The Shield (2002–2008): Season 7, Episode 1 - Coefficient of Drag - full transcript

Vic and Shane's relationship continues to deteriorate as they work against each other to track down the Armenian hit man. The war between the Mexicans and Salvadorans continues, and Vic gets a temporary reprieve from early retirement.

Jesus Christ.

Mara!

Vic!

- Vic!
- Shut up!

- Vic, listen, man.
- Shut up.

You don't understand.

Corrine and my kids?

Vic, you don't understand.
Vic, I saved their lives.

The Armenians know
about the money train!

What do they know?

You cozied up to Diro,
got her spooked.



She started
to turn over rocks.

She made you
for the money-train grab.

There's only four people
who knew we did that robbery...

...and three of them
are in this room.

The other one,
you blew to pieces.

You told her it was us and
left yourself out.

You think I'm an idiot?

Eventually that Armenian bitch
and her mob buddies...

...will figure out that
I was involved.

Yeah, and me too, asshole.

Diro greenlit your family.

When I heard about the hit,
I went back to Rezian...

...and I made a deal
to shut down Diro.

Now Rezian thinks that the both
of you are behind it, too.



Oh, Jesus Christ.

I'm paying off your debt in favors
to keep you and your family safe.

You're paying off
my money-train debt?

What the hell
have you gotten us into?

I'm on an Island here for you.

For you and your family.

Rezian told me who Diro hired
for the hit.

That was the blood
in your house.

I put a bullet
in the asshole.

What's the asshole's name?

Zadofian.

He's Armenian muscle.

I capped him
and he ran off.

You let the guy who was hired
to kill my family get away?

I stopped him from killing
Corrine and your kids.

And he's still out there?

Look, Vic, if we just can work
together on this thing.

We don't work together
on shit anymore.

I'm gonna find Zadofian...

...and I'll find out
the truth, too.

Until then,
you stay out of my way.

Yeah, I get it.
I know you hate me.

Hey! Hey!

But you got to understand, man.

I would never do anything
to hurt your family.

Lem was family.

- What the hell was that?
- Are you OK?

- Are you okay?
- What the hell was that?

Just hold on.
Hey, buddy. Everything's fine.

- Look, I'm sorry.
- A washcloth in my mouth?

Vic would never do anything
to hurt us.

He tied me up,
and he beat the shit out of you.

What is that,
the good-neighbor policy?

Look, I got word
that the Armenians...

...were coming after Vic for
the money-train robbery.

I scooped up Corrine and Cassidy
to keep them safe.

I didn't have a chance
to call him and fill him in.

You protect his family, and he
pays you back by terrorizing us?

It was just him thinking...

...I was taking our bad blood
to the next level.

That bad blood is spraying
all over this family.

Look, I keep trying to do
the right thing.

Vic is never gonna forgive you
for Lem.

You got to get away
from him.

It's the only way
you're gonna get right.

So what happens
with your hearing now?

Walking out
didn't weigh in my favor.

S.I.S. offered me a spot.
I think I'm gonna take it.

I'm not staying in Farmington
with Shane.

- Thanks for coming out so late.
- I appreciate the gig.

Security work's
been pretty lean lately.

You'd think five years on the force
would qualify you for more stuff.

I'm not sure how you want to
handle the payment.

Yeah.

This will handle
the first week.

I ruffled some Armenian feathers.
Looks like they might want to strike back.

I need you to look after
Corrine and my family.

I'll be like a mother bird
with her eggs.

The guy's name is Zadofian.

I'll e-mail you his interpol photo
when get back to the barn.

My family's staying
at my place.

They can't know that they're being watched.
They don't know anything about the threat.

I don't want them scared.

Not a problem.

You got a gun?

Good.

No chances.

You had me arrested.
You make the case go away.

I already took a big-ass risk
losing those ledgers.

When I start altering reports,
I will be in a jail cell right next to you.

Now,
That does not help you.

As long as I'm locked up in here...

...and Diro is out there,
everything is at risk.

Diro's probably back in Munich
playing quarters with co-eds by now.

Diro Kesakian has been working for...

...her father's illegal businesses
since she was 15...

