"Good morning, Jim." "Until recently, Father Paolo Dominguin has led a democratic revolution against the cruel dictatorship that rules his country." "Now our Far Eastern enemies are taking over Father Dominguin's movement." "Their agents are Carlos Martillo, the local insurgent, and the legendary international revolutionary Juan Acero." "They're holding Father Dominguin prisoner in the mountain village of Lagonas and Acero plans to murder him as soon as he can find a way to do so without arousing the hatred of the local population." "Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it, is to rescue Dominguin and restore his control of the revolution." "As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "Will that be enough to set off the whole arsenal?" "If you multiply what you just saw by a thousand." "The crate's marked." "How much time has Father Dominguin got?" "Very little at best, Willy." "Both Acero and Martillo want him dead." "The only thing they're arguing about is how and when." "Why was Acero so willing to see the Friends of Religion?" "Because he's already half-convinced they're a front for American intelligence." "He hopes they'll provide him with a patsy." "Jim, about this rivalry between Martillo and Acero," " how deep is it?" " It's deep, Barney." "Martillo's homegrown." "Acero is a foreigner." "What happens to Martillo when we leave?" "Major Shen's country brought Acero in because their revolutionary movement, the SMV, had lost faith in Martillo." "To them, he's nothing but a local firebrand." "So with Acero out, they'll cut off every nickel." "Oh, of course, that's not the way our Major Shen will be playing it." "Where is the real Major Shen?" "He's safely in custody along with Acero's carrier pigeon." "Jim, is there any other way out except through this mountain pass?" "No, only cross-country, it's rugged terrain." "If Acero's men were really on our tail, we wouldn't have a prayer." "Then everything depends on the copter." "Comandante Acero, we beg of you." "Let the priest go." "He's a good man." "No longer, Esbarto." "He was corrupted by the Americans." "Now he is their puppet, working with them to support the dictator." "But, comandante, the Americans do not support the dictator." "Who do you think they support?" "Workers, peasants like you?" "Never." "It's the military pigs they want in power, because only they can keep you on your knees." "Father Dominguin told us otherwise." "Father Dominguin lied." "But he's one of us." "He taught our children, cared for our sick." "We believe him, not you." "Esbarto, you are blinded by his cross." "Good morning." "I'm Allan Slater." "Friends of Religion Society." "The comandante is expecting me." "Hot, isn't it?" "We are humble people." "But I'm warning you, do not hurt the priest." "We will not hurt him, Esbarto." "But we must get the truth from him." "You, all of you must understand we are your friends." "He is your enemy." " You may pass." " Thank you." "Checkpoint reporting." "Friends of Religion representative now passing through." "Priest, if you want to live, sign this confession." "Let the people know how you've betrayed them to the dictator." "Martillo," "I have told you before." "I will not buy my life with lies." "Tie his hands." "Priest, you are now going to commit suicide." "Martillo." "We've discussed it many times." "I thought you understood." "We are not to martyr the priest." "The priest is going to commit suicide." "We will be blameless." "Oh, I see." "The priest." "A Catholic priest, to whom suicide is a guarantee to hell, will kill himself in our jail cell, under our guard, and we will be blameless, huh?" "Such brilliance, such subtlety." "Martillo, you are a credit to the revolution." "You are also a fool." " Untie him." " No." "The priest will not sign the confession." "Therefore, the priest must die." "Martillo, tell me, do you like scorpions?" "Kill the priest and there will be scorpions everywhere." "Untie him." "Dominguin, what do you know about the Friends of Religion?" "Very little." "An international charitable organisation, I believe." "And a front for American intelligence." "No." "Not to my knowledge." "This is between us, your sheep will never know." "Are they or are they not American intelligence?" "When will you understand, Acero?" "I have no connection with American intelligence." "If they support me, they do it without my knowledge." "In contrast to you," "I control my own revolution." "I control it from here." "And I take orders from no one." "Releasing Father Dominguin to us would be a humanitarian gesture the whole world would applaud." "You make good