"Good afternoon, Mr. Phelps." "Blackmail evidence which will provide organised crime with an unprecedented hold on high government officials has been engineered by this ambitious man, Lou Merrick, who plans to turn it over to the syndicate when they hold their national convention here next week." "Merrick's blackmail file is now being held for safekeeping under close guard by Merrick's boss, Jonas Stone, the aging local syndicate chief, who has been grooming Merrick as his successor." "Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to stop Merrick and get his blackmail file." "As always, if you or any of your IM Force should be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "Although Stone and Merrick are close friends, by mutual agreement there's a man posted around the clock in Stone's office watching the safe." "Are you set for it, Barney?" "I have the tumblers, Jim." "This is highly pressurised." "It's insulin." "But it's harmless and it's effective for our purposes." "It will take effect in approximately ten minutes." "Once we get him to the hospital, you'll convert to heavy-dose tranquilizers," " Dr. Berman?" " Yes." "Then Stone will never be in any physical danger?" "No, but you will." "Yeah, well, I've made a complete study of Stone's life from the moment he was born." "I expect my performance will be quite convincing." "It has to be, because Merrick will kill on the slightest suspicion." "Now, how about Carson?" "The shipment's here." "The quality is as good as the sample." "Good." "Perfect, Paris." "Now, this is the nurse who will be helping us." "Nurse Larkin." "You realise, Mr. Phelps, there must be no repercussions to the hospital or the research institute." "Yes, I understand, doctor." "What happens if Nicholson doesn't believe my story?" "Oh, he will." "He and Merrick hate each other." "This is Thomas Galvin, the pharmaceutical man who will be dealing with Merrick." "Willy?" "Galvin's sample will convince him." "It's the real thing." "Pure morphine." "Hold it, please." "Excuse me." "Nine." "I'm sorry." " Good morning, Mr. Stone." " Flynn." "There's not much activity this morning." "Good morning, Mr. Stone." "Good morning, Carson." "Lou." "Jonas." "Carson, Mr. Stone and I have business to discuss." "Crossword puzzles." "I'm lucky if I can spell my name." "I guess the old ways are going." "It used to be mainly muscle." "Now it's brains." "College educations." "Corporate structure." "It's a new breed." "It's guys like you." "Well, you can't stop change." "Yeah, I guess not." "Your file is safe, Lou." "Just like the million dollars in dues." "Why don't you give me the combination to that safe, just in case?" "Every man has to have one or two secrets from his junior partner." "And besides, if I told you the combination, that would put Carson out of his babysitting job." "Now, what did you wanna talk to me about?" "Narcotics." "Now, Lou, let's not go over old ground." "You know what the board of directors said." "Narcotics is off-limits." "It's a rule." "No exceptions." "Rules can be changed." "I know you're going to try to make a deal with the board of directors." "Your blackmail for a crack at narcotics." " Right." " Wrong." "Lou, look." "It won't be too many years before I turn this whole operation over to you." "For your own good, you've gotta stay out of narcotics." "No." "There's too much money in it." "Yes, and there's too much risk." "They can be controlled." "You don't control pushers and junkies." " Yes?" " Mr. Nicholson to see you, Mr. Stone." "Send him in." "Now, don't bring this up when Nicholson comes in." "You know, he's a direct line to the boys in New York." "I don't want him knowing we talk about it." "He's looking for ammunition because I passed him up for you." "So take it easy, Lou." "What is it, Nicholson?" "Telegram for you, Mr. Stone." "It's from New York." "I don't like this idea of moving the meeting up two days to the 26th." "New York has too much power already." "The answer is no." "That's a decision for Mr. Stone." "Or have you gotten another promotion?" "I don't like it either." " Yes?" " Dr. Knowles to see you, Mr. Stone." "Knowles?" "From the Institute of Cerebral Research." "Oh, send him in." "Did Dr. Berman talk to any of you about this Knowles guy?" "No." "You want me to call Berman?" "Dr. Knowles?" "Mr. Stone." "Pleasure to meet you, sir." " Thank you." " Dr. Berman asked me to come over." "I see." "This is Mr. Nicholson." "Mr. Merrick." " Gentlemen." " What can I do for the Institute today?" "More of the usual?" "Well, I'm afraid so." "Dr. Berman wants to start a new line of experimentation to be developed under a grant from your foundation." "He's put me in charge." "It's all rather technical but I'd like to explain it to you." "Oh, that won't be