Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021) s02e16 Episode Script

In the nation's largest city, the vicious and violent members of the underworld are hunted by the detectives of the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
These are their stories.
Donnelly's running a crew out of the 3-7.
He's more than an errand boy for the Marcy Killers.
I remember your pops.
- Our dads say we're like - Yeah, brothers.
My old man would've hated this.
Leave your fellow cops alone.
Nova will now report directly to me.
Second in command of the entire Marcy organization? This is more than what you signed up for.
- How much did we lose? - At least 50K.
The disrespect, I can't stand.
- I run this town now.
- Yeah.
- Hey, hey, hey.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You did good, Stabler.
I think you might be ready.
Come on.
It just feels like betrayal.
I know what I'm doing is right but I can't shake this feeling Of betraying these people even though they're betraying their oath.
Tell me about this world of feeling for you.
What lives there? My father.
What does he have to say about this? Well not too much, he's been dead about 30 years, but Sss I still hear him loud and clear.
See, he was a cop, and he represents You know, the old school way, the cop tradition, the code.
My father was awarded the Combat Cross.
He took a bullet to save another cop's life, That's who he was.
That's what he did.
And he gave me that Combat Cross when I became a detective.
It's the first time I ever felt like he was proud of me.
Isn't upholding the law part of the code? Yeah.
Yeah.
Seems to me, your father would be proud again.
Do not come down here, Bonnie.
Who is this? Yo, I'm warning you.
I'm here to pick up Angelica Guzman.
It'll be a while.
They're still processing her.
What are the charges? Prostitution and disorderly conduct.
You know the DA's not gonna prosecute.
Why didn't you just call social services? You can have a seat over there if you like, but you can't stand here.
Or you can you can call me.
How about you do that next time? Save the city a little money.
Angelica, I'm here to take you home.
Everything is going to be okay.
You're doing the right thing.
Do you hear me? Will you stay off the streets tonight? - I've gotta work.
- Just tonight, please.
Here, this will tide you over.
Tomorrow morning I'll pick you up, I'll take you to my office, and we'll get to work.
If he knew I was talking to you Everything between us is completely confidential.
I promise you, Angelica.
Come on, I'll walk you to your door.
Ah, this is weird.
I think I'm gonna miss you.
Oh, that's sweet.
What was his name again? The better we all do our jobs, the sooner Stabler will be back here riding your asses.
I upgraded this from when you were undercover as Eddie Wagner.
I added a feature that lets Sergeant Bell ping you when she needs you to respond ASAP.
Okay.
Everyone, I need your attention.
Last night a civil rights attorney, Bonnie Ellis, was found murdered in East New York - along with a young sex worker.
- Bonnie? I knew her back when I worked in Narco.
She was involved in the East New York Gangs Truce.
She went on to cofound the Second Chance Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to help victims of sex trafficking.
So the sex worker was her client? Angelica Guzman, 19 years old, got picked up as part of a sting.
Ellis was dropping her off at her apartment.
And the murder weapon was found in a dumpster near the crime scene, a nine-millimeter handgun with the serial number scratched off.
Crime scene is working to recover the number.
So East New York, that's the 3-7.
So is this a task force case or is this for Stabler? You know, technically, he's still on suspension.
Well, it's for both of you because of a possible Marcy Killers connection.
A few hours before Bonnie was killed, she received a call from a burner phone.
It was traced back to a Hugo Bankole of the Marcy Killers.
What's wrong with you? The cops are looking for me.
Why? What happened? Two women got shot last night on Van Siclen, and they think I did it.
You have an alibi? Yeah, I was at my cousin Jamund's place.
Brought him some electronics for his e-biz.
- So he can vouch for you.
- No, he got a record.
They ain't going to believe him.
One of the marks was a lawyer coming up in the public defender's office, and that ain't a good look for the cops.
You know they gonna have to pin it on somebody.
You should get out of here.
Hey.
Hey, how you doing? Stabler.
