The Rookie (2018) s03e13 Episode Script
Triple Duty
1
Previously on "The Rookie"
So Officer Stanton will be taking over
the training of Officer West.
Someone broke into your home.
So, who are you claiming these days, D? He did something that really bothered me, the way he treated this one family Black family.
- Hey! - [GRUNTING.]
I am hereby placing you under administrative leave.
Gun and badge.
I think I could be really good at undercover work.
JUNE: The op today is simple trade drugs for cash, then arrest everybody and try to get them to flip on Aldo Salonga.
SALONGA: I need to see that you really know the science.
- Are we done? - When it comes to your child, there is nothing you won't do to protect them.
- Diego! - [GUNFIRE.]
HARPER: Her son was her humanity.
- With him gone - War is coming.
Then I'm back on the come-up Back on the Back on the Back on the come-up How's Henry? Well, he's good.
Thanks.
Sarah and Abigail have him set up in Arizona.
He'll do his rehab there.
I'll join them once I graduate to P2.
Ten more days.
Harper says your focus is on becoming a T.
O.
I think that's where I can do the most good.
Any advice? Think how hard it is doing this job.
Now think about doing it while babysitting an armed toddler.
Got it.
But seriously, if you have any more wisdom on how to be better prepared, I would appreciate it.
Sure.
- [GUNFIRE.]
- Automatic weapons.
- A lot of them.
- NOLAN: 7-Adam-19, shots fired.
- Multiple shooters.
- [SIREN WAILING.]
Crestview Cemetery.
Requesting airship and backup.
And mobilize SWAT.
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
Where are these guys? Come on! Let's go! [GUNFIRE.]
Up here.
Police! Don't move! - Got him? - Yeah.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
How did he make it this far in this condition? Heat of battle.
7-Adam-19, one in custody, not conscious, not breathing.
Let's go find out where he was coming from.
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE.]
[SIRENS APPROACHING.]
Look, I don't want to alarm you, but our guest list is out of control.
- What are you talking about? - I mean we're almost at maximum capacity and half your cop friends haven't even responded yet.
Yeah, cops don't really respect.
RSVPs, especially for Especially for what? - First marriages.
- Uh-huh.
So they just think that I'm your starter husband? Yes, but if it makes you feel any better, I'm 72% certain you're my forever husband.
Only 72%? It goes up to 81% if you make me breakfast.
[CELLPHONE BUZZING.]
- Lopez.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Yes, sir.
Text me the address.
- [CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
- What? The war just started.
[SIRENS WAILING, HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hey.
Looks like Cesar Madrigal's been using the cemetery as a supply depot.
Guys were loading a car with narcotics, got ambushed.
- La Fiera? - Definitely her Malos Dorados.
All sporting the yellow sneakers.
Looks like she sent five shooters, including the one that was shooting at us.
They came in on foot and opened up on Cesar's guys.
Unfortunately for yellow kicks, they miscounted the enemy.
Got caught in a crossfire of two of Cesar's crew they didn't see.
In less than a minute, there's a baker's dozen of DBs.
- You up to speed? - Getting there.
- Where's Sergeant Caradine? - Sweating the cemetery owner.
She's clearly on Cesar's payroll.
This is only gonna get worse.
La Fiera's out for blood.
And Cesar is just strong enough to put up a decent fight.
- You don't think he can win? - No.
La Fiera has a lot more resources than Cesar and, honestly, a level of brutality that his crew's never seen before.
We can't just stand by, and watch them shoot up the city.
I mean, we got lucky this time, no innocents were hurt, but that can't last.
Word is Sandra flew back from Guatemala after burying Diego.
She's bunkered down at Hotel Mathilde.
Rented out the whole ninth floor.
- Good to be queen.
- What about Cesar? According to Narcotics, he's in the wind.
I know someone who might have some insight on where to find him Mack Daniels.
He was working for Cesar's dad after getting fired by LAPD.
Will he talk to you? Got him into rehab.
I can give him a call, see if he has any idea where Cesar might hole up.
Do it.
And you go talk to La Fiera.
Impress on her the need to stand down.
Cesar killed her son.
I don't think there's anything I can say that'll get through to her.
- But I'll try.
- Thank you.
Alright.
And I thought my day was gonna be chasing down cop RSVPs for the wedding.
It'll only take like two minutes for La Fiera to tell you to go screw yourself, so We should split the RSVP list.
It'll get done faster.
Yeah.
I'm not doing that.
Fine.
E-mail me the list.
Thank you.
Should've read the fine print on that whole man-of-honor thing.
No kidding.
I'm just saying, the cop who tackles the perp should be the one to do the paperwork.
What? No.
The cop who didn't risk life and limb running down a methed-out sous-chef should have to do it.
Otherwise, you are disincentivising hands-on policing.
- Ooh.
- You could just let me go.
Then there's no paperwork.
[KNOCK ON GLASS.]
Oh.
What's that, Sarge? You need me? Sorry, partner.
Paperwork's all yours.
Fine, but you are tackling the next three guys.
- Uh-huh.
- Let's go.
You can teach me what the hell sous vide is.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Yes, sir? You heard about the mass casualty event this morning? Uh, yes, sir, but we knew a gang war was coming, right? Yes.
And it's far from over.
Which, Detective Harper tells me, presents an opportunity.
In times of chaos like this it's not just the criminal pecking order that gets shaken up.
Undercover operations get upended.
Long-term UCs and CIs are neutered when their bosses get killed or caught.
But, the upheaval also gives us a chance to put new UCs in the field.
I got a call from June Zhang this morning.
Aldo Salonga is out of prison, and he is desperate to cook product to move.
So he called her cover identity and asked about you.
You want me to go back in as the chemist? June is already up on another operation, so she told Salonga that you might be available.
- [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
I'm ready.
- Not so fast.
This wouldn't be a sting operation like the last time.
This would probably be a long-term placement.
Which means you'll be on your own, without a surveillance team or access to immediate backup.
It normally takes months to properly train an officer, to go deep undercover like this.
Hundreds of hours of classroom and field training.
I told Detective Harper she has today, to evaluate your readiness.
If she doesn't sign off with confidence that you can handle it, I will not approve the assignment.
Yes, sir.
I won't let you down.
It's not about letting me down, Officer Chen.
There is no failure, for finding yourself unprepared for a job you did not prepare for.
- Is that clear? - Yes, sir.
Go get changed.
I'm throwing you in the deep end.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Come slay We do what we say Come slay Run daily, easy money 'Cause we slay Shout out what we a prey So we slay - [SIREN CHIRPS.]
- Come slay Them a run from me 'Cause me slay Bad gyal come inna ya day Make way dead ago pay Come slay Come slay - Nice hideout.
- It's not a hideout.
It's a base of operations.
I know you.
- You were at my dad's hospital.
- That's right.
- The day you tried to kill La Fiera.
- Allegedly.
Nothing alleged about what happened this morning.
- You lost a lot of men.
- TIM: And product.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Sure, you do.
You started a war you can't win.
- Says who? - NOLAN: Everybody.
You're a minor league ball club next to Fiera.
Even if you could compete, you killed her son.
She's out for blood.
Your blood.
TIM: But she's also a businesswoman.
Wars are expensive.
Unpredictable.
Word is she made a deal with your father to take over.
Now, if you offered to honor that deal, she might let you walk away with your life.
What belonged to the father will be inherited by the son.
That's in the Bible.
So this bitch can run around all she wants claiming she made some sort of deal with my dad, - but no one's gonna believe it.
- NOLAN: You better hope not.
If you lose the support of your father's lieutenants, they'll jump ship, and you'll be all by your lonesome.
Hey You guys wouldn't happen to know where La Fiera is, right? In case I want to pay my respects.
Sorry.
You'll have to figure that one out on your own.
Yeah.
I'm working on it.
So, what now? Hope Lopez is doing better with La Fiera.
[BELL CHIMES.]
Police.
I'm here to talk to Sandra de la Cruz.
Detective Lopez.
We haven't met yet.
No, but you match the description of the man who threatened my fiancé.
That doesn't sound like me.
I get along with everyone.
And yet I can tell you're not gonna get along with me.
My heart breaks.
Is Sandra inside? - Do you have a warrant? - Not yet.
Is that a problem? Not yet.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hermana.
Thank you for the flowers you sent for Diego's funeral.
They were lovely.
We held the service at Casa de Dios.
Thousands attended, and walked with me, as we buried him in Chichicastenango In a bright yellow tomb, to honor the sunshine he brought into my life.
You should've stayed in Guatemala.
No.
I have unfinished business here.
