"What's the idea, guys?" "Where are we going?" "Let me tell my family." "Come on, guys." "You've had plenty of time to choose in favour of your family." "I'm Paul Gerardi's daughter." "I want to see my father." "Today's your lucky day." "You still don't get to where l am now without political support." "Which I didn't have." "So Salamander gave me theirs." "In return you kept the robbery at Jonkhere quiet." "It's not about those 66 ." "Salamander is much more than that." "It's about 720 people in leading positions." "And Jonkhere, the bank manager, is chairman of the Council of Twelve." "We are going to be colleagues." "So I'd like to introduce myself properly." "Vic Adams." "I know all about it." "Maybe we should go our separate ways for a while." "That'd be the easy way out." "I want us to be happy together." " What do you think I want?" "Well, do something about it then and spend more time at home." "I've got three dead men no one wants." "I've got no choice." "Senator Rasenberg, is it true you will be the new Minister of the lnterior?" "No comment." " But you are being named as Minister Laridon's possible successor?" "I'll help you." "Who's been in my desk?" "Who's that, Dad?" " That's my financial adviser." "What do I do about Rasenberg?" "Wait until after he's appointed?" "Yes. I'll get him once he's a minister." "We've worked on this for two years." "It's finally happening." "Happy?" "Where's the toilet?" " At the end of the hall." "Hi." "I'm off now, if that's OKwith you?" " So soon?" "I thought we'd have a drink together." " Maybe next time." "There isn't anyone waiting for you, is there?" "No, but I have to get up early and..." " OK." "I'll find my own way out." " Hold on." "The door downstairs is locked." "I'll let you out." "What are we doing down here?" "Fuck!" "This news bulletin is still dominated by one story, the suicide of the Minister of the lnterior, Pierre Laridon." "What led to Pierre Laridon taking his own life?" "That's what everyone is wondering." "And it is looking increasingly more likely that Senator Rasenberg will succeed Pierre Laridon as Minister of the lnterior." " Rasenberg, Rasenberg." "A guy as corrupt as him is to be a minister." "Yeah... lf there is money to be made, Rasenberg is never far away." "The sale of Belgo-Oil," "Defence's contract with Militron." "He made money when Sabena went bankrupt." "There's nothing I can do at present." " Another thing." "When the first two receive a phone call or an envelope, they commit suicide but Rasenberg becomes a minister." "Explain that to me." "Rasenberg has a member of the Royal Family by the balls, if I may put it so crudely." "Prince Olivier." "Gerardi found evidence of this in Rasenberg's safe." "Olivier." " Yes." "Rasenberg feels he's in a strong position." "He either gets what he wants or the piece of shit will drag the Royal Family through the mud." "And I've got something with me to do with our friend Laridon." "Copies of what was in his safe at Jonkhere Bank." "Love letters." "Addressed to him." "Plus extracts from his diary." "Read them, Marc." "They're worth reading." "Who's writing this to him?" "It's beautiful. lt's poetic." "Brigitte Dupre?" "Yes, Minister of the Economy in the Walloon government." "Good God, yes." "They were both involved in the State Reform negotiations, eh?" "Yes, they were." "He on the Flemish side, she on the Walloon." "They passed notes from the secret meetings to each other." "That's why it took so long." "And that's why he committed suicide." "For politics." "Yet he'd found true love." "Everything was in this envelope." "He opened this at home at 10 p.m. According to his phone records, he received a call from Switzerland at 10 .23 p.m." "Have you got the details of it?" "No, according to his wife he was in a panic after the call." "What do they want?" " l've no idea." "What are you planning to do with these letters?" "What do you suggest?" "Good morning." " Do you want some more?" "Yes, please." "Gerardi speaking." " Paul." "I'm really sorry to disturb you at home but I haven't heard from you and I was worried." "I... I miss you, Paul." "I'll make note of that and get back to you as soon as I can." "Speak to you later." "Bye." "Who was that?" "OK, Sofie." "If you're ready, we can go." "No, I'd rather go by bus." " Sofie." "OK, are you going with Dad then?" "I'm taking a taxi, I'm picking up a new car." "Here." "Some money for the bus." "There." "Don't be late home, sweetheart." " l never am." "Bye, sweetie." "Do your best." " You too." "Right." "Bye, darling." " See you this evening." "Bye-bye." " Bye." "Prince Olivier." "Something involving women or cars." "Much worse." "Here, that's the number of a police report from 4 January, written by Ostend police." "Classification 37 ." "37 , indecent assault." "Not a minor?" " A 16 -year-old girl." "Ostmeyer from the Royal Palace then began paying hush money to the family." "All via Jonkhere Bank." "Always Jonkhere Bank." "Jonkhere passes the