Avenge the Crows (2017) Movie Script
1
[man] Keep moving.
[groans]
[pants] Please.
Please. You don't
have to do this.
My family is rich.
I can get you anything you want.
I don't want your money, Cuete.
Whoever you are...
you kill me...
you're fucking dead!
My uncle Ronaldo,
he's a captain in the cartel.
Do you have any fucking idea
what he's gonna do to you
and your whole fucking family
when he finds out about this?
[sobbing]
Angel?
[scoffs]
You know...
I always imagined it would
end up like this.
Even when I was locked up!
[sobbing, grunting]
[Angel] Me too.
[gunshot]
[gunshot]
[dog barking]
[soft rock music playing]
[woman] Yo, Peaches.
[smacks lips]
Hey, yo, bitch!
Yo, bitch! I'm talkin' to you.
Yeah, I know who you are,
Los Grajos bitch.
Do you hear me, bitch? Because I say fuck
you to you and your whole broken-ass crew!
[dramatic music playing]
[woman in voice-over] In Spanish,
"Los Grajos" means "The Crows."
And we used to be
a powerful street gang.
Before the war with FSD,
we used to run all the blocks
east of Euclid and below 94th.
We were organized
and our enemies didn't dare
push on our turf.
But, of all the murders,
it only took one
to set up the violence in which
many of my friends were killed
and Los Grajos was left in ruin.
The Native Americans believe
the crow was once as beautiful
and as powerful as the eagle,
with a captivating voice
and colorful feathers.
The legend says
his feathers got blackened
and his voice made hoarse
because he danced too close
to the flames of a great fire.
A fire that sent
all the dead souls on Earth
into the sky to become stars.
And the crow was their shepherd,
drawing them closer
with his dance.
That's how I know I'm a crow.
I always dance too close
to the flames.
The story Christian fed
the rest of the crew...
was that some FSD homies
pulled up and blasted Manny.
But I know that was a lie.
He wouldn't tell me why.
Now, everything is different.
[gunshot]
Without my crew,
I'm forced to push
in the shadows...
and live in hiding
from my enemies.
Like that FSD puta from the bar.
The only person I have left
is my cousin Cammy.
She's like a sister to me.
Which is what makes everything that's
about to happen that much worse.
They say revenge is a pendulum.
Set in motion by those
who seek justice.
Its weight measured in grief,
and force determined by blood.
It never stops,
until one day it lands on you,
or someone you love,
and then, you have
to make a choice.
[man]
What choice?
Between weakness and strength.
[guitar music playing]
Maybe the real strength is
in the ability to walk away.
Oh, come on, Tony. I'm talking
about life and death here.
There's no walking away.
Life and death.
Is that what you told yourself?
- After you bashed that girl's face in?
- Oh, come on.
I walk out to have a smoke,
I come back in to a bloody mess.
I told you already, she came
at me, I had no choice.
- No choice.
- No. I was just sitting here minding my own business
and that FSD bitch
starts banging on me
and saying fuck me
and my whole crew.
There were three of them.
And she had a pool cue.
All I had was a shot glass.
- I had to improvise.
- Sheesh, you don't get it.
- Don't get what?
- You're the problem.
- Trouble follows you.
- [scoffs]
And if it happens again, I'm gonna
have to banish you from this bar.
Banish me?
Yes, banish you.
It means you can't
come back here, ever.
- You're gonna banish your most loyal customer?
- My most loyal customer.
Damn right.
Look, mija. I don't
wanna argue with you.
But this bar has
a bad reputation
because of customers like you
that don't know when to quit.
I tell you what.
For this shot...
I'm gonna read your fortune.
[sighs]
This card holds your future.
I doubt that.
Oh, this is bad.
This is really bad.
What's that mean?
It's the Tower.
It means conflict...
Calamity, pain.
But also growth.
- Is that a fact?
- Tony, I'm serious.
Look...
I don't believe in this shit.
And I really think this
is your future, not mine.
If you keep bashing
people's faces in,
this is gonna happen to you.
No, no, it doesn't
work that way.
Think about it.
My way sounds better.
- Hey, where you goin'?
- I gotta go.
Well, don't leave your
bruja shit here on the bar!
[cellphone vibrating]
[sighs]
[cellphone vibrating]
Ah.
[sighs]
Hey.
I'm sorry. Yeah,
I know I'm late.
I'll be there, like,
I'll be coming right now.
What?
Cammy...
Cammy, listen to me,
listen to me.
What? Who?
Who did this to you?
Cammy. Camarena.
Cammy...
I'm coming right now.
[sighs]
Oh, fuck.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
[panting]
[gate buzzer buzzing]
You gonna miss
this place, Joker?
Probably not, homie.
You know, I've been waiting
a long time for this.
I talked to Berto.
Everything's set.
Then it's time for you to finish
your initiation, Capitan.
She's smart.
More dangerous than you think.
Don't make the mistake
of underestimating her.
I'll put the hit on the cousin,
that will distract her.
But I'll watch my back.
You got this.
That's why I chose you.
All I'm sayin' is
if it gets fucked up,
you're not gonna get
a second chance.
What?
Somebody told me that
a long time ago.
Yeah? Who's that?
My cousin Elias.
When I was 13.
Pretty much all my mom's
boyfriends used to beat her.
But there was this
one fool, Albert.
One night, he hit her
with a pipe.
I said enough was enough.
So I told Elias what
I was gonna do.
And word for word,
he said the same thing.
"Don't miss.
You might not get
a second chance."
So what happened?
It's hard to miss with
a sawed-off shotgun.
- One shot.
- [laughs]
Fucking Joker.
Gracias for everything.
See you on the other side
of the glass when it's done.
Yes, you will.
[gate buzzer buzzing]
[both speaking Spanish]
- I'm happy you're out now.
- [Joker] Hey. Gracias. How was the wedding?
Party was crazy, dawg.
A lot of homies in the pinta.
A lot of 'em dead.
But now that you're out,
let's clean up
the barrio, my boy.
That's what I'm here for.
I brought you something.
A little surprise.
Come on, now. The bottom.
Enjoy.
Oh, hell nah.
You ready to roll?
Where are we headed?
[electronic music playing]
[door slides open]
Fun night last night?
Timon, gracias, dawg.
That show was the bomb.
- You know how we do it.
- Like kings, homie.
- Oh, shit, when you get that?
- Few months ago.
So what, you want me
to call you Capitan now?
Nah, nah, nah, I still
have another "jale" to do.
- Orale, all right.
- You got that address for me?
Got the address and the piece.
I got it from the viejito's
house. It's amazing.
- [Joker] What's amazing?
- Casper didn't tell you?
- Nah.
- My boy...
- Check this shit out.
- Damn.
- Beautiful, right?
- That shit is pretty nice.
- [clicks] -Let me know when you're ready.
We'll roll up.
- Gracias.
- For the trip.
Appreciate it.
It's the back house. 408.
- You sure?
- Positive. I clocked there for a week.
Matter of fact, she works
right here down the street.
She's purrty.
What you gonna do to her?
Nothing much, holmes.
- Chill right here. I'll be right back.
- Orale.
Who's there?
Hi, my name's Michael.
- How are you?
- Hi.
- My friend lives in the front.
- Who's that? Gizmo?
Exactly. Anyways,
I need help moving
this mattress and he's
not here right now.
- Is there anyone here that can help me?
- Uh, no, no. Sorry.
- So there's no one here?
- N...
[indistinct]
Feisty.
Fuck you!
[grunts, groans]
No, please. Please, no!
No! [sobbing]
[screaming]
No!
No.
- [Joker] That's right.
- No.
[belt buckle clinks]
[Cammy]
Fuck!
Fuck!
When this is over...
tell your cousin that there's
nowhere you're gonna be safe.
I'm gonna keep coming back.
I'm doing this again and again.
- You got that?
- [sobbing]
She did this to you.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
[door opens]
[woman]
Cammy?
[crying]
[crying]
[shower running]
- I can't do this.
- You have to.
No, I don't.
They'll screen you for STDs
and give you the pill for free.
I'm not fucking doing this.
Fine.
If I go in and get the pill,
will you at least
agree to take it?
Whatever.
[sighs]
Hi, there.
What can I do for you?
I want the morning after pill.
- You've had unprotected sex in the last 24 hours?
- Yes.
You know, if there's any suspicion of
domestic violence or sexual assault,
I have to report it to the cops.
It's the law.
Oh, no. No, it's
nothing like that.
I'm not talking about you.
Oh, she's fine.
And you won't be
seeing her anyway.
Okay.
Then you have
to speak to the nurse.
Fill out these forms and I'll
need an ID for the prescription.
Okay.
[ringing]
Okay.
The nurse'll see you now.
You can follow me.
You wanna tell me
what's going on, sweetie?
Excuse me.
I know that pill ain't for her.
If somebody
sexually assaulted you,
we have to do an exam.
Screen for disease,
take a swab for DNA.
If this guy's in the system,
he goes down.
Simple as that.
That's not gonna happen.
Why not?
Look, I'm not talking
to the cops.
Then what?
Just gonna wait till
this happens again?
No.
Then what?
I don't know.
Then let me help you.
Please.
[door opens]
- [door closes]
- [woman] Hi.
How are we today?
Not so good.
