PILOT:One target left. Rejoin to the west. I'll clean up.
MAN: Plane distance three, watch 37 mm left.
PILOT: Roger. Rolling in left.
MAN:Leave your cover. Get out of there.
PILOT: Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
I've been hit 20 miles southeast of San Juan. Heading 1-3-0.
[MAN SPEAKS IN VIETNAMESE]
[GANT GROANS]
[GUNSHOTS]
Major Gant?
Can you hear me?
Sorry we had to surprise you like that.
Get him out of here.
AUBREY: This was taken on Friday. It is the secret complex at Bilyarsk.
At the top right corner, you will see the main hangar.
Could we...?
Take a good look at this section...
...because we have every reason to believe you're looking at the Firefox.
When the first rumors began to filter out of the Soviet Union...
...some three years ago...
...our weapons strategists stood before NATO to explain...
...with confidence, that it would take the Soviets at least 10 years...
...to make a Mach 5 aircraft with thought-control weapons.
I stand before you today to explain, with much regret...
...that they were wrong.
At 0400, on Thursday...
...we were stunned by the encoded transmission...
...that sits in front of you.
- General Rogers? ROGERS: With satellite surveillance...
...planes were flown up Saturday over the Turkish-Soviet border, here.
And the Finnish-Soviet border, here.
Using the information of Dr. Baranovich...
...about the time and path of the Firefox...
...we monitored the arena formed by these coordinates...
...here, with our most sophisticated radar devices.
Except for a flight of cranes, nothing entered that airspace all day.
We checked immediately with our source in Bilyarsk.
The Firefox flew, and flew at the exact time...
...and within the coordinates given to us by Dr. Baranovich.
We are left with only one explanation.
It is quite inescapable.
The Soviets have developed some sort of anti-radar for the aircraft.
The Firefox is...
...for all intents and purposes, invisible.
All right. You came 5000 miles for this.
- Let's hear it. - Captain Buckholz, sir.
It's been what, three years now? You're still keeping in shape. Good.
A lot of people miss you. They still talk about you.
All the guys think you must have sprouted wings and flown away.
I had one hell of a time tracking you down.
ROGERS: Look at these figures! 50,000 pounds of thrust, per!
These Tumanskys deliver an excess in a capacity of 100 percent.
Combat ceiling, 120,000 feet plus.
Note the increase in capacity, 100 percent.
Speed in excess of Mach 5, even Mach 6 and able to maintain it.
Our best body design begins to melt...
...at Mach 3.
SCHULLER: It should be clear why the Soviets risked a man like Baranovich.
A genius in theoretical physics, yes...
...but still a prisoner, and a dissident Jew.
Our weapon system is, as far as we can tell...
...one of the most advanced.
It couples radar and infrared detection devices...
...with a thought-controlled arsenal onboard the plane.
The pilot's brain emissions are translated into a computer...
...through sensors in his helmet.
The pilot's target is instantly destroyed without pressing a button.
Or, as quickly as his eye detects a threat...
...either visually or on one of his scopes...
...his thought impulses guide a missile to that threat.
This amounts to a two- to three-second speed advantage...
...in reaction and attack time over any defensive system we have today.
If the Soviets can mass-produce it...
...it would change the structure of our world.
We at the S.I.S. Have been working...
...on the pipeline into Moscow and on to Bilyarsk, for two years.
The mechanics of that phase are ready.
Your Navy's phase of the operation can be functional within 30 days.
Am I correct on that, admiral?
That is correct, sir.
How do they expect me to fly? You've seen me.
We're not worried. We have three months to train you.
Getting you there is the problem.
Oh? Where is it?
Russia.
You've got to steal it.
- I don't mount an operation this way. - We didn't expect you to be happy.
We know his health record.
His mother is Russian. He speaks the language...
...and is the same size as Voskov, who the suit and cockpit are fitted for.
You mean this is reduced to the decision that he fits the suit?
You want me to risk resources...
...for somebody who's never been on an intelligence mission...
...who's subject to seizures.
Delayed stress syndrome is common among our vets.
It manifests itself in civilian life, not battle conditions.
- This is suicide. - That's exactly why it'll work.
It's too unthinkable for them to ever defend.
We'll get you on that plane. You just have to fly it.
- You guys are amazing. - We need you, major.
- You're the best we've got. - Lots of guys could fly that plane.
You fly it.
Not with your qualifications.
The decision has been made, gentlemen.
