Waking the Dead (2000–…): Season 5, Episode 2 - Towers of Silence: Part 2 - full transcript

The FBI office at the US Embassy
found a body in a plane in Arizona.

The last flight this plane made
was from Heathrow Airport in 1998,

at the same time a baggage handler
was found in a water tower in Kent.

Sarosh Mehta, his brother, was
also a baggage handler at Heathrow.

He confessed to murdering his brother
over a debt and is serving life.

His profile doesn't fit
with someone who is genuinely
confessing to a murder.

There was a robbery at Heathrow
Airport, flight from Mumbai.

Indian baggage handler.
Indian plane.

Your man's in and the operation's
secure for the time being at least.

If a prison officer finds out,
by the time the shifts have rotated
every 48 hours,

everyone will know Mehta's
in a cell with a police officer.



Two nights is all I asked for.

Crispy Duck was 32 years old.
32? Ethnicity?

Not confirmed. Here's
the stomach contents. Orsak seeds.

It suggests he was in Gujarat
within about four days of his death.

Our clients are not primarily
concerned with fraud, but with
losses which may be recoverable.

What did they lose?
High value industrial equipment.

Nine sites. Potassium dichromate is
a potentially toxic compound that
can cause renal failure.

So you're saying he was poisoned?

I'm talking scientifically,
not criminally.

How did your child die?

I will not let you take
Darius from the ground.

You will not take up my child also!

We need to get a sample of Mrs
Mehta's son's hair to see if he died
of the same thing as his father.

The grave's open. No.



Forget it.

You didn't murder Nadir, did you?

Whoever you are, Druji is stronger
than you. Who's Druji?

Evil. Druji is evil.

I will tell you one thing

and then with the morning sun
you leave me.

Find the Midnight Pearl.

ALARM BLARES

What's happened?

'Get your forensic person to say
she's the duty police SOCO. '

I'll see you in 15 minutes.

ALARM STILL RINGING

What do you want me to do?

I'm trying to head off
the investigation team
for a death in prison. How?

You're going to arrest Jordan.

Put your lights on.

We'll sort something out,
get you off the wing. Come this way.

You're the Area Major Investigation
Team and you're going in to arrest
a prisoner on suspicion of murder.

The evidence recovery unit's already
in. What's going on? Tell her.

Mehta cut his wrists. Spencer was
stuck in there. Don't ask!

You coming through? No way.

But everyone's got to believe this
is real. These are my people now.

OK, thank you.
Sorry I couldn't tell you before.

All bullshit, was it,
about working as a team?

Spencer Michael Jordan? Stand up.

I'm arresting you on suspicion
of the murder of Sarosh Mehta.

I'll need his clothes.

I'll be outside, OK?

Everything? Yeah, set.

Thank you.

Jesus Christ! You all right?

He had a blade,

must have been in his mattress.

He was fine when I went to sleep.

What bothered him? Dunno.

He gave me a name. Sounded like
a company or something.

Midnight Pearl.
He said his brother. . .

OK, shut it, get in!

Andy! Where's Felix? I need to brief
the Governor. Thank him from me.

What's keeping her?
It's a closed crime scene.

The doctor's checking
Spence out. What for?

He wants to come in. That's good.
No! I told him to rest. Why?

A a man bled to death
all over him. For God's sake!

You don't need me now.

Sorry, I didn't expect it
to end quite like this.

Well, I hope you got
what you wanted. OK. . .Well?

She's back.

Why didn't you tell me?

Get a grip.

Coroner's officer will be attending.
We can get on in the meantime.

Just tell me it's suicide.

I couldn't brief you about this.
It was an undercover operation.

It's none of my business. OK.

People who bleed to death
have that look.

His mattress will have absorbed
six pints.

Deep lacerations to the anterior
aspect of the lower forearm
consistent with an intended suicide.

Good.

What's that?

I think you know
precisely what that is.

What do you expect me to do with it?

I just hope you do
what I want you to do.

