Beat (2018): Season 1, Episode 1 - BEAT - full transcript

Club promoter Robert Schlag, aka "Beat", lives a life of excess. Fast and hard. But then the bodies of two young girls are discovered in his club, and a mysterious stranger wants to get to ...

BERLIN, GERMANY 7:34 A.M.

Before you're born, it envelops you.

Heat, rhythm,

your mother's pulse,

the sound effects in her belly.

You're in motion, nourished,

and you don't waste
any thoughts on stuff

that might happen someday.

You live in the moment.
Nothing else matters.

That's techno.

That's who I am.



Am I to believe that in all of
Berlin, we can't find anyone better?

ESI - BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

Narcotics violations,

2008, 2012, 2015.

There probably hasn't been
a day in the last ten years,

that our guy didn't
violate the Narcotics Law.

Plus battery in 2016.

He tried to help a friend, a girlfriend.

- And?
- He helped her.

- Does the man have family?
- Of a sort.

Married? Longtime partner?

Not a problem.

He's not the marrying type.

Believe me, this kid is perfect.



Robert Schlag, aka Beat,

is one of the hottest promoters
in Berlin's techno scene.

Don't promoters pass
out flyers on the street?

In the art world, that
you probably know better,

you would call him a curator.
Beat is a "fulfiller of wishes".

He takes people over the
threshold, from reality to dreams.

He knows what people need,
and he knows how to get it.

The secrets he must hear in his club,

the network of people he knows,

all the hidden desires that
he can meet just like that...

invaluable for any intelligence agency.

Who's to handle this assignment?

Emilia.

- She's recovered.
- I'm glad.

This "Beat" may be well connected,

but there are other options.

Why are you so interested
in him, Richard?

What makes him so special?

He's an idealist.

SOUTHERN HAVELLAND BRANDENBURG, GERMANY

We can't afford to make another mistake.

We need results.

You told me once before
about the "perfect" man.

Or should we say boy?

Neither of us knows what
kind of hell we lost him in.

Sorry. We broke down.

- We had to change vans.
- Whose is that?

- Borrowed it from a friend.
- Hope so, asshole. Or did you steal it?

No, I swear. No, I didn't.

- Is there a problem?
- No, he's good. Everything's fine.

Don't worry!

You're a nobody. No one will miss you,

if you make a mistake.

The plug gets pulled and
the music stops, you mean?

This wonderful symphony

of sounds, smells, and sensations.

Do you follow?

And then...

Then not even silence.

Isn't that scary?

Or is it true salvation?

Have to go to work already?

The guy who made my schedule

is definitely on crack.

What are you doing up so early?

I don't want to be here
when those two wake up.

Gotta go, too.

- But I can still come to the party later.
- Cool.

You've got Ryffco in the line-up, right?

Ryffco's super lit, yeah.

- Can you get me on the guest list?
- No way.

- C'mon please.
- If you don't pull your weight for three months,

I have to take corrective measures.

- You never even get groceries.
- Yeah, I know.

You get it? If you don't do your
shit, pretty soon I can't either.

Yeah, I get it.

If we ever get square one day,

maybe I'll get you back
on the guest list. Okay?

Janik... no.

- Hey.
- Yo, man. What's up?

The playboys suck. You feel me, right?

- Okay.
- Make the green stuff again.

They move better.

- And cook me a good mix for tonight.
- I'll cook you something good.

- Got something to wake me up?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah

Are those the new glasses?
I thought they'd be bigger.

Hey!

Good morning.

Seen what's happening online?

It's like all of Europe
wants to come tonight.

- So? That's good.
- Yeah. But all of Europe won't fit in.

- And I'm "the door".
- Ah, come on! No one says "no" like you do.

- And I get called a Nazi!
- No, you won't.

- Everyone loves Fraulein Sundström, right guys?
- Yeah! We love you!

Love you too!

You have to clear
things away, then wipe,

or you'll need a putty
knife to get it off. Nani?

The cleaners are here and it's
still a mess. Did your team sleep in?

And can you kick the
clean-up guys in the ass?

- The more glasses everywhere, the more...
- Broken glass there is. I know.

That's a very nice bag. Crocodile?

- Present from Janine.
- Oh man!

When are you coming in tonight?

The in-laws are coming for
dinner. It'll probably get cozy.

Cozy?

It's your club.

