Original subtitles

This is KJCM 98.3 FM. Now back to the Midnight Caller with Jack Killian.

Oh, Mountain View, you're on the air. Jack, have you ever lost a job?

Well, uh, my producer Billy Poe tells me I'm just hanging by a thread here.

A girl ever walk out on you, man? Well, if you're

a guy, girls walk out on you at least once.

What is this, 20 questions? Well, how did you change your luck?

How did I change my luck? First, you have to have some luck to change.

Okay, here's how you change your luck, pal. What you do is you bet on a black horse,

you plant onions under a full moon, and you kiss

your elbow. No, no, no, that changes you into a

girl. Okay, you, you kiss a frog. No, no, no,

that changes you into a prince, but that's only if

you're a lady, right, Billy? Billy, you remember

that movie, Luck Be A Lady? Luck be a, luck be

a lady tonight. Oh, you know, I am officially

losing it. Get me out of this. This is Jack

Killian, the Nighthawk. We'll be right back.

Don't give up on your adolescence. These days,

you gotta make your own luck. Miss King, there's a Kenneth Miller here to see you.

I wonder what he wants. Send Mr. Miller in.

Mr. Miller. Miss King. What a nice surprise.

I'd like you to meet Billy Poe, producer of our

Midnight Caller show. It's a pleasure, Mr. Poe.

I've followed your career with great interest.

You have? Ever since you hosted The Morning Show

on KSFS. That was 10 years ago, Mr. Miller. My

station's hired several broadcasters right out of San Francisco State.

Won't you have a seat? Thank you.

I have a proposition, Miss King. Oh? I'd like

to buy Jack Killian. You want to buy Jack?

And Mr. Poe. I'd like to put them both on my hair. They belong on television.

Well, they're not for sale. It would meet a

considerable bump in salary for both of you.

There's only one problem, Mr. Miller. I've never worked in television.

Neither is Killian, but he's a natural. Think it

over. I'd like your permission to talk to Killian.

And if I say no? It's a courtesy, Miss King.

Surely you don't want to stand in the way of what's best for Killian and Mr. Poe.

I want what's best for them both, too, Mr. Miller.

That's why I think they should stay here. Unless Jack, of course, has other ideas.

Wow, he remembered me from KSFS. Can you believe that?

My office.

Man, I have the fall line. Designer specials.

Here we got an M16. Fires 850 rounds per minute.

Here's an Uzi. Fully automatic. 30-round magazines. Not really bad at all.

It's a nice piece. It's no good for me, though.

Okay, how about an AK-47? We're talking about a high volume of fire.

No, I want a Winchester.

Well, that's an old man's gun.

Model 72.

What are you, the rifleman?

Now, you look like a reasonable man. So what can I do for you?

I want a sawed-off pump with a pistol grip.

You guys are killing me.

Look, pal, my hands aren't as steady as they once were, okay?

I pull the trigger on an Uzi, I'm going to kill 20 people.

So where's the problem?

Bazooka for you, sir.

Just get me two .44 Magnum handgun, two 300 rounds hollow point.

Now, what do you want with the handgun?

You always talk this much?

Oh, and I need a nine millimeter Walther for my wheelman.

I need these in 24 hours.

Hey, we're talking about hard to find items here.

Special order.

This is going to affect the price.

Ten grand.

Six grand.

Provided the pieces are cold.

I want the serial numbers ground off.

No audit trail, you got it?

Six grand, give me a break.

I'm working my way through law school.

Is that right?

Seventy five hundred.

All right, just get over it.

But do yourself a favor.

Do not screw with us.

Mr. Miller, you've been, uh, you have been the voice of the Bay Area for a long time.

I mean, I, I watched your hair turn gray, you know?

I'm not just a pretty face, Jack.

I'm now majority shareholder of the station.

That's why I'm here today.

You want a beer?

No, thank you.

But please don't let me stop you.

I thought it never crossed my mind.

I can still get the numbers, Jack.

But I'm thinking ahead a few years.

Now, you still have some rough edges.

But I think you can be the next guy to make it big.

And I can be the guy to make that happen.

I don't have any experience.

Neither did I, Jack, when I started.

But I had something more important.

Presence.

The keystone of credibility.

And that's what I see in you.

