Serangoon Road (2013) s01e06 Episode Script

Your problem is, you can't get your head out of Changi.
You still live in a world where the white hats win and the black hats lose.
Best you bite down on that.
We don't want you to lose your tongue too.
I've got a policy.
I don't work for gangs.
Mrs Cheng, my grandfather has been informed you had a break-in.
Are you asking me out on a date again, Mr CIA agent? Cultural attache.
Welcome to the agency.
Eyes on the job.
That's her, isn't it? This is my chance.
To do what? To find out who killed my husband.
We all make moral choices, Mrs Simpson.
Mrs Simpson is no longer our client.
Unless she's something more.
What are you talking about? She's married.
I'm being sent away to Saigon.
What could be more difficult than deciding to be faithful to your husband? You expose me, I'll expose you.
So, what do we do? We stop.
(Air-raid siren blares) Is our amah coming too? (Distant shellfire) Go and pack your bags, Sam.
Just one bag.
(Thunder) (Baby gurgles) Little baby.
Where did you come from, little baby? Winston and I always dreamed of having a baby.
It's definitely written in Mandarin but I can't make anything out.
Who abandons a baby in a rainstorm anyway? I suppose we'll give it to the nuns.
Do we have to be that hasty? You got a better idea? If his mother wanted him to be with the nuns, she would have done it herself.
If it was his mother that left him.
Sorry.
Nappies, formula.
Uncle Weng is beside himself, hungry ghost and all.
Good timing, I'll give him that.
Whoever brought him here needed our help.
What are we going to do for it, Patricia? It's 'he,' not 'it.
' That's the other thing.
Who abandons a male baby? Mr Callaghan, where were you nine months ago? Oh, don't be ridiculous.
You ever hear from Shuang these days? Why do you want to know? I told you - let that one go, you'll be sorry one day.
Is that what happened? She just disappeared, is what I remember.
You did nothing to stop it from happening.
I need to get in touch with her.
You're too late.
She moved out of Chinatown.
I'm not asking much.
I've got to get in touch with her.
(Man shouts) The Red Dragons are taking Chinatown apart today.
What's going on? Don't know.
Don't care.
As long as it's not my problem.
Joo Ee, it's important.
How do I find her? OK, but she's not going to take you back.
She's having a baby.
That's all I know.
Right.
You're back.
Hopefully, that's a good thing.
Not for the people of Vietnam, surely.
How are they going to save themselves from communism now? They don't have to.
The USA is going to do that for them.
If you upset this baby, I will shoot you.
For a second there, you were almost happy to see me.
So do I ask who the baby belongs to? He's a case to be solved.
I take it Sam's not here? I thought you came to see me.
I did.
And Sam.
He's not here.
I don't know when he's coming back.
It suits you.
If you want me to go out with you, don't ever say that again.
Oh.
I'll keep that in mind.
You can't be here.
I just want to talk.
My husband will be home soon.
If he sees you I don't want any trouble.
I just Joo Ee told me you were pregnant.
Please, Sam.
Go.
Why didn't you tell me? That part of my life is over.
I'm sorry.
(Baby cries) (Speaks Mandarin) Was that My son .
.
with a voice as loud as his father's.
I have a good life here, Sam, a man who loves me and our son.
I'm very happy for you.
I didn't want to disturb you, really.
Why did you? I don't know.
I just thought It was good to see you, Jiu Ai.
And you.
You look sad, as ever.
Zai jian.
Zai jian.
Hey, Sam! Sam.
I didn't know you were back.
How's your war going? Do you feel like a drink? Sure.
We had this intel - this village was going to get massacred.
The only problem was, we didn't know which village.
We had these three commie prisoners.
We couldn't get the first two to talk but we managed to get the last one to talk.
How did they do that? They took three of them up in this chopper but only brought one of them back.
Now you've seen some shit.
But we saved the village, and that's what we're there to do.
We are there to defend the innocent.
You don't really believe that, do you? Well, I know what you did.
I took a look at your file.
Wow.
You think I'm OK with it? 'Cause if you are, you've got no idea.
This is a new world.
If we do not stand up against communism, it will destroy us.
I think we've had our drink.
So, what are you guys drinking? I think we're done here.
Hello, baby.
For me? You know he's on the communist watch list? I'd be very careful about the friends I keep.
Oh, I'm careful.
What about you? Don't forget - tomorrow, 3:00pm.
Anthony Jarvis wants to meet us.
Jarvis? What does he want? I don't know.
Just be there.
