Sick Note (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Airplane Mode - full transcript

Oh, Ash!

Ash!

Oh, Ash!

Ash!

Oh, yeah, Ash!

Ash?

Ash, can you hear me?

Ash?

The doctors say that Mr. Matthews
has something called...

locked-in syndrome.

Uh, well, what's that?



Think of him as being in...

airplane mode.

- So... So, Ash could make a full recovery?
- Mm...

You know when your plane lands,

and you turn airplane mode off...

we don't know where the button is.

Right. Um...

So, is there any way
Ash could communicate?

Sometimes...

with a phone,
you do a thing called a hard reset,

and usually when you turn
your phone back on...

it starts working again.

You know when you're looking
at your screen and you can see

the update bar crawling
from the left to the right



and you just shout at it,
"Just bloody turn on!"

So... So, we should shout at Ash?

No!

No, that won't work!

I'll be at my station if you need me.

- Where... Where's Vanessa?
- Uh, feeding Benny in the cafe.

You should take her home.

Yeah. It's...

It's a good idea.

What are you going to do?

I'm gonna stay with Ash.

You know, keep his mind active.

I can be late for work.

But you just make sure Vanessa knows
that everything's going to be alright.

You know, this... this locked-in thing...

people get better from it.

Have you ever read, um,
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?

Yeah, he made a full recovery.

Made a film about it.

I think it was on Netflix.

You... You should watch it.

OK.

See you later.

Hey... buddy.

How's it going?

Can... Can you hear me?

Ash?

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Yeah!

It's only six months
and everyone will think I've beat cancer.

I'm 100% positive
he's not going to give the game away.

- How can you be so sure?
- I am a qualified medical professional.

You pronounced him dead!

I promise you he is unable to understand
or communicate anything.

In that respect, he's very much like
the frog that fell down the wizard's well.

- Wizard's what?
- Oh, it's a lovely... lovely tale.

- Frog couldn't find his mummy and daddy...
- OK, save... save that for another time.

What are we going to do now?

Well, I suppose we just...

wait for nature to take its course.

I think...

I think he can hear us.

Hey, pal!

Uh, did you have a nice sleep?

Do you remember
what happened to you... Ash?

Do you remember fucking my girlfriend?

Andy?

Andy, Andy, Andy? No.

OK,
Becca's staying with Vanessa.

That gives us more time.
I'll just tell her that I've gone to work.

Right, well, uh...
if you're done with me here...

No, no, no, you...
you just stay by the door

and tell me if anyone comes toward it.

Oh, you're going to give nature
a helping hand.

What?! No! Of course not.
I'm just gonna...

I'm just gonna try
and get some sense out of him.

Right, but I think it looks
a bit suspicious with...

Just stand by the door.

Fine.

- And tell me if anyone comes near.
- Yes, of course.

Hey... pal.

Here he is, Officer.

Moved him to a room
when he came off the ventilator.

Hey, hello, Officer, uh...

I asked to be notified the second he woke.

He might have valuable information
about his attempted murder.

The doctor thinks it's too early
to tell whether communication's possible.

- Yeah, he's... he's in airplane mode.
- What?

Sometimes, with a phone...

...you do a thing called a hard reset.

- Usually, when you turn it back on...
- I was told he had locked-in syndrome.

Yes, well, that's the medical term for it.

- I'll take it from here. Thank you.
- Just... don't wear him out.

And you are? Remind me again.

Uh, Daniel?

Ash's best friend.

Yeah, yeah, and I just can't bear
to see my friend like this.

Yeah, he's been through a lot.

Oh, I... I just...

I just want you
to catch the bastards that did it.

Get the fuck out!

OK!

Anyway, I've got serious work
to do here so if you could leave now.

Tell you what...

why don't we go
and get a coffee downstairs?

Actually, I would love a coffee,

but I'd like to crack on.

So, if you could get me one,
you'd be doing myself

and Mr. Matthews here a huge favor.

Oh, but there's just so much choice,

you know, there's a cappuccino...

a latte...

m-mocha?

I really do think it's best if...
if you come with me.

I'll make it easy for you:

black, medium-sized coffee, no sugar,
sometimes known as an Americano.

Get one for yourself,
courtesy of Her Majesty's police force.

