A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
VILLEFRANCHE, 57 BC
-Here you go. -Thanks.
It grows back faster than we can cut it down.
Well, it's the most godforsaken place I've ever been to.
It's this forest...
it's strange.
How many men have we lost since we got here?
In the forest, in the rivers, in the ravines...
-The forest is against us. -Don't worry,
we'll raze it to the ground and build a nice road over it.
Claudius!
What's taking so long?
Where did he go?
Can we go now?
I couldn't go...
Some people wax poetic about the joys of urinating in the wild.
I feel like I'm being watched, I can't go.
You've only been here four months, give it time.
We'll stop at the gas station, they have a bathroom.
Don't you feel like there's something in the air?
It smells a bit like jasmine...
and also high meat...
Nah, I can't smell anything. Maybe it's just the smell of fall.
You'll see, it's a hella cool season.
SMILE! YOU'RE IN VILLEFRANCHE
You're sure you don't feel tight in the abs?
No.
I already told you I'm fine.
Laurène, it's barely been two months.
Nobody recovers this fast from gunshot wounds.
They weren't supposed to heal so quickly.
-I got lucky, it happens. -Yeah, right.
Truth is, it should've killed you, I don't get it.
You had traces of plant juices on your skin when you got to ER.
But Teddy Bear didn't notice anything odd when he found you.
You sure you don't remember anything?
No, sorry.
Well...
take it easy during your final two weeks of leave.
Yes!
How's Cora doing?
She's doing okay.
She's seeing the high-school shrink twice a week.
She has nightmares about the bog, about Marion,
but I think she's doing better.
We're fine, there's nothing to worry about.
I hope we didn't come all this way for nothing.
Ferrandis,
all this boundless optimism won't rid Villefranche of Gérald Steiner.
Pistachio?
F. ROSSI EXAMINING MAGISTRATE
Come in.
I'm sorry, old chap, but this case is falling apart.
We've established that Marion Steiner was indeed killed by Camille Laugier...
But charges won't be pressed, since our murderer's dead.
I'm actually after Gérald Steiner.
Laugier was on his payroll, we could prove
he's responsible for his daughter's murder.
Well, he covered all his bases.
No money transfers, no proof of communication between them.
Does that mean he's getting away with it?
Look, old chap, I want to nail him as much as you do,
but nothing links him to the murder.
Marion copied some family documents onto that key.
There has to be stuff about her grandfather's schemes
involving the quarry.
Come on, move it!
Let's go!
Stop.
The figures from the storage site seem legit.
We got nothing at all.
The public consultation's been rectified.
He probably bribed the entire town.
Marco, make sure nobody's there.
-Still around? -I ain't coming back.
See you later.
What about Centurion Environnement?
It's a dead end...
Their lawyers say everything is subcontracted to Gérald Steiner.
Your Honor...
this girl died because he's hiding something.
We just need to find out what it is.
Eric Bordier.
He worked at the quarry.
He had a wife... and a son.
I don't know what they hit with, but it was gruesome.
Looks like bite marks, don't you think?
Should we tell Laurène?
Absolutely not.
Leila's already on her way.
Did you find anything in the truck?
His travel routes.
Have the Children of Arduinna ever assaulted anyone before?
No.
But the quarry's operations were bound to light a fuse.
Okay.
Thanks.
Mom?
They're talking about the quarry on the radio.
I know, someone told me.
A truck got attacked.
They think the Children of Arduinna did it.
Are you going there?
It was cool to have you around.
Yeah, it was nice.
I know you're not used to this,
but I'm handing this to the Regional Police Service.
I'm sorry sir, but...
I don't think that's a good idea.
What he's trying to say is it's a shit idea.
No, I mean it's a big enough mess,
no need to bring in the suits.
Adjutant Ferrandis, you are one of two...
gendarmes in a town where corpses pop up every time a door is opened.
Yeah, I called her.
I got some groceries.
Long time no see.
This is for you.
Major...
I know you're a medical mystery, but...
you're still on sick leave.
It's up to us to solve this case.
Your obsessions have already taken a toll on you.
I don't want to have to follow you...
on a hunt for some kind of imaginary man...
Don't worry, I'm done sleeping in the forest.
I heard you haven't given up on the Steiners.
You know I'd do the same for that trucker.
Last time the SRPJ was here it took us two days to find'em.
I can't say I've missed your stubborn ways.
You got 48 hours to find solid evidence.
