Prime Target (2025) s01e07 Episode Script

[upbeat music playing in bar]
- Yes!
- Yeah!
[Adam] Doing good?
- Any shots needed or anything? No?
- No.
I wanted to contact you,
tell you what was happening.
But it's just all been too much.
Ed, look, it's-it's all right.
[sighs] I was bouncing back.
You know, coping with the rejection.
[Ed sighs]
It wasn't a rejection.
It wasn't.
[inhales sharply, stammers]
Hey, come here.
It's all right.
[sighs] It's okay.
[Ed sighs]
What can I do to help, eh?
Uh.
Can I stay here?
[sighs] I don't know where else to go.
Stay here?
I have work to do.
Work? [scoffs] Ed, what is going on?
Adam. Adam, don't
don't ask me to say more.
[sighs]
That's what this is all about.
Your work.
Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Of course.
That head of yours.
[Ed sighs]
It's gonna get you into trouble someday.
[sighs] I'll be down in a bit, okay?
[door opens, closes]
[beeps]
[Taylah sighs]
It's a great new office you got.
Hmm.
Who's paying the bill?
[Jane] These are Axiorn's offices.
They bankroll our operation.
Their interests and ours intersect.
Hmm. They do, huh?
Well, they killed Olson,
and they would have killed me too.
And Ed for that matter as well.
- That wasn't me.
- Great.
So, here's me thinking you were in charge.
Yeah, well, another illusion shattered.
Hmm. [chuckles]
[sighs]
What do you need?
You want a change of clothes?
Take a shower? Maybe a cup of coffee?
[stammers] No! What I
What I need, Jane,
is for someone to explain to me
what happened to the woman
that practically raised me.
I trusted you.
When you're ready, we'll talk more.
[sirens wailing in distance]
Get her a coffee and something to eat.
And make sure
the doors are guarded at all times.
[door beeps]
[door closes]
[sighs]
[upbeat music playing in distance]
[scoffs]
[door opens]
[footsteps approaching]
Shift will be finished soon.
[Ed] Okay.
[sighs]
Can I stay here tonight?
Uh
sorry.
[grunts]
I don't think my boss will wear that.
Yeah, it's-it's for a few nights.
Just so I can finish this.
My auntie has a flat in East London.
She never uses it.
It's a wee small but
Adam, I [chuckles]
that would be [exhales sharply]
- I don't know what to say.
- [both chuckle]
Thank you's fine.
I can drive you.
I'm owed a couple of days here anyway.
You can do your work
and-and I'll look after you.
[bell chimes]
Right. I gotta go.
It's almost closing time.
[sighs]
[door closes]
Hmm.
[floor creaking above]
[Adam] Yeah. He's in the downstairs.
[clicks tongue] Yeah.
I don't know.
Like, uh, a few hours ago, maybe?
Yeah, he's, um
Yeah, I'm gonna drive him myself.
Later. Yeah.
Okay.
Thought you'd forgotten me.
No chance.
I'm, uh, nearly finished here.
Who were you talking to?
Uh, that was my auntie Laura there.
So, she says that you can have her flat
to yourself for the rest of the week.
And maybe even next week as well,
if you want.
Does that, um [clears throat]
does that give you enough
time for your Nobel Prize? Does it?
Um, maybe.
Maybe?
Loving the self-belief.
What?
What I'm working on, I'm
I'm close.
Hmm. Never doubted you.
You know, I I actually really missed you.
Well, I missed you too.
[inhales deeply]
So, uh, what do you think?
What should I say to Auntie Laura?
Um
Or, you know, if you prefer,
I can drop you at your da's.
No. No, no, no. [stammers]
London would be great.
Auntie Laura's it is.
[sirens wailing in distance]
- [car horn honks]
- [Ed sniffs]
[inhales sharply]
Almost there.
[Ed groans]
As I remember,
Where are we?
I told you.
Not long.
[hand brake creaking]
Your auntie lives here?
It's a nice place.
Ed, listen. We'd better talk.
[sighs] What's going on, Adam?
Listen, just do what they say.
[breathes deeply]
[door rattling]
Let me out. Let me out.
- Just finish your your work.
- Open the door.
Just finish the theorem.
Work it out. Okay?
- And I-I swear, Ed, it'll be fine.
- [sighs] Oh, God.
No. No. Please don't do this. Please.
- [sighs]
- Don't do this.
You You do know
that it was real though, right?
Okay? It was real.
[whispering] This whole time
This whole time you were with me.
You knew.
Oh, God.
- They're gonna kill me.
- No, no.
- They're gonna kill me, Adam.
- They're not.
