The Stoic (2024) Movie Script
1
Welcome home, girls.
Come on, mind your head.
Come on, this way.
McCrea! Patrick!
Graves, give me his phone.
What was that about?
Other firearms?
All secure.
Fall in, line up!
Seven of you, two women.
I'm not gonna stand here
and bollock all of you,
'cause some should know better.
We had a few surprises
in that job, didn't we?
But you all
handled yourselves well
and we got the job done,
and that's all that matters.
Thanks to the four of you
that came on board
at the last hour. Appreciate it.
Now, Jacko's inside, resting up,
and I think we all understand
the reality of that situation.
And the women,
well, they're our problem now.
Boss.
Pope?
If the women are a liability,
then--
Mr. Rhodes wants them, so...
All right, lads.
We're all guests
at this beautiful house.
You got one night, have a beer,
do a line of coke,
whatever floats your boat,
and it's back to business.
Marco, four hours of stag.
And they'll give, uh,
Patrick over another go.
This time, don't fuck up.
And please, boys,
lose those armbands.
Larkin, pick it up.
And stand up straight, will you?
Off you go then.
You're honored.
Mother has taken
an interest in you.
And your denial.
Denial of any offence upon you.
Of any slight.
Any fear.
Any pain.
Denial of family, of ego, need.
Your denial of personal loss
will form a basis of loyalty.
The Bonnets
are only for the loyal.
He wishes to speak, Mother.
How long?
Fail.
Dad?
Oi, Bollocks! You got my razor?
Assuming I'm "Bollocks," no.
Who are you shaving for?
It's only us.
Peasants.
That being said,
there are a couple of lovelies.
Hey! Don't touch the livestock.
If you hurt them, you're liable.
Yeah, I'm liable
to get my rocks off.
It's easy to be them.
Don't think about them.
Concentrate on yourself.
Mother.
Your call is well timed.
I have negotiated your stay
of execution
with our competitors
at great cost.
Thank you, Mother.
You are appeased for now,
but I have guaranteed
your blood one day.
I understand.
Do you want to know length
of your appeasement?
Yes, please.
Another four years of life.
That includes
this Western prison time.
Do not remain
longer than necessary.
Was that a derision?
We're not Westerners, Aerellius.
No, Mother.
Four years. Thank you.
Goodbye.
Mother.
Yes?
I must ask for help.
You dare ask for more?
People smugglers.
I won't spare resources
for bottom-feeders.
Deal with them yourself.
Attend your incarceration.
No more outside attention.
You ask too much.
And she stepped on his balls!
It's bloody freezing.
Here. Get this down you.
Get in there.
No, I don't do water.
You "don't do water?"
How do you pass basic?
I said, "I don't."
I didn't say I can't.
He passed basic fucking moaning.
Fuck it.
Oi! Go on, lad!
Go on! Go on!
Right. Who am I this morning?
"Oh, I've been shot!"
I've been shot!
Why? Why?
Fuck off!
It wasn't even your blood.
Yeah, it was someone's.
It was Jacko's.
How is he?
Anyone?
He's back at the house.
Snug as a bug.
He'll be all right.
Brutal day.
Oi! Delete that.
Delete what?
Delete it, lad.
Just delete it, mate.
Like I've taken your spirit?
Is that racist?
And from the delete file.
All right?
No. It's not all right.
For today,
for those two we slaughtered,
and those two lasses.
we could do 30 years apiece.
And I'm not doing it
for your selfies.
Thanks for this.
Don't thank me.
Hot tub, the lights.
It's my daughter's birthday.
I could be a host,
but never a father.
Lot of guys out there
for taking down
a group of civilians.
One of them doesn't look
old enough to drink.
Yeah.
He's good for making the tea.
You know, it's four of us
before the recce.
Rhodes gave me some
information,
said it was a gang of five men.
Turns out, it was 12,
bunked together.
Two houses knocked through.
So, you dug up a list
of dishonourable discharges.
And the girls?
Yeah. Rhodes ID'd them as mules.
So, just orders.
What?
Make a better life for them?
You gonna shut them up?
Just one night.
Then after that,
we'll dust down before dark.
How long?
Three days, tops.
Jesus. This is the last time.
You're on the leash.
So am I.
I want to deliver to the Coast
like always, like we used to.
Remember?
Now, these sick
fucks, they want them hooked.
They wanna collect addicts.
"Collect?"
That fucker's not coming here.
No, Rhodes is gonna send men.
I mean, what do you expect?
Expect that this is a stopover
till you find somewhere else.
I owe you a favor,
but this is it.
Here.
Huh?
Girls and drugs.
It was never like this.
No.
No, it wasn't.
Slavery.
Wow.
Well, don't beat yourself up.
Look at the London elite.
All sat on an immigrant
slave population.
Every civilisation
since whenever.
It's tolerated.
We supply the tolerable.
"The Banality of Evil."
Hannah Arendt.
Hmm.
Very good.
I read.
Boss? Boss?
You gonna do something
about that?
Is he new?
He's last minute.
I'll do it.
Thanks.
The lad knew the risks.
So did I.
I just don't get
this waiting around.
It's contract complete.
Only takes one of us
to look after two birds.
Job's done, gear's safe.
Everything has to be delivered.
All I'm saying
is it doesn't mean
we all have to stand around.
If you want your
beer token, just stay put.
If one leaves, we all lose out.
You know that.
And we all know what Rhodes
does to men who run out on him.
In the meantime, on me, lads.
Hey!
Thank you very much, boss.
Oh, yes! Come on, lad.
Not for you, Patrick.
You're on stag in ten.
Please help.
Don't worry about getting out.
Worry about me getting in.
How many?
Eight.
More are coming.
When?
Soon.
Come on, Patrick. Get going.
Good luck.
Where did you get that?
Found this on the stable door.
But it wasn't there
when we got here.
Did you see anyone?
Put it down.
What?
