"It was a time when outer space was filled with incredible machines  whose telescopic eyes and ears witnessed our most sensitive secrets." "Information that could and did change the fate of nations." "It was a time when no one on Earth could hide from technology." "No people, no continent, no one was safe from spy satellites." "It all could have happened in the recent past  or the present  or even in the near future." "But it didn't." "It did happen in that elusive time between now and later." "That time when dark is light, when down is up  when foul is fair, when:" "Get the money!" "Get the money!" "Get the money!" "Get the money!" "Harry?" "Ma'am, how long have you wanted to kill him?" "I don't know." "Years, I guess." "Every night, he comes home, same thing." "On with the TV." "Football, basketball, boxing, beer." "Missus, you okay?" " Feeling a lot better now?" " Ever so." "This won't inspire you to shoot your real husband?" "No, Mr. Hale, not if I can do it here." " Then it was worth the $400 fee?" " Oh, yes." "Tonight, our special report comes to you from the Happy Farm." "The latest craze sweeping New York." "Here, for a price, you can safely work out your fantasies of violence." "Here, you can murder your father or your mother or even both which is easily the most popular crime on the program." "And how are you going to kill your folks, miss?" "Poison." "I can't stand blood." "Why do you hate them?" "Oh, I don't." "It's just that they're, you know, useless." "Don't you feel guilty?" "I'd rather live with the guilt than with my parents." "What if they're watching this broadcast?" "Oh, God, I hope so." "Is it entertainment or therapy?" "Is violence becoming the national pastime?" "Is murder as American as apple pie?" " Roll it." " Rolling." "They've logged a thousand calls." "Biggest Nielsen we ever had." "This was a special report by Patrick Hale." "When I first met King Awad, he was unknown." "His country was sand, wandering Bedouins, poverty and illiteracy." "His home was a tent, where he lived alone  prayed alone and listened to his desert v oices." "A few years ago, the mystical voices prompted by American engineers, of course whispered the magic word, "oil."" "Oil." "An ocean of it under this emptiness." "Instant billions instant power, instant changes." "Commercial!" "Go to commercial." "Is he hurt?" " Is he all right?" " Now." "Now." " Roll nine." " Rolling." "And ready, take nine." "No, I don't know." "We've gotta keep these lines clear." " Did you get through?" " On the satellite audio circuit." "How is he?" " Are you all right?" " Yeah." " That was Awad's car." " Yeah." "Mike!" "New York calling." " Press." " It's the boss." "Mr. Hale!" "Sally Blake, Globe Syndicate." "Well, what are you doing here?" "A story on what you're doing here." "Let's see, you were an actor." "And a coal miner and a bartender and a sailor and a soldier of misfortune, et cetera, et cetera." " How'd you end up in television?" " I was invented for it." "Instant heroes." "Football stars, baseball, golf and tennis stars." "A galaxy of stars." "Famous names, gorgeous dames, crashing cars superstars like me." "Wish it were me." " Married?" " Just lucky." "Lots of girls?" "Off and on." "Hit and run." "No commitments, like the rest of television." "How is the love life of a superstar?" "Oh, it has its ups and downs." "What's the best thing you've done?" " Not written my autobiography." " Mind if I use that?" "Hell, that isn't news." "Besides, you've already got it on tape." "Why did King Awad send for you?" "I'll know tomorrow." "Why is tomorrow the most important day in his life?" "It is?" "Death to America!" "Death to President Lockwood!" "Death to Jews!" "Can you operate a movie camera?" " Even this one." " Okay, cover me." "Hey, wait!" "Hey, wait!" "Where is he?" "Get the cow." "Bloody fools!" "Look at them." " Lovely." " I am not American." "I am not President Lockwood." "I am not now and never was and so help me God, I never intend to be a Jew!" "You'll have to pay $200 for the cow." "Thank you." "Those bums, they'll rob me when they see my money." "If you don't pay, first they'll bury you, then they'll kill you." "And then they'll rob you." "They wouldn't take my personal check, would they?" "Not even American Express." "About the sailboat, apologies." "I will pay for the damage." "Mr. Unger." " Oh, have we met before?" " Met?" "You know my name." " On your business card." " Really?" "Those suitcases, heavy." " Valuable?" " Oh, they're presents for King Awad." "You really his friend?" "The man has got many friends." "He's a saint." "Why would a saint meet secretly with the world's bloodiest terrorist?" "If it was such a secret, how come you know of it?" " King Awad met with Rafeeq?" " Twice." " I don't believe it." " Do you?" "I am not political." "Nice camera you've got here." "Is it American?" " Mister..." " Unger." "Mr. Unger, what do you export from here?" " Oil." " God bless oil." "My dear, God is oil." "Thanks for the ride." "Madam, my eternal gratitude." " What does he really export-import?" " Death." "Helmut Unger, slickest arms dealer in Europe." "Guns, planes, tanks, poison gas." "You name it, he's got it." "And we've got company." "U.S. Embassy, Homer Hubbard." " Nobody else." " It's faster by phone." "Our embassy phones are bugged." "Cocktail later?" "You've just won my heart." "I'm calling for Marcus." "This is his cousin." "411-9000." "This is your cousin Sally." "Yes, urgent." "No, now." "Same place." "Hey, I gotta see a Mr. Homer Hubbard!" "Give me her exact words." ""Humpty Dumpty's ready to fall." Mike!" " Nothing else?" " She had to see her cousin." "Business, urgent." "Two suitcases 3 feet long 2 and a half feet high 9 to 10 inches thick." "Weight:" "About 90 pounds." "Highly radioactive." "Now!" "This all happened four hours ago." "Sally Blake, American reporter, killed instantly." "The police here claim that the man with her was an Israeli secret agent." "The terrorist Jew dies by his own bomb." "No question." " The woman is spying for the CIA." " No question!" "No question." "I tried to reach Jack Philindros, director of the CIA." "He wasn't in." "He wasn't out." "He was, I