Miami Vice s03e08 Episode Script
Better Living Through Chemistry
[Cheering, Shouting.]
?? [Rock.]
?? [Man Singing.]
[Crockett.]
You got a happenin'place here, Mack.
I love Miami, man.
It's like a cultural renaissance, huh? Come on, Henry.
You gotta loosen up, man.
This woman is "no" interested in your I.
Q.
, man.
[Spanish.]
I've seen this kind of mental block before, man.
Happens to all great artists.
Happened to Hemingway.
Don't worry.
He'll get over it.
?? [Continues.]
Mack, how you doin', my man? Listen, I want you to meet Ricardo.
Ricardo Cooper here.
He's in.
[Tubbs.]
Mack, my man.
Evans says you can move weight.
Much as you've got.
That's good.
See, Mr.
Cooper, I'm gonna turn the substance market on its ear.
Yeah? How's that? American ingenuity, pal.
That's right.
Rock or flake.
Absolutely pure.
Hundred percent synthetic cocaine.
Couldn't grow it any better.
- Guaranteed.
- You got weight on this? Couple of weeks, you can get all you want.
Say "cheese," baby.
Cheese.
What's happening, Izzy, my man? What's this Batman suit you got on? Don't touch the threads, man.
What'd you say? Don't touch the threads, man.
This is mine.
Hey, who's the whale over there? Ecuadorean genius.
Flown in by your own boss, Mr.
Mack.
Really? Yeah.
He's a magical chemist of very exciting substances.
Yeah, I'm changin' my social status, man.
I conglomerate now only with intellectuals.
Knowledge is power.
And the power base, according to lacocca, is based on loyalty.
Izzy, I don't wanna hear it.
You hear me? I don't wanna hear it! All right? Bye-byel Come on, party! [Deejay On P.
A.
.]
Ricardo Tubbsl He's made.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are blessed tonight with the presence of one of N.
Y.
P.
D.
's finestl Not now.
We'll take care of this cop later.
[Crockett.]
It's unbelievable.
Six months of undercover work to a bunch of mouth-breathin'ex-bikers, only to get blown out of the water by a million-to-one shot.
It happens.
It happens that he almost got shot.
Where does he fit in? Clarence Batisse? He was a New York cop, and he was my partner.
Is he involved with Mack's gang? I doubt it.
He was a good cop.
Also a good man.
So what happened? He got dismissed from the force.
It was a bad shoot.
Was it? It was questionable.
[Sighs.]
Clarence shot a bookie during a numbers bust.
I.
A.
D.
Investigation hinged upon my testimony.
Clarence said that the guy had a gun.
Since I was the only other cop on the scene I never saw a gun.
We need to know if he's involved.
What else do we have on Mack? Nada.
D.
E.
A.
's lab is gonna test this today.
But if Mack's genius has synthesized cocaine, we got a problem with no solution.
Might wanna check with our pal Izzy.
He was out hustlin' last night.
Some fat guy and two of Mack's goons.
The guy with Izzy That was Mack's chemist.
The fat guy? That's him.
See what he's got.
I want this one fast, gentlemen.
?? [Rock On Radio, Faint.]
[Dogs Barking.]
[Izzy.]
Doggyl Dogs, get downl Come on in.
Come on in.
I'll put the dogs in the bar.
They love it in there.
Whoo, Izzy! You gotta be breakin' half a dozen ordinances in here.
[Spanish.]
Let's go.
Hey, man, it's a temporary situation.
Yeah, yeah, we know.
Your uncle's dogs, misunderstanding with the track.
Please, spare me the details.
You know, these dogs have completely changed my lifestyle, man.
They keep me up all night.
I can't get any sleep.
They've learned how to turn on the video equipment.
[Gunfire On TV.]
Hey, keep your paws off the video equipment, Fidel, Canseco! I know who you are.
[TVShuts Off.]
If I could just teach them how to clean up after themselves.
I wonder who's gonna clean up after Mack when his boys splatter you all over the highway for gettin' his cocaine chemist drunk.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
This is a completely legitimatized escort service, man.
I have, uh, contracted with these gentlemen to, uh, help their boy wonder, who is a serious social paralytic.
You see, his "pre-exhibition" with sex has caused him to have a block, and he can't do his work properly.
Well, what else does this boy wonder do? Eat.
A lot, man.
He's up to 275 already, man.
He completely devours my business expenses.
Izzy.
However However, as a man of commerce who is imbued with the industrialist spirit, I am not given to pry into the affairs of my clients.
Izzy, you work for us.
We own you.
So you're gonna tell us everything, right? That's right, man.
Like a double agent.
Alec Leamas, huh? Hey, listen, maybe you can do a favor for me, you know? Talk to my parole officer, you know? You know, explain to her that, uh, you know, I haven't returned her phone calls because I'm out there in the cold, you know? Don't push it, amigo.
You're about this close from goin' in as an accessory to manufacturing narcotics.
- Okay? - Say no more.
Say no more.
I understand completely.
ThanksThanks for coming by and explaining that to me.
