Original subtitles

Thanks for remembering the wine, Cooley.

And don't forget to use the stairs.

Hey!

Hey!

Don't use that elevator!

There's a sign there that says, use the stairs.

Can't blame me, no, sir.

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

William Reynolds.

With guest stars Bradford Dillman.

Wayne Rogers.

Antoinette Bauer.

Tonight's episode, The Traitor.

On the night of May 20th, the elevator cable of the Ocean View Hotel in Boston,

Massachusetts, broke, causing the elevator to plunge to the lobby.

Its only occupant at the time was Donald Willis, head of technical publication

for Telecom Research Company.

A magazine found near the victim, although seemingly innocent enough at

was soon discovered to have a page of top -secret data taped inside it.

Since espionage was suspected, the magazine, along with other information

Donald Willis, was immediately forwarded to the FBI in Washington.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, I understand.

I have stressed that.

He's with me now.

I'll be sure to.

Well, the director's made it clear he wants to know how much the special Ruby

laser project has been compromised.

On the basis of comparable known handwriting, Mr. Ward, the document

certain that it was written by Willis.

The information that was found on him was incomplete, according to Whitlock,

who's the president of Telecom Research.

Means they'll have to try again.

Not necessarily, Tom.

They may already have enough to figure it out for themselves.

That's why the director is emphatic. We know the full extent of Willis's

penetration.

Of all the places to make contact, a fleabag hotel, you might as well pick a

condemned building.

It was Willis's idea.

He was getting nervous. He wanted an out -of -the -way place.

And you say you saw the magazine?

Yes, it was under his body, but I couldn't very well pick it up with all

people hanging around there.

Then we might assume that the authorities have found the pager

There's always that possibility, but it's not necessarily so.

In any case, I think we'd better lay off for a while, let things quiet down.

That's impossible.

I talked to contacts today, and they insist the ruby laser formula leave this

country as scheduled.

That gives us less than a week.

That's right, Brian.

And if they found the formulas on Willis, then they'll be tightening up

security. That's just a chance we have to take.

You said there was someone else at the lab working who might be of use to us,

electronics engineer.

That's right, a fellow named Neil Stryker. He has clearance, but I don't

how involved he is in the Ruby laser project.

What kind of a man is he?

Proud, loyal.

It doesn't exactly make him a prime candidate.

No, it doesn't. But I'll tell you something.

He owes me $5 ,000.

He's up to his ears in debt.

A couple of years ago, he had a kid who had to have open -heart surgery, and his

insurance didn't begin to cover it. He lost every cent he had, and then some.

And you really think he might work for us?

Yeah, I think so.

You see, he's counting on getting a big promotion.

And the word I hear is that Telecom's defense contract has been cut back. That

means there's going to be a lot of belt tightening going on around there.

Does he know that?

No, he doesn't. Not yet.

And he's a proud man.

If he's passed over, he'll be quite susceptible.

You know that everything in this house has fallen apart except the electricity,

and that I could fix.

Famous last words.

You should have married a plumber.

He's here so often, sometimes I think I did.

Also a roof repairman, a boiler engineer.

Has it ever occurred to you that we have bought a lemon?

Sometimes the whole tree.

Darling, Dr. Thorpe called to tell us about the test that Trish took last

He says things couldn't be better.

Really, we're very lucky because she's doing fine.

What's the bottom line?

The bottom line is that we still owe $7 ,500 between the doctor and the

hospital.

Well, we can't pay it. Not yet, anyway.

Neil, do you think that you could talk to him?

Fine. You realize that you were grinding your teeth again last night?

Look, I know that you worry about this as much as I do.

I'm not going to let it kill me, do you hear?

We're not the first people who have been in debt, and we won't be the last. Now,

somehow, we are going to have to muddle through, just like everybody else.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to shout at you.

I never shouted at you.

Oh, she forgot it again.

All right.

I'll drop it off on my way to work. Bye -bye now.

Bye.

There are ten engineers in this section. Each has a different specialty.

And he may or may not be working on the same project at the same time.

What about their security?

Each has top -secret clearance.

But you understand, Inspector, we also have what is called the need to know.

So unless a man is working on a specific project, he has no right to know

anything about it.

Neil, Stan.

Oh, say, Neil.

I wonder, could you spare a few minutes in my office this afternoon?

