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Torchwood Children of Earth • Episode 5

Day Five

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Transcript Beta

[Recording]

GWEN: There's one thing I always meant to ask Jack. Back in the old days, I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. The man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world. Except sometimes he doesn't. All those times in history when there was no sign of him, I wanted to know why not. But I don't need to ask any more. I know the answer now. Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame. I'm recording this in case anyone ever finds it, so you can see. You can see how the world ended.

[Davies' home]

(The Prime Minister speaks to the nation.)

GREEN [on TV]: Today, we're taking steps to safeguard your children. The schools are being opened again, and we urge all of you to send your children back to their classes straight away. Government representatives will be visiting certain schools to discuss a series of inoculations.
DAVID: What's inoculations?
RHIANNON: Injections.
DAVID: I don't want to go to school.
RHIANNON: You're not going, either. You're staying put, just like your Uncle Ianto said. Don't trust any of them.
MICA: But the man said we got to go.
RHIANNON: And I know for a fact he's lying.
GREEN [on TV]: These inoculations are to protect your children. These inoculations are safe. These inoculations will guarantee no repeat of the problems of the past four days.
RHIANNON: David, on your feet. Go to the Baxters opposite, then go to Sally's, then go to Mrs Singh. Tell 'em we'll have the kids, only free of charge.
JOHNNY: It's ten quid a kid.
RHIANNON: Shut it, you. And run. Tell them my brother works for the government. He said it's not safe.
DAVID: Yes, Mum.

[Downing Street]

(The broadcast is being made under the stern stare of US General Pierce.)

GREEN: So I ask of you now to cooperate, to send your children back to school, and to resume your lives as normal.

[Frobisher home]

LILLY: We'd better get ready for school, then.
ANNA: No, darling. Your father said stay at home with me.
LILLY: Why? What's so different about us?
GREEN [on TV]: And as ever, I thank you for your patience, your understanding and your faith.

[COBRA]

RILEY: We've isolated two thousand six hundred primary schools, sir.
PIERCE: I'm sorry, but you'll address me in all matters concerning this operation.
RILEY: This information is for Mister Green.
PIERCE: You and Mister Green and this government have proven yourselves incapable of handling this crisis. All decisions will now go through me.

(Pierce takes the chair for the meeting.)

PIERCE: You were saying?
RILEY: We have two thousand six hundred primary schools listed here. We're mobilising transport. At twelve hundred hours, the British Army will take the children from their schools to the designated rendezvous points.
GREEN: What if they refuse, the soldiers? We could have a mutiny on our hands.
PIERCE: They've been told. Any soldier refusing to do his duty will make his own family liable.
RILEY: So we take them to the rendezvous points, but what then?
PIERCE: We're about to find out. They're entering Thames House right now.

[Floor 13]

(Colonel Oduya sniffs.)

DEKKER: Disinfectant doesn't work. You can still smell it. There were bodies lying ten deep around those doors.
ODUYA: Mister Dekker, I take it. You managed to survive.
DEKKER: I just stood back, sir. A strategy that's worked all my life. Now then, best not keep it waiting.

[Contact room]

(UNIT soldiers are stationed around the room.)

ODUYA: I seek audience with the 456. My name is Colonel Augustus Oduya of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. If I might speak.

(The 456 thrashes and vomits in the containment chamber.)

ODUYA: We have no choice but to initiate your plan, may God help me. But I need to ask. We have designated rendezvous points, selected army bases in all participating countries, but once the children are assembled, what then? How do you collect them?
456: As we arrived. Observe.

[COBRA]

PIERCE: Some sort of transportation device taking them God knows where.
ODUYA [on monitor]: Then let me ask, not as a representative, as a father. You need these children. We've seen you hooked up to that boy, but why? Are they keeping you alive?
456: No.
ODUYA: Then what are they for?
456: The hit.
ODUYA: I don't understand.
456: The hit. They create chemicals. The chemicals are good.
ODUYA: Good in what way?
456: We feel good. The chemicals are good.
ODUYA: They're like drugs?

