NARRATOR: Previously on The Shield:
ACEVEDA: This is city controller Robert Martin.
We had a deal... your daughter's reputation for my job.
Agent Olivia Murray, I.C.E.
VIC: Federal Agent.
What's your unofficial curiosity?
Our bureau chief shut down my investigation.
If I can tie the cartel to a local player,
Olivia's back in the hood.
Barn's at your disposal.
[GRUNTING]
The Armenians know about the money train!
They greenlit your family.
VIC: What the hell have you gotten us into?
This is Cruz Pezuela.
He's representing a company that has backing
of various Mexican investment interests.
The Mexican mob is buying up Farmington?
Blackmail... That's how Pezuela's
getting everyone on board the train to Carteltown.
Do you want to give me a clue what all this is about?
The intel box the Mexis are using
to blackmail their way up to the top.
You made it look like it was sold out to the Armos.
Which lit the fuse for the blood feud we're stirring up
between Rezian and the Mexicans.
Nicely done.
VIC: Where's that blackmail box?
AC EVE DA: You couldn't resist the temptation
to use it for your own purposes.
I am now in possession of the box
until the time is right to turn it over to Justice.
What about the files?
VIC: Whatever's in that box is giving Rezian big balls.
He's taken something that belongs to me.
VIC: I took your money-train cash.
I'm not afraid to come here and tell you about it.
Instead of the $2 million that I don't have,
I'm gonna grant you three wishes.
Once you've had your three meals,
we walk away from the table fat, happy, and even.
I'm sick of walking around half the day smiling at a guy
who put a grenade in Lem's lap.
We need Shane right now.
We're gonna make him feel safe.
We're gonna get through this, come through the other side. Thank you.
CORRINE: Never mind the illegal drinking.
You were supposed to be watching your brother Matthew.
He's your responsibility, not mine.
Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!
The only parent that's ever around to listen to me.
Don't you ever push your mother like that!
Do you understand?!
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Hi.
Uh, I need to talk to Cass.
I'm sorry things got out of control before.
CORRINE: We're already running late for school,
and I don't need it to get any worse.
I already grounded her. She's furious.
You know what, this may not be the best time to talk.
Please, Corrine. It's the time I have.
Okay, come on.
[DOOR CLOSES]
Cassidy? Your father's here.
Open the door, please.
Cass?
Listen, kid.
I apologize for losing my temper.
I grabbed you way harder than I intended, and I'm sorry.
Do you hear me?
CASSIDY: Fine.
All right, now, for your part,
I think you owe your mother and I an explanation.
We trusted you with certain responsibilities.
You let us down.
Hey. We're talking to you.
Apology accepted. I'm ready to go.
We'll finish this later.
You made a big mistake.
It could have had some goddamn serious consequences.
Please don't swear.
I apologized, and now I'm waiting
to hear an explanation about your behavior.
How do you explain your behavior?
I don't have to explain myself.
All the investigations. You're the criminal.
I'm your father!
Your choice, not mine.
Hey, I'm gonna be your father
whether you like what I teach you or not!
[CELLPHONE RINGS] Let's go. Come on.
Let's go. Let's go.
Goddamn it.
Hello!
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
Rezian's safe house.
I see that.
It went up in smoke early this morning... two bodies.
Rezian? Both too crispy to l.D.
[SIGHS]
I'm guessing it's Pezuela's boys
hunfing for the blackmail box.
Means they're still convinced the Armenians have their intel.
If that is Rezian laying in there,
that's one more name off the list of Armos
that know about our money-train debt.
Our deal was with Rezian.
Him being dead might put us back to square one.
Mmm, s'mores.
WYMS: The arson unit weigh in yet?
It didn't have to. The killers left gasoline cans behind.
Weren't even trying to hide it.
Recovered 9mm shells,
bullet holes in their skulls.
Today's the city march observing the Armenian genocide.
The block's in the middle of a red, blue, and orange sea.
Whole area's gonna be swarming with people.
Strange day for an internal beef.
The Armenians make any recent enemies?
I heard some talk the Mexicans
have been stirring things up with them.
