David Budd

David Budd (born 1986) was a British Metropolitan Police Service sergeant and Afghanistan War veteran who served on the security detail of Conservative Party MP and British Home Secretary Julia Montague in 2018. He was appointed to Montague's security detail after thwarting a jihadist bomb plot while aboard a train bound for Euston station in London, despite his strong political differences from the far-right Montague.

Biography[]

David Budd was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and he settled in London and married a nurse, Vicky Budd, with whom he fathered a son, Charlie (born 2010) and a daughter, Ella (born 2008). Budd originally intended to become a doctor, but, as he had no prior work experience, nor a doctor with whom he had a connection, Budd abandoned his original career goals. Budd went on to serve in the British Army for ten years and fought in the Afghanistan War, serving alongside Andy Apsted in the Helmand Province campaign. He was traumatized by his experiences during the British Army's fight against the Taliban insurgency, and, after returning to the United Kingdom, he suffered from PTSD, deeply mistrusted politicians, and was occasionally prone to volatile behavior; his friend Apsted, who had been wounded in combat, became an anti-war activist. Budd used his military experience to become a Metropolitan Police Service policeman in London, rising to the rank of Sergeant and serving as a personal protective officer (PPO) for foreign dignitaries, but his PTSD and unpredictable moods led to his wife becoming estranged from him.

London Euston station bomb plot[]

One night in 2018, as Budd was taking a train from Glasgow Central to London Euston station with his children, Budd noticed a suspicious, middle-aged South Asian man get on the train at Marston station after throwing his phone into a dustbin. After noticing a transport policewoman looking around the passenger car for a South Asian man in his twenties and waiting outside the bathroom to see if the suspect was there, Budd asked a nearby passenger to look after his children as he got up and walked over to the stewardess. Budd identified himself to the train guard as an operational firearms commander with Specialist Protection, and he said that the woman was likely looking for a South Asian man in his twenties; he then said that he had noticed someone suspicious get on at Marston. The transport policewoman took Budd into another room to discuss the situation with him, and she revealed that British Transport Police had put out an alert on a possible suicide bomber attempting to board a London-bound service, and that the train was ordered to stop the train at Barnet Shed, a derelict depot, where SCO19 would board the train. Budd had the stewardess, Sandra, give him her name and number so that they could keep in touch as he checked back in on his children. Budd was relieved to see that they were still safe, and he asked the other passenger to give him a few more minutes.

Budd confronting Nadia Ali in the bathroom

Budd then checked in on the bathroom, hearing rummaging coming from behind the door. Budd then called Sandra and told her that he could not let the man get out, as there were dozens of passengers in the car, his children included, and the bomber would likely blow himself up in the passenger car to maximize casualties. Before he could ask Sandra to unlock the exit doors, the train entered a tunnel and the call failed, but, when the train left the tunnel, he told Sandra that she had to unlock the doors while the train was still moving, as the bomber would know that the train would make an unscheduled stop if the brakes screeched. Budd then told Sandra to unlock the doors as he did the rest; when Sandra asked what he meant, Budd said that he intended to throw the bomber off the train. He had her unlock the doors after the bathroom door opened, but he found that the South Asian man in the toilet appeared innocent, and, as he followed him, he realized that the man did not have a device. He had Sandra tell SCO19 that the suspect was headed to the front of the train, but did not have a device, and he decided to check on the bathroom to see if a device was hidden there. When he opened the door, he found the trembling, would-be suicide bomber Nadia Ali preparing to blow herself up, but Budd talked a nervous Ali out of blowing herself up, offering to let the police talk to her rather than have her face the special forces operatives at Barnet. Ali agreed to put down the detonator, and Budd called Sandra and said that he had found a second bomber aboard the train who was willing to cooperate, while asking her to call off the special forces operators and instead have the police send in a bomb disposal team and negotiators. He also had Sandra evacuate the adjacent carriages to ensure the other passengers' safety, and he then introduced himself to the woman, who was still holding the detonator. She introduced herself as "Nadia", and Budd asked if the man in the bathroom earlier was Nadia's husband. She confirmed that he was, and Budd asked if her husband wanted her to die, and also said that she wouldn't have to see her husband ever again if she didn't want to. He then assured Nadia that he was just as scared as her, as he was just bringing his children back from their grandmother's. Nadia asked if Budd had children, and Budd showed her his phone's lock-screen of them.

