Interior Chinatown (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

1
[projector whirring]
[projector clicks]
[typewriter keys clacking]
[typewriter dings]
[Willis Wu]
I'm not saying I want someone to die.
[Fatty Choi]
So what are you saying?
Well, I'm saying
if someone is already dead,
I would like to be
the first one to find the body.
That's weird, man.
Okay, you know how in cop shows
there's usually a cold open?
[Fatty] Cold open?
[Willis]
The first scene, before the main title.
- Right.
- Okay, so for a couple of minutes,
we follow this random character
who you've never met,
who's not one of the leads,
and part of you is thinking,
"Why am I even watching this guy?"
Why are you watching this guy?
You're watching because
either he's about to get killed or
Or?
You've seriously never seen a cop show?
How is that even possible?
Video games and weed.
Okay. [sighs]
What was I saying?
[Fatty]
Somebody's about to find a dead body?
Yes, that's the rule.
The person in
the first scene of a procedural
is either a victim or a witness.
[Fatty] Holy shit!
[soft dramatic music playing]
Somebody threw away an entire Peking duck,
with the sauce and everything.
- You're a dick, man.
- I'm the dick?
You're the one who was
hoping it was a dead person.
It's a dead person.
Why would you even wanna see that?
To be a witness, part of a case.
A police investigation, why?
I don't know.
Because it would be interesting?
Because I'm tired of working
for Uncle's restaurant.
Nothing exciting ever happens to me,
or you, or anyone we know.
I mean, look at Carl.
He's, like, dead inside.
Willis.
Restroom needs servicing.
And I heard what you said. Very hurtful.
[Willis] Uncle, I-I-I think
it's a great restaurant.
- Oh. [sighs]
- I heard what you said too.
[Willis] Nothing ever changes.
And, you know, most days,
the highlight of my day
is taking out the trash with you, man.
Sometimes I just feel like
there's a whole world out there
I'll never get to see as long as
I'm trapped, here, in Chinatown.
Look at her.
Why can't my life be like that?
What, you wanna be a hot blonde lady cop?
Or him. He's so fucking cool.
I guess he is pretty cool, yeah.
He's the coolest.
And what they do matters.
Solving cases, catching bad guys.
And they're always on TV.
[Sarah Green] [on TV] We're not making
any comments at this time.
- [reporter] Just doing our jobs.
- You were told already, no comment.
[Willis] I wish I could just be
a part of that action.
I feel like I'm a background character
in someone else's story.
I think that's called being a loser.
Hey, am I really
the highlight of your day?
Shut up, man.
Look, we're playing cards on Friday.
Okay? You should come. It's been a while.
[Willis] I can't Friday.
What, you got plans?
[sighs] It's, um
Oh, right, sorry.
Your brother's birthday, I-I-I forgot.
It's okay.
- So, were you gonna
- Same thing every year.
Dinner, watching home movies, not talking.
So how's your mom and dad?
- They're still not
- [Willis] Oh, yeah.
[Uncle Wong] Willis. Restroom!
[Carl] Yeah, Willis, restroom.
- [Willis] Carl.
- I-I got it.
- [Willis] Yeah?
- Yeah.
I owe you one, Fatty.
[Fatty] One? You owe me like three.
You're gonna be doing a lot of servicing.
And get those two bags.
Oh, my God.
[soft whimsical music playing]
Hey, you wanna see something
worse than a dead body?
- [toilet flushes]
- [sighs]
[woman groans]
[woman crying]
Hey.
- Are you okay?
- [panting]
Hey, lady. Are you okay?
[tires screeching]
Excuse me?
[tires screeching]
Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey!
[woman shrieking]
Hey! Someone!
[dramatic music playing]
- Hey!
- [tires screeching]
Hey!
[music intensifies]
Hey
[music ends]
[narrator]
In the city of Port Harbour,
the most unsolvable cases
are tasked to an elite squad
known as the Impossible Crimes Unit.
This is their story.
