Original subtitles

VIC: Previously on The Shield...

I set up an appeals panel to review your retirement.

The review board is ready to see you now.

Detective Mackey?

This is Cruz Pezuela.

This city needs cops like you.

I can get you your job back.

I have larger interests I'd like to protect.

I may have future jobs for you. Good.

The Mexican mob is buying up Farmington?

Aramboles was a Mexican intelligence officer

assigned to investigate the cartels.

Speculation was he switched sides.

What's Pezuela's connection to him?

I can't tackle Cruz alone so there's gotta be trust.

I gotta take on Aramboles.

VIC: Call Pezuela.

On the ride home, you can explain to him how you just lost

his trunk full of leverage.

ACEVEDA: This is a paternity suit for Rabbi Korman.

"Senator Bradwell and the Campfire Boys." Blackmail.

That's how Pezuela's getting everyone

onboard the train to Cartel Town.

You think this goes far enough up the ladder to save my job?

The Armenian money train? Got robbed a few years back? That was Vic.

We'll have to deal with him too.

You can't kill Vic's wife and kids. Sorry.

You both‐‐ You need to come with me. Okay?

Why, what's‐‐? Shane...

Corrine, get in the van. Okay. Get in.

Corrine, just stay here, okay? God, don't. No.

I'm Ellis Rezian.

I made a bad judgment call pairing up with your rival, Diro.

She's got some bad intel about a couple innocents.

Who will she use to do the whack? Zadofian.

(GUN FIRING) (GROANING)

Rezian pulled off a power play,

taking control of the Armenian operation.

You either join him, or you bleed out here and die.

We just got a shots‐fired call. It's Corrine's address.

Where's my family? I don't know, I don't know.

Oh, Jesus Christ.

When that money train was robbed,

the organization lost over $2 million.

I need to be reimbursed.

I'll make sure that your cop friends

and their families don't get hurt.

Your favors and your protection will serve as ongoing payment.

He said he was doing it to protect us

from something that you did.

What are you gonna do about it?

Shane's sending us a warning. We're gonna crush him.

(TIRES SQUEAL)

(REACH FOR THE SKY PLAYING)

♪ When I was young I was invincible

♪ I find myself Now thinking twice

♪ I never thought About no future

♪ It's just The roll of the dice

♪ But the day may come when You've got something to lose

♪ And just when you think You're done paying dues

♪ And you say to yourself

♪ "Dear, God What have I done?"

♪ And hope it's not too late

♪ 'Cause tomorrow May never come ♪

Jesus Christ. Mara.

(MUFFLED SCREAMS)

(YELLS) Uh. Vic.

(GRUNTS)

Vic. VIC: Shut up.

Vic, listen, man. Shut up.

You don't understand, buddy. Shut up.

Corrine? My kids?

SHANE: Vic. You don't understand, Vic.

I had to save their lives.

(YELLS)

The Armenians know about the money train.

What do they know?

You cozying up to Diro, got her spooked.

She started to turn over rocks.

She made you for the money train grab.

There's only four people in this world

who knew we did that robbery.

And three of them are in this room.

The other one you blew to pieces.

You told her it was us and you left yourself out.

You think I'm an idiot?

Eventually that Armenian bitch

and her mob buddies will figure out that I was involved.

Yeah, and me too, asshole.

Diro greenlit your family.

When I heard about the hit,

I went back to Rezian

and I made a deal to shut down Diro.

Now Rezian thinks

that the both of you are behind it too.

Jesus Christ.

I'm paying off your debt in favors

to keep you and your family safe.

(YELLS)

VIC: You're paying off my money train debt?

What the hell have you gotten us into?

Look, man, I'm on an island here for you.

For you and your family.

Rezian told me who Diro hired for the hit.

That was the blood in your house.

I put a bullet in the asshole.

What's the asshole's name?

It's Zadofian.

He's Armenian muscle.

I‐‐ I capped him and he‐‐ And he ran off.

You let the guy who was hired to kill my family get away?

I stopped him from killing Corrine and your kids.

And he's still out there? Look, Vic,

if we just can work together on this thing‐‐

We don't work together on shit anymore.

I'm gonna find Zadofian.

And I'll find out the truth too.

Until then, you stay out of my way.

SHANE: Yeah, I get it, man. I know you hate me.

Hey. Hey! But you gotta understand, man.

I would never do anything to hurt your family.

Lem was family.

(BABY CRYING)

What the hell was that? Are you okay?

