 I was a communist for the FBI. Starring Dana Andrews and an exciting tale of danger and espionage. I was a communist for the FBI. The actual records and authentic experiences of Matt Sevetik come many of the incidents in this unusual story. Here is our star Dana Andrews as Matt Sevetik, who for nine fantastic years lived as a communist for the FBI. During my nine years with the Reds, I learned that nothing is too large or too small for communist destruction. Complete nations, races of people, individuals, even mice are potential victims of red treachery. In this story, the potential victims are five white mice. The actual victims, well, here's how it happened. In a moment, listen to Dana Andrews as Matt Sevetik under cover man. Andrews as Matt Sevetik under cover man. This story from the confidential file is marked use only as directed. Another cell meeting. But this time no pleasantries, no dialectic debates, no small talk about classless democracies and fullitarian paradise. This time, tension, trouble in the air. The worst kind of cell meeting. There come a George Ritchie cell leader. Helen. Yes, Comrade. Comrade Helen Jonas, pretty, dark, face of an angel, an angel with a hammer and sickle instead of a halo. I trust you're still working at Gordon Laboratories? Well, sure I am. Same capacity? Yes, technician. And that new drug you told us about? Why, I told you, Comrade Ritchie. It's still in the early experimental stages. And you're doing everything you can to impede its progress, stunt the growth of the project? Of course I am. Everything? Yes, Comrade, I told you. Cut it out, Ritchie. What are you trying to do? Please. Mind your business, Sabetik. This is my business, Ritchie. Stop playing gallerhead, Comrade. I know what I'm doing. The party has official means for punishing its members? Yes, as recommended by its cell leaders. Now get off your white horse and shut up. I'm not going to... This girl is lying. She's been lying for the last two weeks. Well, no, I haven't. I haven't. You were assigned to work against the development of that new drug, Helen. Your reports claim that you've done just that. Well, I have. I... I have another report here, Helen, from another comrade. At Gordon? No. This report was filed by a party worker within the organization at the Merlin Pharmaceutical Corporation, one of the largest in the country. He states that the Merlin Corporation intends to invest heavily in the development of the new drug. That doesn't necessarily make a liar out of comrade Helen. The Merlin Company operates on typical capitalistic instincts. Sabetik, they only invest in sure things. They won't put money into a project unless it's close to perfect. If Helen had been working effectively, they'd never... I tell you, my reports are true. I didn't know about Merlin. I swear. I swear I didn't. You're not going to prove anything that way, Richie. On your white horse again, Gallagher? Protecting fair maidens? Yeah. I'm protecting this one from an unofficial one-man goon squad. All right, comrade. Inside. What? Go on in the other room. Now. Sending me to bed without supper, comrade? Inside Sabetik, now. What for? Inside Sabetik, now. Sit here, Sabetik. Thanks. I'll stand. Sit down. I'll stand. Hmm. Tell me, what's your interest in Helen Jonas? Nothing in particular. My interest is in the Communist Party. I see Comrade Jonas as a promising young worker. That sort of manhandling can only discourage her. She is attractive, isn't she? Attractive girls are a dime a dozen, but there's only one Communist Party. Hmm. Sit down, Sabetik. Sit down. Thanks. I'll stand. I admire you, Sabetik. Why? Courage, common sense, a record for success within the Party. It may surprise you to know that I have no doubts about Helen's loyalty. Is that why you belted her around? She's young, inexperienced. She needs to learn the value of discipline. So do you, Richie. Comrade, you're remarkable. Here. Sit here. I'll stand. Are we finished with this little talk? No. Well, then get on with it. Helen needs guidance. An experienced hand to help her with her work over at the Gordon Laboratories. What for? What difference does it make how many new drugs... Difference? Figure it out. That drug they're working on may well turn out to be another of those medical miracles. Another propaganda bonanza for America. Our Communist scientists are equally equipped to break... No. Lately, Communist scientists have done far too little in the field of medicine. Another miracle drug from America would just underline that fact to the rest of the world. Hmm. And win new friends for the democracies. That it? Yes. And if a large company like Merlin wants to sink money into the Gordon Project, it's bound to be a success. I