September 4, 2024 • 30 mins
Hope you enjoy this episode of Dimension X! Find all our podcasts and OTR radio stations at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Dimension X was an anthology science-fiction series, originally aired from 1950-1951. This program dealt with more "adult" oriented themes like death, religion and science, war, politics and the moral issues of human being in regards to their place in the universe. Many the episodes were adapted from stories by the prominent science fiction writers of the era, for example, Kurt Vonnegut and Ray Bradbury. - Thank you for listening, consider a donation to help keep the OTR radio stations commercial-free: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jared.day.oldtimeradio - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 - Find all the podcasts here @ Spreaker.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Adventures, Time and Space told me Future the National Broadcasting Company,
(00:26):
in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction,
bring you dimension X. My name is Donald Hayson, private investigator.
(00:51):
Have you heard about me? I cracked the Turner kidnapping
back in nineteen forty six. It wasn't very hard. I
paid off a few stool pigeons and went right to
the hideouts. It did my reputation a lot of good, though,
enough good for me to be called into the Mayor's
office down at City Hall to see big Mike Flier
to himself. Yeah, sit down, Hishan, sit down. Thanks you
(01:11):
net to forgive me for speaking so low. That's a
bad case of laryngitis. Yes, it's dish Haitian. I had
been a fool. You didn't get to be mayor of
a city like this by being a fool. You know,
when you get older, you wanna believe a lot of things.
You wanna believe so hard that sometimes you throw your
common sense right.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Out of the window.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
You get hardening at their crany lartery to become stupid.
What's the church, mister mayor? You didn't call me in
and discuss the philosophy of growing old gracefully. Hasten. I
want you to do some investigating for me. Uh. Naturally,
it must be confidential. This is a confidential business, all right.
Yesterday man came into his offictions old me a violent
(01:53):
of radioactive water that he called the Nixer of life.
I supposed to cure you of any disease and keep
you healthy enough so you live a hundred years. It's
not my business, mister mayor. But how much did you
drop on this gold breaking It's see about fifty thousand dollars?
(02:14):
Mm you uh, you don't seem the type somehow, and
give them a little closers. And we did tell you something.
My political opponents would give their right arms to know.
This sh isn't glaringitis. It isn't. It's inaccessible for surgerty.
(02:34):
It's rasy and be dangerous. How much time I have
left I don't know. But I live like a man
who's going to the chair, Hasten. If I want a vacation,
I pack up and go.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I want a drink, I take one.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
If somebody comes to me with a vial of liquid
and sassy to keep me alive, I think twice before
I throw him out as a crack mark. What do
you want me to do get your money back? Uh?
Money isn't important. You mean, if the loyal opposition got
all of the story, they could use it against you
at fiderflation. However, you don't have the whole picture yet.
(03:07):
Shortly after I bought the stuff, I received an anonymous
phone call. I was warned not to take it. I
was told it was poison and would kill me in
the matter of seconds. Ah, the plot thicket, and you
can appreciate my position. And I feel like a man
who can either save his life or destroy himself by
taking that stuff. Well, the phone call might be a hoax, es,
(03:30):
and so might the elixir of life. Uh, very likely.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
What he want me to do about it?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Investigate the man who sold it to me, find out
who was behind him, what he knows, where it goes,
nothing else. I want that fifty grand back. What's in
it for me?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
A grand if.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
He's on the level, ten percent? If you get the
door back, deil deal. He's a vial.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
And he is his card.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Uh h Arthur C. Lehman Longevity exper forty five billings cause. Okay,
mister Mayor, you got yourself a boy. I leave your
working name and phone number with my secretary. I'll have
it right. I'll call you.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Uh, you were in there a long time.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
How'd you make out? Swell? I bought the outer drive
for only ten bucks on the cost of Meilee.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
That's kind of high. Last week we were selling it
for only five.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I'm sorry, I've been listening to too many detective programs.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It isn't polite to stare.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I was just wondering what your name was.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Sign on the desk, says Katherina Cooper.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I'll call you, Kathy. Oh, I'm supposed to leave my
name and phone number. Go ahead. The name is Donald Hasten.
But then you knew that, Honey, you've been listening to
the mayor call me by it for the last half hour.
You forgot to shut off the intercom switch. Big Mike's
getting kind of careless, isn't he? Wh a look on
(05:06):
her face that she was feeding me to the Vulture's
piece by piece. I left my card and walk out.
By the time I got home, it was dusk. It
was the time of early evening when every bachelor wishes
he wasn't, especially after meeting.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
A girl like Kathy.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
The phone began to ring just as I put my
key in the laddh I made it on the fourth ring. Hello,
mister Dono, I live alone and don't like it. Were
you expecting someone else dance? This is a warning, mister
horsank hop her. I'm sorry, but I don't like to
(05:43):
sleep on the floor. The joys of being a private
to take the Oh hello, Jacko, ha.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
How's my boy ad checked?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Good? Awhile uh Jacko. Will be glad you're not a
private detect it with all kinds of track pots calling
you up and trying to get your goat. Ah. I
sometimes I wish I had shaggy ears like you, though
I couldn't hear them.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Come, boy, come on in the bedroom for a change
or something coming.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Right? Boy? You want to go out? You just wait
until I sit down here and get these shoes. Hey, hey, there,
don't jump on that bed spread, you know that. Jocko jocko.
Oh god, the bedspread closed down in the way of
(06:38):
venus fly trap closes on a fly. When I looked
more closely, I saw that the bedspread had silvery threads
of fine spring steel woven into it. It had been
set like a bed trap the spring shut and strangle
anything that touched it. Somebody wanted to get rid of
me pretty badly, somebody to whom I had suddenly become
very dangerous. Instead, they got Jocko, my poor little Jocko.
(07:06):
I decided to take a fast drive over the billing's
court to see Arthur Layman. Mochevity experts. Uh uh, I'm
looking for mister Lehman's office and the generator.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
He didn't need to explain.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
It isn't dead, and Mr Lehman, isn't it. I just
said I was looking for his office. Oh it is.
