Ashes to Ashes, series three, episode six.
Writer: James Payne
Director: Jamie Payne

xxxx

Alex's flat; once more sleeping on the sofa, the television switching to show nothing but static. The sound of a football bouncing and someone whistling. The television picture changes to a deserted corridor in Fenchurch East police station. A football with the claret and blue colours of West Ham United Football Club rolls out of a side corridor. The whistling is 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' - the club anthem. ALEX picks up the ball. The whistling fades away and the corridor remains deserted.



Reception area of the station, and ALEX comes in to find the place in chaos, phones ringing, officers in riot gear on their way out. VIV is on the telephone, also ready to don riot equipment.

VIV into the phone:
I'm not asking, I'm telling! All leave is cancelled.

VIV hangs up and subsequently picks up another phone. ALEX carries on towards CID.

VIV into the phone:
Why?! Turn on your bloody television!

ALEX enters CID to find everyone looking at the televison, which is carrying a report on a riot at 'HMP Fenchurch'.

REPORTER on TV:
Bricks and ordnance have been raining down for the past three hours. We've seen inmates on the roof and peering out of broken windows just...

GENE:
The monkeys have taken over the zoo.

CHRIS:
Took our roofer a fortnight to clear the same amount of tiles.

ALEX:
That Strangeways? Wasn't '83.

GENE:
How dare you cast aspersions over decent Salford lags. This is Her Majesty's Fenchurch. Feral, Cockney scum rampaging in their own backyard.

JIM KEATS arrives.

JIM KEATS:
Uniform have got their tails up for this one. Spot of convict whacking. Happy days, eh, Gene?

GENE:
Oh, I'm misty-eyed, Jimbo!

JIM KEATS:
Oh, I bet you are. Shame you can't get out there and join 'em.

GENE:
Our concerns are for the whereabouts of a prisoner who legged it during all this bloody chaos.

SHAZ:
How did the riot start?

RAY:
Took jellied eels off the menu. Ten of 'em jumped a patrol at exercise. The guards reacted with the speed of a spastic tortoise, by which time the whole of D wing had been let loose.

ALEX:
D wing doesn't house juveniles, I take it?

GENE:
No. The scum de la scum. You name it, they've raped it, robbed it, killed it.

VIV arrives.

VIV:
Er, Guv, can I have a word?

JIM KEATS:
Oh, Viv! How many, er, units going into the prison?

VIV
Er, six from Fenchurch, sir.

JIM KEATS:
Good luck with that.

VIV:
I really need to have a word with you, Guv. See, there's something... that, um...

GENE:
Come on spit it out, Skip. Only just remember when you're stood there with your bat in hand, think of us poor buggers stuck in this bloody office.

RAY:
If I had my way, every single turd in that prison'd be flushed down the toilet of life, never to re-surface.

VIV:
Look I just...

JIM KEATS cuts him off.

JIM KEATS:
Yeah, what can you do? Anyway, back to your escaped prisoner. Sorry, Viv, missed your chance.

GENE:
You got a description, Chris?

CHRIS:
Yeah, he was, er, white, five foot seven, slim build.

GENE;
Slim? Sounds like a ponce. Right, well, you won't be needing me for this one, eh?

GENE goes back into his office for his coat.

ALEX:
Well, where are you going?

GENE:
Met refresher course, Bolly. It's the noble art of scumbag suppression.

ALEX:
Well, you can't just go walking in there. It's not a free for all, is it? There are rules, regulations.

GENE:
It's next door. I'll be back in five.

CHRIS:
I wouldn't bother, ma'am. Once he's got the taste for blood.

GENE:
Come on then, Skip. See you later, girls.

GENE leaves to join the fray, VIV following, obviously troubled.

MUSIC: 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' by U2

ALEX:
There he goes. Braveheart in Paco Robanne.

JIM KEATS smirks and chuckles.



Outside HMP Fenchurch, and the riot police tumble out of their van, grab riot shields and run the gaunlet of thrown bricks and other debris as they storm the prison. GENE disregards it all and leads the way, unprotected but miraculously missed by all the missiles. VIV raises his visor and calls him.

# I can't believe the news today
# Oh, I can't close my eyes and make it go away
# How long?
# How long must we sing this song? #

VIV:
Guv! Guv! You need to listen!

GENE:
No time for chat, Skip!

A petrol bomb is thrown and the coppers cower. GENE stares back at the prisoners.

# 'Cos today, we can be as one
# Today #

GENE:
It's playtime.



Inside the prison, and the prisoners are on the landing above, throwing all sorts down on the charging police below. GENE spots the ringleader, SACKS.

# Broken bottles under children's feet #

PRISONERS:
Yeah, come on!

# Bodies strewn across the dead-end streets
# But I won't heed the battle call
# It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall
# Sunday... #



Back at CID, CHRIS goes over to SHAZ's desk, where her radio is relaying events at the prison.

Officer over the radio:
...zero, over.

CHRIS:
Lend us your radio, sounds like fun.

SHAZ:
It's not entertainment, Chris.

CHRIS:
No. No, of course not.

Officer over the radio:
...22, moving in. Hunt's leading the charge. Over.

Hunt is indeed leading the charge, punching anyone that's foolish enough to get in his way.

IN CID, ALEX looks anxious.

Officer over the radio:
Moving forward approaching stairs, over.

GENE lands more punches, throwing one inmate down the stairs.

Officer over the radio:
622, we're surrounded! Over.

RAY and CHRIS look worried. In the prison the inmates are fighting back, at least one police officer being dumped over the stair railing.

Officer over the radio:
They're overpowering us, retreat, pull back!

Some of the prisoners are armed with lengths of metal piping, blows from which rain down on the overwhelmed coppers.



Outside the prison, and the police have retreated, licking their wounds.

GENE into the radio:
I need medical assistance. We just walked into a bloody ambush!



Back inside the prison, SACKS addresses his fellow inmates.

SACKS:
Enjoy that, did ya? Feel good, did it? D'you feel free now?



Outside the prison.

GENE:
Where's Viv? Viv?



In the prison, SACKS finds a police radio, and an unconscious policeman.

GENE over the radio:
Viv, are you receiving me, over? Skip, where are ya?!

SACKS:
We've been left a present. Let's have him up.

PRISONER:
Come here.

VIV is manhandled into the middle of a group of prisoners.

SACKS:
Strip him down.



Back with GENE outside the prison.

GENE:
There's a man still in there. Now who was covering for him? Rule number one, you never leave a man behind. I'm going in there!

RIOT POLICEMAN:
You can't do that!

