"Are you satisfied now?" "We've been around this corridor three times... and we ain't seen nothing." "You do what you want to do." "I'm going to the back, listen to the radio, and have me some supper." "What in tarnation has gotten into you?" "Come on, let's get out of here!" "You've heard about the building that collapsed last night." "This is what's left of two other buildings." "The city's trying to figure out what caused them to collapse." "All the night watchman could tell us was that he heard noises just before." "Noises?" "Like what?" "He said they sounded like... a million little saws or teeth..." "I don't know." "He wasn't much help." "Have you found any common denominators?" "Possibly one." "Ownership of all the buildings was traced back to a parent company." "GDH Enterprises." "Gideon D. Harcourt." "They invented the phrase "industrial giant"... just to describe him, I hear." "You think it's sabotage?" "We really don't have any evidence to that effect." "But considering the fact that quite a few buildings in this town... are traced back to his corporation..." "We'd better find out." "Yes?" "Have you had the opportunity to read the newspaper today, Mr. Harcourt?" "Another one of your buildings is on the front page." "Exactly as you predicted." "I don't know how or why you're doing this, but I do know you have a price." "What is it?" "Hard as it may be for your materialistic little mind to grasp, Mr. Harcourt..." "I don't want money." "I want you to shut down the Easton chemical plant." "Ecological blackmail?" "That's absurd." "You will shut down your operations at the plant immediately." "Cancel any and all shipments you planned to make of the EF-11 pesticide." "And destroy the EF-11 formula." "Or I will destroy you." "You listen to me." "I didn't build an empire heeding threats from people like you... whoever you are." "Well, then... prepare to see that empire crumble, Mr. Harcourt." "My name, by the way... is Formicida." "Diana Prince." "Diana, this is Dr. Douglas Radcliffe." "We met at the Western Securities and Science Conference." "Radcliffe." "Oh, right." "The chemist." "I'm being followed." "I know who's responsible for those buildings caving in." "You do?" "How?" "I can't talk now." "Meet me outside the old warehouse... on Jefferson and 55th, at 6:30." "No one will be around then." "I'll tell you everything, but please, Diana, just be there." "Afraid we lost him." "You may have lost him... but I just heard from another one of my employees." "Doug intends to meet someone later." "He doesn't know it yet... but he's going to meet us, too." "Diana?" "In here, Doug." "You check back in there." "Okay, boys." "The fun's over." "Oh, no, Wonder Woman." "It's just begun." "Dr. Radcliffe and I have an appointment." "Hello, Doug." "How's your head?" "The least you could do was tell that goon squad of yours to take it easy on me." "Especially that witch." "What rock did you find her under?" "Would you like something to drink?" "Stop simpering." "I knew you were the one sabotaging Harcourt's buildings." "And that's why I'm here." "Isn't it?" "I couldn't let you tell anyone, Doug." "You know what, Irene, you should cut the charming hostess routine." "It hardly becomes a jail keeper." "You should never have sold my pesticide to GDH Enterprise." "Our pesticide, Irene." "I worked on it, too, you know." "It was wrong." "I needed the money." "I offered you half." "You wouldn't take that or any of the credit either." "It isn't the money that made it wrong." "Most people do what they have to do, and then get on with it." "You never learned how to do that, have you, Irene?" "Lives are at stake, Doug." "Irene, I'm really sorry for making you go through all that." "I don't hold anything against you, Doug." "You don't?" "No." "Not really." "I believe that." "You've always been a decent person." "I'm really sorry for putting down what you're trying to do." "If you'd let me, I really would like to help you." "I don't believe it." "It's true." "It really is." "We worked together once." "We can work together again." "Let's clear this whole thing up together." "Okay?" " Cut it out!" " Come on." "Just stop it!" "Cawley!" "Oh, come on." " Take him downstairs!" " This is" "I have learned a few things, Doug." "I may still be a simpering weakling... but I've learned that there are ways to take care of users like you!" "You're in a lot more trouble than you think, Irene." "I already made contact with an IADC agent." "It's just a matter of time before they blow your little crusade wide open." "I know who you're meeting." "Her name is Diana Prince." "Cawley." "This is kidnapping, Irene." "Don't make it worse on yourself." "Irene?" "Radcliffe, Douglas Emory, holder of a doctorate in biochemistry from Ohio." "That's him." "I'm looking for any connection between him and GDH Enterprises." "Did you say something else?" "No." "I was just yawning, Ira." "It's because it's late, not because I'm bored." "Perhaps you Would like to hear a joke?" "No, thanks anyway." "Just the information on Radcliffe." "Six months ago GDH Enterprises... purchased a formula from Dr. Douglas Radcliffe." "A pesticide?" "Ten-to-one it's the pesticide that Harcourt's starting to market tomorrow." "It's called EF-11." "Have you seen this?" "And 10-to-1, whoever is making disaster areas... out of Harcourt's buildings... is also responsible for Doug's kidnapping." "Doug's kidnapping?" "I went to meet him and... he was abducted in front of my very eyes." "This is the only clue I could find." "Ants?" "They literally chewed their way through