necessary." "Where do I sign?" "Well, this is the authorization." "Look it over." "Mr. Nicholson is in charge of the funds for our foundation." "Fifty thousand dollars." "His brain research is expensive." "Well, if it'll keep us smarter or keep us smarter longer, it's worth it." "Not to mention it's all a legal tax deduction." "You know, doctor, I always say that..." "I've always..." "Mr. Stone?" "Mr. Stone." "What's wrong, doctor?" "I don't know." "It could be a stroke." "This is Dr. Knowles." "I want an ambulance immediately, with a respirator crew." "The address is 319 Michigan Boulevard." "Until we run further tests, it's very difficult to give an accurate diagnosis, Mr. Merrick." "So far as we can tell, the stroke has only paralyzed the motor functions, not the brain." "But of course, the first 24 hours in these cases are always the most critical." "We should know more after that." " I want him to have the best, doctor." " Oh, he will." "Mr. Stone is very special with all of us here at the Institute." "That's why I'm assigning the case to Dr. Knowles exclusively, because he is the best in the field." " If you'll sign this, Mr. Merrick." " What is it?" "Just a routine release form allowing us to take all necessary measures." " How's it look?" " Not good." "Stay by the door." "Keep me informed." "I'll be at the office if anything happens." "Lester." "Well, come in." "Come in." "Nurse?" "Dr. Hynes, outside call." "Dr. Hynes, outside call." "There's no calls today, Mr. Merrick." "But there's a Mr. Galvin outside." "Wants to see Mr. Stone." "Says it's urgent." "Send him in." "Where's Mr. Stone?" "I asked to see him." "He isn't here." "I'm his partner." "Maybe I can help you." "I don't understand." "Did he leave a message?" " No." " Will you be seeing him?" "Yeah." "Then tell him I spoke to Mr. Lesching and the place for the delivery is fine." "Tonight at 6:30 and tell him I want the whole amount in cash." "No 10 percent of the distribution." "Distribution of what?" "Just tell him." "Just a minute, Mr. Galvin." "There are no deals Mr. Stone makes without my knowing about them." "I'll have him call you." "What's your number again?" "Mr. Stone knows where he can reach me." " Flynn?" " Yes, sir." "The man who just left, Galvin." "Follow him." "Find out everything you can." "Yes, sir." "A Mr. Lesching calling for Mr. Stone." " Will you take the call?" " Yeah, I'll talk to him." " Hello?" " Where's Stone?" "He isn't here just now." "Well, when you see him, tell him to call Lesching." "It's about the arrangements." "Miss Sadner, reception desk, please." "Miss Sadner." "Yeah, I will." "What's your number?" "Miss Sadner, please." "Miss Sad..." "Lesching." "How's Stone?" "You got a hand." "Use it when you come in here." "How's Stone?" "Not good." "He may not make it." "Tell New York we'll be seating a new man when the board meets here." " I'll wait on it." " Do it now." "Not until I hear from Dr. Berman one way or the other." " But, doctor..." " That'll be all." "I don't need your assistance." "But, doctor, I really don't understand." "You don't have to understand." "Very well." "But I am going to notify Dr. Berman of exactly what is going on here." "What is going on in there?" "Nothing." "Mr. Stone." "Concentrate on individual letters, Mr. Stone." "Keep concentrating, Mr. Stone." "Concentrate." "Keep concentrating." "M..." "M, E." "Dr. Graham, Admitting Desk, please." "Dr. Graham." "Yeah, I'm telling you." "He was calling the other guy Stone." " Other guy?" " Yeah." "Him and Stone were wired together and Knowles kept calling him Stone." "Dr. Graham, please call the operator." " Yes?" " I have to talk to Stone." "Well, that's not possible." "He hasn't regained consciousness yet." "Mr. Merrick." "What's going on here?" "Why is he all wired up like that?" "Let me assure you that Mr. Stone is receiving excellent care." "What we're doing here in no way interferes with that." "That doesn't answer my question." "Well, I'm afraid it's very involved and I haven't time to explain it." "Find the time, doctor." "Very well." "You've heard the expression "brain waves"?" "Well, this machine, the electroencephalograph, records them." "Principally, it's used for diagnosing and treating nervous disorders." "But I know through my innovations that it has other uses." "Are you trying to tell me that you're using Stone" " as some kind of a guinea pig?" " No, no, no." "What I'm doing can't possibly harm him." "I'm simply trying to receive his thoughts, his brain impulses, through the electroencephalograph." "It acts as a kind of transmitter." "Through him?" " Yes." " I think you're crazy, doctor." " I'm gonna put a stop to this." " No." "I know this sounds far-fetched." "We're on the verge of an important breakthrough." "Earlier tests