By Keith Ansell
Introduction
It was all change for fans of Secret Agent 21 in 1968 (or should I say 2068?).
‘Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons’ had premiered on our UK television screens in the autumn of 1967. TV21 was therefore revamped in January 1968 to promote the new TV series with the first page of the Scarlet strip being moved to the front cover. Readers were now invited to become Spectrum Shades instead of USS Agents as the comics’ audience participation feature but rather than drop Brent Cleever altogether he became a superhero with magnetic powers (albeit a rather prosaic British superhero in the style of The Steel Claw). With issue 155 of TV21 the ‘Secret Agent 21’ strip was brought forward 20 years into the ‘present’ of 2068, retitled for the fourth time to become ’Mr. Magnet’ and given another new logo depicting Cleever standing upside down on the underside of a flying jet fighter.
In the first instalment of the ‘Mr. Magnet’ strip we learn that Cleever became the Head of the Universal Secret Service on Mars at some time during the 20 years since we last saw him (well the previous issue of TV21 anyway) and then finally retired in December 2067. He is now living back on Earth intent on developing his inventive engineering skills. There is no mention of his old boss S whatsoever. We do find out what happened to SOFRAM though.
Cleever’s magnetic powers were never over used and he still relied quite heavily on his sample case of deadly toys after becoming the unofficial trouble-shooter of World President TJ Younger.
Rab Hamilton continued as artist on the strip and did a fantastic job depicting the older yet clearly recognisable Brent Cleever.
It is a pity no one told Hamilton that the WP in 2068 was now the younger man seen in the Captain Scarlet TV series (Younger, get it?). He continued to draw him in the likeness of Nikita Bandranaik (who had first appeared as World President in the Fireball XL5 strip back in 1965) until TV21 issue 184 – seven months later.
We see cameo appearances of Colonel White, Commander Shore and Commander Zero in one story and even a Fireflash airliner in another reminding us again that the action is taking place in the Anderson Universe.
Cleever was never referred to as ‘Mr. Magnet’ in the stories –it was just the title of the comic strip itself and not the name of the character featured in it.
Story Twenty (aka Rebirth: Mr. Magnet*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 155, dateline 6 January 2068
Synopsis.
Brent Cleever code name 21 retired as Head of the USS in December 2067 and his office at the Universal Secret Service HQ building at Kahra, Mars now lies empty.
Cleever has moved back to Earth and lives in a large farmhouse in the still rural county of Gloucestershire, England.
One morning in January 2068 a postman delivers a registered parcel to the ex USS Chief.
He has been waiting for it. The parcel contains the final parts to allow him to complete his greatest invention – the most perfect humanoid robot ever developed.
Cleever enters his laboratory and approaches the life size male robot who is sitting on a small platform facing him.
Standing next to the robot he operates a control that lifts the platform to the mezzanine floor surrounding the upper level of the laboratory and starts work.
Four hours later Cleever activates his creation only for something to go terribly wrong.
The robot’s steel like fingers close over Cleever’s wrist stopping him from throwing the cut-off switch … and then it forces the ex USS Chief to the edge of the mezzanine floor until he topples backwards over the railing surrounding the upper level of the laboratory….
Notes:
The logo to the Mr. Magnet strip incorporates a box-out giving biographical data of Brent Cleever with the word ‘RETIRED’ written diagonally through it.
It reads: USS Top Agent
Name: Brent Cleever
Born: Kahra, Mars
2 December 2018
Height: 6ft 1inch
Weight: 184 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Code Name: 21
Cleever therefore retired from the USS aged 49
The strip confirms that Cleever invented deadly toys for the USS (as suggested in previous stories) and we see a number of them in glass display cases on each side of the corridor that leads to his farmhouse laboratory.
Does this suggest Cleever copyrighted the designs?
No wonder he can afford a farmhouse fitted out with a large futuristic laboratory.
GPO postmen deliver mail on hover bikes in 2068.
Part 2: TV Century 21 Issue 156, dateline 13 January 2068
Synopsis.
Incredibly Cleever’s fall is halted halfway to the laboratory floor below.
He hangs suspended in midair and a vibrant burning sensation shoots through his entire body.
The retired USS Chief realises he has fallen into the radio magnetic force field his equipment is generating to activate his robot.
Cleever forces his muscles to move and slowly sinks through the force field. Suddenly he is free and hits the floor below with a heavy crash.
He gets to his feet winded only to see the humanoid robot approaching him with a large wrench held high intent on smashing his skull. Cleever throws himself out of the way of the swinging wrench but the robot’s left hand fastens on his neck.
Suddenly the robot explodes in a burst of energy and crumples to the floor leaving it’s shattered metallic arm stuck to Cleaver’s chest.
The retired USS Chief cannot understand what has happened until he feels himself pulled towards a metallic panel besides him and realises he has somehow become magnetised when he fell through the force field.
Cleever momentarily despairs. How can he live like this? Then not a man to give up easily he puts his inventive mind to work again.
Days later he completes his most vital invention – a pair of shoes.
Cleever has installed anti-polarising devices into the shoes that cancel out the magnetic force in his body when switched on at the touch of a buckle.
He realises that his life has changed in more ways than one since leaving the USS…
Notes:
Cleever has milk delivered to his farmhouse by a milkman
Part 3: TV Century 21 Issue 157, dateline 20 January 2068
Synopsis.
The videophone buzzing interrupts Cleever experimenting with his incredible new magnetic powers – it is the World President on the line.
The WP asks for the retired USS Chief’s help and has sent a jetcopter for him, which will arrive shortly. Cleever protests but five hours later he enters the World President’s office.
The WP proceeds to show Cleever a video recording of an old monorail freight train. The train was carrying a consignment of top-secret elsonite alloy for use in construction of an Ultra Distance Projection Ray Bombarder.
The monotrain somehow derailed before it reached its destination. When the rescue team arrived they found the train’s crew dead and the elsonite missing.
The train driver had lived long enough to write the letter ‘S’ in the spilled oil and dirt.
The driver’s corpse has been wired up to a Post Suggestion Impulse Decoder – a machine that can complete the thought patterns of a man in the moment he died.
The PSID machine has deduced the train driver was trying to write the word SOFRAM.
Cleever is astounded. He stamped out the Solar Organisation For Revenge And Murder years ago.
The World President believes the neo-fascist organisation has risen again and Brent Cleever is the only man who can defeat them.
The retired USS Chief agrees to help crush SOFRAM again – and get the elsonite alloy back.
The WP wishes him good luck.
Cleever is recognised by an elderly janitor as he leaves the building.
Notes:
The World President is drawn as Nikita Bandranaik but is in fact TJ Younger, as Story Twenty Three will confirm (even though he will still be depicted as Bandranaik until the last part of Story Twenty Four).
We can only assume Cleever meets the WP in Unity City, Bermuda.
Elsonite is probably named after Howard Elson indicating he may very well have been the writer of the Mr. Magnet stories
Part 4: TV Century 21 Issue 158, dateline 27 January 2068
Synopsis.
The elderly janitor meets his contact that night at a lonely dockside café and passes on the information that Cleever has met with the World President.
Within the hour the Bereznik Embassy has been informed and the Ambassador phones O’Grady – a freelance gunman and instructs him to keep an eye on the retired USS Chief at his farm in Gloucestershire, England in case the WP has put him back to work.
Unknown to his Bezeznik paymasters O’Grady has a secret more sinister job – he is the new SOFRAM’s Chief Executioner and he intends to silence Cleever for good now he knows where he lives.
Later at Cleever’s Farm the former USS Chief ponders on how to track down SOFRAM and the secret metal when his desk light begins to flash on and off. It is the signal that someone has crossed the farm perimeter – and not by the gate.
Cleever wonders whether it might be poachers. He selects one of his deadly toys invented by him in his USS days – a light house which is in reality a radar recorder and proceeds to sweep the area around the farm with it’s invisible beam.
