Snowfall (2017–…): Season 3, Episode 8 - Hedgehogs - full transcript

Run away with me.

Money for the Contras
is pouring in.

You've done enough here.

There are other ways to serve.

Mel didn't come home last night.

She stole my car,
and I found it stripped.

Look, I'm hoping
that you got a better read

on where she could be than I do.

I'll ask around.

You think Mel too good
to smoke rock?

Man, what you think,
we making all this money



'cause this shit
ain't addictive?

Once the rock get ahold

of they ass,

the person you knew, they gone.

- Get in the fucking...
- Damn! Damn!

What the fuck is your problem,
Franklin?

What happened?

Is she okay?

No.

She on the rock now.

- (LIGHTER CLICKS)
- (MELODY INHALES)

("EVERYBODY LOVES THE SUNSHINE"
BY ROY AYERS UBIQUITY PLAYING)

♪ My life, my life,
my life, my life ♪

♪ In the sunshine ♪



♪ Everybody loves the sunshine ♪

♪ Sunshine ♪

♪ Sunshine ♪

♪ Folks get round
in the sunshine ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Feel what I feel
when I feel what I feel ♪

♪ When I'm feelin' ♪

♪ In the sunshine ♪

♪ Feel what I feel
when I feel what I feel ♪

♪ When I'm feelin' ♪

- ♪ In the sunshine ♪
- ♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Yes, yes, yes, yes, now, now ♪

♪ Do what I do
when I do what I do ♪

♪ When I'm doin' ♪

♪ In the sunshine ♪

♪ Do what I do
when I do what I do ♪

- ♪ When I'm doin' ♪
- ♪ Oh ♪

♪ In the sunshine ♪

♪ Oh... ♪

♪ Sunshine. ♪

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

TOP NOTCH: Mm-hmm.
Yeah, you-you see where he looking?

You know, checking that window
for reflections?

You know, seeing if
anyone's approaching

down the opposite street?

And you didn't spot any other
surveillance or support?

TOP NOTCH: No,
it appears he's working alone.

So he's vulnerable.

He's what we call a hard target.

You know, mean he, uh...
he sleeps light,

you know, with one eye open.

You ain't gonna ever really
get the...

get the drop on him.

So, what's next?

Well, I follow him.

You know, bring you back
some useful intel...

You know, where he lives,
you know, if he has a family,

try to find his soft spots.

And say you get yourself caught.

(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)

How's Reed gonna take it
we trying to follow him?

TOP NOTCH: You ain't
got to worry about me.

They don't call the man
Top Notch for nothing.

I know it's scary,
but we need to push forward,

build up leverage,
a protection plan.

Protection plan, and that's it?

That's the only option?

No, there's one
other thing you can do:

run.

Cuba's your best bet these days,

but, you know,

once the CIA got you
in their crosshairs...

Yeah?

...there ain't no real cover.

(HELICOPTER WHIRRING IN DISTANCE)

(DISTANT CHATTER)

(KEYS JINGLING)

She gone again?

(LOCK CLICKS, CAR DOOR OPENS)

I'll put the word out.

(CAR DOOR SHUTS, ENGINE STARTS)

There's got to be a better way.

There ain't.

Teddy?

I've been trying to give you space, but...

it's been weeks.

Yeah, I can't abandon this,
you know.

Not now.

Besides, it's not so bad, right?

Sun, surf, fighting the commies?

We can fight communism
somewhere else.

If Nicaragua falls,
Honduras and Guatemala are next.

I'm not letting that happen.

In a year, I can leave.

Just give me a year.

You know, hedgehogs, in winter,
when it's freezing,

they huddle together
to keep warm.

But then their sharp spines
prick each other,

so they move apart.

But then they get cold,
so they huddle together again,

prick each other again,
over and over.

(ZIPPER ZIPPING)

Okay.

So we're hedgehogs.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Can't be together,
can't be apart.

I'm saying it feels like

we've had this
conversation before.

You can finish this
without me, yeah?

Yeah, she'll come home
for a day or two,

- say all the right things...
- (TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY)

(SIGHS)

Then she'll be gone again.

