"Thank you, General." "And so, this mountain fortress, home of the European Allied Command, has become the focal point for the hopes of the entire world." "The five heads of state and their staffs have now all gathered here, the President of the United States having deplaned just a few moments ago." "For it is here, almost directly below where I'm speaking, that the conference host, Premier Thor Halvorsen, will demonstrate at 3:00 this afternoon the anxiously awaited AR-5, anti-radiation pollutant, that Premier Halvorsen claims will reduce the present" "dangerously high level of radioactivity" "(helicopter whirring) by a significant degree." "Since last night, the famous names and faces have been arriving here, having been ferried up by helicopter from the Capitol." "(speaking French)" "NARRATOR:" "A summit conference in a mountain stronghold 18 miles from the Baltic Sea." "There are two who do not share the high optimism of the other arrivals here" "David Vincent and his ally and friend, Michael Tressider, who step off a helicopter and into a moment of history." "They share the grim knowledge that this conference was initiated and is being controlled by alien invaders." "Michaelson, Continental Press, Mr. Tressider." "I wonder if you could tell us if your company has already contracted for the United States manufacture of AR-5?" "I'm sorry, I cannot discuss that at this time." "Does that mean that you feel it's premature, that is, before the demonstration?" "It means that I cannot discuss that at this time." "Ellie..." "Not now. not here." "What's the matter?" "We can't be seen together." "My room, D-12, half hour?" "Mm-hmm." "They've made contact" "Tressider, Vincent and Ellie Markham." "NARRATOR:" "Starring Roy Thinnes as architect David Vincent." "The invaders... alien beings from a dying planet." "Their destination... the Earth." "Their purpose... to make it their world." "David Vincent has seen them." "For him, it began one lost night on a lonely country road looking for a shortcut that he never found." "It began with a closed, deserted diner and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey." "(eerie whirring)" "It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy." "(whirring intensifies)" "Now, David Vincent knows that the invaders are here, that they've taken human form." "Somehow, he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun." "The guest stars in tonight's story:" "William Windom." "Eduard Franz." "With special guest star Michael Rennie and Diana Hyland as Ellie Markham." "(helicopter approaching)" "Thank you." "What is Ellie Markham doing here?" "She said she was going to have herself reassigned to the secretarial pool for the general staff." "I guess she did." "She wants to talk to us." "I'm afraid you trust her a lot more than I do." "(doorbell buzzing)" "(door closing)" "Mr. Tressider?" "That is correct, sir." "May I introduce my associate," "Mr. David Vincent?" "Sir." "You are both welcome here." "I wondered, sir, if we might speak with you... alone." "Chancellor Alquist is part of our official family," "Mr. Tressider." "(clears throat) I understand that, sir, but, uh..." "And if you wish to tell me that Chancellor Alquist is a representative of an extraterrestrial body, then let me assure you, I'm already aware of the fact." "You are?" "For some time now, and I wish to tell you how aggrieved I was to learn what transpired between you two in Washington." ""Transpired"?" "Did you know that on his orders," "I was tortured and practically killed?" "Mr. Alquist reported that he interrogated you at length and that minimal force was used only when you became actively uncooperative." "(clearing throat)" "If I may say so, sir, that is a gross distortion of the facts." "Sir, the man's a murderer." "That's rather extreme language, Mr. Vincent." "Not extreme enough, I'm afraid." "I'm afraid you both are too involved." "Or perhaps not involved enough." "Who knows?" "But what I am trying to do is preserve the very life of this planet, as Mr. Alquist is trying to preserve the life of his." "Now, it may be possible although I can scarcely believe it that in his zeal, Mr. Alquist could forget the, uh, value of a single life, the importance of the fallen sparrow." "(dry chuckle)" "However, you must remember that there are billions of lives hanging in the balance." "Billions, Mr. Tressider." "Is it not possible, sir, that you are merely being..." "Well..." "Being used, Mr. Tressider?" "We believe that Alquist and his people are determined to take over this planet." "I'm afraid I cannot believe that." "Then why are their methods so... so devious?" "Why don't they simply bring this substance, this AR-5, directly to the United Nations?" "You're being naive, Mr. Tressider." "You know as well as I do that should this world of yours discover it's playing host to, uh-- what is the term you used, "visitors from outer space"?" " the result would be panic, chaos." "Any proposal of ours would be met by universal suspicion and