Felix confirms suicide. Did we think
anything else? I owe you an apology.

You understand that I couldn't
explain this Spence thing to you?

Yeah. Midnight Pearl - no company
in the UK listed under that name.

Personal? No, same deal.
PHONE RINGS

Yep. Hi. Hi. Hi, Spence.
Welcome back.

Mr Lahktal from the Indian Embassy.

You OK? Yeah.

Have you two. . . ? Yeah, we have.

Right. So what's been happening?

I don't know
what you knew exactly,

but the body from the plane
in Arizona is in the lab.

We've established that Nadir Mehta
was killed before his throat was cut,

and exhumed his body
and found traces of poison.

And he had a son
who died three months after he did.

You're about to find out
who Crispy Duck is.
Boyd bought an aeroplane. Look!

It's wicked!

Come and check it out.
Nice. It's a beauty.

Mr Boyd!

Looking for me? No.
What do you want? What do I want(? )

I can find nothing on the
files about that cargo.
What cargo are you referring to?

You had information about that
robbery and you did not co-operate
with the police. Who told you that?

This is your airport, Mr Alcock!

Something goes missing,
you don't know what it is.

I find that just a little weird!

Mr Boyd, if you want my help,
go through the proper channels.

I am doing, Mr Alcock.

So which room is it?
It's on the right hand side.

Not that door. This one, please.

Thank you.

Mr Chowdray?
Chief Inspector Chowdray,

Criminal Investigation Department,
Gujarat State Police.

Detective Superintendent Boyd.
Pleased to meet you.

Detective Sergeant Stephenson.

They said they'd
bring the bag through for me.

Felix, please? Yes, yes.

You know, there really is no point.

The body is in the advance
stage of decomposition.

With the facial reconstruction
and the dental scan,
I'm sure this is Sharma.

He was a Detective Sergeant,
like you.

I recruited him to the police force.

He was my nephew.

Are you prepared for this?
He's a policeman.

It's his nephew.

Can I spend a few moments
with the body?

I'll leave you with
Detective Sergeant Stephenson.

Thank you, Felix.

Detective Sergeant Sharma
was on an investigation.

He went to Mumbai on an inquiry and
we never saw him again. What was
this investigation?

I expect you know,
he was investigating an individual
called Mr Irani.

If these names crop up
in your investigation,
we might be able to help.

Yeah. Mr Irani.

You have investigated Mr Irani?
Yeah, we're looking
into Midnight Pearl.

You know about the Midnight Pearl?
We do. Unfortunately not a lot.

Midnight Pearl is only
a trading company,
established in Mumbai by Mr Irani.

What does it trade? All kinds of
things, like many Indian companies.

So why was Detective Sharma
investigating it?

I wasn't part of the investigation.

I have no details.
And it was some years ago.

Then why have you come to London?

To take my nephew's body home,
as I said.

But also to assist you
in any way that I can.

I have no jurisdiction here,
but I may be able to help.

You must forgive me
for being preoccupied with
my role as his kinsman.

No, that's fine, we understand.

Can you get me the files on
Detective Sharma's investigation?

Of course.
This request has already been made.

The Gujarat police realise you
are dealing with a criminal inquiry.

You must be very tired after
your long journey. Yes, indeed.

Yeah, OK. See you tomorrow.
Of course. Thank you.

OK?

Can't you just work around it?
You're joking. I bring it in and. . .

Take it away. I will, don't fuss.

Oh, my God! Sorry.

Religion is the common denominator.
The victims have the same religion.

Chowdray is the same religion.

Chowdray's family duty brought him
back, not his police duty.

Stick to the religion, please.

Are you happy now? Are you happy?

Tell me your happy. I'm very happy
not to have a plane here. Thank you.

Now we know Chowdray is a Parsi,
as is our dead body, Sharma.

Sharma, dead duck because of the
lamb's wool. The kusti, yeah.

Parsi also known as Zoroastrians.
They're a religious grouping
in India.

