Foyle's War (2002) s08e01 Episode Script

The Eternity Ring

That's the kind of thing we need.
Oh, here's my guest.
Thank you, Sergeant.
Mr Fraser.
Max Hoffman.
We met briefly.
At Oak Ridge, Tennessee, yes.
Yes, I remember.
I know your work, Professor.
And I'm delighted to see you.
My wife Helen.
She works as my assistant.
Ah, pleased to meet you, Mrs Fraser.
How do you do? Come, come.
We should get inside.
The test will be starting soon.
Oh, Helen.
Welcome.
Patrick.
Just here.
Thank God the storm has passed over.
I wonder if God had anything to do with it.
Are you religious, Professor Fraser? Not any more.
Professor.
Patrick.
I've got some goggles over here for you.
Excuse us, fellas.
I never thought I'd be here.
That this day would arrive.
How far are we from the tower? You don't need to be worried.
I'm not.
Here.
Steady the tripod.
For me this is the end of a long journey.
I wish my family could have seen this.
They died in the war? Treblinka.
Maybe after this there will be no more wars, Mr Hoffman.
Let's hope so.
For all our sakes.
Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name Have you thought what will happen after all this? If it doesn't work.
If it doesn't work maybe we should be glad.
seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
That's it! My God! That's it! That's it! It worked.
Good night.
Good night, Mr Gorin.
He's here.
Mr Foyle.
Yeah? I don't suppose you'd recognise me, sir.
Of course I do.
PC Shaw.
Yes, of course.
How are you, Frank? Bearing up.
I'm afraid that I deserted you back in 1940.
Well, you enlisted.
Perfectly good reason, it seemed to me.
You just back? Yes, sir.
I got shipped in from Singapore via Suez.
It's hard to believe I'm home.
They couldn't get you back any sooner? I was taken prisoner by the Japs in Java.
I got malaria, would you believe.
How about you, sir? Well Ladies and gentlemen.
Please make your way to Immigration.
Thank you.
Heading back to Hastings? No.
We were bombed out.
The family's in London now.
It's been six years since I left them.
The boy was ten when I left.
He'll be a man now.
I wonder what the wife'll make of having me back.
She'll be very pleased.
You think so? Yeah.
You hear stories.
It's all so different now.
Mm.
Mr Foyle? Yes.
I wonder if I could ask you to come with me.
Forgive me, you are? Arthur Valentine.
I'm with the Security Service.
Unfortunate.
I'm sorry to hear it.
Not at all necessary, sir.
If you wouldn't mind Can I ask why? Orders from above.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I've been stuck on a boat for the past five days, so I'm off home now.
I'm asking nicely.
Frank, good luck.
The Force will take you back.
You were very good as I remember.
How was your trip to America? If you know where I've been, you probably know how it went.
You left behind quite a ruckus.
Our ambassador called into the State Department.
The FBI would rather like you back.
Ah, it's nice to be wanted.
Did you know that Senator Hardpage is dead? I didn't.
He took his own life.
That's regrettable.
Oh, I wonder.
You've been hounding him for six months.
Not the word I'd use.
So you're here to arrest me, is that it? If I had my way, Mr Foyle, I wouldn't be here at all.
This way, please.
My Foyle.
What a surprise.
Special Operations Executive's been wound down.
I'm with MI5 now.
Congratulations.
Very good to see you again.
I'll be brief.
You must be tired after your long journey.
Circumstances have arisen in which we feel we have a need of your help.
Circumstances being the end of the war? If only it had ended.
We have a new war.
A new enemy.
The Soviets.
George Orwell calls it the Cold War and I think that might prove apposite.
It may well be the case, Miss Pierce, but what it has to do with me I fail to understand.
Do you have any more luggage? We're taking you to London.
Well, I'm not going anywhere until I get a reasonable explanation of whatever these circumstances are.
Well, that will become clear.
And I'd like to make it perfectly clear that I won't be coming to London.
Then we'll have no alternative but to put you on a boat back to America.
Thank you, Charlotte.
This way.
Mr Foyle.
Come in, come in.
William Chambers.
How do you do? Take a seat, please.
Would you like some tea? I won't, thank you.
Well, I'll get straight to the point.
We live in a new age, Mr Foyle.
New dangers.
The atom bomb.
Strange to think after all we've been through, a single weapon ten feet long could destroy all of London, much of southern England.
Stalin is determined to get his hands on one.
And a new war might suit him rather well.
The thing is, he has plenty of sympathisers.
Fellow travellers.
Spies.
Three weeks ago, a Russian cipher clerk named Aleksei Gorin defected from the Soviet Embassy.
He brought with him certain documents which suggested the existence of a Soviet spy ring.
The Eternity Ring.
It was new.
It was well placed.
And we'd never heard of it.
Which was rather worrying.
Excuse me, I don't understand what this has to do with me.
Well, if it exists, it's a serious threat to national security.
Myself, I'm not convinced.
I think this man Gorin is trying to sell us a pup.
Disinformation, designed to make us waste our time and resources.
Exactly.
What we need here are police methods.
The sort of forensic skills that would tell us what is true and what is not.
It doesn't answer the question.
There are hundreds of qualified people available to you.
I don't understand why I am here.
Well, it turns out you may have a personal connection.
Show him the slides.
Professor Michael Fraser.
Highly distinguished physicist and a very senior member of a directorate called Tube Alloys.
It's deliberately nondescript.
It's actually responsible for the collation and advancement of atomic research.
Marc Vlessing, Dutch national living in London.
And a known go-between working for the Soviets.