The small screen in the base of the deadly toy informs Cleever that a man is prowling about in the lower sector of the long field.
The retired USS Chief grabs a hand gun and goes out to find him.
He spots O’Grady in the darkness but the gunman fires off a lucky shot which smashes the buckle on Cleever’s right shoe destroying the device which controls his magnetism.
The released power pulses through Cleever’s body causing his gun to keep firing wildly until it’s magazine has discharged. O’Grady thinks Cleever has gone crazy and runs forward to finish him off..
Part 5: TV Century 21 Issue 159, dateline 3 February 2068
Synopsis.
O’Grady holds Cleever at gunpoint and insists the retired USS Chief tell him why he emptied his gun into the countryside. Cleever tells him about his laboratory accident but O’Grady does not believe him. Cleever shows him how his pistol is magnetically stuck to his open hand.
For one moment the assassin’s mind is taken off guard. Cleever slams his empty gun into O’Grady’s face and then grabs the SOFRAM killer’s handgun causing it to discharge into the ground. Unarmed O’Grady is no match for Cleever who throws the Irishman over his shoulder only to see the gunman land in a crumpled heap in front of him – neck broken.
Cleever returns to his farmhouse laboratory to fix a new depolarising device to his shoes and then goes back into the field to search O’Grady’s body.
He finds a SOFRAM standard pattern micro-radio and realises this will help him trace their new headquarters.
Cleever has set up a museum in the farmhouse of the deadly toys he designed and used when he was a USS spy.
He selects a deadly toy pigeon and tunes it into the frequency of the SOFRAM micro radio before releasing it from a window to fly towards the source of any transmissions on the SOFRAM frequency.
The retired USS Chief now puts a selection of his deadly toys into a sample case and reloads his pistol before following the pigeon in his hover car.
The signals from the pigeon lead Cleever to a lonely disused airfield – but SOFRAM are waiting for the retired USS Chief in their new HQ beneath one of the rusting old aircraft hangars.
They have positioned a vat of deadly acid under a hidden trap door just inside the hangar, which Cleever is now standing on…
Part 6: TV Century 21 Issue 160, dateline 10 February 2068
Synopsis.
Suddenly the trap door tilts open beneath Cleever but he has heard the faint rasp of the mechanism in time to activate his magnetism.
He throws his deadly toy sample case to one side and allows the released magnetic power to draw his body up to the steel girders above and relative safety.
To the black hooded SOFRAM Leader and his troops it appears Cleever has flown out of sight.
A squad of SOFRAM troops leave the underground base in search of the retired USS Chief.
Cleever switches off his magnetic power and drops heavily onto them from the overhead girders where he has been hiding. He grabs one of their machine rifles before they can open fire on him. He shoots first but victory is short lived. The SOFRAM Leader manages to get behind Cleever and orders him to drop his gun. The Leader informs the retired USS Chief that SOFRAM have built their Ray Bombarder with the stolen metal and are ready to turn it on to any part of the Earth they choose to destroy.
The Leader decides Cleever is too dangerous to live another moment but the retired USS Chief activates his magnetism again and draws the Leader’s gun from his hand before he can fire. Cleever grabs the gun and smashes it into Leader’s face before shooting the remaining SOFRAM troops. He now grabs his fallen sample case and runs …
Part 7: TV Century 21 Issue 161, dateline 17 February 2068
Synopsis.
The SOFRAM Leader staggers to his feet calling for the emergency defence system to be activated and stop Cleever escaping. Metal posts rise from the ground in a vast circle around the disused airfield and a killing electrical force field is activated between them. Cleever realises he is trapped unless he can break the circuit. He takes a deadly toy tank from his sample case and sets it to fire at the nearest post – but the force field has a built in sensor system which detects the tank and destroys it with a high voltage bolt of electricity. The retired USS Chief now decides to use his magnetic powers to try and disable the force field. He switches off his depolarising device and the surge of magnetism in his body deflects the deadly effects of the force field.
Cleever grabs his sample case and runs through the force field but a dry twig on the ground snatches at his right shoe buckle accidentally switching off his magnetic protection before he is completely out of range of its deadly power. Cleever is thrown heavily to the ground by the high voltage.
Meanwhile the SOFRAM Leader has returned to his underground base thinking Cleever is now free to ruin their plans. He instructs his scientists to target the Ray Bombarder on the World President’s Headquarters as soon as it can be made operational. His scientists inform him it will be ready in twenty minutes if they cut a few corners – and the ray will be powerful enough to destroy the whole of Unity City.
Unseen Cleever lies stunned just beyond the force field barrier, his sample case thrown open and deadly toys strewn around him….
Part 8: TV Century 21 Issue 162, dateline 24 February 2068
Synopsis
Cleever regains consciousness and quickly gathers up his deadly toys not sure how long he has been knocked out.
In the underground HQ the SOFRAM Leader rants at his scientists to hurry with the preparation of the Ray Bombarder. They need more electrical current but the turbines are working at full power. The Leader spots that the perimeter force field is still operating and angrily switches it off saying it is no use now Cleever has got clear and the juice that was running it can now be drawn by the Ray Bombarder.
Up on the surface the retired USS Chief sees the metal generator posts being lowered and realises the force field is now off.
Cleever decides on a plan of action and steps back inside the perimeter of the disused airfield. He calls the World President on his pen like communicator and tells him the Ray Bombarder has been built so there is no time to order a bomb attack on the SOFRAM base.
The WP will have to leave it to him. Cleever now sees the Ray Bombarder being lifted up onto the surface of the airfield from a hidden silo below the ground.
He crawls towards it as fast as he can, keeping as low as possible to avoid being seen as protective steel shields are raised around the deadly weapon.
The Ray Bombarder is now fully operational and ready to fire once the range and bearing of its target has been set.
Cleever releases his magnetic powers again and rapidly climbs up one of the sheer steel protective shields and then leaps onto the Ray Bombarder just as SOFRAM activate it.
Magnetism floods through the weapon and its controls lock. The Leader orders more power – more power. Suddenly the Ray Bombarder explodes destroying the underground base and killing everyone within.
SOFRAM have been defeated again.
Four days later the World President visits Cleever in an English country hospital where he lies recovering from his injuries – his magnetism having protected him from the worst of the explosion.
The WP asks him to come out of retirement and use his incredible powers to help keep the world free…
The End
Story Twenty-One (aka The Man and the Challenge*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 163, dateline 2 March 2068
Synopsis
An unexpected visitor arrives at Cleever Farm in Gloucestershire where the retired USS Chief is still resting after being released from hospital – it is the World President.
Cleever thinks he has come to see him about the letter he recently wrote refusing to come out of retirement and return to the Universal Secret Service. The WP says he has not come to try and change his mind but to offer him something special. There are jobs from time to time that are so sensitive that not even the USS can handle them and the WP wants Cleever to become his personal and private troubleshooter responsible only to the President himself.
He thinks Cleever’s long experience as Agent 21 and his newly acquired magnetic powers make him the ideal candidate to take up the role.
The former USS Chief accepts and the WP spells out that any assignments will be completely unofficial and if he gets caught there will be no one he can call for help.
Cleever says he can take it but the WP wants him to prove his worth by testing his skills to the limit. He wants his new troubleshooter to break into the World’s most secret and secure research base in the American Nevada Desert – an establishment run by General Herman Tilburg called Q99. One slip and Tilburg’s men will shoot Cleever before he can blink. If he is caught and shot, he is no good to the World President.
Notes:
The World President is drawn as Nikita Bandranaik again but is pictured as TJ Younger on the TV21 Stop Press page (which precedes the ‘Mr. Magnet’ strip) in a column headed “World President visits Brent Cleever”.
The WP arrives at Cleever Farm in a wheeled limousine and his security guards are riding wheeled motorbikes.
Part 2: TV Century 21 Issue 164, dateline 9 March 2068
Synopsis
Two days later Cleever, travelling under cover in his guise as a toy salesman, arrives at Carson Hoverport, Nevada. He takes a taxi to the Desert Motel, 10 miles out of Carson and nearest an outsider can get to Q99.