Please knock
when you come back with my coffee.

Fuck!

Was it, uh, sugar or without sugar?

- Is there a problem?
- No, no, I just...

I couldn't remember
if you wanted sugar... or no sugar.

No sugar. Thank you.

Now, Mr. Matthews,
to help you communicate...

I'm going to point to a letter.

If you close your eyelid
on the right letter, I'll write it down.

If you close your eyelid twice,
it means delete.

If you move your eye to the left,
it means new paragraph.

Move your eye to the right...

Maybe we'll start
with you winking at the right letters.

With any luck, you'll spell out words

and help me answer some questions
and find out who put you in here.

I know.

I'll just point at Y or N for yes or no.

That'll make it a lot easier, won't it?

Can you remember anything
that happened to you? Anything at all?

OK, yes! That was a Y.

Oh, my word. Well done.

Right, so, can you tell me

what happened to you
by winking at the right letters?

Another Y. Fantastic!

Right.

Now we know you can communicate,
what do you want to tell me?

OK.

Good work, Mr. Matthews.
You're doing very well.

Mm...

Is what I've written here accurate?

Are you a spy?

Here we go!

One black coffee without sugar.

I asked you to knock
before you came back in!

Sorry.

Thank you.

Sorry for snapping.

Can I ask you...

how well do you know Mr. Matthews?

Very well.

Yeah, no, we were friends
for over 14 years.

- Was he ever away with work?
- Not really.

No, um, why do you ask?

And he works for the government?

Yeah, yeah, I suppose so.
He's... He's a tax officer.

Uh...

- Have you communicated with him?
- I'm not at liberty to say.

But this is a much bigger case
than meets the eye.

If I'm right, then, this could have major
implications, not just for your friend...

but for the country.

Wow...

Yes.

I have to make
a number of important calls.

Oh...

- Let's get you out of here.
- Thank you.

- Who are you talking to?
- Ash.

Why were you over there
with your back to him?

Um, I was...
I was just gonna sit on this...

this armchair and, um...

just see...

if, um, me sitting here made
a difference with him.

I need your name and number
in case I have any more questions.

I really think I might be
onto something here.

Yeah, sure, um...

My number is 077...

007...

Oh, God...

Oh!

Oh...

Don't look at me.

Um...

Oh!

What?

You were gonna murder him?

I wasn't, I promise. I...

I had a little accident.

I was going to use this to mop it up.

I... I'd never kill anyone.

Let... Let alone old Andy here.

- Ash.
- Ash. I wouldn't kill him.

You better get cleaned up.

- Go on, in there.
- Cold.

Has the policeman gone?

Yeah.

I... I just don't understand
all those questions.

Did Ash really communicate with him?

The officer seemed to think so. He...

He said something
about your friend being a... being a spy.

His brain must be buggered, then.

Guess that works in our favor.

It doesn't look that bad,
let's just leave and you can...

walk behind me.

Wh... When I was a child,

my... auntie and uncle

were trusted to look after
a student residence,

a b-b-big old rambling place.

One year, we played hide-and-seek,

and all the children
were coupled with a grown-up,

and so, Uncle Richard and I, we...

we ran off and we found a big old
pair of curtains in a hallway.

And I could hear my auntie
coming down the corridor,

"Come out, come out,
wherever you are."

Oh, I was so terrified and excited...

I just couldn't hold it in.

I gave away our hiding place that night.

Auntie saw the puddle.

I was never allowed
to play hide-and-seek again.

- Right. We really need to go now.
- That...

That was almost 40 years ago.

And I am a big boy now... but look,

the same thing happens again.

Look, it was a very unusual situation.

You know, I think I might have done
something worse in my time.

Thanks. Thanks, Daniel.

Look, it'll just be our little secret.

Along with all the others.

Let's go.

Hey, baby.

She said she was at Vanessa's!

Who is it?

Becca. We wouldn't be here
if you didn't wee yourself.

You're so brave.

- Just... just go out.
- I can't, I told her I'd gone to work.

Your relationship is never going to work
if you lie to each other.

You go. She wouldn't suspect anything,
you've been here before.

Yes, in this very room
when I swapped my phone for Ash's.

I think she'd be suspicious.
I mean... Plus, I'm...

I'm very damp.

