Original subtitles

[logo chimes]

[eerie music]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[blades swishing]

- We'll see you next week.

[heavy breathing]

Oh!

- Repent or die.

- You what?

- Repent or die.

Oh!

[squeals]

[flesh squelches] [grunts]

[body thuds]

[heavy breathing]

[whimpering]

[blows landing]

[whimpering]

[gasping]

[eerie music continues]

[breathing heavily]

[suspenseful music]

[suspenseful music continues]

[ambient city noises]

[dog barks]

[indistinct chatter]

[brooding music]

- Fuck this.

I'm going home.

- You can't.

It's too early.

- She's right, you know. It ain't safe.

Not with him out there.

[breathing heavily]

- Plague?

- Yeah, fucking Plague.

Who else?

- You scared the shit out of me!

- Where do you think you're going?

- Nowhere.

- Wrong. You're coming with me.

You two get back on that corner,

or I'll tell Jake you've been leaving early again.

Good girl.

[footsteps tapping]

[upbeat music]

- I...I don't like this.

- Listen, you'll be fine.

Be nice.

Be good and have fun.

Come on.

[upbeat music continue] [knocking on window]

Are you looking for a good time?

- Are you two taking the piss?

Do you know who you're fucking with?

Huh?

- Looks to me like one little torture boy and his skank.

- If I see you around here again.

I'll open you up.

- Fuck are you gonna do, huh? - Yeah?

- Jake is gonna hear about this.

- Jake can suck my...

[blades swish]

[intense music]

[heavy breathing]

- Sarah.

[heavy breathing]

- Shit.

[Sarah whimpering]

[gate rattling]

[tense music]

- You wanna fuck with us?

- Oh, God. No!

[flesh squelching] [Sarah screams]

[body thuds]

[blade slices] [screams]

Aah!

[screaming]

[screams]

[heavy breathing]

[indistinct growling]

[Sarah whimpering]

- Another night, another horrific crime scene.

Three bodies believed to be the latest victims of Doctor Plague

were discovered just a few hundred metres from here

in the early hours of this morning.

The police insist the murders are gang related,

dismissing claims of a serial killer.

However, sources closest to the investigation

suggest that unusual staging of the bodies

moved and deliberately placed

points to something more than a typical gang dispute.

- Detective Verni, there is a body over here,

and these two bodies are from, uh, from rival gangs.

- Have you seen the bodies?

- No, sir.

- Well, let's have a look, eh?

Oh, Jesus.

[camera snapping] - Jesus.

- All in one piece this time, eh?

- Makes a change. - If you ask me,

The doctor's doing us all a favour.

Certainly clearing up the rubbish, that's for sure.

- Wait, are we sure this is not just some gang rivalry thing?

- What do you reckon?

Torture boys, grave diggers, Bloods,

Torture boys over there.

Grave diggers here.

This is the ninth one they've lost so far.

- Where the fuck a sucker?

[phone rings]

- Hang on a minute.

[tense music]

Yep. Well, I'm at work, ain't I?

Yes. Have you tried his mobile?

All right, uh, look, I can't deal with it now.

Just. I'll... I'll get on it later.

Yeah.

No cameras again, right?

- No.

[tense music continues]

You really want to hit the ground running, detective?

- Yes, sir.

- You get yourself back to the station, right?

Get on the phone and check out every camera that you can find.

Ours, plus the private ones as well.

You never know, we might get lucky.

All I know at the moment is three months in,

we've got 25 dead and six people are still missing.

Probably abducted.

Get on it.

Yes, sir...that's what I don't understand is..

Is why is he killing some of them and not the rest?

- That's what we're trying to find out, isn't it?

- Yes, sir.

- Sam.

- Yes, sir?

- Don't call me sir.

- No, sir.

[car tires screech]

- You best find out who this no face is soon.

Otherwise, we're going to start taking our own actions,

if you know what I mean?

And you don't want that?

Yeah, alright, whatever, jog on.

[tense music continues]

[car doors slam]

[engine revving]

[gentle music]

- Detective.

- You alright?

- Hmm.

[indistinct] wasn't alone last night.

He was with our friend Sarah.

- Sarah?

- Sarah Stringer.

We haven't seen her since she left with him last night.

- You sure about that?

- Mm. 100%.

- Alright.

You take care of yourself, you alright?

- Hhm.

[gentle music continues]

[car engine starts]

[eerie music]

- What is up, Plague Nation?

So today we are going to be talking about our killer's weapon of choice.

And, you know, the cops, they are useless.

Because let's be honest here, Dr Plague, he is making history.

[sirens wailing]

- Still nothing?

- I'm afraid not.

The only time she does say anything is when she's dreaming.

And even then, it's just screams.

- I'm not surprised with what she's been through.

- Indeed.

- Did she ever use the charcoals and paper that I bought him last time.

- No, there's been nothing.

- If she can't talk, she can draw.

[footsteps tapping]

[machine beeping]

- Mary?

You have a visitor.

- Good to see you, Mary.

Listen to me.

I need your help.

The man that hurt you,

attacked you,

he's killed again.