[COBRA]

GREEN: They're trading in drugs?

[Contact room]

ODUYA: You're shooting up on children? Our children?

[COBRA]

PIERCE: Let's not forget, your government started this trade. You opened the market over forty years ago. Are the troops on standby?
RILEY: Yes, sir.
PIERCE: Then we begin.
(The time is 08:51)

LOUISE MINCHIN: The government claims it's Britain back to normal. Schools across the country are being reopened and parents are being urged to return their children to a normal routine. The inoculation programme will begin at midday, and the World Health Organisation has issued a statement guaranteeing the safety and beneficial effects of the treatments. Critics are still demanding more information, but the government is simply asking for trust.

[Thames House]

(Even the cafeteria has bodybags still on the floor. Frobisher and Bridget sit down opposite Jack and Gwen.)

GWEN: The threat still stands.
FROBISHER: Haven't we gone past that?
GWEN: My husband is still out there with everything you've done recorded on his laptop. One word from me and he will release that information to the public.
FROBISHER: What do you think Torchwood is now? Do you think you're still players?
GWEN: We can try.
FROBISHER: We're at a tipping point right now. Civilisation's about to fall into hell. You want to start that descent a little earlier, go ahead.
JACK: He's right. Look what happened. Phone Rhys, tell him we've lost.

[Victoria Tower Gardens / Thames House]

(Rhys is sitting on a bench, with the Houses of Parliament behind him, to the north.)

RHYS: Hello? Yeah, me, I'm bloody freezing. Where are you? You all right? Do you want me to send the files?
GWEN: It's too late, sweetheart. They've killed him. Not just Clem, they've They've killed Ianto. He's dead.

[Thames House]

JACK: What about Lois?
FROBISHER: I'm afraid Miss Habiba is in police custody, charged with espionage.
JACK: Then what about my daughter and her son?
FROBISHER: They're free to go.
JACK: Ianto Jones, he's got family back in South Wales, a sister, has she been told?
FROBISHER: We're not releasing any of the names, not yet.
JACK: Then let Gwen tell her. You said yourself the world is going to hell any second. Before it does, give us a moment of grace. Just take Gwen home, please. I can't look at her any more.

(Jack hugs Gwen goodbye at London Heliport, then she and Rhys are flown back to Cardiff. Jack is put into handcuffs.)

[Police Station cells]

POLICEMAN: Cell M3, Captain Harkness, nine fifty am.
LOIS [OC]: Captain, is that you? Captain Harkness, it's me. It's Lois. It's Lois. Captain? What are they doing? What's happening out there? Can you hear me? What do we do? Captain?

[Ashton Down monitoring station]

(Johnson releases Alice and Steven from their cell.)

JOHNSON: You might want to take a look at this.

(The film taken inside the containment chamber of the boy attached to the 456.)

ALICE: Steven, come on.
STEVEN: I want to see.
ALICE: Not now, darling, this is for grownups.
JOHNSON: Suzanne, get him a Coke or something.
WOMAN [OC]: Received and confirmed.
JOHNSON: It's inside Thames House. All recorded by Torchwood. They're inventive, I'll give them that. That's a child, abducted in 1965. Now they want more, millions more. And in two hours' time, the government is handing them over.

[Prime Minister's office]

(Frobisher knocks nervously on the door.)

