Queen of the South (2016–…): Season 3, Episode 4 - La Fuerza - full transcript

Teresa flees Europe and starts fresh in Phoenix, Arizona, where she must deal with a commission of cartel bosses and a corrupt local sheriff.

TERESA: Previously on
Queen of the South...

MAN: (speaking Spanish)

-Are you working for Camila?
-No.

JAMES: Since
the first day we met,

I've been trying
to keep you alive.

Whether you wanna believe it
or not, I'm still trying to.

But you have
to trust me.

You want me to trust you?
I don't even know you.

Why did you come back?

I wanna do things differently.

So I'm asking you.
Please let me in.



No more cat and mouse, General.
I want blood.

When will she get
what's coming to her?

Today.

Do you think she's trying
to move against me?

That's why we need
to make our own moves.

When the heroin business
is up and running,

we won't need her or Reynaldo.

Took us six months to build
what we have here in Malta.

You burn Rocco,
and you burn it all.

I knew we were
gonna rob a bank.

(gunshots)

(grunts)

(panting)

(yells)



Whoo!

If I ever see you again,
you're gonna be screaming.

(tense music)

(water turns off)

(bell dings)

(country music playing)

You all right?

Yeah.
It's been a long trip.

How far is your place?

Not far. It's just up the road.

(tires rustling on pavement)

POTE: I smell pork.

JAMES: My money's
on the sausage.

Not there, cabrón.
There.

JAMES: Easy.

We should go.
Excuse me.

Check, please.

That's County Sheriff Jed Mayo.

Harassing illegals
is his favorite hobby.

I'll show him
my pinche papers.

JAMES: Don't call attention.

The good news is he's for sale.
Worst case.

(police radio chatter)

OWNER: What the hell is this?

I already paid you
sons of bitches this month.

This ain't the place
for that kind of tone.

Here, boy.

Hey!

Mm.

(ominous music)

*

MAN: Please, please.
No, no.

(engine turns over)

(both speaking indistinctly)

(speaking Spanish)

POTE: I don't know
about this place.

*

TERESA: There's dirty cops
everywhere.

I have to stop running
at some point.

We'll make it work.

*

*

We've got just that
one access road coming in.

These pole cams set up to alert
us to any uninvited guests.

And that perimeter fence.
Be careful. It's electrified.

You gotta be kidding me.

¿Qué pasó, Pote?

JAMES: Charger and Tonto,
they work for us now.

I know some local players.
They've got good distribution.

But not consistent product.

I've been working on
something since Malta.

We're gonna sell
on the dark web.

I have a guy.
His name is Ivan.

He's built me a site.

Didn't work out so well
for the Silk Road guys.

Rocco was insane.
But cryptocurrency makes sense.

It's safer.
Less risk.

And less profit.

What kind of volume
can we move that way?

We're gonna connect with
a thousand mid-level dealers.

People who can handle,
I don't know, a kilo a month.

We're never gonna
have to meet them.

We're gonna ship
through a legitimate front.

And get paid
with cryptocurrency.

Mail-order cocaine?

You said you wanted a better
way of doing business.

Arizona's carved up
by five narcos.

JAMES: Nothing comes in and
out without their say-so.

They're called "La Comisión."

But the power between
the five isn't an even split.

There's Taza.
His tribe controls the border.

So everything
goes through him.

And Pecas,
he brings in the most product.

He's the boss.

We're gonna ship
out of state.

We won't be cutting
into anyone's territory.

No, but we still need
to transport through it.

JAMES: They cut a deal with
that corrupt Sheriff Mayo.

He makes sure no one else's
product can get through.

And they pay him
a pretty penny for it.

About seven miles out that way
is a mass grave.

It's filled
with the bodies of dealers

who thought just
what you're thinking now.

Set up business here.

And don't give
La Comisión a taste.

(indistinct shouting)

JAMES:
The graveyard of ambition.

Trust me.

We wanna break into this
market, it's gonna cost blood.