[upbeat dramatic music playing]
♪
[bicycle bells ringing]
[soft suspenseful music playing]
Excuse me.
- Ma'am?
- Yes?
You're not in trouble.
We're not Immigration.
We just wanna ask you a couple questions.
Coworker, right?
Your manager said you two are friends.
Last night, she went home early.
She show up to work today?
No. Is she okay?
Family said she never made it home.
We suspect foul play.
Items from her workbag
were found in the street,
along her usual route.
Any idea why she took off early?
To see her boyfriend.
Ex.
- He works at the body shop.
- You don't approve?
They fight a lot?
He ever hit her?
That's none of my business.
[Miles Turner] How about these guys?
Painted Faces.
Local gang operating here in Chinatown.
Never seen them before.
Alright, if you learn anything
[door rattling]
What now?
Maybe someone else
around here saw something.
Let's pay a visit to the ex-boyfriend.
- [door rattling]
- [peppy music playing]
[Willis] That's me, in the back.
Way in the back.
Trapped in something
I don't yet understand.
- [Sarah] Alright, let's roll.
- [car engine starts]
[engine revving]
[Willis] There's always been
this voice inside my head.
- Saying, "Willis. Willis."
- [Fatty] Willis.
Willis?
What are you doing?
[whispering] Fatty
I think I saw something last night.
A woman was being abducted.
You serious?
Why don't you tell the cops?
That's what I was trying to do,
but the door wouldn't open.
[soft mysterious music playing]
Hey, can you, look busy?
[snaps fingers]
Okay? Uncle's in a bad mood.
Customer complained
about there being shrimp
in shrimp noodles.
[music continues]
[bright music playing]
[Willis] Ever since I was a boy,
I've dreamt of being the hero.
To be in the spotlight.
But that's hard if you look like me.
People don't see you that way,
if they see you at all.
For a kid like me,
there was one way out of Chinatown.
Kung fu. That's how my brother did it.
My kung fu was a B.
B-plus on a good day.
[exhaling]
But I've been practicing,
waiting for my shot.
In the meantime,
I take what I can get,
try to build a life.
Play the parts I've been given.
Waiter, good son, staying quiet.
- [bowls clatter]
- Carl.
But it's always there.
The voice in my head, saying
"Willis, get out there.
Be part of the story."
Yeah, I want to.
I just don't know how.
[soft mysterious music continues]
[indistinct chatter in Cantonese]
- Bye-bye. Okay, okay. Bye-bye. Okay.
- [indistinct chatter]
My brother's birthday.
If I don't come by,
my mom will just sit there, in the dark.
[sighs]
[sniffles]
So every year,
we sit in the dark together.
[Lily Wu sniffles]
[inhales and exhales deeply]
I don't want to do it anymore.
You can have it.
Even the police have stopped looking.
Hmm, the case is technically still open.
You're the one who said to move on.
But I didn't want you to actually give up.
[Lily] You want me to keep hoping
so you and Dad
can live normal life, right?
[Lily sniffles, sighs]
It's fine, things change.
It's not your job to make me happy.
It's your dad job.
He sucks at it.
Which reminds me
take his dinner to him.
Delivering food, I'm very good at.
Willis, you don't need
to fix things, okay?
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Except my TV.
Oh, oh.
Hmm.
[static on TV]
How long has it been doing this?
[Lily]
A long time, since your last visit.
Oh, so that's like, yesterday.
[Lily gasps] Oh!
[giggles] My program! It's back!
You know, this one
is about a lady with amnesia.
- [Willis] Wow.
- [Lily] But I think she fake it.
Maybe they should make one
where everyone has amnesia,
and they're just confused
and angry all the time.
[Lily snickers]
[speaking Korean on TV]
[Lily] You fixed it.
You're my hero.
[speaking Korean on TV]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[sighs]
I'm just gonna leave this here, okay?
If you need anything
[music continues]
[door opens, hinges creak]
[door closes]
[Joe Wu] Okay, we're here now.
- Oh. Okay. Okay.
