"What happened?" "Press the door button." "I think the electricity's off." "Where are you going, Louise?" "I don't know." "I just had to get out of there." "Mr. Haddock is grabby enough when the lights are on." "Hey, I could go in there and he'd think it was you." "This'll probably make me late for the theater." "What are you seeing?" "Benefit." "The whole thing's deductible." "I know, but what are you seeing?" "You know, that thing with what's- his-name." "Hey, there's a live one." "Go ahead, ask him." "You ask him." "Everybody's going to the boardroom in 2709." "The one with no windows?" "We're having a party." "Want to come?" "Tell him what kind." "It's a Braille party." "A what?" "Braille." "Get it?" "The touch system." "Oh, well, thanks, but..." "David." "Don't do that." "Who is it?" "Josephson." "I just got a call to come up to C. C.'s office." "With all that inner holy light His Eminence is radiating these days, he may not have noticed the blackout." "Stick around, it won't be long, we have a drinkie." "No chance." "I've already passed on one orgy." "I have to go." "Not me." "We're marooned on a mountain, bubble." "Whoever pulled that plug gave me a foolproof excuse for the wife." "Well, then that lets me out, bubble, baby." "I haven't anyone to cheat." "I heard you were in a mood, sweetheart." "Well, don't take any wooden Indians." "Ciao." "You know, I could be in a whole lot of trouble." "How come?" "I was using that new machine, you know, the one I couldn't figure out?" "Did you break it?" "That wouldn't be so bad." "I'm scared I broke the whole building." "Would you help me, please?" "It was foolish of me to start down alone in the dark." "It's like being buried alive." "I promise to behave myself." "Don't worry, I can always scream for help." "Well, isn't it, though?" "What?" "A small world." "I heard you were back." "I really am very glad to see you." "If I could see you, that is." "Slow down a minute here." "You wouldn't happen to know why he did it, would you?" "Cut off the electricity, I mean." "If it were anyone else I'd say it was a practical joke, but not the Major." "He never would have done..." "Don't you ever stop to take a breath?" "Look, I'm sorry, but I haven't been away." "I don't know any Major, and I'm afraid I've never seen you before, either." "Believe me, I'd remember." "But your voice..." "That's all right." "After 27 flights of stairs, we may wind up being old friends." "We better get started." "I don't trust this light." "I think the entire building's gone mad." "Everyone's running around trying to rescind the Ten Commandments." "I've never understood why most people will do things in the dark that they'd never think of doing in the light." "I'd explain it to you, but I'm afraid the lights might come back on." "No, I'm serious." "If we can lie, cheat, steal and kill in broad daylight and have to wait till it's dark to make love, something's wrong somewhere." "I'm beginning to wish I were that friend of yours." "Well, what happened to 13?" "I don't think there is one." "The natives are superstitious." "And you're not superstitious?" "No, I'm bushed." "Couldn't we stop and rest a minute?" "Oh, don't be a sissy." "I'm a girl!" "I'm supposed to be a sissy!" "One of us should've counted the steps." "Maybe we've qualified for the Olympics." "Let's just say we climbed it because it was there." "I'm not as horrible as all that." "I knew it was you." "That was a stupid joke." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Look, my name is David Stillwell." "What's yours?" "Wait a minute!" "What did I say?" "Wait!" "Wait a minute!" "Where are you going?" "Dead?" "Who is it?" "Do you know?" "I can't see." "Is it a man or a woman?" "Did you see him jump?" "No, I always miss those things." "Did you notice which window it was?" "No." "Which floor, then?" "I don't know." "What's the matter?" "Couldn't he wait for the elevator?" "It's the worst way to go." "The worst." "If I had the guts to step out of that window, I'd have the guts to go on living." "Been a lot of suicides lately." "Two in our building already this year." "I got smashed last summer and dropped a watermelon out of our living room window." "We're on the 14th floor." "What on Earth for?" "Haven't you ever wondered what a watermelon would sound like from 14 floors up?" "Okay, what did it sound like?" "About like he did." "Hello, Eddie." "The usual, I guess." "The usual?" "Scotch and lemon peel." "Give me some change, will you, Eddie?" "Yeah." "Haven't seen much of you lately." "Yeah, I skip lunch." "Hey!" "What are you doing here?" "I thought it was you." "I knew it was you." "That'll be 90 cents." "I said, that'll be 90 cents." "Sorry." "Could you tell me where the stairs are?" "Louder!" "Could you tell me where the stairs are?" "The ones that lead down to the subbasement?" "There aren't any." "There aren't any what?" "Stairs, or subbasements." "This is it." "But I was just down there a few minutes ago!" "Not in this building, you weren't, and you're not even supposed to be here." "Now, beat it." "I'm busy." "Good evening, Mr. Turtle." "Don't tell me." "Your name is Mr. Stillwell, right?" "Well, I'm glad you found it." "The way it's been going, I'm not too sure myself." "I know you on account of you're the only man in this whole building who can say my name without making it sound like a joke." "You know what I mean?" "You work with Mr. Josephson, don't you?" "Do you know what he calls me?" ""Sweetheart"!" "You're losing touch. "Sweetheart" is what they call total strangers these days." "Oh, yeah?" "He says it next time and I'll sock him!" "You can call me Joe." "The man who jumped." "Do you know who he was?" "He was a big one, I can tell you that." "Look here." "The mayor went up five minutes ago, shortly after the lights came back on." "First jumper we've ever had that rated the mayor." "Joe, do you know why the lights went out?" "Someone upstairs playing God, most likely." "A man living that high up gets aspirations, you know." "Well, thanks, Joe." "Okay." "Evening, Benny." "Mr. Stillwell!" "Long time no see." "Oh, no." "Not you, too!" "Press your floor button, please." "Going up!" "Thanks very much." "Would you push 7, please?" "I just did." "Stand back from the doors, please, and face the front of the car." "Don't these things just kill you?" "I kind of miss the old guys that used to run them." "I tell you, it's beginning to look like people are on their way out altogether." "Well, maybe the machines will keep us around for pets." "Seventh floor." "Please wait until the doors have completely opened before stepping from the car." "What are you doing for dinner tonight, honey?" "Watch your step, please." "Say, I wonder if you'd have a few minutes you could spare?" "Sorry, but it's been quite a day..." "What do you want?" "Inside." "Quite a day." "All right, move!" "I don't keep a lot of cash around." "Nice!" "It's even nicer when there's no one holding a gun in it." "They got wrestling coming in from Chicago." "I know it's supposed to be fixed, but so is everything else." "Why don't you just take the set?" "Yeah, now that all the Westerns have gone psycho, this is the only place left where you can tell for sure who the bad guys are." "The Major wants to see you." "If it were anyone else I'd say it was a practical joke, but not the Major." "... the Arab forcing Lord Percy into the ropes." "Major who?" "Now, look at that!" "The