" l must see Commander Traynor." " l'm sorry. lt's impossible." "No one comes through without an official pass." " lt's vital I see Commander Traynor." " Vital or not, I've got my orders." "Now, why don't you be a good lad and run along?" "Hey!" "Hello, what have we got here?" "Ah, yes." "Eden Park Comprehensive, isn't it?" "Still hoping to join us?" " l..." " lt's all right. I'll look after him." " l must see Commander Traynor." " Commander Traynor?" "There you've got a bit of a problem on your hands." "Even if he was here, you'd need an appointment." " You mean he's not here?" " He's down at R1 ." " R1?" "What's that?" " Something we don't talk about." "Official Secrets Act and all." "What's so important anyway?" "Well, it's Liz." "Liz Skinner, a friend of mine." "The Commander knows all about her." "I think she's been kidnapped." "Job for the police, I would have thought." "Oh, no." "Out of the question." "Official Secrets Act." "Oh, yes, of course." "Just put me in touch with the Commander, he could help." "Afraid not." "He left strict instructions he was not to be disturbed." " Not during this series of tests." " What tests?" "Don't worry, old chap." "We don't ask questions about what goes on at R1 ." "I mean, it wouldn't do, would it?" "Now, if you'll excuse me." "Make sure Commander Traynor gets this soon. lt's urgent." "Very good." "The R1 truck's leaving right away." "Thank you." "(Man) We ought to come to some kind of decision, Commander." "Hm?" "Decision?" "What about?" "The girl." "We can't hold her much longer before people start asking questions." " What people?" " Her family." "The police." "I was invited to set up this centre by the government, not by the police." " l know, but..." " R1 is a classified establishment." "We answer only to the Prime Minister." "We're under no obligation to reveal the nature or extent of our work here." "Not to anyone, Doctor." "Not even in the public interest." " lt's the staff I'm worried about." " They obey your orders." "And mine." "It was OK when Professor Devereaux was alive." "But they're not so willing to give their faith to his successor?" " They're asking awkward questions." " Who in particular?" " Pitman." " He's only been here a few months." "But he's an idealist, naturally inquisitive." "We've gone about as far as we dare go with human volunteers." "If staff knew we brought that girl against her will, we'd be in trouble." "Elizabeth Skinner is here because we need her, Dr Frazer." "It's as simple as that." "(Electronic humming)" "Hello?" "Hello, is there anybody there?" "Please!" "Please, somebody hear me!" "Please!" "Oh, Simon." "Simon, where are you?" "(Truck engine stops)" "(Door opens and closes)" "(Feet crunching on gravel)" " Mr Pitman?" " Yes." " For Commander Traynor." "Urgent." " l see." "I'll see he gets it." "Thank you." "(Liz) 'lt's so dry, it's beginning to crack." "'How long will it be before the whole earth falls apart?" "'l hate this place, I hate it." " 'This destruction all around us.' - (Knock on door)" "Come in." " Yes, Pitman." "What is it?" " From London for Commander Traynor." "Something you should know." "Two patients are getting a bit frail." " ln what way?" " Low vitamin A and loss of appetite." "Just a natural symptom of paranausea." "It's logical." "These old folk are in the middle of intensive training." "I was under the impression the object was to save human life, not take it." "Aren't you rather overdramatising the situation, Mr Pitman?" "Commander Traynor, ever since I was assigned to R1 , I've been studying their metabolism morning, noon and night." "Each day, I've been hoping for a small sign that what we're trying to achieve is the beginning of a whole new field of biological research." "To be frank with you, sir, there is no sign." "Every result so far shows a steady deterioration." "You said yourself we're only at the beginning." "We have to start somewhere." "HA57's no exception." "It needs time to settle down." "How much longer can we go on experimenting with human life that at the moment has no chance of survival?" "You take too much on your shoulders." "Let us worry about that." "We won't let any patients die, I promise you that." "There's far too much at stake." "Why not take a few hours off?" "You've been working far too hard." "No, sir. lf l'm to go on working for R1 , there are questions I must have answered." "The first concerns a new patient Commander Traynor brought in today." "'Who is she?" "'" "(Water gurgling, electronic humming)" "Hypnotherapy on a kid that age?" "You're out of your mind. lt's too risky." "If we're to develop Devereaux's theories on longevity, it's essential we explore all areas of mind and body." "But Dr Frazer, this is only a child." "We've got plenty of other human guinea pigs." "You disapprove of human volunteers?" "I disapprove of the use of 15-year-olds in scientific experiments." " We haven't the right." " Elizabeth Skinner is a sick child." " ln what way?" " She's undergone hallucinations." "Then what's she doing here in R1?" "We're a research centre, not a mental home." "R1 has been set up to explore all fields of scientific research." " ls that why we treat patients this way?" " What are you talking about?" "You know what I'm talking about." "All those old people who wander around day after day, nothing to do." "You know very well they volunteer for scientific research." " lt's their contribution to the community." " Contribution?" "It sickens me to see the look in their eyes, it's..." "It's unnatural." "Commander Traynor, tell me something." "Tell me why we should preserve life beyond its natural span." "None of us want to die, my friend." "Even when we have to." "(Door shuts)" "(Electronic buzzing)" "(Man on