I'm afraid we have no other choice.
It's already been set in motion.
This is government land.
I've been told to say it could pass over to the private sector.
What you're saying then is that you've already picked a volunteer.
You will be flying the most sophisticated warplane...
...on the face of this earth.
MAN: You realized you won't go to Moscow as Mitchell Gant.
Get to know this man, Leon Sprague.
He's a businessman from Nevada.
He's been flying into Moscow the last few months...
...from his factory in Marseilles, selling our comrades...
...a carburetor part for their outboard motors.
He's actually been defiling the Soviet youth...
...with large quantities of heroin.
He's a drug smuggler. An enemy of the Soviet people.
He doesn't know it, but he's been blazing the trail for you.
Look at that face.
Would you believe he has five pounds of heroin on him?
Looks like he's on a weekend to Acapulco.
Could you be that cool, Gant?
Your suite will be bugged. They know your habits.
You are trafficking heroin. They have followed you for months.
Any slip in character will be noticed. It would be lethal.
I cannot stress this strongly enough. On the way to the bridge...
...you must not allow them to lose you.
As long as you relax, they relax.
We are playing on their only real weakness.
Because of its very size, the KGB is sometimes slow to awaken.
It is like a monster.
If you can walk by carefully, it may...
...lift an eyelid and sniff at you.
But if you awaken it...
You have but one objective:
You must reach the Krasnokholmskiy Bridge at 10:30...
...with your KGB tail in tow.
At the rendezvous, you must obey...
...the people you meet completely.
Whatever they tell you to do...
...you do.
Mr. Cunningham.
This to any Soviet policemen will appear to be a cheap transistor.
It will even pick up the local radio stations.
In actuality, this is your life in the air.
Because once you're airborne, you have just two objectives:
Avoid their tracking systems and find your refueling point.
This little radio is a highly complex one-way homing device.
It will be scanning the airwaves, seeking out a complicated...
...set of alternating frequencies coming from Mother 1.
They will be listening for any transmission up in the air.
This is your only link with the outside.
It will pick up the signal within 100 miles of your refueling point.
You will then follow it home.
It must never leave your person.
If you lose it, if it is confiscated, you'll never make it out of Russia.
You will run out of fuel and you will die in the Arctic Ocean.
Get up and walk around. Let's have a look at you.
Mr. Sprague, can you be comfortable with it?
- Yes. - Good.
Bloody damn good.
BUCKHOLZ: The flight recorder. AUBREY: Huh?
The flight recorder.
Oh, yes. I nearly forgot.
One last thing. We just learned this from Baranovich:
There will be a recorder on the plane.
A "black box" I believe you Americans call it.
It is voice-activated. It was installed for their test pilot.
We'd like you to use it.
In the event that, well...
If it should happen, and we salvaged the aircraft...
...it might be possible to reconstruct enough from your...
...diary, as it were...
...to be helpful.
CUNNINGHAM: Sir? - Yes, yes, I'm coming.
Mr. Gant, I suppose this is the end of the road for us.
Actually, let me rephrase that.
Let's say the beginning.
Quite.
BUCKHOLZ: I'll be with you every step of the way, Mitchell.
Your papers.
- Yes, Mr. Sprague? - Yes.
What is the nature of your visit to Moscow?
- Business. - Yes, what business? Specifically.
Carburetors. Bearings. It's all right in there.
What are you looking for?
You have been to the Soviet Union several times recently.
Is that correct?
I've been here six times in the past few months.
This has never happened. What's going on?
We apologize for the delay.
But every international airport has its own set of...
...unique problems.
I've been in every airport in the world.
I've never been insulted like this.
I do business with your superiors.
- Are you threatening me, Mr. Sprague? - No.
Why do you bring this?
Perhaps you are hoping to receive your stock market report in Moscow?
GANT: Moscow Hotel.
Stop over here.
Why here? Across the square is the Hotel Moscow.
Thanks. I'll walk.
Thank you, sir.
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
[FOOTSTEPS ECHOING]
I agree. We cannot be too cautious.
You will pass that on?
LAKYEV: Consider it done, sir. It will compliment the dog patrols.
Very good. Tell me...
...where will our traitors be before the flight?
LAKYEV: The three scientists will be inside the hangar.
Baranovich will be working on the weapons system during the night.
He will be working on the aircraft until takeoff.
Yes, comrade colonels.
What of the others?
Natalia and Semelovsky will refuel and load the missiles.
