Doctor Plague (2026)

[bunniefuu]

[logo chimes]

[eerie music]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[blades swishing]

- We'll see you next week.

[heavy breathing]

Oh!

- Repent or die.

- You what?

- Repent or die.

Oh!

[squeals]

[flesh squelches]

[grunts]

[body thuds]

[heavy breathing]

[whimpering]

[blows landing]

[whimpering]

[gasping]

[eerie music continues]

[breathing heavily]

[suspenseful music]

[suspenseful music continues]

[ambient city noises]

[dog barks]

[indistinct chatter]

[brooding music]

- f*ck this.

I'm going home.

- You can't.

It's too early.

- She's right, you know.

It ain't safe.

Not with him out there.

[breathing heavily]

- Plague?

- Yeah, f*cking Plague.

Who else?

- You scared the sh*t out of me!

- Where do you

think you're going?

- Nowhere.

- Wrong. You're coming with me.

You two get back on that corner,

or I'll tell Jake you've

been leaving early again.

Good girl.

[footsteps tapping]

[upbeat music]

- I...I don't like this.

- Listen, you'll be fine.

Be nice.

Be good and have fun.

Come on.

[upbeat music continue]

[knocking on window]

Are you looking for a good time?

- Are you two taking the piss?

Do you know who

you're f*cking with?

Huh?

- Looks to me like one little

t*rture boy and his skank.

- If I see you

around here again.

I'll open you up.

- f*ck are you gonna do, huh?

- Yeah?

- Jake is gonna hear about this.

- Jake can suck my...

[blades swish]

[intense music]

[heavy breathing]

- Sarah.

[heavy breathing]

- sh*t.

[Sarah whimpering]

[gate rattling]

[tense music]

- You wanna f*ck with us?

- Oh, God. No!

[flesh squelching]

[Sarah screams]

[body thuds]

[blade slices]

[screams]

Aah!

[screaming]

[screams]

[heavy breathing]

[indistinct growling]

[Sarah whimpering]

- Another night,

another horrific crime scene.

Three bodies believed to be the

latest victims of Doctor Plague

were discovered just a few

hundred metres from here

in the early hours

of this morning.

The police insist the

murders are g*ng related,

dismissing claims

of a serial k*ller.

However, sources closest

to the investigation

suggest that unusual

staging of the bodies

moved and deliberately placed

points to something more

than a typical g*ng dispute.

- Detective Verni,

there is a body over here,

and these two bodies are from,

uh, from rival gangs.

- Have you seen the bodies?

- No, sir.

- Well, let's have a look, eh?

Oh, Jesus.

[camera snapping]

- Jesus.

- All in one piece

this time, eh?

- Makes a change.

- If you ask me,

The doctor's doing

us all a favour.

Certainly clearing up the

rubbish, that's for sure.

- Wait, are we sure this is not

just some g*ng rivalry thing?

- What do you reckon?

t*rture boys, grave

diggers, Bloods,

t*rture boys over there.

Grave diggers here.

This is the ninth one

they've lost so far.

- Where the f*ck a sucker?

[phone rings]

- Hang on a minute.

[tense music]

Yep. Well, I'm at work, ain't I?

Yes. Have you tried his mobile?

All right, uh, look,

I can't deal with it now.

Just. I'll...

I'll get on it later.

Yeah.

No cameras again, right?

- No.

[tense music continues]

You really want to hit the

ground running, detective?

- Yes, sir.

- You get yourself back

to the station, right?

Get on the phone and check out

every camera that you can find.

Ours, plus the

private ones as well.

You never know, we

might get lucky.

All I know at the moment

is three months in,

we've got 25 dead and six

people are still missing.

Probably abducted.

Get on it.

Yes, sir...that's what

I don't understand is..

Is why is he k*lling some

of them and not the rest?

- That's what we're trying

to find out, isn't it?

- Yes, sir.

- Sam.

- Yes, sir?

- Don't call me sir.

- No, sir.

[car tires screech]

- You best find out who

this no face is soon.

Otherwise, we're going to

start taking our own actions,

if you know what I mean?

And you don't want that?

Yeah, alright, whatever, jog on.

[tense music continues]

[car doors slam]

[engine revving]

[gentle music]

- Detective.

- You alright?

- Hmm.

[indistinct] wasn't

alone last night.

He was with our friend Sarah.

- Sarah?

- Sarah Stringer.

We haven't seen her since

she left with him last night.

- You sure about that?

- Mm. 100%.

- Alright.

You take care of yourself,

you alright?

- Hhm.

[gentle music continues]

[car engine starts]

[eerie music]

- What is up, Plague Nation?

So today we are going to

be talking about our

k*ller's weapon of choice.

And, you know, the cops,

they are useless.

Because let's be honest here,

Dr Plague, he is making history.

[sirens wailing]

- Still nothing?

- I'm afraid not.

The only time she does say

anything is when she's dreaming.

And even then,

it's just screams.

- I'm not surprised with

what she's been through.

- Indeed.

- Did she ever use the

charcoals and paper that

I bought him last time.

- No, there's been nothing.

- If she can't

talk, she can draw.

[footsteps tapping]

[machine beeping]

- Mary?

You have a visitor.

- Good to see you, Mary.

Listen to me.

I need your help.

The man that hurt you,

attacked you,

he's k*lled again.

