Paradox s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
You may never see the northern lights this far south again and you have your eyes closed.
I'm dreaming.
There's no need to dream.
It's all out here.
- Go back to bed.
- No.
You need your sleep.
Think about tomorrow.
Please, love.
Is it 2.
00 already? How did it get so late? It's not that late.
We should sleep.
No, stay.
Kirsty? Full halo CME observed at 2.
32.
Location of flare and direction of CME indicates the solar storm is reaching dangerous levels.
I'm expecting it to peak in 18 hours.
We'll circulate warnings.
Tell them to be alert for the next 36 hours.
All units stand by.
This is Control.
We have a black van approaching.
No.
False alarm.
He's heading down Deansgate.
- Let's call it a night.
- No.
We wait.
Hi.
I thought I'd lost you.
I'm not going anywhere.
Maybe we could meet.
Somewhere public.
Amy only left What? How long? Two months ago? You need time.
No, I'm over it.
Believe me.
I don't want to be the rebound thing.
You're not! Oh, shit! You're in early.
No-show last night.
Couldn't sleep.
I've a favour to ask.
He's called Christian King.
Dr Christian King.
Space scientist.
Prometheus Innovation.
Space scientist? He wants to see a detective.
Dr King stipulated that the officer should be intelligent and one with an imagination, if that was at all possible.
I'm quoting.
Please present your identification to the camera.
Thank you.
Please proceed.
Rebecca Flint? - DI Flint, yes.
- Christian King.
Do you recognise any of these images? Where did they come from? - They were streamed live at 2.
33am.
- Who by? - Do you recognise them? - No.
Should I? Well, if the images represent one incident, the severity of that incident would suggest that you'd be aware of them.
Why do you believe they're connected? I know they're connected.
Identical time codes.
Pause that.
Well, it looks as if there's been an explosion.
Mmm.
There's something else you should consider.
- June 15.
- That's today.
20.
33.
- That's - That's ten hours from now.
It Whatever It hasn't even happened? Yet.
Knowingly making a false report Criminal Law Act 1967, section 5, clause 2.
I'm a police officer, Dr King.
My time is valuable.
You know nothing about time, DI Flint.
I know when it's being wasted.
Perhaps you've been overworking, Dr King.
Let me out, please.
Threatening a police officer is an extremely serious offence.
I'm not threatening you.
I'm concentrating your mind.
OK, from my extensive police training, I can say that we're looking at something that hasn't happened yet.
I deduce that one of your colleagues was messing around on YouTube This computer isn't networked to any others in the building.
There is, of course, another scenario, DI Flint.
I'm planning to blow something up and I've decided to announce it to the world first.
The number on the mobile in the image.
Ring it.
And then decide if I'm wasting your time.
Lauren, Harry and Kitty are unable to take your call right now.
Please leave a message.
King's a world-renowned scientist.
Why would he issue a threat - hoax or otherwise? Psychotic, psychopathic? He accidentally downloaded an episode of CSI bouncing off a satellite? No, the phone number's real.
The name, Lauren.
And that's odd, isn't it? Issuing a warning with all that detail.
The dead girl looked pretty convincing.
Run a background check on him.
Straight As.
Only child.
No wife, no record.
- Political affiliations? - Not that I can find.
He has worked with explosives before.
Where? Something called the Raven Mine Dispersal System.
His contract was for two years.
He left suddenly after three months.
Terminated because he was too unstable? 80% of the work he's doing for Prometheus Innovation is for the MOD.
He must be vetted regularly.
He held a police officer hostage, he threatened to detonate a bomb.
You should have just pulled him in.
I don't think it's that straightforward.
You weren't in the room with him.
Yes, he's intimidating.
Dangerous, even.
But I keep asking myself, "Why tell me?" If there is any chance Dr King intends to blow something up in nine hours, we have to take this seriously.
- I'll talk to Counter Terrorism.
- No.
This is mine.
I want this.
Oh, God.
Call the engineer.
I don't give up that easily.
- I've got a job.
- I'm heading out.
It's urgent.
- DC Garda? - Gada.
Callum Gada, ma'am.
Rebecca.
How's it progressing? X-ray event's building.
We're looking at a big one.
I've warned NASA their space station crew might be absorbing their yearly dose of radiation.
Are you OK? What exactly do you want to ask me, Simon? Security informs me a DI Flint visited you.
Anything I can help you with? Quick tips on how you I heard you chatting when I came in at 4.
00.
How's it going? Save thousands of pounds in the bargain.
So far But that's it.
I can't get her to meet.
It could be a total disappointment.
No, no, no.
She's the one - I know it.
It has a decent-sized Keep the noise down.
I'm working tonight.
right by a nice park.
They were sent via an unauthorised transmission from our imaging satellite, Prometheus 2.
Any breach of computer security should be reported directly to myself and head of security.
You know the protocols.
Christian? Obviously I know the protocols! Is DI Flint returning? I'm expecting so.
Sorry.
Hey.
What did the doctor say? Her throat's less inflamed.
Just continue taking the antibiotics.
Any news? Um, I'm I'm fine.
Look, please, Harry, if you lose this, what are we? Oh, for Christ's sake, Lauren! Mum! I have to go.
I need to get Kitty to bed.
Yeah.
I love you.
I got you a whiteboard.
I know how much police officers like writing on boards.
If you could e-mail me the images Personal equipment is not permitted.
No material leaves this building without clearance.
We're on a case here.
I've transferred a copy of them to that computer.
Is the work you're doing classified? At the moment, I'm monitoring space weather.
A magnetic storm.