Put it down!
Mr. Carlisle,
with all due respect,
it's just a hat.
Don't laugh.
Don't any of you bloody laugh.
I know you've all been
through shit in your lives.
But that's the Western
definition of shit. The Stoics?
It's a different breed.
Pain and suffering...
it's like oxygen to them. Fuel.
They're like barnacles.
You've got to crush 'em,
and then crush 'em again.
I heard they use
whatever's around.
They're not allowed
mechanical weapons.
Fine.
We have rifles.
You pull a weapon on a Stoic,
he'll beat you to death with it.
Look, if you don't believe me,
listen to him.
They're like enforcers
for ancient Scottish
or Nordic smugglers
or something.
Smugglers?
They're better
at making enemies.
Toying with them.
I heard they only kill
one at a time.
Watch you sleep. Watch you...
I don't know.
17th century psychopaths.
Live like monks.
Ancient guards for feudal lords.
They're out to set up
their own smuggling routes.
They have their own morality.
"The Men in Bonnets."
I was obliged to facilitate
your delivery.
So, consider it facilitated.
Somehow, you've offended.
My bet is the girls.
So, the bonnet is a warning.
And then it's a whistle.
If you hear that then...
Let me guess. We run.
If you hear that, it's too late.
So, you're going?
Yeah.
Keep out of the house.
Feed the horses.
Party's over, boys.
Bollocks to this.
I'll find this guy tonight.
No, you won't.
You've had a drink.
You all have.
Listen, you've heard the man.
We'll go to the stables.
We're buying into this?
Could be one guy prating about.
Or not.
In the morning, Marco,
you scout
quarter mile radius north.
McCrea, quarter of a mile south.
Die. Stoic.
Stoic.
You shouldn't boast.
Boast?
You take your enemy's buttons
and use them as trophies.
Acknowledgements of lives taken.
Whatever they did
when still alive.
Wake up now! Wake up!
Who's playing games?
Limburg's gone.
It's a joke.
Limburg doesn't joke.
He wouldn't know
where that was either.
If it was this stoic,
how did he know where it was?
How did he get past the wires?
He's watching all of us.
Graves, Larkin, I
want wires at 50 and 100 yards.
Destroy that.
He can't watch us all at once.
We sleep in shifts.
Marco, McCrea, get out there
and bury him.
Brace, come in.
Go ahead.
I've found an encampment.
East, northeast,
about half a mile.
McCrea, come in.
McCrea, go ahead.
Marco's found an encampment.
East, northeast.
Proceed there?
Negative. Wait.
Come on out!
Come on then!
Marco, come in.
Marco, come in.
Marco, key the switch
if you can't communicate.
What's going on, boss?
Return to base.
Boss, you don't want me
to proceed
to Marco's position?
Negative.
I'm not convinced
this is one man.
Copy that.
For crying out loud.
No one's saying anything.
That's how I like it.
Did you let them girls go?
We've been tear-assing
through a field after 'em.
You know, sometimes...
I don't mind what happens...
to anyone.
I don't understand why.
I just don't mind.
Yeah. Glass people everywhere.
What?
You can see right past 'em.
Yeah.
No beggar stole my stride.
Are we glass?
Single fucking glazing, pal.
I grew up.
I wanted out.
I joined the army.
I wanted out of that.
I do this.
I'd sprint off an arm
if I could.
If...
...you weren't alone.
Wanna know what I think?
I think
you let them girls go 'cause...
they're not glass anymore.
And that scares you.
Being scared is the only thing
I'm good at.
Brace wants the girls out.
Get up.
Ask her was it one man or more?
You saw men last night.
How many?
One man.
One man. And?
He was fast. Quiet.
He moves fast. Quiet.
He moved like a cat.
He moved quiet like a cat.
"Like a cat?" Oh.
What did he say? Nothing?
Nothing.
Nothing?
What did he look like?
Tall. White.
Had on a jacket.
And did he look at you?
He looked straight at me.
I thought we were dead.
Death smiled at us.
Theatrics.
Death smiled, eh?
Someone needs a plan, sir.
Boss.
Yeah?
And Marco?
Well, he's either dead
or he's killed this bastard.
I mean, we'll soon find out.
Well, shouldn't we move back
into the house?
I want simple structures
with sight lines.
Not a labyrinth
that he can hide in.
We need to send more men.
I ain't sending any more men.
He's got the advantage.
It's just one man.
One man?
He could live here.
He could bring his clan down.
He could have traps
put in places
that we don't even know.
I just told you,
I'm not gonna give him
the advantage, right?
If he wants those women,
he can come to us.
Where'd you get those?
What flavor?
Very salted.
The young one.
Nah. The older one.
For fuck's sake.
Laters.
What are you waiting for?
What are you? Hey?
Hey?
So, what are we thinkin'?
Stay and fight this guy?
I mean, what's it to us?
We weren't even contracted
for this.
Yeah, if he's got Limburg
and Marco,
they can handle--
Handle what? Two men. No word.
So, what are we doing then?
What are you doing here?
I have no work.
You do now.
And you're good at it, mate.
Oh, you Westerners.
Always lying
and flattering each other.
It's negotiation training,
that's all.
You trade in people.
I do what I'm told.
You trade so that you may live?
Yeah.
And you are more important
than the people you trade, yes?
Someone's daughter.
Someone's sister.
You gonna kill me or not?
Not yet.
You aren't accepting
the situation.
All this hesitating and whining.
You're all looking inward
because you're scared.
Clinging on to each other
like a fucking gaggle.
What makes you so special?
I am secondary to others.
I accept my pain
is of no consequence to others.
To you, that is special.
Killed much?
Yes.
Ever killed an innocent?
Yes. I could have saved a child.
So, you're making amends.
Oh, I am going to prison for it.
And you're gonna kill us
all anyway?
Yes.
This man,
he isn't gonna forgive you.
You need to go straight at him.