- Okay, Mom and Dad's here. Don't look.
- Don't No, no, no, no.
- Okay.
Ay, ya! [laughs]
Hmm? Look.
Okay!
- [Joe] [laughs] Oh.
- [Lily] Ah.
[Joe] Yes, look at it.
Empty room.
No, it's more than that.
It's a school, look.
It's a school. Look at this.
[Willis] My dad had a dream.
[Lily]
You need a student for school.
[Joe] I have a student.
[Willis] for his star of Chinatown
My number-one student, right there.
- [Willis] my brother.
- [Lily exclaims]
[Joe] Yes, good job, yes!
[Joe laughs]
- [Willis' brother] And Willis.
- And me!
Oh. Right, right, yeah.
And Willis.
[brother] Willis is gonna
be great someday.
You'll see.
[Joe exclaims in Cantonese]
[Willis] He believed in me
[sighs deeply]
more than I believe in myself.
[peppy music playing]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
[news jingle plays]
[newscaster] [on TV]
In today's top story,
police are investigating a missing woman.
An employee at a local nail salon.
Authorities aren't releasing
many details at this point,
citing the ongoing investigation
but Port Harbour Police Department
- released a brief statement.
- [Willis] Hey, lady!
Although we remain hopeful
the victim is still alive,
in cases like this,
the likelihood of a good outcome decreases
with each passing day.
So, we're urging
anyone with any information
to come forward.
In light of certain
cultural considerations,
we've also brought in Detective Lana Lee
to assist in our investigation.
I will now
turn it over to Detective Lee.
[clears throat]
Thank you, Detective Green.
Port Harbour PD are currently
seeking any information
on the whereabouts of the missing person.
- [bell dings]
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- [Lana Lee continues indistinctly]
- Who is that?
What do you think she is, part Korean?
[Willis] I don't know,
she's, uh, something.
Gotta be Korean.
Koreans are the most fun Asians.
[shushes]
The abduction may be related to reports
of a gang war
in the Chinatown community
Gang war?
No one told me we were in a gang war.
Hey, Carl, be honest.
Have you been doing a gang war?
I don't think so.
No illegal activities?
Does fantasy football count?
Whoa, who's that?
She looks Thai.
Dude, she's clearly Korean.
Know your Asians.
And, yo, are we doing that trade or what?
and while the safety and wellbeing
of everyone in Port Harbour is important,
I do wanna say that this case is, uh
it's a priority.
It has a
certain personal significance to me.
[clears throat] What I mean to say is,
is past policies have left this area
neglected and under-resourced,
and for too long Chinatown
has been seen as an afterthought.
A second class.
- [door slams open]
- What are you guys doing standing around?
[Lana]
if you do have any information
- Who's that?
- [Fatty] She's Korean.
- She's Thai.
- [Fatty] Dude, you don't even know
Get to work.
- [Lana continues indistinctly]
- She's Thai.
And the residents of Chinatown
deserve the right
to feel safe in their neighborhood.
[eerie music plays]
[Fatty] So, what are you gonna do?
Are you gonna go to the cops?
- Cops?
- Yeah.
Yesterday, you literally said
you wanted to be part of a case.
Yeah, as a witness.
- And now you are.
- But how can I be sure?
What if I go to the cops
and then someone spots me
and then what if I'm a victim?
You're scared.
What am I scared of?
You tell me.
I'm just a simple man.
Whose hobbies include
video games and malted beverages.
I'm cool with that.
You're the one who's not.
You asked for this, to be a witness.
You got your wish.
So what's stopping you?
And why you aiming so low anyway?
If you wanna be a part of this,
why not be the hero?
Guys like us don't become the heroes.
Guys like us? Waiters?
Yeah.
Guys in an alley, far from the action.
Guys from Chinatown.
Your brother was a guy from Chinatown.
When he walked in the room,
everyone stopped.
Yeah, because of his abs.
When I walk in a room, nobody notices.
I mean, look at us,
shuffling back and forth.