GREEN: Yes?
FROBISHER: You asked to see me, sir?
GREEN: Take a seat.
FROBISHER: A terrible day. Sir, I was wondering
GREEN: Your name was chosen, John.
FROBISHER: Right. Good. In what way chosen?
GREEN: The inoculation story seems to have gained some currency. Might even be called popular.
FROBISHER: Indeed. And what's that got to do with me?
GREEN: Your children will be inoculated.
FROBISHER: I see.
GREEN: In two hours, there will be selected news media at your house. You'll be seen to offer your children for treatment. This will be broadcast on every network channel at twelve o'clock midday.
FROBISHER: But there is no inoculation.
GREEN: This action will help the public and show them no cause for unrest.
FROBISHER: You mean I pretend they're going to be inoculated?
GREEN: Your children will then be taken to one of the designated rendezvous points and they'll become part of the, the process. It's our duty now to think beyond this terrible day. And once it's over, the government must be seen as victims of the 456. We must be seen to have lost.
FROBISHER: If you put me on camera, I will tell people the truth.
GREEN: Then your daughters would know where they're going. Best not.
FROBISHER: I can't do it! I won't! You can't make me.
GREEN: In which case, your children will be taken without you.
FROBISHER: But you've seen what they do to them! They're just girls, sir. They're just girls. They're not, they're not, they're not
GREEN: I'm sorry, John. I'm really, I'm really very sorry. And I'm really very busy.

[Home Office]

BRIDGET: What did he want?
FROBISHER: Bridget, I need a Requisition 31.
BRIDGET: What for?
FROBISHER: Quick as you can.
BRIDGET: But what for, sir?
FROBISHER: Requisition 31, thank you.

[Stores]

BRIDGET: Requisition 31.
OFFICER: Just sign there.

(Bridget returns to Frobisher and hands him a box. He takes it, kisses her on the cheek and leaves.)

[Cardiff]

(PC Andy Davidson meets the helicopter.)

ANDY: Croeso I Gymru.

[Police car]

ANDY: Everyone's on standby. It's red alert. Riot gear and everything. All ready to mobilise, except no one's saying why. What's going on?
GWEN: I can't tell you.
ANDY: I am the police!
GWEN: Right now, Andy, I need you to drive this car. And if I told you
ANDY: What? Well, come on, then. What? Don't you bloody hate people who don't finish their sentences?
RHYS: Hey, she's pregnant.
GWEN: Oh, thank you. Who's she when she's at home?
ANDY: Bloody hellfire. Who's the father?
RHYS: Oh, I'm slapping you, yeah?
GWEN: It's Torchwood. That's what did it. They give you Retcon and chemicals and radiation and God knows what. Bloody Pill didn't stand a chance. That's what Torchwood does, you see. It ruins your life.
RHYS: How is it ruined?
GWEN: You want to have kids in a world like this, Rhys?
RHYS: You're not getting rid of it.
GWEN: Is that right. Take the next left. Ianto's sister lives off the Cromwell Estate.

[COBRA]

RILEY: Eleven o'clock. One hour to go.
PIERCE: Are we in position?
RILEY: Troops are moving in, sir.

(The screen shows Stage Three active. Wittington Road Primary School, Headteacher Nora Shariff. Gender mixed, age range 3-11, number of pupils on roll 1218. Religious character non-denominational, Specialist status not applicable. Key stage 2 average 22.1)

[Classroom]

(Maths - two times table.)

CHILDREN: Two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen, twelve, ten, eight, twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen, twelve, ten, eight, six, four, two, zero.

(Meanwhile, the press photograph John Frobisher arriving home.)

[Police Station cells]

(Bridget is shown into Lois' cell, and a chair is provided for her.)

BRIDGET: Thank you. I've come to tell you how we met.
LOIS: Who?
BRIDGET: How I met John Frobisher. It was thirty years ago. You weren't even born. I was on attachment to the Civil Service, only for six months. And just down the corridor, there he was. You wouldn't think it to look at him now, but he was a clumsy thing. Always losing his key. Mister Swales never thought he'd amount to much, but I thought, well, keep an eye on that one. And all the others came and went. The high flyers, they burnt out or went on to something better. And do you know what John Frobisher did? He kept working. Head down, worked hard, all his life. It was another ten years before we actually worked in the same office. He asked for me. I didn't think he even knew my name. And we made quite the team. I'm not saying he was perfect. You know that better than me. But he worked hard. He always worked hard. I don't think that's valued enough these days, hard work. And he was a good man. I want you to know that. John Frobisher was a good man. Because when the history of this is written, they'll talk about the ministers, and the soldiers, and the things with numbers for names, and I think people will forget how very good he was. I want you to remember him like that. If ever you think of John Frobisher, just remember that it wasn't his fault.

