"Good morning, you're Mr Briggs, for the aptitude test?" " Yes." " Fine." "The test instructions will come over the speaker." "All questions will be multiple choice." "So just touch the button to the answer you select." "Okay?" "Thank you." "And take all the time you need." "Good morning, Mr Briggs." "In each of the accidents you're looking at, an important elected official was killed." "Two congressmen and two state attorneys general." "Their deaths had one thing in common, their successors were, in every case, known to be favourably disposed toward organised crime." "The syndicate has a finger in every other legitimate business." "Now they're moving into government." "This move is the brainchild of Jack Wellman, acknowledged head of the syndicate in the United States." "He must be stopped." "Officially, he's beyond the reach of the law." "Your mission, Dan, should you choose to accept it, is to stop Wellman." "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This film strip will self-destruct when you stop the machine." "Good luck, Dan." "Mr Briggs, aren't you going to finish the aptitude test?" "No, I've decided to stay in the line of work I'm in." "Thanks anyway." "Jack Wellman?" "That's the man." "There are two things the syndicate won't allow even from its boss." " Breaking the vow of silence." " That's one vow they never break." "The other is dishonesty." "Dishonesty?" " I thought they encouraged that." " Not within the syndicate." "They don't approve of stealing from one another." "Tomorrow night Jack Wellman will meet at his home with his partners." "Al Souchek, Frank Bates and Vito Scalesi." "Scalesi?" "He was deported three years ago." "Yes, but they've smuggled him back into this country for the annual meeting." "To award themselves a bonus for the yearly operation." "They're going to hold a very private dinner." "That's traditional." "Then they'll divide the money that Wellman keeps in a vault in his wine cellar." "That's the money that Wellman is going to steal." " With our help." " We'll be at the dinner." "Dan, they generally don't invite guests to this sort of an affair." "We won't be guests." "To Jack Wellman there's only one place in town where you can get a really good meal, from Tino's." "Listen, Dan, I've been thinking about this." "I've catered a lot of Wellman's affairs, but he'll never call me for anything this private." "He's got a regular couple who work for him." "He'll use them." "Not this time, Tino." "Has Barney checked you out on the saw?" "She'll be able to take care of it." "I'm just worried about getting out." "The syndicate's never been known to kill a woman." "There's always a first time." "Thirty-five years ago I come from Sicily." "All we knew was guns." "What we wanted we took." "If somebody got in our way..." "If anybody got in the way..." "Now we got smart." "We got lawyers, we hired accountants." "We've become businessmen." "But you know something?" "What we want, we still take." "This thing you're doing, Jack, I don't know, maybe..." "Relax, Vito." "It's only the caterer." "Besides, Vito, if you get picked up carrying a gun, you go..." "I shouldn't even be in this country." "So what difference does it make?" " Mr Wellman." " Hello, Tino." "I'm sorry about the short notice, but my regular couple, they got a son in the Army, and he got a 48-hour pass, so I had to let them go." "It's no trouble, Mr Wellman." "You got something special for us?" " Extra-special." " A little minestrone?" "What would dinner be without minestrone?" "Tino, are they all right?" "Oh, absolutely, Mr Wellman, absolutely." "And the one who'll be waiting on table, deaf." "Okay." " Have him bring in the drinks right away." " Yes, sir." " Oh, Mr Wellman." " Yes?" "Will you pick out the wine or do you want me to?" " You go ahead and get it." " Yes, sir." "Let's get the cases in." "Willy." "Willy, you'd better get back to the kitchen." "Turn out the light." "And our congressman personally promises an immediate investigation." "Did you come all the way from Vegas to read me the hometown newspaper?" "I'm just trying to show you a lot of heat is building up." "He's right, Jack, I'm starting to get it, too." "You're not getting it, I'm not getting it!" "None of us are getting it." "When a congressman's killed, it gets a lot of attention." "But nobody's connecting anything to us." "Nobody!" "When too many go, some smart DA somewhere will try to pin it on us." "Just for the attention they'll get." "Only this time, they'll be right, Jack." "It's not smart, Jack." "If it pays off, it's smart." "It's paying off!" "I don't know." "The vault's behind these shelves." "We'll have to get in through the top." "I don't know what you want!" "Vito here says we're businessmen." "All right." "What are businessmen in business for?" "I'll tell you." "To make a profit." "How much profit?" "As much as they can get." "Now, you boys want to be satisfied with the skim off the gambling and the girls and the numbers, go ahead!" "But I'm not satisfied." "Nobody said we shouldn't expand!" "The question we're asking is, is this the right way?" "How can it be wrong?" "You're making more money than you ever did before in your life." "Don't worry." "He's deaf." "Maybe if you knew what your bonus was for this year, there wouldn't be all this complaining." " Maybe." " How much, Jack?" "Over $1 million apiece." " A million..." " Shut up!" "Nobody