Crookhaven (2026) s01e02 Episode Script
The Break-In
You're a pickpocket.
What's on the island?
Your future.
Welcome to Crookhaven.
The world's oldest academy
for crooks.
Caspian Lockett,
your new headmaster.
Show some respect.
Penelope Lockett.
Lockett? As in
The headmaster's daughter.
Amira Dhawan.
Her brother is a traitor.
Did you check the name on the arrow
before you fired it?
Gabriel Avery.
ALARMS BLARE
Be catching me up soon,
little sister.
What if I don't want
to catch you up?
What if I want a different life?
You know, a normal life.
Don't let Baba hear you say that.
All Dhawans go to Crookhaven.
It's our destiny.
No. it may be your destiny, Ishaan,
but it's not mine.
DISTORTED VOICE ON RECORDING:
There's a storm coming.
A storm you can't escape.
And you only have yourself to blame.
Along with this.
I need to know
how these got past security
and whose voice it is.
We know whose voice it is.
TANNOY: Remember, help the planet
by reusing everything
except escape routes.
I get the sense you
and Penelope really hit it off.
Oh, yeah. Thick as thieves.
I've got a question.
The Crooked Cup,
what's the big deal?
It's not about the cup.
At the end of the year,
half the Crooked network
come to watch the trials.
Like, um Like our sports day.
All of them looking for talent.
Oi, Gabe-meister, what the what,
man?! You don't wake us up?
Could've missed breakfast.
First one up wakes up the others.
That's just roomie etiquette.
That's not a thing.
Of course it's a thing.
What, you've never had to
share a room before?
Shall we go sit with Amira?
I mean, she did save my life
when that dingus tried to kill me.
She's still a Legacy.
The thing about retaliation, Dorian,
you can't rush it.
It looks like weakness.
I have to study Avery,
find his weak points,
and then utterly humiliate him.
CLATTER
Who's that?
You weren't here last night.
I know. I was crazy late.
Held up at the airport.
Dad brought the wrong fake passport.
So cringe.
You're a Legacy?
Nicki Harkness. You one too?
I'm Penelope Lockett.
You're Penelope?
Oh, we're going to be BFFs.
I already decided.
Doubt that.
TANNOY: Crooklings to the main
stairs for an urgent briefing.
No dithering.
You must have shared a room
with someone,
What about a sleepover?
You do, like
WHISPERS: ..have friends?
Yeah. Just
..moved around a lot.
Why you always got to be
so secretive?
We're just getting to know each
other. You know, like friends do.
Yeah, but no offence,
I'm not here to make friends.
I'm here to win.
Order, please, Crooklings.
Following his ingenious
performance at the Crooked Oak
This arrow has
Gabriel Avery's name on it.
..Gabriel Avery is currently
Most Wanted Crookling,
with five points.
Only cos you cheated
at the Crooked Oak.
You should've been disqualified.
I know. Shocking.
If I was you,
I'd complain to the headmaster.
Well, Edgar should be on minus five
points for trying to kebab me.
Which puts the rest of you on
Hold on, let me do the maths.
Nul points.
But this is Crookhaven, my friends.
Everything can change
in a heartbeat.
Today, the hard work begins.
Mm-hm. We'll break you in gently.
And what better way
to break you in
than with your first break-in?
Oh, so cool!
Mr Sisman.
This will show us
what we've got to work with.
Not much
..if appearances are
anything to go by.
Shouldn't judge a crook
by its cover,
but I'm very rarely wrong.
Come on, then. Follow me.
Look lively.
Enjoy your five minutes
of fame, Avery.
Five minutes? Oof, seems generous.
You're just bitter
I won the archery.
Jealousy's not a good look, guys.
Know when you're outclassed.
Outclassed?
Do you know who you're talking to?
And you?
You're a pickpocket.
A one-trick pony.
A cheat who has
no respect for this school.
You didn't even
want your place here.
I don't know what your deal is,
Avery, but trust me when I tell you
sooner or later
you're going to be found out.
TANNOY: Would whoever stole
Mr Khan's car
report to the headmaster so they
can collect six Crooked points.
Gabriel.
Listen, don't let the Legacies
bait you, huh?
You and I know that picking pockets,
now that is the purest
of the Crooked arts, huh?
I've heard a lot about you, Gabriel.
You're, um
HE CHUCKLES
You're not what I was expecting.
In a good way though, right?
Ah
I would keep this, um
..this hidden, if I were you.
There's a lot
of light fingers about.
Hmm?
Now go catch up with the others.
Come, Crooklings, no talking.
What you're looking at here
is Maravel's Tower,
built in 1848, first as
a lookout point and a strong room.
It is now your training house,
And it has been kitted out
with an ever-changing array
of security devices cooked up
by my no-good self
and the twisted mind
of Miss Jericho.
LAUGHTER ECHOES
Somewhere inside there
is a locked room.
Inside that room is a priceless
copy of the Crimina Carta
owned by Mr Caspian Lockett himself,
in which our founder, Ezekiel,
set out the code of honour which
binds us together to this very day.
We have half-inched it
from Mr Lockett.
Your task is to nick it back.
A book?
Snoresville!
The first person to return the book
to Mr Lockett will earn themselves
seven Crooked points.
STUDENTS EXCLAIM
But - and it is a very big but
..for every failed attempt,
you will lose seven points.
Now, in the spirit
of friendly rivalry,
this week's winner will earn
themselves a feast of their choice
for their fellow Merits or Legacies.
And just to keep things
a little bit spicy,
the losers will be
on gardening duty for one week,
shovelling manure onto my begonias.
FLIES BUZZ
Look forward to catching
you lot red-handed.
You have until the end of the week.
Right, back to classes.
Bring it.
Miss, I-I've got to say
my-my bro and I,
we're down with cyber intrusion
but w-we're not
Escapologists.
Locks are the key to everything.
Some of you may know
how to pick locks.