It takes too now, I'm really a vacuum cleaner salesman.
I just had these credentials print it up for fun
here by a wife a muskrat coat at tension in money.
I just keep this little strip as far as it
I'm up. The four strips re aanks. Yeah, let's see.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Now I ought to have had one that's that say, yeah, uh,
there should be a light switch somewhere.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Let's see if I can, perhaps I can be of
assistant looking for someone. Mister lamon Eh janitor told me
you weren't in, So I.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Will pick the luck.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yes, I hope you don't mind, not at all, if
you had put down the gun.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I like to hold it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
It gives me a feeling of power. Now, mister Hayson,
mister Hasten, if you will tell me just who you
are and what you're doing here, I couldn't sleep my
dad had a dead dog in it. I thought I
should consult a health experts. Who sent you? Nobody sent me.
I'm like topsy, I just grogged. I'd like to keep
on going, mister Lamon. I don't like people trying to
(08:41):
kill me, and I don't like people killing my dog.
What it makes you think I would try to kill
you just uh. If I really wanted to kill you,
I could do it right now, perfectly legally.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Since you broke in, I'd be hard to frow.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Fortunately for you, mister Hasten, I don't have the faintest
interest in trying to kill you on the country.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
It was I telephoned and warned you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
About that bit.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know about that phone call dial two?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I need it. What's the pitch, mister Layman. I can't
tell you what the pitch is, mister Haston, but I
will tell you this. Give that vial of liquid back
to clarity. And let him cure himself or poison himself
or or mister Lamon, I wasn't born yesterday. I'll give
me this elixir a lifestoff. There ain't no such thing.
And don't try to top me off this case by
(09:26):
pretending you're on my size to Hasten, I warn you
you're playing around with something much too big for you
to handle. That file is the only one of its
kind in existence today. The liquid it contains will cure
Flarersy if he drinks it. You know, I've seen lots
of carnival men peddling flucum and inksticks. But you're good.
You almost convince me, almost, but not quite. A very
(09:46):
stubborn fool, mister Haston, give back that fifty grand and
I'll become very unstubborn. I have a suggestion I'll that
you do. Why don't you siphon off the tiniest drop
of that elixir and have it tested.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
On, say a rabbit.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Then if it's non poisonous, you can go back to
Flarersy and have him drinking. And while we're probing its
carmel water, you're on a fast boat out of Mongolia
with fifty g's. Come with me where to a reputable
biological laboratory?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Any one you choose.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Suppose I don't wanna play, then I'll kill you. You
will feel my guard against your side, So don't try anything.
Shall we go 'em before we do? Just one thing? Well,
if you didn't try to kill me.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Who did? Who else knew about it?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Nobody? Nobody except Flowerdy, you, me, and.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
And Flerdy's secretary. Shall we go to HISTI?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
What is you say? Who do you think would make
such a taste? Of course we would meet him drinking
a beast CC and we didn't take the guinea pig,
and then we'd have to weaken go see? How long
would it take?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Twenty four?
Speaker 1 (11:02):
I was at least ok care.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
How much fifty dollars?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
My friend? Will payer go?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Faith?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Yet? The gentleman holy jumping sunfish? He said, Look, you
saw me come in with a guy just.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
A minute ago, didn't you, Yes, sir, that he left
when you started talking to me?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Isn't that just dandy?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
He's something wrong?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Nothing much? You know what Barnham said about one being
born every minute? Yes? Oh he was talking about me.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
How did I get gone?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yes? Oh sir?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
What about that?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Tis? Oh? Trash poor. You might as well do it
just for laughs. Send the report on the bill that
Donald Hasten, private investigator, cater Building.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yes, sir, I know there wasn't much point in going
back after Layman.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
He was probably well on his way by this time.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
It was an all around.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Pony's story from beginning to end. But still somewhere hanging
around the edges of my brain was a funny kind
of hunch. If Layman had wanted to kill me, then
who called me up to warm me? Laming himself? Why
it didn't? I stopped to look up an address in
the phone book, and then I invested ten cents a Hello, Gobby, Yeah,
(12:19):
this is a Sherlock. Oh, I'm glad glad that you called.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean I I wanted to apologize to you for
eaves dropping this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Why don't you do it over a cup of coffee.
I have to talk to you hit very late, sweep
late tomorrow. Please all right, Well, I meet you. There's
a coffee shop New York place. I'll be there in
fifteen minutes. She came in wearing a blue nylon dress
(12:48):
and a short gray jacket. They went real well with
their blue eyes and soft blond hair. She seemed genuinely
happy to see me. It threw me for a few seconds,
and then I reminded myself I had already won the
pt Bonham Award once that night. I said out, Kathy,
(13:09):
what is this?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Do you know a man named Arthur ce Layman?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Am I supposed to?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I refresh your memory? I had to talk with his
honor about him.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Look, I used to have a little Scotch Terrier named Jocko.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
We liked each other.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
He used to lick my hand. All I want to
know is are you mixed.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Up in it?
Speaker 1 (13:29):
What goes on?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
I don't know anything about it.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Listen, Kathy. Maybe I'm getting sentimental in my old age.
But for a moment there when you walked in, I
thought you seemed genuinely glad to see me. Was it
because you were glad I was still alive? Come on, give.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Don I like you. You're a nice guy. Why don't
you let it alone? Call lady and turned down the assignment,
given back his vile and tell him you're not interested
in finding Layman?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Would you do it? If you want to help me
so much, why not tell me what it's all about?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I can't. I'd like to, but I can't. I told
you too much.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Nobody's got you real scared, honey, Who is it? You're
too nice a girl to be mixed up in this
garbage with a guy like Layman. Come on, tell me.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Shit, just leave that.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Please get out of it now before it's too late.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Okay, honey, you can fly it that way if you want.
But to me, it's a sin as a bowl of
restaurant soup. Poor Jocko knew something and couldn't tell me.
