Secret Service (2026) s01e02 Episode Script
Episode 2
1
ZAK: 'You're running an op against
the chief of Russian intelligence
'while he's on holiday,
'which they would consider
highly provocative.
'To justify an op like this,
'Igor would have to be trading
top-grade insights with his son.
'Who's your agent in there anyway?'
'She's Mikhail Borodin's
Russian nanny.'
200 hours of battery life.
IN RUSSIAN:
He's got nothing
to be suspicious about.
INDISTINCT RUSSIAN,
LAUGHTER
I think that's Kyril Markov.
He's a ruthless bastard.
Who's the poor bastard in
our Cabinet with pancreatic cancer?
Igor and Kyril Markov hook you in,
we spend the next ten years
chasing a ghost.
Or it's true,
and we've just got wind of it.
Emergency statement from the PM.
Given my condition, I feel I owe it
to you all to offer my resignation.
I will remain in place
until a new leader is chosen.
If a minister running for leadership
has been bribed or blackmailed,
we'd be catastrophically exposed.
Before I authorise an investigation
into any leading politician,
I'll need concrete evidence.
The mic battery's dead.
Lena.
Sweet dreams, eh?
FLOORBOARD CREAKS
SHE GASPS
SHE SCREAMS
Your little Lenochka
was spying on us.
And now, she's going to tell me
all her secrets.
Go back to your bed.
I'm her boss now.
KYRIL SHOUTS
IN RUSSIAN
LENA SQUEALS
Thank you.
You wanted to see me?
I'm assuming the original intel
for this Maltese op
came from Cyclops?
Yes. He told me about
Igor's annual trips to Valletta.
So that information was a plant.
Everything else is, too.
It wasn't. His explanation
was entirely credible.
So you're sure of the intelligence.
What about him?
It's all in the file.
I've known him since I was a student
in St Petersburg.
And 18 years later,
he shows up in London,
working undercover
at the Russian Embassy.
A senior Moscow intelligence officer
apparently looking to switch lanes.
He was already disillusioned.
Ukraine was the final straw.
You obviously kept in touch.
We stayed friends.
Mm.
Were you ever lovers?
No.
Did you want to be?
Not relevant.
Did he?
Briefly, perhaps,
but, erm, I was already engaged
to Stuart.
So even if we'd wanted to
Ah, I see.
So it's what he might have done
but didn't
that makes you so sure
of his loyalty.
A moment of weakness, perhaps
that he chose not
to take advantage of?
Isn't that worthy of trust?
We can all lie to someone we love.
And I had you down
as an incurable romantic.
This job rather beats that
out of you, I'm afraid.
You're one of our best
agent runners, Kate,
but a great desk head
requires many qualities.
Certainty isn't one of them.
So you're backing Zak?
You need to find out
if your friend Cyclops
has been playing you,
inadvertently or not.
Or you won't just be the youngest
Head of the Russia Desk,
you'll be the shortest-serving, too.
REPORTER: 'Will you run
for leadership, Foreign Secretary?'
RYAN: 'Right now, my thoughts
are just with Anthony and Jane.'
'But, Foreign Secretary, you've got
five days to the election.
'Don't be so coy. You need to
get a move on, really, don't you?'
'I think in a situation like this,
'it's very important to maintain
our composure as a party.' Mm.
What did C have to offer?
Strategic ambiguity.
His speciality.
Meaning we have to prove
that we were right, or we're fucked.
Ah.
And Echo might be, too.
I'm gonna set up a meeting
with Cyclops tomorrow morning
at the London safe house.
Sure.
You need to shut that down.
Zak's in the building.
Yeah, course, but it's a shame
we can't show them this.
Come on.
That's Mr Ryan Walker leaving
the NATO conference last night,
after the PM's announcement,
by the back door.
No official car. No PPOs.
And no Special Adviser,
Melissa Morris.
No, nothing. So I talked
to our Portuguese friends,
did a little triangulation,
and this was the drop-off point.
Little villa in the hills.
Guess who owns it?
Er, Putin's secret mistress?
Close.
Try Dmitri Krimsov's brother-in-law.
Are you serious?
Oh, yeah.
So, Mr Walker's response
to the resignation
of our Prime Minister
is to go AWOL
with the Russian Foreign Minister.
Are you certain
that Krimsov was at the villa?
HE SNIGGERS
Well, he got there
half an hour before Ryan.
Now, there was another arrival
in a taxi from the Lisbon Royale.
I I haven't ID'd him yet,
but are you ready
for the piece de resistance?
Yeah.
The man in the Merc is Lev Amatov,
our cuddly British oligarch.
So, Ryan meets the Russian
Foreign Minister off-grid in a
Hiya.
off-grid in a get-together
brokered by a billionaire
with historic ties to the Kremlin.
Well, I would call that
politically suspect.
Otherwise known as murky as fuck.
Stuart had a night out with Melissa
at the last party conference.
He said she seemed disillusioned
by working with Ryan.
I should talk to her.
Mm.
We need to talk more about this.
But not here.
Sure. Do you fancy a cuppa?
Yeah.
If this leaks, Ryan's finished.
Mm.
Why take the risk
of going in person?
IN RUSSIAN ACCENT:
An offer he couldn't refuse.
OWN ACCENT: Or maybe Ryan is the one
with the ask.
On which subject,
why would Imogen
accept a 200-grand donation
from a man like Lev Amatov?
Well, on paper,
you could argue that he's legit.
Right? I mean, Eton, Cambridge,
he's the chairman
of Gold Scope Media.
Man's a tech tycoon.
Plus, he's on the board
of the British Museum
and the Courtauld Institute,
along with Ryan's wife.
Imogen went to this conference
in Portonovi two years ago.
Stuart went.
Pretty sure he said
that Lev Amatov was there.
Well, there's plenty of dirty money
in Montenegro, you know.
It's a shame we can't investigate.
Assuming we follow our orders.
If Zak finds out
we're working off the books
Well, he won't, OK?
Not if we get out of his eye line.
Look, as long as you're working
on his debrief,
he's not gonna give two shits
where I am.
Anywhere in mind?
Yeah. Come on.
It's just round here.
You live so close.
Yeah, well, it means I can wake up
whenever I want to.
Come in.
Well, it's close to HQ,
and it's off Zak's radar,
so I'll take it.
Right, here's a spare key.
Thank you.
It's my partner, Sandy's,
but he's never around,
so now, it's yours.
My money is on Ryan declaring first.
Well, if Imogen goes up against him,
Stuart thinks most of the others
will back her.
All right, so let's start
with the two of them, then.
And if anyone else joins the race,
I'll go digging.
Cool?
Yeah.
Five days. Better get on with it.
It's gonna be a long night.
IGOR SPEAKING RUSSIAN
IN RUSSIAN:
IGOR SHOUTS
IN RUSSIAN
DOOR SHUTS
Are you running an op in Valletta?
Malta's been put on the alert list
last night.
It came through at the embassy.
What's the alert about?
I don't know.
Did you put an agent in the villa?
I need to go through your tip-off
about Igor's holidays in Valletta.
Is there any chance
it could be a plant?
Is that why we're here?
You think I set you up?
Your bosses do.
The intel from my op was seismic,
much bigger than we expected.
And the chief's now worried
about blow-back.
What did you find out?
Could you have been set up?
Could anyone know we've got ears
in the villa? Not from me.
SHE EXHALES
Kate, you're gonna have
to trust my judgment on this.
Unless you think I'd lie to you?
Of course I don't.
Try to find out what you can
about the red flag on Malta.
It's important.
OK.
I'll be in touch in the usual way.
DOOR CLOSES
JULIE: 'Morning.'
When did you last hear from Echo?
'Last night.'
A message saying she hadn't changed
the battery in the mic.
It's possible Moscow knows
we're watching Igor.
Fuck. How?
I don't know yet, but they've
just put Malta on the alert list.
'There was a big police bust on Gozo
last night. It was on the news.
'It could be over that.'
What happened?
Some fintech company
breaching Russian sanctions.
Enough to get Moscow's back up.