hostility." "No, we had to find someone to do it for us, someone who is above suspicion." "So, we came to Premier Halvorsen." "So, as you can see, I am being used... but for a good cause and with my full consent." "AlQUIST:" "Premier Halvorsen, we felt, would grant us a hearing without prejudging and without fear." "His long history of dedication to the cause of peace warranted our making that assumption." "Sir, we've been informed that this... this conference has been arranged as a smoke screen, a camouflage." "To conceal what, Mr. Vincent?" "The assassination of every world leader attending this conference." "That's quite an accusation, Mr. Vincent." "Rather melodramatic, don't you think?" "That's the information we have." "Thank you, Mr. Vincent." "Of course we'll take it under advisement." "Now, if you'll forgive me," "I must prepare myself for the meeting with your president." "HALVORSEN:" "If you'll excuse me." "And..." "I want you to know your concern is appreciated." "(door closing)" "We'd better get in touch with American Security right away." "Well, you know how they'll react." "Anyway, we have to meet Ellie." "I don't get you at all." "We both know how they operate, we both know exactly what they're after, and we've both been too close to getting killed to trust any of them." "I know that." "Well, then, why start now?" "Because she saved your life." "I don't know that." "She took me to that factory." "She might've been trying to get you killed." "At least listen to what she has to say." "All right, I'll listen, but I'm not making any promises." "All right." "What I really want to do is check the timetable against my notes." "I'm sure it'll be all right." "Just a minute." "I'll see if it's here." "It's Markham." "She wants to come here and have a look at the schedule." "Well, I think we should let her." "(doorbell buzzing)" "Oh, good." "I'll be up in a few minutes." "Thank you." "How'd your meeting with Halvorsen go?" "Alquist has him all wrapped up." "Well, I think I have a way of unwrapping him, but first, there are a few things you have to know." "First, I want to know why you're working against your own people." "You didn't tell him?" "TRESSIDER:" "He did." "I'd like to hear it from you." "I simply think the assassination plan is a mistake." "Alquist and the others feel that as soon as it's over, they can move into power." "But you don't?" "No." "I think it's going to backfire." "It will alert your people to our presence here and unite the warring factions on Earth into one single unit, which will destroy us." "Do I make myself clear?" "I understand what you say..." "But you don't trust me." "You said there was something we should know." "Yes." "The warhead of that missile they're testing does not contain anti- radiation pollutant." "Its payload is a deadly gas-- enough to wipe out every speck of life within a radius of ten miles, or almost." ""Almost"?" "Whatever its toxic element is, it won't effect our people." "Well, Halvorsen saw the AR-5 demonstration." "There is AR-5, but it's only effective at relatively low levels of radioactivity." "In case of a severe attack, it's useless." "There is severe radiation." "Now, I thought you people..." "Wanted to take over a clean planet?" "We do." "But the current radioactivity, as you call it, is our doing." "Took us over a year to create this threat." "We have less than an hour to knock it down." "Then we'd better move fast." "If we can get to Halvorsen with the timetable, he'll cancel the launch." "What timetable?" "Alquist has a schedule." "He was reading from it yesterday at a briefing." "I'm sure it's in his handwriting." "Well, what exactly is it?" "Every last detail of the plan." "I just spoke to Alquist's aide and told him I'd be up to look at it." "He said it would be in the top drawer of the desk." "Rather careless, don't you think?" "Well, whatever, there is a guard." "I just spoke with him." "One guard?" "As far as I know." "Well, it's worth a try." "I don't know." "You still think I'm lying?" "You could be." "Then I'll go myself." "You can stay here if you want to." "I'm going." "What room is Alquist in?" "D-2." "It's just down the corridor." "We'd better get started." "MAN:" "May I help?" "Don't move." "Please." "I hope you're satisfied." "Of what?" "That your friend sets a pretty efficient trap." "You mean Ellie?" "Not only is the timetable gone, if there ever was one, but two of their thugs are waiting there for us." "They could have been waiting for her." "All right, then, where is she?" "I don't know, but I don't think it was a trap." "I'm going to ask the American Security office to get our mission out of here." "Are you coming with me?" "No." "I'm going to look for Ellie." "And with any luck I'll find that timetable." "You're not only wasting time, it's dangerous, too." "If we're going to be dead in an hour, what does it matter how we go?" "(knocking)" "Who is it?" "David." "Want to explain?" "There's nothing to explain." "I'm just glad you made it." "Michael thinks you set