A Friend in Need (TV story)

***A Friend in Need*** was the the seventh episode of *Series 2*, and the twentieth overall of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

The survivors hand out their own justice on a multiple murderer.

## Plot

A young woman is tending to some chickens in an enclosure. A hooded figure hides in the trees nearby, loading a rifle. The sniper aims the rifle at the young woman. At Whitecross, Greg and Charles are chairing a meeting with other community leaders: Boult, Roberts, Mrs McGregor and Morris. There is some resistance to the idea of forming a defence alliance. Mrs McGregor points out they've never met before today and Roberts reveals he's not empowered to make any agreement. Boult is reluctant to give full inventory of defences, since someone might decide to attack if they know they're weaker. Roberts queries the need to make ammunition. Greg and Charles hand out inventories of their own supply. He also reveals he knows Boult has an armoured car with only two shells. Charles suggests they talk and meet again. Boult asks that they only have one representative from each community at further meetings and Charles agrees. He also mentions they have a doctor, away at the moment, who they could lend out once a month. He and Greg discuss a plan to set up a telephone line between the communities, since Morris is two days away. Boult is reluctant to devote manpower setting it up. Charles suggests young people from different communities might want to meet up and pair off. Boult is reluctant to have outside intervention. Mrs McGregor also mentions she is only there because her injured arm meant she couldn't help out. Jenny comes in and says there's a message for Roberts from Millbrook. After he's left the room, she tells the others that Roberts' wife, who Mrs McGregor knows is an 18-year-old named Betty, has been shot dead by someone who stole three chickens. Morris recalls hearing of a similar incident. Roberts returns and Greg and Charles offer to escort him home the next day. Charles calls the meeting to an end.

Greg and Charles inspect the murder scene with Roberts. From the bullet holes, they work out where the shooter was standing. Searching the trees, they find the bullet case. Charles also notes some footprints. Greg realises the sniper is a cripple. Back at Whitecross, Greg and Charles show Arthur a sketch of the sniper's footprints, showing he hobbles with a limp. There have been eight shootings in five months and a young girl killed at each one. The victim is shot while alone. Greg theorises that the sniper is following an old Roman road.

Pet finds John and Lizzie playing soldiers while taking the unloaded weapons back to store. While Pet goes off to meet the other adults, John expresses disappointment at not being able to use the gun. Lizzie says she knows where the bullets are. Something falls out of the gun while John's playing with it and he pockets it. Jenny is annoyed to see him with the gun and goes to meet the others, after telling them to tidy up and look after the baby.

Charles issues instructions to a group including Greg, Jenny, Pet, Arthur and Hubert. People should travel around in pairs and women should stay inside after dark and try to hide their femininity. Jenny comes up with a theory that the shooter is Vic: They never found his body after the fire, only his wheelchair, and she worries he might be seeking revenge on them for abandoning him again. Greg and Arthur are sceptical but don't dismiss it.

Keeping watch, Hubert sees movement in the trees and directs Greg and Charles. They find a scared woman, Daniella, who quickly embraces Charles despite him protesting she needs to go into quarantine. Later, Jenny gets her some food. She is Italian and lived in Solihull with her husband. She has been walking for two weeks after the woman with her died and hasn't seen anyone in that time. Jenny decides not to tell her what's going on.

Next day, Greg and Charles discuss Daniella while patrolling. Arthur has been collecting rabbits from snares and shows Greg that one has been cut. Charles also found the sniper's footprints. Later, Jenny tries to suggest to them that the sniper has left the area on knowing they were looking out for him. Jenny asks what they're going to do to the sniper. Hubert and Greg both want the sniper killed. Pet suggests catching and interrogating him. Jenny points out Greg was wrong about Barney, and Charles is also keen not to make a mistake. Arthur suggests finding out the sniper's motive. Greg is worried about people feeling sympathy for him and says he'll kill him himself if necessary. He feels some of the old values need to be done away with, referring to a natural instinct to protect their women. Arthur recalls hearing stories of the British Raj and man-eating tigers when he was a boy: The tiger was always crippled, so couldn't get his natural food. He suggests the sniper's disability means he's unable to be part of a normal community. Greg is unhappy at the idea of making anyone feel sorry for him. Arthur says the idea was to use a goat as bait and, in this case, a girl. They have to have someone lure the sniper out to be sure he's still in the area. Jenny volunteers to do it. Arthur says it makes some time. Jenny says she and Pet will take turns, since it's unfair to ask Daniella, but she'll go first. Greg reluctantly agrees.