Some will not.
So let's sort wheat from chaff.
TICKING
The perfect crook
has a range of skills.
It's not enough to be a
A one-trick pony.
Only those who can master them all
will ascend to the top tier.
JIA: Top tier of what?
EDGAR AND DORIAN SCOFF
There are three tiers of crooks.
Tier three,
your common or garden crook.
Like pickpockets?
DORIAN SNORTS
Miss Jericho?
Got anything harder?
Oh, bravo, Jia.
17 seconds. An excellent start.
And then we have tier two,
the most famous crooks
who ever lived.
Done, Miss Jericho.
No way!
He must be cheating.
We know he's got form, but
If you want my help, just ask.
21 seconds, Gabriel.
Very respectable.
And then we have tier one,
the greatest crooks who ever lived.
What about tier four, Miss Jericho?
We needn't concern
ourselves with them.
Strictly speaking,
I don't consider them crooks.
You mean those who turn
to the dark side?
Likea Nameless.
GASPS AND MURMURS
What's a Nameless?
Mention that word again,
Mr Delacombe,
and I will fine you
20 Crooked points.
Crimnastics. Is it a sport?
Is it a martial art?
Is it an endurance test?
Ja, ja, und ja!
Will it help you avoid capture?
Definitely.
Might as well go straight
to the hospital now.
Skip the middle part right. Right?
Now, before I let you
loose in the crimnasium,
you must first master
the fundamentals.
There are five core
moves in Crimnastics.
Anyone?
The spring, the hook
The drop, the bounce.
The tumble.
Correct.
We shall start with the spring.
I shall demonstrate.
Wow. Slay.
Your turn.
Disappointing.
Tragic.
Feeble.
Awful.
Hopeless. Yikes.
Nein.
Ah, well,
at least one of you has talent.
She's nothing special.
Shouldn't even be here.
Why don't you leave her alone?
Stay out of it, Avery.
You don't understand.
I concur with Edgar.
Whatever it is her brother
did has nothing
You want to know what
her brother did?
He betrayed us. He joined the enemy.
An enemy that hates
everything Crookhaven
and this country stands for!
Thank you, Edgar.
But it's true, Miss Friedrich.
The Nameless already have
our blood on their hands
and they'll burn this place
to the ground if they can.
Again, that's her brother, not her.
You already made your point
when you painted his name in red.
What? That's slander!
Really?
Then why is there red paint
on his hand?
VOICE ECHOES
Well, itju
I no longer have a brother.
And I don't need some Merit
to fight my corner.
Why did you defend Amira?
I wasn't defending her,
I was standing up to Edgar.
Same difference.
I don't care about Amira!
You saw the thanks I got.
Maybe I just don't like people
getting picked on.
Hmm. Right.
Meaning what?
I don't trust Amira,
and I don't trust someone
who sticks up for her.
Especially when that someone
cheated me out of
Seriously, you need to get over it.
You know what I can't figure out?
Why they picked you.
Do you know what I can't figure out?
Why you're so obsessed with me.
Cos you're not one of us.
You don't belong here.
Just cos I'm not
the headteacher's daughter?
I've got as much right
to be here as anyone.
You don't honestly believe that
..do you?
You Legacies are all the same.
Stuck up, entitled.
I'd rather be a Merit any day
of the week and twice on Sunday.
I've lived here my whole life.
I've seen plenty of Merits
come and go.
But none like you.
Who are you? Why are you here?
Same reason as you -
to be the best crook I can
You and I have nothing in common.
And you'll never be a good crook.
You have no chance in hell
of winning this break-in.
Literally zero.
This is the longest I've gone
without a screen in my life.
I never realised how creepy
silence was till now.
Yo, Gabe-ster!
What would you choose for the feast
if you win it?
Oh, let's be real, it's going to be
a Legacy.
It's not going to be a Legacy!
Whoa! Easy, man. Just saying.
I'd rather eat broken glass
than let Edgar or
..or Penelope win.
Yeah, sure. I-I mean, I-I don't
want that either,
but if I had to bet on it
It's not going to happen.
The moment I've got
my lockpicking down,
I'm going to head straight
to that safe house.
I was about to floss whenwhen
I heard someone coming, so I hid.
Why did you hide?
I don't know. I-I panicked.
Anyway, um, Edgar and Dorian came in
and I overheard Edgar saying
BAD IMITATION: "I've made up
my mind."
That's a terrible impression.
Not the point. Go on, bro.
"We need to do the break-in today
"before anyone else beats us
to it, especially Avery."
Guess I need to go now.
Wait, now now? Like, right now?
But you've still got
five days, Gabe-ski!
If you fail, you could lose
seven points.
Better not fail, then.
No! No, Baba!
I've done all you want.
I've denied Ishaan's existence,
tried so hard to prove
I'm one of them, a Legacy.
Yeah, but it's no good.
ON PHONE: You need to stay.
I don't belong here! No
Let me come home, Baba.
I will not tell you again.
Please.
We check every single letter
and parcel that comes in here
for explosives, poison, whatever,
and there was nothing that would
raise the alarm.
The tape recorder - well,
that seemed harmless enough.
The only DNA we found
belonged to the postman.
He used a voice modulator
to disguise his voice.
But I used a few tricks of my own
to reverse it.
MAN'S VOICE: There's a storm coming.
A storm you can't escape,
and you only have yourself to blame.
I ran a voice print to analyse
the frequencies and it's a
It's a 99% match.
The Leopard.
What has Caspian started?
I expect to see
my daughter's name at the top,
not with the zero point brigade.
I would be if you hadn't let
Avery cheat at the Crooked Oak.
Cheating is not forbidden,
only cheating friends,
which I can confidently say
you and he are not.
Why is Avery even here?
On merit. Why else?
What merit? What, picking pockets?
Cheating?
Since he's currently beating you,
I wouldn't cast aspersions.
I hope to see you remedy
the situation.