Because the problem
is your solution.
And if you don't meet this man
head-on,
face-to-face,
you'll rot from fear.
I could live. Hmm?
Do good.
But how would these women live?
Will they be beaten? Go mad?
Would they be sold
further down the slave chain?
And now, tied and bound...
you promise to do good?
I can change.
Make this...
...temporary.
Oh, everything is temporary.
All, your pain,
you define yourselves by it.
By what you've missed,
what's upset or offended.
It's always you. Never others.
Your disappointments
are your obsessions.
Oh, Christ. Have you finished?
Then you trade on them.
You think therapy
and victimhood is currency.
Whoever garners
the most pity wins.
Very wise, mate.
But people can change.
No, no.
Their circumstances change,
and they react.
All right, lads.
Carlisle said these fuckers
don't do guns.
I'll believe that when I see it.
Be careful what you wish for.
Jesus Christ!
Hello?
Hello.
Let the girls go.
That's not our decision.
Come on!
Come on, you soft bastard!
Here's your warning!
Here's your fuckin' hat!
Whoo! Come on!
Come on, you soft bastard!
Graves, what the hell
are you doing?
Snaring the prick.
Thanks, John.
I got it. I got it.
Okay, Francis.
Yes?
Mr. Rhodes.
Yeah, sorry to bother you.
We have an escalated situation.
Yeah, I know.
You've got a body in the cellar,
livestock to shift,
and Carlisle shit himself
over some stray knocking about.
Stoics. Bonnets.
-They were over years ago.
-Yeah.
But he's killed two of my men,
taken one of my weapons.
Well, that's on you.
You pay the piper.
So, kill him and move on.
Look, Brace, is it?
Yeah?
Look, you're an entire unit.
If this scrapper was a Stoic,
I'd wanna kill him myself.
Indelible fuckers.
They go from benign
to malignant in a heartbeat.
Females are the worst.
Brace, tell me.
He just emptied a mag
into the sky.
What's going on now?
He's just stood there.
Wait. Hold fire.
Sir?
Wait.
Jesus Christ.
Sir, we can kill this guy.
No. Was that him firing?
Yeah, into the sky.
All his ammo?
Yeah.
How do you know?
My man in there had two mags
on him.
They are indeed extremists.
I'm on my way.
Sir, do you want us to relocate?
No. Stay put. I want my scalp.
Keep him alive at all costs.
McCrea, take the women upstairs.
Let's go, boys.
Checking in.
Nothing to report.
Okay.
Report before making
any movements.
Copy that.
Rhodes texted.
He, uh, wants the girls
on the needle.
Using our batch?
Just to subdue.
In the morning, McCrea.
Boss.
I could use a bit.
Leave it out. What's the worry?
He has no weapon.
He has belief. Philosophy.
Well, I'll take bullets
over philosophy.
Belief?
We're mercenaries.
We're not paid to believe
in anything. We're trained.
He's a believer.
It's an experience for him.
No.
We're only here
'cause if we leave,
Rhodes will track us
and kill us.
Stuck between a fanatic
and a psycho.
Choose your poison.
Belief isn't everything.
Some people believe
the world's flat.
It's not what they believe.
It's the fact
they choose to act on it.
You guys remember the tsunami
in Japan, 2011?
Completely destroyed
the Fukushima power stations.
Wiped out.
Hundreds of thousands
evacuated.
Towns abandoned.
It's a no-go zone.
Now, the Japanese have this
cultural belief in ghosts.
And, um, well, taxi drivers
reported, you know,
figures waving 'em down,
saying, "Am I dead?"
Dad?
The figure gets in the back,
he gives them a place,
and the driver knows
it's an exclusion zone,
but he goes anyway.
He finds his street,
feels right, gets out,
goes to the back,
and opens the door,
and there's nothing.
He bows, closes the door,
gets in his car,
and drives away.
The ghost is, uh...
...exorcised.
Insane.
Sanity's got nothing
to do with it.
It's belief.
And that's what we're dealing
with out there.
So, we're gonna sit tight.
See what happens.
Well, we might
as well believe in ghosts.
We're chasing one.
Patrick!
Get to the perimeter now!
No. No.
Hey.
Help!
Help!
Don't worry, ladies.
Just a little taste.
We don't want you
getting all spirited now.
Mag's half full.
This guy doesn't give a fig,
does he?
Where are your drugs?
Where are your drugs?
One of them's just a Wain!
I'm worthy.
Fuck!
Oh, we're dead. We are dead men.
Where's the rest of it, boss?
Oh, no. No! Jesus Christ.
Pope, get out there.
We go out after him.
Boss.
Go ahead.
Plume of smoke.
Estimate, one mile.
Directions?
Marco said, east by north-east.
Pope, directions?
East north-east.
He's burning it.
Rhodes' can't turn up,
and we've got one bag.
Unless we use this prick
as compensation.
At least we have a plan now.
Rhodes' baiting this prick
with our lives.
How's that for a plan?
He was gonna be your savior,
wasn't he?
And now, he's robbed your gear.
Oh.
You don't know who to hate more.
Don't worry, girls. Soon...
...you won't care who you hate.
Don't touch anything.
Well, he hasn't burnt all of it.
He was drawing us here.
If we leave,
Rhodes will kill us.
He's got a thing for the stoic.
And the stoic is risking
his life for the women.
He can be baited.
Rhodes gets his psycho
and we get to live.
This is how we bait him.
All right, move out.
Pope!
Coming!
Frances, relax.
Stay in here.
Why?
I don't want-- No, no, no.
Morning, Michael.
That was a fun one.
Sir, we're scheduled to stop.
No.
Keep moving.
How many is Rhodes gonna bring?
Enough to protect himself.
So, when Rhodes gets here,
we can go.
Do you think he's left now?
What about if we give him
one of the women?
Did you bury Pope deep?
Deep enough.
Listen, Rhodes is hours away.
