Original subtitles

[intro music]

[intro music]

[screams]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[screams]

[Zhenya] A bottle of "Stolichnaya,"

a couple of "Zhigulevskoye," tomato juice, and solyanka.

And for me, pancakes with cottage cheese and "Ryabinovaya" with cognac, is that possible?

- Uh-huh. How much "Ryabinovaya"? - [Zhenya] Give me a whole one.

Then cancel the "Stolichnaya."

You sure love to push ahead of the whole team, don’t you?

[Kozyrev] Sausages with peas and a coffee for me.

- Keep the "Zhigulevskoye"? - [Zhenya] Nah, don’t need it.

Mixing berry with grain, really?

- Thanks. - [Waitress] Thanks.

So, comrades?

Working with you lot,

feels like eating shit.

[Zhenya] They put us all together in this investigative team

to catch a serial killer.

But we’re not an investigative team,

we’re some kind of circus, you know, like a damn sideshow.

Because each of us thinks they’re the smartest, don’t they?

One of you decided to take matters into her own hands—nearly got herself killed…

Another went off to check out Slivko for some reason.

You’re like animals in a zoo, Valera, honestly!

And you handed your service weapon to a criminal in a church.

And in the end, you laid hands on the boss!

Well done, well done!

You know,

if we were in Rostov right now,

I’d have fired both of you long ago for incompetence!

But I don’t have that authority here.

[Zhenya] Shame!

But anyway, we caught the serial killer…

And we should drink to that.

I don’t want to hold a grudge against you.

[Zhenya] Right. Mutiny.

I’ve got plenty of questions for our team too.

Especially for you.

Why do you think we caught the serial killer?

[Natalya] We have no evidence of Makurin’s guilt.

Then who did we catch, my dear? Huh?

Some random vagrant off the street?

What?

You need evidence?

[Zhenya] Here you go! I’ll give it to you now. Write it down.

First:

We need to take a scent trace from the sandal, since there are no fingerprints.

I’ve already tasked the K-9 unit with it.

Second: we need to compare Makurin’s knives

with the cuts on the body.

Again, I’ve tasked the experts with this too,

but you’ve got to keep pushing them.

And third: we need to interrogate Makurin. With evidence…

to get a full confession. That’s it.

So now we’re going to

torture people during interrogations, Comrade Chief, huh?

Listen, I’m just telling you how my mind’s working.

And what needs to be done to close this case quickly.

Got it? Now you figure out what to do from there.

Everything will be by the book.

And by the book, Makurin is not a serial killer, just a suspect.

Listen, I don’t get it,

why are you defending him, huh?

I didn’t notice you being all that thrilled back then

when I shot at such a fine suspect.

What’s appropriate in an extreme situation

shouldn’t become the norm, Evgeny Afanasyevich. Got it?

[Zhenya] The norm?

Makurin’s the one with a system, my dear,

raping boys—that’s his system.

Need a reminder of what his first stint was for?

But now he’s an ordinary person and also has a right to justice,

Evgeny Afanasyevich! Got it?

[Zhenya] He’s not a person, Natasha! He’s a monster!

A freak! Born one, will die one!

And I’ll do every damn thing to make that happen sooner.

[Zhenya] Look, you guys…

Please forgive me,

if I was rude to any of you or snapped at you.

If you have any suggestions, complaints, I don’t know…

Huh? Opinions, maybe,

lay it all out on the table now,

so we don’t have any more questions later.

I don’t think Makurin is the killer.

[Natalya] There’s no evidence yet, but I’ll find it.

Then find it, Natasha, find it.

And you, Valera, find it too.

So by the time I’m back, we can close the case.

I’ll be back in two days. Kozyrev’s in charge.

[Kozyrev] Me… In my opinion, leaving now is irresponsible.

We need to properly close the case.

I get it, you miss your wife. But can’t she wait a couple of days?

She’s dying, Valera.

Got it?

[Kozyrev] Sorry.

Sorry, I didn’t know.

Sorry for losing my temper.

And thanks for saving me.

Natasha, sorry I didn’t have your back.