suppose, somewhere in between." "Said Homer Hubbard, embassy official..." "Sally Blak e was murdered to suppress the truth." " The truth about what?" " About whoever killed her." "What's happened to the American image?" "How did America become a dirty name?" "Mr. President..." " We don't hate the American people." " Except the Jews!" "No question!" " And President Lockwood!" " No question!" "Jack Philindros just phoned from his car." "He suggests we alert the secretary of defence, vice president General Wombat..." " Do it." "The Post says Mallory's coming out with a statement about Sally Blake." "Don't they know he's crazy?" "He was crazy when he was a senator." "He was even crazier when he was president." "He's crazy enough to be insane." "Yes, sir." "No question." "The ghost of Sally Blake cries out for American justice." "And what's President Lockwood doing about it?" "Nothing!" "Bunch of raggedy Riffs over there screaming, "Death to America."" "And what is America's answer?" "Nothing!" "The Arabs raised the price of oil four times in two years." "And they'll raise it again." "And what are we going to do about that?" "Nothing!" "Four years of Lockwood has changed us from strong to weak from proud to puny, from fearless to faceless." "Is that what you want?" "Are you ready to march with Mallory?" "That poor young woman." " Oh, Sally Blake." " Terrible, terrible." "They say she was my enemy." "Well, perhaps those who say it are your enemy." "It was not our doing." "Tell your people, yes?" "Tomorrow..." "Tomorrow is the most important day of my life." "Tomorrow, I must do God's will." "Pray for me, my friend." "Your Majesty, one moment." "Your birthday gift." " You remembered." " Yes, a little late, but..." " You look through here and press that." " I know, I know." "Make a happy face." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "Thank you." "Bless you." "Tomorrow, I have for you a great surprise." "I watched him speed away to his beloved desert  and his omniscient v oices  v oices that may decide his destiny tomorrow." "This is Patrick Hale in Hagreb." "Voices in the desert?" "Crackpot!" "Never knew a Turk who wasn't." "King Awad is not a Turk." "And even if he were, so what?" "When someone starts hearing voices..." "Seriously, Mr. President." " Joan of Arc heard voices." " Moses heard them." " General Patton didn't." " Jesus did!" " MacArthur didn't." " General Wombat!" "It's not wrong to hear voices." "The desert affects people." "If they're sensitive, they just hear voices." "Do you, Mr. President, hear them?" " Maybe even once in a while?" " No." "And I don't see flying saucers, like a certain General "Galloping" Wombat." " I saw them, all right!" " Did I say you didn't?" "Did I?" "You say you saw them, all right, you saw them." "And some people say they hear voices." "Okay?" "Okay." " Associated Press." " Not now." " Jack." " It's election time." "Name's Tom, married." "Mr. President, we're running out of time, sir." "Tom, boy, how's the family?" "Hold it, fella." "Of course I intend to do something about Sally Blake." "What about Patrick Hale?" "Disappeared where?" "Sally Blake was not a CIA spy." "Definitely." "Yes, you can quote me on that." "Hacker, find out where Hale has disappeared to." " I'm on it now, sir." " Jack, can we get on with it, please?" "Yes, sir, but this is top security, sir." "I know that, Jackie." "This is Reverend Billy Bob Harper." " Didn't we meet on my last crusade?" " No." " The night 14,000 were born again?" " I wasn't one of them." "Sir, we are facing a national crisis." "Billy Bob is going to lead us in a prayer, just like before a ball game." "There's no time." "No time for God, Jackie?" "Bless you." "If you know who I am, why the handprint?" "Nobody gets in here..." "Mrs. Ford, will you please put your hand on that light?" " Thank you, ma'am." " Just a lot of white tape." " I believe you've met everybody." " Not me." "Not eyeball to eyeball." "Meet the vice president of the United States." "Ma'am." "General Wombat heads our terrorism task force." "Eyeball to eyeball, I'm sure." " Mr. President..." " Shoot, Jack, and aim at Mallory." "The Eye of Gaza, you've heard of it?" " Terrorists." " The deadliest." "Spy satellite." "One of ours." "Can read a license plate from outer space." "Can tap a telephone conversation in Russia, China, anywhere on Earth." "Picture's coming in now." "Enemy training camp, North Africa." "He's dead." "This man's dead." "Hit the dirt!" "Hit the dirt!" "Hit the dirt!" "Mr. Hale, hit the dirt!" "Thank you." "The man at the top." "His name is Rafeeq." "His soldiers are fanatics." "Ready, willing to die for their cause even commit suicide on command." "Especially on television." "Last month, two airliners exploded over Israel." "There were no ransom demands, no hostages." "Acts of pure vengeance." "So how did these bombs get smuggled aboard?" "Plastique." "Implanted by surgeons into the flesh of Rafeeq's agents." "Egyptian police shot this killer." "The doctors found the explosives." " Well, what's this got to do with...?" " This report, sir confirmed in seven hours from now Rafeeq will receive two atom bombs." "And he will use them tomorrow." "Bull." "Where would those crackpots get two atom bombs?" "They're not things you buy at a drugstore, like golf balls." "Jack, could your information be...?" "Well, not wrong, of course but just a little mistaken?" " No, sir." "That report was taped on a piece of crystal the size of a dime hidden in a pair of eyeglasses." "Recorded by our agent in Hagreb today." "As she was..." "As she was killed by a bomb." "Sally Blake was a spy?" "No question." "Everybody's a spy." " Maybe even you." " Then why trust me?" "Television." "You reach millions." " You are offended." " Because you use me?" " We use each other." " I like frankness." "You met secretly twice with King Awad." " True?" " You find this strange?" "A contradiction." "We plan to purify Islam." " Surely not together." " Why not?" "King Awad uses the word of God." "And you, sir, use..." "Yes?" "Terrorism." "To you, what is terrorism?" "Innocent victims, political murders." "Like the Belgians used in the Congo." "Like the