Listen to me.
Up until this point, you've managed to fly mostly under the radar, away from the eyes of federal law enforcement.
But you announced yourself in a big way this morning.
A dozen dead bodies elevates you to the top of the watchlist.
I have nothing left to lose, hermana.
But there is a very simple thing you can do to end this war before it goes any farther.
And what's that? We both know you were wiretapping a dying man's hospital room.
You heard him promise to give me control, but he slipped into a coma, before he could tell his people.
You want this war to end? Give me that recording.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS.]
You were offered a plus-one.
You You crossed that out and wrote "plus four.
" N Emotional support animals are not wedding guests.
Hey, Mildred.
John Nolan here.
Yeah.
Uh, so, listen.
Here's the thing, what Tim is too embarrassed to say, is that he screwed up.
He told Angela the wrong venue cap.
Now they have too many guests.
We just need a few people t You will? Thank you so much.
I know the couple will be so pleased.
Alright.
Bye.
Are you proud of yourself? Throwing a fellow officer under the bus? I think Detective Lopez would approve of my methods.
Mm.
[ENGINE REVVING.]
Control, 7-Adam-19.
Run a plate 3-John-Robert-Queen-1-5-8.
Send details to our box.
[COMPUTER BEEPS.]
His name is Miguel Offer.
He's got quite a list of priors.
We're getting a very good picture of Cesar's operation here.
Yeah.
Too bad none of this intel will be relevant once La Fiera wipes him off the map.
["BRIDAL CHORUS" RINGTONE PLAYS.]
Hey.
How'd it go? The good news is, that I can stop the war.
- How? - By giving La Fiera the wire-tap recording of her and Madrigal making their deal.
Well, let's do it.
We'll stop the body count.
Not all of it.
She's gonna kill Cesar no matter what.
Better one homicide than a second massacre.
Can we do that, though, ethically speaking Pick the winner of a drug war? What's our number-one mandate? Protect the lives of the people of Los Angeles.
So we end the violence today.
We go after La Fiera tomorrow.
LOPEZ: Exactly.
I'll run it up the flagpole.
Any luck finding Cesar? TIM: He's up in Acton, holed up in a cabin.
We're documenting the comings and goings of his crew, - keeping an eye out for trouble.
- LOPEZ: I got to go.
Looks like the feds have joined the party.
I'm headed to my lady doctor next.
Want to come to that, too? Special Agent Taggart, DEA.
We need to talk.
FIONA: Well, thanks for agreeing - to talk to me.
- Of course, yeah.
Nolan said you were interviewing cops for your book on police reform.
I'd talk about that all day.
John mentioned that you come from a police family.
Yep.
Dad, my uncles, two aunts, half a dozen cousins.
Yeah, the Wests are blue through and through.
And Black.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah.
Um You want to know if being Black affects my stance on police reform.
Does it? Hell yeah.
I've seen firsthand how the right kind of policing can serve our communities and make people's lives better.
So when an officer abuses their power in those communities, - I take it personally.
- That's interesting.
Given your family, I might've expected a blue-wall-of-silence answer from you.
There definitely was a time, when I had more faith in the system, but Recently I've seen firsthand how broken it is.
How so? It needs to be a lot easier To fire bad cops.
- [DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
- I almost died trying.
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Why the cloak and dagger? You were in La Fiera's hotel suite for 17 minutes, 9 seconds.
- What'd you talk about? - Makeup tips, cutest members of BTS Be careful, Detective.
You just got to the big kids' table.
I can easily have you put back in uniform.
No, you can't.
You know what else you apparently can't do? Wiretap La Fiera.
Because if you could, you wouldn't be asking me what we talked about for 17 minutes and 9 seconds.
Now, why am I here? I'm running a multiagency task force DEA, FBI, BNE.
Why not LAPD? We're on the front lines of this.
You should be bringing us in.
I have over 25 years' experience dealing with cartels.
I say when it's time to bring in local PD.
So, here's the carrot.
You tell me what you know, and I'll consider inviting you into the inner sanctum.
We have a recording of Tomás Madrigal giving La Fiera control of his drug operation.
I want a copy of that tape.
That's funny.
So does she.
To cement her control, which is why you can't give it to her.
We need time to analyze that, go over the angles.
Do you even speak Spanish? What does that have to do with anything? Veinticino años de experiencia con los carteles.
¿Hablas el idioma? ¿Conoces la cultura? Vez como la polÃtica de los Estados Unidos ha creado mas caos y crimen en América Latina? No wonder we're losing.
Look, I'll take your request under advisement, but it's LAPD's recording.
We'll decide what we do with it.
Now, you see, you played that all wrong, because unlike you, your boss knows that the best path to putting La Fiera behind bars is through a federal court.
So I'm just gonna go over your head, take that tape, and leave you watching from the sidelines.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
So, what's my first test? Buying drugs without getting ID'd or Are you going undercover - as a tweaker? - No.
So, that wouldn't be a very useful test.
I can't cram 100 hours' worth of training into one shift, so I have to get to the heart of what you need to know in order to survive.
When you are a UC, you have to be on triple duty.
- So what does that mean? - It means I need to keep three things in my head at all times.
Yes.
What are they? First I always have to be aware of the law, and proper procedure.
There are certain actions I can take as a UC I can be the lookout for a burglary.
I can drive the getaway car And a lot of actions that I can't take.
I can't get high.
I can't assault or victimize someone.
- Second? - I always have to be my character, spend every moment channeling Nova Lin and not Lucy Chen.
- Third? - Um - Oh, shoot.
- You have to not get caught, or killed.
- Right.
- If you really were a drug cook, the only thing that you would be worried about is whether you are getting paid or popped at the end of your cook.
But as a UC, you have to have three complicated streams of consciousness going through your mind at all times.
How much time have you spent on your backstory? I've filled four journals.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What? It's It's just gonna be interesting to see what you thought was important about Nova and what was not.
Anyway, I'mma step out.
I'm gonna give you five minutes, to get into character, and then we are going to a party.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES.]
SGT.
GREY: Officer West, we just received an anonymous tip on one of La Fiera's strongholds.
Units from Hollywood Division are on their way.
Meet them there and keep me in the loop.
Yes, sir.
You think Cesar Madrigal called it in - so we'd do his dirty work for him? - I do, which makes him smarter than I thought.
Yes, sir.
Still, we'd rather arrest these guys quietly than have a repeat of this morning's bloodshed.
I'm on my way.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON RADIO.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Hey.
Officer West, Mid-Wilshire.
Came by to see if you guys needed a hand.
Thanks.
We're just bringing the rest of the guys out now.
Found enough long guns to arm a small battalion.
Well, well, well.
Look who it is.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
- You were fired.
- DOUG: Was.
Turns out being saddled with an incompetent rookie isn't grounds for termination, even if that rookie's daddy does run IA.
This is the rookie you were telling us about? Yep.
Officer Jackson West.
The kid who stabbed me in the back.
Let's go.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON RADIO.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Sniper.
Where you been? I had some trouble.
Nothing I couldn't handle.
This This is Nova.
I don't think you two have met yet.
- I'd remember.
- Likewise.
[INHALES SHARPLY.]
Careful.
You're about to burn that burger.
You know your way around a grill? I usually cook in a more controlled environment.
That so? What do you cook? All sorts.
Mainly catering.
Big orders.
Nova came through for me, recently.
Uh, I'mma go grab a beer.
You two talk.
Where'd you learn to cook? Here and there.
But every top chef needs formal training.
Sure, but I only just met you.
You don't see me asking where you did time.
What makes you think I did time? Nature of the beast.
Well, if you're friends with Sniper, that means you're in the business, and if you're in the business, eventually you catch a charge.
I might be able to use someone with your background.
Yeah, I'll need to do my due diligence first.
I only work with professionals.
Well, by all means, ask around.
TAMARA: Why do you have to be so complicated? I'm not being ridiculous.
Something wrong? No.
MAN: Just get in the car.
Get in the freakin' car.
Get your hands off of me! Do you know them? - No.
- MAN: Let's go.
I just don't like seeing a girl being mistreated.
I can fix that.
- Watch the grill.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Hey! Yeah, you! Boy! Come here! HARPER: What's the problem? SHEA: This kid put his hands on the girl.
- Nova didn't like it.
- HARPER: Yeah.
She's, uh, she's sensitive that way.
Me, I think a girl could use a little more focus.
What? Go on.
Tell him.
You should treat that girl better.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
Kiss my ass.
What did you say to me? Nothin'.
Sorry.
Won't happen again.
See that it doesn't.
