Alex Rider (2020) s01e03 Episode Script

1 Set our eyes west Chase the sunset ♪ Hint of wine on my breath ♪ And you got Your hand on my hand ♪ Lips to my ear ♪ Whisper "Switch to 5th gear" I will.
Aye look ♪ Cosa Nostra In a Tesstarossa ♪ Pull me closer Baby, don't let go ♪ Get away from Where we came from ♪ Where we'll end up I don't know ♪ We got the whole world ahead And the old world behind ♪ Nothing in the rear view But wasted time ♪ Steal my heart I promise I won't tell ♪ And if I steal your kisses Baby, pay my bail ♪ We got the whole world ahead And the old world behind ♪ Whole world ahead And the old world behind ♪ Whole world ahead And the old world behind ♪ You're the whole world And the world is mine ♪ [MUSIC.]
SMITHERS: We have a location for Point Blanc.
Originally a sanatorium.
It took us a while to find because, well, it's in the middle of absolutely nowhere.
It lay abandoned for a while but was acquired three years ago.
By? The purchase was handled by a shell company.
The principal signatory is Eva Stellenbosch, Dean of Students at Point Blanc.
Who has just contacted, Sir David.
- Are we in? - Not quite yet.
She wants to meet with Alex first.
[MUSIC.]
Come on ♪ Chameleon ♪ Where has the wisdom gone? Come on ♪ Hey, man.
Where were you this morning? I overslept.
What the hell? What happened? It's nothing.
Just tell me who did it.
- And? - And we'll finish them.
- I mean, utterly.
- How? Deepfake pictures of their parents on donkey porn and put it online, always works.
Yeah, that sounds all right.
You gonna tell me who did it or what? It's just some dickheads in the park.
I didn't even know them.
I'll see you later, okay.
What? You've got a visitor.
MRS.
JONES: We need to be sure you get into Point Blanc.
We seeded the story last night and it's being picked up everywhere.
We'd already contacted the school on behalf of Sir David Friend and said the situation's urgent.
This will explain why.
When do you think they'll get back to you? They already have.
We need to be ready.
Alex, how are you getting on with your cover identity? I want my mate's phone back.
- What? - Tom's phone.
It was in the glove box.
I want it back.
Well, it's part of an ongoing investigation It's got nothing to do with my uncle's death.
I want it back.
Okay.
I'll have it sent to him.
Make sure.
Alex, I know how you must feel.
- No, you don't.
- You don't trust me.
Or any of us, probably.
And maybe now you're thinking you shouldn't have trusted Ian.
The world we inhabit is murky.
Things are never as clear as we would wish.
But all Ian ever wanted was to keep you safe.
And you could have trusted him with your life.
He loved you.
And he was our friend.
So you're saying we're all on the same side here? No.
I'm saying I'm sorry he's gone.
Birthday.
Eighth of December.
- Siblings.
- Older sister, Fiona.
She's been in the papers too.
Drugs.
- When was that? - Three years ago.
Arrested in Los Cabos.
Daddy wasn't amused.
And where does Daddy play golf? He doesn't.
He plays tennis at Queen's.
Hmm.
All correct.
Good.
Now, you need to look the part.
Clothes, hair, details.
Can you manage that? Uh Leave that to me.
Enjoy.
Oh, yeah, we're gonna have fun.
Shopping.
Chameleon ♪ STAN: So, what we looking for? Bit of ink? I'm thinking something death-metal flavor.
This one maybe.
How about piercings? Here, here, here, and here? Hmm.
Oh, and a Prince Albert.
Oh, yes.
We're kidding.
We just need a haircut.
Yeah, yeah, sure.
Where are you going? - Shopping.
- [CLIPPERS BUZZING.]
It's something I can face up ♪ I think I'll make love Come on ♪ Chameleon ♪ The life you wanted Is on ♪ - Come on ♪ - How do I look? I know you like To play dumb ♪ Come on ♪ Chameleon ♪ Has the cat Got your tongue? ♪ - Perfect.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE.]
