01x01 - Piles

[bunniefuu]

MUSIC: 'The Masterplan'
by Oasis

MUSIC PLAYS IN CAR

♪ Take the time to make some sense
Of what you wanna say... ♪

MUFFLED: ♪ And cast your words away
Upon the waves

♪ Sail them home with acquiesce
On a ship of hope today... ♪

MUSIC STOPS

DOOR SHUTS,
LOCK CLICKS

INDISTINCT CHATTER

LOCK CLICKS,
INDISTINCT CHATTER

DOOR OPENS

MAN: Bro, listen, please.
You need to pack.

MAN SPEAKS IN FARSI

WATER RUNS

Ehsan?

Ehsan Taremi?

Did you tell anyone
that you were meeting me?

No.

So, what is it you've got for me?

What I've got, it's big.

There's a lot of people
that could get hurt in this.

Hundreds of people k*lled.

There's someone I can
point you towards, as well.

- Someone pulling all the strings.
- Who? Who's pulling the strings?

But what I need is a guarantee
of my family's safety.

For my wife and my girls.

You pay me for good information, right?

Why? Doesn't the drugs trade
pay any more?

I'm not in that part of the business.

- What do you do, then?
- I'm only a translator.

In my experience, people in the
drugs trade fall out all the time.

Now, you've made up some "threat
to national security" nonsense,

and you expect, within five minutes,

MI5 to provide you with a safe house
and a new identity.

- Is that it?
- I'm not trying it on.

It... It's not about the drugs.

What's it about, then? Eh?

Me and my family need to be safe.
You sort that, and I'll talk.

You've got to believe me.

JOHN GASPS,
PANTS

JOHN BREATHES HEAVILY

THEY GRUNT

MAN YELLS

HE PANTS

HORN BEEPS IN DISTANCE

MAN: Good news is, your car
will be dropped off tonight.

Bad news is, you're gonna get
the bollocking of your life

for the shitshow back there.

It's a gangland hit.

Not remotely MI5 business.

Personally, I think you performed
a public service.

MAN CHUCKLES

Why on earth did you
go on your own, though?

Honestly, what were you thinking,
you dickhead?

Better get going, mate.
They're waiting for you upstairs.

Good luck. You're gonna need it.
MAN CHUCKLES

DOOR SHUTS

PHONE RINGS

WOMAN WHISPERS:
'I'm with the counsellor.

- 'Where are you?'
- I'm not gonna make it.

'You better have
a bloody good excuse this time.'

You promised me.

PHONE BEEPS

Erm, my husband's been held up at work.

We'll have to rearrange.

SCANNER BEEPS

How does that make you feel?

How does it make me feel?

Makes me feel like walking into a club,

downing two espresso martinis
and shagging the barman.

BEEP

HUBBUB

Told me you were taking a day's
leave to go and see your mum.

- Hear me out...
- Told me a bare-faced lie.

Service Liaison
at Greater Manchester Police told me

that Ehsan tipped them off
about a threat to national security.

So they passed it on to you

so you could be the one
to go and embarrass yourself.

Ehsan was of Persian heritage.

He had links to a g*ng
trafficking heroin through Iran.

Ehsan hinted at a mass casualty event.

My gut told me he was the real deal.
We all know your gut is good.

But we have to prioritise,
using our resources carefully.

I told you not to follow that lead.
Instead, what do you do?

You go behind my back,
use your personal phone

to communicate with a potential source.

You went on your own,
without any back-up,

and you were horribly exposed.

And now two people are dead.

MAN: We had to send in a team
to clean up your mess.

This is the third poor lead you've
escalated up in as many months.

We all know you want to prove
you've still got it, John.

But this is just desperate.

You don't get k*lled
if you're a sh*t lead.

I spoke to Greater Manchester Police.

Word in Stockport is Craig Beeston's

had five kilos of his heroin
go walkabout.

I think you got yourself caught up
in the fallout

over some missing drugs.

We've not identified the g*nman yet.

But it's what these people do, John.
They're like rats in a sack.

The Manchester drugs trade's
a police matter.

If there's an inquiry,
you'll be in very serious trouble.

