Ashes to Ashes, series one, episode one.
Writer: Matthew Graham
Director: Jonny Campbell

xxxx

Opening Credits over shots of London office buildings such as "The Gherkin", partially-demolished 122 Leadenhall Street, etc, seen as if moving along in the streets below, looking up. Sounds of sirens, building works etc. One of Anthony Gormley's statues of a human figure ("Event Horizon") is seen on the roof of one building.

MOLLY: (reading; echoing voiceover)
My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident and I woke up in 1973. Was I mad? In a coma? Or back in time? Whatever had happened, it was like I'd landed on a different planet. If I could figure out why I was here then maybe I could get back home.

Interior of ALEX's car driving through London. MOLLY reading Sam Tyler's notes.

MOLLY:
Yeah, whatever. That is so lame.

ALEX:
Return the classified document, thank you.

ALEX takes document wallet from Molly and throws in onto the back seat.

ALEX:
What did Evan get you for your birthday, Molls?

MOLLY:
A Blackberry.

ALEX:
Oh yeah? I'll get you some more while you're at school and you can make a birthday crumble.

MOLLY giggles as they share the joke.

ALEX:
Did your dad manage to...?

MOLLY:
No. He's in Canada with Judy.

ALEX:
Hmm.

MOLLY:
So, this guy, Taylor...

ALEX:
Tyler. He died. April, last year.

MOLLY:
Schizo? Delusional? What's the German one? Is he going in "the book"?

She wiggles her fingers in the air to indicate the inverted commas.

ALEX:
Oh, DCI Tyler's getting a book all to himself.

POLICE RADIO:
Charlie 75 to DI Drake.

ALEX:
Roger that.

POLICE RADIO:
South Bank, outside Tate Modern. Gunman has taken female hostage. Trojan units are assigned. Over.

ALEX:
Shit! Pass me the thing. Molls. Pass me, pass me.

ALEX reaches for the blue light.

MOLLY:
I'll do it!

MOLLY opens the window and puts the light on the roof.

SIREN BLARES

ALEX:
OK. Hold on.

ALEX swings the car round violently. Sam Tyler's notes are thrown across the back seat; Prolonged Deep Coma - Suicide.



ALEX's car has pulled up outside foreboding-looking buildings; she gets out.

ALEX:
OK. Now stay put, sweetheart.

MOLLY:
Mum, don't go.

MOLLY leans out of the window anxiously, then sits back in the car and closes the window.



LAYTON is seen near railings by the Thames with one arm around a young woman's neck, gun in hand. He looks panicky. A small crowd of onlookers is watching from behind Police tape as Alex comes up behind them. Scene cuts between this and LAYTON.

ALEX:
Start talking, Sergeant.

POLICE SERGEANT:
IC1 male, Arthur Layton. He may be under the influence of drugs. He's taken a busker hostage. Frankly he might do anything, ma'am.

ALEX:
OK, I'm taking my daughter to school, she's in the damn car with me. You can't seriously expect me to...

POLICE SERGEANT:
He asked for you by name, ma'am.

ALEX:
What?

POLICE SERGEANT:
He says he'll shoot her if you won't talk to him.

HOSTAGE:
No!

ALEX:
Armed response?

POLICE SERGEANT:
On their way.

ALEX sighs.

ALEX:
Christ.

ALEX moves through the crowd towards LAYTON.

ALEX:
Excuse me. Excuse me, please.

ALEX walks confidently up to within 10 meters of LAYTON.

LAYTON:
You stop there!

ALEX:
You asked to speak to me, Arthur. I'm DI Alex Drake.

ALEX shows her warrant card.

LAYTON:
I know who you are. You stop staring at me, I don't like it!

ALEX:
OK, I'll avert my eyes. And if you let this young lady go, we can discuss...

LAYTON:
Discuss what? Now I'll kill her, yeah? I'll kill you! Do you understand? (to the HOSTAGE) Come here. You come here. Go on.

LAYTON shoves the HOSTAGE roughly away from him and she makes good her escape. He turns the gun on ALEX.

LAYTON:
Now, get over here. Now!

ALEX has her hands up and approaches LAYTON nervously.

POLICE VOICE OFF SCREEN:
Marksmen, hold your fire. Hostage negotiator approaching subject. I repeat, hold your fire.

MOLLY has appeared amongst the crowd and makes her way right up to the tape.

ALEX:
I help people, Arthur. I help people who are trapped. I help them to find an escape route.

LAYTON:
You stop looking at me! I don't like it.

Police marksmen are seen taking position in the surrounding buildings.

LAYTON:(to the marksmen)
Yeah, I see you! I see you! This is my show, you understand? (to ALEX) I knew you when you were a little girl. You've got your mother's eyes, Alex.

ALEX:
I'm sorry... I don't

LAYTON:
I'm happy, hope you're happy, too. Yeah? (singing) I'm happy, hope you're happy, too.

ALEX:
What?

ALEX looks shocked.

LAYTON:
Boom!

MOLLY ducks under the tape and runs towards ALEX and LAYTON.

MOLLY:
Mum! Mum!

ALEX runs to shield MOLLY, waving her arms and screaming at the marksmen.

ALEX:
Don't shoot! Don't shoot! There's a child! Hold your fire!

LAYTON runs forward, grabs MOLLY and backs away towards the railings again.

LAYTON:
You stay back! Now you follow me, and I'll blow her head off!

LAYTON pushes MOLLY towards some steps leading down to the river. ALEX is left distraught on the embankment.

LAYTON:
Down them steps. Get down them steps! You stupid little girl!

GUNSHOT

ALEX runs towards the steps to follow, down onto a sort of beach, looking wildly around her.

ALEX:
Molly! Molly!

MOLLY steps into view to the right, ALEX running to hug her.

ALEX:
Molly!

Police marksmen charge down the steps and run on to look for LAYTON.

MOLLY:
Mum!

POLICE RADIO:
Marksmen stand down. Suspect has left the scene. Repeat, stand down.



The Millennium Bridge; ALEX is holding MOLLY's hand as they walk up from the embankment below.

ALEX:
Your godfather's going to take you home, Molly. I've got a stack of reports and I'm...

ALEX stops, looks at MOLLY and pulls her in for a hug.

ALEX:
Oh, Molls, come here. Come here.

They embrace but then MOLLY pulls away; fright turning into anger.

MOLLY:
You could've got killed in front of me!

ALEX:
Molly, I told you to stay in the car. You know, it's a hard, screwed-up world, you know? But if you trust me, I can try to help you get through it.

EVAN appears on the upper level of the bridge and MOLLY sees him.

MOLLY:
Evan!

As MOLLY runs up to join him, EVAN mouths "Are you all right?" to ALEX who nods and smiles. MOLLY runs up and EVAN gathers her up in a hug.

EVAN:
It's all right, scrap. What say we get you a cake? A seriously chocolaty one. And then I can pretend I know something about Shakira and you can take the piss out of me.

MOLLY giggles.

ALEX: (calling up from the level below)
Molly! We'll blow the candles out together, OK?

MOLLY:
OK.

ALEX blows a kiss to MOLLY, who jumps to catch it.

EVAN:
Come on, scrap.

EVAN and MOLLY walk away, EVAN putting his arm round MOLLY. He turns back to wave at ALEX, who waves back before walking away.



ALEX gets into her car with a sigh, starts the engine but doesn't drive away immediately.

ALEX: (singing to herself)
I'm happy, hope you're happy too.

She turns round to look behind her and jumps in shock as she sees LAYTON sitting in the back.

ALEX:
Ah! God!

LAYTON: (pointing a revolver)
Relax, Alex. Just drive.



LAYTON marches ALEX along beside the river, opposite the Millennium Dome, gripping the back of her jacket collar.

ALEX:
How do you know me? What do you want?

