Cobra (2020) s02e04 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 4
- So current casualties stand at?
- Over 300. And it will go up.
We've ascertained that
the total system failure at Dover
is the result of a massive
ongoing cyber-attack.
Priority is to maintain public calm.
I want to know where all of
these attacks have come from.
(SHOUTING)
What is this?
Did you know your wife
did legal for Mikhailo Kostenko?
I've got MI5 all over me.
Someone's leaking you stuff
that affects National Security.
- That's their job.
- I'm offering you Foreign Secretary.
Bad enough you give Archie back
the whip but Foreign Secretary?
From every direction
we face a different storm.
One of which is the distrust
surrounding the Singer Report.
Specialist, approach with caution.
The truck contains
what appears to be a human body.
I want to know who it is
and how it got there.
And I want to know if this country
needs to be ready for war.
We've little doubt
the Cyclamen scanners at Dover
were attacked and disabled
so that the irradiated body
could be brought into the country.
- Irradiated body of whom?
- The investigation's ongoing.
But the scale and sophistication
make us certain
that this was state-sponsored.
- Russia remaining the prime suspect?
- Remaining a suspect.
But there's no smoking gun.
The malware code could viably point
in multiple directions.
And the truck had been scoured clean
of anything forensically detectable.
We do, however, have a cause of death.
He was force-fed Polonium 210.
Russia may be behind this.
But with the backlash
around Jiayou Energy's drilling
and the ship explosion,
the Chinese are furious with us too.
Or it could be misdirection
by another actor entirely.
We don't yet have anything solid.
Whoever did this could've brought
a nuclear bomb into this country
right under our noses.
Instead, they dumped the body
of a murdered man
they knew we'd find.
They're sending a message.
And once we've identified the dead
man, we can try to decode it.
Maybe deduce who sent it and for whom.
And in the meantime,
we just sit and wait?
Hoping you get a grip on something solid
before this country suffers yet
another attack on Christ knows what?
We will continue to investigate
every possible avenue.
In terms of an attack,
we are facing a significantly
escalated domestic threat,
so I've asked Robert
to convene COBRA at 10.
Which I will be doing.
And you will all be attending.
Of course people are angry.
After what we heard about
the cyber-attack on Dover last week,
it is clear that this country
is under assault.
And the public's lost all trust
in this government's ability
to keep us safe,
or to tell us the truth.
While speaking of truth,
you crossed the floor
to join Robert Sutherland's government.
"Crossed the floor" is hardly accurate.
I was advising in a Policy Unit.
I resigned because
I wanted nothing to do
with a government soaked
in the blood of its own people.
And the Junction 23 inquiry, with
Lord Singer chosen to conduct it,
it makes an absolute mockery
of accountability.
So you're suggesting inherent bias?
If a government wanted to be exonerated,
they couldn't find someone more reliable
to side with the establishment
against the will of the people.
Which makes it hard not to wonder
if Lord Singer's been,
shall we say, singing for his supper.
I wanted nothing to do with a government
soaked in the blood of its own people.
An insider blows the whistle!
The public's lost all trust in the
government's ability to keep us safe,
or to tell us the truth.
We told you the truth.
The government is weak and venal,
a regime which forced its army
to use live rounds on its people.
And the Junction 23 inquiry,
with Lord Singer chosen to conduct it,
makes an absolute mockery
of accountability.
They couldn't find someone more reliable
to side with the establishment
against the will of the people.
- Saving their own skin.
- Makes it hard not to wonder
if Lord Singer's been, shall we say,
singing for his supper.
A government which used its weapons
at J23 to send a message to us,
the people of this nation,
that we should be too afraid to dissent,
to rise up ever again.
But we do not know fear.
Only these corrupt, glutted reptiles
will know fear.
For we shall rise up,
for justice, for our nation,
and teach it to them,
these enemies of the people.
And where we go,
our brothers will follow.
Francine Bridge.
Scourge of the Tories, saviour of
democracy, future of this nation.
OK, stop it.
Convert to the heady nectar
of pumpkin spice latte.
- You didn't!
- Christ, I'm not a monster.
Double espresso.
Ever considered
you might have trust issues?
Only with journalists.
Saw you on the television
doing some of that politics.
- What did you think?
- I flipped back to Bake Off.
Hari. I want your opinion.
You were brilliant. I mean it.
You've been trending.
Even the far-right thinks
you're well, right.
- What?
- Your mentions. Hang on.
Can't you just tell me?
OK. A lot of those accounts
have a St George's Cross
and I'd stick a monkey on the owners
enjoying at least two out of
Brexit, real ale, and dogging.
Eleanor has provided me with a report
monitoring the rise
of far-right online extremism.
It makes clear that in the wake
of recent events,
the rise has become a surge.
Escalation of rhetoric,
hate, conspiracy, violence.
Calls for insurrection.
We're seeing suspicion
over the Singer Report.
An increasing belief that
Jiayou Energy's sea-bed drilling
set off the ship explosion.
And the cyber-attacks
give these sites a drum to beat
that the UK is weak, defenceless.
We should probably ask Intelligence
to do something
about those attacks.
One site, Firestorm, stands out
in prominence, reach, vitriol.
And it's targeting those it regards
as most deserving of summary justice.
The Home Secretary,
Foreign Secretary, Lord Singer,
the Prime Minister
and his wife.
Rachel? Why?
Her links to Kostenko.
It doesn't matter that it's just smoke.
If this is incitement,
isn't it under the Terrorism Act?
We're navigating a legal minefield
to find out, but
For Christ sake. I've been
a Conservative MP for 30 years.
I've been screamed at, egged,
fruit-pelted, mud-pied,
so I'm afraid
I just can't muster the willies
over some pallid little bedwetter.
Everyone we consider at risk will be
assigned additional security.
You ought to reconsider
attending the memorial
for the victims of the Kent disaster.
No. If I need extra security,
so be it. But I'm going.
Prime Minister,
if I could just point out
300 people lost their lives. I'm going.
This meeting's over. I'm done.
Firestorm. I want to know
who it is and how we stop it.
Hey! Appreciate you coming in, Hari.
Sorry it's a bit rushed. Thanks.
Francine said you were going
to the memorial. With Sutherland.