Also, the rearward defense pod.
They are familiar with the systems.
I understand, let them continue working.
- Your men will be ready. LAKYEV: Yes, sir.
Our armed informers will be with them all night.
As long as they can recognize attempted sabotage.
- They do, comrade colonel. - Good flight back, Viktor.
Thank you.
I want the Moscow end of their pipeline arrested at dawn.
I don't want our friends in Bilyarsk to disappear.
Very well.
I will have their warehouses watched, and move in on your orders.
Very good, Dmitri.
I should like to see them before I fly to Bilyarsk.
Just to see their faces.
GANT: Your best Havana, please.
[CAR STARTS]
[FOOTSTEPS ECHOING]
[WOMAN LAUGHS]
PAVEL: Mr. Sprague?
GANT: Yeah?
SPRAGUE: It's him.
I'm Leon Sprague.
How many followed you?
Three of them on foot and one car up above.
What are they doing now, Pavel?
PAVEL: The one on the steps has returned to the car.
The short one is wondering what to do...
...since there are four of us now. I think he is frightened.
He'll call for help. We better get him out of here.
PAVEL: Take his cigar. - What?
His cigar! Smoke it.
Smoke it!
Your papers, quickly.
Your papers!
Come on!
[SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
Quickly, follow us to the metro station.
Quickly!
KGB AGENT: They have killed him, Stechko.
They have killed Mr. Leon Sprague.
Your name is Michael Lewis now. You're a tourist staying at the Warsaw.
It is all arranged. Do not worry, just stay calm!
[SOLDIER SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
Passport.
- Mr. Lewis, you're American? - Yes.
You do not look like yourself in this photograph. Your hair is darker.
I was a little heavier then too.
- St. Louis is a fine city, I hear. - Yes, nice summers.
You do not appear to be in the best of health.
I've had some stomach problems. The food is...
- The food at the Warsaw is not good? - It's fine. Just a little rich for me.
Ah.
Thank you, Mr. Lewis.
You look terrible, Mr. Lewis.
I watched your performance. It was not very convincing.
- You kill Sprague and dump a cover... - Hide in the toilets, over there.
Get yourself together. There will be more KGB on the way.
We shall leave only when we have been searched three or four times.
Go!
[SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
[DOOR SQUEAKS]
No!
No! No!
[KNOCKING]
[KGB AGENT SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
I'm busy.
KGB AGENT: English or American? State Security. Your papers, please.
- Can you wait a minute? - Very well. Quickly.
[TOILET FLUSHES]
Your papers, please.
- Are you ill, or maybe frightened? - I've been having stomach problems.
Your papers are not in order.
- They're in order. Look at them again. - No.
They are not in order.
You stupid American. You've killed him!
He went for his gun! He knew!
PAVEL: He's KGB!
Do you understand what that means? Do you?
Now go up the stairs quickly to the exit!
If anyone stops you, obey them.
Show them your papers. And pretend you are ill, as before.
He said my papers weren't in order.
You damned fool!
They are in order!
I was stopped by the KGB. My papers also were in order!
Now get out of here!
When they find this, no one will be allowed to leave! Go!
[SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
I'm an American, I didn't know what to do.
- You're an American? - Yes.
- Why are you out of line? - Well, I...
Papers, please.
You should wait in line, Mr. Lewis. You've been most uncooperative.
- Well, I'm sorry... - About what?
Let's see what we have here. We don't want to...
...delay you unnecessarily, do we?
No.
You're staying at the Warsaw Hotel?
Wonder if we should call them? See if someone there knows you.
[SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
No.
I think we shall trust you. Your papers appear to be in order.
I apologize for any delay.
We are engaged in searching for... criminals, shall we say?
But you may continue your nocturnal sightseeing tour of our city.
Thank you.
Good.
GANT: Let's get the hell out of here. - This way, down Kirov Street.
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
- They found him. PAVEL: Let's go.
[OLD MAN SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
[PAVEL SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
OLD MAN: He has to change, come on.
Your name is Boris Glazunov. You are married and have two children:
A boy, 3, and a little girl, 4.
You live in a flat on the Mira Prospekt, and you work here.
You are my driver's mate.
This Boris Glazunov, does he work for the cause too?
Glazunov stays home today. You will take his place.
Like Leon Sprague did? Does he die like Sprague?
Mr. Sprague served a purpose. Remember...
...Mr. Sprague was a heroin smuggler. He was not one of us.