We're never in the action.
- What are you doing?
- Loading the truck.
We're unloading.
Are you sure?
[soft whimsical music playing]
If you don't believe
you're ever gonna be the hero,
then what are you training so hard for?
In Chinatown, kung fu
can break out at any moment.
You never know
when you're gonna get your shot.
[Fatty] I need to stretch.
[exhales]
[groaning]
What?
Nothing.
You just looked like
your brother for a second.
Nah.
[Fatty] But only for a second.
And not like in terms of
your-your physique, obviously.
More like in your mind or whatever.
Okay, I'm stretched. Let's go.
[Willis] Maybe you're right.
Maybe I am scared, huh?
I mean, the woman's in danger.
If I can do something to help,
I should help, right?
Holy shit.
["What a Difference a Day Made"
by Dinah Washington playing]
[soft vocalization]
What is she doing here?
I gotta tell Carl.
What a difference a day made ♪
[vocalization continues]
Twenty-four little hours ♪
Your duck.
Brought the sun and the flowers ♪
This is, uh, our dinner special, column B.
Table four's ready to order.
Mm, where there used to be rain ♪
My yesterday was blue, dear ♪
Nothing ever changes.
I know.
Welcome to Golden Palace.
Hi. Can we order now?
[Uncle Wong]
Anything I can get you?
[customer 1] Sir, can you hear me?
[customer 2] I don't think so.
Since you said you were mine ♪
[customer 1] Hello?
Can we order now?
- No.
- [customer 1] No?
It's time for a change.
[customer 1]
What is he talking about?
Lord, what a difference a day makes ♪
♪
There's a rainbow before me ♪
Welcome to Golden Palace.
- Willis Wu.
- You know my name?
Oh. [chuckles]
But how do you know my last name?
I'm a detective.
What's good?
You are staring at me, Willis Wu.
You're new here.
Mm-hmm.
[soft music playing]
The other day in the alley,
I saw a woman get abducted.
Pretend to take my order.
- What?
- Pretend to take my order.
[loudly]
Welcome to the Golden Palace.
How may I help you?
Uh, do you have any specials?
Crab.
Crab meat.
You're gonna do it like that?
[Willis] Like, uh, like what?
That's, that Yeah.
You're a waiter, just act normal.
[loudly]
Welcome to the Golden Palace.
Okay, do you see those guys over there?
Yeah, there's a briefcase.
- [Lana] Buyer and seller.
- Buyer and seller?
The seller's the mean-looking guy.
He's the one facing the restroom,
in case he needs to bail.
Okay.
[whispering]
And did you hear what I said
about the woman getting abducted?
These guys are negotiating a transaction.
Oh, a transaction?
She was part of that transaction.
Oh, she was part of the transaction?
- Ohh.
- Yes.
The prevailing theory
is that it's being run
by an organized syndicate
out of Chinatown.
No way.
Maybe there's a rival operation
trying to move in.
Gang war.
Okay, but it-it might not be a gang war.
We don't have much time, okay?
- They'll be here any minute.
- Who?
You know
- The glam squad.
- Oh, the glam squad.
[Lana] Yes.
Wait what's the glam squad?
The leads on this case.
Green and Turner.
Ohh.
They're coming here?
Yes, they're gonna come in here
and they're gonna fuck everything up.
- Oh, okay.
- So before that happens, I need your help.
Why me?
[Lana] Because I need
someone on the inside.
[knock on window]
[mouthing] What are you doing? Come.
Okay.
What would I need to do?
The seller.
I need his fingerprints.
[Willis] Okay.
What about the other one?
The, the, the, the buyer?
He's one of ours.
Ohh.
Okay. So
How do I get the prints?
[siren wailing in distance]
I'm sure you'll figure it out.
Good luck, Wu.
Wait, wait.
How do I contact you? Hey.
[Uncle Wong] Willis.
[Willis] Yes?
I need to talk to you.
Sure.
