"Come along, Cabot." "Kahn explained the game." "Now back off!" "And you believed the fool." "I remember all the hours Dad and I spent out there." "Did you like it?" "Sure." "Good." "Because for the next two months you're gonna toughen your mind and your body." "It's gonna make your Olympic training look like finger-painting." "Those men, among others out there, will train you." "Any questions?" "None." "Do you recognize him?" "The Kahn of Parmistan." "What do you know about his country?" "It's a tiny mountain nation in the middle of the Hindu Kush range." "This?" "I don't know." "Zamir." "He intends to overthrow the Kahn and sell the country to the other side." "And he's a viper." "And your welfare is of no interest to him." "We're interested in Parmistan for one reason, and that's location." "A Star Wars satellite station inside Parmistan could monitor all the other satellites around the world." "It would be the ultimate early warning system in case of nuclear attack." "And now, in our hands such a system could save millions of lives." "But in the wrong hands...." "It could destroy our entire nation." "Exactly." "Now the Kahn is being challenged inside his country by a radical group." "They'd like to open the borders and sell the satellite station to the other side." "Why don't we send in the troops?" "Direct military action is out of style, my friend." "Finesse." "But there is one chance for one man." "Anyone who enters Parmistan must play the game." "If he wins, he's allowed his life, and one request." "And if he loses?" "How do we know somebody else hasn't already gone in and won the game?" "No outsider has won the game in over 900 years." "What we do know is that other countries are training their athletes right now." "A lot of people want that one request." "There's someone I want you to meet." "You know, your father was hampered by a lack of knowledge about the game." "Fortunately, we have a break." "Jonathan Cabot may I present the Princess Rubali of Parmistan." "Princess." "The princess is an expert at the game." "And she'll be handling your training from now on." "You'll be leaving together." "Part of the training, huh?" "What?" "A game?" "Hey." "Hey, wait." "What she's saying is, don't trust anybody." "Hope to tell you." "There are many sounds around us." "Each slightly different." "So small as to go unnoticed  by the person who is unaware." "Do not hear the wood split." "Hear the only sound of ax, cutting air." "Read the air itself." "It has much say to you." "You've gotta remember, they will skin you if you're not real good." "You've gotta outsmart them, you've gotta out-quick them." "Now push it." "I know I'll out-sleep them." "Go ahead." "No, no, no, no." "Okay?" "One must learn to be forgiving and generous." "Not quick enough." "You're looking good." "I'm never gonna make it." "She does crazy things." "The game's never the same." "Other countries are training their best men to defeat you." "She's driving me nuts." "You know she doesn't talk?" "The princess will come around." "Interesting background." "Her mother was Indonesian." "You know, one of the problems that you've got to face is being able to distill the essence of what you've learned." "It's a subtle blend of the martial arts of the East and the fighting skills of the West." "You know, karate and your own special gymnastics." "Come on, come on." "Almost." "Come on." "Good morning, princess." "Good morning, Jonathan." "You're looking handsome as always." "Did you sleep well?" "Like a log." "Don't trust anybody, right?" "Sometimes you just gotta take a chance." "You will be flown to your rendezvous and taken by boat to the border town of Karabal about a hundred miles from Istanbul on the Caspian Sea." "From there you will meet Colonel Mackle at the salt mines." "The salt mine?" "You'll see." "Mackle will then provide you with the necessary weapons and equipment for the game." "Jonathan." "I hear you, sir." "Jonathan, what town are you going to?" "Karabal, on the Caspian Sea." "Yeah, right there." "That'll be Mackle." "They call him "The Stork."" "I'm John Mackle, welcome to town." "Thank you." "The men will take care of your bags." "Please." "I see we're in the tour business." "Oh, among other things here." "It' s a nice boat." "I suppose one of many." "Well, boats and buses." "Compliments of the American taxpayer." "It figures." "A salt mine, just as Paley said." "Yes." "It's a place we use from time to time." "Convenient." "Over here, please." "As you know, no firearms of any type are allowed in Parmistan." "Get caught with a gun and he'll chop your head off." "So each of these is custom-made with modern alloys." "Looks ordinary enough, huh?" "Very impressive." "Yes." "But" " Don't!" "Press that." "The blade's