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01x05 - Episode 5

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Hostage". Aired: 21 August 2025.*
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An international summit between the French and British leaders goes awry when the husband of the British Prime Minister is kidnapped and the French president is blackmailed.

01x05 - Episode 5

Post by bunniefuu »

["Water Fountain" by Tune-Yards playing]

♪ No water in the water fountain ♪

♪ No side on the sidewalk ♪

♪ No water in the water fountain ♪

♪ No wood in the Woodstock ♪

♪ And you say, "Old Molly Hare
Whatcha doin' there?" ♪

-Hi, Sylvie's Mum!
-Hello, darling.

-Are you okay? [laughs]
-How much longer?

-It's only been 15 minutes.
-Okay.

Um, do we need anything from the shop?

-No. Nice try.
-[laughs]

We're in this together.

-Where is Sylvie, anyway?
-Uh… I don't…

Yeah, um… The sugar's turned her feral.

-Brilliant.
-Mmm.

♪ I can't seem to feel, I'll kneel… ♪

[phone ringing]

Hello?

Uh, no, I did tell Melanie
that I was offline until tonight.

[man] Standing by
for code-word clearance, Minister.

♪ I can't seem to feel it ♪

♪ I can't seem to feel… ♪

Royal Oak.

Clearance granted. Please hold.

[clicking]

-[static crackling]
-Hello?

[woman] Minister, we have a situation
unfolding on the ground here in Belize,

and we need an immediate decision
over the evacuation of our troops.

-The foreign secretary is uncontactable.
-In this together?

Just give me a minute.

You're the most senior minister available.

I'm listening.

The Guatemalan army invaded Belize
two hours ago.

They've already taken the capital.

What's the status on our personnel?

They're loaded on two C-130s.

-Ready to get airborne.
-[Abigail] So what are we waiting for?

We need your clearance to leave behind
the Belizean locals who assisted us.

-Drivers, translators.
-[g*nf*re]

But we made promises to them
and their families.

So what happens to them
if we leave them behind?

There's a risk they'll be judged
as enemy collaborators and ex*cuted.

[g*nf*re and shouting]

Stick to the evacuation plan.

Get as many of our local staff out
as we can.

If we wait much longer, our aircraft
may not make it off the runway.

It's your call, Minister.

[g*nf*re continues]

-Get our planes in the air.
-Copy that.

[call drops]

[tense music playing]

-[children shouting and laughing]
-[breath echoing]

[sounds fade]

[music intensifying]

-[glass tinkling]
-[children's shouts echoing]

[children screaming]

[tense music continues]

This is Alpha One. Confirming safe arrival
with Prime Minister Dalton and husband.

[man on radio] Copy that, over.

[reporter 1] The footage you're watching
was being broadcast live

from outside Number 10
when the blast happened.

We don't know where in the building
Prime Minister Dalton was

when the expl*si*n occurred.

[soldier] Keep going.
Move. Quick as you can.

[Sylvie] Mum! Oh my God!

-[gasping and sobbing]
-[Sylvie] Mum!

[Alex] All right.

-[sighs]
-[reporter 2] …alive.

-She was very concerned…
-[Alex] Come on. Come on.

If she was in the hallway as believed,

she would have been seriously injured
in the blast,

the force of which blew out the windows
on the ground floor, right where…

[Alex] It's okay, it's okay.

-[sobbing]
-[Alex whispers] It's all right.

It's okay.

-It's okay.
-[Abigail whimpers]

It's okay. You're okay. Look. You're okay.

You're okay. You're okay.

[tense music playing]

[man 1] Four more cases.

There you go. One more.

Just put that one there…

Good.

[man 2] Mission complete.

[Shagan] Dump the g*ns.

Rendezvous at the plane.

Saskia, you stay with me.

-[phone rings]
-[man 1] It's all gotta go.

[man 3] Get this one in the back.

General.

Everything we've worked towards,

every strategic move figured out
months in advance,

and you've come this close
to f*cking it all up.

You destroyed a national symbol
of this country.

You had no right to detonate a device

inside Downing Street
without my authority.

