03x09 - Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo

[bunniefuu]

♪ Look at what's
happened to me ♪

♪ I can't believe it myself ♪

♪ Suddenly I'm up
on top of the world ♪

♪ It should have
been somebody else ♪

♪ Believe it or not
I'm walking on air ♪

♪ I never thought I
could feel so free ♪

♪ Flying away on a
wing and a prayer ♪

♪ Who could it be ♪

♪ Believe it or
not it's just me ♪

♪ Just like the
light of a new day ♪

♪ It hit me from
out of the blue ♪

♪ Breaking me out
of the spell I was in ♪

♪ Making all of my
wishes come true ♪

♪ Believe it or not
I'm walking on air ♪

♪ I never thought I
could feel so free ♪

♪ Flying away on a
wing and a prayer ♪

♪ Who could it be ♪

♪ Believe it or
not it's just me ♪

♪ Who could it be ♪

♪ Believe it or
not it's just me ♪♪

There is no animal on
Earth like the ninja warrior.

Yes, I know, master. I someday
plan to become one of them.

Someday? My dear boy,
one does not become ninja.

One is born ninja.
It is in the blood

from birth.

The fierce determination,
unstoppable power.

Afraid of nothing.
Afraid of no one.

Prepared for death. The
ultimate k*lling machine.

And you say you believe
this is your destiny?

You came to tell me
something, Tanaka.

Hai.

Proceed with your
report. I've located

Isoroku Shikinami.

He is the uncle of
the one with the beam.

We must get him immediately.

I've arranged it all.
The Golden Dragons

will assist me.

A youth g*ng? Pardon me, master.

But they are much more than
a restless group of hooligans.

They are experts in
several martial arts

and very disciplined.

I trained them myself.

The advantage of using them
is that they'll detract from any

possible connection with you.

All right. But they
must succeed.

We must get the uncle if
we are to get the beam...

and restore the
empire of the rising sun.

Would you step on it, Ralph?

We don't want to be late.

You know what they say
about first impressions.

Aw, come on.

First impressions
don't mean anything.

Will you relax?

Relax? How can I relax?

I have tenure meeting
tomorrow morning.

You promised you
were not gonna worry

about that tonight.

I bet Mr.

Knight stacked the
cards against me.

- He's just the type.
- What does this Dotty Parker

look like, counselor?

She must be quite an
egghead being a lady lawyer and

everything. No offense.

Uh, what do we got here?

Blue hair and orthopedic
shoes, or what?

Well, uh, I haven't
exactly seen Dotty.

You haven't seen her?

You got me blind dating
with an egghead lady lawyer

from San Francisco...

with blue hairs and
orthopedic shoes that

you haven't even met?

Let me out of the
car. Well, I talk to her

on the phone a lot.

I can tell you that
she's bright, articulate.

She loves football.

Yeah, great conversationalist,

a wonderful dancer.

Could put 10 rounds through
a five-inch pattern and sings

opera. I heard all those before.

She knows the
charts of every team.

Charts. I made up charts.

No teacher bothers
to make charts.

I'm a shoo-in.

Yeah, sure. My luck, blue hair.

All right, you guys. I don't

want to hear another thing
about tenure or blue hair.

We are gonna relax and have fun.

Do you got that?
We're gonna have fun!

What are you talking about?

I'm having fun.
Aren't you having fun?

- No other word for it.

Fun.
- Fun.

Oh, brother.

I don't believe

this is happening.

See, that's the thing

about fun. It surprises you.

At least we got O'Reilly's.

Best corned beef in town.

Whoa...

Look at this. What
they did to O'Reilly's!

We're meeting Miss
Parker. The Hinkley party?

Yes. Follow me.

I'm telling you. You
got to watch these guys.

First it was the transistor.
Now they got Rodeo Drive,

and they're taking the Valley.

Pal, what happened here?
This used to be the best

corned beef in town.

No money in it. Oh.

When was the last time you
heard someone say, "Let's

go out for some Irish food"?

But a sushi bar called

O'Reilly's? I mean, really.

Raw fish by any
name is still raw fish.

Please, everyone,
take off your shoes.

Pam. Dotty.

Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.

You must be Bill Maxwell.
Pam has told me so much

about you.

No, actually, I'm Ralph Hinkley.