According to papers taken by Gorin, he's had three meetings with a scientist whose codename is Jenny.
Fraser is a philatelist.
He collects stamps, and the inverted Jenny is a highly prized specimen.
I don't know any of these people.
Fraser's wife Helen assisted him in all his work until she became unwell and he took on a secretary, whose pictures were also brought to us by Gorin.
Her name is Samantha Wainwright.
You knew her as Samantha Stewart, I believe.
When we looked into her background, we realised her connection with you.
She was your driver, I understand.
So what are you suggesting exactly? Well, I'm afraid the evidence is right there in front of you.
Where was this taken? Outside the Old Vic Theatre.
When was it taken? A month ago.
Chekhov was playing.
The Cherry Orchard.
Has she ever shown any Communist sympathies? Not to me.
Well, you've been away.
Mr and Mrs Wainwright spent three months in a Communist cooperative house near Sevenoaks before they moved closer to London.
Plenty of time to change her views.
Or she could have been acting out of misplaced loyalty to her employer.
Her motivation isn't really the issue, Mr Foyle.
If she's passing on atomic secrets, that makes her a traitor.
And I don't need to remind a policeman what the sentence for that might be.
So you can see how it's absolutely in your interests to look into this for us.
Find out what's going on.
No need for any unpleasantness.
What do you say? How are you feeling today, Mrs Fraser? Much better.
Thank you, Sam.
I'm so glad.
Come in.
I'm leaving now, Professor Fraser.
You said I could leave early today.
Oh, yes, of course.
Here's your speech for University College.
Thank you.
You need to decide about the dinner.
Association of Scientific Workers.
Oh, yes.
I think it's a no.
I'm too busy at the moment.
I'll write to them tomorrow.
Is there anything else? No, no.
Nothing, thank you.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Hi, Jim.
Peter.
Hello.
What sort of day? Not too bad.
Not too much luck with the shopping, though.
No salmon.
No toilet paper.
No Ovaltine.
And no soft fruit.
Apparently it's all been used by the WI for jam.
Powdered eggs? Bread? It's 14 ounces to the pound now, which is ridiculous.
It's got so much chalk in it I'm not sure whether we should eat it or write with it.
Not more Spam? I hope you're not going to complain.
No, no.
I love Spam.
That's just as well because there's not much else around.
Sometimes I wonder whether we actually did win the war.
Well, I do have some good news.
What? I've been shortlisted.
What? For the West Peckham by-election.
That's wonderful! When did you hear? This morning.
It arrived just after you left.
You're going to be an MP.
Well, I'm going to be one of four potential candidates chosen to fight a safe Tory seat with a very faint possibility of becoming an MP.
It's not quite the same.
But it's still marvellous.
Will you get paid? No.
It's worse than that.
I'm afraid you're going to have to support me.
I'll have to cover my own travel and expenses unless I can get funding.
That's unlikely.
Well, you know I'm behind you, Adam.
I'm completely behind you.
And you can pay me back when you win.
If I win.
How do you feel about being an MP's wife? A Labour MP's wife? Yes.
I'll buy a new hat.
It can't be discounted.
A woman giving an envelope to a man is not necessarily committing a crime.
It depends if she knows what's inside.
Well, of course.
May I give you some advice, Mr Foyle? Is that optional? I know Sir William's very keen to have you in our outfit.
Everything's changed since the war.
More women.
More amateurs.
It seems like any Johnny-come-lately's welcome now.
But very few people understand what we do and how we do it.
And they find it harder to fit in than they might think.
So the advice would be? Best not to get out of your depth.
Enjoy your retirement.
From what I've heard, you've deserved it.
Wise words.
Thank you.
Your name is Aleksei Gorin.
You worked at the Soviet Embassy for two years before you defected.
You were born in Smolensk.
Studied at the Moscow Engineering Academy.
Yes, sir.
It is there I was recruited.
Red Army Intelligence.
And you speak English very well.
It was part of my job.
What was your job? I was cipher clerk.
And what were your duties here in London? There are documents, sensitive documents, sent between the embassy and Moscow.
And my work is code and decode.
You understand? The Eternity Ring Does that mean anything? I do not know of this, no.
But you're aware of Soviet intelligence rings operating in Britain? Of course.
Why have you chosen to defect? I became unhappy with the work.
British are my friends, allies.
Together we fight against Fascism in the War and now I wish to live my life in freedom and democracy.
These are items taken from you when you were arrested.
Correct? They are for the house where I live in Kensington.
My room.
We have checked them.
Who is this? Yelena.
We were to be married.
She is in Smolensk.
And it doesn't trouble you that you would never see her again? I wish to live in England.
Back to the safe house.
Well? Well, I'd say the girl is real enough.
She might even be called Yelena but I bet she doesn't live in Smolensk.
How can you possibly know? She's wearing a sweetheart pin, American Red Cross.
She'd be local.
He'd have met her here.
And she's the reason he's defecting? I'd say so.
So what you're saying is the papers he stole are genuine.
Well, he could well be in spite of the fib.
He probably genuinely stole them but I can't vouch for the papers.
How could I? Your ex-assistant isn't out of the woods yet.
Put the kettle on again, will you, Frank? Ta, Frank.
I have to pinch myself every time I see you.
I still can't believe you're here.
Do you want to get rid of me? No.
No.
You're home now.
That's where you're going to stay.
This isn't my home.
Well, it's going to have to make do until we can find something else.
And that might take a while.
Where's John? Is he still in bed? Yeah.
He works late.
What sort of a job keeps a boy out until three o'clock in the morning? I told you, he serves drinks.
