Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond Episode 1.04 Episode 4

Ian enters an office where Monday is working. He asks her to forge a signature - of Admiral Rushbrooke. When she refuses, he shows her his pen. An atomized spray shoots into her face and she collapses unconscious. He then lifts Rushbrooke's signature and turns to address a group of people we didn't realize were there, who include Donovan. The men are impressed. Although, when he brings her round with smelling salts, Monday is less so!

Donovan is unimpressed. All these inventions are just a game. The war's almost over, and there's a race coming with the Russians and they're all going to need more than magic pens to win. Donovan's dig about not realizing where the war is strikes a chord with Ian. Still lusting after action... To be something...

Back in Admiralty, Ian reminds Rushbrooke that in all of their efforts they're still yet to uncover any Nazi nuclear plans. Ian's incensed at Rushbrooke's complacency. But Rushbrooke clearly thinks that the war is soon going to be over and the Russian's are simply their allies.

In the Dorchester, reminds Ian that wartime forgives people for some of their actions - seeing married women. But in peacetime perhaps Ian should settle down.

Back in Admiralty the team are celebrating the end of the blackout and the �whiff' of approaching peace. But Ian's mind is on the hidden Nazi nuclear secrets and why they've uncovered nothing.

In Rushbrooke's office Ian pitches his hunch - that the German secrets have been moved and hidden 'in plain sight' at a small town called Tambach... If they don't get these secrets, the Russian's will. It's a race against the clock.

That night Ann says she knows that Ian doesn't want to talk about it but perhaps the end of the war means the end of their affair? She wants it to be more but she can't hold off Esmond forever. Ian (in a reprise of how it was with Muriel) tells her to wait for him. When he gets back, they'll talk about it properly. The phone rings and it's Godfrey. Ian's got his wish. He's going to Germany...

Joined by Dixon, Fleming interrogates a German prisoner of war who confirm the location of the secret documents have been taken.

Meanwhile, in the Dorchester Eve pulls Ann aside for a talk. She tells Ann in no uncertain terms to marry Rothermere. Ian will never love her, not truly. Ann takes this in...

In a jeep, Ian and Dixon head through the forests of Germany towards Tambach. They reach the front line and a soldier warns them of the German Werewolves, rag-tag renegade German troops that will die before they give up the cause. They're hiding in these forests...Arriving at Tambach they find an elderly Admiral, Brundel, standing at an enormous pyre of documents in the grounds and about to set it alight. He's weeping. The pile turns out to be the entire German Naval archive from 1870 onwards, including the missing papers, which had been shipped there as the allies advanced. The Admiral has been ordered to destroy them on pain of death by Nazis, essentially burning his own life's work. Fleming convinces the Admiral to hand over documents by promising him he'll be given to Allies, not Russians (who would torture and kill him). Brundel agrees but his assistant Veidi runs into the fortress, clearly still a Nazi sympathizer. Just as the Nazi Werewolves begin to emerge from the surrounding forests.

In the ensuing firefight, Dixon is pinned down by gun fire and shot to death. And Ian flees into the fortress. Hiding in a chamber he realizes Veidt this there too. The two fights, scrambling on the floor. The only way Ian can stop Veidt giving away his position is by keeping him quiet. He strangles him and watches horrified as the life drifts from his eyes. Ian has felt what it is like to kill. And it's nothing close to how he thought it would feel.

Brundel and Fleming escape the werewolves but quickly run into the Russians, who force them both out of the truck. Fleming betrays the German Admiral to save his own life and the trove of documents.

Fleming gets documents back home. A success. But we realize this version of the story is the one that he's been telling Rushbrooke. Is this really how it happened or is it the work of Fleming's imagination? Rushbrooke's less than pleased - Fleming was completely undisciplined. Fleming stops him and tells Rushbrooke that he's already handed in his resignation.

It's goodbye to the Admiralty and one person who will really miss him is Monday. She wishes him well and bids him farewell. She also hands him a letter - it was hand delivered by Ann. Ian opens it to see that it's a wedding invitation... He quickly calls her up and says he wants to meet her.

Outside, he's on his way when Donovan stops in a car and offers him a ride. As they travel, Donovan explains the war's over but the real 'cold war' is just beginning. He offers him the keys to the kingdom, to do things the new way, fight dirty, help run post-war intelligence with the US. Fleming says no. He's had a taste of what it's really like and he doesn't like it. He prefers the gentleman's game.

Ian meets Ann in the park. He wishes her congratulations. And says he has nothing to offer her. He's not a spy. He's a nobody. They agree to say they don't love each other and tearfully say goodbye.

In the Dorchester Ian tells Esmond the best man won. And then sees his mother, Eve. He speaks to her and she's approving of his putting distance between himself and Ann - says he'll get over it soon. He bluntly tells her that he won't. It was the hardest thing he's ever done. But it was his choice not hers.

That night on the eve of Ann's wedding to Rothermere, everyone is gathered at the Dorchester. Peter and Ian discuss what he will do now - he has an idea for a book...

Into the evening, Ian suddenly thinks he's made a terrible mistake. But it's too late. He and Ann both try to find each other but cannot. Ian searching the Dorchester and Ann going to Ian's flat in Ebury Street. Ships that pass in the night.

Ian talks to Peter and says that he'll take two names from his old school friends and swap their Christian and surnames to make something new. That's what the hero of his novel will be called. Something in the mixture of James Aitken and Harry Bond...

Ian returns to his flat to see that Ann has left him a note at his typewriter: For the Spy Who Loved Me. Always and Forever XXX.

Back again at Goldeneye in Jamaica, where our story began, Ian types away watched over by his new wife.