"Gentlemen... as all of you know, Dr. Prescott, Dr. Lazaar and myself... have, for the last 10 months, been engaged in Project XYZ." "Each of us was working on a separate phase of the project... under a security system only you... who serve and protect our mighty nation so admirably... are capable of devising." "It was to take the sum total of our combined knowledge... to ever implement Project XYZ." "But in spite of your ingenuity... a combination of our general knowledge alone... was enough for us to realize that we had developed... a terrible weapon." "A weapon that would escalate the current arms race... to nightmare proportions." "And so, upon discovering... the true dimensions of our unconscionable task... we burned every note, every equation... every trace of our work." "Gentlemen, we have destroyed the XYZ nightmare." "Destroyed the XYZ nightmare..." "Destroyed the XYZ nightmare..." "It's an android!" "That's Dr. Royce Tobias, the day he signed on to my project." "That's Dr. Royce Tobias yesterday morning." "You're kidding." "What's left of an intricately built human robot." "Somewhere along the line the real doctor was replaced by an android." "Now he and all he knows about Project XYZ are missing." "You did say it would take all three scientists... to develop the XYZ weapon." "Was that right?" "Yes, that's a small consolation." "There's no possibility that the other two scientists might short-circuit?" "No." "Prescott and Lazaar are still flesh and blood... but we've got to make sure they stay that way." " When did they abort the project?" " Two days ago." "They came and told me right after they burned their notes." "So then, if they were working right up till that time..." "Tobias had to have been replaced after XYZ was aborted, right?" "That's right." "I guess we have to find out exactly when the switch was made." "I'll start at Tobias' laboratory, see if I can find anything there." "Good." "Well, Diana, looks like we'll be seeing quite a lot of each other." "Yeah, I guess the more I find out, the more questions I'll have for you, Dex." "Why can't you plan on asking me those questions... over dinner one of these evenings?" "More likely, I'll be... asking them over the telephone." "Hey, Dex... remember what I used to tell you in college?" "Yeah. "Confine your passes to the football field. "" "Thank you very much." "I'll close the door behind me." "Lady, stay right where you are, and don't move." "You understand?" "Stay right there, that's just fine." "Gotten enough exercise?" "Now, in 50 words or less, tell me why you were in that laboratory." "No, I can't." "You have to." "You can't lie." "I can't..." "Whatever you were programmed for, I guess it wasn't for truth." "Dr. Prescott wasn't too happy with his new living arrangements." "Lazaar had some colorful phrases about the security measures where he is, too." "Not good." "We've got guards at every entrance... every elevator, and at their rooms in both buildings." " They may not be happy, but they are safe." " Good." "Trevor." "Steve, it's Diana." "Listen, I'm at Dr. Tobias'." "When I got here, I wasn't alone." "I was greeted by another android." "What happened?" "Let's just say he broke down under pressure." "Are you all right?" "I'm fine." "But I'd like to know... why I'm standing in a physicist's laboratory... looking at a battalion of toy soldiers." "Just a second." "Diana found some toy soldiers at Tobias' apartment." "Does he have some kind of a hobby?" "All three scientists play war games... with miniature soldiers for relaxation." "Did you hear that, Diana?" "Yes." "I guess only geniuses can play with toys when they're over 50... and get away with it." "Right." "You let us know if you find anything else, will you?" "Right." "This is torture." "Yes." "Dr. Prescott?" "It's not as if I could have gone anywhere." "You expecting these?" "Somebody just brought them by for you." "Yes, thank you, my good man." "Thank you so much." "Yes, now, Dr Lazaar... we shall see just who should have won the Battle of Chateau Thierry." "Now, I'll put this here for the moment." "You can go in an emplacement, Commander... and I'll put this cannon here." "Yes, here, and here." "Now, I get some positioning on this." "I told Lazaar not to move his men up so quickly." "They'll be moved out of position... and this infantry here..." "What is the..." "Hello, Dr. Prescott." "You're going to do exactly what I tell you to." "Now, listen..." "A new friend, a little noisy but very smart." "And you have all these friends to meet." "So much to do!" "Just when I was going to introduce all of you." "Keep an eye on them, will you?" "You, with that flirty smile, you take care of the introductions." "Make sure he feels at home." "Yes, coming." "Come." "Yeah, I have another guest?" "Let me see." "Mine is better." "Mine are always better." "Put it in that cage." "So the android Diana ran into... was supposed to retrieve something from the laboratory?" "A reasonable deduction." "It was probably sent to find and remove... a clue to Dr. Tobias ' disappearance." "I wish I could advise you that we've identified that clue, but" "No need to explain." "I am Well acquainted with human fallibility." "May I make a