Salting the Battlefield Page #7

Yes.

He did really play in the evenings?

Yes. Everything else was a lie.

Like he said he'd be here

for the birth... Julianne...

Which he won't. And never had

any intention of being.

OK. Right from the start!

Julianne... Just leave me.

Please...

Every time she moves

she gets closer to us.

Can you hear anything?

No. Lip-read.

Don't come near me! Don't touch me!

"And then when she's calm,

I'll have dealt with her."

That's not fair.

Why don't you just say, "Julianne,

I'm sorry, this is my fault?"

Julianne, I know it's my fault!

Good!

Why do you think I'm in agony?!

Oh!

Oh, you're in agony? Oh, really?

Great. And for how long?

He's standing there.

Why can't we move in?

Can anyone tell me what's going on?

Yeah? Where are you?

I'm in London. I can't explain.

It's a mess.

Sorry, comrade,

but we need to jump five stages.

I've just had a very interesting

call. Who from?

I'll give you a number.

You need to call it because he's

ahead of us. He's nine miles ahead.

Is this who I think it is?

10 Downing Street.

'My name is Worricker. I think

you'll find, if you tell him,

'the Prime Minister will want

to have a word with me.'

What name again?

'Johnny Worricker.'

Hold on, will you please?

Mr Finch, there's a man on the line

called Johnny Worricker...

Yes, thank you,

please put him through.

'Hello, who am I speaking to?'

Is that you, Mr Worricker?

Yes. 'Good.'

'I'm sure the Prime Minister would

like you to come in immediately.'

Come in?

To Downing Street.

'Good.'

Are you far away?

Not at all. Less than a minute.

But just one thing.

Could you come in the back?

My name is Johnny Worricker,

I'm expected.

OK, sir.

Ah... here you are at last.

Prime Minister.

The missing piece of the jigsaw.

You can leave us.

How was your spell as an emigre?

Disconcerting.

I'm sure.

I needed to see you one more time.

Me too.

Please...

We had a good talk in Cambridge

six months ago.

But then you went off and did

the very opposite of what I asked.

You defied me.

Sir, if I may...

Carry on.

I accept in the circumstances

that I'm fair game. Of course.

But my daughter's flat is

being bugged.

An M15 operative seduced her

when she was already pregnant.

My daughter isn't fair game.

Go after me, don't go after her.

I agree.

I'm sorry...?

You're right. Mutual hysteria.

Isn't it time it was defused?

I'll tell you what

I've been thinking -

I've accomplished pretty much

all I set out to do.

We've modernised the country

and we may even

have alerted its people

to some of the dangers they face.

I don't understand.

Are you resigning?

You're not getting my scalp,

if that's what you hope.

I'm not moving out, I'm moving up.

It's Iran we have to deal with now.

And I'm not fussy about

what platform I work from.

Perhaps a sympathetic American

president means more to me

than an ambivalent

British electorate.

You're planning to move on

to another job?

Correct. What job is that?

Consul General to Iran.

I run the peace talks.

Peace?

Well... preferably peace.

Answering to whom?

Financed by the Americans,

but given cover by the UN.

Forgive me, I'm not sure

you're going to be able

to cut free as easily as that.

Aren't you? No.

Is that a threat?

Not at all.

Tell me,

are you running a campaign?

Because that's how it looks.

A single intelligence officer

determined to stop me.

What are you?

A loose cannon?

A traitor?

Well, then, what are you doing?

Judiciously pointing out

the dangers. Such as?

There's a new boss at the CIA.

Yes, you're right.

With new plans.

Wants to make a clean break.

The president's already

had a word with him.

I think you'll find any future

CIA investigation

into private contractors will get

bogged down pretty quickly.

People don't like

investigating each other,

because they are aware that later

they may be investigated themselves.

If you talk to the President,

you'll find he's pretty clear

on the subject.

After all, one day he's going to be

an ex-President too.

And here? Here?

Yes. In the UK?

You don't think

you face problems here?

I don't see any.

My favoured successor is hardly

likely to waste her first

hundred days digging too deeply into

the financial affairs of the Bridge.

To what end? Anthea's experiencing

a period of personal good fortune.

Maybe you read about it?

When it comes to sleeping dogs,

Anthea's the kind

who'll let them lie.

What is it they say?

"The Establishment always wins."

You should know that.

You're a distinguished member

of the Establishment yourself.

What did you think

we were going to do?

Bleach you?

We don't bleach people in England.

No home. No bank account.

No security. No way of life,

100% surveillance.

You know the drill.

You've done it to others,

now we'll do it to you.

What are you offering?

Good question.

An amnesty?

Johnny...

..in the last few years, the

government moved at a certain speed

because we faced

an overwhelming threat.

This is the real world.

There's always a tension

between aims and means.

Maybe even a contradiction.

I'll live with that.

The question is, can you?

We need your silence.

I'm to be silent about lawlessness?

Permanently and guaranteed.

You've got to think what that means.

I've thought about it a great deal.

You make a deal, you go back on it.

In my world, you only do that once.

Now, if you'll forgive me,

I have to go to the Palace.

I'd offer you a lift

but you might be conspicuous.

Anyway, I imagine you have to report

to that crapulous Scot in the park.

I don't report to him. No?

You say you'd like your daughter

left alone. I would.

And your girlfriend too,

I should think.

She's a very interesting woman,

isn't she?

This one really is something

more than run of the mill.

You're a lucky man, aren't you?

You never seem to suffer

for your mistakes.

What a gift.

We're both cats

who fall on our feet. Ted!

Mr Worricker's leaving.

We won't be seeing him again.

So, what's happening?

He's quitting.

Quitting?

He moves on to Iran. Promotion.

Promotion -

is that what he's calling it?

This doesn't feel like a victory.

Why does it not feel like a victory?

Obvious. Because I don't think

we've ever been in control.

You're to call Jill Tankard.

She wants to see you. Where?

Wherever you say. She knows

I'm with you? Seems to.

Well, yeah, of course.

That fits. We've been used.

All the time they've known

everything. Are you going to go?

I don't know. I'm trying to get hold

of Julianne. She not answering. F***!

I'm trying Margot.

I left them together.

Sh*t!

Johnny? Yes?

If you do see Jill,

could you do me a favour?

Try and get me back in.

Welcome back.

I heard you had

a nice time with Alec.

Jill. It's a shame

you two never got close.

They always say it's difficult

if two men are too alike.

One of those boys'

love-hate things, is it?

It's happening. Now.

Even as we speak.

What is? He's seeing the Queen.

You must be pleased.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes