Vanished (2026) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[motorbike engine revs]
[tense music]
[tense music continues]
[knocking]
[gasps]
[water stops running]
[knocking]
[in French]
[breathing heavily]
[banging at door]
[grunts]
- [banging continues]
- Okay.
Um
Come on.
- [gasps]
- [grunts]
[mutters in French]
[grunts]
[grunts]
Oh!
Help!
Help!
[upbeat music]
- Hello, you.
- Hey, stranger.
- So
- Hmm.
..tell me,
how is Tirana in springtime?
- Oh, to be a woman in Albania!
- [chuckles]
Oh.
[chuckles]
- God, I've missed you.
- I missed you too.
- Hey.
- Hi.
When'd you get this?
Oh, the
I, um I just stumbled across
a Byzantine cave south of Berat,
and the entrance was a bit dicey
and I slipped.
Just stumbled upon
a Byzantine cave, did you?
- Yes, I did.
- Casually.
- Just another day in the office.
- Uh-huh. Yeah. It is what I do.
- Mm-hm.
- Mm-hm.
- Can you show me?
- [gasps] Yes, I would love to.
Okay, look. Look.
Look at this.
- [man] Oh, wow.
- Yeah.
Think it's one of the earliest
examples of Christian worship.
That's incredible.
Hey.
When were you gonna tell me about that?
I was wondering when you'd notice.
[chuckles]
Um, it's a Sinai rosefinch.
[woman] Hmm.
There was a a loud one
outside my bedroom every morning.
Oh. So you just thought
you'd have it with you forever?
Mm-hm. Reminds me of you.
- A bird just chirping away?
- Loudly.
- Chirp, chirp.
- Loudly.
[both laughing]
[Alice] So, come on, are you
holding out or something?
How is Jordan?
Um
Well, you know
dysentery, malnutrition,
backhanders to cops and politicians.
Just the usual.
Five stars on Yelp. Highly recommend.
- Mm-hm.
- Mm-hm.
[Alice laughs]
Well, I have some news.
I got offered a teaching position.
Associate professor of archaeology
Princeton.
Oh, my God, Alice.
I mean um that's
- That's amazing.
- Yeah.
That's exactly what you wanted.
I'm so proud of you.
So
So
I'm gonna have an apartment,
you know, a place on campus,
from which you and I could live
together.
I know it's gonna be hard
to leave all the dysentery.
- I totally understand.
- No, no. Um
No, no, that that is, uh
[clears throat]
big, um
- "Big."
- No, um
Well, for a man with
an English literature degree,
you really have a way with words.
I know. It's It's It's a skill.
- We've talked about this before.
- We have.
Listen, I love that we get to meet up
in hotels all over the world,
and that we actually wanna have sex
with each other all the time.
But
I want this job.
You know? I wanna
build a life that's mine.
Not just uncovering other people's.
We have to make a decision, you and me.
Like, Tom, I I love you so much.
And I wanna keep loving you.
And I'd like to do it while
I'm actually looking at you.
And I love you, Alice Monroe.
And
I wanna be with you.
Even in New Jersey?
- Especially in New Jersey.
- [laughs]
[moans]
Hey, what time is it?
Tom?
Tom?
- Hey.
- One second, one second.
- Hey.
- Hey.
It's Uncle Brian.
- He's in London.
- Oh.
Why don't you go downstairs,
order some breakfast?
- Okay.
- Train's at 10:30.
Yes, hi. Sorry
Merci.
Wow.
Hi. [laughs]
Sorry.
Brian talks like it's an Olympic sport.
Oh, that's okay.
So, you know that hotel
you wanted to go to in Arles
that was so expensive
it would have left us
destitute for the rest of our lives?
Yes?
Well, it turns out
that Brian and the owner
are on the same board
for this wildlife project,
and Brian has called in a favor.
- Oh, my God! Are you kidding?
- Nn-mm.
Can we get massages and lay by the pool?
Yes, yes, we can.
Can we have oysters and champagne?
- We can do whatever you want.
- Oh!
I love you.
Your love feels
very conditional right now.
- Oh, no, it is.
- Oh, it is?
It's completely, yes. [chuckles]
- Don't.
- Stay there.
It's almost over.
[hums]
[burbles]
[in German accent] That's a bingo!
Okay, maybe we don't do impressions
of fictional SS officers
as we're traveling through
previously-occupied France.
- What do you think?
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- [German accent] Chewing gum?
- Oh, my God, no.
- Nein?
For you?
[vibrating]
Hi. Hello?
Uh
Sorry, I can't I can't hear you.
Can you repeat that?
[in French]
[in English] One sec. Yeah.
All right, one second.
[in French]
Ouais.
[in French]
[in English] Yeah.
And he's not my husband.
He's my boyfriend.
[train brakes squealing]
[camera shutter clicks]
[camera shutter clicks]
[announcement jingle]
[in French]
Did my boyfriend return? Mon ami?