You know how they like to think
of this island as theirs.
'Maybe.'
But first,
we need to make sure Echo's safe.
How close can you get to the villa?
Not that close.
But there's a view
from the top of the cliff.
Go there. I'll speak to Rose
about this Gozo bust thing.
Don't send Echo any more messages
until we've had eyes on her.
Yeah. OK.
I know even talking
about immigration
offends your metropolitan
sensibilities.
I'd appreciate it if you didn't
make an assumption like that.
My point is, it's
it's not a left or a right issue.
I'm a passionate believer
in our multi-cultural society,
but it's gotta be protected.
Protected from what?
From being swamped
by uncontrolled, poorly managed,
illegal migration.
But only last week,
the Home Secretary said
we need migrants to do the jobs
that other people don't wanna do.
Yeah, well, even so,
we've been letting in hundreds
of thousands of people a year
for more than a decade
without building the homes,
the hospitals or anything else
we need to accommodate them.
And does that strike you two
as sane?
It's going to be hard
to keep the economy moving
with zero immigration
and a higher rate of tax of 70%,
which is what you're proposing.
Yeah, on salaries over
a quarter of a million pounds.
So, obviously, it would be
a great shame to lose you both.
Sinn Fein, this morning,
are calling for a referendum
on whether Northern Ireland
should leave the United Kingdom.
If you become Prime Minister,
would you agree to that demand?
Well perhaps it's time
we asked the English.
They pay for the union, after all.
The UK, in or out?
Foreign Secretary,
is that really how you are launching
your campaign,
by playing the dog whistle
of English nationalism?
What the hell was all that about?
The right-wing press
are gonna lose their shit. Good.
Just shaking things up.
Step away from the middle,
maybe catch a wave.
Or you drown, Ryan.
We've only got four days.
You wanted to start our campaign
with a bang. Well, this is it.
The bang was supposed
to be a tough case
on pulling back on immigration,
not throwing petrol
on a nationalist bonfire.
It's an election race, Melissa.
I have to offer change.
Well, our MPs are gonna hate it.
Yeah, some will. But the party
rank and file will agree with me,
more than they'd want to admit.
I get it, course I do.
But the next time
you are going disappear all night,
if you could just send me a text,
that would be great, thank you.
Sorry. Something came up.
'Well, I hope it was worth it.
'It's absolute chaos here.'
I don't know if you saw that lunatic
on GMB this morning
talking about a referendum
for the English to leave the UK.
'It's just the populist playbook.'
He can't mean it, can he?
'Well, who knows?'
At least he's put a rocket
up Imogen's arse now he's declared.
I mean, she's still on the fence.
'Do you think anyone else will run?'
No, not if she stops dragging
her bloody heels, no.
Oh, babe, before I forget,
you know that conference
in Montenegro,
the one you didn't wanna go to?
That was a tourist industry
junket thing, wasn't it?
Yeah, for hotels. Yeah,
we were pitching for investment.
'Why?'
Do you remember who set it up?
It's just the Foreign Office
are on my back
about reviewing
ministers' security abroad.
Like I need the extra bloody admin.
'Yes, I do remember who set it up.'
It was the master of slime himself,
Lev Amatov.
He, er He invited us
and sort of random backbenchers.
I mean, me and Josh told Imogen
she shouldn't bother,
but she was adamant for some reason.
'Did you get the investment?'
No, course we didn't. The only thing
I got was that food poisoning.
Remember the food poisoning I got?
Oh, yeah, the famous squid.
'From the squid, yes, disgusting.
Ugh! Please'
I've gotta go.
Oh, listen, don't forget, tonight,
it's Fiona's parent-teacher thing.
We are under strict instructions
to NOT wear anything embarrassing,
OK?
I mean, as far as she's concerned,
that's impossible. Love you.
All right. Love
DISCONNECT TONE
you too.
I spoke to GCHQ and Langley.
They haven't heard any chatter
coming out Malta
other than the Gozo bust,
so it probably is the reason
Moscow flagged it.
"Probably" isn't enough.
We'll regroup as soon as Julie's
got a closer look at Echo.
What's the news on her brother?
We've moved him to a hostel
in St Petersburg.
As soon as you pull her out,
we'll have him on his way
to the border.
CAMERA WHIRRS
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
That's a nice brochure.
Look at the date.
Look at who was there.
It was two weeks before
Lev made his first donation
to Harry Conrad's charity.
Hmm. Well, that's not
a very subtle quid pro quo, is it?
Exactly.
So why not declare it?
To stop the press from finding out
she's got ties to an oligarch.
It's not a very good look
for the Home Office.
So, are you gonna ask her about it?
I think I'll start
with Angela White.
PHONE RINGS
It's Julie.
What's the news?
'I can't see her.'
I've only got a limited view
on the terrace,
but Matti is giving Sandro
his breakfast.
Stay where you are
and call me the second
you see anything different.
Well, if it is what you say it is,
it would be a game-changer,
wouldn't it?
No, I think we should wait.
Timing's not right
at the moment, but
OK. OK, yeah, thanks.
OK, I'll call you later.
Right.
A video involving
a certain female politician's
just been brought to my attention.
OK. What kind of video?
We'll just have
to use our imaginations.
What? A sex video of Imogen Conrad?
Shh. It sounds implausible,
but I have it on good authority.
Well, how do you know
it's gonna leak?
I don't. I've just been tipped off
that it might.
By who?
A journalist.
I don't know.
It doesn't matter who, does it?
We just need a strategy
in case it does.
Of course,
I sincerely hope it doesn't.
It'll have nothing to do with us,
will it, Ryan?
You wanted to see me?
Mrs White,
I'm not sure if you remember me.
Of course I do.
You gave no quarter
to the committee,
which strikes me as a good quality
in your line of work.
Let me sign you in.
I think it's better
if we take a walk. Is that OK?
I was at the Montenegro conference
because Lev asked me to be,
and I made no secret of that.
To save you the trouble,
he is a donor to my local party.
It seemed like a reasonable ask.
Did the Home Secretary
discuss her goals for the trip?
I barely saw her. I assumed she was
there as a favour to Lev, like me,
but she didn't seem to be taking
any of it very seriously.
What do you mean by that?
She wasn't at any of the talks.
She seemed let's put it this way,
otherwise occupied.
With what?
She spent an awful lot of time
horsing around with her aide.
There were two of them, I think.
One of them was laid up
with a tummy bug.
It was the other one. John?
Josh. Joshua Long?
Good-looking chap.
Maybe there was nothing going on.
But I can't say
I've ever entirely trusted her.
Look, you're putting words
in my mouth.
I didn't say I was ruling her out,
but that doesn't mean
that you can rule her in.
No, of course she isn't behind
Ryan Walker's referendum bollocks.
X? Come on, the only thing
that X is a guide to
is Elon Musk's artificially
inflated testosterone.
See you.
Can I have that for my manifesto?
We can't hold out for much longer.
We need to get out there
ahead of Ryan, OK?
I need more coffee.
What do you think I should do, love?
I always said Ryan's smarter
than he looks.
He's a wrecking ball.
And he hasn't even started
on us yet.
Then you need to stop him.
Simon, hello.
Is the Foreign Secretary
taking mind-altering drugs?
Yes, sadly, he is a full-blown
crack addict now, Simon (!)
Melissa? It's Kate.
You used to work with my husband,
Stuart, at The Guardian.
We met at the Christmas party.
Oh, you're the civil servant.
Home Office, or was it with MOD?
I actually work for SIS.
We're investigating an issue with
the Foreign Secretary's security.
When was that?
Yesterday.
We were running a routine op
in Lisbon,
and we noticed
he left the summit venue
without his protection officers.
I wasn't aware.
No?
So there's no cause for concern
over his security detail?
Not as far as I know, no.
He went to meet Lev Amatov,
is that right?
A reception at a private villa.
Oddly enough,
we can't seem to find a record
of the event
on the official schedule.
Well, Lev's a personal friend
of the Foreign Secretary,
that's no secret.