You know how I can't read white guys.
Where is she, Hue Lin, my sister? I don't know.
She buys black-market records from you.
You sure you haven't seen her? I swear, I have no idea what you're talking about.
You alright? Yeah, I'm OK.
I'll be back.
Oh, man.
Don't go in the water.
The spirits of the drowned are everywhere this time of the year.
Got a cause of death? Why are you interested? Just nosy.
She'd been in the river maybe a day.
Drowned? No water in her lungs.
She died before she went in? Think she was murdered? She wasn't.
She died of blood poisoning, complications from giving birth.
Any sign of the baby? The family didn't even know she was pregnant.
OK, what else, formula? Quick! Now we know who the mother was.
I'm not leaving this kid with Kay Song.
You think that's why he was dropped off here? I don't know.
Now we've got to get this kid out of Chinatown.
Wait.
Wait.
(Shouts) (Baby cries) Sam, what's going on? I think he's hungry.
He'll settle down once he's been fed.
That's not really what I'm asking.
Hold on.
(Baby continues crying) Whose baby is that? I can't say.
I need you to look after him.
It's just for a few days.
Sam, you can't just turn up and hand me someone's baby.
No-one else will take him.
No, Sam.
I've got everything you need.
Just make him up a bottle.
He'll go to sleep.
Please? This is ridiculous.
I know it's a big ask.
Don't look at me like that, mister.
I've been fooled by your type before.
So you sold black-market records to Kay Song's sister? Yeah, all the latest LPs - Rolling Stones, The Seekers.
Sailors bring them in on the freighters.
People pay a lot of money for these things.
What was she like? Did you ever talk to her? She's nothing like her brother.
There's no gangster in her.
She likes to hang out with those giggly, rich girls.
Did she ever have a boyfriend? Boyfriend? Not that I know of.
You can't think of anyone she was close to? She likes to hang out with this white girl.
The two of them are like the odd ones out - the gangster's daughter and the ang mo.
What was the white girl's name? I don't know, but I do know she likes Herman's Hermits.
Thanks.
Where are you going? I've got to find Su Ling.
Don't forget that meeting with Jarvis.
Yeah.
Thanks for helping out today.
Pretend you're the father of one of these ang mo kids.
You're too old to be here otherwise.
Alright.
You have to look concerned.
No, that looks like you need a digestive tea.
Be a little cross too.
Look I get the point.
I'm not a performing monkey.
They went to the same school as Hue Lin.
They said the ang mo best friend's name is Rose Cartwright, but they don't know if she's here today.
OK.
So we wait, keep asking.
By the way, Mr CIA agent was looking for you earlier.
You can do better.
You're not serious about him, are you? No.
Forget him, Su.
You sound like my father.
You think he's different but he's not.
Excuse me, have you seen Rose Cartwright? Yes.
That's her over there, in the blue dress.
Thank you.
What's your plan? Charm her.
Hello.
Mind if I join you? It was just awful, wasn't it? I mean, about Hue Lin.
Do I know you? Singapore is a small place.
Rose, right? Su Ling.
She was, um, pregnant, wasn't she? It must have been so hard for her, with that family.
Did you know her boyfriend? I don't want to talk about it.
Sorry.
I know you two were best friends.
No, we weren't.
We had a fight.
I hadn't seen her for months.
Excuse me.
Where are we going? Hue Lin lived at home.
How did she keep her pregnancy a secret? Someone in the household? Had to be.
Hang on a second.
Boss? You think Aunty knows? Ni hao, Aunty.
Aunty.
Oh, Sam! No fortune today.
No, no, no.
Too many ghosts.
Be a good boy - go give sacrifice.
Go, go! Were those guys after Hue Lin's amah? Did she know about the pregnancy? No, nothing.
No.
Aunty, I need your help.
Where's the amah? Sam! You know the family, you know the amah.
Was she helping to keep Hue Lin's pregnancy a secret? Where is she? Did you tell them? I tell no-one.
Go, go! If they find her, they're going to kill her.
If I find her, she lives.
If I find the father, the kid goes back to him.
That's three lives in your hands.
Please.
Promise on your ancestors you'll keep her safe.
Hello! Wait, wait, wait! I'm not after trouble.
It's about Hue Lin.
I've got her baby.
Leave him! What are you talking about? What about the baby? You left him on our doorstep at the detective agency.
No.
What? No.
I helped her hide the pregnancy for a long time, kept Kay Song away.
She didn't want the brother to know.
She was terrified what he would do.
To the baby or the father? Both.