Does it matter that I'm not a journalist?

TV news isn't about journalism anymore.

It's about numbers, drama.

Jack, it's time for me to pass the baton.

You come work for me.

Then you can have all your suits custom made.

I can put your name on billboards.

I can make you a star.

Come on, Mr. Miller.

Save that line for the bimbos, OK?

A bimbo is just someone who hasn't figured out

what he's worth on the open market.

You're working for close to scale.

It is double what I made as a cop.

No, I'm impressed.

Why not try thinking of six figures?

Something with a two in front of it.

I can get you endorsements, a piece of the merchandising.

What the hell am I going to endorse?

Did I say that I was going to take his offer?

No, but I know you must be tempted, Jack.

And I don't want you to say if you're unhappy.

Sheldon, give us about five minutes

and then meet us around at the side.

You be sure and be there when we come out.

That's why I hire family men.

They always know where they'll be at night.

At home with their wife and kids.

Here's a bank.

I don't know, you know,

nobody ever offered me six figures before

with a two in front of it.

Well, you're worth it, Jack.

I just wish that I could match his offer.

Well, you made me.

You should be so lucky.

I should be.

You OK?

I'm fine.

I just don't like waiting around.

We're done with waiting.

Let's go.

Just a minute.

Not again, though.

My friend's in the bank.

He'll just be a minute.

Well, if you stay,

your friend is going to cost you money.

You ready? Press the 2-11 sign level up, we're going to have a problem here.

Are you sure about this? Yeah, I'm sure.

Let's get busy. Anybody move, I said get!

Now listen up people, don't do anything foolish.

You do exactly what you're told and nobody

gets hurt. You're up Tex.

Just stay calm and be quiet. Nobody move. I don't want to hurt anybody, so don't move.

Don't make me shoot you. Hold it! I said hold it!

Too late, too late! Okay, alright, her gun's going nowhere, okay?

Coming right up. What is this?

She's just doing her job, pal. Trying to.

Okay, it's going nowhere, going right down here. Shoot me if there's a problem.

Hey, you can count on it. Who the hell are you?

Just a guy, trying to keep people alive. Well, I'm watching you, pal.

Okay, now, where you go, the shotgun goes, okay? One false move, and you're dead.

Alright, now get on back to the vault. Come on, come on, come on!

Alright, come on out here! Over to this side!

Any unit in vicinity, robbery in progress, shots fired.

Hit the ribs, let's go!

3-4-7, respond. 3-4-7, respond.

Okay.

Alright, open it up.

Come on, man, you're making me nervous.

I'm doing the best I can.

Come on, get easy.

Alright, Jim, I'm sure we're going to put the money in the bag.

Come on. Too late, too late.

Come on, come on, hurry up, hurry up.

Come on, man. Come on, there's just no air in here.

If Bailey gets in this place, comes down on top of me,

I'm going to be buried so deep, not even the dogs are going to be able to find me.

Hey, man, hurry up!

If you do that again, we're going to have your teeth and eyeballs up in the ceiling.

Come on, come on, come on.

Come on!

What the hell's keeping him?

You got it? Yeah, we got it. Let's go.

Come on!

Come on!

Lay down!

We're going to plant a bomb at 3.

No!

We're going to plant a bomb at 3!

He's down!

Officer down! Officer down!

My partner's down!

Get your butt out!

The driver's gone!

The driver's gone!

Hey! Buy some time!

Come on, come on, get up!

They got a hostage!

Hold your fire!

Get two minicam units with microwave transmitters in place.

I don't give a damn where the truck is.

Are you trying to tell me you can't pull it off a story about old age homes?

Get the guys in the studio to use slow-mo,

stop-action, instant replay for the killings.

And listen, set up a telestrator from sports

and outline it the way Merlin Olsen does on Sunday.

No, Charlie, I don't want Stan Morgan Stern on the air.

I'm going to do the broadcast live and in stereo.

Why?

Because no one's ever done it better.

Now get it done.

I've got the front sealed off!

We've got to regroup.

You. Guy. Get up.

Very slowly, take off your belt.

Give it to me.

You sure I don't know you?

Me? No.

No, I'd remember you if we'd met.

We got some kind of history.

You got cop eyes.