Study these. You must know everything about Glazunov.
[POLICE CAR SIREN WAILS]
PAVEL: They would not look here.
Gant.
Can you fly that plane? Really fly it?
Yeah, I can fly it.
I'm the best there is.
Boris Glazunov?
[PHONE RINGS]
PAVEL: How many?
One car, and three men inside.
PAVEL: Keep watching.
Gant! We must leave now!
They are here. They are out front. Quickly!
GANT: Do they know? PAVEL: No.
These aren't the ones who followed you. They're KGB assigned to the plane.
- They are coming for me. - For you?
They know about me.
You can use this?
- Yeah, I can use it. - Don't, unless absolutely necessary.
Two of them just left. What do you wish me to do, colonel?
KONTARSKY:Stay with them, but do not close up. I'll check with Priabin.
Okay, sir.
GANT: What if they stop us?
- There are other arrangements. - Other arrangements?
- We've got over 600 miles to go today. - I am ordered to die, if necessary.
To ensure that you get away free.
What is it with you Jews, anyway?
Don't you ever get tired of fighting city hall?
Fighting city hall, as you say, Mr. Gant, is a freedom we don't enjoy.
Dr. Baranovich and Semelovsky...
...are amongst the most brilliant minds in Soviet science.
They were born here. This is their country too.
But when the Firefox project is to be completed, they will be sent somewhere.
Just because of their religious heritage.
And you? What happens to you?
I don't know. I'm not a Jew, Mr. Gant.
BORKH: Yes, colonel?
Priabin has just arrested Boris Glazunov at his flat.
- Who is in the van with Upenskoy? - It should be Boris Glazunov.
Exactly!
It should be Glazunov, should it not?
If Upenskoy is making a delivery, should it not?
The truck is heading out of the city. Shall we pick them up as ordered?
This is...
This is most curious.
Where is Upenskoy scheduled to make the delivery?
I don't know, but we can find out.
No! I want you to stay back.
Follow them until they reach the checkpoint.
Priabin is bringing in the other Jew. Perhaps he can tell me something.
PAVEL: Your photograph is being taken.
The KGB is in the door.
[SOLDIER SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
- As far as I can tell, that's Sprague. - You could not be wrong, Mr. Hoskins?
I don't think so, inspector. There's a bit of damage, of course.
Yes. Almost as if his former associate did not want him to be recognized.
- But why? - I don't know, Mr. Hoskins.
Nor do you, I suppose.
I have a wife.
- Did I tell you that, Gant? - You didn't mention it.
She is a Jew.
She is educated.
And still she married me. She's been in prison for 12 years...
...for demonstrating against the invasion of Czechoslovakia.
They do not treat her well in prison.
I've spent the last 12 years trying to be worthy of her.
- What is it? - Well, sir, I'm not sure.
I'm sorry, sir.
- You have killed him. - You pressed me!
- He knew nothing, sir. - What?
- What does that mean? - He was ordered to stay home today.
That's all he knew.
He would have told us under the pentathol if he had anything to tell.
Very well, Dmitri.
Contact the tail car. Have the van stopped.
PAVEL: Semelovsky was at the gas station in Kazan.
I didn't speak to him, but he was there.
- He'll be waiting for me? - Yes. On that road.
You're going to have to jump for it.
I'll try not to let them overtake me for as long as possible.
- Don't get yourself caught now. - Not if I can help it.
Ready yourself.
Don't say anything. Your words would be useless.
Maybe even insulting.
Just fly the damn plane.
[SOLDIER SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
- Dr. Semelovsky? SEMELOVSKY: You're late.
It's a long walk.
It's a question of the guards. Any longer...
...and they would've sent someone to find me.
It's almost an hour since I checked through the guard post.
That is why the car had, to all intents and purposes, broken down.
- Sorry I can't be more accommodating. - Won't they search it?
It was searched already. Now get in, please. We must hurry!
Quickly!
Where have you been? You went through an hour ago.
Damn, the car broke down.
Much as we have achieved, we have not solved the problem of the Moskvitch.
Open the hood.
That engine's filthy.
You're a scientist, you should be more careful, huh?
They work us too hard.
SEMELOVSKY: You are here, Mr. Gant.
BARANOVICH: Mr. Gant, I'm Dr. Baranovich. Please...
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
BARANOVICH: This is Natalia.
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
So we have some food for you. Don't be afraid, you can speak.
