Relic Radio Thrillers – "Carbon-14" (The Man Called X)

Original Air Date: January 25, 1948
Podcast Release Date: March 13, 2026
Host: RelicRadio.com

Episode Overview

In this classic espionage thriller, Ken Thurston—known as the Man Called X—dives into a tangled web of scientific intrigue and international crime. The episode unfolds at a university near Los Angeles, where radioactive carbon-14 isotopes are vanishing. As Thurston investigates, he uncovers a conspiracy involving greed, betrayal, and the dangerous misuse of nuclear science. “Carbon-14” explores the dual-edged power of scientific discovery: its potential to cure or to kill.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

1. Opening Mystery: The Call for Help

• [01:58] Physics instructor Bill Wilson desperately calls Ken Thurston in New York, hinting at the disappearance of valuable carbon-14 isotopes. The call is abruptly cut off.
• Thurston’s urgency is clear:
  • "Suppose you offer some inducements, Wilson. Such as, why?" (Ken Thurston, 01:58)
  • "Would it mean anything to you if I said that a lot of it has been disappearing out here?" (Bill Wilson, 02:10)

2. The Stakes of Carbon-14

• [02:45–03:25] Thurston and his chief discuss the critical importance of radioactive isotopes in developing medical treatments and the threat if they fall into the wrong hands.
  • "Chief, they might hold the clue to curing cancer, tuberculosis, any number of bacteriological diseases." (Ken Thurston, 03:05)
  • "So even small amounts of that stuff could be worth a fortune if sold underground..." (Ken Thurston, 03:15)

3. At the University: New Suspects and Deception

• [04:11–07:59] Thurston’s arrival in Los Angeles is plagued by suspicious characters:
  • Carla Rayner (Dr. Sherwood’s assistant) tries to lure Thurston.
  • Pagan Zellschmidt, comic-relief sidekick, reveals he helped arrange Thurston’s entry.
  • An ambulance races to the university’s nuclear lab, signaling immediate danger.

4. Crime Scene Unfolds

• [08:24–09:59] The university’s isotope vault is robbed by fake ambulance attendants, led by the supposedly missing Bill Wilson.
• Dr. Sherwood, initially evasive, is forced to admit the theft.
  • "They have located the storeroom. They have taken the isotopes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth." (Carla Rayner, 09:54)
  • "Well, looks like you have to change your story now, doctor..." (Ken Thurston, 10:01)

5. Chasing Shadows: The Investigation Deepens

• [11:18–13:41] Thurston and Pagan investigate Wilson’s ransacked apartment, receive a mysterious clue ("NC26X13") from Carla Rayner, and deduce its meaning.
• Pagan tries to profit by informing on Thurston, raising suspicion about who’s playing both sides.

6. Showdown with the Conspirators

• [14:03–15:07] Thurston confronts Carla and Professor Udo. Udo brandishes a gun, revealing their full involvement in the theft.
  • "And if you wish any more answers, perhaps this gun can speak for both of us." (Professor Udo, 14:17)
• Thurston is knocked out, Pagan tries to rescue him, and the plot thickens.

7. The Smoking Gun (and Ambulance)

• [15:38–16:28] In Carla's garage, Thurston and Pagan discover the stolen ambulance—and inside, the murdered Bill Wilson.
  • "It's Bill Wilson. And this time there's no doubt about it. He's really dead." (Ken Thurston, 16:21)

8. Final Pursuit and the Airplane Clue

• [16:54–18:14] The clue ("NC26X13") leads Thurston and Pagan to an airplane filled with stolen isotopes awaiting illegal export.
  • "Those things are full of radioactive isotopes." (Ken Thurston, 17:58)
• Carla Rayner appears, explaining her attempt to help Wilson, but reveals she’s in over her head.

9. Climax: The True Mastermind Revealed

• [19:23–20:17] Dr. Sherwood attempts to flee with the isotopes. Thurston foils the plan, confronting Sherwood as the real mastermind.
  • "You're not taking me. I'll kill you first. Those isochopes are mine, I tell you. They belong to me!" (Dr. Sherwood, 20:05)
  • Thurston disarms him, and the police arrive.

10. Moral Resolution

• [20:20–21:04] Thurston reflects on the theme: the peril and promise of scientific discovery.
  • "There can't be a choice these days. Just like those isotopes, it's kill or cure. And believe me, that's something we'd all better remember. All of us." (Ken Thurston, 20:38)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On science’s promise and peril:
  • "They might hold the clue to curing cancer, tuberculosis... It's kill or cure. And believe me, that's something we'd all better remember. All of us." (Ken Thurston, 03:05 & 20:38)
• On the nature of espionage:
  • "When you chase wild geese, the geese usually get shot, not the hunters." (Ken Thurston, 03:44)
• Comic relief:
  • "It's just dark in here. Like my Uncle Ahmed." (Pagan Zellschmidt, 17:45)
• Climactic tension:
  • "You're not taking me. I'll kill you first. Those isochopes are mine!" (Dr. Sherwood, 20:05)

Important Timestamps

• 01:58–02:45 – Bill Wilson’s desperate phone call sets events in motion
• 03:05–03:15 – Explanation of carbon-14’s medical value and global stakes
• 09:54–10:01 – Revelation of the isotope theft and Bill Wilson’s involvement
• 14:11–14:21 – Udo and Carla Rayner unmasked as conspirators
• 16:21–16:28 – Discovery of Bill Wilson’s body
• 17:58–18:14 – Thurston and Pagan discover the stash of isotopes in the airplane
• 20:05–20:10 – Dr. Sherwood’s breakdown: “They belong to me!”
• 20:38–21:04 – Thurston’s closing moral reflection

Tone and Style

The episode balances tense drama with moments of levity, featuring quick-witted dialogue, identity twists, and race-against-time suspense. Ken Thurston’s calm determination and dry humor contrast with Pagan’s bumbling enthusiasm, while the tone underscores Cold War anxieties about science and security.

Conclusion

“Carbon-14” is a quintessential Cold War-era thriller, blending mystery, science, and moral questioning. The Man Called X’s investigation exposes the dangers of scientific greed and the tension between self-gain and the greater good—reminding listeners that in an atomic age, ethical choices are more urgent than ever.