You're the only person

that's ever seen him.

[machine beeping]

[sighs]

If there's anything you

can tell me about the

night you were attacked.

I need your help.

We can't let this

happen to someone else.

If there's anything you

can remember about the

night you were attacked,

anything at all.

Did you hear his voice?

What did he sound like?

Anything at all.

You just told Dr Cole,

and she'll call me,

anytime of the night or day.

Alright?

[machine beeping continues]

[sighs]

Alright.

[indistinct]

What did she say?

She said something.

Mary.

What was it, Mary?

What was it?

- Repent. Repent

or die.

[choking]

- Mary, let him go!

[grunting]

- Repent or die.

Repent or die.

- [Dr] Let him go!

Repent or die.

[panting]

[machine beeping]

- I'm so sorry, Detective.

- If that girl says anything.

Anything at all.

I'm your first call.

[door creaks]

- Sam?

Yeah, tell me something good.

- You were right.

The t*rture boy's victim

wasn't alone last night.

There was another girl.

- Carry on checking the cameras

on the surrounding area.

Yeah. Widen that

search to about a mile.

We've got to find out how he's

getting in and out alright?

Well, I don't know, do I?

He's not a f*cking ghost, is he?

Huh? Just find him.

[phones ringing]

[tense music]

[indistinct chatter]

[handbrake clicking]

[police radio chatters]

- Listen, you said she was in.

This is in.

- It's not that, it's, uh...

- Well, what then?

What, are you worried

about the Plague?

Don't worry about that,

we've got that covered.

sh*t!

[chair clatters]

[tense music continues]

- Is it that obvious?

- Yes.

You might as well have a

massive siren on your head.

- Get in the car.

I'm taking you home.

- Nah, I'm alright.

- I'm not asking you.

- Dad, you can't make

me come with you.

- This yours?

- That...That's not mine.

- I don't see anyone else here.

You know, I could take you in

for less than that, don't you?

- You wouldn't do that.

- No, I wouldn't.

'Cos I'm taking you home.

[gravel crunching]

[eerie music]

I don't want you

seeing them any more.

- They're my mates, dad.

- No they're not.

Guys like that don't have mates.

- Whatever.

- Did they tell you what

happened last night?

Mm? What plague did

to two of their mob?

- Yes.

Of course, everyone knows.

But don't worry,

we're taking care of it.

- What's that supposed to mean?

What's that supposed to mean?

You're taking care of it.

Hang on a minute,

I ain't finished with you.

Mum's got dinner ready,

and I'm starving.

[eerie music continues]

- Hello mate, you alright?

- Alright?

- Hi.

He's late.

- Yeah, I know, I'm sorry.

I found him down by Smiths.

- God, really?

- Yeah.

- That's where all the

smackheads hang out.

What's he doing down there?

- Oh, he just had a

bag of grass, you know.

- All kids do it.

- Just a bag of grass?

- Oh, my...

This is getting out of hand.

You've got to do

something about this.

- Yeah, I am.

- You are?

- Yeah, I'm talking to him.

- Well, that's clearly

not enough, is it?

He needs a proper dad.

- Oh, come on, we're not

going there again, are we?

I'd still be here if

it weren't for you.

You were the one who

asked me to come out.

- No, no, no, no, no, no.

- It was! It was though!

- You cannot blame this on me.

- If you'd managed to

keep it in your pants

- I'd still be here, wouldn't I.

- Then maybe I wouldn't

have had to kick you out.

[phone ringing]

- I told you, it's

just the once.

Just the once, that's all.

- Oh, yeah. Once.

- Yeah, once!

- One time.

- That's the truth.

- Expect me to believe that?

- I got to take this.

- Oh, God.

Here we go again.

You can't even talk to the

mother of your only child

about your son's life.

- I'll get rid of them,

hang on a minute.

- No, do you know what, John?

Take your precious call.

Just do me a favour and

take an interest in his life

before it's too late.

Go on.

- This better be important.

[eerie music]

[siren wailing]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

[eerie music continues]

[girls laughing]

[tense music]

[heavy breathing]

[music intensifies]

No!

[suspenseful music]

- Repent.

[heavy breathing]

Or die.

[girls screaming]

- Woohoo!

[Dr Plague groans]

[combatants grunting]

[suspenseful music continues]

- You're under arrest.

- It's a prank, bro.

[grunts]

It's a prank, bro!

It's for YouTube.

- Yeah, well, the

joke's on you, innit.

You're nicked.

- It's a prank,

bro, for YouTube.

- It's f*cking plastic!

- What?

- You b*stard!

- Get back! I'm a policeman.

- Get out!

- It's a f*cking prank!

I'm gonna do you, man, for

battery and wrongful arrest,

you fascist f*ck!

- Last night, the investigation

took another shocking turn.

Newly surfaced footage

appears to show Detective

Inspector John Verney

in a violent altercation

with a popular YouTuber.

The clip has intensified

criticism of the police,

fuelling concerns that law

enforcement is losing its grip.

Protests have erupted

across the city,

driven by fears that authorities

can no longer contain

the escalating violence.

Some see Verney's

actions of those of a man pushed

to his limits,

while others believe they

exposed deeper issues

within the police service.

Chief Inspector Parker is

expected to make a

statement later tonight,

but it's not just

answers the public want,

it's decisive leadership.

