The Shield (2002–2008): Season 6, Episode 10 - Spanish Practices - full transcript
Vic and Aceveda form an unlikely alliance to expose a mutual enemy.
Previously on The Shield:
- Knock it off.
- Got a goddamn lump.
- I'm not gonna let you ruin my life.
- Sure you are.
- You are my hero.
- Why?
Hanlon. Sorry, I assumed,
the way she talks about you.
- So Dutch has a shot, then?
- Dutch? Sure.
He's been working that
caring-mentor angle.
Your loss, my friend.
- Did you talk to Shane?
- He killed Lem.
- I did what I thought had to be done.
- I see you again and I will kill you.
Just imagine every wrong thing
we have ever done.
Anything happens to me or my wife
or my son...
...that lands on IAD's doorstep.
- I'm Kesakhian.
- I need to speak to the real Kesakhian.
- My father's out of town.
- You think can keep this a secret?
- Long enough for a miracle.
- You think you're running the show?
You'll be my partner in this country.
Who's putting the most cash
into pockets?
- Rezian. He runs the ports.
- He's the one looking to take over.
- You're under arrest.
- Won't let you get away with this.
You don't have people.
Kesakhian Jr's in charge,
so your crew ain't happening.
Sounds like Shane
made a big bust today.
I don't know what arrangement
you have...
...but just know when the chips fall,
they land on Shane's side of the table.
That cop knows what's going on.
We cannot be partners. Be careful.
You just stay out of my way.
Looking to make you as miserable
as I possibly can.
I'll stop by and say hi
when you start your security job.
Vic stole from your father.
Armenian money train?
Got robbed a few years back?
That was Vic.
They asked me to be a part of it.
When I said no, I became a threat.
I have to deal with him too.
- Wait, I didn't tell you that.
- But you have. I must finish the job.
San Marcos is officially closed.
We got guys who wielded machetes,
but not who ordered it.
Remember the one-armed man,
the suitcase of cash?
I'm a Mexican official.
Diplomatic immunity.
He was present
at the San Marcos murders.
We want him to stick around
and make sure his luggage gets lost.
And Pezuela shows up with his arm...
...up Aceveda's ass.
- Thank you.
Getting tips from prison,
representing a company...
...with the backing
of Mexican interests?
- There's a conspiracy?
- Why'd you kill those people?
Something big's coming up. There's
a dude by the name of Romero.
- We were supposed to leave him alive.
- So you just cut off his arm.
I understand you went to college
with Cruz Pezuela.
Gonna use every second
to find out what's going on.
Why those people died and you didn't.
Where that money was going.
What Pezuela's angle is
on all of this.
I solved this thing
before the quarterly stats were due.
Saving this place doesn't earn me
a spot here?
Nothing that happened is gonna
change what I have to say.
I have one more picture.
That's Aceveda.
Gun to his head.
Rather than stand up like a man...
...to his attackers, he takes
a man's dick in his mouth.
Don't think that'll play too well
with the voters. Save your job.
But stop digging right now.
- Hello.
- I'm in your driveway. Come outside.
- What?
- Come outside.
- Vic?
- You don't wanna have...
...this conversation
where your wife and kid could hear.
What?
My appeals hearing's tomorrow night.
Last chance to save my badge.
If you're looking for a pep talk,
you came to the wrong man.
No, I didn't.
This is you, isn't it?
- What is this?
- I think you know what it is.
You and your boyfriend.
It's a fake. Photoshop.
- This didn't happen.
- Explain that to your voters.
You think you can use
some shitty forgery against me?
I'm surprised
whoever pasted this together...
...on his computer
didn't give me tits.
I'm just looking for help in exchange
for bringing this to your attention.
- Help with your review board?
- Just a nudge.
Enough to keep me at the Barn.
Well, if you're gonna blackmail
someone, do it right.
This picture's a fake...
...and any other copies
that you're gonna hold back are fake.
That your guy
down at the end of the hallway too?
- I thought it'd be best.
- Hospital doesn't mind the muscle?
They acknowledge
my father's generosity...
...by being sensitive
to our need for privacy.
He's gotten worse.
Put him on life support.
- They say he has just a day or two.
- I'm sorry.
For you.
Your information about the men...
...who robbed our money-laundering
operation is appreciated.
Put a lot of unanswered
questions to rest.
Look, I been wanting to talk to you
about that.
Things have been pretty quiet for you
ever since the feet chopping ended.
You're off everybody's radar.
My father worked hard
to establish that peace.
Well, I think it best if we lay low
on any kind of retaliation.
You want me to do nothing?
Look, a couple of cops end up hurt,
that sets things on fire all over again.
My colleagues, the feds,
they will jump in.
It will hurt business...
...and we already shut down
your port revenue temporarily.
I have no say
in what the retaliation will be, or when.
I passed the information
to my father's associates back home.
It's entirely in their hands.
Maybe you need to
pass along more information.
Tell them that they can't
just kill two cops...
...without it wrecking everything.
- Those men stole millions.
I understand that,
but we gotta play this game smart.
I am not playing a game, Shane.
Are you?
I'm just trying to protect
your family's long-term interest.
That's what a good partner does.
Detective Mackey. Benjamin Webb.
Counsel for Mr. Aceveda.
How can I help you?
My client so wishes you'd exercised
better judgement earlier tonight...
...but you left him no choice
in responding to your threats.
The truth's not a threat.
Our remedies will be two-pronged.
A laundry list of criminal charges...
...for extortion.
Our civil suit will be seeking damages
for defamation to be determined later.
Since you approached my client
as a private citizen...
...the department
will not provide counsel.
You'll be forced to foot the legal bills
on your own.
You're ineligible for a pension
and you'll be out of a job.
You'll have to liquidate
your assets to fight this.
Look who's making threats now.
I'm just giving you a preview
of the next seven years...
...of legal hell you're in for,
detective.
Have a nice night.
You know?
- I need a minute.
- I'll get us another drink.
You branching out to the Orient?
I didn't expect to see you so soon.
I need every copy of that picture
and the story that goes along with it.
- May be impossible.
- Well, then, so's our arrangement.
I gotta go back to turning
those rocks...
...on the San Marcos murders.
My connection is only tertiary.
Certainly nothing criminal.
Then why are you afraid
of what I might find?
Afraid? No.
I have larger interests
I'd like to protect.
Things too big for me to follow?
I understand you're a very
effective officer on a street level.
- I've made some arrests.
- I hope many more.
But understand, you are nothing more
than a fly on one of my many shits.
I'm offering you an opportunity...
...not because I fear you,
but to save myself the trouble...
...of having to take more drastic
measures in the future.
I'm sorry if I offended you.
I may have future jobs for you.
- Ways you can help me.
- Good.
Have you talked with our friend?
Have you saved your job?
Look, pictures can be copied.
Manufactured.
I need the original, all the copies
and the story that goes with it.
You understand I have to sell him
an end to this...
...otherwise I won't have a badge
to do those jobs for you.
You'll find I'm a very good man
to work under.
It's an unfortunate series of events
down at the docks.
Orange isn't your colour.
What if I was willing to help
steer you clear of these troubles?
Trusting you is what landed me
in this shithole.
Importing untaxed gas
landed you here.
You...
...recognise your business ledgers?
They disappear
from our evidence locker...
...DA'll be forced to cut a deal.
That means months
instead of years.
I made a bad judgement call
pairing up with Kesakhian's daughter.
She's got some bad intel
about a couple innocents...
...she thinks robbed
that Armenian train...
...and I gotta stop the bloodshed.
So I just need to know who the bosses
will send to do the job and when.
- You backed a woman in this fight.
- You want these books lost or not?
Is it true her father's near death?
If Diro's smart, and she is,
she'll handle the retaliation herself.
Hire locally. When it's done,
she'll make the call.
Tell our friends back home
that she found the problem, solved it.
Who will she use to do the whack?
Somebody that's been extremely loyal
to her father.
Zadofian would be her choice.
- Where can I find him?
- No idea, but betrayal like this?
Your friends won't be first.
First she'll kill their children.
The wives.
When the pain of that suffering
begins to fade...
...she'll kill the men involved.
I got three DMV listings on Zadofian
in L.A. County.
Yeah, looks like a father and daughter
in Whittier...
...and a 45-year-old male
in Glendale.
All right, give me Glendale's licence
and registration.
Okay. Ari Zadofian.
'03 Lexus. Black.
- Registered to a P.O. box.
- Stake and notify on the Lexus.
It's urgent, so pass it along
to Wilshire and Pasadena.
Sure thing.
I was buying your denial
about the photo...
...but that Doberman you sent
gave away your hand.
What now, huh? Pictures of me
screwing the Bush twins?
No.
The original memory stick that Juan
downloaded the picture onto...
...and every existing copy.
Juan Lozano.
Low-level Byz Lat banger.
I had some run-ins with him.
So did you.
You shot his buddy
during a hold-up.
Later on, Lozano got his skull
crushed in County...
...but you knew all that.
He had a gun to my head,
and my wife, my daughter...
Stop. I don't need to hear this.
Do you know where
I got these pictures?
Cruz Pezuela.
In exchange for not looking into...
...his involvement in the San Marcos
murders and favours to be named later.
He spoke to me like I was
one of his errand boys.
- Cruz?
- You wonder how a photo...
...from a Byz Lat banger
winds up in his hands?