You know something, and you won't tell me good night.
(14:34):
I didn't go home. I spent the night in a
local YMCA, and I didn't sleep very well. It went
around and around in my brain like a squirrel in
a cage, but it didn't add up to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
When it came out.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
In the morning, I went straight to my office and
locked myself in with a bottle of gin. By ten
o'clock I had decided to quit the job. But before
I could call Floherty and tell him, a phone rang.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
I had bas you got it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
This is not a Gregory in the base. Are much
of lepartize? If you want the money? He isn't about
the money. What's up, Miss dayson, Do you have the
formula that to see him? You gave me? No. I
know a guy who might, but he's an out of
Mongolia by now. Why but I've never seen anything quite
like it. I don't know if it's just a freak
of faith.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
What happened with that tink that dias guinea pig?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Midas? Wait, he completely recovered in twelve hours. Not only
that's mistass, but there is not a trace of the malignancy.
That pig looks healthy enough to live another hundred years.
I could feel a sweat soaking into my under shirt
(15:44):
as I put down the receiver.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Where do we go from?
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Here? Was Layman on the level? After all? The next
stop was Layman's office. Maybe he wasn't in out of Mongolia.
It was noon before I got there. Yeah, the same
janitor was on duty and the same dirty lobby. Hello
that Ali? I want something? Layman?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Who Layman?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I'm gonna heard of him. I'll wait a minute, Junior,
you'll remember me last night five Bucks, real office, first floor.
I don't know what you're talking about, Miss, You want
another five A Junior? Well, this time I don't buy.
Get out of my way? How I listen to mister,
cantlet you're just walk into that off I'm trying to
stop me. If you want to work tomorrow, if there's
nobody in there that office. I don't see about that, Junior,
right now, Holy micerel. I told you, mister, the room
(16:45):
was bare. There were caps on the electrical outlets. Everything
in the room was covered by a six weeks accumulation
of dust that was undisturbed except for the footprints of
the janitor and myself. Yet yesterday there had been a rug, telephones, desk, chairs,
file cabinets.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I checked the door number one BA. That was it, alright.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Then I checked the janitor. He was standing there just
looking stupid. But he looked a little too stupid. I
figured I could make him talk, so I tried an
old trick. I raced inside my hat band, took out
an ordinary pin and jabbed him hard on the arm. Hey, yo,
must sit Jr. Playing out over here on the window ledge. Okay,
(17:30):
I listen. I don't know anything. Maybe you saw something
like this in the movies, Junior. There's this guy, see
a killer, and he sticks another guy with a needle
that has a slow poison on the end of it.
Like I half right in this little glass file. See
it's and.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Only this killer has the antidote.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
If the other guy doesn't talk, it's curtains in one minute.
If he does, the killer will give him the antidotes.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Okay, Junior talk and I.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I don't believe that there's no poison in that pin.
It's a joke. It's up to you, junior. M don't
you feel something different though? Feel your heart speed up
a little from the poison. I listen, I don't know anything.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
It makes you sweat too.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
When it reaches the brain, that's when it really begins
to work. You got thirty seconds to spell, otherwise it
is twenty five seconds. Okay, Okay, she was here. You
give me a hundred dollars to forget us to rent
it the office on there a couple of days ago.
And then last night you said it was moving out,
(18:28):
said I shouldn't mention to anybody that had been here
an hour. Lady was going files furnature at all. Don't
know how I moved all that stuff. I's so fast now,
that's all I know, aust that's all I know. No forgot, said, mister,
give me that stuff. Don't let me just croak, relaxed, Junior,
there was no poison You're alright, a trick, yeah, trick.
Thanks for the information. A trick. It's a trick, he
(18:53):
said it, Chune me. Thanks again. There was mister Haysten again,
right back on the horns of.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
The old dilemma.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
The only thing I knew for sure at this point
was that the serum was apparently not poisonous, and since
my client was most concerned with that, I made my
next stop the office.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Of his honor, Mayor, Big Mike Flaherty. I had the
vial in my coat pocket.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
I love beautiful. Oh, I want to see his honor,
isn't it. I'll go into his office and wait, you can't,
but I can't. Come on in. I want to talk
to you anyway. Come on, shut the door. Huh oh, okay,
I'll shut it. I'll sit. Okay, baby, let's have a
heart to heart conversation.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I see you didn't listen to my warning.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
No I didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
What's more, I found out that this layman character is
on the level about the serum.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
It works.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Found that out too, That's right. It leads me to
an interesting conclusion, Kathy, namely that you're the one who
tried to booby trap me.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
All right, have it your way. What do you intend
to do?
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Well, first, I'm gonna get Flowery that serum and let
him curt.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
You mustn't do that?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Why not? I?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I can't tell you, but you mustn't done. In a
few minutes, Mike said, he'll be here before he comes off.
Have to ask you to give me that serum.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Try again. I don't hear so good. Maybe you'll hear this.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
It works too, So don't try anything.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Well well, so now it comes out okay, Kathy, if
you wanna play that.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Way, go ahead, give me that serum.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Why don't you shoot?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I warn you I may have no choice.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Give it to me. Pull the trigger. Baby your weakening?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Don please don't make me kill you?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Please? What is it? Baby?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
True love or just weak in the need?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You better have that gun? Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Don What can I do?
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And so that's better? What is it? Kathy? He'll no killer?
Tell me what's going on here? Maybe I can help you.
I gotta trust me.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
No, no, I can't believe me. I want you to
guess the primate junction on a washful You wouldn't understand it.
There's no way I could make you understand, only believe, mecid,
cause I love you. You mustn't let Layman succeed in
giving that steer to Mike Flarerty. The consequences would be unimaginable.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Oh, Kathy, you would come to me and level right
at the start. Maybe we could have worked something out.
