I need to tell you about a dream I had.
I was in the woods.
But there were no leaves on the trees and the moss on the ground was ashes.
And I heard cries. Like those of an injured animal.
I followed the cries.
Deeper and deeper into the woods.
The cries were really desperate.
It almost broke my heart.
And then...
finally, I found you.
You in your original form.
And I realized that it hadn't been a dream, but...
the memory of our first encounter.
I woke up...
and I was happy.
You'll soon be ready.
You'll soon be free.
PAGAN PEAK
Please!
I work at the baker's. I need to be up at 5am.
- Yes... - This house has thin walls.
My bedroom's next door. Your phone's ringing constantly!
See! Again!
It's driving me up the wall. What's going on with you?
Why does it have to ring? Put it on vibrate mode at night.
Winter. Yes.
- Sorry? - Your cell's constantly ringing.
- I'll go mad. I need to get up at 5. - Who are you?
I work at the baker's.
Who said that? Why are you ringing my cell, you jerk?
- I'll call the police next time. - Where did you get my number?
What? Talk slowly.
- What? I said talk slowly. - If I don't get my eight hours' sleep...
- I work at the baker's. - Are you lot completely stupid?
Next time, I'll call the police.
- Where is that? - I need to get up early.
You stay where you are.
- Yes? - It's me.
That fucking junkie Albanian...
Got anything on you? I need something for my nose.
Are you stupid?
Take this. It'll bring you down.
Why did you call my cell, you asshole?
My dad said if I had a problem you were the man to call, so I did.
- Then send my regards. This'll cost more. - He'll kill me anyway.
Not my problem.
- Did anyone see you go in? - Nope.
My mate was being a thug, so some old guy said I should go back to Vienna.
Not interested. Did anyone here see you?
Just those four bitches. They're illegals. They won't talk.
- Take your jacket off. - What?
Take your jacket off. Come on.
Put it in. Put it in.
Take your T-shirt off.
- Come on. - Don't be so aggressive.
Listen very carefully now. You're going to go now. Make sure no one sees you.
And then get your dad to give you an alibi for tonight.
Got it?
If they come to talk to you, because of DNA traces or whatever,
then say you've been here before to get blow.
But you can't remember when. Got it?
Got it?
- Did you understand? - What about the knife?
Beat it.
- Winter. - Did I wake you?
- Yes. I'm in bed. Where else? - There's a suspected murder.
- What? - A murder.
Not again. Haven't you got anyone else?
Afraid not.
- Where is it? - A chalet in St. Johann.
Send me the address.
Shit.
Tonight, in Austria, this woman was found naked on a ski run
by an employee of Teufelshornbahnen.
She was injured with a knife and is undergoing emergency surgery.
The woman has now been identified.
She is Spanish. Her name is Nuria Garrido.
Born in Madrid, 32 years old.
She works at the Ortus Foundation in Munich as an interpreter.
Due to the depth and number of the stab wounds
our Austrian colleagues are currently assuming this was an attempted murder.
Hello.
Ms. Garrido was last seen in the company of this man.
Dominik Gross.
Chairman of the Ortus Foundation in Munich.
He has been missing since last night.
Gross is German. The chalet is near the border.
We will assist in the search and support our colleagues in Austria.
Do you recognize this person?
No, who's it meant to be?
I was at the scene. What's the hospital saying?
Then ask. The woman's a witness. See you soon.
Idiot.
What do the stab wounds look like?
No information on that yet. Morning, Ellie.
Morning, everyone.
Morning.
Back to work.
Let's go.
Wait for now. It could be anything.
I'll keep you in the loop.
- OK. - OK.
Yes, I see.
And footprints leading away from the snowmobile?
Then expand the search radius. Jeez...
Boss? The pilots have got something.
Control center to November 1.
November 1. I can see a person up on the peak.
- The person isn't moving. - Could you go outside?
Mountain Rescue to control center. We're flying closer.
November 1. I'm at 50 meters now.
Control center to Mountain Rescue. What do you see?
It looks like he's kneeling in the snow. Can you see that?
- Mountain Rescue, can you see that too? - Shit.
The Austrians just sent it.
Finished your private photo session?
Very pleased to see you again too.
Yes, I'm...happy too.
Looks like you haven't got rid of the case, after all.
Looks like it.
And the woman? She must have seen the perp.
She's just out of surgery. Not conscious yet.
I was on my way to hospital when I heard the good news
you were here and wanted to talk to me.
Let's drive there together.
Honestly, I'm not thrilled about all this,
but this time both head and ass are on our side,
and until they clarify who's responsible for this whole story,
an Austrian has to take care of it.
Am I meant to sign this in blood?
