Original subtitles

This programme contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting,

strong language and some violent scenes

parliament is on

lockdown this afternoon, following reports of an armed attack

- in westminster. - Widen the search area.

Suspect may have fled the qeii.

No trace of the suspect.

So he has escaped the building, you agree?

- Pierson's story, ma'am. - Lunch in coal drops yard. - Let me guess,

you pulled cctv of coal drops yard

- and he was right there? - He was, ma'am.

Simon... Does that name mean anything to you?

Simon tells me what I need to know and nothing more.

Whoever Simon is, he is not your friend.

Whitlock's rifle, what's the calibre?

How was I going to open fire with no ammunition?

- No rounds came in with the weapon, sir. - That's impossible.

Check the logs.

And you can't prove that I was in westminster

any more than I can prove I wasn't.

God!

Who do you work for?

Standby for executive action on black fish.

- Deactivation, standing by. - Pull the plug.

No way!

The captain's alive.

Does he know what we did to him?

There's something else.

Ralph?

My tablets. I need my tablets.

I can't stop the us investigating,

but I might be able to delay them.

I'm calling it operation Frankenstein.

We haven't got long. More are coming.

I strongly suggest you follow me.

Rachel, can't you see?

We're better off together.

Where are we?

131 feet below the banks of the river thames.

This is how you escaped the qeii building...

after you assassinated Isaac Turner?

Yes.

But just so you know, he tried to kill me first.

Who's to say you weren't, in fact, watching me?

A deepfake. Fake... fake...

Hopefully, we can begin to raise awareness of the illegal practice

of correction, because only by bringing this conspiracy

out into the open can we hope to confront it.

You have, indeed, been watching a deepfake interview,

but the alarming practice of correction

described in it is very much real.

The BBC has obtained evidence that knowledge of the so-called

correction programme extends across multiple UK

intelligence agencies and to senior members of the British government.

Great job, great job.

You did it, Isaac! You bloody did it!

Yeah, with a little help from my friends.

The home secretary's waiting to congratulate you.

I'm the home secretary.

God! I'm sorry. Force of habit!

I meant the former home secretary.

Gill? He's still here?

Secretary of state.

Rowan.

- Did you forget something? - Have no fear,

I am on my way out, in every respect.

No, I just wanted to make sure that I was here for the handover.

And what is it you're handing over, exactly?

- Apart from a failing department. - Have you met Peter? - Peter?

Home secretary. Congratulations!

And Chris, do you know Chris?

- Chris? - It's just Chris, like... beyonce.

Congratulations, home secretary.

Did you see it, Peter, the stunt?

- I did. - Yeah. And, Chris?

Yes, yes, I caught it.

Bit of a room-splitter.

- But, going down well online, I hear. - Not so well other places.

What other places might they be?

Now, I heard a rumour that you weren't in on it.

That the first you knew of it was when you walked out

in piccadilly circus and saw yourself

on the big screen, looking back.

- A rumour in westminster, I'm shocked! - Well,

have no fear, I won't judge you for it.

But it does raise a rather important question, Isaac.

Which is?

Is this about correction...

or is this about you?

There's talk of a public inquiry.

- It's not just talk. - That was you, then.

It's so hard to know what's real these days on the news.

Well!

We know you have to ride the anti-correction wave for a while.

I mean, how could you not, when it washes you up on

- such bountiful shores? - But if this is ultimately a you thing,

I'm sure we could find a way to avoid stepping on each other's toes.

- Indeed. - And if it is correction?

Then we'd advise you to tread carefully.

Check for babies, before throwing that bathwater out.

- Babies? - Deepfake technology can be used

in a variety of ways, home secretary.

A variety of legal ways?

A variety of covert ways.

Ways that help protect britain and her interests

- at home and abroad. - Ways that remain effective,

so long as they remain covert.

If everyone starts questioning everything they see,

we could be about to see operations go south.

If you launch that inquiry, we may have no option

but to pull all active ops immediately.

