Original subtitles

And now, for your Sunday night dramatic entertainment, we bring you Armchair

Fitter.

Hodges. Hodges speaking. We're going to begin the experiment now.

If we get the nuclear reaction we're expecting, the turbine should start to

turn. Very good, sir. I'll ring you back. Right.

Chatelal, I think you'd better put the monkey down.

Oh, yes, sir. I'm very sorry, sir.

Son of a... Tumyan Rao.

You have to get a marathon car through for Chatelal.

Well, come on. Let's get on with it.

Put on the generator, Chatelal.

Right. This is it.

The arc's quite steady.

Now, if only we can keep her stable.

So, Hodges? The turbine's running up, sir. It's working, yes, I can hear it.

We'll cut it out in a while and let it run down, Hodges. Very good, sir.

Oh, congratulations, Jones.

You do chattel out. Beautiful experiment, beautiful.

Thank you, Dr. Kendrick. I'll be in the birthday honors yet.

The ark!

We found the alarm!

Robinson, have you fallen asleep?

No, I'm almost there, sir.

Well, you've been a ruddy long time.

It's a ruddy long job, sir.

I always have trouble with my shackle pins. Yeah, and I've run out of

cigarettes.

Next time we'll use my car.

Yes. Well, haven't you got a clean one?

You know, I can't understand how you did it. I really can't. Well, I had to

swerve, otherwise I would have hit that sheep. I would have...

Killed it, sir? Yeah, so naturally, when the choice was between killing me and

killing his sheep, you didn't hesitate.

I didn't kill you, sir. No, luck was against you for once.

Still, we'd be late. That's one good thing. They'd be weighing themselves

sick. Every cloud has a silver lining, my boy. I forgive you.

Thank you, sir. But no more attempts at assassination, if you don't mind.

You ever been to this Shannock power station?

No, sir.

Oh, it's run by a bloke called Kendrick.

He's got a brainy sort of assistant, or he may be a nutcase named Norman Jones.

Claims it invented a cheap way of making atomic power.

The Omega processor.

Thermonuclear fusion.

It is all in the fire. Yes, of course it is. But there's some things I keep to

myself.

Omega should work all right. A check with our boffins. If it does, it'll mean

cheap electricity for this country and our pals.

Also mean, of course, that a lot of places will want to be our pals.

This is too small.

Might I, sir?

No.

I'll tell you another thing, my boy. You can make H-bombs with Omega, and Jones

is dead against H-bombs. Goes on marches and things.

Very bitter about using his process for H-bombs, is Jones.

Of course, the other side's got an Omega, too. I told you, they're nuts.

Ah, but they've had a bit of trouble with us, sir, according to the report.

Yeah, so they try and blow ours up. It's very unsporting, I think.

Well, it's risky, too. I mean, why couldn't they just pinch ours?

Oh, pinching things is always tricky.

If all they want is time to finish theirs, a good bang works wonders.

Makes the scientist nervous, too.

So did that leak to the press about what they're doing up at Shannock, I'll bet.

Was that Jones?

No, that was Isabel Gilley, his girlfriend, sir.

She sent the report in three days ago.

Then Jones rang up yesterday to ask why it wasn't in the papers. Yeah, well,

thank heavens they've still got some sense in Fleet City. If that editor

hadn't have phoned me, I'd have had his guts for garters.

Oh, sir, I think it's all right now, sir. Good. This time, I'm driving.

Yes. Yes. Right.

So...

Dr. Jones is in the H-bomb and doesn't mind telling the press about it.

Now, we've got to find out if he tried to blow up his laboratory as well.

I wonder what sort of a filly is Miss Isabel Gilly.

Darling.

Look, I've got to go.

This is serious, Isabel.

Seriously.

Aren't you supposed to be working?

Yes.

The editor wants to know if you have any statement to make about what's been said

in the national press.

Isn't it marvelous, darling? The poor man's furious because he's been spooked.

Well, don't you think it's funny?

Darling, what's the matter?

There's been an accident.

A bad?

The arc cut through the tube. The whole place was full of gas.

They're sealing it off now.

Is that bad?

It'll be radioactive for years.

What will you do now?

We may have to abandon it.

We could set off in another lab, I suppose.

Was anyone hurt?

Just Vashti. That's Chatelal's monkey. She's dead. The rest of us got out in

time. Poor Chatelal.

You know, I see this for Kendrick. He's got guts.

He put on a protection suit and went back into the lab again before they

sealed it off. Why on earth should he?

Well, to see if anything had been tampered with.

He didn't find anything.

At least, I don't think he did.

But you think it was an accident?

I'm sure it was.

Look, Isabel.

That pass I gave you. What pass? You know, the one that looks like this. You

didn't use it, did you? No.

Well, you'd better let me have it back.

Yes, all right.

Oh, I've just remembered I left it in my other bag. Can I give it to you back

tomorrow? No, no, don't do that, dear. Look, tear it up and burn it. Look, I've

got to go to Kendrick's office to meet these cloak and dagger wounded. Well,

just a minute. You're covered in lipstick.

Mind if I stay and put some more on? Right.

But mind you lock up.

Oh, yes.

Elizabeth, it was an accident.

Shanker couldn't have checked that generator. You'll see.

Hello?

Isabel Gilley here. Give me the editor, please.

Hello?

Isabel here.

No, no statement yet, but there's something big brewing up. I don't know

yet. Can I handle it when it breaks?

And a byline?

Bless you. Bye.

They're late.

Yes, they should have been here by now.