solid flooring." "And in an isolated area." "Like they were being controlled, or something." "Ira, a quick readout." "That would sound a lot more incredible... if we hadn't just been talking about pesticides." "My thoughts exactly." "Identification ofbiological life form." "Input completed." "Phylum:" "Arthropoda." "Class:" "Insecta." "Order:" "Hymenoptera." "Family:" "Formicidae." "In plain English, please." "Specimens are carpenter ants..." "Well known for their ability to tunnel through Wood." "Ants." "One more thing, Ira." "Would you please cross-index Radcliffe... and/or GDH Enterprises with anyone in the scientific community... specializing in ants." "And give her a readout tomorrow." "Do you realize how late it is?" "Look at this." "Now I do." "No wonder I was yawning." "Tomorrow, Ira, and sweet dreams." "I wonder what Ira would dream about?" "I shudder to think." "Good night, Rover." "A roving computer module such as yourself... could be of special value in this investigation." "Are you ready for programming?" "Prepare circuits B-4 through CM-2 for programming." "Success achieved again." "Hello?" "You failed to shut down the Easton chemical plant today, Mr. Harcourt." "Phone calls in the middle of the night?" "You're cheapening your act, Formicida." "So it looks like tomorrow I'm going to have to hit a little closer to home." "Sorry, but I'm not frightened." "Yet." "Just like you haven't destroyed the EF-11 formula, yet." "The extra security guards arrived a half-hour ago... and have been briefed, as have the staff." "If she appears, we'll have her, Mr. Harcourt." "Good." "And the Easton plant called." "They're sending over some classified material." "That's fine." "Place this in the inner office." "After it's delivered, I'd advise leaving the building quickly." "Oh yes, he's expecting this." "You may go right up." "Hi." "May I help you?" "I'd like to see Mr. Harcourt please." "Mr. Harcourt has no appointments for this morning." "He's not really expecting me at a certain time." " I've called, but" " You've called?" "Yes." "I told him I'd be here." "I'm sure that Mr. Harcourt will want to talk to me... when he finds out who I am." "Guards!" "Stop her!" "Here's the package from the Easton plant, Mr. Harcourt." "Your eyes only." "And sir, we just got a warning from the lobby." " She's in the building?" " It appears so." "Hi." "You may leave us." "What are you running here?" "A business or an army?" "I'd prefer to keep this entire affair away from the press." "But if you fail to cooperate, I warn you." "I have the power to have you locked up for the rest of your life." "Mr. Harcourt, you've made some mistake" "And I will not be trifled with by backward-thinking fanatics." "If your guards would give me my purse, I will show you my ID." "You do not want ski resorts." "You clamor against nuclear power." "And you rail against all progress in the name of ecology." "Did you hear that?" "With the world on the edge of starvation... you will deprive it of the one pesticide... that would insure a continued food supply." "What was that?" "It's coming from your office." "What is happening?" "My Louis XIV table!" "My 19th-century walnut desk!" "What in the world..." "Ants." "Ants, Mr. Harcourt." "Ants." "Relax." "Take a little break on company time." " They're in." " And so are we." "It was amazing, Steve." "Those ants seemed to be programmed to destroy Harcourt's office." "Harcourt was frightened enough to admit to me that... someone was trying to make him close the Easton plant." "But not frightened enough to comply." "Right." "Which means that whoever's behind this... will undoubtedly try something else." "He or she is apparently determined to stop Harcourt from marketing pesticide." "Here comes our man." "This must be from Ira." "The information you asked for last night." "Let's see." "Dr. Irene Janus... worked closely with Radcliffe in developing the EF-11 formula." "She's an entomologist with an intense interest in ants." "Look familiar?" "This is not the woman I saw when Doug was kidnapped." "In light of her former relationship to him and her interest in ants..." "I think maybe I'd better go visiting." "Got her address right here." "What's wrong with him?" "Steve, take a look at this." "Ants." "You don't suppose that" "I've heard of places being bugged before, but this is ridiculous." "How did he know that they were there?" "Our ever-faithful computer." "Ira." "Ira told me this morning that he programmed the Rover to respond to... and even generate electronic patterns emitted by ants." "You mean that... he can communicate with them?" "In crude fashion, yes." "In that case, little buddy, we are about to take a trip." "It seems that good Dr. Janus is going to have company." "Mr. Harcourt, you've got to look at the latest analysis reports on EF-11." "We've been testing it on laboratory animals." "I'm going out to the Easton plant." "It has the potential of being more than 100 times as toxic as DDT, Mr. Harcourt." "Countries intending to buy EF-11 will be using a minimum of 3 pounds per acre." "Roughly the equivalent of 300 pounds of DDT." "It's supposed to be powerful." "But when it combines with water and specific pollutants... it becomes toxic." "Not just to insects... but to wildlife and eventually to humans." "The tests prove it." "Then redo the tests." " What?" " Redo the tests." "Rover, can you tell me if..." "Rover!" "I'll be with you in a moment, Diana." "It's all right, Dr. Janus." "Chopin is one of my favorites." "It's not often I have an audience." "Oh?" "Doesn't..." "Dr. Radcliffe