We sit tight, and we
face outwards.
So, what happened
to baiting this guy?
Check the traps.
Larkin, you good?
Yeah.
Listen, stay with the women.
Safest place. You understand?
-Yeah?-Yeah.
-Go on now.
-Yes, boss.
All right.
Come out!
What's wrong with you?
Come out, boy!
I'll trade her for the gear!
She's on a fucking plate, boy!
You lost your fucking balls,
boy!
Show yourself!
Get in here! Get in here!
What the fuck you
doing out there?
You nasty bastard.
We're all nasty bastards.
What are you gonna do with that?
You wanna make
a name for yourself, huh?
Do it.
I'm in charge here.
Go!
No!
No!
If this bitch says
I'm stepping on her toes...
Thinks she's fucking Boudica.
Yes?
Good morning.
This is Mr. Rhodes.
I believe Mother
may remember me.
We handled a consignment
together
out of the Shetlands, 2010.
Would you kindly ask
if she will speak to me?
Mr. Rhodes,
please don't have Seneca
ask me puerile questions.
I remember you.
I'm flattered.
It's been a while, Mother.
How are you?
Do you have any bonnets
operating
in the northern border?
Yes. You're smuggling people.
You've provoked
his sensibilities.
Your awareness is unsurprising.
He called for
permission to act.
He did not know
he was persona non grata.
I see.
May I ask which Stoic it be?
Aurelius.
Aurelius.
Is that it?
I was concerned
we would have a conflict
of interest in my...
having to deal with your man.
There may be conflict
to your interests, Mr. Rhodes.
My interests are in offering
vulnerable people a new life.
Thank you for your time,
Mother...
...fucker.
Seneca!
Mother?
I want to send a message
to Aurelius.
Mararat!
Follow this for 12 miles
until you reach the A-Road.
No. They still have Sophia.
I'll get her out.
More men are on their way.
We need to get her out tonight.
Oh, I don't need your help.
They shot at us.
Only with bullets.
You had bullets.
Why did you use them up?
Faith.
They put all their faith
in bullets.
Then discharge all their faith.
"Mother."
What does it say?
"Mararat."
Kill them...
all.
Graves, sir.
Pleasure to meet you.
Distance, mate.
So, you've seen him?
Yeah.
And?
He's a bloke.
-Just a bloke?
-Mm.
A suicidal bloke.
"Suicidal?"
They don't recognise
enough pain.
Do you want him dead or alive?
Dead. Lucky for you.
So, we're all going out, sir?
From what I hear,
you fluffed him up
with a sniff already.
He'll be back for the other.
You boys...
...you don't seem cohesive.
And I have to say,
you don't seem
particularly invested
in killing this man.
You said you wanted him alive,
sir.
Alive until I get here.
Get the house open.
What's your name?
Aurelius.
Like Marcus Aurelius?
Hmm.
I'm Jane.
So, these men in hats...
Bonnets.
I know how it must sound
to modern ears.
There are women, too.
Women in bonnets?
I wouldn't say that to them.
How long have you been a slave?
I graduated and worked in a bar.
I got on the gear, and in debt.
I lost everyone.
My dealer's gang
became my family.
I was thrown between gangs
for years. A mule.
A toy.
A slave.
People using people.
I'm using you.
No.
I would have done this anyway.
Why?
It's your instinct?
Code.
My clan.
They're controlled by a leader.
A code.
If we fail the code,
we're bankrupt.
And the leader can smell it.
What's the code?
It's like,
self-preservation
is an abomination.
Decadent.
It limits you.
Leaves other people suffering.
Self-preservation
keeps you alive.
It leaves you cowed.
Self-serving.
You have family?
They are safer without me.
I have you, this mess...
...and then a debt.
Then I will see them.
Soon there'll be more men.
Guns. How will you do it?
Sheer bloody-mindedness.
They'll match you.
No. They won't.
This is exciting.
Wait.
Aurelius.
Look at all them...
Wow.
Yes?
Mother.
I have your boy.
Would you like him returned?
Emotional blackmail.
What a nasty little ploy.
What would you have me?
Just kill him?
Or torture him all night?
You never fail to disappoint,
do you, Mr. Rhodes?
You still expect us to scream?
Pain, sir, is fuel.
Apparently, pain is fuel.
Fill your boots, boys.
This is for Limburg.
And this is for Marco.
Move!
Someone was
inspired to be a hero.
Tried to save the mate.
Give us a twirl.
Come on, give us a twirl!
Get in the corner.
You like this?
Ooh. That's nice, isn't it?
You people...
aren't the only ones.
I've slaved, suffered,
didn't complain.
There are many forms
of stoicism.
You, Mother, your cult!
So fucking pious.
Indulging yourself
like a true Westerner.
Finish him off outside.
Come on, you fucker.
Get out of here, you fuckin'...
Fucking callous fucker!
Piss on the fucker.
Oi! What the fuck?
Where's your respect? Eh?
Check him.
He's dead.
Let's have a drink.
Oh.
You don't know
what you're missing, boys.
I've heard, if lucky,...
...the bearer would offer up
a button,
therefore, surrendering
the remainder of their lives
in subjugation to the Bonnets.
How do you think this one died?
How do you think he lived?
I want my trophy.
Um, are the women subdued
for the journey?
I didn't wanna waste product.
So, I didn't.
Get the needles.
Get it done, now.
I can go with him.
No.
He can force himself.
I dreamt...
that the earth rose up
and took me today.
And here we are. Mother's...
...coveted Aurelius.
My trophy.
Your desires and securities
are now for nothing.
Your pain and what you think
is pain is worthless.
You are secondary to others.
Their concerns
are now only your concerns.
Do you understand?
How do you know that he'll...
He'll know.
You two need help.
We'll get it.
Where are you going?
To prison.
Aurelius!
We owe you everything.
We owe you everything.
Do you understand?
Do you understand, Aurelius?