I feel terrible about it now.
I just I'll take care of everything, man.
Hello? Anybody home? Hello.
Hi.
I'm Ricardo Tubbs.
I'm a friend of Clarence's.
He's been expecting you.
Come in.
Thanks.
Ain't life a cabaret? Eight years.
Bangl There you were.
You almost got me killed last night.
What was that, retribution? You don't think I had that right? No, I don't.
I never asked you for much, man.
Just enough to save my career, my family.
You didn't think I wanted them to find that gun? Oh, yeah.
Would have made it a lot easier on you.
Well, the guy was a bookie.
You were into him for two grand.
- I didn't know he held that note, man! - Well, what was I supposed to do about it? What I would have done stand up for your partner.
I did not see a gun, Clarence.
That's the difference between you and me.
I would have seen whatever you told me you saw.
Come on.
Let's go outside.
[Sighs.]
You know what it was, Rico? My friends stopped callin'.
My wife's friends stopped callin'.
Even the kids got it at school.
Finally, I just wanted to eat my gun.
It's no wonder they left me.
Two years later, Emeretta killed herself.
I'm sorry.
Right.
Court gave custody of my kids to her mother.
Said I wasn't fit.
So now I got a new career.
Five days a week, I play the hits.
Not bad.
The guy you're workin' for He's the wrong guy, my friend.
Who, Mack? Yeah.
I just spin the platters for him.
You're a cop.
You got cop's eyes.
You can't not just see things, man.
I choose not to see.
It's called survival.
Don't play me on this, man.
Don't accuse me, man.
You've already done that once.
Can this guy move weight? Same guy that brought the cop.
The guy's a nickel-dime ounce dealer.
So why are we dealing with him? Just doing a little test marketing.
Hey, man.
Mr.
Evans.
Keepin' a man with all these dead presidents waiting.
Hey, pleasure before business.
She is a beautiful lady.
What is she, four keys at 28 per? Twelve a pound, Mr.
Evans.
You see, we're Americans.
We don't believe in the metric system.
Mm-hmm.
Twelve.
Twelve's good.
Keep holding prices like that, my man, and I'll be back in town, assumin' that stuff's as good as you say it is.
You wanna take a ride? Yeah, I think I might.
See, the dean don't need no test.
I'll just take a little taste of the lady.
I'm sure she won't mind.
Crack it up.
Oh, man! Oh! Ohl What's in this stuff, man? Oh, Godl God, help mel What the hell? Potency is high.
Yeah.
He pumpin'? Probably a variation in the pH.
[Typing.]
[Printer Whirring.]
[Whistles.]
Left-handed isomer.
Stuff's potent.
Yeah, we know.
Crockett watched a guy bounce off the floor with it.
This mixer they've got is good.
He's closer than anyone I've seen to synthesizing the molecule.
I think they guinea-pigged your buyer.
He's got an ecgonine-type compound here a hundred times more potent than cocaine.
All he's gotta do is clean up the analog and cut the hell out of the potency.
If he can do it cost-effectively, we're in big trouble.
Well, how much more trouble can we be in? It'll be legal.
Tucker said it's as close as she's seen an underground guy get.
If this blimp's found a way to cut overhead on synthetic production, he'll be able to undercut the entire market, which will kick off one hell of a drug war.
We'll be pickin'up bodies for weeks.
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Continues.]
Señor Sangres says that he hears that you got yourself one genius chemist, and also that he can supply distribution to a very large segment of the Hispanic community that you can't and that you can both maximize your profits by becoming partners.
[Spanish.]
Tell him I'm not interested in partners.
Sí, partner.
[Spanish.]
Especially partners that can't speak English.
[Spanish.]
Um Señor Mack, l [Spits.]
Tell him.
Uh [Spanish.]
[Continues In Spanish.]
So what did he say? Uh Just some kind of meaningless comment about certain certain female persons in your family.
He is a wise guy.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
I need some petty cash to get some new tapes.
Tiny, give him 500.
You got it.
By the way, thanks for the tip the other night.
No problem.
Tell Sangres he can take away Mack's chemist tonight.
?? [Rock.]
?? [Man Singing.]
She likes you, man.
She's in love with you.
Huh? She's singeing the atmospherics.
Huh? Am I right? Huh? Hey, she understands you, man.
She understands.
She understands the pressures that you are under.
Invite her to dinner, man.
Yes, throw kisses.
Throw kisses.
More kisses.
Invite her to dinner.
She'll go.
She'll go.
Hey Iz, my man.
You and the chemist wanna party at the beach? Lead the way, amigo.
[Spanish.]
[Yells.]
[Screaming, Shouting.]
Get down! Get down! D.
A.
Wants us to shut down.
Pull Mack off the street.
Short-circuit a probable drug war.
They'd just be out in a day.
We'd be back to square one with no shot at the missing chemist.
No answer.
What's the word on Sangres's gang? I'm beginning to wonder if that's who we're interested in.
Meaning? Meaning our friend Clarence isn't at home, and I'm wondering how he, his girlfriend and Izzy were able to waltz out of a 300-round-per-minute firefight.