Evgeny Afanasyevich, is there anything we can do to help?

Focus on Makurin’s case,

so we can send it to court and report to the bosses.

Exactly!

[tense music]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Igor groaning in pain]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Igor] I have a secret,

that I can’t tell anyone.

And I can’t even write it down here.

Mom says we’ll soon leave for London,

that it’ll all be forgotten, like a bad dream…

But I know

that the worst is only just beginning.

[Igor’s dad] Can I?

Here…

I jotted down some topics for our first days in London.

Gena, you were a good international correspondent… once.

But working abroad isn’t just about writing well,

it’s about behaving properly.

You don’t know how to drink.

You say too much, act too recklessly…

Honestly, you’re just too much.

Take Kolosov—15 years working in Italy.

[Editor] Cocktail in the morning,

wine at lunch, grappa in the evening,

and not a single word out of line.

But you? You start spouting nonsense by breakfast.

No, there’s no London for you.

Want to be a journalist? Prove you’re capable.

Stop partying

and write something, finally, that the whole country will read.

[Editor] Like Kolosov.

Vladimir Alexeich,

I can’t not go, or they’ll kill my son.

What, are you delirious?

[Gennady] A maniac is hunting my son.

- There are no maniacs in the USSR. - [Gennady] There are!

I’ll prove it and write about it. It’ll be a sensation.

There are no sensations in our country either. Everything’s clear and planned.

Put a story about a maniac killing kids in the plan!

And the police, not only do they not know what to do about it,

they’re trying to hide it from the public!

This needs to be written about!

Otherwise… we all have kids, grandkids. Who’ll protect them?

[Editor] Fine. Write it, and we’ll see.

[Nurse] Where are you marching off to?

Visiting hours are over.

[Zhenya] Where’s Marina Bokova?

[Nurse] Room seventeen.

Down the hall, at the end… But no oranges for her.

[Zhenya] But you can have them?

[sad music]

[sad music]

[Zhenya whispering] My sweet girl…

My darling Maruska…

What a beauty you are!

What’s wrong?

Are you in pain?

I’ll get the doctor now.

They’ll come soon.

I’ll sort it all out quickly— you’ll be on the mend.

Where would I go?

What are you talking about?

[sad music]

[Zhenya reading] I can’t abandon you, you have to abandon me.

Are you completely silly, huh?

I love you. How could I abandon you?

I’d die without you.

But I want to live.

And for that, you need to live too.

Otherwise, how could I go on without you?

You’re such a scaredy-cat, afraid of everything.

You’re even afraid of mice.

Afraid of flying on planes.

Remember, you said when I’m working, you’re afraid of me too?

[sad music]

[sad music]

I’m afraid of myself too.

Without you, I’m like a beast, Marusya.

Yesterday, imagine,

I tortured someone for the first time.

Why am I telling you all this?

Who else would I tell?

I have no one else but you.

- What’s wrong? What? Feeling bad? - [Marina tries to scream]

[Zhenya shouting] Doctor! Doctor!

[Nurse] No need to shout! There’s no doctor, they’ve left.

- [Nurse] It hurts! - [Zhenya] Hurts?

My wife’s in pain!

And everyone here will hurt if you don’t find me a doctor fast!

Quick, I said! Move it!

[Kozyrev] Investigative experiment.

Establishing a scent trace,

matching the scent trace of Andrey Gurchenko’s sandal.

Suspects, face the wall!

- [Kozyrev] Begin! - [K-9 handler] Got it!

[K-9 handler] Close it. Sniff.

Sniff good. Sniff.

Sniff.

- [dog barks] - [Makurin screams]

Get that mutt away!

- Record everything! - [Makurin] What kind of setup is this?!

[Makurin] Stop pinning this on me!

[Makurin grunting]

[scream]

Son!

Sorry, I’ve been so busy lately.

We barely see each other. I’ve missed you.

- I’ve missed you too. - [Gennady] There you go.

You’ve had a terrible summer!

Absolutely catastrophic!

You saw a real killer!

How are you even handling it?