- Yes
- Labour and Tory
hand in hand
British fortitude
and Blitz spirit, et cetera.
Oh. Hadn't pegged you as a cynic, Hari.
No, I'm a believer. In Francine
and your resuscitation of the Party.
That's why I'm here.
And why I'm about to publish another
gut-punch to Robert Sutherland.
Any chance of a preview on that?
Nope.
(THEY CHUCKLE)
To be clear: I'm on your side.
But Morbid Symptoms ain't no Pravda.
Understood.
I'm just here to talk
about Francine's campaign.
Yes, let's do that. Erm
- I think you should come with me.
- To the memorial?
To your future constituency.
I think I've filled my quota
of political opportunism this week.
Opportunism? You don't mean
the Singer interview?
I do, as it happens.
I'm really not OK with a strategy
that lets a bunch
of far-right arseholes use me
to legitimise their bullshit.
We polled after your appearance.
It was an overwhelmingly positive
reaction from the members.
And if you've also
broadened your appeal to
Fascists?! Jesus Christ.
I want to announce
that you're contesting in Kent.
And I want you to win because
I want you on my front bench.
If ballot-papers
then shower on you like confetti,
then I don't really care
who throws them.
Lord Singer, we take this kind of
precautionary measure all the time.
It's just peace of mind, Allan.
Oh, for God's sake, Robert.
In my entire career
of prosecuting and sentencing,
I've never once needed a police guard.
But I conduct one inquiry
for your government
I mean it's bad enough being harangued
by the press night and day,
but worse than that,
that bloody Francine Bridge woman
is on the news
accusing me of being a stooge.
But to top it all
I'm now on a fascist hit-list?
- Allan, look
- And you call it peace of mind?
Marjorie and I were going away
next week to the house in Cyprus.
We'll cancel the flights.
We'll leave tonight.
We'd prefer it if we could guarantee
your security here.
And I would prefer it if you could
guarantee it till Marjorie and I
are away from this bloody bedlam.
And we'll return when you can make sure
she's at no further risk
of being widowed.
(HORNS TOOTING BELOW)
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Please. Come in.
Sorry to intrude.
I wanted to catch you before
An unexpected pleasure.
And to which ailing area of policy
do I owe it?
It's actually about the by-election.
Clive Turner's seat.
God rest his soul.
Yes. Quite.
But we'd rather his seat
rested with the Tories.
We've been discussing
potential candidates, and
one mooted is Roger Hawkins.
(SCOFFS)
Is he Robert's choice?
The discussion is ongoing.
Roger's name cropped up and I
If Robert were to end up
leaning towards him
I wondered how comfortably
that would sit with you.
Because Roger has some
eccentric views?
Because he has
a widely-documented history
of inflammatory rabble-rousing
and barely-veiled racism.
Well nobody's perfect.
Look. I have no desire
to break bread with Roger Hawkins.
But I assume he's Robert's choice
because Robert thinks he can win.
And given the demographic,
he probably can.
That demographic being
a white working class
whom a populist like Hawkins
will do his best to whip up.
I would've thought that would've been
more troubling to a Home Secretary.
A Home Secretary or a black man?
I'm frankly curious as to why
it doesn't trouble you as either.
Whether or not it troubles me
is irrelevant.
We need to hold the seat,
and I trust Robert's judgment.
So, I'm afraid
I cannot lend
authentic ethnic ballast
to your struggles in dissuading him.
And if his judgment's wrong?
Well
We learn from the mistakes of others.
As much as from our own.
Shall we?
We don't want to miss our lift.
Rachel, the car will be here
shortly. Are you ready?
Darling, what's the matter?
That website that
tried to make out I had
something to do with
kickbacks to Kostenko
They've just tried even harder. (SOBS)
Oh, it's going to be all over the news
and I'm so sorry but it's lies.
I swear, it's lies.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Hari Misra from Morbid Symptoms
has interviewed a former
colleague of mine,
claiming I knew about the bribes.
He's saying it's impossible
I didn't know what was going on.
- On what grounds? You were a junior.
- Yeah, I was.
But, you know, right-hand to the senior.
I didn't know my senior was breaking
the law. Of course I fucking didn't.
But Nigel Raine's saying either I knew
and turned a blind eye,
or I was part of it.
Surely that's defamation.
He's too slick to do
anything actionable.
He's lying but I can't prove it.
But I I don't think he's going
public to grind an old axe.
So, maybe it's money,
maybe it's blackmail.
But somebody's got
their hand up the puppet
and it's the same someone, I imagine,
who gave the documents
to Morbid Symptoms.
And then, you know,
the dots just join themselves.
- Dots?
- Oh, Rob, come on!
This assault on me
amid the cyber-attacks
isn't happening
by unfortunate fucking coincidence.
It's your integrity,
your job they're trying to capsize.
I'm just
Mine are just collateral damage.
So our dead man has a name.
The body found in the truck
was Edward Price. US citizen.
He was abducted
on a holiday in Bordeaux.
- Have the Americans been informed?
- Not yet.
But the NSA
are breathing down our necks.
The NSA? Why?
Price was a scientist, at DARPA.
- The military lab?
- Military technology, yes.
But Price's field of research
was heavily classified.
Last time I checked, the Americans
were still our key ally
so they may be able to tell us
why one of theirs
ended up glowing like Chernobyl
in the back of a lorry.
Speak to their intelligence
as a matter of immediate urgency.
Understood. And I'll pass on
your gratitude to my team, shall I?
Why don't we just file it
under "better late than never".
I would like to clarify one last thing.
Yes?
I am keen for us to work together
as productively as possible
despite your pitiful animosity.
But when I am briefing COBRA,
please keep your snide little
peashooter in your pencil-case.
Just a little levity between colleagues.
Hmm.
You never struck me as the type
to feel so needled.
And you always struck me
as knowing better
than to pull an Oxbridge rapier
on a serrated machete.
I'd never pull a rapier.
I was in the Pistol Club.
And I, Foreign Secretary,
on the Royal fucking Artillery.
(WHISPERS) Pencil case it is, then.
Hmm.
FIRESTORM: While we the people starve,
these corrupt gluttons continue
to gorge at the trough of power.
More proof from Hari Misra
of the corruption in No.10.