The RIOT POLICEMAN takes his life in his hands by grabbing GENE's shoulder to stop him, and gets an elbow in the ribs for his trouble. Other officers step forward to stop GENE. Between them , seven or eight of them manage it.

Officers:
Guv, Guv.

GENE:
Get off me.

Officers:
Calm down.

GENE:
Get off me! Bastards! Bastards.


Opening titles.

My name is Alex Drake. I was shot and found myself in 1983. Is it real? Or in my mind? Either way, I have to solve the mystery of what all this means and fight to get home. Because time is running out.


CID, and the white board is wheeled out.

ALEX:
OK, this is now a hostage situation. We need to find out everything we possibly can about the prisoners holding Viv.

SHAZ:
These are the D wing files, ma'am.

ALEX:
Thank you, Shaz. Right, let's identify the ring leader.

GENE arrives.

GENE;
His name's Jason Sacks.

RAY:
Bloody hell, Guv, are you all right?

GENE:
Police Constable Michael Stirling disturbed him trying to rob a garage. Sacks cut the tendons in his legs, burnt the place down. He was 23 years old.

ALEX consults the files.

ALEX:
Jason Sacks. Er, 54, electrician. Currently serving 19th year of a life sentence.

ALEX sticks the mugshot on the white board.

GENE:
This tattoo he's got on his face, he had that done just before his trial. It's his tribute to the family. Nice man.

SHAZ:
That's who Viv's in with? Oh, God.

ALEX:
It's all right, Shaz, we're going to get him out.

JIM KEATS:
Perhaps it wasn't a wise call to take charge of the attack?

GENE:
Are you saying this is my fault?

JIM KEATS:
Well, there was an existing unit leader who'd been fully briefed and you deposed him because, what? Fancied a punch-up?

GENE:
Right, we're going to set an incident room up in the prison. Governors have made a warden's office available. We'll split operations between here and there. Viv is one of us. We won't let him down. Not on my watch. Going to get him out of there.

Everyone hurries to do his bidding. ALEX stops to get the West Ham FC football that's sitting on her desk.

GENE;
This is no time for a kick-around, Bolly.

ALEX;
It's Viv's. His beloved West Ham.

ALEX leaves, and JIM KEATS approaches GENE for one of his lovely little chats.

JIM KEATS:
So you're playing the old straight bat now? Might be a bit late for that, mate.

GENE;
I'm not playing, Jim. Not any more.

JIM KEATS leaves, unconcerned, and whistling 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'.



HMP Fenchurch, and the inmates are having fun humiliating VIV. In the incident room, the team are busy setting up. JIM KEATS sits back, relaxed, watching them.

ALEX:
OK, we have this office while the prison wardens try and secure other wings, so we need to establish contact as soon as possible. Did they make any demands when you were in there?

GENE:
No. They were too busy heaving half the prison into our faces.

ALEX:
Um, Shaz? Er, how many functioning lines are going into D wing?

SHAZ:
Three, ma'am. I've been calling, but nothing.

RAY:
Any word on that escaped prisoner?

SHAZ:
I'll put a call in.

GENE:
What about kitchens or laundry? Try them. Maybe there's a prisoner who doesn't want to play.

CHRIS:
CCTV's up and running, Guv. You'll want to see this.

They troop into the next room to see a bank of monitors.

GENE;
Can they hear us?

RAY leans forward and yells into the microphone.

RAY:
Oi, Scrote. You're being watched by Mr DI Ray Carling.

SHAZ leans forward and presses a button to turn the microphone on.

SHAZ:
You might want to do this.

GENE;
Come here. (into the microphone) Listen to me, you shit-stick. This is DCI Gene Hunt and I am now taking charge of D wing at her Majesty's pleasure. You so much as lay a finger on my colleague I swear to God I will come in there and rip your heart out, d'you understand me?

ALEX turns off the microphone.

ALEX:
That kind of talk is just going to agitate and encourage them.

GENE:
I am negotiating!

ALEX;
What, like Hiroshima was negotiated?

In the prison, SACKS steps forward, watched by GENE and Co on the CCTV.

CHRIS:
What's he doing now?

SHAZ:
What's that?

SACKS draws a gun to loud cheers from the inmates.

RAY:
Oh, shit, he's got a gun.

GENE:
Who gave him a gun?!

SACKS holds up the gun to cheers from the other prisoners, then speaks to VIV.

SACKS:
Is one copper enough to be a legend, Viv? What d'you reckon? 'Cos I gotta be a legend. Have to leave something for people to remember you by.

VIV:
Is he out? Did he get away?

SACKS:
I think, hand on heart, people think, 'Yeah, one copper's good, but lucky.' Three coppers? Or even four. That's historic!

SACKS cocks the gun and aims at VIV.

SHAZ:
Oh, God. No.

VIV:
Just tell me. Please?

SACKS:
Change of plan, Viv.

VIV closes his eyes, braced for the shot. SACKS suddenly pulls up the gun and shoots out one of the CCTV cameras. Turns and shoots out another.

GENE:
Right, listen, we need to regroup and get straight back in there now.

ALEX:
No. No, he's show-boating. Just let me talk to him. I can calm things down.

GENE:
You don't talk to vermin like that, Drake. You put 'em down!

ALEX into the microphone:
Jason? My name's Alex Drake.

ALEX over the tannoy:
I'm a police officer and I'm trained in conflict negotiation. This goes at your own speed, in your own time. If there's anything that you'd like to say, this is your forum.

SACKS beckons over one of the inmates to do something.

SACKS:
Lucas.

ALEX into the microphone:
D'you understand?

SACKS takes a piece of cardboard from one of his fellow prisoners.

ALEX over the tannoy.
Thank you for listening, Jason.

ALEX into the microphone:
If there is anything you need, please just let us know.

SACKS gives the thumbs up, then goes over to VIV and hangs the cardboard round his neck. The prisoners laugh; it reads 'One more word and he dies'. ALEX goes to speak into the microphone again but GENE angrily turns it off and pulls her away.

GENE;
You know what, I think he means it.

SACKS:
Do you understand?



Incident room.

JIM KEATS:
I think Gene blames himself for this. Wouldn't be the first time he's been cavalier with an officer's safety.

GENE arrives.

RAY:
Guv, had a tip-off about this escaped prisoner, Paul Thordy.

GENE indicates they should speak outside and GENE, RAY and CHRIS leave.

ALEX:
Who's Paul Thordy?

ALEX follows them into the corridor.

GENE;
Right.

GENE is not happy to see ALEX.

GENE:
Yes? Hello? What?

ALEX:
Who's Paul Thordy?