Say when?

Uh, three o 'clock? I'll be there. Okay.

Well, I have the feeling at three this afternoon you're going to be our new

project supervisor.

Buddy, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

See you later on.

The material Willis was after is in this room.

How is the Ruby Laser Project organized, Mr. Whitlock?

Oh, into three major sections.

The material found on Willis represented the second section only.

Well, at least we know he wasn't able to deliver that.

It's written all over your face, Neil.

What? Oh, you think that the reason that I invited you out here to have lunch

with me is so that we'd, uh...

Discuss the money that you owe me. It's not true.

I, uh... I enjoy your company.

I still feel badly about not being able to pay you back, Brian.

Ah, you will when you can.

Meantime, I don't recall putting a deadline on that note you signed, do

No. Well, then don't worry about it.

Nice up here, isn't it?

I, uh...

I gather from what you've been telling me that things are still a little tight.

Yeah, a little.

That's too bad.

A guy with your talent?

Well, look, I'm an electronics engineer. I'm good, but I'm not a genius.

Well, it doesn't take a genius to make money, you know.

There are a lot of companies that would pay an awful lot for a man of your

talent, Neil.

Especially if they were working on a competitive product.

You mean industrial espionage?

Well, you can call it that if you like.

Make it sound kind of bad. I prefer to call it professional ingenuity.

See, Neil, that's my business.

And, man, with your talent, you could make a lot of money.

I think I'd better go. Wait a minute. You haven't heard the deal.

Now, look.

Telecom is...

Working on a special ruby laser project, right? Now, what is it? Simply a device

that will enable people someday to watch television in 3D. Yeah, well, it could

be used for a lot more than that.

Well, sure it could.

Weapons, if that's what you're thinking.

Yeah, but the company I represent is not interested in weapons.

They're a television manufacturer.

And they'd like to be first in that 3D market.

Now, look.

Wait. If you could get me the plans to the special ruby laser project, we could

make a bundle of money.

I'd even forget the $5 ,000 you owe me and add another $5 ,000 on top of it.

That's $10 ,000, Neil.

That's a lot of money.

For what?

For something that you care as much about as the olive in my drink.

I'm sorry, it's not my stuff.

Okay, okay.

All right.

I tried.

I guess our ethics are a little different.

You have a future there at Telecom, and I know they appreciate you, and you'd

probably be a fool to blow that, wouldn't you? I think so.

Thanks for the drink, Brian.

I couldn't be sorrier, Neil.

That promotion was mine, Kent.

No one in this lab deserves it more than I do. No one is getting it.

It's not like you're being passed over, Neil. Then tell me what it's like.

We just can't give any promotions at this time.

Defense spending has been cut.

I've got to lay off 300 men.

Maybe you ought to consider yourself lucky and add one of them.

Lucky?

Neil, don't you know what's going on? Don't you read the papers? Everybody's

been hit.

Why do you turn it into such a personal thing, Neil?

Because it is a personal thing.

No matter how you slice it, I've been tried, I've been found wanting.

That's not true.

Isn't it?

Look, I can read the stock reports. This company isn't exactly hurting. They can

afford to give me a raise.

Well, things will open up, you'll see.

When?

I wish I could tell you. I really do.

I wish you could, too.

Might make a lot of difference.

Neil.

I am sorry.

There's nothing I can do about it.

Thanks, kid.

I'll try telling that to the finance company.

It seems that all these documents are anywhere from five to 25 pages long.

The formulas we found on Willis only cover a page.

Yes, well, you see, part of Willis' job was to edit the information researched

by our engineers, cut out the superfluous words, make it more

altering the data in any way.

Oh, you'd be surprised how many engineers have a secret desire to be

Did, uh...

Did Willis have access to all the project documents?

Only on a need -to -know basis, where he was assigned to edit a particular

report.

As a security measure, we keep accurate records on all the documents he did

handle.

Quite a few, weren't there?

But there were a considerable number he did not have access to.

With your permission, Mr. Whitlock, I'd like to send these to Washington for

examination.

Perhaps we can find out just how deeply the project's been compromised.

There's a sign right outside that elevator telling people to use the

you can't blame what happened on me.

We're not blaming you for anything.

We need some information. Maybe you can help us.

Ah.

An engineer for the elevator company said the elevator must have dropped

it had passed the ninth floor.

