The New Avengers (1976–1977): Season 2, Episode 11 - The Gladiators - full transcript

The first gone mad.

- When?
- Not more than an hour ago.

She sunk five ships in the last half hour
and their distress calls everywhere.

- Excellent.
- There's more.

The Breakwater is completely destroyed ...

... and emergency conditions are in effect
up to 12 miles inland and ...

... the army's on standby.
- Better and better.

What we've been waiting for?
- Agatha's the worst typhoon in 35 years.

And what's more ...

... she's good for another 24 hours.
- Then we move.

FB-1



That's the message Steed is waiting for.

- Is Steed in Canada?
- Landed last night.

Bailey.
- John.

The details are spur Steed.
But FB-1 is definitely mentioned.

- Does your men know who's coming in?
- No. Just that someone's landing at dawn.

- Are you sure of the location?
- Sure as anyone can be.

Gambit and Purdey.
- They'll be there in time.

You bring any of your men in?
- Nobody.

You know me Steed.
I work alone.

Um ...

Nothing personal.

That plane's landing.

Tell me Steed, just where did your friend Bailey get to?

Purdey, that is just as he said
Bailey works alone.



FB-1.
We need a lead. A clue.

Something to crack the whole case whatever.

I'm ...

Does this qualify as a clue do you think?

Bailey.
- Did you get him?

No, I haven't seen a thing.
I hit him, I think.

Steed?

I did hit him.
He won't be far.

This way.

Him speak with folk tongue.

Gambit!

Forward ...

... base.

I did get him.

Yes, unfortunately.

What he could have told us
could have come in useful.

Told us quite a lot?
What do we know about this man?

Nothing.
He's dead.

- But his hand.
- Earth.

He must have buried something
has to be around here somewhere.

Shouldn't be too difficult.
Anything buried I'll find it.

It's quiet.

Too darn quiet.

Forward Base.

That's what he said, wasn't it?
Forward Base.

FB-1.
Forward base one.

Forward. To send out.
To be ahead of?

Base. Low.
As in voice.

Here we are.

Something buried here recent to.

What is it?

It's a printed circuit control unit for
a missile guidance system.

But it's the mark six.

The mark six?
Oh, come on Czibor.

They only completed the trials a month ago.

Did we take all this just
to track this thing down?

But it is.
I tell you.

You see, this an automatic digital circuit
superimposed in the electrical transmission.

You mean the red bits?

If you prefer the scientific explanation,
yes, the red bits.

Then mark six and make us a present of it.

This is the gift horse of a lifetime
and I for one shall ...

... look squarely in the mouth.

Once I get to the lab and I'll take it apart.

Find out what makes it tick and then ...

I forbid you to harm one solenoid in its
electronic little head.

But Steed.

This is an unequaled opportunity.
They're ahead in missile guidance.

It's absolutely imperative that.
I didn't analyze.

What you're going to do?
- Bury it.

Bury it?
- And see what comes up.

Or who to collect it.

Bai ...

Bailey?

What happened to Bailey?

His body was recovered from the lake.
He'd been shot in the belly from close range.

Impossible.

Nobody could take Bailey unawares, nobody.

Impossible or not that's what happened.

It could have been somebody he knew.
That doesn't make sense either.

Bad luck he was by himself.

Bad luck?

Bailey wouldn't have said that.
He was proud of it.

He was proud to work alone.

The mark six missile guide was dropped in
early this morning.

By now, it should be safely buried
under waiting collection.

Good. Good.

Without the new mark six Forward Base is
not fully operational.

Who will be making the collection?

Halfhide.

Yeah.

Buried beneath the tree with a sign.

Yeah.
I hear that.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know what to do.

What are we talking about?

Nothing.

We did nothing our last tuesday?

Last tuesday?

I forget.

Anyway, you weren't very convincing.
- Possibly.

But I was right.

Swan.

No. It wasn't about a swan.
- Swan. Swan!

Well, Ivan.
- Who is it?

- Ivan. - Ivan who?
- Ivan Halfhide.

Gambit.

Oh, we gotta make it look good.

He's landing.

He's got it.

Question now is ...

... where will he take it?

The lake. The Lake Ontario.
Let's go Gambit.

That's where he's heading.

- Are you sure?
- Sure, I'm sure.

Well, if this is the lagoon we're on.

And if we are going in that direction ...

And, uh ...

If he doesn't make a right here ...