Maybe i'd be listening to you now. But you're a
little late because I just hurt big Mike. Come into
the outer office. He'll be here in a second.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Don't don't free a man.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
How do you do, Laman? I see she's been trying
to get the vial from you, mister Haston. I was
afraid of that. I came over to make certain that
mister Flaherty has permission to drink the serum. Well that's
very noble of your Laman, but I don't quite understand it.
You have your fifty grand What do you care whether
Mike Flaherty lives or die? Mister Haston. If Mike Flarity dies,
(21:56):
the opposition candidate will win the next election. That means
a political party were coming to dominance in this city.
The next president would be a representative of that party.
I am most anxious to see that that does not happen.
The entire future of our country. Indeed, the history of
the world would be affected by it.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
He's telling the truth down, but events must be allowed
to take their normal course.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
I don't listen to her, Hasten. She's tried to kill
you once. She'd do it again. You know, I'm telling
the truth about that serum. She wants to see Flair
as you die.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Go ahead, ask her. It's true, isn't it, Kathy, you
want Mike Flihery to die.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
You don't understand.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Listen, I'm getting pretty fed up with being tall. I
don't understand understand what. I understand that in the past
twenty four hours somebody tried to kill me. I understand
that Layman's serum will cure a guinea pigan, probably a human.
I understand that, unless I'm completely insane, the entire contents
of Layman's office vanished in a few minutes. I understand
that you, too, seem to be more concerned with some nonsense.
It's going to take place in the future, and it's
(22:56):
good holy smoke. Oh no, no, it's too fantastic, just
too fantastic to even think about something troubling you. Mister Haston.
Perhaps I can help you. Perhaps you can. Layman, I'm
going to ask you just one question, very well, when
(23:23):
are you from? That?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Does it?
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Mister Layman, I've.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Guessed your game. I'm afraid you have. Mister Hasten, I am,
as you surmise, a traveler from the future, and since
you stumbled upon it, perhaps Ms Cooper here would like
to fill in her part of the story. But before
she does, up your hands, both of you higher if
(23:51):
a move, I'll particular fat gone, mister Haston. Oh, miss Cooper,
you may enlighten our backward friends. Go ahead, Cathy.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Both Layman and myself are from the future.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Don Why didn't you tell me?
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I couldn't. The prime injunction to t time travelers is
never to reveal their identity. The penalty is death. Since
you've guessed it, as we feared you might, there's no
point in trying to conceal anything further.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Go on.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Mister Lehman's a fugitive from the era in which we live.
Using one of our time machines, he came back to
your time, and he sought to change things so that
he'd be in a position of great power in the future.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
How do you figure to do that?
Speaker 3 (24:32):
If he lives long enough, he could dominate the political picture.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
In America.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All those rights.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Except in one detail, Miss Cooper sat, he will not survive.
He will live only long enough to gain a position
of political dominance. Then I will remove him, and my
own ancestor will take over the reigns of power, leaving
them eventually to me. I care it now, But there's.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
One thing that bothers me.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Who was trying to kill me?
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I was, you see, I was sent here to track
down Layman. I set that spring before I met you,
so this h flardy hired you.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
To help him.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
I did it on orders from the Council. They were
afraid you'd be successful in saving Flarerdy's life.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Then, unfortunately, I I.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Fell in love with you and couldn't go through with it.
I called and warned you.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
You took credit for that, Layman.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I wanted to have missed you on my side. Mister Haston, However,
it makes.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
A little difference at this point, since you know the
entire story, I had a little choice. Now do you
think you can get away with this? I believe I can,
mister Haston. There are two of us here all your clients.
By the time mister flier To he returns to his office,
there will be only one myself.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
But by mister Hasten, it has.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Been a please, not without a fight. You down. Not
many people know how it feels to be shot in
the correct I saw Kathy jump toward the desk and
push a button I hadn't noticed before. I remember a
fund as if I'd been sandbagged, and then watching an
(26:13):
amazement at the crimson spread down the front of my shirt,
and there was a loud, roaring noise and everything went black.
I died.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Don't try to move down. Uh, don't move yet.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
It will take a few minutes for you to feel
like yourself.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Uh. Well, I.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Only jumping the sunfisher. I'm sitting in Flyday's office.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
The blood was blood in my shirt and it's gone now.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Yeah, here, drinks it.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I I don't understand. I been dreaming. It's the whole thing,
nothing but a nightmare.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
But it it. It seemed so real that there was a.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Man named Layman. He he pointed a gun at my
head and shot me. I I felt it. I tell you,
I felt it.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Don don listen to me. Listen carefully. There isn't much time.
And please, darling, please this time, believe me.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Listen, go ahead. You were in this room. Layman did
shoot you.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
He he killed you.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
You're insane.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
No, What he didn't know was that this office is
a time machine. We rigged it that way, hoping to
trap him here and take him back to future time.
When I saw he was about to shoot you, I
jumped through the swish that sets the machine into reverse.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
We went back into the past.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Before he killed you. That's where you are now. It's
only a few minutes before Layman is going to knock
on that door and come into the office.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
But it's too fantastic to believe you. What can I do?
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Makes a bar Make it now before Layman gets here,
and then when he comes, get the.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Jump on him.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Since you're the one who went back in time, you'll remember,
but Lamon won't.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
What will happen to us?
Speaker 3 (28:03):
They'll appeal to the council. Perhaps they'll let us stay together.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
I can't make my brain believe this cat.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
You must dine down for your own sake, for the
future sake, breaks the vile now in a moment.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
It'll be too late. I don't know Cathy clarity is
life depends on this little glass bottle, and please, can you.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Got to the side now?
Speaker 1 (28:24):
No quick, thank god, Come in, misster Lemon, We're ready
for you. You've just heard another adventure into the unknown
(28:53):
world of the future. The world of Dimension X is
presented each week by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation
with Street and Smith, publishers of the magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Today,
(29:18):
Dimension X has presented untitled story from the current issue
of Astounding Science Fiction. It was written for radio by
George Lefferts from the story by Frank M.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Robinson.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Featured in the cast where George Petrie has hastened and
Sergeant as Kathy, Bernard Lenrow as layman. Your host was
Norman Row. Music by Albert Kurman. Dimension X is produced
by William Welch and directed by fred Way Dragnet. The
(29:56):
Story of Your Police Force is next on NBC.