CHRIS:
Con-man.

CHRIS earns a look from both GENE and RAY.

ALEX:
And you had to come out here to discuss that, did you?

GENE:
You got a location for him?

RAY:
He's been spotted near a B&B in Croydon.

GENE;
Right, go and pull him in.

RAY:
Right, Guv.

RAY and CHRIS troop off.

ALEX:
Well, shouldn't uniform be doing that? We've got a siege here. We've got a stand off, we need all our resources.

MUSIC: 'Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps)' by David Bowie

GENE says nothing - as usual - and walks away. As usual.



Car en route to pick up THORDY.

CHRIS:
Shouldn't we have told her?

RAY:
If she finds out who he is, she'll go nuts.

They pull up near a row of shops. THORDY steps out of one right on cue, which was convenient. Of course it is a convenience store...

RAY:
Here we go.

RAY and CHRIS get out and come up behind THORDY.

RAY:
So you thought you could run away from the old team, did you?

THORDY drops his bag and darts into and through a laundrette, closely followed by RAY. The chase continues through rows and rows of hanging washing at the back of the building, until THORDY runs right into CHRIS and a most effective punch to the jaw, which sends him sprawling.

THORDY:
Urgh.

CHRIS:
Well, when the sheet hits the man.

RAY is impressed.



Prison CCTV room, and VIV can be seen on screen, praying. In the distance JIM KEATS is whistling again. And I've already got that damn tune stuck in my head.

SHAZ:
Something's not right, ma'am. I've been through all Jason Sacks' reports and his behaviour's been excellent. No fights, no solitary.

ALEX:
Maybe he's been biding his time.

The whistling gets louder, and JIM KEATS appears, VIV's West Ham football in hand. Hooray.

JIM KEATS:
I'm forever blowing bubbles.

SHAZ:
What?

JIM KEATS:
West Ham's anthem.

JIM KEATS tosses up the ball, and SHAZ snatches it out of the air.

SHAZ:
That's Viv's ball.

SHAZ leaves with the ball, thus denying us the possibility of JIM KEATS doing some keepie-uppies to impress ALEX. Shame. He nods at VIV on screen.

JIM KEATS:
What's going through his head?

ALEX:
He'll know he can rely on us. His friends.

JIM KEATS:
Like you?

ALEX:
Now isn't the right time for this.

JIM KEATS:
Now is exactly the right time. Look at you. In here, isolated. What's Gene done? What do you know?

ALEX:
He's covered things up.

JIM KEATS:
What things? Tell me.

ALEX hesitates; can't or won't say. JIM KEATS pulls away in frustration, then makes another attempt.

JIM KEATS:
You ever stared at something so long the rest of your vision goes black?

ALEX:
What?

JIM KEATS:
Some nuns see the Virgin Mary move. Is it real? Or a trick of the mind brought on by blind devotion? Stop avoiding the inevitable and tell me. Make it real.

ALEX:
I need evidence. I can't rely...

JIM KEATS points at VIV on the monitor.

JIM KEATS:
This man... This man is relying on us to do the right thing.

ALEX is evidently torn over what to do. GENE arrives with a file to interupt this happy scene.

GENE:
Our escaped prisoner, Paul Thordy, turns out he shared a cell with Jason Sacks. Well, somebody seems to have tried to cover it up.

ALEX:
What, you think his escape and the riots are connected?

GENE:
No, I just spent an age scouring those files for my own mindless entertainment.

RAY over the radio:
Guv, we've got Thordy. Over.

GENE into the radio:
Right, meet you back at base, Ray.

ALEX:
I'll come with you.

GENE:
No, no, you're going to stay here and watch those. And him.

GENE indicates the monitors and JIM KEATS, then leaves.

JIM KEATS:
Head back to the station. Find out what you need, Alex. Now. Before it's too late.

ALEX:
What about Viv?

JIM KEATS:
I'll let you know if anything happens here.



Meanwhile, in the prison, VIV is praying.

VIV:
...as we forgive those who trespass against us...

SACKS:
Get him up, we've got unfinished business.

VIV is pulled to his feet.

SACKS:
Bring him.



CID. It's deserted. ALEX looks round circumspectly and enters Gene's office. She tries the top drawer of his desk but it's locked, so she tries to break in with something from the top of the desk. She doesn't notice RAY and CHRIS arrive.

RAY:
What you doing here?

ALEX:
Where's DCI Hunt?



Evidence room, and GENE is pummelling seven different varieties of excrement out of THORDY when ALEX arrives.

ALEX:
Guv, what are you doing?

THORDY:
Urgh.

ALEX:
Guv, stop!

GENE:
Planned this together, didn't you, Thordy? I know you shared a cell with him. Now I've got a good man in there. What does Sacks want?

THORDY:
I want to float amongst the stars.

Wrong answer and GENE starts in on him again.

THORDY:
Aargh.

GENE:
The only thing you're going to be floating in is your own shit.

THORDY:
Urgh!

ALEX:
Stop him!

RAY:
Guv, he won't give you anything. He's a bullshitter. He always has been.

THORDY ends up on the floor and ALEX goes to help him.

GENE:
You're going to talk, Thordy. You're going to bloody talk!

ALEX:
Chris, get the doctor.

CHRIS goes to do so.

THORDY:
Let me die. Let me go.

ALEX:
It's all right.



Gene's office, and ALEX walks in calmly, but with a soon-to-be-taken option on being extremely angry.

ALEX:
You know three years I've known you. And not once in those three years have I come this close to hating you.

GENE:
Well, you made a bloody good show of it.

ALEX:
What you did to that man in there was akin to torture.

GENE:
Oh, that was just a tickle.

ALEX:
Oh, you've done worse, have you? You know what, don't answer that. Because I know that you have. You are becoming a stranger.

GENE:
Is that right? Well, what are you doing here? Didn't your mother warn you about strangers?

ALEX:
I know things. Things about you. Things about Sam Tyler.

GENE:
Viv is being held hostage in there by some nutter and you keep banging on about Tyler. What are you trying to prove, Bolly? I am not sorry that I beat that bastard up in there, he's a convict! He should be in prison, not on the run. And Viv should be in front of that desk. There is something wrong with the world when he's not! Now there's a hell of a lot at stake tonight, Bolly!

ALEX:
Well, I hope you've got a heart in there.

GENE:
Oh, I've got two. Mine and some toerag's that I ate earlier.

ALEX expresses some scorn for that and turns to leave.

GENE:
You still got that football?

ALEX:
Yeah.

GENE:
I hate West Ham, but tonight we're all Hammers fans, right?