- It's gone viral.

Basically, everybody's seen you

beat the crap out of that kid.

[tense music]

- Oh, Bollocks.

[phone ringing]

- Detective Jones.

Yes, sir. He's here.

He's here with me now, sir.

Okay, sir.

Guv wants a chat.

- Come on then.

- On your own.

He was dressed as Doctor Plague.

I mean, you can buy the

costume online now.

- [Parker] Well,

why is that, John?

- Well, they're cashing in,

aren't they.

- Cashing in because

the public have bought into

this ridiculous idea

that there is this Jack the

Ripper like maniac on the loose.

- Yeah, and they'd be right.

- Based on what?

A few grainy images of

someone wearing a mask?

The theories of a

few internet wackos?

- No, no, no, that

footage is real,

we had it authenticated,

you know that.

- All the killings so

far are on g*ng members

or those affiliated

with them in some way.

This is a g*ng matter.

- No, no, no, no,

gangs don't abduct.

Right. I mean, where are

you going to take them?

All I know is that we've

got 6 or 7 people

connected with these murders

that are still missing.

- It's all circumstantial.

Not everything's a

conspiracy, John.

- I know that,

I'm not saying it is.

I just want to

find them before...

Before it's too late.

- Look, I'll be honest with you.

Just got off the

phone with the super,

and she has suggested

it'd be a good idea

to get a fresh pair of

eyes on all of this.

- So what? I'm being stood down?

- No. Not yet.

We agreed you can work

till the end of this month,

but if sufficient progress

isn't made by then,

we're going to bring in someone

else to lead the task force.

- Oh, this is ridiculous.

- I hear you saw Mary Woodall.

I hear she gave you the jump.

[phone ringing]

- Who told you that?

- I've got to get this.

The gangs.

The solution to everything

is with the gangs.

Concentrate on the gangs.

Never mind the boogeyman.

Hello?

[tense music]

[door creaks]

[door opens]

[gentle music]

Oh!

[sighs]

Yeah.

[computer ringing]

Hey. Hey, mate.

- Hello.

- You alright?

- Yeah, I'm alright.

- Good. Um.

Look, how do you fancy going

cinema tomorrow night?

You know?

Uh, I can meet you after work.

You can choose the movie.

- Yeah. Yeah, sure,

that sounds good.

Great. Um, shall we say 6:00?

How's that sound?

- 6:00 is good.

- Good, alright,

I'll see you there.

And, uh, mate, uh, choose

something we both like, eh?

- Yeah.

- All right. Good.

- See you later.

- Cheers, dad.

[phone beeps]

[sighs]

[gentle music continues]

[keys clacking]

- [on computer] As a specialised

physician in 17th century...

[voice on computer

speaks indistinctly]

[voice on computer

speaks indistinctly]

[tense music]

[sirens wailing]

- Hello?

What's going on?

- Sam?

I wanted to talk to

you off the record.

- Yeah, sure, boss,

but shouldn't we be

heading on over to the

junkyard crime scene?

We can talk in the car.

- Are you familiar with

the Whitechapel murders?

- Jack the Ripper?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, I mean,

everyone's heard of him, right?

- Yeah, you know, I've

been doing some reading.

The similarities are obvious

when you look at it, right?

The choice of victims,

the location, the

ferocity of the attacks,

even the messaging

that's left behind.

- Okay, so why the

secrecy, though?

Why are we on a roof?

- Well, they say

Jack was never caught

because he had

friends in high places.

Like he was connected

to aristocracy, like

a secret society.

They say that he even had

his claws into the Met.

- Wait, so, you think

our k*ller's got an

accomplice on the job?

- No.

Plague only attacks

where there's no camera

coverage, right?

So he's really lucky, or...

he's got someone on the inside.

- Okay, so what now?

- He's got to leave

a trail somewhere.

And when he does, we jump on it.

You get yourself over

to the m*rder scene,

and when you're done there,

right, you check every piece of

CCTV footage that we've got.

Every single frame.

You find anything,

you come to me.

No one else.

Understood?

Someone's got to know who he is.

[tense music continues]

- Wait, are you not coming

over to the crime scene?

- I've got something

I need to do.

So you're a professor

of medieval history

and religious symbolism, right?

- Professor emeritus.

- I was wondering

if you could help me...

identify this.

[eerie music]

Do you recognise it?

- Yeah, that, uh...

looks like some kind of flame.

- Well, it's a piece of

evidence, an ongoing

inquiry at the moment.

- Fire is one of

the base elements.

But fire can also be

a symbol of cleansing,

of purging and renewal.

It's a force of truth.

A light in the darkness.

- More darkness than

light, recently.

Without fire we'd be dead,

inside and out.

Where'd you say you got this?

- I didn't.

- Hmm. I have an idea.

[intense music]

- What is up, Plague Nation?

It's your boy Eric,

with big news...

No, huge news about

tomorrow's show.

Live, 8 p.m.

I'm going to be joined

by Jake Tortelli,

a man whose friends,

family, associates

have all been brutally

and viciously k*lled

by none other than

Doctor Plague.

Jake wants to go on the record

raw, unfiltered, with a personal

message to the k*ller himself.

So that's right, Plague,

if you're watching,

and I know you are,

you do not want to miss this.

[gentle music]

[door closes]

- I've seen it.

