Strike Back (2010–2018): Season 2, Episode 1 - Project Dawn #1 - full transcript

British sergeant Michael Stonebridge recruits help from Ex-Delta Force operative Damien Scott when Section 20 agent John Porter is kidnapped by a Pakistani terrorist. The two then uncover ...

(SPEAKING URDU)

"To the Imperialist powers of the West.

"I,

"John Porter,

"confess to the crime
of being a British spy,

"trespassing on
the holy soil of Pakistan..."

SINCLAIR: IP tracking locked,
we have Porter's location.

SECTION 20 STAFF MEMBER:
Satellite telemetry in place.

RICHMOND: We have visual.
SECTION 20 STAFF MEMBER: Confirmed.

PORTER: "The Pakistani people have
tasted humiliation

"and contempt for decades."



Re-scan.

SINCLAIR: Rooftops clear.
No snipers visible.

PORTER: "Her sons murdered,
her holy places desecrated."

(SPEAKING URDU)

"Latif demands the immediate release

"of all his oppressed brothers being
held in British and American prisons."

STONEBRIDGE: In position.

MARSHALL: Head cams up.

- Stonebridge?
- Colonel?

- GRANT: Bring John home.
- With pleasure.

STONEBRIDGE: Stairs. Going up.

"Unless his brothers are freed,

"my life will be sacrificed

"as just retribution.



"God is great!"

- Are you ready for this?
- Fuck yeah.

"Glory to Islam!"

Stand by! Stand by!

- Clear.
- They've moved him.

Kyle, John's not here,
check for intel, anything you can find.

Kyle, come in.

Got something here, boss.

Shit! All right, Kyle, stay with me,
stay with me, buddy.

Fuck. Stay with me. Stay with me.

(SPEAKING URDU)

Captain, this was your operation.
What went wrong?

We committed too fast with inadequate
surveillance of the target location

and ineffective perimeter security.

It was a rash call, Captain.

With all due respect, Major,
when was the last time you stepped out

- from behind a desk?
- Stonebridge.

Sinclair's right. It was rash.

Captain, anything else to add?

Our intel was good. Porter was there.
We had a small window of opportunity.

If we'd waited any longer
then we would have...

Porter would still have been gone

and maybe one of our best men
would be alive.

We analysed the map of Delhi
and the mobile phone that you recovered.

Several calls were logged on
throwaway phones in India.

But none of it's actionable intel.

Well, if Latif's men are calling Delhi,

they may well be
planning something there.

Possibly Project Dawn.

True. But we still don't know
what Project Dawn is yet, do we?

That's what Porter
was supposed to find out.

All we know is that Latif has vowed
to launch a devastating attack

on British and American citizens.

And as of now, I have to report
to the MOD that we have nothing.

We cannot afford any more mistakes.
I cannot afford any more mistakes.

Understood?

- Colonel.
- Okay, thank you, Kate.

I need you to locate this man.

His name is Damien Scott,
ex-Delta Force.

Colonel. Major.

(TREENA CRYING OUT)

(SCOTT MOANING)

What the fuck!

SCOTT: Whoo.

Don't you knock?

I own this place.

You own everything
in this shithole, Ong.

Now, what do you want?

I have a lot of money
riding on this fight.

You tell Igor to lay off the nose, huh?

Hey, where's my ringgit?

You'll be paid. After.

You're a fucking asshole.

You win for Treena, Scott?

Not this time, honey. Not this time.

Ong! Lay off the nose, huh?

Yeah, fuck you, too.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Not the fucking nose!

(CROWD CHANTING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(CROWD CHANTING)

What the fuck, Ong? I said not the nose!

TREENA: Come on, Scott!

(BELL DINGING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

TREENA: Scott! Scott!

MAN: Come on, Igor!

Get up!

Yeah!

Get up!

(TREENA LAUGHING)

Shit.

TREENA: Scott!

- HOOKER: Hi, Scott.
- Hey, honey.

- Hey, sexy.
- Hey.

(WOMAN MOANING)

Not a bad fight back there.
Once you decided to fight, that is.

Yeah.

So, who you with?

SAS or SBS?

Section 20. High-risk, priority targets.

Oh, wow, such hot shit,
what are you doing here?

John Porter.

What about him?

He was undercover in Pakistan,
looking for a man named Latif.

Latif found Porter instead.