The incident room. RAY and SHAZ are alone dealing with paperwork.

SHAZ:
Ray, I need to talk to you.

RAY:
Now is not the time, Shaz.

SHAZ:
Tell me. I heard Chris teasing you about seeing stars.

RAY:
It were nothing.

SHAZ:
Just say it.

RAY:
Yeah, all right, I saw something. Stars.

ALEX comes in unnoticed and overhears them.

SHAZ:
Stars and blackness? Like space?

RAY:
Yeah. Or like... dots of light, you know? Like just before you blackout. Look, I probably just had one too many at Luigi's. It's no big deal.

SHAZ:
Ma'am?

ALEX:
Is everything all right?

RAY:
Yeah.

CHRIS arrives in the middle of an uncomfortable silence.

CHRIS:
What's going on?

RAY:
Kinnock and Wurzel Gummidge. Who'd win in a break-dancing competition?

CHRIS:
Is Wurzel allowed to put his break-dancing head on?

ALEX:
Guv says you should all get off home, get some rest.



CCTV room. CHRIS and SHAZ pop their heads round the door to say goodnight.

CHRIS:
Night, Ma'am.

SHAZ:
Night.

On the monitor they see VIV lying awkwardly on a mattress with the placard still round his neck.

CHRIS:
Might just make a few more calls.

SHAZ:
I'll just get an update from the prison services, then I'll be off.

MUSIC: 'The Cutter' by Echo and The Bunnymen



Back to the monitors, JIM KEATS is playing cards with... no-one. He looks at them very intently while he's dealing though. Creepy bugger.

# Who's on the seventh floor
# Brewing alternatives
# What's in the bottom drawer
# Waiting for things to give #



In CID, GENE is pacing and smoking. He looks rattled.

# Spare us the cutter
# Spare us the cutter
# Couldn't cut the mustard #



Incident room, and ALEX comes in to find RAY, CHRIS and SHAZ fast asleep at their desks. She puts a blanket over SHAZ and removes CHRIS' still-smoking ciggie from his hand. He immediately starts sucking his thumb, the twonk. ALEX leaves them to it.

# Conquering myself until
# I see another hurdle approaching
# Say we can, say we will
# Not just another drop in the ocean
# Come to the free for all
# We will escape our lives
# Spare us the cutter
# Spare us the cutter
# Couldn't cut the... #



ALEX comes round the corner into a deserted corridor of the police station. She can hear muffled and echoing noises of the early confrontation over THORDY, the noise of Gene bouncing him off the metal lockers, and whistling.

ALEX muffled:
Guv, what are you doing? Guv, stop!

ALEX peers into the evidence room; it's dark and empty. The whistling continues. ALEX looks round at the evidence of the beating and picks up a tooth from the top of one filing cabinet. Suddenly the GHOSTLY COPPER appears barely three feet away from her and there's the noise of crows. As usual, his dialogue isn't up to much.

ALEX;
What? What are you trying to tell me? I don't want to be here any more. Please just show me... Just... show me what I'm supposed to do!

No response. ALEX looks at the tooth in her hand, seems to have an idea and looks back towards him. But he's gone.



The cells, and ALEX arrives just as JIM KEATS shuts up the hatch on THORDY's cell door.

JIM KEATS:
Just thought I had to check. Didn't want him getting any more 'energetic' visits from the police.

ALEX:
No. I, er, just wanted to spend a bit of time with him. Is that all right?

JIM KEATS:
Be my guest.

JIM KEATS hesitates a little but eventually leaves, and ALEX slides open the hatch. THORDY immediately pops into view, very aggitated.

THORDY:
I knew you'd come. You've got to help me.

ALEX;
No, no, you've got to help me. Our friend is in danger. Is there anything you can tell me that could help?

THORDY:
Yes.

ALEX:
Well, tell me!

THORDY laughs, just a little too manically for my liking.

ALEX:
It's not funny.

THORDY:
It's hard not to laugh when you know the truth. None of this is real. Sacks isn't relevant. The riot isn't relevant. It's only us that matters, Alex.

ALEX:
Who are you?

THORDY:
My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident and I woke up in 1973.

ALEX;
No. No!

THORDY:
Am I mad, in a coma, or back in...?

ALEX slams the hatch shut.



Prison exercise yard. SACKS approaches VIV, who's lying on a bench.

SACKS:
Wake up, Sergeant. Today's the day I become immortal. And the day you die.

SACKS pulls VIV off the bench and into the middle of the yard.



ALEX has fallen asleep at her desk. You want to sleep on the job, join the fire brigade. Happy days... But I digress. Poor woman's dreaming again; a confused mix of memories, images and noises.

GENE muffled voice:
You're going to talk, Thordy. You're going to talk, Thordy.

An image of RAY, CHRIS and SHAZ sitting round a table in a field, playing 'Pass The Parcel'. GENE beating seven bells out of THORDY.

JIM KEATS echoing voice:
Find out what you need, Alex.

More 'Pass The Parcel'. VIV held by the prisoners.

JIM KEATS echoing voice:
Before it's too late.

ALEX talking to the GHOSTLY COPPER in the evidence room.

ALEX echoing voice:
What are you trying to tell me?

SHAZ tears off one layer of paper in 'Pass the Parcel'. THORDY in the cell.

THORDY:
My name is Sam Tyler.

KEATS standing over ALEX at her desk. CHRIS opens the parcel to reveal a snall tin box, which he opens. Shadow looking down; it's SHAZ.

SHAZ:
Ma'am.

A confusion of voices.

SHAZ:
Ma'am. Ma'am!

ALEX wakes up with a start.

ALEX:
Oh, shit!

SHAZ:
Sorry, I'm putting the kettle on.

ALEX leaves without a word. Getting more and more like GENE every day...



The cells, and ALEX has come to speak to THORDY again. This time she goes in, file in hand.

THORDY:
D'you get the dizzy spells a lot? They happened more and more to me too, as I got closer. What about the visions? Do they disturb you? I am Sam Tyler, Alex.

ALEX;
So you've had a face transplant, have you? Well, you'll know that you can do that in the future.

THORDY:
All things are possible.

ALEX;
Bullshit. You are a fantasist.

ALEX opens a file and starts to read.

ALEX:
'Delusions. Borderline personality disorder. Schizophrenic episodes.' It's all here in your file. And of course you're a con-man, aren't you, by trade.

THORDY:
Talk about chuck the kitchen sink in, eh? I mean, doesn't that strike you as Gene Hunt fit-up overkill? I don't think he wants you to believe me.

The sound of GENE's footsteps approaching and THORDY looks worried. GENE arrives.