sense, Mr. Slater." "Public relations, the Americans call it, don't they?" "And good public relations could be one of the most potent weapons in our arsenal." "Still, we are at war here." "And if we could derive some material gain, like milk for the babies of the local populace..." "Well, I think we could have some milk shipped in." "Very kind." "What about bandages and medical supplies?" "Oh, yes, yes, that can be arranged." "Excellent." "Well, then." "Oh, there is one other thing, Mr. Slater." " Yes?" " Guns." " What?" " Nothing very much." "A truckload of the latest rifles, ammunition, grenades." "Along with the milk, I mean." "Comandante, we're a religious organisation." "It just can't be done." "Oh, that's a pity." "But perhaps it's all for the best." "We've grown fond of the priest." "In a way, we'd hate to lose him." "Mr. Slater, it's been interesting." "Well, I'll see what can be arranged." "Friends of Religion Society." "Identification." "Checkpoint reporting." "Arms truck has arrived." "We'll inspect." "Let us see the truck." "Comandante, the Friends of Religion truck is now at the checkpoint." "The Friends of Religion." "Have you ever noticed, Ortiz, how American intelligence gravitates toward religious covers?" "It stems from the American belief that God is one of them." "Therefore, they feel no compunction about using him." "You're sure they're American intelligence?" "Who else could supply a truckload of weapons on such short notice?" "And now that you have the guns, you're going to shoot them." "No, Martillo, no." "They're going to provide us with a way of killing the priest and his movement all at once." "Checkpoint reporting." "Arms-truck inspection completed." "Truck now passing through checkpoint." "Dominguin, you have a visitor from America." "It's a great honour, Father." "Allan Slater, Friends of Religion Society." "Mr. Slater, welcome to Lagonas, at least my small portion of it." "Mr. Slater, you have made a mistake in morality and it has led you into a mistake in tactics." " You mean the guns?" " Exactly." "You cannot buy life with death." "Nor can you afford to underestimate the comandante." "The priest is a very competent actor." "But, Father, the Friends of Religion Society gave me the mission of saving your life." "The guns were the only chance we had." "But have you saved it?" "He will take your guns." "But he will never let us leave these mountains alive." "I must stress again, Mr. Slater, the comandante is extremely clever and utterly ruthless." "The only reason I am still alive is that he has not yet found a way to kill me without arousing the people." "I am certain he is still looking for that way." "We don't trust him any more than you do, Father." "Yet you have entered into this bargain with him." "We don't intend to keep our part of it any more than he intends to keep his." "We have a plan, Father." "A very good plan." "It concerns me, Mr. Slater, that you may be throwing your life away." "What is your plan?" "In the first place, as soon as you're in our hands, an announcement will be made in the capital." "It will focus the attention of the entire world on Lagonas." "It's on its way." "You better get going too." "Sure you can handle that rotor blade by yourself?" "Yep." "Before you reach the checkpoint, there's a series of high cliffs." " Do you know them?" " The Wall Cliffs." "Yes, well, just past them, there's a trail out of the compound." "We'll leave the car and cut across country." "It will be dangerous, Mr. Slater." "Are you prepared for that?" "Yes, Father, we're prepared." "Will you pray with me?" "I'd be honoured, Father." "Our Father, who art in heaven..." "We may be missing some details of their plans." "Martillo, it's fortunate for your oppressed countrymen that they don't have to depend on your intellect alone." "Don't you think they knew their cell was being bugged?" "Then why do we bother to listen at all?" "Oh, good, Martillo." "In that question is the dim flicker of intelligence." "Acero..." " Sometimes I would like to..." " Kill me?" "And your revolution along with me?" "Restrain yourself, Martillo." "We shall nurture that flicker into at least a dull flame." "We listened to learn what they won't do." "You understand that concept?" "For example, they won't go near the Wall Cliffs." "Major Shen." "The authentication on Major Shen." "Some men like perfume," "I like the smell of new rifles." "Comandante, 200,000 rounds of ammunition and a dozen crates of grenades." " Very good." " Okay." "Now, where are Mr. Slater and Father Dominguin?" "They are praying." "Take it up to the caves and store everything in the underground