Dotty, I'd like you

to meet Bill Maxwell.

- Bill Maxwell,
this is Dotty Parker.

- Hi.

Why don't we sit down? Yeah.

He was a little taken
with your blue hair.

My what? Okay, Ralph.

I hope you like sushi
because I've ordered

a ton of it.

Oh, yeah. The little dead fish.

Yeah, I love that.
Can't get enough of that.

Great.

Pam tells me that
you're with the F.B.I.

When I left law school,
I gave serious thought

to joining the bureau.

No kidding? Well! Yeah,
you should have done it.

The hardest thing
to come by is good,

solid backup in the office.

Oh, no. Give me the action

of fieldwork any day.

- Oh, boy. You too?
- Yeah, uh... uh... Dotty,

have you had much of a
chance to get down to L.A. often?

Only to see the Raiders.

I can't believe they let
L.A. steal my favorite team

right out of Oakland.

Raiders will be lucky to wind up

in the cellar this year.

- Bill's a Rams fan.
- Best team in the city.

No question about it.

But, uh, listen.
Football's a great sport.

Used to play it myself.

Any questions you may have
about the game, bring 'em

to old Wild Bill Maxwell.

Thank you, but I
used to cover football

for my college paper.

- Uh, Ralph has to face
his tenure hearing tomorrow.

- Oh, dear.

I know what that's like from
going up for the bar exam.

Nerve-racking.

Yeah, when it comes
to trivia about football,

the old Maxwell computer
is just like a steel trap.

You ever hear of Doc Blanchard?

Mr. Inside?

Fullback for Army in '47.
I had an uncle who went

to school with him.

Well, that was the easy one.

What I was gonna ask you was...

What I meant to s-say...
Who was Mr. Outside?

Glen Davis. Purple
People Eaters!

Front Four for the
Minnesota Vikings.

Alan Page, Carl Eller,
Jim Marshall and...

Isoroku Shikinami.

He's an old man in his
60s, but on the small side.

He's a regular waiter here.

Tosh, you cover the
door from the inside.

Stan, Shiro, we grab him.

Maguro.

Tuna.

- Unagi.
- Eel.

Let's go.

Uni. Sea urchin.

And this is the house
special, tagure and nori.

Where is Isoroku Shikinami?

Uh, he's around the back.

- What is it?
- That's the inside

of a jellyfish on seaweed.

Freeze! Nobody move
until we get out of here!

Go get 'em, Ralph.

What's Ralph gonna
do? Uh, he's got

the car keys.

Run!

Let's go!

Where'd they go?
South on Alameda.

They're in a white Ford.

Bill? Keys. Yeah.

Let's get out of here! Come on!

Sir, are you all right?

Oh, they're gone.

It's okay now.

You guys okay there?

We're fine, but I
gotta get out of here.

The cops are gonna
be here any second.

You saved my life.
Well, don't worry about it.

It's nothing.

You saved my life. Yeah.

I'm a stranger to you,
yet you saved my life.

He's that kind of a guy. He's
kind of a Good Samaritan.

I owe you my life for
this. It is a matter of honor

that I repay you.

Uh, sir, you... Ralph, get!

I think I'm gonna k*ll him.

Ralph, I did not get
one complete hour

of sleep last night.

He was out here doing yard work

at 3:00 a.m.

I know.

Ralph, my lilac bush!

It's an elephant now.

How do you know? I asked him.

Ralph, how long is he gonna be

doing this stuff?

Oh, boy. I don't know.

As long as it takes for
him to feel he's repaid me

for saving his life.

I guess the guy feels
indebted or something.

I don't know.

Every time I mention it he
starts talking about dishonor

and he's gonna k*ll himself.

- Why don't we let him?
- That's a good idea.

Isn't there someone
else he can stay with...

until Bill gets this
all cleared up?

He said he has a nephew
by the name of Ernie

Shikinami or something.

I tried calling last
night about 20 times,

and all I got was an
answering machine.

We gotta do something.

I'm supposed to use the
house to get some work done

with Dotty.

How am I gonna get
anything done with

Isoroku under our feet?

It's not my fault. What
do you want me to do?

Well, Ralph, do
something! Do something!

What? I'm tired too.

My God. I hope
I don't fall asleep

during the tenure meeting.