What's that?
The devil.
Is that you?
What's going on here?
Nothing.
Let's go.
Hey...
you're not helping her.
Hi, this is Ruby Sommerset.
Can I please speak
to Detective Redding?
- Just... eat...
- No.
- You need to eat.
- I'm not hungry.
- We have to talk about this.
- Please, don't, Loca.
Cammy...
- Who'd wanna hurt you?
- Nobody.
Maybe somebody's
been stalking you.
- A guy from work or school.
- No, it's not that.
- How can you be so sure?
- Because...
Cammy, you obviously
know something.
Whatever it is, just tell me.
- I can't.
- There's no time for secrets.
[sighs]
Fine.
It's because of you.
Me?
- What do you mean?
- That's what he said.
That you did this to me.
And that he was gonna
keep coming back and doing it
again and again.
And that it was your fault.
He said that?
What did he look like?
I don't know, he was tall.
He was cut up
with tattoos all over.
Can you remember any of them?
I don't know. Not really.
Actually... he had
a crown right here.
I know because that's where
I was gonna stick the knife.
[Loca sighs]
- Might be RR.
- What's RR?
A prison gang.
Reyes Ricos.
Actually, he had
an RR tattoo on his face.
- It doesn't make any sense.
- What doesn't?
The RR coming after me.
They were never our enemies.
And they haven't been
around here in a long time.
Can you remember anything else?
His gun.
It was shiny.
But at the top it was all black,
with roses carved
into the barrel.
And on the handle
there was this calavera skull
in silver and gold.
[Loca sniffles]
What?
The calavera skull...
was it set in diamonds?
[shakily]
Yeah. How did you know?
That gun used to belong to me.
It was stolen the night
Manny was killed.
I had never seen it again.
What were you doing
with that fancy gun?
It was a wedding present.
So you, like,
killed people with it?
Yes.
So, a long time ago,
you killed someone
and now I got raped for it?
Cammy, I'm sorry.
- Me too.
- I'll make it right.
- Make it right?
- I'll cut his throat.
And you think that's
gonna make it right?
[sniffles]
I'm sorry, I shouldn't
have done that.
If you wanna go to the cops,
I understand.
- I'm not gonna stop you.
- I know.
But, regardless, there is only
one way this is gonna end.
Blood for blood.
The police can't protect you.
And you can?
Yes.
[sighs]
Blood for blood.
Fifteen for everything?
Great.
I'll come by in an hour
to drop off the cash.
Bye.
Hey.
Hey, want some breakfast?
Yeah, okay.
Thanks.
- I need to go out for a little bit.
- What for?
- Remember my friend, Carlos?
- Yeah.
I called him for some
guns, for protection.
I carry this 9 with me. But one
is not enough for both of us.
Okay, but, Loca, I've never
really shot a gun before.
It ain't hard. I'll show you.
Why don't we just call
Nestor? Or Tito?
Tell them what happened.
They have guns
and they'll back us up.
If we tell them, it will be
all out war with RR.
- So?
- So if we do it that way,
they will shoot first
and ask questions later.
- Is that what you want?
- No, of course not.
Then we have to be smart.
And if this guy's acting alone,
I'll take him out myself.
Okay.
What's your connection
to the RR?
Yesterday at the diner,
when it came up...
it seemed like you knew
something more.
Way back in the day,
I used to roll with one of them.
But he got locked up for life.
Who was he?
I used to know him as Hugo,
but he always went by Casper.
We did a bunch
of deals together.
He was my friend
until he went away.
But I had nothing
to do with that.
Well, where is he locked up at?
Crescent Valley, last I heard.
Okay, well, then...
if he's your friend, maybe we
could just go and talk to him.
Cammy, that was ten years ago.
Now he is locked up for life.
I want to go with you
to buy the guns.
- No.
- I don't want to be alone.
It's safer for you to stay here.
I really don't think
we should split up.
This is the last time,
I promise.
Now, eat and take a shower.
I'll be back before you know it.
Fine.
[gate creaks loudly]
Loca.
[Cammy yells]
[man] Hey, hey, hey,
take it easy, take it easy.
Ma'am, ma'am, calm down. My name is
Detective Redding. I'm a police officer.
- He's in there! He's in there!
- Who's in there?
- He's trying to kill me!
- Somebody's...
- He raped me! He's in the bathroom.
- Stay here.
[shower running]
Hey, what's going on, Loca?
- How have you been?
- I'm good.
Can I get you anything?
Nah, I'm good.
- You're a lovely woman.
- Aww.
You're gonna tell me
what's going on?
Honestly, I don't
wanna get into it.
You know, if you're in trouble,
maybe I can help you out, huh?
Mm. I got it under control.
You know, you're lucky. The connect
for the steel is coming in today.
Who is it?
You don't know him.
His name is Benzo.
He's better than your hook-up.
I've been moving a lot
of stuff lately, you know?
You're acting weird, Loca.
What's going on?
- Just please don't.
- Hey...
you called me, huh.
I don't wanna
get you involved, man.
It's personal.
I just came here to get
my regular bag and the guns.
Okay.
Just come back later today.
You don't have to call. Just
be sure it's after 4 o'clock.
Carlitos...
come here.
[both moaning]
You feel better now?
Not really.
It was great for me, too.
So what's this new hook-up?
He's a friend of mine
from across the border.
Name is Cuete.
His uncle, Renaldo,
he's a captain in the cartel.
Did him a solid a while back,
and ever since then,
they've been hooking me up,
you know?
Oh, yeah?
Best thing about it,
it's pure.
I gotta step on it twice
before I put it on the street.
You better be careful doing
business with the cartel.
Nah, I get it from Cuete. It's his uncle
that's affiliated with the cartel.
He gets it from him,
so it's legit.
They don't even know who I am.
- How are you moving all this?
- You know Angel from FSD?
- Sort of.
- Moves a lot for me.
And some fool
named Byron in Watts.
Enemies working side by side?
Black and brown together?
What's the world coming to?
Money talks, baby.
You trust Angel?
I don't have to trust Angel.
'Cause he buys drugs from me.
I've never had
a problem with him.
You sure you don't want to
tell me what's going on, Loca?
Yeah, I'm sure.
You know, if you need me, I...
I'm always on a roll
with you, huh?
Yeah, man. I appreciate it.
[phone ringing]
Hey, buddy,
I got a favor to ask.
Can you come down here a second?
All right, thanks.
[sighs] He's just
gonna be a minute.
Police stations look
a lot nicer on TV.
I know, right? They make it look
like we work in an ad agency.
- Or a trendy magazine.
- Sorry to disappoint.
- [chuckles]
- [knocks]
- Hey, what's up?
- I need you to run something for me.
Inmate report on this guy
out in Crescent Valley.
Goes by Casper,
first name, Hugo.
And all the CV release records
in the past five years
of anyone affiliated
to the Reyes Ricos.
Shouldn't be a problem.
- Should I even ask?
- Playin' a hunch.
Hunch?
Sure thing, Danny.
You know, you've been through
a lot the last few days.
You're lucky to be alive.
It was a miracle
you showing up right then.
Well, I was supposed
to go to the beach.
- You know, I've never even been to the beach.
- Come on.
People in my hood
don't really go too far.
Do you have anyone else
you can call
besides your cousin?
I do, but, honestly...
I'd rather just sit here.
- If that's cool?
- Hey, totally.
Hey, we can stay here
all night if you want.
Are you close with Marisol?
You mean, Loca?
Marisol Flores is
what I got from Ruby.
Nobody's ever called her that.
Not even her own mother.
Too bad. It's a pretty name.
Marie of the Light.
Or Sun.
- Sol means "sun" in Spanish, right?
- Yeah, it does, but...
Marisol actually means "Mary
of the Solitude." Not "Sun."
And trust me,
it suits her a lot better.
Who's that?
I'm sorry.
Is it rude of me to ask?
Nah, it's okay.
Lawanda is a cold case.
Which means it will
probably never get solved.
Why is that?
Pending new evidence,
we just don't have the manpower.
So I pick 'em up
in my spare time.
- You ever solved one?
- Sure I have.
So how do you even start?
Well, for example...
I'll stare at this photo,
this vision of the past.
And I see the life
behind her eyes.
I wonder who her friends were,
who her family was.
Then I try to find them,
talk to them.
Though the odds are
stacked against me, I...
I have to believe
the whole time
I'm gonna find the son of a bitch
who killed this little girl...
because she's
someone's daughter.
And no one but me is gonna do
a damn thing about it.
It's comforting.
What?
Knowing you exist.
Putting murderers away on your
spare time, like a superhero.
No, I'm no hero.
- Just Newton's Third Law.
- Newton's Third Law?
Every action has an equal
and opposing reaction.
What I do...
is just science.
[knocks]
Here's your files, boss.
Are you ready?
I think so.
Stop.
That's him.
[man 1] Tell us what
happened to Cuete!
- [punches land]
- [man 2 groans]
[man 1] Tell us what
you did to him!
[Carlos]
Look, I don't know anything.
[man 1] Fuck you!
- [punches land]
- [Carlos groans]
[man 1] Cuete's dead!
You hear me? Dead!
That's what you're gonna be,
unless you tell us
what we want to know.