Arab's got the rope around Lord Percy's neck!" "Come on, Percy!" "Slip out of it, will you, fella?" "You better pack a bag, Mr. Stillwell." "Your plane leaves Kennedy in less than two hours." "Leaves where?" "Idlewild." "They changed the name." "Where have you been?" "I'm beginning to wonder." "But why the airport?" "Isn't the Major in New York?" "Oh, sure." "Sure, he's here." "But he doesn't want to see you here." "He wants to see you there, in Barbados." "You're lucky." "I hear the weather is gorgeous in Barbados." "I wish you'd stop looking as if I'm supposed to know what you're talking about!" "Look out for the hat!" "Into the ropes he goes." "Up, and over he goes again." "Tries for the press." "One, two..." "Look out!" "I can't just leave the country." "I have a job." "They'll ask questions." "There won't be any questions." "Well, I have one." "Suppose I refuse to go?" "Well, that's up to you." "You see that?" "Now, that case of yours goes to Barbados tonight, with you or without you." "Now, the Major would like it if you'd bring it yourself, but you can't be alive in Barbados and dead in New York at the same time." "Smash to the head by Percy." "I have the feeling that you don't care which way it turns out." "No, I care, all right." "But if you're too dead to go, I'll be in Barbados tonight." "And I hear the weather is gorgeous." "The weather is gorgeous." "I know." "Forearm smash to the back by the Arab." "Another one!" "One more!" "Now a fist to the ear." "And there's another one..." "What's supposed to be in here?" "Now look, no questions." "Here's another whip by Lord Percy." "That slowed him down." "Percy with a body slam." "He's heading for the top of the ropes." "Jumps down, and that hurt him bad." "One, two, three and it's over." "Boy, the Arab never knew what hit him." "Here's the time." "Time, ladies and gentlemen, eight minutes twenty-five seconds." "The winner is Lord Percy." "The Arab is now saying something to one of the fans." ""You come up here and see how you like it!" Or something to that effect." "Percy's turning back after him." "He gave him both fingers in the eyes once more." "Now let's see if the Arab's going to punish him." "We don't want you to miss any of the action here." "Well, I guess that's it." "Well, as we just heard in the match, the winner, in one qual, is Lord Percy." "Say, fans, I'd like to remind you again about the wrestling card for next week." "Last week, you'll recall, I promised to announce that card." "Here it is, a real super-duper." "The Swami battles Hiro Samuto." "Also, there'll be Farmer Frank, Angel Slapski, and Buffalo Bill Baker will be on hand." "You'll wanna pick up your tickets early for next week." "Well, we're about ready for the next bout, a one-fall match between The Hayseed and Karl van Striker." "And it should be a lulu." "This pair have been feuding since Karl bit The Hayseed's ear last February." "Judging by the crowd  place on lower Broadway." "Among those who rushed to Calvin's office in the Unidyne Building were the mayor, the Police Commissioner and the FBI." "Mrs. Charles Calvin hurried downtown from their 5th Avenue home, but remained inside her husband's office only 10 minutes." "She was accompanied by Crawford Gilcuddy," "Charles Calvin's close friend and president of Unidyne." "Our reporter was there when these questions were put to Mrs. Calvin." "Mrs. Calvin, can you think of any reason whatsoever why your husband might have taken his own life?" "No, I..." "Are the police convinced it was suicide, Mrs. Calvin?" "I have no idea what the police are..." "Do you believe it was a suicide?" "Can't you see that Mrs. Calvin's had a terrible shock?" "Mrs. Calvin, could your husband have been ill?" "I'm sure I would have been the first to know." "Did he seem depressed?" "Well, he was discouraged, I can..." "Why is that, Mrs. Calvin?" "My husband worked very hard for world peace, but no one..." "Mrs. Calvin, do you think it's possible..." "You're not letting her answer!" "No one else seemed to care." "No one did anything." "Mrs. Calvin..." "No more questions!" "No man in America today is regarded in just the same manner as was Charles Stewart Calvin." "Holding himself aloof from political ties, and therefore from political office," "Calvin was courted by conservative and liberal alike." "But, in his own words from a speech filmed less than two months ago..." "The only political philosophy I recognize is world peace." "Lookit here!" "A beautiful brand-new kitchen!" "Larry, let's show her, shall we?" "First, this automatic-time range, all built in for your convenience." "And I know you like to cook." "And over in the corner here, Larry, too, and Mrs. Lewis, a self-defrosting refrigerator." "Right next to that, an automatic washer and dryer, all in matching colors." "And that's not all." "A sanitarized dishwasher, too, for you, Mrs. Lewis." "This automatic mixer, juicer and blender, and a 10-cup coffeemaker." "And it's all yours with our compliments, Mrs. Lewis." "Take it from us!" "Right, audience?" "I'm sorry  is not in service at this time." "The number you have reached is not in service at this time." "This is a recording." "I'm sorry." "The number you have reached is not in service at this time." "Yes?" "David." "It's me, Josephson." "Well, I was just trying to call you, but the phone was disconnected or something." "You sure?" "What number did you call?" "Digby 447  62." "Digby?" "We haven't used Digby in almost two years now." "They switched us to Hanover." "What did you do, cookie?" "Forget?" "Yes, I..." "I guess so." "Not enough beddie-bye, if you ask me." "Well, too much would be more like it." "I overslept." "That's why I'm late." "Late?" "Late for what?" "I heard you wouldn't be in at all for a few days." "You're supposed to be taking a cruise to the islands or something." "There won't be any questions." "Hey, Dave." "Are you still there, baby?" "Yes." "Yes, I'm still here." "Josephson, if you heard I was taking a cruise to the islands, why did you call?" "I didn't know what time you'd be leaving, and I didn't want you to go without saying aloha, bubble." "Well, save it, bubble, baby, sweetie." "I'm not going." "Well, that's too bad." "I hear the weather is gorgeous down there." "The desk sergeant said that I should see you." "You making a complaint?" "That's right." "Have a seat." "Look at that." "Would you believe" "I made All-City guard in high school?" "Football?" "Funny!" "I'm Lieutenant Franken." "I'm David..." "Hold it." "You'll only have to tell me again." "Okay, shoot." "I'm David Stillwell." "Double "L," double "L"?" "That's right." "Address?" "It's 140 East 56th Street, apartment 7G." "Phone?" "It's..." "It's Murray Hill something." "Well, it's the "something" part we're interested in, Mr. Stillwell." "Care to make a stab at it?" "Well, you see, I live alone, so there's no reason for me to call it." "It's in the book." "Okay, I'll track it down." "Date and place of birth?" "Tell me, how many more of these questions do I have to answer?" "Just a couple." "But, you don't even know what my complaint is yet." "And it's killing me." "But let's both of us try to contain ourselves a little longer, until we get this finished, huh?" "Now, how about it?" "Date and place of birth?" "Someone threatened to kill me unless I left the country!" "There, you've done it." "Don't you want to play by the rules, Mr. Stillwell?" "Now, look, I wasn't All-City