Well, I knew you wouldn't
give it to me, sir.

-And I had to k*ll her.
-Just as well you bloody missed.

Dalton left Downing Street
with her family.

She's alive.

That's not possible, sir.
She was standing right next to the laptop.

You assassinated a French head of state.

There's an international outcry,

not to mention a joint British
and French manhunt underway.

Give me one good reason why I shouldn't
feed you to the f*cking wolves myself.

My mission isn't complete, sir.

I don't give a sh*t about any of that.

I never wanted her dead.

Just out of the way.

I want you on a plane
out of the country now.

I'll fix the rest of your mess myself.

[soldier] General, the Cabinet's here.

[sighs]

Prime Minister.

Welcome.

You said detonating that device
was following orders.

Use automatic number-plate recognition.

Trace Dalton's car, her security detail.
Find her.

Find her!

[music fades]

Hey.

[Matheo sighs]

She's dead 'cause of me.

I put that laptop right in front of her.

Uh, they did this. Not you.

They knew that you would
bring that laptop right to her.

But it was me that was the target.

I'm so sorry.

[exhales]

Ma'am. Your tea.

[Ogilvy's voice on TV] …t*rror1st…

[woman] Ma'am, you need to see this.

…intelligence community

to find who did this.

I can confirm
that President Vivienne Toussaint

was pronounced dead 38 minutes ago.

In Paris, the Council of Ministers
has been extraordinarily convened.

They have announced
three days of national mourning.

It was an act of barbarity
that will not stand.

Abigail Dalton has been safely evacuated
with her family,

and following a no-confidence motion
in her leadership,

my parliamentary colleagues
have selected me

as our country's interim prime minister.

The military,
under the command of General Livingston,

will be deployed to the streets
to help manage the civil unrest.

A state of emergency is in effect.

We will get through the darkness
of these coming hours together,

and we will bring the people responsible
for this heinous act of terror to justice.

They cannot hide.

-[siren wailing]
-[radio chatter]

[helicopter hovering]

[tense music playing]

[man 1 shouting] Move the press!
Move the press!

Move the press!

[man 2] This thing won't go!

We need to evacuate the press.

We have a designated safe zone.
If everyone can follow me.

People are still hurt.
They need medical attention.

[soldier 1] Yes, but this is
an order to evacuate.

-Where are they being taken?
-[solder 1] I have no information.

-[woman] Get off.
-[man 3] No…

I need my laptop
to report what's going on.

-Who authorized this?
-[soldier 1] Phones!

-Laptops, cameras into the black bag!
-[phone buzzing]

-[man 4] All right!
-[soldier 1] This way, please!

-Hello?
-Ayesha? Are you all right?

-Ma'am? We…
-Is… Zadie and Tristan, are they…

-We're okay. We're here.
-Oh, thank God.

Ogilvy's just declared
a state of emergency.

Normal rule of law has been suspended.

-[Ayesha] They're clearing the press.
-Let's go.

-Your phones, laptops…
-This is what it's all been about.

This is a coup.

I need your help to stop this.

Can you gather the team?
Kofi will know where to find me.

I'll call him right now.

And, ma'am?

It's good to hear your voice.

And you.

[music fades]

-I have to stay.
-[Sylvie] No.

-But your dad will take you away.
-[Sylvie] No! Mum!

It's not safe for either of you
to be anywhere near me right now.

-I need to get you out of London.
-And where are we supposed to go?

[Matheo] My friend has
a place we could use.

It's where I was… uh, gonna go.

It might be safer outside of London.

-Okay.
-Yeah.

[sniffles] It's all right.
We're gonna be all right.

We'll take my car.

[tires squeal]

[tense music playing]

[Abigail] Pearce will drive you there.
I'll come as soon as I can.

-We should go.
-[Alex] Go on.

Be careful, okay?

Make them pay.

[engine starts]

[music intensifies]

[brakes squeal and hiss]

[soldier 1] All right?

-[soldier 2] Move. Lovely.
-[soldier 1] Move out, move out.

-[helicopter hovering]
-[soldier 1] All right, lads. Fall in.

-[siren wailing]
-[horns blaring]

Oh my God.

