Put a lad outside his house if you want -
we know where he'll be going.
Where he always goes after a night out.
Don't want damage, as such.
Just noise.
See if we can make him shit himself.
Yeah, sound.
by the end?
what I even know about again
and I'm lost again
yeah
HE GRUNTS
like a fountain pen
again
by the end?
MUSIC STOPS
DOOR CLOSES
There she is.
Hi.
How are you feeling?
Just a bit fuzzy.
Do you want coffee? Babe, I'll do that.
Was it a good workout?
Yeah. 10, 15 minutes on the bag.
Am I right in thinking that you're in charge?
KETTLE BOILING
And everyone thinks you're in charge except Jamie?
Babe, I'm in charge.
OK, what about Elaine...
..Rachel and Bobby? They're Jamie's family.
They know he's not up to it.
No, they don't want to see him dead, is my point.
Hey. Don't want you worrying about these things.
Yeah, I'm worrying about what happens to you.
I'll be fine.
Will there be a target on your back?
Babe, you heard what was said last night.
There's a massive target on my back right now, and...
..there's only one way to shift it.
MICHAEL POURS KETTLE
I'm not pregnant.
I'm no longer...
..pregnant.
HE EXHALES
Really?
That's...?
That's the truth?
Yeah.
It's the truth.
I'm so sorry.
What do you have to be sorry for?
There's no need for sorry.
Well, maybe it's for the best.
Oh, don't say that. Come here.
No, look at us.
How can we be parents?
And I'm not blaming you...
..because we are just as bad as each other.
We can be parents.
Of course we can.
Hey, look at me.
You will be the most amazing mother.
Come here.
It's OK.
It's all OK.
He's been in the ground one day.
It's already all falling apart.
And you're in the middle of it.
Of course I'm in the middle of it.
And it's not falling apart. Couldn't the shouting
have waited till after the funeral?
It's not my fault! Christ!
It's like talking to a five-year-old.
Listen, Michael needed to be told, so I told him.
No. You don't tell him, Jamie -
you either speak to him directly or you say nothing at all.
You don't shout the odds across the playground.
You embarrassed yourself.
Don't mind me.
Carry on.
Did you hear that?
I heard enough.
And do you have an opinion as well?
Whatever Michael did or didn't do is an unknown.
That said, he is the past.
Thank you. But your mother's right.
You don't actually tell him that,
cos then all he wants to do is shoot the messenger.
I don't want this.
I don't want fighting.
Mum, it is what it is.
No. It's what you make it.
We need to find a way forward, Jay.
We?
Yeah, we.
We're in this together - all of us.
What would your father have wanted?
For us to find whoever fucking killed him.
SHE SIGHS
And I say it was Michael.
You WANT it to be Michael.
Well, who else could it be?
Come on, realistically.
Well, a whole load of people - if we're being realistic.
Sort out this mess, Jamie.
I mean it. Start today.
Now.
RINGING TONE
PHONE RINGS
Did you arse-dial me, Michael?
How are you feeling, lad?
Happy? Not really.
Same.
I'm thinking maybe the occasion got the better of us.
Can you let Jamie know I want to meet, chat?
What about?
Nothing's off the table.
Does that sound like a plan?
Meet where?
Wherever he wants.
We talk, we find a way forward.
Oh, and can you remind him, in case he's forgotten,
we owe a lot of money?
The debt belongs to us all.
And it'll need paying soon.
He won't come on his own.
He'll want people round him.
Not a problem.
His lads can wear their balaclavas if they want.
You got yours yet? One minute, lad.
Can I take your order?
I'm just gonna grab me brekky.
Go ahead, love, give us two breakfast muffins
and a chicken burger, please.
Would you like a drink with that?
Jesus Christ!
Hello?
You still there?
Just about.
That was me showing me disappointment
and saying, "I know you, Bobby Duffy.
"I know where you'll be any time of day or night,"
so...so let's get this sorted.
Hello? I'll speak to them.
I'll speak to Jamie and I'll get back.
And I want to meet today. So let's get it done.
I'll get back to you.
Nice one.
Enjoy your muffin.
HE SIGHS
DOOR CLOSES
FOOTSTEPS APPROACH
Are you going into work?
