The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Page #5

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This place seems so empty.

He used to putter around with the

specimens and call them pet names.

His death was so futile.

He went down in that bell

because it was part of his job.

He used those same words just before...

Oh, Tom.

It's coming up Nassau Street

toward Pine. Get some help fast!

New York is like a city besieged.

A state of emergency

has been declared...

and the entire police force

put on 24-hour duty.

Civilian defense is fully mobilized...

and shelters have been opened in an

effort to stop the mounting hysteria.

All traffic has been halted.

And Times Square, the heart

of New York, has stopped beating.

The National Guard has been called out,

fully armed, to repel the invader.

This is full-scale war

against a terrible enemy...

such as modern man

has never before faced.

Ordinary bullets have no effect...

and a method of destroying

the awesome creature...

has not yet been formulated.

But the battlefield

has been cleared.

Herald Square.

34th Street.

Broadway.

Every section of the city is guarded.

No one knows where the monster

will strike next.

It was last seen on Wall Street,

close to where it came ashore.

But lower Manhattan has become

no man's land...

where the beast, at present,

lies hidden.

The National Guard

is barricading the area...

in an effort to confine

the death and destruction...

of what is already the worst disaster

in New York's history.

A screen here.

105 temperature.

Here's the blood specimen.

Get it to the laboratory quickly.

I'm afraid, Sam.

I am afraid of what that creature

has brought to us. Deadly afraid.

Think you can place it

between his eyes?

We can try, sir.

- Fire when ready, corporal.

- Yes, sir.

His skull...

it's at least 8 inches thick.

- Another one, colonel?

- No.

It would take a 3-inch shell

to penetrate that skull.

Bazooka squad, prepare to fire.

The high-voltage wires,

it's gonna touch them!

Bazooka men, fire!

Under the neck,

when he raises his head again.

Get those emergency search lights on!

We're working on it.

Sergeant. Sergeant!

- What is it?

- Blood.

Give me the walkie-talkie.

Col. Evans.

Col. Evans?

Sgt. Wyntoni.

Now, look,

proceed with extreme caution.

Wounded, the animal might be twice

as dangerous as before.

There's a possibility the animal

might've headed for the river.

We'll have all shore batteries alerted

and naval patrol vessels.

Get me a command car!

- Col. Evans speaking, go ahead.

- Look, colonel...

something's funny.

Most of the detail, they're-

Well, they're out.

Out on their feet, sir.

Have your sergeant contact the medics.

And report to Capt. Mitchell.

Your car is ready, sir.

Have the medical officer report to me...

- ...at area command.

- Yes, sir.

He is reported somewhere

in the lower bay area.

- Battery A in position zero.

- Battery A into position zero.

- Report radar findings.

- Report radar finding.

Sounding harbor bottom.

Sounding harbor bottom.

- Activate mines, numbers 8 to 24.

- Activate mines, numbers 8 to 24.

What's the situation, major?

We're sounding the harbor bottom.

No indications yet, sir.

Charting room. Col. Evans?

Majors, there's a call here

for Col. Evans.

This is Evans speaking.

Who?

Oh, yes. Hello, doctor.

Colonel, they've already

brought in over 50 of your men...

and the people this afternoon.

The monster's a giant germ-carrier

of a horrible, virulent disease.

Contact with the animal's blood

can be fatal.

If you use shell-fire, who

knows how far the air will

spread the particles of it.

- The entire city can be endangered.

- Right, doctor.

- Were the anti-submarine nets raised?

- No, sir.

Order them raised.

- Raise the anti-submarine nets.

- Raise the anti-submarine nets.

Flamethrowers would've cremated

the beast and the plague with it.

Flamethrowers? The smoke would have

carried the blood particles just as far.

No, it will have to be reduced

so that not even a cinder would remain.

Any reports yet, major?

No signs yet, colonel.

He may be dying at the bottom.

We'll set the drags in the morning.

Right.

Attention! Monster ashore at Manhattan

Beach, heading to the amusement area.

- On land?

- I thought we had him in a pocket.

Jack, there's only one way

to beat him.

How?

Radioactive isotope.

Shoot it into him and destroy

all that diseased tissue.

Keep your men alerted.

But nobody's to fire unless specifically ordered to.

Yes, sir.

How soon, Tom?

Should be any minute now.

Wait for us here.

- I'm Professor Nesbitt.

- We've got your baby, professor.

Good.

- We need your best marksman, Jack.

- Right.

Have him get into these.

Here's your man, Tom.

- Colonel says you need a dead shot.

- Yes.

- Ever use a grenade rifle?

- Pick my teeth with it.

Good.

You know what

a radioactive isotope is?

- No, but if it can

be loaded, I can fire it.

- I'll load it.

Just remember one thing:

It has to be shot into the wound.

And you have to make

it the first time.

This is the only isotope of its kind this

side of Oak Ridge, so you can't miss.

Let's get to the target.

I can't hit him from here, mister.

- Ever ride one of those things?

- Yes, sir.

Jack! Get somebody over here

who can operate that roller coaster!

We want to get to the top

in one of those cars.

Right!

- Put your hood on.

- Yes, sir.

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