"So, you can clearly read the movement... on this seismograph, gentlemen." "It's recording movement in the Earth's crust." "A small movement, but a movement that I have induced scientifically." "You mean you're creating a very small earthquake?" "And that's not just the effect caused by the explosion?" "We can't be positive, General... but you saw how small charges of dynamite... placed according to an analysis of the weakness of the area... caused earth tremors." "Here." "Watch." "In this demonstration, we used small explosions." "Thus, we're in control." "We never tried it full-scale." "Prof. Warren is being too modest." "I feel he's very near to accomplishing the ultimate goal of the Pluto Project." "The scientist is never satisfied until the final step." "Our ultimate goal is to control and eliminate earthquakes... not create them." "I've even moved forward and predicted the following upcoming quakes:" "Chile, 1946." "Panama, 1958." "California, 1971." "Alaska, I972..." "China, 1976, and Hawaii, 1981." "Incredible." "Our goal is to prevent, not to cause earthquakes." "A hansom cab ride in Central Park... chestnut vendors in Times Square... the whole world spread out before you from atop the Empire State Building." "Yes, even in this terrible war..." "New York can be a very lovely and romantic place." "Just remember you promised to show me all of it." "Patience, my darling." "Patience." "I have a very special week planned for us." "Mr. Fallon, I'm sorry, but I've been asked to detain you." "Detain me?" "Why?" "I'm traveling on a neutral passport." "Yes, I know and I'm sorry, but I have my orders." "Yes, orders." " What could they want with you?" " Don't worry." " Will you follow me, please?" " One moment, please." "Darling, will you ring up the Irish Legation?" "Ask for Kevin Doyle." "He's Chief of Protocol." "And be sure to tell him I'd appreciate it if some fuss were made." "In fact, a very large fuss." "Diana, I wish you could have seen Prof. Warren's demonstration." "Why, if control is perfected... we could wipe out the enemy's entire war production." "Boy, that sounds impressive." "It's a shame it has to be developed during wartime." "His work could be so important in promoting world peace and harmony." " Maj. Trevor?" " Yes, sir." "We just got a call from Passport Control... at La Guardia Airport, New York." "A man fitting the description of a major enemy agent got through Customs." "They believe it's the notorious international mercenary, the Falcon." "The Falcon?" "How could he get through Customs?" "They tried to detain him, but he had a neutral passport." "Did they have time to put a tail from Military Intelligence on him?" "Not enough time apparently." "He slipped by them, too." "Pull the file on the Falcon, will you, please?" "Yes, sir." "Has Intelligence figured out yet why he would be coming here?" "Not yet." "Whatever it is, you can bet that if a high-paid mercenary like him... tries to get into the country... he's after something important and dangerous." "The last report we had on the Falcon was out of India." "British Intelligence had evidence that he kidnapped... a vice consul there two weeks ago... and a king's ransom in rubies was exchanged for his return." "Was he traveling alone?" "No, there was a woman with him." "Camilla Moret." "Go to Central Intelligence and get me everything you can on both of them." "Yes, sir, right away." "Dinner for the Professor, Sergeant." "Let me check your pass." "I haven't seen you here before." "Must be new in the mess hall." " Good night, Evans." " Good night, sir." " What have you got there?" " Steak, French fries, and coffee." "Steak?" " I haven't tasted steak in two months." " Neither have I." "Too bad we're not more important to the war effort." "I think you can go on in now." "Now, the integral between the limits... of X1 and X2 equals..." "Prof. Warren?" " Is it dinnertime already?" " Yes, it is." "You're much too preoccupied with your research." "Just leave the tray, please." "Thank you." "Now, let me see." "The harmonic equation equals..." "I can see why your research keeps you preoccupied, Professor." "The conclusions you're drawing from your geological surveys are fascinating." "I beg your pardon?" "I said, your conclusions are fascinating." "The study of the Earth's crust." "How natural forces can manipulate it, how man can manipulate it." "Just who are you?" "I represent an interested party, Professor." "A very interested and wealthy party." "Give me that." "And get out of here." "Yes, of course." "But there is one thing I do want." "I'll take the Pluto File, please." " The what?" " The Pluto File... in exchange for $1 million... in American currency or rare rubies." "Take your choice, Professor." "It's not for sale, at any price." "Neither