The Time Tunnel s01e09 Episode Script

Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages during the first experiments on Americas greatest and most secret project- the Time Tunnel, Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new, fantastic adventure somewhere along the infinite corridors of time, Guard,! Here are the prisoners,! Where are you? Onto the beach.
Move.
You think I wanna be stranded here? My ship leaves in minutes.
Help him, Move, Now! Halt! Halt! - Dont move.
- Wait a minute.
Keep your mouth shut.
Not a word.
You would not have made it anyway.
All right.
Move along.
Henri Boudaire.
Pierre Blanc Andre Perrault.
Claude Dumas Andre Vermere.
Marcel Duchamps.
Very good.
All accounted for.
Theres some mistake here.
We- Youd be better off if I killed you here and now.
But no matter.
Itll all be the same in the end.
Gentlemen.
welcome to Devils Island.
This is the ultimate punishment, gentlemen, Keep that in mind, You are the elite.
the political prisoners whose ideas might be infectious.
Therefore you have been isolated on this small section of the smallest of our three islands- only a few hundred feet long and a few hundred feet wide.
We are known as the Second Barracks.
No one has ever escaped from it, So we will have no more of that foolish attempt of this morning, The sharks in the waters that surround us are numerous and hungry.
You will spend the rest of your lives here.
make no mistake about that.
If you resign yourself to it.
your lives might be long.
If not- - Theyre all yours.
Sergeant.
- Yes.
sir.
Sir- Prisoners are not allowed to talk to the commandant.
Well.
then.
hear us out yourself.
Sergeant.
Theres been a mistake.
We dont belong here,!Just checK your records, Werre not even listed there, Well.
if there is a mistake.
well find it eventually.
- Eventually? - Yes.
And until that mistake is discovered you are 8610.
And 8610 is as mortal as any other prisoner.
Ifhe disobeys, he dies, Dont forget that, Were American citizens.
You have no right to keep us here.
The only reason youre alive now is because itss the first day.
Lescaux is always lenient on the first day, You open your mouth to me once more I promise you youll pray for death.
Distribute the uniforms.
You will change clothes in the barracks.
Take nothing with you- no possessions.
no pictures.
nothing.
The only thing you have here is what we give you, I know one thing: We dont cross him.
He means what he says.
Im sure he does but I dont intend to spend the rest of my life in this place.
Were gonna have to just concentrate on keeping alive.
The Time Tunnel.
Attach your leg irons.
Affix the locks.
You will be the keeper of the barracks.
You will bring the water and see that the rest of the pigs keep it clean.
Hmm? No noise will be tolerated.
Any disturbance.
your rations will be cut in half.
Its useless to fight the iron.
Marcel.
- You know Im not Marcel.
- Marcel.
Andre.
What does it matter? - How long have you been here? - Just arrived on the island.
Ive been a guest of the prison administration for three years.
I was in the army, and I questioned the wisdom of the French colonial policy to one of my officers.
Three years, How much longer they gonna Keep you here? I doubt that anyone remembers that I exist at all.
Perhaps my wife.
Yes.
She remembers.
The escape attempt was foolish this morning, You heard what he said about sharKs, Theres got to be some way out.
Come on.
old man.
Tell him about your escape.
Tell him.
Three of us went in the jungles of Venezuela.
One went mad.
Mosquitoes.
insects.
millions.
The other was captured by the Indians, He died slow.
I could hear him.
There was nothing I could do.
I had a fever a terrible fever.
Thats enough.
Go to sleep.
- How long was he free? - Less than a week.
Hell be out of it soon.
- Here.
Pass this to him.
- Its a waste of good water.
Thank you.
- More? - No.
Is there a doctor here on this island? What would they need a doctor for? The sooner we are finished.
the better for them the more they would like it.
Sometimes I think I would like to live forever.
just to embarrass them.
Henri Boudaire, the army lieutenant who tried to uncover graft in the army of his country.
The eternal Henri Boudaire.
- You mean youve never thought of escape? - I am here because I was betrayed by a man whom I considered my best friend.
I dont trust anyone.
- Cant you refine your time lock? - No.
Im holding on Dougss signal.
Without anything specific to go on it could be anywhere in time from 1852 right on up to 1930.
