SIEGE

An original radio dramaWritten by

Sam Carpenter

Scene One: Narrator VoiceoverNARRATOR: (EVERY NARRATOR LINE HOT ON MIC) The

following show is a fictional broadcast of the mockumentary ‘Siege’ by Sam Carpenter. All events and characters portrayed in this show are entirely fictional. This show contains some strong language.

MUSIC: AMBIENT SINGLE NOTE BEHIND THE NARRATOR’S VOICE IN THIS SCENE.

NARRATOR: In October of 2013, a group of soldiers from the US and British Army were overrun in a vehicle convoy by terrorists in the south-east of Afghanistan.The operation was a joint effort between United States and British forces – specifically the 2nd Armoured Infantry Brigade, and the 75th Ranger regiment.

Scene Two: Interview

SGT WALLCROFT: It was a simple operation. We were moving up towards our destination, where we thought the hostiles were – about 2 klicks north of where it happened.

Scene Three: INT. TV News Broadcast – Evening

MUSIC: News broadcast background music plays throughout the bulletin.

NEWS HOST: 29 UK and US military personnel are unaccounted for after an alleged explosion in Helmand Province earlier today. A supposedly routine patrol was hit by a terrorist ambush in the early hours of the morning, and it is thought that it claimed the lives of the soldiers inside the vehicles. There has been no statement from either the UK or US authorities at this time, but if true, it will be the largest loss of life in a single isolated incident since the USA became involved in conflict in Afghanistan in 2001.

Scene Four: Narrator VoiceoverMUSIC: Ambient music starts playing again

throughout narrator section.

NARRATOR: As soon as it happened, there was conflicting reports, and confusion between media outlets.

Scene Five: INT. Various TV News Broadcasts (overlapping)

NEWSREADER 1: We are now getting reports that some of the soldiers may have actually survived…

NEWSREADER 2: There has been an alleged video released by the soldiers’ attackers, showing beaten and bloodied Americans being held in custody of the people capturing the video…

NEWSREADER 1: The Americans in the video have been identified as members of the 75th Rangers regiment who were reported missing on the day of the explosion…

NEWSREADER 3: The insurgents in the video appear to be holding advanced weapons and technology. MI5 is currently attempting to identify the main speaker in the video, but any rescue attempts have not been publicly discussed.

Scene Six: INT. Narrator Voiceover

SOUND: THE NEWSREADERS’ VOICES FADE OUT AND WE RETURN TO THE NARRATOR WITH THE AMBIENT MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND.

NARRATOR: The World now knew exactly what was happening. They knew that there were survivors from the incident, but they also knew that it was an intentional ambush and at least some of the soldiers were being held hostage.The situation of these hostages quickly became the largest story on the planet – and this would last for a long time, as on November the 1st, the situation became complicated.

MUSIC: THE AMBIENT MUSIC FADES OUT, AND A NEWS INTRO THEME PLAYS.

Scene Seven: INT. News Broadcast

NEWSREADER 1: Welcome to A-Z News at 6, you’re listening to the World Headlines. A 2nd video has

been released from Afghanistan from the suspected attackers of the 29 UK and US soldiers that went missing on the 19th of October this year.The clip contains threats towards the military forces and governments of the occupying countries, which is followed by the torture and execution of an alleged captured American Ranger.

MUSIC: AMBIENT MUSIC FADES BACK IN – WE RETURN TO THE NARRATOR

Scene Eight: INT. Narrator Voiceover

NARRATOR: It didn’t stop there. Over the next 2 months, an additional 4 soldiers, 2 of which being British Army soldiers, were executed on camera by the captors.This caused uproar from the British and American population, who criticised their governments for ‘ignoring the slaughter’ and ‘letting the terrorists win’. In reality, there was a lot of planning as well as a huge manhunt taking place behind-the-scenes.

Scene Nine: INT. News Broadcast

NEWSREADER: The head of MI6, Sir John Sawyers, has issued a statement on the Afghanistan Captives situation, which has been described as ‘extremely vague’ – Sawyers mentioned that MI6 were doing ‘all they can’.

MUSIC: AMBIENT MUSIC FADES BACK IN

Scene Ten: INT. Narrator Voiceover

NARRATOR: 3 more months passed. The story got cold – the terrorists’ online presence disappeared, and there were very few news reports on the story for weeks.

LONG FADE OUT & PAUSE. NEWS REPORT FADES IN.

Scene Eleven: INT. and EXT. Studio and Afghanistan

NEWSREADER: Good morning, this is BBC Breakfast. John, our war correspondent, is in Afghanistan for us this morning near the location where the currently captive soldiers were ambushed. So John, what is the current situation?

NEWS REPORTER: (FILTER) Thanks Jeremy. Now I’m here today because new rumours and leaks have arisen regarding the location of the men keeping these soldiers in captivity, and a possible special forces operation taking place today…

SOUND: NEWS REPORTER VOICE FADES OUT AND WE HEAR CHATTER AND ORDERS FROM SOLDIERS IN THE BACKGROUND

SAS SOLDIER: (OFF MIC) Baseplate, we have possible hostiles 200 metres Northwest.

SAS SOLDIER 2: (OFF MIC) Contact left. Foot-mobile. He hasn’t seen us.

SAS SOLDIER: (OFF-MIC) Sir, we’re going to need you to get down.

SOUND: MIC DROPS TO THE FLOOR. MUSIC: NARRATOR’S AMBIENT MUSIC FADES IN.

NARRATOR: Jonathan Ramirez and his film crew were taken under protection by he SAS for the rest of the day and the following night. The SAS did not disclose what they were doing.Overnight, a rescue operation by the SAS was launched on a nearby housing compound which was thought to contain the captured British and American soldiers. In the early hours of the morning, multiple gunshots were exchanged.

MUSIC: NARRATOR’S AMBIENT MUSIC FADES OUT.

NEWSREADER: This morning we’re back with John Ramirez in Helmand Province, who is currently under the protection of SAS operatives approximately half a mile from the compound. Now John, what’s the situation over there?

SOUND: QUIET GUNSHOTS FROM A DISTANCE

NEWS REPORTER: (FILTER) Well Jeremy, the situation over past few hours has deteriorated from our point of view. There have been multiple bursts of gunfire recently as an assault team has entered the nearby compound.

NEWSREADER: So… so is the situation of the hostages known?

SOUND: GUNSHOTS GET LOUDER AND MORE FREQUENT

SAS SOLDIER: GET THE F*** DOWN!

NEWS REPORTER: (FILTER) (INTERRUPTION) Sorry… we can hear more shots now, and some seem to be heading in our direction…

SOUND: LOUD GUNFIRE, BULLETS WHOOSH PAST SOUND: STATIC