anything in high school, all I know is that somebody's trying to kill..." "And you want us to do something, right?" "Well, I think that's why I came in here, if I can remember that far back." "Fine." "And we will do something, I promise." "Just as soon as we finish answering these few simple questions." "Like date and place of birth, for instance." "Forget it!" "Forget the whole thing!" "You'll enjoy that." "It's eminently readable." "Stuck with a lot of them, huh?" "I'll take it." "You won't regret it." "It gave me tons of fresh insight." "Would it be possible to see Dr. Broden right away?" "It's quite urgent." "Who recommended you to this office, Mr. Stillwell?" "Dr. Ellman." "Max Ellman." "Just a moment, please." "Mr. Stillwell, the doctor can see you in 40 minutes." "Thank you." "If I came over now, could I wait in the office?" "Well, we're so close to the park, why not try that?" "Many of the doctor's patients find it very relaxing." "If it isn't our lady of the stairways." "Hello, David." "Why did you run away from me?" "I wanted to talk to you." "What did you wanna say?" "To tell you how sorry I was that I frightened you." "You're still frightening me, David." "Where did you go?" "I just ran." "I followed you, and I called." "Didn't you hear me?" "I heard you." "I followed you down four flights of stairs, but I couldn't find them when the lights came back on." "I think you're mistaken." "Someone's gone to a great deal of trouble to make me think so, too." "Are you following me?" "Not at the moment." "You're following me." "What did the police say?" "Nothing." "You left this in the phone booth." "You can have it." "It's "eminently readable."" "I don't need my head examined, David." "You read that wrong. "I don't need 'my' head examined, David."" "Who did you call?" ""Whom." Objective case." "There's my trouble right there." "I never could be very objective." "Have you got something to tell me?" "Then you only wanted to look, the way you're looking at him." "We both seem to be having pronoun trouble." "It's a "her."" "I don't usually make that mistake." "Have you noticed how they use every inch of space in the cage?" "She's making it as large as she can." "She's looking for a way out." "No." "Not anymore." "She's just waiting." "For what?" "Her keeper." "I really don't know you." "I wish you'd believe that." "I believe it." "Who's the Major?" "If you don't know, my telling you isn't going to help." "Be careful, David." "I'm Mr. Stillwell." "I called." "Go right in, Mr. Stillwell." "The doctor's expecting you." "Thank you." "You won't find a couch, Mr. Stillwell." "I'm a consulting psychiatrist, not an analyst." "Didn't Dr. Ellman tell you that?" "No, he didn't." "Well, I don't wonder." "Ellman has been dead for 12 years." "Yes, well, maybe that's why he didn't say very much." "Why did you agree to see me, then?" "Well, why not?" "You picked both our names from that foolish book." "That's the only connection Ellman and I ever had." "He was a Freudian." "I, on the other hand, am a genius." "There." "You see?" "I no longer suppress my outrageous egotism." "Now, what do you want to know?" "Whether or not I'm insane." "Insanity is a legal term, you understand." "Not a medical one." "If you know the difference between right and wrong, the law considers you sane." "Do you know that difference?" "Between right and wrong?" "Well, they're hardly constant factors, Doctor." "I could probably give you five minutes on good and evil." "Now, those aren't legal or medical terms." "Good and evil are theological concepts." "The only thing that matters in psychiatry, Mr. Stillwell, is behavior." "Can you tell me of any behavior which might make you doubt your rationality?" "Well, among other things, I walked down four flights of stairs which weren't there." "Good!" "Marvelous!" "Had you been drinking?" "No." "No." "Taking drugs?" "Then either the stairs were there, or you didn't walk down them." "You see my point?" "Vividly." "Tell me something, Mr. Stillwell." "Why did you have to look through a book to find a psychiatrist?" "Why didn't you ask your regular doctor?" "I don't have a doctor." "Oh?" "Well, you could've asked a friend, certainly." "You have friends, I presume?" "Well, everyone has friends, Mr. Stillwell." "I think you'd better tell me something about yourself." "It isn't every day I meet a man with no friends." "What would you like to know?" "Well, who you are, what you do, where you come from." "Date and place of birth?" "Well, Mr. Stillwell?" "There are some things that this data processing can't help." "Why are you afraid of questions, Mr. Stillwell?" "The police wouldn't help me either, unless I answered all of theirs." "The police?" "Then the trouble isn't totally in the mind, is it?" "What do you do, Mr. Stillwell?" "Cost accounting." "Oh?" "Why is that?" "Why not?" "I ask you, "Why?" and you ask me, "Why not?"" "Philosophical, perhaps, but hardly productive." "There are many reasons why I can't think of you as a cost accountant." "So I'm curious as to how and when you became one." "It was two years ago." "I went to Garrison, Limited, downtown in the Unidyne Building." "I was interviewed by a Mr. Josephson, and he found me acceptable." "What did you do before that?" "I don't know!" "I don't think I understand." "You don't know what you were doing two years ago?" "I haven't thought much about it lately." "I..." "Oh, now, now, now." "Come, Mr. Stillwell." "Two years isn't such a long time." "What were you doing the day before you got the job?" "I don't know." "The week before, then." "I don't know!" "The year before!" "I can't remember." "I see." "Why didn't you come right out and say so in the first place?" "Well, I..." "I don't think that I actually realized it until just now." "Are you trying to tell me you've been suffering from amnesia for two years and never suspected that fact until this very minute?" "Yes." "Yes, it rather looks that way, doesn't it?" "Well, I'm sorry, Doctor." "I don't like it any more than you do." "Mr. Stillwell!" "I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my office, right now!" "Well, what..." "What?" "What is this, some sort of new shock treatment?" "It's goodbye treatment, Mr. Stillwell!" "I don't know what your game is, and I'm not very anxious to play." "You're obviously in some sort of trouble with the police, and you've come to me to establish a tricky defense!" "Now, just a minute." "Will you please..." "There is no such thing as the sort of amnesia you describe." "There never has been and there never will be." "Surely in some cases..." "Never!" "Unconscious amnesia can exist for an hour or two." "Sometimes, on rare occasions, a day or two." "But two years?" "lmpossible!" "Look, will you please listen..." "I'm through listening!" "You come recommended by a dead man and you invent amnesia!" "Well, I'm not going to help you trick the police or anyone else!" "Now, goodbye." "Save your money, Mr. Stillwell." "If that's your name." "You'll be needing a lawyer now." "To hell with you, Doctor." "To hell with you, too, Mr. Stillwell." "What were you doing the day before you got the job?" "The week before, then." "The year before!" "It isn't every day I meet a man with no friends." "Yeah?" "Mister?" "AAA Detective Agency?" "Triple A, that's right." "Puts me first in the Yellow Pages." "Until somebody comes along with four A's, anyway." "You're selling something?" "No." "You