Unfamiliar (2026) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[siren wailing in distance]
[groans]
-["Happy Together" playing]
-Imagine me and you, I do ♪
I think about you day and night ♪
It's only right
To think about the girl you love ♪
And hold her tight
So happy together ♪
If I should call you up, invest a dime
And you say you belong to me… ♪
-Chef?
-Mm-hmm.
Mm-hm.
So very fine, so happy together… ♪
-They're awesome.
-Yeah?
I know you sent us a link,
but these were much cheaper.
And they're all the same anyway, right?
Wow, look at that. They're even wireless.
-Ready, Yul?
-[Yul] Yeah.
Okay, let's go.
Valentin?
Good to see you.
-Careful, watch out.
-Yeah.
Something wrong?
No. They're great, thanks.
Hmm? What?
You're so mean. [laughs]
And you're so gullible.
[door opening]
-Thank you, Mum.
-Mwah. Happy birthday.
Thanks a lot, Dad.
-You like them?
-Mm-hmm.
-I love them.
-Okay, good.
Thank you, thank you.
-[father] You're welcome.
-[Yul] Happy birthday, Nina.
So, Nina.
-Oh God.
-Yeah.
Time for a speech, huh?
-Don't worry. We'll make it quick.
-Yeah.
When I was young,
living above my dad's restaurant,
most of my time was spent helping out
with everything going on round there.
And all I wanted was to get away.
So I joined the army, became a doctor…
This is your speech?
I, uh… I just wanted to say,
based on experience,
there's no rush.
Amen.
Yeah, so…
-[mother] Come on, let's eat.
-[father] Let's do it.
Then maybe we play a game?
Yeah, but not for too long.
Mm, I'm going out at 10:00.
Remember, we talked about it, Mum?
[mother] Yes, but you know
we're coming too, right?
[Nina] Why?
-[mother] Just to embarrass you.
-Aren't you funny.
Well then, I want you to have fun,
but listen…
If you need to get picked up or anything…
Hello?
[caller] Hello? I was given this number.
I need your help.
Can you make it to tomorrow?
No. My condition is critical.
-[thunder rolling]
-How bad is it?
Uh, gunshot wound to the left thigh,
stab wound to the lower left abdomen.
-Blood type O.
-And which service?
Security.
Medical too.
And possibly transport…
Can you do it?
You know the procedure?
Yeah, I'll transfer the money
when I'm at the safe house.
Your location?
Spittelmarkt. I'm close to the bridge.
-Okay, we're en route.
-Okay.
[mother] I'm serious. That's curfew.
[father] Okay, Meret…
Sorry, that was Sarah.
I think maybe we need to…
[tense, enigmatic music playing]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[Meret] So far,
nothing from emergency services.
-And news outlets?
-Mm-mm. Nothing.
[father] We're almost there.
-You need me to do that for you?
-No.
Okay.
[Meret] I can't find anything
on this guy online.
And so far, no hits on facial recognition.
His story's also bullshit.
[monitor beeping]
[man] Fuck! Untie me!
[restraints rattling]
Relax. You'll rip your stitches open.
Where am I?
Somewhere safe.
Let me go then.
I didn't pay for this.
[man struggling]
We found gunshot residue
in the wound in your leg.
It was a scuffle. Close quarters.
The fucker managed to get my weapon
against my leg.
Who's your handler?
Let me go.
Come on! Untie me right now!
Ah, fuck!
No!
Do you believe him?
Hm… I guess for now.
Sounds plausible.
You?
I'm not sure.
One of us should head back.
It's our daughter's birthday,
for Christ's sake.
16 years.
Jesus.
Can you tell me how that happened?
The days were long, the years were fast.
Crazy, huh?
But are we crazy for letting
her go out on her own?
-I mean, it's late.
-She's not alone. Yul's with her.
Yeah, but…
Is she really ready for that?
Meret, at her age,
you'd already ran away to the West.
Okay.
Are we ready for that?
Hmm. If we can't stop time,
you can be sure
we can't stop a 16-year-old.
-You go.
-Uh-uh. You.
-Ah, come on.
-Let's go.
I'll take odds.
One, two, three.
Fuck.
Gotcha.
-Give her a kiss from me.
-Mm-hmm.
-Yes, I received it this morning.
-Julika?
Give us the background intel
on both key players please.
[suspenseful music playing]
-Are you ready?
-Mm-hmm.
-Pull it up.
-Go for it.
42 minutes ago, we received word
that one of our main targets
was spotted at the Berlin bus terminal.