The road's been fixed?
I noticed they're building a new sports center.
Courtesy of Centurion.
We're about to nab the "Attractive Town" award.
We'll let you know when you can claim your husband's body.
When did you last talk to him?
This morning.
Before he left for work.
The job at the quarry was a great opportunity for us.
Have you ever been threatened by the Children of Arduinna?
No.
Why? Are they the ones who did this?
We don't know for sure, but...
the truck was vandalized, their symbol was drawn on it.
I thought no one was supposed to know the routes.
Yeah, but they may have found a way to access them.
Do you guys have a computer?
Maxime's got one.
Maxime?
What did you do?
What did you do, Maxime?
He hated that his dad was working for the Steiners.
If you know something, you gotta tell us.
I didn't do anything, I was at school!
How did they find out about your dad's route?
Tell me you're not involved!
They didn't plan to hurt him.
They wanted to send Steiner a message.
How could you?
Mom!
Mom...
The email the kid used
to contact the Children of Arduinna has been deactivated.
Why am I not surprised?
Do you have any leads on them?
We've been trying to locate their hideout for weeks.
What about their leader, Roman Barthélémy?
He wouldn't snitch, so he spent two months in prison.
Since he got out, he's been layin' low.
Guys, let's keep our spirits up.
What are you doing?
You're back... We need to celebrate that!
This is a good one. I was keeping it for a special occasion.
It's a tad early for this, don't you think?
We gotta look for potential hiding spots.
Check all the electrical billing data in brownfield sites.
That's gonna take a while.
We could also clean up Camille's desk...
Her desk is fine as is.
I warned you.
You know it wasn't her fault.
Gérald's the one who corrupted her.
Nobody mess with Camille's desk.
I checked the electric billing data, couldn't find anything.
They must have a power generator.
Or solar panels.
It won't be easy to find them.
We had a tough time finding Hermann.
Yeah, I know.
Is that why you stopped coming over?
Among other reasons.
What reasons?
I dunno...
Like... why did I find you butt naked in the forest?
Half-buried in the ground?
It does raise a few questions.
I never told anyone, for your sake.
-I need to understand. -I don't want to talk about it.
It's in the past now.
You can't pretend like nothing happened.
Why not?
I got Cora, I'm getting back to work. It could work.
Yeah, it could work...
like it did last time.
OUR SOLE CONCERN IS THE MURDER OF NATURE
PERPETRATED BY THE STEINERS.
They're saying they didn't kill Bordier.
There are better ways to get the message across.
For fuck's sake...
We could've missed a clue at Bordier's house.
Here you go.
This is where he spent most of his time.
Do you think he had any problems?
No...
But... I thought the Children of Arduinna did it?
I'm confused...
Nothing interesting in the house.
I don't understand what we're after.
He had no criminal record, never broke the law.
The Chilren of Arduinna could be messing with us.
Murdering people is not their style.
Yeah, I know.
Look, you've had a rough first day back on the job...
You should go home.
No, I'm good.
Laurène...
Hold on.
What now?
Check this out.
Nice! On your first day back.
There's a piece of cervical vertebra, it was torn off.
It didn't happen recently.
For sure. It's at least several hundred years old.
I'd say this skull belonged to a man.
These patterns on the temples
may have been caused by congenital disease.
Well, somebody dug him out from somewhere.
It's not from the cemetary.
You really think it's linked to the murder?
Weird. Why would he keep it in his home?
I keep far weirder stuff in my nightstand.
I don't even want to know.
Maybe you guys should talk to Verbeck.
The librarian?
He used to be a historian.
He helped me out with the bones from the bog.
He is kind of eccentric, but...
Let's go talk to him.
Adjutant Ferrandis.
Long time no see. Way too long...
Sorry, I never found the time to return my books.
You think you're the only one who wants to read Sense and Sensibility?
We got something for you.
Ah, you're back.
It was more than 30 years ago.
Bordier found it in the forest with a buddy of his.
I learned about what happened to him this morning.
Gruesome.
We'd like to find out if the skull is linked to his death.
Where do you think it comes from?
I can tell you when it's from.
It dates back to the 1st century BC.
Was he from around here?
That's what people thought at first.
But look at these patterns here...
and here. They could be early signs of syphilis,
a disease that wasn't around in those days.
It came here with the Roman legions.
Hold on... I thought the Romans never made it all the way here.
That's what set us apart.