are." "Oh." "You want any?" "Well, can we talk about it?" "Sure!" "Sure, come on in." "My secretary's out to lunch, and my partner's on a case." "My name is Caselle." "Who recommended you to this office?" "Mr..." "Stillwell." "David Stillwell." "I saw the sign." "Sit down." "Sit down, please." "Like a smoke?" "No, thanks." "Now, then, sir, what can I do for you?" "For openers, you can find out who I am." "Sure." "You're David Stillwell." "That'll be ten bucks." "Maybe I better wait for your partner." "Wait a minute." "Relax, Mr. Stillwell." "That's what is known as breaking the ice." "Well, I don't want a date, Mr. Caselle." "I need some help." "I'm willing to pay in advance." "Cash?" "Well, what else?" "A sack of flour and some colored beads?" "I don't take any postdated checks." "How much?" "Five hundred dollars, plus 25 a day expenses." "We'll have to go to my bank." "What are we dawdling around here for?" "Well, don't you want to hear about it first?" "Sure, in the taxi." "Well, what about your secretary?" "Don't you want to leave her a note or something?" "I'll tell you the truth, Stillwell, I don't have a secretary." "There isn't any partner, either." "As a matter of fact, sir, you're my first case." "Terrific." "One hundred, 200, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 570, 590, 600." "Thank you, Mr. Stillwell." "Thank you." "Five hundred, plus 50 for two days' expenses." "I think you better keep it." "The deal's off." "What happened to you?" "I've been thinking about what you told me." "I've been trying to decide whether you're lying or you're just crazy." "That cabbage there tells me you're crazy, so I can't help you." "Listen, Caselle." "For the past two years, I've been completely alone." "Eating alone, spending my nights and weekends alone, and I never questioned it." "Not once in two years." "I have to know why." "Make listening noises, will you?" "Nod your head or grunt or something?" "All right." "Give me the money." "I'll earn this." "I've got a sneaky feeling even if I don't do anything I'll still earn it." "Here, I'll take half of that." "I'm not in the five-C class yet." "Incredible, the way you fill a man with confidence." "Come on." "A deal's a deal." "Considering that I'm your first case, maybe you'd like me to have the money framed." "Don't bother." "I'm hungrier than I am sentimental." "Where shall we start?" "Your place." "We ought to be able to tell something about you just from seeing the way you live." "You know, when I was repairing refrigerators," "I found out that I could read a man's character pretty well just by seeing what he's got in his icebox." "What's so funny?" "Take a look." "My whole life is in there." "Looks like a pretty full life, if you ask me." "But it was empty, Caselle." "I swear, there was nothing in it." "You could at least look like you believe me." "I'm trying, pal." "I'm trying." "Hey, what about the stuff that chubby left behind, the hat and the gun?" "Can I take a look at those?" "Maybe this is not your apartment." "Nice try." "I tell you one thing, it's kind of scary." "You don't even talk like a detective." "Hey, Stillwell." "Who else knows about your amnesia?" "No one, except you and Dr. Broden." "No one else?" "Well, I just realized it myself." "How could anyone..." "If you really don't know, my telling you isn't going to help." "She knows!" "The girl I told you about." "That's why she followed me today." "To make sure." "Well, if she knows, then anybody could know, including the Major." "What about your dispatch case?" "Well, maybe the brownies came in during the night." "Well, if this thing really was empty..." "It was empty." "But the question is, why did they fill it up again?" "Maybe they did it for my benefit." "Stillwell, what if they fixed it so as I'm not supposed to believe you?" "What if I'm supposed to write you off as a nut and walk away?" "What if someone wants you playing this thing all alone, without any help?" "What if I am a nut?" "No, I don't think you're nuts enough to imagine that big fellow that's been following us ever since we left the bank." "I didn't see anyone." "You're not being paid to." "Wouldn't it be hilarious if you did know what you're doing?" "Yeah." "Then how come I don't know what to do next?" "Well, pretend you're James Bond." "He always knows." "Hey, maybe we ought to get something to eat." "I'm dying for a peanut butter sandwich." "Forget James Bond." "Then we could take a look at your office." "What's the name of that place?" "Garrison, Limited." "Tell you one thing, I'm beginning to wish I had a gun." "You're kidding!" "Filthy things." "I can't stand them." "You have one, and sure as shooting, you end up using it." "Beautiful!" "My office is just around the corner." "Hey!" "Charles Calvin." "You didn't tell me about that." "So?" "Did you know Calvin?" "No." "What do you think happened to him?" "Look, you can start on his case as soon as you're finished with mine." "Do you want to see my office or not?" "Okay!" "Okay!" "Right there, huh?" "Yeah." "That wall doesn't look like it was built recently, Stillwell." "Looks like it's been there a long time." "I tell you, there was a door there." "I've passed through it thousands of times." "Take it easy." "Take it easy, will you?" "Are you sure you got the right floor?" "Yes, I'm sure." "Somebody's changed it." "Why?" "I don't know!" "What do you think I hired you for?" "Conversation, you said." "Well, then let's hear some." "I tell you, there was an office there!" "I worked in it for two years." "I left it less than 24 hours ago!" "Face it, will you, Stillwell?" "There's no door there, and there hasn't been one for a lot longer than 24 hours." "I don't need a detective, I need a keeper." "You better get out of here, Caselle." "This is my own private nightmare." "If I quit now, I'll start dreaming about it myself." "Come on, let's look into those four flights of stairs that aren't there either." "Here." "Where'd you meet that maintenance man?" "Right through there." "Tell me some more about him." "Well, he wore steel-rimmed glasses, he weighed about..." "The man who's been following us wears steel-rimmed glasses." "Yo!" "Stillwell!" "Stand over there!" "I'm jumping off to the left." "You go off the other side." "I said, move!" "Go!" "For God's sake, Stillwell!" "Jump!" "Why didn't you jump?" "I'll tell you one thing, this is no private nightmare." "This guy is real." "And so is this gun." "Let's see what else he's carrying." "What do you think that means?" "Mind if I keep it?" "No, no, I don't mind." "He's not objecting, either." "Let's get out of here before he does." "Turtle." "Where?" "Joe Turtle." "All right, I'll play." "Peter Cottontail." "That man over there." "His name is Joe Turtle." "You know, every time I decide you're sane, you come up with something like that." "He knows me." "He knows I work here." "Joe?" "Could you use a drink?" "Easy." "Good evening." "Scotch and lemon peel." "Thank you." "I'll have a Dr Pepper." "That figures." "Stillwell, what does a cost accountant do?" "I don't know." "There are many reasons why I can't think of you as a cost accountant." "I don't know what a cost accountant does!" "I haven't the faintest idea." "You don't look very surprised." "Why?" "Because for the past two years you've been doing something you don't know anything about in an office that doesn't exist?" "What's there to be surprised about?" "Thank you." "Well, what