Fiend Without a Face

We've gotta figure out where that power fade comes from.

Okay, I'll see you later. Bye.

You ever think of trying sleep instead of benzedrine?

You know, you might like it.

Brother, I've had some tough nuts to crack in my time.

Thanks. But nothing like this.

And to top it off, this guy has to go and get himself killed right outside.

- If he was killed. - What do you mean?

Well, he could have died from natural causes, you know.

Oh. That's a switch coming from a base security man.

You fellows are usually suspicious of everything.

Here's the sentry's reports,

and, uh, this just came in from the FBI.

- That's what they have on the dead man Griselle. - Oh, yeah?

"Jacques Griselle, 35. French Canadian.

"Graduated Toronto University. Specialized in scientific farming.

"Good war record. Born in Toronto.

"Went north for farming after the war.

Has sister Barbara, age 24, living on the farm with him."

Well, both the Griselles got a clean slate. There's nothing suspicious.

Yeah? What was Griselle doing in the woods at 3:00 in the morning?

- Farming? - Cigarette?

No, thanks.

What are you gonna do now? Get yourself all involved in this business?

Let the local authorities figure it out, Jeff.

The colonel doesn't think it's that easy, and neither do I.

Besides, who can forget the look on that dead man's face?

There's probably some simple explanation.

Hmm. I don't know. Maybe Doc Warren has the answer.

He should be finished with the autopsy by now. Let's go on over.

Okay.

- Morning, Doc. - Morning, Jeff, Hal.

- Hi, Doc. - I've just been trying to get you.

- Well, what's the story? - Sit down.

- I wasn't able to perform your autopsy. - Why not?

Because the mayor of Winthrop and a local doctor named Bradley,

who's the coroner too, came up and claimed the body this morning.

- Why didn't you call me? - The mayor had already talked to the colonel.

- Oh, that's ridiculous. - They've got the body, so it's finished.

Finished? I wouldn't bet on it.

They'll probably blame the death on our atomic reactors.

Mmm, it's this fear of radioactive fallout.

We're not exploding atom bombs. We're just using atomic power for our radar experiments.

Go out and tell him that. You know, we're 1,000 miles from the nearest decent-sized city.

What a bunch of backward people. They've blamed us for too little rain, too much rain,

the blight, the beetle, even Mrs. O'Leary's ailing cow.

We have to have an autopsy, so we can prove the death wasn't caused by radiation.

Well, the coroner said it was heart failure. That oughta do it. He's one of them.

- Well, you can't figure their minds, though.

Excuse me, sir. Colonel Butler phoned...

to ask the major to report to his office right away.

All right, Mr. Mayor, if that's the way it is,

no sense in asking you again, is there?

No, sir. There'll be no autopsy.

Come in. Ah, Major Cummings.

- You sent for me, sir? - Yes, Major.

I'd like to introduce Miss Barbara Griselle and Mayor Hawkins.

- Major Cummings. - How do you do?

- Major. - If you don't mind, I've made up my mind.

Just this one point.

You know that our governments, Canada and the U.S.A.,

have set up this base as a joint protection for our people.

We know that, and we've told you that we feel that the refusal of an autopsy...

Sorry, Miss Griselle... Refusing to do it won't disrupt the effort.

Miss Griselle, Mayor Hawkins,

I'm no parley diplomat, I'm an army man.

I'm straightforward, maybe even blunt.

But I'm afraid I must use stronger methods of persuasion.

Do you recognize this, Miss Griselle?

It's your brother's notebook.

He's made some very interesting notations.

Major, take a look at this page here.

What's it look like to you?

It's a timetable schedule.

Do you note the times indicated in each line?

- What is it? - Why, the schedule of our takeoffs and landings.

That's enough to give me what I want, Miss Griselle.

- May I have a look at that notebook? - Give it to her, Major.

Thank you.

This schedule is a list of your takeoff and landings.

Our herds milk at four-nothing cream content,

and my brother felt it was due to the jets flying overhead.

That's why he was gathering this information.

If you notice in the following pages, here's what it says:

"Helen: Less nervous today, quality low.

"Diane: Apathetic, quality poor.

Mabel: Very pert, general improvement. "

And so on with the other members of the herd.

This was a daily reaction of each cow.

Perhaps the colonel can tell us what he thought the items referred to.

I guess that's all we have to discuss.

Thank you for coming.

The colonel's a nice guy really, but he does have his problems.

- You don't have to apologize for him. - Well, I'm not.

