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Dangerous Assignment 49-07-09 001 Relief Supplies
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Dangerous Assignment 49-07-09 001 Relief Supplies
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If you're a maintenance supervisor for a commercial property, you've had to deal with everything from leaky faucets to flickering light bulbs. But nothing's worse than that ancient boiler that's lived in the building since the day it was built 50 years ago. It's enough to make anyone lose their cool. That's where Grainger comes in. With industrial grade products and dependable, fast delivery, Grainger can help with any challenge from worn out components to everyday necessities. Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. Baghdad Martini, Singapore. At all the places of the world where danger and intrigue walk hand in hand. There you will find Steve Mitchell on another dangerous assignment. The National Broadcasting Company presents the first in an exciting new adventure series Dangerous Assignment. Starring Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell. Steve, you're gonna run this pretty little boat right onto the rocks if you don't put your hands on the wheel. Automatic pilot W5WRS calling W2B. I should have known you'd have one of those on your boat, so help me. First time in my life I've ever used it. Evelyn, Eloise. Hello. Sure, sure. W5WRS calling W2Byrne. Steve, why don't you turn that radio off? I never should have turned it on. What's all that W stuff? Who's that silly woman trying to get anyway? W5W R S calling W2BYR. That's the ship to shore operator, brother, you know them all. What does she want with you? I'm afraid I know. Well, guess I better answer before they send the Coast Guard. W5W R S from W2BYR. Go ahead. Standby. W2BYR. I have a call for you. Go ahead. This is Ruth, Steve. The commissioner wants to see you right away. Over. Now look, Ruth, I said only call me in an emergency, over. The commissioner says this is an emergency, over. But I'm in the middle of a big deal, Ruth. I'm tied up. Over. Just a minute, Steve, he says. Untie her and get into the office. What? Tell him. Oh, okay. I'll come back out. Eloise, I'm afraid. And for this I broke another day. Now look, Eloise, I'm sorry. So what do I do? I go out and buy a new sun suit. It's a very nice sunset. I even fry some chicken. For the first time in my life I fry some chicken. But this probably won't take long. What am I supposed to do in the meantime? And what am I going to do with all that fried chicken. Well, keep it on ice for me, huh? Hello, Commissioner. Steve. I trust you concluded your big deal satisfactorily. Well, I. Steve, ever hear of the Throp Foundation? Throp Foundation? Sure. That's the private charity that's been sending a lot of relief shipments to Europe. Right. They've done quite a job over there. Tons of food and medical supplies. Yeah, that's the outfit. What about them? Their last three shipments to Sicily have been stolen. Oh, have. You mean off the boat? No. From the Foundation's warehouse in Messina, Sicily. I see. We've been instructed to get to the bottom of it. As usual, you'll pose as a foreign correspondent. Ruth has your credentials in order? Okay. On the surface, your assignment will be to write a story about the stolen shipments. Actually, I want you to find out who's been stealing those shipments. And to be frank, Steve, I'm sending you into a pretty nasty situation over there. What do you mean? The Thrott foundation has had two men working on this case. One of them has been missing for two weeks. What about the other one? Well, they found him all right. His throat had been cut. Well, that's reassuring. We're sending you because we think you can take care of yourself and handle the danger. When do you want me to leave? Good. As soon as possible. Now, if you need help or information, once you get to Sicily, contact Emilio Donati, Messina. Who's Emilio Donati? He runs a bar in Messina. We think he's our friend of ours. Okay. There's just one more thing I should warn you about, Steve. You know, you're making this assignment sound real attractive, Commissioner. What is it? I guess you've heard of the Sicilian bandit they call Lorenzo. Yeah, who hasn't? He's got the whole countryside terrorized. Steve, I don't know whether he has anything to do with all this or not, but if he has. Now, watch yourself. Yep. Looks like I got a real honey this time. You did. But it's vital to us that those relief shipments get through. Trouble usually starts from empty stomachs. Yeah, that's all you've got your assignment, Steve. Your plane leaves in two hours. Good luck, Eduardo. This is Dino speaking. The American just landed sea. Report it to the chief at once. You want a taxi, senor? Yeah. Hey, look, driver. You know your way around Messina pretty well, huh? I live here most of my life, senor. At the age of three, I was abroad here from Palermo. So I know every house, every street, every building, every bar. