Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, a Quinn Martin production.

Starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather.

Mark Schera.

With guest stars Gregory Walcott, Catherine Cannon,

Mark Wheeler, Cooper Huckabee.

Tonight's episode, The Mercenaries.

Denison Cable TV.

I understand you got a problem.

Nobody told me you were coming.

Somebody called.

Here's the work order.

Open the gate.

I said open the gate.

Thank you.

Free And that and you're dead

But you're 12 seconds late none of you would have gotten off the grounds alive

He would have been out

of the chair out of the room the police would have been on their way By the time

you found them they would have arrived Well that guard wasn't supposed to be

there under the stairs Cormoran, you were supposed to check the stands.

Yeah, Danny. If Otis and I hadn't been there... What makes you think that your

target, surely one of the most unpredictable men in the world, will

moment that we plan to kill him to suddenly become predictable?

Sir, this is the whole idea of training, to prepare for the unexpected moment.

The gods will be real next time, and so will the bullets. We won't be off more

than five seconds no matter what they throw at us. Five seconds.

And half that time you could be four dead soldiers.

Now think about it.

There isn't much time left.

Yes, that's Corman. Danny Corman.

No, it's a C. C -O -R -M -A -N.

I'm his wife.

Well, there must be some record. He said he was working for you.

I know you're just the secretary, but could you please check? It's really

terribly important.

I see. All right. Thank you very much.

Who's it, huh?

She's lying.

Maybe she is just the secretary.

Are you kidding me? Secretaries always know more than their bosses.

I think that's a compliment.

General Dyer?

Were you expecting a young... pretty visitor?

Hello, Kate.

Hi, JR.

Did you find him?

Well, no, but we think we have some leads.

Anybody mind filling me in?

I'm Barnaby, I'm sorry.

Betty Barnaby, this is Kate Corman. She's Danny's wife. How do you do?

How do you do?

Danny's a friend of JR's from Chicago. They grew up there and served together

Vietnam. Kate called me last night to help me locate Danny. Is he missing?

Danny joined a private army group. They're mercenaries. Let's call them

they are. Anyway, he was immediately sent out here to Los Angeles.

I got two letters right away, and for the past three weeks, nothing.

Well, have you tried contacting this army group?

Well, we've been trying all morning, Bernie, but they claim to have no record

him at all.

They swear they don't even know what we're talking about.

Well, I'm sure we can clear that up.

Not to worry. Now, it's my friend, my case.

It's my first case. How about that, huh?

Why did your husband join this group in the first place?

Oh, money.

You see, I've been ill.

The doctor and hospital bills were killing us.

Before I could stop him, Danny had joined and was shipped off.

A few weeks later, my condition turned around.

I've got to find him, Mr. Jones, and tell him I'm all right now.

I'm afraid they'll send him to Angola or someplace.

He'll be killed all for nothing.

Take it easy. Just give me a little time.

J .R.'s right.

You must be dead tired from your flight.

Why don't you come to my place? You could stay there if you like.

Thank you.

But I already left my things at my aunt's over in Silver Lake.

I'm going across town. Silver Lake's right on the way. Why don't you ride

me? Betty, see if this gets in the mail, please. Will do.

Are you sure it's no trouble?

No, no trouble at all. Come on. Does your aunt have a phone?

I'll call you with the number.

Katie, don't worry about a thing. We'll take care of it.

Thanks, J .R.

I sure hope that sounded convincing.

You should learn not to promise things unless you can deliver.

You can't beat him as the old thing goes. I wanted to try to join him.

Yes, sir.

Norman, I don't see how the VC missed you.

You're very good, sir, but it won't happen next time, sir.

When it's the real thing, there is no next time.

Reed, Otis.

What are you guys going to shape up?

I mean, where's your pride?

Think of the importance of this mission.

We are going to set a whole country on the road to freedom.

Think of it.

All right.

Let's try it again.

You two in the trees there.

Come on, you be the target this time.

Ah, Colonel Folsom.

I was just wondering if you had a chance to make that phone call for me.

Yeah, I, uh, talked to your wife.

How is she?

Well, unfortunately, her condition is not too changed.

But she seemed in good spirits.

Well, considering the circumstances, sir, don't you think maybe I could make,

like, one phone call?

Soon.

We'll be going into action very soon.

Corman, uh, your wife, uh, sends her love.

This the sender's company?

Sure is, buddy.

Secretary's inside.