-He actually owns a pair of jeans.
-[laughs]

[sighs]

Shall we?

[thrilling music playing]

-[bleeping]
-[door unlocks]

[music fades]

[gasps]

[gasps]

[sighs]

[scoffs]

[sighs]

[woman on TV] Westminster
remains locked down,

-and acting prime minister Dan Ogilvy…
-[door opens]

…declared the attack an act of barbarity.

[man] Joining us now, we have the former
chief of the intelligence service,

to give his response to the situation.

[gasps]

Prime Minister.

It's just Abigail now.

[Kofi] Let's get to work.

…time, the intelligence service is deeply…

-There's some spare clothes in the cases.
-Oh! Thanks.

[calm music playing]

[birdsong]

[calm music continues]

[music becomes suspenseful]

[door closes]

[music fades]

-[Sylvie] Dad.
-Mmm?

-We should tell Mum we're here.
-Okay.

Let's lie low until she needs us.
The more off grid we are, the better.

-I'll check the perimeter with Evans.
-All right.

I'll go open up.

Cool.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Abigail] What have you found?

[Kofi] I reached out to my contacts
in MI6 and Interpol

to run the name Shagan
through their databases.

No known aliases came back.

Then Ayesha told me
that you linked Saskia Morgan

to the 3rd Battalion
of the Highland Guards.

-If you search the MOD files, then…
-Found him.

[Abigail sighs]

[Tristan] Captain John Michael Shagan.

He was outside Downing Street.
I… I looked him right in the eye.

He was stood with the press,
like, moments before the b*mb went off.

[Zadie] I recognize him too.

Uh, Tris, can you access
the iPhone footage from Attaf's vigil?

[crowd clamoring]

There.

Uh…

[Abigail] If he detonated the device,
then why? What's the motive?

What else does his report say?

Attended AFC Harrogate
for Phase 1 training.

Passed out mid-2005,
a few weeks before his 18th birthday,

joining the Highland Guards.

In December 2017,
he was deployed to Belize

to train troops as a colour sergeant.

Belize?

Involved in the mass evacuation,

and medically downgraded
due to mental health and depression.

What happened in Belize?

The Guatemalan army invaded.

I was junior minister
at the Foreign Office.

It was me that gave the order
to extract our troops.

[Kofi] You saved British lives.

And left local people to die.

There just wasn't any time.

But that order saved Shagan's life.
What reason would he have to k*ll you?

Well, it's not just why. It's how.

Coordinating the kidnap
of four doctors on foreign soil,

and then the riots in Leeds,
I mean, that takes organization.

-It takes money.
-[Abigail] And authority.

Who commanded Shagan's deployment
in Belize?

[music intensifying]

[gasps]

[music fades]

[quiet radio chatter]

Are those tactics necessary?

We use a combination
of crowd-control measures

from non-lethal force
to strategic containment.

It's the same practice we use
in conflict zones across the world.

This isn't a conflict, General.

Those are members of the public,
and if the press--

I've put measures in place to ensure
there's a 24-hour media blackout.

You can trust the armed forces
to get a grip on this.

We still don't know
the origin of the expl*si*n,

but MI5 retrieved the visitor log
from Downing Street.

Matheo Lewis signed in
ten minutes before the b*mb went off.

I've instructed the Met to put out an APB.

[phone buzzing]

Hello?

Kathy? It's Abigail. Can you talk?

[suspenseful music playing]

-Not easily.
-Where are you?

Ministry of Defence.

But, uh, don't worry about me, darling.
I'm fine.

We're all safe.

Is Ogilvy with you?

Yes. Yes, that's right.

[Abigail] Livingston is behind this.

We need to stop him.

Can you get me in?

[music fades]

[birdsong]

[silence]

[Alex sighs]

Hey.

Can you, uh…
help me take his mind off things?

Maybe make some food.

Yeah.

Hey.

Do you mind showing me
where the kitchen is?

I'm quite hungry.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

[sniffles]

I'll do another lap.

[sighs]

[suspenseful music playing]

[door opens]

[door slams]

[Shagan] Did you find them?

