 Adventures in time and space told in future tense. Have you heard of the new science called cybernetics? It concerns man's efforts to develop a perfect thinking machine. A robot electronic brain that will not only do man's work, but even do his thinking for him. A robot that is almost human. No, it's not impossible at all. In fact, one day something like this may happen. A tall, suave gentleman in a black raincoat will walk down the street until he reaches a shattered, isolated house. Then he will slowly mount the front steps and push the door back. Just a minute. I said just a minute. Hold your horses. Who do you think? Good evening, my dear. Duke. Looking lovely as ever. Can I come in, Lola? Why did you come here? Curiosity, darling. I've been thinking over what you told me at our chance meeting last week. Duke, you promised me you would. I decided to come and take a look for myself. Where's the professor? In his study. Anyone else in the house? No, just the professor and I. Where's Junior? In the nursery. The nursery? Oh, Quinn. And do you want to take out our Junior's nursemaid? I help the professor. Tell him he has a guest. Duke, he's a nice old guy. Tell him, darling. All right. What is it, Miss Williams? Professor Blassman, a gentleman is here. What? Here? I don't understand. He's waiting for you. But I gave orders. No one was to be admitted to the house. He insisted. Very well. You wait here. And I will get rid of him. Sir, what can I do for you? Professor Blassman. Yes? How do you know my name? I've come to see Junior. Junior? There must be some mistake. There are no children in this house. Professor, what you feel pressing against your belly is the muzzle of a .45 caliber pistol. Oh. Now, shall we visit Junior? What do you know about this? I know everything. Shall we go inside? I warn you. On the contrary, I warn you. Very well. This way. This is the nursery. Where is Junior? In the next room. Behind the door is the panel in it. Very considerably furnished. Mother Goose figures on the walls. Blackboard. Toy blocks. Panda. Bunny rabbit doll. Touching. All right. Let's see him. Now, you can look through the panel. You'd have believed him. Junior isn't very pretty, is he? I wasn't concerned with aesthetics. Why do you hide him? Is he dangerous? Oh, you see, the world is not yet ready for such a thing. I must study him. As you can see by his play, he is very young. Hardly out of the cradle. I'm educating him. With nursery rhyme? The brain is undeveloped. It must learn its behavior patterns like any infant. Oh, come now. You call that eight-foot monster an infant? Ah, physically, of course, he will never change. He is built of chrome steel and glass. But his brain. Oh, that is my wonderful instrument. Unlike a human, he has no heritage. No basic instincts such as love or hate. But this is none of your business. This is making it my business. Well, then in some respects, he is like a blank tablet. What is written upon the tablet will remain. You mean he has no feelings? He will learn quickly, very quickly, but his brain is not blocked by emotional considerations. Most interesting. Yes. Now, if your curiosity is satisfied, I trust you will keep my secret. If anyone discovered at this point... Open the door. The door. I want to see Junior in person. I almost said in the flesh. No, look here. I don't know you. I don't know how you learned my secret. Only Miss Williams and I ask for... The door's, Professor. Very well. Junior, come here. A monster. Papa. He talks? Of course. Mentally, he is now about six years old. Yes. What is it, son? Who is that man, Papa? Let me handle this. You may call me Duke, son. I've come to meet you. That's nice. Nobody ever comes to see me except Lola. Miss Williams. Do you like to play with blacks? Are you? Yes. Nothing that Duke enjoys more than playing with blacks. Play with me, Duke? Certainly, Junior. But I don't understand what you're trying to do. Who are you? It's quite simple. I came to play with Junior. We're going to be friends, Junior and I. When I finish playing, you can have Lola. Miss Williams, prepare my room. Your room? I forgot to tell you. I've decided to stay until the climate changes and I can go out again. No, no. This has gone far enough. You break into my home. You force me at gunpoint to open my laboratory and then you tell me you are moving in. I won't stand for it. I'll call the police. I'm sure the police will be interested in Junior. Newspapers will be delighted to print your obituary, too. What do you want? I told you. I want a comfortable room, no rampage with police. And an opportunity to play blocks with Junior. Agreed? Oh, yeah. You