I need to occupy my mind. OK.
Doctor tells you to relax and...
..I serve up a shitshow.
Then end the shitshow.
You know, if we are going to try again, you need to be here.
Babe...
..I'm here. Yeah, but for how long?
Listen, I've said this before.
Just walk away.
Now.
He'll follow.
I killed his aul' fella.
I will get this done.
I take Jamie out and the others will know to toe the line.
Rule by fear.
It's the world.
It's a long way from Happy Town.
Hello, Cheryl.
You best come in.
I won't be offering refreshments.
I was on my way out.
Anywhere nice? Cinema.
On my own.
Course, on my own.
Still no word from Davy?
Nothing.
And his so-called mates - they couldn't give a toss.
That's what really pisses me off.
We were godparents to Jamie Phelan's baby
just over a week ago.
I've no idea why, exactly.
What's Davy to Jamie Phelan?
Don't know.
Nothin'.
His dad's mate.
Something's not right.
Who's stepping into Ronnie's shoes, Cheryl, do you know?
I don't know, and I don't care.
It's Michael Kavanagh?
We'll see, won't we?
I... I need to go.
I need to get in the queue for the popcorn.
Do you want a lift?
You have a very clean car.
Yeah, I know. Sorry.
I mean, my house is the same. It's just...spotless.
OCD?
No. It's just...
I mean, I don't... I don't think so.
I just don't like mess, you know?
I mean, that being said, my shirt won't stay tucked
inside my trousers. SHE CHUCKLES
I heard a whisper at the funeral...
..that Ronnie died in Spain.
Don't know how true it is.
Interesting.
You know talking to Jamie is a waste of time.
I want everyone to hear what's said.
I want everyone to see what he's about.
And they can judge for themselves.
PHONE BUZZES
Get on this.
Ricardo's just booked a flight to Liverpool.
When?
Today.
He wants to meet Diana.
What's that about?
God knows.
QUIET CHATTER
Get on Bobby, looking like a fucking social worker.
What's he doing knocking about with these bunch of future lifers?
Rachel's got him by the balls.
Are we doing pat-downs? Not necessary.
Good. Because we're tooled up to fuck.
Always on time, eh, Michael?
Shows respect - I like it.
Are we doing this inside or out?
Inside works for me.
Find a quiet corner out the way, shall we?
As I said to Bobby on the phone,
maybe the occasion brought out the worst of us.
Yeah, maybe. Yeah.
So let's forget about last night and find a way.
Right, can I start? Yeah, if you like.
Right, I was angry last night, I was emotional,
I was a bit pissed,
but I meant every word I would have said.
Now, my aul' fella's markets, contacts, buyers,
whatever you want to call them, they're all staying in-house.
Yeah? And his business is now my business.
That's what me and him agreed.
That's what he wanted.
So I'm inviting you to walk away.
I'll give you 250K...
MAN SCOFFING ..and that's it.
Your aul' fella's business
also happens to be my business.
Built up over the last 15 years or more.
I'm going nowhere.
Now, I'd invite you to stay on as part of the crew...
..but we both know that's bollocks.
It wouldn't work. Correct.
So where we both agree is that one of us has got to walk away.
The door's over there, lad.
LAUGHTER
If we leave this table without an agreement,
then it's gonna be war.
It is what it is.
If shit goes down,
everyone in this room is gonna lose something or someone.
The bizzies will be all over the streets.
Is that what we want, Jay?
He's making sense, Jay.
What's the alternative?
Is there one? Yeah.
I'm proposing we go old school.
A straightener.
SNIGGERING
What, you want to fight me?
Yeah.
Why not?
Are you serious? Why not, Jay?
You and me. Man on man.
No blades, no shooters.
In the ring, in the cage,
in a field, if you prefer.
The winner takes all.
The defeated man walks away.
That way, no-one loses and no-one dies.
Just you and me, Jay.
OTHERS TALK AT ONCE
Are you sure about this? Be warned, I'm in my prime.
Same, lad. Don't let a couple of grey hairs fool you.
Jay, you'll fucking smash him up, lad. Easy.
Shut your fucking mouth. You shut up,
you little fucking scruff! Who d'you think you...?
