Drop King Odyssey

This programme contains some violent scenes

We killed US soldiers.

But Gentry told me Societal paid him to keep quiet.

-Got a warrant for your arrest.

-For the murder of Danny Gentry.

She got it all on a flash drive.

PEOPLE SHOUT AND CHATTER

What happened to the e-mail?

..time! Get off!

SHOUTING

VEHICLE ENGINES

SHOUTING

VEHICLE ACCELERATES

INTERMITTENT SHOUTING

SHE COUGHS

Water, please.

Water.

SHE COUGHS

VEHICLE ACCELERATES

SHE COUGHS

HE SPEAKS ARABIC

HE GROANS AND RETCHES

HE YELPS

Aslam! Aslam!

Aslam!

SHE GROANS

-WOMAN IN DISTANCE:

-Look what we got over here! Come on over.

-MAN IN DISTANCE:

-I'm coming. Just go on in.

All right! Move in!

Suzanne.

Daddy?

It's OK.

What were you thinking?

What were you thinking?

Why didn't you answer your phone? You scared me to death.

I'm sorry.

But...

he said they had proof she's alive.

-E-mail.

-Dolly...

People make up all sorts of things, crazy, hurtful things.

What if they're telling the truth?

Maybe. I don't know.

I do know it's freezing.

-How about we go home and discuss it on the way?

-No.

No, I want to stay here.

These people are talking about Mum.

All right.

Let's spend the night in the city.

And we'll do something special tomorrow. Just you and me. OK?

OK.

-Who was he?

-Who?

That guy last night, outside the house.

An associate. He was pestering me about a deal.

You were screaming at him. You told him to stay away from your family.

-Did you tell Mum?

-There's nothing to tell.

-So, you lied?

-I didn't lie to anyone.

-Dad. What's going on?

-First you get arrested...

-That was a mistake.

-...and that guy, Gentry?

-They mistook me for someone else.

Seriously, honey, honestly. Look at me.

Do you think I would do something like that? Do you?

No.

Mr Walters, you've been charged with loitering, disorderly conduct,

-resisting arrest. How do you plead?

-Not guil...

-Your Honour, we...

-Roger Burnham, for the defendant, Your Honour.

-Mr Burnham.

Pleasure, Your Honour. Mr Walters pleads no contest.

-He'll gladly pay the fine.

-Excuse me, I didn't ask for him.

You want back in the cage?

Suspended sentence, misdemeanour fine of 500.

Pay the clerk on your way out. Who's next?

-Let me guess.

-Your dad says to tell you you're welcome.

-FEMALE SECRETARY:

-..48812.

-Why are you here?

-I was worried about you.

I did some digging.

What is it?

OK. You're not going to be happy. I spoke to a military contact.

Apparently, Special Ops soldiers don't carry cellphones,

-at least not on missions.

-So...?

So, the e-mail allegedly sent by Odelle Ballard doesn't exist.

It never existed. Bob made it up.

-Why would he do that?

-I don't know.

Maybe to get your attention? Harrison, the guy's clearly nuts.

He wasted my time and yours.

-I'm sorry.

-Son of a bitch.

VEHICLE APPROACHES

Who died?

Hey. Where?

Where did she go?

-Timbuktu?

-La, la, la.

Bamako.

Yeah.

ODELLE GASPS FOR BREATH

SHOUTING

SHE GRUNTS

HE SHOUTS IN ARABIC

Confess war crimes.

My name is Odelle Ballard, Sergeant First Class

in the United States Army 91384...

THEY SHOUT

Kafir!

Now, it's time for you to die.

HE SHOUTS

OTHERS ALL SPEAK AT ONCE

OTHERS SHOUT

SHE YELPS

ELECTRONIC BEEP

ODELLE GRUNTS

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

You're welcome.

I don't know anything.

I disagree.

I believe you have information that is of value to me.

Your English is...

is good.

I spent three years in your country,

studied at the University of Michigan.

Go Blue!

HE CHUCKLES

Peter.

See you a minute?

Everything all right? I heard about the arrest last night.

Police barging into your home,

handcuffing you in front of your children.

Sounds awful.

It was a mistake.

Somehow my driver's licence

and credit card got in the hands of the wrong people.

Reminds us all to be more careful.

Well, I'm glad that's straightened out.

We need you on Sofia Tsaldari.

-That girl wants that meeting.

-I know.

Have her call in to the Greek ambassador.

It would be extremely beneficial for us and for you.