Don't feel bad.
They don't trust new guys here.
I don't feel bad.
I got thick skin.
So you got transferred here? It would seem so.
Kind of a downgrade.
They took my gun too.
- Tough break.
- Yup.
You play cards? Yeah, 10-4.
See you at McCutcheon's.
I'll see you there.
Bonnie spent a year getting to know Angelica.
She worked really hard to gain her trust, providing legal counsel, connecting her with social services.
Do you know if Angelica was being trafficked? I honestly don't know, but these women, they're terrified to talk about that.
Where'd she pick up her clients? Did she have a territory? We work separate cases, but I know some of the women that worked with Bonnie, they walk the track at Hunts Point.
Did Bonnie have any dealings with the Marcy Killers? I've heard the name, but aren't they a drug gang? Wait, you're saying you haven't come across them in connection with sex trafficking? No, but I don't know every gang in New York that traffics women.
Detective Stabler.
Captain Darnell, nice to meet you, sir.
I'm gonna be very straight with you.
I don't want you here.
You were thrust on me, and I don't like it, but it wasn't my choice.
Well, I appreciate your honesty.
Just shut up and let me talk.
I don't like scandal, and I hate politics.
So whatever happened between you and your former sergeant, I don't give a damn.
You just keep your head down and stay out of trouble or I will make sure that your suspension becomes an expulsion.
Now in the meantime, unless and until IAB restores your full privileges, you're on desk duty.
Make sure your handwriting's legible.
Copy that, sir.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Look at you.
- Yeah, look at me.
Stuck in your little house-mouse gig.
- Mm.
- Please don't hate me.
Why would I hate you? 'Cause I'm the one that put in the good word that got you transferred to this hellhole.
Well, I hate you.
Look, truth of the matter is it wouldn't have mattered where they sent me, a cop without a gun is dead weight.
Yeah.
Come on, let's go for a ride.
Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea.
I was threatened with expulsion by Darnell.
Forget about Darnell.
He's a jackass.
Let's go.
Come on.
Let's roll.
Turning the wrong way down a one-way street adds the element of surprise.
The more people you stop, more likely you are to find something.
Stop and frisk, I think is what they call it.
Yeah.
And you know, if you're in a patrol car, you just pull over, pop the door, chase whoever runs.
So the drugs.
Once you get them, what do you do with them? Well, Marcy Killers were our main buyers, but now that Webb's dealing directly with the source, he's not interested in the street level stuff anymore.
- But that's fine, that's cool.
- Mm.
We still got plenty of buyers.
- Like, see that kid over there? - Yeah.
17 years old, hard as nails.
He's got ins with the Trinitarios and he's one of our CI's, so he lets us know who's carrying and we can jack their drugs.
- You trust him not to talk? - Believe me, I got enough to put him away for ten lifetimes.
He ain't talking.
How about them? Who they work for? No idea.
You don't run girls? Hey, I got daughters.
Marcy Killers run girls? What is this, an interrogation? No, I'm trying to get a lay of the land.
I'm looking for opportunities.
I just don't want to step on anybody's toes like the Marcy Killers.
Right.
Do me a favor, okay? We're working together now, use this.
You don't want anybody to be able to ID you off your shield.
Yeah.
Tomorrow night I'll take you out for another ride and show you how we really roll out here.
Hugo didn't do it.
So he should have no problem coming in and telling me that himself.
You know that's not gonna happen.
He has good reason not to trust the police.
And we have good reason to consider him - a person of interest.
- What reason? Is Hugo running girls for the Marcy Killers? No.
Mr.
Webb doesn't allow sex trafficking.
It goes against everything he believes in.
Oh, so now Preston Webb is a man of high principle.
I'm telling you, the Marcy Killers don't run girls.
Then why did Hugo contact one of the victims a couple hours before she got shot? I don't know.
Look Nova, you know I trust your judgement, but sometimes I worry that you've been undercover so long that you can't see these people for what they truly are.