Damage limitation.

Operation burn it to the fucking ground!

Look, I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I promised the public

I would root out deepfake evidence tampering, and that's exactly

what I intend to do.

It's not about me, or correction.

It's about something rather more fundamental.

British justice.

And without that, what kind of britain are you hoping to protect?

Right, well, you know where I am.

Burn it to the fucking ground!

Noah pierson, or the person I know as Noah pierson...

I am arresting you for treason, mass murder,

conspiracy to commit mass murder,

preparation of terrorist acts, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts.

- You do not have to say... - I get it. You don't have to go through

- the whole shebang. - If you do not...

If we make it out of here,

I'll come quietly. Now, can we wait till we're above ground before

you read the Miranda and put me in the handcuffs?

In evidence.

What are you doing?

Hand over your phone.

I can't do that.

You are under arrest!

Sh! You need to lower your voice.

Don't over-play your hand, Rachel. Up there, I'm under arrest.

Down here, I'm in command. That's the way it has to be.

Then I'll need to add resisting arrest to the list of charges.

Ha-ha! That'll be the one that sways the jury.

- With me. - No!

- No? - I'm not going anywhere with you

until you tell me who you are and who you're working for.

All good questions, Rachel, and I will answer them fully,

but I need to take care of something first.

People are coming to kill us.

Well, kill you, primarily, though I can't imagine they'll shed

too many tears if I get caught in the crossfire.

Wait!

Who are they, and why are they coming to kill me?

Again, all good questions. Again, lots to unpack.

Again, not much time. People are coming to kill us.

If you're not willing to trust me on anything else,

- trust me on that. - It is a lot to expect trust

from someone you have lied to from the start.

Sh!

Shit!

Not disturbing you, am I?

- No, sir. - Little... tardy picking up.

- Apologies, sir. - Late night?

No, sir. Lights out, 22:00 hours,

- same as every night. - I didn't ask for your life story.

- Sir. - So, about our former friend,

MI5, and other local attractions.

I thought we didn't talk about her, sir.

Never take talking off the table, Todd.

I mean, if Kennedy could sit with

khrushchev over a wiener schnitzel,

- I can Bury my beef with Gemma garland. - Sir.

Kendrick and Drake could learn a thing or two.

Reinstate her security clearance.

She's off the naughty list.

And, make her feel at home...

Sir, Gemma garland's coming in?

She wants to see the whitlock files.

She'll be here in 30 minutes.

Give her access to the archives.

- Give her access to the archives. - Restricted access.

- Restricted access. - Local archives only.

Local archives only.

Yes, sir.

- And, Todd? - And, Todd?

- Full deniability. - Full deniability.

- Garland's not exactly flavour... - Garland's... - ...Of the month.

Not exactly flavour of the month.

Of course. When is she?

- Here... - You said, keep moving.

Plans change, we adapt. Take it.

There'll be four of them, in formation.

Two point men, two rearguards.

How do you feel about support?

Who are they?

I'll cover the left rearguard, you aim for the right.

If you don't put him down, I will.

If you do put him down, I'll buy you a pint.

There's traffic, so if you want to get there in 30 minutes,

- you'd better get a move on. - I'll drive you. - No.

Better to keep it tight.

I've got this.

How's the back?

You know, no worse than usual.

Being tied up in that boot can't have helped.-.

- Back? - Yeah, poor Ralph's got sciatica.

I thought it was thyroid.

Is there anything you haven't got?

Insurance.

Hypo or hyper?

Your thyroid, under-active or over-active?

Under-active.

So... hyper?

Yeah, yeah.

No, hypo. Sorry.

Easy mistake.

I... I'm going to have to get to the pharmacy at some point.

Pass me the pills, Ralph.

Who was monitoring my home?

No-one! I swear.

Right, that's that dealt with.

So, just recording for the archives, were you, Ralph?

- It wasn't recording. - What was it doing, then?

