"Good evening, Mr Briggs." "This is Carl Wilson, a special US envoy who is about to succeed in affecting a vital exchange agreement between our government and a neutral country important to us." "This man, Peter Kiri, a notorious enemy agent, has kidnapped Wilson and replaced him with an impostor." "Kiri's purpose must be to discredit Wilson, and so prevent the exchange agreement from being ratified." "Wilson is still alive and being held prisoner." "So any move against the impostor would bring Wilson's instantaneous death." "Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to save Wilson and to put Kiri out of action." "As always, should you or any member of your IM Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This recording will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Dan." "The one on the left is Carl Wilson, right, Dan?" "No, it looks like Wilson, but it's really Gort, after he made the transformation." "His bone structure's much closer to yours than mine, Dan." "That's right." "I'll have to play him." "Who is he?" "That's Kiri." "He was once head of a liquidation camp for political prisoners." "Now he's acting as the envoy's secretary." "How did they take over the house?" "After they kidnapped Wilson," "Gort took his place, dismissed the staff, and brought in his own people." "Could Wilson possibly still be in the house?" "No, we've had the house under surveillance." "He was taken out and never brought back." "So while you're playing Gort's role, we have to break him?" "Yes, Gort must talk." "That's the key to the whole operation." "You'll have Dr Drake to help you." "One question, Dan." "What sort of electrical current do they have there?" "Barney." "The current is direct, but the voltage varies." "So I'm taking a set of rectifiers to keep it constant." "Good." "And remember, in that part of the world, the closest thing we have to an indispensable man is Wilson." "We make one mistake, Wilson pays for it with his life." "Willy." "What do you think, Cinnamon?" "Yes." "Where will they be, Kiri?" "All right." "Once again." "They'll be in the car, waiting for you." "Once you go out the door, your job is finished." " I guess it'll work." " Of course it'll work." "What's the matter with you, Gort?" "You'd think this was the first job you'd ever done for us." "It's the most difficult." "But it's a good plan." "Yes, I'm satisfied." "Patricia Wilson, Carl Wilson's niece." "All right." "Your niece is on the way up from the gate." "My niece?" "How do you do?" "I'm Patricia Wilson." "I'm Dave Sanders, Mr Wilson's assistant." " How do you do?" " Please come in." "Thank you." "Is my uncle in?" "Yes, he is." "Uncle Carl." "It's been so very long." "Is everything all right?" "Oh, yes, of course." "It's just that I'm so surprised to see you." "Well, didn't you get my letter?" "Letter?" "When did you send it?" "A couple of months ago." "I wrote to tell you I was gonna be in this part of the world doing some research." "I still haven't finished my PhD." "Isn't that funny?" "I never received it." "Oh, gee, I'm sorry." "What a lovely house." "It is, isn't it?" "Well, tell me how you've been." "Just great." "Dad's fine." "Overworked, as usual." "Situation normal." "Is this your study?" " Yes." " May I?" "Of course." "It's quite elegant." "Only on the surface, I'm afraid." "Uncle Carl, there's so much I want to talk to you about." "I'm at your service." "Well, it's a private family matter." "I see." "Excuse me, sir." "Thank you, Dave." "And I just don't get to talk to Dad much anymore." "I need your advice." "It's a question of romance." "He's a great guy, but he just doesn't earn enough money yet." "Well, what I was thinking was maybe you could find some way to use your influence to..." "Yes?" "Excuse me, please." "The trunk." "Where did you want it?" "Well, I don't think that's been quite decided yet." "Do you mind waiting?" "It'll be just a few minutes." "Keep the meter running." "I'll take care of everything." "That will be fine." "As I was saying, Uncle Carl, there's so many people that you know that you could..." "Of course, darling, but I'd like to meet the young man first." "Thank you, Uncle Carl." "I really appreciate it." "Nonsense." "Now, about your accommodations," "I think you'll like the Lorska Hotel." "That sounds just fine." "Lorska Hotel." "Hello." "This is Carl Wilson." "My niece, Patricia, will be checking in shortly." "I'd appreciate it if you give her the best possible accommodations." "We'll do our best, Mr Wilson." "Thank you." "Now, if you'll forgive me, I've really got to get to work." "I understand." "I'm afraid the trunk will have to go back to the taxi." "Yes." " When will I see you?" " I'll be in touch the first chance I get." "Good." "She could be dangerous." "At the Lorska Hotel?" "Maybe not." "You got rid of her very well." " Thank you." " Very well indeed." "As soon as possible, Doctor." "We don't know how much time we have." "An assassin, huh?" "Well, maybe when this is all over, he'll be better off than he was before." "We're going to give him 250 milliamperes of current for exactly 10 seconds." "That's slightly higher than the usual dosage." "A higher dosage?" "We're not taking a chance and destroying his memory completely, are we, Doctor?" "Only for the immediate past, like the events of this morning." "All right." "How long will he be out?" "Twenty minutes to half an hour." "How