You're the only person that's ever seen him.

[machine beeping]

[sighs]

If there's anything you can tell me about the night you were attacked.

I need your help.

We can't let this happen to someone else.

If there's anything you can remember about the night you were attacked,

anything at all.

Did you hear his voice?

What did he sound like? Anything at all.

You just told Dr Cole, and she'll call me,

anytime of the night or day.

Alright?

[machine beeping continues]

[sighs]

Alright.

[indistinct]

What did she say?

She said something.

Mary.

What was it, Mary? What was it?

- Repent. Repent

or die.

[choking]

- Mary, let him go!

[grunting]

- Repent or die.

Repent or die. - [Dr] Let him go!

Repent or die.

[panting]

[machine beeping]

- I'm so sorry, Detective.

- If that girl says anything.

Anything at all.

I'm your first call.

[door creaks]

- Sam?

Yeah, tell me something good.

- You were right.

The torture boy's victim wasn't alone last night.

There was another girl.

- Carry on checking the cameras on the surrounding area.

Yeah. Widen that search to about a mile.

We've got to find out how he's getting in and out alright?

Well, I don't know, do I?

He's not a fucking ghost, is he?

Huh? Just find him.

[phones ringing]

[tense music]

[indistinct chatter]

[handbrake clicking]

[police radio chatters]

- Listen, you said she was in.

This is in.

- It's not that, it's, uh...

- Well, what then?

What, are you worried about the Plague?

Don't worry about that, we've got that covered.

Shit!

[chair clatters]

[tense music continues]

- Is it that obvious?

- Yes.

You might as well have a massive siren on your head.

- Get in the car.

I'm taking you home.

- Nah, I'm alright.

- I'm not asking you.

- Dad, you can't make me come with you.

- This yours?

- That...That's not mine.

- I don't see anyone else here.

You know, I could take you in for less than that, don't you?

- You wouldn't do that.

- No, I wouldn't.

'Cos I'm taking you home.

[gravel crunching]

[eerie music]

I don't want you seeing them any more.

- They're my mates, dad.

- No they're not.

Guys like that don't have mates.

- Whatever.

- Did they tell you what happened last night?

Mm? What plague did to two of their mob?

- Yes.

Of course, everyone knows.

But don't worry, we're taking care of it.

- What's that supposed to mean?

What's that supposed to mean? You're taking care of it.

Hang on a minute, I ain't finished with you.

Mum's got dinner ready, and I'm starving.

[eerie music continues]

- Hello mate, you alright?

- Alright?

- Hi.

He's late.

- Yeah, I know, I'm sorry.

I found him down by Smiths.

- God, really? - Yeah.

- That's where all the smackheads hang out.

What's he doing down there?

- Oh, he just had a bag of grass, you know.

- All kids do it. - Just a bag of grass?

- Oh, my... This is getting out of hand.

You've got to do something about this.

- Yeah, I am. - You are?

- Yeah, I'm talking to him.

- Well, that's clearly not enough, is it?

He needs a proper dad.

- Oh, come on, we're not going there again, are we?

I'd still be here if it weren't for you.

You were the one who asked me to come out.

- No, no, no, no, no, no. - It was! It was though!

- You cannot blame this on me.

- If you'd managed to keep it in your pants

- I'd still be here, wouldn't I.

- Then maybe I wouldn't have had to kick you out.

[phone ringing] - I told you, it's just the once.

Just the once, that's all.

- Oh, yeah. Once.

- Yeah, once! - One time.

- That's the truth. - Expect me to believe that?

- I got to take this.

- Oh, God. Here we go again.

You can't even talk to the mother of your only child

about your son's life.

- I'll get rid of them, hang on a minute.

- No, do you know what, John?

Take your precious call.

Just do me a favour and take an interest in his life

before it's too late.

Go on.

- This better be important.

[eerie music]

[siren wailing]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

[eerie music continues]

[girls laughing]

[tense music]

[heavy breathing]

[music intensifies]

No!

[suspenseful music]

- Repent.

[heavy breathing]

Or die.

[girls screaming]

- Woohoo!

[Dr Plague groans]

[combatants grunting]

[suspenseful music continues]

- You're under arrest.

- It's a prank, bro.

[grunts]

It's a prank, bro!

It's for YouTube.

- Yeah, well, the joke's on you, innit.

You're nicked.

- It's a prank, bro, for YouTube.

- It's fucking plastic!

- What? - You bastard!

- Get back! I'm a policeman.

- Get out!

- It's a fucking prank!

I'm gonna do you, man, for battery and wrongful arrest,

you fascist fuck!

- Last night, the investigation took another shocking turn.

Newly surfaced footage appears to show Detective Inspector John Verney

in a violent altercation with a popular YouTuber.

The clip has intensified criticism of the police,

fuelling concerns that law enforcement is losing its grip.

Protests have erupted across the city,

driven by fears that authorities can no longer contain

the escalating violence.

Some see Verney's actions of those of a man pushed to his limits,

while others believe they exposed deeper issues

within the police service.

Chief Inspector Parker is expected to make a statement later tonight,

but it's not just answers the public want,

it's decisive leadership.

