Miami Vice (1984–1989): Season 3, Episode 8 - Better Living Through Chemistry - full transcript

Resync By Chuck ;D

[Cheering, Shouting]

(Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf)

[Crockett]
You got a happenin'place here, Mack.

I love Miami, man.

It's like a cultural
renaissance, huh?

Come on, Henry.
You gotta loosen up, man.

This woman is "no" interested
in your I.Q., man.
[Spanish]

I've seen this kind of
mental block before, man.

Happens to all great artists.
Happened to Hemingway. Don't worry.

He'll get over it.



Mack, how you doin', my man?
Listen, I want you to meet Ricardo.
Ricardo Cooper here.

He's in.
[Tubbs]
Mack, my man.

Evans says you can move weight.

Much as you've got.
That's good.

See, Mr. Cooper, I'm gonna turn
the substance market on its ear.

Yeah? How's that?
American ingenuity, pal.

That's right.
Rock or flake.

Absolutely pure.

Hundred percent synthetic cocaine.
Couldn't grow it any better.

- Guaranteed.
- You got weight on this?

Couple of weeks,
you can get all you want.

Say "cheese," baby.
Cheese.

What's happening, Izzy, my man?

What's this Batman suit
you got on?



Don't touch the threads, man.
What'd you say?

Don't touch the threads, man.
This is mine.

Hey, who's the whale over there?

Ecuadorean genius.

Flown in by your own boss, Mr. Mack.

Really?
Yeah.

He's a magical chemist
of very exciting substances.

Yeah, I'm changin'
my social status, man.

I conglomerate now only with intellectuals.
Knowledge is power.

And the power base,
according to lacocca,
is based on loyalty.

Izzy, I don't wanna hear it.

You hear me?
I don't wanna hear it!

All right?
Bye-byel

Come on, party!

[Deejay On P.A.]
Ricardo Tubbsl

He's made.

Ladies and gentlemen,
we are blessed tonight...

with the presence
of one of N. Y.P.D. 's finestl

Not now.
We'll take care of this cop later.

[Crockett]
It's unbelievable.
Six months of undercover work...

to a bunch of
mouth-breathin'ex-bikers,

only to get blown out of the water
by a million-to-one shot.

It happens.

It happens that
he almost got shot.

Where does he fit in?
Clarence Batisse?

He was a New York cop,
and he was my partner.

Is he involved with Mack's gang?

I doubt it.

He was a good cop.
Also a good man.

So what happened?
He got dismissed from the force.

It was a bad shoot.
Was it?

It was questionable.
[Sighs]

Clarence shot a bookie
during a numbers bust.

I.A.D. Investigation
hinged upon my testimony.

Clarence said that the guy had a gun.

Since I was the only other cop
on the scene-

I never saw a gun.

We need to know if he's involved.
What else do we have on Mack?

Nada.
D.E.A.'s lab is gonna test this today.

But if Mack's genius
has synthesized cocaine,

we got a problem with no solution.

Might wanna check with our pal Izzy.

He was out hustlin' last night.
Some fat guy and two of Mack's goons.

The guy with Izzy-
That was Mack's chemist.

The fat guy?
That's him.

See what he's got.
I want this one fast, gentlemen.

(Tequila - The Champs)

[Dogs Barking]

[Izzy]
Doggyl Dogs, get down
Come on in.

Come on in.
I'll put the dogs in the bar.
They love it in there.

Whoo, Izzy!
You gotta be breakin'
half a dozen ordinances in here.

[Spanish]
Let's go.
Hey, man, it's a temporary situation.

Yeah, yeah, we know.
Your uncle's dogs,
misunderstanding with the track.

Please, spare me the details.

You know, these dogs have completely
changed my lifestyle, man.

They keep me up all night.
I can't get any sleep.

They've learned how to turn on
the video equipment.
[Gunfire On TV]

Hey, keep your paws
off the video equipment,
Fidel, Canseco!

I know who you are.
[TVShuts Off]

If I could just teach them
how to clean up after themselves.

I wonder who's gonna clean up after Mack
when his boys splatter you
all over the highway...

for gettin' his cocaine chemist drunk.

No, no, no, no, no, no.
This is a completely
legitimatized escort service, man.