That means whoever Willis was going to visit that night lives on the tenth, the

top floor.

I guess it does.

You have a list of those occupying the 10th floor the night of the accident?

Yeah, I've seen a 10th.

There we are.

What kind of hotel do you think I run? Nobody gets a room with the ocean view

without registering first.

I see over half of the 12 registered here are named Smith or Jones.

Chief, when you end up in a hotel like this, sometimes Smith and Jones are the

easiest names to remember.

Anyway, I just ask them to sign the card and not prove who they are.

How many of these people are still here?

Some of them.

All but three.

Two checked out this morning.

1007, 1009, Seaman.

Their tanker was pulling out at noon.

And the other must have left the night of the accident or very early in the

morning.

1001, his name was Larson.

John Larson.

I would like to take these registration cards with me.

And I'd like to take a look at room 1001.

Remember what he looked like? No.

Nothing?

Color of his hair, color of his eyes?

No. Just his money. It was green.

Has anybody been in here since? No.

Did you find something, Chief?

Brian, this is Neil Stryker.

I want to talk to you in private.

Yes, as soon as possible.

You name the place.

We checked on those nine residents registered on the 10th floor of the

but we can't find anything to connect them with Willis.

What about the two sailors?

They weren't in the rooms when Willis arrived.

Well, that leaves John Larson.

I sent the Larson's signature on the hotel register card to the lab, and

out now running down the cigar wrapper he found in the room.

Oh, yes, sir?

Yes, my name is Colby. I'm with the FBI.

Can you tell what kind of cigar came from this wrapper, from its size, its

length?

Oh, it's from one of our special order panatellas.

We use only the finest leaves, so they're in limited supply and rather

Could you give us an idea how many of your customers use this particular

Oh, I can do better than that. I can tell you exactly.

These cigars are special ordered only. We have customers riding in from all

the country.

Here's one of the order forms.

Would it be possible for you to give us copies of all those orders, say, for the

past year?

No problem.

You do have clearance for the special Ruby Laser Project report.

No.

But I have an idea how to get to it.

I need it right away. If I say you'll have it, you'll have it.

I want your word on two things.

Sure.

That after this, you'll forget you ever knew me. You just forget I exist.

Done. What else?

That special ruby laser's going to a private industry, not to a foreign

Look,

Neil.

Whatever you may think of me, I'm not a traitor. Now you get that straight.

I always keep my key card in this part of my wallet, Ken.

But this morning, when I went to get it, it was in a different place.

When did you use it last?

Yesterday afternoon, about three.

Maybe you put it in the other place yourself.

No, if there's anyone who's a creature of habit, it's me.

So you think someone took your card to get in the classified room?

It's possible.

Well, how did I get to your wallet? Don't you carry it with you?

Not when I'm wearing my lab coat.

I leave my suit jacket hanging in my office, and I keep the wallet in here.

Were you out much yesterday after 3?

Yes, a couple times.

But I also worked late last night.

What about then?

Well, I did leave at once to get coffee.

Whenever I work late, I take a coffee break about 9 o 'clock.

See what I mean about a creature of habit.

Well, I'm glad you reported it, Stan.

It'll be looked into.

I'll keep the card on me from now on.

Carelessness like that, that makes it vulnerable.

You're not going upstairs to say goodnight to Trish?

Missing one night won't hurt her.

That's not exactly the point.

I just don't feel like it.

Shall I keep your dinner warm?

What is it?

Nothing.

Is it the job?

The promotion?

Look, I love you. You know you can tell.

There's nothing to tell.

Is it the money you borrowed?

What money?

The money you borrowed to pay back Carlson.

Who told you I paid him back?

I found the note you gave him in your drawer.

Mark paid in full.

What were you doing in my drawer?

The same thing I've been doing for the last ten years. Straightening it out,

seeing if you had clean shirts. Neil, look at me.

We've never had any secrets from each other. Let's not start now. Now, please,

is it the money that you borrowed?

Did you borrow any money at all?

Carlson wanted one of the projects we developed at the lab. I gave it to him.

You what?

Don't tell me I'm wrong. If I didn't do it, someone else would.

And that makes it all right?

No, the money does.

You can't mean that.

I can't afford not to.

Besides, it's done.

What have you got, Bill?