Lads, lads, this is Jamie's call. No-one else speak.
Think about it if you need to.
But don't take too long. There's work to be done.
Wh...? When? When do you want to do it?
Soon as.
Tomorrow. Day after.
There's no point in hanging around.
Cage.
So you can't run anywhere. Fighting talk!
Fighting gloves. Fair enough.
And you'll walk away?
If I'm defeated, I'll walk away.
Head high.
250K.
The business is yours, including the debt.
That belongs to the business.
I can live with that.
We don't ignore it. Neither of us.
So, er, what do we do now, then? Shake hands?
Old school? It's sound by me.
OTHERS MURMUR
INDISTINCT CHATTER DOOR OPENS
Diana.
Did you get my message?
Yeah, I did. What's going on?
He wants to meet you.
Why?
Cos I told him about you.
And he's a mate.
Are you up to it?
What did...? What did you tell him?
Just that you're important to me.
And that we're trying for a baby.
You told him about the IVF?
Yeah. Does it matter?
Why is he even here?
I've no idea why he's here.
But he's a friend and he's on my side.
Is he selling you something?
Yeah.
And I need the sale to go through.
I need things to appear normal.
I need to appear fucking normal
and you've helped me do that.
This will end, I swear.
Right, over and done with, you said.
I've got to get back to work. Diana...
I'll be there.
TYRES SQUEAL
SIREN BLARES
OK, look, informants - I've got one for you, OK?
Cheryl Crawford, wife of Davy Crawford,
associate of Ronnie Phelan, ex of this parish. Yeah?
I've heard. OK, so Ronnie and his mates,
they go to Spain for a few days.
But Davy Crawford, he never makes it back.
Wife thinks he's been whacked.
No.
Wh...? What do you mean, no?
No, I don't want the wife as an informant.
She'll be angry, she won't be thinking straight.
For her own safety, it's a nonstarter. So, no.
Do you not want to at least think about it, no?
What killed Ronnie Phelan?
Heart attack, apparently.
Brought about by guilt.
Why's that? Seeing as he's passed, I can say this now.
He was a snitch.
I... What...?
He... He was a snitch?
For years.
When it suited him. And when it suited us.
I'll see you, Barney.
Six months in Europe, six months at home.
Approximately.
Not half and half. Like, spread out.
Yeah, spread across the year.
So, which do you prefer - Europe or home?
Oh, home.
Of course, home.
I have a wife and children. Mm.
That's nice.
Does your wife know what you are? What you do?
You don't have to answer that, Ricky.
What am I, Diana?
Mm...
I dunno.
Michael's colleague.
And what is Michael?
Right now...
..he's pretty nervous.
He's, um, like a work in progress.
He's a... He's a chrysalis.
HE SCOFFS
And here's me thinking I was a Sagittarius.
SHE CHUCKLES And he is changing from what
into what?
Oh, he's changing from a wannabe...
..into a grown man.
A wannabe what?
Well, Ricardo, maybe. OK.
More wine? Not for me, thank you.
Just a mouthful, please.
As you will have gathered...
..Diana would rather I didn't do what I do.
I've always known what you did.
I don't preach.
But you enjoy the lifestyle, Diana.
If by "lifestyle" you mean money, then, no.
No, it's not a deal breaker.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be poor.
We all need enough money.
We all have dreams that money might fund.
But you would like Michael to stop.
Can we all, I don't know,
just stop talking about Michael?
I am... Well, I am here.
Yes, I would like him to stop.
I love him, and I worry.
There's unfinished business, babe.
Ricky.
This isn't fair. Michael has a to-do list.
Beginning with this fight you mentioned?
Yeah.
What fight?
Me and Jamie.
A fistfight.
SHE SCOFFS
Oh, you're going to fight him?
Yeah.
Just a straightener. That's...
Well, I thought that was better than slitting his throat.
Right.
Will you win?
If I'm still standing after the first 90 seconds,
I stand a chance. And if you lose?
The debt will still be paid.
No. What happens to us if you lose?
I walk away. As promised.
Well, then, lose.
Can you do that?
Can you do that, Michael?
No.
Not yet.
I can't.
I want what's mine.
Right.
Go on. Go on.