And if I haven't got the map upside down.

Then it's definitely, absolutely ...

... and without a shadow of doubt Lake Ontario.

Probably.

Step on it Gambit.

I am stepping on it.

I told you to step on it Gambit.
Now, we've lost him.

- He must have gone out onto the lake.
- Why would he be heading for the lake?

I don't know Purdey.
Ask me another.

Have you seen a swan on this track?

That way.
He went out onto the lake.

Thanks.

Is the lake around the inlet?

Yeah.

Sometimes.

It's couple hundred yards further on.

Or it might be a couple of miles.

If you're hurry, you might be able to catch it.

If not ... wait here
it might catch up with you.

I'll trust you for it.

No.

No, it's your job.
After all it's claiming your seniority.

Not this time.

Perhaps you could make an anonymous phone call.

No.
He'd recognize voice.

He's not gonna like it.

Did what?

We knew you wouldn't like it.

He dropped it into the lake.
No, it was more extrovert than that.

He threw it.

- What do you mean by extrovert?
- The opposite to introvert.

A mark six missile unit?

Yes, that seemed rather a waste, doesn't it?

Where's Purdey?

Trying to retrieve it.

Will you drive or shall I?

Well, it is a left-handed swan.

This way.

He was just about here. He stood
where we are and threw it into the lake.

Long throw.

Well, maybe he was a bit closer.

Anyway Purdey marks well.

Hey!
Gambit. I got it.

I found it.

The wrong one?
- Definitely.

This is a mark five.
The older model.

It can't be.
Steed it can't be.

I saw him throw it.
We saw him throw it

How do you know it's a wrong one?
- No automatic digital circuit.

In short no red bits.
This is a mark five, no doubt about it.

Quite useless to us.

And.. you don't mind my saying so
your whole operation here seems to be ...

... quite useless.
- I do mind you saying so.

Steed, it's not possible.
Halfhide throw this into the lake.

- It might be an idea to lean on Halfhide.
- What do you mean lean on him?

I'll scare him to see where he runs to.

Excellent.
Have it fitted immediately.

And once again we are in control with
complete domination. - Yes sir.

Ranoff.

You look pale Ranoff.
- No more than you sir.

But you forget I was once
commander of an atomic submarine.

After that being cooped up in this
office is not so very bad.

And we always have such a fine view.
- Yeah.

I wish ...
- Yes, Ranoff?

You wish you could stroll across that square.

Sit at the cafe perhaps
and breathe the warm summer air.

I think that.

Sometimes, yes sir.

And I.

But our work, our mission is here.

Nevertheless you do look pale.

Get along to the gymnasium later.
- Yes sir.

To stroll across the square.

Breathe the summer air.

That's going to be some cast.

From here to the water.
That's a prodigious feat.

And wait until it gets nearer.

I didn't realize there was a tide here.

Well, sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't.

Sometimes, it just sneaks up all around you.
Ain't been the same since Agatha passed on.

Well, I'm very sorry to hear that.

No, no. Agatha, the typhoon.
April 69 it was. Oh, Agatha was a big one.

Stranded we were for nearly four days.
Phones down even the radio was affected.

Big one.
- Typhoon? And this area was badly hit.

Terrible.
Torn up all over.

I'd like to know what everything looked
like before Agatha came along.

Well, there was a jetty stretched out
over there for a start and some rocks.

You could see for yourself.
Down at the trading post.

Harper's got some old stuff.
Old views of the place like it used to be.

Thank you very much.

Direct transmission.
Came over the wires a few minutes ago.

We're lucky, Runoff.
Lucky that we are still ahead.

I know this man.
Know of him.

His name is Steed. Very astute.
- And if he sees those postcards?

But he won't, will he?

We have a man stationed for
just such an eventuality, don't we?

Contact him immediately.
- Yes sir.

- He should destroy all the postcards.
- Yes sir.

And then Steed.

Catch!

But it's hot.

Well? - Communication still hasn't heard
from our man sir.

It could just be that his radio's kaput.

His mission should have been accomplished an hour ago.

He's one of our best men sir.
We can assume he accomplished his mission.

Or we can assume that Steed got the best of him.

Never underestimate Steed.

The prisons and graveyards are littered
with those who made that mistake.

As from now, Forward Base is at risk.

Complete radio silence? Change of frequency?

A complete change altogether.
We must move and move fast.

Halfhide?

