Passenger (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

Two girls went missing. You don't
think there might be a link?
Between Nina and Katie?
I thought I made it pretty clear,
no more conspiracy crap.
There is more to this place
than bins.
MAN EXCLAIMS
Did you shag him?
What is wrong with you?
I've got a trial shift tomorrow
in Manchester.
I'll be leaving at five.
Money's missing from my account.
To see that it was my son
who took it.
I want to see places, people.
Do you not want that adventure?
Something I need to do here first.
Ready to do this?
Last night's batch.
You were supposed to be there!
It's on you, this.
You see, you took five years
of my life, little pig.
Comes at a cost, that.
You promised protection.
Now he's on the site.
Who's on site, Jim?
Eddie.
Oh, God, Mehmet!
BEV: You knew him.
A little, yeah.
Troubled young man.
Troubled.
The label we put on something
when things are unclear.
We don't listen
to these kids enough.
We just drown them in rules.
We do our job, love.
No guilt in that.
Life's a protest at that age.
Angry with the system,
angry at life,
need somewhere to vent it.
I'm just praying it was an accident,
because if it was suicide
Could be anything.
Well, it's obviously one of the two.
Pathologist hasn't even started yet.
Please. Don't start.
Don't start what?
Don't turning this into something.
I'm not turning it into nothing.
You exaggerate.
I'm investigating.
There's a difference.
It's obviously a horrible accident.
Or a protest gone wrong.
Box it, and move on.
Box it?
Yeah. It's a sensitive time.
Not a time to be fiddling
with facts.
We've not even been here
ten seconds. What are the facts?
He was here all the time protesting,
and now he's lying at the bottom
of a bloody great tower.
What do you think happened?
Choked on a nut?
Honestly, Riya, get a grip!
I know you've been up all night,
Jim.
I just need to go over it
one more time.
The cameras catch anything?
Somebody cut the wire.
You said you saw Eddie.
Are you sure it was him?
I know that man.
If he was coming for you,
he'd come for you.
What's he got against Mehmet?
He knocks around
with Eddie's daughter, doesn't he?
You're not telling me
that's a reason.
Eddie doesn't need a reason.
We'll have to close down the site.
How long for?
How long's a piece of shit?
SHE SIGHS
Honestly, Jim.
Think it's time you called it a day.
I can't do that.
You've got protestors every day.
Hadn't lived here since I was two.
My friends in London thought
I was potty coming back.
I could've lived
in my dad's old place,
but I saw an opportunity
and took it.
Jobs for the town, for the people.
And against all the odds, the
the fracking ban, the protests,
the lawyers, living in
a bloody caravan with no hot water.
I've built something
my dad would be proud of.
This is my livelihood.
My legacy.
That's why I don't say it lightly.
I'll go see Eddie,
look him in the eye.
ALARM BEEPS
Shit!
JOANNE: Hey.
Mum, what are you doing?
Not letting you go all that way
without a proper goodbye.
JOANNE CHUCKLES
John not fancy coming?
Mehmet might come.
Mm.
JOANNE CHUCKLES
What?
JOANNE LAUGHS
What?
I always saw you with Mehmet.
Shut up.
I mean, I love John, you know I do.
But Mehmet.
Mm?
What?
Mehmet sees you.
Love's a bugger, in't it?
Mm-hm.
Where you staying when you're there?
Hostel.
JOANNA TUTS
Why, what?
The thought of you on your own
in a hostel.
I'm not 12, Mum. I'll be fine.
I'll just get somewhere
once I settle in and stuff.
KATIE COUGHS
Cough's not shifting, is it?
No.
Here, do you want
a couple of parries?
I'm fine, Mum.
Take 'em.
Better not be leaving
because of your dad.
Look, you've always said
everything happens for a reason, right?
Hm. What if you can't work out
the reason?
Just takes time.
You might not figure it out
until you're blinkin' 73,
but there's always a reason,
trust me.
Hey.
You don't have to go.
I do.
Having a nice time?
The best (!)
Where were you last night?
I was here, somewhere.
Which?
Can't remember.
Be helpful if you could.
Why? Tell me where you were,
and I'll back off. Nah.
No, you give me some proof.
You tell me where you think I was.
It don't work like that, Eddie.
Gonna have to, innit?
Fucking desperate, you, aren't you?
Get me back inside that cage.
You were seen.
By who?
Can't say.
Won't say.
If you like.
It's Jim.
Look, I know alibis aren't your
forte, but I'm gonna need one today.
Always slinging arrows.
Always making me the target.
From day dot,
he never knew what I'd done.
You know what, I might go see him.