I have, uh, contracted
with these gentlemen...

to, uh, help their boy wonder,

who is a serious social paralytic.

You see,
his "pre-exhibition" with sex...

has caused him to have a block,

and he can't do his work properly.

Well, what else does
this boy wonder do?

Eat. A lot, man.

He's up to 275 already, man.

He completely devours
my business expenses.

Izzy.
However-

However,

as a man of commerce...

who is imbued
with the industrialist spirit,

I am not given to pry
into the affairs of my clients.

Izzy, you work for us.

We own you.
So you're gonna tell us everything, right?

That's right, man.

Like a double agent.
Alec Leamas, huh?

Hey, listen, maybe you can do
a favor for me, you know?

Talk to my parole officer,
you know?

You know, explain to her
that, uh, you know,

I haven't returned her phone calls because
I'm out there in the cold, you know?

Don't push it, amigo.

You're about this close
from goin' in as an accessory
to manufacturing narcotics.

- Okay?
- Say no more. Say no more.

I understand completely.
Thanks-Thanks for coming by
and explaining that to me.

I feel terrible about it now.
I just-

I'll take care of everything, man.

Hello?

Anybody home?

Hello.
Hi.

I'm Ricardo Tubbs.
I'm a friend of Clarence's.

He's been expecting you.

Come in.

Thanks.

Ain't life a cabaret?
Eight years. Bang!

There you were.

You almost got me killed last night.

What was that, retribution?

You don't think I had that right?

No, I don't.

I never asked you for much, man.

Just enough to save
my career, my family.

You didn't think
I wanted them to find that gun?

Oh, yeah.
Would have made it a lot easier on you.

Well, the guy was a bookie.
You were into him for two grand.

- I didn't know he held that note, man!
- Well, what was I supposed to do about it?

What I would have done-
stand up for your partner.

I did not see a gun, Clarence.

That's the difference
between you and me.

I would have seen
whatever you told me you saw.

Come on. Let's go outside.

[Sighs]
You know what it was, Rico?

My friends stopped callin'.
My wife's friends stopped callin'.

Even the kids got it at school.

Finally, I just wanted to eat my gun.

It's no wonder they left me.

Two years later,
Emeretta killed herself.

I'm sorry.
Right.

Court gave custody of my kids
to her mother.

Said I wasn't fit.

So now I got a new career.

Five days a week, I play the hits.

Not bad.

The guy you're workin' for-
He's the wrong guy, my friend.

Who, Mack?
Yeah.

I just spin the platters for him.

You're a cop.
You got cop's eyes.

You can't not just see things, man.

I choose not to see.

It's called survival.

Don't play me on this, man.
Don't accuse me, man.

You've already done that once.

Can this guy move weight?
Same guy that brought the cop.

The guy's a nickel-dime ounce dealer.

So why are we dealing with him?
Just doing a little test marketing.

Hey, man.
Mr. Evans.

Keepin' a man with all
these dead presidents waiting.

Hey, pleasure before business.

She is a beautiful lady.
What is she, four keys at 28 per?

Twelve a pound, Mr. Evans.

You see, we're Americans.
We don't believe in the metric system.

Mm-hmm. Twelve.
Twelve's good.

Keep holding prices like that, my man,
and I'll be back in town,

assumin' that stuff's
as good as you say it is.

You wanna take a ride?

Yeah, I think I might.

See, the dean don't need no test.
I'll just take a little taste of the lady.

I'm sure she won't mind.

Crack it up!

:|

Oh, man!
Oh!

Ohl

What's in this stuff, man?
Oh, Godl

God, help mel

What the hell?
Potency is high.

Yeah.... He pumpin'?

Probably a variation in the pH.

[Typing]

[Printer Whirring]

[Whistles]

Left-handed isomer.
Stuff's potent.

Yeah, we know.

Crockett watched a guy
bounce off the floor with it.

This mixer they've got is good.
He's closer than anyone I've seen
to synthesizing the molecule.

I think they guinea-pigged
your buyer.

He's got an ecgonine-type compound here
a hundred times more potent
than cocaine.

All he's gotta do is clean up the analog
and cut the hell out of the potency.

If he can do it cost-effectively,
we're in big trouble.

Well, how much more trouble
can we be in?

It'll be legal.

Tucker said it's as close
as she's seen an underground guy get.