Rachel Sutherland was at the heart
of the Kostenko bribery scandal.
My brothers, we must take action
and stamp on these cockroaches.
Let's rise up for justice
and our nation.
(PROTESTERS SHOUTING)
(REPORTERS CALLING OUT)
(CONTEMPLATIVE ORGAN MUSIC)
(WHISPERING)
On the same bench, for once.
Well, if ever there was
a place for miracles
I shall begin with the reading
from Philippians 4, verse 8.
"Whatever is true,
whatever is honourable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence in it
if there is anything
worthy of praise."
We are here today in the memory
of these people who have perished.
I want you to consider these thoughts.
No recriminations, no guilt,
just the memory of the good things
in their lives.
Step back ladies and gentlemen,
thank you.
- (REPORTERS CALLING OUT)
- Keep away.
No comment!
Oh, for God's sake, how many times
do I have to say "no comment"?!
Can you just leave us alone?!
Mr Singer.
- Did you sing for your supper?
- What?
No!
(MUFFLED SCREAMS)
(HE GROANS)
(URGENT CHATTER AND SCREAMING)
(SOBBING) No!
There he is! There he is!
(PHONE RINGING)
Eleanor. Can't this wait?
He's what?
No, no. He's what?
Oh, my God.
Police and Ambulance crews attended
the scene where the killing took place.
The suspect has been apprehended.
A message has been recovered
from his recording equipment.
A warning: this report contains images
that some people may find disturbing.
DARREN: (PANTING)
I have stamped on a cockroach.
Great Britain has one less
instrument of corruption.
Where I have gone,
may my brothers follow.
He don't sing for his supper no more.
There'll be a statement
from the police shortly,
regarding the murder
of Lord Allan Singer.
(REPORTERS AND CROWD SHOUTING)
What's happened?
ANNA: A statement of sympathy has
been issued for Lord Singer's family.
- JOSEPH: And the Protection Officer?
- Critical but stable.
Our next move needs to be robust.
- This cannot stand.
- She's bloody right. Look at this.
The killer, this Thompson bastard,
now a hero to the nutter factions.
His disgusting footage
all over social bloody media.
I'm aware. And the companies have
said they'll be cooperative.
But every time they stamp it out,
it pops up somewhere else.
Meanwhile, we are monitoring
a worrying traction
with certain conspiracy theories
that Thompson was put up
to the murder by MI5.
Which is now being tied to theories
that the Prime Minister ordered
the Kostenko assassination to
protect his wife from prosecution.
Firestorm.
Firestorm incited Thompson
and now Allan Singer is dead.
There will be another Thompson,
and another and more dead
as long as Firestorm
is spewing its poison.
And this government
will not tolerate that.
I don't doubt that we could prosecute
whoever's behind Firestorm
under the Terrorism Act.
The issue is finding them.
You said internet companies
were cooperating.
To the usual limit.
But if we demand records,
we're looking down the barrel
of an enormous legal fight.
That's no good. We won't look
strong, we'll look draconian.
Then what do we do about this?
Then we don't go through
these bloody companies.
We tell GCHQ to go around.
Underneath.
Is that legal?
It's erm somewhat grey.
I don't give a shit
if it's jet black. Do it.
Understood.
And then deal with Hari Misra.
His site's adding fuel to all of this.
- So now we're arresting journalists?
- Finding out who pulls his strings.
The investigation is progressing,
Prime Minister.
Well, I'm sure that inspires us all
with confidence(!)
Thank you, Eleanor. Proceed.
Joseph didn't seem happy
with our strategy.
I'm sure he'll come on board
if it puts at least one
hateful bastard under lock and key.
But since you mention him,
I wouldn't mind your opinion on
something, if you've got a moment.
It's what I'm here for.
What do you think of him?
Who?
Joseph, Anna.
I think
Why?
Because I'm asking.
Bright, charismatic, ambitious.
Do you want an essay?
No, I just thought you might say:
he's someone worth recruiting
to harangue me over my choice of
Roger Hawkins for the by-election.
Robert
Before we discuss you
going behind my back
Roger Hawkins may be to the right
of us, may even be a reactionary,
but I will tell you something
he hasn't done.
He hasn't accused a respected judge
of corruption
shortly before he was butchered, and
even supplied a fucking hashtag for it.
You brought Francine Bridge in.
Vouched for her.
I hear you're even pals again.
And yet you have the temerity
to question my judgment?
You think Francine is the problem?
You're going to blame a black woman
for feeding far-right extremism
while you shove your weight
behind a dog-whistling jingoist?
And, yes, I spoke to Joseph.
Because my job is to make sure you
make the best possible decision.
Well, maybe that's something
overdue for reappraisal.
Robert
Get a fucking grip.
(DOOR SLAMS)
I say this with kindness
but you're mental,
thinking you played a part in it,
any fucking part.
The scumbag who killed Singer
was a Nazi incel.
You think a prick like that
listens to a black woman?
All you did was speak truth to power
and that's what this country needs
from its politicians.
You did your job. Like I do mine.
Maybe you've just had more practice.
- At truth?
- At collateral damage.
When you run pieces that
Like with Rachel Sutherland.
Oh, Jesus. Seriously?
- Next you'll ask me how I sleep.
- How do you sleep?
Like a baby.
Curled up and crying for my mum.
I'm being serious, Hari. A man is dead.
I'm being serious too. About truth.
And truth is the only blade
that draws blood from liars.
However deep the lie,
however high the liar.
Your sources must find that
very comforting.
I couldn't tell you. Lately,
I don't even know who they are.
Doesn't that bother you?
Nothing I've been sent is illegal
and I don't run anything
without due diligence
But if you don't know who,
you don't know why.
The Rachel Sutherland stuff,
for example.
- Somebody has got an agenda.
- I don't care.
When it's my story, it's my agenda.
Remind me not to come to you
for emotional support again.
Look. Here's an idea.
We do an interview for the site.
You can be front-footed
with your reaction to Singer.
Denounce all extremism,
state in all caps how we must
cleave to truth but also peace.
And then we can have dinner.
You just don't quit, do you?
(LAUGHS)
No.
Jesus Christ.
The lab's this way.
Just before the ship blew, we had
a reconnaissance boat over it,
scanning, gathering data,
the condition of the hull, the
munitions, sea-bed seismology.