(Frobisher goes upstairs to Lilly's bedroom where his wife and daughters are waiting for him, with the gun that Bridget got for him with the Requisition 31, and closes the door on us. Three gunshots, a pause, then a fourth.)

BRIDGET: Now, I think I should get back to work.

[Housing Estate]

GWEN: Rhys, you stay here. Give us a shout if anything happens.
RHYS: Like what?
GWEN: Just keep an eye out, yeah?
ANDY: You know Ianto?
GWEN: Mmm hmm.
ANDY: Was he gay?
GWEN: Shut up.
ANDY: They might not know.
GWEN: Well, in which case, do not say.
ANDY: Well, that proves my point.
GWEN: Look, listen, there's a lot more going on. You've just got to trust me. Okay. She's got two kids. We need to find out where they are. That's why we need a car. We might have to pick them up from school and take them back to mine, okay?
ANDY: Back to yours? What for?
GWEN: Andy, we've got to look after these kids. Just do what I say. Please.

(Rhiannon answers the doorbell.)

ANDY: Hello, I'm Police Constable Andrew
RHIANNON: You're not shutting me down. They've got food, they've got drinks, proper drinks. And I got permission off their parents. Come on, have a look. I'm not apologising.

[Davies' home]

RHIANNON: Johnny.

(Johnny is playing a video game.)

JOHNNY: Go and do a proper job.
RHIANNON: I know I need a licence for a cr�che. I'm not thick. This is emergency circumstances, right? I'm not trusting the telly.
ANDY: If we could have a word in private
RHIANNON: They're not even paying, so it can't be illegal, right?
ANDY: No. I know. It's not about the kids. I just need a word, if we could.
GWEN: How many are there?
JOHNNY: Nineteen.
GWEN: But what are they doing here?
JOHNNY: Well, they're not gonna go to school. No way. If they want 'em, they'll have to come and get 'em.
ANDY: I just need a word.

(Gwen recalls what Jack whispered into her ear at the heliport.)

JACK [memory]: They've got kids. Ianto's niece and nephew. Save them.

[COBRA]

(Noon.)

RILEY: Do we begin?
GREEN: We've got no choice.
PIERCE: You don't give the orders, Mister Green. Stage one. Mobilise.

[School]

(Army trucks with armed soldiers escort the buses to the target schools.)

TEACHER: I don't care who you are, you haven't got the authority to just march in here and. Mister Patel, they can't just. They said inoculations, not. Where are you taking them? Excuse me, where are you taking them?
MOTHER: What's going on? What you doing?
SOLDIER: Stay on the other side of the road. Thank you.
MOTHER: But my boy's in there.
TEACHER: You can't take them off the school premises. You just can't! Where are you taking them? You can't.

(One boy tries to make a break for it, but a soldier grabs him.)

MOTHER: Christopher! Christopher! That's my son. That's my bloody son.
TEACHER: You can't take them off the school premises.

(The children are driven away past their panic-stricken parents.)

[Davies' home]

(The sad news has been broken to Rhiannon and Johnny.)

JOHNNY: It's okay. It's okay. Let it out. He didn't say anything about my car, did he?
GWEN: No.
ANDY: Sorry.
GWEN: No. There's something else. Something he wanted me to tell you. And I'm sorry, it's kind of urgent.
RHIANNON: You can get out.
GWEN: I knew Ianto properly. I've worked with him for years.
JOHNNY: Come on. No. Leave her alone.
GWEN: No. I did. I really I did. We were a team. We did all these things together. And he'd always be fussing about his bloody coffee, yeah?
RHIANNON: Yeah.
GWEN: And he'd be talking about you. All the time. You and the kids. And his dad. That's Ianto, isn't it? He was always so proud of his dad.
RHIANNON: What did he say about him?
GWEN: About his job and things.
RHIANNON: What job was that?
GWEN: He said he was a master tailor.
RHIANNON: He worked in Debenhams. If Ianto gave you that old shit, then you didn't know him at all.