It may be a disciplinary matter.

Nice of you both to ask how I am.

I thought mental health
was a priority these days.

SHE SIGHS

You've experienced
a deeply traumatic event.

You need to take some time off.

- I don't need some time off.
- You've k*lled someone.

I'm looking out
for your mental health, John.

Was that only a play?

- Cheers. Thank you.
- DRIVER: Cheers.

CAR PULLS AWAY

DOOR OPENS,
KEYS JANGLE

I'm sorry.

I know what your work can be like, John.

Well... obviously, I don't.

HE SIGHS

f*cking Official f*cking Secrets Act.

f*cking b*stard f*cking Secrets Act.

I know, I know, I know.

I really believed you when you said
you'd be there this time.

I know.

I am sorry.

Can we reschedule?

She's got us down
as a lost cause already.

Oh, come on, don't say that. We're OK.

I do get why you want us to go.

Do you? Really?

SHE SIGHS SOFTLY

It's fine. It's done. I'm not in a mood.

We'll reschedule.

Why are you wearing those clothes?

I got a bit messed up at work.

All my stuff had to go
into an evidence bag.

What happened?

You know I can't tell you.

Did the kids have a nice tea?

Er, yeah.

Chloe asked if you could take her
to football on Saturday.

SIGHING
Oh... as long as I don't have to go in.

HE GROANS

How is your arse?

It's very painful.
Do you want me to have a look?

That's the best offer I've had all day.

SHE LAUGHS SOFTLY
All right, then. Sexy time.

Come on! You know you hit
the jackpot with my peachy arse.

My God!

Oh. You're black and blue!

Yeah, I told you sh*t went down at work.

CHILD: Mummy!

WAILING

I'll go.

CHILD MOANS

You OK, mate?

Come on. Come here. Come on. Come on.

Come on. There we go.

You're all right. Come on.
It's OK. It's OK.

Come on.

SON: Alex. Signed, Alex.

RADIO: 'Clint Eastwood' by Gorillaz

- Daddy?
- Yes, sweetheart.

Do you think I'm a striker or defender?

Striker. Top bins, hat-trick hero.

Hat-trick heroine, right?

LAUGHING: Yeah, Chloe, you tell him.
That's right.

I'm not going in today.

Work said to take it easy
for a few days,

so Daddy's picking you up tonight.

Yay!

Yeah, you need to rest.
Are you all right?

Yeah, fine. What's on the to-do list?

Can you pick up these groceries

and maybe make an appointment
with your own GP?

You need to have confirmation
that it is just piles.

- Hey, Marta.
- MARTA: Morning.

- How was the date?
- Great.

Tell me about it later.

Yeah, I will. She was lovely.

Oh, do you still want me to baby-sit?

- Yes, please!
- SON: Bye.

- Oh, you're home.
- Mm-hm.

- CHLOE: Bye!
- Bye!

Are you ill?
You're never home at this time.

FRIDGE DOOR OPENS

SON: Yay.

Shall we put the cover over? Eh?

Come on. Oh, good lad.
Can you see the ducks?

- What noise do the ducks make?
- Quack, quack.

JOHN CHUCKLES
Good lad. Good lad.

I'm hungry.

Daddy? Daddy?

MESSAGE ALERT

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

'This is Simone Grant.
Please leave a message.'

BEEP
Hey, Simone, it's John.

I've just got your charming email.

You can f*ck right off. Yeah? f*ck off.

I'm going nowhere. Do you hear me?

- It can work.
- Yeah.

It can work.
Do you wanna use the yellow, maybe?

Do you wanna draw a
little face on the T-rex? Huh?

The T-rex?

- Marta?
- Hmm?

How do you do a quick wash?

One second.

CHILD BABBLES

There you go. Easy.

MARTA GIGGLES

Shall we get you some biscuits?

OK.

What are you doing?
Hey, what are you doing?

I were only looking
for a place to kip down tonight.

Have you been following me? No.
What the f*ck are you doing?

I swear I wanted somewhere
to get my head down.

Are you from Stockport?

Do you work for Craig Beeston?

