Original subtitles

OK, this time, Mitch.

- Shall we try it? - OK. Let's try it.

Welcome to my programme, Numbskulls.

Tonight, I want to tell you about these organs, donated for your education and my amusement.

Names as familiar to us as the food contained in our deepfreeze.

The liver.

The lower intestines.

The lungs.

What have we here?

Ah, yes.

The spleen. Pretty, yes?

Argh!

OK. So you're anxious to get home.

You know, they told me I'd be working with an expert.

Ah yes, my boy, but did they say in what?

Come on, David, it's getting damn chilly in here.

Hold on. I'll just play this back.

Welcome to my programme, Numbskulls.

Mitch, no luck.

This one's worse, if anything.

It's like Saturday night at the local, without laughs.

I forgot you this time.

Shall we give up for now, report back in the morning?

- Opening time. - Yeah.

I'm damned if I know what it is.

We're picking up something.

It must be in the deck.

- Aaargh! - Mitch!

- Mitch! - Aaargh!

I want to introduce you to these organs,

kindly donated for your education and my amusement.

Names as familiar to us as the food contained in our deepfreeze.

Mitch!

Mitch, thank God. That was...

Tom, I'm sorry. I came as soon as I heard.

Why didn't you leave an address? There was no way of getting in touch with you.

I didn't know where I'd be, did I? Not till I got there.

A walking holiday, remember?

Well, I can't say the country life agrees with you.

- You look pretty seedy. - Oh, thanks.

So, how did you find out? About Julia.

The ubiquitous Dr Martindale, my new boss.

Boss?

He told me he didn't know you.

Look, what is this? Why the quiz?

I just wondered what form of contact you were using these days.

Telepathy, perhaps?

It's all right. I've had a long discussion with a gentleman called Scott-Erskine.

- Who? - Martindale's boss.

He told me about the dream experiments.

I've never even met the man.

But yeah, I've been working for Dr Martindale.

So he did lie to me

And you.

All I know is the work was highly confidental and he was probably being discreet.

You know now, Tom.

You were going to be told about the experiments,

but not beforehand, or you might have put up some kind of mental barrier. Do you see?

There was nothing in it.

My wife died.

What's that got to do that... That was an accident, Tom. Your car crashed.

What do you know about a man called Drexel?

I've never even heard of him. Who's he?

A dabbler in the occult, now disappeared.

Oh, that sounds just...

What about this Scott-Erskine bloke?

I've never come across him.

He runs Department 7.

- What are you doing working for them? - Julia's death was not an accident.

That's why I agreed to work for them.

I see.

You'll be staying in Edinburgh?

Why don't you carry on, use my flat?

- Aren't you going to be there? - No. I've had a stroke of luck.

Been given a grant to tour Austrian and German univesities.

So, I'm going to finish my thesis with the shades of the great peering over my shoulder.

Let's hope you'll have something to teach them.

I'm the brains in the family, remember?

You're the suspect one. Writer, romantic, idealist.

The dreamer.

That doesn't make me a bad person.

I miss her, Mike.

You're a disruptive influence.

- Shall I take it back? - No, you won't.

It's not every day I get whisked away from my toils.

Oh, isn't the air fresh?

How are you, Tom?

I'm well.

And how was it this morning, with Roy?

Teacher's pet, I think.

Oh, you'll come to like him.

Maybe.

What about Scott-Erskine?

Mm. That could prove more difficult.

- Really? - Mm.

When do I get to meet him again?

That's what I mean. Another meeting is a bit unlikely.

- What? - Unless he arranges it, only then.

I've only seen him twice.

No, we'are answerable to Roy Martindale.

Complaints, confessions and curiosity you take to him.

- Curiosity he's not so found of. - What do you want to know?

Why Julia died.

You were driving the car, Tom.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean that sound the way I did.

Do you think this man Drexel had something to do with?

I'm not sure the wrong person didn't fall victim.

How did I do?

In a block of 25 cards, in which there are only five different symbols,

the expected number of correct guesses is five.