(tense music)

(chimes clinking)

CAMILA: (speaking Spanish)

(ominous music)

CAMILA: Mucho gusto.

(speaking Spanish)

*

Muerte.

(dramatic musical sting)

Teresa.

EPIFANIO: (grunts)

*

(gunshot)
(gasps)

(breathing heavily)

(line trilling)

LOYA (over phone): Camila.
-I need you to come.

Right away.

REPORTER: This roadblock
you see behind me,

is intended to put
a stranglehold on smuggling

along the I-10 corridor.

It's an operation being
spearheaded by a man

with a deplorable record
of civil rights abuses.

Sheriff Mayo, what is your
response to those who say

that you are unfairly
targeting Mexicans

-during these sweeps?
-You call it profiling.

I call it
common sense policing.

And I'm doing the job that
the voters of this county

elected me to do.

REPORTER: Sam Espinoza,
Action 12 News.

(foreboding music)

-Hey.
-Hey.

If La Comisión has
the Sheriff in their pocket,

why is he setting up
roadblocks on their routes?

Maybe he just wants
a bigger piece of the action.

Like I said,
he's just in it for himself.

Can you get us a meeting?

JAMES: With La Comisión?
You sure about that?

TERESA: Yes.
-Yeah, I know some people.

I can make a call.

Thank you.

Yeah.

*

I don't know what
you want me to tell you.

Really?

It's not like she's on her own.

-Yeah, I know that.
-I've got nothing for you.

The DEA lost sight of Mendoza
when she got burned in Malta.

Then you need to work
your sources harder.

I want her found.
Do you understand?

Just how much access
do you think I have?

I'm still on suspension.

And I just gave you one of
Boaz Jimenez's shipments.

400 kilos for you to look good.

You think that comes for free?

-Do you?
-Camila, calm down.

Don't tell me to calm down.

You know, that woman
took everything from me.

Shit.

-It's nothing.
-It's something.

Come.

It's a small cut.
Hold it here.

It's not as bad as it looks.

Sometimes I wish
I had a different life.

*

Sometimes we all do.

*

This is not a good idea.

I don't care.

*

(moaning)

(panting)

*

POTE: We're buying a winery?

TERESA: We can't operate
from James' compound.

We need a base.

WOMAN: [indistinct speech]

POTE: Is that
who I think it is?

Oh, it's so good
to see you, girl.

Yeah, that's her.

Good to see you,
Kelly Anne.

You look great.

POTE: The red hair
don't fool me.

KELLY: So the realtor said I
could give you the grand tour.

This is the main room,
obviously.

There's a wine tasting bar
over there.

How soon can we close the deal?

Uh, pretty damn quick.

The owner's desperate
to unload.

And I've already got a straw
corporation set up

to be the owner of record.

The police looking for you?

Officially,
I'm a missing person.

KELLY: And it's Priscilla now.
By the way,

those papers you gave me
worked like a charm.

Wow, that's a heavy door.

Okay, here we go.
Isn't this cool?

It's like our very own
little Batgirl cave.

(electronic music)

We can put our
production down here.

Oh, guys.
Those stairs there,

kind of takes the wind out
of you a little bit.

Okay, so these big silver
things, uh, uh,

I think they're vats.

That's where
they make the wine.

KELLY: Yep, over here
there's a tunnel that leads

off the property here.

So...
(grunts)

KELLY: You know, for security.
-If you say so.

TERESA: Thank you, Kelly Anne.

Are you kidding? God knows
where I'd be without you.

-How's Tony?
-Oh, good. Yeah.

He loves his new school.
Oh, he made the soccer team.

He's getting good grades.

TERESA: He's big.
KELLY: Yeah, I know.

Everything's taken care of
with the money you gave me.

But, you know,
he asks about you.

It's too dangerous
for him to see me.

It's better this way.

I understand.

Okay, well,
what do you guys think?

Is this our new home?

-Let's make an offer.
-Oh, deal.

