Cobra (2020) s01e05 Episode Script

Episode 5

1 Scott Arthur Minett, former soldier who served honourably in Afghanistan, now leading People's Justice in the Red Zone.
Here we are, Mr Prime Minister! You'd better be listening now.
For better or worse, Mr Nobody speaks for a lot of people.
I am not inviting him to Downing Street.
Chequers then.
Ellie's not coping well.
We will get her through this if we just hold the line.
The law must take its course unimpeded.
I have never interfered with that and I would never instruct any of my staff to do so.
Why did he come back to find you after so long? I don't know.
Edin Tosumbegovic is connected to a Balkan gangster called Toni Lulin.
- Do you love him? - I don't know.
The capital has effectively been encircled and our attempts to move a new transformer to the Red Zone paralysed.
You need to get the tankers out of the depots, which might not be so easy if my members decide to take matters further.
It's not us who's under pressure here, Prime Minister.
Georgia was my best friend.
I loved her.
She did not deserve what happened to her and she doesn't deserve to be blamed for it now.
I'm sorry that I've added to the suffering of her family.
I admit that it was all my fault.
I'm the one that provided the drugs and I lied.
Not because of my privilege but because I'm scared about going to prison.
She was scared she might go to prison.
Were you scared, Mrs Sutherland? You'll have to be more specific.
When you discovered Ellie had supplied the drugs, were you scared she might go to prison? Come on, detective, you'll have to do better than "when did you stop beating your wife?" You didn't advise her to lie in police interviews and put the blame Are you asking me did I conspire to pervert the course of justice? No, I did not.
Did anybody else? Not to my knowledge.
Did you ever discuss it with Peter Mott? With who? You don't know the name of your husband's press secretary? Yes, of course I know who he is.
Did you ever discuss Ellie's predicament with Peter Mott? I think there might have There may have been a conversation about the level of tabloid interest a case like this would attract.
So you discussed protecting your daughter from press intrusion.
We've often had to do that.
I'm sure.
Look, my daughter has admitted to an understandable error of judgement because she is overcome with pain and grief over her best friend's death.
You now have to decide whether to charge or not.
She's fully prepared for that.
But, in the meantime, I'd like to go home and be with her because, believe it or not, for all her supposed privilege, right now Ellie She's just a very, very frightened young woman.
And she needs her mum.
OK.
Fine.
That'll do.
For now.
I'll travel to Chequers by helicopter.
I can't run the risk of getting trapped at a blockade.
A special train to Aylesbury has also been laid on and there are cars from there.
Trains? Good God.
We may as well hold this in the waiting room at Paddington.
We have to show we're not besieged in the capital, that we can travel anywhere.
What's happening in the Red Zone? Well, we've set up a new Gold Command Centre at the airbase near Hexham.
From now on only essential supplies go to the hospital and we've arranged buses to move those who want to leave.
What a waste of time and resources.
I think People's Justice know the action is somewhere else now.
They've still got their foot on our throat.
Panic buying has increased in a lot of areas.
There are big issues over fuel supply now that the Dartford Tunnel is blocked.
Also enormous problems with bloods and special medical couriers.
I seem to remember a time when you dismissed such issues as minor logistics.
Don't underestimate Scott Minett.
He's got a massive profile now and he'll take that with him to the barricades.
Surely his car comes off the road somewhere on the A40? What good's the deep state if it can't organise a simple assassination? The only deep state I'm familiar with is my inbox.
OK, let me be absolutely clear.
I will meet with these people.
But if they push too hard, I will drive them straight off my fucking mountain.
Yes.
OK.
Yeah, yeah, keep me updated, yeah.
Peter Mott's been arrested.
Searched his office, taken his computers.
This is a full-blown witch hunt now, isn't it? I lied to Parliament, Rachel.
They'll keep on and on trying to prove that.
They can't prove it.
They can say it, some people might believe it, but they can't prove it.
And let's be honest.
These are different times.
The bar for misdemeanours is way higher than it used to be.
Well, thank God for our degraded sense of political honour.
There is nothing degraded about wanting to protect your family, Robert.
Whatever it takes, family first.
Always.
What? That's what Scott Minett says too.
I guess we're all the same in the end.
Bunch of selfish apes.
Oh, sweetheart, don't get cynical.
