Listening, The (2006) Movie Script
- Let's talk about 1971.
- Okej.
The...
US Embassy in Rome, Italy.
Would you describe Sara Baldino
as the love of your life?
I don't know.
Yes or no, please.
Yes.
And yet you choose to discontinue
the relationship and be transferred here.
She was an Italian citizen.
It was against regulations. So...
Yes...
You could left agencys
people have you know.
They told me that if I left,
they would have to fire Phil, too.
- That will be Philip Kovacs.
- Yeah.
Please describe the nature of your
relationships with him.
Well, he's been my supervising officer
for about 20 years, and...
He is my friend.
Did you ever regret your decision.
No..
And have you had
any unreported contact since then?
No..
Thanks, Jim. We're done.
THE LISTENING
In 1952 a secret organisation.
Known as The Black Chamber.
Was reborn by executive order
As the National Security Agency
It was tasked with codemaking, codebreaking
and collecting foreign communications intelligence.
5 years later, the first man-Made
satellite was launched into orbit.
More than 3,000 satellites
are now in operation...
Carrying our phone calls,
e - Mails and broadcasts.
Listening to this massive flow
of information..
Is a multi-Billion dollar
surveillance network..
Built by the NSA
And codenamed Echelon.
Every hour, unmanned computers...
Scan through millions
of intercepted calls...
Inside words largest listning station.
Only when Echelon recognises
a Significant word
Or a known voice,Does it
notify its human operators.
The men and women of Menwith Hill
Are highly specialized
Linguists...
Mathematicians and
computer scientists.
They are required to violate
the privacy of foreign citizens.
Cover your tracks
and make new ones...
While being allowed
very little privacy of their own.
Underpaid and
burdened with secrets...
They live their lives
according to a complex hierarchy.
Of codewords, paygrades
and colour-Coded badges.
By contrast, employees of the private
contractor corporations...
That provide the hardware
for Echelon...
Are allowed inside secure
facilities after abnormal scrutiny...
To promote new technology.
Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
Why was he not given proper training?
He was...
Standrd employer pakage.
We'll issue him with a blue badge.
What?
Is there a problem, Mr Wagley?
No problem at all, Mr Lehmann.
We're all very excited
about your product.
It's just that we're a little touchy
about our colour-Codes.
Jim and I have 15 years
to get to blue,alright.
Shall we go meet the boy?
So... will I see you later?
Okay,Sorry.
I'll be ready in a minute, sir.
Our friends seem to be concerned..
About your attitude towards security.
That's not a problem, sir,
Once they see the product.
Well, the product is useless
unless kept secret.
Should the sale not go
through,the board and I...
Would have to hold you responsible
For the RD expenditures.
That's about,400 million dollars.
Perhaps you're not...
familiar with my salary.
Shall we go?
Sure.
So,You boys and girls are spies.
Well, I've got a surprise for you.
Miss, Would you please step up here and
Give Nicholas your
home phone number.
That's him,That's Pepper.
I can hear my dog barking.
Thank you, Miss.
Well, that's it, guys!
That's all it is!
Tumbleweed lets you listen into
Any room where there's a telephone.
Even if the receiver's
on the hook...
And without you having to go into that
room and tamper with telephone beforhand.
- What about cell-Phones?
- Cells?
They're easy!
They're little walking bugs,
even when they're turned off.
And everybody's got one.
So,you all look like college graduates.
Any ideas on how to neutralise our big
fancy 400 million dollar system?
And if it's a cell-Phone,
You should remove the batteries
And the SIM card probably.
- Tony Ashe.
- Jim Wagley.
Nice to meet you, Jim.
Thank you very much!
Well, I'm a level kind of guy.
So I'm gonna have to admit
that Jim is right.
Tumbleweed is still a little
fragile in that area...
...but at Wen Cran we believe that
if the comsec is handled right...
We can get another 5 years
of operational life out of this.
So what do you say, boys and girls?
As we told in Fort Meade
we will sell this dreamy little
Thing of magic to you...
For a song...
I see you later.
- Wait up jim,I'll give you a ride home.
- But essentially a song.
- I'll stay here and bunk.
- But their Bunks are so small.
So is home.
Suit yourself.
Right now 32 of my colleagues
have just finished their own demos...
In the signals intelligence
branches of our Embassies..
Paris, Prag, Hage, Lisbon,
Athens, Madrid and Rome.
If they're gonna listen to something,
I guess the term "Tumbleweed" is a good bet..
Yes, sir, Mr Ashe.
No, it was Murray's, sir.
I don't know,Okay.
Our guys are here.
The NSA are entering the data
in their Echelon Dictionary.
Word search, Ben.
If anybody uses the word "Tumbleweed"on
a telephone anywhere in the world
They hear it and pass
it on to our guys.
What do you mean
by "anywhere in the world"?
Try saying "semtex" into
a phone in an Arabic accent.
That's a frogshit, Michael,
they don't have the technology yet...
- It's a total legend.
- You getting a degree in a total legend.
Michael Ellison.
Roving Logistical Support.
No briefcase?
Sir. Sir!
I'm sorry.
Head Office didn't tell me what time
the flight was, for some reason.
Where are you going?
I'm...
Nothing. I'm just
running a little late.
No, you're not.
You're staying right here...
Until you find that briefcase
And Disable those sabotouers.
This thing in Rome...
See you, Anthony!
It's all about technical things,disks...
A big book...
Top Secret, Comint,
Gamma Plus...
Capricorn, Noforn, Orcon,
Substation Operations Manual..
..."TUMBLEWEED".
For sure they
are technical things.
- Come on, I won't throw it away.
- Tomorrow I'll return it to them.
Come on! Do you care about it?
- Why don't you look inside?
- I don't want to.
Listen, tomorrow I will take it
To the Carabinieri at 6:00 pm.
And even if it takes me 2 hours, I'll
come and visit you before you leave.
- See you tomorrow then?
- Yeah.
All right. Bye. - Bye bye.
Ashe...
- What?
- Such a flake!
So laid back he can barely see
Over his pelvis. - Yeah.
Everybody out.
You heard.
Echelon got a hit on the word
"Tumbleweed" 95 minutes ago.
Woman named Francesca Savelli
mentioned the manuals on the phone...
The entire cover of one of them.
I guess Ashe got lucky.
Said she plans to return them
at 18:00 tomorrow to the Carabinieri.
What's the problem?
- Until she does, you listen.
- Why should I listen?
Tumbleweed's got bumped
up to Gamma Glide plus.
You and I are the only
ones cleared and I'm busy.
Well, get busy.
Yes, it's lovely.
I know, I really didn't think
they were going to buy it.
Oh, God.
The copies are fucking horrible.
No, it's the doodle.
Looks like pee on snow.
I can't send this
to the French Embassy.
Samir is going to flip.
- Sure is! What can you do?
- I'll have to find a way.
It's only 10:15.
These gentlemen are very worried,Jim.
- There's nothing to worry about.
- Good.
No,No, I won't go into details!
All right, I came 4 times.
The great total amount of this year.
- What do you mean by this year?
- I mean this year.
Tune in to Canale 5.
Luisa is on TV.
- Why isn't the bag back?
- What was that?
WCT wanted the head of Rome office to send
Marines in to retrieve it,Embassy Marines!
Oh, for crying out loud.
This girl is not an industrial spy,
She's not a blackmailer...
And she's certainly not a terrorist.
She's just doing
these jerks a favour.
- How long?
- I don't know.
It'd probably be a good idea if the
Italian police didn't see the manuals.
Phil,we're not corporate security.
Just do me a favour and cross-Feed
her coordinates to John real time.
Sure.
- Miss Savelli?
- Si.
- Speak English?
- Yes, I do.
No news.
Come say goodbye
before you leave, Jim.
I'll be sleeping here again tonight.
That's not healthy.
Well, apparently I have a lot of work
to catch up on tomorrow.
Yeah, yeah.
- Are you sure we are missing a manual?
- Yes, sir, the fourth one.
Okay, Bryden. It's your show.
Let's do this.
- I really fancy leaving...
- I'll call you back in a minute.
Francesca.
- Where did you put the fourth manual?
- I really don't know.
Who is Sameer Ben Saffar?
Sameer is a buyer.
He is Syrian,He buys sculptures
from the art gallery I work for.
And why did you not return
the briefcase immediately?
I had other stuff to do.
What can you tell us about
the photo copies you made.
- What? When?
- Just answer the question, please.
Who is your contact
at the French Embassy?
We know you made copies...
And sent them to the French
Embassy via local courier.
- What's going on?
- I'm sorry, this is a private.
- It's okay. He's blue.
- Woman took something from the case,jim.
- No, she didn't.
- That's right, I didn't!
- We know that, Miss Francesca.
- She can hear us?
- So are we finished?
- Yes, we are.
- Well, turn the damn speakers off.
- No dont.
- They're just asking her some questions.
Who,Who's asking? Who are these?
That's Frank Vaughan and our fantastic
logistical support team.
- Is that her house?
- She let them in,Jim it's okay.
No, I think they should
leave there right now.
- Mr Wagley, is it?
- Yes.
As you yourself demonstrated,
Tumbleweed is still very fragile.
You have no threat from Ms Francesca,
I can guarantee you.
She made copies this afternoon,
that was in your report.
- Those were invitations
to an art show. - So you say.
But our company is targeted for
industrial espionage every month...
So I think we know
when we're under attack.
Listen to me, your company and your
product are not under attack.