- It's gone viral.

Basically, everybody's seen you beat the crap out of that kid.

[tense music]

- Oh, Bollocks.

[phone ringing]

- Detective Jones.

Yes, sir. He's here.

He's here with me now, sir.

Okay, sir.

Guv wants a chat.

- Come on then.

- On your own.

He was dressed as Doctor Plague.

I mean, you can buy the costume online now.

- [Parker] Well, why is that, John?

- Well, they're cashing in, aren't they.

- Cashing in because the public have bought into this ridiculous idea

that there is this Jack the Ripper like maniac on the loose.

- Yeah, and they'd be right.

- Based on what?

A few grainy images of someone wearing a mask?

The theories of a few internet wackos?

- No, no, no, that footage is real,

we had it authenticated, you know that.

- All the killings so far are on gang members

or those affiliated with them in some way.

This is a gang matter.

- No, no, no, no, gangs don't abduct.

Right. I mean, where are you going to take them?

All I know is that we've got 6 or 7 people connected with these murders

that are still missing.

- It's all circumstantial.

Not everything's a conspiracy, John.

- I know that, I'm not saying it is.

I just want to find them before...

Before it's too late.

- Look, I'll be honest with you.

Just got off the phone with the super,

and she has suggested it'd be a good idea

to get a fresh pair of eyes on all of this.

- So what? I'm being stood down?

- No. Not yet.

We agreed you can work till the end of this month,

but if sufficient progress isn't made by then,

we're going to bring in someone else to lead the task force.

- Oh, this is ridiculous.

- I hear you saw Mary Woodall.

I hear she gave you the jump.

[phone ringing]

- Who told you that?

- I've got to get this.

The gangs.

The solution to everything is with the gangs.

Concentrate on the gangs.

Never mind the boogeyman.

Hello?

[tense music]

[door creaks]

[door opens]

[gentle music]

Oh!

[sighs]

Yeah.

[computer ringing]

Hey. Hey, mate.

- Hello. - You alright?

- Yeah, I'm alright.

- Good. Um.

Look, how do you fancy going cinema tomorrow night?

You know?

Uh, I can meet you after work.

You can choose the movie.

- Yeah. Yeah, sure, that sounds good.

Great. Um, shall we say 6:00? How's that sound?

- 6:00 is good.

- Good, alright, I'll see you there.

And, uh, mate, uh, choose something we both like, eh?

- Yeah. - All right. Good.

- See you later.

- Cheers, dad.

[phone beeps]

[sighs]

[gentle music continues]

[keys clacking]

- [on computer] As a specialised physician in 17th century...

[voice on computer speaks indistinctly]

[voice on computer speaks indistinctly]

[tense music]

[sirens wailing]

- Hello?

What's going on?

- Sam?

I wanted to talk to you off the record.

- Yeah, sure, boss,

but shouldn't we be heading on over to the junkyard crime scene?

We can talk in the car.

- Are you familiar with the Whitechapel murders?

- Jack the Ripper? - Yeah.

- Yeah, I mean, everyone's heard of him, right?

- Yeah, you know, I've been doing some reading.

The similarities are obvious when you look at it, right?

The choice of victims, the location, the ferocity of the attacks,

even the messaging that's left behind.

- Okay, so why the secrecy, though?

Why are we on a roof?

- Well, they say Jack was never caught

because he had friends in high places.

Like he was connected to aristocracy, like a secret society.

They say that he even had his claws into the Met.

- Wait, so, you think our killer's got an accomplice on the job?

- No.

Plague only attacks where there's no camera coverage, right?

So he's really lucky, or...

he's got someone on the inside.

- Okay, so what now?

- He's got to leave a trail somewhere.

And when he does, we jump on it.

You get yourself over to the murder scene,

and when you're done there,

right, you check every piece of CCTV footage that we've got.

Every single frame.

You find anything, you come to me.

No one else.

Understood?

Someone's got to know who he is.

[tense music continues]

- Wait, are you not coming over to the crime scene?

- I've got something I need to do.

So you're a professor of medieval history

and religious symbolism, right?

- Professor emeritus.

- I was wondering if you could help me...

identify this.

[eerie music]

Do you recognise it?

- Yeah, that, uh...

looks like some kind of flame.

- Well, it's a piece of evidence, an ongoing inquiry at the moment.

- Fire is one of the base elements.

But fire can also be a symbol of cleansing,

of purging and renewal.

It's a force of truth.

A light in the darkness.

- More darkness than light, recently.

Without fire we'd be dead, inside and out.

Where'd you say you got this?

- I didn't.

- Hmm. I have an idea.

[intense music]

- What is up, Plague Nation?

It's your boy Eric, with big news...

No, huge news about tomorrow's show.

Live, 8 p.m.

I'm going to be joined by Jake Tortelli,

a man whose friends, family, associates

have all been brutally and viciously killed

by none other than Doctor Plague.

Jake wants to go on the record

raw, unfiltered, with a personal message to the killer himself.

So that's right, Plague,

if you're watching, and I know you are,

you do not want to miss this.