It's not you at all.
I have a visual on lover boy with an unknown female.
"Dear Diary, busy morning lusting after Amy Williams from The Mail on Sunday followed by a spot of coaching Ellie Sutherland on how best to lie to the police.
" - Oh, he hasn't? - It's on his computer.
They're still going through it.
They're not questioning him till later, which is frustrating.
A slight delay will probably help, given that all the attention will be on Chequers.
What about Anna Marshall? - Sleeping with the enemy? - In hand.
- So - My hands.
You bugging the flat? No comment.
- Does she know you're bugging the flat? - Archie Let me know if they pick up anything particularly salacious.
I'll only share it with my WhatsApp group.
Piss off, Archie, you'll be late for Chequers.
Nothing can move down there.
We have to end this.
One way or another.
Looks like we're staying put until we know the outcome from Chequers.
But they're not going to agree on anything.
It's obvious the plan is to bring down the government.
Maybe, but the PM's in a fighting mood so we'll see.
Well, at least this means you can go to your dad's funeral.
Obviously I'll be reachable on the mobile.
- Are you gonna take Mabel? - Sorry? You know, you said you were worried about going Oh, er, Francine Bridge is coming along actually.
Francine Bridge from the Policy Unit? - That's right.
- Ah.
- Just, you know, bit of moral support.
- Mm.
Now, where is the chief engineer? I need to speak to him about these elevated stretches of roadway.
He's slipping the move on Francine Bridge? Wow.
Good for you, Fraser, she is hot.
Aim high, dude.
Yes.
Don't lose your focus now.
The government are on the ropes.
I'm going down to Chequers with the lorry drivers today and I'm going to deliver our message.
Soon there'll be a new government.
They're trying to starve wor out of this building but the struggle has already moved on.
We'll take the last of that fuel and get down to the barricades in London cos that's where this is gonna finish.
But I'm telling yous, I promise yous that in the years to come, people are gonna look back on us, marching down them stairs and taking this room.
And they're gonna remember us as the match that lit the flame of the people's uprising.
Hi, Mabel.
Good dog.
- Hey, Holly.
- Hey, Dad.
- How are you? - I came second in cross-country.
Holly.
Come back here, please.
I love your shoes, Holly.
Holly! They only start listening when it's London.
If this had been the Southeast, it would've been fixed in five minutes.
Right.
It's true.
Look, I'm not anti-London, right? In fact, I probably know more real Londoners than any of the liberals down there in their mansions.
By real Londoners you mean? I don't just mean white, if that's what you're trying catch us out on.
But you have to remember there are still millions of white Londoners.
That's the reality and there's nowt wrong with it.
Still plenty of fuel for your generator, I see.
You see that house there? On the end with the flag on it? That's mad Thommo's house, right? Raging commie, knits socks for refugees.
Across the street from him, we've even got a couple of lesbians.
What I'm saying is not everybody thinks the same.
It's not like yous lot make out.
You keep saying this.
"They.
You lot.
The media".
People who've got the power.
- Get out the way.
- Ah, shut up! You see the thanks you get? People think they can tell us what we're allowed to think, what we're allowed to say.
Celebrities with their blue ticks and their rainbow flags.
As opposed to those salt-of-the-earth types tying brown men to motorbikes? Look, man, some people are completely racist, right? And some people are not.
Most of wor are just somewhere in the middle.
Like you? Look, some lairy kid in an Audi cuts us up, right? I might think to myself, "Fuck you, Paki.
" No offence.
I might even say it out loud.
It depends who I'm with, it depends what mood I'm in.
So many people are, all over the world, man, not just here.
How would your parents react if you told them, "Mam, Dad, I'm marrying a lass from a different religion"? They'd throw a party if it was a girl from any religion, I imagine.
Do you think I am a racist? Lots of people have been asking me that.
You know, when they're not abusing me for normalising you.
What do you tell them? Does it matter to you? I wouldn't be asking if it didn't.
Well, I certainly think you're pretty normal.
Thank you.
You're smart.
Maybe in another era the local headmaster would have come and pleaded with your dad to let you stay on at school.
Nah, he wanted us to stay on at school, my old man.
He was a deep thinker was John Minett.
Union man, like.
But, in the end, it doesn't matter what I think of you personally any more than what you think of me.