Now piss off.
Nice gun.
It's all right.
It's a cop gun.
Yeah.
They use 'em 'cause they're reliable when things get real.
It's good enough for me.
Well, let's eat.
Let's eat! Took you long enough.
L.
A.
traffic.
What do you want from me? Got one unmarked car, two sets of civvies fresh from lost-and-found.
You were supposed to pull clothes from our lockers.
We texted you our combinations.
Oh, I didn't do that.
Why do we rely on you for anything? I've been wondering that myself.
Oh, um, Smitty, one more thing, um About Lopez's wedding.
Yeah.
She got my RSVP, right? Yeah, that's just it, you can't send an RSVP card to a wedding you weren't invited to.
Oh, of course I'm invited.
- I'm the deejay.
- [ENGINE STARTS.]
He's not the deejay.
You're not the deejay! It's not right, those bodies are on our murder board.
The DEA can't just force us to follow their command.
That tape could end the bloodshed.
- Right now.
- Angela, stop.
The Chief already sent the recording to the feds.
- You have to let this go.
- He's back.
- Who? - Doug Stanton.
He was dispoed on our pinch.
He's back on the job.
He's in the Hollywood Division.
- Damn it.
- I'm so sorry.
Looks like Stanton appealed his termination and won.
What, and-and no one cared to tell me? The brass is under no obligation, to notify you or me, - of their rulings.
- After everything he did, not a single repercussion?! That's not entirely true.
He lost his seniority and got demoted to P2, where he'll be for the rest of his career.
He'll never be a training officer again.
But he still wears the badge.
The Police Commissioner and the Board of Rights, ended up seeing things his way.
Because they were more interested in avoiding a wrongful-termination suit than punishing a corrupt cop.
Look, Sarge.
This man left me there to die.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
This isn't over.
I'm gonna bring it up at the Sergeants Staff meeting.
I am not done fighting for you.
Yeah.
Don't bother.
We both know it won't do any good.
Stanton won.
Thank you very much.
And now we have cut the list by 27 guests, that's not bad.
You told them I was so guilt-ridden I've been crying in bed all day.
It really helped paint the picture.
You do remember I hold your fate in my hands? - Duly noted.
- [VEHICLES APPROACHING.]
Control, 7-Adam-19, be advised.
Cesar is on the move with his crew.
Requesting airship to aid in our surveillance.
[VEHICLES PASSING.]
- I did good, right? - HARPER: You did great.
I knew it was a setup.
- No, you didn't.
- You didn't.
- Okay.
- I couldn't know for sure, but You should be in school.
Relax.
Nyla wrote me a note.
- See you tonight? - Yeah.
Uh, hey, who was that boy? Do you know? They're not dating, right? Because I did not like that kid.
Never mind.
So, what's next? You never know what comes next when you're undercover, so why would I tell you now? [SEAT BELT CLICKS, ENGINE STARTS.]
[MUFFLED HEARTBEAT.]
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[FIST THUDDING.]
[VOICES ECHOING.]
[LAUGHTER.]
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
Get your ass off my desk.
Are you not housebroken yet? We decided that Sandra de la Cruz can have the recording.
You could have called to tell me that.
So why are you here? We installed malware on this drive.
She plugs this into her computer, snakes its way throughout her entire network Tablets, phones, routers.
In one fell swoop, we get evidence on the whole operation.
But you need someone she trusts to deliver it to her.
Is this really the best idea you've got A glorified spam link? Will you give it to her? Or not? [ENGINE SHUTS OFF.]
[CAR DOORS CLOSING.]
TIM: A booty call? He's in the middle of a gang war and that's his priority? That's how his father knew he would just run the business into the ground.
That's why he sold out to La Fiera.
Let's find out who this girlfriend is.
I'll run her plates.
Control? [KNOCKS ON GLASS.]
Officer West.
Professor Ryan.
- What can I do for you? - Well, Jackson called to tell me about Officer Stanton being reinstated.
He asked for my help.
- What kind of help? - Exposure.
A Black rookie officer being abused and left to die by his white T.
O.
, and the guy keeps his job? If it were up to me, we'd be on CNN right now.
So what's stopping you? I felt like I owed you a heads-up, sir.
Son, you don't owe me anything.
I understand your anger, just like I understand your instinct to go public.
But I believe you'll be making a mistake.
JACKSON: The Department has left me with no other option.
If my life is worth less to the Department than the cost of a lawsuit, why should I protect them? You shouldn't.
You should protect yourself.
And I'm telling you, going on TV, putting Doug on blast will just cause the Department to circle their wagons.
They will shield Doug to defend their own reputation.
You'll be inadvertently making a martyr out of him and isolating yourself.
And that right there is why things will never change.
Until cops speak up about what is really happening, - change will never come.
- I hear you.
But at what cost? - This young man's career? - Sarge, I have to do something.
Jackson is willing to step up and risk losing everything.
But you insist it won't work.
So tell me.
What will? You've been a cop for a long time.
Tell me what we can do to make the department turn against Doug Stanton.
Or we'll be on the 6:00 news.
Lucy Chen, meet Sergeant Mark Murray aka Shea.
Uh [CHUCKLES.]
It's a pleasure, sir.
And that burger was truly delicious.
Thank you.
You made a nice save with the kid.
Besides being a grill master, Shea is a court-certified expert in clandestine narcotics labs.
Manufacturing dope is part of my official duties.
Now, Detective Harper informs me that you're gonna be posing as a chemist.
- Yes, sir.
- Okay.
Come on.
So Dilaudid, meth, heroin, fentanyl.
Chemically speaking, what's the difference between nasal decongestant and meth? One oxygen molecule.
- Just one.
- And to add that molecule? You have to break the pseudoephedrine down, then add methyl alcohol and evaporate it, so that the oxygen can Boom! Half your chemicals just burned up.
Improvise.
Where do you get the methyl alcohol? - Um - Where? Windshield washer fluid, then fertilizer with anhydrous ammonia.
Sodium metal or lithium metal.
You can get that from batteries.
Yes, you can.
Good.
We're gonna spend the afternoon cooking.
Knowing what to do is one thing.
Knowing what to do when everything goes wrong That's what's gonna keep you alive.
Alright.
Show me what you got.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Where's your doorman? Running an errand.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Cafecito? You must have some.
I have it shipped in daily from my country.
We have the best in the world.
Guatemalan style.
Very sweet.
But don't worry the beans are called Huehuetenango.
Low on acid.
Easy on the tummy.
Your baby won't mind.
Now You have something for me, no? There's a condition.
The war stops today.
You declare an immediate cease-fire and a guaranteed protection of Cesar Madrigal.
You ask a lot of grieving mother.
You chose this line of work.
This is the price of doing business.
Say it.
No harm will come to Cesar Madrigal.
You have my word.
[ITEMS SHUFFLING.]
[SIGHS.]
The Federales put a Trojan horse in here, yes? Brand new and air-gapped so it can't connect to your network.
Of course.
You watch us, hermana.
We watch you.
Tell the DEA better luck next time.
[SCOFFS.]
Gueros like that always underestimate chicas like us.
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[VEHICLE DOOR CLOSES.]
Control, be advised, Cesar is on the move.
Have the nearest unit pick up the tail.
We're gonna question the girlfriend.
TOMÃS: My son, He's foolhardy and rash, but he's still my blood.
SANDRA: Cesar will be provided for.
You have my word.
Then you, Ms.
De la Cruz I want you to continue my legacy.
[CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
And just like that, there is peace in Los Angeles.
Felicidades, Angela.
Cafecito is good, verdad? Quesadilla de Arroz? My abuelita's is better.
- You want the recipe? - No.
Stop acting like we're friends.
For the moment, our interests align, and it'll stay that way if the violence stops, and Cesar stays alive.
I told you.
Killing Cesar would be unsatisfying.
He must suffer like I suffer.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Can I use your bathroom? This baby's bouncing on my bladder like a trampoline.
TIM: Police, open up.
We have some questions for you regarding Cesar Madrigal.
- Don't know him.
- That's weird.
We just saw him leave.
May we come in? I'm calling my lawyer.
Good.
You really should.
We're in the process of getting a warrant.
[BABY CRYING.]
Look, it's criminal 101 for suspects to hide illicit items in their girlfriends' homes.
Cash, contraband, you name it.
That gets you arrested.
That gets you put in prison.
That gets your baby Put in foster care.
That is not the outcome we're hoping for.
So, let's sit down, have a talk about this taking a different path.
[CELLPHONE PLAYS "BRIDAL CHORUS" RINGTONE.]