One-two, cross. Go on.
Again. One-two.
Elbow. Go on.
You're gonna wear yourself out, Jay.
Az-az! Az!
Would you put money on him?
I've heard he can still handle himself - Michael.
Hey, Jay, have you heard this? Hey, little Blink saying
that Michael can handle himself here.
I'm not saying it. It's what I heard, that's all.
Twat.
What we saying back in the day, or what?
I don't know.
Why don't you know, lad?
Jay, I don't know the fella, do I?
Can he do this? Dropped it then, didn't you?
Hey, listen, before we leave, I want a couple of blades
hidden round the edge of the cage.
Sound.
Once he goes down, I don't want him getting up.
Go in the car and get the blades, yeah?
OK, good. Again.
It wasn't fair to bring Diana into play.
I trust you, absolutely I do,
but she's right - you are changing.
I'm really not.
It is Diana who is making this change.
No.
I think yes.
Why are you here?
It's a long way to travel.
Our business is with you.
It has always been with you.
And I'm grateful for that.
Our business is also cruel.
I took care of the father.
And I'll take care of the son. Amen.
You agreed to give Ronnie time.
He claimed you had something to sell. You do not.
I need that time.
Or I need that shipment.
As soon as possible.
I came here to tell you that I will kill you personally if I must.
Three days.
The original debt needs to be paid.
Whatever your plan, make it work.
Three days?
Goodnight, Michael.
Best sleep well.
Goodnight.
KEYS RATTLE
Diana?
Where are you, babe?
RINGING TONE
PHONE RINGS
PHONE CONTINUES RINGING
LOCK BEEPS
PHONE BUZZES
MUSIC THUMPS LAUGHTER AND CHATTER
HE SIGHS
Gotta love a student.
You have.
That's your hot chocolate there.
Now, don't take this the wrong way...
..but why isn't Jamie dead already?
Cos I wanted Ronnie buried first.
Cos I wanted to be certain he's a twat.
Oh, he's a twat, all right. The lad's a fucking beaut.
To be honest...
..well, the truth is, I'm afraid.
Getting caught.
Locked up.
Murder one - that's 15, 20 years or more.
And then it's all over.
Gone.
Fucking hell, lad.
I weren't expecting THAT truth.
When I was about to do Davy Crawford, I thought...
"..I could kill meself here."
All cos Ronnie asked me to.
Then he goes inside with his lad.
What a fucking betrayal that is.
Are you OK for tomorrow?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
I'm sound.
I can't wait.
I want to punch his fat head in.
He isn't going to walk away still, you know that.
Oh, yeah, I know.
But then at least when he gets whacked,
there'll be no complaints, no comeback.
Who's gonna do that?
I was thinking about asking Bobby Duffy
to execute the fucker. HE CHUCKLES
As a penance.
Why not me?
You've got a cat, mate.
She needs you.
HE CHUCKLES
Right, I'll see you ringside.
Hey...
..punch his fucking head in, lad, yeah?
RINGING TONE
PHONE BUZZES
Yeah?
Was it you...
..what killed Ronnie?
Do you think it was me?
Yeah.
I'm still here, aren't I?
Nice one.
SIREN IN DISTANCE
GULLS CAW
PHONE RINGS
Hello, babe.
Where are you?
I'm safe.
Safe where?
Just don't call me. I'll call you.
Diana.
Safe where?
Somewhere where you and your mates are not.
Just tell me.
HE SIGHS
RINGING TONE Switchboard.
Oh, hi, this is Detective Sergeant Barney Stiles,
Merseyside Police. I'm just looking to request
a passport movement check, please.
One moment.
Right, got it. Thank you.
CHATTER
Go on, Michael.
Michael, lad. How you feeling?
Is he here? He's inside.
Michael, son. Long time, no see.
Long time, no see. It's my fault.
You sure you can still do this?
Banksey.
Looking good, Terry.
Ah, you too, lad. Yes, Michael.
I see you've got magic wands on the door.
Yeah, I saw.
Yeah. No blades, no phones.
I don't want anything on your fucking Facebooks or YouTube.
Agreed.
What happens in the ring is sacred.
So, we're all ready to go.
Your opponent's in the changing room.