I'm just a journalist and you're just my story.
Aye.
Howay then.
Come and see where your story lives.
Now, don't mind the Hitler shrine, right.
And try not to touch my arse.
I know it's tempting but not in front of me daughter.
There she is.
Pride and joy.
All right, darlin'.
Come and meet my new friend Manish.
Bye, Mabel.
Come on, Holly.
Good luck.
- What with? - Him.
We're colleagues.
- If you say so.
- I do.
Bye, Mabel.
I love you, Mabel.
I'll miss you.
Bye, love.
- Right.
- Let's go for a drink.
What I'll say to the Prime Minister is simple.
Call a general election.
Let the people decide.
Do you feel any responsibility towards people not having operations because there is a shortage of blood in the capital? Hang on.
Hang on.
The responsibility for this lies entirely with a government who has always ruled on behalf of an elite and not the ordinary folk of this country.
Folk(!) I need a cigarette.
Did you coach Ellie on what to say to police? No.
Did you and Rachel Sutherland advise her to claim that Georgia had supplied the drugs - because Georgia was dead? - No.
- Was the Prime Minister present - No.
Was the Prime Minister present at any meetings where such a strategy was discussed? No.
- You keep a diary.
- Mm-hm.
We found some interesting extracts on your computer.
"RS.
" That's Robert Sutherland, right? No flies on you, Inspector.
"RS very anxious not to get involved with discussions on ES and leaving things to me and RJS.
" Rachel Jane Sutherland.
So he knew that you two were strategising.
The only strategy was how to deal with the inevitable press interest.
"ES v upset after visit from Georgia Nixon's father.
Took a concerted effort to persuade her to keep to script.
" - Figure of speech.
- "Disturbing news from the university.
"When I told RS, he bit my head off about interview strategy "with ES and police.
"Told him to leave it to me and RJS.
"She is much more clear-sighted about the issues.
"Need to stop AM going all Cassandra.
So far RS keeping her out of it.
" Anna Marshall, right? At least she has an alibi.
At one point in her last interview, Ellie told us that she felt pressured into lying.
She tried to backtrack but we've got it on tape.
Now, when we get her to tell us who was pressuring her, who do you think it will be that she'll name? You or her mother? And Sam knows? And he's? Sad, I think.
Uncertain.
Well, I always thought it was a good marriage, for what it's worth.
In many ways, it is.
So what happens now? Eleanor is running checks because of the Toni Lulin connection.
You did the right thing going to her, of course.
Of course.
- But you can still see him? - According to Eleanor, yeah.
And do you want to? I'm a bit lost for words, actually.
I've never I mean, adultery.
I mean, I've never - I'm not judging.
- Oh, don't worry.
Closest I ever thought I'd get to it was reading Tolstoy in the cottage.
I've always thought it's a bit too much like hard work.
Adultery, I mean, not Tolstoy.
Easier when your partner's hardly ever there.
Bat.
Oh, God.
Are bats a good omen or a bad omen? I'm not sure.
Don't fuck with them though, they're better protected than the nuclear codes.
The cars are arriving.
Mr Rowntree, welcome to Chequers.
I believe it was Lady Thatcher who said it was impossible not to fall in love with this place.
And from your side, I believe Ramsay MacDonald was enchanted by it.
There's a splendid portrait of him in the National Portrait Gallery here with his family.
Ramsay MacDonald was not from 'my side' at all, Home Secretary.
He was a traitor to the Labour movement.
Still, who needs him when you've got Francine Bridge, eh? Well, quite.
Harry, welcome.
Prime Minister.
Are we coming in or do you want us to wait out in the garden again? Well, you could do a lot worse.
Come inside and have some tea before we get started.
Thank you.
Well, this is nice.
- Are People's Justice here yet? - Not yet.
Scott Minett will be arriving after I did try and get you a ticket for Chequers but, er, they said you weren't VIP enough.
You're not on the main stage either.
Just wait until this time next year, man.
No-one'll even remember who Harry Rowntree is.
No! Keep the kid inside.
Scott? Scott? I'll sit next to Harry Rowntree at dinner.
- I think it should be me.
- You? We're the only two who still believe in the undying nature of the class struggle.
Well, it was a sacrifice on my part but feel free.
Scott Minett's been involved in a hit and run.