I'm sorry?

You got off to a rough start with us, Peter.

Arranging that meeting could put you back on the right track.

I didn't realise I was on the wrong track.

FRANTIC KNOCKING ON DOOR

Bob, open the door. Come on, open this door!

-Go away!

-Bob.

-OK, OK, OK!

-If I let you in, promise you won't hurt my mother.

-What?!

Jesus, Bob, why would you even... I would never hurt your...

Bob, open the door. What's the matter with you? Why would you think

-that I would hurt your mother?

-Who's there? Harrison?!

-Is that you?

-Hi, Mrs Offer!

(CHUCKLING) Hi!

-Hi!

-Hey!

CHUCKLES Nice to see you.

Ma, please, don't get involved.

-What do you want?

-That e-mail from Odelle Ballard? You lied.

-It's a fake.

-Sure, OK, yeah, it was a fake. I'm sorry.

-Why are you afraid of me all the sudden? What happened?

-I...

-I know who you are.

-What are you talking about?

You didn't think I'd find it?

BOB TYPES ON COMPUTER KEYBOARD

-What is this?

-You don't know? Really?

No, Bob, I really don't know.

It's an article about military contractors.

-Guess who's quoted as a source? Colonel Steven Glenn.

-Er...

-The colonel that Odelle Ballard sent the e-mail to.

-Yeah...

-OK.

Look at the by-line!

-My father knows Colonel Glenn?

-You didn't know?

-Damn it, Bob, no! I...

-OK.

-I had no idea.

-OK. You didn't know.

That e-mail was real, I swear. Who told you it was a fake, your dad?

I'll be back, Bob.

WEAKLY: My name is Odelle Ballard,

Sergeant First Class in the United States Army, 913840...

00090, yes.

Yes.

This conversation is starting to bore me.

Look at me, you don't want me to get bored.

What?

IN ARABIC:

Al-Qaeda. They only think of one thing - vengeance.

Hamid can't even look at you without seeing red.

Maybe I'm different, I try to see the bigger picture.

I envision my country being liberated.

From the French, from the Americans.

I think you can help me with that.

-I don't help terrorists.

-Terrorists, yes.

You know, Muslims were heroes to you, 30 years ago

when we fought the Soviets.

When we overthrew Gaddafi, your senators called us freedom fighters.

Now, we are terrorists. Why am I not a soldier? Like you, a patriot.

Tell me, how does it feel to lose your life for a government

that has betrayed you?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Your government is feeding this story to the media.

Your entire unit was wiped out by Ansar Dine.

You and I both know that's a lie, it was an American drone.

You survived, by some miracle, your government knows it.

See the headline.

"No survivors."

Why is that? Why are they lying?

Why do they insist that you're dead, Sergeant?

No-one else...

No-one else knows that I survived.

The world knows.

This picture was broadcast on Al-Jazeera.

It's all over the internet.

But they are saying...

..that's a lie, too.

SHE SNIFFS

You have a husband. And a daughter.

They have been told that picture is a fake, a cruel hoax.

Your family is planning your funeral right now.

No-one is coming for you, Odelle.

I'm your only friend in the world right now, so tell me,

why would the Americans want to kill their own heroes?

CAMEL BLEATS

HE GROANS

Right, thanks.

-Hey, Joe.

-Yeah?

Did you speak to that colonel about Odelle Ballard yet?

Yeah, DOD says she's dead.

Her body is being flown back home as we speak.

Sorry, buddy.

PETER SIGHS

Hey, maybe it's time you let this one go. You look terrible.

You want to get a drink tonight at The Trinity?

Those flowers arrive for Mrs Gentry yet?

They did, and I'm sure she would have been touched

had she actually been there, but she's in New York.

Her husband's body. Do you know where she's staying?

-You told me to send flowers to the Gentry house.

-You want to start with her now?

-Call the Gentry house in Delaware.

-I told you she's not there.

SHE DIALS

Hi, this is Peter Decker, New York City, who am I speaking with?

Denise, the baby-sitter. Hi, Denise.

I'm supposed to be meeting Mrs Gentry right now,

but I'm running late.

She asked me to meet at a hotel, but I forgot to write it down.

Maybe you can give the hotel name? Ramada Inn, of course.

That Downtown? Midtown. Right, thanks. Thanks, Denise, bye.

Wow. You should work this hard at your real job.

Thank you.

Can I have a spoon?

A spoon, for the soup?

You speak Arabic.