arsenal." "Yes, my comandante." "Hey, what about Mr. Slater and the priest?" "Truck driver, do not be impatient." "There are arrangements to be made." "You will get your priest when we are ready to give him to you." "And not before." "Didn't you deliver the weapons?" "Of course I delivered them, Mr. Slater." "But I don't think he means to let us go." "So at last, the famed Major Shen." "Major Shen is the SMV's, shall we say, coordinator of revolutions." "Colonel Ortiz." "Major Martillo." "Colonel Ortiz." "Major Martillo, this is indeed a great pleasure." "The SMV has watched your activities for some time, and with a great deal of appreciation." "Thank you." "Comandante, you were sent in here with orders to liquidate Father Dominguin." "Why is he still alive?" "Ortiz, bring in Mayor Esbarto." "No, comandante, you can never convince me Father Dominguin is an enemy of the revolution." "Esbarto, why are you so stubborn?" "There are Americans in Lagonas to negotiate for the priest's life." " Why do you think they came?" " They are religious people." "They came because he's a priest." "Yes." "Religious people, Esbarto." "With guns?" "They knew you'd take nothing else." "Esbarto, I am touched by your devotion." "I have decided to release the priest in the custody of the Americans." "Comandante, this is the truth you tell me?" " Tell your people." " Yes, comandante." "Thank you, thank you very much." "Do you see?" "Would you like that unreasoning love turned to unreasoning hate?" "Acero, Dominguin is a cancer." "A cancer that must be excised at once." "Agreed, and as soon as I learn how the Americans plan to escape," "I will devise a way of killing them and the priest that will leave us blameless." "And suppose you are unable to diagnose their intentions?" "They will not leave until I do." "What steps are you taking?" "I have patrols scouting the area for any evidence of their real escape route." "Martillo what do you think about all this?" "I think it is time to stop playing games." "I say we should kill the priest now." "If the peasants object, we should kill them too." "Martillo, I agree." "This is a situation that calls for action," " not intrigue." " Nonsense." "The Esbartos of the region would overwhelm us." "Are you losing your nerve, comandante?" "I refuse to collaborate in stupidity." "Acero, you were dropped by our European comrades because of your stubborn refusal to obey orders." "You appear intent on repeating that experience with us." "European, Asian, I don't care what you are." "I know revolution and I know Latin America." "And I will do things my way or not at all." "Lagonas is a humble place, Major Shen." " I hope you will forgive us these..." " Please, Martillo." "I am as much a soldier as you are." "Have you ever noticed anything strange about the comandante?" "Strange?" "This boastfulness of his, is it a pattern?" "Oh, yes." "No one is greater than the comandante." "And he tries to degrade others." "How did you know?" "Me, for one." "Me, who led the first troops into battle in this country." "Me, he treats like dirt." "He is the saviour and we are worms." "Martillo, it may be necessary to put you in charge of operations here again." "Please." "Read this." "Forgive me, the language is very complicated." "I am sorry." "I forget." "The comandante was at the university while you were in the cane fields with a gun in your hands." "This is a psychiatric personality study prepared at long-range by SMV psychiatrists." "It means that we know a great deal about the comandante." "He is a very sick man." " Sick?" " His mind." "He suffers from a disease called megalomania." "It is a belief that he is like God, that he is always right." "That those who disagree with him are fools or worse." "Is something wrong, Major Shen?" "I do not know." "From now on," "I want to know everything Acero does." " Everything." " Yes, Major Shen." "Wait." "I have a better way." "Sanchez." "Come in." "Major Shen." "They have found a helicopter." "An American-intelligence helicopter." " Where?" " A canyon, between here and the cliffs." "And what do they intend to do about it?" "I intend for it to crash." "For them all to die in it." "And in the wreckage, we will arrange to find documents proving how the Americans and Dominguin plotted with the dictator." "Comandante, I do not approve of this plan." "You do not approve?" "I was sent in here to find the proper way of killing the priest, so this revolution could be won." "Well, I have found it." "At the cost of a helicopter, which could be worth..." "Nothing." "Nothing compared to the priest's life." "You will still be blamed for his death." "Not the way I've planned it." "There will be an accident." "Help!" "Help me!" "Help me!" "No, don't." "Don't." "Help me!" "Help!" "No!" "Help!" "Help me!" "No!