"Oh, no!" "Why did you do that?" "There have to be rules!" "I thought you'd be waiting outside the prison." "When you weren't there, I wondered." "Oh, I didn't want to see you like that." "Not coming out." " l tried to phone." " That got cut off last year." "What?" "You should have told me." "You need a phone out here on your own in the middle of nowhere." " l was all right." " What if anything had happened?" "You could die out here and nobody would know" "Well, you're back now." "I've got you to look after me." "That's how it's going to stay and all." "I'm not going back in." "Yeah." "You could have been home months ago." "Yes, I know, I know." "It was stupid, trying to escape." "Causing trouble." "But I just..." "I just couldn't take being locked up any longer." " Yes, I know, darling." " No..." "No, you don't know, Annie." "You can't know what it was like." "I just can't take being shut in any more." "It was terrifying." " What are you cooking?" " You know what I'm cooking." "Not steak and kidney pie!" " Right on." " Can we afford it?" "No." "We can't afford this, either." "Jeez!" "We are celebrating!" "Not celebrating." "Forgetting, mm?" "Starting afresh." "OK. I promise." "And... we can afford steak and wine." "Hey!" "is this what they give you when you come out of prison?" " You've got to be joking!" "Bus fare, more like." " Where did you get it?" " Cork screw?" " Er, in the drawer." "Where did you get it?" "It was this guy Prison visitor" "He used to come regular." "Once a week." "What guy?" "What for?" "I don't know what they do it for." "I'm sorry, love." "He was a... funny old bloke." "Strange." "Said he... he knew what it was like, being locked in." "He'd been in a Nazi concentration camp during the war." "Well you better go round and thank nim Do you know where he lives?" "Mm, I've got his address." "I knew you'd come." "I thought I'd just look in and say thanks." "That was good of you." "And how was it, at home?" " Good." " ln prison, you had doubts." "I needn't have." "Oh, you were a bad prisoner," "Chuck, my friend." "Bad?" "Listen..." "Being locked up takes everybody different." "Some don't mind." "Others - they just can't take it." "They go stir-crazy." "You think that is what happened to you?" "is that why you try to escape... even though you know it will do you no good?" "When I was a kid, if I misbehaved, they used to shut me in a cupboard." "I'd scream, kick, shout to get out." "To get to freedom." "They didn't think I was sorry so they'd leave me there, longer." "I swore no prison would ever hold me as long as I lived." "I know, Chuck. I know." "The midnight memories of the concentration camp bring me out in a cold sweat even today." "We are kindred spirits, you and I." "Quite simply, we hold a terror... of being shut in." "So, this is where it all happens." "Eh?" "An expression." "This is where the action is." "Where you earn your daily bread." "Oh!" "I survive." "Yes, well..." "Like I say... ..I just called in to say thanks." " l'd better be on my way." " Goodbye." "What will you do?" " Find a job." " Where?" "The welfare bloke." "He gave me a list." "Rehabilitation." "Such places are not good." "They either regard you with suspicion or they trust you at the top of their voice." "I guess you're right." "But I don't exactly have a wide choice." "Turn over the closed sign, would you?" "And lock the door." "I have something to show you." "This way." "Through here." "This is... where it all happens." " Suppose you get a customer?" " Oh, they'll call again." "They're used to my comings and goings around here." "Somehow I don't think you're going to get very rich, Mr Blueck." "I am rich, Mr Spillers." "What is this?" " Some kind of zoo?" " I would pefer to call it my collection lt must be worth a fortune!" " lt is." " Do you sell them?" "No." "I may, when my work is complete." " What work is that, then?" " Research into new methods of training." " What for?" "What is the point?" " Open zoos or safari parks, in the stately homes of England" " The cages!" "They're all open!" " Exactly." " Well, are they safe?" " Most certainly." "That is the point." "Chuck, imagine." "Zoos without cages." "It must be possible. lt is possible... to contain an animal without bars." "Now, surely you can see the benefit of that." " Tame are they?" " No." "They are not tame" "These are wild animals." "But how?" "How did you get them?" " l caught them." " You caugnt them?" "It only takes the right bait." "Lay the right bait and almost any creature..." "will walk in of its own accord." " Then you tame them?" " No, no." "I