Beyond the Motel a private road leads to the Research Establishment. A sign on the roadside reads “Department of Security Private Vehicles Forbidden”.
That afternoon Cleever sends a deadly toy pigeon flying over Q99 to video record everything it ‘sees’.
The pigeon finally returns to Cleever’s Desert Motel chalet and the retired USS Chief plugs it into his sample case, which alloys him to replay everything the deadly toy has recorded on the TV screen beneath the lid.
Cleever sees that everyone that enters the base has their fingerprints scanned and metallic tattoos read by electronic scanners. They also require preset radio transmitters to enter the main compound. Even laundry delivery trucks are pumped full of nerve gas in case anyone is hiding within them.
Cleever realises the World President is right – this will be a tough one and he decides to make it a night mission.
Darkness falls swiftly over the Nevada Desert and Cleever quickly covers the miles on foot to Q99 with his sample case of deadly toys in hand.
Crouching down just outside the perimeter fence he decides to put the base’s search lights out of action with a deadly toy rocket.
The rocket hits one of the search light units blowing the main fuse on the outer perimeter circuit putting all of the lights out of action.
The security guards are called out to secure the first defence ring and the order is given to electrify the outer fence – just as Cleever is scaling it…
Part 3: TV Century 21 Issue 165, dateline 16 March 2068
Synopsis
Cleever drops down into the outer courtyard of Q99 without being seen before the perimeter fence can be electrified.
One of the security guards shouts for emergency lighting to be switched on and the dogs released.
Crouching down out of sight Cleever selects a deadly toy fire engine from his case which sprays a discreet scent into the air designed to baffle the nose of a bloodhound.
Soon after the emergency arc lights are switched on and the guards can see the outer wire fence is intact. A guard reports to his officer that the dogs have found nothing and that one of the outer perimeter floodlights exploded causing the circuit failure – obviously a faulty bulb.
The security alert on the base is relaxed allowing Cleever to gain access to the nearby guardhouse. He quickly disguises himself as a security guard by donning a spare helmet and greatcoat, which he finds within.
Cleever lurks in the shadows of the base for the next 2 hours (with the sample case hidden beneath his greatcoat) until the guard is changed.
He now unobtrusively joins the squad of guards who leave the outer compound and head for the inner perimeter where only the guard commander needs to have his metallic tattoo scanned for the gate to open.
It seems that Cleever is going to be able to just walk into the inner compound – but danger looms. When he halted with the other guards at the gate he had to give a military stamp, which accidentally switched off the depolarising device in his shoe buckle.
Magnetism surges through his body and Cleever gives out a cry of surprise as he is drawn toward the heavy gauge metal wire gate …
Part 4: TV Century 21 Issue 166, dateline 23 March 2068
Synopsis
Cleever quickly kicks his heels together and manages to switch his shoe buckle to the ‘magnetism off’ position. He staggers back to his feet saying he must have stumbled. Luck is with him as the guard commander orders his squad back into line.
Cleever now follows the security guards through the gate and across the inner courtyard until they halt again before the electrified doors that lead inside Q99 itself.
The Guard Officer uses his pocket radio transmitter to open the doors.
Suddenly the tannoy system announces that an intruder had been detected in the base.
In the brief moment of confusion Cleever manages to slip through the opened doors. He takes his sample case from beneath his heavy great coat and makes a run for it – but is spotted by one of the inner guards and the chase is on.
Out of sight he activates his bodies magnetism and climbs the sheer metal wall of one of the inner storehouses to reach the flat roof above and escape the guards.
Suddenly Private Novak from the Transport Section steps out of the shadows and aims a pistol at Cleever…
Part 5: TV Century 21 Issue 167, dateline 30 March 2068
Synopsis
Cleever casually reaches out and lays a hand on the metal grip rail beside him that surrounds the flat roof. He now sends a surge of magnetic power towards Private Novak and the soldier’s gun is ripped from his hand and sticks to the rail.
Cleever knocks the surprised Novak out with a vicious right hand upper cut to the jaw. He then switches off his magnetism and grabs the soldier’s gun.
The whole research base is now on maximum alert. Q99 Commander in Chief General Tilburg orders every inch of the base searched. Cleever cannot understand how he was detected. He carries the limp body of Novak down through the deserted storehouse to the ground floor where he confidently steps outside the building and shouts, “There he goes!” pointing towards the Southern Perimeter Fence.
General Tilburg and a group of security guards come running over and Cleever brazenly tells them that he and his buddy flushed the spy from the storehouse but he slugged Novak and got away. The General orders Cleever to take Novak to sickbay while he and his squad will track down the spy.
Cleever walks off carrying Novak over his shoulder and looks for a way to escape Q99. He passes two parked trucks that he hears a guard say have just been searched so decides to hide in the back of one of them with the unconscious soldier. A few minutes later he hears an officer informing General Tilburg that they now know who the spy is…
Notes
Private Novak has a nametag on his uniform.
Part 6: TV Century 21 Issue 168, dateline 6 April 2068
Synopsis
Cleever listens intently from his hiding place within the empty truck as General Tilburg is informed that the suspected Bereznik spy is Private Novak – the soldier still lying unconscious next to him.
So that is why Novak was skulking around on the roof of the storehouse.
Cleever realises he cannot hand the spy in personally but maybe one of his deadly toys can solve the problem.
The former USS Chief lifts Novak out of the truck and then takes a deadly toy tank from his sample case and attaches it to the soldier’s uniform collar.
Cleever now uses the controls in his case to move the tank away from the back of the truck and out into the centre of the Q99 compound – dragging Novak behind it.
From a distance a squad of security guards see what looks like a man crawling away from the truck. They race across to the spy just giving Cleever time to retrieve the tank without it being seen.
The security guards realise they have captured Novak and signal a security stand down assuming the emergency is now over.
Research Station Q99 finally begins to relax for the rest of the night.
Cleever stays hidden until next morning when a laundrette truck leaves the Research Base.
The former USS Chief uses his magnetic powers to clings to the chassis unnoticed.
Sometime later Cleever reports to the World President that his mission is completed.
The WP congratulates him saying he is now confident that Cleever can carry out any mission he cares to give him.
Cleever smiles and says he can’t wait to get started in his new role as the President’s trouble shooter – the past few days have given him back his taste for action…
The End
Story Twenty-Two (aka The Lemming Therapy*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 169, dateline 12 April 2068
Synopsis
Tarquin Heights Nuclear Power Complex in the USA supplies all of New York’s energy requirements.
The World Government’s Minister for Civic Amenities visits Tarquin Heights and is given a guided tour of the complex. In the Reactor Control Centre he walks over to the Master Governor control panel and switches all outputs to maximum power before anyone realises what he is doing. The reactors begin to run wild and cannot be powered down. Within minutes a chain reaction leads to gigantic explosions, which rip the power station apart killing everyone within.
A short while later Brent Cleever reports to the World President’s office.
The WP tells him what has happened – the security monitors in the reactor complex recorded everything right up to the final explosions.
Cleever wonders whether it was actually the Minister but the WP is positive it was no impostor – the man was a personal friend of his. The President tells him that the cause of the explosions has been completely hushed up and that he has vetoed an official enquiry – but he wants Cleever to find out why the Minister carried out his fatal actions.
Working completely undercover the WP’s troubleshooter visits the Ministry for Civic Amenities intent on tracing the Minister’s every movement over the last few weeks – Cleever is convinced he must have been got at and brainwashed by enemies of the World Government.
He realises he cannot just walk into the Ministry so Cleever activates his fantastic magnetic power and begins to climb the outer metallic walls of the building heading for the top floor where the late Minister’s private office is located.
Notes
You would think mid 21st Century atomic reactors would have built in fail safe devices to prevent the actions of one man leading to the sort of disaster depicted in this story.
There is no mention of atomic fall out from the explosion.