It's not cool if people think
you don't care about it all.

A short line, just a really short line.

Two for me...

When do we rage like we use to do?

- Yeah, mhmm.
- We'll party again soon, okay?

Where'd you get the
money for the new lights?

We'll talk, okay?

Will you take Ryffco for a nice meal?

Something nice. I'll take him
to the finest places I know.

Papa's gone out.

- Hey, sweetie!
- Hey Beat! Man, come on!

Hey! Back off.

- I'm on the list, man. Janik.
- Where? I don't see you.

- Who's opening tonight?
- Cosmo.

- He's doing a good job.
- Mhm, he's not bad.

Bro!

Have I not been here for that long?

- You guys have seriously invested, man.
- I don't know how Paul does it.

- This is the first time in weeks that I know which city I'm in.
- That bad, huh?

Since July, airport

hotel club.

Everything is spinning
faster and faster.

Sometimes I think the
old days were better.

God is evil.

- Okay.
- He must be evil.

Because it is written that
he created us in his likeness.

I wear a cross.

- And you? Do you wear a cross, too?
- Ah, no.

I turned mine in at the coat check.

Your cross is the same as mine.

Branded into our hearts.

Do I know you?

- Can you smell that, too?
- No.

Go further in. It stinks like hell.

- What of?
- Pathology.

- What?
- Something's rotting, man.

Lenny?

Lenny!

Turn the music off!
Hey! Turn the music off!

How could anyone do that?

Move forward!

What is wrong with you? People
are freezing, their stuff's inside.

Nobody goes in!

- How much longer?
- Please be patient, this is a crime scene.

- Yes, but their clothes are still inside.
- You heard me.

- Fucking cops!
- Thanks, I heard that.

So you should.

- That's right!
- Beat! Man, what's going on?

- Bodies hanging from the ceiling?
- The cops are in charge now.

Are the drugs gone?

- Paul Hoffmann?
- Yeah.

- You own the club?
- Yeah.

They're waiting for you. My
colleague will take you in.

- Please take him in.
- And who are you?

He's my partner. He organized
the party. Can he come in, too?

Nice. The decorations too?

Enjoying yourself?

I suggest you go on in,

- and we'll go to the station.
- Why?

- Careful. Just some questions.
- Take it easy.

- What's going on? We could go togeth...
- You understand what I just said?

Hey, wait. This way, please.

- Please!
- Make way, please! Thanks.

Last name Schlag, first name
Robert, born January 7th, 1989.

Address: 7 Koblianski Street.

Where's that?

Warsaw?

That's right. I'm just visiting.

So, Mr. Schlag. You were in
the club early this evening?

I assume there were no corpses
hanging from the ceiling then?

No.

When did you leave the club?

Sometime around seven.

Who else was there then?

- Nobody. They'd all gone home by then.
- So you were the last one there.

Before they all came back
to work at what, around 10?

- Who came in then?
- Bar staff. Technicians. Security.

Your wife.

That's a lot of folks.

I guess someone would have noticed,
if something had been put there.

I guess so, yeah. Good!

Yeah, then it must
have happened earlier.

While you were there.

Show him the photo.

Pretty heavy shit, huh?

He has a criminal record.

Battery. Possession of drugs.

It was self-defense.

Both were.

Getting funny now, huh?

Well, I have one too.

Let's see what's in your
pockets, Mr. Party Promoter.

- You don't have the right.
- Cocaine, MDMA, pep...

Only customs can do that.

- I'll show you exactly what I can do.
- I'm a witness. That's all.

Your pockets. Empty them.

Empty your pockets.

Can you come for a second?

Now?

My friends and I...

We totally love your parties
in the "Building Block".

"Sleepless" and so on. Dancing, fucking

- What's your favorite music?
- Pretty much all of it.

Yeah?

That's the worst thing anyone can say.

Get out.

This is some shit, shit!

Mr. Schlag? We just need you
to sign something in here.

- Okay. I have to take a piss first.
- Okay.

- Then come straight to me please.
- Yeah.

I was just getting that little
asshole where I wanted him.

Man, it stinks in here, eh?

Then Schmittke says let the little
faggot go, orders from above!

- I don't believe it.
- Shit.

You go to the game this weekend?

We got our asses kicked again.

I don't know why you do it to yourself.

- Tasmania, man!
- That's my club!

