04x06 - Chapter Thirty-Four

[bunniefuu]

♪ Spring is thinking about Spring ♪

♪ About flowers
Are thinking about raining ♪

♪ What joys tomorrow will bring ♪

♪ Guess will hear come morning ♪

♪ It has been a lonesome fight ♪

♪ Between helpless days
And starless nights ♪

♪ Things are changing ♪

♪ Changing ♪

[inaudible]

♪ What choice tomorrow will bring ♪

♪ Guess we'll know come morning ♪

Why you here?

We heard.

sh*t's messed up.

- So unfair.
- Yeah. How's Cesar doing?

- How you think he's doing?
- I don't know.

I haven't seen him
since we talked a couple days ago.

You talked?

We all did.

But none of that matters now.
We just wanna see how Cesar's doing.

I don't know. I have no idea where he is.

I don't know who to trust
or who it could be.

I... I mean, may... maybe they were coming
for me, you know?

Mijo... your brother was in the life,
and the streets got a long memory.

This ain't about you.

Either way, someone's gonna pay.

No doubt, but we have
to be smart about it. Think it out.

[knocking on door]

Hey, Ray, you forgot to sign
your department's time cards.

My bad.

[pen clicks]

All right, thanks.

[door closes]

Hey, you lay low here
until I figure out our plan.

Lay low?
The sh**ter's gonna go on the run.

Gotta hit him!

Can't hit what we don't know.
Let me make some calls.

Fine... but we go tonight.

Tonight.

I need your strap.

- What are you talking about?
- This is a rehab facility.

We don't allow weapons here.

- [scoffs]
- I could lose my job.

[police sirens blaring]

[Fran] Jamal!

What is this?

[Jamal chuckles]

Yes!

I got a note! [chuckles]

Oh sh*t.

I got a note.

[Jamal] And that's why, when in doubt,

shout out Bigfoot.

- Wait, wait, wait, back up.
- To which part?

When Juanita fell in love with you,
and you took down some guy named Julio?

No, Julio was a gnomie.

Who cares?

Ruby, why are you hanging out
with a g*ng boss?

Like I had a choice!

- No, she kidnapped us.
- Technically the cops on her payroll did.

You got kidnapped?

I need a drink.

- Why would she kidnap you?
- 'Cause she thought we could pull it off.

I mean, we did take down
the Prophet$ after all. [chuckles]

Wait, what? The... the cops got them
for the bank robbery.

No, we brought them down
after we found the RollerWorld money.

[Monse scoffs] Jamal!
You mean you found it.

That's impossible.

Actually, it's not. We followed the clues.

- Like a scavenger hunt?
- Ha!

Mom! No! Scavenger hunts
are for the JV team and Chivo.

- But Chivo was just the side quest.
- [sputtering] Which one is Chivo again?

- [sighs]
- Lil' Ricky's cousin who has the gnomies.

Right, which are magical.

- No!
- Yes!

- No!
- Yes!

- No!
- Yes!

- Agree to disagree.
- What?

The point is RollerWorld is like
the greatest puzzle in the world,

but we didn't know the Puzzlemaker
had some problems of his own.

Namely, his piece,

who couldn't get a piece,
and then threatened us with her piece.

So she sent the notes?

- No!
- [Jamal] Ugh!

Cuchillos is dead, remember?

- Do y'all need an org chart?
- How could you keep this from us?

But... I didn't. I told you!

The hell you did!

[mocking] The hell I did!

Language!

Sorry.

But remember that night when you were
in your underwear in the garage,

and I was in my ninja suit with my shovel?
I said...

[exhales]

"Dad... my life is on the line,
and I have to dig up Lil' Ricky's grave."

Oh my God. You dug up a body?

Well, no, it was just a gnomie skeleton.

- Dwayne... how don't you listen to your kid?
- Like you listen to me!

[Fran] Ooh!

- I told you I was kidnapped.
- When?

That night! I came home super late,

and you and Abuelita were fighting,
so you just sent me to bed.

- [Dwayne] Tsk.
- Mother of the Year award!

Monse, did you ever say anything
to me about all this?

- No. [snickers]
- Thanks for sparing me a heart attack.

As a side note,
we couldn't have done any of this alone.

Major props to Abuelita

for giving me the confidence
to go after RollerWorld!

After she broke me out of school.
Remember that?

And she was a great getaway driver.

- Yes. Oh my...
- She picked us up from Pimp Lane.

That was after she helped us
launder the money!

Wait, do y'all remember
when she pulled a knife on me and Cesar?

I think my tea is ready!

Oh no, you don't.
I think you have some tea to spill!

- And, Ruby, go to your room!
- Why?

