02x05 - Two Truths and a Lie

[bunniefuu]

[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING IN DISTANCE]

♪♪

♪♪

[MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVS]

♪♪

♪♪

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Tweet's dead.

[SIGHS]

How?

Heroin/fentanyl overdose.

That's... that's what
the coroner's report said.

Dante's drug of the moment.

You think it was Dante?

The Nation has a recent history

of putting snitches in ditches

with an armful of that sh*t.

Well, how... how would Dante know Tweet

was two-timing him with the cops?

♪♪

Brannigan.

He has a relationship with Dante.

Brannigan gets a cut.

In exchange, he leaves
the Nation's corners alone.

How do you know that?

♪♪

I set it up.

[CHUCKLING]

Normally, when the client
tells me some bad things

about their lives, my job gets harder,

- but with you...
- You're using me.

That's what this is.

Absolutely.

But that's not all.

What else?

I'm saving you.

I'm your Black liberal saviour.

♪♪

♪ Chicago ♪

♪ Where the dollar and blue
collar go hand in hand ♪

♪ City of Dreams so big ♪

♪ Nightmares don't stand a chance ♪

♪ A concrete paradise where roses grow ♪

♪ See the smile from a child ♪

♪ Light up the Magnificent Mile ♪

♪ And melt the coldest snow ♪

♪ This is home ♪

♪ Find the brightest minds
on these dark streets ♪

♪ See the heart and soul
on these old blocks ♪

♪ Where we grow, we call it the Go ♪

♪ 'Cause we don't stop ♪

What are you saving me from?

When you can answer
that question yourself,

my work here is done.

Maybe Tweet was the welcome gift

Brannigan gave Dante.

They left the syringe in his hand

to make it look self-administered.

The coroner's report should
have the chemical analysis

of the drug residue in the syringe.

Let's get ahold of that.

- How?
- In a minute.

♪ I had myself a good love ♪

♪ I had a good woman ♪

Hey, hey. Nicole, I need
you to help with something.

NICOLE: And why would I do that?

Truth and reconciliation.

You need the first one
before you can get the second.

- Oh, really?
- Johnny Logan is the first part.

He's the truth.

Hey.

- MAN: Yeah?
- Hey.

- What?
- What do you want?!

- What do you want?!
- He's my friend!

- Who are you, huh?!
- That's my friend!

- What's the matter with you?
- JOHNNY: I'm sorry.

- Tell that to him.
- I'm sorry.

I can't do this.

♪♪

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

[DOOR OPENS]

I need to plead guilty.

My, uh, client is interested in a deal.

Sure.

He can plead guilty
to first-degree m*rder.

These lawyer-to-lawyer tête-à-têtes

are a little cozy for my taste.

So I invite the victim along.

What do you... what do you mean?

A reminder of why we're here.

C-could I have some coffee, please?

- You got it.
- I'll raise you my coffee.

And another plate of these?

- Sure, ma'am.
- Thanks.

I knew I was right.

Your heart's not in it.

I know how much you care about
taking a pop at the system.

I'm not talking about that.

I knew I was right about
you and your client.

Now, he sent you here to cut a deal.

"Go get me years,

and I'll tell the world how sorry I am."

But you had no intention
of trying to make that deal,

because you want a trial.

It's all about you, isn't it, Franklin?

Going out with a bang, not a whimper?

Don't worry.

I won't tell your client
what a pushover you were.

Who's prosecuting?

You know, I couldn't decide.

And then I asked myself a key question.

If I were in Franklin Roberts' shoes,

who would I not want as an opponent?

And what's the answer?

Me.

[CHUCKLING]

State's attorney can't
prosecute this thing.

Oh, this one can.

This one understands what
you're going for here,

the whole house of cards.

What's the matter? You frightened of me?

You should be.

List of witnesses.

That's a lot of names for a department

that didn't notice that
there was a man in a coma

looking like this

outside the biggest cop bar in the city.

The Chicago Police Department is united

in wanting to cut out this cancer.

There's a-a deal we can make, you and I.