- How do I look?
- Do you want a lie

or the truth?

- Mmm, a lie.
- Honey, you look great.

Where's my defense attorney?

No.

Come on!

Here's Mr. H.!

Today's the big day, buddy.

Yeah, give him
that. He needs it.

All right. Aw, that's sweet!

What are you guys doing
here? Thought class doesn't start

for another hour.

Well, today's the big day.
We wanted to give you

some moral support.

Moral support, huh?

Yeah, ya know.

We figured that if,
like, we was to come

and stand around...

and, you know, look good
that they'd go easier on you.

And you look good.

I'd make a great
defense witness.

Thanks a lot, Joey.

But this is not a trial.
It's a tenure meeting.

I'm gonna be fine.

You've done a lot
for us, and we wanted

to pay you back.

Plus we don't want to
lose you as a teacher.

Thanks.

Everything's gonna be fine.
Go, relax, sit down somewhere.

Nothing's gonna happen, okay?

Mr. Hinkley, this is
Mr. Bernard Brockmeister...

and Mr. Clyde Terkeldsen, two
members of our school board.

They will decide on your tenure.

Gentlemen,

as you know, Mr. Hinkley

has been in charge of
our special programs...

for socially
maladjusted students.

Um... Well, sir, I don't think
that's quite on the mark.

I like to look at my students
from a much more positive

point of view.

I think that helps
encourage a strong

sense of self-esteem.

Yes. That may be true, Hinkley,

but our concern here
is previously established

school curriculum.

- Well, I've been running...
- Yes, you've been running

your own programs.

- That's part of your problem.
- What Mr.

Knight is trying to say,

and very well from my viewpoint,

is the...

Curriculum established
by this district

is for all classes.

That includes
yours, Mr. Hinkley.

Uh, well, unlike most
of the kids in this school,

which are relatively sheltered,

my students are
somewhat streetwise.

I don't think that Silas
Marner would hold

much credence with them.

I realize your class calls
for special treatment,

Mr. Hinkley,

but there are limits.

For example, Paco Rodriguez.

He's not what I'd
call a candidate

for special treatment.

Absenteeism, insubordination,

brawling.

But it hasn't happened
much in the past year.

I have some graphs that I
have made up, which show their

reading skill improvements.

- I think you'll be
very impressed.

- Uh, Ralph?

Would you step out
here for a second?

Won't take a minute.

- Bill!
- Storm warnings are up, kid.

San Diego to Oregon.

- Big blow coming in.
- Just a moment.

Uh, sir, save your breath.
This is federal business.

You can have the kid
back when the F.B.I.'s

done with him. Okay?

Um, gentlemen, I, uh...
Excuse me for one minute,

please. I'm terribly sorry.

Sure.

Perhaps we should
note in Mr. Hinkley's file...

that he may have trouble
with the federal government.

Have you flipped? Do you realize

what you did?

You're looking good.
You got 'em in the palm

of your hand. Listen up.

We got a busload of potential
kidnappers running around loose.

The bureau's not happy about it.

You busted in on one of
the most important meetings

in my entire teaching career.

Oh, don't be silly.
I could be fired

for this, Bill!

When they find
out you're working

with the bureau,

it's gonna look great
in your package.

Since the interruption of
this hearing is obviously

more important to you...

than your future
as a schoolteacher,

the board would
like an explanation.

Well, sir, I can explain...

In writing, Mr. Hinkley.

Within 24 hours, please.

- Bill, where are we going?
- We're gonna go talk

to the Golden Dragons.

Who are they? A
bunch of punks that was

hitting on old Izzyboku...

What's it? Isoroku.

Yeah, right. Anyway, I found

their jackets in the car.

I ran the name on
the jackets by L.A.P.D.,

and I came up with Shokaku Gym.

It's a little bitty gymnasium.
They hang out there.

I figured we'd shake
'em up, see what we get.

I still can't get over
all the work I did

on those charts,

and I didn't have a
second to show them.

Ralph, will you relax
on that? Come on.

No way they're gonna let loose
of the best teacher they got.

I don't think you
have a firm grasp

of what's going on.

I have a perfect grasp
of what's going on.

We got a bunch
of wild animals...

preying on the life
of this harmless,

little old Japanese gentleman.