Adventures, Time and Space told me Future the National Broadcasting Company,
(00:26):
in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction,
bring you dimension X. My name is Donald Hayson, private investigator.
(00:51):
Have you heard about me? I cracked the Turner kidnapping
back in nineteen forty six. It wasn't very hard. I
paid off a few stool pigeons and went right to
the hideouts. It did my reputation a lot of good, though,
enough good for me to be called into the Mayor's
office down at City Hall to see big Mike Flier
to himself. Yeah, sit down, Hishan, sit down. Thanks you
(01:11):
net to forgive me for speaking so low. That's a
bad case of laryngitis. Yes, it's dish Haitian. I had
been a fool. You didn't get to be mayor of
a city like this by being a fool. You know,
when you get older, you wanna believe a lot of things.
You wanna believe so hard that sometimes you throw your
common sense right.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Out of the window.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
You get hardening at their crany lartery to become stupid.
What's the church, mister mayor? You didn't call me in
and discuss the philosophy of growing old gracefully. Hasten. I
want you to do some investigating for me. Uh. Naturally,
it must be confidential. This is a confidential business, all right.
Yesterday man came into his offictions old me a violent
(01:53):
of radioactive water that he called the Nixer of life.
I supposed to cure you of any disease and keep
you healthy enough so you live a hundred years. It's
not my business, mister mayor. But how much did you
drop on this gold breaking It's see about fifty thousand dollars?
(02:14):
Mm you uh, you don't seem the type somehow, and
give them a little closers. And we did tell you something.
My political opponents would give their right arms to know.
This sh isn't glaringitis. It isn't. It's inaccessible for surgerty.
(02:34):
It's rasy and be dangerous. How much time I have
left I don't know. But I live like a man
who's going to the chair, Hasten. If I want a vacation,
I pack up and go.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I want a drink, I take one.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
If somebody comes to me with a vial of liquid
and sassy to keep me alive, I think twice before
I throw him out as a crack mark. What do
you want me to do get your money back? Uh?
Money isn't important. You mean, if the loyal opposition got
all of the story, they could use it against you
at fiderflation. However, you don't have the whole picture yet.
(03:07):
Shortly after I bought the stuff, I received an anonymous
phone call. I was warned not to take it. I
was told it was poison and would kill me in
the matter of seconds. Ah, the plot thicket, and you
can appreciate my position. And I feel like a man
who can either save his life or destroy himself by
taking that stuff. Well, the phone call might be a hoax, es,
(03:30):
and so might the elixir of life. Uh, very likely.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
What he want me to do about it?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Investigate the man who sold it to me, find out
who was behind him, what he knows, where it goes,
nothing else. I want that fifty grand back. What's in
it for me?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
A grand if.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
He's on the level, ten percent? If you get the
door back, deil deal. He's a vial.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
And he is his card.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Uh h Arthur C. Lehman Longevity exper forty five billings cause. Okay,
mister Mayor, you got yourself a boy. I leave your
working name and phone number with my secretary. I'll have
it right. I'll call you.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Uh, you were in there a long time.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
How'd you make out? Swell? I bought the outer drive
for only ten bucks on the cost of Meilee.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
That's kind of high. Last week we were selling it
for only five.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I'm sorry, I've been listening to too many detective programs.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It isn't polite to stare.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
I was just wondering what your name was.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Sign on the desk, says Katherina Cooper.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
I'll call you, Kathy. Oh, I'm supposed to leave my
name and phone number. Go ahead. The name is Donald Hasten.
But then you knew that, Honey, you've been listening to
the mayor call me by it for the last half hour.
You forgot to shut off the intercom switch. Big Mike's
getting kind of careless, isn't he? Wh a look on
(05:06):
her face that she was feeding me to the Vulture's
piece by piece. I left my card and walk out.
By the time I got home, it was dusk. It
was the time of early evening when every bachelor wishes
he wasn't, especially after meeting.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
A girl like Kathy.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
The phone began to ring just as I put my
key in the laddh I made it on the fourth ring. Hello,
mister Dono, I live alone and don't like it. Were
you expecting someone else dance? This is a warning, mister
horsank hop her. I'm sorry, but I don't like to
(05:43):
sleep on the floor. The joys of being a private
to take the Oh hello, Jacko, ha.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
How's my boy ad checked?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Good? Awhile uh Jacko. Will be glad you're not a
private detect it with all kinds of track pots calling
you up and trying to get your goat. Ah. I
sometimes I wish I had shaggy ears like you, though
I couldn't hear them.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Come, boy, come on in the bedroom for a change
or something coming.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Right? Boy? You want to go out? You just wait
until I sit down here and get these shoes. Hey, hey, there,
don't jump on that bed spread, you know that. Jocko jocko.
Oh god, the bedspread closed down in the way of
(06:38):
venus fly trap closes on a fly. When I looked
more closely, I saw that the bedspread had silvery threads
of fine spring steel woven into it. It had been
set like a bed trap the spring shut and strangle
anything that touched it. Somebody wanted to get rid of
me pretty badly, somebody to whom I had suddenly become
very dangerous. Instead, they got Jocko, my poor little Jocko.
(07:06):
I decided to take a fast drive over the billing's
court to see Arthur Layman. Mochevity experts. Uh uh, I'm
looking for mister Lehman's office and the generator.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
He didn't need to explain.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
It isn't dead, and Mr Lehman, isn't it. I just
said I was looking for his office. Oh it is.
It takes too now, I'm really a vacuum cleaner salesman.
I just had these credentials print it up for fun
here by a wife a muskrat coat at tension in money.
