Baghdad Central (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript
Khafaji is called to a Coalition Authority safe house, where a dead Iraqi man has been discovered. His suspicions are further aroused when he witnesses an attack on the Green Zone.
Sawsan did not return
from university.
She has been working with
the Americans. She is missing.
She sometimes spoke of friends
she called Candy and Laura.
Have you found your missing
American citizen yet, Kibbert?
I believe men like you
are Iraq's future.
YELLING
I'd like you to visit me tomorrow.
Visit you where?
The Green Zone.
Bring your daughter Mrouj.
So...
..welcome to free Iraq.
You don't have to stay, Baba.
I want to stay.
They have food.
Mm.
This is exactly where we need to be.
This is where she worked.
Yesterday I was a terrorist.
Now I am an official.
You will be a collaborator?
Yes. No matter.
I will work for them for as long
as it takes to make you well.
And for as long as it takes me
to find Sawsan.
And then we will leave.
Inspector, sir.
Sir, you're needed.
INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO
Military will be on scene already.
Reports of a firefight
came via their channel.
And for our protection, of course.
Firefight?
We've had reports from the Red Zone
of an exchange of gunfire.
THUD
Woo! Thank you!
God be praised! God is good!
We're your liberators,
show some fucking respect here!
Agreed, show some respect.
Evening. Sir.
INDISTINCT CHATTER IN BACKGROUND
GLASS CRUNCHES
Captain.
Mr Temple, thought you
would have waited till morning.
It's urgent business.
Always.
Inspector Khafaji, meet
Captain Parodi, military police.
Pleasure is all his.
Inspector Khafaji, I'm going to go
through the charade
of pretending that you're
involved here.
How do you want to do this?
Ignore the bullshit,
this will become an
Iraqi Police-led investigation.
You want to go inside now or
wait till first light?
The power's down but we've got
a genny.
Is it safe to go inside?
No traps, if that's what you mean.
One dead male in
the kitchen area, that's it.
Iraqi male?
He's got the facial hair.
Let's take a look
for ourselves, shall we?
Be as quick as you like.
I want to lock this down.
Miss Ford tells me
this is a safehouse.
No, not in the true sense.
At the moment, it's unoccupied
but the idea is it's a safer place
for our workers without family.
Do you know him?
I do not.
The questions are, who is he,
what's he doing here...
..and who killed him?
Opportunist, Ba'athist resistance?
KEYS JANGLE
Is that the actual key
or a skeleton?
He was shot as he entered
by people waiting inside.
You are certain you have not
seen him before?
I'm certain.
Mr Temple, what is it
I am doing here?
Am I investigating a shooting,
a crime?
The purchase of this house
was my idea.
I'm well aware of the danger
faced by local people
who risk their lives
working for the coalition.
This was an attempt
to lessen that danger.
It's gone wrong, and quickly.
I'd like to understand why.
How.
I'll take a look up on the roof.
Anything?
This is where they gained
access to the house.
They were disturbed by the dead man
and by others, maybe -
one other at least.
How do you know?
There is evidence at the roadside.
The dead man is not a
coalition employee?
Security?
No.
I'm thinking out loud.
Thank you, inspector.
For what?
For confirming what I always knew.
Iraq needs Iraqi policemen.
Detectives.
Let's go down.
See what all this looks like
in daylight.
Sir...
..a police service
created by the Americans
will always be seen as American.
Do not lose faith, inspector,
not in your first days.
Please.
I will need money,
Mr Temple, to live.
We can sort that right away.
LAUGHTER
Sawsan?
Clear.
All right, what's going on here?
In houses like this
there is a crawl space.
The size of it varies.
My own house had one big enough
for my children to make a home.
Hide.
OK.
Keep going.
Anything?
Yes.
What?
A man.
Sweet Jesus Christ.
All right, let's get him out of
here. Not yet.
Do not move him or touch him.
He is attached to something.
String?
A wire.
A fucking grenade.
What is it?