- What did you find on the uniforms? - No help there.
As far as I can find out.
there was no change in penal uniforms that can help pinpoint the year.
- How about the prisoners names? - Imm running that through now.
Another dead end.
Most of the records of the French penal colonies were destroyed in the mid-30s.
You know.
there must be something in that barracks that would give us the exact date.
Perhaps there is.
- The numbers, - What about the numbers? The prisoners were given consecutive numbers.
which means that approximately 8,600 prisoners were interned in Devils Island before Doug and Tony got there, Now.
just possibly.
somewhere.
there might be a record of the numbers and the years they were issued.
All right.
Get on the phone and call Major Hicks with the American embassy in Paris.
- He can cut through the red tape.
Give it immediate priority.
- Yes.
sir.
Youd better get that information fast.
General.
We could lose them at any time.
- Any luck? - No.
- What about you? - They have no will to escape.
None of them will even listen to me and the odds are 100-to-1 against our getting out of here alive by ourselves.
The oddsll be worse than that if we stay.
If I could only get to the commandant.
Maybe I could make him listen to reason.
All right.
Go now.
- What about Lescaux? - Ill take care of him.
Just watch your chance.
I cant work without water.
None of us can.
Youll get water at noon, Get bacK to worK, - By noon I might be dead, I want some now, - Youll be dead before noon unless you get back to work.
The mans dead.
Bury him.
His death saved your life.
Next time you might not be so lucky.
Get back to work! How did you get in here? Do you know the penalty for what youre doing? I have some idea.
but I think its worth the risk.
I have to talk to you.
and this is the only way I could do it.
Well.
if a man is willing to risk his life for the sake of a little conversation then the least I can do is to oblige him.
If the pistol makes you nervous.
by all means.
take it.
- Cigarette? - No.
thank you.
Commandant.
my friend and I are here by mistake.
I should say right in the beginning that.
uh no man is ever on Devils Island by mistake.
We are, My friend and I were part of a scientific expedition that somehow went awry and landed on this island.
We were picked up in the escape attempt yesterday.
Six men were sent here.
Six arrived.
And the description on your records fit you and your friend very closely, - Is that merely a coincidence? - Commandant.
Im only asking you to check it out.
- Wheres your central headquarters? - St.
Laurents.
Well, asK them to notify you, AsK them to send you a complete description of the two men we somehow replaced.
Yes.
I suppose that would be possible although its inconceivable that anybody would be imprisoned here by accident.
I would need some paper.
Go ahead.
- Now.
what are your names? - Im Douglas Phillips and my friends name is Anthony Newman, - And your nationalities? - American.
Yes.
that should do it.
It will taKe a little while until we hear bacKfrom St, Laurents, But.
on the presumption of the doubt you have raised I think its only fitting that you should be moved out of the barracks.
- Wed appreciate that.
- Shall we see about your friend Newman? Oh.
and.
uh.
I dont think you will need that any longer.
do you? Im greatly relieved.
Commandant.
This isnt exactly the spot Idd picked for my vacation.
Drop your pistol to the floor! I mean it.
Drop your pistol.
Put your hands on your head and bacKagainst that wall, Move very slowly, TaKe him away and assemble the prisoners, I think it is time that we made our first example.
All right.
Get in.
There is no reprieve here.
There are only the rules.
You will live by them, or you will die by them, - You are Captain Alfred Dreyfuss? - I am.
Youve been assigned to my jurisdiction.
Captain.
You will be given your own quarters pending the outcome of your appeal in Paris, I request no special favors.
I demand only what is due every Frenchman:justice, Guard! Take Captain Dreyfuss to his quarters.
I tell you.
I saw him.
A guard was taking him into headquarters.
Impossible.
They would not bring Captain Dreyfuss to Devils Island.
Dreyfuss? Here? Forget it.
old man.
I know the captain.
I served under him.
Hes an honorable man.
Nobody would ever think hess guilty of treason.
I heard of his trial.
They said he betrayed France.
He sold military secrets to Germany.
The evidence against him was forged.
They would never find him guilty.
But that one saw him here.
So you say you are an American? How would you know Dreyfuss? His trial was covered by the American press.
I saw a picture of him.
A man like Dreyfuss cannot be left to die in a place like this.