- It's had half a

million views already.

I'd give my left nut for

that sort of coverage.

- It's not journalism,

it's clickbait.

Nothing more than

self-promotion and narcissism.

- Call it what you want.

This little twerp keeps

getting the jump on us,

and I'm not having it.

[phone beeps]

[gentle music continues]

See, we've got ourselves a

modern day Jack the Ripper.

He's out there cutting

up kids with impunity.

But what?

No one knows his identity?

I don't buy it.

- So what are you suggesting?

Some kind of conspiracy?

- You're damn right I am.

Well, we're living in an age

of fake news and cover-ups.

That's not us.

We're in the truth business,

or at least we were

the last time I looked.

See, good old-fashioned

print journalism

can still make a difference.

We can make a difference.

- I'm not saying you're wrong.

- I'm not wrong.

- But if you are

and it's a big if.

What then?

We're going to look like fools

if we're on the wrong

side of this story.

- Well, let me worry about that.

You, uh, know who the lead

investigator is, don't you?

- Yes.

A dinosaur who still

thinks he's in the Sweeney.

- Yeah, well, John Verne is

one of their best detectives.

So if the victims

aren't important...

[gentle music continues]

The k*ller must be.

- So what do you want me to do?

- Well, you and Vernie

have history, don't you?

Go and flutter your eyelashes,

whisper sweet nothings.

Do I really need

to spell it out?

- You want me to wh*re myself?

- I think you'll find

it's called being sex

positive these days.

[laughs]

Just get me a quote.

Something, anything I can

put on the front page.

Go on then.

The clock's ticking.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

[door closes]

[sinister music]

- Right.

And, um.

Upload. [phone beeps] Oh, sorry.

It seems that your symbol

belonged to a secret

society called the

brethren of the flame.

The brethren believed

that the pandemic was

divine wrath and judgment

upon a sinful society.

Among their number

was a faction who'd go out

disguised as plague doctors

to k*ll those they deemed

corrupt and criminal.

And who refused to repent.

- Plague doctors?

What about?

A revival?

- Is it safe to assume

that your visit is

somehow connected with the

killings that are

happening in East London?

- Does it say anything about

the brethren abducting people?

- No.

I'm afraid not.

- Could you look

into that for me?

- I'm very, very busy.

- Now, if you can give

me any sort of help,

we could save lives.

- I don't think I

can refuse, can I?

- I'd appreciate if you

could keep our conversation

just under wraps.

You know, I don't want anything

getting out and provoking him.

- Yes, of course.

- Yeah, uh, look,

here's my card.

Call me if you think

of anything, okay?

I'll see myself out.

- Right.

[sinister music continues]

- Hello, John,

it's Francesca.

Yeah, I know it's

been a long time.

Too long.

I was thinking maybe

we can get together.

- I ran through the

other disappearances,

and in all instances,

there's no sign of Plague

or where he takes them.

It's like they just disappear.

- We know all this, right?

- But I think I found something.

You see, there's this theory

that during his k*lling spree,

the Ripper would use the

city's old utility

tunnels to evade capture.

That theory later gave

birth to those boogeyman-like

tales you hear today.

He's still down there, lurking,

waiting one day to reemerge.

Now, this map here dates

back to late 19th century,

when those tunnels

were still in use.

I've managed to match

all the crime scenes

of all the Plague murders

and disappearances

with all the CCTV blind spots.

- And what about this stuff?

The green? What's that mean?

- Those are all the old

utility tunnel openings.

And they were used to transport

the sick and dying out of London

during the bubonic plague.

- By plague doctors.

- But I think this is

how Plague is escaping

and where he's taking

those he abducts.

- sh*t.

- Should we go tell the guv?

- No. Just keep it between

ourselves for a while.

I think we need something

a little bit more concrete

before we take this

to the old man.

- Let's go find something then.

- Yeah.

Hello?

When?

You're joking.

Alright, I'm on my way.

Everything okay?

- You carry on doing that.

I've got to go

over to St Mary's.

[tense music]

[sirens wailing]

- I'm sorry, detective.

- So what happened?

- She cut off her own

tongue and bled to death.

She must have had a psychotic

episode during the night.

There was nothing we could do.

[suspenseful music]

[door creaks]

She was dead when we found her.

- What do you mean?

She cut her own tongue off.

How?

- We found some

scissors in her room.

[John sighs]

- How did she get hold

of a pair of scissors?

- It's unfortunate,

but sometimes the patients

hide things from us.

Things that can

cause them danger.

[suspenseful music continues]

Goodbye, detective.

[phone rings]

- Hello mate, what's up?

[tense music]

Uh, no, no, no, no, no.

Um, I just didn't think

it mattered, that's all.

Uh, yeah. No.

Look. You're right.

I should have told you, Jake.

I'm sorry.

What?

Um, I don't know.

I don't know, I don't have it.

[tense music continues]

Um.

My dad, my dad.

My dad...

He took it,

he found it, and he took it.

Look, I'm sorry, Jake.

I promise I'll make it

up to you, I promise.

Jake?

sh*t!

[tense music]

[gentle music]

- Sorry I'm late.

- No, it's fine.

- You remembered?

- Of course.

- Cheers.

- Is everything all right?

- Off the record...

Not really.

Our only living witness to a

Plague attack has just died.

- What happened?