I, uh...

I can't take her to school,
not like this.

- (INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)
- (SIGHS)

No telling what she'd do
if she was alone.

WOMAN (OVER PHONE): Why
don't you both come?

To Texas?

Take a break from the city.

Bring her to a new environment.

- Hmm.
- Give her a clean slate.

Well, no, I never really
thought of that before.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

You sure it wouldn't be
putting you out?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

Well, I am still suspended
from my job, so...

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

I'll have to think about it.
Hey, let me, uh, call you back.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

All right, love you, sis.

- Andre Wright?
- Yeah?

My name's Kate Miller.

Do you have a few minutes?

Few minutes for what?

I believe we can
help each other.

My agency's knee-deep
in a highly sensitive op,

and I came across your name
during prep.

I'm sorry, what agency?

And how did you get my address?

Detective Han gave it to me.

(WHISPERS): Detective Han...

He's the LAPD'S liaison
to the FBI, DEA, CIA.

We're running at
a Colombian drug cartel.

But you know what it's like
working for

a government bureaucracy.

Higher-ups only want to go after
the head honchos.

Makes for a better
news conference.

But it's the smaller guys
that need to be taken down.

Look, you know, I appreciate you
coming all this way,

but... got a lot of shit
going on, so...

The ones doing damage
right here,

in our neighborhoods...
Dealers like Franklin Saint.

Did you just say Franklin Saint?

A witness recanted,

Saint's file was sealed,

and your job was made
all but impossible.

I'm here to level
the playing field.

(SMOKE ALARM BEEPING)

Oh, shit! Oh, shit!

Shit. Fuck!

Shit. God...

Come on. (GROANS)

(GROANING)

God, come on, man.

We're on the same side,
Officer Wright.

(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)

(DOOR CLOSES)

That's it.

Whoa.

Hold up. (CHUCKLES)

Your keys.

Fuck.

- You all right?
- (SIGHS)

You have a girlfriend, Franklin?

A girlfriend or...?

Nah.

Nothing steady.

You ever been in love?

(CHUCKLES)

You not about to profess or
nothing, right? (LAUGHS)

I think I was once.
I don't know.

You don't know
if you were in love or...?

I mean, I-I cared about her,

thought I could see myself
with her,

but we were young, changing.

Maybe what I thought was right
weren't the thing after all.

Oh, yeah.

See, that's-that's
exactly it, man.

That is just right.
You got to wait...

long as you can so that there is
as little chance as possible

that someone goes and changes
on you, because I'm telling you,

if you make the wrong
decision too early,

then you could end up
tethered to someone

for the rest of your life
who drives you

completely crazy.

And, you know, after all that,

probably,
you'll still be in love with her.

FRANKLIN: All right, man.

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

- Thanks for the advice.
- (ENGINE STARTS)

(CAR DEPARTS)

Man, I swear I'm good for it.

Nigga, you ain't good
for shit, a'ight?

- Kick rocks.
- But I got prospects, for real.

Look, look, I'll be back after
my shift with... What you want?

- Diapers? Batteries?
- Get your ass out of here.

- Fuck you doing here?
- Well, what the fuck it look like?

- Nigga, it look like you slinging
on my corner. -Your corner?

Only sign I see say Walnut,
not Bitch-Ass Bootsy.

Lil' Lee want a sign, huh?

- Lil' Lee want a sign?
- Yeah, that'd be real good.

I'll show you a sign,
motherfucker!

I'm telling you, ain't never
heard him sound like this.

It was real personal, weird.

- Mm.
- He was talking about love, heartbreak.

Well, maybe that's a good thing.
He trying to bond with you.

Nah.
Ain't sound like a good thing.

- Sound like he was fucked up.
- Mm.

Listen, Franklin,
I know you got a lot of shit

you trying to figure out
and sort through,

but Leon and Jerome,
they need to know the truth

- about what we dealing with.
- I know.

And I'm-a tell them, too.

I'm-a tell them.

(SIGHS)

Just got to find
the right time, you know?

You talking about
maybe needing to run.