You have guessed an average of 9.75.

The odds against your score being due to chance are seven millions to one.

That unusual?

To put it mildly.

It didn't seem to matter whether you were using an agent or not.

Whether you were in the same room, or on different floors.

Maybe I've got X-ray vision.

We're not going to get very far unless you take this work seriously, really involve yourself in it.

Like my wife, you mean?

- I don't understand. - And my brother.

Has he any complaints?

Yes, he was a great help to me.

For him it meant a little extra work well paid.

Are all your guinea pigs ciphers, to be fed into your computers?

My connection with them needs to be impersonal.

Was it an impersonal chat you had with my wife in your car?

I understand your reluctance to trust me, but please try.

Julia caught an earlier train that day she arrived in Edinburgh.

She wanted to surprise you.

She phoned you when she arrived, but you were out. So she phoned me.

We had some business to discuss and there was time before you were due to meet her.

Nothing underhand, Tom.

Why should she pretend she'd just arrived at the station?

I'm not that good a psychiatrist. The female mind still hold some secrets.

But at a guess, perhaps she was wary of your suspicious nature.

I deeply regret the fact that she died.

Obviously, there are degrees of loss.

But please, do not underestimate my respect and regard for Julia,

but as a colleague and as a friend.

I believe she would have wanted you to help with our work.

She's the only reason I'm here.

Shall we say 10 o'clock tomorrow morning?

You know the experimental unit now.

The test I have in mind is more advanced than the Zener cards.

More taxing, maybe.

More rewarding.

Robbie, swing round on that camera.

OK, Bob.

I have a funny feeling I'm not going to be of much use to you this morning.

- Why do you say that? - General reluctance to participate.

Since you don't know what I have in my mind,

I assume that your reluctance stems from something outside my knowledge.

I'll tell you. I've a great aversion to secrecy.

Discretion, Tom.

This is an experimental investigative unit.

When we come up with the facts, truth, then we make our findings known.

Today's mysteries, tomorrow's discoveries.

The omega factor.

What?

Something Scott-Erskine said. The ultimate potential of the human mind.

The trouble is, I find it hard keeping Julia out of mind.

I can understand that.

My sympathies, you've already had those.

They're boundaries. The rest is up to you.

Let's try.

Please, whatch that screen.

Tell me which figure took your immediate interest.

The eldest boy.

Very good.

- Do you recognise? - The boy grown up.

Not too difficult. The features haven't changed that much.

But I don't know whether you chose that particular boy from the first slide

because he was very much on my mind,

or because the man he grew up to be, is lying in a room not 30 feet from here.

So how do you aim to sort that out?

I want to try something that will benefit that man and further my research.

- What part do I play? - Think of that man.

Transmit the target pictures to him while I record his EEG and cardiograph readings.

Let yourself respond to the images and sounds you'll hear.

Don't you think it'd be better if you relaxed?

Right, Paul. When you are ready.

Get him out.

We've got to cut it short. I've got to go to him.

- Who is it? - Mi?

On the screen, the slide.

Come and see me later. We'll discuss it.

Only ten slides, Tom. The patient, his family and eight others of my chosing.

An emotive choice, wouldn't you say?

- No relevant. - I hope your patient thought so.

Yes, my patient. There's no saying who this other one you think you saw might be.

Was it a distorted image of the original man?

This was a different man.

...your very own paranormal experience.

I'm sorry. I've so much on my mind.

This morning's tests were debilitating.

I wanted to refuse, but...

I've been left with feeling that some of Martindale's tests might be dangerious.

- Put today behind you. - I'm not in the running for reputation building.

I respect Roy and his aims.

Sorry.

He may appear ruthless at times, but there's another side of him.

Kinder.

- He's a great concert-goer. - Oh. Can't be all bad.

- Right. - But he hates the movies.

How did you know that?

I asked him out and he said he had to wash his hair.

- No, he told me. - He's a theatre man.

You're very well informed on his artistic tastes.

- Sometimes he likes company. - Ah.