RADIO CRACKLES
INDISTINCT CHATTER
Oh, deary me.
8.3 seconds.
It would appear we've
got a new record.
Didn't even get within eight feet
of the safe house, Miss J.
Fell for an old-school tripwire.
Didn't think anybody would
make such a basic error.
I suppose we should respect you
for trying,
but I'm not inclined to.
Do you think we could maybe
keep this to ourselves?
You have my word as a crook.
LAUGHTER
Clause 21 of the Crimina Carta -
"Never take a crook at his word."
So, as of now,
all of you are still on zero points.
But Gabriel crashes from the top
to the bottom
with a new score of minus two.
As I will explain,
Avery made a total of 13 errors
during his disastrous attempt.
SNICKERING
His most catastrophic error
was ignoring the first stage
of a break-in.
Casing the joint.
Stage two, infiltration.
Stage three, the theft itself.
And stage four, the getaway.
Can't believe you fell for it.
Good one, Edgar.
You know, Legacies know you
never go first.
For infiltrations, the hook
is a perfect way to avoid
any ground-level deterrence
such as tripwires.
So you might want to pay
special attention, Gabriel.
DORIAN CHUCKLES
The CCTV footage was epic.
It would make a sick meme, actually.
You're sick meme.
Wha That doesn't even make sense.
As Penelope will demonstrate
with the hook,
you keep your legs a hip width
apart, brace,
and focus on a clear
and rigid ledge.
Once you have purchase, you must
use your deltoids to ascend.
Ja.
Ja, beautiful form!
Watch and learn, Crooklings.
Nicki Harkness, your turn.
I've been thinking,
and I hate to admit it
but, wellAvery's right,
I've been out of line.
Us Legacies need to stick together.
Right?
Right.
Now, stand ready.
THEY EXCLAIM
Nein, nein, nein!
This is not how you do the hook!
Gabriel Avery
..your turn.
Come on. What are you waiting for?
Sure you're a Legacy?
I hope you will not humiliate
yourself. I know.
I'm an embarrassment.
No, Avery's break-in,
that was an embarrassment.
LAUGHTER
I have no words.
Nice try, Avery.
Some of us have it,
some of us don't.
Nein, nein, nein, Avery, stop.
QUIETLY: You doubt yourself.
This is fatal.
If you don't believe you can,
then you can't.
So, when are you going to do it?
Whole point is you don't
tell anyone.
It's a game of chicken.
Go too soon, like Avery,
and you embarrass yourself.
But wait too long and someone else
might beat you to it.
Well aware, Nicki. Thank you.
All right, dudes, I'm done waiting.
Can't you wait a bit longer?
I have to win.
I'm on minus two right now.
Hear you,
but I can't risk letting
that sneak-weasel take the prize.
Boom.
ALARM BLARES
Agh!
LAUGHTER
As you saw, Jia got off
to a very promising start.
Made light work of the front locks.
Good effort, good work.
But she came a cropper because
we'd set a cheeky little booby trap.
Which means most of you are still
on zero points,
apart from Jia. Sorry to say that
your fail has put you
down the bottom with Gabriel on
..yikes, um, minus seven.
Three days left, Crooklings,
and only two of you have even
attempted the break-in.
So you'd better hurry up.
Tick tock.
You following me?
Why would I follow you?
I'm studying the break-in,
just the same as you.
Yeah, makes sense.
Why did you stand up for me before,
with Edgar?
Cos he does my head in.
Don't worry,
next time I'll stay well out of it.
You've got to understand,
I'm a Legacy.
Oh, yeah, I get it.
You're one of them.
Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
It's my destiny to be a crook.
See, I don't buy destiny.
What's the point if we can't,
you know, make our choices,
live our own lives?
Might as well just give up.
And you chose this?
You could've had a normal life.
But you can't.
You wouldn't be here
if it was up to you.
Course I would.
Crookhaven's a privilege.
Ah, you've got that look.
Same one you had
when you disowned your brother.
Like you're hiding something.
This
This is Crookhaven.
Everyone's hiding something.
If no-one finds a way in,
they'll hit the roof.
Who will? Lockett?
Vamonos, Mr McCarthur!
It's been seven minutes. You'd be
cuffed in the back of a van by now.
Yeah, I'm nearly there, Miss.
I think you're ready to try
the break-in.
You don't know how much that means!
Canary in the coal mine.
Clever.
Just looking out for the new girl.
Listen, we know you want to win,
but we need this feast
before we die of malnourishment.
So we've come up with a plan.
We were going to hack the alarm,
but we don't have a computer
or a tablet
or even a phone. So we're going
to rock it old-school.
We're going to disrupt
the power circuit.
Going to be a Merit feast on that
jollof rice
HE SLURPS
..get in my belly!
Oh, for pity's sake.
Sometimes you just have to smash
the stupid window!
Vital decision
..what are we going to have
post jollof?
Cos I'm seeing profiteroles,
you know
Focus on the task at hand, Ade.
We already got the power.
No power
..no alarm.
Don't sweat it. What do you say?
Fine.
I'd go jelly and ice cream.
Bro, it's ait's a banquet,
not a kid's party!
But it's what I want!
CLANK
MECHANISM WHIRS
Oh!
LAUGHTER
So, what a catalogue of epic fails.
Ade and Ede, you spent so long
chatting about -
what was it, jelly and ice cream? -
that you stepped straight
onto our hidden foot plate.
Nicki tried to climb a 30-foot wall
with a six-foot ladder.
Idiotic.
And Dorian, you learnt what happens
when you throw a small hammer
at reinforced glass.
SNICKERING
This isn't a game. It's training.
And sooner than you think
you will be breaking in for real.
But you will have an enemy
considerably more dangerous
than me or Mr Sisman
to contend with.
You have until midnight tonight.
Seven points to win.
Dismissed.
Can't imagine you'd be stupid enough
to try again after that humiliation.