French in Algeria." "The Japanese in Manchuria." "Like the British against the Americans." "Like the Irish against the British." "Like Mussolini against Ethiopia." "Like Hitler used against the Jews." "Like the Jews used against us." "Like the Americans used a bomb in Hiroshima." "You mean terrorism like that?" "Two atom bombs each strapped in a suitcase." "Each an easily made, functional bomb." "And each is a 10-kiloton weapon with a destructive force, Mr. President greater than the Hiroshima bomb." "Primary targets, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem." " Do the Israelis know?" " Doubtful." " Because if they did..." " Atomic war." "Mr. President, press the button on that little black box nothing personal, and in 30 minutes, whammo." "No more commies, no more Arabs, no more oil crisis." "No more anything." "Get King Awad." "He'll crack down on that lunatic." " What are you doing?" " He bought the bombs." " He who?" "Not King Awad?" " Yes, sir." " And he's giving them to...?" " Yes." "Why?" "Voices in the desert told him to." "Crackers." "Predetermined." "Unless I stop it, the rocket destroys the plane." "If I touch this, no explosion." "If I don't..." "Death to the enemy!" "Death!" "Tomorrow, the Jew!" "And the day after that..." " New York?" " Lf we support Israel." " With the election, we have to." " They'd actually bomb New York?" " Love to." " But that's an act of war!" "Mr. President, push the button." "Yeah." "Okay." " Okay, money talks, right?" " Right." "We'll freeze every dollar they've got in this country." "Too late, sir." " Twelve billion, 700 million..." " Transferred." " Switzerland, Liechtenstein." " Not so crazy." "Well, I'll go on television, and I'll tell the world." "Can't you hear Mallory?" ""Anything to get re- elected."" "If Mallory doesn't say it, the press will." " But if people know the truth..." " We're all out of a job." "Attack now, Mr. President." "Hit them first." " Good guys never shoot first." " Why not?" "I will not go down in history as the president who started World War III." "Which brings us to your final option, sir." "Tell it like it is, baby." "In private, please, Mr. President." "See he gets back safely." " I didn't know you cared." " About you?" "About this, I care much." "191." "S- 191." "Home base." "Home base." "S - 191." "Home base." "S-191." "S-191." "Receiving, over." "Operation Suitcase, result negative." "And the Koran quotes them." "King Awad quotes them." "Moses, Abraham, Solomon, Jesus." " He must respect Jews." " Dead ones, yes." "Sir?" "Yes?" "Negative, huh?" "Casualties?" "All right, notify next of..." "He said what?" "Suicide." "Stand by." " Rafeeq?" " No." " Not King Awad?" " Not yet, sir." "Boy, if he would die before..." "Is that your instruction, sir?" " Why should he kill himself?" " Oh, well religious fanatics are unstable people." "They're unpredictable." " Must he die?" " Sure would be convenient." "He certainly won't abdicate." " Well, Jackie." " Yes, sir." "Uncork your touchdown play and score." " Blast him out of the ballpark." " I'm not too familiar with football." "Score, Jackie, score." " What you're really saying..." " Right." "Go ahead." " Go where?" " Damn it, man, do it." "Do what, sir?" " You want me to spell it out?" " Yes, sir, I do." "I have seen the CIA take the rap for the last seven presidents." "But no more, unless you give me a direct order." " You want me to say "kill him"?" " That is one of your options, sir." "Even if I thought such a terrible thing, which I never did do you realize I could be impeached?" "Politics don't mean anything to me unless they affect the CIA and the United States." "In that order, Jackie?" "They're interchangeable, Mr. President." "Those eyeglasses they wouldn't be a tape recorder like the ones Sally Blake..." "That king the one who wanted to waste Thomas Becket." " King Henry II." " Right." "He didn't say, "Pop him, burn him." He said what?" ""Who will rid me of this man?"" " Get the drift, Jackie?" " No, sir." "All I've heard is " rid me of," " pop him, burn him" and "score a touchdown."" "Just as over the years in this office I've heard:" ""Terminate with extreme prejudice."" "I've heard "croak him" and "chill him" and "pop him."" ""Burn him," "fire him," "grease him."" " And you still don't understand?" " No, sir." "Well, how's this:" "K-l-double" " L him, by God." " By God, sir?" " By executive action." "Immediately." "Thank you, sir." " Was this session taped?" " Sir?" "What was said here, was it taped as usual?" " Of course." " Burn it." " Your own tape?" " Burn it." "Watergate, remember?" "You think I want a black Ford in my future?" "Well, how's this:" "K- l-double-L him, by God." " By God, sir?" " By executive action." "Why is tomorrow so bloody important to Awad?" "Beats me." "Kings and priests, they talk in riddles." "Why is an American fighting here in that uniform?" "Why'd Americans fight over there in Vietnam?" "Beats me." "What did he say?" "King Awad, he's dead." " What are you doing?" " Going to Awad's camp." "You might not be welcome." "Television not welcome, where?" "Beats me." "Take the wheel." "I don't understand." "He had such hopes for tomorrow." " How did it happen?" " Suicide." "Frothing at the mouth." "Traces of poison." " That doesn't prove suicide." " This does." "I have tried to live by the teachings of the prophet." "I heard v oices, angry v oices." "Let fire rain from the sky." "Let blood run in the streets." "Death to the enemy." "The v oices made me unclean." "My own blood, shed by my own hand." "Only that can mak e me clean again." "No, not suicide." "Not him, not this saint." "Murder." "I say it to you, your television, the world." "Murder." "The CIA did it." "Blame the CIA." "Same old story." " Old, but true." " How was it done?" "How could they get to him?" " I don't know." " Thank you." "Not suicide, murder." " The suitcases." " Not here." " Where are they?" " Safe." "You said tonight." "You promised." "King Awad promised me a million dollars." "Dead man's promise." " Well." " Wait." " No cash, no business." " You'll get your money." "That's when you'll get the merchandise." "Get off!" "By morning, a spontaneous mass