Everybody out, we shut
this place down right now.
What is it?
Another body.
A US citizen.
Clark Kibbert.
In your house.
Everybody out. Everybody.
We let the bomb squad
take it from here.
Let's move out, guys.
GUNSHOT
Down! In cover!
Down!
Down! Down!
Down! In cover!
Where'd that come from?
Anyone see that?
Sniper, sir. Call it in.
HELICOPTER WHIRS
Do not engage.
We do not go in fucking blind.
Call it in.
If anything,
we'll flush the fucker out.
Sawsan.
Have you seen the children?
Shh.
Sawsan.
Little Mrouj.
HELICOPTER DRONES
I can't find them.
SCREAMING
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
DOG BARKS
THEY LAUGH
HORN BEEPS
KNOCKING ON DOOR
DOOR SLAMS
PHONE RINGS
Hello, yes?
Nidal, it's Muhsin.
Any news?
No. Not yet.
I have a question.
There was a lock on
Sawsan's bedroom door.
Put there by Sawsan for privacy.
Then I apologise.
She had no right.
She's young.
PHONE RINGS
KNOCKING ON DOOR
MUSIC PLAYS
I know it's a warm day.
We will all get through.
OK, you've got to get in line
and stay in line.
You can't just walk to
the front of the line!
Can you open your bag?
What's in there?
CAR HORN BEEPS
OK, little man, bye.
I need you to turn around.
Now move. Move.
Good morning.
Hands outstretched, please, sir.
Where are you from?
What part of the United States?
I'm Florida. National Guard.
Turn around, please.
Florida.
ENGINE RUMBLES
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
Get down! Get down!
GUNFIRE
Keep them down!
Everybody, stay down!
Stay flat on the ground!
Keep them down!
ENGINE HISSES
No boom.
WOMAN'S VOICE:
Tough guys.
What's she saying?
Stop right here.
24-hour guard on the driver.
You take first shift.
INDISTINCT RADIO TRANSMISSION
Oh, my days.
Looks like a pay cop, off-duty.
Most likely. All beef and ink.
On your way, Inspector.
You'll be needing my help.
To talk to the driver.
I think we'll manage just fine.
Body bag and transportation
required.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
MONITOR BEEPS
I need you to drink more. OK?
About twice as much. Mm-hm. OK.
But you're looking good, Mrouj.
A long way to go,
but we'll get there.
What do you mean, "long way to go"?
In her treatment.
Mrouj, we'll talk later.
That's it? That's all we get?
Baba, I will get better.
I know you will.
You look beautiful today.
I'm worried he can see that too.
Of course he can see it -
he's not blind.
That's mine.
You like to share.
Ever since you were small.
Hm...
What did Sawsan talk about?
What was she interested in?
You've asked me this.
Tell me again.
It's important.
Life.
She was interested in life.
She wanted a life.
Like we all do.
She wanted...to work.
To dance and sing.
To marry, to pray.
To have choices.
To be free.
Like we all do, Baba.
Did she say how
she would find this freedom?
Education? Something else?
Such as what?
There are only two explanations
for her disappearance.
I can think of only two.
The first is she has been...
kidnapped.
Abducted.
If so, she's likely to be dead
or sold on by now.
Or...
..she chose not to come home.
Would she do that, Mrouj?
I don't know.
But I hope it was her choice.
It would mean she's alive.
I know she blames me
for Tareq's death.
No. In part.
I know that is some of the reason
she could not bear to live with us.
Me.
HE SIGHS
Look at me.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
WOMAN CHATTERS IN DISTANCE
Sir, I was thinking about last night
and who gave away
the location of the house.
Was it you?
No, it was not.
But, yeah, I'm on a shortlist
of people who could've
potentially imparted information.
Miss Ford, anyone could've imparted
information - literally anyone.
A passer-by seeing activity, anyone.
Morning at last, Inspector.
Long queue at the checkpoint?
Yes. And an incident.
One dead man was delivered
inside an SUV.
You're kidding me.