Could just be street chatter.
If this is the first shot in a war,
I don't want the Armenian Day of Remembrance
being turned into a fresh battle.
Well, maybe Shane's playdates with Ellis Rezian
can pay off again.
We'll track him down, get him to l.D. the bodies.
See you guys back at the Barn.
Rezian gone might not be the worst thing.
Cut off the head, and the tentacles get frisky.
It's a risk.
Look, just hear me out.
Let's find out if he's alive first, all right?
It's okay.
Glad to see you upright.
If I hadn't gotten out of there last night...
Don't worry. You already thanked me.
Two of my lieutenants are dead.
And this was the Mexicans?
They couldn't kill you in jail.
Why did you think they would stop on the outside?
What do they want?
Some Mexican intel went missing.
Whatever it was, it was valuable enough to spark a war.
VENDRELL: Your two burned lieutenants will vouch for that.
If you've heard the rumors,
you can find their source, right?
I want a sit-down
with the people who burned my store and killed my men.
My people are dead because the Mexicans are wrong.
I'll talk to them, make them understand that.
They shanked you. They killed your guys.
Now you want to pencil in some kind of circle jerk?
The only way to respond is to push back.
The Mexicans are too powerful.
We can't compete against their numbers.
You think them realizing the Armos don't have the balls
to fight back is gonna lead to peace?
The Mexicans will smell your weakness,
and they'll pounce on it.
We don't have their missing intel.
When they know that,
they'll go looking for it someplace else.
If I pull this Off,
it's number two on your short list of favors.
One more, me and my family are all paid up.
As long as the meeting happens
before any more Armenian blood is shed.
It's time to end this war we started.
Can't do that yet.
We got the list of Rezian's inner circle,
which just grew smaller by two.
That's time to finish this job
while we can still control the casualties.
Look, I know that you are not thinking
about setting up this meeting.
I'm thinking about setting up this meeting.
Is this another one of those surprise endings
that you're gonna lay on me after all this is over with?
Rezian isn't the only one we have to think about taking down.
I'm... I'm targeting Cruz Pezuela.
Aceveda's one-man campaign bankroll?
He's buying up Farmington with cartel money.
Pezuela gets his way,
the entire district will be Byz Lat-owned and -operated.
Well, how is that our problem?
It's big-picture time, Matt.
They're trying to take my badge, and I need an endgame.
Pezuela is the cherry on my career sundae.
Why does that have to involve Rezian?
The only way to connect Pezuela to the cartel
is to force him into making a bad mistake.
The intel in that box belongs to him.
Now, if Pezuela gets desperate enough to get it back,
he shoots his way into a jail cell
and wipes out the Armenian threat for us...
Two for one.
What happens when Pezuela doesn't cooperate
and we're forced to choose one win?
Not there yet.
[I
Rezian wants to sit down with the Mexican brains.
Guess he got your smoke signals.
And he's willing to make a deal-.
I'm not paying anyone to give me back my property.
I'm paying you to get it.
I'm giving you a chance to get your blackmail box.
That's what you're paying me for.
That doesn't interest you,
I'm sure Rezian will be content to hold onto it,
do with it as he sees fit.
Or you could try to burn your way
through the rest of East Hollywood.
This might be the smarter move.
I'll set it up.
But they want to talk to the brains.
I am not walking into the belly of the Armenian beast
with one of your day laborers as my date.
Okay. Hoy més tarde te llamo.
Detective Mackey, Amando Rios.
Amando will speak for me.
Not sure he'll pass for brains.
He's less tequila-soaked than the rest of the crew
I've seen circling you lately.
There's only one condition.
If they don't bring the box to this meeting, every file,
tell them not to come at all.
Fair enough.
What meeting?
I'll explain it all
as soon as Detective Mackey gets back to us with the details.
Rios isn't just some beaner.
He's got a face only a cartel could love.
I got Julien looking into him now.
What do I tell Rezian?
Tell him the truth.
Pezuela 's not sending his boy
unless he knows the blackmail box is waiting.
So, the meet-and-greet doesn't even happen.
We look like we did ourjob for both sides.