Now they claim to sit at the
foundation of all Western religion

and the Parsis fled persecution
in Persia and were given refuge
in Gujarat.

This is thousands of years ago.
What about the present?

The point is that all these
things are rooted deep in the past.

Can't you root it deep
in the present? Yes.

Spence, could you. . . ?

OK. Spence.

Towers of Silence. The what?

The Towers of Silence in India.

It's where the Parsis
bury their dead,
or don't bury their dead, actually.

What do they do? They carry
their corpses to these Towers,

which are stone and in the centre
there is a pit they lay the corpses
around the pit for the vultures.

Now the Parsis believed that
the dead are at a dangerous state
of impurity,

so they can't pass through soil
or fire to the other world
for fear of polluting the earth.

The ultimate ecological religion.
Absolutely.

Now the bones are left. They've
dissolved or dissolved in lime

or they're buried outside
the Towers, but always
in the direction of the north.

And another ritual -

after the body dies, a new belt. . .

Kusti. Kusti. Is tied around the
body by a special corpse bearer.

These corpse bearers live outside
society, they're the only people
who are allowed to touch the bodies

and they live outside
because they've become unclean or
considered to have become unclean.

This is the lamb's-wool cord that
Chowdray placed on the body
during the ritual service.

It's called a kusti and it's what's
placed round the body after death.

It's consistent
with the decayed fabric on the body.

The same sort of cord
was discovered on the corpse
of Nadir Mehta. On the water tower?

So now we know why
this fellow was found in the plane.

Why? We assume the body hidden there
after a murder. Ah.

What if it's the closest thing that
a Zoroastrian. . . Zoroastrian, good.

. .could have done under the
circumstances? Closest to what?

Allowing it perish
according to their ritual laws.
It's a high altitude burial.

36, 000 feet heading
north to Arizona, exposed.

Someone's still concealing a murder.
That's correct.

Whoever concealed the body was not
necessarily the murderer. Correct.

And this person
had access to the airport. Correct.

He could have been killed inside the
airport and shoved into the plane,

or killed outside the airport
and smuggled into the warehouse.

Yeah, but why not bring
a corpse in as a corpse?

And put it in the plane
for the ritual burial. Yeah.

Hang on. If the body had already gone
through a ritual burial

why did Chowdray perform
that ceremony in there?

Because he's a policeman
and doesn't live apart from. . .

. .The rest of society.

Do you think it was for our benefit?

INAUDIBLE

'I have no information.

'But you'll keep us informed?'

How did they get you?

I was working in the city,
it was unchallenging.

And now?

Now I'm satisfied.

So you'd be interested, then?

You'd be a catch.

I pretty much made that decision.

You're bored of the Met.

Thank you. Thank you.

A lot of things have happened.

I think I should just get out
and go and make some money.

Well, this can be very lucrative.

Do you get to choose where you work?
Can you go overseas?

You ARE ready for a change.

What about your clients?

Do you just work with whoever can
afford to pay your fees?

We do checks.

We have a reputation.

OK.

So what do you think?

I think it's a question of timing.
What's your timing?

I was thinking. . . now.

Now while the head is clear
about this.

I've got a lot
of current information to offer you.

And, er. . .

Why aren't you saying anything?

I'm thinking. . .

wouldn't the best thing be
to put on a slightly different hat?

Well, you can wear whatever hat
you like.

We place people.
You mean you head hunt?

Exactly.
So why don't you head hunt me?

MOBILE RINGS

Do you mind if I. . . ?
No. Please, go ahead.

Thank you. Thanks for dinner.
I'll see you. . .out there.

Yeah, right.

I thought Mr Chowdray would have
behaved better than that.

OK. All right.

Yep.

So think about what I said
and let me know, will you?

Good night. Good night.

Hi. Hi. He was inside
for about 15 minutes and then Andy
followed him back to his hotel.

I checked around the neighbourhood
and as far as I was told,

this place hasn't been used
in the last year or so.

Except to piss in. Yep.

How do we get in? Bit of magic.

