The Day of the Jackal (2024) s01e08 Episode Script

1
The following programme contains
strong language and violent scenes.
JACKAL: Two British
Intelligence officers
arrived last night from Budapest.
I was wondering if your people might
be able to do something about them?
Are you asking me for my help?
Get down! Get down!
(GUNFIRE)
Someone is going out of their way
to try and kill me.
You're in my house!
Tell me everything I need to know.
Or you die.
George Hands.
He runs a sniper WhatsApp group.
- Text me the address. I'll go myself.
- I'm not the mole, you know.
(MUFFLED GUNSHOT)
Could you have made that shot?
There is one guy. Alexander Duggan.
(THEY SPEAK SPANISH)
KEITH: From 1800
the entire building is locked down.
No one gets in or out.
(TENSE MUSIC)
(MUSIC BUILDS)
River is gonna change everything.
Fuck you, you tyrant!
(GUNSHOT)
He's in here somewhere.
Lock all the exits.
RASMUS: Peter?
You've got a good man face, Rasmus.
(NECK SNAPS)
(UNSETTLING MUSIC)
GARY: Target inside compound.
Range 1,400.
1,400.
Wind
0.5.
Send it.
That's not him.
Send it and let's get
the fuck out of here.
No, his beard's white.
No one cares, Duggan.
No one gives a fuck!
Just drop him so we can get
out of this fucking
That's not him, Gary.
(ENGINE STARTS)
- Target out of view.
- It wasn't the target.
He's fucking gone.
How long are we gonna have to wait?
As long as it takes.
CELESTE: Some flowers
Never get to bloom and see the day
Some flowers
Are content to wish their lives away
Some may rise
And some may fall
But only
You may
Ever
See me true
So, only
You can tell them
This is who I am
This is who I am!
No lie
Know that
This is who I am ♪
NEWS ON TV: 'Details are still murky
following what appeared to be
an assassination attempt
on Ulle Dag Charles'
(MOBILE RINGS)
- It's Leonora.
- Well, put her on speaker phone.
(NEWS CONTINUES)
What in God's name happened?
'All I know is, the man who
pulled that stunt wasn't our guy.'
Teddy, is it true that the gunman
was one of UDC's own security staff?
UDC is safe.
He wants to assure the world
Leonora, are you seeing
what we're seeing?
I am.
'He'll not allow sinister forces
to prevent the launch of River
on the 28th.'
'Is it true even the
Dag Haus board believes River
will be a disaster
for the world economy?
River will flow. Thank you.
Good night.
The board! Gutless, spineless,
bunch of arselickers.
Of course they're going ahead
if Saint Suleiman tells them to.
How could you let that happen?
It's not fucking good enough.
'So, what are our options? Hm?'
Because if this thing launches, I may as
well open a stall in a farmer's market.
- Leonora, is our guy still active?
- Zina's trying to determine that now.
Is she? Tell her to make
the determination fast, would ya?
Tallinn was our one chance
and he missed!
We're on it.
He still has a week
until they release River.
As soon as the Jackal breaks cover,
I'll find out what's going on.
You don't know Winthrop
like I do, Zina.
Failure threatens these men.
And anyone associated
with that failure is expendable.
(TENSE MUSIC)
He must have hidden down there
before the lockdown.
Two days. That is some patience.
Yep.
Ah, that'll be the gun
Norman printed up.
The ports, airports and border
crossings have all got the e-fit.
Look at all the planning
the Jackal put into all this.
Yeah, then that fucking weirdo
Chris ruined it for him.
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
He's one of those manifesto nutters.
Posted it on Facebook
just before he took the shot.
- God, what's it say?
- It's long.
Lots of random capital letters.
He wanted everyone to think
that River was for their own good.
Liar, liar, liar.
He wanted information
UDC: I still don't understand
how you didn't know this guy
was a conspiracy fantasist?!
He posted under different handles.
Nothing in his own name.
You allowed a fanatic
to come this close to killing Ulle.