These people? You starting to sound just like them.
What's that supposed to mean? That maybe you've been a cop so long, you only see things in black and white.
You will not insult the integrity of what I do.
Hard evidence is all we have to go on, and right now the evidence is strong.
Hey, looking for a girl named Tina.
Anybody else smell bacon? Piss off.
There she is.
Pull up.
Tina, get in the car.
I need to talk to you.
Get lost.
For Christ's sake, Tina, I'm your brother.
Just give me five minutes.
Yeah, her name's Angelica.
Angel, we call her.
Why? She was killed Saturday night outside her apartment.
We need to know who ran her.
Was she part of a network? Uh no.
Angel worked for herself.
Look, Tina, if you're protecting someone Who would I protect? I'm telling you, she was my friend.
She was self-employed.
What about customers? Does she have any regulars? Anyone she had a special relationship with? I don't know if you'd call it special, but yeah.
There was this one guy.
He used to come around a lot.
He drove a Lincoln SUV and had a "Baby On Board" sticker on back.
Can you describe him for us? White, brown hair, had a nasty burn scar on the side of his face shaped like Florida with a nasty red ring around the edge.
Look, I gotta go.
Hey, you got a phone these days? Yeah.
Well, let me get the number in case I need to ask you more questions.
You staying warm? If you mean, am I clean? Yeah, I'm clean.
I promise.
Where's Santos? We'll pick him up on the way.
There's our guy.
Every week, exact same story.
Arrives at 11:00 p.
m.
sharp, sells the stuff, back outside by 11:15.
Kid runs like a gold Rolex.
Okay, showtime.
Hang on to your hat, brother.
Your hands hey, your hands, let me see them.
Hey, what's in the bag? What the hell, man? You got a reason to stop us? Come on.
You got no warrant.
Yeah, I don't like your face.
How's that for a reason? You know what? Cuff him.
- Let's go.
- Yo! - Cuff him.
- You can't search us.
- Hey, hey, quiet.
- Yo.
Shut your mouth.
You ain't got a warrant.
You can't search us.
Get your hands on the hood.
What's your name? Stix.
Stix ain't a name.
What does your mother call you? Aaron.
All right, Aaron, you seem like a nice kid, so I'm gonna keep it 100 with you.
Um, we're working with the FBI, and our wiretap caught wind of your coke deal.
So we know who you're working with and we can prove it.
Now tell me who you got the stuff from, and I'll let you go.
I ain't talking.
All right.
You know what civil forfeiture is? Hmm? It's a law that allows us to seize the property of people who do bad things, and you've been doing some very bad things.
And I can't imagine you have a lot that we'd want to seize, but your mom probably does.
You get behind bars, we're coming for her.
Her house, cash, end of the month, she's out on the street, no money, no place to live.
I don't know, Stix, you want that on your head? Cops grabbed Stix.
We got to hurry up and clear out of here.
Come on.
Hurry it up.
Hey, you don't have a piece.
No, I'm good.
I got your back.
- Yeah? Okay.
- Yeah.
Hit it, Santos.
Okay.
Looks like someone tipped them off.
All right, guys, bag up what's left, okay? - Hey, Stabler.
- Yeah.
Come here.
Look at this.
Oh, yeah.
Jackpot.
There's gotta be, like, 40 grand worth in here.
Yup.
You, my friend, are my lucky charm.
Bag it up.
All right, hurry up.
I'm gonna go check the rest of the place, okay? Let him go, let him go.
- Call a bus.
- What about Call the bus, just call the bus now.
Shots fired.
I need a bus at 4113 Nostrand Avenue, officer down.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Aw, I didn't know you felt that way.
I was gonna get you a whiskey, but the gift shop doesn't have a liquor license, so.
How's your flesh wound? It's all right.
The doctor said if it hadn't nicked my vest could've been a whole different story.
The nurse just told me they took it out with their fingers and just patched you up with a Band-Aid or two.