...and she's not
going to stop now.

I need to find her.

I'm not your Armenian lojack.
I don't know where she is.

Zadofian,
that hit man that you shot...

...he'll know
where Diro's hiding.

Find him.

Turn him over to my men.

They will extract the truth,
and I'll get Diro.

And where do Armenian hit men
nurse belly wounds these days?

He's dick-sweet on this little
filipina whore.

Street name's Darla.

Find Zadofian in one piece
before your police friends do.

How'd your hearing go
last night?

You haven't heard?

I'll let it be
a surprise.

I'm tired of blood.

Ronnie, you're taking lead
on anything gang-related.

Vic, until your status is determined,
can't have you headlining anything.

Captain, car dragged two bodies...

...all the way down Kearney Street
around the corner.

Victims were Salvadoran.
Castillo's crew.

Salvadoran and Mexicans
both run a piece of this block.

Until now, they've always
shared lunch money.

Call in Vendrell. The whole team figures out
who broke the truce and why.

Can I help you?

Agent Olivia Murray,
I.C.E.

You folks usually
lob the obligatory...

...courtesy call before you
muscle in on a case.

I'm not a muscling
kind of gal.

Here unofficially.
Curiosity call.

What's your unofficial
curiosity?

Captain Wyms.
Special team member detective Vic Mackey.

I share, you share?

Dragging bodies to designate
new boundaries in blood...

...is right out of the
"manada de muerte" handbook.

Death mob?

Cartel mercenaries.
Ex-Mexican military and federales.

Make 10 times as much
protecting the cartels...

...than they do citizens.

What in God's name
are they doing in Farmington?

That's the curious part.

Since those San Marcos house murders,
this place has been a hot zone.

Tell me about it.

All that blood,
all those hacked-up body parts...

...and I.C.E. couldn't flesh out
a single player or an illegal operation.

Our bureau Chief shut down
my investigation.

You're freelancing.

Trying to kick-start your case.

If I can tie the cartel
to a local player...

...Olivia's back in the hood.

We could use the jackets
of those Mexican cops...

...who've fallen from Gracia.

I'll make it happen.

Okay.

Barn's at your disposal.

Oh. Next time,
take the bus, boys.

Some banger over in county was
threatening to off a cop's family.

Cass, go check on your
brother and sister.

I'm old enough
to hear this.

It's okay.

It's all right.

Now, the guard thought the
prisoner was talking about me.

He tipped off Shane.

When Shane couldn't get
in touch with me, he panicked...

...put you guys away
for your own safety.

What about the blood
in our house?

I just talked
to Wyms about that.

Looks like it was a break-in
gone sideways.

They get nervous,
they hear someone coming...

...and they accidentally cap
one of their own guys.

I'm supposed to believe
all this happened...

...at the same time shane locks us
in a box for our own well-being?

Shane overreacted.

His heart was
in the right place...

...but unfortunately, his brain
was a couple of steps behind.

And we were never
in any danger?

There's nothing
to be afraid of.

We're not
in any danger now?

No.

I promise.

Listen, this whole thing
really rattled my cage.

I'd really, really love it
if you'd hang around here.

I mean, I'd just feel better if you were
under my roof for a couple of days.

Close to me, okay?

Vic!

Saw him behind your neighbor's
shrubs watching your door.

I need those files.

This Zadofian?

Actually, it's not.

Who the hell is it?

Don't ask.

Hey, screw.
Screw.

Don't you move.

See you, sweetie.
See you later.

Pezuela send you after me?

Might as well kill me.

If I don't return
La Caja de Pecado, I'm dead.

The box of sins?

That's clever.

All those files.

All those blackmail files
I took from your trunk.

I spent two and half years, hundreds of
thousands of dollars gathering that intel.

That's political payback for L.A.'s
most upstanding and influential citizens.

You sound a little bitter.

I watched those hypocrites
do everything...

...from fixing parking tickets
to ordering murders.

I'm the one who gave
Pezuela his leverage.

Made him indispensable
to the cartel.

And he's gonna pay you back by
putting a bullet in your head.

That sucks.

The cartel doesn't know
you lost their blackmail files.

