Betrayal (2026) s01e04 Episode Script

GRUNTING
CLAIRE: 'At least Martin
actually gives a shit about me.'
JOHN: 'Oh, that's where you're going?'
No, wait. Wait, wait.
I don't think we should.
Fatemah's giving a talk at a
university in Liverpool next week.
You honestly think they'd
use a chemical nerve agent
as toxic and lethal as sarin?
I had my first threat
to life ten years ago.
If I don't see evidence,
I am not cancelling.
MEHREEN: 'I don't work for Qasem Asadi.
'Qasem Asadi works for us.'
He needs to make it look
like he's going ahead with it,
but at the crucial moment,
the device won't work.
RUDY: 'That flag on Jordan's
phone, it's come good.'
MAN GRUNTS
HEAVY BREATHING, RINGING
HE GROANS
HE INHALES DEEPLY, EXHALES
HE GROANS
BANGS DOOR
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
BEESTON: Let me get rid of him.
I warned him not to come back.
QASEM: No. I will handle the journalist.
DOOR RATTLES
Craig, show Hossein the device.
QASEM SPEAKS FARSI
I need to just check it all
out before we get some
INDISTINCT CHATTER
I see you're doing all
you can to blow my cover.
I know you're playing Six.
- I've seen the lab.
- I'm not.
I'm on your side, John. Trust me.
Ehsan is dead. Jordan is dead.
You don't seem to care
who gets hurt along the way.
I know Mehreen
explained the plan to you.
The plan is bollocks.
You have no idea how fine
the line is I have to tread.
I must think of my family.
Your family? Why, what is it?
What is it with your family?
I appreciate that you have to trust me.
Look, I'm sure you were
one of the good guys once.
You won't be the first
agent that's lost his way.
VOICES APPROACH
There is a way back.
Make sure everything's
spot on, and then we're off.
You will stay here until
our business is concluded.
We have come to an arrangement.
Keep him here until you have
disposed of Jordan's body.
What about Ehsan and my missing drugs?
He knows nothing.
Right, we'll get you back to the hotel.
- Wes, you stay here and watch him.
- WESLEY: All right, boss.
METALLIC CLANGING, RETCHING
GROANING
Hey. Pack it in.
RETCHING CONTINUES
Where are you?
Shit!
WESLEY WHEEZES
WESLEY COUGHS
RINGING TONE
SIMONE: 'Where the fuck are you?'
I'm at some premises near Warrington.
You need to get into them.
'The operation's been
taken out of our hands.'
What?
'Qasem Asadi's an agent working for Six.'
I know he is.
I was informed last night
Mehreen's taken over.
She's running the whole show from Six.
To be frank, I don't think she
ever stopped working for them.
We need to get to the university
and stop Fatemah's talk.
I found a lab here.
It must be for making sarin.
I found Jordan's body there.
But senior management have
been spoken to by the top at Six.
It's a done deal.
'You need to get back to London now.'
Shit.
PHONE CHIMES
PHONE BEEPS
'Fatemah, you have to cancel.'
Look, some new
intelligence has come to light.
I'm not cancelling.
But I think there's a risk. A
real risk of mass casualties.
And what about the brave
women in Evin Prison?
Women who have actually been silenced?
Someone needs to speak for my sisters,
and I will give them a voice.
HE EXHALES
- Morning.
- Hm.
- Can I help you, sir?
- Oh, I'm looking for the bathroom.
- Third floor.
- Third floor.
Third floor!
DOOR CREAKS, CLOSES
INDISTINCT CHATTER
- Oh.
- Hey. Nice to see you.
All clear.
Ah, shit!
LIFT DINGS
- Stop! Stop right there!
- Whoa!
Put your hands in the air.
Get down on your knees. On your knees!
Where is it? WHERE IS IT?!
Where's what?
It's OK. Police. Move along.
Sorry.
Ladies and gentlemen, Fatemah Feyzi.
APPLAUSE
If I may
Thank you for having me.
I'm delighted to be
here and speak with you
about the current state of Iran.
BEESTON: Wes?
Wes Wes, what the? Where is he?
Sorry, Craig.
PHONE BUZZES
What?
'Wesley's fucked up.
'The journalist has escaped.
'Are you sure he knows nothing?
'General?'
Continue with the plan.