What the hell was that? Just hold on.

Buddy, everything's fine. Look, I'm sorry.

A washcloth in my mouth? Vic would never do amything to hurt us.

He tied me up and he beat the shit out of you.

What is that, the good‐neighbor policy?

Look, I got word that the Armenians

were coming after Vic for the money train robbery.

I scooped up Corrine and Cassidy to keep them safe.

I didn't have a chance to call him and fill him in.

So you protect his family

and he pays you back by terrorizing us?

Look, it was just him thinking that I was taking our bad blood

to the next level.

That bad blood is spraying all over this family.

Look, I keep trying to do the right thing.

Vic is never gonna forgive you for Lem.

You gotta get away from him. Yeah.

It's the only way you're gonna get right.

So what happens with your hearing now?

Well, walking out didn't weigh in my favor.

SIS offered me a spot. I think I'm gonna take it.

I'm not staying in Farmington with Shane.

Thanks for coming out so late. I appreciate the gig.

Security work's been pretty lean lately.

I think five years on the force will qualify you for more stuff.

Not sure how you wanna handle the payment.

Yeah.

This'll handle the first week.

I ruffled some Armenian feathers.

Looks like they might wanna strike back.

I need you to look after Corrine and the family.

I'll be like a mother bird with her eggs.

The guy's name is Zadofian.

I'll e‐mail you his Interpol photo when we get back to the barn.

My family's staying at my place.

They can't know that they're being watched.

They don't know anything about the threat.

I don't want them scared.

Not a problem.

You got a gun?

Good. No chances.

You had me arrested. You make the case go away.

Look, man I already took a big‐ass risk losing those ledgers.

Now, I start altering reports,

I will be in a jail cell right next to you.

Now that does not help you.

As long as I'm locked up in here and Diro is out there,

everything is at risk.

Diro's probably back in Munich

playing quarters with co‐eds by now.

Diro Kesakhian has been working

for her father's illegal businesses since she was 15.

And she's not going to stop now.

I need to find her.

I'm not your Armenian LoJack.

I don't know where she is. Zadofian...

The hit man that you shot.

He'll know where Diro is hiding.

Find him. Turn him over to my men.

They will extract the truth.

And I'll get Diro.

And where do Armenian hit men nurse belly wounds these days?

He's dick‐sweet on this little Filipina whore.

Street name's Darla.

Find Zadofian in one piece before your police friends do.

(SIRENS WAILS) (HELICOPTER WHIRRING)

How'd your hearing go last night?

You haven't heard?

I'll let it be a surprise.

I'm tired of blood.

CLAUDETTE: Ronnie, you're taking lead on anything gang‐related.

Vic, until your status is determined,

can't have you headlining anything.

Captain, car dragged two bodies all the way down Kearney Street.

Round the corner. Victims were Salvadoran. Castillo's crew.

Salvadorans and Mexicans both run a piece of this block.

Till now, they've always shared lunch money.

Call in Vendrell. Whole team figures out

who broke the truce and why.

CLAUDETTE: Can I help you? Agent Olivia Murray, ICE.

You folks usually lob the obligatory courtesy call

before you muscle in on a case.

I'm not a muscling kind of gal.

I'm here unofficially. Curiosity call.

What's your unofficial curiosity?

Captain Wyms.

Special team member Detective Vic Mackey.

I share, you share?

Dragging bodies to designate new boundaries in blood

is right out of the Manada de Muerte handbook.

Death mob? Cartel mercenaries.

Ex‐Mexican military and Federales.

Make ten times as much protecting the cartels

than they do citizens.

What in God's name are they doing in Farmington?

That's the curious part.

Since those San Marcos house murders, this place has been a hot zone.

Tell me about it.

All that blood, all those hacked up body parts

and ICE couldn't flush out a single player or an illegal operation.

Our bureau chief shut down my investigation.

VIC: You're freelancing, trying to kick‐start your case.

MURRAY: If I can tie the cartel to a local player,

Olivia's back in the hood.

We could use the jackets

of those Mexican cops who've fallen from gracia.

I'll make it happen.

Okay. Barn's at your disposal.

VIC: Ooh. Next time, take the bus, boys.

Some banger over in County was threatening

to off a cop's family.

Cass, go check on your brother and sister.

I'm old enough to hear this.

It's okay. It's all right.

Now, the guard thought the prisoner was talking about me.

He tipped off Shane.

When Shane couldn't get in touch with me, he panicked.

Put you guys away for your own safety.