[gentle music]

[door closes]

- I've seen it.

- It's had half a million views already.

I'd give my left nut for that sort of coverage.

- It's not journalism, it's clickbait.

Nothing more than self-promotion and narcissism.

- Call it what you want.

This little twerp keeps getting the jump on us,

and I'm not having it.

[phone beeps]

[gentle music continues]

See, we've got ourselves a modern day Jack the Ripper.

He's out there cutting up kids with impunity.

But what? No one knows his identity?

I don't buy it.

- So what are you suggesting?

Some kind of conspiracy?

- You're damn right I am.

Well, we're living in an age of fake news and cover-ups.

That's not us.

We're in the truth business,

or at least we were the last time I looked.

See, good old-fashioned print journalism

can still make a difference.

We can make a difference.

- I'm not saying you're wrong.

- I'm not wrong.

- But if you are and it's a big if.

What then?

We're going to look like fools

if we're on the wrong side of this story.

- Well, let me worry about that.

You, uh, know who the lead investigator is, don't you?

- Yes.

A dinosaur who still thinks he's in the Sweeney.

- Yeah, well, John Verne is one of their best detectives.

So if the victims aren't important...

[gentle music continues]

The killer must be.

- So what do you want me to do?

- Well, you and Vernie have history, don't you?

Go and flutter your eyelashes, whisper sweet nothings.

Do I really need to spell it out?

- You want me to whore myself?

- I think you'll find it's called being sex positive these days.

[laughs]

Just get me a quote.

Something, anything I can put on the front page.

Go on then.

The clock's ticking.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

[door closes]

[sinister music]

- Right.

And, um.

Upload. [phone beeps] Oh, sorry.

It seems that your symbol

belonged to a secret society called the brethren of the flame.

The brethren believed

that the pandemic was divine wrath and judgment

upon a sinful society.

Among their number

was a faction who'd go out disguised as plague doctors

to kill those they deemed corrupt and criminal.

And who refused to repent.

- Plague doctors?

What about?

A revival?

- Is it safe to assume that your visit is somehow connected with the

killings that are happening in East London?

- Does it say anything about the brethren abducting people?

- No.

I'm afraid not.

- Could you look into that for me?

- I'm very, very busy.

- Now, if you can give me any sort of help, we could save lives.

- I don't think I can refuse, can I?

- I'd appreciate if you could keep our conversation just under wraps.

You know, I don't want anything getting out and provoking him.

- Yes, of course.

- Yeah, uh, look, here's my card.

Call me if you think of anything, okay?

I'll see myself out.

- Right.

[sinister music continues]

- Hello, John,

it's Francesca.

Yeah, I know it's been a long time.

Too long.

I was thinking maybe we can get together.

- I ran through the other disappearances,

and in all instances, there's no sign of Plague

or where he takes them.

It's like they just disappear.

- We know all this, right?

- But I think I found something.

You see, there's this theory that during his killing spree,

the Ripper would use the city's old utility tunnels to evade capture.

That theory later gave birth to those boogeyman-like tales you hear today.

He's still down there, lurking, waiting one day to reemerge.

Now, this map here dates back to late 19th century,

when those tunnels were still in use.

I've managed to match all the crime scenes

of all the Plague murders and disappearances

with all the CCTV blind spots.

- And what about this stuff?

The green? What's that mean?

- Those are all the old utility tunnel openings.

And they were used to transport the sick and dying out of London

during the bubonic plague.

- By plague doctors.

- But I think this is how Plague is escaping

and where he's taking those he abducts.

- Shit.

- Should we go tell the guv?

- No. Just keep it between ourselves for a while.

I think we need something a little bit more concrete

before we take this to the old man.

- Let's go find something then.

- Yeah.

Hello?

When?

You're joking.

Alright, I'm on my way.

Everything okay?

- You carry on doing that.

I've got to go over to St Mary's.

[tense music]

[sirens wailing]

- I'm sorry, detective.

- So what happened?

- She cut off her own tongue and bled to death.

She must have had a psychotic episode during the night.

There was nothing we could do.

[suspenseful music]

[door creaks]

She was dead when we found her.

- What do you mean? She cut her own tongue off.

How?

- We found some scissors in her room.

[John sighs]

- How did she get hold of a pair of scissors?

- It's unfortunate, but sometimes the patients hide things from us.

Things that can cause them danger.

[suspenseful music continues]

Goodbye, detective.

[phone rings]

- Hello mate, what's up?

[tense music]

Uh, no, no, no, no, no.

Um, I just didn't think it mattered, that's all.

Uh, yeah. No. Look. You're right.

I should have told you, Jake.

I'm sorry.

What?

Um, I don't know.

I don't know, I don't have it.

[tense music continues]

Um.

My dad, my dad.

My dad...

He took it, he found it, and he took it.

Look, I'm sorry, Jake.

I promise I'll make it up to you, I promise.

Jake?

Shit!

[tense music]

[gentle music]

- Sorry I'm late.

- No, it's fine.

- You remembered? - Of course.

- Cheers.

- Is everything all right?

- Off the record...

Not really.