do we do now?" "Start digging." "I'm kind of curious about Charles Calvin, for instance and why he went through that window." "Why Calvin?" "I didn't even know him." "Maybe not, but your nightmare began at almost the exact moment his ended." "You're wasting your time." "I don't mind." "You're paying for it." "And listen, while I'm getting rich, you can go and find Joe..." "Turtle, or whatever his name is." "Well, suppose he's a dream, too?" "Never mind." "Just find him." "And call me in my office in about two hours, huh?" "Would you like to have a drink?" "No." "Then let's go." "Thank you." "Good afternoon, sir." "Feel like talking?" "Not just yet." "Let me know." "Do you really think it's the city's fault?" "What?" "What happens to people, what it does to them." "Or have they done it to themselves?" "What's your name?" "Shela." "Shela what?" "Against the rules, huh?" "You'd think that I'd remember someone like you." "You'd think." "How long has it been?" "Two years." "How did it end?" "Gracefully." "You were much too polite to call me names." "Did you deserve them?" "I'd just assume you didn't remember." "I can't remember anything." "Yes, I know." "Shela, do you know a man named Joe Turtle?" "No more questions, David." "But why?" "What do you think would happen if you told me something?" "You'd turn into a frog?" "Let's not take the chance." "Shela!" "Who are you?" "You've forgotten how to be polite, too!" "David!" "Give it to me, please!" "Shela, I don't know who I am." "I don't know who you are, or who the Major is!" "I'm confused and frightened." "You mustn't be upset when I do things you don't like." "Even if you do say please." "You belong to the Major, don't you?" "People don't belong to people, David." "They go quietly on their own." "Shela." "You've got to tell me who he is and what he wants!" "He can't have it both ways." "How can I give him anything if I can't remember what it is?" "Be grateful for that." "Not remembering is the only thing that's keeping you alive." "But why?" "Because you know something you shouldn't about him." "But also, you have something he needs." "That's why he's taking a chance on keeping you alive a little longer." "I'll have to write him a thank-you note." "That's why you're here, isn't it?" "You're riding scout." "Keeping tabs on my progress." ""It's all right, Major." "As of 7:30 tonight, he's still a vegetable."" "I don't want you killed!" "Oh, yes." "Of course." "You're doing it all for me." "And when I remember, what will you do for me then, when the shooting starts?" "Stand in front of you." "Shela, help me now!" "Now!" "But how can I?" "Help me find Joe Turtle." "He knows me." "He knows where I work." "For God's sakes, David, leave it alone!" "Look, what good will knowing do you if you're dead?" "Is this any different from being dead?" "All right, David." "I'll take you where you want to go." "Incubator." "Have you lived here?" "The name of the street is different, that's all." "It's right in there." "I'll wait here for you." "It's open." "Mr. Turtle?" "Now, isn't that the silliest name you ever heard?" "You hit too hard, Mr. Stillwell." "I'm going to have quite a dentist bill because of you." "See that?" "Where's Joe Turtle?" "Search me." "But there's no point in both of us waiting for him, is there?" "So I'll just run along now." "What's Turtle got to do..." "Stay away from me, Stillwell!" "If you touch me again, I'll..." "Isn't temper an awful thing?" "If you get bored waiting, Mr. Stillwell, try the bed." "It's not bad." "Better take this." "You might need it." "Be good, now." "What if someone wants you playing this thing all alone, without any help?" "David?" "You knew he was dead." "Why didn't you say so?" "You said you were the same as dead." "But you're not, David." "The way he is." "That's what dead is." "And that's what you'll look like if you don't stop!" "All right." "I've seen him." "But you haven't, Shela." "Come and take a look." "The police are coming!" "That's what I came here to tell you!" "Come on, have a look!" "I want you to see a portrait of the man you belong to." "By the work, you know the artist." "We've got to get out..." "I said look." "No, David!" "Please!" "That thing in there used to be somebody!" "Somebody who wasn't any part of this, except that he knew me and would've said so, that's all." "He probably didn't even know why it was happening to him, but you did!" "There was nothing I could do to stop it!" "David, the police." "Please!" "I said, look!" "No!" "Please!" "Now, look!" "Where is he?" "Where's the Major?" "Where is he?" "The police." "They'll find you here." "You'll never be able to explain." "That's what he wants!" "Isn't that what you wanted?" "You brought me here, you set me up." "I could've left." "I didn't have to come up here." "It's right up there." "Yes?" "There's been some trouble downstairs." "Now, we had nothing to do..." "I can't see or hear anything, mister." "I'm deaf and blind." "Where are your mother and father?" "Working." "What's your name?" "Irene." "There's some trouble downstairs, ma'am." "See anything?" "Sorry, I'm deaf and blind." "Oh, God." "It was stupid to bring you here." "I should've known he wanted me to." "That's why he let me come." "Why would he want me arrested?" "Because he knows you couldn't explain your way out, that you'd have to go to him for help." "Then I'd belong to him, too." "Is that how it was with you?" "Were you in trouble?" "Is that how you got to him?" "A smart girl like me?" "I found the way all by myself." "Coffee?" "You shouldn't have bothered, Irene." "I'm glad she did." "I could use it." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Where did you learn to make such good coffee?" "On television." "It's the best coffee I ever tasted..." "It's coffier coffee." "Aren't you having any?" "I'm too young to drink coffee." "That's right." "Have you ever been married, Shela?" "I don't know." "Does playing house count?" "Depends on how old you were." "About her age." "Doesn't count." "Maybe a little older." "Well, I think we'd better be going." "Aren't you a little sleepy now?" "Oh, Irene..." "What are you doing?" "Well, I thought I'd give her a little something." "Tip, you mean?" "Gratitude." "Then say thank you." "All right." "Thank you, Irene." "You're welcome." "Okay, young lady." "Today's all over with." "Let's take your shoes off." "Come on, silly." "Crawl into bed, now." "David, don't answer it!" "Hello." "Hello?" "Hello!" "Probably Caselle." "Not very likely." "I was worried when you didn't call." "Besides, I don't get a chance to work on many locks." "Shela, this is Caselle, boy detective." "I don't know his first name." "And this is Shela..." "I don't know her last name." "I'm sure the two of you'll be very happy." "Hiya." "Ted Caselle." "Glad to meet you." "Hey, did you find your friend Turtle?" "Yeah, we found him." "His head was beaten in by the handle of a pistol." "How did you do?" "I'll fix some coffee." "You could probably use the real thing this time." "Right in there." "Yes, I know where it is." "Hey, Stillwell." "I went to the 42nd Street Library and I looked up Garrison." "Hey, Stillwell, you listening to me?" "Yeah." "Sorry." "I went to the 42nd Street Library and looked up Garrison, Limited." "No such place." "Not in New York City, not in the whole country." "Never was." "Well, that's crazy." "Who's been paying my salary every week for the past two years?" "How