train. I do not tame." "You see, in nearly all cases, a creature that has enjoyed freedom of life in the wild will never become tame." "Captivity... is loss of freedom." " Like prison." " Except this lot did nothing to get locked up for." "Cetainly they committed no misdemeanor" "At the time of they impisonment they were innocent" "As were you." "Under such circumstances, the best you will get from a caged creature is subservience." "Why did you invite me here?" "I did not invite you here." "You came of you own accord" "Oh, come on." "In prison I passed some kind of test." "You chose me." "You wanted me here for a reason." "You had done already what I wanted." "You came to say thank you." "Oh." "Now, many would not have, but I knew you would." "Chuck, we have talked, you and I, long and often." "There has developed, dare I suggest, an understanding." "A relationship." "Let me say simply that it's taken too many months to find someone I felt I could trust." "Someone who would understand." "Thank you very much." "Ah." "Now you disappoint me." "That expression of gratitude was made in mockery." "I'm sorry, Martin. I... I don't want to seem ungrateful, but..." "to be frank, Martin..." " I don't like it here" " You don't?" "There's something wrong." "I sensed it the minute I came in." "Nothing is wrong." "Look..." "If you want your money back..." "Now, why do you say this?" "Did I make any mention of money?" " No, I'm sorry." " Perhaps you dislike animals?" "I like a cat that purrs and a dog that wags its tail." "No!" "Don't touch that!" "Argh!" "God!" " Are you all right?" " l don't know." "I tried to warn you." " That's how you train them?" " l was about to explain." " Well, I found out for myself." " Here, let me see." "There is no burn." "I am so glad." "You are very lucky." " You said you wanted help." " Yes. I have to go away." "Just for a few days." "I have to find someone to feed my animals." " You w..." " l will pay very good money." "And at the end, I will give you a reference which will help you in getting a permanent job." " l don't know." " l will leave clear instructions." "There is really nothing to it." "Watch." "You see?" "It is vey simple and perfectly safe." "When you know how." " He's a nutter." " He sounds nice to me." "You didn't see the place." "You didn't see it." "No, but I can see the groceries his money's bought." "Just be thankful." "Your first day out and you've got a job with money in advance." " He said he knew I was innocent." " What of?" "You know what of." "Safe-breaking." "But you were guilty, weren't you?" "Have been every time." " That place stank." " Yes?" "It stank of fear." "He said you never can tame an animal born in the wild." "Never." "So you capture a free-running animal and imprison it in a cage until it dies." "Can you imagine that?" "No, I don't think I can." "Or want to." "There's another thing." "I've just realised what it was about that place the minute I walked in." "None of the animals ever made any noise." "Just gave out this stench of fear." "Chuck... I'm here." "Yeah." "I didn't spend two years waiting for the moment when you climbed into our bed to talk about a daft old man in a pet shop." "You got other ideas?" "Tell me." "I thought about you." "Every night." " You make me nervous, Chuck." " You like being nervous." " Mm." " So?" "It's just... lt's just... that I'm your bit of rough, eh?" "Hello?" "Mr Blueck?" "Is something wrong with it?" " Eh?" " The food." "Oh, no. lt's great." "Yeah." "You've hardly eaten a mouthful." "Yeah, I'm sorry. I..." "I just can't get that stench out of my nostrils." "is that a comment on my cooking?" "You know what I mean." "is there any more of that wine?" "No." "I can't eat this." " Have you got any fags?" " No!" "Have you got anything in this house?" "I had to give up smoking. lt was either that or the car, and I couldn't live out here without transport." "Yeah. I'm sorry." "The welfare did warn me." ""lt won't be easy at first," they said." ""He'll have to find his feet." "Regain his pride."" "Leave it out Annie, will you?" "I'm nearly enough." "Nobody said how difficult it might be for me." "Not a word about that." "There's a safe down there, among them cages." "Pathetic." "Like old Blueck himself." "Take away the so-called breadwinner and leave the wife high, dry and stranded." "Two years later, there he is on the doorstep again." " He's got to be loaded." "He must be loaded." " Never even asked how she managed." "The only mistake she ever made was to marry a Peterman." "He'd be just the type to think a bank