A Western guy. Soldier?
Non-military. Mercenary.
Private security?
Yes.
Which company?
You wouldn't know.
The SUV had an "HB" logo on it.
How did he die? Shot.
Jesus...
Where do these types of men, um...
socialise?
Blow off steam?
Yes.
A hotel sports bar.
Awful place. Reeks of sweat
and testosterone.
Why do you ask?
He was dressed as if he was about
to "blow off steam",
and he smelled of cologne.
Anything else?
The SUV was driven by a young woman.
Again, this is why
we need a police service.
This is exactly why.
Do you believe for a minute
Captain Parodi is going to know just
the smell of cologne over cordite?
Is it important?
Miss Ford, I'll see you
back at the office.
Yes, sir. Sure.
Last night...
..at the safe house, the discovery
of Clark Kibbert's body...
..it's worrying.
Tell me what you saw,
what you're thinking exactly.
First of all, there were two bodies.
Of course.
There was also blood and
broken glass at the kerbside,
fragmented glass,
which suggests that shots
were fired at the vehicle.
Unreported fire fight. Yes.
Mr Kibbert was killed elsewhere
and brought deliberately
to your safe house.
A message, perhaps.
I want you to write all this up.
A report, something I can study
and send further up the line.
I need two things to happen here.
One - I need to show that me
and my department are clean,
clear, above board and helping out.
Mm-hm. All of those things.
And two...
..let's not fuck this up.
We are not -
and never shall be - American.
We are competent.
Good work, Inspector.
Good, clear thinking.
I'll see you upstairs.
Yes, sir.
INDISTINCT DISCUSSIONS
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
GUN CLICKS
HE GROANS, HIGH-PITCHED WHISTLING
SALIM SIGHS
HE EXHALES DEEPLY
ECHOED: They are here, Muhsin.
I want to go with you.
Much pain?
They are here, Muhsin.
Find them.
Jesus Christ.
What happened here?
SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC
You didn't slip and fall,
crack your head? No. I did not.
So what happened? History happened.
You know the guy
that did this to you?
Not that I'm going to do a damn
thing about it. Yes, I know the guy.
Not that I'm going to tell you.
Temple just minutes ago informed me
that you would be submitting
a report regarding last night.
They inform me it will be
"essential reading", his words.
I will be writing a report, yes.
Looking forward to it.
What are your essential thoughts
regarding the gatecrasher, the SUV?
You found the condoms
the man was carrying? Yes.
In his shirt pocket, not in his
back pocket, not in his wallet.
So he was getting laid?
For sure, he was getting laid.
Prostitutes? It's not new.
It's not new,
but he was trying to impress.
He wore cologne.
OK, I can see that.
The woman is still alive,
the driver? Yes.
You should allow me to talk to her.
What do you think of Temple,
asshole or dick?
They asked me
the same question of you.
HE LAUGHS
Captain Parodi...
If I was your inspector,
I'd get drunk tonight.
Your head's going to hurt
like hell either way.
Who was the dead Iraqi?
It is important!
WATER STOPS
Shit.
Fucking shit.
PHONE RINGS
OK, OK.
PHONE RINGS
Yes? Nidal, it's Muhsin.
I'm ashamed, Nidal.
I am a father who no longer knows
his own daughter.
No, Muhsin, you are not to blame.
I passed all responsibility
to you, her aunt and uncle.
You had Mrouj to take care of. But
one thing I do know that bothers me.
The lock on her door.
I know she would not do that.
She would not insult you.
She would not do that.
The truth is that Sawsan had
the life she had.
She put us all in danger,
my children included.
You should have told me.
If you believed she was in danger,
you should have told me.
Are you saying you would
have resolved battles,
just as you did with Fares?
Nidal, you've said enough.
It's true.
I did my best for Sawsan.
I owed it to her mother, my sister.
Your daughter has no respect
for you, Muhsin. None.
That is the truth.
She has no respect for anything
but her own belief.
I tried to keep her from harm.