Turn around.

Put your hands behind your back.

Cross them.

Let's get the sniper teams up and take a look at it.

What have they got to work with?

Oh, not a lot. We don't know who they are or what they want.

Maybe they wanted to rob the bank.

Man, is this noisy.

Okay, I'm sending up a command post across the street.

Bring me the witnesses. I'll check with Romney.

See if we have a team working locally with a similar M.O.

My team?

These guys didn't come by to see what you could find out about a wheelman.

Okay.

Team, please check the black car in the red zone.

Carl.

Devon, please. I can't talk to the media now.

Right now, I am not the media.

Jack is in the bank.

What do you mean Jack is in the bank?

What, did he win an F?

No, he went in to cash a check.

You.

All right, blondie, on your feet.

Let me have your pantyhose.

Carl, please don't hurt me.

I'm not going to hurt you.

We're a little short of rope right now.

Come on, get them off.

Yeah, go on.

Would you mind turning your back?

You're not going to run away on me now, are you?

I'll do whatever you say.

Just please don't look.

Let's go. Hurry up.

Come on!

Okay.

Come on, out here.

Give them to me.

Don't be so upset.

This thing's over. You have the bank pay for some counseling.

This kind of thing can be a shock to the system.

Watch them. Sit down.

Stand for team one. What have you got?

We have hostages in sight.

That's cops. All around up front.

We've got to put a man up there.

We don't have to put a man anywhere.

We've got these hostages here.

They're not going to come in.

Telephone disconnection and all the numbers

and the location with the exception of

555-4303. That's the hotline.

Tie it into a conference line

so if someone in the bank hangs up,

you can't get a dial tone.

And make sure we get all the lines.

No one but us calls in or out.

Don't let the damn media call in for an interview.

Otherwise, they'll be all over us to let them go.

Where's Jones?

Stuck in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge.

You ever handle negotiation?

Yeah. On your own?

No. Oh, swell.

Okay, we'll work together.

Dax,

calm down.

I'll call back.

It'll take them a few minutes

to patch in a new line.

Seems like you know that.

Really?

I was thinking the same thing

about you.

You keep right on impressing me, Billy.

Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going?

Look, officer, we're trying to get a better angle.

Surely you can understand that.

Here's what I understand.

You get on the other side of that yellow line

or I shove your press pass up your nose.

I won't forget this.

This is Kenneth Miller, reporting live

from the Market Street Bank,

where an unknown number of felons

hold bank employees and customers hostage.

One police officer has already been wounded.

Right now, innocent lives

are at stake.

We have reports that a mother and child

are among the hostages.

One can only imagine their terror,

being held captive by hardened criminals

who will stop at nothing to achieve their ends.

Cowards who hide behind innocent women and children.

Who's he calling cowards?

He doesn't even know us.

It's not important. Don't worry about it.

Can I answer that?

I'll tell you what, lifesaver.

I'm gonna let you talk to him.

Go on.

Talk to him.

Okay, I'm listening.

This is Officer Clark of the SFPD.

We'd just like to tell you

that everything's fine.

You don't have to do anything rash.

I'm glad to hear that.

I'm here to help you.

Who am I speaking with?

Jack.

I need to speak directly

to the person in charge, Jack.

You're stuck with me, pal.

The people that are in there with you,

can you give me some idea

of what they want?

Tex!

Bring that girl over here.

Look, I'm just a guy who picked up the phone,

but I don't think it's any giant mystery.

They try and come in here, I'll kill her.

Come on.

Oh, God, please. I want to see my family again.

Look, nobody's dead yet.

Once you just bail out now, call it a day.

We're on hold.

Do you have any idea what kind of joint time

I'm facing here?

How would I know that?

Well, I've been around the track

a couple of times, Jack.

I'm looking at 10 to 20.

Now, even with time off,

I'm back on the streets an old man,

you understand? A very old man.

Look, look, you're still alive.

That could change real fast.

They're using real bullets out there.

No. You're my ticket out of here.

We're going to Mexico.

And you're gonna make it happen.

Okay, whatever. I'll go to Mexico.

I just don't want anybody killed, okay?

That's not your call.

You know, you've got a lot of nerve,

you son of a...

You always take this many chances.

