"Good afternoon, Mr. Phelps." "The man you're looking at is Walter DuBruis, the most unscrupulous financier in Africa." "DuBruis' brokerage firm is in Ghalea, a small African nation whose pro-Western government is the key to stability in the area." "Last week, the shipment of paper used to make Ghalean currency was hiijacked by this man, a counterfeiter, Raf Tagoor." "We believe Tagoor has made a deal with DuBruis to pass the counterfeit money, which would wreck the Ghalean economy." "Because DuBruis is powerful and influential, he cannot be arrested on suspicion alone." "Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to recover the paper and put DuBruis out of business permanently." "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "Please destroy this tape in the usual manner." "Good luck, Jim." "It could be real, except for the paper." " It's not supposed to be too perfect." " That's right." " Did you see the doctor?" " Yeah, I've got it all worked out, Jim." " Did you ship the ink?" " Yep, a week ago." " It works like a charm." " Shall we show him?" "Mr. Giroux." " Good afternoon." " Good afternoon." "I'd like you to meet Miss Carter, Mr. Hand." " How do you do?" " Mr. Collier." "Paul Giroux, Ghalean Finance Ministry, come in." " Now, are we all set?" " Yes." "The Ghalean currency you need has been stored in a warehouse in the city." "They finished printing it just before I left." " Has DuBruis tried to make a move?" " Nothing." "Ah, that is the machine?" "That's it." "Pardon me, is Monsieur DuBruis in?" "Ah, Miss Holmes." "It is a pleasure to see you again." "Mr. DuBruis is not in, but I expect him at any moment." " May I be of any help?" " No, I don't think so." "I'll just have a seat." "Thank you." "Certainly." "Excellent." "Excellent." "How soon before the plate for the reverse side is finished?" " A month, maybe six weeks." " You've got six days." " It can't be done." " It has to be done." "The government is pressing me." "I must have the money." "If I try to push this job, I could ruin the plates." "I won't do it." "Tagoor, you have clever hands, but up here, you're a fool." "Your precious plates, they are for a $100 note." "Where are you going to pass them without me?" "At the local cafe, at the tobacco shop?" "They are useless unless I put them into circulation." "Now, get to work." "We have wasted enough time." "Miss Holmes, I trust you are well this morning." "Very well, thank you." "May I order tea for you?" "That would be nice, yes." "Ambuli Copper opened at 38 this morning." "Yes, it's up seven-eighths." "Your total purchases over the last three days now amount to 1,100 shares at an average price of 36." "Outrageous." "Nothing short of outrageous." "And I want to warn you, Giroux, I won't stand for it." "Are you threatening me, Mr. DuBruis?" "You may take it any way you like, I couldn't care less." "So long as you understand that I will not be treated this way by a government bookkeeper." "The minister of finance ordered the new deadline." "I don't care if the president himself ordered it." "I was given six months on those loans." "They are not due for another five weeks." "That's when they will be paid." "However, the loans are now due in one week." "In five weeks, you may find yourself in jail." "I think you know, Giroux, I am not without influence." "In this case, Mr. DuBruis, it may only get you a cell with a view." "Good day." "Mr. Morgan to see Mr. DuBruis." "Ah, yes, will you come with me, please?" "Come." "Mr. DuBruis, this is Mr. David Morgan." "He was referred by Mr. Clinton in New York." " Pleasure, Mr. Morgan." " My pleasure." " Please." " Thank you." "Now, how may I help you?" "Well, I should like to purchase 1,000 shares of Euro-African Airways." "Excellent." "Very progressive new management." "One thousand shares, Euro-African at 51 will amount to $51,500 with fees." "I presume this will be a bank draft." "No." " I'll pay cash." " Cash?" "Why?" "Is something wrong with that?" "Not at all." "It's just that it's rather a large amount of money to carry around." "Perhaps." "I will have to trouble you for your import declaration voucher" " on the currency." " Certainly." "I..." "I seem to have left it at the hotel." " May I telephone it to you?" " Somewhat irregular." "But I'm sure