us up." "What do you think?" "Where did you go?" "David, I didn't know they were going to set a trap." "There was nothing I could do." "I ran." "There had to be one of us left." "You don't believe me, do you?" "Does it matter?" "Well, it matters if we have any hope of stopping the launch." "There was nothing in that desk." "Well, then, Alquist has it with him." "C-1, please." "Halvorsen's suite." "Hello." "Yes, this is the desk." "Um, could you tell me if Mr. Alquist is there, please?" "Oh, I see." "Uh, no, thank you." "I'll catch him there." "Thank you very much." "He's at the press lounge holding a news conference." "Now what?" "We improvise." "(door slamming)" "I know exactly how it sounds." "That's why I didn't bring it to you before." "You really expect me to go to the President and tell him there are some sort of space creatures that are trying to kill him?" "Tell him anything you want." "Just get him out of here." "I'll take the full responsibility." "But the responsibility is mine." "And you intend to die with it, right?" "Mr. Tressider..." "I'm familiar with your reputation but isn't it possible that... that somehow you've imagined all this?" "You think I'm losing my mind." "No, I don't mean that exactly." "I think you do." "I'm sorry, Mr. Tressider." "There's nothing I can do." "Yes, there is, but you would rather risk the life of every member of the American mission here than take a chance on making a mistake even in good faith." "That's not true." "If I felt there was..." "All right, forget it." "Unfortunately, you won't live long enough to realize the mistake you're really making." "(door slamming)" "Our warhead today contains an equal amount of AR-5 and we trust the results will be substantially the same." "REPORTER 1:" "Is there any potential danger in the AR-5 itself?" "ALQUIST:" "None, sir." "REPORTER 2:" "Can you tell us, how long would it take before there'll be any change in the radiation level?" "ALQUIST:" "Well, the instruments should begin to record a change within ten to 15 minutes after the AR-5 is infused into the atmosphere." "REPORTER 3:" "As we understand it, sir, you're using one of your usual land-to-air missiles for this test." "Is that correct?" "ALQUIST:" "That is correct." "As you know, this is one of our regular missile bases." "And let me add that every nation utilizing AR-5 will be able to adapt its existing missiles for this purpose." "Let me show you what I mean." "ALQUIST:" "As you can see, the AR-5 in liquid form is contained in this pressurized warhead." "And although we're only using five liters of AR-5 today, almost any existing ground-to-air missile could contain ten times that amount and therefore be that much more effective." "Now, gentlemen, it's exactly 40 minutes till launch time... (door closes)" "So, if you have no further questions," "I must attend to final preparations." "One more question, sir." "No more questions, no." "One more." "Excuse me." "No more questions." "They're on their way down to Halvorsen." "Around the back way." "Those are yours, too, aren't they?" "Now what?" "We have to get to a phone" "Call Michael Tressider." "I'm sure he'll believe you now." "It's not too late?" "Come on." "Sir?" "It's half an hour to launch, sir." "How do you feel?" "Oh, the dream of a lifetime." "Half an hour shouldn't seem too long, but... of course it is." "Thank you." "I feel well." "And immodestly proud and very, very grateful." "And you, Per?" "Are you satisfied?" "Completely, as long as the heads of state agree to the full terms of the bargain." "Well, these men are realists, not stupid men." "If you tell them they must lay down their arms forever, surrender their right to blow each other to bits, they'll pay the price for your chemical." "They need it." "They understand they have no choice." "Hmm." "Men at peace." "Well, is everything ready?" "Yes, sir." "I think we should start down at the observation room." "Good." "I've ordered guards to accompany you, sir." "David Vincent approached me again." "I'm afraid he's irrational enough to try to get to you." "We men with missions are fanatics, aren't we?" "Very well..." "if you think he's a menace." "If you were one of us, David, do you know what you'd be feeling now?" "Nothing." "Wouldn't that be better?" "I can't imagine anything worse." "Why?" "Look at Alquist-- he's not in a panic, and you are." "He doesn't hate you." "You hate him." "Who's better off?" "I happen to be involved in something I care about." "Do you understand that?" "He's going to win eventually." "Yes." "Please page Michael Tressider." "Have him call David Vincent in D-12." "Thank you." "Must be a million laughs back home, huh?" "All those warm, emotional people?" "One big, happy planet." "You're so used to emotion, you wouldn't know what to do without it." "Shall I tell you?" "Would you like to learn?" "No, I wouldn't." "I'm sorry for you." "You love, but you also hate." "You're happy, but you're miserable." "You love peace, but you make war." "You despise us." "I'm sorry, David." "Your