Well… I’m really scared.

Of course! No wonder!

So, you were the last one to see Andrey?

And there was some guy with him, right?

Dad, I’m scared!

I get it, it’s… really scary.

And then they took you to the meat plant

to identify him, right?

- I already told you everything. - [Gennady] Yeah, yeah.

You never listen to me.

No, listen, I’m just getting old, my memory’s shot.

What else interesting happened there?

- They cut off his head. That’s what happened. - [Gennady] Right.

Do you remember Andrey’s last name?

Do you know where he lived?

I remember.

Dad, can we go to the shooting range?

The shooting range? Sure, we’ll go.

Listen, I also saw cotton candy there, and bumper cars,

so we’ve got big plans today!

[doctor yelps]

How else can I explain it to make it clear to you?

If my wife is in pain, you’ll be in ten times worse!

[Doctor] No one can be in more pain than she is right now.

Oh yeah? You just don’t know me well!

Can you at least give her some morphine?

[Doctor] Morphine? Usually, patients’ relatives

buy it from the Gypsy settlement.

And you guys, honestly, arrest them for it afterward.

I don’t have morphine. Physically, it’s not here, understand?

[Zhenya] Listen…

My wife is suffering terribly.

Please help her, I’m begging you, like a human being.

I love her so much! But it turns out I can’t help her at all!

How can that be?

[Doctor] If you loved her,

you’d try to do something instead of beating up doctors.

You’ve got connections in Moscow, right?

Try to get her a quota. I’ll prepare the documents.

If you want to give Marina a chance, she needs to be transferred to Moscow urgently.

The sooner, the better.

Waving your fists— every fool in Rostov can do that.

If I were scared of them, I wouldn’t be a doctor.

Here’s the morphine.

The last we have in the hospital.

It’ll last her a couple of days.

It’s our “golden reserve.”

I’m writing the report on the experiment. Please take a look.

See, right here…

He’s sending the dog now,

and it goes straight to Makurin, deliberately.

Well, yeah, it caught the scent and went.

No. Look again.

See, there, he’s…

giving it a gesture and a vocal command, like on purpose.

Wait, let’s be honest. You think we set this up?

I don’t know.

When I saw Makurin with a knife in the church, I stopped doubting.

That doesn’t cancel out the experiment’s oddities.

Everything needs to be checked.

I can’t include this in the case materials.

[Kozyrev] Fine, I’ll look into it.

[Kozyrev] Gar! Gar, Gar, Gar! What do you feed him?

[K-9 handler] Hey!

[K-9 handler] What else? Meat from slaughtered buffaloes.

[Kozyrev] Good boy.

Tell me, is there some kind of unusual command for him?

[K-9 handler] Of course, we’ve got plenty of unusual commands.

Look, for example, I’ll give an unusual one now:

“Relax!” That’s the most unusual one there is.

See, he’ll rest now.

[Kozyrev] Good job!

Is there a special gesture for the “Attack” command?

[K-9 handler] Nah, no gesture, just a slight tug.

Like, with the leash, you know, a gesture…

[Kozyrev] And with voice, how?

- [K-9 handler] Voice? - [Kozyrev] A nod?

[K-9 handler] Yeah, got it.

Yeah, we’ve got “clap.”

[Kozyrev] “Clap”?

So Bokov asked you to do that

during the experiment with Makurin, right?

- [K-9 handler] No, no. - [Kozyrev] Come on, I saw it.

- [K-9 handler] No way. - Let’s go, check the footage.

Come on, you told him, and it went straight to him.

And get ready to write a report.

[K-9 handler] Look, it’s… a matter of circumstance…

No one had to ask me, you know…

I wanted to nail that bastard myself.

It’s obvious it’s him, right?

So, here’s the thing…

You know, our job is tough, thankless.

Blood, smells, and…

Salaries are tiny, so small.

So we have to hire all sorts of scum.

[Kozyrev] Can’t tell much from the ring.

[Director] No, no, it’s… old, old. You could say it’s a wedding ring.

By the way, I didn’t even know Makurin personally.