it will be all right." "Would you excuse me a moment, Mr. Morgan?" "Of course." "Miss Holmes." "Monsieur DuBruis." "The next 24 hours may be a very critical period for me." "It's possible I may need your help and your discretion." "I'm afraid I don't understand, Miss Holmes." "Certain circumstances may make it necessary for me to have to reach you outside of regular business hours." "Could that be arranged?" "Miss Holmes, I am very jealous of my privacy." "However, I am going to make an exception." "I'm putting my home phone number on your receipt." "It could be any hour of the day or night." "There is always an exchange open somewhere in the world." "Thank you so very much, Monsieur DuBruis." "Good day, Miss Holmes." "She knows something." "I want a full report on Ambuli Copper." "Mr. DuBruis, how long will I have to wait?" "Oh, yes, forgive me." "Thank you very much, Mr. Morgan." "If there's anything else I can do, I hope you'll let me know." "I shall." "Thank you." "And you won't forget to phone me the number of your import voucher." "Let me through, I'm a doctor." " What is it?" " I don't know." "He just dropped." "This man is an epileptic." "He's having a seizure." "All I can do is to prevent him from injuring himself." "Is there anything I can do?" "Well, it seems that the worst is over." "Get rid of these people." "Who is he?" "His name is Morgan." "David Morgan." "I had never met him before today." "See if you can find where he lives or a name of some relative we can call." " Find something?" " He's a foreigner." "Is there a quieter place where we can take him?" "Take him to my office." "Look at this." "It says he brought less than $500 into the country." "But he has thousands." "Yes, apparently all of it was smuggled in." "Check the 50,000 he gave me earlier." " How is he?" " He will be all right." "He's more used to these things than we are, poor fellow." "He just needs rest and quiet for a few days." "Is there no one that can be called to take care of him?" "Apparently not." "Well, someone will have to look after him." "I will report the case to the police and let them handle it." "Just take it easy, Mr. Morgan." "Don't try to get up." " Well?" " Counterfeit." "All of it." "Doctor, I've made arrangements to take him to my home." "I'll see that he's looked after until he's better." "Fine." "I will come along to see that he's settled all right." "I'd be very grateful if you would." "You are going to be fine, Mr. Morgan." "All you need is a few days' rest now." "Where am I?" " What happened?" " You've had a seizure." "You've had them before, have you not?" "I don't know." " Who are you?" " I am Dr. Seedek." "And this is Mr. DuBruis." " Mr. DuBruis?" " Yes, Mr. Morgan." "You came into my firm to buy some stock." "I can't remember." "Temporary amnesia." "You must have hit your head fairly hard when you fell." "You may even have a concussion." "I think perhaps we should put you in a hospital." "No." "No hospital." "Please, Mr. Morgan, try to be calm." "You are going to need someone to look after you." " No hospital." "No hospital." " Mr. Morgan." "Perhaps we should let the police handle this." "If I keep him here, can't you help him?" "Surely, there is some treatment for amnesia." "Yes." "There are several treatments." "For example, I've found sodium pentothal to be very helpful on some occasions." "But I couldn't possibly give it to him now." "Maybe when he's more rested tonight." "Good." "Let's do it that way." "I will stop in around 8." "We will begin the treatments then." "Whatever you say, doctor." " How good is it?" " Excellent." " Whose work is it?" " Never mind." "Outstanding, except for the paper." "But they fool you with the serial numbers." "Each one is different." "But these bills were made less than three weeks ago." "These serial numbers are part of a new series released only three weeks ago." "No one could have known about it before that." "How could they have done it?" "I wish I knew." "Then I suggest we find out from my patient, Mr. Morgan." "A Miss Holmes to see you." " Tell her I'm not in." " She says it's most urgent." "All right, show her in." "In there." "Miss Holmes." "I gave you my telephone number." "I do wish you had used it instead of simply appearing at my door at what happens to be