LAYTON:
Shut up! Now you... you're going to be my ticket out of this mess, Alex Drake, yeah?

LAYTON shoves her violently forward towards the top of a gangway down to a barge on the river.

LAYTON:
Move!

ALEX:
Oh!

LAYTON pushes her to start going down the gangway and takes a mobile phone from his pocket, the gun still pointing at the back of ALEX's head.

LAYTON: (talking into the mobile)
Yeah, Layton. Yeah, well, you're gonna have to listen, cos I've got a piece of your past standing right here in front of me. Tim and Caroline Price's daughter.

ALEX stops and turns round, pointing at LAYTON.

ALEX:
How did you know my parents?

LAYTON:
And I'm gonna tell her the truth, why her parents died.

LAYTON forces ALEX round again and pushes her down the gangway.

LAYTON:
Go!



Interior of the barge; very dark and virtually empty. LAYTON is out of sight in the shadows.

LAYTON: (talking into the mobile)
Well, that's your choice.

LAYTON hangs up and walks into view. ALEX is sitting on an old mattress, hugging her knees, various bits of bedding, tins of food and so forth dotted around her. Daylight is coming in behind her.

ALEX:
What could my parents possibly have to do with any of this? They've been dead a long time.

LAYTON:
I had an empire, yeah? Back in the day. I had connections. I had dealers on every street corner...

ALEX:
And things went wrong? Do you want to talk about that?

LAYTON takes his sunglasses out of his pocket and puts them on.

ALEX:
You... you... you feel trapped. I mean, I can understand that. Those officers were itching for a fatality outcome.

Abruptly LAYTON aims and fires. GUNSHOT. Seagulls scream. ALEX is thrown backwards onto the mattress and lies still.



Close up of ALEX's closed left eye.

MOLLY's voice: Mummy? Mummy!

Slow motion close up of the flat tip of a spinning bullet, going back to the gun and the moment of detonation. Sounds of creaking metal and dripping water.
FLASHBACK.
Microfiche effect rapidly sideways.
Little girl in red school uniform holding a red balloon.
Microfiche.
Man in glasses. Woman opening car boot.
Microfiche.
Little girl's hand letting go of balloon strings and man's hand taking little girl's hand.
Balloon floating up into the sky.
Ashes CLOWN with open arms.

CLOWN:
Alex.

FLASHBACK.
Microfiche
View from car rear window of a man - LAYTON - walking along.
Microfiche.

Close up of ALEX's left eye; moving left and right behind the eyelid. Microfiche effect.

LAYTON aiming right at us; the CLOWN reflected in LAYTON's sunglasses.

CLOWN:
Alex.

LAYTON fires; close up of the spinning bullet tip head towards us, the CLOWN visible on the flat tip, shouting.

CLOWN:
Alex!



Close up of ALEX's left eye as it opens.

MUSIC: 'Vienna' by Ultravox.

Sounds of lapping water and laughter. ALEX is lying on cushions dressed in very revealing red dress, fur coat and "diamond" jewellery. With a perm. She moves to get up.

A name board says "The Lady Di"; it's a boat and there's a party is going on. ALEX staggers along in confusion, looking at the pastel-suited men and under-dressed young ladies downing cocktails.

MARKHAM:
Hey, listen to this. Listen to my Walkman.

MARKHAM takes off his headphones and offers them but he's barely audible over the strains of Vienna.

# This means nothing to me. #

MAN: (winks)
Hi

SECOND MAN:
Hello.

# This means nothing to me #

MARKHAM grabs at ALEX but she struggles free.

ALEX:
Get off me! Get off me!

# This means nothing to me. Oh, Vienna. #

They all join in singing "Oh, Vienna" as ALEX makes her escape. ALEX runs up a gangway very like the one going down to LAYTON's barge, but in better repair. Two uniformed PCs, truncheons in hand, run down towards her.

ALEX:
Excuse me. Help me, I've been shot! Help me!

ALEX tries to get them to stop but they brush past her.

ALEX:
Help me, I've been shot!

Two WPCs now come running down and again ALEX tries to get them to stop.

ALEX:
Oh, God. Help me!

WPC:
Not now, miss.

ALEX:
Help me! You've got to help me! I've been shot!

ALEX continues up the gangway to the shore, breaking into a run and looking around her in disbelief.

ALEX:
My God!

At the top of the gangway ALEX stops, confronted by rows of posters for Adam and The Ants' "Prince Charming".

ALEX:
Wha-? Wh-?

ALEX takes in what she's wearing as she sees her reflection in a puddle of oil on the ground. MARKHAM seizes her from behind.

MARKHAM:
Come here! It was you! You little slut!

ALEX struggles free but is too confused to do more than stumble away a few meters before MARKHAM catches up with her again.

MARKHAM:
Come here, you stupid tart! You called the police! We've been busted! You called them in, you evil bitch! You did, didn't you?

ALEX:
What? What?

MARKHAM:
Yeah! Ah, you're gonna regret this, sweet cheeks!

Tyres screech. ALEX staggers away again, towards the approaching red Audi Quattro.

MUSIC: 'Careless Memories' by Duran Duran.

Both ALEX and MARKHAM stand and watch the car's arrival.

# Look out! Look out! Look out! Look out! #

The Quattro pulls up with a handbrake turn in a cloud of dust. The driver's door opens and out steps...

GENE:
Today, my friend, your diary entry will read, 'Took a prozzie hostage and was shot by three armed bastards.'

GENE draws his gun but rests it casually on his shoulder. MARKHAM runs forward and grabs ALEX again, using her as a shield.

ALEX:
Don't let this get out of control.

RAY steps out of the car, draws his gun and aims.

RAY:
Guv, he could have a gun.

GENE aims his gun.

ALEX:
Urgh. (to MARKHAM) OK, think. You... you have to be smart.

CHRIS gets out of the car and also aims his gun.

GENE:
Don't upset him, love. This is one bloke you don't want letting his load off.

ALEX:
If you choose a path of destruction driven by illogical pride and delusional self-importance, you enjoy fleeting sense of power before being... Well, being shot and killed.

RAY: (to CHRIS)
Is it me or are toms getting smarter?

ALEX:
A fatality outcome is what these officers are after.

MARKHAM:
Oh, you're right.

MARKHAM lets ALEX go and holds out his hands in surrender.

MARKHAM:
Don't shoot, officers. See? Completely unarmed.

MARKHAM starts to walk towards GENE.

CHRIS:
You're going down, you scum.

MARHAM:
This won't amount to a hill of beans, Mr Hunt.

GENE holsters his gun and knees MARKHAM in the groin.

MARKHAM:
Oh!

ALEX:
Hunt?

GENE:
Blimey, if that skirt was hitched any higher I could see what you had for breakfast. Now, Ray, cuff this nancy berk. Chris, look after the lady. Classiest pro I've seen all week.

ALEX:
DC Chris Skelton?

CHRIS:
Roger that.

RAY enthusiastically bangs MARKHAM's forehead on the roof of the Quattro.

MARKHAM:
Oh! Oh!

ALEX:
DS Ray Carling?

RAY turns in acknowledgment.

MARKHAM:
Ah, you bastard.

ALEX:
Gene Hunt?

GENE turns and looks at her. It's all too much and ALEX faints.

GENE:
My reputation precedes me.



Blurred impressions of Alex's reflection in fast moving water, the riverside, sky and an office block. A faint view of Molly looking out of a car window changes to ALEX lying on the back seat of the Quattro, RAY and CHRIS looking in.

CHRIS: (echoing)
Wouldn't get much change out of a tenner for this one, Ray.

RAY: (echoing)
Definitely give her a tenner. Cracking pair of puppies!

ALEX opens her eyes and looks up.

RAY:
Ooo.

CHRIS:
Um.

RAY and CHRIS quickly move away and ALEX gets out of the Quattro.