Why did God create economists? To make weathermen look good.
I don't believe in God.
If you need me my door's always open.
I thought King didn't know you were coming back.
He didn't.
Then how come he was expecting you? It's bloody elaborate for a coded warning.
The IT system here has a default deny firewall.
It someone outside has managed to breach it, wouldn't they be stealing data, not leaving grainy pictures? OK, assuming King's put these images together, Photoshopped them maybe, then what's he telling us? How do we know he isn't just watching us chase our tails? King and the images, that's all we have.
We need to establish - are the images connected.
If so, how? Our two fixed points - Kirsty Harmsley.
Licence.
Driving licence.
The dialled number's a residential in Tedsford - Mr Harry Phelps.
His wife is called Lauren.
There's a female called Lauren on the answerphone message.
Are any of them flagged? Any connection with Christian King? Does anyone recognise that? - Clip from a movie? - What? A snuff movie? It's hard to tell if it's real or staged.
Check for missing girls 5 to 10.
What do we recognise? - That's a bridge, right? - It has an abutment.
Mmm, Kid Wonder got a Boy Scout badge in bridges.
Bridge over road carrying train lines? That'd explain the wiring.
Koffee Kingdom's got three branches - Salford, Wythenshawe and Dean Street.
Doesn't mean this is Manchester.
Someone in a train or car.
Buy a coffee, take it with you - you could land up in Glasgow.
Black letters on white.
A sign? Name? Hospital? Something official with the letters "l-N-G-H".
Blood-stained rucksack with a frisbee.
Explosives not in the rucksack.
- A, it isn't blown to bits.
- B, do bombers play frisbee? Do you play frisbee? I agree with you, DS Holt.
Subtlety is greatly overvalued.
No.
I don't.
Black letters, white background.
Hmm.
B road? Bastard's getting off on this.
A B road, a bridge.
Possibly a railway bridge.
Is the target a train? - Yeah? - Hi.
Kirsty.
You know what you said about meeting? OK, let's do it.
- What? When? - This afternoon.
Oh, no.
I can't love, sorry.
Not this afternoon.
- Have you changed your mind? - No, of course not.
It's just, you took me by surprise, that's all.
Well, how about 3.
00, The Triangle, in town? OK.
Great, fantastic.
- You sure? - Really.
I'll see you at 3.
00, then.
Bye-bye.
Storm peaking approximately 1900 hours UTC.
Alert ground to air and ship to shore, UK and US military, power companies.
That's amazing.
"Amaze" - to stun, astonish.
Yeah.
It is.
You suggested you may have planted a bomb.
Why? To get your attention.
Why would you need my attention? You don't think you're worth my interest? Yes.
No.
I am.
You were developing a mine disposal system with the Raven Team.
Why did you leave early? New horizons.
Why don't you believe in God? Human tribes create gods of choice out of fear to avoid the truth.
We're not immortal and there's no divine plan to save us.
How do you feel about mankind? Biped belonging to the mammalian species, possibly a planetary aberration.
That's a very bleak view of life.
You're a distinguished scientist.
It must be hard to admit you need help.
You can talk to me.
I will try to understand.
Is that all you've got? You mouth mawkish platitudes and I confess? Confess to what? I'm not threatened by you or your status, Dr King.
I am prepared to arrest you.
Well, that'll solve nothing.
We both know that.
In less than six hours, something cataclysmic is going to happen.
You're wasting precious time talking to me.
Dr King.
Thank you.
- Kirsty? - Lister.
This is amazing.
Yeah.
We actually did it.
Wow.
Sorry.
Er, look, I've only got a few hours.
I have to work.
OK.
You sure, Sarah? Take your time.
I'm sure.
I've never seen him before.
I'm sorry.
OK.
Well, if he does come in, would you give me a call on that number? - OK.
- Thanks.
I'll get these.
Do you want a regular? - Large.
- OK.
Whoops.
Hi.
Can I get a large cappuccino and a soy latte? Kirsty Harmsley - not in her flat.
No-one knows where she is.
Parents last spoke to her yesterday.
I left contact numbers, photo's on the way.
Also, there's a disc golf competition in Hazel Hill tomorrow.
- "Disc golf"? - Frisbee.
How'd you get on with King? He looked me straight in the eye and swore in less than six hours something cataclysmic is gonna happen.
Phelps's credit rating has just come through.
He has a history of financial problems.
The company he ran from home six months ago went bankrupt.
See what else you can pull on him.
I'm going to his home address in Tedsford.
- Lauren Phelps? - Yes.
DI Flint.
Is your husband in? No.
No, he isn't.
Is there a problem? Mobile phone cloning.
I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
We're just being extra vigilant.
Come in.
- Where is Harry at the moment? - In Manchester.
Business meeting.
- Did you drive him? - No, he took the train.
Do you know what time he's due back? After 9.
00.
Who's this man, Mrs Phelps? I've no idea.
Why? Must be a colleague of Harry's.
Can I have Harry's number, please? - He's not had the job long.
- Don't worry, I'll be very discreet.
Hello.
That's a pretty doll.
This is our daughter, Kitty.
Harry Phelps has a daughter, Kitty, roughly the same age as the girl in the image.
We have a match? It's hard to be certain, but there are similarities.
Phelps intends to maim his own daughter? Doesn't make any sense.
Daughter Kitty is ill.
No plans to leave the family home.
Phelps' wife confirmed the make of his mobile.
It's her number on the image, but apparently it's in working order.
He hasn't changed it recently and it's with him in Manchester.
Any more on him? He's missed his last four mortgage payments.
