[bird calling]
[people moaning]
[Cal] Hey!
-Hey, you! Remember me? -[grunts]
[Leandra grunts]
Do you know what we do in prison to bitches who fight dirty?
Ones who like to do shit like blinding other chicks?
[grunting]
We pull them aside and we make them understand
that if they have a point to make, they make it in a fair fight.
I'm here to stay.
So let's sort this shit out.
[Leandra grunts]
-Why won't you fight back? -[Lamar] Leave.
Because we've been told not to touch you.
Leave.
Ms. McTeer, we've been expecting you.
And who the fuck are you?
-I work for Adrielle Cuthbert. -[Cal] That's why I'm here.
-I wanna see her. -Adrielle will be back later.
Go.
Wait somewhere else.
Just wait?
This is L'Attente.
It's what the name means.
[Lonstem] Astonishing.
I've never seen anything like it.
You say you work for which museum?
Private collector.
But if it's verified, this will be the find of the decade.
Of the century.
Professor Lonstem, first things first.
What can we read?
Uh, well, um, we can't read it all, but, uh...
These, these glyphs, now these are Sumerian cuneiform.
-This one here, it says-- -"Water."
-Yes. And this one, it means "to--" -"To speak to or call."
You can read Sumerian?
Professional interest.
-That one, I don't know. -Well, that's a mythological logogram.
It predates the Sumerian.
But Gibson Hill, in his Languages of Mesopotamia,
he identifies a symbol much like it.
And what does it mean?
It means "holy one."
And by context, it's a female, but not a human female.
Goddess. So...
"Goddess of the water."
See? To call or to summon the goddess of the water.
-And this one? -Oh, this one's clear. That means "blood."
Is there anything else you can tell me?
Well, you know as much as I do.
But I will have to tell my colleagues about it.
We can carbon date it. We can bring in other experts.
When we tell the world about this, everyone's gonna be paying attention.
Do you really have to do that?
Yes.
[elevator dings]
[siren vocalizing]
[bird calling]
[footsteps approaching]
Who's there?
Colton?
-Hey, babe. -What happened?
-It's all gone to shit. -Not all.
[Violca] She said this could never happen.
The curse isn't real.
[chuckles]
You heard about Jared Butner?
No. What about him?
I killed him.
Why?
He tried to drown me.
Someone bribed him or blackmailed him, one of Stolin's guys.
I lost my fucking temper, but...
What are-- what are you gonna do?
Sort it out.
You did what you had to do.
Augie?
Kill whoever you need to.
["Home Love" playing]
Hello?
I'm trying to find Dylan.
♪ You're counting the days till you die ♪
♪ Romanticizing death And you don't know why ♪
♪ And I won't let you, I will fight ♪
♪ 'Cause it's only once you're alive ♪
♪ I can feel it ♪
♪ You're defeated ♪
♪ And you wanna let go ♪
♪ Oh, my dear friend ♪
[Dylan] I'm gonna look at your eye. Just stand still.
♪ I will guide you home ♪
[Dylan] Does it hurt?
-Yeah. -I'm sorry for that, buddy.
♪ Deep and darkened eyes ♪
♪ You're at a level ♪
Okay, you're good to go.
-What happened to his eye? -I pulled it out.
[Cal] Where are you going?
-[Dylan] Off to one of the islands. -[Cal] Why?
-To get away from these animals. -What do you mean?
[Cal] Well, you're not gonna ask me why I'm here?
Nope.
♪ You're defeated ♪
♪ And you wanna let go ♪
I've come to live at L'Attente.
That's your choice.
You're, like, the only person I know here.
I thought if anyone could show me how things work, it would be you.
Well, you thought wrong. I don't know anything anymore.
Why are you such an asshole? I just need a couple answers.
And what's there to tell? Huh?
Your father fucked a siren and died, that's it.
[Cal] You asshole.
-[Cal] You're not going anywhere. -[Dylan] What are you doing?
[Dylan] Hey!
What the fuck is wrong with you?
♪ You're defeated ♪
♪ And you wanna let go ♪
[water sloshing]
[scraping, thudding]
Cal's not here.
L'Attente. She knows now, right?
She didn't know then. Why didn't you tell her?
Have you considered it was the right decision?
Maybe she's different because it was kept from her.
Maybe that means she's not stuck there like them.
Or here like me.
She doesn't need us.
She doesn't need any of us.
Do yourself a favor. Don't get hurt.