ALEX: (talking to herself)
OK. OK, focus. This is a sub-conscious construct induced by severe cranial trauma.

WOMAN: (spits at GENE)
Fascist pig!

GENE:
We only need a statement, love. (to ALEX) And you.

ALEX:
My God. I can hear the wind in the trees.

GENE:
Strewth, she's gonna break into song.

ALEX:
This is a full sensory hallucination. My God!

ALEX leans over the bonnet of the Quattro, touching it in amazement.

RAY:
Phew, I dunno. Look at the way she's touching that car!

ALEX:
No. No, no. This happened to him, it can't happen to me.

RAY:
You all right, darlin'?

ALEX:
Molly. She needs me.

ALEX suddenly straightens up and walk right out into the path of an oncoming Police car. GENE leaps forward and pulls her back.

GENE:
What the bloody hell do you think you're playing at? Have you any idea what the paperwork's like on suicides?

ALEX:
Get off me.

GENE:
Shut up.

GENE scoops her up and carries her into the Police Station.

ALEX:
No, not in there. Don't take me in there.



GENE storms through the Station corridors, carrying ALEX.

GENE:
Jim, take statements off these hoity-toity poofters.

JIM:
Yes, guv.

GENE enters CID and puts ALEX down. She looks around her, confused, while members of CID and VIV look on. ALEX lurches into GENE's office.

GENE:
Hey, hey. I don't normally let prozzies into my office... unless it's a party.

Laughter.

ALEX is sitting down at GENE's desk, urgently typing on the computer keyboard. GENE enters.

ALEX:
It's July, 1981. It's the year my mum and dad died.

GENE:
What of, confusion? Don't pretend you know how to fly that thing.

ALEX:
There's nothing on this hard drive but the time and date.

GENE:
Pong. I've got Pong.

SHAZ enters.

SHAZ:
Guv, I... Mary Magdalene! You all right?

SHAZ offers ALEX a can of Tab cola

SHAZ:
Here you go.

GENE:
Tab? Don't be ridiculous, Granger. Look at her. Airs and graces this one. Likes a drop of Bolly before she'll get her knickers off. Back to your desk.

Phone rings in the CID office. ALEX starts to get up and go into CID.

ALEX:
I know how this works. I know how this works. The mind fashions conduits to the real world.

ALEX picks up the ringing phone.

ALEX:
Hello? Hello. I need to find out if I'm in hospital. I need to find out if Molly knows where I am.

Sniggers from CID. GENE storms across, snatches the phone from ALEX and slams it down.

GENE:
Right, I've had enough of this. I need a bloody statement from you.

ALEX:
No!

ALEX drops to her knees in front of the desk and on it sees a name tag reading D.I. DRAKE.

RAY:
Oh! Ha-ha.

CHRIS:
Oh, God. I love toms.

From CID's POV ALEX is on her knees in front of GENE, if you get my drift... He looks embarrassed and pulls her to her feet.

GENE:
Right, enough. Get up.

A warrant card drops from ALEX's person, GENE picks it up, looks at it, hands it to ALEX who opens it slowly and looks at it in horror.

GENE:
Right, well, as you know, we've all been waiting on a new DI. Alex Drake.

RAY:
Oh, is he here? Hey, what's that hooker doing with a...

ALEX holds out her warrant card for RAY to see. RAY sighs heavily and shakes his head.

GENE:
Welcome on board, Inspector.

CHRIS: (echo effect)
I knew an Asian prozzie once. Could do amazing things with a ping pong ball. Not surprising really. The Chinese are good at table tennis, aren't they?

CHRIS finally catches up with events.

CHRIS:
Hey. Why's this tart got a warrant card..?



ZIPPY on TV: (singing)
# I'm a little teapot short and stout... #

ALEX is leaning on the TV in CID's kitchen, staring closely at the screen on which we see ZIPPY and GEORGE from "Rainbow"

ALEX:
Oh, God. Come on Zippy, talk to me.

GEORGE:
Do shut up, Zippy. That is terrible.

ALEX changes channels to Richard Baker reading the news. Meanwhile GENE can be heard addressing CID.

GENE:
Don't want anyone filling in their arrest diaries! Got it?

MOUSTACHED CID BLOKE:
Ain't done me diary since last week, guv.

GENE:
Good. I'll fill it in for you just as soon as I've decided what you were doing.

GENE enters the kitchen

NEWS REPORT ON TV:
At the start of the hearing Lord SCARMAN made...

GENE:
And what were you doing in that brothel? Undercover? Or moonlighting?

NEWS REPORT ON TV:
The first will examine the rioting and its immediate causes...

ALEX:
Mmm, let's assume the former, shall we?

NEWS REPORT ON TV:
... the second will focus on the policing of multi-racial areas like Brixton.

ALEX switches channels to see scenes of riot police.

TV REPORT:
There is official...

GENE:
Never anything on.

TV REPORT:
...as to how a riot on this scale occurred. For nearly six hours, police struggled...

ALEX:
The public hate you.

GENE:
They hate US, Inspector.

TV REPORT:
Their antagonists were 500 or 600, mainly black teenagers, who's fury...

GENE turns off the TV.

GENE:
Do you want a brew?

ALEX:
Just run along, "Gene", and do whatever it is that sub-conscious recessional forms do.

ALEX wiggles her fingers to indicate the inverted commas, just like MOLLY did earlier.

GENE:
Don't waggle your fingers when you say my name.

GENE starts to make tea. ALEX grabs a man's suit jacket from the stand in the corner and swaps her fur coat for it.

ALEX: (talking to herself)
Sam got voices out of the telly.

GENE:
Sam?

ALEX:
Tyler. I knew him.

GENE:
Poor sod. Explains a lot.

ALEX: (talking to herself)
Good God. I've assimilated his fantasies. (to GENE) What are you doing down here, anyway?

GENE:
Transferred from GMP a year ago. I've moved on. Besides, scum is scum wherever you go.

ALEX:
And why am I here?

GENE:
You put in for it.

Ominous music and ALEX turns her head sharply to stare at GENE, but he's concentrating on making his tea.

ALEX:
You're taller than I imagined.

GENE:
I'm bigger in every department. Twat in the cells is Edward Markham, City trading ponce. Heads up a drug dealership. You wanna sit in?



Interview room. MARKHAM and his lawyer on one side of the table; RAY on the other with GENE prowling around. ALEX is leaning against the wall looking through a file.

GENE:
Feel good, does it? Making money out of honest working class kids, turning them into ghosts and rent boys?

MARKHAM:
Firstly, Mr Hunt, you have absolutely no evidence. Secondly, and according to this senior female officer, mirabile dictu, you were deliberately looking for a - what was it?

GENE sits down next to RAY

MARKHAM:
Yeah, fatality outcome. Blowing my head off. Ipso facto, my case rests.

RAY:
That's crap. And some of it was in Klingon. If we actually wanted to murder you, we'd come round your house in the middle of the night and...

GENE treads heavily on RAY's foot under the desk to make him shut up.

GENE:
Take no notice of my sergeant. He's very upset. His mother's ill in hospital.

RAY:
Yeah, I'm, er... God, I hope she pulls through.

MARKHAM:
Yeah, bet you do.

GENE:
(to RAY) For the record, he will retract that remark. (to MARKHAM) Cocaine and heroin are flooding into this city, and you, my friend, are behind it.

MARKHAM:
You're living in a fantasy world, Mr Hunt.

MUSIC: 'Are Friends Electric?' by Tubeway Army

ALEX suddenly looks thoughtful and approaches the table.

ALEX:
Where do they keep the most advanced radio in this station?

ALEX drops the file on the table and leaves GENE and RAY looking at each other in confusion.



ALEX and CHRIS enter a room packed with shelving containing various Technological Marvels of 1981

CHRIS:
Wait for it!