- All got bloody obliterated.
- Along with 300 people.
Audrey.
I'm here. I'm here.
Like I said, obliterated.
The dive team have been
searching the wreckage
and this morning we found our VDR.
Heard of a black box on a plane?
Well, it's that. For boats.
All data up until the moment
of detonation is backed up here.
That's excellent news! Isn't it?
Well, force of the blast
damaged the unit.
We're only just managing
to pull the readings from it now.
Look, spectrogram
taken moments before the explosion.
These lines represent the noise
made from the boat's engines.
And down here we'd expect to see
a low seismic frequency,
from the tremor that set off the blast.
This is what a tremor should look like.
This was taken 17 hours
prior to the explosion.
But when the boat went off,
there's nothing.
So the scanner was bust?
Yeah, or there was no tremor at all.
- But hang on, what's this?
- Ah.
Something extremely low frequency
but high decibel.
Let me show you in more detail.
Starts here. 32 minutes
then stops. 3.7 seconds later
boom.
If that's not a tremor,
what could it be?
Most likely a faulty sensor.
- But just supposing it wasn't faulty?
- I have no idea.
But I can tell you
there's no natural phenomena
which explains this wave pattern.
We're still analysing.
Bored of your office?
Just thought we'd
What did they used to say?
Take the air.
New hobby?
14 years since I quit.
That's plenty.
(SIGHS)
I'm worried about Robert.
He's
I think this thing with Rachel
might be pushing him over the edge.
Yeah. About that
I didn't move this meeting
out of my office for fresh air.
We're here because I'm doing
you a favour I shouldn't be.
Francine Bridge. Are you still friends?
- Or friends again?
- Yeah.
She's due to give Hari Misra
an interview this afternoon.
But he won't be able to make it.
There's been an escalation
and our hand's been forced.
If you value Francine,
and she values anything
resembling a political future
tell her to cut Misra loose.
And do it now.
(COMPUTER CHIMES)
(MOUSE CLICKS)
Holy fucking hell.
(SIGHS)
What the?
What?
"Grip it." Or what?
Fuck this.
Ah
Uh
(PULSING BEEP)
It isn't fucking on.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hey, Anna. Can I call you back?
- No.
- I'm about to do an interview.
- I know.
- Wait. How do you know?
- I need you to meet me, now.
I can't. Like I said,
I'm about to do this interview.
Hari's not someone
you should associate with.
- What?
- Please listen.
I don't want to speak on the phone,
but I need you
OK, Anna, I will call you back. Bye.
- (CALL ENDS)
- Fra
He's on the move. Follow, or?
Take him.
Who the fuck are they?
Woah, woah!
(PHONE RINGING)
- Passenger on board?
- Boss, someone else snatched him.
What do you mean someone else?
The car came out of nowhere
and they grabbed him.
What fucking car? Follow!
- Eleanor.
- What?
Firestorm. We've traced it.
We know who he is.
- Who?
- Gavin Beadle.
Currently at his residence
in Old Trafford.
Everything's in place for the raid.
- I need your permission to proceed.
- Do it now.
(HARI GASPING)
MAN: Pop his hat off.
- Hello, Hari.
- Who are you?
I'm Tommy. So's he.
Yard? MI5?
We're Tommy.
Let's talk about you.
You're all right. Come on.
Two units: I will proceed with Unit
Alpha to the front of the building.
Sierra 5 will proceed with Unit
Bravo to the rear of the building.
Then all units hold position
and await my command to breach.
May 22nd to 27th, 2015,
you took a trip to Moscow.
Is that when you were tapped up
by the SVR?
I was reporting a gay pride rally.
Sierra 5, Trojan 3-7. That's a go.
Proceed to breaching position.
Trojan 3-7, Sierra 5. Moving now.
Sierra 5 confirm
when you're in position.
Let's talk about another report, then.
The one you were due to publish
tomorrow.
The one you were instructed to run
by your masters
to disseminate egregious untruths
about the United States.
You work for the Yanks?
You're mercs?
(WHISPERS) Get back inside.
Sierra 5, Trojan 3-7.
Front position held.
No sign of movement.
Confirm your status.
Trojan 3-7, Sierra 5. In position.
Awaiting breach signal.
Who gave you the American documents?
Aargh!
(GROANING)
Who is your fucking handler?!
Trojan 3-7, stand by.
Unit Bravo on the move.
Armed police! Armed police!
Armed police!
Go! Go! Go!
(WOMAN WHIMPERING)
Gavin Beadle. Where is he?!
(WOMAN WHIMPERING)
Trojan 3-7, Unit Alpha.
Proceeding with search upstairs.
Two rooms. Checking room one.
Clear, clear, clear.
Proceeding to room two.
Contact! Contact! Contact!
- Down! Down! Get down!
- On the floor!'
Hands behind your back!
Hands behind your back!
All units, all units.
Trojan 3-7, positive contact
with suspect in room two.
Hold positions.
Awaiting visual confirmation
of suspect ID.
We actually got him.
'Trojan 3-7. Suspect apprehended.
Repeat, Trojan 3-7. Suspect apprehended.
(SIREN WHOOPS)
N-PAS 6-0 to control.
Suspect en route to secure location
Delta 7-3. Over and out.
Well, that's one fire snuffed out.
Or have we stoked it?
How many more Firestorms are out there?
And who's pulling the strings?
MESSAGE: It's Hari. You know what to do.
Not even the basic courtesy of a text.
You made me look a twat
this afternoon, Hari.
We don't have much choice here, Hari.
See, our business
is just like yours, really.
We're only after the truth.
I've told you the truth.
I told you. No, no, wait! Please!
Please don't, no.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
I told you the truth,
I don't know who my source is.
Please don't
You're just a useful bloody idiot,
really, aren't you, pal?
No hard feelings.
Ride home?
(CENTRAL LOCKING BEEPS)
- (SILENCED GUNSHOTS)
- (BODY THUDS)
(ENGINE STARTS)
(URGENT SHOUTING)
NEWS: It is believed to be
a firebomb attack.
It's not yet known
if anybody was inside the offices
of the left-leaning online
political site Morbid Symptoms.
There are claims a far-right
group is behind the attack.