Hey.
LOPEZ: I think Cesar might have a kid somewhere, and La Fiera's going to kill him.
Yeah, a little ahead of you, there.
Do me a favor, call in back-up.
Code 3 high.
5917 Sycamore Court.
Five shooters on site.
- You have a cast-iron tub in your home? - Yes, upstairs.
Get your baby.
Get inside.
Lock the door.
Hide in the tub.
It's bulletproof.
Call it off.
Murdering Cesar's baby is twisted, even for you.
I don't know what you're talking about.
But if Cesar's child were to die, well, that's just karma balancing the scales.
It doesn't bother you? Making another mother grieve the way you do? Like I said I cannot stop what I did not order.
NOLAN: What's the plan? They came here expecting to find a helpless woman and child.
Let's show them how steep the price of admission is.
Galeno, right? You work with La Fiera.
I met you at the hospital last week, remember? You were dressed different.
Yeah, I was in uniform.
Easy, gentlemen.
If I see a weapon, we're gonna have a real problem.
Look, I appreciate the position that you're in, officers, but you need to try to understand mine.
We have a job to do, and the price of failure is death.
So there is nothing for us to lose.
You, on the other hand You have options.
I think he wants us to walk away.
- How much? - How much do you want? Oh, I want to be Batman rich.
- What's that take? Like, a billion? - Way more.
Yeah, like 10 or 20.
Since I don't think you have that kind of cash on you, it looks like we're sticking around and I don't get to be Batman.
Then I guess we're done talking.
- [GUNSHOT.]
- Rgh! [ROCK MUSIC PLAYS.]
- [DOORS SLAM, GUNS COCKING.]
- Ow.
[BULLET CASING CLINKS.]
[BABY CRYING.]
Fall back upstairs? Negative.
They'll just light the house on fire and shoot us when we come out.
Our only option is to take the fight to them.
Well, it looks like we're done talking, too.
Don't tell me how to do my job You carry on like a son of a bitch Whoa! They got a name for people like you Ahhh But I didn't take the time to write it down, though You have a lot of fun playing grab-ass with the boys - [BABY CRYING.]
- Which one's going to give you a ride home? Which one's gonna walk you to the door? [GUNFIRE.]
- [GUNSHOT.]
- Ow! Don't even breathe.
Maybe the sun waits for you to be shown what to do [BABY WAILING.]
[GRUNTS.]
This is gonna hurt.
But I owe you for shooting me.
You know what they taught us at the Academy about fighting a guy with a knife? No, tell me.
Says if you hold it the wrong way, you got a chance.
If they hold it the right way Run.
How am I holding it? The right way.
- You gonna run? - No.
[SPITS.]
[KNIFE SLICES.]
That the best you got? [BABY CRYING.]
[HANDCUFFS CLICK.]
- First knife fight? - Yeah.
He hold it the right way? Yeah.
Control, 7-Adam-19.
Five in custody.
Code 4.
- [KNOCK ON WINDOW.]
- Stella? Wade.
Come on in.
Appreciate you taking the time.
This, is Officer Jackson West.
- Pleasure to meet you, ma'am.
- You, too.
But, listen, I read the report on your attack in Doug Stanton's file.
It's unconscionable, but your Sergeant here knows as well as I do that when an officer is reinstated by the Department, there's literally nothing their Watch Commander can do about it.
With all due respect, ma'am, that's, uh That's not true.
Stella, we go way back.
You know firsthand how hard it is to make meaningful changes inside the Department.
So all I'm asking is that you hear Officer West out.
Alright.
You have my attention.
As you all know, I have instituted new training protocols with the goal of moving us towards a more modern approach on policing.
We're gonna watch and discuss a new training video about ensuring your partner's safety.
OFFICER: Control, 7-Adam-7.
A to B.
I'm out with three.
- DOUG: Copy, right behind you.
- JACKSON: Stop where you are.
JACKSON: Look, you guys do not want to do this.
- Look Stop where you are! - [GUNSHOT.]
Hey! Oh! [GROANING.]
[ALL MURMURING.]
- OFFICER: Whoa! - OFFICER #2: Is that Stanton? OFFICER #3: That's Stanton.
LUCY: He's still breathing.
He's still breathing.
TIM: 7-Adam-19, we need an ambulance to our location.
Officer down, 24-year-old male, full body trauma.
What happened, partner? Who did this to you? [MURMURING CONTINUES.]
This is not what it looks like.
Yes, it is.
This is the truth about Doug Stanton what kind of cop he is.
One who won't have your back when you need it the most.
Come on, guys.
Come on, you - You know me.
- They do now.
Hey, Lucy.
So, I just got off the phone with Shea.
You rocked the cook.
He said you're more knowledgeable than half the guys that work for him.
What? Wow.
So, what does that mean? Well, I spoke to Grey, and I told him you are as ready as you could be, considering the circumstances, and he approved the operation.
[CHUCKLES.]
There is no telling how long you will be off the grid, so you need to get your personal life squared away.
- Yes, ma'am.
- This assignment, it will be hard.
It will be lonely, and at times, it might even be boring.
But you, can never let your guard down.
If you do You are dead.
You got it? - Yes.
- Alright.
Go home.
The real work starts tomorrow.
Come with us, don't stay In the midst of your mind Paperwork on this one is gonna take forever.
I was gonna order some food.
How about Thai? You're a good cop, Nolan.
I'll grant you that.
Thank you, sir.
I appreciate it.
Is that a yes to Thai? How serious are you about becoming a training officer? - Very serious.
- Training our next generation is the most sacred position an officer can hold.
It's not a consolation prize or a rung on the ladder to your next promotion.
- I know that.
- No, I don't think you do.
Because last month, you wanted to be a detective.
Then you found out that couldn't happen, and now you want to be a T.
O.
Sir, I don't want to be a T.
O.
I'm going to be a T.
O.
If you want to doubt my convictions, that's fine.
You don't want to help me? That's fine, too.
But you're not going to deter me.
or feel - Let's get Mexican.
- Love it.
beyond the pale Hey.
I left messages for you.
Lying in wait for the pregnant woman to walk out? - Way to be creepy.
- How'd it go? La Fiera saw right through your play.
Made an audio recording and ditched the thumb drive.
That's my fault.
Shouldn't have sent in a novice.
When you look at her, all you see is a woman from a third-world country with a fourth-grade education.
But she's smarter than you.
Oh, really? But not you? No, she probably is.
But I'm humble enough to know that, which is why I'm going to be the one, who takes her down.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
- [GRUNTS.]
- [SCREAMS.]
No! No! [GRUNTING.]
[MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
No! [VAN DOOR CLOSES.]
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
You screwed up, betraying Mr.
Salonga like that.
[SCOFFS.]
I don't know what you're talking about.
We grabbed up your friend Coco.
It took a little cutting, but she told us that she was a cop - That you were all cops.
- You're lying.
Coco would never say that, because it's not true.
W-Wait, wait.
[MUFFLED.]
No! No! No! [MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
MAN: Look, I'm not asking you.
I already know.
My question is, what else do the cops know about Mr.
Salonga's operation? We have certain upcoming transactions.
I need to know if they've been compromised.
I have no idea.
[LIGHTER CLICKING, MUFFLED MOANING.]
Last chance.
[MOANING.]
Listen to me.
Whatever Coco said to you, she's lying.
That's what people do when they're being tortured.
She would have admitted to being an elephant if you had asked her.
You set that fire, and Salonga is as good as dead.
Word on the street is he's in debt to some really bad people, and I am the only one who can get him out of it by cooking him up a fortune.
But I am not gonna do that, if you hurt her.
So pull your head out of your ass, and let us go.
[MUFFLED GROANING.]
[LIGHTER CLICKS.]
[SNIFFS.]
She's pretty good.
Of course she is.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I taught her everything she knows.
- Pass me a towel? - Wow! You're a full-service asshat! You'll thank me for it later.
And you! You abducted me when you know what I have been through! - That is exactly why I did it.
- [SCOFFS, GROANS.]
And if you're looking for an apology, you're not gonna get it.
I needed to see how you would react.
And honestly, you needed to see how you would react.
- That was your last test.
- Really? 'Cause that's what you said after the last last test.
Which is why you didn't see this one coming.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
- Look at me.
- [SNIFFLES.]
This is your final chance to back out.
Do you still want this, after what you just experienced? [SCOFFS.]
Yeah.
[SCOFFS.]
Yeah, I do.
Someone broke into your home.
So, who are you claiming these days, D? He did something that really bothered me, the way he treated this one family Black family.
