Review S03E07-THE FINAL EPISODE -Opposite Numbers ( upgraded)

[michaellevenson]

In Malta a vital conference is taking place. S.A.L.T. Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. All the super powers are there.
Both sandbaggers have bodyguard duties, escorting Peele and Wellingham to and from the conference centre in their government DaimlerChrysler cars. It's actually quite boring for Willie and Mike, as during the day while the delegates discuss the sandbaggers have little to do.
While taking a stroll around the building they pass a man, who surreptitiously hands them note. Willie reads it, and reports back to Burnside at London HQ.
In C's office
B " a Yuri Filatov, double agent working for us, a KGB officer has asked to be lifted. He says he's not under suspicion but his nerve has gone and wants to defect and wants to meet me personally tomorrow"
C " okay you better get out there"
The next day after meeting Filatov, Burnside meets up with Willie and Mike.

B " okay find somewhere we can stash Filatov until we can get him back to England"
W " assuming you get permission to lift him"
B " I'm going to lift him whether I get permission or not"
W " tired of working for SIS are you!?"
B " can you think of a better way to torpedo these talks"
W " ah you're on about that again"
B " SALT is a dangerous excuse for the West cut back on defense spending while Russia cons everybody and forges ahead"
W " well, if it's the usual response from the Russians, they'll say we've kidnapped their man"
B " exactly, and they can't sit at the table with kidnappers"
During conference lunch break Burnside sees Wellingham, who is obviously surprised to see Neil here.
B " a Yuri Filatov KGB working for us, we have to lift him today"
W " out of the question, I don't want anything to prejudice these talks"
B " we must lift him, we don't want to lose him sir"
W " Neil, you couldn't care less about him, all you're interested in is destroying SALT"
Burnside reports back to C in London.
C " if Sir Geoffrey said no it's no"
B " it'll be worth our jobs to make a stand"
C " if you're proposing to disobey, then you can clear your desk and be out of here by lunchtime. However I have an idea, suppose we lift Filatov but don't make any capital out of it publicity wise, in return the Russians don't rock the boat with allegations"
B " can I proceed without reference to Wellingham?"
C " no check again with him. Also you better get back.out there and stay until the conference ends. One more thing, if you do anything to sabotage these talks, nothing will save you, and don't count on Wellingham, he's a passionate believer in SALT and would be very unhappy to be stabbed in the back by you"
Burnside chats to Geoff Ross in Hyde Park before returning to Malta,
B " I'm going to smash up the talks Geoff"
R " by snatching Filatov. Don't do it Neil. One man can't change the world. Are you just trying to destroy yourself?"
B " go back to your comic books Geoff"
R " hell, you know I'm right, you've been backing lost causes for over a year"
B " this isn't a lost cause."
R " so what is it, a subtle way of destroying your career"
B " the future of the West goes ahead of any personal position of mine. If anything happens in Malta you'd keep quiet Geoff?"
R " I won't tell, but for God's sake, don't do it Neil.

Previous episode
https://www.imdforums.com/threads/s03e06-who-needs-enemies.4973/

 

[michaellevenson]

But Burnside of couse does take Filatov,and hides him in a villa in Rabat just outside Valetta, he then casually strolls into the hotel where the Russian delegation are staying to see Nikolai Sarkisian of the KGB.

B " we've got Filatov, and can prove he's been working for us for years, so it's no use denying it, he will go on British tv and denounce your government and claim you have a missile base at Rostov that you haven't declared at the talks"
S " it's a lie"
B " that's what he's going to say, so the talks are doomed comrade" Burnside leaves pronto.
Later that day, Peele in his hotel room gets a knock on the door. Sarkisian walks in and introduces himself, he is Peele's opposite number in KGB, deputy director.
Sk " Mr Peele I want to say how disappointed I am you have accepted Yuri Filatov, I hope you understand our feelings"
P ( puzzled) " er..who is Filatov?"
Sk " you don't know?"
P " no"
Sk " Yuri Filatov, KGB officer, your Mr Burnside offered him , how you say, inducement to work for SIS, and for reasons I don't understand has accepted, and has gone to England"
P." are you sure?"
Sk " Mr Burnside told me this afternoon. If true we will be forced to retaliate"
P " you'll pull out of SALT?"
Sk " I don't know what the Americans will think of you, but the rest of the world must condemn you, all those who wish for an end to arms races"

Sitting by the pool,
Caine " Mike and Len Sheppard are with Filatov at the villa"
B " how is he"
C "anxious, just wants to get away"
B " tough"
C " no, he's a nice fella"
B " he's a defector"
C " so"
B " so don't shed tears for him"
C " I'm saving mine for you,
when Wellingham finds out he's going to crucify you"
B " he'll have to get in line"
C " are you on Valium!, you're being remarkably calm"
B " a lot more calm than the Russians I bet"
C " the proverbial should be hitting the fan about now..What d'you think will happen"
B " I don't know or care, so long as the Russians don't turn up tomorrow at the talks"
C " well if you go, I'll go too, it won't be the same without your ugly mug glaring at me"
B " I'm not resigning, they'll have to fire me, you'll probably be made D Ops"
C " don't think so, I haven't got the class"