- Over 300. And it will go up.
We've ascertained that
the total system failure at Dover
is the result of a massive
ongoing cyber-attack.
Priority is to maintain public calm.
I want to know where all of
these attacks have come from.
(SHOUTING)
What is this?
Did you know your wife
did legal for Mikhailo Kostenko?
I've got MI5 all over me.
Someone's leaking you stuff
that affects National Security.
- That's their job.
- I'm offering you Foreign Secretary.
Bad enough you give Archie back
the whip but Foreign Secretary?
From every direction
we face a different storm.
One of which is the distrust
surrounding the Singer Report.
Specialist, approach with caution.
The truck contains
what appears to be a human body.
I want to know who it is
and how it got there.
And I want to know if this country
needs to be ready for war.
We've little doubt
the Cyclamen scanners at Dover
were attacked and disabled
so that the irradiated body
could be brought into the country.
- Irradiated body of whom?
- The investigation's ongoing.
But the scale and sophistication
make us certain
that this was state-sponsored.
- Russia remaining the prime suspect?
- Remaining a suspect.
But there's no smoking gun.
The malware code could viably point
in multiple directions.
And the truck had been scoured clean
of anything forensically detectable.
We do, however, have a cause of death.
He was force-fed Polonium 210.
Russia may be behind this.
But with the backlash
around Jiayou Energy's drilling
and the ship explosion,
the Chinese are furious with us too.
Or it could be misdirection
by another actor entirely.
We don't yet have anything solid.
Whoever did this could've brought
a nuclear bomb into this country
right under our noses.
Instead, they dumped the body
of a murdered man
they knew we'd find.
They're sending a message.
And once we've identified the dead
man, we can try to decode it.
Maybe deduce who sent it and for whom.
And in the meantime,
we just sit and wait?
Hoping you get a grip on something solid
before this country suffers yet
another attack on Christ knows what?
We will continue to investigate
every possible avenue.
In terms of an attack,
we are facing a significantly
escalated domestic threat,
so I've asked Robert
to convene COBRA at 10.
Which I will be doing.
And you will all be attending.
Of course people are angry.
After what we heard about
the cyber-attack on Dover last week,
it is clear that this country
is under assault.
And the public's lost all trust
in this government's ability
to keep us safe,
or to tell us the truth.
While speaking of truth,
you crossed the floor
to join Robert Sutherland's government.
"Crossed the floor" is hardly accurate.
I was advising in a Policy Unit.
I resigned because
I wanted nothing to do
with a government soaked
in the blood of its own people.
And the Junction 23 inquiry, with
Lord Singer chosen to conduct it,
it makes an absolute mockery
of accountability.
So you're suggesting inherent bias?
If a government wanted to be exonerated,
they couldn't find someone more reliable
to side with the establishment
against the will of the people.
Which makes it hard not to wonder
if Lord Singer's been,
shall we say, singing for his supper.
I wanted nothing to do with a government
soaked in the blood of its own people.
An insider blows the whistle!
The public's lost all trust in the
government's ability to keep us safe,
or to tell us the truth.
We told you the truth.
The government is weak and venal,
a regime which forced its army
to use live rounds on its people.
And the Junction 23 inquiry,
with Lord Singer chosen to conduct it,
makes an absolute mockery
of accountability.
They couldn't find someone more reliable
to side with the establishment
against the will of the people.
- Saving their own skin.
- Makes it hard not to wonder
if Lord Singer's been, shall we say,
singing for his supper.
A government which used its weapons
at J23 to send a message to us,
the people of this nation,
that we should be too afraid to dissent,
to rise up ever again.
But we do not know fear.
Only these corrupt, glutted reptiles
will know fear.
For we shall rise up,
for justice, for our nation,
and teach it to them,
these enemies of the people.
And where we go,
our brothers will follow.
Francine Bridge.
Scourge of the Tories, saviour of
democracy, future of this nation.
OK, stop it.
Convert to the heady nectar
of pumpkin spice latte.
- You didn't!
- Christ, I'm not a monster.
Double espresso.
Ever considered
you might have trust issues?
Only with journalists.
Saw you on the television
doing some of that politics.
- What did you think?
- I flipped back to Bake Off.
Hari. I want your opinion.
You were brilliant. I mean it.
You've been trending.
Even the far-right thinks
you're well, right.
- What?
- Your mentions. Hang on.
Can't you just tell me?
OK. A lot of those accounts
have a St George's Cross
and I'd stick a monkey on the owners
enjoying at least two out of
Brexit, real ale, and dogging.
Eleanor has provided me with a report
monitoring the rise
of far-right online extremism.
It makes clear that in the wake
of recent events,
the rise has become a surge.
Escalation of rhetoric,
hate, conspiracy, violence.
Calls for insurrection.
We're seeing suspicion
over the Singer Report.
An increasing belief that
Jiayou Energy's sea-bed drilling
set off the ship explosion.
And the cyber-attacks
give these sites a drum to beat
that the UK is weak, defenceless.
We should probably ask Intelligence
to do something
about those attacks.
One site, Firestorm, stands out
in prominence, reach, vitriol.
And it's targeting those it regards
as most deserving of summary justice.
The Home Secretary,
Foreign Secretary, Lord Singer,
the Prime Minister
and his wife.
Rachel? Why?
Her links to Kostenko.
It doesn't matter that it's just smoke.
If this is incitement,
isn't it under the Terrorism Act?
We're navigating a legal minefield
to find out, but
For Christ sake. I've been
a Conservative MP for 30 years.
I've been screamed at, egged,
fruit-pelted, mud-pied,
so I'm afraid
I just can't muster the willies
over some pallid little bedwetter.
Everyone we consider at risk will be
assigned additional security.
You ought to reconsider
attending the memorial
for the victims of the Kent disaster.
No. If I need extra security,
so be it. But I'm going.
Prime Minister,
if I could just point out
300 people lost their lives. I'm going.
This meeting's over. I'm done.
Firestorm. I want to know
who it is and how we stop it.
Hey! Appreciate you coming in, Hari.
Sorry it's a bit rushed. Thanks.
Francine said you were going
to the memorial. With Sutherland.
- Yes
- Labour and Tory
hand in hand
British fortitude
and Blitz spirit, et cetera.