What about the blood in our house?

Just talked to Wyms about that.

Looks like it was a break‐in gone sideways.

It happens a lot. They get nervous, they hear someone coming,

they accidentally cap one of their own guys.

So I'm to believe all this happened at the same time

Shane locks us in a box for our well‐being?

Shane overreacted. I mean his heart was in the right place

but unfortunately, his brain was a couple of steps behind.

And we were never in any danger?

There's nothing to be afraid of.

We're not in any danger now? No, I promise.

VIC: Listen, this whole thing really rattled my cage.

I'd really, really love it if you'd hang around here.

I mean, I'd just feel better if

you were under my roof for a couple of days.

Close to me. Okay?

(MEN GRUNTING)

Vic.

(YELLS)

Saw him lurking behind your neighbor's shrubs,

watching your door.

(YELLS)

I need those files. This Zadofian?

Actually it's not.

Then who the hell is this? Don't ask.

Hey, screw, screw.

Don't you move.

See you, sweetie. See you later.

VIC: Pezuela send you after me? Might as well kill me.

If I don't return la caja de pecado, I'm dead.

Box of sins? That's clever.

All those files.

All those blackmail files I took from your trunk.

I spent two and a half years,

hundreds of thousands of dollars gathering that intel.

It's political payback

for L. A.'s most upstanding and influential citizens.

Sound a little bitter.

I watched those hypocrites do everything,

from fixing parking tickets to ordering murders.

I'm the one who gave Pezuela his leverage.

Made him indispensable to the cartel.

And he's gonna pay you back by putting a bullet in your head.

That sucks.

Cartel doesn't know you lost their blackmail files.

Pezuela either.

No.

Who sent the death squad up here?

Mexican drug lords are getting nervous

about their investment in Los Angeles.

Especially the Salvadoran resistance.

They sent that Manada de Muerte six days ago to help with the cause.

Why did they draw the blood lines down Kearney Street?

Pezuela is expanding his development.

It's where he wants his new hotel.

Wait.

You're just gonna leave me chained here?

Trust me, I could do worse.

Got a call from County this morning.

Wanting to know if they should issue a monthly guest pass.

Seems like you've been making regular visits to Ellis Rezian.

Uh. The Armenians had a front‐row seat

to this whole Mexican‐Salvadoran beef.

And he's facing a charge.

I'm just trying to convince him it's in his best interest

to share the knowledge.

Vice had a CI who got patched up by an Armenian doc.

If Zadofian's looking to get sewn up

outside the system, this is where he'd probably go.

Dr. Edna Lucine. Bow‐wow and Meow.

What, she's a vet? Hate to be part of that HMO.

I'm gonna go check on our doggie doc,

make sure Zadofian got neutered.

Dutch.

Could you fill my box?

Anything to help.

Packed tight.

How come you got the unis doing admin?

What would you prefer they be doing?

Three people quit, downtown's hit us with a hiring freeze.

Why? We're already understaffed.

Billings' lawsuit. You're kidding me.

The guy tapped his head on a desk.

The attorney is gonna settle with him today.

They want him done and gone.

It means you'll be flying solo. The operative word being fly.

Billings was a weight around my neck.

I am glad to see that your partner's absence

hasn't dampened your humility.

(DOG BARKING)

(POP MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)

Dr. Lucine, I presume.

Uh. I'm in the middle of an exam.

You're in the middle of a whole lot more than that.

I understand you're chief surgeon at Armenia General.

I'm a veterinarian.

So I check your pharmaceutical logs,

all I'm gonna find are doggy meds?

I borrowed money from Armenian loan sharks to pay for school, okay?

I didn't know patching up criminals

was gonna be part of my monthly payments.

Did an Armenian come in here with a belly wound?

The bullet missed vital organs, but he lost a lot of blood.

Where is he now?

I stabilized him. I drove him to the Edgemont Hotel.

Second floor.

(WOMAN MOANING)

(MOANING) That's right.

That's right, you're doing good.

Was gonna say pussy‐gram, but that seemed a little obvious.

What the hell is this?

Don't worry, pops. I'll have her back before the blue pill wears off. Come on, let's go.

What the hell do you want? I'm looking for Zadofian.

Don't go blond on me.

Rezian told me you were his main cooch.

I haven't seen him.

Want me to tell Rezian you were uncooperative?

Now, where does he stay when he's in town?

The Edgemont Hotel.

Hey, Dutch. Do you have a minute?

Um. Let me go first.