spring-loaded and it'll kill a man at 20 feet." "Fine piece of work." "The only way we can get you into Parmistan is by pack mule." "And then not all the way." "As the princess knows, you'll have to use your raft for the final leg of the trip." "That leaves tonight, of course." "You could go into town." "I will send a couple of Paley's men with you." "Pick us up in front of Ahkmed's in two hours." "You like?" "You like, I give you good price." "I give you good price." "Oh, you're from America." "Look at the quality, I give you good price." "American, come back." "You are an American?" "Yeah." "Yankee, go home." "Don't bother, Jon." "You might start a big riot." "So much for Karabal nightlife." "Well, there's just a little anti-American sentiment running around, but I think" "They grabbed Rubali." "I know." "I heard." "Come in." "Come in." "They killed the two agents." "It's obvious that Zamir knows every move we' re making." "Hundreds of miles away and he still reaches us." "Not for long  because I'll kill him." "Where's Rubali?" "In the walled city of Karabal." "But you will never get her out." "Where is she?" "Tamerlane has her at the fortified mansion of his." "And where is that?" "It's all in your briefing package." "I'm getting her out." "Forget it." "That's a terrorist training camp." "Tamerlane is Zamir's man." "You're going into Parmistan alone." "Just be ready for two of us, colonel." "You okay?" "Okay?" "Are you okay?" "You'll be fine." "Once the Kahn knows that we have you he'll gladly relinquish his throne in exchange of your life." "Who's there?" "God." "Come in." "Come in." "They were waiting for me." "The place was on alert." "These people have spies everywhere." "Lots of ears to the ground." "What the hell is this, Stork?" "What did you forget?" "None of this stuff has been done." "Nothing's been packed." "I don't think we'll be able to make it in time." "What's the story, Mackle?" "This is a real shame, Cabot." "I always said that Special Intelligence should have handled this whole operation." "Double blackmail." "Well, that cleans up things here." "You'll leave in the morning." "Are those your people?" "Yes." "But things have changed." "Rubali." "Where's Rubali?" "Where am I?" "Where's the Princess Rubali?" "What's going on?" "You'll get no answer." "She has no tongue." "Who are you?" "Commander Zamir." "Advisor to the Kahn." "He has sent me here to welcome you to our country." "I already had that." "When do I meet the Kahn?" "Tomorrow." "The Kahn will be presiding over an explanation of the game." "Afterwards, a banquet." "The next day, you will play." "That's what I'm here for." "If there is anything I can do for you, please ask." "There is one thing." "The Princess Rubali, where is she?" "With her father, of course." "And as I said, welcome." "Thanks." "No." "Okay, okay." "The first challenge is a three-mile run across the swamp to the second obstacle, a 200-foot rope climb." "From there, it is but a half mile to the gorge." "The fourth part is to enter the river that will lead you, dead or alive to the high forest." "If successful, you will enter the Village of the Damned." "Surviving this, there is the final five-mile run through the swamp again." "It is not all at great risk it is also a test of endurance, as you will see." "And remember, instinct must carry you as well." "This is obvious here." "But on land itself, it might be easy to get lost." "Take a wrong turn." "There will be judges to show the way." "There can be no mistakes." "Anyone trying to avoid an obstacle will be instantly killed." "If you'll excuse me now, gentlemen I must go play king for my people." "These men have been convicted of grave crimes." "But today, we will give them a chance for life by letting them play the game!" "You have been shown the course you will travel." "When the rope is cut, the prisoners will start running." "Upon my command, the children of Parmistan may begin their pursuit!" "Is Thorg gonna be here?" "Superman?" "I don't know, I haven't seen him." "Let's hope he makes it." "I hear there's a town of crazies we've gotta go through." "Silence." "Yes!" "Yes!" "Follow me." "We'll meet them at the swamp." "Please." "Please, help me." "Can't we help?" "Help me." "Help me, please." "He'll be killed." "And you will be too if you try to help." "Kill him." "Why did you do that?" "That warrior broke the rules." "The prisoners were in the next stage of the game." "He should have waited until they were above." "We'll go there now." "The warrior's in the same stage as the prisoner." "He can kill him if he can." "Well, that didn't hold us from the banquet very long." "I would like to heartily welcome all to my country and wish you great success in the game tomorrow." "You are all