- Hey! - [GRUNTING.]
I am hereby placing you under administrative leave.
Gun and badge.
I think I could be really good at undercover work.
JUNE: The op today is simple trade drugs for cash, then arrest everybody and try to get them to flip on Aldo Salonga.
SALONGA: I need to see that you really know the science.
- Are we done? - When it comes to your child, there is nothing you won't do to protect them.
- Diego! - [GUNFIRE.]
HARPER: Her son was her humanity.
- With him gone - War is coming.
Then I'm back on the come-up Back on the Back on the Back on the come-up How's Henry? Well, he's good.
Thanks.
Sarah and Abigail have him set up in Arizona.
He'll do his rehab there.
I'll join them once I graduate to P2.
Ten more days.
Harper says your focus is on becoming a T.
O.
I think that's where I can do the most good.
Any advice? Think how hard it is doing this job.
Now think about doing it while babysitting an armed toddler.
Got it.
But seriously, if you have any more wisdom on how to be better prepared, I would appreciate it.
Sure.
- [GUNFIRE.]
- Automatic weapons.
- A lot of them.
- NOLAN: 7-Adam-19, shots fired.
- Multiple shooters.
- [SIREN WAILING.]
Crestview Cemetery.
Requesting airship and backup.
And mobilize SWAT.
[TIRES SCREECHING.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS.]
[GUNFIRE.]
Where are these guys? Come on! Let's go! [GUNFIRE.]
Up here.
Police! Don't move! - Got him? - Yeah.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
How did he make it this far in this condition? Heat of battle.
7-Adam-19, one in custody, not conscious, not breathing.
Let's go find out where he was coming from.
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE.]
[SIRENS APPROACHING.]
Look, I don't want to alarm you, but our guest list is out of control.
- What are you talking about? - I mean we're almost at maximum capacity and half your cop friends haven't even responded yet.
Yeah, cops don't really respect.
RSVPs, especially for Especially for what? - First marriages.
- Uh-huh.
So they just think that I'm your starter husband? Yes, but if it makes you feel any better, I'm 72% certain you're my forever husband.
Only 72%? It goes up to 81% if you make me breakfast.
[CELLPHONE BUZZING.]
- Lopez.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Yes, sir.
Text me the address.
- [CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
- What? The war just started.
[SIRENS WAILING, HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING.]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hey.
Looks like Cesar Madrigal's been using the cemetery as a supply depot.
Guys were loading a car with narcotics, got ambushed.
- La Fiera? - Definitely her Malos Dorados.
All sporting the yellow sneakers.
Looks like she sent five shooters, including the one that was shooting at us.
They came in on foot and opened up on Cesar's guys.
Unfortunately for yellow kicks, they miscounted the enemy.
Got caught in a crossfire of two of Cesar's crew they didn't see.
In less than a minute, there's a baker's dozen of DBs.
- You up to speed? - Getting there.
- Where's Sergeant Caradine? - Sweating the cemetery owner.
She's clearly on Cesar's payroll.
This is only gonna get worse.
La Fiera's out for blood.
And Cesar is just strong enough to put up a decent fight.
- You don't think he can win? - No.
La Fiera has a lot more resources than Cesar and, honestly, a level of brutality that his crew's never seen before.
We can't just stand by, and watch them shoot up the city.
I mean, we got lucky this time, no innocents were hurt, but that can't last.
Word is Sandra flew back from Guatemala after burying Diego.
She's bunkered down at Hotel Mathilde.
Rented out the whole ninth floor.
- Good to be queen.
- What about Cesar? According to Narcotics, he's in the wind.
I know someone who might have some insight on where to find him Mack Daniels.
He was working for Cesar's dad after getting fired by LAPD.
Will he talk to you? Got him into rehab.
I can give him a call, see if he has any idea where Cesar might hole up.
Do it.
And you go talk to La Fiera.
Impress on her the need to stand down.
Cesar killed her son.
I don't think there's anything I can say that'll get through to her.
- But I'll try.
- Thank you.
Alright.
And I thought my day was gonna be chasing down cop RSVPs for the wedding.
It'll only take like two minutes for La Fiera to tell you to go screw yourself, so We should split the RSVP list.
It'll get done faster.
Yeah.
I'm not doing that.
Fine.
E-mail me the list.
Thank you.
Should've read the fine print on that whole man-of-honor thing.
No kidding.
I'm just saying, the cop who tackles the perp should be the one to do the paperwork.
What? No.
The cop who didn't risk life and limb running down a methed-out sous-chef should have to do it.
Otherwise, you are disincentivising hands-on policing.
- Ooh.
- You could just let me go.
Then there's no paperwork.
[KNOCK ON GLASS.]
Oh.
What's that, Sarge? You need me? Sorry, partner.
Paperwork's all yours.
Fine, but you are tackling the next three guys.
- Uh-huh.
- Let's go.
You can teach me what the hell sous vide is.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Yes, sir? You heard about the mass casualty event this morning? Uh, yes, sir, but we knew a gang war was coming, right? Yes.
And it's far from over.
Which, Detective Harper tells me, presents an opportunity.
In times of chaos like this it's not just the criminal pecking order that gets shaken up.
Undercover operations get upended.
Long-term UCs and CIs are neutered when their bosses get killed or caught.
But, the upheaval also gives us a chance to put new UCs in the field.
I got a call from June Zhang this morning.
Aldo Salonga is out of prison, and he is desperate to cook product to move.
So he called her cover identity and asked about you.
You want me to go back in as the chemist? June is already up on another operation, so she told Salonga that you might be available.
- [EXHALES SHARPLY.]
I'm ready.
- Not so fast.
This wouldn't be a sting operation like the last time.
This would probably be a long-term placement.
Which means you'll be on your own, without a surveillance team or access to immediate backup.
It normally takes months to properly train an officer, to go deep undercover like this.
Hundreds of hours of classroom and field training.
I told Detective Harper she has today, to evaluate your readiness.
If she doesn't sign off with confidence that you can handle it, I will not approve the assignment.
Yes, sir.
I won't let you down.
It's not about letting me down, Officer Chen.
There is no failure, for finding yourself unprepared for a job you did not prepare for.
- Is that clear? - Yes, sir.
Go get changed.
I'm throwing you in the deep end.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Come slay We do what we say Come slay Run daily, easy money 'Cause we slay Shout out what we a prey So we slay - [SIREN CHIRPS.]
- Come slay Them a run from me 'Cause me slay Bad gyal come inna ya day Make way dead ago pay Come slay Come slay - Nice hideout.
- It's not a hideout.
It's a base of operations.
I know you.
- You were at my dad's hospital.
- That's right.
- The day you tried to kill La Fiera.
- Allegedly.
Nothing alleged about what happened this morning.
- You lost a lot of men.
- TIM: And product.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Sure, you do.
You started a war you can't win.
- Says who? - NOLAN: Everybody.
You're a minor league ball club next to Fiera.
Even if you could compete, you killed her son.
She's out for blood.
Your blood.
TIM: But she's also a businesswoman.
Wars are expensive.
Unpredictable.
Word is she made a deal with your father to take over.
Now, if you offered to honor that deal, she might let you walk away with your life.
What belonged to the father will be inherited by the son.
That's in the Bible.
So this bitch can run around all she wants claiming she made some sort of deal with my dad, - but no one's gonna believe it.
- NOLAN: You better hope not.
If you lose the support of your father's lieutenants, they'll jump ship, and you'll be all by your lonesome.
Hey You guys wouldn't happen to know where La Fiera is, right? In case I want to pay my respects.
Sorry.
You'll have to figure that one out on your own.
Yeah.
I'm working on it.
So, what now? Hope Lopez is doing better with La Fiera.
[BELL CHIMES.]
Police.
I'm here to talk to Sandra de la Cruz.
Detective Lopez.
We haven't met yet.
No, but you match the description of the man who threatened my fiancé.
That doesn't sound like me.
I get along with everyone.
And yet I can tell you're not gonna get along with me.
My heart breaks.
Is Sandra inside? - Do you have a warrant? - Not yet.
Is that a problem? Not yet.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Hermana.
Thank you for the flowers you sent for Diego's funeral.
They were lovely.
We held the service at Casa de Dios.
Thousands attended, and walked with me, as we buried him in Chichicastenango In a bright yellow tomb, to honor the sunshine he brought into my life.
You should've stayed in Guatemala.
No.
I have unfinished business here.
Listen to me.
Up until this point, you've managed to fly mostly under the radar, away from the eyes of federal law enforcement.
But you announced yourself in a big way this morning.