What about the fact
that Dmitri Krimsov was there, too?
That's a massive allegation.
You'll have to speak
to the Foreign Secretary about it.
I'm sure he'd be keen
to avoid a diplomatic scandal,
given the fact he's just announced
his leadership bid.
What do you expect me
to do about it?
Talk to me, Melissa.
Does Ryan often go AWOL?
Does he shut you out of things?
He might be running the country
soon.
Did Stuart tell you to come to me?
Of course not. This is between us.
I've gotta go.
If you want to talk more
In confidence, of course.
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
PHONE CHIMES
Thank fuck.
RINGING TONE
PHONE RINGS
'I have eyes on her.'
She's playing cards with Sandro,
sent a text saying she's fine.
'It all looks normal.'
I told you not to send her
any more messages.
'I didn't.'
Then why is she answering
a question you didn't ask?
Can you send me the pictures?
I'll run back now
and take a look at them.
'On it now.'
Stuart.
You all right?
Did you tell your wife,
who you forgot
to mention works for SIS,
what we discussed
in Manchester in confidence?
I may have mentioned something to
her about you being unhappy, yeah.
What happens at conference
stays at conference.
Isn't that the golden rule, mate?
It's nothing that anyone
couldn't have guessed, is it? Eh?
I'm sorry, though. Really, I am.
So, what,
did Kate say something to you?
I don't want things
to turn dirty, Stuart.
That's not why I got into politics.
Then why are you working
for Ryan Walker, then?
Eh? How's that make sense?
He's got no business
being anyway near Downing Street,
and you know that,
and I know that you know.
Listen to me. Listen.
There is always room
for someone like you in our office.
I know that to be true.
I know that Imogen
would snap you up. I know it.
Just think about it.
Just have a think.
Stop. Go back one.
You see that on the edge of frame?
They're playing cards.
Why would they need security?
PHONE RINGS
'I just got another text.
She's requesting a meet.'
"I hope your mum is OK,
it would be good to see her soon."
'We can see a security guard
in one of your shots.'
So?
I think she's been blown.
She's answering questions we didn't
ask her, she's being chaperoned,
and now, all of a sudden,
she wants a meet.
OK. What next?
I'll talk to Zak.
But I think I'm gonna have
to go back.
You think her meet request
is a set-up?
I don't know,
but something feels off.
And now, we know Malta's
on the alert list as of last night.
Can you authorise a team
to extract her?
HE SIGHS
It's too risky, Kate.
Best case,
we'd get you there in two days.
But we need the Foreign Secretary
to sign off putting weapons
through the diplomatic bag.
I don't have two days.
I'd have to go unarmed.
HE SCOFFS
I can't advise that as your SO.
Igor's security
will be armed to the teeth,
and there might be more on the way.
I'm sorry, but the answer's no.
We've got no idea
how it's gonna go down out there,
which is exactly
what Moscow always wants.
We're just gonna have
to hope you're wrong and
Echo hasn't been blown.
I'm not leaving her there.
He made the right call.
There are too many unknowns.
I made a promise to her and Alexei.
I know how much your agents matter
to you. It's why you got this job.
But you have to know
when an op goes beyond your control.
I'm not leaving her there, Rose.
Suppose Zak's right,
you walk into a trap.
I can handle it.
Surely, your priority has to be
Excuse me.
has to be protecting
the Russia Desk?
If any of you
were compromised out there,
it would take weeks
to get a new team up to speed.
By which time, Moscow's asset
would be in Downing Street.
It's a chance I'll have to take.
KATE SIGHS
You take a break, OK?
Go home, see your kids.
Shit, Fiona.
Here she is.
I told you she'd be here.
Nice of you to show up.
Sorry I'm late, darling. Sorry.
What have I missed?
It's the same old story.
She's got a fantastic brain
when she's focused.
PHONE DINGS
But she is too easily distracted.
Wow, OK. Erm, that's Imogen.
She's She's in.
OK.
Erm, right, so, I'm gonna shoot off.
So we have done everything
apart from history and politics.
And this is the queue
for the A-level choices.
Stu, I'm gonna have
to work late tonight as well.
Love you, darling. Bye. Bye.
PHONE BUZZES
MAN: Next?
Mum!
Sorry. I'm all yours. Hello.
So, do I have £8,000? 8,000.
Thank you. Eight-fifty. 9,000.
Nine. 10,000.
So, I have £10,000
for this gorgeous
Matisse lithograph. Do I?
11,000. Thank you, sir.
12,000.
Do I have 13,000? 14,000.
Shall we round it up, Mr Amatov?
15,000 for such a great cause?
LAUGHTER
Sold. £15,000 to the kind gentleman.
APPLAUSE
So sorry, James, he's been held up.
Can we push it back for 20 minutes, please?
Well, right now,
he's the only candidate,
so of course he's gonna win.
Melissa thinks it'll play
as an act of toxic masculinity.
Melissa's a millennial puritan.
Trust me, anyone with ovaries
would just be bitching
about Imogen's figure.
Either way,
it'd force her to pull out.
If she's got the balls
to stand against you.
But still, it's a hefty price
for her to have to pay.
I don't know how bad
this tape actually is.
If you wanna win,
play everything in your hand.
Half measures
aren't gonna get you anywhere.
So sorry to interrupt.
I have to drag him away
for The Times interview.
You can do it in the car.
Oh, OK. All right.
I'll see you later. After you.
SHE LAUGHS
Please tell me
the tip-off about the tape
didn't happen at the Lisbon party.
No, of course not.
Does it exist?
Was it filmed by the Russians?
Yes, it exists.
And I told you, I've got no idea
who filmed the bloody thing
or who's in it with her.
OK, if it's real
and there's any hint
that you were behind the leak,
you know that it would sink us?
It would sink her first, surely.
Not necessarily.
A personal smear like this
could make a heroine of her.
Especially if the Kremlin
are behind it.
There's no evidence of that.
Doesn't matter.
The right-wing press
will have a field day.
They'll say you're like one
of Moscow's fellow travellers,
like the old left.
Was Lev Amatov
at the Lisbon party?
He's Amanda's friend, not mine.
He's also got a Russian passport,
family ties to Putin.
Yes, he's also a British citizen
who earnt his money here
fair and square.
Do you know, we're happy enough
to use his money
to prop up public spending.
He just dropped 50 grand in there
on student scholarships.
Was there anyone else there
that I should know about?
HE SIGHS
You are making a mountain
out of a molehill with this.
OK, you took a huge risk.
I'm sure people already know
that you went off without your PPOs.
Oh, come on! What people?
There were 50 EU ministers
staying at the same hotel, Ryan.
Look, can we just leave
the cross-questioning
to the journalists, please?
PHONE RINGS
I've really gotta take this!
John, hi, sorry, I'm up to my ears.
Now? You're landing this on me now?
I'm a public figure, in case
you hadn't noticed. Jesus Christ.
John. John.
No, no, no, construction
was meant to be YOUR expertise,
offering finance was mine.
Do not get in this car
until I tell you.
If Mylar goes under now,
I am seriously pissed off.
Listen to me, John.
If you get fired, you better
keep your fucking mouth shut.
You can sulk all you like,
you're not spending
the weekend at Jay's.
Not after
what your teachers said tonight.
Why can't I see my boyfriend
when I'm not at school?
If you make a mistake, Fiona
I'm not stupid.
You've known this guy
for five minutes.
Have this conversation with Dad,
see what he says.
Dad's not the paranoid workaholic.
I know I've been away a lot
recently.
I think you like getting away
from us.
It's bad timing, but I have
to go away again tomorrow.
PHONE CHIMES
Oh, for God's sake.
I'll get the bus home.
RYAN: I have no idea
what you're talking about.
If you expect me to pull a million
quid out of my arse like a feather,
you have got
another fucking thing coming.
'Robert Peston.'
Are you alone?
'Yeah, I am.'
Well, this is strictly
off the record
Here he is,
Monsieur Laurent Sauverre.
He's a Swiss national.
I was able to track him
from Krimsov's Lisbon villa
back to his hotel.