like music?" "I know he's here, Doctor." "I'm not certain why or how, but I know that you kidnapped him." "Just like I know that you're the one... making the threats on Harcourt's pesticide plant." "I'm afraid you're going to regret your involvements in all this, Diana." "The IADC is involved, not just me." "And they know I'm here." "We crusaders are a dangerous lot." "Aldo!" "Right here." "No one is to enter these gates today." "You hear?" "No one." "Let's go." "I can almost hear the questions... going round and round in your respective heads:" "How can a plain... passive... mousy little person like her... expect to make GDH Enterprises knuckle under?" "Here, ladies and gentlemen... here's your answer." "A hormonal formula..." "I developed from my ant friends themselves." "Being so weak and shy... is what interested me in ants in the first place." "This potion helps me unlock those latent and natural abilities in myself... which coincide with those of the ants." "Hymenoptera:" "Formicidae." "They're everything I'm not:" "Social... well-organized... purposeful, and strong." "Did you know an ant can lift over 50 times its body weight?" "What's the matter, Doug?" "I'm still not your type?" "What a shame." "Why haven't you put this... discovery..." " to good use instead of" " I am putting it to good use." "Go on, Doug, tell her what I'm doing!" "What's she talking about?" "The EF-11 pesticide formula." "I sold it too soon." "What he sold Harcourt was an incomplete formula." "Incomplete because in its present form..." "EF-11, when saturated with ordinary water... and exposed to airborne sulfates, becomes a deadly poison." "Our tests weren't really conclusive." "Not when you sold out to Harcourt for over $1 million worth of nightlife." "But mine were." "Two months later." "Within four years, EF-11 will seep into the food chain of those countries... using it and cause irreversible damage." "It'll make DDT look like nothing." "Harcourt starts marketing it today." "I'll help you stop him." "I found out the surest way to see that something doesn't get done... is to trust it to government bureaucrats." "Cawley, Aldo." "No." "I've made other plans." "Goodbye." "They're flesh-eaters." "Doug, I want you to untie my hands and I'll get us both out of this." "There's no way." "I can't reach you." " Move the chair over." " That's not going to help for very long." "It might just do it." "Rover?" "The ants." "Tell them to stop." "Can you?" "Cavalry in computer form?" "Don't knock it." "I'm not." "There you go." "Rover, I love you." "Call Steve Trevor at the IADC, and tell him what's happened here." "Tell him to see that the Easton plant is evacuated immediately." "I'm sure that's where they went." "There were ants in those things she was carrying." "She must intend to destroy the plant like she did those buildings." "What about you?" "Are you gonna be okay?" "I'll be all right." "I've got the cavalry on my side, remember?" "We're ready to pump the mixture into the tanks at the loading dock." "Good." "Mr. Harcourt, the plant manager just got a call, sir... from the IADC, ordering us to evacuate the plant." "Probably just another crank call." " No, sir." "He said Steve Trevor told him" " It was just another crank call!" "Yes, sir." " All set." " Good." "The few hundred ants you placed inside will muster a force of 10 million." "Why do you have to go in?" "Can't you signal the ants from out here?" "Destroying the building isn't enough." "I've got to neutralize the pesticides... that he's already manufactured." "If it spills, it'll poison everything within 10 miles." "Come on, Rover." "We've gotta save the plant." "Okay, little buddy, do your stuff." "Empty." "Do you think you can find those ants... and tell them to stop, like you did at the house?" "All right." "You're sure?" "I want you to hurry." "And be careful." "Hey, you!" "Nobody's supposed to be in here!" "Are you going to tell me... that you have not received orders to evacuate this building?" "I will not be harassed into abandoning my endeavors by you... the IADC, or anyone else." "Harassed?" "This whole building is about to come down, Mr. Harcourt." "Stop your operations and evacuate." "That sound!" "Diana Prince has proof that the pesticide you're about to market is toxic." "Do you really want manslaughter on your conscience?" "Have the people clear the building." "Come on!" " Is everyone out of the building?" " Somebody's in the control room!" "Come on, you have to get out of here." "No!" "The pesticide has to be neutralized!" "Help me, please!" "Help me!" "Let me." "Two thousand!" "The temperature of the mixture has to reach 2,000!" "Come on!" "We did it!" "Come on." "No, it's too late." "We'll never get out." "Ever." "What happened?" "I believe it's the cavalry, Dr. Janus." "Renie, you're safe." "And you're Renie again." "Sorry to disappoint you." "No, look..." "I'm sorry for everything I did to you." "You had to become that creature for the things that I did." "I'm responsible for everything." "Save it for the judge, Doctor." "Maybe you'll get lucky." "Maybe the court will assign you a woman." "I'm the one who's responsible for this... and the buildings and for her." "I intend to face up to everything." "But do you think, after I do... that maybe you'll help me to start over?" "This can make you forget... how you created Formicida, if that's what you want." "It certainly is." "You know, I can't figure out why that building is still standing." "I'll show you." "He talked the ants out of it?" "Diana always said he has a way with words."