Undercurrent Page #10

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That's Fern.

That's why Steuer died.

He was murdered...

...by somebody who wanted those plans.

Somebody who got them...

...because they were never found.

Then later, the Garroway

Distance Controller came out.

The Garroway Distance Controller

was mine.

It was Carl Steuer's.

But it made millions for you.

It gave you money, power...

...all the things that you thought

would bury forever...

...that feeling of insecurity

that's driven you all your life.

Well, has it released you, Alan?

Has it made you what you wanna be?

Has it been worth killing for?

You can't prove any of this.

Maybe not in a court,

but there'd be enough to ruin you.

Is Warmsley the only other one

who's guessed?

Because you're paying him off,

aren't you, Al?

Anyhow, when I finally found out,

I walked out of the whole mess.

Then the war came along.

You know, I spent most of my time

in the Army hoping I'd get mine...

...so I'd never have to face this moment.

But it seems it has to be faced after all.

You see, Alan, I met your wife.

- You met Ann?

- At the ranch.

Sheer accident.

She didn't know who I was.

She didn't guess, I didn't tell her.

She's a fine person, Alan.

She's much too fine

for what I see ahead of her with you.

Does she know about it, Al?

She doesn't, does she?

I'm here to make sure

that she finds out.

You think I killed Steuer.

What makes you think

I wouldn't kill you?

I believe you're capable of trying.

Once I could've killed you, Mike.

Killed you as you sit there.

I thought about it enough,

even planned it, how you'd die.

But now I can't kill you

any more than I can give Ann up.

I could've done that once,

without a backward look...

...given her up and kept all the rest.

Not anymore.

I'm gonna keep her, Mike,

for as long as I can.

A minute, an hour.

- As long as I can.

- How can you think you've a right to her?

What gives a man a right?

Does love? Because I love her.

If I lose her, Mike, I'm through.

You can take all the rest.

I don't want it. I'll give it back.

But not her, Mike. Not her.

I never thought I would,

but I'm crawling to you.

I've got a chance now.

She loves me. She's helping me.

For the first time, I've found something

to straighten me out.

I can be... I can be all right.

I never... Never could before.

But what about your wife, Al?

What chance does she have?

She doesn't know what she's in.

I'll tell her, Mike.

Only I'Il... I'll have to do it

in my own time.

Just a little time, that's all I'm asking.

Until I'm sure of her.

She said she loved me,

but I don't know how much...

...and I've got to know

it's as much as I love her...

...above everything else.

I think you can be sure of her, Al.

I felt that, even when I tried

to make myself believe...

...that she'd be better off without you.

Maybe she wouldn't, at that.

I guess there's nothing left for me to do.

If she'll go along with you, well...

...I'll stay out of it.

But tell her, Al.

Tell her. There's no other way for you.

Because if you don't,

I won't be able to stay out of it.

I'm gonna see

that she gets her chance too.

Oh, Alan.

Alan, I'm so glad to see you.

I'm so happy you're here.

Forgive me, darling. Forgive me.

Forgive you?

I've been so wrong.

- So wrong.

- How, Ann?

Alan, I've got to tell you something.

And I'm deeply ashamed.

I thought such crazy things about you.

I thought...

I thought you'd killed your brother.

No, darling, listen to me. I thought that.

And then this afternoon,

I found out that he was alive.

I didn't see him, but I know he was here.

And then I knew that everything

I'd ever imagined was wrong.

All at once, I was able to breathe again.

I've been so shaken.

I was going to go away

and never see you again.

You were going to leave me?

I couldn't have stayed.

I couldn't have endured...

You couldn't have endured

living with a murderer.

Just think that I almost destroyed

our happiness...

...by doubting you.

But it's over now.

It's like a horrible dream.

It's over now.

Yes, Ann, it's over.

I'm going to see that you never

have a chance to doubt me again.

I'll never let anything come between us.

Anything...

...or anybody.

- Ann.

- Alan.

I'm glad you're awake.

What is it, Ann?

Alan, I want you to listen to me.

I'm going to tell you something

which will distress you.

I know it distresses me terribly.

But I want you to try to understand

what I'm going to say, Alan.

You remember I once told you

that Michael was your obsession?

Yes.

I think I was wrong, Alan.

I think he's my obsession.

- In what way, Ann?

- You see...

...wherever I go, there he is.

I wanna forget him...

...but there's something

unfinished somehow.

I think if I could see him,

hear him speak, I'd be free of him.

I'd know him the way you do,

as a man, not a shadow.

Someone who is cruel and wrong

and has hurt you.

Then I could forget him forever.

I want to drive him away, Alan. I must.

I was so wrong about him.

Everyone was.

Who is everyone?

Who did you speak to about Mike?

Sylvia Burton.

Sylvia? What did she say?

She said...

...she thought you'd killed him.

And you believed her.

- Are you glad she was wrong?

- Glad?

Oh, yes, Alan. Yes.

- Then why are you unhappy?

- Well, that's what I'm trying to tell you.

You've got to help me, Alan.

I don't understand it.

Do you understand?

Yes, I think so.

- You're in love with him, Ann.

- No.

- You're in love with him, aren't you?

- No.

How could I be in love

with someone I've never seen?

Why not? You've seen a lot of Mike.

A book, a poem, his house,

a girl who once loved him.

Aren't you jealous, Ann,

of Sylvia Burton?

What did you really wanna know?

- Please.

- You went to Sylvia to talk about Mike.

You'd go to anyone who could

tell you about him.

You were falling in love with him.

You wanted to believe them.

You never believed me.

You don't believe me now.

- Stop it, Alan. Stop it.

- Why do you lie to yourself?

It wasn't our happiness

you were trying to find, it was him.

That's not true.

You were happy last night...

...not because I hadn't killed him,

but because he was alive.

It's the truth, isn't it?

Why don't you deny it?

So you'd go on looking for him,

wouldn't you, Ann?

After you found him, what then?

What then? What would you do?

Leave me?

I told you you never would.

I warned you. I said I'd never let you go.

Don't you see, you idiot?

Don't you see what you've done?

Why couldn't you keep out of it?

You'll never leave me, Ann.

George.

Come on, Ann.

George fixed breakfast for us

before he left.

- Where did he go?

- Into town.

He won't be back until this evening.

Don't be afraid, Ann.

Fear is no good.

I know. I lived with it a long time.

And now I'm finally free, at last.

I know how good it is to be without it.

To have no fear.

To be rid of it forever.

That gives me a sense of great power.

Drink your coffee, Ann.

But you're still afraid, aren't you?

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