[Ashton Down]

(The soldiers are playing football with Steven. Johnson brings Alice a drink.)

JOHNSON: Here you go.
ALICE: Thanks.
JOHNSON: It's started.
ALICE: Jesus.

[COBRA]

PIERCE: Numbers?
RILEY: We're looking at an uptake of about sixty percent. As predicted, a lot of the children in the target area have stayed at home.
PIERCE: Then we'd better go and get them. Stage two. Mobilise.

[Davies' home]

(Rhys sees the army trucks arriving, and runs to the house.)

GWEN: I swear on my life, you have to get those kids out of this house. Is there anywhere you can take them? I don't know, anywhere safe?
ANDY: Gwen, now, come on.
GWEN: What?
RHYS: They're here.

[Housing Estate]

GWEN: Oh, God. Look, I haven't got time to explain, okay? But they are coming for your kids. I swear.
JOHNNY: Don't be stupid.
RHIANNON: Shut up.
GWEN: They're going to come into your house and they're going to take your kids, and I'm sorry, but you've got to believe me. That's why Ianto died, okay? He was trying to stop them. They're gonna come and they're gonna take your kids. You'll never see them again. Never.

[Ashton Down]

STEVEN: Hey.
MAN: Hey.
JOHNSON: He'll be fine. The nice kids are safe. If you're gonna get rid of ten percent, then take the ten percent you don't want. All those kids on street corners, we've finally got rid of them.
ALICE: While everyone else just stays indoors? Ninety percent just hugging their kids, not making a sound, just like they did before. I don't even know your name.
JOHNSON: I protect the state. I was brought up to believe in and protect the state.
ALICE: Not much good now, are you? Even if ninety percent look the other way, what sort of world are you leaving behind? I swear to you, if your duty is to protect the state above and beyond any other authority, then the one person you need right now is Jack Harkness.

[Police Station cells]

(The custody officer is checking on his guests when soldiers burst in.)

SOLDIER: On the floor. On the floor. Stay down. Go. Go. Go.

(They open Jack's cell and drag him out.)

JACK: What's going on? Hey!
SOLDIER: Move.
LOIS: Captain!
SOLDIERS: Go, go, go.
LOIS: What's happening? Captain Harkness! Captain Harkness!

(Jack is picked up by helicopter.)

[Dekker's storeroom]

(Johnson's black-clad soldiers are gathering materials.)

DEKKER: Here, what are you doing?

(They knock him out.)

[Davies' home]

(They get the children into their coats.)

GWEN: Yeah, they're spies. Hush now, darling. Nice and quiet. Don't make a sound, just like a game, yeah?
ANDY: Alpha one eight six to Control. Is anyone there?
RHIANNON: Fingers on lips. Now, you don't make a noise until we get there, okay? You stay nice and quiet, and I'll get you some sweets, yeah?
RHYS: Where is this place?
RHIANNON: It's down by the field. It's all boarded up.
GWEN: Right, look. We've got to go right now.
RHIANNON: Okay. Come on, everyone, David and Mica.
ANDY: Alpha one eight six to Control. Can you hear me?
RHIANNON: We're playing spies. Now, come on. That's it. No one makes a sound.
GWEN: Are you coming? Andy?

[Housing Estate]

ANDY: Control, this is Alpha one eight six. What's going on?
JOHNNY: Take it easy. Take it easy, come on. Hurry, come on. Come on. Keep walking. Rhi.

(The soldiers break down doors.)