LINE DISCONNECTS
While the big men decide what
weapons Iran can have or not
and pontificate as to whether Iran
can ever have a civilian
nuclear power programme,
I speak about other things.
No less important.
Women in Evin Prison in Tehran
SHUTTER CLICKS
..know they will face beatings,
solitary confinement and
be refused medical treatment.
SHUTTER CLICKS
But surely
surely they are allowed
letters and food to be sent in
from relatives and loved ones.
Sadly, my sisters will
not be celebrating
SHUTTER CLICKS
..this New Year, Nowruz.
But I will always give them a voice.
I will not be intimidated.
We must free Iran.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
THEY MURMUR
I'm glad you heard Fatemah speak.
She's a great supporter
of our Persian Centre
and the campaign against the regime.
MEHREEN: See, John? Nothing happened.
This is my operation.
I found the lab where
they're prepping the sarin.
Qasem needs to make it look convincing.
So convincing that they killed Jordan?
You're being played for a fool.
I think there's only one of
us looking foolish right now,
and it's not me.
Qasem said the attack
wouldn't happen, and it didn't.
Yeah, well, maybe this
event wasn't the real target.
No, John, he saved my life. I trust him.
Well, what do you know about his life?
What do you know about
his wife? His children?
What's that got to do with anything?
I spoke to him.
- Why don't you do some digging?
- You spoke to him?
I think his wife and children
are being threatened,
and he's being coerced to
go through with this attack,
and you're either blind
to it, or you're in on it.
Of course I'm not fucking in on it!
RINGING TONE
WOMAN: 'Mehreen?'
I need a favour. I need
you to track another phone.
RINGING TONE
- CLAIRE: 'Hi.'
- Where are you?
Just came back to collect my things.
- 'We're staying at my parents'.'
- I didn't realise we were separating.
SHE SIGHS
'I think we should just
'take some time
'space apart.'
Please, Claire, don't do this.
No, John, I'm sorry, but
SHE SIGHS
..we've hit rock bottom, and
..I just I just don't think
we can come back from it.
DISCONNECT TONE
'Come on.'
It's been used to communicate
with a burner that Beeston's using.
Sorry, Chief, I've been barred from
helping you with anything like this.
Well, then I need you to get me some info
on the place I was held near Warrington.
- Check for any suspicious vehicles.
- Look, I can't.
They know I dug up that
shit on the doctor for you.
RUDY SCOFFS
Look, at the end of the day,
being a rebel doesn't
come naturally to me.
Look, Rudy, you don't
defeat an adversary
obeying the rules and
following procedure.
You find the weak spot,
and you take them down.
Oh.
Chief?
RUDY SIGHS
Fucking rude of leadership to
go above our heads like that.
I think Mehreen has either
lost control of her agent
or she's colluding with him.
I'm not sure I buy either
one of those theories.
She obviously came over
from Six to keep an eye on you,
spike the investigation.
Everything you said checks out.
Well, except the attack on
Fatemah's event at the university
never materialised.
But I did see where the
sarin was being made.
And they killed Jordan.
This really isn't over. I think
they've simply got a different plan.
Yes, but so long as we have
no evidence to contradict Six,
we're obliged to accept that they're
in charge and acting in good faith.
What if Asadi and Beeston
have simply switched targets?
How many would die in a sarin attack?
100, 200?
I'm not sure Simone has a choice here.
I just don't believe Asadi would
spike his own attack last minute.
I can't justify making enquiries
when we've been told to back off.
We've never held a file on
Major General Qasem Asadi.
I know it's frustrating.
I'm not frustrated. I'm angry!
We have been fucked by our own side.
- This arrived for you.
- Thanks, Janice.
HE CHUCKLES
RINGING TONE
- MAN: - 'Rudy.'
- Hi, mate.
- 'You all right?'
- Yeah, I need a favour.
PHONE RINGS
Yeah, hi.
WOMAN: 'The device you asked
me to track down, it's in Streatham.'
- It's where?
- 'Streatham. South London.'
And what about Asadi's family?
'Sources on the ground in
the Elahiyeh district of Tehran
'are saying Asadi's family
haven't been seen for five days.
'Mehreen?'
PHONE BEEPS
CAR DOOR CLOSES
MARTA: Chloe's upset, isn't she?