- [punches land]
- [Carlos yells]
[chair clatters]
- [Carlos] I don't know nothing, man.
- [punches land]
[man 1]
Who are you working with?
- [punches land]
- Who are you dealing to?
- [Carlos] Angel.
- [gun cocks]
I work with a guy named Angel.
From FSD.
Some black guy
in Watts named Byron.
You tell Ronaldo...
I didn't kill Cuete.
I would never disrespect
the cartel like that, huh.
Cuete was my friend, man.
- Who else are you dealing to?
- Nobody.
We saw a girl
leave here earlier!
No, no, no.
Sh-She's nobody, man.
- You fucking liar!
- [gunshot]
[flushing]
[gunshots]
Carlos...
[gasps]
[gasps]
[sobs]
[gasps]
[car lock beeps]
I just heard some gunshots
coming from a car garage.
775, East California Street.
Hurry.
[cellphone buzzing]
Yeah?
What?
When?
Fuck.
All right.
[cellphone ringing]
'Sup, ese?
Yeah, I need you to come
over here right now.
Call Oso.
Shit just got real.
- 'Sup, ese?
- Wassup, dawg?
Say, check this out, homie.
That's Peaches' cousin.
Oh, I fucked her. [laughs]
You're a fool, homie.
What's with the look, homie?
Just got the call...
Carlos Santiago is dead.
Sss, shit. What, you think
he gave you up?
How could he?
He don't know anything.
But there's more.
Two cartel soldiers were
found dead in his place.
Somebody who made off with the
gang are blowing their money.
Wait, so two guys
are dead, homie?
- I know, right?
- What the fuck happened, homie?
Someone else
got involved, holmes.
Some "Act of God" shit.
What's our next move, dawg?
We gotta find out
who killed these guys.
And who made off with
all that fucking money.
Hey,
remember that fool
from San Ysidro, dawg?
Gave him right across the border back
in the day for, like, 200 bucks?
Gave him that fucked up
eye, dawg?
Yeah, I remember.
Think about that fool
sometimes, you know?
- Why?
- After all this time when we're like, he's...
he's still gone.
And we're still here,
you know, like...
- Yeah, well, you don't know that for sure, holmes.
- Nah, nah, nah.
I think we both know that
he's... dead, fool.
Just like Cuete, fool.
Boy's gone, homie.
Like all of us...
eventually.
Fucking, holmes.
At least we got
our 200 bucks, you know?
If it wasn't us, it would
have been somebody else.
Fuck, homie, for 200 bucks,
dawg, [snorts] back then...
we thought we were rich, holmes.
Maybe we were, you know,
in our own way.
[cellphone ringing]
Hey, it's Peaches, homie.
Hey, what's up?
I can't talk right now, baby.
You sure this is gonna work?
No.
But we don't have another play.
Then let's do it.
[spray can hissing]
[cellphone ringing]
Fuck.
- Come on, baby.
- [moans]
[cellphone ringing]
Hello, 'ello.
Right now?
Yeah, all right.
[irritated] All right.
I have to go scoop up Angel.
Something's up.
Now?
Yeah, right now.
Fuck.
[computerized voice] Thank you for using...
health products.
- Please relax during measurement.
- [device beeps]
Please... while using this drug.
Hey, open up, it's me.
- What?
- You're not gonna fucking believe this.
- What?
- Follow me.
Shit.
- Oh, that fucking bitch!
- Do you see what I'm talking about?
Can you fucking believe this? In our
neighborhood? The fucking balls on this bitch!
- Something weird's going on.
- [scoffs] Yeah.
That pollo negro
has gone crazy, eh?
Seriously. Bulldog left
this morning,
said something was up
with Angel, and then this?
- Un-huh.
- It's like she's trying to send me a message.
- Yeah, she's taunting you, yo.
- Yeah, but she didn't really cross me out.
- Yeah...
- Hold up.
I'm gonna take care of this.
[cellphone ringing]
It's Peaches, dawg. Hey, what's up?
I can't talk right now.
- Baby, you know that Loca bitch that fucked up my face?
- Hey, calm down.
- 'Sup?
- Yeah, well, she tagged our piece out front.
- Oh, yeah?
- Out front of the house!
Is that right?
Hey, hold on. Hey, you know some bitch
named Loca from Los Grajos neighborhood?
- Yeah. Why?
- Peaches just said she hit up a piece in the barrio, fool.
Say, we gotta go down there
and check it out, homie. You in?
Hey, we'll meet you
right there, all right?
- Yeah, like now.
- All right.
Hey, Peaches won 500 bucks on
a scratcher last week, dawg.
Got some new kicks, fool.
Loca and I throw down, she
beats my ass, and then this?
- Why?
- She's stupid, yo.
Nah, Loca ain't stupid.
Nah, you stupid.
All right, then. She got a play.
Yeah, of course she does.
But Loca's OG though.
She wouldn't do nothin' like
this unless she had a reason.
Does it really matter, though?
I mean, you gotta smash her.
- But you know how we do it.
- Yeah.
- Two steps ahead
- Yeah, exactly.
- Two steps ahead.
- [grunts] It's so fucking on!
You know where she stay at? 'Cause we
could take care of this right now.
Nah, I only know one place
she might be.
[soft rock music playing]
- [door opens]
- [speaking Spanish]
[Loca] Si.
[door closes]
Hey...
Can I help you, friend?
I don't need nothing.
Well... [chuckles]
Well...
You can either
order a drink or...
leave.
We don't want any trouble.
Take a walk, old man.
Doesn't concern you.
[chuckles]
You know what? Everything
that happens in this bar
- concerns me.
- [door opens]
[door opens]
- Get the fuck outta here.
- It's cool, Tony.
- I got this.
- Loca...
Just go, seriously.
Before you get us both killed.
I promise. No blood
will be spilled. Not here.
Look, I've had a rough week.
I don't know if I can handle being
banished from my favorite bar.
You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
Acuerdate.
[guns cock]
Before anyone does
anything stupid,
let me explain why you're here.
Then if you still want to, we can settle
our differences out in the parking lot.
And how do you
propose we do that?
No guns, no weapons.
Just you and me.
Orale, negra.
Where's your boy Angel at?
Why do you want to know?
Because he murdered a nephew to the
cartel and I got tangled up in it.
- This is bullshit. She's lying.
- [door opens]
Angel.
- Loca.
- Are you serious?
- You know her?
- Shut the fuck up, Inez.
What's she talkin' about
the cartel, man?
- Tell them about Cuete.
- Yo, what about Cuete?
- You ax Cuete, fool?
- Do you know what they'll do to us?
- To our families?
- You gonna point that at me
you better be ready
to use it, little girl.
I was born ready, motherfucker!
You kill both of them
- and the cartel will back down.
- Everybody just chill!
- Oso, put the gun down, homie.
- The gun down?
I'm not gonna die because this
motherfucker had some old beef with Cuete,
and that bitch got
caught up in it.
No one is going to shoot anybody
because I am the one with
the money and their product.
And two bodies won't make them
feel better without their loot.
So put the guns down.
Okay.
I killed him.
It was personal. And
that's all I'm gonna say.
And I didn't mean for this shit to come back
on Carlos or any of us for that matter.
I had it all sorted out.
I was gonna pin it
on the Barreras cartel.
Just didn't have time.
Soldiers moved in too quick.
By the time I got there,
it was too late.
I heard them asking questions
about you and Cuete.
And Carlos had no idea
what they were talking about.
They tied him up in a chair...
and blew his head off.
Then they came after me.
I had no choice.
- Why were you there?
- I needed guns.
A few days ago, a psycho from the RR
got released from Crescent Valley
- and raped my cousin.
- Jesus.
Put it on me for some reason
I still don't know.
He was following us,
stalking us.
So I needed protection,
so I called Carlos.
He's the only one I trusted.
We didn't want
anyone else to know.
Why not? You still got access
to muscle, don't you?
Of course, I do.
But I don't want another war.
And now this cartel thing
is now on me too.
But there's a way out.
I got about 100 more of those.
The cartel is coming for us,
all of us.
But I have a plan.
And in order to pull it off,
we need to work together.
So stop pretending we're so different just
because we come from different blocks.
And why would we do that?
For the same reason I'm not gonna kill
this motherfucker where he stands.
Manage a common enemy...
plus, if my plan works,
we'll get the cartel
off our backs,
and exact vengeance against the RR
for what was done to my cousin.
We split everything equal.
Seven ways.
There's only six of us.
My cousin Cammy.
She gets a share.
But she's not
gonna get involved.
This is the guy... Joker.
You think you can find him?
Might take a day or two.
Let's say we put
our differences aside
and we get this
motherfucker, Joker...
then what?
How is that gonna help us
get rid of the cartel?
Here you go.
What are you packing?
What do you mean,
I got a 9 in there.
[scoffs]
Asshole.
- Before you shoot...
- [gun cocks]
...make sure you pull that.
You got a laser sight
right on top.
- You good?
- Yeah.
- So where is this place?
- It's right down the corner.
How is it gonna go down?
Me and you are gonna
cover the back.
Bulldog is gonna
cover the front.
Peaches, getaway driver.
- You got that?
- Yeah.
- You guys ready?
- Let's do it. Let's go.
[engine cranks]
[gunshot]
[groans]
[Loca] Drop it, Joker.