Pezuela either.

No.

Who sent the death squad
up here?

Mexican drug lords are getting nervous
about their investment in Los Angeles...

...especially the Salvadoran
resistance.

They sent up manada de muerte
six days ago to help.

Why'd they draw the blood lines
down Kearney Street?

Pezuela is expanding
his development.

It's where he wants
his new hotel.

Wait!

You're just gonna leave me
chained here?

Trust me, I could do worse.

Got a call from county
this morning...

...wanting to know if they should
issue a monthly guest pass.

Seems like you've been making
regular visits to Ellis Rezian.

The Armenians had a front-row seat
to this whole Mexican-Salvadoran beef.

He's facing a charge.

I'm just trying to convince him...

...it's in his best interest
to share the knowledge.

Vice had a C.I. Who got
patched up by an Armenian doc.

If Zadofian's looking to get sewn up
outside the system...

...this is where he'd probably go.

"Dr. Edna lucine.
Bow-wow and meow. "

What, she's a vet?

Hate to be part
of that H.M.O.

I'm gonna go check
on our doggy doc...

...make sure Zadofian
got neutered.

Dutch.

Could you fill my box?

Anything to help.

Packed tight.

How come you got the unis
doing admin?

What would you prefer
they be doing?

Had three people quit. Downtown's
hit us with a hiring freeze.

Why?
We're already understaffed.

Billings' lawsuit.

You're kidding me!
The guy tapped his head on a desk.

City attorney's gonna settle
with him today.

They want him done and gone.
That means you'll be flying solo.

The operative word being "fly. "
Billings was a weight around my neck.

I'm glad to see your partner's absence
hasn't dampened your humility.

Dr. Lucine, I presume.

Uh, I'm in the middle
of an exam.

You're in the middle
of a whole lot more than that.

I understand you're a Chief
surgeon at Armenia general.

I'm a veterinarian.

So I check your pharmaceutical logs,
all I'm gonna find are doggy meds?

I borrowed money from Armenian
loan sharks to pay for school.

I didn't know patching up criminals
was gonna be part of my monthly payments.

Did an Armenian come in here
with a belly wound?

The bullet missed vital organs,
but he lost a lot of blood.

Where is he now?

I stabilized him. I drove him to the
edgemont hotel. Second floor.

That's right.

That's right.
You're doing good.

I was gonna say "pussy gram,"
but that seemed a little obvious.

What the hell is this?

I'll have her back before
that little blue pill wears off.

Come on let's go.

What the hell do you want?

I'm looking for Zadofian.

Don't go blonde on me.
Rezian told me you're his main cooch.

I haven't seen him.

You want me to tell Rezian
you were uncooperative?

Now, where does he stay
when he's in town?

The Edgemont Hotel.

Hey, Dutch.

Do you have a minute?

Um, let me go first.

What happened last night...

...we were both vulnerable,
a little lonely.

One-time thing
between good friends.

No reason for us
to get all uncomfortable.

There's a guy here,
says he killed his wife.

Oh.

Uh, okay.

Well, I better,
I better get on that.

Wouldn't want him to kill
anybody else's wife.

Yeah.

So, you killed your wife
two years ago.

A little over
two years now.

And no, I had
my friend Hector kill her.

I ground up some sleeping pills,
put it in her wine.

She took a bath.
I went to work.

Hector was supposed to push her
down in the tub...

...make it look like she got wasted
and drowned.

Douche bag
showed up too soon.

She was awake.

Had to force her head
underwater.

That's how you guys
knew it was murder.

You were tried
and acquitted for the crime.

And you can't arrest me now
cause I'm protected by final jeopardy.

Right.

Um, why not give up Hector
at trial?

D.A. had a shit case.
I knew I'd get off.

If I gave up Hector then, he
would've told them I planned it.

What was in it for Hector?

I fronted him the money to start
a vinyl siding business.

So you and your buddy
killed your wife.

You got no remorse
about that?

You had to know her.

I just want Hector
behind bars now.

Why the sudden interest
in justice?

I never thought I'd want to get
married again, you know?

Understandable.

And then, bam.
I meet Lorena.