This suggests a clean form of atomic energy is being used in 2068
It is not stated where the Ministry for Civic Amenities is based – presumably it is in Unity City, Bermuda i.e. the home of the World Government.
Part 2 TV Century 21 Issue 170, dateline 19 April 2068
Synopsis
Cleever reaches the top floor and enters the late Minister’s office through an unlocked window without being seen. He now begins to search the man’s personal files and appointment diaries covering the last month. Many hours later Cleever is still searching but has still not found anything to suggest the Minister was in the power of an enemy.
Two night security guards are patrolling the empty corridors of the building and see light from the desk lamp, which Cleever has switched on, escaping under the Minister’s office door. They nervously decide to investigate. Cleever sees the door begin to open from within the office and quickly switches on his magnetism. He slams his hand against the wall beside the door and sends a surge of magnetic power through the metal wall, which slams the door shut in the faces of the guards.
The troubleshooter now dives out of the still open office window and uses his power to climb up the wall. He clings out of sight above the window as the two security guards force the door open and both enter the office to find no one there.
Half an hour later Cleever arrives at the World Presidents home. He apologises for the late hour when he sees the WP is wearing a dressing gown over pyjamas. Cleever informs President Younger that all of the Minister’s movements are accountable except for one week that he spent at Trimlands Health Clinic during his Spring Holiday.
The WP suggests Cleever books himself in at the clinic as it might provide a lead.
The following day the troubleshooter arrives at Trimlands in the mountains of Vermont, USA. He is met by Doctor Joffrin who recognises him as an ex USS agent…
Notes
Cleever arrives at Trimlands in a wheeled car.
Part 3 TV Century 21 Issue 171, dateline 26 April 2068
Synopsis
An attendant shows Cleever to his room at the Health Clinic and he is told Doctor Joffrin would like to see him in five minutes.
After his medical check up the Doctor declares Cleever A1 fit but the troubleshooter informs Joffrin that he has had a lot of late nights recently and needs a rest.
When Cleever returns to his room he finds his suitcase has been opened and the contents checked – but he has not brought any deadly toys with him so they will have found nothing to incriminate him. The attendant who checked Cleever’s case informs Joffrin that he found nothing. Joffrin receives a phone call from ‘Control’ informing him that Cleever has retired from the USS and now has no active contact with them.
Relaxing a little the Doctor orders his attendants to keep an eye on Cleever all the same.
That night Cleever leaves his room and cautiously lets himself into Joffrin’s office where he makes a record of every guest who stayed at Trimlands while the Minister was there.
He is just about to go back to his room when he hears a footfall in the corridor outside the Doctor’s office. Cleever ducks behind the door as an attendant, gun in hand, enters the office.
Cleever activates his magnetism as Joffrin’s man searches the room – he had obviously heard the troubleshooter opening and closing the filing cabinets.
Cleever directs his power at a stethoscope on Doctor Joffrin’s desk making it move and scrape along the surface of the desk as if it were a living thing.
The attendant is distracted long enough for the troubleshooter to make his escape without being seen. Cleever is now certain something funny is going on at Trimlands.
If not, why are the attendants armed?
Part 4 TV Century 21 Issue 172, dateline 4 May 2068
Synopsis
Back in his room Cleever ponders over what could have made the World Government Minister deliberately blow himself up together with the hundreds of innocent people working at the atomic power station. He rules out blackmail – the man’s past life has been unblemished. He decides he must force the truth out of Doctor Joffrin in the morning and goes to bed to sleep on the problem.
The next morning the troubleshooter knocks on Joffrin’s office door only to be told by one of the attendant’s that the Doctor is away on business.
Cleever is due a massage and the attendant takes him down to the basement area where the masseuse is waiting for him. The attendant swiftly guides him past a door marked ‘Special Treatments Room’ and onto the ‘Massage Room’ which is on the other side of the corridor.
The troubleshooter suspects there is something in the Special Treatments room the man did not want him to see.
Cleever now suffers a painful massage session while a hundred miles south in a New York City club Doctor Joffrin sits with an influential businessman named Schroeder who is secretly the Head of Bereznik Intelligence in the USA.
Schroeder introduces the Doctor to another member of the club- Rear Admiral Backus of the World Navy who is a man in his mid 60’s. Joffrin tells him the treatment at Trimlands is guaranteed to take 10 years off his physical age so the Admiral is only too eager to take a brief rest there. Backus now leaves the club to arrange his visit to the health clinic.
Schroeder tells Joffrin to be quick with Backus as he is inspecting a new World Navy missile submarine in a fortnight’s time.
The Doctor smiles and says Backus will carry out his instructions just as the Minister did.
The submarine will be destroyed and the Admiral with it.
That night Cleever is on the prowl again back at Trimlands. He is determined to find out what is in the Special Treatments Room. In the Reception Area he activates his amazing magnetic powers and extends his right hand towards a bunch of master keys that are lying on the Duty Attendant’s desk. The man is fast asleep with his back to Cleever.
The keys leap into the air and Cleever catches them with hardly a sound. He turns to leave Reception only to hear a car drawing up outside the double glass doors into the Clinic.
He is amazed to see Admiral Backus getting out of the car with Joffrin.
The two men walk over to the doors and the Doctor realises he has forgotten his door key. He will have to ring for the Duty Attendant to open the doors and let them in.
Part 5 TV Century 21 Issue 173, dateline 11 May 2068
Synopsis
Cleever activates his magnetism again and uses his power to freeze the door bell for a few minutes giving the trouble shooter time to return the master keys to the Duty Attendants desk.
He now hides in a corridor cupboard and watches as Joffrin and Backus are let into the clinic. The Admiral is shown to his room and told his treatment will start in the morning. When the coast is clear Cleever slips back to his room and contacts the World President on his secret two-way radio disguised as a pen.
He informs the WP about Rear Admiral Backus visiting Trimlands.
President Younger tells his trouble shooter that Backus will be inspecting the World Government’s latest secret submarine in a fortnight’s time – he suspects the Admiral will somehow be made to sabotage the sub.
Cleever says he won’t let that happen but he must find out how Joffrin operates as Backus would never cooperate with him willingly. He knows the answer must lie in the Special Treatments Room.
The following morning Doctor Joffrin takes Admiral Backus to the Special Treatment Room saying he is going to put him under the auto-diagnosis machine.
When Backus sees the device he says it certainly is an alarming looking gadget – but he is not as alarmed as Cleever. The troubleshooter is standing outside the Special Treatment Room looking through the keyhole and he recognises the machine for what it really is – a Hypnotic Impulse Transplanter of the type used by the Bereznik Secret Service.
He realises Joffrin must be using post hypnotic suggestion to make people do his bidding at a later date. Suddenly an attendant appears behind Cleever with a gun pointed at his back…
Part 6 TV Century 21 Issue 174, dateline 18 May 2068
Synopsis
In the Special Treatments Room World Navy Admiral Backus is now seated beneath the Hypnotic Impulse Transplanter. Joffrin walks over to the control panel to begin the Admiral’s ‘treatment’. In the corridor outside the room the attendant knocks on the door while holding Cleever at gunpoint.
When the troubleshooter hears the door opening he throws himself backwards into the attendant and then swings around and grabs the surprised man – hurling him at Joffrin who has appeared in the doorway. The Doctor falls back into the Special Treatment Room.
Cleever now quickly picks up the fallen handgun and steps into the room only to be struck from behind – by Admiral Backus!
Backus assumes Cleever is one of Joffrin’s mental stress patients. Joffrin suggests they put back the Admiral’s treatment, as Cleever needs immediate therapy.
Backus agrees and returns to his room to rest.
The World President’s troubleshooter regains consciousness to find himself sitting beneath the thought transplanter with the attendant holding him at gunpoint.
Joffrin now turns to the control panel intent on extracting who sent Cleever to the clinic and how much information he has passed on.
