02x03 - The Assassin

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[machine whirring]

I should've gone to senior police headquarters.

- Maybe I ought to phone. - Will you relax?

He'll be along. Can't hurry Manila traffic.

Lieutenant Munoz is not an excitable man, Phil

but when he uses words like urgent and disastrous--

Russ.

[sighs] Good.

I'll be in my office if you need me.

Alright.

[g*nf*re]

[dramatic music]

[crowd clamoring]

Ambulance!

Listen.

Bishop Atwood..

...leaving on peace mission.

United States.

- Understand? - Yes.

Going..

...to be..

...assassinated.

Assassinated?

[coughs]

By Anton Christopher.

Here.

Manila.

Flying to..

...Seattle.

Louis? Lo..

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin Warner Bros production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott..

...Stephen Brooks.

With guest stars

Dean Jagger..

...William Windom..

...Tom Skerritt.

Tonight's episode, The Assassin.

[siren wailing]

Police lieutenant Louis Munoz was dead in a Manila street

but the information he supplied to Special Agent Russell White

limited as it was, would launch the FBI on the final leg

of one of the most dramatic spy hunts in its history.

Anton Andre Christopher

born in Oakland, California in 1925 or '26

never photographed, never fingerprinted

was a specialist in the field of political assassination.

Sought by security agents from Beirut to Washington

on charges of espionage.

Christopher had made only one known mistake in 15 years.

He had allowed Louis Munoz to live 15 seconds too long.

Then there's no way to confirm Munoz's accusation.

- No records? - Nothing.

I've talked to his office.

Where's Edward now? Manila?

[Russell] 'No, sir. He flew in yesterday from New Delhi.'

'Made a speech in Mindanao last night.'

'Caught the KBL jet to San Francisco.'

- What was the speech about? - His missionary work.

His hospitals in Hong Kong, Laos, Cambodia.

Why would someone hire an assassin to k*ll a missionary?

He's not a political figure.

- Lewis. - Uh, just a minute.

"State advises Bishop Atwood

"carries peace proposal from Red block.

"Hold secret position.

Envoy Extraordinary."

When was Munoz k*lled?

A little afternoon, our time.

Had Atwood left the city by then?

[Russell] 'Yes.'

Alright, Russ, thanks very much.

Do the papers know about this?

Apparently a few.

Some of the columnists have hinted that Atwood's

gonna be invited to speak to the congress.

To present the communist position?

No, the neutralist position.

My understanding is that Atwood spoke to the Red leader himself

to plead for summit meetings.

Now he's come here to plead with us.

People listen to men like Gandhi and Schweitzer

and Atwood. Even communist.

And yet, somebody wants him dead.

If Christopher was in Manila at the same time

as Bishop Atwood, why didn't he k*ll him there?

Just suppose, a man this well-loved

happens to be m*rder*d while visiting the United States

on a peace mission.

Then the imperialist w*r mongers are up to their necks

in international hot water again, aren't they?

What about security?

Police intend to double its guard.

Now, Lewis, uh..

I, uh, don't wanna belay with a point, but, uh..

Well, good luck.

Do you have Atwood's itinerary?

Yes, sir.

Oh, here it is.

He arrives in San Francisco this morning.

He spends the night with a friend there.

Someone in the church?

No, a Vincent Sutherland.

The dean of the Jessup College.

Oh, yeah.

'Then to Chicago tomorrow for a speaking engagement'

'then Washington the next day.'

You had a chance to look at Christopher's file?

Yes, sir, I have.

He seems to have given up his American citizenship about 1940.

Never used an American passport.

Only British, Australian, Canadian and South African.

I keep asking myself

why his destination should be Seattle and not San Francisco?

Call Carter in Seattle.

Tell him I want the passenger lists of all flights

originating in the Pacific area from Sydney to Tokyo.

Yes, sir.

Have him pay special attention to connecting flights

from Canadian stopovers.

And alert the Canadian authorities.

- Alright. - I'll be in San Francisco.

- When does Atwood get in? - Uh, 10 a.m. KBL, flight 29.