Who is he?
I have no idea yet.
But the man doesn't show up
on our radar -
or anywhere else, for that matter.
Well, that tells us something.
Mm-hm.
So, erm you have
any more thoughts about Malta?
A few.
Yeah?
We deliberately made the approach
to the church long.
So even if this meet is a set-up,
the Russians won't want her
to deviate from our plan,
which will stretch them.
And that's my chance.
What, you intercept her en route?
I've got some ideas about that, too.
Oh, fuck. Er, yeah,
I'm I'm gonna need a drink.
HE SIGHS
I think this is still good.
Yeah. Do you want one?
No, thanks.
RAV YAWNS
Are you gonna tell Julie
that you're thinking of going rogue?
There's every chance
they'll fire me, Rav.
I can't do that to either of you.
Forget about the suits.
You can't do this on your own.
You should go and make friends
with your bed.
Get some rest and then decide
whether you want
to throw your entire career away.
If you stop drinking that shit now.
I'll let you know in the morning, yeah?
'Our understanding is
that with four days to go,
'the Home Secretary, Imogen Conrad,
'will join
the leadership contest tonight.
'We're expecting her announcement
within the next'
Are you ready?
Who's out there?
Everyone.
Harry?
You've got this, Imo.
Wish me luck.
Good luck.
JOURNALISTS SHOU
It is my great and timely pleasure
to announce my campaign
to be the next leader of our party
and of our great country.
PHONE BUZZES
'..to join
the waiting press conference.
'And we need to cut away
from there now
'for some pretty sensational news
'about the other
leadership candidate.
'In the last few minutes,
our Political Editor, Robert Peston,
'has broken a bombshell of a story,
to put it mildly,
'concerning the Foreign Secretary,
Ryan Walker.
'The allegation,
that Mr Walker slipped away
'from his personal protection team
'at the NATO summit
in Lisbon this week
'and went to a party
'with the Russian Foreign Minister,
Dmitri Krimsov,
'hosted by frequent donor
'to numerous British
political parties Lev Amatov.'
ROBERT PESTON: 'This is
an absolutely extraordinary story.
'Our Foreign Secretary, Ryan Walker,
'having a private meeting
with his Russian opposites.'
OK, we've got an hour to calm
the storm, or this race is over.
Yeah, I think you should stay quiet.
No, you shouldn't stay quiet.
They'll crucify you.
We just We just say
it was some freelance diplomacy.
Pre-Ukraine, that might have worked,
but now?
You got any better ideas?
In this current climate,
it looks shady as hell.
Yeah, well, maybe I had no choice
but to go to that fucking party!
Yeah, well,
I hope you hang whoever leaked it.
Oh, don't worry, I'm on it.
OK.
News At Ten are asking for you.
If you come clean now,
perhaps we can salvage this.
Call bloody Peston.
Tell him to get here immediately.
Too late.
We won't make the end of the show.
Well, then tell them to extend it.
OK.
'Well, as we said,
we've extended the programme tonight
'after we were told
the Foreign Secretary
'wanted to give us some context
'for our explosive revelations
earlier.
'And I'm pleased to say Robert
is with him right now. Robert.'
Thanks, Tom. Foreign Secretary,
you had a private meeting,
at a Lisbon party of all things,
with the Foreign Minister
of Russia, a hostile state.
You were not accompanied
by any officials,
there are no notes of the meeting.
This was a clear breach
of protocol,
national security
has been put at risk.
Your colleagues say to me
that you should resign
and give up all ambitions
to be leader of their party.
I won't be resigning any time soon,
Robert.
Why on earth not?
In the business of diplomacy,
it's sometimes worth taking a risk,
even a personal one.
What on earth were you thinking of?
Look, it was a social gathering,
right,
hosted by a very well-known
British party donor,
where Dmitri Krimsov was a guest.
We shared
Did you expect Krimsov to be there?
I did expect Krimsov to be there.
So why didn't you take
your officials?
Well, it's not
a widely publicised fact
that Dimitri Krimsov
lost his only son last year.
And it's, erm
it's fairly well-known
that my wife and I, erm
Sorry.
Er, we lost our only child,
also a boy
erm, three years ago.
Sorry. And I I wanted to express
my private sympathies to him
in the hope that we might find
some common ground,
man to man, if I'm
RYAN LAUGHS
if I'm allowed
to say that these days.
I imagine I speak
for everybody watching.
Look, you know, obviously,
I feel, for you,
enormous compassion, given
the tragedy that you suffered.
Thank you. But what do you think
you actually achieved?
How many people do you know would
be bold enough to walk in that door
and sit down with Dimitri Krimsov?
How many people do you know
would try to better
that diplomatic relationship
between Europe and Russia?
I'd like you name someone
in the Cabinet
that you would have
that confidence in.
'Thank you, Robert. Robert Peston
there with the Foreign Secretary.'
PHONE BUZZES
'And that was quite some interview.
'This leadership race
is certainly hotting up.
'Let's move on to some
of the day's other news now,
'and having promised repeatedly'
KNOCK ON DOOR
Kate.
Sorry to have summoned you so late,
Mrs Henderson.
I've been on national television
fighting for my political life.
I saw. I'm sorry.
So you won't mind if I ask you
a few simple questions?
Of course.
Did you know about my meeting
with Dimitri Krimsov?
Yes.
How?
Some basic detective work.
RYAN CHUCKLES
I'm the Foreign fucking Secretary.
Your boss.
I don't need
any covert surveillance!
I understand Kate had concerns
about your personal security.
Did you leak my meeting
to the press?
No.
Are you sure about that?
Absolutely.
Do you think I don't know
who your husband works for?
If you have a problem
with my husband,
I suggest you take it up with him,
Foreign Secretary,
or Imogen herself.
But you'll admit
you don't like my politics, do you?
I'm a civil servant.
Your politics
are none of my business.
Is there anything else
you'd like to tell us, Kate?
No. Unless Mr Walker would?
Do you think I would take
the trouble to come here
if I'd done anything underhand?
It's not my job to say, Sir.
My job is to help keep you safe.
If we've failed to do that
here at SIS,
then I'm sure I speak for everyone
when I say it is deeply regrettable.
Well, if you've no more questions,
Foreign Secretary
Take this as an official warning.
Do not meddle
with the democratic process.
Hiya.
Hi.
Did you see it?
What a fucking night.
Front-row seat.
I mean, Meg's already asked
for his resignation.
He's cooked. He's done.
Well, I think it's gonna take
more than this to kill him off.
I mean, maybe, but, it now means
that Imogen is officially
in the fucking race.
Can I ask you something?
Yeah.
Do you think Imogen's
ever been unfaithful?
What, to Harry?
I mean, no, not that I know of. Why?
Forget it.
Katie,
if you've heard something about her,
I could really do with knowing,
you know.
Especially given she's now declared.
No.
Forget about it. I just wanted
your opinion. All right.
Are you OK? You had a rough night?
SHE SIGHS
I've had better.
Anything you can talk about, or?
I was accused of passing intel
about the Krimsov meeting to you.
To me?
Well, who's accused you? Zak?
Man of the moment. Ryan Walker.
I mean, honestly, do they think
we'd be that fucking stupid?
Apparently so.
Did you know, though
about Ryan meeting Krimsov?
I mean, is that what that trip
was about?
I can't talk about it.
You can't talk about it.
Given the fact that you're
investigating him We're not.
And that's it, Stuart.
I can't talk about it. All right.
Sorry.
Well
Bloody hell, well, we'd better win,
then, hey?
I'm a civil servant.
I can't comment. Yes.
Your neutrality is noted, as ever.
I'm not joking, Stuart.
I'm not joking.
SHE SIGHS
I'm really sorry, but I have
to go away again tomorrow.
I'll be gone
before you're up, though.
OK. What? You Oh.
What, is it something serious,
or?
It's a potentially hostile
environment.
KYRIL: 'Everything is in place.
'Now you are going to find out
what Henderson knows.'
Malta is not the best place to die.
Don't be stupid.