money to Rasenberg." "He withdraws cash and gives it to someone called Antonio." "He's probably the courier." "He then gives it to the family." "Five instalments totalling 310 ,000 euros." "Adams, does the name Antonio mean anything to you?" "No. lt's probably a pseudonym." "If that number is correct, we can read that report." "is that the National Databank?" "Can you access it so easily?" "I can access all databanks." "That number doesn't exist." " That's not possible." "And under Ostend Police?" " No." "This is a list of all reports from 4 January." "Here." "This report ends in 90 and the next one ends in 92." "Your 91 isn't in there." "It's gone." "I'll call the Public Prosecutor." "I'll be right back." "The Rasenberg residence." "Oh, Paul." "I'm really pleased to hear from you." "I've thought about you so much, I thought I'd go crazy." "No, tell me, tell me." "I just wondered if we could meet up." "Preferably today." "Yes." "Can I suggest something this time?" "But it'll take longer than an hour." "That's fine by me." "Tell me where." "Kleine Zavel Park, 12 o'clock?" "Can you bring that photo of Guy with you, Paul?" "Yes." "Great." "See you later, Paul." "Bye." "parliament private PROPERTY" "Keep it brief, Sandra." "I'm expecting important news." "Where is she meeting him?" "What time?" "Yes." "OK." "Go ahead." "No." "Hold on." "Stay on the line." "Sandra." "Let her go." "Yes, that's what I said." "Let her go." "You stay there." "Don't go anywhere." "OK." "Congratulations." "Raymond, what are you doing here?" " l've come to congratulate you." "As Minister of the lnterior." "It's not certain yet." "It still has to be confirmed." "I heard there was some opposition towards the end but I gave things a little prod here and there." "You'll get an official call later." "OK?" "Raymond..." " Never underestimate a banker, Guy." "Thanks, Raymond." "I'll never forget this." "That's the idea." "You can do a lot more for us than that loser Laridon." "Here." "For Salamander, of course." "I shall propose that you be promoted." "On one condition." "You guarantee me here and now that your behaviour is beyond reproach, that no one can blackmail you." "Raymond, no one can blackmail me." "Absolutely no one." "There was nothing in that safe you aren't allowed to know about." "Don't worry." "I believe you." "On 4 January he was caught speeding at 134 kilometre per hour in Ostend." "That's the Prince, that's the girl." "This number plate is a government one." "The same day that plate is returned to the Vehicle Registration Service and destroyed." "The Prince is also given a different number plate that day." "This is a page from 4 January from Senator Rasenberg's diary." "On 6 January the first payment of 110 ,000 euros is made." "And then another 200,000 euros, in four instalments." "Possibly via Antonio the courier." "And everything goes via Jonkhere Bank." "That's the proof." "And the money comes from the Royal Palace itself, via your good friend Antoine Ostmeyer." " There's no need for the sarcasm." "And this is the number of..." " Yes, yes, that's enough." "Have his papers and things already been sorted?" "Do it together next door." "You knew about that hush money, didn't you?" "Of course I knew about it." "Who do you think had that report removed?" "Me." "That's one of the tasks of Cell P9." "Protecting the Royal Family from the stupid mistakes of its members." "And since they are only human too... things like that happen." " That girl was only 16 ." "Who is Antonio?" "Who is the courier?" "Why did the hush money suddenly stop?" " lt's not always easy for me either." "Who is Antonio?" " Sort your paperwork out." "We haven't discussed it, but I'd like to apologise to your wife and daughter for what happened in your house." "Thanks. I hope we can put it behind us." "OK?" "Right, well..." "This is the key to your car." "All identification is in the name of Vander Velde." "You'll be briefed about that." "And then there is this." "I don't trust that." " lt was made in the States under licence from Glock. lt can't be traced back to you or to our service." "OK?" " OK." "Right." "Fine." "I haven't congratulated you yet on all those copies from Rasenberg's safe." "Well done." "We are getting close to those bank robbers now." "If they called Minister Laridon, they'll call Rasenberg too." "And if they call Rasenberg I want to know how he reacts." "And forget that 16 -year-old girl?" "Rasenberg is more important at present." "Every step he takes I want to know about in advance." "OK?" "So your task is to stay as close as possible to his wife." "And I don't think she'll mind." " There's no need for the sarcasm..." "Oh, come on." "She's in love with you." "She helped you before." "Get her to go further now." "As far as necessary." "If you get what I mean." "I'm married." "Really?" "Bloody hell." "Hello, Karin." " Paul." "Oh, this feels so good." "You weren't followed, were you?" " l think Guy has given up." "Why?" " Does it