[woman on PA] 'KBL, flight 29, now entering at gate 4.'

John. John.

- Hello-- - Sir.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

- Uh, yes, uh, yes, lieutenant? - I'm here to escort you, sir.

Uh, is this man a personal friend of yours?

Personal friend..

Well, he was the last time I checked.

Are you a personal friend, Vince, or, uh..

Did you come down here to, to m*rder me?

- Come here to what? - Well, he's my new watchdog.

He said that.. Excuse me, I'm sorry, lieutenant.

A long plane ride, perhaps. I'm sorry to be so facetious.

This is a dear personal friend of mine

Dean Vincent Sutherland.

'We first met in India.'

- Is it alright? I mean.. - Oh, yes, sir.

Welcome home, John.

I'm glad to be here, Vince.

So glad to be here. How, how do you feel, really?

- I feel very well and-and you? - Great. Older, tougher.

John, how long has it been?

How long has it.. Oh, boy.

Well, I was ordained in '29.

'30, went to India. So that's da-da-da-di-di-da

thirty six years, isn't it?

Thirty six..

That's a long time.

Wars, tensions, revolutions.

Hard years for a peacemaker, John?

Hard years perhaps, Vincent, but

but I'm still a Browning fan.

"A man's reach was designed to exceed his grasp.

"Or what's the heaven for?

So we try and try and try."

John, I'm proud of you.

I read in the papers that you had a meeting with h* Chi Minh.

- Did you? - Yes, is it true?

Well, not with h* himself, but there have been talks.

Yes. You see, Vince, I'm not a diplomat.

I'm-I'm a beggar.

'All my life, I've begged for money'

'food, clothes, shelter.'

And now I've come begging again.

This time for peace.

Searching.

Oh, and my luggage, uh..

Oh, we'll put the luggage in my car.

Excuse me, uh, Vince, we have one little problem.

You know, I have an appointment with the FBI

before coming over to your house.

So what do you gentlemen suggest?

Well, now I'm at Jessup College on, on Faculty Road.

Now shall I send a car for him or will you bring him over?

- Uh, we'll bring him, sir. - Good, good.

Thank you very much.

I'll see you at dinner, John.

Sir, take care of this man.

It's funny, if that's the right word, Vince.

You know, I spent most of my life in jungles and swamps

and never needed any protection. Now I've..

[chuckles] I've come back to civilization and, uh..

Did you have a nice trip?

It was beautiful.

How do you do? I'm Robert Hastings.

Hastings.

- You're really, uh.. - What did you expect?

I don't know.

I'm afraid you've let the movies spoil you, Robert.

The gentleman with the broad shoulders

and the girl companions

and the secret weapons hidden up their noses

wouldn't last five minutes outside of a sandbox.

Well, Mr. Hastings, this is Mr. Gerald.

Hi.

Who thought of this particular last-minute change?

And everything arranged in Seattle

direct reservations to San Francisco.

Now everything's messed up.

Not as messed up as it would've been

if anyone but you had met that Seattle plane.

Aren't you being a little neurotic?

How old are you, Robert?

Twenty eight, why?

You seem younger.

Well, we, uh..

Oh.

Have you, uh, Mr. Gerald's money?

Oh, yes.

Beautiful country, really.

Quiet.

Are there any cabins for sale around here?

There's nothing around here for sale or otherwise.

Mr. Gerald, thank you very much.

Well, thank you, sir. Anytime you..

[g*nsh*t]

Alright.

- What do we do with him? - Nothing.

You said this was an isolated spot.

Is this how you remain anonymous, Anton?

It's one of the ways, yes.

Is that what's going to happen to me

when this job is over with and Atwood is dead?

What did you do? Live in those movie houses?

Mr. Ward.

I just talked to Carter, sir.

There are no direct Pacific flights

to Seattle until Wednesday.

Now there's one today to British Columbia

and that arrived in Vancouver on time at noon.

Three passengers had reservations on to Seattle.

A man and two women.

Now the two women made the flight

but the man missed it.

- Did you get his name? - Williamson.

He was traveling on a Canadian passport.

I had the authorities check it out for us.