Oh. Hadn't pegged you as a cynic, Hari.
No, I'm a believer. In Francine
and your resuscitation of the Party.
That's why I'm here.
And why I'm about to publish another
gut-punch to Robert Sutherland.
Any chance of a preview on that?
Nope.
(THEY CHUCKLE)
To be clear: I'm on your side.
But Morbid Symptoms ain't no Pravda.
Understood.
I'm just here to talk
about Francine's campaign.
Yes, let's do that. Erm
- I think you should come with me.
- To the memorial?
To your future constituency.
I think I've filled my quota
of political opportunism this week.
Opportunism? You don't mean
the Singer interview?
I do, as it happens.
I'm really not OK with a strategy
that lets a bunch
of far-right arseholes use me
to legitimise their bullshit.
We polled after your appearance.
It was an overwhelmingly positive
reaction from the members.
And if you've also
broadened your appeal to
Fascists?! Jesus Christ.
I want to announce
that you're contesting in Kent.
And I want you to win because
I want you on my front bench.
If ballot-papers
then shower on you like confetti,
then I don't really care
who throws them.
Lord Singer, we take this kind of
precautionary measure all the time.
It's just peace of mind, Allan.
Oh, for God's sake, Robert.
In my entire career
of prosecuting and sentencing,
I've never once needed a police guard.
But I conduct one inquiry
for your government
I mean it's bad enough being harangued
by the press night and day,
but worse than that,
that bloody Francine Bridge woman
is on the news
accusing me of being a stooge.
But to top it all
I'm now on a fascist hit-list?
- Allan, look
- And you call it peace of mind?
Marjorie and I were going away
next week to the house in Cyprus.
We'll cancel the flights.
We'll leave tonight.
We'd prefer it if we could guarantee
your security here.
And I would prefer it if you could
guarantee it till Marjorie and I
are away from this bloody bedlam.
And we'll return when you can make sure
she's at no further risk
of being widowed.
(HORNS TOOTING BELOW)
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Please. Come in.
Sorry to intrude.
I wanted to catch you before
An unexpected pleasure.
And to which ailing area of policy
do I owe it?
It's actually about the by-election.
Clive Turner's seat.
God rest his soul.
Yes. Quite.
But we'd rather his seat
rested with the Tories.
We've been discussing
potential candidates, and
one mooted is Roger Hawkins.
(SCOFFS)
Is he Robert's choice?
The discussion is ongoing.
Roger's name cropped up and I
If Robert were to end up
leaning towards him
I wondered how comfortably
that would sit with you.
Because Roger has some
eccentric views?
Because he has
a widely-documented history
of inflammatory rabble-rousing
and barely-veiled racism.
Well nobody's perfect.
Look. I have no desire
to break bread with Roger Hawkins.
But I assume he's Robert's choice
because Robert thinks he can win.
And given the demographic,
he probably can.
That demographic being
a white working class
whom a populist like Hawkins
will do his best to whip up.
I would've thought that would've been
more troubling to a Home Secretary.
A Home Secretary or a black man?
I'm frankly curious as to why
it doesn't trouble you as either.
Whether or not it troubles me
is irrelevant.
We need to hold the seat,
and I trust Robert's judgment.
So, I'm afraid
I cannot lend
authentic ethnic ballast
to your struggles in dissuading him.
And if his judgment's wrong?
Well
We learn from the mistakes of others.
As much as from our own.
Shall we?
We don't want to miss our lift.
Rachel, the car will be here
shortly. Are you ready?
Darling, what's the matter?
That website that
tried to make out I had
something to do with
kickbacks to Kostenko
They've just tried even harder. (SOBS)
Oh, it's going to be all over the news
and I'm so sorry but it's lies.
I swear, it's lies.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Hari Misra from Morbid Symptoms
has interviewed a former
colleague of mine,
claiming I knew about the bribes.
He's saying it's impossible
I didn't know what was going on.
- On what grounds? You were a junior.
- Yeah, I was.
But, you know, right-hand to the senior.
I didn't know my senior was breaking
the law. Of course I fucking didn't.
But Nigel Raine's saying either I knew
and turned a blind eye,
or I was part of it.
Surely that's defamation.
He's too slick to do
anything actionable.
He's lying but I can't prove it.
But I I don't think he's going
public to grind an old axe.
So, maybe it's money,
maybe it's blackmail.
But somebody's got
their hand up the puppet
and it's the same someone, I imagine,
who gave the documents
to Morbid Symptoms.
And then, you know,
the dots just join themselves.
- Dots?
- Oh, Rob, come on!
This assault on me
amid the cyber-attacks
isn't happening
by unfortunate fucking coincidence.
It's your integrity,
your job they're trying to capsize.
I'm just
Mine are just collateral damage.
So our dead man has a name.
The body found in the truck
was Edward Price. US citizen.
He was abducted
on a holiday in Bordeaux.
- Have the Americans been informed?
- Not yet.
But the NSA
are breathing down our necks.
The NSA? Why?
Price was a scientist, at DARPA.
- The military lab?
- Military technology, yes.
But Price's field of research
was heavily classified.
Last time I checked, the Americans
were still our key ally
so they may be able to tell us
why one of theirs
ended up glowing like Chernobyl
in the back of a lorry.
Speak to their intelligence
as a matter of immediate urgency.
Understood. And I'll pass on
your gratitude to my team, shall I?
Why don't we just file it
under "better late than never".
I would like to clarify one last thing.
Yes?
I am keen for us to work together
as productively as possible
despite your pitiful animosity.
But when I am briefing COBRA,
please keep your snide little
peashooter in your pencil-case.
Just a little levity between colleagues.
Hmm.
You never struck me as the type
to feel so needled.
And you always struck me
as knowing better
than to pull an Oxbridge rapier
on a serrated machete.
I'd never pull a rapier.
I was in the Pistol Club.
And I, Foreign Secretary,
on the Royal fucking Artillery.
(WHISPERS) Pencil case it is, then.
Hmm.
FIRESTORM: While we the people starve,
these corrupt gluttons continue
to gorge at the trough of power.
More proof from Hari Misra
of the corruption in No.10.
Rachel Sutherland was at the heart
of the Kostenko bribery scandal.
