Undercover

Deanfield Ave, Henley-on-Thames RG9 1UH

GARY – undercover as Steve – Me?

PHIL – undercover as Bob – Toby?
PERP – Toby? (But plus glasses or something?)
CHIEF – Emily?
LUCY – Milly?

Chase shot a bit like opening to Trainspotting

EXT. HENLEY, BY RIVER – DAY

We see a peaceful scene, shots of the river, birds
tweeting. Then a mans foot comes into frame and we see
him run past camera, music starts (See email – Chelsea
dagger?) on beat of foot. Another man follows close
behind, in pursuit. The man being chased is PERP. He
wears a balaclava and a tracksuit, looking behind him
periodically. The man pursuing him is GARY who wears a
similar outfit, except for the balaclava. The chase
continues, running through the streets, becoming ever
more extravagant. The chase is intercut with a man
reading a file with a voiceover explaining his mission.

MISSION CONTROL VOICE/PHIL? (V.O)

(Add a radio effect to his voice, and have it playing
whilst he’s reading file, and during chase maybe?)

Your mission, is to infiltrate the drug ring known as

Black Mamba

(Cutting between chase and PHIL reading file)

You will be undercover as Bob Smith, a down on his luck
drug addict looking for some work. Your mission is to
gather any information that may be useful to us and bring
in as many of the members as you can.

GARY apprehends the suspect, bringing the chase to a

close.
 GARY
You’re under arrest you son of a-

INT. POLICE CHIEFS OFFICE – DAY

CHIEF
(Offering PHIL, a plate of biscuits – They are both sat –
PHIL on the other side of the CHIEF’S desk – reading
file)
Biscuit?

PHIL
(taking a biscuit, closing file, nibbling biscuit – in
awe)
This is the best assignment I’ve ever had! Thank you!

CHIEF
Well, Pembroke was busy and Bartholomew is in the Peak
district on holiday and Evans is up to his eyeballs in…

(Looks at PHIL and sees his smile begins to waver –

stops)
Just, don’t screw it up.

PHIL
I promise I won’t let you down chief!

(pauses, changing tone – sitting forward)

But… I do have 1 condition.

(CHIEF looks unimpressed but allows him to continue –

camera moves in slowly, the frame becoming darker – voice
becomes huskier)
Ok… my name is Maverick Strikewell. I am a highly trained
assassin on mission to avenge my wife, who was killed by
a gang of…

CHIEF

1
No

PHIL
(Voice becomes normal again)
Fair enough / Alright then

(Gets up and leaves)

Cut to GARY, bringing in the perp from earlier, who is
handcuffed. He hands him to someone else.

GARY
(To the other person)
Take him to holding for me.

LUCY pulls GARY aside to talk to him. PHIL is reading his

file and does not look up. GARY is distracted by LUCY
talking to him so does not see PHIL. Phil exits through a
door.

LUCY
Oh, hey Gary. You got your perp. Nice.

GARY
(Pretending)
Who’s Gary. I – I’m Steve.

(LUCY does not look impressed)

(Gruff voice – screen becomes darker and camera moves
slowly in)
Sorry it’s just, I’ve been undercover for so long I
sometimes forget where Steve ends and Gary begins…

(beat)

LUCY
You were gone for like 2 weeks.

PHIL
(Bites lip and breathes in)
It’s good to be back Lucy.

2
 GARY then continues down the hall, stopping by the door
to the CHIEFS office

GARY
Hey chief, I think I got my guy. Got him connected to a
major drug ring.

CHIEF
Interrogation room 3 is free. Tell me what you find out.

GARY nods and walks off.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY

Light fills the screen. Shot of the perp being blinded,

covering eyes. GARY is a silhouette against the light (or
maybe you can see him and it’s just a spotlight).

GARY
So

(takes a chair and turns it around, sitting on it

backwards – he fumbles while doing this)

Who do you work for.

PERP
(Monotone, deadpan)
Not telling you

GARY
(quickly stands – pacing and nodding)
Ok. Ok, so you wanna play it like that. Ok. Ok.

(Slams hand on table and almost yells)

Who are you working for!