am I." "Now get out of here." "Right." "Then let's do this quietly, Professor." "Sergeant!" "Yes, sir?" "Diana went through all the papers." "The Pluto File is missing." "The Professor's assistant, Charles Benson, is on his way over... to see if anything else is gone." "If Prof. Warren's experiments can be deciphered... then whoever has that Pluto File... will soon be able to duplicate a natural earthquake." "Anywhere." "It could disrupt our entire war effort." "Whoever stole that file knew exactly what he was looking for... and that could be a more potent weapon than any of the hardware we have now." "Yes, I understand." "Thank you very much, Doctor." "Maj. Trevor." "What's the report?" "The doctor said Prof. Warren will be fine, but he's still under sedation." "He's had quite a shock." "He'll be staying at Walter Reed Hospital a day or two for observation." "Did the security detail at the hospital check in with you?" "Yes, there's a Marine guard posted outside the door of his room." "It's an honor to be working with you." "The Falcon is a legend." "Regrettably true." "All right, back to Washington." "Now that we've verified the Pluto File is real... there's important work to be done." "Prof. Warren could become a nuisance." "Before we can proceed to our next step, he must be eliminated." "General, am I glad I found you." "This just came in." "It concerns the all-points bulletin put out on Camilla Moret." "She's been found?" "She's in a hospital in New York." "In the isolation ward." "What's wrong with her?" "What is it?" "She's got bubonic plague." "All right, thank you." "The Falcon's lady friend is still in isolation." "They'll tell us as soon as we can have someone in New York question her." " That may not be for days." " That's not much help." "In any event, it looks as if you have two assignments now:" "You have to find out what the Falcon is up to... and we must get those Pluto File papers back." "At least we have a start." "Maj. Trevor's office." "Yes?" "The guard on duty at Warren's lab had a scuffle with the thief." "As the Professor's under sedation... we'll see if the guard can describe the assailant." "Excuse me, Maj. Trevor." "That Marine guard, Sgt. Evans, he is in the isolation ward at the hospital." " Isolation ward?" " Yes, sir." "Tell Dr. Barnes we'll be at the hospital as soon as we can." "The sergeant who was Prof. Warren's guard?" "He's been unconscious ever since they brought him here." "His pulse is irregular, breathing is difficult and very hurried... 40 to 60 respirations a minute." "All the vital signs suggest rapidly developing pneumonia." "Apparently, you don't believe it's pneumonia." "The incubation is just too fast." "It could be very contagious." "In fact, it could be the bubonic plague." "The plague in 1942." "I know it sounds unlikely... but the plague still pops up every now and then." "You are aware of a recent case in New York City?" " A woman named Moret." " Yes." "The last known case before that was reported out of India two weeks ago." "There may be more we don't know about... but we try to keep up with these things, what with the war and all." "What about Prof. Warren?" "Is he gonna be all right?" "Mild shock, a contusion." "Nothing serious." " Any plague symptoms?" " No, not one." "Yet he did come in contact with the same thief that Marine guard did." "Do you think that's who transmitted the plague?" "Diana may be right." "But you said Prof. Warren had no symptoms at all." "Is it possible to come in contact with a carrier but not pick it up immediately?" "Absolutely." "It hits some people overnight... other people walk around with it for weeks before it lays them out." "Steve, the last known case occurred in India." "Our information tells us that the Falcon was there... at the same time." "That's true." "If that thief was the Falcon, we now know his mission, or at least part of it." "And if it is the Falcon, he's carrying the bubonic plague... and doesn't know it." "Doctor, is it possible that we can ask Prof. Warren a few questions?" "He might be able to help us identify that man." "He was sleeping last time I checked... but the sedation should be wearing off any time now." "He's in Room 203 if you want to look in." "I'll go." "If he's up to any questions, I'll let you know." "Thank you, Doctor." "One minute, Yeoman Prince." "Before you go... would you mind coming down to my office for an inoculation?" "What?" "Ladies first." "Thank you." "Yeoman Prince, Military Intelligence." "I'll just be a moment." "Professor." "You have discovered the hope of the ancients." "Since time began, man has sought that knowledge... the knowledge to still the Earth's tremors... or to cause them to quake with the energy of the sun." "Here is the target." "Near