If this blimp's found a way to cut
overhead on synthetic production,

he'll be able to undercut
the entire market,

which will kick off
one hell of a drug war.

We'll be pickin'up bodies for weeks.

[Speaking Spanish]

[Continues]

Señor Sangres says that
he hears that you got yourself
one genius chemist,

and also that
he can supply distribution...

to a very large segment
of the Hispanic community
that you can't...

and that you can both
maximize your profits...

by becoming partners.

[Spanish]

Tell him I'm not interested in partners.

Sí, partner.

[Spanish]
Ummm...

El Americano

Especially partners
that can't speak English.

[Spanish]

Um- Señor Mack, l-

[Spits]
Tell him.

Uh-

[Spanish]

[Continues In Spanish]

So what did he say?

Uh-

Just some kind of meaningless comment
about certain-

certain female persons...

in your family.

He is a wise guy.

Excuse me.

Yeah.
I need some petty cash
to get some new tapes.

Tiny, give him 500.
You got it.

By the way,
thanks for the tip the other night.

No problem.

Tell Sangres he can take away
Mack's chemist tonight.

11:00 sharp at the club.

(Sledgehammer - Peter Gabreil)

She likes you, man.
She's in love with you. Huh?

She's singeing the atmospherics.

Huh? Am I right?
Huh?

Hey, she understands you, man.
She understands.

She understands the pressures
that you are under.

Invite her to dinner, man.
Yes, throw kisses. Throw kisses.
More kisses.

Invite her to dinner.
She'll go. She'll go. Hey-
Iz, my man.

You and the chemist
wanna party at the beach?

Lead the way, amigo.
[Spanish]

[Yells]

[Screaming, Shouting]

Get down! Get down!

D.A. Wants us to shut down.

Pull Mack off the street.

Short-circuit a probable drug war.

They'd just be out in a day.

We'd be back to square one
with no shot at the missing chemist.

No answer.

What's the word on Sangres's gang?

I'm beginning to wonder
if that's who we're interested in.

Meaning?

Meaning our friend Clarence
isn't at home,

and I'm wondering how he,
his girlfriend and Izzy...

were able to waltz out of
a 300-round-per-minute firefight.

For that, you got him
tried and convicted?

No, sir.

But I'm also not gonna
bend over backwards
with misplaced guilt...

tryin' to protect him either.

He was my partner, Sonny.

If it were me,
how straight would you be standing?

This came in from New York.
Ever read it?

My requests were turned down.

This is off the record.

Lieutenant.

I gotta go to New York.

It's wrong.
You got 24 hours.

I don't know you.

I popped you eight years back
in a numbers bust.

Maybe.

You made some statements
to I.A.D.

Your partner?

He resigned.
So that's the big deal?

Look, in the report,
you made some statements.

You said that you hid
after your partner went down.

You were afraid that the cop
might waste you too.

So?

As I recall,

you came out from behind that vent
pretty sure of yourself.

[Sighs]
You carry any weight on my stay?

I'm not gonna lie to you, Lucas.

I know you're in here
on some unrelated charges,
but I got some favors owed me.

I might be able to help.

Yeah.

So how about it?

Your buddy have a gun?

He had a piece.

I hid it in the air-conditioning vent.

I knew I'd be out in a day.
The bust was bogus.

Why?

A $400 nickel-plated mag?

You think I'm gonna leave it
for some stiff?

Maybe a bonus for some cop?

What kind of treatment is this, man?

You never heard of
the Geneva Conventions?
[Spanish]

First, you kidnap me.
I agree only with
the criminal theatricalization.

But this goes against
my non-felonious instinctuals.

Chill out, Izzy.
You're gettin' on my nerves.

Speaking strictly, man,
as an impersonal observer-

And you know I have no memory
of anything that has happened here...

if, uh, certain motorcycle types
were to ask me.

But I gotta tell ya, man,
you're making a big mistake.
[TV, Indistinct]

This sack of suet been workin'?

This computer rental's costing me a fortune,
man, not to mention the rest
of this garbage he says he needs.

He's taking a break, man.

He says he's real close.
[Speaking Spanish]

Listen, man, I gotta get some sleep.
I've been up for two days.

You'll get some sleep
when you earn it.