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. So you know your city now take me to the Throp foundation warehouse again. Throp foundation warehouse. You know where it is. Throp. No, no. Throp. It's a. Ah, well, never mind. Just take me to the Rienzi Hotel. I'm sure you must have heard of that. I'm gonna put your baggage in a car. Hello. Sorry I'm late. You're not late. You're just in time. I heard you inquiring for the Throp Foundation. So you must be Ralph Gillette. I'm Helen Collier. I was supposed to meet you here at the airport and I. Look, I'm afraid there's been a mistake. My name's not Gillette. It's Mitchell. Steve Mitchell. Oh. Oh, I. I thought you were the one I was supposed to meet. I'm sorry. Believe me, I'm sorry too. Couldn't we just pretend I was? I'm afraid Mr. Archer wouldn't understand already. I don't like Mr. Archer. Don't even know him. Who is he? My boss. He's in charge of the Foundation's office here in Messina. Oh, wait a minute. You worked for the frapp foundation? Mm. Mr. Archer's been expecting a new man to fly down from Rome. Mr. Gillette, I thought you were he. Oh. I wonder if you'd tell me where the foundation office is. I'm a foreign correspondent and I'd like an interview with your boss. Oh, well, I could go with you and show you where it is because it doesn't look like Mr. Gillette is on the plane anyway. Fine. I have a cab over here. You say you're a foreign correspondent? I suppose you want to do a story on the stolen relief shipments. Yep. Well, good luck. Mr. Archer doesn't want any publicity about it. It would have an adverse effect on donations from the States. Oh, well, here we are. Pardon us, gentlemen. Out of the man's way, of course. Your pardon, senor. Well, I'll see if I can get some kind of a statement from him. Are there just the two of you in the Messina office? Yes, Right now. There were three of us. Paul Wainwright was the third, but he. Well, he got fired a few days ago at the Hotel Rienzi. No, no. Trop. Foundation. Tropa. Tropa. Via Delgada. Oh, si, signorina. Hey, you must have the magic touch. This Paul Wainwright, he was fired by Mr. Archer? Yes, three days ago, senor. You ready? Huh? See? Did you hear what the senorino told the driver? Si, Eduardo Valla Del. That is the address of the Frog Foundation. I will report it. You follow the American. Mr. Mitchell, you must understand my position. It's not that I don't want to cooperate with you and your press association, but at the same. The stolen shipments are news, Mr. Archer, and news is my job. Well, I know all that, but just stop and think what's going to happen if the news spreads around back in the States. Our donations would probably stop coming in. We think it's vital that these shipments continue. I see. Well, in that case, could you give me an off the record statement about it? I might, if I were sure it would be treated as such. I'll make a deal with you. We won't break the story unless or until the thieves are rounded up. Well, all right. I guess that's fair enough. There have been three shipments stolen, right? Yes, from our warehouse. It's right downstairs. Yes, I noticed it as I came up. Did you have anyone guarding the shipments? Of course. We kept doubling the guard, but each time they were overpowered. Sounds like the thieves have a pretty large outfit. Yes, apparently they do. I suppose you've heard of the bandit they call Lorenzo? Certainly. Everybody in the Sicily's heard of him. He's got the whole country terrorized. He's supposed to have a hideout up in the mountains. I know what you're thinking, Mr. Mitchell. That Lorenzo's men could have stolen the shipments. I thought of that right away myself. Well, it's possible, isn't it? Yes, it's possible. Personally, I don't think Lorenzo had anything to do with it. With Lorenzo's reputation what it is, it would be relatively easy for someone else to make it look as if Lorenzo had done it. That's an interesting thought. Incidentally, you fired one of your men a few days ago, didn't you? Paul Wainwright? That is something that I'd rather not discuss. Oh, of course. I don't want to persecute the man just because some of his actions appeared vaguely suspicious to me. I. I have no proof of anything at all. I see. Well, thanks for the information. I'll see you. You wish a table, senor? Oh, yeah. Great. Right here. Thanks. I am Carlota. What will you have? Beer. But it is after dark. It's time to drink wine. Emily Post may not like it, but I still want beer. Anything you wish. I would bring it. Look, is the boss in Carlotta? Emilio Do Marti. See? He's here. Why? I like the scenery. I might set up a charge account. Where is he? The fat one over at the bar. I will tell him to come over. No, no, no. Never mind. I'll Go over there. See? See? I'm Emilio Donati. So I am a call, signor. I told a friend of mine in the States I'd say hello to you. So I know many