- It was a forgery. - Any description?

'No, nothing reliable.'

'He's average height, average weight'

no distinguishing marks.

They've alerted the border guards

the commercial planes, the trains, et cetera.

Well, ask 'em to check the charter flights too.

And have Carter do the same thing on the Seattle end.

'Yes, sir.'

And I think you'd better get out there yourself.

Alright.

The only thing we're asking, bishop, is your cooperation.

Yes, yes. Well, then, then why don't you cooperate with me?

Uh, inspector, excuse me.

Just who do you think you're dealing with?

Some monk on a mountaintop?

Some frail spirit who hasn't spoken to anybody but God

or Saint Peter for the last 30 years?

I'm a peasant. I deal with people.

I have to be with them, talk with them, touch them.

And so what happens?

You have me so surrounded here by guards

I can't even see the billboards.

The FBI doesn't guard anyone. It never has.

Police are responsible for your security.

The FBI is here to catch a spy named Anton Christopher.

Anton..

Who may or may not even be in this country.

Who may or may not even exist.

Who may or may not even be after me, for that matter.

He exists.

Have you ever seen him?

How many times have you seen Lucifer?

Lucifer?

[chuckles]

[laughs]

You know, I-I, I like you, inspector.

I, I like you because, uh

you know, we're pretty much the same in a lot of ways.

You, you-you don't give up, do you?

You don't backtrack. You, you're persistent.

'You're, actually, you're-you're stubborn.'

But this trip is, uh

is so important and..

Inspector, if I may, I'd-I'd like to explain something.

You know, I'm not as, uh, as wise

as most people might believe.

I'm-I'm not as pious.

But I am somebody that people happen to trust.

That's all.

Somebody they trust.

And this is, this is so terribly important.

People have got to trust people.

- Don't you believe that? - Absolutely.

That's why I'm asking you to trust me.

Trust you to what?

Make me suspicious of every shadow on every wall?

- Observant, not suspicious. - Observant of what?

Faces, voices, patterns that repeat themselves.

Anything that jogs your memory.

You see, Christopher is successful, bishop

because he's thorough.

Probably knows most of your habits

your likes and dislikes.

He's probably been as close to you a dozen times

as I am right now.

And so he might sneak up behind me

put a b*llet through my heart and start World w*r III?

[chuckles] No, Mr. Erskine.

You see, I've talked with leaders

on both sides of every curtain there is.

Iron, bamboo, whatever.

And I want to assure you

that no responsible man on this Earth..

...wants a nuclear w*r.

Who says the man who hired Christopher are responsible?

Well, surely, we must assume that there--

Assume what?

There are no hair-triggered tempers?

No captains that want to become generals?

No power mad ideologists?

No, Mr. Erskine.

If I said now that

Daniel should've been afraid of the lions

I betray everything I've ever stood for.

No, sir.

No.

There's no danger.

- Hi. Special Agent Rhodes? - Yes.

I'm Talbert, US Forest Service.

How do you do?

I suppose Mr. Carter filled you in

on, uh, what happened up here.

No, as a matter of fact, he didn't have much time

to tell me anything except that you found a body.

- He caught me in Spokane. - Oh, I see.

Well, all the stations along the border

got an FBI report that a plane chartered in Vancouver

was overdue and presumed missing.

'I remembered hearing one going over earlier today'

'so I figured I'd better have a look around'

'cause there are no scheduled flights in this area.

I know the plane's registered to a Howard Gerald

San Francisco.

Got any ideas who did it?

Some.

Harry, let's take his prints.

[bell tolling]

Thank you. Thank you.

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

Practically smell the vineyards.

I thought you'd like this one.

Hmm. Like it? It's delicious.

It's absolutely delicious.

Wonderful, Vincent. Just wonderful.

Been a long time since I sipped good California wine

sat in a comfortable leathered chair with my feet up.

Talked with an old friend

without someone crying wolf in my ear.

Remember, John, there really was a wolf at the end of that story.

Vince, I realize these fellas have a job to do

but it's, uh, it's melodramatic, isn't it?