CHRIS turns on the light.

ALEX:
Oh, God!

CHRIS:
It's like Tomorrow's World, innit, boss? Er, ma'am.

# You know I hate to ask #

ALEX:
I need to know what's going on out there, Chris. I'm unconscious and I need reviving.

# But are friends electric? #

CHRIS:
Yeah, I get that at weekends.

# Only mine's broke down #

Meanwhile GENE is on the phone to his superior.

GENE:
Yeah, but I'm convinced that this Markham... Yeah, all ask, sir, is that Markham...

# And now I've no-one to love #

GENE:
Sir, with respect, there was never any question of one of my officers shooting an unarmed man. Yes, these are difficult times and I am just trying to do my job, sir. Goodbye.

GENE hangs up.



CHRIS and SHAZ enter the corridor outside the interview room, SHAZ wearing a Walkman - 'Are Friends Electric' now audible through the headphones

CHRIS:
It's Sony. I nabbed it off that drug dealer we nicked in the whorehouse.

SHAZ:
That's so sweet!

MARKHAM, his lawyer, RAY and MOUSTACHED CID BLOKE enter from a door on the left.

MARKHAM:
I could've sworn that was mine.

RAY:
Well, you're mistaken, sir.

GENE appears in the doorway to the right.

MARKHAM:
You know, Mr Hunt, in the City we're always looking for a good investment, like the chap who invented the Walkman. You have to know when there's a new market ready to explode. That's my job. I see an exciting new product and... KAPOW! It's all about the future. And you know what? I don't think that future includes you.

MARKHAM and his lawyer leave. Music swells.

# You see it meant everything to me #

RAY:
It would have been a sound nick if it hadn't been for her. Fatality outcome? Christ!

MOUSTACHED CID BLOKE:
Got a good pair of honkers on her, though.

RAY:
Women Dls should look like a cross between Betty Turpin and the HMS Ark Royal. They should not look shag-worthy.

GENE walks away.

RAY:
You can't give a person who gets periods that much responsibility.

MOUSTACHED CID BLOKE:
Too right.



ALEX is yelling into a Police radio in the Room Of Technological Marvels.

ALEX:
Talk to me! Somebody!

ALEX bangs the radio against the edge of the shelf, tosses it aside and looks for another. GENE enters, not in a good mood. The door slams, abruptly the music stops. ALEX rounds on him.

ALEX:
Huh, God. What's so special about you, "Gene"? When good coppers go under, why do you appear?!

GENE:
It's my aftershave. And stop wiggling your bloody fingers every time you say my name! Now, we've got the makings of a drug epidemic in this city. I had the chief supplier in my sights and you gave him room to slide loose!

ALEX:
Markham?! He's not your king pin! God. Any cursory psyche assessment would show he doesn't possess delegational inclinations.

GENE:
Sorry, come again? I don't speak Hindustani!

ALEX:
Top-flight crime lords expect their minions to do their donkey work. They expend their energy only when it's absolutely necessary. Crime lords don't gloat in police stations, "Gene". They don't spend money on expensive lawyers and then do all the talking themselves. And they are not out to impress northern flatfoots like you.

GENE:
Is this la-di-da posh bollocks meant to impress me?

ALEX:
Ha. Just look at me. Look at me. I am trained to get inside the criminal mind and now I'm stuck in my own... with you! Whoopee!

GENE:
Are you laughing at me?

ALEX:
No. No. I just never thought it would seem this real.

ALEX starts to walk round GENE, looking around at the room.

ALEX:
Sam always said what amazed him most about this place was...

ALEX stops in front of GENE and looks at him like he's an exhibit.

ALEX:
Look at you.

ALEX places her hand over GENE's heart.

ALEX:
It's beating. That's incredible.

GENE retaliates by grabbing ALEX's breast.

GENE:
Fandabydozy! Now then, Bollinger knickers, you gonna kiss me or punch me?

ALEX flings his hand aside, walks away and takes a video tape off the shelf. On the label it says Arthur LAYTON. ALEX plays the tape in a handy VCR, GENE looking on sceptically. It's surveillance footage of a younger LAYTON.

GENE:
Arthur Layton's a tinker with a minor record. We flipped him over, he keeps his eyes open, we don't bang him up.

ALEX:
Hmm. He has to be crucial to this. Otherwise why is he in here?

ALEX pauses the tape, the freeze frame of LAYTON goes white and becomes the white board in CID. ALEX walks in front of it, hand going to her head in pain, but ready to "brainstorm"; CHRIS and SHAZ are sitting in front of her.

CHRIS:
Boss? I mean, ma'am?

ALEX:
Right. Let's break it down. Now, I was shot. The result of that act was my arrival in this... dystopia.

ALEX writes "Dystopia" on the board.

CHRIS:
Dystopia. I had that once. I couldn't eat solids for a week.

SHAZ:
Ah, baby.

ALEX:
My mind creates a dark, twisted place for me to go to. My brain is in severe trauma and so will not expend energy creating people that I don't need. Therefore, everything here is significant.

ALEX writes "Everything is Significant" directly below "Dystopia".

ALEX:
Now, I am an empirical person. I break everything down and I study it. That's how I solve problems.

SHAZ:
So, your head has made up a puzzle for you to solve cos that's the best way...?

ALEX:
Because that is the way that I will get strong. I must constantly analyse.

ALEX writes "Analyse" below "Everything is Significant" on the white board.

CHRIS:
Hang about. Hang about. Analyse what? Why you were shot?

ALEX:
The moment it happened, I saw the bullet and I thought, 'This is it, Alex. This is how it ends.'

SHAZ:
Like this was your destiny?

ALEX acknowledges SHAZ and writes "Destiny" below "Analyse"

CHRIS:
Like Ben Kenobi in Star Wars.

ALEX:
Now, where does that leave me?

ALEX leans back on the desk to look and we see the first letters of each line spell... DEAD.

FLASHBACK
Gunshot
Fired gun and spinning bullet heading straight for us.

ALEX sways and looks unwell. Sounds of creaking metal and dripping water.

CHRIS:
Boss? Er, ma'am?

ALEX:
No. I'm not dead. I'm not dead.

LAYTON: (singing)
# Hope you're happy, hope you're happy, hope you're happy... #

ALEX puts her hand to her head, swaying. Close up of "Destiny" written on the whiteboard switches to the CLOWN's head. ALEX collapses.



CID. The checkerboard of lights comes on in rows with loud bangs and electrical noises; the place is deserted and much emptier than usual. MOLLY walks from outside GENE's office towards us.

MOLLY:
Hello? Hello? Hello?

ZIPPY appears behind an empty CID desk wearing a Policeman's hat and brandishing a truncheon.

ZIPPY:
Ha ha ha! You're under arrest! Ha ha! Who are you, then?

GEORGE pops up next to ZIPPY.

GEORGE:
It's all right, Zippy. Molly's my new friend.

ZIPPY:
Poor old Molly! She must be very hard up for friends!

MOLLY:
I'm looking for my mum?

ZIPPY:
Well, I haven't seen her.

MOLLY:
But it's my birthday. We have a cake and presents and I'm waiting for her to come.

GEORGE:
Oh, but she must be so far away, Molly. So far that you couldn't even see her through the biggest, giantest telescope in the whole world.

ZIPPY:
Yes, yes. That's right, George. Forget your mum, Molly. She's never coming back.

ZIPPY and GEORGE shake their heads.



ALEX jerks awake to find herself lying on a black and white stripped sofa. It's dark and a record player is playing.

MUSIC: 'Ashes to Ashes' by David Bowie

# ...Tom's a junkie
# Strung out in heavens high
# Hitting an all-time low #

ALEX gets to her feet.

ALEX:
Uh!

ALEX walks towards a kitchen

CLOWN's voice, echoing.
Alex?