For that, you got him tried and convicted? No, sir.
But I'm also not gonna bend over backwards with misplaced guilt tryin' to protect him either.
He was my partner, Sonny.
If it were me, how straight would you be standing? This came in from New York.
Ever read it? My requests were turned down.
This is off the record.
Lieutenant.
I gotta go to New York.
It's wrong.
You got 24 hours.
I don't know you.
I popped you eight years back in a numbers bust.
Maybe.
You made some statements to I.
A.
D.
Your partner? He resigned.
So that's the big deal? Look, in the report, you made some statements.
You said that you hid after your partner went down.
You were afraid that the cop might waste you too.
So? As I recall, you came out from behind that vent pretty sure of yourself.
[Sighs.]
You carry any weight on my stay? I'm not gonna lie to you, Lucas.
I know you're in here on some unrelated charges, but I got some favors owed me.
I might be able to help.
Yeah.
So how about it? Your buddy have a gun? He had a piece.
I hid it in the air-conditioning vent.
I knew I'd be out in a day.
The bust was bogus.
Why? A $400 nickel-plated mag? You think I'm gonna leave it for some stiff? Maybe a bonus for some cop? What kind of treatment is this, man? You never heard of the Geneva Conventions? [Spanish.]
First, you kidnap me.
I agree only with the criminal theatricalization.
But this goes against my non-felonious instinctuals.
Chill out, Izzy.
You're gettin' on my nerves.
Speaking strictly, man, as an impersonal observer And you know I have no memory of anything that has happened here if, uh, certain motorcycle types were to ask me.
But I gotta tell ya, man, you're making a big mistake.
[TV, Indistinct.]
This sack of suet been workin'? This computer rental's costing me a fortune, man, not to mention the rest of this garbage he says he needs.
He's taking a break, man.
He says he's real close.
[Speaking Spanish.]
Listen, man, I gotta get some sleep.
I've been up for two days.
You'll get some sleep when you earn it.
Hey, I am earning it, man! Hey, our arrangement was for me to keep the [Spanish.]
Keep the client satisfied, and that's exactly what I'm doing.
But this is different, man.
Oh, no.
I wanna renegotiate my contract with you.
What do you mean, renegotiate? This is a class "A" felony here, man [Muttering In Spanish.]
Okay, so you're in the john and you hear it hit the fan.
What is this? You want me to draw you a damn picture? We've been through this twice already.
Look, Burnett, don't crack wise with me.
Everybody involved goes six feet down behind this.
This ain't 1969, pal.
[Phone Ringing.]
Yeah? Señor Mack? Hey, this is Izzy.
Listen, I'm here with the big guy, man.
We got some problems.
We've been kidnapped by Sangres.
Is Luna all right? Yeah, yeah.
He's fine.
He's fine.
He's fine, Mack, for right now.
Well, what does the wetback want? What does he want? Well, you know, I really don't feel like being the, uh, conveyance of these ludicrous demands.
[Shouting.]
[Shouting Continues.]
How ludicrous? Hey, man, he wants a million.
Dollars.
You tell him he's crazy.
No, no, no.
You tell him he's dead.
Uh, Señor Mack, uh [Continues In Spanish.]
[Shouting In Spanish.]
Señor Sangres says that every six hours, he's going to hit Señor Luna over the head with a heavy object until until you deliver the entire amount in $100 bills.
Yeah, well, how do I know he hasn't done that already? How do I even know he's alive? You need some insurances? Like a picture or something? Yeah.
I want a picture of you with the fat freak with today's headline.
Now, you got that? Sí.
Yes, he agrees.
Uh, he'll be back in touch with you tonight.
Hey, listen, man, don't trust this guy, man.
Don't trust [Dial Tone.]
Hello? Hello? [Handset Slams In Cradle.]
[Crockett.]
No, Sangres is smart.
He's not gonna hurt Luna.
You think he already has the formula? I don't know.
Somethin's wrong.
Why just a million? Sangres knows how much that formula could be worth.
And if Luna's already come up with it, Sangres would probably just croak him so he'd have an exclusive on it.
You don't think Sangres has him.
I don't know.
I got a feeling somethin's not right.
You wanna come in? No, it's not me.
The cover's solid.
What happens next? Wait for the Cubans to call.
I better get back.
I'm gonna be under for the remainder.
[Spanish.]
What's he sayin'? He says he's got And now he wants to sample the goods, and he wants me to join him.
I'm going to have to fake this, man.
Drugs tend to upset my psychiatrical gyroscopics.
[Spanish.]
Pachanga, man.
[Coughing.]
Luna? Luna? [Spanish.]
We got problems.
You are aware, I'm sure, of the laws in the State of Florida? Specifically, man, chapter 782.
04, which states that any person killed while perpetrating a crime such as arson, kidnapping, burglary, sexual assault or aircraft piracy shall be found guilty - Come on.
Hey, man! - Hold him up, man.
Can be found of murder in the second degree, which is punishable by imprisonment in jail for a term of years no exceeding life.