demonstration  was staged, vilifying America and President Lockwood." "Rafeeq's Rev olutionary Council will control this country by nightfall." "We lucked out." " Videotape, how much time is left?" " Riot footage, 11 seconds left." "The live switch to the airport remote in three, two, one switch!" " We're on it." "So ended an explosive 30 hours  that began with the violent death of Sally Blak e." "She was going home now." "She wasn't the only one." "American newspapers were ordered to leave." "Television was invited to stay." "We left in support of our fellow reporters." "Was today's outrage riot or rev olution?" "Was it political or religious?" "Was King Awad's death suicide or assassination?" "Are you accusing anyone of his murder?" " I never said it was murder." " Certainly not." " You question suicide?" " Yes." "No comment." "Are you accusing anyone of his murder?" "What are you trying to prove?" " Everybody says suicide." " I just can't accept it." "Well, that makes it murder." "That makes it even better." "Only if you're right." "If you're wrong, it could be slander." "It could be libel." "Worse, a drop in the Nielson ratings." "Goodbye, number one." "Goodbye, period." "All fixed." "Pat, do me a favour, please." "Drop the crusade." "Go away." "Go fishing, go hunting." "Make love." "Do anything, but drop the lost causes." "I hate fishing." "Love love." "Welcome back, honey." " Hi." " Expensive?" "She works for us." "She's a sort of reporter." "What could be news in a call house?" "Loose women loosen men's tongues." "Who's behind it?" " Who tipped you?" " A John." "Private eye, ex" " FBI." "Make us a drink." "Get me the phone company." "I'll take it here." "Big guy." "Phone company emblem on his back." "Not sent by you?" "You sure?" " Don't answer it!" " Hello?" "The FBI says it was rigged to explode  three to four seconds after the phone was answered." "We were lucky." "It seems to be open season on reporters." "Why was Sally Blake killed?" "What secret did she know?" "Was her information connected with the suicide of King Awad?" "As a direct descendant of Mohammed  by killing himself, he'd be killing the son of the prophet." "Suicide?" "Hardly." "Murder?" "We asked U.S. Intelligence unavailable." "Army, Navy and Air Force Intelligence, unavailable." "Our spy factories, all unavailable." "President Lockwood was busy with domestic matters, unavailable." "Hack er, Chief of White House Staff  was deeply inv olved in affairs of state  unavailable." "Madam Vice President was dealing with national issues, unavailable." "The Reverend Billy Bob Harper was available." "God moves in mysterious ways." "Scotland Yard's expert on voiceprints." "Our tests prove that the v oice on the tape is King Awad's." "Egyptian authority on languages." "King Awad spok e his dying words." "No question." "The experts all agree, suicide, despite my doubt." "Without a motive, there is no case for murder." "Who would benefit most by Awad's sudden death?" "Honest John Lockwood." "He ordered a wet operation." "Murder." " Is that a quote?" " You bet." " Any proof?" " Would you use it against Lockwood?" "Even if it lost him the election?" " Meaning I'm biased?" " Against me, hell, yes." "Well, facts never were your strong suit." "Facts." "Sometimes they don't add up to the truth." "All right, what is the truth of the suicide tape?" "I have tried to..." " Oh, I heard that before." " Not this one." "I heard v oices." "We put this together with our computer using his old speeches." "They're both lies." "A fake suicide to cover up murder." " You said proof." " Coming up." "Based on what?" "Based on a phone call from him." "He wants to sell two suitcases." "One million dollars each." "Expensive luggage." "Cost Sally Blake her life." "News was her cover." "She worked for him." "The CIA's toughest trouble- shooter in the Mideast." "What's he selling that's worth $2 million?" "Ask the Agency." "They wanted those suitcases bad enough to kill him." "Lockwood lies!" "Lockwood lies!" "Lockwood lies!" "The Jews own television!" "All right, break it up." "The Jews own television!" "Patrick Hale!" "Patrick Hale, CIA stooge!" "Swan dive, baby." "A student spok esman said the human bomb  was a protest against the CIA  Wall Street, Harvard and Yale  against President Lockwood, TV reporter Patrick Hale  all Christians, Jews, and a protest against pantyhose  chewing gum, alcohol and disco dancing." " Urgent." " Later." "Desert film, 16 mm, shot three days ago, guy in a Cadillac." "What is this?" "Mallory just put us on notice." "If you don't use his interview, he's gonna sue for bias prejudice and equal time." " Right." "Run it." "Looks like the negative's been damaged." " Sure it didn't pass through an x-ray?" " Run it again." "Homer Hubbard, please." "Sorry, sir." "No one by that name works for the Agency." " Give him a message." " I don't see how." "Tell him I know where he can buy two aluminium suitcases." " Just a moment." " Two million dollars." "How shall I find him?" "Try dialling his number." " Of course the president will see you." " When?" "Well, when?" "As soon as possible." " Today?" " Positively, unless it's tomorrow." "Well, that's too late." "He instructed me to say, quote:" ""Pat is my friend." "Give him anything he wants."" " Ten minutes." " Anything except that." " Five minutes, now." " No can do." "My God." "Mallory said that?" " Is it true?" " Of course not." "I can go on the air and say you deny it?" "Of course not." "It would be to admit there's something to deny." "Could the CIA do it without Lockwood's knowledge?" " Ask him." " When?" "As soon as possible." "Police found one of the Arab's hands." "Couple of fingers intact." "FBI ran the prints through a computer." "Nothing so far." " Last night, I saw Mallory." " We know." " He said that..." " We know." " What don't you know?" " Did Mallory buy the suitcases?" " What's in them?" " Who's got them?" "Ma'am, this is the elusive Mr. Hubbard." "Yes, sir." "I tried to see the president." "Got stopped by his "can do" man." "All I got was double talk." " He denied everything." " It's called "plausible deniability."" "If you're wired, it'll be erased." "Plausible