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Fenton......................George Sanders
Hamid.......................Michael Pate
The Sister..................Susan Flannery

I don't spy on friends.--Lee Crane

On a city street, a young woman screams as she fights off her attacker, pushing him through a window. She runs as he climbs out and resumes his pursuit but stops as she approaches a passing car and pleads with its driver for help. The driver tells her to get in the car, assuring her he'll take care of her. He looks at her through the open window, telling her she has a smudge on her face and leaning forward to wipe it with a folded handkerchief--then pressing the drugged handkerchief to her face until she passes out. He opens her purse, pulling out her passport, then takes a phone from his car, confirming to the person on the other end that they have Admiral Nelson's sister.

The Seaview is at sea. Nelson, in his cabin, looks at a passport, the same one used as identification by the man who kidnapped the woman. Crane knocks and enters, telling him they'll be docking in fifteen minutes, and asks if he has any instructions for the crew while he's ashore. Nelson replies that the Western Alliance inspection team will be bringing the detection navigator on board at 0700 tomorrow; if he isn't back by then, post an armed guard and try to keep the two gentlemen entertained. Crane stoops to pick up the passport, inadvertently dropped by Nelson, and starts to open it; Nelson, seeing this, gives him a sharp look and angrily snatches it out of his hands. Crane apologizes, as does Nelson, who explains that he's worried because of some news he's had about his sister Edith, who has been in a road accident near Cannes--he doesn't even know yet how badly she's hurt. Crane says he's sorry to hear this; he knows how much she means to him. "She's all the family I have," replies Nelson. Crane asks if there's anything he can do, and Nelson says there's nothing--just take good care of the two WA officers. Crane leaves, and Nelson looks slowly at Edith's passport.

In town, Nelson walks down a street to a small cafe, the Cafe Fleur, and sits at a far table. When the waiter appears, he orders a beer--Alsatian, if they have it. A man rises from a neighboring table--it's the man who kidnapped Edith--and joins Nelson, saying that he heard him speak English to the waiter and asking if he is an American. He offers Nelson a cigarette; when Nelson declines he says he must insist--Nelson is sure to like these, they're Alsatian. Nelson looks at the opened cigarette case, which holds a picture of Edith. Nelson takes out the passport, containing an identical photograph, and asks if he sent it to him. The man says he did, and Nelson asks if his sister is all right. "Patience, Admiral," says the man, telling Nelson she's in safe hands and asking if he understood the message accompanying the passport. Nelson says he did. The waiter brings Nelson his beer, and the man sits back, saying that up until now, many of his people had believed that Nelson was a man of such integrity that he would never under any circumstances betray his country, while others believed that he, like anyone else, had a vulnerable spot. He asks if they have in fact found that spot; "I'm here," says Nelson. "Quite," says the man, " but you betray nothing by your presence beyond a deep concern for your sister's safety." Nelson replies that he doesn't intend to betray anything until he knows his sister is alive and unharmed. The man suggests going somewhere they can talk privately, and Nelson says to lead the way. He leaves and Nelson follows.