WOMAN [OC]: What the hell are you doing?
JOHNNY: You take them. I'm going out the front. Somebody's got to stop them.
RHIANNON: No, Johnny. Don't be stupid.
JOHNNY: It's not just us, you daft sod.

(The women take the children round the back of the block.)

JOHNNY: Danno. Where's Richie? Go get him, get Sammy, get all the boys.
MAN: What's happening? What is it? What's wrong? What's wrong?
JOHNNY: All that stuff on the news, all that inoculation stuff, it's bollocks, right? The government has sold us out. They're coming to get our kids, and we're not getting them back, boys, right? We got to stop them. We got to stop them.

(The soldiers form up with riot shields as the unemployed fathers march towards them. Children are carried out of a house, screaming and kicking. Bricks are thrown, then punches. Andy stands there, powerless.)

WOMAN: No! Give him back. Give him back.

(Then he takes off his police equipment and joins in the fight against the soldiers. The civilians lose.)

[Old building]

(Rhys closes up the corrugated iron door behind them.)

DAVID: Oh, it's stinking.
RHIANNON: Keep your voice down.
GWEN: Yeah, what I need you to do is to be as quiet as you possibly can, like mice.

[Ashton Down]

(Dekker is brought down the corridor in handcuffs, then -)

STEVEN: Uncle Jack!
JACK: Hey, soldier. Whoa.
JOHNSON: We haven't got time.
JACK: Listen. Stay with your mom, okay?
ALICE: Sorry. Would you

(Alice hands Steven to a woman.)

ALICE: I'll be back.

(Into a large room. Dekker is unhandcuffed.)

JOHNSON: This should be everything you need. And if it's not, we'll find it.
JACK: For what?
JOHNSON: Wavelengths. The 456 are named after a wavelength, and that's got to be the key to fighting back.
DEKKER: You're wasting your time. There's nothing you can do. I've analysed those transmissions for forty years and never broke 'em.

(Johnson shoots him in the leg.)

- JOHNSON: What do you think, Captain? She told me you were good. Was she right?
JACK: Let's get to work. Get me access to the Torchwood software. Log on to the servers and, welcome back.
DEKKER: It still won't work. There's nothing on there. It's useless.
JACK: We've got technology way beyond you.
DEKKER: We hacked into Torchwood years ago, you idiot. There's nothing.
JOHNSON: Bring him over here.
ALICE: Dad, come and look at this. It's some sort of pirate station. They're trying to get the story out to the public. But they're taking the kids.
WOMAN [OC]: We're broadcasting this on Digital one four one. It's the kids. Tell everyone to tune in to one four one.

(The school buses arrive at the designated locations.)

[Old building]

(Rhys is videoing Gwen making her statement.)

GWEN: There's one thing I always meant to ask Jack. Back in the old days I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. All those times in history when there's no sign of him, I wanted to know why not. But I don't need to ask any more. I know the answer now. Sometimes the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame. I'm recording this in case anyone, in case anyone ever finds it, so you can see. You can see how the world ended.
RHYS: You didn't mean it, did you? About getting rid of it?
GWEN: No, of course I didn't.
RHYS: Okay.
GWEN: I would never. Never. I wouldn't do that to you, sweetheart. No, I wouldn't, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. All right, darling?

[COBRA]

PIERCE: Illegal broadcast on Digital one four one. Close it down. And take out the whole network if you have to.
RILEY: We're up to eighty percent. The people are starting to fight back.
PIERCE: Colonel, we're predicting eight percent.

[Contact room]

PIERCE [OC]: Is that acceptable?
ODUYA: We have up to eighty percent of the designated children. Is that enough?
456: All of them. All of the designated to us.

[COBRA]

ODUYA [OC]: Not acceptable, sir.
PIERCE: We need the rest. Authorising maximum force.
BRIDGET: The latest report from Germany. Old fashioned hard copy, I'm afraid. The system's gone into meltdown.
RILEY: You don't have to be here.
BRIDGET: It's what he would have wanted.
RILEY: Do you think so? I can't imagine anyone wanting to be in this bloody room.