Bank's applied for a possession order.
See what King's doing.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Harry Phelps.
Predicted income from the sale of liquid assets until the year end.
Storm's been building for a few days.
Takes 24 to 36 hours before it hits the Earth's magnetic field.
It's what caused the aurora.
The pretty lights in the sky.
"L-N-G-H".
Marlingham? It's en route to Hazel Hill.
Marlingham.
You go through it to get to Hazel Hill.
Did he say anything else? No.
He just went back to his work.
- What's happened? Is it Kitty? - Kitty? They said you were a police officer.
Is she worse? No, no.
DI Flint.
I'd just like to ask you a few questions, Mr Phelps.
- Look, I'm in an important meeting.
- It won't take long.
Do you know this man? No.
May I see your mobile, Mr Phelps? - Why? - Please, sir? Thank you.
What train do you intend taking home tonight? The 8.
30 from Manchester.
And what time will it arrive at your home station? 9.
11 at Tedsford.
Why, what's going on? Integrated police, sir.
Railway exercise in case of possible major incidents.
Does your train go through Marlingham? Yes.
And the end destination is? Hazel Hill.
I'm fighting for my job in there.
I haven't got time for this.
Thank you.
Harry Phelps does have his mobile.
I checked the IMEl number.
But, Phelps is travelling tonight on a train to Tedsford.
It passes through Marlingham.
End destination, Hazel Hill.
Everything fits except the time of his train, the 20.
30 from Manchester.
OK, Phelps is depressed, maybe even suicidal.
But he's angry, he's distracted.
This plan requires precision.
It's calculation.
Which leaves King.
- Arrest him, suspected terrorism.
- With what? I've no proof.
Besides, how could King possibly know all this? We can't risk that.
At 20.
33 he makes a call on his mobile and detonates a bomb.
I've drawn a blank at the Koffee Kingdoms.
Marlingham.
Hazel Hill.
Same rail route.
Marlingham? Why blow up a bridge near Marlingham? It's a commuter belt, no strategic value.
Get out there.
See if there's a similar rail bridge in the vicinity.
Take a copy of the image.
We're not supposed to remove the images.
Well, then, put it somewhere the guards won't find it.
Marlingham.
"L-N-G-H" on a white background.
It's the same.
Except the bit where it's blown to pieces.
- Got a match for the bridge.
- What sort of bridge? Road traffic under, rail over.
Marlingham signpost close by.
Any sign of a bomb? Well, do you want us to check it? With extreme care.
Watch for trip wires.
What? Oh, this is insane.
Hello.
I'm DI Flint, Thornborough Police.
In enquiring about the train from Manchester Victoria to Tedsford.
Does it cross a bridge over the B204? OK, next question - is there a train scheduled on that stretch of track at 20.
33? What are we doing here? The bomb could be on the train.
It could be by the track.
No bomb under the bridge, that we can see.
The train Harry Phelps intends to take does pass over the bridge, albeit three quarters of an hour after the possible explosion, but the most vital piece of information - there is no train scheduled to be on that bridge at 20.
33.
Well, that's it, then.
The bastard was winding us up.
Other, more complex elements, are correct.
Why would he get this wrong? Something else has to be happening.
Second powerful coronal mass ejection impacting the earth's magnetic field in the next four to eight hours.
We get into my car, we drive to the bridge and sit under it until 20.
33.
One way or another, I'll find out what's going on.
Have you found the owner of the mobile? Does he have the phone on him? Yes.
And have I ever met him? I'm surmising the answer is no.
Exactly.
The images don't make any sense.
The images are just images.
It's your perception of them that's failing to make sense.
If I kissed you now, would you hit me or scream? What? Would we end up making delirious love or would I be arrested for assault? Circumstances change results.
You know what? I'd begun to believe that you had a glimmer of imagination.
Turns out that you're as stupid as the rest of your profession.
OK.
Supposing just supposing circumstances change.
If it's not you then you're talking about seeing the future.
Preventing something in the future.
You're insane.
Sorry.
Sorry I'm late.
I'll make it up.
I'll just get the paperwork sorted.
This can't come as a surprise to you.
I know my presentation was a bit Look, any courses you want me to go on I'll take a cut in salary.
You're used to working for yourself, Harry.
And maybe if things weren't so tight.
I'll make myself fit in, I promise.
Please don't do this.
I'm I'm losing my house.
I've got a young child, for God's It's out of my hands.
- Please.
Talk to them.
- I'm sorry, Harry.
- "Pas", "nas", "tas".
- Oh, for God's sake.
Gas, gas! Check out HazChem warning signs.
Hey.
Hi.
Thanks, I had a lovely time.
Me too.
- I've got your driving licence.
- How come? You dropped it in the cafe.
I forgot to give it to you.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
Actually, it was a cunning plan to get you to see me again.
- Well, it worked.
- Great.
- I'll call you later.
Bye.
- Bye.
Oh, shit! "Flammable gas 2" means what? Methane, propane, hydrogen, acetylene.
What happens if the vehicle carrying it crashes? If it mixes with oxygen it explodes.
We have our explosion.
Inflammable gas, probably in a tanker.
A tanker? Couldn't go under the bridge near Marlingham, it's too low.
No bloody train is due to be on the bridge at 20.
33.
Trains are delayed.
You cannot predict that a train will be on that bridge at 20.
33.
No-one could plan this.
Forget how it gets there, Callum.
Assume a train is on that bridge at 20.
33.
Maybe we could ring round the companies transporting chemicals.
What? Come on.
How many are there? It's not where it starts that's important, it's where it ends.