Let's rush ♪ There's nothing Like a loaded gun ♪ It's something I can face up ♪ - Oh, mate.
- Yeah, I know.
- Was it the same guys? - What same guys? That beat you up in the park.
Only this time they pinned you down and made you look like a douche.
- Nice.
- Oh, it's intentional.
I'm sorry, man.
It's a strong look.
Shut up.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Not bad.
Looks okay.
Cheers.
Some of us are getting together tomorrow night, gonna watch a film.
Do you wanna come? - What's the film? - It's the new Spider-Man.
Great.
I love Spider-Man.
Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah, sure.
- Cool.
- Count me in.
- Okay.
- I'll message you, yeah? - Yeah.
Cracking.
- You hate Spider-Man.
- Yeah, I do, yeah.
- But I'm coming, so - No, look, man, I get Spider-Man, but, like, if he was bitten by a radioactive spider, which, by the way, not a real thing, how come he doesn't have eight legs? - Because that'd be ridiculous.
- What, more ridiculous than a boy - who can swing from walls - [CELL PHONE CHIMES.]
and climb buildings and stuff like that? Oh, um, Jack needs me.
Um - Okay, yeah, we can do that.
- Um No, no, no, it's, um I've gotta stop by the shops because I've got to split the chores with her, so I should do it on my own.
Bollocks.
- What do you mean? - That is absolute bollocks.
It's not bollocks.
All right, show me the message? - No.
- It's just you and Ayisha then? Yeah, just the two of you tonight.
- No, it's not.
Don't be stupid.
- I'm not stupid.
You know I didn't mean it like that, come on.
Then show me the message, man.
It's I can't, it's It's not important.
It's just It's private.
Okay.
See you later? [MUSIC.]
MRS.
JONES: Eva Stellenbosch, Dean of Students at Point Blanc.
- Why does she wanna meet me? - Because it's her decision whether to recommend you for entry or not.
She's coming to the estate this weekend.
We're yet to identify the director and teaching staff, but we have made some headway with the students.
SMITHERS: Ah, you'll like that one.
Kyra Vashenko-Chao, daughter of Andriy Vashenko and Nuo Chao.
She hacked the Tokyo stock exchange ticker and wiped $7 billion off the Nikkei in 20 seconds.
- ALEX: Huh.
That's pretty cool.
-SMITHERS: It's not bad, is it? Now, we're not sending you in there completely unaided.
Be very careful with this.
What, does it explode or something? SMITHERS: No.
Aim it between somebody's eyes and increase the volume, it melts their brain.
No, of course it doesn't.
It's a bloody music player.
But it does have an encrypted comms system built in.
You can send and receive texts, tell us how you're doing, keep us posted.
To access, go to Menu, then Playlists, then New Kids on the Block.
- Who? - Exactly.
No one's ever gonna look there.
You couldn't just give me a phone? So, what does this do? Makes and receives telephone calls.
But we're expecting them to confiscate that as part of the academy's student policy.
And what if they confiscate the MP3 player as well? Then you're just gonna have to think like an agent.
Improvise.
Okay.
Read the notes, learn the stuff.
Can I go now? Eva Stellenbosch is coming to interview you this weekend.
She wants to meet Alex Friend, not Alex Rider.
There's a lot of work to do.
I have a thing tomorrow.
- A thing? - I'm to be going to the cinema with some friends.
I'm afraid that's out of the question.
The car's waiting outside, we'll all go to yours, collect your things and then make our way to the estate.
And you can read the notes on the way.
[MUSIC.]
This is what a £150 billion food empire buys you.
A hundred and sixty-five.
He moved up two places on the Forbes list.
Hmm.
You must be Alex Rider.
Why don't you come in? My wife, Caroline.
Hi.
Before you leave, Mrs.
Jones, I take it you are going to be on your way, I want to make one thing clear.
This is the last time.
Tell Alan Blunt from me.
What he is doing recruiting a child, it's not just irresponsible.
CAROLINE: It's illegal.
Well, that's something you both know plenty about.