I still think you shouldn't have called them in. It was an accident.

Shanker, you didn't check that generator. I checked it thoroughly,

Norman, last night. You can't have. I see no reason to doubt Dr. Tattelal.

He's always most conscientious. Well, he made a slip for once, that's all. It's

possible.

It's also possible somebody else interfered with the apparatus.

So you did find something.

A diamond.

Oh, so our friends haven't arrived yet. I trust you're quite recovered now.

Well, I'm sober.

I was sober enough to come to the lab this morning. Come to that. Oh, no, you

weren't. At least I didn't think so, and I couldn't risk it. Well, I could have

shown you the generator would blow up anyway.

You're underpowered, Norman. The arc won't hold on the voltage you're using.

But at least you agree it was an accident. Yes, it's an accident you'll

have every time. My figures prove it. Your figures prove nothing of the sort.

But at least you've got the good sense to see it was an accident and not go

running for the Rosses.

Who the heck are you? The Rosses.

Counterintelligence, to be precise. My name is Butler.

This is my assistant, Robinson. How do you do, Mr. Butler?

I'm Kendrick.

This is Mr. Diamond, our mathematician.

How do you do? And my physics team, Dr.

Chattelow. How do you do? And Dr. Jones. You're wasting your time, you know.

There's nothing here for you.

He's all steamed up, isn't he? Now, why, I wonder.

Has he been loved, sir? Huh?

Miss Gillian.

Who gave you permission to poke your nose into my private affairs? I must

apologize for Dr. Jones. He's been working under considerable strain

lately. Yes, quite so.

Now, listen, son, I catch spies for a living. You happen to be good at it. Of

course, I pry into people's private affairs. How else do I do my job?

Most of the time, people don't like it.

You've no idea how that upsets Robinson and me.

Now then, you'd better tell me what you're up to.

Well, the original idea was Dr.

Jones's. Jones, would you explain the project?

Very well, sir.

Well, putting it very simply, it's like this.

Hydrogen is placed in this tube, which is shaped like the Greek letter Omega,

hence the name.

Now, we place an electric discharge through it at 250,000 volts.

We use quite small temperatures, you see, say 500 million degrees centigrade.

That is quite small, sir.

And this sets up a chain reaction in the hydrogen atoms.

Now the resultant heat is big enough for us to run a turbine with it. If it gets

too hot, all we have to do is cut the generator.

If the gas gets too cool, we feed it back through the pipe and reheat it.

Now you see the beauty of it.

Small capital outlay, equipment easy to make, and a foolproof system of working

a turbine.

Foolproof? I said foolproof, and I meant it.

This gadget could halve the price of electricity all over the world. Have you

any idea what that could mean to a poor country like mine, Mr. Butler? Certainly

I have, Dr.

Chatterlow. Of course, you know that other places are working on the same

line. No.

They've got the same idea in Czechoslovakia, West Germany, and in

Russia. How on earth do you know?

Now, is it likely that I'd tell you?

You surprise me, Dr. Kendrick.

I mean, you're sure? I'm always sure. But you're the furthest ahead at the

moment. Yes, and if we could work together, we could have this in

commercial production inside six months. If you don't learn to behave yourselves,

I wouldn't have to come here at all.

I don't like it here. It reminds me of my prep school.

There's something that you haven't told me about this little toy of yours, isn't

there? They must trust you up in right, Holmes. Of course they do. I thought I

told you. You're the ones who are under suspicion.

You can cook up an H-bomb with this thing, can't you? Oh, yes.

For the record, it's dead easy.

Dead easy and cheap.

A do-it-yourself H-Lon kit, that's what Omega is.

And your ideals didn't get in the way when that came up? No, they did not.

I'm doing this to make cheap electricity. That's what Omega's for.

Did you read that in the papers?

Now then, Dr.

Kendrick is going to tell us why he called us in. If any of you think he's

got it wrong, interrupt him and tell me, will you? Well, we started off well

enough this morning.

The arc in the tube was dead center where it should have been.

The gas heated, the turbine turned, and then all at once the arc developed a

wobble. Was that bad? Well, of course it's bad.

That arc's hot enough to cut through a boiler plate. When it touched the tube,

it sliced clean through it and released the radioactive hydrogen.

That lab will be hot for years. We'll have to seal it off completely.

It also killed Vashti.

Who's Vashti?

My monkey. I took her in with me. I killed her. She died very quickly, Dr.

Chatelain.

If Dr.

Jones hadn't acted so promptly, it might have been us.

How do you think it happened?

Somebody must have tampered with the apparatus.

No. We'll leave it for now.

Well, you told us to interrupt. When you've interrupted, I said leave it for

now. Is there anything else?

Nothing connected with the experiment.

Yes?

I'm so sorry to bother you. Is Dr. Jones there by any chance? Yes, he's here. Who

wants him? Miss Gilly.

Name again?

Isabel Gilly. May I speak to him, please? No, not now. He's in conference.

Cheerio.

Young woman for you.

Name of Gilly. Sounds a bit of all right. She's got nothing to do with you.

That's my hard luck, isn't it? What does she do?

She works in an office somewhere.

What's the matter? I'm not a spy.

You'd be a really bad one if you were.

Now, Robinson here. He's a good one. Tell us about Miss Gilly, Robinson.

Isabel Gilly, age 22.

She lives alone. Her parents in Glasgow. She's a journalist and she works on the

Shannock Star.

See, you got it wrong. She's not a typist at all. She's a journalist. Does

it matter?

Not to you, you sexy devil.