You don't have to go to
Hertha. What are they now?

- League Five?
- Berlin League.

Oh well, love comes in
all shapes and sizes, huh?

Well? How'd it go?

Wipe your nose, it's still white.

Want a smoke?

No thanks.

So, need a ride somewhere?

Tell me where to go.

It's good. Straight ahead'll do.

My name is Emilia.

I'm originally from
Minsk. That's Belarus.

Can't make it out.

Been in Germany for over 20 years now.

Russian-German.

Okay.

I'm from Berlin. That's Germany.

Beat. Well, Robert's my
name, everyone calls me Beat.

Nice to meet you.

Why were you at the station?

I was there just for you.

You move pretty fast.

Well, then

Is techno the only thing you believe in?

Are you a part of a cult or what?

We didn't meet by accident, did we?

- Why were you really at the station?
- I made sure that a guy

with a pocket full of coke

walked out a free man and got
taken to his best friend's place.

Now that you mention it, there
is something I believe in.

Not screwing with other people.

Blue.

Jonathan's still up.

All right?

You gambling?

- Hello, Beat. I can't sleep.
- Hi, Beat.

- None of us can sleep tonight.
- Your turn.

- Even if you're completely wiped.
- Red.

Johnny heard all the fuss.

We've been playing
Uno for an hour. I'm...

- totally exhausted.
- Okay, Johnny.

Let's try again, okay? Off to bed.

Will you tell me what happened today?

Of course.

What, didn't they tell you?

- No.
- Why didn't...

Okay, here it is.

In your Papa's club...

a guy tried to count
backwards from 1,000

without falling asleep.

- Really?
- Yes. But he couldn't do it, of course.

- But that's easy.
- It's not!

- You couldn't do it. No way.
- Sure I could.

- I'd like to see that.
- You should show Beat, huh?

Come one.

See you when you're done.
But no cheating, buddy.

I see what you're doing.

I'll make you a drink.

How often have we talked
about what could happen?

A bombing. Shootings.

And then this nightmare happens to us!

It's sick shit, huh?

What was it? Was it a warning?

To the club? To you? You
in trouble with anyone?

No. At least not that I know about.

- What?
- There was a guy there.

This freak. He came up behind
me. He dressed way too warm.

- He had kinda tilted his head like a bird.
- And?

I dunno. He was weird.

Much too chilled.

- Did you tell the police about this guy?
- Bro! I'd never tell them.

And financially?

Everything good?

- Why do you ask?
- I worry sometimes

that you've bit off
more than you can chew

This place here, the club...

Money isn't really an issue.

- You know...
- Paul!

Johnny says he can't go to sleep
without you. Can you check on him?

Man!

What a night!

Beat.

Beat!

- How far d'you get?
- To nine hundred and sixty three.

Okay.

Then keep going.

You got this.

I've seen some crazy things at work.

But that, tonight

That scared me.

I'll look after you.

A Hungarian politician
was attacked yesterday,

we have a cyber attack on
European power companies,

and discussions with MI6 on
swapping intel are not progressing.

In other words, we share my
bagel and you have five minutes.

- Good morning, Emilia.
- Morning, Karen.

I prepared the dossier.

I have to delay our briefing by an hour.

Eleven AM.

- I fully realize you had to act.
- I had no time to plan it.

- The cops already had him. Thanks.
- You did the right thing.

But now the local police
know we're interested in him.

I don't think that will
be a problem for us.

The info was relayed
to the top brass and

to mix metaphors, it'll
be swept under the carpet.

Still, we have a whole
new situation now.

Maybe it's no coincidence that
it happened now and in that club.

We'll have to look into it
anyway. And use the situation.

I compiled an updated file
for you from the investigation.

Talk to Beat about it. He
knows the "scene" inside out.

Maybe this way we'll get him
on board for our real mission.

He's probably only interested in
who came in and ruined his party.

You don't seem to be
that convinced about him.

The decision has been
made. He's our man.

- But if you ask me personally...
- We need him.

We can't place one of our
agents inside the club scene

We have to turn someone on
the inside into one of us.

Yes, I know. I'm just a
bit surprised at why him?

He's not exactly stable.

Okay, here I am.

What do you want?

- Long story.
- If it takes too long, I can always leave.

Have a seat.

I've often wondered
what it would be like,

to talk to you about everything.

About the past and so on.