Confirm the meeting
in the church this morning.
Now.
ZAK: 'You're running an op against
the chief of Russian intelligence
'while he's on holiday,
'which they would consider
highly provocative.
'To justify an op like this,
'Igor would have to be trading
top-grade insights with his son.
'Who's your agent in there anyway?'
'She's Mikhail Borodin's
Russian nanny.'
200 hours of battery life.
IN RUSSIAN:
He's got nothing
to be suspicious about.
INDISTINCT RUSSIAN,
LAUGHTER
I think that's Kyril Markov.
He's a ruthless bastard.
Who's the poor bastard in
our Cabinet with pancreatic cancer?
Igor and Kyril Markov hook you in,
we spend the next ten years
chasing a ghost.
Or it's true,
and we've just got wind of it.
Emergency statement from the PM.
Given my condition, I feel I owe it
to you all to offer my resignation.
I will remain in place
until a new leader is chosen.
If a minister running for leadership
has been bribed or blackmailed,
we'd be catastrophically exposed.
Before I authorise an investigation
into any leading politician,
I'll need concrete evidence.
The mic battery's dead.
Lena.
Sweet dreams, eh?
FLOORBOARD CREAKS
SHE GASPS
SHE SCREAMS
Your little Lenochka
was spying on us.
And now, she's going to tell me
all her secrets.
Go back to your bed.
I'm her boss now.
KYRIL SHOUTS
IN RUSSIAN
LENA SQUEALS
Thank you.
You wanted to see me?
I'm assuming the original intel
for this Maltese op
came from Cyclops?
Yes. He told me about
Igor's annual trips to Valletta.
So that information was a plant.
Everything else is, too.
It wasn't. His explanation
was entirely credible.
So you're sure of the intelligence.
What about him?
It's all in the file.
I've known him since I was a student
in St Petersburg.
And 18 years later,
he shows up in London,
working undercover
at the Russian Embassy.
A senior Moscow intelligence officer
apparently looking to switch lanes.
He was already disillusioned.
Ukraine was the final straw.
You obviously kept in touch.
We stayed friends.
Mm.
Were you ever lovers?
No.
Did you want to be?
Not relevant.
Did he?
Briefly, perhaps,
but, erm, I was already engaged
to Stuart.
So even if we'd wanted to
Ah, I see.
So it's what he might have done
but didn't
that makes you so sure
of his loyalty.
A moment of weakness, perhaps
that he chose not
to take advantage of?
Isn't that worthy of trust?
We can all lie to someone we love.
And I had you down
as an incurable romantic.
This job rather beats that
out of you, I'm afraid.
You're one of our best
agent runners, Kate,
but a great desk head
requires many qualities.
Certainty isn't one of them.
So you're backing Zak?
You need to find out
if your friend Cyclops
has been playing you,
inadvertently or not.
Or you won't just be the youngest
Head of the Russia Desk,
you'll be the shortest-serving, too.
REPORTER: 'Will you run
for leadership, Foreign Secretary?'
RYAN: 'Right now, my thoughts
are just with Anthony and Jane.'
'But, Foreign Secretary, you've got
five days to the election.
'Don't be so coy. You need to
get a move on, really, don't you?'
'I think in a situation like this,
'it's very important to maintain
our composure as a party.' Mm.
What did C have to offer?
Strategic ambiguity.
His speciality.
Meaning we have to prove
that we were right, or we're fucked.
Ah.
And Echo might be, too.
I'm gonna set up a meeting
with Cyclops tomorrow morning
at the London safe house.
Sure.
You need to shut that down.
Zak's in the building.
Yeah, course, but it's a shame
we can't show them this.
Come on.
That's Mr Ryan Walker leaving
the NATO conference last night,
after the PM's announcement,
by the back door.
No official car. No PPOs.
And no Special Adviser,
Melissa Morris.
No, nothing. So I talked
to our Portuguese friends,
did a little triangulation,
and this was the drop-off point.
Little villa in the hills.
Guess who owns it?
Er, Putin's secret mistress?
Close.
Try Dmitri Krimsov's brother-in-law.
Are you serious?
Oh, yeah.
So, Mr Walker's response
to the resignation
of our Prime Minister
is to go AWOL
with the Russian Foreign Minister.
Are you certain
that Krimsov was at the villa?
HE SNIGGERS
Well, he got there
half an hour before Ryan.
Now, there was another arrival
in a taxi from the Lisbon Royale.
I I haven't ID'd him yet,
but are you ready
for the piece de resistance?
Yeah.
The man in the Merc is Lev Amatov,
our cuddly British oligarch.
So, Ryan meets the Russian
Foreign Minister off-grid in a
Hiya.
off-grid in a get-together
brokered by a billionaire
with historic ties to the Kremlin.
Well, I would call that
politically suspect.
Otherwise known as murky as fuck.
Stuart had a night out with Melissa
at the last party conference.
He said she seemed disillusioned
by working with Ryan.
I should talk to her.
Mm.
We need to talk more about this.
But not here.
Sure. Do you fancy a cuppa?
Yeah.
If this leaks, Ryan's finished.
Mm.
Why take the risk
of going in person?
IN RUSSIAN ACCENT:
An offer he couldn't refuse.
OWN ACCENT: Or maybe Ryan is the one
with the ask.
On which subject,
why would Imogen
accept a 200-grand donation
from a man like Lev Amatov?
Well, on paper,
you could argue that he's legit.
Right? I mean, Eton, Cambridge,
he's the chairman
of Gold Scope Media.
Man's a tech tycoon.
Plus, he's on the board
of the British Museum
and the Courtauld Institute,
along with Ryan's wife.
Imogen went to this conference
in Portonovi two years ago.
Stuart went.
Pretty sure he said
that Lev Amatov was there.
Well, there's plenty of dirty money
in Montenegro, you know.
It's a shame we can't investigate.
Assuming we follow our orders.
If Zak finds out
we're working off the books
Well, he won't, OK?
Not if we get out of his eye line.
Look, as long as you're working
on his debrief,
he's not gonna give two shits
where I am.
Anywhere in mind?
Yeah. Come on.
It's just round here.
You live so close.
Yeah, well, it means I can wake up
whenever I want to.
Come in.
Well, it's close to HQ,
and it's off Zak's radar,
so I'll take it.
Right, here's a spare key.
Thank you.
It's my partner, Sandy's,
but he's never around,
so now, it's yours.
My money is on Ryan declaring first.
Well, if Imogen goes up against him,
Stuart thinks most of the others
will back her.
All right, so let's start
with the two of them, then.
And if anyone else joins the race,
I'll go digging.
Cool?
Yeah.
Five days. Better get on with it.
It's gonna be a long night.
IGOR SPEAKING RUSSIAN
IN RUSSIAN:
IGOR SHOUTS
IN RUSSIAN
DOOR SHUTS
Are you running an op in Valletta?
Malta's been put on the alert list
last night.
It came through at the embassy.
What's the alert about?
I don't know.
Did you put an agent in the villa?
I need to go through your tip-off
about Igor's holidays in Valletta.
Is there any chance
it could be a plant?
Is that why we're here?
You think I set you up?
Your bosses do.
The intel from my op was seismic,
much bigger than we expected.
And the chief's now worried
about blow-back.
What did you find out?
Could you have been set up?
Could anyone know we've got ears
in the villa? Not from me.
SHE EXHALES
Kate, you're gonna have
to trust my judgment on this.
Unless you think I'd lie to you?
Of course I don't.
Try to find out what you can
about the red flag on Malta.
It's important.
OK.
I'll be in touch in the usual way.
DOOR CLOSES
JULIE: 'Morning.'
When did you last hear from Echo?
'Last night.'
A message saying she hadn't changed
the battery in the mic.
It's possible Moscow knows
we're watching Igor.
Fuck. How?
I don't know yet, but they've
just put Malta on the alert list.
'There was a big police bust on Gozo
last night. It was on the news.
'It could be over that.'
What happened?
Some fintech company
breaching Russian sanctions.
Enough to get Moscow's back up.