She's so sensitive.
Yeah, well, she adores John.
And what about Martin?
I feel really shitty about it.
Was it nice sex at least?
Well, it was hardly Champagne and bolero.
More like two shoves and a squirt.
MARTA LAUGHS
And then he wept with guilt afterwards.
MARTA EXHALES
How did you and John meet?
We met on a night out.
Wow, old-school.
He chatted you up in a bar?
Not exactly.
He introduced himself.
My friends thought
he was sure of himself.
Working-class chippy, you know?
But I liked him.
DOORBELL CHIMES
Hello.
SHE GASPS, HOSSEIN SPEAKS FARSI
CLAIRE BREATHES SHAKILY
HOSSEIN SPEAKS FARSI
No overreactions, and all will be well.
MARTA GASPS
What about her?
CLAIRE SOBS
SHE GASPS SOFTLY
GULLS SQUAWK
PHONE BUZZES
Hello?
I'm here with your wife
and your children's nanny.
OK.
'You need to come home.'
OK.
Come on your own.
Don't risk their lives pressing
the alarm for a rescue team.
LINE DISCONNECTS
CLAIRE INHALES SHARPLY
It's gonna be OK. It's gonna be OK.
It's gonna be OK.
Phone.
And the other one, please.
Sit down.
CLAIRE BREATHES SHAKILY
- Well, at least let Marta go.
- Yes, please, I would like to go.
- And go running to the police.
- She won't. She won't.
No, I won't!
GUN COCKING
- No, please.
- No, no, no, no, no.
IN FARSI:
VOICES OVERLAP
I'm just gonna go home.
Marta!
GUNSHO
CLAIRE SCREAMS
It's OK. It's OK.
It's OK.
CLAIRE SOBS
JOHN BREATHES HEAVILY
HOSSEIN SPEAKS FARSI
Oh!
OK, all right.
OK, just calm down.
Please, just calm down.
It's not going to be long,
then Hossein and I
will leave you in peace,
and we will return to Iran.
This does not have to be unpleasant.
Are you OK, Marta? It's gonna be OK.
MARTA SOBS
COMPUTER WHIRRING
ELECTRONIC BEEPING
KEYS CLACK
ELECTRONIC WHIRRING
I identified a vehicle of interest
with cloned number plates.
It's being driven by two
of Beeston's top guys.
It's heading eastbound
towards Manchester.
I see.
We know Fatemah Feyzi has
a handful of other events today
over the Persian New Year.
My assessment is this isn't over.
What about that burner
phone that John left you?
My mate hasn't got back to me yet
on the burner-phone location, but I've
Have we really got to do this
all again but with him instead?
Yeah, OK, Greg.
KEYPAD TONES
Hello?
MAN: 'Rudy, I tracked
that phone. Craig Beeston.'
- Yeah.
- 'He's in Stockport.'
Cool. Cheers, mate.
RUDY EXHALES
Beeston's in Stockport.
Well, that's his patch. That's
where we'd expect him to be.
Fine, Beeston's in Stockport,
but that eastbound van's
making the hairs on the
back of my neck stand on end.
WHISPERING: Every
instinct I have is telling me
we got this wrong, Greg.
Asadi and Beeston are doing this.
And how dare Six take this away from us?
Fuck them.
Are you on board or not?
Oh, God.
CREAKING
DISTANT CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER
MARTA WHIMPERS
Are they threatening your family?
Then why is he here?
To make sure you go
through with the attack?
All you need to do is stay here,
and there'll be no more attempts
to prevent me carrying out my task.
IN FARSI:
GUN COCKING
No! SCREAMING
Just calm down!
Please, calm down. Calm down.
DOG BARKING
WHIMPERING
Does he know who you've been
working for these past few years?
You need to be quiet now.
MI5 will help you, I promise you.
Just put the gun down.
If they've got your family,
we can help get them out.
Qasem, please, tell me what you need.
DISTANT VOICES
- Qasem?
- Mehreen?
GUNSHOT, CLAIRE GASPS
It's OK.
GUNSHOT, SHOUTING
WHISPERS: It's OK.
Yeah, you really expect
me to believe that, Mehreen?
GUNSHOT, GASPS
No, Claire, no.
- I'm a doctor.
- Stop.