men of courage and skill." "You've already shown that by surviving the difficult journey into this country." "Your Excellency?" "My father, Colonel Cabot, he came here to play the game." "What happened to him?" "Your father was a superb competitor." "He would have belonged at this table of champions tonight." "But he was not victorious." "Let us all wish his son good fortune." "Gomez?" "Yeah?" "You were telling me about a town of crazies." "This country sends its criminally insane there." "They've been doing it for generations." "They're a bunch of goddamn cannibals." "And you're stuffing the turkey for them, huh?" "I would like to announce the wedding of my daughter, the Princess Rubali." "Which will take place tomorrow following the game." "My closest aide, Zamir, is the lucky groom." "Thorg?" "Forgive my tardiness, Great Kahn, I hope I haven't inconvenienced you." "It is our honor to have you with us." "Please, sit down." "Thorg." "Jonathan Cabot." "I've admired you since Munich." "You must understand, she's mine." "It's not over yet." "So put your hardware back in your pants." "You will take me to the Princess Rubali." "Is this the princess's room?" "Don't be afraid." "Tell the princess to meet me in the garden." "It's a political marriage." "Traditionally, the daughter of the Kahn marries his closest aide." "Why can't he break with tradition?" "He has already earned a lot of enemy for letting the twenties go unpunished." "The twenties?" "The young people." "They want our country to join the 20th century." "It's funny, but this marriage which is supposed to help unify our country, will tear it apart." "Why?" "Zamir is the leader of the faction trying to overthrow my father." "But Father refuses to believe it." "What's he gonna do?" "Father plans to announce a new era for our country tomorrow, after the game." "An era that combines the best of the old and the new." "That sounds intelligent." "Yes, but Zamir will make sure that tomorrow's game will be so deadly and so violent, that no one will survive." "That's not gonna happen." "Don't play tomorrow." "I have to." "You will get killed." "Wouldn't I be killed anyway?" "Do you think they're just gonna allow me to walk out of here?" "I'll win." "Go." "Stop!" "Children of Parmistan, are you ready for the game?" "Today is a very special day." "Not only will we play the most important game in our history we will also have a royal wedding." "Not while I'm alive." "Yes." "The princess was out last night." "Someone else was out on the grounds as well." "Death becomes you." "In the ancient tradition of Parmistan, let the game begin!" "Jonathan!" "Stop her!" "Zamir, stop!" "You are breaking the rules." "You must pursue on my command!" "Find him." "I want him." "Close the circle." "There he is!" "The torch." "Burn, you bastard." "Damn it!" "The gorge!" "They broke the rules." "Kill them." "Damn it." "Hurry!" "The sword." "Hurry along, Cabot." "You don't have a great deal of time." "Damn!" "The finish line for you is right here, Cabot." "Out of the way, Thorg." "Hear the only sound of ax, cutting air." "Gomez!" "Here we are." "The cuckoo's nest, eh?" "Yeah, don't waste your breath." "The village of the crazies." "He'll never get out alive." "Oh, jeez." "Gomez." "Dad, my God." "I knew you'd get here, Jonathan." "I don't know what's real anymore." "It's true enough, it was a nightmare in hell." "Come on, we can drop over the wall from here." "Come on." "The guards are still in the stairway." "Protection." "Father, why don't you believe me?" "You saw what Zamir did." "He doesn't want anyone to win." "He doesn't care if they all kill one another." "It's all the same to him." "I have always trusted him." "You're a prisoner in your own palace." "Not true." "Why are you saying such things?" "He has built his own army." "His, not yours." "For security reasons, yes." "And loyal to him, not to you." "Father, look at them." "Faces hidden from you." "Well, that" "The American is our only chance." "I will help him in any way I can." "Rubali, you must not do this." "I was cut down trying to cross the gorge on one of those ropes." "Trees along the way broke my fall." "I got this useless arm out of it." "Zamir's men captured me and were gonna use me as diplomatic bait." "I've missed you, Dad." "It's so great to see you." "You'll never know how" "Win, Jonny." "This is it." "Ride." "Ride!" "Jump, you fools." "Die, you bastard!" "Get out of my way." "Traitor!" "Attention!" "Attention!" "Death to the Kahn!" "Seize them!" "Seize them!" "Zamir's men are traitors!" "Stop them!" "Stop them!" "They're here." "They're here." "Down the street." "Hurry." "Hurry!" "Over here." "Over here." "He's coming." "Look." "Over here." "Come on." "Come on." "He's coming." "[ENGLISH]"