CAST LIST

SYNOPSIS

A security van pulls up at a deserted airfield. Out step two heavily armed Security Guards and a rather nervous looking man, carrying a large case. He quickly gets into a waiting helicopter, where he confirms himself to the pilot as Ballantyne. The pilot is curious as to the contents of the case: Ballantyne makes it clear that the contents are Top Secret, and that the box is to be delivered to a Government Listening Post, known as The Hive. Almost immediately after take-off another faster helicopter approaches which attempts to force Ballantyne and his pilot down. A chase ensues over land and sea, where the smaller ‘copter is shot at. On the ground, a man and a woman in a Land Rover watch the aerial fight. The woman is keen to get her hands on the box, the man keener on being paid. However, the pilot is not only an experienced flyer but also a crack shot and manages to shoot the rear rotor of the enemy helicopter, forcing it to the ground where it explodes in a fireball…

The box makes it to the Hive, where a team of operatives takes a look at its capabilities. Amongst them are Nick Beckett, and Beckett’s Boss Cottrell. The Chief of the Hive, Dent, is also there as is and Alan Moore, the man in the Land Rover. Beckett comments it’s only because of the helicopter pilot’s skill that the box has made it to the Hive at all. Inside the box is SACROS (Satellite and Communication Remote Override System): a device capable of jamming satellite signals at the flick of a switch. The significance of its abilities is not lost on Cottrell…

Beckett returns to his office and takes a call from Ballantyne, who has located the whereabouts of the mystery woman’s car and has placed a tracker on it. Ballantyne is convinced that the attempt to steal SACROS was an inside job, and that he should meet Beckett outside the Hive but before he can say anymore the mystery woman kills him. Beckett has recorded the conversation, which he takes to Cottrell, who is dismissive of Beckett’s claim that Ballantyne has been shot and takes the tape for filing. At the same time Moore meets with the mystery woman, who tells him they must get SACROS out of the Hive, and askes him to supply her with the Access Codes. She offers him money to do what she asks.

Meanwhile a bright young woman is demonstrating high-tech security devices to a customer. This is Ros Henderson, the owner of Gizmos. She takes a phone call from Beckett, who is keen on getting the recording of Ballantyne’s conversation enhanced, but not so keen on using Ros’ talents. But with a little gentle persuasion Ros persuades him she is more than capable of performing the task. Beckett retrieves the DAT of Ballantyne’s conversation but passes Moore on his way out of the Records Room, who quickly confirms his "theft". On the way out of his office Beckett checks out Ros’ credentials, whilst at Gizmos Ros is hacking into the Hive’s mainframe to do exactly the same thing to Beckett…As he leaves the office Beckett gets a ‘phone call from Dent, asking him to a meeting. Dent asks Beckett to retrieve a file from his office, and whilst he’s looking for it there Moore arrives and catches him. According to Moore, Dent is out and the call Beckett received couldn’t possibly have been from him. Hauled up in front of Cottrell, Beckett is searched and the DAT found. Cottrell then goes to Beckett’s flat, where Moore "discovers" a bag full of DAT tapes. Knowing he’s being set up Beckett makes a run for it, and fortunately for him runs into Ros who helps him escape with some nifty driving.

Back at Ros’ flat, Beckett explains his predicament…a motorcycle pulls out outside, and it’s rider begins to scale the outside of the building. Seeing his shadow Beckett grabs him: it is the helicopter pilot, who Ros identifies as Ed, who lives on the top floor and who is a friend of hers. As they talk it becomes clear that SACROS links all 3 of them, and that their unique combination of talents should be able to get Beckett back the DAT tape… Outside the Hive Beckett and Ros watch as Ed abseils onto the roof of the Hive building, via a camera on Ed’s helmet. Using the camera Beckett is able to guide Ed into the building, and a gadget provided by Ros is able to bypass the Security system to allow him in…but the tape is not in the Records Room, instead Ed finds it in Cottrell’s out tray. With security alerted to his presence, Ed makes a hasty retreat.