deniability, which means?" "When a president does something sticky he can say he didn't do it and plausibly deny it." " Nice term." " Eisenhower used it." "Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter used it." "Who takes the rap?" "Whoever did what the president said he didn't do, but did." " Are you saying Lockwood did?" " Did what?" "What he didn't do." "Do you have any idea how many people hate the CIA?" "You know how many people have tried to destroy us?" "Congressmen have tried, senators." "Even some of our own agents have tried." "Your rat's just died." "The autopsy will show it died of a heart attack." "That's a hell of a pen." "Do you really think it's important who killed King Awad?" " Well, don't you?" " No." "I do." "And you're ready to go on national television and blame the CIA?" " Can you keep a secret, sir?" " I doubt it." "Well, in that case, Mr. Hale..." ""Croak him," "waste him," "grease him."" " And you still don't understand?" " No, sir." "Well, how's this:" "K- l-double-L him, by God." " By God, sir?" " By executive action." "Fire him!" "Shoot him!" "Charge the CIA with treason!" " Too late." " Deny it." " Pat, boy!" " Mr. President." " Excuse me." " President's office." "You're angry." "Disappointed." "Drink?" "Coffee?" "Carrot juice?" "Hemlock." "A few answers, Mr. President, spiked with the truth." "Well, I don't know where to begin." "How about "K-l-double" " L him"?" "Well, nothing is what it seems to be." "Like what you didn't do, but did." "But never intended to." "Plausible deniability." "Justifiable homicide." " And that's it, all of it." " Everything?" " Except for some things." " What things?" " Things I can't talk about." " Why?" " Executive privilege." " To withhold information?" "Even from Congress, from the courts." "Mr. President, according to the law, we're supposed to be equal." "We are, only some of us are more equal than others." "George Orwell." "I go on air with that, you're out, Mallory's in." "Can't." "Two reasons." "One:" "We're friends." " That wouldn't stop me." " Two:" "It's classified." " Who classified it?" " I did." " When?" " Just now." "That, my friend, is executive privilege." "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen." "The president will be here in a minute." " I didn't have anything to do with this." " Patrick?" "Joyce." "Hi, Richard, how's the wife?" " Just fine." " It's a self-prepared statement..." "Tape's rolling." "We have speed." "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen." "If you don't mind, I've brought along a friend." "Scruffy!" "Scruffy, meet the press." "Man's best friend." "By tomorrow, he may be the only friend I've got." "Did you ever realize that "dog" spelled backwards is "God"?" "All right, folks, fire away!" "This is the latest, most popular automatic weapon." "Fires 800 bullets a minute." "Weight:" "Four pounds." "Effective range: 270 yards." "Sky-light scope for night work." "Makes killing a pleasure." "Five thousand rifles." "The two suitcases, they're still available." "Now?" "What would I do with atom bombs now?" "The same as before, drop them." "For each bomb we drop, they will drop 50." "The same was true before." "Before, when King Awad ruled, we had nothing." "Now we rule." "Now the oil belongs to us." "Now comes law and order." "Now what happens to the homeless Palestinians?" "We'll sell them oil, of course." "And the Israelis?" "They'll have to pay more, of course." "Of course." "Satellite cleared." "World hookup confirmed." "Gallup and Harris will conduct new election polls." "And three commercial breaks at $300,000 for every spot." "Some presidents come into office because they're ruthless." "All become ruthless before they leave." "I want the people to know the truth  the whole truth." "It's the American way." "I tak e full responsibility for the..." "For King Ibn Awad's removal from office." "Right, I can't do anything about that." "It's the dog that worries me." "If the truth turns you against me  the blame falls not on us, but on the facts." "Fact:" "Lockwood swore to protect and defend the United States and its Constitution." "Fact:" "King Awad made an unholy alliance with an international gang of terrorists." "Fact:" "King Awad paid for two atom bombs, concealed in two suitcases." "I saw them." "I can prove they were radioactive." "Fact:" "Those bombs were to be used by this terrorist  to destroy Jerusalem." "His secondary target was to be New York City or..." " No bombs, no proof." " No question." " Get the bombs!" " How?" "However!" "Was the death of King Awad justifiable?" "The maniac who shot Lincoln  the killers of Dr. Martin Luther King, the Kennedys, Lumumba  those who burned Joan of Arc, poisoned Socrates, crucified Christ  all assassins cry, "Justifiable homicide."" "If you'd been president, how would you have handled King Awad?" "Killed him." " Then you'd call it justifiable?" " I'd call it necessary." "Murder is never justified." "No!" "The end does not justify the means." "To prevent a plague by killing the germ isn't murder." "It's mercy." "The U.S. Of A. May not always be right  but God knows we're never wrong." "Nobody ask ed Congress." " Why?" " Public opinion." "With gas more than 3 bucks a gallon, the prez did right." " Wrong." " Right." " King who?" " Given the facts, sir..." "Facts?" "What facts?" "What suitcases?" "What bombs?" "What nonsense!" "Where's the proof?" "There's only one fact." "The president is guilty of premeditated, cold-blooded murder." "Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest outlaw of the century." "Thank you." "In the Gallup poll..." " Well?" "...we dropped 17 points." " They've been wrong before." " The Times picks Mallory to win." " How close?" " Landslide." " I thought that if I faced the people..." " Just another television show." "Seen by a hundred million people." " They cried." " Soap opera." "Seventy thousand telegrams are raves." " Most of them sent by you." " The people need us." "Will they vote for us?" " Why not?" "He told the whole truth." " Words." " The president's word..." " Is suspect." "Right?" "These days, yes, sir." "You heard the lady." "We need proof, 2 million