I just keep this little strip as far as it
I'm up. The four strips re aanks. Yeah, let's see.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Now I ought to have had one that's that say, yeah, uh,
there should be a light switch somewhere.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Let's see if I can, perhaps I can be of
assistant looking for someone. Mister lamon Eh janitor told me
you weren't in, So I.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Will pick the luck.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yes, I hope you don't mind, not at all, if
you had put down the gun.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I like to hold it.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
It gives me a feeling of power. Now, mister Hayson,
mister Hasten, if you will tell me just who you
are and what you're doing here, I couldn't sleep my
dad had a dead dog in it. I thought I
should consult a health experts. Who sent you? Nobody sent me.
I'm like topsy, I just grogged. I'd like to keep
on going, mister Lamon. I don't like people trying to
(08:41):
kill me, and I don't like people killing my dog.
What it makes you think I would try to kill
you just uh. If I really wanted to kill you,
I could do it right now, perfectly legally.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Since you broke in, I'd be hard to frow.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Fortunately for you, mister Hasten, I don't have the faintest
interest in trying to kill you on the country.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
It was I telephoned and warned you.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
About that bit.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
You know about that phone call dial two?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
I need it. What's the pitch, mister Layman. I can't
tell you what the pitch is, mister Haston, but I
will tell you this. Give that vial of liquid back
to clarity. And let him cure himself or poison himself
or or mister Lamon, I wasn't born yesterday. I'll give
me this elixir a lifestoff. There ain't no such thing.
And don't try to top me off this case by
(09:26):
pretending you're on my size to Hasten, I warn you
you're playing around with something much too big for you
to handle. That file is the only one of its
kind in existence today. The liquid it contains will cure
Flarersy if he drinks it. You know, I've seen lots
of carnival men peddling flucum and inksticks. But you're good.
You almost convince me, almost, but not quite. A very
(09:46):
stubborn fool, mister Haston, give back that fifty grand and
I'll become very unstubborn. I have a suggestion I'll that
you do. Why don't you siphon off the tiniest drop
of that elixir and have it tested.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
On, say a rabbit.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Then if it's non poisonous, you can go back to
Flarersy and have him drinking. And while we're probing its
carmel water, you're on a fast boat out of Mongolia
with fifty g's. Come with me where to a reputable
biological laboratory?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Any one you choose.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Suppose I don't wanna play, then I'll kill you. You
will feel my guard against your side, So don't try anything.
Shall we go 'em before we do? Just one thing? Well,
if you didn't try to kill me.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Who did? Who else knew about it?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Nobody? Nobody except Flowerdy, you, me, and.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
And Flerdy's secretary. Shall we go to HISTI?
Speaker 1 (10:52):
What is you say? Who do you think would make
such a taste? Of course we would meet him drinking
a beast CC and we didn't take the guinea pig,
and then we'd have to weaken go see? How long
would it take?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Twenty four?
Speaker 1 (11:02):
I was at least ok care.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
How much fifty dollars?
Speaker 1 (11:04):
My friend? Will payer go?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Faith?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Yet? The gentleman holy jumping sunfish? He said, Look, you
saw me come in with a guy just.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
A minute ago, didn't you, Yes, sir, that he left
when you started talking to me?
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Isn't that just dandy?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
He's something wrong?
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Nothing much? You know what Barnham said about one being
born every minute? Yes? Oh he was talking about me.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
How did I get gone?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yes? Oh sir?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
What about that?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Tis? Oh? Trash poor. You might as well do it
just for laughs. Send the report on the bill that
Donald Hasten, private investigator, cater Building.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yes, sir, I know there wasn't much point in going
back after Layman.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
He was probably well on his way by this time.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
It was an all around.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Pony's story from beginning to end. But still somewhere hanging
around the edges of my brain was a funny kind
of hunch. If Layman had wanted to kill me, then
who called me up to warm me? Laming himself? Why
it didn't? I stopped to look up an address in
the phone book, and then I invested ten cents a Hello, Gobby, Yeah,
(12:19):
this is a Sherlock. Oh, I'm glad glad that you called.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I mean I I wanted to apologize to you for
eaves dropping this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Why don't you do it over a cup of coffee.
I have to talk to you hit very late, sweep
late tomorrow. Please all right, Well, I meet you. There's
a coffee shop New York place. I'll be there in
fifteen minutes. She came in wearing a blue nylon dress
(12:48):
and a short gray jacket. They went real well with
their blue eyes and soft blond hair. She seemed genuinely
happy to see me. It threw me for a few seconds,
and then I reminded myself I had already won the
pt Bonham Award once that night. I said out, Kathy,
(13:09):
what is this?
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Do you know a man named Arthur ce Layman?
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Am I supposed to?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
I refresh your memory? I had to talk with his
honor about him.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Look, I used to have a little Scotch Terrier named Jocko.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
We liked each other.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
He used to lick my hand. All I want to
know is are you mixed.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Up in it?
Speaker 1 (13:29):
What goes on?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
I don't know anything about it.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Listen, Kathy. Maybe I'm getting sentimental in my old age.
But for a moment there when you walked in, I
thought you seemed genuinely glad to see me. Was it
because you were glad I was still alive? Come on, give.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Don I like you. You're a nice guy. Why don't
you let it alone? Call lady and turned down the assignment,
given back his vile and tell him you're not interested
in finding Layman?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Would you do it? If you want to help me
so much, why not tell me what it's all about?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I can't. I'd like to, but I can't. I told
you too much.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Nobody's got you real scared, honey, Who is it? You're
too nice a girl to be mixed up in this
garbage with a guy like Layman. Come on, tell me.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Shit, just leave that.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Please get out of it now before it's too late.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Okay, honey, you can fly it that way if you want.
But to me, it's a sin as a bowl of
restaurant soup. Poor Jocko knew something and couldn't tell me.
You know something, and you won't tell me good night.