What's that got to do with me?

You and Porter were the only soldiers
ever to see Latif. Back in 2002.

You must be really desperate, buddy.

There's a Herc
waiting to take us back to London.

Since you're packing your bags anyway...

- Ong's looking for you.
- Yeah, I know.

- He's very angry.
- I know.

- How much?
- How much?

Yeah, you want my help finding Porter,
I want cash. And a lot of it.

I thought you and Porter were mates.

Yeah, we were.
But now, as you can see, I'm retired.

Dishonourably discharged,
on the eve of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Not even the PMCs will touch you.

Yeah. That's right.

So if you don't want to pay me,
then you can go fuck yourself.

You are not going to leave me?

Just for a couple of days, honey.

Here, thanks. Thanks, honey.

- You'll get paid.
- Yeah?

More than you're worth.

- Yeah. What's your name?
- Stonebridge.

Okay, Stonehenge. Time to go.

Scott, please. How will I find you?

I'll friend you on Facebook, honey.

Uh, dude, not that way. Trust me.

(SPEAKING MALAY)

Hold that, buddy. Move over there.

- Can we go now?
- Yeah, I'm driving. Nice hit, buddy.

- (TREENA SHOUTING)
- Let's go, come on, come on.

(SPEAKING MALAY)

STONEBRIDGE: Colonel...

- Ah. Damien Scott?
- This is Damien.

Colonel Grant.
Commanding officer of Section 20.

This is Major Oliver Sinclair.

- Captain Kate Marshall.
- Hello.

Captain. A pleasure.

This is all very impressive, but um,

I've never actually heard of Section 20.

No, of course not.
Officially, we don't exist. Kate.

I understand you and Porter worked
closely with Latif in Afghanistan.

It was taken 10 years ago in Peshawar.
It's the only photo we have.

This guy's former ISI. You're telling me
that no one in Pakistan can ID him?

No one alive. Latif made sure of that.

So if you could take a look
at the surveillance photos,

help us identify what he looks like now,

then, uh, we have a chance
to locate and rescue Porter.

Sure, but uh, not until I get paid.

Colonel, it's Porter. Big screen.

SINCLAIR: Contact GCHQ.
I want this website monitored now!

- Yes, sir.
- They're transmitting live.

- Track IP now.
- Tracking IP.

(GRUNTING IN PAIN)

(SPEAKING URDU)

"No effort has been made
to free the brothers being held

"by the American and British dogs."

You cowards. You make me fucking laugh!

(SPEAKING URDU)

- (PORTER GRUNTS IN PAIN)
- (SPEAKING URDU)

"Instead, the blood of other martyrs
has been spilled in a ridiculous attempt

"to rescue me..."
Why don't you just get on with it,

you sad, fucking pricks!

(CRYING OUT IN PAIN)

(SPEAKING URDU)

Satellite lock in three minutes.

"Latif must speak in the only language
the West understands."

God, no...

"Blood."

- One more?
- Thanks.

- To John.
- ALL: To John.

R.I.P., buddy.

Same again.

Thanks.

It's good of you to come.
Considering it's an unpaid gig.

Yeah, well...

He was a damn good soldier.

That he was.

I just didn't expect him
to die this way.

How do you mean?

Well, you knew John. His motto was
never give up. No matter what.

Yeah.

Sometimes you don't have a choice.

True.

- I just thought, maybe he...
- What?

Put up more of a fight?

Yeah.

...ridiculous attempt to break me.
Why don't you just get on with it?

...rescue me, why don't you just
get on with it, you sad fucking pricks!

"No effort has been made to free
the brothers being held by

"the American and British dogs."
You cowards. You make me fucking laugh!

Holy shit!

(LAUGHTER)

SCOTT: Eh? And then walks in, says,
"What's the problem?

He looks,
sees he's butt naked waist down.

(KERRY LAUGHS)

Hey, love. Have a nice run?

Hey, buddy, nice tights.

Can I have a word?

Yeah.

Damien, why don't you
stay for breakfast?

I can make a full English,
Mike's favourite.

Uh, no thanks.

- I should break your fucking neck.
- Easy, buddy.

This is my home. My home.

I know. It's a great one, too.
Kerry's a great girl.

How'd you find me?

Yeah, thank you.

- Trace my mobile?
- You're not so hard to find.

I've got something to show you.
Where's your laptop?

