Oh?

Lugasov :

Comrade Charkov. 

Valery!

The KGB :

Yes, Professor?

Lugasov :

My Associate was arrested last night.

The KGB :

Oh? 

Lugasov :

I mean no disrespect…

but I was wondering if you could tell me — why.

The KGB :

I’m sure I don't know who you're talking about.

Lugasov :

She was arrested by The KGB.

You are the first deputy chairman of the KGB.

The KGB :

I am.

That's why I don't have to bother 

with arresting people anymore.

Lugasov :

But you are bothering with 

having us followed.

Aide :

I think the deputy chairman is busy.

The KGB :

No, no. It's perfectly understandable.

Comrade, I know you've heard The Stories about Us.

When I hear them, even I am shocked —

But We are NOT What People Say

Yes, people are following you.

People are following those people.

You see them? They follow me.

The KGB is A Circle 

of ACCOUNTABILITY.

Nothing More.

Lugasov :

You know the work we're doing here.

You really don't Trust us? 

The KGB :

Of course I do.

But you know 

The Old Russian Proverb : 

“Trust but Verify.”

And The Americans think that 

Ronald Reagan thought that up.

Can you imagine? 

It was very nice speaking with you.

Lugasov :

I Need Her.

The KGB :

So you will be accountable for her…? 

Then it's Done.

Lugasov :

Her Name is…

The KGB :

I know Who She Is.

Good Day, Professor.

Lugasov looks very glum — he feels SEEN, 

as The Kids like to say these days.

No, that went surprisingly well.

You came off like A Naive Idiot.

And naive idiots 

are not A Threat.

I'll come back when 

The Paperwork is complete.

- Are you all right? - They didn't hurt me.

They let a pregnant woman into a room with a --

It doesn't matter.

They were stupid.

I was stupid.

Dyatlov won't talk to me.

Akimov, yes, Toptunov, yes, 

but Valery, Akimov his face was gone.

Lugasov :

You want to stop? 

Is that a choice I even have? 

Do you think the fuel will actually melt through 

the concrete pad? 

Lugasov :

I don't know.

A 40% chance maybe.

I said 50.

Either way, the numbers mean 

the same thing: "Maybe."

Maybe the core will melt through to the groundwater.

Maybe the miners who I've told to dig 

under the reactor will save millions of lives.

Maybe I'm killing them for nothing.

I don't want to do this anymore.

I want to stop.

But I can't.

I don't think you have 

a choice any more than I do.

I think, despite the stupidity, 

the lies, even this you are compelled.

The Problem has been assigned, 

and you will stop at nothing 

until you find An Answer.

Because that is Who You Are.

Lugasov :

A Lunatic, then.

A Scientist.

Did you know that they were running a safety test?

Yeah.

There's something else.

Akimov says they shut the reactor down, 

and Toptunov confirms it.

They pressed AZ-5.

Apparently not soon enough.

No.

They say Akimov pressed AZ-5, 

and then the reactor exploded.

If it had been just one of them, 

I would have put it under faulty memory 

or delusion even, 

but they both agreed.

They were adamant.

Comrade? 

Do you think it's possible? 

I think it makes no sense.

I think it's what I would say 

if I was trying to cover 

my own mistakes.

But? 

I believed them.

Then you should pursue it.

We have to pursue every possibility, 

no matter how unlikely, 

no matter what or who's to blame.

I'll go back to the hospital and reinterview 

Akimov and Toptunov.

If they're still awake.

They're not.

Khomyuk.

To Hell with Our Lives.

Someone has to start 

Telling The Truth.

You think the right question 

will get you The Truth? 

I know they're listening! 

There is no truth.

Why didn't you press the AZ-5 button? 

We Did.

And that's when it exploded.

I don't want my men here 

one more second than they need to be.

If these worked, you'd be wearing them.

Vasily — We're gonna have a baby.

Do you have any idea what you're dealing with? 

People are going to hear.

What is everyone gonna hear? 

We have to pursue every possibility, 

no matter who is to blame.

This entire region must be completely evacuated.

How many men do you require? 

Approximately 750,000 men.

A Ukrainian Babushka is in her barn,

milking her cow.

Boy Soldier :

It's time to go.

Did you hear me? 

This is an evacuation.

You understand? 

You have to come with me.

Babushka :

Why? 

Boy Soldier :

Because They told Me, 

so now I'm telling you.

Everyone in this village, everyone.

It's Not Safe here.

There's radiation in the air.

What's wrong with you? 

Babushka :

Do you know how old I am? 

Boy Soldier :

I don't know.

Old.

Babushka :

I'm 82.

I've lived here my whole life.

Right here, that house, this place.

What do I care about ‘Safe’? 

Boy Soldier :

I have A Job.

Don't cause Trouble.

Babushka :

Trouble? You're not the first soldier 

to stand Here with a gun.

When I was 12, The Revolution came.

Czar's Men.

Then Bolsheviks.

Boys like you marching in lines.

They told us to leave.

No.

Then there was Stalin and 

his famine, the Holodomor.

My parents died.

Two of my sisters died.

They told the rest of us to leave.

No.

Then The Great War.

German boys.

Russian boys.

More soldiers, 

more famine, 

more bodies.

My Brothers never came home.

But I stayed, and I'm still here.

After all that I have seen…

so I should leave now, 

because of something 

I cannot see at all? 

No.

The Boy Soldier's Commanding Officer 

has entered The Barn

Boy Soldier :

Just one moment! 

Boy Soldier :

It's time to go.

Please stand up now.

This is your last warning.

! BANG !

He Shoots The Cow. 

In The Head.

Commanding Officer :

It's time to go.

Come on.

Point four.

Point six.

Fifteen.

Legasov.

I'll meet him there.

The Atom is a humbling thing.

It's not humbling, 

it's humiliating.