- [siren continues]
- [sighs]
- [siren grows louder]
- [tires screech]
[Sarah] Look alive.
We're movin' in. Let's roll!
[indistinct chatter]
[rock music playing]
Everyone remain calm.
[music ends]
[Miles]
Everyone looks pretty calm.
Nice of you to join us, Detective Lee.
Green, Turner.
- [both] O'Malley.
- What's going on?
[O'Malley] He's meeting his boss tonight
to make the exchange.
I put a tracker
in the briefcase with the money.
[Miles] Really smart.
Did he take the bait?
- Booyah.
- [Sarah] Nice.
[Miles] My man.
[O'Malley] We can monitor using this.
- We get real-time updates.
- [Miles] Okay.
- And he's heading
- Uh, that's him right there.
[Sarah] And the missing woman?
[O'Malley] She's alive,
being held somewhere close.
[Sarah] They're already on the move.
I told you a tracking device
was a good idea.
The tracking device was my idea.
Looks like he's headed downtown.
Let's go.
Oh, and, Detective Lee,
not sure how they did things uptown,
but around here,
we show up to work on time.
- Car trouble.
- [Sarah] Alright, let's roll.
[Miles] This was my idea, by the way.
Just for the record.
[intense music playing]
- [siren wailing]
- [tires screech]
[mysterious music playing]
[soft mysterious music playing]
[Willis] This voice inside my head
someone must be listening.
I wanted to be in the action.
And now, the action has come to me.
[intense synth music playing]
What the hell?
Gang war?
In Golden Palace?
[music continues]
Oh, shit. [sighs]
You got this.
Yeah, I got this.
[Fatty] This is your shot.
Don't fuck it up.
You might not have
a six-pack, or any pack,
but you have heart.
Things are gonna change for you, Willis.
You want it more than
the other guy. I've seen it.
- You have?
- Yeah.
[gang members screaming]
[grunting]
Look Kick ass, man. I believe in you.
- I gotta go.
- Okay.
[gang members yelling and groaning]
[grunting]
[slowed dramatic music playing]
[bowl shatters]
[heart thumping]
[Willis] Ever since I was a boy,
I've dreamt of this moment.
Practicing, waiting to step
into the light.
[exhales]
[intense synth music playing]
[gang members grunting and groaning]
[yelling]
[groaning]
[upbeat music playing]
[grunts]
[hip-hop Cantonese song playing]
[telephone ringing]
[groaning]
[customer] [on phone]
Hi, can I place an order to go, please?
We're closed!
- [song continues]
- [Fatty yells]
[grunts sharply]
[Carl whimpering]
[plate shatters]
Willis.
[song continues]
[grunting]
Oh!
- You good?
- No.
Don't join gangs!
[grunting]
[song continues]
[Fatty yells]
[groans]
[groans]
[bone cracks]
[soft classical music playing]
[groans]
♪
[gentle piano music playing]
[groaning]
[Fatty] People are drinking upstairs.
I'm not really in the mood.
Figured, but I got you covered.
Brought the party to you.
You're a good friend, Fatty.
Why don't you go up, and, um,
maybe I'll meet up with you later?
[groaning]
Hey, man, you'll get 'em next time.
Yeah.
Fuck.
[toilet flushes]
[snorts, sighs]
I think I know where he is.
[Lily] What happened to your face?
Nothing, just
A normal day at work.
[Lily clears throat]
You been smoking again?
No.
You only smoke when you're stressed.
Is everything okay?
[Lily breathes heavily]
I'm started to study.
To get my real estate license.
[Willis] Hmm.
Cool.
You think I'm too old?
[Willis] No.
Yeah, I mean, maybe.
It's a little late for a second career.
Plus, you shouldn't have to.
That's what I'm supposed to do.
Look, I don't want to live
in the past anymore.
I want to have reason
to get up in the morning again,
and I want
A dream.
To get rich.
Your dad say I'm dumb.
- Mom, he never said that.
- [Lily] Oh, he did.
[gasps]
Ma, I got it.