You know how they like to think
of this island as theirs.
'Maybe.'
But first,
we need to make sure Echo's safe.
How close can you get to the villa?
Not that close.
But there's a view
from the top of the cliff.
Go there. I'll speak to Rose
about this Gozo bust thing.
Don't send Echo any more messages
until we've had eyes on her.
Yeah. OK.
I know even talking
about immigration
offends your metropolitan
sensibilities.
I'd appreciate it if you didn't
make an assumption like that.
My point is, it's
it's not a left or a right issue.
I'm a passionate believer
in our multi-cultural society,
but it's gotta be protected.
Protected from what?
From being swamped
by uncontrolled, poorly managed,
illegal migration.
But only last week,
the Home Secretary said
we need migrants to do the jobs
that other people don't wanna do.
Yeah, well, even so,
we've been letting in hundreds
of thousands of people a year
for more than a decade
without building the homes,
the hospitals or anything else
we need to accommodate them.
And does that strike you two
as sane?
It's going to be hard
to keep the economy moving
with zero immigration
and a higher rate of tax of 70%,
which is what you're proposing.
Yeah, on salaries over
a quarter of a million pounds.
So, obviously, it would be
a great shame to lose you both.
Sinn Fein, this morning,
are calling for a referendum
on whether Northern Ireland
should leave the United Kingdom.
If you become Prime Minister,
would you agree to that demand?
Well perhaps it's time
we asked the English.
They pay for the union, after all.
The UK, in or out?
Foreign Secretary,
is that really how you are launching
your campaign,
by playing the dog whistle
of English nationalism?
What the hell was all that about?
The right-wing press
are gonna lose their shit. Good.
Just shaking things up.
Step away from the middle,
maybe catch a wave.
Or you drown, Ryan.
We've only got four days.
You wanted to start our campaign
with a bang. Well, this is it.
The bang was supposed
to be a tough case
on pulling back on immigration,
not throwing petrol
on a nationalist bonfire.
It's an election race, Melissa.
I have to offer change.
Well, our MPs are gonna hate it.
Yeah, some will. But the party
rank and file will agree with me,
more than they'd want to admit.
I get it, course I do.
But the next time
you are going disappear all night,
if you could just send me a text,
that would be great, thank you.
Sorry. Something came up.
'Well, I hope it was worth it.
'It's absolute chaos here.'
I don't know if you saw that lunatic
on GMB this morning
talking about a referendum
for the English to leave the UK.
'It's just the populist playbook.'
He can't mean it, can he?
'Well, who knows?'
At least he's put a rocket
up Imogen's arse now he's declared.
I mean, she's still on the fence.
'Do you think anyone else will run?'
No, not if she stops dragging
her bloody heels, no.
Oh, babe, before I forget,
you know that conference
in Montenegro,
the one you didn't wanna go to?
That was a tourist industry
junket thing, wasn't it?
Yeah, for hotels. Yeah,
we were pitching for investment.
'Why?'
Do you remember who set it up?
It's just the Foreign Office
are on my back
about reviewing
ministers' security abroad.
Like I need the extra bloody admin.
'Yes, I do remember who set it up.'
It was the master of slime himself,
Lev Amatov.
He, er He invited us
and sort of random backbenchers.
I mean, me and Josh told Imogen
she shouldn't bother,
but she was adamant for some reason.
'Did you get the investment?'
No, course we didn't. The only thing
I got was that food poisoning.
Remember the food poisoning I got?
Oh, yeah, the famous squid.
'From the squid, yes, disgusting.
Ugh! Please'
I've gotta go.
Oh, listen, don't forget, tonight,
it's Fiona's parent-teacher thing.
We are under strict instructions
to NOT wear anything embarrassing,
OK?
I mean, as far as she's concerned,
that's impossible. Love you.
All right. Love
DISCONNECT TONE
you too.
I spoke to GCHQ and Langley.
They haven't heard any chatter
coming out Malta
other than the Gozo bust,
so it probably is the reason
Moscow flagged it.
"Probably" isn't enough.
We'll regroup as soon as Julie's
got a closer look at Echo.
What's the news on her brother?
We've moved him to a hostel
in St Petersburg.
As soon as you pull her out,
we'll have him on his way
to the border.
CAMERA WHIRRS
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
That's a nice brochure.
Look at the date.
Look at who was there.
It was two weeks before
Lev made his first donation
to Harry Conrad's charity.
Hmm. Well, that's not
a very subtle quid pro quo, is it?
Exactly.
So why not declare it?
To stop the press from finding out
she's got ties to an oligarch.
It's not a very good look
for the Home Office.
So, are you gonna ask her about it?
I think I'll start
with Angela White.
PHONE RINGS
It's Julie.
What's the news?
'I can't see her.'
I've only got a limited view
on the terrace,
but Matti is giving Sandro
his breakfast.
Stay where you are
and call me the second
you see anything different.
Well, if it is what you say it is,
it would be a game-changer,
wouldn't it?
No, I think we should wait.
Timing's not right
at the moment, but
OK. OK, yeah, thanks.
OK, I'll call you later.
Right.
A video involving
a certain female politician's
just been brought to my attention.
OK. What kind of video?
We'll just have
to use our imaginations.
What? A sex video of Imogen Conrad?
Shh. It sounds implausible,
but I have it on good authority.
Well, how do you know
it's gonna leak?
I don't. I've just been tipped off
that it might.
By who?
A journalist.
I don't know.
It doesn't matter who, does it?
We just need a strategy
in case it does.
Of course,
I sincerely hope it doesn't.
It'll have nothing to do with us,
will it, Ryan?
You wanted to see me?
Mrs White,
I'm not sure if you remember me.
Of course I do.
You gave no quarter
to the committee,
which strikes me as a good quality
in your line of work.
Let me sign you in.
I think it's better
if we take a walk. Is that OK?
I was at the Montenegro conference
because Lev asked me to be,
and I made no secret of that.
To save you the trouble,
he is a donor to my local party.
It seemed like a reasonable ask.
Did the Home Secretary
discuss her goals for the trip?
I barely saw her. I assumed she was
there as a favour to Lev, like me,
but she didn't seem to be taking
any of it very seriously.
What do you mean by that?
She wasn't at any of the talks.
She seemed let's put it this way,
otherwise occupied.
With what?
She spent an awful lot of time
horsing around with her aide.
There were two of them, I think.
One of them was laid up
with a tummy bug.
It was the other one. John?
Josh. Joshua Long?
Good-looking chap.
Maybe there was nothing going on.
But I can't say
I've ever entirely trusted her.
Look, you're putting words
in my mouth.
I didn't say I was ruling her out,
but that doesn't mean
that you can rule her in.
No, of course she isn't behind
Ryan Walker's referendum bollocks.
X? Come on, the only thing
that X is a guide to
is Elon Musk's artificially
inflated testosterone.
See you.
Can I have that for my manifesto?
We can't hold out for much longer.
We need to get out there
ahead of Ryan, OK?
I need more coffee.
What do you think I should do, love?
I always said Ryan's smarter
than he looks.
He's a wrecking ball.
And he hasn't even started
on us yet.
Then you need to stop him.
Simon, hello.
Is the Foreign Secretary
taking mind-altering drugs?
Yes, sadly, he is a full-blown
crack addict now, Simon (!)
Melissa? It's Kate.
You used to work with my husband,
Stuart, at The Guardian.
We met at the Christmas party.
Oh, you're the civil servant.
Home Office, or was it with MOD?
I actually work for SIS.
We're investigating an issue with
the Foreign Secretary's security.
When was that?
Yesterday.
We were running a routine op
in Lisbon,
and we noticed
he left the summit venue
without his protection officers.
I wasn't aware.
No?
So there's no cause for concern
over his security detail?
Not as far as I know, no.
He went to meet Lev Amatov,
is that right?
A reception at a private villa.
Oddly enough,
we can't seem to find a record
of the event
on the official schedule.
Well, Lev's a personal friend
of the Foreign Secretary,
that's no secret.
What about the fact
that Dmitri Krimsov was there, too?