Let her fall in love with another Tidelander.
-You should have told her. -What do you want, an apology? Huh?
You're gonna have to get that from Pat McTeer.
That's not possible, though, is it?
I guess not.
[rhythmic thumping]
[doctor] Good rhythm.
Good rate.
So it's-- it's alive?
[doctor] It is.
And would you like to know?
-He or a she? -You can tell already?
Uh, yeah.
You have...
a very healthy little girl in there.
[chuckles]
[gasps]
This baby changes everything.
I can cash out. I-- I think Cliff would buy the trucks.
We probably won't get a great price,
but enough to move down to the city or up to Cairns.
No.
This will change everything.
And that's why we're not leaving.
[scoffs] How can we stay?
You-- you told me Adrielle won't let you have a baby,
and she's not gonna change her mind.
I know.
But my baby's coming, so Adrielle has to go.
This is dangerous, babe.
And Adrielle, you know how Augie feels about her.
Then maybe he has to go, too.
[Cal] You want some help?
Would you?
No.
[scoffs]
[piano music playing]
-Let's just go back to L'Attente. -No.
Why not?
You wouldn't understand it anyways.
Well, fuck you, then.
Why did you come back here? You should have stayed over there.
I don't belong over there.
-You don't belong here. -Well, I need to fit somewhere!
Augie killed someone.
He just blew his brains out on the fucking floor.
You know, I just came back here for some money.
And then I found out
that nothing was what I thought.
I'm not.
No one there is.
Everything is a lie.
So tell me, have I made another mistake?
And why are you going off alone?
'Cause I think I've been lied to as well.
About what?
Are you coming or what?
Stolin and his guys may arrive in two cars, they may arrive in three.
Doesn't matter.
The only way they can get in is through this door.
Questions?
[Grayson] Jared Butner.
I had to do it.
-Did you? -What, you think I wanted to?
We've been looking after that kid since he was 14.
Exactly. He was just a stupid kid.
Would you say that if you were pulling my dead body
out the back of the Calliope?
An attack on me is an attack on all of us.
-It was just rough, that's all. -[Grayson] Yeah.
Hopefully, that means I won't have to do it again.
-[chuckles] Yeah. -[Augie] Be ready at 4:00.
[Wendall] You're the boss.
Tell me about him.
Who?
This guy Stolin.
He came over from Bosnia as a teen.
Built himself up as an importer.
Cannabis. Ecstasy.
Spread from Geelong to Melbourne to Sydney. North.
Bloody?
Enough so his dealers didn't rat on him.
The feds haven't drawn a single charge against him.
Smart.
Son, we don't want to kill this guy, we need to make a deal with him.
[Cal] So tell me,
exactly what kind of person pulls out a child's eye?
Adrielle told me to.
You've clearly got a thing for her, right?
Oh, come on.
She's beautiful.
Gets off on telling people what to do.
Some guys like a sharp heel in their back.
Some girls like good boys like Corey Welch...
the polite, well-mannered constable.
-Leave him out of it. -Well, you didn't leave him out of it.
How was it? Did he manage to last half a minute?
At least he hasn't mutilated any children.
You're a bit of a bitch, you know that, right?
You've got no idea.
[Dylan] Wait!
Just wait.
Cal, wait.
If you don't want to tell me what's going on, fine.
But I've had a lifetime of fucking secrets.
She won't tell me.
Adrielle.
I've done everything for her.
I took out Gilles' eye for her and...
she's stolen all our money, and she won't tell me why.
Are you upset because you think she doesn't trust you?
-Or... -I'm upset because without her, I...
don't know where to go.
[panting]
[both panting]
-[urinating] -[Edwin chuckles]
Yeah, fuck you, McTeer.
[hand brake cranks]
-[Corey] What the hell were you thinking? -[Edwin] Who's asking?
Turncoat son or asshole cop?
Asshole cop.
Yeah, well, I should have pissed in your letterbox, too!
Cops and smugglers, you're up each other's asses.
At least you and the girl are fucking each other
instead of fucking us guys just trying to get by.
You and her.
Augie and Murdoch. Pat McTeer and Durborrow.
-Thick as thieves. -Pat and Durborrow?
-No. They hated each other, right? -Appearances, Corey.
Appearances. Nothing's ever as it seems.
[keyboard clicking]
[printer whirs]
I hear you pulled in the old man.
I had to.
Good work.
It's a hard thing.