How the f*ck does he know where I live?

Was our Ehsan trying to sell you
Craig's five kilos?

No.

Where do you think
I've got stash hidden?

You don't seem like a dealer.

The most interesting thing I've
seen you do is pick your nose.

Craig wants to know who you are.

I'm a journalist.

I'm writing about the
Manchester drugs trade.

Ehsan said he had a story for me.

Have you got any idea
what he wanted to tell me?

No. I don't know shite about
anything you're talking about...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What's your name, mate?

- Jordan.
- Jordan.

OK, Jordan.
If you wanna make some real money,

- I can pay you for information.
- What sort of information?

Why did Craig have Ehsan k*lled?

I don't know anything about that, mate.

All I know is no-one trusted Ehsan.

John?

All right, well, look,
I'll give you my number.

And if you do think of anything,
then give me a shout, yeah?

I'll pay you. I'll pay you double
whatever Beeston's paying you.

Marta said some strange man
was in our garden today.

Can you grate that?

- Oh, that was nothing.
- Oh? Why was he in our garden?

Just a rough sleeper looking
for somewhere to bed down tonight.

It was a kid. Nothing to worry about.

What's wrong?

I've been offered voluntary redundancy.

Voluntary redundancy?

JOHN EXHALES Why?

Are you OK?


Can you believe that?

- They've offered two years' salary.
- Two years? Bloody hell, well...

- You must be really upset.
- I am.

Yeah, I'm gutted, actually.

But... could be good for us,
don't you think?

Claire loves a silver lining.

Yeah. Claire DOES love a silver lining.

Change of career and lifestyle
could help us make a fresh start.

What do you mean?

Well, I need to do more at work

or Martin is never
gonna make me a partner.

You could be a stay-at-home dad,

and it would be good for
your relationship with the children.

A stay-at-home dad?

Not forever. Obviously. Just...

...just while you find your feet.

I promise I'll think about it.

Thank you.

'Hey, Simone, it's John.

'I've just got your charming email.

'You can f*ck right off.
Yeah? f*ck off.

'I'm going nowhere. Do you hear me?'

You and I were the new generation
of intelligence officers.

To be brutally honest, nothing changed.

All that happened
was the public schoolboys went,

and in came the equally
d*ck-swinging working-class lads.

Except instead of Wagner,
they were listening to Oasis.

I was in the same cohort as you.

I didn't belong.

Didn't feel very welcome.

This organisation had to change.

And thank God it did.

It is not acceptable to leave
an a*usive message on my phone.

I apologise.

- Hope you're sincere in that.
- I am. I am.

Have you spoken to Claire
about the redundancy offer?

She wants me to take it
and to walk away.

Look, John, I get it,
you're an MI5-er to your core.

But don't fear change.

Take two weeks' leave
and think about it.

It's a generous offer.

You need to do the handover to the
officer who'll wrap up this case.

Fine. Who is he?

She.

This is Mehreen Askari-Evans.
Mehreen's on secondment from MI6.

John Hughes.
Your reputation goes before you.

Pleased to meet you, Mehreen.

- So, why the move from Six?
- Personal reasons.

- Intriguing.
- Maybe one for next time.

Where are you from?

- Where am I from?
- Yeah.

Yeah, where's your accent from?

Made in Cornwall.
Welsh mother. Iranian father.

Where are you from? The Cotswolds?

THEY CHUCKLE

Anyway, I think the case work
on Ehsan Taremi's sh**ting

is fairly straightforward.

Is there anything else?

What was Ehsan like? We only texted
a couple of times before we met.

Erm...

He seemed genuine enough.

- Are you heading up to Stockport?
- Stockport? No.

I've been told to get
all my ducks in a row

before handing the case on
to the police.

- Disappointing.
- Hmm.

It does sound like you got caught up
in some bad gangland sh*t.

Yeah, or senior management
don't want Iran hitting the fan

while Number 10's plugging
its regional peace talks.

Oh, come on, the intelligence
services are politically neutral.

Yes, when it suits them.

And when it suits Whitehall.

PHONE BUZZES

MESSAGE SEND TONE

You wouldn't mind sharing
your personal number?

