Almost Paradise (2020) s01e09 Episode Script

1 Settle down.
Settle down.
Something big has come down from Manila.
Tommy "The Scorpion" Chow.
He's the boss of the Qin Xiong Di, Hong Kong's most brutal Triad.
They control the drugs, arms, prostitution, and murders-for-hire throughout much of Asia.
But The Scorpion remains untouched.
He is rarely seen.
His whereabouts are shrouded in secrecy.
Yesterday, we learned that the elusive Mr.
Chow is heading to the Hindoe Resort here in Mactan for his wedding.
It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to get intel on him and his organization's inner workings.
We are hoping to identify the members of his family and perhaps pick up details on their crimes.
Now, we have arranged for an undercover position at the wedding.
It is an extremely dangerous assignment.
The Triads enforce their rules with brutal violence.
That is why this operation needs someone with a specific skill set and particular characteristics.
Detective Mendoza, please see me at my office for the confidential briefing.
- Did he just say-- - Detective Mendoza, are you coming? Uh, um, yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Yes! - Enjoy.
- Thank you.
- Come back and see us.
- Okay.
Hey, you.
Can you carry these? - These bags are heavy.
- It's clothes.
I think you will need to give me a necklace and a T-shirt for this.
No.
No.
The necklace is too expensive.
Go.
And I don't think you're really allowed to have the hotel staff do the laundry for you.
So Fine! You can have the necklace and the T-shirt.
Go! You're gonna make a really good blackmailer when you get older.
Thank you.
- Ooh! - Hi.
Kai Mendoza.
Let me guess.
You're on a case and you're in over your head.
You need my expertise, my assistance.
Wow.
How do you get a head that big through the front door? Well, it's a double door.
For your information, I'm not here asking for your help.
All right, well, what do you want? - Your non-help.
- My non-help? I'm going undercover tomorrow.
I don't want you to screw it up.
- Excuse me? Yeah.
- Remember how we met? That was the last time Ocampo let me go undercover because you screwed it up for me.
I remember it differently.
I remember me saving your life, but okay.
Look, I'm here to ask you, to beg you, please don't mess this up for me.
Is the operation happening here at the gift shop? - No.
- Well-- I'll be at a different resort altogether.
The Hindoe Resort on the other side of the island.
How am I gonna screw that up? I don't know.
You find ways.
It's your superpower.
Look, if you see me, we don't know each other.
I'm not Kai.
We don't interact.
Don't look at me.
Don't talk to me.
- Just don't, okay? - Fine.
You say fine, but I know you, Walker.
You can't help yourself.
Look, this is really important to me.
Please stay out of it.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
So, see you in about a week? I'll be here.
My name is Alex Walker.
I'm ex-DEA.
I quit the agency because my friend and partner betrayed me.
One of my first assignments took me to an isolated beach right here on this island.
I sold what little I had and bought myself a gift shop.
Just peace.
No stress, no drama.
Boy, was I wrong.
Stems and flutes.
Orchids, three per table.
Grape focaccia, and blue.
But Tiffany aqua, please.
Ernesto, you still with me? Oh, yeah.
I'm right here.
But I am wondering, are you sure about the Tiffany aqua? This job's all about being confident in your choices.
Gotta make it look real.
You're doing great.
Have you been able to identify any of these guests yet? Still setting up the facial recognition software.
The Scorpion has landed.
I repeat, The Scorpion has landed.
Good afternoon.
You must be Mr.
Chow and Miss Adams.
Call me Amber, at least until tomorrow.
And then Mrs.
Chow, right, angel? Who are you? I'm Kimberly Salazar, the resort's event planner.
Where is Jacqueline, our wedding designer? Unfortunately, she's been delayed in Manila.
A problem with her visa, apparently.
Oh, no.
She was an Aries rising.
She was the perfect balance to our Libras.
We were both born in October on the cusp.
But I assure you I have all her plans.
I've been on the phone with her constantly so I have everything under control.
Father, should I call our people in Manila? Wait.
Oh.
Oh, you have a bright yellow aura.
You're a Virgo, aren't you? Why, yes, I am.
She'll be perfect.
An even better match.
- Hmm.
- Right.
So, why don't we start working on the guest list for tomorrow? The guest list is confidential.
It's okay.
Just keep trying to get names.
So it'll be ten tables of eight.
Do you not want name placecards on the tables? Just letters on these tables.
A, B, C, D, and E.
They'll know which tables are theirs.
- I see.