They stay clueless and at war.
LOWE: According to the computer,
Amando Rios is a nonperson, at least Stateside.
He's one of the arsonists?
Well, it's possible.
Tipster thinks he might be hooked up with a Mexican cartel.
That's a world bigger than what our database covers.
Then you might need to dig a little deeper.
Well, I'll try and find a bigger shovel.
You got to love that first-year strike team enthusiasm.
Keep an eye on Julien... Information we need...
But if Rios gets picked up or spooked,
we lose our best shot at Pezuela.
There shouldn't be any trace of his location
under any rocks that Julien can reach.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Hey, you called me.
I don't need anyone mixing martinis,
but I'd like a little credit for braving the morning gridlock.
[CHUCKLES]
Ah, give us a minute.
Thanks for coming.
You sounded like you needed a favor.
And you're more than due.
Have a seat.
We drew the short straw on this morning's
burning deaths in Little Armenia.
You're the one with the well-appointed list
of East Hollywood C.l.S.
I've got Julien after a suspect,
but our arms might not be long enough to reach him.
Give me a name, and in I'll run with it.
Amando Rios.
If he's our guy, we want in on him sooner than later.
Never heard of him.
Let me plug it into our system.
I'll try to get back to you within the hour.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON POLICE RADIO]
Victim used a crowbar to break in.
WYMS: Teenage resident Lloyd Denton called it in.
He's our shooter.
All right. What are you doing out here?
I'm riding with Hanlon today...
Mandated monthly street duty.
No l.D. on the victim.
Denton was home alone, heard the glass break.
Family's got a gun in the house.
Anybody talk to the boy yet?
He isn't saying much. He's pretty freaked out.
Little Armenia torch job
makes it a busy day to be out of the Barn.
I'm checking in.
I figured if I waited for the right time,
I'd never get these street hours done.
The assistant chief won't make an exception in your case?
I didn't ask him to.
Phillips is aware of your condition.
He also knows that it doesn't affect my job performance.
Well, it looks like a straight-up B and E.
We need a parent present to take the kid's statement.
Father's not in the picture,
but we got a call in to the mother at work.
Got this? We need to roll.
Yeah. Take care out there.
Would it have killed her to wear blues?
Thanks.
Hey, Lloyd. Um, I'm Detective Wagenbach.
This is Detective Billings.
We're gonna have an officer take you down to the station.
Your mom's gonna meet us there.
Why would Luis break into our house?
You knew the victim?
Yeah, we go to the same high school.
You and Hanlon out there cracking skulls?
Hey, don't be too rough.
Captain likes things by the book.
I asked Julien for a status report.
Amando Rios? Sounds Mexican to my ears.
Rios is one of the names that dropped,
but I wouldn't count on it turning into something.
Shane, you track down Rezian?
Crispies are two of his mob lieutenants,
Matavian and Bozian.
He shed light on any Mexican trouble?
He's as in the dark as we are.
He can't strike back without a target.
Ask Olivia. Maybe the feds can point us in Rios' direction.
Already on it.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
Tina, find me when you get through
the paperwork on this guy.
The Denton kid's up in one, and that's the mom.
Thanks.
Mrs. Denton, I'm Detective Wagenbach.
That boy broke in.
I know that Lloyd was only defending himself.
He shouldn't be in any kind of trouble.
We just need your son to tell us what happened.
He'll be free to go, okay?
LLOYD: I was in the bedroom, doing my homework,
when I heard the glass break.
When did you realize the intruder was Luis?
Not until after.
I heard someone come in, and I went to my mom's room.
BILLINGS: To get the revolver?
I could hide until whoever it was took what they wanted,
but he kept coming closer, so I got the gun.
The neighborhood's all we could afford since Lloyd's dad left,
so I got that gun for protection.
Ever been fired before now?
Only at the range.
I wanted Lloyd to understand
that a gun is a big responsibility,
so we both took safety classes.
Do you and Luis know each other well?
I don't even think he knew my name.
I mean, we don't hang out with the same people,
you know, his friend Diego
gave everyone a hard time, so I just tried to stay away.