(The PERP doesn’t flinch)

GARY stands back up, nodding slowly, tongue pressed
against cheek – annoyed – pacing again

Ok, ok,

3
(Producing a picture from his pocket and slamming it down
on table)
Do you recognise him?

PERP
No.

GARY
(looks from photo to PERP)
Look again.

PERP
I don’t know who he is.

GARY
(laughing – obviously fake)
Interesting. Interesting. Because I think you do know who
he is, considering how he’s your boss. The leader of
Black Mamba? Ringing any bells?

PERP
(Pauses – furrowing his brow)
Isn’t that a snake?

GARY
Yes of course it’s a-

(stopping himself - sighs)

It’s the name of the drug ring you work for.

PERP
(looks left and right then beckons GARY closer – They
both lean in)
Listen. I have never heard of Black Mamba, I don’t do
drugs and I have never, in my life, seen Roger Fiennes
before. Are we done?

GARY
(looking defeated - sighing)
Yeah. I guess we are. You can go.

4
(PERP stand up to leave. As he walks past camera, we see
a smile on GARY’s face)
Except

(PERP turns around, annoyed and bored)

I never mentioned his name…

PERP’s eyes widen and a smile spreads across GARY’s face.

EXT. GRAVEYARD – DAY

PHIL sits on a bench, now undercover. He sits alone,

tapping his foot in anticipation. We see a wide shot of
the bench then a close up of him, looking around.

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA (O.S)

So…

PHIL jumps. Another wide shot to show a man now sat next
to him, but not looking at him. He wears sunglasses and a
hood.

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA

You wanna join huh?

PHIL
(Turning to look at him)
Well yeah, ya see

The MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA glances over at him.

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA

(Hushed voice – more frantic – less cool)
Don’t look at me man! We gotta keep this a secret. Gah,
be professional.

PHIL
(hurriedly turning away - gulping)
S-sorry.

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA

Yeah whatever. Look,

5
 (hands him a scrap of paper)
Go to this meet. If you come back with the goods, then
we’ll see if you’re worthy. If not

(Moves finger across neck)

PHIL
(looking confused, furrowed brow)
You’re gonna draw on my neck?

(covers neck with one hand)

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA

(Flustered)
What. No, I’ll kill you.

PHIL
(removing hand from neck)
Oooohhhhh. So, when’s this going down?

MEMBER OF BLACK MAMBA

The drop is -

INT. CHIEFS OFFICE – DAY

GARY
-tomorrow at 1pm.

CHIEF sits behind the desk, GARY is stood. CHIEF sits in

thought for a moment.

CHIEF
Alright. I want you to go undercover, pose as the dealer.
Whoever’s there, I want you to bring them in.

GARY
(Nods)
Copy that.

(Exits door)
THE NEXT DAY

6
EXT. SITE OF MEET

Shot of GARY walking up to meet, dressed in similar

clothes as before as he is still undercover. He enters
from one side, then walks over and rest against low wall.
PHIL enters from the other side, not acknowledging him
until he comes to rest next to him.

PHIL
(In an effort to sound convincing – still clearly
nervous)
So, y-you got the stuff?

GARY
(looking confused)
Um, just wait. Got anyone else with you.

PHIL
(Again, trying to sound tough)
What’s it to you?

Their eyes meet briefly as they shoot each other a

sideways glance. They are wary of each other, their eyes
narrowing slightly.

GARY
(Slowly)
Just,

(searching for words)

out of curiosity.

(pause)
So, just you. huh, I thought this was a massive
operation. Well I guess it’ll have to do.

GARY reaches for his side, looking like he may pull a

gun. PHIL looks horrified. He grabs GARY’s arm. A fight
ensues (music builds then starts – club foot or weapon of
choice). The fight ends as they both pull guns and speak
in unison.

BOTH

7
 (rapidly)
You are under arrest. You do not have to say anything.
But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when
questioned something which you later rely on in court.

(both trailing off – lowering guns)

Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

BOTH
Wait. What the fu-

Cut to black

PHIL
Sorry it’s just, I’ve been undercover so long I sometimes
forget where Bob ends and Phil begins…

(beat)

GARY
Haven’t you only been undercover for like a day?

PHIL
(Bites lip and breathes in)
8
Ok let’s just go