- Gross negligence,

if you ask me.

[phone rings]

Sorry. All right.

I'm all yours.

[gentle music continues]

- What's the position of

the Chief Inspector on this?

- He thinks it's

all g*ng related.

- Really?

From what you've

described of the murders,

it's so obviously

ideologically driven.

What's his big

brain take on that?

- He thinks all of

missing are related to the

m*rder or something.

He thinks they're all suspects.

[Francesca laughs]

- Well, you know what

I'm going to say.

[John scoffs]

- Well, you should,

he's an idiot.

You should have

that job or better.

Not that paper pushing

path of least resistance.

- I've got too many

black marks against me.

- Really?

I find that hard to believe.

[traffic rumbling]

[phone ringing]

- Yeah.

I'm on my way.

[phone beeps]

- Any other breakthroughs?

Off the record.

- Off the record?

Yeah, I think we might have.

We think that Plague is

using this old system of

utility tunnels to, uh,

to escape from the

scene of the crime.

- Have you taken

that to the chief?

- No.

I'm already skating on thin ice.

When I go to the old man,

I've got to take more

than just a hunch.

- I heard about the divorce.

- Yeah, well, it happens.

- Was there anything

to do with us?

- No.

Well, maybe.

- Did your wife find out?

- She found out I

was seeing someone.

She didn't know it was you.

- Sorry.

[gentle music continues]

- What about you?

You, uh, disappeared

quickly, didn't you?

Didn't even say goodbye.

- Yeah. Why do you think?

I was just sick of all the lies.

- Do you want to

get out of here?

Come on.

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[eerie music continues]

- Don't be caking

that sh*t on me.

I don't want to look

like a f*cking satsuma.

- I know what I'm doing.

- She did makeup in college,

you know.

She's got certificates

and everything.

- And who the f*ck asked you?

- I was just saying.

- Yeah, well, don't.

You can f*ck off.

- I ain't even

finished your hair yet.

- Yeah, well. You're

done. f*ck off.

- f*ck this.

I'll be in the hot tub.

- f*cking mouth on that.

- Mate.

The chat's blowing up for real.

Listen to this.

- Is this going

f*cking viral or what?

- You're trending, man.

- What's the difference?

- Well, trending is like when...

- Oh, well, do you know what?

I don't give a sh*t.

Just f*cking... Just carry

on doing what you're doing.

And what do you

think of my shirt?

- Yeah. It's fine.

- Fine? f*cking fine?

- Jake.

- It looks great,

you look great.

- You sure?

- Sure.

- Hey.

We're good to go.

- Alright, f*ck it,

come on, let's do this.

[tense music continues]

[hot tub bubbling]

[water splashing]

[eerie music]

[Tilly sniffs]

[eerie music continues]

[gravel crunching]

[heavy breathing]

[intense music]

[heavy breathing]

- We're going live

in three, two, one.

- What is up, Plague Nation?

This is it.

As promised, the big one.

Tonight I'm here

with a special guest.

A man who has

experienced unspeakable horrors

and bloodshed

in recent weeks.

It's my main man, Jake Tortelli.

What are you saying, Jake?

- Listen, I'm not going to lie,

it's been dark, dark times.

- Yeah, because of, uh,

Dr Plague, right?

Because of what he's done?

People he's k*lled,

I mean, your people.

- [Jake] They had their whole

lives in front of them.

It's tragic.

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[door creaks]

[eerie music continues]

[door creaks]

[heavy breathing]

- Let's say that, uh, Dr Plague

is watching this right now.

Have you got a message for him?

- Yeah, yeah, I do.

Listen, you f*cking psychotic...

- Sorry I'm late. I, uh...

- Stop, we're filming.

- Oh. Sorry.

- Listen, you f*cking clown.

You think that you can

come here in my manor,

take my people,

my f*cking family?

You're wrong.

Because this is what's

going to happen.

I'm coming for you, you hear me?

And I'm gonna f*ck you up bad.

And this ain't no idle threat.

That's a gold-plated

promise from me to you.

I'm gonna f*ck you up.

I want Plague dead.

I want his head on a spike.

I want to piss on his corpse,

I wanna...

[flesh squelches]

[screaming]

- f*ck!

[tense music]

[heavy breathing]

- You m*therf*cker!

I'm gonna k*ll you!

[blow thuds]

- sh*t!

They're everywhere.

Listen, fellas.

It's him you want.

I'm a nobody, I'm a nothing.

- It's him!

It's Plague!

- Please.

[blow thuds]

[flesh squelching]

[eerie music]

- Repent or die.

- Last night, a horrific

home invasion left

multiple people dead,

with parts of the attack

streamed live on the internet.

The shocking footage

has since gone viral.

Doctor plague is no longer

just a local nightmare.

His crimes are now global news.

With no arrests, no suspects

and no clear end in sight,

the city remains

on a knife edge.

[sombre music]

[phone chimes]

- John! Wake up.

It's Liam.

- Oh, man, my head

is banging as well.

You got any paracetamol?

- Your son!

It's on the news.

John.

[John groans]

- [Jan] ...is no longer

just a local nightmare.

His crimes are now global news.

- Is this for real?

- ... No suspects and

no clear end in sight,

The city remains

on a knife edge.

- [Reporter] Police officers

from East London

Serious Crime Unit...