Fuck you.
You have five seconds.
Four...
Three...
Two...
[groans]
Who gave this to you?
You stupid bitch.
You still don't get it, do you?
[Angel]
Why'd you do it, Joker?
Same reason as you, ese.
Nah.
Venganza.
Revenge for what?
Old deeds, Loca.
It was the last thing I had
to do to earn my crown.
For Casper...
he was much more... [chuckles]
But the crown,
is for life.
So both of you motherfuckers
are dead. [laughs]
Why you didn't finish it?
[laughs]
I'll let him know you failed.
A long time ago
I memorized this quote.
"The true gentleman...
is the one whose conduct
proceeds from good will...
and an acute
sense of propriety.
Whose self-control...
is equal to all emergencies.
Who does not make
the poor man...
conscious of his poverty...
the obscure man
of his obscurity...
or any man of his inferiority...
or deformity.
A man for whom honor
is sacred...
and virtue safe."
Are you this sort of man...
Angel Ferraro?
Nah.
Nah?
Wow. Well, that...
makes me curious.
Because most men say yes.
It's impossible to be both honest
and ruthless at the same time.
If you're asking
if you could trust me,
well, that's just something you're
gonna have to figure out on your own.
- Hmm. Hmm.
- Since we are, after all,
the remainder of a very large,
bloody equation.
There must be a reason
I'm sitting here.
Yeah.
Fair enough.
So let's go back
to the beginning.
And you must tell me...
what happened to my nephew...
Cuete?
He was murdered
by an RR soldier,
a guy named Joker.
He was an old friend
of Carlos Santiago
and went to him to try to set up a coke
business after a seven-year stretch.
A direct order from
an RR captain in CV.
A guy named Casper.
When Joker found out
that Cuete was Carlos'
connection to the blow...
there was a change of plans.
He set a meet and murdered him
behind Carlos' back.
Why?
Why did he do that?
The story I heard...
is that your nephew
did something to him
while he was in
the Youth Authority, locked up.
Way back.
Yeah, well...
he was always a sick boy.
And what about my men?
When Joker showed up at Carlos'
house and killed your men,
he must have figured out
it was just a matter of time
before you would do the same
to me and my crew.
Enough people knew that me and
Carlos were doing business together.
Sooner or later,
you would have figured it out.
Of course, I couldn't
let that happen.
So me and my people
hunted him down
and we got your stuff for you.
So now, they are both dead...
and I'm talking to you and you
apparently have my goods.
Is that a coincidence?
Nah. Not a coincidence at all.
It ended up this way so that
me and you can make a deal.
What kind of deal?
One that's based
on mutual respect.
And how did you
so eloquently say, huh?
"Where honor is sacred
and virtue safe."
[chuckles]
Yeah. Yeah.
Okay.
You have my attention.
What are you proposing?
Your boys killed an innocent man
who happened to be my friend.
To answer for this atrocity,
instead of avenging
him in blood,
I want you and your people
to stay away from our blocks.
Not just my blocks,
all of South Central.
You ask a lot.
I just don't want us
to kill each other anymore.
For that, I will forgive
the murder of my friend.
And I guarantee to move
500 keys a month
through my network.
You promise a lot, too.
I formed some unique alliances
with every major player
from Compton,
Inglewood, Watts,
all the way to the North Valley.
Everyone's on board with the ceasefire...
if this goes through.
What about my nephew?
What about his blood?
You'll just have to take that up
with Casper up at CV.
After all, he's the one that
went behind your back.
He caused all this mess
in the first place.
Here's a show of how important
this arrangement is to us.
Consider it a token of goodwill from the
newly-formed South Central Syndicate.
Suppose...
that I believe...
that it was you who
set up this whole thing,
and not some...
RR captain at CV.
Suppose that, but consider
for a moment the future.
We both lost a lot in this,
but I'm sitting right here,
ready to shake your hand,
and give you back what's yours.
Does it make any sense
that I would kill your men
and then come here
and return your goods, huh?
Does it really matter?
There's a lot of money
to be made if we work together,
starting now.
[sighs]
Tell me something...
Angel Ferraro...
Do you believe the world
is getting more civilized?
Probably not.
Probably not.
Yeah.
Probably not.
[gate buzzer buzzing]
Joker is dead.
After he raped my cousin,
I crewed up.
Because of what you've done...
your life is over.
When I met you, Loca,
you were 12 years old.
You remember?
Of course I remember.
Where were we?
I went to visit my cousin in YA.
That's right.
After I got out, the next time
I saw you, you were 15.
Most beautiful thing
I had ever seen.
Just...
perfect.
And you knew.
Even then I know you knew
the power you had over me.
[breathes deeply]
You used me. You fucking
used me to do your dirty work.
- How did I use you, Hugo?
- Two black males, Franklin Ave., double homicide.
The ones you said robbed you,
which was
a flat out fucking lie.
Franklin Avenue?
- You never got caught for those.
- Caught for them?
I have to live with them, Loca.
I see their faces.
Out of all the bodies...
those are the faces you see?
We were a team.
We were dealing together.
I was young and I
wanted those blocks.
- I never used yo...
- Fuck that!
Just admit it.
Admit you knew
I was crazy about you,
that you manipulated me because
you knew I was in love with you.
In love with me?
You never said anything.
You fucking coward.
Why my cousin?
It's not your style.
He wasn't supposed to rape her.
Just scare her,
so you'd come running.
He tried to kill her, Hugo.
It was just supposed to be you.
Why?
For Christian.
He was my half-brother.
My blood.
My dad had an affair
with his mom.
He tried to keep it secret,
but everybody knew.
And you killed him.
You shot him
right through his eye.
You think I'd forget that?
[speaks Spanish]
You turned on me
more than once.
In the end, I knew
it was my fault,
but that doesn't change
what you did.
I had every right
to take his life
after what he took from me.
You mean what I took from you?
When I got locked up in here,
I had to prove to the captains
that I still had power on the
outside, so they would accept me,
otherwise they were
gonna kill me, or worse.
One of them had
an old beef with Manny, so...
I asked Christian
to take him out.
And for that...
I earned my crown.
He did it to save my life.
He was my brother.
And it was almost perfect.
No one would have
ever suspected it was him.
But somehow...
you knew.
Clever of you
to give Joker my gun.
Where did you guys hide it?
My dad's garage.
And you knew without the gun
there wouldn't be any proof.
But I didn't need it.
You were there?
He whispered it
with his dying breath.
I would have never
believed it, either.
- That we're like...
- Like brothers?
Goodbye, Hugo.
See you in Hell.
[door opens, closes]
[gate buzzer buzzing]
[screams]
[phone ringing]
Redding.
What?
Thanks.
[Loca in voice-over]
Suddenly I'm engulfed in light.
My skin peels off like a snake.
My muscles float away.
And all that's left is my bones.
Vines covered in orange
and blue flowers...
twist in spiral patterns across
my skull and through my ribs.
My eyes are red roses.
And I'm floating...
seeing the reflection of myself.
Then what happens?
Nothing really.
I just float...
and then I wake up.
What do you think it means?
It's a reminder...
that when it happens,
there's nothing to fear.
You can't stop what's coming.
And for that instant,
you're a soul...
and you're finally free
to become one with God.
I don't really believe in God.
Call it whatever you want...
but He's playing all around us.
I have a dream sometimes, too.
But it's different.
In mine...
my hands are covered
in this sticky black tar.
Like Venom.
- The comic book character.
- [giggles]
- The alien from Spider-Man?
- Exactly.
- Oh.
- Just like that.
This black stuff...
gets on everything I touch.
All over my clothes...
my skin...
So I go find a sink, right?
And I scrub,
and lather up with soap...
but it never comes clean.
It's obvious.
What?
The blood in your hands.
A man trying
to wash away his sins.
Nah.
That's a cop-out.
Plus, I haven't
told you how it ends.
So, after a while...
I just stop trying
to wash it away.
I don't give up.
I just diffuse the power
it has over me
by realizing there's nothing
I can do to change it.
Once I do that...
it disappears.
So, actually, it's the opposite.
By surrendering, I set myself
free from the guilt.
Because I know
that carrying it around
is my choice...
and will infect
anything I touch.
That's not what
the dream is about.
[chuckles] Listen, Loca.
I know someday my past is gonna
come knocking, just like yours did.
I know everyone I hurt...
was somebody's son...
somebody's brother...
father...
best friend.
But I'm comfortable with that.
I have to be.
Because it never happens
how or when you expect it to.
I can live with the blackness...
just look past it.
That's why I'm still here.
That's why I'm the boss.
Now, when you look past it...
what do you see?
Simple.
I see this beautiful and
dangerous life we've been given.
["Starlight" by Don Diablo
& Matt Nash playing]
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
White lies
Watching the skies
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Don't go wasting your time
Don't go losing your mind
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
White lies
Watching the skies
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Don't go wasting your time
Don't go...
[Loca in voice-over]
They say revenge is a pendulum,
set in motion by those
who seek justice...
its weight measured in grief,
and force determined by blood.
It never stops...
until one day it lands on you...
or someone you love...
and then, you have
to make a choice.
["Starlight" resumes]
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
[mouths]
Bang.
[]
[man] Keep moving.
[groans]
[pants] Please.