At least of all from her,
And I'm going to
tell you what happened.
No,no I tell you something.
You don't have the right to act
on our intelligence product...
- That's like revealing a source.
- This was an informal interrogation.
- Jim, why do you even?
- Why do I what?
I do, that's all,Okay.
Ask your men to leave, Mr Ashe.
Fine,my bad.
- Vaughan, discontinue Q,A.
- Yes,sir.
- Okay, Mr Wagley?
- Yes. Thanks.
Actually, Vaughan, put her on,
would you? - Roger.
- Ms Savelli?
- Hello? - Hi.
Listen,I just wanted to say
I'm sorry for all the trouble.
My boys are gonna scoot off now.
And you have been really,really helpful.
- Okay. So it's finished.
- Once again I'm sorry.
- Ellison, do you have a brochure.- yeah-
- Please, give one to Miss Savelli.
- Sure.
So miss,should you or anyone in
your family ever need a hearing aid...
just call us and ask for Anthony.
Sure, yeah.
- Okay.
- Bye bye.
- Thanks, Phil.
- You bet.
Yeah,see you.
Offline
What fucking company?
What company?I want a name!
A name! Who did you talk to?
A name! Tumbleweed!
What fucking company
wanted Tumbleweed?
Who's the guy inside our company?
Wendell Cranshaw! There's a name!
Who is he?
I want a name!
I want you to talk now!Now!Now!
Louis,patch me through to Rome.
What's the fucking name
of the company?
What's to stop her pressing for her
government to raise a shitstorm?
They're about to take care of that.
What fucking company wanted
Tumbleweed?Where's the fourth manual,
The one you copied?
I'm talking to you!Don't drift away!
I want you to talk now! Now!
Look. Speakto me now,
you fucking wop cunt!
This is getting us nowhere.
I don't think she knows
anything either, sir.
Well, she does now, doesn't she?
Maybe there are other options
we should be considering.
But can you do the thing, Vaughan?
- I can do it. I just wanted
to be clear on this. - We're clear.
- This would be permanent, Mr Ashe.
- I get that.
She would never talk or walk. Ever.
Well,Jump up and bite that frisbee, Frank,
I thought that was the whole fucking point!
Okay,Thank you.
You can't get good help
these days. Can you, Mike?
- John.
- Right.
Carabinieri! Open the door!
- Hide the kit, Vaughan!
- Be cool!
It might be wise to cut
the Satlink about now.
- What are the police doing there?
- I called them.
- I thought this link was secure.
- I used Tumbleweed.
- You did what?
- I'm asking you...
For a signed agreement
as to the safety of this girl.
Mr Wagley...
I would feel compelled.
To expose your system.- Right.
Which you must understand
would make it unsellable.
Good luck.
You're never going near
my system again, Mr Wagley.
Why can't you relax?
It's not like we wanna kill anyone!
They had a lobotomy kit in there!
Chemical lobotomy you
all agree is non-Lethal.
This is a citizen, an allied
citizen, a civilian!
Spy,Yes lndustrial espionage
does carry 5 to 10.
You are way out of your
depth here Mister.
Please, Mr Wagley,
this is national security. - Nat!
We are National Security!
You are a company!
And we must protect our sale,
- And ourselves and you from litigation.
- But this girl is no threat.
Yeah, well, we're just gonna have
to agree to disagree on that one.
Now, while I appreciate
Mr Wagley's seal...
He seems to be having
some allegiance issues.
Jim's allegiance
is not in question.
Whatever. The point is it be really nice
if he stopped popping up all the time.
Im going to report you.
- Are you hearing me, Phil?
Or do I need to say it on the phone.
- So you can snoop it?
- Mr Ashe.
His clearance, Gone Now.
John, call security.
Even assuming
that she was acting alone..
We need to know what
that girl did and why
What we do not need
is a lawsuit.
And we especially
do not need this guy
Commendring our proto-Type
by making silly treaths
Okay, Phil,Because if the girl
blows the system,i mean..
Even if she does so by accident!
You aren't going to buy it,are you?
And that guy over there,he is gonna have
to call my bosses. And then guess what?
Those are my guys in Rome,
I handpicked them.
So if the sale is a no-Go...
Whose paycheck do you think
is gonna get squeezed?
Now I wasn't planning on selling
any kidneys, Phil...
And I don't think anybody
would wanna buy one of yours.
So,I am asking you
to give me his clearance.
Now.
Jim...
Give me your keycard, please.
Phil...
- This is not who we are.
- It is today.
It is today.
You will get a new
keycard tomorrow.
And what colour
will that be, John?
You'll feel better when you've
had a day of rest at home.
I'll get these
to the incinerator for you.
Have the cops released them yet?
They've released the girl.
It's gonna take a while to get
the Wen Cran guys out. Maybe tomorrow.
And then?
And then they'll find her.
Miss Francesca!
- I'm sorry. I need to talk to you.
- Do I know you?
I'm the one who called
the police last night.
Right,Thanks.
I need to talk to you Please
it's important,I need to talk to you.
I've got a train to catch,Sorry.
Listen,no matter where you go,
they'll find you.
And when they do, they'll finish
what they were doing last night.
They'll do it to your family,
to your friends, to all of you.
Do what?
Get rid of you,make
it look like an overdose.
I'm calling the police.
- Italian police cannot help you.
- We'll see it in a minute!
There is no life in the world
worth 400m$,Do you understand?
Put that back!
They can hear us.
Right now. They can hear us.
Keep your finger on the button,
if you want...
- What do you want?
- Those men are coming back.
They're in prison right now.
Just let me show you something
Then if you like you can get on a train.
Any where you want.
I was going to go see Annamaria,my friend.
I'm alone too.
My name is Jim Wagley.
I wouldn't hurt you
for the world, kid.
We gotta get going
and we're gonna need your car.
Those guys don't work
for the National Security Agency...
They work for a company
called Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
Then, why would
the police let them go?
Because they're friends of ours
The best way to get them to forget you
is to compromise the system.
- "Compromise"?
- Yeah, you make it public.
Remember those manuals you saw?
Yes. - Tumbleweed.
And we use Tumbleweed
to expose Tumbleweed.
And gather evidence
that Tumbleweed exists.
- What evidence?
- Recordings,lots and lots of recordings.
- Do you know how?
- No.
Porto Ferrario - Italia
So Tumble-Thing is here?
No. Tumbleweed is in England.
I'll drop you off and pick you up
later and we'll go to the hotel.
Why can't I come with you?
My friend may not like what I ask.
And your other friends
Will they like it?
In terms of personnel and budget
the NSA is larger than-
The FBI and the CIA combined.
So,that will be okay.
They say old age
can be a good thing!
Then again nobody is
doing you any favours.
So nice to see you too.
- James...
- Moneypenny...
- James!
- Hey, good-Looking!
- Get your own wife!
- Oh, you just shut up!
You look wonderfull.
- She's gone, Philip.
- I know.
Where's Wagley?
He flew to Rome.
Goody,
Does he have contacts there?
- Look, Mr Ashe.
- Yeah.
With all due respect, I think we should
concentrate on closing the sale.
Well, that's exactly
what I'm trying to do.
Maybe if you guys gave me a hand,
I could find that shithead.
You're not going to find him.
And he's not a shithead.
I'm going to..
Go back to my hotel room.
Gianni, is this house secure?
- I have a question.
- So do I.
You first.
- Do you still listen to her?
- To who?
Sara.
No. Not in years...
Okay,Your turn.
It's hypothetical, Gianni.
Would it be possible from here, covertly-
To hack into Menwith Hill and hijack
a brand-New Echelon subsystem prototype?
- Come again?
- You heard me.
- What's going on?
- It's just a question.
Anything is possible, Jim.
- Can you do it?
- With what?
What you have, what I know, 30,000
dollars to get what you might need...
What is this about?
With a voice we know
to be filed in the system.
You're not talking for real,are you?
James...
No, Gianni, no.
It's a simulation.
The US Government
needs your help.
The Italian Ministry has authorised us
to reactivate your consultancy.
- Is there a brief?
- No brief.
It's simulation of
covert and hostile.
And...
If we manage?
Well,if we manage then we tell
them how we did it and they fix it.
And gives a medal that doesn't exist,
for something we never did.
Thank you, James.
There are 3 voices to choose from.
Which one is the most distinctive?
I would say a Francesca Savelli.
Italian, Rome, 30 years old.
I'll fly her over in the morning.
Can't we just tape her?
- No, no, no. No phones.
- Well,
We will have to use her voice
to stage a fake telephone call-
To which we will then attach
a trace signal.
Echelon goes through everything,
So it would pick up the call
Recognise her voice
and record it.
Once we're inside, our trace signal
would lead us to your prototype.
But unless I find you a backdoor,
Menwith Hill will be impenetrable.
So,where are you staying?
- So how do you know him?
- When I was posted at the Embassy in Rome
Gianni worked with the Italian Intelligence.
Sometimes they would lend him to us,
He was one of our satellite guys.
- You liked him.
- Oh yeah,Still do.
He was very supportive
of me when I...
Had to make a difficult decision.
What was it?
- All right.
- When it's over..
Ill tell him the truth.
We're going to go in through
the Gigster satellite network.
It is the most secure
of all NSA satellite networks.
Gigster satellites are all
in contact with Antarctica.
6 years ago I set up the satellite link..
For an Italian base in the South Pole..
And I have the codes to remote control
all their antennas and computers.
All the NSA satellites
transmit on blind frequencies.