Okay, go.
Josef Koleev,
a high-ranking GRU officer.
So as you can imagine,
he's been on our radar for a while.
His name's been linked to several
espionage operations conducted in Germany,
but we've never had enough to grab him.
And this here is his wife,
Vera or Valeria Koleeva.
She's currently slated to become
the new Russian ambassador in Berlin.
She has zero prior diplomatic experience,
which makes her appointment
highly suspicious and unusual.
She is a cover used to deploy
her husband as a spy in Berlin.
To prevent that, the Foreign Office
can reject Vera as ambassador
and deport the Koleevs from the country.
However, they need cause to do it, and…
We need to provide that.
[Julika] Vera is clean as a whistle,
but her husband, on the other hand,
definitely has skeletons in his closet.
And so that is where we need to focus.
I've invited an old acquaintance in
to aid us.
Our former department head, Gregor Klein.
Mr. Klein! An honour
to see you again, sir.
It's good to see you too, Freddie.
I'm supposed to give you this.
You've only been approved
for level two clearance, sir.
As if they could do anything to stop me.
[Julika] The Koleevs weren't expected
to arrive in Berlin for another few days,
So, Josef's sighting
was surprising to say the
Gregor!
Congratulations.
You climbed the ladder fast.
Thank you. Appreciate you coming in.
When was that taken?
Unfortunately, that's above
your clearance, sir
It's surveillance footage taken
at a Berlin bus terminal half an hour ago.
You know Koleev better than any of us.
So, the question is,
why all the cloak and dagger
when his arrival was already on the books?
What the hell are you doing in Berlin?
Our sources in Moscow tell us
the Koleevs are having a hard time
getting their security clearance
from the Kremlin.
Koleev's Achilles heel has always been
his own bureaucrats.
Yeah.
Apparently, it's about
something from the early 2000s.
Back in your day.
If you know of anything
that you… that you could give me?
Maybe… even unofficially.
Ben, if I had the smoking gun on Koleev,
I'd have used it
to nail him back then, hmm?
-[elevator dings]
-[Gregor] I'm sorry.
Good luck to you.
I wanted to apologize for earlier.
I wasn't myself. I'm sorry.
The wound in your abdomen suggests
you had a transponder taken out.
Mercenaries often do that
before they go into hiding.
Or agents.
Maybe I'm just a sex slave.
Kidnapped by a human trafficking cartel.
I worked for a high-end security firm.
And I took something.
I guess they didn't like that very much,
and that's how I got shot.
Who put you in touch with us?
Someone who promised
you wouldn't ask questions.
[chuckles wryly]
Hmm.
I knew someone, and she…
Needed to vanish once.
She told me about you
and… about what you guys do.
And that it obviously comes at a price.
So, cash or card?
[chuckles]
Are you hungry?
Mmm.
[knocking at door]
I know it's rubbish.
It's not the night any of us had in mind.
But, you know,
Sarah's just really freaked out.
Doesn't look like
anyone actually broke into the house,
but Mum's still going to wait there
for the police.
And, so now I'm not allowed to go out?
Excuse me.
You always assume the worst of us.
Of course you can still go.
Mmm!
It's pretty good.
I got… really lucky.
Thank you. I mean…
This safe house,
food that's actually edible.
Compliments to you, chef.
Oh, sorry, I… assumed you made this.
For all I know, your brother did.
[taut, suspenseful music playing]
Well.
Sorry, again.
For some reason,
I'm really not feeling like myself.
It's probably the pain. Um…
Oh. Would you like some more painkillers?
Maybe.
Okay.
Here you go.
Thank you.
You're a life saver, you know that?
It's what you're paying for.
[chuckles]
[line ringing]
Yeah?
Our special guest
just called you my brother.
Shit.
Belarus?
Has to be.
Was the only time
we were brother and sister.
So, she'll be Katya Volkova.
Well, that's creative.
[father] Look.
It just has to get us out of the country.
-And the other one?
-There is no other one.
-There isn't?
-I don't see one.
Jesus, Helena.
Gregor just changes protocol
and doesn't let us know?
We'll get through it.
We always do.
[Gregor pants]
He's gone.
He poisoned Katya.
Don't talk, Gregor. Let me have a look.
He shot me in the stomach.
We need to get you to the hospital.
Katya.
He… poisoned Katya,
and the baby.
Look.
This guy shot himself in the leg
to get to us. He's not kidding around.
I'm coming back right now.
No, don't stress. I'll sort this out.