soon after that will I be able to talk to him?" "Almost immediately." "Of course, he'll be terribly confused." "He won't have any notion what happened to him." "But then, that's the whole idea, isn't it?" "Josef, in all the time I've known you," "I've never seen you smoke without your holder before." "I realised something today when I saw the girl." "Josef Gort uses a holder." "Wilson never did." "Remember, Kiri, I was once on the stage." "An actor must submerge himself completely in the role he's playing." "I see." "Hello?" "No, this is Mr Wilson's assistant." "I understand, sir." "No, that'll be fine, sir." "We'll expect you." "Thank you very much." "That was Jonathan Davis, the American Undersecretary of State." "He's just arrived at the airport, and he wants to meet with you this afternoon." "Where..." "Where..." "Come on." "Get up." "You're going to see the doctor." "Doctor?" "I said get up!" "Come on." "Sit down, Mr Kroll." "Remember, Rollin, you're his only friend." "Good morning, Mr Kroll." "Attendant, you can remove Mr Kroll's restraints." "Well, how are we today, Mr Kroll?" "What?" "What is that?" "That is a tape recorder." "You've probably seen it here half a dozen times." "How do you think we've compiled your case history?" "Case history?" "What is this place?" "We established that last time, Mr Kroll." "I am Dr Malenov." "This is a mental hospital." "This is a pleasant surprise, Jonathan." "I hadn't expected to see you until this evening." "A reception's no place to talk." "My plane was early, and I decided to take advantage of it." "Haven't even been to my hotel yet." "The job must be agreeing with you." " We're getting it done." " You certainly are." "And oddly enough, you look younger for it." "Thank you, Jonathan." "Oh, I saw your son in Rome." "He told me to tell you he was down to a 12." " Oh?" " What are you playing to now?" "I really don't know, Jon." "The nearest golf course is 200 miles away." " I do miss it, though." " I'll bet you do." "Would you like a cigarette, Mr Kroll?" "Thank you." "Why do you keep calling me Mr Kroll?" "Because that's your name." "Georgi Kroll, accountant." "You have been with us for about five months." "No." "My name is..." "Josef!" "Josef Gort!" "Josef Gort does not exist, Mr Kroll." "There is no such person." "But I am Josef Gort." "I am a..." "Yes, yes, you told us a great deal about Josef Gort." "Let's see." "Quite a fellow, Josef Gort." "Fine actor." "Became a secret agent." "Eventually a political assassin." "All sorts of exciting adventures." "Women, danger." "But, Mr Kroll, in truth," "Josef Gort exists only out of your illness." "He's a creature of fantasy." "You are Georgi Kroll, the accountant at a state bank." "I am Gort!" "A most persistent delusion." "Well, perhaps..." "Perhaps that's the correct way to attack this problem." "Let us see." "Last time you told us that Josef Gort was working with a special team of agents in a foreign country." "He had kidnapped the American envoy, a man named Wilson, and replaced him..." "No, that you had replaced him and you took his place." "Correct?" "I told you all that?" "Yes." "Many times." "What we'd like you to do, Carl, is prepare the groundwork for a possible presidential visit here this summer." "You say possible visit?" "Whether it comes off depends on what you accomplish here during the next few months." "And, Carl, we have every confidence in you." "Come on." "This old place is falling apart." "So?" "Sometimes they leave valuable things in these old places." "All this place is good for is one big fire." "Yeah." "Mr Kroll." "Could you tell us what you fantasised you were going to do with this, this man Wilson?" "I won't tell you anything." "I'm trying to help you, Mr Kroll." "I am your friend." "I don't want to see you spend the rest of your life in this place." "I am Josef Gort." "Do you understand?" " Gort!" " Mr Kroll..." "No, let me go." "Let me go." "What are you doing to me?" "No!" "No, I don't want that." "No!" "I'm terribly sorry." "I thought we'd made some progress." "Perhaps another time." "Take him back to isolation." "Why won't you believe me?" "I told you who I am." "Why won't you believe me?" "Why don't you believe me?" "Why don't you believe me?" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "No!" "Please, please, don't leave me in here." "Please!" " Fydor, look!" " What is it?" "Let's find out." " There's someone in there." " So what?" "Come on." "Willy!" "What do we do, Rollin?" "We can't stop now." "We'll have to trust Willy." "Boys." "I no going to hurt you, boys." "I don't want you to tell on me." "Boys, please, if you tell, they send me to jail." "All right." "Good boys." "Oh, please, don't!" "Mr Kroll!" "Mr Kroll!" "Oh, please, don't!" "No!" "Assassin." "Assassin." "No!" "Blood on your hands." "Blood on your hands." "Blood on your hands." "Gort, you must kill!" "Help me!" "Kill Wilson!" "Help me!" "Kill!" "Kiri, the guest list for the reception, I don't seem to have it." "You gave it back to me." "May I see it, please?" "I want to make sure that I'm prepared." "Thank you." "You'll have to admit, it is quite an assortment." "The usual." "Press, government officials, visiting dignitaries." "Why the Minister of Security?" "He's the head of the police." "Josef, can you think of a better witness?" "There is someone else we ought to ask." " Who?" " My niece." "Wilson would never neglect to invite