The Hindenburg Page #7

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Too much can go wrong.

Just see that the ship is empty.

What time do I set the bomb for?

Ritter, I can do it without you

very easily.

The ship lands at 5:00.

All the passengers off at 5:30.

Another half-hour

to unload the freight and the mail.

Liberty party leaves at 6:30.

Remaining crew will eat

at the naval station mess.

Captain Fellows's dinner party

for the officers at 7:00.

Anyone standing watch I'll evacuate.

I'll say... U.S. Customs

search, something.

No supplies or fuel or hydrogen

will be loaded until after 8:00.

What time?

You'll leave with the liberty party.

Disappear into New York.

- I'm staying aboard.

- That can't help Freda now.

In the last few seconds I'm sending out

a radio signal that it was no accident.

What time?

7:
30.

- Check.

- Check.

- I bet a hundred.

- Ohh, the lady's out for blood, eh?

I use it to polish my fingernails.

I'm out.

I'll, uh... see you and raise you.

And I'll raise you, sir.

And I'll see you both.

Well, I'm afraid that lets me out.

Full house.

Sorry it's not strip poker, Countess.

You'd be looking for a fig leaf.

Straight flush.

Well, we live and learn.

Well, once more

into the breach, dear friends.

Spah was in the hull again,

and the stewardess found these in the cabin.

Excellent, Martin.

This could mean he's working for

someone else, someone who needs these.

- Who?

- That's the man I want you to find...

after we, uh... take care of these two.

What happened to the tape, Mr. Pajetta?

Since when have you become

the local house detective?

I deputized him.

Until we land, you and Major Napier

will be confined to your cabin.

- Come along.

- What about the game?

You can play hearts

with Mr. Pajetta in the cabin.

You're going to regret this, sir.

- My nephew is very close to Mussolini.

- Thank you both.

May I send a bottle of Chianti

to your cabin?

Madame, what you can do

with that bottle of Chianti...

I won't say in front of these gentlemen.

Well, Countess, I never thought

I'd enjoy losing so much.

Thank you, dear Franz,

for the assignment.

I made enough to fill 20 trunks.

How did you do it?

They cheat. I believe they earn

their living that way.

The cane.

- Pajetta taps out signals with it.

- And you still won?

I managed to scramble their signals.

I'd say your ten percent

was worth several cases of champagne.

- Shall we start drinking it up?

- Better send it to me.

I'll celebrate my homecoming

in a bath of champagne.

I'd love to join you, Franz.

- But I'm not going back.

- I know.

Who tries to bring a wardrobe trunk

aboard a zeppelin?

Oh, dear sweet Franz.

It's all so depressing, isn't it?

This helps a little.

It's not what I need now. Thanks.

No, it's a poor substitute.

It makes no sense at all,

does it, Franz?

That you and I ever met.

I'll see you to say good-bye.

Kirby. Kirby!

Check over your procedures

for a high landing.

Pruss just sent word he's gonna try one.

Pruss is nuts!

An electric front's moving in.

Well, he's gonna try it.

And, Kirby, when she's hooked up,

slip her nose into the cup real easy.

Just keep remembering, there's

seven million cubic feet of hydrogen...

at the end of our fishing pole!

My God, the Queen. I've had it.

Not necessarily.

We land at Lakehurst at 5:00.

She's just taking on her tugs.

Boerth, what's there?

- Find something, Karl?

- That patch looked weak.

Must have loosened

when the outer skin ripped.

I reinforced it.

I'm sure it's secure now.

Uh-huh. Well, come on.

The chef's got sandwiches waiting for us.

Well, Bisma refused us

that detachment of marines.

Did you tell him the score?

He knows the score.

It was quite a battle.

He called the Hindenburg

a flying crematorium.

Doesn't want his men near it.

Damn. I hope Washington

gives Lehmann the helium.

- Mr. Dimmler.

- Yes.

I just found this stuck in the catwalk.

Jesus. Any damage?

- No, I don't think so, sir.

- Something wrong?

Ludecke just found this in the catwalk.

Some idiot must've dropped it.

Who does it belong to, Ludecke?

- I don't know, sir.

- He didn't report it? Damn fool.

A knife dropped inside

the hull could cause sparks...

damage a wire, control cable.

Christ knows what.

We've got to find out who owns that knife

and why he didn't report it.

We want to see your knives.

Your knife, please, Karl.

Ludecke found this in the hull

a few minutes ago.

He doesn't have it.

I left it on my bunk

when I went to wash up.

Someone must've borrowed it.

Please forgive my appearance, Captain.

- Is this yours?

- No, sir.

Can you prove it?

My knife has a nick in the guard from

that fight we got in in Shanghai...

when we went around

the world on the Graf.

Arrest him, question all of them.

Arrest me, Captain,

because my knife was borrowed?

Enough of this stupid business.

Get dressed and go to

your landing station, Chief.

- Yes, sir.

- You men too.

I trust the men in the Zeppelin family.

That's at least 25 knots.

Hell, they're only showing surface winds.

What's happened to gusts?

They can't get it fixed, sir.

Flash red, damn it. Flash red.

Signal red, Captain.

Thank you kindly.

I thought it was a Christmas tree.

Send this to Fellows.

Riding out weather. Shall delay landing

until further notice from N.A.L.

Looking forward to dinner. Pruss.

Make sure the dog is unloaded

as soon as we land, all right?

Here's a little something extra for you.

You have been a doll.

That's okay, Mrs. Channing.

I like dogs. Thanks, anyway.

- Well, lovely.

- It's a set for my zeppelin act.

I had better ones,

but they disappear from my cabin.

Somebody's trying to steal my act.

That's how good it is.

Joe, I've gotta be honest with you.

It's not right for my show.

You don't like it, huh?

Well, I guess it's back to the circus.

- Joe?

- Yeah.

You forgot this one.

It's just a drawing that I made

of the crazy rainbow for my kids.

- How many children do you have?

- Three.

One seven, one four, and a baby boy

who's gonna be an acrobat.

Believe you me,

we have circus enough at home.

I'll bet.

Anyhow, it's been a great honor

to know people like you.

- Thank you, Joe.

- We had some fun, huh?

- Yeah.

- Good-bye.

Reed, I'd like to see Joe's act.

Okay, little mother.

I guess we'll give him

an audition sometime next week.

Good.

- This is absurd!

- Yes, ma'am.

I'm sure it's just a technicality that

will be straightened out before we land.

- I want my passport this instant, Kirsch.

- It's not here, Countess.

It's been picked up.

Same thing happened

to a friend of mine in Italy.

You wouldn't believe

the excuse they gave him.

Franz.

- They've picked up my passport.

- On whose orders?

Yours, maybe.

Who else knows about Peenemunde?

You're the...

It's only a little storm, Countess.

In an hour you'll be laughing

about it with your daughter.

In fact, I'm going to escort you

from the ship personally...

to make sure that I see her. All right?

- We want to see your knife.

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