suggestion?" "Of course." "That's why I keep you well-oiled." "According to data just received... the key to Dr. Tobias ' disappearance..." "Would seem to lie With the place where he spent most ofhis time." "Right." "Therefore, I suggest that you carefully... examine the present domiciles of the two remaining scientists." "I'm one step ahead of you, Ira." "Diana's on her way to Prescott's for that very reason." "I'll give you a chance to make another suggestion." "Do not do me any favors." "It's almost Christmas." "Affirmative." "I want to buy Diana a present, but I don't know what to get her." "With everything you know about her, what do you suggest?" "I suggest you talk to Wonder Woman." "You're a big help." "Dr. Prescott." "Yes, come in." "Hi, I'm Diana Prince from the IADC." "I don't care if you were from the IADC or the FDIC." "I can't tell you how happy I am to have some company." "Such lovely company at that, too." "Thank you very much, but I have some questions" "Please sit down, we'll have a lovely chat." " I really can't stay" " Yes, you can." " I need to ask a few questions." " Would you like some tea?" " Please." " I don't..." "Doctor, all I want to find out... is when the android switched places with Dr. Tobias..." " so the XYZ weapon" " Plenty of time for questions later." "...won't fall into the wrong hands." "I'll have some tea." "First, we'll turn on the burner... and the water." "Perhaps a cookie?" "This is going to be very nice." "Isn't this a rather strange hobby for the three of you?" "What?" "No, you see... battle strategy, actually the art of it, is fascinating." "But you aborted Project XYZ." "That's quite another matter, you see." "We felt war should be kept on the level of fantasy." "Unlike our superiors." "Now, I have a little mint..." "No." " A little orange pekoe?" " Really, I don't want anything." " You'll love this one" " Doctor, please." "Just listen, I don't have time for tea." " No one has time for tea" " Okay, let's get down to brass tacks." "After you burned your notes on the project... did Dr. Tobias go anywhere with anyone unusual?" "I've already answered these questions enough." "No." "But a robot can't just switch places with somebody without..." "My tolerance for pain is astonishing, isn't it?" "Remarkable." "That burner's red-hot." "Prescott's been replaced by an android?" "That's right." "I had him taken to Valley Medical." "The doctors there confirmed it." "How could that have happened?" "The guards in and around Prescott's apartment have no idea." "They swear that Prescott never left, that he had no visitors... and that he did nothing unusual." "Yet somebody was able to make the switch." "Wait until Dex hears about this." "In any event, I'm having Dr. Lazaar checked out." "I'm going there now." "Looks like he's the only one between somebody and the XYZ weapon." "Steve, if he's still flesh and blood, it means that... either he's next in line to be replaced by an android... or he's the one doing the replacing." "And if he isn't flesh and blood, the consequences are unthinkable." "There's still one more thing I intend to look into." "I'll call you later." "I must say, this has been one of my more unusual house calls." "I've checked people for colds, flu, virus... but never for not being human." "Thank you, Doctor." "You're the only one that hasn't been replaced with an android." "The nightmare just goes on and on." "Security will have to be tightened." "It may mean moving you again." "Just make it end, young lady." "Just make it end." "Then you'll understand that since you are the only one left... there's another course of the investigation I have to take." "Of course." "You'll have to inquire as to whether..." "I'm the one putting the XYZ weapon together." "Right." "You'll check out my friends... see if I have any questionable ties with foreign countries... and look for evidence that I'm under some great financial strain." " It has to be done." " Understood." "But let me point out right now, it will prove fruitless." "I'm responsible for what's happened... only insofar as 10 months ago, I agreed to work with Dexter... in this awful undertaking." " Where do you get these?" " Soldiers?" "From a toy shop in Georgetown." "On Blakely Street." "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." "May I help you?" "I thought you were one of the dolls." "Did you?" "I was being quiet on purpose for this one." "It's naptime." "Well, she's cute." "You like her." "Maybe I could show you a doll?" "No, I'm interested in toy soldiers." "I have something that'll light up your child's eyes... like two moons." " No" " Look." "Actually I'm interested in miniature troops." " Miniature troops?" " Tinkertown troops." "That's the brand name." "I saw some World War I models." "But why would such a pretty woman like you... take up such morbid pastimes?" "They're not for me." "They're for a friend for Christmas." "He studies Von Clausewitz as a hobby." "No miniature troops." " Perhaps the shop on Maple" " You don't carry them?" " No." " I was told you did." "You try the shop on Maple." "Just north of Third Street." "Okay, thank you." "Miss... this time of year, an old man like me... gets tired, and sometimes