- Just make sure there's plenty of distance between table A and table B.
Do they not get along? No.
You'll have to excuse me.
You two make a lovely couple.
How did you two lovebirds meet? I was hired to teach yoga on this private yacht.
I didn't even know it was his.
I was in tree pose when he walked on deck and, pow, it was love.
- Wow.
- Destiny.
So, what kind of work is your fiancé in? Some kind of import export thing.
I'm not really sure, to be honest.
Despite all these trappings, I'm not really concerned with the material things of this earth, you know? - Are you okay? - Uh, ye-- yeah.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me a moment.
What the hell are you doing? Checking out the competition.
Heard they got a great gift shop here.
- You can't be here, Alex.
- The outfit's on point.
You've nailed the whole anal retentive party planner thing.
- I taught you well.
- You taught me? I've had several years making my way to detective without any of your help.
Yeah, but the thing is you're pushing way too hard for the guest list, okay? Listen, you gotta ease into something like that, okay? - Sort of-- - Leave.
Now.
- I'm not kidding.
- Don't get excited.
You'll blow your cover.
Oh, boy.
Kai, don't let him rattle you.
- Why are you doing this? - I thought you wanted my help.
What on earth would make you think that? Because you came to the gift shop and said you don't want my help.
- What are you? Opposite man? - Wha-- Let me be clear.
I don't need your help.
I just want you to leave, okay? But-- wha-- I walked all the way here.
Hey.
How are you? Alex Walker.
I work over at the Paradise.
Got a little gift shop there.
- I love that resort.
- You should stop by sometime.
- Give you a free snow globe.
- Yeah, sure.
We'd love that.
See you.
And finally, at the end of the evening, your guests will form two lines for a sparkler send off.
And you'll board the boat, and you'll be escorted to our private island honeymoon suite.
Instead of sparklers, how about butterflies or fertile doves? Yeah.
We can look into that.
Do I have to have you arrested? Listen, I just saw two SUVs pull up to the hotel.
No, no, no.
I'm not doing this right now.
Listen to me.
This is more than just the Qin Xiong Di.
I saw markings on men outside that represent two of the top rival Triads to them, and they're all here gathering for this wedding.
- Are you sure? - Yeah, I'm sure, all right? I know the tattoos from when I worked in Hong Kong.
This is fantastic.
We can get intel on all the major crime families.
- No.
No, this is bad, okay? - At once.
These guys make the Italian mafia look like the Backstreet Boys.
They're demented.
Charles Manson/Joker demented.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
- We need to make sure-- - We ain't doing anything.
I don't want any part of this, and neither should you.
Don't move.
Who are you? Buddy, I'm just saying hi to an old friend.
- Believe me, I'm leaving.
- You are not going anywhere.
What's all this? Who is this guy? - Is he following us? - Are you with the Shayu Yachi? Following us? Yes.
Yes, he is.
Amber, meet your personal wedding stylist.
- Negative.
- Sebastian Black.
Wedding stylist? Yeah.
We're so lucky to get Sebastian.
He's the hottest stylist in Los Angeles.
He'll be in charge of your final look.
Hair, makeup, the works.
- How much is this costing me? - No extra charge.
It's all part of the wedding package.
You are going to look amazing.
Huh? Oh, honey, no.
Come, we'll fix it.
Ooh, we'll fix it.
What the hell is this? Damn mosquito net.
Is my train in there? Ah, yes.
Your train.
And it's fabulous.
I see you, Sebastian.
I see right through you.
You're such a young soul.
- Well, that is very kind.
- It's true.
Now me, on the other hand, my guru says I'm on my 352nd incarnation on Earth.
Well, your family must be very proud.
I don't have any family.
- They're all dead.
- Oh, I'm so sorry.
Was it some sort of an accident? No, no.
Spiritually dead.
- Just as bad.
- Worse.
Well, what about your fiancé's family? - What are they like? - They hate me.
They can't get over my age.
I try to tell them how old my soul is, but it just makes things worse.
Well, you can't please everybody.
Can't you? You're not strictly gay, are you, Sebastian? I see the way you look at me.
What are your pronouns? - What are my pronouns? - Yeah.
You like both sweet and sour, don't you? Oh.
It's time.
My better angels brought me this far.
My soulmate awaits.
- Easy.
- Thank you.
Yes.
I'll take it.
Kai, are you there? Yeah.
The ceremony's about to begin.
We've ID'd nearly half of them, but I think a lot of them aren't registered in the face recognition software.