We owe you everything!
And I you.
Welcome home, girls.
Come on, mind your head.
Come on, this way.
McCrea! Patrick!
Graves, give me his phone.
What was that about?
Other firearms?
All secure.
Fall in, line up!
Seven of you, two women.
I'm not gonna stand here
and bollock all of you,
'cause some should know better.
We had a few surprises
in that job, didn't we?
But you all
handled yourselves well
and we got the job done,
and that's all that matters.
Thanks to the four of you
that came on board
at the last hour. Appreciate it.
Now, Jacko's inside, resting up,
and I think we all understand
the reality of that situation.
And the women,
well, they're our problem now.
Boss.
Pope?
If the women are a liability,
then--
Mr. Rhodes wants them, so...
All right, lads.
We're all guests
at this beautiful house.
You got one night, have a beer,
do a line of coke,
whatever floats your boat,
and it's back to business.
Marco, four hours of stag.
And they'll give, uh,
Patrick over another go.
This time, don't fuck up.
And please, boys,
lose those armbands.
Larkin, pick it up.
And stand up straight, will you?
Off you go then.
You're honored.
Mother has taken
an interest in you.
And your denial.
Denial of any offence upon you.
Of any slight.
Any fear.
Any pain.
Denial of family, of ego, need.
Your denial of personal loss
will form a basis of loyalty.
The Bonnets
are only for the loyal.
He wishes to speak, Mother.
How long?
Fail.
Dad?
Oi, Bollocks! You got my razor?
Assuming I'm "Bollocks," no.
Who are you shaving for?
It's only us.
Peasants.
That being said,
there are a couple of lovelies.
Hey! Don't touch the livestock.
If you hurt them, you're liable.
Yeah, I'm liable
to get my rocks off.
It's easy to be them.
Don't think about them.
Concentrate on yourself.
Mother.
Your call is well timed.
I have negotiated your stay
of execution
with our competitors
at great cost.
Thank you, Mother.
You are appeased for now,
but I have guaranteed
your blood one day.
I understand.
Do you want to know length
of your appeasement?
Yes, please.
Another four years of life.
That includes
this Western prison time.
Do not remain
longer than necessary.
Was that a derision?
We're not Westerners, Aerellius.
No, Mother.
Four years. Thank you.
Goodbye.
Mother.
Yes?
I must ask for help.
You dare ask for more?
People smugglers.
I won't spare resources
for bottom-feeders.
Deal with them yourself.
Attend your incarceration.
No more outside attention.
You ask too much.
And she stepped on his balls!
It's bloody freezing.
Here. Get this down you.
Get in there.
No, I don't do water.
You "don't do water?"
How do you pass basic?
I said, "I don't."
I didn't say I can't.
He passed basic fucking moaning.
Fuck it.
Oi! Go on, lad!
Go on! Go on!
Right. Who am I this morning?
"Oh, I've been shot!"
I've been shot!
Why? Why?
Fuck off!
It wasn't even your blood.
Yeah, it was someone's.
It was Jacko's.
How is he?
Anyone?
He's back at the house.
Snug as a bug.
He'll be all right.
Brutal day.
Oi! Delete that.
Delete what?
Delete it, lad.
Just delete it, mate.
Like I've taken your spirit?
Is that racist?
And from the delete file.
All right?
No. It's not all right.
For today,
for those two we slaughtered,
and those two lasses.
we could do 30 years apiece.
And I'm not doing it
for your selfies.
Thanks for this.
Don't thank me.
Hot tub, the lights.
It's my daughter's birthday.
I could be a host,
but never a father.
Lot of guys out there
for taking down
a group of civilians.
One of them doesn't look
old enough to drink.
Yeah.
He's good for making the tea.
You know, it's four of us
before the recce.
Rhodes gave me some
information,
said it was a gang of five men.
Turns out, it was 12,
bunked together.
Two houses knocked through.
So, you dug up a list
of dishonourable discharges.
And the girls?
Yeah. Rhodes ID'd them as mules.
So, just orders.
What?
Make a better life for them?
You gonna shut them up?
Just one night.
Then after that,
we'll dust down before dark.
How long?
Three days, tops.
Jesus. This is the last time.
You're on the leash.
So am I.
I want to deliver to the Coast
like always, like we used to.
Remember?
Now, these sick
fucks, they want them hooked.
They wanna collect addicts.
"Collect?"
That fucker's not coming here.
No, Rhodes is gonna send men.
I mean, what do you expect?
Expect that this is a stopover
till you find somewhere else.
I owe you a favor,
but this is it.
Here.
Huh?
Girls and drugs.
It was never like this.
No.
No, it wasn't.
Slavery.
Wow.
Well, don't beat yourself up.
Look at the London elite.
All sat on an immigrant
slave population.
Every civilisation
since whenever.
It's tolerated.
We supply the tolerable.
"The Banality of Evil."
Hannah Arendt.
Hmm.
Very good.
I read.
Boss? Boss?
You gonna do something
about that?
Is he new?
He's last minute.
I'll do it.
Thanks.
The lad knew the risks.
So did I.
I just don't get
this waiting around.
It's contract complete.
Only takes one of us
to look after two birds.
Job's done, gear's safe.
Everything has to be delivered.
All I'm saying
is it doesn't mean
we all have to stand around.
If you want your
beer token, just stay put.
If one leaves, we all lose out.
You know that.
And we all know what Rhodes
does to men who run out on him.
In the meantime, on me, lads.
Hey!
Thank you very much, boss.
Oh, yes! Come on, lad.
Not for you, Patrick.
You're on stag in ten.
Please help.
Don't worry about getting out.
Worry about me getting in.
How many?
Eight.
More are coming.
When?
Soon.
Come on, Patrick. Get going.
Good luck.
Where did you get that?
Found this on the stable door.
But it wasn't there
when we got here.
Did you see anyone?
Put it down.
What?
Put it down!