Ferrandis,
you really think Caesar invaded all of Europe but not Villefranche?
There's proof.
Pliny mentioned it in his works.
Rome sent a centuria to the region to build a road.
All the legionaries vanished.
-What happened? -Nobody knows.
We'd need the rest of the body to find out.
We need the name of the other kid.
What was that?
I don't know.
Stay strong.
You stay with me, all right?
We'll find some shelter.
Come on.
Looks like I'm really popular around here.
We're not used to seeing people come back from the dead.
Turns out Villefranche could use a church.
-I'll have a beer, please. -Sure.
Cut it out. I was just wounded in the line of duty.
Yeah, right.
Any progress on the Children of Arduinna?
Don't be naive. They didn't kill the trucker.
We got nothing at the moment.
Regardless, we need to arrest them.
Bertrand must be going crazy with all the stuff that's happening.
I've been trying to call him.
The mayor has changed.
He's a broken man since they buried Marion.
We're not even sure...
he realized his wife's pregnant.
You don't want to lock him up anymore?
Let's say I'm focusing on his father for now.
But later on, perhaps...
Keep drinking from the Steiners' money well while you can.
Hey, don't be a party pooper just because you lost three lambs.
It was our greed that killed them.
I saw the signs.
We'll all have to pay for this.
Damn...
You sound like the tax inspector!
Hello, this is Philippe Granger,
the psychologist your daughter Cora is seeing.
She hasn't come to our sessions for the past three weeks.
I'd like to talk to you about that.
Thanks.
Did you have dinner yet?
Yeah, with Rudy.
If I call Rudy, what's he gonna tell me?
Is it like your therapy you've been missing for weeks?
I don't need people to tell me that I'm traumatized.
Whenever I hear a crow, it all comes back to me.
The bog, Marion...
-Can your shrink fix that? -Where were you this morning?
I found this in your desk.
Don't hang out with the Children of Arduinna.
You went through my stuff?
Please answer my question.
You said it was only to help Marion, that it was over.
I can't believe it.
It's too dangerous, I don't want you to get involved.
I want you to have a normal life.
I want a normal life too, Mom.
Marion wanted a normal life too.
But she's dead, and now there's a new sports center.
If you're not booking me for a flyer, I'm going to bed.
PÉTOUR CASE
-Mr. Acker? -What do you want from me?
For starters, could you please fasten your bathrobe?
My bad, I wasn't expecting visitors.
We have a couple of questions.
Next to Eric Bordier, here, is that you?
Yes.
We'd been friends since kindergarten.
And you both worked at the quarry together?
We got hired together. Why are you showing me this now?
Why didn't you arrest the little assholes that did it? Huh?
Sorry about that.
They killed my best friend...
We'll take care of them, don't worry.
We'd like to know why Bordier kept that skull.
It had symbolic value for us.
We were so proud of ourselves.
Verbeck would tell us stories about the Romans, the Celts,
bodies buried in the forest... Maybe even a treasure.
A treasure? Sounds kind of farfetched.
We were kids, kids tend to exaggerate everything.
We started digging in the forest
on weekends and whenever we had a break from school.
So did you find anything?
Apart from a huge pile of junk, no.
We didn't find any treasure.
And then we gave up.
We came to our senses!
I'll check his alibi.
What if they did find a treasure?
Teddy Bear, there is no treasure.
Did you see how the Bordiers live?
Can you drop me off? I'm meeting up with Cora.
Yeah.
Another one.
Why were they chained up?
What happened?
Sacrifices.
Must be a sanctuary for one of their degenerate gods.
Any progress on the Bordier case?
That's not why I'm here.
When we found Marion Steiner in the bog,
you mentioned Celtic sacrifices to our coroner.
That was before we found out your colleague had killed her...
The Celtic connection was uncertain.
Maybe you were onto something.
I have other elements.
Another young woman, 20 years ago,
who was found in the forest.
She'd been kidnapped
and had been chained up for days before she could escape.
And why do you think it has anything to do...
with a Celtic sacrifice?
I don't know, I'm not sure of anything.
But the kidnapper's really into all this.
And he has a very strong connection with nature.
I need to know more about this to track him down.
I'm willing to help you...
but I may need to talk to this young lady who was kidnapped.
That won't be possible, she left town.
That's a shame.
After all those years, you're still looking for her kidnapper?
Cernunnos, the stag-god,
was one the main deities in the Celtic pantheon.