At least I gave it a go.
Ooh!
Haven't just been putting it off.
It's called strategy.
Or it's called being scared.
Why would I be scared?
TANNOY: Reminder, running in
the corridors is not permitted
except during escape drills.
LOCK BEEPS, CLICKS
COMPUTER BEEPS
LOCK BEEPS, CLICKS
So, hear me out.
It pains me to say it
but I've looked at all the angles,
and the only way we're going to win
this thing is if we work together.
I knew you'd see sense in the end.
What do you say, Amira?
Legacy squad?
So, Penelope, Edgar, and Amira?
I know. Like a loser Legacy
super group.
How can I win against
the three of them?
I mean, they're Legacies and I'm
I'm on my own.
Come on, Gabe-ster, where's your
..your
Resolve. Tenacity.
Indefatigability.
Yeah, what Ede said.
We need that feast, man.
We need to kick Edgar's butt.
We can show you how to
disable the alarm.
I can show you how to pick
the lock in nine seconds.
Why would you guys help me?
Cos you're good vibes, Gabriel.
Even if you don't want to
be our friend, th-that's cool.
We'd rather see you win
than anyone else.
Thanks, guys.
One second.
I've been meaning to ask
QUIET CHATTER
Who's been through my stuff?
We haven't.
Oh, I know how I left it.
Have you got, like,
a photographic memory or something?
Imagine if he did.
That would be sick, man.
Like an ultimate skill in an RPG.
Total, total game-changer.
Do you know what?
I don't need your help.
I'll go it alone.
You always told me
trust no-one but you.
Us against the world,
right, Grandma?
I never meant for you to be alone.
I was just trying to keep you safe.
Yeah, but alone is safe.
The moment you lower your guard,
trust someone
No, love, alone is lonely.
What's happened?
Penelope was right.
I'm a one-trick pony.
I don't belong here.
I'm never going to be one of them.
Well, I don't know who this
Penelope is, but I'd like a word.
No-one's allowed to be
that rude to you except me.
She's the worst.
Then ignore her.
She doesn't know you like I do.
All I know is that you've been given
a second chance at St Jude's,
a chance to get back on
the straight and narrow.
So if you give up now and come home
with your tail between your legs,
I'll never forgive you.
HE SIGHS
Have you got, like,
a photographic memory or something?
Imagine if he did.
That would be sick, man.
Like an ultimate skill in an RPG.
ALARM BLARES
CLANK, WHIR
The hook is the perfect way to avoid
any ground-level deterrents
such as tripwires.
If no-one finds a way in,
they'll hit the roof.
Hit the roof.
Two minutes 24 till they're back.
If you don't believe you can,
then you can't.
Argh!
What is it?
I think I've sprained my ankle.
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!
You'll have to go on without me.
Come on.
You first. I'll be right behind you.
You can trust me, Amira.
We're Legacies.
VOICE ECHOES: Sometimes you just
have to smash the stupid window!
GLASS SMASHES
CLANK
One last thing. Hmm?
Ishaan's a traitor.
I need to hear you say it.
You know you can trust me,
but I need to know once
and for all I can trust you.
He's twice the man you'll ever be.
I wanted to be wrong.
SHE SCREAMS
Give it up, Avery.
Know when you're outclassed.
Help!
Help!
Help!
Amira!
What?
No.
FOOTSTEPS RECEDING
Penelope.
I was this close to winning.
Why would you trust Edgar?
He tried to shoot Jia with an arrow!
Kind of a red flag, no?
You didn't have to help me.
Yeah, cos I was going to let
you fall off a roof.
You're welcome, by the way.
See, there he is. You act like
you're this big tough guy,
"I don't care about anyone,"
but it's all for show.
I see you. You're just like Ishaan.
That's why you tipped me off.
"Hit the roof."
You're the only person that's
stuck up for me since I got here.
How else was I supposed
to thank you?
I'm here to prove
I can be the perfect Legacy.
Ishaan didn't join them.
I know it.
They kidnapped him.
The Nameless?
Why are you telling me this?
Something tells me I can trust you.
Same.
I only wish you could have found
the solution without cheating.
A secret door isn't cheating.
It's using what's there.
Stealing the plans,
working with a crew
I wasn't working with them.
It's a classic double cross.
Y-You've taught me
since birth to cheat and steal.
Not from this office!
Need I remind you
that I am not just your father,
I am the headmaster,
the head of the Crooked Complex.
I thought you'd be proud of me.
There are things in here
that you cannot know about.
I'm not a child any more, Dad! I
When you were my age, you were
breaking into Russian bank vaults.
The world was simpler then!
I won't apologise for protecting
what innocence is left
for as long as I can.
FLIES BUZZ
ADE SPLUTTERS
Reeks, bro!
I'm trying to breathe
through my ears!
I hope those Legacies make
themselves sick.
What even is a begonia?
They were my wife's
favourite flowers.
Keep shovelling.
EDE RETCHES
The Nameless are pure evil.
They use their skills
for power and greed,
and they don't care who they hurt.
Or worse.
Ishaan would never choose that life.
Instead of trying to be
the perfect Legacy,
why don't you try to prove Ishaan's
not what they say he is?
What if that's my destiny?
What if that's why I'm here?
To clear his name.
I don't believe in destiny.
You're sure he's innocent?
He just vanished.
If it was a choice,
he'd have left me a message.
The only thing left behind was
the Nameless's calling card.
Calling card?
Yeah, it's a penny
burnt on one side.
HE BREATHES RAGGEDLY
VOICE ECHOES: The only thing
left behind
was the Nameless's calling card.
A penny burnt on one side.
I would keep this hidden
if I were you.
That's why you're here!
I knew something was off
the moment I met you.
I mean, your room turned up nothing,
but now it all makes sense.
Your little bond with Amira.
This! You're with the Nameless!
What?! No, I promise. I'd never
even heard of the Nameless. As if!