Look, you know, I'll tell you what worries me.

Is that...

I'm down on my last cigarette.

You know?

Well, should we work this out?

We're ready to deal.

We're ready to listen and to help, Killian.

Killian?

You just got a last name, Jack.

That's the one I was born with.

I remember hearing it before.

Maybe your intention was elsewhere.

You've got a lot going on, you know?

Killian.

Yeah, I know who you are.

You're the Nighthawk.

You're dangerous.

Killian.

You should have bet the black horse.

What do you mean?

It might have changed your luck.

You listen to the show?

Yeah.

I keep late hours, pal.

I'm also interested in anything

a cop has to say.

Ex-cop.

You're a cop?

Well, it looks like you're gonna be buried

in that jacket, cop.

Tax, put it down.

All right.

Okay.

Put yours down, too, Pete.

Give him a chance.

Okay, come on, cop.

Come on, man, we're even.

You and me.

Come on, cop.

Come on!

No, man.

No, there's no percentage

in killing him right now.

Pick it up. Walk away.

All right.

All right.

Cop.

You and me, man.

We're not through yet.

There's a lot of ways to die today.

Come on.

I hope I don't regret doing that.

You won't?

Don't mistake me

for one of the Sisters of Mercy.

Right now,

you're more used to me alive.

When you're more used to me dead,

you'll be dead.

You'll be dead.

There's real incentive there.

Well, it beats dying right now,

doesn't it?

Give me this.

This isn't on-the-job training.

You got a problem with him,

you know?

He was a prisoner for six months

at the Viet Cong.

A lot of that time

in a tiger cage.

You know what

that's like?

You can't stand, you can't lie down.

After a while, you pass out

from the heat.

And the pain wakes you up

and it starts all over again.

We did a stint in Huntsville

after some

hard time there.

The only place he's really happy

is on a boat

way out of sight from land

where there's nothing to hem him in.

Nothing but the horizon.

What's in Mexico?

A good jumping-off place.

A place to get lost from.

Get off somewhere.

Maybe get a cat.

Catamaran?

No, a cat.

Tabby.

Tabbies are nice.

Yeah.

Cats are nice.

Got a family?

Just Tex.

My wife got tired

of waiting.

Seven years is a long time

to spend in an empty bed.

Get him.

Get him back on the horn.

Tell him I need a slab-sided van.

Okay, you got a request.

A van.

How big and where do you want it parked?

Tell me, am I wrong

or we got a different guy here?

First guy didn't work out?

Yeah, you might say that.

You know this one?

Yeah. Good friend.

You tell your good friend he's got

ten minutes

and then the killing starts.

Okay, listen up, Carl.

He says you come up with the van

in ten minutes, otherwise he executes

a hostage. Jack, let's just go

a little bit easy here, please. We're doing what we

can as fast as we can. I said ten minutes!

He repeats.

Ten minutes. I have every reason to believe

he's serious. Tell him I want an executive

jet. Parked at ramp C.

SFO. I want the tanks topped

off. I want

clearance at the security checkpoints.

Clear the tarmac.

Shut down

22 left. I think you need to

slow it down. I think you

better stop talking to me and talk to them

or somebody's gonna get killed.

Do not return

fire!

Do not return fire!

I was about half

bright.

I want to show them you're serious.

Yeah.

What you showed them is that we're stupid.

Just now, shots have been fired

from the Market Street Bank. So far, we have no

response.

No reports of new casualties.

The situation here has become critical.

Innocent lives hang in the

balance. I can only imagine

what is happening to the people in the bank.

I feel the knot around the necks

of the hostages being drawn tight

by the cowardly hands of ruthless

killers.

Damn,

I think we're crazy.

You think

I'm crazy?

I'm crazy!

I'm fine, darling.

I'm just tied up here

for a while.

I don't know what time I'll be home.

I just wanted to check in

and make sure you're okay.

Kiss Mary for me.

I love you, too.

Bye.

Bye.

There's still no official word on any demands.

My sources tell me that

negotiations have reached an impasse.

Okay, Billy, we got that.

Keep the line open for me, man.

Pretty good show so far.

Good show?

Devin, you can't buy this kind of publicity.

Jack gets out of that bank alive. He can write his own ticket.

Maybe he'll land a network job.