I'm going to find out who sent him.
But Ninja has to stay home
until we figure out who's to blame.
She already left.
Then go find her and bring her home.
She can't be out right now.
She was really
looking forward to this, Meret.
She won't be happy.
Oh yeah? [scoffs]
Finally, you'll see how it feels.
All right, I'll find her.
Watch your back, okay?
Yeah.
[uneasy music building]
-Well?
-Hmm?
How's it going with your new boss?
[Julika laughs]
Be honest. Do you miss me yet?
With you, I always knew
where I stood. But Ben…
He's like a desperate chicken
running around with his head cut off
when he's not kissing his superior's ass.
You gotta be careful.
Don't underestimate a vain opportunist.
So what's the scoop with you and Koleev?
What, you can't tell?
I was never able to nail him.
The last time I encountered him,
I took a bullet to the gut.
There's gotta be more to it than that.
Trust me,
it's not the dirt you're looking for.
So where do I find it, then?
That dirt?
Whatever Koleev's planning,
I can guarantee he won't
get his own hands muddy.
You think he hired someone?
Yes, here in Berlin.
So maybe start looking.
-If you wanna know what Koleev's planning…
-Then I have to find his middleman.
Correct.
[car door closes]
Mr. Koleev. I trust your journey here
was comfortable, sir?
It was, thank you.
[Koleev] Has your man made contact?
Not yet.
And he removed the chip?
Of course, as you'd expect.
We don't even know
if these are the two I'm looking for.
Finding nameless operatives
from the mission
that never existed is tough.
I've worked with less before.
But I'm sure you have too.
[knocking at door]
I have to step out.
Okay.
Windows and doors are secured.
[taut, suspenseful music playing]
[agent 1] We don't know
if the number Mark called
will lead us
to the agents you're looking for.
The man and woman at the other end
of this business are anonymous.
Talented.
So worth checking out, I think.
[Koleev] Your man went in there
completely unarmed,
and without any means
to contact us directly.
[agent 1]
She's the more dangerous of the two.
If these are the people
you're looking for,
they'll be dead
before the sun rises tomorrow.
Good.
[suspenseful music intensifying]
[agent 2] Jonas.
Our agent's in the portal.
Location?
The portal's encrypted.
It's not important where he is,
but who he's with.
[whooshing]
[wheezing]
[beeps]
Yeah, that's her.
What about her brother? Hmm?
She's an only child.
But she was married.
Officially, they're both dead.
HK, KB. Does that mean anything to you?
Do you recognize him at all?
Yeah, that's him.
Tell your man to get started.
I want both of them gone now.
Give him the order.
And Gregor Klein.
I want all three of them dead.
[man 1] Shut up with that story.
Always the same old stories.
We don't need to hear that
over and over again.
[man 2] How 'bout that one?
Yes, stationed in Scotland.
[man 3] Is that the one
where you slept on the roof?
[man 2] Hey, don't spoil it.
But yes, I was stationed in Sterling,
and me and some of the lads
wanted to go out for a drink
and the only pub nearby was falling apart.
Excuse me for a moment, gentlemen.
You better come back!
You'll miss it!
[tense, enigmatic music playing]
[operator] Your call
has been forwarded to voicemail.
Hey, Yul, I really need to get to Nina.
Can you please share your location?
Whoa! Watch out, mate!
[high-pitched, disorienting music pulsing]
[music subsides]
[Nina] Hey it's Nina.
I don't use voicemail,
so send me a voice note.
Nina, it's me.
You need to call me back. It's important.
[disorienting music droning]
Oh, fuck.
[passersby murmur]
[operator] The person you have called
is currently unavailable.
Call me back.
We're under attack.
Gregor Klein got away.
Until we hear from Sinclair,
we won't know what the situation is.
But at least now we know
who your two mystery agents are.
Or were.
Do we though?
HK, KB. That's nothing.
Your database is useless, and so are you.
We have no idea
what their fucking names are,
or where they're hiding.
Or…
Whether… master infiltrator Sinclair
is even still breathing.
Stop here!
Consider yourself fired.
Good.
[car door closes]
Good.
[door opens]
[saw whirs]
I'm sorry about that.
You didn't get to read the response.
"Identity confirmed."
"Execute kill order."
"Eliminate them both."
So, I'm assuming you know who I am.
But what I'd like to know
is who sent you to find us.
But I'm getting ahead of myself,
because first, I've another question
I'd like you to answer.
[bone breaks]
[groans]
You can just nod.
[Mark gagging]
Is my daughter safe?