Hmm. What's that?

Let's not use cancer as a metaphor.

It's a stupid, lazy cliché,

and we're both better than that.

Ah.

If the world's going to be watching,

let's raise our games, Kim.

Let's give them something to see.

♪♪

Page .

Or, to put it another way,

I'm gonna f*ck you up, Franklin Roberts.

And Donna? Check, please.

You got it.

Oh, no, no.

It's my treat.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[DOOR UNLOCKS]

- I tried.
- Nothing?

They're lining up to
testify against you.

Which is a good thing.

Why?

Because I get to
cross-examine the whole crew,

flush out the poison.

Or I could just plead guilty to m*rder.

- Nobody does that.
- But I could.

Do you want to take sole
responsibility for this?

Do you... do you feel like
you're the only guilty person

in this department?

How hard did you try to make a deal?

See, here's the thing.

When all of the apples
g*ng up on the one apple

to show how wholesome and shiny

they are compared to the rotten apple,

it sticks in my gullet.
It makes me nauseous.

It gets all my juices flowing.

You didn't answer my question.

Yes, I did.

I think they're looking for me.

And I'm not safe here.

And I'm not sure how
safe you are either.

I have an idea.

♪ Lost was I ♪

PASTOR RICHARD: Everybody eats here.

Everybody works.

Some days, it's kitchen duty,

some days cleaning the bathrooms.

I understand.

♪ You brought me back ♪

♪ To life again ♪

♪ Opened up your heart ♪

♪ And took me in ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ You've been my saviour ♪

That's your room.

- You got a g*n with you?
- Yeah.

♪ And you've been my friend ♪

No g*ns. House rule.

♪ The precious love you gave me ♪

♪ Precious love you gave ♪

♪ Just in time to save me ♪

♪ Just in time to save me ♪

♪ And bring me back ♪

♪ To life again ♪

He'll be okay.

♪ You brought me back to life again ♪

♪ I said, you ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ Brought me back ♪

♪ To life again ♪

♪ And then you opened up your heart ♪

♪ And took me in ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Now, you've been my saviour ♪

I seen you take on some tough cases,

never once thought you
was in over your head.

U-until now?

Your words, brother, not mine.

Well, t-t-that's not true.

They were going to be your words.

You just didn't finish your sentence.

Do you ever stop being a lawyer?

I never stop taking
care with what I say.

It's the least we can ask of each other.

You right.

You know, you always say,

"God never gives a man
more than he can handle."

Don't lay this one off on God.

You took this baby all on your own.

What you're doing
with Norma... is wrong.

The father of her child,

and she doesn't know he's a cop?

It's like the devil came to stay,

and we're not calling him out.

I got to tell you,
Franklin, she has to be told.

Don't do it.

I think I have to.

What's more wrong?

A small lie now for
the greater good later

or the truth now and everything
bad stays bad forever?

The small lie diminishes me.

How will I be trusted in the future?

And if I'm not trusted,
I can't do my work.

God didn't know from the start

that his son was going to die

or that Judas was going to betray him?

T-There wasn't a plan?

And the plan didn't involve
some lying by omission?

You're comparing your
work to God's work now?

What... what better comparison?

Isn't that how to live a life?

Help me, my friend.

Please.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

♪♪

♪♪

My God.

Oh, my God.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

NICOLE: And the difference
between a therapeutic dose

and a deadly dose is tiny.

It's actually a smart
way to k*ll somebody.

It can so easily look like an overdose.

Here's what matters.

Tweet had exactly one part fentanyl

to parts heroin in
the dose that k*lled him.

Is this a chemistry lesson for me?

It's... it's a very
interesting quantity.

I-I-I don't understand.

The dr*gs planted at
Norma Johnson's house

and seized on the corner
the day Michael Rossi d*ed...

cut exactly the same way.

So... Same chemical composition.

It's the same batch.

So Brannigan...

Brannigan k*lled Tweet.

It looks that way.

Okay, I got it. Wow.

Okay.

I'm gonna get going.