# Time and again I tell myself #

CLOWN's voice, echoing.
Alex.

Light flares in the window in time with the voice.

# I'll stay clean tonight #

ALEX staggers through the kitchen.

MOLLY's voice, echoing:
Mummy?

# But the little green wheels are following me #

MOLLY's voice, echoing:
You're going to miss my birthday.

ALEX stumbles on into a bedroom.

# Oh, no, not again. I'm stuck with a valuable friend #

ALEX heads towards a wardrobe.

# I'm happy, hope you're happy too. #

ALEX opens the wardrobe doors; the CLOWN bursts out.

CLOWN and MOLLY's voice:
All my birthdays!



ALEX wakes up with a start, lying on the double bed in the bedroom, in daylight. Sounds of traffic outside. ALEX gets up and approaches the wardrobe, opening it apprehensively. Nothing but five men's shirts hanging up.



CID. ALEX enters briskly, now wearing the suit jacket and one of the shirts. Still with the very short red skirt.

CHRIS:
Morning, ma'am. Do you like the flat? Luigi lets us use it.

ALEX:
WPC Granger.

SHAZ is liberally spraying her hair with hairspray.

SHAZ:
Mmm?

CHRIS:
Hey, 'Is she or isn't she?'

ALEX:
She most definitely is. WPC Granger...

SHAZ:
Call me Shaz.

ALEX:
Yeah, can you get me...

SHAZ:
Or Shazzer.

ALEX:
Shaz! Can get me a change of clothes, please? I would like to change out of red before Chris de Burgh writes a song about me. Chris, get me your intelligence on Arthur Layton. Addresses, contacts, past offences.

CHRIS:
Roger that.

GENE:
I know what you're doing.

ALEX:
Really. Whatever.

GENE:
What? New broom swings in.

ALEX:
Sweeps in.

GENE:
Comes in... looking to make a quick collar. Trying to impress the troops.

ALEX:
I know he doesn't look like much, but Layton is behind this, because that is why I'm here.

GENE:
Let me show you something.

GENE leads ALEX across to a map on the desk.

GENE:
We have monitored the drugs traffic across the division. Movement, deals, payments, everything. The centre is here, the financial district. Now, Markham is a right banker. He knows how to hide the drug money in any number of accounts.

RAY:
We're on the verge of a major bust, ma'am. Like that Operation Poppadom.

CHRIS appears with LAYTON's file

CHRIS:
Here you go, boss... ma'am. Er. Arthur Layton. This is his business in Shadwell. And past convictions for fencing stolen gear.

ALEX:
Look at your map, Hunt. It's a web. The thing is, the spider isn't sitting in the middle. He's hiding on the edge.

ALEX taps the map at Shadwell.



LAYTON's junk yard in some railway arches. ALEX and CHRIS walk towards the entrance past, amongst other things, some boat outboard motors.

CHRIS:
Guv's right. Layton's just a down-at-heels fella scratching a living together.

ALEX:
No. No, he becomes that... one day. But not now. Trust me.

ALEX and CHRIS enter the building.

CHRIS:
I'm sorry, ma'am, but the Guv, he thinks you're trying to undermine us, like.

ALEX:
Look, all right. Just relax, OK, "Chris"? I know how this goes. Hunt's the bullish one, Ray's the misogynistic one, and you're the nervous one, blah blah blah. I don't care. I am going to stop Arthur Layton because that could be the mental trigger to get me out of here. OK?

CHRIS:
Roger that. I'm not nervous, I'm just cautious.

LAYTON:
Hello?

LAYTON comes out of his office. ALEX is shaken.

CHRIS:
Mr Layton? Police.

LAYTON:
Can I help you?

FLASHBACK
Gunshot
Fired gun and spinning bullet heading straight for us. Sounds of creaking metal and dripping water.

ALEX sways, hand to her head.

ALEX:
You're under arrest!

LAYTON:
Arrest? What for? I've got receipts for all this stuff.

ALEX:
I'm stopping you. I know you!

LAYTON:
What you talking about?

ALEX:
Chris, cuff him!

LAYTON:
Don't look at me like that. Don't like it.



Interview room. ALEX and GENE face LAYTON across a table. The reflection of the CLOWN is visible in the table.

ALEX:
You have a network of drug dealers and money launderers under your control, including Edward Markham.

LAYTON:
No, I'm a barrow boy with a junk shop. You know that.

ALEX:
You're under arrest and you are staying here.

GENE:
As much as it pains me, I think we may need something that can stick in court. 'You're staying here,' probably won't do it. Mr Layton, do you have an appointed brief?

LAYTON:
No. I'll have to get one.

ALEX:
Oh, that's right. That's right, you let others handle it. The strategy of a powerful man with nothing to prove.

GENE:
A powerful man would bring his brief in here with him.

RAY knocks and enters.

RAY:
Guv, we've had a breakthrough.

GENE:
Right. Layton, off you go.

LAYTON:
Thank you.

LAYTON leaves, ALEX watching him. GENE and RAY are talking in the corridor just outside.

RAY:
We put the crime squad onto Markham like you said. He made nine separate phone calls from phone boxes in the City district. All phone cards.

GENE:
Phone cards?! Flash git!

RAY:
Yeah. He then went and picked up a message from some railway arches near Tower Bridge. Something got him rattled.

ALEX:
I know what got Markham rattled. We pulled his boss in. He was checking to see if he could close the supply line down.

GENE, RAY and ALEX move into CID.

ALEX:
Layton is a control freak. Being in the driving seat is essential to his emotional well-being.

GENE:
Where do you learn this hippy shit?

ALEX:
Langley.

CHRIS:
Near Macclesfield?

ALEX:
Virginia. Secondment to the CIA.

ALL OF CID:
Oooh!

ALEX gives them all two fingers. SHAZ appears with a box.

SHAZ:
Here you go, ma'am. Fresh clothes like you wanted.

ALEX:
Thank you, Shaz.

SHAZ:
Got 'em off a lady who was killed by a Timothy Whites van.

ALEX:
Oh, that's brilliant.

ALEX starts to go through the box.

ALEX:
Bring Markham in again. Shake the web. Layton will hate that.

GENE:
Psychiatry.

ALEX:
Psychology.

GENE:
Same thing. Still, not a bad idea for a bird.

GENE's digital watch bleeps.

GENE:
Boys and girls, it is precisely 12 of the clock.

Everyone else's digital watches start bleeping, including, to her surprise, ALEX's.

GENE:
By 12.30, I want Markham and his suspected accomplices in custody. Mush!



Front desk of the Police Station.

MARKHAM:
Two arrests in two days. I've almost certainly lost my job at the bank.

GENE:
Oh, bugger. Still, you're a smart boy. You'll get another job. And I'll see you get arrested there an' all. You'll be unemployable, Markham.

MARKHAM:
Right then. Time to talk turkey.

GENE:
Gobble away.

MARKHAM:
Oh, that's very good, Mr Hunt.

GENE, MARKHAM, ALEX and RAY start towards the interview room.

MARKHAM:
Oh, Mr Hunt, no, no, no. Just you.

ALEX and RAY are left behind.

RAY voiceover:
You knew Tyler, didn't you?

ALEX voiceover:
Yes. I write about colleagues who've undergone unusual trauma and I know he let you down.



ALEX and RAY are sitting down waiting for GENE and MARKHAM to reappear.

RAY:
Thought he was gonna run out on us, but he came back. I'll give him that.

ALEX:
Sam came back?

RAY:
Lucky us, eh?

ALEX:
Well, where is he?

RAY:
Tyler died during a jewellery blag last year. I told him to wait for the Guv, but he wasn't having it. Gave chase. Put his car in the river. Twonk. Never even found his body.

ALEX:
Oh, my God! He was here for seven years! He lived a life here and in reality he was seconds away from death.

