A white convertible
with a black top

going south on 94.

Put out an APB for me, okay?

How long ago?

Who?

They've already
put out the call.

Jessup phoned it in.

Why'd they send an ambulance?

He's dead.

Come on, let's get out of here.

Is it okay?

Come on.

I almost got it.

What's your guess?

With your luck, dirty laundry.

You know, the
trouble with you, Sal,

is you've got no faith.

Ew, it's horrible.

They must be worth something.

What are they?

Some kind of seeds.

Awful, disgusting seeds.

Let's get out of here.

No, first let me find the owner.

He'll pay us something.

I don't want to wait.

I never saw anything like this

in my whole life, Sal.

I want to go home

and they're not coming with me.

Get rid of 'em, Jack. Please?

You're forgetting we're broke.

We are flat broke.

Now we can get a new start.

We can win it all back,

but you've got to be patient.

We can't afford a motel room,

and I should be patient

so you can get
another gambling stake?

Where are the keys?

All right.

I'm coming, too.

Not with that... box.

You can get a plane
when you're rid of it.

How?

Use your credit card.

That autopsy is
going to show that

that boy died of a
cerebral hemorrhage.

How do you know that?

I've seen it happen before.

A kid that age.

Tough.

It's worse than tough.

He was murdered.

You don't like things
to get too dull, do you?

Anytime it slows down,
you feed me another zinger.

Flying saucers, alien invaders.

Now, wait just a minute.

You saw two of
them die this morning

out there at that wreck.

Okay.

Looks like Jessup

and your Lieutenant
Mattson are friendly.

What are you talking about?

Mattson.

How much do you know about him?

That he comes with
grade A references

and has cut the mustard
just fine around here

for one solid year.

Well, if I killed a man, I
wouldn't go to the police

unless the lieutenant
was a friend of mine.

You're crazy.

We don't know
Jessup killed anyone.

He just wanted help getting
his suitcase back, that's all.

Ernie, I know how they work.

They brought a saucer
down around here

because Mattson is one of them.

He's the one who told you
not to send in your report.

Now they're together.

It fits.

Well, it's been fun
and all that, Vincent,

but that's it.

Out.

I know how it sounds.

But trust me. Check on it.

Out.

I'll risk my pension
and all that,

but I'm not going to
spend my declining years

in a straightjacket.

Move.

If I wasn't speeding

and I didn't go
through a red light

and if I say please,
can I go now?

How long do I have to wait here?

It won't be long, ma'am.

You Mattson's friend?

That's right.

She doesn't have it with her.

I'm sorry to have, uh...

inconvenienced
you this way, miss,

but, uh... I'm missing
a small suitcase

and I was hoping

you could help me get it back.

I didn't take it.

Oh, nobody said you did,

but I'd be very grateful if
you could point me to it.

How grateful?

Well, say, uh...

$200?

All right.

$500.

For a bunch of
funny-looking seeds?

You've got a deal.

What's the matter?

Uh, nothing.

Guess I'm just tired.

Anything new on
that metal suitcase?

Uh, no.

Listen, I think
I'll go next door

and get a cup of coffee.

You want a sandwich
or something?

Oh, yeah, thanks.

Roast beef on white.

Operator.

Operator, this is Sergeant
Ernest Goldhaver.

I'd like to call the
Philadelphia Police Department

and bill the call to
my home phone.

Yes, sir. Your home
phone number?

623-1399.

Confirm tonight.

Yes, sir.

Police Department.
Sergeant Mines.

Uh, Sergeant, this is
Sergeant Goldhaver,

Phillipsburg, Colorado.

Right.

Well, I, uh, I'm
looking for someone

who can tell me
about a John Mattson.

He used to work with you people.

I knew him, Deputy.

Good man.

Well, uh... what's he doing now?

You didn't hear?

I guess not.

Hear what?

A couple of hophead kids
ran him down last year.

Judge called it manslaughter.

We called it murder.

I can get you his wife's
number if you want.

No. I mean, thanks, Sergeant.

Thanks very much.

Forgot my wallet.

Jack.

Oh, Sal, thank
heavens you're back.

You were right.

No, I wasn't.

Sal, I got something
to tell you... Just listen.

No, you listen.
It's about the box.

I found him, Jack... the owner.

I got rid of it. I
threw it away...

He's giving us $500 for it.

Threw it away?

Where?

Come on.