Major, are you okay?
I'm fine, thanks.
You gotta talk to me, Laurène. Huh?
I thought you were dead when I found you...
I don't want to go through this again.
Enough with all the secrets, huh?
What are you doing with Verbeck?
What are you looking for in the forest?
I'm looking for...
the guy who kidnapped me 20 years ago.
I have no memory of him.
All I know is I ended up chained up somewhere...
at the bottom of a pit.
I had to cut my fingers so I could escape.
And then I woke up in the hospital.
They told me Bertrand had brought me there.
Why did you never tell anyone?
Nothing was clear in my head.
My mother was dying.
My father didn't want her to worry. And then...
it was too late.
It's like a cage...
that you build around yourself.
For years, you feel safe inside it.
But over time...
the cage's bars start choking you, crushing you...
and you're always alone.
And you think it was this "Wood Man" who buried you
after Camille shot you?
I don't know.
I feel like he's the reason I'm still alive.
Let me get this straight...
He kidnapped you 20 years ago...
and then he did all he could to save your life?
I've been obsessing about it for the past two months...
I still don't understand.
All I know is... I almost died,
I put my daughter in danger.
I think Cora joined the Children of Arduinna.
I don't know what to do.
I can't cope anymore.
I'll need a while to process all this, but...
but you're not alone anymore. Okay?
I'm here for you.
Together, we can do this.
Hermann to Laurène...
Yeah, I'm listening.
We got the results back from the lab
and something interesting turned up.
Bordier had traces of gunpowder on his right hand
and the blood on his truck was a different blood type.
He was armed. Do you think he wounded his assailant?
Possibly.
Leila says a young man got to ER last night, gushing blood.
It's worth a check, right?
Okay.
Watch where you're going, asshole!
Sorry.
Yeah, that's right, fuck off!
Let go of me! Let go of me!
Should we call the gendarmerie?
No big rush.
It won't even help us arrest Gérald.
He says it was a hunting accident.
He's in room 12.
Hi. You've reached Cora's voicemail.
Leave me a message and I'll...
Can we come in?
What the hell is going on?
We must've moved him somewhere, I'll ask around.
Teddy Bear!
Run!
I'll go around the other way!
Stop moving around, you'll only bleed out faster.
I'm not afraid of death.
You're not gonna die.
So you guys didn't murder Bordier, right?
Yeah, we just vandalized his truck.
But when we jumped him,
he seemed to be waiting for someone.
Who? Did you see anyone else?
No...
We heard weird noises coming from the trees.
We went to check it out...
It gave Bordier an opportunity to pull out his gun, and he shot me.
We ran away.
And we're the terrorists now?
In the trees, what was it? What did you see?
Did you see anything else?
What the hell are you doing?
Don't do anything stupid!
We told you to drop it.
We didn't kill him. We have no beef with you!
This is going too far!
We don't have a choice.
Everyone sucks up to the Steiners, we gotta fight'em.
You're not alone in that fight,
don't mess everything up!
Don't do anything stupid.
Drop it!
Drop it.
Drop your weapons!
Step back.
Take your fucking masks off.
Take them off!
You too.
Nice catch! Six in one go.
Yeah. We sent them to the Departmental Gendarmerie.
What about Bordier?
They insist they didn't kill him...
They say he was waiting for someone.
We need to find out who, because...
it's either the last person to have seen him alive,
or it's his murderer.
What a shitstorm.
And it can't be Acker,
he was getting his truck serviced at the time of the murder.
You know what?
We're still gonna check the bank accounts.
Including Bordier's.
I got a hunch we'll find a treasure somewhere.
Here we go again.
Someone's in the cell?
What happened to you?
I haven't heard from you in two months.
We could talk.
About what?
About everything, about you.
There's no more me.
Nothing's left.
Don't say that.
I can't imagine what you're going through, but...
let me help you.
No...
Did you call Léa?
Yeah, she'll come and pick him up.
I could use a drink right now.
-What? -Excuse me?
Not too tall.
To us.
Did you go back to the bog?
I go there a lot.
It's a beautiful place...
to cry.
I'm sorry about yesterday, I was worried about you.
No biggie.
I'll go back to the shrink...
Does it ever go away?
This emptiness?
No, it never will.
You get used to it.
It can also make you stronger.
I hope so.
-You're gonna be all right. -Yes.
Subtitle translation by Thomas Isackson