The former USS Chief pretends to scratch an itch on his right foot only to switch his depolarisation device off and release his body’s powerful magnetism.
The magnetic energy floods the circuits of the thought machine jamming all the controls.
Joffrin panics and walks between Cleever and the attendant to get to a control panel on the other side of the room. The troubleshooter kicks out viciously and Joffrin is knocked back into the attendant who instinctively fires his gun killing the Doctor.
Cleever now takes the gun from the shaken attendant’s hand and informs him that his people will be very angry with him – after he has spent time in a World Government jail.
Cleever intends to hush the whole operation up – Backus must never know how unhealthy Trimalnds could have been for him…
The End
Story Twenty-Three (aka Sharper than the Serpent’s Tooth*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 175, dateline 25 May 2068
Synopsis
Brent Cleever is relaxing at his farm in Gloucestershire. Meanwhile in Unity City, Bermuda, the World Capital and official home of World President Younger, the WP is preparing for a holiday – his first in 7 years.
He is leaving Vice President John in charge.
Younger had intended taking his holiday on Mars but the Mysteron threat has made him change his plans – he will be spending the next month in Northern Australia.
The Australian Outback is a complete change for the WP and his family.
They make the final leg of their journey on horseback to the isolated ranch where they will be staying with their security entourage.
The WP’s 14 son Danny enters his bungalow next to the main ranch house intending to change clothes before challenging his sister Sahra to a game of table tennis only to find a man waiting for him with an electronic device in his hands.
The man threatens to blow up the ranch house killing Danny’s mother and father if he calls out for help…
24 hours later Cleever receives an urgent call from President Younger. His son has been kidnapped. The troubleshooter flies out to Australia by private jet and soon lands at the ranch house. The World President informs Cleever that he has heard nothing since the kidnappers called to say they had taken Danny. He says he will pay anything for his son’s return. Cleever points out that the kidnappers could demand state secrets.
Younger admits that is what frightens him as that is a price he cannot pay. He asks his trouble-shooter to find Danny before he has to make a choice between his son’s life and the safety of the World.
Cleever is certain only four organisations are big enough to pull off a kidnapping of such daring. One of them has its HQ in Australia – the Solar Revolutionary Committee dedicated to world revolution. That evening Cleever decides to visit their HQ, which is at the Blue Danube Night Club in Sydney, and see if he can find any clues to whether they have taken Danny Younger.
When the club lights dim for the cabaret act Cleever switches on his fantastic magnetism and climbs the wall at the rear of the dance hall, avoiding the staircase which is guarded by bouncers, and reaches the upper balcony unseen. This is where a door to the private office of the club’s management is located.
The troubleshooter senses that the door is protected by a magnetic lock and decides to see what happens when magnet meets magnet – he reaches out to grab the door handle much to his regret.
With a cry of pain Cleever realises the lock is more powerful than he expected and he is now trapped by deadly magnetic feedback triggered by his own body.
Notes
The World President is still drawn as Nikita Bandranaik in this story even though his son is actually named Danny Younger in Part 2.
The WP refers to his Vice President as ‘John’ but unfortunately we do not learn his surname.
Part 2: TV Century 21 Issue 176, dateline 1 June 2068
Synopsis
The nightclub’s bouncers are alerted by Cleever’s cry and they quickly switch off the power to the magnetic door lock. Cleever collapses to the floor momentarily stunned. He tries to switch off his magnetism when the armed bouncers order him to get up on his feet but realises the buckle device on his right shoe has been welded into the ‘on’ position. The troubleshooter uses his power to disarm the startled bouncers. He now hurls himself through the office door he had tried to enter and finds a meeting of the Solar Revolutionary Committee in progress. The committee members recognise him as USS Agent 21. He grabs the Chairman, Denton and threatens to kill him with a neck squeeze unless he calls his guards off.
Denton says killing him wont stop the Revolutionary Committee but Cleever surprises the man by saying he is not interested in his revolting games. He just wants to know where the World President’s son is. The Chairman looks shocked. He does not know what Cleever is talking about. The trouble-shooter forces Denton to show him the back way out of the club.
Down in the grounds at the back of the nightclub Cleever manages to free the depolarising device in his shoe with a penknife and switch his magnetic power off.
He now heads swiftly for the nearby car park where he left his car.
Unknown to Cleever he is being watched through the telescopic sights of a machine rifle.
The unknown assassin fires…
Part 3: TV Century 21 Issue 177, dateline 8 June 2068
Synopsis
A single shot slices through Cleever’s left shoulder. The trouble-shooter throws himself down onto the tarmac next to his car and draws his gun – but an ominous silence now hangs over the Sydney car park. Thankfully he realises the gunman is a hit and run killer.
Cleever crawls to his car. His shoulder needs medical attention but first he intends calling on Secret Police Chief Traski at the nearby Bereznik Embassy – he might be able to help find Danny Younger.
Struggling to remain conscious Cleever drives through the crowded city streets. When he reaches the Bereznik Embassy he realises he can’t handle Traski in his weakened state.
The former USS Chief opens his sample case and selects his deadly toy bloodhound and 8 deadly toy soldiers. He programs the bloodhound to lead the soldiers into the Embassy.
The deadly toys walk unnoticed passed two armed security guards on the main entrance doors and head for Traski’s bedroom where they knock on the door. Traski angrily flings open the door and gasps in amazement when he recognises Cleever’s voice coming from a loudspeaker in the toy bloodhound. Cleever orders Traski to follow his deadly toys out of the Embassy where they force the Police Chief to get into the trouble-shooter’s car.
Cleever now instructs Traski to drive his car to the Australian HQ of the Universal Secret Service – the Sydney branch of Century 21 Toys Inc.
The USS duty officers are surprised to see Cleever knowing he has retired. The trouble-shooter orders them to leave him alone with Traski in one of the interrogation cells.
Cleever now forces Traski to sit under a Thought Reader Machine and asks him where Danny Younger is.
Notes
The deadly toys walk passed the Bereznik Guards twice without being noticed.
This suggests they must now incorporate some form of stealth technology so they cannot be seen unless someone is looking directly at them.
Part 4: TV Century 21 Issue 178, dateline 15 June 2068
Synopsis
Bereznik Secret Police Chief Traski sits silently under the Thought Reader Machine. Cleever suddenly collapses weak from loss of blood from his shoulder wound. With no one else around to stop him Traski frees himself from the Thought Reader and quickly leaves the Australian USS HQ heading for Cleever’s car parked in the Toy Factory’s car park. He did not know the World President’s son had been kidnapped until Cleever had interrogated him but now he intends to find him and make him a guest of Bereznik. The secret Police Chief jumps in Cleever’s car, switches on the ignition and the car explodes in a violent burst of energy.
An hour later Cleever has had his wound patched up by the USS Medical Section. He has been lucky – someone is obviously out to kill the trouble-shooter.
The next organisation Cleever intends to check out is The American Nationalist League – HQ Chicago.
He is aboard the next Fireflash airliner to leave Sydney airport 50 minutes later.
At 500 feet one of the female cabin crew informs Cleever there is a telephone call for him in booth 8. He gets out of his seat and heads for the Communications Deck but someone jumps him from behind and slams him into the nearest emergency exit. The attacker has Cleever’s left arm pushed up behind his back as he deliberately opens the hatch.
The pain in Cleever’s left shoulder from his bullet wound is crippling – all he can do is reach down with his right hand and switch on his magnetism. At 1200 feet the emergency hatch opens and Cleever is hurled from the Fireflash.
The trouble-shooter focuses his magnetism on Fireflash and is drawn back towards the airliner – but he cannot breathe and Fireflash is still climbing.
His hands begin to slip back along the hull of the plane…
Notes
It is great to see the Fireflash Airliner again.
Part 5: TV Century 21 Issue 179, dateline 22 June 2068
Synopsis
On the flight deck of the Fireflash the co-pilot reports that emergency exit 4 has blown clear. The skipper cuts speed and instructs the flight engineer to close off the Communications Bay.