Our only living witness to a Plague attack has just died.

- What happened?

- Gross negligence, if you ask me.

[phone rings]

Sorry. All right.

I'm all yours.

[gentle music continues]

- What's the position of the Chief Inspector on this?

- He thinks it's all gang related.

- Really?

From what you've described of the murders,

it's so obviously ideologically driven.

What's his big brain take on that?

- He thinks all of missing are related to the murder or something.

He thinks they're all suspects.

[Francesca laughs]

- Well, you know what I'm going to say.

[John scoffs]

- Well, you should, he's an idiot.

You should have that job or better.

Not that paper pushing path of least resistance.

- I've got too many black marks against me.

- Really? I find that hard to believe.

[traffic rumbling]

[phone ringing]

- Yeah.

I'm on my way.

[phone beeps]

- Any other breakthroughs?

Off the record.

- Off the record?

Yeah, I think we might have.

We think that Plague is using this old system of utility tunnels to, uh,

to escape from the scene of the crime.

- Have you taken that to the chief?

- No.

I'm already skating on thin ice.

When I go to the old man,

I've got to take more than just a hunch.

- I heard about the divorce.

- Yeah, well, it happens.

- Was there anything to do with us?

- No.

Well, maybe.

- Did your wife find out?

- She found out I was seeing someone.

She didn't know it was you.

- Sorry.

[gentle music continues]

- What about you?

You, uh, disappeared quickly, didn't you?

Didn't even say goodbye.

- Yeah. Why do you think?

I was just sick of all the lies.

- Do you want to get out of here?

Come on.

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

- Don't be caking that shit on me.

I don't want to look like a fucking satsuma.

- I know what I'm doing.

- She did makeup in college, you know.

She's got certificates and everything.

- And who the fuck asked you?

- I was just saying.

- Yeah, well, don't.

You can fuck off.

- I ain't even finished your hair yet.

- Yeah, well. You're done. Fuck off.

- Fuck this.

I'll be in the hot tub.

- Fucking mouth on that.

- Mate.

The chat's blowing up for real.

Listen to this.

- Is this going fucking viral or what?

- You're trending, man.

- What's the difference?

- Well, trending is like when...

- Oh, well, do you know what? I don't give a shit.

Just fucking... Just carry on doing what you're doing.

And what do you think of my shirt?

- Yeah. It's fine.

- Fine? Fucking fine?

- Jake.

- It looks great, you look great.

- You sure? - Sure.

- Hey.

We're good to go.

- Alright, fuck it, come on, let's do this.

[tense music continues]

[hot tub bubbling]

[water splashing]

[eerie music]

[Tilly sniffs]

[eerie music continues] [gravel crunching]

[heavy breathing]

[intense music]

[heavy breathing]

- We're going live in three, two, one.

- What is up, Plague Nation?

This is it. As promised, the big one.

Tonight I'm here with a special guest.

A man who has experienced unspeakable horrors and bloodshed

in recent weeks.

It's my main man, Jake Tortelli.

What are you saying, Jake?

- Listen, I'm not going to lie,

it's been dark, dark times.

- Yeah, because of, uh, Dr Plague, right?

Because of what he's done?

People he's killed, I mean, your people.

- [Jake] They had their whole lives in front of them.

It's tragic.

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[door creaks]

[eerie music continues]

[door creaks]

[heavy breathing]

- Let's say that, uh, Dr Plague is watching this right now.

Have you got a message for him?

- Yeah, yeah, I do.

Listen, you fucking psychotic...

- Sorry I'm late. I, uh...

- Stop, we're filming.

- Oh. Sorry.

- Listen, you fucking clown.

You think that you can come here in my manor,

take my people, my fucking family?

You're wrong.

Because this is what's going to happen.

I'm coming for you, you hear me?

And I'm gonna fuck you up bad.

And this ain't no idle threat.

That's a gold-plated promise from me to you.

I'm gonna fuck you up.

I want Plague dead.

I want his head on a spike.

I want to piss on his corpse, I wanna...

[flesh squelches] [screaming]

- Fuck!

[tense music]

[heavy breathing]

- You motherfucker!

I'm gonna kill you!

[blow thuds]

- Shit!

They're everywhere.

Listen, fellas.

It's him you want.

I'm a nobody, I'm a nothing.

- It's him!

It's Plague!

- Please.

[blow thuds] [flesh squelching]

[eerie music]

- Repent or die.

- Last night, a horrific home invasion left multiple people dead,

with parts of the attack streamed live on the internet.

The shocking footage has since gone viral.

Doctor plague is no longer just a local nightmare.

His crimes are now global news.

With no arrests, no suspects and no clear end in sight,

the city remains on a knife edge.

[sombre music]

[phone chimes]

- John! Wake up.

It's Liam.

- Oh, man, my head is banging as well.

You got any paracetamol?

- Your son!

It's on the news.

John.

[John groans]

- [Jan] ...is no longer just a local nightmare.

His crimes are now global news.

- Is this for real?

- ... No suspects and no clear end in sight,

The city remains on a knife edge.

- [Reporter] Police officers from East London Serious Crime Unit...

