Original subtitles

[♪]

[MEN SHOUTING, SIRENS BLARING, EXPLOSIONS BOOMING]

[ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING]

[BOTH SPEAKING GERMAN]

[CHATTERING IN GERMAN]

MAN:

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Dr. Esau.

[ELEPHANTS TRUMPETING]

SAUR:

GENERAL:

[♪]

[♪]

[♪]

This is big, major.

We intercepted a truck.

One driver and a Kraut general.

The truck is loaded with top-secret stuff.

Chemical formations, diagrams of rockets,

and the pictures of that goddamn plane with no propellers.

It's wall-to-wall, major.

I tell you, I've never seen anything like it.

Was he alone in that truck with no military escort?

Yeah. Makes no sense, huh?

All right.

[SIGHS]

[SPEAKING GERMAN AWKWARDLY]

Don't struggle with German, major.

I am fluent in four languages.

My name is Helmut Kladen, general, 9th Corps Panzers.

Well, how about a cigarette, general?

I've always admired these lighters.

I saw this at, uh, North Africa.

Kasserine Pass.

It's yours.

Why don't you take the cigarettes too?

You're very kind.

All right, captain, I want you to get that German driver

up in the cab of that truck with one of our riflemen.

We're going to Weiden, Regimental Headquarters.

The general will ride with me.

Yes, sir. Okay, we're movin' out.

General.

Sergeant Fine,

get the other prisoner back in the truck.

Why don't we get in the jeep?

You try and keep yourself warm,

and we'll split a bottle of brandy back at Weiden,

and, uh, you can tell me what's in those files.

Why should I?

Because the war is over, general.

And from now on, the world is gonna be

one big happy corporation.

No more secrets, no more enemies.

Just customers.

CAPTAIN: All right, move your asses.

Come on, get that lead out of your ass.

You know...

the interesting thing about war

is the wide variety of people one meets.

[CHUCKLES]

Those are my sentiments exactly.

Shall we go?

[♪]

BOY: So how many pins you spotting me?

[CHUCKLES] No spot. Even-steven.

For how much?

Well, you gotta take it easy--

Barney Caine?

Only half-a-buck a game. Yeah.

I'm Sergeant Louis Yosuta, Tactical Squad.

Let's talk over by the car.

What's the matter, Dad?

I don't know, son.

Approximately two hours ago, Tom Neeley was shot to death.

Jesus Christ.

The commissioner requested you head up the investigation.

Says you knew Neeley.

[SIGHS]

Yeah, I knew him.

Who's running the case?

My boss, Chief of Tactical, John Nolan.

How'd you find me?

I took the liberty to call your exwife.

[CHUCKLES]

Do you have a car here?

Yeah, it's a red, uh, Mustang.

It's right in the lot here.

He'll drop the car off at your apartment.

I have to go with the sergeant, son. I'm sorry, uh...

The officer will drive you home, huh?

No, it-- It's okay.

I'll take the bus.

I'll try to get over there later tonight.

Sure.

Take care, Dad.

MAN [OVER RADIO]: Here comes the wind-up. Here comes the throw.

Lieutenant Caine. Yeah.

Sergeant Rizzo, Homicide Metro.

CAINE: This is Sergeant Yosuna from Tactical.

Yosuta. Louis Yosuta.

Yeah, come on, I'll show you around.

There's a Mercedes in the garage

belonged to the victim, Tom Neeley.

This Bentley here belongs to an Arthur Clements.

Clements' chauffeur found the body.

What's his name? Herbert Glenn.

You talk to him? No, we've been waiting for you.

Check the cars.

Lieutenant Caine, I gotta talk to you.

You know, we're supposed to be working this case together.

So let's get some ground rules straight, up front.

I have a name, and I'd like you to use it. Understood?

You're absolutely right.

I should have said, uh, "Check the cars, Louis."

Or, "Would you be good enough to check the cars,

Sergeant Yosuta."

But it's Sunday, and I'm not with my son,

and that bothers me, so...

you'll forgive my sudden lack of charm. Okay?

Okay.

Good.

Now check the fuckin' cars.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH]

How are you, Gabby?

It's Sunday.

Yeah.

Well, they really hit Tom.

Seven times.

From his ankles to his throat.

He was set up pretty good.

We found two strands of black hair on the pillowcase.

This voodoo doll was lying on Tom's chest.

It's stamped Port Au-Prince, Haiti.

The head comes off, and there's a fine white powder inside.

Coke?

It's not talcum powder,

but I think you should run it through the lab.

Has it been dusted?

Everything has been photographed and dusted.

Anything else?

Yes, I've been saving the best for last.

This, over here on the newspaper.

The letters have his fingerprint.

[♪]

Have Sullivan check this against Tom's handwriting.

You see where this last letter is very high?

Mm-hmm.

Almost as if Tom was trying to, uh,

form another letter.

He may have lost control.

Mm, maybe so.

But if I were dying, trying to name my killer,

I'd use the last name, not the first. Rizzo.

Makes sense.

Juan...he's all yours.

[♪]

I'll have something for you late tonight.

Okay. Thanks, Gabby.

Got it?

Yeah, just lift him.

[WATER DRIPPING]

[SIGHS]

[SNIFFS]

[CAR STARTS]

That frame empty when you got here?

Just the way you see it, lieutenant.

Any prints on it?

Clean as a whistle.

Found this in Neeley's glove compartment.

American Express bill.

Hotel Kempinski, Berlin.

Dated January 18th, this year.

Hm. Club Venus, Hamburg. Get a load of that.

It's a city map of West Berlin

with the name Obermann written at the top.

This came out of Clements' Bentley.

It's an owner's pass to Santa Anita.

Okay, wrap all this up

and see if you can find that jackass,

what's-his-name, Rizzo. Mm-hmm.

Make sure he gets it all downtown

along with the voodoo doll.

[SIGHS]

[WHISPERS] Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.

Your name is Herbert Glenn?

That's right.

I'm told you stumbled into this mess.

It scared the hell out of me too.

The door was open. I kept calling Tom's name.

I got to the bedroom--

Holy Christ, I never saw anything like it.

Where were you supposed to take Tom today?

Over to Mr. Clements' home.

How long you work for Arthur Clements?

Almost five years.

I'm not just a chauffeur.

I'm also Mr. Clements' bodyguard.

Yeah? What's he afraid of?

Who knows? Important money is always edgy.

What does Mr. Clements do?

He's on the board of directors at different companies, uh...

He owns Thoroughbreds.

Big racing stable, you know what I mean?

And he and Tom were good friends, huh?

Uh...

They were friends.

Well, uh...

What was the occasion today?

Nothing special. The usual Sunday social stuff.

Heh, what do you mean by "social stuff"?

Well, Tom would come over and some other people.

A lot of broads.

And, uh...

Well, they would, uh, turn on.

Turn on to what?

Hey, lieutenant, can I stay out of this? Uh...

I don't wanna be involved over here.

I wanna know what these people turned on to

at these social gatherings of Mr. Clements'.

Cocaine.

That's nice.

Did Tom Neeley deal the coke?

Uh, let's say it was around.

Tom scrawled the letters G-E-N-E in blood in there.

You have any idea what he was trying to tell us?

No.

Was he seeing any special lady?

Hey, enough is enough, lieutenant.

I mean, I'm not up to any more answers now.

I know my rights.

[SCOFFS] Rights?

Did you say "rights"?

[LAUGHS]

The court tells me that I have the right

to be with my son today.

You see me with my son?

No.

Please don't talk to me about rights.

Nobody has any rights, only luck.

And today, yours is as bad as mine,

only we're both better off than Tom Neeley.

Now, Tom Neeley was a friend of mine,

so don't get cute with me.

I'm gonna ask you once.

Was he running around with any particular girl?

Yeah, he was pretty tight with some slope hooker.

What do you mean by "slope"?

You know, a Chink.

Yeah, you mean an Oriental girl.

Yeah, that's what I mean.

Stand up.

Now, tomorrow morning, I want you to take

my slope partner here, Sergeant Yosuta,

over to that girl's house.