Exactly! Blind frequencies
can't cross the atmosphere.
So we can't pick them up from earth.
You wanna go into space? - No, James.
The only place on earth they link
to on a detectable frequency...
Is beneath the depletion zone
in the ozone layer.
The hole in the ozone.
If we manage, from here.
To hook to another
commercial satellite.
That sees the Italian
research facility in Antarctica.
Then we could connect
to Gigster through the hole.
- Get back into Menwith
through Antarctica? - Easy peasy.
We find and hijack
a Bumbelbee,whatever...
Prove it, and we've blown it.
Simulation!
- So when do I meet the girl?
- Ehm... tomorrow.
And how did it happen
that you met Jim?
- She was listening to me by mistake.
- Ah. By mistake...
Gianni, are you sure the origin of
the call can be shielded?
My sat-Phone goes through
an anonimizing router.
Even if this were for real..
The worst thing they could
do to us is call us back.
They'd still never know
where we are.
Francesca,can I talk
to you a minute?
I'm not reading it.
I'm sorry, it has to be verbal,identical.
Otherwise the system
will think it's something new.
So what?
We don't want them noting
what we're doing.
Their computers at Menwith
must file this away as an error.
And I wished
I remembered something else.
How long did you listen to me for?
All day.
Why do Americans
have to spy on everyone?
Makes the world safer.
I'm not safe,And I cant say
this in exactly the same way.
Sure you can.
No, I won't go into details!
All right, I came 4 times.
The great total amount of this year!
I mean "this year"!
Well done! Where're you going?
Inside!
What is it?
It didn't work, did it?
The satellite that sees the base
Is below the horizon.
- How much?
- 3 degrees.
I should have checked this.
We can't see that bird
from anywhere north of,Sudan.
- Are there any other satellites?
- Not that I have the codes for.
And not with the right
relay band capability..
That's okay.
- I only did the link for Antarctica because...
- It's okay, It's okay, Gianni.
They'll be more than happy to know
that they're...impenetrable.
- At least from Italy.
- James...
There you are.
So, how did it go?
It didn't work.
- Was it me?
- No.
So he was my best bet.
If he can't do it, we can't do it.
- Then, how do we expose Tumbleweed?
- We don't, We don't.
- Are we leaving?
- Yeah.
- Home?
- No, no,South America or...
Australia.
How?
By boat.
- Bye bye.
- It has been a pleasure.
Thank you for everything.
- Where is he?
- Doing Hara-Kiri, I imagine.
Upstairs.
- Gianni!
- James, can I hire a guy?
- No.
- Can I hire one guy?
- No. - Just one! I can vouch for him!
Worked with him before!
They won the game, Gianni.
Bullshit! We can win
this exercise! We can show them.
Bird is 3 degrees below the horizon
We can go below the horizon.
We're not going to the Sudan,Gianni.
And we're not going to Antarctica.
We don't need to.
Just the one guy.
And 4 or 5 days. We'd have
to spend some of the money...
But look,this is all
the gear we'd need...
Including the survival gear.
Survival?
Yeah, and check out
the coffee rings.
They really throw off OCR
We could fax it to Baghdad.
And it wouldn't get
picked up by Echelon.
- How covert is that, hey?
- What is all this?
Let me hire this guy and he'll have
all that gear on the vehicle...
What vehicle?- By the day
after tomorrow at the latest.
You ready?
What can I tell him?
That's Gianni's man, Francesca.
Nothing.
You tell him nothing.
I can do it myself.
Thank you.
You'd better be right about this!
3 full degrees over the horizon!
How high are we here actually?
3.2km And we're heading for 3.6km
There's truly
shortage of air here.
- And a lot of water
- Thank you.
- Mr Wagley.
- Is that it?
Go, Guglia!
Did it the right way around this time.
Baia Terranova, the South Pole.
Miserable place.
Why does Italy
have a base in Antarctica?
Our people there are supposed
to study penguins and moss.
How do you know all these things?
- I thought we were
on a no-Questions basis. - We are.
- Because if it's open season,
I'd really like to know. - We are.
Sorry.
No, I won't go into details!
All right, I...
Came 4 times,The total
amount of this year.
I mean this year.
- Does this do what it says it does?
- You bet.
Yeah, but,What do you mean
the same conversation?
Look,this is our very
comprehensive directory.
I must say you and your friends
are very nosy people, James.
So who do you want to listen to?
- Is that him?
- That would be the PM of France.
Shall we start with him?
Or perhaps the Pope?
Go French.
Hi, guys.
Francesca Savelli keeps calling from a
hidden location to talk about sex to nobody at all.
What?
It sounded just like him.
I have a list.
- There must be 150 names.
I know, simulation's ramified.
Some simulation, James!
Tape them,Tape all of them.
We're willing to knock off 7%..
But I want a list
of Wagley's contacts in Italy.
And I wanna talk to the guys
who intercepted the girl's calls.
See you around.
Take me to them, Phil.
So who are
the last names on the list?
Those are lawyers and reporters.
If we taped them,sent them the recordings
and then told them how we did it,
They would not be very happy.
No. And Tumbleweed would
be blown within hours.
And this was your mission?
Wow, well done,Nice plan!
Thank you.
How do you, people,
listen to this stuff?
The NSA is the largest employer
of linguists in the world
We do all the dialects of all languages
including a couple of dead ones.
You guys are great
Gianni, What's that?
That's just the copy traffic.
- What do you mean by copy traffic.
- I have to copy everything down to the mainframe in Antarctica.
Before I upload it back here.
You mean Copies remain in Antarctica?
Yes. We can erase the copies
from here when we're finished.
- No, Gianni.
- Relax, James!
We'll delete them when we're done.
It's only
a bloody simulation, anyway.
Place was cleared
less than a week ago.
I'm sure, Mr Ashe.
If I may...
If we guaranteed their safety.
Wagley's and the girl's, sir,
they might stop making trouble for us.
I understand, Mr Ashe.
Yes, sir.
I'm gonna get some snow, for water.
I'll come with you
- Francesca!
- I'm gonna help Guglia with the water.
I need your help here, now.
it only be a minute.
I know,but I think
you should stay here.
The first call was from her
workphone in Rome to this other phone
And she actually spoke to someone.
That was on Wagley's report.
But the other two had only her voice,
no-One else at the other end...
And they were both unpure Dest.
- Slow the fuck down, please?
- Easy, Mr Ashe.
It means their origin and destination
were shielded. Unknowable.
Now when you say unknowable.
It would take a Triton 5 and
a few days to crack the encryption.
That's out of the question.
What's a Triton 5?
- And there's another thing.
- Yeah.
The 3 conversations
of Francesca Savelli is part of them.
They were all almost
identical,word-For-Word.
- So? - So if there hadn't been
a hiccup in the last performance.
- Echelon wouldn't have picked it up.
- Exactly.
Dictionary would have
filed it away as an error.
Dictionary?
Computer system
that runs Echelon.
It picks words out of e-Mails
and phone calls.
Right.
So let me get this straight
What you're saying.
What im saying whatever
reason the call was made...
It was made in such a way as to enter
the system without being detected.
Wagley.
When I was your age
or rather when I was-
Guglia Grafs age.
What are you on about?
There are two worlds...
There's a normal world,
where you live and your friends live
And the girl that I used to know.
And there's a secret world,
where I live...
Where Gianni used
to live,and Guglia...
And Guglia,and you have to
trust me on this...
You're making a huge deal
about nothing.
The two worlds don't match.
So what do you call this?
The normal world?
You see that.
- Is that a satellite?
- No, it's Mercury.
The days on Mercury
are longer than the years.
Jim..
Why are you so mad at them?
You said when you were
back in Rome that...
Back in Rome..
Before you were born
there was a girl, Sara.
But she was Italian,
and the Agency...
Was very clear.
About interaction with foreigners.
She would have been worth
getting fired over,but...
They'd have fired Phil
too,He was my boss.
So... I left her.
And I moved to England.
And I guess Phil Kovacs
forgot what I did for him.
Could this Triton 5 thingy find
their location, if you had one?
Our Triton 5 thingy, Mr Ashe
is currently tasked..
To cross-Match air passenger lists to just
about everyone in the Middle East.
It is there fore a little busy.
- Ms.
- Doctor.
Doctor Palmer, you understand
that I need to find them before
Before your sale
goes under?Yes.
But there is one thing
I'm not 100% sure you understand.
Louis,Regardless of whatever
special treatment
Your people may
have gotten in Rome..
Echelon, this station
and other highly classified...
Highly cost-Intensive NSA resources
such as Triton 5's,are not at your disposal.
You are a privileged business partner,
not a Signals Intelligence Operative.
You understand
that I can have you fired, don't you?
Great! Mr Ashe, you know what?
What?
You're not cleared
to be in here.
Come on! Uppity up!
Out we get!
Lets go.
- Hi..
- John Strobel. We met.
I was wondering what it's like to work
for Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
I heard about your...conundrum.
- What.
- Your situation.
The router that the girl called from,
the unknowable origin.
Its truth it would take a very powerful
computer to crack its location.
- Listen.
- But one could... call it.
It wouldn't tell you where it is,
but it would forward the call.
You know, John Strobel.
If the old man and that girl
were up to something
I don't think, if I call them,
they're gonna tell me where they are.
There is one resource that you still have
access to,.Here in the station.
Yeah, that!
I mean exclusive,proprietary access to.
You see, Mr Ashe?
If you could call them,
They are using a phone...
TumbleWeed.