GENE;
You talking about me, Thordy? Thought I felt my ears burning. (to ALEX) There's been a development. I'm addressing the troops.

GENE leaves and ALEX goes to follow, but THORDY grabs her arm.

THORDY:
D'you want to get out of here? I know the answer! I know, Alex!

ALEX shrugs him off and leaves, THORDY yelling through the door.

THORDY:
I know the answers, Alex!



CID.

GENE:
I had a call earlier from the evening paper. Sacks wants to talk to the press.

ALEX waylays RAY as he walks past.

ALEX:
Hey. Paul Thordy was Sam's last arrest.

RAY:
What?

CHRIS:
Any word on Viv, Guv?

JIM KEATS:
He's been moved. We can no longer see him on CCTV.

Oh good, Jim-lad's here again. ALEX, meanwhile, follows RAY over to his desk to pursue the matter of Sam Tyler.

GENE:
Please, feel free to butt in, Jim.

ALEX:
A week before the accident, he was Sam's last collar. Why did nobody tell me this?

GENE:
DI Drake? Anything else you want to share with the class?

ALEX:
Requesting the press represents their desire to legitimise their actions. It's the, er, Hangover Syndrome.

GENE;
Answer, 'Yes, it bloody is'. 'Course they're going to get the press. But I'm going to go in there amongst them.

JIM KEATS:
Well, don't be ridiculous, they've seen you.

RAY:
They've not seen me. Or Chris.

CHRIS:
Ah, they might've clocked me. A while back.

JIM KEATS:
An undercover operation is risky.

ALEX:
And it's not a risk that we should take at the moment.

GENE;
Bollocks, they're going for the sympathy vote. It's like the bloody Paddies in the Maze.

SHAZ:
The place is chocka. It was built to hold 500. There's nearly 2,000 in there.

ALEX;
Four to a cell, 23 hour lock-ups. Bucket for a toilet.

GENE:
Boo-hoo. If you don't like prison, don't go around beating up old men nicking their war medals!

ALEX:
If somebody is angry, mocking them doesn't help.

GENE:
D'you know I've got more important things to do than argue with you.

GENE starts to leave, RAY and CHRIS hurrying to folow.

JIM KEATS:
Er, excuse me, I haven't finished.

GENE:
Really? Well, I have.

JIM KEATS:
We've updates from prison services. If anyone else isn't interested in hearing them, feel free to accompany your DCI.

GENE's gone, but RAY and CHRIS pause.



Front desk, and ALEX is passing by when an alarm goes off.

ALEX:
That's a cells alarm.

Jimbo is there too, and hurries after her.



The cells, and two uniform are dragging THORDY from the cell, removing the plastic bag over his head, as ALEX and JIM KEATS arrive.

ALEX:
Sit him up, sit him up. Head between your legs. Come on. What happened?

GENE:
Jesus wanted him for a sunbeam.

GENE emerges from the cell. That doesn't look good.

ALEX:
What are you doing here?

GENE:
I work here.

JIM KEATS:
No, here, now. In his cell?

GENE:
I was helping him.

ALEX:
(to uniforms) Er, once he's been seen, get him up to interview room three, please. I need to talk to him.

GENE:
You're coming back to the prison with the rest of us, Bolly.

ALEX:
He was Sack's cellmate. He might have some information.

GENE:
I know you're still obsessed, but that man is not Sam Tyler.

ALEX starts to hurry after the uniforms helping THORDY along the corridor, ignoring GENE.

GENE:
He's a confidence trickster. You don't listen to him, you don't talk to him. Viv is our focus. Our colleague. D'you hear me, Bolly?!

JIM KEATS:
The good ship Fenchurch is listing, Gene. That crack in the hull is only gonna get wider. What now?

GENE:
Now? I'm going to show you something.



Gene's office, and he throws down a lever arch file clearly labeled 'HMP Fenchurch, Visitor Log Book'.

JIM KEATS:
What's this, your memoirs?

GENE:
It's a list of visitors to the prison over the past year.

JIM KEATS:
Good solid police work. Have a sticker.

GENE:
Your name's in there. You chaired a number of meetings between prisoners' reps and the authorities.

JIM KEATS:
I sat in on some sessions.

GENE:
Make any friends?

JIM KEATS:
No, I can't say I did. My reputation precedes me.

GENE;
Come on, Jim.

JIM KEATS:
They wanted an independent point of view. I was happy to make myself available. This isn't helping the situation.

GENE:
But negotiations broke down after a week.

JIM KEATS:
You're suggesting I had something to do with this?

GENE:
You had background information that you chose not to tell me.

JIM KEATS:
D'you want me to take over? Oh, look at you. Lost at sea.

GENE:
Well, either I'm sinking on this leaky ship or I'm floating above the ocean. Make up your bloody mind!

JIM KEATS:
Oh, I think I'll go for the drowning analogy. Flailing at the passing flotsam, any paranoid notion, just to give yourself a few more moments.

GENE:
I've got a man stuck inside there.

JIM KEATS:
Let yourself go under, Hunt.

GENE:
The thing you gotta know about me, Jimbo... I float.



Interview room.

ALEX:
Yesterday you said you had information that could help save our colleague. Was that true, Paul?

THORDY:
I'm not Paul. I'm Sam.

ALEX:
You cannot be Sam Tyler. Sam Tyler arrested you.

THORDY:
They let Thordy off and put me in his place.

ALEX:
Why?

THORDY:
Because I discovered the truth. I'm rotting away for someone else's crime.

ALEX;
Well, it's not the first time I've heard a convict say that.

THORDY:
You have my tooth. False. They all are. Rules out dental record identification. And see these? Obliterated fingerprints. Crude, but effective. I'm unidentifiable. There's nothing to prove I'm Paul Thordy.

ALEX:
D'you have any information about the riots? Yes or no?

THORDY:
I know everything.

ALEX:
Right, well let's start with the motive, shall we? Think back...

THORDY:
My thoughts don't go back. They go forward to 2005, the year I died.

ALEX:
Really? Right. Well, can you tell me East 17's Christmas number one in 1994?

THORDY:
I know the secret, and you're playing parlour games? I'd hoped you'd be better than that.

ALEX:
I'll make it easy for you. A, 'Gangsta's Paradise', B, 'Stay Another Day', or C, 'Ooh Ah Just a Little Bit'? A, B or C? No. Well, there we are, that blows your little game out of the water, then.

THORDY:
Don't mock me. You forget, Alex. That's what happens to you here, you forget.



Incident room at the prison. GENE comes in with a box.