Bring it in for a hug, girl.

You want a hug too?
(cell phone vibrating)

Nope? No. He's not--(giggles)
He doesn't hug.

*

-Yeah.
JAMES (over phone): It's on.

We meet with La Comisión
in two hours.

I'm ready.

*

I just got word the DEA seized

another one of
Boaz's shipments.

300 kilos of cocaine.

And a surprise,

100 kilos of
Mexican brown heroin.

Colombians will not be pleased.

Another seizure,
and Boaz is bringing in heroína

behind their back.

No way they're gonna
stand for this.

CORTEZ: You will be hearing
from Reynaldo soon, I'm sure.

Not even that niece of his
will defend Boaz on this one.

*

Mom, you wanted to see me?

Yes.
Excuse me, General.

Is everything okay?

It's about the Widows' March.

I don't want you to come,
Isabela.

It's not safe.

You know, it's a protest
against the cartels.

And there's been threats.

We're honoring
Papi's memory.

How could I not be there?

Your father would insist
upon your safety above all.

You know that.

What aren't you telling me?

You know,

I told you that

my nana believed in omens.

And she was always right.

I had a nightmare.

I'm not gonna let you
do this by yourself.

I already lost Papi.
I'm not gonna lose you too.

(tense music)

JAMES: We're meeting
at a casino owned by Taza.

His tribe put all
their assets into it.

When it failed, that's when
Taza turned to selling drugs.

They meet on Taza's territory,

but it's Pecas
who calls the shots.

He's the redhead
with the temper to match.

We don't wanna cross him.

*

TERESA: And the others?

JAMES: They carry
their weight.

But it's Pecas and Taza
we need to convince.

If they like us, we live.

They don't, we disappear.

PECAS: That's the business
you should've learned.

Ooh.

Because you have bigger balls
than any man I've ever met,

to come and sit at our table
with a $10 million bounty

on your head.
(chuckles)

Saludos, chica.

10 million is a finite number.

I'm here because I'm confident

I can make you more than that.

JAMES: Thank you
for meeting us.

We know you're busy men,
so we'll be brief.

"We"?
(shushes)

PECAS: Go ahead, Miss Mendoza.

I've come to ask for
safe passage for my product.

Each one of you kicks in
8% of your profit.

You share risks and provide
each other with protection.

What I'm offering
is an extra contribution.

You have a lot of enemies
back in Mexico.

PECAS: We would not want
those enemies to become ours.

Perhaps you'd be better off
taking your business

out of Arizona,
while you still can.

What if I brought something
else to the table?

Oh, I'm sure we could
think of something.

(chuckling)

Sheriff Mayo.

What do you know about Mayo?

He's setting up roadblocks
on your routes

to get more money out of you.

What if I could do
something about him?

Perhaps we're getting a little
ahead of ourselves here.

If Hangman Jed were
to disappear tomorrow,

our days would be much lighter.

That said, with him,
we know what we've got.

Mm, but lately
he's become unreasonable.

Greedy.
Cutting into our profits.

PECAS: This isn't Mexico.

You know the kind of heat
something like that would draw?

You all have a deal with Mayo.

You can't move against him.

But I can.

Let me help you.

Okay.
Mera mera, we'll play.

PECAS: You get the Sheriff
to stand down,

you can write your own ticket.

Consider it done.

Thank you.

*

CASTEL: My uncle put me in
a plane as soon as we got word

of the load getting seized.

I'm as appalled as you are
about what Boaz did.

Boaz and I have spoken.

He has agreed
to make restitution to us.

He moved heroin
behind our back.

It's a matter of trust,
not finance.

Our primary concern right now
is that he shore up the leaks

in his operation.

CASTEL: It's clear he has
una rata in his house.

It's lunacy.

We've reached
an accommodation with Boaz,

so there's no need for you to
concern yourself any further.

Are we clear?

Thank you, Castel.

General.

(ominous music)

*

They're still backing
that hijo de puta.