Bladensburg, Maryland, 15 miles from the Capitol." "Very tidy." "Benson, what do you estimate the radius of the destructive force will be?" "Once the primary target is caused to destruct... there shouldn't be a building left standing within 25 miles." "Here, see." "If my calculations are correct... we should be able... to cause a fault... around this line." " Yes, go on." " Around the primary target... at a distance of five miles... we should ring the perimeter... at five or six selected locations in the hills." "Ring the perimeter with?" "Explosives." "Dynamite will do." "Very good, Benson." "You will be handsomely rewarded for your indiscretion." "Right now, your primary duty... is to maintain your innocence and keep the good Professor's confidence." "Frank, can you do your job?" "Just tell me how much dynamite you want and where you want it." "Quite a coup, gentlemen." "Thanks to the Pluto Project... we are about to have a devastating explosion... and induce the world's first man-made earthquake." "Thank you very much." "That was Dr. Barnes." "The final lab results are back." "Sgt. Evans definitely has the bubonic plague." "He's going to be all right, but it's gonna take a while." "That's good news for Sgt. Evans." "We've got to find that thief before he contaminates half of Washington." "There's no doubt in my mind the Falcon stole that Pluto File." "How soon before we can check his description with the Professor?" "The Professor's out of the hospital and is on his way back to the lab... with increased military protection." "I'm glad Wonder Woman was there to stop that assassination attempt." "Yeah, the Professor was lucky, all right." "That had to be the work of the Falcon, too." "Call Prof. Warren and tell him we'll be right over." "Ask him to try and remember every detail of his encounter with the thief." "Steve, there has to be a leak somewhere about the Pluto Project." "Perhaps we've overlooked something in Benson's alibi." "Charles Benson." "We must maintain our schedule." "How long to Bladensburg?" "It's only 17.5 miles from here." "We'll be on time." "Let's get started." "I'm glad you're feeling better, Professor." "Thank you for your concern." "I'm glad to be alive for many reasons." "The bubonic plague, for heaven's sake... and Wonder Woman saving my life." "Do you feel up to answering a few questions?" "Of course, Major." "What do you want to know?" "The man that broke in, can you tell us exactly how it happened?" "It happened so quickly." "It was mealtime." "He was dressed like an orderly from the mess hall." "Can you remember any specific physical details?" "Did he seem physically healthy?" "Yes, he was an athletic man, striking really." "We were standing several feet apart." "He was tall and distinguished, with intelligent steel-blue eyes." "In fact, there was something very gentlemanly about him." "Gentlemanly?" "He nearly strangled you, Professor." "That's the point." "It's difficult to explain, but still, there was something." "No, not honorable." "Maybe "professional" is the word I'm looking for." "He certainly knew what he was looking for." "He must have thought that he had really strangled me." "Because I remember picking up the phone... and this arm around my neck and then, suddenly, all went black." "Charles, are you all right?" "I must be catching a cold, that's all." "Let's not take any chances." "Diana, call Dr. Barnes and bring the staff car." "Yes, sir, right away." "Professor." "All right, Mr. Benson, I think you better go now." "No, I can't." "It wouldn't be fair to leave the Professor with all this work." "I'll see my own family doctor when I have time." "I'm fine." "It'd be a lot fairer to Prof. Warren to have you here in good health." "The Professor has been inoculated." "But you both may have been exposed to bubonic plague." " Bubonic plague?" " That's right." "You'll do yourself and the Professor a favor... once you put yourself in the hands of proper medical aid." " Come, I'll get you down to the car." " No, I'll stay." "Listen, we're tracking a man infected with bubonic plague." "You may have picked it up." "But how?" "Charles had no contact with the thief." "Not during the robbery." "But the thief you described could easily be the man we're looking for." "You have been in contact with the Falcon, haven't you?" "Stop it." "Don't make me use this." "Give me the new keys to the security system." "Charles, please!" "Think of what you're doing." "Now!" "Guard, come in here!" " Did he take the only key?" " Yes, it's a special new security lock." "Try the phones." "Help me break down the door." "You must now tell the truth." "You are working with the Falcon." "And he's working for the Nazis." "Yes, I am." "He is." "Where is the Falcon?" "You know he's very dangerous." "You must