HE CHUCKLES

SHE SPEAKS ARABIC

This is an Ansar Dine safe house. Hamid is here as my guest.

I invited him to avenge Abbas' death.

But not before you tell me why your country wants you dead.

You want to continue this conversation? You speak English.

I appreciate what you are trying to do, but you won't be able

to come between me and Hamid and his al-Qaeda brothers.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Your friend tell you he's in bed with Americans?

Why does Hamid want to kill me so badly? It's more than vengeance.

He doesn't want the truth to get out

any more than my government does.

Mm-hmm, what truth?

Al-Qaeda took millions of dollars from an American corporation,

maybe more than one.

Female prisoners are far more clever than the men. Far more.

Very good, it's an inventive story.

I was with the unit that captured Abbas,

I saw something I wasn't supposed to,

documentation of wired funds from a US corporation.

You really want help your cause - there it is.

Abbas is being funded by the very people you're fighting.

-You can prove this?

-Yes, I can

Good.

Good. Because if you don't...

I'll slit your throat myself.

Who the hell is that?

IN ARABIC:

HE GROANS

Oh, my baby. In jail? I can't even...

-Are you all right?

-Is he here?

-Yes, yes.

He's in his office, working, as usual.

KNOCK ON DOOR

-Yes?

-Harrison is here, Randall.

-Hi.

Your father and I were just talking about you

coming home for a little while, until you get settled.

Yes, you can occupy the back yard.

-We could pitch a tent.

-He's here, Randall.

Perhaps you could meet him halfway.

I, uh... I need your help.

You wrote an article for New York magazine three years ago

-about military contractors.

-Uh-huh.

You quoted a Colonel Stephen Glen. I need to talk to him.

-Is this about that soldier again?

-Look, something bad happened.

There's a cover-up, I just... I just know it.

And that's the basis of your story - you just know it?

Odelle Ballard is alive and the military is lying about it,

I want to know why.

You're the only one who can help me.

Please.

Oh, for God's sakes, Randall, just say yes.

Mrs Gentry.

Thank you for coming.

Have a seat.

Do you want something?

How are you holding up?

When I found out that you were in New York I thought...

What do you want from me, Mr Decker?

I know you blame me for what happened to Danny.

But I want you to know I am doing everything possible

to bring the people responsible for this to justice.

In order to do that, I need your help.

I'm sorry, I can't.

-I'm not allowed, bye.

-What do you mean...?

Hey, did something happen?

Have you been instructed not to talk to me?

By who, Societal?

I got a letter from the Air Force, right after Danny was killed.

Saying he was being dismissed due to misconduct, they said.

I was losing all of Danny's benefits. Pension, medical.

So, Sophie's got asthma medicine...

Societal said they'd take care of us, all I had to do

was sign some papers.

The confidentiality agreement, do you have a copy? Can I see it?

I know it's blood money.

-But what can I do? How are we supposed to live?

-It's OK.

You did what you needed to do.

I'll find another way to go after them, do right by Danny.

It's OK.

Is there something else?

I'll get you that agreement.

SHE GRUNTS

You're lying, wasting my time.

There is proof. If you let him kill me, you'll never get it.

-OK, what is it? Tell me.

-A flash drive.

My companion, a boy. He was holding it for me on the truck.

Your men shot him.

They didn't tell you that.

They told Hamid when they brought me in.

Who is this boy that you trust with such evidence?

He was my friend.

-ON TV:

-'Our special guest.'

-Good evening.

-Good evening.

-I hate you SO much.

Last time you were here, I wanted to be like you, exactly the same.

I wanted your hairstyle,

I wanted your whatever you're wearing style...

STUDIO AUDIENCE LAUGHS

Where am I?

Middle of nowhere, Western Sahara.

No sign of life for miles, but the satellite signal is magnificent.

-I don't understand this.

-What, Shakir Khan?

He's hilarious.

IN FRENCH:

How'd you get shot?

They killed my family.

They took everything from us.

-Huh?

-Give it back!

Flash drive, huh?

-What's on it?

-It belongs to a friend of mine, I have to return it to her.

Seems important.

-Valuable. Is it?

-I have a rich uncle in Bamako.

If you bring me there, he will pay you for your trouble.

A rich uncle, huh?

I'm sure he's handsome as well.

Lucky for you, I'm headed in that direction. You can hitch a ride.

My computer is busted, so the first working computer we find,

we take a look at this.

