PRISONER'S RETURN
EPISODE 10 - DÉJÀ VUE
In the previous episode number 6 found out that a senior member of the government was involved with the new 'Village', but he was killed before he could speak to him. Back in his cottage, number 6 gets ready to go out. The night is dark and cold and he wraps up warm against the winter chill. He travels up to London and from the tube at North Greenwich, walks towards the new Millennium Dome, slowly being joined by throngs of people. Behind the barriers, number 6 settles down to watch the proceedings and firework display as the new Millennium arrives. The Queen and Prince Philip with other members of the Royal Family arrive closely followed by the Prime Minister and his entourage. Number 6 watches as the Prime Minister leaves his official car, and waves to the crowd, surrounded by his bodyguards and other Ministers, before entering the Dome. In the crowd of people protecting the Prime Minister, number 6 sees a familiar face from the old 'Village'. He quickly scans the group of people around the Prime Minister and identifies another person from the old' Village'. Number 6's mood changes quickly from one of celebration to concern as he realises that the old 'Village' agents work for the new 'Village' and there may be a threat from these people to the Prime Minister. He is left behind deep in thought as the firework displays go off, and the celebrations start.
Later during daytime, number 6 attempts to gain entry to Downing Street to see the Prime Minister, but despite his explaining the importance of the situation, is turned back by the policemen on duty at the entrance.
In the new 'Village', the control room monitoring team inform the leader where number 6 is, and what he appears to be doing. The leader warns all members of his team that they must follow the plan to the letter, and this time they will deal with number 6 permanently.
Meanwhile, number 6 is booked into a hotel in London after his unsuccessful attempt to speak to the Prime Minister. He has bought some newspapers and is checking on the PM's itinerary for the following day.
After breakfast the following morning, number 6 takes a taxi to a community centre, which is being opened by the PM and his wife. Number 6 joins the crowd outside waiting, and gradually works his way to the front, close to the entrance to the centre. As the Prime Minister arrives, number 6 sees the new 'Village' agent with him, jumps over the crash barrier and rushes up the car where he is just getting out. Number 6 is attempting to speak to the PM, when the security guards struggle with him and wrestle him to the ground. All the time, number 6 is shouting that he is only trying to warn the PM, about the new 'Village' and the agent. As the PM is hustled away into the building, number 6 is arrested, struggling and is thrown into the back of a police van and driven away. The agent with the PM knew who number 6 was, and makes a telephone call on a mobile phone to the new 'Village' immediately after the attempt.
At the police station, number 6 is cautioned and put into an interview room. Two detectives interview him, and quiz him about his actions and motives. Number 6 tells them of his concerns for the safety of the PM and the danger from the aide, but knows that the detectives are unlikely to believe in the new 'Village' or any threat from it. The detectives do not believe him, and consider him a harmless 'nutcase'. At the end of the interview, they decide not to charge him with anything, but to keep him in the cells to cool off overnight. Number 6 is put into a cell for the night.
During the night, the agent who accompanied the PM at the Community Centre visits the police station and speaks to one particular senior policeman. On instructions the senior policeman visits number 6 in his cell that night and warns him off interfering with the new 'Village's' operation. The following day, number 6 is released without being charged. On his way out of the police station, the senior officer, who visited him in the night, quietly warns him again against interfering with the new 'Village' and its plans.
Back in the new 'Village', the leader doesn't expect the warning from the policeman to prevent number 6 continuing his search for them.
Number 6 waits inconspicuously opposite the entrance to Downing Street for one of the new 'Village' agent to appear. Towards dusk, after many of the other civil servants have left, the new 'Village' agent leaves number 10 Downing Street and walks through the barriers at the end of the road, turning right towards the tube station at Westminster. Number 6 discreetly tails him on the other side of the road, and watches as he goes into the tube station. Number 6 follows and buys a ticket himself. He arrives in the station in time to see which way the agent is going, and joins the same train. Number 6 continues to follow the agent all the way back to his home.
Number 6 knocks on the door of the agent, and when the man opens the door, number 6 hits him hard on the jaw and knocks him down. When the agent comes round from being knocked out, he finds he is tied to a chair and number 6 is standing over him. Number 6 questions the agent about the plot to kidnap the Prime Minister, but he denies there is any such plot. Number 6 hits the agent again, and forces him to admit that there is a plot, and that the Prime Minister will be kidnapped and taken to the new 'Village'. The reason is that the Prime Minister has become suspicious about the existence of the new 'Village'. Number 6 forces details of the plot from the agent, which involves bringing the Prime Minister's car to a halt in a country lane early the following morning, kidnapping him, and flying him out of the area to the new 'Village' in a helicopter, where he will be imprisoned. Number 6 asks where the new 'Village' is, but the agent refuses to say. Number 6 applies some more force to the agent, who then reluctantly tells him that it has reformed on a remote island off the west coast of Scotland. Number 6 tells the agent he intends to stop the kidnapping, and ties the agent up to keep him from interfering. As he leaves the room he locks it and takes the key with him.
