Salting the Battlefield Page #6

Then how does it work?

If you give them fresh blood

then they always want more.

Now, a week ago you told me

this wasn't important.

A week ago it wasn't! Well!

Jesus! Everything I do

I do for my country.

Oh, and that makes it all right?

What did you say?

Nothing.

Stirling, are you going weak on me?

No.

Are you going soft?

No.

I'm the only person who takes

this threat seriously.

I take it seriously. If you saw

the files, if you saw the evidence,

I can't show you the stuff

that I am seeing,

but the intelligence is frightening,

it is!

And people have a choice -

help me, or help them.

And now we're being told,

keep our hands tied behind our backs

while they kick our lights out!

"Stick to the rules."

Bring on the lawyers,

is that what you want?

No. What I want is for you

to survive.

I want you to be Prime Minister

at this time next week.

That's what I want.

No, they won't get me.

I'm ahead of them.

Always have been.

Always will be.

I'm sorry, sir.

You really are needed.

That's the whole point, do you see?

They want both things.

Like children. They need me

and they resent me. Both things.

Before you do anything,

speak to me first.

Ted...

'The situation is quiet clear,

everyone knows what's going on.

'For days now, the Prime Minister

has been evading our questions.

'We have to conclude he is not

answering because he can't.

'There are five questions

we have asked the Prime Minister

'that he has to answer.

'If he can't answer them, he should

say so, and he should say so now.

'If he can

and there is a simple explanation,

'then no-one is going to be happier

than The Independent.'

So... what do you think?

He's wounded.

Fatally?

Have you seen the five questions?

I have.

"Has the Prime Minister met with

Church and Bethwaite?

"Did the Prime Minister know

the murdered man?

"Did the Prime Minister know

of their donations to the Bridge?

"Was the Prime Minister aware

of a network of

"illegal detention centres

built by Gladstone?

"Has the Prime Minister benefited

personally from Gladstone?"

They're not bad questions.

Has he said anything?

In private? In cabinet?

He's refusing, on the grounds

of national security.

Ha! It's not going to wash.

Are you sure?

Certain. I've known from the start.

From the minute

I first saw the evidence.

Hm. I am going to have to rally

round him. Publicly.

If you feel it's necessary.

I do. Very much so.

Be careful.

Careful of what?

Your own future.

Meaning?

Hostages to fortune.

How everything will look in a week.

How's Bill?

He's fine.

You're not going to divorce?

I'm not. Not yet.

Good. You shouldn't.

I won't.

Good.

Why do you ask?

What's that phrase about

getting your ducks in a row?

I-I'll take one more question.

I hope I have already made

everything clear.

I have returned all money received

from Gladstone and I have personally

resigned from the foundation

to leave its reputation unharmed.

At all times, Alec Beasley has been

separated from the day-to-day

activities... No... of The Bridge

and any criticism regarding

funding falls on me alone.

He shouldn't have done it.

He didn't need to.

He said he was going to

talk to me first.

Perhaps he found the pressure

unbearable.

Pressure? Pressure is like whiplash,

it doesn't exist.

'I'm not in any way admitting

liability or even error.

'I want to be clear about that.

On the other hand...'

I've made my decision.

We still need to find Worricker.

Until we find him,

we're not out of this yet.

It's eerie.

It's quiet, yes.

Can we turn on the news?

We heard it an hour ago.

So?

I wouldn't do that.

Why not?

It's the road to destruction.

Gosh. Hm.

You always look out for me.

Always.

Where's Bernard?

He's saying Matins.

Oh, no doubt alone.

He doesn't mind.

He's talking to God.

He doesn't care

if anyone's listening.

Why are you smiling?

I know you better than

anyone knows you, Johnny.

I know where you're heading.

I can see your endgame.

Rollo?

He's gone. Who's gone? Stirling Rogers.

Rogers has gone. What happened?

He's giving a press conference,

saying the whole thing's his fault.

Better still, he's saying

the Prime Minister knew nothing.

Yes! He's walking into the trap,

it appears.

You trust it? You think

we've got him? Let's hope so.

Margot, don't touch it! I've got to go. Why not?

You don't know who it's from. It's Julianne.

It's not safe, leave it, we should have

destroyed it! Margot? Yes, it's me.

'I need to see you. Desperately. Are you in

the country? Something terrible's happened.'

Julianne, is the baby all right?

'Yes, yes, but can you tell Dad'

I need to see him?

Yes, of course I will.

And he must call immediately

before you get here. Promise me.

Don't worry. We're on our way.

See you soon.

OK, we're in business,

it's good, I think we've got 'em.

Where are they?

We've got a signal.

I'll know more in a minute

but it seems to be Kent.

Johnny, we have to go.

Julianne says it's serious...

Hold on a minute, give me a time to

think... There is no time to think.

She said, "Can you tell Dad

I need to see him?"

Margot, we need to be careful.

Johnny, it's your daughter!

I'm concerned that

the phone isn't safe!

Oh, f*** the phone!

We can't go together!

What difference does it make? When Julianne

calls, you go. Do you have a problem with that?

How long have you been

working on this?

Four months.

Just the four?

Exactly.

OK, good, here we go.

Here is the location.

Let's get going.

I vehemently reject all allegations.

But, I don't understand,

if you're innocent of everything,

why do you have to resign?

Yep.

Finally we've got them. Again.

Where are they?

He's in a rectory in Kent.

But he's coming into town

to see his daughter.

Then please baby them in.

I'm sorry?

I don't want anyone

moving towards them.

I've been working on this

for months.

I know. I thought the idea was we were

meant to be trying to catch them.

We are. But don't detain them.

Keep them under surveillance.

Keep your distance. That's an order.

Nobody's to go near them

until they get an order from me.

I don't believe this.

If there was any offence,

it's just from caring too much.

Julianne...

Margot.

You were right. You were right

to call us... It's Jez.

Jez? Yes. How do you know? I've suspected for

weeks. Well then, why didn't you tell me?

Why didn't I tell you?

Why do you think?

Because you never ring!

And also, sorry,

I don't want to live like that.

Being suspicious of everyone.

Jesus! Do I ever get a life

that's not about you?

"What does your father do?"

"Oh, I can't say,

he's in the civil service."

As long as I can remember -

"What's Dad doing?" "Don't know.

"Can't say." You ruined mum's life.

That's ridiculous!

You ruin the life of everyone

you're close to.

I was in love with him!

You've never known what that means.

Human drama.

She doesn't seem happy.

He did really work as a DJ?

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