Politics is politics.
I'd still like to come. I might be able to help.
OK. Let's go.
We know each other. From the pass. How are you?
- Good, thanks. And you? - I'm good, too.
Can you drive my car down for me?
- Sure. - Great, thanks.
Who are you driving with then?
Before the Ortus Foundation, Gross was chairman of Henning.
He lost his job because of a bribery scandal in 2007.
He wrote a book about the "summit of power".
Was married for 30 years and has four children.
Colleagues of mine broke the news to the widow earlier.
Actually, there were two pieces of news.
She found out her husband was dead.
And that he'd cheated on her for years.
She'll never be able to talk to him about it.
It's what I find the worst. Telling people that someone they love is dead.
When another train derails in India and 200 people die,
it's a bit too abstract for us.
But if a child drowns in a lido,
then they're suddenly there...
those really big feelings.
And therefore you'd rather have none at all?
Jeez...
Listen, I'll call you and say when and where.
And don't call my cellphone ever again. Bye.
Family?
Something like that.
Thanks.
It's really nice here in the summer.
Now it just feels like the ass end of the world.
And cold.
A cold ass.
No, thanks.
Don't worry about the boss.
She's like that to everyone.
She hates me.
But I want to do everything right.
Don't let it get to you. Just think of something else.
Look. A magic trick.
Hocus pocus...
- You're a really bad magician. - No, I'm great.
I just forgot the "alakazam".
I need to get back to work.
Tina, I just got it. Great. Excellent work. Thank you.
Remember the murder at the pass?
- The dead smuggler? - You're still working on that?
That's German special unit head, Ellie Stocker.
This was taken this morning at Dominik Gross's chalet.
This is the Austrian liaison officer, who was also at the pass.
Good. The cases might be linked. That would be worth a report.
Not just one report, this is major. This has real potential.
- This is what people want. - We'll see.
I know it.
Just imagine. A place people yearn to be, where all is still right with the world,
and that's where suddenly...evil strikes.
Interesting.
- But aren't you going over the top? - It was me he sent the message to.
Well, us.
Our paper.
So it's our responsibility.
Fine.
Then stick with it. It's totally up to you.
I can't say at the moment when she'll come to.
She was difficult to stabilize.
She's lost a lot of blood.
The puncture wounds to the thorax, large and deep,
damaged internal organs, pierced the stomach and bowel,
but just missed the abdominal and other major arteries.
Hits to the face and minor cuts here and here.
How was she able to escape with those injuries?
I don't think she could have. Not immediately.
What?
Fear bradycardia.
With extreme adrenaline secretion, neither fight nor flight is possible
and the organism can literally be paralyzed by fear.
The heart rate is reduced to a minimum.
This condition can last for several minutes.
The woman must have appeared dead.
But then she woke up.
May I?
- She must have been in extreme pain. - Yes.
OK, thank you.
We've been working on this case for three weeks.
I know. I've already spoken to your boss.
This is bigger than we thought. The perp is operating on both sides of the border.
It makes sense to merge your special unit with our team.
- When will it be decided? - The interior secretaries are in contact.
Until it's finalized, we'd be happy for you to support us here, right, Mr. Winter?
Yeah, sure.
We could get advice from Christian Ressler, the case analyst.
Ressler? That would be amazing.
- Ms. Stadlober? - One minute.
It's mad today. Since the article, the whole country's got involved.
- What article? - Check the Munich Newspaper website.
There's a lovely photo of the two of you.
- Kessler. Awesome. Have you read his book? - Nope.
We only have DNA traces from Gross and the woman.
There was a third person in the chalet.
The perp must have worn gloves. Possibly a protective suit.
The shoe profile is unusual. Looks like someone's altered it.
This is the report from the lab.
There was Rohypnol in Gross's blood. Causes loss of muscle control.
The woman wasn't poisoned?
She probably woke up beforehand.
So, he stabs her.
Thinks she's dead.
Then he kills Gross. He drags him through the balcony doors to the snowmobile...
Slowly, Litkowski. Don't rush. Slowly.
How did he get in?
Looks like he switched off the security and alarm systems.
And then climbed in.
There's no additional security on the sliding doors.
Can the alarm system really be turned off that easily?
No, but...
But hacker software had been installed on Gross's cellphone.
Whaddaya know.
You get sent a link by text or email with an attachment
and when you open it, boom.
It installs itself on your cellphone.
That means whoever it is can read all your data.
Emails, chats, calendar. Everything.
The alarm and security system are controlled via a cellphone app.
That's how he knew when Gross was in the chalet...
- Yes. - ...with whom...
- Yes. - ...how often.
Yes, I've got that now.
Very well planned. All of it.