with Lester have showed that..." " He's Lester?" " Yes, sir." "Lester Perkins." " He's a full-time guinea pig." " No, no, no, sir." "No, I drive a delivery truck." "A delivery boy?" " Where's Dr. Berman?" " Now, just a minute, Mr. Merrick." "Dr. Knowles, you said there wouldn't be any trouble." "There won't be any trouble, Lester." "I've got a wife and two kids and I..." "Give me just a minute." "Lester comes from Duke University." "He scored exceptionally high on ESP tests there." "He is a clairvoyant." "You're all through here, doctor." "M." "M." "Lester, it's the Alpha Rhythm." "Stone is awake now." "M. M." "M. Mer..." "Mer..." "Concentrate." "Merrick." " Merrick." " Merrick?" "Talk to Merrick." "Must talk to Merrick." "The me..." "The..." "The mee..." "The meeting." "Lou." "Meeting?" "Don't..." "Don't let them push the meeting." " Concentrate." " Up to the..." "The 26th." "The meeting must be on..." "No." " No, Lou, listen to me." " Shut him up." " The meeting must be..." " Shut him up." "The meeting on the 28th." " Shut him up!" " On the 28th." "Lou." "That's right." "Without the wires." "Now, what I wanna know, doctor, is that possible?" "Dr. Knowles is working in scientifically virgin areas." "Who is to say what is possible?" "However, I had no idea that he was conducting experiments on Mr. Stone." "I can have that stopped." "No." "As long as Jonas is receiving all possible medical care." "But I don't want any visitors in Mr. Stone's room" " without my permission." " No, of course, Mr. Merrick." " It's for you." "It's Flynn." " Yeah, Flynn." "Yeah." "Galvin." "Thomas Galvin." "He works for..." "That's a big pharmaceutical house, isn't it?" "Yeah, fine, Flynn." "Go back to the office." " What did he want?" " Wait a second." "Paging Miss Sadner, fourth floor reception desk, please." "Miss Sadner, fourth floor reception desk, please." "Miss Sadner, Miss Sadner." "Paging Miss Sadner to the fourth floor reception desk." " Miss Sadner?" " What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Go back and watch Stone's room." "Excuse me, nurse." "Yes, sir." "Do you have a Mr. Lesching working here?" "Just who are you?" "I'm your new boss, Mr. Lesching." "New boss?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Sure, you do." "I talked to you on the telephone earlier today." "I'm Stone's partner." "He's upstairs in an iron lung." "He may never recover." "It's a nice lab you got here." "Reflex condenser?" "Sterilization equipment?" "Nice." "What do you do here?" "Experiments." "Like?" "Like?" "Like making morphine into heroin." "You can stop lying, Lesching." " Stone told me everything." " But he said it was just a..." "Private deal." "Well, it still is." "Only now it's my deal." "Now, what do you say, Lesching?" "You in or out?" "You deal with me or there's no deal." "I don't know, I..." "Galvin's ready to deliver, but it has to be tonight." "You get the same cut, maybe even a bonus." "All right." "I'll do it." "Did he give you a sample of stuff to test?" "Yes." "It's a very fine grade." "I just got through testing it." "Where's Knowles?" "Conference." "Dr. Berman called him." "Good." "Wait outside." "You're going to answer a few questions." " Now look, Mr..." " Shut up." "If Jonas Stone can really talk through you, well, he better start talking now." "What do you want to know, Lou?" "When were you born?" "October 9th, 1915." "Where?" "New York, 103rd Street." "Your father, what did he do?" "I thought you would have come up with a better one than that, Lou." "I never saw my old man." "I don't even know who he was." "We got things to talk about, Lou." "You bet we have." "But I haven't bought this yet." "And we don't talk until I do." "Important things, Lou." " Like?" " Like a Mr. Lesching and a Mr. Galvin." "That's right." "I know all about them." " You know?" " Yeah." "Let's hear your version." "Well, Galvin works in a big pharmaceutical house." "He's skimming off the top of their morphine quota." "Lesching is a chemist." "I set him up here in the Foundation." "In a nice, legitimate lab." "That's right." "And it all adds up to a beautiful front for narcotics." "You set up a typical Jonas Stone-type deal, nice, smooth and easy, without me." "And all that stuff about junior partner and the "you're my boy" routine." "Like I said before, Lou, every man is entitled to one or two secrets from his junior partner." "I couldn't afford any leaks until I was ready to move." "I didn't want anybody lousing it up." "But I was gonna cut you in." "I swear, Lou." "Well, you don't have any choice now because I am in." "So Galvin delivers the goods to the lab here tonight at 6:30." "A hundred kilos." "I bet that took some juggling of his books." "Smart, using Galvin." "He's not a known narcotics supplier, so no