If I had, I’d have noticed and stopped this whole thing somehow.

Got it?

But all his workdays are in my report.

Everything’s in my records. I’ll provide it all.

And by the way, I’ll show you Makurin’s work locker.

[Director] Hey, you know where Makurin’s locker is?

- [Director] Show it! - [Worker] Here.

[Director] There.

[Kozyrev] Alright, what’s this?

[Director] I’ll go check the records, and you…

as they say, make yourselves at home.

Wouldn’t want a home like this.

- [Kozyrev] So… - [Director] Yeah, yeah.

You can give the boots to the experts, let them compare with the first trace.

- [Natalya] Check the top. - [Kozyrev] Like this…

Now that’s interesting.

[Natalya] Same as the one the murdered Andrey had.

- [Worker] That’s mine! - [Natalya] Hands off! It’s evidence now.

That bastard, I was looking for it, thought someone took it!

[Kozyrev] Where’d you get it?

Bought it at the station. What, you won’t give it back?

No! I said it’s evidence now, possibly the only one.

Have you been to his storage shed? Maybe there’s something there?

What storage shed?

He had a shack out there, called it his “storage shed,”

like he had some treasure in it.

He made knives there, and the director sold them for a high price.

He even let him lock that shack up.

I can show you.

[Kozyrev] Show us.

[knocking on door]

[tense music]

[Natalya breathing nervously]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Gosha] Based on the lividity,

preliminary time of death—

six to seven hours ago.

So, definitely not Makurin.

[tense music]

[Kozyrev] Do you record the license plates of the cars coming in here?

[Guard] Me? Why?

[Kozyrev] Per regulations. Got a list from the last two days?

Nope. Why would anyone need it?

What cars came in today?

Today… Which ones? Ha! All sorts, you know.

Can’t keep track.

- [Kozyrev] You drunk or what? - [Guard] Why?

[Kozyrev sniffs]

[Kozyrev] What, you got drunk, opened the gate, and passed out?!

[Guard] Why?

- [Kozyrev] Alright, Vit! - [Khvan] Huh?

Go question everyone. No way no one saw anything.

That’s just not possible.

[Khvan] We’ll do it, Valery…

[Natalya] I don’t understand why he took such a risk.

How did he bring the boy here?

I think he was tailing Makurin, knew he had this workshop.

When he planted the sandals, he took the key.

Brought the boy here by car. Drove right inside.

Knowing what a mess the security is at the meat plant,

he locked up calmly and was completely sure

no one would disturb him.

Wanted to bury Makurin for good.

Tried to calculate it all like a chess game.

But miscalculated the time of death.

[Kozyrev] I know this game.

It’s the sixth game, Fischer-Spassky.

Spassky was forced to resign.

And Fischer made a legendary pawn sacrifice,

which decided the outcome.

He doesn’t call himself Fischer for nothing.

Maybe for Fischer, Makurin is just a pawn.

That’s why he gave him up when he planted the sandal.

This might be connected to the chess book

that Zhenya Kurakin had.

[Kozyrev] Good idea, look into it.

I need to figure out the identity of the dead boy.

[Natalya] No missing persons reports. I think he’s not local.

[Gosha] Alright.

We need to take him down from this Golgotha.

[Kozyrev] Hold on, I’ll step out.

[Kozyrev] Go ahead, take him down.

Big request—focus.

Think, recall, maybe someone was hanging around Makurin’s shed?

Or drove in somewhere.

Or opened a lock.

Did anyone see anything?

Then we’ll continue one by one. Next.

[Marina gasps sharply in pain]

[Marina tries to scream]

You’re torturing her, can’t you see that?

Give it!

[Zhenya] My darling.

There, there.

I’ll fix everything now. You’ll feel so good,

it might even be a little scary,

but it won’t hurt at all.

I’ll be right here, not going anywhere. Hear me?

Give it.

Done.

[Doctor] Evgeny Afanasyevich, urgent call from Moscow for you.

This interview with the mother whose child they wouldn’t let bury…

it just tears your heart out.

