Cobra (2020) s03e02 Episode Script

So, the situation at Godley Common?
The Metro Ultraline construction
at Godley remains paralysed
- by the Planet Resistance protest.
- The army. Send them in.
Get it done and dusted.
Ultraline isn't being
built because it's green.
It's being built so a load
of arseholes can make a mint.
I am my country's future. There is
no danger to our investment here.
This is a future for both our countries
we are more than happy to embrace.
- So, your daughter has come home.
- Yes, we're very happy.
She's fortunate to have a
father she can be proud of.
Ellie. Welcome to the war.
Planet Resistance has uploaded a video.
My name is Ellie Sutherland.
By the time you see this,
I will be deep down a tunnel
beneath Godley Common village.
Our daughter's underground and
your priority is your train set?
Rachel, I need to work and I
need you to get out of this room.
What we are calling
for is systemic change.
What's happening?
Rachel, please stop this.
You can't seriously just
expect me to sit here?
I expect you to wait.
We can go together,
- once the situation's been assessed.
- What needs to be assessed?
Our daughter is in that hole!
I can do more for her
more for everyone if I'm here.
And what can I do?
What can I do to help my
daughter while you manage?
You can't do anything.
The rescue workers can do something.
I can do something because I'm
the leader of the fucking country.
But I need you
as I always have to be my rock.
I'm going to her, even if I have
to dig her out with my bare hands.
Charlie.
I'm sorry, Mrs Sutherland.
I can't take you there.
- Charlie, I need to find my daughter.
- I have orders.
Fine. I'll take a bloody taxi.
- Ma'am, please
- Open the door.
I can't let you.
I'm your Protection
Officer. It isn't safe.
Charlie, open the door.
Please.
She's on her way back, sir.
Is Audrey briefing us?
- Have you had ANY sleep?
- No.
- Are you sure you
- What?
Archie can handle the
Cobra, and I can brief you.
- Nobody expects you to
- To what?
Have a hand steady enough for the wheel?
- I'm just saying, you don't need to
- Anna, I know what I need.
Robert, I think I speak
for the room when I
Audrey. Current situation?
Sir, we have established Strategic
Command here at the primary school
for a Search and Rescue operation.
As you're aware, we're contending with
a massive subterranean
collapse beneath Godley Common.
A sinkhole at least 80 metres deep.
There's catastrophic
damage in both the village
and the Ultraline site on the perimeter.
Tell me the um
probability of survival.
Prime Minister, I'm
afraid I can't give
There are currently 11
hospitalised and 37 fatalities,
but the operation is
still in its early stages
and many people are unaccounted for.
And what caused this um sinkhole.
Any indication as of why?
We have geophysicists gathering data but
Because what I can't help
but find somewhat troubling
is the fact we've been
boring an enormous tunnel
and now everything around
it has been swallowed.
Was this our fault?
With respect, let's not jump
to conclusions of liability.
This is contingency
preparation, isn't it?
Robert, we all understand
the strain you're under.
Oh, I'm sure you do.
I'm heading for the site.
I'll make a public statement from there.
Prime Minister
Search and Rescue are concerned
that you coming here might
Might what?
The situation is very fluid. We
think it might be better if
I'm not offering it up as a suggestion.
God forbid we can leave
before SHE gets here.
- Have you brought his shovel?
- Rachel.
- Maybe I should take another car.
- No. We need to work my statement.
- I've another one.
- Another fatality?
26 now.
A literal mortuary.
the tracks, followed them around.
It just came out.
Keep it steady!
Guide it.
Nearly there.
Commissioner, questions
are already being raised
over a policing strategy
which is being described
as confused, contradictory,
even shambolic.
- What is your response?
- Officers carried out their duties
to the best of their abilities
based on their orders,
and government policy.
So, was this an outright
failure of command,
or was the involvement of
the Prime Minister's daughter
a factor in the subsequent disaster
Was she a factor? Jesus Christ.
A factor in shafting
us good and proper, yes.
How's Robert going to answer that?
I told Anna Marshall it was a mistake
to put him in front of the public.
I'm sure that was received
with her customary warmth.
I said YOU should do it.
- And yet you're not limping.
- Mm.
Robert's the one with
the twatted stature.
That may be so. But I have no desire
to suffer the slings and
arrows of HIS poor decisions.
Give him enough rope,
that sort of thing?
Your words, not mine.
