Original subtitles

Did you access the MAC address at Phil's terminal?

You were there for ten minutes.

The Chinese was slang.

I couldn't translate it, so I brought another linguist down.

Who was it? Calvin Song.

They have introduced a worm into the government system.

Tar pits.

The worm jumps inside and then we trap it.

We've got it. It's trapped.

Saara says you have something.

A long alphanumeric. Possibly a ciphertext.

We need Vadim Trusov.

We've got an attack coming out of China at present,

and he holds the key.

Don't worry, we'll get you out.

I've never asked you for a favour like this.

The PM wants this deal.

He wants nothing less than

resetting China's relationship with the West.

There's something underpinning the government's lack of support

for our response to the worm attack.

If I were to open these files, it would doubtless be flagged.

It's Calvin, he's been found dead.

SHARP SNAP Barbara?

CLANGING

What are you doing?

What's going on?

Where are the boys?

They're at my mother's.

What the hell's going on, Barbara?

The cleaners...

...they took care of Calvin...

...and they, um...

They take care of loose ends.

Is that what you are, Barbara?

A loose end?

I saw you...

...in St James's Park.

You were with Nicky Chan.

Nicky Chan was your old friend from college, wasn't he?

Your lover.

You deleted the surveillance reports on him, didn't you?

And now he's posing as a legal counsel to Xiangxin Corporation

and attending talks with the Prime Minister.

Did you give him the MAC address

for one of our sandbox computers?

Please, just tell me that I am missing something.

Tell me that you are not the mole, Barbara, please.

I can't tell you that, Danny.

I need you to tell me everything.

Everything?

I need to understand how you did this...

...how this happened.

It was easy...

WHISPERS: What?

...the MAC address, I mean.

They'd planned the whole thing.

They'd worked the whole play out.

We need the MAC address of a sandbox in Malware.

We launched a ransomware attack on the NHS.

It will land in Malware some time soon.

It contains some Mandarin text.

They'll call your department.

Who was that?

Malware. I'll go.

I will.

Find a way to get the engineer away from the terminal.

You wouldn't be an angel

and get me a latte from the coffee van, would you?

When you have the MAC address, call Calvin Song down.

Make up some reason.

Sorry, just too much Chinese slang.

Calvin, however, is all over it.

Why Calvin?

The less you know at this stage, the safer you are.

Obviously now I know why Calvin.

But that is all I did...

...I swear.

All?

Nicky gave his FSB friends the MAC address,

which almost drew us into a war with Russia.

In return, they stole the encrypted key for God knows what

and gave it to Nicky and the MSS.

Do you have any idea what we've been dealing with, Barbara?!

Not to mention your colleague, Calvin,

who looked up to you,

is dead!

I know that!

Don't you think I know that?!

I am sorry. I'm so sorry...

Oh, you're sorry? You're sorry?

What can I say?

"I'm mortified"? "I want to die with shame"?

But none of it will ever be enough.

But how, Barbara?

How?!

He trapped me.

He found my weak spot.

I bet if you looked in your files,

you'd see me named as a CCP spy in intercepted messages.

He played the victim perfectly.

And if I didn't despise him, I'd...

...I'd almost admire him for it.

MOUSE CLICKS I was so sure of myself.

I was sure that I was doing the right thing...

...righting historical wrongs...

...the tarnishing of the Chinese people by Britain

for political gains.

And then it was too late.

You still could've told me.

You didn't have to steal the MAC address.

I didn't care...

...about losing my job...

...but he knew...

...he knew they could never be sure that you weren't party to it...

...and that you'd lose your job...

...and that would destroy you.

That would destroy both of us.

I did it to protect you.

It was just this one thing. I swore that was all I would do.

And then...

...I hoped that it would go away...

...and it did, for a while.

You wanted to protect me?

You had an affair with him to protect me? No.

No, I didn't have an affair, I swear.

I didn't have an affair.

Barbara, you've betrayed us all...

...and now you expect me to believe that?

No, but...

...that bit's true.

I love you, Danny.

The moment you turn yourself in...

...I'm out of GCHQ anyway.

What was it all for, Barbara?

I have to hand myself in.

And maybe I won't be safe...

