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One, two, three...

four, five...

Ready or not, here I come.

ANNA THE DETECTIVE

So, everybody’s here. Anna, let me introduce our guests.

Vasily Kulikov, associate professor with mathematics

department at St.Petersburg University.

EPISODE 39. THE DEMIURGE

Ivan Obruchev, professor at the Moscow University, also a mathematician.

Excuse me, Prince, where is Aleksandr Fiodorovich?

Without him, we can’t...

Alas.

A tragic accident prevents prof. Annenkov from attending this meeting.

The thing is, yesterday he was found dead.

Excuse me, what?

Yes. He was killed, to be more exact.

-How? -Killed?

The professor?

Yes. He was killed last night.

God... How? How did it happen?

Killed in the park. The cause of death was...

Somebody cut his throat.

Our guests are the professor’s students. My condolences, gentlemen.

I understand this is a heavy blow.

I’m sorry. I didn’t know the professor, but please accept my condolences, too.

I don’t think we should cancel this meeting.

Our guests have come a long way.

I think Professor Annenkov would want it.

OK, let’s start. Sit down, gentlemen.

Anna.

I'm begging.

Piotr Ivanovich, let’s begin.

So. Gentlemen, today, in spite of the sorrowful situation,

we’ll talk about spirits and try to come up with a classification.

Excuse me for the intrusion.

What do you want, my man?

Here. They sent it for you.

What is this?

A medicine. A good one. It cures all sicknesses.

Somebody has bad kidneys here.

I don’t know about that. Whom did they send it for?

I don’t know. They said you’d know.

Who sent it?

Father Cellarer from the monastery. He gave me a strict order.

Fine. I’ll ask.

No way. I’ll give it only to the addressee.

Either give it to me or go away.

All right, all right. If you say so, take it.

Just don’t forget about it.

God bless this house.

One can’t view modern spiritualism as a metaphysical concept.

It demonstrates a completely different nature, meeting the requirements

of a generation raised on rationalism and criticism.

-Excuse me. Go on, Piotr Ivanovich. -Yes.

Yakov Platonovich?

Excuse me for this late visit.

It’s all right. I’m glad to see you. Would you like to join our meeting?

Of course not.

I was going to ask you a few questions about Alice’s disappearance.

But you’re right, it can wait.

I’d love to know more about your meeting...

if it’s allowed.

Of course. This isn’t some kind of secret society.

-Come inside. -Thank you.

The knowledgeable spirits themselves can speak in various ways, various language.

They share the same essence, especially regarding the matters our language

is unable to describe clearly.

In other words, when a parable, a metaphor, etc., is needed.

What...

What does the soul turn into in the moment of death?

It becomes a spirit once again.

In other words, it returns to the spiritual world

it had left for a short while.

Who are you? What do you want?

They said they’d feed me here. Without questions. I’m a messenger.

-A messenger? -Yes. From the monastery.

Oh. The God’s man?

Lucky are those who are undemanding.

All right, wait. I’ll bring you something.

At the moment of death, everything seems confusing at first.

A soul needs time to realize it became a spirit.

I’d compare it to the state of a person waking up from deep sleep.

The clarity of thought and the memories come back to the soul

as the influence of the material becomes weaker.

That’s when a soul becomes a spirit. Yes. That’s all.

Thank you, Piotr Ivanovich. That was very educative.

Let’s ask Anna Viktorovna to conduct a seance for us.

Later we’ll discuss it with our learned guests.

I suggest we summon the spirit ...of professor Annenkov.

The professor? You think it possible?

Of course. We are practicing spiritualism here.

Anna, correct me if I’m wrong.

You are absolutely right, Kirill Vladimirovich.

You promised us a meeting with great mathematicians of the past.

Yes. That’s why we came.

Of course. But, under the circumstances, I thought it would make sense

to talk to the professor.

He might reveal the mystery of his death.

Actually, I could ask him.

No! Excuse me, but I disagree. This is, I dare say...

A sacrilege. The professor is our teacher.

We don’t want to take part in experiments involving him.

I understand.

We can summon any other mathematician of the past.

Whatever you say. Of course.

I apologize if I hurt your feelings.

Whatever you say. This is unusual, that’s all.