The engineer reports problems with his instruments – it seems like magnetic interference.
The skipper decides to return to Sydney. He takes the plane down to 1000 feet and reduces speed to 110 knots.
Out on the hull of the airliner Cleever’s magnetism takes a firmer grip – and he can breathe again.
The Sydney Airport officials are amazed to see Cleever clinging to the Fireflash hull as the plane comes in to land.
They order security police to bring him in as soon as the plane is down.
Cleever switches off his magnetism as the Fireflash rolls to a stop on the runway. The plane is soon surrounded by airport police cars and armed officers who order Cleever to come quietly. The trouble-shooter shows them the Bereznik Secret Police Chief’s ID papers (which he took from Traski while questioning him) and claims diplomatic immunity. He also insists all passengers on the Fireflash are held for interrogation – but one of the passengers does not intend to be questioned. Cleever’s attacker runs from the plane and the trouble-shooter gives chase. The man turns, gun in hand, but Cleever is too quick for him and soon has the man pinned to the ground. He threatens to kill his attacker with a nerve pinch unless he talks. The man gives in and tells Cleever the World President’s son is being held under guard in Unity City – in the World President’s office…
Part 6: TV Century 21 Issue 180, dateline 29 June 2068
Synopsis
Cleever reaches Unity City, Bermuda and stares up at the Presidential building wondering. Has the kidnapping been a complicated plot to kill him – or is someone out to depose the World President? Cleever enters the building. He is a regular visitor to the World President’s offices in his role as unofficial trouble-shooter so the security guards do not even bother questioning him.
He takes the lift up to the 87th floor – the one below the WP’s offices on the top floor. Cleever now switches on his magnetism and climbs the last floor on the outside of the metal clad building.
He peers in through the Presidential Office windows and sees a man sitting at the World President’s desk with his back to Cleever – and Danny Younger bound and blindfolded sitting in a chair opposite.
Suddenly a man bursts into the room and informs the occupants that 21 is in the building.
Cleever now sees the features of the man behind the desk as he stands to order Danny taken to the roof where a helijet will be waiting – it is the World Vice President!
The trouble-shooter quickly climbs up to the flat roof and reaches it just in time to see the helijet coming into land. The Vice President and Danny are already on the roof waiting to be collected.
Cleever draws his gun and orders the World President’s son to throw himself down on the roof. The Vice President’s guard draws his gun but Cleever shoots him before he can fire.
The helijet pilot threatens to shoot Danny unless Cleever drops his gun – but the trouble-shooter invites him to go ahead saying if he shoots the boy, Cleever will shoot the Vice President then where will that leave the pilot? At the moment he faces a prison sentence – but if he murders the WP’s son he is a doomed man.
The pilot’s resolve weakens and he decides to lift off and fly away.
The Vice World President makes a flying leap for the escaping helijet – only to miss it and fall 88 floors to a very messy death.
Sometime later, back in his Unity City office with his son and personal trouble-shooter, World President Younger wonders why the Vice President did it. Cleever points out that he wanted to be World President. He would have forced him to resign so he could step into his job. The WP is grateful to Cleever and wonders how he can ever repay him. Cleever reminds him right now he has another problem – finding a new Vice President.
The End
Notes
The bullet wound in Cleever’s shoulder heals up mighty quickly – must be a side effect of his magnetic powers.
President Younger begins to call Cleever ‘21’ again – after his retirement from the USS he had started calling him ‘Brent’.
Story Twenty-Four (aka Cold Comfort Camp*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. 2 pages, b/w.
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 181, dateline 6 July 2068
Synopsis
Lost in the vast expanse of still largely untamed Siberia is the World Army Missile base Camp Lenin. The commanding officer is Captain Mike Destrey, a stern hard man who drills his troops to breaking point.
One day a soldier snaps and hits Destrey. Mutiny swiftly follows as the troops take over the base. The news is quickly flashed to the outside world and soon loyal World Army forces arrive to retake Camp Lenin. The mutineers realise they will be defeated and court marshalled unless they play their ace in the hole. They pull back to the control room and issue a chilling radio message to the attacking forces.
Unless they withdraw immediately the mutineers will launch a missile attack on Unity City and Washington.
The World President calls a meeting of the World Security Council in Washington to decide how to respond to the crisis.
The World Air Force Controller recommends the mutineers be bombed out of Camp Lenin before they can launch their missiles. Colonel White, Commander in Chief of Spectrum, agrees but President Younger is not sure. He says he will give the Security Council his decision in 48 hours.
The WP now puts in a video call to Brent Cleever, ex USS Chief and now his personal unofficial trouble-shooter since he retired from the USS. He asks Cleever to sort things out before he has to decide on what action to take. A World Air Force plane speeds Cleever to Siberia within hours and he is soon passing through the ring of loyal troops surrounding the troubled base. Dressed in artic fatigues, with his sample case in hand, Cleever reaches a ridge overlooking Camp Lenin and decides to use his new deadly toy – a Siberian rat.
A heavy booted foot slams down on his arm before he can open his sample case and a gun is thrust into his face. Two of the mutineers have crept up behind Cleever. They take his case and inform the trouble-shooter that unless it contains their pardons and army discharges they will execute him.
Notes
We also see Commander Shore and Commander Zero seated at the World Security Council but only Colonel White and the unnamed Air Controller are seen to speak.
Part 2: TV Century 21 Issue 182, dateline 13 July 2068
Synopsis
Cleever tells the mutineers he is from the World President but they force his sample case open only to be enraged to find it full of what appear to be children’s toys.
They think they have been made fun of and the one soldier decides to kill Cleever there and then. The trouble-shooter flicks the shoe buckle on his right boot, which releases his magnetic powers pulling the gun out of the man’s hand before he can fire. Cleever now kicks the nearer soldier into his partner and the two mutineers fall stunned to the icy ground.
He now switches off his magnetism but other mutineers in Camp Lenin have seen Cleever’s confrontation with their comrades and open fire on him.
Cleever dives for cover behind some large boulders. He can see his discarded sample case nearby and a selection of deadly toys strewn on the ground around it. He decides to use the deadly toy train. The trouble-shooter manages to draw it towards him followed by the sample case itself without getting shot. With a quick twist of the controls in the case Cleever sends the deadly toy steam train chuffing along the ridge towards Camp Lenin. He now activates another control and thick black smoke begins to pour from the train. Under cover of the smoke screen Cleever quickly collects up the fallen deadly toys and puts them back in his case before running towards the missile base.
The mutineers within decide to spread out and lay down a solid line of fire aimed at the smoke screen intent on hitting any one using it as cover to approach the base.
Part 3: TV Century 21 Issue 183, dateline 20 July 2068
Synopsis
Before the mutineers can open fire Cleever flicks his shoe buckle into the ‘on’ position and the fantastic magnetism locked within his body pulls him up towards the base’s radar scanner under cover of the thick black smoke screen generated by the deadly toy train.
Cleever now switches off his magnetism and drops silently onto the roof of the building beneath the radar tower. He intends to find the missile control room but suddenly is struck from behind before he can react. When Cleever regains consciousness he finds himself surrounded by armed mutineers.
The trouble-shooter asks the soldiers why they didn’t kill him outright. The Leader of the mutineers produces Cleever’s deadly toy train. He knows the train, and the other toys within Cleever’s sample case, are a USS spy kit and wants to ask him some questions.
The trouble-shooter says he used to be a USS agent but is now acting on behalf of the World President.
He tells the mutineers that the WP knows they have had some bad commanders but he wont discuss anything while they use threats. If they surrender Cleever guarantees them a fair hearing saying President Younger is sympathetic to their problems.
Eventually the Leader of the mutineers agrees to surrender – but before Cleever can report this to the WP a World Air Force bomber is detected approaching Camp Lenin.