No, you're-you're
far too important to kill.
- [beeps]
- Me on the other hand
[groans] You're nothing.
Zero. [grunts]
[grunting, panting]
Get off me. Get off.
Adam!
[grunts] Adam!
[grunting, panting continues]
[bell tolling]
- [knocks on door]
- [door opens]
[Alderman] Andrea.
James.
[Alderman] Such sad news about Charan.
- My God. What you've been through.
- [groans]
[stammers] I'm so sorry.
I haven't been able to sleep
since I got back.
Just been thinking
all this carnage.
Where did it all begin?
- Andrea.
- Bayt al-Hikma.
And you know how much
I've invested in searching for it
with such high hopes.
But now honestly,
- I wish I had never heard of it.
- Stop.
Don't reproach yourself.
Take it from one who knows
[sighs] that way madness lies.
You're an historian.
Your task, as far as I can make out,
is to cast light on
whichever mysteries remain to us.
To help us understand.
[Andrea] Mmm.
I know, but while I was out there,
it seems the chamber
didn't just appear by accident.
Someone was looking for it.
What?
And blasted their way in.
Do you believe this?
How did they know where to look?
- [projector switches on]
- [groaning]
[grunting]
[panting]
[scoffs]
[panting]
[grunts]
[panting continues]
[projector whirring]
[door beeping]
[grunts]
- Hi. Ooh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- No! No!
You're gonna wanna take it slowly.
You've been sedated.
- Here.
- [exhales]
Yeah, the nausea should pass.
Uh, soon enough.
We got breakfast for you,
if you feel up to eating.
Anything you like.
Just ask Bobby, he'll get it for you.
- He's awake.
- [Jane] Okay.
[beeps]
[panting]
Adam.
Yeah. Yeah.
Lovely guy, right?
Uh, he was assigned to you
just to keep an eye on you and your work.
But, uh, I guess he got in
a little over his head.
[sighs] What am I doing here?
Well, he thought, we thought,
that it would be best to bring you in.
You know, under adult supervision.
You're precious to us, Ed.
And as you can see,
we got everything you need.
[camera whirring]
And then some.
[Ed sighs]
[Andrew] I believe
you've been looking for this.
- Safiya Zamil's thesis.
- Mm-hmm.
You want me
You want me to build it for you.
The prime finder.
Oh, come on. Who are you kidding?
You must be pissing
your PhD pants right now.
This is your dream, Ed.
This is what you were born to do.
[camera whirring]
We're basically the good guys.
Seems like it.
[sighs]
You know, a key
that can break any digital lock
used to be a pipe dream.
Then they thought
maybe quantum might do it.
But quantum is
it's, like, a decade away, right?
This is the fast lane.
Oh, but you don't care about that, do you?
You just want to know.
You're a purist, right?
Oh, hey.
I respect that.
Okay. So, here's the deal.
You take as long as you need.
You want to sleep, we'll dim the lights.
You want food, you want TV,
you want a string quartet playing,
just say the word.
[sighs]
Ed
finish what you started.
Because I can promise you one thing.
You'll never get this chance again.
[door beeping]
[camera whirring]
[whirring]
[sighs]
[breathing heavily]
[beeps]
[door beeps]
[groans]
[classical music playing]
[door opens, beeps]
[door opens, beeps]
[door closes]
Oh, go on.
Go on.
Little bite.
There you go.
[classical music continues]
There it is.
[sighs]
[music ends]
So
are you gonna let me explain?
Are you gonna tell me the truth?
The NSA answers
to congressional oversight.
Axiorn, however, is a private firm.
It operates without restrictions.
Means they can do things we can't.
Like fund Kaplar?
Yes.
So Axiorn funded Safiya Zamil
and Robert Mallinder?
Yes.
And then killed them
to put a stop to their work
after they refused to move on.
What about Edward?
Safe and sound. Matter of fact, he's here.
[scoffs]
Look, Taylah,
I don't have to tell you what happens
if our digital systems are breached.
If someone built a key
that could pick every digital lock
in the world?
Chaos.
On a global scale.
Thirty years we've been doing this.
Trying to suppress an idea.
Trying to keep anyone from making it real.
And now there are others
who want that key.
Who?
Not a clue.
- That's what we're afraid of.
- [sighs] God.
So, you're creating it?
Yes.
And what is Edward?
Your genius in residence?
- He is under our protection. Yes.
- [scoffs] Yeah.
Bullshit.
He needs your help, Taylah.
And so do I.
[classical music playing]
[Ed] Found you.
[chewing]
[Ed] Okay. Let's go.
Study this. [muttering]
It's more about them.