Maybe Alex will know.
Knows what? Unh-uh.
Did you get to talk to Amber? - She tell you anything useful? - Nope.
She thinks that The Scorpion's a reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and the Triad's some type of scooter.
So do you recognize any of them? It's hard to tell from here.
We bugged every table in the banquet hall.
He should be able to get a better look once the reception starts.
I do know her.
That's big sister Ling.
She's the head of the Shayu Yachi.
Legend has it she killed 50 men to get that seat at the top of the clan.
There's never been a photograph of her.
No one knows what she looks like.
Is he sure it's her? Ernesto's wondering if you're certain.
Yeah, I'm certain.
I saw her in Shanghai ten years ago on a case.
I knew it would be useful having you on this.
Well, I mean-- wait, what? You manipulated me into joining this case? Sorta.
You got me with double reverse psychology.
- That's impressive.
- I had a good teacher.
You may now kiss the bride.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr.
and Mrs.
Chow.
Thank you.
So, this is the seating chart.
The tables marked with a letter are family.
- All right, perfect.
- Thanks, Alex.
- Ernesto says thanks.
- Listen, the biggest Triad presence we know here are the Qin Xiong Di.
That's tables eight and table ten, and table eight is just a bunch of foot soldiers.
But you see Scorpion Junior over there holding court at table ten? He's your typical gangster kid.
He's mean, he's loud, and he ain't that smart.
And table three, that's the Shayu Yachi and they're out of Shanghai.
Table six, it looks like the Ngea Triad out of Bangkok.
It's the all-star weekend of Triad gangsters.
These are the dragon heads.
These are the bosses of bosses.
Well, glad I dressed.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the dance floor for the first time, Mrs.
Chow! Is she flirting with Alex on her wedding day? Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome on stage, Mr.
Thomas Chow.
Scorpion! Scorpion! Scorpion! Scorpion! Scorpion! Scorpion! - Scorpion! - Yeah! Lau dau.
Lau dau! Lau dau! Lau dau.
He's dead.
No! No! Lau dau.
Lau dau! No.
Boss, I found this.
He was poisoned! No one leaves this room! Surely you're not accusing us.
I suspect everyone.
This will turn into a bloodbath any second.
I'm calling in a tactical response.
Stand down.
This may be exactly what we're looking for.
Keep our ears in here hot.
And record everything.
Who did this? Did you? - Did you? - We had nothing to gain from The Scorpion's death.
Only one person did.
You.
Gentlemen, please.
Our tradition demands that when we attend a wedding or a funeral, no violence is permitted.
Now it seems that this gathering has turned from one into another, but the rule still applies.
To kill a man on his wedding day is unforgivable.
I will have my vengeance! Young Chow, with the death of your father, you are now the Mountain Master, the Dragon Head of the Qin Xiong Di.
You can no longer live with your own desires.
You must be a leader.
But he just-- With any change of leadership, the conclave must convene immediately.
We must settle this and attempt to avoid an all-out war within our families.
The only question now is are you ready to take your father's seat at the table? Very well.
Let's have the conclave.
But I will find out who did this and they will pay.
As it should be.
I put what was left in the syringe in this napkin.
It's burnt almond.
Cyanide.
There's another scent.
Stepmother, we have to take his body before these vultures-- No.
Don't take him.
- No.
- Sir? Might I suggest that I take the madam back to her dressing room? It might help calm her down just a little bit.
Okay.
Miss Amber? Miss Amber, come with me.
Come with me, sweetie.
- No.
- I know, I know.
Do you have a meat locker in the kitchen? Of course.
We'll put my father's body there until we leave.
Get him out of here.
You want to carry a body through the hallways of this resort? Perhaps it'll be more discreet if I get a laundry cart to bring him there.
Yes.
Smart.
You'll show my men where to go.
I want a team of our men to go room to room.
Have everything searched.
We're going to find out what happened.
Understood.
And after you put the body in the freezer, bring the laundry cart back here.
We're going to need it again today.
Uh, this isn't good, Kai.
The resort isn't covered.
- I don't have eyes on you.
- I'm fine.
Just need to find out where they're having the conclave.
You just need to record everything they're saying in there, and we'll be able to take 'em all down.
Yes, Alamares? Sir, things have taken a turn.
- What kind of turn? - The Scorpion is dead.
The Triads are accusing each other.
- What? - The heads are trying to work it out, and Detective Mendoza's on her way to infiltrate.