This is the time.

Besides, I'm tired
of trying to hide shit

- from my man.
- (PAGER BEEPING)

- They found her.
- Mel?

- Yeah.
- Look, Franklin.

Franklin, stop.

I know you don't want to hear
this, baby, but Mel is gone.

You gonna have to let her go.

♪ Like the sound of thunder
and without a blunder... ♪

I look like I'm out here
trying to have a photo shoot?

- You can always pawn it.
- Bitch, why don't you pawn it?

(SCOFFS) Let me guess,
'cause it's stolen, right?

Look, I'll take one rock for it.

Just one.

Just one rock.

What...? Wh...?

(SIGHS) Fuck!

♪ They came from everywhere
just to see... ♪

Got your spies
everywhere now, huh?

- That's right. Come on.
- Don't touch me.

- They're not gonna sell to you, Mel.
- Why?

'Cause you told them not to?

- So you can make the shit, but I can't smoke it?
- Listen.

I'm telling you this as
somebody who cares about you:

You got to stop.

♪ Just a flick of his wrist... ♪

Okay?

You can still get cleaned up.

You can still go to school.

Get your life right.

Come on, Mel.
You and I both know

that you better than this shit.

I know.

♪ So move your butt
and shake your hips... ♪

And I want to get better,
Franklin. I just...

- I don't know if I can.
- You can.

You can,
'cause I'll take you home.

Okay? We'll get you out.

- Okay?
- Okay.

Good.
Well, let's get out of here.

- (FRANKLIN GRUNTS)
- (LAUGHTER)

MELODY: Big man Franklin Saint,

on the ground holding
his little nuts.

Oh, what you gonna do?
You gonna touch me?

You touch me,
my daddy will fucking kill you.

♪ So all you other DJs
take this advice ♪

♪ You don't be a fool
and try to slice ♪

♪ 'Cause when you go
against Yella ♪

♪ You'll pay the price. ♪

Don't page me about
this shit again.

One rock.

(SIGHS QUIETLY)

(SIGHS)

(GRUNTING)

- (CRUNCHING)
- (QUIETLY): Shit.

(PANTING QUIETLY)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(GRUNTS)

♪ ♪

Damn!

(GRUNTS) Come on!

(EXHALES)

(GRUNTS) Come on!

(YELLS)

Where's my fucking gun?!

♪ ♪

(SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE)

(SIGHS)

Look to me like they
fucked you up good, homie.

That motherfucker
sucker punched me.

So y'all was just minding
your own business

and they came up on you?

Nah, man, we rolled up on them,

'cause they were selling
in our territory.

Come on, man,
ain't you been listening?

Nigga, what's the move?
Who we gonna hit first?

Ain't gonna be no retaliation
till I talk to Saint.

Man, fuck talking.
That time is done.

I don't eat no ass,

I don't cuss in front
of my little sisters,

and I don't go to war

'cause one of mine's
got some cuts and bruises.

- This some bullshit.
- No, this some Leon.

See, your problem is,
you got tunnel vision.

Luckily, I can see
the whole field.

Somebody get
this nigga some ice.

That shit fucked up.

♪ ♪

(PAGER BEEPING)

(LINE RINGS, CLICKS)

(MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY OVER PHONE)

Hey, it's Reed Thompson.
What's up?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

Okay, where-where is he?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

Okay. Yeah,
I'll be there in the next half hour.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PHONE)

Okay. Thank you.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(KEYS DROP ON TABLE)

(SNIFFS)

♪ ♪

What the f...

(PANTING)

(PANTING)

Fuck!

No. No.

What the fuck?
(EXHALES SHARPLY)

Okay.

(ENGINE STARTS)

Fuck!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What is all this?

Take a seat, bro.

I want to tell you a story.

- I'll stand.
- Whatever.

You take a bath?

What?

Uh, no. I take showers.

Showers.

I can see that.

Mr. Stand Up,
Mr. Won't Take A Seat.

This morning,
I'm soaking in a tub.

Getting primo fellatio

from a world-champion swimmer...

when Mr. Eddie comes in.