Fall head over heels, man.

Let me guess.

Lorena's with Hector.

She works
at his siding company.

I know she loves me,
but she's afraid to leave him.

Him being a murder
and all.

Exactly.

Zadofian?

Room 11.

Listen, I don't know
how this is gonna go.

You can take a pass.

If Shane's telling the truth, this
guy's a threat to all of us. I'm in.

Hey!

Don't move!

Who shot you?

Screw you.

Who?!

Had to be someone
working for Rezian.

Is that the guy?

Yeah, that's him.
Who is he?

You went after my family.

God damn it.

Vic.

Come on, Vic.
Vic.

Think about it, Vic.
Think about it.

He was in Corrine's house.

His blood is on her floor.

This is too messy.

I'm just a soldier.

Don't know who or why.

We need to know
where to find Diro.

Page her.

Claudette, Emilio knows he can't
be retried for the murder...

...gave me all the details about
how Hector killed his wife.

See what Hector
has to say.

Actually, the original detective
on the case already did that.

Ruled him out
as a suspect.

Detective Steve Billings.

See if he has
the strength to talk.

Hey, Vic!

Julien's got a witness
for the body-dragging in one.

Where's Gardocki?

He's running down
a Salvadoran lead.

Should be back soon.

Whatever information
you give up could save lives.

What, I look like
wonder woman to you?

I'm wearing some sort
of magic bracelet...

...that's gonna deflect bullets...

...when people find out that
I'm talking to you assholes?

Here's another one now.

Byz Lat queen.

Who's the lucky cholo?

Jimmy Mendez.

Forget it.

She'll never talk.

She can't.

The way the street's
been jumping off lately...

...they even find out she was down here,
it'll be Jimmy they're dragging around.

Just because I got into a cop car
don't mean that I'm giving anything up.

I hope you can convince
them of that.

Sorry to trouble you.

Give her a minute.

Anybody ever tumble
over this thing?

Not without
a friendly push.

Hey, choirboy,
that's for me.

I'll take the stairs.

Vic.

If I like remember something...

...can you make sure nothing
happens to Jimmy?

I ain't doing
this baby shit by myself.

God damn it.

No. No, my Salvadoran lead
didn't pan out.

Vic back yet?

Yeah, he and Julien are going at
a witness to the body-dragging.

OK. I got one more
lead to run down.

I'll check back in.

That's Diro returning my call.

That Diro's number?

Yeah, that's her.

Shouldn't I answer it?

No.

No, that's not necessary.

Ah! Shit.

Oh, shit.

Oh. Oh, shit.

Files on all
the Mexican federales...

...kicked off the force
in the last five years.

Cartel must have one hell
of a pension plan.

What's this?

Death mob candidates.

Ex-federales.

Bounce it off our witness.

Maybe she can pick out
who's painting the streets.

Captain, we got shots fired
at the edgemont hotel.

Shit. That must be retaliation
for the draggings.

Stay with Julien.

Vendrell's in transit.

I'll have him check it out.

Okay.

Somewhere on the second floor.

Holy Christ.

Clear.

1- tango-72,
we got a 187 at this location.

Please advise.

Hey.

Holy shit, you got here fast.

Johnny on the spot.

Ouch.

Footloose and fancy-free.

Those Armenians sure do know how
to send a message, don't they?

No shit.

You okay?

Shane was telling the truth
about Zadofian...

...going after your family.

Are you okay?

Talked to Claudette, pulled the trigger
less than a minute later.

We're both covered.

Hey, man. I need to see that
distant stare come off your face.

I'm okay.

Good.

You get Diro's number?

Yeah. Time comes,
I can GPS it in a heartbeat.

Good. We'll shut down Rezian first.

As far as anyone knows, you were
following up on the Salvadorans.

Vic, our witnessed I.D.'d
one of the federales.

Our lucky day.

We'll be right in.

I got to go check on the great brown
hope about keeping my badge.

Hey.

You firing on enough cylinders
to handle this death mob thing?

Yeah, I'm good.

Hey. Those other
Salvadoran leads pan out?

No. They were dead ends.

What's with the cab?

You know, ever since the injury,
I have these blackouts.