You understand me?

Whatever you say, lieutenant.

See that Herbert gets home safely.

Right, chief.

Uh, Rizzo?

Hold it.

Leave the cigars.

What cigars?

The ones you took out of Neeley's bedroom.

Hell, he can't smoke 'em.

I know, but he paid for them, so leave them.

[SIGHS]

Let's go.

Oh, jeez, I got--

I gotta call her before we go out there.

Who's this?

It's, uh, Kay Neeley.

They've been divorced several years.

Good lady.

What was in this frame?

Hm?

I don't remember.

It's been years since I've been here.

[DOG BARKING]

Shep, come here.

Barney.

Kay.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Uh...this is my partner, Sergeant Yosuta.

Nice meeting you.

Pleasure.

Come this way.

Can I get you a drink?

Beer would be fine.

Sergeant?

Nothing, thank you.

How can I help you, Barney?

Just answer some questions.

Ask me anything you want.

You mind if Louie takes notes?

No. Of course not.

Did Tom know anybody named Gene?

Well...

Tom knew a lot of girls, uh--

[CHUCKLES] No.

I mean G-E-N-E.

No, I-- I don't...

What about Obermann?

No.

I never heard Tom mention that name.

When's the last time you saw Tom or spoke to him?

Well...

I should think it was about eight months ago.

Do you know about a trip that he took

to Germany this past January?

No.

No, there's only one trip that I know about.

Sometime around the holidays, Tom called and--

Excuse me, Kay, uh...

You said you hadn't talked to him for about eight months.

Now you say he called around the holidays.

That's only a couple of months ago.

I'm sorry.

I'm not at my best today, Barney.

I understand. Go ahead, please.

Tom said that he was going to Rome.

And that...

through Arthur Clements,

some important doors were opening for him.

What doors?

He said that he had made a connection

with someone called Adam Steiffel.

You mean the big oil guy.

I don't know what Adam Steiffel does.

Anyway...

He sent Tom to Rome.

Tom promised to call, but he never did.

There's an empty picture frame up at Tom's place,

a silver frame on the desk in the living room.

Do you happen to remember what was in the frame?

No.

You think of anything else, Louie?

No. Not a thing.

Well, thank you, Kay.

I know it hasn't been easy for you.

I appreciate it. Look, uh...

There's my number.

If there's anything I can do, just call.

Barney.

Have you any idea why Tom was killed?

No.

But I think you do.

I told you what I know.

But not what you're afraid of.

Bye-bye.

Goodbye, Barney.

REPORTER: Is this cocaine-related?

REPORTER 2: Any corruption in the force?

REPORTER 3: Any signs of robbery?

REPORTER 4: When can we be given a suspect?

Is Caine's presence on this tied to the police shootings?

Was Neeley dealing? Neeley involved with Clements?

All right, now, hold it. Hold it, all of you, please.

Now, are these things on?

We're rolling. They're rolling.

All right, I'll reiterate what I said before, but this is it.

Now, this is all you're going to get:

A former chief, Thomas Neeley,

was found shot to death early this morning.

A Lieutenant Barney Caine has been named

to head up the investigation by Commissioner Harris.

Now, Tom Neeley served this community for 30 years.

His body's not even cold yet,

so let's not destroy his memory in one night.

That's all I've got to say.

[REPORTERS CLAMORING]

The goddamn press.

Okay, fellas, where were we?

Like I said, the weapon was a .22 automatic,

but they found a voodoo doll on top of Tommy's body.

Inside it was a half a kilo of cocaine.

He had sex shortly before he was killed.

Most likely with the woman who left the coke on him.

The two hairs on the pillowcase showed no solarization.

What does that mean?

Mendosa thinks they're from a wig.

[LAUGHS]

Oh, that's a big help.

Yeah, looks to me like a classic mob hit on a cheating dealer.

Tom wasn't killed over cocaine.

Well, how do you know that?

I don't know it, I think it.

I mean, sex before death, the missing photograph,

Berlin, Obermann, G-E-N-E.

Add Kay Neeley.

Well, what's she got to do with it?

She's scared to death, John.

She said Clements put Tom into some action for Adam Steiffel.

All right, now, let's get some ground rules established, huh?

We can't put Adam Steiffel, or any citizen of his stature,

into an area of vulnerability

with those journalistic vultures.

[SCOFFS] It's bullshit, John.

His name has surfaced. He's already part of the case.

Now, wait just a goddamn minute, Caine.

Now, there'll be no shooting from the hip.

It's a very delicate situation.

As a matter of fact, you'd better not talk to anyone

without checking with me first.

Do we understand each other?

We will in a minute.

I'm gonna say something because, uh,

you and I have never worked together,

and all you know about me is what you read in the file.

There's only two things that matter to me:

my son and my work.

The rest of my life is an absolute zero.

Now, apparently I've been assigned to this case

because the Neeleys knew my family,

and, uh, Tom was very kind to me.

He was a very good cop for a very long time,

and whatever he became, he sure as hell paid the price for it.

Christ, Barney, I mean, protecting the department

is just part of the job.

What you're telling me is that, uh,

Steiffel has his hooks into the department.

No, no, I never said that

and I must resent that implication.

[BELL RINGS]

Yes, Tom Neeley was a good friend.

It's difficult to believe that he's gone.

Tom never mentioned his source for cocaine?

Well, as a matter of fact, he did say something once

about a man named, uh, Frank Tedesco.

Who's he?

I suppose he's some underworld character

that Tom met when he was a cop.

But I'm just guessing.

Well, we're all just guessing at this point, Mr. Clements.

Well, there's one thing you can know, lieutenant:

Tom Neeley did not deal cocaine.

He provided it, yes,

but that was just because he wanted to be useful.

He wanted to belong.

Belong to what?

The power structure.

The group of people that he had protected all those years

he was a commander in Beverly Hills Force.

But the cocaine was just a calling card.

Did you put Tom

in touch with Adam Steiffel?

Yes, uh, I'm on the board of Tidal Oil,

and consequently I knew that Mr. Steiffel

was looking for a man with Tom's background.

So I introduced them.

Did he ever mention anybody named, uh, Obermann?

Not to me.

What about GENE, G-E-N-E?

Nope.

Can you tell me anything about a trip

that Tom made to Germany last January?

Well, all I know is that, uh, Tom went to Europe

on business for Adam Steiffel.

What kind of business?

Well, you'll have to ask Mr. Steiffel about that.

Do you know Kay Neeley?

Oh, I've met her, uh, actually, on various occasions.

Let's see, the last time I saw Kay

was sometime around the holidays.

Yes, it was a party at Tom's house,

and she was there.

That's curious.

Kay told me that Tom called from time to time,

but she hadn't seen him.

Why would she lie about that?

I wish I could help you, lieutenant.

[WAVES SPLASHING, SEAGULLS CAWING]

Kay.

Kay?

[♪]

[LINE BEEPING]

[♪]

Christ, Louis, so why didn't you call me?

I got stuff to show you. And I need a drink.

Go make yourself comfortable.

[COUGHS, CLEARS THROAT]

Sounds better.

Yeah, I got it fixed.

Congratulations.

What about?

You were right.

The gun that killed Kay was a Walther .22 automatic,

the same weapon that killed Tom.

The last slug ruptured an artery in her throat.

[COUGHS]

What'd you do, make this?

Don't knock it. I let it sit seven days.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Grows on you.

Now...

these are two photographs from Mendosa.

Copies.

The wound on Kay's right leg was quarter-of-an-inch deep.

I've seen that crescent before. That's a calling card.

One of those, uh...

Middle East terrorist groups.

How do you know that?

Mm...

'68-'69, I was in our embassy in Beirut.

We had a Naval attaché got shot to death...

and we found that crescent on his leg.

[CHUCKLES]

Jesus Christ, I can't figure it out.

What the hell does Kay Neeley

got to do with the Haiti-Tedesco connection?

Well, the, uh, cocaine came in a Haitian doll.

No. It's not coke.