Hats off.
He took a risk, though.
There are many parallels to the first murder.
A lone perp who plans his crime precisely.
The poison, the knife, the method of killing,
the displaying of the body, the horsetail.
But he took a far bigger risk here.
A high-profile victim with company.
He climbs into a house that's secured by an alarm system.
Why does he make it more difficult than the last time?
I don't think he wanted to kill the woman, initially.
Sorry, may I?
The position of the chair, the blood splattered all around...
The first injuries were not fatal.
Maybe he just wanted to hurt Nuria Garrido a bit at first to intimidate her.
Then he sat her on the chair.
And she had to watch.
The woman had to watch him...
wield his power by torturing Gross.
Then he executed the man, probably right in front of her eyes.
He then threw the woman on the bed and stabbed her.
He needs an audience. That's why he's willing to go to such lengths.
At the crime scene, the woman was his audience. Now we are.
The press. The people who read about it.
He specifically targeted Gross.
And he wants to say, "Look, this is what I can do. I'm a genius.
And mine's the longest."
This is our colleague from Germany. Stocker.
Thanks for your interesting assessment.
By the way, we've been through the calls. There's one that's worth a closer look.
Might be another nutjob, but he talks about punishment and the red time of year.
- Gross was the chairman at Henning, right? - He was on TV and in the papers a lot.
He always talked about him.
The powerful ones, he said.
The big-headed ones. And globalization.
They'll instigate the last chapter.
You mentioned the "red time of year" in your statement.
I already said all this on the phone.
Please could you tell us again?
It's the time afterwards.
When everything as we know it
will come to an end, when society has destroyed itself.
And the only ones to survive
will be the ones prepared to live with nature and not against it.
The people from the sect?
"Sect"...
It's not a sect.
It's just that he can see much further ahead.
He can see more than we can. And he doesn't just talk clever about it.
- He does something. - What does he do?
He helps people who want to be helped.
Only those who can live with nature will survive.
And you're one of the ones who'll survive?
No.
He didn't want me anymore.
I was drinking a lot at the time. Caused a bit too much trouble.
He said I was too weak.
That's why you're betraying him?
- You want to get revenge? - What?
No. I'm not betraying him. You're mad.
I just wanted to let you know.
He absolutely mustn't find out you heard it from me.
He absolutely mustn't.
Do you know what he'd do to me?
Do you have any idea who this man is?
Cernunnos.
God of the woods.
He looked into my soul.
SIX BROTHERS
We'd like to talk to Mr. Brunner.
He's not here, I'm afraid.
And you are?
People call me Manus. I'm Mr. Brunner's right-hand man.
Manus and Cernunnos.
- Where did you get that from? - We have our sources.
- Where is Mr. Brunner? - I can't tell you, I'm afraid.
He's been gone for a few days.
- Where was he going? - I don't know exactly.
He often spends long periods in the woods. No one knows when he'll return.
What does he do in the woods?
Mr. Brunner is a border crosser.
He crosses between nature and civilization.
He's our teacher. He prepares us.
For the time afterwards.
Yes, right.
The end is nigh.
The red time of year is coming soon.
It sounds weird to you. But take a look at the history of the human race.
Every society has collapsed at some point. The Romans, Persians, Egyptians.
We mustn't think we're any better.
People's hubris, their decadence is causing everything to collapse.
- Mr. Brunner knows how to survive. - Really? Where do I sign up?
There's no room for cynics.
Everything OK?
Yes, you're welcome to look around.
If you and your group here survive civilization's downfall,
what will happen to the others?
Anyone who's not prepared won't survive.
You mean the people who don't believe in your philosophy will die.
It's a completely natural process.
When our civilization is gone, nature will be all that's left.
And nature is much stronger than us.
Anyone who hasn't learnt to live in harmony with nature...
What you're saying all sounds quite brutal.
Mr. Brunner is prone to violence. He's been convicted.
His ex-wife reported him. Grievous bodily harm.
Excuse me.
I just have to ask. Do you have a concrete accusation against me?
If you don't, then I'm not obliged to say anything, right?
That's right.
But Mr. Brunner should contact us soon, otherwise I'll put out a search for him.
Yes.
Mr. Winter?
Let's go.
- I put some post on your desk. - Thanks.
- Have a nice evening. - You too.
Mr. Turek, did he get in touch with you?
Not so fast.
I came all the way from Munich to talk to you.
I'm pleased to finally meet you.
I researched you. They say you are very determined.
I like that. I really do.
If you want new info, you've come all this way for nothing.
Ms. Stocker, one thing is very important to me.
You can trust me.
I forwarded the first message to you straightaway before publishing a word.
So he has made contact.