That's a massive allegation.
You'll have to speak
to the Foreign Secretary about it.
I'm sure he'd be keen
to avoid a diplomatic scandal,
given the fact he's just announced
his leadership bid.
What do you expect me
to do about it?
Talk to me, Melissa.
Does Ryan often go AWOL?
Does he shut you out of things?
He might be running the country
soon.
Did Stuart tell you to come to me?
Of course not. This is between us.
I've gotta go.
If you want to talk more
In confidence, of course.
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
PHONE CHIMES
Thank fuck.
RINGING TONE
PHONE RINGS
'I have eyes on her.'
She's playing cards with Sandro,
sent a text saying she's fine.
'It all looks normal.'
I told you not to send her
any more messages.
'I didn't.'
Then why is she answering
a question you didn't ask?
Can you send me the pictures?
I'll run back now
and take a look at them.
'On it now.'
Stuart.
You all right?
Did you tell your wife,
who you forgot
to mention works for SIS,
what we discussed
in Manchester in confidence?
I may have mentioned something to
her about you being unhappy, yeah.
What happens at conference
stays at conference.
Isn't that the golden rule, mate?
It's nothing that anyone
couldn't have guessed, is it? Eh?
I'm sorry, though. Really, I am.
So, what,
did Kate say something to you?
I don't want things
to turn dirty, Stuart.
That's not why I got into politics.
Then why are you working
for Ryan Walker, then?
Eh? How's that make sense?
He's got no business
being anyway near Downing Street,
and you know that,
and I know that you know.
Listen to me. Listen.
There is always room
for someone like you in our office.
I know that to be true.
I know that Imogen
would snap you up. I know it.
Just think about it.
Just have a think.
Stop. Go back one.
You see that on the edge of frame?
They're playing cards.
Why would they need security?
PHONE RINGS
'I just got another text.
She's requesting a meet.'
"I hope your mum is OK,
it would be good to see her soon."
'We can see a security guard
in one of your shots.'
So?
I think she's been blown.
She's answering questions we didn't
ask her, she's being chaperoned,
and now, all of a sudden,
she wants a meet.
OK. What next?
I'll talk to Zak.
But I think I'm gonna have
to go back.
You think her meet request
is a set-up?
I don't know,
but something feels off.
And now, we know Malta's
on the alert list as of last night.
Can you authorise a team
to extract her?
HE SIGHS
It's too risky, Kate.
Best case,
we'd get you there in two days.
But we need the Foreign Secretary
to sign off putting weapons
through the diplomatic bag.
I don't have two days.
I'd have to go unarmed.
HE SCOFFS
I can't advise that as your SO.
Igor's security
will be armed to the teeth,
and there might be more on the way.
I'm sorry, but the answer's no.
We've got no idea
how it's gonna go down out there,
which is exactly
what Moscow always wants.
We're just gonna have
to hope you're wrong and
Echo hasn't been blown.
I'm not leaving her there.
He made the right call.
There are too many unknowns.
I made a promise to her and Alexei.
I know how much your agents matter
to you. It's why you got this job.
But you have to know
when an op goes beyond your control.
I'm not leaving her there, Rose.
Suppose Zak's right,
you walk into a trap.
I can handle it.
Surely, your priority has to be
Excuse me.
has to be protecting
the Russia Desk?
If any of you
were compromised out there,
it would take weeks
to get a new team up to speed.
By which time, Moscow's asset
would be in Downing Street.
It's a chance I'll have to take.
KATE SIGHS
You take a break, OK?
Go home, see your kids.
Shit, Fiona.
Here she is.
I told you she'd be here.
Nice of you to show up.
Sorry I'm late, darling. Sorry.
What have I missed?
It's the same old story.
She's got a fantastic brain
when she's focused.
PHONE DINGS
But she is too easily distracted.
Wow, OK. Erm, that's Imogen.
She's She's in.
OK.
Erm, right, so, I'm gonna shoot off.
So we have done everything
apart from history and politics.
And this is the queue
for the A-level choices.
Stu, I'm gonna have
to work late tonight as well.
Love you, darling. Bye. Bye.
PHONE BUZZES
MAN: Next?
Mum!
Sorry. I'm all yours. Hello.
So, do I have £8,000? 8,000.
Thank you. Eight-fifty. 9,000.
Nine. 10,000.
So, I have £10,000
for this gorgeous
Matisse lithograph. Do I?
11,000. Thank you, sir.
12,000.
Do I have 13,000? 14,000.
Shall we round it up, Mr Amatov?
15,000 for such a great cause?
LAUGHTER
Sold. £15,000 to the kind gentleman.
APPLAUSE
So sorry, James, he's been held up.
Can we push it back for 20 minutes, please?
Well, right now,
he's the only candidate,
so of course he's gonna win.
Melissa thinks it'll play
as an act of toxic masculinity.
Melissa's a millennial puritan.
Trust me, anyone with ovaries
would just be bitching
about Imogen's figure.
Either way,
it'd force her to pull out.
If she's got the balls
to stand against you.
But still, it's a hefty price
for her to have to pay.
I don't know how bad
this tape actually is.
If you wanna win,
play everything in your hand.
Half measures
aren't gonna get you anywhere.
So sorry to interrupt.
I have to drag him away
for The Times interview.
You can do it in the car.
Oh, OK. All right.
I'll see you later. After you.
SHE LAUGHS
Please tell me
the tip-off about the tape
didn't happen at the Lisbon party.
No, of course not.
Does it exist?
Was it filmed by the Russians?
Yes, it exists.
And I told you, I've got no idea
who filmed the bloody thing
or who's in it with her.
OK, if it's real
and there's any hint
that you were behind the leak,
you know that it would sink us?
It would sink her first, surely.
Not necessarily.
A personal smear like this
could make a heroine of her.
Especially if the Kremlin
are behind it.
There's no evidence of that.
Doesn't matter.
The right-wing press
will have a field day.
They'll say you're like one
of Moscow's fellow travellers,
like the old left.
Was Lev Amatov
at the Lisbon party?
He's Amanda's friend, not mine.
He's also got a Russian passport,
family ties to Putin.
Yes, he's also a British citizen
who earnt his money here
fair and square.
Do you know, we're happy enough
to use his money
to prop up public spending.
He just dropped 50 grand in there
on student scholarships.
Was there anyone else there
that I should know about?
HE SIGHS
You are making a mountain
out of a molehill with this.
OK, you took a huge risk.
I'm sure people already know
that you went off without your PPOs.
Oh, come on! What people?
There were 50 EU ministers
staying at the same hotel, Ryan.
Look, can we just leave
the cross-questioning
to the journalists, please?
PHONE RINGS
I've really gotta take this!
John, hi, sorry, I'm up to my ears.
Now? You're landing this on me now?
I'm a public figure, in case
you hadn't noticed. Jesus Christ.
John. John.
No, no, no, construction
was meant to be YOUR expertise,
offering finance was mine.
Do not get in this car
until I tell you.
If Mylar goes under now,
I am seriously pissed off.
Listen to me, John.
If you get fired, you better
keep your fucking mouth shut.
You can sulk all you like,
you're not spending
the weekend at Jay's.
Not after
what your teachers said tonight.
Why can't I see my boyfriend
when I'm not at school?
If you make a mistake, Fiona
I'm not stupid.
You've known this guy
for five minutes.
Have this conversation with Dad,
see what he says.
Dad's not the paranoid workaholic.
I know I've been away a lot
recently.
I think you like getting away
from us.
It's bad timing, but I have
to go away again tomorrow.
PHONE CHIMES
Oh, for God's sake.
I'll get the bus home.
RYAN: I have no idea
what you're talking about.
If you expect me to pull a million
quid out of my arse like a feather,
you have got
another fucking thing coming.
'Robert Peston.'
Are you alone?
'Yeah, I am.'
Well, this is strictly
off the record
Here he is,
Monsieur Laurent Sauverre.
He's a Swiss national.
I was able to track him
from Krimsov's Lisbon villa
back to his hotel.
Who is he?