Under that bridge.
Come on! We need to think more intelligently.
What the hell's happened to you? I might not have a degree, but I know when I'm being had.
If you two wanna hang around here and be ritually humiliated by some wacko scientist, great.
- I'm off to do some real work.
- This is real work, Ben.
Real, once-in-a-lifetime detection.
Maybe King is a wanker, but he's an interesting wanker.
It's always the same with you.
Anyone knows something you don't and you take it personally.
Look at the picture of the dead girl.
Daubed in ketchup.
This is absurd.
We've proved it will be impossible to blow that bridge up at 20-bloody-33 with a train on it! An hour.
An hour is all we have left.
60 minutes until the flag shoots out saying, "Fooled you!" At which point I will buy you a very large whisky and a packet of cheese and onion crisps.
A word? I'm not pulling rank, Ben, but I'll be beyond annoyed if you walk out that door.
What? Whatever may happen is happening during a geomagnetic storm.
So? Magnetic storms induce currents that knock out navigational systems.
At the next junction, turn left.
We've been working on the fact that no high-sided vehicle would use that bridge.
If the SatNav was on the blink You'd go back to the good old-fashioned way and use your eyes.
Large sign saying "Low bridge".
- What? - Mr Phelps, DI Flint.
Are you still planning to take the 20.
30 train? On platform six is the 19.
50 to Hazel Hill Listen.
My daughter's ill.
It's been a lousy day.
I just want to go home.
All right? Phelps is going for the earlier train.
That's the, er the 7.
50.
He'll be over the bridge and off the train at Tedsford before a possible explosion.
Unless something delays him.
I need to see the bridge for myself.
I want to be there at 20.
33.
There's a quicker route.
Avoid Marlingham.
Show me.
Monitor the radio, traffic diversions in the area.
Welcome aboard the 19.
50 to Hazel Hill, calling at Stansfield, Newton, Marlingham and Tedsford, due to arrive in Hazel Hill at 20.
48.
At the next roundabout, take the third exit.
I apologise for the delay.
We'll soon be moving on towards Stansfield What? DI Flint, Mr Phelps.
Sorry to bother you again.
I'm told that we'll soon be allowed to move forward to Stansfield.
Obviously you caught the train.
Did I hear it was delayed? Yes, outside Stansfield.
Can you see anyone in your compartment with a frisbee? Yes.
Why? What about, um, a little girl? Eight-ish.
Plaits.
A yellow floral dress.
No.
Why? What's going on? It's all part of the same safety review, Mr Phelps.
Thank you.
I'll call you again later, if I may.
I know all things in this life can't be explained.
But a tanker is never going to drive under that bridge.
But you do believe, we both believe, that something's going to happen.
Harry, are you moving yet? Er, yes.
I want to know what's Where are you? We're just outside Newton.
I've seen her.
The little girl.
I've just seen her.
Did you hear what I said? I've just seen her.
It it's still OK.
If there are no further delays, the train will be over the bridge before 20.
33.
DI Flint? What's going on? Are we in danger? Um Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost power.
DI Flint, can you hear me? Harry? Harry, what happened? No signal.
Is the power back on? Emergency generator.
Looks like most of Manchester's affected.
What happened? Plasma impacting the Earth's magnetic field.
It blew up substations, mobile network masts.
Simon Manning.
Compass direction's changed by five degrees.
Can we expect more? Yeah.
I think so.
We have four minutes.
This is a code red.
I need a train evacuated urgently.
All our communications are down.
Well, find the nearest manned signal box with a landline and ring them.
Now! I'm very sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but we are being held here due to a power failure.
Any more information I get, I'll be sure to let you know.
There's the bridge and the train.
Stop! Stop! On behalf of the Ministry of Defence Industry Security Service, I appreciate how difficult today must have been for you.
Simon's briefed me on the circumstances leading up to this tragedy and how hard you worked to prevent it.
- Do we have the death toll? - 73 on the train so far.
The driver of the tanker.
152 survivors.
What the hell was going on? That is an extremely good and, for the present, unanswerable question.
So, in the interests of national security, and to avoid public panic, anything relating to this incident will come under the Official Secrets Act.
As police officers, I appreciate I don't need to remind you of the penalties if you contravene the Act.
Kitty.
Honey! Hello, sweetheart! Oh, honey.
Go to sleep.
What happened out there, it couldn't have been predicted? Indicated, yes.
Not specifically when and where? No.
But these photos did.
So it's not you.
It's not anyone on this Earth.
Where did they come from? I can't answer that.
Can't or won't? Aliens? God? Maybe this is proof God does exist.
He made the world and everything in it.
If anyone knows what's going to happen next, He should.
A doctrine of predestination with "get out of jail free" cards? Then what's your theory? You must have a theory.
You knew these events, suspected they were going to happen.
You made sure I was suspicious enough to come back and then stay.
To do what? Put the jigsaw together for you? I'm a physicist.
Proof means something different to me.
What does that mean?! 74 people died today! Is it going to happen again? Until it's established what the "it" in this context indicates, I don't know.
I saw we saw the future today.
We saw the future burn right in front of us.
I I had a spare set of keys made before First time I've used them.
I'm not sure DS Holt would want to part of the investigation team if he saw this.
Then perhaps we shouldn't show it to him.
Forget physics - when have you ever heard of anyone seeing in the future? Our job isn't to explain it, it's to prevent it.
There are no bubbles on the surface of the water.
- The victim's dead.
- If we just sit here, we condemn that boy to death.
Those images didn't arrive so that you could intervene and save a life.