RAY:
What?

ALEX:
Then my theory's right! In real life I might only have been shot a second ago!

RAY:
Look, Tyler didn't listen to the guv and look what happened to him. If you're smart, you'll learn that being where the guv is, is the right place to be.

MARKHAM and GENE reappear.

MARKHAM:
Thank you, Mr Hunt. Ladies.

MARKHAM leaves.

GENE:
He's given us the whole network - suppliers, dealers, drop offs. Turn a blind eye to one last deal and we run him out of town for ever.

ALEX:
Hmm. You let Markham off. That's just plain wrong, Gene.

GENE: (to RAY)
Spot of lunch?

RAY:
Lunch.

ALEX:
Lunch? It's gone six!

RAY:
Lunchtime.

GENE and RAY leave, ALEX remains for a moment, then leaves.



LAYTON's junk yard.

ALEX:
Layton! I'm going to stop you. You bastard.

The CLOWN is visible behind the shelving behind ALEX.

ALEX:
Layton!

The place is empty; ALEX looks around the office and studies a notebook hanging on the wall. The CLOWN walks past behind her; she turns to see then leaves the yard in a hurry, taking the notebook with her.

Outside in an alleyway, ALEX stops to look at the notebook. She looks up to see the CLOWN standing at the other end of the alley, face turned away from her. The CLOWN's head snaps round and he starts to run straight towards her. ALEX starts to run away. The CLOWN gets closer and closer; ALEX stops and turns round to face him, terrified, and screams.

ALEX:
Argh!

The alley is empty. ALEX clutches her head, sinks to the ground and screams;

ALEX:
Stop!



Luigi's. CID, lead by CHRIS, are singing Joe Dolce's "Shaddap-a you face" to the long-suffering LUIGI. GENE looks on, stony-faced.

# What's-a matter you? Hey! Gotta no respect
# What-a you think you do? Hey!
# Why you look so sad?
# It's-a not so bad, it's-a nice-a place
# Ah, shaddap-a you face. #

LUIGI:
Molto divertente. Very funny.

MUSIC: "I'm in Love With a German Film Star" by The Passions

ALEX enters, slow-mo, looking a million dollars. Walks towards GENE sitting alone in the corner. GENE gets up, pours her a glass of wine and hands it to her.

GENE:
On the house.

ALEX:
Cheers.

ALEX downs the glass in one.

GENE:
Luigi, another bottle of your house rubbish.

Time has passed. Champagne cork pops, laughter; someone's pouring champagne over a pyramid of glasses.

RAY:
Hey!

CHRIS:
Watch this.

GENE and ALEX are sitting together watching the antics of CID off screen, both rather drunk.

GENE:
I love lunch.

ALEX:
You know, I invented this world.

# Playing the part of a real troublemaker... #

GENE:
I invented something once.

# ...but I didn't care #

GENE:
The bruise-free groin slap.

# It really moved me #

ALEX:
Mmm. Sam died. Your wife left you. No wonder you moved.

# It really moved me #

GENE:
Would you not start with me?! I'm the Manc Lion. It says so on my door.

# It really moved me #

LUIGI:
Pasta.

RAY:
Nice one, Luigi! Eh, keep the Asti Spimanti going!

# It really moved me.

LUIGI:
Spumante.

# I'm in love, I'm in love etc #

CHRIS:
Hey, Luigi, what's the shortest...

ALEX:
Well, you're not going to keep me here for seven years. I'm going home. I'm going to my little girl's birthday party.

GENE:
You're pissed.

ALEX:
And you are a bloody figment.

GENE:
You're very pissed.

ALEX:
I'm going to be sick.

GENE:
Doesn't surprise me.



ALEX collapses backwards onto the sofa in the flat.

ALEX:
Uh!

MUSIC is faintly heard from the restaurant below: "Ebben? Ne Andro Lontano" From La Wally. GENE sits on the floor with his back against the sofa.

ALEX:
Let me do this on my own.

GENE:
Well, it's always more fun with two.

ALEX:
I don't need your help.

GENE:
Everyone does. You know, they're sharpening the axe for coppers like me. But I'll tell you this much, Bolls, up until the last second, I will be out there making a difference.

ALEX:
I really am going to be sick. I'm going to be sick.

GENE prudently moves away and spots LAYTON's notebook in ALEX's back pocket. He takes it and starts to flip through the pages.

GENE:
What's this?

ALEX:
It's Layton's... from the junk yard.

GENE gets up, covers ALEX with a blanket and leaves.



Luigi's; everyone's a bit worse for wear.

GENE:
Raymondo, what do you make of these numbers?

GENE thrusts the notebook at RAY. CHRIS goes behind the bar to turn up the music.

RAY:
Flight numbers? Codes? I...

Music volume increases.

GENE:
What about this here, look? 'Charlie'.

RAY:
Well that's what they call cocaine.

GENE:
Oh, and there's me thinking it was bloody perfume!

GENE snatches back the notebook, irritated. LUIGI goes to turn the music down, protesting at CHRIS.

GENE:
Chris! Chris! Chris! Turn it down, let the lady sleep!

LUIGI:
Grazie, Signore Hunt.

CHRIS:
Grassy-arse, Luigi. Grassy-arse.

LUIGI:
Yeah, Chris, that is a Spanish joke.

GENE:
Luigi, get yourself a drink.

LUIGI:
No, Signore Hunt. I go upstairs, shoot myself.

GENE is still flipping through the notebook, not really listening.

GENE:
Good man.

CHRIS:
Grassy-arse. Grassy... arse!

GENE looks up to the ceiling and ALEX's flat.



ALEX is asleep on the sofa, still under the blanket where GENE left her. She shifts about and pulls back the blanket, still half asleep.

ALEX:
Molly. Molly!

MOLLY is lying there next to her.

ALEX:
Go and get back in your own bed. Go on, sweetheart. Molls.

ALEX nudges MOLLY to make her move; MOLLY gets up and leaves. ALEX wakes up with a start.

ALEX:
Molly!

ALEX realises it was a dream and sinks back onto the sofa.

ALEX:
Oh, God! Oh. You wait for me, Molly. I need a plan to trap Layton.



An alley near railway arches. CHRIS and SHAZ are sitting in a green Triumph car; CHRIS is eating a sausage roll.

SHAZ:
I should be in uniform.

CHRIS:
No, you're with me. You're undercover.

SHAZ:
Undercover? On a secret operation? Pretty bloomin' glamorous, isn't it, your life?

CHRIS: (through a mouthful of food)
Oh, aye, yeah.

ALEX over the radio:
Chris, are you in position?

CHRIS:
Roger that, ma'am. You said you'd square this with the guv over brekkie?

ALEX over the radio:
Chris, there's no time for that. I have to nail Layton now. Look, crime squad...

ALEX in CID:
...gave us the drop-off point for Markham's messages. Are you at it?

CHRIS:
Yeah.

ALEX over the radio:
OK. Message in place?

CHRIS:
Shaz has just set it up.

ALEX in CID:
Look, if Markham takes the bait...

CHRIS:
He'll read the fake message to meet at Layton's place and we follow him.

ALEX over the radio:
That will prove Markham works for Layton and we have reasonable connection. We arrest...

ALEX in CID:
...Layton and I go home.

CHRIS:
"Roger that, ma'am."

CHRIS wiggles his fingers like ALEX. SHAZ giggles.

CHRIS:
I need a jimmy riddle.

CHRIS leaves the car, SHAZ puts on her Walkman.

MUSIC: 'Careless Memories' by Duran Duran.

# With a careless memory
# With a careless memory
# With a careless memory
# With a careless memory #

MARKHAM suddenly taps on the window next to SHAZ.

MARKHAM:
I think you'll find that Walkman is mine. Come here.

SHAZ:
Get off me! Chris!