It's not easy being an honest man.
-Town like this. -Doesn't pay, does it?
"Blood."
[gasping, panting]
[chuckles]
Dr. Keeble?
Sergeant Durborrow's autopsy, it's been falsified.
This is not the same body.
-I think you've got some explaining to do. -[sighs]
-What are you doing? -What does it look like I'm doing?
What is this?
-I'm sorting out a problem. -Do you even know who this man is?
-What do you know about it? -Well, it's a small town.
I know about Jared, that there's someone trying to get in.
-I'm not a fucking idiot. -Look, I haven't got a choice.
Aug, fuck, you do. You don't have to do this.
-Mom-- -Jesus, Augie!
What do you want me to do, Mom, huh?
Just let this shit come in and take everything?
No, this is my town, my business. Just stay out of my shit.
[Gregori] To lose a little girl so young...
Do you have children?
No.
Don't be nervous. No one can see us.
The dead keep their secrets.
Jared Butner is keeping his.
Well, we tried.
But Augie is more resourceful than-- than we thought.
And yet here you are.
Why is that?
Look, Mr. Stolin... [sighs]
there's been plenty of death around Orphelin Bay.
The boys and I, we don't wanna add to it, we just want to keep doing our job.
We want stability.
I want it.
[Gregori] It's a lot of responsibility running an operation like this.
-Can I count on you to step up? -[Colton] Yes.
I think it's gonna work out well.
We both want the same thing...
but there is one obstacle.
We just need to say goodbye to Augie.
[phone buzzing]
-[Bill] Adrielle know you're here? -[Lamar] No.
What can you tell me about this?
You've seen it before.
-What if I said I don't know what this is? -I'd say that you were lying.
I'd say a man as old as you, who's traveled like you,
has heard stories like I have.
I've seen two of these.
The first time was a hundred years ago.
The second time was ten.
Both times, I lost people who I cared about.
So now...
makes three pieces.
Fortunately, I don't care about you.
She has dozens of these.
She's spending everything that we have and buying more.
Because whatever this is, she's putting it back together.
Adrielle killed the previous queen because of a single piece.
Imagine what she's gonna do to you.
To us, now that you know.
Who's the other that Adrielle killed?
[sighs]
Come on.
-Where? -Come.
There.
That's where I was found.
Adrielle found you, didn't she?
But your real mother...
Have you seen her?
No.
But I looked every day for her.
[sighs] I would swim, I would dive
day and night, and I would hear them.
Shout at them.
Cry for her.
Do you know what it's like to cry for a mother who never comes?
-And everyone here? -Has done the same.
But no one here has seen them,
not even Adrielle.
Still... [sighs] we hope and we wait.
[Violca] Each knot represents a shipment.
So this is this year's deliveries.
And last year's.
-And the years before. -[birds screech]
So how much do you get, given every delivery?
Five hundred, give or take.
[Violca] So, what we all get.
And how much does Adrielle keep, you think?
For each of these?
Each and every knot.
Five thousand?
Ten thousand?
Where does it all go?
Not to us.
We pay for our own phones, our own food, our own cars and boats.
Bribes.
The smugglers pay off everyone in town.
Adrielle would not like to hear us talking like this.
No, you're right.
She would be furious.
And maybe...
Maybe that's why she's not the right one to lead us.
-Is the madam back? -Not yet.
Um, Lamar.
What is it?
Tell him.
-There's a smuggler called Raxter. -Yes. The father or the son?
-The son. -Colton? What about him?
[Bijou] Violca.
[man] She's back.
[man] Where has she been?
[metal clanks]
[chains jangling]
Who's there?
[seer whispers] She's coming.
Lamar.
Madam.
I wasn't sure you were home.
What are you doing in my private quarters?
I knocked, and no one answered. I entered to look for you.
And what is so important that you were compelled to come in uninvited?
Colton Raxter.
-And who? -Violca Roux.
[waves crashing]
Hi.
I liked your last drawing.
Thank you.
Can I see?
That's you, and me, and our mother.
Ha-- have you ever seen one?
Only in dreams.
And what's that on you?
That's blood. I'm dying.
Where's Dylan?
He's gone back.
To see her.
[Dylan] I have to tell you something.
-You're agitated. -What do you expect?
I can't stay here any longer.
Though you're still looking for answers?
Are you betraying us?
I'm sorry I have to keep secrets.
Especially from you.
You've been with her.