This has been, and continues to be,
a complex and
quickly-evolving situation.
Can you hear me, sir?
Can you tell me your name?
One, two, three lift.
Down.
And lift.
Henry?
- Stand back.
- No, I know him.
Alright, go with them.
Robert The changes you've made
- I've just moderated the approach.
- By cutting every mention of Ellie?
Everyone in the country
knows the situation.
Then I hardly need to bring
it up when I address them.
I know it's difficult, but I don't
think cutting every mention of her
We're here.
Are you ashamed?
- Ashamed?
- Of Ellie. Of the tunnel.
Of her video. All of it.
Is it embarrassing for you?
I'm here to OFFER
compassion, not ASK for it.
But you don't have to
be a robot about it.
No, but I do have to
be the Prime Minister.
We're still finding survivors,
but so far we have 94 dead
and at least 150 missing.
Buildings were swallowed
whole, with the victims inside.
The locus of the Ultraline
site and the protest camp is
I'm afraid we're expecting
significant casualties
the individuals within the protest
tunnel and the eviction personnel.
With the volume of
soil pulled over them,
the probability is that
they were crushed instantly.
But we don't know that for
certain and we're doing all we can.
We've got multiple
scanning sites in the field.
It's just, the severity of
the collapse, it's unusual.
And you still can't tell
me why this happened?
As I've said, Prime Minister,
we're still gathering data.
- Every resource you need, it's yours.
- Understood. But
all we can do now really is search.
Help!
Fuck.
- Ellie! Ellie! Hey.
- What
- Come on, get up.
- What happened?
I don't know.
Put this on.
- What happened?
- I don't fucking know, alright?!
We need to get out of here.
- Nate
- We need to get out!
- Yeah, we we have the radio.
- No, no.
- We don't. It's fucked.
- How could
The antenna's been cut in two.
And the fucking entrance is blocked.
But there has to be a way out somewhere.
- Henry knows where we are.
- Jesus! We're not gonna stay here.
It could take weeks to dig us
out. That was the whole point.
No, you do what you
want. I'm not dying here.
Fucking cave could collapse any moment!
persistent heavy rainfall
and disturbance from the construction
of the controversial
Ultraline rail project.
It remains to be seen
whether Mr Sutherland
has anything to say about this
when he addresses the public.
And there's no question,
this tragedy brings with it
a deep personal turmoil for him,
given his daughter's involvement.
- I saw Rachel leaving.
- To join the relief workers.
She was desperate to help.
Or to be well away from me.
She doesn't blame you. You're
both afraid, and in pain.
But she's right about
one thing. Your statement.
If you don't even
acknowledge that Ellie
- that she's
- What?
Maybe dead?
- Don't even think that.
- My point exactly.
Then I might actually be
able to get through this.
You can accept she's part of this,
which makes YOU part of it too.
You WILL lead with
strength, because you stand
with all those desperate
for their loved and missing.
I can't breathe. I can't fucking
Nate, what's the matter?
- I need to get out.
- Nate?
Nate?
Nate!
I can't breathe.
- We have to keep going.
- I need to get out.
- No I need to get out!
- Stop, Nate! Nate, stop!
I can't breathe.
I can't fucking breathe.
Nate, please.
- There's no way out of here.
- Follow me.
Nate, please. We have
to keep moving, please.
Nate, come on.
All I remember
is that suddenly
there was no ground
and the world turned upside down.
- They still don't know what happened.
- The government happened.
They said all along Ultraline was
I've seen the risk documents.
They knew that the ground was
mush from the old mining
and they were building
within the zone of influence.
You need to rest, for God's sake.
How many are hurt?
It's going up.
A lot of people are still missing.
Nate!
I think I can see something. Look!
Oh, thank Christ.
Henry!
Thank fuck
I've been frantic. I
can't get hold of Nate.
Polly, he went in the tunnel with Ellie.
- What?
- She took your place.
- He went to show her how to
- Jesus Christ, Henry!
I can show you where they are.
If you get me a map, I can
The rescue workers
You have to tell them about the radio.
Christ! We must be right
under the Ultraline site.
Fuck!
Missed appointments, no communication,
friends duly raised the alarm.
And given that she's the Princess,
it was passed up to Intelligence.
We made quiet enquiries
with the embassy,
concerning the Princess's security.
They told us she took a private
jet home to visit her father.
And that much we've confirmed
from the flight manifest.