Yes, Boaz cut them in
on the heroin.

While they're making money
with him, we cannot touch him.

Not without losing
our supplier.

Well, tonight's march
is about Epifanio.

We're gonna get
his business back.

And the Colombians
are gonna turn on Boaz.

If heroin wasn't enough,
then we'll do more.

IVAN (over tablet):
It's pretty heinous stuff,

and you can't un-see it.

When are you
arriving in Phoenix?

Tomorrow, I've got a laptop
with your sales system set up,

and I'll secure your location.

Great, I'll see you tomorrow.

-Great.
-Bye.

James.
Look at this.

I sent Ivan looking for
something to use against Mayo.

MAYO: (grunts)
(thud)

MAN: (crying)

MAYO: Quit whining.
Stay awake.

MAN: (screams in pain)

MAYO: Little bitch.

Maybe we should just kill him.

TERESA: I had Ivan leak
the video to this reporter.

JAMES: Sam Espinoza.

He's been after Mayo
for years now.

Now he's got him.

(bilingual hip-hop music)

*

Mmm.

*

General.
¿Qué pasa? Qué pedo?

You seem to be in high spirits
for a man

who just lost 400 kilos.

I'm trying to...

take it in stride.
(sniffs)

CORTEZ: Is that what
I think it is?

The Colombians wanted me
to find the rata.

I found the rata.

Cochi's got some great skills
with the knife, no?

Hah, who's laughing now,
pendejo?

(laughs)

I hate to tell you this, compa,

but I can say
with all certainty,

you decapitated
an innocent man.

CORTEZ: There's your rata
right there.

Camila's been talking to
the DEA agent that set her up?

Is this even real?

I'm afraid so.

Camila is playing you.

She wants the business back.

And you?
What do you want?

I simply want to be
at the right hand of someone

who's got a hold
of this business.

I realize that you have

a delicate situation
on your hands.

What, just 'cause our kids
are engaged to be married

you don't think
I'll kill the bitch?

Did you forget?

BOAZ: Camila better watch
her ass and her damn head.

Damn it!

(tense music)

*

JAMES: As soon as
the Sheriff's out the way,

his roadblocks will stop.

La Comisión, they own
border guards, you know?

They can wave
our shipments through.

(chatter on police radio)

James.

TERESA: The cops are coming
in this direction.

(sirens wailing)
Let's go.

(tires screech)

Freeze.
Do not move.

JAMES: It's Mayo.
How the hell did he find us?

(suspenseful music)

*

Show me your hands.

*

REPORTER: (speaking Spanish)

MAID: (speaking Spanish)

CAMILA: (speaking Spanish)

*

Get down.
Let's go.

Come on.
Go.

Why aren't you taking us
to jail?

Well, I never said
you were under arrest.

MAYO: But we do have business
that needs to be settled.

MAYO: Let's get out.
Get out.

Get out.

On your knees.
Put your face on the ground.

Oh, my God, it's the reporter.

I think you know
Mr. Espinoza.

I don't know
who you think we are.

Hey, hey, hey, let's cut
the bullshit, shall we?

Save us all
a lot of time and grief.

You wanted my attention, right?
Now you got it.

Then let's keep it between us.
You can let him go.

MAYO: You're the one that
brought him into this.

Poking around my business.

And then out of the blue,
this reporter calls me,

starts telling me
about this video he got sent.

So I'm thinking
you sent it to him.

Get up.

On your knees.
Get up.

Look at me.
Look at me.

He asked me
if I have any comment

before he goes
public with it,

like he's fixin'
to stick it up my ass.

Gonna stick it up my ass.

-Like he's got me by the balls.
SAM: (grunts)

MAYO: So, you know, he says
that to me, and suddenly,

I got a question for him.

(suspenseful music)

*

Hold this.
Hold this pen!

Stick it out there.

That's good.
You keep it there.

(breathing rapidly)

Okay, so, my question is...

Is the pen

truly mightier than the sword?