From the scientific point of view...

Whom do you want me to summon?

How about Gauss? Johann Gauss.

Johann Gauss.

Gentlemen, hold your hands.

-Excuse me. -Please.

Of course.

Johann Hauss’s spirit, reveal yourself!

Johann Hauss’s spirit, reveal yourself!

Johann...

A gathering of idiots. Fools!

No. Gauss isn’t coming.

He wanted you to know he wasn’t wasting his time on you,

even though he possesses an eternity.

You, Demiurge and Genius, are no mathematicians.

Sorry clowns!

The formula exists. It does! I found...

Anna!

What? Did I... Did I speak?

Yes.

It was fascinating.

Where is my hat?

In the cloakroom.

Could you hurry up?

This way, please. Follow me.

It was professor Annenkov! Did you know him?

No.

-How did you manage to mimic him so well? -I didn’t mimic anyone.

The professor’s spirit had obviously possessed Anna for some time.

We were lucky, gentlemen. It doesn’t happen very often.

-It’s impossible! -Gentlemen, please excuse me.

Annett?

I’m unwell. You’d better continue without me.

How could we, Anna Viktorovna?

-Are you leaving without saying goodbye? -Excuse me, who are you?

Shtolman, head of investigations at the Zatonsk police.

What does police have to do with it?

Anna Viktorovna, please stay a while, if it’s possible.

No. Her heart rate is increased, and she’s running a fever.

I recommend that the noble gathering excuses Anna Viktorovna.

She really needs rest.

Of course. Anna, I’m sorry for being so careless.

No, I’m sorry. Excuse me.

-Do you need me to accompany you? -I’ll be fine. Stay with guests.

I had this feeling. I didn’t want to come. This spiritualism...

The prince promised to donate a considerable sum to our faculty.

-For Annenkov, too. -What scared you?

Me? Are you serious? What should I be afraid of?

Anna Viktorovna.

-A word. -Of course.

-You mentioned Demiurge and Genius. -Did I?

-Yes. Don’t you remember? -I’m not aware of myself in this state.

Demiurge was Obruchev’s college nickname.

Mr. Obruchev? Did you hear my question? Why did you escape the room?

Me? I didn’t escape.

It was stuffy in the room. And that voice...

-Did you recognize the professor’s voice? -Yes.

Who is the other guest? Is he also a scientist?

Kulikov? Yes, he’s also Annenkov’s student.

His favorite assistant.

Professor used to call him Genius. With a grain of irony, of course.

How did he call you?

Demiurge. He always made fun of us, in spite of his high opinion of us.

The note was signed Demiurge.

What note?

I recognized the professor.

His phrases, like “a gathering of fools,” our nicknames...

I almost saw him before me. But how?

He was here.

I’m sorry, but I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it.

Don’t move! Don’t move! Anna Viktorovna, come to me. Stop! Freeze!

Wait here.

Who was shouting?

Korobeynikov. Kulikov. They ran that way.

-Are you all right? -Yes.

You’re so pale. Come on.

-Where is he? -I think he went that way.

Oh God. What happened? My God...

Is it the professor?

Obruschev was killed. Who attacked you?

What happened? Tell me.

Oh God.

Stop! I’ll shoot!

Can you believe it? A monk jumps at me from with a gun!

You tried to hit Anna with a candleholder. He did!

Nonsense! I did no such thing.

What scared you so much you decided to run?

I was confused. I decided to leave.

I was lost in the dark, couldn’t find my way out.

-Then you appeared. -Did you see professor Obruchev?

No.

The note found with Obruchev’s body, was signed Demiurge.

What do you know about it?

This is ancient history. Demiurge is Obruchev’s nickname.

But he couldn’t have killed Annenkov. It’s nonsense.

Why? They fought over the Creator’s formula.

We all fought over it. Each of us had his own solution.

It happens between scientists.

What brought you to Zatonsk?

I’m prof. Annenkov’s assistant. His Excellence invited us both here.

The professor came first. I found out about his death only when I arrived.

Tell me who killed you.

Why did he do it? Over the formula? Fool.

Who? Kulikov?

It’s all because of the formula. Demiurge... Genius... Accountant...

Accountant? Who is this Accountant?