- No.

No.

[sombre music]

- [Reporter]... Dr

Plague killings...

[tense music]

- Christ!

[tense music continues]

Liam!

Has anyone seen my boy?

My boy was here.

- No, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no.

He was meant to be with you!

Was meant to be with you.

- I know, I know.

I texted him.

- You lying b*stard!

You lying f*cking b*stard!

He was meant to be with you!

He was meant to be with you!

[Alice sobs]

He was meant to be with you!

- No, no, no, he's not here.

He's not here.

It's alright.

It's alright, he's not here.

He's not here.

[sombre music]

Sir. Sir.

My son, Liam.

He was here tonight.

I think Doctor Plague has taken

him down into the tunnels.

- Plague Doctor?

What tunnels are

you talking about?

- The other day, I

went to see Mary.

She passed me this note.

I think she said

this is the symbol

that she saw the night

that she was attacked.

I had it checked

out by an expert.

He says it's the symbol of

some ancient religious cult

called the Brethren

of the Knife.

I think all of these attacks,

all of these Plague attacks,

they're connected to

this cult somehow.

And that's why Mary was k*lled.

Because she passed me the note.

She was warning me.

- m*rder*d by whom?

- Doctor Cole.

- Are you serious?

- No. Have a look on the note.

Look...Look what

Mary wrote, look.

She knew she was being

watched by the Brethren.

- What has this to

do with tunnels?

- Detective Jones.

He saw there was this

old utility tunnel system.

I think Plague has been using

it to organise his attacks

and to escape with his victims.

We were going to go down there,

but I got this call from Mary.

- And where's

Detective Jones now?

- I don't know.

I've got a couple

of missed calls.

I called him back,

he wasn't there.

But listen, we need

uniforms down here.

We need Trojan.

We need them now.

We can't muck about.

- I'm not calling

SO19 into tunnels

because you believe in a

medieval secret society.

I need evidence.

- You've got it in your hand.

- What this?

The scribblings of a

dubious woman whom we can't

even interview now

because she's dead.

- For f*ck's sake,

my boy is missing.

Don't you understand?

- Ancient gods.

Religious zealots.

For God's sake, John,

listen to yourself.

Look around.

This is g*ng warfare.

[phone rings]

If you'd listen to

me in the first place

and not focused on

these fancy theories,

this may not have happened.

I'm sorry, John, but

I'm suspending you

until further notice.

- Oh, bollocks.

Hello.

- Hi, detective,

it's Professor Altman.

- Yeah, this ain't a good time.

- [Altman] I have more

information for you about the br

- What information?

- About the abductions.

- Go on.

- Any charges

against the brethren,

they would take their

enemies and t*rture

them, then sacrifice.

- Oh, Christ.

[tense music]

- Where are you going?

John!

[intense music]

[muffled talking]

[eerie music]

[heavy breathing]

[muffled talking]

[muffled groaning]

[clock ticking]

[eerie music]

- What have you done?

[blades swishing]

[indistinct dreamlike chatter]

- Dad, please!

Please help me, dad.

[indistinct dreamlike chatter]

[groaning]

- [John] Liam!

Liam!

[water dripping]

[John breathing heavily]

[tense music]

Liam!

Liam.

[eerie music]

[gate rattling]

[eerie music continues]

[gravel crunching]

[heavy breathing]

Brethren symbols.

[gravel crunching]

[eerie music continues]

[heavy breathing]

[blade swishing]

[blow thuds]

Sarah?

- Congratulations,

John, you did it.

She signed a full confession

admitting to murdering those

three g*ng members that night.

She claimed they were

a*usive and pimping her out,

and that she used Plague

as a cover to k*ll them.

And after she went in those

tunnels to evade arrest.

According to her, this

Dr Plague is nothing more

than some symbolic figure

that these g*ng members

use to frighten each other

and settle old scores.

- Oh come on, what

are you talking about?

You don't believe her, do you?

- What's not to believe?

She's confessed to everything.

She has a motive.

This was never the work

of a masked m*rder*r,

let alone these ancient,

resurrected cults.

You've been chasing a ghost.

- What about Sam?

He's one of our own.

Mary. The symbol.

The Brethren of the Flame.

Huh? What about my son,

who's still out there?

- All within the framework

of her confession.

- What, are you saying that

my son is part of this, huh?

I mean, just give me five

minutes with her, right?

Let me talk to her.

There's gotta be something

more to this than

gangs in some

f*cked up cos-play.

- I'm sorry, John, I can't.

- Why can't you see this?

[tense music]

- There's no easy

way to say this.

I've been informed that

your disciplinary hearing

has been concluded.

You're going to be

dismissed from active duty.

- I'm fired?

- I'm sorry, John,

but let's be honest.

The writing's been on the

wall for some time now.

You know that.

Ignoring the signpost doesn't

change the destination.

Your union rep will

call you later.

[tense music continues]

[gentle music]

[knocking on door]

- Where have you been?

I've been worried about you.

[gentle music continues]

[John sighs]

I can see you've been busy.

Have you

been searching the

tunnels?

- Yeah.

- And have you

found anything yet?

What are they?

- Well.

The Brethren symbols.

I found loads of

them down there.

You see, back in the day,

the Brethren,

they were involved in all sorts

of black magic and sorcery.

I think these are

like occult talismans

or they're warnings to

others to stay away.