Why did he try to break into our house?
I never did anything to that kid, Mom, I swear.
Honey it isn't your fault.
[SNIFFLES]
Yeah, but he's dead because of me.
How much longer does he have to do this?
Uh... We'll have more questions.
Why don't you two get a bite,
take a little time alone together?
The rest can wait.
Kid seemed pretty busted up. He had answers for everything.
Yeah, whole scene played out
like the perfect interrogation.
One thing I've learned
from that sack of conspiracy theories you call a head...
The Wagenbach freak meter points to red, you listen.
School bully's dead,
picked-on kid did the shooting.
Let's grab up the friend Diego,
get a read on the locker-room history.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Can I come in?
Uh, okay.
Where's the baby?
He's asleep. I just put him down.
Do your parents know you're here?
Yeah.
Who does he look like now, you or my dad?
Honey, this is a little unexpected.
What is it that you want?
To talk to you about my dad.
Okay.
I've read stuff online about his job.
People think that he's stolen things,
he's hurt people, he's broken the law.
Honey he's your father.
Do you think he killed Terry Crowley?
No.
That's what Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh thought.
I really think you should just be
thinking about school and things like that.
I need to know who he really is.
Well, then, talk to him.
Is he helping you raise Lee? Does he even give you money?
I haven't asked him to.
I don't blame you.
Cassidy, you should go.
I am not the person
you should be having this conversation with.
You have no reason to defend him.
He gets you pregnant, and then he dumps you.
Who does that?
[BABY CRYING]
Just wait. I'll be right back.
Just wait right here.
Vic!
Hey, you weren't kidding about the turnaround.
Rios' name didn't turn up anything on our end.
I'm sorry.
Eh, long shot.
What makes you think
this guy might be tied to the Armo deaths?
Hunch.
Got to exhaust all my resources, and lately that means you-.
Not every day a girl's called a resource.
I'll keep an eye out for Rios.
And if you hear anything on your end, give me a shout.
Thanks.
If Rios isn't tracking on their radar,
he might not be the cartel key we're looking for.
Doesn't mean he's not here to do their dirty work.
Just means he hasn't been caught yet.
What do we do about Rezian?
Time to give him the bad news.
We tossed your olive branch to the Mexicans.
They're not interested in a sit-down
unless you can produce their missing box of intel.
Time to make another wish.
Set up the meeting.
I just told you.
They won't agree to the meet unless you have the goods.
What is it you're not hearing?
I have what they want.
I'm prepared to give it back to them.
You were crying to us this morning
that you didn't even know what the hell they were looking for.
And now you've got it?
What is it you're not hearing?
You've had this Mexi intel the whole time?
We located it a couple of hours ago.
We're not walking into a Mexican hat dance
without a ticket.
This information...
What does it say that's so valuable to them?
You're here to repay your debt.
The rest is none of your concern.
Set up the meeting.
He's bigger.
Yeah.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
You're supposed to be at school, taking that make-up quiz.
What are your grades gonna be now?
If you didn't ground me, I wouldn't have to sneak out.
Let's go, right now.
Let go of me!
We are going home now!
My backpack's in the other room.
Then go get it.
Thanks for calling me.
Hey, it's just a preview of what I have to look forward to.
She was asking a lot of questions about Vic.
How did you answer them? It's not my place.
She's pretty angry, though.
I think we all are.
We talked to Luis' friend, Diego Vargas.
They were selling drugs at school, came up short,
had a need for some fast cash.
So, then, it all makes sense why this kid broke in.
Yeah.
Lloyd, did you say something to Luis
about money, jewelry, something like that in your house?
No.
I told you, it's not like we really ever spoke.
Anybody at school know your schedule,
that your mom worked a lot?
Maybe. I mean, I don't think so, but maybe.
And you didn't realize it was Luis when you shot him?
RITA: He already told you that.
So, when did you recognize who it was?
When I walked over to the body.
How long before you called 911? Right that second.
Must have been upsetting...
All that blood.
Look, can I go now?
I've answered all your questions a bunch of times.
Diego said Luis was pretty sure
he was gonna find $1,000 in cash somewhere in your house.