He's dead.
Harry People's Justice has called for a boycott on talks - until Minett's death is clarified.
- Clarified? - What does that mean? - We have to speak to them first.
You can't leave.
There's no time for this.
Harry.
Harry! Every second that transformer stays blocked, more lives are lost.
People are dying because of this blockade.
People are dying because of your government.
We have a duty to the country.
You and I have to sort this thing out.
Are you going to use the Civil Contingencies Act to keep me here? Are you gonna throw me in front of a tribunal if I try to leave? Are you a dictator now, Prime Minister? How do we know that you didn't have Scott Minett taken out? Don't be so fucking ridiculous.
This isn't about the Civil Contingencies Act.
- And it's not about Scott Minett either.
- Robert It's about you acting like you're on the bridge of the Battleship Potemkin because you can't control your members.
You're competing with People's Justice while hardworking public servants battle round the clock to get the power back on.
So why don't you get back to your barricade, you posturing idiot, - because I'm coming for you tomorrow.
- Oh, yeah? - Oh, fucking yes.
- Robert! And I'm bringing APVs and bulldozers, so if you do feel like acting like Tiananmen Square Man, which, quite frankly, I doubt very much, then fucking knock yourself out.
Anna.
Well, that cleared the air.
Fuck him.
Let's get back to London.
Convene COBRA.
I'm taking these bastards on now.
Breaking news just now.
Reports are coming in - that Scott Minett - What do you want? - Vodka soda.
- Hi, two vodka sodas, please.
targeted deliberately by two men in a grey Ford Focus.
The police are looking for both car and drivers, one of whom was described as either black or Asian.
- The journalist - No surprise there, then.
Truth hurt, does it, love? We don't all know each other, you know.
I know you.
You're a politician.
Bunch of crooks.
Only in it for themselves.
- What did he say? - Let's go.
Hey, Dave.
Dave, do you remember that sign, "No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs"? We've only gone and got a threefer here, mate.
- I think you'd better go, mate.
- Why do we have to go? Well, it's no dogs allowed.
No surrender, no surrender No surrender to the IRA What's so funny? Well, apart from the country going insane, I just buried my dad.
My kids won't talk to me because their mother's a lying sociopath.
And even though I've done nothing to him, I've got some guy singing in my face "No surrender to the IRA".
What a setting for a wake, my dad would have loved it here.
It's hilarious.
Let's go.
That's for Scott Minett, you slags.
- Keep walking.
- I was going to.
- We'll set up here.
- You OK, mate? - Sure.
- What are you going to say? - What I saw.
- No, I mean, about him his views.
You know, put it in some perspective cos you got close to him, and what with you being, you know, diverse yourself.
- Diverse.
- So you can contextualise - Rob.
- Yeah? Shut up.
- Let's go - Yeah.
Earlier today I witnessed the brutal attack on Scott Minett which was unquestionably deliberate.
The mood on the streets is Rob.
Rob! Get in.
Get in! It's gonna kick off big time.
They killed that Scott Minett, - didn't they? - Who's they? Who do you think? He just got too popular, didn't he? They were never going to meet him, it's obvious.
Why would a bunch of people here in London care about a man People are fed up of everything, in't they? Lying politicians, no food in the shops.
Maybe we should drop you first.
You can come back to mine for a bit if you like? Will you take us to Kennington, please? This is gonna be far worse than last time.
Welcome back, Anna.
If anyone can sort out this shit-show it's you.
That is your boyfriend having dinner with Toni Lulin.
Lulin's business interests are highly complex.
Some are quite legitimate.
He runs a very successful fibre-optics company.
Others less so.
The Turkish heroin trade being the most obvious.
- So Edin could be involved? - There is a rumour that Toni Lulin uses an assassin.
Based in London.
The assassin goes under the pseudonym of Nico and is greatly feared.
- No.
No way.
- I don't know.
But I'm definitely going to find out.
I need to talk to you, Mum.
Can I come and see you? No.
You need to stay inside.
The situation is really volatile in London right now.
- Where's Barney? - Upstairs.
Look, I have to I wanna talk about what's happening to our family.
You said I can come and see you at the Pimlico flat any time.
Am I just not important to you now? That's really unfair.
Look, please don't leave the house tonight, all right? We are getting reports of rioting breaking out.