was insecure and leave his cash in a safe you could blow away with a puff of wind." "Stop it, Chuck!" "Just stop it now, will you?" " lt'd give us a start." " Or a finish." "Suppose lf there is a couple grand in that safe, where is that gonna get us?" "Well it's a couple of grand more than we've got." "Oh, yes!" "Pay the electricity bill, get the phone reconnected..." "Go to Majorca for three weeks." "I don't wish to sound materialistic but if I have married a thief, I wish at least he'd think big!" "What are you trying to say?" "Nothing. I'm just trying to stop myself from screaming, that's all." "Bastard, bastard, bastard." "All right, Blueck." "All right Let me out will you?" "Let me out!" "I will be but just one moment." " Mr Blueck?" " Yes I'm Anne Spillers." "Chuck Spillers' wife." "Oh..." "How pleased I am to meet you." "And how is Chuck?" "Oh. I'd rather hoped you could tell me that." " Why?" " Well... I gather you visited him whilst he was... inside." "But now he is released, there is no further call for my services." "No, and he was very improessed by your kindness." "I'm glad." "You haven't seen him since he came out?" "It is something one becomes used to." "Frankly, it is best that way." "Partly, it is what we should expect." "After all, it is a logical conclusion of our own work." "Aren't you beautiful?" "He lacks only a good home and a new mistress." "Well, not me, I'm afraid." "I've got a living to earn." "With, once again, a husband to play his rightful role." "Chuck didn't come home last night." "So soon?" "Well, that is sad." "He said he was coming here." "I see." "Thank you, Mr Blueck." "I suppose you didn't give him any money, either." "Please" "Let me know if you hear anything." "So, what are you suggesting, Mrs Spillers?" "I'm just trying to tell you what I saw, Sergeant." "I wanted some advice." "Advice isn't quite my line, I'm afraid." "You should try the marriage guidance council." "There's nothing wrong with my marriage." "Look, your husband didn't come home last night." "That's not normally a situation we like to become involved in." "This has nothing to do with a situation, as you call it." "He intended to come home. I know he did." "But something better turned up." "I beg your pardon?" "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." "And he did go to the pet shop." "But Mr Blueck... who we know, by the way... says he didn't." "But I saw Chuck's jacket there." "Just think about it, Mrs Spillers." "Ask yourself whether you're sure this is something you want us to know." "After all, your husband's only been home for a day or two." "Leave it a bit longer." "If he doesn't turn up, come and see me again." "And when he does come home, please ask him not to make us too interested in him." "Are you there, Mr Blueck?" "is that you?" "Martin?" "I'm sorry about the safe, Martin." "But you didn't say anything about supplies." "I mean I thought I mignt need supplies" "Let me out, Mr Blueck." "Let me out" "Let me out" "Let me out" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "is that you?" "Can't we talk about this?" "Just talk?" "Like we used to?" "Chuck!" "Chuck Chuck" "Martin!" "Chuck?" " Oh, Chuck!" " Annie!" " Shh!" " Don't put your arm!" "Why not?" "Find something you can stick down to test it." " What for?" " Don't argue" "Just do as I say." "Caeful what you touch" " How's this?" " Good" "Now, stick it through and wave it from side to side." "Caeful" "How am I supposed to get you out?" "Can you lift me?" "Oh, you must be joking!" "Just a minute." "Right." "How's that?" "I'll try." "God" "OK. I'll be back in ten minutes." " What are you going to do?" " Get the police." "No!" "Don't get the law!" "I tried to open the safe." " They'll put me away again" " Oh, Chuck!" "It was a trap. I fell right into it." "What am I supposed to do?" "Find me something to stand on." "Er..." "Which way is the shop?" "Behind you." "Through the double doors." " Don't touch any of the cages" " Why not?" "Electricity." "Thousands of volts." "Are those things dangerous?" "About as dangerous as I am." "Not asleep, Chuck?" "I'm restless." "Hardly surprising." "My little friend here was restless too." "Something disturb him, then?" "Something, yes." "Perhaps the same thing that has disturbed you." "Me?" "I'm OK." "It is strange, nevertheless, that over the past two days you have called out to me many times." "Mostly in righteous indignation but occasionally pleading" "Yet now that you've seen me, you complain only of being restless." "It's the middle of the night." "And you would like me back in