Original subtitles

Bye -bye.

Ida Rabad, green tip tea.

Do you like it? Yes, I do.

There's not too much in the lard, huh?

This is fine, thanks.

Anyway, it's my fault for coming uninvited.

You're always welcome, Mrs. Gale, you know that.

You know, it's an ironic theory of yours, Steve, that arming for World War

is the sole security against it. So long as the arms race goes neck and neck.

I don't think anyone would dare start another war and risk the reprisal.

Annihilation by return of post.

Someone will certainly try. History's full of people who've tried to get away

with it.

We can't go on arming forever.

Crisket? No, thanks.

Excuse me.

Steve.

48238.

64035.

I'll be right there.

43.

I'm sorry, I've got to go.

Nation calls, eh?

Will you get on with the tea and the chocolate biscuits? Thank you very much.

I'll give you a lift if you like.

Well, all right, but we must hurry.

I haven't got time to put that on. Yes, I have.

I'll tip -tap, see to it. It's Sunday. I'll have to walk to the corner horse

guards. This really is very urgent. Now, will you please get a move on? All

right. Now, uh, Phoenix... Square. I'll take a quick cut through Buckingham

Gate.

I didn't say where we were going.

No, you didn't, did you?

But you knew?

Yes. Is that why you came to tea?

Mm -hmm.

You knew about that phone call?

Yes.

And you sat there eating my chocolate biscuits.

The boot's on the other foot for a change, Steve. How does it feel?

We've got one. One other thing.

They asked me to give you a lift.

That's all I know.

I wonder why they want me.

So do I.

The war minister will make the decision for the use of retaliatory weapon code

word Brutus.

He will at the same time state if the weapon will be used to its first, second

or third impulse.

Paragraph.

As the third impulse is comprehensive, it will be used in conjunction with

Operation Codeword Wishmake.

Paragraph.

Of course, the decision for the use of retaliatory weapon Codeword Brutus will

continue to be automatically governed by the functioning of Plan Codeword

Immortal. Excuse me, Gail and Steed are at reception zone.

Good evening. Good evening, Mr. Steed, Mrs. Gail. Good evening.

May I have your passes, please?

Thank you, sir.

110262.

Yes, that's the one, Mrs. Gale.

Will you go to identification, please? I think you know the drill, Mr. Steed.

Mrs. Gale. Thank you.

Now I take the lift. It's just over a quarter of a mile. To what?

Down. The amendment to Operation Codeword Wishmake will immediately

third and 27th paragraph.

Excuse me. Gale and Steed have just cleared reception.

What's at the bottom of here?

Nutshell.

Thermonuclear. Underground.

Target zone.

Shelter. The seat of government for World War III.

This is where everyone hides when the push comes?

No, not everyone, I'm afraid. Only the top people, the deep ego, the safer it

gets. The bottom floor is reserved for the best people.

The civil servants get off at the 43rd floor.

Ladies' underwear, boots and shoes, toys sold.

the 18th floor.

We shall let these and move to command center.

Command center.

How does she know we're here?

Big brother is watching you wherever you go. Come on.

And also in view of the imminent NATO meeting, we must consider this

a matter of gravest national urgency.

Yes, that covers it. Grade it personal for the minister and top secret cryptex.

What now?

I think you'd better go and meet Steed and Mrs. Gale.

What the devil are you now?

I'm open. Sit down and shout for help. This place is like a rabbit war. You can

do as you please.

Here comes one of the bunnies.

Will you come this way, please?

It'll be a pleasure. Would you?

What's happening? Something we thought never could.

Disco's waiting to give you the details himself.

Disco? What's he doing here?

Who's Disco? Director of Intelligence, Security and Combined Operations.

A man we never meet.

I don't understand. What's going on?

I think you'd better wait and hear the whole story from Disco. Ready? We'll

Steve and Mrs. Gale, sir.

Good evening, Steve.

Good evening.

Good evening.

We're handling an emergency.