Budd calming Nadia down as the SCO19 arrive

As the train screeched to a halt and sirens were heard outside, Nadia panicked and nearly shut the bathroom door, but Budd told her that her husband had brainwashed her and that he knew what it was like to be brainwashed, as he saw his friends die while he was fighting in Afghanistan, and that politicians on both sides brainwashed others into dying for them; he then asked Nadia not to let the brainwashers win. When the train halted and the police, led by OFC Sara Tanner, came aboard to evacuate the passengers, Budd calmed a panicking Nadia, and he continued to reassure her even as Tanner ordered him to move away from the subject. Tanner warned Budd to move away several times as Budd continued to attempt to secure Nadia's cooperation, and Tanner eventually radioed in that Tanner had been warned repeatedly and refused to cooperate. Budd repeatedly demanded that Tanner call in Expo, but Tanner yelled at him and ordered Nadia and Tanner to move away from the toilet; Tanner planned to have the bomber shot by a distant sniper. However, Budd used himself as a human shield and persuaded Nadia to exit the toilet with him, embracing her and moving away. The sniper was unable to get a clear shot, so Tanner was forced to call in Expo. The Explosives Officer Karen Grove arrived and was able to disable the bomb on Nadia, and, after Nadia was cut free from the bomb, Budd escorted her off the train, where he assured her that she was safe now. Nadia was then taken away in handcuffs, and Budd took his children to their mother's. Budd kissed his children goodnight, but his wife grew upset when Budd tried to kiss her, and a hurt Budd walked out of the house and returned to his own home, alone.

Budd meeting with Craddock — Budd meeting with CSI Lorraine Craddock

The next day, as the United Kingdom raised its terror threat level to "substantial", Budd met with his superior, CSI Lorraine Craddock, who praised him for his heroism and asked if he needed counseling, to which Budd declined. Craddock then asked about Budd's experience as a PPO to foreign dignitaries, and told him that the MPS Commissioner had assigned her to review security protection for Cabinet ministers. Craddock announced that she was assigning Budd to a cabinet minister, Home Secretary Julia Montague, and Budd simply thanked her, even though Craddock assured Budd that such a job would be a step up. Budd was disgusted to find online that Craddock consistently voted in favor of military operations overseas, including the Iraq War and Afghanistan War, but he nonetheless suited up to meet Montague.

Budd after meeting Montague — Budd after meeting Julia Montague

When Budd met Montague as she exited her car in front of the Home Office, he suggested that she use the underground entrance more often, but Montague rudely said that she was late for a meeting and walked off, causing one of her aids to warn Budd that "Julia likes to be seen." That night, as Budd sat in Montague's car as she was driven home, Budd and Montague clashed over which route to take to Montague's flat, as Budd made a dynamic risk assessment and recommended a detour, but Montague insisted that her driver had driven her for three years, and that he would know the fastest route. She also grew impatient as Budd searched her apartment for threats, but, after she read a report about the thwarted terrorist attack and recognized Budd as the man who had prevented it, she apologized to Budd, who agreed that all was forgiven.

Budd remained at Montague's Overstrand Mansions apartment until her dinner guest, Special Advisor Rob MacDonald, arrived. MacDonald introduced himself and offered Budd some prawn crackers if he wanted to stay for a moment, but Budd decided to return home, and he wished Montague a good night. Upon returning to his apartment, Budd decided to call his estranged wife Vicky for a chat, but she grew exasperated when he said that he wanted to chat, and she accused him of preparing to go on a rant after assuming that he had drank a few drinks. His wife hung up on him rather than chat with Budd, angering him.

The next day, he accompanied Montague to the BBC for a television interview, and, when Montague's PR advisor Chanel Dyson accidentally spilled her decaf coffee on Montague's shirt, Budd lent Montague his shirt and blazer for the interview. As Budd listened to the interview, he was silently angered by Montague's insistence on expanding government surveillance to meet a "greater threat", and her belief that the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts were just, as she doubted that the Taliban would "govern Afghanistan in peace and harmony", that Iraqi insurgents "would ever have formed a stable democracy", or that ISIS "would ever form a state with which the world could have diplomatic relations." That night, Budd obsessively watched the interview over and over, rewinding to when she said that building a great future for Britain "does not require apologizing for the past".

When walking into the Home Office the next day, Budd was called to handle an incident on the fifth floor, where he found that Dyson was hysterically yelling at Rob MacDonald, having just been fired from her job. Budd persuaded her to leave the building, and, as he escorted her out, he offered to send Dyson her belongings so that she wouldn't have to go back to the office. Dyson then told Budd that she had been fired, and that Montague had been interviewing candidates for her job without even telling her that they were giving her "the push". Budd asked why "they" would do that, but Dyson said that there was no "they", but just "her", the "sociopath". Dyson then left in her own vehicle.

Roger Penhaligon bickering with Montague and Budd

Budd then escorted Montague to Parliament, where he witnessed her ex-husband, Conservative Chief Whip Roger Penhaligon, confront her about hijacking the counter-terrorism debate for a "shameless self-promotion". When Budd advised Montague and Penhaligon to move the conversation indoors for security reasons, Penhaligon cursed Budd out and returned to his argument with Montague, accusing her of interfering with Prime Minister John Vosler's centrist image. Montague insisted that the Prime Minister could count on her full support, but Penhaligon accused Montague of making a move for the leadership now that Vosler was weakened. When Budd again insisted that the two move inside, Penhaligon asked Montague, "Can't you call your monkey off? Throw him some nuts." Budd responded, "I'm mixed race," causing Penhaligon - realizing that he may have inadvertently and scandalously called Budd a racial slur - to recoil and let Montague and Budd walk off. Meanwhile, Penhaligon called his associate John and told him that he needed him to record his side of a conversation with one of the PPOs. When Montague asked Budd if he was really biracial, Budd revealed that he wasn't.