According to Scott,
when him and Porter entered Afghanistan

they used to work with a lot of locals
they couldn't always trust.

To pass messages
back and forth to each other,

they came up with a simple
numerical code only they would know.

It's pretty basic.

You switch each sequential number
of the alphabet

with Scott and Porter's
new number system

and "pricks" becomes...

"L-O-T-U-S-H."

- Lotus H.
- You can't be serious.

What's "Lotus H"?

- It could be one in a million things.
- Including this.

The Royal Lotus Hotel. In Delhi.

Shit, Mike. You're clutching at straws.
That guy would do anything to get paid.

Uh, bear with me.

There was one other coded word
in Porter's first outburst.

"British dogs..." Cowards.
You make me fucking laugh!

Deciphered, it becomes...

- PDAWN. "Project Dawn".
- Right.

Now, LOTUS H
could have been a lucky guess.

But there's no possible way Scott
could have known about Project Dawn

or its significance to us.

Porter died trying to tell us
what he found out about Latif.

All right, everyone, go home.
Take a shower,

kiss your partner, feed the dog.

(SIGHS)

- All set, Sergeant?
- Major, let's prepare the crib.

I want everyone assembled
at RAF Lakenheath by 1900.

We're re-locating to Delhi.

Hey! Today's the 15th.

You know how much I want this baby.

- Darling, I'm late as it is.
- Are you gonna walk out on this?

Michael. We'll need to take him.

I know, but he was Delta Force once.

And if Latif is in Delhi,
then he'll be the one to recognise him.

Copy that.

(SPEAKING HINDI)

ID?

Okay, the satellite
should be coming up any second now.

Major Ashkani?

Major, please.

Colonel.

- Colonel Grant.
- Welcome to the crib.

This is Captain Kate Marshall,
our chief intel analyst.

And Major Oliver Sinclair, my second.

This is Major Ashkani,
Pakistani's ISI Delhi agent.

Please accept my condolences
for the loss of your soldier.

John Porter was a valiant man.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

I'd better run, excuse me.

Thank you for coming
at such short notice.

We have reason to believe
that Latif is here in Delhi.

- Latif here?
- Hmm.

- But why?
- We don't know.

That's why we'd like the assistance
from Pakistani intelligence.

Of course. But I must ask.

Does the Indian government
know you're here?

As you can see, Major,
we like to keep a low profile.

Thanks very much.

- Here you are, Mr Langley.
- Thank you, Mr Byers.

- Your credit card. Enjoy your stay.
- Thanks.

Oi, rooms are that way.

Yeah, I know. The bar is this way.

Life's just one long
pussy prowl for you, isn't it?

(CHUCKLES) I'm on the case, Mr Byers.

The bar's the first place
a good Muslim would go to blend in.

Hmm. It's really great
to have you on the team.

- MARSHALL: Michael, are you in?
- Yes, I'm in.

What do you see?

(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

Six cameras in total. Four in the lobby,
one in each corner, two at the entrance.

I think I found
where to tap into their feed.

Okay. Well, I'll be there in
about... About five minutes.

- DRIVER: Make it 10.
- Better make it 10.

Excuse me, can I get a
Laphroaig on the rocks, please?

Single or double?

Oh, it depends. How soon do you get off?

Are you hitting on me?

Is it working?

- I'll make it a double.
- Yeah.

Thanks.

- This is the Royal Lotus, isn't it?
- Sorry?

This hotel. Is it the Royal Lotus?

You don't know where you are?

Not most of the time.

- Another lost American.
- Yeah.

How about you?

Just a very tired Brit.

Here alone, travelling for business.

You're psychic.

Thank you.

Why don't you let me
buy you another drink

and I'll amaze you some more.

No thanks. I'm just leaving.

That's a really pretty ring.

- Why me?
- I like you.

You don't know me.

I can tell that we'd hit it off.

It's too bad.

(LIFT DINGS)

We'll never find out.

Yeah.

- Going down?
- Up.

- Do you have a picture?
- Hang on a sec.

Roger that. Julia?

Standing by.

Got it. Start facial scans.

Surely you can't expect
to recognise Latif

based on CCTV feeds
and a 10-year-old photograph?

Major, we need your help
to identify known associates.

We have a man on the inside
that can identify Latif.

(KNOCKING AT THE DOOR) Room service.

Hey.