very rude." "Maybe you'll accept this gift for your dashboard in your car... and perhaps forgive a tired old man." "All right." "Thank you very much, and Merry Christmas." "The same to you." "Bye." "My friends, did you hear that?" "She is a lady agent." "She's got to be stopped." "My love." "At last, your first voyage." "Your maiden voyage." "For it is a maiden that you shall be destroying." "Tired old man, my eye." "You'll be my most perfect... the crème de la crème de la crème." "Now, turn around." "Because of you, my love... all of my friends and I... will be happy for a long time." "Now, let me see that great big smile." "Now, let me get this straight." " You were strafed by a model airplane?" " That's right." "There's a tree out on County Line Road with enough holes in it to prove it." "What's the name of this toy maker?" "We'll have him checked out." "Orlich Hoffman, and he runs the Jungle King shop on Blakely." "Dr. Lazaar is gone." " Gone?" " He's not in the safe house we arranged." "It's all right." "I had him moved." "You what?" "Well, it was obvious to me that after we lost Dr. Prescott... our security measures were a little inadequate." "So I had him moved." "Good work, Diana." "Where is he now?" "He's out of any and all possible danger." "But exactly where is he?" "I'd just as soon spare you the burdensome details, Dex." "Diana's right." "The fewer people that know, the better." "Including you and me." "I don't know..." "How can we be sure her safety precautions will be tight enough?" "We'll just have to trust her." "Steve, Project XYZ was mine." "If anything goes wrong, the world will blame me, not her." "Relax, Dex." "Trust her." "Like I told you before, she's the best." "I see." "This list contains the date and nature of all informational transactions... concerning Major Dexter that I have made." "In code, of course." "You mean, you can tell me if anything's been added or deleted... from your memory banks?" "Affirmative." "Has anything ever been deleted?" "Coded item E4F87... indicates a name was deleted... from his list of associates in August oflast year." "Can you tell me the name?" "Negative." "It has been erased from my memory." "Can you tell me where it used to be on the list?" "The name was positioned between the names Henderson, Michael T... and Ingalls, Barbara A." "Between "H" and "I"." "Hoffman." "It could have been Hoffman's name that was removed from the list." "A sound deduction." "The name fits into the alphabetical sequence." "Dexter wanted to remove any connection... between himself and that toy maker." "He's been behind it all along." "Thank you very much, Ira." "Thank you, Miss Prince." "Merry Christmas, Ira." "And a Merry Christmas to you." "Ho, ho, ho." "She got away... from my plane." "It's just as well." "She's the only one who knows where Lazaar is." "We need her alive, and fast!" "Well, then, let's get her back, like we planned." "No." "I need a guarantee this time." "Your over-sized dolls don't exactly have a flawless performance record." " Yeah, but they get better." " I don't want better." "I want perfect!" "I want that guarantee." "If anything goes wrong with this one" "Nothing will go wrong." "I'm this far, Hoffman." "I've been shining my shoes like a good boy... and saying "Yes, sir" and "No, sir" to idiots in uniform for 15 years... just waiting for something like XYZ to come along." "And I am this far from making it pay off!" " I know!" " This far from never having to sweat... or worry, or take orders, or put up with anybody's stupidity ever again!" "Now, I'm depending on you!" "And you can and you should." "You're the one human being who believed in me... and what my toys could do." "You can depend on us." "All right." "We'll pick up Dr. Lazaar in the morning." "And then we'll ship him out with the other two doctors... and send them to my buyer out of the country." "And then we'll reap the rewards of Project XYZ." " We won't let you down." " That's right." "You won't." "Because if you do, you won't be alive." "Get ready." " Hello?" " Hello?" "Diana." "This is Dexter." "I have some wonderful news for you." "I've found somebody who knows the whereabouts... of Dr. Tobias and Dr. Prescott." "Really?" "Yes." "I'd like you to meet this person at midnight... at the southwest corner of Perry Park." "I'm gonna have to clear this with Steve, you know." "Listen, I'll save you a dime." "Steve's right here." "Diana?" "There's no time to explain." "Just be at the park in 20 minutes like Dex said." "Call me When you have Tobias and Prescott." "Okay?" " Hello, Diana." " Hello..." "Wonder Woman." "You've been working on the XYZ case all along?" "Yes." "From the moment Dr. Tobias disappeared..." "I knew the safety of the entire world was at stake." "And you found the doctors?" "Yes, in the basement of that toy shop." " Let's go." " Anything you say." "Well, Diana... this is your little night for surprises, isn't it?" " Not really." " Oh, come now." "Don't tell me I was high on your hit parade of suspects all along?" "Let's just say I wasn't blinded by faith the way Steve was." "Yes, I always say, there's nothing like a good friend." " Right, Orlich?" " Yes." "One could always use a good friend." "Absolutely." "Now, Diana, where is Dr. Lazaar?" " You can't possibly believe I'd tell you." " No, I don't." "Orlich?" " My good friend..." " My good friend." "Yes." "Now, Diana... you can't help but tell me where you've hidden the good Dr. Lazaar." "Where is he?" "I can't." "He's the only one left." "Where is Dr. Lazaar?" "Where did you arrange to have him held?" "My apartment... 