MARKHAM pulls SHAZ out of the car and pushes her towards one of his HEAVIES.

MARKHAM:
I'll teach Hunt to go back on his word. Hold onto her!

CHRIS:
Shazzer!

CHRIS comes running.

HEAVY:
Shut up, you. Shut up.

SHAZ:
Chris!

HEAVY:
Shut your mouth!

CHRIS:
This is the police, Markham. Nobody move! Stay there!

CHRIS punches the OTHER HEAVY in the stomach, to no effect. The OH grabs him.

SHAZ:
Chris!

MARKHAM:
Did I spoil your little plan? Your little secret notes, your special little meeting points? Is this some feeble idea of entrapment? You are a plonker!

MARKHAM punches CHRIS in the stomach and follows up with his knee; CHRIS collapses to the ground.

CHRIS:
Uh! Ooh!

CHRIS is let go by the OTHER HEAVY and collapses on the bonnet of the Triumph.

MARKHAM:
What I need is some corporate insurance, just to make sure the deal runs smoothly. Put her in the car.

HEAVY:
Come over here.

SHAZ:
Don't let them take me, Chris! Chris!

MARKHAM: (to CHRIS)
Oh, do shut up!

MARKHAM kicks CHRIS in the stomach and he collapses to the ground. MARKHAM walks away and a large Mercedes drives off past the prostrate CHRIS.

CHRIS:
Shazzer.

CHRIS scrambles to his feet to follow.



Meanwhile in CID...

ALEX: (talking into the radio)
Chris? Chris!

ALEX bangs the radio on the desk tosses it aside and gets up to leave.

ALEX:
I'll do this on my own.

CHRIS runs in.

CHRIS:
Is every radio in this place knackered? They've taken her.

RAY:
Who?

CHRIS:
Shaz. They've taken Shaz! Markham and some big bastards and he's still out there.

RAY:
Viv, mobilise all units in the area. Chris, give us a description of the vehicle.

CHRIS:
If she dies, it's all your fault, ma'am.

ALEX:
I wasn't the one who did the deal with the Devil, Chris.

CHRIS:
Look, how do we stop them?

All eyes turn to GENE's office. The door opens on cue.

GENE:
Right. Let's fire up the Quattro.



MUSIC: 'I Fought The Law' by The Clash

GENE and ALEX speed through the streets in the Quattro

VIV over the radio:
Guv, we've just had confirmation. The car registration that Chris gave us, it's in Layton's name.

# Breakin' rocks in the hot sun #

GENE: (talking on the radio)
Viv, give me everything you've got on Arthur Layton.

# I fought the law and the law won #

VIV is in The Room Of Technological Marvels, looking at the surveillance footage.

VIV:
There isn't much, guv. Just some surveillance...

# I fought the law and the law won #

VIV over the radio:
...some at his yard, some at the docks.

# I needed money 'cause I had none #

ALEX:
He keeps boats.

GENE: (talking on the radio)
What's the name of his boat?

# I fought the law and the law won #

VIV:
It looks like The Prince Charlie, guv.

# I fought the law and the law won #

GENE: (talking on the radio)
Charlie. Those times in the diary are tide times. Layton's shipping in the drugs on one of his own boats.

# I left my baby and it feels so bad
# Guess my race is run #

GENE: (talking on the radio)
Raymondo, round up the cavalry. We're heading to the river. Tower Bridge.

# She's the best girl that I ever had
# I fought the law and the law won #

ALEX:
Oh, I could kiss you.

GENE:
Don't hold back.

# I fought the law and the law won
# I fought the law and the law won #
# I lost my girl and I lost my fun
# I fought the law and the law won
# I fought the law and the law won #



Two squad cars and the Quattro pull up in a cloud of dust. CID and uniformed officers assembling. ALEX pulls out her gun; GENE removes his sunglasses and pulls a face.

# I lost my girl and I lost my fun
# I fought the law and the law won
# I fought the law and the law won #

ALEX:
What?

GENE:
You, in leather, holding that. Gives me the horn. (to everyone) Right. Three units. I'll lead the first unit. Hopefully we'll flush them into the arms of the second unit led by my esteemed lady colleague here. Uniform, you can mop up.

CHRIS:
So, which team's which?

GENE:
Uniform, you're C Team. DI Drake, you lead the B Team. I'm the A Team.

ALEX:
God have mercy.

The teams go their separate ways. GENE viewing MARKHAM and the HEAVIES surrounded by packing cases from across the river. CHRIS hands him some binoculars.

CHRIS:
Guv.

View through the binoculars shows MARKHAM with bags of cocaine. Meanwhile with the B Team...

ALEX:
Radio silence, everyone.

ALEX raises her binoculars and we see LAYTON arrive in his Mercedes.

ALEX:
I need Layton alive. Do you understand? Alive. He's my destiny.

The four CID BLOKES look at her in astonishment.

ALEX:
Sorry. That's not really helping, is it?

View through binoculars of LAYTON and MARKHAM walking along. CHRIS is watching through binoculars and sees SHAZ being dragged along by a HEAVY.

CHRIS:
Shaz. I've had it!

CHRIS hands RAY the binoculars and runs towards the bad guys, drawing his gun.

GENE:
Chris! Chris, you bloody idiot! Shit. (talking on the radio) Right, this is the A Team. We're going in!

CHRIS:
This is the police! You're surrounded.

The HEAVIES are less impressed by this than one might have hoped, and open fire with sub-machine guns.

GENE:
Oh, f...!

Lots of bullets, gunfire, diving for cover, etc until further notice.

ALEX: (talking on the radio)
Hunt, do you read me? Hunt, do you read me?

ALEX over the radio:
What the hell's going on? Over.

SHAZ struggles free of the HEAVY but LAYTON grabs her. MARKHAM makes a bid to escape in LAYTON's car.

ALEX over the radio:
Do you read me?

GENE fires at LAYTON's car and it comes to a halt, bonnet up, clouds of smoke coming from it. MARKHAM runs for it.

ALEX over the radio:
Hunt, do you read me? Hunt, do you read me?

ALEX sighs.

ALEX: (talking on the radio)
B Team to the A Team. Do you read me?

GENE over the radio:
All teams, they're heading your way on foot.

ALEX: (to CID BLOKES)
Go, go, go!

GENE over the radio:
Drake, the A Team are cut off. Even I can't walk on water. Keep Layton in sight but do nothing!



MUSIC: 'No More Heroes' by The Stranglers.

ALEX sees LAYTON dragging SHAZ away and follows them through a passageway.

LAYTON:
In here. Stupid little girl. Come on! Get out there! Do you think I'm stupid?

ALEX:
Layton!

LAYTON has his arm round SHAZ's neck, aiming the gun at ALEX.

SHAZ:
I'm sorry for the trouble...

LAYTON:
Shut up!

SHAZ:
Aargh!

ALEX:
No trouble, Shaz. Hello again, Arthur. So... what happens?

LAYTON:
Look, this is my show. You try and follow me and I'll kill her. Yeah?

ALEX aims her gun at LAYTON.

ALEX:
This isn't your show, Arthur. It's mine.

LAYTON:
I'm running this!

ALEX:
I have to reclaim my destiny, Arthur.

ALEX starts walking towards LAYTON, still aiming her gun.

ALEX:
Somehow. I'm going to stop you and go home.

LAYTON:
What you talking about? (to SHAZ) What's she talking about?

ALEX:
I'm facing up to you. I'm strong enough.

SHAZ:
Please, ma'am, please!

LAYTON jabs his gun into SHAZ.

ALEX:
I'm strong enough to wake up.

GENE over the radio:
Oi, Drake! The A Team are back in business.

GENE, RAY and CHRIS whizz into sight on a speedboat, weapons at the ready. GENE's has acquired one of the HEAVIES sub-machine guns.