The sleuthing about and guards outside.

The changes in my itinerary.

And Don't stay at the Royal Chicago Hotel

stay at the Lindgren instead.

Do this and be careful about that.

Honestly, it's-it's-it's, it's frustrating.

Oh.

Vincent, I've been looking forward

for so long to coming back to a city

I hadn't seen for many years.

I was strolling about

looking at the skyline.

Stopping in a church. Any church.

[sighs] Vincent.

Yes.

Why don't, uh, why don't we do just that?

Do what?

After dark, we stop in a church.

Will you help me?

Of course, I'll help you.

Of course.

- My friend. - Hmm.

[telephone ringing]

- Excuse me. - Surely.

Hello.

Yes, Miss Gargan.

Uh, Vincent, uh, excuse me.

I'll go unpack a little.

No, no. The registrar would handle it.

No, the registrar.

Well, where are you?

Is Robert with you?

[dramatic music]

He won't be staying at the Royal Chicago.

Someone seems to have changed his reservation to the Lindgren.

Any idea what name he'll be using or what room number?

[Vincent] 'Well, not yet, but I'll try to find out.'

Good. Let me know as soon as you can.

'I will.'

Okay, Harry. Thanks.

I didn't expect you so soon.

The Air Force had a plane for me.

Oh. Alright.

What kind of a b*llet was it?

.25. Right into the heart.

There are two sets of footprints.

Nothing distinctive about the tire tracks

of the car that met them.

And no readable fingerprints

in the passenger side of the plane

but I sent everything I could find

back to the lab in Identification.

Good.

How did Gerald check out?

Uh, single. No living relatives, no record.

Found his own company, no employees.

Not even any close friends we could find.

Old man, he wasn't there, huh?

It doesn't make sense, why would Christopher

hire a San Francisco pilot?

There must be chartered services out of Vancouver.

What was the full name in his registration slip?

Howard James Gerald.

Call Identification, ask them if they checked his prints

since they've arrived.

Also, all combinations with his name and the indices.

James Howard, Howard James, Gerald Howard.

Yes, sir.

[screams]

[sighs]

[knock on door]

[knock on door]

[knock on door]

- Yes? - 'It's me. You alright?'

What happened? I knocked and, uh, you yelled something.

You surprised me.

I must have fallen asleep again after breakfast.

I called the airport and Atwood's plane will be on time.

His, uh, car should be at the hotel within the hour.

The g*n?

Yes.

I wish we had a better line of fire.

If his car pulls directly at the entrance of that hotel

he's gonna be out into that canopy in a few seconds.

A few seconds will do.

Why are you doing this, Anton?

I mean, I believe in the party and I believe in Sutherland.

I don't think you believe in anything.

I believe in comfort.

I believe it takes money to be comfortable.

If I could have found money in banking or art

I would have been a banker or an artist.

But..

Were you always so..

...controlled?

Except for the first time

when I was filled with hate and grief.

'Who do you k*ll?'

A drunken soldier who had beaten a bartender to death.

Why was that so different?

I was 14. The bartender was my father.

My first and last crime of passion.

What's the matter?

You know..

...I haven't thought about that for 20 years

and there he was in my dream.

The soldier?

It was the soldier and it was me too.

We were..

...somehow coming apart.

Our arms had fallen off.

We were coming apart little by little.

Are you coming apart?

Does it seem so to you?

Well, does it?

No.

[telephone rings]

That's my call.

[clears throat]

- Ward. - One moment, sir.

Inspector Erskine?

- Erskine. - Lewis, your idea paid off.

We matched Howard Gerald's prints.

His name was Gerald James.

Spent seven years in Leavenworth. Extortion.

- Yeah? - He was a commercial pilot.

Friend offered to help get him back on his feet

set him up in business, charter flights.

Do you have the friend's name?

Yes, we do.

Vincent Sutherland.

Thanks, Arthur.

Has Atwood's plane landed in Chicago yet?

Yes, if it was on time.

Was he told of the change in hotels?

- Yes, sir. - When?

Yesterday afternoon.

- Before he left Sutherland's? - Yes.

