Page Eight

Ah, we haven't met.

I'm putting out rubbish, obsessively.

Do you want me to take it downstairs for you?

No! No, no, it's fine. I'll do it later.

I've been living here for a year and I've never caught sight of you.

- I'm Nancy Pierpan. - Johnny Worricker. How do you do?

I'm wondering if I could ask you in for a drink.

But you seem to have company.

Exactly.

That is why I am asking you in.

- So you started a website? - That's right.

It's a place where people can make contact.

People find it easier to talk to a machine than they do direct.

Is that so?

Couples talk best in the car

'cause they're side by side, they don't have to look at each other.

- Was it you who noticed that? - That was my mum, actually.

Well, this has been nice,

but, bad news, Ralph, I'm going to have to throw you out.

What, do you mean right now?

It's my fault. I'd completely forgotten that I promised to talk to Johnny about his novel.

- Johnny writes novels? - Yes.

Am I going to see you soon?

Of course. I'm going to call you.

- It was great to see where you live. - Yes.

It was nice for me, too.

Oh, God, I'm so sorry. I want to apologise.

There's no need to apologise.

I assume you asked the young man back and then changed your mind.

Yes, that's what happened.

Whose novel is that?

I would love it if you stayed and had a glass of wine with me.

I can't. I've got to go home.

It's because I'm out of practice.

You'll have to explain.

Well, it's been a long time since I asked anyone back.

And, um... Has this ever happened to you?

That you suddenly realise you've made a mistake?

Huh.

And then I saw you on the landing.

It was like you were sent from God.

It's very strange that I've never seen you before.

Do you live on your own?

I've got to work tonight, if that's all right.

Oh, God, I'm so sorry, I...

Call me if it happens again.

It won't happen again.

What are you thinking, Johnny?

What have you been thinking?

Why did you ask me what was I thinking? It's unbelievable.

Someone who's meant to be responsible, someone who's meant to be my boss.

I thought it was funny. No need to tell me.

Well, it isn't funny. Not in a fucking lift.

Anger management, Johnny!

I can send you on a course if you like.

I don't ask you, "What are you thinking?"

'Cause my mind's a perfect blank, that's why.

Things are that bad, I got home last night and watched the X Factor.

Yesterday was Tuesday, X Factor's Saturdays, so I know you're lying.

Not lying, testing.

- Jill. - Good morning, boys.

I'm coming your way in half an hour.

Jill's office.

- Morning, Muna. - Good morning.

So, there's an awful lot of stuff going on.

An awful lot of traffic.

What does that mean? Intercept.

Among other things,

this building is swimming in information.

We have information coming out of our ears.

So...

So, the difficult thing is to notice when someone

finally tells you something important.

No reaction.

He thinks he can be rude to me.

He thinks he can treat me how he wants because we had a wife in common.

In my case, a long time ago.

All your wives are a long time ago.

Is Jill need-to-know on my wives?

Everyone knows about your wives.

So my point is this. I've called the two of you together.

I want to share a source.

Now, before we go any further, God's very excited.

Why is God excited?

I suppose like all home secretaries, God can't resist a file marked "top secret".

You're going to read this and you're going to think, "Hold on.

"The Americans are meant to be our allies."

I've never suffered from that delusion.

Johnny doesn't believe in the special relationship, do you?

They're not what you call sharing partners, are they?

Even you can't claim to have read it already.

I've seen certain words, I gather we're back in the Middle East.

- We're always in the Middle East. - I don't like faith jobs.

I don't like anything to do with faith.

Still no faith yourself, Johnny?

The sun will rise in the morning,

I'm going to have a drink at 6:00. That's my faith.

Really? A lot of people in your church, are there?

Most people. Most people are in my church.

You're going to want to talk to me when you've read it properly.

This country is under threat, it's under serious threat.

Our problem is we can't always tell you the nature of the threat.

If we did, we'd be giving away intelligence.

That's not something I'm willing to...

This is a bit close, isn't it?

- This place is a bit close. - Rollo.

Thought this place was crawling with professionals.

That's why we're eating at 11:30. No one will see us, except your friend.

- How are you, Johnny? - I'm well, Rollo.

- And yourself? - Trying to get used to my new profession.

I was hoping you could help me with an inquiry.

What inquiry is that?

She's called Nancy Pierpan.

Then she has a beautiful name.

Do you know anything about her?

Are we going to do business before we have lunch?

We're going to do business over lunch.

You're not going to let me have a drink first?

- He's putting on weight. - Well, you would know.

You haven't asked me about my new job.

I read what you write, but some of it goes over my head.

Really? Don't you have a double first?

I'm not really clever, Rollo.

I don't have what they call a first-class mind. You were first class.

Sure. Look where it got me.

- I'm a journalist. - A journalist who still works for us.

- Do I? - Don't you get the cheques?

What are the cheques gonna get me, huh? A house in Tuscany?

When? With whom? With the waiter?

Can't you go and do some sort of profile on her?

I work in the foreign desk.

What possible interest would I have in Nancy Pierpan?

So you do know who she is.

You were always quick, Johnny.

Not too clever, right enough, but you are quick.

- England's a small country, isn't it? - You tell me.

I mean, it's multi-cultural, sure.

There's more chaps named Shah, Patel.

But nothing's really changed. It's still run by the same old crowd.

Is it? I don't know who runs England.

The bankers did, and look what happened to them.

What I'm saying is there's still an awful lot of people named Baron,

and Worricker and Pierpan.

Nancy was born in Damascus.

Her father was an Arabist.

What sort of Arabist? Romance of the desert, that sort of thing?

Lawrence of Arabia?

- Why do you need to know? - Because she's taking an interest in me.

What sort of an interest?

Making a play? Is she making a play?

She was putting out the rubbish.

She pretended it was a coincidence.

- Well, aren't you flattered? - No.

What's the file? Are you gonna show it to me?

Do you know...

I don't think I am.

What is this? They're saying I need a new pass.

I was given a temporary. What's going on?

Are you gonna throw a wobbly?

Of course I'm not gonna throw a wobbly. When was the last time I threw a wobbly?

- 7/7. - Exactly. I threw a wobbly

because suicide bombers killed 56 people on the streets of London

and we had no idea it was going to happen.

I didn't throw a wobbly because my pass had been blocked.

No. You're really sweet.

Who changes the passes? Who orders the passes to be changed?

Who do you think?

Take this and just make sure it's done.

What did you think of the file?

- What did I think of it? - Yes.

I haven't finished it yet. I haven't absorbed it.

I hardly need say, on no account is that file to leave the premises.

Gold standard.

- I didn't know if you'd make it. - (GASPS)

I promised I'd make it, didn't I?

- I thought you were abroad. - Who told you that?

Mum.

Mum said that she always knows where you are.

Does she? Paranormal, is she? Physic?

- Hey, Dad. - Hello.

You're going to have to explain these to me.

Do you want to have dinner afterwards?

I thought you'd have lots of young men attendant.

- You don't want to have dinner with me. - Don't I?

I hate these things more than you do.

- Hello, Johnny. - Max.

Goodness, what are you doing here?

I collect. I collect your famous daughter.

If there's anything you can do to get me a family price...

You still where you used to be?

Of course I am. I like it. Why would I change?

And you, Max? Defence. Defence procurement.

Hmm.

That's one business that's never going to suffer. Recession-proof.

And these days I also raise a little money, you know, for the party.

Don't look at me, I'm apolitical.

You're "A" everything, aren't you, Johnny?

You'll have to choose sides one day, you know.

Remember, you'll get killed in the middle of the road.

- Did you get my invitation? - Did I? Remind me.