In just a moment X minus one. But first your home will be filled with the voices of top entertainers and fascinating experts in the homemaking field. Tomorrow when Virginia Graham and Mike Wallace bring you another broadcast of NBC's Weekday. Among the special guests is Rita gam Hollywood Starr and one of Grace Kelly's prospective bridesmaids. And Rita will be joined by a singer whose unique style is well known to his many fans, Johnny Ray. Then from Britain, It's actor Trevor Howard. Meet them all tomorrow when NBC's Weekday brings you another day of fact and fun on the station. Now, stay tuned for X minus one on NBC. Come down for Blast Off X minus five, four three two X minus one Fire from the far horizons of the Unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future adventures in which you'll live in a million, could be years, on a thousand, maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, presents HE minus one Tonight, a story by Frederick Paul Tunnel under the world On the morning of June fifteenth, Guy Berkhart woke up screaming. It was more real than any dream he had ever had in his life. He could still hear and feel that sharp, metal ripping explosion, that searing wave of heat. He sat up, ry, Mary, Mary, very Where are you, guy? What's wrong? You're trembling? Where were you in the kitchen cooking breakfast? What is it? No? A dream? I guess an explosion? Did you say an explosion? Yes, but that's the dream I had. What I dreamed there was a big explosion, and then something sort of hit me on the head, he smokes me. Maybe there really was some sort of explosion. It started the streaming. Well, there'll be an explosion down at your office if you don't hurry and get to work. Coming in on the bus, Burkhart watched to see if there was any evidence of an explosion. There wasn't. If anything, the town looked better than ever. The only thing that seemed strange to him was the fact that none of the usual crowd was on the bus. He was a little relieved when his old pal Henry Swanson finally got on. Excuse me, Henry, on me, Henry, what's the matter with you. It's me Guy Burkart. Burkhart, Sorry, I don't believe we've met what Henry? For Pete's sake, it's me. If you'll excuse me, this is my stop. I'll like that. Guy Burkhart got off in front of the Gigantic contro Chemical building, took the elevator to the ninety eighth floor, where he had worked in the accounting department for twelve years. It wasn't until he was almost at his floor that he realized the speaker was not playing the usual commercials. Friends, Are you happy with your present home freezer of Carskna? Well, the answer to your problems is a Feckle freezer. Feckel freezers are better freezers. Most wives would do anything for a Feckel freezer. Friends, are you happy with your present home freezer? Morning is Horn? Good morning Spirit? Well you Hea? Do I see why? Yes? Do you like it? That makes a lot of difference in your appearance. And mister Barton, no, sir, he had an appointment with mister Dorton of the Human Research Institute today. Today's the fifteenth of June. He has to sign the quarterly statement. He said he wouldn't be in Hu. That's mighty peculiar, yes, sir, Oh, by the way horn, what the devil is a freckle freezer? A freezer? There's a new copy on the elevator commercial the daughter you must have landed another account freezes. I really don't know, mister Barricarr. It's a funny day. Can't quite put my finger on it. But there's something strange going on. He couldn't shake the thought out of his mind. It persisted all through the day and through dinner. He was still brooding as he and Mary got ready for bed. God, Oh, well, no, anything wrong? I don't know. Well, I guess I'll get a good night's sleeping. I think I'll set up and read for a while. At exactly midnight, Guyberghart lapsed into a sudden, deep sleep, and the following morning he woke up screaming, Dolly, what is it? What's wrong? Oh? I think bad dream? I guess you gave me such a shock. I seem to be having a lot of nightmares lately. Really, Yes, the one I had yesterday this was the same, A big explosion and then nothing. You had a dream yesterday, Well, of course I did. You had the same sort of dream. I, guy, you're mistaken. I don't remember dreaming. Mary. You told me, Guy, you're mistaken. Mary. Maybe you dreamed I had a dream. Maybe, yes, I might have done that. I suppose everything did seem sort of strange yesterday. That's probably it. You better get dressed here, today's fifteenth. That's when the quarterly is fifteenth. Yes, it must have been a dream, because yesterday was the fifteenth. Di Berkhart got up, dressed, ate breakfast, and took the usual bus to work. Once again, everything seemed even brighter and newer than usual, and once again he was puzzled when he noticed none of the old crowd on the bus hardon me. Please, oh look, don't shove so oh morning, Henry, morning, for God's sake, don't talk to me. What