See what he's got to say.
You have destroyed
that man's life once.
There will not be a twice.
You put a foot near him,
I will gut you like a fish!
Alibi. Today!
He were at home.
You sure about that? Well, yeah,
cos I don't fuckin' want him here.
What's he meant to have done, anyway?
Incident. Last night.
What kind of incident?
Can I come in?
Yeah.
Thank you.
No, no, no.
What's happened?
Katie! Katie!
Katie!
Katie! Katie!
MAN: It'll tear his mates to bits.
How will his mum deal with it?
I'm not good at stuff like this.
You OK?
Boy died.
Who?
Mehmet.
It didn't look like a protest.
Lilly Wells said
her dad was at home last night.
And Jim wouldn't do this.
There is no suspect
cos there's no crime.
Katie Wells goes missing,
then two days later, Mehmet dies.
Then there's Nina Karlsson.
You don't think
there's some dots that need joining?
We don't know
what happened to Mehmet.
But it's clear as day
it's not foul play.
It was a protest gone wrong,
or he was hurting.
We should be investigating.
Acting like there's a criminal case
here, you're off your noggin.
Right, forensics have just called, boss.
They found a note.
Well, there you have it.
Why, why, why, eh?
Such a horrible shock.
I don't want any more questions.
That's an order.
Give his mum some space and time.
Get your heads down, desks cleared.
Goes for you too, Maverick.
Need you back on bins.
MAN: As soon as the police
conclude their investigation,
we will make arrangements
for the funeral.
In the meantime, I suggest
that we hold a small gathering
to remember him.
If Mehmet was struggling,
Allah will forgive.
He was happy.
My son wouldn't do this.
Got a feeling, Katie.
What feeling?
It's in my gut,
and it won't go away.
Not like you to have feelings.
Yeah.
What is it?
I ruin things, don't I?
I always have.
I ruin things, I get a rage on,
just like my dad,
and most of the times,
I can mend it, but
I'm such a fucking idiot.
And I'm I'm sorry. I am.
TEARFULLY: I'm so sorry.
Why did he jump?
It's my fault. I caused this.
John Mehmet loved you.
He loved you.
What happened Friday night
don't ruin a friendship.
It don't lead to this.
What about your interview?
It's fine. Can wait.
You're so beautiful.
Shut up.
You always spoke to me about
having the right kind of courage.
Not just chucking fists
but the other kind.
Marry me, Katie.
KATIE COUGHS
Head's battered.
Couldn't sleep a wink.
You'll be right.
We need out, Dez.
Will you stop saying that?
There were police everywhere.
We've done nothing wrong.
The money's coming in,
we're back on track.
No-one knows anything.
Well, all I'm just saying
Don't just say. Stop flappin'.
We did our job, we didn't kill him.
We just moved him.
We're only a day behind
so put that second batch
in tonight.
Yeah, well, that's the thing, Dez.
We can't.
Why can't we?
This is what I was trying
to tell you.
Let me see for myself.
Oh, fuck, no. Please, God, no.
When were you gonna tell me?
I I I tried.
I see.
You wouldn't listen.
These These things,
the trucks aren't up to it.
Oh, are they not?! Bloody trucks.
No!
It's not my fault, this, Derek.
Oh, course it's not (!)
How long's it been?
A bit.
OK. How long's a bit?
Friday. That's four days ago.
That's That's four days, Kane!
I know, I know.
We've gotta get it back,
or we're dead.
Oh, sweetheart.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Oh, I just don't understand.
It's just
He was such a beautiful boy.
There's a vigil
tonight, shall we go?
Yeah.
Yeah, let's do that.
JOANNE SIGHS
Today, it's it's
it's been hard.
Raw.
Painful.
But don't forget
at some point, when you're ready,
I think Mehmet'd still want you
to follow your heart. I really do.
I don't think
he'd want you to stay in an hostel.
THEY CHUCKLE
But I think that you
Mum.
Got some news I need to tell you.
Same.
Erm
John proposed.
Right.
You said you had news?
Ah, it it can wait.
It sounded like it couldn't.
SHE SIGHS
A few
A few folk are already chatting,
so you'd find out eventually.
He left the pub with Debbie Nixon
on Friday night.
I'm sorry.
I know you think you love him.
You aren't in love, Katie.
John?
John?
Do you think I'm that thick?
Seven years, John.
Does that just mean nothing?
It means everything.
No, it means nothing.
It means nothing at all.
It means fuck all!
Did you shag her, then?
I mean, of all the days, John.
Of all the days.
Do you know what Mehmet used to say?
He used to say you were top.
Proper respected you, he did.