Just about enough on this. Oh, sit down, please.

Dr. Kendrick.

You're about to tell me something else. What was it?

Somebody informed the press about our work. Think we didn't know?

Robinson and I were already setting out for here when you telephoned. You did

the right thing, Dr. Kendrick.

Now, I'd like to talk to you in private. The rest of you can buzz off, but don't

go too far.

I'll send for you when I want you.

Come on, Vice.

It never happened to happen, sir. Oh, I'm very civil of you.

Now, sir, tell me all.

Well, all I can tell you is that...

When I re-entered the lab, I found this fuse on the generator.

The apparatus had been tampered with.

It is safe to handle. Oh, perfectly. It's been decontaminated.

You suspect one of that lot, don't you?

No. Then you're a fool, Kendrick. Now, be sensible, man.

Only four people apart from yourself are ever allowed into the lab. That's Jones,

Chatelal, and Diamond.

Who else could it have been except one of them?

Me?

Yes, we're looking into that, too.

Suppose you are.

Those three men. It's absurd.

We've worked together on this for months. I trust them. I admire them.

And Jones saved my life this morning. That's a good alibi. Saving the boss's

life. You're not at the risk of your own. Especially then.

Tell me about Chatelain.

I thought you were interested in Jones. I'm interested in everybody.

Regular little Paul Pry. You're interested in Jones. We'll start with

Chatelain.

Well, he graduated in Calcutta. Took a first in physics.

And then did postgraduate work in Manchester. Yes, we've got all that.

We also know his father starved to death in the Bengal famine.

Well, that wouldn't make him love us very much. What's he like? What are his

vices? Women?

Well, I hardly know.

He's a vegetarian, of course. Oh, very sinister.

Well, you ask what he was like.

He doesn't drink. He doesn't smoke. He's fond of Indian music.

He's a good man with apparatus.

Women?

Not to my knowledge. Politics?

Yes. Of course, mostly...

Anti-imperialist and anti-bomb. Both he and Jones have marched.

Wish I could join them. I could do with the exercise.

What about Diamond?

Well, Diamond lives for mathematics.

And chess.

Also a protest marcher? Oh, no, no, no. Jones and Chatelal do enough for us all.

Chatelal is violently anti-bomb. It's the only thing I've ever known him to

lose his temper on.

In fact, he presented me with an ultimatum the other day. What was it?

He said that unless I could guarantee that Omega wouldn't be used to make H

-bombs, he'd resign.

Of course, I can't guarantee anything.

So now he's talking about going back to India to start some kind of passive

resistance movement to atomic weapons.

Oh, I know. Lying down in front of the British council officers, all that sort

of thing. Interesting.

You never understand why a man with genuine talent should turn to politics.

But what about Jones?

Has he threatened to resign?

No, no. He expressed himself rather more violently.

What did he say?

You feel you shouldn't be telling me these things, don't you? You think that

what we're doing is rather disgusting.

Read my mind very accurately. Oh, I've played this scene lots of times. Now

tell me about Jones.

He said that rather than let Omega make H-bombs, he'd blow it up himself.

They're taking their time.

Well, they're civilized men of the world, Norman, me boy.

Oh, blast.

Talking it over like gentlemen while they pass the port and cigars.

Where did I put it now?

I think it would be foolish to drink now, Mr. Diamond.

Sure I am a fool, Shanko.

I always have been.

Ask Norman here.

You're a fool, all right.

This is the best job you ever liked to get.

It could lead to something good if you could leave that stuff alone.

Success to temperance.

There is one other thing about Diamond.

He drinks rather heavily, I'm afraid.

A boozer?

You might say that. Well, I'm saying that. What's a boozer doing here?

Solving some very difficult mathematical problems.

There's a desperate shortage of mathematicians, Mr. Butler. We need

Diamond, drunk or sober.

And if he goes shouting your little secrets all over the parish, that's just

too bad, I suppose. It's a risk I had to take.

Diamond was the best man I could get in his field.

Of course, I realized that he drank, but, well, he's only a mathematician.

He works out the mathematical problems we set him. He doesn't know how we get

our results.

Well, let's hope not.

This Omega whatnot is Jones's pigeon, isn't it?

Basically, yes.

Jones is a brilliant young man.

Perhaps the most brilliant I've ever met.

The Omega process is quite beautiful, and he conceived it.

He's arrogant, boorish, self-opinionated, and quite uncultured.

He has a magnificent mind.

All right, Dr. Kennedy, we mustn't keep you.

I don't really like gossiping about my staff with you, you know. Why not? I'm

going to gossip to them about you.

I suppose you must. Of course I must.

It's my job, and our future. I buzz off.

Excuse me, Dr. Kendrick.

What is reactivation?

How do you know?

Of course, you ever heard Jones and Diamond talking?

Well, at a certain temperature, the hydrogen we use could start to recharge

itself, giving a reaction we can't control.

Jones thinks we're very near that temperature, but Diamond says not.

Diamond says we don't use enough power. And in this case, that's as dangerous as

too much, if he's right.

He claims that's what made the arc wobble.

Who's right?

Well, if I knew, I'd be rather less worried.

This is my office, you know, but you are welcome to use it if you wish. That's

very civil of you.

You know, I hadn't thought there was another human being as boorish as Dr.

Jones. I appear to have been wrong.

Hi.

Hi. What are you sniggering at?

What are you making of him?

Oh, I think he's clean, sir.

He likes power well enough, but...

All this is as much as he's ever likely to get.