...but you three will be.

BARBARA SNIFFLES

And at least this way...

...I can take Nicky down...

...blow his cover.

I have to hand myself in.

No.

No, not yet.

I'm not ready to lose you.

Maybe Nicky's not the only one we can take down.

China is his big thing.

When he was my junior at Trade,

he was the one that drove through that nuclear deal...

...and you, me, even GCHQ, we are just a means to that end.

What do you mean?

Makinde.

He's at the heart of this, I'm sure of it.

He used Marston as a shield to keep us away from the deal,

he knocked us back at every turn -

Marston as good as admitted it.

This trade deal was more important than British lives.

And Xiangxin are part of it.

The antivirus software, the facial recognition.

I did some digging.

British citizens' biometric data in the hands of the CCP.

Mass surveillance, deepfakes.

But Makinde is behind it.

He did the nuts and bolts on the China nuclear deal in 2022.

They must have got to him then.

But Danny, you've got no proof.

There is something.

A recording. It's a sound file... MOUSE CLICKS

...of him negotiating at the nuclear deal...

...but it's Director's authorisation only.

I know what I have to do.

Before they arrest you and suspend me,

I'm gonna expose Makinde,

how he's selling us out to China -

I'm sure he is...

...and you're gonna help me.

BEEPING

David is the only person that has access to the audio file.

Then we need his ID card and login.

What time does he get in?

David doesn't get in till 8.45.

Give yourself enough time so you can be ready.

You need to be near the door when David arrives

so you can get to him before he goes in.

But how do I get his card and login?

I'll tell you.

MUFFLED SPEECH

Danny?

The worm's destroyed the trap.

It's realised it's in a tar pit.

Right. Um...

You're gonna have to run with this, Roz. Right.

We'll go through the code again,

find the expected outcomes written in,

see if we can modify them to stop it propagating.

Yeah. You're making all the right moves.

I'll inform David when he comes in.

Saara, did Michaela come through? Did she get them out?

They've arranged a boat to pick them up and take them to Hong Kong.

All right. And how are they, Vadim and Hai?

They're OK,

still at the warehouse, safe,

for the time being.

You need to be near him when he goes into his office.

You'll need something like a newspaper or a magazine.

Right on his shoulder.

Memorise the number.

You have only got one chance.

David, the worm's broken out.

You'd best come in, then.

Vadim Trusov has the key.

It's a ciphertext -

an algorithmically produced alphanumeric string

stolen from us by the Russians.

The Chinese launched the worm

to try and find the lock this key opens.

All to damage printers across UK government departments?

Well, it's a distraction, a deception,

or a glitch, unfinished code.

Keeps us guessing.

Why am I only hearing this now?

Well, we thought we had Trusov

but MI6 were beaten to him by the MSS.

So we've lost him?

I asked the Americans to extract him.

I told them there was a valuable asset available

whom we were unable to help.

I'll have to explain that to Alex and MI6...

...not to mention the Foreign Secretary.

Well, what about the Prime Minister?

What about him?

He's negotiating with the Chinese -

we currently have Chinese wormware in our Ministry of Defence.

From what I understand, the deal's as good as done.

My bet is he won't want to make a noise about this

until it's signed and sealed.

Parliament will have to vote on it.

In fact, what I wanted to say, David,

is that I...

...I wanted to apologise for yesterday,

asking you to open the sealed audio file.

I was in the wrong.

Things have been difficult.

What, with Barbara?

I just want you to know that whatever happens,

I really appreciate your support

and your friendship.

Well, thank you, Danny.

Feeling's mutual.

Now, we'd best get on and get a grip on this worm.

Danny, come and look at what Saara's found.

It's a neural network.

AI.

It learns from everything we do.

Any attempt to combat it just makes it smarter.

Well, it's gonna take months to reverse engineer it,

or even build and train an AI,

or modify an existing one...

...but you know that, so... So we do build one.

We use the malware's own code.

We make a replica of the worm from its own neural network,

but manipulate its concept of time.

So run the replica at double speed.

So we can see where the worm's going before it gets there.

Like I said, all the right moves.