A dozen dead bodies elevates you to the top of the watchlist.
I have nothing left to lose, hermana.
But there is a very simple thing you can do to end this war before it goes any farther.
And what's that? We both know you were wiretapping a dying man's hospital room.
You heard him promise to give me control, but he slipped into a coma, before he could tell his people.
You want this war to end? Give me that recording.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS.]
You were offered a plus-one.
You You crossed that out and wrote "plus four.
" N Emotional support animals are not wedding guests.
Hey, Mildred.
John Nolan here.
Yeah.
Uh, so, listen.
Here's the thing, what Tim is too embarrassed to say, is that he screwed up.
He told Angela the wrong venue cap.
Now they have too many guests.
We just need a few people t You will? Thank you so much.
I know the couple will be so pleased.
Alright.
Bye.
Are you proud of yourself? Throwing a fellow officer under the bus? I think Detective Lopez would approve of my methods.
Mm.
[ENGINE REVVING.]
Control, 7-Adam-19.
Run a plate 3-John-Robert-Queen-1-5-8.
Send details to our box.
[COMPUTER BEEPS.]
His name is Miguel Offer.
He's got quite a list of priors.
We're getting a very good picture of Cesar's operation here.
Yeah.
Too bad none of this intel will be relevant once La Fiera wipes him off the map.
["BRIDAL CHORUS" RINGTONE PLAYS.]
Hey.
How'd it go? The good news is, that I can stop the war.
- How? - By giving La Fiera the wire-tap recording of her and Madrigal making their deal.
Well, let's do it.
We'll stop the body count.
Not all of it.
She's gonna kill Cesar no matter what.
Better one homicide than a second massacre.
Can we do that, though, ethically speaking Pick the winner of a drug war? What's our number-one mandate? Protect the lives of the people of Los Angeles.
So we end the violence today.
We go after La Fiera tomorrow.
LOPEZ: Exactly.
I'll run it up the flagpole.
Any luck finding Cesar? TIM: He's up in Acton, holed up in a cabin.
We're documenting the comings and goings of his crew, - keeping an eye out for trouble.
- LOPEZ: I got to go.
Looks like the feds have joined the party.
I'm headed to my lady doctor next.
Want to come to that, too? Special Agent Taggart, DEA.
We need to talk.
FIONA: Well, thanks for agreeing - to talk to me.
- Of course, yeah.
Nolan said you were interviewing cops for your book on police reform.
I'd talk about that all day.
John mentioned that you come from a police family.
Yep.
Dad, my uncles, two aunts, half a dozen cousins.
Yeah, the Wests are blue through and through.
And Black.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah.
Um You want to know if being Black affects my stance on police reform.
Does it? Hell yeah.
I've seen firsthand how the right kind of policing can serve our communities and make people's lives better.
So when an officer abuses their power in those communities, - I take it personally.
- That's interesting.
Given your family, I might've expected a blue-wall-of-silence answer from you.
There definitely was a time, when I had more faith in the system, but Recently I've seen firsthand how broken it is.
How so? It needs to be a lot easier To fire bad cops.
- [DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
- I almost died trying.
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.]
Why the cloak and dagger? You were in La Fiera's hotel suite for 17 minutes, 9 seconds.
- What'd you talk about? - Makeup tips, cutest members of BTS Be careful, Detective.
You just got to the big kids' table.
I can easily have you put back in uniform.
No, you can't.
You know what else you apparently can't do? Wiretap La Fiera.
Because if you could, you wouldn't be asking me what we talked about for 17 minutes and 9 seconds.
Now, why am I here? I'm running a multiagency task force DEA, FBI, BNE.
Why not LAPD? We're on the front lines of this.
You should be bringing us in.
I have over 25 years' experience dealing with cartels.
I say when it's time to bring in local PD.
So, here's the carrot.
You tell me what you know, and I'll consider inviting you into the inner sanctum.
We have a recording of Tomás Madrigal giving La Fiera control of his drug operation.
I want a copy of that tape.
That's funny.
So does she.
To cement her control, which is why you can't give it to her.
We need time to analyze that, go over the angles.
Do you even speak Spanish? What does that have to do with anything? Veinticino años de experiencia con los carteles.
¿Hablas el idioma? ¿Conoces la cultura? Vez como la polÃtica de los Estados Unidos ha creado mas caos y crimen en América Latina? No wonder we're losing.
Look, I'll take your request under advisement, but it's LAPD's recording.
We'll decide what we do with it.
Now, you see, you played that all wrong, because unlike you, your boss knows that the best path to putting La Fiera behind bars is through a federal court.
So I'm just gonna go over your head, take that tape, and leave you watching from the sidelines.
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[EXHALES DEEPLY.]
So, what's my first test? Buying drugs without getting ID'd or Are you going undercover - as a tweaker? - No.
So, that wouldn't be a very useful test.
I can't cram 100 hours' worth of training into one shift, so I have to get to the heart of what you need to know in order to survive.
When you are a UC, you have to be on triple duty.
- So what does that mean? - It means I need to keep three things in my head at all times.
Yes.
What are they? First I always have to be aware of the law, and proper procedure.
There are certain actions I can take as a UC I can be the lookout for a burglary.
I can drive the getaway car And a lot of actions that I can't take.
I can't get high.
I can't assault or victimize someone.
- Second? - I always have to be my character, spend every moment channeling Nova Lin and not Lucy Chen.
- Third? - Um - Oh, shoot.
- You have to not get caught, or killed.
- Right.
- If you really were a drug cook, the only thing that you would be worried about is whether you are getting paid or popped at the end of your cook.
But as a UC, you have to have three complicated streams of consciousness going through your mind at all times.
How much time have you spent on your backstory? I've filled four journals.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- What? It's It's just gonna be interesting to see what you thought was important about Nova and what was not.
Anyway, I'mma step out.
I'm gonna give you five minutes, to get into character, and then we are going to a party.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES.]
SGT.
GREY: Officer West, we just received an anonymous tip on one of La Fiera's strongholds.
Units from Hollywood Division are on their way.
Meet them there and keep me in the loop.
Yes, sir.
You think Cesar Madrigal called it in - so we'd do his dirty work for him? - I do, which makes him smarter than I thought.
Yes, sir.
Still, we'd rather arrest these guys quietly than have a repeat of this morning's bloodshed.
I'm on my way.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON RADIO.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Hey.
Officer West, Mid-Wilshire.
Came by to see if you guys needed a hand.
Thanks.
We're just bringing the rest of the guys out now.
Found enough long guns to arm a small battalion.
Well, well, well.
Look who it is.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
- You were fired.
- DOUG: Was.
Turns out being saddled with an incompetent rookie isn't grounds for termination, even if that rookie's daddy does run IA.
This is the rookie you were telling us about? Yep.
Officer Jackson West.
The kid who stabbed me in the back.
Let's go.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON RADIO.]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS.]
Sniper.
Where you been? I had some trouble.
Nothing I couldn't handle.
This This is Nova.
I don't think you two have met yet.
- I'd remember.
- Likewise.
[INHALES SHARPLY.]
Careful.
You're about to burn that burger.
You know your way around a grill? I usually cook in a more controlled environment.
That so? What do you cook? All sorts.
Mainly catering.
Big orders.
Nova came through for me, recently.
Uh, I'mma go grab a beer.
You two talk.
Where'd you learn to cook? Here and there.
But every top chef needs formal training.
Sure, but I only just met you.
You don't see me asking where you did time.
What makes you think I did time? Nature of the beast.
Well, if you're friends with Sniper, that means you're in the business, and if you're in the business, eventually you catch a charge.
I might be able to use someone with your background.
Yeah, I'll need to do my due diligence first.
I only work with professionals.
Well, by all means, ask around.
TAMARA: Why do you have to be so complicated? I'm not being ridiculous.
Something wrong? No.
MAN: Just get in the car.
Get in the freakin' car.
Get your hands off of me! Do you know them? - No.
- MAN: Let's go.
I just don't like seeing a girl being mistreated.
I can fix that.
- Watch the grill.
- [SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Hey! Yeah, you! Boy! Come here! HARPER: What's the problem? SHEA: This kid put his hands on the girl.
- Nova didn't like it.
- HARPER: Yeah.
She's, uh, she's sensitive that way.
Me, I think a girl could use a little more focus.
What? Go on.
Tell him.
You should treat that girl better.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
Kiss my ass.
What did you say to me? Nothin'.
Sorry.
Won't happen again.
See that it doesn't.
Now piss off.
Nice gun.
It's all right.
It's a cop gun.
Yeah.