You have the power to help him.

You're too interested in
meeting with the school board

to give him a hand. That's all.

That's what's happening.

The guy's been in the backyard

since sunup digging a big hole.

Big hole?

What for? Ah,
b*mb shelter, right?

That's not a bad idea, Ralph.

No.

Goldfish and water lilies. He's
making a Japanese garden.

Oh, boy. Well,
this is the joint.

What do you want
me to say in here?

Well, you start out nice and
easy, give them some of that

educational philosophy...

you were laying
on the school board

a little while ago.

If that doesn't work,
we go to plan two.

This is 555-4893.

The two feds from
last night just pulled up.

- You teach them both a lesson.

Then my ninja will take over.

Yes, sir.

The Dragons' part in
this will be finished now.

Go to the gym. Follow
these federal agents.

Find Isoroku Shikinami.

Without him, we have no ransom.

Sweet-talk 'em, Ralph.

Uh, my name is Ralph
Hinkley. This is a friend of mine,

Bill Maxwell.

I'm a high school
teacher, and I work

with problem students.

And, uh...

Is there anybody
here I can talk to?

What's plan number two?

Okay. Listen up, punks.

This is the F.B.I.
you're talking to.

I want to know which
one of you was tearing up

O'Reilly's last night.

This is Joey Tanaka talking.

And if you want
your legs to work,

turn around real
slow... and use 'em.

Ralph! Okay.

We gave 'em a
chance, listened to 'em.

We talked nice. We
gave them an opportunity.

Now it's time they
got a little lesson

in good manners. Ralph?

What do you want
me to do with that?

The jammies. Put 'em on.

They're not in there, Bill.

Wha... What ha... What happened?

I was at a tenure
meeting, not a bank holdup.

Um... Well, in that case...

Bye.

Yeah. See what I mean
about practice, Ralph?

Nothing like it. They were putty

in your hands.

Ow.

Tell me how

this sounds, Bill.

"As a teacher of students
with disciplinary problems,

"I should have found
the composure...

to deal with the interruption

in the tenure meeting."

No, that's not exactly
what I had in mind to say.

I wanted to say
that I have a friend

who is a real jerk...

and has the timing of a
candygram at a funeral.

Stick a plug in a gasbag, Ralph.

My head's coming off
in my hands, and that's

not the worst of it.

They tossed my g*ns back to me.

That's humiliating!

I should have you
write this report,

since it's your fault...

I have to write
this stupid thing

in the first place.

Ralph, I can't take it anymore.

Honey, what is wrong?
I can't find anything!

Dotty is gonna be here
any minute, my cheesecake's

ready to go in...

and I can't find any of my pans!

Isoroku! Honey,
he has rearranged

that entire kitchen...

according to some
ancient samurai code.

- You gotta do something!
- Hinkley-san, your bath

is properly cooling.

Isoroku, I think we
need to have a little talk.

Yes, sir.

Huh? Which side of your head

hurt the most?

What is that mad doctor
kit? I don't wanna play doctor.

Acupuncture. It cures headaches.

Are you kiddin'? I
ain't a shish kebab.

Get out of here.

Isoroku, you can ease
up on all this. All right?

Ask him about my pan.

I'm going to.

Hinkley-san save my
life. Owe him my life.

You've already
more than repaid me.

My cheesecake pans,
Isoroku. Where are they?

I tell you. If you really

want to help out,

you can come up
with answers about

who's after you and why.

I told you. I don't
know. I'm only a waiter.

You got any bad
gambling debts? Enemies?

People you've been
sticking your pins into?

Or rearranged anybody's kitchen?

Uh, Mrs. Hinkley-san,

your pans are in the
cupboard on the left side.

What about your nephew Ernie?
Does he know where you are

or what happened?

I've tried him several
times, but all I get is

an answering machine.

He's a busy man. He
works for a big company.

I, uh, very proud of Ernie.

I do not see him
very much anymore.

But... close in spirit.

Oh! Come, Hinkley-san.
Your bath should be

properly cool now.

I don't think I'm
getting through to you.

I got a neat idea. I
don't know why I didn't

think about it before.

When you get out of the tub,
slip into the magic jammies

and vibe off of Izzy there.

See if we can
get a line on his...

on his nephew Ernie.