Sure, man, if you get caught.
Hey, come on, man.
You got enough, man.
No Come here, man! [Grunts.]
That's it, man.
That's enough.
Hey, man, you're not being too intellectual about this.
He's not gonna buy this this Say, these these pictures aren't too bad, you know? This one's no good here, man.
Look at my hair.
Get rid of it.
No, that's Wait Here's the ticket.
Here's our meal ticket, man.
That's the one.
Melody, I gotta talk to Clarence.
I don't think we have much more to say to each other.
Where's Clarence? Gone out.
So when's he coming back? He's not gonna talk to you! I don't think you understand.
I found out some valuable information that I think he needs to know.
And if he's not here, I'm gonna tell you.
Rico.
Hey, Clarence.
I was just gonna call you in the morning.
You must've talked to Melody.
Yeah, I, uh I haven't been exactly true-blue with you lately.
What are you talkin' about? I helped, uh, Sangres snatch Luna, Mack's chemist.
- Oh, no.
- Man, I needed the money.
But Sangres is in over his head, man.
He'll give Luna back.
He's freaked.
He asked me what to do.
I said maybe you'd cut a deal with him.
I mean, I figured your people didn't want another gang war.
So, uh, he's willin' to set up Mack, and he wants to meet with you.
One-on-one, just the two of you.
Sounds like a conversation I should have.
I want immunity.
The Witness Protection gig, you know? I'll talk to the D.
A.
It'll fly.
All right.
So when do I meet him? On the waterfront at the old marina, tomorrow at 6:00 a.
m.
[Grunts.]
[Whimpers.]
Got the way to go, man.
[Phone Rings.]
Hello? Burnett? Hang on.
For you.
Hello? Sonny? It's me.
Can you talk? Yeah, sort of.
The chemist is dead, man.
He took a hit on some synthetic cocaine.
He mixed up the batch hisself.
I'm not going down on a 782 for this, man.
I had nothing to do with it.
This is a Clarence Batisse special.
Okay.
Thanks.
My answering service.
New York called.
They're gonna reopen the case.
Well, it looks like it's not gonna do him any good.
Sonny was right.
Clarence is involved.
He's gonna need immunity.
He's settin' up a meet with Sangres.
Could you have made the case without him? No.
We'd have had nothing.
When? You need backup? No, I think it would spook him.
"If you wanna continue doing business in Miami, "you will deliver the ransom to Clarence Batisse "who will transport it to me at 6:00 a.
m.
If he's followed, the deal's off.
" Freakin' cop.
Can you believe this? Maybe he's runnin' a scam.
Same shades the cop was wearing.
He's involved.
Where you meetin' him? I'm supposed to go to a phone booth.
Yeah, right.
He'll run you all over town until he knows you're clean.
But you're gonna call us and let us know where you're meetin' him.
You wanna make 150 large free and clear? - How? - Whack the cop.
You want the job or not? Now, don't even think of tempting yourself here, my friend.
You just show him the green and [Spits.]
Melody.
Melody, where are you? I'm here.
We're home free.
A million dollars and sweet revenge all in one night.
Oh, Lord.
Mr.
Mack, it's Clarence.
Mr.
Mack, I'm meetin' Tubbs at 6:00 a.
m.
At the old marina.
All right.
Is this revenge on Ricardo Tubbs? Let's see how good he is gettin' people to believe him.
Well, he's not gonna take a fall for this, is he? What do you care? I owe him, Melody.
You're damn right you do.
More than you know.
What are you talkin' about? He came by to tell you he read that I.
A.
D.
Report.
They had never let him see it.
Well, I hope he enjoyed it.
He went to New York and he talked to the other guy.
There was a gun.
He hid it in the alley.
He admitted it? Copped to the whole thing.
Tubbs went to the chief of detectives.
He thinks maybe you can get reinstated with back pay and everything.
He's waiting for a call from New York.
Clarence, what have you done? Nothin' that I can't fix.
Showtime, chowderhead.
You're doin' fine, Clarence.
Where's Sangres? Rico, listen.
You gotta trust me, man.
This whole thing's a setup.
I'm supposed to take you out.
What the hell are you talkin' about? When I get next to you, I'm gonna pull out my piece and you're gonna get in the car.
Batisse, freeze! Don't do itl Miami Vicel [Crockett.]
Batisse, drop it.
Keep your hands where I can see 'em.
[Siren Wailing.]
All right, put 'em on the car.
Over here.
You know the routine.
He was gonna take you out, Rico.
Hey, he was tryin' to save me.
Where's Luna's body? What? Where's Luna's body? In the warehouse.
I saw a way to get the money and pay back.
I hated you so much.
And then after Melody told me what you'd done, I realized the problem wasn't with you, it was with me.
What made you do it? The Clarence Batisse that I knew couldn't even conceive of kidnapping somebody.
The Clarence Batisse you knew died eight years ago.
I don't think so.
I think there's plenty more on the inside.
We won't need the cuffs.
This man was a police officer.