(If looks could kill, Green would be a grease spot on the carpet.)

[Ashton Down]

JACK: If we cycle the wavelength back at them
DEKKER: I know what you're trying to do. A constructive wave. Do you think people aren't working on that all over the world? But it's never going to work. The effect would be like shouting at the 456, that's all. Just shouting.
JACK: Why did Clem die?
JOHNSON: It was the 456 that killed him.
JACK: But how did they do it? Why did they do it?
JOHNSON: We've got the recording here.
JACK: His mind must have synced to the 456 back when he was a child. But they didn't need to kill him. He wasn't any threat. Unless maybe that connection hurt them.
JOHNSON: This is the 456 at the moment of his death. We've lifted the sound from the Thames House link.
JACK: That sound, Mister Dekker, what's that sound?
DEKKER: I don't know. It's new.
JACK: Exactly. It's new. We don't have to analyse the wavelength, just copy it. Turn it into a constructive wave. But we've got no way of transmitting.
DEKKER: Of course you have.
JACK: Shut up.
DEKKER: Same way as them.
JACK: I'll find something else.
JOHNSON: What does he mean?
JACK: Don't listen to him.
JOHNSON: Dekker, tell me.
DEKKER: The 456 used children to establish the resonance.
JOHNSON: Meaning what?
DEKKER: We need a child.
ALICE: What do you mean?
DEKKER: Centre of the resonance. Oh, that child's going to fry.
ALICE: No, Dad. No, tell them no.
JOHNSON: One child or millions.
ALICE: Dad, no. Dad, tell them no!
JOHNSON: We're running out of time.
ALICE: Dad, no! No, Dad!
JOHNSON: Captain.

(Jack nods.)

ALICE: Steven!

(Alice runs after Johnson.)

[Old building]

DAVID: Rhys. Quick.
RHYS: They're coming. Everybody out. Quick. Everybody out. Quick. Come on, everyone. Let's go. Quick. Come on. Quick. Come on. Quick, out.
GWEN: Come on. Quick, quick, quick, quick.

[Waste ground]

RHYS: Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on, quick.

[Old building]

(The soldiers burst in.)

GIRL: Get away. Get away.

[Ashton Down]

ALICE: Steven! Steven!

(Johnson has got him.)

ALICE: Steven!
STEVEN: Mummy.
ALICE: No. Steven.
STEVEN: Mummy. Mummy.
ALICE: My baby.
STEVEN: Mummy!
ALICE: Steven, run away.

[Waste ground]

GWEN: Run! Run!

[Ashton Down]

(A soldier puts Steven on a circular platform, while others hold Alice back.)

STEVEN: What are we doing, Uncle Jack? What's happening? What do you want me to do?
ALICE: Steven, get away!

[Waste ground]

(The soldiers catch up with the fugitives.)

RHIANNON: No! David! David!

(Gwen gets away with Mica.)

[Ashton Down]

ALICE: Steven! Steven. Run! Run!

(Everything is set. Jack presses a button and the 456 killer sonics start to build. Steven emits a shrill tone. All the children join in, and they are aiming it at Thames House. The 456 are affected. Blood comes from Steven's nose as he jerks on the platform. The 456 thrash around, and splatter blood onto the glass before leaving in their pillar of fire.)

[COBRA]

(The visual feed from Thames House is lost.)

PIERCE: Colonel, do we have a report? Colonel, what happened?

[Contact room]

PIERCE [OC]: Colonel?
ODUYA: It's gone, sir.

[COBRA]

ODUYA [OC]: The 456 has gone.
(At 15:14.)

[Waste ground]

(The children are back to normal.)

GWEN: What did you do, clever girl? What did you do? What did you do?
RHYS: Hey?

(Mica goes to her mother.)

RHIANNON: Oh.