GENE:
Ray, Chris. Right, listen up. I propose we bury you in amongst the journalists. Have a listen, take pictures, judge the mood. You in?

GENE offers RAY a camera, which he takes.

RAY:
I'm in.

CHRIS:
I'm in.

GENE hands him tape recorder, notebook and pencil.

GENE:
There you go. Right, let's get you changed. Come on.



Back in the interview room.

ALEX:
You shared a cell with Sacks for eight months. How did he seem to you during that time?

THORDY:
If you let me out, I'll show it to you. I'll share the secret.

ALEX:
Did he ever discuss any plans to cause a disturbance?

THORDY:
Why aren't you listening to me?

ALEX:
Did he have any visitors? Any special relationships with any of the guards?

THORDY:
Don't you want to know the secret? I'll tell you.

ALEX:
Well, you tell me and I will let you out of here.

THORDY:
I can't.

ALEX:
Why?

THORDY:
Because when you know, everything you thought you knew will evaporate in a heartbeat. I found the answer, Alex, and I was taken out of the game.

ALEX:
We have an officer in that prison!

THORDY:
He's not real! Let him die!



Back at the prison, newly disguised as journalists, RAY and CHRIS make their way along the corridor, escorted by GENE.



ALEX:
You give me something on Sacks, prove you are not one big bullshitter, and I swear I will help you.

THORDY:
OK. The hostage is not a hostage.

ALEX:
What?

THORDY:
Your man, Viv, he's in on it. He brought the gun in.

ALEX:
That is a lie.

THORDY:
He has a cousin in C wing. Viv adores his cousin. Carl He tried to hang himself, twice, see? Carl told Sacks he could get him what he wanted if he helped him out.

ALEX:
Helped him out?

THORDY:
Sacks promised to get one of his lifer mates to put his hands up to Carl's crime if Uncle Viv brought in a gun. The riot isn't political. It's a cover.

ALEX:
For what?

THORDY:
All I'll say is, do not let any more of your men go in there. A very bad thing will happen.



The prison, and the journalists are going in.



Back in CID, ALEX checks the Armoury Log Book before calling the prison. The line's engaged. ALEX runs to the prison, but RAY and CHRIS are already committed. SACKS sorts out where each journalist should go.

SACKS:
You, over there.

ALEX keeps running, but she's too late. SACKS stops RAY and CHRIS.

SACKS:
You and you.

He gestures to the next journalist. RAY and CHRIS look guilty as hell.

SACKS:
Over there.



ALEX bursts into the incident room.

ALEX:
It's not a protest. It's a set up!

GENE:
What are you talking about now?

ALEX:
Viv, he's in on it. It's bait.

SHAZ:
What? Guv!

ALEX:
Where are Chris and Ray?



Back inside.

SACKS:
What's your name?

RAY:
Ray Dunstable, chief photographer.

CHRIS:
Chris Sawyer, Evening Echo.

SACKS:
Sure you're not old bill?

RAY:
No.

SACKS:
'Cos I got a distinct whiff of pig shit when you walked in here.

RAY:
Look, I hate the police.

SACKS:
You would say that.

RAY:
Well, they always stop you getting a good story. Keeping you back, you know?

SACKS get up very close and personal to RAY and has a good sniff.

SACKS:
Old Spice. Fags. And loneliness. I suppose you could be a journalist. Over there.

SACKS repeats the exercise with CHRIS.

SACKS:
Talc. Fear. And spunk? You and your bum-chum have some fun on the way here, did you?

CHRIS:
No.

SACKS:
What's that smell then?

CHRIS:
Could be brie. I had a ploughman's before we came in.

SACKS chuckles.

SACKS:
Over there. Check him out, Lucas.



Incident room.

GENE:
No, Viv is not a wrong 'un. I won't have it.

ALEX:
He didn't want to go in. He wanted to talk to you. Maybe he was going to confess?

GENE;
This is all on the say so of Thordy. I told you, Bolly, not to listen to the lying bastard!

ALEX:
How does he know so much about us? Why's he pretending to be Sam Tyler? I don't get it.

GENE:
Just leave it!

ALEX:
But I want to know!

JIM KEATS:
You two have serious communication issues.

GENE:
Would you give me a minute with my inspector please, Jimbo?

JIM KEATS:
Certainly.

Looking nauseatingly pleased with himself, JIM KEATS leaves, taking Viv's football with him; bouncing it and whistling 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'.

GENE:
Thordy is playing games with us, Bolly. He's trying to get inside our heads. They kill coppers because it gives them kudos. We need to get this into perspective, Bolly. Viv is one of us. He's down the line.

ALEX gets out a piece of paper and hands it to him.

GENE:
What's that?

ALEX:
Viv conducted an audit yesterday. One gun was signed out in the name of Chris Skelton. That is not Chris' signature.



Inside the prison, the journalists are filing into a cell to look.

SACKS:
The other lads have demands. I don't. I just have a job of work. D'you know what that job is? Seeing as many coppers die as possible. Now, I know there's pigs amongst you. They not going to send you lot in here without one or two spies. All I got to do... is work out who. D'you know what I've got in here? I've got me a pig detecting machine. (to RAY and CHRIS) Go on, have a look. Knock yourself out.

They shuffle into the cell to see a beaten and bloodied VIV shivering in the corner. RAY snaps.

RAY:
Bastard!

RAY launches himself at SACKS, CHRIS behind him, the other inmates piling in. Outside the prison, a tape recorder and tape are dropped to the ground.



The incident room and ALEX puts the tape in the recorder and plays it.

SACKS on the tape:
You lot have taken the piss one too many times and now we're fighting back. We have three of your men. Say your names.

RAY on the tape:
DI Ray Carling.

CHRIS on the tape:
DC Chris Skelton.

VIV on the tape:
Sergeant Viv James.

SACKS on the tape:
You sent these men in to attack us and to con us. So let the record show that whatever happens from now on it's in your hands, Fenchurch.

GENE is sitting down looking defeated. JIM KEATS come in.

SACKS on the tape:
Our demands are as follows. Number one, immunity from prosecution for all inmates involved in the protest. Number two, an assurance of no reprisals from screws when this is over.

JIM KEATS:
I, um, I need to step in now, Gene.

ALEX stops the tape. An army officer arrives.

JIM KEATS:
This is Commander Grey, Special Forces. We've had authorisation from the Home Office to prepare a raid. We'll need your desk. You don't mind, do you?

SHAZ:
You sent them in there. That bastard's right. It's on your hands.

GENE starts to leave.