Yes, Mr Ashe.
John, I like you!
- It's an incredible tool, James.
- It's a weapon, Gianni.
Yes, a non-Violent weapon..
- Holy Grail.
- Non-Violent?
Is pasta and peas fine with you?
Yeah, that's fine, Guglia!
Makes mean pasta and peas.
Dont you think should
we finish our work?
- On what?
-On the list, Gianni.
- The list is finished
- Come again?
A couple of dozens of them are still
quiet. They'll talk before morning.
You mean we're done?
We almost didn't have enough space
on the recorders!
- We're done?
- Yes, we're done.
Come in.
What, Mr Kovacs?
This thing is doing
a lot of work already.
We ride it pretty hard, sir.
Part of the test process.
Can we get going, please?
I don't knowwhat you think
you're gonna achieve with this.
- Their location.
- You thinkthey're just gonna say it?
I don't know, Phil.
Even if they did, it won't be your
lost and found boys who get there.
It'll be CIAor the Italians.
Maybe us.
Not Frank Vaughan
and the lobotomy gang.
Sorry,
Roving Logistical Support!
- There! What was that?
- What was what? - Listen!
- Sounds like...
- Music.
Gianni...
- Gimme the cans!
- What?
The cans,gimme the cans.
What's this?
Its a fax sent from Elba to Turin
a couple of days ago.
- Where's Turin?
- Northern Italy.
- This is Sigint gear.
- Great coffee rings!
I wouldn't have picked it up if I were
not looking for stuff out of Elba.
Why were you looking
for stuff out of Elba?
Vaughan, how quickly
can you get to Turin?
They were very gentle,
the second time.
That's not funny!
The second time!
It's just a stupid navy ritual.
No wonder
you wanna be a mountain guide!
Francesca, maybe you should help the able
bodied seaman here do the dishes.
Gianni! And bring the fucking wine.
Only in fucking norway
they could work.
- You know you're a genius, Gianni?
- You're going to have to do better than that, loverboy.
Remember back in the 1970's
when you did all those tests?
You were certified.
That was you guys.
We IQ'ed you.
You're a pain in the ass
Always the same story, All right.
Why does he need a mountain guide?
The guy they sent the fax to
was a mountain guide.
- Altitude.
- What?
They're doing something
that requires altitude.
And Sigint gear.
Are there mountains in Turin?
The highest in Europe.
What about Tempest shielding?
Irrelevant, if we go in
through the phone line.
- And you know the extension?
- It's in the directory.
We have a new found game.
Look out,the adults are back.
Thats him.
Cant hear anything.
Isnt this little bit extreme.
What.. What is extreme.
What are they doing?
- James...
- Holy shit!
- What?
- He can hear us.
- How does he know.
- Becuse he can do.
- Whats going on you said
- You said they couldnt trace this phone.
- They couldnt!
- I thought we were doing the listening.
- But they can call it.
- Is he hearing me right now?
- Its TumbleWeed.
- Why would they TumbleWeed us?
Jim...
Phil...
Thats Phil Kovacs.
Phil... you poor bastard.
That badge... was all i ever had.
Jim, this is madess.
- Call him.
- What?
- What.
- Mr Wagley.
- Mr. Ashe.
- What exactly you think you are doing.
Im telling people about you and your toy.
Holy shit, Jim!
They are coming
to get you Mr Wagley.
Just a litte late mr ash.
What.. Where did he go?
Where did he go!
Whats is going on here.
I think we,we maybe under attack.
May.
Its Jim Wagley,Catherine.
Say it!
Say it!
It was not a... simulation.
If i told you the truth
you wouldnt come.
Of course, wouldnt fucking come!
Would you go out.
They tortured her!
Well i guess it doesnt matter.
But,you betrait me.
- Gianni...
- Me,you turn me into a terrorist!
Now will you fucking listen to me.
Should i order shutdown, Dr. Palmer?
Should i order a shutdown.
You know how long it takes to reboot.
You better do something, Dr. Palmer,
because Mr. Wagley is in here.
- Dr. Palmer?
- What do you want!
Do you have 1974 TRW
ULF Over modulator in the house.
So,what is in your mind John.
Polish resistence in 39 would dial down
the gain of all the transmitters in a given area.
They would then send out very faint and
meaningless signal over their radio hooks
Germans would dial up the gain, on the receiver
order to hear it..And minut they did it. Wham!
Wham,whats a wham?
A Puls of blastpower,
Back then, it burned their radios out.
So you want us to shout att them, John?
It will fry their equipment, Catherine.
- Cath...
- Not now...
If they listning only over moduladed...
They shouldnt been fucking listening,Phil
How do you know to turn it on
if he isnt listening?
Send a bait!
You! Ex guessme!
Can you send a clear text message
over the whole GIGSTER network?
Yes sir, thats going to be over my paygrade
You can use my clearence.
Sir, thats not possible at this time.
Now, Louis!
25 seconds...
Initiate now.
Turnnig it down,Mr Strobel.
Warning: stop listening it now.
Ulf-O/M Puls incomming danger!
Jim, we are about to burn you...
Do not listen.
REPEAT,DO NOT LISTEN.
...8... 7... 6... 5...
4... 3... 2...
Im sorry, Jim.
...1.
Francesca.
FRANCESCA!
Francesca...
Francesca!
FRANCESCA!
She cant hear me!
We lost every thing.
We must start all over.
Did it work?
Yes, i think it did.
- Sir?
- That was a great idea, John.
Did you send this out in clear
over the GIGSTER network?
We lost akll the recordings
e grande parte do equipamento.
How is she?
Its permanent James.
Eardrums are burst.
This is what, us goverment
does to terrorist.
I didnt want to attack US goverment.
I guess they miss interperted you.
Gianni, we have to retieve.
The copies of all the recordins...
From Bioterranova.
Did you miss what i just said,
about her been deaf?
I did not.
- Unless, you help me expose Tumbleweed...
- Oh, for fuck sake!
Ashs corporate security,will do
a lot worse than split our eardrums, Gianni.
Then its over.
They interrigate us until
we are with out words.
Thats it!
Gianni,listen to me.
People in iran are
going to be really greatfull...
For you to try to help them out.
Tumbleweed is excessiv at as best.
There are massgraves.
3 hours drive from here, James.
Massgraves from 2 years ago!
How excessiv is that!
We had Echelon 2 years ago, Gianni.
We had listning stations...
- Which is way Tumbleweed.
- Do you really think.
If some commited people
really want it to hurt us..
You think they couldnt manage?
You think we hear them coming?
We wouldnt!,and they knew it
and we knew it!
Come on, James. Echelon, Tumbleweed,
these are the instruments of national security!
National what!
What,what country, Gianni!
Last time i checked W.C. Tech
was not a country!
So what Fucking country
are you talking about!
They are instruments of the only country
that can take care of business.
You cant even vote anyone in or out
of the white house, my friend.
Its privacy!Its just Privacy!
Who cares about of privacy!
No one... shall be subject to
any undo interfierence-
with their homes or their communications.
Thats a human charta
of human rights, Gianni.
30 years you been doing this
and you are notecing this now!
30 years ago in Rome.
30 years ago... you should
stuck with the girl.
You pick the work
thats your problem.
- There was a war...
- Still is!
Deal with it some other way.
James...
Put me thru... to Philip Kovacs.
- Kovacs.
- Philip, this is Giovanni Longardo.
Giovanni?
Im with James...
Im sorry
- Kovacs!
- Giovanni, where is Jim? Are you with Jim?
We are.. Gianni where are you?
Just kill this... we got get out here.
We are going nowhere
until they come to pickup us.
Do you except a cavellery?
Who was that on the phone Phil?
They ware upon
mountain arent they.
You tell witch mountin it is?
A really? Come on, Phil.
Thats not cool...
How are you going to squere
something like that with...
I dont know,fbi.
Give me Vaughn.
They are coming.
Vaughn is whom wants to torture.
Its aint the first time it is.
How can you be sure?
Gianni, please...
What a hell its gonna take.
Do you know what?
You promise me,right now
that you never pursue...
This Tumbleweed business.
You Never ask me to get you
copies from Antrctica.
No more Wendel Cranshaw.
Let go free.
Its truth,5 of them
less than 2 hours away.
What is the fastest road down
with the sno-Cat?
With a snow-Cat that is only route.
The one we come up,the one they are on.
The only one?
How long to the other side
- On foot?
- Yes!
With them, 7 hours.
- Okay, Gianni fine.
- What?
I never pursue Wendel
Cranshaw Technologies,
Tumbleweed...
Or turn on nsa.
And il never again ask you help.
In retrieving copies or anything else.
Mission is over.
You promise?
On her life.
Okay, James.
Are you ready?
No, Gianni... im not coming.
- Im going to buy you some time, Gianni.
- What?
- Il catch you
- Not necerely.
Im not coming, Gianni!
Can somebody please
tell me whats going on.
Jim, why arent you getting ready?
- No you keep it.
- Im not good with it.
I was aiming for his heart.
Just take it, i have one too.
Take em down..
Why arent you coming?
Can i go home now?
Im so sorry.
But you said...
Jim!
You are a great man,mr James.
So are you.
It is tody, Phil.
Hold it!
Lets go.
In the late 1990s, reporters
obtein recorded evidences...
N.S.A. Enchannced survellence capabilities
These recordings proved that
N.S.A was able to listen thru cellphones...
Even when their do not apper to be in use.
How the recordings were made
and where they came from...