is it You've been followed or something? Don't you know? I was sure you remembered, remember what? I can't talk. This is my stopper. You excuse me, please, Hanry, Henry, for Pete's sake. As in yesterday's dream, Guy Berkhart got off at his stop and took the elevator to the ninety eighth floor. The speaker in the elevator purred a new commercial, this time Marlon searetts they're sanitized. Does your present cigarette make your throat feel raspy and unpleasant? Marlin cigarettes contain a miraculous new drug which actually gives you the sensation of smooth, creamy smoke. Marlin cigarette. Marlin cigarette. He walked down the Marble corridor to his office. Good morning, is very Curt, Good morning, was Horn. Do you like my new haird yes? Is mister barth in? Nohing? He had no appointment with mister Dawton at the Research Institute. I know you know well, I guessed it anyway, And today is the fifteenth of June, and he won't be here to sign a quarterly statement. And I'm going nuts. Let me have a cigarette, will you? Yes, sir, try one of grief. They're Marlins. Never heard of Marlins before today? What are we a bunch of guinea pigs? Something wrong wrong? Perish the thought, miss Horn, perish the thought. He went to his desk and stared at the mail before he opened it. He knew that the factory distributor's envelope contained an order for twelve new electronic computers. He knew that the Development journal contained an article about a new method of transprinting selective brain circuits of human engineers onto the electric brain circuits of robot engineers to facilitate the operation of automatic factories. He knew that there was a complaint from fine beck AND's about the contro chemical's newest household robot circuit. After a long while, he forced himself to open them. They were exactly as he suspected. Hello, this is Swanson, Henry Swanson. What is it? Do you remember? Remember what? Just remember? All right? Now? Listen, Harry, Let's stop playing games. Yesterday, either I was dreaming or you stubbed me on the bus. Today, the same thing happens. You do remember, Thank Heaven? I thought so when I saw you, when I couldn't be sure. Well, what is it you want? Listen? Tomorrow morning when I get off the bus, you get off with me. Be casual. They may be watching, who may be watching? Swanson? Hello, you buzzed, mister Baker. Yes, I'm still out of cigarettes, sir? Would you buy me a pack of Kelvins? Wouldn't you rather have Marlins? I smoke Kelvin's, but mister Berhard, Marlins have that soft, creamy smoke. That's so soothing to your throat. You really believe that stuff? It's true. I wouldn't say this, mister Birhard, except that, well, I've gotten to know you pretty well, and i've wronged to admire you so much. You see, would you mind, mister Burkhard, if I told you that? For months now, I've wanted to well just comfort you. I know how troubled you've been. Well, you've never mentioned your feelings before, miss Horn April, my first name's April. Well that's pretty name. You see. I do have your welfare at heart. That's why when I see you smoking Kelvin's and I know Marlin's is so much better, won't you let me buy some of them for you? Well? I suppose so? Why not? Here? Bring me a carton? Thank you, mister guy. I think you ought to go. I'll be bad. There was something wrong, something definitely peculiar about what was happening, the call from Henry Sponson, the strange behavior of his secretary in his horn, these new products. The dream guy Burkhardt went home that night feeling like a man in a nightmare. That you dear, it's me. Do you have a good day? Fair? Oh? Before you sit down. Will you go down the cellar and put in a new fuse. The switch in the hall closet blew out. I shut it off. Okay, supper will be ready in a minute, so don't start fooling around. I've got a boat hull you've been building. I want, Harry, Marry, what is it? Come down here, hurry up? What is it? I don't know, I'm not sure. I was looking for a fuse and I thought maybe i'd dropped one under the boat house. So I scratched around. Look, let me put the flap flight on it. Where Look at the floor. What about the floor? It's supposed to be cement? Well, well, let's copper. There's a thin layer of cement. But underneath its metal. Look here underneath the concrete, more metal. And here on the wall you see metal under the floor, behind the walls, every place. Well, I don't really understand, Mary. I know this sounds crazy, but somebody, for reasons I can't even begin to guess, has taken this house and replaced it with a clever imitation. Guy, Harry, I'm gonna look around little more. Well, your dinner will be ready, all right, say it for me. There are a couple of things I've got to figure out. The following morning, Guy Burkhardt woke up scream. He dragged himself into the kitchen where his wife Mary was preparing breakfast, and discovered it was still June fifteenth. Mary, where's the morning paper? Where