Episode 3 of "The Kollective" unfolds with the solemn ambiance of Joshua's funeral serving as its backdrop. As the final dirt settles on his grave, the members of the Kollective, Maya among them, grapple with the decision to press on with their investigation, yet they find themselves at odds over the best course of action. Delia champions the idea of exposing their findings on the Congo saga to the world, whereas Aaron and Lucas caution against taking on such formidable adversaries, fearing they stand little chance of victory.
Maya, seeking to broker peace, urges them to take a deep breath and proceed with caution. She advocates for meticulously building their case, filling in every informational gap, and upholding the very values of ingenuity and credibility that have defined their work thus far. Her plea resonates, and they collectively agree to reconvene online later that evening to scrutinize the CCTV footage sourced from the vicinity of the convention center in Kinshasa.
Lucas, in tandem with Etienne, secures access to surveillance tapes from adjacent structures, piecing together a narrative that intertwines the genuine Ivanov, his impostor, and an enigmatic third figure. This mysterious individual is captured handing Ivanov a pen, subsequently entering an SUV from which emerges the faux Ivanov, who then strides confidently into the building.
Delia is convinced they possess a story worthy of publication, but Etienne stands firm, contending that without concrete proof of Lusamba's poisoning, their assertions amount to mere conjecture. As their virtual meeting draws to a close, they assign Lucas the mission of uncovering more about the mysterious man, leveraging facial recognition technology and his credit card transactions captured on a separate CCTV feed, far removed from the convention center.
As Delia makes her way back to her abode accompanied by Joshua, Aaron sets off to rendezvous with his estranged father. Unbeknownst to him, Joshua stumbles upon an unexpected scene: his father, a renowned pianist, indulging in flirtatious banter with a woman within the confines of his own chamber. Discreetly, Joshua shuts the door behind him and opts to await further developments from the hallway.
The pianist father, agitated by a recent Kollective article that spotlights Aaron and their family name in an unfavorable light, invites Aaron to a gala celebrating his knighthood and to participate in a documentary chronicling his life's achievements. Meanwhile, Lucas uncovers crucial details about an enigmatic individual employed by a Budapest-based firm named 27 Black. Driven by the trail of money, Delia resolves to delve into this lead in the Hungarian capital.
Aaron, on the other hand, prepares to attend his father's soiree with the intention of engaging Alexander Potugin, a prominent newspaper tycoon with a checkered past involving insider trading in Russian mining stocks before his public persona makeover. Aaron believes that Potugin may hold the key to unraveling the mysteries surrounding the events in Congo.
In Budapest, Delia enlists the aid of Julia Petrova, a seasoned journalist, to assist her in her investigation. Maya furnishes Delia with the necessary information but cautions her about Julia's unconventional methods. At Julia's residence, they embark on an in-depth probe into 27 Black, with their initial discovery being a dubious law firm representing G&D. Julia reveals that she has been trailing this law firm for years, yet obtaining information on G&D proves to be a formidable challenge.
Determined to break through this barrier, Julia and Delia devise a bold plan. They focus their attention on Patricia, a paralegal at the firm, whom Julia has been monitoring. Leveraging Patricia's indiscretions, they blackmail her into providing them with the elusive information about 27 Black, resorting to unorthodox tactics in their relentless pursuit of truth.
Despite assisting Julia in the midst of their blackmail scheme, Delia is haunted by the morality of their actions, recognizing the collateral damage they inflict upon an innocent civilian's life. Julia, unwavering in her conviction, believes that any means justify the end in the pursuit of truth. The following morning, Delia awakens to a chilling discovery: Julia's deceased dog lies at the foot of her bed, an ominous presence. Julia speculates that the neighboring rat poison might be to blame.
Their blackmail strategy proves fruitful as Patricia relinquishes vital information about the individual behind the alias "27 black," complete with a photograph and contact number. The revelation stuns them: it's Ivanov, alias Anatoly Sugalov. Delia entrusts Lucas with the task of tracing Anatoly's recent communications, focusing on the crucial hours preceding Lusamba's demise. Elsewhere, Aaron arrives at the festive gathering, unaware of the unfolding drama.
Concurrently, Lucas and Etienne delve deeper into Anatoly's background, uncovering his employment at Signal Institute, a clandestine sports drink factory doubling as a research hub. A chilling detail emerges: all researchers at Signal have been entangled in morally questionable endeavors, under the auspices of the Russian Ministry of Defence. Among them is Vasily Fedorov, a scientist whose research focuses on Novichok, a nerve agent mirroring the circumstances of Lusamba's tragic fate.
The Kollective inches closer to uncovering the truth, yet the missing link remains: connecting Sugalov to the impersonator who administered the nerve agent to Lusamba—the faux Ivanov. At the party, Aaron's revelation shocks all present: during his tenure in Russia, he encountered Simon Kuzmin, a former military comrade of Sugalov who was deeply involved in arms trafficking alongside Ivanov. Empowered by the truth, Aaron decides to bare his soul during an interview, exposing his narcissistic father's quest for power, which rested on instilling fear in others.
The Kollective harbors a tale of intrigue, yet Delia is convinced they can unearth more through Vasily's conduit. In this pursuit, Julia places a call, assuming the guise of Kuzmin's secretary, to Vasily, seeking the intricate details of the Congo incident. During their conversation, they ascertain that Lusamba met his demise via a nerve agent administered through skin contact. Furthermore, Vasily reveals that the Kollective's agents meddled in their schemes, compelling them to revise their strategies on the fly.
With all the evidence meticulously assembled — the article, videos, photographs, and the call recording — they unveil the article, which swiftly garners a hundred thousand views within mere minutes. That evening, as Delia and Julia exit a bar, Delia receives a call from Lucas, informing her of their article's viral success. Julia precedes Delia to the car, only for it to explode the moment she turns the ignition. Devastated, Delia returns home and seeks solace in Aaron's arms, her heart heavy as she weeps into Joshua's embrace.
As the episode draws to a close, Aaron receives a call from Sugalov. He warns Aaron that publishing his name and image in the media was a colossal blunder. Sugalov's employers are dissatisfied, and Aaron is left with no choice but to concur with aiding Sugalov if he wishes to uncover the truth behind Joshua's fate.