Something like that.

- Well, maybe you should.

I mean, no, sorry, of course.

- Oh, I've gotta go.

- Please don't do this.

I don't want what happened

to Sam, happen to you too.

- If my son is down in those

tunnels, I'm going to find him.

Lock up when you leave.

[gentle music continues]

[door closes]

I need to talk to you about the

Brethren tunnel photographs.

- Wait.

What happened to your face?

- I...I was attacked.

- Attacked? By who?

- Yeah. It doesn't matter.

Look, have you looked at

those pictures that I sent you

with the symbols in the tunnels?

- Are you here in an

official capacity, detective?

- No, not exactly.

- Well, then, may I

ask what capacity you

are here in, exactly?

- I need your help.

- Right.

Look, um, John isn't it?

- Yeah.

- I have been asked

to distance myself

from this

investigation

of yours.

- What? Why?

- Well, they say that

my association with you

will damage the reputation

of the university.

- Who are they?

You were the one who told me

about the Brethren of the Flame

in the first place.

- I'm sorry.

I'd rather you didn't

turn up unannounced in future,

in fact, it's best if

you don't turn up at all.

- Now, listen to me, right.

When I first went

down in those tunnels,

I thought they were signposts,

I thought they were

warning signs telling

people to stay away.

But they're not.

They're telling you

which way to go.

But there's something

I'm missing, right?

Because I keep...

I keep going around in circles.

- John, please leave!

- Please leave? Leave?

Listen to me!

My son is down there, right?

My son is missing

and he's down there!

If you know anything, anything

at all about a signpost,

you're gonna tell me now.

Do you understand?

- There is something!

I couldn't figure it out

but the symbol,

the branches,

they're not random.

They face in a direction.

[gasping]

[door closes]

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

[laughs]

- What were you expecting?

A monster?

- Why are you doing this?

You can let me go,

I won't tell anyone, I promise.

I am...

No monster.

When all is said and done, I'm

not that much different to you.

No one knows.

It wasn't that long ago

I was in your position,

a lost soul.

But I repented and

everything became so clear.

- Clear?

You're k*lling people.

People!

- No. Not people.

Vermin.

We are cleansing this city.

[tense music]

He gave drugs to

a 16-year-old girl

named Lucy.

She was bright.

She was funny

and she had dreams

of becoming a doctor.

Just imagine the difference

she could have made.

And Lucy

was not his first victim either.

Police failed those

girls and their families.

We

won't.

[gasping]

- Wait.

[flesh squelching]

[grunting]

[eerie music]

- You see?

The world just

became a safer place.

- Say he did do those things.

- He did.

- Alright, he did.

- If he did then I'm with

you 100 per cent, I promise.

But the police they're not,

they're not all like that.

My dad is trying to

make a difference.

- Oh, yes.

I know all about the

great John Verney.

Cheat!

Liar!

Thug!

And he has just been dismissed.

Why?

Because of the choices he made.

He seems to think the

rules don't apply to him.

Come on, Be honest.

When did he ever put

your needs or your mother's

ahead of his own?

[eerie music continues]

You have such potential,

Liam.

You just need...

[scoffs]

Direction.

[door creaks]

- Verney's off the case.

- I heard.

- Well, you know, why don't you?

- The official word is

internal restructuring.

I think we both

know that's crap.

- Oh, of course it's crap.

The moment he started to

get close to the truth,

bang! He's out.

What coincidence?

I don't think so.

I am telling you,

this is one big cover-up

and it stinks to high heaven.

- Jesus, you're is

starting to sound like those

tinfoil hat loonies.

You don't have a

shred of evidence.

- Wrong.

Voila.

- What's that?

- It's a symbol of

an ancient cult.

The Brotherhood of the Flame.

They're the ones

behind all this.

A mate of mine from my

old Fleet Street days

knows someone on the inside.

Someone who's had

enough of the bloodshed,

wants to go on the record.

- Eddie, I'm worried about you.

Maybe you should take a break.

Be with your family.

- You haven't met my family,

have you?

Now, we have a duty to our

readers to expose

criminality and corruption.

Hell, we have a duty to

every man, woman and

other of this country.

[suspenseful music]

That's the fact.

The Plague is the biggest

story of my career,

and I intend to

crack it wide open.

- That's Darius.

We've been watching

him for a while.

He's on his way to

that new club in town

where he'll sell his product.

MDMA, ketamine, whatever

else he's cooked up.

If we choose not to act,

he will spread his poison

and ruin more lives.

Or...

We can do something.

- Given the choice,

repent or die.

- No.

Some things there's

no coming back from.

You, Liam,

you do have a choice.

What will it be?

Good boy.

[eerie music]

- Oh, f*ck.

f*ck!

That's fifty grand's worth

of gear, take a look.

- Do it! Go on.

Go! Go!

[gasping]

Congratulations.

You just made the

world a safer place.

[tense music]

- Hello?

[eerie music]

- Detective Verney.

You look like sh*t.

- You got it?

- I hear you've been

kicked off the job.

Must be like losing

a piece of your soul.

- You got it or not?

- I got it.

- Let's get it on then.

- They made a real mess of you,

didn't they?

- Look, if you can't help me,

I've got somebody else who can.

- Ssh.

See?

New series in UK or Europe.

Totally clean.