He's behind a bar.
He's too young to be serving drinks.
What sort of future's that? He enjoys it.
You should never have let him leave school.
You think I could have stopped him? It's not been easy.
You've been away, Frank.
I know.
But I'm back now.
Anyway, it's not John you need to worry about.
What are YOU going to do? I'll sort myself out.
Are you going back in the police? Yeah, I suppose so.
It's all I know.
Morning.
What's for breakfast? Breakfast? You mean dinner.
And your mother's not here to wait on you hand and foot.
I've got some bacon.
No.
Forget it.
I'll go out.
John.
Not now, Dad.
All right? Don't talk to me like that.
How do you want me to talk to you? I haven't seen you for six years.
I don't even know who you are.
Michael.
Max.
Have you read it? Yes.
Your analysis of the Los Alamos incident is masterly.
It should never have happened.
Hard radiation.
Air ionisation.
It could have been much, much worse.
Professor Fraser, do you mind if I take lunch early today? No, no, of course not.
You didn't show this to anyone, I hope? Of course not.
I wouldn't dream of doing so.
Mr Foyle.
What are you doing here? I've come to see you.
How did you know I was here? Your husband.
Oh.
How was America? It seems an age since you went away.
So much has happened.
Well, you can tell me all about it.
Yes.
So you're working for a physicist? Yes, sir.
After we lost the hotel, we shared a place in Sevenoaks.
Then we moved to London.
Adam's in politics.
Did he tell you he was going to be an MP? No, he didn't.
Well, he's hoping to be selected anyway.
But I had to get a job, you see.
Professor Fraser's a brilliant man.
He more or less invented the electric shells that we used against the kamikaze pilots.
Something to do with reflecting waves or something.
They say he saved hundreds of lives.
Interesting work, though? I don't understand all of it.
But I know it's important work.
I'd do anything for him.
His wife used to help him but she's been taken ill.
I work at the house sometimes too, so I see quite a bit of her too.
And London? How do you get on with London? Trouble is, we can't afford to go out much.
Well, I understand.
We've been to some theatre.
Dance halls.
Bit of a change from Sevenoaks, then.
Sevenoaks was as dull as dishwater.
Not hungry? Sorry.
No.
I wouldn't mind some tea, though.
Ah, there you are, Mrs Wainwright.
Professor Fraser, may I introduce you to my former employer? Mr Foyle.
Detective Chief Superintendant Foyle.
I've heard a lot about you.
Pleased to meet you.
How do you do? I understood you were in America.
Well, just back.
I spent a good deal of time there myself last year.
So what brings you to London? Well, friends.
I'm just passing through.
You managed to find yourself somewhere to stay? Hotels bursting at the seams.
I got a room.
Well, it's very nice to have met you at last.
Mrs Wainwright, I'm afraid there are some pages that need to be retyped.
Right away, Professor Fraser.
Sorry.
No.
No, no, no.
You finish your lunch.
This can wait.
Look, here, you can't survive on refectory food.
Would you care to come to dinner tonight? Some friends from America have sent me a ham, would you believe? Well, that's very kind of you.
No, not at all.
Seven o'clock, shall we say? Thank you.
Good man.
Thank you, Margaret.
So Foyle thinks Gorin is genuine.
Then in that case he almost certainly is.
If you have such a high opinion of him, why were you so opposed to my bringing him in? Because of his association with Fraser's secretary.
Samantha Wainwright.
If Gorin is genuine, then so is the Eternity Ring.
So it would appear.
That's inconceivable.
No spy ring of that magnitude could exist without my knowing something about it.
Who formed it? Who runs it? Where it began.
What's it doing? Well, let's hope Mr Foyle does live up to my expectations.
This has to stop.
Keep the change.
Thanks, guv.
Tomasz.
You're late.
I thought you weren't going to come.
You don't need to worry.
I said I'd be here, I'm here.
Do you want to come in? No.
Here you are.
Thank you.
Do you collect stamps, Mr Foyle? Well, once upon a time, yes.
These are quite rare, aren't they? Yes, fairly.
Well, this one certainly is.
The image, it's been printed upside down.
That's the pride of my collection.
It's very valuable.
And the plane is an American Curtiss? Oh, well spotted, yes.
Curtiss JN-4.
Oh, because the stamp is It's the inverted Jenny.
Right.
Sir.
Oh, would you like to come through? Yes, thank you.
Phyllis, cocktails.
You haven't met my wife.
Helen.
It's a great pleasure to meet you, Mr Foyle.
Thank you for the invitation, Mrs Fraser.
Oh, Helen, please.
And this is Max Hoffman, a colleague of mine.
We met in New Mexico a year ago.
How do you do? It was a day I'll never forget.
Don't let Michael fool you into thinking it was anything to do with me.
It was a memorable day for both of us.
The day the world changed.
When everything changed.
Michael.
Yes, yes, I know.
I came to this country in '33 when Hitler became Chancellor.
Of course, I was interned.
Quite right too.
He was a bloody Communist.
Michael! Well, it's true.
Back then in Germany you were either a Communist or Nazi.
There was no third alternative.
Ah, but you brought your politics with you, didn't you, Max? I kept my beliefs.
Still? Yes, Mr Foyle.
I think the people in this country have forgotten that before the Americans arrived, the British had only one true ally.
Stalin.
Correct.
And now the man's a monster, murdering his own people.
Well, the ideal is still there.
To build a new world.
Only by slaughtering the old one.
Ah.
How long do you plan to stay in London, Mr Foyle? Well, just a few days.