You alone?

Uh, yeah.

Now, I don't remember
telling you my room number.

You wrote it on your bill.

Yeah.

You off work already?

I'm on a break.

MARSHALL: Thank you.

- Kate?
- Yeah, I'm here.

Just outside the entrance. Thanks.

I think we have trouble.

Okay, coming in now.

- Hi, it's just a PC.
- Thank you, ma'am.

There, on your ten.

- Got it?
- Got it.

(SPEAKING URDU)

May I check your bag, please?

Hey!

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

Down, down! Get down!

Stay down! Stay down!

Fuck.

Kate, go! Go! Go! Go!

Okay, I need up-res rescans now!

ANALYST:
Losing feed. Repeat, losing feed.

Shit.

Michael, come in.
Michael, can you hear me?

(MOANING)

Shh!

What? Scott?

Be quiet.

(MEN SPEAKING URDU)

- Get in the bathroom.
- What?

Shh, get in the bathroom.

Be quiet.

Get dressed.

(MEN SHOUTING)

(SIRENS BLARING)

Fuck!

Keep pressure on that.

Thank you very much.

(SPEAKING URDU)

Sorry. Sorry.

MARSHALL: Michael,
Michael can you hear me?

- I'm here.
- Thank Christ.

Okay, give me a sit rep.

Sixteen young men, in total.

Pakistani. Late 20s, early 30s.
All armed with AKs.

But how did they get past security?

Bags were already in the lobby.

They're rounding up civilians.

Six to seven dead,
three or four wounded.

It's Mumbai all over again.
Stonebridge, is Scott with you?

No, he's not among the hostages.

Fuck me.

- What are you doing?
- You got a phone in here?

It's downstairs.

We could call someone for help.

Yeah, we will.

Right now I need you to do
exactly what I tell you, okay?

Hey, it's okay. It's okay.

- I just want to go home.
- I know. I know.

And I'll get you there, if you do
exactly what I tell you. All right?

- Yes.
- Are you listening to me?

- Yes.
- Right, now come with me.

Don't look down, don't look at them,
just come with me.

(SPEAKING URDU)

Easy...

- Hey, keep your hand on my back.
- Sorry.

Come on.

- I saw what you did.
- I'm sorry?

When the shooting started.
Those people you helped.

- Are you a policeman?
- No. Tourist.

- You?
- Tourist, yes.

Okay, come on.

Back! Back, back, back, back!

(SCREAMING)

Fuck!

NEWS REPORTER: I've just arrived outside
the Royal Lotus Hotel in downtown Delhi

where we have received reports
of gunfire inside the building.

(NEWS REPORTERS CHATTERING
IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES)

STONEBRIDGE: Kate, are you there?

Michael, I'm here.

Directly behind the entrance doors,
they've rigged a necklace of IEDs.

The Army so much as kick them,
it will detonate.

Well, can you defuse it?

Not right now.

(TYRES SCREECHING)

Colonel.

Go ahead.

I think it's time
we made our presence known.

Understood.

(SPEAKING URDU)

Some of the terrorists have been killed.

He's saying someone shot at them.

Good man.

Come in here. Come in here.

(SCREAMS)

Hey, hey, hey. Come here, come here.

I'm not going in.

I need you to stay here, okay?

They're not gonna search the
same room twice. You understand?

- You stay there.
- Okay.

(SCREAMING)

What's going on? Shit, okay.

- Hey, hey, hang on, buddy, hang on.
- I'll get...

Go to the bathroom. Get me some towels.

- I'll get help.
- No, no, no. You stay here!

Fuck!

Hang on two seconds, buddy,
I'll be right back.

Hang on, buddy. Hang on. Okay.

Don't talk.

Shit. Fuck!

(GIRL WHINING)

Just what I need.

Hey, it's okay. It's okay, honey.

You all right? You gotta come with me.

Come on.

Come on. I'm not a bad man.

Come on. It's okay.

Come on. There we go.
We're going for a ride.

There we go. You're okay.

Yeah, just put your head down there.

Okay? You're okay.

And don't you look up, all right?
Just keep your head down.

ASHKANI: This man is definitely Shabbir.
He's one of Latif's lieutenants.

Do you recognise
any of the other men in these pictures?

This is the crib.

Colonel?

- Right, everyone out. Now.
- The Major General's here.

Major General Kohli, Colonel Grant.