You said the last ANPR hit
put the car close by.

I found the house.

Then why are you hesitating, Saskia?

Dalton discarded our battalion
without a second thought.

She threw you away like you were nothing.

But I know what you're capable of.
Your strength, your courage.

We can end this.

We're so close now.

[dramatic music playing]

[Kathy] I know the Cabinet is in lockdown,
but we don't have time for protocol.

[soldier] I understand, but I still need
clearance for any unauthorized personnel.

The Cabinet are waiting
for this information.

The French president has been k*lled.
You have to let these people through.

I can't without authorization
from the general.

It's all right. Look, I understand
that you have a job to do, but so do I.

Your loyalty is to this country,
not to the general.

Ma'am, I'm sorry.

I know who k*lled President Toussaint,
and I know why.

I need you to let me in.

[dramatic music continues]

What are you doing here?
This is an authorized area.

-Captain John Michael Shagan.
-[music stops]

Do you recognize that name?

-What the hell's going on?
-Dan, hear her out.

Answer the question, General.

There are 142,000 personnel
in our armed services.

Are you suggesting
I should know them all by name?

No, only the ones that served under you.

You were his commanding officer in Belize.

Oh, I'm surprised
you'd want to bring that up.

Shagan posed as a police officer
and attacked members of the public

at Attaf Diwala's vigil.

We suspect he's behind the as*ault on
the home secretary and Alex's abduction.

He was also present at Downing Street
when the b*mb was detonated,

but he didn't orchestrate it all.

You did.

I can imagine it's tough adjusting
to being so suddenly out of power,

but this is embarrassing, Abigail.

Whatever you might think of me,

I have done my job when
you have singularly failed to do yours.

-And what job is that?
-To prepare this country for a future w*r.

Your budget cuts have shredded
our military capability.

In a dangerous world,
you left us exposed and vulnerable.

So you thought you'd do something?
Doesn't matter that I was elected.

-This country needs protecting.
-From me?

Yes! Yes, from you.

[sighs]

Get her out of here.

Don't touch her.

[suspenseful music playing]

In a few days' time, maybe… maybe less,

he will hand the country to you safe and
sound, and you'll be so f*cking grateful

that you'll agree to increase
his military budget.

-This is pathetic.
-[Abigail] Two, three percent.

Billions in real-term spending.
Enough to reverse my cuts

and to safeguard the armed forces
for the next 25 years.

-I said get her out.
-That's all this was about.

I mean, I know I've made mistakes.

But you are a traitor to your country.

I'm more of a patriot
than anyone in this room.

-You gave an order to b*mb Downing Street.
-I would never.

-k*lled one of our allies.
-I would never give that order.

-No better than a t*rror1st!
-If I wanted you dead?

I wouldn't have been so stupid
as to put a b*mb in a laptop!

Who said anything about a laptop?

[tense music playing]

Oh, for God's sake.

You're not really gonna
take her word for this, are you?

Please remove General Livingston
and place him in custody.

Oh, you f*cking coward.

Look at you.

I handed this to you on a plate.

[soldier] General.

You need to follow me.

You have no idea what it takes
to keep this nation safe

and what people like me
are willing to sacrifice to do it.

Don't you dare talk to me about sacrifice.

[sighs]

[music fades]

[birdsong]

[running water]

[silence]

[quiet, suspenseful music playing]

[creaking]

[wind gusting]

[dramatic music playing]

[Pearce grunts]

[yelps]

[gasps]

[gasps]

[both grunting]

[music quietens]

-[birdsong]
-[wings flutter]

[groans]

[Pearce gasping]

[straining]

[gasps]

[Saskia grunts]

[panting]

[inhales]

[exhales shakily]

She's down.

They're in the kitchen.

Still no eyes on Dalton.

[suspenseful music continues]

k*ll them if you have to.

[door closes]

You m*rder*d her.

How could you do that?

[clattering]

[exhales]

[sighs]

Put it down, Alex.

Where's your b*tch of a wife?

Oh, you thought she was here with us?

You missed again. [sighs shakily]

-You need to work on your aim.
-I said put it down.

f*cking make me.