Please. You don't
have to do this.
My family is rich.
I can get you anything you want.
I don't want your money, Cuete.
Whoever you are...
you kill me...
you're fucking dead!
My uncle Ronaldo,
he's a captain in the cartel.
Do you have any fucking idea
what he's gonna do to you
and your whole fucking family
when he finds out about this?
[sobbing]
Angel?
[scoffs]
You know...
I always imagined it would
end up like this.
Even when I was locked up!
[sobbing, grunting]
[Angel] Me too.
[gunshot]
[gunshot]
[dog barking]
[soft rock music playing]
[woman] Yo, Peaches.
[smacks lips]
Hey, yo, bitch!
Yo, bitch! I'm talkin' to you.
Yeah, I know who you are,
Los Grajos bitch.
Do you hear me, bitch? Because I say fuck
you to you and your whole broken-ass crew!
[dramatic music playing]
[woman in voice-over] In Spanish,
"Los Grajos" means "The Crows."
And we used to be
a powerful street gang.
Before the war with FSD,
we used to run all the blocks
east of Euclid and below 94th.
We were organized
and our enemies didn't dare
push on our turf.
But, of all the murders,
it only took one
to set up the violence in which
many of my friends were killed
and Los Grajos was left in ruin.
The Native Americans believe
the crow was once as beautiful
and as powerful as the eagle,
with a captivating voice
and colorful feathers.
The legend says
his feathers got blackened
and his voice made hoarse
because he danced too close
to the flames of a great fire.
A fire that sent
all the dead souls on Earth
into the sky to become stars.
And the crow was their shepherd,
drawing them closer
with his dance.
That's how I know I'm a crow.
I always dance too close
to the flames.
The story Christian fed
the rest of the crew...
was that some FSD homies
pulled up and blasted Manny.
But I know that was a lie.
He wouldn't tell me why.
Now, everything is different.
[gunshot]
Without my crew,
I'm forced to push
in the shadows...
and live in hiding
from my enemies.
Like that FSD puta from the bar.
The only person I have left
is my cousin Cammy.
She's like a sister to me.
Which is what makes everything that's
about to happen that much worse.
They say revenge is a pendulum.
Set in motion by those
who seek justice.
Its weight measured in grief,
and force determined by blood.
It never stops,
until one day it lands on you,
or someone you love,
and then, you have
to make a choice.
[man]
What choice?
Between weakness and strength.
[guitar music playing]
Maybe the real strength is
in the ability to walk away.
Oh, come on, Tony. I'm talking
about life and death here.
There's no walking away.
Life and death.
Is that what you told yourself?
- After you bashed that girl's face in?
- Oh, come on.
I walk out to have a smoke,
I come back in to a bloody mess.
I told you already, she came
at me, I had no choice.
- No choice.
- No. I was just sitting here minding my own business
and that FSD bitch
starts banging on me
and saying fuck me
and my whole crew.
There were three of them.
And she had a pool cue.
All I had was a shot glass.
- I had to improvise.
- Sheesh, you don't get it.
- Don't get what?
- You're the problem.
- Trouble follows you.
- [scoffs]
And if it happens again, I'm gonna
have to banish you from this bar.
Banish me?
Yes, banish you.
It means you can't
come back here, ever.
- You're gonna banish your most loyal customer?
- My most loyal customer.
Damn right.
Look, mija. I don't
wanna argue with you.
But this bar has
a bad reputation
because of customers like you
that don't know when to quit.
I tell you what.
For this shot...
I'm gonna read your fortune.
[sighs]
This card holds your future.
I doubt that.
Oh, this is bad.
This is really bad.
What's that mean?
It's the Tower.
It means conflict...
Calamity, pain.
But also growth.
- Is that a fact?
- Tony, I'm serious.
Look...
I don't believe in this shit.
And I really think this
is your future, not mine.
If you keep bashing
people's faces in,
this is gonna happen to you.
No, no, it doesn't
work that way.
Think about it.
My way sounds better.
- Hey, where you goin'?
- I gotta go.
Well, don't leave your
bruja shit here on the bar!
[cellphone vibrating]
[sighs]
[cellphone vibrating]
Ah.
[sighs]
Hey.
I'm sorry. Yeah,
I know I'm late.
I'll be there, like,
I'll be coming right now.
What?
Cammy...
Cammy, listen to me,
listen to me.
What? Who?
Who did this to you?
Cammy. Camarena.
Cammy...
I'm coming right now.
[sighs]
Oh, fuck.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
[panting]
[gate buzzer buzzing]
You gonna miss
this place, Joker?
Probably not, homie.
You know, I've been waiting
a long time for this.
I talked to Berto.
Everything's set.
Then it's time for you to finish
your initiation, Capitan.
She's smart.
More dangerous than you think.
Don't make the mistake
of underestimating her.
I'll put the hit on the cousin,
that will distract her.
But I'll watch my back.
You got this.
That's why I chose you.
All I'm sayin' is
if it gets fucked up,
you're not gonna get
a second chance.
What?
Somebody told me that
a long time ago.
Yeah? Who's that?
My cousin Elias.
When I was 13.
Pretty much all my mom's
boyfriends used to beat her.
But there was this
one fool, Albert.
One night, he hit her
with a pipe.
I said enough was enough.
So I told Elias what
I was gonna do.
And word for word,
he said the same thing.
"Don't miss.
You might not get
a second chance."
So what happened?
It's hard to miss with
a sawed-off shotgun.
- One shot.
- [laughs]
Fucking Joker.
Gracias for everything.
See you on the other side
of the glass when it's done.
Yes, you will.
[gate buzzer buzzing]
[both speaking Spanish]
- I'm happy you're out now.
- [Joker] Hey. Gracias. How was the wedding?
Party was crazy, dawg.
A lot of homies in the pinta.
A lot of 'em dead.
But now that you're out,
let's clean up
the barrio, my boy.
That's what I'm here for.
I brought you something.
A little surprise.
Come on, now. The bottom.
Enjoy.
Oh, hell nah.
You ready to roll?
Where are we headed?
[electronic music playing]
[door slides open]
Fun night last night?
Timon, gracias, dawg.
That show was the bomb.
- You know how we do it.
- Like kings, homie.
- Oh, shit, when you get that?
- Few months ago.
So what, you want me
to call you Capitan now?
Nah, nah, nah, I still
have another "jale" to do.
- Orale, all right.
- You got that address for me?
Got the address and the piece.
I got it from the viejito's
house. It's amazing.
- [Joker] What's amazing?
- Casper didn't tell you?
- Nah.
- My boy...
- Check this shit out.
- Damn.
- Beautiful, right?
- That shit is pretty nice.
- [clicks] -Let me know when you're ready.
We'll roll up.
- Gracias.
- For the trip.
Appreciate it.
It's the back house. 408.
- You sure?
- Positive. I clocked there for a week.
Matter of fact, she works
right here down the street.
She's purrty.
What you gonna do to her?
Nothing much, holmes.
- Chill right here. I'll be right back.
- Orale.
Who's there?
Hi, my name's Michael.
- How are you?
- Hi.
- My friend lives in the front.
- Who's that? Gizmo?
Exactly. Anyways,
I need help moving
this mattress and he's
not here right now.
- Is there anyone here that can help me?
- Uh, no, no. Sorry.
- So there's no one here?
- N...
[indistinct]
Feisty.
Fuck you!
[grunts, groans]
No, please. Please, no!
No! [sobbing]
[screaming]
No!
No.
- [Joker] That's right.
- No.
[belt buckle clinks]
[Cammy]
Fuck!
Fuck!
When this is over...
tell your cousin that there's
nowhere you're gonna be safe.
I'm gonna keep coming back.
I'm doing this again and again.
- You got that?
- [sobbing]
She did this to you.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
[door opens]
[woman]
Cammy?
[crying]
[crying]
[shower running]
- I can't do this.
- You have to.
No, I don't.
They'll screen you for STDs
and give you the pill for free.
I'm not fucking doing this.
Fine.
If I go in and get the pill,
will you at least
agree to take it?
Whatever.
[sighs]
Hi, there.
What can I do for you?
I want the morning after pill.
- You've had unprotected sex in the last 24 hours?
- Yes.
You know, if there's any suspicion of
domestic violence or sexual assault,
I have to report it to the cops.
It's the law.
Oh, no. No, it's
nothing like that.
I'm not talking about you.
Oh, she's fine.
And you won't be
seeing her anyway.
Okay.
Then you have
to speak to the nurse.
Fill out these forms and I'll
need an ID for the prescription.
Okay.
[ringing]
Okay.
The nurse'll see you now.
You can follow me.
You wanna tell me
what's going on, sweetie?
Excuse me.
I know that pill ain't for her.
If somebody
sexually assaulted you,
we have to do an exam.
Screen for disease,
take a swab for DNA.
If this guy's in the system,
he goes down.
Simple as that.
That's not gonna happen.
Why not?
Look, I'm not talking
to the cops.
Then what?
Just gonna wait till
this happens again?
No.
Then what?
I don't know.
Then let me help you.
Please.
[door opens]
- [door closes]
- [woman] Hi.
How are we today?
Not so good.
What's that?
The devil.
Is that you?
What's going on here?
Nothing.
Let's go.