They need to go. Now!
I fully understand, but the Jackal
is still on the loose.
The Jackal is no longer
my only concern.
I am worried about the people
literally in my own house!
(POLICE SIREN CHIRPS AND WAILS)
BIANCA: What do you mean, nothing?!
Well, nothing matches the e-fit yet.
We know he was there so he's
gotta be one of these people!
He's not a fucking ghost,
he can't just disappear!
(SIGHS) This guy's just like us.
He has needs.
He eats, he gets sick.
Where does he go to rest?
Who does he turn to?
Who takes care of him?
Where's your report
on Alexander Duggan?
Sending you the updated version now.
(EXHALES HEAVILY)
It's a bit thin, no?
Well, the file on Duggan
and his unit is STRAP 2, so.
- What?
- That doesn't make any sense.
STRAP 2 is two levels higher
than top secret.
So Duggan and his unit must've
done some things that the Army
and MoD wanna keep covered up.
(TENSE MUSIC)
GARY: Six hours we've been here,
Duggan.
Bravo Two. Vehicles in transit.
Target coming out of the compound.
Range 1,400.
1,400.
Wind. (INHALES)
0.4. Left to right.
0.4.
Send it.
(GUNSHOT)
(SHOUTING, MACHINE-GUNS CLICKING)
Hey, ho, hey
It's the acid test
Got a busy day not wearing a vest
Hey, ho, hey
Got a busy day not wearing a vest
Hey, hey
It's all in a day ♪
(SHOUTING)
GARY: Tackle him!
SOLDIER: Yeah! Get in!
(SONG CONTINUES)
Can't even tackle a different swing.
You're gonna have to convert that,
Duggan. Don't let us down.
Yeah.
(CHEERING)
- That's very kind.
- I hope you're sharing that, Duggan.
Always, Gaz.
Go on, then, boss, stick it on.
No, not me. There's only
one man who should do this.
Go for it, Gary.
(MEN CHANTING) Dugs! Dugs!
Dugs! Dugs! Dugs! Dugs! Dugs! Dugs!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
So, I don't suppose any of you chaps
fancy a couple of days R&R?
Quick trip to Cyprus?
- Aki Arms?
- MEN: Come on!
(CHEERING)
Result!
Good job, man.
(LIVELY CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)
(DANCE MUSIC IN DISTANCE)
GARY: 1400 metres!
(MIMICS EXPLOSION)
Fucking How do you do that, Duggan?
(DANCE MUSIC)
Fuckin' best sniper
in the entire British Army.
But I love ya.
Couldn't do it without me, though.
Admit it.
I'm the best spotter in the world.
I make you great.
(CHATTER)
Hey
- Woah! Excuse me.
- Woah, woah, woah. (GLASS SMASHES)
- Hey, hey, hey! Wait, Gary.
- Sorry, sorry.
Gaz. Gaz. I meant no offence, OK.
- I'm sorry.
- Can I buy you gentlemen a drink?
(STAMMERS)
(SLURRING) Mate,
the answer to that question
is always gonna be yes, buy away!
OK. Another round here, and one for me.
Keep it calm, buddy.
You guys have been in in Helmand?
What's it like there?
Helmand? Fucking horrible, mate.
Two of our boys last month
got their legs blown off.
IED.
(SCOFFS) Wow, the Army
must be paying you a fortune
to take those kinds of risks?
Mate, I'd make more money
emptying bins back in Lancashire.
But you're highly trained men.
You should be making a lot more money.
(CHUCKLES) You reckon?
What if I told you a friend of mine
would pay ten thousand
British pounds
maybe even fifteen
for you to take care
of a problem he has.
What kind of problem?
He wants someone killed, Gaz.
Is that right?
Well. You kill people for the Army,
what's the difference?
Except you'd be getting
a lot more money.
You don't go to prison
killing people for the Army.
My friend is a
is a very important man.
- There would be no risk.
- There's always risk.