Remaince un clear...
- Okej.
The...
US Embassy in Rome, Italy.
Would you describe Sara Baldino
as the love of your life?
I don't know.
Yes or no, please.
Yes.
And yet you choose to discontinue
the relationship and be transferred here.
She was an Italian citizen.
It was against regulations. So...
Yes...
You could left agencys
people have you know.
They told me that if I left,
they would have to fire Phil, too.
- That will be Philip Kovacs.
- Yeah.
Please describe the nature of your
relationships with him.
Well, he's been my supervising officer
for about 20 years, and...
He is my friend.
Did you ever regret your decision.
No..
And have you had
any unreported contact since then?
No..
Thanks, Jim. We're done.
THE LISTENING
In 1952 a secret organisation.
Known as The Black Chamber.
Was reborn by executive order
As the National Security Agency
It was tasked with codemaking, codebreaking
and collecting foreign communications intelligence.
5 years later, the first man-Made
satellite was launched into orbit.
More than 3,000 satellites
are now in operation...
Carrying our phone calls,
e - Mails and broadcasts.
Listening to this massive flow
of information..
Is a multi-Billion dollar
surveillance network..
Built by the NSA
And codenamed Echelon.
Every hour, unmanned computers...
Scan through millions
of intercepted calls...
Inside words largest listning station.
Only when Echelon recognises
a Significant word
Or a known voice,Does it
notify its human operators.
The men and women of Menwith Hill
Are highly specialized
Linguists...
Mathematicians and
computer scientists.
They are required to violate
the privacy of foreign citizens.
Cover your tracks
and make new ones...
While being allowed
very little privacy of their own.
Underpaid and
burdened with secrets...
They live their lives
according to a complex hierarchy.
Of codewords, paygrades
and colour-Coded badges.
By contrast, employees of the private
contractor corporations...
That provide the hardware
for Echelon...
Are allowed inside secure
facilities after abnormal scrutiny...
To promote new technology.
Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
Why was he not given proper training?
He was...
Standrd employer pakage.
We'll issue him with a blue badge.
What?
Is there a problem, Mr Wagley?
No problem at all, Mr Lehmann.
We're all very excited
about your product.
It's just that we're a little touchy
about our colour-Codes.
Jim and I have 15 years
to get to blue,alright.
Shall we go meet the boy?
So... will I see you later?
Okay,Sorry.
I'll be ready in a minute, sir.
Our friends seem to be concerned..
About your attitude towards security.
That's not a problem, sir,
Once they see the product.
Well, the product is useless
unless kept secret.
Should the sale not go
through,the board and I...
Would have to hold you responsible
For the RD expenditures.
That's about,400 million dollars.
Perhaps you're not...
familiar with my salary.
Shall we go?
Sure.
So,You boys and girls are spies.
Well, I've got a surprise for you.
Miss, Would you please step up here and
Give Nicholas your
home phone number.
That's him,That's Pepper.
I can hear my dog barking.
Thank you, Miss.
Well, that's it, guys!
That's all it is!
Tumbleweed lets you listen into
Any room where there's a telephone.
Even if the receiver's
on the hook...
And without you having to go into that
room and tamper with telephone beforhand.
- What about cell-Phones?
- Cells?
They're easy!
They're little walking bugs,
even when they're turned off.
And everybody's got one.
So,you all look like college graduates.
Any ideas on how to neutralise our big
fancy 400 million dollar system?
And if it's a cell-Phone,
You should remove the batteries
And the SIM card probably.
- Tony Ashe.
- Jim Wagley.
Nice to meet you, Jim.
Thank you very much!
Well, I'm a level kind of guy.
So I'm gonna have to admit
that Jim is right.
Tumbleweed is still a little
fragile in that area...
...but at Wen Cran we believe that
if the comsec is handled right...
We can get another 5 years
of operational life out of this.
So what do you say, boys and girls?
As we told in Fort Meade
we will sell this dreamy little
Thing of magic to you...
For a song...
I see you later.
- Wait up jim,I'll give you a ride home.
- But essentially a song.
- I'll stay here and bunk.
- But their Bunks are so small.
So is home.
Suit yourself.
Right now 32 of my colleagues
have just finished their own demos...
In the signals intelligence
branches of our Embassies..
Paris, Prag, Hage, Lisbon,
Athens, Madrid and Rome.
If they're gonna listen to something,
I guess the term "Tumbleweed" is a good bet..
Yes, sir, Mr Ashe.
No, it was Murray's, sir.
I don't know,Okay.
Our guys are here.
The NSA are entering the data
in their Echelon Dictionary.
Word search, Ben.
If anybody uses the word "Tumbleweed"on
a telephone anywhere in the world
They hear it and pass
it on to our guys.
What do you mean
by "anywhere in the world"?
Try saying "semtex" into
a phone in an Arabic accent.
That's a frogshit, Michael,
they don't have the technology yet...
- It's a total legend.
- You getting a degree in a total legend.
Michael Ellison.
Roving Logistical Support.
No briefcase?
Sir. Sir!
I'm sorry.
Head Office didn't tell me what time
the flight was, for some reason.
Where are you going?
I'm...
Nothing. I'm just
running a little late.
No, you're not.
You're staying right here...
Until you find that briefcase
And Disable those sabotouers.
This thing in Rome...
See you, Anthony!
It's all about technical things,disks...
A big book...
Top Secret, Comint,
Gamma Plus...
Capricorn, Noforn, Orcon,
Substation Operations Manual..
..."TUMBLEWEED".
For sure they
are technical things.
- Come on, I won't throw it away.
- Tomorrow I'll return it to them.
Come on! Do you care about it?
- Why don't you look inside?
- I don't want to.
Listen, tomorrow I will take it
To the Carabinieri at 6:00 pm.
And even if it takes me 2 hours, I'll
come and visit you before you leave.
- See you tomorrow then?
- Yeah.
All right. Bye. - Bye bye.
Ashe...
- What?
- Such a flake!
So laid back he can barely see
Over his pelvis. - Yeah.
Everybody out.
You heard.
Echelon got a hit on the word
"Tumbleweed" 95 minutes ago.
Woman named Francesca Savelli
mentioned the manuals on the phone...
The entire cover of one of them.
I guess Ashe got lucky.
Said she plans to return them
at 18:00 tomorrow to the Carabinieri.
What's the problem?
- Until she does, you listen.
- Why should I listen?
Tumbleweed's got bumped
up to Gamma Glide plus.
You and I are the only
ones cleared and I'm busy.
Well, get busy.
Yes, it's lovely.
I know, I really didn't think
they were going to buy it.
Oh, God.
The copies are fucking horrible.
No, it's the doodle.
Looks like pee on snow.
I can't send this
to the French Embassy.
Samir is going to flip.
- Sure is! What can you do?
- I'll have to find a way.
It's only 10:15.
These gentlemen are very worried,Jim.
- There's nothing to worry about.
- Good.
No,No, I won't go into details!
All right, I came 4 times.
The great total amount of this year.
- What do you mean by this year?
- I mean this year.
Tune in to Canale 5.
Luisa is on TV.
- Why isn't the bag back?
- What was that?
WCT wanted the head of Rome office to send
Marines in to retrieve it,Embassy Marines!
Oh, for crying out loud.
This girl is not an industrial spy,
She's not a blackmailer...
And she's certainly not a terrorist.
She's just doing
these jerks a favour.
- How long?
- I don't know.
It'd probably be a good idea if the
Italian police didn't see the manuals.
Phil,we're not corporate security.
Just do me a favour and cross-Feed
her coordinates to John real time.
Sure.
- Miss Savelli?
- Si.
- Speak English?
- Yes, I do.
No news.
Come say goodbye
before you leave, Jim.
I'll be sleeping here again tonight.
That's not healthy.
Well, apparently I have a lot of work
to catch up on tomorrow.
Yeah, yeah.
- Are you sure we are missing a manual?
- Yes, sir, the fourth one.
Okay, Bryden. It's your show.
Let's do this.
- I really fancy leaving...
- I'll call you back in a minute.
Francesca.
- Where did you put the fourth manual?
- I really don't know.
Who is Sameer Ben Saffar?
Sameer is a buyer.
He is Syrian,He buys sculptures
from the art gallery I work for.
And why did you not return
the briefcase immediately?
I had other stuff to do.
What can you tell us about
the photo copies you made.
- What? When?
- Just answer the question, please.
Who is your contact
at the French Embassy?
We know you made copies...
And sent them to the French
Embassy via local courier.
- What's going on?
- I'm sorry, this is a private.
- It's okay. He's blue.
- Woman took something from the case,jim.
- No, she didn't.
- That's right, I didn't!
- We know that, Miss Francesca.
- She can hear us?
- So are we finished?
- Yes, we are.
- Well, turn the damn speakers off.
- No dont.
- They're just asking her some questions.
Who,Who's asking? Who are these?
That's Frank Vaughan and our fantastic
logistical support team.
- Is that her house?
- She let them in,Jim it's okay.
No, I think they should
leave there right now.
- Mr Wagley, is it?
- Yes.
As you yourself demonstrated,
Tumbleweed is still very fragile.
You have no threat from Ms Francesca,
I can guarantee you.
She made copies this afternoon,
that was in your report.
- Those were invitations
to an art show. - So you say.
But our company is targeted for
industrial espionage every month...
So I think we know
when we're under attack.
Listen to me, your company and your
product are not under attack.
At least of all from her,
And I'm going to
tell you what happened.
No,no I tell you something.