Wake me...

when you're out.

Now, Isoroku, when
I finish with my bath,

you agree you have
repaid me for my life in full,

and you'll go back
to the restaurant.

As you wish, Hinkley-san.
You are very kind.

Will you finish in there so
you can get us a holograph,

nice and simple?

No way I'm going through
the wringer the way

we did before on this deal.

- What happened?
- Bill, I'll be

right with you.

Dotty, are you all right?

Yeah, I think so.
What's going on here?

Just call it the second
half of a doubleheader.

I wondered if being around an
F.B.I. agent would be exciting.

Now you know.

Okay, Ralph. We're
back to ground zero.

Now what do we do?

Well, let's see. We got

a black van with license plates,
but we don't know the numbers.

Wait a second! Look at this.

Yeah! He dropped it.
It's his mad doctor kit...

with all those
needles and stuff in it.

Vibe off of that.
You can find him.

What do you got?
What do you got?

- Nothing.
- Nothin'?

Why don't we try his
nephew Ernie's place?

I mean, he's gotta come
back sooner or later.

Right. Right!

Uh, Ralph?

Get your clothes. Oh.

Mr. Shikinami hasn't

been here for a while.

How long has that
been? Oh, a week or two.

Maybe more.

He said his work has him so
busy that it was easier to move

into the office temporarily.

Where is that? Any idea?

You know, I never
thought to ask him.

He's a real nice young
man, but a bit shy.

Keeps to himself a lot.

Thank you very much
for your cooperation.

Appreciate it.

Old Ernie's doing
pretty well for himself.

Wouldn't you say? Sure is.

Look at this. Must be

some kind of an
engineer or something.

A drafting board and everything.

Well, where's the bedroom?
He must have pajamas

or a robe or something.

Wait a minute, Bill.
Think I can get it off

the drafting board here.

- What do you see?
- He's in a lab.

He looks nervous and worried.

He just left the
lab in a big hurry.

- I got it. He works for

the Sar-Fli Corporation.
- Sar-Fli Corp.?

Hasn't that been
in the news lately?

You betcha my life. They
just signed a big military

contract with the Pentagon.

High-tech weapons,
that kind of stuff.

I'm told Sar-Fli Corp...

makes the Manhattan
Project look like a science fair

on Saturday morning TV.

Isoroku said he worked
for a big company.

I wonder what Ernie
was so anxious about.

Let's go find out.
Wait a minute!

- Maybe this thing'll help out.

Hello? This is Ralph Hinkley.
I have your uncle at my house.

Please call me. 555-800.

Mr. Shikinami?

We're having trouble locating
the seat covers you wanted.

It's Ralph Hinkley again, and

your uncle is still at my house.

Hey, Ernie!

Where you been hiding out?

Love to hear from
you. It's Betsy.

Talk at ya later.

It's Ralph.

You want to call me back?

Mr.

Shikinami, We have
taken your uncle.

We want the beam.
Be prepared to make

the exchange in 24 hours,

or your uncle dies.

555-4893.

Okay, Ralph. That's it.
That's the ransom note.

Wonder what the beam is.

I don't know, but I think
it's something that is

whipped up over at Sar-Fli Corp.

Come on.

Maxwell, F.B.I. Uh-huh.

Uh-huh. You wanna open
the gate and let us in now?

Do you have an
authorization sticker?

I got an F.B.I. badge instead.

Yes, sir. I can see that.

But what you need is
an authorization sticker.

I'm here on official
bureau business, pal.

Then you shouldn't
have any trouble getting

an authorization sticker.

I don't have time for that now!

Bill, come on. Let's
go get an official

authorization sticker.

Wha... Thank you.

Very good, sir. Oh.

I don't know what you're
making me do this for.

I was ready to fry that guy!

What, for doing his job?

Well, what are you
planning on doing?

I'm gonna get my own
authorization sticker out:

the red suit.

I will talk to you on
the communicator.

All right?

Oh! Gee! I'm never

gonna get used to that, Ralph.

Ever.

Bill, come in. Ernie's
headed for his car.

He's gonna be coming out
the front gate any minute now.

He has the beam with him.

Okay, kid. I got him.

I'm on him.

Wait a minute!

Hey! What... It's
all right, Ernie.

