Tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you Escape. Escape, transcribed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure. You are standing outside a room, horror gripping you. Well, before your eyes seen through the transom window, the most beautiful girl in the world is about to die because of you. Today we escape from reality with a fascinating story of a girl who lived a weird second life. As John Jessel told it in his gripping story, the adaptive ultimate. No, Daniel, I can't do it. You have a very interesting theory. It's more than a theory, Dr. Bach. I've proved it. It works. I tried my serum on tubercular guinea pigs and it cured them. They adapted themselves to the tubercular bacillus and live. I tried my serum on a dog with rabies. He adapted himself too. I tried it on a cat with a broken spine. The cat instantly adapted itself to its injury so that the spine had time to knit and heal. Don't you see what a tremendous discovery this is? Yes, perhaps. Well, think what that would mean in accident cases. There'd be no further need for emergency surgery. Don't you see that? No matter what the condition, the injury to the body, a mere injection of my serum would permit the patient instantly to adapt himself to his condition and live. No matter what his injury. Exactly. A serum made from insects. From a common fruit fly, the most adaptable of living organisms. Tear off a wing and it grows a new one. Tear off its head even. Stick on a new head and that too will adhere in time. Think of imparting that same adaptability to human beings. To grow new heads, it has merit. Oh, now please, Dr. Bach. All right, all right. No, seriously. I know this may be a great thing, but to permit you to experiment on a human being now I can't... The most hopeless case you can find, Dr. Bach. Someone already doomed. Well, if someday I discover in the hospital a hopeless case, understand it will be hopeless. I understand. And if the patient shall consent, then you will have your human guinea pig. Well Dr. Scott, you requisitioned for yourself a hopeless case. Permit me. Here is your guinea pig. What is it, Dr. Bach? TB? Yeah, final stage. A matter of hours at most. She might have been attractive once, but now, hair like string, skinny like a skeleton and flesh like wax. Dr. Bach, you call this a fair test. I said hopeless, but I didn't say a corpse. The lady is returning to life, such as it is. Well, Dr. Scott, I regret I have not a more palatable subject for your experiment, but this is what I promised, a hopeless case. It's all right, I'll try it. Oh, what's her name? Let me see. It's on the chart here. Zellas. What was that? Her name is Keira Zellas. Young lady. Permit me. I am Dr. Herman Bach, chief of the staff, and I would like to introduce one of our promising young doctors. He wants a date, I suppose. Miss Zellas. Hello, brown eyes. What? Your eyes are brown, aren't they? Miss Zellas, you see, I've perfected this serum. I like brown eyes. This serum might help you, but it has never been tried on a human being before. Well, I thought if you have no objection. What are the odds? Odds? Well, actually, you have everything to gain. And nothing to lose. Well. How right you are. Okay. I'm all yours, brown eyes. Go ahead. Experiment away. Dr. Bach, prepare her arm. 24 hours and she is yet alive. I would have said yesterday it would be impossible she should survive the night. So it is now 48 hours and she actually seems better. But miracles such as this have happened before and without serums. A week and she still lives. Each day she becomes better. It is miraculous. The spots on her lungs are disappearing. Her coughing is stopped. There is no sign of bacillus in the culture. But even more amazing, a reaction to abrasion, skin punctures. Yesterday I took a blood specimen. Before I had one cc, the puncture in her skin had closed. Yes, in 30 seconds. The ordinary person, it takes a day, two days for it to heal. With Miss Kira Zeilas, 30 seconds. It is amazing. Then I will not dispute it, your serum has worked a miracle. She is cured. And now I must just discharge her from the hospital. But Dr. Bach... You had forgotten that time must come sometime. But you see I must. She is cured and we need the room. Well yes, yes I know. But she should be