people in the States. I'm pretty sure you'll know my friend, the commissioner. Commissioner? Yeah. I think you're expecting me. I'm Steve Mitchell. A name can be used by anyone, senor. Here. You recognize the handwriting? Ah, see? You are Stephen Mitchell. Mm. Well, how can I help? I'm working on the theft of the relief shipments. Yeah, I thought that would be it. That's a very bad thing, Steve. There are so many people hungry here in Sicily. Yeah. Look, a fellow named Paul Wainwright was fired from the Throp Foundation a few days ago. And Archer acts like he thinks Wainwright's involved in the theft. Paul Wayne Wright. I know who he is. I'd like to talk to him. Can you arrange it? See, in an hour or two, I will send the words for him to come to the back room of my bar off the alley. We can talk to him there. Quarter after eleven. Plane ride ought to be showing up pretty soon, hadn't he? See, he should have been here by now. Steve, there's another lead I want to run down, too. Emilio, do you have any idea where the bandit Lorenzo's headquarters are? In the mountains to the west over here. Think you could furnish me a guide? A guide? Yeah, just to get me into the general area. After that, I'll go it alone and do a little reconnoitering. Undercover. Steve, you must not try a thing like that. It's the quickest way of proving whether Lorenzo's involved in these thefts or not. If he is, he's probably got a lot of the supplies hidden away in those mountains. His men would capture you. He has lookouts all over the mountains. Just last month, an entire division went up there. Sure, sure. That's the point. There were so many. Lorenzo's men spotted them easy. But one man alone in the brush could be hard to find. My, Steve, Lorenzo has a small army of cutthroats up there. They are fanatically loyal to him. Can you get me a guide? The danger. You must realize the danger. Yeah, yeah. Lorenzo isn't stupid enough to kill an American correspondent. Aha. That must be Paul Wainwright. Oh, come in, Senor Wainwright. No, thanks. Look, Donati. And you too, whatever your name is. There's a waste of time. We've got nothing to talk about. Oh, Wainwright. Knife in the back. Emilio. Get out of the light. Get down. Emilio. Someone's running down the alley. Don't follow him, Steve. It may be a trap. There may be others waiting in the dark. Yeah, I guess you're right, Wainwright. See? He's dead, Steve. Now, perhaps you realize that there's a real danger here for you. They know you are not a correspondent. Do you still wish a guide? I'll be waiting in room 23, Rienze Hotel. All right, I will send a man over. Signor Mitchell? Yeah. Who are you? Casella. Casella? That's supposed to mean something to me? Emilio Donati said PI to you. Oh. Oh, you're the guide. Si, signor. I am to conduct you to the mountain where Lorenzo and his band are hiding. Oh, Emilio didn't lose any time, did he? It was thought best to travel at night so that we may be in the mountains before the sun comes up. Yeah, I guess that would be best. We will drive to the Furte Mountains by car. Then we'll use horses on the trails. It is all arranged. Good. When do you want to start? As soon as possible. Okay, let's go. Hey, pretty narrow trail up here. Cassela. Si, signor. About time for sunrise, isn't it? But a few more minutes and it will be light. You say you think Lorenzo's hiding out somewhere on that mountain up there ahead of us? See? That is what I have heard. Okay, let's stop here a minute. I'll go it alone from here. Casella, there's no point in your going any farther. Thanks very much. See, signor, you're right. There is no point in going any farther. Put your hands in front of you. What? Do as I say, signor. I am going to tie your hands. Look, what is this anyway? Hey, wait a minute. You're one of Lorenzo's men. So true, signor. It will do you no good to resist. Do not try to escape. There's a man blocking your chair. See? He has a gun. Okay, I'll try it through you. Stop. Come on. Stop. I'm coming through. Eduardo, quick. Come and help me. Eduardo, help. Okay, Costello, that's for the double cross. Bob, I am a gun. I said stop. Okay, looks like you win. Good. Now, I tell you, hold your hands up. Okay, here's one of. All right, senor, I will use the gun. This way. So, Senor Mitchell, are you all right? See, I. I think so. Except my nose. It is bleeding full. You deserve it. Come. We'll take the American to Lorenzo. He's coming to Eduardo for tell Lorenzo, see? Oh, Casella. C. Casella. This is for the bloody nose you gave me, Signor. Well, thanks. Looks like I got taken for the well known ride. I thought Emilio Donato was a friend. Sometimes it is difficult to know who your friends are. You're so right. Here is Lorenzo now. Well, Senor Mitchell, you're feeling better now, huh? Not much. Welcome to my camp. Thanks. So you're Lorenzo. See, I have that honor. Honor? Of course. Where are we? Walk with me and I will show you. As you see, you're on top of a