You've been brought here because I'm borrowing you both for a major

Mrs. Gale, we don't usually allow members of the public in here, but since

is an emergency, we've had to waive all protocol. What happened?

Someone has stolen Big Ben.

And before either of you is tempted to say anything funny, I don't mean that

overgrown piece of clockwork in Parliament Square.

any archives. I don't know. They were built here? It was built here because

was thought to be the most secure place in Britain. Was?

Yes. This is Security Officer Vanner, who's in charge of internal nutshell

security and operations. I don't have a chance to discuss the matter in a few

minutes. Steed, tell me, what do you think of the security here?

I thought it was just about impenetrable.

Yes, you would think so, wouldn't you?

Nevertheless, it's just been penetrated.

Come here.

This machine is a sort of filing cabinet where top -secret data is stored on

microfilm. Early this morning, someone got in here without authority, used the

correct sequence pattern on these, and copied Big Ben.

What is it? And the name means bilateral infiltration, Great Britain, Europe,

and North America.

It is a document which lists all known double agents on both sides in the Cold

War.

In hostile hands, it can deal a death blow to every Allied agent operating on

the wrong side of the Iron Curtain.

Needless to say, if we fail to get it back, we face a large -scale national

disaster.

That's only half the problem.

The other half is worse.

It's called Steve and Mrs. Gale.

We've got to get back to the department.

We've got to give them all the help we can.

This crime wasn't the direct result of foreign espionage. It was an inside job.

Treason? Big Ben's existence was known to less than 30 people. They're all

senior members of national security.

One of them must be a traitor.

Any suspects?

30 of them.

That's why we need you, Steed. As undercover man, you stand the best

nailing the culprit, while the document's recovery by you is still

with the needs of security.

Sounds like a tall order.

It is.

You'll be working inside the national security machine with an absolute

of 1 ,100 hours tomorrow. Any more questions?

Yes, if Nutshell's only entrance wasn't used, how did the thief get in?

That's one of the things you have to find out. Where do we start?

Is that photograph through from the lab yet?

Yes, sir. All right, bring it in.

We may be able to start you off on a good lead. We've got several infrared

photographs taken by the automatic alarm system.

This is the first half done, sir. The rest will be through in about half an

hour. See the copies get to Venner Central Security, will you? Yes, sir.

What's the result? Any good?

Rather unexpected.

Even you might be surprised.

Well, well, well.

Anyone recognize her?

I've never met her. Steve?

No, I've met her.

Not the sort of face you'd forget.

Well, she's obviously not one of our people.

Only someone employed by the traitor.

You tackle Special Branch, Steve. Mrs. Gale can check with Venner Central

Security. Both get back here as soon as you can. Right.

By then, we may have a lead on how she got in here.

Have I had chances?

No, just place.

Fascinating.

And frightening.

Reality and daylight seem a very long way away.

Yes, yes, yes. Now, you get back to Benner, and I'll get a special brunch.

You see, how do I get out of here? You pick up the phone on the wall, you dial

nine, and you ask where you are. It's awfully simple.

Thank you.

Oh, by the way, if you are free by nine, come and have a drink, okay?

You're too kind.

The trouble is, Mrs. Gale, all we've got is a photograph instead of a name. Our

system works better the other way round.

On Sunday evenings, Miss Campbell and I are the only two people on duty here.

It's going to take time, Mike.

Let's work on the features index.

How urgent is this?

It's not. It's an emergency.

We'll just have to do it the hard way. Would you like to start on B21?

Would you like to?

All right.

If nothing comes of it, we'll just have to hope my colleague's doing better at

special branch.

Well, I think we ought to start about here.

All right.

Bet she's out of there in two minutes.

You said that you would be here half an hour ago.

Okay, it's all right. I got tied up. I was unavoidably attacked.

Did everything go off all right? Just.

You didn't warn me about those bells.

Do you want to make a bet?

Five pounds.

All right.

How do you feel?

Fine. My back is covered in bruises. Oh, look.

Ooh, yes, I'll give a talk of magic.

So I should be.

I practice crawling in and out of drainpipes for hours.