That night, Budd escorted Montague back to her apartment, where she returned Budd's shirt and offered him a drink, although Budd said that he was still on duty. She then revealed that she had seen best to contact Budd to deal with Chanel's fit because of his track record with defusing volatile situations, mentioning how he talked Nadia out of blowing up a train. She then mentioned that the government was planning to charge the male subject in the bomb plot, as he had links to Islamist terrorists, although she said that she was not at liberty to say more. Montague then admitted that she was constantly finding reasons to compliment Budd, and she then asked Budd if he was married. Budd said that he was married and had two children, and Montague said that his work hours must make his home life unbearable; she then realized the personal nature of her question and apologized. Budd said that Montague must understand about the strains of long work days, and he asked if she always wanted to be a politician. Montague said that she was a criminal barrister who "witnessed at first hand how the causes of crime often have as much to do with a person's upbringing and social circumstances," and she said that she sought a role in which she could make a real difference. He also asked Montague if she meant what she said about the Middle East on the interview, to which Montague responded that she was about doing the right thing and making the hard choices. She then told Montague, "The thing is, David-slash-Dave, I don't need you to vote for me...only to protect me." Budd responded, "Rest assured, ma'am. I'll do what's required." Budd was then allowed to return home, being driven back by the other guards.

Budd learning about his wife's new relationship

The next day, Budd visited his wife to apologize for the other night and talk with her, but he was surprised to see that his kids weren't there. His wife told him that both of the kids were at a sleepover, and, when Budd tried to start a conversation, Vicky was exasperated, and they had an argument about Budd's mental health and his refusal to seek counseling for it. When Budd said that they could work through their troubles together, Vicky revealed that she was seeing someone, and Budd realized that the man had visited the house and stayed overnight. Budd was disgusted by the fact that Vicky would "farm out" their kids so that she could spend the night with her new boyfriend, and he turned around and cried. However, he asked Vicky not to divorce him yet, and Vicky assured him that her relationship was not that serious yet. Budd then said that, in case anything happened to him at work, Vicky would still get his pension if they were both legally married, and he then briskly exited the house.

That evening, he decided to visit his old friend Andy Apsted (who had scarred half of his face in war) at his Veterans' Peace Group meeting, and he overheard Apsted lecturing his fellow veterans on how British Muslims pushed back against the government after hearing about the deaths of thousands of family and friends overseas, and how the government used the pushback to pass laws restricting British people's freedoms and order new attacks against the "so-called terrorists", perpetuating a cycle of violence. After the meeting, Budd and Apsted sat for a drink, and, while Apsted said he hoped Budd would turn up sometime, Budd said that the soapbox wasn't really his thing. They then reminisced about their time in Helmand Province, and Apsted told Budd that he couldn't beat PTSD on his own, as counseling sessions were really helpful. Budd impulsively responded, "I'm good, thanks," so Apsted asked Budd about his new job. Budd revealed that he did specialist protection for the police, causing an upset Apsted to say, "Are you f***ing kidding me? You're protecting those wankers?" Apsted grew enraged, saying that Budd had some nerve to bring that news to him, so Budd said that he knew Apsted would understand. When Apsted asked what Budd meant, Budd recalled how, when they were in Helmand, they said that, if one of them could get close to one of the politicians who sent them there and shoot them in the head with their eyes closed, then Apsted would still have a face and Budd would still have a family.

Budd watching Montague's meeting with the counter-terrorism heads

The next day, he dropped his kids off at Heath Bank Primary School, although his son was reluctant to go, as he was being bullied. While guarding Montague that afternoon, Budd was called by his wife, who asked Budd for help with their son, as it would be another year before he could be accepted to a special school, but Budd told his wife that he was at work, and he hung up. That same afternoon, MI5 Director Stephen Hunter-Dunn privately met with Montague in a closed-door conference as Budd stood guard outside, and Hunter-Dunn warned Montague of a terror threat against a primary school, although he said that he had to keep it secret from the police, as the threat was targeting the children of a serving policeman, David Budd. Hunter-Dunn theorized that a terrorist cell had obtained confidential information on the officer who foiled the 1 October attack, and that the leakage of the info had occurred either due to the officer's failure to have secure communications, or because an officer susceptible to bribery or blackmail was responsible for the disclosure. Budd also watched as Montague met with other counter-terrorism heads, including the Minister of State for Counter-Terrorism Mike Travis and the MPS Counter Terrorism Command head Anne Sampson.