My friend might go up to twenty.
For each of you.
That's my card.
My glasses suit you.
(KISS)
MAN: Naked bar!
(WHOOPING)
(CHEERING)
BLUR: Song 2
(LAUGHTER)
Whoo-hoo!
Whoo-hoo!
Whoo-hoo! ♪
OSI: Do we really still have
no idea who this man is?
- We have his fingerprints and DNA.
- There's no record of him.
Anywhere.
So, the e-fit is basically
all we've got?
No. We have Alexander Duggan.
The dead sniper?
Something is not right
about Duggan and his unit.
First off,
Duggan's army files are STRAP 2.
- That must be a mistake.
- No mistake.
I need to see the file
on Duggan and his unit.
That'll be a very bureaucratic,
which is to say, tiresome, process.
Duggan was an outstanding sniper.
The best.
- Yes. Was.
- He's the only man on record
- capable of making that shot.
- But he's dead!
He went to Afghanistan
and never came back.
But there's no body.
There could be information
in that file that will help us.
(EXHALES) Let me see what I can do.
Bianca, are you free at six
this evening for ten minutes,
to meet with the Foreign Secretary?
Yep.
Carver's doing his best
with his inquiries
but the whole thing's
just getting in the way.
Which is rather tiresome.
Ah! Bianca. Great pleasure to meet you.
And you.
(CHUCKLES)
- Please.
- Thank you.
(LOW CHATTER)
(GENTLE PIANO MUSIC)
So, erm, I received a WhatsApp
message from the PM this morning
with a link to the clip
of you in Tallinn.
And he wrote, "Best of British!"
Hm
So, it seems
that there are still some things
in which we are world class,
and importantly the world knows it.
So, Isabel was telling me you want
to have a look at a STRAP 2 file?
That's right.
Because you think
it'll help you find the Jackal?
- Yes.
- Rumour has it that you can be charming.
Ah!
I thought you might like
to use those charms on the MoD?
Did you indeed.
Well, it would mean owing Nick
a favour, and that's not
Well it's not
an ideal situation to be in.
No.
Though perhaps a better situation
than if UDC were killed
by an assassin who turns out
to be ex-British Army,
and it's later revealed
we had information we didn't act on.
Those internal inquiries
are always such a bore.
(CHUCKLES)
Quite.
OK, yup. All right, I'll talk to Nick.
Right, I've got to get to
the theatre so um
- (SIGHS) Anything else?
- That's it for now. I think.
Good.
- OK, well, enjoy your play.
- Thank you.
It's David Hare. Of course
I'm not gonna bloody enjoy it.
(LOW CHATTER)
(MUFFLED GUNSHOT)
(PANICKED CRIES)
(CLICK)
(TYRES SCREECH)
(CHATTER)
My friend is very pleased
with your work.
Barzani was a big troublemaker.
Always telling lies in his newspaper.
(CHUCKLES) You know, frankly,
my friend wasn't sure
if you'd be able to do it.
Now Barzani was a very paranoid man.
Always lots of guards.
He hardly ever showed his face.
But you did it.
You are the best.
My friend is hoping
you might be available
to look at something else for him.
- How much?
- He's a very generous man.
He also has a lot of enemies.
And we'd provide all the logistics
of course, travel, equipment,
housing, expenses,
documentation, everything.
- Sounds fucking great.
- Hm.
But I've still got six years to serve.
Duggan's got three.
If we go AWOL, the military police
will be looking everywhere for us.
Those fuckers don't fuck about.
Well, if you change your mind.
You have my number.
Yeah.
Thank you.
(CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)
(NEWS REPORT IN SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(THEY SPEAK SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(NEWS REPORT CONTINUES)
- Nuri?
- TEDDY ON TV: 'River will flow.'
(RINGING TONE)
- 'Hey!'
- Are you still in Tallinn?
'No, no. I managed to get out.
It was absolute carnage there,
though. Are you alright?'
There's a picture on TV here in Spain.