This settles the debts.
Finally.
Yes.
I'll pass the message on.
Alex.
Let me show you to your room.
Here you are.
You'll have the wing to yourself.
My daughter, Fiona's away for the weekend.
Do you have any questions? What should I call you? You can call me David.
No.
I mean like "Dad"? Daddy? What does Fiona call you? She doesn't.
Dinner's at 7.
If I can find my way back.
[MUSIC.]
CRAWLEY: We've been running down the North Korean angle.
Nothing concrete at all.
BLUNT: And Wilby, since he came back? Nothing.
He's been consistent across multiple debriefs and everything he says makes sense.
Well, there are two possibilities.
Either Ian was compromised from the outside, identified and targeted.
Or he was compromised from the inside.
They are the options.
Either Martin Wilby is telling the truth or Martin Wilby set this up.
I'll get on it.
[MUSIC.]
Do watch out for buckshot.
Quail.
Shot it myself.
This must be very strange for you.
It is.
Yeah.
So why are you doing it? And why are you? DAVID: Business.
You wouldn't understand.
This school, uh I can't really talk about it.
No.
I suppose not.
What's for pud? I mean, dessert.
[MUSIC.]
[CELL PHONE BUZZES.]
Money is just money.
You think rich people are different to you? Really, they're just the same.
How many houses do you have? Not sure.
Not quite the same then.
Pull.
You're aiming at the target.
You need to lead it a little.
There's something I need to say.
You can't trust Alan Blunt.
No matter what he says or seems to do, the truth is he will always be using you.
No need to tell me that.
Pull! So, what's next? [THE VACCINES' "NIGHTCLUB" PLAYING.]
I wake up in the morning With the evening in my eye ♪ And by the time I get there It becomes apparent why ♪ All the voices singing to me Like some sort of choir ♪ Fiona.
What are you doing here? I do live here, Mommy.
Or hadn't you noticed? But aren't you supposed to be away for the weekend, with Rafe? Yes, well, Rafe and I have split up.
Miss Fiona.
Shut up.
I won't do it.
We have no choice.
Alan Blunt and I have a business arrangement.
He tells you what to do and you don't go to jail.
That is no way to talk to your father.
DAVID: Do you think all this just happened? There are gray areas of the law, Fiona.
Gray areas.
How long will he staying? DAVID: One weekend.
Two days.
That's all.
Surely even you can manage that? Then hopefully he gets into this bloody school.
[SIGHS.]
[THE VACCINES' "NIGHTCLUB" PLAYING.]
I brought some flowers for Alex.
Because, you know, he's so sick.
- Is he here? - Tom Alex? - Where is he? - Oh, he's staying with friends - for a few days.
- Oh, yeah? What friends? They're just friends.
Both of us know that's bollocks.
"Feeling ill, won't make it tomorrow.
Tell Ayisha sorry.
" Finally, she even notices he exists, and he blows her off? I mean, he used to be my friend, and now he's got all cool - and he's lying to me.
- Tom, come on.
No.
You know what I think? I think everything from Ian's death to now, is one big lie.
I mean, come on, you see it, right? They've got him.
Just like Ian.
- You think I'm crazy.
- No.
I don't.
Then where is he? ALEX: Hi, I'm Alex.
Alex Friend.
Tennis.
Clay pigeon shooting.
You have to lead it a little.
Six feet or so.
Dining room.
Entrance hall.
Sister Fiona.
She's been arrested for drugs.
Born in Monaco, kicked out of Eton.
Servant's quarters Swimming pool? Three school terms.
Rugby.
Mercutio in the school play.
I was in the School Field House.
FIONA: You must be Alex.
Fiona.
Gosh, well done.
Uh What are you What are you doing here? Playing backgammon? Uh Are you just gonna stand there and stare or do you wanna pass me that towel? My God.
Don't they have girls where you come from? Yeah, different So, Alex, where are you from? ALEX: Um I was born in Monaco, but I've lived most of my life between here and Knightsbridge.
But Oh.
I see.