Why Mexican and American
government officials...
...tried to stop
the San Marcos investigation?
- Wait, Cruz?
- He's deep in 11 San Marcos murders.
His buddy he went to college with
was the sole survivor...
...who lost an arm in the attacks.
- So that's your price? My help?
- Oh, Cruz is into some dark shit.
I'm gonna need my badge
more than three days to prove it.
The review board.
Well, I can't help with that.
It's too late and it goes too far
up the ladder.
You can do something to help me.
- Claudette.
- Yes.
You still have Eduardo Romero's
briefcase of cash?
All $230,000 of it.
I would like you to release it
to Romero as soon as possible.
Why would I do that?
The money's connected
to the San Marcos murders.
Vic feels following it
will expose a deeper cover-up.
You want me to put a quarter-million
dollars in play...
...for someone who's out of here?
I understand the case
is officially closed.
Closing it saved this place.
There's no desire to open it up.
And you know this goes higher
than just three cholos with machetes.
Okay. Off the books,
and if this blows up, it's on you.
I'll call Romero's attorney
and arrange it.
Just let Vic know
the whens and wheres.
- You make a new friend?
- No.
There gonna be a surprise
at the review board tonight?
- Shouldn't be.
- Hope not.
All units please be advised Detective
Vendrell, Farmington Division...
...has issued a stak e and notify
for a black 2003 Lexus sedan...
...plate number 2-William-Queen
Ida-332.
Driver is an Ari Zadofian, 45-year-old
male wanted for questioning.
- Yeah.
- You hear that notify Shane issued?
- More Armenian mob play?
- Whatever it is, it doesn't concern us.
Look, I gotta go.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Thanks for bringing it.
- Sure. Sorry I forgot it the last time.
You two have a good time
at Grandma's this weekend.
- Yes, Daddy.
- Love you, Matty.
You too, baby. Who's a big girl?
Listen, I shouldn't be home too late
if you wanna give Cass a call.
Yeah? Thanks.
- Hello.
- Hey. I got a hit on your Lexus.
One-Tango-16 just spotted
in Little Armenia.
Do you want me
to have them intercept?
No, no, no.
Just give me the address.
- Hello.
- We need to talk.
Look, I'm a little tied up right now.
The man you're looking for
is no longer where you are.
I want to discuss a solution
to our problem.
Two hundred and thirty
thousand dollars.
I just need your signature.
With all your delays, you won't mind
if we forget to say "gracias."
The doctors think it's best
to turn off the machines.
Let him go peacefully.
I said no.
Look, what I told you
about those cops...
...Mackey and Gardocki,
I was wrong.
The facts were wrong,
or you were wrong to tell me?
It's complicated, but the fight
is between me and them.
Their families shouldn't be hurt.
We can't separate the ones we love
from the choices we make.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You're the one
making the decisions now.
Accept the fate
of your associates.
No, I can't. I can't do that.
- Now, you said you had a solution.
- This is the solution.
They get punished for their betrayal,
you get punished for yours.
You really thought I wouldn't find out
you went to Rezian?
You can't kill Vic's wife and kids.
Sorry.
No. No.
One step forward, I swear to God,
I'll snap his goddamn trachea.
Don't hurt him.
We can't distance the ones we love
from the choices we make, right?
Give me my gun.
Now, or I swear to God, I'll end his life.
Give it to me.
Yours too. Let's go. Right now.
Hands over your head.
What's this?
Thanks for the smokes.
No, no, no. No, no, no.
Zadofian will finish him too.
Get a nurse. Get a nurse.
- Vic, come on. Pick up the phone.
- This is Mack ey. Leave a message.
Goddamn it.
Hello. Can I help you?
Yeah, I...
I work right down the street, and I got
this letter that was addressed to here.
- Thank you.
- Sure.
I didn't see a sign out front.
Didn't know what was in here.
- We're a very small company.
- Really. What do you sell?
We're more of a service provider.
- Really? What kind of service?
- Oh, I just answer the phones.
- Please.
- Sure.
Mr. Aramboles, he owns the place?
His name was on the letter.
Right.
- Do you have a copier here?
- What?
Copier. That's what I do. I sell copiers.
How's yours treating you?
Mind if I take a look? Just a second.
- No. Sorry, but...
- I'm behind on my sales this month.
You'd be doing me such a big favour,
if I could take a look...
...I 'll list you as a service contact.
- I'm not supposed to have anybody...
- Ten seconds, 10 seconds.
Look, you need to leave right now.
I can give you a great deal
on a Pantera 5150.
Staple, sort, auto fold,
all the bells and whistles.
Please...
I guess this isn't a copy room.
Come here. Sit down.
- I'm a cop. See?
- What do you want?
Everything there is about your jefe
and what goes on around this place.
I just answer the phones.
- Who calls?
- I don't know.
A few minutes ago a one-armed man
was in here.
He dropped off a bag
with $200,000 in it.
I don't know anything about that.
Money laundering, conspiracy, illegal
transfer of currency out of the country.
You'll do time for just picking up
the phone and saying "hola."
Now, who is Aramboles
and what does he do?
I've only been here a month.
We're from Mexico City.
He was in military intelligence
or something.
He offered me a job.
Answering phones?
Better than swallowing verga gringo
at the club I danced in back home.
So he keeps his oral recreation
in-house.
What's all this for? The electronics.
All I know
is that he's some kind of consultant.
- Security or something.
- Where was he just headed?
To the bank.
He has an important meeting
with a client tonight.
- Who's the client?
- I don't know.
He doesn't say much to me usually.
I don't think listening's
what you do best.
Here's how it goes.
You forget that you ever saw me...
...or I tell your boss you took me
on a little tour...
...of his closet
full of guns and goodies.
Just in time.
Here's our guy Aramboles.
You see him?
He's 200K light.
What did you learn about him?
Aramboles was a Mexican
intelligence officer...
...assigned to investigate the cartels,
but he was fired a year ago.
Speculation was he switched sides.
- What's Pezuela's connection to him?
- I don't know.
What's your relationship
with Pezuela like now?
Strained.
When I heard your suspicions,
I started to distance myself.
I didn't cash a large cheque
he wrote to my political committee.
Never would have given me
that picture...
...unless he had something
far more valuable to protect.
You have to get close to him again.
I'm playing Russian roulette
by not cutting ties with Cruz.
You're going down
the political toilet with him...
...unless we do the flushing first.
Pezuela gave me the picture
knowing I'd go straight to you.
Having the ammunition to screw you
gave you one place to run for cover:
Right back to him.
He needs something. A favour.
Something that ties into all this.
This is the memory stick
and every last copy of the picture.
It's all yours.
I can't tackle Cruz alone...
...so there's gotta be trust. Right?
You mind if I kill the a.c.
Freon gives me a headache
since I played peacemaker...
...between Mackey and Kavanaugh.
- So how was your night last night?
- Fine. Yours?
Entertaining.
Excuse me one moment.
The witness over here
saw a white male, 20s...
...just dump the body from his truck
and take off.
- Plate number?
- Peeled off too quickly.
- ID on the victim?
- Joe Barnes.
It's Miracle Joe.
- Oh, Jesus, no.
- Yeah. Really sucks.
Who's Miracle Joe?
He lived on the streets of Farmington
for 20 years.
Survived riots, earthquakes,
gunshots, stabbings, beatings.
Always had that crazy grin,
jokes never made any sense.
Ma'am, you saw who did this?
Teenager works for Ray Stodds
drove up...
...dumped his body from the truck
like he was a bag of garbage.
Who's Ray Stodds?
Charges us a fee to beg
the freeway off-ramps.
You don't pay, his guy comes by,
smacks you up, empties your pockets.
Thank you.
Hey.
Got nothing to say to you
or your wife, okay?
- Where's Matt and Megan?
- None of your business.
- Where are they, Corrine?
- Not here.
I know this is gonna sound crazy,
but you both need to come with me.
- Why?
- Shane, what are you doing here?
- Does Vic know you're here?
- I can't tell you.
Well, you better tell me more.
Get back in the van now
or someone's gonna kill you.
- Call Dad.
- Call Dad, fine.
I've been trying for the last hour.
He's in the field.
- Fine, I'll call the Barn.
- You're in danger because of Vic.
Bring the Barn into this,
he will not lose his job...
...he will be going to jail.
Do you get that?
- This more of your shit, huh?
- Hey, listen.
- Jesus Christ.
- It's all right, Mom.
Get in. Now. Please.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
- Then put that away.
- Corrine, get in the van.
Get in. Get in. Get in, Cass. Get in.
Hey, Dutch.
I got a composite of the guy...
...the witness saw dumping
Miracle Joe's body.
Have some unis
spread it around, huh?
Hey, who's this?
That is the nephew Miracle Joe was
always talking about seeing someday.
I found it in his wallet.
I'll run his name through,
see what matches up.
Great.
So I heard Tina and Kevin
hooked up last night.
Really?
Dutch...
...couple unis said
you were there watching.
Okay, I was tricked into being there.
I'm sure Billings did it,
but I can't prove it.
Sorry.
I thought maybe
you had a thing for her.
It was a crush. Nothing deep.
What about you?
Maybe a little into Hiatt?
No. Not really, I just...
I think I was just trying to prove
to myself I could still get my girl on.
You know, now that I'm a mom.
Serves us both right for succumbing
to our shallower instincts.