[muttering]
[groaning] No, no, no.
It's no good.
[Andrew sighs]
[sighs]
[classic music continues]
[sighs]
[camera whirring]
[clicks teeth]
What happens to me if I can't finish it?
[Andrew] A crushing and permanent sense
of personal failure, I expect.
Right.
You hit a wall?
[sighs] Why?
You got any ideas?
Uh, carry the one?
[Ed sighs]
[bell tolling]
[Andrea whispering] Akram.
[whispering] Come on.
[line beeping]
[automated voice]
The number you're calling
[line ringing]
[whispering] Pick up. Pick up.
[automated voice] At the tone,
please leave a message.
[beeps]
Taylah, it's Andrea.
Please call me. It's important.
[door beeps, opens]
[Taylah] Hey.
[Jane] Hey. You asked to see me?
[Taylah sighs] So, um,
I've been thinking a lot about, you know,
what we're really doing here.
[Jane] Mm-hmm.
Secrecy
[chuckles]
is it a good thing or,
you know, a bad thing?
You tell me.
I mean,
I had a secret
and then you showed up.
And I took care of it
and you got your life back.
Mmm.
So, imagine a world
where that's not possible.
Where no one can hide anything.
Ever.
What about security?
- What about privacy?
- Privacy.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Okay.
[Taylah sighs]
So, Edward builds
this prime finder for you.
- Mm-hmm.
- What happens next?
What are you gonna do with it?
- Nothing.
- [scoffs]
Don't do the eye roll thing. I'm serious.
Having it is not the same as using it.
So, if we have the capability--
You can stay ahead.
- Yeah. We can protect everyone.
- Hmm.
We're talking about our survival.
You want to get a closer look?
Hmm?
Come on.
Let's go.
[Bobby] Look.
[classical music playing]
[sighs]
[beeps]
[Andrew clicks tongue] Well, hello.
Nice to finally meet you.
- [Jane] Taylah
- [Taylah] Hmm.
meet Andrew Carter.
Deputy Director
of Surveillance Operations at the NSA.
Hmm. With a side hustle at Axiorn.
Our natural allies.
[stammers] Most of their clients
are banks, right?
So I bet the money's not bad?
You know, this is very touching.
This. You two.
Especially after all the ways
you've both betrayed each other, right?
[chuckles]
Speaking of sweet reunions, have you seen
the progress your friend has made?
- Is he okay?
- [Jane] So far.
We've given him
all the pieces of the puzzle.
He's hit a small roadblock,
but help is on the way.
And what happens then?
You have to input the math
into a compiler.
Turned into code.
Right.
That's why I'm here.
We'd like to keep the circle
as tight as possible.
- [Taylah] Hmm.
- Just for now.
Plus, you get to be a part of history.
- Am I supposed to thank you for that?
- Taylah.
Well, what happens when it's finished?
[inhales deeply]
Like I just said, we keep it safe.
It's a gun that's never fired.
Just sits on our desk.
We don't want to have to use it. Ever.
We just need the capability to keep it
out of the hands of our enemies.
Being first, it's essential.
- You know that.
- [breathes heavily]
Okay.
I'll do it.
But when he finishes it,
you have to let him go.
Sure. Yeah, absolutely.
Swear it.
I swear.
Okay?
What about the slug?
- T.
- What?
Gives me a sluggy vibe.
Hey, we won't hurt him.
I promise.
[Jane sighing]
So, are we good?
We're good.
[people chattering]
What is it? What's the matter?
Bayt al-Hikma.
I'm the one researcher who came
closest to identifying the location.
Anyone looking for it would need
to use my work to find it.
And the only place
to find my work is here.
Now, I've been looking
at the library records.
See.
Six requests back
when it was first published,
then hardly any interest
until this January.
- Akram.
- It was him, James.
And I mean, it makes perfect sense.
He's been running the dig since day one.
This proves it.
My work led him to the site,
and he blew up a street.
- Andrea--
- I mean, Christ, James.
- People died.
- An Andrea.
This is bad.
Okay, let's think about this.
We need to be sure.
I need to speak to my contacts.
Okay.
We can talk about this later.
And, Andrea,
this could look very bad for all of us.
You, me, college.
All our reputations.
So, keep it to ourselves.
- Just for now.
- Hmm.
Okay? Thank you.
[whirring]
[door beeps, opens]
Just stick it in the corner.
I keep hearing the same music.
The same phrase.
Repeating over and over.
[humming "Symphony No 40"]
- I think it's Mozart.
- Jesus.
I'm sure it is.
Professor are you are you all
What is this?
Hey! Hey, what is this?
