The Eastern Gate (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
Maria, love, I'm sorry.
Tell our daughter
that her daddy loved her very much.
I know you'll raise her
to be a good person,
a Pole,
a Polish woman.
In Belarusian prison
I was humiliated for being Polish.
They insulted
and ridiculed my motherland.
I thought that patriotism
is a love that you can't measure.
I was wrong.
POLISH-BELARUSIAN BORDER
Please open the trunk.
But it's a diplomatic journey.
Do you want to be sent back to Warsaw?
EASTERN GATE
I hoped I'd never come back here.
It's a savage place.
And they say that Belarus
is the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe.
I've already been a consul in Belarus.
Back when we still had
the ambassador here.
Then tensions flared up
and diplomatic relations were lowered
to the chargé d'affaires level.
It's really provincial here.
You'll see for yourself.
Europe? What Europe.
- What do you need?
- Water, please.
Help yourself if you want.
No, thanks.
Thanks.
I was supposed to be in Paris now.
Dipping my croissant in coffee.
Looking at glamorous Parisian women.
This water is all I have left now.
I carry it everywhere
to remind me of my priorities.
They're here on us, the bastards.
KGB?
In Belarus, it's the KGB.
In Russia, it's the FSB.
We never get lonely out here in the East.
Welcome to Belarus.
MINSK, BELARUS
- Is it here?
- Yeah.
The UN could fit in here.
Too dingy.
Good morning.
I'm Derda-Lecki, Chargé d'Affaires.
Ewa Zagorska,
Consul for Poles in the East.
Olaf Klemensiewicz,
Consul for Consular Assistance.
Pleased to meet you.
Ms. Helena Jankulowska,
Head of Security.
Hello.
Follow me.
Welcome back, sir.
It's here.
Thank you.
Who are you?
Zagorska, a new consul.
Niedzwiecki.
My condolences.
I assume that my replacement
has also arrived.
Yes, Olaf Klemensiewicz.
We arrived together.
I was supposed to come
pick up my wife's stuff.
I'm really sorry.
KALININGRAD, RUSSIA
The police have closed the investigation.
The official conclusion is suicide.
To love all ages yield surrender
But to the young…
its raptures bring
A blessing bountiful and tender–
As storms refresh the fields of spring.
Alexei…
My son…
You loved Pushkin.
I used to read "Eugene Onegin"
to you at bedtime.
Yes.
To love all ages yield surrender.
But when death comes…
all ages…
ultimately surrender.
I'm not particularly happy that
someone inexperienced has been sent
to work in this country.
I have already worked at embassies.
- In Argentina, Venezuela…
- South America is a different story.
I'm a quick learner.
I hope so.
Don't get too friendly with anyone.
The walls have ears, do you understand?
We don't make any new acquaintances
in bars, clubs, or online.
- You were born in Kolo, right?
- In Klodawa.
Right. I'm sorry.
I've been there once.
You've got a nice Orthodox church.
That's in Uniejowice, I think.
Before you start working,
please check in
at the residence building.
We scan the apartments
with various detectors.
It's not a breach of your comfort zone,
just a way to ensure your safety.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
How long have you been working
for the embassy, sir?
First of all, I'm not a "sir."
My name's Michal.
Second of all, well…
It's been a good few years now.
I came from Poland for a bit
and, somehow, I stayed.
So you also used to drive
the previous consul?
Yeah, sometimes.
You can't trust strangers here.
A taxi pulls up,
people get in, and puff!
They vanish.
- Really?
- Yes.
Recently, some businessman.
He was looking for help from the embassy
to start running some legal business.
He wanted to meet
our charge d'affaires or Jankulowska,
and, well…
He didn't show up,
stopped answering his phone.
Left his stuff in the hotel room,
means he disappeared.
Was that long ago?
Some three days ago.
I was driving Jankulowska to the meeting,
she was pissed that he didn't turn up.
You reported it to the police, right?
You'll get used to things eventually.
You can't trust anyone here.
Every new here is not only a stranger,
but also a potential spy.