- Just listening. - Listening for what?

Trigger words.

Sciatica for compromise.

Thyroid for...

Thyroid for what?

Guess the pints are on you.

He said he just wanted to talk to her. Somewhere quiet, he said.

Then why didn't he lure her to a fucking library?

- Trojan one's comms are down. - Right, let's go.

Hang on a minute! I can't babysit.

I'm supposed to be walking into frank's ops room in 15 minutes.

Ten minutes.

Literally, sit on him.

I was on duty when the items came in.

Firearms processed the rifle, I processed the video equipment.

I can check again, but I can assure you, I will not find any bullets.

So why does the log say different? You made a mistake?

Why would I write two mags of ammo,

when there were none?

If you suspect the log's been compromised,

- why haven't you flagged it? - You know, you lot really ought to try

talking to each other up there?

I flagged it with your commander half an hour ago.

And you've got nothing on me there either. No bullets because

there weren't any bullets to find.

No shootings because nobody got shot.

Nothing! What do you think I've...

Now find me someone caught on camera

who doesn't claim they've been deep faked!

And what about Abbot's cliff?

What about Abbot's cliff?

Whitlock's alibi.

If I had a pound for every perp who claimed they were doing research

for a documentary, I'd be retired. You wouldn't believe how many people

make documentaries about plotting to murder their spouse.

According to the evidence log,

whitlock was found with two magazines of 338s.

Yeah?

According to socos, whitlock's rifle was not loaded.

There was no ammo at the scene.

So someone's tampering with the logs?

I think I might know who it is.

- Four men. - Two before.

- Yes. - A kill squad, for me?

Maybe they came heavy cos they knew I was with you.

Or maybe you can't keep your story straight for ten fucking seconds.

Drop your weapon.

Ok.

Do you mind if I put it down, rather than drop it?

- Always a chance it might accidentally... - Just fucking do it!

Yep. Gotcha.

Hands where I can see them.

Now, I'm going to ask you some questions and you're going to

- give me the truth. - Rachel, I can't protect either of us

- with my hands in the air... - Did I ask you a question?

- No. - Then shut the fuck up!

What's your real name? Because I know it's not Noah fucking pierson.

Will.

Will? Not Simon?

I'm captain William Walker, United Kingdom special forces.

Sas? Paras? The increment?

E-squadron?

Answerable only to yourselves and MI6, right?

Good knowledge.

Is Simon your commanding officer?

You could say that.

These men, did they come for me, or did they come for you?

- I think they were coming for me. - You think?

They were coming for me.

- Start talking. - It's a long story.

Then tell it quick.

Ma'am?

We still have a man in there.

An order's an order.

Burn it to the ground.

Isaac Turner had a lot to answer for.

Paige?

You're not leaving, are you?

Let me rephrase that. You're not leaving, are you?

James whitlock hasn't been charged. You're in the middle of

the most urgent investigation running.

I know. I... I just don't think anything's going to happen tonight.

And I... I just don't want to miss therapy.

- Not after this week. - Are you ok? - Yeah, yeah...

It's been a lot.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

How do you know nothing's happening tonight? Is that from Rachel?

Well, to be honest, I'm not actually sure where Rachel is.

I'm starting to see why she asked for you, Paige.

Thank you!

That's... that's actually weird. She said that you put me forward.

You know what, Paige?

Don't miss therapy.

I'll cover for you.

What if Rachel's been right about pierson all along?

- I'm calling her. - I've tried. - Look, if the governor's

broken the chain of evidence, he's a piece of shit, but Rachel's

- not right about all of it. - What, the Carey cam hack?

It's ok, we're allowed to say it when she's not here.

It wasn't

a hack. Pierson was eating Sushi when Turner was shot. We know that.

Are we certain someone hasn't found a way to correct the... Carey cams?

I'll check for a fifth time, if you want.

- Try not to be offended. - It's not ringing.

When was the last time you spoke to her?

- Leave your phone. - Why?