Nelson sits blindfolded in a room filled with machinery while the man from the cafe looks on. The man removes the blindfold and asks Nelson if he recognizes the machine in the room. Nelson says he doesn't, but the man doesn't believe him--he goes to a map with a pointer, saying that along each line of longitude is a missile silo buried beneath the sea, and all they need to know from Nelson is the precise location. He points out what a fine deal this is for Nelson--no one will ever know that Nelson has given them this information. Nelson points out that in the event of war, the enemy will be able to neutralize their final strike capability; the man replies that this is only in the event of war--otherwise, no one will ever know. Nelson chuckles, saying that what the man wants him to do sounds very innocent. "You're no fool," says the man, "You're a practical man," adding that one way or another, they'll get the information. Nelson doubts that, since no more than half a dozen men possess it; the man says that they will get the information--the only question is whether they will get it from Nelson or whether he will needlessly sacrifice the life of his sister. Nelson says he makes a strong case; the man replies that they should waste no time and asks for the map. Nelson points out that he has still heard no news of his sister. The man presses a buzzer; two men enter and he orders them to search Nelson. They find only a passport, some letters, and cigarettes. The man throws them down on his desk angrily and tells Nelson he's disobeyed instructions and that will cost his sister her life. Nelson says that he followed the instructions exactly--he has the map. "Then hand it over!" shouts the man. Nelson says he'll give them the map as soon as he knows his sister is safe inside the American consulate--that's his only condition. The man switches on a video telephone and soon Nelson sees his sister and is able to talk to her. She's in a car across the street from the American consulate. Nelson insists he won't give up the map until she is actually inside the consulate; the video camera pulls back to show a man next to Edith, holding a gun on her. The man tells the guard to let Miss Nelson out of the car. She's free to go. She hesitantly leaves the car, and the man tells Nelson it's time for his half of the bargain. He still refuses--not until she is inside--but the man says that as soon as her foot touches the consulate steps, the guard will shoot her unless he countermands the order. Angrily, Nelson breaks a cigarette in half. The man orders the guard to let her go, and Edith enters the consulate. Nelson gives the man the microfilm concealed in the cigarette, and he views it--it's a map showing the locations of all the missile silos in question. He asks Nelson how he knows the marked locations are the true ones; Nelson says he'll have to accept it on faith. The man laughs. He points to the map, indicating the Seaview's location and saying that they are there to do an inspection of the missile sites; "We'll inspect them with you," he says. Nelson says that that won't be possible; they're picking up two experts, and there's no way he can arrange for one of their people to accompany them. The man replies that it's already been taken care of, and that Nelson should keep in mind that his sister is not yet out of danger--she could be killed within the consulate as well. For her sake, he hopes the information is accurate.

On the Seaview, Nelson is at work in the observation nose. Crane enters, bringing in one of the guests, General Fenton. Before Nelson turns to greet him, the general says how glad he is to meet him at last. Nelson stops short, because he recognizes the voice--it's the same man to whom he gave the map. Crane says that the other officer will be there soon. Slowly, Nelson extends his hand and welcomes the general aboard; the general refuses his hand and instead salutes him. Soon Colonel Hamid arrives and is welcomed by Nelson; Hamid asks after Nelson's sister, as does Fenton. Crane explains that he had told Hamid that Nelson had been to see his sister after an accident, and Nelson tells them that she wasn't seriously injured, but was treated near Marseilles. Hamid says how glad he is, as does Fenton, meaningfully.

Later, Nelson shows Fenton a map, describing the way the automatic navigator will guide the ship, so that no one on board will know their true course. Fenton, of course, knows all about this, he and Hamid being the trusted security agents who brought the device on board. Nelson says that he alone has the data needed to decipher the code; he can give Fenton the data so that he can calculate the locations for himself--that way, Fenton will know that the map Nelson gave him is legitimate. Fenton comments on how cooperative Nelson is being; Nelson replies that he is only doing what he is forced to do.

In the control room, Crane and Morton are at work. Hamid rushes in, a look of concern on his face; he says he must talk to Crane immediately. He has received a disturbing message from Marseilles. He glances at Morton, who meets his gaze and returns to his work; Hamid tells Crane that the matter is highly confidential, and Crane leads him out.

Shortly, in the observation nose, Crane throws down Hamid's message; so there is no record of an auto accident near Cannes--so what? Hamid responds that there is also no record of an American woman receiving medical treatment near Marseilles. Crane's opinion is that the French authorities made a mistake; Hamid says that it could also mean that someone was not telling the truth. Angrily, Crane asks why Hamid is telling all this to him--why not talk to the other security agent? Hamid replies that it's their policy to work independently of one another, as a security precaution. "You seem to thrive on suspicion," Crane tells Hamid; Hamid says that he's beginning to suspect that Nelson went ashore yesterday for a reason very different from the one he gave. If he did, says Crane, it was his own business! "With a vital secret at stake?" asks Hamid. He shows Crane a piece of paper, asking if he recognizes the handwriting. Crane looks at it, and says it's from Nelson's sister; he asks where Hamid got it, and Hamid says he took the liberty of going through some of Nelson's papers. Horrified, Crane says he had no right to do that. Hamid says it's his job, and tells Crane to look at the card very carefully. No thanks, says Crane, he'll be returning it to Nelson. Hamid tells him to think about it, and leaves; Crane looks thoughtful and puts the card in his pocket.