PA) 'This is R1 ." "This is R1 ." "'Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." "'Training period number four is about to commence." "'Walk slowly." "'Walk slowly, please, ladies and gentlemen.'" "(Voices approaching) I have to tell you, I don't like subjecting an unwilling patient to this treatment." "There is a possibility of damage to her brain." "Dr Frazer, I want Elizabeth Skinner prepared for hypnotherapy." "is that quite clear?" "'lt's so dry, it's beginning to crack." "'How long will it be before the whole earth falls apart?" "'l hate this place. I hate it." "'This destruction...'" " Who are you?" " l might well ask you the same question." "What are you doing here?" "I came to look for a friend of mine." "(Footsteps)" "Look, why don't you tell me who you are?" "My name is Maria." "Not that it matters any more." "I've lost my identity." "Why are you here?" "Are you ill or something?" "iii?" "Yes, I suppose you could call it that." "We are volunteers, all of us." "Our contribution to the cause of scientific progress." "When did you volunteer?" "Who knows?" "Four, maybe five years ago." " A lifetime to some." " You've been here all that time?" "Has the world outside changed all that much?" "I don't suppose it has." "There are always some who want to live longer than necessary." "Maria?" "Can you tell me where they're keeping a friend of mine, Liz Skinner?" "That young girl?" "The one he brought this morning?" "She's up there." "The room without windows." " Where?" " We've all been there at one time." "Somewhere to purify your mind, they call it." "But there never..." "There never was any peace in that room." " lt's savage." " Will you show me how to get there?" "Please, Maria." "You've got to help me." "Tottenham will smash 'em." "Hello, hello, hello." "What's going on here?" "You should have been at group therapy long ago." "The others have gone." " You're a naughty girl." " l got lost." " Perhaps you wouldn't mind helping me." " All right, now." "Easy, Grandma." "That's a good girl." "(Maria) I thought it was Tuesday." "When I got there, it was the wrong class." "(Buzzing)" "Right." "Parameter check, please." "Oh, Simon, you're not dead!" "Please say you're not dead." "Ohh..." "It's no thanks to you if I'm not." "What did you do a stupid thing like that for?" "I didn't know it was you." "Thank goodness." "How did you find me?" "Well, it wasn't easy, I can tell you." "What's been going on around here, anyway?" "I went to the Ministry field." "I don't know why." "I wanted to see Beth again." "See Beth?" "Are you crazy?" "You wanted to go back to the jungle?" "I nearly went through the barrier, then suddenly..." "Oh, Simon. lt was horrible. I woke up and found myself in this terrible place." " lt is pretty grim." " You don't know what it's been like." "I don't even know whether it's day or night. I feel like a sardine in a tin." "You look like one." "Anyway, what do they use this place for?" "Simon, there's something you've got to know." "Commander Traynor brought me here." " Yes, I know." " You know?" "At least I didn't, not until I found this place." "But why?" "What does he want?" "Information, only something you and I can give him." "Whatever Traynor's working on, there's one thing he knows about - the future." " Well?" " Let's try." "Switch off." "At least he's breathing for himself now, anyway." "Mm-hm." "I heard your voice on the tape." "Traynor must have submitted you to hypnosis soon after you came." " lt's the reason for the heavy lighting." " Yes, and the strange sounds." " Strange sounds?" " From up there." "A funny sort of electronic hum." "It wouldn't stop." "I couldn't keep my eyes open." "Here, give me a hand." "OK." "At first, I thought it was all an awful nightmare, but then I realised I wasn't asleep." "He told me to keep out of the future." "He warned me." "Loudspeaker system." "Must be all part of the conditioning." "No outside distractions." "A room without windows." "What is this awful place?" "As far as I can make out, it's some sort of research institute set up by Devereaux." " lsn't he dead?" " Yes, but Traynor's carrying on his work." "Longevity tests on volunteers." "We saw the results in the ice Box." " (Footsteps)" " Shh!" "Someone's coming." "(Liz sobbing)" "What the..." "What's been going on in here?" "Well, you've been having a fine old time." " Right now!" " Hey!" "Hurry!" "Come on." "Hey!" "No, this way." "From now on, we'll concentrate on lung grafting till you halt this rejection." " l'm not sure we can find a way." " But you will, won't you, Doctor?" " ls the girl ready for hypnotherapy?" " Pitman's there now." "No, this way." " What the devil's going on?" " What's happened to that girl?" "I'm afraid you're a bit late." "She's given us the slip." "It's locked." "But it can't be." "I only came this way a few minutes ago." "Here, wait in here." "Don't leave me." "Hurry." "(Alarm bell)" "The girl." "Come on." "Hey, you!" " Liz." " What shall we do?" "We'll have to get through a window or..." "Maria!" " Sh!" "Come this way quickly." " (Pounding on door)" "This goes straight into the yard." "Don't worry, it's a short drop." "(Man) Come on, open the door, I tell you!" " Come with us." " l'm too old for that sort of thing." "Now, hurry!" " Open up!" " What is it?" "They're in here." "Hey, look!" "Come on." " We're miles from anywhere." " No, this way!" " lt's a Ministry field!" " l noticed on the way down." "Come on." "This'll do." "They won't come this far." "Look!" " What are we gonna do?" "We're trapped." " We have to go through." "We can't." "We don't know where we'll end up." "What would you rather do?" "Go back into the room without windows?" "Come on, Liz, make your mind up." "It's now or never."