Wearing a frock, Jenny is sent out alone to do some work on a fence, in an area with plenty of cover around it. Charles and Hubert are hidden in one spot, with Greg and Arthur in another. Arthur is increasingly nervous about placing Jenny in danger. Charles reminds Hubert to watch the woods, not Jenny. The sniper stalks through the woods, startling a bird. The sniper loads the rifle and trains it on Jenny. Greg sees the figure and approaches Jenny, scaring the sniper off.

Inside, Greg, Charles, Arthur and Jenny discuss what to do now. Greg suggests sending people into the woods to drive the sniper into an ambush. They will seek help from other settlements to get more people. Early next morning, the sniper is asleep by some scraps of half-eaten meat. Charles and Jenny tell Greg that no-one's come to help. Pet asks if they can do it themselves. Arthur says some of the settlements think the danger has passed them. Boult then turns up, he has brought four men with him and another six manning the armoured car nearby to cover one escape route. Greg points out the sniper could head towards Boult's settlement. Boult says they thought containment was the best bet. Greg says everyone needs to come, including the children, carrying something that will make a noise and something that looks like a gun.

The sniper hears people coming and quickly covers up the camp and hurries off, running ahead of the line. Greg tries to keep people in line but they run off in pursuit of a sighting and a gunshot. They find Hubert has shot a fox that came at him. Greg realises the sniper could have gone anywhere now. Arthur finds the camp with a buried sleeping bag and other supplies. He guesses the sniper deliberately disturbed the fox. Charles notes the water and food left behind. Greg realises the sniper eats meat raw. Their only option is to seal off the woods and wait by the water supply. The sniper watches them move off.

Late at night, Jenny and Pet are waiting up for news of Greg and Charles. Next morning, the two men are watching the woods. Charles says some of Boult's people want to go home rather than sit up at night. Greg is still convinced the sniper will come to the pond. Charles says he's never killed anybody and will only shoot if Greg misses. Greg accepts that, saying it gets easier. Charles asks what it feels like to kill someone. Greg says it's always been a necessity for him. He sees someone moving.

John and Lizzie talk with Jenny about how the men have been out for two days. Jenny mentions they have the guns with them and are hunting something. Lizzie admits they won't be able to shoot and John shows her what fell out of the shotgun. They take it to Arthur, who realises it's the firing pin: It broke because of John pulling the trigger when the gun wasn't loaded, meaning it won't fire. Jenny realises Charles has the shotgun and hurries off. John and Lizzie decide to go and tell Greg first so he won't be as angry.

The sniper spots Greg and Charles and opens fire. Greg tells Charles to keep the attention while he circles round. Charles swaps guns with him. Greg gets a clear shot at the sniper but the gun doesn't fire. John and Lizzie come running up and Charles tell them to take cover. Jenny appears as well, with the sniper's gun wavering between them. Greg tackles the hooded figure and a gunshot rings out. The sniper stands up, but Charles is unable to fire since he doesn't have ammunition. The sniper collapses, dead. Greg appears and Charles, Jenny, John and Lizzie go to join him. Charles examines the sniper's satchel and finds the name George Oliver. John calls the sniper a "poor lady". The others are confused. Charles checks under the hood and gives a nod of confirmation. John asks why she had to die. No-one answers.

## Cast

* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* Charles Vaughan - Denis Lill
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Pet Simpson - Lorna Lewis
* Hubert Goss - John Abineri
* Arthur Russell - Michael Gover
* John Millon - Stephen Dudley
* Lizzie Willoughby - Tanya Ronder
* Daniella - Gigi Gatti
* John Boult - William Wilde
* Mrs. McGregor - Vivienne Burgess
* Morris - Paul Grist
* Roberts - Emrys Leyshon
* Betty - Amanda Humby

## Crew

* Written by Ian McCulloch
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Eric Hills