Miami Vice s05e15 Episode Script

RICO: (SIGHS) I wonder why the people in the dope business are never on time? SONNY: Well, just think about it this way.
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
(SIGHS) Hope this ding-dong shows up pretty soon.
I'm starvin'.
Here we go, here we go, here we go.
Tommy T.
's looking fat.
Change in employers must agree with him.
I wish we knew who was signing the checks.
Time to play our favorite game, Rico.
(COCKING GUN) Turn 'em and burn 'em.
You're so sure that Tommy T.
's gonna roll over on his source? We'll find out when our backup gets here.
You take the back, I'll take the front.
I hope it's soon.
Whoever it is is real slick.
You running for the man? Not today.
Today is an individual effort.
I just thought you was bigger-time, mano.
(LAUGHS) Time is on my side, home.
Maybe we got time to give them a taste.
Love to.
But I got other business, man, with my new padrone.
Very heavy.
(SINGING) Dr.
Dinky brings the news The cops are on the way Oh, the heat is moving in So the bad boys better split Let's go! Come on.
Come on! Stop! Stop it! Stop, I said! Miami Vice! Hold it! Stop the (GRUNTS) You all right? Yeah.
Except for one thing.
What's that? (TIRES SCREECHING) I didn't get to order an ice cream.
At least you didn't lose your sense of humor.
MARTIN: These are hard numbers, Richard.
The department's fat.
Some places, maybe.
Across the board.
I need your support on this.
I want old-fashioned cops doing an old-fashioned job, you know? Tough, honest, but fair.
I mean, there's no need to spend millions more each year if we can just motivate.
You've decided to run.
(CHUCKLES) Well, maybe.
But just County Supervisor, not mayor.
This is a tricky time for South Florida, Marty.
It's a tricky time for us.
So don't start with me about these cuts being political.
We're just not lean and mean anymore.
These cuts will do the department good.
And another thing, no more desk jobs for anyone.
That includes me.
I want to be known as the kind of police captain that makes an occasional collar himself, once in a while.
So what do you think? I think we're in the middle of a war.
Exactly.
You don't fight wars with PR, Richard.
Oh, Marty.
Check! Okay, we know that Dr.
Dinky tipped Tommy T.
But who tipped Dr.
D.
? Want my guess? The March Hare.
Or the little old lady who lives in the shoe.
Sketch artist came up with these from the description Tubbs gave of the driver.
Get it over to Dr.
Dinky and see if he still works there.
Well, we won't have to.
I got a call from auto theft.
The truck was stolen.
Oh, great.
So Tommy T.
Goes along his merry way? And we're no closer to the supplier, or who flushed us.
We have to push harder to find out who Tommy T.
Is working for.
The connection will come together.
In the meantime, look at the inter-department memo.
Are you Are you kiddin' with this? More budget cuts? GINA: Unbelievable.
How are we supposed to do our jobs without any resources, Lieutenant? Oh, sure we are.
We're supposed to make the same buys, only we only get $10 front money, is that right? 'Cause the politicians like Highsmith down there, they think we do it with mirrors anyway.
It won't come to that.
I don't believe this.
We're having a tough enough time dealing with the slime out there in the street as it is.
I understand your frustration, Sonny.
Captain Highsmith had some very definite views on the matter.
Oh, yeah? Well, maybe Slick would like to come out of his mink-lined office and live with us in the gutter out here for a week.
He can pass those out as party favors.
With all due respect, Lieutenant, but how many times have we talked about how much of a difference it would make if we just had a couple more people on the street? So you're telling us, besides the hiring freeze, we've gotta cut back on expenses.
We can't do that.
We're up against too much money out there as it is.
We can't do it.
We can still do our jobs.
We have to.
Yeah, sure.
Why don't we just go ahead and cuff our hands behind our back? That ought to fix it.
Ladies, ladies, what are you doing to your poor bodies? Get lost.
You are ruining your skins! "The ultra-neon rays are destroying the epidermal cortex as we speak.
" I beg you to cease before it is too late.
Epidermal what? The epidermal cortex.
"The layer of skin that produces the vital bodily oils "to ensure youthful appearance.
"Open the suit" I beg you, if you are going to expose yourselves in this way, use this.