leaks back to New York." "I guess you used the dues money to pay Galvin off." "And Lesching can cut and deliver the stuff fast enough to get the million back before the meeting." "That's why you didn't want the meeting pushed up." "You might have got caught." "Our profit will come later." "On a hundred kilos, 10 million for one." "Not bad, since the million isn't even ours." "You better give me the combination to the safe." "Sure, Lou." "Later." " Mr. Nicholson?" " Dr. Berman?" " Yes." " How's Mr. Stone?" "Well, I don't know." "That's why I called you." "There are some very strange things going on down here and all under Mr. Merrick's orders." " What do you mean?" " I think that you ought to come down." "All right, doctor, I'll be right there." "Right, Galvin, the deal is on." "Six-thirty tonight." "It's all set." "I don't care what Merrick says, open the door." "Open it up." " What do you think you're doing here?" " He's coming with me for a while." " No arguments." " Coming with you?" "What's going on, Lester?" "It's none of your business." "Let's go." "You're not taking him anywhere." "I'm calling the police." "Either he comes with me or I'm pulling Stone out of here right now." " You signed a release." " I'm about to un-sign it." "You can't take Stone out of here, you'll kill him." "Now, doc." "Let's leave it up to him." "Lester is gonna be all right, and he'll be back soon." " Now, Lester, listen to me." " Now, doc, you wanna continue with your experiments, don't you?" "All most unusual, but Mr. Merrick insisted." "Where's Mr. Merrick?" " Dr. Knowles?" " He just went down the hall." " What's this equipment doing here?" " I don't know." "I just came here a few moments ago myself, and I..." "Barbiturate dosage." "I can't believe it." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "There's absolutely nothing the matter with this man." "Jonas." "Come on, Jonas." "Nick?" "What happened?" "Take it easy." "You're gonna be all right." " What am I doing here?" " You've been set up, Jonas." "What are you talking about?" "Set up?" "By who?" " Did you find Dr. Knowles?" " He's gone, Dr. Berman." "Left the hospital." "But he's one of your doctors." "No, he is not." "That's why I called you, Mr. Nicholson." "Knowles?" "You sent him to me to approve the grant." "I never saw or heard of Dr. Knowles until this morning." "He came here riding with you in the ambulance with a medical release signed by Mr. Merrick, designating Knowles as your physician." "I tried to set up the intensive-care units, but Knowles had his own people there." "He wouldn't even allow us to examine you." "Mr. Merrick said that Knowles had complete authority." "Why, I can even show you the..." "Where's Merrick now?" "Are you ready?" "Let's go." "Wait outside." "Okay." "Open it up." "Nine, left, Lou." "What's wrong?" "Lou?" "What is it, Jonas?" "What's wrong?" "Where am I?" "Lou." "What is...?" "What is this place?" "This is your office." "I'm your partner." "And we had a deal." "Remember?" " Remember the deal." " Deal?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah, I remember." "I remember the deal but, Lester." "He is fighting me." "He's fighting me, Lou." "He's making it tough." "I know, Jonas." "Stone, you're Jonas Stone." "Concentrate." "It's almost 6:30." "Galvin's gonna be here any minute." " Try." " I'm trying, I'm trying." "Well, try harder." "Now, try." "Now, come on." "Six, left." "Seven, right." "Good." " Yeah." " Mr. Galvin to see you." "Send him in." "Yeah." "Hello, Lesching." "The shipment arrived." "I just finished weighing and testing it." "Let me talk to Carson." "Sure." "I'll put him on." "The shipment's here and the quality is as good as the sample." "Fine." " It checks out." " Same here." "We'll be in touch." "Thank you, Lester, you've been a real help." "But I'm afraid you've outlived your usefulness." "What?" "That goes for you too, Jonas." "I don't understand." "Flynn." "Take him and drop him someplace, hard." "Jonas?" "How...?" " What are you...?" " Hello, Lou." "Why don't you ask me how I feel?" "It's empty." "All that beautiful blackmail of yours, huh?" "And the safe's empty too." "I bet you we've been robbed." "A million dollars gone." "What were you gonna tell the board after I was dead?" "That I stole the million?" "That's not the way it is." "You know that, Jonas." "The money went for the deal." "Our deal." "You're the one who set it up." "Setting things up seems to be your speciality." "You're in it with me, Jonas." "The narcotics deal." "Your deal." "Ask Carson." "Carson knows." "Carson's your man." "You lie, and he swears to it." "I was gonna turn this whole thing over to you." "But you couldn't wait." "Now, Jonas, I can explain." "It's all clear, Lou." "You don't have to explain anything." "Jonas!"