He'll ride with me.
?? [Rock.]
?? [Man Singing.]
[Crockett.]
You got a happenin'place here, Mack.
I love Miami, man.
It's like a cultural renaissance, huh? Come on, Henry.
You gotta loosen up, man.
This woman is "no" interested in your I.
Q.
, man.
[Spanish.]
I've seen this kind of mental block before, man.
Happens to all great artists.
Happened to Hemingway.
Don't worry.
He'll get over it.
?? [Continues.]
Mack, how you doin', my man? Listen, I want you to meet Ricardo.
Ricardo Cooper here.
He's in.
[Tubbs.]
Mack, my man.
Evans says you can move weight.
Much as you've got.
That's good.
See, Mr.
Cooper, I'm gonna turn the substance market on its ear.
Yeah? How's that? American ingenuity, pal.
That's right.
Rock or flake.
Absolutely pure.
Hundred percent synthetic cocaine.
Couldn't grow it any better.
- Guaranteed.
- You got weight on this? Couple of weeks, you can get all you want.
Say "cheese," baby.
Cheese.
What's happening, Izzy, my man? What's this Batman suit you got on? Don't touch the threads, man.
What'd you say? Don't touch the threads, man.
This is mine.
Hey, who's the whale over there? Ecuadorean genius.
Flown in by your own boss, Mr.
Mack.
Really? Yeah.
He's a magical chemist of very exciting substances.
Yeah, I'm changin' my social status, man.
I conglomerate now only with intellectuals.
Knowledge is power.
And the power base, according to lacocca, is based on loyalty.
Izzy, I don't wanna hear it.
You hear me? I don't wanna hear it! All right? Bye-byel Come on, party! [Deejay On P.
A.
.]
Ricardo Tubbsl He's made.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are blessed tonight with the presence of one of N.
Y.
P.
D.
's finestl Not now.
We'll take care of this cop later.
[Crockett.]
It's unbelievable.
Six months of undercover work to a bunch of mouth-breathin'ex-bikers, only to get blown out of the water by a million-to-one shot.
It happens.
It happens that he almost got shot.
Where does he fit in? Clarence Batisse? He was a New York cop, and he was my partner.
Is he involved with Mack's gang? I doubt it.
He was a good cop.
Also a good man.
So what happened? He got dismissed from the force.
It was a bad shoot.
Was it? It was questionable.
[Sighs.]
Clarence shot a bookie during a numbers bust.
I.
A.
D.
Investigation hinged upon my testimony.
Clarence said that the guy had a gun.
Since I was the only other cop on the scene I never saw a gun.
We need to know if he's involved.
What else do we have on Mack? Nada.
D.
E.
A.
's lab is gonna test this today.
But if Mack's genius has synthesized cocaine, we got a problem with no solution.
Might wanna check with our pal Izzy.
He was out hustlin' last night.
Some fat guy and two of Mack's goons.
The guy with Izzy That was Mack's chemist.
The fat guy? That's him.
See what he's got.
I want this one fast, gentlemen.
?? [Rock On Radio, Faint.]
[Dogs Barking.]
[Izzy.]
Doggyl Dogs, get downl Come on in.
Come on in.
I'll put the dogs in the bar.
They love it in there.
Whoo, Izzy! You gotta be breakin' half a dozen ordinances in here.
[Spanish.]
Let's go.
Hey, man, it's a temporary situation.
Yeah, yeah, we know.
Your uncle's dogs, misunderstanding with the track.
Please, spare me the details.
You know, these dogs have completely changed my lifestyle, man.
They keep me up all night.
I can't get any sleep.
They've learned how to turn on the video equipment.
[Gunfire On TV.]
Hey, keep your paws off the video equipment, Fidel, Canseco! I know who you are.
[TVShuts Off.]
If I could just teach them how to clean up after themselves.
I wonder who's gonna clean up after Mack when his boys splatter you all over the highway for gettin' his cocaine chemist drunk.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
This is a completely legitimatized escort service, man.
I have, uh, contracted with these gentlemen to, uh, help their boy wonder, who is a serious social paralytic.
You see, his "pre-exhibition" with sex has caused him to have a block, and he can't do his work properly.
Well, what else does this boy wonder do? Eat.
A lot, man.
He's up to 275 already, man.
He completely devours my business expenses.
Izzy.
However However, as a man of commerce who is imbued with the industrialist spirit, I am not given to pry into the affairs of my clients.
Izzy, you work for us.
We own you.
So you're gonna tell us everything, right? That's right, man.
Like a double agent.
Alec Leamas, huh? Hey, listen, maybe you can do a favor for me, you know? Talk to my parole officer, you know? You know, explain to her that, uh, you know, I haven't returned her phone calls because I'm out there in the cold, you know? Don't push it, amigo.
You're about this close from goin' in as an accessory to manufacturing narcotics.
- Okay? - Say no more.
Say no more.
I understand completely.
ThanksThanks for coming by and explaining that to me.
I feel terrible about it now.
I just I'll take care of everything, man.
