Federal Fugitives

Captain James Madison, an intelligence agent, reports for an undercover assignment in Washington, D.C., followed by his loyal but dim-witted chauffeur, Chuck. Madison's supervisor, Colonel Hammond, tells him that the subject of his investigation will be Bruce Lane, a wealthy lobbyist suspected of dealing with foreign powers. While dining out that night, Madison spots a man who resembles Otto Lieberman, an international criminal supposedly killed in an airplane crash several years before. Madison obtains a photograph of the man and shows it to Hammond, who surmises that Lieberman caused the crash in order to fake his own death and escape federal charges, and is now posing as Dr. Frederic Haskell, an associate of Lane's. The next day, Haskell and Lane meet with Henry Gregory, who is seeking Lane's help in interesting the government in a special airplane he has designed. After Lane produces a forged letter from the defense council turning Gregory down, Haskell offers to buy a controlling interest in the plane, and Gregory promises to discuss the offer with his partner, who is in California. Later, Madison meets with Gregory and apprises him of the investigation, and the inventor agrees to let Madison pose as his partner, Robert Edmunds. Gregory and Madison then accept an invitation to a weekend at Lane's lodge, where they meet Lane's beautiful operative Rita Bennett, who has been charged with charming Madison into agreeing to the sale. Later that night, as Madison is showing Gregory a hidden recording device in their room, Lane's proper British butler, Hobbs, tells him that Chuck's uncouth demeanor raises doubts about Madison's character. Haskell is already suspicious of Madison, and grows impatient when Madison, who has been spending all of his time with Rita, still is not ready to close the deal the following week. After Lane has Madison's hotel room searched and uncovers evidence of the government agent's true identity, Haskell slips a poison pill into the supply of antacid tablets that Madison consumes after every meal. Lane then tells Rita to leave town for a while, informing her of Madison's identity and Haskell's plan to kill him. Distraught, Rita sets out to warn Madison, but she is hit by a car and suffers a concussion, which leaves her unconscious for several days. After she comes to and learns that Lane heard her muttering about poison in her delirium, Rita sneaks out of the hospital and goes to Madison's room, where Chuck is entertaining his friend Ox, Madison having followed Haskell to Baltimore. Two of Lane's men come looking for Rita, but Chuck and Ox beat them up, then force Lane to lead them to Haskell's hideout. While Rita and the three men are racing to the scene, Madison is caught eavesdropping on Haskell's meeting with several foreign agents. Haskell searches Madison and discovers that one pill remains in his vial. Haskell dissolves the poison pill in water, and Madison is about to drink it when Rita, Lane, Chuck and Ox burst in. Chuck and Ox subdue the foreign agents while Madison pursues Haskell, who takes a fatal plunge down an elevator shaft. Finally, Rita and Madison kiss.