I'm taking you down, Avery.
You're history.
What's on the island?
Your future.
Welcome to Crookhaven.
The world's oldest academy
for crooks.
Caspian Lockett,
your new headmaster.
Show some respect.
Penelope Lockett.
Lockett? As in
The headmaster's daughter.
Amira Dhawan.
Her brother is a traitor.
Did you check the name on the arrow
before you fired it?
Gabriel Avery.
ALARMS BLARE
Be catching me up soon,
little sister.
What if I don't want
to catch you up?
What if I want a different life?
You know, a normal life.
Don't let Baba hear you say that.
All Dhawans go to Crookhaven.
It's our destiny.
No. it may be your destiny, Ishaan,
but it's not mine.
DISTORTED VOICE ON RECORDING:
There's a storm coming.
A storm you can't escape.
And you only have yourself to blame.
Along with this.
I need to know
how these got past security
and whose voice it is.
We know whose voice it is.
TANNOY: Remember, help the planet
by reusing everything
except escape routes.
I get the sense you
and Penelope really hit it off.
Oh, yeah. Thick as thieves.
I've got a question.
The Crooked Cup,
what's the big deal?
It's not about the cup.
At the end of the year,
half the Crooked network
come to watch the trials.
Like, um Like our sports day.
All of them looking for talent.
Oi, Gabe-meister, what the what,
man?! You don't wake us up?
Could've missed breakfast.
First one up wakes up the others.
That's just roomie etiquette.
That's not a thing.
Of course it's a thing.
What, you've never had to
share a room before?
Shall we go sit with Amira?
I mean, she did save my life
when that dingus tried to kill me.
She's still a Legacy.
The thing about retaliation, Dorian,
you can't rush it.
It looks like weakness.
I have to study Avery,
find his weak points,
and then utterly humiliate him.
CLATTER
Who's that?
You weren't here last night.
I know. I was crazy late.
Held up at the airport.
Dad brought the wrong fake passport.
So cringe.
You're a Legacy?
Nicki Harkness. You one too?
I'm Penelope Lockett.
You're Penelope?
Oh, we're going to be BFFs.
I already decided.
Doubt that.
TANNOY: Crooklings to the main
stairs for an urgent briefing.
No dithering.
You must have shared a room
with someone,
What about a sleepover?
You do, like
WHISPERS: ..have friends?
Yeah. Just
..moved around a lot.
Why you always got to be
so secretive?
We're just getting to know each
other. You know, like friends do.
Yeah, but no offence,
I'm not here to make friends.
I'm here to win.
Order, please, Crooklings.
Following his ingenious
performance at the Crooked Oak
This arrow has
Gabriel Avery's name on it.
..Gabriel Avery is currently
Most Wanted Crookling,
with five points.
Only cos you cheated
at the Crooked Oak.
You should've been disqualified.
I know. Shocking.
If I was you,
I'd complain to the headmaster.
Well, Edgar should be on minus five
points for trying to kebab me.
Which puts the rest of you on
Hold on, let me do the maths.
Nul points.
But this is Crookhaven, my friends.
Everything can change
in a heartbeat.
Today, the hard work begins.
Mm-hm. We'll break you in gently.
And what better way
to break you in
than with your first break-in?
Oh, so cool!
Mr Sisman.
This will show us
what we've got to work with.
Not much
..if appearances are
anything to go by.
Shouldn't judge a crook
by its cover,
but I'm very rarely wrong.
Come on, then. Follow me.
Look lively.
Enjoy your five minutes
of fame, Avery.
Five minutes? Oof, seems generous.
You're just bitter
I won the archery.
Jealousy's not a good look, guys.
Know when you're outclassed.
Outclassed?
Do you know who you're talking to?
And you?
You're a pickpocket.
A one-trick pony.
A cheat who has
no respect for this school.
You didn't even
want your place here.
I don't know what your deal is,
Avery, but trust me when I tell you
sooner or later
you're going to be found out.
TANNOY: Would whoever stole
Mr Khan's car
report to the headmaster so they
can collect six Crooked points.
Gabriel.
Listen, don't let the Legacies
bait you, huh?
You and I know that picking pockets,
now that is the purest
of the Crooked arts, huh?
I've heard a lot about you, Gabriel.
You're, um
HE CHUCKLES
You're not what I was expecting.
In a good way though, right?
Ah
I would keep this, um
..this hidden, if I were you.
There's a lot
of light fingers about.
Hmm?
Now go catch up with the others.
Come, Crooklings, no talking.
What you're looking at here
is Maravel's Tower,
built in 1848, first as
a lookout point and a strong room.
It is now your training house,
And it has been kitted out
with an ever-changing array
of security devices cooked up
by my no-good self
and the twisted mind
of Miss Jericho.
LAUGHTER ECHOES
Somewhere inside there
is a locked room.
Inside that room is a priceless
copy of the Crimina Carta
owned by Mr Caspian Lockett himself,
in which our founder, Ezekiel,
set out the code of honour which
binds us together to this very day.
We have half-inched it
from Mr Lockett.
Your task is to nick it back.
A book?
Snoresville!
The first person to return the book
to Mr Lockett will earn themselves
seven Crooked points.
STUDENTS EXCLAIM
But - and it is a very big but
..for every failed attempt,
you will lose seven points.
Now, in the spirit
of friendly rivalry,
this week's winner will earn
themselves a feast of their choice
for their fellow Merits or Legacies.
And just to keep things
a little bit spicy,
the losers will be
on gardening duty for one week,
shovelling manure onto my begonias.
FLIES BUZZ
Look forward to catching
you lot red-handed.
You have until the end of the week.
Right, back to classes.
Bring it.
Miss, I-I've got to say
my-my bro and I,
we're down with cyber intrusion
but w-we're not
Escapologists.
Locks are the key to everything.
Some of you may know
how to pick locks.
Some will not.
So let's sort wheat from chaff.