Ruby, I said go to your room.

[in Spanish] What are you waiting for?

Jamal! Go to Ruby's room.

What? I'm...

[clears throat]

Uh... Just...

Yeah. Yup, I'll be on my way.

I'm telling you, if it wasn't considered
elder abuse, I would knock you out!

Bring it, b*tch.

- I'm gonna show you elder abuse.
- [Geny] That's it.

Hey! Hey! No, no, no!

Skinny, little...

Okay. Okay.

What if Cuchillos's men are trying
to send a message with all of these notes?

They don't cut out magazines.

They cut out hearts.

So... what are we gonna do?

[man] You finished?

[Spooky] You gotta eat something.

Come on. I made your favorite.

[sighs] I just still don't get
why you're turning yourself in.

This deal means I'm only gone for months.

- If I don't take it, it could be years.
- But I'll be all alone.

[sniffs] Mano, we went over this.

The Santos have your back.

They're my family... and now they're yours.

They'll take care of all the bills,
[sniffs] bring over food and stuff.

And if CPS comes by,
what do you tell them?

Cesar, this is important.
What do you tell them?

[whimpering] Tío Manny's staying with me,
but he's at work right now.

See, you got this.

[sobbing]

But I don't want you to go.

- Hey, mírame. Mírame.
- [sniffling continues]

Just 'cause I'm not here
doesn't mean I'm not looking out for you.

I got you. [in Spanish] For life.

[man] Oscar.

We gotta go.

We gotta get him out of here.

- To where?
- Jalisco!

With your crazy family?

We could put the house up for sale
and leave!

Or we could put him on one
of Noel Aroma's rockets into outer space!

- You're being hyperbolic.
- Am I?

We have a baby. We can't just leave.

I'm going to the cops
like I should have in the first place.

And say what?

Everything!

That Hamal dug up a grave?

- Who's Hamal?
- What? Hamal!

Yeah?

Get back in there!

[Jamal] Oh!

[door opens]

[door closes]

Nobody was in the grave,
so... that's not a crime.

Maybe not, but wire fraud is.

Okay.

Well... "Hamal" is under 18.

It's a first-time offense,
so it will be a slap on the wrist.

What about accessory to m*rder?
Or the cops on Cuchillos' payroll?

If she had one, she's gotta have more.

So the cops aren't an option.

I still think Ruby is better off
in Jalisco... far away from here!

And then what?

Don't underestimate them.

Your kids have gotten through far worse,

and they're safer together
than they are apart.

They may just be kids,
but they are their own best protection.

She's right.

I know I'm right,
which is why I'm going to the police.

You just said the cops were a bad idea.

Uh!

There you go, not listening again!

I said "you."

All of you going to the cops
was a bad idea,

which is why I'm gonna go...

and tell them only what they should know.

Ah!

[phone ringing]

[recording] Your call has been forwarded...

[scoffs] Why isn't Cesar answering
his phone?

He's probably getting tons of calls.
We're not at the top of the callback list.

He's gonna be fine.

I know he is. I'm manifesting it.

We need to worry about our parents.
They couldn't pick up what we put down.

Yeah, neither could we.

We still don't know
who sent those letters.

[knocking on door]

Monse, let's go.

Hey.

We still don't know
if we're the only ones who got them.

Okay.

We're totally the only ones who got them.

What if you're wrong?
What if we aren't the only ones?

Jasmine didn't get one.

You don't know that!

Maybe someone's coming after her too.

I should fill her in
so she could protect herself.

- Didn't you guys talk already?
- Did I tell you we talked?

Um... Yeah! How else would I know?

Oh man.

- Grief does play tricks on the mind.
- Mm-hmm.

- Didn't even know I mentioned it.
- Yeah, you did. 100%.

Um... did she tell you
anything about her... future?

With her new boyfriend? Yeah, she did.

Who knows if he can protect her?
I need to make sure she's okay.

[sputtering] I hear what you're saying!

And... if I were in your shoes,
I'd be feeling the same way,

and I commend you for your chivalry.

But... being hasty
makes you look a little thirsty.

I'm not thirsty.

Well, your actions say you're parched.
I say chew on it for an hour, maybe two!

Then, if you're still feeling the same,
call me, and we can chew on it together.

[sighs] Good call.

[sighs] You're a good friend, Jamal.
You always keep it real with me.

So you start chewing,
I'll do some chewing of my own,

and in maybe two hours, call me,
and we'll decide if we wanna swallow.

[chuckles]

[door opens]

- That didn't come out right.
- I know.

You hear back?

Not yet, but I will.
Information takes time.

We're running out of time.