mountain. This is my headquarters. Hey, you can see a hundred miles from here. See, this is why I choose this place. But where are the guards? Guards? You are not my prisoner, you are my guest. But see below us. My men are camped there. Is it not a reassuring sight? Hey, that looks like a small army. 120 patriots. Patriots, you call them. Of course, they serve Lorenzo. Got a pretty good opinion of yourself, huh? I am one of the most brilliant men I have ever met. Really? You know, you don't talk like you've spent your whole life in these mountains. Oh, I have, as you say, been around. I attended a university in Italy for two years. Came back to this. How come? A sense of duty, senor. I rob the rich and give to the poor. Yeah, that sounds pretty, Lorenzo. But are you sure it's not just because you're a thief at heart? You are shrewd, senor. Well, why not? From my experience in the world, I have learned that one must look out for oneself. Consider the recent war. Nobody won it. Consider the peace again. Nobody wins it. Everyone quarrels and fights. Now, is it not much more clever to take what one wants? To be concerned only with oneself? You know, your kind of thinking isn't helping things any. Perhaps not, but it is profitable. To me, senor. This conversation is pleasant, but I still do not understand why you were so anxious to spy on my camp. No? You ever hear of the Thrup Foundation? No, what is it, senor? A relief outfit that's been shipping food and medical supplies here to Sicily. Huh. Does this concern me? That's what I'm wondering. At least three shipments have been stolen from a warehouse in Messina. And of course you think that I stole them. It's a pretty good bet. Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, senor, but as you see, there are no supplies here. Look around you. I have nothing to hide. No. It is my fate, senor. Whenever a crime is committed in Sicily, I am immediately accused. I suppose I should feel flattered. It has often occurred to me that the police must Find me very convenient. How so? It would be most embarrassing for them if I were captured. Then they would have no one to blame for all their unsolved crimes. Well, I'm sorry you made this trip for nothing, senior. Well, if you've got nothing to hide, how come you went to so much trouble to capture me? I was told you wanted to see Lorenzo, so I thought I would make it easy. You were very rough with my men, senior. But no matter. We will be friends. And you will go back to America and tell everyone what a gracious host is Lorenzo. Oh, you want a press agent, huh? Hey, wait a minute. Huh? That girl coming up the trail, she looks awfully familiar. Oh, her name is Carlotta. Yeah, yeah. Now I recognize her. She works at Emilio Donati's bar. See, everything's starting to add up. I am afraid Carlotta is not very happy with me at present. No? She has been very useful to me in the past. But she is so possessive. She is very upset to learn that there had been another woman here. There, you see how she sulks? I believe she thinks that she is punishing me. Ah, Carlotta, my dear. Speak to me, Lorenzo. Do not speak to me. You climbed uphill to tell me that I am true with you. You have not been true to me. You are not very flattering, my dear. Of course I have not been true to you. That would be to deprive others good for nothing. You. I think I'd better leave you here to take out your temper on the American. I have other affairs to look after. The beast. I lie for him. I steal for him. Maybe you ought to pick your friends a little more carefully. So you're the one that put the bee on me at Donati's, huh? You had Lorenzo send that phony guide to my room, treat me this way after all I do for him. Oh, the beast. I do not think you would treat me that way. Huh? I think if you were my friend, you would treat me nice. Now, look, would you like to be Carlotta's friend? It's okay with me if you're trying to make Lorenzo jealous, but use somebody else. Kiss me. They cut it out. Come on, kiss me. Hey, you like it? Oh, under other circumstances, maybe right now. No. You should not have done that. Carlotta. Lorenzo. Perhaps that will show you you cannot treat me as you have. If you do not want me, there are others who do. You are such a child, Carlotta. I am afraid this presents a problem. Look, there's no problem. I've got no interest in Carlotta. Believe me. Oh, I'm aware of that. But some of my men there below may have seen her kiss you, senor. And that is the problem. I must not allow anything to shake their confidence in me. The appearance is everything. No, it is not Carlotta I am thinking about. She is nothing. Oh, dog, that you should talk about me like that. What if I were to tell the American about. Shut up. Carlotta. Wait a minute. What did you say? Carlotta. Then you would wish you had not treated me that way. I told you to keep your mouth shut. I will tell Carlos. On the other side of the mountain is a cave. Lorenzo has hidden the