Ashes to Ashes

I can see why Sam needed to come back here.

There is something about this world. About my place in it.

I know what you did, three years ago.

I know.

- Guv! You need to listen! - No time for chat, Skip!

He was hallucinating earlier,

said you were in outer space, saw stars and everything.

- You saw stars? - 'Course I didn't, he's talking cobblers.

Ever stared at something so long the rest of your vision goes black?

Find out what you need, Alex, now, before it's too late.

Viv, are you receiving me, over?

The good ship Fenchurch is listing, Gene.

That crack in the hull is only going to get wider.

What now?

# Swift to its close

# Ebbs out life's little day

# Earth's joys grow dim

# Its glories pass away

# Change and decay

# In all around I see

# O Thou who changest not...

...oh, bide with me. #

- For Christ's sake! # I need Thy presence

# Every passing hour

# What but Thy grace... #

Sorry, Viv. # ...Can foil the tempter's power? #

# Who, like Thyself

# My guide and stay can be?

# Through cloud and sunshine, Lord,

# Abide with me. #

I remember when we were evicted from paradise

and sent down to this southern shit-hole.

Viv came over to me, shook my hand, and said he was sorry

but all northerners looked the same to him.

Said he'd look after me.

I've worked with a few Skippers in my time but...

Viv was the best by a country mile. I'm gonna miss him.

I can't believe he's gone. I look at the door expecting him to come through

and bollock me for not doing me paperwork. - He was a lovely man.

But when it came to it, it was my turn to look after him.

Guv, it wasn't your fault. It was nobody's fault but Viv's.

Oh, bollocks.

I just lost one of my finest

and now I'm left with officers like you, Skelton, you clumsy bastard!

Senor, please!

- Show some respect! - Guv, it's gonna be all right.

We're all gonna be all right.

Where's Bolly?

Another good officer gone, Alex.

Sir.

Find a dead police officer and a penny to a pound,

you'll find Gene Hunt standing over him.

If you don't mind, sir, I've got things to do.

Still, you're the lucky one.

- Your bullet didn't kill you. - It was an accident.

Who's this?

It sounds stupid, but you know the ghost I told you about?

Where did you find it?

- In the Guv's office. - Another dead copper?

He's slippery.

Even putting this report together, working right here next to him,

he covers his tracks. - He's a good copper. - He's a killer.

- And this? - That was with it.

Can I? I'm going to get it developed. I...

We've got superior facilities at D&C.

I'll do it.

You know,

you could no more turn your back on a bent copper as stop breathing.

We're the same, you and me.

Except that I don't want it to be true.

So we're not the same, are we?

The time has come, Alex.

Do what you were put here to do.

Get me Gene Hunt.

My name is Alex Drake.

I was shot and found myself in 1983.

Is it real? Or in my mind?

Either way I have to solve the mystery of

what all this means and fight to get home.

Because time... is running out.

How is he?

How do you think he is?

He blames himself.

Have you heard from your friend in Manchester about the epaulette numbers?

- No. - Can you ask him again, please?

What's so important about some plod's epaulette number?

Just a line of enquiry. I need an ID.

Please, Ray.

All right.

Who is doing that?!

What the hell are you doing?

Chris, you all right?

Luigi's cheapest Chianti on an empty stomach,

- always a recipe for mental disaster. - No, I'm not hungover.

Told you, you should've eaten a vol au vent.

What is happening to us all?

Bugger off, I'm grieving.

How are you doing, Guv?

I miss my pal.

Yeah, I know you do.

What are you doing tonight?

I'm going to a revival of The Caretaker at the Royal Court.

- Are you? - No.

You know, we've been through a lot together, you and I.

Professionally and...

you know, in other ways.

Come on, spit it out, Bols.

Let's have dinner together.

- Tonight. - Why?

Because I get the feeling that we won't have many more opportunities, that's why.

What, a date?

Yeah, I suppose so.

