Slow Horses
Episode Title: Returns
Season 4 – Episode 4
Original release date: September 25, 2024
Plot: Harkness, a mercenary, avoids getting killed by his employers for his mishandling of Westacres (which was intended to look like an accident) by promising to eliminate Chapman and David. Chapman tells Lamb that, 30 years ago, David sent him on an off-book mission to Les Arbres, where he exchanged an MI5 cache of money, weapons and cold bodies for a woman living with Harkness. Lamb deduces that David is mistakenly heading to the old MI5 headquarters, and sends Chapman and Standish to retrieve him before the Dogs can. Chapman, evading prosecution by MI5, goes to a safe house to collect his flight fund, but is ambushed by Patrice, who kills him when he refuses to divulge David’s location. Taverner learns River is alive and heading back to London, and sends Flyte and the Dogs to intercept him at the train station. River escapes and goes to David’s, where he discovers that the style of a mural he found at Les Arbres matches that of the hand-painted birthday cards his mother sent him as a child, making him realise that Harkness is his biological father. Flyte and the Dogs arrive at David’s and catch River.
* * *
[pigeons cooing]
[sirens wailing]
[horn honks]
[Chapman] Christ, what just happened?
[Jackson] I just saved your arse.
It was about to be handed to you on a platter.
I’m out of shape. Gotta get back in the gym. [sighs]
[Jackson] Did you recognize that guy?
No. Foreign. A fucking pro.
[Marcus] Took four of us and a moving vehicle and he still walked away.
Well, not quite four of us.
These two crusties only count as one. I’m not sure you count at all.
What’s her problem?
[Jackson] Oh, everyone.
Tell me about Lavande.
[Chapman] Lavande?
[Jackson] Yeah, before you were head Dog you were David Cartwright’s bagman.
He sent you there.
Oh, Christ.
This is about Les Arbres.
French trees?
It’s a compound. Off-grid. They’re bad people.
Dangerous. Professional killers.
I don’t want the Park anywhere near this, Jackson.
I’m exposed. If I walk into the Park and tell them what I did, I’m not walking out.
Why? What did you do?
I’ll do the debrief back in the office.
Oh, yeah. Not in front of the kids.
Fair enough.
[elevator door closes]
[Frank groans]
[grunts]
It’s a bit of overkill on the security, no?
I thought we were just talking.
So talk.
Your Highness, let me start by offering an apology.
Westacres did not go according to plan.
Not a great start to our working relationship.
Mr. Harkness, I have people in my country’s security apparatus who can do what you do.
The reason I outsourced this job to you was because I was told you were discreet and left no trace.
Well, in normal circumstances, yes. That is exactly what I do.
Unfortunately… [sighs] …there was a-a confluence of events…
What did I pay you for?
A hit.
To look like an accident in the Westacres parking lot.
You blew it up.
No, I did not. That was part of the problem.
There was a weak link in my organization that I should have spotted.
Next time I’ll be more hands-on.
Next time?
I will fulfill the contract at a discount.
No, you will not.
So…
Why am I here?
If the British government found out we had anything to do with Westacres,
it would cause untold diplomatic damage.
[speaks indistinctly]
[prince] We want to erase anything that links us to the bomb.
[Frank] Fine. How about we cut the theatrics, yeah?
[chuckling] And you tell me what you really want…
I want this to have never happened.
I want to erase the trail.
Come on. You’re not gonna erase me.
[tools clattering]
I know how much noise you make when you cut up a body.
That is why we have taken out the floor above and the floor below.
Okay. Full refund.
Next five jobs for free.
Oh, holy shit. [sighs]
[drill whirring]
[groans]
Other people know about Westacres.
You will be paralyzed, but awake throughout.
I will enjoy watching.
Well, kill me, but the people who know are still out there.
[prince] Who?
Ex-service. [sighs]
By the time you get the names out of me,
they’ll have gone to ground or fled to the Park.
Come on. I need this to go away too.
I want them dead by midnight.
After that you work for me.
Sure.
[Frank] I’ll bring the old fucks back here and chop ’em up myself.
[“Strange Game” playing]
[Chapman] Shit.
Dogs. Fuck.
What do they want?
Me probably. I keep dicking their boss around.
Uh, jump on the phone and see if they’re in the building.
[music playing on radio]
[phone buzzes]
[Shirley] Have they come in?
No.
They smelled the scent of the big dog on the door.
Earlier today you literally let the head Dog back in.
I was honey-trapped.