Uh-huh, I got 12 stitches.
- How many? - 12.
Okay, and I was on the table for, like, two hours.
Probably 'cause you wouldn't shut up.
Don't make me laugh, it hurts.
Yeah.
I'm here because I wanted to say thank you, man.
All right, don't make it weird.
I like it better when you were busting my chops.
You saved my life.
So we're even, right? Now close the door.
Put those over there.
So Obviously, things went kind of sideways last night.
I'll say, yeah.
And the Sarge came by this morning and was asking a lot of questions.
You guys that was a great move, getting rid of the guns before EMS arrived.
And there's no witnesses 'cause we let the shooter get away.
But I don't think this thing's gonna blow over that easy.
- No, neither do I.
- Right.
So we gotta get rid of those guns ASAP.
Yeah.
So there's a cop in the 3-7 named Van Aller.
I usually move the guns together with him.
- Van Aller, all right.
- All right? Uh, he's been acting a little skittish lately.
I want you to ride with him and keep an eye on him.
You up for that? Anything you need, brother.
Okay.
Do me a favor, get a vase for those flowers.
Sure.
Here, help me up.
So funny.
There's Angelica.
And that's the car Maldonado's sister described.
Run the plates.
It's registered to a Leon Popov of Canarsie.
Mm, pick him up, bring him in for questioning.
Hey, Jet, I need you to look up a cop by the name of Van Aller.
He and I are meeting up today to sell the guns that we stole.
- Matthew Van Aller? - Yes.
Third grade detective from Staten Island, two kids, divorced.
- Record? - Clean.
The ATF trace report came back on the Bonnie Ellis murder weapon.
One of our CIs sold it a year ago.
- Who'd he sell it to? - Hugo Bankole.
According to Donnelly, the Marcy Killers are not involved in sex trafficking.
Nova said the same thing.
Well, if they weren't trafficking Angelica, what was the motive for the murders? Is it possible Bankole was acting on his own? Jet, put a BOLO and a want card out on Hugo Bankole.
I'll call Nova.
Hey! I spoke with Force Investigations.
You want to tell me why you were out playing cowboy with Donnelly when you're supposed to be on suspension? - Look, Captain, I understand.
I was just trying to help.
You just don't get it.
I'm recommending that IAB pursue charges in termination.
We know what you did for Donnelly.
Welcome to the 3-7.
- Leon Popov.
- Why am I here? Angelica Guzman, you know her? I never seen her before in my life.
This is your car? Yeah.
This is Angelica getting into your car.
This coming back to you? Yeah, okay.
I recognize her now.
I pick her up sometimes.
When's the last time you saw her? - I can't remember.
- Why don't you try? End of last week.
Can you describe that interaction? She got in my car, we screwed around, she got out.
So fine me or whatever.
Oh, you're looking at much more than a fine.
Angelica Guzman was found murdered three nights ago, and right now, you're a suspect.
Hey, where's Stabler? He's at the 3-7, I think.
Okay, we got to get in touch with him now.
- Why? - Popov never met Angelica.
He let his neighbor use his car to make runs to Hunts Point.
Says the guy threatened to hurt him if he told anyone.
What does that have to do with Stabler? - Popov's neighbor, he's cop.
- Okay.
Name's Van Aller.
Van Aller, that's who Stabler's meeting this afternoon.
Come on, Stabler, pick up.
Damn it.
Get in.
Hey.
How you doing? - Elliot Stabler.
- Matthew Van Aller.
Hey, nice to meet you.
Bell.
I'm gonna tell you where Hugo is because that's my job.
I swear you're wrong about him.
What do you want? We're looking for your nephew, Hugo Bankole.
- Hugo not here.
- We have a warrant, ma'am.
I already told you, he's not here.
Is there anyone else in this house? - No.
- Stay with her.
Jet.
Hugo Bankole, you are under arrest.
Now get your ass out that mattress.