way is no better." "How would you know?" "You never feel anything." "You've never felt love." "No." "And I've never hated." "Wouldn't that be better?" "To have never loved, but never hated?" "(phone ringing)" "Yes?" "I was tied up with the wire service boys." "What's happening?" "I have the timetable." "You sure?" "I haven't read the whole thing, but it's all here-- every detail on how they're going to take over when they polish us off here." "Bring it to me." "I'll get it to Halvorsen." "Well, Alquist knows I have the timetable." "Halvorsen is under guard." "I'll meet you on the, uh, E-level in the lobby." "Right." "Be sure you're not followed because they may have someone on you, too." "There is someone." "He's been breathing down my neck for the past hour." "Well, lose him, and hurry." "Right." "I must ask you to come with us." "For what reason?" "The gentleman you've been following says you've been making threats against the experiment." "Oh, no thanks, Jim." "I've got an errand to run." "Why don't you grab yourself a sandwich?" "Yes, sir." "Thank you." "VOICE:" "As explained earlier, the radiation gauges in front of you show the current radio activity factor at ground level up to 50,000 feet." "15 minutes to countdown." "25 minutes to launch." "The delegations from the five great powers are now arriving on the scene and are taking their places in the observation room." "Alquist." "What is it?" "Tressider left B-level a few minutes ago." "He met Vincent and Markham in the lobby and went to room E-44." "You there now?" "Yes, sir." "Just outside." "Vincent stole a document from me." "I want you to get it back." "Yes, sir." "I want you to liquidate all three of them." "Can you handle that?" "Yes, sir." "Do so." "If this is not a forgery, it's exactly what we need." "I took it out of the case myself." "You trust me, don't you?" "Okay, okay, I apologize." "To you, too, I'm sorry." "It's not important." "The important thing is, we get this to Halvorsen right away." "Look, I might have the best chance of getting through." "Some of them may not know about me yet." "No, no, she doesn't go at all." "Why not?" "There's going to be killing." "They'll be her people." "She'll be all right." "Why not let her decide that?" "It could come down to quite a choice." "Either you or me or one of them." "All right, you sure you want to go?" "(door opens)" "I'm afraid none of you are going." "Please keep your hands away from your sides." "I understand you have a document belonging to Mr. Alquist." "You will please hand it over." "Slowly." "Get down!" "All right!" "We're giving up!" "Do you trust her now?" "Of course." "How many of you are here?" "There were ten of us." "Alquist thought it would be difficult to assimilate more." "All right." "There's you, Alquist, the four we saw outside of Halvorsen's office-- that's six." "And the one we eliminated in Alquist's room." "Right, and this one here-- that's eight." "Who are the others?" "One is Alquist's aide." "Who else?" "I don't know." "I just know that there were ten." "Why wouldn't you know?" "Because Alquist thought it would be better if we didn't all know about each other." "I didn't even know that one." "All right, then counting Alquist, we've got seven of them to go through." "Yeah, including one we don't even know." "How much time?" "15 minutes." "Well, then, we'd better get started, hadn't we, huh?" "(dialing)" "Premier Halvorsen, please?" "Been gone too long-- failed." "Is Halvorsen still in the observation room?" "We have two men watching him every minute-- one screening his calls." "They're going to try to get through to him." "They don't have much time." "Neither do we." "Tressider just phoned for Halvorsen." "I told him I'd relay the message." "What was it?" "He wants him to delay the launch until he talks to him." "He said to tell Halvorsen he has proof the launch will result in disaster." "Well, we'll watch Halvorsen." "You and the others intercept Tressider." "I'm sure he's on his way, so see that he's permanently delayed." "No, I'm not going to let you do it." "It's already done." "But you know your message didn't get through to Halvorsen." "But you will-- just show him the timetable." "You set yourself up like a sitting duck." "When that sergeant doesn't report back, they'll be looking for me." "Now this phone call just gave them a little more reason." "You'll never make it." "Sure I will." "I'll leave, you wait a few minutes, then you follow me there." "Mike, let me go first." "I have a better chance of making it." "Not after that phone call." "They'll be looking for me." "That's right." "Who knows, I may fool all of you." "Mike." "The countdown starts in ten minutes." "If Tressider ever gets to Halvorsen..." "They may have already stopped him." "All right, you get inside and watch Halvorsen." "(door opens)" "I'll wait here for them." "I wouldn't worry." "I would." "Sorry." "The document, please?" "(man groaning)" "Shh, listen." "(groaning continues)" "(groaning)" "Mike." "(groaning)" "We'll