[Mark continues gagging]
Is she safe?
[haltingly] No one said anything to me
about a daughter.
[Meret] Hmm.
So who is this "no one?"
Hm?
[muffled struggling]
Ah!
[phone buzzing]
Yeah?
[woman] Am I speaking to Meret Schäfer?
Who is this?
Nurse Huber,
St. Joseph's Sanitas Hospital.
I have you down
as Simon Schäfer's emergency contact.
[siren wailing]
Good evening, Starfish,
my sweet little mole.
This is the Bear.
Have you spotted me yet,
with all your fancy cameras?
Now that I'm here in Berlin,
I think it's time
you did a few things for me.
First off,
I need you to find someone.
And to do so without question.
And in return,
I won't tell the whole world
about our little secret.
We have a very long road ahead of us.
Starfish,
the key here is going to be trust.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Time for you to prove
your loyalty to our cause.
[operator]
Your call has been forwarded to voicemail.
[Julika] Gregor, it's me.
I took a look at your personnel file.
The only gunshot wound you ever sustained
was 16 years ago in Belarus.
Was that Koleev?
And the file on that mission
is blank.
Give me a call when you get this.
I need to know what really happened there.
And watch your back.
[Meret] How are you?
How are you?
Fine.
[Simon] Mm-hmm.
How's our guest?
He's at the safe house.
-What did he tell you?
-Not a lot.
He managed to send
my fingerprints to someone.
And then he received
an order to eliminate us both.
So, question him.
Well, that's gonna be tricky.
Why is that?
He's dead.
What?
Fuck.
Now how do we find out who sent him?
Next time, you stay with the hitman
and I'll go sing "Happy Birthday."
-I'm sorry.
-Yeah, me too.
Wait, what did the doctor say?
I guess I fainted.
When I fell, I hit my head.
Blood pressure's a bit high. That's all.
I just need to work on my diet.
Avoid stress.
"A man of my age…"
It was the usual bullshit.
Let me have a look.
-[winces]
-Oh, fuck.
-What is that?
-Hmm.
[whispers] Pull these down.
So what do we think?
-[phone buzzing]
-Hmm?
This must have something
to do with Belarus.
Why else would he have
called you my brother?
And if we're really shit out of luck,
they'll know about Nina.
Yul sent their location.
-Okay. Are you allowed to leave?
-Yeah.
[club music thumping faintly in distance]
-Hey.
-You good?
Yeah.
[entrancing club music playing]
[crowd cheering]
She organized this whole thing by herself?
Yeah, she's DJ'd for other people.
But she wanted to do her own thing.
[music continuing faintly]
If this really is about Belarus…
Then we need
to get in contact with Gregor.
Yeah.
Yeah.
[enigmatic music playing]
My two favourite dead people.
It's been too long.
We need to talk about Belarus.
I know.
Josef Koleev.
His wife, Vera, is about to become
the next Russian ambassador here.
-That's why he's cleaning house now.
-Well, he might give up if we hide.
No. He won't stop looking
until all three of us are dead.
Unless you get to him first.
There's really no other choice.
You know what he's capable of.
You need to think about Nina.
[tense, uneasy music playing]
[Meret] Katya?
The baby's still moving.
The baby…
Katya…
Fuck, she's bradycardic.
Her pulse is very weak.
[frustrated groan]
Okay. We've got to take the baby out.
Come on! We've got to do this now.
I need you to grab towels,
sheets, anything you can find.
Get a compression bandage on Gregor too.
[Meret] Here, press! Press down on it!
[Simon] Helena, I need you over here.
Hold it down tight.
[Simon] Grab the towels!
Help me lay her on her back.
This has to happen now. Sleeves up.
Okay.
Clean each finger. That's it.
Pull, pull, pull, pull. Stop, stop, stop.
To still breathing.
Still breathing.
So, now we've got to kill
a high-ranking GRU bureaucrat.
Should we do that
before or after breakfast?
[phone ringing]
You get it.
Please.
The Garden, good morning.
[caller] Is Karl there?
I need to speak to him.
Who is this?
There was an incident with the police.
I just lost control. It… It was like
everything I've been holding in
finally just…
Came bursting out of me.
Everything that happened
16 years ago in Belarus.
I know I should have never have come
to Berlin in the first place,
but I don't have anyone else
I can call right now.
My identity as Katya Volkova,
with the papers you gave me back then…
If they take me to prison, then…
Then they'll find out my identity…
Who I really am.
You lied to me.
[tense outro music playing]