We told the family that she was in KL with her relatives.
So, what happened? Were there complications with the birth? No.
Everything was normal.
I delivered the boy myself.
He was perfect.
But Kay Song found out that his sister had gone, disappeared.
I had to lie.
I had to pretend I didn't know.
I should not have left Hue Lin by herself.
It was too dangerous.
I got back.
Hue Lin was running a fever.
She couldn't sit up or talk.
It was an infection.
I tried to give her some herbs but she was too far gone.
She died in my arms.
I was scared what Kay Song would do when he found out.
Who was with you? Rose, Hue Lin's friend.
She came to help.
She took the baby and I took Hue Lin to the river.
Better the grandfather never knows.
Let the river bring her to the sea.
She's doomed now for eternity .
.
to seek revenge for what I did.
So Rose took the baby? I told her to bring the boy to the orphanage.
He never made it that far.
He was left on our doorstep with some money and a note.
Why would Rose do that? Do you think she wanted us to find the father? Do you know who he is? No.
I never asked, she never told.
Rose can tell us who the father is.
Unfortunately, she won't.
(Phone rings) Cheng Detective Agency.
There's got to be a way we can get through to her.
Yes.
It's for you.
Mrs Simpson.
So you took the baby to her? Did you have a better idea? I wasn't asked.
Should I get her to call you back? Claire? I'm at my wits' end.
I can't stop the baby from crying.
Have you tried burping him? Yes, I did.
Look, he's not my problem.
No, of course.
I'll be there as soon as I can.
When? Soon, OK? I've just got to OK.
OK, bye.
Wind, huh? I've got to find the father of this child.
What about that ang mo party tonight? Beautiful night for a party, isn't it? Great.
You made it in.
Of course.
If there's one thing you can rely on at a place like this, no-one wants to cause a fuss.
You seen Rose? No, but not everyone has arrived.
Su Ling.
Callaghan.
Harrison.
Don't tell me he's your date.
Look.
Tell her to meet me in the garden in 15 minutes.
She can either talk to me or I'll talk to her parents.
Up to her.
I don't think that's going to work.
It's going to have to, or get kicked out of here.
We got off on the wrong foot this afternoon.
I want to say, I really didn't mean to cause offence.
It's not going to cause ME offence.
Good.
You upset her, that's another story.
If this is about the baby, I left him on your doorstep with a note so I don't want to be involved anymore! Calm down.
We couldn't read the note.
We're trying to help.
We know you're scared, but the note washed away.
What did you want us to do with the kid? The last thing she asked me to do was .
.
take him to his father.
Hue Lin was living in a dream world.
She thought he was going to marry her.
She sent him so many letters and he never replied.
Who's the father? He's here tonight with his parents.
David? What's this about? It's about Kay Hue Lin.
I heard.
That was so awful.
They say she drowned.
Not exactly.
Before she died, she gave birth.
What? She had a boy, your son.
No.
No way.
David, it's yours.
She told her best friend you were the only boy she'd ever been with.
I didn't know, I swear.
She tried to get in touch with you to let you know.
I never heard.
I was away at school.
She wrote you letters, David.
I never got any! I liked her.
I really did.
Do you know about her family? Yeah, everyone did.
She didn't want the baby to go to them.
She wanted him to be with you.
He has to be.
He's my son.
Father.
There you are.
I love a longing gaze across a room.
Oh, stop it, Conrad! What? I'm repulsed by every single thing you stand for.
Repulsed, repulsed? Yes! Don't you think that's a bit strong? No.
I just don't understand why, when I see you, I When you see me, what? Oh, Ch'en Su Ling.
I'm smarter than this.
Ch'en Su Ling, you look beautiful tonight.
That's the problem, isn't it? You know all the right words, Mr Cultural Attache.
I love my country, and it's an honour for me to serve my country, but it's still just a job.
What I do during the day, that's not the person I am.
So who are you, really? Why don't you give me a chance to find out .
.
Miss Ch'en Su Ling.
There is no possible way this can happen.
You're an outsider.
You don't understand the way things are.
With all due respect, sir, your son is now a father.
In our society, you don't simply marry a person, you embrace their whole family.
They said she sent me letters.
We're going to to invite them for dinner, are we? Sit down and have a conversation about how many people they killed this week? The family doesn't know.
They never need to know.
Why didn't I get those letters? Answer me! You barely knew the girl.
You took them! My son is going back to university in England as soon we arrange passage for him.
This baby is your grandchild.
I want to raise my son.