relief shipments there. Well, Lorenzo? So you've got nothing to hide now? Indeed, I have no choice, senor. Carlotta, give me your scarf. You're going to fight with the knives over me? Fool. To think it is you I am considering. Hey, look how. Let's consider me for a minute. I did not intend to kill you, senor. But as you see now I must. Here, take this knife. Now, wait a minute. Put the end of the scarf between your teeth there, as I do the other end. So, now we circle slowly. Hey, look. Let's cow this foolishness, will you? Do not hold the knife that way. Use the underhand grip. Do you know nothing at all about knife fighting? As much as I want to know. Not for the last time, I am sorry. Defend yourself. Okay, you. As for you, twist the knife from my hand. Yeah, you may know knife fighting, but you're pretty sad on judo. Oh, Lorenzo. You killed Lorenzo. Just a rabbit punch, lady. Won't even leave a scar. So long, dog. The dog. Oh, caro. Carissimo. He has killed you. Lorenzo. Lorenzo. Will you stop that silly babbling? Lorenzo. You are all right, see? Except the back of my neck. I will tell your men to go after him. No, this is a personal matter. They might find it hard to understand how the American escaped from me. I will go after him alone. I will go with you. You will wait here, Carlota. I will attend to you when I return. Lorenzo, I may be gone until dark. Because if I do not find the American, then there is someone in Messina I must talk to. Now get me my hors. Oh, boy. My win this shot. Maybe it's the altitude. Hey, a horse ahead of me somewhere. I better play it safe. Hey, Donati. What? Over here. Emilio. Hey, Steven. Mitchell. You are safe. Yeah. I sent a guy to your room the first thing this morning. He said you were gone. Yeah, One of Lorenzo's men got there first. Your waiter, Carlotta tipped Him off about me. Carlotta. Yeah. Think that horse of yours can carry both of us? Lorenzo's men. They will be after you. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good reason for not hanging around here any longer. All right. Come. I. I go help you up. Wait. Listen. My horse is coming. Come on. Get your horse into the brush. Here. Cover up his nose so he won't whinny. Steve, it's Lorenzo. He's alone. Yeah, heading towards Messina, too. Look, I have a gun. We can capture him. No, no, not yet. Come on. We'll give him the lead, then follow him into Messina. It's possible he's got more on his mind than just finding me. If so, I want to know what it is. Lorenzo. Senor Arch. Why, you. You fool. Coming here to the foundation office? My secretary will be back any minute. The American escaped. How could he? We will not go into that. Oh, you stupid fool. You've ruined everything. Mitchell must know all about the stolen shipments now. See, he knows I stole them. But he does not know that you are involved, Archer. He might as well. We're through now, Lorenzo. Through. And all because of your stupidity. Do not talk that way to me, Archer. I planned it so well. Even when Paul Wainwright became suspicious, I fired him. Then I had his mouth shut permanently. And now you ruined it. You blundering half breed. You keep your muscle. This will help you. Lorenzo. I'll kill you. This gun is quicker than your knife. Well, Lorenzo and Archer. The Goldust twins, Mitchell. Very neat. So you two did work it together, huh? You're wrong, Mitchell. I've just captured a notorious bandit. You lying dog. It was you who raised me. Hey, get back. Get back. Mitchell. Give me that. That gun's safer with me, aren't you? You've got nothing on me. You mean because Lorenzo can't talk? If you want to put it that way. There's one witness you overlooked, Archer. Carlotta. Yeah. When she finds out you killed Lorenzo, she'll sing plenty. And it's a song you're not gon well. Did you send your reporter to the commissioner? Steve? Yeah, I called him. He said the Throp foundation had sent a new man over to head up the office here. Well, and now you can relax for a few days. We. We gonna eat and drink and have a good time. You will have such a food as you never taste. Scalopini escarole. A pizza. Pizza that melts in your mouth. That sounds fine, Emilio, but I. I think I'll be heading back to the States now. What's the hurry? Well, someone back there is keeping some fried chicken on ice for me. Well, fried chicken? Yeah, it's gotta be eaten on a boat, too. Steve, I don't understand. What's so special about eating fried chicken on a boat? Well, you see, she's not the chicken. That is I. Oh, well, just take my word for it, huh? So long, Emilio. You have just heard the first in an exciting new adventure series, Dangerous Assignment, starring Brian Donlevy and written by Bob Rife. This program was directed by Bill Karn with music by Bruce Ashley. Be with us again next week at this same time when Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell embarks on another Dangerous assignment. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.