Hey...
you're not helping her.
Hi, this is Ruby Sommerset.
Can I please speak
to Detective Redding?
- Just... eat...
- No.
- You need to eat.
- I'm not hungry.
- We have to talk about this.
- Please, don't, Loca.
Cammy...
- Who'd wanna hurt you?
- Nobody.
Maybe somebody's
been stalking you.
- A guy from work or school.
- No, it's not that.
- How can you be so sure?
- Because...
Cammy, you obviously
know something.
Whatever it is, just tell me.
- I can't.
- There's no time for secrets.
[sighs]
Fine.
It's because of you.
Me?
- What do you mean?
- That's what he said.
That you did this to me.
And that he was gonna
keep coming back and doing it
again and again.
And that it was your fault.
He said that?
What did he look like?
I don't know, he was tall.
He was cut up
with tattoos all over.
Can you remember any of them?
I don't know. Not really.
Actually... he had
a crown right here.
I know because that's where
I was gonna stick the knife.
[Loca sighs]
- Might be RR.
- What's RR?
A prison gang.
Reyes Ricos.
Actually, he had
an RR tattoo on his face.
- It doesn't make any sense.
- What doesn't?
The RR coming after me.
They were never our enemies.
And they haven't been
around here in a long time.
Can you remember anything else?
His gun.
It was shiny.
But at the top it was all black,
with roses carved
into the barrel.
And on the handle
there was this calavera skull
in silver and gold.
[Loca sniffles]
What?
The calavera skull...
was it set in diamonds?
[shakily]
Yeah. How did you know?
That gun used to belong to me.
It was stolen the night
Manny was killed.
I had never seen it again.
What were you doing
with that fancy gun?
It was a wedding present.
So you, like,
killed people with it?
Yes.
So, a long time ago,
you killed someone
and now I got raped for it?
Cammy, I'm sorry.
- Me too.
- I'll make it right.
- Make it right?
- I'll cut his throat.
And you think that's
gonna make it right?
[sniffles]
I'm sorry, I shouldn't
have done that.
If you wanna go to the cops,
I understand.
- I'm not gonna stop you.
- I know.
But, regardless, there is only
one way this is gonna end.
Blood for blood.
The police can't protect you.
And you can?
Yes.
[sighs]
Blood for blood.
Fifteen for everything?
Great.
I'll come by in an hour
to drop off the cash.
Bye.
Hey.
Hey, want some breakfast?
Yeah, okay.
Thanks.
- I need to go out for a little bit.
- What for?
- Remember my friend, Carlos?
- Yeah.
I called him for some
guns, for protection.
I carry this 9 with me. But one
is not enough for both of us.
Okay, but, Loca, I've never
really shot a gun before.
It ain't hard. I'll show you.
Why don't we just call
Nestor? Or Tito?
Tell them what happened.
They have guns
and they'll back us up.
If we tell them, it will be
all out war with RR.
- So?
- So if we do it that way,
they will shoot first
and ask questions later.
- Is that what you want?
- No, of course not.
Then we have to be smart.
And if this guy's acting alone,
I'll take him out myself.
Okay.
What's your connection
to the RR?
Yesterday at the diner,
when it came up...
it seemed like you knew
something more.
Way back in the day,
I used to roll with one of them.
But he got locked up for life.
Who was he?
I used to know him as Hugo,
but he always went by Casper.
We did a bunch
of deals together.
He was my friend
until he went away.
But I had nothing
to do with that.
Well, where is he locked up at?
Crescent Valley, last I heard.
Okay, well, then...
if he's your friend, maybe we
could just go and talk to him.
Cammy, that was ten years ago.
Now he is locked up for life.
I want to go with you
to buy the guns.
- No.
- I don't want to be alone.
It's safer for you to stay here.
I really don't think
we should split up.
This is the last time,
I promise.
Now, eat and take a shower.
I'll be back before you know it.
Fine.
[gate creaks loudly]
Loca.
[Cammy yells]
[man] Hey, hey, hey,
take it easy, take it easy.
Ma'am, ma'am, calm down. My name is
Detective Redding. I'm a police officer.
- He's in there! He's in there!
- Who's in there?
- He's trying to kill me!
- Somebody's...
- He raped me! He's in the bathroom.
- Stay here.
[shower running]
Hey, what's going on, Loca?
- How have you been?
- I'm good.
Can I get you anything?
Nah, I'm good.
- You're a lovely woman.
- Aww.
You're gonna tell me
what's going on?
Honestly, I don't
wanna get into it.
You know, if you're in trouble,
maybe I can help you out, huh?
Mm. I got it under control.
You know, you're lucky. The connect
for the steel is coming in today.
Who is it?
You don't know him.
His name is Benzo.
He's better than your hook-up.
I've been moving a lot
of stuff lately, you know?
You're acting weird, Loca.
What's going on?
- Just please don't.
- Hey...
you called me, huh.
I don't wanna
get you involved, man.
It's personal.
I just came here to get
my regular bag and the guns.
Okay.
Just come back later today.
You don't have to call. Just
be sure it's after 4 o'clock.
Carlitos...
come here.
[both moaning]
You feel better now?
Not really.
It was great for me, too.
So what's this new hook-up?
He's a friend of mine
from across the border.
Name is Cuete.
His uncle, Renaldo,
he's a captain in the cartel.
Did him a solid a while back,
and ever since then,
they've been hooking me up,
you know?
Oh, yeah?
Best thing about it,
it's pure.
I gotta step on it twice
before I put it on the street.
You better be careful doing
business with the cartel.
Nah, I get it from Cuete. It's his uncle
that's affiliated with the cartel.
He gets it from him,
so it's legit.
They don't even know who I am.
- How are you moving all this?
- You know Angel from FSD?
- Sort of.
- Moves a lot for me.
And some fool
named Byron in Watts.
Enemies working side by side?
Black and brown together?
What's the world coming to?
Money talks, baby.
You trust Angel?
I don't have to trust Angel.
'Cause he buys drugs from me.
I've never had
a problem with him.
You sure you don't want to
tell me what's going on, Loca?
Yeah, I'm sure.
You know, if you need me, I...
I'm always on a roll
with you, huh?
Yeah, man. I appreciate it.
[phone ringing]
Hey, buddy,
I got a favor to ask.
Can you come down here a second?
All right, thanks.
[sighs] He's just
gonna be a minute.
Police stations look
a lot nicer on TV.
I know, right? They make it look
like we work in an ad agency.
- Or a trendy magazine.
- Sorry to disappoint.
- [chuckles]
- [knocks]
- Hey, what's up?
- I need you to run something for me.
Inmate report on this guy
out in Crescent Valley.
Goes by Casper,
first name, Hugo.
And all the CV release records
in the past five years
of anyone affiliated
to the Reyes Ricos.
Shouldn't be a problem.
- Should I even ask?
- Playin' a hunch.
Hunch?
Sure thing, Danny.
You know, you've been through
a lot the last few days.
You're lucky to be alive.
It was a miracle
you showing up right then.
Well, I was supposed
to go to the beach.
- You know, I've never even been to the beach.
- Come on.
People in my hood
don't really go too far.
Do you have anyone else
you can call
besides your cousin?
I do, but, honestly...
I'd rather just sit here.
- If that's cool?
- Hey, totally.
Hey, we can stay here
all night if you want.
Are you close with Marisol?
You mean, Loca?
Marisol Flores is
what I got from Ruby.
Nobody's ever called her that.
Not even her own mother.
Too bad. It's a pretty name.
Marie of the Light.
Or Sun.
- Sol means "sun" in Spanish, right?
- Yeah, it does, but...
Marisol actually means "Mary
of the Solitude." Not "Sun."
And trust me,
it suits her a lot better.
Who's that?
I'm sorry.
Is it rude of me to ask?
Nah, it's okay.
Lawanda is a cold case.
Which means it will
probably never get solved.
Why is that?
Pending new evidence,
we just don't have the manpower.
So I pick 'em up
in my spare time.
- You ever solved one?
- Sure I have.
So how do you even start?
Well, for example...
I'll stare at this photo,
this vision of the past.
And I see the life
behind her eyes.
I wonder who her friends were,
who her family was.
Then I try to find them,
talk to them.
Though the odds are
stacked against me, I...
I have to believe
the whole time
I'm gonna find the son of a bitch
who killed this little girl...
because she's
someone's daughter.
And no one but me is gonna do
a damn thing about it.
It's comforting.
What?
Knowing you exist.
Putting murderers away on your
spare time, like a superhero.
No, I'm no hero.
- Just Newton's Third Law.
- Newton's Third Law?
Every action has an equal
and opposing reaction.
What I do...
is just science.
[knocks]
Here's your files, boss.
Are you ready?
I think so.
Stop.
That's him.
[man 1] Tell us what
happened to Cuete!
- [punches land]
- [man 2 groans]
[man 1] Tell us what
you did to him!
[Carlos]
Look, I don't know anything.
[man 1] Fuck you!
- [punches land]
- [Carlos groans]
[man 1] Cuete's dead!
You hear me? Dead!
That's what you're gonna be,
unless you tell us
what we want to know.
- [punches land]
- [Carlos yells]
[chair clatters]
- [Carlos] I don't know nothing, man.
- [punches land]
[man 1]
Who are you working with?
