The Magnetic Monster

Today, new dangers face mankind.

Dangers which challenges life, threaten it's very existence.

Sound frequencies have been found that can penetrate the human brain and destroy life.

Deadly isotopes of unknown elements have been discovered.

That can burn and sear the flesh.

Pilotless aircraft crashing the sonic barrier can gain complete mastery over the skies.

To meet this challenge to our existence

a new agency has been formed.

The Office of Scientific investigation.

The operatives of O.S.I are called A-Men.

A-Men, sounds like the final word of a prayer.

It is not.

"A" stands for Atom and "Atom" stands for power.

Power man has unleashed but has not yet learned to control.

Whirling in space, each atom is a solar system unto itself.

When studies separately, it's gamma rays yield

information useful in the experiments carried on by the technicians at O.S.I

Our equipment covers the range of instruments

From the simple test tube to the complex 50,000 Volt Electron Microscope.

A-Men are detectives with degrees in science.

The criminals we seek are sometimes invisible to the human eye

Like radiation from outer space, or particles held prisoner deep in the heart of the atom.

Infinitesimal,

yet within this tiny molecule there's a tremendous force that once unlocked

can create or destroy planets.

Our Earth, is a planet.

July 18,

The morning, calm, quiet, peaceful.

I reported for work as usual at 8:55am.

My name is Stewart, Jeff Stewart.

Class of 39, M.I.T, Boston, Mass.

I'm in charge of research at O.S.I.

The world seemed safe and good.

Bye, honey. I'll pick you up at six.

Eh, what is this, a brush off?

Didn't I buy you dinner and flowers and breakfast?

Jeff, you're late, and I'm a married woman.

Are you? You don't act that way at all.

There's lipstick on your nose. Very undignified for a man of science.

Call me as soon as you've seen the doctor, will you? It's nothing honey, just a routine check up.

I want to know why you're so skinny. Other girls are fat in their 4th month.

- They aren't. - And don't do any housework.

Heavens, no! The upstairs maid and the butler will do it all.

- I mean it! See you at six. - Bye.

RESEARCH

Yes General, Doctor Allard's in. I'm connecting you.

- Good morning Dr. Stewart. - Morning Nelly.

Dr. Forbes is waiting for you he'd like you to come in to the lab, he says it's urgent. -Ok.

- Hey Nelly... - Yes Dr Stewart.

- You've got children, haven't you? - A boy and a girl.

Were you skinny in your 4th month?

I was never skinny.

Office of Scientific investigation...

- Morning Dan. - Hi.

Jeff, when was the last atomic test at Las Vegas?

Couple of months ago, why?

Would you mind checking these here samples for me please?

Sure.

- What's the trouble? - I'll show you.

2280 disintegrations per minute.

Much higher than yesterday's concentration.

- Could there be something wrong with the counter? - No, I checked it.

Let's have another sample.

2360 disintegrations per minute.

Traces of radioactive dust.

Hand me that pad, will you.

Average disintegrations per minute 2300.

- What time is it? - Exactly 9 O'clock.

- Good morning Mr. Simon. - Morning.

Albert!

- Yes Mr. Simon? - Look, the clocks.

I am an orderly man, I'm running an orderly store.

It's 9 O'clock now and our clocks say it's 12 minutes past 12.

I don't get it.

You don't get a lot of things, like a raise for instance.

It's my duty to pay your wages, and it's your duty to wind the clocks.

But I wound them!

- Customers don't buy clocks that show the wrong time.

I wound all the clocks last night! The electric clock has Mr Simon...

12 minutes past 12.

- There must have been a power failure. - Try the lights.

- Well the lights are working. - Well then the clocks ought to work too.

- Yes but they don't. - Mr. Simon!

Mr. Simon!

- Mr. Simon! - What's this?

- It's stuck! - It's not stuck, it's magnetised.

Mr Simon, there are magnetised too!

- But I can't understand it. - My wristwatch has stopped.

- Mine too! - Mine still shows 9, that's the time entered the store.

Look!

Someone is wrecking my store with magnetic power.

- Magnetic power? - We must call the police!

Hello operator? Give me the Department of Power and Light.