But on the other hand, if the people
here grow accustomed to you…
- they'll follow you…
- To hell?
To Siberia.
A person is like a web browser.
You can get any information out,
if you know how to ask.
What now, bastard?
Who do you have in Minsk?
Names!
I'm asking politely.
For now.
Who is helping you?
Masha and the Bear.
Pull him up.
And now we'll show you
how the nerve connecting
your eyes to your ass works.
Good morning, consul.
- Hello.
- Hello. Eighth floor.
The door was open.
I heard a noise.
Maybe I can help you somehow.
No, thank you.
I know how to listen.
Ewa…
Will you have a drink with me?
That's what's left of us.
Some rags
and receipts stuffed into pockets.
Can I get a refill?
Thank you.
Grief has many sides to it.
Stop it. Grief?
How could she do this to me?
I hate her.
Pawel?
What's up?
- Do you have a minute?
- Shoot.
You sent someone here?
Who?
Really?
I'd have told you.
Would you have?
Why are you asking
if you don't believe me?
I'll find out either way.
Hello.
LOGIN: SOROKINA
PASSWORD:
We're finally getting something.
Send someone from the nuclear institute.
We'll need them.
I'm here.
The phone you're holding now
has your phone number mapped.
Area code is set on Canada.
- Okay.
- "Don't hurt me" is your safeword.
Once you say it,
all operators in the area will come in.
Then you're blown
and the gig is over.
Got it. What about Skiner?
Tell me if you found something first.
Consul Niedzwiecka had an affair.
In her husband's phone I found a video
of her having sex with a man I don't know.
It came from an unregistered number
right before she died.
I think she was blackmailed.
Might have been.
They might have wanted to use her
but they didn't manage.
They'll try again with someone else.
Keep looking for the mole.
What about Skiner?
He's in Kozlov's hands.
If I understood correctly,
you're trying to get your spy back.
A Polish businessman.
Yes.
Admit that he's a spy.
Otherwise you wouldn't
have gotten your asses all the way here.
We care the same
for every Polish citizen.
Do you, really?
Then why do you repatriate the bodies
of Poles who died in exile
only from the West?
Many more of them died in the East.
Maybe because, from the UK,
we're talking about a handful of bodies.
From Russia, we'd have to repatriate
hundreds of cemeteries.
Well said.
Russia is an enormous country.
People disappear as easily
as losing a hair off your head.
You returned a valuable man of ours
during the last exchange.
Valuable?
You weren't rushing to get him back.
Because he's Russian.
And I, as a humble Belarusian general,
gave him a chance
to win his freedom back himself.
You have no one of value to us.
Skopintsev was the last.
We can pay.
I like your sense of humour.
Luckily, you have got something
we're interested in.
The Suwalki Gap.
It's nice to have a good laugh.
And now, let's get serious.
General Fyodorov here
lives in Kaliningrad.
Together with his wife and kids.
He's bought furniture recently
and has to get a Polish visa
to transport it home.
You'll admit that's a bit inhumane
and it has got to change.
I understand, but you see, General…
Such a motorway can be
used to transport furniture,
but also Iskander missiles
with nuclear warheads.
The Suwalki Gap is a Polish territory.
We'll never consent to such a motorway.
So we have another offer then.
Reinstate the local border traffic.
We'll present your proposal
to the minister,
and get back to you soon.
Good. I'm not rushing things.
Time is a construct, apparently.
- To your health.
- Cheers.
When do you plan to talk to the PM
about reintroducing local border traffic?
- Tomorrow, the day after?
- I'm just playing for time.
You got anything else?
The longer Skiner is in their hands,
the more probable it is
that he'll start talking.
We either rescue him or…
take him out ourselves.
Fucking hell.
What if he turns her in?
Madam, documents for you to sign.
- Remind me when I get back, please.
- Okay.
Inka…
I found it in my desk drawer.
I thought you might want it.
I never knew her.
Thanks.
She was a good person.
But a bit unhappy, I guess.
She looked happy
in those few weeks before she died.
I even thought she was seeing someone.