Did anyone let him in? I didn't see.

We don't know
if anyone's here or not.

OK.

Hello?

Hello?

What was he doing here?

Shirts. . .shirts. . .

and more shirts.

Oh, some lovely belts.

Can you do this?

Yeah.

How are you doing? Yeah.

'Acetaminophen. Hydroxyurea. '

Methotrexate.

Some serious prescription drugs.

Anti HIV/AIDS and cancer
and painkillers.

They sell for two pounds a tablet.

A carton might have 100, 000 tablets.
How could they do that?

So this is the fake junk
they put in there, yeah?

I can do a proper assay
of the tablets in the lab.

Irani's Midnight Pearl.

If they are fake,
it makes sense to manufacture here.

This is a better base than Mumbai.
For the internet, the States.

Why stop manufacturing?
Everything's here -
a pill-making machine, cartons.

The robbery?

Yeah, but what was stolen?

None of these are
barcoded or hologrammed.

Which is fine for the Third World. . .

. . but wouldn't sell
in the Western market. No way.
So that's what's missing.

That's the equipment
that was stolen.

That would explain why this stuff
doesn't look like
it's been touched for years.

So who would want
to steal his stuff? A rival?

So you're Sertil.

Or the company he's ripping off.

Who are your clients?

An international trade
and financial consortium.

Fate of the world.

Thousands of lives.

SHE MUMBLES TO HERSELF

I've got the results.

From the fake drugs?

And Mrs Mehta's son.

OK. I found traces of potassium
dichromate in his hair. I can't
tell you whether it killed him.

I'd need to do a post-mortem. Right.

The fake pharmaceuticals
were largely made up of chalk.

The antibiotics also contain
traces of a poison.

Potassium dichromate? Probably used
a contaminated water supply.

That's why Irani covered up
Nadir Mehta's death.

That gets out, you're finished.
You're welcome.

Thanks for that.

Peter. Hello. You remember Noel?
Yes. Peter.

May I introduce you to Jeremy Allen?

Jeremy. Peter.

Would you like some coffee?
No, thank you.

My title is Head of Security.

The corporation is global,
but I answer to Cincinnati.

I have Western Europe
and the near East.

Today's pharmaceutical companies
have very sophisticated
security operations.

Well, they need to be.
Our markets measure in the billions.

I've told Jeremy that you're
looking for a new challenge.

That's good. I am, yes.
But that it may take a little time
to put in place. In the meantime. . .

We suggested a sort of. . .
probationary relationship.

I don't understand. What could
I do for you while I'm still. . .

a police officer?

There are many ways.

For a start, you could help us with
this tiresome Heathrow business.

How does the Heathrow business
concern a pharmaceutical company?

We were rather hoping that you were
bringing that to us, Peter.

Well. . . I mean, I will.

I, um. . .

This is incredibly difficult for me.

It's a big step. I understand. Not
one I don't want to take. No. I do.

What do you need, Peter?

I don't want to get down
to specifics. I've had it
up to here. I am ready.

There aren't many lines
I'm not prepared to cross.

It's just that it's, um. . . it's very
vague. It's very shadowy.

And don't get me wrong, I like that.

I want that. But. . . But what?

You haven't told me how this. . .

. .all actually works. Have you?

Different clients
have different needs.

Every situation is dealt with
in an entirely different way.

Yeah, can you give me
a for instance.

OK, let's take the one case
you are aware of.

We're concerned with
the counterfeiting of our products.

Yeah, I figured that one.

We know it happens
with the new EU borders.

Did you know 80% of the
pharmaceuticals in Russia are
counterfeit? No. I didn't.

We can't police all of Russia.

Our concern, until we can,
is to maintain the reputation

of our products
in our established markets.

So if you found
a counterfeit operation. . .

What Jeremy won't say but I can is

a multinational company
does not want to affect
its consumer confidence

by exposing a counterfeiting
operation needlessly.

Which is why you came to me.

If we're talking theoretically,
then yes.