Don't do this.

(muffled whimpers)

MAYO: Ah!
SAM: (muffled screams)

It would appear not.

(whimpering)

(blade swishes, sloshes)
SAM: (gurgles)

(grunts)
(body thumps)

From the look of things,

you should not
have sent that video.

MAYO: This is my town.

I got eyes everywhere.

You think I don't know
who you are?

You think I don't know you got

a $10 million bounty
on your head?

We can double that
for you in cash.

We'll give it to you and we'll
get out of Phoenix tonight.

You think I just started
this life yesterday, son?

I'll stay with you until
someone brings the money.

-I'll stay with you.
MAYO: You shut up.

You'll stay with me?

Yeah, you'll stay with me.

Tonight.
Time and place of my choosing.

MAYO: Try and play me, my first
call will be to Camila Vargas.

Aaron, put this woman
in my car.

AARON: Come on.

This way.

Bury him.

After all, it was you two
got him killed.

*

*

(woman vocalizing)

How could you
let them take her?

We didn't have a choice.

They were gonna kill us
right there.

They would've had
to kill me first.

He could be selling her
to Camila right now.

Mayo's a greedy pig.

If he could get
more money out of us,

that's exactly
what he's gonna try.

They wouldn't have
left me alive otherwise.

When they meet
for the money drop,

we get one shot.

We have to take
the Sheriff out.

Him and his deputy.

If he show his face.

(cell phone vibrating)

Are you all right?

I'm fine.
Listen.

There's an old drive-in
in Mesa.

I'll shoot you the address,
okay?

That's where he wants to meet.

TERESA (over phone):
Send Pote with the money, okay?

I understand.

One hour.

POTE: She wants us
to take the Sheriff out.

Are you sure you
can even handle this?

You worry about Teresa,
not me.

(engine revs)

(somber music)

TERESA: Why do you treat
your own people like this?

Why you say that?
These ain't my people.

I'm my own people.

Anyway, it's for
their own good.

(baby crying)

MAYO: You see that little
mocoso there?

It's criminal what his parents
are doing to him,

the kind of life
they're condemning him to.

Me, I was born right here
in Arizona.

This is my state.

My county.

But some people still don't
see it that way, you know.

They see this handsome face,
and they see a criminal.

A welfare leech.

And you know why?
It's because of them.

That's why.

I cannot tell you how many
times I've gotten my ass kicked

by white kids
when I was growing up.

(chatter on police radio)

I gotta be twice as hard
on my own kind

to change people's perceptions.

All my life I've been hearing
about White Man's Burden.

Then I finally come
to realize that

I'm laboring
under Mayo's Burden.

It's like it's my own
personal cross to bear.

It's what it is.

(cell phone vibrates)

TERESA: He's on his way
with the money.

MAYO: If I get even a whiff
that something's off,

you're dead.

REPORTER: (speaking Spanish)

*

(tense music)

*

Okay.

Bring it here.

You're not touching shit
while she's still in the car.

Boss?

We're gonna get out
nice and slow.

Don't do nothing crazy
and get yourself shot.

*

["Everybody Wants
to Rule the World" playing]

*

(singing in Spanish)

*

MAYO: Aaron?
What's up?

*

Ah, shit.
The money's fake.

POTE: Run, Teresa.
MAYO: Shoot at the bitch.

*

Ah!

*

(gunshot)

*

Let's go, let's go.
Vámonos.

*

*

(grunts)

*

Mami!

Mami, no.

(groans)

*

Isabela, it's okay.

*

REPORTER: This was the scene
a short while ago

after a shootout involving
two police officers.

We have few details
at this time,

but we're told Sheriff Mayo
is in critical condition.

JAMES: If he survives,
we're done.

La Comisión will
come after us hard.

I thought you were
a better shot.

You know why this happened.

JAMES: You were ten feet
away from him.

You missed.

POTE: Teresita.

They hurt me bad in Malta.