My one weakness is beautiful women, which is why you’re no threat to me.
[Shirley coughing]
[line clicks]
They’re hanging outside.
Ho remains the dickhead’s dickhead.
Okay. [sighs]
Uh, wait here.
If they take me in and Flyte hasn’t nabbed Cartwright,
keep him safe and away from them until River shows.
And… And you, I hope your flight fund’s up to date.
You coming up?
No.
Am I getting in?
No, I’ve just had it valeted.
[stammers] Well, I can’t stand here.
I’m getting soaked.
[sighs]
I’m going up.
[inhales sharply] You could’ve called.
Saved you the trip.
I did. More than once.
Really?
Ah, yeah. So you did.
Apologies. What? You just parked up there on the off chance?
You lied to Flyte.
Yeah.
The dead man was an assassin.
You know, that’s why you’ve got a career in espionage.
Why would someone want to kill David Cartwright now?
Have you met him?
I… [stammers] I don’t know why you’re bothering me with all of this.
Shouldn’t you be out there making sure no more bombs go off?
Where’s River Cartwright? And what is he up to?
He is in France, retracing the assassin’s steps.
I have no way of contacting him.
And I assume he’s hidden his grandpa somewhere?
Well, I’d like to think so, but as I say, I have no way of contacting him.
I told Flyte that he was at Catherine Standish’s,
just to get rid of her.
[stammers] What?
What, she not… she not tell you, did she? That’s a bit disrespectful.
If either of the Cartwrights show, I want to be the first to know.
And I tell you this out of the goodness of my heart?
[chuckles] What goodness? What heart?
Sure you don’t want any tea?
No, thank you.
Something stronger?
I meant coffee.
He does that. No one knows why.
Has anyone thought to ask him?
Well, it’s quite hard to find the right moment.
He’s trying to block something out.
Can’t I send him out to help in the search?
You’re not in charge of anyone. You don’t work here at the moment.
What do you mean at the moment? I’m not coming back.
Well, there will be a vacancy, because I’m going back to the Park.
[door opens]
[door closes]
Oi!
Great work, Longridge. [laughs]
[chuckles] What a dickhead.
[footsteps approaching]
[door opens]
Where is he?
[Marcus] Catherine?
Are you back?
No.
Uh, David Cartwright, you know, the Old Bastard,
is he upstairs or have you shut him in the fridge?
She lost him.
I moved him before Flyte got there.
Where?
[Catherine] My neighbor’s.
And?
He got out.
Oh, for fuck’s sake, Standish.
You know, you wouldn’t have lost him if he was a bottle of gin.
[Moira chuckles]
He wants to speak to First Desk,
so we think he’s heading for the Park.
Louisa is nearby, in case he shows.
I came here to get some more people onto it.
Now, he might use a side entrance or ask a policeman to get him in.
Jesus Christ, Jackson, if he talks I’m in shit up to my nose.
Yeah, yeah. He’s out of his fucking mind.
How’s he gonna find the Park?
He’ll be wandering the streets like a lost dog.
Scratch and Sniff, you get out there and stake out the surrounding area.
I’ll go with them.
Oh, what? So you can lose him again?
No, thank you.
Upstairs.
[door opens]
Sit in on this.
Why?
[Jackson] Or don’t then.
[sighs]
[Frank] You’re late.
Had to get patched up.
Where?
Hip and shoulder.
I mean, where did you go to get patched up?
Doctor.
[phone buzzes]
Bertrand’s passport is on the move,
which means River Cartwright is coming back from France.
So will this doctor keep quiet? [sighs]
When I left him he was not making a sound.
And Chapman taken care of?
He had help.
Who?
I don’t know.
This the shoulder that got hurt?
[gasps, grunting]
The clients are very unhappy.
If we don’t take out the targets…
[sighs]
…we get taken out ourselves.
So do you think you can get this done?
[groans]
[shivers] Yes, sir.
[grunts, groans]
Eat.
[grunts]
Maybe the people who helped Chapman
are helping Cartwright too.
So make sure Chapman talks before you silence him.
How do I find him?
He’ll have gone to ground.
Won’t want to be caught by us.
Won’t want to be caught by the Park either.
Come on. These old fucks are so predictable.
What does a spook do when he’s spooked?
He grabs his flight fund and he flies.
Oh, you know where it is?
[Jackson] So France. [sighs]
Just the one trip?
[Chapman] Yeah.
[clears throat] He sent me in for an extraction.
No details. [sighs]
That usual?