Nothing more.
Nothing more.
She listened only to her friends.
Good night, Muhsin.
from university.
She has been working with
the Americans. She is missing.
She sometimes spoke of friends
she called Candy and Laura.
Have you found your missing
American citizen yet, Kibbert?
I believe men like you
are Iraq's future.
YELLING
I'd like you to visit me tomorrow.
Visit you where?
The Green Zone.
Bring your daughter Mrouj.
So...
..welcome to free Iraq.
You don't have to stay, Baba.
I want to stay.
They have food.
Mm.
This is exactly where we need to be.
This is where she worked.
Yesterday I was a terrorist.
Now I am an official.
You will be a collaborator?
Yes. No matter.
I will work for them for as long
as it takes to make you well.
And for as long as it takes me
to find Sawsan.
And then we will leave.
Inspector, sir.
Sir, you're needed.
INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO
Military will be on scene already.
Reports of a firefight
came via their channel.
And for our protection, of course.
Firefight?
We've had reports from the Red Zone
of an exchange of gunfire.
THUD
Woo! Thank you!
God be praised! God is good!
We're your liberators,
show some fucking respect here!
Agreed, show some respect.
Evening. Sir.
INDISTINCT CHATTER IN BACKGROUND
GLASS CRUNCHES
Captain.
Mr Temple, thought you
would have waited till morning.
It's urgent business.
Always.
Inspector Khafaji, meet
Captain Parodi, military police.
Pleasure is all his.
Inspector Khafaji, I'm going to go
through the charade
of pretending that you're
involved here.
How do you want to do this?
Ignore the bullshit,
this will become an
Iraqi Police-led investigation.
You want to go inside now or
wait till first light?
The power's down but we've got
a genny.
Is it safe to go inside?
No traps, if that's what you mean.
One dead male in
the kitchen area, that's it.
Iraqi male?
He's got the facial hair.
Let's take a look
for ourselves, shall we?
Be as quick as you like.
I want to lock this down.
Miss Ford tells me
this is a safehouse.
No, not in the true sense.
At the moment, it's unoccupied
but the idea is it's a safer place
for our workers without family.
Do you know him?
I do not.
The questions are, who is he,
what's he doing here...
..and who killed him?
Opportunist, Ba'athist resistance?
KEYS JANGLE
Is that the actual key
or a skeleton?
He was shot as he entered
by people waiting inside.
You are certain you have not
seen him before?
I'm certain.
Mr Temple, what is it
I am doing here?
Am I investigating a shooting,
a crime?
The purchase of this house
was my idea.
I'm well aware of the danger
faced by local people
who risk their lives
working for the coalition.
This was an attempt
to lessen that danger.
It's gone wrong, and quickly.
I'd like to understand why.
How.
I'll take a look up on the roof.
Anything?
This is where they gained
access to the house.
They were disturbed by the dead man
and by others, maybe -
one other at least.
How do you know?
There is evidence at the roadside.
The dead man is not a
coalition employee?
Security?
No.
I'm thinking out loud.
Thank you, inspector.
For what?
For confirming what I always knew.
Iraq needs Iraqi policemen.
Detectives.
Let's go down.
See what all this looks like
in daylight.
Sir...
..a police service
created by the Americans
will always be seen as American.
Do not lose faith, inspector,
not in your first days.
Please.
I will need money,
Mr Temple, to live.
We can sort that right away.
LAUGHTER
Sawsan?
Clear.
All right, what's going on here?
In houses like this
there is a crawl space.
The size of it varies.
My own house had one big enough
for my children to make a home.
Hide.
OK.
Keep going.
Anything?
Yes.
What?
A man.
Sweet Jesus Christ.
All right, let's get him out of
here. Not yet.
Do not move him or touch him.
He is attached to something.
String?
A wire.
A fucking grenade.
What is it?
Everybody out, we shut
this place down right now.
What is it?
Another body.
A US citizen.
Clark Kibbert.
In your house.
Everybody out. Everybody.
We let the bomb squad
take it from here.
Let's move out, guys.
GUNSHOT
Down! In cover!
Down!
Down! Down!
Down! In cover!
Where'd that come from?
Anyone see that?
Sniper, sir. Call it in.
HELICOPTER WHIRS
Do not engage.
We do not go in fucking blind.
Call it in.
If anything,
we'll flush the fucker out.
Sawsan.
Have you seen the children?
Shh.
Sawsan.
Little Mrouj.
HELICOPTER DRONES
I can't find them.
SCREAMING
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
DOG BARKS
THEY LAUGH
HORN BEEPS
KNOCKING ON DOOR
DOOR SLAMS
PHONE RINGS
Hello, yes?
Nidal, it's Muhsin.
Any news?
No. Not yet.
I have a question.
There was a lock on
Sawsan's bedroom door.
Put there by Sawsan for privacy.
Then I apologise.
She had no right.
She's young.
PHONE RINGS
KNOCKING ON DOOR
MUSIC PLAYS
I know it's a warm day.
We will all get through.
OK, you've got to get in line
and stay in line.
You can't just walk to
the front of the line!
Can you open your bag?
What's in there?
CAR HORN BEEPS
OK, little man, bye.
I need you to turn around.
Now move. Move.
Good morning.
Hands outstretched, please, sir.
Where are you from?
What part of the United States?
I'm Florida. National Guard.
Turn around, please.
Florida.
ENGINE RUMBLES
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
Get down! Get down!
GUNFIRE
Keep them down!
Everybody, stay down!
Stay flat on the ground!
Keep them down!
ENGINE HISSES
No boom.
WOMAN'S VOICE:
Tough guys.
What's she saying?
Stop right here.
24-hour guard on the driver.
You take first shift.
INDISTINCT RADIO TRANSMISSION
Oh, my days.
Looks like a pay cop, off-duty.
Most likely. All beef and ink.
On your way, Inspector.
You'll be needing my help.
To talk to the driver.
I think we'll manage just fine.
Body bag and transportation
required.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
MONITOR BEEPS
I need you to drink more. OK?
About twice as much. Mm-hm. OK.
But you're looking good, Mrouj.
A long way to go,
but we'll get there.
What do you mean, "long way to go"?
In her treatment.
Mrouj, we'll talk later.
That's it? That's all we get?
Baba, I will get better.
I know you will.
You look beautiful today.
I'm worried he can see that too.
Of course he can see it -
he's not blind.
That's mine.
You like to share.
Ever since you were small.
Hm...
What did Sawsan talk about?
What was she interested in?
You've asked me this.
Tell me again.
It's important.
Life.
She was interested in life.
She wanted a life.
Like we all do.
She wanted...to work.
To dance and sing.
To marry, to pray.
To have choices.
To be free.
Like we all do, Baba.
Did she say how
she would find this freedom?
Education? Something else?
Such as what?
There are only two explanations
for her disappearance.
I can think of only two.
The first is she has been...
kidnapped.
Abducted.
If so, she's likely to be dead
or sold on by now.
Or...
..she chose not to come home.
Would she do that, Mrouj?
I don't know.
But I hope it was her choice.
It would mean she's alive.
I know she blames me
for Tareq's death.
No. In part.
I know that is some of the reason
she could not bear to live with us.
Me.
HE SIGHS
Look at me.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
WOMAN CHATTERS IN DISTANCE
Sir, I was thinking about last night
and who gave away
the location of the house.
Was it you?
No, it was not.
But, yeah, I'm on a shortlist
of people who could've
potentially imparted information.
Miss Ford, anyone could've imparted
information - literally anyone.
A passer-by seeing activity, anyone.
Morning at last, Inspector.
Long queue at the checkpoint?
Yes. And an incident.
One dead man was delivered
inside an SUV.
You're kidding me.
A Western guy. Soldier?
Non-military. Mercenary.
Private security?
Yes.
Which company?
You wouldn't know.