is it outside the door? I guess, huh, June fifteenth. You'd better hurry dear, today's day. Mister Barr feels out the quarterly tax return. Oh no, it isn't. He won't be there. He'll get a meeting with that crackpot drsu and at the Human Research has to he'll be there, and miss Horn will have a new hairdoo, and the elevator will be selling some new product in Swanson. What about Swanson? Swanson? He said, I wonder if it's going to be the same today. Guy, what in the world are you talking about? Nothing of min where's my coat? You haven't had any breakfast? I don't want to miss my bus. I'll see you tonight. Guy Burkhardt got on his bus. They were the same unfamiliar faces, the same unusually new looking buildings, the same unusually bright sunshine, and on the customary corner Henry Swanson pale and furtive climbed a board. Huh, excuse me, sir, it's quite all right. Do you remember the phone call? Yes? Thank heaven. Get off at the next corner and follow me. Where are you going? There's an excavation for a building about a blockdown. Make sure you aren't followed. I'll go first, Burcott, here behind the fence. All right, now, Henry, what's this all about? I'm not sure. At first I thought perhaps they were Russians. Now I'm beginning to think they're Martians. No humans could have accomplished what they've accomplished. Now, wait a minute, start from the beginning, Henry, what's going on? Look, Burkhott, peculiar things have been happening to you? Right? Yes, a lot of your friends are missing. Your house seems changed. Something stranger than that. The date today is June fifteenth, Yet I could swear yesterday was June fifteenth, and the day before that. You got it, friend, It's always June fifteenth, and you and I are the only ones who know it. Why, Henry, how I'm not sure. I think it's some sort of mass hypnosis or something. Well, why doesn't it work for us? My wife Mary doesn't remember a thing. Somehow when it happened, they missed us. We were protected from the full force of the rays or whatever they used or cut. Where were you on the night of the fourteenth, about midnight? Let me see, that was Sunday night. Yes, yeah, I was down in the cellar under the boat I'm building. I was in my dark room developing some pictures. This just doesn't make any sense to me. Russians, Martians, What makes you think that I've seen them? Where at the end of the tunnel. What tunnel the one they built under Tyler Town Tunnel under Tyler Town. Yes, that's right. It's made out of copper or some alloy. God, wait a minute. I found a copper layer under my cellar floor last night, So did I. That's how I discovered it. I found a way to get into It's at the bottom of this excavation. Holy mackerel, Henry, Why don't we tell the police because we can't trust them, even the police may be marshas in the sky. Oh come on, are you being meloderma? Oh? Am? I but you just come with me where into the tunnel? I'll show you. Henry Swanson led Guy berghride to a small hole on the side of the excavation. There he removed the cut out piece of metallic substance, and they crawled into a dimly lighted tunnel. They walked for what seemed like two miles until Swanson held his finger to his lips. We've got to be quiet now, Henry. This is fantastic. They've got a tunnel right under the hotwn. You haven't seen anything yet. There's a room a little farther down, so we'll be able to look through a glass in the door. Is it safe. That's perfectly safe unless one of them comes along. Oh, come on, okay, here Burkhott looked through this glass now, just so I know I'm not completely insane. Tell me what you see, good lord. Well, a tremendous panel with dozens of telescreens, and in front of each of the several robots. They seem to be computing something. Yes, I've watched. They're evaluating data from the screens. Have you got a chance to look at the data on those screens? No, I've been afraid to go in. There might be a warning circuit somewhere. Well, if we knew what those robots were working on, we could go to the authorities. I whisk it a few will all right, it's worth a chance. We're lost anyway. Okay, open the door. So far, so good. Come on, let's take a look at that data. But don't interfere with the robots. Don't worry. Yeah, let's look at the screen. Listen to this. Tests in the forty seven K twelve group with Marlin cigarettes pulled eighty percent using the soft feminine approach. Indications are that an extension of this approach would influence at least seventy percent nationwide. The direct elevator pitch pulled only ten percent. They should be abandoned and a new series of high persuasion personal elements introduced. Henry, do you know what this means? I haven't the faintest idea. I don't blame you. This is crazy, but it fits the facts when I think about it. Do you know who's behind this? Martian? No, not martians, Henry. Humans What humans were interested in developing the perfect propaganda machine? What? I