Episode 8.1
Written by Liz Lake
Produced by Sharon Houlihan
Directed by Barnaby Southcombe
New Deputy Governor, Lou Stoke arrives for her first day at Larkhall reeking of booze and worse for wear having come straight from a strip club. Joy is shocked and disgusted at her new deputy’s appearance and lack of professionalism. Meanwhile, a raid on a suspected terrorist cell results in a new G-Wing inmate: Emira Al Jahani. Emira is the wife of a supposed terrorist bomber and is believed to know the movements of her husband who has fled without a trace. Newly transferred PO Donny Kimber is eager to get involved and volunteers to be Emira’s personal officer.
Natalie is intrigued to learn that Emira is a chemistry student and bullies her into constructing a secret mini laboratory to concoct crystal meth. However, the plan backfires when the two Julies discover Emira spooning a mysterious potion out of her kettle and jump to the conclusion that she’s making ricin. The rumour is fuelled when a sudden illness strikes down the inmates. Could it be poison? The signs seem there, particularly when Bev and Tina collapse for no reason. Even worse is to come when Neil is discovered dead in his office.
As the Emergency Services are called in to deal with the epidemic, Lou struggles to keep control on G-Wing as the inmates and POs start to panic. Hollamby has had enough – she’s not hanging around to get poisoned – and leads the other screws in a walk out. The inmates decide to do the same, and after locking Donny into the four-bed dorm and stealing his keys, they make a break for it. They get as far as the gates where they are surrounded by the police and held back at gunpoint.
Lou goes to confront Emira and is shocked when the inmate reveals that she’s pregnant. It is now clear that there must be another culprit. With G-Wing practically deserted, Lou is pleasantly surprised when Pat steps in to show her support. She and Emira help new SMO, Rowan Dunlop to care for the ill prisoners. Rowan has his hands full with the epidemic and calls in the Health Protection Unit to help him quarantine the prison. They are running blood tests in an attempt to discover the cause of the outbreak, but the women are dropping like flies and time is running out.
Lou and Rowan work out that Neil was the first victim of the mystery virus, and when a leaky air-conditioning unit is found in his office, Rowan realises that the prison has been struck down with Legionnaires’ disease. He radios his discover to the police officers guarding the front gate, but the walkie talkie he’s using is defective. By the gate, the inmates are getting restless, none more so than Phyl. She’s sure that Bev will die without immediate medical attention, which leaves only one option.
As the riot police move in, Phyl picks up Donny’s discarded keys and leads Bev on a dash down the corridor leading to the side entrance of the prison. Phyl opens the gate and makes a dash for it, but is shot by an armed police officer.