Or maybe he could end up dead.

That's what makes it so exciting.

It's all about risk.

No story is worth a life.

Well, I can see that you care for Jack

a great deal, Miss King.

If he stays with you, you can give him something I can't.

How dare you?

I didn't inherit my station, my sweet.

I busted my butt to get it.

I was interviewing presidents when you were still in diapers,

so don't get an attitude with me.

I want pictures of the negotiation.

Yeah, you do that,

because I'd love to see you get thrown in jail.

Oh, they'll do it for me, Miss King.

What happened to you?

You used to be one of the greats.

I can still get it done, Miss King.

No, Mr. Mill, you're not a journalist anymore.

You're a promoter.

You're trading humanity

for ratings, points, and audience shares.

Jack, they've given me a tall order.

Tell them not to get their hopes up.

I'll work with you, but we need more time.

Listen, pal, I know exactly what it takes.

Now get it done.

Try to remember

I got nothing to lose.

I'm just asking for some more time,

just a little bit of time, please.

Oh, just keep saying that.

Hey, ten minutes are up. I don't see Yvanne, man.

She just ran out of time.

Don't do it, man. Bad move.

Hey, you watch me.

Tex!

He's right. Leave her alone.

Kill him.

No one gets killed.

Look, you don't have to hurt anybody

to establish your credibility.

You do that, and the cops are gonna respond aggressively.

Then all your options are history.

You need to come up with an alternative.

Hey, man, what we need is a van.

The guys that have to approve this

won't even support pay raises for cops.

What makes you think you're gonna make a van happen

in ten minutes?

Tex, listen to me.

I need you eight years, right now.

Right now.

That's five with time off.

Oh, yeah, sure, huh?

Yeah, lay up in prison making plastic duck lamps.

Oh, man.

I don't see a van, Pete.

If you want to do this, I'm telling you.

Look, how about this?

You send a message.

You turn the bank manager loose,

and you send him out there to tell them

that you're serious, that you're not crazy,

and whatever they're thinking out there.

Huh?

Tex, he's right.

Get him up. Get him on the speaker.

All right.

Get up.

Yeah, you.

You and the boy, get up.

Get up!

Get over there.

Send them out, too.

Wait a minute.

You tell them the next ones that come out

are coming out dead.

How are they armed?

Oh, one of them had a rifle.

This is Kenneth Miller live.

Miller.

Lieutenant Carl Zymak has been interviewing

the recently released hostage.

How are things in the bank?

Are the cowards threatening to take innocent lives?

Well, yes.

I'm not a coward, you bastard.

And where the hell were you in 74

when I was risking my life, huh?

Forget it.

You know what you did.

You got the silver star to prove it.

Well, that was then.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Lieutenant, we're a little busy right now.

Yeah, well, I am, too, but I love these things.

Come on.

Oh, this is nice and light.

Japanese, huh?

I hate when they do that.

Come on.

Excuse me.

I think one of those is for me.

It's been an hour, man.

I don't see a van out there.

Jack?

I don't know, Tex.

But I don't think that you're gonna kill anybody.

Yeah, well, you're wrong.

I don't think so, and I'll tell you why.

I know you're not a coward.

I'm just blowing smoke.

I don't think so.

Hey, you just told me you're not.

I believe you.

So I don't think that you're gonna kill

an unarmed woman.

I'll tell you what I think.

I think you're getting a raw deal here.

Let me ask you something.

How'd you feel about getting equal time?

What's equal time?

Equal time is I put you on the radio,

and you get to tell your side of the story.

How the hell are you gonna do that?

Jack.

We want a van.

We want an airplane.

Not a shot on this is your life.

I understand that.

Look, I'm trying to get you a van.

I know that you're serious.

So far, you guys have played it by the rules,

but the guys out there don't know that.

They're not in here.

Nice move, Jack. Nice move.

Well?

Give me a second line outside the bank

and have Billy pass me through on the air.

I'll do what I can, Jack,

but it's gonna take time.

I got a lot of people in here

who ain't got the time.

Earl, set up the backup camera.

Tell the studio we'll be back on the air in two minutes.

We got it.

You're on, Jack.

This is Jack Killian.

We are live inside the Market Street Bank.