And I want to keep you alive.
What do you think that girl's family are going to do when they find out who you are? I'm sorry.
This child is not our problem.
If we take him to the nuns, he'll be out on the street at 12.
How will the nuns stop Kay Song if he finds out? Exactly.
(Phone rings) Patricia speaking.
CLAIRE: I don't want to disturb you.
It's very late.
No, no problem at all.
Is Sam Callaghan there? Guess who.
(Baby cries) Sorry.
I don't know what to do.
He won't stop crying.
Here, let me try.
Sometimes they just want someone else to hold them.
Aw, come on.
It's not that bad.
Sssh.
(Baby stops crying) I was around a lot of kids, growing up.
In Changi? Yeah.
Sorry.
I didn't mean to bring that up.
It wasn't always bad.
We had fun sometimes.
I don't suppose you know any ex-pat families who want to adopt a Chinese kid? He's a child, not a puppy.
Given ex-pat circles, I think the dog would have a better chance.
I doubt it.
You really don't know where he belongs? I know who the family is.
That's the problem.
If I handed him to them, I can see how his life would turn out.
(Knock at door) So his mother was trying to escape her family? Maybe if he has any of her in him he'll do the same.
He'll make his own way in life.
Maybe.
Nothing is inevitable.
This boy, he'll grow up and make his own decisions about who he wants to be.
You have to trust in people's character.
You don't know these people.
Did your life turn out exactly the way you thought it would? I was going to finish private school and become on officer like my dad Mama.
Under here.
(Air-raid sirens) It's a picnic.
Don't worry, Mum.
It will be alright.
I'll look after you.
.
.
and marry someone like my mum.
And look how you turned out.
(Baby gurgles) How do you want to start out, little man .
.
in an orphanage or a gang? His mother's family, they're looking for him? They're tearing Chinatown apart.
And his father's? Didn't want him.
An orphanage is no place to grow up.
Let him have family and he can make his own choice.
This is going to get you killed, man.
Probably.
(Baby cries) Chong .
.
let me offer my condolences on the loss of your granddaughter.
Your son is strong and healthy.
He's been well looked after.
I show you honour and respect in returning him to you, and I ask a favour in return.
The child's father is just a boy himself.
He loved your granddaughter but he made a mistake.
Hue Lin's friend and her amah were caught in the situation, but please don't seek any vengeance.
I ask you this as an honourable man.
I grant this favour for the boy and girl.
But a member of my household, my granddaughter's amah, she betrayed me in keeping the secret.
She cannot go unpunished.
Please reconsider.
It is already too late.
(Baby cries) Hey, Sam! (Toots horn) You remember? You used to cook that for me all the time.
It's my little boy's favourite.
Come and eat.
Amah I've been having these dreams, Amah.
Of her.
I loved my sister.
She feared you.
Should I fear you too? My heart is broken.
What would you want me to do? I would have you sing.
Remember the song you used to sing when you put me to bed? Sing for me.
(Sings slow melody) It's so peaceful here.
If you listen closely, you can hear the birds.
You bastard.
Not at all, unlike my nephew.
She trusted you.
She said you'd never hurt her.
No, I slit her throat and fed her to the crabs, like my grandfather ordered.
Tonight I'll tell him the deed is done and he'll dream his old-man dreams of being young and strong.
The monsoons are coming.
You should stay out of the way.
If I hear a word or a whisper that my amah lives, it will be you that the crabs will be dining on.
You know what we expect if you come on board.
You know the risk and you're still willing to work for us? Where's Jarvis? It's us you're dealing with.
So do we have a deal now? Whatever you need.
And your ang mo partner? Don't worry about him.
Let's keep this between us.
A woman left this at our door last night, the one you wore every day.
It disappeared on the night you were murdered.
Now it's returned to me.
What does it mean? Who is she, huh, Lagong? I'm frightened.
I wish you were here.
Sam boy, come.
The barber downstairs let me in.
I'm leaving Frank.
I thought about what I said, about being with the people you love, making your own life.
Down! Down! (Loud explosion) Where's your friend Kang? He's a known associate of the terrorist we shot last night.
Oh, come on! You know Kang.
He's not gonna smuggle C4.
If they find him, they will kill him.
(Screaming, gunfire) A man was killed yesterday.
Let us help protect you.
It says that you were a Communist sympathiser.
What if it WAS Chee Kit? I told you, it's not Professor Lim.
But I know Kang will hang if we can't find out who planted explosives on his boat.
Sorry.
There's nothing I can do.