I'm not gonna hurt you.

I work on a lot of
top secret projects,

but I've never heard about you.

That's all right. Nobody has.

I tell you what. Why
don't you pull over?

But...

You got him. Good. Yeah.

All right. Where's
that beam thing?

Right in there.

Let's get it over here. Hey!

Wait a minute, kid. Hold it.

Hold it. There's
no problem here.

F.B.I. Oh.

Okay. You bring it,

sit beside me, move
the party to my car.

It's not safe here. Come on.

If you're F.B.I., you
can't be the ones

who have my Uncle Isoroku.

No. Well, we... We did have him.

My name is Ralph
Hinkley. The one who called

four times.

Yes, that's right. I had him.

I was protecting him.

Then he was taken
out of my house.

Its full name is
particle beam weapon.

A weapon so powerful that
it could change the balance

of power for the world.

I've been working on it
for the past seven years.

Lately almost day and night. I
hardly even go home anymore.

Well, look, Ern. I know

that you're real fond of
your Uncle, uh, Izzyrocko.

- Isoroku Shikinami.
- Yeah. Uh...

But you're talking about
handing away some power

here that's world power.

I'm not sure we're
ready to do that.

Nope. I don't care what
we are trading away.

Frankly, I don't care
about the beam at all.

First it was a
project to work on.

Now it's simply a weapon
that does a horrible thing.

Like what? Destroying matter

instantly.

That is horrible.

You have any idea who
these guys are that have

their hands on your uncle?

The kidnapping you
described sounds like

the works of the ninja,

the ultimate Japanese warrior.

My guess is... that
they are working

for the Yakuza.

Yakuza? Sure!

- Why didn't I figure
they got a hand in this?

- Who's that?

It's a Japanese
syndicate. Real bad boys.

Imagine what they
would be like, if they

got their hands on this?

Some believe that a
faction of the Yakuza

is trying to rearm Japan...

and restore it as
an imperialistic

military power.

Well, uh, I'll tell
you what, Ern.

We're gonna do our best to
pretend to make this switch

to get your uncle back.

But I promise you, there is
no way we're gonna let these

yo-yos keep this weapon.

How do you do that?

You fascinate me, Isoroku.

You must have dull life
if I give you fascination.

Through all of this
you say and do nothing,

just stare into the garden.

Garden is the only thing
in this house that does not

reek of greed and ambition.

You refer to my desire
to have the particle beam.

That has nothing to do
with greed and ambition.

Having it means we
can now watch Japan

enter into a new future,

one that will bring back
the glories of the past.

The particle beam
will only bring death.

As I said before,
Isoroku, you fascinate me.

Are you prepared
to meet your enemy?

Good. We will make the trade
for the particle beam weapon.

Then you will do your duty.

No one present at
the exchange will live.

This is what all the
commotion is about?

Yes, it is.

It looks like something
I gave to my nephew

for his fourth birthday.

Well, I've spent almost
10 years perfecting it.

Oh, Ernie. I didn't
mean to say that

it's not a wonderful thing.

I... I only mean that it
doesn't look like something

someone would k*ll for.

Okay, boys and girls.

Listen up.

Let's get rid of this
chrome-plated slingshot

and finish the case.

Ern, you make the call?
No. I wasn't sure what

I was supposed to say.

I haven't done
anything like this before.

Nobody knows how
to handle a kidnapping.

They're all different.

You just call the
head, uh... the head...

What do you call
them? The ninnies?

Ninja.

Those guys. Call the head guy.

Tell him you've
got what they want.

What do they want to
do about it? That's all.

Uh, can I hold
this for a minute?

This is 555-4893.

Uh, hello. This is
Ernie Shikinami.

Mr. Shikinami, I believe
we have what you want.

Do you have the beam?

Yeah, right here. Good.

The abandoned Hyperion factory,

in exactly one hour.

Abandoned Hyperion
factory. One hour.

Okay. Let's

take a few minutes
for another scenario.

Ralph, there is
something I have to say.

There's something different
at work here, something that

even you should be afraid of.

Ernie, I get the feeling you're

not telling us everything.

Yeah, come on, Ern.
You got something to say,

spit it out.

Well, it's the ninja.
They have a secret.

It's what makes them so deadly.

They are not afraid to die.