You don't have the right to act
on our intelligence product...
- That's like revealing a source.
- This was an informal interrogation.
- Jim, why do you even?
- Why do I what?
I do, that's all,Okay.
Ask your men to leave, Mr Ashe.
Fine,my bad.
- Vaughan, discontinue Q,A.
- Yes,sir.
- Okay, Mr Wagley?
- Yes. Thanks.
Actually, Vaughan, put her on,
would you? - Roger.
- Ms Savelli?
- Hello? - Hi.
Listen,I just wanted to say
I'm sorry for all the trouble.
My boys are gonna scoot off now.
And you have been really,really helpful.
- Okay. So it's finished.
- Once again I'm sorry.
- Ellison, do you have a brochure.- yeah-
- Please, give one to Miss Savelli.
- Sure.
So miss,should you or anyone in
your family ever need a hearing aid...
just call us and ask for Anthony.
Sure, yeah.
- Okay.
- Bye bye.
- Thanks, Phil.
- You bet.
Yeah,see you.
Offline
What fucking company?
What company?I want a name!
A name! Who did you talk to?
A name! Tumbleweed!
What fucking company
wanted Tumbleweed?
Who's the guy inside our company?
Wendell Cranshaw! There's a name!
Who is he?
I want a name!
I want you to talk now!Now!Now!
Louis,patch me through to Rome.
What's the fucking name
of the company?
What's to stop her pressing for her
government to raise a shitstorm?
They're about to take care of that.
What fucking company wanted
Tumbleweed?Where's the fourth manual,
The one you copied?
I'm talking to you!Don't drift away!
I want you to talk now! Now!
Look. Speakto me now,
you fucking wop cunt!
This is getting us nowhere.
I don't think she knows
anything either, sir.
Well, she does now, doesn't she?
Maybe there are other options
we should be considering.
But can you do the thing, Vaughan?
- I can do it. I just wanted
to be clear on this. - We're clear.
- This would be permanent, Mr Ashe.
- I get that.
She would never talk or walk. Ever.
Well,Jump up and bite that frisbee, Frank,
I thought that was the whole fucking point!
Okay,Thank you.
You can't get good help
these days. Can you, Mike?
- John.
- Right.
Carabinieri! Open the door!
- Hide the kit, Vaughan!
- Be cool!
It might be wise to cut
the Satlink about now.
- What are the police doing there?
- I called them.
- I thought this link was secure.
- I used Tumbleweed.
- You did what?
- I'm asking you...
For a signed agreement
as to the safety of this girl.
Mr Wagley...
I would feel compelled.
To expose your system.- Right.
Which you must understand
would make it unsellable.
Good luck.
You're never going near
my system again, Mr Wagley.
Why can't you relax?
It's not like we wanna kill anyone!
They had a lobotomy kit in there!
Chemical lobotomy you
all agree is non-Lethal.
This is a citizen, an allied
citizen, a civilian!
Spy,Yes lndustrial espionage
does carry 5 to 10.
You are way out of your
depth here Mister.
Please, Mr Wagley,
this is national security. - Nat!
We are National Security!
You are a company!
And we must protect our sale,
- And ourselves and you from litigation.
- But this girl is no threat.
Yeah, well, we're just gonna have
to agree to disagree on that one.
Now, while I appreciate
Mr Wagley's seal...
He seems to be having
some allegiance issues.
Jim's allegiance
is not in question.
Whatever. The point is it be really nice
if he stopped popping up all the time.
Im going to report you.
- Are you hearing me, Phil?
Or do I need to say it on the phone.
- So you can snoop it?
- Mr Ashe.
His clearance, Gone Now.
John, call security.
Even assuming
that she was acting alone..
We need to know what
that girl did and why
What we do not need
is a lawsuit.
And we especially
do not need this guy
Commendring our proto-Type
by making silly treaths
Okay, Phil,Because if the girl
blows the system,i mean..
Even if she does so by accident!
You aren't going to buy it,are you?
And that guy over there,he is gonna have
to call my bosses. And then guess what?
Those are my guys in Rome,
I handpicked them.
So if the sale is a no-Go...
Whose paycheck do you think
is gonna get squeezed?
Now I wasn't planning on selling
any kidneys, Phil...
And I don't think anybody
would wanna buy one of yours.
So,I am asking you
to give me his clearance.
Now.
Jim...
Give me your keycard, please.
Phil...
- This is not who we are.
- It is today.
It is today.
You will get a new
keycard tomorrow.
And what colour
will that be, John?
You'll feel better when you've
had a day of rest at home.
I'll get these
to the incinerator for you.
Have the cops released them yet?
They've released the girl.
It's gonna take a while to get
the Wen Cran guys out. Maybe tomorrow.
And then?
And then they'll find her.
Miss Francesca!
- I'm sorry. I need to talk to you.
- Do I know you?
I'm the one who called
the police last night.
Right,Thanks.
I need to talk to you Please
it's important,I need to talk to you.
I've got a train to catch,Sorry.
Listen,no matter where you go,
they'll find you.
And when they do, they'll finish
what they were doing last night.
They'll do it to your family,
to your friends, to all of you.
Do what?
Get rid of you,make
it look like an overdose.
I'm calling the police.
- Italian police cannot help you.
- We'll see it in a minute!
There is no life in the world
worth 400m$,Do you understand?
Put that back!
They can hear us.
Right now. They can hear us.
Keep your finger on the button,
if you want...
- What do you want?
- Those men are coming back.
They're in prison right now.
Just let me show you something
Then if you like you can get on a train.
Any where you want.
I was going to go see Annamaria,my friend.
I'm alone too.
My name is Jim Wagley.
I wouldn't hurt you
for the world, kid.
We gotta get going
and we're gonna need your car.
Those guys don't work
for the National Security Agency...
They work for a company
called Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
Then, why would
the police let them go?
Because they're friends of ours
The best way to get them to forget you
is to compromise the system.
- "Compromise"?
- Yeah, you make it public.
Remember those manuals you saw?
Yes. - Tumbleweed.
And we use Tumbleweed
to expose Tumbleweed.
And gather evidence
that Tumbleweed exists.
- What evidence?
- Recordings,lots and lots of recordings.
- Do you know how?
- No.
Porto Ferrario - Italia
So Tumble-Thing is here?
No. Tumbleweed is in England.
I'll drop you off and pick you up
later and we'll go to the hotel.
Why can't I come with you?
My friend may not like what I ask.
And your other friends
Will they like it?
In terms of personnel and budget
the NSA is larger than-
The FBI and the CIA combined.
So,that will be okay.
They say old age
can be a good thing!
Then again nobody is
doing you any favours.
So nice to see you too.
- James...
- Moneypenny...
- James!
- Hey, good-Looking!
- Get your own wife!
- Oh, you just shut up!
You look wonderfull.
- She's gone, Philip.
- I know.
Where's Wagley?
He flew to Rome.
Goody,
Does he have contacts there?
- Look, Mr Ashe.
- Yeah.
With all due respect, I think we should
concentrate on closing the sale.
Well, that's exactly
what I'm trying to do.
Maybe if you guys gave me a hand,
I could find that shithead.
You're not going to find him.
And he's not a shithead.
I'm going to..
Go back to my hotel room.
Gianni, is this house secure?
- I have a question.
- So do I.
You first.
- Do you still listen to her?
- To who?
Sara.
No. Not in years...
Okay,Your turn.
It's hypothetical, Gianni.
Would it be possible from here, covertly-
To hack into Menwith Hill and hijack
a brand-New Echelon subsystem prototype?
- Come again?
- You heard me.
- What's going on?
- It's just a question.
Anything is possible, Jim.
- Can you do it?
- With what?
What you have, what I know, 30,000
dollars to get what you might need...
What is this about?
With a voice we know
to be filed in the system.
You're not talking for real,are you?
James...
No, Gianni, no.
It's a simulation.
The US Government
needs your help.
The Italian Ministry has authorised us
to reactivate your consultancy.
- Is there a brief?
- No brief.
It's simulation of
covert and hostile.
And...
If we manage?
Well,if we manage then we tell
them how we did it and they fix it.
And gives a medal that doesn't exist,
for something we never did.
Thank you, James.
There are 3 voices to choose from.
Which one is the most distinctive?
I would say a Francesca Savelli.
Italian, Rome, 30 years old.
I'll fly her over in the morning.
Can't we just tape her?
- No, no, no. No phones.
- Well,
We will have to use her voice
to stage a fake telephone call-
To which we will then attach
a trace signal.
Echelon goes through everything,
So it would pick up the call
Recognise her voice
and record it.
Once we're inside, our trace signal
would lead us to your prototype.
But unless I find you a backdoor,
Menwith Hill will be impenetrable.
So,where are you staying?
- So how do you know him?
- When I was posted at the Embassy in Rome
Gianni worked with the Italian Intelligence.
Sometimes they would lend him to us,
He was one of our satellite guys.
- You liked him.
- Oh yeah,Still do.
He was very supportive
of me when I...
Had to make a difficult decision.
What was it?
- All right.
- When it's over..
Ill tell him the truth.
We're going to go in through
the Gigster satellite network.
It is the most secure
of all NSA satellite networks.
Gigster satellites are all
in contact with Antarctica.
6 years ago I set up the satellite link..
For an Italian base in the South Pole..
And I have the codes to remote control
all their antennas and computers.
All the NSA satellites
transmit on blind frequencies.
Exactly! Blind frequencies
can't cross the atmosphere.