Tell me where you're
gonna hit Fatemah Feyzi.
It's too late.
I know you don't wanna do this, Qasem.
Where are they gonna attack Fatemah?
Fatemah Feyzi's not the only
Iranian dissident living here.
This is the biggest day of the year.
The regime is planning a big splash
against its critics in the UK.
On Nowruz, our New Year?
Where? There'll be
hundreds out celebrating.
If you tell me where the
attack will take place, I swear,
we'll get you and your family
CLAIRE GASPS
Get back!
No, please don't.
Take it easy. Let her go.
Qasem, let her go, please.
CLAIRE SOBS
Every year, I'm asking
to get out with my family.
But what I was giving you
was just so good, wasn't it?
All that military, scientific
and nuclear intelligence?
Yeah. It's saved hundreds,
maybe thousands, of lives.
And you kept me in my place.
CLAIRE WHIMPERS
If they'd got me out sooner,
we would not be in this situation,
as the Persians of
Stockport will find out.
Whatever happens on Nowruz is on MI6.
GUN COCKS
HE MOUTHS
I risked everything for her.
She knows I despise the regime.
She knows I want to be free
of them like everyone else.
No Hey! Hey!
CLAIRE PANTS
All right. OK.
Let me remind you that you
are both dispensable to me.
As I am dispensable like so many others.
Like Ehsan Taremi.
- No.
- You know
..she gave his murder her blessing.
She organised five kilos of heroin
to be planted in Ehsan Taremi's property.
Why?
To throw you and your
colleagues off the
GUNSHO
GUNSHOT, CLAIRE CRIES
JOHN BREATHES HEAVILY
CLAIRE SOBS
CRYING CONTINUES
DISTANT SIRENS WAIL
They're on the M60.
ANPR ping. One minute ago. Eastbound.
There's a junction coming up.
- Get the junction camera up.
- Sure.
- There.
- Good.
- Pull it up.
- Yeah.
That's it.
Call them.
RINGING TONE
- MAN: 'SO15 ops.'
- Counter Terrorist Command.
'Receiving.'
Hi, yes, State Threats, Thames House.
'Go ahead.'
Yes, we've a suspicious vehicle
heading towards Manchester.
We need to get a drone up.
I'll send you the co-ordinates.
'Understood. Stand by. Deploying now.'
- JOHN: 'Hi, Rudy, son.'
- Chief.
They're gonna attack
a Nowruz celebration.
I think it's gonna happen at the
South Manchester Persian Centre.
'It's the main meeting place in Stockport
'for critics of the Iranian regime.'
OK, I'll get on it straightaway.
SIMONE: Probable target.
Persian Centre, Stockport.
South of Manchester.
- SK2 6NB.
- Beeston's on the move.
GPS on his phone.
He's heading north
towards our potential target.
I need to get back into Six
before the shit hits the fan.
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
HE EXHALES
Just Just go.
- GREG: Hello?
- SIMONE: State Threats again, yes.
The developing situation in Manchester.
We need a team of armed officers now.
Hello, State Threats.
Yeah, it's regarding this
situation in Manchester.
We need to get the fire service and
the regional hazmat team stood up,
and the Stockport NHS needs to get
their emergency PRR
action plan up and running.
No, no, no, don't intercept the van.
Head for the suspected target,
the South Manchester Persian Centre, now.
We can't risk a threat to life en route.
Possible mass casualty event.
Chemical nerve agent, sarin.
WOMAN: 'Two occupants
within the front of the van.
'We don't believe the occupants'
- MAN: 'Simone?'
- Hello, boss.
- 'Are we on?'
- Yep, they're moving.
There absolutely is a
risk of serious loss to life.
CHATTER, SINGING
SINGS IN FARSI
CHILDREN LAUGHING, SINGING DISTORTS
RADIO CHATTER
Persian Centre, we need to get into it.
- Can you get us the CCTV?
- Yeah, sure. Already there.
BEEP
- I'm in.
- Good. Pull it up.
Punching it up.
Deploy armed response unit.
Yeah. The van's pulling in now.
'Firearms teams deployed'
- That's them, is it, Rudy?
- Yes, Chief.
WOMAN: 'The vehicle is a
left, left, left into large car park.
'Travelling slowly northwards
towards Persian Centre.'