I'm Steve Barker. Call me Lobo. Hiya, Lobo. How are you? J .R. Jones. I guess

you're signing on, too, huh? Well, you know where the fighting's gonna be?

Somewhere in Africa.

I don't really care.

As long as it's a place where a guy can show what he's made of. I see.

Were you in Vietnam?

No. That one didn't last long enough for me to get in it. But you were in the

service.

Marine.

I wanted to be ready when I did get my chance.

I kept myself in pretty good shape.

Get your feet off the desk.

Is that in here? Does that mean I'm in?

Not quite. You'll get a call.

Sure hope you make it, buddy. Thank you.

What are you looking at?

You.

You know something? I'll bet under that hard business -like veneer beats the

heart of a great romantic.

A veritable sleeping beauty just waiting to be set free.

Well, if you're the frog, I have to kiss.

Forget it.

Now, what do you want?

Well, I called J .R. Jones. He told me to come down, remember?

How did you hear about the Sendrix Company?

I told you.

Tell me again.

The ad in Man of the World magazine. I was wondering where we were going to be

fighting. I don't know. I'm just the secretary.

Well, can't you even tell me where we're going to be training?

I just take applications.

Who's going to be in charge of this group?

That's classified.

Why? I was just wondering what I'm getting myself into here.

Do you know it's against the law to recruit mercenaries in this country?

Yeah.

That's why it's classified.

Now, do you want to fill out this questionnaire or not?

Do you love your country?

And that was just the first question. And then it was, are you willing to kill

without question?

Have you ever been confined to a metal institution?

Betty was right. I don't like the sound of this.

You know how much these guys make?

300 bucks a week.

That's big money to a lot of people.

Big enough to die for?

You know, I'll bet a lot of these guys are like this kid Lobo.

I mean, he doesn't have any idea what he's getting himself into here.

Barnaby, we can't let J .R. go through with this. Look, it'll just be for a

little while. I have to do it.

Danny must be in trouble, or he would have called Kate.

We haven't seen him in three years.

People change, you know.

Well, if Danny had changed that much, don't you think I would have seen it in

Kate?

I got it, I got it, I got it.

I gave the number of our private line to you, our friendly neighborhood

mercenaries.

Hello?

Speaking.

Great.

I'll be there.

Well, I am in.

With a whole army here just shut up and get in line

Recruit

From

the

dawn of time there have been men who Flirted with death.

Men who found that thin line between disaster and glory more exciting than

financial success.

I am one of those men.

You think you are, too.

Well, that's what we're here to find out.

We know that you are all rated tough.

But by the time you ship out of here, you're going to be twice as tough.

In the meantime, you belong to me.

You are all mine.

24 hours a day.

Now to help you concentrate on your work while you're here, there'll be no

distractions. No newspapers, no radios, no television, no phone calls.

In or out.

And the first thing we have to do is get you looking like soldiers.

Ah, look at that. More clothes.

We're not the only ones here after all, huh?

Jones, did anyone ever tell you you ask too many questions?

Can I help it if I've always been curious?

We'll just have to take care of that now, won't we?

Yes, sir.

How do they look to you?

Fine to me, why?

Time to get younger every batch.

All you need is nerve to pull the trigger.

The younger ones are easier to discipline.

I get the same price whoever we send over, so I guess it doesn't matter. Not

much, unless you need men who are really trained, like for the special unit.

Oh, by the way, Colonel Folsom is bringing them back in later today.

I guess he figures he's punished them enough.

Where's Jones?

I don't know. I'll find him.

Where you been?

That guy's got to have a chance to wash his hands, doesn't he? You get in line

now. On the double.

I'm sorry, sir.

Won't happen again.

All right, it's time to find out what you can do.

So we'll start with the obstacle course.

Jones, you'll be first.

And last.

All right, move him out.

Double time.

All right. Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut.

Hi, Betty.

Hi. Is J .R. here?

There's no one here but me and my trusty typewriter.

Oh.

Well, listen, when I hear from him, I'll have him give you a jingle.

Thank you.

Would you like to stick around? I just brewed a pot of hot, fresh coffee.

Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt you.

Listen, you're not interrupting me. Believe me, you're saving me.

Black okay?

Yeah, fine.

Betty, I haven't been completely honest

with J .R. and you people.

Oh?

Deep down, I'm afraid Danny doesn't want to call.

What if he doesn't want to come back to me?

You don't really believe that, do you?