The most expensive thing we own
is a 25-inch color TV, detective.
This guy's all I've got.
Mrs. Denton, we're concerned about your son.
Case lines up, shooting's obviously clean.
Normally, we send you home.
But crime victims sustain a lot of mental trauma.
Given his age, I'm worried that Lloyd
doesn't have the tools to deal with this emotionally,
especially with no father around.
He's been through so much already.
Must be hard raising him on your own.
I keep riding him about doing his schoolwork
and the importance of a good education.
I never got to college.
How's he doing, grade-wise?
His teachers say he won't apply himself.
He won't do his homework, but then he aces his tests.
But he averages out to a.
It's common for kids with really high l.Q.'s.
Lloyd said he was doing his homework when Luis broke in.
Yeah, I guess he finally started listening to me.
Would you mind if I stayed in touch?
I want to make sure that Lloyd gets all the help he needs.
Yes, of course.
Great.
We know Rezian's lying about the box,
so we can't anticipate his next move.
We got to be ready for anything.
He's probably using us to prep a shoot-out.
What are the specs on this place?
No surveillance, two points of entry.
Means I can back you up from out here.
Get in touch with Rezian.
Tell him three men only... No weapons.
You've been playing both sides. How are you gonna pull this off?
I got to stay as neutral as possible,
which means if shit goes sideways, you got to contain it.
[CELLPHONE RINGS] No problem.
At least we're all three together on this one.
Yeah.
You show me a better way, I'll take it.
He's got a location on Pezuela's lapdog, Rios,
wants us to meet him there.
How is that possible when Olivia came up empty?
Guess the enthusiastic supercop turned over the right rock.
Picking up Rios means there's no meeting,
buys us some time to figure out what's Rezian's playing.
Being the arresting officer screws Vic with Pezuela.
We got to lock up Julien so he doesn't blow our plan.
Let's go.
Friend of mine landed at border patrol.
Rios is on their unofficial watch list.
They're tracking him?
They don't have enough manpower to do that,
but they do know that Rios has some family at this address.
Amazing work.
Just trying to chip in.
Neighbor said they saw him go in a couple hours ago.
Me and Vic will take the back.
VENDRELL: Police.
Open up. We want to ask you some questions.
Police. Open this door.
Last chance. Open this door.
Police, open up! Go.
Kitchen's clear.
Bedroom, clear. Clear.
The TV's on. Looks like we just missed someone.
Let's look around,
see if there's any signs of Amando Rios.
[TELEVISION PLAYING]
So, we done talking this Lloyd thing through?
You spinning grassy knoll doesn't do anything for us.
A profile... Male, highly intelligent,
unstable family, pisspoor student,
abandoned by his father.
The mom's got a big old Dutch-boy crush...
Obviously a couple of genetic screws loose.
The kid's off.
All right, let's say he lures the school bully over,
shoots him for payback over some perceived slight?
I don't get anger off Lloyd. I get nothing.
That's the problem.
He stood there and watched somebody die
like it was no big thing.
There's speculation Bundy's first murders
were committed in his early teens.
They gain reinforcement
the more crimes they get away with...
Gain power, their methods improve.
Wait a minute. I buy the setup theory.
But are you saying this kid's a serial killer?
They all pop their cherry somewhere.
VENDRELL: You know all the rules, so let's play nice.
Once you've returned your seat backs and tray tables
to their upright position...
then we'll be in business.
Okay, we're all here.
Who wants to share first?
There's a misunderstanding
that's causing a lot of problems for us.
Where's the box?
We don't have it.
Oh, goddamn it! That's not what he told us!
I only set this up because you said you could deliver!
Your people stabbed me in jail, killed two of my men today.
You made your strength very clear.
Everybody just take a deep breath.
It has nothing to do with us. Step back.
I risked coming empty-handed because I want to prove
the Armenians have no stake in this war.
So, you tell me. Who has what we want?
I don't know how this rumor got started,
but I can't give you what I don't have.
We're businessmen.
If you'll agree to look someplace else,
we're willing to let today's murders go unanswered,
and we'll help you find who took what you lost.