- But I like old movies. - What's on?

The Film Theatre's showing Phantom Lady. Two houses.

Oh, Franchot Tone and Ella Raines.

Siodmak directing! You've seen it.

I know it by reputation. I want to.

Which house?

- This one? - Why not?

Early this morning I had a visit from Scott-Erskine.

It seems that Special Branch had cause to call on him.

They've been having some trouble with some new premises they've just move into.

Miles outside the city, a safe port of call for dissidents and deserters.

And the trouble?

At first they suspected betrayal from someone inside, disturbance of records, that sort of thing.

Then there was a wave of depression and physical sickness amongst the office staff.

Things that they hadn't been able to explain, but had been able to cope with.

And why bring us in?

Well, it seems that something rather nasty happened

while they were testing some electronic equipment in the house.

So, finally, with one murdered,

another in a cataleptic state, and this...

they had no choice but to call us in.

This is a copy of the original tape found in the house,

with a breakdown and separation of sound made by their experts.

Welcome to my programme, Numbskulls.

Tonight, I want to tell you about these organs

donated for your education and my amusement. Names...

Then they slowed the tape down

and got this.

Make anything out?

There's a woman's voice.

It's French, I think.

Now comes the final transfer.

Aidez-moi. Mon dieu.

Mon dieu! Mon dieu!

Aidez-moi!

Mon dieu!

It could, of course, be a hoax.

But to what end?

Well, it's possible there's no hoax.

Radio transmissions.

- Maybe the mike's picked something up. - A strong possibility.

The content?

And having heard tapes not too dissimilar.

What, recently?

In recent years the Department's been investigating the alliged phenomena that,

on occasion, tapes carry voices from undetected sources.

- Voices from space? - I'll let you have Raoul Deeves' book.

The work has been carried on by Hugo Beckmeister in Germany

and Marianne Wilburn here in Edinburgh. You've not met her yet, have you?

No. What do you plan to do about these?

I've offered to send a team along to the house to investigate.

- Marianne's still in Manchester, surely. - Yes, and far too busy.

- So, if you wouldn't mind... - Oh, no. That's not my area.

I didn't know that you were intending to specialize.

You'll enjoy it. I'd like you to go along as well, Tom, as part of the team.

I'de be interesting in the reaction of a sensitive,

as opposed to the prosaic acceptance of my scientists.

No offence, Anne.

None taken, but you mentioned a murder.

Yeah... It seems that one of the two engineers working there

turned on his companion and killed him.

- How? - Broke his neck.

It's all right, Tom. The killers's incapacitated, as I said.

However, tomorrow, I'd like us to visit him.

It's all right, Tom. There's safety in numbers.

I've chosen two capable technicians to make up the team.

They'll be engaged in Department work. That's all they need to know.

The details I'm keeping private for the present.

- Are you paying them danger money? - On top of overtime?

I always think the odd occupational hazard is really one of the perks.

Christ.

Julia.

Why, damn it, why?

As a rule, I only see people at church on Sunday evenings.

They told me, I couldn't wait till then.

They said you seemed disturbed.

That is very true.

- Would you care for a small sherry? - That'd be nice.

It's dry, mind.

- It'll draw your cheeks together. - Fine.

You know, there's really very little I can do for you.

- But... - There's so much you could do for yourself.

Not by yourself, not on your own.

Not yet.

- I don't understand. - Och, I think you do,

You have the gift.

Not fully developed, perhaps.

I believe I have some abilities, Mrs Marshall.

I don't understand, I haven't come to terms with them yet.

You're troubled, I realise that.

But if you're troubled about your gift, then don't be.

Accept it as you accept the ability to breathe God's air

But that's not why I'm here.

You want to contact someone recently passed over?

Yes.

Tell me something about her.

- Her? - Your wife.

When did she die?

Two weeks ago.

It was an accident, a car crash.

I was driving.

Such a violent end.

Poor lassie.

But it's too early for her.

She must be allowed to recover from the shock.

She must?

Don't laugh if the vocabulary's limited. It's just a kind of shorthand, really.