Nelson finishes installing the automatic navigator, as Morton looks on; he tells Morton to notify navigation that the ship will be under its control until further notice. He leaves and Crane approaches. Nelson tells him they're approaching the first missile site on automatic. Crane wonders how long they'll stay on automatic; Nelson says fifteen minutes. Crane starts to retrieve the note to give Nelson, then stops and tells him he's just had a strange conversation with Hamid about Edith's accident and the fact that there's no record of it. Nelson says he isn't surprised, the provincial police aren't always the best record-keepers. Crane agrees, but says there's also the matter of the sanitarium where she was treated--Nelson breaks in angrily, saying he will not be cross-examined about his personal affairs by Colonel Hamid or by...anyone else. Crane says it won't happen again; Nelson leaves to get General Fenton, who wanted to observe the procedure. Morton approaches Crane, asking what's wrong with Nelson. Crane says he doesn't know, but whenever someone mentions his sister he blows up. Morton says that it really isn't any of their business, but Crane isn't so sure. Something doesn't add up, he says, and what's Edith doing in Europe anyway? "Touring," says Chip, "it's a popular pastime." Crane shows him the note Hamid gave him--a postcard from Edith to Nelson, saying she's just returned from Europe. The postcard was dated three weeks ago--what is she doing taking another European vacation in less than a month?

Soon, Crane takes notes while Nelson looks into the navigator, saying that the first missile site is checked and the missile found operational. Fenton and Hamid look on, following Nelson from the control room when the procedure is finished. Crane goes to the radio shack, where Sparks is experiencing some interference--someone is using an electronic device on board. He asks if Crane wants a detail to run a trace on it, and Crane says yes, but changes his mind, asking Sparks to give him the portable detector, saying he'll track it down himself.

In his quarters, Nelson talks to Fenton, who says that the first site is indeed where the map indicated. "Congratulations, Admiral," he says, "Your sister's future is beginning to brighten."

Crane walks down the hall with the portable detector, which soon indicates that the source of the interference is near. He opens the door to find Hamid with, as expected, an electronic device. "How's the eavesdropping, Colonel?" he says. Not good at all, says Hamid, asking if Crane would like to try it. Crane refuses, but Hamid insists, and Crane hears only static--with all the machinery on the ship, the device doesn't work. However, Hamid does have news for Crane. An agent in Marseilles saw a woman matching Edith's description entering the American consulate there, at exactly the same time that Nelson claimed to be visiting her in a sanitarium. Crane says that that can easily be checked, and suggests that he might radio the American consulate himself; "Please do," says Hamid, adding that he should request a reply in his personal code.

Soon, Sparks notifies Crane that his reply has arrived, in his personal code. Unfortunately he notifies him over the intercom, and everyone hears it--Fenton, Hamid, and Nelson, all three noting the announcement.

Holding the message, Crane walks down the hall. Coming to a corner, he sees something on the floor and bends to pick it up; when he does so, Nelson hits him over the head, knocking him out and taking the message.

Kowalski discovers Crane and calls sickbay; Crane, coming around, asks Kowalski if he found a message in his hand. Kowalski says no. Crane gets up just as a corpsman, Nelson, Hamid and Fenton arrive and is helped to sickbay by the corpsman and Hamid. Nelson and Fenton walk the other way; Fenton smiles and congratulates Nelson and walks on, while Nelson goes the other way.

Crane leaves sickbay, along with Kowalski and Hamid. He asks Kowalski if he's sure there was no envelope in his hand, but Kowalski is certain. Kowalski leaves, and Hamid questions Crane about the message. He has no idea what it said--he was on his way to his cabin to decode it when he was hit. Then, says Hamid, he must send another inquiry immediately.

In the radio shack, Fenton gives Sparks his security report, telling him to code it and send it as soon as possible. Sparks turns his back to do so, and Fenton drops a small plastic bomb into the radio.