Where are we taking it?

What do you usually
do with seeds?

Are we going to
plant them? Where?

In the hothouse,
dummy, where else?

I don't think that's
such a good idea.

It might be dangerous
or something.

Well, no one says
you have to come.

Where are you going, Earl?

To the hothouse.

Shut up, stupid.

Can I come?

This is pretty dangerous work.

Nitroglycerin and dynamite.

So don't tell anyone, Liz.

Especially Mom.

Okay.

You want to blow
us all to pieces?

Sorry, sir.

It won't happen again, sir.

You run with a guy for a year,

you think you know

everything there is
to know about him.

John Mattson and I were tight.

We were thick.

I know the feeling.

Now I really got
a report to fill out.

They'll know I'm
back on the sauce.

Maybe you'd
better countersign it.

If we find that case
before Jessup does,

they'll believe
everything you say.

I'll almost drink to that.

Delicious.

Had your dinner yet, Mike?

Try one.

You know what you can do.

You guys are crazy.

Get out of here, chicken.

Don't worry.

Nothing to it.

The police report says
that you had the case.

If I still had it, Mr. Vincent

I would have given
it to that Mr. Jessup.

At least he was
offering coin of the realm.

All right, when you
threw the case away,

was there anyone around?

No.

Are you sure?

I told you... nobody.

Well, there was a couple
of kids up the block.

What kind of kids?

Kids kids... boys.
Probably freckle-faced.

Who notices kids?

Thank you.

You don't mind too
much, do you, honey?

What?

Oh, that I threw
that case away...

Blew the reward.

I'll tell you something.

It's the first time I knew
you to toss in a winning hand.

How do you want to handle this?

House by house by house.

He didn't call in?

He didn't leave a message?

No, sir.

It's like he just disappeared.

Is Lieutenant Mattson around?

Nope.

What's the trouble?

When do you expect him?

I don't know.

When he comes back,

will you tell him I
want to see him?

Some friends of mine
have found something

and I think it's dangerous.

What'd they find, son?

I don't know exactly.

A metal case?

Yes, sir.

I lost a suitcase.

You didn't say

there was anything
dangerous in it, Mr. Jessup.

Well, there isn't.

It's just seeds.

Isn't that right, son?

Yes, sir.

And seeds aren't
dangerous, are they?

No, sir.

We have a car outside.

Why don't you come with us?

Tell the lieutenant
for me, will you?

Yeah.

Hello.

Where's your mama?

She's not at home.

What's your name?

Elizabeth Garber.

Do you have a brother?

What's his name?

Earl Garber.

And, uh, where
is Earl, Elizabeth?

I'm not telling

and you can't make me!

Elizabeth...

does your brother have a... a
case that looks like a suitcase?

Where did he take it?

It's the uniform.

I'll wait outside.

What does he have in that case?

Dynamite.

Dynamite?

Well, he, uh...

he shouldn't be
playing with dynamite.

Where is he?

The hophouse.

What's a hophouse?

For flowers.

Oh, yes, I know what that is.

Thank you.

Everything's okay.

Look at them grow.

Somebody's going to
walk in here and throw a fit.

It ain't gonna be me.

Wait outside.

You really panicked, huh?

Get them out of here!

You kids run!

I'm all right. I'm all right.

Wish you had another gun.

I wish we had a bomb.

If only we had an empty bottle.

Only a full one.

In the glove compartment.

I wish you hadn't wasted
the bottle that way, Vincent.

That was good drinking whiskey.

Well, it's all there.

You want to sign as a witness,

it won't hurt our case any.

Ernie, don't turn this in.

Don't? Well, that's a switch.

How much longer do you
have to wait for your pension?

A little over a year.

Don't take a
chance on losing it.

This is the big thing, David.

You know, I like money

as well as the next guy, but...

Ernie, chances are,
they won't believe you

any more than they believe me.

But you're the one who told me.

Let's make a deal.

In a year from now, when
you have your pension

if I'm still working on this,

we'll get together.

You and me... that sounds good.

Yeah, about that bottle in
the glove compartment...

Forget it.

I've been lugging it
around for a long time...

To fall back on.

I mean, uh... I wasn't sure.

Well, I'm sure.

One year and three months.

Good enough.

So long.

So long, David.

The destruction
of the alien spores

becomes a major
victory for David Vincent

in a continuing relentless
war in which victories are few.