Immediately, number 6 drives to the spot where the kidnapping is to take place. He finds it is wooded in one part, and he is able to conceal both himself and his car in the undergrowth. He settles down in his car and sleeps there for the night. The following morning he is woken up with a start by the sound of a car's door slamming. He peers out from his hiding place and sees one of the new 'Village' cars arrive and conceal itself in a hidden side lane a short distance away, whilst a second car drives past him and stops further up the road.
A short time later, the Prime Minister's motorcade drives past number 6. As it does so, the two new 'Village' cars pull out in front and behind, and block the Prime Minister's car in. A gun battle develops between the new 'Village' agents and the security guards, during which the Prime Minister is captured by the new 'Village' agents and dragged off to the rear car. At this point, number 6 drives his car out of its hiding place and rams the back of the rear car, causing it to run into a ditch. The Prime Minister is unhurt, and during the confusion, the new 'Village' attackers are overrun and captured by the Prime Minister's guards. The Prime Minister is grateful to number 6 for his assistance in preventing the kidnapping, and is keen to hear number 6's story. He suggests that number 6 accompany him to a large mansion in the distance, where a friend of the Prime Minister's lives, and where they can discus the day's events in peace and quiet. Number 6 agrees and he and the Prime Minister are driven to the house by the chauffeur in the Prime Minister's car.
The car travels along the quiet leafy lanes, drives through a set of electrically operated gates, up a long gravel driveway, and eventually stops outside the steps of the mansion. A servant walks down the steps, opens the car doors. The Prime Minister and number 6 get out, and make their way up the steps to the door. At the top, the door opens and the Prime Minister's friend appears and welcomes them to the house. The Prime Minister apologises for the intrusion, but explains that there has been an incident nearby, and that he and number 6 would like a chance for a private talk. The friend is only too pleased to help. He offers them the use of the library and arranges the provision of some refreshments before leaving them alone.
Once they are alone, number 6 explains the existence of the new 'Village' and its aims. He describes the way in which it keeps itself secret and uses its powers to capture people and imprison them, and the fact that there was a plot to kidnap the Prime Minister himself. The Prime Minister listens quietly to number 6, and then concedes that he has had some suspicions of his own about the existence of the new 'Village', but has never been able to find any proof. Number 6 tells him that this is the reason why they were attempting to kidnap him, as this is what they do with people who find out about them. The Prime Minister is satisfied with what number 6 has told him, and tells him that now they know where the new 'Village' is located it will be a simple matter to find it and destroy it. He congratulates number 6 on his work, and thanks him for his help in averting the kidnapping. He tells number 6 that his job is now complete and he can leave the job of destroying the new 'Village' to the government, but that he will ensure number 6 is kept informed of progress.
The Prime Minister warns number 6 that nothing about the new 'Village' must leak out. Number 6 assures him that he is used to secret work, and that he will say nothing about the matter. The Prime Minister looks across at number 6 and tells him that he thought number 6 was familiar to him. He tells number 6 that he recognises him, and suggests that number 6 used to work for the government. Number 6 is flattered to be recognised and admits that he used to be an agent in MI6 many years ago, but that he resigned. Casually, the Prime Minister comments that he presumes that number 6 got fed up with the job and wanted to move on. Number 6 tells the Prime Minister that he has never revealed why he resigned, but that there is now no reason why this should be kept secret any longer. He tells the Prime Minister why he resigned. The Prime Minister listens in silence, and then gets up. He tells number 6 that he must be leaving, shakes number 6 by the hand and walks over to the door. He looks back at number 6, gives the old 'Village' salute 'be seeing you', and leaves shutting the door behind him.
Number 6 frowns and walks across to the door. He tries the handle and finds it locked. He turns to the windows, sees the Prime Minister's car moving off down the drive and bangs on the glass with his fists. He picks up a heavy chair and attacks the window with it, but the panes are of toughened glass and he is unable to break them. Frantically, he swings the chair at other windows in the room, and is unable to break them. Finally, he looks round to the French doors at the end of the library. Slowly, he makes his way down the room towards them, and grasps the handle. It turns and number 6 slowly pushes open the door and finds himself looking out across the new 'Village'.
Number 6 steps outside, and the French doors behind him suddenly slam shut. He whirls round and tugs at the door handle but the door will not open. He turns back round, and sees the new 'Village' leader, the agent he tied up and several of the ex-number 2's in front of him. The leader steps forward, pins a badge with 'number 6' written on it onto number 6's lapel and welcomes him back. The leader explains that they wanted him back all along, and now they know why he resigned, there will be no escape for him in the future.
Number 6 is trapped once again in the 'Village'.
END
Copyright: D.J.Groom 1987