More in doubt is whether
she went of her own volition.
She's hardly kicking and screaming.
Most likely sedated.
Perhaps she's a nervous flyer.
I mean, one can hardly draw absolute
conclusions from this footage,
- wouldn't you agree?
- I would.
And I assume you refrained
from mentioning the
footage to the embassy?
I did.
In fact, our assessment is that
given our friendship with the Kingdom,
there's no need for this
footage to be preserved.
Friendship indeed.
And it's only friendly
to let a family matter
remain a family matter.
I wasn't even meant to
be in this fucking tunnel.
I only came down 'cos of you
'cos you needed a nanny,
you fucking tourist,
spoilt little brat wanting
to piss off her daddy.
What are you doing? What are you doing?
These wires
Would they work with the
radio? Make an antenna?
Fuck.
- Nate! Come on! Would it work?
- I don't know Maybe.
Then do it. Help me. Please.
- What if we just
- OK, wait, wait.
Give me the light.
One here, on here.
Is it fixable?
I don't know.
I watched Henry build it.
Come on Anna, pick up.
- Thank God. Are you OK?
- I've been better.
Listen, I'm sending you
something from Henry.
- Henry Wicks?
- He's got information about Ellie.
Wait, I'm with Robert.
It's Francine.
- Help how?
- Ellie was in a separate tunnel.
I'm sending you the
location and the design
of some kind of radio thing.
It might help you find her.
I've seen this kind of device.
Induction transmitter at
68KHz, single-sideband.
- We'll get a unit, see if we can
- We've told you where she is. Dig!
We'll make our own assessment.
If she IS there, it is very deep
and the instability of
the ground is Sir.
We're sending officers to the
location, but please understand
Prime Minister. There's
something you need to hear.
It looks like the
collapse was precipitated
by combustion of methane
deposits in the subsoil.
The power-grid recorded a massive
spike right before the collapse,
from within the Ultraline
tunnel boring machine.
If it malfunctioned, it could
have ignited the methane.
- Ultraline caused this?
- Various possibilities
- Why wasn't this machine examined?
- The company's refusing access
until they've verified the
integrity of the tunnel.
Fuck the integrity! I want
this thing investigated now.
- Sir.
- Robert, they need us for the speech.
Understood. Thank you, Audrey.
They tried to make radio contact
at the location Henry Wicks gave.
They couldn't find a signal.
No, it doesn't mean she's
It's possible HER radio's failed.
Or that she's moved.
Apparently, the unit can
transmit a a beacon signal,
and they're scanning for it
across the area. Robert
don't lose hope. Please.
Put on a brave face.
I would like to begin by
thanking our emergency services
for their heroic efforts in these
most difficult circumstances.
To date, 54 people have been
rescued from the devastation
and survivors continue to be found
by our Search and Rescue teams.
However, I must also inform you
that the number of
dead now stands at 114
I'm sure you will join me
in offering my most profound
sympathies to the families,
and in my prayers
that we will find alive those
currently unaccounted for.
It is no secret
that I share your pain.
My own daughter is among the missing.
I am under no illusion
that that Ellie
that whatever the outcome
her involvement will
not be without consequence
both for her and for myself.
But at this point, I'm
sure you understand
my sole priority
is to ensure the rescue
mission proceeds
Prime Minister.
and is successful.
At this point, that's all I have.
- Prime Minister.
- Prime Minister.
Prime Minister!
Will you be considering your position?
Ellie.
It's transmitting.
Do you really think it'll work?
They're not gonna let YOU
die down here, are they?
They'll be combing stone by stone.
We believe the methane WAS
ignited by the Ultraline machine,
but it wasn't a malfunction.
We've identified preliminary
evidence of deliberate tampering.
The circuit was burnt through
and there's residue of
pyrotechnic chemicals.
- Who did this?
- As yet, we don't know.
But it bears the hallmarks
of an incendiary device
and our priority is to evacuate the area
and search for secondary devices.
Transport will take you and
Mrs Sutherland back to
You can't suspend the search for people.
You can't suspend. There are
still hundreds of people out there!
You have to suspend.
We've been warned
there could be more gas.
If there's another explosive,
you'll be digging out
the rest of Godley Common,
as well as your own people.
Robert.
We can't risk this being worse.
But it isn't YOUR child
buried out there, is it?
Rachel.
Suspend the rescue.
Please evacuate the area!