Fitting in.
Very clever.
So you pretend to be one of us and this boarding school offers you a place? - Is that right? - Pretty much, yeah.
Then you need to know everything about us.
All of our little secrets.
You know to be a good student.
Have you been going through my drawers, Alex? Fingering things you shouldn't? DAVID: Fiona.
Did you know that Daddy was nearly arrested for fraud, Mommy's so sedated she can barely talk and I have been arrested for drugs? Welcome to the family.
Mr.
Alex.
Your pizza has arrived? Pizza? What are you doing here? It's got anchovies.
I hate anchovies.
They're what you deserve.
- TOM: So your uncle was a spy? - Yeah.
You should've said.
I know.
I'm sorry.
I completely deserve the anchovies.
Yeah.
You do.
But you know I hate them too, right? I have to suffer because you're a dick.
[CHUCKLES.]
- How'd you find me? - Jack told me.
She says "hi.
" So fake car crash, fake police on your doorstep, fake Alex.
Jack's scared about you, you know.
She's scared.
She doesn't need to be.
This isn't like what Ian was doing.
It's just going and looking around a school.
Why'd they have to beat you up and threaten your family - to make you do it? - They didn't beat me up.
I hit my head.
When they kidnapped me.
How do you not get it? These people aren't your friends.
Okay? Me and Jack, we're your friends.
Stop lying to us.
Okay? Okay.
Never again.
Look, man, whatever they're asking you to do, just do it quickly and come home.
Because Ayisha is well out of your league, and you're basically dicking her around at this point.
And sooner or later she's gonna realize that she deserves better.
Got it.
So it's just looking round a school, yeah? Look.
Look, man.
You know you can tell them to piss off and come home.
Right now, if you wanted to.
I know.
[MUSIC.]
See you.
[CHUCKLES.]
See you, man.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING IN CAR.]
Dickheads.
Fee! Fee! Fee! FIONA: Rafe.
[MUSIC.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING.]
- RAFE: You look amazing.
- MAN: Yeah.
RAFE: I was thinking we could stay the whole weekend.
Is that okay? FIONA: It's fine by me.
Mommy and Daddy might throw a shitfit but Oh, this is our guest, one of Daddy's charity cases.
We're polishing him up for an interview at a school.
- RAFE: Jesus, really? - Mm-hm.
Hello.
- Hi.
I'm Alex.
- Rafe.
- This is Hugh and Jethro.
- Hi.
You all right? - What are you wearing? - Clothes.
Says who? Don't be a bitch, darling.
Piss off, darling.
[CHUCKLES.]
We're just teasing.
Ignore us.
We were thinking about going out tomorrow.
Fancy tagging along? Going out to? Just a walk around the estate.
Sure.
Excellent.
See you in the morning then.
Shut the door, won't you? On your way out.
Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful day.
[MUSIC.]
CRAWLEY: You should go home.
You're no good to us exhausted.
I wanna finish this.
I may have a lead on an asset inside the Korean SSD.
They could confirm if there was a hit out on Ian.
Martin.
Listen.
You may not want to hear this, but we're suspending the investigation into Ian's death.
Why? You know why.
North Korea is impenetrable.
Not to mention a political minefield.
Officially, we won't close the investigation, but whatever we find is going nowhere.
No.
No, we need to find out who killed him.
We know who killed him.
We just can't touch them.
Go home.
Sometimes this is the job.
[MUSIC.]
[MUSIC.]
Morning, everyone.
DAVID: Morning, Alex.
Ready for the off.
Morning.
Thank you.
What are you all up to today then? We were thinking about going shooting.
Alex is coming.
Really? - Shooting? - RAFE: Yes, Alex.
Shooting.
It'll be fun.
You think can use my 12-gauge, double-trigger shotgun? Antique.
It's a beauty.
- Is it yours? - God, no, Lady Caroline.
- It's my Pa's.
- DAVID: Splendid idea.
You can put into practice what I taught you yesterday.
We'll meet at 11.
The Old Beech in the Copse.