Makes driving too risky.

I'm gonna need you
to reimburse me for this.

Wyms said there's some insurance
papers I need to sign.

Yeah. Thanks for coming down.

It's against my better judgment.

I'm supposed to avoid
the stress.

While you're signing the paperwork
there's some information I need...

...about a case you shared with the Barn
when you were at central.

I'll try to help, but I've got these huge
memory gaps ever since the injury.

Yeah. How is the bump on the head?

The brain is the most mercurial
organ in the human body.

Yes, it is.

You remember the Doris Borrego
homicide?

That was a while back.

What about it?

The husband who was acquitted
came into the Barn today, confessed...

...fingered his buddy
Hector Jimenez for the murder.

The D.A. tanked that case.

It was a slam dunk.

Insardi totally blew it.
You know...

...from what I can recall.

You remember
why you ruled out Hector?

Who?

I'm gonna need you
to check your notes...

...see if anything
jars your memory.

Maybe you should
call that cab back.

I'm getting
a little light-headed.

Okay. I'm just trying to help
my partner here.

But if the D.A. pulls you
back into this...

...it might delay the progress
on your lawsuit.

Right.

Might need to make
a sushi run.

Protein helps
with my memory capability.

I'll get right on that.

You and I have the only
two copies of the keys.

What are you doing?

There are over 100 blackmail
files in this box.

I only need one of them
to get my badge back.

You're gonna blackmail someone
just like Pezuela?

No, I'm gonna give them
their sin back...

...grant them absolution.

Him giving me my badge back is just
gonna be his way of showing gratitude.

Right now, this intel
is the only proof that...

...we have that Pezuela's dirty.

Using it as leverage
will compromise it as evidence.

Plus Pezuela will know
that you have the box.

We can't risk
exposing that now.

Now that your kodak moment
is out of this box...

...to hell with everyone else,
right?

You and me,we're never
gonna be friends.

We both know that we're
just here for survival.

You want to be mayor.

All I want to do is
keep being a cop.

We can't use this information
to get your job back.

But we can begin to use it
to hurt Pezuela.

Those body-dragging murders
you're investigating.

Pezuela sweeping away
the Salvadorans.

What of it?

So he can build
his new hotel.

There's a vote tomorrow night.
A major rezoning Bill.

Councilman dowd
is chairman of the committee.

Dowd's in the box.

Pezuela's twisting his arm
so the vote will go his way.

What if we made a copy
of the file...

...for our case against Pezuela
and send dowd the original...

...anonymously?

Untwist his arm.

Pezuela spent a lot of money.

He shed a lot of blood
for that hotel.

He's gonna be pissed.

Pull the file.

Any luck?

No, not yet.

But I seem to vaguely recall
that Hector had some kind of alibi.

Maybe if you took off
the sunglasses...

...you could actually see
something.

Doctor's orders.

Fluorescents exacerbate
my migraines.

Oh, here it is.

Lorena Francisco.

All night.

Great rack?

Well, this sounds
like your notes.

She said she was with Hector
the night of the murder...

...and I do recall
she had great tits.

Billings, can I see you
in my office?

I just got a call from
the city attorney's office...

...said your lawyer turned down
our settlement offer.

I'm not at liberty
to discuss the case.

That's what my bitch-dyke
lawyer is for.

It's bad enough criminals
sue us...

...but cops filing
bogus suits?

I was injured on the job,
and now I'm disabled.

Do you know where
that payoff money comes from?

Community programs, education,
gang intervention.

Well, you should have
thought about that...

...before you let Mackey and
Kavanaugh run out of control.

This is on you.

Get out.

Department must be
pretty desperate.

You begging me to settle.

Looks like I got the brass
by the balls...

...and now it's squeezing time.
- You're a goddamn joke.

I'll add slander
to my suit.

Captain, witness turned up a match
from our ex-federales list.

It's just in time.

You remember a case a couple
years back, Doris Borrego?

We shared it with central?

That's right.

Sure. It was my first dead body.
Bathtub.

Did you testify
at that trial?

Didn't do much good.

Defense ripped Billings'
police work to shreds.