I've never admitted it to anyone, even myself.

But that's what really scares me.

Maybe he just left me for good.

I really couldn't blame him.

What makes you say that?

Oh, I was so impatient for him to do well.

He drifted through a lot of jobs. It wasn't that he couldn't hold them, he

them.

Then I got thick.

He couldn't see how to pay the bills and... Well, you know the rest.

Well, as I see it, Kate, there's only one real question.

And that is, do you two really love each other?

Yes.

Yes, I think we do.

Well, then, he didn't leave you.

And if I know J .R., he'll find him.

Another 50 yards, you can make it.

I never expected anything like this.

Come on, you can't tell me you didn't do things like this in the Corps.

I lied.

Don't ever tell anybody.

I was never in the Corps.

A little out of shape, aren't we, fellas?

Don't worry. In two weeks, you won't even be breathing hard.

If we live that long.

Okay, that's it for today. Get on back to the barracks.

Child's at 1 ,800 hours.

Oh, my God, what are you doing here?

Looking for you.

How'd you get in here? You're not supposed to be here.

Keep going, keep going, keep going.

Kate has been trying to get in touch with you.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Hey, you two, break it up.

Move it out.

Get the lead out, woman.

What was that all about?

Looks like they're long lost buddies.

That's a coincidence.

You know, Corman's wife has been calling quite a bit trying to reach him.

A nice friend shows up.

You interviewed Jones, didn't you?

What do you think?

I think I ought to check him out a bit more thoroughly.

The least you think he could do would be to call.

Why don't you run along home? I'm going to hang around for a while.

Is there anything I can help you with?

Harvey Jones, may I help you?

This is the phone company calling 555 -9134.

Yes, I'm here.

We're calling to verify some long -distance calls charged to this number

Mr. J .R. Jones.

Oh, that's all right. He works here. Is this a residence phone or a business

phone? Well, it's a business phone. Don't you have it there?

It's a private, unlisted number. Oh, yes. Here it is. Jones Plumbing.

Oh, that's Barnaby Jones' private investigation.

I see.

Oh, what's this about, operator? Is Mr.

Jones trying to call in collect?

Oh, no, we're just checking the number for billing purposes.

Oh, well, uh... What was that first name again?

Jones is such a common name.

The initials J as in Jack, R as in Robert.

Oh, you said J .R. I'm sorry. I thought you said A .R. There isn't a J .R. Jones

here.

I see.

I'm sorry to have troubled you.

That's perfectly all right.

Barbie, I really blew it, didn't I?

After you double -check the phone company, I gotta go find you to die.

Have either of you seen Colonel Folsom?

Yeah, he's already left for town. He won't be back until the morning. What's

That'll be all, Clement.

That new recruit, Jones.

I found out he works for a private investigator in L .A.

You mean we've been infiltrated?

That's right.

And until the colonel returns, I don't want Jones out of your sight.

Why don't we just get rid of him now?

No. That's up to the Colonel.

In the morning.

There's nothing like starting off the day with a 10 -mile hike before

I don't know if I'm going to make it.

Did you know it was going to be like this?

I didn't think we were running away to a hotel in town.

Hey, buddy, help me. All right, come on.

Go on, go ahead.

Wait a second. I want to tell you something.

J .R., you better get out here as fast as you can. You're in a lot of trouble,

boy. I am?

Why? I just wanted to tell you that Kate's fine.

Jones!

Get your butt over here on the double!

Longwood says we might get the green light as early as tonight.

You better clean this place out. No matter how it comes off, we won't be

back here.

There might be a problem.

What kind of problem?

Come in.

Could I speak to you for a second, Colonel?

What is it, Coleman?

It's about one of the new recruits, sir.

Go on.

You know Jones?

Well, I knew him in Vietnam. Now, I don't know what he's doing here, but I

know that he works for a private detective.

Private detective?

Did you know about this?

Last night, I was about to tell you.

You're right.

They do have a problem, don't they?

Well, Danny, I'm glad you told us.

Any ideas why he's here?

Well, I said he's got a message from my wife, but you already spoke to her,

right, sir?

Well, you see, this is why I don't trust him.

Well, neither do I.

You want me to take care of him?

Okay, Coleman.

You got the job.

A lot of good things to say for women in business, and you're sure one of the

reasons. Well, that's very nice, Mr. Jones, but... Sad and chauvinistic.

Well, I'm sorry.

I guess I came out wrong, but I meant it for a compliment.