And you better hope it's worth something, my friend,

or I'm putting that bullet back where I found it.

KNOCK ON DOOR

-Hey, where were you?

-Janine Gentry signed a confidentiality agreement.

-We're screwed.

-No, no, you're screwed.

You missed the Jeff Immelt meeting. I told McDonald you were sick.

Societal is paying Gentry's widow half a million dollars.

Why would they pay her so much?

(All right, look.)

They're obviously terrible people, and they've done terrible things.

But you got to stop - OK? I can't keep covering your ass!

KNOCK ON DOOR

Mailroom just brought this up.

-Where'd it come from?

-Some woman dropped it off.

-What is all that?

-Must be from Janine Gentry.

Looks like Danny kept a journal. About the drone attack, Societal...

Holy crap.

Flight logs...e-mails... He documented everything.

-Too bad we can't use it.

-Why not?

Well, how can we prove it's real?

Gentry's dead, his wife's locked up by Societal.

No, she's not, all she has to do is verify this stuff,

it doesn't breach confidentiality. Joe...

we got 'em.

HE LAUGHS

We got 'em. I got to get in touch with Ed Dixon.

DOOR OPENS

-Randall, so nice to see you!

-Good to see you, Colonel.

-Great to see you.

-Thanks for taking the time.

-No worries.

-This is my son, Harrison.

-Good to meet you.

-Pleasure, thank you.

So...

-what's the new story?

-Actually, it's my son's article.

Oh, journalist like the old man, huh? Good for you.

-So how can I help?

-Well, it regards Sergeant Odelle Ballard.

There have been conflicting reports, I wanted to hear it directly

from you - is there any truth to the rumour that she's alive?

I thought you looked familiar.

I've seen you interviewed about this.

Harrison has it in his head that there's some grand conspiracy,

but before he goes any further, I thought

he should get the truth from you.

-I...hope you don't mind.

-No, not at all. I have kids of my own.

Let me put this simply, son.

Sergeant Ballard died serving her country.

-Any reports to the contrary are false.

-There is an e-mail

she sent to you AFTER she was reportedly killed.

Sent to me? Absolutely not.

What if I were to tell you that we have a copy of this e-mail?

-I'd tell you it's a fake.

-Well, we can verify it.

-Harrison...

You people have no sense of decency.

Exploiting heroes - my friend - for your personal benefit.

Sergeant Ballard and her unit fought for your freedom.

They deserve RESPECT, dammit!

Respect!

I'm very sorry.

Harrison, I think you owe the Colonel an apology.

IN FRENCH:

Offends Allah, huh? Come on, Allah wouldn't mind if you numbed the pain.

Something tells me that whatever's on that drive might offend Allah, too.

There's an internet cafe just outside of town, I say we take a peek.

Take me to my uncle's house,

-I'm sure he has a very fast computer.

-Uh-huh?

And where does this so-called uncle live?

Club Cachette, do you know it?

Everyone knows it.

Your uncle is a musician or something?

All I know is that he's very rich.

IN FRENCH:

Hey!

IN FRENCH:

IN ARABIC:

HE REPLIES IN ARABIC:

Alhamdulillah.

'Sorry I embarrassed you,'

but you could have backed me up a little.

-You were right.

-What?

I've seen the Colonel handle incredibly difficult

and politically sensitive questions without batting an eye.

Never lost his cool. He was lying.

You were right, son.

OK, so, uh, what do I do now?

You do nothing.

I'm not walking away from this.

OK, but we do this my way. I've got a source, let me talk to him.

OK?

Why are you so happy? Did you crush a competitor at work or something?

-LAUGHING:

-No.

I just made some progress on a deal.

-How was the debate?

-We kicked their asses.

Topic was "global warming - fact or fiction?"

I rocked it with the extinction of the Monteverde toad.

Dad! TYRES SCREECH

-Jesus.

-What's wrong with that guy?

LOUD BANG AND METALLIC SCRAPE

-Dad?

-It's OK.

What's happening?

-ENGINE REVS

-Come on!

SHE SCREAMS

THEY BREATHE RAPIDLY

It's all right. It's OK. They've gone.

It's OK. It's OK.

They know where we live?

It's OK. We're going to be OK.

I'm going to get these guys.

Well, it's not your job any more, Peter.

You're not a US attorney any more.

The police, the FBI...they're not your friends, they don't care.

I know. I'm sorry.

You can't protect us any more.

You can't protect yourself. You have to stop - now.

I'll give notice tomorrow.