I tell you about
Mr. Eddie, right?

No?

My DEA mole?

Mr. Eddie comes in,

in a tizzy, running his mouth,
and says...

You got to leave town, Rigo.

What do you mean,
"You got to leave town, Rigo"?

DEA's about to come after you.

I'm trying to hold 'em off,
but I'm one man.

- I can only do so much.
- What the fuck?

Why the fuck is the DEA
coming after me?

Because an hour ago,
I was in my office

conferring with my assistant,
and one of my best guys

comes in, happy as a clam,
saying...

The case against the Villanuevas

has been reactivated.

I thought the Villanueva case
was shut down months ago.

Well, now it's reopened.

And Rigo Vasco's
wrapped up in it.

- Who?
- Come on, fuck. You remember.

That rep with
the Medellín Cartel in L.A.

I know where he is.

The only link between me...

and the Villanueva family...

is you, motherfucker.

So tell me, Reed Thompson,

why the fuck is the DEA
coming after me?

I can't tell you, Rigo.
I don't know.

But I can tell you

you don't have to
worry about it.

What?

¿Por qué, hijo de putas?
Why not?

Because my name
isn't Reed Thompson.

It's Teddy McDonald,
and I'm an officer

- with the CIA.
- Yeah, right.

You are the CIA,
and me and my best friends,

we are the Village People group.

I assume you know who we are.

Yeah, sure. I know.

You overthrow governments
and install puppet dictators.

You know how we do that?
We make friends.

Friends who stand to gain
as U.S. interests are advanced.

So my question to you
right now is:

How would you like to be
a friend of the U.S. government?

If you are the CIA...

why the fuck are you
bringing cocaine into America?

Why don't we take a ride?

And I'll explain everything.

- NIX: Holy shit.
- ANDRE: Here we are,

killing ourselves
to keep these drugs away,

and our government
is just bringing them in.

Man.

It's almost too much to believe.

So, what are you thinking?

Burn the whole
fucking thing down.

(SIGHS)

I knew a guy in 'Nam.

He was a sniper.
Best aim I ever saw.

Could shoot the nipple
off a tit from a mile away.

One day,

I see him slip something
into this little tin box.

So I ask him about it.
He shows me.

Inside that box...
I shit you not...

Are 16 goddamn thumbs.

This guy cut the left thumb

off of every single one
of his kills.

Now, you know where
that twisted sack of shit

is working right now?

CI-fucking-A.

(LONG EXHALE)

Yeah.

I heard stories like that, too.

Look, partner...

I know you're hurting.

All this shit with Mel,

that you want payback.

But you go shouting this kind
of shit from the rooftops,

you are gonna have the worst
kind of people after your ass.

So, what am I supposed to do?

Turn my back?
Look the other way?

No, no, no.
No, I didn't say that.

This agency spook...

he don't give a shit about
Mr. Small-Time,

hood rat drug dealer.

We kill this kid,

he'll just find somebody else
to take his place.

So, as far as I'm concerned,

it's still open season
on Franklin Saint.

You want to go after
the problem?

We go at him.

Just like you wanted.

TEDDY: Once I move the cocaine,

I use the proceeds
to buy weapons,

supplies, whatever we need.

And I funnel that back
to the Contras.

So...

what do I get...

if I am the best friends
with the CIA?

(SOFTLY): Huh.

Well, in addition to the money,
I would feed you intelligence

about anybody that, say,
gives you headaches.

The Cali Cartel, your cartel,

local police, my DEA,
your government, whoever.

I keep you safe,
you keep my secret.

- It's a true partnership.
- (CHUCKLES)

And if I don't want to partner
with American government, what?

Kill me.

Cut me into little pieces
and dump me in the ocean.

And then...

in addition to the DEA,

you can add the CIA
to your list of enemies.

If I say yes,
do I get a Rolex Submariner

that can deflect bullets?

Do we have a deal?

You have a big boss, right?

I meet him,
and we make this official.

Welcome to the CIA.

(CHUCKLES)
Well...

(DIALING)

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

(PAY PHONE RINGS)

Reed Thompson,
to what do I owe the pleasure?