She's on her own, and it's dangerous, sir.
- Where's Walker? - Protecting the bride.
Mendoza's right.
We need to get eyes on that meeting.
These are murderous gangsters, sir.
Kai knows what she's doing.
I wouldn't have given her this assignment if I didn't believe in her.
You have to trust in her.
Alamares, you assist in any way required.
I will have the tactical response team ready to go.
Thank you, sir.
You can put him in there.
I'll instruct the staff that the kitchen will be closed for the rest of the night.
Okay.
- What are you doing? - It's for the conclave.
They asked for it to be brought in.
- I will bring it to them.
- Sure.
Whatever you want.
I just think, maybe, um, - you know-- - What? I don't think Mr.
Chow would want his toughest men to be seen as waiters serving his rivals.
I don't know.
What do you think? Okay, fine.
You bring it to them.
They're in the conference room near the spa.
There we go.
Is there anything else I can get you? My essential oils.
I just don't understand why anyone would want to hurt my Tommy.
He was such a sweetheart.
You still haven't fully grasped the situation you're in, have you? - What do you mean? - Well, Tommy "The Scorpion" was not an import/export guy, and those families down there are not actually families at all.
Yeah, all the guns pointed everywhere was kind of a giveaway.
Amber, when you and Tommy Chow decided to get married, did he have you sign a prenuptial agreement? Oh, he tried, but it wasn't going to work for me.
You can't start a love affair planning on how it will end.
The negative energy will make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Mm-hmm.
Well, that's too bad.
- Why? - Because if you had, your stepson wouldn't be planning on killing you right now.
Oh, Sebastian.
What are we going to do? We checked her out.
She's clean.
Amber-- I'm sorry, uh, Mrs.
Chow wanted me to give you some refreshments.
Leave it.
You may go.
- I found the conclave.
- Can we get a bug in the room? I'm in the adjoining room.
It shares an air vent.
The only way out is through the banquet hall.
Guards everywhere.
Okay, I'm ready.
Amber, I need you to help me with something.
I need to know if you can take this and hit a man really hard in the head with it.
Right here on the cerebellum.
You're not really a stylist, are you? - No.
- Is Sebastian even your name? No, but I need you to trust me that I'm here to help you.
And if I'm going to get us out of here without getting killed, we're both going to have to do some things that strongly go against your beliefs.
But I have to know if you're up for it.
Maybe I should use this instead.
I think I need some-- some more bubbly.
Where's the dress guy? Right here! Ooh, hello.
- Nice work.
- What's that for? This is what they were going to roll your dead body out of here with.
- Oh, my God.
- And we're going to use it for the same thing.
- Get in.
- I need my bag.
You need your-- - You got everything? - Yeah.
The refreshments were very considerate of your stepmother.
Will we be expecting her to join the family business? Hardly.
Her ambitions revolve around astrology and her aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy? Ernesto, you hearing all this? Loud and clear.
Great job.
Something they just said about Amber-- I got to go check something out.
We need to keep recording this.
I know.
I'll leave my headset here.
But then I can't communicate with you.
I won't know where you are.
Kai? Kai? - No one leaves.
- You don't have to tell me twice, okay? But you need to talk to your man Tongo because I don't want to do this.
- Do what? - He said that he didn't want to get caught taking the boss' dead wife's body to the meat locker, so he ordered me to do it.
Me.
I'll leave it here and you guys can take it.
Go.
Just go.
Let's go.
Come on.
We need to get you as far away from here as possible.
They've secured the entire grounds.
There are guards everywhere.
Follow me and stay close.
So reckless.
How can I help her if I don't know where she is or what she's doing? Like Ocampo said, you're just going to have to trust her.
I'm going to see if I can find her.
- Damn it.
- What is it? They're coming this way.
Hide the equipment, quick.
We have to keep recording.
They're searching room to room.
Hey, hey! Get back! Nice work.
Frankincense.
I knew it.
She poisoned him.
In the bedroom.
In the bedroom.
Hotel security.
Faster.
Follow my lead.
Woohoo! - Step out of the room, please.
- Are the neighbors complaining? I'm sorry.
The guy can't hold his liquor.
Hey, hey, hey! All right, take it easy! Go easy.
He's drunk.
Let's drink! He's drunk! Let's drink! Taser gun? Well, that's a time-saver.
- Uh-huh.
- Secure the weapons.
Cuff 'em to the sink in the bathroom.
We're still up and running.