my bed." "Maybe you have an escape plan." " Even an accomplice - l want to go to sleep." "Ah." "And you would like a companion." "I should have thought of it before." "He makes such a noise when anything unusual happens." "Good night, Chuck." "Why did you choose me?" "With your in-built fear of confinement, you are the ultimate challenge." "Train you... and I can tain anybody imagine, Chuck." "Prisons without cells." "That should appeal to you." "No ugly buildings." "No warders" "The prisoners stand still" "Quite still" "Because they are too terrified to move." "Will you let me out?" "Now!" "Oh, no!" "Not until you are trained." "Now, please..." "Do not try to thwart my plans." "If you cause me to close this hatch, then even you loudest sceam will do no more than echo round the cell lt will never penetrate the walls." "Nobody will hear you." "Ever." "Good evening, miss." "is Detective Sergeant Aldridge here?" "No, I'm afraid he's gone home long since." " Oh." " Can I help?" "I don't think so, thank you." "is something wrong, miss?" "No, I just wanted a quick word." "Thank you." "It's not Mrs Spillers, is it?" "Yes." "There's a note here." "You were worried about your husband." "Oh, yes, I was." "I've just come in to tell you that I've found him, so it's OK." "Oh, good. lt's nice of you to tell us, Mrs Spillers." "Where was he?" "Celebrating with friends." "Hello?" " Chuck" " Annie!" "Where have you been?" " Shh What's that?" " Blueck came." "I know He nearly caught me in the shop" " He didn't see you?" " No." " Did you get anytning?" " Yes, I got this." "Look." "Great." "Tie it to something." "Quick" "It only takes the right bait." "And now my collection is complete." "For God's sake, Blueck." "The concentration camp." "Remember?" "You said you'd never foget it" "Nor will I." "It was where l formulated this entire idea as I studied tne inmates." "You see" "I was not a captive" "I was a captor" "Oh, give it a rest, Chuck." "Exercise." "Must exercise." " l'm trying to think." " This might help." "Not if you tire yourself out, it won't." "Don't worry. I'll be all right." "You carry on." "We're undergoing the same training" " as the rest of the animals, right?" " Yes." " Why?" " Cos he's a nutcase." "He could explain everythig without going through that electric shock charade." "If the bell sounds, go ahead." "If the buzzer sounds, don't touch!" "Brainwashing." "Annie!" "Oh, we've just got to face it, Chuck." "There's just no way out of here." "There's just no way." "Good morning, Sergeant." "Do you bring business or pleasure?" "What sort of business would I bring you?" "Perhaps you are in need for a police dog." "An Alsatian, maybe?" "Someone was talking about you in the station yesterday." "A woman." " No complaints, I hope." " Only that she couldn't find her husband." "Pets one can house-train." "Husbands are more difficult." "This one was only just out of stir." "She said you'd visited him." "Mrs Spillers?" "She came to see me." "Ah." "She said she had." "What could I say?" "I gave my address to Chuck Spillers." "I always do. ln case they need me." "Would you like a budgerigar?" "You haven't seen him?" "Nor do I expoect to." "I was sorry for his wife, but things are often difficult for a few weeks." "The thing is, she's scarpered as well." "We called." "Well, she seemed worried." "And what do you want me to do?" "Nothing." "Let us know if you hear anything, that's all." "I will." "A hamster for the boy?" "Maybe at Christmas." " Are we still in buzz time?" " You know we are." "When will the bell go?" "It's late. lt's bloody late." "It's probably deliberate." "Just keep calm." "We didn't miss it, did we?" "Perhaps we dozed off and missed the bell." "Well, stick your head through and find out." "How can you stay so calm?" "I'll get excited when there's something to get excited about." "You know what they say." "People who stay calm in the face of adversity show either great courage or a complete misunderstanding" " of the seriousness of the situation" " Very intelligent." "Where did you hear it?" " Blueck." " Oh. I thought you might have." "Chuck..." "Oh, I'm hungry." "We must be in bell time soon." "Why us?" "There's got to be a reason." "What did you talk to him about in prison?" "I don't remember." "Anything." "Everything." "Sex?" "Eh?" "Did you talk to him about sex?" "Between us?" "I don't know. I might have done." "I can't remember." "Does it matter?" "It matters." "You see I am trying to fathom out his mind" "Why us?" "There has to be a reason." "Well, you tell me." "I don't know." "Perhaps he just