I understand you're expanding
your business enterprises, Ray.
Charging the homeless a panhandle
tax. That's real upstanding.
Never underestimate how low
people will stoop to make a buck.
That can't be easy.
- Everybody talking.
- I just can't believe Dutch watched.
He was tricked.
Someone used you and Kevin
to pull one over on him.
Oh, come on.
You knew what you were doing
with Dutch.
Using him to get favours
even though he never had a chance.
He had a chance.
He just never took it.
Anyway,
Kevin was an impulse thing...
...and judging by the way
he's avoiding me, it was a big mistake.
Well...
We all make a few.
You know this guy?
Yeah, that's Bones.
Runs errands for me.
Witness saw Bones dump his body.
You and Joe have a beef
over off-ramp rent?
No, I quit trying to get payments
out of Joe.
Few months ago, I saw the old man
get hit by a bus. I mean, bam.
Just picks himself up, walks away.
It was freaky.
I figured it was some sort of sign.
Left him alone ever since.
Corrine, get out of the car.
Corrine. Get out of the car.
- Come on, let's go. Come on.
- Hey.
- Let's go.
- Why are you doing this?
Over there. Come on, let's go.
- Get in.
- Shane, please, no.
- Please... Goddamn it. Shane.
- Come on.
Shane. Please don't hurt us,
okay, please?
Not Cassidy, okay? Let her go.
- You're gonna be safe.
- Leave us alone.
Come on, get in.
Just get in, okay?
- Goddamn you. No. No, no.
- Come here. Come here.
- Come on. Let's go, come on.
- Cass. No!
- Corrine, just stay here, okay?
- God, don't. No.
Just stay there.
Corrine, I've got my family hiding too.
It's not just you.
Shane.
Shane!
- Oh, my God!
- Hey, listen to me.
Look, as soon as it's safe,
I'll come and get you, okay?
Shane.
Shane. Shane.
Shane, goddamn it, Shane.
Shane!
I'm having trouble
with a former employee.
He's trying to embarrass me.
How?
It's not important.
I'm taking care of it.
But I may not be able
to handle things exactly as he wishes.
May require some money.
I was beginning to think that you were
growing allergic to my donations.
I cashed your cheque.
And again, thank you.
But you need more.
How much?
Hundred and fifty thousand.
But it goes without saying
that I would be tremendously indebted.
It's done.
And coincidentally,
I have a favour to ask from you.
I'm going to add another cheque.
It'll be made out
to a small private college in the area.
I'd like you to create a research grant,
anonymously, in that amount.
Okay, what kind of research?
Voter behaviour,
demographic pattern shifts...
...in Farmington and elsewhere.
I'll give you the specifics later.
But all the information
comes directly back to me.
Yeah.
Cruz wants to fund a study.
Demographics, voter behaviour,
things like that.
- Why?
- Redistricting.
He can manipulate the votes
to get me, others elected.
Let me see your map.
These were the areas highlighted
on the map in Aramboles' office.
Cruz is the connection.
These are all his developments.
That's low-income housing.
Goes up next month.
And that's
Eighth Street Medical Center.
This?
Office park for small businesses.
With me in his pocket
and my influence on council...
...he's gonna be able
to get contracts easier and expand.
And how does Aramboles and his
Mexican mob money play into all this?
Think globally.
All right,
the money's coming into the U.S.
From the mob in Mexico.
Anti-terrorism laws...
...have made international
money laundering much more difficult.
So all their profit in Mexico.
What do they do with it?
Their profit here,
too hard to ship south.
So what?
The Mexican mob
is buying up Farmington?
Along with four or five other districts
in L.A.
Legitimate businesses
are the best front for organised crime.
They can run prostitution
out of low-income housing.
Sell illegal scrips
out of the medical centre.
Jesus Christ.
I gotta take a run at Aramboles.
His secretary said he had
an important meet with a client.
Wait. And risk tipping Pezuela off
that you've turned on him?
That'll start a war, and we don't
know what army he's fighting with.
We need patience.
The review board doesn't go my way,
I'm out of here in three days.
Vic, this thing can't come down
in three days.
- This will take three years.
- Then don't let them take my badge.
Forget about our bullshit history,
already.
Help me so I can stay
and finish this.
Look, I was serious
when I said I couldn't help.
But listen,
the board has three members.
The senior member
is Howard Gregson. Now, he...
He has an autistic grandson.
Dotes on him. Even serves
on the board for Cure Autism Now.
What, you want me
to bring my kids into this?
Two autistic children.
Okay, you're the breadwinner.
There are doctors, therapists.
You know, say you're sorry
for past transgressions...
...but that you wanna change.
You want me to put
my two sick kids on display?
- To use Megan and Matthew?
- Maybe you sway Gregson.
And maybe he sways a second vote.
I know, it's 20-to-1.
- Hi.
- Hey. How are you?
I think we should talk
about last night.
I'm sorry I saw anything. I don't know
who's been spreading rumours...
I never meant for you to get hurt.
I liked mentoring you...
...but I redirected those feelings
into something that was unrealistic.
You have nothing to apologise for.
So let's forget last night
and move past it.
Okay?
- Okay. Thanks.
- Come on.
- This way.
- I gotta go, my suspect is here.
Oh, right. Good luck.
So I got a hit on a Jimmy Barnes
living in Whittier.
Says he's Miracle Joe's nephew.
He's driving down later.
Great. Listen, Billings is AWOL,
my suspect is here.
You wanna take a crack at him
with me?
- Yeah, I'd love to.
- Great, let's go.
Ray's innocent.
You can let him go now.
You admit to killing Joe yourself?
Ray didn't order it?
I didn't kill anybody.
We have a witness who saw you dump
his body at the convenience store.
Guess I need a lawyer, then, huh?
Can't get a public defender
till morning.
Yeah, but if these guys are innocent,
real trail will be cold by then.
Coroner's preliminary report
on Joe Barnes.
Systolic cardiac dysfunction
resulting in heart failure.
He died of natural causes.
Guy's survived about every indignity
and injury a man can suffer...
...lived his life alone.
In the end, his heart just quit.
Maybe he figured this place wasn't
worth sticking around for any longer.
- Hey, where you going, Ronnie?
- Checking in with Vic.
Stick around, I found something.
Gang initiation on Hauser.
Dealer passed it on to me.
- Who's the dealer?
- Guy named Burnout.
I know Burnout.
Why is he giving you intel?
We thought he'd walk
on a possession charge.
You guys are being too easy
on these clowns.
So you burned a source
for a gang-initiation tip?
We're gonna stop four kids
getting jumped into a gang.
Stop them young,
less problems when they're older.
Now, we might not
see results tomorrow...
...but things are gonna look
a lot better over time.
Yeah, that's it.
- Yeah...
- Hey, the cops are coming.
Come here. Come here.
- Come here.
- Hold it right there.
- Come here.
- Get your hands off me.
- What you doing, man?
- He ain't complaining.
He doesn't need to.
I saw it with my eyes.
- What do we do with the little ones?
- Can't hold them on anything.
Take their names, call their parents.
He's good enough to travel.
I'm gonna take him to Mission Cross.
All right, take it easy.
What is Burnout doing there?
Hiatt squeezed him,
Burnout gave him a tip.
- Hiatt popped him anyway.
- What was the tip?
It was no big deal.
It was gang initiation.
Hey, man.
- Call your boy off.
- Keep it down.
- This guy's a CI of mine.
- Oh, yeah? Where's his paperwork?
He's unofficial.
You won't be needing him anymore.
Three days, right?
Burnout gives decent intel. What good
does burning that bridge do?
Listen, that door is always open.
So when he's ready to deal again,
maybe he'll try a little harder.
These assholes banging on
each other, it keeps the rage in-house.
Look, once these kids
are in the gang, they're in for life.
I'd rather give them a chance now
than a set of cuffs later.
I'm with HTZ Security.
Had a bunch of silent alarms
go off in your neighbourhood.
Need to talk to a Mrs. Mackey, get her
to sign off so I can reset your system.
Sure, yeah. Come on in.
I'll go get her.
You dumb shit.
All right, it's your lucky day.
I don't have time to bury a body,
so listen up.
Look, it's over for Diro.
Rezian pulled a power play,
taking control of the operation.
So you got a choice. Listen to me.
Now, you either join him, I let you
drive yourself to the hospital...
...or you bleed out here and die.
What is it?
What happened?
Woman was assaulted
by a kid with a lead pipe.
Simple assault. Why are you here?
We got a heads-up that the suspect
was a kid we had in custody earlier.
We broke up a gang initiation
this morning.
- This is round two.
- We don't know that.
Kids gotta earn their way in.
Take that away, they turn outside.
Anyone who skulls a woman
like that...
...is gonna do worse once they join.
Kids were getting assaulted.
We couldn't let that happen.
- How many were being jumped in?
- Besides him, one more.
Well, let's find him, see what
he's doing to earn his stripes.
Hey, any chance
you can pick me up?
Help me clean up Hiatt's mess?
Heard your recruitment's
been taking a few hits, Streetz.
I ain't heard of none.
First your gang initiation
gets shut down.
Then one of your baby bangers
bashes a woman's head in.
Woman's dome got cracked?
I'd send flowers if I gave a shit.
Besides, I hear your ass
ain't gonna be on the streets no more.
Maybe. Maybe not.
If so, my hand-picked successor
is Ronnie.