Well, what do we do?

Hide. We've got to hide.

For fuck's sake.

Can you please try
and keep it in this time?

Daniel's the one with cancer,
it should be him in this bed.

You lying there reminds me
of the last time we were together.

Why is she here?

I really hope it's not what I think it is.

Vanessa is at home,
Daniel is at work,

it's just you and me.

What do you think it is?

I know, I've got a naughty idea.

Oh, I've got to look.

I don't know if it's all the tubes
or the fact you can only open one eye,

but I have never wanted you more.

- Jesus!
- You look pale. Is it the chemotherapy?

No, it's fucking not!

Let's see if anything other
than your eye is working.

Maybe... this will help.

Can you do this
with a catheter inserted? Let's see.

- Do what with a catheter?
- Quiet!

I might know the answer.

Oh, there is it.
I knew where to find it.

- What's she found?
- Be quiet.

How's that? Hm? Is it nice?

I miss your touch.

- I can't believe I'm seeing this.
- What's happening?

She's pleasuring him.

- And herself.
- Herself?

How?

Oh, it's like one of those videos
on the Internet.

I can't believe she'd do this.
He's got locked-in syndrome.

Well, I mean, it's perfectly normal

that he would have a large and,
indeed, powerful erection.

Oh, that's it.

Oh, that's it!

Oh, yeah...

Oh... That's it. Oh, yeah...

Yes! Oh! Oh!

Oh, my God, oh!

Oh!

Oh! Ooh...

Wow...

I hope you enjoyed that.

Mm... I did.

I doubt it. He's probably unable
to feel anything really.

Let's get this cleaned up.

Am I interrupting?

Oh, no. No, no, no. Uh...

Ash's catheter wasn't working properly
so I'm just cleaning him up.

Um, your... top is undone.

Oh!

Yeah, sorry, stupid buttons.

I'll just get rid of this.

Shit, shit!

- Remind me who you are?
- I'm Becca, Becca Palmerstone.

I'm a friend of Ash's.
My boyfriend Daniel is his best friend.

- Nothing that time.
- Well done.

Yes, he was in here earlier.

Now, I'm afraid I'm going
to have to ask you to leave.

- Why?
- I really can't say anything.

Other than the fact that this could
have a bearing on national security.

Please exit,
I need to lock down this room.

- Well, what do I tell his wife?
- Don't alarm her.

- He's in good hands.
- Yeah, I...

This is Officer Haywood
requesting two armed guards

at the Thames Royal Infirmary,
room 315.

As soon as possible
and get them to be subtle,

we don't want them freaking out
the patients and staff. Thank you.

Don't worry, Mr. Matthews.

I won't let
those Russian bastards get to you.

Right, needs must.

Oh, fuck!

Officer Haywood speaking.

Yes, I did request armed backup, sir.

I have reason to believe
this man was working for MI5

and that there is a real danger
he'll be assassinated by the KGB.

FSB?

No, I wasn't aware they'd changed it.

Whatever they're called now,
I believe they're the culprits.

Well, yes, I can come in and explain,
but what about the armed guards?

OK.

If you insist, but that's a big mistake.

Fuck!

Bloody thing.

Haywood?

Yes, I'm on my way back in.

I'll be there in 20 minutes.

- It's happened again.
- Yeah...

I thought so.

It's understandable.

- OK, this is our chance, let's go.
- Yeah...

I guess you were right
about him then, finally.

- What do you mean?
- His brain must be mush.

Whatever he's saying
to Haywood is nonsense

You know, making him think
he was a spy, armed guards.

I mean, whatever he's saying,
it's not about us.

Maybe now you'll stop
underestimating me.

Yeah.

Maybe.

Oh, stop staring at me.

I didn't put you here. You did.

Oh...

- Use this to cover yourself.
- Thank you.

Although I think you may need one too.

- For fuck's sake.
- I'm sorry.

If it's any consolation,
I drink a lot of water

so my... my urine is... is very clear.

- Let's go.
- OK, yes.

What now?

Nothing. I just... misremembered a film.

Goodbye, Ash.

I can move.

I can... I can move.

I can... I can talk.

I can... I can move.

Mr. Matthews! Mr. Matthews!

I've got a cardiac arrest!

I need some help in here, now!

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