That lack of intel?
Well, you know what he was like.
[Jackson grunts] I do.
There’s a reason he’s known as the Old Bastard.
[stammers] Well, back then it was just the Bastard.
[Chapman chuckles]
I picked up a car in Dover.
He told me not to poke around in it.
I was glad I didn’t,
because I wouldn’t have gone through customs if I’d known what was in there.
When I got to Lavande, they took the car apart.
[Jackson] Who?
[Chapman] Mercenaries.
I only spoke to the leader.
Yank. Didn’t get a name.
Scary fucker.
What did they find?
[Chapman] Cash, munitions, C-4, detonators and IDs.
Cold bodies.
[inhales sharply] I don’t suppose you… you remember any of the names?
No, I didn’t get to see them close up.
I would bet money on one of them being Robert Winters.
[Chapman] Like I said, I didn’t see.
[Jackson] What’d you get in return?
Who did you extract?
A girl. [sighs] A young woman.
[exhales deeply] Place was fucked up.
These women and kids hanging around all these psychos.
[whispers indistinctly]
She didn’t wanna go.
Fuck knows why she wanted to stay.
[Chapman sighs]
[Jackson] Who was she?
[Chapman] No idea.
[clears throat] Couldn’t get a word out of her all the way back.
I stopped off for petrol in the UK. She gave me the slip.
[sighs] And how did Cartwright react?
He didn’t.
It was like he was resigned to it, as if he’d expected her to run.
When I reported to the old building, he…
Well, I thought he’d lose his shit with me and fire me.
But I was fine with that…
You said he wanted to report to First Desk.
Yes.
No, he’s not going to the Park.
That’s where First Desk is.
Not in his mind.
[breathing heavily]
Oh! Apologies.
[passerby] Fuck’s sake.
[breathing heavily]
I know you are. I know you are.
[chuckles]
All right. Trying to get away from me?
[chuckles]
Yeah. [chuckles]
Okay. Thank you.
All right, Joshua? Nice to see you.
Hi. All right. What’s in the updates that we’ve got here, guys?
That’s really good work.
[knocks on door]
Keep us updated, will you?
Come in.
[door opens]
Take away the good looks and there’s really nothing there.
[sighs]
[Flyte] Sorry? [chuckles]
[laughs]
I didn’t mean you.
[phone buzzes]
Although you are turning out to be a bit of a disappointment.
Do you want… Do you want to get that?
No. [chuckles]
The reason your predecessor and I parted ways,
apart from his encounter with a concrete block,
was lack of communication.
Is there anything you want to tell me?
River Cartwright is still alive. Lamb misidentified the body.
Yeah.
I warned you about Lamb, which is why I checked the blood results myself.
But why did you withhold the crucial update
that a dead agent wasn’t quite so dead?
I apologize for the lack of updates.
I wanted to shake Lamb down and have some answers for you.
[laughing] Oh. And how did that go?
I think you know the answer to that.
Well, I’ve heard Lamb’s version. I’d like to hear yours.
He sent me to Catherine Standish’s where David Cartwright wasn’t.
That’s Lamb.
You’re supposed to be a straight shooter.
You go behind my back one more time and you are out.
Understood?
Yes, ma’am.
Bring me the Cartwrights.
Yes, ma’am.
In the Met we were always told to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
You’re not in the Met now. You’re at MI5.
I assumed the same principles would apply.
Emma, contrary to what you might think, I like you.
We’ve both had to work three times as hard as any man to get to the same job.
So know that I have your best interests at heart
when I tell you that the severance package,
if you resign…
[phone buzzing]
…is far more generous than should I fire you.
Would you like to write your letter now?
Ma’am, that’s the old building calling.
You mentioned the old building.
That’s where he’s headed.
Oh, you need to call Louisa.
Stand her down.
No, no. I didn’t send her there.
You sent Marcus and Shirley.
Will you call them?
No, you call them.
River has my phone.
Oh, fuck. For crying out loud.
Here. Take it.
[Flyte] And you’re positive it’s him?
[concierge] Yes, ma’am.
[Flyte] Okay. We’re on our way there now.
Don’t let him leave the lobby.
Of course.
We’ll do our best to keep him here.
Is he being a problem?
No, no, no. He’s fine.
He’s just confused.
I told him someone will be here for him soon.
Good. We won’t be long.
[phone buzzing]
[Catherine] Louisa.
Yeah, hi.
Still no sign of him.
Uh, well, there won’t be.
We think he’s heading to the old building.