I even oiled it for you.

Single mag, fully loaded.

[tense music]

I trust you.

And I know where to find you.

- Can I have it?

- You take this

and you're heading down a road

where there's no coming back.

- Just give me the g*n.

[tense music continues]

- Well here we are.

[indistinct]

[blows hands]

- Jesus.

What are you trying to do?

Finish me off.

- Sorry, mate.

- So where is this

mysterious source?

Here. You better not

be yanking my chain.

- I'm not.

But you have to understand,

this is a delicate situation.

It's like the Freemasons.

You can't just walk away

when you've had enough.

Not without consequences.

This individual needs to

be certain you're

prepared to go all the way,

no matter what.

- I am.

- I had a funny feeling

you might say that.

- What do you mean?

[flesh squelching]

[grunting]

[body thuds]

This sinner

has been cleansed.

[water dripping]

- Look down here. Look.

- [Francesca] Yeah.

Why did you bring

me to the caves?

Do you think Liam's down here?

[breathing heavily]

Why are we here, John?

- sh*t!

It's a dead end.

- John, stairs.

[eerie music]

Isn't that the brethren symbol?

What does it mean?

Let's follow the arrow.

- [John] Look at this.

[eerie music continues]

You all right?

Yeah. This way.

Alright?

Yeah, let's go.

Come on.

- These must be

the old catacombs.

My God, John, rats.

[rats squeaking]

- [John] Just follow them.

Just follow them, yeah?

- [Francesca] Where are we?

Is that a forest?

[tense music]

- Just watch your step.

Come on.

[heavy breathing]

[dramatic music]

- [Francesca] I think

we should go back.

- Come on.

- Watch yourself.

- I'm right behind.

[both panting]

- Come on.

Come on. This way.

[eerie music]

- [Francesca] It's not a flame.

It's a tree.

[eerie music]

- Where's my son?

- He is quite safe.

- I want to see him.

- Oh, you will see...

You will see everything.

- Where's my boy?

- Hello, John.

- Where is he? Where's my boy?

- All in good time.

- If you've hurt him,

I will k*ll you.

I swear to God, I will k*ll you.

- No, John,

you are not in any position

to threaten anyone just now.

- I want to see him.

- Very well.

Let us begin our reunion.

[eerie music continues]

Now.

Do you see?

- Repent or die.

It wasn't a threat, was it?

It was a choice.

You weren't k*lling them.

You were...

You were recruiting them.

You k*lled Mary, right?

- She was cleansed.

- You're sick.

- After that...

And a measured disclosure

of information.

It wasn't difficult to

have you discredit yourself

to your senior officers.

After all,

who would believe all of this?

But I was not the only

person that you encountered

the day that Mary died.

Or have you forgotten?

[eerie music continues]

After you came to visit me.

I had Francesca go

to keep an eye on you

while we took care of Mary.

- Just tell me, was it

before or after we met?

- Oh, John.

When our leadership realised

you couldn't be turned,

I was sent elsewhere.

That's why I left you.

- I just want to see my boy.

- We gave you so many chances,

but you would not give it up.

The only reason we

haven't k*lled you already

is that Francesca thought

that you might join us.

- I just want to see my boy.

I want to see my son.

You're all crazy.

- We are the cure for a

sick and diseased society.

- And you think you're the

ones to do that, do you?

- My grandfather and I?

Yes.

- Jack the Ripper.

- Well done.

Unfortunately,

my grandfather died

before he had a chance to

recruit to our cause.

And so it was left

to me eventually, to

take up his mantle.

He is buried

underneath this very tree.

See

how it has grown unlike

any other in the forest,

nurtured by the

blood of mine own.

Surviving

for decades.

A flame

that will never die.

[eerie music continues]

- Just bring me my boy.

- The brethren of the flame

have always been

and will always be

all of us.

Here

is our newest recruit.

- Jesus Christ.

No.

Jesus Christ.

[eerie music continues]

[Francesca laughs]

- Your son is here

on his own volition.

- Liam.

I don't know what

they've done to you.

Is it..?

This ain't you.

- I've repented

and I'm cleansed.

- Your son has repented.

- [All] And the gods

are well pleased.

- Just let him go, please.

Just let him go.

- Your son is here on

his own volition, John.

- Just let him go.

- He has embraced our cause.

And so can you.

- We live pure

and wholesome lives.

Think about it.

We can be together.

And you can be with

your son again.

And we can be a new family.

And you can be happy.

Don't you want to

be happy, John?

- Are you f*cking mad?

You're all mad.

- Very well.

High priestess.

Prepare thy knife.

[music intensifies]

[blade swishes]

[John groans]

[body thuds]

[wind howls]

[footsteps tapping]

[eerie music]

- The Plague story

has run its course.

It's time to move on.

- But people are still

talking about it.

- Gossip and

hearsay

aren't news.

Leave that to the

crackpots on social media.

I want a thousand words on the

government's outsourcing bill

by the end of the day.

- What about Verney?

- It's tragic.

Of course it is.

But a secret society?

k*ller Plague doctors?

I mean, really?

Whatever next?

Lizard people in Downing Street?

I don't think so.

Well, go on then.

The clock's ticking.

Tick tock, tick tock.

Tick tock.

[eerie music continues]

[upbeat music]

[singer vocalising]

[eerie music]