- No.

No.

[sombre music]

- [Reporter]... Dr Plague killings...

[tense music]

- Christ!

[tense music continues]

Liam!

Has anyone seen my boy?

My boy was here.

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

He was meant to be with you!

Was meant to be with you.

- I know, I know.

I texted him.

- You lying bastard!

You lying fucking bastard!

He was meant to be with you!

He was meant to be with you!

[Alice sobs]

He was meant to be with you!

- No, no, no, he's not here.

He's not here.

It's alright.

It's alright, he's not here.

He's not here.

[sombre music]

Sir. Sir.

My son, Liam.

He was here tonight.

I think Doctor Plague has taken him down into the tunnels.

- Plague Doctor?

What tunnels are you talking about?

- The other day, I went to see Mary.

She passed me this note.

I think she said this is the symbol

that she saw the night that she was attacked.

I had it checked out by an expert.

He says it's the symbol of some ancient religious cult

called the Brethren of the Knife.

I think all of these attacks, all of these Plague attacks,

they're connected to this cult somehow.

And that's why Mary was killed.

Because she passed me the note.

She was warning me.

- Murdered by whom?

- Doctor Cole.

- Are you serious?

- No. Have a look on the note.

Look...Look what Mary wrote, look.

She knew she was being watched by the Brethren.

- What has this to do with tunnels?

- Detective Jones.

He saw there was this old utility tunnel system.

I think Plague has been using it to organise his attacks

and to escape with his victims.

We were going to go down there, but I got this call from Mary.

- And where's Detective Jones now?

- I don't know.

I've got a couple of missed calls.

I called him back, he wasn't there.

But listen, we need uniforms down here.

We need Trojan.

We need them now. We can't muck about.

- I'm not calling SO19 into tunnels

because you believe in a medieval secret society.

I need evidence.

- You've got it in your hand.

- What this?

The scribblings of a dubious woman whom we can't even interview now

because she's dead.

- For fuck's sake, my boy is missing.

Don't you understand?

- Ancient gods.

Religious zealots.

For God's sake, John, listen to yourself.

Look around.

This is gang warfare. [phone rings]

If you'd listen to me in the first place

and not focused on these fancy theories,

this may not have happened.

I'm sorry, John, but I'm suspending you until further notice.

- Oh, bollocks.

Hello.

- Hi, detective, it's Professor Altman.

- Yeah, this ain't a good time.

- [Altman] I have more information for you about the br

- What information?

- About the abductions.

- Go on.

- Any charges against the brethren,

they would take their enemies and torture them, then sacrifice.

- Oh, Christ.

[tense music]

- Where are you going?

John!

[intense music]

[muffled talking]

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[muffled talking]

[muffled groaning]

[clock ticking]

[eerie music]

- What have you done?

[blades swishing]

[indistinct dreamlike chatter]

- Dad, please!

Please help me, dad.

[indistinct dreamlike chatter]

[groaning]

- [John] Liam!

Liam!

[water dripping]

[John breathing heavily]

[tense music]

Liam!

Liam.

[eerie music]

[gate rattling]

[eerie music continues]

[gravel crunching]

[heavy breathing]

Brethren symbols.

[gravel crunching]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[blade swishing]

[blow thuds]

Sarah?

- Congratulations, John, you did it.

She signed a full confession

admitting to murdering those three gang members that night.

She claimed they were abusive and pimping her out,

and that she used Plague as a cover to kill them.

And after she went in those tunnels to evade arrest.

According to her, this Dr Plague is nothing more

than some symbolic figure that these gang members

use to frighten each other and settle old scores.

- Oh come on, what are you talking about?

You don't believe her, do you?

- What's not to believe?

She's confessed to everything.

She has a motive.

This was never the work of a masked murderer,

let alone these ancient, resurrected cults.

You've been chasing a ghost.

- What about Sam?

He's one of our own.

Mary. The symbol.

The Brethren of the Flame.

Huh? What about my son, who's still out there?

- All within the framework of her confession.

- What, are you saying that my son is part of this, huh?

I mean, just give me five minutes with her, right?

Let me talk to her.

There's gotta be something more to this than

gangs in some fucked up cos-play.

- I'm sorry, John, I can't.

- Why can't you see this?

[tense music]

- There's no easy way to say this.

I've been informed that your disciplinary hearing

has been concluded.

You're going to be dismissed from active duty.

- I'm fired?

- I'm sorry, John, but let's be honest.

The writing's been on the wall for some time now.

You know that.

Ignoring the signpost doesn't change the destination.

Your union rep will call you later.

[tense music continues]

[gentle music]

[knocking on door]

- Where have you been?

I've been worried about you.

[gentle music continues]

[John sighs]

I can see you've been busy.

Have you been searching the tunnels?

- Yeah.

- And have you found anything yet?

What are they?

- Well.

The Brethren symbols.

I found loads of them down there.

You see, back in the day, the Brethren,

they were involved in all sorts of black magic and sorcery.

I think these are like occult talismans

or they're warnings to others to stay away.

Something like that.

- Well, maybe you should.

I mean, no, sorry, of course.