So we can't pick them up from earth.
You wanna go into space? - No, James.
The only place on earth they link
to on a detectable frequency...
Is beneath the depletion zone
in the ozone layer.
The hole in the ozone.
If we manage, from here.
To hook to another
commercial satellite.
That sees the Italian
research facility in Antarctica.
Then we could connect
to Gigster through the hole.
- Get back into Menwith
through Antarctica? - Easy peasy.
We find and hijack
a Bumbelbee,whatever...
Prove it, and we've blown it.
Simulation!
- So when do I meet the girl?
- Ehm... tomorrow.
And how did it happen
that you met Jim?
- She was listening to me by mistake.
- Ah. By mistake...
Gianni, are you sure the origin of
the call can be shielded?
My sat-Phone goes through
an anonimizing router.
Even if this were for real..
The worst thing they could
do to us is call us back.
They'd still never know
where we are.
Francesca,can I talk
to you a minute?
I'm not reading it.
I'm sorry, it has to be verbal,identical.
Otherwise the system
will think it's something new.
So what?
We don't want them noting
what we're doing.
Their computers at Menwith
must file this away as an error.
And I wished
I remembered something else.
How long did you listen to me for?
All day.
Why do Americans
have to spy on everyone?
Makes the world safer.
I'm not safe,And I cant say
this in exactly the same way.
Sure you can.
No, I won't go into details!
All right, I came 4 times.
The great total amount of this year!
I mean "this year"!
Well done! Where're you going?
Inside!
What is it?
It didn't work, did it?
The satellite that sees the base
Is below the horizon.
- How much?
- 3 degrees.
I should have checked this.
We can't see that bird
from anywhere north of,Sudan.
- Are there any other satellites?
- Not that I have the codes for.
And not with the right
relay band capability..
That's okay.
- I only did the link for Antarctica because...
- It's okay, It's okay, Gianni.
They'll be more than happy to know
that they're...impenetrable.
- At least from Italy.
- James...
There you are.
So, how did it go?
It didn't work.
- Was it me?
- No.
So he was my best bet.
If he can't do it, we can't do it.
- Then, how do we expose Tumbleweed?
- We don't, We don't.
- Are we leaving?
- Yeah.
- Home?
- No, no,South America or...
Australia.
How?
By boat.
- Bye bye.
- It has been a pleasure.
Thank you for everything.
- Where is he?
- Doing Hara-Kiri, I imagine.
Upstairs.
- Gianni!
- James, can I hire a guy?
- No.
- Can I hire one guy?
- No. - Just one! I can vouch for him!
Worked with him before!
They won the game, Gianni.
Bullshit! We can win
this exercise! We can show them.
Bird is 3 degrees below the horizon
We can go below the horizon.
We're not going to the Sudan,Gianni.
And we're not going to Antarctica.
We don't need to.
Just the one guy.
And 4 or 5 days. We'd have
to spend some of the money...
But look,this is all
the gear we'd need...
Including the survival gear.
Survival?
Yeah, and check out
the coffee rings.
They really throw off OCR
We could fax it to Baghdad.
And it wouldn't get
picked up by Echelon.
- How covert is that, hey?
- What is all this?
Let me hire this guy and he'll have
all that gear on the vehicle...
What vehicle?- By the day
after tomorrow at the latest.
You ready?
What can I tell him?
That's Gianni's man, Francesca.
Nothing.
You tell him nothing.
I can do it myself.
Thank you.
You'd better be right about this!
3 full degrees over the horizon!
How high are we here actually?
3.2km And we're heading for 3.6km
There's truly
shortage of air here.
- And a lot of water
- Thank you.
- Mr Wagley.
- Is that it?
Go, Guglia!
Did it the right way around this time.
Baia Terranova, the South Pole.
Miserable place.
Why does Italy
have a base in Antarctica?
Our people there are supposed
to study penguins and moss.
How do you know all these things?
- I thought we were
on a no-Questions basis. - We are.
- Because if it's open season,
I'd really like to know. - We are.
Sorry.
No, I won't go into details!
All right, I...
Came 4 times,The total
amount of this year.
I mean this year.
- Does this do what it says it does?
- You bet.
Yeah, but,What do you mean
the same conversation?
Look,this is our very
comprehensive directory.
I must say you and your friends
are very nosy people, James.
So who do you want to listen to?
- Is that him?
- That would be the PM of France.
Shall we start with him?
Or perhaps the Pope?
Go French.
Hi, guys.
Francesca Savelli keeps calling from a
hidden location to talk about sex to nobody at all.
What?
It sounded just like him.
I have a list.
- There must be 150 names.
I know, simulation's ramified.
Some simulation, James!
Tape them,Tape all of them.
We're willing to knock off 7%..
But I want a list
of Wagley's contacts in Italy.
And I wanna talk to the guys
who intercepted the girl's calls.
See you around.
Take me to them, Phil.
So who are
the last names on the list?
Those are lawyers and reporters.
If we taped them,sent them the recordings
and then told them how we did it,
They would not be very happy.
No. And Tumbleweed would
be blown within hours.
And this was your mission?
Wow, well done,Nice plan!
Thank you.
How do you, people,
listen to this stuff?
The NSA is the largest employer
of linguists in the world
We do all the dialects of all languages
including a couple of dead ones.
You guys are great
Gianni, What's that?
That's just the copy traffic.
- What do you mean by copy traffic.
- I have to copy everything down to the mainframe in Antarctica.
Before I upload it back here.
You mean Copies remain in Antarctica?
Yes. We can erase the copies
from here when we're finished.
- No, Gianni.
- Relax, James!
We'll delete them when we're done.
It's only
a bloody simulation, anyway.
Place was cleared
less than a week ago.
I'm sure, Mr Ashe.
If I may...
If we guaranteed their safety.
Wagley's and the girl's, sir,
they might stop making trouble for us.
I understand, Mr Ashe.
Yes, sir.
I'm gonna get some snow, for water.
I'll come with you
- Francesca!
- I'm gonna help Guglia with the water.
I need your help here, now.
it only be a minute.
I know,but I think
you should stay here.
The first call was from her
workphone in Rome to this other phone
And she actually spoke to someone.
That was on Wagley's report.
But the other two had only her voice,
no-One else at the other end...
And they were both unpure Dest.
- Slow the fuck down, please?
- Easy, Mr Ashe.
It means their origin and destination
were shielded. Unknowable.
Now when you say unknowable.
It would take a Triton 5 and
a few days to crack the encryption.
That's out of the question.
What's a Triton 5?
- And there's another thing.
- Yeah.
The 3 conversations
of Francesca Savelli is part of them.
They were all almost
identical,word-For-Word.
- So? - So if there hadn't been
a hiccup in the last performance.
- Echelon wouldn't have picked it up.
- Exactly.
Dictionary would have
filed it away as an error.
Dictionary?
Computer system
that runs Echelon.
It picks words out of e-Mails
and phone calls.
Right.
So let me get this straight
What you're saying.
What im saying whatever
reason the call was made...
It was made in such a way as to enter
the system without being detected.
Wagley.
When I was your age
or rather when I was-
Guglia Grafs age.
What are you on about?
There are two worlds...
There's a normal world,
where you live and your friends live
And the girl that I used to know.
And there's a secret world,
where I live...
Where Gianni used
to live,and Guglia...
And Guglia,and you have to
trust me on this...
You're making a huge deal
about nothing.
The two worlds don't match.
So what do you call this?
The normal world?
You see that.
- Is that a satellite?
- No, it's Mercury.
The days on Mercury
are longer than the years.
Jim..
Why are you so mad at them?
You said when you were
back in Rome that...
Back in Rome..
Before you were born
there was a girl, Sara.
But she was Italian,
and the Agency...
Was very clear.
About interaction with foreigners.
She would have been worth
getting fired over,but...
They'd have fired Phil
too,He was my boss.
So... I left her.
And I moved to England.
And I guess Phil Kovacs
forgot what I did for him.
Could this Triton 5 thingy find
their location, if you had one?
Our Triton 5 thingy, Mr Ashe
is currently tasked..
To cross-Match air passenger lists to just
about everyone in the Middle East.
It is there fore a little busy.
- Ms.
- Doctor.
Doctor Palmer, you understand
that I need to find them before
Before your sale
goes under?Yes.
But there is one thing
I'm not 100% sure you understand.
Louis,Regardless of whatever
special treatment
Your people may
have gotten in Rome..
Echelon, this station
and other highly classified...
Highly cost-Intensive NSA resources
such as Triton 5's,are not at your disposal.
You are a privileged business partner,
not a Signals Intelligence Operative.
You understand
that I can have you fired, don't you?
Great! Mr Ashe, you know what?
What?
You're not cleared
to be in here.
Come on! Uppity up!
Out we get!
Lets go.
- Hi..
- John Strobel. We met.
I was wondering what it's like to work
for Wendell Cranshaw Technologies.
I heard about your...conundrum.
- What.
- Your situation.
The router that the girl called from,
the unknowable origin.
Its truth it would take a very powerful
computer to crack its location.
- Listen.
- But one could... call it.
It wouldn't tell you where it is,
but it would forward the call.
You know, John Strobel.
If the old man and that girl
were up to something
I don't think, if I call them,
they're gonna tell me where they are.
There is one resource that you still have
access to,.Here in the station.
Yeah, that!
I mean exclusive,proprietary access to.
You see, Mr Ashe?
If you could call them,
They are using a phone...
TumbleWeed.