They're listening, but we've devised prerecorded tapes for them.
Television noise, innocuous talk.
Well, we do not have many hours left.
Come, you must be hungry.
There's another fence, electric. Guarded by these watchtowers.
Inside the perimeter fence is one other gate, through this fence.
Here, on the other side. It is used only by security personnel.
- It is the one you will use. - How?
With bravado, naturally. And a little help from myself and the others.
Don't worry about it. Do you smoke?
- No, not for years. - Learn again, now.
- These aren't even Russian cigarettes. - They'll prove just as convincing.
Even your papers. So, you go from this gate here.
You'll move to the other side of the airstrip.
This hangar is where the work is done.
Here, there are pilots' dressing rooms. Get there as soon as you can.
Your pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Yuri Voskov...
...will arrive hours before the flight. You must be ready for him.
What about visitors? I may be there for hours.
Conceal Voskov's body.
There are a number of lockers. All with good locks.
Since you don't appear to be very much like Voskov...
...except in general build, you'll be taking a shower.
- For three hours? - You'll pretend to take a shower.
We'll be in the main hangar working on the aircraft.
When the time draws near for our diversion to occur, you will dress.
And the visor of your helmet will conceal your features.
What is this diversion?
You need not worry. An alarm will sound off.
You'll be able to enter the cockpit and roll the plane out of the hangar.
Here he is. If my colleague here were to submit some photographs...
...would it delay our search? - No, the computers can accommodate it.
Then as a favor to an old classmate...
...please tell us who that man might be.
Anyway, Aleksei, you were saying?
TORTYEV: We did not realize it was an agent until tonight.
This man who died at the hands of his own associates...
...isn't the same man who arrived two days ago.
But Aleksei, how does that make him a foreign agent?
See, the man who arrived two days ago is a substitute...
...covering his tracks with the smuggler's dead body.
PROGRAMMER: Sir.
You should take a look at these photographs.
These are his photographs, sir.
It's the same man we are hunting, is it not?
- The gate guard has been reinforced. BARANOVICH: And the perimeter fence?
NATALIA: The watchtowers are filled to overflowing...
...and there are dog patrols inside the fence every 10 minutes now.
We didn't count on this. The added security is for the first secretary...
...who's coming for the trials tomorrow.
We learned of this only yesterday. Now, it'll be that much more difficult.
But it can be done.
Well, I'm not going to walk back!
You haven't been told, but there's a second plane...
...like the one you will fly.
It is not to be used in the trials.
It is fully fueled and in a state of preparedness at all times.
- It could be armed and up in an hour. - But it couldn't overtake me.
No, but it could be refueled in the air. You can't.
In our little diversion, we must take the plane out.
- How? - Fire.
We'll set a fire in the hangar.
The fuel lines to the second prototype must catch.
So you'll have only a few seconds.
When you hear the alarm, come down immediately.
Ignore what you see in the hangar. Just get your plane out.
A fire is not very predictable.
It's past 12:00.
Natalia and I don't have to report until 2:30, but you must go by 1:00.
Here are the coordinates that you must feed into the inertial navigator.
They'll put you in contact with a commercial flight from Moscow.
As soon as they've seen you and it appears that you're flying south...
...feed in the second set.
- What happens if I'm late? - You won't be, if we time it correctly.
You'll head east through the Urals.
Be very cautious of your speed during this phase.
There are listening installations.
"Big ears" we call them. Equipped to detect a supersonic footprint.
And the thought-controlled weapons system?
You don't even need to press a button.
Your thoughts are transmitted through sensors of your helmet...
...into a computer. The rest is automatic.
A Firefox is equipped with missiles from under the fuselage.
There are two cannon under the cockpit.
There's the rear defense pod which fires explosives backwards.
Which could knock out a potential missile.
This is very important, Mr. Gant, you must think in Russian.
You can't think in English and transpose it.
You must think in Russian.
Do you think you can do that, Mr. Gant?
Yes, I can.
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
[HELICOPTER RATTLES]
[DRILL HUMS]
KONTARSKY: Yes, captain?
Colonel. Sir, I've ordered a dog for the guards on security gate 3...
...to search the trees in the area. - Good thinking. Well done.
- Well done. - Thank you, sir.
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
[PHONE RINGS]
[GUARD SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN]
Have a good flight, Colonel Voskov.
[GROANING]
Hell, you didn't do anything.
[DOGS BARKING]
[MEN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]