My brothers, we must take action
and stamp on these cockroaches.
Let's rise up for justice
and our nation.
(PROTESTERS SHOUTING)
(REPORTERS CALLING OUT)
(CONTEMPLATIVE ORGAN MUSIC)
(WHISPERING)
On the same bench, for once.
Well, if ever there was
a place for miracles
I shall begin with the reading
from Philippians 4, verse 8.
"Whatever is true,
whatever is honourable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence in it
if there is anything
worthy of praise."
We are here today in the memory
of these people who have perished.
I want you to consider these thoughts.
No recriminations, no guilt,
just the memory of the good things
in their lives.
Step back ladies and gentlemen,
thank you.
- (REPORTERS CALLING OUT)
- Keep away.
No comment!
Oh, for God's sake, how many times
do I have to say "no comment"?!
Can you just leave us alone?!
Mr Singer.
- Did you sing for your supper?
- What?
No!
(MUFFLED SCREAMS)
(HE GROANS)
(URGENT CHATTER AND SCREAMING)
(SOBBING) No!
There he is! There he is!
(PHONE RINGING)
Eleanor. Can't this wait?
He's what?
No, no. He's what?
Oh, my God.
Police and Ambulance crews attended
the scene where the killing took place.
The suspect has been apprehended.
A message has been recovered
from his recording equipment.
A warning: this report contains images
that some people may find disturbing.
DARREN: (PANTING)
I have stamped on a cockroach.
Great Britain has one less
instrument of corruption.
Where I have gone,
may my brothers follow.
He don't sing for his supper no more.
There'll be a statement
from the police shortly,
regarding the murder
of Lord Allan Singer.
(REPORTERS AND CROWD SHOUTING)
What's happened?
ANNA: A statement of sympathy has
been issued for Lord Singer's family.
- JOSEPH: And the Protection Officer?
- Critical but stable.
Our next move needs to be robust.
- This cannot stand.
- She's bloody right. Look at this.
The killer, this Thompson bastard,
now a hero to the nutter factions.
His disgusting footage
all over social bloody media.
I'm aware. And the companies have
said they'll be cooperative.
But every time they stamp it out,
it pops up somewhere else.
Meanwhile, we are monitoring
a worrying traction
with certain conspiracy theories
that Thompson was put up
to the murder by MI5.
Which is now being tied to theories
that the Prime Minister ordered
the Kostenko assassination to
protect his wife from prosecution.
Firestorm.
Firestorm incited Thompson
and now Allan Singer is dead.
There will be another Thompson,
and another and more dead
as long as Firestorm
is spewing its poison.
And this government
will not tolerate that.
I don't doubt that we could prosecute
whoever's behind Firestorm
under the Terrorism Act.
The issue is finding them.
You said internet companies
were cooperating.
To the usual limit.
But if we demand records,
we're looking down the barrel
of an enormous legal fight.
That's no good. We won't look
strong, we'll look draconian.
Then what do we do about this?
Then we don't go through
these bloody companies.
We tell GCHQ to go around.
Underneath.
Is that legal?
It's erm somewhat grey.
I don't give a shit
if it's jet black. Do it.
Understood.
And then deal with Hari Misra.
His site's adding fuel to all of this.
- So now we're arresting journalists?
- Finding out who pulls his strings.
The investigation is progressing,
Prime Minister.
Well, I'm sure that inspires us all
with confidence(!)
Thank you, Eleanor. Proceed.
Joseph didn't seem happy
with our strategy.
I'm sure he'll come on board
if it puts at least one
hateful bastard under lock and key.
But since you mention him,
I wouldn't mind your opinion on
something, if you've got a moment.
It's what I'm here for.
What do you think of him?
Who?
Joseph, Anna.
I think
Why?
Because I'm asking.
Bright, charismatic, ambitious.
Do you want an essay?
No, I just thought you might say:
he's someone worth recruiting
to harangue me over my choice of
Roger Hawkins for the by-election.
Robert
Before we discuss you
going behind my back
Roger Hawkins may be to the right
of us, may even be a reactionary,
but I will tell you something
he hasn't done.
He hasn't accused a respected judge
of corruption
shortly before he was butchered, and
even supplied a fucking hashtag for it.
You brought Francine Bridge in.
Vouched for her.
I hear you're even pals again.
And yet you have the temerity
to question my judgment?
You think Francine is the problem?
You're going to blame a black woman
for feeding far-right extremism
while you shove your weight
behind a dog-whistling jingoist?
And, yes, I spoke to Joseph.
Because my job is to make sure you
make the best possible decision.
Well, maybe that's something
overdue for reappraisal.
Robert
Get a fucking grip.
(DOOR SLAMS)
I say this with kindness
but you're mental,
thinking you played a part in it,
any fucking part.
The scumbag who killed Singer
was a Nazi incel.
You think a prick like that
listens to a black woman?
All you did was speak truth to power
and that's what this country needs
from its politicians.
You did your job. Like I do mine.
Maybe you've just had more practice.
- At truth?
- At collateral damage.
When you run pieces that
Like with Rachel Sutherland.
Oh, Jesus. Seriously?
- Next you'll ask me how I sleep.
- How do you sleep?
Like a baby.
Curled up and crying for my mum.
I'm being serious, Hari. A man is dead.
I'm being serious too. About truth.
And truth is the only blade
that draws blood from liars.
However deep the lie,
however high the liar.
Your sources must find that
very comforting.
I couldn't tell you. Lately,
I don't even know who they are.
Doesn't that bother you?
Nothing I've been sent is illegal
and I don't run anything
without due diligence
But if you don't know who,
you don't know why.
The Rachel Sutherland stuff,
for example.
- Somebody has got an agenda.
- I don't care.
When it's my story, it's my agenda.
Remind me not to come to you
for emotional support again.
Look. Here's an idea.
We do an interview for the site.
You can be front-footed
with your reaction to Singer.
Denounce all extremism,
state in all caps how we must
cleave to truth but also peace.
And then we can have dinner.
You just don't quit, do you?
(LAUGHS)
No.
Jesus Christ.
The lab's this way.
Just before the ship blew, we had
a reconnaissance boat over it,
scanning, gathering data,
the condition of the hull, the
munitions, sea-bed seismology.
