"Clark Templeton O'Flaherty"

(Original air date 12/14/75)

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Steve suspects his janitor friend of stealing confidential documents at the OSI

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Story: Frank Dandridge

Teleplay: Frank Dandridge & Dennis Pryor

Director: Phil Bondelli



A few minutes to five o’clock, janitor Clark Templeton O’Flaherty (Lou Gossett) uses his passkey to sneak into the shredder room where he disables the machine. When messenger Charlie (Tom McCorry) comes down to destroy confidential files, Clark offers to check the defective shredder while he makes a phone call to his booking agent. The excuse gives Clark the opportunity to switch a particular file with a fake that he later gives to Charlie to destroy.

           

Once the job done, Clark meets with Steve for a handball game.

     

Later on Oscar calls Steve into his office to fill him in on the leak of confidential information that is likely falling into enemy hands. Steve’s assignment will consist in smoking out the culprit with the aid of a special chemical powder of Rudy’s invention that only a bionic eye can detect. Whoever touches the documents headed for the shredder will bear the smears of powder on his hands.

     

Steve roams the building, zooming on everyone’s hands for traces of that chemical. He inadvertently picks up fingerprints on Clark’s broom stick.

Oscar assumes that in all probability Templeton shook hands with the culprit but Steve’s gnawing hunch urges him to follow the dictates of his conscience.

           

He decides to trail Clark’s car and follows him to his modest neighbourhood apartment where he sees him emerge in an expensive suit and step into a BMW. Thereafter he’s seen entering a posh hotel.

           

When Clark sees Steve at his door he quickly shuffles through the small safe to take the money and a gun while his bionic friend forces his way in.

           

Clark’s gun is no match for Steve who kicks the weapon out of his hand and threatens him to come clean. Clark confesses to being on a special assignment for the secret organization OGA. Oscar urges Steve to be wary of the man until he checks out his credentials.

           

Steve heeds his boss warning and convinces Clark to let him accompany him to his meeting. On the way the OGA agent explains that his job is to smoke out the head of an underground crooked organization feasting on government confidential information. Through the sales of top-secret files he hopes to gain their confidence; a method Steve deems too slow. He tears the documents in two with the intention of bargaining the sale of one half with the boss only, thus forcing him out in the open.

They meet with the intermediary Ms. Hallaway (Louise Latham) who does not hide her uneasiness at having to deal with Clark’s new partner, one she finds too greedy. Steve asks for an astronomical sum of money for the other half of the documents. After contacting her boss she hands them the address of the meeting place.

           

Instead of meeting with the head honcho they face off with hired guns that Steve easily subdues with a few bionic kicks. In the background Clark is bowled over by his friend’s superhuman feats. He quickly flees the scene after seeing Steve removing a knife from his bloodless right arm.

           

At his office, Oscar meets with the head of the OGA Bill McAdams (H. M. Wynant) to discuss O’Flaherty but security forbids him to disclose the identity of his agents. However he does bend the rules given the critical situation, and assures Oscar that Clark never received orders to steal from the OSI. They surmise that Templeton must be a double agent.

Incensed at having been forsaken in the face of danger, Steve returns to Clark’s hotel room to confront him. He won’t swallow the man’s story that he came back to call for reinforcement.

A call comes in from Ms. Hallaway. Irked by the goons she sent to kill them Steve threatens her to urge her boss to agree to a meeting on neutral grounds. Failing that he will sell the documents to another interested party.

           

They meet with the alleged top dog George Van Rensselaer (Ryan Macdonald) but Steve is quick to expose him as a fraud by the absence of powder marks on his hands. He then doubles his price and steps outside to allow them to discuss his demand among themselves.

Clark breaks down and reveals Steve’s true identity to the enemy. He suggests holding him for ransom. He then remits the other half of the documents to get his money.

           

They chain Steve’s wrists and drive him to enemy headquarters where finally the truth is known on the identity of the person pulling the reins: Ms Hallaway.

     

Satisfied with the results, Steve and Clark engage in a fight with the watchdogs. They succeed in overpowering each and everyone, including the queen bee.

Back at the OSI Oscar shows Clark his utmost gratitude by offering him a position in their organization as Steve’s partner. Clark is tempted but instead teases Oscar about wanting to recommend Steve to the OGA. Mischievous Steve can’t help adding to his boss’s stress by agreeing to discuss the offer.

           

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