TICKING
The perfect crook
has a range of skills.
It's not enough to be a
A one-trick pony.
Only those who can master them all
will ascend to the top tier.
JIA: Top tier of what?
EDGAR AND DORIAN SCOFF
There are three tiers of crooks.
Tier three,
your common or garden crook.
Like pickpockets?
DORIAN SNORTS
Miss Jericho?
Got anything harder?
Oh, bravo, Jia.
17 seconds. An excellent start.
And then we have tier two,
the most famous crooks
who ever lived.
Done, Miss Jericho.
No way!
He must be cheating.
We know he's got form, but
If you want my help, just ask.
21 seconds, Gabriel.
Very respectable.
And then we have tier one,
the greatest crooks who ever lived.
What about tier four, Miss Jericho?
We needn't concern
ourselves with them.
Strictly speaking,
I don't consider them crooks.
You mean those who turn
to the dark side?
Likea Nameless.
GASPS AND MURMURS
What's a Nameless?
Mention that word again,
Mr Delacombe,
and I will fine you
20 Crooked points.
Crimnastics. Is it a sport?
Is it a martial art?
Is it an endurance test?
Ja, ja, und ja!
Will it help you avoid capture?
Definitely.
Might as well go straight
to the hospital now.
Skip the middle part right. Right?
Now, before I let you
loose in the crimnasium,
you must first master
the fundamentals.
There are five core
moves in Crimnastics.
Anyone?
The spring, the hook
The drop, the bounce.
The tumble.
Correct.
We shall start with the spring.
I shall demonstrate.
Wow. Slay.
Your turn.
Disappointing.
Tragic.
Feeble.
Awful.
Hopeless. Yikes.
Nein.
Ah, well,
at least one of you has talent.
She's nothing special.
Shouldn't even be here.
Why don't you leave her alone?
Stay out of it, Avery.
You don't understand.
I concur with Edgar.
Whatever it is her brother
did has nothing
You want to know what
her brother did?
He betrayed us. He joined the enemy.
An enemy that hates
everything Crookhaven
and this country stands for!
Thank you, Edgar.
But it's true, Miss Friedrich.
The Nameless already have
our blood on their hands
and they'll burn this place
to the ground if they can.
Again, that's her brother, not her.
You already made your point
when you painted his name in red.
What? That's slander!
Really?
Then why is there red paint
on his hand?
VOICE ECHOES
Well, itju
I no longer have a brother.
And I don't need some Merit
to fight my corner.
Why did you defend Amira?
I wasn't defending her,
I was standing up to Edgar.
Same difference.
I don't care about Amira!
You saw the thanks I got.
Maybe I just don't like people
getting picked on.
Hmm. Right.
Meaning what?
I don't trust Amira,
and I don't trust someone
who sticks up for her.
Especially when that someone
cheated me out of
Seriously, you need to get over it.
You know what I can't figure out?
Why they picked you.
Do you know what I can't figure out?
Why you're so obsessed with me.
Cos you're not one of us.
You don't belong here.
Just cos I'm not
the headteacher's daughter?
I've got as much right
to be here as anyone.
You don't honestly believe that
..do you?
You Legacies are all the same.
Stuck up, entitled.
I'd rather be a Merit any day
of the week and twice on Sunday.
I've lived here my whole life.
I've seen plenty of Merits
come and go.
But none like you.
Who are you? Why are you here?
Same reason as you -
to be the best crook I can
You and I have nothing in common.
And you'll never be a good crook.
You have no chance in hell
of winning this break-in.
Literally zero.
This is the longest I've gone
without a screen in my life.
I never realised how creepy
silence was till now.
Yo, Gabe-ster!
What would you choose for the feast
if you win it?
Oh, let's be real, it's going to be
a Legacy.
It's not going to be a Legacy!
Whoa! Easy, man. Just saying.
I'd rather eat broken glass
than let Edgar or
..or Penelope win.
Yeah, sure. I-I mean, I-I don't
want that either,
but if I had to bet on it
It's not going to happen.
The moment I've got
my lockpicking down,
I'm going to head straight
to that safe house.
I was about to floss whenwhen
I heard someone coming, so I hid.
Why did you hide?
I don't know. I-I panicked.
Anyway, um, Edgar and Dorian came in
and I overheard Edgar saying
BAD IMITATION: "I've made up
my mind."
That's a terrible impression.
Not the point. Go on, bro.
"We need to do the break-in today
"before anyone else beats us
to it, especially Avery."
Guess I need to go now.
Wait, now now? Like, right now?
But you've still got
five days, Gabe-ski!
If you fail, you could lose
seven points.
Better not fail, then.
No! No, Baba!
I've done all you want.
I've denied Ishaan's existence,
tried so hard to prove
I'm one of them, a Legacy.
Yeah, but it's no good.
ON PHONE: You need to stay.
I don't belong here! No
Let me come home, Baba.
I will not tell you again.
Please.
We check every single letter
and parcel that comes in here
for explosives, poison, whatever,
and there was nothing that would
raise the alarm.
The tape recorder - well,
that seemed harmless enough.
The only DNA we found
belonged to the postman.
He used a voice modulator
to disguise his voice.
But I used a few tricks of my own
to reverse it.
MAN'S VOICE: There's a storm coming.
A storm you can't escape,
and you only have yourself to blame.
I ran a voice print to analyse
the frequencies and it's a
It's a 99% match.
The Leopard.
What has Caspian started?
I expect to see
my daughter's name at the top,
not with the zero point brigade.
I would be if you hadn't let
Avery cheat at the Crooked Oak.
Cheating is not forbidden,
only cheating friends,
which I can confidently say
you and he are not.
Why is Avery even here?
On merit. Why else?
What merit? What, picking pockets?
Cheating?
Since he's currently beating you,
I wouldn't cast aspersions.
I hope to see you remedy
the situation.