- All got bloody obliterated.
- Along with 300 people.
Audrey.
I'm here. I'm here.
Like I said, obliterated.
The dive team have been
searching the wreckage
and this morning we found our VDR.
Heard of a black box on a plane?
Well, it's that. For boats.
All data up until the moment
of detonation is backed up here.
That's excellent news! Isn't it?
Well, force of the blast
damaged the unit.
We're only just managing
to pull the readings from it now.
Look, spectrogram
taken moments before the explosion.
These lines represent the noise
made from the boat's engines.
And down here we'd expect to see
a low seismic frequency,
from the tremor that set off the blast.
This is what a tremor should look like.
This was taken 17 hours
prior to the explosion.
But when the boat went off,
there's nothing.
So the scanner was bust?
Yeah, or there was no tremor at all.
- But hang on, what's this?
- Ah.
Something extremely low frequency
but high decibel.
Let me show you in more detail.
Starts here. 32 minutes
then stops. 3.7 seconds later
boom.
If that's not a tremor,
what could it be?
Most likely a faulty sensor.
- But just supposing it wasn't faulty?
- I have no idea.
But I can tell you
there's no natural phenomena
which explains this wave pattern.
We're still analysing.
Bored of your office?
Just thought we'd
What did they used to say?
Take the air.
New hobby?
14 years since I quit.
That's plenty.
(SIGHS)
I'm worried about Robert.
He's
I think this thing with Rachel
might be pushing him over the edge.
Yeah. About that
I didn't move this meeting
out of my office for fresh air.
We're here because I'm doing
you a favour I shouldn't be.
Francine Bridge. Are you still friends?
- Or friends again?
- Yeah.
She's due to give Hari Misra
an interview this afternoon.
But he won't be able to make it.
There's been an escalation
and our hand's been forced.
If you value Francine,
and she values anything
resembling a political future
tell her to cut Misra loose.
And do it now.
(COMPUTER CHIMES)
(MOUSE CLICKS)
Holy fucking hell.
(SIGHS)
What the?
What?
"Grip it." Or what?
Fuck this.
Ah
Uh
(PULSING BEEP)
It isn't fucking on.
(PHONE RINGS)
- Hey, Anna. Can I call you back?
- No.
- I'm about to do an interview.
- I know.
- Wait. How do you know?
- I need you to meet me, now.
I can't. Like I said,
I'm about to do this interview.
Hari's not someone
you should associate with.
- What?
- Please listen.
I don't want to speak on the phone,
but I need you
OK, Anna, I will call you back. Bye.
- (CALL ENDS)
- Fra
He's on the move. Follow, or?
Take him.
Who the fuck are they?
Woah, woah!
(PHONE RINGING)
- Passenger on board?
- Boss, someone else snatched him.
What do you mean someone else?
The car came out of nowhere
and they grabbed him.
What fucking car? Follow!
- Eleanor.
- What?
Firestorm. We've traced it.
We know who he is.
- Who?
- Gavin Beadle.
Currently at his residence
in Old Trafford.
Everything's in place for the raid.
- I need your permission to proceed.
- Do it now.
(HARI GASPING)
MAN: Pop his hat off.
- Hello, Hari.
- Who are you?
I'm Tommy. So's he.
Yard? MI5?
We're Tommy.
Let's talk about you.
You're all right. Come on.
Two units: I will proceed with Unit
Alpha to the front of the building.
Sierra 5 will proceed with Unit
Bravo to the rear of the building.
Then all units hold position
and await my command to breach.
May 22nd to 27th, 2015,
you took a trip to Moscow.
Is that when you were tapped up
by the SVR?
I was reporting a gay pride rally.
Sierra 5, Trojan 3-7. That's a go.
Proceed to breaching position.
Trojan 3-7, Sierra 5. Moving now.
Sierra 5 confirm
when you're in position.
Let's talk about another report, then.
The one you were due to publish
tomorrow.
The one you were instructed to run
by your masters
to disseminate egregious untruths
about the United States.
You work for the Yanks?
You're mercs?
(WHISPERS) Get back inside.
Sierra 5, Trojan 3-7.
Front position held.
No sign of movement.
Confirm your status.
Trojan 3-7, Sierra 5. In position.
Awaiting breach signal.
Who gave you the American documents?
Aargh!
(GROANING)
Who is your fucking handler?!
Trojan 3-7, stand by.
Unit Bravo on the move.
Armed police! Armed police!
Armed police!
Go! Go! Go!
(WOMAN WHIMPERING)
Gavin Beadle. Where is he?!
(WOMAN WHIMPERING)
Trojan 3-7, Unit Alpha.
Proceeding with search upstairs.
Two rooms. Checking room one.
Clear, clear, clear.
Proceeding to room two.
Contact! Contact! Contact!
- Down! Down! Get down!
- On the floor!'
Hands behind your back!
Hands behind your back!
All units, all units.
Trojan 3-7, positive contact
with suspect in room two.
Hold positions.
Awaiting visual confirmation
of suspect ID.
We actually got him.
'Trojan 3-7. Suspect apprehended.
Repeat, Trojan 3-7. Suspect apprehended.
(SIREN WHOOPS)
N-PAS 6-0 to control.
Suspect en route to secure location
Delta 7-3. Over and out.
Well, that's one fire snuffed out.
Or have we stoked it?
How many more Firestorms are out there?
And who's pulling the strings?
MESSAGE: It's Hari. You know what to do.
Not even the basic courtesy of a text.
You made me look a twat
this afternoon, Hari.
We don't have much choice here, Hari.
See, our business
is just like yours, really.
We're only after the truth.
I've told you the truth.
I told you. No, no, wait! Please!
Please don't, no.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
I told you the truth,
I don't know who my source is.
Please don't
You're just a useful bloody idiot,
really, aren't you, pal?
No hard feelings.
Ride home?
(CENTRAL LOCKING BEEPS)
- (SILENCED GUNSHOTS)
- (BODY THUDS)
(ENGINE STARTS)
(URGENT SHOUTING)
NEWS: It is believed to be
a firebomb attack.
It's not yet known
if anybody was inside the offices
of the left-leaning online
political site Morbid Symptoms.
There are claims a far-right
group is behind the attack.