MUFFLED CHATTER

Nine o'clock, zero hour,

I send the file -

the pictures of you and Nicky,

the surveillance reports you deleted,

a picture of Nicky's business card -

then I open the sealed file.

I'll only have a few minutes to find the right one.

Jesus.

Alex Sheldon, please.

You'll have max ten minutes before Charlie has read the file

and sends a team for you

and comes to relieve me of my duties.

I need those ten minutes.

In the time I have before they come for me,

I have to find the Makinde recording.

After I use David's login to access the sealed records...

...it's going to take time to sift through the audio files.

AUDIO FILE PLAYS

I'll send a bunch of emails, admin, whatever, to cover my tracks...

...so the email I send with the recording

will be harder to spot.

My opening of the files under his login

will trigger an alert on David's computer.

You phone in your confession at 9.15.

I pray that I can find that recording.

Barbara.

Charlie.

May I remind you that China Cyber Security law

and Data Security law are National Security measures.

They're not trade matters.

Personal and critical data must, by law,

remain within Chinese jurisdic...

May I remind you that China Cyber Security law

and Data Security law are National Security measures, not...

I cannot say.

I am a representative of Her Majesty's Government.

But if the CPP were looking to make such an investment,

you would recommend your father-in-law's hedge fund

in Shanghai?

The CPP is free to invest wherever it sees fit.

As I said, I'm here to negotiate this nuclear contract

between our great nations

because I believe that China is a global partner, not a threat.

15 million?

You'd have to consult my father-in-law,

but I understand 20 million is the benchmark for such investments.

My ambition is to see China once more at its rightful place

as one of the heads of the table.

You are a true friend of the Chinese people.

Now, what about Richard Marston?

He'll have to be looked after.

DANNY: I can't email the audio file directly.

If they recover it, it could be suppressed.

So I'll hide it -

embed it somewhere they won't expect.

Come on. Come on, come on, come on. Come on, come on, come on.

WHISPERS: Come on, come on, come on.

Dan, step away from your desk.

You are relieved of your duties

and all level access with immediate effect.

I think that might be mine.

I don't understand, Danny.

I'm sorry, David.

Right, you'll need to check what he's just been doing on there.

On it.

You'd better come with me right now.

But will it work?

I've no idea...

...but at least we'll have given it a shot.

Roz, will you kindly take the helm?

OK...

...back to work.

But if the CCP were looking to make such an investment,

you would recommend your father-in-law's hedge fund

in Shanghai?

The CCP is free to invest wherever it sees fit.

As I said, I am here to negotiate this nuclear contract

between our great nations

because I believe that China is a global partner, not a threat.

15 million?

You'd have to consult my father-in-law,

but I understand 20 million is the benchmark for such investments.

My ambition is to see China once more at its rightful place

as one of the heads of the table.

You are a true friend of the Chinese people.

Now, what about Richard Marston?

He'll have to be looked after.

Prime Minister Makinde,

is this a defining moment in British and Chinese trade relations?

I have to say,

I am very proud to put the most far-reaching agreement ever

between the UK and China before Parliament for approval tomorrow.

It covers areas of financial services,

technology, security and energy. PHONE RINGS

We will no longer be a competitor or a hostile target,

but a global collaborator. PHONE BEEPS

Charlie, what is happening?

Why aren't you answering me?

These...

These goons outside, if they are yours,

why are they not coming to arrest me?

And if they aren't yours, and they're cleaners, then...

...where the hell are you?

BEEP

How's Barbara?

She's confessed to being a foreign agent.

It's out of our hands.

You, however, are still under investigation...

...as we assess the full extent of your knowledge of her activities.

Just to be clear...

...when was it you discovered Barbara was the CI?

Barbara confessed to me this morning. Hmm.

Yet you first checked those records last night.

You're gonna have to be very clear about your timeline.

Replica's running.

Government systems are down again.

This better work.

Williams?

It'll pass through government systems without affecting them,

connecting to each new IP first.

When real worm arrives there,

he'll think he's been there already,

so just passes on through -

no more damage done.

That's the theory, at least.

Good work, everyone.

We need to meet.

I don't care, just be there.

Michaela from the NSA is online.

Extraction team are in place.

We're in play. Sharing other links.

That's their boat.

Do you copy, Vadim?