And your son, too, did a great job…

with the counterpoint about the severed head… It’s good.

And most importantly, you know, there’s none of that…

American sensationalism, yellow press, scandal for scandal’s sake.

Everything’s clear, point by point:

who’s to blame, what to do—it’s all clear.

Maltsev, listen… just…

Just well done!

Well done!

- [Kozyrev] Got it. - [Zhenya] Hey!

- Want some coffee? - [Zhenya] I’ll make it myself.

Finally got some proper sleep on the plane for the first time in days.

What’s the update? Report.

At the meat plant, no one saw anything, no surprise there.

Everyone’s either drunk or hungover.

[Kozyrev] The boy was raped,

genitals cut off, and hanged.

- Identity established? - [Kozyrev] No.

[Kozyrev] I’ve got one idea.

Then get on it. Why are you sitting here?

Hey Stepa, it’s Dad.

Can you bring my sweater to work, the one with the high neck?

[Kozyrev] Yeah. Well, the jacket then, the one with the zipper.

Yes, right now.

You’d really help me out. Alright, I’m waiting.

So, Natalya?

Looks like we screwed up. Makurin’s not involved.

The real Fischer must be someone close to him,

how else could he have planted that sandal?

Or how did he know the meat plant’s security is such a mess?

Maybe he works there? Did you thoroughly check everyone?

[Duty officer] He’s dead!

- Who’s dead? - [Duty officer] Makurin’s dead!

[Duty officer] Got a nail somewhere. Bastard!

[Natalya] Called a doctor?

[Duty officer] Called. Waiting.

I can tell you without a doctor, he’s a goner.

Clean this up.

[Kozyrev] What a horrific death.

How scared he must’ve been of us

or how little he believed in justice to do this, huh?

[Natalya] He wasn’t scared of us, he knew

he’d get 15 years for the hostage,

even if it turned out he didn’t kill.

[Kozyrev] Yeah… I’d probably do the same in his place…

[Natalya] But yeah, it turns out we cornered him and killed him.

[Zhenya] Definitely not you.

You were saving a kid at the time,

so your conscience is clear. I’m the idiot who killed Makurin!

The USSR Prosecutor’s Office is calling! I transferred it to your office.

[phone ringing]

[Zhenya] Bokov.

[Gen. Prosecutor] Have you seen the article?

How is this even possible, huh?

You let information leak!

You caused panic! I got calls from the Central Committee.

Close this case fast, get this Fischer to court!

You’ve got three days, got it?!

[Zhenya] Comrade General Prosecutor, sorry, he just killed himself.

Who killed himself? You drunk already or what?

[Zhenya] The suspect, in his cell. Cut an artery.

[Gen. Prosecutor] Well, good!

Close it due to the death of the accused.

I don’t know, he had a…

heart attack or whatever the hell!

God forbid, God forbid anyone finds out!

You’ll be sent to the Urals! To the convoy!

[Zhenya] It’s not him. We’ve got another fresh child’s body.

What? You…

I’ll rip all your heads off! Got it?

With my own hands! To hell with you!

[Zhenya] Comrade General Prosecutor, I’ll find him, I’ll find him in three days.

- Permission to speak. - [Gen. Prosecutor] What?

I know it’s not the best time…

It’s personal, important.

You see, my wife is seriously ill.

She’s in Rostov right now,

and they can only help her here, in Moscow.

Maybe if you could…

allocate a quota to transfer her here…

[short beeps]

[Natalya] Evgeny Afanasyevich,

I found a chess book at the orphanage…

I think it’s a lead,

that could point to Fischer, but I don’t know how to approach it.

[Zhenya] Well then, think, Natasha, think.

We’ve got three days to sort out this mess.

Hand it over.

The book someone gave to Zhenya, it’s not from the orphanage?

[Natalya] Yes, I checked, it’s the second edition,

specially printed for chess schools and clubs.

In Rostov, I’d go to the central chess school

and ask there.

Is there one like that in Moscow?

[Natalya] Yes, I’ll find it.

[Stepan] Hey!