are hiding from the law? As you wish. Now, leave us alone, Professor. Yes, yes, yes, I will. All right, Junior, your move. Let's build a bridge. I have a better idea, Junior. What? Let's build a coffin. A coffin? I don't know that word. I'll teach you, Junior. I can see the professor has been neglecting the moral side of your education very sadly. Oh, Lord, you're wonderful. You shouldn't have come here, Duke. Why not, my dear? You're not afraid of me. No, I'm afraid of myself. You're no good for me, Duke. You always brought me trouble. Duke, what have you been teaching that thing? Nothing, honey. I've just been playing with him. Very educational. I don't believe you. What's eating you, Lola? Today when I walked in there, he said to me, I know how to kill people, Lola. I'll kill you if you want me to. He's learning very quickly. Oh, Duke, I'm scared of that thing. It's unholy. A machine that acts like a human. With that voice grinding edge and saying things you'd expect from a child. You dislike him so much. Why did you take this job as his nursemaid? I answered an ad. I wanted to start over again. The professor didn't ask questions. I would have been all right, too, if you hadn't come along. I'm very glad you did tell me, darling. Because Junior is going to make us two very successful people. How do you figure that? You don't think I spend hours each day playing with Junior just to kill time, do you? I'm improving his mind, darling. Like any child Junior listens to what he's told and imitates his parents. Right now, his parents are you and me. Ha! A couple of fine examples we are. I don't know what you're teaching Junior, Duke, but I can get. And it isn't right. It's evil. My dear, you know me better than that. What makes you think I teach a child anything evil? I never taught you anything evil, did I, darling? Well, did I? Yes. Yes, you did. Only you taught me to like it. Now, Junior, right on the blackboard, my name is Junior. My name is Junior. People are evil. People are evil. Evil must be destroyed. Evil must be destroyed. The professor is evil. The professor is evil. The professor must be... What are you doing? I want you to keep out of the nursery, professor. What are you teaching him? I said get out of here. Junior, what are you doing? Go away. Junior, you don't even remember me, Junior. I know you. You're a professor, Blossom, and you want to keep me as your slave. You didn't tell me about things, about outside. You didn't tell me that people are evil. People are not evil. Yes, they are. They must be destroyed. Stop it. I'm not a child any longer. No. You are not a child. You are a monster. Junior. Yes, Duke. Remember your lesson. Yes, Duke. The time is now, Junior. Yes, Duke. Keep away from me. Now, Junior. Yes, Duke. Junior. Junior, don't do it. Listen to me. Listen to me. I did it, Duke. Duke, I heard horrible. Can we go away now, Duke? I don't like it here anymore. Yes, Junior. I think we're ready to go away now. Duke, why did you do it? The professor was in the way. We have to move very quickly now, Lola. We? Because if you don't plan to come along, just say so I can have Junior write your name on his blackboard. Duke, you wouldn't. We'll go to Charlie's. With Junior? With Junior. Oh, Duke, you can't. I'm afraid. Relax, my dear. I have great plans for you, too. Wouldn't you like to be independently wealthy for the rest of your life? The only way you get that way is by inheriting a million. Not when you have a fellow like Junior around. Duke. Junior is mine. He obeys me. What you might call a mechanical stooge. I'm still afraid of him. Lola, Junior wouldn't hurt you. You wouldn't hurt Lola, would you, Junior? You remember what I told you about Lola? You like Lola, don't you, Junior? Oh, yes. I like Lola. She's pretty. You see? Junior's growing up. He thinks you're pretty. He's a wolf and steel clothing, eh, Junior? She's pretty. All right, we're wasting time. Okay, Junior, mesh gears. We're stepping out into the big, wide world. Sit down, Charlie. Sure, Duke. Lola and I are going to hide out here for a while. We'll need some help. Listen, Duke, I'm trying to keep the cops away. You wouldn't refuse the Duke your hospitality, would you, Charlie? Why, it ain't that, Duke. Now listen to me. I need a casing job done. Casing job? You know the armored truck service? Yeah, yeah, sure. I want to know when they take the Acme deposits from Boston to Worcester. Well, Duke, you ain't thinking of a payroll truck, are you? They got canons on those trucks. They travel in pairs. You couldn't get near one of them. I asked you to do a casing job, Charlie. Yeah, sure, Duke. Anything