All Search and Rescue
operations are suspended.
Please evacuate the area!
Repeat. All Search and
Rescue is now suspended.
Archie's convening a COBRA in an hour.
I need to be here. So I need you there.
Are you sure?
I could stay here, join by video.
Can't have anyone saying
I'm losing my grip.
At least I'll have my
right hand on the wheel.
They'll get her out
and we'll get through this.
I've made it clear we're not leaving.
Do you remember taking that?
Yeah.
She'd just come home from school.
You were about to go out canvassing
for me when I first stood as an MP.
She didn't wanna go,
so I made it a game.
I lied to her.
When I lost my job and
I was targeted and
you know, I told you that I felt
like I was just collateral damage
it really made me understand just
how long I'd been lying to myself.
Ellie's whole life
just collateral damage.
Rachel, that's not I mean
- Come on. We have to keep
- What? Support each other?
Yes, support each other!
I HAVE supported you!
I have supported you
since the day we met
and I have felt such pride
and triumph in every victory.
But Ellie?
She never asked to be the
Prime Minister's daughter.
Even her home is just
an annex of your office.
That video that she made from the tunnel
when she talks about
her profile, I mean
her profile?!
It's a cage that we put her in.
And the very last thing she tried to do
was smash her cup against the bars.
- You cannot blame me more than I
- I don't blame you. I blame myself.
I blame myself for all the years I
have been your fucking accomplice.
How deep do you think we are?
- Nate?
- Somewhere near hell.
Will it even reach the surface?
Fuck knows.
- My head.
- You dizzy?
- It's just dehydration.
- It's carbon dioxide. It builds up.
It's why we're short
of breath, getting shorter.
- I'm sorry for what I said earlier.
- It's fine.
I've been called worse.
Anyway, if we both die,
then we'll really put Planet
Resistance in the news.
What?
Planet Re The whole fucking thing
is a monument to Henry's vanity.
A leaderless movement, right?
How come he's the leader?
- None of this is Henry's fault.
- Ellie, Henry's a salesman.
He's selling the idea of change.
And we're all just
commodities, especially you.
The sabotage consisted
of a basic device:
a timer and a handheld flare.
What we're dealing with is
manifestly an act of terror,
and our response to this outrage
needs to be swift and substantial.
Planet Resistance must be
designated a proscribed organisation.
Counterterrorism has
begun a full investigation
but at this stage, there's
no conclusive evidence
- that Planet Resistance
- I'm sorry.
Are we seriously entertaining the notion
this was not Planet Resistance?
- We're looking for proof that it WAS?
- This is absurd. They're a menace.
Even so. "Let's not jump
to conclusions of liability"
was, I believe, how YOU put it the
last time you were in this room.
Notwithstanding your loyalty to Robert,
I'd hoped you might be
a bit more objective.
Fortunately Robert
along with most other
people AND the legal system,
knows what that word means.
Well, since we're on the subject,
and given the elephant
in the room is so big
you could sell tickets
to a sodding safari
how is this going to
affect Robert's position?
If Ellie doesn't surv
I mean, in the worst-case
scenario - God forbid -
one assumes he'll take
compassionate leave.
But if she IS rescued and it turns
out she's had a hand in all this
I expect the party and the cabinet
to offer their support and solidarity.
But if you'd care to raise your
concerns with him, Minister,
I'm sure Robert would be more than happy
to have a full and frank exchange.
Jolly good to know.
As and when, of course, he's available.
Yeah?
- What?
- Ah, those famous people skills
I save them for PEOPLE.
Will that be all?
I have an appointment.
Our right honourable friend
Victoria Dalton. What's your take?
Robert promoted her while I was away.
It does have a whiff of
"unconsulted" about it.
I'd have backed it.
Ruin Britannia assumed we'd roll over.
We needed to demonstrate
renewed commitment to defence,
give the brief to a full-taloned hawk.
I would suggest we keep
a hawk-like eye on her.
You think she's what?
- Plotting?
- Seems the type.
Ah, that terror of ambitious women.
I've been prowling the foetid
jungle of these corridors
long enough to scent a fellow predator.
As you say
fellow. So what's your angle?
Keeping a stiletto out of Robert's back.
Unless it's yours?
You know bloody well I've
had opportunities for regicide
drop in my lap like ripe plums
and I never boiled jam.
I don't trust Victoria Dalton.
And neither of us want Robert
to go down on account of VD.