The Leader of the mutineers thinks Cleever has tricked them to lower their guard while the WAF moved in to bomb them. He now orders his men to lock up Cleever and then prepare the missiles to blast Unity City…
Part 4: TV Century 21 Issue 184, dateline 27 July 2068
Synopsis
Cleever is thrown into a detention cell and the heavy bunch of cell keys are left on a table outside the cells some six-foot out of his reach.
The trouble-shooter pleads with the mutineers not to destroy Unity City as thousands of innocent people will die but his words fall on deaf ears.
Left in the cell alone Cleever now removes his army coat and throws it through the cell bars to land on the floor under the table upon which the bunch of keys have been left.
He now projects his magnetism at the keys and finally manages to lift them off the table so they fall onto his coat. Cleever now draws the coat towards him, grabs the keys and unlocks his cell door.
He quietly leaves his cell and peers into the guardroom next to the detention cellblock and sees a soldier with his back to him reading a newspaper – and Cleever’s sample case is on the desk beside him.
The trouble-shooter quickly applies an arm lock around the mutineer’s neck and threatens to kill him unless he tells Cleever where the missile control rooms are located.
The soldier panics and tells him. Cleever now puts him to sleep with a painless jab, grabs his sample case and then heads for the building he has been told houses the missile control room.
He activates his magnetism again and enters a nearby air vent leading down to the underground control room.
The voices of the mutineers in the control room reach Cleever as he climbs down.
There is only one minute left before blast off. All systems are green. Neutronic warheads are in position.
The trouble-shooter has heard enough. He drops down into the missile control room and launches himself at the main control console before any of the mutineers can stop him.
Cleever’s powerful magnetism floods the delicate mechanisms and the control console explodes with a burst of energy.
Notes
In this story we learn that Cleever can only project his magnetic energy over a distance of approximately 6 feet
Part 5: TV Century 21 Issue 185, dateline 3 August 2068
Synopsis
Cleever manages to switch off his magnetism and pulls away from the red-hot control panel.
The leader of the mutineers orders his men over to the standby console as the explosions die down – there is still 20 seconds left before the missiles are due to blast off for Unity City.
The trouble –shooter grabs a deadly toy teddy bear from his sample case and orders the mutineers to stand back.
They ignore him so Cleever hurls the teddy bear at them. The deadly toy releases a thick blinding pall of smoke. The soldiers panic and run out of the control room while Cleever uses the radio in his sample case to contact the loyal troops waiting to retake Camp Lenin.
The World Army tanks start approaching the base now the missile threat has been stopped. Four of the mutineers don gas masks intent on recapturing the control room – but the trouble-shooter has set up his deadly toy archers. The battle is short and decisive – the four men are soon all lying unconscious on the control room floor knocked out by the deadly toys miniature arrows.
The remaining mutineers are quickly rounded up by the loyal World Army troops surrounding the missile base.
Two days later the World Security Council is again in session in Washington this time joined by Brent Cleever.
Cleever counters the argument for the mutineers to be punished to the full limit of the law. He reminds the World President that they would have surrendered without a fight if some idiot hadn’t sent a WAF bomber over the camp.
The WP decides to be lenient. The only punishment will be discharge from the army – and he admits that he ordered the bomber thinking a show of force would help Cleever.
The End
Notes
The World President is finally drawn correctly by Rab Hamilton as TJ Younger in the final part of this story.
The loyal World Army officer leading the assault on Camp Lenin addresses Cleever as ‘21’ after the base has been recaptured from the mutineers.
Story Twenty-Five (aka Full Circle*)
Writer: (?). Artist: Rab Hamilton. Parts 1-4 2 pages, b/w.
Parts 5-6 1½ pages, b/w
Part 1: TV Century 21 Issue 186, dateline 10 August 2068
Synopsis
Four men battle against the numbing cold and wind of Antarctica intent on reaching the top of the icy glacier they are climbing.
Suddenly the safety rope snaps and the last man in line falls to his death.
He was Agent 43 – Deputy Head of the Universal Secret Service.
News of the accident reaches USS HQ on Mars and Chief Agent 35 is suspicious and decides to investigate in person. He informs the World President he will be leaving for Antarctica in two hours.
Brent Cleever is in President Younger’s office and hears 35’s report. Coincidentally the WP wants Cleever to go to the Antarctic and investigate the leaking of information from the World Government Interplanetary Radio Centre, located near the Ross Ice Shelf, to the neighbouring Bereznik Army Base several miles away.
Cleever feels it would be best to let 35 handle the case but the WP disagrees saying 35 has never been as efficient at running the Universal Secret Service as 21. President Younger tells his trouble-shooter that he is the only person who can carry out this delicate mission.
So Cleever leaves for the Antarctic by helijet and soon arrives at the WG Communications Base known as Ice City, which is housed beneath the ice.
He disembarks and is taken to the Base Commandant’s office where he finds 35 has already arrived and is in discussion with the CO. 35 is surprised to see Cleever but the Commandant informs the USS Chief that he is the World President’s Special Investigator and he will not interfere with 35’s work.
Cleever and 35 shake hands and agree to work separately.
A few hours later Cleever leaves the underground city in a one-man snow car to see if he can spot anything suspicious near the base. On the surface no one would guess a radio station existed. There are no aerials – just laser wave receivers buried beneath the ice.
Cleever cannot understand how the information is being leaked to the Bereznik base. Laser radio waves cannot be monitored – and the Antarctic conditions would prevent anyone leaving the base to physically pass over information on a regular basis.
The sight of another snow car jetting away from the base breaks Cleever’s musing. He decides to follow it over the ice shelf.
Sometime later Bereznik troops spot the two snow cars approaching their position atop an icy ridge located somewhere between the two bases – they were only expecting one. They jump on their snow scooters to cut them off…
Notes
In Part 1 a map shows the World Government Interplanetary Radio Centre and the Bereznik Base are located either side of the Ross Ice Shelf – some 600 miles apart, which is inconsistent with the action that takes place later in the story. The two bases can only be a few miles apart.
In this story it would seem that the World President’s unofficial trouble-shooter has now become his official Special Investigator.
Presumably 35 is at the World Government Interplanetary Radio Centre investigating the death of Agent 43.
The USS seems to be a service where all the senior agents embark on dangerous missions.
Part 2: TV Century 21 Issue 187, dateline 17 August 2068
Synopsis
The Bereznik troops focus powerful binoculars on the second snow car and are amazed to see that the cabin is empty. Cleever had spotted the soldiers on the ridge just in time and jumped clear of the car with his sample case in hand after setting the controls to crash it into the ridge below the troops.
The Bereznik soldiers prepare to fire on the manned snow car. Cleever selects five deadly toy tanks from his sample case and programs them to fire on the other snow car forcing it away from the ridge.
Meanwhile his empty car ploughs into the ridge below the Bereznik assassins and explodes.
USS Chief 35 disembarks from the snow car that Cleever had been following, gun in hand, and orders the shaken Bereznik troops to drop their weapons. Cleever appears behind them and orders the Bereznik officer to step towards him. 35 asks the officer how they knew he was leaving the base. The officer says he received orders from his base but they only said one car. 35 informs Cleever that the only person who knew he was leaving the base was the Commanding Officer.
They decide to release the unarmed Bereznik soldiers and then they discuss what to do next.
Cleever says the CO could not have radioed the Bereznik Base with the information as the anti radio field would only allow official communications – and there was no time for personal contact.
They decide to investigate the Bereznik Base together but to do so they will have to avoid the valley, which is under Bereznik control. The only way is to go up and over the ice mountains. After an arduous and dangerous climb, the two agents reach the Bereznik Camp unnoticed. Cleever orders 35 to stay put while he goes closer – no point in both men getting caught.
35 says he will give Cleever fifteen minutes then come after him.
The World President’s trouble-shooter races over to the nearest blockhouse where he stoops to switch on his fantastic body magnetism in the hopes of climbing onto the top of the metal walled building.
Suddenly a tremendous vortex of energy spins Cleever around like a human top and his sample case goes flying from his hand.
