The Dark

The killer lives among us.

He's targeting men between the ages of 16 and 30,

and he's doing so with the use of this.

Philly. Monica?

You didn't leave the Burning Light, did you? They left you.

Another? This kid managed to escape.

Tammy, you have got to stop your obsession with this.

So, Jason was taken from in here.

And a few years ago now, I found him down by the loch with...

hosepipe looped through the window, engine still running.

'The victims were forced to ingest these stones.'

Should've left you years ago. Stop it! Stop it! The pair of you.

You see this? It's a warning.

Whoever did this to Jason, he's coming back.

'Please do not let him find us.'

This man is weak.

He lures his victims into traps, and then he incapacitates them.

Above all else, he is, at his core, a coward.

Get on to that now.

Here. Female victim. Wild, wild deviation of his MO.

Monica, you know her. Who is she?

Philly Murray.

Does Philly have any next of kin? Family?

She has a daughter. No-one else.

We'll get the family liaison onto it.

It's not that simple.

Is that because she's got the same mark on her arm as you?

Her daughter's with the Burning Light, then.

So you went beyond investigating them.

You were one of them too.

I was worse. I recruited Philly.

That mark on her arm, that was me. I branded her.

Father of Philly's child - he's Lucy's, too.

If it wasn't for you saying so, I'd say this is not his work.

The gender, clothed...

Staging, yes, dramatic, but the kill, it was efficient.

He said, "This one's for you."

What do you mean? He's taunting me.

Wait, you... you spoke to him? This was a gesture.

He thinks I'm like him but could never be him.

Whatever sick connection he feels towards you, it's not on you.

He's a psychopath.

Who I provoked and is now killing people in my orbit.

So you think this one's about you, right?

This is personal.

I need to get my family safe.

I mean, will it be for long?

I mean, I need my tablets, I need my own clothes.

Mum... Is it because of what you said on television?

Have you made him angry?

Maybe. Yes.

Maybe I've set him on a path to killing everyone I know.

And... I do love you, and I want to make sure you're safe.

ANGELA TUTS Monica.

You know that...

Oh, it's... OK.

We'll finish this later.

I'll just get on with Lucy's packing. Thanks.

You wanted to show me something? Highly likely I'll be stood down.

When did you gather all this?

Oh, can I...? Yeah.

What's a "baytle"?

Er, baetyl. From classical mythology.

Stones of divine power.

I think he's creating his own myth.

Well, this is from Plotinus.

Same fella as this rabbit quote? Yeah.

"He who is awake in the intelligible world

"sleeps in the sensible one."

Think of it as...

there are two kinds of selves within us.

Our killer has two sides.

Yes, and his true self emerges at night.

And that's how he wants to be recognised -

the myth, not the man.

He's piecing together other people's stories to tell his own.

He lacks the imagination to do it all himself.

He's clever, yes, but he's frustrated.

He thinks he should be bigger, better...

living a less mediocre existence.

So your average civil servant, then.

You might not be far wrong.

Point being, he's someone we'd walk past in the street

and not look twice at.

Might already have. Oh.

PHONE BUZZES

All right, Dunc?

MOUTHS Yes.

Yes. Erm, right, I'll see you soon.

We just got a hit on CCTV.

'Burner phone untraceable.'

But... we got this.

Car reg not clear, but got him in all his glory.

Bet it won't be the last image either.

Joys of modern community - forever snooping on each other.

Removing, his time in, time out, direction of travel.

DOOR CLOSES

Lucy, hop into your seat for me. Clip her in, will you?

Of course.

Seatbelts keep us safe, Grandma.

We've got you secure accommodation, hundred miles out west.

We've got him on CCTV. We'll have his vehicle tracked.

This is a major lead.

I've emailed you the address. Need to make a stop first.

Mum needs her prescription and clothes.

It's the opposite direction.

Gregg can take her and then drop her off. No.

Trust me.

Yeah, all right. Dunc?

Lovely Angela needs to collect a few things, right?

Can you take her and then head to the safe house?

Yeah, I can do that.

I'll run you home. We'll catch them up.

Let me take your bag.

I'll let you ride shotgun. Thank you.

Starsky and Hutch. GREGG CHUCKLES

CAT PURRS

PHONE RINGS

Yes?

Hi. Is that Michael Bach?

Yes. 'Hi, this is Kyle Ward.'

I'm headmaster at...

'I know. I'm due to see you on Monday.'

Yeah, about that.

Erm, I am getting flooded with calls

from concerned parents and the school board

about your colleague James.

And his paperwork is a disgrace.

'I can't make head nor tail of it.' Hm.

Well, that's no surprise. 'Were you aware of James...?'

That's not what I said. Look, why are you calling?

Oh, I was hoping that you would want

to rip the plaster off as soon as possible.

'You mean discuss this now?' The sooner we're on top of it...

No, it's really... not the best time.

Erm...

Er... look, Michael. Bluntly...

My daughter is distressed.

'She was close with one of the victims,

'and I suspect she's not the only pupil having sleepless nights.'

If you and I can decipher this chaos,

we might even be able to help the police.

'Put everyone's minds at ease.'

MICHAEL SIGHS

Where are you? 'About 20 minutes away.

'I was about to take Tammy out for the day,

'try to distract her a bit.

'We could stop by.' Fine.

Just be a minute, Lucy.

We're doing our best to have a media blackout.

I've got to protect the investigation, Monica.

I'm off the case. You're replacing me as SIO.

You not fighting me?

Well, my career can wait.

And...

..the only reason he knew about Philly

was because I lured him to the Burning Light.

Did you know she was there? That's not the point.

It is the point.

Less than 24 hours ago, you saved her life.

I didn't catch him. And I won't now, will I?

CAR PULLING UP

There you go. CAT MEOWS

How long is this gonna take? Pieces of string, darling.

That could mean hours, knowing you.

Fine. Come inside too.

No greater ticking clock than an impatient daughter.

Kyle.

You must be Tammy.

You got any cat allergies?

No. Is there anywhere we could do this privately?

I've got my headphones. I know you're not a snooper.

Regardless, your peers' privacy.

This way.

CAT MEOWS Have a seat.

It's a really nice place you have here.

Quiet, out of the way. Yeah. Yeah, it's all right.

So, er... James.

Sorry, could I trouble you for a glass of water, please?

I'm just a little dry.

So much for a quick chat, eh?

Yeah. Yeah, fine.

CAT MEOWS Here.

Ch, ch, ch, ch, ch, ch!

Fair enough.

SHE GASPS

You must travel far and wide in your role.

Yeah. Planet doesn't love my mileage.

James was a firm believer in the office.

And it shows. Chaos.

In all my years spent in education and outreach,

I've learnt the only way we truly help

is by building a personal connection.

Hold that thought.

This room is private. Sorry.

There's a cat.

Aye, but it's long gone. Tammy?

Here.

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

These are the dead boys, aren't they?