Shall I come back?

Give her a bit more time.

I'll help you,

Let her come to you.

She will, in good time.

You'll know.

And missing her?

Och, that'll heal.

It's early days yet.

Don't think of her as being lost to you forever.

She'll always be close to you.

You didn't have to see her to know she was in the next room to you, did you?

Think of her in that way.

Just in the next room.

Thank you.

What is it?

You don't feel it? Now?

I thought it was part of your unhappiness.

But it's stronger than that.

Dark. Heavy.

What?

Menace.

You seem to be in some kind of danger.

It's coming closer.

I'm sorry.

Tomorrow?

I don't know. Were you expecting something?

No. Nothing.

Thank you for seeing me.

Remember what I said to you, Mr Crane.

You take care of yourself now, mind.

Sorry, I know it's late.

It's not that late.

Drink?

- Thanks. - Whisky?

Please.

I went to see a medium tonight

You?

Going to a spooky wife? I didn't think you went in for that sort of thing.

A genuine one. I wanted to contact Julia.

And?

Nothing.

About Julia, that is. She says it's too early.

All right, say it.

- If you think it's going to help you through this... - It's pathetic!

So what did he say?

She told me to be careful, there was danger - soon.

She could be right.

And that safe house?

I contacted Marianne Wilburn earlier, to get a briefing.

She knows the house and its history.

It's not very pleasent.

What did she say?

In the early 30's it was owned by a novellist called Blaine.

He was a Nazi sympathiser, so at the outbreak of war he fled to Berlin.

- That's a fair start. - It's only the start

He sold it to someone who formed a cult called the Children of the Golden Light.

Wouldn't a house of that size have been requisitioned by the Government?

Very good. It was. Used as some sort of military headquarters.

After they'd been there some time, a fire broke out for no apparent reason

and eight men were burned to death.

It might explain the bad vibes.

After the war, the house was restored and The Children reformed,

only this time calling themselves Followers Of The Unquestionable Divinity.

Good God. How do they think them up?

Under the same leader. Edward Drexel.

You took a long time getting round to that.

Everyone thought they were just harmless eccentrists

until one day a young girl was found dead on their premises.

And the coppers got a tip-off that The Divinity was sought in nasty and debased ways.

Drexel claimed thereafter he was hounded by hysterical local prejudice and sinister police harrasment.

He got away with it and got away.

After which?

It lay derelict for years until the local authorities got their hands on it

turned it into a home for disturbed youth.

But when the youth became more disturbed and the staff couldn't cope,

Marianne was called in.

What are her views on the recent happenings?

She thinks that we may have more than just voices to contend with.

Did she say what?

Anything from an earthbound spirit to an elemental or even a tulpa.

What the hell is that?

It's a rather nasty thought form

said to be capable of leading a semi-independent existance of its own.

- Oh, you're joking. - I'm sceptical they exist, but Marianne isn't.

Well, I'm glad I dropped in.

That little bedtime story will help my insomnia no end.

I'm sorry. I thought you'd be interested.

Oh, I am. I am.

You haven't got a night-light I could borrow, I suppose?

Are you going to the unit first tomorrow or the hospital?

- What hospital? - To see the guy who...

Broke his friends neck. Yes. I'm looking forward to it.

I'll see you there, and...

Sleep tight.

He' been on drip-feed since admission.

Then two nights ago there was an amazing return to normal,

a relexing of his limbs, something our treatment hadn't achieved. And he talked.

- About what happened? - No

He seems to have no recollection of that at all.

Do you think his amnesia is genuine?

I think that's more your field than mine, Dr Martindale.

What did he say?

He asked for some real food, which I was glad of.

There's been a marked physical deterioration since admission.

So, if you know him, be prepared to see a change.

He didn't say anything else, just asked for food?

There was something else. He asked for a pen and paper.

Who did he want to write to?

The world in general, I think.

He's written enough to make me wonder if his loss of memory might not be a very good act.

Here it is. It doesn't seem to make much sense.