you say. One hour time they pass the narrow Worcester most deserted stretch of road. If you're going to pull a job like that, you'll need 50 men. You want me to get some of the boys? I won't need anybody. I've got somebody. Where? He's out in the car. What's his name, Duke? Anybody I know? His name is Junior. I don't know any Junior. You will, Charlie. You will. Well, thanks, Al. Our sugar's hot in these armored trucks. Hey, get used to it after you've been driving one for 15 years like I have. How much we hauling this time? About $250,000. Brother, could I use a hunk of that? Yeah, who couldn't? Well, it'll be coming into Worcester any minute now. It's almost midnight. Yeah, what's our first stop? Acme National Bank. Then we unload a payroll at the Bronson Watch Plant. Yeah, I wish we could open a window and get some fresh air. We can get that after we unload. It's the rule of the company that we... What's that up ahead? It looks like something's shining in the road. Throw up your spotlight. Right. Holy smoke. Can you see what I see? Looks like a mechanical traffic cop. About eight feet tall. Standing right in the middle of the highway. Must be a Halloween gag. Can you get past him? I don't know. We'll have to slow down. Get on that gun, Sam. Let's take no chances. All right. I'll give it the horn. Don't budge. Where's our escort truck? It's pulled up right behind us. Looks like supplement of Buck Rogers, don't it? This is a heck of a note, blocking traffic like that. We'll have to try and get past it. Looks like you might squeeze by on the shoulder. Here goes. Smokes is moving. It's coming toward us. Get on that gun. Give it a blast. The bullets are bouncing right off it. It's still coming. Look at the eyes. Al, back up. I can't. The other truck's right behind me. Al! It's lifting its arm. Al's going to smash our window! I end up seeing it with my own eyes. Duke, we've got to quit this. What's the matter, Charlie? Getting shaky? You know me, Duke. It takes nerve. Charlie's always been right there. But this, the papers say he killed all four drivers. Listen, Duke, that robot is hot. We've got to get rid of it. Stop you blabbering. I don't mind a little heist, but killing four guys... Get out, Charlie, for a fat man. You certainly have a slim mind. You want to take a lesson from Junior. He doesn't worry. He doesn't even know what a policeman is. He has no conscience. He never sleeps. He doesn't get tired. He doesn't even want a share of the profits. All we need is one more good robbery. You ain't going to pull another one. Why not? Count me out, Duke. You have to land out of here with Lola and that thing there. I'm getting too jumpy. The law's going to track that, baby. Are you quite finished, Charlie? You've got no heart, Duke. You're like Junior, all steel inside. And you're just a big, warm-hearted slob. Well, I got nerves. I can't stand a thing. Duke said you were that iron face and the clanking around it. Hello, Junior. Hello, Duke. I've just been talking to Charlie. Yes, Duke. You know what I think, Junior? What, Duke? I think Charlie's yellow. You know what happens to people who turn yellow, don't you? Yes, Duke. Tell Charlie. They're evil. We have to destroy them. Hey, Charlie. Junior has a sense of values. He doesn't like people who sing to the police. Now, Duke, wait a minute. You know I never turned stuelly or anything like that. I never sang to the coppers in my life. But you'll sing to Junior, won't you, Charlie? What? Sing Junior a nursery rhyme. What do you mean? You heard me. Sing Junior a nursery rhyme. Maybe Little Bo Peep. Junior likes Little Bo Peep. Duke. Duke, listen to me. I didn't... Sing it, Charlie. You can stay here as long as you like, Duke. You too, Junior. See, Junior? He's yellow. Sing it, Charlie. Little Bo Peep has lost his sheep. And can't tell where to find them. Junior? Yes, Duke. Leave them alone. Now, Duke. Now, Junior, come home. I stopped him, Duke. Take him down the cellar. Duke, I was in the other room and... Junior, put him down. Take him down to the furnace, Junior. Yes, Duke. Oh, Duke. Duke, you can't... Relax, darling. Stop shaking. Duke, we can't stay here now. We've got to get out of here. Charlie's going to be missed. He's got friends. Now we'll have the gangs after us soon. Stop worrying, darling. I'll take care of everything. Where are you going? Out to a travel agency. You and I are going to take a trip, Lola. You leaving me alone? Nothing to worry about. The roadhouse downstairs is closed. Nobody will bother. That doesn't frighten me. It's being alone with that thing. I've got the jitters, Duke. It'll only be for the afternoon. I've