Oh, shit.
What?
[Louisa] Flyte just left.
Oh.
Maybe someone called him in.
No… Well, Marcus and Shirley are heading to you, okay?
Oh, yeah. Got ’em.
Flyte’s on her way there too.
The receptionist must have called them.
It’s a hotel now?
Yes. Very posh.
Yeah, the detention cells are now massage suites.
They’re still full of Russians, ironically.
Yeah, well, if the Park get to him before we do,
I’ll be the one in a bloody cell.
River will never forgive me if I don’t protect David.
Oh, your feelings or my freedom?
Pardon me for not giving a shit.
Nice to see you haven’t changed then.
[chattering]
[Diana] We’ve located David Cartwright.
Oh. Is he okay?
Physically, um, he’s fine, as far as I know.
Mentally he’s not the man he was.
He’s waiting for First Desk over at the old building.
I’ll debrief him myself when he gets here.
Actually, I, um… I have some news for you too
about his grandson.
Mmm?
Yes, I was waiting to update you on that.
Oh, were you? Well, I’m all ears.
Let’s do that now, shall we?
[door beeps, opens]
[Diana] Oh, Giti.
Should HR be present?
[laughs] That’s funny. That’s funny.
[door closes]
No. Actually I gave Giti permission to check the archives.
Just to see that there weren’t any more pesky glitches in the cold body program.
But unfortunately, she found one.
Uh, Adam Lockhead.
That name is irrelevant to anything that’s going on out there.
[Claude] Well, I think not.
Here’s a photo Adam Lockhead submitted to the passport office for his last renewal.
This, uh, look familiar, does it?
Yeah.
Oh, Jesus.
Yeah, he is back from the dead.
Spit of River Cartwright, wouldn’t you say?
[sighs]
Cartwright left his ID on the body and he must have taken Adam Lockhead’s.
I’d say so.
Well, it tallies.
Adam Lockhead entered the country from France
the day before the attempt on David Cartwright.
He then went back to France the day after David disappeared.
[Claude] So we’ve got one cold body responsible for Westacres.
Another attempted a hit on the éminence grise of the Service.
Oh. God alone knows what’s gonna happen next.
We’re up to our necks in this!
Giti, get this ID over to Interpol and the DGSE.
Do it somewhere other than this.
Look, we can’t pretend that these are some sins from the past
and just brush them under the carpet.
This is playing out now. Right now in the present.
First steps, I debrief David Cartwright and then we go…
No.
No, I’ll debrief David Cartwright and I’ll take a view of the next steps,
which will be an audit of our identity programs
and a review of our oversight practices.
The conclusions of which will be made public.
Oh, don’t be such a sanctimonious fool.
[stammers]
Uh… [sighs] I…
You know what, Diana, I-I will allow you to take that back.
I will take back the tone, but not the sentiment.
We need to find out the specifics of what happened
and if there’s going to be another bomb…
Yeah…
…not call in the management consultants.
You open the books to committees and journalists and the public,
you never get them out.
And who ends up looking like the bad guys?
Us!
I said elsewhere.
[stammers] Apologies, ma’am.
Adam Lockhead’s bought a ticket back to London.
He’s inbound.
[exhales sharply]
[line ringing]
[Flyte] Ma’am.
Flyte, keep one car on course to pick up David Cartwright
and send the others to St. Pancras.
River Cartwright is coming in from Paris.
[Flyte] Yes, ma’am, on our way now.
Sorry.
All right. You-You both go in and get him.
[Chapman] Why us?
Uh… [sighs] Because he fucking hates me.
[phone buzzes]
[Flyte] Do you have eyes on Cartwright?
Just arrived. Heading in now.
[Chapman] Right. I’ll get David.
No, I’ll get David.
No, you won’t.
You stop the Dogs.
[scoffs] How am I going to do that?
I don’t know. Do something.
I can’t do it. One of them might recognize me.
[sighs]
[Catherine] Mmm.
[Chapman] Sir.
Sorry?
Chapman, sir.
Bad Sam. Remember?
[laughs] God.
Bad Sam.
Well, you were always good to me.
[both laugh]
What are you doing here?
I’ll explain while we walk, sir.
Walk where?
I must wait for First Desk.
[sighs]
[sighing]
[door closes]
[grunts]
[alarm blares]
[David] What’s that?
Has there been a breach?
[Chapman] No, it’s just a test, sir.
Let’s go.
No, no. I-I-I have to wait here.