Immediately! This is an emergency, do you understand, an emergency!

Engineer Watson speaking.

Yes, I'm the chief Engineer.

Simon's Hardware store, 918 Lincoln?

Yes, I know where that is.

What's that?

Well you must have a powerful magnet in your store. You haven't?

I can't have appliances sailing around my store.

Listen Mr Simon, I have no time for practical jokes.

But I am a taxpayer, do you understand? I insist!

Alright, alright Mr Simon, I'll have somebody over there right away.

918 Lincoln.

Office of Scientific investigation?

Connect me with Dr Allard please.

This is the office of power and light. Watson speaking.

Say Doctor, directive 149, says that if anything unusual happens

to contact your office immediately.

I think you'd better send a couple of your A-Men over to Simon Hardware...

Well I'm glad you got here, my name is Simon I am the proprietor.

I'm Dr. Stewart. This is Dr. Forbes, my assistant.

What seems to be the trouble?

This.

When did you first notice these magnetic effects?

When I first entered the store.

All of the clocks stopped last night at 12 past 12.

I am answering the questions..

Could I have a piece of stiff paper please.

- Er thank you, and some small tacks. - Er, Joy?

Thank you..

- This proves our point Mr Simon. - What point?

See if we can find out where it comes from. Yeh, that's a good one.

That'll do it.

- The epicentre is up there. - Epicentre?

What do you keep up there Mr Simon?

There's nothing to do with the store, they're offices.

What would you say Dan? Paramagnetic forces, no doubt about it.

Get the prober for me, will you? Could I use one of those fish poles?

- Albert. - Yes sir.

No no, not a metal one, the bamboo.

Thank you.

There's a bomb in there, I can hear it tick!

This isn't a bomb, it's a Gieger Counter.

-Why does it tick? The clicking noise shows the presence of radiation.

Radiation?

Small frequency indicates it's not dangerous, yet.

- We'd better put the badges on though. - Alright.

What's this all about, where does the magnetism come from?

Radiation definitely emanating from the 2nd floor, wouldn't you say Dan?

Yes, I imagine just overhead.

- What are those things for? - Photographic plates.

Any radiation will expose them.. We want to know how much radiation we absorb.

This store was founded in 1905,

Now we handle the most modern equipment.

But nothing like this has ever happened here before.

Nelly, connect me with Dr. Allard please.

- Yes? - Dr. Stewart on 4.

Yes Jeff?

Well I don't see how that's possible?

Must be Para-Magnetism.

Have you found the source?

No sir, not yet, not definitely.

Well get into your protective clothing at once.

Yes sir, we have protective clothing in the car.

I'll get police help to you as soon as I can.

Now here's what I want you to do...

Yes, yes sir I understand.

Right chief.

- What did he say? - To wait for the police to surround the block.

The Police?

We'll use every means at our disposal to recover the radioactive matter.

Police will be instructed to shoot to kill.

Come on, let's go.

- 320 milliroentgens. - We're getting hot alright.

Beta rays increasing.

Jeff. You remember Newbold's theory of unipole magnetism?

Sure, heavy element out of equilibrium.

Only one pole, North or South.

Defies gravitation. Why?

You suppose that this could be it?

Stick close to me.

Sounds like a machine gun.

This place is really loaded.

Must be right here.

Come here.

Overdose of radiation.

Must have been dead for hours. Wonder who he is?

Find out that out later.

Jeff the impulses don't seem to be dying down..

Emanations constant. 420 'MR'.

There must be another strong source of radioativity around here somewheres..

Here it is!

Empty. It isn't there any more.

It must have contained a very heavy element. Heavier than Uranium.

It must have been pretty close to an explosive stage too.

Strong enough to kill.

Or wipe out a few city blocks.

Jeff, being magnetic..

It must be showing up on TV screens, interfering with radar.

Right.

Whatever it is, it can't hide from us.

- Come on, let's get going. - Right.

10:40 am.

Forbes and I went back, checked the hardware store with special equipment.

Then returned to O.S.I.

We didn't know where the element was, but we knew it would strike again.

We tried to get ready for it. Though our clues were pathectically few.

The Speed of an Alpha particle is between 9 and 20,000 miles a second.