I used to be and now I am again.

How bright. I hated the dark.

Live to live.

- Did you ask him what he meant by these? - Yes, of course.

He says he doesn't know. In fact, he denies writing the last one altogether.

And see, if you look, you'll notice the handwriting is not entirely similar.

But somebody saw him write it?

No. We left the pad by him.

- He faked it? - It's possible.

But why play games?

Well, perhaps Dr Reynolds and Mr Crane could see him now.

- If I look at the complete history first. - Certainly.

Would you come this way, please?

Anne...

I've seen him before.

Where?

An experiment I was doing with Martindale.

This can only be a very short visit, he's very weak.

Mr McRae?

Mitch?

I'm Dr Reynolds.

This is my colleague, Mr Crane.

How are you feeling today?

What would you like me to say? Not myself?

At least it would prove you've retained your sense of humour.

What are you here for?

I don't remember anything about that damned house.

But you remember being in the house?

I remember a house.

I heard enough about it.

Mr McRae, you know we're only trying to help you remember.

It's not important, but if you should happen to remember...

If somebody told me what was supposed to have happened there, then it might help me.

That's why we are here. We want to find out what happened.

I was working there. Maybe I fell off a ladder.

You didn't.

Can you tell us something about these writings?

Have you heard the term "automatic writing"?

Mr Crane...

You can answer that. It won't be giving away any secrets.

Good.

Tell me, is this some sort of a game or would you say...

I want to help.

I do.

Mr Crane, please!

Would you all please leave?

Let me be!

Dr Martindale, I know of you.

I asked you all to leave, I think.

Are you OK?

I'll live.

Which is more than I think can be said for Mitch McRae.

- You sound very sure. - Perhaps I'm psychic.

And he's the man I saw at the end of our experiment.

- Are you sure of that? - Positive.

I was telling Anne...

Hey, it's all right.

It was his voice.

It was his voice. You must have heard it change.

I recognised it from the tape.

Boo!

Have you finished, Andrew?

Upstairs rooms searched and sealed. Windows closed and shuttered.

Threads attached across all doors and windows and sealed with wax.

Thank you. Frank, will you go through the checklist?

- I'll check the tapes. - Right you are.

- Can I help? - No, not just now. Thank you.

Tilley lamps.

- And electric torches. - Good.

- Where's the food? - We'll unpack it later, OK?

Thermometer set up down here.

I've switched them on upstairs.

- Good. - Barograph.

Yep. And the magnetometer.

Right. Just the cameras.

You check in there and I'll finish the ones here.

- Sorry. - It's all right.

- What would you do without us? - Revert rapidly to prayer.

Infra-red film.

In case the lights go out.

Linked to these electronic sensors.

Go off automatically.

Cheer up.

Might happen.

Whatever it is.

It's all very hush-hush this time.

Are we really up against something or can't you say?

Yes, it could be dangerious.

Martindale should have told you that much.

You had much luck with this stuff in the past?

Yeah. There was a house in Glasgow, once.

It's demolished now.

It had been rather grand, but it was left empty a couple of years until some squatters moved in.

When one of them cut his throat over the sink, the others moved out.

The place ended up as a brothel

and one night one of the girls got the boot.

- Why? - She was proving bad for business.

She kept telling her clients that she'd seen the man with two mouths.

It eventually got back to us. We paid the madam some money to let us have a look.

- Nothing's free in these days. - No. We set up in the kitchen.

Two nights, nothing happened, then, third night, temperature drops.

Cameras went off.

And we got something.

It was half cloud, half human.

- That's amazing. - Yeah. It was a real achievement.

It was the eyes, though.

We caught the eyes.

Never seen such.

I don't know. Hopelessness, I suppose.

Misery.

Well, let's hope any visitors we have tonight will be as positive.

I don't mind. I really don't mind.

Just as long as we get something.

When you've finished, will you have a look at the tape deck? Check it's all set up properly.

- Right, Dr Reynolds. Be with you in a sec. - Thanks.

Tom...