They use 'em 'cause they're reliable when things get real.
It's good enough for me.
Well, let's eat.
Let's eat! Took you long enough.
L.
A.
traffic.
What do you want from me? Got one unmarked car, two sets of civvies fresh from lost-and-found.
You were supposed to pull clothes from our lockers.
We texted you our combinations.
Oh, I didn't do that.
Why do we rely on you for anything? I've been wondering that myself.
Oh, um, Smitty, one more thing, um About Lopez's wedding.
Yeah.
She got my RSVP, right? Yeah, that's just it, you can't send an RSVP card to a wedding you weren't invited to.
Oh, of course I'm invited.
- I'm the deejay.
- [ENGINE STARTS.]
He's not the deejay.
You're not the deejay! It's not right, those bodies are on our murder board.
The DEA can't just force us to follow their command.
That tape could end the bloodshed.
- Right now.
- Angela, stop.
The Chief already sent the recording to the feds.
- You have to let this go.
- He's back.
- Who? - Doug Stanton.
He was dispoed on our pinch.
He's back on the job.
He's in the Hollywood Division.
- Damn it.
- I'm so sorry.
Looks like Stanton appealed his termination and won.
What, and-and no one cared to tell me? The brass is under no obligation, to notify you or me, - of their rulings.
- After everything he did, not a single repercussion?! That's not entirely true.
He lost his seniority and got demoted to P2, where he'll be for the rest of his career.
He'll never be a training officer again.
But he still wears the badge.
The Police Commissioner and the Board of Rights, ended up seeing things his way.
Because they were more interested in avoiding a wrongful-termination suit than punishing a corrupt cop.
Look, Sarge.
This man left me there to die.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS.]
This isn't over.
I'm gonna bring it up at the Sergeants Staff meeting.
I am not done fighting for you.
Yeah.
Don't bother.
We both know it won't do any good.
Stanton won.
Thank you very much.
And now we have cut the list by 27 guests, that's not bad.
You told them I was so guilt-ridden I've been crying in bed all day.
It really helped paint the picture.
You do remember I hold your fate in my hands? - Duly noted.
- [VEHICLES APPROACHING.]
Control, 7-Adam-19, be advised.
Cesar is on the move with his crew.
Requesting airship to aid in our surveillance.
[VEHICLES PASSING.]
- I did good, right? - HARPER: You did great.
I knew it was a setup.
- No, you didn't.
- You didn't.
- Okay.
- I couldn't know for sure, but You should be in school.
Relax.
Nyla wrote me a note.
- See you tonight? - Yeah.
Uh, hey, who was that boy? Do you know? They're not dating, right? Because I did not like that kid.
Never mind.
So, what's next? You never know what comes next when you're undercover, so why would I tell you now? [SEAT BELT CLICKS, ENGINE STARTS.]
[MUFFLED HEARTBEAT.]
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[FIST THUDDING.]
[VOICES ECHOING.]
[LAUGHTER.]
[RINGING CONTINUES.]
Get your ass off my desk.
Are you not housebroken yet? We decided that Sandra de la Cruz can have the recording.
You could have called to tell me that.
So why are you here? We installed malware on this drive.
She plugs this into her computer, snakes its way throughout her entire network Tablets, phones, routers.
In one fell swoop, we get evidence on the whole operation.
But you need someone she trusts to deliver it to her.
Is this really the best idea you've got A glorified spam link? Will you give it to her? Or not? [ENGINE SHUTS OFF.]
[CAR DOORS CLOSING.]
TIM: A booty call? He's in the middle of a gang war and that's his priority? That's how his father knew he would just run the business into the ground.
That's why he sold out to La Fiera.
Let's find out who this girlfriend is.
I'll run her plates.
Control? [KNOCKS ON GLASS.]
Officer West.
Professor Ryan.
- What can I do for you? - Well, Jackson called to tell me about Officer Stanton being reinstated.
He asked for my help.
- What kind of help? - Exposure.
A Black rookie officer being abused and left to die by his white T.
O.
, and the guy keeps his job? If it were up to me, we'd be on CNN right now.
So what's stopping you? I felt like I owed you a heads-up, sir.
Son, you don't owe me anything.
I understand your anger, just like I understand your instinct to go public.
But I believe you'll be making a mistake.
JACKSON: The Department has left me with no other option.
If my life is worth less to the Department than the cost of a lawsuit, why should I protect them? You shouldn't.
You should protect yourself.
And I'm telling you, going on TV, putting Doug on blast will just cause the Department to circle their wagons.
They will shield Doug to defend their own reputation.
You'll be inadvertently making a martyr out of him and isolating yourself.
And that right there is why things will never change.
Until cops speak up about what is really happening, - change will never come.
- I hear you.
But at what cost? - This young man's career? - Sarge, I have to do something.
Jackson is willing to step up and risk losing everything.
But you insist it won't work.
So tell me.
What will? You've been a cop for a long time.
Tell me what we can do to make the department turn against Doug Stanton.
Or we'll be on the 6:00 news.
Lucy Chen, meet Sergeant Mark Murray aka Shea.
Uh [CHUCKLES.]
It's a pleasure, sir.
And that burger was truly delicious.
Thank you.
You made a nice save with the kid.
Besides being a grill master, Shea is a court-certified expert in clandestine narcotics labs.
Manufacturing dope is part of my official duties.
Now, Detective Harper informs me that you're gonna be posing as a chemist.
- Yes, sir.
- Okay.
Come on.
So Dilaudid, meth, heroin, fentanyl.
Chemically speaking, what's the difference between nasal decongestant and meth? One oxygen molecule.
- Just one.
- And to add that molecule? You have to break the pseudoephedrine down, then add methyl alcohol and evaporate it, so that the oxygen can Boom! Half your chemicals just burned up.
Improvise.
Where do you get the methyl alcohol? - Um - Where? Windshield washer fluid, then fertilizer with anhydrous ammonia.
Sodium metal or lithium metal.
You can get that from batteries.
Yes, you can.
Good.
We're gonna spend the afternoon cooking.
Knowing what to do is one thing.
Knowing what to do when everything goes wrong That's what's gonna keep you alive.
Alright.
Show me what you got.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Where's your doorman? Running an errand.
[DOOR CLOSES.]
Cafecito? You must have some.
I have it shipped in daily from my country.
We have the best in the world.
Guatemalan style.
Very sweet.
But don't worry the beans are called Huehuetenango.
Low on acid.
Easy on the tummy.
Your baby won't mind.
Now You have something for me, no? There's a condition.
The war stops today.
You declare an immediate cease-fire and a guaranteed protection of Cesar Madrigal.
You ask a lot of grieving mother.
You chose this line of work.
This is the price of doing business.
Say it.
No harm will come to Cesar Madrigal.
You have my word.
[ITEMS SHUFFLING.]
[SIGHS.]
The Federales put a Trojan horse in here, yes? Brand new and air-gapped so it can't connect to your network.
Of course.
You watch us, hermana.
We watch you.
Tell the DEA better luck next time.
[SCOFFS.]
Gueros like that always underestimate chicas like us.
[BIRDS CHIRPING.]
[ENGINE STARTS.]
[VEHICLE DOOR CLOSES.]
Control, be advised, Cesar is on the move.
Have the nearest unit pick up the tail.
We're gonna question the girlfriend.
TOMÃS: My son, He's foolhardy and rash, but he's still my blood.
SANDRA: Cesar will be provided for.
You have my word.
Then you, Ms.
De la Cruz I want you to continue my legacy.
[CELLPHONE BEEPS.]
And just like that, there is peace in Los Angeles.
Felicidades, Angela.
Cafecito is good, verdad? Quesadilla de Arroz? My abuelita's is better.
- You want the recipe? - No.
Stop acting like we're friends.
For the moment, our interests align, and it'll stay that way if the violence stops, and Cesar stays alive.
I told you.
Killing Cesar would be unsatisfying.
He must suffer like I suffer.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS.]
Can I use your bathroom? This baby's bouncing on my bladder like a trampoline.
TIM: Police, open up.
We have some questions for you regarding Cesar Madrigal.
- Don't know him.
- That's weird.
We just saw him leave.
May we come in? I'm calling my lawyer.
Good.
You really should.
We're in the process of getting a warrant.
[BABY CRYING.]
Look, it's criminal 101 for suspects to hide illicit items in their girlfriends' homes.
Cash, contraband, you name it.
That gets you arrested.
That gets you put in prison.
That gets your baby Put in foster care.
That is not the outcome we're hoping for.
So, let's sit down, have a talk about this taking a different path.