I will try to come home later but I need to speak to your dad first.
All right? I love you.
Bye.
We've had reports of disturbances from a number of places - and not just the crisis zones.
- Sheer opportunism.
We should round them up and use Wembley as a mass detention centre.
Never really lost that loving feeling for Pinochet, have you, Archie? A great man and an honourable soldier.
If I could drag us away from murderous dictators for a moment - and back to our current problem - Please do.
Anyone who is angry right now is coming out onto the streets and that is a hell of a lot of people.
Manchester, Birmingham, London.
The problem is that it's been a long time since Northern Ireland.
We used to be a world leader in handling serious urban disturbances.
Well, I want troops deployed on the streets tonight.
I'll authorise the use of CS gas and baton rounds if necessary.
And if it requires more than that? If my men come under serious attack? You were unwilling to make that decision earlier.
We will restore legitimate authority in the Red Zone, clear the roads for the transformer and deal robustly with further rioting in our cities.
No more velvet gloves.
Why did you leave her? Lots of things.
Values, lifestyle, aspirations, politics.
- So just the small stuff, then.
- The kids are all I care about.
But she's managed to make them believe I am responsible for all the bad things, and there's nothing I can do about it.
Well, it's obviously made you very unhappy.
Maybe you should talk to someone about it.
People talk too much.
They should bottle it all up until it gets too much.
- And then they should medicate.
- That still working for you, is it? I like you, Fraser.
I like you, too.
First reports of fatalities.
A man was attacked and beaten to death trying to protect his shop.
Two dead in flats above shops that were set on fire.
I can't let this continue.
- I cannot let anarchy prevail.
- I agree.
- Even if this time it means - A risk to life.
Hello, this is the Prime Minister.
Have General Pickering meet me in the COBRA room, please.
Oh sorry, you may not have heard me.
This is the fucking Prime Minister.
Get General Pickering out of his meeting and have him meet me in the COBRA room immediately.
The city's burning.
Hello? OK, coming now.
I gotta go.
- Now? - That was the Prime Minister.
He's about to take out the barricades to release the transformer.
2-1 in position.
All subjects are inside the nest.
Allow the deal to proceed 2-1.
2-1 on standby.
- I think we all can agree to the terms, right? - Yeah.
Everything is in place.
The shipment will be arriving next week.
Nico will be your final contact.
He will be in touch with you nearer the time.
2-1 has the eyeball on an unidentified female approaching the nest.
Where's my mum? You're Tess, right? - Where's my mum? - She's not here.
- Let me go! - I got her.
What are you doing? The unidentified female is Anna Marshall's daughter.
- Should we go in? - See how this plays out 2-1.
- Trust me.
- - - No! - Help me! - Trust me.
Come with me.
You're going to be all right.
Come on.
2-1 has the eyeball on Loverboy, he has the girl.
All other targets are leaving the nest.
Let them leave 2-1.
Arrest team incoming for Loverboy.
Make sure the girl is safe and we'll get a message to Eleanor James.
We have intelligence that a far-right group called National Spirit has infiltrated the protestors.
They have links to the armed forces so probably not wise Not a moment longer.
I made a promise to the people in the hospital that I would turn the lights back on and I am going to keep that fucking promise.
Lives are already being lost.
Take that barricade down.
Charlie, Charlie, 1, advance to the blockade.
The barricade is down.
But the protestors The first barricade is cleared.
But there are more protestors approaching.
We need to take control of this situation.
We're pushing their lines back well.
Incoming! - What the hell was that? - Phosphorous grenade.
These are military grade weapons.
Do I have authorisation to return fire? They should retreat.
If they have grenades, they may have guns.
Robert, listen to me.
We can take stock.
Do I have authorisation? Anna, tell him.
They're throwing grenades at British soldiers.
This isn't a protest, Robert, it's an armed attack.
It's too risky.
I'm authorising you to return fire.
Colonel, you have authorisation to defend yourself with live ammunition.
Send fire team forward, rules of engagement apply.
Copy that.
Over.
Riflemen forward! Riflemen forward! Disperse! Disperse! Force will be used! - Rules of Engagement! - Yes, Sarge! 3-1-Alpha, what are you seeing? What are you seeing? Over.
Watch your front! Weapon!
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