don't know who they are or how they've done it, but somehow they've taken Tyler Town over hypnosis, hypnosis, drugs, maybe some kind of array or something. However they do it What happens is that they let us live through a single day. During that day, they pour all kinds of suggestions and propaganda to into us. At the end of the day, they evaluate the results, see how we've reacted, And at midnight they washed the day out of our minds, and the next morning we start the same day over again, with different stimuli. Do you know what that means, Henry? Suppose one man learned how to influence people one day in a year, he could sell us anything from freezes to political candidates. Wait a minute, where guinea pigs? Henry? This whole community is one big test tube for Dawton's propaganda research. B What do we do? I don't know, But somehow we've got to get out of this town and get to the FBI. How do you think we can? It's worth a try. Come on, wait, what is it? Look through the door. There's somebody coming down the tunnel. You've got to hide behind the circuit boxwa good lord, it's Dawton, the head of the research institute. All right, Burcott, come out, we know you're in this room. Ms Horn has informed us that you remember, I must warn you that it's useless to buck us come out peacefully. Let our maintenance crew adjust you properly so you don't remember from one experiment to the next. It will be quite painless. If you don't come out peacefully, we'll have to get you. Henry, take this wrench when I give the word jumping. But he may be armed, and we've got nothing to lose. Very well, I'm coming after you now, very god, I've killed him. Get his coat un buttoned. Maybe his heart still leading? Henry? What is it? What's wrong? Look underneath his coat? Heaven help us. It's a robot, a humanoid robot design look like Dawton. Come on, let's get out of here. What's speaker? I told you it was useless? Gentleman, Who are you? Mister Drton? Naturally the real mister Drton? What are you trying to do to us? Merely trying to prevent you from damaging my experiment? Gentlemen, you can't get away with this Dawton. Sooner or later somebody, the FBI or somebody is going to get wind of this madness. Really, Burhart, you're quite naive now. Why not be reasonable and let the maintenance cruis adjust you? And if I refuse, I suppose you'll kill me. That would be quite impossible. Oh you see, Burhart, you're already dead. Dead, you're shocked. It's quite true. You and everyone else in this town were killed by a premature atomic blast at the contro chemical plant. The blast occurred at seven am on June fifteenth. That is the last thing imprinted on your minds. That's why you wake up screaming each morning. No, it isn't true, but it is. What I and my associates did was take the brain circuits from your dead bodies. We stored them in electrochemical batteries until we had a chance to rebuild the cities and begin our tests. Do you think I believe a fantastic tale like that? I imagine you find it incredible. Of course, we didn't rebuild everything exactly. After all, it only has to last for a single day, June fifteenth. At midnight, we turn off the power and wash out the memory of the day. You're your friends once and unfortunately have defective circuits. You remember, It's no use. We're trapped to give up, not me. What can we do? We can make a run for it down the tunnel. Come on, it's useless, Burker, keep going it's useless. Use first, you fir, Now this door is open. It opens. Oh no, no, I don't believe it. Swats and look. They were standing on a ledge of smooth, finished metal. At their feet, the ledge dropped away into a chasm so deep they could not see the bottom. Beyond was only a glare so bright that their eyes could not stand to look into it. And yet, just at the limit of their vision, something towered, something so huge it was almost inconceivable. Something work hurt. Yes, this is tortune. How do you understand why it's useless? The great looming figure moved closer. It seemed to take shape now, and yet it was so gigantic as to be unbelievable. It came closer, the glare was partially blocked, and then Guy Burkhart knew that the towering shape was none other than Dautchen himself. You see how I did it, Burkhert. I took your brain circuits and had them reduced so they could be transferred to tiny humanoid mannikins. That's what you are, Burkhart, a tiny miniature of yourself. And this city, this whole experiment I'm conducting, is built on a table top It was the morning of June fifteenth, and Guy Burkhardt woke up out of a dream screaming, who have just heard? X minus one presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction magazine, which this month features another story by Tonight's author Frederick Paul. It's the second installment of his novel slave Ship Your Announcer, Fred Collins. X minus one was directed by Daniel Sutter and is an NBC Radio Network production.