Someone needs
to make sure the details of
this operation aren't released.

The Heathrow robbery?

We're talking theoretically.

So it's conceivable that
it could come down to you. . .

us. . .

to arrange a shipment
to be knocked off?

Yeah?

All a counterfeiter needs is
white powder, tablet stamping
and packaging equipment.

Some of the world's
best counterfeiters are operating
from Third World countries.

How do I fit in then in
this hypothetical scenario?

You mean, do you get your hands
dirty? Yes. I do mean that.

Problem solving. . .

. . is what we do.

That's how it works, then, isn't it?

Yes.

Mrs Mehta, did you know that your
husband obtained prescription drugs
from Heathrow where he worked?

And that those drugs were
illegally imported into this
country in the first place?

I take it from your silence
that you were aware of that?

I asked him where
he got the pills from.

And what did he say?

He said that that was not important.

He said it was
the prices the companies put on
top of the bills that was wrong.

So in your flat
you stored all different kinds
of prescription drugs?

Yes.

What did you do with them?

Did you sell them? Did you
sell them on the black market?

Did you sell them to people
in your community?

Only if they needed help,
if they didn't have a doctor.

Did you take any of
these drugs yourself?

No.

Did your husband take
any of these pills?

Yes, I gave him some.

And what happened?

He had bronchitis.

And did he get better?

Did you give any of
these pills to your son?

He got the flu like his father.

And then he got worse.

And he got
bronchitis like his father.

You gave him the same antibiotics.

Mrs. . .

Mrs Mehta, the supply of
pharmaceuticals in your home,

they were fake and. . .

. .contained poison.

No, that's not right.

No, because, my husband, when he gave
me, he said that the pills were good.

I mean, you think I would give that
to my own child?

Other people also, they came
to me with sick babies. . .

Mrs Mehta. . . Mrs Mehta,
we understand that you thought
you were helping them.

But now you are saying
that I was killing them?

You are saying that?
What is wrong with you people?

I would never do something like that.

SHE MUTTERS TO HERSELF

Do you know a man. . .

Do you know a man called Irani?

They were not well, so I gave
medicine so they're eyes would get
better, but I didn't know I was. . .

I am so sorry.

Good morning,
Detective Superintendent. Hi.

I was going to find some breakfast.
I've eaten.

Why did you search my room?

I didn't search your room.

I had you followed, though.

It's easy to believe one statement
and impossible to believe the other.

Why didn't you say
you were going to see Mr Irani?

I had an address.
I didn't know if it was current.

How did Sharma get on to
Irani's case?

Irani bought a business in Mumbai,
the Bombay No.1 chemical laboratory.

It manufactures medicines.

Some children died from a medicine
made to the wrong technical
standard. How many died? 32.

My nephew believed Irani was
responsible for this
and came to look for him.

Was Irani a Zoroastrian?

Yes, a Zoroastrian can redeem
himself through good deeds.

I went to tell him that
he did a good deed for my nephew.

He made treated the body
in the way of our faith.

You didn't plan to ask him
what he knew about the murder?

I was planning to ask him that,
but you searched my room
showing me no trust.

I admit this put my back up
but let's not dwell on it. Please,
let me help you in any way I can.

We are looking for Irani
in connection for two murders,
but, um. . .

. .who knows?

Could be thousands.

So if you are hiding anything
from me, Mr Chowdray. . .

. . I will arrest you.

I am in absolutely no doubt of that.

I'm Norman Pringle, legal counsel
for Rexate Pharmaceutical, Europe.

These images
reflect some of the human misery

that is caused by counterfeiting
of medications around the world.

This is what we protect
the Western world from.

Tell me what was removed
from Heathrow Airport in an armed
robbery commissioned by you in 1998.

You've nothing to say?

These markets where the
pharmaceuticals are often fakes

is where your company
is under pressure to provide
a product at a low cost?

With low margins, how can we afford
an expensive security structure?

What are you accusing
Rexate Pharmaceuticals of exactly?