talk!" "He's not deaf." "He can hear." "What happened?" " I don't know." "We just heard the shot." " Get in there and find out." "Dan..." "You're supposed to be scared, Tino." "Come on." "Mr Wellman, is everything all right?" " I mean, I thought I heard a..." " It's all right, Tino." "Mr Scalesi was just testing your deaf waiter." " Mr Wellman, I told you he was deaf." " Okay." "So now we're positive." "Yes, sir." "Gonna be all right?" "I think so, if my eardrums aren't shattered." "Help Tino as much as you can." "Willy, better go down and give Barney a hand." "Right, Dan." "What's going on down there?" "One of the guests wanted to make sure that Rollin was really deaf." "Keep at it." "You've got to be finished in 10 minutes." "How're we fixed for time?" "So far so good." "Now, she comes home from school the other day, only 6 years old, mind you, and she says to me," ""Daddy, I bet you don't know what kind of a dog has got no tail."" "I tell her I don't know." ""A hot dog," she says." "Can you imagine that?" "Kids are good, Al." "They're good." "Oh, she's beautiful." " Jack, you ever think of getting married?" " When have I got time to get married?" "It's not all that bad." "A man has roots, he's more responsible." "You ought to get married, Jack." "What's all this needling?" "I'm building an organisation like nobody ever did." "You're making more money than ever." "All I get is trouble from you three." "Nobody's saying you're doing a bad job." "Maybe it's too good a job." "What's that supposed to mean?" "I can't get it out of my mind that it's wrong to go around dumping congressmen and people like that." "What do you mean, wrong?" "I don't know." "I just think it's wrong." "We don't need that kind of power." "You boys just don't understand, do you?" "I don't want to run things." "All I do is tell the men we get into office to do their best." "Build schools, build roads." "But I tell them to use our contractors." "Our cement, our trucks." "You want to be legitimate businessmen?" "That's business, but it's big business." "Big!" "And it pays big money." "We all want to make money, Jack, if the risks aren't too great." "But Al, and Frank here, and me, we don't want to just do anything, just because there's big money in it." "But you, Jack, you'll do anything for a dollar." "What the devil's going on?" "We're ready to eat." "Where's all your help?" "Oh," "I sent the big one down to the cellar for some wine and the chef's out at the truck." " We're going to the table now." " Yes, sir." "Hey, you!" "Come down here." " What were you doing up there?" " I had to go to washroom." "There's a washroom down here for the help." " What were you doing up there?" " I told you, I..." "You told Tino that you were going out to the truck" " and then you went upstairs, why?" " Because..." "You went up there to grab anything" " that's laying around loose, right?" " No, Mr..." "Now we're going back there and see what's missing." "No, wait a minute, Mr Wellman." "I don't steal nothing." "Look, I got empty pockets." "Take a look at my pockets." "I didn't steal anything." "I don't steal..." "Mr Wellman." "It's my fault." "He wanted to see the house." "He's never been in a big house before and I know I shouldn't have, but I told him it was all right to go upstairs for a minute." "Oh, he's all right, Mr Wellman." "He's no thief." "Not bright, maybe, but no thief." "Don't you ever lie to me, Tino." "A mistake maybe sometimes we can overlook." "But don't lie to me." " You don't know how close you came." " I'm sorry, Mr..." " Shut up and get back to work." " Yes, sir." " Let's eat now." " Yes, Mr Wellman." "You did fine, Tino." "You go ahead and serve the soup now." "Cinnamon's ready." " They're at the table." " All right." "You take the plates, I'll bring this." " How do you like this wine?" " It's as good as any I've ever tasted." "Upper New York State." "Unbelievable." " Not bad." " Not a bad bouquet at all." " Hey, Jack, do I smell minestrone?" " In your honour, Vito." " I hope it's good, Tino?" " I guarantee it, Mr Wellman." "I'm terribly sorry, sir." "I'm terribly sorry, Mr Wellman..." "Get away!" "You clumsy..." "Never mind!" "You all right, Vito?" "Yeah, fine." "It's all right." "Come on upstairs, I'll get you something..." " No, no!" "It's all right." " What do you mean, it's all right?" "I don't want you to sit around with a wet suit all night." "Come on." "You boys go ahead, we'll catch up." "Not bad, huh?" "Hey, you're entitled to the best, Jack." " You're pretty close to my size, Vito." " Yeah." "Let's see..." " How about this?" " It's nice, Jack, very nice." "Okay." "You want to wash up a little, right in there." "Thank you, thank you, Jack." "Anything else you want, just help yourself." "Okay." " Hey, who are you?" " I'm a friend of Jack's." "I thought I knew all of Jack's friends." "I promised to stay in my room, out of sight." " Jack's going to be furious with me." " Why?" "He didn't want anybody to know about us and I promised to stay out of sight." "You know, I think Jack is a selfish and a greedy man for wanting to deprive his friends of the pleasure of meeting you." "I can't blame him for wanting to keep you all to himself." "You won't tell him you saw me?" "Omertà." "That's it." "Vito!" "That suit looks like it was made for you." "You got good taste." "You got good taste, Jack." "Carrstarr's, in London." "The best there is." "Not