Mr. Carlisle,
with all due respect,
it's just a hat.
Don't laugh.
Don't any of you bloody laugh.
I know you've all been
through shit in your lives.
But that's the Western
definition of shit. The Stoics?
It's a different breed.
Pain and suffering...
it's like oxygen to them. Fuel.
They're like barnacles.
You've got to crush 'em,
and then crush 'em again.
I heard they use
whatever's around.
They're not allowed
mechanical weapons.
Fine.
We have rifles.
You pull a weapon on a Stoic,
he'll beat you to death with it.
Look, if you don't believe me,
listen to him.
They're like enforcers
for ancient Scottish
or Nordic smugglers
or something.
Smugglers?
They're better
at making enemies.
Toying with them.
I heard they only kill
one at a time.
Watch you sleep. Watch you...
I don't know.
17th century psychopaths.
Live like monks.
Ancient guards for feudal lords.
They're out to set up
their own smuggling routes.
They have their own morality.
"The Men in Bonnets."
I was obliged to facilitate
your delivery.
So, consider it facilitated.
Somehow, you've offended.
My bet is the girls.
So, the bonnet is a warning.
And then it's a whistle.
If you hear that then...
Let me guess. We run.
If you hear that, it's too late.
So, you're going?
Yeah.
Keep out of the house.
Feed the horses.
Party's over, boys.
Bollocks to this.
I'll find this guy tonight.
No, you won't.
You've had a drink.
You all have.
Listen, you've heard the man.
We'll go to the stables.
We're buying into this?
Could be one guy prating about.
Or not.
In the morning, Marco,
you scout
quarter mile radius north.
McCrea, quarter of a mile south.
Die. Stoic.
Stoic.
You shouldn't boast.
Boast?
You take your enemy's buttons
and use them as trophies.
Acknowledgements of lives taken.
Whatever they did
when still alive.
Wake up now! Wake up!
Who's playing games?
Limburg's gone.
It's a joke.
Limburg doesn't joke.
He wouldn't know
where that was either.
If it was this stoic,
how did he know where it was?
How did he get past the wires?
He's watching all of us.
Graves, Larkin, I
want wires at 50 and 100 yards.
Destroy that.
He can't watch us all at once.
We sleep in shifts.
Marco, McCrea, get out there
and bury him.
Brace, come in.
Go ahead.
I've found an encampment.
East, northeast,
about half a mile.
McCrea, come in.
McCrea, go ahead.
Marco's found an encampment.
East, northeast.
Proceed there?
Negative. Wait.
Come on out!
Come on then!
Marco, come in.
Marco, come in.
Marco, key the switch
if you can't communicate.
What's going on, boss?
Return to base.
Boss, you don't want me
to proceed
to Marco's position?
Negative.
I'm not convinced
this is one man.
Copy that.
For crying out loud.
No one's saying anything.
That's how I like it.
Did you let them girls go?
We've been tear-assing
through a field after 'em.
You know, sometimes...
I don't mind what happens...
to anyone.
I don't understand why.
I just don't mind.
Yeah. Glass people everywhere.
What?
You can see right past 'em.
Yeah.
No beggar stole my stride.
Are we glass?
Single fucking glazing, pal.
I grew up.
I wanted out.
I joined the army.
I wanted out of that.
I do this.
I'd sprint off an arm
if I could.
If...
...you weren't alone.
Wanna know what I think?
I think
you let them girls go 'cause...
they're not glass anymore.
And that scares you.
Being scared is the only thing
I'm good at.
Brace wants the girls out.
Get up.
Ask her was it one man or more?
You saw men last night.
How many?
One man.
One man. And?
He was fast. Quiet.
He moves fast. Quiet.
He moved like a cat.
He moved quiet like a cat.
"Like a cat?" Oh.
What did he say? Nothing?
Nothing.
Nothing?
What did he look like?
Tall. White.
Had on a jacket.
And did he look at you?
He looked straight at me.
I thought we were dead.
Death smiled at us.
Theatrics.
Death smiled, eh?
Someone needs a plan, sir.
Boss.
Yeah?
And Marco?
Well, he's either dead
or he's killed this bastard.
I mean, we'll soon find out.
Well, shouldn't we move back
into the house?
I want simple structures
with sight lines.
Not a labyrinth
that he can hide in.
We need to send more men.
I ain't sending any more men.
He's got the advantage.
It's just one man.
One man?
He could live here.
He could bring his clan down.
He could have traps
put in places
that we don't even know.
I just told you,
I'm not gonna give him
the advantage, right?
If he wants those women,
he can come to us.
Where'd you get those?
What flavor?
Very salted.
The young one.
Nah. The older one.
For fuck's sake.
Laters.
What are you waiting for?
What are you? Hey?
Hey?
So, what are we thinkin'?
Stay and fight this guy?
I mean, what's it to us?
We weren't even contracted
for this.
Yeah, if he's got Limburg
and Marco,
they can handle--
Handle what? Two men. No word.
So, what are we doing then?
What are you doing here?
I have no work.
You do now.
And you're good at it, mate.
Oh, you Westerners.
Always lying
and flattering each other.
It's negotiation training,
that's all.
You trade in people.
I do what I'm told.
You trade so that you may live?
Yeah.
And you are more important
than the people you trade, yes?
Someone's daughter.
Someone's sister.
You gonna kill me or not?
Not yet.
You aren't accepting
the situation.
All this hesitating and whining.
You're all looking inward
because you're scared.
Clinging on to each other
like a fucking gaggle.
What makes you so special?
I am secondary to others.
I accept my pain
is of no consequence to others.
To you, that is special.
Killed much?
Yes.
Ever killed an innocent?
Yes. I could have saved a child.
So, you're making amends.
Oh, I am going to prison for it.
And you're gonna kill us
all anyway?
Yes.
This man,
he isn't gonna forgive you.
You need to go straight at him.
Because the problem
is your solution.