Why exactly are you here? If it's to check up on Sam, let me assure you, she's being well looked after.
She's a terrific girl, hard working.
We're glad we found her.
So, you saw Mr Foyle.
Yes.
You don't think it's a bit strange his turning up like that? What do you mean? Well, he's only just got back from America and now he's having dinner with your boss.
I don't think there's anything strange in that.
By the way, did you ask for time off? When? Next Tuesday.
The selection.
Oh, do I have to come? Absolutely.
They like to meet the wives.
'The wives.
' Is that how you see me, as some some sort of attachment? Of course not.
And what if I couldn't live up to your expectations? Sam, what are you talking about? Well, I didn't vote Labour the last time.
I'm not sure if I ever would.
I'm sure they won't ask.
But it might be better not to mention it.
Good night, Gran.
You off, then? Yeah.
So where is it, this place that you work? Well, it's a bar.
That's all.
Is that the best you can do for yourself? Thought you'd follow me into the police.
You're not in the police.
I will be.
John.
It's not my fault I went away.
I didn't want to leave you and your mum.
I know, Dad.
I'm glad you're back.
But I learned to look after myself while you were away and that's how it is now.
All right? Yes, dear? I'm Philip Blake.
Come in, sweetie.
Is that everything? Nearly, ma'am.
Oh, thank you, Mr Foyle.
You shouldn't have bothered.
Phyllis can see to that.
Thank you for dinner.
I'm pleased to have met you.
We feel we've got to know Sam so well over these past six months.
Are you all right? Yes.
Could you pour me some water? Here you are.
Thank you.
Any better? Yes.
I'm sure Sam will have told you I've not been well recently.
That's why we had to hire her.
Please don't mention this to Michael.
I don't like him to worry.
Of course.
You can get off home, Phyllis.
Don't forget the professor's tea in the morning.
I won't, ma'am.
He's driving up to Oxford.
Two hours each way.
He won't manage without his tea.
I should be going.
Thank you.
Good night.
They are a remarkable couple, don't you think? She was herself a scientist of some repute.
She wrote a paper on the implosion lens.
Fermi referenced it when he spoke at the APS.
What are you and the professor working on at the moment? Oh, we are involved in various projects.
Ah.
I've left my cigarette case back at the house.
Can you find your way alone? Of course.
Then I'll say good night.
Good night.
What is it? I had to see you.
What's happened? The police were at my house this evening.
They were asking questions.
About you? About me? I don't know.
I saw them.
I didn't go in.
The police Let's go back.
Wh? I'll come with you.
I'll check it's all right.
If not well, we'll see.
What did you make of our guest last night? Foyle? Why, he seemed pleasant enough.
I thought so, too.
But then something rather strange happened.
I had a visit from the police.
Well, a friend of mine did.
They were asking questions.
About you? I don't know.
It may have just been a coincidence.
But I decided to make a few enquiries and it seems that Mr Foyle - far from being retired - has links with the security service.
What? MI5.
How do you know? I have a contact.
I asked.
Mrs Wainwright introduced him to me.
Perhaps unwittingly.
I mean, why would they send him? Why would they have an interest in me? I thought you should know.
Thank you.
You were right.
There you go, Mum.
Bacon and toast.
You enjoy that.
You look very smart, Frank.
Interview's at ten.
I'm sure they'll snap you up.
That's another thing.
Once I get a job, you won't need to work any more.
I quite like working.
I've got used to it.
What? Nine hours a day in a shop? It's seven hours and a half hour for lunch.
And it's a department store.
Not the same thing at all.
Anyway, not gonna turn our noses up at Ј4 a week.
We won't need it.
Well, we'll talk about it once you're settled.
Ruthie.
I just want things to be the way they were.
I'm gonna be late.
I've made you some lunch.
Try not to disturb John.
And good luck.
I hope it goes well.
You enjoying that? I'll see you later, then? Three o'clock.
West Peckham Town Hall.
Got the address? Yes.
Don't worry.
What are you gonna do till then? Swotting up.
Sharpe.
Collingwood.
Beatrice Webb.
Our last manifesto.
And the White Paper on the National Health Service.
I prefer Agatha Christie.
Just don't tell them that.
Don't worry.
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer, we'll keep the red flag flying here.
I do love you, you know.
Mm.
And I love you.
Don't be late.
May I have your passes, please? Thank you, sir.
I have that meeting later in Oxford, Max.
Are you all right to make your own way home? Sure.
Good man.
Afternoon, boys.
Professor.
Yes? Name's Shaw.
I have a meeting with Chief Superintendent Cranborne.
Shaw, did you say? You're not on the list.
Frank Shaw? Interview's at ten.
Is this about the canteen? o, I'm a police constable, like you.
All right.
Take a seat.
I'll let him know you're here.
Just a minute.
Is Sergeant Harrington here? There's a Frank Shaw here to see you.
Yes, sir.
Of course.
All these documents are marked 'vechnost'.
That's Russian for 'eternity'.
Russian intelligence use only codenames for their agents.
Even in internal communications.
These are translations.
So here we have 'Trinity', 'Juniper', and our friend Jenny, promising to provide information on the implosion lens, which happens to be Helen Fraser's speciality.
That may be the case, but I don't think Fraser's a part of it.
I met him.
He's not a Communist.
He's a scientist.
He's never shown an interest in politics.
What do YOU think? Well, I think um a handful of codenames in a dozen or so letters isn't a great deal to go on.
Plus meeting places, letterboxes, passwords.
All of which could have been put into place to waste your time.
Exactly.
Your only piece of concrete evidence is this photograph.