You don’t have to wait, sir. I’m here to collect you and take you.
No… Nobody told me that…
[Dog 1] Did you ever work here?
[Dog 2] Yeah, for the last couple of years.
Falling apart by the end.
[doorman] Excuse me, gents. If you could just wait here a moment.
Thank you.
You left before I did.
First Desk asked me to collect you, sir.
His office is just back here.
No, it’s not. It’s on the fifth floor.
[doorman] Apologies, but an alarm has been triggered.
It may be nothing, but we have to check it out.
If you could just wait here till we get the all clear.
Flyte’s not gonna like this. We should go in.
Sorry, sir, MI5.
Oh. Right, yes. Of course.
We need access now.
[David] Why are you here anyway?
We need to go.
Now!
No! I’m waiting for First Desk.
[Chapman] Please. He’s only got a five-minute window.
Five-minute window. Listen to me, he’s standing by…
[Dog 1] We’re here for David Cartwright.
[David] Where are you taking me?
Here he comes.
Look, he’s sent a car for you.
[Catherine] Hello, David.
[David] What are you doing here?
[Catherine] Sit down. There you go.
[David] What?
When the Park realize I whisked him away from the Dogs, they’ll be after me.
And once they find out what I did in France, I’m done.
You know, what happened in France is on him.
Lamb, where are we going? [whimpering]
He’s fucking senile, Jackson, and a legend. Spotless record.
They kicked me out, remember?
Who are they gonna hang this on?
[David] I-I don’t understand. I…
Where’s your flight fund?
[Catherine] Everything’s all right.
In the office.
Well, it might’ve been blown. There’s a hit out on you, remember?
Well, I won’t go in.
[David stammers, sighs]
[sighs] Fuck. Call me once you’re out.
[Catherine sighs]
[Flyte] Train’s coming in now.
Just down there.
Excuse me. Keep to the side. Keep to the side!
Excuse me. Step to the side.
[Dog 3] Move!
[Dog 4] Excuse me, please. Excuse me.
Maybe he ran off before we got here.
Ah, we would’ve seen him.
Or he’s hiding on the train.
Check it.
[sighs]
He’s gone down those stairs. [pants]
[Dog 4] Oi! Move, move, move, move. Just step to the side.
Move, move!
[commuters clamoring, exclaiming]
[Dog 3] Move! Move!
[Dog 4] Let’s go.
[shouting indistinctly]
[grunts]
Ow!
[commuters clamoring, grunting]
[grunts] Stop! Stop!
Move it!
[grunts]
Move, move, move!
[train doors beeping]
[panting mouthing word] Fuck.
[panting]
Yeah, okay. Well, you just keep looking.
Transport Police saw him get off at London Bridge, but they lost him.
So they’re checking CCTV.
He’ll have got on a train.
Yeah, but to where?
Home.
[line rings, clicks]
Park were here waiting for him.
[tail] Did they get him?
No, not yet.
But I need to get in their system.
Find out what they know. How they’re ahead of us.
How will you do that?
Well, the same way we got Cartwright’s address.
I’ll meet you there.
Don’t show till Chapman’s dead after coughing up David.
[horn honks]
[panting]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[exhales deeply]
[grunting]
[grunting]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[wings flapping]
[grunts]
[screams, grunts]
[grunting]
[groaning]
[grunting]
[groaning]
Where are you off to?
[groaning]
[both grunting]
[groaning]
[grunts]
[groans]
[groaning]
[panting]
I’m gonna disappear. You don’t have to kill me.
I’m gone.
[pants] No, I do have to kill you.
[grunts]
[grunting, straining]
Whether it’s quick or slow
depends on if you tell me where David Cartwright is.
[groaning]
Okay, okay, okay. K…
[pants]
[groans]
[chuckles]
[groans]
[panting] Good.
[both grunting]
[police radio chatter]
[breathing heavily]
[police radio chatter]
[breathing heavily]
[breathes deeply]
[sighs]
[breathing heavily]
Fuck me.
[breathing shakily]
[cars approaching]
[door opens]
[Dog 3] Go, go.
[Dog 5] Clear.
[Dog 6] Clear.
[Dog 5] Clear.
[Dog 6] Clear.
[breathing heavily, stammers]
No.
[door closes]
[footsteps departing]
[car doors opening, closing]
[engines start, rev]
[River grunting]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
[sniffs]
[Flyte] River Cartwright…
[sighs]
…back from the dead.
Nice to finally meet you.
[“Strange Game” playing]