Yes, Mr Ashe.
John, I like you!
- It's an incredible tool, James.
- It's a weapon, Gianni.
Yes, a non-Violent weapon..
- Holy Grail.
- Non-Violent?
Is pasta and peas fine with you?
Yeah, that's fine, Guglia!
Makes mean pasta and peas.
Dont you think should
we finish our work?
- On what?
-On the list, Gianni.
- The list is finished
- Come again?
A couple of dozens of them are still
quiet. They'll talk before morning.
You mean we're done?
We almost didn't have enough space
on the recorders!
- We're done?
- Yes, we're done.
Come in.
What, Mr Kovacs?
This thing is doing
a lot of work already.
We ride it pretty hard, sir.
Part of the test process.
Can we get going, please?
I don't knowwhat you think
you're gonna achieve with this.
- Their location.
- You thinkthey're just gonna say it?
I don't know, Phil.
Even if they did, it won't be your
lost and found boys who get there.
It'll be CIAor the Italians.
Maybe us.
Not Frank Vaughan
and the lobotomy gang.
Sorry,
Roving Logistical Support!
- There! What was that?
- What was what? - Listen!
- Sounds like...
- Music.
Gianni...
- Gimme the cans!
- What?
The cans,gimme the cans.
What's this?
Its a fax sent from Elba to Turin
a couple of days ago.
- Where's Turin?
- Northern Italy.
- This is Sigint gear.
- Great coffee rings!
I wouldn't have picked it up if I were
not looking for stuff out of Elba.
Why were you looking
for stuff out of Elba?
Vaughan, how quickly
can you get to Turin?
They were very gentle,
the second time.
That's not funny!
The second time!
It's just a stupid navy ritual.
No wonder
you wanna be a mountain guide!
Francesca, maybe you should help the able
bodied seaman here do the dishes.
Gianni! And bring the fucking wine.
Only in fucking norway
they could work.
- You know you're a genius, Gianni?
- You're going to have to do better than that, loverboy.
Remember back in the 1970's
when you did all those tests?
You were certified.
That was you guys.
We IQ'ed you.
You're a pain in the ass
Always the same story, All right.
Why does he need a mountain guide?
The guy they sent the fax to
was a mountain guide.
- Altitude.
- What?
They're doing something
that requires altitude.
And Sigint gear.
Are there mountains in Turin?
The highest in Europe.
What about Tempest shielding?
Irrelevant, if we go in
through the phone line.
- And you know the extension?
- It's in the directory.
We have a new found game.
Look out,the adults are back.
Thats him.
Cant hear anything.
Isnt this little bit extreme.
What.. What is extreme.
What are they doing?
- James...
- Holy shit!
- What?
- He can hear us.
- How does he know.
- Becuse he can do.
- Whats going on you said
- You said they couldnt trace this phone.
- They couldnt!
- I thought we were doing the listening.
- But they can call it.
- Is he hearing me right now?
- Its TumbleWeed.
- Why would they TumbleWeed us?
Jim...
Phil...
Thats Phil Kovacs.
Phil... you poor bastard.
That badge... was all i ever had.
Jim, this is madess.
- Call him.
- What?
- What.
- Mr Wagley.
- Mr. Ashe.
- What exactly you think you are doing.
Im telling people about you and your toy.
Holy shit, Jim!
They are coming
to get you Mr Wagley.
Just a litte late mr ash.
What.. Where did he go?
Where did he go!
Whats is going on here.
I think we,we maybe under attack.
May.
Its Jim Wagley,Catherine.
Say it!
Say it!
It was not a... simulation.
If i told you the truth
you wouldnt come.
Of course, wouldnt fucking come!
Would you go out.
They tortured her!
Well i guess it doesnt matter.
But,you betrait me.
- Gianni...
- Me,you turn me into a terrorist!
Now will you fucking listen to me.
Should i order shutdown, Dr. Palmer?
Should i order a shutdown.
You know how long it takes to reboot.
You better do something, Dr. Palmer,
because Mr. Wagley is in here.
- Dr. Palmer?
- What do you want!
Do you have 1974 TRW
ULF Over modulator in the house.
So,what is in your mind John.
Polish resistence in 39 would dial down
the gain of all the transmitters in a given area.
They would then send out very faint and
meaningless signal over their radio hooks
Germans would dial up the gain, on the receiver
order to hear it..And minut they did it. Wham!
Wham,whats a wham?
A Puls of blastpower,
Back then, it burned their radios out.
So you want us to shout att them, John?
It will fry their equipment, Catherine.
- Cath...
- Not now...
If they listning only over moduladed...
They shouldnt been fucking listening,Phil
How do you know to turn it on
if he isnt listening?
Send a bait!
You! Ex guessme!
Can you send a clear text message
over the whole GIGSTER network?
Yes sir, thats going to be over my paygrade
You can use my clearence.
Sir, thats not possible at this time.
Now, Louis!
25 seconds...
Initiate now.
Turnnig it down,Mr Strobel.
Warning: stop listening it now.
Ulf-O/M Puls incomming danger!
Jim, we are about to burn you...
Do not listen.
REPEAT,DO NOT LISTEN.
...8... 7... 6... 5...
4... 3... 2...
Im sorry, Jim.
...1.
Francesca.
FRANCESCA!
Francesca...
Francesca!
FRANCESCA!
She cant hear me!
We lost every thing.
We must start all over.
Did it work?
Yes, i think it did.
- Sir?
- That was a great idea, John.
Did you send this out in clear
over the GIGSTER network?
We lost akll the recordings
e grande parte do equipamento.
How is she?
Its permanent James.
Eardrums are burst.
This is what, us goverment
does to terrorist.
I didnt want to attack US goverment.
I guess they miss interperted you.
Gianni, we have to retieve.
The copies of all the recordins...
From Bioterranova.
Did you miss what i just said,
about her been deaf?
I did not.
- Unless, you help me expose Tumbleweed...
- Oh, for fuck sake!
Ashs corporate security,will do
a lot worse than split our eardrums, Gianni.
Then its over.
They interrigate us until
we are with out words.
Thats it!
Gianni,listen to me.
People in iran are
going to be really greatfull...
For you to try to help them out.
Tumbleweed is excessiv at as best.
There are massgraves.
3 hours drive from here, James.
Massgraves from 2 years ago!
How excessiv is that!
We had Echelon 2 years ago, Gianni.
We had listning stations...
- Which is way Tumbleweed.
- Do you really think.
If some commited people
really want it to hurt us..
You think they couldnt manage?
You think we hear them coming?
We wouldnt!,and they knew it
and we knew it!
Come on, James. Echelon, Tumbleweed,
these are the instruments of national security!
National what!
What,what country, Gianni!
Last time i checked W.C. Tech
was not a country!
So what Fucking country
are you talking about!
They are instruments of the only country
that can take care of business.
You cant even vote anyone in or out
of the white house, my friend.
Its privacy!Its just Privacy!
Who cares about of privacy!
No one... shall be subject to
any undo interfierence-
with their homes or their communications.
Thats a human charta
of human rights, Gianni.
30 years you been doing this
and you are notecing this now!
30 years ago in Rome.
30 years ago... you should
stuck with the girl.
You pick the work
thats your problem.
- There was a war...
- Still is!
Deal with it some other way.
James...
Put me thru... to Philip Kovacs.
- Kovacs.
- Philip, this is Giovanni Longardo.
Giovanni?
Im with James...
Im sorry
- Kovacs!
- Giovanni, where is Jim? Are you with Jim?
We are.. Gianni where are you?
Just kill this... we got get out here.
We are going nowhere
until they come to pickup us.
Do you except a cavellery?
Who was that on the phone Phil?
They ware upon
mountain arent they.
You tell witch mountin it is?
A really? Come on, Phil.
Thats not cool...
How are you going to squere
something like that with...
I dont know,fbi.
Give me Vaughn.
They are coming.
Vaughn is whom wants to torture.
Its aint the first time it is.
How can you be sure?
Gianni, please...
What a hell its gonna take.
Do you know what?
You promise me,right now
that you never pursue...
This Tumbleweed business.
You Never ask me to get you
copies from Antrctica.
No more Wendel Cranshaw.
Let go free.
Its truth,5 of them
less than 2 hours away.
What is the fastest road down
with the sno-Cat?
With a snow-Cat that is only route.
The one we come up,the one they are on.
The only one?
How long to the other side
- On foot?
- Yes!
With them, 7 hours.
- Okay, Gianni fine.
- What?
I never pursue Wendel
Cranshaw Technologies,
Tumbleweed...
Or turn on nsa.
And il never again ask you help.
In retrieving copies or anything else.
Mission is over.
You promise?
On her life.
Okay, James.
Are you ready?
No, Gianni... im not coming.
- Im going to buy you some time, Gianni.
- What?
- Il catch you
- Not necerely.
Im not coming, Gianni!
Can somebody please
tell me whats going on.
Jim, why arent you getting ready?
- No you keep it.
- Im not good with it.
I was aiming for his heart.
Just take it, i have one too.
Take em down..
Why arent you coming?
Can i go home now?
Im so sorry.
But you said...
Jim!
You are a great man,mr James.
So are you.
It is tody, Phil.
Hold it!
Lets go.
In the late 1990s, reporters
obtein recorded evidences...
N.S.A. Enchannced survellence capabilities
These recordings proved that
N.S.A was able to listen thru cellphones...
Even when their do not apper to be in use.
How the recordings were made
and where they came from...
Remaince un clear...