tell me, please!" "Where is the Falcon?" "When he regains consciousness, he'll tell you where the Falcon is... and what he plans to do." "He could be in a coma for days." "By then it may be too late." "Now we know the Falcon stole the Pluto Files... and Charles helped him." "It was the Falcon who attempted to assassinate Prof. Warren." "The Falcon is deadly enough." "Now we know surely he's carrying the plague." "Apparently, he doesn't even know it." " How much farther to Bladensburg?" " It's only a few miles." "But the gas tank's nearly empty." "To assume, you didn't fill it up before we started?" "Everything's rationed." "What'll it be?" "I would like for you to fill it up." "My friend tells me we shall have to settle for 2 gallons." "Yes, sir." "You guys must be lost." "We don't get many strangers out here since the highway was finished." "We'd appreciate a bit of haste, if you don't mind." "Yes, sir." "It seems like it's right in the middle of nowhere." "Exactly." "Precisely why the Americans chose this spot... for one of their experimental atomic reactor laboratories." "If Benson's information is correct... it should be several miles beyond that gate." " It certainly is well hidden." " Yes, of course." "The Pluto Project will blow it up." "They've been working so hard on developing atomic energy." "It becomes a supreme irony, doesn't it?" "The first atomic explosion will destroy Washington, D.C." "Maj. Trevor's office." "Yes." "When?" "Thank you, Doctor." "Steve, that was Dr. Barnes." "Another case of bubonic plague has been reported." "Where?" "The patient's being taken to Walter Reed... so Dr. Barnes can look after him personally." "Where was the patient when he got sick?" "A small town not far from here." "Bladensburg, Maryland." "Gen. Blankenship asked us to meet him at a top-security installation... in that same area." "Any other information about the patient?" "No, just his name." "Robin Jensen." "A teenager." "Steve, we could stop by the hospital on our way to meet the General." "Good idea." "If he can talk, he can put us closer on the Falcon's trail." "Hi, Bobby." "How're you feeling?" "As if I got kicked in the chest by a mule." "You're a strong young man." "They got you here early enough." "You'll shake this thing." "What you've got is a highly infectious disease." "We must know everyone you've been in contact with... especially any strangers." "A couple of guys did come by this morning." "Do you remember what they looked like?" "They were 30." "The bigger guy looked like maybe he was an athlete." "He stayed in the car." "The shorter guy, the driver... had dark hair." "What kind of a car was it?" "A black coupe." "All dusty." "Did they say where they were going?" "Must have been somewhere around Bladensburg." "Thanks, Bobby, you've been a big help." "Morning, Major, ma'am." "May I see your authorization, please?" "Thank you, Major." "Proceed." "It's not often you see a top-secret security operation run as tightly as this." " This is the last checkpoint, isn't it?" " Yes, it is." "Open the gate." "The boy was positive they were heading toward Bladensburg?" "Yes, sir." "We've just spoken with him." "Excuse me." "Is there any connection between this installation and the Pluto Project?" "Could that be why the Falcon is in this area?" "There is no relationship between the two experimental projects, whatsoever." "But if the Falcon is trying to join the two... then a great many lives could be in grave danger." "What is the nature of this Project 741?" "Why is it so important?" "Project 741 is a part of The Manhattan Project." "It is a stationary laboratory with a cyclotron reactor." "It fuses uranium and plutonium atoms." "The result is a form of energy we don't yet know how to control." "We only know it's tremendous." "If the Falcon is in the area... the guard around this site should be increased immediately." "That's the last batch." "According to Benson's chart, we're all set." "Exactly five miles from that reactor... we sufficiently ringed the perimeter with explosives... that should be just enough force to squeeze the Earth's crusts... and shift the ground between that cyclotron reactor." "All right, strip those wires and we're ready." "These fuses aren't going to go till we're more than 25 miles from here." "They'll go one at a time." "We'll be far away." "We'll be well out of harm's way." "Let's go." "As you know, we've been working on this project for over two years... and we're finally making some significant headway." "We've doubled the guard around the site perimeter." " Very good, Steve." " And we're activating the core... so we can't stop the experiment for 24 hours." "This way, please." "The control rods are set within the safety limits." "All the walls are lead." "The possible energy force we're dealing with... has a potential of millions of tons of TNT." "That's very impressive." "Excuse me, sir, I'd like to go up to another level for a few moments." " You all right, Diana?" " Yes, I'm fine." "I'm sure it's just a reaction to that inoculation we all had." "General." "Well, that's that." "Nothing can stop the pattern once it's started." "Then this whole place goes up." "No, the whole county goes up." "Come on." "We can now duplicate the sun's fusion of hydrogen nuclei." "This takes place at a temperature previously unknown to Earth... 