likes watching." "Watching?" "Us." "Oh, for pete's sake, Annie!" " ls there one for me?" " No, we'll share this." " Well, do we get to share it, then?" " ln a second. I'm only eating half." "We're being released, aren't we?" "No, no, no." "No, it's a trick. lt's a trick." "There's got to be a catch." "We are being let out, aren't we, Annie?" "I mean..." "For God's sake, we're still in bell time." "What do we do, Annie?" "What do we do?" "We don't do anything." "Not while he's watching." " How do you know he's watching?" " He's watching us!" "Well, can't we test it?" "I mean, let's just test it." "Here, boy." "Come on, boy." "Here, here." " Fetch." " No!" "Fetch!" "Go on!" "Quick!" "No, it's clear." "Quick!" "It's clear!" "It's clear!" "No." "Stay!" "Go away!" "Go away from here!" " Go away!" " No!" "Wait!" "You killed him." "You killed him!" "You killed my puppy!" "You killed my dog!" "You killed my dog!" "It's all right, it's all right, it's all right, it's all right." "It's OK, it's OK, it's all right." "I wish I could figure out that fourth sound." "The bell... the buzzer..." "The hum's a refrigerated food store, but there's another shorter, sharp click." "Twang-click. lt happens regularly." "It's a switch." "What?" "A power switch?" "Mm." "Big old-fashioned job near the black panther's cage." "I tnink our Blueck's made his fist mistake." " What are you doing?" " Just giving myself time to think." "Oh..." "Oh, yeah, yeah." "You see, that's the limitation of the animal's mind." "Bell means food, buzzer means pain." "And where the human brain wins over them is the ability to figure out "twang-click" might mean "power off"." "Twang-click. lt's safe to escape if you can get out before the doors slide down." "Pretend to make love to me, OK?" "I don't want old Blueck to realise we've cottoned on." "Next time the twang-click goes, just run, OK?" "No tests, no hesitations." "Just run." "Outside there's a kind of alleyway which runs alongside the pet shop." "Just run like hell." " Just pretend, remember?" " Mm-hm." "Who'd buy pets in a crummy area like this?" " People do." " Enough to keep a shop in business?" "Yes, I dare say." "Only, Mrs Spillers talked about her husband agreeing to feed the animals as if it were a zoo." "What was it she said to you last night?" "Well, that she'd found him OK." "He'd been celebrating." " What's all this in aid of?" " My peace of mind." "Just happened the lady came in and asked for my help the morning I had a blinding headache." "I'd have thought you had more important things to do than play nursemaid to a fellow like Chuck Spillers." "Yes, you're right." "Forget it." "Where's the car?" "Chuck, there's a police station half a mile down the road." " How do you know?" " l went there." "What?" "!" "I told you!" "They'll put me away!" "It's Blueck they'll put away." "They can't have you for failed intent." "Anyway, they didn't care." "Nobody wanted to do, no." " Exactly!" "So what was the point?" " l'm sorry!" "Run!" "Straight on!" "We're free!" " Now will you go to the police?" " Not on your life." " Oh, you can't let him get away with it." " l'm not going to." " You stay here and keep watch." " No, let's go home." "In case anything goes wrong." "If I don't come out, then you go to the law." "What are you going to do?" "I'm going to sort that bastard out." "Blueck!" "Blueck!" "Chuck!" "Chuck?" "Chuck" "My friend!" "Open the panel!" "Get me out!" "Chuck!" "Chuck!" "Get me out!" "Chuck!" " Oh!" " ls there anything to eat round here?" "Yes, I left your supper on the saucepan." "Pooh!" " How long has it been?" " Oh, an eternity." "I'll get rid of this and then we'll go out for dinner." "Oh, yes, Chuck!" "I want the open." "I want cool air, freedom and space." "No, don't!" "He knew" "He fixed it." "He allowed us to escape on purpose." "He can't do it!" "He must be crazy!" "He can't think he can get away with it!" " Prisons without walls, cages without bars!" " We've got to get out!" "We've been trained, Annie!" "Trained!" "He's got us trapped!" "The detective sergeant..." "No, no, no." "What could he do?" "You told him everything was OK." " They'll catch Blueck!" "He'll change the circuits!" " They'll never catch Blueck." "He's trapped in the cell." "Oh, no!" "There must be a way out." "There must." "Oh, we're never going to get out of here, ever!" "Oh, Chuck." "We're going to die!" "No!" "Help!" "Help!" " Help!" "Help!" "Somebody, please!" " Help!" " No!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help" "Help" " Help!" " Please!" "Somebody!" " Help!" " Help!" " Help!" " Help!"