Professor Annenkov was once obsessed with this mythical formula.

He brought in us, the three students.

Who was this third one?

There was another one. The professor called him Accountant.

He dropped out when he was in his last year.

Do you know where he is now?

No. Somebody told me he’d joined a monastery.

-Anton Andreyevich? -I’m going to the monastery.

You... You’re a mistake.

You shouldn’t exist.

Easy, easy.

-It doesn’t clear you of suspicion. -Yes.

Do you take the kidney potion?

Kidney? No.

Obruchev had kidney problems. Since he was young.

Right. He can’t very well object now, can he?

You are under arrest on the suspicion of murder.

What?

Follow me.

Yakov Platonovich, I was trying to tell you...

There was a third one.

The Accountant. Genius, Demiurge, and Accountant.

I will take it into consideration.

You should go back home as soon as you can.

You shouldn’t stay at the prince’s.

You’re right. Don’t worry. My uncle will walk me home.

Be careful.

He escaped. He’s not at the monastery.

They say he went to the bee garden

to pay for the honey and never came back.

How could you let him go, Anton Andreyevich?

How would I know?

Go to the bee garden tomorrow morning. Put out a search.

For now, go home and have some sleep.

It’s too late. The sun will come up in a couple hours.

No. This is wrong.

Why did they kill you?

Your Honor! Your Honor!

You have a visitor.

What? What visitor?

A monk.

Good morning. I’m sorry I woke you up. I was at the bee garden.

When I came back, they told me you were looking for me.

Why did you hide your university past from me?

Excuse me, you asked me about other things.

I mentioned the formula of the universe, but you never said anything.

Why would I? I want to forget that sin. I don’t want the monks to know.

Where were you two nights ago?

-At the monastery. Where else? -Who can confirm it?

Almost everyone. We were at the all-night vigil.

Did Mr. Obruchev come to you for the potion?

No. Neither him, nor Annenkov. None of my ex-friends.

Did you know they were in the city?

No. I lost touch with them long ago.

Bring Kulikov here.

Yes, we were the professor’s students.

He disappeared when we were in out fourth year.

I found God. I chose a different way in life.

Did you give up on the formula?

No. Guilty as charged.

Sometimes I while away the time by doing calculations.

I think I got closer to the solution. Man is weak.

It’s hard to harness one’s passions.

So, you found a solution.

Is that why you killed your teacher and your fellow student?

God forbid, brother. I didn’t kill anyone.

So, you never met him after college.

I didn’t know that our Accountant was here at the monastery.

I never ordered any potions. I came just yesterday.

The professor had been killed before I came.

You saw my train ticket.

Yes, I toyed with the calculations, but I never knew Miss Mironova.

And I never had any stupid ideas about her being an error of nature.

Please don’t get agitated.

I have no reasons to hold you any longer.

Well, thank you. I hope you’ll find the murderer.

-Absolutely. -Don’t leave the city yet.

What? I need to be in St. Petersburg.

-Don’t leave the city. -Goodbye.

You’ll have to stay. We need to check your alibi.

We’ll let you go if and when it’s verified.

Kirill Vladimirovich, thank you for your hospitality.

But I think it’s time for me to go back home.

Of course. I must admit my house wasn’t the safest refuge.

Yes, these horrible events... And Alice’s disappearance, tpp.

Alice... I... I’m on edge. I came to love her like my own daughter.

And I – like my own sister.

I know. We lost a member of our family.

I’m sorry for my lack of tact.

What do you mean?

Yesterday I tried to keep you from leaving.

I didn’t realize how sick you were.

That’s nothing.

Dear Anna, I know it’s hard on you. Not everyone is able to understand you.

Some openly hate you... like now.

But you should know you have a friend

who will always understand and support you.

Look! The police is showing off its effort.

Kirill Vladimirovich, thank you so much for offering me shelter.

-See you later, Anna. -See you.

Anna Viktorovna! I asked you to stay inside.

I thought I was out of danger. Besides, I got a message.

It looks like I wasn’t the reason for all these murders.

-What was, then? -Something more mundane.

Yakov Platonovich!

I think this is what we’ve been looking for.

Yakov Platonovich, I won’t hold you anymore.