do I know?" "Listen, have you ever been to California?" "All you've got is instant." "Okay?" "Yeah." "Instant." "Fine." "I live in New York." "I work in New York." "Why ask about California?" "Caselle, what about California?" "I found a Garrison Laboratories in Brewster, California." "It's part of the Charles Calvin Peace Foundation." "It's a nonprofit organization dedicated to world peace." "It rings no bell whatsoever." "No bell, huh?" "How about this?" "The head of Garrison Labs is a man named Josephson." "Before taking over at Garrison, Mr. Sylvester Josephson was the head of the physiochemistry division at Unidyne." "Ding-dong?" "Detectives don't have to be funny, Caselle." "No matter what it says in the handbook." "I can't help it." "I'm excessively happy-go-lucky." "Well, you better start practicing some happy unemployment jokes." "I must've come pretty close, huh?" "What's that supposed to mean?" "You don't really want to remember anything, do you?" "Now, look, if I want a psychiatrist, I'll get one with a diploma!" "Okay." "Drop around tomorrow, pal, and pick up your $500." "Never mind that." "You earned it." "Earned it?" "Doing what?" "I wanna tell you something, Stillwell." "I would've gone all the way to the end of this thing with you because you were all alone and needed help." "But I'm beginning to think you're all alone for a reason." "You want to be." "Now, when you get tired of it, let me know." "Wait, Caselle." "Just forget what I said." "It's been a rotten day." "Let's talk it over in the morning, huh?" "Okay." "Where's your friend?" "He was just being polite." "Hates instant coffee." "I can't say I blame him." "They might've included some instant taste in along with it." "How many times have you been here, Shela?" "A few." "Hey, you're staring." "Was I in love with you, or what?" "Or what, I suppose." "At least you never said so." "What did we used to talk about?" "The future, sometimes." "And the past." "Wasn't there any present?" "Not much." "You're something of a perfectionist, David." "And our present wasn't exactly perfect." "Was that my fault?" "You couldn't help your attitude, I guess, any more than I could change what I believed in." "Which was what?" "Survival." "You know, better well fed than dead." "And my attitude?" "Disapproval." "Indignation." "Something like that." "You could look very stern when you wanted to." "A stern, indignant perfectionist." "Sounds awful." "I haven't come to the charming, amusing, brilliant part yet." "I can hardly wait." "Or the stubborn part, either." "We're a pair of mules, David." "Both of us." "The harder we pulled on each other, the harder we dug our heels in." "You wanted me to commit first, without promises, out of principle." "I wanted the promises first." "Togetherness is just dandy, but I'd just as soon have foreverness." "Is that what you think you have with the Major?" "The only kind of foreverness he hands out is the kind Joe Turtle got." "Maybe Turtle believed in survival, too." "I'm sure he did." "Well, I'm not impressed." "See, we're old-fashioned, Turtle and I." "We don't exactly approve of our murderer tucking you in at night." "And what do you know about it?" "David, when you're caught in quicksand, you grab the first hand that's held out to you." "And maybe you can't see how dirty the hand is, and maybe you don't care, either." "And what do you want here?" "Do you really think that keeping me alive will help buy back your soul?" "Don't you know why I'm here, David?" "I only know where you've come from." "It's not easy to change sides." "Help me to do it." "Please help." "I can't even help myself." "Love me, David." "Promise you'll love me." "Promise!" "How can I make any promises when I don't even know who I am?" "All right, David." "You don't have to sign anything." "Let's just say we're in escrow." "What's wrong?" "Don't you want me?" "Shela?" "Love me, David." "Promise you'll love me." "Promise!" "Watch your step, please." "Willard!" "The alley!" "Go ahead, Mr. Stillwell." "Try it." "You'll be dead before you hit the bottom." "Lester, why don't we tell the Major that he tried it anyway?" "You hear that, Mr. Stillwell?" "Even Willard doesn't like you very much." "Mr. Stillwell!" "Are you..." "Get out of here or I'll kill him!" "I'll save you the trouble." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Make it snappy, will you?" "I'm listening to the traffic reports." "Would you please move?" "I'd like to go upstairs." "Don't be so damn snotty!" "I'm twice your age!" "And I know a hell of a lot more than you ever will, even if you live to be my age, which it don't strike me you ever will." "Look, I didn't ask for your references." "All I want is for you to move!" "Caselle?" "Caselle." "We're going across the street, son." "Both of us." "Don't look so surprised." "There ain't any social security in this line of work." "Get going." "You start something, and I'll have to kill you right here on the street, and that'd cause a heap of trouble for me." "Suppose I don't care?" "You care." "If I'm still scratching around to keep alive at my age," "I figure you care a lot at yours." "Besides, you wouldn't want to cause no trouble for one of our senior citizens, would you, son?" "We'll wait right here." "Willard will be along with the car pretty soon now." "All right, men." "See that tall fellow there with yellow leaves?" "Yes." "Yes." "Who do you think he is?" "A cottonwood?" "Excellent reasoning, Harold!" "But unfortunately, you're very much mistaken." "This is our old friend the ginkgo." "Ginkgo." "Never heard of it." "One of the few trees that can breathe our dirty city air." "Maybe we'd better wait over there." "Do you want it right here with an audience?" "All right, men." "Onward and upward." "You didn't grow old in this business taking those kind of chances." "Don't try me, son." "That was very interesting, what you told the boys." "Of course occupation-wise, Mother Nature offers no real benefit to their future as competitors in society's marketplace." "Smell that air, would you?" "You'd never suspect that each year over 486,000 tons of impurities..." "David!" "Who is it?" "Josephson!" "What do you want?" "I'm sorry you're having trouble, baby." "You deserve better." "And you don't have to worry about me, killing isn't my job." "There are plenty of people to do that." "What is your job?" "Following instructions." "Please believe me, David, sometimes I don't like my instructions, but I follow them." "Why?" "The M-A-J-O-R pays me three times what I'm worth." "You can understand that, can't you?" "What do you want?" "We've looked everywhere for it." "You know that, David." "Looked for what?" "Empty your pockets." "I'll stay right here." "Put everything on the ground, and then turn and walk away." "Suppose it's not in my pockets?" "It doesn't matter." "You're all alone, David." "There's no one to help you, no one you can talk to." "We'll find you again." "There's nowhere to go, David!" "You almost got me!" "So?" "Unconscious amnesia can exist for an hour or two." "Sometimes, on rare occasions, a day or two." "But two years?" "lmpossible!" "Didn't I make it clear that I never wanted to see you again?" "No one else I could talk to, or I wouldn't be here." "Well, it appears I've decided to grant you a few minutes of my time." "Very well, Mr. Stillwell, what's on your mind?" "What causes amnesia?" "Severe shock, Mr. Stillwell, either physical