a most inconvenient moment." "I am sorry, Monsieur DuBruis, I would have called you, but I was afraid you wouldn't see me, and I had to see you." "Well..." "Now that you are here, tell me what it is that is so urgent." "Exactly how much margin does your firm require on the purchase of stock?" "The purchaser must have 75 percent of the selling price." "Could you relax that margin a little bit for me?" " It's against the law." " That's not what I asked." "What is it you wish me to do?" "I have $250,000." "I want to purchase $500,000 worth of stock." "I see." "Ambuli Copper?" "Why should I take such a chance?" "I hardly know you." "Your brokerage fee would be quite high." "I wish I could help, but it simply isn't worth the risk." "All right, Monsieur DuBruis, you win." "Win what, Miss Holmes?" "Mrs. Holmes." "Mrs. Carlton Holmes." "My husband is a geologist and mining engineer with the Ambuli Corporation." "Where is your husband now?" "In the bush country." "He's made a fantastic new strike." "He has to report it within 48 hours." "When this news is made public," "I'm sure you're aware of what will happen to Ambuli Corporation stock." "Now, Monsieur DuBruis, are you willing to lower the margin for me?" "How can I be sure this is true?" "Would I be willing to risk a quarter of a million dollars on a story I made up?" "I'll call you in an hour." "Call the doctor." "Tell him to come over now." "We're going to get the truth out of you, Mr. Morgan, the doctor's way or mine." "Now, Mr. Morgan, count back from 100." "One hundred, 99," "98," "97..." "Ninety..." "Fine." "What is your full name?" "David Everett Morgan." "Where do you live, Mr. Morgan?" " London." " When did you leave there?" "Last week." "He still has some blank spots." "Mr. Morgan, Mr. DuBruis is here." "Do you remember Mr. DuBruis?" "DuBruis." "DuBruis must be careful." " Are you sure the drug is working?" " Definitely." "What he is saying is the truth." "It's just that he is having trouble sorting it all out." "I think that is quite enough for tonight." "Let him rest and I will look in on him tomorrow." "Thank you, doctor." "But tell me, how long will it be before the effect of the drug wears off?" "That is hard to say, not over a few hours." "Just keep an eye on him." "Don't let him move around or hurt himself." "Mr. Morgan, we have some business to discuss." "That's it." "Now, tell me, David, how did you make the counterfeit?" "Counterfeit?" "That's right." "The counterfeit." "How did you make it?" "With a computer." "What kind of computer, David?" "What kind?" "High-speed copier." "Prints money very quickly." "Where is this computer, David?" "I don't know." "It moves." "Moves?" "In truck..." "That's all for now." "Let him sleep." "You heard what the doctor said about sodium pentothal, he has to be telling the truth." "And it fits." "Only some device like a computer could have produced this money so rapidly." "The amnesia is gone, isn't it?" "Now you're going to tell me where that computer is." " Hello." " It's Dave." "Where are you?" " DuBruis' place." " What?" "I had an attack." "I must have blacked out for a while." "Anyway, I woke up here." "Are you all right now?" "Yes, except while I was out I must have babbled the whole story." " DuBruis wants to see the machine." " He wants..." "Tell him not a chance." "He means business." "He'll kill me." "Okay." "Send him to the warehouse, 20 minutes." "Mr. DuBruis, quickly." "Anton, tomorrow, we buy every share of Ambuli Copper we can." "Don't turn around." " We are unarmed." " Where is Morgan?" " Safe and under guard." " And who is this?" "My engraver." "I want an expert's opinion of your machine." "What's to stop me from killing the two of you right now?" "Because my men have orders to turn Morgan over to the police if I don't return." "Follow me." "You don't sound like a man who would pass up half a million dollars." "Morgan said you kept it in a truck." " But I had no idea." " Makes it entirely mobile." "Hard for the police to find." "Or anybody else for that matter." "Fantastic." "Fantastic." "How did you get such detail in the lines of the face?" "And the lacework around the edges?" "All done in the computer." "Try these." "This is the real paper." "Where did you get it?" "For now, let's concentrate on what