A man experiments with consciousness expanding drugs and accidentally lets loose the monster inside himself.
Opening narration
| "As far back as men have recorded their history, veils have been lowered to disclose a vast new reality — rents in the fabric of Man's awareness. And somewhere, in the endless search of the curious mind, lies the next vision, the next key to his infinite capacity..." |
Plot
A large, disfigured man is raiding research laboratories on a university campus and killing anyone whom he encounters. Police Lt. Branch arrives to investigate the crime scene, and speaks with Professors Roy Clinton and Peter Wayne, university researchers who have been experimenting with mind-altering drugs to expand human awareness. Peter explains that certain scientists and graduate students were expelled for taking their experiments too far, but that the drugs have potential for positive development in humans.
Branch attempts to speak with Harry Akada, one of the professors who was banned for extreme experiments. He finds Harry dead while a figure observes from behind some shrubs outside the apartment. Roy goes out that evening to meet with one of the graduate students who is involved in the drug experiments and thinks the drugs Akada used may have been poisoned. Roy warns the student not to take the experiments too far, or tell anyone if he did. Roy returns to tell Peter and his wife, Susan (also Roy's sister), about the encounter. Peter is concerned that the incidents will harm their drug research program.
At the coroner's office, Harry awakens while on the coroner's table. The police question him but he can't explain how he got home or why he was in suspended animation. Roy is brought in to the university dean's office to face a witness who claims to have seen him skulking around on campus, but he thinks Roy may have seen something that could help the police. Roy remembers reading a newspaper story about a man who won exorbitant amounts of money in Las Vegas, and another story about a man who lifted a car to help a stranded motorist. Roy believes these men and the attacker are all the same person. The dean ends the meeting with a note that the negative publicity will cause their funding to get cut off by their patron, Mr. Belair.
Back at his house, Roy discovers poker chips in a jacket hanging in his closet. He calls Peter and experiences a hazy vision while doodling absent-mindedly on a notepad, where he has spelled out "BELAIR." He then goes to a cabinet and brings out numerous substances in glass bottles, mixing them together and then swallowing the mixture before going to bed. When he wakes up, he has transformed into the menacing man who has been carrying out the attacks. Later that day, Peter sees the man enter a building and follows him. When he asks the elevator operator about the man, the operator says he never saw him, but he reveals Mr. Belair has been killed. No one saw the man but Peter is certain he was there.
Peter goes to Roy's house, where Roy has returned to normal. Roy can't remember where he's been and Peter tells him Belair is dead. They theorize that Roy, or some mutated version of him, has been committing the crimes. Roy steps away while they search for a lead and takes the drug again to transform back into his altered state. He tells Peter he plans to do the same to Peter to expand his abilities as well. In addition to higher intelligence and increased strength, Roy also has the ability to hypnotize people so they forget they ever saw him. Peter tries to run but the altered Roy easily pins him down and offers him the drug. Peter refuses but Roy forces him to drink it.
Roy and Peter wait for Peter to transform as Roy explains how he has been carrying out his plans. Branch shows up and Roy briefly hypnotizes him before Peter interrupts, prompting another officer to come in and shoot Roy. The bullets don't faze Roy and he claims not to bleed. Roy prepares to flee with Peter and Branch as a hostage, but as they walk away, Roy slows down and collapses. Roy transforms back to normal and dies from the gunshot wounds, regretting his actions before his final breath. Back inside, the officers regret the loss of the transformation formula, and Peter tells the officers to take him to the hospital because he's beginning to feel the effect of the drug.
Closing narration
| "Some success, some failure; but either way, the gnawing hunger to know is never sated, and the road to the unknown continues to be dark and strange." |
Notes
- This episode features a shortened introduction by the Control Voice.
- Skip Homeier, Keith Andes, James Doohan, Peter Duryea and Jason Wingreen all appeared on Star Trek: The Original Series.
- This is the only episode written by Francis Cockrell.
Cast
- Skip Homeier as Dr. Roy Clinton
- James Doohan as Lt. Branch
- Keith Andes as Professor Peter Wayne
- Jason Wingreen as Coroner Leland
- Robert Doyle as Marc Lake
- Shirley O'Hara as Receptionist
- Troy Melton as Sgt. Alger
- Owen McGiveney as Watchman
- Mary Gregory as Apartment Manager
- Aki Aleong as Harry Akada
- Vaughn Taylor as Dean Flint
- Barbara Wilkin as Susan Wayne
- Peter Duryea as Morrow
- Michael Falcon as Elevator Operator
- Sherwood Keith as Bellaire (uncredited)
- Bill Cort as Elevator Man (uncredited)
- Vic Perrin as the Control Voice (voice)
Crew
- Cinematographer - Kenneth Peach