W-w-wait. So, that's it?

You're... you're just gonna leave now?

Are you asking me to come back to work?

I need the words.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Please come back, Nicole Carter.

I-I need your help.

♪♪

♪ Those were the times we had ♪

♪ Sharing a joy that
we thought would last ♪

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

♪ Memories of love and affection ♪

♪ Never really was just like a dream ♪

Is there a party? Hey!

Come on.

Look at it.

♪♪

Geez. Whoa!

Come on, David.

Don't stop. Don't stop.

Nope. Sorry.

Uh... where... where's Mom?

Um, well, I thought I
would give you a ride home.

- ♪ Good times we had ♪
- David...

♪ Sending you forget-me-nots ♪

♪ They... ♪

I got you. Come on.

- Bye, David.
- I guess we're going home.

None of my business, of course,

but heard about Josh

and what happened at... at school.

I was thinking maybe he could work

and learn the trade.

That's easier said than done.

Apprentice to the master
plumber could work,

if we could find a plumber.

Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

You could work.

I don't know, man. I don't know.

I mean, things... things just...

they're... they're quiet right now.

They're quiet, yeah.

Oh. Yeah.

Downtime for homeschooling.

The van is your classroom.

Yeah, I don't know.

Plumbing? Plumbing?

The kid is a straight-A student.

What's wrong with a straight-A student

getting his hands a little dirty?

- Okay?
- It's a good, honest trade.

Yeah. Yeah.

And why shouldn't he be more like you?

Just a little less smelly.

Well, I think it's all set.

Joshua Johnson,

apprentice to the great Phil Robinson.

Yeah.

Master Phil Robinson, plumber.

Yeah.

Alright.

Take care, y'all.

Bye, Franklin.

Hey.

♪♪

Under the seat on the passenger side.

Find something to clip it on.

♪♪

♪♪

[SIGHS]

♪♪

Why aren't you speaking to me?

Mom said.

What did Mom say?

She said that being
with you is dangerous.

♪♪

♪♪

♪ Sometime I'm right ♪

♪♪

♪ Sometime I'm wrong, baby ♪

♪♪

♪ But I tell you what I'm gonna do ♪

♪ Look here, little girl ♪

♪ I can't be right always ♪

♪♪

♪ I can't be wrong
always neither, baby ♪

♪ My girl, you're mine,
you're my baby, sugar ♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪ Mm, I love you, girl ♪

You don't talk much, Logan.

♪ Yeah, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh ♪

I feel like one of those monks
who takes a vow of silence.

Mm. Trappists.

Those cats can go years
without saying a word.

Yeah, why is that?

The sacrifice they make to
bring them closer to God.

I guess Franklin isn't telling you

what he's giving up for you.

[SIGHS]

The sacrifices he's making.

His family pulled apart,

Johnson family pulled apart.

What are you saying to me?

For this to be worth it,
for the pain and sacrifice

to mean anything, it
all has to come out.

♪♪

God is watching you,
and he's gonna need you

to lay it all out there.

The whole truth and nothing but.

♪♪

[SIGHS]

♪♪

[DIALLING]

- [CELLPHONE RINGS]
- [SIGHS]

You've reached Franklin Roberts.

Please leave a message.

You asked if I told you everything.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY]

♪♪

[GROANS, PANTING]

[GRUNTING]

[GROANING]

♪♪

Oh, God.

I-I can't...

[GRUNTING, PANTING]

- Oh, God.
- This your car, sir?

- Offic... Officer...
- Don't do that.

No, no, no. Don't move.

I just dropped my phone.
I just dropped my phone.

Move away from the car nice and slow.

I can't. I can't.

I need you to get up!

I can't move.

Get on your hands and knees now!

I'm warning you, move
away from the damn car!

I can't do that.
Officer, Officer, Officer,

Officer, my name is Franklin Roberts.

I got fourth-stage prostate cancer,

and the pain in my back
won't allow me to move.

This is gonna end up
very badly for both of us

if you don't listen to me very...

very carefully.

See? Look.