MAN: 'All units, suspect
vehicle approaching Persian Centre.'
The vehicle has stopped directly
at the rear of the Persian Centre.
'Black Range Rover
is a right, right, right,
'towards the Persian Centre.'
Beeston's approaching
the Persian Centre.
Stand by. Stand by. Stand by.
There is a serious risk of loss to life.
This is a critical threat.
'Occupants exiting vehicles.
Two occupants in vehicle one'
- Punching up front-side camera.
- '..two in vehicle two.'
The driver of the white
van is a white male
wearing shorts and a
light-grey sweatshirt top.
Yeah, that's him.
We have a positive ID of Craig Beeston.
White male, six foot, stocky
build, in all dark clothing.
They have removed an item
from the rear of the white van
and are carrying it in
the general direction
- That's it. That's the sarin.
- Condition Red.
'Firearms, Condition Red.'
Side entrance.
Intelligence suggests the
package may contain sarin.
Follow them, Rudy.
- Switching to back room.
- 'Drone to Control.
'Three suspects have
entered the building.'
They're inside.
Three suspects along with
the package are now in, in, in.
Pull up the main room, Rudy, mate.
- There you go.
- We need to get them out.
Suspects appear to be
prepping device in the back room.
GREG: Where's the response unit?
What is the ETA on the response unit?
We urgently need to extract civilians.
MAN: 'Firearms vehicle
inbound, community centre.'
- One of them is exiting the building.
- Follow 'em.
WOMAN: 'One suspect
has exited the building.'
- That's Karlson.
- 'Heading towards white van.'
Beeston and Wesley
are setting the device.
RUDY: Karlson's moving
to the front of the building.
Positive ID on this
male as subject Karlson,
who is moving to
the front of the building.
Fucking hell.
- Where's the response unit?
- 30 seconds away.
'Suspect remains by black Range Rover.'
GREG: That's two of
Beeston's crew out front.
Unidentified suspect, possibly
armed, by Black Range Rover.
Come on. Come on.
Can we get the response from the dashcam?
On it.
MAN: 'Alfa response unit.
Driving 500 yards from the car park.'
We need the bodycam.
'Alpha response unit.
Approaching location.
'Firearms on scene.
'We have visual on the male
by the black Range Rover.
'Male has reached inside his waistband.
'Male has taken cover behind bonnet.'
SHOUTING
OVERLAPPING SHOUTING
Police! Stop! Show me your weapons!
Show your hands now!
- Second response vehicle up.
- Don't shoot!
Bravo one, two and three have a visual
on the male by the black Range Rover.
- 'On your knees!'
- 'OK, get on the floor.'
SIMONE: Karlson has surrendered.
MUFFLED SHOUTING
- Drop your weapon!
- Hands where I can see 'em!
GUNSHO
'Shot fired. Shot fired.'
Fuck.
GUNSHO
Fuck! Oh, God.
GUNSHO
'Drop it!'
OVERLAPPING SHOUTING
'Suspect down. Suspect down.
'Bravo team making ground
towards the centre entrance.
'The shot male appears deceased.
'There is a large firearm at his side.'
'Control, firearm teams are positioned.'
Beeston's gone in the back.
'One subject down. Do not
move medical forward yet.'
'Bravo team entering the building.'
'Bravo to Control. Going up
three. Proceeding to next sector.'
'Firearms making ground
towards the greenhouse.'
Rudy, pull up the CCTV
from inside the centre, please?
Course, Chief.
Extract personnel before
confronting the suspects.
Back room, please, Rudy.
Beeston's aware we are in the building.
Evacuate the building now!
'Police! Everyone out!
- 'Move! Move! Now!'
- 'Move! Move! Now!'
PANICKED SHOUTING OVER RADIO
'Everyone out the back door!'
- 'Everyone, out!'
- 'Everybody, move!'
- 'Wait over there.'
- 'Wait over there.'
'Civilians being directed
away from the threat.
'Ignore the log. Additional
casualties in the evacuation group -
'shock and minor injuries reported.'
That's the lot. Go to bodycam.
SIMONE: Neutralise the threat.
'Prepare to engage.
Prepare to engage target.'
'Stand back! Stand back!'
'Bang the door! Bang the door!'
SHOUTING OVER RADIO
Get back, get back!
BEESTON: Fuck you! You fucking pricks!