under observation. We don't know what effects will show up. I think Daniel, you have an extraordinary interest in Miss Zeilas. I have asked her to come here, she is outside. Shall we invite her in? Yes, of course. Send in Miss Zeilas please. Now observe well your miracle. Miss Zeilas, come in, come in, sit down. Thanks. Oh, hello Brown Eyes. Hello Kira. I have sent for you Miss Zeilas because I have good news. Today I am discharging you from the hospital. Yes, today you are free to go. That pleases you? Madly. Kira, you have people perhaps? A family? Aren't we all brothers and sisters under the skin? Miss Zeilas, I will come to the point. I wish to make you a proposition. I mean purely a scientific proposition. Yes I know, an experiment. Precisely. We are interested, Dr. Scott and I, to observe the further effects of the serum he gave you. I will pay you board and room and thirty dollars a week. You will live at my house. I have a housekeeper, Mrs. Getz, she will look after you. Is that satisfactory? Wouldn't I be a fool to say no? Excellent, excellent. Does Brown Eyes live there too? No but Dr. Scott will continue to have a clinical interest in the experiment. Miss Zeilas have no fear. Good. Yes. Well it is now almost time for dinner. I will take you Miss Zeilas. You will join us Dr. Scott? Why yes, fine Dr. Bach. Very well, we shall meet outside in what, ten minutes? That will do me nicely. Miss Zeilas, you wish to wait here or maybe outside? A little fresh air? I think I could use a little air. Good, there is a little park across the street. You will find benches there to rest. We will meet at the front entrance in ten minutes. Dr. Bach, what is it? What's the matter? Some sort of commotion across the street in the park. Where is Keira? Well I thought she would be here with you. Perhaps she is still over there in the park. What do you suppose? Come on! Dr. Bach, it is Keira. Keira, let me through please. Keira, let us through please. Officer what's happened? What is this? Why are you holding this lady? Do you know this woman? Yes of course, what is it? What's the matter here? Lenny, your lady friend here merely walks up to an old gent about sixty or so, picks up a nice hefty rock and beats his brains up. Officer, there must be some awful mistake. Yeah, her mistake, cold blooded murder. Come on sister, there is the wagon. But officer listen! You'd better come along too mister. Mona Lisa here don't seem to be much in the mood for talking. We need someone to tell the death sergeant her name. Keira, this is terrible seeing you here like this. I've got to get you out of here, I've got to help you. It's not so bad when you're here. Listen, this is all a terrible mistake. If you'll tell me... Mistake? Well yes of course. Keira, you didn't kill that man. If I said yes, what would you do? Well I'd tell him you weren't responsible, I'd tell him about the serum, I'd tell him it was my fault that somehow the serum I gave you caused your mind to snap something. That would be the only explanation. You'd do this, ruin your career no doubt, just to save me. Well yes of course I would. And what would they do to me? I don't know exactly, put you away under observation, something, Keira we... In my answers no, I did not kill the man. Oh don't worry, I won't be convicted. I'll take care of myself very well. I'll, as you say, adapt myself to the situation. All right now Mr. Salvatore, continue. Tell the court in your own words precisely what happened. This old man you see, he's buying circus peanuts from me every day, for months, every day. And this one day he pull out his pocket book, it's Bill's fault, and I'm look it's stuff with the bills, big money. He says Salvatore, can I make change for twenty dollars? And I'm laugh, I'm say, Mr. I'm a peanut man, you take the peanuts and you pay me tomorrow. He said thank you very much, he turn around and then here's this damashe pick up, oh it's great the big stone and it conks him. It's murder. I object your honor. Objection sustained. Continue Mr. Salvatore. Oh, there's nothing more to say. This damashe bend over and she reach in his pocket to take the money. I'm a grabber, people come, police come. Mr. Salvatore, can you describe this young lady to us? Oh see, I remember her very well. She's skinny, she's