What happened last night,

we were both vulnerable, a little lonely.

One‐time thing between good friends.

No reason for us to get all uncomfortable.

There's a guy here, says he killed his wife.

Oh. Uh, okay.

Well, I better get on that.

Wouldn't want him to kill anybody else's wife. Heh.

Yeah, huh‐huh.

So you, uh‐‐? You killed your wife two years ago?

A little over two years now.

And no. I had my friend Hector kill her.

I ground up some sleeping pills, put it in her wine.

She took a bath, I went to work.

Hector was supposed to push her down in the tub,

make it look like she got wasted and drowned.

Douche bag showed up too soon. She was awake.

Had to force her head underwater.

That's how you guys knew it was murder.

You were tried and acquitted for the crime.

And you can't arrest me now

'cause I'm protected by final jeopardy.

Right.

Um.

Why not give up Hector at trial?

DA had a shit case. I knew I'd get off.

If I gave up Hector, he would have told them I planned it.

What was in it for Hector?

I fronted him the money to start a vinyl siding business.

So you and your buddy killed your wife.

You got no remorse about that?

You had to know her.

I just want Hector behind bars now.

Why the sudden interest in justice?

I never thought I'd wanna get married again, you know?

Understandable.

And then, bam. I meet Lorena.

Fall head over heels, man.

Let me guess.

Lorena's with Hector.

She works at his siding company.

I know she loves me, but she's afraid to leave him.

Him being a murderer and all.

Exactly.

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

Zadofian? Room 11.

Listen, I don't know how this is gonna go.

You can take a pass.

If Shane's telling the truth,

this guy's a threat to all of us. I'm in.

(BANG) Hey.

(YELLS) Don't move.

Who shot you? Screw you.

(YELLS)

Who?

Had to be someone working for Rezian.

Is that the guy?

Yeah, that's him. Who is he?

You went after my family.

(GASPING)

Goddamn it. Goddamn it.

(CHOKING)

Hey.

Vic.

Think about it, Vic, think about it.

He was in Corrine's house.

His blood is on her floor.

This is too messy.

(COUGHING)

(DANCE MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY)

(GRUNTING)

(COUGHING)

I'm just a soldier. Don't know who or why.

We need to know where to find Diro.

Page her.

DUTCH: Claudette.

Emilio knows he can't be re‐tried for the murder.

Gave me all the details about how Hector killed his wife.

Well, see what Hector has to say.

Actually, original detective on the case already did that.

Ruled him out as a suspect.

Detective Steve Billings.

See if he has the strength to talk.

Vic.

Julien's got a witness for the body dragging in 1.

Where's Gardocki?

He's running down a Salvadoran lead.

Should be back soon.

LOWE: Whatever information you give up could save lives.

I look like Wonder Woman to you?

I'm wearing some magic bracelet that's gonna deflect bullets

when people find out that I'm talking to you assholes?

Here's another one now.

Byz Lat queen. Who's the lucky cholo?

Jimmy Mendez.

Forget it. She'll never talk.

She can't. Way the street's been jumping off lately,

they even find out she was down here, it'll be Jimmy they drag next.

Just because I got into a cop car,

don't mean that I'm giving anything up.

I hope you can convince them of that.

Sorry to trouble you.

Give her a minute.

Anybody ever tumble over this thing?

Not without a friendly push.

Hey, choir boy.

That's for me.

I'll take the stairs.

MAN: Vic.

If I, like, remember something,

can you make sure nothing happens to Jimmy?

Ain't doing this baby shit by myself.

SHANE: Goddamn it.

No, no, my Salvadoran lead didn't pan out.

Vic back yet? CLAUDETTE: Yeah.

He and Julien are going at a witness to the body‐dragging.

Okay, I got one more lead to run down. I'll check back in.

(CELLPHONE RINGS)

ZADOFIAN: That's Diro, returning my call.

That Diro's number? Yeah, that's her.

Shouldn't I answer it?

No. No, it's not necessary.

Ah. Shit. Oh, shit.

(STARTS ENGINE)

(TIRES SQUEAL)

Oh.

Oh, shit.

Files on all the Mexican Federales

kicked off the force in the last five years.

Cartel must have one hell of a pension plan.

What's this? Death mob candidates.

Ex‐Federales. Bounce it off our witness.

Maybe she can pick out who's painting the streets.

Captain, we got shots fired at the Edgemont Hotel.

Shit, that must be retaliation for the draggings.

Stay with Julien.