-[bleep]
-[ringing tone]

[bleep]

Put Sylvie on.

[Sylvie] Dad?

[music fades]

So emergency powers
will be lifted immediately.

The confidence motion is void. We
weren't in possession of the full facts.

There needs to be a statement
in the House, an address to the nation.

You should be the one to make it…
Prime Minister.

-Thank you.
-[knock at door]

It's Alex for you.

I'll leave you to it.

[Abigail] Thank you.

[gasps] Alex?

[Shagan] No.

But he's right here.

[tense music playing]

So is Sylvie.

Why don't you join us?

Come alone.

If you don't, and I get any sense
you have company, then they're both dead.

And I really don't think
either of us wants that.

Uh…

Please let them go.

I will, once you come
and take their place.

This has always been about you, Abigail.

No one else.

Tell me you understand.

I understand.

I think you know where we are.

[hangs up]

[exhales shakily]

Get over there.

[music fades]

[Matheo] Sas, you've done
something terrible.

But it isn't too late to stop this.

He's in control.

But only if you let him.

I'm in control.

I loved you.

[breathing shakily]

[whispers] There's no way back.

[Shagan] Dalton's on her way.

Copy.

[tense music playing]

Sit down.

Your mum will be here soon.

What are you gonna do to her?

What would you like me to do?

She could have got your dad back
as soon as he was taken,

but she didn’t give a f*ck.

And now you're here.

Like me.

Because of the choices she made.

[Sylvie sighs shakily]

Get comfortable.

We might be here a while.

[music fades]

-[crow caws]
-[wings flutter]

"I had a daughter too."

That's what you told me out there.

How did you lose her?

Alex.

Nothing you say

is gonna make me drop my guard enough
for you to go for that poker

and beat me to death with it.

I know you want to.

Have you ever k*lled anybody, Alex?

Maybe accidentally.

On the operating table. Slip of the knife.

I shot one of your men.

[sighs]

Then you know what it does to you.

[car approaching]

She's here.

[gasps]

[ominous music playing]

[Shagan] Wait for my signal.

Copy.

Please just stop pointing your g*n at us.

There's nowhere for us to go.

You have us hostage.

Show me your hands.

[operator] This is being treated
as a silent 999 call.

You're being transferred to police.

-[Matheo roars] Run!
-[Saskia grunts]

[both grunting]

[dramatic music playing]

[Matheo groans]

Fight back!

I'm not gonna do that… that.

[wheezing]

If you knew what a f*ck I was,
you would never have wanted me.

[splutters] You're wrong.

-[Saskia gasps]
-[Matheo groans]

-[coughing]
-[panting]

[operator] An armed unit
has been dispatched.

Please tap your keypad if you understand.

-[Saskia] Take it.
-[operator] Are you there?

Go. Now.

[sobs]

-[panting]
-[door closes]

[music fades]

We're in here!

Sit down. Sit down!

[tense music playing]

-Where's Sylvie?
-I don't know.

Okay. You…

[panting]

You said it was just gonna be me and you.
We made a deal.

So you need to let my family go.

[Abigail breathing shakily]

I'm sorry.

-You don't know what you're sorry for.
-For Belize.

I know you were serving there

when it was evacuated, and

you have to know that whatever call
I made, people would've died.

Bullshit!

You were the one behind that phone.

You put yourself in a position
to play God.

We made promises to local men and women.

They risked their lives working for us.

And you left them
to be shot on a f*cking runway.

[Alex] Hey. Hey.

What was your daughter called?

She was never even born.

My fiancée was a local translator.
One of the ones you left behind.

She was six months pregnant
when they shot her.

You sentenced them both to death.

I'm glad that b*mb didn't k*ll you,
Abigail,

because I'm going to gut you
like you gutted me.

Let them go.

[vehicles approaching]

[gasps]

[radio chatter]

-You broke your word, Abigail.
-I didn't. I swear.

Do you really think
I'm going to let you leave here alive?

I'm not gonna let them take me, Abigail.

I decide how this ends.

-[Shagan roars]
-[Abigail] My God!