(14:34):
I didn't go home. I spent the night in a
local YMCA, and I didn't sleep very well. It went
around and around in my brain like a squirrel in
a cage, but it didn't add up to anything.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
When it came out.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
In the morning, I went straight to my office and
locked myself in with a bottle of gin. By ten
o'clock I had decided to quit the job. But before
I could call Floherty and tell him, a phone rang.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
I had bas you got it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
This is not a Gregory in the base. Are much
of lepartize? If you want the money? He isn't about
the money. What's up, Miss dayson, Do you have the
formula that to see him? You gave me? No. I
know a guy who might, but he's an out of
Mongolia by now. Why but I've never seen anything quite
like it. I don't know if it's just a freak
of faith.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
What happened with that tink that dias guinea pig?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Midas? Wait, he completely recovered in twelve hours. Not only
that's mistass, but there is not a trace of the malignancy.
That pig looks healthy enough to live another hundred years.
I could feel a sweat soaking into my under shirt
(15:44):
as I put down the receiver.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Where do we go from?
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Here? Was Layman on the level? After all? The next
stop was Layman's office. Maybe he wasn't in out of Mongolia.
It was noon before I got there. Yeah, the same
janitor was on duty and the same dirty lobby. Hello
that Ali? I want something? Layman?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Who Layman?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I'm gonna heard of him. I'll wait a minute, Junior,
you'll remember me last night five Bucks, real office, first floor.
I don't know what you're talking about, Miss, You want
another five A Junior? Well, this time I don't buy.
Get out of my way? How I listen to mister,
cantlet you're just walk into that off I'm trying to
stop me. If you want to work tomorrow, if there's
nobody in there that office. I don't see about that, Junior,
right now, Holy micerel. I told you, mister, the room
(16:45):
was bare. There were caps on the electrical outlets. Everything
in the room was covered by a six weeks accumulation
of dust that was undisturbed except for the footprints of
the janitor and myself. Yet yesterday there had been a rug, telephones, desk, chairs,
file cabinets.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
I checked the door number one BA. That was it, alright.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Then I checked the janitor. He was standing there just
looking stupid. But he looked a little too stupid. I
figured I could make him talk, so I tried an
old trick. I raced inside my hat band, took out
an ordinary pin and jabbed him hard on the arm. Hey, yo,
must sit Jr. Playing out over here on the window ledge. Okay,
(17:30):
I listen. I don't know anything. Maybe you saw something
like this in the movies, Junior. There's this guy, see
a killer, and he sticks another guy with a needle
that has a slow poison on the end of it.
Like I half right in this little glass file. See
it's and.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Only this killer has the antidote.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
If the other guy doesn't talk, it's curtains in one minute.
If he does, the killer will give him the antidotes.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Okay, Junior talk and I.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
I don't believe that there's no poison in that pin.
It's a joke. It's up to you, junior. M don't
you feel something different though? Feel your heart speed up
a little from the poison. I listen, I don't know anything.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
It makes you sweat too.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
When it reaches the brain, that's when it really begins
to work. You got thirty seconds to spell, otherwise it
is twenty five seconds. Okay, Okay, she was here. You
give me a hundred dollars to forget us to rent
it the office on there a couple of days ago.
And then last night you said it was moving out,
(18:28):
said I shouldn't mention to anybody that had been here
an hour. Lady was going files furnature at all. Don't
know how I moved all that stuff. I's so fast now,
that's all I know, aust that's all I know. No forgot, said, mister,
give me that stuff. Don't let me just croak, relaxed, Junior,
there was no poison You're alright, a trick, yeah, trick.
Thanks for the information. A trick. It's a trick, he
(18:53):
said it, Chune me. Thanks again. There was mister Haysten again,
right back on the horns of.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
The old dilemma.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
The only thing I knew for sure at this point
was that the serum was apparently not poisonous, and since
my client was most concerned with that, I made my
next stop the office.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Of his honor, Mayor, Big Mike Flaherty. I had the
vial in my coat pocket.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
I love beautiful. Oh, I want to see his honor,
isn't it. I'll go into his office and wait, you can't,
but I can't. Come on in. I want to talk
to you anyway. Come on, shut the door. Huh oh, okay,
I'll shut it. I'll sit. Okay, baby, let's have a
heart to heart conversation.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I see you didn't listen to my warning.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
No I didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
What's more, I found out that this layman character is
on the level about the serum.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
It works.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Found that out too, That's right. It leads me to
an interesting conclusion, Kathy, namely that you're the one who
tried to booby trap me.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
All right, have it your way. What do you intend
to do?
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Well, first, I'm gonna get Flowery that serum and let
him curt.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
You mustn't do that?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Why not? I?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I can't tell you, but you mustn't done. In a
few minutes, Mike said, he'll be here before he comes off.
Have to ask you to give me that serum.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
Try again. I don't hear so good. Maybe you'll hear this.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
It works too, So don't try anything.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Well well, so now it comes out okay, Kathy, if
you wanna play that.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Way, go ahead, give me that serum.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Why don't you shoot?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I warn you I may have no choice.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
Give it to me. Pull the trigger. Baby your weakening?
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Don please don't make me kill you?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Please? What is it? Baby?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
True love or just weak in the need?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You better have that gun? Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Don What can I do?
Speaker 1 (20:48):
And so that's better? What is it? Kathy? He'll no killer?
Tell me what's going on here? Maybe I can help you.
I gotta trust me.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
No, no, I can't believe me. I want you to
guess the primate junction on a washful You wouldn't understand it.
There's no way I could make you understand, only believe, mecid,
cause I love you. You mustn't let Layman succeed in
giving that steer to Mike Flarerty. The consequences would be unimaginable.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Oh, Kathy, you would come to me and level right
at the start. Maybe we could have worked something out.
Maybe i'd be listening to you now. But you're a
little late because I just hurt big Mike. Come into
the outer office. He'll be here in a second.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Don't don't free a man.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
How do you do, Laman? I see she's been trying
to get the vial from you, mister Haston. I was
afraid of that. I came over to make certain that
mister Flaherty has permission to drink the serum. Well that's
very noble of your Laman, but I don't quite understand it.