The DAT confirms Beckett’s suspicions: Ballantyne has been shot. Ros is able to identify the killer’s voice on the tape, but Beckett hears something else: Ros and Ed are keen to help him, and go with Beckett’s hunch that the noise might lead to the whereabouts of the killer. His hunch is correct and Ros isolates a station announcer and a train station he refers to. Locating the bug, the threesome find the mystery woman’s car, and Ros taps into phone company records to find out the woman’s identity: Elena Johnston. Ed is sent after her as she leaves, whilst Ros and Beckett examine her house. Ros tries to give Ed a tracer in case he "gets lost" but he refuses, so Ros takes it back. Inside the house Ros takes pictures f the surroundings. Ed has followed Elena to a Chinese restaurant, where he uses a directional microphone to listen in on Elena’s conversation, with Alan Moore. He hands over the access codes for the Hive to her, and she gives him something to tide him over before he’s paid in full: a small parcel which she places in his suit pocket. She then excuses herself and leaves, with Ed in close pursuit…which is fortunate, as the "present" from Elena is a bomb which she then detonates, killing Moore and destroying part of the restaurant.

Ros has taken a picture of Elena from her home and is computer ageing it…using the Hive’s own Computer ageing program! Beckett is disturbed that the man Elena is with looks familiar, and asks Ros to age him. Whilst the process is underway, Beckett takes a call from Dent…or so he thinks. Ros shows Beckett how he was set up, using a sample of Dent’s voice and a synthesiser. And Beckett is soon sure of who it was who set him up, as the ageing program, plus the use of a felt pen, shows the man in the photo to be Cottrell. Leaving the Gizmos office, Beckett realises he has to prove Cottrell is guilty to clear his name…as they get into Ros’ car Cottrell emerges from the back seat and puts a gun to Beckett’s head.

Ed returns to Gizmos to find the place empty…however, he finds the Signal detector of the Tracker Ros had tried to give him beeping…It’s still in Ros’ pocket, but she is bound and gagged and on her way up a Car Crusher’s ramp, still inside her car. Ed straps the Tracker to his bike and sets off in pursuit, arriving just in time to see Ros’ car disappear inside the Crusher…without Ros inside it. She is tearful, but still alive. However, Cottrell has taken Beckett, and Ros and Ed set out to find where he’s being held. Using a "fake" poppy they plant a camera on Cottrell, and watch as he enters the room in which SACROS is stored, killing a technician in the process. Ros decides to follow him, and sends Ed to Elena Johnson’s…where Beckett is being held. It transpired that Elena and Cottrell are more than just partners in crime, and are ready to use SACROS to it’s full potential. Outside the house Ed intercepts a phone call and discovers that the 3’s plans have been discovered. Elena decides to kill Beckett, but Ed jumps through the window in time to prevent a shooting, but not fast enough to prevent Elena from getting away. However, Ros has an idea for stopping Elena & Cottrell from taking their preferred escape route to the Airport.

Using the voice synthesiser, Ros tricks both partners into believing they have had phone calls from the other, and switches their rendezvous by convincing them both to meet at an airfield where a helicopter will take them to Paris. The helicopter is, of course, being piloted by Ed…but as soon as the pair realise they’ve been duped they try to escape. However, Ros is in the driving seat and despite criticism from Beckett sets off in pursuit. Ed joins the fray but in the end it’s unnecessary: Elena drives through a Road Closed sign, and distracted by Ed’s appearance in the helicopter fails to see that the road she’s driving on isn’t finished. The car launches from the end of the unfinished road to a fiery end…The loss of SACROS means Beckett’s promotion prospects have effectively evaporated, but Ros has an alternative to the Job Centre, and a proposition to put to both him and Ed…to join her in business.

Back at the Gizmos office, Ed and Beckett struggle to bring Ros a heavy present, the remains of her car from the compactor. She admits now that at least it will be easier to park…