Insardi chewed him out.

Half of downtown heard it.

Yeah, thanks.

According to Billings,
?nsardi was the one...

...that tanked the case.

Seems like it really got
under his skin.

Maybe Steve would be interested...

...in a chance to redeem himself.

I'm all about second chances.

On our body-draggings, witness
I.D.'d Marcus Villanueva.

Thrown off the policia federal
two years ago.

Him and his partner accidentally
slit the throat of a suspect...

...during an interrogation.

On-the-job training
for his next gig.

His brother owns an army
surplus store in Norman.

If he's there, he's probably
not alone or empty-handed.

Strike team leads it.

I'll see if downtown can shake
loose a SWAT unit.

I'll make sure that happens.

Set up strategic on the 101
on-ramp near 59th and Olive.

You ready for this?

Absolutely.

Place is closed. They got
six cars parked out back.

One of them's the pickup truck
our witness identified.

We should move while we got
them contained.

These psychos get off
on collateral damage.

It's your call.

SWAT's 15 minutes out. We'll wait.

Where's Vic?

He's trying to head off
the Salvadoran retaliation.

He's on his way.

Heard things didn't go so well
at your hearing.

That's unfortunate.

Must've been a full moon.

Bad night for everyone.

A cartel death squad
used a couple of salvas...

...to draw blood lines
down Kearney.

You wouldn't know anything
about that, would you?

It's awful.

Almost as awful as having
a former employee...

...sell off your private files.

What files are those?

Whatever they are,
they sure got the cesspool bubbling.

R.O.C., Salvadorans, niners.
They're all bidding.

The word is intel belonged to you.

What's your interest?

Same as yours.
Get back what I lost.

Your badge.

Squeezing Aceveda
was a waste of time.

He's a unique.

My point,
you need someone with balls.

I keep my badge, I got the
resources to be that guy.

Your dismissal
is already in motion.

What?

We got to move
on this death mob.

Lost SWAT to some hostage thing
in south central.

Really could use you
watching my back.

All right. I'll call in for the 20.

Not sure if I can help you,
detective.

Not sure
if I can help you either.

Let's keep talking.

We got movement at the shop.
One vehicle pulling out.

Pickup truck?

No. Gray jeep.

Get the plate number.

We got to do this
without SWAT.

They're moving out.

Let's go! Let's go!

Police! Let me see your hands!

Guns!

We're pinned down!
Under fire!

Call Wilshire for backup.

Got an officer down.

Three or four shooters.

Okay. Give me a radio.

Ronnie,
I'm gonna create a diversion.

You. Show me your hands.

Don't move.

I thought you were gonna create
a diversion.

What, that's not
big enough for you?

Everybody whole?

More or less.

Any idea how I should explain
this one to Phillips?

He knows I've always had trouble
following directions.

Just tell him
I took a wrong turn.

Come on. Let's go.
Move.

Hey, Danny, grab a couple of unis.

We got to inventory
these illegal weapons.

Good. More paperwork.

Charger totaled?

Nothing a good body man
can't make right.

Look, your story
about Zadofian panned out.

Good.

Heard the hit man took a hit.

Nature of the job.

I assume you had a chance
to chat with him...

...before he took two
in the chest?

Yeah, we did.

Lucky for us.

That eliminates
the immediate threat.

Looks like
I'm gonna need you...

...to get my family
clear of this thing.

Well, then I'm here
for you, Vic.

Yeah.

I got a plan on how to deal
with the rest of this problem...

...but I'll tell you
back at the Barn.

I don't understand.
That trial is over.

Just closing out
some unfinished details.

Do you know
Hector Jimenez?

Sure.

According to the detective
on the case...

...you were with him
on the night of the murder.

When was the last time
you saw Hector?

This morning.

He's my boss.

And your fiance now, right?

Yeah. So what?

Do you know
Emilio Borrego?

Yeah.

- He's a friend of Hector's?
- Hello.

Glad to see your work ethic
has remained intact, detective.

Insardi. What do you want?

Wagenbach put in a request
to reopen this case.

I'm gonna see why.

Guess you're sitting
this one out, huh?

I'm on disability.