[in French]
So weird.
Where are you?
- Eh.
- Oh.
Hi. This is Tom Parker.
Unfortunately I'm unavailable.
Leave a message after the tone.
Tom?
[announcement jingle]
[in French]
[sighs]
Tom.
Hey. Very funny. I have been
looking all over this trai
Oh, my God. I'm sorry. No.
Désolée. I didn't
I thought you were some
Yeah. This is
Where the fuck?
Uh, excusez-moi. Have you seen this
have you seen this guy anywhere?
- Do you speak English?
- [passenger 1] Non.
Have you seen him?
Excuse me. Did you see him walking?
No.
Excusez-moi.
Have you seen him? You no?
Um, excuse me.
[in French]
My Mon ami.
[in English] He's gone.
He's He I can't find him.
He kind of disparu.
[in French]
[in English] No. We're
supposed to go to Arles.
[in French]
Um
- [in English] May I help you?
- Yes, please.
He's asking you
if you have tried to call him.
Yes, I have called. He's not answering.
Could there Could there
have been an accident?
Like, um, what if he was
leaning against a door
and maybe fell onto
the track? Is that possible?
[in French]
- [in English] No, no.
- Okay, but we
we made a stop back there. We stopped.
[in French]
[in English] Okay.
They only open at the stations.
Okay, I just wanna I just
wanna find my boyfriend, so
[in French]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but what's in here?
[in French]
- [in English] It's his office.
- Yes, could you please open it?
- Non. Non.
- What?
[in French]
[Alice] Monsieur Geroux.
May I please look inside? It's important.
[in French]
[phone rings]
Oh, my God. It's Tom.
[in French]
[in English] Tom, I've been
looking all over for you.
- Where
- [water splashing]
Tom, are you there?
[water splashing]
[car door closes]
[engine starts]
[silence]
Oh T
What the
Do you know Marseille?
Uh, no, no, but it's
I'll be fine. I'm okay. Thanks.
What are you going to do?
I don't know.
We're supposed to go to Arles,
but maybe I'll go to the police
Do you need me to take you?
No, no, I'm you've been
you've been so helpful. Thank you.
I'm just kind of I'm, um
where is the police station?
It You go down the hill,
it's on your right. You can't miss it.
But are you sure
- I can't take you?
- No, I'm fine.
I'm positive this is all
a big misunderstanding, so
You know
If you need help
I'm Hélène.
Alice. Thanks.
So, good luck, Alice.
And don't worry.
It's going to be okay. Hmm?
- Bye.
- Bye.
Merci.
Excuse me.
Can someone help me?
My boyfriend's gone missing.
Please?
[in French]
[in English] Do you know
how many people are
reported missing each day in France?
Six hundred. On a good day.
Okay, well, that cannot be an
excuse to not help me. Please.
It is 48 hours before a person
can be described officially as missing.
He has only been gone for two hours.
He left his bag, you say.
What about his passport?
Yes, I have it.
I have it right here.
Just one second.
I don't I don't understand.
Mademoiselle Monroe.
How long have you known your boyfriend?
Well
We've been dating for four years.
We met in Jordan.
That's where he heads
the region for SOS Global.
It's a It's a charity
that helps Syrian refugees.
I'm currently working in Albania,
so we meet up when we can, and
Oh, glamorous couple, huh? [chuckles]
- And you work in Albania?
- Yes. I'm an archaeologist.
Do the two of you fight?
What?
Fights. Disagreements.
Have you had any lately?
No.
Mmm.
Anything else?
Any changes of circumstance?
I mean, I got offered a position
at a university, a job.
It would mean relocating
to America for both of us.
And he agreed?
- Yes.
- Are you sure?
Yes, I'm sure.
Because there are three major reasons
people disappear:
work, money
and relationships.
So?
So perhaps your boyfriend wanted
to escape the relationship,
so he got off the train at Avignon
without telling you, et voilà.
He would never do that.
You don't know Tom.
I know men.
[clears throat]
Okay, Inspector Drax
I really need to find him.
Please, help me.
Forty-eight hours, Miss Monroe.
Forty-eight hours.
[suspenseful music]
Oh!
[suspenseful music fades]
[cattle bleating]
[beeps horn]
[Alice] Sorry. Thank you.
[dog barks]
Hey.
Are you okay?
Yeah, not really.
The spare's got a puncture, too.
Oh, I don't have a spare spare,
I'm afraid. Sorry.
Right.
What's in there?
Uh, uh vaccines.
Yeah, that refrigeration will be useless
within a couple of hours.
So you're screwed?
Basically.
- Okay, where are you headed?
- To a camp in Feynan.
It's, um
that way.
Okay, so if I don't help you,
children might die,
and that'll be on my conscience
for the rest of my life?
It's possible.
Well, then, I guess you'd better hop in.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
Hi.
- Tom Parker.