A man the police are looking for.
'Yeah, I think I've seen the same one.'
Alvaro thinks it's you.
OK.
You must tell your brother that he
cannot repeat that to anyone.
'Do you hear me? This is important.
You tell Alvaro that he cannot repeat
what you just said to anybody,
am I clear?'
Will the police come here?
'No, they have absolutely
no reason to come.
You listen to me, Nuria, OK.
You are completely safe.
No one knows who I am.
They don't know where I live.
You, Carlito, the family.
You're all safe.
But you tell your brother
that he must not say a word.'
- What the fuck, Charles?
- 'No, this is important.
You tell your brother
he can't say a word.'
Are you still coming tomorrow?
'Yes, I am.
- I'll be there in the afternoon.'
- You'd better be here.
(SIGHS)
KEVIN McCLOUD ON TV: 'Heating firm
manager, Gary, and his wife, Jess,
bought this plot of land two years ago.
After overcoming
several planning obstacles,
work began on this
extraordinary project
(SIGHS)
began to take shape.'
(THUD, RATTLING)
(TV PROGRAMME CONTINUES)
Mum?
Jaz?
Oh!
Er, I didn't know you were
Just stand back a second.
Hi. Come in.
Can we just talk out here?
There's no one here. It's just me.
Look, we can't stand in the cold,
my love.
Can you just come in, please?
(CHAIN RATTLES)
God, I've missed you so much.
Do you want a tea or something?
- You know, it's really cold.
- I'm good.
Did you save UDC's life?
I was part of a team.
All my friends think
he's gonna change the world.
Oh? Do you?
Well, he does a lot
for our generation so maybe.
Mm. Maybe.
Are you really leaving us?
What?
I am not leaving. I wouldn't.
I would never do that.
Then why aren't we back here? Together?
I need to work out how best
to protect you and our family.
OK.
I need to I need to
make sure I get that right.
So what happened to the man
who came here that night?
He's in prison. He can't hurt you.
I don't think
he really wanted to hurt me.
He was just upset about his
daughter. And I feel sorry for him.
Oh, don't. Don't Jaz, honestly.
- He's not a good man.
- But, Mum. His daughter died.
Did you have something
to do with her death?
No.
I know you save people.
And that's a good thing.
Sometimes
you might have to
do some other things that
you might not want to do.
No, Jaz.
I I only do good things,
no bad things.
OK?
Are you sure?
Mum, just look at me.
(EXHALES HEAVILY)
Yes.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Najib Khan
is a Taliban field commander.
A very dangerous individual.
He's come down from the hills
to attend the wedding of a cousin.
It's too good an opportunity to miss.
But we need to tread carefully,
no fireworks.
We need him alive.
Duggan and Gary will be watching over.
Prepare the vehicles to move.
Duggan, Gary and er Ronnie,
you're in the first vehicle.
I'll be in the second one
with Conrad and Jason.
Remember this is a soft knock.
Let's take him alive.
- Yes, sir.
- Good luck.
(CLICKING)
Oh, no. What am I gonna do
without my right arm?
You can start by getting yourself
a girlfriend, buddy.
(LAUGHTER)
Fuck you, Duggan.
Or a goat.
I've seen
some fetching goats out there.
- Yeah. Seen 'em!
- Yeah, you've seen 'em.
(LAUGHTER)
SERGEANT WALTER: Simple extraction.
In and out, no messing, yeah?
(WOMEN SINGING IN PASHTO)
(GREETINGS EXCHANGED IN PASHTO)
(GUNSHOTS)
(SINGING CONTINUES)
(RUSTLING)
(SINGING AND CHATTER)
(PANTING)
(INSECTS CHIRPING)
(COMMS BLEEP)
Overwatch in position,
we've got you covered.
(COMMS BLEEP)
SERGEANT WALTER: 'Copy that.
Entering now.'
Calm but firm, boys.
Alsalam ealaykum.
(RUSTLING)
(IN PASHTO)
Friend.