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help me!" "Help!" "Get your hands off me." "You are drunk." "Get off me." "Let me go." "Please don't." "Help!" "Stop him." "No!" "Help!" "Please, no!" "No!" "Get out of my way." "What have you done to him?" "I did not mean for you to hurt him." "I am Major Shen." "I wish to see Father Dominguin." "I'm sorry, sir." "That's impossible." "The comandante has issued strict orders." "No one sees the priest." "Pedro, I am sorry he hurt you." "He will be all right." "No thanks to you." "What are you doing here anyway?" "It is none of your business, but I'm on patrol." "Patrol?" "Way out here?" "What for?" "What's over that ridge, anyway?" "Look, soldier, you are drunk." "Now, take your girlfriend and get out of here." "Not until I see what you're patrolling." "What is your name, soldier?" "Come on, let's see what they're patrolling." "I said, what is your name?" "Pedro Sanchez." "Well, Pedro Sanchez," "I have orders from the comandante to clear this area." "Now, get out of here." "Come on, then." "Let's go somewhere else." "You are free to go." "Someday peace will come to Lagonas, as it will to the world." "I hope to come back to you soon." "Meanwhile, may God bless you all." "Goodbye, Father." "Esbarto." "I have been fair, have I not?" " Yes, comandante." " Now you will come with us." "You will see that it was American intelligence that came for Dominguin." " Comandante, I don't..." " You will see the proof, Esbarto." "An American-intelligence helicopter." "Does that mean you will stop him?" "No, but I want you to know the truth about your Father Dominguin." " Father Dominguin, Barney Collier." " Father." " All set?" " All set." "Go with God." "If only he had trusted us, if only he had gone out by the road, as he said he would." "No harm would have ever come to him." "We would have protected him." "We wanted him to live." "Because he meant so much to your people." "It appears the comandante has succeeded." "Yes, Martillo, it does." "Major Shen, you will come with us." "Martillo, bring in the bodies." "Yes, yes, the body can lie in state." "I have no objections." " Esbarto, leave us." " The body of Father Dominguin," " did you bring it?" " I said, leave!" " There are no bodies." " What?" "No bodies." "No trace of any bodies." "That's impossible." "You saw them take off." "They couldn't have survived." "Martillo." "Are you sure you did not see the bodies?" "I'm sure." "There would be some trace, something." "Is this some kind of a trick?" "Martillo, what are you up to?" "Ask Sanchez." "We searched together." "We saw them take off." "We saw them crash." "They're dead." "They have to be dead." "I would suggest that we make an examination of the takeoff area." "Why?" "What do you expect to find?" "I do not know, comandante." "Perhaps the truth." "We saw them get into the helicopter and we saw it take off." "No." "We saw them get into the helicopter, but then what did we see?" "Dust." "Like this." "And this." "What are you doing?" "Martillo, Sanchez." "Get some brush and clear this away." "No, they couldn't have." "Couldn't they?" "In the dust, through the floor of the helicopter, into that." "Sanchez, the box." " Do you know what that is?" " Yes, of course I know." "They're radio controls." "Now we know why there were no bodies." "They were in there." "Now they could be anywhere." "I saw them in the cockpit after it took off." "You all saw them." "Sanchez, that object, let me have it." "Compressed air." "That explains what we saw." "Balloons inflated in their own likeness." "They have escaped, comandante." "And with Dominguin free, the entire revolution is in doubt." "No, major." "We will prevail." "We have the men and the arms." "Our entire arsenal." "What are we going to use for arms now?" "We are finished." "Finished!" "Comandante, once you were a true revolutionary, but your very success destroyed you." "It made you sick with pride and arrogance." "I shall report to the SMV we have no further use for you." "Martillo is in charge." "I will not relinquish my command." "I can save the revolution." "I, not Martillo." "L..." "I am in charge now." "In charge?" "In charge of what?" "Without the comandante, there is nothing." "It is the priest's revolution now." "The country belongs to Dominguin." "That was a beautiful crash you let Ortiz rig." "Ortiz had plenty of time." "He just muffed it." "I had to redo the job myself or the copter never would have gotten off the ground."