her to a function like this." "Besides, she, too, would be a good witness." "Lorska Hotel." "I'd like to speak to Miss Patricia Wilson, please." "One moment, please." "Patricia Wilson speaking." "Patricia, dear, I was so surprised to see you this morning" "I completely forgot to invite you to the reception tonight." "I'd like you to be here." "It should be quite exciting." "It sounds lovely, Uncle Carl, I'll be there." "Is there anything special I should wear?" "It's black-tie." "See you tonight." "Whatever they're planning to do, it's at a reception tonight." "We've got to have another go at him, now." "I just hope he's ready." "He's certainly confused as to what's fantasy and what's reality." " Barney, set him up." " Right." "What is that?" "That is an electroshock device, Mr Kroll." "We have used it on you before." "Put him on the table, please." " No, I don't want it." " Come on." " No!" "No!" " Relax." "All right." "Doctor, why are you doing this to me?" "We are trying to help you, Mr Kroll." "But so far, we have not been able to reach you." "These treatments should make you more amenable to therapy." "I want the other doctor." "Please." "Well, I do not know if I can arrange it, but I will speak to him." "This is your last chance." "Use it." "Too many more shocks, and you'll be here forever." "Well." "What seems to be the trouble, Mr Kroll?" "I..." "I don't want the machine." "But you won't talk to us." "I will." "I promise." "Very well." "Can you tell us something about yourself." "About your work at the bank." "I don't know anything about the bank." "You see?" " You had better get Dr Stanis." " No!" "Mr Kroll, I would very much like to help you, very much." "But, you see, I have 1,500 other patients." "Maybe..." "Maybe these fantasies about Josef Gort would be of some value after all." "You were telling us about a reception." "I don't wanna talk about that." "Tell Dr Stanis 300 milliamperes of shock." "Doctor!" "Yes, Mr Kroll?" "Doctor." "I'm sorry." "Here." "First, Davis." "Then, Wilson." "Rollin, if Gort was supposed to kill Wilson, he must know where Wilson is." "I'm convinced he doesn't know." "I don't think he ever knew." "Then how could he kill him?" "They must be planning to bring Wilson to him." "Exactly." "That's when we grab him." "Stephen Droker, Jonathan Davis." "Mr Droker is the Minister of Security." "I am very honoured to meet you, Mr Davis." "This should solve the problem of keeping Davis alive." "I've spaced four sheets of light steel between the pages." "Good." "Now we'll sew the book in here." "And I'll use this to write on his cigarette." "I'll watch for it." "Bring him in." "You remember me." "I'm Carl Wilson's niece." "Over here." "In this chair." "Leave him." "Wilson's at his desk in the study." "We're ready." "Well, hello." "Nice to see you." "Uncle Carl." "I am so pleased you invited me this evening." "It gives me a chance to introduce my fiancé." "Ronald Miller, Carl Wilson." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" "Pleasure." "He flew up from Rome for just this evening." "Telephone call for you, Mr Davis." "You can take it in the foyer." "Thank you." "Excuse me." "He's in the study." "That's wonderful news." "I'm delighted." "Davis here." "Please listen very carefully to what I have to tell you." "Will you excuse me a moment, sir?" "I'll be right back, dear." "I'm supposed to kill them both." "We know." "Gort talked." "Aim for Davis' heart." "We'll take care of the rest." "Excuse me, sir." "Have you seen Mr Davis?" "I think he took a phone call." "Thank you." "The study." "Let's go." "Mr Undersecretary, may I present Miss Novotna?" "How do you do?" "Do it now." "Yes, yes." "Just give me a moment to collect myself." "I said now!" "All right." "I'm ready." "I would like to offer a toast." "The agreement our two countries are about to enter into is a first step on a long road to complete mutual trust." "Without which, there can be no peace in the world." "To the friendship, not only of our two countries, but of all countries, of all men." "Do it." "Carl, what is it?" "I'm not going through with it, Jonathan." "Listen to me, all of you." "This agreement is a fraud and a trap." "Its purpose is to infiltrate every department of your government with American agents and provocateurs, to subvert your country and make it little more than an American colony." "What are you saying?" "I'm saying that our government has embarked on a programme to swallow up nations such as this under the guise of helping them." " Carl, you're mad." " No." "I'm telling the truth, and you know it." "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry for this." "I apologise for Mr Wilson." "I'm sure he doesn't know what he's saying." "Listen to me." "Please." "What do I have to do to convince you?" "I'm going to stop you, Carl." "The only way I know how." "There was no other way to make you understand." "Mr Wilson!" "Somebody get an ambulance." "Mr Wilson!" "Sir!" "Sir!" "He's dead." "Poor man." "I knew what was going on in his mind." "I could see it." "He brooded a great deal about what he thought he was being made to be a party to." "I suppose his conscience just couldn't stand it any longer." "Very pretty and compassionate speech." "But this isn't Carl Wilson." " What are you doing?" " Relax." "Gort!" "Josef Gort and Peter Kiri of the KVD." "You are under arrest!" "Carl." " Good shooting." " Thank you."