Repti-Gel? Yuck! Repti-Gel.
The secret lotion developed by the Aztecs Indians over 500 years ago.
What's in it? Let me put it this way.
Have you ever seen a sunburned snake? Yeah, I'm lookin' at one.
Ah, my silent partners from Tampa.
The Conquistador brothers.
Hey, I almost had a sale going there.
Excuse us, ladies.
What's in this stuff, lzz? Certain reptilian fluids that patent restrictions prevent me from revealing further.
Another scam, lzzy? No, a certain zookeeper got together with a chemist of my acquaintance, and just like Bill Walsh and Joe Montana in the Super Bowl closing seconds, before you can say, "Be ready to come off your primary receiver "on a 20 Halfback Curl X-Up.
" Touchdown! In the field of cosmetics, Repti-Gel.
Uh-huh.
Speaking of reptiles, give me the lowdown on Tommy T.
Oh, the T-Man.
Well, I Who's he hanging with? The T-Man? Well, I I hear he knows Dr.
Dinky.
(SNICKERS) Maybe we ought to have the FDA have a look at this, huh? That sounds like a good idea.
They could probably come up with some interesting information about what the ingredients are in this thing.
An unconfirmed report tells me that Tommy T.
And his pals have no idea why Dr.
Dinky tried to take a spear for him yesterday.
Names, lzzy, now.
I hear that Tommy has been taken in under the wing of Reginald Hawkins, who is also in the dark as to the ice cream man.
Reginald Hawkins, I know that name.
He's a big-time dealer from New York.
Oh.
So he's come south for a little fun and action, eh? Let's give him some.
Don't get snakebit.
I suggested a bingo pick, but Montana told me to shut up, so, you know Mr.
Reginald Hawkins, I presume.
What's shaking, baby? I know you? Well, not yet.
My name's Burnett.
This is my partner, Ricardo Cooper.
I never heard of either of you.
Goodbye.
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine.
We'll leave.
But then we'll have to pay top dollar to some other enterprising smuggler.
You got one minute, so talk fast.
Like I said, we'll pay top dollar for as much as you can get your hands on.
But it's gotta be here in the next week.
I don't dig deadlines, Burnett.
You see, it's been my experience that businessmen in a hurry are usually businessmen in trouble.
(CHUCKLING) Reggie, in our business? Come on.
You know what I think? I think you don't got nothing.
That's what I think.
That's not to say we shouldn't be expedient.
(WHISPERING) You stay here.
Both of you.
(WHISPERING) Tommy T Well, now the word is you guys ripped off some friends of mine.
So I don't know, maybe I should kill you, and do the world a favor.
Get out.
SONNY: You're kidding me.
RICO: I don't get it.
That guy shows up in the ice cream truck, and then with Hawkins.
He's gotta know we're cops.
So how come he didn't blow our cover? Something hinky.
Maybe he's Fed.
DEA.
Oh, no, Sonny.
They've blown busts for us before, but not like this.
I'll tell you one thing, partner, we're gonna have to find out.
MAN: Be cool.
Don't try anything.
Let's go.
Get in.
STEVENS: We've been watching you for some time, and we're very impressed with your performance.
SONNY: Well, isn't that special? But before you pass out the Oscars, who the hell are you? We're not your enemies, Crockett.
We're law enforcement, just like you.
(SIGHS) I doubt that.
But we are.
And like you, we're sick of murderers being turned back out on the streets by enlightened governments.
And rapists walking into court with more rights than their victims.
And 12-year-olds wasting themselves on crack that some two-bit dictator traded to some right-wing arms merchant for the technology that we needed to stop the flow in the first place.
But most of all, we're sick of never getting to the scum on the top.
Yeah, we're very tired of that, and so are you.
Spencer Rivas.
Arrested 19 times, Six pleas, four dismissals, one conviction.
Still running the largest child prostitution ring in South Florida.
Julius "Tookie" Jackson.
Arrested 21 times for rape and battery, but his real job is killing people.
Nine confirmed hits, and not a minute of hard time done for any of them.
He's still out on the streets.
William Lurie.
A true psychopath.
In and out of the county facilities four times in the last year.
Probably the biggest crack dealer between here and Hallendale.
Just three examples.