dollars' worth." "Urgent." "Overseas." "Person-to-person." " What changed your mind?" " Conditions." "Are the suitcases here?" "Always." "Unless they are not." " American guns?" " Yes, my dear." "American." "Also Russian, French, Israeli, Czech." "Why can't people like us buy them, directly?" "Americans don't like you." "Not diplomatic." "The Russians don't trust you yet." "So they sell to me, knowing that I sell to anybody." "Well, that makes the big guys good guys." "And it makes me fairly well-to-do." " Washington." " Who is calling?" "Who you expected." "Hello?" "Yes?" "Yes, Mr. Unger." "Are you alone?" "Please answer yes or no." " No." " Have you sold the suitcases?" "We're ready to buy." "Two million dollars, right?" "Not now." "Two million, one- hundred thousand?" "Two million, two?" "Would you stand by just a moment, please?" "How high do we go?" "Brand-new bullet." "Explodes on impact." "Yes." "Two and a half million dollars, Mr. Unger." "Deal." "Now, certified check?" "Dollars?" "Swiss francs." "Our man is on the way." "Since we will never use the bombs, the price is too high." " We're prepared..." " Never buy anything you cannot use." "You drive a hard bargain." "In my business, no bargain, no credit, and in your case, no sale." "Carlos, our charming friends are leaving." " American." " Texas?" "Sounds like war." "Shooting, yelling." "Texas." "Hello?" "Hey there, partner!" "Gonna do me some fancy travelling." "Gonna get me some fancy luggage." "You remember them $2 million suitcases?" "What's that?" "Shut that damn door." "What?" "Did you say 3 million?" "Hey, hey, boy, that's cheap." "We're in business." "Look for John Brown." "John Brown." "He's leaving now." "The suitcases are the key." "Lockwood needs bombs to prove justifiable homicide Rafeeq, to prove there were none and Mallory needs them to win the election." "And we need them for an exclusive story." "Book me on the first plane to Paris." "Have that money when I get there." "You expect us to pay $2 million?" " Maybe more." " But that's checkbook journalism!" "What was it when TV paid half a million for an exclusive on the Bay of Pigs?" "A million dollars for Nixon to apologize coast to coast?" "CBS paid Haldeman, Eisenhower and Johnson." "NBC paid John Dean and Robert Kennedy's assassin." "ABC paid Lieutenant Calley and for breakfast, served up the My Lai massacre." "And what about the killer I put on television?" "From death row to the electric chair, fried meat on prime time." "You paid $100,000 for that!" "Paid it to the killer!" "Do you call that journalism?" "We're in show business, baby." " Get that guy on camera." " What?" "The soldier with the bleeding stumps." "You rolling?" "Hey, sarge, you're on TV!" "How does it feel losing your legs?" "You call that news?" "We peddle disaster!" "And violence, it's commercial!" "Blood and tears and football and cheers." "Performers, superstars." "Get them on, get them off." "Next, next, fast, fast!" "We're in the entertainment biz." "Nothing wrong with that if you call it that." "Now, for my next act, I'm gonna try to save the president's neck." "You bum, you're the one that exposed him!" "Right!" "And that's not wrong." "That's my job." "And if he told the truth, I'll get facts to prove it." "And that's my job too!" "I happen to be for Mallory!" "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." "Monsieur John Brown?" "Mr. John Brown?" "Tonight. 6:00." "Not sooner." "Not later." "Bring cash." "Come alone." "Eight." "All the same." "All empty." "No bombs." "Not here." "No suitcases here, either." " Mr. Unger?" " Not here." " Who are you?" " Shipping." "Freight." "Then you know where everything is." "Name's Brown." "Supposed to pick up two suitcases." "I got the cash right here." "Anyone here?" "Mr. Unger?" "Turn around." "Walk." "Open it." "Go in." "Don't touch anything!" "Sit down." " Jesus." " Hardly." "How did he get it?" "Same way." "Ice pick." "Not my style." "What is your style?" "King Awad's suicide?" "Poisoned cigars?" "Darts?" "Umbrella tips?" "Or like the rat in the cage?" "Awad's camp's a fortress, but you got in and out." "How?" "You know I'm not wired." "What is the style of the CIA?" "Is this where I get it?" "You brought the king a birthday gift a camera at the airport, the day he died." " I bought that camera myself." " It wasn't the one he got." "He took a picture of you." "Tiny needle, tiny puncture." "Hardly felt." "Seven hours later, dead." "Who switched the cameras?" "Your Majesty, just a moment." "Your birthday gift." "You remembered." "Mike works for you?" "Details." "But that means Awad was killed before Lockwood gave the order." " Before!" " Details." "You people get bogged down in details." "You people?" "What people?" "You're talking about me!" "You've made me accessory to murder!" "That's not serious." "You're an amateur." "That's serious." "I don't believe this." "You'd say anything for the CIA." "Anything." "Even the truth." "Why?" "Why hide a cheap Bible?" "You, wait." "I get something, we go to the railroad." "You, call the police." "You, anything moves, kill it." "Save him!" "Save the bastard!" "No question." "Crude oil going higher." " Twenty-two dollars a barrel?" " Correct." " Why punish the people of Europe?" " You're all the same." "Will oil prices ever go down?" "Will President Lockwood ever resign?" "The price of gas went up 50 cents a gallon." "And not enough to go around." "Angry drivers lock ed attendants in a toilet." "Meanwhile, other drivers filled their tanks." "Blame the president." "Blame the oil companies." "Today, Wall Street went wild." "More than $3 billion changed hands." "Do you know how much a billion dollars is?" "You'd have to spend more than $2.5 million every day for one year." "Oil up $ 22 a barrel." "President Lockwood down 26 points." "Gold up." "Lockwood down." "Food prices up." "Lockwood down." "The dollar down." "Lockwood way down." "A sad day for America." "We're a nation tired of being without  without jobs, without pride  without hope  without leadership." "We've had enough, Mr. President." "Your own party's against you." "The whole world's against you." "Resign, Mr. President." " Quit." " Quit?" " We've just