You know, in case I
need to quickly confer?

Oh, don't worry, married men
are definitely not my kink.

Perhaps you'd like to begin
by telling me why you're here.

To be honest, I don't know.

We've been married for 14 years.

Who'd have thought "till death
do us part" would take so long?

Humour can be useful.

But let's try and give this
its due weight.

Perhaps we don't talk
as much as we should.

I agree, but it's not the...
PHONE BUZZES

Sorry. One minute.

Work.

I think in these sessions,
we need to switch our phones off.

Oh, I'm sorry,
I can't switch my phone off.

Why?

Because John works
for the security services. Claire...

- MI5.
- Please.

And that is the problem...

- in a nutshell.
- We're not supposed to say that.

He has never been able to talk about
anything connected with work.

So as time's gone on, we just...
we just don't talk at all.

It's just the kids, chores.
Arrangements.

But there are things
I've wanted to talk about for years.

Seven years ago, when Chloe was two...

...John had an affair
with a woman at work.

JOHN SIGHS
That was years ago.

- That was water under the bridge.
- John, let her speak.

I could tell.

And he admitted it,
and promised he'd end it.

But I have never been able
to know what happened.

Who she was.

I simply had to take on trust
that it... that it is over.

For all I know,
he might still work with her.

I don't. I don't.

Don't you trust me?

He hid behind his job.

And we... we moved on. But...

...deep down,
I've never been able to forgive him.

And it's just... it's such a headfuck.

Because virtually everything that
he does in a normal working week

just looks like he's up to something.

And I...

I need to know who I'm married to.

- You said that you forgave me.
- I have tried to forgive you.

And after a gap, we had another child.

Our son, Kit.

But I don't think I can get past this

while you're still doing
the job that you do.

CLAIRE AND CHILDREN CHAT IN BACKGROUND

PHONE BUZZES

Hey, Dad.
Are you taking me to school today?

Oh, I can't now, sweetheart.
I've got a work thing.

But I thought you were having a break?

It's just a couple of loose ends.

- When will you be back?
- I won't be late.

I'll call you later and let you know.

- Bye, Dad.
- Bye-bye, sweetheart.

- Morning!
- Morning, Marta.

Hi.

Oh, my gosh.

Don't spend it all at once.

Not with my mother.

She's alcoholic,
diabetic and agoraphobic.

If it's got an "ic", she's got it.

And muggins here runs around after
her, picking up the f*cking tab.

So, what have you got for me?

I've got some info on Ehsan's wife.

Craig's had everyone looking for her.

He's had me on this Persian Centre.

Why's that?

Boss said Ehsan and his wife
used to hang out and do stuff there.

- What did Ehsan do for your boss?
- He were a fixer.

Odd job man.

Iranian, weren't he?

Had the lingo.
Translated things for Craig.

What... What stuff did he translate?

Listen up, lad.

I'm skivvy on the bins,
not top dog in boardroom.

PHONE RINGS

People wanna know where I am.

Wes?

Yeah. I'm on my way.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Fancy seeing you here.

I saw you texting about Stockport.

Smart of you to track my personal phone.

Was that signed off?

No, I had a pal at Cheltenham
do me a favour.

No warrant, off books. My kind of girl.

And there's me thinking you wanted
my number so we could be friends.

This is my case now, my responsibility.

I'm carrying the can,

so I do actually need to know
what you've got yourself into.

- You're a terrible liar, you know.
- Yeah.

But I don't wanna be responsible
for missing a t*rror1st attack.

- Do you?
- Mm.

Who was that young guy?

That guy has got information
on the whereabouts of Ehsan's wife.

So, where did you link with him?

You should be following leads.
This is your case now.

Look, we're not supposed to be here.

I just want to find Ehsan's wife to
see if she's got anything to tell us

about the threat to national security.

But I promise you, if she even suspects

her husband's stolen Beeston's
drugs, then I'll walk away.

OK, fine.

But I'm in charge, yeah?

You got your press pass?

Yep.

YOUNG PEOPLE SPEAKING OWN LANGUAGE

CHATTER,
MELLOW MUSIC

Salam.