No, the whole thing's wrapped up in that, uh, Gene thing.

That G-E-N-E. G-E-N-E.

You know that missing picture in a silver frame?

That was a shot of Tom in uniform about '44, '45.

Same one was down at Kay's place.

I wanna see Tom's, uh, service file.

Get on the wire to that place down in St. Louis.

What do you call it? The...

Bureau of Military Personnel, something like that.

You want me to go down to Communications right now?

If you feel you're being overworked, Louis,

you can always go on vacation.

You know, when I think I'm being overworked,

you'll be the first to know.

Thanks for the drink.

Don't mention it.

[COUGHS] Hey, uh,

while you're down there,

uh, send a cable to Interpol.

See what you can find out about, uh, Frank Tedesco.

Right.

Okay, what do you gentlemen got for me?

You got 17 seconds to tell me without one ounce of bullshit.

And...go.

Oh, it looks real good, Adam.

Uh, there's no question this entire valley

is sitting on top of a shelf of oil.

Those mountains are full of high-grade anthracite.

Did I detect an ounce in there?

Not an ounce.

[CHUCKLES]

MAN: Excuse me, Mr. Steiffel.

Uh, there's a police lieutenant named Barney Caine down there.

He says you're expecting him.

Uh, bu-- That son of a bitch is right on time.

Mr. Caine.

How do you do, sir?

Good to see you. I'm awful sorry we had to get you out here.

We were running real skinny on time, and, uh--

No problem. I appreciate your seeing me, sir.

Uh, well, I understand that you were with, uh, Intelligence

in the State Department.

That's pretty fancy doings.

[CHUCKLES] No, not really.

Well, let's, uh, take a little walk.

Do you mind if I get on this side?

I got bum, uh, ears... Oh, uh, sure.

...and my machine's on this side.

Well, I congratulate you for getting out of there.

Oh, why is that?

Well, personally, I was never convinced

about all the intelligence going on there.

Well, maybe I just lived too long.

What--?

What the hell happened

to the America that I've known and loved?

Christ, we send rockets to--

To photograph the rectal passages of Jupiter,

and the kids wind up in-- In porno films.

We violate the laws of Newton and Christ,

and, uh, then we wonder why a bunch of bandits

with towels on their heads have got us by the nuts.

Listen, I don't care how you slice it, Mr. Caine.

They got the oil,

and when they say, uh...

[SNAPS FINGERS]

..."tap dance,"

we're gonna...tap dance.

[LAUGHS]

I, uh, guess that brings us to Tom Neeley, huh?

[SIGHS]

I guess it does, huh?

I was awfully upset about, uh, Tom's death.

So was I.

How'd you happen to meet him?

Well, it was through one of my associates, uh, Arthur Clements.

We required the services of somebody who was well-schooled

in, uh, police methods, and...

Yeah, I could see where Tom would be the perfect, uh...

I hate to say it, bagman.

Well, just a second, uh-- Uh, Mr. Caine.

I mean, you know, that's kind of rough because...

You have to understand

that bribery is a way of life in the Middle East.

I mean, they call it "baksheesh" over there.

But listen, business is business.

Uh, you know, and if you're gonna be in business,

you gotta do what you gotta do.

When did Tom make his last drop for you?

Well, that was, uh...

...uh, early...January.

Tom took 500,000 francs from Zurich to Rome.

You never sent Tom to Germany, hm?

No, sir.

Did he ever mention a man named Obermann?

No, uh...

Tom was, uh, pretty closed-mouthed.

Um...

He was a good soldier, Mr. Caine,

and, uh, we're all gonna miss him.

Did you know Kay Neeley?

Uh, yeah.

I met her over at one of those charity functions

at the County Museum.

She was murdered yesterday.

Oh, God.

[SIGHS]

Oh, for God's sake.

Well...

Well, it just makes me sick to hear that. I...

I don't envy you your profession, Mr. Caine.

Must be one long tragic view of life.

I, um...

Well, I wish there was something else I could do.

No, nothing else.

I'm grateful for your help, Mr. Steiffel.

Thank you, lieutenant.

I hope you can find your way back.

Is that all?

No, they'd send "end message" if it was final.

NOLAN: Come off it, Barney, will ya?

For cryin' out loud, I need a suspect.

You wanna go flyin' off to Germany

chasing some-- Some mythical thing called Genesis.

Now, look, I need facts. Not conjecture, facts.

Give me some facts that turn this away from a cocaine hit.

All right. Try: Tom Neeley set up for a terrorist hit team.

By a female coke-runner?

Hey, you know, they're very popular this year.

Probably because they got more places to hide the stuff.

I'm telling you, coke has nothing to do with this.

That was an obvious plant.

This woman was no ordinary courier.

She was sent by Frank Tedesco.

Tedesco, who's he?

He's, uh, kind of an international power broker.

A middleman between the underworld and the overworld.

What in the hell is the overworld?

Big oil, big banking.

International cartels like OPEC.

Adam Steiffel's big oil.

OPEC is-- Is created by big oil.

Listen-- Listen, John.

Two months ago, Tom Neeley made a money drop

to a Saudi finance minister in Rome,

and I believe he went directly from Rome to Berlin.

You believe. You see--? You see? Now, that's conjecture.

Yeah, maybe.

But Kay Neeley's passport proves that she was in Berlin

the same week Tom was.

She lied to me.

And Tom told one of his favorite hookers back here

that he was "onto a colossal score in Germany."

That's a quote. Oh, that's terrific.

So you want to chase off to Germany

because of a quote by a two-bit hooker.

John...

The last act of Tom Neeley's life

was to attempt to write the code word "Genesis" in his own blood.

Now, Genesis turns out to be something

the Nazis considered very top-secret,

and whatever it is, it's still in Germany.

But how do you know that, Barney?

Because if it weren't,

the Neeleys would still be alive.

Ah, Germany. For chrissakes, Barney,

you'd be operating alone in the dark without any authority.

Without even a weapon.

In the dark, maybe, but not alone.

The Prefect of Police in Berlin is a friend of mine.

Hans Lehman.

We worked security together

when, uh, Willy Brandt was out here in L.A.

He's a top-drawer police officer, and he owes me one.

Ah, I don't know, Barney.

John, listen to me.

If I'm wrong, you're out expenses.

But if I'm right,

if the Neeleys were killed

because of something in Tom's past,

something entirely separate from his police activities,

then the department is clean.

Clean?

Okay, Barney.

Okay, you win.

Send your files to Lehman. Tell him to get started.

You make your reports directly through Sergeant Yosuta.

Remember, now, you do not violate German law, understood?

Understood.

Yeah-- Hey, wait a minute.

You draw $1500 and a roundtrip ticket, uh, tourist.

Now, get the hell outta here.

Fifteen-hundred dollars?

You can't buy a glass of water for $1500 in Germany.

Well, don't drink the water. Pretend you're in Mexico.

You're a sweetheart, John.

[STEIFFEL SPEAKING SPANISH]

MAN: I know how to do it.

I know how to do it.

She's fine.

[CONTINUES SPEAKING SPANISH]

Speak English. I understand English.

The frog is half-dead.

He's half-dead from the chlorine.

The chlorine is normal. The pH factor is 7.4.

That's a perfect balance.

I don't-- I don't care what the pH factor is.

I don't want you to put any chlorine in the pool.

It's shit-- I've been doing this for 17 years.

I ought to know what the hell I'm doing.

Listen, uh, I-- The frog is half-dead.

That's all you have to know. Don't put any chlorine in there.

Look, he's all right.

Well, I hope he's got Blue Cross.

Right.

Did you hear that monkey?

Soon as they hit 5 bucks an hour,

they think they're goddamn chemists.

Hey, Adam. Finally, some good news.

OPEC have reversed themselves.

They're cutting back production 20 percent.

P.R. says that that means if we act within a week,

we can get away with a 12-cent increase at the pumps.

Twelve cents.

Twelve cents.

That's about what their brains are worth.

Honest to God.

Now, Adam, don't be harsh.

They have the company's interest in mind.