Those of you who haven't been on Mars know

that there's been a hostage situation here today.

Our sources report a stalemate in the negotiations.

Here's a late-breaking development.

A technician has just handed me this radio.

I'm here with two of the bank robbers,

one of which is a decorated war hero.

We'll be returning you to our studios for an update.

Is it the Army techs?

No, Marines.

I signed up when I was 16.

I was big for my age.

In Vietnam?

Well, it sure as hell wasn't Grenada.

Call the phone company.

Tell them I want a direct line into that bank.

I don't care what it costs.

This is my story.

What was your job?

I was a door gunner on a Huey.

Two tours.

When did you miss Star?

April of 72.

In the siege of Anlock,

we were supplying the city by air.

We had to fly through

a wall of anti-aircraft fire.

We got shot down.

We pulled a couple of buddies from the wreckage.

And some paper pusher

thought it was worth a star.

Let me tell you something, man.

There were a lot of guys over there, all right?

Who did a hell of a lot better than that.

And when they got home,

all they got was a cold shoulder.

Your brother's got the Silver Star.

He was captured and tortured

by the Red Army.

I'd rather be at calm.

A good defense lawyer will get him

at a VA rehab center, not a cell.

You gonna set up

the defense fund?

I was trying to help.

Oh, you're trying to help, huh?

You want to help,

get us a van.

You guys order a pizza?

Sure, why not?

Why don't you eat it outside?

Come on!

No! It's me!

What the hell are you doing?

Who the hell is that guy?

Hold your fire. He may be a friendly.

Come on! Come on!

Let's go!

I'm tired. Come on, get out.

Let's go. Do me a favor. Don't get anybody killed.

Move! Come on!

When I'm moving, I blow you away.

Get him! I have no shot on the door.

Hold your fire.

Hold your fire.

Stay down or I'll kill you!

Get out of here.

They're coming out.

Make sure that truck goes nowhere.

We're gonna get killed!

You in the van.

Come out slowly.

Lay down on the ground.

Tex!

Yeah?

That's your car.

Can you do the time?

No, Pete, I want to go south, man.

Yeah, I know.

Want to go to Mexico?

What?

I'll give you $5,000 a minute

for a microwave link to my studio.

Gee, I really wish I could help you out,

but I didn't inherit one of those.

You better give it up, man.

You ain't gonna make it.

You know, you haven't been right yet.

Then maybe I'm due. Think about it.

It's not gonna work.

Hey, I might just get lucky.

Tex, you ready?

Yeah.

Stay back here till it's over.

See you in the funny papers, Jack.

Let's go.

Why not?

Did you get anything on this older guy?

Yeah, we just got word from the Texas Department of Corrections.

His name was Pete Holden.

He flew a F-4 as a career.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Great show today, Jack.

Too bad they can't merchandise courage.

Did you put the bank manager on the air?

Damn right.

We don't just wait for the news to happen.

You put innocent lives in jeopardy.

Nobody's dead, Jack.

Nobody that matters anyway.

I reported the story the best way I know how.

I got there first and best

with the facts.

Now, you may not like my methods,

but I got the story.

People watched my station.

I served the public interest.

Killian!

Nobody gets a second chance

to turn their back on me.

Hey, are you deaf?

I'm not talking about you or your precious story.

That wasn't a story in there. That was real.

You understand me?

Unbelievable.

Thank you.

Something happened today that brought me back

to the time when I was a cop.

I was forcibly reminded

of the fragility of life every day

that I worked for the city.

Of how thin

that thread is

that binds us to this life.

The first thing

that you learn on the street

is that your future

can be taken from you

by just the touch of a finger on a trigger.

And you never hear the bullet.

So you don't have time

to put your affairs in order.

Death is something that happens

to you while you're busy

making other plans.

So...

the next time

you wake up on the

ragged edge of a morning

and there's no coffee in the house

and you're late for work and you go to work

and there's somebody else sitting behind your desk.

On days like that

it's worth remembering

that however

thin that thread is, it is worth

grasping for.

Because life is the best

deal we got going.

I got reminded of that today.

This is Jack Killian

your host

on the Midnight Call

or on KJCM radio

98.3 on your FM dial.

Good night America

wherever you are.

www.kjcm.com