He'll hang on to it.

Robinson, you have your moments.

Rare, I grant you, but you have them.

They do exist.

Thank you, sir. Not at all.

Now, let's see what we've got.

We've got something, isn't there?

Now.

He's got plenty

of

guts, I'll say that for you.

What you need now is luck.

It may be too late.

Look here.

How much longer are you expecting to sit here waiting? I've got work to do if you

haven't. Work? My dear fellow, we're in the civil service.

Still, if you insist, come on in. All of you.

Right, come on in.

Sit down.

Sit down.

That's better, isn't it?

Boorish, arrogant, self-opinionated.

What's the other one?

Quite uncultured, sir.

You've been talking to Kendrick, I see. Yes, I'm talking to you.

Look at Dr. Chatterhill, please.

Now tell me.

Do you think that Dr. Chatterlow would have been careless enough to have killed

his own pet monkey?

I know he didn't.

Well?

You told Diamond not to come to the lab. Why?

We didn't need him.

He'd done his job.

Besides, he wasn't well.

What's the matter with you? A hangover?

Oh, no. I was perfectly fit.

I wanted to go. Ask him. I'm asking him.

Look, I'm sorry, Michael. You had a hangover. You'd have been in the way.

Besides... Well?

Well, you don't believe in Omega.

And I didn't want a Jonah there.

Oh, you didn't believe in Omega, Mr. Diamond? No, and I still don't.

You'll never get a controlled reaction from that sort of temperature.

You need at least twice the power, and that would make it far too dangerous.

Too little power, and you blow up the apparatus.

Too much, and you blow up the whole power station.

But nobody takes any notice of stupid old Mick.

Why doesn't he wipe the bog from his boots before he steps all over a nice,

clean lab? Robinson, smell his breath, will you? Now, keep away from me. You've

no... You can't better cooperate, sir.

Oh, it's whiskey, sir. It's a lot of whiskey.

All right, put him down.

You don't leave us much dignity, do you? We live in an undignified world, Dr.

Jones.

Why didn't you warn Dr.

Jones he was going to blow himself up? I did. Over and over I warned him.

So you don't believe there's been any sabotage? I do not.

It's all here in pure mathematics.

Page after page of it.

All leading to boom.

No, you wouldn't understand that. You can take my word for it.

I told you, it's all Greek to you. Not at all. I understand Greek. Well, God

love us all an educated man.

Well, if you're here looking for criminals, you're wasting Dr.

Jones's valuable time.

Omega was a clear case of attempted suicide.

And yet you wanted to watch the experiment?

Of course I did. I was right, you see.

And I wanted to look at Norman's face when he realized it.

Well, even though you might have been killed?

Well, who died this morning, Mr. Butler?

Not Norman, not Shanker, not even old Kendrick.

Just a poor little monkey that never did any harm.

Thank you, Mr. Diamond. We needn't detain you any longer.

Oh, getting rid of the old drunkard, are you?

Are you afraid I might make a mess on the carpet?

Precisely. Thank you, Mr. Diamond.

Well then, Dr.

Chatterlow.

Were you there when he was told not to come to the lab?

Yes. Dr.

Jones is speaking the truth, Mr. Butler.

Now tell me, Dr. Chatterlow, you wouldn't kill that monkey just to cover

up, now would you?

I don't understand.

Well, everyone knows you're very fond of... Vashti.

Vashti. Vashti.

You wouldn't sacrifice her to a greater end just to sort of provide yourself

with an alibi, now would you? How can I possibly answer such a question?

Take your time. I'd like to watch you try.

The answer is no, Mr. Butler.

I could, in certain circumstances, have wrecked this experiment.

But I would have left Vashti at home.

What circumstances?

If I thought Omega would be used for killing people and not for helping them,

I would destroy it now if I could.

But you don't think it's likely, then?

I think it is very likely.

I'm leaving here.

You're going back to India, I suppose, to tell them all how we're going to

start the next war.

Who told you, Dr. Kendrick? He had no right.

He had every right. It's his country and his experiment.

Oh, no, it's not. It's mine.

Now, please, Dr. Jones.

Dr. Jones stopped you from saving Vashti, isn't that true?

It is a kind of truth.

He also stopped me from being killed. That too is a kind of truth.

Did you see Jones stop Kendrick from switching off the generator?

No. Why not? You were there.

I was crying.

All right, that's all.

Hey, Mr. Butler.

Mr. Robinson.

And then there was one.

Well, if you think I did it, you're crazy.

I've sweated blood for months to get the thing this far. Why should I want to

destroy it now?

Because Kendrick thought of a way of making Omega cook up a bomb, and you

don't believe in bombs.

You're right, I don't.

But I believe in people having enough to eat and living decently, and Omega can

help them in that.

And yet you stopped Kendrick from switching off the generator.

There wasn't time to switch off.

So you risked your life to save his.

Well, you can put it like that, I suppose.

Even though you despise Kendrick, he must be what they call a hero, Robinson.

Yes, sir, so he must.

They'll make a bomb with Omega, you know that.

Oh, no, they won't.

Omega's mine.

Is that what it says in your contract?

Never mind contracts.

I made a... I discovered the principle and I designed the apparatus.

It's not going to be used to make bombs. I'd sooner... Blow it up yourself, like

someone did this morning.

You've been having a right cozy chat with Kendrick, haven't you? Yes, now I'm

having a right cozy chat with you.

Did you do it?

No. Then who did?

Chatelain?

Diamond?

Kendrick? Oh, don't be daft.