20 million degrees centigrade." "That's incredible!" "1 pound of uranium 238 equals over 2 million tons of coal." " You have to shut the reactor core down." " But that's impossible." "A major enemy agent is operating in this area." "He's stolen the Pluto File." "That's a top-secret project on earthquake experiments." "The reason we built the reactor here is because this is not a fault area." "The Pluto File has to do with inducing man-made earthquakes." "The Falcon has chosen his target well." "This earthquake is intended to make your reactor into a huge bomb." " Shut it down!" " I can't." "Not for 24 hours." "Sir, I have to order you to shut it down." "I'm sorry, General." "It's just not possible." "You must have a failsafe plan in case of an emergency." "This is a Class One emergency." "I'll have to get the President's authorization to try cooling the core." "The risk is very great." "It's never been tried under these circumstances." "I'll call the President." "According to Prof. Warren's Pluto File... now that we've got the explosives started... the tremors should progress with increasing force over the next eight hours." "And there isn't anything anyone can do about it." "In point of fact, Frank, you're wrong." "There is one person who might be able to stop it..." "America's foremost seismologist, Prof. Warren." "He discovered how to induce an earthquake." "He may figure out how to stop one." "What are you going to do?" "What I intended to do originally before Wonder Woman interfered." "Eliminate Prof. Warren." "I have to find countermeasures to stop these induced tremors." "It's a part of the project that I've barely investigated." "I've already alerted Dr. Norris and Maj. Trevor that I'm here with you." "Is there anything I can do to help stop these tremors?" "We'll need quotations from these tables of square roots and logarithms." "Let's see. "Hooke's laws." "The law of harmonic motion. "" "Wonder Woman, give me the square root of potential energy." "Of course, I was very good in school." "Let's try, "E" equals half..." "KA squared, sine squared..." " omega "T"..." " Extraordinary." "Absolutely extraordinary." "Thank you." "No doubt they'll be expecting me." "We'll wait here for a moment." "See if there's any change in the guard's routine." " How long?" " We should know soon." "When the President authorized the Manhattan Project... he thought it would be a fast way to end the war." "Now you're telling us it's a fast way to end Washington." "It's the fastest." "I've got my men combing the area." "We tried to stop the explosions that start the tremors... but the earthquake's already begun." "Dr. Norris must be given permission to cool the reactor down." "It's a method we haven't used." "If it stabilizes the temperature, fine." "If it doesn't..." "Very well." " All right, Dr. Norris, go ahead." " Yes, sir." "What other suggestions would you have me carry back to the President?" "Evacuate Washington... fast." "That is just not possible!" "Then get out as many people as you can." "I'm sorry." "I just can't believe that this is as serious as you say it is." "Man-made earthquake!" "Now how do you feel, Mr. Porter?" "I'm afraid you've made a believer out of me." "If it is man-made, then there must be a man-made way to stop it." "Prof. Warren's working on it now with Wonder Woman." "And we dispatched additional troops to guard Prof. Warren." "Very good." "Then he's our only hope." "We can't evacuate in time." "The lives of everyone in Washington are in his hands." "All right, men, off the truck." "Let's go." "Move them out." " More guards." " Yes, just as I said." "Now they realize how important Prof. Warren is to our plan." " Are you ready?" " Yes." "All right, let's get to work quickly." "All right." "When that guard gets to the back of the institute building... you head for those bushes." "You'll have 20 seconds, plenty of time." "I can make it." "When you're in those bushes you await your best chance." "Run towards that fence where that gate is." "And make sure they see you." "Yes, that should be enough of a diversion to let me get to that rear door." "Then once I'm inside..." "I'll be able to finish our business with the good