JIM KEATS:
Oh, DCI Hunt? D'you have a... an acceptable level of collateral damage? We can't guarantee everybody's safety.

GENE:
Not a hair on their heads.



In the prison exercise yard, RAY, CHRIS and VIV are sitting on the ground, surrounded by the inmates. Many of the latter are doing something with electric cables.

RAY:
Shall we have another go at them?

CHRIS:
No. Let's just wait. The Guv'll be working on something.

RAY:
What if he can't get to us? We can't just wait here to be offed. His gun's just there in his pocket. If you distract him...

CHRIS:
I know that gun. Look, the chip in the handle. That's the gun I always sign out! How's he got my bloody gun?

SACKS:
Oh dear, Viv. Looks like the secret's out. My mucker Viv brought it in for me during the raid. Only I decided not to hold up my end of the bargain. Never trust a villain, Viv.

VIV:
What about Carl?

SACKS:
Still in C wing. Once we're finished here, I'm going to smash my way in there and tell him all about it.

SACKS walks away. RAY and CHRIS look at VIV in disbelief. They're not the only ones.

VIV:
Sacks said he'd get him out. He would have never made it to trial. I had his mum on the phone for hours, all night. It was breaking her heart. And he was a good kid. Cracking little footballer. West Ham were interested... until he got nicked.

RAY:
I can't believe this.

CHRIS:
Not you, Skip. Not you.

VIV:
Why not me?! Uncle Viv. I made everything right from the day he was born. And if not me, then who? Say something.

RAY:
We put our lives on the line for you. Well, d'you know what? I hope he shoots you first.

CHRIS:
Ray!

RAY:
I mean it. You're dead to me. You're a disgrace to the uniform.

VIV:
Ray.

RAY:
Go to hell.



CID; ALEX comes in to find GENE in his office. He slams the drawer of his desk shut when he sees her.

ALEX:
Are you just going to let Keats get on with it, Guv?

GENE:
No. I can get more done without him, Bolls.

GENE comes out of his office, closing the door behind him.

GENE:
Jim's playing soldiers. As far as I'm concerned let him. We got a case to crack. Sacks is issuing political demands on behalf of his brethren. So, tell me, as a boffin of the noggin, is that what psychos do?

ALEX:
No. Altruistic traits are anathema to sociopaths.

GENE:
Blimey, try saying that with a mouthful of Bakewell. So his aim's still the same, to kill as many of my men as possible.

ALEX:
And become a legend. Yes.

GENE:
Y'know something else is going on here. Thordy's not telling us the whole story. Think we need to have a little word.

GENE sets off, but is halted by ALEX.

ALEX:
Guv.

GENE:
What?

ALEX:
You know, it has to be played right with Thordy. You need to do as I tell you.

GENE:
Is that an order? Anybody would think you didn't trust me, Drake.



Prison exercise yard, and under SACKS' direction the inmates are rigging up the wire mesh to the mains electricity.

SACKS:
I want the whole cage rigged, all the way round, all right?

Prisoners playfully prod VIV with batons as they put him, RAY and CHRIS standing in a circle. It's not looking good.

PRISONER:
Stay there.

CHRIS:
Ray? If I don't make it out of here... can you give Shaz a message? Can you tell her... Can you tell her I love her?

RAY:
You've been a good pal to me. I don't know how to say this without sounding like a twat.

CHRIS:
Go on.

RAY:
If you don't get out of here... can I have your mug? 'Cos mine's knackered.



Interview room.

THORDY:
You asked me for something. I gave it to you. Now you're back asking for more. What do I get?

ALEX:
What do you want?

THORDY:
Let me walk out.

ALEX:
I can't do that. I'll be arrested.

THORDY:
You're not letting yourself fly.

ALEX:
When Sacks was hurting you, did you float amongst the stars?

THORDY:
I looked at the walls and I saw them separating, fracturing, moving away like a jigsaw.

ALEX:
They're coping techniques.

THORDY:
I'm Sam Tyler!



In the exercise yard, VIV suddenly elbows his tormentor in the ribs and makes a dash for SACKS and the gun.

PRISONER:
Urgh.

OTHER PRISONER:
Sacks!

SACKS elbows VIV in the stomach and he falls to the floor. SACKS aims his gun and shoots VIV in the leg.

VIV:
Aaargh!

RAY:
Skip!

RAY tries to help, hampered by his bound wrists. He's hauled away. VIV yells in agony.

PRISONER:
Come here!

SACKS:
Look at him. He still loves him.

RAY:
He's going to bleed to death if you don't get him any help!



Interview room. GENE looks in through the glass before entering.

THORDY:
I know! Don't worry about your friends. It will all evaporate, if you let me free.

GENE:
What about me, Thordy? Doubt I evaporate that easily.

THORDY:
Gene! Here we are. Look at this. The Three Musketeers. Gene, Alex and Sam. Who's got a camera?

ALEX:
Guv, what did I say to you..?

GENE grabs THORDY in an arm lock to gain his attention.

GENE:
You'd better start telling us the whole story.

THORDY:
Kill me. I want to die.

GENE:
Do ya? Or d'you just want to be somebody for five seconds? You're a fake and I'm growing tired of this act. Now you've been tugging on my mighty manhood for too long, Thordy. You start talking or I swear to God I will snap your neck.

THORDY:
Your men are going to die, Gene, but Sacks'll still walk free in a few years.

GENE:
How is that possible?

THORDY:
He won't be carrying out their executions.

GENE;
Who will?

THORDY:
The good guys. It's all very clever.



Back at the prison, the last cables are attached and the switches thrown. RAY and CHRIS are wired up to the fencing, ready to be barbequed.

SACKS:
All set.

PRISONER:
Yeah.



Interview room, and GENE smashes THORDY's head against the table.

THORDY:
Urgh!

GENE:
You tell me!

ALEX:
Get off him.

GENE:
I am just trying to get my men out of there! I never said I was perfect!

ALEX:
No, you are far from perfect. You are rotten! It's true that those closest to the rot are last to smell the stench.

GENE:
Oh, I'm not the one making the stench. I bathe in Matey. The stench is coming from this little toerag here!

With a parting gift of head meeting table, GENE leaves.

ALEX:
You swear to me you're who you say you are.

THORDY:
I swear.

ALEX:
And if I let you go, all the answers will become apparent?

THORDY:
The answers. Yes.



Prison exercise yard and SACKS checks CHRIS is nice and secure.

SACKS:
Capital punishment returns to our shores. And it will be your own men throwing the switch that fries ya!



ALEX escorts THORDY to the front desk.

ALEX:
Paul Thordy's possessions, please.

DESK CONSTABLE:
Ma'am.