Well, that's exactly how I took it.

Well, here it is. This is the, uh, Sendritz Company.

Travel light, didn't they?

Well, the only person I ever met was a woman named Lucy Todd. She said that the

company was screening applicants for foreign jobs.

They'd leave a forwarding address?

I didn't even know they'd moved out.

You wouldn't have one of their old canceled rent checks around, would you?

Yes, if they had paid by check, but Miss Todd always paid cash in advance.

Who owns the furniture?

The building. She rented it.

I suppose they paid for that in cash, too.

You really are a detective, aren't you?

Times like this, I sometimes wonder.

What?

Oh, I see what you mean.

Uh, Mr. Jones, I don't think they left a thing behind.

Probably right.

Except for this.

5557201. Is that the one you called for, J .R.? Mm -hmm. That's the one.

Get in touch with your friend at the phone company.

See if they can tell you who that number is listed to, what numbers they call,

things like that.

I'll get right on it. Better call Lieutenant Biddle to tell him what we're

doing. I have a hunch if we turn over enough rocks, we're going to find

something we need help handling.

Boy, am I glad to see you.

I wasn't so sure there for a while.

Is Kate really all right? Yeah, the treatment's worked. There's a total

Oh, man.

I wish I could see her now.

Well, what are you waiting for?

J .R., don't you know what you've gotten yourself into here?

I can't leave. They'd kill me.

What do you mean they'd kill you?

I'm in a special unit. We're going to start a revolution by killing this

Eastern dictator.

Danny, if you get out now...

Nobody will connect you with something that's going to happen halfway around

world. Well, it's not going to happen halfway around the world. This

going to come here.

What do you mean, here to Los Angeles?

Yeah.

So, you see, you've got to get out of here as fast as you can.

Look, I'm not going anywhere without you.

Well, the two of us can't make it, but if you get out, then you can bring help.

No. Look, it's the only way, and I already told him that I know you work

private investigator.

You told him? Yeah.

Well, no, they already knew. But see, this way I could volunteer to get rid of

you myself.

You what?

Well, you're going to get away. You take a swing at me and you start running.

Oh, no, forget it.

You're our only hope. Now, go ahead. Go on.

Just make it look good, though, okay?

That's it.

What are you two doing here?

Backing you up.

Looks like you needed it.

I could have gotten it myself.

Crack shot like you missing twice.

What's going on?

Those were blanks.

You were testing me. Why?

What's the difference you passed?

I don't like having my loyalty question.

You don't have to like anything. All you have to do is obey orders.

All right, take him back.

Why don't we just finish Jones off now?

And take a chance on them trace of the body back here? That's stupid.

No, we'll take him with us.

He'll be one mercenary who didn't survive the raid.

Here's the list of calls made from the appendix company phone. Did a rundown on

most of the numbers for you.

Oh, good work.

Richard Longwood, that name ring a bell?

Isn't he into oil or something like that?

He is.

A billionaire oil speculator with interests in the Middle East, places

that. Hmm.

Think there's a connection?

Seems to me I read something about him financing a mercenary army in a

revolution to put his man in power.

Well, it's like Jedediah's first case is a little bigger than just tracking a

missing husband.

Well, now where are you off to?

Longwoods.

I always wanted to meet a billionaire.

I'm supposed to wait.

I need it.

Lobo?

I'm a private investigator.

I came here to find Danny Corman.

But as it turns out, I uncovered a plot to kill a Middle Eastern leader.

Yeah, and there's going to be a revolution, which will free a whole

Oh, come on. You don't really believe that, do you?

Sure.

Because it's a lot of baloney, that's why not.

It's gonna happen right here.

And we're gonna be accessories to a political assassination. There isn't

be any glory.

It's gonna be an international incident.

I didn't know anything like this was gonna happen.

I just wanted a chance to do something important.

All right, well, maybe you still can. Now, will you help me stop him?

What do you want me to do?

All right, listen.

Somebody has got to get out. No, I can't, and I know they're watching

So you've got to get out.

Lobo, this is the adventure you've been wanting.

Me?

How?

Well, I'm sorry. I'm just not so convinced.

Corman told us Jones worked for a private detective.

He volunteered to get rid of him. He didn't know his gun was loaded with

Now look, they grew up together.

They soldiered together. People don't change that much so fast.

Corman's done everything we've asked of him.

You don't have anything except your damn woman's intuition.