- [Kozyrev] You bring it? - [Stepan] Yeah.

[Kozyrev] Thanks! How you doing?

- Fine. I’ll wait for you. - [Kozyrev] Sure.

[Stepan] Alright.

[Pathologist] He won’t look alive.

No way.

His lips are already dry.

The mucous membranes—done. You can see it.

[Kozyrev] Alright.

Let’s put the sweater on him so the scars aren’t visible.

[Kozyrev] Like this…

Put some blush on him, I don’t know.

Figure something out.

And you, photograph him somehow so

- he looks alive. - [Expert] Got it.

[Pathologist] I feel like some kind of pervert, God forgive me.

[Stepan] Dad…

- [Stepan] What are you doing? - [Kozyrev] Get out, get out!

[Kozyrev] I’ll explain everything.

Listen…

Son!

I’m looking for the owner of this book.

[Teen 1] Let’s play a game.

You win—I’ll help you.

[Zhenya] Alright.

In “Chapaev.”

- Rough. - That’s the job.

We consider

that this one book turns a person

who knows nothing about chess

into a decent player.

It’s used in chess schools across the Union.

[Teen] Have you seen the print run?

It’s in every decent family. It’s a brilliant book.

My favorite right now.

“Both this and that side in disarray,

The battle grows fiercer by the day.

Rooks keep firing arrows from their towers,

The bishops’ strikes are ruthless and overpower.”

Got it. Bishop and rook aren’t friends, basically.

[Teen 1] Wow. You know Korchaev himself?

And you say “Chapaev.”

- Who’s Korchaev? - [Teen 2] Vitaly Nikolaevich.

[Teen 2] A legend. Grandmaster. Brilliant chess theorist.

His theorem on doubled pieces is known by everyone.

Does he come here?

[Teen 1] No. He doesn’t go anywhere anymore.

He’s 83, very sick.

They say, besides chess games, he doesn’t remember anything.

[Teen 1] That’s Lyokha, he’s from Sverdlovsk.

Comes here every summer for the holidays.

[Natalya] When did you last see him?

About three days ago.

He was supposed to go to some girl’s place somewhere.

[Teen 2] Why are they looking for him? What did he do?

[Natalya] None of your business. What else do you know?

[Teen 1] Maybe he broke into a dacha.

I told him it was risky, but he…

Nah, he’s fine.

So, he was stealing?

[Teen 3] Not exactly stealing.

Like, he’d climb through a window.

You know, grab cigarettes, small stuff.

Overall, he’s cool.

[Natalya] Do you know Lyokha’s address?

Yeah. There’s a house behind the cinema. I can show you.

[Natalya] Let’s go.

[Teen] There’s Lyokha’s grandma, sitting on the left.

[Natalya] Got it. Thanks.

- [Natalya] Hello. - [Grandma] Hello.

[Natalya] I’m from the prosecutor’s office, senior investigator.

Looking for your grandson, Lyosha.

[Grandma] What, he got into trouble again?

What a devil, that boy! A real devil!

[Natalya] Please take a look.

Is this him?

It’s him. But he doesn’t have a sweater like that. Did he steal it?

[Natalya] When did you last see him?

Day before yesterday.

We were arguing for days, and he said, “I’m going home, to Sverdlovsk.”

Bought a ticket, packed his backpack…

and left. So he’s on the train now.

Did he get into trouble there?

Did you see him off, put him on the train?

[Grandma] No, of course not. He went to the bus.

Slammed the door and left.

[Grandma’s Friend] He didn’t take the bus.

I was sitting at the stop.

He said, let the kolkhoz folks ride the buses.

- [Grandma] Yeah. - [Grandma’s Friend] And went to hitchhike.

Yeah, he went to the road, raised his hand…

Then I looked, and he was gone.

- [Grandma’s Friend] Probably drove off. - [Natalya] Did you see what he left in?

- [Grandma’s Friend] What do you mean, what? - [Natalya] What did he drive off in?

[Grandma’s Friend] No, I didn’t see. He left quick.

Is he in the police now or what?

I don’t understand anything!