There's something on your mind, Dr. Jones. No.

You'd better tell us why we're still here. Look, there... What do you mean?

Well, if Diamond's right, you may be doing yourself in before long. That old

boozer, what does he know? What do you know? What have you told?

Oh, well, I mustn't keep you.

You mean I can go? Of course. You're a very busy man, I understand.

Keeping it a surprise. No, he's dim even for a scientist.

He's sure not dim enough to know. I imagine I don't know. He hasn't been

sending secret information to the papers.

Even his girlfriend.

I'll see your part, please.

Certainly.

Isabel, what on earth are you doing here?

I've come to inspect the lab, of course. Don't you remember?

Oh, yes, yes, of course I do, yes.

This lady's all right. Yes, sir. I see.

Yes,

the, um... The new lab...

Well, it's not quite ready yet, you know, but... What the devil are you

doing here? I'm sorry, darling, but it was such a marvellous opportunity. When

this story breaks, I shall have an exclusive.

Is that all you can think about when that idiot from Whitehall's going around

accusing... Accusing whom?

Never mind.

Well, I know I've behaved badly, but it's my job, darling. I must do it as

well as I can.

You said you burnt that pass. Oh, I'm a terrible liar, Norman.

But I love you, and that's the truth.

Well, then, for heaven's sake, keep away from me. Give me that pass. No.

To both, I'm afraid. Well, I'll have to take it then. I'm not in front of

witnesses. Look, it's about for heaven's sake. His footless seizure here is

suspected of telling the papers about Omega.

Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't see me.

Well, I'll give orders to keep you out, mind.

Well, then he'll be bound to suspect us.

Look, you do your job and I'll do mine.

Bye, darling.

Beg your pardon, sir.

Yes? Is that lady a scientist?

No. She's more of a psychologist, really.

She's interested in the behavior of people under stress.

This is Kendrick's personal file, sir.

Ah, the dark horse. Yes. Oh, Mr. Butler.

This is Dr. Jepson. How do you do?

How do you do? The monkey died of radiation. A massive dose. Poor little

beggar. Oh, surely you expected that.

Of course we did.

We're not exactly idiots, Inspector.

I am not a policeman, madam.

Aren't you?

I thought you told me these chaps were investigating something.

Oh, they are.

They are indeed.

We are from Counter Intelligence and we're investigating an act of sabotage.

Sabotage? Well, there's enough radiation in that poor little beast to kill a lot

of us. You better get your skates on. We intend to.

And try not to upset these blokes while you're about it, will you?

They've got plenty of guts, but they're touchy.

You know, jolly them along a bit.

I haven't jollied anybody along in the last 15 years.

Touchy yourself, I dare say.

You look the manic type to me.

Hypermanic, if you're not careful.

You eat too much, of course.

And you should cut out cigarettes.

You've gone very red.

Blood pressure, too, I dare say.

See, that is not one of mine.

It's mutual, madam, I assure you.

What are you snickering at?

Nothing. I really must apologize. He's a first-rate doctor.

Yeah, well, I'll be ready for her next time. Yes, well, how are you

progressing? Do you think you'll find the saboteur soon?

A good idea now, but I can't prove a thing. Not a single thing. What about

that fuse on the generator?

It only proves that someone committed sabotage. It doesn't tell me who.

What are we going to do, then?

Look, can you do this experiment again?

I could, I suppose.

There's another lab we could use, and we do have another omega tube.

But... But what?

The experiment is highly dangerous. I think you've demonstrated that. And if

the saboteur isn't under arrest? How could he be without proof?

You wouldn't care to tell me who you suspect, I suppose.

No, naturally not.

Look, this experiment is dangerous enough without human interference.

I really don't think I could ask my people to go on.

We've got to catch this joker in the act, and this is the only way possible.

But abandoning the experiment now is just what the other side want.

That means they'll get in first, H-bombs and all.

Are you willing to see that happen? Of course not. Good man. How soon can you

set it up?

We could do it tomorrow. Then you must. I see.

I shall have to consult with the others first.

No, not yet.

You mean it is one of the others?

Well, now, what do you think, Dr. Kendrick?

You're not still angry with me, are you, darling?

Ahem.

Have I just about enough of this? Hey, hey, hey.

That's all I told you. Robinson is awfully good at violence.

That's all I see.

Quite obviously, you're not.

We are counterintelligence. My name is Butler. This is my assistant, Robinson.

But no doubt, your boyfriend's already informed you.

Thistle looks splendid in the papers.

Put him down, Robinson.

Yeah, what a visit.

No, you're misleading.

Nobody would think you're that strong.

Well, thank you, sir.

You have to keep fit in my job.

I'll remember in future.

Well, do smoke if you want to.

Now then, Miss Skilly, isn't it? Yes.

Why did you do it?

I haven't the least idea what you're talking about.

Oh, come now, Miss Skilly. Life is too short.

You still say anything, darling. It's bluffing.

You tell them, Robinson, will you? I'm tired.

We know about that leak. The press, sir. You and Miss Skilly.

Oh, you do, do you?

Well, can you prove it?

Oh, yes.

You see, you should have realized that no paper could possibly have printed

your story without first getting clearance from us.

Then you used copy paper, Miss, the type you use in your office.

Yes, this is what you sent.

It's on copy paper.

And we'll find it was done on your typewriter as well.

Won't we?

We'll know better next time. Isabel!

It's no good, darling. They've got us.

Indeed we have. What worries Dr. Jones, my dear, is he might lose his job.