Rezian's lying through his Armenian teeth.
This is what he wants... You doubting the truth.
It clears him for retribution.
You sound desperate to prove your worth.
What good is a dirty cop selling bad information?
My information is still dead-on.
You're the only one saying the Armenians have the box.
And in I've still never seen any proof.
One day, the blackmail box goes missing.
The next, Rezian springs himself
from a sure-thing tour in county jail.
Even you can connect those dots.
It's not enough.
Maybe we need to look for it somewhere else.
WAGENBACH: A kid Lloyd's age shouldn't have to deal
with something this potentially damaging alone.
Well, he's not alone, detective.
I'm sorry. Of course he's not.
My dad died when I was a little guy... 6 years old.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
The point is I know what it's like to grow up
without a man around to relate to.
Oh, Chuck wasn't all that relatable
even when he was still with us.
He drank... a lot.
At my a9e=
it's like a buyer's market out there for men.
I just never felt the need to settle.
A woman like you shouldn't have to.
Oh, Detective Billings.
Are you sure I can't get you some coffee?
No, I'm good.
But can you point me in the direction of the restroom?
Oh, second door on the left.
I want you to know that I'm here to help.
House calls don't seem
like they're part of your job description, detective.
I'm not the sort of cop that punches out
at the end of eight hours.
And please, call me Dutch.
Okay?
RITA: Okay, Dutch.
The more you tell me about Lloyd,
the better I can help both of you.
I understand. Whatever you need.
You want coffee?
Please.
Does Lloyd have any friends at school,
someone he can talk to?
There aren't a lot of white kids.
Not that that matters.
But with all the drugs and gang activities,
I always hoped that he would just find himself a girlfriend.
I mean, he is a good-looking kid.
I wasn't ready to date until college.
Some of us are slow learners.
Hmm.
Rita, it might be a good idea
for you to bring Lloyd back in.
You want him to process this in a healthy way.
We can submit the case file
along with a videotape of the interview,
maybe pry some money out of the state
to pay for some sessions with a psychologist.
Yeah, you know how these bureaucrats are...
All these hoops they want you to jump through.
Well, if you think it's the right thing.
He's what? WOMAN: He's on his way in.
From now on, if you need to reach me, call.
We need a quick Armenian political win...
Something public.
You help me with that, I promise you,
the first domino falls at Pezuela's feet.
Why the Armenians?
Pezuela's got it in his head
that the Armenians have the blackmail box.
We need him to continue thinking that. That's all.
It's our best shot
at getting Pezuela to incriminate himself.
Since the mayor recognized the Armenian genocide,
the supporters have proposed a commemorating memorial.
How nice. The funds have been denied every year
by the same city employee.
And Mr. Istanbul with the tight fist,
he's in the blackmail box?
I don't know that a plan to erect some monument
is enough to ruffle feathers.
It sounds small, but it'll resonate big on the right ears.
You give me the name, I'll put it in play.
You know him.
It's the city controller... Robert Martin.
What's Pezuela got on him?
Insider trading.
I was hoping to free him from this noose,
not tighten it myself.
I'm not launching anything that's gonna hurt your pal.
You're looking at a long campaign.
You better get used to pressing the tough buttons.
[DIALING]
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
Controller Martin, please.
I'm a friend who's got information
about his deal with the Berkeley Group.
What? WOMAN: That's what he said.
Who is this?
Insider trading is a crime. You've been a bad boy.
Uh...
I don't know what you're talking about.
Sure you do.
Communications about the deal you made so much money on,
they've got a new owner, and that owner's priorities
include protecting Armenian interests.
Yeah, well, that all sounds pretty vague.
The only thing that would make today's flag-waving sweeter
is the announcement that their ancestors
will be commemorated in stone.
The memorial? Oh, no, no, no. It's too late for that.
No, not when you've got information
that gives you the inside track,
just like you did with Berkeley.
Guess you've got some calls to make.
I would have loved to have dealt the blow myself.
Asshole never did pay me back for the favor he owes me.
He would have known your voice in a second.
