"But we just want to make sure." "There was really no need for you to come, Miss Prince." "Security is a routine matter... for my well-trained staff." "Well, maybe my country is being a little overcautious, Colonel." "But we don't want anything to disrupt... the arrangements being made for next month's conference." "Now, the peace conference will be a different matter." "Then I will need your help." "But the Nyerland Embassy guards are... perfectly capable of protecting these minor ministers... who can just barely negotiate the shape of the conference table." "Thank you." "May I take your picture, please?" "If your film is in color, young man..." "I must warn you, I photograph in dull gray." "I think you should look at this." "My wife!" "She has a message for you." "My wife is dead." "But she's still within reach." "The picture proves it." "I can't believe this." "If you come with me..." "I can show you something else that might convince you." "If you're certain you don't need me any longer, Colonel Dekker..." "I guess I'll head back to the office." "And please tell your superiors... that I have everything under control." "I'm sure you do." "I really should get back now." "Not until you see these." "My wife again." "This necklace... the first thing I ever gave her... destroyed in the fire that killed her." "What kind of magic is this?" "I told you, she's trying to get through to you." "It's not magic." "We'll take you to where you can talk to her." "I'll explain on the way, okay?" "You see, I take pictures, Mr. Secretary." "Only, the pictures I take are of things from another world." "Remarkable." "It used to scare me." "Like, I'd take a picture... and extra faces would show up." "Then I discovered... that if I just held the camera and thought real hard..." "I could make the pictures." "Like these others." "And you say you can... talk to the spirits you photograph?" "No." "That's my aunt and uncle." "You'll see." "Are you guys crazy?" "Just get out of the car, lady." "What's going on?" "Get out!" "Okay, why are you doing this?" "Let's just say... we don't like women drivers." "That's cute." "That's real cute." "We just want to take you off the highway for a while." "Let's go." "Diana Prince, IADC." "You take care of her?" "See for yourself." "A psychic photograph?" "There's no other way to explain it, Steve." "The woman standing next to Bakru in that picture is his wife." "She died a year ago in a fire." "This picture's a fake." "Someone took a picture of an old photo of his wife, then re-exposed the film." "No, the lab boys are positive it's not a double exposure." "Then some other technique was used to take it." "No, Steve." "That picture was taken... with a perfectly normal instant camera, under perfectly normal conditions." "It's impossible." "Because this is not a perfectly normal picture." "Maybe it isn't." "But it's not an impossibility either." "Now, faces of deceased loved ones have been showing up in photographs... next to living people, practically since photography itself has been invented." "A hundred years or so." "Granted, such photographs are very rare... but they do exist." "I still say it's a fake." "We find out who's responsible for this... and we might be able to explain away 100 years of photographic history." "Or we might find someone with incredible psychic talents." "What about fingerprints?" "Ira scanned both sides of the photograph... but he won't have a readout till this afternoon." "Says he's booked solid till then." "Humans should be so popular." "By the way, Diana..." "Colonel Dekker says that Bakru's disappearance is your fault." "What?" "Come on, Steve." "He dismissed me." "Said he had everything under control." "No matter what he says, I want you back at the Embassy... to keep an eye on Deputy Minister Kell and Ambassador Yamura." "Those two plus Bakru are the key figures in these preliminary talks." "What?" "You think they're all in danger?" "I don't know what to think." "This whole thing is very strange." "You almost said "spooky," didn't you?" "Yeah, I guess I did." "My country will never agree to such a flagrant waste of money!" "Our leaders are coming here to discuss peace... not to be pampered and spoon-fed in expensive hotel suites." "Do you think, Ms. Kell... that the world would take the talks seriously were they held... on the back porch of someone's house in the country?" "Please!" "Holding the most expensive talks possible... hardly insures that they will be... the most productive talks possible, Mr. Yamura." "Ladies and gentlemen..." "I submit that our talks... have become something less than productive." "I believe