They're on to you.
Your covers blown.

What?

Who is this?

Hello.

Hello?

I think, he spotted me.

Oh, really?

So now we have one very worried agent.

And what do worried agents do?

Contact their contact.

Except he won't be able to.

Take one foreign agent.

Stir things up.
- And leave ...

- ... to stew.

I think, he can't see us anymore.

We completely convinced him
that we're still around.

He'll start seeing shadows everywhere.

Halfhide to Forward Base.
Halfhide to Forward Base.

Come in Forward Base.

Halfhide to Forward Base.
Come in ...

He's breaking radio silence.
- Yes, sir.

That fool.

Worse.
A disobedient fool.

We must do something about it.
- Yes, sir.

That's why I thought ...

... Takar here, sir.

Yes.

Takar.

You must take a trip.

Forward Base.

Been hearing that for years now.
Forward Base. An advanced missile station.

But how far forward could it possibly be.

Here perhaps ...

... or even here.

But that would be stretching it a bit, wouldn't it?

Steed?

That's like a coastal chart of this area here.

Forward Base.
Come in, come in.

Police please.

Hello.
I am at a motel on ...

2031 Lakeshore Boulevard West.

We've had some trouble.
There's been a very big fight here.

Okay?
- Okay.

I think he stood long enough.

Now, we bring him to the boil.

I've got it.
- Rhythm?

Flu?

What we were talking about, Gambit?

The fickleness of mind.
- I know that face.

I said that man was infinitely more
changeable and more restless.

I've seen him not far somewhere.
- Well, you of course disagreed.

He's a hitman, I believe.

You said that no man would ever ...

... up and leave a woman.

Not if he really ...

... cared for her.

Halfhide to Forward Base.

This is Halfhide calling Forward Base.
Come in.

Come ...

Why this interest in the Lake Ontario shoreline?

It was hit by Agatha, wasn't it?
- Agatha?

Oh, the typhoon in 69.
Yes, it did hit this area.

- Did it change it much?
- Some.

And the area was out of action for a while.

It would be. Yes.
Phones down, radio affected ...

And radar.

That could be affected too.

Well, naturally.

All along the coastline
and the gulf of St Lawrence.

Typhoon picks up a lot of debris
and flings it about all over.

Radar screens would pick all that up.

Confusing.

- Yes.
- For a while anyway.

Do you mind if I hold on to this?

I did say I was sorry.

You could have asked me a civil question.

Read my rights.
Allowe me to call my lawyer.

I mean, that's the usual procedure, isn't it?

Isn't it?

I couldn't help you.

A pure reflex action.

Did offer to reset the bone.

What do you make of this?

Excuse me.

A wetsuit.
Rather odd wouldn't you say?

Perhaps.

Perhaps, he was going on somewhere.

Sir. - I told you, I did not
want to be disturbed.

Yes, I know sir, but ...

Halfhide is here, sir.

The guards didn't know when he arrived
and he asked to be admitted.

They did so.
- I had to come here.

I know, I disobeyed orders sir,
but i had to come. They were onto me.

Police.

People watching.

So I thought, well.
I'm of no further use now so ...

I congratulate you Halfhide.

Congratulate me?
- For aware of two very pertinent things.

One ...

You disobey the orders.

And two ...

You are no further use.

Definitely.

I'm confused which I'm usually not.

And that's an understatement.

Now ...

You found a man in Toronto on dry land.

On dry land you said.
Right.

In a wetsuit.

You ...

No telling me all again, okay?

I followed him to the point where
he got rid of the mark six.

Which turned into the mark five.

And then he ...

... walked into lake Ontario and disappeared.

Now, we get to the bit going to
look a bit tricky in the report.

He changed his clothes.

That's right. Um ...

... when he walked into the lake,
he had on certain trousers.

And then when I found him ...

He was in a dressing gown and pajamas.

Well, he was diving to his bed in the lake.

Well, is the funny side of the job.

Sorry.

An agent voluntarily jumps into lake Ontario
and drowns himself.

No, he wasn't drowned.

No, whatever gave you that idea.
No, he'd been shot.

I think, I go fishing.

Sounds like a good idea.

Steed gone?

- Fishing.
- Oh!

Well, I thought, he'd like to know
when he gets around.

The guy he hit with his bowler.
He's starting to talk.

Well, I better start to listen.

Had a busy day.

Yes.
Can I help?

Not with that.