-[Alex grunts]
-[Shagan growls]

[Abigail] Help!

[Alex yells]

[Abigail] Help!

-Alex!
-[Shagan yells]

-[Abigail] Help!
-[Alex yells]

Oh my God! Alex!

[groans]

[Abigail] Jesus. Oh my God.

Oh my God.

No!

-Get away from them!
-[Alex] No, Sylvie.

-Sylvie, no.
-No, Sylvie.

Sylvie, put the g*n down.

The police are almost here.

Don't rush, Sylvie.

Pistols are notoriously inaccurate.

You need to pull the trigger slowly.

Sylvie, don't listen to him.

Don't snatch at it, or you'll miss.

Don't miss, Sylvie.

[Sylvie gasping]

Baby.

Baby, look at me.

Wh…

Don't do anything stupid.

There's nothing stupid
about defending your family!

If she'd done that sooner,
your grandfather would still be here.

And I wouldn't have done what I had to do.

[breathing echoing]

Is that true?

He's just trying to get into your head.

Did he k*ll Granddad?

This is between us. Leave her alone.

-He was all alone, Sylvie.
-[sobbing]

[Shagan] I gave the order.

I put an end to his pathetic f*cking life
like it was nothing.

-[Alex] Sylvie, don't!
-No.

[sounds fade]

[inaudible]

[muffled shouting]

[dramatic music fading in]

Sylvie.

[officer yells] Stay down!

[clamoring]

-[Alex] Don't!
-Sylvie!

-Dad!
-[Alex] Stop!

-Baby!
-[Sylvie] No!

[Alex] No!

[officer] Don't talk!

[Sylvie shrieks] Mum! Dad!

Dad!

[music fades]

[murmur of voices]

[sighs]

[poignant music playing]

[inhales]

I'm coming down now.

[sighs]

[music fades]

[crockery clinks]

[chuckles and sighs]

-You ready?
-Not really.

[Alex sighs] Oh.

[Abigail chuckles]

Are we sure about this?

[cat purrs]

We're sure.

Come here.

You're doing so well.

[laughs]

[cat meows]

[cat purring]

[poignant music playing]

[footsteps approaching]

[Ayesha] Good morning, Prime Minister.

The podium is set.
The press have gathered.

Ready when you are.

Let's go.

-[reporters clamoring]
-[man] Prime Minister!

Prime Minister Dalton!

[camera shutters clicking]

Good morning.

[all] Good morning, Prime Minister.

For too long,
I've listened to the wrong voices.

I've allowed myself to be led
into making the wrong decisions

in an attempt to maintain my position,

and I've forgotten the candidate
that I was

when my people first elected me.

People want the truth
from their politicians.

It's the least you deserve.

Those words belong to Vivienne Toussaint,

an extraordinarily brave leader.

And I use them today

to call a general election.

[whispering]

I want to be totally honest
with the British people

about the challenges that we face,

and seek a radical new mandate

so that I can work with you
to fix our country.

[music swells]

I will be straight with you.

Always.

Even if the answers are hard to take.

Because it's the least you deserve.

[exhales]

[all clamoring] Prime Minister!

♪ Say that again, I didn't quite hear ya ♪

♪ Messed with the wrong b*tch ♪

♪ So I heard you're back in town ♪

♪ And haven't changed a bit, man ♪

♪ You get off
Talking down to the little man ♪

♪ Time you get what you deserve ♪

♪ Wow, you're so f*cking stupid ♪

♪ Been a while
Since my head was this polluted ♪

♪ Lucky I know my own worth ♪

♪ So ya, so ya wanna fight me
Are you big enough? ♪

♪ Kick the back of my knee ♪

-♪ Are you serious? ♪
-♪ Are you serious? ♪

♪ You keep on trying but ♪

♪ I like your blood on my teeth ♪

-♪ Just a little too much ♪
-♪ Too much ♪

♪ So bite me, slap me round the face ♪

♪ Now I'm twisting your arm
Till I hear it break ♪

♪ I get stronger every day ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Little girl gone
Got a g*n from a gangster ♪

♪ Run, little girl, bang! ♪