I told you, we need a plan.

And I told you, he could go on the run!

Fine, then go.

You gonna go in there blind
and smoke someone who you "think" did it?

Gonna kick down every door
till you find the sh**ter?

Whoever did this
knows that you're gunning for him.

You'll be lucky
to get a shot off before you die.

Yeah, well, I've got nothin' to lose.

But I do! I can't lose you both!

You don't think
that I'm not as angry as you?

That I'm not feeling what you're feeling?

Whoever did this didn't just take a life.

They took a part of you...

and a part of me.

So what do I do?

You trust me.

You give me the time that I need.

And start creating an alibi.

Make people around here see you working.

I'll let you know
as soon as I hear something.

[sighs] I heard about your brother, man.
I'm sorry.

He sounded like a good dude.

If you need an ear...

name's Starks.

[tense music playing]

You were supposed to
throw Ruby off the scent!

I did! It's not my fault
he didn't like the smell.

He thought your convo was about the D
instead of the UC!

"d*ck," "University of California"?
Keep up with me, woman.

Oh sh*t, I can see how that happened.

[scoffs, grunts] We need to come clean!

I just offloaded another secret,
so I'm down to two,

which includes
our relationship-slash-non-relationship

and an unrelated secret I can't get into.
And Berkeley.

sh*t! That's actually
three secrets I'm carrying.

This is unhealthy.

This is constipating.

I need a secret enema.

- As long as I don't have to give it to you.
- [scoffs]

But that's just it. You do.

That's why I'm here,
'cause if I drop a deuce,

two secrets, and come clean to Ruby,
then I'll be a one-secret guy,

and that I can totally handle,
and we don't hurt Ruby!

I am so done worrying
about Ruby's feelings.

I finally realized what self-care is,

and it's about not worrying
about everyone else all the time!

I have always been so...
ensorcelled with Ruby!

Ensorcelled?

Charmed, fascinated. It's an SAT Word.

Okay, I see you, Berkeley!

Yeah, but I couldn't see Ruby clearly!

But now that I've been able to focus
on my own happiness

and have some perspective,
I see how selfish he can be!

I'm done.

And if I never see or hear him again,
I'm cool with it.

[Ruby] Jasmine!

He was supposed to give me an hour or two.
It hasn't even been 45 minutes.

What? You ambushed me?

You know what else wasn't part of
my self-care plan? Emotional entrapment!

- What, I...
- It means...

I know what entrapment means.
I took my SATs too!

- [knocking on door]
- [Ruby] Jasmine! Open the door!

- Fine. Let's tell Ruby the truth.
- Thank you!

That we've been hanging out
behind his back,

and I never wanna see him again,
and that he's a selfish d*ck!

No! Okay, let's workshop that
just a little bit.

[chuckles] Doesn't matter
'cause as soon as he finds out about us,

he's not gonna want you around.

Oh.

We can't tell him. I'll hide...

- Hide!
- Okay.

- He's a g*dd*mn Prophet!
- Former Prophet.

For all you know, one of his homies
k*lled Oscar, and he probably knows who!

It's not like that.

What the hell is he even doing here?

The same thing we're all doing here!

The same thing
your brother was doing here.

Starting over.

We were all in the life,

and now we're trying to live our lives,
our real lives.

I don't trust him.

Trust takes time...
but for now, you gotta calm down.

[breathing heavily]

Oh, I get it.

You never made those calls.

You've been stringing me along

ever since I got to... to this b*tch-a*s,
bread-making fairy tale.

Mijo, you gotta trust me.

[chuckles] Trust you? I can't believe
I let you trick me into coming up here.

You came up here on your own.
You knew exactly what this place is.

Like your brother never told you.
At least he was smart enough to listen.

You know what?

This was a mistake.

You were never there for us as kids.

Ever!

And now...

same damn thing.

Screw you.

Get off me!

[tense music playing]

You're a g*dd*mn traitor.

[breathing heavily]

[engine sputtering]

[sighs] Oh. Come on.

[engine sputtering]

You son of a b*tch, Ray.

[engine sputtering]

- [engine sputtering]
- g*dd*mn it!

- [Jasmine] Now is not a good time.
- Is someone here?

- No.
- Good 'cause I need to talk to you.

Excuse you!

- Have you gotten anything weird lately?
- You mean other than this visit?

I'm serious.
Like something weird in the mail.

You're not making any sense.

- He's here, isn't he?
- I don't know what you're talking about.

Well, obviously, money doesn't buy taste.

- Is he in the closet?
- No! Don't open it!

It's just not as tidy as it usually is.

This is a ploy. Only thing you care about
keeping tidy is a two-man job.

