Episode 5 of The Serpent commences on a fateful March 11th, 1976. As the phone rang at Charles' complex, Nadine's hand trembled as she picked up, only to learn that the police were on their way, imminently. Yet, with Charles looming over her, she masked her knowledge with a casual nonchalance. Trapped beneath Charles' sinister grasp, Herman frantically scrambled for a way to rescue Nadine before the clock struck midnight. He dialed frantically to the police, pleading for their assistance to save her.
Back at the complex, Ajay and Charles cast suspicious glances towards Nadine, even concocting a cocktail for her to sip. Her nerves were frayed, and they were only exacerbated when Marie was summoned away by Ajay. Then, the Major's command rang out, and the police swiftly converged on the complex. Paul attempted to buy them some precious time, but the traffic clogged the road, leaving him stranded.
In private with Charles, he confronted Nadine about Dominique, eventually confessing that he knew of her involvement. He masked his rage with a deceptive calm, punching Nadine sharply in the stomach and dragging her upstairs. But thankfully, Paul arrived in the nick of time, rescuing Nadine from the brink of disaster. She whispered to Paul in a hushed tone, urging him to bide his time until all three suspects were within the confines of the apartment. Otherwise, she and Remi would meet their doom.
The tension mounted like a pressure cooker, the situation at a stalemate until Ajay and Marie finally returned. Charles' eyes narrowed, and he instructed Marie to adorn herself with all the sparkling jewels scattered around the apartment. They lay motionless on the floor, awaiting the inevitable raid. The police descended, but as Charles was led away, his gaze fell on the apartment's floor plan sketched on the wall. Now, he knew the truth: Nadine was the culprit.
We rewind two days, where Charles, Ajay, and Marie all cast a suspicious eye towards Remi and Nadine. They bided their time, waiting for the inevitable police raid. Charles dispatched Suka to purchase an unprecedented amount of jewels, boasting to Ajay that they would now be able to move freely. The scene shifts to the police station, where Ajay, Charles, and Marie emptied their pockets, surrendering all their jewelry. Believing that all three were doomed and destined for prison, Herman and his gang sat in jubilation, toasting to their imminent victory.
However, the fleeting respite was abruptly shattered when Herman's phone rang, summoning him from the station. Tragically, the records did not align with Alain Gautier, but instead erroneously labeled Charles as David Gore. This misidentification left the police without a legitimate reason to retain their custody, despite the fraudulent passport. Within a mere three hours of their arrest, the trio was left with no choice but to be released. Herman desperately pleaded with the officers to detain them for a little longer, but they relented only until noon. This decision sparked controversy among the sergeants, who refused to aid Charles and chastised his daughter for her involvement.
Meanwhile, Herman encountered an American investigator named Gilbert Redland, who was also probing the disappearance of a missing girl—Teresa, of course. Joined by Redland, they returned to the police station and confirmed the passport's falsity. Redland entered the interrogation room alone to confront Charles, with Knippenburg awaiting outside. He grilled Charles about Teresa, paying keen attention to his accent. Finding no breakthrough, he shifted his focus to Marie, who, upon seeing a picture of Teresa, let her cigarette burn unnoticed. This piqued Redland's interest, motivating him to delve deeper into the case. His investigation revealed that David Gore was another victim, a person who had fallen prey to Charles' and his group's nefary plot of drugging and robbery.
Unfortunately, Charles managed to bribe the officers, securing his release from prison and allowing him to slip into the night undetected. Nadine entered the scene to investigate, only to find Ajay swinging a torch aimlessly. She was irritated by his presence as Charles hastened to meet Suda. Grasping his suitcase, Charles possessed everything he needed—fake passports and diamonds alike. As rain pelted his car, Herman realized that all their efforts had slipped through their grasp, like sand through an open fist.