get you a doctor." "There's no..." "There's no time." "No use." "Is there anything we can do?" "Just get... get to Halvorsen." "Don't worry." "Call Vanders..." "Tell him he..." "Mike?" "Colonel Vanders, American Security." "Six minutes to countdown." "Come on, be there." "VOICE:" "A ten-minute countdown will begin in approximately two minutes." "It is expected that within ten or 15 minutes after the missile is launched, a sharp drop in radiation will be recorded on these instruments." "The missile itself is very much like those used for military purposes in all of your countries." "The major difference here, there is no warhead." "It's been replaced with a capsule of anti-radiation pollutant, AR-5." "At a height of approximately nine miles, the AR-5 will be released into the atmosphere." "From that height, it will disperse to cover a ground area of approximately 110 miles." "The countdown will begin in one minute." "Last reports from the silo indicate that all is in readiness." "All systems operating perfectly." "Here they come." "Well, exactly what is this all about, Mr. Vincent?" "Sir, I have evidence supporting everything Mr. Tressider and I have been telling you all along." "Alquist has been lying to you." "He plans to kill every human being in this area." "That's impossible." "Please look at this." "This paper could be fraudulent." "That's Alquist's handwriting." "It appears so, but it could also be a clever forgery manufactured by you and Mr. Tressider." "Tressider is dead." "Alquist had him murdered." "ALQUIST:" "Excuse me, Your Excellency." "Let him go." "I told you this young man has become quite irrational." "It would be better for him if he were placed under protective custody." "This young man claims that you had Tressider murdered." "That's nonsense, sir." "I saw Mr. Tressider a few moments ago." "As a matter of fact, I think he's still outside." "If you will come with me, sir." "Then it's all been a lie?" "All of it?" "I think the word is "tactics."" "The countdown must be stopped." "There's no use." "We programmed the launch." "I'm the only one who can stop it." "Then you will do so immediately." "Of course I won't." "I'm afraid your rescue has come too late." "I'll stop it myself." "That's impossible." "Mr. Halvorsen..." "(lock clicks)" "Straight through here, Mr. Vincent." "I'm sorry." "If I'd listened, your friend would still be alive." "(gunshot)" "Get down!" "Control, Premier Halvorsen." "(bullet casings clatter)" "Do you know who I am?" "TECHNICIAN:" "Yes, sir." "I'm ordering you to stop this launch." "Well, I can't, sir." "Once the system interlocks, the controls are automatic." "Then... deactivate the missile itself." "(sighing)" "Yes, sir." "(flipping switches)" "Something's wrong." "It won't respond." "It... won't respond." "Let me in, please." "(buzzer sounds)" "Sorry, sir, but it just won't respond." "What have you done, sir?" "That's the emergency launch." "Get out." "I've just pressed the emergency launch button." "In one minute and ten seconds, an instant after that missile tries to leave its silo..." "I'll press the destruct button." "You'll destroy the entire area." "There must be some other way." "Can't you change the course?" "You'd better all leave." "(sustained buzzer sounding)" "Mr. Vincent, you have 60 seconds... starting... now." "(starter chugging)" "(engine starts)" "(sustained buzzer sounding)" "(tires squeal)" "(explosions rumbling)" "(explosions subside)" "(coughing)" "There's no more danger, is there?" "Buried everything." "Everything." "He was a good man." "All we know for certain is that both Premier Halvorsen and Chancellor Alquist perished in the tremendous explosion." "But perhaps the primary victims of this great tragedy will be all of us." "For without the benefits of the promised AR-5, the world still faces eventual extinction from radiation poisoning." "Scientists here say that due to the secrecy surrounding the experiment, the only complete formula for AR-5 was in the hands of Mr. Alquist and is buried along with him." "The unexplained death of Mr. Michael Tressider remains a mystery." "Authorities here have been unable to find any clues as to the identity of his assailant or assailants." "What are your people going to do about the radioactivity?" "We stopped manufacturing it already." "A poisoned world is of no value to us." "You know that." "What'll you do?" "Return." "We've been allies for a while, David, but not friends, unfortunately." "So, I suggest you don't count on me next time." "I didn't count on you this time." "How do you mean?" "If you'd made a wrong move, anywhere along the way, I would have killed you." "Then we understand each other very well." "(helicopter engines whining)" "Good-bye, Mr. Vincent." "Miss Markham." "NARRATOR:" "It is over." "A great man's dream lies buried beneath a mountain." "The leaders of nations return to their homes and David Vincent returns to his continuing war to rid the world of the invader." "That is his dream, and he will not see it buried."