I'll walk you through, have a chat.
How long have you been here now, Terry?
This is my 26th year.
Jesus! HE CHUCKLES
Yeah, he used to be a member here as well.
Here we are, the happy campers.
Morning, Michael. Jay.
I was worried you weren't gonna turn up.
Nah, I'm like a kid at Christmas, lad.
I can't wait. Gloves.
I'm thinking either 10oz boxing gloves
or MMA fighting gloves. Fighting gloves.
I don't mind. Fighting gloves it is, then.
Now, listen. Rules of engagement.
You can punch, kick, head-butt, push, shove,
but no chokeholds, no eye gouging,
no bites and no fucking spitting.
On it? Yeah.
Understood.
If you've had enough, then say it loud -
"Enough, enough."
Do you want to practise that?
It doesn't matter who says it -
you step out of the ring, head high, no shame.
You set an example.
Now, give each other a big kiss or shake hands.
Once inside the ring, you touch gloves and go.
On it?
Sound. On it.
Smash him, lad.
Aye. Smash him.
HUBBUB
I've left a blade under one of the posts
on the left-hand side.
SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
You've got this, right? You've fucking got this.
Come on!
Come on. Come on, Michael!
Smash him, lad.
Come on!
Shitting himself there, Michael.
Look in his eyes. You fuckin' shithouse.
Shitting himself. You've got this, lad.
Grass, Michael.
Jay, easy, lad. Easy.
Slam him, bro! Slam him!
Slam him, lad!
Touch gloves.
SHOUTING
On your feet, Michael! Come on, then.
Fuckin' go!
That's it. Box him!
Come on!
HE GROANS
Go on!
Have him!
CHEERING
What have you fucking done now, you little shit?!
What the fuck are you going to do?!
Jay, stab him!
VOICES ECHO
Michael, he's got a knife!
Go on, cut him. Fucking cut him!
ALL EXCLAIM
CHEERING
Come on!
Fucking end him, lad!
Fucking end him! Come on!
Fucking end him, Michael!
Ref, fucking stop it!
Enough! Enough, enough! Enough.
CHEERING
Good fight. A good fight.
You're over, Jay.
Yeah, yous are over.
CHEERING JEERING
Fuck's sake!
I'll put a couple of stitches in that -
you'll be right as rain. Cheers, Terry.
Not a problem.
Twat must have planted it.
Fucking hell... What is up with these people?
Hey!
Manny Pacquiao.
You think?
Can we have a minute, please, Terry?
Not a problem.
I'll play nurse later. Keep applying the pressure.
Yeah, I will.
So you came.
Congratulations. You won.
So this means you are the boss.
I'm not stupid, Ricky. I know he won't go away.
I know what still needs to be done.
But... Well, now I have the authority.
Then the question is the same.
Can you do it?
I don't have to do it.
I can get someone else to do it.
Who do you choose? Does it matter?
Who can you trust?
Whose life will you risk to save your own?
Who will you send to prison and who will keep quiet?
I need the tap turning on.
Sooner...rather than later.
Right now, in fact.
Nothing has changed.
Nothing at all.
As we speak, the man you have beaten
will be choosing the man he will send to prison.
He knows your weakness.
DOOR OPENS
DOOR CLOSES
Hiya. Hi.
Thanks for coming.
Not a problem.
Are we meeting for any particular reason?
Um...
I've walked away from Michael.
I've not left him as such, I just...
You know, I just needed distance.
But you'll go back.
I don't... I don't know.
Yeah, I don't know what I'd be going back to.
Where are you staying?
Hotel.
What about work?
Just got a couple of days off.
You can stay with me if you like.
You know, save your money.
House is clean.
It's me who's the mess.
Have a think and I'll get you a coffee.
What do you want?
Er, just...an Americano, please.
Yeah. Black. Knew it.
MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO
You're listening to Liverpool Radio,
and today we're talking... RADIO OFF
It means nothing anyway, lad.
Yeah, it does. All right, then, it does.
You're acting like a fucking spoilt kid.
Shut up, lad.
RINGING TONE
Yes. Hello. Bobby, where are you?
Right behind you.
Right, do us a favour. Call Rachel, ask her if she's counted up yet.