Avi, listen to me.

There's been chatter
on the wire.

We got to shut everything down
for a minute.

- What?
- You got to... you got to get

out of town, okay?
You got to lay low.

I-I can't tell you any more
for right now,

but you got to get the fuck out
of that house, and don't even

stop to pack your bags,
you got it?

My bags are always packed. Yuda!

(PAY PHONE RINGS)

Hello?

- Product's coming early?
- (JACKHAMMER ROARING)

No, look, um, we have to shut
everything down for a minute.

What? Wait, wait.
Wait a second.

(JACKHAMMERING STOPS)

(SPEAKS SPANISH)
What?

You got to lay low,
go underground.

Stay off the grid.

- Why? What happened?
- Don't contact anyone.

- You can't go back to Sinaloa, you got it?
- No Sinaloa.

Okay. When are you coming down
to San Ysidro

and check what
I've been working on?

What? No, lay low.

I'm saying, don't contact anyone.
You got it?

Okay. Okay. Vale.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(PAY PHONE RINGS)

Hey, man.
(CLEARS THROAT)

Something's going on.
We've been compromised.

Compromised how?

I don't know yet,
but I'll call you

as soon as I know more.

Wait, hold up.

Somebody broke into my spot.

Could it be related?

Fuck. Fuck.

Broke in how? Was there...
did they take anything?

Nothing missing.

But they bypassed my alarm
and tore up the place.

Okay.
The person I'm thinking of,

you never would have known
she was there.

You just lay low, okay?

I'll, uh... I'll be in touch
when I know some more.

Yeah.

Okay.

(PANTING)

"She"?

He said it wasn't him.

And you believe him?

LOUIE: Franklin, he calls you

right after your place
gets busted up,

tells you shit is going down,

and you don't think
the two is related?

Look, the person who broke
into my spot was angry.

They wanted to destroy it.

This was Andre.

LOUIE: Andre?

How'd he even find your place?

I don't know.
He-he must have followed me.

And your alarm?

Well,
a lot of these cops have...

security system guys
on the payroll.

LOUIE: Okay.

Okay, so...

I mean, we all right, then.

Right? You don't keep drugs
at your place.

You know he ain't got
the badge and the gun.

And from what you can see,
it ain't no cash missing, so...

Something else is missing.

A file.

(FRANKLIN SIGHS)

Detailing all my business
with Reed Thompson.

Franklin, what the fuck
are you talking about?

I kept it as evidence
in case something went wrong.

Wait.
What exactly is in it, son?

Everything.

A written record
of all my business with Reed.

Top Notch's photos
of us together.

Research,
newspaper articles, maps...

all to do with the CIA and Nicaragua.

And you just had this shit
just laying around?

Of course not.
I kept it hidden.

But Andre fucking found it.

Wait, you said that Andre

has pictures of you
with the CIA connect

and 200 kilos of coke?

(SIGHS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

YUDA: Avi.
We have room for the shofar?

No, I don't want this shofar.

I hate it. Come on.

(SPEAKS HEBREW)

Toss me the keys.

(SPEAKING HEBREW)

(BULLET WHIZZES)

(BULLET WHIZZES)

(BOTH SHOUTING IN HEBREW)

(BULLET RICOCHETS)

(SHOUTING CONTINUES)

(GRUNTS)
Go, go, go, go, go!

- (ENGINE STARTS)
- (BULLET RICOCHETS)

(TIRES SQUEALING)

♪ ♪

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

Teddy?

Did you do this?

What happened?

Rigo has a mole inside the DEA.

- Oh, shit.
- Which he informed me of

after I walked
into a room lined in plastic.

A chain saw waiting
on the table for me.

Holy shit, Teddy.

Avi called.

One of his men was gunned down
in broad daylight.

Also, somebody broke
into Franklin's house.

So I'm gonna ask you
one more time.

Was this you,
or was this the Agency?

The Agency sent me out here

to learn every aspect
of your operation,

and then take it away from you.

Ending it was my idea.

(SHUDDERING BREATHS)

Jesus Christ.

