CAST LIST

SYNOPSIS

Ros is attending a Diplomatic Banquet aboard Marine Command HQ (a decommissioned Cruiser) with an old University colleague, Roland Blatty. Blatty has just been promoted to the head of the newly created "Bureau of Weapons Technology", a Government agency responsible, amongst other tasks, for policing and prosecuting illegal weapons manufacturers. On the other side of the river from the Cruiser, two men load a microscopic flying weapon with a clear fluid before firing it from a specially constructed gun. The weapon homes in on the Cruiser as the Regent, exiled from his own country, gets up to speak. The weapon heads straight for the Regent but is so small it goes unnoticed until it is too late and he is struck down, dying almost immediately. Only Ros notices the now useless weapon, but is unable to examine it before it is crushed…

As Ros attends the banquet, Ed and Beckett are breaking into a building on the instructions of a client, Irene Campbell. Beckett explains to Ed that Campbell had just sold the now-defunct company a concept for a computer game, and is keen to remove it from the company’s Main Computer before it can be re-possessed. It is Beckett and Ed’s job to penetrate the mainframe and erase the offending "Assassins" flies, something they do easily with the help of the specialist information Irene has given them. Escaping from the building after the security guards discover that the pair has tampered with their CCTV feed, Ed is attacked by a guard dog who keenly removes a section of his trousers and rear. On his way out he passes a lab where rows of the microscopic device that killed the Regent are waiting to be assembled. The two make it to an all-night diner where a grateful Irene congratulates them on their success. It is apparent to Ed that Beckett’s interest in Irene is more than professional…

Beckett’s lie-in the following morning is rudely interrupted by Ros, who has offered to help Blatty obtain the information he needs to prosecute the company responsible for making the microscopic killer… Arriving at the company, Cyberscope, Beckett and Ed realise with horror that the building that the Bureau of Weapons Technology has been guarding is the same building they broke into the previous evening. Meeting Blatty, Ros confidently announces she can retrieve the files he needs and prove proof of supply…but it soon becomes clear that the "Assassins" files have gone. Before Beckett can admit to his mistake, Irene Campbell and her assistant Morasco interrupt them. She confidently tells them to leave and threatens to sue Blatty for lost business. When he confesses, Ros is incensed at Beckett’s actions: Beckett simply vows to get Irene back for what she has done…

Ed and Beckett watch the Regent’s funeral at a distance, intrigued by an argument which breaks out between the mourners and the new Security Attaché at the Regent’s embassy, the man responsible for the Regent’s death. Ed trails him, whilst Beckett follows Admiral Lansdale, whom he recognises as the Government’s "semi-official" Overseas Liaison officer. Ed’s quarry meets with Irene soon after the funeral, and discusses a "weapon" he is buying from Cyberscope, which he asks to see tested before he buys it. Beckett tries to talk to the Admiral and warn him that he could be in danger, but he is dismissive of Beckett’s claims. As he makes his way back to Marine Command HQ there is a massive explosion, which kills the Admiral instantly. Back at Gizmos, Beckett blames himself for the Admiral’s death and strengthens his resolve to nail Irene for the killing…

At The Bureau of Weapons, Blatty shows Ros an undamaged version of the microscopic killer, fashioned like a small insect. The device is target-specific, using individual pheromones to home in on its prey. He also shows Ros a bomb, programmed to explode using the voice of its victim as a detonator. Ros is curious as to how Blatty obtained the information: it transpires it has been obtained from an ex-employee of Elaine’s, Ralph Black, now residing in a Mental hospital. Increasingly frustrated, Beckett tries to find a way to bug Irene without her knowing. Catching her at a Health club, Ros is able to plant two bugs: one in Elaine’s handbag and, more cleverly, one hidden in her breakfast cereal. However, Irene spots Ed in the club and guesses the plan, and has the transmissions jammed when she returns to her office. Morasco then suggests to Irene that it may be time to remove this source of irritation using the means at their disposal…

Morasco sits outside Ros’ flat, watching her arrival. Ros lets herself into her flat and quickly takes a shower. Morasco has planted a voice-activated bomb under Ros’ telephone, intending for it to detonate when Ros answers the call he quickly places. However, Ros picks up an extension phone instead, detonating the bomb but avoiding the blast, which wrecks her front room. Convinced she is dead, Morasco drives to Beckett’s flat, and attaches a remote-controlled version of the bomb to Beckett’s telephone cabling. Ros however is one jump ahead of him, and faxes Beckett warning him to say nothing until she arrives. It is a simple task to locate the device on her arrival, and Beckett convinces Morasco he has been successful twice by faking the noise of an explosion down the ‘phone. Ros retrieves the unexploded bomb.

Believing Ros and Beckett to be dead, Morasco suggests using the sample of trouser gained from Ed’s rear to test the pheromone-specific virus, thereby testing it’s potency for the Embassy’s Attaché, Meanwhile, Ed has found Ralph, Elaine’s ex-employee. He tells him about the pressures Irene placed on her employees to get results. Ros and Beckett interrupt them, informing him that Irene is out to get them. They are all unaware that Morasco has entered the building and has released a microscopic bug, until Ralph notices it’s approach by the glint of it’s eyes, which he designed. Ed tries to escape, and is hunted down through the hospital to the Laundry Room, finally forcing the bug into a ventilation fan. Although it is destroyed, vapour from the bug escapes, which Ed inhales… Irene informs her customer that the "test" of his product has commenced, and the subject should be dead by the morning. His particular weapon, vials of a deadly pheromone-sensitive poison designed to destroy the Royal bloodline, is ready for collection.

Protesting his fitness in hospital, Ed is tested by medical staff in environmental suits. Without warning he suddenly keels over. Ros shows Beckett the virus under the microscope, informing him that the medical staff can offer no cure. The only way to destroy the virus is to burn it. Beckett watches Irene hand over the weapon to the Attaché, whilst Ros and Blatty enter Cyberscope. Morasco demands that they leave, but Ros is determined to find out how to save Ed’s life. She programs the unused voice-activated bomb to respond to Elaine's voice, keeping her silent. Ros then challenges Morasco to tell her how to save Ed, by merging a number of data sources from Cyberscope’s original master hard-drive, fire-damaged backups and a hard disk from a typing pool computer. This combination of sources allows Ros to re-assemble the "Assassins" files, which have the voice of Irene imprinted at their head. Knowing this will activate the bomb Morasco is forced to tell Ros that Ed’s virus can be killed with a dose of x-rays, which will change the virus into a tailored anti-body. Having what she and Blatty came for, the pair leave as Irene begins to chastise Morasco for believing Ros’ bomb bluff…as the bomb explodes in her hand. Meanwhile, Beckett has tracked down the attaché to a boat on the river, and manages to distract the crew and grab the virus. A fight ensues, with the attaché trying to release the virus, not caring how long it will take to kill his enemies. Beckett however has come prepared with a flame-thrower…

Ed is enjoying the attentions of the female nurses in hospital, and claims he is far from fully recovered when Ros and Beckett visit to find out when he will be returning to work. Realising it is the nurses that are restricting his recovery, Ros has hired a specialist, male nurse to take care of him… which prompts a speedy recovery from Ed…