They're tracking it, obviously.

No-one's tracking this device.

How do you think they found you?

Why would they track this...

when they can track this?

Go.

I beat my record?

You beat everyone's record, you greedy prick.

Strength, stamina, resistance.

All performance stats through the roof.

Because of this?

Well, the cardiac recorder can't take all the credit.

It's an augmentation.

Albeit it, a new and exciting one.

The device doesn't simply stabilise your heart rate, it raises

and lowers it in real time, according to your needs.

We should all get one!

How are you feeling, captain? New and improved?

Doc, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. Truly, I am.

And, major, getting me out of there.

I owe this squadron my life.

It just leaves a shitty taste.

22 dead cos of me, and I come out... better than before.

We need to follow this to the right.

No sudden movements!

Indeed...

Yes, I am aware of that.

Another embarrassment.

Yeah. Till then.

Did you enjoy your days in the military, sir?

Yes.

Well, no, frankly.

I must admit, I did. I did enjoy passing out at hendon.

The camaraderie, you know?

I'm sure it doesn't compare to... to belonging to

a royal regiment like yours, sir. That's a different level entirely.

We need a new head of so15.

I thought we'd already dealt with that.

Noah pierson's been asked to step down.

Right. Well, yeah, that... That makes sense.

It does?

Well, I... I...

I sensed an issue, sir, between yourself and commander pierson.

Nothing to do with me.

Right. Well, I mean, I hope it's nothing I missed.

Well, of course,

- you took the lead on pierson's vetting? - I did, sir.

- As you requested, sir. - Well, we'll see.

And in the format that you requested, sir.

You may have to complete a review,

just for clarity...

I must admit, I did find it quiet an unusual

request, sir, conducting the interview remotely.

Well, I'm sure you'll make a good case.

The worst part of it is, that, er, we're going to have to go back to

Rachel Carey with our tail between our legs to ask her to cover.

Great. Well, she'll enjoy that.

If I may ask, what was the official reason for pierson's departure?

A couple of red flags for hr. Well, thank god we caught them early.

Right, so behavioural? Yeah, that makes sense.

- How did he... - How did he take it?

Well, when you told him.

- He must have been livid, I'm guessing. - I wasn't there.

Hr are dealing with this, of course.

She was at Gemma garland's house?

Danny hart.

I don't know what she's up to,

but she's not sharing it with me.

Well, whatever it is, she knows you can see her.

Carey told me to pull surveillance on the property.

She also made me pull all surveillance on Danny hart

and frank napier. I was... I just kept this feed running.

I was... I was getting concerned.

Well, I think it's time we got back into Danny hart's phone.

Don't you?

Where are we now?

Crossing the river, south to north.

Halfway between westminster bridge and Waterloo bridge.

Where does this lead?

The strand, obviously.

Why are you suddenly interested in gaining my trust?

Honestly?

I had nowhere else to turn.

I figured you were the only one who could help me.

I'm your arresting officer, captain William Walker.

The only place I'll be helping you is to the cells.

Why did you fall out of favour with your squadron?

I survived!

Back there, at the warehouse,

my implant must have been pumping out some data Simon didn't like.

I was under duress, vulnerable to compromise.

Simon flicked my kill-switch.

Who is Simon?

I knew.

The second I made that call, I knew.

I'd fucked the op.

You were trying to help her, William.

I keep thinking, if I could go back, what would I do different? But...

There's someone I'd like you to meet.

- - Echo nine to base command. - We have a civilian vehicle

with unknown cargo approaching

secure zone. Please advise. Over.

Stand by, echo nine. Over.

- See what Simon says. - Sir.

Captain Walker, I'm here to see Simon.

Simon?

Is he here?

Simon's always here.

Simon's right in front of you.

- Pleased to meet you. - No, not him!

- - Echo nine to base command. - Vehicle stopping.

Vehicle stopping. Do we have clearance? Over.

Offer analysis, echo nine.