Part 3: TV Century 21 Issue 188, dateline 24 August 2068
Synopsis
Cleever’s shout of surprise and pain alerts the Bereznik base and within second’s five armed guards surround the stunned trouble-shooter. They pick him up and carry him into the base.
In hiding just outside the base perimeter USS Chief 35 has watched the whole incident through his powerful binoculars. He realises the reports of Cleever being magnetic are true but his powers haven’t helped him this time. 35 decides it is time he took a hand. He waits for the base to settle down then approaches the blockhouse into which the Bereznik guards have taken Cleever.
He snatches up Cleever’s fallen sample case and takes out a deadly toy ball. With one twist the ball splits into two sections. The USS Chief clamps one on the side of the blockhouse and an image of the inside of the building appears on the tiny TV screen on the inner face of the other half. 35 can see Cleever lying unconscious on the floor surrounded by four of the guards while the fifth phones his superiors.
The USS Chief decides Cleever will be OK for a few minutes while he quickly checks the other buildings with the ball and finally the hanger in the centre of the base.
The hanger is almost filled by an enormous generator – he can see that it is designed to generate electricity by harnessing the Earth’s polar magnetism.
35 deduces that when Cleever switched on his body’s magnetism the generator must have drawn on the trouble-shooter’s power too.
Within the blockhouse where Cleever has been taken Cleever has regained consciousness. The Bereznik guards have begun to question him but all he will say is that he lost his way on an expedition.
The Trouble-shooter flicks the boot buckle that activates his magnetism only to find it has been switched on all the time – his power has gone!
The guards have orders to take Cleever deeper into the base for further interrogation. Outside 35 selects a deadly toy shipyard welder from the sample case. He uses it to cut a small hole in the wall of the blockhouse large enough for the deadly toy bloodhound to enter and track the trouble-shooter.
In the base’s control room beneath the surface of the ice a warning device detects Agent 35 descending the emergency staircase on his way to rescue Cleever.
The guards wait for 35 to burst into the control room through the emergency exit door that leads to the stairwell. They open fire when they hear 35 behind the door….
Notes
I wonder whether Agent 35 is a descendant of FBI Agent Fox Mulder? His leaps of logic regarding Cleever’s magnetic powers seem to suggest that he could well be – also why didn’t Agent 35 have his own sample case of deadly toys?
Part 4: TV Century 21 Issue 189 dateline 31 August 2068
Synopsis
Cleever hurls himself at one of the guards and grabs his handgun, shooting the man before he can react.
The other guards turn away from the emergency exit door giving 35 his opportunity to enter the control room and shoot two more of the guards. The remaining two raise their hands in surrender. 35 ties them up and then he suggests they get out of the base while the going is good. Cleever disagrees saying they have a job to do. They need to grab the Bereznik Commanding Officer and force him to tell them who is leaking the information from the World Government Communications Centre.
The two agents reach their destination but more Bereznik guards are behind them.
They enter the CO’s office and lock the door behind them holding the Bereznik Major at gunpoint. Suddenly a bulletproof glass shield begins to rise between the officer and the two agents.
Cleever leaps over it before it reaches the ceiling and tries to grab the CO but the Bereznik Officer fights him off and escapes through a door at the back of the office,
Meanwhile the Bereznik guards are starting to break the door down into the CO’s office.
Cleever manages to find the control on the Bereznik Officer’s desk and lowers the shield long enough for 35 to join him before raising it again just in time to block the guards that have now smashed their way into the office.
Cleever asks 35 to pass him a deadly toy doll (one of 21’s first toys), which he sets down facing the rear escape door.
The two agents crouch down behind the CO’s desk as the doll walks towards the escape door and explodes exposing an icy tunnel behind it – and a squad of Bereznik troops waiting there for the two men to make a move. Behind the bullet proof screen two Bereznik guards crouch down with rocket launchers on their shoulders.
Cleever realises they are trapped – the screen won’t stop rockets….
Notes
From Part 4 of this story the World Government Interplanetary Radio Centre becomes referred to as a World Army Radio Base.
Part 5: TV Century 21 Issue 190 dateline 7 September 2068
Synopsis
The Bereznik guards begin their rocket assault on the bulletproof screen.
Agent 35 thinks they have had it but Cleever passes the USS Chief a gas mask disguised as a child’s fright mask from his sample case and dons one himself. The trouble-shooter now selects a deadly toy clown and hurls it at the soldiers waiting in the escape corridor. It explodes in a burst of gas knocking the Bereznik troops in the tunnel unconscious. Cleever and 35 run down the corridor past the prone troops. They realise the tunnel leads in the direction of the World Government Base – the Bereznik forces must have tunnelled right underneath it and be using hypersensitive microphones to pick up secret information.
They have been searching for a non-existent double agent all the time. Suddenly shots ring out behind them and 35 is hit. He lies mortally wounded on the ice corridor floor. The Bereznik guards have broken through the bulletproof shield and are coming down the corridor after them. 35 tells Cleever to get going before they get him too – he will cover for him while he can. Cleever gives him a pistol, then takes his sample case and runs for it. 35 manages to keep the Bereznik guards pinned down – until one of them fires a rocket launcher into the tunnel. A perfect shot. The deadly shell clips the inside wall of the corridor and bounces onto its target, killing USS Chief 35.
The guards now race past his lifeless body intent on getting Cleever before he reaches their Listening Post….
Part 6: TV Century 21 Issue 191 dateline 14 September 2068
Synopsis
Still wearing his gas mask Cleever races on down the ice tunnel towards the Listening Post Bereznik have set up beneath the World Government Communications Centre. He decides to use the deadly toy tank from his sample case to destroy the Listening Post while he deals with the Bereznik guards that are following him from the CO’s office. The deadly toy tank rumbles forward and off into the distance. Cleever watches its progress on the TV screen set inside his sample case lid. Suddenly more Bereznik soldiers appear down the corridor in front of Cleever – they must be from the Listening Post itself. The trouble-shooter decides to save the ammunition in his handgun and selects seven deadly toy archers from his case to handle them. The toy archers fire sleeping darts taking the Bereznik troops by surprise. Meanwhile further down the corridor the toy tank has now reached its target and opens fire on the Listening Post. The sensitive equipment erupts in violent explosions destroying the Listening Post and the corridor leading to it. Cleever only just escapes back up the corridor in time to find the guards that had followed him from the CO’s office lying unconscious on the floor. He realises they must have been knocked out by the gas from his exploding toy clown. Cleever picks his weary way past the unmoving bodies of the guards and finds his way out into the open air where he finally removes his gas mask. He wonders why he has lost his magnetic powers as he heads back towards the World Government base across the frozen Antarctic surface.
The next day Cleever is safely back in World President Younger’s office and reports his mission a success.
The WP tells Cleever the Bereznik base had been using electricity generated by the Earth’s magnetic field, which must explain why the trouble-shooter has lost his powers. They were obviously drawn into the Bereznik generating system when he switched his magnetism on outside the base. The World President regrets the loss of Cleever’s powers and also the loss of his USS Chief Agent 35. He asks Cleever if he will rejoin the Universal Secret Service as its Chief saying that he is the only man who can replace 35.
The decision has to be Cleever’s….
Notes
The deadly toy tank must have travelled at least a mile before reaching the Bereznik Listening Post if the two bases are several miles apart.
We never find out who killed Deputy USS Chief Agent 43 or whether his death was linked in any way to the leaking of secret information to the Bereznik Army Base.
The End
Notes
Cleever certainly gets back from the Antarctic quickly.
One wonders why Cleever ever retired from the USS.
Why didn’t Chief Agent 35 have his own sample case of deadly toys?
The World President is seen to have his office in a White House style building in part 6 of this story.
*These stories were originally untitled and are titled here for reference only.
You will have to wait for the next and final part of this guide to find out what happens next but I’ll give you a clue. There is a lot of truth in that old saying ‘the more things change the more they stay the same’.
Keith Ansell
30/1/08