[Natalya] Don’t worry. Maybe we can go inside,

- talk calmly there? - [Grandma] Yeah,

let’s go. I don’t get it.

[Grandma] Come on.

[loud music behind the door]

[Kozyrev’s Wife] Son!

Son, open the door, please!

Talk to your father!

I don’t even know if you’re alive in there!

He read that article in Izvestia and said he hates you.

[Kozyrev] Listen,

buddy, I’m sorry things turned out this way, but believe me,

I’m trying to do everything right.

And how the journalists spun it— that’s complete nonsense!

[Stepan yells] You’re a fascist, got it?!

I read in the paper you wouldn’t give a mother her son’s body!

Interrogated a kid for two hours!

And put my clothes on some corpse!

[Kozyrev] That’s all…

Wait, why did you do that?

No, I’m not mad, I just want to understand—does it…

- mean something? - Yeah, it means something!

That I don’t want to be like you, got it?!

I’m different!

Bishop and rook aren’t friends.

Duty officer! Request the address bureau.

Korchaev, Vitaly Nikolaevich.

Born in 1903.

That’s what you call a cop’s luck.

Just hope he doesn’t kick the bucket while we’re on the way.

[Woman] Got caught in the rain after all?

[Zhenya] It’s already stopped.

[Woman] Want some tea?

[Zhenya] Got any coffee? I wouldn’t say no.

We’ve only got barley, will that do?

- [Zhenya] It’ll do. - [Woman] Alright.

Sit with him, try to talk.

He has moments of clarity sometimes.

Vitaly Nikolaevich, you have visitors.

Lately, he’s been coming back less and less.

Mostly, he’s there, in his chess kingdom.

I’ll be right back.

Bishop and rook aren’t friends?

Is this your book?

Do you remember the Fischer-Spassky match?

Fischer’s a genius.

Everyone says Fischer’s bad,

Fischer’s crazy, but he’s a genius.

[Woman] Fischer’s a genius, yes, yes.

- [Woman] It’s all good! - [Korchaev] The sixth game.

- [Korchaev] I remember. - [Woman] You know,

Fischer really triggers something in his brain,

like some kind of signal.

But he’s unlikely to tell you anything more now.

Come on, have some coffee.

I’ll head out. Got a ton of work.

[Woman] Work can wait 15 minutes.

Praskovya Ilyinichna, can you help me?

Is this book your husband’s?

Yes, it’s his book. See the notes?

- [Zhenya] Uh-huh. - That’s Vitalik’s.

Could he have given it or passed it to someone?

Well, to any of his students.

Of which he had, what, hundreds, thousands?

No, not at all!

Vitaly Nikolaevich only taught the talented.

He had five of them.

- You know them all? - Of course.

I’ll show you all of them now.

[Praskovya] Here.

This is Lyova.

Very bright.

- But five years ago, he moved to Israel. - [Zhenya] Uh-huh.

[Praskovya] But every New Year, he sends postcards.

And this is Zhannochka. So clever.

But she got married and gave up chess.

And these are her twins.

And this is Dima.

Went to medical school, then disappeared somewhere.

Such a handsome boy.

Wonder what he’s become.

And this is Misha.

Tragically died.

Was passing by some drunks, they pushed him, he hit his head and died.

And this is our genius. Grandmaster Petrov.

The only one still playing.

[Zhenya] And Dima’s last name?

[Praskovya] Oh, it slipped my mind.

You know, such a nice last name…

Oh…

Dima Laval!

- [Zhenya] Got it. - [Praskovya] Yes.

[Zhenya] Can you give me the photo? I swear I’ll return it.

[Praskovya] Here.

- [Zhenya] Can I make a call? - [Praskovya] Yes, please, over here.

- [Praskovya] Here. - [Zhenya] Uh-huh.

Natasha…

Please prepare more info

on the medical student Dima Laval

and on Grandmaster Petrov.

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Igor groaning in pain]

[tense music]

[branch snapping]

[tense music]

[tense music]

[creepy background sounds]

[Igor’s Mom] Because you dragged my son into this mess,

someone attacked him today and tried to kill him!