Oh, good. Maybe we'll actually
convict somebody.

They're good friends.

We need to spin that
fiction, make Rezian believe...

...the Mexicans are the Armenians'
worst problem since the Turks.

I know just what lie
to tell him.

Give us a minute.

I just got off the phone
with Phillips.

Save the touching
goodbye speech.

The decision on your badge
has been pushed.

Commissioner nebel has taken
an indefinite leave.

Health reasons.

And it will be at least 30 days before
they can assemble a new committee.

I don't know what kind of
voodoo you're using...

...or whose arm
you're twisting.

Just be grateful.

You got another month of Mackey
to firm up your stats.

Gardocki will be leading
this team.

You start feeling
like you got nothing to lose...

...you act out in any way,
it'll be a black markin his jacket.

You don't give a shit
about risking your future...

...that's fine.

Maybe you'll think twice
when it's your friend's.

Fewer and fewer of those
friends around these days.

Lorena's sticking to her story.

Too scared to tell the truth.

Insardi's one smug bitch.

Sure seems
to be gunning for you.

Said I was incompetent,
right?

Said something like
the only thing weaker...

...than your detective skills
was your backbone.

What? Don't worry about it.

It's not your problem anymore.

You work for Hector's siding
company, vice president of sales.

Yes.

Two years ago you told me
Hector was at your house...

...eating Chinese food
the night Doris was killed.

I don't remember
all the details.

You lied for Hector,
gave him an alibi...

...so he could go kill
Emilio's wife.

No. I was with him.

- He didn't do anything.
- Bullshit.

Emilio told us the whole story,
sweetheart.

I know he's the one getting his joint
greased in big-titty heaven now.

Wants to marry you.

Get Hector out of the equation.

I didn't...
That's not my fault.

No, but you lying
for Hector...

...makes you and your twins
co-conspirators.

And I'm sure those fat,
white guards in double-d block...

...already have a come-stained cot
with your name on it.

You got one chance
to save your ass...

I didn't know about the killing
until afterwards.

Swear to God. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

The last of the Ak-47s.

Get that area
behind me next.

If I wanted to spend
my life doing inventory...

...I would have worked
for my uncle Manny, you know?

What happened?

Turned my back for a second.

Guy jumps out
from behind this crap.

Took off.

That guy could have been armed.

Who the hell cleared this room?

I... I'm not sure
who cleared it.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm just glad
nobody was hurt.

If I find out who failed
to clear this room...

...somebody's out of a job.

Steve, come on in.
Sit down.

First, I want to apologize
for that outburst earlier.

It was unprofessional.

Yeah,
and very mean-spirited.

Second, I want to thank you
for solving that murder for us.

It will really help
with our quarterly stats.

You were on the top
of your game.

Yeah, I get these little bursts
of energy...

...you know, in between needing
to lie down and so forth.

Well, don't be modest,
Steve.

You work for Hector's siding company,
vice president of sales...

...headaches, disorientation,
lethargy...

...memory loss,
inability to logic.

What's your point?

Your scam's over.

We've got proof you've been
faking your head injury.

This doesn't prove shit.

With the tape and our testimony
from your performance today...

...your lawsuit is dead.

Maybe we throw in your history
of defrauding the city...

...with your little
vending machine enterprise.

All right. Look.

Last thing I ever wanted to do
was hurt the department.

I will call my attorney and have
her take the settlement offer.

You'll take nothing.

You'll be glad I didn't
fire you, pull your pension.

I spoke to Phillips.

You'll be back to work
tomorrow morning.

If you want to quit,
it's up to you.

I'll have to consult
with my legal team.

Just as long as you're here
tomorrow morning first thing...

...you can consult
till your hair grows back.

What are you doing, Cass?

That S.U.V.'s been sitting
down the block all day.

It's just a neighbor,
sweetie.

Pack your stuff, kids.

We're going home.

My lesbo lawyer says I'm
required to return to work.

Make myself available
to render services.

Well, it's good
to have you back, Steve.

Yeah, I'll be back,
all right.

Putting in my required hours,
mandatory paperwork.

But as far as effort goes,
I don't know what's between zero...