It's the best act I've ever done.

Especially the escape.

Yes.

Forty seconds.

They've got your photograph.

Yes, I thought so.

That spooky camera scared me for a moment.

You've got one minute, Steve.

He's not doing too well, is he?

No. It's the crisscross behind the knees that always gets him.

That's a tough one, you know.

When are you leaving?

Do I really have to?

That was a bargain I've been looking for in half an hour.

And you're going to tell them? That's the plan.

The flight's booked and I'm all packed.

Good. I want the microphone.

Jason says that he wants more money.

Are you quite sure it's not?

You that wants more money? No, of course not.

Don't mean to be mean, Ellen, but your Swiss bank manager's little heart has

already been sufficiently gladdened. Look, Steve, Jason told me to pass the

message on to you. It has nothing more to do with me. I'm extremely glad. You

did pretty well for an entrance and an exit.

Yes. Forty percent?

Pretty good card.

Oh, what did Jason tell you? Thirty percent? Twenty -five?

Maybe even twenty.

Oh, it's very charming that you're still taken in by men.

I'll give you a word of warning.

Jason's not going to change.

Well, how's my fibre getting on, eh?

One minute forty.

Oh, you're quite right. It's a crisscross behind the knees. I said, no,

him up.

Your time is up, Steve. Two minutes.

You're not even trying.

He's not going to get out of there, is he?

No, Steve.

Look, how long has he been doing this escape business?

Oh, about six months. He's a student and wants to add the pocket money busking.

Busking? My dear old fellow, you won't do no good in Leicester Square on a

Saturday night.

The dusk art will get you all right, I give you. Come on.

There you are, and you can add it to the rest.

Thank you.

Mary Jo, can you have a drink for me on the Switzerland flight?

I will. Good luck. Thank you.

When do you see Jason again?

Tonight. Then I wish you the good luck. Thank you very much. Where's the

microphone? I don't have it. Come on, now.

Jason took it.

Put you on to asking more money, eh? Yes, that's right. Hiding behind a

skirts, just like Jason.

Where is that microfilm? I told you, Jason took it. You're my favorite

escapologist, the best in the business. I just learned that. You've also got the

cutest little face.

Where's that film?

Do you want me to find it for myself?

All right.

Thank you.

Two toothbrushes?

Yes, I bought some things for the flight.

There you are, Steve.

Thank you very much.

You did put it in a safe place, didn't you?

You'd better be going. I'll give you 25 minutes.

That's enough.

Goodbye, Steve.

Goodbye, my dear.

Don't spend it all in one shop, will you?

That's the last one.

Well, I've seen this girl before.

And if you did, it must have been somewhere else.

Yes, well, we'll try the other sections and let you know if they come up with a

lead.

Sorry, we haven't been more help, I'm afraid. We've rather wasted your time.

That's all right. It's not your fault. Thanks anyway.

See you later, Mrs. Gale.

Well, thanks for the coffee.

What's the big panic?

Copied one of our secret operations files.

Why don't you get in?

What's the trouble? We don't know.

Bill. What can I do for you as if I didn't know?

The usual.

Why is it always so urgent?

You'll kill yourself running up here every time you want to make an outside

phone call.

Hope he's worth it.

So do I.

Oh, hello, Alex. Alex? Whatever happened to old... Yes, it's Susan.

Look, I'm sorry. I can't make it tonight.

Something's happened.

Well, you know the girl who was going to sell me that flat?

She's given it to someone else.

Patience, my dear Mrs. Gale. That's the secret of all good security and

intelligence. It's just like fishing.

You've got to contain your excitement to achieve maximum security.

For your information, Steed, my patience is running out.

The fact that I'm helping you at all shows a doubtful light on my

That last little bit made sense, though.

You've been up to something fishy all day.

I think it's time you explained what.

What's the matter? Don't you trust me?

Any reason why I should?

You might be doing great service to the nation.

I might be helping to sell the nation down the river, for all I know.

How did you suddenly get that idea?