like those rags they throw together in Miami or Vegas." "Sorry, boys." "Easy." "Everybody ready for the salad?" "They're going to be ready for the entree in no time." "How long?" " I can't rush this part, Dan." " I know." "Take your time." " All right, Willy?" " Ready." "Okay." "We've got something on our minds." "Let's get it settled." "I don't like eating until things are settled." "What is bothering you, Al?" "You know what's bothering him." "The same thing that's bothering me and Vito." "You've got to stop killing government officials." "It's too risky." "I've got to?" "Is the tail trying to wag the dog?" "We're suggesting, Jack." "Just suggesting." " We're doing so good." " We're gonna do better." "Right now, there's $4 million in the safe downstairs to split up." "Next time, there'll be twice that." "Then twice that!" "Now, while I'm running things, we'll do things my way!" "Now eat!" "Stop worrying and eat." "Set the frequency for 0476 kilocycles." "That's enough, Willy." "Set." "They're ready for the main course." "So are we." "Lamb roast boutiere, a specialty of my chef, Carlo." "That looks marvellous!" "Take it easy with that, Carlo." "I like my booze in a glass." "It will be perfection, sir." "It's all right, Frank, if you don't like it." "Tino can make you a steak." "Tino, he's a man that likes steaks." "Go ahead." "Very good, Carlo." "Very good." "Nobody caters a dinner like you, Tino." "Thank you, Mr Wellman." "Thank you." "Good appetite, gentlemen." "What do you say, Frank?" "Great, right?" "It's a little rich for my blood." "Maybe your blood is getting a little thin." "What's he so touchy about?" "That wine is bad!" "Get another bottle." " Is anything wrong, Mr Wellman?" " The last bottle of wine was bad." " You want me to get you another one?" " No!" "I'll get it myself." " Mr Wellman." " Yeah?" "I need a bottle of sherry for the zabaglione." "Okay." "Thank you, Mr Wellman." "As soon as you've served dessert, I want you and your people out of here." "Mr Wellman, we have to clean up." "You come back tomorrow morning to do that." " We're not going to have enough time." " Get the ice cream carton." "Stall as much as you can." " That was close." " Too close." "We're running out of time." "Get going with the torch." "Just about ready for their dessert." " How're they doing downstairs?" " They're fighting time." "Where's that waiter?" "But he's ringing." "He'll ring again." "He moves like he's a hundred." "Take it easy, Jack." "What's the hurry?" "They're having their coffee." "Get going." "I'll clean up." " Have you finished?" " Yes." " Let's go." " Tino!" "See if you can help Dan." "Tino!" "Very good dinner, Tino." "Thank you, Mr Wellman." "I'm glad you enjoyed it." " Have your people left yet?" " We're just leaving now, sir." " Good night." " Fine." "Wait a minute." "Here." " Well, thank you, Mr Wellman." " My pleasure." "Good night, sir." " Is Dan about finished?" " He said he'd see us in the truck." "Good." "Let's go." "That was pretty good, Jack." "Shall we have a little after-dinner drink downstairs in the wine cellar?" "Watch your step down these stairs." "I always like to visit your wine cellar, Jack." "Oh, yeah?" "Thanks." "What's keeping Briggs?" "I don't know." "This old bank vault remind you of the old days, Al?" "Now this ought to convince you that my way is right." "What's the joke, Jack?" "Having fun?" "It's not very funny." "It can't be." "It was in this case in this vault." "It's gone!" "It just disappeared, huh?" "Right out of the vault." " How, Jack?" " I don't know!" "All I know is that I put it in this vault three days ago." "Then how come it's gone?" "You trying to tell us someone got through this?" "If they did, they did a neat job." "Wait a minute!" "Look, look at this!" "Look." "That's how they got in." "Now you believe me?" "Look at this!" "But when?" "When did it happen, Jack?" " I thought you was always here." " Yeah, I'm always..." "Wait a minute, Thursday..." "Thursday, I went to the dog track." " What about the help?" " They were gone." "That's convenient." "Now, look!" "What are you talking about?" "Convenient?" "Wasn't there anybody in the house?" "Who?" "There's just me and the servants." " No one else?" " No one else, no one!" "Come on!" "Come on, Dan." "Okay." "What about her, huh?" "I told you it wouldn't work, Jack." "I told you." "What are you talking about?" "Who are you?" "Wait a minute." "You mean to tell me you don't know her?" "I never saw her before in my life." "What did you mean before when you said it wouldn't work, huh?" "What did you mean?" " He'll kill me." " He won't hurt you, not if you tell me." " Tell you what?" " Shut up!" "Tell me!" "Where's the money?" "Come on, where's the money?" "Oh." "You never was very smart, Jack." "Not about money." " I'm sorry, Jack." "I didn't mean..." " You dirty..." "What are you doing to me?" "Who are you?" "Please, please let me out of here!" "I don't want to get in any deeper, please!" "You keep your mouth shut." "Go on!" "No!" "Don't let her out, Vito!" "It's a frame!" "Don't let her go!" "Open it." "I can't." "That's not my safe." "I never saw it before!" "Not your safe?" "In your own bedroom?" "Open it." "I can't!" "You got 10 seconds!" "Here she is." "Go, Tino." "What are they going to do when they open the safe and find out it's empty?" "Whatever they do won't help Wellman." "Without him, they're out of politics."