'The Masterplan' by Oasis
MUSIC PLAYS IN CAR
♪ Take the time to make some sense Of what you wanna say... ♪
# 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
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 killed.
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
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
'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 gang 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.
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 killed if you're a shit 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 gunman 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 killed someone.
I'm looking out for your mental health, John.
Was that only a play?
Cheers. Thank you. 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
Fucking Official fucking Secrets Act.
Fucking bastard fucking 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.
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 shit went down at work.
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.
Alex. Signed, Alex.
'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?
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. 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! Bye.
Oh, you're home. Mm-hm.
Bye! Bye!
Are you ill? You're never home at this time.
FRIDGE DOOR OPENS
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 fuck right off. Yeah? Fuck 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 fuck 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 fuck 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 killed?
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?
20 years, and they did it by email. 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 fuck right off. Yeah? Fuck 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 dick-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 abusive 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 shooting
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 shit.
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 fucking 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 terrorist 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 murder 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 fucking 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 fucking dibble, then? Are you fucking 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 gunman made sure of that.
Whoa, that's fucking libel, that.
OK, whoa. That's fucking libel.
GUN COCKS Hey, hey.
He didn't work for me.
Pfff.
I'd like to know who killed our Ehsan.
See, privacy is very important to me, Mr and Mrs Journalist.
What did our Ehsan say?
He was killed 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 shooting 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, fuck off.
Fuck off!
If I see you round here again, you won't be fucking walking home.
Come on. CLICKS TONGUE
Fucking journos.
Go on, fuck 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 killed? 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 fuck 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?
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?
We're not here to harm you!
I was there when Ehsan was killed. We're here to protect you.
I took down the man who murdered 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 murdered 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 murdered 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.
'The secretary of Iran's
'Supreme National Security Council added...'
Thank you. 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 killed 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 killed.
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 fuck 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.
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