your machine will do with it, not where I got it." "Fantastic." "It's perfect." "Perfect." "I want you to make $5 million of Ghalean money for me." " When do you need it?" " By 1:30 tomorrow afternoon." "It's impossible to do it." "You say my cut is half a million dollars?" "That is correct." "Have to have the paper by 7:30 in the morning." " You'll have it." " And I need Morgan." " Why?" " He's my colour analyser." "He mixes the inks." "I can't operate without him." " You just did it." " That's right." "But I don't have enough ink mixed to print $5 million." "All right." "I'll bring him with me in the morning." "I'll call you at 7, let you know where we will be." "As I say, we're mobile." "Hold it." "Now then, let's go slowly back to that truck." " Unlock the doors, please." " Forget it." "You have five seconds." "Have no doubt about it, my friend." "I will have you shot." "Tell them to drop their guns and get out of here." "And take him with them." "Do as he says." "I underestimated you." "The mistake is mine." "I assure you, it will never happen again." "I'm not asking you to trust me." "I merely want to do business with you as I suggested before this stupid mistake." "I said you could make half a million dollars." "That much is true." "And of course, there is your friend Morgan." " I'll call you at 7 in the morning." " Fine." " You got the paper?" " Yes." " I want Morgan to check it." " Why?" "Because as far as I'm concerned, the paper is all you've got." "I don't need you for anything else." "So unless it's all the real stuff, we've got no deal." "All right." "He wants you to check the paper." "We're in business." "All set." "I'm still a bit shaky." "You mind if I head back to the hotel?" " Do we have enough ink mixed?" " Twice what you will need." "Yeah, go get some rest." "I don't think anyone should leave until the job is done." "His job is done." "I handle it from here on." "Unless you'd like to stop and discuss it." "Operator, this is 5046." "I want 8811." " Hello." " DuBruis here." "How many shares have we?" "One hundred and twenty thousand as of a few moments ago." "I told you I must have 170,000." "It's becoming more and more difficult to get them, and now the exchange is starting to ask questions." "I told you to be careful." "I have been careful, but one cannot buy $8 million worth of stock in one day without raising some suspicion." "Get the other 50,000 shares." "Miss Holmes just walked in." "Keep her occupied." "Tell her we're buying for her if she asks any questions." "Where is Monsieur DuBruis?" "Miss Holmes, how nice to see you." "Mr. DuBruis will be here shortly." " What about my stock?" " Oh, we're buying it for you right now." "Bouchet." "Mr. Giroux." "What is the meaning of this, Bouchet?" "The DuBruis Company has purchased upwards of $7 million worth of one stock:" "Ambuli Copper." " Sir..." " DuBruis cannot cover this amount." "He's been warned about this kind of speculation." "Where is he?" "He is not in yet today." "If he is not here in 15 minutes, the government will step in." "He will be here." "I'm certain of it." "I'm late." "How much longer?" "Only be a minute." "Get your car started." "Tagoor, start the engine." "Check the ink level in the copier." "There seems to be plenty of ink still in them." " All right, this is the last batch." " Good." "Must get back to my office." "What about you?" " What do you mean?" " Where can you be reached?" "You have a marvellous machine, and I can get more of the paper." "Don't you worry." "I'll be in touch." "Mr. Bouchet." "If Mr. DuBruis is not here in five minutes, as you promised," "I am going to pull Ambuli Copper off the market and close you out." "Mr. DuBruis, Giroux is here." "Mr. DuBruis, you have been warned about speculations with margin purchasing." "If this Ambuli buying is more of the same," "I will order charges brought against you." "I have the cash to cover that purchase." "Eight million dollars?" " Yes." " I'll have to see it, you understand." "Anton, bring me the latest quotations." "Congratulations, Mr. DuBruis." "You are a very rich man." "Any man who buys $8 million worth of stock and cannot pay for it is not rich." "How did it go?" "DuBruis has been working too hard." "He's about to take a nice long vacation." "Where's the paper?"