That's a bonus.
How is Ben going to die?
I'm dreaming.
There's no need to dream.
It's all out here.
- Go back to bed.
- No.
You need your sleep.
Think about tomorrow.
Please, love.
Is it 2.
00 already? How did it get so late? It's not that late.
We should sleep.
No, stay.
Kirsty? Full halo CME observed at 2.
32.
Location of flare and direction of CME indicates the solar storm is reaching dangerous levels.
I'm expecting it to peak in 18 hours.
We'll circulate warnings.
Tell them to be alert for the next 36 hours.
All units stand by.
This is Control.
We have a black van approaching.
No.
False alarm.
He's heading down Deansgate.
- Let's call it a night.
- No.
We wait.
Hi.
I thought I'd lost you.
I'm not going anywhere.
Maybe we could meet.
Somewhere public.
Amy only left What? How long? Two months ago? You need time.
No, I'm over it.
Believe me.
I don't want to be the rebound thing.
You're not! Oh, shit! You're in early.
No-show last night.
Couldn't sleep.
I've a favour to ask.
He's called Christian King.
Dr Christian King.
Space scientist.
Prometheus Innovation.
Space scientist? He wants to see a detective.
Dr King stipulated that the officer should be intelligent and one with an imagination, if that was at all possible.
I'm quoting.
Please present your identification to the camera.
Thank you.
Please proceed.
Rebecca Flint? - DI Flint, yes.
- Christian King.
Do you recognise any of these images? Where did they come from? - They were streamed live at 2.
33am.
- Who by? - Do you recognise them? - No.
Should I? Well, if the images represent one incident, the severity of that incident would suggest that you'd be aware of them.
Why do you believe they're connected? I know they're connected.
Identical time codes.
Pause that.
Well, it looks as if there's been an explosion.
Mmm.
There's something else you should consider.
- June 15.
- That's today.
20.
33.
- That's - That's ten hours from now.
It Whatever It hasn't even happened? Yet.
Knowingly making a false report Criminal Law Act 1967, section 5, clause 2.
I'm a police officer, Dr King.
My time is valuable.
You know nothing about time, DI Flint.
I know when it's being wasted.
Perhaps you've been overworking, Dr King.
Let me out, please.
Threatening a police officer is an extremely serious offence.
I'm not threatening you.
I'm concentrating your mind.
OK, from my extensive police training, I can say that we're looking at something that hasn't happened yet.
I deduce that one of your colleagues was messing around on YouTube This computer isn't networked to any others in the building.
There is, of course, another scenario, DI Flint.
I'm planning to blow something up and I've decided to announce it to the world first.
The number on the mobile in the image.
Ring it.
And then decide if I'm wasting your time.
Lauren, Harry and Kitty are unable to take your call right now.
Please leave a message.
King's a world-renowned scientist.
Why would he issue a threat - hoax or otherwise? Psychotic, psychopathic? He accidentally downloaded an episode of CSI bouncing off a satellite? No, the phone number's real.
The name, Lauren.
And that's odd, isn't it? Issuing a warning with all that detail.
The dead girl looked pretty convincing.
Run a background check on him.
Straight As.
Only child.
No wife, no record.
- Political affiliations? - Not that I can find.
He has worked with explosives before.
Where? Something called the Raven Mine Dispersal System.
His contract was for two years.
He left suddenly after three months.
Terminated because he was too unstable? 80% of the work he's doing for Prometheus Innovation is for the MOD.
He must be vetted regularly.
He held a police officer hostage, he threatened to detonate a bomb.
You should have just pulled him in.
I don't think it's that straightforward.
You weren't in the room with him.
Yes, he's intimidating.
Dangerous, even.
But I keep asking myself, "Why tell me?" If there is any chance Dr King intends to blow something up in nine hours, we have to take this seriously.
- I'll talk to Counter Terrorism.
- No.
This is mine.
I want this.
Oh, God.
Call the engineer.
I don't give up that easily.
- I've got a job.
- I'm heading out.
It's urgent.
- DC Garda? - Gada.
Callum Gada, ma'am.
Rebecca.
How's it progressing? X-ray event's building.
We're looking at a big one.
I've warned NASA their space station crew might be absorbing their yearly dose of radiation.
Are you OK? What exactly do you want to ask me, Simon? Security informs me a DI Flint visited you.
Anything I can help you with? Quick tips on how you I heard you chatting when I came in at 4.
00.
How's it going? Save thousands of pounds in the bargain.
So far But that's it.
I can't get her to meet.
It could be a total disappointment.
No, no, no.
She's the one - I know it.
It has a decent-sized Keep the noise down.
I'm working tonight.
right by a nice park.
They were sent via an unauthorised transmission from our imaging satellite, Prometheus 2.
Any breach of computer security should be reported directly to myself and head of security.
You know the protocols.
Christian? Obviously I know the protocols! Is DI Flint returning? I'm expecting so.
Sorry.
Hey.
What did the doctor say? Her throat's less inflamed.
Just continue taking the antibiotics.
Any news? Um, I'm I'm fine.
Look, please, Harry, if you lose this, what are we? Oh, for Christ's sake, Lauren! Mum! I have to go.
I need to get Kitty to bed.
Yeah.
I love you.
I got you a whiteboard.
I know how much police officers like writing on boards.
If you could e-mail me the images Personal equipment is not permitted.
No material leaves this building without clearance.
We're on a case here.
I've transferred a copy of them to that computer.
Is the work you're doing classified? At the moment, I'm monitoring space weather.
A magnetic storm.
Why did God create economists? To make weathermen look good.