ALEX:
Right, there's a blue Dolomite outside. There should be enough money in it to get you out of here. OK.

THORDY:
Right.

ALEX:
You have to sign there.

ALEX picks up THORDY's bag of belongings.

ALEX:
What is it? What's the answer?

THORDY:
It's... There's a tin box. The answer's in there. Good luck, Alex.

THORDY leaves in a hurry while ALEX dives into the bag and brings out a small tin box. Opening it, she finds a floor plan inside.



Back in the prison, unbelievably the prisoners are still fiddling with the bacon cripser (Pigs, y'see. Gettit?)

SACKS:
We all done?

SACKS surveys the struggling RAY and CHRIS with satisfaction.

SACKS:
Sights I've always dreamt of seeing.



Looking in the rearview mirror of his Triumph Dolomite, THORDY is alarmed to see a bright red Quattro on his tail. GENE overtakes and blocks his path away from the station. Uniformed officers dash out and seized THORDY from the car.

UNIFORM:
Out!

GENE:
D'you really think DI Drake would fall for your old fanny? You see the thing is, Thordy, good coppers stick together. You should know that by now.

ALEX runs out from the station.

ALEX:
Guv! The prison, now.

THORDY:
You can't trust him, Alex.

They get in the Quattro and drive off.

ALEX:
Sacks has electrified the place. He knows it's going to be stormed. He's set up trip wires. If anybody goes in, Chris, Ray and Viv will be electrocuted. Thordy was right. The good guys are going to kill them.



A race against time as RAY and CHRIS struggle in their bonds, jeered by the prisoners; the Quattro speeds to the prison; and police and special forces form up to storm the place.

SACKS:
Sounds like the execution squad.

The Quattro pulls up at the prison, JIM KEATS with baton in hand, ready to lead the riot police.

ALEX:
Jim, don't go in!

RIOT OFFICER:
Ready to go, sir.

JIM KEATS turns to go with them, ignoring ALEX. GENE picks up a half-brick and he and ALEX run in the opposite direction. Special forces get ready; JIM KEATS and the riot police march towards the prison; GENE and ALEX run into a passageway somewhere.

SACKS:
The cavalry's coming, boys.

The prisoners cheer, ready for the fray. JIM and Co advance. Special forces take up position. GENE and ALEX keep legging it down this long and rather circular passageway.

SACKS:
Let's go and get ready for 'em! Come on!

The special forces leader counts down with his hand. Three. Two. One. GENE and ALEX reach the main fuse box and he opens the door. Special forces guy indicates 'Go'. GENE stands back and heaves the brick into the fuse box. There's a genteel little explosion and all the lights go out. In the CCTV room SHAZ prods at switches as she loses all the monitors. An alarm goes off, complete with flashing red light. A smoke or gas canister is rolled into the exercise yard and battle commences. Rather unexpectedly in the circumstances, GENE pursues a policy of 'Ladies first' and follows ALEX as she lands a punch and makes her way to RAY and CHRIS to release them.

GENE:
Where's Viv?

CHRIS:
Sacks took him.

GENE goes.

CHRIS:
Sorry, Ma'am.

ALEX:
It's all right, Chris.



GENE hurries into the prison, yelling into the radio as he goes.

GENE into the radio:
Viv! Where are you, Skip?

Battle continues in the yard.

GENE into the radio:
Skip, is that you?

VIV over the radio:
Don't tell her.

VIV's lying on the floor in the cell block, unmoving and sounding very weak.

VIV:
Don't tell her. Don't tell my mum.

GENE:
Don't tell her what?

VIV:
Don't tell her that I was scared.

GENE:
You're not scared, Viv. You're a brave man.

VIV:
Don't tell Mum... that I was scared.

GENE:
You've got the heart of a lion. D'you hear me?

There's a gunshot and SACKS comes running out of a cell and up the stairs. GENE aims and fires, hitting SACKS in the chest.

SACKS:
Aah!

SACKS collapses on the stairs, but stil growls at GENE as he approaches.

GENE:
Where is he?

SACKS:
My place has been assured. I am a legend. Immortal. Immortal.

Nutter. GENE doesn't hang around but leaves to search for Viv.



A whistling JIM KEATS finds VIV, who's whimpering. JIM KEATS unhurriedly walks towards him, still whistling 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'. He looks down on the choking VIV, singing softly.

JIM KEATS:
# And like my dreams they fade and die... #

VIV gurgles horribly and gasps for breath, evidently terrified. JIM KEATS drops his baton, and removes his gloves.

JIM KEATS:
Sshh. Sshh. Sshh.

JIM KEATS crouches down and holds VIV's head. VIV shakes and seems to struggle, then goes limp. GENE arrives as VIV takes one last gasp.

GENE:
Viv! Viv.

JIM KEATS:
I just got here. I think he's gone.

GENE:
I'll take him.

GENE kneels by VIV and tries to prise JIM KEATS' hands away from him, but Jim's not letting go.

JIM KEATS:
It's too late, Gene.

GENE violently rips JIM KEATS' hands away.

GENE:
I'll take him!

GENE cradles VIV's head.

GENE:
Come on, Skip, stay with me.

JIM KEATS:
What are you trying to achieve?

GENE:
Shut it!

ALEX, RAY and CHRIS arrive.

GENE:
Viv!

JIM KEATS stands up; GENE looks up his team.

GENE:
He was defending this wing. Alone. To the death. So we put aside past mistakes, you understand? He's a hero.

RAY goes to VIV, ALEX following, but she's stopped by JIM KEATS.

JIM KEATS:
How many more must die before you put the truth out, Alex?

She shrugs him off and he walks away, leaving them all knelt around their fallen Skipper.



A deserted CID. ALEX goes to her desk to find VIV's helmet sitting on it. She sits down, trying to hold back the tears. The sound of crows, and GHOSTLY COPPER is standing in CID, head bent, possibly in sorrow. He raises his head to look at her.

ALEX:
How do I help you? Please.

Silently the GHOSTLY COPPER turns to look into Gene's office. ALEX goes in and tries the previously locked desk drawer to discover it unlocked. She pulls out a tin box, last seen in the dream game of 'Pass The Parcel'. She opens it to find a roll of 35mm film and a a black and white photograph of a young police constable. Number M6620. It's GHOSTLY COPPER.


Black screen. End credits.


MUSIC: 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' by The Cockney Rejects

# West Ham!
#I'm forever blowing bubbles
# Pretty bubbles in the air
# They fly so high
# They nearly reach the sky
# And just like my dreams
# They fade and die
# Fortune's... #