Vendrell's in transit, I'll have him check it out.

Okay.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(GRUNTING)

(SIRENS WAILING)

Somewhere on the second floor.

Holy Christ.

Clear.

One‐Tango 17, we got a 187 at this location.

Please advise. Hey.

Holy shit, you got here fast.

Johnny‐on‐the‐spot.

Ouch. Footloose and fancy‐free.

Those Armenians sure know how to send a message, don't they?

No shit.

You okay?

Shane was telling the truth about

Zadofian going after your family.

Are you okay?

Talked to Claudette, pulled the trigger less than a minute later.

We're both covered. Hey, man,

I need to see that distant stare come off your face.

I'm okay.

Good.

You get Diro's number? Yeah.

Time comes, I can GPS it in a heartbeat.

Good. We'll shut down Rezian first.

As far as anyone knows, you were just following up on the Salvadorans.

Vic, our witness ID'd one of the Federales.

Our lucky day. We'll be right in.

I gotta go check on the great brown hope

about keeping my badge.

Hey, you firing on enough cylinders to handle this death‐mob thing?

Yeah, I'm good.

Those, uh, other Salvadoran leads pan out?

No, they were dead ends.

What's with the cab?

You know, ever since the injury,

I have these blackouts.

Makes driving too risky.

I'm gonna need you to reimburse me for this.

Wyms said there are some insurance papers I need to sign?

Yeah, thanks for coming down.

It's against my better judgment.

Supposed to avoid the stress.

While you're signing the paperwork,

there's some information I need about a case

that you shared with the Barn while you were at Central.

I'll try to help, but I got these huge memory gaps

ever since the injury.

Yeah, how is the bump on the head?

The brain is the most mercurial organ in the human body.

Yes, it is.

You remember the Doris Borrego homicide?

That was a while back. What about it?

The husband who was acquitted came into the Barn today,

confessed, fingered his buddy Hector Jimenez for the murder.

The DA tanked that case.

It was a slam dunk. Encardi totally blew it.

You know, from what I can recall.

You remember why you ruled out Hector?

Who?

I'm gonna need you to check your notes,

see if anything jars your memory.

Maybe you should call that cab back.

I'm getting a little lightheaded.

Okay, uh, I'm just trying to help my partner here.

But if the DA pulls you back into this,

it might delay the progress on your lawsuit.

Right.

(EXHALES HEAVILY)

Might need to make a sushi run.

Protein helps with my memory capability.

I'll get right on that.

You and I have the only two copies of the keys.

What are you doing?

There are over a hundred blackmail files in this box.

I only need one to get my badge back.

So you're gonna blackmail someone just like Pezuela?

No, I'm gonna give them their sin back,

grant them absolution.

Him giving me my badge back is just gonna be his way of showing gratitude.

Right now, this intel is the only proof that we have

that Pezuela's dirty.

Using it as leverage will compromise it as evidence.

Plus, Pezuela will know that you have the box.

We can't risk exposing that now.

But now that your Kodak moment is out of this box,

the hell with everyone else, right?

You and me we're never gonna be friends.

We both know that we're just here for survival.

Now, you wanna be mayor.

All I wanna do is keep being a cop.

We can't use this information to get your job back.

But we can begin to use it to hurt Pezuela.

Those body‐dragging murders you're investigating.

Pezuela sweeping away the Salvadorans.

What of it?

So he can build his new hotel.

There's a vote tomorrow night, a major rezoning bill.

Councilman Dowd is chairman of the committee.

Dowd's in the box.

Pezuela's twisting his arm so the vote will go his way.

What if we made a copy of the file

for our case against Pezuela

and send Dowd the original, anonymously?

Untwist his arm.

Pezuela spent a lot of money,

shed a lot of blood for that hotel.

He's gonna be pissed.

(CHUCKLES)

Pull the file.

Any luck?

No, not yet.

But I seem to vaguely recall

that Hector had some kind of alibi.

Maybe if you took off the sunglasses,

you could actually see something.

Doctor's orders.

Fluorescents exacerbate my migraines.

Oh, here it is.

Lorena Francisco.

All night. Great rack.

Well, this sounds like your notes.

She said she was with Hector the night of the murder.

And I do recall she had great tits.

CLAUDETTE: Billings.

See you in my office.

I just got a call from the city attorney's office.

Said your lawyer turned down our settlement offer.

I'm not at liberty to discuss the case.

That's what my bitch dyke lawyer's for.