You know the one? [MUSIC.]
[WINGS FLUTTERING.]
[GUNSHOT.]
[MUSIC.]
[GUNSHOT.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
[GUNSHOT.]
RAFE: Come out, Alex! Come on out and play! Alex! Come on, isn't this fun, Alex? Have we hurt you? We wanna see your pretty face.
Alex.
Alex? Here boy.
Don't be scared.
You can't hide forever, Alex.
[MUSIC.]
Where are you, Alex? - Where is he? - How would I know? He's probably pissing himself in a ditch somewhere.
If you say so.
Alex.
Alex? ALEX: Hi, Rafe.
Alex? Put the guns down.
-FIONA: Alex - Put them down.
FIONA: We couldn't find you.
We were wondering - where you were.
- No, you weren't.
All right.
All right.
We were just joshing.
All right? We weren't really aiming at you.
We weren't gonna hurt you.
- It was just a game.
- A game? No.
A bit of fun, a laugh.
Look, you really shouldn't be pointing that at us.
You're right.
Actually, do you think I could have that back? It's worth a lot of money.
Oh, you want it back? [RAFE GASPS.]
Fetch.
[MUSIC.]
- Where have you been? - Studying human behavior.
Right.
Have you been over the briefing material? How many times? I've got it.
As good as I'm ever gonna get it.
Not like she's gonna ask me my great-grandmother's maiden name.
Which is? McDermot.
[CHUCKLES.]
Alex, this is important.
I know it's important, okay.
She's here.
Right, we're on.
Calm down.
And don't mess it up.
[MUSIC.]
Miss Stellenbosch.
Sir David.
My wife, Caroline.
Lady Caroline.
Thank you for attending to this in person.
It's my pleasure.
It is very much our belief a personal connection, right from the start, can help the rehabilitation process.
[MUSIC.]
Alex.
This is Eva Stellenbosch.
Aren't you going to stand up? [SCOFFS.]
Is this your idea of a joke? We're really going through with this? A little respect, please, Alex.
It's quite all right.
Do sit down, Miss Stellenbosch.
Transition moments like these can be hard to cope with.
Well, shall we get this over with? They don't want me here and I don't wanna be here, but I don't need some pathetic military academy where you have to salute the teachers.
Your parents think you do.
My parents are idiots.
EVA: Such a lack of respect.
When did you get to be so angry, Alex? - When you walked in the room.
- EVA: Hmm.
No.
No, I think it was a long time before that.
Maybe I've been angry all my life.
That's right.
And we at Point Blanc can help you take that anger and channel it.
We can help you use it.
I think it's true to say, you don't really like school.
Schools don't really like me.
So nothing is ever your fault.
Why are you lying to me, Alex? - I'm not lying.
- Oh, yes, you are.
You think I can't see right through you? You think I can't tell when someone is pretending to be something they're obviously not? [MUSIC.]
ALEX: I don't know what you're talking about.
EVA: You are not brave.
You're not clever.
You hardly even know your own parents.
And they hardly know you.
You live together, but you are strangers to each other.
They don't understand me, if that's what you mean.
EVA: Exactly.
And you will be much happier away from them, at Point Blanc.
You do realize you're not permitted to see your son while he is with us.
Why is that? Our work is radical.
It's revolutionary.
And it can't be interrupted.
But we can call.
No.
Not until the process is completed.
Total isolation, total focus.
Our motto at Point Blanc is only perfection is good enough.
[MUSIC.]
What's she doing? We ought to be getting ready.
I think we can be on our way.
We've got a long journey ahead.
[MUSIC.]
Shit.
Get her out of there.
- We're doing this for your own good, Alex.
- ALEX: No, you're not.
Miss Fiona, it's not convenient Out of my way! MRS.
JONES: Shit.
[GASPS.]
Under control.
MRS.
JONES: Good work.
- Have you already packed, Alex? - Somebody did it for me.
See you never.
[MUSIC.]
[MUSIC CONTINUES.]
[MUSIC.]
Welcome to your new home, Alex.