Mr. Ward, we've developed Willis's prints on all the project's first stage

documents. Have you had a chance to check the third stage yet? Yes, sir. So

we haven't found any latency we can identify with Willis's prints.

This is Assistant Director Ward. I'd like the director's office, please.

And when I'm finished, I want Inspector Erskine on the line from Boston.

Well, then it's as we expected, Arthur.

They already have the plans for the first stage, but they'll have to try

for the second and third.

That's right.

Are we any closer to identifying Willis' contact in the hotel room?

Hopefully the answer to that is on its way to you now. The tobacconist has

us handwritten orders from all over the country.

68 of them, to be exact.

Good.

Well, as soon as they arrive, we'll compare them with a John Larson

the hotel registration card.

This may be the break we need.

I told you to forget I exist.

If you'd given me what I paid for, I would have.

What do you mean?

I mean there is an amplifier system to the ruby laser, and it wasn't on the

film. I photographed every page of that report.

Maybe you did.

Maybe there's a third stage to the project. In any case, the information

gave me is useless without it.

I guess it must have been in a separate report.

Well, I'd say then that our deal isn't complete until you get it, right?

No. Look, please, I just can't.

You're gonna have to get someone else.

Neil, it's too late for that.

We need that report by tonight.

Who needs it by tonight?

What company are you working for?

Well, I don't think that's important. Come on, now.

I'm laying everything on the line. I think I have a right to know what

I'm working for.

You're not working for any company?

This isn't industrial espionage.

It's the real thing.

Somehow you knew that all along, didn't you?

I mean, I was just giving you a rationale, an easy way out.

I swear I didn't. I thought that you were... Of course, if you went to the

you'd have to tell them about that piece of paper with your signature on it that

we have.

But that was a legitimate loan. Don't be naive, Neil.

They'd indict you for espionage.

Now look, we didn't want to hurt you.

Sometimes you have to do things in life that go against the grain, you know?

Why don't you just take it easy on yourself?

Kind of roll with it, huh?

You notice that these four signatures from the cigar order forms all somewhat

resemble the John Larson signature from the hotel registration card.

But this one, Brian Carlson, is identical.

No question about it, Mr. Ward.

Lou, we just traced Carlson to a new address in town.

He works as a public relations man for a local company. He's apparently very

friendly with a number of employees at Telecom Research.

Good. I want him placed on 24 hours of ailing.

Yes, sir.

I've got what you wanted.

Hey, that's great, Neil.

Listen, I'm on my second martini, but I can handle another one until you get

here. I'm not coming.

I won't give it to you, Brian.

What are you talking about?

I'll deliver, only to the man in charge.

Wait a minute. Your deal is with me.

I've got to meet the man who's pushing the buttons.

Seeing him will be my guarantee I'll be left alone after this. It's out of the

question, Neil.

All right.

Then it's no deal.

You won't get the amplifier stage, and you need it.

It's not up to you, Neil.

Look, you're in this thing pretty deep already.

You willing to risk exposure?

Are you?

All right.

I'll get back to you.

You do that.

Neil. Please, Elaine, not now.

Neil, I beg you.

Go to the FBI now.

Look, if you haven't given them the complete formula, then there's no real

damage done yet. Honey, there's no such thing as being a little bit of a

traitor. The real damage was done when I first decided to sell out.

It's funny, but suddenly just saving my own skin doesn't seem important anymore.

You see, I've learned something about myself, honey. I spent so much time

worrying about the bills and my career, I forgot something much more important.

Because when you cut through it all, I really care what happens to this

I know that sounds corny, especially after what I've done, but that's the way

feel.

Now I'm in the unique position where I can do some good.

How?

The one thing I might be able to find out is the man that Carlson's working

Now, when I do that, then I'll go to the FBI.

Oh, that's madness.

No, it's not. I could hear it in Carlson's voice. They want this so

they'll do anything for it, even if it means a certain amount of risk.

Oh, for heaven's sakes, Neil, these men are not fools.

They'll never let you go.

They'll have to.

You see, the plans that I give them will be fake.

And I'm their only hope of getting the real ones.

Fourteen, go ahead.

Stand by.

Tom?

Yes, sir?

No developments in the Carlson surveillance?

No, Lou, nothing.

Where is he now?

Well, he just left the Harbor restaurant. He's heading east on Newton.

So far, he's spent a routine day.