I don't believe in God.
If you need me my door's always open.
I thought King didn't know you were coming back.
He didn't.
Then how come he was expecting you? It's bloody elaborate for a coded warning.
The IT system here has a default deny firewall.
It someone outside has managed to breach it, wouldn't they be stealing data, not leaving grainy pictures? OK, assuming King's put these images together, Photoshopped them maybe, then what's he telling us? How do we know he isn't just watching us chase our tails? King and the images, that's all we have.
We need to establish - are the images connected.
If so, how? Our two fixed points - Kirsty Harmsley.
Licence.
Driving licence.
The dialled number's a residential in Tedsford - Mr Harry Phelps.
His wife is called Lauren.
There's a female called Lauren on the answerphone message.
Are any of them flagged? Any connection with Christian King? Does anyone recognise that? - Clip from a movie? - What? A snuff movie? It's hard to tell if it's real or staged.
Check for missing girls 5 to 10.
What do we recognise? - That's a bridge, right? - It has an abutment.
Mmm, Kid Wonder got a Boy Scout badge in bridges.
Bridge over road carrying train lines? That'd explain the wiring.
Koffee Kingdom's got three branches - Salford, Wythenshawe and Dean Street.
Doesn't mean this is Manchester.
Someone in a train or car.
Buy a coffee, take it with you - you could land up in Glasgow.
Black letters on white.
A sign? Name? Hospital? Something official with the letters "l-N-G-H".
Blood-stained rucksack with a frisbee.
Explosives not in the rucksack.
- A, it isn't blown to bits.
- B, do bombers play frisbee? Do you play frisbee? I agree with you, DS Holt.
Subtlety is greatly overvalued.
No.
I don't.
Black letters, white background.
Hmm.
B road? Bastard's getting off on this.
A B road, a bridge.
Possibly a railway bridge.
Is the target a train? - Yeah? - Hi.
Kirsty.
You know what you said about meeting? OK, let's do it.
- What? When? - This afternoon.
Oh, no.
I can't love, sorry.
Not this afternoon.
- Have you changed your mind? - No, of course not.
It's just, you took me by surprise, that's all.
Well, how about 3.
00, The Triangle, in town? OK.
Great, fantastic.
- You sure? - Really.
I'll see you at 3.
00, then.
Bye-bye.
Storm peaking approximately 1900 hours UTC.
Alert ground to air and ship to shore, UK and US military, power companies.
That's amazing.
"Amaze" - to stun, astonish.
Yeah.
It is.
You suggested you may have planted a bomb.
Why? To get your attention.
Why would you need my attention? You don't think you're worth my interest? Yes.
No.
I am.
You were developing a mine disposal system with the Raven Team.
Why did you leave early? New horizons.
Why don't you believe in God? Human tribes create gods of choice out of fear to avoid the truth.
We're not immortal and there's no divine plan to save us.
How do you feel about mankind? Biped belonging to the mammalian species, possibly a planetary aberration.
That's a very bleak view of life.
You're a distinguished scientist.
It must be hard to admit you need help.
You can talk to me.
I will try to understand.
Is that all you've got? You mouth mawkish platitudes and I confess? Confess to what? I'm not threatened by you or your status, Dr King.
I am prepared to arrest you.
Well, that'll solve nothing.
We both know that.
In less than six hours, something cataclysmic is going to happen.
You're wasting precious time talking to me.
Dr King.
Thank you.
- Kirsty? - Lister.
This is amazing.
Yeah.
We actually did it.
Wow.
Sorry.
Er, look, I've only got a few hours.
I have to work.
OK.
You sure, Sarah? Take your time.
I'm sure.
I've never seen him before.
I'm sorry.
OK.
Well, if he does come in, would you give me a call on that number? - OK.
- Thanks.
I'll get these.
Do you want a regular? - Large.
- OK.
Whoops.
Hi.
Can I get a large cappuccino and a soy latte? Kirsty Harmsley - not in her flat.
No-one knows where she is.
Parents last spoke to her yesterday.
I left contact numbers, photo's on the way.
Also, there's a disc golf competition in Hazel Hill tomorrow.
- "Disc golf"? - Frisbee.
How'd you get on with King? He looked me straight in the eye and swore in less than six hours something cataclysmic is gonna happen.
Phelps's credit rating has just come through.
He has a history of financial problems.
The company he ran from home six months ago went bankrupt.
See what else you can pull on him.
I'm going to his home address in Tedsford.
- Lauren Phelps? - Yes.
DI Flint.
Is your husband in? No.
No, he isn't.
Is there a problem? Mobile phone cloning.
I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
We're just being extra vigilant.
Come in.
- Where is Harry at the moment? - In Manchester.
Business meeting.
- Did you drive him? - No, he took the train.
Do you know what time he's due back? After 9.
00.
Who's this man, Mrs Phelps? I've no idea.
Why? Must be a colleague of Harry's.
Can I have Harry's number, please? - He's not had the job long.
- Don't worry, I'll be very discreet.
Hello.
That's a pretty doll.
This is our daughter, Kitty.
Harry Phelps has a daughter, Kitty, roughly the same age as the girl in the image.
We have a match? It's hard to be certain, but there are similarities.
Phelps intends to maim his own daughter? Doesn't make any sense.
Daughter Kitty is ill.
No plans to leave the family home.
Phelps' wife confirmed the make of his mobile.
It's her number on the image, but apparently it's in working order.
He hasn't changed it recently and it's with him in Manchester.
Any more on him? He's missed his last four mortgage payments.
Bank's applied for a possession order.