If hes here.
we have to get him out.
Its still filthy.
Do it over.
Pig! Im going to kill him! You wanna give him an excuse to kill you? Is that what you want? Someday Ill see him dead.
Where did you get that iron bar? I picked it up near the supply hut.
If anyone wants a broken head let him try to take it from me.
- Were losing our signal.
General.
- Well.
keep at it.
- We cant afford to lose them.
- It just came out of the computer.
Alfred Dreyfuss arrived on Devils Island on the 15th of March.
1895.
All right.
Well go for a time fix.
How long can a man live in a sweatbox like that.
General? I dont know.
I do know that in the prison camps in Malaya some of them lasted three days.
But French Guianas on the equator.
The ground temperature there hits 150 degrees.
- What do you need to get him out? - We now have a time fix.
- We need a spatial fix as well.
- Ann.
contact Paris again.
Tell them what we know and tell them I want a layout of the Second Barracks in 1895 as exact as they can make it.
Yes.
sir.
- Heres some water, - No, No, no, No water there.
The guards to be relieved will report to the boat landing on the morning of the 17 th at 7:00.
But thats gonna leave only four men on guard here, Only for a few hours, Besides, it doesnt matter, The convicts arent going anywhere.
- Where are you going? - Im going to see Dreyfuss.
Im going with you.
If it is Captain Dreyfuss.
they will have him in a special hut for important prisoners.
All right.
Follow me.
What is this? Who are you? Capitaine Dreyfuss, dont you remember me? - Henri Boudaire.
- Boudaire? I was with you at the ministry.
89.
Yes.
Of course.
- But what are you doing on Devils Island? - Why are any of us here? Sir.
we have come to help you.
Boudaire.
the partys breaking up.
- Theyll be making a bed check soon.
- We are planning an escape.
Escape? For you.
that is right.
Boudaire.
Get back to France.
Fight those who have forgotten what France stands for.
Fight them.
Fight them with all your heart and soul.
- May I take this? - Yes.
Of course.
Its there.
You must see it.
- What are you talking about? - The boat.
Behind you.
Look through the trees.
We are going to have a look.
Cover for us.
- Can you navigate? - Of course.
I spent six years at sea before I went into the army.
- We are going to need provisions.
- Claude has access to the mess hall.
- What about a sail? - Perrault.
He was a tailor in the old days.
He can make a sail out of blankets.
Good.
All right.
Everybody back to work.
This is the location of the barracKs, This is where Tony is.
and this is where Doug is.
- Do you have the coordinates.
General? - Mm-hmm.
For Tony: .
016 by 3.
97.
For Doug: 936.
1 by 766 even.
- All right.
Ive got them.
- How are you going to get both of them in the same retrieve? Well.
well have to arrange a power split.
We have Tony here and Doug there.
Roughly.
well be splitting one retrieving power.
and welll pick them both up at once.
Are you sure that you can control the split accurately? Cant be sure of anything.
General.
except that once they make an escape attempt and get out into that jungle.
our odds go down.
I know this is a new procedure.
but I think its worth trying.
- When do you wanna make a try? - Well.
were at maximum power now.
I say that we should try as soon as theyre both in position.
All right.
All right.
well go ahead.
Doug.
are you all right? Well.
Im alive.
thanks to that water you brought me.
Tony.
I heard the guards talking about Dreyfuss.
- Is he here? - Yes.
Hes here.
Were organizing an escape.
The men are gonna get Dreyfuss out.
But you know as well as I do.
Dreyfuss never got off Devils Island.
If they try to take him with them.
their escape is going to fail.
I know Dreyfuss cant be included but you cant tell them that.
Hes the whole reason for their will to escape.
Whats gonna happen when you try to talk them out of taking him? I dont know.
Ill have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
Take your places.
Put on your leg irons.
Bring us up to full power.
All right.
Ann.
Signals are synchronized.
- Did you get supplies? - I got it.
Its in the keg.
Bread and tinned beef.
Its the only thing I could get.
- Itll do.
- Did you get the needles? Its there.
A small package.
And I found some barrel staves we can use for oars.
- Theyre in the boat, - Itss now or never.
Activate.
Now.
in just a few more moments.
and thats it: yourre free.
The retrieving power didnt split.