He seems to trust me.
I have the editorial team breathing down my neck. They want it printed immediately.
But I said no way. Not before I talked to the two of you.
That's why I think
we should work together.
I can give you something and vice versa. Information my colleagues won't have.
Mr. Turek, we don't make deals with the press.
It might be hard for you to understand, but people are our absolute priority.
The victims for whom it's too late, their families, the people who we protect.
So if you have something, give it to me, otherwise you're withholding evidence.
People are my priority too, Ms. Stocker.
- Are you as unapproachable too? - I'm the good cop.
I refuse...to live in the depths.
I stand over the peaks and trample the sky under your feet.
I know no humility.
I was greedy. I amassed riches.
My punishment will be your salvation.
Please, I...
There will be a new and improved world.
The red time of year is coming.
Both countries' interior secretaries have increased and combined their teams.
We'll rent the former Hoffmann site at the border.
It's easily reached by both sides.
There will be more money and extra budget for the case analyst. It's...
It's a completely different story now.
Gross's murder means this has become a political issue.
They asked if I still thought you were up to the job.
I don't care what they think, but...
if we make mistakes, the press will be breathing down our necks.
Everyone will have a say. Everyone will know better.
It won't just be about the case, it'll get emotional.
From now on, you'll have 30 to 40 people working for you round the clock.
You have sole responsibility for them.
I told you about my last case.
It was nearly the end of me.
I was probably ambitious enough, but... I certainly underestimated the pressure.
So if you want to get out, now's the time.
No one would think badly of you. We'd put an experienced detective on the job.
OK.
Thanks.
I'll miss you.
It's only half an hour from here.
Who'll keep me company when I go for a smoke now?
This Brunner... If you get anything concrete, let me know.
I'll call the district attorney.
He's a real fighter. He'll want to know all the details.
We're on it. I've got people observing the farm.
Good.
Hello, Mr. Ressler. Ellie Stocker. I'm in charge of the case.
I'm really pleased you'll be helping us.
I've read your book three times. At least!
You're not the only one.
I'm writing the second volume.
Chapter one initially starts off as if it's a new case,
then ends up being a dream.
Sounds interesting.
You must tell me more about it later. Would you like a coffee first?
God, no. A green tea with milk and honey, please.
I'm sure we can arrange that.
This is my colleague Gedeon Winter from Salzburg.
Yes, we know each other.
- Really? - Barely.
Good. Then let's get started straightaway.
As I gather from the police reports...
our man was very well prepared for both crimes.
Which means he has enough time to plan his crimes.
He is probably childless and has no fixed employment.
He has sufficient financial means
which provide him with a degree of independence.
The perpetrator must have space
where he can plan and prepare without being disturbed.
His own house, a cellar, an attic. Some location only he has access to.
The latest investigation established
that the cellphone of the second victim had been hacked with malware.
Which means our perp has IT knowledge.
And he leaves behind no trace.
Both crimes were planned well in advance.
The positioning...
and staging of the bodies,
the symbols, his audio messages
show a strong narcissistic tendency.
He needs an audience. Hence the targeted contact with the press.
It's not enough for him to just be seen by us.
He wants to be seen by everyone.
On the other hand, the man is a marked sadist.
He looks for the pain and fear in his victims.
He enjoys the moment before the act of killing.
Our perp is certainly not mad. He doesn't suffer from delusions.
And, even though it may seem like it,
our man is not some politically motivated terrorist.
Sure, both victims have in his view carried out evil deeds:
a people smuggler, a corrupt manager.
But that's not what it's really about for him.
Control.
Power.
Destruction.
That alone is what drives him.
Of course he knows that these needs are not recognized by society.
A dilemma.
His narcissism requires him to be admired. His sadism wants to torment and destroy.
What to do?
He constructs an ideology which allows him to be both.
A cruel butcher and a glorious savior at the same time.
Our man...
is judge and hangman in one person.
Why does your idiot son call me on my cell?
- Is he completely thick? - I know.
My son is a useless shit.
But we have a rule and it goes:
family is sacred.
And you're one of us too. You're our go-to man when there's trouble.
Everything's like it used to be.
"Falcon".
You've done us a favor.
- And I do things in style. - The knife...
was a ticket to prison.
For life.
I got rid of it and removed all traces.
Sure. I know.
You've always been reliable. So, how much do you want?
OK, fine. Here's my price.
I'm out.
No more services. No more information.
Our business relationship is now over.
You do realize though...
life is easier with us.
I like it complicated right now.
MISSING PERSONS DATABASE FOR AUSTRIA
- Yeah? - Mr. Winter, it's me. Ellie Stocker.
Our witness. She's woken up.
I'm coming.