And the last thing you did to him
was punch him in the fucking head.
I mean, John, seven years.
What about all
the nights at The Dog,
where you'd smile at me
like I were the only girl there?
Or we'd have picnics by the lake,
and I'd pack us butties,
and you'd meet me there,
and you'd cry about your dad.
And I'd kiss you and kiss you and
kiss you and tell you it'd be OK.
Does that just mean fuck all, John?
I held you in my thoughts.
Every single waking moment,
because you know what I thought,
John?
I thought you were mine.
But they're right, you know.
This place, it is cursed.
SHE EXHALES
I wish I wasn't born here.
SHE EXHALES
Katie, I
Just leave me alone, John.
I don't want anything
to do with you.
I never wanna see you again.
In fact, I wish I'd never fucking
met you, John Trowbridge.
HE SOBS
COUGHS AND SPLUTTERS
Maybe you need to accept
that you're overthinking it
and do as Linda says.
I'm not doing it.
OK.
So, take the day off.
I'm not just gonna sit around
doing nothing, am I?
Fine.
Right, fine, fuck it,
I'll sort out the fucking bins.
BELL CHIMES
You look like you've
been through the wringer.
Where do people go to report
missing or stolen bins?
You need to call the police, love.
I am the police, love.
We've had nowt our end, except for
Miss Whittaker on Liverpool Road.
Anything your end?
Neil!
NEIL: What?
Lady's asking about bins.
What about 'em?
Anyone been pinching 'em?
When?
When?
The last six months.
Last six month, Neil.
Oh, it's a police matter, that.
It's nowt to do with us.
She is the police.
Well, there's nowt we can do. Soz.
Oh, wait. Excuse me?
Ex Oh.
BELL CHIMES
Anyone requested a replacement bin?
Neil's just left for the day, love.
SHE SCOFFS
Course he has.
Hang on a sec.
Hmm
Look like, in the last month, we've
had two replacement bin requests.
And in the last six months?
That normal?
Not really.
'129?'
'Yeah. I'm gonna send you over
the addresses.'
Have a gander at the CCTV.
See what you can see, and let's not
let this drag on a moment longer.
I am getting sick of the sound
of Linda's voice.
'On it, boss.'
SHE SIGHS
SUE: Hiya, is that you?
Where have you been?
You've been gone all night.
I was at work.
It was very important, Sue.
I needed to talk to you.
What about this time? Honestly
Hey, Ri.
Hola, Riya.
It was three nights ago.
And you think I've got
a drink problem?
Fucking drink problem.
Look, you needed to know.
It was my 40th, Sue
I couldn't get hold of you.
I was at a party for my
You're usually back by ten.
You're meant to be
looking after her.
Your mother. YOURS, not mine.
So shut your fucking fat face.
One night, Sue! One night.
The rest of the 364 days are all
for you. And you call him?
How dare you? How dare you?
Don't! Just don't get angry.
I'll get whatever I want.
Honestly, what has he done for you?
Go on, name me one thing.
He dropped you like that.
Went to Alicante
with your Spanish fucking carer
without a fucking second thought.
That's not true.
It is true. It is true, it is.
It is, it is, it is. And me?
I'm up all night with you, Sue.
Changing your pads, giving you
your meds, listening to you drivel.
And for what?
This is all part of the prob
You say one more word, Nick
Move!
Where you gonna go?
My boyfriend's.
I can't believe you brought
that bitch here with you.
She's very caring.
She's a slut. We fell in love.
Oh, just keep telling me that.
So nice to hear over and over.
You didn't do anything wrong.
No, damn right I didn't. You did.
And you have to live with that.
I do live with that.
Good.
Who's your boyfriend?
SHE SCOFFS
Gnawing away at you already, is it?
What's he like?
Oh, you know.
Insatiable, very sensual.
Striking, kind, intelligent,
caring, funny, muscly.
Honestly,
I've never met anyone like him.
Oh, and he's hung like
a Japanese war donkey.
OK.
I feel very lucky.
Just as long as you're happy.
Would it matter if I weren't?
Course!
You are full of shit, Nick.
She's popped on a bit of weight,
hasn't she?
You can tell with the face.
That's your influence, innit?
Cos, deep down, you like us thick.
Your mum needs her medication soon.
Every two hours.
Good luck to you, Nick.
Bye, Yolanda!
Creep!
BUZZER
You all right, Cath? Come in.
Er
Linda not around, is she?
No, she's out. Why?
She made a right face
when I mentioned this the other day.
Now, I don't want to get
in any bother.
The Nina girl - turns out she'd left
all these bits and bobs in her room.