And if you don't meet this man
head-on,
face-to-face,
you'll rot from fear.
I could live. Hmm?
Do good.
But how would these women live?
Will they be beaten? Go mad?
Would they be sold
further down the slave chain?
And now, tied and bound...
you promise to do good?
I can change.
Make this...
...temporary.
Oh, everything is temporary.
All, your pain,
you define yourselves by it.
By what you've missed,
what's upset or offended.
It's always you. Never others.
Your disappointments
are your obsessions.
Oh, Christ. Have you finished?
Then you trade on them.
You think therapy
and victimhood is currency.
Whoever garners
the most pity wins.
Very wise, mate.
But people can change.
No, no.
Their circumstances change,
and they react.
All right, lads.
Carlisle said these fuckers
don't do guns.
I'll believe that when I see it.
Be careful what you wish for.
Jesus Christ!
Hello?
Hello.
Let the girls go.
That's not our decision.
Come on!
Come on, you soft bastard!
Here's your warning!
Here's your fuckin' hat!
Whoo! Come on!
Come on, you soft bastard!
Graves, what the hell
are you doing?
Snaring the prick.
Thanks, John.
I got it. I got it.
Okay, Francis.
Yes?
Mr. Rhodes.
Yeah, sorry to bother you.
We have an escalated situation.
Yeah, I know.
You've got a body in the cellar,
livestock to shift,
and Carlisle shit himself
over some stray knocking about.
Stoics. Bonnets.
-They were over years ago.
-Yeah.
But he's killed two of my men,
taken one of my weapons.
Well, that's on you.
You pay the piper.
So, kill him and move on.
Look, Brace, is it?
Yeah?
Look, you're an entire unit.
If this scrapper was a Stoic,
I'd wanna kill him myself.
Indelible fuckers.
They go from benign
to malignant in a heartbeat.
Females are the worst.
Brace, tell me.
He just emptied a mag
into the sky.
What's going on now?
He's just stood there.
Wait. Hold fire.
Sir?
Wait.
Jesus Christ.
Sir, we can kill this guy.
No. Was that him firing?
Yeah, into the sky.
All his ammo?
Yeah.
How do you know?
My man in there had two mags
on him.
They are indeed extremists.
I'm on my way.
Sir, do you want us to relocate?
No. Stay put. I want my scalp.
Keep him alive at all costs.
McCrea, take the women upstairs.
Let's go, boys.
Checking in.
Nothing to report.
Okay.
Report before making
any movements.
Copy that.
Rhodes texted.
He, uh, wants the girls
on the needle.
Using our batch?
Just to subdue.
In the morning, McCrea.
Boss.
I could use a bit.
Leave it out. What's the worry?
He has no weapon.
He has belief. Philosophy.
Well, I'll take bullets
over philosophy.
Belief?
We're mercenaries.
We're not paid to believe
in anything. We're trained.
He's a believer.
It's an experience for him.
No.
We're only here
'cause if we leave,
Rhodes will track us
and kill us.
Stuck between a fanatic
and a psycho.
Choose your poison.
Belief isn't everything.
Some people believe
the world's flat.
It's not what they believe.
It's the fact
they choose to act on it.
You guys remember the tsunami
in Japan, 2011?
Completely destroyed
the Fukushima power stations.
Wiped out.
Hundreds of thousands
evacuated.
Towns abandoned.
It's a no-go zone.
Now, the Japanese have this
cultural belief in ghosts.
And, um, well, taxi drivers
reported, you know,
figures waving 'em down,
saying, "Am I dead?"
Dad?
The figure gets in the back,
he gives them a place,
and the driver knows
it's an exclusion zone,
but he goes anyway.
He finds his street,
feels right, gets out,
goes to the back,
and opens the door,
and there's nothing.
He bows, closes the door,
gets in his car,
and drives away.
The ghost is, uh...
...exorcised.
Insane.
Sanity's got nothing
to do with it.
It's belief.
And that's what we're dealing
with out there.
So, we're gonna sit tight.
See what happens.
Well, we might
as well believe in ghosts.
We're chasing one.
Patrick!
Get to the perimeter now!
No. No.
Hey.
Help!
Help!
Don't worry, ladies.
Just a little taste.
We don't want you
getting all spirited now.
Mag's half full.
This guy doesn't give a fig,
does he?
Where are your drugs?
Where are your drugs?
One of them's just a Wain!
I'm worthy.
Fuck!
Oh, we're dead. We are dead men.
Where's the rest of it, boss?
Oh, no. No! Jesus Christ.
Pope, get out there.
We go out after him.
Boss.
Go ahead.
Plume of smoke.
Estimate, one mile.
Directions?
Marco said, east by north-east.
Pope, directions?
East north-east.
He's burning it.
Rhodes' can't turn up,
and we've got one bag.
Unless we use this prick
as compensation.
At least we have a plan now.
Rhodes' baiting this prick
with our lives.
How's that for a plan?
He was gonna be your savior,
wasn't he?
And now, he's robbed your gear.
Oh.
You don't know who to hate more.
Don't worry, girls. Soon...
...you won't care who you hate.
Don't touch anything.
Well, he hasn't burnt all of it.
He was drawing us here.
If we leave,
Rhodes will kill us.
He's got a thing for the stoic.
And the stoic is risking
his life for the women.
He can be baited.
Rhodes gets his psycho
and we get to live.
This is how we bait him.
All right, move out.
Pope!
Coming!
Frances, relax.
Stay in here.
Why?
I don't want-- No, no, no.
Morning, Michael.
That was a fun one.
Sir, we're scheduled to stop.
No.
Keep moving.
How many is Rhodes gonna bring?
Enough to protect himself.
So, when Rhodes gets here,
we can go.
Do you think he's left now?
What about if we give him
one of the women?
Did you bury Pope deep?
Deep enough.
Listen, Rhodes is hours away.
We sit tight, and we
face outwards.