But the point is, the criminal justice system needs to be supplemented, like an athlete supplements his diet to become stronger.
Sounds like you're pushing some kind of vigilante steroids, Jack.
Our best weapon is information.
We collect it carefully and use it carefully, surgically when necessary, to make sure that a certain criminal element isn't taken out of the game too early, before we can nail them.
It's all in the timing.
So far, ours has been pretty good.
Then it was your guys who played the ice cream man.
Yeah, and Dr.
Dinky's driver is pushing popsicles with Hawkins.
We have certain resources.
You'd be surprised how anxious people are to help us out with a vehicle or a place to meet, once they understand our agenda.
You wanna cut the Fu Manchu routine? Who the hell are you people? You'll hear from us, Detective.
Oh, really? What if we decide to turn you in? STEVENS: Turn who in? (SPEAKING IN SPANISH) So how did you like my private fairway? It's not bad.
But I'll pay you enough money, you can buy yourself a whole golf course.
(CHUCKLES) Money? (SPEAKING IN SPANISH) Everybody got lots of money.
For me, money is just another commodity.
And it's not a commodity that will help make this deal for you.
Guns.
Guns are much more interesting to the investors in my country than money.
You want guns? That's no problem.
Really, Señor Hawkins? How soon? Well, how's 48 hours sound? It sounds very good.
And plastique? Plastique is also very exciting.
You make me out a shopping list, and I'll fill it in 48 hours.
I will be in touch.
You made the man a promise.
Now you gotta keep it.
And we ain't got gun one, not to mention plastique.
Now, you see, Johnny, that's why I am in charge and you're selling ice cream bars.
Hey, like, what are you saying? I'm sayin' it's as easy as one-two-three, because, you see, you and my eager assistant over here are going to steal it for me.
RICO: Are you sure the caller was the same guy? SONNY: I recognized his voice.
He said to be here at 2:00 for a demonstration.
Looks like the only way we're gonna nail these turkeys is to play along.
MAN: Get in.
They're gonna take this joint off, yeah? MAN: Just watch.
RICO: The guard's a dead man.
MAN: Don't interfere.
JOHNNY: Shut up! Come on, quick! (GROANS) Let's go, let's move it! On the double.
Come on, come on.
Let's go.
STEVENS: (ON SPEAKER) Like I told you before, we're not your enemies.
Okay, so you want to cut the Mysterioso routine? Victor Escalante is sitting on a huge shipment of cocaine, but he won't move it for cash because his people back home in Panama can make twice as much if he flips it for guns.
Old news, pal.
We've been workin' Escalante for two years.
Exactly.
And you'll still be working him this time next year unless somebody gets smart.
Do it our way.
We take them down, they stay down.
Make sense so far? I'm listening.
Don't underestimate us, Crockett.
We're not a formal group.
We have no name, no organizational chart, no secret passwords.
But we've been around for a long time, and there are more of us than you think.
We want you to join us.
But know this before you decide.
If you say you're not with us, we'll just pull over and let you out.
But if you say you're in, and we show ourselves to you, there's never any getting out.
We're not a bunch of crazy vigilantes.
We're good cops who do whatever has to be done.
In or out? I gotta tell you, I never thought I'd find myself in this spot.
But now that I'm here, it feels pretty good.
Tubbs? Yeah, okay.
I'm in.
Walter Stevens.
I'm a sergeant in statistical analysis.
This is my organization.
And my life.
SONNY: Damn, Marty, you always bring me to the nicest joints.
MARTIN: This is the only safe place we can talk.
I'm having our offices swept this afternoon.
TUBBS: The problem is, Lieutenant, we could take 'em now, but if we do SONNY: Yeah, if we do, we don't get 'em all.
I'm really afraid of this one.
Someone could really get hurt.
SONNY: Yeah, but if we don't move, we'll be doing exactly what they're doing.
But then we do that all the time, don't we? It's just on a smaller scale, so we don't think about it.
You're right.
We let people get away with little things, as long as it serves our purpose.
Like with lzzy.
We wink at his little scams as long as he can trade 'em in for something bigger.
Yeah, but it's always a matter of degree.
So how do we play it, Lieutenant? I always felt that there was a line that you never stepped over.
Yeah, but I'll tell you, that line's getting damn hard to see, even when you're lookin' for it.