You, him, don't matter much
if I can't bring in new talent.
To show I'm fair, schedule another.
I'll make sure it doesn't get broken up.
Don't help us find this kid, we'll show
you how we jump someone in.
Anything I can do for you
on that thing you've been working on?
No.
Guess I'm gonna have
to cool my heels for a while.
Hey, you sure this kid
is around here?
Wetback shops on Alvarado.
Nothing more specific?
They gotta think
on their own some, right?
The cream rises to the top.
Oh, I think that's him right there.
- You think?
- He ain't even in the crew yet.
Hey!
Don't move. Give me your hand.
- Get off...
- Don't fight.
Gun.
Sorry, kid.
Gang life will just have to wait.
Good news is, you've been
cleared of all murder charges.
The bad news is, we can still
charge you with desecrating a corpse.
When's my lawyer rolling up?
Can't get a public defender
down here today.
Which means you can
spend a night in County with Ray...
...or come clean about what you were
doing with Joe's body, go home.
Look man, I found him cold.
Figured since he was just a bum,
who would miss him?
Why did you dump his body
at the Fast Mart?
Because the new owner's
an asshole.
The old one let me hang inside,
beat the heat.
This guy called cops,
said I was loitering.
So you dumped a corpse
on his front door?
Who wants to step over
a dead body to buy a Slurpee?
He ruined my day,
so I figured I'd ruin his.
That clear enough for y'all?
- What happened with the Joe thing?
- It's done. Where've you been?
It's nice to know I closed my last case.
I'm getting out of this shithole.
Here's the official paperwork
confirming my disability.
My doctor just signed it.
I'm suing. My lawyer's gonna
have you subpoenaed.
- Suing for what?
- Three-point-four million dollars.
Pain and suffering, for making me
work after being injured.
- What injury?
- Don't you remember?
I got knocked down trying to break up
Mackey and Kavanaugh.
I've had headaches, neck pain
and nausea ever since.
- Don't act like I never mentioned it.
- Steve.
You understand
insurance fraud is a felony?
Dutch knows about the headaches.
I've got everything documented
by my physician.
Go ahead and read it.
It was nice knowing you.
- Who's Dr. Nero Yamamoto?
- I didn't do nothing.
- Is that the last one?
- Yeah.
He was about to shoot somebody
on a crowded sidewalk.
Nice save.
That Aceveda thing...
- Too big to solve in a day.
- Or three?
I'm not out yet.
- lf you are, what next?
- Don't know.
Always thought
you were three steps ahead.
Well, there's still the review board.
I have a few last words.
Are you gonna use those words to
save yourself or burn this place down?
You always wanted to do
what was better for other cops.
What's next for you?
With the San Marcos case closed,
well, at least officially, thanks to me...
...there's no threat of closing down.
You gonna put your chips on Hiatt?
He'll get there.
This isn't AYSO, everybody plays.
You need someone
who can read the streets.
You brought him in here
to move me out smoothly.
You really ready to ride him
all the way home?
Get his parents down here.
- Call juvie.
- Got it.
Since when have you
been working on this?
You took a shit on the streets.
I'm just scooping it up.
Vic.
We just got a shots-fired call.
It's Corrine's address.
- Asher. Where's my family?
- I don't know.
The lady across the street
made the call. Place is empty.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
- Did you look in every room?
- Yes, we did.
There's a notebook
full of family numbers in the drawer.
Start calling, see if anyone's
heard from Corrine.
Okay. Okay.
Oh, my God.
My lawyer tells me the DA
suddenly seems open to a lesser plea.
Yeah, well, I guess
some evidence went missing.
How's your problem?
It's solved.
Temporarily.
But you need a permanent fix?
I do.
Here is my fix. I offer it once.
No discussion, no negotiation.
I'll make sure that your cop friends
and their families don't get hurt.
You tell me where Kesakhian is.
The old man and the girl.
I'll handle transfer of power.
The organisation lost over $2 million
when that money train was robbed.
I need to be reimbursed.
Your favours and your protection
will serve as ongoing payment.
You expect me to be
your gratis snitch?
- Until we're even.
- Well, I can't do that.
Sure, you can.
Because the moment
you don't do something I ask...
...get a shipment into the country,
warn me about a bust, whatever...
...first I kill the children,
then the wives, then I kill your friends.
That's our deal.
Taxi's on the way.
- That's it? No explanation, nothing?
- I'm sorry it had to happen this way.
- You do not do this to me.
- Mom, it's okay.
- Just let him go.
- No, Cass, not okay.
This is not okay!
Do not walk away from me!
Look, you know who you married.
That's the only explanation you need.
Hungry, honey?
You want something to eat?
Oh, here's Mommy.
- Daddy.
- It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy's here.
Okay.
- What happened to you?
- Shane pulled a gun on us.
He took us somewhere to East L.A.,
he locked us in a truck.
I thought he was gonna kill us.
He said he was doing it to protect us
from something that you did.
Look, Shane's in business
with some very dangerous people.
This is him trying to scare you
to get back at me, okay?
What are you gonna do about it?
- Hey, Asher. Come here.
- Yeah?
Take my family to my house.
Stay with them.
Come on, kids, here you go.
Come on.
Let me finish up here, okay?
- I'll handle Shane.
- Okay.
- You'll come home after?
- Yes, I will.
I got a work thing tonight,
but I'll be there.
Found a shell casing.
Trail of blood leads to the street.
Whoever got shot walked away.
Also found a cigarette butt inside.
Armenian.
Shane's sending us a warning.
He and his Armenian friends can
get to our families any time they want.
- What do you want me to do?
- Watch him.
Figure out what he's doing,
who he's doing it with.
And then we're gonna crush him.
You know, Vic should have called me
with the lead.
You and Tina Hanlon.
Something you want to tell me?
Not especially.
Well, I can't keep ignoring everything
I've been hearing about you two.
What about the rumour
there's a witness?
Okay, you can tell your old partner...
...that I'm not pressing charges
for peeping.
You're obligated to disclose
a sexual relationship.
- You outrank her.
- It's not ongoing.
It was a one-time thing.
A wink and a look the other way
every place I've been.
Not here.
This is about me
and the Strike Team.
The circumstances were difficult.
I haven't even had a chance without
Vic Mackey looking over my shoulder.
I don't want Vic. Too much cost.
But I need someone with a little Vic.
The right kind, and that's not you.
- I've got to look out for the Barn.
- Hey.
I had departments fighting over me,
I'm gonna land on my feet.
I guess somebody else
just got lucky.
- Hey.
- Hey, Dad.
Kids wanted to be here with you.
- I guess they're running a little late.
- You ready?
I've got a plan.
Well, we're all here for you.
Yeah.
Detective Mackey.
The review board
is ready to see you now.
Well, whatever the plan is,
good luck with it.
Detective?
- Detective Mackey?
- Vic?
Jimmy Barnes?
- They call me Jim now.
- Detective Wagenbach.
- This is Officer Sofer.
- Hi.
- We're very sorry about your uncle.
- Thanks.
Sit down.
I appreciate you finding me.
He deserves a proper burial.
You should know,
your uncle wasn't just a homeless guy.
He was a legend around here.
Everybody really liked him.
And...
...I 'm sorry that he was alone.
He always had that way
with people.
You know?
And alone is how he liked it.
So I guess this is you?
We found it in his wallet.
When was the last time
you saw him?
Almost 12 years ago.
Joe was my dad's older brother.
They were really close.
And when my dad got sick...
...the doctors told him
that he only had a year to live.
So Joe quit his job, dropped
everything to take care of him.
Kept him alive for five years.
When my dad died...
...Joe just lost it. And disappeared.
We finally found him
living on the street.
And we tried a couple times to bring
him home, but he didn't want that.
He just asked us to leave.
I guess he's with my dad now.
I'm okay.
I sometimes just get hit
by the little things.
Give me a serial killer and I'm fine.
- Hey.
- Hey, I'm okay. I'm okay.
- Hello, officer.
- Hi.
- Is there a problem?
- I don't know yet.
Keep a pretty clean car.
Wanna pop the trunk for me?
- Have I done something wrong?
- Yeah.
You didn't open the trunk
liked I asked.
Okay.
Stop the car.
I sent my men away
so they would be safe.
Rezian sent you to kill me?
Look, you need to leave right now.
His people are on their way.
Just go home.
Back to school in Germany.
Just leave before they kill you.
You didn't need to warn me.
Thank you.
Look, you can't stay here.
They're on their way here right now.
I'm not leaving his fate
up to those monsters.
I will be with him for it.
Look, it needs to be fast.
Look, I'm sorry.
Your sentiment will destroy you.
Wanna tell me why
I had to come in a taxi?
Jesus. That's some equipment.
Aramboles' car. Pulled him over.
Is this Maria Echeveria?
She's the mayor's financial adviser.
Well, someone's conducting
a tongue audit between her legs.
This is a paternity suit
for Rabbi Korman.
Drug-rehab receipts for Judge Quail.
Well, this one's labelled "Senator
Bradwell and the Campfire Boys"
Holy shit.
That's how Pezuela's getting everyone
onboard the train to Cartel Town.
Blackmail. Just like he did you.
You think this goes far enough
up the ladder to save my job?
Are you ready for this?
Take my car. I have a ride.
Don't let this guy see your face.
All right, asshole. Come on, let's go.
Get out.
Call Pezuela.