Donnelly makes us keep a list of all the serial numbers in case we ever need them.
I don't know why.
You want help with that? No, it's just nerve damage.
Oh.
I'm not the guy who usually deals with the buyers.
I'll take the lead on that if you want.
No, they don't know your face.
They won't trust you.
It's better if you stay here.
- Cool.
- All right.
Add this to the bag, you mind? Can you throw this in the glove? - Mm-hmm.
- Thanks.
I'm gonna ask you again.
How do you know Bonnie Ellis? We were friends.
Came up through the Gangs Truce.
I was helping her, trying to bring peace on these streets.
Who else knows this? Do you have anybody who can vouch for you? No, I never told anybody.
- Preston Webb? - Who that? That's your piece.
It was found in a dumpster near the crime scene.
The ballistics matched the bullets that were in the victim's bodies.
- They setting me up.
- Oh, so it is your gun.
It used to be.
A cop took it off me during a stop and frisk last year.
Who's the cop? How do I know you not in with him? Because I'm not.
Why did you call Bonnie Ellis the night she was murdered? - To warn her.
- About what? This cop I'm telling you about, the one that took my gun, he was working with a gang that runs prostitutes.
All right, he gave the protection in exchange for free sex with his favorite girl.
Angelica Guzman.
Bonnie was helping her, trying to bring a case against the cop.
And that's why he killed her.
Hugo, I believe what you're telling me, but all the evidence points straight to you.
So if you don't want to take the fall for this, you need to tell me that cop's name.
- Hey.
- Hugo said Van Aller took his gun during a stop and frisk.
He used that gun to kill Bonnie and Angelica, and now he's trying to pin the murders on Hugo.
If that's true, I should have the proof of it right here.
Where's Van Aller now? I got eyes on him.
I gotta go.
- Good? - All good.
This is Van Aller.
Okay.
No, no, no idea.
Uh, but I'll give them a call.
Thanks for letting me know.
Everything all right? Yeah.
Let's get out of here.
Come in for a drink? No, I gotta take off.
We don't know each other, Van Aller, and I'm not trying to overstep here.
You know, if you got something you want to get off your chest, something on your mind, you know, you can talk to me.
How do I know I can trust you? I'm your brother.
Nobody can find out about you can't you can't you can't tell Donnelly.
No, no, no, just between you and me, man.
Between you and me.
What's going on? That call I just got it was Darnell.
He said a couple IAB officers came by the precinct looking for me.
Okay.
Look, I've been in front of IAB more than a few times.
So tell me what's up, and I'll let you know what you can and can't say.
Those two women that got gunned down the other night on Van Siclen.
Uh, the lawyer and her client, right? The lawyer, she was She was causing trouble.
What do you mean, trouble? She was asking a lot of questions.
It I acted on my own, but she found out about the Brotherhood.
If IAB, they start nosing around, they pull one thread, and the whole thing comes undone.
And Donnelly doesn't know about this? No, no, if he found out I get you, I get you.
All right, look All right, look, I got you here, all right? But let's go inside, let's have a drink, we'll strategize, and when we come out of there, you'll know what to do and what to say.
You'll figure out what to do.
- Yeah, yeah, sure.
- All right? - Yeah, sure.
- Come on.
- You know what, just - What? Give me a minute.
I gotta call my kids.
Okay.
Hey, Mr.
Popular, told you they'd come around.
Hey, well, thanks for greasing the wheels for me.
So what you drinking? Whatever they got on tap.
Whatever you got.
Danny, I got this one.
Everything okay? Hmm? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Everything's cool.
Put it on my tab.
I'm gonna be back in a minute.
- Next drink's on me.
- All right.
Hey, Van Aller.
You really think Donnelly didn't know about Van Aller and Angelica? Look, the way he was acting I mean, Van Aller was scared out of his mind that Donnelly would find out.
And considering what he did, you know, that was a dying man's confession.
At that point there's no reason for him to lie.
Okay.