After all, our purpose is to make money, isn't it?

Well, our purpose is to avoid

having people machine-gunning each other in the gas line.

Oh, by the way, did, uh, the policeman,

Lieutenant Caine, come by to see you?

Yeah.

Well, what'd you think of him?

Um, he seemed, uh...

I don't know, bright, personable.

You know, I'm awfully disturbed about Reynolds.

I want you to go and tell him that he's completely wrong.

People are not gonna hold still for 12 cents.

Tell him I want him to crank it up to 7,

and hold it there, and that's the last.

Adam, we are making a mistake.

P.R. is right.

The people will accept the 12 cents now

because we can blame it on the Arabs.

[SIGHS]

Arthur, you're missing the point.

We are the Arabs.

Go tell him, will you? Please?

CLEMENTS: Yes?

It's Nolan.

Go ahead.

He's on his way.

Thank you, John.

Anytime.

[♪]

CAINE: Guess that's where

the hamburgers and milkshakes end, huh?

LEHMAN: Yep.

That wall's been up now for about 20 years.

Close to a hundred people were killed

trying to escape from the East.

More than one of them was a close friend of mine.

I'm sorry. Oh.

Any luck with Tom Neeley's hotel charges?

Oh, yes.

Sorry.

Here are some photocopies.

There was one local number Neeley called

eight times in three days.

It belonged to the Berlin Light and Power Company.

[CHUCKLES]

What the hell would Tom want with them?

Their chief engineer is a man named Paul Obermann.

That's a major break.

Perhaps.

I went to see Obermann this morning.

I...informed him of Neeley's death,

I told him you were arriving this afternoon,

and I also asked him to meet us at your hotel later on.

He refused.

Did he seem surprised when he heard about the Neeleys?

He denied all knowledge of the Neeleys.

Huh.

CAINE: Let me get--

LEHMAN: I'll take this one.

All right, thank you.

I've requested a court order

to compel Obermann's appearance before a federal judge.

How long will that take?

Oh, about 48 hours.

Cheerful place, Hans.

Well, considering your modest budget,

it's clean and reasonable and only 90 marks a day.

How much is that?

About $50.

Ha! They're practically giving it away.

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

...Barney Caine...

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

[ENGLISH] Would you please fill this out?

Of course.

Right in the middle.

What about dinner, Hans?

[SIGHS] Impossible.

Two terrorists escaped from Moabit prison yesterday.

You know, you've been fortunate in America so far.

You haven't experienced organized terrorism.

Mm-hmm.

I'll be in touch.

Uh, Barney...

no action without my knowledge.

Not to worry.

All right.

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

I almost forgot something, I--

I received a telex

from your office in Los Angeles.

It seems a man named Arthur Clements

and his chauffeur, Herbert Glenn, were blown up

as they started their car,

in a place called Bel Air?

My God, he was a prime suspect.

Oh, really?

Well, not any more.

Get some rest.

Your room is just upstairs, Number 12.

Breakfast is coffee and rolls.

And if you wish juice,

it will have to be 4 marks extra.

You must advise if you wish juice.

I'll let you know.

Um, is there a bellman?

He died a week ago.

Herr Caine,

that lift is out of order.

That explains what killed the bellman.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello.

MAN: Mr. Caine?

Yes.

This is Paul Obermann.

I am prepared to discuss the matter of Tom Neeley.

[♪]

Um...

what made you change your mind, Mr. Obermann?

In Germany, one does not bring police into matters

which concern the past.

If you come alone, I will meet with you.

Be aware that I will be in a position

to detect any violation of my wishes.

You have my word.

Meet me at the Berlin Zoo, the second-floor aquarium,

the bamboo bridge at precisely 5:50.

[LINE CLICKS]

[BOTH GROWLING]

Keep your voice down, Mr. Caine.

We have only a few minutes.

Now, ask your questions.

Did you see Tom Neeley early in January?

Yes. We met several times.

Was Kay Neeley with him?

On one occasion.

We had dinner.

How did you come to know Tom?

We met many years ago in Hamburg.

Under what circumstance?

In the late spring of 1945,

I was captured by the British

and taken to their Intelligence Headquarters in Hamburg.

Major Neeley was there on a temporary assignment.

He worked with me

and a Wehrmacht general named Kladen

on a secret project, code name Genesis.

What did Genesis stand for?

Synthetic fuel.

When you say "fuel," you mean gasoline?

Yes, of course gasoline.

Oil, propane, methane, thick lubricants, natural gas,

even butter.

All made from coal.

The process is called "hydrogenation."

How important was Genesis?

The entire war machine ran on synthetic fuel.

Germany had no natural crude,

but we possessed great quantities of coal.

As does your country.

The Genesis formula provided us

with a pure synthetic oil producing no pollution.

[MAN SHOUTS IN GERMAN]

[CROCODILE GROWLS]

Come. We must go.

They are closing.

At the end of the war,

they had developed a truly remarkable catalyst.

The catalyst lasted for over one million tons of coal.

Then the formula for that catalyst

would still be considered secret.

Without question.

Whoever possessed the formula would need only coal

and a basic chemical technology to be self-sufficient in energy.

Then it would follow that certain interests

wouldn't exactly be thrilled at the introduction

of mass-produced synthetic fuel made from coal.

Obviously not.

They would no longer enjoy huge profits

from the scarcity of natural crude.

The entire power structure in the world

would shift from the Arabs and OPEC

back to the United States.

After all, Mr. Caine,

America has the largest deposits of coal on this planet.

Forces involved are colossal.

I warned Tom, as I warn you:

Leave Genesis to the past, ja?

Who ran the Genesis project?

Hermann Göring.

No, I don't mean a political head.

Who was the chief scientist?

Dr. Abraham Esau.

Is he still alive?

I have no idea.

Please, I must go now. Alone.

Well, you've been extremely helpful, Mr. Obermann.

I really appreciate it.

I hope you succeed in your quest, Mr. Caine.

[♪]

[SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

Yeah.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

I'm sorry, I don't speak German.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

...Americana.

Yes, that's right.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Good night.

[BOTH SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

[THUNDER RUMBLES]

[GUNFIRE]

[TIRES SCREECH]

[CRYING]

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

LEHMAN: I told you not to act alone.

CAINE: I'm sorry.

I thought it was a chance

that any professional cop would have taken.

I won't have you operating alone without my knowledge.

Now, that's not a request. That's a-- That's an order.

Come on, Hans, you would've done

the same thing in my place.

I've notified Obermann's next of kin

to meet us at his apartment.

You smoke too much.

CAINE: No, there's nothing here before 1956.

It's almost as if his whole life didn't begin until then.

LEHMAN: Well, Obermann was captured by the British in 1945.

Apparently, Siebold and Obermann were Genesis scientists.

Yeah, but, uh...

where do we find Professor Siebold,

assuming that he's still alive?

If he was important enough, there will be a file on him

at the SS Documents Center in Zehlendorf.

[LEHMAN SPEAKS GERMAN]

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Yes.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

This is Mr. Barney Caine, an American police official.

How do you do?

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Mr. Caine had occasion

to question Herr Paul Obermann

shortly before he was killed.

Question about what?

The crime whose origins are American.

There's a bottle of brandy

in the kitchen cabinet over the sink.

Would you be kind enough to pour some for me?

Naturally.

[SIGHS]

I don't understand men like you.

What in God's name can be important enough

to place a man's life in danger?

Two very dear friends of mine

were brutally murdered in Los Angeles.

Mr. Obermann had certain important information.

I'm sorry, but I had no choice.

I would like to ask you some questions.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Your name in Obermann's wallet was next of kin.

I mean, what was your relationship to him?

He was my uncle.

I see.

My mother was Paul Obermann's sister.

When I was seven,

my parents were killed in a car accident near Munich.

Paul Obermann raised me.

When did you last see him?

Three, four weeks ago.

CAINE: On what occasion?

No occasion.

We had lunch together.

Paul was lonely. All his friends were gone.

I was the only one he had.

What is your occupation, please?

I am a freelance model, at the Lemendorf Agency.