Hey, I am earning it, man!

Hey, our arrangement
was for me to keep the-
[Spanish]

Keep the client satisfied,
and that's exactly what I'm doing.

But this is different, man.
Oh, no.

I wanna renegotiate
my contract with you.

What do you mean, renegotiate?

This is a class "A" felony here, man-

[Muttering In Spanish]

Okay, so you're in the john
and you hear it hit the fan.

What is this?
You want me to draw you a damn picture?

We've been through this twice already.

Look, Burnett,
don't crack wise with me.

Everybody involved
goes six feet down behind this.

This ain't 1969, pal.
[Phone Ringing]

Yeah?

Señor Mack?
Hey, this is Izzy.

Listen, I'm here
with the big guy, man.

We got some problems.
We've been kidnapped by Sangres.
Is Luna all right?

Yeah, yeah. He's fine. He's fine.
He's fine, Mack, for right now.

Well, what does the wetback want?

What does he want?

Well, you know,
I really don't feel like being the, uh,

conveyance of these
ludicrous demands.

[Shouting]

[Shouting Continues]

How ludicrous?

Hey, man, he wants a million.

Dollars.

You tell him he's crazy.
No, no, no.
You tell him he's dead.

Uh, Señor Mack, uh-
[Continues In Spanish]

[Shouting In Spanish]

Señor Sangres says that every six hours,

he's going to hit Señor Luna
over the head with a heavy object until-

until you deliver the entire amount...

in $100 bills.

Yeah, well, how do I know
he hasn't done that already?
How do I even know he's alive?

You need some insurances?

Like a picture or something?

Yeah. I want a picture of you
with the fat freak with today's headline.
Now, you got that?

Sí.
Yes, he agrees.

Uh, he'll be back in touch
with you tonight.

Hey, listen, man,
don't trust this guy, man.

Don't trust-
[Dial Tone]

Hello? Hello?

[Handset Slams In Cradle]

[Crockett]
No, Sangres is smart.

He's not gonna hurt Luna.
You think he already has the formula?

I don't know.

Somethin's wrong.
Why just a million?

Sangres knows how much
that formula could be worth.

And if Luna's already
come up with it,

Sangres would probably just croak him
so he'd have an exclusive on it.

You don't think Sangres has him.

I don't know.

I got a feeling somethin's not right.

You wanna come in?
No, it's not me.
The cover's solid.

What happens next?

Wait for the Cubans to call.
I better get back.

I'm gonna be under for the remainder.

[Spanish]

What's he sayin'?

He says he's got
100% pure synthetic cocaine.

And now he wants to sample the goods,
and he wants me to join him.

I'm going to have to fake this, man.

Drugs tend to upset
my psychiatrical gyroscopics.

[Spanish]

Pachanga, man.

[Coughing]

Luna? Luna?

[Spanish]

We got problems.

You are aware, I'm sure,
of the laws in the State of Florida?

Specifically, man,

chapter 782.04,

which states that
any person killed...

while perpetrating a crime
such as arson,

kidnapping, burglary,
sexual assault or aircraft piracy...

shall be found guilty-

- Come on. Hey, man!
- Hold him up, man.

Can be found of murder
in the second degree,

which is punishable
by imprisonment in jail...

for a term of years
no exceeding life.

Sure, man, if you get caught.

Hey, come on, man.
You got enough, man.

No- Come here, man!
[Grunts]

That's it, man.
That's enough.

Hey, man, you're not being
too intellectual about this.

He's not gonna buy this- this-

Say, these- these pictures
aren't too bad, you know?

This one's no good here, man.
Look at my hair.

Get rid of it.
No, that's-

Wait-

Here's the ticket.
Here's our meal ticket, man.
That's the one.

Melody, I gotta talk to Clarence.

I don't think we have much more
to say to each other.

Where's Clarence?
Gone out.

So when's he coming back?
He's not gonna talk to you!

I don't think you understand.

I found out some valuable information
that I think he needs to know.

And if he's not here,
I'm gonna tell you.

Rico.
Hey, Clarence.

I was just gonna call you
in the morning.

You must've talked to Melody.
Yeah, I, uh-

I haven't been exactly
true-blue with you lately.

What are you talkin' about?

I helped, uh, Sangres
snatch Luna, Mack's chemist.