that an hour's recess is very much in order." "I understand, as usual... there are inexpensive refreshments outside." " Miss Prince." " Colonel." "If you still insist... that you're the one who is to watch Deputy Minister Kell... her aide said that she'd like to talk to you." "Room 110." "Down the hall." "Well, thank you, Colonel Dekker." "Don't mention it, Miss Prince." "May I take your picture, ma'am?" "Of course." "You remind me so much of my little boy." " Is this for your school newspaper?" " No, ma'am." "It's for you." "From Eric." "He was only 10 years old when we lost him." "My Eric." "This is Diana Prince." "May I come in?" "I'm Diana Prince from the IADC." "I was told you wanted to talk to me." "I'll get this for you." " Welcome, Deputy Minister." " Hello." "All of us at the Institute are extremely honored to serve you." "Thank you." "This is my Aunt Theodora." "She and my Uncle Lawson will arrange it so that you can talk to Eric." "And Matthew here... as you've probably guessed, is one of the world's most gifted psychics." "We are here only so he can perfect his extraordinary powers." "Matthew tells me that Secretary Bakru is here." "But I'm in a confusion as to why." "Spirits close to both of you on the other side are... very eager to speak to you about the upcoming peace conference." "Peace conference?" "What do they want?" "I don't want to risk misinterpreting their message." "You'll hear it for yourself... just as soon as Ambassador Yamura arrives." "Kito Yamura is coming, too?" "The message from the other side is for all three of you." " Ms. Kell." " Hello." "Nice seeing you again." "Would you excuse us a moment, please?" " Of course." " Of course." "You're to get right up to your room." "Your uncle wants to talk to you." "He's mad?" "Secretary Bakru says it took three pictures for you to convince him to come here." " So?" " You brought home two." "You left the other one somewhere." "What if someone finds it?" "I'm sorry." "Tell that to your uncle." "He'll be in directly to see you." "Okay." "Matthew!" "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "No matter what happens... you've made me remember that Eric will never be far from me." " Sure." " Thank you." "Why don't we all sit down?" "Hi, Rover." "Hey, I'm sorry, I don't have time to discuss the high cost of postage." "If you'll excuse me." "Hey, come on." "Settle down." "You're dropping your mail." "If you're not careful, you'll be back delivering the morning coffee, darling." "Hi." "Sorry, I was trying to get over here, but the Rover" "It's all right, Diana." "Won't you please come in?" "How do you do, Miss Prince?" "Hello, Colonel Dekker." "Thanks for trying." "Agent Markowitz is on his way over to the Embassy." "Which means you no longer need to worry about the peace-talk negotiations." "Steve, I'm perfectly capable of finding out who abducted those two diplomats." "On your last assignment... you were found sleeping serenely on a backroom couch... while supposedly watching Deputy Minister Kell... who disappeared." "Somebody lured me into that room... and chloroformed me to get me out of the way and you know it." "No." "There was no odor of gas in that room." "There was only you." "Whatever you were sleeping off wasn't chloroform." "Steve, am I on this case or aren't I?" "Diana, we've all been anxious for you to take a little leave time." " You've really been working hard" " I see." "Why don't you fly to Florida and get a little sun?" "You can sail, you can scuba dive" "Not until I find out how that picture was taken... who's got Bakru and Kell... and who's trying to get me out of the way!" "I'll tell you what." "Leave the name of the hotel where you'll be staying... and we'll let you know the minute we find out." "You're not going to let him get away with this." "If it wasn't for his lax security, this never would have happened." "Diana, I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands." "Go on." "Have fun." "Get a good tan." "Read a couple of good books." ""Don't call us, Diana." ""We'll call you. "" "The minute we have some good news." "Well, with him in charge, I won't hold my breath." "Nicely done, Major." "And I assure you it's all for the better." "You just prove to me that you're as good at doing your job, Colonel... as you are at going over people's heads." "There." "Hi, Uncle Lawson." "Sorry I lost the picture." "You should be, Matthew." "If anyone uninvited found out where you are and what you can do... we'd never, any of us, have a moment's peace." "Look at this one I just did." "That's very good." "My coaching is making it easier, isn't it?" "I guess so." " Is