See what King's doing.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Harry Phelps.
Predicted income from the sale of liquid assets until the year end.
Storm's been building for a few days.
Takes 24 to 36 hours before it hits the Earth's magnetic field.
It's what caused the aurora.
The pretty lights in the sky.
"L-N-G-H".
Marlingham? It's en route to Hazel Hill.
Marlingham.
You go through it to get to Hazel Hill.
Did he say anything else? No.
He just went back to his work.
- What's happened? Is it Kitty? - Kitty? They said you were a police officer.
Is she worse? No, no.
DI Flint.
I'd just like to ask you a few questions, Mr Phelps.
- Look, I'm in an important meeting.
- It won't take long.
Do you know this man? No.
May I see your mobile, Mr Phelps? - Why? - Please, sir? Thank you.
What train do you intend taking home tonight? The 8.
30 from Manchester.
And what time will it arrive at your home station? 9.
11 at Tedsford.
Why, what's going on? Integrated police, sir.
Railway exercise in case of possible major incidents.
Does your train go through Marlingham? Yes.
And the end destination is? Hazel Hill.
I'm fighting for my job in there.
I haven't got time for this.
Thank you.
Harry Phelps does have his mobile.
I checked the IMEl number.
But, Phelps is travelling tonight on a train to Tedsford.
It passes through Marlingham.
End destination, Hazel Hill.
Everything fits except the time of his train, the 20.
30 from Manchester.
OK, Phelps is depressed, maybe even suicidal.
But he's angry, he's distracted.
This plan requires precision.
It's calculation.
Which leaves King.
- Arrest him, suspected terrorism.
- With what? I've no proof.
Besides, how could King possibly know all this? We can't risk that.
At 20.
33 he makes a call on his mobile and detonates a bomb.
I've drawn a blank at the Koffee Kingdoms.
Marlingham.
Hazel Hill.
Same rail route.
Marlingham? Why blow up a bridge near Marlingham? It's a commuter belt, no strategic value.
Get out there.
See if there's a similar rail bridge in the vicinity.
Take a copy of the image.
We're not supposed to remove the images.
Well, then, put it somewhere the guards won't find it.
Marlingham.
"L-N-G-H" on a white background.
It's the same.
Except the bit where it's blown to pieces.
- Got a match for the bridge.
- What sort of bridge? Road traffic under, rail over.
Marlingham signpost close by.
Any sign of a bomb? Well, do you want us to check it? With extreme care.
Watch for trip wires.
What? Oh, this is insane.
Hello.
I'm DI Flint, Thornborough Police.
In enquiring about the train from Manchester Victoria to Tedsford.
Does it cross a bridge over the B204? OK, next question - is there a train scheduled on that stretch of track at 20.
33? What are we doing here? The bomb could be on the train.
It could be by the track.
No bomb under the bridge, that we can see.
The train Harry Phelps intends to take does pass over the bridge, albeit three quarters of an hour after the possible explosion, but the most vital piece of information - there is no train scheduled to be on that bridge at 20.
33.
Well, that's it, then.
The bastard was winding us up.
Other, more complex elements, are correct.
Why would he get this wrong? Something else has to be happening.
Second powerful coronal mass ejection impacting the earth's magnetic field in the next four to eight hours.
We get into my car, we drive to the bridge and sit under it until 20.
33.
One way or another, I'll find out what's going on.
Have you found the owner of the mobile? Does he have the phone on him? Yes.
And have I ever met him? I'm surmising the answer is no.
Exactly.
The images don't make any sense.
The images are just images.
It's your perception of them that's failing to make sense.
If I kissed you now, would you hit me or scream? What? Would we end up making delirious love or would I be arrested for assault? Circumstances change results.
You know what? I'd begun to believe that you had a glimmer of imagination.
Turns out that you're as stupid as the rest of your profession.
OK.
Supposing just supposing circumstances change.
If it's not you then you're talking about seeing the future.
Preventing something in the future.
You're insane.
Sorry.
Sorry I'm late.
I'll make it up.
I'll just get the paperwork sorted.
This can't come as a surprise to you.
I know my presentation was a bit Look, any courses you want me to go on I'll take a cut in salary.
You're used to working for yourself, Harry.
And maybe if things weren't so tight.
I'll make myself fit in, I promise.
Please don't do this.
I'm I'm losing my house.
I've got a young child, for God's It's out of my hands.
- Please.
Talk to them.
- I'm sorry, Harry.
- "Pas", "nas", "tas".
- Oh, for God's sake.
Gas, gas! Check out HazChem warning signs.
Hey.
Hi.
Thanks, I had a lovely time.
Me too.
- I've got your driving licence.
- How come? You dropped it in the cafe.
I forgot to give it to you.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
Actually, it was a cunning plan to get you to see me again.
- Well, it worked.
- Great.
- I'll call you later.
Bye.
- Bye.
Oh, shit! "Flammable gas 2" means what? Methane, propane, hydrogen, acetylene.
What happens if the vehicle carrying it crashes? If it mixes with oxygen it explodes.
We have our explosion.
Inflammable gas, probably in a tanker.
A tanker? Couldn't go under the bridge near Marlingham, it's too low.
No bloody train is due to be on the bridge at 20.
33.
Trains are delayed.
You cannot predict that a train will be on that bridge at 20.
33.
No-one could plan this.
Forget how it gets there, Callum.
Assume a train is on that bridge at 20.
33.
Maybe we could ring round the companies transporting chemicals.
What? Come on.
How many are there? It's not where it starts that's important, it's where it ends.
Under that bridge.