We don't want any trouble,
but you have to lower your weapons.
(IN PASHTO)
GARY: Easy does it
GUARD: Important chief.
Big man. Inside
Yeah, that's who we're here for.
- Friend of British.
- I am not gonna tell you again!
GARY: They don't look happy.
Put your fucking weapons down, now!
(CLICKING)
- Shooter above compound.
- Seen.
He's lining up. What do we do?
(IN PASHTO)
- Do we wait? See if he opens fire?
- No, it's on us.
Put your fucking weapons down now!
(GUNSHOT)
(GUNFIRE)
Contact!
(SHOUTING, GUNFIRE)
Shit!
- (PANICKED SHOUTS)
- SOLDIER: RPG!
RPG!
(SCREAMING)
Walter's fucking lost it again!
(HEAVY GUNFIRE)
(CLATTERING)
WALTER: Cease fire!
(DEBRIS CLATTERS)
It was a wedding.
Move!
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
Go!
(COUGHING)
(GROANS)
(GUNSHOT)
(PANTING, GROANS)
Well, that went a bit fucking west.
(BREATHES HEAVILY)
We need to make this look proper.
(COMMS BLEEP)
Hello, Hammer fourteen,
this is Phantom One Zero Alpha.
Grid location three,
seven, five, six, five,
six, seven, nine.
One, eight, six degrees.
We are pinned down and under fire.
Request one joint direct attack
munitions JDAM. On my smoke.
Over.
- 'Copy Phantom.'
- Ready up the cars! Let's get out of here!
You all saw the RPGs.
Right? No one says anything
about what happened here today.
PILOT:
'Weapons away inbound five mikes.
Exfil that position fast. Over.'
WALTER: From Phantom One Zero Alpha.
Copy that,
withdrawing from contact now.
(SOMBRE MUSIC)
(WHISTLING SOUND)
(EXPLOSION BOOMING)
(LAUGHTER)
- Get in there, you fucker!
- Come on, you fucker.
(TRUCK DOORS SLAM)
That wasn't clean. That was a mess.
(ENGINE STARTS)
(BELL RINGS)
(CELL DOOR OPENS)
(CHATTER FROM PRISON)
Thank you for agreeing to see me.
My pleasure. Bianca.
How you doing, Larry?
(LAUGHS)
No. Genuine question.
How you holding up?
Yeah, see when you made
me those promises,
did you actually mean them?
You know even for a minute?
I can understand that.
It's what you do.
You used my daughter to get to my wife.
Used my wife to get to me,
used me to get to my brother.
Fair play.
Except all those people are dead now.
That's some trail of woe
you've left behind, Bianca.
- Larry, I didn't kill Alison.
- You did.
Yeah, I killed Alison.
I've killed a lot of people.
Most of them deserved it.
And I've used people
to get what I want.
Which is exactly the same
as what you do.
Now, I'm bad. I'm rotten.
But so are you.
Tell me I'm a liar.
Listen
I think about Emma
and Alison every single day.
And I'm truly, genuinely sorry.
That's why I wanted to see you.
To tell you that I am sorry.
You don't know what sorry means.
(CLATTERING)
You're more twisted
than what I am, Bianca.
Medic!
Medic now!
Medic!
(CHOKES)
(GASPING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Call an ambulance! Move back, please.
Back!
(BREATHES SHAKILY)
(ALARM CHIMING)
(SOMBRE MUSIC)
That man probably killed 20-odd people,
including his wife.
I've literally got blood on my hands.
Come here. I don't see anything.
Bianca
(MUMBLES)
Everyone in this building
has done stuff
they never thought they would ever do.
- Yep!
- Look.
If you're told
that some guy down the street
is a clear and present danger
and has to be neutralised,
it's easy, isn't it?
You don't know him, you just do it.
Yes.
If it's your next-door neighbour,
it's a bit harder.
But we do what has to be done.
But what if it's
I I don't know. Your mum.
(SIGHS)
Bad example.