Now what? We're going to get you a cab.
We're going to get you a jeepney.
Anything to get you away from this hotel.
I can't get past all of them.
- What about the boat? - What boat? They were supposed to take Tommy and I to the honeymoon suite after the reception.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's perfect.
We'll get you down the coast a couple of miles.
It's a short walk to the police station.
They'll keep you safe there.
Come on.
- Everything back up? - Looks good.
And we're still recording the conclave? Yes, sir, we are.
Kai said she needed to check something out about Amber.
It must have been important for her to leave listening in on the conclave.
Is the face recognition software back up? One second.
Yes, got it.
See what you get when you run Amber's face.
This is from the wedding dance.
- Think it'll work? - Run it.
What the hell? She's on the most wanted list.
Suspect in multiple murders.
Murders by poison.
Believed to have amassed nearly $30 million from four husbands.
The victims.
Time to call in the cavalry.
I'm going to get you out in the channel and down the coast.
Or we could take it to the island honeymoon suite.
The boat.
Amber, you're still not out of danger.
I'm getting to like danger.
And I'm getting to like you.
You don't even know my name.
Mm, yeah.
Kind of makes it hotter.
What's that scent? - Frankincense.
- Hmm.
It's an essential aromatherapy oil.
- Do you like it? - I do.
But you shouldn't keep your cyanide in an old vial.
It's a big giveaway.
Having your heartbeat rise when I pressed against you was a giveaway, too.
I'm sure I got enough poison in you, but I can't take any chances.
I hate to kill with bullets.
It reeks of toxic masculinity.
- Amber.
- I made you right off the bat.
I was just waiting to see which team you played for.
- Listen, don't-- - Oh, but I've got to.
You were going to get in my way, gorgeous, and no one gets in my way.
At first I assumed you were working for Chow, keeping an eye on me.
And then I thought, he's a hitter for a rival Triad.
I never made you as law enforcement even though it's the most obvious.
I don't know, there's something messy about you.
Don't fight it.
It'll make it much more painful.
Just give in.
You've lost.
Amber, stop! Nice work, Alex.
Alex? Our new arrangement will allow us to divide our operations and territories.
Before we agree, let us lay out who the captains will be and what responsibilities each family has for each business.
The following are our requests in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Shanghai.
You should all be proud.
Thanks to the information we gathered, law enforcement agencies all over the region are now already in the process of rolling up their own local Triads.
None of this would be possible without Mactan PD.
Captain Ocampo, we've arranged a press briefing.
Who should attend? It will just be me.
Great work, everyone.
Mendoza, stay.
There's a reason why I'm the one going out there without bringing you with me.
- Yes, sir.
- You know what it is? - No, sir.
- It's because I can't have my most capable and most valuable undercover operative getting famous.
- Understood? - Understood.
- Well done, Mendoza.
- Thank you, sir.
Now get out of here.
I need to put on my camera face.
Hi, Kai.
Hi, Uncle Ernesto.
Hi, Rita.
Alex has you working here now? My mom asked me to help him out while he's still recovering.
Looks like it's pretty busy.
I've got a half-price sale going on right now.
- Moving a lot of merch.
- Half-price? Does Alex know? Shh.
Shh.
Can we see him? - Hey, man.
- How are you feeling? I'm feeling much better.
You're incredibly lucky to be alive.
Well, fortunately, that's not my first poisoning rodeo.
I've got Keith Richards level tolerance.
I was scared for you, Alex Walker, but I'm glad you're okay.
You saved my life.
I'm not going to regret it, am I? Mm.
Probably at some point.
You know, even though Ocampo didn't publicly acknowledge Kai's work, he did issue a medal of commendation.
That's fantastic.
I'm glad I could help you guys.
Actually, for once, you didn't do that much.
You got to admit, Kai did all the heavy lifting on this one.
- Did she? - Yeah.
- Hmm.
Mm-hmm.
- I found the conclave.
I recorded their conversation.
And she figured out Amber was the actual killer.
You think she did that all on her own, huh? - Yeah.
Yeah, I did.
- Nope.
- Okay, didn't.
You did.
- What are you saying? Nothing.
I didn't say anything.
You're not going to pull that you did some whole double negative reverse psychology for me to solve this? Didn't I? Don't pull this Jedi mind crap on me.
Methinks thou dost protest too much.
See? Already making me regret it.
- What? Regret what? - Saving your life.
- Kai, let it go.
- No, no, no.
He's trying to take credit for this.
Kai