The SUV had an "HB" logo on it.
How did he die? Shot.
Jesus...
Where do these types of men, um...
socialise?
Blow off steam?
Yes.
A hotel sports bar.
Awful place. Reeks of sweat
and testosterone.
Why do you ask?
He was dressed as if he was about
to "blow off steam",
and he smelled of cologne.
Anything else?
The SUV was driven by a young woman.
Again, this is why
we need a police service.
This is exactly why.
Do you believe for a minute
Captain Parodi is going to know just
the smell of cologne over cordite?
Is it important?
Miss Ford, I'll see you
back at the office.
Yes, sir. Sure.
Last night...
..at the safe house, the discovery
of Clark Kibbert's body...
..it's worrying.
Tell me what you saw,
what you're thinking exactly.
First of all, there were two bodies.
Of course.
There was also blood and
broken glass at the kerbside,
fragmented glass,
which suggests that shots
were fired at the vehicle.
Unreported fire fight. Yes.
Mr Kibbert was killed elsewhere
and brought deliberately
to your safe house.
A message, perhaps.
I want you to write all this up.
A report, something I can study
and send further up the line.
I need two things to happen here.
One - I need to show that me
and my department are clean,
clear, above board and helping out.
Mm-hm. All of those things.
And two...
..let's not fuck this up.
We are not -
and never shall be - American.
We are competent.
Good work, Inspector.
Good, clear thinking.
I'll see you upstairs.
Yes, sir.
INDISTINCT DISCUSSIONS
IN OWN LANGUAGE:
GUN CLICKS
HE GROANS, HIGH-PITCHED WHISTLING
SALIM SIGHS
HE EXHALES DEEPLY
ECHOED: They are here, Muhsin.
I want to go with you.
Much pain?
They are here, Muhsin.
Find them.
Jesus Christ.
What happened here?
SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC
You didn't slip and fall,
crack your head? No. I did not.
So what happened? History happened.
You know the guy
that did this to you?
Not that I'm going to do a damn
thing about it. Yes, I know the guy.
Not that I'm going to tell you.
Temple just minutes ago informed me
that you would be submitting
a report regarding last night.
They inform me it will be
"essential reading", his words.
I will be writing a report, yes.
Looking forward to it.
What are your essential thoughts
regarding the gatecrasher, the SUV?
You found the condoms
the man was carrying? Yes.
In his shirt pocket, not in his
back pocket, not in his wallet.
So he was getting laid?
For sure, he was getting laid.
Prostitutes? It's not new.
It's not new,
but he was trying to impress.
He wore cologne.
OK, I can see that.
The woman is still alive,
the driver? Yes.
You should allow me to talk to her.
What do you think of Temple,
asshole or dick?
They asked me
the same question of you.
HE LAUGHS
Captain Parodi...
If I was your inspector,
I'd get drunk tonight.
Your head's going to hurt
like hell either way.
Who was the dead Iraqi?
It is important!
WATER STOPS
Shit.
Fucking shit.
PHONE RINGS
OK, OK.
PHONE RINGS
Yes? Nidal, it's Muhsin.
I'm ashamed, Nidal.
I am a father who no longer knows
his own daughter.
No, Muhsin, you are not to blame.
I passed all responsibility
to you, her aunt and uncle.
You had Mrouj to take care of. But
one thing I do know that bothers me.
The lock on her door.
I know she would not do that.
She would not insult you.
She would not do that.
The truth is that Sawsan had
the life she had.
She put us all in danger,
my children included.
You should have told me.
If you believed she was in danger,
you should have told me.
Are you saying you would
have resolved battles,
just as you did with Fares?
Nidal, you've said enough.
It's true.
I did my best for Sawsan.
I owed it to her mother, my sister.
Your daughter has no respect
for you, Muhsin. None.
That is the truth.
She has no respect for anything
but her own belief.
I tried to keep her from harm.
Nothing more.
Nothing more.
She listened only to her friends.
Good night, Muhsin.