Budd talking to Craddock about a possible leak

Just a few hours later, Budd was informed over the radio of a terrorist attack in Camberwell which took out a MASTS squad and an ARV, and, once Montague was alone with Budd while waiting for the elevator, she told Budd that he had a right to know that the bombing occurred near his children's school. Budd was surprised, but Montague said that none of the pupils or staff were injured, and advised him to call his wife and children. After he did so, he reported to Craddock, who had his wife and children moved to a safehouse for the time being. Budd guessed that there had to have been some sort of leak for the terrorists to know which officer was responsible for foiling the 1 October attack, but Craddock told him that Budd's endangerment might also mean the endangerment of his colleagues, so she told him that he was to be reassigned to desk duty, pending reassignment. Budd protested, saying that it should be the leaker who was punished, but Craddock assured him that he wasn't being punished. Budd then stormed out, and he visited his family's safehouse, where he embraced his children and spoke with Vicky in the next room. Vicky was upset when Budd talked about the possibility of a leak, saying that she understood that he had lost some colleagues, but his children could have been hurt, causing Budd to exasperatedly tell her that he knew that. Vicky grew angry that Budd was getting defensive, so she left the room, and Budd returned home that night, to work a desk job the next day.

Budd was very unhappy with his new desk assignment, and, that evening, he went to visit Apsted again. Apsted pitied the murdered "poor bastards" from the police whose faces were on the news, saying that he had seen too many of them before (in Afghanistan). When Montague appeared on the television to give a statement, Apsted called her a "sanctimonious b****" and said that she was exploiting the situation to get more power. He then said that he couldn't believe that Montague would protect people like Montague, but Budd revealed that he had been deemed a "security risk" and reassigned. Budd told Apsted that he could live with being in the line of fire and making a career out of it, but he then questioned if his family could, as they were always home safe. Apsted tried to convince Budd that, even on "Civvy Street", the people in power didn't care about a man like Budd taking the risks. Apsted then asked, "How do you reckon she'd feel...if she got a taste?" When Budd asked what Apsted meant, Apsted continued, "Suffering the consequences."

Montague welcoming Budd back to her team

The next morning, after waking up at his safehouse, Budd was surprised to hear from Vicky that Charlie had finally been accepted to the special needs school his family had hoped he would be able to attend, causing Budd to say that there must have been some strings pulled. Vicky dismissed David's theory, asking who else would know about Charlie, causing David to realize that Montague must have overheard his earlier phone call and taken action. That same afternoon, Craddock informed Budd that he had been reinstated at the Home Office, and that he must have made friends in high places. That evening, as he let Montague into her car after standing guard as she met with MI5 chief Stephen Hunter-Dunn (whom she had controversially placed in charge of the investigation of the terrorist cell), Montague told Budd that it was good to have him back. He and fellow Protection Command bodyguard Kim Knowles also protected Montague as she and MacDonald dined out that night, and they escorted her out after MacDonald revealed that he had told the other guests that they had cancelled the dinner in order to get alone time with her; Montague felt awkward and decided to return home, taking her detail with her.

That night, Montague decided to treat Budd to fish and chips, as she had nothing in her refrigerator, and they ate dinner together at her apartment. There, Budd told her that, if Montague had helped his son find a new school, his family was grateful, and Montague responded by saying that she had gone into politics to help people. After a pause, Montague suggested that Budd could return to his escort vehicle unless he wanted a cup of tea, and Budd agreed to make tea for both of them. Budd went into the kitchen to make the tea, and he then grappled with the rising sexual tension between himself and his boss, who was increasingly flirtatious with him.

The next day, Budd drove Montague to and from a COBRA meeting with Prime Minister John Vosler at Downing Street, and, during the drive back, he asked Montague how she knew the name of his children's school. She came up with two reasons which did not satisfy Budd, namely that she must have read the school's name in the incident report (although the attack had occurred a few minutes earlier), or that her colleague in the education system must have found Charlie for her. After a period of silence, Montague attempted to speak again, only for the car to be shot at by a sniper as it reached Thornton Circus. After a few shots, the chauffeur was shot in the head, and his blood splattered on Montague. Budd had Montague stay below the windows, where she would be protected by the bulletproof armor. He held a shaken Montague's hand as he called in backup and reported Terence "Terry" Foyer's death, and, after the car was struck by several more gunshots, Budd exited the vehicle and used his phone camera to locate the shooter atop the Pascoe House.

When the dispatch reported that ARVs were two minutes away, Budd told them that they had already said it would be two minutes, and he decided to back up the car to underneath the Pascoe House's entrance to deny the sniper a line of sight. He then took his submachine gun and exited the vehicle, having other security personnel protect Montague as he entered the building and headed to the roof. He was taken to the roof by security, and he eventually surprised the perpetrator as he walked down a staircase. Budd was surprised to see that the sniper was his old friend Apsted, and he told him, "It's over mate," persuading Apsted to put down his rifle. When Budd once again said that it was over, Apsted said that it was over for him, but not for Budd, and he said, "Someone's got to stop her. Get it done." Budd then warned Apsted against taking out his pistol, only for Apsted to shoot himself through the jaw, killing himself. Budd cried and cursed profusely, traumatized by the loss of his old friend, and he stood atop the building as Montague was evacuated to a safehouse by police.