Crane and Hamid enter the control room. Morton asks what happened; "Let's just say I forgot to duck," says Crane, and tells him to notify him when they reach the next set of coordinates. On his way out, Fenton asks if Crane is feeling better. Just then, the radio explodes and Sparks falls from his chair. Crane and Hamid rush to the radio shack; they carry Sparks out, and Crane tells Morton to get a fire detail in there. The fire is soon out but because of the smoke the ship must surface. Nelson rushes in to see what's wrong; Sparks will be fine, but their whole shortwave system is out of commission. Nelson asks Crane where Fenton is; Crane doesn't know, and Nelson tells him to find him and tell him he wants to see him in his cabin right away, alone. He leaves, and Hamid comes up to Crane--surely now he's had enough evidence that something is wrong. If he shuts down as much of the Seaview's machinery as possible, asks Crane, will Hamid's listening device work? Hamid nods. Crane tells Morton to secure all work details and rig for silent running, until further notice. Morton is confused but complies.

In his cabin, Nelson reads Fenton the riot act; Fenton says he did only what had to be done--the message could have exposed them both--but Nelson's concern is for his men. "Regrettable, but I had to act fast," says Fenton.

In the neighboring cabin, Crane is using Hamid's listening device. Hamid, watching, says "No need to ask...I can read it in your face." He asks what they're saying now, and Crane says that Fenton just left for his cabin. Hamid says that he's as shocked about Fenton as Crane is about Nelson--no one would ever have suspected him. Crane says that of course they must abort the mission; after that, he doesn't know. Hamid says that he knows--the men must be arrested and returned to Marseilles. He asks Crane's permission to act, and Crane grants it.

Hamid enters Nelson's cabin and pauses. "Well, Colonel?" says Nelson. Hamid says it is his duty to place Nelson under arrest. Nelson says that this wasn't entirely unexpected, but asks that it be done secretly--no one must know, especially General Fenton. "That would be most convenient, wouldn't it?" says Hamid; he's going to arrest the general as well, and will lock Nelson in his quarters until he has done so. As he turns to leave, Nelson attacks him. They struggle, rolling over Nelson's desk and knocking over a lamp, putting the room in darkness. A long fight ensues, ending with Nelson knocking Hamid out. He exits, leaving the door swinging open, and staggers down the hall. After he passes, Fenton leaves his room and looks down the hall. Nelson gets on the intercom and calls the master at arms to come to his cabin immediately. Fenton returns to his cabin. Nelson returns to his cabin and sees the crewman looking in the doorway. He tells him to lock Hamid up, but the crewman doesn't move; Nelson goes to the doorway, looks in, and sees Crane, who orders the crewman to bring two corpsmen. The crewman leaves, Nelson enters, and Crane closes the door behind him. Crane turns Hamid over to reveal a knife in his back. Slowly, Nelson looks in horror from Hamid to Crane.

A little later, Nelson asks Crane if he actually thinks that he stabbed Hamid. Crane says he doesn't know what to think. Nelson says that Crane has known him a pretty long time--does he believe he did it? He concedes that although a lot of what Crane apparently thinks is true--at least as far as it goes--he did not kill Hamid. He goes to the head and takes a towel to clean his face (he's a bit of a mess from his fight with Hamid) and tells Crane that it was he who hit him and took his message. The message would have told Crane that Edith was not in an auto accident--the truth was that she was kidnapped. And, says Crane, she was released in return for your cooperation. "That's the story," says Nelson. Crane paces a while, then says "That may explain but it doesn't help." Nelson, he says, is still a traitor. No, says Nelson. He insists that he is not a traitor--but everything possible has been done to make it appear that he is. Crane says that he knows how much Edith means to Nelson, and he doesn't know how far Nelson would go to ensure her safety. Nelson chuckles, and tells Crane that his sister is back in the states, safely undercover. An American intelligence agent is in Europe, posing as Nelson's sister. He shows Crane the passport--it's Edith's passport but not her picture. Crane asks about Fenton. He's the key to the whole plan, says Nelson--he's an enemy agent. He doesn't know that the map Nelson gave him was false. Astonished, Crane says that he heard Fenton check the first missile site--how could it be false? Yes, says Nelson, but the rest of the map is wrong--and they have to see to it that Fenton reports to his side that it is true. If the other side believes that they already have the correct missile sites, they'll stop trying to get them. He asks Crane's help--he has to convince Fenton that he believed Nelson's story, that Hamid went berserk and attacked him, and Nelson killed him in self defense. Crane says he will.