MUSIC AND STREET CHATTER

Diallo?

You forget your cigarettes again?

IN ARABIC:

Aslam?!

HE GASPS

HE SPEAKS ARABIC

ASLAM YELPS

Randall.

Thanks for meeting me. What do you have on Ballard?

I can't. It's too hot.

-It goes too high.

-How high?

White House?

Source tells me Ballard's alive and on the run, I want to know why.

-It'll all go away soon enough.

-The hell it will!

You know me better than that.

Randall, don't be stupid.

Well, that's the luxury of reaching my age,

I don't care if anybody thinks I'm being stupid.

..let him know as soon as he comes in. Oh, hold one moment. Peter?

-Hey, man.

-They took it all.

Gentry's journal, his notes...

-..everything.

-What? How did that happen?

Why don't you tell me?

My daughter was in the car, Joe!

Wait a minute, you think I had something to do with this?

Three people knew I had that journal in the car last night.

Janine Gentry and Dixon - who I've known for 15 years - and you.

Peter, I would never do that, man.

That DOD contact, the one who told you Ballard was dead?

-I spoke to him - you never called him.

-OK.

-Well, it was an absurd request.

-Don't!

-The Pentagon, the White House...

-DON'T!

..they were all saying the same thing, man.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sorry to interrupt. The Greek ambassador is on line one.

JOE SIGHS

Do you mind?

Pete, come on.

Shut the door.

-Nick.

-'Good news, Peter - Tsaldari agreed to a meeting.'

Great. Tell them to arrange.

'Not with Societal. She wants a meeting with you.

'Just you.'

Hello, Peter.

I wanted you to meet with Societal. This isn't a social call.

I know that.

Thank you. It's OK.

Did I ever tell you the first time I saw your face?

It was on television 12 years ago.

My father was dying a horrible death, of lung cancer.

I remember seeing you lead the charge against Big Tobacco.

Undaunted. I know in that moment that you were

a man of determination and integrity.

-Thank you, but I...

-I want to show you something.

It's a matter that involves your clients Societal.

Financial dealings that I find disturbing.

I was hoping to pique your interest.

Let me know what you think.

I'll be in touch.

RAISED VOICES SPEAKING ARABIC

AGGRESSIVE SHOUTS

No, no, no! No!

SHE WHIMPERS

NO!

You're giving the Americans what they want,

you'll never know the truth unless you stop this.

Allahu Akbar!

Stop this!

Allahu Akbar!

HAMID CONTINUES IN ARABIC

Aargh!

HAMID GROANS IN AGONY

HE SPEAKS ARABIC

Congratulations, you've convinced me.

Your value to me is greater alive than dead.

Hold this up so I can see the date.

What's your name?

Odelle Ballard.

Sergeant first class of the United States Army, 913840090.

And today's date.

-Is this...?

-Yes.

March 20th 2015.

Anything else you'd like to say?

I want my family to know that I'm alive.

And I love them very...very much.

HE TURNS OFF CAMERA AND CLOSES IT

OK.

-What are you doing?

-Al-Jazeera.

It will take my messenger

until tomorrow to get to their office in Abuja.

By tomorrow evening, this video of yours will be all over the news.

Does your husband watch the news?

Within hours it will be on the internet, which will be

very unfortunate for your government,

but very good for Ansar Dine.

MOPED ENGINES, HUSHED CONVERSATION

One last look then you head home, all right?

No-one's here any more, we should probably go.

Suzanne!

-It's you! You're the one who said my mother's alive.

-Your mother?

I'm Suzanne Ballard, Odelle is my mum.

They say she's dead but I know they're wrong, and so do you.

-Sorry.

-No, it's OK...

-He's the one I was telling you about.

The one with the e-mail.

Show him the e-mail.

Please. He doesn't believe it's true, just tell him you have it.

-I mean, I do... It does exist, sir, I just...

-Why are you doing this?

Why are you torturing us? Come on, let's go.

-Suzanne!

-I just need to know one thing.

Do you believe my mother is alive?

Yeah.

I do.

So do I.

THEY MOAN

THEY BREATHE HEAVILY

You OK?

Yeah, I'm fine.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah, I'm sure.

You want to order room service, Randall?

CLICK

'Odelle Ballard.'

Sergeant first class of the United States Army, 913840090.

And today's date.

-This today's?

-Mmm.

March 20th 2015.

Anything else you'd like to say?

I want my family to know that I'm alive.