or mental." "Mostly, we cause it ourselves." "We're afraid to remember something, and therefore, we don't." "Dr. Broden, I don't think I've had amnesia for two years." "I don't think I've had it for more than two days." "What makes you think so?" "I remembered something, something that happened less than two years ago." "Oh, bravo, Mr. Stillwell, bravo!" "With amnesia, you must remember." "First it's a block, then it begins to crumble, bit by bit." "Now, two years without knowing it, that was impossible, but, two days, well, that's something else." "But couldn't a genius like you have seen that yesterday?" "A medical man has to be very careful these days, Mr. Stillwell." "Do you know that a doctor can't afford to stop at a street accident anymore?" "If we stop to treat a seriously injured man, we're legally responsible." "Therefore, we must let that man bleed to death on the street." "So you see, in today's complicated world, right becomes wrong and wrong becomes right." "But, in your case..." "All right, Mr. Stillwell, sometimes I do something foolish." "There." "You see?" "I can be humble." "Now, what do you remember?" "I was standing under a tree, in the country someplace, not New York." "I was talking to a man, someone I'd forgotten that I knew." "But now you remember him?" "It was Charles Calvin." "Oh?" "And this was less than two years ago?" "Yes." "Where was this tree, Mr. Stillwell?" "I'm not quite sure." "Close your eyes, please." "I want you to look at that tree in your mind." "Can you see it?" "Yes." "Now look around, Mr. Stillwell." "What do you see?" "It's the lab." "Garrison Laboratories." "Where?" "It's in California." "It's a radiation lab." "Most of it's built underground." "And what does that mean to you?" "I've been working there for the past two years." "Well, what was a cost accountant doing in a radiation lab?" "I'm not a cost accountant, I'm a physiochemist." "I was working there, on the fourth level." "The fourth level underground?" "Yes." "Mr. Stillwell, could those have been the stairs you couldn't find here in New York?" "Go on." "I can't." "What did you do on the fourth level?" "I don't know." "If you were there for two years, when did you get back to New York?" "The day before yesterday." "Where did you get your apartment?" "It's mine." "I own it." "Then you lived in New York before you went to California?" "Yes." "Where did you work?" "At Unidyne." "As a physiochemist?" "Yes." "Doing what, specifically?" "I don't know." "Why did you go to California?" "I don't know!" "Why did you come back to New York?" "I don't know." "Why do you go on asking me these stupid questions?" "What's wrong, Mr. Stillwell?" "Don't you want to remember?" "You don't really want to remember anything, do you?" "Yes, I do." "I do." "Of course I do." "I want to remember." "No, Mr. Stillwell." "No, you do not want to remember." "That's why you blacked it out." "Doctor, how sick am I?" "You're not sick, Mr. Stillwell." "You've been bruised." "When you bump your toe in the dark, you're not sick, but you do put a bandage on it in order to protect it from further injury while it heals." "Now, you've stubbed your conscious mind, and you've put a bandage of forgetfulness on it until it recovers." "But you will remember, in spite of yourself." "It's the nature of the beast." "You are compelled to pick at the scab you've grown over the bruise until you succeed in pulling it off." "But why did I think that I remembered the past two years?" "You didn't remember them, you merely pretended to." "That was the bandage you applied." "You created it in order to replace the time you didn't want to remember." "The two years in California, perhaps." "But why?" "Why?" "These are strange times, Mr. Stillwell." "From here on, you'll begin to remember everything." "Bits and pieces will fall into place with increasing frequency, if you have the courage to face that terrible thing that made you forget." "But whatever it is, I don't want to know about it." "Goodbye, Mr. Stillwell." "You're a brilliant man, Broden, and no doubt a good scientist, but you're not much of a doctor, or a human being, either." "God knows." "Has the doctor made another appointment with you, Mr. Stillwell?" "You're late, David." "Terribly late." "Frances." "I'm so sorry." "Yes, David, I know." "It's too bad you missed the funeral." "It was lovely." "The governor came down from Albany." "There was even a wire from the President." "Everyone was there." "Everyone except David Stillwell." "I'm sorry I couldn't come." "The coffin was closed, you know." "Charles used to be quite handsome." "But there was nothing they could do." "After all, he did fall 27 floors..." "Frances." "Stop it." "You know how much I'll miss him." "Will you?" "You know what he meant to me." "It's all right, David." "I know what Charles was, and so do you." "What do you mean?" "Isn't that why you killed him?" "What are you talking about?" "Where were you that afternoon?" "I was in my office, of course, at Garrison." "What are you talking about, David?" "Garrison's in California." "You were in Charles' office, here in New York." "I just had a call to come up to C. C.'s office." ""C. C.'s office."" "There was no one in Charles' office when Josephson got there, not even Charles." "Just an open window." "That's impossible." "That's impossible." "But your nightmare began at almost the exact moment his ended." "No." "I couldn't have done anything to him." "I adored the man, Frances, you know I did." "For God's sake, David, what are you doing?" "I loved him more than my own father!" "David!" "Don't do it!" "I would've done anything he asked!" "Anything!" "You mustn't think I blame you, David." "It was his face." "You didn't have to know who Charles Calvin was to know the magnificent work the man who wore that face was capable of doing." "Where did this come from?" "Well, Crawford gave it to Charles." "Crawford?" "Who's Crawford?" "Crawford Gilcuddy." "You were there at the dinner the night he presented it to Charles." "What does it mean?" "Well, it's the motto of Unidyne." "Crawford is the president." "He knows!" "He knows what happened!" "Crawford?" "Yes!" "The Major!" "That's why I want you to meet Crawford." "Unidyne will give you greater opportunities to work for world peace." "Greater than teaching at the university." "The more scientists like you that I can place with organizations like Unidyne, the greater the chances of one day achieving a victory over human misery." "David!" "Why did you come here?" "You were right, I had nowhere else to go." "It was foolish, bubble, very foolish." "And then some." "I owe you some pain, Mr. Stillwell." "California isn't the end of the Earth, David." "The foundation wants to find a way to neutralize atomic radiation, to make the peaceful uses of nuclear energy safer for industry and medicine." "I can get Crawford to give you a leave of absence." "Stop!" "Hello, Charles?" "I'm sorry to disturb you." "I think I've found what we've been looking for, and if I'm right about it..." "Well, why don't I fly back to New York right away and see you?" "You're the only one I can talk to." "Willard, that's enough." "I said, that's enough." "I owe him." "Leave him alone!" "Now, Josephson, get me a cloth, would you, please?" "It was generous of you to come, David." "I'll try not to hurt you, David." "Violence is something new to you, isn't it?" "Well, I can't say that I care very much