Wevve picked up the wrong man.
General.
You have nothing to fear.
Boudaire.
Nobodys going to hurt you.
Put your guns away! I dont want him hurt! Sorry.
Thatll be all.
Boudaire.
I am General Kirk and this is Dr.
Swain and Dr.
MacGregor.
How do you know my name? What is this place? Youre in the United States.
and this is the year 1968.
Boudaire.
we dont expect you to comprehend this all at once but were trying to rescue two of our men who are on Devilss Island by mistake.
But we had an accident and picked you up instead.
You did not answer my question.
You- How do you know my name? Ann? If only wed been where Boudaire was standing wed be back in the Time Tunnel now.
Its Lescaux.
Hess coming back.
So.
the sleep of the innocent.
I see.
But not so innocent perhaps.
ah? Supply reports some tins of beef are missing.
All right.
Well play a different game.
Now.
you tell me where Boudaire has gone.
Huh? - Theyre in there.
- Yes.
I know that youre disoriented by your trip through time but there are some things that we have to talk about before we send you back.
- Send me back? - The lives of our men depend on your going back.
What about my life? If I go back there.
they will kill me.
I dont Know what this place is but I feel free here.
And I have no intention to go anywhere.
I will stay here! Do you have anything to eat here? Ill have dinner brought in.
Can we send him back to be killed.
General.
or to spend another 30 years in torture? - Can we do that to him? - I dont know.
Meanwhile.
order him some food.
will you please? If you think I will mobilize a full-scale search in the middle of the night.
you are mistaken.
No.
There is an easier way.
You are going to tell me where Boudaire has gone.
You wont find Boudaire on this island.
The same scientific experiment that landed us here took him away.
Right out of the barracks.
just like that? Well.
ask the other prisoners.
They all saw it.
- If youll give me a chance to explain.
Imm sure I can- - Explain what? Hallucinations? Witchcraft? Commencing at dawn.
I will execute one prisoner each hour until you have told me where the escaped convict has gone or you have told me where he is.
And you will be the first! Take them back to the barracks.
He wont do that.
He would not kill them all.
Youre the only man who can save their lives and perhaps help Captain Dreyfuss.
No.
I will not! Bring them all out of there with your machine! - You brought me here! - Boudaire.
your coming here was an accident.
The machine hasnt been perfected.
Will Dreyfuss take the bait? The government thinks he will.
If he does.
they will have Dreyfuss as they would like him killed while trying to escape together with an unexpected dividend: a few other dead political troublemakers.
Its a trap.
a trap to kill Captain Dreyfuss to kill all of us! - Send me back.
- Boudaire.
youve been forewarned against making this attempt but youll have other chances.
Is escape from Devils Island possible? Yes.
If you go far enough north to stay out of the coastal tides.
Those who made it reached Trinidad.
The British were sympathetic.
I know those waters.
Im ready to go.
Youre a brave man.
Boudaire.
Ray.
start your countdown and give me the coordinates for your next retrieve.
Im not sure werre doing the right thing.
General.
Weve never had any guarantees.
Ann.
I want a weather summary for the 17th of March, 1895, north coast of South America, Yes.
sir.
Boudaire.
theres something you should know.
Captain Dreyfuss is a part of history and history records he never escaped from Devils Island.
If you try to take him with you.
you havent got a chance.
What about me? Do you know if I will escape? Sorry.
Our records are not that complete.
Very well then.
I take my chances.
Countdown is ready.
General.
We have the coordinates.
Boudaire.
tell Newman and Phillips to be at the northwest corner of the barracKs at exactly 8:13, Northwest corner.
8:13.
According to the computer.
there was a high.
prevailing easterly wind off a high center in the South Atlantic.
five to 15 knots.
variable.
- Very good.
- Count him down.
- How do I do this? - You just walk straight into the Tunnel.
- Good luck.
- Boudaire.
Ten, nine, eight seven.
six.
five four, three, two, one, All right.
Has anybody decided that he wants to live? Then answer the question: Where is Boudaire? I tell you.
Sergeant.
- Yes? - What you heard is true.
He was here one moment and gone the next, The devil took him.
The devil take you all.
Now you say your prayers.
Youre about to die.
All right.
Now let us go.
All right.
Check the guards.