But mind you, it has nothing to do with the formula.

-Right. -No!

There weren’t any all-night vigils at the monastery.

-What do you mean? -There was one a day earlier.

So, the monk has no alibi for any of the murders.

The God’s man lied to me.

That’s the bottle I brought.

-How do you know? -I made a mark here with a nail.

So, the murderer took the bottle from the house.

The monk was inside, right?

Nobody saw him, though.

Kulikov was inside and could have taken the bottle.

Go to the railway station and find out if someone remembers Kulikov and Annenkov.

You think they could have arrived together?

-Maybe. I’ll see you at the precinct. -Yes.

-Who was that? -A suspect in our case.

-A monk? -A monk. And a former mathematician.

God knows what’s going on. People are out of control.

Now they’re monks, and now they’re mathematicians.

That’s why these murders keep happening.

Did you bring charges against the monk?

No, sir. Not yet.

It’s too early for conclusions. We’re working on it.

Work harder.

We’ll be buried under this avalanche of crime. And the English girl!

Where could she have gone?

Anton Andreyevich, go to the monastery and check the cellarer’s statement.

-Yes, sir. -Right. Go there. Make yourself useful.

About Alice Lawrence. I was going to ask permission to search the prince’s house.

But you have already searched the girl’s room.

-I’d like to search the whole house. -What for?

We suspect that the prince had something to do with the disappearance.

Maybe they hid her at some other place. A secret place inside the house.

That’s too much. You probably read to many novels.

Not at all.

I was reading the case of Colonel Lawrence here in Zatonsk 7 years ago.

The prince was a suspect then.

Really? It’s a classified case. The prince was a witness, and that’s it.

Don’t mention his name in vain.

Alice was Colonel Lawrence’s cryptographer then.

Now, all these years later, the prince gave her refuge at his home.

Now, I think, he wants to make sure nobody ever finds out anything.

Shut up! Shut up. Just shut up. I order you!

What are you thinking? What is this?

Better take care of these mathematicians of yours.

St. Petersburg newspapers say that a celebrity scholar was killed in Zatonsk.

The Police Department is sending me requests.

Yakov Platonovich, please stop this nonsense. Just forget it.

Alice, where are you?

Did professors Kulikov and Annenkov come from St. Petersburg together?

I have no idea. They were to come to the meeting together.

I don’t know how they arrived.

Thank you.

How did you find these mathematicians?

I met Annenkov at a university’s anniversary reception.

I promised him I’d make a donation for the mathematics department.

That’s noble. Have you made it?

Of course. Kulikov was here a couple weeks ago to collect the money.

How much, if it’s not a secret?

No secrets. 50,000 rubles.

Wow. So, Professor Kulikov came to you and took the money.

Did he give you a receipt?

No. Why? I gave that money as a gift, a donation.

Did Professor Annenkov confirm the receipt?

No. I didn’t receive any letters or telegrams from him.

Weird.

Actually, I did think it weird, too.

I thought we’d discuss it when we meet in person.

Yes. But you didn’t get to meet him.

“In the dreamy mist, in the kingdom of fear and lies, tell me about the road

under our feet.” Tell him.

Whom?

The prince?

Shtolman? No.

Maybe Colonel Lawrence, Alice’s father?

Colonel Lawrence’s soul, reveal yourself. Colonel Lawrence’s soul, reveal yourself.

For Alice’s sake. Colonel Lawrence’s soul, reveal yourself.

Where is Alice now? How is she?

Please answer me.

This is urgent.

What happened?

-Anna Viktorovna, I’m so sorry. -Tell me, for the love of God!

This is what happened. I just came from the railway station.

The questioning of the employees revealed

that Prof. Annenkov and Kulikov had come together.

Kulikov lied when he said that he had come a day later.

He was trying to create an alibi.

I think they parted at the station.

Annenkov went to your place, and Kulikov probably followed him.

So you think...

These are just theories. But you, Anna Viktorovna..

Could you ask Annenkov’s spirit how it all happened?

I wish it were that easy.

I understand.

You know... We’ve been working on cases together for quite a while,

and you have saved the investigation many times, in serious cases.

But I’ve never witnessed your seances.