You could... Well, he's not a good risk at the moment, is he?

And then there's the other little matter, eh, Dr. Jones?

You surely don't think Norman would wreck his own experiment?

Oh, don't I?

Norman created Omega.

It's his.

I know other people have helped, but Norman made it, all of it. Yes, but it

was Kendrick who thought he might be used to cook up an H-bomb. Norman

doesn't believe in bombs.

Very well, we'll accept that Norman, Dr.

Jones, feels more strongly than most.

What does he do about it? He informs the press. Why? Because he believes.

Never mind about the experiment.

That has to be sacrificed so that the world knows what the warmongers are up

to. Now, that needed courage.

Oh, I'm glad you realise it.

The kind of courage a man might need to wreck his life's work for the sake of a

principle. No, don't you see it's part of his principles to build an Omega?

To help people with science, not to destroy them. Yes, but you end up making

an H-bomb.

We are not making bombs, I've told you. You know, you ought to be nice to

Robinson and me.

If you're not the fellow who wrecked Omega, then we're the only ones who can

help you. We're the only ones who can keep you alive.

I don't believe it.

Well, then you've got nothing to worry about, have you?

But you know that someone put the wrong kind of fuse on a generator.

It could have been me. Yes, you.

Or Chatelal, he checked it. Or Diamond, you sent for him. Or Kendrick, he locked

it up. Mr. Butler, you're not really going to make Norman do the experiment

again, are you? Look at him. He can't wait to get back to that lab.

The problem would be to try and stop him.

It's an interesting little problem you have here, too. What colour are you?

Black. It's Diamond's move.

Well, watch out for his Queen's Bishop.

It's going to be your last game. You deserve to win.

You know, he's right about that Queen's Bishop.

What's he being so cryptic about?

He's like all these clever types.

Can't ever call a spade a ruddy shovel.

He's trying to tell me that if I know who it is, I should tell him to save my

own skin.

Norman, who's Butler really after?

Is it you?

Come

in.

Gentlemen. Ah, it's you, Mr. Butler.

Oh, dear.

I'm very sorry. I have a lot of work to do. We are working on tomorrow's

experiment. You see, there is a lot to be done before the morning.

Robertson, I think you better ask the questions.

I don't think I'm too popular.

Thanks, sir.

You always check the apparatus, Mr.

Chatelout. Yes. Then it's your responsibility if anything goes wrong.

That is correct.

What happened this morning?

I looked at everything, but not thoroughly.

Why not?

I had checked everything last night.

You're quite sure?

Quite sure. I have said so.

Were you alone at all in the lab?

Yes. How long?

Half an hour.

Excuse me, sir. This is distracting.

Yes. Mr.

Diamond, did you go to the lab last night?

Yes.

After Mr. Chatelain?

Well, he was there when I arrived.

Dr. Jones sent for me to do some sums.

Were you alone at all in the lab? A minute or two.

Jones had to go to the safe to get some information that I'm not supposed to

know.

Ah, yes.

Did he check the apparatus? Yes.

Did you check or touch the apparatus?

No, why should I? Didn't need my help to make it blow up. Not quite, Mr. Diamond.

You see, we know somebody put a fuse on the generator that was too weak.

That was why it blew up. Oh.

Well, Mr. Chatelow.

I could have done it easily.

I did not.

Well, Mr. Diamond?

Oh, no, not me. I don't know much about generators. That's Shanker's department.

You don't like your colleagues very much, do you?

Well, grateful to them, I should be. Like them, I do not.

They're too kind altogether to the old idiot.

Well,

that's it, sir. I don't think I've missed anything.

You've missed the bottle under the table.

That's about it then. This time it's going to work.

No doubt you're right.

Our apparatus is as good as it is.

Well, of course it is.

We've all checked it. Now we have to guard it.

All of us. Yes, watching each other.

I hate all this. So do I.

We're bound by act of parliament.

Good morning, Mr. Butler. Good morning, gentlemen.

Ready to experiment?

What time is it?

We're ready when you are. Well, it's lunchtime now. You'd better buzz off and

get it.

I'll stay here.

Eat well.

Maybe your last meal.

Very funny. Ha, ha.

Look, has anyone seen my notebook?

It's a little book about so big and a black leather cover. You remember, I

showed it to you.

But the one you had yesterday.

Yes, that's the one. And you've lost it. Yes, I have.

You idiot. It was full of top secret information, wasn't it? Yes, it was.

Isn't that a character that might have been stolen?

How many of you got it? We don't need it. All his stuff's on file.

Can you all get the files?

Well, let me save you the trouble, Dr. Kendrick.

I cannot.

Well, that's interesting. That's very interesting.

I want that notebook found. Yes, yes, I'll find it.

Now go and get your lunch. There's no need to order us about like that.

Oh, isn't there?

No, I suppose not.

You're all sensitive people with feelings.

You're so blasted sensitive you can't see one of you is trying to kill the

other three.

Now then, will you all buzz off?

Oh, one more thing.

None of you are to try to leave.

If you do, you'll be stopped.

I don't suppose Mr. Robinson's seen my number? I don't know. He's sensitive

too. Or you've treated him and brought on his nervous asthma.

Do come in.

Must you be so violent?

That hurt.

Well, you see, I was expecting someone to try and kill me just now.

Oh, not you.

Jones gave you a pass to come in, I suppose. Yes.

Yes. Now, my bloke probably won't try.

You mean you wanted him to?

Yes, of course. It's the simplest way, and I'm in a hurry, Miss Gilly. Well,

why won't he try? Because you're here.