May I help you?

Yes. We're from The Guardian.

Looks like you've created
a real focus for the community here.

We've tried to make it home for
those who fled the regime in Iran.

What do you want?

We're working on a story
about the m*rder of Ehsan Taremi.

I know nothing of Ehsan Taremi.
I tell everyone who comes.

Has Craig Beeston been in here?

No, not him.

I wonder what a family man
like Ehsan Taremi would be doing

working for Beeston?

Everyone knows
why Beeston needs Iranians.

He needs men that speak Farsi.

He needs officials
on the Iranian border.

They get a cut, and Beeston gets
a more direct, secure supply

of his Afghan product.

There are some who think

that this may be about more
than just the drugs trade.

You know his wife Mona Taremi
has gone missing?

Now, if Mona could shed some light
on Beeston's criminal operation,

it may help to bring some justice
for her husband.

Anything occurs to you,
would you give me a ring?

We've got company.

Do you have another way out?

MEHREEN, IN FARSI:

- Who is it?
- Don't know.

- You ready?
- Yeah.

THEY SPEAK FARSI

Get in the car.

Get in the f*cking car now!

In!

TYRES SCREECH

SLOW FOOTSTEPS

DOG GROWLS

DOG PANTS

So, who are you, then?

Eh? Sniffing about,
causing a nuisance for yourself.

You've got our IDs, you know who we are.

Oh, yeah, yeah. But we know all
the crime reporters in the North.

We even know some of them down south.

Why you meeting up with our Ehsan?

We're from The Guardian.

We're writing a story about
the drugs trade in the North West.

I can smell the shite.

You're f*cking dibble, then?
Are you f*cking dibble?

Honestly, we're writing about heroin
coming from Afghanistan

over the Iranian border into Turkey
and then onto England.

I don't know what you
think I know about that?

You see, round here belongs to us.

It's ours.

This is our patch.

I'm sorry. It's rude of us.
We apologise.

I can't hear you.

I'm sorry. It's rude of us.
We apologise.

Hey... what do you think, Jord?

You had a good look at him
down in that London.

Didn't you?

- Eh?
- He's not dibble.

He were so boring.

He's a journalist.

Hm.

Did Ehsan say owt to you?

No, your g*nman made sure of that.

Whoa, that's f*cking libel, that.

- OK, whoa.
- That's f*cking libel.

g*n c*ck
Hey, hey.

He didn't work for me.

Pfff.

I'd like to know who k*lled our Ehsan.

See, privacy is very important
to me, Mr and Mrs Journalist.

What did our Ehsan say?

He was k*lled before
he could say anything.

Nah.

I bet he was all blab, blab, blab,
wasn't he?

See what happens to people

who think they're bigger
than they are, Jordan?

Go sh**ting their mouth off.

Really tragic things happen to them.

Sad things.

You speak to our Ehsan's wife?

We'd like to, but we don't know
where Mona Taremi is.

EXHALES
Hm.

Go on, f*ck off.

f*ck off!

If I see you round here again,
you won't be f*cking walking home.

Come on.
CLICKS TONGUE

f*cking journos.

Go on, f*ck off back down south.

Ugh, last one's gone.

HE SIGHS

Come on.

- You sure you're OK sharing?
- Behave yourself.

I will if you will.

The last room's the last room, right?

Thanks for backing me today.

That's OK.

Ehsan's brains were blown
all over my face.

You know, I need to know why.

SHE SIGHS

It's a hard thing, to take a human life.

Have you?

According to
the philosopher Immanuel Kant,

no human life may ever
be taken for any reason,

even if one's own life's threatened.

Are you calling me a Kant?

SHE CHUCKLES

You recruited Jordan in London,
didn't you?

HE EXHALES

Did you catch him surveilling you?

I'm wondering how Beeston knew
that I was in touch with Ehsan.

- If your cover's been blown...
- My cover hasn't been blown.

- Did you tell Ehsan where you live?
- No, of course not.

And a service team securely got you out

- from the location where Ehsan was k*lled?
- Yes.