Been sitting in Lost Prop.
Oh, ta, Cath.
New cardi?
Oh, yeah, Mum made it.
Oh, like it.
Aww, ta.
I'd better get a wiggle on.
Bye.
PHONE RINGS
'80s video game?
Mint.
PHONE CONTINUES TO RING
Chadder Vale.
Hi. Hi, Inaya.
I'm I'm really sorry about
what happened to Mehmet.
'How much money?
HE SOBS
Ding-dong!
Skylight Eco
Hang on Six grand?
"Journey to a better life."
DOOR OPENS
Hey! I used to do magic shows
in here when I were a kid.
Every Sunday.
Tried to make a spoon disappear.
Pretty shit, I was.
You come for a box, Nish?
Not with a face this pretty.
All my modelling jobs
will fall through.
All right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
What are you doing here, Nish?
Mehmet's mum called me.
Six grand went walkies
from her account.
So I called the bank,
put the sniffer dogs on it.
Found out that Mehmet paid that
money two days ago to someone called
Starlight Eco
Right. And?
Well, information-wise,
not much meat on the bone.
It's like they don't exist.
No website, nothing.
But then I had an idea
cos, you know, I'm basically ace.
Went on a few forums,
typed in the name Starlight,
and loads of stuff
started coming up.
People are paying them money.
But no-one said what for.
They're all just talking about
weird cryptic stuff.
So, as I'm scrolling through
the list of people that paid,
not only was there Mehmet, but there
was another name that stood out.
Nina Carlson.
She paid six grand, too.
To Starlight?
Yeah.
I asked on the forums
how to get hold of Nina.
I thought if we could talk to her,
we might be able to find out
what happened to Mehmet.
Yeah? But guess what?
What?
No-one's heard from her
in six weeks.
Holy fuck.
Can you do some more digging?
Find out more about this Starlight.
Let's get some more of those
Nina Carlson flyers printed.
I've said it a thousand times.
That girl is still missing.
Yeah, no sooner said.
Oh, and, Nish, don't tell Linda.
Don't be daft.
It were only a tiny spoon, boss.
Like
yay big.
But still,
it's hard to make something
actually disappear, in't it?
Yeah.
Catch you later.
What can I get you?
Er, 20 Ibuprofen, please.
Sore head?
Husband's back.
Oh, Nick the Shit.
Hmm.
Sure you don't want 40?
So sad about Mehmet.
Such a gentle boy.
Yeah, he was.
Only in here Sunday.
Really?
What did he want?
I don't know.
Did he say anything to you?
Too busy gassing to Katie.
Seemed pretty intense.
Did he, erm
mention anything about money?
Not that I could hear.
It sounded like they were
planning some kind of trip.
Katie Wells
Anyone buys a drink,
will you pop these in their hand?
Will do. There you go.
Mind if I join you?
Penny for 'em.
Almost got on a bus today.
Where was the bus going?
Manchester.
Good choice.
Mm.
I wouldn't have known
about any of this.
Did Mehmet say anything to you?
I don't really wanna speak about it.
Course you don't.
You might have to, though.
How was he these last few days?
Normal. Fine.
Any plans?
He was actually gonna come with me.
KATIE CLEARS THROA
Said there was summat
he had to do first.
He paid a sum of money to someone.
Any idea who that could've been?
Did he have any debts?
He had been working more, recently.
Long hours, long days.
Never said what for.
I found out John cheated.
Mm.
Not the boy I thought he was.
Today's just been
It'll take time.
But you'll be back on that bus
soon enough.
You ever been afraid of owt?
Mm.
Such as?
SHE PANTS
Stuff.
Such as?
All right, therapist, back off.
What about you?
Plenty.
Such as?
Shut up with your "such as".
Sometimes,
before we go on our next journey
we gotta work through stuff.
You can try running away
but it'll still be there
when you get back.
Trust me.
SHE CLEARS THROA
Ooh.
What's happened?
I'm staying here tonight.
I'll take the left side,
you take the right.
And, look.
If you want sex
I am happy with that.
But we're not a couple, all right?
Don't be telling folk we are.
Right.
HE PANTS
NISH: Hiya.
Is that, er, Companies House?
Yeah, it's, er,
PC Nish Chowdry here,
Chadder Vale.
Could you, er, look into one for me?
Yeah. It's called
HE BLOWS
Starlight Eco. Yeah.
Well, th-that's the thing.
I can't find any info online.
Yeah.
Yeah. No, no, no, I-I'll hold.
I'll hold.
HOLD MUSIC PLAYS
Ugh.