Miss Spangler,

do you know what your uncle did during the war?

Only that he was a chemist

working on some secret energy research.

Was that project named Genesis?

I don't know.

But...

about eight months ago,

a Swiss businessman called my uncle.

He was interested in Genesis.

I remember that meeting with that man frightened Paul.

What was his name?

Toble?

Tauber? Tauber.

Well, tell me,

do you know this man with your uncle?

Yes. I saw him very often when I was quite young.

His name is Professor Wolf Siebold.

He was a colleague of my uncle.

Do you know where we could find him?

It was many years ago, I don't know.

Thank you.

I must advise you,

we may require some more questions at a later date.

You may require questions?

You bring me here at a time of sorrow,

asking questions, stupid questions,

while my uncle is murdered in a public place.

I have only contempt for you and your so-called profession.

Fräulein Spangler.

You can claim your uncle's body tomorrow morning

and arrange for the funeral.

There will be no funeral.

There's no one left to attend a funeral.

I will have Paul cremated.

That's some woman.

I hate to see her angry.

Hm.

You think, uh,

you could get me some stills of her modeling work?

I suppose so. To what purpose?

No purpose. I'm just a dirty old man

who likes to look at pretty girls.

It's an affliction that comes with age, Barney.

Mm-hmm.

Sorry about all this, Hans.

Oh, well, forget about it.

Yeah, the thing is, now what do we do?

I mean, supposing I do locate Siebold.

Obermann said that no one with a past

will talk in front of the police.

How will we operate?

Yes.

Well, uh, all right.

You can pursue the case alone

if you let me know where you are and with whom.

Fine.

I'd like your professional word of honor.

You have it.

By the way, um...

I took this off of Obermann's body.

It's from Franz Tauber.

[THUNDER RUMBLES]

Well, why didn't you give me Tauber's letter before?

'Cause we didn't have an arrangement before.

You know what you are?

Du bist ein son of a bitch.

[LAUGHS]

I'm a washed-up son of a bitch.

Say, uh...

how about giving me a Xerox copy of that letter?

All right, all right.

I'm running a check on Frank Tedesco

with our Intelligence.

I already checked him with Interpol.

He's an open book.

[SHIVERS]

Perhaps.

But I had dinner with a young Italian girl

who works for our Intelligence,

and she reminded me that the Italian word

for German is "tedesco."

[SPANGLER SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Let's go over this once more.

First, you have to find a way

to accompany this American, Caine.

Second, you will lead him to Siebold.

Third, you will report everything.

Please, Dieter...

I'm not new with this...

business.

Tedesco was very precise with his instructions.

Tedesco is famous for his precise instructions.

I can't. I--

I feel nothing.

There's no more music in my head.

Do you understand?

[SIGHS]

I feel so old.

University seems like a thousand years ago.

Be careful, Lisa.

You too.

SPANGLER: It was kind of you to come.

CAINE: Not at all.

It took courage for Mr. Obermann to see me.

Do you think Paul's death is related to Major Neeley?

Well, I hope to find the answer

to that in the archives at Zehlendorf.

So far, the only link I have is Genesis.

What is Genesis?

It's a Nazi code name for synthetic fuel.

What is it you want with me?

What do you mean?

I'm no fool, Mr. Caine.

You have spent two hours with me.

You are in midst of a critical investigation.

Why?

Well, the truth is, I wanted to pay my respects.

The truth also is, I, uh, need a favor.

I need someone who's fluent in German,

not connected with the police.

Someone who has, uh,

the right motives who can help me.

And you would like me to go to Zehlendorf with you

and translate those documents.

That's right.

And afterwards?

Wherever the case leads.

And you believe that's a fair request?

[CHUCKLES] Yeah, I think it's fair.

You worked us over pretty good last night.

I wasn't in control. I apologize for that.

Don't apologize, I understand your anger.

But I'd still appreciate your help.

But I don't know how I can help you.

Well, I'm operating alone,

6000 miles from home,

digging into matters that concern the Nazi past,

and I can't bring the police along.

Look, uh, Miss Spangler...

your uncle was shot down in cold blood.

Now, you can help avenge his death, if you want to.

It's up to you.

Let's get a taxi. I'm very cold.

[♪]

Lisa...

this has gotta be the same von Kladen

that Tom knew 35 years ago, hm?

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

It says he was badly burned and suffered a serious leg wound.

He was transferred from combat

and placed in charge of the Genesis documents.

Fate unknown.

Uh-huh.

Well, at least we got a line on Professor Siebold.

But we don't know that Siebold is still at University.

I think he's still there.

Otherwise, Tom wouldn't have gone to Hamburg in January.

Perhaps I can phone him. I'm sure he will remember me.

Let's let Lehman call him.

That way he's got a choice

of either talking to us or talking to the police.

Nothing on Dr. Esau, huh?

No. No file. Only references.

He was captured by the Soviets in May of '45. That's all.

Okay, let's get outta here.

It's like dancing through a graveyard.

[CHUCKLES]

[♪]

It is difficult to believe, isn't it?

What is that?

That an entire nation went mad.

Lisa...

something you said kind of bothered me.

So? What?

You referred to Tom as, uh, Major Neeley.

Only someone familiar with his military record

would call him that.

But my uncle always called him Major Neeley.

Yes, of course.

You really sure you want me to accompany you to Hamburg?

Absolutely.

Professor Siebold knows you.

Uh, your presence will make him that much more relaxed.

You know, in a curious way,

this canal reminds me of Venice.

I was there once on holiday,

and I spent a couple of days with a man

I have never seen before or since.

It was a beautiful time.

I think it's nice to have some of those, uh,

memories tucked away.

For me, those times are the best

because they have no history,

no future.

Only the moment.

[♪]

Please, sit down.

You know, the only memento Paul kept

was that photograph of you and he as young men

at the Academy of Sciences.

It must be a great tragedy to you.

Paul was both father and mother to you.

He had a truly sensitive soul.

Mr. Caine,

rest assured, I will give you all the help you require.

Thank you, professor.

Tell me, um, did an American named Tom Neeley contact you

in early January of this year?

No.

Did a Swiss businessman named, uh,

Franz Tauber

contact you about eight months ago?

Ah, yes. Tauber.

He also spoke with Obermann.

He was interested in reconstituting

the Genesis team.

I refused to see him.

Oh, why?

[SCOFFS] I am almost 70.

I have no desire to conquer any new worlds.

[CHUCKLES]

What can you tell me about Genesis, professor?

The manufacture of oil from coal is not new.

Real breakthrough came at a meeting

at the Reich Chancellery

in August 1936.

There were giants at that meeting.

It was at that meeting

that Hitler gave the I.G. Farben works

a grant of one billion reichmarks

to undertake mass-production of synthetic fuel.

Dr. Abraham Esau was placed in charge.

I was Chief Liaison Coordinator for all the 15 plants.

By 1941, we were producing great quantities

of synthetic oil and lubricants.

This is an award

presented to me by Albert Speer,

commending me for producing seven million metric tons

of synthetic fuel in 1944.

Mr. Obermann said that you had, uh,

perfected a remarkable catalyst

and that the catalyst controlled the process.

Now, that is true.

But I did not formulate that catalyst.

I merely coordinated.

CAINE: Who did?

Dr. Esau.

You wouldn't, by any chance, know what became of Dr. Esau?

No.

But, um,

Esau did have a personal adjutant.

A man named Reimeck.

I heard something about him

being involved in one of these...

pornographic clubs across the lake.

That wouldn't be the Club Venus by any chance, would it?

I have no idea.

Yes, you do.

You sent Tom Neeley there in January.

CAINE: We found a souvenir of the club

in Neeley's house.

Why did you lie to me about seeing Neeley?

[SHOUTING IN GERMAN]

He says you're rude and presumptuous.

He's right.

You see, professor,

I'm a little tired of being lied to and shot at.

And your phony nostalgia

about the good old days doesn't impress me.

Don't play the sanctimonious American with me, mister.