Hello? Anybody home? Hello.
Hi.
I'm Ricardo Tubbs.
I'm a friend of Clarence's.
He's been expecting you.
Come in.
Thanks.
Ain't life a cabaret? Eight years.
Bangl There you were.
You almost got me killed last night.
What was that, retribution? You don't think I had that right? No, I don't.
I never asked you for much, man.
Just enough to save my career, my family.
You didn't think I wanted them to find that gun? Oh, yeah.
Would have made it a lot easier on you.
Well, the guy was a bookie.
You were into him for two grand.
- I didn't know he held that note, man! - Well, what was I supposed to do about it? What I would have done stand up for your partner.
I did not see a gun, Clarence.
That's the difference between you and me.
I would have seen whatever you told me you saw.
Come on.
Let's go outside.
[Sighs.]
You know what it was, Rico? My friends stopped callin'.
My wife's friends stopped callin'.
Even the kids got it at school.
Finally, I just wanted to eat my gun.
It's no wonder they left me.
Two years later, Emeretta killed herself.
I'm sorry.
Right.
Court gave custody of my kids to her mother.
Said I wasn't fit.
So now I got a new career.
Five days a week, I play the hits.
Not bad.
The guy you're workin' for He's the wrong guy, my friend.
Who, Mack? Yeah.
I just spin the platters for him.
You're a cop.
You got cop's eyes.
You can't not just see things, man.
I choose not to see.
It's called survival.
Don't play me on this, man.
Don't accuse me, man.
You've already done that once.
Can this guy move weight? Same guy that brought the cop.
The guy's a nickel-dime ounce dealer.
So why are we dealing with him? Just doing a little test marketing.
Hey, man.
Mr.
Evans.
Keepin' a man with all these dead presidents waiting.
Hey, pleasure before business.
She is a beautiful lady.
What is she, four keys at 28 per? Twelve a pound, Mr.
Evans.
You see, we're Americans.
We don't believe in the metric system.
Mm-hmm.
Twelve.
Twelve's good.
Keep holding prices like that, my man, and I'll be back in town, assumin' that stuff's as good as you say it is.
You wanna take a ride? Yeah, I think I might.
See, the dean don't need no test.
I'll just take a little taste of the lady.
I'm sure she won't mind.
Crack it up.
Oh, man! Oh! Ohl What's in this stuff, man? Oh, Godl God, help mel What the hell? Potency is high.
Yeah.
He pumpin'? Probably a variation in the pH.
[Typing.]
[Printer Whirring.]
[Whistles.]
Left-handed isomer.
Stuff's potent.
Yeah, we know.
Crockett watched a guy bounce off the floor with it.
This mixer they've got is good.
He's closer than anyone I've seen to synthesizing the molecule.
I think they guinea-pigged your buyer.
He's got an ecgonine-type compound here a hundred times more potent than cocaine.
All he's gotta do is clean up the analog and cut the hell out of the potency.
If he can do it cost-effectively, we're in big trouble.
Well, how much more trouble can we be in? It'll be legal.
Tucker said it's as close as she's seen an underground guy get.
If this blimp's found a way to cut overhead on synthetic production, he'll be able to undercut the entire market, which will kick off one hell of a drug war.
We'll be pickin'up bodies for weeks.
[Speaking Spanish.]
[Continues.]
Señor Sangres says that he hears that you got yourself one genius chemist, and also that he can supply distribution to a very large segment of the Hispanic community that you can't and that you can both maximize your profits by becoming partners.
[Spanish.]
Tell him I'm not interested in partners.
Sí, partner.
[Spanish.]
Especially partners that can't speak English.
[Spanish.]
Um Señor Mack, l [Spits.]
Tell him.
Uh [Spanish.]
[Continues In Spanish.]
So what did he say? Uh Just some kind of meaningless comment about certain certain female persons in your family.
He is a wise guy.
Excuse me.
Yeah.
I need some petty cash to get some new tapes.
Tiny, give him 500.
You got it.
By the way, thanks for the tip the other night.
No problem.
Tell Sangres he can take away Mack's chemist tonight.
?? [Rock.]
?? [Man Singing.]
She likes you, man.
She's in love with you.
Huh? She's singeing the atmospherics.
Huh? Am I right? Huh? Hey, she understands you, man.
She understands.
She understands the pressures that you are under.
Invite her to dinner, man.
Yes, throw kisses.
Throw kisses.
More kisses.
Invite her to dinner.
She'll go.
She'll go.
Hey Iz, my man.
You and the chemist wanna party at the beach? Lead the way, amigo.
[Spanish.]
[Yells.]
[Screaming, Shouting.]
Get down! Get down! D.
A.
Wants us to shut down.
Pull Mack off the street.
Short-circuit a probable drug war.
They'd just be out in a day.
We'd be back to square one with no shot at the missing chemist.
No answer.
What's the word on Sangres's gang? I'm beginning to wonder if that's who we're interested in.
Meaning? Meaning our friend Clarence isn't at home, and I'm wondering how he, his girlfriend and Izzy were able to waltz out of a 300-round-per-minute firefight.