Now he's gonna know my foot up his ass.
Only question is
how long is it gonna take Pezuela to boil over?
[ENGINE TURNS OVER]
City controller announced plans
for an L.A. Monument recognizing the Armenian genocide.
Well, so what?
A slab of marble gonna disrupt your vision for the city?
Robert Martin
suddenly supporting the Armenian interests
means Rezian was lying.
You were right.
You really think Rezian
would choose a monument to show his hand?
It doesn't seem too smart.
It's not.
But it means my information has limited exposure.
The plans will be presented to the community
at the march this afternoon.
Rezian won't be able to resist showing his face there.
Hey, we agreed. No civilian casualties.
I see one gunman at that rally in Little Armenia,
and you'll be hunting for that blackmail box on your own.
No Armenian civilians will get hurt.
Hey, wait.
I'll find a way to get it back to you.
Do it quickly.
Once you review and sign your statement,
we'll be through.
You miss your dad?
What there was to like about him, I guess.
I hardly remember my own father.
Well, I bet he would be proud.
A detective seems like a pretty honorable profession.
BILLINGS: We need another signature downstairs,
Lloyd being a minor and so forth.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
This, uh... this section here,
where you were when you heard Luis break in...
What were you doing, again?
Well, it says I was in my bedroom, doing my homework.
Right.
You have a lot of drawings of yourself, don't you?
A lot of great artists did self-portraits.
You consider yourself an artist?
Not really.
I don't draw that well, actually.
A lot of things a person can do to be considered an artist.
What subject? Hmm?
What subject were you studying
when you heard Luis break in?
Chem.
Your mom says you don't do very well in chemistry.
Yeah, well, I'm making an effort.
A couple of things, looking over this statement,
didn't quite make sense to me.
Are you sure this is exactly how this all went down?
That is the whole truth, yes.
Luis came looking for what he thought was an easy payday,
in broad daylight, with you ready to defend yourself.
I wasn't ready for anything.
Okay, I was writing a chemistry lab report.
I have it half-finished if you'd like to see.
You heard him break in,
went into your mom's room, got the gun from her closet.
You must have learned always to keep
the gun unloaded until you're ready to use it.
Yeah.
So, you had time to load the weapon
as you heard the intruder approach?
It was adrenaline, I guess.
You were nervous at this point, hands shaking
as you tried to put the bullets in the chamber?
I was scared, yeah.
You didn't see Luis' face until...
Until I walked over to his body.
Lloyd...
why is it, 10 hours after killing someone,
you seem past it?
Just for shits and giggles,
let me tell you how I think this might have gone down
if it had been, say, a murder.
You could have gone to Luis yourself,
told him about some theoretical cash lying around your house.
"You make it look like a robbery. We'll split it 50/50."
Only when Luis breaks in...
you're waiting there to kill him...
See what it feels like.
A science experiment you could ace...
stand over the body,
life draining out of him,
watch him die.
Certain kind of person...
Might make you feel like Superman.
I was never big on comic books.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Go ahead and sign that statement if you're satisfied.
You know, it's only natural, a tragedy like this,
for the person who walks away to blame themselves.
Promise me you won't do that.
I'll try not to.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
We're happy that the Council was able to support us on this.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
David.
Robert, surprised to see you here.
It's not the cause I reject.
It's the needless spending on gratuitous events.
Council was happy to hear you had a change of heart.
VIC: You see anyone eyeing Rezian?
I see a lot of ladies who need some hot wax,
but none of them brown.
Until this is over, Rezian doesn't leave our sight line.
If a hit was ordered,
it'll go down before the speeches,
when the crowd is still unfocused.
The Armenian cause deserves as much representation
as that of any other ethnic group.
Of course.
This memorial is one of the few times I can remember
where we haven't seen eye to eye.
Let's get started.
[GUNSHOTS, SCREAMING]
Get down! Get down!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
Robert! Robert! Oh, my God!
I need a medic!
I need a medic now!
[SIREN WAILS]
A city official is dead.
Second crime in Little Armenia today,
and we're still nowhere on the first.
This Armenian-Mexican trouble is real.
