CHARLOTTE, ASH and EMMA have 2 tickets to the Resettlement Zone. They’re trying to keep their heads down, and prepare for the dangerous night ahead whilst searching for a 3rd TICKET to the Zone. 

 

Charlie thinks the SAMAANS next door have tickets, and Ash has told the whole street about their own allocation. 

 

Ash gets on with the NEIGHBOURS. Charlie does not.

 

With nosy neighbour PENNY banging on their front door, the Dhumals have flipped over which one of them is going to deal with her.

 

Tails. Charlie will confront Penny.

 

Ash watches nervously through the curtains as Charlie opens the door. Whatever Penny’s heard, it isn’t true. They’d appreciate some privacy. Penny feigns concern for the Dhumals and their situation as her wife DIANA watches from their garden. She has one ticket from her intern, but needs more. Could she buy theirs? She can offer £350k a piece. Charlie pauses. Penny is pleased. She says she knew money would sway Charlie.

 

Flashback to Charlie meeting Penny for the first time at a street party. Charlie, drinking out of discomfort, mouths off about Ash’s work: his third novel is going horribly, and he doesn’t seem to have the nose for a best-seller. She supports his ‘art’ but can’t he also make money? Penny reveals that she’s a major publisher. It’s awkward.

 

Ash has heard what Penny said. He storms outside and confronts Penny - how dare you. Diana joins the fray to stand up for her wife.

 

This chapter, and the stories that branch out from it, are about our (often self-involved) leads becoming embroiled in the affairs of their community, and interested in the fates of strangers. These strangers force our leads to reflect upon themselves. 

 

Behind them all, VIOLET (‘Vi’, Black, mid-30s), is entering the cul-de-sac. None of them see her in the commotion. She heads towards the SMITH HOUSE.

 

Tempers flare between the couples and Diana punches Ash in the face. 

A JEEP OF SOLDIERS passing the street orders everyone back inside their homes.

 

We should be noting by now that Charlie is always tempted to do what seems to her the safest, if most brutal, thing. And the most brutal safety tends to be the government’s offer: the Resettlement Zones. This is all despite her keen intelligence and ability at survival - which should help her to figure out ways to save them all, if she weren’t so cynical. Meanwhile, Ash always tends to think there’s another way. He’ll blow up an opportunity in the moment because he’s certain they’ll figure something else out - even if he has no ideas. He’s rarely sure of how to beat the government’s offer, but he’ll try until all hope is lost.

 

Inside, both Charlie and Ash enjoy the fact that he got punched for her, but Charlie suggests that ASH’S TICKET might be safer with her. Ash reluctantly agrees, and TRANSFERS HIS TICKET TO HER BRACELET.

 

9pm Ash’s parents didn’t get any tickets. A pang of guilt for not going to them. And a notification about a PICK UP POINT - an airfield 20 minutes away, where ticket holders can go if their homes are no longer safe.

 

The two playfully practice self defense - to help Ash out for next time. And they start calling round for tickets, with little success.

 

TICKETS ON EBAY are going for 500k each. The Dhumals don’t have that kind of cash.

 

Ash starts to feel helpless and panicky - Charlie sends him out to get some fresh air.

 

He sees Vi exiting the Smith house. She’s a local activist gathering support in opposition to the government’s plans. They confer about what the crisis could be. Would Ash like to join Vi’s ‘community action group’? He calls Charlotte out - she’s the boss.

 

Charlotte is initially reluctant. Conspiracy theory nonsense. But Vi has recruited the Samaans. And they might no longer be using THEIR TICKETS. Charlie has a change of heart. They’ll join. 

 

A nosy neighbour on the other side of the Smiths’ garden texts Penny.

 

Penny offers up her home for the community meeting. 

 

Meanwhile, in Ash and Charlotte’s lounge, a HELPLINE OPERATOR answers Ash’s call. Since no one answers, the operator ends the call.

 

As the Dhumals prepare to head to Penny’s ‘palace’ they reflect on how well they’re working as a team. We’ll find that both are prepared to be more honest, earlier, in this strand, because they’re overcoming their doubts about the relationship, and how that relationship will fare during the crisis.

 

9:30pm People gather at Penny’s over-extended house. All keen to get a look inside. Penny has an embarrassing amount of Athena-themed items - like a BOW WITH ARROWS.

 

Charlie makes a b-line for the Samaans, holding Emma. She bonds over their both having young children, and listens with interest as they tell her about their journey from Syria.

 

Ash and Vi discuss how they think the SOLDIERS ARE ACTING STRANGELY, and brainstorm alternatives to the Zones. He reveals he knows a civil servant, CURTIS, but the guy’s a prick. Vi cajoles him into messaging Curtis on social media - any inside gossip? We see photos of Curtis.

 

Penny pitches a plan to Charlie. They’re both after the same thing. Charlie seems to be getting on with the Samaans, Penny has no idea how to talk to ‘that kind of person’. If they pool their resources - Penny’s money and Charlie’s apparent charm - they can get the Samaans’ tickets. Penny will give Charlie the one she has in return.

 

Vi’s husband DANNY (mid-30s) arrives, and the meeting is called to order. Penny and Charlie bond over their shared dismissal of Vi’s nonsense. 

 

The Samaans tell their story. They lost Ali’s mother in Syria. They were terribly treated whilst applying for asylum - it took years. They weren’t given tickets - refugees were excluded from the lottery - but the Smiths gave them their tickets and bought them another. And they are grateful. Still, the Zones, the government, the soldiers make them nervous.

 

After the meeting, Ali and Emma play together. Charlie continues to befriend the family and tells Ali that her mum died when she was little too. Ash gets on well with Nazim. Charlie is faltering.

 

She heads to the toilet for a time out. Penny is waiting for her. When is Charlie going to get on with it?! They’re about to make the Samaans rich beyond their wildest dreams. They’ll be fine. They don’t even want to go. 

 

Charlie is stuck. They need a 3rd ticket. But she knows that if Ash were here there’s no way he’d agree to take them from this family. She reaches for her COIN. Tells Penny to call it. Penny says why? But chooses heads.