Have him give you a lift.
On the ride home, you can explain
how you lost his trunk full of leverage.
- Knock it off.
- Got a goddamn lump.
- I'm not gonna let you ruin my life.
- Sure you are.
- You are my hero.
- Why?
Hanlon. Sorry, I assumed,
the way she talks about you.
- So Dutch has a shot, then?
- Dutch? Sure.
He's been working that
caring-mentor angle.
Your loss, my friend.
- Did you talk to Shane?
- He killed Lem.
- I did what I thought had to be done.
- I see you again and I will kill you.
Just imagine every wrong thing
we have ever done.
Anything happens to me or my wife
or my son...
...that lands on IAD's doorstep.
- I'm Kesakhian.
- I need to speak to the real Kesakhian.
- My father's out of town.
- You think can keep this a secret?
- Long enough for a miracle.
- You think you're running the show?
You'll be my partner in this country.
Who's putting the most cash
into pockets?
- Rezian. He runs the ports.
- He's the one looking to take over.
- You're under arrest.
- Won't let you get away with this.
You don't have people.
Kesakhian Jr's in charge,
so your crew ain't happening.
Sounds like Shane
made a big bust today.
I don't know what arrangement
you have...
...but just know when the chips fall,
they land on Shane's side of the table.
That cop knows what's going on.
We cannot be partners. Be careful.
You just stay out of my way.
Looking to make you as miserable
as I possibly can.
I'll stop by and say hi
when you start your security job.
Vic stole from your father.
Armenian money train?
Got robbed a few years back?
That was Vic.
They asked me to be a part of it.
When I said no, I became a threat.
I have to deal with him too.
- Wait, I didn't tell you that.
- But you have. I must finish the job.
San Marcos is officially closed.
We got guys who wielded machetes,
but not who ordered it.
Remember the one-armed man,
the suitcase of cash?
I'm a Mexican official.
Diplomatic immunity.
He was present
at the San Marcos murders.
We want him to stick around
and make sure his luggage gets lost.
And Pezuela shows up with his arm...
...up Aceveda's ass.
- Thank you.
Getting tips from prison,
representing a company...
...with the backing
of Mexican interests?
- There's a conspiracy?
- Why'd you kill those people?
Something big's coming up. There's
a dude by the name of Romero.
- We were supposed to leave him alive.
- So you just cut off his arm.
I understand you went to college
with Cruz Pezuela.
Gonna use every second
to find out what's going on.
Why those people died and you didn't.
Where that money was going.
What Pezuela's angle is
on all of this.
I solved this thing
before the quarterly stats were due.
Saving this place doesn't earn me
a spot here?
Nothing that happened is gonna
change what I have to say.
I have one more picture.
That's Aceveda.
Gun to his head.
Rather than stand up like a man...
...to his attackers, he takes
a man's dick in his mouth.
Don't think that'll play too well
with the voters. Save your job.
But stop digging right now.
- Hello.
- I'm in your driveway. Come outside.
- What?
- Come outside.
- Vic?
- You don't wanna have...
...this conversation
where your wife and kid could hear.
What?
My appeals hearing's tomorrow night.
Last chance to save my badge.
If you're looking for a pep talk,
you came to the wrong man.
No, I didn't.
This is you, isn't it?
- What is this?
- I think you know what it is.
You and your boyfriend.
It's a fake. Photoshop.
- This didn't happen.
- Explain that to your voters.
You think you can use
some shitty forgery against me?
I'm surprised
whoever pasted this together...
...on his computer
didn't give me tits.
I'm just looking for help in exchange
for bringing this to your attention.
- Help with your review board?
- Just a nudge.
Enough to keep me at the Barn.
Well, if you're gonna blackmail
someone, do it right.
This picture's a fake...
...and any other copies
that you're gonna hold back are fake.
That your guy
down at the end of the hallway too?
- I thought it'd be best.
- Hospital doesn't mind the muscle?
They acknowledge
my father's generosity...
...by being sensitive
to our need for privacy.
He's gotten worse.
Put him on life support.
- They say he has just a day or two.
- I'm sorry.
For you.
Your information about the men...
...who robbed our money-laundering
operation is appreciated.
Put a lot of unanswered
questions to rest.
Look, I been wanting to talk to you
about that.
Things have been pretty quiet for you
ever since the feet chopping ended.
You're off everybody's radar.
My father worked hard
to establish that peace.
Well, I think it best if we lay low
on any kind of retaliation.
You want me to do nothing?
Look, a couple of cops end up hurt,
that sets things on fire all over again.
My colleagues, the feds,
they will jump in.
It will hurt business...
...and we already shut down
your port revenue temporarily.
I have no say
in what the retaliation will be, or when.
I passed the information
to my father's associates back home.
It's entirely in their hands.
Maybe you need to
pass along more information.
Tell them that they can't
just kill two cops...
...without it wrecking everything.
- Those men stole millions.
I understand that,
but we gotta play this game smart.
I am not playing a game, Shane.
Are you?
I'm just trying to protect
your family's long-term interest.
That's what a good partner does.
Detective Mackey. Benjamin Webb.
Counsel for Mr. Aceveda.
How can I help you?
My client so wishes you'd exercised
better judgement earlier tonight...
...but you left him no choice
in responding to your threats.
The truth's not a threat.
Our remedies will be two-pronged.
A laundry list of criminal charges...
...for extortion.
Our civil suit will be seeking damages
for defamation to be determined later.
Since you approached my client
as a private citizen...
...the department
will not provide counsel.
You'll be forced to foot the legal bills
on your own.
You're ineligible for a pension
and you'll be out of a job.
You'll have to liquidate
your assets to fight this.
Look who's making threats now.
I'm just giving you a preview
of the next seven years...
...of legal hell you're in for,
detective.
Have a nice night.
You know?
- I need a minute.
- I'll get us another drink.
You branching out to the Orient?
I didn't expect to see you so soon.
I need every copy of that picture
and the story that goes along with it.
- May be impossible.
- Well, then, so's our arrangement.
I gotta go back to turning
those rocks...
...on the San Marcos murders.
My connection is only tertiary.
Certainly nothing criminal.
Then why are you afraid
of what I might find?
Afraid? No.
I have larger interests
I'd like to protect.
Things too big for me to follow?
I understand you're a very
effective officer on a street level.
- I've made some arrests.
- I hope many more.
But understand, you are nothing more
than a fly on one of my many shits.
I'm offering you an opportunity...
...not because I fear you,
but to save myself the trouble...
...of having to take more drastic
measures in the future.
I'm sorry if I offended you.
I may have future jobs for you.
- Ways you can help me.
- Good.
Have you talked with our friend?
Have you saved your job?
Look, pictures can be copied.
Manufactured.
I need the original, all the copies
and the story that goes with it.
You understand I have to sell him
an end to this...
...otherwise I won't have a badge
to do those jobs for you.
You'll find I'm a very good man
to work under.
It's an unfortunate series of events
down at the docks.
Orange isn't your colour.
What if I was willing to help
steer you clear of these troubles?
Trusting you is what landed me
in this shithole.
Importing untaxed gas
landed you here.
You...
...recognise your business ledgers?
They disappear
from our evidence locker...
...DA'll be forced to cut a deal.
That means months
instead of years.
I made a bad judgement call
pairing up with Kesakhian's daughter.
She's got some bad intel
about a couple innocents...
...she thinks robbed
that Armenian train...
...and I gotta stop the bloodshed.
So I just need to know who the bosses
will send to do the job and when.
- You backed a woman in this fight.
- You want these books lost or not?
Is it true her father's near death?
If Diro's smart, and she is,
she'll handle the retaliation herself.
Hire locally. When it's done,
she'll make the call.
Tell our friends back home
that she found the problem, solved it.
Who will she use to do the whack?
Somebody that's been extremely loyal
to her father.
Zadofian would be her choice.
- Where can I find him?
- No idea, but betrayal like this?
Your friends won't be first.
First she'll kill their children.
The wives.
When the pain of that suffering
begins to fade...
...she'll kill the men involved.
I got three DMV listings on Zadofian
in L.A. County.
Yeah, looks like a father and daughter
in Whittier...
...and a 45-year-old male
in Glendale.
All right, give me Glendale's licence
and registration.
Okay. Ari Zadofian.
'03 Lexus. Black.
- Registered to a P.O. box.
- Stake and notify on the Lexus.
It's urgent, so pass it along
to Wilshire and Pasadena.
Sure thing.
I was buying your denial
about the photo...
...but that Doberman you sent
gave away your hand.
What now, huh? Pictures of me
screwing the Bush twins?
No.
The original memory stick that Juan
downloaded the picture onto...
...and every existing copy.
Juan Lozano.
Low-level Byz Lat banger.
I had some run-ins with him.
So did you.
You shot his buddy
during a hold-up.
Later on, Lozano got his skull
crushed in County...
...but you knew all that.
He had a gun to my head,
and my wife, my daughter...
Stop. I don't need to hear this.
Do you know where
I got these pictures?
Cruz Pezuela.
In exchange for not looking into...
...his involvement in the San Marcos
murders and favours to be named later.
He spoke to me like I was
one of his errand boys.
- Cruz?
- You wonder how a photo...
...from a Byz Lat banger
winds up in his hands?
Why Mexican and American
government officials...
...tried to stop
the San Marcos investigation?
- Wait, Cruz?