How would I know?

If you were working for a foreign power and not the government?

You wouldn't, would you?

Now, that's a very interesting question.

And for the moment, it'll have to remain academic.

No record of the girl, then, I'm afraid.

So I hear.

Do you have anything else to go on? Not yet. I'm waiting to hear from Steve.

Probably him now.

Hello, Steve?

I'm just leaving Special Branch.

I found the girl.

Yes. She's got a work permit at the aliens department. Her name is Ellen

Strindberg, Swedish cabaret artist.

Lives at Markazit Street off Tottenham Court Road, top floor number five.

You'd better get someone around there right away.

All right, Steve, we can handle it now. But you get back here as fast as you

can. Disco wants you.

Steve's made a breakthrough. He's found the girl.

She's Ellen Strindberg, a Swedish cabaret artist working on the top floor

number 5, Markazit Street, West 1.

Well, I'll call my office and tell them to stop. I'll do that. You concentrate

on getting hold of the girl.

Once she's roped in, this thing's as good as finished.

Go on, get around there as fast as you can.

Markazit.

Number 5.

Central Security, please. Message for Susan Campbell. We've found the girl, so

you can stop looking. Thank you.

Bill? Don't tell me she's here again.

May I?

Yes.

Hello. Yes, it's me again.

Look, you've got to do something. I must have it.

Why for somebody else?

She's at number five, Market Street, on the top floor.

Yes, West 1.

Now, won't you do something?

All right, darling. Yes, I'll see you... All right.

Bye.

Nationality could be almost anything.

No maker's name, no serial numbers, nothing to indicate its origin at all.

How did you find it? Well, when I learned the girl was an escapologist, I

started thinking about the nutshell's air supply. Now, there must be a bottled

supply of air here for use in wartime. That's right, there is.

Of course, in peacetime, there's no reason to use it, so I guessed that

somewhere in the system, there must be an ordinary ventilator shaft leading up

to the outside air. Yeah?

Well, when I got back, I asked Anderson here to follow it up, and he found this.

What about, Anderson?

One of the old cellars under the war office, sir.

You can reach it through one of the underground sluice gates that comes out

beneath the Victorian bank. All right.

What about the girl's jet?

Well, she was killed by a bullet from a .38 Richard and Carr revolver, which is

standard for general security. I know that. Go on. The revolver was fired from

distance of about seven feet. The bullet chipped the sternum, entered the right

ventricle, and came out between the fourth and fifth ribs.

Unconsciousness must have been immediate. She should have died between

two and a half minutes later. Oh, I, uh...

Search the girl's changing room afterwards, but whoever killed her must

there first. No sign of the microfilm and no material leads.

Well, the only thing we have to go on is this. Apparently the girl had a visitor

earlier this week.

A publicity photographer saw her talking to a boyfriend when he took this

picture.

You can't see much from there.

No, you can't see it yet. We're having this corner blown up in the lab. The

large one should be here in a few minutes.

Good.

Now, what about Steed? Where is he? That's a good question.

If you already knew who the girl was, don't you think you should have told

Disco? Or at least me.

I have to be sure about what has happened.

What will they do to her when they catch her?

They won't.

Why not?

Because she's on her way to Switzerland.

Helped, no doubt, by you.

Yes, as a matter of fact.

Steve, what is going on?

What do you mean?

Even for you, aren't you behaving rather oddly?

What do you mean by odd?

You've been working very hard lately.

Could you be overdoing it?

Nothing like overdoing it for making one feel younger.

You don't look any younger.

Thank you very much.

Does it bother you?

In your kind of work, you have to live on your nerves.

You get energy, all right, but it's paper thin. There's nothing beyond it. I

appreciate your concern, but I'm afraid I have an appointment.

With Big Ben.

Stick around and you'll find out.

Excuse me.

I think she's all right. Let's check. Hold on.

Yep.

In about 15 seconds, you'll have some jolly news.

Yeah. Let's have their discipline then. Five, four, three, two,

one.

Oh, good old Sir Gay.