You are on Indian soil, Colonel Grant.
Indian soil.

Without prior permission or consent.

I appreciate that, sir. But we are here
pursuing the Pakistani terrorist Latif.

I see.

And yet you choose to involve
the very same intelligence agency

that turns a blind eye
to Latif s activities.

Latif is as much an enemy
of our government as yours, sir.

Countless Pakistanis have died...

The government of Pakistan is weak,
corrupt and riddled with traitors.

Give me one good reason why
I shouldn't impound this facility

and place you all under arrest.

Because, General, I am willing
to give you full access

to our resources here at the Section.

I can take that.

And we have two operatives
inside the hotel.

- MARSHALL: Michael.
- I'm here.

Colonel Grant wants you to be
the eyes and ears of the Indian Army.

Understood. I need to find Scott first.

And then what?

The two of you take out 16 armed men?

That's the general idea.

Hey, tourist. Who are you talking to?

(SPEAKING URDU)

He says Mahmood must come forward.

(HOSTAGE PLEADING)

Please, please, please.

(SPEAKING IN URDU)

If you are Mahmood, step forward now.

(SPEAKING IN URDU)

Or... Or blood will be shed.

(SPEAKING IN URDU)

You have 10 seconds
to identify yourself

or the old man dies.

- (COUNTING IN URDU)
- Ten.

- Colonel.
- Nine.

Eight.

They're going to execute a man.

Stonebridge, do nothing
to give yourself away.

Six. Five. Four.

HOSTAGE: I'm so sorry.
SHABBIR: Three. Two. One.

(BIDS FAREWELL IN URDU)

(HOSTAGES CRY OUT)

Stonebridge, do not intervene.

- (COUNTING IN URDU)
- Ten. Nine. Eight.

Seven. Six. Five.

Four. Three.

Two.

(FIRE ALARM RINGING)

(SPEAKING URDU)

Come on! Come on!

Thank you. Thank you!

Please! Please take us with you!

Uh, I know a way out.
Through the laundry, in the basement.

- Show me.
- Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Shh.

Okay. Come on. Come on, it's okay.

Okay. It's okay.

Hello? It's the guy from the bar.

I'm here to help.

Get out! Get the fuck out now! Get out!

- Don't, don't, don't, don't...
- Fuck me.

You all right? Okay.

You're gonna come with me.

We're gonna go
straight across that hall. Okay?

Go. Go across.

In the bathroom, in there. Come on.

- Can you get me out of here?
- Yeah, I'm working on that.

I need you to hide here, okay?
I've gotta find a safe exit.

You look after her. I'll be back.

Stonebridge, report.

Colonel. I know what...

- Scott! Fuck me! Fuck!
- Friendlies.

SCOTT: Where the fuck you been?

Oh, you know, saving lives,
shooting bad guys.

- How many numbnuts you taken out?
- Two. You?

- Three.
- Hah, that's good.

That leaves 11.
You want to shoot some more?

If I have to.

Colonel, I've just located Scott.

I told you not to break cover.

Yeah, I know. But I've just doubled
our chances of defusing that IED.

First things first though.

I have two hostages
I have to get to safety.

You two know a way out of here?

- Yes, downstairs.
- Awesome.

Hey, buddy, I gotta go
back upstairs though.

- Why?
- A girl I met in the bar.

- You got to be kidding me!
- Not like that.

Okay, wait, wait. We've, we've all
got to stick together. Yeah?

Copy that.

- Colonel.
- Sergeant.

I think I know why
Latif's men are in the building.

They're looking for
someone named Mahmood.

- Mahmood?
- Yeah.

The gunmen are going through passports.
They're trying to locate him.

Which means Latif can't know
what Mahmood looks like.

But why take an entire hotel hostage
for one man?

Well, I don't think it was
supposed to happen that way.

From what I saw, those boys panicked.

I don't know, these men were prepared.
They had weapons, explosives.

Maybe the gunmen and the
hostages were a smokescreen.

A way of hiding his true target.

Right. But the gunmen,
they were intercepted by security.

They drew their weapons too quickly.

And the siege started
before they could locate Mahmood.

We're missing the point.

Latif has no intention of letting anyone
in or out of that building

until he's got what he needs.

Which means only one thing.

Latif is still inside the hotel.

STONEBRIDGE: Ah! You!

You can stop looking.