- [punches land]
- Who are you dealing to?
- [Carlos] Angel.
- [gun cocks]
I work with a guy named Angel.
From FSD.
Some black guy
in Watts named Byron.
You tell Ronaldo...
I didn't kill Cuete.
I would never disrespect
the cartel like that, huh.
Cuete was my friend, man.
- Who else are you dealing to?
- Nobody.
We saw a girl
leave here earlier!
No, no, no.
Sh-She's nobody, man.
- You fucking liar!
- [gunshot]
[flushing]
[gunshots]
Carlos...
[gasps]
[gasps]
[sobs]
[gasps]
[car lock beeps]
I just heard some gunshots
coming from a car garage.
775, East California Street.
Hurry.
[cellphone buzzing]
Yeah?
What?
When?
Fuck.
All right.
[cellphone ringing]
'Sup, ese?
Yeah, I need you to come
over here right now.
Call Oso.
Shit just got real.
- 'Sup, ese?
- Wassup, dawg?
Say, check this out, homie.
That's Peaches' cousin.
Oh, I fucked her. [laughs]
You're a fool, homie.
What's with the look, homie?
Just got the call...
Carlos Santiago is dead.
Sss, shit. What, you think
he gave you up?
How could he?
He don't know anything.
But there's more.
Two cartel soldiers were
found dead in his place.
Somebody who made off with the
gang are blowing their money.
Wait, so two guys
are dead, homie?
- I know, right?
- What the fuck happened, homie?
Someone else
got involved, holmes.
Some "Act of God" shit.
What's our next move, dawg?
We gotta find out
who killed these guys.
And who made off with
all that fucking money.
Hey,
remember that fool
from San Ysidro, dawg?
Gave him right across the border back
in the day for, like, 200 bucks?
Gave him that fucked up
eye, dawg?
Yeah, I remember.
Think about that fool
sometimes, you know?
- Why?
- After all this time when we're like, he's...
he's still gone.
And we're still here,
you know, like...
- Yeah, well, you don't know that for sure, holmes.
- Nah, nah, nah.
I think we both know that
he's... dead, fool.
Just like Cuete, fool.
Boy's gone, homie.
Like all of us...
eventually.
Fucking, holmes.
At least we got
our 200 bucks, you know?
If it wasn't us, it would
have been somebody else.
Fuck, homie, for 200 bucks,
dawg, [snorts] back then...
we thought we were rich, holmes.
Maybe we were, you know,
in our own way.
[cellphone ringing]
Hey, it's Peaches, homie.
Hey, what's up?
I can't talk right now, baby.
You sure this is gonna work?
No.
But we don't have another play.
Then let's do it.
[spray can hissing]
[cellphone ringing]
Fuck.
- Come on, baby.
- [moans]
[cellphone ringing]
Hello, 'ello.
Right now?
Yeah, all right.
[irritated] All right.
I have to go scoop up Angel.
Something's up.
Now?
Yeah, right now.
Fuck.
[computerized voice] Thank you for using...
health products.
- Please relax during measurement.
- [device beeps]
Please... while using this drug.
Hey, open up, it's me.
- What?
- You're not gonna fucking believe this.
- What?
- Follow me.
Shit.
- Oh, that fucking bitch!
- Do you see what I'm talking about?
Can you fucking believe this? In our
neighborhood? The fucking balls on this bitch!
- Something weird's going on.
- [scoffs] Yeah.
That pollo negro
has gone crazy, eh?
Seriously. Bulldog left
this morning,
said something was up
with Angel, and then this?
- Un-huh.
- It's like she's trying to send me a message.
- Yeah, she's taunting you, yo.
- Yeah, but she didn't really cross me out.
- Yeah...
- Hold up.
I'm gonna take care of this.
[cellphone ringing]
It's Peaches, dawg. Hey, what's up?
I can't talk right now.
- Baby, you know that Loca bitch that fucked up my face?
- Hey, calm down.
- 'Sup?
- Yeah, well, she tagged our piece out front.
- Oh, yeah?
- Out front of the house!
Is that right?
Hey, hold on. Hey, you know some bitch
named Loca from Los Grajos neighborhood?
- Yeah. Why?
- Peaches just said she hit up a piece in the barrio, fool.
Say, we gotta go down there
and check it out, homie. You in?
Hey, we'll meet you
right there, all right?
- Yeah, like now.
- All right.
Hey, Peaches won 500 bucks on
a scratcher last week, dawg.
Got some new kicks, fool.
Loca and I throw down, she
beats my ass, and then this?
- Why?
- She's stupid, yo.
Nah, Loca ain't stupid.
Nah, you stupid.
All right, then. She got a play.
Yeah, of course she does.
But Loca's OG though.
She wouldn't do nothin' like
this unless she had a reason.
Does it really matter, though?
I mean, you gotta smash her.
- But you know how we do it.
- Yeah.
- Two steps ahead
- Yeah, exactly.
- Two steps ahead.
- [grunts] It's so fucking on!
You know where she stay at? 'Cause we
could take care of this right now.
Nah, I only know one place
she might be.
[soft rock music playing]
- [door opens]
- [speaking Spanish]
[Loca] Si.
[door closes]
Hey...
Can I help you, friend?
I don't need nothing.
Well... [chuckles]
Well...
You can either
order a drink or...
leave.
We don't want any trouble.
Take a walk, old man.
Doesn't concern you.
[chuckles]
You know what? Everything
that happens in this bar
- concerns me.
- [door opens]
[door opens]
- Get the fuck outta here.
- It's cool, Tony.
- I got this.
- Loca...
Just go, seriously.
Before you get us both killed.
I promise. No blood
will be spilled. Not here.
Look, I've had a rough week.
I don't know if I can handle being
banished from my favorite bar.
You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
Acuerdate.
[guns cock]
Before anyone does
anything stupid,
let me explain why you're here.
Then if you still want to, we can settle
our differences out in the parking lot.
And how do you
propose we do that?
No guns, no weapons.
Just you and me.
Orale, negra.
Where's your boy Angel at?
Why do you want to know?
Because he murdered a nephew to the
cartel and I got tangled up in it.
- This is bullshit. She's lying.
- [door opens]
Angel.
- Loca.
- Are you serious?
- You know her?
- Shut the fuck up, Inez.
What's she talkin' about
the cartel, man?
- Tell them about Cuete.
- Yo, what about Cuete?
- You ax Cuete, fool?
- Do you know what they'll do to us?
- To our families?
- You gonna point that at me
you better be ready
to use it, little girl.
I was born ready, motherfucker!
You kill both of them
- and the cartel will back down.
- Everybody just chill!
- Oso, put the gun down, homie.
- The gun down?
I'm not gonna die because this
motherfucker had some old beef with Cuete,
and that bitch got
caught up in it.
No one is going to shoot anybody
because I am the one with
the money and their product.
And two bodies won't make them
feel better without their loot.
So put the guns down.
Okay.
I killed him.
It was personal. And
that's all I'm gonna say.
And I didn't mean for this shit to come back
on Carlos or any of us for that matter.
I had it all sorted out.
I was gonna pin it
on the Barreras cartel.
Just didn't have time.
Soldiers moved in too quick.
By the time I got there,
it was too late.
I heard them asking questions
about you and Cuete.
And Carlos had no idea
what they were talking about.
They tied him up in a chair...
and blew his head off.
Then they came after me.
I had no choice.
- Why were you there?
- I needed guns.
A few days ago, a psycho from the RR
got released from Crescent Valley
- and raped my cousin.
- Jesus.
Put it on me for some reason
I still don't know.
He was following us,
stalking us.
So I needed protection,
so I called Carlos.
He's the only one I trusted.
We didn't want
anyone else to know.
Why not? You still got access
to muscle, don't you?
Of course, I do.
But I don't want another war.
And now this cartel thing
is now on me too.
But there's a way out.
I got about 100 more of those.
The cartel is coming for us,
all of us.
But I have a plan.
And in order to pull it off,
we need to work together.
So stop pretending we're so different just
because we come from different blocks.
And why would we do that?
For the same reason I'm not gonna kill
this motherfucker where he stands.
Manage a common enemy...
plus, if my plan works,
we'll get the cartel
off our backs,
and exact vengeance against the RR
for what was done to my cousin.
We split everything equal.
Seven ways.
There's only six of us.
My cousin Cammy.
She gets a share.
But she's not
gonna get involved.
This is the guy... Joker.
You think you can find him?
Might take a day or two.
Let's say we put
our differences aside
and we get this
motherfucker, Joker...
then what?
How is that gonna help us
get rid of the cartel?
Here you go.
What are you packing?
What do you mean,
I got a 9 in there.
[scoffs]
Asshole.
- Before you shoot...
- [gun cocks]
...make sure you pull that.
You got a laser sight
right on top.
- You good?
- Yeah.
- So where is this place?
- It's right down the corner.
How is it gonna go down?
Me and you are gonna
cover the back.
Bulldog is gonna
cover the front.
Peaches, getaway driver.
- You got that?
- Yeah.
- You guys ready?
- Let's do it. Let's go.
[engine cranks]
[gunshot]
[groans]
[Loca] Drop it, Joker.
Fuck you.
You have five seconds.
Four...
Three...
Two...