Roy just telephoned.

He's keeping at a safe distance.

Mitch McRae died an hour after we left him.

- What of? - They said heart failure.

- Yeah, I can believe that. - Why?

It was strange, he seemed to be struggling within himself.

And it was then that I saw...

What did you see, Tom?

Well, I don't know. A sort of...

aure.

Something struggling to get out.

And if he was trying to reach us.

Free now, Dr Reynolds. What's your problem?

I'll talk to you later.

I don't know whether to run the tape off the battery.

I'll have a look at it.

It's chilly in here

It seems fine.

We'll use the batteries, it'll be more reliable.

Right. Let's run it and see if we get anything.

- Tom. - Eh?

Tom, can we test the level?

- What? - Say a few words to your listeners.

Oh, er...

- What shall I say? - Anything.

Testing, testing...

Mary had a little lamb. Is that all right?

Yes, thank you.

I didn't know what you wanted.

You all right?

Do you think Martindale knew about Drexel's connection with this place?

I assume he did.

- Then why didn't he warn us? - Marianne might have told him recently.

I hope you're right. If he knew and he didn't warn us, he's playing bloody dangerous games.

- He wouldn't do that. - I'm not so sure.

There's something else?

I've just got this feeling...

This house, that room...

As if we're being watched.

Dr Reynolds.

Good.

Sound's perfect. No uninvited guests.

Grub up.

Yoo-hoo. Nobody hungry?

- Why didn't you bring the food through? - I unpacked it, didn't it?

Great. Thanks. Shall I fetch you something?

- No, thanks. - Dr Reynolds?

Mm. I'll nibble something.

Not much else we can do but wait.

Argh!

What happened?

There was... there was something.

- Up there. - What?

What did you see?

I touched it.

Look what's happened to the food.

- Get me out of here! - Take him to the tape room.

It's all right.

I think this is it, Tom.

I'd better go and take a look, seeing as I've been sent along as a guinea pig.

Hey... be careful.

Er... I'm locked in.

So are we.

There's something here.

I can feel it.

Tom, we're picking up something on the tape other than your voice.

Can you hear it?

Tom, what's up?

There's something...

in my skull.

It's going to burst.

Nothing's...

Nothing else.

Can hear nothing.

Tom?

Tom, describe what's happening.

Can you hear me?

Help me. It's too much.

Something...

All my thoughts...

Losing... losing.

- Anne. - I'm listening.

Anne, something's crowding in.

I can feel it.

I...

I don't know what I'm going to see.

The temperature is dropping.

Too quickly.

Ice cold.

Freezing.

Hurry. Got to help.

What made you think you could win?

Get back, all of you. This belongs to me.

Tom, anything. Think, Tom.

I am remembering...

in this house...

what happened.

I was here.

I was here many times.

Oh, God.

Could it be?

Fight, Tom.

Fight with words. Anything.

Fight!

For God's sake, Tom!

Send me... some token...

that my hope may live...

and that my useless...

useless thoughts...

O rose thou art sick.

The invisible worm has found out thy bed

and his dark secret love doth thy life destroy.

Help me.

Shouldn't we get him to a doctor?

You should have said if you thought Drexel was involved.

Yes, well that was my fault, not Tom's. Marianne did ask me to let you know.

- Drexel's days are numbered. - You sound sure.

He's a danger to himself. A little knowledge...

There is one you might be interested in, one photograph.

- It's the most succesful of the bunch. - Roy...

No. Thanks.

It's Julia, isn't it?

I remember thinking of her.

Needing her help.

You called on her?

It was too soon. Her power wasn't strong enough.

I had been warned, but at the time I hardly thought of that.

No, there was someone else.

And I don't know why she should come through.

To help Julia, perhaps?

I've wondered about that.

Wondered why.

The night Julia died, when I was driving... Didn't I tell you?

Someone appeared in front of the car and I swerwed.

It was the same girl.

Retribution?

One thing's certain, his abilities are phenomenal.

I wouldn't want him to become afraid of his talent.

I think I am.