no beauty, you know. She got the black suit, brown hair, I don't know, dark, you know, maybe brown, blue. Thank you Mr. Salvatore, your witness. Mr. Salvatore, you say that the young lady, the assailant, had brown hair and dark eyes? See, brown hair, dark blue eyes. And do you see the young lady in the courtroom? Oh see, she's a sit right to... What's the matter Mr. Salvatore? Are you pointing at Mrs. Zalas? See? May I ask the defendant to rise please? Mrs. Zalas, will you kindly remove your hat please? Dr. Bach, look, her hair, it's become the color of aluminum. Your honor, I submit that this defendant does not possess dark hair, nor if you will observe dark eyes. I am prepared therefore to submit a lock of her hair to be tested by any chemist the court may appoint to prove that the pigmentation is entirely natural. Now Mr. Salvatore, do you still say that this is the young lady you saw in the park? I think she's... Is she? No. Good Lord, Dr. Bach, that hair of hers, did you see it? It was the color of aluminum. She was beautiful. Yeah, yeah, beautiful. And so she has been acquitted. They call her innocent. Daniel, I am a convert to your great principle of adaptability, but where will it end? You start with an ideal and you wake up to discover you have created a monster. But she was acquitted. It was all a mistake. You really believe that? Dr. Bach. Yes, Mrs. Gitts? She is here, doctor. She? That woman in the newspaper. Ah. Kira is here. You said she was so poor, such a church mouse. Ah, you should see her. What do you mean, Mrs. Gitts? So fine, so great a lady. I'll go and talk to her, Dr. Bach. Hello, Bach. I'm here to see you. I'm here to see you. I'm here to see you. I'm here to see you. I'm here to see you. I'm here to see you. Hello, brown eyes. Hello, Kira. Aren't you glad to see me? Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Oh, congratulations on your acquittal today. We were there. I know. I sensed it. I was hurt that you didn't come up and congratulate me. Well, there were photographers and I... Well, Kira, your hair, it's black again. Isn't it always? Don't you like it? Oh, yes. Yes, of course. It's beautiful. And I beautiful. Oh, yes. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. Brown eyes. Very, very beautiful. And are you happy to have me back? Oh, yes. I always did like brown eyes. Kira. Tell me, how do you like my new clothes? My gown? It's very nice. Nice? It's exquisite. I have a whole new wardrobe, hat, shoes. Wow, Kira. Where did you get the money? I don't know. I just got it from the bank. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Where did you get the money? Money. You only had three dollars when you left the hospital. Oh. So I did. Kira. Kira, you did take that wallet from the old man. Why, naturally. You... You did murder him. Certainly. Oh, come. Don't look so shocked. Oh. I'm tired, brown eyes. You'll excuse me if I appropriate Dr. Bach's room. Good night. Dr. Bach, we've got to do something. Yes, Tanya, we do. I haven't slept a wink all night trying to think of what we can do. I've been here in the laboratory all night. I think I know. What? This serum of yours, it has accomplished a miracle. Yeah. It is the adaptive ultimate. Changes that take the ordinary person days or months, she accomplishes instantly. She walks into the sunlight. She is tan. She walks out. She is pale again. When she is in danger, she adapts. She could survive the electric chair of the hangman's noose. She was in danger in the courtroom. She adapted. She changed her whole appearance at will so she could not be identified. Yes, I know. I know. You must not blame yourself. You could not know what you were creating. Now, this morning I operated on one of your guinea pigs. I found this, the pineal gland hypertrophied. That is what causes it. Well, then we could operate and maybe change her back. Yeah, but she can adapt to anything anesthesia included. How can we operate unless we get her consent? Well, perhaps. Oh, you are dreaming, Daniel. Do you really think she will consent now, now that she has power, perhaps more power than any human being ever possessed before? Power for evil. And she has already killed one man, remember. What if we watched her, Doctor? Kept her under guard. Yeah, yeah, again Pygmalion falls