No, no, no, no! Don't look! Don't look!

[clattering]

Look, I have a lot of stuff to do today,
so if you don't mind...

I came here under the auspices
of worrying about your safety,

but... I wasn't being honest with myself...
or with you.

I wanted you to see me so you could
remember how much you liked me,

and I was hoping... it was a little more
than you like that new guy.

And that's the truth.

And I want you to know the truth
because you always tell me the truth.

You never hold anything back from me.

We're just casual.

- So it's not serious?
- I didn't say all that.

Okay.

It's just, with Oscar gone...
I have a new perspective.

There's so many things I never got to say.
I don't want that to be the case with us.

So what do you wanna say to me?

I just want you...

to be happy.

Even if it's without me.

Yeah, you want me to be happy?

Even with my new boyfriend?

Ugh! He's your boyfriend?

I mean, in theory.
We haven't DTR'ed yet, but we will.

- Would that bother you?
- That would destroy me.

But... it's not about me.

It's about you and what you want.

What I want?

Was that a sympathy kiss?
'Cause I'm cool with it.

No.

You want sympathy?

[panting] I've never been
the other man before.

I feel... dangerous.

[both moaning]

Wait... are we breaking any Commandments?

Don't question it.
Just lean in, papi. [moaning]

Oh sh*t. I was supposed to call Jamal.

Call him later.

Mmm. That's my class president. [chuckles]

[Ruby] Hail to the chief.

Hey! [chuckles] You crazy?

Never dig into an engine unless you know
exactly what you're digging for.

Otherwise, you'll go from hermano
to [in Spanish] without a handlike that.

[man] Need a hand?

Let me take a look.

Sometimes you think fixing one thing
will solve your problems,

and then you realize... you just opened up
a whole new can of problems.

Back in the day...
I restored a '48 Chevy Stylemaster.

My Bomba, onlywith modern sound.

[chuckles]

I put in a fancy-a*s Alpine
with a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer.

I don't care.

Can you fix it or not?

I'm surprised your brother
didn't teach you about cars.

Unless he didn't want you
to touch his Impala.

[knocking on door]

[gasping]

I just experienced
the most disturbing thing

any human has ever experienced!

It's not just what I saw.

It's what I heard...

and smelled.

You're not making any sense.

Neither did some of the things I heard.

It was so gross,
I can't even tell you what I was privy to.

Well, if you can't tell me,
then how can I help you?

Well, that's just it! You already have.

I thought you were making fun of me
on that butt-dial.

Well, for the last time, Jamal, I wasn't.

But that moment...

shifted my entire perspective
about myself.

I should be thanking you
for what you said...

or at least...
given you the chance to talk it out.

I'm sorry.

I don't wanna not be friends anymore.

That's all on you, Jamal. [chuckles]

- I've never stopped being your friend.
- Really?

Yeah. I knew you'd come crawling back.

So you don't wanna hit me?

- I'm trying to give you a hug. [laughing]
- [chuckles] Yeah, I know.

Yeah, he was pretty talented
in the kitchen.

And, man, could he talk about food! Huh?

One night, kept me up all hours

talking about the difference between
onions and shallots.

Talked a lot about you too.

[smacks lips]

About how I screwed up?

Didn't listen?

- [scoffs] Chose the Santos over him?
- Nah. No, no. [chuckles]

He said that you were
the smartest person he ever met,

that you were gonna do big things one day.

Maybe in another life.

He thought he let you down,

like he was responsible for everything bad
that ever happened to you.

That's not on Oscar.
We all make our own path.

So how are you gonna do it?

Come on, I've seen that look more times
than I wanna remember.

Hell, I've owned that look.

You gonna lurk up on the fool,
and then pop goes the weasel?

Or maybe a drive-by,
spray up all his homies?

I want him to see my face.

Yeah?

Yeah.

I'll creep up on him,
slide my piece right up to his forehead...

so the b*tch can see me smile...
before I pull the trigger.

Then what?

Then what?

See, that's where the problem lies.

Everybody thinks about the moment.

That's human nature.

We replay it in our heads
over and over again,

but then nobody thinks about the after.

[scoffs]

The after?

You're gonna do the fool a favor.

If you k*ll him... no more head on a swivel,

no more night sweats,
no more facing 25 to life in La Pinta.

All that sh*t is no longer his problem.

It's yours.

That's the after.

Anyways...

we've been doing all this talking,
and we haven't even met.

Lil' Spooky.

We don't use placas here, man.
Your real name.

Cesar.

Good to meet you, Cesar.

I run this place.

I'm Ricky.

Ricky Galindo.

[upbeat instrumental music playing]