it lunchtime yet?" " They're sending up something now." "I kind of wanted to eat downstairs." "I like that Ms. Kell." "Unfortunately, someone with your talent doesn't always have time for socializing." " I thought you understood that." " Yeah." "Are we gonna have to move again after these people leave?" "Well, Matthew, the people who require our services, unfortunately... can't always come to us." "We have to go to them." "But you like traveling and adventure, don't you?" "All boys should be as lucky as you, huh?" "I guess." "Hello, Ira." "I'd like a readout on the fingerprints you found on that photo this morning." "Who is addressing the Irac computer?" "It's Diana Prince." "You know my voice, Ira." "Diana Prince is no longer authorized to receive official data." "What?" "Since when?" "Clearance was withdrawn five minutes ago by Major Trevor." "What's a little red tape among friends, Ira?" "Give me the readout on the fingerprints." "I know you found something." "You always do." "Flattery will get you nowhere." "Ira." "My hands are tied." "That was cute." "My programming disallows telling Diana Prince about the boy." "What boy?" "Adopted name:" "Koslo, Matthew R." "Passport thumbprint matches one found on photograph." "I thought I saw a boy getting into that car with Bakru." "Other prints belong to the Secretary." "Where can I find Matthew Koslo?" "Even if that information were contained in the Irac computer... it would not be available to Diana Prince." "Anything else that's unavailable to Diana Prince?" "That the boy reputedly has psychic powers is a fact... also to be withheld from Diana Prince... who now has five seconds to leave the premises... before an alarm is activated." "Five, four..." "Okay, I'm going." "...three, two..." "Hang on." "Thank you, Ira, forever." "...two and one-quarter..." "Major Trevor said nothing about clearance for Wonder Woman." "And you ha ve three seconds, Rover." "Three, two, one." "And a good day to you, sir." "That was an official of the Tymanian government." "Our efforts here will be rewarded by the end of next week." "No sooner?" "I don't like the idea of having to stay around so long." "Well, our client has a perfect right to be completely satisfied... that the peace conference will be canceled... thereby assuring the continuance of the border wars." "Now, Tymania assures itself that... by the end of next month, they'll invade their war-weakened neighbors... whereupon we collect a tidy bonus." "This is the riskiest con we've ever undertaken." "Yes, and the most profitable." "Our nephew should be finished with his lunch by now." "Why don't you get him ready for the final photography session?" "Then set things up for the séance." "We're to hold it tonight?" "Ambassador Yamura will be here this evening." "I don't see any reason to postpone, do you?" "The IADC agent, Diana Prince." "Word is she's been kicked off the case." "I still don't like it, Lawson." "Nor do I." "Therefore, Charles, have your men see to it that Miss Prince... is, once and for all, taken out of the picture." "Finished up?" "She turns the key." "Boom!" "Grab your tools." "All right, gentlemen... how about a rousing chorus of who hired you and where I can find him." "Go back." " Go back, Diana Prince." " Escape." " Go back." " Head for help." "Escape while you can." "Whatever you are... mortal or otherwise, I challenge you to show yourself." " Here you are." " Thank you." "Mr. Secretary, would you like some more?" " Yes, please." " There you go." "Just a little something to tide you over." "It won't be much longer until the séance." "Ambassador Yamura should be arriving any moment." "Perhaps that's him now." "Excuse me." "Who are you?" "Carol Littleton." "I came to see Matthew." "Matthew?" "Yes, I understand that he has connections with people on the other side." "And I must speak to my late husband." "Who told you Matthew was here?" "My dear woman... money not only talks, it makes others talk as well." "I'm afraid I cannot let you see my nephew." "Not even for a rather large donation to your institution?" "It's out of the question." "Please, leave at once." "Excuse me, isn't that Deputy Minister Kell?" "She's the one that's missing, isn't it?" "I think you're mistaken." "I think not." "Her picture is on all the newscasts." "What's she doing here?" "She's here on a mission of grave importance." "And that's Secretary Bakru, isn't it?" "They both have business with those who have passed on." "Something the news media would not understand." "But would love to hear about, I should think." "All right, young lady, I think that" "Carol Littleton." "Perhaps we