in love with his galatea. No, Daniel, no. She must be destroyed. We must perform surgery at once. Or she'll die. She will go back to what she was with but a few hours to live. It is best, Daniel. Yes, I suppose so. Yes, yes, Mrs. Getz? Hmm? Oh, danke. What is it, Dr. Bach? And so perhaps she is also telepathic. She sensed what we were about to do, and now it is too late. What do you mean? Miss Zelas is gone, disappeared. Dr. Bach, did you call for me? Yeah, Daniel. Have you seen the evening paper yet? No, not yet. Then here. After two months, there is news of our Miss Kira Zelas. What? Let me see that. Where? Oh, the surprise of the evening was the appearance of John Callan, Ambassador-at-Large, diplomat, extraordinary, the man slated to head the forthcoming World Atomic Energy Control Commission. Mr. Callan, one of Washington's confirmed bachelors, squired the gorgeous Kira Zelas. You see, she has become gorgeous, our rabid little urchin. Mrs. Zelas, the dazzling beauty who affects a dark wig by day and a white one at night. A great power of adaptability, courtesy of Dr. Daniel Scott. Dark by day, white by night. Well, what are we going to do, Doctor? Do? The World Atomic Energy Control, the one real hope of world peace. Kira isn't interested in peace. What can we do? Surgery, I know, but politics? We must wait and see. We must wait and see how far your mad woman will go. Washington is agog with rumors about the romance between glamorous Kira Zelas and John Callan, the newly appointed head of the World Atomic Energy Control, one of the most powerful political figures on the globe. John Callan leaves tomorrow for the crucial Atomic Energy Conferences at Geneva, Switzerland, and sailing on the same boat as the exotic Miss Kira Zelas, with whom his name has been frequently linked. Rumor has it Miss Zelas acts as a sort of unofficial assistant to Mr. Callan, thus making her one of the most important women in the world. Glamorous, exotic. Of such fragile stuff is world peace fashioned these days, Daniel. I wonder what she intends to... Some are they calling at dinner time? Oh, sit still, Doctor Buck. I'll see who it is. Yes? Kira? Hello, brown eyes. May I come in? Yes, of course. Oh-ho! An exotic guinea pig. Good evening, Doctor Buck. I'm not intruding. Of course not. You're very kind. John and I... You've read about Mr. Callan? Oh, yes, yes. We're leaving for Europe tomorrow for the conferences in Switzerland. He had a series of meetings to attend tonight, so I told him I would stay here. You're staying here? I took the liberty of saying you were my uncle, Doctor Buck. Oh. John will call for me in the morning on his way to the airport. We're leaving at eight. I do hope I'm not too late for dinner. Not at all. In fact, we're very happy to have you here. Aren't we, Doctor Scott? Kira. Hello, brown eyes. What are you doing out here in the garden? Waiting for you. You knew I'd follow you? Of course. Have you missed me? You know I have. Oh, Kira, listen to me. Do you love this John Callan? When I want love, I'll come to you, brown eyes. Well, then why? What is it, money? Money? I don't need money anymore. What does an empress need with money? Empress? That's what you've made me. The most powerful woman the world's ever known. John Callan. He's supposed to be important. But in my hands, he's clay, to be moulded as I wish. Do you see what that means? Yes, I see. You hold the fate of the world in your hands. Exactly. To do with as I want. And I shall. Would you like to rule the world with me, brown eyes? Kira, you're evil. What is good? What's evil? Come here, brown eyes. Look at me. And forget such things. Are you asleep, Dr. Bott? Sleep? Who can sleep? Kira's insane, doctor. Do you know what she's planning to do? I heard. Maybe we could get to this Callan. And then what? Well, if we could talk to him. Tell him... Tell him what? Didn't I talk to you? Would you listen? Where is she? Oh, she's gone to sleep. I tell you, there's only one remedy, surgery. It is the only hope. But she'll never consent to surgery, Dr. Bott, and she's probably immune to anesthesia. Maybe not. Maybe not all anesthesia. What? Downstairs in my laboratory, I have a tank of ethyl chloride. You mean operate here tonight? Tonight, right here, while she sleeps. All right, then. Now