Have Dean Sutherland picked up for interviewing

and get me Chicago airport.

Hmm-mm-mm. It's a big, sprawling broken-nose city.

- Sir? - Chicago.

Chicago. I was 15 when I saw it for the first time

out of a boxcar door.

Well, this is the kind of a city a man ought to swagger into

and I've come tiptoeing down in some dark street like, uh..

Incidentally, lieutenant, what about tonight?

What about my speech at Soldiers Field?

Now you can't watch every man there, can you?

We think you ought to cancel it.

No.

- Bishop. - Am I under arrest?

Oh, no, sir.

Protective custody?

This isn't a question of custody at all.

Well, then I intend to make the speech, my friend.

I came here to talk to the people

and I'm going to talk to them tonight, on schedule.

This would be the car. They're pulling in.

They're not gettin' down. What's the matter?

What are we doing, lieutenant? Playing statue?

[woman on radio] 'Dispatcher to Five, dispatcher to Five.'

Uh, thank you.

- Five. - 'Go ahead San Francisco.'

Lieutenant Erskine, FBI.

Yes, inspector?

Regarding the Lindgren, do you have

an alternate destination for your passenger?

Yes, we have.

'Known to him?'

No.

We have information, lieutenant

that might have a bearing on his safety.

We'd advise changing to the alternate.

Everything appears quiet here.

How conclusive is your information?

We're developing it now.

An attack on this person

at the present destination seems possible.

Thank you, FBI. I will use the alternate.

Please keep me informed.

- Go ahead. - Sure, go ahead.

Play your games, lieutenant.

Anton?

Chilly.

What does that mean?

It means exactly what it seems to mean, Robert.

Our quarry has sniffed the wind and moved off.

You mean the police know where we are?

They would not have driven away.

They'd have stayed to keep me hanging.

Hanging until he had a chance to break in.

The wind makes him just a little bit uneasy.

Who, Atwood?

No, no.

The one who is hunting for me.

The policeman, the security guard

the FBI agent.

Whoever's directing this operation.

Strange.

I don't know what he looks like

but I know a great deal about him.

He's patient and stubborn.

And intelligent and intuitive.

I wonder if he's the one.

The one what?

To end it all.

Though it may not end now and here, but it-it..

It will end one day, Robert.

It's been a long run.

[sighs]

And I'm tired.

But what are we gonna do now? Shouldn't we follow them?

- Shouldn't we-- - No, no.

Anton, maybe this isn't anything more than another job for you

but it's more to me.

Now Sutherland wants Atwood k*lled.

Sutherland had nothing to do with that decision.

Sutherland is a broker, a middleman.

Well, it doesn't matter.

He said it was important for the party

and I believe him.

Atwood's death is necessary.

To me too. It means a quarter of a million dollars.

Well, then?

Now you show you're as old as 28.

The bishop is not going to get away.

The men who've been following his car ever since he left

the airport are still following it.

When a hotel is finally selected, they will call me.

The men, who?

That surprises you, too, huh?

Well, of course, I'm surprised. Why didn't you tell me?

Because it didn't concern you.

This is a business of foresight, Robert.

Double plans, triple plans.

Alternates within alternates.

There was no way in the world I could possibly

fill you in on all of it.

[telephone rings]

Yes?

Thank you.

[sighs]

The Regent.

Well chosen.

Are you a good shot, Robert?

Expert. Why?

Sutherland has great confidence in you and your dedication.

He's been most unstinting with his praise, even lavish.

But how brave are you?

Do you have to ask that?

Atwood will insist on going to Soldiers Field tonight.

They'll never let him leave his hotel before dark

and they'll be looking for someone my age.

Go out and buy yourself some college clothing.

Anything in the current style.

Will make you even younger yet.

Dean Vincent Sutherland?

Yes?

FBI.

We'd like to ask you a few questions, sir.

Uh, questions about what?

Would you come down to the office, please?

Just a moment.

- May I talk to my lawyer? - Yes, sir, you certainly may.

b*mb?

That's the favorite weapon with assassins, bishop.

Why should the idea surprise you?