I passed on what I got from Hugo to SVU.
This is the cash from the gun sale and the log book that you got off of Van Aller.
I entered it into evidence.
Thanks.
Stabler.
You good? Yeah, why? Just checking.
So this dirty cop framed you? That's what you telling me? I'm telling you, the Brotherhood is out of hand.
They think they can get away with anything.
The two-faced Brotherhood does not concern me.
What concerns me is my trusted executives keeping secrets and telling lies.
You're right.
I should've told you about my friendship with the lawyer, but I meant no disrespect.
Am I looking at a Judas? That is what I have to ask myself.
I'll talk to him.
Yeah, you've done enough.
I only told him the cops picked you up because I knew he'd find out.
It was better that it came from me.
Yeah, and I'm starting to see how that works.
I told you he was innocent.
We did what we had to do, and we released him without pressing any charges.
Yeah, but Webb doesn't trust him now, and now he's starting not to trust me.
You'll win him back, I know you will.
One of the reasons we go undercover is to understand the psyche of the criminals we're investigating, and sometimes, without even realizing it, our worlds begin to blur.
I was out of line before.
I thought you were trying to What? Profiling Hugo? I was trying to build a case based on the evidence that was in front of me.
Nova, I was doing my job.
And you're right, I am one of them, but so are you.
Don't forget that.
I won't.
All right.
I care about you, girlfriend.
Don't forget that, either.
Likewise.
It was one night Van Aller comes in with this chick in handcuffs, right? This chick can't be more than 15.
I'm like, "What the hell is wrong with you? What you got cuffs on a little girl for?" Van Aller turns around, his entire back is soaked in blood.
This little nasty bitch slashed him.
That's my kind of girl.
Well, look who the cat dragged in.
Hey! All right.
The return of the conquering hero.
- All right.
- Hey.
Takes more than a couple bullets to put me down, right? - Let me buy you a drink, huh? - Thanks, guys.
Two whiskeys, neat.
You look good.
Thanks.
You look like hell.
- You all right? - Eh.
Thanks.
So give the highlights.
Tell me what went on.
I have no idea, man.
I mean What? I'm still trying to figure it out.
You know, he was just shaky all night, on edge.
But the sale went down without a hitch.
And so what and when he dropped you off here, and he didn't say anything? I mean, anything? No, no.
You know, I said, "come on in.
Let me buy you a drink.
" He's like, "Oh, you know, give me a minute.
" So I'm in here and I'm telling you, I was in here less than a minute and I'm not feeling right, right? So I go out to check on him.
Boom.
Right in front of me.
I, uh, I got this off of him before the paramedics arrived.
That is great, Stabler.
Oh, man, that's even better.
Jackpot.
Thank you, my friend.
You're saving my ass.
- No, no that's - No, no.
- Take it, brother.
- No.
You deserve it, okay? You know what, Van Aller wasn't cut out for this kind of work, anyways.
You know what I mean? This kind of operation, you gotta have men with cojones.
You know, backbone.
Men like our dads, right? - Hmm.
- Yeah.
You know, there was a story about your dad that was famous in my house growing up.
Hmm.
So your dad and his partner, right? They're cleaning house, no warrants, and they get ambushed by this hothead kid who's unarmed, right? So your dad's partner spooks, shoots the kid.
- Dead? - Dead.
Dead, right? So now a major screw up.
They gotta make it look, you know, they justified the shooting.
So your dad searches the house, finds a gun, has his partner shoot him in the leg to make it look like Joe was defending him.
Okay? All right, you want to talk about cojones? So Joe Stabler got a damn Combat Cross for taking that bullet.
You want to talk about loyalty? You want to talk about brotherhood? I mean We're just like our dads.
Must be your lucky day.
Not only couldn't I fire you, the powers that be deemed it time to return this to you.
It's pretty obvious you got friends in high places.
But they're the wrong kind of friends.
They're the kind that'll have your back just long enough to stab you in it.