That night, Montague called Budd to her safehouse, where he was unable to give her any information about the perpetrator, apart from the fact that he was likely a crazy person acting alone. Montague then asked why the police were held back from the square, and, while Budd said that it would have been too dangerous for unarmed officers, Montague asked why the ARVs did not arrive on time, and who would give an order for them to halt. Budd said that he couldn't imagine that happening, but Montague asked Budd to give her an answer. Budd suggested that an executive officer at SO15 would be responsible, causing Montague to theorize that Anne Sampson was responsible. However, Budd said that he could not imagine that the ARVs were held back without good reason, and Montague then broke down, saying that she was shot at. She nearly spilled her teacups, causing Budd to place his hand in the way, and a distraught Montague embraced Budd and told her that she was not the Queen, and that Budd was allowed to touch her. Budd returned Montague's embrace, and the embrace turned into a kiss and then into passionate sex. The next morning, Budd left without a word.

The next day, Budd was called into Craddock's office, where Craddock said that the sniper at the Pascoe House had signed in as a tradesman using a false name, and that he was carrying no ID or devices. Anne Sampson, who was sitting in the room unannounced, said that they would soon identify the shooter and all accomplices, but, when Budd turned to look at her, she said that she wasn't "here" and told him to turn his eyes back to the front. Craddock then told Budd that he had once again distinguished himself, and that she intended to put him forth for a commendation. She also said that all of the witnesses agreed that Budd had acted with complete professionalism, but Sampson reminded Craddock that there was "101 places" she needed to be. Craddock then asked Budd about Stephen Hunter-Dunn, the Director-General of the Security Service, and how many times he had met with Montague. Budd said that he wasn't counting, but Sampson then asked why they had almost daily conferences and kept her out of the loop. Budd said that he had no idea, and Sampson resumed that Montague had taken the 1st October attack off the police, "unjustified, unprecedented." Sampson then called Montague a very dangerous politician and "someone who must be stopped," catching Budd's attention. Craddock then said that there was an upside to the Home Secretary having Budd reinstated, and she said that the police had arranged to keep Montague at the Blackwood with an adjoining room, where Sampson said that Budd would be issued equipment by her surveillance team to monitor Montague and Hunter-Dunn's meetings. Budd asked if the surveillance was lawful, as he had his duties as a PPO, and he said that he would rather stick to them. However, Craddock and Sampson attempted to persuade Budd that Montague was using him, and Sampson said that the security service had advance knowledge of the school that was targeted in the boming, before asking who they would run to with their intelligence. Sampson revealed that a confidential source had told her that Montague had been given prior evidence that the school had been a target, and she said that, if the Home Secretary had only said the word, Budd's children would have been out of harm's way. Budd reluctantly decided to help the two, taking their surveillance equipment with him. That night, Budd entered the adjoining room at the Blackwood, and Montague opened the connecting door and once again had illicit sex with Budd.

Budd watching the news coverage of the Thornton Circus attack

The next morning, after telling Montague about his earlier desire to become a doctor, Budd returned to his room, showered, and used Sampson's surveillance equipment to listen in as Montague met with Hunter-Dunn in the adjoining room. He overheard Hunter-Dunn theorizing that Montague's itinerary for the previous day must have been leaked, and Montague saying that the police must have set her up. Budd grew suspicious when he heard the two talking about a secret arrangement which had to do with Hunter-Dunn getting a certain material to Montague, although not via the office, at Montague's behest. Budd was shocked, but he went on to walk Montague downstairs and accompany her to the bathroom after she said that she needed to use it; there, Montague kissed Budd and told him that she knew he would never let anything bad happen to her.

Craddock telling Budd about SO15's intent to question him again

Budd then reported to Craddock, telling her that he had discovered nothing significant yet. Craddock told Budd that Hunter-Dunn had entered the hotel at 7:49 AM and left at 8:22 AM, but Budd lied and said that he must have been taking a shower at that time. Craddock told Budd that she had put him in the room for a reason, and she then asked about Budd's family and said that she would be putting in a threat-to-life assessment in which extending Budd family's stay in the safehouse would be weighed against the operational priorities in the Met's budget. Budd realized that he was being leveraged, and he promised Craddock that he would be sure to record the Home Secretary's next meeting. As Budd left, Craddock said that, as the IOPC was involved in the investigation of the Thornton Circus attack, SO15 wanted to question Budd about the attack once again, even though he had already given an official statement.

Budd sat down with DS Louise Rayburn and DCI Deepak Sharma for a recorded interview, with Budd saying that he was happy to help without the need for a legal or union representative. The interviewers asked how the shooter didn't see Budd, and Budd said that he had been observing the shooter from a covered position; when asked why the shooter killed himself, Budd said that he had attempted to arrest the shooter and called in armed police, but the shooter chose not to comply. Sharma then asked if the shooter had said anything that might reveal a motive as to why he fired on the Home Secretary's vehicle, and Budd lied and replied, "I'm afraid not, sir." Rayburn said that the police had been unable to identify the gunman or trace the PSL firearm either, and that it took some doing to get a weapon like the PSL and leave no trace. Rayburn asked Budd if he could tell her anything else about the gunman, but Budd shook his head and apologized. Rayburn then showed Budd images from the CCTV camera on the roof, appearing to show a significant verbal exchange between Budd and the gunman. Budd said that the gunman had repeated a number of times that he had no intention to surrender, but Rayburn said that she found that strange, as the shooter had a firearm that could blow half of Budd's body away. She then asked Budd why the shooter had not used the gun on him and made a getaway, and Budd said that, as per his statement, the firearm was packed away when the ARVs arrived; if the shooter had gotten past Budd, he would have nowhere to run to. Sharma then said that the shooter was a complete stranger, and said that Budd somehow knew that, when the shooter had seen the ARVs, he decided to throw in the towel. A nervous Budd said that he had made an assumption which had been reinforced by the shooter's final comments to him, and he said that he would be happy to amend his statement if it aided the police's inquiry. Sharma then thanked Budd for his help, and they shook hands, with Budd apologizing that he couldn't be of more help.