In all the years of the war, in all the great Allied raids,

not one important hydrogenation plant was hit.

And why?

Because certain American oil companies

shared chemical patents with the Third Reich.

The Americans were in business with the Third Reich then.

And the same partnership exists today.

There is blood on your hands too, mister.

[SHOUTING IN GERMAN]

[COOL, FUN MUSIC PLAYING]

[SPEAKS IN GERMAN]

This is Manfried Reimeck.

He is the manager of the club and says to forgive the delay.

Tell him that we appreciate his time and help.

[SPEAKS IN GERMAN]

It is not necessary to translate.

[CHUCKLES] I can manage some English.

What can you tell me about Dr. Esau?

Uh, Dr. Esau,

I remember.

I was with Dr. Esau

at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin

the night the Soviet tanks entered the city.

And I pleaded

with Dr. Esau to save himself,

but he refused.

The city was burning.

There were wild animals in the streets.

Do you know where he is now?

Dr. Esau is terminally ill.

He's at a private sanitorium near to St. Moritz.

A place called, wait a moment, uh...

the Kessenger Haus.

[SPEAKS IN GERMAN]

Sorry, but I must leave you now.

I hope I have been of some help to you.

Indeed. Thank you.

No, thank you.

The drinks are, of course, on the house.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

["HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN" PLAYING]

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[♪]

[LISA SCREAMS]

Lisa. Hey, Lisa.

[SIGHS]

[CHUCKLES] Come on.

What is it?

[GASPING] Oh.

Oh, I'm sorry. It's a nightmare.

Yeah.

I'll say. You-- You wanna talk about it?

No.

It's very old, very personal.

You don't know, maybe, uh--

Maybe we share the same nightmare.

[CHUCKLES]

Perhaps we are.

They say all nightmares have a certain similarity.

Well, mine's in full color.

Very elegant setting.

A restaurant outside Santiago.

I'm having lunch with a friend of mine,

a man very close to Allende.

He was, um,

shot to death.

Did you know he would be killed?

Yeah, I-- I knew he was gonna be killed.

I was told that he was, uh, head of a group

that intended to stop the flow of copper

into the United States, you know?

And that his, uh,

removal was vital to our national interests.

About three months later I found out

the whole thing was a scam.

You know what I mean? A setup, phony.

Just to drive up the price of copper.

So I resigned from the Agency,

and, uh, heh,

I fell off the world for a couple of years,

and Tom Neeley resurrected me.

But let me tell you,

my dead friend is still alive in my nights.

I think our nightmares are not so different.

Mm.

Well...

after that cheerful little story,

you're all right now, huh?

[CHUCKLES]

I'll see you in the morning.

Barney.

Please stay.

Please.

[♪]

More coffee?

What?

Do you like some more coffee?

Oh, yes. Thank you.

What is it?

What's wrong?

I...

One phone call from Lehman.

Esau agrees to see me. It's too pat.

What do you mean by "pat"?

Easy, simple.

That kind of obedience is perfectly normal

and very German.

You know, the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz

is quite elegant.

You sure you can afford it?

[CHUCKLES]

Lehman told them it was official business,

so it's on the house.

Do you ski?

Years ago, in Chile. I wound up in a cast.

[CHUCKLES]

I love to ski.

There's something special about being alone,

late in the day.

It's like a moment of personal truth.

Curious, isn't it,

the places that people find truth?

Where do you find it, Barney?

I don't know.

When I left Los Angeles, my son, uh...

put his arms around me.

I guess there's a good deal of truth in that.

I want you to understand about last night.

It wasn't just the nightmare.

I wanted you to stay with me because...

I couldn't be alone

with all those images about that nightclub.

I kept thinking of the war,

of all that terror ending as a pornographic joke.

And all this time...

I thought you were just a pushover for a pretty face.

[LAUGHS]

[♪]

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

[BOTH SPEAKING GERMAN]

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

We should sit down.

The French are building an atomic reactor

in Northern Iraq,

complete with enriched uranium.

[CHUCKLES]

The French will sleep with anyone for a profit.

They are a nation of whores.

You are the niece of Paul Obermann?

Yes, Dr. Esau.

He was only an adequate man,

but a remarkable chemist.

Doctor, Mr. Reimeck told us

that you had been captured by the Russians.

The Mongolians came into the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute.

They swarmed into my office,

still wearing their white winter uniforms in May.

They kept flushing my toilet over and over.

Hm. Can you believe?

The German nation

defeated by men who have never seen a toilet.

Uh, where did they take you?

First to Kiev, then to Moscow.

They wanted the Genesis formula.

The one that contained the final catalyst.

I designed the pilot hydrogenation plant,

working with their Soviet scientists.

The process failed.

It was a purposeful failure.

[CHUCKLES] After five years

and millions of rubles,

they placed me in the Lubyanka Prison.

Keeping alive in that prison

was in itself an act of vengeance.

Dr. Esau,

what happened to that final formula?

[COUGHS]

The Genesis file was part of a shipment

that contained our most vital military secrets.

Himmler planned to trade those secrets with the Allies

in return for amnesty.

The shipment was in charge of a general named Kladen.

It was intercepted by units of the American Army.

After that, we were lost.

We had nothing left to bargain with.

[COUGHING]

Why did the Russians release you, doctor?

The cartel negotiated my release

from the Soviets in 1956.

What cartel?

The same cartel that has conspired

to suppress the production of synthetic fuel.

I must ask you to leave us for a moment, Fräulein Spangler.

As you wish.

You will forgive me

for dismissing Fräulein Spangler,

but in my position,

one learns the limitations of trust.

Our positions aren't that different, doctor.

The civilized world must record

that in the long shadows of history,

it was I, Dr. Abraham Esau,

that kept the lights burning.

And you, Mr. Caine, are in a unique position

to ensure my immortality.

You have no connection to the cartel

or the Kameradschaft.

You are a policeman

seeking justice

for the death of your friends.

That's true.

[♪]

[COUGHING]

I'm going to inscribe for you the Genesis formula.

You have all the proper motives to make it public.

My friends were killed for this.

Promise me that you will make my formula public.

You have my word.

I am going to die on your word.

Hello? Hello?

[TRAIN WHISTLES IN DISTANCE]

MAN: Yes, sir?

Now, look, uh...

I was talking to Los Angeles. I got cut off.

Can you put the call back through for me, please?

I'm sorry, the circuit is cut.

There's a message from a Franz Tauber.

You are to meet him tomorrow at noon,

uh, where the horses race on the ice.

Uh, good evening, Herr Caine.

Good night.

Son of a bitch.

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

[LISA SPEAKING GERMAN]

MAN: Danke.

LISA: Danke.

Quite extraordinary,

our Swiss horses that race on the ice.

The Swiss are famous for them.

That's interesting.

I always thought the Swiss were famous for their, uh, chocolate.

[CHUCKLES]

That's quite true.

Do you care for one?

[♪]

How nice, Mr. Tauber.

Thank you.

Hm, thanks.

Danke schön.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Express? Express, express, ja.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

He says Express Airmail

will leave Zurich tonight for New York

and will arrive in Los Angeles sometime tomorrow night.

Oh, that's great. Fine.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

I need 16 francs for the postage and for the two copies.

You've got it. How much have I got there?

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[GIGGLES]

Hey, you left me one.

Excuse me, darling.

[♪]

This is your key.

The matching key will be in our safe.

Simply present your key

when you wish to have your documents back.

Fine. Oh, uh, here, please.

Thank you. Thank you.

[PHONE RINGS]

MAN: Ja? Hello? Ja, ja.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Oh, Mr. Caine,

your call to Inspector Lehman from Berlin is ready.

You can have the call around the corner.

Um...

Could you tell me what the German words, uh,

"die Orchidee" mean?

Die Orchidee?

Oh, it means "orchid."

Like the flower.

Thank you.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

What is it?

What's wrong?

Do you know what?

[LAUGHS] I think I'm get--

Getting a little bit old for this racket.

The curious thing is...

you don't get any smarter.

You just get slower.

But...

You're awful good.

I gotta give you that.

