Page Eight Page #7

but it turned out he was wrong.

- On the contrary.

- Yes.

- We're busier than ever.

- And larger.

That's the problem, isn't it?

There's so much intelligence.

Ceaseless intelligence,

and there's barely time to consider it.

The difficult thing

being to decide what's important.

- That's right.

- And what's not.

Basic point.

There are times when the interests of

the government and the interests

of the country are coincident.

You can't put a cigarette

paper between them.

Do you agree?

- Do you agree?

- I don't disagree.

So, I need to be clear.

I'm contemplating reorganisation.

Had you heard that?

As a matter of fact, I had.

Oh, really. Who from?

Yes.

A department of Homeland Security.

It'd be a popular move

after the failures of the last 10 years.

Let's have a Royal Commission

to give us cover,

then let's reconfigure

the services entirely.

Why not?

I hardly need say

for everyone already in place

it could mean huge advancement.

Johnny?

Huge opportunity.

Or its opposite.

Right. You understand me.

There's one other thing

I'd like to discuss.

Before he died, Benedict gave you a file?

My own view is

that file should not have been distributed.

And for that reason, I'd like it returned.

Well?

I don't know what to say.

I don't carry secret files about my person,

so I don't have it with me.

After all, I came here tonight

for social reasons.

I find that very hard to believe.

You don't strike me as an overly

sentimental kind of person.

Didn't you come here

because you wanted to talk to me?

JOHNNY:
I think we both know we have a

question to answer, Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER:
And what question is that?

JOHNNY:
Why do you imagine

Benedict gave me the file?

- You tell me.

- Why did he show it around?

Why did he do that?

I've no idea.

- He showed it to the home secretary.

- Indeed.

What's your view, given the

sensitivity of the subject matter?

My guess is Benedict knew he was ill.

Sorry, he'd already had a heart attack?

- But also his arm was dragging.

- His arm?

I noticed at a meeting

with the home secretary.

It's a familiar sign.

He couldn't pick up his papers.

- What meeting was that?

- I think Benedict knew he was dying.

He handed out the file

because he wanted certain issues discussed.

He wanted everything out in the open.

And so, whatever else,

we must respect his wishes.

He was my friend.

So for me it's a matter of honour.

Honour?

Do you know the famous saying

about the yellow box?

I've not heard it, no.

"Do not enter the yellow box

unless your exit is clear."

I wonder where you think your exit is?

JOHNNY:
I don't have an exit,

so I don't have a strategy.

I'm not thinking that far ahead.

I'm very conscious, Prime Minister,

that I've been forced into an area

closer to politics than it is to security.

What I was saying earlier.

In times of national emergency,

the two are the same.

Nothing is more dangerous

than when people make mischief

by trying to separate them out.

But surely that's something

you're going to have to take up

with your home secretary.

Yes. I'm working on that.

Right now, I'm working on you.

All right. If the file is correct,

it suggests that you had intelligence

which you failed to share.

You knew the names

of potential British terrorists,

but you failed to pass them on

because you didn't want to reveal

where you'd got them.

You risked lives.

And you knowingly misled Parliament

about illegal practices.

Let's look at the facts.

The man who compiled that file is dead.

And with him died the knowledge

of who his source was.

I don't know the source. Do you?

You know as well as I do,

without a source your file is worthless.

The allegations can't be corroborated.

Therefore, the allegations

can't be correct.

Is that what you're telling me, sir?

It's false?

The allegations are false?

What time is it?

Just gone 2:
00.

All other copies of the file

have been returned.

I want yours back within 12 hours.

2:
00 tomorrow, shall we say?

You've been a loyal servant

to this country for many years.

I'm not expecting you to throw it all away.

No. Nor am l.

It's late. Can we get you a room?

No, thank you. I'm staying at a friend's.

Goodnight, sir.

Goodnight, Max. Goodnight, Ted.

(DOOR OPENING)

- How did it go?

- I want Special Branch.

(CAR LOCK BEEPS)

(PANTING)

- All right?

- Yes, but I'm freezing.

Where are we going?

I love it.

- Is this what you do for a living?

- Occasionally.

Wow!

Wow!

I had a feeling that if I asked a favour,

you were the sort of person

who'd come through.

You trust me.

Why on earth would you trust me?

Because that's the job. Deciding who to trust.

That's what the job is.

Also, you told your father

that I work for the Home Office.

- I lied.

- Yeah.

You trust me because I lied.

(LAUGHS)

Hmm.

Well, what were you doing in Cambridge?

Why, seeing the prime minister, of course.

- Anyone behind us?

- No.

- Are we going back to London?

- No.

- Two rooms, please.

- One room, two beds, please.

Don't we need to talk?

(DOOR OPENS)

I don't want to spoil the evening,

but I have a question.

- The first time we met, the young man...

- Ralph.

Tell me, how did you know him?

- He came to the meetings.

- For the campaign?

He just turned up out of the blue?

Said he was keen to help.

Did he?

- What's this about?

- I got you something.

Something to thank you

for coming to fetch me.

What is it?

It's the truth about your brother's death.

I got hold of the Shabak report.

How on earth did you do that?

It's powerful stuff.

You were right. Jake was killed in cold blood.

There was a cover-up.

You have a cast-iron case for manslaughter.

You might get murder.

It's all in there.

Have you read it?

The problem is going to be with using it.

Why shouldn't I use it?

Because everyone will

know where you got it.

How would they know?

You're not cut out for this line of work,

are you?

Tell me what you mean.

I mean you live opposite me.

We share a landing.

I see.

(INHALES SHARPLY)

JOHNNY:
Do you want a drink?

Um...

- Am I driving?

- Not with me, you're not.

Brandy.

(EXHALES)

They say you can only begin to mourn

once you know the facts.

Do you think that's true?

I'm mourning, too.

Who?

Who are you mourning?

My oldest friend died

a couple of days ago.

He made an allegation.

An allegation that, as yet,

I've failed to make stick.

I see.

Must be tough.

Well, it is.

He left me a job to do.

And my life's not...

worth living

till I see it through.

I just got my life back.

I don't suppose you'd let me thank you.

I think I'd die if you thanked me.

I think some people have been quite

surprised by your new appointment.

Yes. Well, as you know the prime

minister and I haven't always seen

eye-to-eye on every issue,

but recently events have thrown us together.

And do you know what?

We've found we actually like each other.

ALLEGRA:
You get on.

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