Yeah, yeah, we're here.

Boat is nearly in position.

When you exit the warehouse, keep low.

Head straight for the boat.

Once you're on it, you're on American territory.

Get to the boat now.

Come on, Hai, this is it.

I can't go to America.

Vadim, go.

Hai, go!

Hai, there's nothing you can do for your parents now.

They'd want you at least to have the opportunity.

But maybe that isn't what I want.

You don't want freedom?

What is freedom if you can never go home?

Guys, this is not the time or place.

Get to the boat. Move now!

Hai, we've got to go... You go.

I need to stay here...

...to fight.

I owe you my life.

Go, flower boy!

VADIM GRUNTS

FOGHORN HONKS

Welcome to America, Vadim.

My colleague has something for you...

...but first, you've got something for us and we want it now.

You OK?

He's safe. Vadim, he did it.

YOU did it, Saara.

No man left behind.

You're a good soldier.

Is this what you were looking for?

Deeply appreciated.

Over and out.

And you referred the matter to us as soon as you discovered it?

I discovered evidence yesterday evening,

I confronted Barbara,

she confessed to me this morning.

You still came into work

and continued to perform your duties for over an hour

before alerting security.

Well, a government system has been attacked.

I had to see that Roz Cavendish was in command of the situation.

Yet you found time

to send emails about staff overtime, contracts.

Well, those are the kind of things that,

you know, if a line manager is removed from post,

can slip through the cracks, so...

Let's move on.

DOORBELL RINGS

DOORBELL RINGS

DOORBELL RINGS

DOORBELL RINGS

Barbara...

...I think you and I should have a little talk, don't you?

Come in.

Ready?

Saara, let's introduce Vadim's ciphertext to the replica,

find out what this thing is looking for.

Let's go down the wormhole.

Right, where are we?

Looks like Aviation Authority -

air traffic control.

FAST BEEPING Now?

Department of Education,

foreign students' applications. What?

Is that a bank?

Pattern. I'm not seeing a pattern.

London Stock Exchange.

More banks.

JP Morgan. Money? Is that it?

Uh, what just happened?

Where are we?

It's not our code.

Well, whose is it?

The worm's only gone and got himself a green card -

he's gone stateside.

Shit, that was the pattern -

immigration, trade, defence, aviation, banks.

It was looking for a way to jump the Atlantic to the US system.

Sally, Michaela Jones, NSA,

on-screen in the comms room right now.

Any thoughts where it's headed on their system?

Looks military, ma'am.

It's still moving. Something here's tagged.

A-U-K-U-S.

AUKUS.

The satellites that control

the South China Sea missile defence system.

The system is US-commanded, Australia-maintained.

GCHQ did the encryption.

Our replica tells us that AUKUS was the worm's ultimate aim.

When the Russians stole our data,

they stole the key from us.

That was the Chinese component in the exploit.

They broke the worm back into our system.

The chaos and damage were all deflection.

It was looking for a way into your system.

Once there, they would introduce the stolen key

and find the goal it fitted.

The South China Sea missile defence system.

We believe the real target in this has been Taiwan.

It could be interpreted that an attack is imminent.

Informing General Perez

and Joint Chiefs of Staff directly.

You might want to have them reset

the defence system's encryption codes.

"Might want to"?

Is that British understatement?

Yes, confirm, British understatement.

Change the nuclear codes.

Already on it.

Good catch, guys. Thanks.

Things might be getting busy around here, so I've got to go.

We'll make all the materials available to you right away.

Well done, Lieutenant Colonel.

I'm starting to understand Danny.

Who's to say Taiwan wasn't deflection too...

...if they can get into our satellite systems?

Glad you could make it.

I've been a bit busy with an attack by your friends at the CCP.

I'm assured by my opposite number

that this was a rogue non-state APT10,

an attempt to undermine our talks with China,

one which I am happy to say did not succeed,

thanks to the efforts of GCHQ -

yours primarily, I imagine.

I heard the Prime Minister signed this China deal.

Indeed.

It still needs to be voted on by Parliament,

but it's widely agreed that it is a diplomatic triumph.

What about the redacted parts of the deal

Parliament won't get to see?