for it myself, but more and more people seem to be craving it as part of their lives." "Don't you think so?" "Yes." "It belonged to poor Charles." "I had to come back, Charles." "I didn't know how to handle something like this." "It's too big." "You're quite right, David." "It is too big." "That's why I want Crawford to hear it." "I don't understand what he's got to do with this." "Listen to him, David." "It's not going to hurt you to listen to him." "David!" "This is a surprise." "When did you get back?" "This afternoon." "Sit down, Crawford." "David has made a very interesting discovery." "He wants to tell you about it." "Of course, it's just a beginning, but David assures me that it checks out, so far." "I don't suppose that you can make anything more out of that equation than I have." "Where is it, David?" "It wasn't in Charles' office after he was killed, so I know that you have it." "Where is it?" "Don't be foolish, David, tell him." "He's not going to steal it, you know." "Are you, Major?" "David has discovered a method of neutralizing nuclear radiation at the source." "The danger of radiation will no longer exist." "Is that right, David?" "I think so." "Are you talking about fallout?" "Fallout is a term which applies only to nuclear explosions." "Eliminating fallout would have a great strategic value, David." "Yes, by making a clean bomb that would be safer to use." "That's right." "But you know that you'd also be making them easier to use." "Relax, David." "You're missing the point, David." "What you're talking about has nothing to do with reality." "What I'm talking about is saving lives, not taking them!" "Or isn't there enough money in peace these days?" "You'd better have copies made of this right away." "I want my physiochemistry division to..." "Put that down!" "I don't work for Unidyne anymore!" "Or do I?" "Why don't you leave us alone, Major?" "I think I can work this out with David." "I want this settled before he leaves the building." "I'll do it my way!" "And remember, David is a very close friend of mine." "He was the best friend you ever had." "He dragged you out of that ivy-covered crypt you'd buried yourself in, and handed you a brilliant career." "And you repaid him, didn't you?" "Damn you." "Damn you, you murdered him!" "Major!" "Leave him alone!" "Shela, dear, you mustn't interfere where you're not concerned." "And when did you start calling me "Major"?" "I'm Crawford to my friends." "You never used to call him "Major."" "I thought only his employees called him that." "It's just an old habit." "Don't forget, we were in the Army together." "Charles, tell me the truth." "Does your Peace Foundation have any connection with Unidyne?" "Why would that interest you, David?" "Well, because a foundation doing business with a profit-making organization is illegal!" "I can't respect any legality that would impede progress." "We're being turned into statistics, case histories and percentage points, all in the name of progress!" "What ever happened to human beings?" "Is that what you want to see, David?" "Human beings?" "Come here, David." "Look at them." "Do they look like human beings or ants?" "You're quite right, David." "They are statistics." "But I didn't do it to them." "I'm not responsible." "Maybe you are, Charles." "You're one of the leaders." "You have the power to control progress and to protect human dignity." "What's this?" "Crawford's way of keeping me in the building until you can soften me up?" "Don't you see what he is, Charles?" "Miss Baxter, can you hear me?" "Those people down there aren't even ants to him." "They're articles of commerce." "That man computes human lives in terms of dollars and cents." "He's made you his prize salesman, and I'm the cost accountant trying to cut down his overhead with what you and he call progress!" "I won't let you have this, Charles." "I'm tired of you, David." "Just give me the piece of paper and get the hell out of here." "How far would I get?" "A block?" "Two?" "I know about the connection between Unidyne and the foundation, which is a damn sight more than Joe Turtle or Caselle knew!" "At least I'll know why I'm being murdered." "I want that paper!" "I don't have it anymore." "Pencil and paper." "You know what was on the paper, David." "Write it down." "Willard." "Give me your gun, Willard." "I have removed all of the bullets, except one." "All right, Willard." "Slowly." "One at a time." "Pick up the pen, David." "Willard?" "I'm not impressed, David." "You're a scientist." "You knew the odds were in your favor for the first one." "But no one is bluffing." "Not you, not me, and certainly not Willard." "Pick up the pen." "Willard?" "For God's sake, David, what are you doing?" "Don't do it!" "David!" "Don't do it!" "Charles!" "I didn't kill him, Crawford." "You did!" "You're still confused, David." "I wasn't there, you were." "You were there, Crawford." "Your sickness was inside him." "You're a carrier." "You infected him, and he died from it." "And now it's your turn, unless you're interested in staying alive." "No?" "Willard?" "Wait..." "You idiot!" "You damned idiot!" "You just won't learn not to interfere, will you, Shela?" "You always were too extravagant, but this time you're going to pay the bill." "For once in your life you've chosen the wrong side!" "Now then, David, you were about to say something." "David, please give him what he wants!" "Is that what you want?" "I want you alive!" "You're wasting time, David." "What's wrong, Major?" "You look nervous." "Why should I be?" "That's what I want to know." "Josephson?" "Is that who you're worried about, Major?" "Why should he worry about me?" "Because I'm not on the hook anymore." "You are." "What are you talking about?" "You've got the gun." "I don't know anything about killing, Major." "It won't be murder, Josephson." "David is intent on committing suicide." "No good, Josephson." "There's no one else." "He's alone, except for you." "For once in your life, you've got power." "Use it!" "How?" "He ordered two men killed." "That's first-degree murder!" "We can get him, Josephson." "You and I." "Don't be an idiot, Josephson." "You'll have a job with Unidyne for as long as you live." "And how long do you think that will be?" "You've hesitated too long." "He'll remember that." "One phone call, Josephson, and you're a wealthy man for the rest of your life." "One phone call and it'll be too late." "He won't be alone anymore..." "Don't, Major." "Please don't." "All right, Josephson." "Now, you think about it." "You think about it carefully." "Commit, Josephson!" "If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space!" "Kill him." "If you can't, I will." "Are they making it tough for you?" "No, I'm all right." "How about you?" "Is Humpty Dumpty back together again?" "I think so." "All the pieces seem to fit now." "Oh, David." "Do you know why it happened?" "I believed in Charles Calvin so much that I..." "I forgot he was only a human being." "What are you going to do now?" "Go back to work, I guess." "I don't suppose you could use any help?" "Who do you have in mind?" "Well, you could run an ad in the Times." ""Wanted, extremely lonely young lady" ""with a fairly low opinion of herself due to many mistakes," ""willing to work long, hard hours."" "Think I'd get any answers?" "You might." "Oh, David." "Help me." "Please help me." "We'll help each other." "That's really what it's all about, anyway."