You shouldn't have brought him here!
Yeah, you know, I thought--
bit of a leap-- but maybe it would help.
I don't care!
Not him! Who do you think you are?
[Osborne] Edward,
I must say everyone's been very nice.
Where am I exactly?
[camera whirring]
I'm so sorry.
This is all my fault.
[camera whirring]
[whispering] What am I doing?
[sighs] I shouldn't be showing them this.
[Osborne] Wait.
Let me have a look first.
I can't promise I'll be of much use.
My mind is
Well, today is a better day,
but I'm terribly out of practice.
Are these your workings?
Uh, they are S-Safiya Zamil's.
Ah, Safiya.
What a tragedy that was.
And this?
Um, mine.
[breathes deeply] Huh.
It's two halves of a theorem
written 900 years apart.
This side's Musa al-Khwarizmi's
twin prime conjecture.
This side's Safiya's work
on Sophie Germain.
It's the same algebraic language,
just formed entirely differently.
Oh, Edward.
It's wonderful.
You're cracking the oldest puzzle
of them all.
[sighs]
Why didn't you tell me?
Um.
[stammers] Well, no one believed in it.
So I-I-I don't
Perhaps, Edward.
But I've always believed in you.
[sighs]
[phone ringing]
- [Bogdan] Hello.
- [Akram] Everything okay?
The subject was last seen
in Cambridge a few days ago.
But where is Brooks now?
- I don't know.
- [brushing teeth]
- Well, keep looking.
- Okay.
You're not to hurt him.
We're not animals.
Not yet.
[line beeps]
I've got to go.
Keep me posted.
[call disconnects]
[in Arabic] Hi, sweetheart.
[caller] Just arrived,
you promised me you'd be here.
Yes, I know, I know.
[caller sighs]
I know I promised you.
Dad
Just one more meeting and then we'll
go out somewhere nice for dinner, ok?
Where?
Anywhere you want, my darling.
Don't be late.
Ok, agreed?
I love you.
[in English] I love you too.
[sighs]
[Osborne] Your admission interview.
You remember what we talked about?
How many vertices
on a four-dimensional cube.
[chuckles]
I've forgotten so much,
but I remember that.
You answered me totally effortless.
Cambridge is full of talent.
Good mathematicians are ten a penny.
But you, Ed,
you see targets
that are invisible to the rest of us.
Well,
you were the best teacher I ever had.
Oh.
All we ever did
was look at things together.
Explorers.
Akram.
How goes the hunt for Mr. Brooks?
Ongoing, according to your mercenary ape.
[sighs]
We think the Yanks have got hold of him.
[Akram] Mm-hmm.
Pity.
Fine mind.
They'll carve him into geometric shapes.
I'm afraid A-Andrea suspects
your hand in the Baghdad business.
What?
So head down before you push off, yes?
Suits me.
Good man.
- One more?
- No, I have to go.
Of course you bloody will. Sit down.
- More things to discuss.
- Such as?
How to extract Brooks
from his confinement.
[Ed] They're congruences.
See these shapes here?
The-The hexagon with the missing side.
It's five mod six.
That's fun.
- [grunts]
- [camera whirring]
[Ed] There's still something missing.
What happened between you and Robert?
[sighs]
He said this work was dangerous.
He left me a warning of
The, uh the image that he sent me.
There's so many symmetries.
I don't know, maybe, uh
Hmm.
[sighs]
[Osborne smacks lips, sighs]
What are you doing?
[Ed] Simplifying it.
[murmurs]
Don't you see?
The beginning of a bridge.
- [sighs]
- I'd say we can see land, wouldn't you?
And then what?
Edward.
We're changing the history
of mathematical thought.
You're changing it.
It's what you were
put on this earth to do.
[Ed sighs]
[Akram sighs]
And in the event you do find him,
and he has the maths
then what happens?
What happens?
Publish.
That's right. Publish and be damned.
That would be chaos.
Nothing [stammers]
Nothing would be safe.
Things would settle down in the end.
They always do.
Then what's your end?
My end?
Gracious, Akram.
Mafia talk.
Do you know the root of that word?
No.
But I think you're about to tell me.
Non tocca mia figlia.
Don't touch my daughter.
Mafia.
And I look forward to meeting yours
for tea in the morning.
You think
Of course.
It was there all the time.
[Ed chuckles]
[stammers]
Just waiting to be found.
[chuckles] This is your moment!
[laughs]
[sighs]
And I saw it.
I was there.
You must publish.
- [sighs]
- The Brooks theorem.
No.
Brooks-Osborne.
Brooks-Osborne.