[Ashton Down]

JOHNSON: Let her in.

(Alice runs to Steven, who is lying on the platform. Blood is coming from his ears.)

ALICE: No, no, no, no, no! No! No! Somebody help him. Help him! No, please, no. Why? Why? Oh, please.

(Jack cries.)

[COBRA]

(Pierce salutes Green.)

PIERCE: Prime Minister.

(He and the last of the military leave.)

RILEY: The public will be wanting a statement, sir.
GREEN: I suppose you could say we were lucky.
RILEY: A bit soon to tell. We don't know exactly what happened yet.
GREEN: Lucky with the Americans, I mean. General Pierce took charge without ratification from the United Nations. We can say that today's events were in American hands.
BRIDGET: And do you think that's lucky?
GREEN: Do you know, yes, I do, rather.
BRIDGET: Your first thought now is to save your own skin. In which case you might like to know I paid a visit this morning, sir. I went to see Lois Habiba. You might remember her. I sat with her a while. We had a number of things to discuss. And while I was there, I used the emergency protocols to sign out a particular piece of evidence.
POLICEMAN [memory]: Thank you.
BRIDGET: Contact lenses, sir. The Torchwood contact lenses. And Lois was very helpful. She told me how they worked. I can hardly feel them, sir. But everything that happened in this room has been recorded, sir. All waiting to be made public by me. Including your statement just now that after the events of today you feel, as you said in your very own words, sir, lucky.
GREEN: You wouldn't dare. I can have you arrested.
RILEY: I don't think so. Thank you, Bridget. You're free to go. And Miss Habiba will be released. I'll see to it myself. I think I'll be taking charge of very many things in the days to come. Is that all, sir?

[Ashton Down]

(Alice takes one look at Jack, sitting in a corridor, and walks away.)

STEVEN [memory]: Uncle Jack.
JACK [memory]: Hey, soldier.

(He leaves, with Steven's laughter echoing in his head.)

[Muddy road - 6 months later]

(Night. Rhys stops the car.)

RHYS: There's no more road. We'll have to walk from now on. You all right?
GWEN: You fuss over me one more time
RHYS: I'm just saying.
GWEN: Well, don't.

[Hilltop]

(Overlooking Cardiff. Jack is waiting for them.)

GWEN: Couldn't have just chosen a pub, could you?
RHYS: It's bloody freezing. My feet.
JACK: Oh, I miss that, the Welsh complaining. You look good.
GWEN: I look huge.
RHYS: She's bloody gorgeous.
GWEN: You okay?
JACK: Yeah.
GWEN: Did it work?
JACK: Travelled all sorts of places. This planet is too small. The whole world is like a graveyard.
GWEN: Come back with us.
JACK: Haven't travelled far enough yet. Got a lot of dirt to shake off my shoes. And right now, there's a coldfusion cruiser surfing the ion reefs just at the edge of the solar system, just waiting to open its transport dock. I just need to send a signal.

(Gwen takes his bracer from her pocket.)

GWEN: They found it in the wreckage. Indestructible. Like its owner. I put on a new strap for you.
RHYS: Cost me fifty quid, that.
JACK: Bill me.
GWEN: Are you ever coming back, Jack?
JACK: What for?
GWEN: Me. It wasn't your fault.
JACK: I think it was.
GWEN: No.
JACK: Steven and Ianto and Owen and Tosh and Suzie and all of them, because of me.
GWEN: But you saved us. Didn't you?
JACK: I began to like it. And look what I became. Still, I have lived so many lives. It's time to find another one.

(He touches a button on his bracer.)

GWEN: They died, and I am sorry, Jack, but you cannot just run away. You cannot run away.
JACK: Oh yes, I can. Just watch me.

(Jack is beamed away.)

RHYS: Let's go home, yeah?
GWEN: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Transcript originally provided by Chrissie. Adapted by TARDIS.guide. The transcripts are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property of their respective holders.

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