...and the city mandate minimum,
but from now on...

...let's just call that the Billings.

Can't we just call it
business as usual?

Here's the blood-test report
from Mackey's ex-wife's house.

This matches Ari Zadofian...

...the Armenian we found dead
in the hotel today.

Where were Vic and his guys
when this went down?

Vic was here with me.

The rest of his guys
were running down leads.

Strike team seems clear
on this one.

Of course they do.

How you holding up?

I'm struggling.
New medication.

Well, you're doing great.

If you need anything,
let me know.

I found Zadofian.

You turn him over
to my guys?

Not unless your guys work
for the county coroner.

He's dead.

The first thing I ask you to do
turns to shit.

What's turned to shit is your
control over little Armenia.

I found Zadofian...

With two bullets to the chest
and his feet chopped off.

Old-school retribution.

That was Diro
sending you a message.

She has no power anymore.

She's reaching out...

To the Mexicans.

The word on the street
is she's forming an alliance.

We've never trusted
the wetbacks.

Well, this is L.A., baby.

It's latino land, and she sees
the writing on the wall.

I know every Mexican gang
from here to Sinaloa...

...which means that nothing
happens to Vic's family...

...or you lose the only guy
who can stop Diro...

and her Mexican threat.

I hope commissioner Nebel's
health problem isn't too serious.

Nothing three weeks
in the Caribbean...

...with his mistress
can't cure.

Gives me 30 days
to evaluate your effectiveness...

...see if your stay of execution
should become permanent.

Found out the name
of one of your former employees...

...who were stealing secrets.

Aramboles.

What about the files?

He sold them to Rezian.

Whatever's in that box
is giving him big balls.

The Armenians are making a hard
play for your Barrio sandbox.

And while you're judging
my effectiveness...

...you just keep something
in mind.

There's no other cop
in this town...

...who knows those Balkan psychos
better than I do.

Yeah?

Corrine and Cassidy
left a few minutes ago.

I think she recognized me.

Oh, shit.

All right. Keep on them.

- Shane here?
- No.

What do you want
with him?

The truth.

I know what shane did
to you.

Oh, so he told you.

- He told you.
- He had to.

Vic came here last night
and did the same thing to me.

Payback.

Vic? No.

He didn't know about
the bogus Armenian threat.

He thought Shane
was trying to hurt him...

...by scaring you
and your daughter.

What Armenian threat?

Shane was acting out
on some bullshit tip...

...for some banger in county.

I guess one of us
is being lied to.

Listen, Vic's had this ex-cop
watching us all day long, okay?

And I don't know what's going on
between.

I do, and it's hurting
both our families.

Now, if our husbands
won't stay away from each other...

...then maybe we need to step in
so that...

So that somebody doesn't get hurt.

Cassidy?

Zadofian's prelim
crime-scene report.

Holy shit.

His shoes were attached
when I left him.

Guess who the first detective
on the scene was.

I know. Shane.

Rezian must have sent him
looking for Zadofian.

The feet were some kind
of message to Diro.

There he is.

Shane is neck-deep
in Armenian shit.

Listen,
we got to keep him close...

...make him feel safe,
just like old times...

...as soon as we get this situation
under control.

What you did for me today,
I'll never forget.

I thought pulling the trigger
would be the hard part...

Don't you ever get sucked into
that black hole that got Shane.

You got any idea how Zadofian
got that pedicure?

It was like that
when I got on the scene.

Why?

It's just he had both
of his feet...

...when we got done
talking to him.

Look, Rezian wanted me to find
Zadofian before the cops did...

...turn him over to his guys.

I chopped off the feet to make
it look like Diro's handiwork.

No idea who shot him.

You?

Probably was Diro.

Right.

Well, either way,
it helped sell the story.

Told Rezian that Diro's made
some new greasy friends.

Did like you said.

Convinced him that the Mexicans
were his biggest threat.

Good.

I got the Mexicans thinking
that the Armenians...

...are making a power play
for the Barrio.

And we help
both sides win.

Could get real bloody
real fast.

The sooner they bleed out,
the sooner my family's safe.

So...

What now?

We just sit back...

...watch the gang war.