can arrange for you to meet with Matthew... and the spirit of your late husband." "Oh, yes, Jason." "Dearly departed, wealthy Jason." "We'll talk more about that later." "Dee, please show Miss Littleton to the room at the top of the stairs." "Thank you." "And you are not to leave that room until you are summoned." "I do hope... your Matthew can have a little more luck than the others I've tried." "Imagine neglecting to tell... his wife, before he died, where he left $500,000 worth of diamonds." " Really?" " Really." "Are you insane?" "If I had let her leave, she would have gone straight to the newspapers." "We can always dispose of her after the séance." "How did the widow get past our bag of tricks down the road?" "What should I do?" "Ask her?" "No, I'll take care of it." "You've made too many mistakes." "Eve..." "Every 5,000 miles." "Come in the office, Eve." "I hope you weren't planning on going anywhere, Eve." "I hope you weren't either." "Markowitz just called." "Don't tell me." "Somebody else is missing from the negotiations." "Ambassador Yamura." "Gone without a trace." "Well, at least we have some idea who's behind all this." "Ira came up with a name?" "He came up with one:" "Matthew Koslo." "I came up with another:" "Lawson Koslo." "Never heard of either one." "I had to pry the second one out of someone... at the leading psychic research center in New York." "They don't like to talk about him very much." "Seems he's been successful at using very legitimate psychic phenomena... in very illegitimate con games." "You think the people who are disappearing from... the peace conference talks have been conned?" "It could be." "See..." "Lawson Koslo became the legal guardian of a boy 10 years ago." "That boy, Matthew, can make psychic photographs." " The one Diana found?" " Yeah." "It all fits." "Let's see if Diana's still in town." "Don't bother, I tried right after Markowitz called." "No answer." "Yeah, by this time, she's probably checking in to some hotel on Miami Beach." "You want me to go get her?" "Go finish your lube job." "Welcome, Ambassador Yamura." "Your associates have been anxiously awaiting you." "My curiosity has been aroused, Madam, and that's all." "You won't find me as gullible as my associates." "Curiosity is but a stepping stone to the truth... as you'll soon discover for yourself." "Charles, perhaps the Ambassador would like some coffee?" "Mr. Yamura." "You have all the pictures this time?" "He has them all." "I made sure." " Go upstairs and take a nap." " I don't need a nap." "The séance is at midnight." "It wouldn't do for you to nod off in front of our guests." "I won't nod off." "I want to talk to these people." "I like company." "Get upstairs." "Matthew?" "You don't look like your picture, lady." "Bet you don't look like this one either." "Who are you, anyhow?" "Matthew, now listen to me." "I want you to believe me." " You don't want to hurt anyone, right?" " No, of course not." "Me and my Uncle Lawson help people, with my camera." "Yes, I know." "You are a very special boy." "I know that." "Come over here and sit down." "Now, your uncle is using you to hurt people." " No, he's not." " Yes, he is." "He cons them." "He uses what you can do... to make them believe and hear everything he tells them." "I don't believe that." " You're the one that's lying." " No." "I'm not." "Two men told me that." "Two men who tried to kill me." "Your uncle does have two men besides the driver working for him, doesn't he?" "Yeah." "Pete and Larry." "They went out this afternoon, but they haven't come back yet." "Yes, I know." "And they're not going to." "Because..." "Well, I had to tie them up... so I could get here and find out what's happening." "Are you a cop or something?" "No." "I'm a government agent." "That's why I'm here." "Your uncle wants to make those people downstairs... tell the leaders of their countries to do something very wrong." "I don't know if I should believe you." "Think about it, Matthew." "But just don't tell anyone what I've told you." "Promise?" "I don't know." "You don't look like your picture." "Matt, I know I don't." "Just think about it, okay?" "Matt." "I like to be called Matt." "How did you know?" "Why aren't you in your room resting, as your aunt told you to?" "I was just going." "Were you in there talking to that lady?" "Is she going to be at the séance?" "Maybe." "Unless there's some reason why she shouldn't be." "Did you take that woman's picture, Matthew?" "Yeah." "And you saw something that disturbed you?" "Your Aunt Theodora and I have taken great pains to raise you, you know." "We've given you much more than most