But now I'm a bit nervous. I mean

You were always like a
hero for me back then.

You were always bigger
and stronger than me.

You didn't take any shit.

I thought that was great.

I always wanted to be your friend.

Friend? I don't know you.

Then for a long time I
really thought I hated you.

Everything was just about you.

And the only person,

who ever looked after me
was only interested in you.

Now think hard, Beat. Well?

We know each other.

- You were in Hermsdorf.
- Make a line!

Together, all sing!

Look.

My treasures.

Remember?

They always played this.

You don't remember.

Of course not.

I was always unremarkable.
My mother even told me so.

- "You're so unremarkable."
- You aren't anymore.

"Unremarkable." You don't say
things like that to your child.

Anyway,

then she gave me away.

One more abandoned child to the pile.

That was me.

What's your name?

- I asked you a question.
- I didn't really like the music at the club.

- I like German Schlager music.
- A little boy in knitted trousers.

From the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Those decades, it was best then.

I wasn't yet even born.

And I wasn't yet dead.

Evil...

is always present in goodness.

Only one can tell us what the other is.

Only evil

can show us what good
is. And vice versa.

They're intertwined.

Inseparable.

I didn't believe it
for the longest time.

But now I know it's true.

We can't only be good.

In order to be good, we
must sometimes also be evil.

Where's that little psycho?

Get his ass over here, okay?

And the girls in the club?

Did you kill them?

How can you think that?

I'm just asking.

It made me so sad to see them.

Believe me. But the people in
the club, they were bad too.

They should have looked
more, but they just ran away.

You had nothing to do with it?

No.

I could never do such a thing.

- We'll stay in touch, okay?
- No. Don't bother. No need for that.

Robert?

When evil approaches,

one should know which side one's on.

What happened yesterday
was sick. It was barbaric.

Everyone's in shock!

And you were there?

Let's talk about Chris.

Okay.

Thanks for taking an interest.

For real, the Watergate is a decent club

and Chris would like to perform there.

- But you know how it works.
- No, I don't.

- How does it work?
- Don't give me that look. Rules are rules.

You make the rules. You're an agent.

With respect, six of your artists
have played at mine this year.

They weren't exactly
geniuses at what they do.

Others would call them crap DJs. I say

they were okay. The
question is why I took them,

- and you know the answer. I want Chris.
- Book six more and we'll talk about it.

- It's your decision.
- No.

No, it's your decision.

If you make a business of
things that were underground,

it'll turn people off and
they'll leave. You know that.

Do we really want to
listen to that crap?

Cindy, I know you like acting the
businesswoman. You're good at it.

People buy it, but I don't.

How long have we known each other?

- Why did I think we'd meet again?
- The thing at Sonar was a show.

And somebody who puts on a show,

would want to know if it goes down well.

Won't you tell me who you
are first, Emilia from Minsk?

Whoever did it was
in the club yesterday.

Last night some of the clubbers

didn't hang around till the police came.

So there are no details of who they are.

Just some images from a security camera.

You're a cop.

Crime scene unit?

So where'd you get the pictures?

ESI.

ESI.

European Security Intelligence.

Interesting. Never heard of them.

- What do you want with me?
- You know the scene. You're an insider.

Help us.

I can't incriminate
people unless I'm sure.

- No need to prove a thing. We'll do that.
- Listen,

Jane Bond. That's some collection
of underground artists you got there,

but they don't slit girls open,

and imitate Michelangelo.

Wait.

I have one more photo for you.

They were 19.

Twins.

Mr. Schlag, you made it after all!

We have your details from last night.

Is that everyone now? Good.

We believe the killer must
have come here at least twice.

The first time, he put a winch in place,

so he could get the bodies up
there quickly upon the second visit.

The doors and windows weren't forced.

So the killer must've had a key.

You have the key on you, right?

- Why do you have it?
- Because I work here.

Beat set this place up with
me. He's always had a key.

- You said there are six keys.
- I have one, too.

- I'm the head bartender.
- I work the door.

- As the owner, I have two.
- So that gives us five.

My new partner has the sixth one.

- The new co-owner.
- Philipp Vossberg.

He couldn't come. I'm
standing in for him.

Good. So, for the record,
all keys are accounted for.

Now we'll talk about

who might have been able to
have a duplicate key made.

Hey...

Beat!

Would you wait up, please?