So, what happened
to baiting this guy?
Check the traps.
Larkin, you good?
Yeah.
Listen, stay with the women.
Safest place. You understand?
-Yeah?-Yeah.
-Go on now.
-Yes, boss.
All right.
Come out!
What's wrong with you?
Come out, boy!
I'll trade her for the gear!
She's on a fucking plate, boy!
You lost your fucking balls,
boy!
Show yourself!
Get in here! Get in here!
What the fuck you
doing out there?
You nasty bastard.
We're all nasty bastards.
What are you gonna do with that?
You wanna make
a name for yourself, huh?
Do it.
I'm in charge here.
Go!
No!
No!
If this bitch says
I'm stepping on her toes...
Thinks she's fucking Boudica.
Yes?
Good morning.
This is Mr. Rhodes.
I believe Mother
may remember me.
We handled a consignment
together
out of the Shetlands, 2010.
Would you kindly ask
if she will speak to me?
Mr. Rhodes,
please don't have Seneca
ask me puerile questions.
I remember you.
I'm flattered.
It's been a while, Mother.
How are you?
Do you have any bonnets
operating
in the northern border?
Yes. You're smuggling people.
You've provoked
his sensibilities.
Your awareness is unsurprising.
He called for
permission to act.
He did not know
he was persona non grata.
I see.
May I ask which Stoic it be?
Aurelius.
Aurelius.
Is that it?
I was concerned
we would have a conflict
of interest in my...
having to deal with your man.
There may be conflict
to your interests, Mr. Rhodes.
My interests are in offering
vulnerable people a new life.
Thank you for your time,
Mother...
...fucker.
Seneca!
Mother?
I want to send a message
to Aurelius.
Mararat!
Follow this for 12 miles
until you reach the A-Road.
No. They still have Sophia.
I'll get her out.
More men are on their way.
We need to get her out tonight.
Oh, I don't need your help.
They shot at us.
Only with bullets.
You had bullets.
Why did you use them up?
Faith.
They put all their faith
in bullets.
Then discharge all their faith.
"Mother."
What does it say?
"Mararat."
Kill them...
all.
Graves, sir.
Pleasure to meet you.
Distance, mate.
So, you've seen him?
Yeah.
And?
He's a bloke.
-Just a bloke?
-Mm.
A suicidal bloke.
"Suicidal?"
They don't recognise
enough pain.
Do you want him dead or alive?
Dead. Lucky for you.
So, we're all going out, sir?
From what I hear,
you fluffed him up
with a sniff already.
He'll be back for the other.
You boys...
...you don't seem cohesive.
And I have to say,
you don't seem
particularly invested
in killing this man.
You said you wanted him alive,
sir.
Alive until I get here.
Get the house open.
What's your name?
Aurelius.
Like Marcus Aurelius?
Hmm.
I'm Jane.
So, these men in hats...
Bonnets.
I know how it must sound
to modern ears.
There are women, too.
Women in bonnets?
I wouldn't say that to them.
How long have you been a slave?
I graduated and worked in a bar.
I got on the gear, and in debt.
I lost everyone.
My dealer's gang
became my family.
I was thrown between gangs
for years. A mule.
A toy.
A slave.
People using people.
I'm using you.
No.
I would have done this anyway.
Why?
It's your instinct?
Code.
My clan.
They're controlled by a leader.
A code.
If we fail the code,
we're bankrupt.
And the leader can smell it.
What's the code?
It's like,
self-preservation
is an abomination.
Decadent.
It limits you.
Leaves other people suffering.
Self-preservation
keeps you alive.
It leaves you cowed.
Self-serving.
You have family?
They are safer without me.
I have you, this mess...
...and then a debt.
Then I will see them.
Soon there'll be more men.
Guns. How will you do it?
Sheer bloody-mindedness.
They'll match you.
No. They won't.
This is exciting.
Wait.
Aurelius.
Look at all them...
Wow.
Yes?
Mother.
I have your boy.
Would you like him returned?
Emotional blackmail.
What a nasty little ploy.
What would you have me?
Just kill him?
Or torture him all night?
You never fail to disappoint,
do you, Mr. Rhodes?
You still expect us to scream?
Pain, sir, is fuel.
Apparently, pain is fuel.
Fill your boots, boys.
This is for Limburg.
And this is for Marco.
Move!
Someone was
inspired to be a hero.
Tried to save the mate.
Give us a twirl.
Come on, give us a twirl!
Get in the corner.
You like this?
Ooh. That's nice, isn't it?
You people...
aren't the only ones.
I've slaved, suffered,
didn't complain.
There are many forms
of stoicism.
You, Mother, your cult!
So fucking pious.
Indulging yourself
like a true Westerner.
Finish him off outside.
Come on, you fucker.
Get out of here, you fuckin'...
Fucking callous fucker!
Piss on the fucker.
Oi! What the fuck?
Where's your respect? Eh?
Check him.
He's dead.
Let's have a drink.
Oh.
You don't know
what you're missing, boys.
I've heard, if lucky,...
...the bearer would offer up
a button,
therefore, surrendering
the remainder of their lives
in subjugation to the Bonnets.
How do you think this one died?
How do you think he lived?
I want my trophy.
Um, are the women subdued
for the journey?
I didn't wanna waste product.
So, I didn't.
Get the needles.
Get it done, now.
I can go with him.
No.
He can force himself.
I dreamt...
that the earth rose up
and took me today.
And here we are. Mother's...
...coveted Aurelius.
My trophy.
Your desires and securities
are now for nothing.
Your pain and what you think
is pain is worthless.
You are secondary to others.
Their concerns
are now only your concerns.
Do you understand?
How do you know that he'll...
He'll know.
You two need help.
We'll get it.
Where are you going?
To prison.
Aurelius!
We owe you everything.
We owe you everything.
Do you understand?
Do you understand, Aurelius?
We owe you everything!
And I you.