RADIO CRACKLES
INDISTINCT CHATTER
Oh, deary me.
8.3 seconds.
It would appear we've
got a new record.
Didn't even get within eight feet
of the safe house, Miss J.
Fell for an old-school tripwire.
Didn't think anybody would
make such a basic error.
I suppose we should respect you
for trying,
but I'm not inclined to.
Do you think we could maybe
keep this to ourselves?
You have my word as a crook.
LAUGHTER
Clause 21 of the Crimina Carta -
"Never take a crook at his word."
So, as of now,
all of you are still on zero points.
But Gabriel crashes from the top
to the bottom
with a new score of minus two.
As I will explain,
Avery made a total of 13 errors
during his disastrous attempt.
SNICKERING
His most catastrophic error
was ignoring the first stage
of a break-in.
Casing the joint.
Stage two, infiltration.
Stage three, the theft itself.
And stage four, the getaway.
Can't believe you fell for it.
Good one, Edgar.
You know, Legacies know you
never go first.
For infiltrations, the hook
is a perfect way to avoid
any ground-level deterrence
such as tripwires.
So you might want to pay
special attention, Gabriel.
DORIAN CHUCKLES
The CCTV footage was epic.
It would make a sick meme, actually.
You're sick meme.
Wha That doesn't even make sense.
As Penelope will demonstrate
with the hook,
you keep your legs a hip width
apart, brace,
and focus on a clear
and rigid ledge.
Once you have purchase, you must
use your deltoids to ascend.
Ja.
Ja, beautiful form!
Watch and learn, Crooklings.
Nicki Harkness, your turn.
I've been thinking,
and I hate to admit it
but, wellAvery's right,
I've been out of line.
Us Legacies need to stick together.
Right?
Right.
Now, stand ready.
THEY EXCLAIM
Nein, nein, nein!
This is not how you do the hook!
Gabriel Avery
..your turn.
Come on. What are you waiting for?
Sure you're a Legacy?
I hope you will not humiliate
yourself. I know.
I'm an embarrassment.
No, Avery's break-in,
that was an embarrassment.
LAUGHTER
I have no words.
Nice try, Avery.
Some of us have it,
some of us don't.
Nein, nein, nein, Avery, stop.
QUIETLY: You doubt yourself.
This is fatal.
If you don't believe you can,
then you can't.
So, when are you going to do it?
Whole point is you don't
tell anyone.
It's a game of chicken.
Go too soon, like Avery,
and you embarrass yourself.
But wait too long and someone else
might beat you to it.
Well aware, Nicki. Thank you.
All right, dudes, I'm done waiting.
Can't you wait a bit longer?
I have to win.
I'm on minus two right now.
Hear you,
but I can't risk letting
that sneak-weasel take the prize.
Boom.
ALARM BLARES
Agh!
LAUGHTER
As you saw, Jia got off
to a very promising start.
Made light work of the front locks.
Good effort, good work.
But she came a cropper because
we'd set a cheeky little booby trap.
Which means most of you are still
on zero points,
apart from Jia. Sorry to say that
your fail has put you
down the bottom with Gabriel on
..yikes, um, minus seven.
Three days left, Crooklings,
and only two of you have even
attempted the break-in.
So you'd better hurry up.
Tick tock.
You following me?
Why would I follow you?
I'm studying the break-in,
just the same as you.
Yeah, makes sense.
Why did you stand up for me before,
with Edgar?
Cos he does my head in.
Don't worry,
next time I'll stay well out of it.
You've got to understand,
I'm a Legacy.
Oh, yeah, I get it.
You're one of them.
Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
It's my destiny to be a crook.
See, I don't buy destiny.
What's the point if we can't,
you know, make our choices,
live our own lives?
Might as well just give up.
And you chose this?
You could've had a normal life.
But you can't.
You wouldn't be here
if it was up to you.
Course I would.
Crookhaven's a privilege.
Ah, you've got that look.
Same one you had
when you disowned your brother.
Like you're hiding something.
This
This is Crookhaven.
Everyone's hiding something.
If no-one finds a way in,
they'll hit the roof.
Who will? Lockett?
Vamonos, Mr McCarthur!
It's been seven minutes. You'd be
cuffed in the back of a van by now.
Yeah, I'm nearly there, Miss.
I think you're ready to try
the break-in.
You don't know how much that means!
Canary in the coal mine.
Clever.
Just looking out for the new girl.
Listen, we know you want to win,
but we need this feast
before we die of malnourishment.
So we've come up with a plan.
We were going to hack the alarm,
but we don't have a computer
or a tablet
or even a phone. So we're going
to rock it old-school.
We're going to disrupt
the power circuit.
Going to be a Merit feast on that
jollof rice
HE SLURPS
..get in my belly!
Oh, for pity's sake.
Sometimes you just have to smash
the stupid window!
Vital decision
..what are we going to have
post jollof?
Cos I'm seeing profiteroles,
you know
Focus on the task at hand, Ade.
We already got the power.
No power
..no alarm.
Don't sweat it. What do you say?
Fine.
I'd go jelly and ice cream.
Bro, it's ait's a banquet,
not a kid's party!
But it's what I want!
CLANK
MECHANISM WHIRS
Oh!
LAUGHTER
So, what a catalogue of epic fails.
Ade and Ede, you spent so long
chatting about -
what was it, jelly and ice cream? -
that you stepped straight
onto our hidden foot plate.
Nicki tried to climb a 30-foot wall
with a six-foot ladder.
Idiotic.
And Dorian, you learnt what happens
when you throw a small hammer
at reinforced glass.
SNICKERING
This isn't a game. It's training.
And sooner than you think
you will be breaking in for real.
But you will have an enemy
considerably more dangerous
than me or Mr Sisman
to contend with.
You have until midnight tonight.
Seven points to win.
Dismissed.
Can't imagine you'd be stupid enough
to try again after that humiliation.
At least I gave it a go.
Ooh!
