- Upenskoy: Don't say anything. Your words would be useless, maybe even insulting. Just fly the damn plane.
- Priabin: [speaking of Mitchell Gant] Obviously, sir, he knows our planes, our aircraft, as well as anyone. He would be a good choice for sabotage or analysis of information. But, perhaps he intends a close inspection of the MiG-31!
- Col. Kontarsky: [realizing Priabin is implying that Gant may steal the MiG-31] He *cannot* be here for *that*!
- Priabin: [realizing he may be right] No sir. Surely not! He couldn't hope to get away with it!
- Col. Kontarsky: Thank you, Dmitri, thank you. Well done.
- [to his lieutenants]
- Col. Kontarsky: Arrest Baronovich and the others now! And no one is to be let near the aircraft! No one! You understand?
- [explosions rock the hangar, alarm bells sound]
- Col. Kontarsky: [stunned] No!
- First Secretary: Calm yourself, Vladimirov...
- General Vladimirov: Calm... calm myself? How can I be calm in your stupidity, STUPIDITY! Losing that aircraft to the Americans... Do you know what this man Gant is? He can land a plane on an ice floe and take off again! You must *ACT*, First Secretary!
- Dr. Baronovich: Mr. Gant, you are an American. You are a free man. I am not. There is a difference. If I resent the men in London who are ordering my death, then it is a small thing when compared with my resentment of the KGB.
- Maj. Gant: Aren't you gonna threaten me or something?
- First Secretary: I will do so, if that is what you wish. But first I will merely ask you to return what does not belong to you.
- First Secretary: This is the First Secretary. I am speaking to the individual who has stolen the property of the U.S.S.R. Can your hear me, Mr. Gant?
- Maj. Gant: [in the MiG-31] Oh, we're getting the royal treatment.
- [activates radio]
- Maj. Gant: Yeah, go ahead, I'm listening.
- First Secretary: Are you enjoying your ride, Mr. Gant? Like our new toy?
- Riga Technician: Target does not appear to be taking avoiding action, Captain!
- Captain of the Riga: He will!
- Maj. Gant: [in the MiG-31] I can't take evasive action, I'm too low on fuel. I'm going in. Let's see what this baby can do.
- RAF operator: Sir! Radar tracking reports signs of a staggered sector scramble, Northern and Southern boarder squadrons, Red Air Force. Heavy coded trafic between Biliysk and the Red Banner Fleet. Predicted activity indicates a definite lift off!
- Buckholz: He's up! Great mother of god, he's up!
- Dr. Baronovich: Do you smoke?
- Maj. Gant: No, not for years.
- Dr. Baronovich: [throws a pack of cigarettes onto the table] Learn again, now.
- Maj. Gant: [picking up the pack] These aren't even Russian cigarettes.
- Dr. Baronovich: Foreign cigarettes in the mouth of the person you are pretending to be will be even more convincing than anything else - even your papers.
- Air Marshal Kutuzov: You had considered, First Secretary, that this could all be an elaborate bluff by the Americans to distract us from looking to the north, while this single aircraft attempts to escape to the south?
- First Secretary: No, Kutuzov, the Americans are simply paying the price for too many years of softness - paying with an act of desperation such as this one.
- Air Marshal Kutuzov: You are absolutely certain?
- First Secretary: I am certain. They know the potential of this aircraft; they know what it means. I would imagine that, had our positions been reversed, we might have acted similarly.
- Kenneth Aubrey: When the first rumors began to filter out of the Soviet Union some three years ago, our theoretical weapons strategists stood before NATO command to explain - with much confidence - that it would take the Soviets a minimum of ten years to develop a Mach Five aircraft with thought-controlled weapons systems. I stand before you today to explain - with much regret - that we were wrong.
- Maj. Gant: [On his "meeting" with the airliner] I may have cut it a little close, but you'll have heard that already by now!
- Buckholz: [learning false news that Gant was shot down] Well I guess that's it. We might as well all go home.
- Kenneth Aubrey: We don't know that he was shot down.