You've always known
how I felt about this op.

You blew up my whole operation.

You outed every last one
of my assets.

Have you lost
your fucking mind?!

I could ask you the same thing.

Bringing cocaine into the U.S.?

Exposing yourself,
the Agency, me?

- Covering up murders? Fucking committing them?
- Stop! Stop!

Tell me exactly what you did.
I can fix this.

You can't fix this.

It's done. It's over.

Please just let it go.

(STAMMERS)

We can still walk away
from this together.

- Before you or the Agency gets hurt.
- (LAUGHS)

Sorry.

Walk away from this with you?

You're a traitor.

You're a liar.

And any love that I had for you
is completely gone.

I am gonna salvage this op,

and after I do,
I'm gonna make sure

that you spend the rest
of your meaningless career

in a basement office alone
and so miserable.

And I just don't even care.

♪ ♪

- (DISTANT CHATTER)
- (DISTANT SIRENS WAILING)

WANDA: Hey!

- What you doing?
- Go away, Wanda.

Oh, damn. It's like that?

I thought we was girls.

Bitch, last time I saw you,

you knocked me out and
stole my mama's necklace.

Oh, that's old shit. Come on.

- Let's go to the skating rink.
- I got fired.

- Oh, shit. What about the, uh...
- They changed the passcode.

Shit.

Let's go hustle.

I know this lady, Miss Ethel,
live over on 39th.

She'll hook it up.

- Hook it up h-how?
- What you mean, how?

Look, you knock on the door,

tell the bitch
you selling candy or some shit,

- and then I'll do the hard part.
- You talking about stealing?

- (CLICKS TONGUE)
- I ain't helping you rob no old lady, Wanda.

Come on, what, you-you too good
to get your pretty hands dirty?

Oh.

- You got some on you right now.
- No, I don't.

- Yeah, you do. Give it up.
- No, I don't.

- What the fuck you doing?
- Come on.

Wanda, get the fuck off of me!

Where are you hiding it at?
It's in your pussy.

Get the fuck off me!

I'm sick of this shit!

- I'm going home.
- Well, go on, then.

A'ight, run home to your daddy.

Stuck-up bitch!

(GRUNTS SOFTLY)

(CRYING)

(SNIFFLES)

(WINDOW SLIDES OPEN)

(FOOTSTEPS)

Mel?

Mel, is that you?
(CHUCKLES)

Hey, baby,
I just realized that...

♪ ♪

How'd you get in here?

Same way I have
since I was eight years old.

That my gun?

You went looking for it
in the wrong place.

Put it down, Franklin.

(SIGHS)

I don't suppose, if I asked you
if you told anybody

about this shit,
you'd tell me the truth?

Do you know who
these people are, Franklin?

- What they're involved in?
- Sit down.

Put it in the folder.

Look, you're angry and afraid.
I get it.

But you don't have to do this.

Put down the gun down,
and we can talk.

Ain't nothing you can tell me
I don't already know, Andre.

I know I helped raise you.

You were a good kid, one of
the smartest kids I ever knew.

You're not gonna kill a cop
in his own house.

You took me to that crack den,

gave me a chance,
so now I'm-a give you one.

Forget you ever saw
any of this shit, Andre.

Get out of town with Mel,
and don't ever come back.

Who is this man
that you're protecting?

Huh? You know he don't give
two shits about you.

Leave L.A. forever, Andre.
Disappear.

And just maybe the two of us
can make it out this shit alive.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

Okay, Franklin.

I'll leave now, tonight.

I'll get Mel far away from you,

get her cleaned up
and in school.

But then I'm coming back.

I've put in 18 years
out of my 20,

and I'm not gonna let you
run me away

and destroy this community.

So, you want to play
cops and robbers?

Okay, we can do that.

I'll come back, fresh start,

and it's you and me,
head-to-head.

And we'll see who's standing.

Here's your file.

You ain't a fucking killer.

Now, get the fuck
out of my house.

You're right, Andre.

I'm not a killer.

(SHUDDERING BREATHS)

(GROANS QUIETLY)

(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)

♪ ♪