You have your fifty grand What do you care whether
Mike Flaherty lives or die? Mister Haston. If Mike Flarity dies,
(21:56):
the opposition candidate will win the next election. That means
a political party were coming to dominance in this city.
The next president would be a representative of that party.
I am most anxious to see that that does not happen.
The entire future of our country. Indeed, the history of
the world would be affected by it.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
He's telling the truth down, but events must be allowed
to take their normal course.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
I don't listen to her, Hasten. She's tried to kill
you once. She'd do it again. You know, I'm telling
the truth about that serum. She wants to see Flair
as you die.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Go ahead, ask her. It's true, isn't it, Kathy, you
want Mike Flihery to die.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
You don't understand.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Listen, I'm getting pretty fed up with being tall. I
don't understand understand what. I understand that in the past
twenty four hours somebody tried to kill me. I understand
that Layman's serum will cure a guinea pigan, probably a human.
I understand that, unless I'm completely insane, the entire contents
of Layman's office vanished in a few minutes. I understand
that you, too, seem to be more concerned with some nonsense.
It's going to take place in the future, and it's
(22:56):
good holy smoke. Oh no, no, it's too fantastic, just
too fantastic to even think about something troubling you. Mister Haston.
Perhaps I can help you. Perhaps you can. Layman, I'm
going to ask you just one question, very well, when
(23:23):
are you from? That?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Does it?
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Mister Layman, I've.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Guessed your game. I'm afraid you have. Mister Hasten, I am,
as you surmise, a traveler from the future, and since
you stumbled upon it, perhaps Ms Cooper here would like
to fill in her part of the story. But before
she does, up your hands, both of you higher if
(23:51):
a move, I'll particular fat gone, mister Haston. Oh, miss Cooper,
you may enlighten our backward friends. Go ahead, Cathy.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Both Layman and myself are from the future.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Don Why didn't you tell me?
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I couldn't. The prime injunction to t time travelers is
never to reveal their identity. The penalty is death. Since
you've guessed it, as we feared you might, there's no
point in trying to conceal anything further.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Go on.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Mister Lehman's a fugitive from the era in which we live.
Using one of our time machines, he came back to
your time, and he sought to change things so that
he'd be in a position of great power in the future.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
How do you figure to do that?
Speaker 3 (24:32):
If he lives long enough, he could dominate the political picture.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
In America.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All those rights.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Except in one detail, Miss Cooper sat, he will not survive.
He will live only long enough to gain a position
of political dominance. Then I will remove him, and my
own ancestor will take over the reigns of power, leaving
them eventually to me. I care it now, But there's.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
One thing that bothers me.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Who was trying to kill me?
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I was, you see, I was sent here to track
down Layman. I set that spring before I met you,
so this h flardy hired you.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
To help him.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
I did it on orders from the Council. They were
afraid you'd be successful in saving Flarerdy's life.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Then, unfortunately, I I.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Fell in love with you and couldn't go through with it.
I called and warned you.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
You took credit for that, Layman.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
I wanted to have missed you on my side. Mister Haston, However,
it makes.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
A little difference at this point, since you know the
entire story, I had a little choice. Now do you
think you can get away with this? I believe I can,
mister Haston. There are two of us here all your clients.
By the time mister flier To he returns to his office,
there will be only one myself.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
But by mister Hasten, it has.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Been a please, not without a fight. You down. Not
many people know how it feels to be shot in
the correct I saw Kathy jump toward the desk and
push a button I hadn't noticed before. I remember a
fund as if I'd been sandbagged, and then watching an
(26:13):
amazement at the crimson spread down the front of my shirt,
and there was a loud, roaring noise and everything went black.
I died.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Don't try to move down. Uh, don't move yet.
Speaker 1 (26:33):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
It will take a few minutes for you to feel
like yourself.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Uh. Well, I.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Only jumping the sunfisher. I'm sitting in Flyday's office.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
The blood was blood in my shirt and it's gone now.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Yeah, here, drinks it.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I I don't understand. I been dreaming. It's the whole thing,
nothing but a nightmare.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
But it it. It seemed so real that there was a.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Man named Layman. He he pointed a gun at my
head and shot me. I I felt it. I tell you,
I felt it.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Don don listen to me. Listen carefully. There isn't much time.
And please, darling, please this time, believe me.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Listen, go ahead. You were in this room. Layman did
shoot you.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
He he killed you.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
You're insane.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
No, What he didn't know was that this office is
a time machine. We rigged it that way, hoping to
trap him here and take him back to future time.
When I saw he was about to shoot you, I
jumped through the swish that sets the machine into reverse.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
We went back into the past.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Before he killed you. That's where you are now. It's
only a few minutes before Layman is going to knock
on that door and come into the office.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
But it's too fantastic to believe you. What can I do?
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Makes a bar Make it now before Layman gets here,
and then when he comes, get the.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Jump on him.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Since you're the one who went back in time, you'll remember,
but Lamon won't.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
What will happen to us?
Speaker 3 (28:03):
They'll appeal to the council. Perhaps they'll let us stay together.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
I can't make my brain believe this cat.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
You must dine down for your own sake, for the
future sake, breaks the vile now in a moment.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
It'll be too late. I don't know Cathy clarity is
life depends on this little glass bottle, and please, can you.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Got to the side now?
Speaker 1 (28:24):
No quick, thank god, Come in, misster Lemon, We're ready
for you. You've just heard another adventure into the unknown
(28:53):
world of the future. The world of Dimension X is
presented each week by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation
with Street and Smith, publishers of the magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Today,
(29:18):
Dimension X has presented untitled story from the current issue
of Astounding Science Fiction. It was written for radio by
George Lefferts from the story by Frank M.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Robinson.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Featured in the cast where George Petrie has hastened and
Sergeant as Kathy, Bernard Lenrow as layman. Your host was
Norman Row. Music by Albert Kurman. Dimension X is produced
by William Welch and directed by fred Way Dragnet. The
(29:56):
Story of Your Police Force is next on NBC.
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