When I asked you...

why you called Tom "Major Neeley"...

[SNAPS FINGERS]

...you never missed a beat.

It was the truth.

[SCOFFS]

It was bullshit.

But you sold me.

You know, I saw that, uh...

photograph of you in the black wig.

There was hairs from a black wig on Tom's pillow.

Every model in the world wears wigs.

That's right.

You're right.

But every model in the world does not use a body oil...

with an orchid scent.

I found that same fragrance on a towel in Neeley's bathroom.

Oh, there's a couple of other little things

I forgot to tell you.

You know, you told me that, uh,

Siebold knew you since you were a little girl?

I saw his eyes.

He didn't recognize you from Mohammed Ali.

Incidentally, I just talked to Lehmans on the phone.

Dear old Uncle Paul Obermann...

had no sister.

[CHUCKLES] You must have had a hell of a time keeping a straight face.

Such melancholy.

All that poetic ceremony about poor Obermann's ashes.

And then letting me talk you

into taking me to Zehlendorf and helping me out.

And all the time you're just following orders.

[CHUCKLES]

It doesn't matter that my friends are murdered.

I don't know what you're made of.

I don't see how you could make love to someone,

and then two minutes later,

take out a Walther PPK and pump seven slugs into his body.

I did what I had to do with Neeley.

And I left.

I didn't kill him.

Just following orders, right?

Yes.

Right into bed, right?

No one ordered me to sleep with you!

[SIGHS] Listen to me.

Try to understand.

My father was the commander

of the Ravensbrück concentration camp.

And this man...

my father...

designed and carried out the gassing and burning

of 200,000 women and children.

He kept jars of gold teeth taken from the dead.

He melted them down and bought his way

into a respectable position in the new Germany.

[SIGHS]

When I discovered what my father had been,

I despised him

and everything his generation stood for, but mostly myself.

You weren't even born.

You couldn't be held responsible.

But I knew, you see. I knew.

And I looked at my own world

and saw it being run by the same monsters.

Nothing had changed.

So when I went to the university I met some people,

and they helped me to believe

violence was the only means to a new way.

We must believe in the universal brotherhood of man.

If not, the world will end.

One man miscalculates, pushes a button,

and we all end as an accident.

So I-- I did what I thought was right.

You actually believe that.

You think that those people who send you out to kill

are different than the people you kill.

No wonder you have nightmares.

You've been brainwashed by experts.

Sweet Jesus,

you really think that those bastards

believe in the brotherhood of man?

Yes, I did.

For a long time. The same way you did in Chile.

The causes are always the same, only the flags are different.

[SIGHS]

Lisa...

...can you tell me why the Neeleys were killed?

We were instructed to find out

if they had been in touch with the Swiss, Tauber.

Why? I don't know.

Thank you.

[CHUCKLES]

What do you think they have in mind for me?

My orders were to accompany you. Nothing more.

Whose orders?

Frank Tedesco.

I want you to set up a meeting for me with Tedesco.

Why should I?

Sweetheart, we've both been used.

There's not much time left.

Maybe I can buy you a little with Lehman,

but you gotta help me.

There's no use, Barney. There's no use.

Why not?

You can't touch him.

You have to promise me.

If I arrange a meeting,

you won't do anything than talk to him.

Because you will be in danger, not him.

I understand.

Tedesco is in Berlin.

[♪]

LEHMAN: Barney, don't cross that line.

That's East Berlin. I can't help you there.

I am Frank Tedesco.

I understand you wish to speak about our friend...

...Major Neeley.

Yeah, I'd like to know how you came to know him.

It was in the spring of 1945

close to the Swiss frontier.

I was then known as General Helmut Kladen.

And it was then that the two of you took the formula

to the British in Hamburg, right?

Where we met the late Paul Obermann.

Together we decoded and translated the file

for British Intelligence.

Apparently, you Americans

were not interested in our synthetic fuel.

After the war, Obermann went to England,

Tom, back to America,

and I to Haiti.

But you maintained control over the Genesis scientists.

You come to me for your kinderspiel.

Your children's questions.

Don't you find that curious?

After all...

your friends have all been lost.

Well, don't worry about it.

We're famous for losing the wars we win.

And let me tell you something, you son of a bitch.

Verstehen Sie? Son of a bitch?!

I know you had Tom and Kay Neeley killed,

and if it takes me the rest of my life,

I'm gonna see that you pay for it.

I'll be comin' on behind you, general.

You can sleep on it.

Why the anger, Mr. Caine?

I can assure you the men who killed the Neeleys

have been eliminated.

So you've done your job.

Besides, you acquired the formula.

You have no cause to be upset.

Auf Wiedersehen, gentlemen.

[TRAIN WHISTLES IN DISTANCE]

Barney. No, Barney.

[ALARM BUZZING]

[LEHMAN SPEAKING IN GERMAN]

[WOMAN SPEAKS GERMAN]

LEHMAN: Well, I told her

you are an American police official.

She's placing the call to your partner.

Thank you.

Hans...

what do you think they'll do to Lisa?

I don't know. Maybe nothing.

If she has a value at all,

they'll let her live for a while.

Hm.

This is a copy of the Genesis formula.

If anything should happen to me, see that it gets to, uh,

somebody in the government, somebody in the press,

anybody you trust. All right.

Mr. Caine. Mr. Yosuta's number's out of service.

Out of service? Yes.

Barney.

These are simple geometric equations

from a high school book.

Mr. Caine, it's final boarding call for your flight.

Uh, miss? Yes?

I want you to put an emergency phone call to Los Angeles,

uh, area code 213, 555-4000.

Ask for the Watch Commander.

Okay.

Son of a bitch.

That-- That concierge at the Swiss hotel.

He must have switched on me. I should have checked that.

He probably grabbed Louis by now.

I sent the original formula to him.

Well, how do they know that?

Because Lisa was with me when I, uh, mailed it.

She did it for me, huh? Bullshit.

Listen, you go down to the gate, will you,

and, uh, have 'em hold the plane?

Yeah, right.

Mr. Caine, they are on the line.

Yeah, thank you.

Hello? Uh, who am I talking to?

Yeah, well, listen, this is Lieutenant Barney Caine.

I'm talking to you from Tegel Airfield in West Berlin.

I'm on a classified case out of Tactical,

and I have reason to believe that my partner,

Sergeant Louis Yosuta, is in imminent danger.

I have the gate. You must board your flight.

Tell them it's a police emergency.

Inspector Lehman's on his way there right now.

Listen, I want you to send a couple of black and whites

to 365 Baldwin in Pasadena.

Tell them to handle it Code Three.

And have a metro car meet me at the airport.

Uh, flight 761, TWA, uh, out of London,

arriving 3:35 p.m. your time. You got that?

Yeah, uh, run a copy of Yosuta's time log

for the last 24 hours, all right?

Thanks, pal.

Thank you, miss.

Have a good flight, Mr. Caine.

Watch your step, please. Welcome back, lieutenant.

Here, take this, will you? Yeah, sure.

Here, this way.

Talk to me, Rizzo.

Four of our men arrived at Yosuta's house at 4:15 a.m.

His wife was bound and gagged. She said three men took Louis.

We got an APB out. Nolan's on it,

the commissioner's on it and half the Metro squad.

He logged out at 6:15 p.m., logged back in at 8:45 p.m.,

and then out again at 9:05 p.m.

That means he got the original copy by special delivery,

went straight to Tactical and shoved it in the safe.

Hit the screamer.

[SIREN BLARES] Go.

[CHUCKLES]

You're quite a cowboy, Caine.

Release Sergeant Yosuta, and you get the original.

Yosuta. Yosuta.

I don't-- I don't know that fella.

I know, but let him go anyway.

Alrighty.

That's it.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

What about copies?

There're no other copies. I have the original.

Pawn to queen four. Uh, how do I know that?

[CHUCKLES] I have no desire to spend the rest of my life

looking over my shoulder.

And you have no reason to hurt Louis Yosuta.

We're at an honest standoff. Go ahead and make the call.