Base command to echo nine.

Simon's assessed and flagged as an enemy vehicle.

You have permission to engage.

Repeat, engage the target.

Copy that. Strike. Strike. Strike.

Echo nine confirming target vehicle destroyed. Over.

- Well done, Simon. - Nice one, Simon.

Simon's... the computer?

He's a bit more than that.

You're using AI to support ops?

Support, map, execute, command.

Simon factors more risks

and variables than you lot on the ground are capable of knowing.

Tell him your objective, he'll calculate your mission,

and recalibrate it for you in real time.

The stats don't lie.

Simon saves lives.

You call him Simon cos you do what he says?

We're eradicating human error.

A matter, I would imagine, quite close to your heart, captain.

I know our regular session isn't for a few days,

but I wanted to show you this as soon as possible.

I've done a little digging and I pulled in a favour or two,

and I think I've found her.

Her?

These are all the hostages who died on the truck.

Doc, I don't know if this is such a great idea.

She fits your description.

Klara kovalenko. Born in donetsk.

With all due respect, doc...

why would you give me meds to forget her,

then show me her picture?

The medication is just a temporary measure, William.

You must learn to forgive yourself

and to re-attribute blame where it's deserved.

Your mission went south for a reason.

It failed because of a decision made over a thousand miles away,

here in London, at the home office,

and at the worst possible time.

Now, command have asked me to clear you for selection.

An op?

You think I'm ready?

I believe this mission could be highly beneficial.

Didn't I fail the psych test?

It may even bring you some closure, William.

You'll understand when you see the target.

The target?

A kill mission?

Isaac's killing was ordered by AI.

I'm a cog in the machine, Rachel.

Just like you said.

Are you telling me yates went along with an armed attack

in central London, the killing of the home secretary?

No, I'm telling you he went along with my appointment as commander.

Yates is another cog.

We cogs don't always know what our fellow cogs are up to...

or even who they are.

One second, he was standing there, smiling...

and the next, his... his... his head just...

I didn't know. I just... I swear, I didn't know it was going to happen.

I thought they were just going to, like...

Paige,

I should warn you, if I believe a client may be

involved in criminal activity, it's my duty to inform the police.

Sorry, I... I should have said,

I'm... making a documentary.

How did you compromise veritas?

The Carey cam?

- I think you're mixing me up with tech. - You must have been involved.

I was told to be at coal drops yard at one o'clock

the day before the hit. That's as much as I know.

The feed's 24 hours out of sync? That... that's not possible.

That's the first thing we would have checked.

Have you considered

the glitch may be human, rather than technical?

My team know what they're doing.

Dci kendricks knows that system inside out.

Why compromise the tech when you can compromise the technicians?

I don't trust many people, but I do trust Tom.

You mean he's the last person you'd suspect?

It's classic Simon. Knows how to turn the most loyal among us,

knows our secrets, our weaknesses. Simon knows us better than

we know ourselves. He said I'd go rogue, and here I am.

And you're powerless to resist?

No free will of your own?

Cog.

Machine.

Huge machine!

How do you know there won't be gunmen waiting for us?

There might.

You don't have a gun.

There might be gunmen up there,

there might be gunmen down here, but there won't be any gunmen in here.

Danny! She's back online.

Rachel Carey.

Have you got a location?

- She's just off the strand. - I need a precise location, Ralph.

The signal's coming from the south end of galhurst mews.

With me!

No wonder she's with her old friends.

None of us would listen to her!

What are you doing?

Buying us a minute, before we face the world above.

Don't you want to hear the end of my story?

May as well be sitting comfortably.

Or at least angle the gun away from me, while I tell you this next bit.

Isaac Turner was not my only target.

Is this a revenge mission for bringing down

- the correction programme? - No.

No, Simon doesn't do revenge.

It's far more significant than that.

- That's good to know, sir. - If we fail to act,

Isaac Turner will become the next British pm.

Understood.

Cannot be allowed to happen.

