Black Doves

...suspicious at this time.

There you are, my love.

Thank you!

- Yeah! -

- -

- Woo-hoo! - Sorry.

Merry Christmas!

- - Ho ho!

- - Merry Christmas!

Ho ho ho ho ho!

Hello, sir! Ho ho ho ho ho!

- Maggie? - Missed a call from her.

I was in the bathroom. When I got back, she'd rung me.

I've tried to call. She's not answering.

I think I'm being followed.

- By who? - I don't know.

- Uh, well, are you... are you sure? -

- Hang on. Phillip's calling. -

- I've got you on with Jason. - You get hold of her?

- I missed a call from her. - Phillip, did you talk to anyone?

- No, I didn't. - I need to know if you spoke to anyone.

Well, in fact, who I did or didn't speak to...

- Has got nothing to do with you, so... -

Wait, it's her. She's ringing me now. I'm gonna hang up and answer.

- Hold on. - Wait, Maggie. Wait. Make sure you...

- Maggie? - She rung off.

Okay, Phillip, listen to me.

I need to know if you spoke to anyone, because I think I'm being followed.

Wha... Wh-wh-what do you mean, "followed"?

What... What do you think I fucking mean?

Um, well, wh-where are you now? Can you see them now? Are... are you safe?

- I, um... -

It's... it's Maggie.

Well, put her on.

Maggie? Did you speak to her? Is... is she okay? Where is she?

Um, Maggie?

Maggie? Maggie?

Maggie, did you... did you speak to her?

Mag...

- - Phillip?

Maggie? Guys?

Guys, are you there?

The person you are calling is unable to take your call.

- Please leave a message after the tone. -

Hi. It's, uh... me.

I know I shouldn't do this, but, um...

Well, I, uh...

I, uh... I think I might be

in trouble.

And you're the only person I wanted to call. Uh...

I wanted to tell you

that I, uh...

- -

- -

- -

- -

Yes?

Okay. I understand.

- Morning. - Morning.

- Kids! Teeth, face, and hands, please. - Last one there's a rotten egg!

Oli?

- Oli! - What?

Your inhaler's by the door.

I don't know. Whatever you think a Saudi prince wants.

An intercontinental ballistic missile?

Man United maybe? Then he'd have the set, wouldn't he?

Yeah, I have to go. All right. Yeah, just try and keep him happy.

- Everything okay? - Just the Saudis being Saudis. Seen this?

Any headline that starts with the words "China demands"

is not gonna improve my day.

I mean, what do they want?

Their ambassador died of an overdose for Christ's sake.

More smack in him than a nun with a ruler, and yet...

- What happened to his daughter? - Oh, probably in hiding.

Trying to avoid having to go back to the motherland, you know?

Is there anything that you can do about it in the next 20 minutes?

- Probably not. - Right. Then drink that and get ready.

I have left a shirt out for you on the bed.

- You're an angel. - I know.

Okay, let's get going.

Oh, wait. Did you open your advent calendars?

- Yes. - You did.

What did you get?

- Shepherd! - Star.

Fantastic! Okay, right. Let's get going. Into the cab.

The button on the side makes the take-off sound...

- - like a big explosion! Boom.

- Kids, can we sh? -

Every time he mentions the word "Taiwan"...

Okay. Okay, guys.

You're gonna have to write this down or Father Christmas is going to forget.

Don't talk to me about the bloody Chinese ambassador.

Chen was enough trouble when he was alive. Now it's even worse, isn't it?

- Uh... -

Hello, everyone. Hello. Really quickly, I promise.

Um...

Oh, it is so lovely to see you all here.

Uh, this has just become one of our favorite traditions,

where we, uh... we get to gather some of our best people,

um, and raise money for some brilliant charities.

And I just wanted to say that this year has been tough for so many of us,

and I know that, for me,

when the world seems so uncertain, um, I look for the light.

And more often than not, I find it in places like this.

So thank you for being my light in the dark.

And thank you, Wallace, for shining brighter than ever.

Oh, disgusting! I'm so sorry. I've had a drink, and it's Christmas.

Um, but here is to all of you. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

- Was that all right? - Beautiful.

- Very nice. - Could you...

- Got stuck with a spoon. - Give me that.

- Oh, hello! Thank you for coming! - Oh, are you joking?

- Stephen. - The highlight of our festive calendar.

- Lovely speech, Hels. - Did you know she was a sentimentalist?

I am not. I'm a cold-hearted cynic. Don't let anyone tell you any different.

A cynic wouldn't have this much tinsel at her party.

Anyway, sorry. I hate to be a flight risk.

I've got about five minutes of schmoozing, then I need to get back to the office.

This Chinese ambassador situation needs my attention. Em's staying though.

Mm. Don't worry. I'm gonna position myself by the door the prosecco comes out of.

We'll, uh... we'll catch up soon.

Happy Christmas.

You did invite them to Boxing Day drinks, didn't you?

- Yeah, of course. - Excuse me, Defence Secretary.

Wallace, please.

I just wanted to say thank you for the party.

Thank my wife. She's the one who organized it.

Mrs. Webb. Well, it's a great event.

Really puts the chancellor's Christmas parties to shame.

- Happy Christmas. - Happy Christmas.

- Do you know her? - No.

No, me neither. Prehistoric spad, probably.

Oh, listen. Uh, we need to get a photo in front of the tree for your newsletter.

- Okay. - Um...

While I'm in the loo, negotiate with our children

to put down the mini pizzas and come out from underneath the canapé table?

I'll do my best.

What are you doing here? You cannot just turn up...

This morning at 12:30 a.m.,

a man named Jason Davies was killed on the South Bank.

Do you know him?

I...

Uh, yes. He's a, um...

He's a civil servant.

Ministry of, uh... of Justice. I think I met him, um...

I met him once at a...

- A drinks reception. - Helen.

You should know that I've had eyes on you recently.

So I know you had lunch with him yesterday.

I know you were in a hotel with him last week

between the hours of 6:30 and 8:00 p.m.

I know that you met on 20th November.

I know... Well, I don't know exactly when the affair started,

but I assume that's what it is, was .

An affair?

- - Yes.

How long?

- Three months. - Why?

- What? - Why?

Did you need a contact in the Justice Department?

Were you trying to work an angle?

I wasn't working an angle. It was real. It wasn't a job. It was...

It was what?

Love.

Oh Christ.