Perrault Ill need your help to get to the commandant.
make sure he doesntt spread the alarm.
You and Claude put the boat in the water.
Rig the sail.
but dont hoist it.
There are two guards.
one near the guillotine and another at headquarters.
You take care of the guard at the guillotine.
- You only have about 20 minutes to get to the beach, - Right.
- Ill need the pistol.
- He cantt get Captain Dreyfuss past the guard by himself.
- Dont worry about it.
Welll handle it.
- Dreyfuss is the important one.
He must be protected.
Hes the whole reason for risking our necks.
You do exactly as I say.
or none of usll get out of here.
You take the cask and the water and the food.
Now get going.
Good luck.
- Can you take the guard at the guillotine? - If we succeed I will at last meet two granddaughters Ive never seen.
You can count on me.
Give me two minutes to get into position.
No noise.
Stay right where you are.
Not a sound out of you.
not a move.
Keep him covered.
Perrault.
Put your hands behind you.
Oh.
my hands are about to drop off.
Its all right.
Welll rest.
then Illll carry it.
I- I dont like this.
One of us should have gone with him to set Dreyfuss free.
- Im going back.
- Dreyfuss isntt going with us.
What? What did you say? I cant tell you how I know.
but an escape involving Dreyfuss would be doomed to failure.
- Lets get to the boat, - Are you in the pay of the government? Do you think I would go without Captain Dreyfuss? You dont have any choice.
- Boudaire! - Where have you been? - This one and his friend are giving the orders, - Listen to me.
Stop it! You were picked up by the Time Tunnel.
werent you? Then you must Know about Dreyfuss, Tell him,! - Give me the gun.
Boudaire! - No! A bad dream.
Thats what it was.
A bad dream.
Boudaire.
tell him about Dreyfuss! Dreyfuss isnt here with you? The other American was supposed to liberate him.
I say we go back and make sure.
- Yes.
Dreyfuss must be freed.
- Give me the rifle.
You come with us.
Yes.
We must free Dreyfuss! The transfer was too much for him.
How long will it take him to snap out of it? His experience here may never be anything more to him than what he calls it: a bad dream.
Hes forgotten all about telling Tony and Doug to get ready for a retrieve.
Well just have to take eem on the run if we can.
Lets synchronize our signals.
Ann.
Welll go back to standby.
- An escape? - Yes.
Captain.
So you have your chance.
Captain Dreyfuss and theres nothing I can do to prevent your escape, One chance in a million.
It could never hap- - Are you all right.
Captain? - Yes.
yes.
Hurry.
You dont have much time.
- Youre not coming with us? - No.
The captain never tried to escape from Devilss Island.
Never tri-What are you talking about? - He means the captain wont go.
- Then I will not go.
It is not your choice to maKe, All of you,your duty is to go to defend France against her detractors.
My duty is to remain here.
all my life.
if need be as a living reminder that honor must be restored to the army of France.
- Go now.
- Now.
wait a minute.
Everythings been so easy.
Everythingss been too easy.
Too convenient.
The guards being sent away.
Our stumbling on a boat that just happened to be in good condition.
I say we dont question providence.
The commandant planned it all.
Everything was made very easy for us.
all of it.
so that- So that Captain Dreyfuss would be killed attempting to escape.
And the officers of the general staff could be spared much embarrassment, Yes.
of course.
The commandant planned it all.
An ambush? Where would he have sent the guards? There are rocks overlooking the beach.
That would be the logical place.
- Then I say we take them by surprise and kill them.
- No.
No.
the commandants been thoughtful enough to plan everything for our convenience.
You launch the boat.
Tony and Ill take care of the guards.
Mon capitaine, Let us go! - Captain? - Yes? If its any comfort to you.
you dontt have long to stay here.
Theyll taKe you bacK to France, Youlll be exonerated, I thank you for your expression of confidence.
Good luck.
Captain.
They will never catch us! Come on! Look at the blessed fog! They will never catch us! You.
citizen.
come here.
- Stop or we shoot! - Come here, citizen, - What do you want? - You are under arrest.
Arrest? What have I done? Quite a sight.
citizen.
What are they doing with that man? Hes on his way to the guillotine, Another aristocrat, That proud head will soon be in a basket.
Doug,