want you to see that it's a failure, comrade. How can I get into the Gordon Lab? They have security measures, haven't they? And we have measures for counteracting them. Helen has a direct contact at the lab, but she needs advice, guidance from you. Look, I don't know anything about... You'll do two things, Servetic. One, you'll find out if and how much the Merlin Corporation is concerned with the Gordon Project. Two, you'll find a way into the Gordon Lab to see that Helen Jonas sabotages the project quickly. Competently. And completely. My pose as the protector of comrade Helen Jonas brought the results I wanted. I knew now that the Reds had infiltrated Gordon Laboratories. I knew why they were determined to stop the experiments, and I knew which Reds were involved. But I didn't know how to stop them. Maybe the FBI would know that. Beaker, this is Red. Hi. Where are you? I just left a meeting. Happy? No. You'd better get word to the Gordon Laboratories. Who? The Gordon Research Lab. My playmates are planning to rifle their medicine cabinet. You involved? Yeah. They got me running the team. Good. Good. Sure. Help them run up a score. Let them win a little. Beaker, the Gordon Lab is building one of these new miracle drugs. The Merlin Corporation's interested in it. If my team scores first... Look, Chum, we know someone's been trying to upset their funds and burners for weeks, but we haven't any proof. No evidence. Nothing we can tack on to anyone. I can tell you who it is right now. Don't. We know. But we need evidence against her. With you there, we'll score the points we need. You'd better score heavier and faster. That's up to you. Yeah. If I don't get impaled on the goalposts... Next morning, step one in my coming assignment. A phone call to the Merlin Corporation. I posed as a reporter, asked for the research director and got the public relation manager. I don't know how you newsmen managed to dig up these bits of gossip. Is it gossip or is there some truth in it? Well, I can't deny it, old man. No, sir, I cannot deny it. We're decreeing with the Gordon Laboratories, all right. Then you will be investing in their new drug. Uh-uh-uh-uh. Don't jump to conclusions yet. The Merlin Corporation has dedicated itself to applying the miracle of science to the miracle of life. Yes, I know that. Every new drug is a potential miracle drug. I realize that. But I'd like something specific for a feature story. What publication did you say you're with? Oh, uh... A news book. A news book magazine. Ah, good. A fine magazine. I'm sorry. I can't release a story for you now, old man. Soon as I can, I'll see that you get a complete rundown. Might even arrange an exclusive for you. Right now, our big news is that you'll have to absorb and copy. I swear, comrades, I didn't know about the Merlin business really. I think, Comrade Richie, you know you did your best, Helen. Hmm. You'll have to do better now, Helen, much better. I'll try. How far along are the experiments at the lab? Well, they've gone into the white mice phase. But I've tried to prevent it. I've tried everything. That's all right, Helen. Don't worry about it. On the contrary, Helen, worry quite a bit about it. Those white mice are important in your life. I want that phase of the experiment to be another failure. But that's what I've been trying to do. You'll have help, of course, comrades, Svetik. In the lab? It's possible, isn't it? I don't know. Dr. Collins, the director is very careful about security. He's been getting fussy over an everlaking. I'm not concerned with Dr. Collins, Helen. I'm concerned with the failure of that project at the lab. My presence will cause trouble. We'll see that it's done gracefully and cautiously. The red-party machine growled into operation. I became the phony reporter again. Helen had long talks with Dr. Collins about her friend, the reporter on Newsbook Magazine. The party managed to fill some Newsbook Magazine stationery. I wrote letters to whom it may concern recommending myself. And Richie signed the editor's name. Later, he even forged the phony FBI affidavit, giving me security clearance. Then he phoned Dr. Collins, posed as a Newsbook editor, arranged an appointment for me and... Well, young man, you certainly come highly recommended. What is your name again? Matthews. Well, it's a big story for us, Dr. Collins. A chance to tell the world how you scientists build a miracle, step-by-step. But every step must be cleared by me. We haven't any official security measures here. No need for them. But I do like to screen our personnel and publicity. That's not a bad idea these days. Perhaps I'm over-cautious. But strange things have been going on here in the lab lately. I... Oh, here we