parented children have." "Showed you the world three times over... helped you develop your powers." "I know." "All we ask is that you be honest with us." "Did you hear me?" "That lady in there, she doesn't look anything like her picture." "You mean, she's wearing a disguise?" "Maybe she has some business I can help her with." " Uncle Lawson?" " Yes?" "You don't con people, do you?" "You don't lie?" "Matthew, you've seen what I can do through the spirits." "And spirits cannot tolerate liars." "You get some rest." "Diana." "You see?" "I told you, you needed a nap." "I just had my eyes closed." "I was thinking." "Sure you were, young man." "Come on." "It's almost midnight." "Let's go downstairs." "I don't want to take part in the séance." "Don't be ridiculous." "I'll stay up here." "You don't really need me." "Of course we need you." "All I do is take pictures." "I don't have anything to do with all that other stuff that happens." "You certainly do." "If only because... the people and the spirits are comforted by your presence." "I'll stay here." "Put this on." "You are coming downstairs with me right now." "No, I'm not." "Perhaps you'd like to speak to Charles about it?" "He's always been able to convince you." "You're just using me to trick people." " Who told you that?" " That lady." "That lady was a liar and a meddler." "You shouldn't let her put such ideas into your head." "A complete stranger forces her way into our house... and you're so stupid, you believe everything she says?" "Now come on, Matthew." "And now we must all join hands." "My father did not believe in ghosts, and neither do I." "Your father knew no more than you do." "But he has since learned, as you will." "Please, your hand." "And now, we must close our eyes... and concentrate on the loved ones Matthew has helped bring back to us." "Mother." "Over here." "Let's play hide and seek." "Mother?" "Can you hear me?" "Wait for me, Mother." "I wanna talk." "Mother." "Please listen, Mother." " Eric?" " I wanna talk." "I ha ve to talk." "They tell me I must." "Eric, I can hear you." "Mother?" "Over here." "Mother?" "Eric!" "It is Eric." "Please listen." "Mother." "Can you hear me?" "Yes, I can hear you, my darling." "The wars must go on." "Please, Mother." "Please listen." "No!" "It can't be done, Eric." "Why?" "The time for peace has not yet come." "Atma!" "Return to our country, husband." "Your business is there." "This is an outrage!" "Thousands have died." "Thousands will continue to die... unless those wars are ended!" "Still my rebellious and foolish son." "I haven't heard those words since I" "You'll hear them through eternity... if you do not do your part in ending the peace negotiations." "I thought I was free of your tyranny." "You must obey." "Cancel the peace conference." "No!" "Please obey, Mother." "The wars must continue." "Get her!" "I knew you were tricking people." "I didn't know you could do that." "You never bothered to ask me." "Telekinesis." "I've had it ever since I can remember." "It was all a hoax, to make us cancel the peace conference!" "No doubt they were hired by a country who'd profit... by the continuation of the border wars." "Which country was it?" "Tymania." "They planned to invade Parmalec and Disan... after those countries were sufficiently weakened... by the border wars." "Well, fortunately for the world, you have just pulled your last hoax." "And thank you, Matt... for all your help." "Yeah, but they did something with that lady agent." "You'd better check downstairs." "I already have and she's just fine." "Guess we make a pretty good team." "What do you think..." "Uncle Lawson?" "Abilities like Matthew's might come in very handy in our line of work." "That's true." "Ira agrees." "In fact, he's becoming a little insecure about his job." "Look at this." "I got a four-page printout this morning, entitled:" ""Dependable Printed Circuitry versus Inexplicable Phenomena. "" "Do you believe that?" "He's too much." "Now, about your punishment." " Punishment?" " That's right." "For staying on an assignment after specific orders not to." "Steve, I had to prove that Colonel Dekker lied about me, and you know it." "Colonel Dekker is now Private Dekker." "But as far as your punishment is concerned..." "I'm sorry, Diana, but I'm going to have to insist... that you take a real vacation." "Plane tickets, hotel reservations, specific orders to have the time of your life." " Steve, I don't wanna go." " Go!" "There's no suntan lotion in here, and I burn very badly." "I haven't anything to read." " No books?" " No books." "No film for my camera." "Cute." "Well, you wanna go with me?"