matter?" "How much time have you got?" " Enough." "Then we'll go for a walk first." "Then we'll have a drink." " OK." "And all the rest is a surprise." "Do you know what I really like?" " What?" "That I don't feel as if I'm cheating on Guy. lt feels good." "Hey, I've got those photos with me for you." "Don't you want to know where the million came from?" "I'd forgotten about that for a moment." "Hold on." "Hold on." "Here." "Here." "This is Marc Libert." "He's the director of Militron de France." "An arms factory in Toulon that, in 2002 , sold electronic guidance systems to the Belgian army." "And your husband was one of the middlemen." "That's a colonel from the Ministry of Defence's buying department." "On the day the contract was signed 400 ,000 euros were paid into your husband's secret bank account in Geneva." "I assume those women are prostitutes?" " Yes, those are two whores." "He will pay for that." "Karin?" "I suppose you've got more questions?" " Yes." "What does Salamander mean?" "I told you. lt's a bunch of machos who think no one can touch them." "If you catch a salamander, it just loses its tail." "Do you know Carl Cassimon?" "Or did he never..." "Paul, stop." "Stop." "I've booked a room here." "All the rest can wait." "Believe me." "What are you doing here?" "She's booked room 219." " Bloody hell." "Forget your high principles, Paul, and do what you have to do." "Thanks for the photos." "You're the one who lit the fire." "Now keep it burning." "Or have you run out of fuel?" "Kiss my arse, pal." "Open your bloody eyes, you selfish bastard!" "If she turns against us, everyone's in danger." "The Public Prosecutor, us, your own family." "Remember that." "Get out of here." "Before I kick you in the balls again." "Right." " l've got a surprise for you." "Come here." "Don't be scared." "Paul?" "Come on." "Come on." "is something up?" "It's not going to work." " Hey." "Did I say the wrong thing or something?" "Forget it." " Paul." "is it your wife?" " Yes, my wife." "I understand. I know the feeling." "No, you don't know the feeling." "I love my wife." "More than ever." "So..." "Sorry." "You're forgetting something." "She cheated on you with your best friend." "I saw it myself." "It was Carl Cassimon, wasn't it?" "Do you know Carl?" "Where do you know him from?" "You're not really interested in me, eh?" "Just in what my husband does." "Has Carl been to your house?" " Yes." "Yes, Carl has been to my house." "A number of times." "Christ, I thought we wanted the same thing, that we felt the same." " You're not listening to me." "I can't cheat on my wife." "But it's alright to lead me up the garden path?" "You bastard!" "Bastard!" "Don't do anything stupid." " lt's what I usually do." "Tell Persigal I'm quitting." "You're in danger if..." " l'm quitting, pal." "Right, here we are." "So it's Mr and Mrs Dujardin?" "10 Avenue de l'Eglise." "Saint-Gilles." "Sorry, but I can't remember." "Was it six or eight chairs?" "Eight chairs." " Eight chairs." "OK. I don't know, maybe..." "What are you doing here?" "Excuse me, may I borrow her for a moment?" "She's my wife." "Thank you." " Excuse me. I'll be right back." "Darling." "What are you doing here?" "Firstly, I want to say that I love you very much." "Secondly, we're going out for a nice meal this evening, cos we've got something to celebrate." " What have we got to celebrate?" "Come on, give me a kiss too." " Honestly, darling." "See you later." " See you later." "You got it then?" "Who are they from?" "From me." "For you." "Come here." "A minister." "Our life is changing, darling." "And I need you." "You've never needed me." "Karin, anything is possible from now on." "I can even become Prime Minister." "And I can't do it on my own." "You've done everything on your own all these years, Guy." "Do you think you're going to get away with it by behaving like this?" "What do you mean, get away with what?" " Jonkhere Bank." "I've seen your papers." "How much have you really got?" "Eh?" "Really?" "1.2 million. invested." "1.2 million." "Right." "Now we know how much my role as a minister's wife is worth." "Come on, Karin, please." "Half?" "One million euros." "And I want it in black and white." "OK." "OK." "Senator Rasenberg, you are the Minister of the lnterior." "Yes, thank you. lt was a great honour to be asked, of course." "Of course, I would rather it had happened in different circumstances." "And replacing my predecessor, Pierre Laridon, will not be easy." "is there..." " Hello, Carl." "Or should I say Antonio?" "What do you want?" "You really have worked for everyone, eh?" "First for Cell P9." "Even for Rasenberg." "As long as it paid well." "And climbed on top of my wife at the same time." "Stop it, Paul." "They are dangerous." " Who are?" "Salamander?" "What about you?" "They leave you alone." " l took some precautions." "I thought you did." "I want to see everything you kept on Rasenberg," "Jonkhere, Prince Olivier, everyone." "One million." "There you