There... there's the phone.

And my phone...

If you could come around
here, you could see.

Yes, you could see. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

This is gonna... It's gonna be okay.

See my hands?

My hands... they're not moving.

I'm gonna keep them very still, and...

and they're away from my pockets.

I'm gonna be very still because I-I...

Officer, I need you to help me, okay?

I'm gonna be real
still, 'cause I don't...

I don't... I need you to help me get up.

Okay?

Okay?

Nothing frightening here.

Nothing at all.

Okay? You see my hands.

Gently, slowly, put your g*n away.

You can help me.

I can't get up.

My phone is underneath there.

There's no g*n there. That's a phone.

You see my hands.

Thank you. Thank you.

Get ahold of me under my arms.

Thank you.

Thank you. That's right.

Good. Good, good.

Okay, okay. You got me?

Okay.

[MOANING IN PAIN]

It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

I got you.

Thank you. My...
That's a good Samaritan.

Thank you so much.

And if you... you could
do me one more favour.

I-I can't get my phone.

If I go back down there,
I'll never get back up.

I'm gonna turn over here.
I'm gonna turn over here.

Look. Look at my hands.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

♪♪

Thank you.

♪♪

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

♪♪

[SIGHS]

♪♪

[KEYPAD CLICKING]

♪♪

- JOHNNY: Hey!
- [VIC MENSA'S " sh*ts" PLAYING]

Turn... that... off.

♪ This ain't conscious
rap, this sh*t ignorant ♪

- JALIL: You police?
- Yeah.

I ain't breaking no law, so...

[LAUGHS] ... f*ck .

♪ , , , , ... ♪

- And f*ck you.
- ♪ , , , , , ♪

[PUNCH LANDS, JALIL GRUNTS]

♪ , , , , , , , ♪

♪ , , , f*ck ♪

[PUNCH LANDS, JALIL GRUNTS]

♪ sh*ts ♪

♪ And we buckin' back ♪

♪ sh*ts ♪

♪ sh*ts ♪

♪ And we buckin' back ♪

♪ sh*ts ♪

[PUNCHING CONTINUES]

♪♪

[PUNCHING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE]

♪♪

[DOOR OPENS]

Over a song?

You k*lled Jalil Watts over a song?!

How old are you?!

.

years ago, you were a baby.

You were born with nothing,
and everything was possible.

And yet, here we are years later,

and you do this.

♪♪

What happened to me?

♪♪

I don't know.

♪♪

I don't believe in a r*cist gene.

I don't believe Baby Logan

was born ready to club someone to death

because of the colour of their skin.

♪♪

But I do believe this
is a r*cist country,

and you were educated into that racism

and into this.

♪♪

America happened to you, boy.

♪♪

But is it worth fighting against?

I think so.

Yeah.

I think so, too.

I think so, too.

♪♪

JOHNNY: Hey!

Here, come on.

JALIL: You police?

- Come on.
- Yeah.

I ain't breaking no law, so...

Come on, man.

[LAUGHS] ... f*ck ... and f*ck you.

♪ , , , , , , , , , , ♪

[PUNCH LANDS, JALIL GRUNTS]

♪ , , , , , , , ♪

♪ , , , f*ck ♪

[PUNCH LANDS, JALIL GRUNTS]

♪ And we buckin' back ♪

♪ sh*ts ♪

- ♪ sh*ts ♪
- [PUNCH LANDS]

[CHILDREN LAUGHING AND PLAYING]

♪♪

♪♪

Lieutenant.

You don't come see us anymore.

But you'll go see Logan in lockup?

The visiting logs are public.

What do you want?

Come on.

Let's not do this.

We're on the same side
here, now more than ever.

What does that mean?

Franklin Roberts, the trial.

There's nothing he won't do.

We need to be prepared for that.

We?

We both know that Logan did this.

I'm sorry.

You want me to call him Johnny?

Johnny watched that jury
set Moses Johnson free,

and he went out that night

and b*at that poor bastard to death.

We know he did it and we know why.

Some cops, like some men, are born bad.