So when and where did you understand
Jordan was surveilling you?

I wouldn't use that term.

He was... more loitering
in my back garden.

- That's a massive, massive deal.
- Mm-hm.

It's a major f*ck up, John.

- Ehsan was the real deal.
- But you don't know that.

Yes, I took a risk using
my personal phone to contact Ehsan.

John, you can't use your personal phone

to communicate with a source.

So that's how Beeston got your address.

Can we just keep this between us,

at least until we get
a better read of the situation?

What's "dibble"?

It's slang for "copper".

Officer Dibble, Top Cat.
You not seen it?

It's a good show.

Must be an old show, right?

CHUCKLING
Cartoon.

SHE CHUCKLES

Good night.

VIBRATING

Hello?

'Hello, it's Sardar,
from the Persian Centre.

'I know where Mona Taremi is.'

Where?

KNOCKS GENTLY

DOG BARKING

RATTLING

Mona?

Mona?

Mona?

We're not here to harm you!

I was there when Ehsan was k*lled.
We're here to protect you.

I took down the man who
m*rder*d your husband.

- Are you police?
- No.

We work for the security services.

Why were you with Ehsan when he died?

He had important information
about an attack on this country.

But he was m*rder*d before
he could tell us what he wanted to.

- So he was trying to do something good?
- Yes, I think so.

Have you any idea what it was
he wanted to tell us?

He was vague.
He said we had to leave the area.

The day he died,
he told me to pack to leave quickly.

What can you tell us about
the work he did for Craig Beeston?

He wouldn't talk to me about it much
cos I didn't approve.

But before he died,

I heard him arguing with
someone about The General.

The General?

Mona...

...we're trying to find out
who m*rder*d Ehsan

and bring some justice
to you and your daughters.

If there's any information you have
which could help us with that,

anything...

Negin.

SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE

I don't know the password.

NEWSREADER: 'The secretary of Iran's

'Supreme National Security Council
added...'

- CHILD: Thank you.
- MOTHER: Bye.

Bye. Oh, hi, John.
You looking for Claire?

Oh, yeah.
She's just finished.

Brilliant. How are you?
How's that lovely wife of yours?

- Oh, unfortunately, we've separated.
- Ah.

She's living in our place in Spain.

Well, at least she's got the weather.

- I know.
- Close the door.

I'm sorry. I get it.

I thought you were supposed
to be taking some leave?

I am. But I was needed at work.

Were you on the job on your own
or with a colleague?

I was with a colleague.

Was it the colleague you were texting

during our marriage counselling session?

Yes, it was her.

A woman.

Yes, I work with women.
You work with men.

The last train to London
had been and gone.

Where did you stay?

Oh, just in some crummy
little hotel in Manchester.

Why are you being like this?

Did anything happen?

How are things meant to get
any better if you don't trust me?

You have to earn my trust.

I'm still waiting on that report.

What are you doing here?
You're meant to be on leave.

I've come in for a trauma
mitigation workshop with Wellness.

Well, perhaps the leopard does
sometimes change his spots.

You never know, Gregory.

This is really unacceptable.

'Now, in the 21st century,

'Iranian women can
still be k*lled or tortured.

'The British Government must act now
against this tyrannical regime.'

That's Fatemah Feyzi.
She runs Persia Live UK.

Yeah, Ehsan's got loads more of her
on here, and it's all encrypted.

But why's a gangster's translator

stalking a prominent Iranian dissident?

Maybe they're getting a fix
on her whereabouts

before they organise
a targeted proxy attack.

But the information
Ehsan Taremi provided

was about an event where
a lot of people could get k*lled.

Fatemah's giving a talk at the
university in Liverpool next week.

What if they're targeting that?

CHAIN RATTLES,
PHONE VIBRATES

General.

'How are the preparations?
Any problems?'

There's been one or two wrinkles,
but nothing I can't handle.

'I hear there was a problem
with a journalist.

'Don't f*ck this up, Craig.
You won't get your ten million.'

I won't. I'll do whatever I need to do.

There'll be casualties,
but that's what you want, isn't it?

CHUCKLES
To make a splash.