Montague showing Budd out of her office — Montague showing Budd out of her room

That night, Budd escorted Montague to her safehouse, where she asked if anything was the matter, and if Budd's family was still not back at home. Budd said that his family's safehouse had been extended, as everyone was still in the dark as to whether Budd's family was targeted. Montague told Budd that he could always come to her, but Budd said that doing so would circumvent security protocol. Montague then revealed that none of the codewords associated with Budd's family had been detected in communications with others on the terror watchlist, but Montague asked Budd if there was something more, as he still seemed uneasy. Budd said that there wasn't, but, when pressed by Montague, he again asked Montague how she knew the name of her son's school. Montague said that she was tired and had much work to do, and she opened the door and had Budd return to his own room. That same night, Budd listened in as Montague was given a tablet by an intelligence officer, Richard Longcross, who told her that the tablet had encrypted data for Montague to view. Budd stopped Longcross as he left Montague's apartment and had the enigmatic man identify himself, although Longcross only did so after he had Budd identify himself. Budd then returned to his room, where he saw on the news that the police had released an e-fit photograph of the sniper from CCTV footage and were asking for information; at the same time, the Police investigated the sniper as an ex-military man and discovered CCTV footage which showed the man entering the building the night before the shooting, leading to them deducing that he must have known the Home Secretary's itinerary in advance.

The next day, Budd went in to the office and attempted to search up Longcross on the police database, but he was unable to find any person who matched the name or age range. He also stood guard as Montague attended another meeting with the counter-terrorism heads, and saw Montague and Hunter-Dunn again meet alone (they secretly discussed the contents of the tablet, including a rape report from victim Samantha Foxfield). When alone on the elevator with Budd, Montague apologized to Budd for the night before and told him that she would give him a knock that same night. Budd commented, "Like I'm room service," and he then escorted Montague out. That night, Montague opened the door between their rooms and said that she didn't mean her earlier statement as condescension, and she said that she hoped Budd wasn't another man who couldn't handle a woman being in power. She then returned to her room, but she left the door open and began to masturbate in front of Budd. Budd asked if that was a means of showing that Budd still had power, and Montague lured Budd into her room for another affair.

Budd woke in the middle of the night and took Montague's tablet and decryption codes, and he discovered the content of the tablet. The next day, he reported to Craddock and Sampson that Longcross had given a package to Montague, but lied that he was unable to determine what was in it. Sampson told Budd that he needed to find out what Montague was up to, and, that same day, he escorted Montague to the House of Commons, where she gave a speech in favor of RIPA-18. He also overheard Rob MacDonald and Tahir Mahmood arguing, as Mahmood said that MacDonald had taken one of his files so that he could present it to Montague himself, and he accused MacDonald of not letting him do his job; MacDonald retorted that Mahmood's only job was to be visible to the Home Secretary, and hinted that he was only hired because he came from the demographic group which would be most affected by counter-terrorism. As Montague left the chamber, her PR specialist Tahir Mahmood warned her that, while the public supported her anti-terrorism stances, they were not nearly as enthusiastic about expanding GCHQ's ability to monitor their online traffic. Mahmood suggested that, if Montague made a public appearance at St. Matthews, she might win more support, although Montague said that the police might disagree. Mahmood rebutted that the police's stance would be a security problem, not a political one. While alone with Budd in the elevator, Montague said that she believed she knew why Budd was not opposed to her public appearance: that he did not want to appear overly protective of her, or "emotionally distracted."

The next day, while at the office, Budd was told by Kim Knowles that the police had gotten a new lead on the shooter, as they had discovered his rental car near the Pascoe House after it was seized for overstaying its parking limit, and discovered that the car was rented by "Adrian Smith", the same name that Apsted had used to enter the Pascoe House. While investigating the scene, Budd was called by Montague, who told him that she needed him to escort her out of town later that night, and said that she would tell him where once he had arrived. She added that there would be no police escorts, as she wanted to keep the trip a secret, and Budd reluctantly agreed after she said that Budd was the only man she trusted. Budd drove her to Chequers in the Chiltern Hills that night, and Montague blackmailed the Prime Minister into agreeing to a cabinet reshuffle which would lead to Montague becoming Prime Minister. After Budd drove Montague back to her safehouse, they once again made love, but, when Montague returned to Budd's room to awake him, Budd - suffering from PTSD - choked her with both of his hands before recovering. A terrified Montague crawled back to her room, and Budd profusely apologized to her through the door, although he acknowledged that "sorry" wasn't enough to express how he was feeling. Montague spoke to Budd through the door, saying that Budd's training had made him become out-of-control, and she told Budd that he needed help.