Johnny has to pay,
like Derek Chauvin paid.

What does this got to do with me?

What do you expect me to do?

- Testify.
- What... No.

Hear me out.

We can put a dozen
cops up on that stand...

and we will...

but none of us could
hold a candle to you.

Testify to what?

I want you to protect the shield.

The same shield that's protecting you

and all your kids.

Everything that my
husband knew about you,

everything...

I know, too.

Do you... do you
understand what I'm saying?

Yeah.

You won't do anything about that.

You love your children too much for them

to find out their grieving mom

was f*cking their
godfather with their dad

barely in the ground, not even cold.

Right?

Are you blackmailing me?

- Come on.
- Then what are you saying?

I was awake most of the night,

thinking about you and Johnny

and what the hell you were doing.

And I couldn't find an answer.

Then I slept, and when I woke up,

I wasn't thinking about you anymore.

And it came to me, the
answer, like things do

when you're not thinking about them.

He took advantage of you, didn't he?

You said "no" when he came on to you.

Of course you did.

Your husband only dead a few days?

You had to say "no."

But you were vulnerable.

And he wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

Kind of of man he is.

Am I right?

He r*ped me?

The kind of man he is.

He's subtle... Logan.

He was bullying you
without you knowing it

or seeing it for what it was.

He's a subtle beast.

♪♪

♪♪

A little over $ million.

What?

What we'll pay to see all your kids

all the way through college
and out the other side.

Good kids like that

with a mom who loves them
as much as you love them...

worth every cent.

♪♪

Johnny Logan is a thug.

He hates Black people
and he hates women.

A guy like that has to pay.

♪♪

♪♪

More stuff.

You want me to unpack for you?

The drawers have woodworm.

I'm... I'm good with the suitcase.

I'm... I'm checking out soon, anyways,

so it... it doesn't matter.

Why would the cops k*ll Tweet?

Because they found out
he was talking to me.

He was? And how did they find out?

He called me. I gave
him my business card.

It was in his pocket
when he turned up dead.

Which makes his m*rder
part of the cover-up.

Yeah, I-I guess it... it does, yes.

Which makes you a possible witness.

You're a link in the chain.

Yes, without me, Tweet wouldn't be dead.

But there's something else.

He called me when I
was with Norma Johnson.

And?

I used his name on the phone.

And?

Norma said, "Who's Tweet?"

You think she told her new man.

The next link in the chain...

me, Norma, Big Phil, Brannigan.

Franklin Roberts can't
ask Franklin Roberts

questions in court.

Interesting though that would be.

Last time around, you were
angling to sit second chair.

Are you planning on
moving up one this time?

♪♪

Oh.

[LAUGHS]

♪♪

♪ I put a spell on you ♪

♪♪

♪ Because you're mine ♪

It's a girl.

I can feel it.

BIG PHIL: Oh.

I was thinking Nina... Nina Simone.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

What?

Complicated, angry, and never on time.

♪ I ain't lyin' ♪

- No, big, beautiful, proud.
- Yeah.

♪ No, I ain't lyin' ♪

- Fierce.
- Yeah.

- Yeah.
- How's she doing?

♪ You know I can't stand it ♪

♪ Your running around ♪

Joshua.

♪ You know better, daddy ♪

Nina who?

♪ I can't stand it,
'cause you put me down ♪

You need to take him somewhere.

"Nina who"?

Really, Josh?

Let's go to work, alright?

♪♪

♪ Because you're mine ♪

"Nina who?"

I gotcha, I gotcha, I gotcha.

You still ain't got the door fixed?

Move this crap.

Alright, let's do this. Let's go.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[VAN DOOR CLOSES]

What are we doing?

Why we stopping here?

Look, we both know you
still working for the Nation.

You can't just drop out
and turn into a plumber.

Doesn't work like that.

So I'll pick you up right here at : .

What about my mom?

She'll never know you're not with me.

When I pick you up,

I'll tell you about
our day's work together.

I don't feel right lying to her.

Yeah, people lie for
all kinds of reasons.