Bad enough criminals sue us,

but cops filing bogus suits?

I was injured on the job and now I'm disabled.

You know where that payoff money comes from?

It's community programs, education, gang intervention.

You should've thought about that long before

you let Mackey and Kavanaugh out of control.

This is on you.

Get out.

Department must be pretty desperate,

you begging me to settle.

Looks like I got the brass by the balls and now it's squeezing time.

You're a goddamn joke.

I'll add slander to my suit.

Captain. Witness turned up a match

from our ex‐Federales list. It's just in time.

Julien? You remember a case, couple of years back, Doris Borrego?

You shared it with Central? Yeah, that's right.

Sure, it's my first dead body. Bathtub.

Did you testify at that trial?

Didn't do much good.

Defense ripped Billings' police work to shreds.

Encardi chewed him out in the hallways.

Half of downtown heard it.

Yeah, thanks.

According to Billings,

Encardi was the one that tanked the case.

Seems like it really got under his skin.

Maybe Steve would be interested in a chance to redeem himself?

I'm all about second chances.

On our body draggings, witness ID'd Marcus Villanueva.

Thrown off the Policia Federal two years ago.

Him and his partner

accidentally slit the throat of a suspect during an interrogation.

On‐the‐job training for his next gig.

His brother owns an Army surplus store.

If he's there, he's probably not alone or empty‐handed.

Strike Team leads it.

I'll see if downtown can shake loose a SWAT unit.

I'll make sure that happens.

Set up strategic on the 101 on‐ramp

near 59th and Olive.

You ready for this?

Absolutely.

RONNIE: Place is closed.

They got six cars parked out back.

One of them is a pick up truck our witness identified.

We should move while we got them contained.

These psychos aren't run‐of‐the‐hood bangers, they get off on collateral damage.

Your call.

SWAT's 15 minutes out. We'll wait.

CLAUDETTE: Where's Vic?

He's trying to head off Salvadoran retaliation. He's on his way.

Heard things didn't go so well at your hearing.

That's unfortunate.

Must have been a full moon.

Bad night for everyone.

A cartel death squad used a couple of Salvas

to draw blood lines down Kearney.

You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?

It's awful.

Almost as awful

as having a former employee sell off your private files.

What files are those?

Whatever they are,

they sure got the cesspool bubbling.

ROC, Salvadorans, Niners,

they're all bidding.

The word is, intel belonged to you.

What's your interest?

Same as yours.

Get back what I lost.

Your badge?

Squeezing Aceveda was a waste of time.

He's a eunuch. My point.

You need someone with balls.

I keep my badge,

I got the resources to be that guy.

Your dismissal is already in motion.

(CELLPHONE RINGS)

What?

We gotta move on this death mob.

Lost SWAT to some hostage thing in South Central.

Really could use you watching my back.

All right, I'll call in for the 20.

Not sure if I can help you, detective.

Not sure if I can help you either.

Let's keep talking.

(HIP‐HOP MUSIC PLAYING)

We got movement at the shop. One vehicle pulling out.

Pickup truck? No, gray Jeep.

Get the plate number.

We gotta do this without SWAT, now.

We're moving out. Let's go. Let's go.

Police, let me see your hands.

Gun! Get back.

(YELLS)

MAN (ON RADIO): Man down. Under fire.

Call Wilshire for backup.

MAN (YELLS): Come on.

MAN (YELLS): Easy.

(TIRES SQUEALING)

WOMAN: Got an officer down. Three or four shooters.

(MAN YELLING)

Give me a radio.

VIC (ON RADIO): Ronnie, Ronnie, I'm gonna create a diversion.

(YELLING)

You, show me your hands.

Don't move.

WOMAN (ON RADIO): We need an ambulance immediately.

Thought you were gonna create a diversion.

What, this not big enough for you?

CLAUDETTE: Everybody whole?

VIC: More or less.

Any idea how I should explain this one to Phillips?

He knows I've always had trouble following directions.

Just tell him I took a wrong turn.

MAN: Come on, let's go. Move.

VIC: Hey, Danny, grab a couple of unis.

We gotta inventory these illegal weapons.

Good, more paperwork.

SHANE: Charger totaled?

Nothing a good body man can't make right.

Look, your story about Zadofian panned out.

Good. Heard the hit man took a hit.

RONNIE: Nature of the job.

I assume you had a chance to chat with him before he took two in the chest?

Yeah, we did.

Lucky for us.

That eliminates the immediate threat.