In spite of all that, dead on time.

Yes, he's gone back to security office, I think.

Well, if anybody wants me, I'm just going upstairs. I want to take a look at

bell bed shop. Right.

Here's a complete list of suspects.

Everyone who knew of the document's existence.

I don't relish the idea of questioning some of these people. Half of them are

public figures.

And I think we'd better cross off this name at the top.

If we can't trust him, we can't trust anyone.

Come on, Santa.

The guards are here. The announcements are ready. Will you put them up, please?

Now, the question is, have we really got a photograph of the man who killed her?

We should soon know if we have. It should be someone we recognize.

Where's Venner?

Venner, get down here.

Alert them around them. Yes, sir.

Two zones 12, 19, 18, and 60.

Secret supremist, priority Zenith.

1 -8 -3 -6 -20 -46 -05 -82.

That should do it.

Get that pipe to command center, operation code word Bismarck.

Yes, sir.

Even if I knew where Steele had gone, I don't think I'd tell you. As it happens,

I just don't know.

So that's the way it is.

I don't think you quite understand the position, so let me make it clear.

The fact that you're a colleague of Steed's means nothing to me. I wouldn't

discuss his affairs with anyone.

Well, for Steed's sake, Mrs. Gale, if you know what he's up to, you'd better

tell us fast.

He's in trouble. The longer you put it off, the worse it's going to get.

What kind of trouble?

Espionage. He's up to his neck in it.

He's been up to his neck in that game for years. This time it's different.

An espionage isn't a game, Mrs. Gayle. It's a war.

Even in peacetime.

There are too many lives lost in too many dark places for anybody to call it

game. What's Espresso done?

Defected.

Defected? Steve?

He wouldn't do that.

He'd never do it in a million years.

I know exactly how you feel.

Those are famous last words.

But why?

Why should he do it?

Who knows? He might have been blackmailed or brainwashed.

Simply cracked up under the strain from overwork.

He was acting very strangely this evening.

We already know about this evening. It's what happened early today and what led

up to it. What do you mean?

Has anybody been to see him today? Anybody you didn't know?

There was a man called this afternoon called Jason.

Steve spent a couple of hours talking to him.

About what?

I don't know. I didn't hear what they said. They were in the study.

Can you describe this fellow?

Yes, he was quite short, dark.

He had an accent.

Slav, maybe.

If you heard his accent, you must have heard him say something.

Yes, well, just as Deed was showing him out, he said something about his winter

coat.

Then he said, I'll meet you at the airport.

No, he said, airfield.

2 a .m.

Wintercoat airfield.

Here it is.

Used to be a Battle of Britain fighter station.

Hasn't been used for years.

Well, whatever happens, we've got to stop that microphone leaving the

I suppose that's the object of the exercise.

Why else would they be meeting at an airfield?

Anyway, there's no doubt about it, I'm afraid. I've spoken to Special Branch,

and Steve never even went there. He must have known about that girl all the

time. Steve, of all people.

It seems unbelievable. The facts are all adding up, aren't they? They'll have to

add up a bit faster. The Undersecretary's raising hell, and the

begun now.

Steve's rendezvous with Jason is at 2 a .m.

What about Jason? Is he known?

Ben is in records now, checking on that.

Sorry to keep you so long.

Have you found him? No, it won't take long to establish his identity.

But we had to get on to some of the overseas stations. That took a little

Who is he?

Jason's a double agent.

Big Ben, number 235, oblique RG, to be exact.

He was on the list that was photographed.

And if he's in league with Steve, between them they control a great deal

powerful information.

I don't accept that Steed is implicated in the way you suggest.

How long have you known Steed?

You know as well as I do.

You really say you know him?

It's a necessary instinct for a man in Steed's job, Mrs. Gale, to conceal, even

to deceive.

I think you know that. Of course, in certain circumstances.

It's quite an impressive record, isn't it?

Jean -Pierre Avalon, known as Jason, aged 48 years and two months, born

One time or another, he seems to have worked for almost every country there

sometimes two at a time.