- Oh, no.
- Man, I needed the money.

But Sangres is in over his head, man.

He'll give Luna back.

He's freaked.
He asked me what to do.

I said maybe you'd cut a deal with him.

I mean, I figured your people
didn't want another gang war.

So, uh, he's willin' to set up Mack,

and he wants to meet with you.

One-on-one,
just the two of you.

Sounds like a conversation I should have.

I want immunity.

The Witness Protection gig,
you know?

I'll talk to the D.A.
It'll fly.

All right.

So when do I meet him?

On the waterfront
at the old marina,

tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.

[Grunts]

[Whimpers]

Got the way to go, man.
[Phone Rings]

Hello? Burnett?

Hang on.

For you.
Hello?

Sonny? It's me.
Can you talk?

Yeah, sort of.
The chemist is dead, man.

He took a hit on some synthetic cocaine.

He mixed up the batch hisself.

I'm not going down on a 782
for this, man.

I had nothing to do with it.

This is a Clarence Batisse special.

Okay. Thanks.

My answering service.

New York called.
They're gonna reopen the case.

Well, it looks like
it's not gonna do him any good.

Sonny was right.
Clarence is involved.

He's gonna need immunity.

He's settin' up a meet with Sangres.

Could you have made the case
without him?
No.

We'd have had nothing.

When?

6:00 a.m.
You need backup?

No, I think it would spook him.

"If you wanna continue
doing business in Miami,

"you will deliver the ransom
to Clarence Batisse...

"who will transport it to me at 6:00 a.m.

If he's followed, the deal's off."

Freakin' cop.
Can you believe this?

Maybe he's runnin' a scam.

Same shades the cop was wearing.

He's involved.

Where you meetin' him?
I'm supposed to go to a phone booth.

Yeah, right.
He'll run you all over town
until he knows you're clean.

But you're gonna call us and
let us know where you're meetin' him.

You wanna make 150 large
free and clear?

- How?
- Whack the cop.

You want the job or not?

Now, don't even think
of tempting yourself here, my friend.

You just show him the green and-
[Spits]

Melody.

Melody, where are you?

I'm here.

We're home free.
A million dollars and sweet revenge
all in one night.

Oh, Lord.

Mr. Mack, it's Clarence.

Mr. Mack, I'm meetin' Tubbs
at 6:00 a.m. At the old marina.

6:00 a.m.
All right.

Is this revenge on Ricardo Tubbs?

Let's see how good he is
gettin' people to believe him.

Well, he's not gonna
take a fall for this, is he?
What do you care?

I owe him, Melody.

You're damn right you do.
More than you know.

What are you talkin' about?

He came by to tell you
he read that I.A.D. Report.

They had never let him see it.

Well, I hope he enjoyed it.

He went to New York
and he talked to the other guy.

There was a gun.
He hid it in the alley.

He admitted it?

Copped to the whole thing.

Tubbs went to
the chief of detectives.

He thinks maybe
you can get reinstated
with back pay and everything.

He's waiting for a call from New York.

Clarence, what have you done?

Nothin' that I can't fix.

Showtime, chowderhead.

You're doin' fine, Clarence.

Where's Sangres?
Rico, listen.

You gotta trust me, man.
This whole thing's a setup.

I'm supposed to take you out.
What the hell are you talkin' about?

When I get next to you,
I'm gonna pull out my piece
and you're gonna get in the car.

Batisse, freeze!

Don't do itl
Miami Vicel

[Crockett]
Batisse, drop it.

Keep your hands where I can see 'em.

[Siren Wailing]
All right, put 'em on the car.

Over here.
You know the routine.

He was gonna take you out, Rico.
Hey, he was tryin' to save me.

Where's Luna's body?

What?
Where's Luna's body?

In the warehouse.

I saw a way to get the money
and pay back.

I hated you so much.

And then after Melody told me
what you'd done,

I realized the problem wasn't with you,
it was with me.

What made you do it?

The Clarence Batisse that I knew
couldn't even conceive
of kidnapping somebody.

The Clarence Batisse you knew
died eight years ago.

I don't think so.
I think there's plenty more on the inside.

We won't need the cuffs.
This man was a police officer.

He'll ride with me.

Resync By Chuck :)