Looks like I'm gonna need you

to get my family clear of this thing.

Well, then I'm here for you, Vic.

Yeah.

I got a plan how to deal with the rest of this problem

but I'll tell you back at the Barn.

I don't understand. That trial is over.

Just closing out some unfinished details.

Do you know Hector Jimenez?

Sure.

Uh, according to the detective on the case,

you were with him on the night of the murder.

When was the last time you saw Hector?

This morning. He's my boss.

And your fiance now, right?

Yeah, so what?

DUTCH: Do you know Emilio Varajas?

LORENA: Yeah.

DUTCH: He's a friend of Hector's, right?

Hello.

Glad to see your work ethic has remained intact, detective.

Encardi, what do you want?

Wagenbach put in a request to reopen this case.

Coming to see why. Guess you're sitting this one out.

I'm on disability. Oh, good.

Maybe we'll actually convict somebody.

VIC: Need you to spin that fiction. Make Rezian believe

the Mexicans are the Armenians worst problem since the Turks.

I know just what lie to tell.

Give us a minute.

I just got off the phone with Phillips.

Save the touching goodbye speech.

The decision on your badge has been pushed.

Commissioner Nebel has taken an indefinite leave.

Health reasons.

And it will be at least 30 days

before they can assemble a new committee.

I don't know

what kind of voodoo you're using

or whose arm you're twisting.

Just be grateful.

Get another month of Mackey to firm up your stats.

Gardocki will be leading this team.

You start feeling like you got nothing to lose,

you act out in any way,

it'll be a black mark in his jacket.

You don't give a shit about risking your future, it's fine.

Maybe you'll think twice when it's your friend's.

Fewer and fewer of those friends around these days.

Lorena's sticking to her story.

Too scared to tell the truth.

Encardi's one smug bitch.

Sure seems to be gunning for you.

Said I was incompetent, right? Said something like

the only thing weaker than your detective skills

was your backbone.

(CHUCKLES)

Don't worry about it. It's not your problem anymore.

You work for Hector's siding company.

Vice president of sales. Yes.

Two years ago you told me Hector was at your house

eating Chinese food the night Doris was killed.

I don't remember all the details.

You lied for Hector, gave him an alibi

so he can go kill Emilio's wife.

LORENA: No, I was with him.

He didn't do anything. Bullshit.

Emilio told us the whole story, sweetheart.

I know he's the one getting his joy in big‐titty heaven now.

Wants to marry you, get Hector out of the equation.

I didn't‐‐

That's not my fault.

No, but you lying for Hector

makes you and your twins co‐conspirators.

And I'm sure those fat white guards

in double‐D block

already have a come‐stained cot with your name on it.

You have one chance to save your ass.

I didn't know about the killing until afterwards.

Swear to God.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

That's the last of the AK‐47's.

Hit that area behind me next.

(BOTH GRUNTING)

Callate.

(MUFFLED GRUNTING)

(CRASH)

(SCREAMS)

WOMAN: If I wanted to spend my life doing inventory,

I would have worked for my Uncle Manny, you know?

What happened?

Turned my back for a second,

guy jumps out from behind this crap. Shit.

What? Took off.

That guy could've been armed. Who the hell cleared this room?

Uh, I'm not sure who cleared it.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm just glad nobody was hurt.

If I find out who failed to clear this room,

somebody's out of a job.

CLAUDETTE: Ah, Steve, come on in. Sit down.

First, I wanna apologize for that outburst earlier.

It was unprofessional.

Yeah, and very mean‐spirited.

CLAUDETTE: And second I wanna thank you for solving that murder for us.

It will really help with our quarterly stats.

You were on the top of your game.

Yeah, I get these little bursts of energy.

You know, in between needing to lie down and so forth.

Well, don't be modest, Steve.

...siding company. Vice president of sales.

Headaches, disorientation, lethargy,

memory loss, inability to logic.

What's your point?

Your scam's over.

We've got proof you've been faking your head injury.

This doesn't prove shit.

No, with the tape and our testimony from your performance today,

the lawsuit is dead.

DUTCH: Maybe throw in your history of defrauding the city,

with your little vending‐machine enterprise.

All right, look.

Last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt the department.

I will call my attorney and have her take the settlement offer.

You'll take nothing. Be glad I didn't fire you,

pull your pension.

I spoke to Phillips.

You'll be back to work tomorrow morning.

If you wanna quit, it's up to you.

I'll have to consult my legal team.