Well, there's nothing you say that surprises me

any longer, inspector.

There's nothing I say that convinces you either.

Well, how can it? You know, the good lieutenant here.

There's a man out in the hallway.

There are some downstairs in the lobby.

Probably has them in the streets and the alleys.

This is overprotectiveness.

[Lewis] 'It's not overprotectiveness, bishop.'

He's absolutely right.

He's right about tonight too.

You mean about canceling my speech?

And that's where we picked up Christopher first, yes.

- No, no, Mr. Erskine. - Bishop.

No, I have no intention of, excuse me, canceling my speech.

You know, I haven't seen a will that strong

since my Grandma Coolidge decided prohibition

was a mistake.

You know, if Atwood insists on that appearance tonight

we could be in trouble.

Where's the speaker's platform?

The center of the field.

I can get him out there, but I can't keep him surrounded.

You might not have to.

Well, Christopher may be brilliant.

He's certainly daring.

There are a few particular areas in which he is predictable.

- Which areas? - 'He doesn't like distances.'

Never works further away from his victims

than a few dozen yards.

Usually a few dozen feet.

He likes to operate away from the locations

you'd expect him to use.

After all, he k*lled Munoz in broad daylight

on one of the busiest streets in Manila.

He may try to come into this hotel.

Come in as what?

Waiter, janitor, bellhop? We wanna continue.

We'll check on anyone who comes to this floor.

We've now a rough idea of Christopher's age.

His age.

What?

You know, Christopher's victims have been guarded this closely

just twice before.

Once in Stockholm and once in Lima.

Both times, he sent an accomplice to do the job.

- A younger man. - Were they caught?

Not exactly.

In both instances, the m*rder weapon exploded.

It's loaded.

All you have to do is c*ck it, aim and fire.

It's a beautiful weapon.

Almost foolproof if you get close enough.

There's going to be a problem, isn't it?

Is it? Have I picked the wrong man?

Well, I can't push my way through a solid ring

of guards, Anton.

'There won't be a solid ring of guards.'

'Not at the hotel.'

There'll be one or two men in front

one or two behind.

And half a dozen on the sidelines watching.

Who may sh**t you the moment you sh**t Atwood.

You're very frank about it.

I'm also frank when I say that you may get away.

It has happened.

There will be enormous confusion.

You know where the car is.

So you hold on to double hope, huh?

An exciting future.

A glorious martyrdom.

Why, Robert, you see through me as if I were made of glass.

And what if they should just capture me?

- Aren't you afraid I'll talk? - Not in the least.

Well, thank you for that, Anton.

They probably won't leave their hotel before dark.

But I think you should get over there anyway.

Alright.

- Goodbye. - Good luck.

Well, gentlemen, I, I believe I'm ready now.

There's still time to change your mind, sir.

Mr. Erskine

this is a speech I have to deliver.

Alright, sir.

Thank you.

[dramatic music]

Just a minute. FBI.

Get back!

[g*nsh*t]

Inspector, who, who would want to--

Dean Sutherland.

Vince.

Vince Sutherland.

Vince.

Vince Sutherland.

Dear God.

Please come inside, sir.

Vince Sutherland.

What does this do to

to my theories about trust, inspector?

Well, it, it ought to remind you, bishop

that men are a, a little lower than the angels.

It ought to make you cautious.

Cautious, yes, but..

...but man must trust himself with man.

That is our only hope.

I have an appointment, uh, at Soldiers Field.

In a few minutes, sir.

In a few minutes.

In a few minutes?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Erskine.

FBI, Christopher, you're under arrest.

The young man was not k*lled then?

He lived long enough to tell us where you were.

I'm surprised the thought didn't occur to you.

Well, it did.

A man really does get tired.

You think you won't in the beginning

but you do.

You lose something.

Get up.

You're rather a younger man than I thought you'd be.

On August 15th, the United States Attorney

differed the charges of espionage

against Dean Vincent Sutherland and Anton Andre Christopher

so that they might be tried in local court for m*rder.

Both men were later convicted

and sentenced to terms in the state penitentiary.

[theme music]