got to get reservations and plan this thing. Look, honey, 48 hours you and I will be on our way to Switzerland with $500,000 worth of loot. What about Junior? Junior will be taking care of... I have to do it. I sent him out on his own. Why not? He has a fine education. He could go out into... How can you get rid of him? Junior will do anything I say. So I'll merely have him get into the furnace and sit there while I fill it with oil and set fire to it. Too bad the professor couldn't have stayed around to see him growing up. He's almost a man now, Junior is. But not quite as clever as a man. You'll find that out after he steps into the furnace. All right. But do it now, Duke, before you leave. There's no time now. Keep your chin up. I'll be back about eight. Duke, you are coming back, aren't you? You wouldn't leave me. Leave you? I have big plans for you, Lola. You see, I find you very... attractive. You're not good for me. I don't want you... As long as you can tell yourself you're not really kissing me because you want to, why not enjoy it? I know you, Lola. Yeah. You know too much for one man. Then I'm going now. It'll be nice to Junior while I'm gone. Don't show him you're afraid of him. Goodbye, darling. Goodbye, Duke. Junior, Duke might not like it. Can't you wait till he gets back? I want you to oil me, Lola. All right. I like you to oil me. Yes, Junior. Are we going away from here, Lola? Yes, we're going away. That'll be nice. I don't like it here. I want to see more things. I want to see a roller coaster. Where'd you hear about a roller coaster? I read about it in a book. Charlie gave me a book. No. Will Duke let me ride on a roller coaster? I don't know. Maybe. You like Duke, Lola? What? Why, certainly. Do you like me? You know I do, Junior. Lola? What? Who do you like best? Me or Duke? I like you both, Junior. Yes. But who do you love? What do you know about love? In the books, man and woman love. Oh. Lola? Yes? Do you think anyone will ever love me? I'm different. I'm a robot. You want somebody to love you, Junior? I want something, Lola. I guess that's what I want. It's very lonesome being a robot. Do you think it makes a difference? I think some women can fall in love with anything, Junior. Even with a man like Duke. Why, Lola? Oh, I don't know. Maybe because... Well, as long as she thinks her man is the smartest and the strongest. Oh. Where are you going? To wait for Duke. Oh, he won't be home for a while. I'll sit in the hall and wait for him. All right, Junior. I want to be alone and think. How about what? I read in a book today it was bad to kill people. What does that mean? Bad? Bad? I don't know, Junior. I guess it's just a word. Oh, it's you. What are you doing sitting in the dark? I was waiting for you, Duke. Oh, that's a good boy, Junior. Duke? Lola oiled me. Well, that's nice. Tell me what, Junior? I've got a little job for a stylist. Let's go down there. Now, Duke? Right now, Junior. All right, Duke. Are we going away soon? Yes, Junior. We're going away. What's in the cellar, Duke? A little surprise for you, Junior. You'll find out. Is that you? I saw I heard Duke come in. He came in. Where is he? Down the cellar. What's he doing? Nothing. Did he say he'd be up soon? No. Maybe you'd better go down and get him. He's dead. Oh, he's dead? You said the woman loves the strongest and the smartest. Well, I'm stronger and smarter. You are human. I'm almost human, Lola. No. I'll stay away. Lola. All those metal hands. Don't touch me. I love you, Lola. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. And strangely enough, it did sound almost human. It did sound almost human. You have just heard the Robert Block story titled Almost Human. Another adventure into the unknown world of the future. The world of... Next week, a strange story of other worlds. The story of the lost race. Dimension X was adapted for radio by George Leffords. Featured in the cast were Santos Ortega as Duke. Rita Lynn as Lola. And Jackie Grimes as Junior. Your host was Norman Rose. Music by Albert Berman. Engineer Bill Chambers. Dimension X is produced by Van Woodward and directed by Edward King. During the months to come, General Mills is planned to bring radio listeners an excitingly new half-hour show each weekday evening. Two of these shows have already joined on Mondays, it's Nightbeat. And on Wednesdays, you'll hear dangerous assignment. More to come in the Witte's Big Parade of NBC shows will be Sarah's Private Eye, Dimension X, and the Texas Rangers. You'll hear all of them in the Witte's Big Parade of NBC shows. Hear the Phil Harris's tomorrow. Now truth or consequences on NBC.