What do you wanna do, Marty? We'd have to try to get them all.
Try to get inside as far as you can.
Don't let anyone get hurt.
Man, I hated that.
I mean, I'm a cop, and I'm out there running with guys when I should be busting them.
It's not right.
I know how it feels, Johnny, believe me.
But we can't afford to be sentimental.
We know that we're doing the right thing.
You know, I don't know anymore.
What are we doing? I mean, maybe it's not too late to try it by the book.
Wrong, kid.
We'd lose Escalante.
Let me tell you somethin' about him.
Two years ago, when Escalante got on the dope-for-guns circuit, he thought this Contra arms dealer had crossed him.
So he decided he'd hit him.
He did, in a shopping mall.
Eleven innocent people caught slugs, including a three-year-old girl.
He didn't do one minute's jail time for that.
And God knows what kind of death squads and terrorism he's locked into in Central America.
So before you pull out, you might want to think about that.
I hear you, but I just can't Johnny, we need you.
We've all got to do whatever has to be done.
That's the bottom line.
Yeah.
Sure.
(SIGHS) Don't you just love this gig? I just talked a guy out of bein' a good cop in there, so I could get next to Stevens.
You had to do it, partner.
Yeah, I know.
So why do I feel like I wanna puke? You're a good cop, Johnny.
All I ever wanted to be.
I don't know.
I had this partner.
He was okay.
He got killed six months after we were out of the academy.
A low-rent PCP dealer blows him away from behind a door.
The public defender gets the creep off.
No warrant.
Just like that.
That's when I met Stevens.
He was great.
He showed me how to take the guy down.
You know what we did? We planted two bags of heroin on him.
Put him away for 15 years.
Then he got killed two months ago in prison.
I felt real bad.
So do you still think I'm a good cop, Rico? Maybe there are no bad cops, Johnny.
Just cops who've seen too much.
I liked what you told Johnny back there, Crockett.
Good work.
Yeah.
I'll tell you something that might surprise you.
I started out undercover, and I was pretty good.
Fit right on in with the lowlife.
Till one night I took a.
22 right here.
(CHUCKLES) My sight got very bad for a while.
I started to have headaches.
Became clinically depressed.
Gradually my eyes got better, and they put me to work in records.
I figured I'd work hard and get back out on the street.
Put in for transfer after transfer.
Then one day I called up my confidential personnel files on the computer.
Know what it said? "Displays little leadership potential.
" The department's conviction rate is about 10%, and I've got little leadership potential.
So I started keeping my own personnel files on everybody in the department.
Then I started to recruit for my own operations.
We can do it, Sonny.
Create our own justice.
Really enforce and protect.
Yeah.
I'm beginning to see what you mean.
You haven't seen anything yet.
Just wait till you see who some of our players are.
(RINGS DOORBELL) Just what you gentlemen wanted.
C4 plastique.
Very big in Nicaragua, too.
Good morning, ma'am.
We're gathering signatures in support of Richard Highsmith for County Supervisor.
Who? Police Captain Richard Highsmith, ma'am.
We know as a law-abiding citizen you appreciate what he's done to make Miami safer.
Hey, look, I can't talk now.
My game show's on.
Yes, ma'am.
Now, if you'll just add your signature to his legion of supporters, please.
Ripped this off some construction site in Orlando.
I had to change the packaging, so it's nice and safe for you.
That's very thoughtful.
You're right.
So lay some bread on me.
COP: Thank you for your time.
You're light two grand.
You're overcharging.
I checked.
Hey, hey, hey, that's not the way I do business.
Cops! Let's split! You set us up! Other way around, man.
No, it's not a bust! Hey! (TIRES SCREECHING) They need an ambulance.
The call can't come from us.
They'll want to know why we were here, why we didn't do something.
But we did do something, didn't we? It's all set up.
Hawkins got the plastique, the deal will come down tonight.
Yeah, well, fine.
But I'm gonna phone it in anyway.
As a citizen.
Yeah, and the deal will come down tonight and we'll be there.
Yeah, there's been a shooting of some police officers.
You gotta hurry.
COP: All right, somebody get over there.
I want every neighbor talked to, all right? I wanna know if anyone saw this.