Professor." "Now." "Halt!" "Who goes there?" "Corporal of the Guard!" "I'd better go see what that's about." "Stay back." "Put the gun down." "There's no way to escape." "We don't want to hurt you." "Please stay back." "Call an ambulance, but don't get near him." "Seal off the street and cover the back fence." "I have a feeling he might have a partner around here someplace." "Go, quickly." " What was that all about?" " They caught a man in the rear area." "He had a gun and I believe he's working with the Falcon." "But even if he's not, the Falcon is still on the loose." "I won't leave your side from now on, Professor." "Are you making any progress?" "Some, with your help." "But I haven't got the answer yet." "Keep trying." "I'm sure you'll find a solution." "By now that reactor core is beyond the limit of a safe temperature." "The temperature readings are critical." "382, and rising." "The special coolant isn't working properly." " That's up 54 in the last 15 minutes." " I know." "At 400, we should get out of here." "Where are we gonna go?" "We'd have to travel 25 miles in the next few minutes." "It's no use." "Integral calculus is always problematical." "By taking this term and substituting that for "A"... and this term and substituting that for "K"... putting those into our original energy equation, perhaps..." "Magnificent." "Simplicity itself." "You have an extraordinary mind, Wonder Woman." "More chalk." "It's in the storeroom." "Second shelf." "Any color will do." "Good evening, Professor." "You've come back." "What for?" "Haven't you done enough?" "Not quite." "You see, Prof. Warren..." "I hate loose ends." "And I'm very much afraid you're a loose end." " And you as well, Wonder Woman." " You know that's useless, Falcon." " Your game is over." " No, I don't think so." "Don't you care about the lives you've put in danger?" "Are you so cold, so professional?" "Yes, I am indeed a professional." "I learned at a very early age to depend only upon myself." "Don't you realize you may be responsible for the destruction of an entire city?" "This man has no sense of morality, Professor." "Obviously, he has so little regard for other people's lives... that he must hate himself very much." "'Course I could remind you that there's a war." "And I will not argue morality with you, Wonder Woman." "I am interested in doing my job properly... and, as I said, without loose ends." "Listen to me, Falcon." "Your own life is in danger." "If you don't let us help you, you will die." "You have bubonic plague." " You expect me to believe that?" " Two weeks ago, you were in India." "Yes, perhaps." "There was an outbreak of the plague in India exactly then." "You're a carrier." "You've already infected three people so far that we know of... including Camilla Moret." " Camilla?" " Yes." "All right, very well." "Perhaps this is useless against you." "But these chemicals are not!" " Water, please." " On the way." " Thank you." " That's it." "The simplest possible answer." "And just in time." "Dr. Norris?" "Professor Otis Warren." "The effective countermeasure is to flood water within the reactor core... not your special coolant." "Thank you." " Remarkable man, Prof. Warren." " Yes, he is." "And you, too, Wonder Woman." "Yes, I'm a seismologist, not a nuclear scientist, but this I know." "Replace the coolant with the flow of water and the reactor will cool." "Isn't it is a pity we aren't all on the same side?" "Well, it's never too late to change, Falcon." "The tremors will pass." "They'll peak at 4.2 and subside within three hours." "Trust me, I know a little something about chemistry, too." "It's our only chance." "Good luck!" " Is everything gonna be all right?" " It's fine." "It's fine for those nuclear whiz kids." "But, for myself... one day I'd like to discover how to stop an earthquake." "Dr. Barnes just brought me up-to-date on his roster of bubonic plague patients." "They're all responding to the antibiotics." "Camilla Moret in New York, the Marine guards, Sgt. Evans and Bobby." "They're all going to be fine." " Good." "How about Benson and Willis?" " They're gonna be fine, too." " And the Falcon?" " He pulled through." "But I'm sure Uncle Sam is gonna have plans for him." "What are they gonna do to him?" "I'm afraid his professional career is over." "When he does recover, he'll be interned for the rest of the war." "You know, he's lucky to be alive." " That man must be stronger than a bull." " He's also very clever and intelligent." "It's a shame he chose to lead such a destructive life." "But at least he'll have time to think." "Perhaps he'll find a more useful way to direct his energies." "That's the kind of positive thinking Wonder Woman would have, Diana." " Good thinking." " Thank you." "I'm glad you and Wonder Woman approve."