Rexate Pharmaceutical hired Sertil
to contract someone

to remove a shipment
of Mr Irani's from a warehouse
at Heathrow Airport,

knowing that he was
manufacturing fake drugs.

I think you negotiated with Mr Irani
to keep him out of your lucrative
European and American markets.

What you didn't take into account
was Mr Irani's uncontrollability.

If you sit there like
a couple of stuffed dummies,
we won't get anywhere.

You can go now, but don't leave
the country. Thank you, gentlemen.

Why did Alcock search
Chowdray's hotel room?

Well, because they can.

That's Customs and Excise.
They don't need a warrant.
That's real power, Boyd.

They didn't have enough time
to check his bag.

Right, but what was
Alcock looking for?

Who knows.

If Chowdray came here
as he insisted
just to take his nephew's body back

why are Customs and Excise
so interested?

Chowdray recruits Sharma.

Sharma comes here
to carry out the investigation.

Sharma gets murdered,
so Chowdray comes here to. . .

Do his own investigation. Why would
Customs and Excise be interested?

That's the point.
That's exactly the point, Spence.

How long?

One morning. Just here, the Metro.

He's out. So? You can go in.

Andy? Yeah. Got your ID card? Yeah.

Spence? Yeah.

He's left his.

OK.

Boyd!

The hologram is fake.

Fake ID.

Fake?

Does that mean Chowdray's a fake?
Well, he's not a police officer.

Chowdray follows Irani everywhere.

We always see Chowdray,
we never see Irani.

How do we know what
Irani looks like?

Because of what Sertil told us.

They gave you the photograph.

This is fake.

So could. . .

Chowdray be Irani?

He could.

You have not been forgotten,
you have not been abandoned.

My family are dead.

The drugs were bad.

Who gave you these drugs?

It was a man called Irani.

Nadir was an honest man.

What else did he say
about this man - Irani?

He was corrupt and evil.

Sarosh was so frightened of this
man that he killed himself in prison.

If you want. . . I will help you.

Dedication to Vendidad,
faith in Ahura Mazda.

This will save you.

When a life is taken. . .

. .the evil shadow,

purification is necessary for the
soul to join with Ahura Mazda.

Have you come to take my body. . .

This is the man we're looking for.

Mr Boyd, how can I help you?
You screwed my target's hotel room
and now I've lost him.

We went in for a search.
What were you in there for?

What do you think? Did you put
a tracker on him? Suppose we did?

You've been shielding
a suspected smuggler.

And you've been shielding
a suspected murderer.

Ask me nicely,
I'll activate the tracker. Nicely? !

You're obstructing an enquiry!

Can we have your tracking device
please? Yes, of course you can.

Just be polite.
How do you work with that guy? !

Is it back yet? No.

TRACKER BEEPS

I've got it.
Where is it? Canary Wharf.

Towers of Silence. It's where
the Parsis bury their dead.

Is it moving? Nah, static? Static?

They carry corpses to the towers,
always in the direction of north.

Must have gone into a building.

Hold back, hold back!

Irani! . .We want him alive.

We want him alive. . . Irani!

TRACKER BEEPS

Where the hell is he?

TRACKER BEEPS

Spence!

It says he's right here.

Andy! OK!

Lower the cradle.

Spence!

Mr Boyd. Hi. The name Irani is on
the passenger list and he checked in
but he did not get on the plane.

Has he gone airside? We don't know.
We're taking his luggage off.
Security are checking airside.

Have you looked at the CCTV? Yes. Is
this the person that checked him in?

He checked in here. Come with me.

Hi. . .

Mr Irani?

Mr Irani?

'How do we know what Irani
looks like?

'Because of what Sertil told us.
They gave you the photograph.

'If these names crop up, we
might be able to help you further.

'We have constructive and cordial
relations in law enforcement.

'It's not our job to steer you,
point fingers.

'You'd be a catch. '

Subtitles by BBC Broadcast 2005
Conversion by reirei.