It's just that he has a job to do, a difficult one under the circumstances.

Please, I'd rather not discuss it.

Okay. I was only trying to...

- Trying to what? - Oh, I don't know.

I guess I was looking for a way to say I understand what you've been through.

- Do you? - What the heck? We're all human here.

We're not monsters from outer space.

- Well, thanks. - What for?

Oh, for the lift and the words of comfort.

I wish I could do more.

I have no hard feelings, if that's what you're thinking.

Well, I was, but not anymore.

So long.

Control ready, sir.

Green Dog, Green Dog, this is Pyramid.

Are you ready for Test Baker? Over.

This is Green Dog. This is Green Dog.

We are circling quite easily at 40,000 feet.

Standing by for Test Baker.

Over.

Okay, Green Dog, commence Test Baker.

Commence Test Baker. Over.

Try starting out on the 500 mile range.

Set for the 500 mile range, Sergeant.

Master scope set at 500 mile range.

Generators set. Position six Charlie.

Start scanning, normal speed.

Scanning, normal speed.

Increase scanning speed 20 rpm's.

Scanning now, 20 rpm's.

Increase range to 1,000 miles.

Range increased to 1,000 miles, sir.

Steady on your sensitive control, number three.

Right, sir.

Increase range to 1,500 miles.

Range increasing to 1,500 miles, sir.

- Hold it steady now, Sergeant. - Right, sir.

Okay, Sergeant, increase to 2,000 miles.

Increasing range to 2,000 miles, sir.

Range increased to 2,000.

Look, sir. Siberia.

Increase range to 2,500 miles.

Range increased to 2,500, sir.

If we can keep this equipment working right,

we can watch those Russians 24 hours a day right in their own backyard.

We can spot any plane, any missile, anything that's airborne.

Image is fading, sir.

There it goes again. Same trouble.

Green Dog, Green God, this is Pyramid.

Check your equipment. Our image is fading. Over.

This is Green Dog. This is Green Dog.

Our equipment is working okay. Over.

The signal's going out okay from here, sir. There's no drop in power.

- There must be some interference. There's no other answer. - Try increasing the power.

We're pushing the atomic plant as much as we can now.

We've got to lick this power fade. Tell them to pour it on.

Peterson.

Pete, this is Cummings, Master Control.

We want you to give us everything you've got.

But Jeff, we've already exceeded the designed limits.

Every time you take a test you ask for more power.

If I take any more rods out, the reactor's liable to go out of control.

Well, take some more out. We'll have to risk it.

- We've got to have more power. - Okay, it's your funeral.

Mine too, probably.

- Yes, sir? - Remove ten more rods from reactor number three.

- That's crazy, sir. - Yeah, I know, but it's an order.

Power's been boosted, sir, but still can't increase image further.

It doesn't matter how much we boost the transmitter power if it doesn't reach the plane.

You know, it's almost as if the power were being drained off.

Well, we'll just have to keep working on it.

And in the meantime, what new excuse do I give the Pentagon?

This is Green Dog. This is Green Dog.

Standing by for instructions. Over.

Okay, Green Dog. Okay, Green Dog.

Test Baker is completed. Return to base.

Repeat, Test Baker is completed. Return to base. Over.

- Roger and out. - Okay, Sergeant, let's close shop.

Jacques Griselle's sum of good overshadows the other.

What has he marked up in the ledger for good...

as against the ledger for bad?

He was a good and generous man...

And now we consecrate the worldly remains of our beloved Jacques...

to the good earth from whence he sprang.

- Closer and closer. - Thank goodness the cows are getting used to them.

Aye. Are we eating soon?

It'll be ready in a minute. I just want to feed the chickens first.

Amelia! Amelia!

Amelia! Amelia! What is it?

What is it? What happened?

Amelia!

- Can I see you home, Barbara? - No, thank you, Mayor.

I think I better go back with Professor Walgate, keep my mind occupied.

Are you sure you want to? My work can wait, you know.

Say, Mayor!

Ben Adams and his wife are dead, same as young Griselle.

- Where? - Up at their farm.

At the edge of the air base.

But Mayor Hawkins, you're taking a great deal for granted.

There is absolutely no evidence...

pointing to radioactive fallout...

or radioactive contamination of any kind.

Yes, we'll do everything we can, I assure you.

Yes. Yes. Good-bye.

In addition to our headaches with the Pentagon,

we're now being accused of killing off the people in this town.