Not all of them bad.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

What's good?

[DOOR BUZZES]

LOTTY: Whoo!

Yes, sir!

Who they let out now?

Oh, sh*t.

What's good with you?

- Yeah.
- Good seeing you.

Damn, boy, you done cleaned up, cuz-o.

- Yeah, you feel me?
- I see that.

Sunlight... Hey, bro.

- Don't play with me, boy.
- Oh, sh*t.

We got to get you out of
these bummy-ass clothes, too.

Alright, relax. Chill on me.

What's up?

What you got?

- Holla at me.
- Oh, come on, now.

Come on with it, now.

Welcome home, G.

Yes, sir!

Hey, I appreciate you, for real.

Who the shorty?

Joshua Johnson.

Speak's boy.

Nah.

Nah, after that Moses showdown? No.

See, I don't even trust no
skinny-ass little brother.

♪♪

Listen, man, so,

I got some new connects
out of there, alright?

I definitely got a few
ideas how we can cash out.

This... So, we got to take
care of something first.

- Take care of what?
- A cop.

The one who k*lled that
dude up in Bridgeport?

The one that we own?

What about him?

They said he comin'
for Brannigan's people.

And?

What you... what you mean "and"?

Brannigan police.

It's our police.

Make sure the Nation
blocks don't get too hot.

A cop get in the way
of that, he got to go.

Am I wrong?

We move different now, Lotty.

It ain't about the corners anymore.

There's a whole new world out here.

♪♪

Come on.

Nah.

He got to go.

♪♪

♪♪

Let's go.

♪♪

With your comfortable ass.

Move, boy.

Damn.

Get out, think you can do sh*t, man.

Relax.

♪♪

♪♪

Tell me about your son.

I don't want to do that.

Why not?

I let him down.

How?

Honestly?

I chose you over him.

I chose what we're doing over him.

You feel guilty about that?

I'm his father, Johnny.

You know, that's the first time

that you ever called
me by my first name.

I'm sorry. It won't happen again.

[CHUCKLES]

So, what are you gonna do?

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[ENGINE STARTS]

♪♪

♪♪

Yeah, she's pregnant.

sh*t.

So, tomorrow, you're gone.

Give it a week and the postcard
in the mail from Mississippi

or Alaska maybe,
somewhere wacko and far.

Simple.

Can I say something, Boss?

Go ahead.

I think what he gives us right now,

being inside the enemy
camp, is priceless.

I have to consider the
politics. This ever gets out?

They're coming for us.

Phil here is the ace up our sleeves.

We get to know all their
thinking, their strategy.

Right, buddy?

Right.

My only question is, can
you handle it emotionally?

I can handle it. I can handle it.

So, what do we do?

[SIGHS]

No, we take this upstairs.

It's beyond all our pay grades.

♪♪

BRANNIGAN: We need everything
we can get to defend ourselves.

And this is too good to lose.

MAYOR: I agree.

Keep him in there.

♪♪

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

[INTERCOM BUZZES]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪♪

That didn't happen.

Those two were never here.

No diary, no electronic record,

no trace.

What's the matter with these people?

Why can't they make their own choices?

Am I the only grown-up in this town?

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

We agreed you wouldn't come here.

We did.

We did.

We...

[SIGHS]

How you been?

Good.

You been taking your medicine?

Yeah.

So?

I'm hurting you out there.

We make our choices.

The community doesn't understand

what I'm trying to do with this trial.

And neither do I.

I never will.

And David...

I'm doing the last
thing a father should do,

making his child feel less safe

when he's with him, not more.

What's that?

Divorce papers?

Franklin...

Only way I can protect you.

Whatever this trial costs
me, I'll live with it,

but I-I-I won't hurt
you and David anymore.

I've done enough of that.

And I love you too much to do more.

Getting married?

That's how we make our
private feelings public.

This will be the same thing.

♪♪

The world needs to
know we're not together.

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Put your name by my name.

♪♪

And you'll be free,

and David will be safe.

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Hold my hand.

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