His hands are cut, damn you all!

[Igor] Mom! I cut myself!

- [Igor’s Mom] Shut up! - [Igor] By accident!

[Gennady] This is what my next article will be about!

How you set up my son!

[Zhenya] You bastard, you set him up yourself!

What kind of person are you, you scum?!

Handing your own kid to a maniac for this fame!

What are you saying? Huh?

- [Kozyrev] Alright, that’s enough, let’s go! - [Zhenya] I’m telling the truth!

[Gennady] Police? This is the police? I’ll write about this too!

- Get the hell out of here! - [Kozyrev] Let’s go.

- [Gennady] Get out! - [Kozyrev] Let’s go.

- Get the hell out of here! - [Kozyrev] Come on, enough already!

[Gennady] Showing up here! Police!

No warrant, nothing! Don’t come back here!

[Kozyrev] Some kind of Aesop’s fable about wolves.

Think Igor’s lying?

[Kozyrev] I think Maltsev’s stirring up a scandal.

He didn’t just report an attack to the police,

but said we provoked it.

[Kozyrev] Well, Igor didn’t see anything, doesn’t know anything.

The attack happened near the house.

Can’t say exactly where, because he got scared and ran.

He’ll get his kid killed, the complete idiot!

And for Igor, we’re his last hope.

Did you do what I asked?

[Natalya] Yes. Grandmaster Petrov has been living for two years

in the Czechoslovak Republic. Cultural attaché.

Last in the USSR six months ago.

And Laval lives in Rublyovka. Studied to be a surgeon but got kicked out.

[Natalya] Now works in a library.

You set up surveillance?

Where? In Czechoslovakia?

[Zhenya] No, on the dropout surgeon.

[Natalya] Also found a taxi driver who saw

Lyosha getting into a red Moskvich.

Didn’t see the plates, didn’t remember the driver.

Requested all traffic posts along the highway.

Any more info?

- [Natalya] No. - [Zhenya] Let’s go.

Just got a call from the Central Committee, demanding sanctions and…

to replace the investigative team. Ready to take over?

Ready, of course, but…

Bokov’s a good investigator. Much better than me.

[Gen. Prosecutor] But you see what’s happening with him.

I get it, humanly,

he’s got problems with his wife, his head’s not in the game.

But with this kind of work,

no one’s giving him a quota for his wife now.

[Gen. Prosecutor] So you need to talk to him about it.

But carefully, so it doesn’t ruin the case,

or he’ll flip out and mess up even more than…

Anyway, pick your moment.

Bokov’s got a suspect.

No need for nobility now.

Go for now. But be ready at any moment.

That’s all, you’re free.

[tense music]

[tense music]

[Kozyrev knocks on door]

[Chernyshov] Come in!

[Kozyrev] Hello.

Professor Belousov sent me to you.

My name’s Valery. I need to discuss something delicate.

[Chernyshov] With all due respect to the professor,

I can’t take on another patient.

[Kozyrev] Just hear me out, please.

I’m an investigator with the USSR Prosecutor’s Office for especially important cases.

We’re investigating the Fischer case, if you’ve heard of it.

[Chernyshov] Yes, yes, we read the press.

Fischer… kills children.

With horrific, sadistic methods.

Rapes boys, cuts off their heads.

[Chernyshov] I could tell you plenty of grim stories

with unpleasant details.

And?

[Kozyrev] The only one in the country who can catch this Fischer—

is investigator Evgeny Bokov.

But he can’t focus,

because his wife is dying in Rostov from cancer.

So, in your hands is the life…

God knows how many children,

who could die in horrific agony.

You say you’re from the prosecutor’s office,

but you’re phrasing it like a court.

Already handing out charges and responsibility.

Let’s say I want to help you, but I can’t.

I can’t by law without a quota.

I’m afraid you’re on the verge of a fatal mistake.

The only thing I can do for you—

is write a letter to the Ministry of Health.

But without support in the Ministry, my letter’s worth nothing.

[tense music]

[tense music]