All right, Tom, stay with him.

Yes, sir.

Excellent. So, you've got what you want.

I might as well go now.

Oh, you were too anxious to meet me. You might as well stay and have a drink,

Mr. Stryker.

Well, I really can't stay.

It's late and...

Here

we are.

Hopefully to the successful conclusion of our business.

Somehow I get the feeling you don't trust me.

You must be so paranoid, Mr. Stryker. If your reports are what you claim they

are, then our interest in you is over. But we'll know all about that in a

or two, won't we? The report's genuine. Then you have nothing to worry about.

Yes, I wish I could believe that.

Really, Mr.

Stryker, ours is just a business like any other business.

Once you deliver, you're off the hook.

Where is Carlson?

He's with his accountant going over tax returns like the good conscientious

citizen he is.

This is a fake. It's gibberish. Worth nothing.

You must be mistaken.

Well, now, wait a minute. I mean, you were looking at that for maybe 30

How can you possibly know... I've done research in this field for 10 years. I'm

not mistaken.

Make the call.

I was hoping this wouldn't be necessary, Mr. Stryker, but I was afraid you would

do something like this. My associate is calling you home.

Everything all right?

Put her on.

Do you want to talk to your wife, Mr. Stryker?

Elaine?

Neil.

There's a man here.

He has a gun.

Are you all right?

They're all right, Mr. Stryker. But if I don't get that amplifier system without

any more tricks, they won't be.

You have one hour.

tonight, too, huh? Yeah, there's some work I have to catch up on. What did

Elaine say to that?

Don't tell me.

Probably the same thing Jeannie said to me.

Which one of us did you marry?

Me or telecom research?

Yeah, something like that.

Bill, I did something stupid. I left my key card to the amplifier systems room

at home. I wonder if I could borrow yours.

Gee, I don't know, Neil.

Well, I realize it's against security policy, but you know I'm cleared for it.

I was looking for Whitlock to let me in, but I guess he's gone for the day.

That's what separates the plant manager from us peasants.

It's just that I hate to go all the way home and come back again, you know. You

can't do your work without getting in. No, there's a report that I have to look

at.

Well, as long as you have a clearance, I can't see what difference it makes

whose cards you use.

But you'll bring it right back to me, won't you, Neil?

You'll have it in five minutes.

What are you doing here, Neil?

You don't have clearance to this room.

What report do you have there?

Please, don't... don't use the phone.

Why, Neil?

Why?

My family, they have a...

They have a man in my house.

This is Whitlock.

Get me the FBI.

Hurry.

According to Whitlock, Stryker was almost incoherent.

Something about his family being in trouble.

He seemed terrified.

10 -4.

Instruct the assigned units to join me at his house.

The woman and the little girl are watching television. The man who's with

has a gun.

Now get your men in position.

The guy you ride with could do it the easy way.

I'm talking about the jet plane.

We thought we were way ahead of the journey. Can I get her a glass of milk?

She can get her own milk. The speed of closure between that jet and our plane

was over a thousand miles an hour.

You know what that means?

He was in range of our guns for less than four tenths of a second.

Do you realize... No, the only speed of closure I'm interested in right now is

between me and that redhead.

I can write better stuff than that.

Yeah, and I usually take the 610 up to town.

Off to work every morning, back to the little... FBI.

Hold it right there.

Well, the Ruby Laser project is complete.

Now we'll let my family go.

You don't have much time to catch your plane. Look, I kept my part of the deal.

Easy, Mr. Stryker.

I gave you what you want.

Now leave my family alone.

It is a shame we had to drag your wife and child into this.

Carlson just went into that shop over there.

Cover the rear.

Carlson, hold it right there.

Call an ambulance.

Elaine, Tricia, are they all right?

Anyway, until a few days ago, if someone had told me that I could betray my

country, I would have laughed.

Then suddenly someone comes along and makes an offer, and what's that they say

about every man having his price?

Well, I guess in my case that's true.

But believe me, in the beginning, I really thought it was industrial

Your wife is outside waiting to see you.

Thank you.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Come on.

Oh, honey.

I love you.

No matter what happens now, you must believe that.

I do.

Neil.

Stryker and Donald Willis, who recovered from his accident, were convicted of

conspiracy to commit espionage, along with Brian Carlson, Alex Keeler, and

confederates.

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