HE BLOWS
ELECTRONIC WHIRRING
VIDEO GAME
MUSIC PLAYS
DEREK: 'We have to catch it, Kane.
'Get back in the game
before anyone finds out.'
No-one can know.
Ready?
CRACKING
GROWLING
GROWLING INTENSIFIES
HE MOANS
Argh!
KATIE: 'In a town
full of not-rights
HE GROANS
'..I chose you.'
K-Katie?
'Not like I cast the net
What?
'..very wide, was it, John?'
HE MOANS
So don't be thinking
you're anything special.
You're just like your dad.
TOM TROWBRIDGE:
Fucking dodging feathers, son.
No.
TOM LAUGHS
Stop. Dad No.
'Sweeping factory floors
like it means something.'
Please stop!
'You were born nothing'
W-W-What do you want?
and are nothing.
ECHOING: 'Nothing.'
Why do you think
I'm going Manchester, John? Think.
She don't go for lads like you
Think. It's not for the job, is it?
I can't This is
This isn't real.
'Lads with no head and no heart.'
JOHN WHIMPERS
'This idea of me and you
'..us.'
Ah, ah, ah Katie
'You built that.'
I'm sorry!
Not me, John. You.
No, no!
You're pathetic.
Please!
ECHOING: Pathetic.
JOHN'S DAD LAUGHS
IMAM: One person's heartache
is another's.
One family's loss is your loss.
As a community,
you will feel the pain of this
together.
Grief does not know minutes.
Grief does not know time.
And this journey will take
as long as it takes.
'Mehmet, like so many young people,
was angry at "the machine".
'The corporate greed marching
through our land and destroying it.'
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm-I'm still here.
VIDEO GAME
MUSIC PLAYS
That's where all the money went?
Are you sure about that?
Mehmet was a man
of many interests and hobbies.
And from chatting
to his mother, Inaya,
I gather
that computer gaming was his life
his passion his skill.
He found himself
in the games he played
and the communities he played with.
In these dark days that follow
DEREK: 'We stay calm.'
KANE: There.
Here.
Things that can't be explained.
'We will need courage
to face the questions,
'to hear the answers
'..while we cling together
as a community
'..and help each other heal.'
Mehmet has left a hole
in all our lives.
His mother will need
your strength
as will his friends.
ALI: I did as you said.
I had a gander at the CCTV.
Anything?
So, he's Teal Street, Lever Lane,
top of Johnson.
What does Johnsons back onto?
Just fields, Boss.
No, there's a lane at the back.
Daleside.
What's on Daleside?
I dunno.
I'll go take a look. Good job, Ali.
Cheers, boss.
JAKUB: I have
a 20-year-old single malt at mine.
Won't bring Mehmet back.
But maybe we could sit, drink,
at least talk about him.
I can't. I've got work on.
Really?
Yeah, bin stuff.
It's pressing, remember.
DEREK: Go slowly.
ANIMAL SHRIEKS
Take it easy.
KANE: There's a body!
There's a body, Derek.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Derek, it's John!
Hey, listen to me. Listen!
This has been going on for years.
We just haven't had to see it.
We need to leave. Now!
Don't you fucking dare leave!
Derek! We can't leave him here.
This is on us.
TEARFULLY: He needs help.
All right, love. Send me a piccy
when they're done. Ta-ra.
Ooh.
MAN CLEARS THROA
PHONE VIBRATES
Yeah?
NISH: That Starlight Eco company
that Mehmet paid the money to?
No records, no accounts,
no backstory. Nothing.
Pure fiction.
Mehmet was switched on.
There's no way he'd send £6,000
to no-one.
And that's where Big Nishy comes in.
Luckily, I did some poking.
Looks like there's
quite a few Starlights.
You got Starlight Eco,
Starlight Warrior.
They all come under the umbrella
of a larger company called, erm
Well, there is quite a lot of vowels
here all at once, Boss,
but I'm gonna say
The Pangaea Initiative.
Pangaea? What do they do?
Well, according to the description
on their website,
they "innovate".
Say what?
Innovate.
Innovate?
How vague do they wanna be?
Exactly.
Pangaea. Ta, Nish.
Can I help?
We need a room.
One room?
Please.
I do a brief breakfast around eight.
Nothing fancy.
We'll be gone before then.
TORCH RATTLES
Come on!
Ugh.
SHE SIGHS
THUMP
THUMPING INTENSIFIES
SHE GASPS
CLICK
Ah! Ah! Oh!
Oh! Oh, fuck's sake.
Oh.
SHE EXHALES
Ah.
SHE PANTS
Small town
with small-town issues.
Welcome to Chadder Vale.