# Whatever happened to the heroes?
# Whatever happened to the heroes? #

ALEX and LAYTON turn to look. Well, you would.

# No more heroes any more
# No more heroes any more
# No more heroes any more... #

The speedboat comes to a halt beside ALEX and LAYTON. LAYTON aims his gun at ALEX again.

LAYTON:
You tell them to go fishing, or I'll blow her brains out.

ALEX: (to GENE)
Stay back. I need Layton alive!

GENE:
Drake!

LAYTON:
Nobody stares at me. You know that! Nobody stares at me! He's staring!

ALEX:
You are under arrest for drug trafficking, abduction and for shooting me in the head!

LAYTON shoves SHAZ aside, goes to aim at GENE, who opens up with his Uzi, bullets flying everywhere. LAYTON staggers backwards and falls to the ground, his cheek cut but otherwise unharmed. All very A-Team.

GENE:
There'll be no more drug addicts made here, Layton.

ALEX crouches down by LAYTON, gun in his face.

ALEX:
You told me you had an empire going, 'Back in the day'. Well, you've had your day. You're under arrest.

ALEX cuffs LAYTON then looks towards the sky, yelling.

ALEX:
He's under arrest! He's under arrest!

Nothing happens and ALEX knees LAYTON in frustration.



Various villains are being rounded up and taken to a marked Police transit van and squad car. RAY and CHRIS lean on the roof of the Quattro, looking on as GENE and ALEX walk towards them, guns swinging.

ALEX:
What was that? Back there in the speed boat with the machine gun? Was that you being cool?

GENE stops and faces ALEX, nose to nose.

GENE:
Pardonnez bloody moi, but I just saved your life!

ALEX:
You may have stopped me getting back. I was supposed to face this alone!

GENE:
Listen, Bolly knickers, you were seconds away from death just now. And it's a nasty, vicious, messed-up world out there, lady, but if you listen to me, you just might get through it! Right, here goes. You were right. OK? About Layton. You have a knack of, of knowing how, how folk tick. Psychiatry...

ALEX:
It's psychology!

GENE:
Same thing!

RAY:
Oh, no.

RAY and CHRIS exchange a significant glance.

ALEX:
I had a plan. I wanted to go home.

GENE:
Well your presence is required just a little bit longer round here. By me!

GENE prods ALEX in the shoulder and stalks off.

CHRIS crouches down to speak to SHAZ who's wrapped in a blanket in the front seat of the Quattro.

CHRIS:
You all right?

SHAZ:
I'm OK. Yeah. You?

CHRIS:
All in a day's work.

SHAZ:
Yeah. Chris?

CHRIS:
What?

SHAZ abruptly gives CHRIS a hug; RAY shakes his head in disgust. CHRIS stands up, pleased as punch, spots MARKHAM running in the distance and gives chase. CHRIS aims his gun at MARKHAM.

CHRIS:
Oi, scumbag.

MARKHAM:
Ha ha ha. Oh, don't make me laugh. Look, there are chaps that can pull the trigger and chaps who can't, and you...

CHRIS fires at MARKHAM's right foot.

MARKHAM:
Oh! Oh, you shot my bloody toes off! Ah, ah, you bloody idiot.

CHRIS:
I'm not nervous. I'm just cautious.



ALEX speaks to SHAZ, who's sitting in the passenger seat of the Quattro.

SHAZ:
Hi. Thought I was going to die, ma'am.

ALEX:
Well, you're still here, Shaz. And so am I.

SHAZ:
I saw my life passing in front of my eyes. They say that, don't they? Before you die, you see all the mistakes you've ever made. In that last moment, somewhere between life and death.

ALEX looks thoughtful and walks away.



ALEX's flat. The TV is on showing the BBC1 clock at close down.

TV ANNOUNCER:
Well, thank you for joining us. Hope you'll be with us tomorrow. Good night.

MUSIC: The National Anthem

ALEX is trying to get some response from a Police radio.

ALEX:
It worked for him. Why won't it work for me?

MOLLY's voice over the radio:
Go to sleep.

ALEX drops the radio in shock then picks it up again.

ALEX:
Molly?

Music volume increases. The TV flickers, and the picture changes to the CLOWN

The CLOWN with MOLLY's voice:
You've just been shot. A second ago. You're lying on the wet ground.

ALEX drops to her knees and starts to crawl towards the TV.

The CLOWN with MOLLY's voice:
Don't fight to wake up. It'll hurt too much.

Sounds of creaking metal and dripping water.

ALEX:
Molly?

On the TV the picture is now MOLLY's face behind the burning candles of a birthday cake, then the CLOWN again.

The CLOWN with MOLLY's voice:
You'll never make it to her party.

The picture changes back to the BBC 1 logo and the National Anthem. ALEX continues on her hands and knees towards the TV, sounds of water as she moves in addition to the sounds of creaking metal and dripping water.

ALEX:
Molly... I'm so sorry.

The TV changes again and the CLOWN reappears.

The CLOWN with MOLLY's voice:
All those memories.

The picture changes to a car exploding.

ALEX:
Mummy? Dad?

ALEX moves forward again, more water noises. The TV changes to the BBC 1 logo. ALEX reaches up, her hand dripping with water and strokes the TV screen, crying. The picture changes back to the CLOWN again.

The CLOWN with MOLLY's voice:
But it doesn't have to hurt.

ALEX pushes the channel buttons on the TV in desperation, crying, until finally turning it off frustration. The CLOWN disappears like the white dot in the centre of the screen. ALEX gasps for breath and seizes a dictaphone from the nearby table in determination.

ALEX voiceover:
My name is Alex Drake.

ALEX is speaking into the tape while staring into a mirror.

ALEX:
I've just been shot and that bullet has sent me back to 1981.

Image of MOLLY smiling behind the lit birthday candles.

ALEX:
I may be one second away from life...

MOLLY fades and the CLOWN, looking sad, comes to the foreground. The flames from the candles remain visible.

ALEX:
...or one second away from death. They say that as you die, your life flashes before you. All those memories and mistakes that form us.

FLASHBACK
Microfiche effect.
Gravestone: Here lie Timothy Price (1942-1981) and his wife Caroline (1945-1981) who worked courageously for justice and truth. Loving parents of Alexandra.

ALEX:
Well, bring it on. My life can flash away as much as it likes because I am not going to die.

ALEX switches off the dictaphone.

ALEX:
I'm coming back to you, Molly.

ALEX blows a kiss at her reflection; image of MOLLY jumping to catch it is blurred and reversed.

MUSIC: 'Same Old Scene' Roxy Music.

ALEX turns away.



GENE sits alone in his office, only his lights on and one lamp in CID.

# Nothing lasts forever #

GENE looks at a newspaper cutting on his notice board - Colleague Tribute to DI Sam Tyler - finishes his whisky in one gulp and leaves his office.

# Of that I'm sure
# Now you've made an offer #

ALEX enters Luigi's.

# I'll take some more #

CID are entertaining themselves; RAY chatting up a blonde woman.

# Young loving may be
# Oh, so mean #

ALEX approaches the bar where LUIGI is polishing a glass, looking miserably into the middle distance, and sees CHRIS and SHAZ together in the corner.

# Will I still survive the same old scene? #

LUIGI:
Hey. Buona sera.

# In our lighter moments
# Precious few #

ALEX takes a seat at the bar; GENE appears, pours her a glass of wine, almost to the brim, and then retreats back to his table.

# It's all that heavy weather
# We're going through

ALEX glances sideways, almost right at us.

# When I turn the corner
# I can't believe
# It's still the same old movie #

ALEX turns to look at GENE then pulls the glass towards her and takes a sip, then glances sideways again.

# That's haunting me
# Young loving may be
# Oh, so mean
# Trying to revive
# The same old scene #

Fade to black, credits.

# Young love may be... #