- He's deep in 11 San Marcos murders.
His buddy he went to college with
was the sole survivor...
...who lost an arm in the attacks.
- So that's your price? My help?
- Oh, Cruz is into some dark shit.
I'm gonna need my badge
more than three days to prove it.
The review board.
Well, I can't help with that.
It's too late and it goes too far
up the ladder.
You can do something to help me.
- Claudette.
- Yes.
You still have Eduardo Romero's
briefcase of cash?
All $230,000 of it.
I would like you to release it
to Romero as soon as possible.
Why would I do that?
The money's connected
to the San Marcos murders.
Vic feels following it
will expose a deeper cover-up.
You want me to put a quarter-million
dollars in play...
...for someone who's out of here?
I understand the case
is officially closed.
Closing it saved this place.
There's no desire to open it up.
And you know this goes higher
than just three cholos with machetes.
Okay. Off the books,
and if this blows up, it's on you.
I'll call Romero's attorney
and arrange it.
Just let Vic know
the whens and wheres.
- You make a new friend?
- No.
There gonna be a surprise
at the review board tonight?
- Shouldn't be.
- Hope not.
All units please be advised Detective
Vendrell, Farmington Division...
...has issued a stak e and notify
for a black 2003 Lexus sedan...
...plate number 2-William-Queen
Ida-332.
Driver is an Ari Zadofian, 45-year-old
male wanted for questioning.
- Yeah.
- You hear that notify Shane issued?
- More Armenian mob play?
- Whatever it is, it doesn't concern us.
Look, I gotta go.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Thanks for bringing it.
- Sure. Sorry I forgot it the last time.
You two have a good time
at Grandma's this weekend.
- Yes, Daddy.
- Love you, Matty.
You too, baby. Who's a big girl?
Listen, I shouldn't be home too late
if you wanna give Cass a call.
Yeah? Thanks.
- Hello.
- Hey. I got a hit on your Lexus.
One-Tango-16 just spotted
in Little Armenia.
Do you want me
to have them intercept?
No, no, no.
Just give me the address.
- Hello.
- We need to talk.
Look, I'm a little tied up right now.
The man you're looking for
is no longer where you are.
I want to discuss a solution
to our problem.
Two hundred and thirty
thousand dollars.
I just need your signature.
With all your delays, you won't mind
if we forget to say "gracias."
The doctors think it's best
to turn off the machines.
Let him go peacefully.
I said no.
Look, what I told you
about those cops...
...Mackey and Gardocki,
I was wrong.
The facts were wrong,
or you were wrong to tell me?
It's complicated, but the fight
is between me and them.
Their families shouldn't be hurt.
We can't separate the ones we love
from the choices we make.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You're the one
making the decisions now.
Accept the fate
of your associates.
No, I can't. I can't do that.
- Now, you said you had a solution.
- This is the solution.
They get punished for their betrayal,
you get punished for yours.
You really thought I wouldn't find out
you went to Rezian?
You can't kill Vic's wife and kids.
Sorry.
No. No.
One step forward, I swear to God,
I'll snap his goddamn trachea.
Don't hurt him.
We can't distance the ones we love
from the choices we make, right?
Give me my gun.
Now, or I swear to God, I'll end his life.
Give it to me.
Yours too. Let's go. Right now.
Hands over your head.
What's this?
Thanks for the smokes.
No, no, no. No, no, no.
Zadofian will finish him too.
Get a nurse. Get a nurse.
- Vic, come on. Pick up the phone.
- This is Mack ey. Leave a message.
Goddamn it.
Hello. Can I help you?
Yeah, I...
I work right down the street, and I got
this letter that was addressed to here.
- Thank you.
- Sure.
I didn't see a sign out front.
Didn't know what was in here.
- We're a very small company.
- Really. What do you sell?
We're more of a service provider.
- Really? What kind of service?
- Oh, I just answer the phones.
- Please.
- Sure.
Mr. Aramboles, he owns the place?
His name was on the letter.
Right.
- Do you have a copier here?
- What?
Copier. That's what I do. I sell copiers.
How's yours treating you?
Mind if I take a look? Just a second.
- No. Sorry, but...
- I'm behind on my sales this month.
You'd be doing me such a big favour,
if I could take a look...
...I 'll list you as a service contact.
- I'm not supposed to have anybody...
- Ten seconds, 10 seconds.
Look, you need to leave right now.
I can give you a great deal
on a Pantera 5150.
Staple, sort, auto fold,
all the bells and whistles.
Please...
I guess this isn't a copy room.
Come here. Sit down.
- I'm a cop. See?
- What do you want?
Everything there is about your jefe
and what goes on around this place.
I just answer the phones.
- Who calls?
- I don't know.
A few minutes ago a one-armed man
was in here.
He dropped off a bag
with $200,000 in it.
I don't know anything about that.
Money laundering, conspiracy, illegal
transfer of currency out of the country.
You'll do time for just picking up
the phone and saying "hola."
Now, who is Aramboles
and what does he do?
I've only been here a month.
We're from Mexico City.
He was in military intelligence
or something.
He offered me a job.
Answering phones?
Better than swallowing verga gringo
at the club I danced in back home.
So he keeps his oral recreation
in-house.
What's all this for? The electronics.
All I know
is that he's some kind of consultant.
- Security or something.
- Where was he just headed?
To the bank.
He has an important meeting
with a client tonight.
- Who's the client?
- I don't know.
He doesn't say much to me usually.
I don't think listening's
what you do best.
Here's how it goes.
You forget that you ever saw me...
...or I tell your boss you took me
on a little tour...
...of his closet
full of guns and goodies.
Just in time.
Here's our guy Aramboles.
You see him?
He's 200K light.
What did you learn about him?
Aramboles was a Mexican
intelligence officer...
...assigned to investigate the cartels,
but he was fired a year ago.
Speculation was he switched sides.
- What's Pezuela's connection to him?
- I don't know.
What's your relationship
with Pezuela like now?
Strained.
When I heard your suspicions,
I started to distance myself.
I didn't cash a large cheque
he wrote to my political committee.
Never would have given me
that picture...
...unless he had something
far more valuable to protect.
You have to get close to him again.
I'm playing Russian roulette
by not cutting ties with Cruz.
You're going down
the political toilet with him...
...unless we do the flushing first.
Pezuela gave me the picture
knowing I'd go straight to you.
Having the ammunition to screw you
gave you one place to run for cover:
Right back to him.
He needs something. A favour.
Something that ties into all this.
This is the memory stick
and every last copy of the picture.
It's all yours.
I can't tackle Cruz alone...
...so there's gotta be trust. Right?
You mind if I kill the a.c.
Freon gives me a headache
since I played peacemaker...
...between Mackey and Kavanaugh.
- So how was your night last night?
- Fine. Yours?
Entertaining.
Excuse me one moment.
The witness over here
saw a white male, 20s...
...just dump the body from his truck
and take off.
- Plate number?
- Peeled off too quickly.
- ID on the victim?
- Joe Barnes.
It's Miracle Joe.
- Oh, Jesus, no.
- Yeah. Really sucks.
Who's Miracle Joe?
He lived on the streets of Farmington
for 20 years.
Survived riots, earthquakes,
gunshots, stabbings, beatings.
Always had that crazy grin,
jokes never made any sense.
Ma'am, you saw who did this?
Teenager works for Ray Stodds
drove up...
...dumped his body from the truck
like he was a bag of garbage.
Who's Ray Stodds?
Charges us a fee to beg
the freeway off-ramps.
You don't pay, his guy comes by,
smacks you up, empties your pockets.
Thank you.
Hey.
Got nothing to say to you
or your wife, okay?
- Where's Matt and Megan?
- None of your business.
- Where are they, Corrine?
- Not here.
I know this is gonna sound crazy,
but you both need to come with me.
- Why?
- Shane, what are you doing here?
- Does Vic know you're here?
- I can't tell you.
Well, you better tell me more.
Get back in the van now
or someone's gonna kill you.
- Call Dad.
- Call Dad, fine.
I've been trying for the last hour.
He's in the field.
- Fine, I'll call the Barn.
- You're in danger because of Vic.
Bring the Barn into this,
he will not lose his job...
...he will be going to jail.
Do you get that?
- This more of your shit, huh?
- Hey, listen.
- Jesus Christ.
- It's all right, Mom.
Get in. Now. Please.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
- Then put that away.
- Corrine, get in the van.
Get in. Get in. Get in, Cass. Get in.
Hey, Dutch.
I got a composite of the guy...
...the witness saw dumping
Miracle Joe's body.
Have some unis
spread it around, huh?
Hey, who's this?
That is the nephew Miracle Joe was
always talking about seeing someday.
I found it in his wallet.
I'll run his name through,
see what matches up.
Great.
So I heard Tina and Kevin
hooked up last night.
Really?
Dutch...
...couple unis said
you were there watching.
Okay, I was tricked into being there.
I'm sure Billings did it,
but I can't prove it.
Sorry.
I thought maybe
you had a thing for her.
It was a crush. Nothing deep.
What about you?
Maybe a little into Hiatt?
No. Not really, I just...
I think I was just trying to prove
to myself I could still get my girl on.
You know, now that I'm a mom.
Serves us both right for succumbing
to our shallower instincts.
I understand you're expanding
your business enterprises, Ray.
Charging the homeless a panhandle
tax. That's real upstanding.