I'm still trying to get a handle
on how it started and who's behind it.
Then I want more than just Julien
in my Barn with his nose to the ground.
[SIGHS]
You and me, we're done! Keep your money!
There's an important place for you in my business.
That was a goddamn assassination.
Martin had nothing to do with your Armenian beef.
You flipped the switch on him to send a message...
"You use the blackmail box, these are the consequences."
We had a deal, man. Contain the violence.
And I'm still a goddamn cop!
Not for long.
And not without me.
You better pray this doesn't blow back on you.
That's what I have you for.
Between the fire you set and the controller's murder,
you have started one hell of a shit storm for us.
Isn't that what you're being compensated for?
Forget compensation!
You better give me someone to take the hit
for those burning murders this morning right now,
or I swear to God, I will make sure
that blackmail box stays in Little Armenia permanently.
[INDISTINCT TALKING ON POLICE RADIO]
WAGENBACH: life draining out of him,
watch him die.
Certain kind of person...
Might make you feel like Superman.
I was never big on comic books.
16 years old, already figured out
how to commit a crime like this and walk away clean.
BILLINGS: If he was gonna break, he would have.
Even if he had confessed, it wouldn't have been admissible.
What if I'm right?
There are times when you entertain
the possibility that you're not?
We let this go, and Luis is just victim number one.
He's a kid.
He's already pulled off the perfect murder.
Maybe it went down just like he says.
We'll never know.
Until victim number two.
[SIGHS]
Go ahead and sign that if you're satisfied.
Everything we have on Rios.
I tried before, Vic. He's not in our system.
Try again.
[SIGHS]
You think he's connected to the shooting in Little Armenia?
Vic.
Councilman David Aceveda, Federal Agent Olivia Murray.
Councilman.
I'll, um, shake a few more trees, then.
Thanks.
[SIGHS]
Hey, man, I didn't know what was gonna go down.
You have me give you an Armenian win,
and their march turns into a goddamn killing?
That was never part of the plan.
You know, Martin was my colleague, Vic.
Now, you may not care who has to die
to save your job, your ass,
but I did not sign up for this!
You signed up for this
the moment you got into bed with Pezuela.
I want Pezuela in prison and out of my life now!
Martin didn't deserve to die,
but now we have something concrete.
And something we cannot prove, Vic.
Maybe we can't,
but that's why in I've been reaching out to Olivia Murray.
If she can make a connection between Rios and the cartel,
it insulates us.
Pezuela goes down, maybe I keep my job,
and you stay teed up for the bigger office.
Hey, who's that?
Pedro and Miguel.
Still got smoke in their hair from the fire they set.
Witness at the arson site was afraid to come forward
until the Robert Martin shooting.
Okay, good.
Make sure the entire team expresses their gratitude.
Why kill the controller?
He supported your cause.
Mexicans wanted to make it clear they didn't.
They think I had something to do
with the genocide memorial being proposed?
Yeah.
We need to find this box.
Yeah, well, good luck.
I need your help to do it. It's your final favor.
And you and your friend
are free from my organization's punishment.
Well, all right, then.
Hey, you got a sec?
Sure. Two, even.
I just need you to sign this.
It's about Lee. My lawyer drew it up.
Your lawyer?
Since when do we talk through a mouthpiece?
You want to tell me what this shit means?
That you waive your parental rights to my son.
We've talked about this before.
It's just in writing this time.
I see that. I thought we were okay.
We are.
Then why is it in writing this time?
So that there's no confusion down the road.
Just get it back to me, okay?
[SIGHS]
You forget to hit me up for a campaign contribution?
That fed in the clubhouse, how close is she to the truth?
Agent Murray's looking to take down the cartel.
Connecting Pezuela to them is just a win-win for all of us.
Yeah, well, I thought I'd seen her name somewhere before.
Tonight, I confirmed it.
She's in the blackmail box?
Which means the face of your plan's crucial next step
is on the hook to Pezuela.
How much have you told her?
Hey. He's got her in his pocket.
How much have you told her?
Enough to blow it with Pezuela
and get us both killed.
[I