For that, you got him tried and convicted? No, sir.
But I'm also not gonna bend over backwards with misplaced guilt tryin' to protect him either.
He was my partner, Sonny.
If it were me, how straight would you be standing? This came in from New York.
Ever read it? My requests were turned down.
This is off the record.
Lieutenant.
I gotta go to New York.
It's wrong.
You got 24 hours.
I don't know you.
I popped you eight years back in a numbers bust.
Maybe.
You made some statements to I.
A.
D.
Your partner? He resigned.
So that's the big deal? Look, in the report, you made some statements.
You said that you hid after your partner went down.
You were afraid that the cop might waste you too.
So? As I recall, you came out from behind that vent pretty sure of yourself.
[Sighs.]
You carry any weight on my stay? I'm not gonna lie to you, Lucas.
I know you're in here on some unrelated charges, but I got some favors owed me.
I might be able to help.
Yeah.
So how about it? Your buddy have a gun? He had a piece.
I hid it in the air-conditioning vent.
I knew I'd be out in a day.
The bust was bogus.
Why? A $400 nickel-plated mag? You think I'm gonna leave it for some stiff? Maybe a bonus for some cop? What kind of treatment is this, man? You never heard of the Geneva Conventions? [Spanish.]
First, you kidnap me.
I agree only with the criminal theatricalization.
But this goes against my non-felonious instinctuals.
Chill out, Izzy.
You're gettin' on my nerves.
Speaking strictly, man, as an impersonal observer And you know I have no memory of anything that has happened here if, uh, certain motorcycle types were to ask me.
But I gotta tell ya, man, you're making a big mistake.
[TV, Indistinct.]
This sack of suet been workin'? This computer rental's costing me a fortune, man, not to mention the rest of this garbage he says he needs.
He's taking a break, man.
He says he's real close.
[Speaking Spanish.]
Listen, man, I gotta get some sleep.
I've been up for two days.
You'll get some sleep when you earn it.
Hey, I am earning it, man! Hey, our arrangement was for me to keep the [Spanish.]
Keep the client satisfied, and that's exactly what I'm doing.
But this is different, man.
Oh, no.
I wanna renegotiate my contract with you.
What do you mean, renegotiate? This is a class "A" felony here, man [Muttering In Spanish.]
Okay, so you're in the john and you hear it hit the fan.
What is this? You want me to draw you a damn picture? We've been through this twice already.
Look, Burnett, don't crack wise with me.
Everybody involved goes six feet down behind this.
This ain't 1969, pal.
[Phone Ringing.]
Yeah? Señor Mack? Hey, this is Izzy.
Listen, I'm here with the big guy, man.
We got some problems.
We've been kidnapped by Sangres.
Is Luna all right? Yeah, yeah.
He's fine.
He's fine.
He's fine, Mack, for right now.
Well, what does the wetback want? What does he want? Well, you know, I really don't feel like being the, uh, conveyance of these ludicrous demands.
[Shouting.]
[Shouting Continues.]
How ludicrous? Hey, man, he wants a million.
Dollars.
You tell him he's crazy.
No, no, no.
You tell him he's dead.
Uh, Señor Mack, uh [Continues In Spanish.]
[Shouting In Spanish.]
Señor Sangres says that every six hours, he's going to hit Señor Luna over the head with a heavy object until until you deliver the entire amount in $100 bills.
Yeah, well, how do I know he hasn't done that already? How do I even know he's alive? You need some insurances? Like a picture or something? Yeah.
I want a picture of you with the fat freak with today's headline.
Now, you got that? Sí.
Yes, he agrees.
Uh, he'll be back in touch with you tonight.
Hey, listen, man, don't trust this guy, man.
Don't trust [Dial Tone.]
Hello? Hello? [Handset Slams In Cradle.]
[Crockett.]
No, Sangres is smart.
He's not gonna hurt Luna.
You think he already has the formula? I don't know.
Somethin's wrong.
Why just a million? Sangres knows how much that formula could be worth.
And if Luna's already come up with it, Sangres would probably just croak him so he'd have an exclusive on it.
You don't think Sangres has him.
I don't know.
I got a feeling somethin's not right.
You wanna come in? No, it's not me.
The cover's solid.
What happens next? Wait for the Cubans to call.
I better get back.
I'm gonna be under for the remainder.
[Spanish.]
What's he sayin'? He says he's got And now he wants to sample the goods, and he wants me to join him.
I'm going to have to fake this, man.
Drugs tend to upset my psychiatrical gyroscopics.
[Spanish.]
Pachanga, man.
[Coughing.]
Luna? Luna? [Spanish.]
We got problems.
You are aware, I'm sure, of the laws in the State of Florida? Specifically, man, chapter 782.
04, which states that any person killed while perpetrating a crime such as arson, kidnapping, burglary, sexual assault or aircraft piracy shall be found guilty - Come on.
Hey, man! - Hold him up, man.
Can be found of murder in the second degree, which is punishable by imprisonment in jail for a term of years no exceeding life.