Come on! We need to think more intelligently.
What the hell's happened to you? I might not have a degree, but I know when I'm being had.
If you two wanna hang around here and be ritually humiliated by some wacko scientist, great.
- I'm off to do some real work.
- This is real work, Ben.
Real, once-in-a-lifetime detection.
Maybe King is a wanker, but he's an interesting wanker.
It's always the same with you.
Anyone knows something you don't and you take it personally.
Look at the picture of the dead girl.
Daubed in ketchup.
This is absurd.
We've proved it will be impossible to blow that bridge up at 20-bloody-33 with a train on it! An hour.
An hour is all we have left.
60 minutes until the flag shoots out saying, "Fooled you!" At which point I will buy you a very large whisky and a packet of cheese and onion crisps.
A word? I'm not pulling rank, Ben, but I'll be beyond annoyed if you walk out that door.
What? Whatever may happen is happening during a geomagnetic storm.
So? Magnetic storms induce currents that knock out navigational systems.
At the next junction, turn left.
We've been working on the fact that no high-sided vehicle would use that bridge.
If the SatNav was on the blink You'd go back to the good old-fashioned way and use your eyes.
Large sign saying "Low bridge".
- What? - Mr Phelps, DI Flint.
Are you still planning to take the 20.
30 train? On platform six is the 19.
50 to Hazel Hill Listen.
My daughter's ill.
It's been a lousy day.
I just want to go home.
All right? Phelps is going for the earlier train.
That's the, er the 7.
50.
He'll be over the bridge and off the train at Tedsford before a possible explosion.
Unless something delays him.
I need to see the bridge for myself.
I want to be there at 20.
33.
There's a quicker route.
Avoid Marlingham.
Show me.
Monitor the radio, traffic diversions in the area.
Welcome aboard the 19.
50 to Hazel Hill, calling at Stansfield, Newton, Marlingham and Tedsford, due to arrive in Hazel Hill at 20.
48.
At the next roundabout, take the third exit.
I apologise for the delay.
We'll soon be moving on towards Stansfield What? DI Flint, Mr Phelps.
Sorry to bother you again.
I'm told that we'll soon be allowed to move forward to Stansfield.
Obviously you caught the train.
Did I hear it was delayed? Yes, outside Stansfield.
Can you see anyone in your compartment with a frisbee? Yes.
Why? What about, um, a little girl? Eight-ish.
Plaits.
A yellow floral dress.
No.
Why? What's going on? It's all part of the same safety review, Mr Phelps.
Thank you.
I'll call you again later, if I may.
I know all things in this life can't be explained.
But a tanker is never going to drive under that bridge.
But you do believe, we both believe, that something's going to happen.
Harry, are you moving yet? Er, yes.
I want to know what's Where are you? We're just outside Newton.
I've seen her.
The little girl.
I've just seen her.
Did you hear what I said? I've just seen her.
It it's still OK.
If there are no further delays, the train will be over the bridge before 20.
33.
DI Flint? What's going on? Are we in danger? Um Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost power.
DI Flint, can you hear me? Harry? Harry, what happened? No signal.
Is the power back on? Emergency generator.
Looks like most of Manchester's affected.
What happened? Plasma impacting the Earth's magnetic field.
It blew up substations, mobile network masts.
Simon Manning.
Compass direction's changed by five degrees.
Can we expect more? Yeah.
I think so.
We have four minutes.
This is a code red.
I need a train evacuated urgently.
All our communications are down.
Well, find the nearest manned signal box with a landline and ring them.
Now! I'm very sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but we are being held here due to a power failure.
Any more information I get, I'll be sure to let you know.
There's the bridge and the train.
Stop! Stop! On behalf of the Ministry of Defence Industry Security Service, I appreciate how difficult today must have been for you.
Simon's briefed me on the circumstances leading up to this tragedy and how hard you worked to prevent it.
- Do we have the death toll? - 73 on the train so far.
The driver of the tanker.
152 survivors.
What the hell was going on? That is an extremely good and, for the present, unanswerable question.
So, in the interests of national security, and to avoid public panic, anything relating to this incident will come under the Official Secrets Act.
As police officers, I appreciate I don't need to remind you of the penalties if you contravene the Act.
Kitty.
Honey! Hello, sweetheart! Oh, honey.
Go to sleep.
What happened out there, it couldn't have been predicted? Indicated, yes.
Not specifically when and where? No.
But these photos did.
So it's not you.
It's not anyone on this Earth.
Where did they come from? I can't answer that.
Can't or won't? Aliens? God? Maybe this is proof God does exist.
He made the world and everything in it.
If anyone knows what's going to happen next, He should.
A doctrine of predestination with "get out of jail free" cards? Then what's your theory? You must have a theory.
You knew these events, suspected they were going to happen.
You made sure I was suspicious enough to come back and then stay.
To do what? Put the jigsaw together for you? I'm a physicist.
Proof means something different to me.
What does that mean?! 74 people died today! Is it going to happen again? Until it's established what the "it" in this context indicates, I don't know.
I saw we saw the future today.
We saw the future burn right in front of us.
I I had a spare set of keys made before First time I've used them.
I'm not sure DS Holt would want to part of the investigation team if he saw this.
Then perhaps we shouldn't show it to him.
Forget physics - when have you ever heard of anyone seeing in the future? Our job isn't to explain it, it's to prevent it.
There are no bubbles on the surface of the water.
- The victim's dead.
- If we just sit here, we condemn that boy to death.
Those images didn't arrive so that you could intervene and save a life.
That's a bonus.
How is Ben going to die?