There's more here.

It's all in the same vein.

How do you know so much about him?

Well, for the past 18 months, he's been pretending to double for one of our

military outfits in Berlin. Now, they've been stringing him along for their own

purposes.

Now, it looks as though the time's come to rope him in, along with your friend

and John Steve.

There's more of this stuff coming through my... Do you want this? No, I

you've seen enough.

Right.

Convinced?

Is that you?

Get him. He's alone.

Hey.

Quiet.

This is rather Jason, eh? Let's have a look at him.

Anything to say for yourself, Jason?

He's not going to talk. We'd better search him.

He's a regular.

Wallet proof.

About 300 pounds.

Going abroad without a passport, what for? Yes, that's a criminal offense to

lad. No sign of the document, eh? Steve must be bringing it himself.

I wonder where they're going to take it. Whatever it was, it looks as though

they were planning on traveling night.

Listen. You hear that?

I can see it. It's touching down over there. I can't tell what it is. It looks

like a seaplane.

Yes, it's a keen fish amphibian.

Looks like the pilot's just going to sit out there and wait. Huh?

What do we do now? Just raise your hands, please.

Do exactly as you're told.

Here.

Thanks, Steve.

My wallet.

Throw it.

Keep going.

Go on, what are you waiting for? Get going. For you, of course. Look, you

stay here.

Your life wouldn't be worth a while. We're ready to leave alone.

Go on, get going.

You got out of your mind, Steed? I don't think so. Why do you ask? I don't think

you quite know what you're doing. I do perfectly.

You're going to be very lucky indeed to get away with this.

I don't intend to try.

You realize the charge against you is high treason?

Is it really?

I hadn't really thought about it.

Oh, here we go.

You met Jason in Paris in 1961.

No. We've got it on record, Steve. There's no point in denying it. There's

point in asking. It's all right, Anderson.

Cigarette? No, I don't smoke.

Well, what about something to eat? I'm sure you're feeling a bit... It's

unexpectedly civilized. Oh, we have a very good canteen here. If we can't send

out... Oh, please don't. No, it's all right, Anderson. We'd like to go and get

the menu. They need a wine list, couldn't they? Yes.

It's a promising fellow, sir. He doesn't even leave a mark. Good. Very good.

Now, Steve, you and I are in the same line of business, more or less. Now, I

don't like to see you like this. Why don't you make things easier for us?

You realize, of course, that Jason's aircraft was intercepted and searched.

As soon as you decide to tell us exactly what really did happen to the Big Ben

microphone, we can forget all this. Now, what about it?

Oh, come along, old man.

Sorry. You're making my job very hard.

I know.

Now, get some food in here.

Bring the wine list?

It's on the back.

My goodness me, so it is. When shall I have, uh... Well, you've got quite a

cellar here for the civil service. I'll have the Puy Fusay there.

And I'll have the roast chicken, mushrooms, um... New potatoes. I'll have

the vegetables, I think. Maybe a small salad.

And possibly a brandy later.

I'll fix that for you.

Now, where's that microfilm?

What microfilm?

You paid the Strimbo girl.

No. Do you deny that she microfilmed Big Ben for you? Yes, I do deny.

I'm not very well up in nutshell morality.

Do you use the same legal system as up there? Only for humanitarian offenses.

And for crimes against nutshell?

There's only one endangering security.

There are different degrees, of course.

Is the punishment you mean to match up? Yes.

Mrs. Gale, if you want to know what's going to happen to John Steve, that

depends entirely on how cooperative he is.

And if he's not cooperative, that's not for me to decide.

Let's just start searching over there. I don't even know if it's here. If Steve

planted a dummy roll and chased me, it could be anywhere.

Get on and search.

R .K .J. de V. Steed.

Presented by the Bagnell and Wintle Hunt, 1892.

I'd better break the frame.

May I put the film inside?

Oh, come off it. Steed wouldn't pull an old trick like that.

We should have told.

That seems a shame.

Such a nice -looking old boy.

Oh, well.