The next day, Budd escorted Montague to St Matthews to give her speech on RIPA-18 to the press, and he observed Montague criticiezd Mahmood for not ensuring that the facts in her speech all stood up; Mahmood said that Rob MacDonald had previously assured him that they were all correct. When Budd came to Montague's room to tell her that the crowd was ready, Montague told Budd to wait, and she revealed that she knew the name of Budd's children's school because it was on a list of possible targets. She revealed that she hadn't forewarned Budd or anyone else due to the fact that the threat was non-specific, and she said that she was still not clear as to why Heath Bank was singled out, although her dispatching of ARVs to all schools ensured that no schoolchildren were harmed. Upon seeing that Budd was having a hard time processing her confession, Montague said that Budd being her PPO made their private relationship even harder for her, and she added, "It's for the best that changes." Before Budd could walk off, Montague grabbed his hand and said, "I want you beside me, not because it's your job...but because it's our choice."

Montague went on to preside over the security at Montague's press conference, where he oversaw the removal of disruptive hecklers and listened as she joked about her government's unwillingness to investigate the average internet user from searching "B-O-O-B-S" on their internet browser, but would want to know about it if someone searched "B-O-M-B". Budd left the room after he noticed someone in the hallway, and he found that it was Mahmood, who claimed that there had been a "massive f***-up" in Montague's speech, and that he had the research files necessary to correct it. Budd tensely ordered Mahmood to show him the briefcase, and Mahmood complied.

Moments later, Budd and Knowles noticed Mahmood appear on the side of the stage with his briefcase, causing Knowles to run towards the stage, and causing Budd to follow her. However, shortly after Mahmood approached Montague, the stage exploded, sending Budd flying back. After recovering from the explosion, Budd found Knowles dead and Montague unresponsive. Budd accompanied an unconscious Montague to the hospital, where Rob MacDonald told the hospital director Tony Steel and media management director Jane Flannery not to tell the news about Montague's condition. When Penhaligon and Travis arrived, Penhaligon accused Budd of failing in his task to ensure the place's security (saying that there were security risks from the start), and Travis had Budd leave rather than get into an argument with Penhaligon.

As Budd walked home, he was accosted by DS Rayburn and a few policemen, and Rayburn asked Budd if the police could take his communications devices (including his phone) and search his home as part of their investigation into security threats against Montague's inner circle. Budd said that he was willing to help, and he surrendered his phone and home address, where Rayburn would discover a gun which Budd had sealed away in the wall. This led to the police becoming suspicious of Budd, and Sharma and Rayburn arranged to interview Budd the next day.

Budd being interviewed after the bombing

Budd sat down with Sharma and Rayburn in the interview room, where they told him that Budd's CPO Tom Fenton had already given them a statement about the attack. Rayburn said that Fenton had recalled Budd and Knowles leaving the auditorium a short time before the explosion, and, when Budd said that they had, Sharma asked him why. Budd said that he had seen someone outside the auditorium and that he had gone to investigate, and, when asked who the person was, Budd asked what Kim said. After an awkward pause, Rayburn said that Kimberley appeared to have been very close to the stage when the device went off, and that she died of her injuries. Sharma then asked who the man with the briefcase was, and Budd identified him as Tahir Mahmood. Sharma asked in what way Mahmood was behaving suspiciously, and Budd said that Mahmood wasn't acting suspiciously, or he would have detained him. When Sharma asked what Mahmood had been up to, Budd said that Mahmood needed to get information to the Home Secretary, and that he was looking for backstage access. Rayburn asked if that wasn't unusual, and, while Budd said that he wouldn't know, Sharma said that "some flunky arsing about on stage kinda ruins the image" of a big speech. Budd reiterated that speechgiving was not his area, and, when Rayburn said that witnesses reported that Mahmood was carrying a briefcase, Budd confirmed that he was, and that Mahmood had shown him the contents, which were Home Office documents. Sharma asked Budd how thoroughly he had inspected the briefcase, and Budd merely reiterated that he had inspected the contents. This drew a stare from Rayburn, and Sharma asked Budd if he had searched Mahmood. Budd said that, if he had seen grounds to stop and search, he would have searched him. However, he concluded that, "He was a vetted government aide going about official business."

Budd answering the detectives' questions

Rayburn shook her head when Budd said that he hadn't searched Mahmood, and Sharma then said that some of the witnesses informed the police that the explosion had come from the briefcase. This stunned Budd, who was silent until Rayburn presented him with CCTV photos showing Knowles running to Montague at the sight of Mahmood, while Budd had been late on the uptake. Budd once again said that he did not believe that Mahmood had posed a threat, and Sharma then asked Budd why he asked, "What did Kim say?" Sharma said that Budd was the officer in command, and that Budd could have ordered Mahmood to be removed. While Budd remained silent and teary-eyed, Sharma said that the bombing was the second attempt on the Home Secretary's life, and that Budd had been the commanding PPO both times. He then accusatively said, "Either you've got rotten luck, mate, or it's a coincidence." He then added that he didn't believe in coincidences, and he asked "Why the Home Secretary?" Budd was confused, and Sharma then asked why he was not assigned to the Prime Minister or a softer target; he then asked what was going on. Budd said that the Home Secretary had been the government's most visible spokesperson for national security since well before Budd was her PPO.

