Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing your discussion about the conference... that's what I'm in town for, myself. My name's Ted Knight. My father is Daniel Knight? Of Opal City? 
Sandman Mystery Theatre #38 is an issue of the series Sandman Mystery Theatre (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1996.
Synopsis for "The Mist: Act Two"
Two federal agents visit Frederic Baederstadt while he was recuperating in his hospital room. The federal agents ask if Frederic and his father have any ties to the Nazi party since Frederic was saying Anti-Semitic rants about Jews when he was recovered from the wreckage of the New Hope. Frederic tells the agents that neither he or his father have any political ties to the Nazi party. The agents then ask why a Nazi u-boat would torpedo the New Hope. Frederic reiterates again that the Baederstadts have no connection to the Nazi party nor are they enemies of Hitler. Frederic's father only wanted to live a life as a sea merchant and eventually pass the New Hope onto Frederic himself. The agents continue to interrogate and misconstrue Fredric's words as if he or his father are infiltrators for the Nazi party that want to undermine the US shipping system in the world's largest port. Frederic becomes agitated and tells the agents that the real culprits who are manipulating the docks in New York is the Jewish Mob. The agents figure if Baederstadt doesn't have any affiliation with the Nazis then maybe he has some notion to the Communist involvement with the United Dock Workers. Frederic tells the agents to leave him be because he has nothing more to say.
Wesley meets with Judge Schaeffer and Brigadier General Alexander Briggs at the military conference. Briggs compliments Dodds' mind for evaluating business plan statistics which is why he has been asked to judge the latest advancements in technology at the conference. The army needs an analyst who can look at the proposals and speculate the fabrication costs for various projects. Their conversation is interrupted by Ted Knight. Briggs remembers that Ted went to Harvard with his son Michael and they were a part of the same sophomore rowing team. Briggs was very happy to meet the son of Daniel Knight, CEO of Continental Importing Limited. Daniel Knight was a war horse like Briggs but he has been pushing for political aspirations. Ted chuckles because his father still has gambling vice for betting on horse races and engaging with various women. Ted explains that he has been studying alternative energy sources and he has a few concepts for the committee to look at.
On the other side of town, Charlie Downs makes his way to his car after sleeping with Mrs. McKenna. As Downs drives away, his car begins to fall apart and he crashes into a building which kills him instantly. Smythe watches from afar as Downs burns alive then he heads into a diner where he calls "Happy" Weiss. Weiss informs Smythe that he has another job for Mr. Cohen. Smythe tries to explain that he has other commitments but Weiss threatens Smythe to show up as ordered or he would regret it. Smythe angrily hangs up the phone and takes a swig from his flask in order to calm his nerves. Smythe meets with Weiss at an airfield because Cohen wants Smythe to sabotage "Lucky Lips" Lugamo's private plane. Lugamo is a rival to Cohen's operation at the docks. Smythe has made improvements to his device and the timing for its effectiveness has become more efficient. Afterwards, Weiss tells Smythe that Cohen would be willing to invest in the device's developments but Smythe scoffs at Weiss' offer because his device was meant for greatness and not for petty crime.
The next day, Larry Belmont gets swamped with paperwork by his assistant Helen while Dian Belmont tries to get her father to go with her for lunch. Dian offers to help her father around the office in order to lighten his workload. Dian later meets with Wesley for lunch and informs him that she will be working for her father. Wesley's concentration is distracted by a news report about Lugamo's plane crashing nearby a few acres of farmland outside of New York. The authorities suspect sabotage but are unable to prove it. Wesley figures that the sinking of the New Hope and Lugamo's plane crash are interconnected.
At the hospital. Frederic Baederstadt is medically cleared by Dr. Hawkings and the doctor informs Frederic that his bill was taken care of by a third party. Frederic is curious as to who would be so generous. Hawkings' nurse hands Frederic a business card with Dodds' name listed. Frederic thanks the medical staff and heads to the docks before meeting Dodds. Frederic tries to ask one German merchant to be give him a lift back to Germany in exchange for free labor. The merchant tells Frederic that his crew is full to capacity plus there is a stigma going around the docks about strange sailors. Fredric walks away disappointed then he is stopped by a stranger who comes off as friendly and offers Fredric a free meal if he is willing to hear him out on a job opportunity.