All right, you're on. But I have to warn you, Bolly,

first date, upstairs outside only.

- Guv. Reports of something kicking off at a shebeen in Dalston. - A what?

It's an illegal drinking den. That's hardly CID, is it, Ray?

Yeah, but it's an ANC shebeen.

Right then, we better go and splinter some skulls for Viv.

How touched he would be.

This is nonsense man, nonsense.

What do you mean nonsense? You are Judas! A Judas!

Are we in Dalston or did just we take a wrong turn to Bogobogo Land?

- No need for that. - Can I help you?

We've had reports of a disturbance here.

As you can see, all is well.

Is it true that in your country the police don't need warrants?

They can hang a man just cos they don't like the cut of his jib?

If you mean the colour of a man's skin. Yes, it's true.

- Ray, take this place apart. - Yes, Guv. - That's a bit extreme, isn't it?

Come on.

- Thank you. - Why do you do this?

If you don't shut up, I'll arrest you for obstruction.

- OK, the middle of the room, please. - What the bloody hell are you doing?

No point in giving 'em a hard time. We don't know if they've done anything.

When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. And I will never ask for it. Prick.

- Guv, I know you're upset but... - Ray, get on with it.

These people have been fighting against an abhorrent society...

They're members of a terrorist organisation

and they're on my patch, Bolly. - They didn't kill Viv.

Nor did Chris. And nor did I.

Please, don't stop talking on our account.

Guv. There's some blood.

Hang on, there's more here.

Bloody Nora!

Right, a bit of hush, please.

- Nobody's falling down any stairs here! - Oh, I don't know about that.

What did the Guv say to you?

- It doesn't matter. - You need to stand up for yourself, Chris.

Oh, yeah, and police officers will fly

Right, listen! Get these people processed now!

Come on!

Can I take your names, please?

Chris. Make copies of these. I'm a bit busy at the minute, Guv.

- Other Guv. - Now.

- You look unpleasantly happy. - My report is almost done.

Good. You'll be sodding off, then.

- What does it say? - That's for me to know and you to read.

He's got nothing. A couple of unpaid parking tickets, a few lost forms.

- If you want to think that. - Nothing a big juicy collar won't override.

Can I please have a bit of peace and bastard quiet!

There are 13 knife entry holes to his stomach and torso.

But the wound that killed him

is this little chap.

Cut into the trachea, leading to massive haemorrhage and death.

- Time of death? - The phone call came in at nine 'o clock this morning.

That would be about right.

What do we know about him?

His name is Oliver Ndlovu, he's a member of the ANC.

Fled South Africa six months ago

where he was accused of organising strikes in township schools.

- Murder weapon? - A small knife, serrated edge.

My guess would be a kitchen knife of some sort.

Right, let's go nab yourselves a terrorist, Bolly.

Let Keats put that in his pipe and smoke it.

- So, what did you see? - Nothing.

- Someone got murdered and you saw nothing? - I was in the bathroom.

- You were in the bathroom, too? - Yes.

- Must be one helluva big bathroom. - You were not in the bathroom.

You, my bolshy African friend, are the head honcho

which means you know who murdered Oliver Nd... - Ndlovu.

No, I do not know who murdered him.

I might not be able to pull your fingernails out but I'm not stupid.

- He was murdered on your watch, in your club. - I was in the bathroom.

- Do you know what I think? I think you killed him. - No.

Have you ever been inside an English prison? They'd love you.

Bit of African rough, something different for the weekend.

- You wouldn't be able to sit down for a thousand years. - Thousand years.

Classic.

There's no need to be afraid, Tsitsi, I give you my word.

Did you know Oliver?

I was in the bathroom.

- I saw nothing. - That's not what I asked.

I understand he had quite forthright views

on how the struggle should progress.

We found these in his belongings.

Did he upset someone, Tsitsi?

Is that why he was killed?

You know, we will find out what happened.

And when we do, they'll be discussions as to who will be deported.

Please! Don't send me back.