Sure, man, if you get caught.
Hey, come on, man.
You got enough, man.
No Come here, man! [Grunts.]
That's it, man.
That's enough.
Hey, man, you're not being too intellectual about this.
He's not gonna buy this this Say, these these pictures aren't too bad, you know? This one's no good here, man.
Look at my hair.
Get rid of it.
No, that's Wait Here's the ticket.
Here's our meal ticket, man.
That's the one.
Melody, I gotta talk to Clarence.
I don't think we have much more to say to each other.
Where's Clarence? Gone out.
So when's he coming back? He's not gonna talk to you! I don't think you understand.
I found out some valuable information that I think he needs to know.
And if he's not here, I'm gonna tell you.
Rico.
Hey, Clarence.
I was just gonna call you in the morning.
You must've talked to Melody.
Yeah, I, uh I haven't been exactly true-blue with you lately.
What are you talkin' about? I helped, uh, Sangres snatch Luna, Mack's chemist.
- Oh, no.
- Man, I needed the money.
But Sangres is in over his head, man.
He'll give Luna back.
He's freaked.
He asked me what to do.
I said maybe you'd cut a deal with him.
I mean, I figured your people didn't want another gang war.
So, uh, he's willin' to set up Mack, and he wants to meet with you.
One-on-one, just the two of you.
Sounds like a conversation I should have.
I want immunity.
The Witness Protection gig, you know? I'll talk to the D.
A.
It'll fly.
All right.
So when do I meet him? On the waterfront at the old marina, tomorrow at 6:00 a.
m.
[Grunts.]
[Whimpers.]
Got the way to go, man.
[Phone Rings.]
Hello? Burnett? Hang on.
For you.
Hello? Sonny? It's me.
Can you talk? Yeah, sort of.
The chemist is dead, man.
He took a hit on some synthetic cocaine.
He mixed up the batch hisself.
I'm not going down on a 782 for this, man.
I had nothing to do with it.
This is a Clarence Batisse special.
Okay.
Thanks.
My answering service.
New York called.
They're gonna reopen the case.
Well, it looks like it's not gonna do him any good.
Sonny was right.
Clarence is involved.
He's gonna need immunity.
He's settin' up a meet with Sangres.
Could you have made the case without him? No.
We'd have had nothing.
When? You need backup? No, I think it would spook him.
"If you wanna continue doing business in Miami, "you will deliver the ransom to Clarence Batisse "who will transport it to me at 6:00 a.
m.
If he's followed, the deal's off.
" Freakin' cop.
Can you believe this? Maybe he's runnin' a scam.
Same shades the cop was wearing.
He's involved.
Where you meetin' him? I'm supposed to go to a phone booth.
Yeah, right.
He'll run you all over town until he knows you're clean.
But you're gonna call us and let us know where you're meetin' him.
You wanna make 150 large free and clear? - How? - Whack the cop.
You want the job or not? Now, don't even think of tempting yourself here, my friend.
You just show him the green and [Spits.]
Melody.
Melody, where are you? I'm here.
We're home free.
A million dollars and sweet revenge all in one night.
Oh, Lord.
Mr.
Mack, it's Clarence.
Mr.
Mack, I'm meetin' Tubbs at 6:00 a.
m.
At the old marina.
All right.
Is this revenge on Ricardo Tubbs? Let's see how good he is gettin' people to believe him.
Well, he's not gonna take a fall for this, is he? What do you care? I owe him, Melody.
You're damn right you do.
More than you know.
What are you talkin' about? He came by to tell you he read that I.
A.
D.
Report.
They had never let him see it.
Well, I hope he enjoyed it.
He went to New York and he talked to the other guy.
There was a gun.
He hid it in the alley.
He admitted it? Copped to the whole thing.
Tubbs went to the chief of detectives.
He thinks maybe you can get reinstated with back pay and everything.
He's waiting for a call from New York.
Clarence, what have you done? Nothin' that I can't fix.
Showtime, chowderhead.
You're doin' fine, Clarence.
Where's Sangres? Rico, listen.
You gotta trust me, man.
This whole thing's a setup.
I'm supposed to take you out.
What the hell are you talkin' about? When I get next to you, I'm gonna pull out my piece and you're gonna get in the car.
Batisse, freeze! Don't do itl Miami Vicel [Crockett.]
Batisse, drop it.
Keep your hands where I can see 'em.
[Siren Wailing.]
All right, put 'em on the car.
Over here.
You know the routine.
He was gonna take you out, Rico.
Hey, he was tryin' to save me.
Where's Luna's body? What? Where's Luna's body? In the warehouse.
I saw a way to get the money and pay back.
I hated you so much.
And then after Melody told me what you'd done, I realized the problem wasn't with you, it was with me.
What made you do it? The Clarence Batisse that I knew couldn't even conceive of kidnapping somebody.
The Clarence Batisse you knew died eight years ago.
I don't think so.
I think there's plenty more on the inside.
We won't need the cuffs.
This man was a police officer.
He'll ride with me.