- Alice Monroe.
- Nice to meet you, Alice Monroe.
- You too.
- Thank you so much.
- You're welcome.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Shoes off at your house,
- then, is it?
- What?
- Wanna know what gives you away?
- [chuckles]
- Sure.
- The AC unit.
No dust.
Means you must clean it every day.
God, don't tell me you're one
of those people who sees hygiene
as some bourgeois construct.
No, no, I like it. I like hygiene.
- Mmm, good.
- Yeah.
It's just that sometimes
Well, I mean, not everything
in life is neat and tidy, right?
Okay, well, my car is
not a metaphor for my life.
[chuckles]
I'm actually an archaeologist.
Trust me, I know how to get dirty.
[both chuckle]
[soft music]
[Alice] Okay, uh, can you stop?
Arrêter?
- Up here?
- Okay.
S'il vous plaît?
[soft music continues]
[train horn blares]
Oh, my
[sighs]
Tom
Oh.
Chewing gum?
Oh, shit.
[suspenseful music]
[water splashing]
Oh, my God. It's Tom.
[water splashing]
[engine starts]
[barking]
Oh.
[gasps]
Hi. Hello.
Mademoiselle Monroe.
What a pleasant surprise.
So, has the prodigal son returned?
No, but, um
Ben, voilà. Then we can
report him missing tomorrow.
Can I please have a moment
of your time? Please.
Walk with me. I'm late to the cinema
for an Alain Delon double bill.
And Madame Drax will not
take it kindly if I'm late.
I know where Tom got off the train.
Bravo, Madame Clouseau.
I followed the line back from Avignon
where the train stopped,
and I found this.
Bubble gum.
Well, yeah, it's Tom's favorite.
He offered me a piece
before he disappeared.
Hmm. And the ejector seat on
the train, where was that found?
You should really be a stand-up
comedian, you know that?
My wife doesn't think so.
So, there was a door
in the conductor's office.
Oh, the conductor's an accomplice now.
This is all getting quite dramatic.
His name is Maurice Geroux.
He was hiding something, I could tell.
You have to bring him in for questioning.
I have to go to the cinema.
Samourai awaits.
You know, I'm not making this up.
And I'm late.
Nice car.
My wife makes the money in our house.
I chose well. Better than you, it seems.
Tread carefully, Miss Monroe.
[revving engine]
[eerie music]
[distant horn honking]
[soft music]
[soft overlapping chatter]
[baby crying]
Thank you.
Mr. Tom!
Mr. Tom! Haramiyy are here.
All right, all right.
Salma, Salma, one sec.
Can you take these in there, please?
Just tell Mira they need to be
in the fridge right away.
Okay
Let's see.
- Thirty-six-two.
- Uh
Hi.
- Who are you?
- I just gave Tom a lift.
- He broke down?
- Yes, he did.
That's the second time this week.
The man couldn't change a tire
if his life depended on it.
He said these need to be refrigerated.
I know.
[car horn beeping]
- [screaming]
- [rapid gunfire]
- Wait, what's happening?
- Stay back.
[Alice] Wait, what's he doing?
Come, come. Out, out, out. Out.
You're not taking them.
You're not taking them.
- You're not taking them!
- [gunshot]
[screaming]
[Alice] Oh, God.
Not your business.
I'm not letting you take them.
You'll have to go through me.
[yells]
[Alice] Who are they?
[Mira] Local bandits.
They think no one will notice
missing refugees from Syria.
They take them down to Tripoli,
sell them to traffickers
for a king's ransom.
[Alice] He's stopped them before?
Yeah. He may be useless with cars,
but he could talk a dog off a meat truck.
[distant horn honking]
[distant horn honking]
You look like you need a drink.
[sighs]
Something must have happened
to Tom before Avignon.
I just feel like the conductor
had something to do with it.
I mean, you saw him yourself,
the way he was acting,
like, all shifty.
What do you think happened?
Okay, this is gonna sound insane,
but I think Tom was kidnapped.
- Is he rich?
- No.
- Are you rich?
- No.
So, why would someone kidnap him?
- Maybe it's not about money.
- It's always about money.
What if
- [Alice] Oh.
- Diabetes.
Wow.
Okay, so what do I do?
The police are either useless or corrupt,
and if you're really lucky, they're both.
Great. What, then?
What am I?
I'm an investigative journalist.
- Who are you?
- An archaeologist.
Yes. You're like me.
You look for clues in the past
to tell you about the future.
You know Tom better than anyone,
so you probably know
more than you realize.
Did he mention anyone or anything?
Who has he been in touch with lately?
Has he said anything strange?
[Alice] Um
Find something more
than a piece of chewing gum,
and maybe I can help.
[echoing] It's Uncle Brian.
[echoing] He's in London.
[ringing tone]
[in French]
[phone bleeps]
[dramatic music]
It's a Sinai rosefinch.
Reminds me of you.
[gasping]