I can speak to her.
You should speak to HIM.
I'm surprised you haven't done so.
No.
If we question Vlessing, it will only let the Russians know how little we know.
And if you don't, you'll know nothing more.
It's not as if he's committed a crime, Mr Foyle.
This isn't about bodies in the library or stolen petrol coupons or whatever else you got up to in Hastings.
It's called tradecraft.
It's a different world.
And I'd agree.
It's a world you've chosen to bring me into because you claim to value my opinion.
My opinion is the only way forward is to speak to Vlessing.
It's your prerogative to ignore it.
Do it.
Actually, we've lost Vlessing.
We do know that he checked into the Randolph Hotel in Oxford on Friday night, but we don't know where he is now.
Find him.
We'll look in his flat in Kennington.
Without a warrant? We don't need a warrant.
I had no idea the service was above the law.
Sir William Arresting this man is Arrest, interrogation, investigation.
Police methods, Miss Pierce.
Exactly what we need.
Vlessing? Yes? You wish to live, leave now.
Who is this? Leave now.
This is the place.
Come on, you two.
Shall we? Sir.
Vlessing? That's him.
Get after him! We can cut him off in the car.
Oi, watch out! He's still breathing.
Interview postponed.
All right.
Yes, sir.
Shaw? Super will see you now.
Would you Sir.
Shaw? Is that right? Sit down, sit down.
Thank you, Gerry.
So, what's this all about? I wrote to you, sir, about returning to the force.
Were you a constable? Yes, sir.
With the Met? No, sir.
I served in Hastings under Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle.
Can't say I've ever heard of him.
You're still in uniform, I see.
Just coming up for demob, sir.
Took your time.
A sergeant.
Yes, sir.
And what were you in Hastings? A constable.
That'll be a bit of a step down.
I don't see it that way.
I'm fed up with ex-majors and captains, and all these gentleman types from the Army, expecting us to defer to them just because they waltzed off.
Nobody gave a thought for the home front.
That's the trouble.
Afraid I can't help you, Smith.
You're too late.
It's Shaw, sir.
We replaced our war reserves last year and although we were short staffed or for a while, we are now pretty much up to strength.
Also to be frank I'm not sure your experience as a constable in Hastings would necessarily qualify you for a position with us here.
Why don't you go back there? We were bombed out.
You and many others.
I'm sorry I can't help you.
I wish you a good day.
But Is that it? I'm sorry.
I waited two hours.
I think you should remember who you're talking to.
I'm busy.
We're all busy.
You should be grateful you were seen at all.
I am, sir.
Very grateful.
Good.
I'm sorry, Mrs Wainwright, but given the circumstances and the nature of my work, I feel I have no choice.
But it's ridiculous.
Mr Foyle's got nothing to do with the secret service.
And, anyway, even if he were investigating you, I'm sure he would have said something to me.
That's exactly the point.
We can't be sure that he didn't.
We'll give you good references.
And two weeks' salary.
It's probably for the best.
I see.
Thank you, Doctor.
What happened? Ah, he tried to leg it, got hit by a car.
Sir William won't be pleased.
Can he talk? He's still unconscious.
Will he live? Apparently.
Pity.
Excuse me.
Yes? Do you have a Mr Foyle staying here? Let me just check for you.
They do.
What are you doing here? Hello, sir.
I've just been told that you're investigating Professor Fraser and that you've used me to get to him.
As a result of which, I've lost my job and I wanted to know if it was true.
Never met him.
Never seen him before in my life.
Vlessing? Marc Vlessing.
Never heard of him.
And he worked for the Russians? Apparently.
I don't understand.
Why didn't you come straight out with it and show me this, if you suspected me? I didn't suspect you.
But it's clear to me, from the moment I saw you, that there's something wrong.
You're not yourself.
There's something you're hiding.
I assumed it was related and thought it in your best interests to deal with the situation carefully.
I can see I'm wrong and I'm sorry.
Don't be sorry.
What is it? It's rather a personal thing, sir, and I'd really rather not.
Can I help? Nobody can help.
Um, I've had some .
.
difficulty.
Something has happened that makes me believe that starting a family might not be as straightforward as I had previously imagined.
What does Adam say? I haven't told him yet.
I didn't want to.
Not when he's so um Mm.
So now you know.
I'm not a spy.
I'm not working for anyone.
And as for this, it's obviously a fake.
But I did go to the Old Vic, two weeks ago.
Shakespeare.
Adam and I saw one of the Henrys.
But I wasn't carrying an envelope, I didn't meet anyone It's ridiculous to think Professor Fraser is passing secrets to the Russians.
He hates them.
I know.
I cannot believe that you used me to get to him and lost me my job.
You must realise that none of this was intended.
I became involved because it seemed you were in trouble.
I still believe that's the case.
Although you're innocent and this has been faked, there's a reason it's been faked and a reason you've been implicated.
It will be worth finding out why.
Don't you think? Yes, I do.
Where do we start? Well I think it less than sensible for you to be any more involved.
I think it's less than fair that somebody should put me in a photograph and use me for whatever purpose without my knowledge.
I understand you had the best intentions, but if you'd been straight with me from the start, I might still be employed.
So the least you can do, sir, is allow me to do something about the situation.
Fair enough.
So when do we start? Secure the gate! What's going on? What is it? Unbelievable.
This is from Arnwell.
There's been a security breach.
Files? Worse than that.
Much worse.
One of the cabinets in Sector 5.
Sector 5? have been taken.
What? Theft was discovered an hour ago.
Vlessing? How are we going to get in there? With a key.