410... in the Spruce Building." "Under what kind of guard?" "One plainclothesman at the door... a guard at the elevator... armed, both of them... and two cars circling all the time." "Was there a password?" "Yes, the guard at the door... is "alphabet soup. "" "Alphabet soup." "Any other safety precautions?" "No, the simpler, the better." "How thoughtful." "Go to sleep, now, Diana." "Have a nice long nap." "Make sure she stays under." "I'm going to get Lazaar." "I want you to load up Tobias and Prescott, get them into the van... and meet me at the dam at precisely 11:00." " You got that?" "00." "But the lady." "She was not in our plans." "You don't have to worry about her." "After we're all through, we'll find Sleeping Beauty... a nice quiet place where she can just go right on sleeping." "Forever." "Lock the door." "Good morning." "I wonder if I might be able to interest you in a bowl of alphabet soup?" "Yes, sir." "Come in, please." "It's almost 11:00." "We have to get them loaded and on our way." "Come." "At this rate we'll never get him out of the basement... let alone the country." "I did pretty well giving you strength... but not too good when it comes to showing respect for your elders." "As soon as we get Dr. Tobias, we should be on our way." "What's this?" "Oh, Mommy." "You should have stuck to the toys you were best at, Mr. Hoffman." "The harmless ones." "Stop her." "What you do now?" "I'm going to get Dr. Tobias." "It's almost 11:00." "Right." "Good." "I'll go warm up the van." " Dexter." " You're late." "We were unavoidably detained by Wonder Woman." " Wonder Woman?" " Yeah, she attempted to foil our efforts." " You stupid fool!" "What happened?" " She failed." "As you can see, we are here." "The two doctors are in the back of the van." "You have Dr. Lazaar." "Yes, he's in the car." "We've got to reunite the three, send them out of the country... and we'll be rich men." " Get Lazaar." " My dear." "A pleasure." "You know, with most of your androids, I can tell them from the real thing." " Nonsense, my boy." " No, I can." "I really can." "Nobody else can." "But I know your dolls from the real thing." "And I want to tell you something." "This one looks like the real thing." "I told you, they get better." "This one's perfect." " She fools even you." " Don't count on it." "Am I to carry Dr. Lazaar all the way out of the country... or do you want him in the van?" "You see?" "She even has a sense of humor." ""Am I to carry or not?"" " Get back, Hoffman." " What are you doing?" "If she's one of your androids, you can rebuild her." " If she's not..." " No!" "Dexter... the disadvantage of rear wheel drive." "She was here last night and no one's seen her since." "Of course, I'm concerned." "Why she's..." "She's standing right here." "I'll call you later." "Sorry, but I would have called in." "I couldn't." " I found the missing scientists." " Tobias and Prescott?" "And Lazaar." "Wonder Woman got to them just before they were shipped out of the country." " By whom?" "Who's behind all this?" " Major Dexter." "Dex?" "Yes, with the help of the little toy maker, Hoffman." "They were about to sell the XYZ weapon to a foreign country." "Wonder Woman has them both under wraps." "I'll call the police." "No." "Wait a minute." "She suggested we let them think their plan worked." "What?" "She used her golden lasso to make them forget they were caught." "Now it's our turn to replace the scientists with androids." "You mean, let them ship fake scientists out of the country?" "Arresting Dexter and Hoffman would only publicize this whole thing." "And the more people that know about it... the greater the chances are that someone else will try it." "Yeah, that way, everybody would get... or everybody'd think they'd be getting, exactly what they want." "Right." "And the XYZ weapon can finally be forgotten once and for all." "Wonder Woman's right again, as usual." "Let's get started." "Everything's all set." "Hoffman happened to store extra androids for the scientists... in the basement of his toy shop." " They're already at the dam." " And the real scientists?" "Safe and sound at Valley Medical." " What do you say we get a ringside seat?" " Let's do." "Shall we?" "They think everything is going as planned." "What will whoever bought the weapon do when they find out?" "That they've paid for three androids?" "Who wouldn't know Project XYZ from a science fair project." "I'd say they'd be furious." "They'll see to it that Hoffman and Dex get just what they deserve." "It's always tough learning who the people are you can really trust." "Yeah." "But I'll tell you something, Diana." "It's a really good feeling to know that there are people you can trust." "Wonder Woman." "That's one person who'll never let me down." "I'd say you're right about that." "Which reminds me." "Excuse me."