I wish that you weren't.

Oh, you're a pretty enough girl, but I could stand your absence.

Well, all right, I'll go.

It's never quite as easy as that. Now, let's consider your handbag, shall we?

Big enough for a cosh, this handbag.

You know, a woman once clubbed Robinson unconscious with a handbag.

She had a brick in it.

She was a pretty girl, too.

No brick.

Just this.

You never give up, do you? Why should I? It's a lovely story.

Well, isn't an editor in the country would print it without permission?

Look out!

Hannah, that's what comes of talking to pretty girls. I should be watching

doors. I made a mistake.

Extraordinary. What are you talking about? I never thought I'd do with you

here. Do what?

Well, well, we live and we learn.

Now, what's his next move?

Disconnected. It would be.

Listen.

I can't hear anything.

He must be tone deaf.

He switched off the air conditioning.

Let the extractors on.

They change the owner here every four minutes.

Doesn't give us much time, does it?

Nasty way to die.

No, I particularly didn't want to die just now. My insurance policy matures

next year.

Are you serious? I've never been more serious in my life. I've been paying the

blasted thing for the last 20 years. I can't believe it. Oh, don't I look like

a solid citizen?

No, I mean, are we really going to die?

Why not? The obvious solution to a very nasty problem, I said to the fellow. No

one will commit murder.

Oh, wouldn't they? What about your boyfriend? Norman?

Are you really suspecting Norman?

You're with him on the last job. Maybe he thinks you're a bad risk.

He doesn't like bombs. He doesn't like interference. He doesn't like me, Miss

Kelly. But Norman loves me. You're sure he loves you? Yes. What, more than

Omega? More than all these causes that he shouts about? Yes, I'm sure.

What about Kendrick, then, and Chatelow, and Diamond? They can't all be in love

with you. You're very rude. Yes, I know. People are always telling me that. It's

an occupational habit. When I'm rude, people tell me things. Oh, thank you for

the warning. Not at all. It won't help you.

Well, we'd better go.

Don't want you compromised.

I thought you said we were locked in. Here we are.

Yes, I thought so. They needed something pretty solid for Omega.

Remember, it's one of Robinson's.

He's awfully good with guns. He watches all the westerns.

That's better, isn't it?

Why couldn't you have done that before?

Well, I wanted the opposition to think he'd won. He will be disappointed now.

Disappointed men lack confidence. They make mistakes.

Be like me, dear lady.

Never be disappointed.

Besides, I... Well?

Well, I was hoping you might tell me things, you know.

Deathbed confessions and so forth. You really are the most conceited man I've

ever met. Oh, come now. You adore me. Admit it.

You haven't got a cigarette, have you? I seem to have... Oh, dear me.

First blood to the enemy.

You know, I really should have had Robinson with me. He's awfully good at

windows.

Where is Jones?

He heard me say we were to meet in the office after lunch. All four of us. And

march to the lab, shoulder to shoulder. Oh, there you are.

Can we start now?

Oh, what's the hurry? It won't work anyway.

How do you know? You've lost your notebook.

Suppose that fellow is right.

Has one of you got it? Me, I suppose. Perhaps I do. What would I do with

figures I do not understand? That's a very interesting question. Now, now,

now, gentlemen. What do you mean? What a way to start an experiment.

Find a rosary in the lab if you still want to go on.

What have you done to your head?

I scratched it on some broken glass. Meddling with something you don't

understand, Mr. Butler.

What did you break?

Your window.

Don't be doubtful. The glass in that window is three inches thick.

With this?

Someone locked me in with a pretty girl, no chaperone.

Isabel, I told her to keep away.

Did you now?

Well, she's all right anyway.

But somebody locked us in and switched on the air conditioning.

And it was one of you four.

You.

Or you.

Or you.

Or you.

And whoever it was is going to sweat for it. But you are certain it is one of us?

You can prove it?

Did you all lunch together?

I didn't have any lunch.

I was working on some calculations at home. Alone?

Yes. What about you? I went home too.

I prepared my own food. I was alone.

Dr. Kendrick? I had some sandwiches here. My secretary can confirm it.

Diamond. I had a drink, then I looked for my notebook. You told me to.

Did you find it? No.

One of you did it all right.

You still want to go on?

Yes, we'll take our chance while we can.

You're pretty cocky, aren't you?

Suppose the masked Avenger strikes again.

We'll be watching each other.

Isn't that what you want? Yes, all right. Go on, buzz off to the lab.

Mind you, boot that Rosser out. He knows nothing. He deserves to be a survivor.

After all that, I'd better take your pulse. You'll do nothing of the sort.

You're taking a pretty big risk with this experiment, aren't you? That's what

I'm paid for.

For all you know, one of them may murder the other three.

Possibly. On the other hand, he may give himself up. Why should he? Save his own

skin.

Relax.

Hello?

Hello, Mr. Butler, please.

For you, don't you?

Yes. Kendrick here. I'm in the lab. We're ready to start now. What about

that window?

Oh, Chatelaine's blocked it with tin.

Well, have you checked everything?

Yes, there won't be any accidents this time.

Wish us luck. You'll need it.

Goodbye.

Right.

One final check of the hydrogen.

Both of you.

You come and stand by me.

Gentlemen, you check the spot meter.

Switch on the generator.

Hodges?

Hodges, are you getting any power?

Yes, sir. The turbine's running out.

Splendid. It's working, and it's run twice as long as before. Look, Hodges,

we're going to cut it now. We'll do a longer run later. Very good, sir.