They will stop at nothing
to achieve their goal,

which will be...

you, Ralph.

Then Ralph has to be
prepared to k*ll someone.

Or be k*lled yourself.

They won't stop.
You will have to fight

with their own weapon: fear.

You'll have to be alert.
The ninja is thinking

all the time.

If you let your guard down once,

we are all dead.

Come, my friend. Shall
we see how this fable ends?

I have no taste
for this conflict.

I'm sure there's no
turning you back.

You're right.

There is no turning
back... for either of us.

Poor Uncle Isoroku.
After all he's done for me.

Now he's got to put
up with this nonsense

because of me.

Oh, Ernie. Don't blame yourself.

It's not your fault.

You know, Uncle
Isoroku is the only one

in my family...

who ever encouraged
me to do what I wanted.

He was the only one who
supported me when I refused

to go into the family business.

- Sushi restaurant?
- No.

Designing topiary gardens.

You know, making little
animals out of the bushes

in the front lawn.

- Ever seen it?
- As a matter of fact, yes.

Let's run this scenario
one more time.

Now, Ernie's gonna
make the switch, the trade,

and I cover until, uh...

- Uh, Izzymazo...
- Isoroku.

Yeah, him. Until he's
safe and secure with us.

Then Ralph takes out
the ninja and gets back

the particle beam.

Right? You're gonna

get it back,
Ralph. Don't forget.

Counselor, get over here.

As soon as we get Ernie's
uncle out here, you take off

like a bat and don't look back.

Don't stop for anything.

Ernie?

Please stay right there.

Well, Mr. Shikinami,
you have acted wisely.

Do as you are told.

You alone, with the
weapon, up the stairs.

Faster, please!

Now you can stay right there.

- Set the weapon down.
- Not until I see my uncle.

Walk out to him.

Set the g*n down,

or we'll sh**t.

Don't stop... until
you get 'em all.

Okay, Ralph. Go do your stuff.

Beam in on the beam.

Car's waiting. Go
on. Get out of here.

Whoa!

Oh!

Are you all right, Bill?
I'm too old for this stuff.

Where's the beam?

I told you to stay out of here.

It's dangerous.

Over here!

Over here!

What is he doing?
Why is he taunting him?

Take it easy. He's just playing

a little cat and mouse.

Wrong again!

This board asked
you to write a report.

As I recall, I specifically
gave you a deadline...

to have it finished
within 24 hours.

Now you are telling us
that you have not as yet

begun to write that report?

- Yes, sir. I was busy.
- Busy?

Doing what, Mr. Hinkley?

Watching the football
games? Waxing your car?

Mr. Hinkley, what task could be
more important than something

involving your tenure?

Friendship.

Well, then I'm sure you
will understand what effect

this has on our decision.

Oh, honey, I'm so sorry

you didn't get tenure.

I tell you what. If
you lose your job, I'll

give up my cooking classes.

No, I was a little

upset at first.

Then I started thinking.
The reason I didn't

get my tenure...

is because I didn't
have time to write

my dumb report.

'Cause I was trying to
save somebody's life.

Bill is right. In the face

of death, job security really
doesn't seem that important.

Ralph, that's a
wonderful attitude.

Well, I look at Ernie.

He gave up so much
just to save his uncle.

Well, I'm proud of you, babe.

And I tell you what.

With me, you'll
always have tenure.

Thank you.

Mmm. I'll take it.

How are they doing?

Well, I'd say... tie
score going into

the fourth quarter.

I'm telling you, Bill. O.J.
Simpson led the league

in rushing in '75 and '76.

Walter Payton led in '75.

No, Payton led his conference.

O.J. led the league
with 1,817 yards

to Payton's 1,390.

That's... Real shame
you have to be going back

to San Francisco, Dotty.

Real shame. Whoa, Ralph!

Boy, you're just in time.

What do you say to lunch
before we head to the airport?

That'd be great!

I've heard of a terrific
sushi bar out by the airport.

Sounds great to me!

Oh, swell.

What's this one called, Pedro's?

How'd the meeting go?

Well, not so good.

Oh, I'm sorry

to hear that.

Looks like TV dinners
for the next six years.

Hey!

It's all right. There's
always next year.

If I do good and
take care of business,

I oughta be a shoo-in.