I need all the money we've got by tomorrow.
Since when is it YOUR cash?
Stop the car. What?
Stop the car. Here?
Where are you going?
What's he doing now?
Pain in the arse.
HANDLE CLUNKS
Open the door.
Urgent, is it? What'd you just say to me?
Is the money mine? Hey?
Whose side are you on, Bobby?
Family. Family, yeah?
Well, that's me. And this money's gonna pay
for me to deal with proper people.
Deal with the Albanians,
and it's a one-deal ride. Bollocks.
Which is why we locked them out. Everybody locks them out.
Shut the fuck up - they're not the bogeyman.
They're like knotweed.
Call Rachel.
Cash. Can you do that?
PHONE RINGS
It's Michael.
Go on, answer it. I'm not here.
Yeah, what d'you want? You happy, Bobby?
Delirious.
Let Jamie know his name means nothing now,
not that it ever did. He'd never believe that.
Jamie loves Jamie - he'd suck his own cock if he could.
HE SNIGGERS
Well, tell him Ricardo's in town, after payment.
He needs to keep away from our cash.
Otherwise, he'll get us all killed.
CALL DISCONNECTS
Our Rach knows what to do.
Call her.
DOOR CLOSES
The phrase that comes to mind is "the benefit of the doubt".
That's what we give them, endlessly.
And not just our own men - their mates.
The benefit of the doubt.
Doubt about what?
About... SHE SIGHS
..whether they're complete bastards or not.
Is he dead?
My Davy?
I think so.
Yeah.
He went out with Ronnie, and only Ronnie came back.
And Ronnie was yelling at Jamie, and...
..then they took themselves off to a quiet corner, and...
..and I was making frozen margaritas.
God, I'm so sorry.
Where is he, then?
Where'd they leave him?
Did they, um...
..drop him into the ocean...
..off a cliff?
It's true, Ronnie died in Spain?
It was awful.
Heart attack?
What do you think?
God, everything's changed.
The truth is, I'm terrified.
Yeah.
I will stay with you...
..if that's all right.
Yeah, course you can, love.
Course you can.
DOG BARKS IN DISTANCE
CHILDREN PLAY IN DISTANCE
BUZZER
GATE WHIRS
Can I help you?
Did you walk into a door?
I'm just here to ask a few questions, you know,
if that's OK. Just a little chat.
Yeah, go on.
So, how was Spain?
It was good.
Not so good when we got home.
You heard about Ronnie?
It's why I'm here, to be honest.
Look, I just...just want to clear a few things up, that's it.
So, you flew out from Liverpool,
you returned via boat to Portsmouth is that right?
Yeah. Yeah. OK.
And that was with, er, Elaine Phelan,
Jamie Phelan and your old mucker, Banksey, yeah?
Yeah. Yeah. OK.
But no Ronnie?
Just strikes me as odd.
In fact, according to passport records,
Ronnie must still be in Spain because he never made it home.
So who did you bury?
No, you...you've lost me, Barney.
What is it you're trying to say?
Look, I'm not trying to say anything.
I'm just asking questions. That's it.
Questions like...
..how did Ronnie get back?
Michael, is Ronnie actually dead?
Yeah.
He's very much dead.
OK, good.
Now, not that I'm particularly arsed
about a low-life official police informant being dead,
but what I'm very curious about is the nature of how he died.
An informant? Oh, yeah.
It turns out, Ronnie - bad fucking grass.
Nah, you're chatting shit.
No. No shit being chat here, Michael.
See, it turns out, Ronnie, he'd been feeding us
bits and pieces for years.
And if you think about it, probably explains
how he stayed out of prison all that time, doesn't it?
I can see that you're shocked, aren't you?
Believe me, if I was sat there, I'd be shocked as well.
All kinds of things going through my head.
Wouldn't worry about it, though.
It's not like he grassed on you, did he?
Or did he?
Did do a few years locked up, didn't you, eh?
Right, I'm going home.
How did he die, Michael? Eh?
PHONE BUZZES
RINGING TONE
What's happening, brother?
Jamie's been misbehaving.
That thing we were talking about...
..I'll do it myself.
I need a parcel, clean and wrapped.
On it.
Nice one.