Never underestimate how low
people will stoop to make a buck.
That can't be easy.
- Everybody talking.
- I just can't believe Dutch watched.
He was tricked.
Someone used you and Kevin
to pull one over on him.
Oh, come on.
You knew what you were doing
with Dutch.
Using him to get favours
even though he never had a chance.
He had a chance.
He just never took it.
Anyway,
Kevin was an impulse thing...
...and judging by the way
he's avoiding me, it was a big mistake.
Well...
We all make a few.
You know this guy?
Yeah, that's Bones.
Runs errands for me.
Witness saw Bones dump his body.
You and Joe have a beef
over off-ramp rent?
No, I quit trying to get payments
out of Joe.
Few months ago, I saw the old man
get hit by a bus. I mean, bam.
Just picks himself up, walks away.
It was freaky.
I figured it was some sort of sign.
Left him alone ever since.
Corrine, get out of the car.
Corrine. Get out of the car.
- Come on, let's go. Come on.
- Hey.
- Let's go.
- Why are you doing this?
Over there. Come on, let's go.
- Get in.
- Shane, please, no.
- Please... Goddamn it. Shane.
- Come on.
Shane. Please don't hurt us,
okay, please?
Not Cassidy, okay? Let her go.
- You're gonna be safe.
- Leave us alone.
Come on, get in.
Just get in, okay?
- Goddamn you. No. No, no.
- Come here. Come here.
- Come on. Let's go, come on.
- Cass. No!
- Corrine, just stay here, okay?
- God, don't. No.
Just stay there.
Corrine, I've got my family hiding too.
It's not just you.
Shane.
Shane!
- Oh, my God!
- Hey, listen to me.
Look, as soon as it's safe,
I'll come and get you, okay?
Shane.
Shane. Shane.
Shane, goddamn it, Shane.
Shane!
I'm having trouble
with a former employee.
He's trying to embarrass me.
How?
It's not important.
I'm taking care of it.
But I may not be able
to handle things exactly as he wishes.
May require some money.
I was beginning to think that you were
growing allergic to my donations.
I cashed your cheque.
And again, thank you.
But you need more.
How much?
Hundred and fifty thousand.
But it goes without saying
that I would be tremendously indebted.
It's done.
And coincidentally,
I have a favour to ask from you.
I'm going to add another cheque.
It'll be made out
to a small private college in the area.
I'd like you to create a research grant,
anonymously, in that amount.
Okay, what kind of research?
Voter behaviour,
demographic pattern shifts...
...in Farmington and elsewhere.
I'll give you the specifics later.
But all the information
comes directly back to me.
Yeah.
Cruz wants to fund a study.
Demographics, voter behaviour,
things like that.
- Why?
- Redistricting.
He can manipulate the votes
to get me, others elected.
Let me see your map.
These were the areas highlighted
on the map in Aramboles' office.
Cruz is the connection.
These are all his developments.
That's low-income housing.
Goes up next month.
And that's
Eighth Street Medical Center.
This?
Office park for small businesses.
With me in his pocket
and my influence on council...
...he's gonna be able
to get contracts easier and expand.
And how does Aramboles and his
Mexican mob money play into all this?
Think globally.
All right,
the money's coming into the U.S.
From the mob in Mexico.
Anti-terrorism laws...
...have made international
money laundering much more difficult.
So all their profit in Mexico.
What do they do with it?
Their profit here,
too hard to ship south.
So what?
The Mexican mob
is buying up Farmington?
Along with four or five other districts
in L.A.
Legitimate businesses
are the best front for organised crime.
They can run prostitution
out of low-income housing.
Sell illegal scrips
out of the medical centre.
Jesus Christ.
I gotta take a run at Aramboles.
His secretary said he had
an important meet with a client.
Wait. And risk tipping Pezuela off
that you've turned on him?
That'll start a war, and we don't
know what army he's fighting with.
We need patience.
The review board doesn't go my way,
I'm out of here in three days.
Vic, this thing can't come down
in three days.
- This will take three years.
- Then don't let them take my badge.
Forget about our bullshit history,
already.
Help me so I can stay
and finish this.
Look, I was serious
when I said I couldn't help.
But listen,
the board has three members.
The senior member
is Howard Gregson. Now, he...
He has an autistic grandson.
Dotes on him. Even serves
on the board for Cure Autism Now.
What, you want me
to bring my kids into this?
Two autistic children.
Okay, you're the breadwinner.
There are doctors, therapists.
You know, say you're sorry
for past transgressions...
...but that you wanna change.
You want me to put
my two sick kids on display?
- To use Megan and Matthew?
- Maybe you sway Gregson.
And maybe he sways a second vote.
I know, it's 20-to-1.
- Hi.
- Hey. How are you?
I think we should talk
about last night.
I'm sorry I saw anything. I don't know
who's been spreading rumours...
I never meant for you to get hurt.
I liked mentoring you...
...but I redirected those feelings
into something that was unrealistic.
You have nothing to apologise for.
So let's forget last night
and move past it.
Okay?
- Okay. Thanks.
- Come on.
- This way.
- I gotta go, my suspect is here.
Oh, right. Good luck.
So I got a hit on a Jimmy Barnes
living in Whittier.
Says he's Miracle Joe's nephew.
He's driving down later.
Great. Listen, Billings is AWOL,
my suspect is here.
You wanna take a crack at him
with me?
- Yeah, I'd love to.
- Great, let's go.
Ray's innocent.
You can let him go now.
You admit to killing Joe yourself?
Ray didn't order it?
I didn't kill anybody.
We have a witness who saw you dump
his body at the convenience store.
Guess I need a lawyer, then, huh?
Can't get a public defender
till morning.
Yeah, but if these guys are innocent,
real trail will be cold by then.
Coroner's preliminary report
on Joe Barnes.
Systolic cardiac dysfunction
resulting in heart failure.
He died of natural causes.
Guy's survived about every indignity
and injury a man can suffer...
...lived his life alone.
In the end, his heart just quit.
Maybe he figured this place wasn't
worth sticking around for any longer.
- Hey, where you going, Ronnie?
- Checking in with Vic.
Stick around, I found something.
Gang initiation on Hauser.
Dealer passed it on to me.
- Who's the dealer?
- Guy named Burnout.
I know Burnout.
Why is he giving you intel?
We thought he'd walk
on a possession charge.
You guys are being too easy
on these clowns.
So you burned a source
for a gang-initiation tip?
We're gonna stop four kids
getting jumped into a gang.
Stop them young,
less problems when they're older.
Now, we might not
see results tomorrow...
...but things are gonna look
a lot better over time.
Yeah, that's it.
- Yeah...
- Hey, the cops are coming.
Come here. Come here.
- Come here.
- Hold it right there.
- Come here.
- Get your hands off me.
- What you doing, man?
- He ain't complaining.
He doesn't need to.
I saw it with my eyes.
- What do we do with the little ones?
- Can't hold them on anything.
Take their names, call their parents.
He's good enough to travel.
I'm gonna take him to Mission Cross.
All right, take it easy.
What is Burnout doing there?
Hiatt squeezed him,
Burnout gave him a tip.
- Hiatt popped him anyway.
- What was the tip?
It was no big deal.
It was gang initiation.
Hey, man.
- Call your boy off.
- Keep it down.
- This guy's a CI of mine.
- Oh, yeah? Where's his paperwork?
He's unofficial.
You won't be needing him anymore.
Three days, right?
Burnout gives decent intel. What good
does burning that bridge do?
Listen, that door is always open.
So when he's ready to deal again,
maybe he'll try a little harder.
These assholes banging on
each other, it keeps the rage in-house.
Look, once these kids
are in the gang, they're in for life.
I'd rather give them a chance now
than a set of cuffs later.
I'm with HTZ Security.
Had a bunch of silent alarms
go off in your neighbourhood.
Need to talk to a Mrs. Mackey, get her
to sign off so I can reset your system.
Sure, yeah. Come on in.
I'll go get her.
You dumb shit.
All right, it's your lucky day.
I don't have time to bury a body,
so listen up.
Look, it's over for Diro.
Rezian pulled a power play,
taking control of the operation.
So you got a choice. Listen to me.
Now, you either join him, I let you
drive yourself to the hospital...
...or you bleed out here and die.
What is it?
What happened?
Woman was assaulted
by a kid with a lead pipe.
Simple assault. Why are you here?
We got a heads-up that the suspect
was a kid we had in custody earlier.
We broke up a gang initiation
this morning.
- This is round two.
- We don't know that.
Kids gotta earn their way in.
Take that away, they turn outside.
Anyone who skulls a woman
like that...
...is gonna do worse once they join.
Kids were getting assaulted.
We couldn't let that happen.
- How many were being jumped in?
- Besides him, one more.
Well, let's find him, see what
he's doing to earn his stripes.
Hey, any chance
you can pick me up?
Help me clean up Hiatt's mess?
Heard your recruitment's
been taking a few hits, Streetz.
I ain't heard of none.
First your gang initiation
gets shut down.
Then one of your baby bangers
bashes a woman's head in.
Woman's dome got cracked?
I'd send flowers if I gave a shit.
Besides, I hear your ass
ain't gonna be on the streets no more.
Maybe. Maybe not.
If so, my hand-picked successor
is Ronnie.
You, him, don't matter much
if I can't bring in new talent.
To show I'm fair, schedule another.