Ah!

Well, that's absolutely marvellous.

Looks terrific.

Hey, you don't get this sort of thing every day, do you?

Only on Sundays.

Well, I must congratulate you. Your canteen must be the rage of Whitehall.

if I can find the... Sir?

Oh, there we are. Anything else? Well, I think that my glass is empty.

Oh, of course.

How's that?

That's fine. This is a real little banquet after a hard day's work.

You've got everything you want now. Have you? I'll just take one final check.

Yes, it is delicious.

Right. Now, when you're ready to talk, we'll let you eat it. Take him away.

All right.

I agree the evidence indicates that Steed is the traitor.

But how could he know enough about the security arrangements to brief Ellen

Strindberg on her break -in? You said yourself he was an outsider to Nutshell.

said Steed had never had security of access information authorized to him.

Well? But he has visited Nutshell three times in the last year.

Steed is a highly trained man, trained to observe and deduce. I believe him

capable of discovering enough security detail to brief the Strindberg girl.

I grant you Steed knows his job.

But why should he turn traitor? Politics?

Ideology? Money?

Perhaps something more insidious.

Could call it an occupational hazard. Steed could be too good at his job.

So that he might look for other risks, other chances to take? Certainly.

Vanity is a weakness of Steed's.

Yes. So much so that he might not be able to resist the challenge, try and

outwit both sides.

The challenge might appeal to him, but I don't think he'd accept it. He's too

professional. That's my other point. He's a professional. Among other jobs,

had to catch spies, and he's good. Mrs. Gale, a good policeman must think like a

good criminal if he's going to catch him. The thought processes of the hunter

and the hunted can be so related, almost interchangeable.

Only their motives distinguish them.

Steve has had to think like a spy.

Many times.

His behavior recently has been untypical.

Yes. He could be sick. I mean, he carries great responsibility.

You take my point.

He's certainly under strain.

What I mean is, medically, it might be wrong to assess his motives so

categorically. Possibly. It's not my concern.

Well, it should be. It's not my concern for the moment, Mrs. Gale. I want the

Big Ben film, and I believe Steed knows where it is.

Don't you?

Yes, I suppose he might know.

Our time is short.

Steed will have to talk.

The seventh room is all metal.

The floor, the chair, the walls, the ceiling.

The prisoner's body will always be in contact.

The metal carries an electric current.

which can be controlled to an exceptional degree of sensitivity.

For example, that was 95 volts.

Of course, in time, the body will develop greater powers of resistance.

In order to obtain the same effect, a large number of volts will have to be

used.

That's right.

You'll never be quite sure what you can touch with safety.

You'll never know when, at what hour of the day or night.

You'll never know how many volts you'll be in contact with next.

Would you like a cigarette?

I don't smoke.

Oh, of course. I forgot. Yes.

A coffee?

Thank you.

Where's the big band microphone?

It's all right. Where is it, Steve?

All right.

The principle is disorientation, isn't it? Just as in brainwashing. Yes. The

subject's mind can't prepare him for the shocks and therefore can't protect him.

He loses faith in his senses.

And learns to unlearn. And in the process, he talks.

Yes, I'm sure he does.

He'll ransack his brain for every single memory of the hope of finding one he

can cling to.

But it takes time.

It can take weeks, even months, depending on the subject.

Yes.

We know Steed is a professional.

He's trained with Stan Payne.

I'm sure he's trained to undergo this sort of treatment. You're quite right,

Mrs. Gale. The only hope is that Steed will crack.

You know he won't.

At least not in time for us to recover the Big Ben film.

Venner's a professional, too.

How long have we got? Four hours?

Rather less.

I think I might be able to get Steve to tell us.

I mean, I think he might trust me.

Of course, it would help if I could promise him leniency.

You can promise him anything you like, Mrs. Gale. Coming after that, a

sympathetic approach from someone he knows might work.

With nothing to lose?

Venner? Sir? Mrs. Gale is going to talk to the prisoner.

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Gale.

You come to bring me some reading matter?