- Bad example.
- OK, fair enough.
But you get my point.
This job is complicated.
We have to remember why it is we do it.
- Remind me.
- To protect people.
To protect people.
(INHALES DEEPLY)
Huh.
Would it help cheer you up if I told
you they had Alexander Duggan's file
waiting for you in Conference Room 2?
Seriously?
Yes, yes, it would help.
Courtesy of the Foreign Secretary.
Whatever you and Isabel said to him,
it worked.
Thank you.
- I'm afraid not.
- What?
You and Vince are authorised
to read. There are conditions.
This file doesn't leave this room,
and neither do I.
(GROANS)
Ha-ha-ha, ha
Starting now.
And you have to sign this.
(SIGHS) This is fucking mad.
- Sign at the bottom, please.
- Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Thank you. Thanks very much.
Thank you.
(BIRDS CHIRRUPING)
BIANCA: Alexander James Gordon Duggan
joins Sandhurst as an officer cadet
and is tipped to win
the Sword of Honour
until he walks out
and joins the Paras as a private.
His depot instructor notes
on his appraisal,
Duggan displays
a ruthless determination
to become a paratrooper.
He does the sniper course
at Pirbright HDPRCC.
Attends the sniper commander's course
at the Sniper Wing at Warminster.
Joins the Pathfinder Platoon
as their top sniper.
Deploys to Northern Ireland,
Norway, Kosovo,
Sierra Leone, Iraq.
And then Afghanistan.
He was part
of a covert Special Forces unit.
They carried out raids, arrests
and assassinations of Taliban leaders.
On April 23rd, 2013,
the unit was on an operation
in Helmand.
They were on their way to eliminate
a notorious Taliban leader when
the entire unit was wiped out
by a massive explosion.
So (SIGHS)
Duggan's dead?
I just
I don't know.
Something's not right.
(TENSE MUSIC)
Wait. Stop!
Stop, stop, stop!
(UNSETTLING MUSIC)
- Up on the right.
- Yep.
DRIVER: What's going on?
You see that mound,
there's something on the top of it.
IED?
Let's have a look.
Yeah, that does not look proper.
Movement at four o'clock!
360 cover!
(GUNS CLICKING)
I'll take the file, Osi.
This way, Mr Halcrow. We need to talk.
Anything?
No.
There's fuck all there, you dickhead.
I'm telling you, I saw something.
What'd you reckon?
Well, we can't just stand around
here like a bunch of knobheads.
We've got a job. We have to move.
I'm happy to take a look.
Yeah, OK. Conrad, go with Duggan.
No, I'll take Gary with me.
Come on, Gary.
Oi, you wanna check for IEDs,
I'm happy for you, mate.
Why the fuck do
I have to come with you?
- Oi!
- Come on.
Thanks for fuck all, mate.
(TENSE MUSIC)
Will you cover me?
Careful, mate.
(METAL DETECTOR BEEPS)
(CLICK, BEEPS)
Think it's a come-on?
What you doing, you fucking loon?
I'm gonna feel my way from here.
(GRUNTS)
(SCRAPING)
Fucking tricycle!
(TRICYCLE CLATTERS)
Oh, what the fuck.
Mount up.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
Come on, mate, let's go.
Duggan.
(BEEP)
(CRASHING)
(METAL CREAKS)
Argh! Argh! Argh!
Arrghh!
(FIRE CRACKLING)
What the fuck!
What the fuck just happened?
- We need to go.
- (YELLS) Go where?
Where they can't find us.
(FIRE CRACKLING)
You may run on for a long time
Let me tell you
that God's gonna cut you down
Sub extracted from file & improved by
My God spoke, he spoke so sweet
I thought I heard
the shuffle of angel's feet
He put one hand upon my head
Great God Almighty,
let me tell you what he said
You may run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Let me tell you
that God's gonna cut him down
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the God
that looked around at the back biter
Tell him that God's cut him down
Tell him that God's cut him down ♪