I've been trying to fix it,
but it's not getting better.

Why didn't you tell me
how bad it was?

Because I am a soldado.
This is all I know.

This is what my father
raised me to be.

If I cannot take care
of my patrón,

I don't belong here any more
than you--than your gabacha.

I might not be able
to fire a bullet,

but I can take one for you.

And I will.

REPORTER: Reporter Sam Espinoza
remains missing at this hour.

His wife has told police she
hasn't heard from her husband

in two days.
Espinoza was investigating...

Let's get one of these bags
and replace it with real cash.

And deliver it to
the journalist's wife.

Anonymously.

JAMES: Good idea.

CASTEL: We are so relieved
that you're safe.

My uncle is beside himself.

The worst part of it

is that it was a desecration
to Epifanio's memory.

CAMILA: The sicario
was one of Boaz's men.

You still expect me
to lay down to him?

You do what you need to do.

CASTEL: You'll get no
interference from me or mine.

Thank you, Castel.

Give my regards to Reynaldo.

I will.

(ominous music)

*

Now we have
the Colombians' full support.

I couldn't have done it
without you, General.

Boaz fell in your trap
like a hen to a fox.

Heroin was your idea.

But you knew

that photo of you
and Agent Loya

would push him into an attack.

Bravo to both of us.
Salud.

Salud.

(groans)

I'll mobilize my men.

We'll move on Boaz immediately.

An attack on the Governor
cannot go unanswered,

especially one that left
a poor, innocent widow dead.

Speaking of which,

that double you hired...

You could've done better.

CORTEZ: Closest I could find
on short notice.

Not everyone has
a figure like yours.

*

*

Hi, congratulations, missy.
We own the place.

KELLY: Your tech guy's
been here all day.

We're ready to go.

Everything is set up
for point of sale.

IVAN: Your work space is
air-gapped and soundproofed,

meaning that you are
impenetrable to surveillance.

JAMES: And we've set up
infrared cameras

all around the property.

With redundancies,
in case we get swept.

What does that mean?

Oh, we installed a backup
in the main room,

so if one set of cameras
is shut down,

then we have another one
up and running,

and the entire system
is linked to your phone.

Thank you.

Who else can see this?

IVAN:
Anyone you give access to.

(chuckles)
It's a--it's a bit Big Brother.

But trust me, you need it.

And...
congratulations, Teresa.

Your wine club is
up and running.

IVAN: You're live
on the dark web.

We've got some company.

TERESA: It's La Comisión.
You guys stay here.

(tense music)

*

TAZA: You have a lot
of heart, girl.

I'll give you that.

Just give it to us straight.

TAZA: Mayo's in a coma.

Not expected to regain
consciousness.

Good news is the undersheriff
who's taking over for him

comes cheap.

There'll be
a little bit of heat

to keep up appearances,

but he'll play nice,

seeing what happened
to his predecessor.

PECAS: You lucked out,
mera mera.

You put us all
in a world of shit,

but still we come out
smelling like roses.

Do we have a deal?

But you haven't heard
the punch line yet.

The guy who found Mayo,
maybe saved his life,

he's an illegal.
(laughs)

PECAS: Tell me God
doesn't have a sense of humor.

Answer the question.

(speaking Spanish)

Are you gonna invite us
for some wine or...

Of course.

(cell phone vibrates)

Ah, business.

I have to take this.

Hey, it's Pecas.

Came across a little
something here in Phoenix.

You might be interested.

There's only one way

the Sheriff
could've known about us.

Someone in La Comisión
sold us out.

One of them probably cut
a side deal with Mayo.

If not all of them.

TERESA: Taza backed me.

Pecas tried to stop me
from moving against Mayo.

JAMES: I'd say
he's a likely candidate.

(chuckles)

(exhales deeply, clears throat)

(wine glasses clinking)

To our prosperous future
doing business together.

*

TERESA: To our future.
Salud.

*

(film reel whirring)

(typewriter keys clacking)

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