I'll make sure it doesn't get broken up.
Don't help us find this kid, we'll show
you how we jump someone in.
Anything I can do for you
on that thing you've been working on?
No.
Guess I'm gonna have
to cool my heels for a while.
Hey, you sure this kid
is around here?
Wetback shops on Alvarado.
Nothing more specific?
They gotta think
on their own some, right?
The cream rises to the top.
Oh, I think that's him right there.
- You think?
- He ain't even in the crew yet.
Hey!
Don't move. Give me your hand.
- Get off...
- Don't fight.
Gun.
Sorry, kid.
Gang life will just have to wait.
Good news is, you've been
cleared of all murder charges.
The bad news is, we can still
charge you with desecrating a corpse.
When's my lawyer rolling up?
Can't get a public defender
down here today.
Which means you can
spend a night in County with Ray...
...or come clean about what you were
doing with Joe's body, go home.
Look man, I found him cold.
Figured since he was just a bum,
who would miss him?
Why did you dump his body
at the Fast Mart?
Because the new owner's
an asshole.
The old one let me hang inside,
beat the heat.
This guy called cops,
said I was loitering.
So you dumped a corpse
on his front door?
Who wants to step over
a dead body to buy a Slurpee?
He ruined my day,
so I figured I'd ruin his.
That clear enough for y'all?
- What happened with the Joe thing?
- It's done. Where've you been?
It's nice to know I closed my last case.
I'm getting out of this shithole.
Here's the official paperwork
confirming my disability.
My doctor just signed it.
I'm suing. My lawyer's gonna
have you subpoenaed.
- Suing for what?
- Three-point-four million dollars.
Pain and suffering, for making me
work after being injured.
- What injury?
- Don't you remember?
I got knocked down trying to break up
Mackey and Kavanaugh.
I've had headaches, neck pain
and nausea ever since.
- Don't act like I never mentioned it.
- Steve.
You understand
insurance fraud is a felony?
Dutch knows about the headaches.
I've got everything documented
by my physician.
Go ahead and read it.
It was nice knowing you.
- Who's Dr. Nero Yamamoto?
- I didn't do nothing.
- Is that the last one?
- Yeah.
He was about to shoot somebody
on a crowded sidewalk.
Nice save.
That Aceveda thing...
- Too big to solve in a day.
- Or three?
I'm not out yet.
- lf you are, what next?
- Don't know.
Always thought
you were three steps ahead.
Well, there's still the review board.
I have a few last words.
Are you gonna use those words to
save yourself or burn this place down?
You always wanted to do
what was better for other cops.
What's next for you?
With the San Marcos case closed,
well, at least officially, thanks to me...
...there's no threat of closing down.
You gonna put your chips on Hiatt?
He'll get there.
This isn't AYSO, everybody plays.
You need someone
who can read the streets.
You brought him in here
to move me out smoothly.
You really ready to ride him
all the way home?
Get his parents down here.
- Call juvie.
- Got it.
Since when have you
been working on this?
You took a shit on the streets.
I'm just scooping it up.
Vic.
We just got a shots-fired call.
It's Corrine's address.
- Asher. Where's my family?
- I don't know.
The lady across the street
made the call. Place is empty.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
- Did you look in every room?
- Yes, we did.
There's a notebook
full of family numbers in the drawer.
Start calling, see if anyone's
heard from Corrine.
Okay. Okay.
Oh, my God.
My lawyer tells me the DA
suddenly seems open to a lesser plea.
Yeah, well, I guess
some evidence went missing.
How's your problem?
It's solved.
Temporarily.
But you need a permanent fix?
I do.
Here is my fix. I offer it once.
No discussion, no negotiation.
I'll make sure that your cop friends
and their families don't get hurt.
You tell me where Kesakhian is.
The old man and the girl.
I'll handle transfer of power.
The organisation lost over $2 million
when that money train was robbed.
I need to be reimbursed.
Your favours and your protection
will serve as ongoing payment.
You expect me to be
your gratis snitch?
- Until we're even.
- Well, I can't do that.
Sure, you can.
Because the moment
you don't do something I ask...
...get a shipment into the country,
warn me about a bust, whatever...
...first I kill the children,
then the wives, then I kill your friends.
That's our deal.
Taxi's on the way.
- That's it? No explanation, nothing?
- I'm sorry it had to happen this way.
- You do not do this to me.
- Mom, it's okay.
- Just let him go.
- No, Cass, not okay.
This is not okay!
Do not walk away from me!
Look, you know who you married.
That's the only explanation you need.
Hungry, honey?
You want something to eat?
Oh, here's Mommy.
- Daddy.
- It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy's here.
Okay.
- What happened to you?
- Shane pulled a gun on us.
He took us somewhere to East L.A.,
he locked us in a truck.
I thought he was gonna kill us.
He said he was doing it to protect us
from something that you did.
Look, Shane's in business
with some very dangerous people.
This is him trying to scare you
to get back at me, okay?
What are you gonna do about it?
- Hey, Asher. Come here.
- Yeah?
Take my family to my house.
Stay with them.
Come on, kids, here you go.
Come on.
Let me finish up here, okay?
- I'll handle Shane.
- Okay.
- You'll come home after?
- Yes, I will.
I got a work thing tonight,
but I'll be there.
Found a shell casing.
Trail of blood leads to the street.
Whoever got shot walked away.
Also found a cigarette butt inside.
Armenian.
Shane's sending us a warning.
He and his Armenian friends can
get to our families any time they want.
- What do you want me to do?
- Watch him.
Figure out what he's doing,
who he's doing it with.
And then we're gonna crush him.
You know, Vic should have called me
with the lead.
You and Tina Hanlon.
Something you want to tell me?
Not especially.
Well, I can't keep ignoring everything
I've been hearing about you two.
What about the rumour
there's a witness?
Okay, you can tell your old partner...
...that I'm not pressing charges
for peeping.
You're obligated to disclose
a sexual relationship.
- You outrank her.
- It's not ongoing.
It was a one-time thing.
A wink and a look the other way
every place I've been.
Not here.
This is about me
and the Strike Team.
The circumstances were difficult.
I haven't even had a chance without
Vic Mackey looking over my shoulder.
I don't want Vic. Too much cost.
But I need someone with a little Vic.
The right kind, and that's not you.
- I've got to look out for the Barn.
- Hey.
I had departments fighting over me,
I'm gonna land on my feet.
I guess somebody else
just got lucky.
- Hey.
- Hey, Dad.
Kids wanted to be here with you.
- I guess they're running a little late.
- You ready?
I've got a plan.
Well, we're all here for you.
Yeah.
Detective Mackey.
The review board
is ready to see you now.
Well, whatever the plan is,
good luck with it.
Detective?
- Detective Mackey?
- Vic?
Jimmy Barnes?
- They call me Jim now.
- Detective Wagenbach.
- This is Officer Sofer.
- Hi.
- We're very sorry about your uncle.
- Thanks.
Sit down.
I appreciate you finding me.
He deserves a proper burial.
You should know,
your uncle wasn't just a homeless guy.
He was a legend around here.
Everybody really liked him.
And...
...I 'm sorry that he was alone.
He always had that way
with people.
You know?
And alone is how he liked it.
So I guess this is you?
We found it in his wallet.
When was the last time
you saw him?
Almost 12 years ago.
Joe was my dad's older brother.
They were really close.
And when my dad got sick...
...the doctors told him
that he only had a year to live.
So Joe quit his job, dropped
everything to take care of him.
Kept him alive for five years.
When my dad died...
...Joe just lost it. And disappeared.
We finally found him
living on the street.
And we tried a couple times to bring
him home, but he didn't want that.
He just asked us to leave.
I guess he's with my dad now.
I'm okay.
I sometimes just get hit
by the little things.
Give me a serial killer and I'm fine.
- Hey.
- Hey, I'm okay. I'm okay.
- Hello, officer.
- Hi.
- Is there a problem?
- I don't know yet.
Keep a pretty clean car.
Wanna pop the trunk for me?
- Have I done something wrong?
- Yeah.
You didn't open the trunk
liked I asked.
Okay.
Stop the car.
I sent my men away
so they would be safe.
Rezian sent you to kill me?
Look, you need to leave right now.
His people are on their way.
Just go home.
Back to school in Germany.
Just leave before they kill you.
You didn't need to warn me.
Thank you.
Look, you can't stay here.
They're on their way here right now.
I'm not leaving his fate
up to those monsters.
I will be with him for it.
Look, it needs to be fast.
Look, I'm sorry.
Your sentiment will destroy you.
Wanna tell me why
I had to come in a taxi?
Jesus. That's some equipment.
Aramboles' car. Pulled him over.
Is this Maria Echeveria?
She's the mayor's financial adviser.
Well, someone's conducting
a tongue audit between her legs.
This is a paternity suit
for Rabbi Korman.
Drug-rehab receipts for Judge Quail.
Well, this one's labelled "Senator
Bradwell and the Campfire Boys"
Holy shit.
That's how Pezuela's getting everyone
onboard the train to Cartel Town.
Blackmail. Just like he did you.
You think this goes far enough
up the ladder to save my job?
Are you ready for this?
Take my car. I have a ride.
Don't let this guy see your face.
All right, asshole. Come on, let's go.
Get out.
Call Pezuela.
Have him give you a lift.
On the ride home, you can explain
how you lost his trunk full of leverage.