How did you get that? I liberated it.
Is this quite legal? It's not at all legal.
But the security service doesn't have much regard for the law.
You're not really going to work for them, are you, sir? Not if I can help it.
Which number is it? They didn't tell me.
Oh.
That's tricky.
Excuse me.
We're looking for a Mr Marc Vlessing.
I don't know him, dear.
He's Dutch.
Sandy-haired.
Travels quite a bit.
Oh.
That'll be him on the second floor.
Flat 6.
He's foreign.
Thank you.
Where are you from? The Department Of Housing.
Jumped the queue, did he? You should move him on.
We don't want foreigners here.
You're a natural.
What are we looking for, sir? Uh not sure till we find it.
Oh.
He's making a Sopwith Camel.
Anything connecting him to your ex-employer or to Hoffman would be useful.
You know that Mr Hoffman lost most of his family during the war.
The Nazis killed them all.
I do.
I never saw Vlessing with either of them.
At least not when I was there.
He's got two passports.
Dutch and German.
Sir! Put the gun down! Don't move! They're both positive.
The whole room's hot.
Get them both out of here, pronto.
Thanks.
Both have been exposed.
Contaminated.
Are they going to be all right? I don't know.
This whole thing's getting out of hand.
I did warn you.
It's out of control.
Huh Left, left! Left, right, left! You can't do this.
I have to leave.
Get rid of these clothes and wash thoroughly.
There's a shower down the corridor.
Use plenty of hot water and carbolic.
I don't think you understand.
I have to be somewhere at three o'clock.
I promised.
I don't think YOU understand, miss.
You've been exposed to radiation.
Your health is at risk.
You're not leaving until you do as I say.
Then you have to be seen by the doctor.
Clothes there.
Uh, yes? I'm Adam Wainwright.
Oh, right comrade.
Through here.
Right.
What were you doing in Vlessing's place? And what was Mrs Wainwright doing with you? You've no reason to keep her here, so I'd be grateful if you'd arrange to get her to West Peckham Town Hall as quickly as possible.
You're in no position to be making demands.
It's a request for help and understanding.
Her husband is facing selection as an MP.
She needs to be there.
She can go.
Make sure she's been cleared.
Cleared by whom? The doctor.
You've both had a dose of radiation.
Low level and brief, but best to be sure.
No, no, listen.
It isn't a question of whether we want it.
We're all agreed on that.
The question is whether we can afford it.
Absolutely.
Well, can we? I No, I don't suppose we can.
Philip? Mr Wainwright! Councillor Harris.
We met.
Remember? Yes.
How do you do? Yes, good.
Mr Conway here is up against you.
He's one of our official explainers.
Not that he's been explaining a lot to me.
We were talking about the new pension levels.
What do you think? Can we afford to pay them? I don't think we can afford not to.
Maybe we could have a gradual rise over a period of 20 years.
It's what Mr Griffiths proposed.
But this is the generation that lost their childhood to the First War.
They've lived through the Depression and endured the misery of the second war.
Don't we owe them something now? Well said.
You here alone? You're not married, Mr Wainwright? My wife's on her way.
She's late.
In you get, miss.
We'll have you there in a couple of shakes.
How did you find us? We had no idea you were there.
We had an alert from the atomic research station at Arnwell - 'A quantity of uranium has been taken.
' Vlessing was in Oxford.
Yes, I should have picked up on that.
Arnwell's near Oxford and Professor Fraser was at Arnwell, along with his colleague Max Hoffman.
Well, given that nothing, where you're concerned, is ever what it seems I don't know what you mean.
You know as well as I do that Fraser detests Communism, Stalin and everything they stand for.
Also, Mrs Wainwright was nowhere near the theatre at the time you stated.
Neither had she met Vlessing.
The photograph is a fake.
We both know it.
So, at some point, I'd be grateful if you'd be kind enough to explain to me precisely what's going on.
Mr Wainwright.
Thank you.
Please.
Sit down, Mr Wainwright.
Mrs Wainwright didn't make it, then? She must be held up.
It's unlike her to be late.
Many would say it's important for a prospective Member of Parliament - a man or a woman - to show that they have a strong sense of family values.
You may not agree.
I do agree.
West Peckham is a marginal seat.
Like it or not, a young wife may well be considered an asset.
That's my view.
I'm always very proud to have Sam by my side.
But she's not by your side.
That's the point.
I'm sure she'll be here soon.
Well, there's no point in waiting for her, is there? Shall we get started? Right.
Is there anything you want to add, Mr Wainwright? If you select me, I'll do everything I can for the constituency and the party.
Goes without saying.
Sorry I'm late! Adam will you ever forgive me? Mrs Wainwright? Yes.
Where have you been? Uh it's a long story.
I'm afraid I'm not even allowed to tell you.
Um I was trying to help a police officer.
Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle.
You see, I used to work for him.
Except he's not a detective any more and I'm not even allowed to tell you what he was doing there either.
Please.
Sit down.
Thank you.
Have we begun yet? I'm afraid we've finished.
What do you mean? I know I look a complete wreck, but these aren't my clothes.
Um But I want you to know I completely support my husband.
Do you share his views? You mean His political views.
His political views? Absolutely.
Well, not all of them.
If you want the truth, I voted for Mr Churchill in the election, because he brought us through the war and I thought he deserved another chance but maybe I'm wrong.
I don't really understand much about politics, but I can tell you this.
Adam will make a wonderful candidate because he's honest and he believes absolutely in what he does and ever since I've met him, the only thing he's wanted to do is to help other people.