Maybe we could do it now,

just in the interests of the investigation,

as an exception.

A small seance, to find out from Annenkov’s spirit...

My dear Anton Andreyevich,

I promise I’ll invite you to my next public seance.

I see. All right. I’ll take your leave, then.

-Yes. -Duty calls.

-Please take care of yourself. -You, too.

They came together. Annenkov and Kulikov came together.

The ticket he showed us was a fraud.

He bought it in advance. The conductor recognized them.

They were fighting in their compartment.

We need to arrest Kulikov. Where is he staying in Zatonsk?

At the furnished rooms, of course.

Send a unit there and another one to the station.

No, he... He won’t leave while Anna Viktorovna is still alive.

-You think he... -To the Mironovs, quick!

-What is is she wants? What? -She isn’t like everyone else.

My poor girl. What shall we do? Tell me!

Wait. Be patient and wait.

Time will pass. She’ll grow out of it.

What if she doesn’t?

No, we need to do something. We need to fight.

They consider her evil, an error of the universe.

They come to get rid of her.

And you suggest we should wait! For what? For someone to come for her?

Patience. Patience, my dear.

This is the only thing we have left. You know her.

We can’t forbid her, we can’t put pressure on her. She is too young.

She’ll grow up, settle down...

Don’t try to calm me down. We need to talk some sense into her, or we’ll lose her.

I’m sorry. For everything.

I won’t scare you again. I’ll try not to.

Just please don’t do anything to me. I, and I alone... Dad is right.

I just need time. I’ll sort out my life.

My dear girl, you know I want only the best for you.

I know, Mama.

Are you going somewhere? You aren’t supposed to!

I need to go for a walk. I can’t stay at home anymore.

I know there’s no danger. I’ll be back soon.

I love you both very much.

See?

Don’t move!

You are the error of the universe. Nothing the gallows can’t fix!

Why would I confess to you? I don’t want to.

Whatever. I can tell you myself.

Interesting.

Prof. Annenkov made a deal with Prince Razumovsky to make a donation.

You were a part of the negotiations, so you knew everything about it.

Having come to Zatonsk on the professor’s behalf,

you collected 50,000 rubles and pocketed them.

What next? While you were debating this,

the prince invited you and Annenkov to visit him.

You knew you would be discovered as soon as Annenkov meets the prince.

So you came up with a wicked plan.

Having arrived to Zatonsk, you invited professor

to the Mironovs’ house, to make an acquaintance.

And you killed him in their garden.

Then, to cover your traces, you recalled the old story about the Creator’s formula.

Thus, you could set up your old classmates,

Demiurge and Accountant.

You knew that Obruchev was suffering from kidney problems.

The only thing I don’t understand is how you found out that Accountant

was here, at the monastery.

Anton Andreyevich, it doesn’t matter anymore.

Why? Why did you have to kill Obruchev?

He must have known something about the donation and could tell the prince.

But me? Why me?

You’ve convinced me. I believed you could ask Annenkov.

Did you want money so bad?

Yes, I did! I did. That night on the train with that money...

I kept opening the bag just to look at it. The money!

I’ve never seen that much money before.

So, I imagined myself the error of the universe,

believed I was an important person,

but in fact it was about the money.

Yes, Anna Viktorovna, the money. I was going to...

Just please don’t say any grandiloquent words right now.

Fine. I just wanted to say...

All right, I won’t.

I was wondering...

You didn’t have any chance to look for Alice these days, did you?

No. I only slept for two hours in the last three days.

I was thinking about your safety.

Thank you. I appreciate this. But tell me please...

do you have a chance to deal with it now?

Yes. I’ll do anything in my power.

You will. I know. Thank you.

-Well, the threat is gone. -Yes.

You don’t need to walk me home.

I’m sorry, Ania, but threats seem to follow you everywhere.

I’m starting to get used to it.

Ania?

This was unexpected. I’m sorry. All that trouble I get you in...

It’s not that. You can mock me, but I’m a person of a different nature,

and it’s hard for me to understand how you do this.

But... you... I never doubted that... Do you hear?

Without you, my life would be different.

Different?

It would be empty.

What is it?

What happened?

The prince has just been here. He asked for your hand in marriage.

THE DEMIURGE