- Hey!
- We made jokes about a silent partner,

now the cops say there really is one?

You're such a damn purist, you think

- a techno club shouldn't charge entry at all.
- Yeah. That's right.

You have totally no sense for
business at all, Beat, okay?

- Unlike you, I guess.
- No, man! I'm responsible for the club.

I'm responsible for the people who
work here, for Janine, for my son.

What do you think it means for
me that we're getting shut down?

Who knows when we can re-open?

Okay, I'm sorry! I should
have told you, yeah.

But when, bro? You're
hardly ever available.

You're strung out,
you're, always tripping

I brought in a partner to take
some financial pressure off.

I have a family, Beat.

I've got a sick child at
home, it's that simple.

That's the way you're gonna play this?

Fuck you.

Do you know how old you
are? I'll tell you, 28.

- Life goes on.
- It goes on, but in what direction?

You know what the difference is
between us? I know where I belong.

- I have a home.
- I have one, too!

But you make me share
mine with assholes!

Hi.

- I'm starting to get paranoid.
- I've got an offer for you.

- Cocaine, 4,530 euros per kilo? I'll take it.
- A reward for tip-offs.

There are bigger rewards with
gun-running and human trafficking.

Okay, you want me to check
people out and be a snitch.

Dangerous people.

You have no idea who I am.

I checked your bank account and
thought you could use some help.

We know everything
about you. Your friends,

- your favorite drug.
- Which of us should be more embarrassed?

You're 28 and you live like
you're ten years younger.

You're always broke and
you're on drugs 24/7.

- We're giving you a chance to get your life on track.
- By buying me?

- I want to convince you.
- Because everyone has their price?

Not me.

You're right, I am worthless.

And something without
value can't be bought.

And now a quote from Goethe.

"No one is more of a slave,

than he who thinks himself
free, without being so."

"Than he who thinks himself
free, without being so."

"Thinks himself free, without being so."

The music is playing.

- But on the inside, you're hollow.
- Jasper.

- You dance, but your insides are ripped out.
- They want me to take you back.

They know what you did with the bodies.

They're really pissed off.

Go and talk to them.

Tell them it was all your idea,
I had nothing to do with it.

Hey! Jasper! Talk to them.
It was your damn idea.

Try to forget.

I should never have shown you my refuge.

Janik.

Janik. Hey!

I'm so fucked up.

How did all those records get in here?

Hey!

Your friend brought them.

- You just let him in?
- He'd already been in.

He's got a key.

FOR BEAT - YOURS, JASPER

The music is playing,

but on the inside, you're hollow.

You dance, but your
insides are ripped out.

- Sorry, it took longer than I thought.
- It's ok. Leave it there. It's not far.

- The guy in your photos with the hoodie.
- What about him?

He's crazy, a freak. A total psycho.

He was at my place last
night. In my apartment.

He has a key.

A duplicate key.

If he has a key to my apartment,
he could have had a key to the club.

What's going on here?

- Is this the place?
- Yeah.

Go back. I'll do this.

- I'll come, too.
- No.

I'll talk to the police.

- Wait for forensics.
- We're done here, maybe 10 minutes.

- Good afternoon.
- I'd like to see the crime scene.

- ESI? Never heard of it.
- ESI. European Security Intelligence.

This is actually a
matter for local police.

Oh yeah? Is that so?

- What led you here?
- A van.

Owned by a carpentry firm
that no longer exists.

Witnesses saw the vehicle
in the yard at Sonar,

when the bodies were strung up.

What led you here?

What part of secret service
don't you understand?

Please, be my guest.
Just follow your nose.

We've had enough toxic
fumes for one day.

Didn't we agree you'd stay outside?

Did we?

- How'd you get past the police?
- There's a side entrance.

It's all over now. He's dead. You
have nothing to be scared of now.

The guy had a few screws loose,

but he didn't seem
about to kill himself.

We can meet tomorrow at noon,
maybe I'll know more then.

We won't be meeting again.

I'm not a snitch.

In my world, we don't
talk to people like you.

Sorry to disappoint you, but
we have a problem with Beat.

Just let him go.

In his eyes, working with
people like us is evil.

But I think he'll
understand pretty soon.

Evil is always present in
goodness. They're intertwined.

In order to be good, we
must sometimes also be evil.

He'll understand.

Just give him some time.