- Because? - Because Simon says.

Does my faith in AI seem strange to you, captain?

Perhaps you haven't witnessed the results of human error in combat

quite as acutely as I have.

The truth is, Simon saves lives.

His decisions can seem random at times.

A butterfly flaps its wings, Simon sends NATO subs into the baltic.

But for every strategic decision he makes, Simon factors in

more information than you or I could fathom in a lifetime.

They say Simon can't predict the future,

but he forecasts it with an alarming degree of accuracy.

Simon says that Isaac Turner, in number ten,

is a threat to British democracy.

- I believe him. - Forgive me, sir...

as the ones taking out a future prime minister,

aren't we the threat to British democracy?

Personally, I've come to find

the chasm between our understanding

and Simon's to be... reassuring...

and humbling.

If we knew how to save the world ourselves, we wouldn't need AI.

Not seeing the full picture is a small price to pay.

Sir, if you're not seeing the full picture, who is?

Simon.

Of course, if it's not for you, captain,

you're a free man.

You have a choice.

There you are.

William.

I was hoping to catch you before you vanished into thin air.

Doc, after everything you did for me, I was too chicken shit

to come and tell you I was leaving.

Am I too late to change your mind,

- or your heart? - Sorry, doc.

The papers are signed.

Well, in that case, I wish you luck, William Walker.

You too, doc.

Someone'll be in touch to book in the procedure.

- Procedure? - Removing the tech.

You'll be in and out in an hour.

And deactivation's even easier. It's done remotely.

Deactivation?

Here, I can do it for you now.

May as well. Your mind's made up.

Wait... wait, what the fuck?

See? Simple.

Flick of a switch.

Doc, slow down. I can't breathe.

Yes, it can feel like that,

when your heart goes from working at full capacity to under 5%.

Feels like I'm going to fucking die!

Yes, it can feel like that too.

Try to conserve your energy.

Switch it back. Please, doc!

Well, you must understand, William,

the tech is offered as an investment.

I'll do it!

I'll do the job! Please!

Doc, please!

Good to have you back, William.

I won't say I didn't have a choice, but...

And me...

did they tell you why I was a target?

You weren't.

The home secretary's smarter surveillance bill

would see operation veritas rolled out across the UK.

Simon predicted I would choke when it came to turning the gun on you

and, as always, Simon was right.

By the time I got out, the next mission was waiting for me.

The real mission.

Become Noah pierson, take over ctc and get whitlock charged.

They were never planning to kill you, Rachel.

They were planning to kill your reputation, your name.

Simon devised a way to make you

claim something no-one could believe.

To make you doubt your own mind.

To gaslight you.

Didn't work, though.

Most people would have started

doubting themselves at some point.

You didn't.

I know what I saw.

You're no cog, Rachel.

And you know what?

From now on, neither am I.

Put the weapon down.

Here's my offer. My...

elevator pitch.

What are you doing?

What I should have done in the first place.

After this, my heart will be functioning at about

5% of what a normal heart might work at.

- I won't be a threat to anyone. - But that's suicide.

Couldn't constitute a security risk if I tried.

Give me the weapon!

Now, I know you'll want to do this the conventional way,

bring me in and have me testify,

but who knows how long I've got left.

If I make it to trial,

will the judge say I'm fit to stand?

What's the alternative, the...

the unconventional way?

Get me to a safe house - preferably, one with a decent first-aid kit -

and however long I've got left, an hour, a month, a year,

I'll spend it helping you expose my squadron for what they've become,

an AI-worshipping cult.

I feel better already.

Look.

The tracker.

They put it behind the battery.

Cynical bastards!

So, what do you say, Rachel Carey, whistle-blower?

You brought down correction.

If anyone can bring down the increment...

it's you.

- Armed police! - Police! - Armed police!

Vulnerable suspect!

- Vulnerable suspect! - Down!

Down! Down!

Identify yourself!

- I'm will. - It's ok, he's with me.