This grim and bleak crime drama is beginning to pick up critical acclaim and big viewing figures, and it looks like it's beginning to develop into something quite worthwhile. And in this episode, there are hints that the unlikely team put together by Lenny Jameson (Peter Mullan) are beginning to pull together.
The following preview courtesy of ITV:
Jameson is alerted to the recent arrival of a notorious Albanian gangster Tarek Sokoli. Rather than have him killed, he instructs John Mercer (Andrew Buchan, pictured, right), Rose Chamberlain (Tamzin Outhwaite, pictured, left) and Calum McKenzie (Jody Latham) to scare him away - to send the message to any others planning on setting up in London that their attempts will fail.
The unit target Sokoli's two main sources of income - prostitution and drugs. Calum frees the prostitutes that Sokoli's crew had illegally shipped in by returning their passports. However, after one of the liberated girls is killed, and a heroin importer is murdered by Sokoli's lieutenant after Mercer convinced him against doing business with the Albanians, the unit begin to realise that simply executing Sokoli would have created far less bloodshed.
As Mercer and Calum focus on the cash Sokoli's crew is yielding - holding up several of his bagmen, and keeping some of the cash in the process - Lenny tells Rose to go direct to Sokoli's family with threats. When Mercer learns of Rose's tactic he is furious. Rose dismisses Mercer's concerns, but, through a corrupt policeman, Sokoli discovers the identity of the woman who threatened his child. That night, Rose sits alone, frustrated at herself and Mercer. Then the window smashes and she is taken by force by Sokoli's men.
Lenny concedes he needs Mercer more than ever - he must rescue Rose, and at any cost. As Mercer is ushered into the Albanian drinking club, one of Sokoli's henchmen has positioned himself to shoot whoever comes through the door. Mercer tricks them and shoots first. He frees a shocked but grateful Rose, and tells Sokoli that his operation in the UK has crumbled. Sokoli knows that returning to Albania with his family is a better alternative than fighting with nothing. He offers Mercer a job, but Mercer tells him that he's "on the side of the angels".
As Mercer rests at home, Calum tells him that Rose was asking questions about Mercer - clearly an instruction of Lenny's, an attempt to evaluate his mindset. Rose comes to the flat to thank Mercer, and suggests a connection between them. But Mercer tells her plainly they have no future while they work together - how could he trust her while Lenny stands between them?
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