are. Our menagerie. I expected to see more mice than these. No, just five for now. An early experiment. The drug we're working on looks like it may develop into a specific for at least one crippling bone disease. Are these mice infected with it? Yes, in varying degrees, of course. They'll be injected with a new drug in quantities proportionate to their infection. When do you inject the drugs? Tomorrow. You want to be in on it? If I may. Check with Miss Jones then. She'll take care of things for you. I know. She's very accommodating that way. What happens if those mice don't react to the drug? The experiment gets set back about eight years. Can I tell Richie you'll be able to handle it? I've got to do it. How? I thought I... Shhh, get it. Hello, Matthews. Yes, Doctor? That memory of mine is giving me trouble again. I never forget a formula. Never remember a name. Was my name giving you trouble, Doctor? No. What magazine did you say you represent? Newsbook. Why? Newsbook. That's what I thought. Is something wrong, Doctor? Strange. Very strange. Doctor, there's a... Do you mind stepping into the office for a moment, Matthews? No. No, not at all. Here we are. And here, Matthews, please. Okay, Doctor. Hi. Is this the guy, Doctor? Yes. Mr. Matthews of Newsbook Magazine, I'd like you to meet Mr. Johnson of Newsbook Magazine. Matt Severick. And I was a communist for the FBI. And the second act of our story. Mr. Johnson of Newsbook Magazine and Mr. Matthews of Newsbook Magazine spent a small eternity staring at each other. Johnson knew I was the phony, but I couldn't let him know he was right. More important, I couldn't let Dr. Collins know if he found out the truth now, if he even became suspicious of me now. Well, gentlemen, you don't seem to know each other. To go on a phrase, Doctor, I think there's been some mistake. That's right, Matthews, and you're it. Doctor, this guy never saw the inside of the Newsbook offices. Is that true, Matthews? Look, Johnson, I've been freelancing for Newsbook for years. I've never met half the staff writers, even the guys who pay me. My credentials are in order. Dr. Collins knows that. That's true. That's very true. Now, wait a minute. All I know is my editor got a call from the Public Relations Manager at the Merlin Corporation. Oh, Dr. Collins. May I see you a moment? Well, please. Now, just a minute. Doctor, if you have any doubts about me, you better call my editor right now. Excuse us a minute, Johnson. What's it all about, Matthews? Who is he? I don't know. But I don't think you should insult him by checking with the editor right now. What else can I do? Let me do it. Just talk to him, keep him busy. I'll use the phone in the lab. The editor will know I'm all right. Well, there's he's a phony. Just keep him busy. I'll only be a minute or two. Because this is red. You sound like trouble. Right. Listen, call Newsbook Magazine. Talk to the editor. Okay. Tell him the FBI want to keep the new drug out of the news for a while. Tell him to call off his reporter. Tell him it's a sudden security move or something. Tell him not to tip his mitt, even to the reporter. You don't want any news slips. You can't explain why. Okay, Matt. And do it fast, Baker. Right now. Hang up and call now. Right now. I'm sorry, Johnson. You better go. Go? What are you talking about? I just talked to our editor. He says there's been a mistake in the assignments. Doctor, come on. Perhaps you'd like to call your office from this phone, Johnson. Yeah. Yeah, I sure would. This is Johnson, honey. Give me Blake's office, will you? What? No, I'll wait. No, I don't want him to call me back. I'll wait until he gets off the other line. He waited. Johnson, Collins, and I. I was afraid to think. Afraid of what my thoughts would tell me. Maybe the editor was talking to Baker right now. Or maybe, Baker hadn't even gotten to him yet. Maybe. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Hello? Mr. Blake? Yes, this is Johnson. I'm up at the Gordon Lab now. They've... What? But you told me to... Okay. Okay. Sure. Yeah, well, I thought you were... All right, sir. Goodbye. Okay, Matthews. I don't get it, but you win. See you around the office sometime. Maybe. Let's see now, Miss Jonas. Is this the fourth or fifth one? Mouse number five, doctor. All right. Hold them now. Easy. There. That's that. What happens now that they've been inoculated, doctor? Now? Well, now we wait and see whether we've got a miracle or a dud. Five white mice. Each one a barometer of scientific endeavor. If they live, all humanity benefits. If they die, two diseases profit by the loss. One of them, a red plague called communism. The principal carrier of that disease right now, an angel-faced comrade with