[CELLPHONE PLAYS "BRIDAL CHORUS" RINGTONE.]
Hey.
LOPEZ: I think Cesar might have a kid somewhere, and La Fiera's going to kill him.
Yeah, a little ahead of you, there.
Do me a favor, call in back-up.
Code 3 high.
5917 Sycamore Court.
Five shooters on site.
- You have a cast-iron tub in your home? - Yes, upstairs.
Get your baby.
Get inside.
Lock the door.
Hide in the tub.
It's bulletproof.
Call it off.
Murdering Cesar's baby is twisted, even for you.
I don't know what you're talking about.
But if Cesar's child were to die, well, that's just karma balancing the scales.
It doesn't bother you? Making another mother grieve the way you do? Like I said I cannot stop what I did not order.
NOLAN: What's the plan? They came here expecting to find a helpless woman and child.
Let's show them how steep the price of admission is.
Galeno, right? You work with La Fiera.
I met you at the hospital last week, remember? You were dressed different.
Yeah, I was in uniform.
Easy, gentlemen.
If I see a weapon, we're gonna have a real problem.
Look, I appreciate the position that you're in, officers, but you need to try to understand mine.
We have a job to do, and the price of failure is death.
So there is nothing for us to lose.
You, on the other hand You have options.
I think he wants us to walk away.
- How much? - How much do you want? Oh, I want to be Batman rich.
- What's that take? Like, a billion? - Way more.
Yeah, like 10 or 20.
Since I don't think you have that kind of cash on you, it looks like we're sticking around and I don't get to be Batman.
Then I guess we're done talking.
- [GUNSHOT.]
- Rgh! [ROCK MUSIC PLAYS.]
- [DOORS SLAM, GUNS COCKING.]
- Ow.
[BULLET CASING CLINKS.]
[BABY CRYING.]
Fall back upstairs? Negative.
They'll just light the house on fire and shoot us when we come out.
Our only option is to take the fight to them.
Well, it looks like we're done talking, too.
Don't tell me how to do my job You carry on like a son of a bitch Whoa! They got a name for people like you Ahhh But I didn't take the time to write it down, though You have a lot of fun playing grab-ass with the boys - [BABY CRYING.]
- Which one's going to give you a ride home? Which one's gonna walk you to the door? [GUNFIRE.]
- [GUNSHOT.]
- Ow! Don't even breathe.
Maybe the sun waits for you to be shown what to do [BABY WAILING.]
[GRUNTS.]
This is gonna hurt.
But I owe you for shooting me.
You know what they taught us at the Academy about fighting a guy with a knife? No, tell me.
Says if you hold it the wrong way, you got a chance.
If they hold it the right way Run.
How am I holding it? The right way.
- You gonna run? - No.
[SPITS.]
[KNIFE SLICES.]
That the best you got? [BABY CRYING.]
[HANDCUFFS CLICK.]
- First knife fight? - Yeah.
He hold it the right way? Yeah.
Control, 7-Adam-19.
Five in custody.
Code 4.
- [KNOCK ON WINDOW.]
- Stella? Wade.
Come on in.
Appreciate you taking the time.
This, is Officer Jackson West.
- Pleasure to meet you, ma'am.
- You, too.
But, listen, I read the report on your attack in Doug Stanton's file.
It's unconscionable, but your Sergeant here knows as well as I do that when an officer is reinstated by the Department, there's literally nothing their Watch Commander can do about it.
With all due respect, ma'am, that's, uh That's not true.
Stella, we go way back.
You know firsthand how hard it is to make meaningful changes inside the Department.
So all I'm asking is that you hear Officer West out.
Alright.
You have my attention.
As you all know, I have instituted new training protocols with the goal of moving us towards a more modern approach on policing.
We're gonna watch and discuss a new training video about ensuring your partner's safety.
OFFICER: Control, 7-Adam-7.
A to B.
I'm out with three.
- DOUG: Copy, right behind you.
- JACKSON: Stop where you are.
JACKSON: Look, you guys do not want to do this.
- Look Stop where you are! - [GUNSHOT.]
Hey! Oh! [GROANING.]
[ALL MURMURING.]
- OFFICER: Whoa! - OFFICER #2: Is that Stanton? OFFICER #3: That's Stanton.
LUCY: He's still breathing.
He's still breathing.
TIM: 7-Adam-19, we need an ambulance to our location.
Officer down, 24-year-old male, full body trauma.
What happened, partner? Who did this to you? [MURMURING CONTINUES.]
This is not what it looks like.
Yes, it is.
This is the truth about Doug Stanton what kind of cop he is.
One who won't have your back when you need it the most.
Come on, guys.
Come on, you - You know me.
- They do now.
Hey, Lucy.
So, I just got off the phone with Shea.
You rocked the cook.
He said you're more knowledgeable than half the guys that work for him.
What? Wow.
So, what does that mean? Well, I spoke to Grey, and I told him you are as ready as you could be, considering the circumstances, and he approved the operation.
[CHUCKLES.]
There is no telling how long you will be off the grid, so you need to get your personal life squared away.
- Yes, ma'am.
- This assignment, it will be hard.
It will be lonely, and at times, it might even be boring.
But you, can never let your guard down.
If you do You are dead.
You got it? - Yes.
- Alright.
Go home.
The real work starts tomorrow.
Come with us, don't stay In the midst of your mind Paperwork on this one is gonna take forever.
I was gonna order some food.
How about Thai? You're a good cop, Nolan.
I'll grant you that.
Thank you, sir.
I appreciate it.
Is that a yes to Thai? How serious are you about becoming a training officer? - Very serious.
- Training our next generation is the most sacred position an officer can hold.
It's not a consolation prize or a rung on the ladder to your next promotion.
- I know that.
- No, I don't think you do.
Because last month, you wanted to be a detective.
Then you found out that couldn't happen, and now you want to be a T.
O.
Sir, I don't want to be a T.
O.
I'm going to be a T.
O.
If you want to doubt my convictions, that's fine.
You don't want to help me? That's fine, too.
But you're not going to deter me.
or feel - Let's get Mexican.
- Love it.
beyond the pale Hey.
I left messages for you.
Lying in wait for the pregnant woman to walk out? - Way to be creepy.
- How'd it go? La Fiera saw right through your play.
Made an audio recording and ditched the thumb drive.
That's my fault.
Shouldn't have sent in a novice.
When you look at her, all you see is a woman from a third-world country with a fourth-grade education.
But she's smarter than you.
Oh, really? But not you? No, she probably is.
But I'm humble enough to know that, which is why I'm going to be the one, who takes her down.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
- [GRUNTS.]
- [SCREAMS.]
No! No! [GRUNTING.]
[MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
No! [VAN DOOR CLOSES.]
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
You screwed up, betraying Mr.
Salonga like that.
[SCOFFS.]
I don't know what you're talking about.
We grabbed up your friend Coco.
It took a little cutting, but she told us that she was a cop - That you were all cops.
- You're lying.
Coco would never say that, because it's not true.
W-Wait, wait.
[MUFFLED.]
No! No! No! [MUFFLED SHOUTING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
MAN: Look, I'm not asking you.
I already know.
My question is, what else do the cops know about Mr.
Salonga's operation? We have certain upcoming transactions.
I need to know if they've been compromised.
I have no idea.
[LIGHTER CLICKING, MUFFLED MOANING.]
Last chance.
[MOANING.]
Listen to me.
Whatever Coco said to you, she's lying.
That's what people do when they're being tortured.
She would have admitted to being an elephant if you had asked her.
You set that fire, and Salonga is as good as dead.
Word on the street is he's in debt to some really bad people, and I am the only one who can get him out of it by cooking him up a fortune.
But I am not gonna do that, if you hurt her.
So pull your head out of your ass, and let us go.
[MUFFLED GROANING.]
[LIGHTER CLICKS.]
[SNIFFS.]
She's pretty good.
Of course she is.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
I taught her everything she knows.
- Pass me a towel? - Wow! You're a full-service asshat! You'll thank me for it later.
And you! You abducted me when you know what I have been through! - That is exactly why I did it.
- [SCOFFS, GROANS.]
And if you're looking for an apology, you're not gonna get it.
I needed to see how you would react.
And honestly, you needed to see how you would react.
- That was your last test.
- Really? 'Cause that's what you said after the last last test.
Which is why you didn't see this one coming.
[EXHALES SHARPLY.]
- Look at me.
- [SNIFFLES.]
This is your final chance to back out.
Do you still want this, after what you just experienced? [SCOFFS.]
Yeah.
[SCOFFS.]
Yeah, I do.