Why don't you go back to bed?
[sighs]
My father, sifu.
Students were afraid of him,
especially me.
[Joe yells]
After my brother
he changed.
It happened over years, and overnight.
Oh, I came by last week.
But I-I-I think you were sleeping,
so I didn't wanna bother you.
You don't bother me.
How was the thing?
His birthday?
Yeah, we're not doing that anymore.
Mom okay with that?
Her idea.
Got into a fight?
What happened?
Same thing that always happens.
Yeah, you start out strong,
and then things turn.
Why don't I ever win?
Sit.
You're not there to win.
You're there to make
the other guy look good.
I'm sorry, what?
- What does that even mean?
- Your brother was special.
He was the best student I've ever seen.
Anyone has ever seen.
Okay, and?
I was his sifu, that was my role.
After he was gone,
I didn't who I was supposed to be.
How about my dad?
Sorry.
I'm sorry, t-t-that was
I don't wanna lose another son.
So your way of keeping me safe
was to make sure
I wasn't very good at fighting?
- Yeah.
- [Willis] And you taught me to lose?
It was safer that way.
You don't stand out.
[voice breaking]
I grew up wanting to be like him.
I stood there while he trained.
And I copied his movies.
He was the guy.
And I saw how much everyone loved him,
especially you and Mom.
So that became my dream, to be that guy.
The kung fu guy.
And now, you're telling me
to not be that guy?
What am I supposed to be?
[melancholic music playing]
Be more.
[music continues]
Ha, sicker than your average ♪
Poppa twist cabbage off instinct ♪
- Niggas don't think shit stink ♪
- Cheers.
Pink gators, my Detroit players ♪
Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn ♪
Dead right, if the head right,
Biggie there e'ry night ♪
Poppa been smooth
since days of Underoos ♪
Never lose, never choose to,
bruise crews who ♪
- Hey. Audrey!
- Hey, Willis.
[Willis] [chuckles] Hey!
How you been?
Uh, good, just studying hard.
- [Willis] Me too.
- Really?
No, I don't know why I said that.
[Audrey chuckles]
[Willis scoffs]
Uh, wow.
Are you okay?
You should've seen the other guy.
No, but I got my ass kicked, yeah. So
Yeah, because he tried
to fight like four guys at once.
What you trying to prove?
What's he trying to prove?
[Audrey chuckles]
Hmm.
Sometimes your words just hypnotize me ♪
- And I just love your flashy ways, uh ♪
- [Fatty clears throat]
Guess that's why they broke,
and you're so paid ♪
Some people are winners
and some people are waiters.
And some people are witnesses.
My point is, I'm not my brother. You know?
He was the handsome one, he had muscles.
He was never a waiter.
He was a winner.
Do you ever, like, when you're like,
studying late at night, right,
just stop and think,
"What am I doing?
Is this worth it?"
Like, will your work ever
even make a difference in this world?
In human rights and immigration law?
Well, yeah, that's-that's a bad example.
So maybe not your
- You know what I mean?
- No.
Oh.
[music slows, fades]
[music playing in slow-motion]
- [shouting]
- [DMX "Party Up" playing]
[cheering]
Whoo, y'all gon' make me lose my mind ♪
Up in here, up in here ♪
Y'all gon' make me go all out ♪
Up in here, up in here ♪
Y'all gon' make me act a fool ♪
Up in here, up in here ♪
Y'all gon' make me lose my cool ♪
Up in here, up in here ♪
Hey.
You're finally awake.
[groans]
Oh. Oh, my God.
Man, you had a lot to drink.
Why did you Why did you let me?
- You needed it.
- Was I talking to Audrey last night?
Yeah, a little.
- Did I embarrass myself?
- Yeah, a lot.
[sighs]
Why am I like this?
Bad at drinking?
No, half-dressed.
Oh, yeah, I-I-I couldn't
get your shirt off,
so I just did your pants.
So you Donald Duck'd me.
Nice quads, bro.
Close the door, Fatty.