How are you, Steve?

I'm losing weight.

You like to sit down. I hardly think that Vanna will give you the hot seat.

I've come to try and help you, Steve.

Helping me to help myself, eh?

You know, I know this. It's an old dodge.

Mixing cruelty with kindness.

Let's try common sense.

Tell me what's happened to the Big Ben film.

Look, you're a prisoner, you can't escape, and you're going to be tried as

traitor. You know what that means. I do indeed.

You can't owe any loyalty to these other people.

I don't know.

Well, even if you do, they can't help you now, can they? I suppose not.

If you tell us what's happened to the film, I can promise you leniency.

Promises? Disco would agree.

Disco's the last person, I believe.

What do you want then, money?

And a chance to spend it.

I think it could be arranged.

Oh, Mrs.

Gale, your faith in human beings even now delights me.

Steed, please tell me what's happened to the big Ben. Sorry.

Well, that's that, then. Yep.

Bennett!

You all right, Mrs. Gale?

Yes, thanks.

I think you'd better go back to the command center.

Mrs. Gale? No, I'm all right.

I'm sorry I wasn't successful.

I'm sorry you were subjected to that.

Is there anything else you'd like me to do? No, thank you. You'd like to go

home, I think. Yes, I would. Nora will see you to access. There'll be no need

for the check -out process for Mrs. Gale. Very good, sir.

You'll be informed if we get Steed to talk.

Thanks.

No, sorry.

I'm being very patient with you, Steed. I don't think you have any conception of

what can be done to you. I've got a pretty good idea. I guarantee I'll be

to surprise you.

That was a short circuit. These newfangled gadgets.

No, it's all been arranged. The whole system's locked out for 30 seconds. We

talk freely for that time only.

£30 ,000.

£50 ,000. Done. Get me out of here.

Three minutes after 2100 hours. You know the way to 50 Sector? Yep. I'll keep

the corridors clear. You'll have to dodge the cameras. I'll meet you at 50

Sector. What do we do then?

I know the way to be used should discover how to operate Plan Wishbeck.

enough. Where's the Big Ben microphone?

Oh, yes.

Easy. Right. Well, I'll find him.

I'll see you at the usual place.

Right. Bye.

If you tell me what it is you're looking for, perhaps I can help.

On the straightaway, please.

Yes, of course.

Upstairs. Contact Alex.

Not until the agreed time. Don't be so edgy. I remember coming through. I think

it's in here. It's just that we've almost done it.

We've almost done it. It was such a long time before I could trust Steed. He

could have been playing a double game, but when Mrs. Gale passed him that gun,

knew I had to take the risk.

Do you know, he asked for 50 ,000 pounds just like that.

It made me sick.

I might have expected it. He didn't sell his soul to the highest bidder.

I'm not sure, just for the money.

I can't contact Alex.

So please go up the phone.

Um, yes, it's here. Do you want me to put it through?

Yes, you can, please.

What about Steve's escape?

It's all arranged.

Alex isn't there. He's here.

I will you.

Okay. Disco.

Disco.

Come on, Alex. Speak up.

Alex.

It's that.

All right, guard. I'll take it.

What did Steed tell you about Jason?

Jason had heard of a plan hatched inside Nutshell to steal Big Ben.

Being a double agent himself, he was concerned and told Steed for a price.

Steed reported this to security?

Yes, and nothing happened.

Ellen Strindberg had been engaged to do the robbery, so Steed paid her a bit

more. And got possession of the film, which he used as bait to force Denner to

show his hand. Which he finally did.

Certainly took his time, of course.

Steed, you haven't handed over the microfilm. I haven't got it.

And three of six in here.

There isn't any microfilm of Big Ben. What? Never was. Couldn't trust Ellen

Strindberg any more than Jason, so I put exposed negative in our little camera.

Well, what did Jason get then?

Oh, look at that. One of me at Deauville.

Quite delicious. Heavy day at the casino.

I think the rest were of you, my dear.

A strided donkey on the beach at Bodmer Regents.