Let it pass.

All right.

Then try this.

If you've been calling Corman's wife like you told him, why would she send

to find him? She'd just wait for your next call.

Now, by now, Corman must realize you lied.

That's not intuition.

That is just common sense.

Yes, sir.

I understand.

It's the green light.

We go in two hours.

What about Corman?

Corman, yeah.

Lucy, I think you're right.

Bates, you go with us.

And when this whole thing is over, two dead will be left behind.

Jones and Cronin.

What do you want?

I'd like to see Mr. Longwood. Is he expecting you?

No, but it's rather important.

My name's Barnaby Jones. I'm a private investigator.

Barnaby!

Well, Sergeant Marley. He's okay. I know him.

What are you doing here?

I might ask you the same question.

It's no secret.

Longwood's having lunch with Muhammad Abu Rashid.

The oil prince.

That explains why you're here. You're guarding him.

He brought his own security men.

I'm the token local police observer.

A matter of courtesy, more or less. I guess all this means I'm not going to be

able to see Longwood today.

I doubt it.

Sorry you made the long drive up here for nothing.

It's pretty scenery up here.

I don't get to drive up this canyon very much.

do something okay how long have you been oh i don't know hours do something

please where does it hurt everywhere oh mostly my side down here

on the right oh oh hang on i'll be right back

Fruit, spark, or may have appendicitis.

Great. Well, can you give him something?

I'm not a doctor, but if it's for real, he could die.

Well, get him to the hospital and stay with him, all right?

I'll handle it.

Good luck today.

Thanks.

I trust you'll enjoy this, Excellency.

Ah, Mr. Longwood, I see you remembered my curious eating habits.

Would you deny a guest any desire in your home?

No, but a vegetarian's diet is not for everyone.

Actually, I would not have been offended had you ordered something else for

yourself. To tell you the truth, Excellency, you've converted me.

I doubt it, but it's kind of you to say so.

Shall we?

I apologize, but just now is a troubled time, I hope.

I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait in there.

Oh.

Oh.

Stop.

I feel a lot better. Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? Oh, really, I'm okay.

I've got to get to a phone. No, no, just calm down. I'll be back.

Barnaby Jones' office. May I help you?

It's me, Betty.

Oh, Barnaby, thank heavens.

What's wrong?

Well, I just got a call from a very excited man who said his name is Steve

Barker and that he was in the same outfit with J .R.

Is J .R. all right?

He's a prisoner of those mercenaries. Danny Corman is with him. Now, this man

said that they are planning a raid on an estate somewhere here in town to

assassinate an oil minister.

I tried to find out where, but he didn't know the location.

I think I do.

I can send technicians to your country who can help your people to progress the

equivalent of 10 years in 18 months.

But don't you see, that is exactly the kind of help we don't need.

We are innocents.

Look, I'm fearful that if we progress too fast, our teachers will become our

masters. Others in your country don't feel that way.

Those others are my enemies, Mr. Longwood.

Where's the dog?

I don't like this.

Who in the hell are they?

Maybe we got lucky this time.

Maybe. You want to wait for Reed? No, no, no. He can catch up.

We better go while we can.

Maybe Longwood concentrated everything around the target. Maybe he already

No, this is limiting.

Give me that.

It's too easy.

You just can't stop now.

Where's Reed? He should have caught us by now.

Otis, check on him. Get back as soon as you can. Right.

We'll keep moving.

Good, Mr.

Longwood. Come on.

And you called yourself a

soldier.

Mr. Longwood, there's an old thing, and I can't think of a time when it applies

better. You get with your people.

First thing we did was to get Rashid out of there in my car.

You know, I couldn't believe the expression on Longwood's face when he

himself flicking up the muzzle of Fulton's gun.

He wouldn't tell us what the plan was, so we figured the best thing to do would

be to get rid of all the resistance so there wouldn't be any reason for any

shooting until he got to the study.

What about Lucy Todd and Reed?

Police picked her up at the hospital and him on his way to Longwood.

Where are they?

Annie sees a woman and she's gonna make you sweat.

Danny? Oh, Danny.

I was afraid I'd never see you again.

From now on, you won't see anything else.

J .R., how can I ever thank you? One kiss, this cheek, that's it.

Anytime you need some help, you just say the word and you got it. Well, I just

want you to be happy.

Bye. Bye -bye.

Goodbye. I bet they will be here.

How do you feel, Jedediah?

It feels damn good.