Sorry, I wasn't calling you Fatty.
Thanks.
- [gentle music playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [Willis grunts]
- [Fatty] Watch out, watch out.
[whirring]
- [Willis] Fuck.
- [Uncle Wong] Willis. Pay attention.
- [indistinct chatter]
- Okay. Okay, okay, okay.
Oh!
[news jingle plays on TV]
[newscaster]
A local nail salon worker
who went missing three days ago
has been found dead.
We go now to a live
press conference from City Hall,
where the officers who solved the case,
Detectives Sarah Green and Miles Turner,
are making a statement.
[Miles] The senseless death
of this young woman
is yet another consequence
of the inner gang conflicts
in Chinatown amongst rival groups.
And any gangs out there, any gang members,
we are putting you on notice.
Including the Painted Faces.
[reporter] [on TV] Detective Turner,
should citizens be concerned?
Painted Faces?
[Miles] This unsavory behavior
from gang members
across the city is unacceptable.
We will track you down and
[phone beeps]
[automated response] We're sorry.
Your call cannot be completed as dialed.
Please check the number
- [phone beeps]
- We're sorry. Your call cannot
[knock on door]
Hi.
- [Audrey chuckles]
- Hey, Audrey.
This is yours.
- How did you
- Oh, you don't remember last night?
Um, you gave it to me for safekeeping.
You said that you trusted me,
and you were drunk.
- Oh, my God.
- [Audrey Chan] So
What is it? I'm sorry, I looked inside.
I unwrapped it, I know it's a cup.
It's a cup.
Um, I, I shouldn't have looked.
But, um, why do you have a cup?
You don't have to tell me.
If you wanna tell me, you can tell me.
It's nothing.
Doesn't matter anymore.
I just should've done something.
[sighs]
I thought I was a winner,
then I thought I was a witness.
It turns out
I'm a waiter.
Okay, well, first of all,
there's nothing wrong with that.
And I'm not sure that's what you are.
Then what am I?
I don't know yet.
But I don't think you know either.
[phone ringing]
I think I have to take this.
Yeah, that's fine.
- [Willis] Yeah.
- Okay. I can wait here.
- [Willis] Hello?
- Willis.
Hi! I mean, hi.
Oh, do you need to go?
I'll see you around, okay?
- [Audrey] Oh, okay.
- [Willis] Yeah.
- Uh, sure, yeah.
- Lana.
Sorry, I mean, uh, detective.
The woman I saw, she's dead.
Another casualty of the gang war,
or so they say.
Okay, and also, the, um,
the number you gave me, the 0-1-2-3,
was that a fake number?
[Lana] Yes.
Yeah, yeah, of course, of course.
[Lana] I'll pick you up.
Yeah. Wait, uh
Hel
Hello?
[dramatic music swells]
Hi.
Get in.
[sighs]
So where are we going?
Not far.
Did you get it?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
[dramatic music continues]
- Nice work.
- Yeah?
Yeah. Good work, good job.
- We're here.
- We're here already?
I told you it wasn't far.
- Uh, where are we?
- Come on.
I'll buy you a drink.
["Sandstorm"
by Darude playing]
[woman] [on speakers]
For those nights when you wanna go deep.
[cheering]
- ["Sandstorm" continues playing]
- [cheering grows louder]
What is this place?
You don't get out much, do you?
No, I don't. Uh
And, and, and why are we here?
We can talk here.
Okay. Cool.
Here, sit down.
Sorry.
Wow. Everyone here's so tall.
- "Hard seltzer."
- Willis.
What's hard seltzer?
There's something going on in Chinatown.
There's nothing going on in Chinatown,
not compared to this place.
No, there's something
going on in Chinatown.
A pattern of incidents
I don't yet understand.
I already got you the fingerprints.
Um, I, I, I don't know
what more I can do for you.
There's a lot of crime in Chinatown.
- Yeah, it's always been that way.
- Yeah.
Have you ever wondered why?
Why? Like why crime exists?