GUNSHOTS, GROANING
'Suspects down.'
JOHN: That's Beeston.
'Target neutralised. Checking device.
- 'Device active. Withdraw! Withdraw!'
- 'Withdraw! Get out! Get out!'
He's released the sarin.
'Everyone, back!
'Go back! Go back!'
Where's the hazmat team?
- CBRN, where are they? It's urgent.
- 'Evacuate the building!
'Seal the doors!
Seal the doors!'
'Move. Get in the van.'
KARLSON: 'All right. I'm fucking going.'
HAZMAT OFFICER: 'Hazmat team going in.
'Hazmat team to Control.
We are entering the subject premises.'
HEAVY BREATHING OVER RADIO
'Device sealed.
'Sarin is contained.
Clear for chemical clearance.'
'Confirmed.'
WOMAN SINGS IN FARSI
CROWD SINGS
CHILDREN LAUGHING
CHLOE: Come on, Kit. Who
can make the bigger puddle?
CHILDREN GIGGLE
- CHLOE, DISTANT: Splash me!
- KIT: Play football!
CHATTER CONTINUES OUTSIDE
Did you manage to stop the attack?
MARTA: Careful.
You do realise that if you don't
answer that question after today,
then we're getting divorced?
HE SCOFFS
Are we getting divorced?
- KIT: Oh, my leg.
- MARTA: Oh, no!
CHLOE: Marta, catch.
- Are you gonna answer my question?
- What question?
Fuck off.
Yes
..we stopped the attack.
What about my question?
CHLOE: Oh, look at you.
You see, thing is, Claire
..when I found out that
you'd been with Martin
..it was
But then I realised that that's how
I've made you feel all these years.
I love you.
CHLOE: This is so fun.
I don't know what's gonna
happen between us, but
..weirdly, I feel like I
understand you now.
KIT GIGGLES
SIMONE: The PM's been
informed sarin was present,
and he's spoken directly
with the President of Iran.
He'll move against the hardliners
before the end of the day.
The good news is Qasem Asadi's
wife and family have left Tehran.
They're on their way
to the UK via Germany.
What about Mehreen?
- She's in with the boss.
- She's in with the boss?
SIMONE INHALES, SIGHS
And am I going to Royal
Palaces and Bollards or?
I haven't had a chance
to discuss the matter
with senior management yet, but
..I think you're staying
at State Threats.
Thank you, boss.
I know you took a big risk yesterday.
Well, it was a reasoned decision.
And by the way, I
saved your fucking arse.
There are conditions attached
to you staying at State Threats.
You need to retake units one
to three of basic agent handling
- You're sending me back to school?
- Don't push your luck, John.
You need to do a refresher on anti-
and counter-surveillance protocol.
Redo the course on
security and personal devices.
And Valerie will be expecting you later
to go through the operation beat by beat
from the perspective
of ethical counselling.
What is ethical counselling?
SHE CLICKS TONGUE
Well done. Rest up.
RUDY EXHALES
When are you heading back to Six?
- I'm not.
- What?
Now Asadi's gone, Six won't
touch me with a bargepole,
so I'm staying at Thames House.
In State Threats?
I know I underestimated you.
Did you really sign off on Ehsan's death?
Did you kill Asadi to save Claire,
or did he just pose too much of
a threat to the reputation of MI6?
- You know the game.
- Game? Why, what game is that?
You think Asadi is the
only agent we've got
where innocent people have
been sacrificed to protect them?
- And that makes it OK?
- Oh, come on.
When you took out Ehsan's
killer, who spared you?
He was an MI6 agent.
You killed one of our own, John.
If you're asking that question,
maybe you should get
out of intelligence work.
Sometimes, when a
sign says "don't touch",
don't touch and walk away.
Good luck, John.
MONA: 'Before he died,
Ehsan asked me a question.'
He said, "If you knew
someone was trying to murder
"an Iranian woman with principles,
"would you do something about it?"
And I said to him, "You would
have to do something about it.
"Because the day after they come for her,
"they come for another woman with ideals.
"And the day after that,
they come for your wife.
"And the day after that, they
come for your daughters."
CHILDREN GIGGLING,
WIND CHIMES TINKLE
So, how have things been?
What have you been up to?
Sub extracted from file & improved