Haven't just been putting it off.
It's called strategy.
Or it's called being scared.
Why would I be scared?
TANNOY: Reminder, running in
the corridors is not permitted
except during escape drills.
LOCK BEEPS, CLICKS
COMPUTER BEEPS
LOCK BEEPS, CLICKS
So, hear me out.
It pains me to say it
but I've looked at all the angles,
and the only way we're going to win
this thing is if we work together.
I knew you'd see sense in the end.
What do you say, Amira?
Legacy squad?
So, Penelope, Edgar, and Amira?
I know. Like a loser Legacy
super group.
How can I win against
the three of them?
I mean, they're Legacies and I'm
I'm on my own.
Come on, Gabe-ster, where's your
..your
Resolve. Tenacity.
Indefatigability.
Yeah, what Ede said.
We need that feast, man.
We need to kick Edgar's butt.
We can show you how to
disable the alarm.
I can show you how to pick
the lock in nine seconds.
Why would you guys help me?
Cos you're good vibes, Gabriel.
Even if you don't want to
be our friend, th-that's cool.
We'd rather see you win
than anyone else.
Thanks, guys.
One second.
I've been meaning to ask
QUIET CHATTER
Who's been through my stuff?
We haven't.
Oh, I know how I left it.
Have you got, like,
a photographic memory or something?
Imagine if he did.
That would be sick, man.
Like an ultimate skill in an RPG.
Total, total game-changer.
Do you know what?
I don't need your help.
I'll go it alone.
You always told me
trust no-one but you.
Us against the world,
right, Grandma?
I never meant for you to be alone.
I was just trying to keep you safe.
Yeah, but alone is safe.
The moment you lower your guard,
trust someone
No, love, alone is lonely.
What's happened?
Penelope was right.
I'm a one-trick pony.
I don't belong here.
I'm never going to be one of them.
Well, I don't know who this
Penelope is, but I'd like a word.
No-one's allowed to be
that rude to you except me.
She's the worst.
Then ignore her.
She doesn't know you like I do.
All I know is that you've been given
a second chance at St Jude's,
a chance to get back on
the straight and narrow.
So if you give up now and come home
with your tail between your legs,
I'll never forgive you.
HE SIGHS
Have you got, like,
a photographic memory or something?
Imagine if he did.
That would be sick, man.
Like an ultimate skill in an RPG.
ALARM BLARES
CLANK, WHIR
The hook is the perfect way to avoid
any ground-level deterrents
such as tripwires.
If no-one finds a way in,
they'll hit the roof.
Hit the roof.
Two minutes 24 till they're back.
If you don't believe you can,
then you can't.
Argh!
What is it?
I think I've sprained my ankle.
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!
You'll have to go on without me.
Come on.
You first. I'll be right behind you.
You can trust me, Amira.
We're Legacies.
VOICE ECHOES: Sometimes you just
have to smash the stupid window!
GLASS SMASHES
CLANK
One last thing. Hmm?
Ishaan's a traitor.
I need to hear you say it.
You know you can trust me,
but I need to know once
and for all I can trust you.
He's twice the man you'll ever be.
I wanted to be wrong.
SHE SCREAMS
Give it up, Avery.
Know when you're outclassed.
Help!
Help!
Help!
Amira!
What?
No.
FOOTSTEPS RECEDING
Penelope.
I was this close to winning.
Why would you trust Edgar?
He tried to shoot Jia with an arrow!
Kind of a red flag, no?
You didn't have to help me.
Yeah, cos I was going to let
you fall off a roof.
You're welcome, by the way.
See, there he is. You act like
you're this big tough guy,
"I don't care about anyone,"
but it's all for show.
I see you. You're just like Ishaan.
That's why you tipped me off.
"Hit the roof."
You're the only person that's
stuck up for me since I got here.
How else was I supposed
to thank you?
I'm here to prove
I can be the perfect Legacy.
Ishaan didn't join them.
I know it.
They kidnapped him.
The Nameless?
Why are you telling me this?
Something tells me I can trust you.
Same.
I only wish you could have found
the solution without cheating.
A secret door isn't cheating.
It's using what's there.
Stealing the plans,
working with a crew
I wasn't working with them.
It's a classic double cross.
Y-You've taught me
since birth to cheat and steal.
Not from this office!
Need I remind you
that I am not just your father,
I am the headmaster,
the head of the Crooked Complex.
I thought you'd be proud of me.
There are things in here
that you cannot know about.
I'm not a child any more, Dad! I
When you were my age, you were
breaking into Russian bank vaults.
The world was simpler then!
I won't apologise for protecting
what innocence is left
for as long as I can.
FLIES BUZZ
ADE SPLUTTERS
Reeks, bro!
I'm trying to breathe
through my ears!
I hope those Legacies make
themselves sick.
What even is a begonia?
They were my wife's
favourite flowers.
Keep shovelling.
EDE RETCHES
The Nameless are pure evil.
They use their skills
for power and greed,
and they don't care who they hurt.
Or worse.
Ishaan would never choose that life.
Instead of trying to be
the perfect Legacy,
why don't you try to prove Ishaan's
not what they say he is?
What if that's my destiny?
What if that's why I'm here?
To clear his name.
I don't believe in destiny.
You're sure he's innocent?
He just vanished.
If it was a choice,
he'd have left me a message.
The only thing left behind was
the Nameless's calling card.
Calling card?
Yeah, it's a penny
burnt on one side.
HE BREATHES RAGGEDLY
VOICE ECHOES: The only thing
left behind
was the Nameless's calling card.
A penny burnt on one side.
I would keep this hidden
if I were you.
That's why you're here!
I knew something was off
the moment I met you.
I mean, your room turned up nothing,
but now it all makes sense.
Your little bond with Amira.
This! You're with the Nameless!
What?! No, I promise. I'd never
even heard of the Nameless. As if!
I'm taking you down, Avery.
You're history.