The cops are always here
and nothing ever changes.
Port Harbour PD, we, we find our suspect,
we make an arrest, and that's it.
- Case closed.
- Ah.
["Sandstorm" continues]
We never dig deeper.
- Where did that come from?
- Open it, Willis.
["Sandstorm" continues]
"Task force dissolved."
That's my brother.
- I don't understand.
- He was working with us.
This task force
was part of a special initiative
that was meant to combat
organized crime in Chinatown.
And it dissolved
It dissolved the same week
he went missing.
Okay.
Green and Turner,
they don't know anything about Chinatown.
And they're never gonna figure out
what's actually happening.
Why would they?
They get their perp of the week,
they get on the news.
[Willis] So
you're going to solve this?
- We are.
- We?
If we work together.
Sleep on it, Willis.
But don't sleep too long.
["Sandstorm" continues]
Is that the sunrise or sunset?
What
What time is it?
Do you have the time, anyone?
[woman] [on speaker]
Deep Watr Premium Hard Seltzer.
For those special nights.
Sixty-four calories and two net carbs.
Deep Watr.
Are you hard enough?
[Willis] Detective Lee, I need a ride.
[soft whimsical music playing]
[squeaking]
[brother]
Willis is gonna be great someday.
[wistful music playing]
You'll see.
[Willis] And you taught me to lose?
[Joe] It was safer that way.
You don't stand out.
[woman screaming]
I don't wanna lose another son.
[brother]
Willis is gonna be great someday.
- [Lily] You need a student for school.
- [Joe] I have a student!
My number-one student, right there!
The best student.
[Lana] Sleep on it, Willis.
But don't sleep too long.
[projector whirrs]
[indistinct chatter]
- Yo.
- [fists thumping on arcade game]
[Fatty] Nice.
You want in?
Easier with two players.
I don't play that anymore.
Don't you ever get bored?
It's the same thing, over and over again.
Then you die.
[somber jingle plays on arcade game]
[sighs]
What's wrong with you?
[sighs]
I went out with Lana.
Lana the cop?
You spoke to her?
She spoke to you?
What'd she say? You talk about me?
She's investigating my brother's case.
- Why?
- [Willis] I don't know.
I guess it's her job.
But the point is
she wants my help.
But I'm not sure.
Not sure about what?
If I can do it. I'm not a detective.
[scoffs] Yeah, no shit.
But this is exactly what you wished for.
Yeah, but nothing ever works out for me.
I just got kicked through a window.
[mockingly] "Oh, boo-hoo.
I'm Willis,
nothing ever works out for me."
You know what, man? It's all good.
Hey. Listen, man.
You have two parents. I have none.
You have a roof over your head,
a steady job.
Audrey Chan is into you, for some reason.
You're not happy?
Well, let's trade lives. 'Kay?
Because to me,
you have a lot going for you.
How come you never said this before?
'Cause that would be weird, man.
Give me some quarters.
[coin rattles]
What if I mess it up?
[Fatty] The case has been
cold for like 12 years.
How are you gonna mess it up?
I don't know. Uh
Dig up the past,
uncover secrets, hurt my parents.
I mean, my mom's like
finally getting over it.
[Fatty] [sighs]
It's your choice then.
Play detective,
or stay here and play this.
[soft synth music playing]
[Willis] Maybe I'm not the hero.
Maybe it isn't my story.
But I can still be a part of it.
You're right.
[mysterious synth music playing]
Yeah. Yeah!
Thanks, man.
Wait. That's your choice?
[Willis] This voice inside my head.
I'm listening.
It's telling a story about a dead woman,
a new detective,
and maybe a story about my brother.
[Lana] [on voicemail] This is Lee.
Leave me a message.
Lana, I don't know if you remember
what we talked about, but, um
I just wanna say
[music intensifies]
[intense synth music playing]
Nail salon worker?
[music continues]
Lana, I'm in.
What's next?
[light switches thud]
[classical pop music playing]
[music swells]
[gentle music playing]