I have no idea yet.
But the man doesn't show up
on our radar -
or anywhere else, for that matter.
Well, that tells us something.
Mm-hm.
So, erm you have
any more thoughts about Malta?
A few.
Yeah?
We deliberately made the approach
to the church long.
So even if this meet is a set-up,
the Russians won't want her
to deviate from our plan,
which will stretch them.
And that's my chance.
What, you intercept her en route?
I've got some ideas about that, too.
Oh, fuck. Er, yeah,
I'm I'm gonna need a drink.
HE SIGHS
I think this is still good.
Yeah. Do you want one?
No, thanks.
RAV YAWNS
Are you gonna tell Julie
that you're thinking of going rogue?
There's every chance
they'll fire me, Rav.
I can't do that to either of you.
Forget about the suits.
You can't do this on your own.
You should go and make friends
with your bed.
Get some rest and then decide
whether you want
to throw your entire career away.
If you stop drinking that shit now.
I'll let you know in the morning, yeah?
'Our understanding is
that with four days to go,
'the Home Secretary, Imogen Conrad,
'will join
the leadership contest tonight.
'We're expecting her announcement
within the next'
Are you ready?
Who's out there?
Everyone.
Harry?
You've got this, Imo.
Wish me luck.
Good luck.
JOURNALISTS SHOU
It is my great and timely pleasure
to announce my campaign
to be the next leader of our party
and of our great country.
PHONE BUZZES
'..to join
the waiting press conference.
'And we need to cut away
from there now
'for some pretty sensational news
'about the other
leadership candidate.
'In the last few minutes,
our Political Editor, Robert Peston,
'has broken a bombshell of a story,
to put it mildly,
'concerning the Foreign Secretary,
Ryan Walker.
'The allegation,
that Mr Walker slipped away
'from his personal protection team
'at the NATO summit
in Lisbon this week
'and went to a party
'with the Russian Foreign Minister,
Dmitri Krimsov,
'hosted by frequent donor
'to numerous British
political parties Lev Amatov.'
ROBERT PESTON: 'This is
an absolutely extraordinary story.
'Our Foreign Secretary, Ryan Walker,
'having a private meeting
with his Russian opposites.'
OK, we've got an hour to calm
the storm, or this race is over.
Yeah, I think you should stay quiet.
No, you shouldn't stay quiet.
They'll crucify you.
We just We just say
it was some freelance diplomacy.
Pre-Ukraine, that might have worked,
but now?
You got any better ideas?
In this current climate,
it looks shady as hell.
Yeah, well, maybe I had no choice
but to go to that fucking party!
Yeah, well,
I hope you hang whoever leaked it.
Oh, don't worry, I'm on it.
OK.
News At Ten are asking for you.
If you come clean now,
perhaps we can salvage this.
Call bloody Peston.
Tell him to get here immediately.
Too late.
We won't make the end of the show.
Well, then tell them to extend it.
OK.
'Well, as we said,
we've extended the programme tonight
'after we were told
the Foreign Secretary
'wanted to give us some context
'for our explosive revelations
earlier.
'And I'm pleased to say Robert
is with him right now. Robert.'
Thanks, Tom. Foreign Secretary,
you had a private meeting,
at a Lisbon party of all things,
with the Foreign Minister
of Russia, a hostile state.
You were not accompanied
by any officials,
there are no notes of the meeting.
This was a clear breach
of protocol,
national security
has been put at risk.
Your colleagues say to me
that you should resign
and give up all ambitions
to be leader of their party.
I won't be resigning any time soon,
Robert.
Why on earth not?
In the business of diplomacy,
it's sometimes worth taking a risk,
even a personal one.
What on earth were you thinking of?
Look, it was a social gathering,
right,
hosted by a very well-known
British party donor,
where Dmitri Krimsov was a guest.
We shared
Did you expect Krimsov to be there?
I did expect Krimsov to be there.
So why didn't you take
your officials?
Well, it's not
a widely publicised fact
that Dimitri Krimsov
lost his only son last year.
And it's, erm
it's fairly well-known
that my wife and I, erm
Sorry.
Er, we lost our only child,
also a boy
erm, three years ago.
Sorry. And I I wanted to express
my private sympathies to him
in the hope that we might find
some common ground,
man to man, if I'm
RYAN LAUGHS
if I'm allowed
to say that these days.
I imagine I speak
for everybody watching.
Look, you know, obviously,
I feel, for you,
enormous compassion, given
the tragedy that you suffered.
Thank you. But what do you think
you actually achieved?
How many people do you know would
be bold enough to walk in that door
and sit down with Dimitri Krimsov?
How many people do you know
would try to better
that diplomatic relationship
between Europe and Russia?
I'd like you name someone
in the Cabinet
that you would have
that confidence in.
'Thank you, Robert. Robert Peston
there with the Foreign Secretary.'
PHONE BUZZES
'And that was quite some interview.
'This leadership race
is certainly hotting up.
'Let's move on to some
of the day's other news now,
'and having promised repeatedly'
KNOCK ON DOOR
Kate.
Sorry to have summoned you so late,
Mrs Henderson.
I've been on national television
fighting for my political life.
I saw. I'm sorry.
So you won't mind if I ask you
a few simple questions?
Of course.
Did you know about my meeting
with Dimitri Krimsov?
Yes.
How?
Some basic detective work.
RYAN CHUCKLES
I'm the Foreign fucking Secretary.
Your boss.
I don't need
any covert surveillance!
I understand Kate had concerns
about your personal security.
Did you leak my meeting
to the press?
No.
Are you sure about that?
Absolutely.
Do you think I don't know
who your husband works for?
If you have a problem
with my husband,
I suggest you take it up with him,
Foreign Secretary,
or Imogen herself.
But you'll admit
you don't like my politics, do you?
I'm a civil servant.
Your politics
are none of my business.
Is there anything else
you'd like to tell us, Kate?
No. Unless Mr Walker would?
Do you think I would take
the trouble to come here
if I'd done anything underhand?
It's not my job to say, Sir.
My job is to help keep you safe.
If we've failed to do that
here at SIS,
then I'm sure I speak for everyone
when I say it is deeply regrettable.
Well, if you've no more questions,
Foreign Secretary
Take this as an official warning.
Do not meddle
with the democratic process.
Hiya.
Hi.
Did you see it?
What a fucking night.
Front-row seat.
I mean, Meg's already asked
for his resignation.
He's cooked. He's done.
Well, I think it's gonna take
more than this to kill him off.
I mean, maybe, but, it now means
that Imogen is officially
in the fucking race.
Can I ask you something?
Yeah.
Do you think Imogen's
ever been unfaithful?
What, to Harry?
I mean, no, not that I know of. Why?
Forget it.
Katie,
if you've heard something about her,
I could really do with knowing,
you know.
Especially given she's now declared.
No.
Forget about it. I just wanted
your opinion. All right.
Are you OK? You had a rough night?
SHE SIGHS
I've had better.
Anything you can talk about, or?
I was accused of passing intel
about the Krimsov meeting to you.
To me?
Well, who's accused you? Zak?
Man of the moment. Ryan Walker.
I mean, honestly, do they think
we'd be that fucking stupid?
Apparently so.
Did you know, though
about Ryan meeting Krimsov?
I mean, is that what that trip
was about?
I can't talk about it.
You can't talk about it.
Given the fact that you're
investigating him We're not.
And that's it, Stuart.
I can't talk about it. All right.
Sorry.
Well
Bloody hell, well, we'd better win,
then, hey?
I'm a civil servant.
I can't comment. Yes.
Your neutrality is noted, as ever.
I'm not joking, Stuart.
I'm not joking.
SHE SIGHS
I'm really sorry, but I have
to go away again tomorrow.
I'll be gone
before you're up, though.
OK. What? You Oh.
What, is it something serious,
or?
It's a potentially hostile
environment.
KYRIL: 'Everything is in place.
'Now you are going to find out
what Henderson knows.'
Malta is not the best place to die.
Don't be stupid.
Confirm the meeting
in the church this morning.
Now.