a heart of a cobra and a head full of plants. You see, comrades, each one of the mice has been given just enough of the new drug to counteract the infection. I can't lessen the strength of the drug, but I can add to the infection. How can you do that? Sceptic solution. Give them another shot. Instead of the drug this time, use a solution containing the same bacteria they're suffering from. That way, we make the infection stronger than the drug dosage. And nothing mysterious shows up under examination later. Comrade Helen, can you do this without being discovered? I hope so, comrade Richie. Seems pretty risky to me. Dr. Collins is keeping close watch on his patients. The lab is locked up tight from midnight to 6 a.m. I have a key. You'll need someone to stand guard. Check those burglar alarms. I'd rather do it alone, comrade. Alone? Why? Please, comrade Sceptic. If I'm alone and something goes wrong, only one of us suffers, not both. She's right, Sceptic. She knows what to do, let her alone. But I just want... Really, comrade Sceptic, one more pair of hands, one more pair of footsteps just increases the chances of being discovered. Please. Sceptic, stay out of it. You've done your job. Now let Helen finish hers. Helen planned to enter the lab between 3 and 4 the next morning. I couldn't tell the FBI or even Dr. Collins without incriminating myself with the party. I had to see that Helen was caught on the premises with enough evidence on hand to put her out of circulation. Time ten minutes before 3 a.m. The lab dark deserted the door locked but not too difficult to pick even at that hour. I reset the lock and headed for the supply cupboards that held the Sceptic solutions. I don't want this one either. One of these I knew was... There we are. Lab technicians are used to finding the same supplies in the same places all the time. If I could just mix up these bottles of solutions enough to delay Helen to slow up the whole procedure. Sceptic solutions mixed up with bottles of antiseptics. It would take Helen time to find them here in the dark. Uh oh, somebody coming at against the wall behind the cabinets. I couldn't see my visitor but the steps were coming closer just a few minutes early. She was unwrapping a sterile sealage now. In a moment she'd be looking for the Sceptic solutions. She was just three cabinets away from me. Looking for the bottles I had just moved. Any minute she'd be checking the other cabinets. The ones right behind me. She... She was going the other way toward the room where the mice were kept. Now she was in the room, a door between us. If she'd stay there long enough I could make a break for it. If she just stayed there long enough. I was out now and she was in. She'd left her key in the door so it was easy to keep her in. I took the key with me. Final step. A simple mechanical procedure. A burglar alarm. I stood outside the lab watching Helen's flashlight sending frantic beams around the dark and upstairs room. She was locked in for keeps. In a moment the cops would find her there. Collins would be called and the career of the youngest prettiest saboteur in the party would be over. Because this is red. Red. Red, wake up. At four in the morning, bam, are you off your rocker. Neither one. The cops have your saboteur for you. They what? I just saw them pick her up at the Gordon lab. I'd better get down there. They'll hold her for breaking and entering till Dr. Collins presses charges. She's frightened enough to talk plenty. One more thing. Ask Collins about the letters recommending me. One of them's a phony FBI affidavit. It's been forged. By you? No, by my commie cell leader. Any little jail sentence waiting for him then? Yeah, Comrade Ritchie got himself caught in his own mousetrap. Those five white mice, by the way, didn't die. Dr. Collins sort of that. Once in a while when it's dark enough and I'm alone I walk by the Gordon laboratories. Surely there's a light burning inside. Dr. Collins at work on another miracle. He works alone. I walk alone. But there's a difference. When he works he's got the whole human race rooting for him. But when I walk I walk alone. Dana Andrews will return in just a moment. This is Dana Andrews, friends. One of the founders of communism once remarked that liberty is so precious that it must be rationed. In a democracy, however, we've learned that liberty is precious because it cannot be rationed. When the tyrants in the world learn that there'll be no more tyrants. In the story you just heard names, dates, and places are fictitious to protect innocent persons. Many of these stories are based on incidents in the life of Matt Sevetic who worked undercover for the FBI. Next week another fantastic adventure. Next in module.