[groans]
Who gave this to you?
You stupid bitch.
You still don't get it, do you?
[Angel]
Why'd you do it, Joker?
Same reason as you, ese.
Nah.
Venganza.
Revenge for what?
Old deeds, Loca.
It was the last thing I had
to do to earn my crown.
For Casper...
he was much more... [chuckles]
But the crown,
is for life.
So both of you motherfuckers
are dead. [laughs]
Why you didn't finish it?
[laughs]
I'll let him know you failed.
A long time ago
I memorized this quote.
"The true gentleman...
is the one whose conduct
proceeds from good will...
and an acute
sense of propriety.
Whose self-control...
is equal to all emergencies.
Who does not make
the poor man...
conscious of his poverty...
the obscure man
of his obscurity...
or any man of his inferiority...
or deformity.
A man for whom honor
is sacred...
and virtue safe."
Are you this sort of man...
Angel Ferraro?
Nah.
Nah?
Wow. Well, that...
makes me curious.
Because most men say yes.
It's impossible to be both honest
and ruthless at the same time.
If you're asking
if you could trust me,
well, that's just something you're
gonna have to figure out on your own.
- Hmm. Hmm.
- Since we are, after all,
the remainder of a very large,
bloody equation.
There must be a reason
I'm sitting here.
Yeah.
Fair enough.
So let's go back
to the beginning.
And you must tell me...
what happened to my nephew...
Cuete?
He was murdered
by an RR soldier,
a guy named Joker.
He was an old friend
of Carlos Santiago
and went to him to try to set up a coke
business after a seven-year stretch.
A direct order from
an RR captain in CV.
A guy named Casper.
When Joker found out
that Cuete was Carlos'
connection to the blow...
there was a change of plans.
He set a meet and murdered him
behind Carlos' back.
Why?
Why did he do that?
The story I heard...
is that your nephew
did something to him
while he was in
the Youth Authority, locked up.
Way back.
Yeah, well...
he was always a sick boy.
And what about my men?
When Joker showed up at Carlos'
house and killed your men,
he must have figured out
it was just a matter of time
before you would do the same
to me and my crew.
Enough people knew that me and
Carlos were doing business together.
Sooner or later,
you would have figured it out.
Of course, I couldn't
let that happen.
So me and my people
hunted him down
and we got your stuff for you.
So now, they are both dead...
and I'm talking to you and you
apparently have my goods.
Is that a coincidence?
Nah. Not a coincidence at all.
It ended up this way so that
me and you can make a deal.
What kind of deal?
One that's based
on mutual respect.
And how did you
so eloquently say, huh?
"Where honor is sacred
and virtue safe."
[chuckles]
Yeah. Yeah.
Okay.
You have my attention.
What are you proposing?
Your boys killed an innocent man
who happened to be my friend.
To answer for this atrocity,
instead of avenging
him in blood,
I want you and your people
to stay away from our blocks.
Not just my blocks,
all of South Central.
You ask a lot.
I just don't want us
to kill each other anymore.
For that, I will forgive
the murder of my friend.
And I guarantee to move
500 keys a month
through my network.
You promise a lot, too.
I formed some unique alliances
with every major player
from Compton,
Inglewood, Watts,
all the way to the North Valley.
Everyone's on board with the ceasefire...
if this goes through.
What about my nephew?
What about his blood?
You'll just have to take that up
with Casper up at CV.
After all, he's the one that
went behind your back.
He caused all this mess
in the first place.
Here's a show of how important
this arrangement is to us.
Consider it a token of goodwill from the
newly-formed South Central Syndicate.
Suppose...
that I believe...
that it was you who
set up this whole thing,
and not some...
RR captain at CV.
Suppose that, but consider
for a moment the future.
We both lost a lot in this,
but I'm sitting right here,
ready to shake your hand,
and give you back what's yours.
Does it make any sense
that I would kill your men
and then come here
and return your goods, huh?
Does it really matter?
There's a lot of money
to be made if we work together,
starting now.
[sighs]
Tell me something...
Angel Ferraro...
Do you believe the world
is getting more civilized?
Probably not.
Probably not.
Yeah.
Probably not.
[gate buzzer buzzing]
Joker is dead.
After he raped my cousin,
I crewed up.
Because of what you've done...
your life is over.
When I met you, Loca,
you were 12 years old.
You remember?
Of course I remember.
Where were we?
I went to visit my cousin in YA.
That's right.
After I got out, the next time
I saw you, you were 15.
Most beautiful thing
I had ever seen.
Just...
perfect.
And you knew.
Even then I know you knew
the power you had over me.
[breathes deeply]
You used me. You fucking
used me to do your dirty work.
- How did I use you, Hugo?
- Two black males, Franklin Ave., double homicide.
The ones you said robbed you,
which was
a flat out fucking lie.
Franklin Avenue?
- You never got caught for those.
- Caught for them?
I have to live with them, Loca.
I see their faces.
Out of all the bodies...
those are the faces you see?
We were a team.
We were dealing together.
I was young and I
wanted those blocks.
- I never used yo...
- Fuck that!
Just admit it.
Admit you knew
I was crazy about you,
that you manipulated me because
you knew I was in love with you.
In love with me?
You never said anything.
You fucking coward.
Why my cousin?
It's not your style.
He wasn't supposed to rape her.
Just scare her,
so you'd come running.
He tried to kill her, Hugo.
It was just supposed to be you.
Why?
For Christian.
He was my half-brother.
My blood.
My dad had an affair
with his mom.
He tried to keep it secret,
but everybody knew.
And you killed him.
You shot him
right through his eye.
You think I'd forget that?
[speaks Spanish]
You turned on me
more than once.
In the end, I knew
it was my fault,
but that doesn't change
what you did.
I had every right
to take his life
after what he took from me.
You mean what I took from you?
When I got locked up in here,
I had to prove to the captains
that I still had power on the
outside, so they would accept me,
otherwise they were
gonna kill me, or worse.
One of them had
an old beef with Manny, so...
I asked Christian
to take him out.
And for that...
I earned my crown.
He did it to save my life.
He was my brother.
And it was almost perfect.
No one would have
ever suspected it was him.
But somehow...
you knew.
Clever of you
to give Joker my gun.
Where did you guys hide it?
My dad's garage.
And you knew without the gun
there wouldn't be any proof.
But I didn't need it.
You were there?
He whispered it
with his dying breath.
I would have never
believed it, either.
- That we're like...
- Like brothers?
Goodbye, Hugo.
See you in Hell.
[door opens, closes]
[gate buzzer buzzing]
[screams]
[phone ringing]
Redding.
What?
Thanks.
[Loca in voice-over]
Suddenly I'm engulfed in light.
My skin peels off like a snake.
My muscles float away.
And all that's left is my bones.
Vines covered in orange
and blue flowers...
twist in spiral patterns across
my skull and through my ribs.
My eyes are red roses.
And I'm floating...
seeing the reflection of myself.
Then what happens?
Nothing really.
I just float...
and then I wake up.
What do you think it means?
It's a reminder...
that when it happens,
there's nothing to fear.
You can't stop what's coming.
And for that instant,
you're a soul...
and you're finally free
to become one with God.
I don't really believe in God.
Call it whatever you want...
but He's playing all around us.
I have a dream sometimes, too.
But it's different.
In mine...
my hands are covered
in this sticky black tar.
Like Venom.
- The comic book character.
- [giggles]
- The alien from Spider-Man?
- Exactly.
- Oh.
- Just like that.
This black stuff...
gets on everything I touch.
All over my clothes...
my skin...
So I go find a sink, right?
And I scrub,
and lather up with soap...
but it never comes clean.
It's obvious.
What?
The blood in your hands.
A man trying
to wash away his sins.
Nah.
That's a cop-out.
Plus, I haven't
told you how it ends.
So, after a while...
I just stop trying
to wash it away.
I don't give up.
I just diffuse the power
it has over me
by realizing there's nothing
I can do to change it.
Once I do that...
it disappears.
So, actually, it's the opposite.
By surrendering, I set myself
free from the guilt.
Because I know
that carrying it around
is my choice...
and will infect
anything I touch.
That's not what
the dream is about.
[chuckles] Listen, Loca.
I know someday my past is gonna
come knocking, just like yours did.
I know everyone I hurt...
was somebody's son...
somebody's brother...
father...
best friend.
But I'm comfortable with that.
I have to be.
Because it never happens
how or when you expect it to.
I can live with the blackness...
just look past it.
That's why I'm still here.
That's why I'm the boss.
Now, when you look past it...
what do you see?
Simple.
I see this beautiful and
dangerous life we've been given.
["Starlight" by Don Diablo
& Matt Nash playing]
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
White lies
Watching the skies
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Don't go wasting your time
Don't go losing your mind
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
Starlight
Look at us shine
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
White lies
Watching the skies
Could you be mine
Could you be mine
Don't go wasting your time
Don't go...
[Loca in voice-over]
They say revenge is a pendulum,
set in motion by those
who seek justice...
its weight measured in grief,
and force determined by blood.
It never stops...
until one day it lands on you...
or someone you love...
and then, you have
to make a choice.
["Starlight" resumes]
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us
Could you be mine
Look at us
Look at us
Look at us, could you be
Could you be mine
[mouths]
Bang.
[]