Return of the Fly Page #3

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you wouldn't dare play games with me.

How many years would they give you

if they took you back to London?

Oh, nothing like that.

Hanging, perhaps... but no prison.

You see, I once terminated a partnership

with a chap who proved... unreliable.

As a matter of fact, I terminated him.

- Goodbye, Max.

- Goodbye, Ronnie.

(toots horn)

Alan! What are you doing in this part of town?

Oh, an old friend -

I... I visit him whenever I'm in town.

OK, Alan. It all checks out.

Well, sir, now that we're ready to give it a go,

would you like to make a little wager?

Not as sceptical as you were?

I knew we'd make a believer of you.

Since an ashtray was the first object

transmitted in Father's experiments...

...I consider it only fitting

that we use one in ours.

(resonant humming)

(buzzing)

(whirring and clicking)

(whooshing)

- Perfect.

- No transposition.

- Morning, Philippe.

- Morning, Franois.

- Morning, Alan.

- Morning.

- What's on our schedule for today?

- We're going to try a live subject.

- A guinea pig?

- Finished here, Phil.

- Would you check the fire circuit, Franois?

- Right.

- (Franois) Giantism!

- Must be in the amplitude control.

Well, let's find it. Let's check everything.

Hello, Ccile.

- It's late.

- Yes, I know.

Thank you, Ccile.

Phil?

Well, he looks perfectly normal.

Put a guinea pig in the disintegrator cabinet,

will you, Alan?

Now the giantism's corrected, we'll attempt

the experiment Father describes here.

First the disintegration: "Hold the subject

in a disembodied state for a time...

...then complete the cycle

and bring the subject back."

Disintegration cycle only.

In none of his experiments did he record

any ill effects from delayed reintegration.

We'll bring him back

tomorrow morning about ten.

All right. I'll make it a point

to be back here then.

Come on, Phil. Call it a day.

- You can't work day and night, you know.

- Oh, I'm not tired.

- Too excited, I guess.

- I can understand that.

(fly buzzing)

Got him.

Phil! I'm sorry, old man, really I am.

Here.

What is it?

Why do those nasty little brutes bother you?

I'm your friend. You can tell me.

If you are my friend, don't ever do that again.

Certainly not. I won't.

Come on. You've had a big day.

You've got to take care of yourself.

Go on upstairs and get some rest.

Tomorrow will be a big day, too.

I suppose you're right.

(guinea pigs squealing)

Ronald Holmes, you are under arrest.

None of that now! Stand up.

- How did you find me?

- Never mind about that.

Where are all your coppers?

You... you didn't come here alone?

Turn round and put out your hands.

- Philippe, what was it? The lights!

- They dimmed in my room, too.

Alan?

- What happened to the lights?

- Short circuit. Stupid of me.

I got the back of this chair

tangled with the main power switch.

Hope I didn't ruin anything.

Some chunks of copper melted out.

That's about all.

- I don't see how it could affect the machine.

- I'm sure it couldn't.

Maybe we should try it, bring the rat back

a little ahead of schedule.

Wait a minute, Phil. Franois said

he'd make it a point to be here.

I'm sure he'd be offended

if we just went ahead without him.

The machine's all right.

The circuit breakers didn't even kick out.

You're probably right.

We'll wait.

I was just going to bed

when the lights began to dim.

I just came down to have another look

at the ballast circuit.

I'll put the stuff away, then I'll turn in too.

- All right. Good night, Alan.

- Good night.

(phone rings)

- Hello?

- Max, I want you to meet me tonight.

- I can't. I've got some work to do.

- It's got to be tonight.

No, I can't come there.

I'll tell you when I see you.

Meet me in 40 minutes out on the old Cross

Creek road, a mile west of the highway.

You be there!

(agonised squealing)

- Couldn't this wait until morning?

- No. I have to get rid of this car now.

Ronnie, what are you up to?

Over she goes, right there.

(starts engine)

Well, Max, any interest in our proposition?

Interest? Yes, indeed.

I got in touch with the four biggest concerns.

Two of them are ready to do business.

All they ask is an indication

that we've really got it.

Well, here's your indication.

Just enough to show we're on the right track,

not enough to give away the whole idea.

Right you are.

I'll process this film when I get back.

I'll walk the rest of the way.

You get busy with your contacts, show them

that film, and line up the best deal.

I'll finish up my end here

and get in touch with you tomorrow.

All right, Ronnie.

- Hello, Alan.

- Oh! Philippe, you... you startled me.

- What were you doing out there?

- I heard a car starting...

...so I went out to investigate.

Madame Bonnard heard a car.

She woke me up and told me about it.

But that was nearly two hours ago.

Oh, no. This was only 10 or 15 minutes ago.

A different car, perhaps.

Mysterious goings-on, eh?

Very mysterious.

Bloodstains there...

It looks as though

someone tried to wipe them up.

They are bloodstains, aren't they?

Well, Phil, I'm heartily ashamed, believe me.

You did try to reintegrate the rat, didn't you?

And got nothing.

It's inexcusable, but I was so curious to see

if we'd got that giantism problem licked...

...I brought him back to have a look at him.

Go on. You're doing fine.

Well, the little beggar bit me...

...I lost my temper, and I killed him.

- I'm sorry.

- Let's see the wound.

- What?

- Let's see the wound.

Rat bites are dangerous.

They should be cared for.

It's nothing, really. It's just a scratch.

Not worth bothering about.

You have an explanation

for everything, don't you, Alan?

Look, Phil, old man, I...

Let's hear you explain these.

Oh, I can explain those.

But I'm not going to.

With this, a chap doesn't have to

do any explaining, does he?

Give me your keys.

Your keys!

Open the cabinet!

I trusted you, Alan. I'd have given you a

fair share of anything I made on the machine.

Open it!

It's too late, Alan.

I've already called the police.

(fly buzzing)

Monsieur Franois!

II se passe des choses terribles.

- Alan est revenu. Il y a eu une bagarre.

- A quarrel?

- Where is Philippe?

- Elle a tout entendu.

Ccile. Ccile,

I had a telephone call from Philippe.

Some trouble about Alan. Where is he?

- They fought, monsieur.

- Fought? Who fought?

Alan? Philippe? Where? Where?

Down there. Philippe cried out.

And then I heard the machine!

The machine?!

Alan? Alan?

Alan, where...?

- Where's Philippe?

- An interesting question, Mr Delambre.

- Where is he?

- Shall we say, serving the cause of science?

Alan!

Oh! Mon Dieu! Mais qu'est-ce qui se passe?

- Monsieur Franois!

- Help me get inside.

Doucement, doucement.

This is a terrible wound, monsieur.

Please let me call a doctor.

No, I've got to get down to the laboratory.

It's the only way to save Philippe.

Help...

(siren)

The police.

I don't want the police here...

...until I've finished with the machine.

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