stop staring down at her. Pour the anesthesia onto the cone, hurry. That ought to be enough to anesthetize an elephant. Onto the face, quickly. All right. Then, tightly, hold it close. I'm trying. I'm trying. She's forcing my hands. I can't hold her. She's too strong. I... You fools. Did you think you could make me unconscious? You... you were going to operate on me. Is that what you were planning? Or were you going to slit my throat with that scalpel? Look. Kara, don't! There. You see? I plunge your knife into my heart. I withdraw it. And the wound is healed. Now, go away, both of you. I want to sleep. John will be calling for me at eight. Half past five in the morning. Two and a half hours more and she will leave. And the world will be one step nearer chaos. We are scientists, Dan. We have a responsibility to civilization. We must find a way to destroy this... Carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide, of course. It's a fundamental biological law. No human can survive in its own waste product. Carbon dioxide is a human waste. Dr. Bokoff, if we could fill the room where she's sleeping with carbon dioxide, she'd become unconscious. You could operate then with... Who are you calling? The hospital. I have them send over two tanks of carbon dioxide. Do you think it should work then? We must try anything. Hello, this is Dr. Bok. Let me talk to surgery. Now, hurry. It is an emergency. The tube is ready. You've sealed the crack under the door. Yes. You've closed the window. Yes. All right. Let us start the gas. Well, then, through the transom above the bedroom door, you will be able to observe her reactions. You placed the lighted candle inside the room? Yes, doctor. I left the candle on the table. Observe it carefully. All right. When it goes out, your Miss Kira's alias should be unconscious. Then, can you see inside the room from up there? Yes, doctor. Candle is flickering, doctor. Wait. No, it's still flickering. It... It's just gone out, doctor. Excellent. It means there is now a concentration of 8 or 10 percent carbon dioxide. The average person would long since be dead. Doctor. Yeah, then. What? Just a minute. Yes, yes. She's breathing much more quickly now, convulsively. Ah, chain-stoke breathing. She... She's opening her eyes now. What? She's... She's getting up. Getting up? She's staggering, holding her throat, doctor. She's gasping. She's... Yes? Moving toward the door. She's trying to unlock the... So, so. She's seen me. She... She's trying to... Well, well, well... What is it? She's collapsed. It's over. Yes? How do you do, Dr. Buck? I'm John Callip. John Callip. Yes, yes, of course. Come in. I haven't taken you away from anything. Oh, no, no. We were performing some surgery, my associate and I. I have a miniature surgery here for emergencies. We have just finished. Is that the patient on the table? Yeah, yes. Is she... Yes. She is dead. Too bad. Seedy-linking creature, wasn't she? She was a charity case. Well, I won't keep you. Is Kira here? No, she changed her plans. She said there were some things she wished to do and she would meet you at the airport. Well, that's a woman's prerogative, isn't it? Changing plans? Yes. I'd better get a move on, then. Nice to see you, doctor. I hope we'll meet again when I return from Europe. Yes, that will be nice, doctor. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. I'll see you in the airport. The show is produced and directed by Norman McDonald. Today we have presented Transcribe, The Adaptive Ultimate by John Jessel, adapted for radio by Chet Spurgeon and Herb Futran, with editorial supervision by John Dunkle, starring Edgar Barrier as Doctor Bach and Stacey Harris as Dan Scott. Featured in the cast were Elsie Holmes, Frank Gerstel, Larry Dobkin, Tom Charlesworth, and Ivan Dittmarz. Next week... You are trapped in a dark, empty house, a girl lying dead at your feet. And surrounding you, closing in on you, are the band of killers, deadly enemies of your country and yourself. And they are intent on murdering you. Next week, we escape with the famous story, Confidential Agent by Graham Greene. Be sure to tune in at this same time next week, when once again we offer you Escape. This is Roy Rowan speaking for CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.