In the observation nose, Nelson and Fenton are talking. Fenton says that he can understand the mission being aborted, but he must know how much Crane has been told. Nelson assures him that Crane is entirely in the dark--but Fenton didn't make it any easier by stabbing Hamid. However, Crane believed his story about Hamid attacking him--in fact, Crane said it explained a lot, since Hamid had been telling him that Nelson was not above suspicion. Fenton would have preferred to have checked more than one site, but overall he's satisfied. However, he says, he has been presented with another opportunity--Hamid's death makes it possible for him to get the detection navigator long enough to have it copied. Nelson protests--regulations state that it must be in the custody of two security personnel at all times. It will be, says Fenton--his custody, and Nelson's.

The Seaview approaches Marseilles. Nelson lets Crane into his cabin and locks the door; he asks where Fenton is, and Crane tells him he's in the control room, supervising the removal of the detection navigator. Nelson says that he has to let Fenton take it, but although it makes their job harder, it won't be impossible. Crane says that he has a party ready to follow Nelson and Fenton as they leave the ship; Nelson says that's what they must not do--Fenton must not be made suspicion until after he has made his radio report. Then how, asks Crane, are they to locate Nelson and Fenton? Nelson says he has it all figured out. He pulls out a cigarette, puts it to his mouth and removes it, then asks Crane if he heard anything; Crane says no, and Nelson tells him it's ultrasonic, handing Crane a wristwatch and telling him to watch the dial. He does so as Nelson blows into the cigarette again, and asks why the need for a silent signal. Nelson says he'll send it exactly when Fenton sends his radio message. But how, asks Crane, will they track him? Nelson hands him a pair of sunglasses, takes out a spray can and sprays the soles of his own shoes with it--it's an invisible tracer. Crane puts on the sunglasses and watches as Nelson walks across the floor, leaving glowing footprints; there will be no problem tracking Nelson, as long as he's on foot. They will be, says Nelson. He tells Crane to give him an hour, than go to the Cafe Fleur--Fenton's headquarters is within walking distance, and Crane should be able to follow him easily from there.

That night, Crane arrives at the cafe with Kowalski, Morton, and another crewman, all dressed as sailors. He puts on the glasses and immediately sees Nelson's footprints--until he reaches a puddle of water on the street. They've lost the trail. Crane walks slowly along the street until he comes to a doorway with a single glowing footprint on the stoop. He calls the others over, and they get to work.

Inside, Nelson watches as Fenton receives a message from his superiors acknowledging the accuracy of the map; they compliment Nelson on his work. Nelson takes out his cigarette and puts it to his mouth. Outside, Crane sees the signal and blows a whistle to alert the others it's time to move. He lights the fuse on an explosive Morton had put under the door; Kowalski, goes to the fuse box and smashes it with a crowbar, shorting out the radio inside and setting a fire. Nelson grabs the detection navigator and moves toward the stairs. The unidentified crewman leans through the window and starts shooting Fenton's men, but Fenton shoots him and follows Nelson, accompanied by another henchman. Nelson hides behind a pile of crates on an upper floor. Fenton shouts to him that he'll make him a deal--leave the detection navigator and he'll see that he gets out alive. Nelson replies that he's getting out, with the machine. Fenton tells him that the building has a destruct mechanism--when the fire downstairs reaches a certain temperature, the whole place will go up. "Let it blow," says Nelson, "You're not getting your hands on this again!"

Outside, Crane and Morton are shooting at the door. They break it down, meeting little resistance inside, and rescue Nelson. They barely get out the door before the building explodes.

On the Seaview, Crane and Nelson enter the control room. Crane stops short in front of the reinstalled detection navigator; "The things we went through for you!" he says. Nelson says it was worth it, and they walk over to Morton, who tells Nelson he has a message from his sister--she says she'll meet him for dinner when they get to Santa Barbara. "It's a date," says Nelson. Morton adds that she also asked if he could bring Crane along. "Bring me along?" says Crane, "Are you kidding? The dinner's on me!"