Marching stern faced toward them is Wellingham and Peele.
W " you deliberately disobeyed an order"
B " what have I done?"
W " taken Filatov"
B " who says so"
W " Sarkisian, says you told him this afternoon"
B " when we take a defector we don't run around and tell the Russians. We know he's disappeared that's all, I had a proposal to put to you from C , but Filatov disappearing changed things, we take Filatov, but don't publicize it"
W " wouldn't have worked, the Russians are desperate to get out of the talks now. They put the current missile numbers on the table and we proved they were lying. I think their chief negotiator is on his way to Siberia"
Caine. " well that's it sir, they've screwed the talks up and maybe they've bumped off Filatov to manufacture an excuse"
W " Neil I don't want these talks stopped, we're running them , we may never get another chance"
B " I understand, this is your big moment, Sir Geoffrey Wellingham on the front cover of the colour supplements, and it could all be ruined by a miserable Russian who may have got himself shot"
W " I could have you fired for that"
B " then why don't you!"

 

[michaellevenson]

Len Sheppard, young ambitious, newly married, the SIS man based in Malta has been doing the legwork for the sandbaggers, helping out, mainly sitting with Filatov at the villa. He comes home , sitting waiting for him is Peele.
Len " hello sir"
Peele " Mary is upstairs reading bedtime stories to the kids, how about you telling me one"
L" come again Sir?"
P " I want to say that whatever has been going on here, you were acting under orders from D Ops so you're in the clear, furthermore although we have a duty to Wellingham and the government our first loyalty must be to our service. I have a feeling if the whole truth got out we'd lose D Ops and both sandbaggers, so the truth must remain between us Len and I'll protect them. Now, does Burnside have a KGB man named Filatov?"
L " yes sir, hidden in Rabat"
P " write the address down, inexplicably the Russians will get this, but neither D Ops or the sandbaggers will be involved"
L." but they are there now with Filatov"
P " even Russians can turn a blind eye"
In the villa , the door bursts open KGB men push past Burnside Willie and Mike and grab Filatov and leave. Peele marches in ,
P " sit down, I have a lot to say and I want an attentive audience" Peele reads them the riot act.

 

[michaellevenson]

The next day,
Wellingham " I hear Filatov was captured last night"
Burnside. " yes he was hiding out on his own"
W " yes that's what I choose to believe too, I also believe Peele isn't the fool we've always taken him to be. You're lucky Neil, luckier than you deserve to be. I want you out of here now"
B " I'm on a flight out in one hour"
Burnside rejoins Willie and Mike. Len Sheppard is there, apologises for spilling the beans, but his career and wife and child come first.
Burnside " well let's hope they don't grow up in the shadow of a strong Russia."

Willie " we can't say we didn't try, but the Russians ran rings around us, at least they have no excuse to ditch the talks now. If Wellingham is right that's good news"
B " wait a minute, how can they get out of the talks and pay us back for taking Filatov?"
Mike " hit one of their own men!"
B " exactly, Wellingham would think it's one of you two acting on my orders"
M " would they really hit their own"
W " KGB would"
B " and it was their chief negotiator who screwed up the talks. Okay you two, follow the Russians. Track them from their hotel to the conference centre, get going , I've got a plane to catch"
The Russian fleet of cars arrives at the centre, Willie and Mike look on.
Mike" Filatov is in the lead car"
Willie. " Filatov!!?" Willie sees a sniper on the roof aiming his gun. Filatov is bundled out of the car, Willie rushes forward,
W " Yuri Watch out!" Shot fires and hits Willie. Mike runs forward to help Willie , too late.....dead.

At the airport ....an announcement over the P.A.
" EMERGENCY CALL FOR A MR BURNSIDE, EMERGENCY CALL FOR MR BURNSIDE"
10/10
Last episode of series;

 

[michaellevenson]

Cast List ( recurring characters only)
Roy Marsden......BURNSIDE
Ray Lonnen.......CAINE
Jerome Willis.....PEELE
Bob Sherman.......ROSS
Alan MacNaughtan....WELLINGHAM
Richard Vernon....C (series 1+2)
Michael Cashman....WALLACE (series2+3)
Elizabeth Bennett...DIANE (secretary series 1+2)
Dennis Burgess...C (series3)
Sue Holderness ....MARIANNE ( secretary series 3)
Jana Sheldon...KAREN MILNER (series 2)
Peter Laird....TYLER (series 2+3)
Diane Keen....Laura Dickens (series1)