- How is he?
- He's a survivor.
He'll get through this.
Yes, sir. Confirmed. We're
at the triangulated zone.
This is Search and
Rescue. Anyone receiving?
- Help ! Help us !
- Help! Help! Help! Help us!
They've made contact. Ellie's alive.
They picked up a beacon. They're
ready to patch you through.
In fact, they need you to speak to her.
- Eleanor James.
- Yes?
We've picked up significant
chatter that Planet Resistance
- was responsible
- Wait. With proof?
- No, but
- But what?
We need to know there
are no more explosives.
If it WAS Planet Resistance
you could ask Ellie
My daughter is not a
terrorist! Is that understood?
I am a hostage in this house.
There are police outside some inside,
bars on every window.
After I was drugged and
abducted from the United Kingdom
by my brother Prince Samir,
acting on behalf of
our father King Zyan.
I don't know how she smuggled this out,
but it's on every media
outlet you could name.
Thankfully, most eyes
are on Godley Common.
I plead only for liberty.
I plead with the Government of
the United Kingdom to help me.
I plead with them to
value freedom in my country
more than trading weapons for our oil.
More than the Saladin arms deal.
Well, that is a fat tonnage of
shit en route vite to the fan.
Ellie? Are you there? It's Mum and Dad.
Dad? Dad!
Ellie, you're gonna be alright.
Mum, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- Mum!
- It's alright, sweetheart.
we're gonna get you out.
We're gonna get you out.
Ellie, I I need you to listen to me.
We're already working
on a way to get you out.
But what I What WE need to know,
in order for everyone to be safe
Did Planet Resistance plant the bomb?
- What?!
- Ellie
Bomb? What are you talking about?
Someone put an explosive in the machine.
That's what caused this. I need
to know, are there any more?
We didn't! I I don't
understand what you're saying.
No please
I don't know anything
about a fucking bomb!
Ellie, I need the truth.
Hundreds of people are dead.
The village is destroyed.
They didn't do it!
- I promise, Dad
- Tell them there was only one.
There was only one device.
Tell them.
There was only one bomb.
Please, Dad. I can't breathe.
Dad
Ellie?
- What's happened?
- Ellie?
Dad, please. Dad?
- The signal's gone.
- What does that mean?
We're drawing up a plan to get her out.
- Please do it.
- Yes, sir.
She's going to be OK, isn't she?!
Please!
Slow down, we're close.
This section of the tunnel
already bored for the Ultraline.
- We can smash through from above.
- Take a shortcut.
You You knew ?
No, I didn't know.
Not for sure. Not till now.
I told you what he's like. I
told Polly not to trust him.
It was Henry?
He said he was planning
something: escalation.
Something so they know we're serious.
Something they wouldn't
forget. I said no. I tried to
talk him down and I thought I had.
I thought he was just talking about you.
He's fucked us.
All of us. He's fucked everything.
They're coming. Get ready.
Rachel Sutherland for Will Clifford.
Yes, I'll hold.
- Who are you calling?
- Ellie's going to need a good lawyer.
We'll get the best.
I don't even know what side of
the courtroom you'll be sat on.
When we get out Hey,
listen to me. Listen to me.
We didn't kill anybody. Henry did.
- OK?
- OK.
I'm not going down for him.
Understand? OK.
OK.
What are you doing?!
These rocks fell on me.
I need a ward, not a cell.
You wanna do some good?
You tell Polly to forget me.
Keep coming up.
Almost there. Keep going.
Ellie! Ellie, they're gonna
make sure you're alright.
We need to examine her
but we think she'll be fine.
Sir, Mrs Sutherland.
You're aware we're obligated
to place Ellie under arrest.
However, given her circumstances,
and the nature of the
security at Downing Street,
we'd be prepared to allow her
to return home for the night,
after she's been checked
over, make the arrest tomorrow.
Oh, God, thank you.
No.
The merest hint of
preferential treatment
the public, the media,
they're already primed to shred
her all over again. I can't.
- There cannot be any dispensation.
- Yes, sir.
It's one night, Rob! Come on.
It's all they need for a crucifixion.
Whose?
- Rachel
- Don't you dare pretend
that this is about her.
- We can talk about this at home.
- I'm not coming home, Robert.
I'll send Charlie to pick up my things.
I can't do this any more, Rob.
You know that, don't you?
I'm sorry.
Stop!
Get after him!