Rayburn and Sharma confronting Budd about his phone records

Sharma then had Rayburn present Budd with a document showing that there had been occasions when Budd had turned off his mobile phone, and she then asked Budd why he had done so. Budd responded that he could not be disturbed and that he wanted to save battery, but Sharma asked if Budd was aware that turning off his phone meant that he would be able to deactivate the GPS so that his movements could not be tracked. Budd said that deactivating his GPS was not the reason, but Rayburn went on to say that Budd had carried out a search on the Home Secretary's parliamentary voting record, leading to Budd stating his curiosity. Sharma told Budd that his duty was to protect a politician regardless of their policies, and he then asked what Budd was curious about. Budd said that he had been curious about nothing in particular. After a pause, Sharma then asked why Budd had "absconded" from the hospital, to which Budd objected and said that he was with the Home Secretary until government officials arrived and asked him to give them privacy. Sharma asked how Budd just walked out, and Rayburn added that Budd did not report back to his unit or provide a statement. Sharma then snapped that Rayburn had to track him down, and Budd replied, "Not hard, sir, was it? I went home." Sharma then asked why Budd wasn't assisting the inquiry, and Budd responded that he just wanted to be alone. Sharma then said that the inquiry was into an act of terror perpetrated by someone Budd was the last police officer to be in contact with, causing a teary Budd to look away. Rayburn then asked if Budd was keeping something from them regarding the state of his mind before, during, or after the attack, but Budd denied it. Rayburn then said that the police were searching Budd's flat, and asked if Budd had anywhere he could stay that night, or anyone to call. Rayburn went on to drive Budd to his wife's safehouse, where she just stared at Vicky as Budd walked into the house.

Vicky talking to David Budd after the attack

Vicky then asked Budd why she could not reach him after the attack, and David said that the police had taken his phone as part of the investigation. Vicky asked why David couldn't have just told her that he was okay, and Budd admitted that he wasn't. After a pause, Vicky said that the news reported that one of the police officers had been killed, and she asked if the officer was someone Budd had known well. Budd laconically said that they worked together, and he then asked if Vicky's new boyfriend would make a good dad. Vicky responded that David was their children's dad and would always be, and David said that it was his job to protect the principal, who was, by then, in an operating theater fighting for her life. Vicky then told David that the sofa was made up for him, and that she needed to go, and David agreed to talk with her in the morning.

Budd watching the doctors deliver news of Montague's death

Budd went on to visit the hospital that same day, and, when he was not let into Montague's room as she underwent surgery, he decided to wait in the lobby to receive updates on her condition. When Penhaligon came to visit Montague, he then angrily asked Budd, "What the hell are you still doing here? You had your job and you failed." Shortly after, as Penhaligon and Montague's mother met with the medics, they apologized and said that there was nothing more that they could have done, and Budd realized that Montague had died, causing him to break down and weep.

Budd then returned home, where he wrote suicide notes to his wife and children before retrieving his hidden gun from the roof. He hesitated after attempting to shoot himself the first time, but, the second time, he fired. However, Budd was merely injured, as he found that the bullets in his gun had been replaced by blanks, most likely during the police's search of his home. He was discovered by Vicky, who realized that Budd had taken her keys, and she removed the brass fragments from his head. She asked what had happened to Budd, and he revealed that they had come from a bullet; after noticing the suicide notes, Vicky was utterly shocked and saddened, and she asked what would have happened to their children. She told Budd that she was taking him to the hospital immediately, but Budd said that nobody could know. He then told Vicky to go back to the kids, but Vicky decided to bring David with her, as she did not want to leave him alone.

David was brought to Vicky's safehouse wearing a baseball hat to cover his wound, and his children said that it was unusual for him to wear a hat indoors, as Budd had called wearing hats indoors "silly". As his children ate pizza with him, Budd began to break down and cry, and, when his children asked what was wrong, Budd told them that he just needed a hug. His kids then ran over to him and embraced him, and, when his daughter asked what had happened, he said that he had done something silly that day. When his son asked if he meant wearing his hat, Budd said, "That, too," and he told his children that he loved them before reminding them to finish eating their pizza. The next morning, Budd told his wife that he was confused about the situation, as he wondered why the bullets in his gun were replaced by bullets; Vicky then said that the police had previously searched Budd's house, and she asked Budd who could have switched out the blanks, as Budd said that the person must have had an agenda.

Budd decided to go to the Blackwood Hotel and ask the security manager to review the cameras from the night that Longcross visited Montague's hotel room. Budd was surprised to see that Longcross had been edited out of the security footage, with the cameras cutting out during his visit.