- Oh, I've gotta go.

- Please don't do this.

I don't want what happened to Sam, happen to you too.

- If my son is down in those tunnels, I'm going to find him.

Lock up when you leave.

[gentle music continues]

[door closes]

I need to talk to you about the Brethren tunnel photographs.

- Wait.

What happened to your face?

- I...I was attacked.

- Attacked? By who?

- Yeah. It doesn't matter.

Look, have you looked at those pictures that I sent you

with the symbols in the tunnels?

- Are you here in an official capacity, detective?

- No, not exactly.

- Well, then, may I ask what capacity you are here in, exactly?

- I need your help.

- Right.

Look, um, John isn't it?

- Yeah.

- I have been asked to distance myself

from this investigation of yours.

- What? Why?

- Well, they say that my association with you

will damage the reputation of the university.

- Who are they?

You were the one who told me about the Brethren of the Flame

in the first place.

- I'm sorry.

I'd rather you didn't turn up unannounced in future,

in fact, it's best if you don't turn up at all.

- Now, listen to me, right.

When I first went down in those tunnels,

I thought they were signposts,

I thought they were warning signs telling people to stay away.

But they're not.

They're telling you which way to go.

But there's something I'm missing, right?

Because I keep... I keep going around in circles.

- John, please leave!

- Please leave? Leave?

Listen to me!

My son is down there, right?

My son is missing and he's down there!

If you know anything, anything at all about a signpost,

you're gonna tell me now.

Do you understand?

- There is something!

I couldn't figure it out

but the symbol,

the branches,

they're not random.

They face in a direction.

[gasping]

[door closes]

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

[laughs]

- What were you expecting?

A monster?

- Why are you doing this?

You can let me go, I won't tell anyone, I promise.

I am...

No monster.

When all is said and done, I'm not that much different to you.

No one knows.

It wasn't that long ago I was in your position,

a lost soul.

But I repented and everything became so clear.

- Clear?

You're killing people.

People!

- No. Not people.

Vermin.

We are cleansing this city.

[tense music]

He gave drugs to a 16-year-old girl

named Lucy.

She was bright.

She was funny

and she had dreams of becoming a doctor.

Just imagine the difference she could have made.

And Lucy

was not his first victim either.

Police failed those girls and their families.

We

won't.

[gasping]

- Wait.

[flesh squelching] [grunting]

[eerie music]

- You see?

The world just became a safer place.

- Say he did do those things.

- He did. - Alright, he did.

- If he did then I'm with you 100 per cent, I promise.

But the police they're not, they're not all like that.

My dad is trying to make a difference.

- Oh, yes.

I know all about the great John Verney.

Cheat!

Liar!

Thug!

And he has just been dismissed.

Why?

Because of the choices he made.

He seems to think the rules don't apply to him.

Come on, Be honest.

When did he ever put your needs or your mother's ahead of his own?

[eerie music continues]

You have such potential,

Liam.

You just need...

[scoffs]

Direction.

[door creaks]

- Verney's off the case.

- I heard.

- Well, you know, why don't you?

- The official word is internal restructuring.

I think we both know that's crap.

- Oh, of course it's crap.

The moment he started to get close to the truth,

bang! He's out.

What coincidence? I don't think so.

I am telling you, this is one big cover-up

and it stinks to high heaven.

- Jesus, you're is starting to sound like those tinfoil hat loonies.

You don't have a shred of evidence.

- Wrong.

Voila.

- What's that?

- It's a symbol of an ancient cult.

The Brotherhood of the Flame.

They're the ones behind all this.

A mate of mine from my old Fleet Street days

knows someone on the inside.

Someone who's had enough of the bloodshed,

wants to go on the record.

- Eddie, I'm worried about you.

Maybe you should take a break.

Be with your family.

- You haven't met my family, have you?

Now, we have a duty to our readers to expose criminality and corruption.

Hell, we have a duty to every man, woman and other of this country.

[suspenseful music]

That's the fact.

The Plague is the biggest story of my career,

and I intend to crack it wide open.

- That's Darius.

We've been watching him for a while.

He's on his way to that new club in town

where he'll sell his product.

MDMA, ketamine, whatever else he's cooked up.

If we choose not to act,

he will spread his poison

and ruin more lives.

Or...

We can do something.

- Given the choice,

repent or die.

- No.

Some things there's no coming back from.

You, Liam,

you do have a choice.

What will it be?

Good boy.

[eerie music]

- Oh, fuck.

Fuck!

That's fifty grand's worth of gear, take a look.

- Do it! Go on.

Go! Go!

[gasping]

Congratulations.

You just made the world a safer place.

[tense music]

- Hello?

[eerie music]

- Detective Verney.

You look like shit.

- You got it?

- I hear you've been kicked off the job.

Must be like losing a piece of your soul.

- You got it or not?

- I got it.

- Let's get it on then.

- They made a real mess of you, didn't they?

- Look, if you can't help me,

I've got somebody else who can.

- Ssh.

See?

New series in UK or Europe.

Totally clean.

I even oiled it for you.

Single mag, fully loaded.