Chinese facial recognition on the streets of the UK,

Chinese anti-malware software.

Xiangxin are world leaders in these technologies.

This will help to make our streets safer.

Is this seriously why you dragged me all the way up here?

You're in that place because of me.

Now, I have plans -

plans I HAD hoped you'd be a part of.

This is a done deal, so...

"Get with the programme"?

Fine, have it your own way.

I've got the official farewell banquet to attend.

But Parliament hasn't voted on it yet.

You'd have to consult my father-in-law,

but I understand 20 million is the benchmark for such investments.

My ambition is to see China once more at its rightful place

as one of the heads of the table.

You are a true friend of the Chinese people.

Now, what about Richard Marston?

He'll have to be looked after.

Where did you get this?

Danny Patrick, right? The source is not at issue.

Of course it is.

Roz,

you are being played.

This is obviously a deepfake,

and a pretty crass one at that,

probably laid inside the system by these same rogue Chinese hackers.

You're smarter than this.

This is how it's done, isn't it?

How what's done?

Whenever confronted with the uncomfortable truth,

deny, deny, deny,

then turn the story on the messenger.

You know what? Think whatever you like,

but I am warning you...

I'm here as a courtesy to give you a heads-up.

Yes, you have helped me in my career,

but I do not do your bidding.

I am not "your girl"

and you will not gaslight me.

Roz, think very carefully before you...

I have thought carefully.

It's not me you need to put your case to...

...it's the public.

What have you done?

Roz!

I'm afraid Nicky Chan had left the country

by the time you got around to making your confession.

And as for you...

...14 years, I understand, is the maximum.

With no previous and an understanding judge...

...I imagine may consider a single-figure sentence.

With good behaviour, five years maybe.

I hope it was worth it.

Such great hopes for you, Barbara.

Cut to the chase.

It's just all so...

...middling.

Piss off, Alex.

Five years.

What age will, um...

...Elliot be?

20?

And, uh...

...Fabian? 17?

I mean, you won't miss everything, I suppose.

Did you really just come here to gloat?

I came here

to make you an offer.

I'm offering you a way out -

a way to save yourself, your husband, even,

though I'm not sure about your marriage.

You never were. Hmm.

And possibly a chance to repay Mr Chan.

Now, the only people who know what you've done so far

are Danny, Charlie Francis, perhaps some of his team,

David Neal and myself.

What if we kept it that way?

What if everything carried on as normal and you go back to work?

You want me to be a double agent.

Back working for me...

...like the good old days.

They think they have something on you.

That's useful.

What do you say?

All charges against your wife, Barbara Napier, have been dropped.

How?

Any enquiries into your actions as her accomplice

are therefore dropped.

What's going on, Charlie?

You'll have to ask someone else about that.

So, am I free to go?

Regarding your other actions,

Daniel Patrick, you are to be detained

for breaches of the 1989 Official Secrets Act,

namely the theft and distribution of STRAP 3 confidential material.

Leave him, for Christ's sake.

Let him walk out.

Ready?

Yeah.

Don't worry,

it was the right thing to do.

And remember, I'm a scrappy bastard.

Today, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary

stand accused of what one senior official called,

"At best, a grave conflict of interest,

"and at worst, accepting what appears to be

"a bribe from Chinese officials

"in return for political access and influence."

In secret recordings,

the Prime Minister allegedly demands a £20 million investment

into his father-in-law's Shanghai-based hedge fund.

He also suggests that, quote,

"Richard Marston will need to be looked after."

Now, the Prime Minister, Andrew Makinde,

hasn't been seen yet,

but within the last few hours,

a Downing Street spokesperson said,

"The recordings are fake,

"but I can tell you that tonight's banquet with the Chinese delegation

"has now been cancelled."

And with opposition leaders calling for immediate resignations,

intelligence agencies reportedly investigating the breach

and public outrage mounting,

the demand for answers is only likely to get louder.

MUFFLED YELLING The GCHQ whistle-blower

who brought down the Government,

allegedly an unnamed senior manager,

has, according to sources,

been released without charge.

It is not yet clear why no charges were brought.

What is clear is that espionage,

once seen as the stuff of the Cold War,

is now firmly back on the public agenda.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media