- Buckholz: The hell we don't know! You tell me. An explosion over the Kara gulf, Wire COM hears it! Our reconnaissance planes report it!
- Kenneth Aubrey: *We don't know* he's lost!
- Buckholz: Really? Then what was all that coded stuff we intercepted between Bilyarsk and the Fire chain stations? They got him, Aubrey! They blew his ass right out of the sky!
- Kenneth Aubrey: I don't know. It could mean they didn't get him. Admiral, I think that we should notify Mother 1 to begin transmitting the signal.
- Admiral Curtin: Right, it's time. Arthur?
- Buckholz: [softly] Yeah.
- Col. Kontarsky: The KGB has just arrested Boris Glazunov, at his flat. Who is in the truck with Upenskoy?
- Customs Officer: [confused] Well, it should be Boris Glazunov.
- Col. Kontarsky: Exactly! It *should* be Glazunov, *if* Upenskoy is making a delivery.
- Customs Officer: Sir, the truck is definitely heading out of the city.
- Col. Kontarsky: Well, this is most curious.
- [beat]
- Col. Kontarsky: Where is Upenskoy supposed to make his delivery?
- Customs Officer: I don't know, but we can certainly find out.
- Col. Kontarsky: No. Follow the car to the checkpoint. Priabin is bringing in the other Jew. Perhaps he can tell me something...
- First Secretary: Mr. Gant, as you would be aware, I am not interested in the life of one rogue pilot with a poor health record.
- General Vladimirov: But sir, we'll need to know only one thing from you. What do you wish done when the plane is sighted?
- First Secretary: Obliterate it! Completely!
- General Vladimirov: [on targeting the MiG-31] The infrared guidance system is not the most accurate. It may be necessary for a Soviet aircraft to act as a target. Will you give that order?
- First Secretary: [after a moment's thought] Of course.
- [a pair of guards show Kontarsky a drawing of Gant in his disguise, and confirm Gant ordered an extra dog patrol]
- Col. Kontarsky: [looking at the drawing] Wait - I have seen this man... and he confirmed those same orders to me!
- [Kontarsky has arrived in the hanger, and spotted Gant in the cockpit of the MIG-31]
- Col. Kontarsky: Doors. Close the doors!
- Kenneth Aubrey: [speaking about the KGB] Remember, we are playing on their only real weakness. Because of it's very size, the KGB is, sometimes, slow to awaken. It is like a monster. If you can walk by carefully enough, it may just lift an eyelid and sniff at you. But, if you awaken it...
- [Russian helicopters from the Riga are approaching the Firefox refueling site]
- Captain Seerbacker: You gotta go now, Gant.
- Maj. Gant: I'm a little worried about you guys. They're gonna be watching my heat trail.
- Captain Seerbacker: Don't worry about us. We're in international waters. As long as you're outta here when they get here... you will be outta here, won't you?
- Maj. Gant: So fast you can't believe it!
- Captain Seerbacker: You better be right!
- Maj. Gant: [Preparing to take off, after refueling] So long, Captain. Thanks.
- Captain Seerbacker: Get outta here, you bum!
- [Firefox is on an ice floe, being refueled and re-armed by a submarine]
- Captain Seerbacker: Fleischer, what's the news on our friends?
- Lt. Commander Fleischer: We've got trouble, Captain. Radar contact, two aircraft heading our way. They were heading west into the decoy area when we noticed them.
- Maj. Gant: Yeah. Helicopters from that cruiser.
- Captain Seerbacker: You know how to make trouble for me, Gant. You really, really do.
- General Vladimirov: [regarding sending Voskov to the suspected Firefox refueling site] He could be there in two minutes.
- First Secretary: No! You may send the helicopters after this... this *highly dubious* sonar contact, but not the MiG! He must proceed to the North Cape at once!
- General Vladimirov: Vladimirov to Voskov, Vladimirov to Voskov.
- Col. Voskov: Voskov. Over.
- General Vladimirov: Proceed to the North Cape area, as soon as refueling is completed.
- Col. Voskov: Repeat your message, please.
- First Secretary: I said North Cape!