Just as long as you're here tomorrow morning first thing,

you can consult till your hair grows back.

What are you doing, Cass?

That SUV has been sitting down the block all day.

It's just a neighbor, sweetie.

Pack your stuff, kids. We're going home.

My lesbo lawyer says I'm required to return to work.

Make myself available to render services.

Well, it's good to have you back, Steve.

Yeah, I'll be back all right.

Putting in my required hours, mandatory paperwork.

But as far as effort goes,

I don't know what's between zero and the city‐mandate minimum.

But from now on,

let's just call that "the Billings."

Can't we just call it business as usual?

Here's the blood‐test report

from Mackey's ex‐wife's house.

This matches Ari Zadofian.

The Armenian we found dead in the hotel today.

Where were Vic and his guys when this went down?

No. Vic was here with me.

Rest of his guys were running down leads.

Strike Team seems clear on this one.

Of course they do.

How you holding up?

I'm struggling. New medication.

Well, you're doing great.

If you need anything, let me know.

I found Zadofian.

You turn him over to my guys?

Not unless your guys work for the County coroner.

He's dead.

The first thing I ask you to do turns to shit.

What's turned to shit

is your control over Little Armenia.

I found Zadofian.

With two bullets to the chest and his feet chopped off.

Old‐school retribution.

It was Diro sending you a message.

She has no power anymore.

She's reaching out to the Mexicans.

Now, word on the street is, she's forming an alliance.

We've never trusted the wetbacks.

Well, this is L. A., baby.

It's Latino land,

and she sees the writing on the wall.

I know every Mexican gang from here to Sinaloa.

Which means that nothing happens to Vic's family

or you lose the only guy who can stop Diro

and her Mexican threat.

I hope Commissioner Nebel's health problem

isn't too serious.

Nothing three weeks in the Caribbean

with his mistress can't cure.

Gives me 30 days

to evaluate your effectiveness,

see if your stay of execution should become permanent.

Found out the name of one of your former employees

who was stealing secrets.

Aramboles.

What about the files?

He sold them to Rezian.

Whatever's in that box is giving him big balls.

The Armenians

are making a hard play for your barrio sandbox.

And while you're judging my effectiveness,

you just keep something in mind.

There's no other cop in this town

who knows those Balkan psychos better than I do.

(CELLPHONE RINGS)

Yeah.

Corrine and Cassidy left minutes ago.

I think she recognized me.

Shit. All right, keep on them.

Is Shane here? No.

What do you want with him?

The truth.

I know what Shane did to you.

Oh. So he told you? He told you‐‐? He had to.

Vic came here last night and did the same thing to me.

Payback. Vic? No.

He didn't know about the bogus Armenian threat.

He thought that Shane was trying to hurt him

by scaring you and your daughter.

What Armenian threat?

Shane was acting out on some bullshit tip from some banger in County.

I guess one of us is being lied to.

Listen, Vic's had this ex‐cop watching us all day long, okay?

I don't know what's going on‐‐ I do.

And it's hurting both our families.

If our husbands won't stay away from each other,

then maybe we need to step in so that‐‐

So that somebody doesn't get hurt.

Cassidy?

Zadofian's prelim crime‐scene report.

Holy shit.

His shoes were attached when I left him.

Guess who the first detective on the scene was.

I know. Shane.

(SIGHS)

Rezian must have sent him looking for Zadofian.

The feet were some kind of message to Diro.

There he is.

Shane is neck‐deep in Armenian shit.

Listen, we gotta keep him close, make him feel safe.

Just like old times.

Soon as we get this situation under control.

What you did for me today, I'll never forget.

I thought pulling the trigger would be the hard part, but‐‐

Don't you ever

get sucked into that black hole that got Shane.

You got any idea how Zadofian got that pedicure?

Was like that when I got on the scene.

Why? It's just,

he had both his feet when we got done talking to him.

Look, Rezian wanted me to find Zadofian

before the cops did.

Turn him over to his guys.

I chopped off the feet

to make it look like Diro's handiwork.

No idea who shot him.

You?

Probably was Diro.

Right.

Well, either way, it helped sell the story.

Told Rezian

that Diro's made some new greasy friends.

Did like you said.

Convinced him that the Mexicans were his biggest threat.

Good, I got the Mexicans thinking

that the Armenians are making a power play for the barrio.

And we help both sides win.

Could get real bloody real fast.

The sooner they bleed out, the sooner my family's safe.

So...

What now?

We just sit back,

and watch the gang war.