I've hung all the pictures I need.
Thank you.

Now, I was after some fishing tackle.
- Oh, oh, yes.

We have a very good stock.

There's these new nylon rods
or one of the wood ones.

Will you want a full kit?
Ah!

Hey!

This'll do fine.

Thank you very much.

Hi.

Hello.

That's a grass.

Very very wet grass.

And that's a tree.

Isn't it just?

Oh, you collect bird's eggs.

No.

Fish.

Fish?

Fish are nesting in the tree?

Well, of course.

Forward Base.

Where is Forward Base?

Under ...

Down under.
- Down Under.

You mean, it's in Australia?

He didn't say dawn under.
He said down under.

You understand what I require admiral?

I understand, but by what authority?

No authority admiral.
Just instinct.

Instinct? Do you know what this operation
will cost you in full alone?

In full alone?

Well, talk about my pay in equal amounts.
But you will be there, won't you admiral?

Now, look here Steed ...

Thank you admiral.

What is it?

There's an intruder in the area sir.

Then deal with it.
I do not want to be disturbed.

Except by this beautiful music.

Look. It's the end of the road for you.

Three, five, 10, 15 years in a prison cell.
That's all you can look forward to.

Now, do you want to go for the full 15 or three?

Perhaps even less.

It depends on how cooperative you are.

We might even arrange repatriation.

I work for pay.

Not patriotism.

What do you want to know?

The exact location of Forward Base.

Fishing?

Yes.

They're in the trees, you know?

I can believe that.

But I prefer more traditional methods.

It is Purdey, I believe.

I've seen your face in files many times, but ...

... I've never had the pleasure.
- You and a hundred others.

I can't believe I've been out
long enough to transport me to.

An illusion.

An illusion to help relieve the monotony of
so many years underwater.

A necessary prop to morale.

Forward Base.

Not so much forward as a under.

Ah, you get your furnishings the same place
Steed gets his bowlers.

A submarine?

A little more than that.

In theory yes,
but a very special submarine.

A sub-aquatic community.

A small corner of Canada. That is ...
- Forever foreign.

Exactly.

What?

Well, you couldn't have done it
without a woman's help.

Agatha. A typhoon famous
to the point of notoriety 1969.

And while she was raging,
this submarine ...

Correction.

This sub-aquatic community
suitably disguised as a peninsula.

Moved in down Saint Lawrence
and into Lake Ontario.

Must have taken some timing.

Yes. We had to wait for the precise moment
when the radar systems were ...

... being confused by the typhoon.

Please, no interruptions it spoils
my train of thought.

Oh, I do apologize.

Now, I imagine you have missile launchers
somewhere here. - Correct.

Missiles inside the North American defenses.

What?

You do not of course have
any direct contact with your homeland.

We are completely self-sufficient.

But times change.

And so do missile guidance systems.

You were stuck with a Mark 5 obsolete.

It was essential that we have the Mark 6.

The one with the little red bits.

So you have the new device flown in and ...

... that's right, came in.

And go out.

A view.

A brief talk with a most charming
and intelligent young woman.

Both ...

... a transitory way to relieve the monotony.

But now, I fear a sad ...

... and tragic accident.

Drowned while diving.

These ...

... theatrical touches are
necessary to ...

... preserve the illusion you see.

And to maintain the safety of Forward Base.

Forward Base, this is John Steed.
It's John Steed calling Forward Base.

I would hate to have to personally kill a woman.

So would I.
Especially if it's me.

I am sorry sir.
- Outside!

But we're picking up a message, captain Malachev.

Loud and clear.
From nearby.

- I told you to ... - I really think,
you should listen to this sir.

Hello there, John Steed speaking.
Forward Base?

Yes. I'd just like you to know
that your location is discovered.

And what's more, I'm standing on it.

Crash dive!

Now, you could consider a crash dive.

Evasive action?

Forward Base ...

I'd just like to point out two things.
One, I can swim.

And two. At this very moment ...

An anti-submarine flotilla of The Canadian
armed forces is sailing into Lake Ontario.

Admiral ...

... can you hear me?

Loud and clear.
Be with you in three minutes.

Forward Base ...

... convinced?

Now ...

I should like you very much to ...

... show yourselves in an orderly fashion.

Forward Base, I'm waiting.

They should be showing themselves soon.

Somewhere near here.

Or near the lake.

Oh, yeah, sure.

Subtitles by Ceok