We'll get 'em tonight, Lieutenant.
It won't bring that man's life back.
You can't blame yourself.
Yes, I can, and I do.
(TIRES SCREECHING) Martin, what the hell's going on here? A plastiques buy.
Two off-duty officers stumbled in on it.
One's dead, the other one's in critical condition.
Oh, God.
Can we make an arrest? We have a problem.
Well, that's for damn sure.
It's internal.
Bad cops.
How long have you known? Too long.
You mean you let this happen? I had a choice to make, and I made it.
Well, it was a damn lousy choice, Marty.
All right, Marty, what's your next move? It comes down tonight.
We take them all.
Oh, you better take 'em.
And I want to know who's involved and how, down to the last person.
Straight? Right? STEVENS: You didn't shoot them.
So what? I might as well have.
They're dead because of us.
Don't you understand we're cops, and we just let some punk dealer kill two cops.
So what do we say to their families, huh? "Sorry.
We were after bigger game.
" I understand your feelings, your pain, but three hours from now it will all have been worth it.
I'd give my life for what we're trying to do, and so would you.
Maybe.
But I won't kill innocent people.
Maybe I'm just too weak for that.
I know how you feel, kid.
It hurts.
JOHNNY: No.
You don't.
And don't try to change my mind again.
It won't work.
Look where it got me.
I quit.
I'm out.
I'm leaving.
Johnny, you don't know what you're doing.
Yes, I do.
I'm out.
Okay.
It's all right.
I understand.
As long as you never say a word.
You understand? You know I won't.
I'm sorry, Walter.
I respect you, but I just can't hack it, that's all.
It's okay.
I'll leave as soon as I pack.
RICO: Look, you don't have to do this, Johnny.
I'm sorry, Rico, but I have to.
No, man.
Listen.
You can make it.
Stay with us just for tonight.
I can't do it.
I'm not happy about what happened to those men.
But damn it, when you lead, you've got to make decisions.
You've got to make rules and enforce them, or you accomplish nothing.
They're all so damn weak.
They talk about justice, but when it gets down to the crunch, few men have the heart to do the job.
Yes.
I see.
My dad tried to put together a little Park 'n Shop center.
But the money boys, the developers destroyed him.
He didn't have a chance.
Just before he died, he told me that I should become a policeman.
So that one day I'd set the rules straight, for him, and everyone else like him who ever got a bad deal.
My dear, dumb old dad.
Hey, Johnny, so long, pal.
(GUN FIRES) (TIRES SCREECHING) Everything okay? Yeah, he's just waiting.
(I'M LIFE PLAYING) Okay, everybody knows what to do.
Move in.
Freeze! Everybody, on the ground.
Get down! Move, move! Don't twitch.
Drop 'em! The guns, now.
Put your hands behind your head.
Move to the house, quick.
Move it! If they move, shoot 'em.
RICO: Move it! TRUDY: Come on, get in there, move it! This is not good.
So now what? Freeze! I believe we should call our lawyers.
I said freeze! (I'M LIFE CONTINUES PLAYING) (GUN FIRING) New rules? What, do you think I'm stealing this? Don't you know me by now, Crockett? I'm confiscating this for the organization, to fund our operations.
Where do you think we get our money from, the City Council? You're under arrest, Stevens.
Put your hands on the car.
Let's make a deal.
Deals are in Crockett's rules, aren't they? You may think you know everything about the organization, but you don't.
There are a lot of people very high up involved.
Serious people that you don't Put your hands on the car.
Now.
(YELLS) You all right, Crockett? What are you doing? Saving your life.
But he wasn't gonna shoot me.
That's not the way it looked to me.
What the hell are you talking about? Come on, man.
I saved your life, and this is my thanks? The citizens of Miami know I am not soft on crime.
As a matter of fact, earlier this evening, I personally conducted an operation which resulted in the confiscation of at least a half a million dollars worth of illegal drugs, and up to an equal amount in illegal weapons.
But much more importantly, I've taken off the street, for good, those people responsible for the death of a 15-year police veteran.
Now, I cannot give you more details at this point in time because of ongoing operations, but I can assure every man, woman and child in Dade County that I will continue to do whatever has to be done to put an end to this scourge of drugs.
Thank you.
Whatever it takes.