Dodds goes to the airfield to inspect the hangar where Lugamo's private plane was kept. Dodds notices the wired fence was cut in order to gain entry into the airfield then he picks the lock into the hangar where he finds torn pieces from the wreckage of Lugamo's plane. Suddenly, a security guard from the airfield surprises Dodds from behind by holding him at gunpoint. The guard can't make out Dodds' face from his gas mask but orders him to remove the mask. Dodds activates a trick compartment in his shoe which ejects a gas pellet. Dodds steps on the gas pellet and the entire room is covered a puff of green smoke. Dodds disarms the guard and the green smoke knocks out the guard out.
Dodds heads back to his home where Dian is waiting for him in her night gown. Dodds tells Dian that he found pieces of the plane wreckage which were missing parts but not in the sense that they were removed but more like they were dematerialized. Dodds couldn't find any sign of an explosion, twisting, rending or any stress fracture markings. If the sabotage was caused by the cutting or searing of metal with something like acid then there would be signs of it. Dian takes Wesley's mind off things by removing her gown and Dodds notices Dian's naked but supple body through the mirror of his bathroom. Dian then gropes Dodd's crotch and she can tell that his attention toward her is fully erect. Dian unzips his pants and starts to kneel down while Wesley's former train of thought comes to a halt.
The next day, Wesley attends the military conference for the preliminary demonstrations. Briggs opens the conference by stating that each man's project could have the potential to save countless American lives. Each participant has signed a confidentiality agreement while being fully surmised of the purpose for the conference which is to evaluate new combat devices that may be put into immediate development. The prize at the end of this conference will be two defense contracts for two fortunate innovators. Briggs also asks that all participants refrain from sharing information among one another before ordering his corporal Mitchell to bring the randomizer which will give each participant a number as to who will present their project first. Jonathan Smythe of Smythe Laboratories and Ted Knight draw their numbers.
Ted was the first participant to show off his energy project while quoting Madame Curie and her idea about the existence of real yet invisible forces throughout the world. Ted states that each day, the entire surface of the Earth is barraged by invisible and unending cosmic rays. These rays which originate from distant starlight encompass a number of different bands and are fairly ineffectual when taken individually but he proposes a method that can collect them as well as amplify them. Ted then brings up how Charles Hall separated aluminum from its sources. Ted claims to have built a cosmic ray battery that can collect, store amplify and release energy. Ted goes on by showing normal metals were not strong enough to contain this new awesome power like pure elements such as iron, copper, and tungsten. Ted shows one test that he conducted when an anvil was bombarded by cosmic energy. The anvil was cleaved with such precision by the sheer force of the cosmic explosion.
Ted then unveils his protoype cosmic ray battery which has a conduction alloy substance that can harness the cosmic rays but only for forty hours. The substance eventually becomes unstable and breaks down. Ted comments that he has presented this battery to the renowned physicist Albert Einstein who was impressed with Ted's ingenuity. Ted speculates that his cosmic ray battery could become the ultimate energy source that could light cities as well as power America's military fleets. Briggs tells Ted that his demonstration has run out of time and Ted steps down. Dodds meets with Ted in the waiting area and tells Ted that he would like to talk to him more about utilizing the cosmic ray battery but for an entirely different venture.
The conference's first day of demonstrations concluded before Smythe could present his device. Smythe left upset and was later approached by Weiss' associate. The associate pays Smythe for his services on the Lugamo plane crash and insults Smythe for his inflated view of himself as a visionary. In a fit of rage, Smythe knocks out the associate and drags him back to his laboratory. The associate wakes up while Smythe calibrates his device. Smythe tells the associate that his sacrifice is for the greater good in the pursuit of science. Smythe then activates the device and the device begins to disintegrate Weiss' associate. The screams of agony from Weiss' associate soon vanish within moments.
To be continued next issue.
Appearing in "The Mist: Act Two"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Helen (Mr. Belmont's Assistant)
Villains:
- Professor Smythe
- Mr. Happy
Other Characters:
- Mr. Knight
- General Alexander Briggs
- Judge Schaffer
- Fredric Baederstadt
- Charlie Downs (Dies)
- United States Department of Defense
Locations:
- An Airfield
- The Docks
Items:
- Sandman's Gas Gun
- Cosmic Ray Battery
Vehicles:
- Lucky Lips Lugamo's plane (destroyed)
See Also