And the only mistake he's ever made, probably, is in marrying me.
But if you choose him, I promise I won't let him down again, or you.
And he will win the seat - Peckham East.
West.
Right.
Dead? Injected with potassium cyanide.
All the hallmarks of a Soviet operation.
Wasn't he under guard? They left him unattended.
Good God.
They won't be coming back.
Well, at least we've learned something, Sir William.
This Eternity Ring is even more dangerous than we thought.
Soviets will do anything, break any rules, to protect it.
And the isotopes stolen from Arnwell? We found them.
Vlessing had them.
How did he get them? I may not be able to see you for a while.
Why not? Things are happening.
I can't explain.
It is not to do with you.
Mr Foyle.
Good evening.
It's all right, Tomasz.
So I was right.
You were sent to spy on us.
No, I haven't been sent.
But you two were seen meeting the other night.
It would appear to be important to find out why, so, yes, you've been followed.
This is Tomasz Debski.
My son - when I had a son - studied briefly at the University of Warsaw.
They were friends.
Tomasz came to England and joined the RAF.
He flew 40 missions.
He was as brave as any of them.
But then one day I don't judge him but nor do I excuse him something snapped and he deserted.
Since then he has been in something of a limbo.
He has no ID, no ration book.
He could be arrested at any time.
I have been trying to help him with food and money because of the friendship he had with my son.
This is my fault.
I came to him.
I should never have done that.
How'd it go? Who was that man? Who? ust now.
I saw you with him outside.
Have you been drinking? Who was he? His name's Eric.
He lives three doors down.
He comes in now and then, to help out.
The fuses, that sort of thing.
Did he help out whilst I was a prisoner of the Japs? Don't be absurd.
Answer me! Yes, he came in.
He's a neighbour.
Sometimes it helped to have a man about the house and Eric was there.
What was he, then? A conchy? No.
He was wounded.
He was invalided out.
Didn't look injured to me.
What are you talking about? John! He's at work.
I want to talk to him.
I want to talk to both of you.
What is it? I can't stay here any more.
Who is this man? And what is he doing in my house? Frank! What is the shortest route to the Strand? Well Come along.
I'm going that way.
I want you to tell me about the Eternity Ring.
I want to know what's going on.
Oi, you! What is this place? And what are you? It's a private club.
My son, John.
He works in here.
Er, yes.
Excuse me.
What? You're a bloody nancy boy, aren't you? Eh? Have you been touching my son? I don't know your son.
I don't know you.
I know what you are and I know your type, you bastard! The doctor seems to think you'll be out in a couple of days.
Oh, good.
What a relief.
I can hardly wait.
The police officers who helped you last night also spoke to me earlier.
Oh, God.
So you know.
Know about what? About the club.
The gentlemen's club? That's one way of describing it.
The man who attacked me.
He um Yes.
I know him.
He's actually a decent man.
He seemed to think that I'd I never touched his son.
It's not like that.
I'm sure.
Who else knows? At the office? Yes.
No-one.
Um I'd be I'd prefer it I'd be very grateful if if they didn't find out.
I don't see any reason why they should.
Thank you.
Just one thing.
Sir William.
Trust him? Hm.
Miss Pierce doesn't.
Be good.
Frank.
Ruthie.
I'm so sorry.
Come on.
Let's get you home.
You heard about Vlessing? He died.
Mm.
But not as a result of the accident.
He was poisoned.
Pretty convenient all round, then, I'd say.
Sorry? Vlessing being the only person directly implicated in the so-called Eternity Ring.
There's nothing so-called about it.
Well, it doesn't exist, does it? What makes you think that? Well, what else does it consist of? A few codenames, papers and photographs - at least one of which has been faked.
So you say, but I'll be interested in how you reached that conclusion.
Because A) Samantha Wainwright has never met Vlessing.
Vlessing was added to the photograph.
B) The production she saw at the Old Vic was Shakespeare, not The Cherry Orchard.
The V in the photograph is not the V in Chekhov, as much as you'd like me to think so.
It is the V in Henry V, which was on two weeks after Gorin's defection, which is when the photograph was taken.
You're not suggesting I was involved in this? I can't think of any other way it happened.
Can you? So Vlessing is implicated, about to be questioned, and he's tipped off by I wonder whom? You didn't want me anywhere near him, did you? Why? I told you.
Because you know he'd have said he'd never been near the Old Vic and had no idea what the Eternity Ring was.
And what would be the point of creating a fake spy ring? Good question.
You tell me.
I'm not the one explaining myself.
Yet.
If you've got a theory, Foyle, I want to hear it.
But I think this may be the time to keep your voice down.
William Chambers? What about him? You doubt his 'integrity'? There might be a better word.
I think he's unreliable.
Double agent? Is this what you're saying? So it's a trap? Aleksei Gorin, genuine defector, brings genuine stolen papers from Soviet Embassy to which you add a few of your own, giving the impression there's a network called the Eternity Ring.
Very creative.
If Chambers is a double agent, it's impossible he wouldn't know about it.
Disorientation.
Doubts himself, resulting in panic, errors If you've been right, that is.
This sort of thing, is it? Yes.
He couldn't believe the Eternity Ring existed.
The only way he could be sure was by making direct contact with the Soviets.
That's him.
Even if this put him at risk.
He met a Soviet agent at Hanover Gate.
Which is exactly what I'd been waiting for.
Thank you.
Drive on.
So you've been in control of all this, not him, and he's behaved in exactly the way you thought? Mm.
With one exception.
I had set up Fraser's secretary to implicate Fraser himself, not realising, nor recognising that she was your ex-driver.