[both chuckle]
[Osborne sighs]
[Ed sighs]
We did it, Professor.
[chuckles] We did it.
[Osborne chuckles] Yes.
[Ed sighs]
[door beeps, opens]
- Taylah?
- Hey.
[Ed] You're with them?
Geez.
[groaning]
How much have you seen?
Enough.
What does that mean? Enough?
You said [stammers]
you hated this stuff.
[stammers] What did you call it?
Forest fire? A plague?
It doesn't matter what I said.
Everything's changed.
Professor, I'm Taylah. A friend of Ed's.
[scoffs]
It looks like you guys cracked it.
The theorem.
So we believe.
[Taylah] It's all in here, right?
- Hey.
- [clears throat]
Look, at some point, you're gonna
have to prove that it actually works.
- It works.
- Okay.
But you're gonna have to be sure about it.
And you'll need a coder.
[Ed scoffs]
Now you're volunteering, are you?
- For them?
- Look, Ed, it's already out there.
Everyone is going to want it.
- [Ed sighs]
- Whose hand do you want on the trigger?
I say we finish what we started.
Don't. Hey.
[Ed] Jesus!
I'll need a processor.
Thank you.
Okay.
[sighs]
[Osborne] A thing like this
I never thought I'd see it.
[clears throat]
You think they'll let us go home?
I have a lecture to prepare.
[clicks tongue] There's
There's no lecture.
Just relax.
I've been thinking.
I might refer to our little breakthrough.
[sighs]
Would you mind, Edward?
[inhales deeply]
[sighs]
[Taylah] Okay.
Shit.
[sighs] Okay.
[sighs] So I hit-hit a speed bump.
Maybe you made a mistake with the code?
No, it's not me. It's a fault in the math.
- Maybe he's messing with us.
- Maybe you're messing with us.
Let's go ask the genius.
Okay.
[door beeps]
[Taylah] Something's wrong.
It's not working.
You need to fix it.
Why would I do anything for you?
Because you designed it
and it's your responsibility.
You need to help us control it.
Ed, there are people, bad people,
in this world who want possession of this.
You understand that, right?
- And you're the good guys now, are you?
- Ed.
- You wanna make the world a better place?
- Look, you need to trust me.
[scoffs] I have done
way too much of that already.
Just one last time, Eduardo.
Okay. I'll fix it.
Jane,
this is for you.
What?
- [beeping]
- [alarm blaring]
- No! Taylah!
- [grunts]
[choking]
Goddamn it.
- [Andrew chokes]
- No!
[chokes]
We gotta go!
Shit!
[grunts]
Come on. Come on, come on.
[chokes]
[Osborne groans]
[Taylah] Let's go!
Let's go!
I've got control
of the building's security systems
- but we need to move fast.
- [Ed] Come on.
Get us the hell out of here!
[Andrew grunts]
- Carter!
- [grunts]
Goddamn it!
- [Osborne] Where are we going?
- [Taylah] Come on.
[Ed] A few more steps. We're nearly safe.
[alarm blaring continues]
- [beeping]
- [Ed] Come on.
[Taylah] Okay, let's go! Go, go!
[panting] Shit.
- [Osborne] No! [groaning]
- [Ed grunts] Come on.
- Sir. Just a few more steps, Professor.
- Ed, I-I can't.
- No, we got to go, Ed.
- [Ed] Come on, Professor.
[pants]
[beeping]
- Come on.
- Ed, we gotta go now. Right now.
They're not after him. They're after us.
- I'm not leaving him!
- Ed, please!
[grunting]
[Ed] Just go! We'll catch up!
Professor, please.
[Andrew grunts]
Come on. Get up, please.
Get up, Professor.
- That's it. That's it. That's it.
- [Osborne groans]
I can't let you leave, Ed.
- Come on, Professor.
- Where's Taylah? I want that phone.
- [Osborne] No.
- Move, old man.
Now listen, this boy--
[groaning]
[Ed] No, no, no, no. Professor.
- Professor.
- [Andrew] Ed, you come with me now.
- Professor.
- [grunts]
[pants]
Professor.
Professor.
Professor, please. [sniffles]
[mutters]
[Taylah] Okay.
[sighs] Ed, please.
I'm sorry. We gotta go.
We gotta go. Let's go. Let's go. Go.
[Akram] Answer the damned question.
What's your end?
Brave new world.
Since you asked.
Shock of the new.
Daylight, daylight, and higher ground.
[Akram sighs]
What makes you think
you'll prize it out of him?
I won't have to prize it out of him.
He'll come back here
without the slightest murmur.
Why?
Because he has nowhere else to go.
[panting]