Has she won your heart?
You cannot lie to me anymore.
I won't have to.
[Violca] How do you feel about him now?
Not Dylan, I know how you feel about him.
I mean your brother. That is to say, Augie.
I mean, now that you know he's a murderer.
It's like a McTeer family tradition.
Why do you care?
I just wanna know whose side you're on.
-What sides are there? -There are only two sides.
I believe the madam is looking for you.
Do you believe in curses?
No.
Neither do I.
-[glass thumps] -[liquid pouring]
[footsteps approaching]
What's going on?
I've made a terrible mistake.
[Augie] Stolin's guys are pros, so be prepared and be fast.
Now, we wait till they're all inside before we start shooting.
We can't have crossfire, so no moving once the shooting starts.
That means standing your ground.
-You worried? -About Stolin?
Sure.
Me, too.
Well, I'm glad you're here.
[Augie] Christie Connor.
Remember her?
-I remember her jean shorts. -Oh, short shorts.
Grade ten.
-What were we, 15? -And Christie Connor looked 20.
Yeah.
And I remember you, one lunchtime out on the oval.
She was there, too...
wearing those short shorts, standing in the sunshine.
You looked at her.
She was with her friends, and you said to me...
"Why not?"
Keep it nice and clean. Shoot for the head.
Right.
[chuckles] And I watched you walk right up to her, tall and confident,
and you just asked her out.
-She said, "No." [chuckles] -Yeah, I know.
And now she's in Melbourne or something, twice divorced.
But you asked her out.
It was the bravest fucking thing I ever saw.
I fucking wanted to be you right then.
You should be running this crew, man.
Aug.
Run.
Stop.
Told you.
[grunts]
[pregnancy test clacks]
-[Leandra] You can't be in here. -[Cal] Well, you can't stop me.
-[Leandra] Sorry, Madam, I-- -My sweet, you made the right choice.
Welcome home.
I'm not here to wait for sirens.
[doors close]
-I don't need to be rejected again. -You don't want to see them?
I don't understand why you do.
They don't care about us.
They're our mothers.
They must.
Now, what do you want?
I decided to come here because I don't belong over there.
-Not after what happened. -I heard.
What your brother did to that boy.
He's not my brother.
Look, how Augie keeps his men in line is his business.
But his business is my business.
And recklessness puts us all in danger.
All I want is stability.
The way things were under his father.
-Who will he listen to? You? -I doubt it.
Bill Sentelle?
Colton.
He's Augie's best friend. He trusts him with his life.
Let's speak to him.
["Gassed" playing]
♪ I'm taking off ♪
♪ I've closed the door ♪
♪ As cold as stone ♪
♪ Can't take no more ♪
♪ To be unknown is where I go ♪
♪ I choose to walk this lonely road ♪
♪ Change the flow ♪
♪ I will find my way back home ♪
♪ Back home ♪
♪ I took a step in the water To see if I flow ♪
[Colton] Why did Adrielle send you to get me?
She's worried about Augie.
She thinks he's losing control.
Don't be surprised if she asks you if you want to take over the operation.
Just promise me you'll take care of Augie.
[panting]
♪ I'm taking off ♪
♪ I've closed the door ♪
♪ As cold as stone Can't take no more ♪
♪ To be unknown is where I go ♪
♪ I choose to walk this lonely road ♪
[birds chirping]
The madam's down this way.
[Violca] No, don't, Colton! It's a trap!
[grunts]
Hey, hey, hey! Get off her!
You wait.
-[Colton grunting] -What the fuck is going on, Lamar?
-[grunts] -[Violca] Colton!
[Cal] Oh, my God.
I know you've been unhappy with me.
And that hurts me because all I care about is you.
Some of you are worried about where I'm spending our money,
but you will see I'm spending it wisely.
My duty is to protect you all.
And that means drawing a line between false hope and hurt.
You know the hurt I mean.
I forbade you to foster that awful, hateful lie that we can have children.
But you defied me.
So I have no choice now but to set an example.
No! No!
A queen who does not enforce her laws is not a queen at all!
-What the fuck are you doing? -Run, baby! Run!
[Adrielle] Let her go.
My word is our law, and our law is our future.
-Colton! -Save Augie. He's in trouble!
[screams] No! No!
-[groans] -You fucking bitch!
[Adrielle] We make this sacrifice to our mothers,
the goddesses of the water.
[horn blowing]
[theme music playing]