From the embassy?
Hard to say.
Come on, we'll be late.
In this country,
Poles are in the minority.
That wasn't always the case.
But it is now.
Though there aren't so few of us.
But, thanks to people like Jan Drawicz,
people with great hearts,
great resilience,
courage,
we, Polish people in this country,
have the right
to feel like a great nation.
Jan, come join us on stage.
After his release from Belarusian prison,
Jan could have gone back to Poland.
But he decided
to stay with us. With his wife
and with other Poles in the East.
Our hero.
When you're in prison,
you ask yourself different questions.
"Why do I do it?",
"Is fighting for our rights worth it?"
Or "What does Poland really mean?"
To me, Poland is my wife.
My daughter who'll soon be born.
That's my motherland.
Thank you all for your support,
for your kind wishes, for your prayers.
Thank you.
- From the embassy, with appreciation.
- Thank you.
We share your joy at being free again.
What a snowflake. I can't look at him.
I'll go mingle.
Lemanski. Head of the Association
of Poles in the East.
New consul, am I right, madam?
Yes, indeed. Zagorska.
I see you've already met the new consul.
I've known Klemens
from his first tenure here.
He's got an exceptionally
long stick up his arse.
Excuse me for being so direct,
but that's what we're like here.
It's better than all those games.
I appreciate your openness.
I'll be in touch with you
on an issue related to money.
Unfortunately,
we're quite strapped for cash.
Indeed.
I think I might help you with that.
There's an opportunity
to secure more money for your activity.
Then you're welcome
at any time of the day or night.
A lot of emotions.
- Excuse me.
- Of course.
A widower.
The head of the association.
Bon appetit.
Oh. It's not for me.
We need to drive Maria Drawicz back home.
Okay.
I'll do it, okay? You can stay.
- Really?
- Sure, no problem.
She's coming soon, right?
It's the last month.
They always cordon it off
when some big shots are driving through.
They party at the Toledo Hotel.
Kozlov and all the KGB top brass.
Usually with the Russians.
I'll show you something.
Go ahead.
KALININGRAD, RUSSIA
Get some sleep, just a bit.
I'll never sleep again.
We've only got each other now.
Remember that.
Talk to me.
Something's going on at the Toledo.
There's supposed to be
a meeting of KGB and FSB people.
That might be it.
You could have told me.
You're not there
to watch their benders,
but to find a mole among our people.
What if Kozlov is coming?
- I could…
- No, you couldn't.
It's KGB area. Too risky.
- I could tap him…
- No.
We'd learn where Skiner is.
Focus on the mission that cost us
a fuckload of money, okay?
Understood.
TOLEDO HOTEL, MINSK
Drawicz. I was told
to report here on arrival.
Yes.
That's right.
Room 302.
Nikita Samilov.
May I?
Yes.
Are you from the KGB or FSB?
The place is full of them tonight.
But as for me,
I didn't manage
to get into security forces,
and I became an IT guy.
I'll have what the lady is having.
I'm Katya.
- Are you staying here?
- Yes.
But they moved me to another floor.
Me too.
Why do they need three floors?
Really, three?
The third, the fourth and the fifth.
Somebody seems to have a big ego.
A very big one.
Ready?
You go through the kitchen.
You enter the banquet room
and distribute the food to the guests.
And then you come back. Understood?
Go.
General Kozlov, to your health!
I see him.
Back in a sec.
Will you order me a drink?
It'll hit Warsaw
in less than three minutes.
Even if they sound the sirens,
assuming that they manage to detect it,
before they realize, the whole city
will be razed to the ground.
And what's the occasion?
To thank you for getting me
out of Polish captivity.
No entry. This floor is closed.
- Which floor is this?
- The fifth.
Oh shit.
I'm sorry, it's out of habit.
My room used to be here.
Excuse me.
But, Comrade General, you weren't
exactly in a hurry to get your man out.
I was hurrying, just taking it slow.
What doesn't kill us
makes us stronger, Skopintsev.
One for the road.
Officers, my old pals,
to the ladies and the tramps!