go." "What's happened to you, Karin?" "I've been disillusioned." "Again." "Did he dump you?" "Worse. I let him copy all the documents from your safe." "Jesus Christ, darling." "You must have hated me so much." "Who is it?" "Do I know him?" "He can ruin us, Karin." "Who is it?" "Paul Gerardi." "He works for the police." "But not any more, I think." "Forget him." "We're going to the top together." "You and me." "Together." "That's Ostend Police's report on Prince Olivier." "How did you get that?" " From the girl's father." "He blackmailed the Royal Family with it." "You had to take him the money." " Yes." "Then one day they'd had enough." "The Prince, Rasenberg, Jonkhere." "They wanted it to stop." "But the father didn't." "He carried on." "And you had to put an end to it." " Yes, I had to do the dirty work." "What did you do to him?" "Chucked a bucket of water over him and applied an electrical current." "He didn't hold out for long." " Congratulations." "Then you made a copy to be on the safe side." "It's my insurance policy against Jonkhere and the rest." "Paul." "Will I see you again?" "You swore to me there was nothing incriminating in your safe." "Then your wife gives everything to a cop." "To Gerardi." "I don't believe it." "But..." "Like most idiots, you're lucky." "I know this Gerardi." "Chief Inspector with Organised Crime." "Suspended, and then he resigned." "I think he's working for himself." "He wants to make money from it." "What can we do?" " We?" "We?" "We?" "What can I do, you mean." "I'm seeing the King on Friday." " What?" "I have to see the King on Friday." " Stop whining." "You don't have to get your hands dirty, eh?" "is that incriminating material about you and the Prince still at Gerardi's place?" "Then we'll go and get it." "And by Friday..." "Gerardi will no longer be a problem." "But then you will owe us big time, eh, pal?" "Big time, eh?" "I enjoyed that." "I think his leg is fine now." "You certainly rode him hard." "When are you going to come with me one evening?" "I know that look." "Trying to fix me up with someone again?" "No." "Just come to Madame Kempinaire's with me one evening." "Everyone is always asking after you when I'm there, Dad." "People like you." "Especially the women." "I feel fine, sweetheart." "Fine?" "Fine isn't enough." "I want you to be happy, Dad." "What about you?" "Have you found someone?" "No, don't change the subject." "We were talking about you." "What's the matter?" "You aren't happy. I can feel it." "Certainly lately." "What's the matter, Dad?" "Do you think I've achieved anything in my life?" "Yes..." "Yes, of course." " Yes." "Everyone thinks so." "But it's not true." "Things happened..." "Hello." "No, no, tell me." "Everything's going to plan?" " Yes, everything's fine." "I'm just calling to say I'm taking your advice and having a bit of a holiday." "Two nights in Paris, that's all." "So I'm still available immediately the moment you need me." "OK, thank you." "Speak to you later." "Smile." "17 MARCH 1944" "OK?" "OK?" "He's there." "He's there." " What?" "Everyone inside." "Mr Jonkhere." "Harry Dewulf." " l thought so." "I'm now your contact person for the Resistance in the whole area." "I've come to see you this once, to introduce myself." "Next time you'll come to my office in Brussels." "That's less conspicuous." "OK?" "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot of good things about you." "We need brave people like you." "I hope you weren't stopped too often on the way here." "I was." "But the Germans know me." "They think they can trust me." "If only they knew." "Field Gendarmes." "It's not for us." "Dad?" "Dad?" "is something the matter?" " No, no." "Dinner's ready." " l'm coming, darling. I'm on my way." "That's a smart car, Dad!" " lt certainly is, eh?" "Especially compared with your own jalopy." "It was a lovely evening, darling." " Glad you enjoyed it." "Did you enjoy yourself, Sofie-Wofie?" "You're really drunk, Mum." "You can't hold your drink." "Stay there!" " What's up?" "You're behaving strangely." "Stay here." "And wait until I say it's OK." "What...?" "Paul." "I told you to wait outside." "They could still bloody be in here." "Go to your sister's." "Take my car." "I'll call you." "Go on, get out of here." "Come on." " Sofie, come on." "Get out of here." "Go on!" "We can guarantee..." " You can't guarantee anything." "How could there be a problem with our safety?" "Why are you so nervous then?" " l'm not nervous!" "May I?" "I have to see the King in half an hour." "It goes much further than Rasenberg or Jonkhere." "The group round Salamander is too big, you're no match for them." "Call your wife, tell her to come here." "Call her." "I want a name." " l'm a dead man if I talk." "We still haven't identified our enemy." "Enemies." "There are the bank robbers and there's also Paul Gerardi." "Send them their envelope and call them three days later." "The country will be ruined." " Drink your coffee before it gets cold."