Switch off the generator.

We're so fast, so good.

But we need a longer run than that. How long?

About an hour, at least. You're out of your mind. The arc won't stay steady

that long. My figures prove it.

The temperature's rising! What? Look for yourself!

But it can't be! It's switched off! Look!

It's reactivating itself!

I thought your figure said it could! Stop, Cook! Turn it off, quickly!

I can't.

It's jammed.

It'll blow. Run for it.

Get out of here or maybe it's about to blow up. I don't like to argue with

experts, but you're wrong. Robinson's turned the gas up outside.

He turned the gas up? Are you sure? Of course I'm sure.

Yes. The temperature's dropping.

It's below danger point. I'm delighted to hear it.

Our brave little Dutch boy with his finger in the dike. It's all turned off,

sir. Good, good.

Now, would you mind telling me what's going on?

If the gas is turned off, the reactor should stop.

Only it didn't.

This stupid fool couldn't work out that it would reactivate itself. I must be

very grateful to you, Mr. Butler, for saving our lives.

Oh, it's my pleasure. You don't happen to have a... Ah, that's better. Very

civil of you.

Sorry, Jones.

What, you mean it didn't work?

Oh, it works all right. Do really well. What we've got to do now is throttle it

back. Oh, you'll need a new mathematician.

Yes.

I'm sorry, Michael.

You should have got it right.

He did, Dr. Jones. He knew all about it weeks ago.

Oh, no, not me.

All I said was that you couldn't control the power in the pipe.

I didn't think it would reactivate itself.

You can't prove I did.

You didn't lose your nose book.

I did, I tell you.

Robinson pinched it.

Useful lad, Robinson. Not very sporting of him, of course.

I took it to Cambridge.

Had to drive all night.

Showed it to a chum of yours. A chum of mine came to that old Lennox of Trinity.

He showed Lennox my work. He didn't say it was yours, naturally.

He said it showed to be a blow-up.

Reactivation. Yeah. Oh, yes.

You knew all some.

Do you really believe I'd blow myself to bits?

I was in here, you know, along with the others. Oh, you knew it wouldn't blow up

the whole plant. All that was in the notebook, too.

All you wanted was to get through that door and you had a chance.

Enough chance to make it worthwhile.

They must be offering you quite a lot, mustn't they? Oh, must you go?

I'm sure we've got a lot to talk about.

Take away, Robinson.

See you a little later.

Diamond.

Who would have ever thought of him?

Poor old chap.

He's to be pitied.

Spare your sympathy.

He tried to destroy us and our work. Yes, Omega.

Now, that reactivation, it started at 250,000 volts, right? That's right. That

gives us 5,000 to play with. Yes, it's all in Diamond's notebook.

Now, don't you try to intimidate me.

I hate the English.

It was the likes of you who shot my father when I was nine years old and

looking on.

They did me out of my fellowship at Cambridge.

And I've been meeting the like ever since.

Oh, we've had all this. He's wasting time, Robinson.

I'm afraid you were right. He's got nothing to tell us. Just another one

pretending to be a genius. No, no, no. Wait.

Let me have another drink.

No harm in me talking to you now. I'm finished.

But it's time somebody realized the kind of man I am. Well, we're at your

disposal. I know what's wrong with Omega for a start.

And I know how to put it right.

It's all in my notebook.

That's marvelous. Isn't that marvelous, Robinson? Yes, indeed it is.

Oh, now that's enough. I know fine well that Lennox has told you all about it.

Never mind.

Omega's trouble was very simple. If Jones hadn't been so pig-headed... You

know, the thing about you is that not merely you're a good mathematician, but

you're a good practical man as well.

And look at the brilliant way you changed that fuse.

Yes, precisely.

It's nice of you to put it like that. Now, tell us about the people who put

you up to this, how you made contact with them and so forth. Oh, that was

very simple.

You were approached by a certain foreign embassy? Yes, yes. They told me that

they heard that I'd been appointed to this, to a sheriff.

And of course, they realized that I could do it on my head. Of course. In

fact, they offered me a position like Kendrick's when I was finished here.

You see, all they really wanted was time to get their own project into production

first. So I agreed to make sure that Omega ran into one or two teething

problems.

You have no idea how I enjoyed that.

I only wish my father could have been alive to see it.

You know, you should have stuck to mathematics, my old son.

You won't believe me.

That's all I ever really wanted to do.

What will they do to him?

Put him in jail, I suppose.

After all, he tried to kill us.

I'm glad he didn't. So am I.

You know, he was a wonderful mathematician.

Those calculations he held back were just the job.

Next time Omega will work, you'll see.

Don't go and blow yourself up, darling.

I won't.

Robinson, I think we've arrived at the wrong time again. Have a drink.

Where's Diamond? Is he gone?

Yes, we've done him proud. Nice discreet sort of car, nothing showy like

handcuffs, just a couple of tame gorillas and vulva hats.

May I print this story, Mr. Butler?

When I say so, and not before.

What put you on to Diamond?

Well, he was skint when he first came here, and after that newspaper leak, I

got the roses to check up. He had a bank account.

Quite a sizable one for the first time in his life.

You sound as if you're sorry for him.

No, he'll get all he deserves, but he did so much want to be somebody, and now

he never will.

You got all that?

Yes, thank you. Good. Give it to Robinson. He hates taking notes.

You'll get it later.

Ah, there you are, Mr. Bartlett.

I told you, no stimulants after that last injection.

Well, cheers.

Cheers.