All right, I think I trust you, Barney.

Oh, can I call you Barney?

Make the call.

All right.

Have a seat.

Well, how was it over there in, uh...?

[SIGHS] In Germany?

I wish you had brought me back some knackwurst.

I love that stuff.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Steiffel.

Uh, release, uh, Sergeant Yosuta

with our apologies and our gratitude.

Have him go to John Nolan's office.

I'll call him there. Wait.

What's that?

Nolan's office. I'll call.

Okay, send him to Nolan's office,

and he'll be called there.

I know.

Milk Dud?

Awful good.

I'll tell you what I would like: some answers.

I mean, you've had the formula since '45.

Why--? Why all the masquerade?

Well, let's see.

All right.

I think you deserve some answers.

I'll give you the 98-cent tour.

Since World War II,

we've been concerned with the continued existence

of some surviving German scientists who were--

Well, they played a key part

in the development of the Genesis formula.

Now, our concern was a little benign, because in '46,

we bought up the formula and, uh, Dr.--

Esau.

Esau, right.

So Genesis then seemed tucked neatly away in the past.

Now, uh, that was the time

that this cartel, uh, started to buy up

all the coal fields.

We now have, give or take a nickel,

uh, 70 percent

of all the coal in the United States.

Plus all our uranium deposits.

Comes along '73,

Arabian crude goes to 400 percent.

So we start thinking about the feasibility

of synthetic fuels.

But when Herr Tauber contacted Paul Obermann, then, uh...

we had to exchange queens.

That's when you decided

to, uh, set up Tom Neeley.

You had Tedesco order Obermann to invite Neeley to Berlin,

ostensibly to explore the possibilities

of reconstituting the Genesis team.

But once Tom was hooked, you had him murdered.

That assured you the benefit of my services.

I mean, all those wonderful clues

scattered all over Neeley's house.

[CHUCKLES]

They were designed...

to lead me away from cocaine,

directly to Genesis and to Berlin.

Not bad, Caine.

Stick around. It gets better.

You couldn't just, uh, kill off the scientists.

Somebody would've linked it to Genesis.

You needed a cover, and I turned out to be the fall guy.

Let me ask you something though.

How did you know that I'd be assigned to the case?

Ten-cent phone call.

I see.

I see.

And your only mistake was Dr. Esau and his...

[CHUCKLES]

...passion for immortality.

Best-laid plans.

But you and I are gonna rectify that, aren't we?

I should've known.

I should've known you were calling the shots

when Clements was blown up.

I should've put that together right away.

Listen, you were 7000 miles from home.

You lost a horse, a bishop and a queen.

Kindly spare me

all the chess crap.

You never saw the bodies of Tom and Kay Neeley.

[CHUCKLES]

You know, if you're gonna try to dispense with this

as rapacious, evil little men who are

desperately trying to hang on

to their Swiss bank accounts,

then you're gonna miss the side of the barn

by at least eight yards.

Look.

The sole function of any international cartel

is to ensure political harmony.

The first obligation of power is to lead.

Now, that's been the Holy Grail since the industrial revolution.

Now, we've brought the human race to that grand plateau

where insanity is now a graver problem than hunger.

Human beings, my friend,

are a very complex, uh, paradox.

Very, very dangerous.

They don't wanna be leaders, they wanna be followers.

I mean, they-- They can't wait to find some nut,

who they think is just wonderful,

to tell them what to do.

And they all wanna be brought under control.

And some of that awesome burden has...

fallen on my sagging shoulders.

I didn't ask for it,

and I don't enjoy it.

But I accept it because I have a strong sense of duty.

[SIGHS]

Now...

there are those inevitable moments when some people, uh,

have to be sacrificed like your--

Your friends, the Neeleys.

I didn't like that.

But I don't make the rules around here.

I just work here.

Christ, I'd rather be up in the Great Sierras there,

backpacking, fishing.

But, uh... duty says otherwise.

You mean greed says otherwise.

You'll make synthetic fuel

when you get damn good and ready.

But not until you've screwed, uh,

those poor slobs down there in the street

out of about $40 or $50 billion for phony research

on a formula that already works.

Why don't you make your call now?

[DIALING]

[LINE RINGING]

WOMAN [OVER PHONE]: John Nolan's office.

This is Barney Caine.

Sergeant Yosuta's right here.

YOSUTA: Barney? It's me.

Are you all right?

I'm all right.

There's a cable here for you.

It arrived two days ago.

Get it right over here, Lou.

I can read it to ya.

You're a couple of minutes away. Get it here now.

Where are ya?

Adam Steiffel's office.

[LINE CLICKS]

Can we conclude our business?

It's on the way.

I just wish I could get you to understand.

What is there to understand?

You trade lives and human dignity for profit.

"Money, not morality,

is the principal commerce of civilized nations."

Thomas Jefferson, two hundred years ago.

That is the philosophy that built this nation.

What do you know about this nation?

When'd you ever give a second thought

to American citizens?

You're the reason their money's worthless.

You're the reason old people are eating out of garbage cans,

and kids get killed in bullshit wars.

You're not in the oil business.

You're in the oil-shortage business.

You're an ivory-tower hoodlum,

a common street killer.

I wish to Christ there was some way I could nail ya.

Well...

you're gonna be nailing the American dream, Barney.

We could all start it in a corner gas station.

Remember, you used to take your bike down there

and get free air.

And Daddy said, uh, "Fill 'em up, Fred."

Then you go down to Grandma's for Christmas dinner.

Yeah.

Then when you got your first car.

What did you do? You took your girl for a ride.

There was Fred smiling by the pump there.

He never let you down

'cause a gallon of gas never broke down.

Well, it was oil that nourished the American dream.

We're the great American tit, Barney.

And without it...

ain't no America.

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

[DOOR OPENS]

WOMAN: There's a cable for Lieutenant Caine.

Thank you, Miss Rubin.

Thank you.

[DOOR CLOSES]

I think this is for you.

"The chocolates are delicious.

"Best wishes...

Franz Tauber."

You gave the formula to the Swiss.

I thought it was kind of a nice touch.

You may be in a little trouble.

Let me give you a piece of professional advice.

Get out of the oil business, will ya?

Get your police pension.

Take your kid for a raft ride down the Colorado.

It's terrific.

Let me tell you something.

If I didn't have a son,

who still loved me...

I'd blow your fuckin' brains

all over that venetian blind back there.

Right here, right now.

But I'm not in the murder business.

And you're not worth one more minute of my time.

I hope you enjoy the chocolates.

Okey-doke.

Okey-doke.

Oh.

[PHONE BEEPING]

[LINE RINGING]

MAN: Hello.

Hello, Franz.

This is Franz Tauber.

Yeah, this is Adam Steiffel.

I'm sorry to wake you up.

Oh, Adam.

[CHUCKLES] What a pleasant surprise.

Look, I'm, uh...

I'm calling you in reference to, uh, this, uh, telegram

that you sent about the chocolates.

[CHUCKLING] Oh, yes, the chocolates.

Yeah, I'd a-- I'd appreciate it if you could just sit on them,

uh, for about 10 years.

In 10 years, I'm afraid those chocolates

will lose their flavor.

That's funny.

Well, we can sweeten it up, uh, Franz. Uh...

Maybe--? How about 25 percent of my, uh, anthracite?

But, Adam, why do we wait 10 years?

Well, Franz, if we mine it now, it's gonna be, uh, coal,

but if we wait 10 years, it's gold.

Uh, make it 30 percent, and we are in business.

Thirty percent sounds as right as rain to me.

Hey, you know, Adam,

I always thought you were Swiss.

Well, Franz, in business, we're all Swiss, aren't we?

Quite so. Well, draw the papers, Adam.

Thank you, Franz. Go back to sleep. Auf Wiedersehen.

Goodbye, Adam.

[LINE CLICKS]

Auf...

Wiedersehen.

Christ.

Think they'll go after you?

No, I doubt it. I've done my damage.

I'm not an adversary anymore.

I'm just another customer.

[HORN HONKS]

[♪]