[tense music]

I trust you.

And I know where to find you.

- Can I have it?

- You take this

and you're heading down a road

where there's no coming back.

- Just give me the gun.

[tense music continues]

- Well here we are.

[indistinct]

[blows hands]

- Jesus.

What are you trying to do? Finish me off.

- Sorry, mate.

- So where is this mysterious source?

Here. You better not be yanking my chain.

- I'm not.

But you have to understand, this is a delicate situation.

It's like the Freemasons.

You can't just walk away when you've had enough.

Not without consequences.

This individual needs to be certain you're prepared to go all the way,

no matter what.

- I am.

- I had a funny feeling you might say that.

- What do you mean?

[flesh squelching] [grunting]

[body thuds]

This sinner

has been cleansed.

[water dripping]

- Look down here. Look.

- [Francesca] Yeah.

Why did you bring me to the caves?

Do you think Liam's down here?

[breathing heavily]

Why are we here, John?

- Shit!

It's a dead end.

- John, stairs.

[eerie music]

Isn't that the brethren symbol?

What does it mean?

Let's follow the arrow.

- [John] Look at this.

[eerie music continues]

You all right?

Yeah. This way.

Alright?

Yeah, let's go.

Come on.

- These must be the old catacombs.

My God, John, rats.

[rats squeaking]

- [John] Just follow them.

Just follow them, yeah?

- [Francesca] Where are we?

Is that a forest?

[tense music]

- Just watch your step.

Come on.

[heavy breathing]

[dramatic music]

- [Francesca] I think we should go back.

- Come on.

- Watch yourself. - I'm right behind.

[both panting]

- Come on.

Come on. This way.

[eerie music]

- [Francesca] It's not a flame.

It's a tree.

[eerie music]

- Where's my son?

- He is quite safe.

- I want to see him.

- Oh, you will see...

You will see everything.

- Where's my boy?

- Hello, John.

- Where is he? Where's my boy?

- All in good time.

- If you've hurt him, I will kill you.

I swear to God, I will kill you.

- No, John,

you are not in any position to threaten anyone just now.

- I want to see him.

- Very well.

Let us begin our reunion.

[eerie music continues]

Now.

Do you see?

- Repent or die.

It wasn't a threat, was it?

It was a choice.

You weren't killing them.

You were... You were recruiting them.

You killed Mary, right?

- She was cleansed.

- You're sick.

- After that...

And a measured disclosure of information.

It wasn't difficult to have you discredit yourself

to your senior officers.

After all,

who would believe all of this?

But I was not the only person that you encountered

the day that Mary died.

Or have you forgotten?

[eerie music continues]

After you came to visit me.

I had Francesca go to keep an eye on you

while we took care of Mary.

- Just tell me, was it before or after we met?

- Oh, John.

When our leadership realised you couldn't be turned,

I was sent elsewhere.

That's why I left you.

- I just want to see my boy.

- We gave you so many chances, but you would not give it up.

The only reason we haven't killed you already

is that Francesca thought that you might join us.

- I just want to see my boy.

I want to see my son.

You're all crazy.

- We are the cure for a sick and diseased society.

- And you think you're the ones to do that, do you?

- My grandfather and I?

Yes.

- Jack the Ripper.

- Well done.

Unfortunately,

my grandfather died before he had a chance to recruit to our cause.

And so it was left to me eventually, to take up his mantle.

He is buried

underneath this very tree.

See

how it has grown unlike any other in the forest,

nurtured by the blood of mine own.

Surviving

for decades.

A flame

that will never die.

[eerie music continues]

- Just bring me my boy.

- The brethren of the flame

have always been

and will always be

all of us.

Here

is our newest recruit.

- Jesus Christ.

No.

Jesus Christ.

[eerie music continues] [Francesca laughs]

- Your son is here on his own volition.

- Liam.

I don't know what they've done to you.

Is it..? This ain't you.

- I've repented and I'm cleansed.

- Your son has repented.

- [All] And the gods are well pleased.

- Just let him go, please.

Just let him go.

- Your son is here on his own volition, John.

- Just let him go.

- He has embraced our cause.

And so can you.

- We live pure and wholesome lives.

Think about it.

We can be together.

And you can be with your son again.

And we can be a new family.

And you can be happy.

Don't you want to be happy, John?

- Are you fucking mad?

You're all mad.

- Very well.

High priestess.

Prepare thy knife.

[music intensifies]

[blade swishes] [John groans]

[body thuds]

[wind howls]

[footsteps tapping]

[eerie music]

- The Plague story has run its course.

It's time to move on.

- But people are still talking about it.

- Gossip and hearsay aren't news.

Leave that to the crackpots on social media.

I want a thousand words on the government's outsourcing bill

by the end of the day.

- What about Verney?

- It's tragic.

Of course it is.

But a secret society?

Killer Plague doctors?

I mean, really?

Whatever next?

Lizard people in Downing Street?

I don't think so.

Well, go on then.

The clock's ticking.

Tick tock, tick tock.

Tick tock.

[eerie music continues]

[upbeat music]

[singer vocalising]

[eerie music]