begun to fight, right?" " Damn right." "They've hit us below the belt." "They've whomped us behind the belt." "They've belted us with the belt." "So rally our friends." "Convert our enemies." "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" "You know what I want." " Do you?" " Ma'am?" " Do you know what he wants?" " No, ma'am." "We want a list of enemies." "CIA never meddles in domestic affairs." " Of course." " Or politics." "Of course, now cut the crap!" "We want a hit list." "Congressmen, senators, cabinet, big business, labour, lobbies yesterday's pals, cowards trying to give us the shaft." "Am I talking too fast for the hidden microphones getting this?" "Because here it comes, baby, loud and clear!" "We want pictures, witnesses, hard evidence!" "Kickbacks, bribery, usury, adultery, lechery, bigotry, larceny..." "Every dirty deal they ever made." "If you can't or won't get facts, he will." " They want a dirty alley fight?" " They've got it!" "Remember, you gotta be seen." "If it doesn't happen on television, it means nothing." "Twenty-one shots." "And by golly, they miss me every time." "The Alamo!" "Davy Crockett fought here." "Jim Bowie fought here." "John Wayne fought here." "And here's where I fight back." "Mr. Mallory says I can't beat the odds." " "Quit," he says." " No!" "The heroes who defended the Alamo, the odds were against them too." "Four thousand enemy troops against 150 Texans." " Did they quit?" " No!" " Did a Texan ever quit?" " Hell, no!" "Hell, no!" "We're gonna win this election because our side is right because we're not afraid to fight because we will always remember the Alamo!" "Remember Ibn Awad." "Remember Ibn Awad!" "Blame the president!" "Down with Lockwood!" "Blame the president!" "Death to Lockwood!" "Miss!" "Miss, pull it over!" "Pull over!" "At the Alamo, it was darkness at noon." "Here again, the moment that shocked the nation." "The president had a narrow escape." "Now safe." "This FBI agent was killed by an ice pick." "The terrorist, a young woman, escaped." "Terrorism in the streets." "Terrorism in the sky." "Terrorism by kids, by gangs, by governments." "When the rats take over call the exterminator and blast off!" "We have the men  and the means to get the job done." "Turn us loose, Mr. President and we'll blow them all to hell and gone!" "This was a special report by Patrick Hale." "You won't believe this." "Two thousand phone calls, local." "Coast to coast clocked 40,000." "40,000!" "Our biggest ratings." "We're the hottest show on television!" "It's bigger than the Kennedy Act in Dallas." "It's bigger than the Super Bowl." "It'll be bigger tomorrow." " Only if the human bomb tries it again." " Let's pray for a double- header." "They'll mingle with the crowd." "If there's trouble..." "What crowd?" "There are no people." "I'm gonna be talking to nobody." "With coverage by all the networks, cable, satellite television more than one billion people will see this event by tonight." "Here, in Times Square it's like New Year's Eve." "But these people are not waiting to blow out the new year." "No." "They're waiting to see somebody blow himself to pieces." "They all wanna see themselves on television." "Actors in a real-life melodrama." "Except for them it isn't real." "It's a television special." "Fun and games, a gory spectacle, the Circus Maximus." "But today there are no Arab students no violence." "The crowd is disappointed." "Back to work." "Death to America!" " Remember lbn Awad!" " Here they come." "Death to the enemy!" " The carnival's open for business!" " Death to America!" " Kill the Jews!" " Kill the Arabs!" "Get the fuckers!" "Justice!" "Justice!" "Justice!" "Justice!" "Get the prick!" "Damn it, men!" "We're on the wrong beach!" "This morning, President Lockwood urged for an end to human sacrifice." "Violence breeds more violence." "The place for justice is the United Nations, not the battlefield." "This afternoon, we finally reached Rafeeq by satellite." "Piety from the mouth of an assassin is blasphemy." "You will have my answer tonight." "10:00." "In the city of infidels  in Washington." "Well, this is Washington." "And it's 10:00." "The White House, government buildings, national monuments are all under armed guard." "Only police and military planes will cross these skies tonight." "Only police cars and armoured vehicles here." "And no pedestrians." "It's like wartime London holding its breath waiting." "Waiting for the next bomb to hit." "Did you hear that?" "A police helicopter was stolen." "It looks like..." "It's a woman!" "There's three!" "Three women!" "They're drifting towards the Capitol." "We've just heard similar demonstrations in Chicago, Detroit." "It's happening all over the country." " Not a word." " Hold on." "Hello, Mr. Secretary." " How's weather in Moscow?" " Never mind!" " No comment." " Explosions?" "What explosions?" "Fan-bloody-tastic!" "Insane." " Put me through to Mr. Hale." " He has a call." "Overseas." "Hagreb." " Not now." " Personal, urgent and now." " Is it a wrap?" " Yeah." "Maybe for the whole darn world." "Mr. Hale." "New York." "Urgent." "He's coming on." "They want this on tape." " Go ahead." " Rafeeq Abdallah here." " Is this an answer to...?" " Listen carefully." "Do not interrupt." "Do not question." "Do not betray this trust." " Call the president." " Of the network?" "Of the United States." "I do not trust Lockwood." "Through you, Mr. Hale  the American people will know the truth." "Make no appeal." "I will answer no calls." "Get me the FBI." "I have three conditions." "Fail to meet all conditions, catastrophe." "One:" "Lockwood will appear at the United Nations." "He will resign as president." "Two:" "The International Court of Justice  will try Lockwood for the murder of Ibn Awad." "Three:" "The trial must be shown on television." "If Lockwood has not resigned by 10:00 tomorrow morning  two atom bombs will destroy the city and people of New York." "Repeat." "If Lockwood has not resigned..." "Finish Lockwood or commit humanicide." " News flash!" " Wanna interrupt the commercial?" " Hell, no!" " Harv, no news flash." " Hold it, Pat." "Hey." " You can't use the story." " Hey!" " Ed." " Yes, sir." " Did