Sir William made the connection and insisted on hiring you.
And what will happen to him now? Hm.
He'll be replaced.
And Vlessing? What about him? Well, he could have talked.
Did you have him killed? Oh Certainly not.
Vlessing was exactly what I told you he was, Foyle.
A spy.
He had plenty of enemies.
His death is too convenient.
Sometimes things work out that way.
Good afternoon, Mrs Wainwright.
I've just been talking to your husband - our candidate for the coming by-election at West Peckham.
What? Adam? Pre-selected? Yeah.
Oh, that's wonderful! Why? Why? He was the best candidate.
And certainly the most memorable.
It's easy enough to tell a committee what we want to hear, but it's rare that someone tells us what they really believe in.
I think the two of you are gonna make a formidable team.
Adam, I don't believe it.
Not sure I can believe it myself.
Well, believe it.
You have yourselves a very good day.
Goodbye.
You did it! You're going to be an MP! We haven't got there yet.
Well, there's no question.
With my help.
Why do I feel there's just been a huge swing to the Tories? Oh, don't say that.
Come on, Mr Right.
First I'll make you some supper.
Then we're gonna start work on the National Health and Social Security.
Good old Attlee.
I'm so proud of you.
Adam Wainwright, MP.
I imagine you want to know why? No, I have no interest at all.
If you've come to offer me a pistol and a bottle of whisky, you're going to be disappointed.
No need.
You disappear.
Leave the country.
Nobody sees you again.
Banishment.
How very Elizabethan.
And who takes over here? I wonder.
Always knew you were ambitious.
I would have favoured beheading.
I didn't expect to see you again, Mr Foyle.
I'm here to apologise for being at your house under false pretences.
You came to spy on me.
Not exactly.
But you'd be interested to know that you were being targeted long before I became involved.
Who by? Intelligence.
You were used in a scheme to expose an informer.
It suggested that you, the least likely person in the country to help the Soviets, were in fact a spy.
And is that why you came here? It was a situation I was drawn into unaware of their motives and I was trying to do the opposite of what they wanted and show that you weren't a spy.
And were you successful? Unfortunately not, because it turns out that, although they didn't know it, they were inadvertently absolutely right.
Right about what? That you're a traitor.
I'm not a traitor, Mr Foyle.
What's your word for it, then? How have you reached your your conclusion? By spotting the actual, genuine link between you and Marc Vlessing.
You can get off home, Phyllis.
Don't forget the professor's tea in the morning.
He's driving up to Oxford.
Two hours each way.
He won't manage without his tea.
The same flask showed up at Vlessing's flat.
Perfect for tea - for which you may well share a mutual fascination - not so perfect, in spite of the lead lining, for carrying radioactive uranium samples stolen by yourself from Arnwell and passed on to Vlessing because he either opened it or a seal was broken, resulting in the radiation leak.
I'm not a traitor.
I'm a scientist.
You have to understand a new world we find ourselves in, Mr Foyle.
Hiroshima.
Nagasaki.
Do you have any idea of the power of the atomic bomb? We've unleashed a monster.
Forget the war we've just had.
The next war is going to be unimaginable.
It could wipe out all humanity.
Helen became ill because of it.
Well, I can't be certain, but she was with me in New Mexico.
The Trinity test.
We were too close.
And now she's dying.
I believe this knowledge is too dangerous to keep to ourselves.
We have to share it.
A brotherhood of scientists, Mr Foyle.
That is what I'm talking about.
Oh, I detest Stalin and what he's doing, but that doesn't mean to say that I think the Russians are bad people or that they deserve to be wiped out.
Even Churchill wanted us to share this knowledge, you know.
That is my vision.
I am doing what I'm doing for the safety of mankind.
Call it what you like, you'd understand why not everybody would agree with you.
You've told them? MI5.
No.
But you're going to tell them? Since you believe your knowledge and vision should be shared, you might find it liberating to tell them yourself.
Yes.
Yes.
To make an example of myself regardless of the consequences.
That might be the way.
I think it will have to be.
Goodbye, Mr Foyle.
I'm glad to have met you.
Mr Foyle.
May I ask where you're going? The hotel.
Then home to Hastings.
Let me give you a lift.
I'll come straight to the point.
I want you to stay with MI5.
What makes you think I'd do that? Well, you always wanted to be part of the service.
I applied once during the war and was rejected.
They had their chance.
This is no time for hurt feelings.
This is business.
You're very good at what you do and I'd like to work with you.
I haven't got the requisite capacity for deceit.
Precisely.
I need someone I can trust.
Well, that would be mutual.
Point taken.
Oh, come on, Foyle! What's the alternative? What are you going to do - fish? Bigger fish to be caught here.
And what about America? Well, the Howard Paige situation means that you're not on the FBI's most popular list.
But we can deal with them.
There's a Polish airman out there, flew 40 missions for the RAF and as a result finds himself in a situation he doesn't deserve.
I'll see what we can do.
Anything else? I'd need a driver.
You owe it to her.
So do I.
The work we're doing matters.
I appreciate our methods may not be to your liking, but it's not our fault.
It's just the way it is.
In the last few days, three high-ranking Russian defectors, our responsibility and in our safe houses, have been found murdered.
You'll work in this section.
Your first job.
You'll like this.
Good morning.
I'm your Labour candidate.
I didn't get into politics to play games.
We do this fair and square or not at all.
I saw something today that might interest you.
I'm not at liberty to talk about it.
You know the rules.
The man's got carte blanche to wander all over the place and within 48 hours there's a major security breach!
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