you tape Rafeeq's call?" " Yes, sir." " Give it to the FBI." " Harvey, sit down." " You expect me to kill this story?" " For now." " It means an Emmy Award!" "Ratings!" " Numbers!" " You can't use the story." "People have a right to know!" "You put it on TV, you'll have eight million people running crazy." "You'll kill more people than the bombs." " Harv, boy." " Mr. President." "We can't go looking for a gas leak with a lighted match, can we?" "No, sir." "Proud to have you aboard." "If Lockwood has not resigned by 10:00 tomorrow morning  two atom bombs will destroy the city and people of New York." "Mr. President, that voice could be anybody." "Students, Cubans, Ricans, Afros." "Sir, the FBI voiceprint proves that was Rafeeq." "Fake!" "I can smell it." "There are no atom bombs." "There never was!" "General Wombat!" "We know who built those bombs." "We know who tried to buy them!" "We know Rafeeq has them!" "But is he crazy enough to use them?" "Rafeeq Abdallah, personality profile." "Medical, physical, psychological  from age 4 up to tonight." "Severe case of psychopathia martialis." "Age 11, shell shock." "Refugee camp." "Now, a paranoid megalomaniac." "Highly dangerous, suicidal chronic masturbator..." " Mr. Hubbard." " Sir." " Will he blow up New York?" "According to this report, yes." "Fifteen- minute break." "Sir, it's Mallory." "He's heard a rumour about the bomb." "Don't say "yes" or "no." Don't say "maybe."" "Say you'll call back, but don't." "That's how you stay president." "Now, look!" "Some of us have got family in New York." "And in America, family comes first." "But not before God and country." "Stay off the phone and don't start a panic." " Shouldn't you tell the governor?" " He supports Mallory." "FBI, Operation Scramble, New York area." "Don't ask why." "No." "And tell nobody else, but nobody!" "Call my sister in New York." "Tell her to..." "Get out of town." "No!" "Don't tell your mother!" "Mr. President, Mrs. Ford on three." "Yes?" "Who's got the evacuation plan?" "Tell..." "Well, where is he?" "Then break into his office and get it." "New York airport's suddenly doing big business." "Secretary of State." " Now where is he?" " China." "Hang up." "Well, any answers?" "We've got to do something." " Terrific!" " I say attack." "We can wipe them off the map in five hours!" "General." "Pour me a shot of that stuff." " Give me that thing." " Yes, sir." "We can settle this mess in 25 minutes." "That's the ticket, chief." "Pulverize them!" "How do you open this damn thing?" " Who's got the combination?" " You, sir." " Oh." " That won't stop him." "It will if he's dead." "Even if you kill Rafeeq his bombs could be preset, rigged so nothing can stop them." "If he does not send a signal boom." "Jack?" "Is that possible?" "That's the way I'd do it." "That rat just insured his own life." "FBI, sir." "You..." "I don't care what it takes!" "You have got less than seven hours to find those bombs!" "Two million people live in New York." "Another million come in every day." "Just give me the bottom line." "Using everything from buses to subways, ships and planes two million can be evacuated." " How fast can we be on the air?" " Minutes, but..." " lf we can save two million..." "Yes, sir, if we can squeeze an extra 40,000 vehicles into the New York traffic another 300,000 extra persons into the airports." "It's page 18 of that report." "If you don't take pets, the old, the blind abandon the hospitals and the people in them don't panic and if the police don't panic then maybe you might save two million people." "In how long?" " Four days." " Four days?" "Now, I want some answers, and I want them now!" "To begin with, didn't anybody check this report?" "Eight years ago, sir." " Worthless then." " Why wasn't something done about it?" " Maybe there is no defence against..." " He's bluffing!" " What if he's not?" " All right." "All right." "Say it happens." "What's the worst?" "Mr. President, recent nuclear tests prove..." " That is classified information." " No, sir." "The bomb's gone public." "Newspapers, magazines, even college kids have built them." "Come on, I want numbers, facts, figures!" "The first shock, blast and thermal dose will kill at least two million people." "All this glass will become bullets." "Billions of them!" "They'll slash everything for miles." "There'll be fires." "Tens of thousands." "Winds." "Winds double the force..." "The destructive force of hurricanes." "All the water all the food, poisoned!" "And within 10 days all the rest of the people dead." "Radiation." "Even the ones in the shelters." "Mr. President, if these bombs are allowed to go off..." "Notify Rafeeq." "Well, time to go." "One of us has gotta try sanity." "Don't do it, Mr. President." "You'll hate it." "Mr. President, you can't resign." "Me or millions?" "There's not much choice." "Mr. President, if you resign, a woman a black woman will be in the White House." "And she won't be serving dinner." " Congratulations, Madame President." " Lf I'm not shot before I'm sworn in." "That's a well-hung flagpole." "Thank God!" "Call the FBI." " I'll disarm the other bomb." " Just in the nick of time." " Yep." " Convenient." "Oh, I'd say lucky." "I thought for a while, the CIA had arranged the suitcases." "Like King Awad's suicide." "Mr. Hale, we only try to do what's right." "Even when it's wrong?" "If it's good for America, it can't be wrong." "Right?" " What's next?" " War!" " What's next?" " War!" "These atom bombs on our land constitute an act of war." "Undeclared war, unprovoked war  started by the bloodiest terrorist of modern history." "By Rafeeq, the Hun of Hagreb." "What war?" "What bombs?" "What the hell?" "Is he crazy?" " Frank, boy!" " You did it!" "You finally did it." " We're not gonna take it anymore." " You hit them!" " You bet!" " Hit them with everything you got!" "And, but for God's sake, don't hit those oil wells!" "What we got here is a war." "You're here for one reason." "No matter what happens, nothing happens until it happens on television." "Right." "But before you take the oil wells, remember we're taking a three- minute commercial break!" "Right." "Now, let's kick ass!"