01x04 - It Was a Good Day

[bunniefuu]

♪ This is for the West Coast city ♪

-[hip-hop music playing]
-[crowd cheering]

Come on, Noah.

Drive, drive, drive, drive! Hey, hey, hey!

Let's go! That's my boy!
I taught him that.

[laughs]

-Feels good to be present, doesn't it?
-When you right, you right.

[crowd chanting indistinctly]

[Candace] Come on, Noah.

[crowd exclaims and chants]

-Uh-uh.
-[crowd] Defense!

This n*gga must be back
smoking sherm or something.

-After the sh*t he pulled on Thanksgiving?
-[sighs] I'm sure Noah invited him.

He just wants
a relationship with his grandfather.

Baby, you see these two men he brought in?
You know what they about?

Okay, but can you focus
on our son Noah, please?

[Stiles] Today's throwing up finger rolls.
Tomorrow, throwing up some g*ng's set.

-Now Nightmare gotta get his a*s up out.
-Hey, shush.

It's all right, it's all right!
We'll get back in it.

-Go, South Central. Y'all got it.
-Alright, buddy, come on.

Go get 'em. All right.

[tense music playing]

-What the f*ck is he doing here?
-[Candace] Coltrane Wilder?

I don't know.
Passing out sneakers to kids?

[announcer] We'd like to take a moment
to thank Coltrane Wilder

and Wilder Holdings
for their generous donation to both teams.

Please don't tell me
you have a problem with him too.

n*gga thinks he's
South Central Santa Claus and sh*t.

Isaiah, please stop being so childish.

His wife is my friend.

And look at what he's doing.
Some of these kids need shoes.

It's a sweet gesture.

-What could possibly be wrong with that?
-[whistle blows]

Hey.

[game buzzer]

No, nothing? Just…

[crowd cheers]

-Hey.
-Mm-hmm.

-Come on, Noah!
-[cheering]

That's right, little man!
Put that punk on skates, boy!

That's it, boy!
That's what I'm talking about.

Future OG out there!

-Yeah!
-[Candace] Yeah!

That's my baby!

[cheering]

Hey, you peep OG in there?

Wasn't that n*gga
locked up with us in Lancaster?

Mm-hmm. I remember him.

I remember he had one son in the ground
and one son trying to be a cop.

You think Stiles' kid?

I don't know, but the tension
between him and OG felt personal.

We need to know more about that
and his issues with his wife.

Right.

[tense music continues]

g*dd*mn it.

[cell phone chimes]

[sighs]

f*ck.

-Hold on. Slow down. What happened?
-Isaiah. He literally just walked out.

-Missed the end of Noah's game.
-Candace, I'm sorry.

I covered for him with Noah,

but I am so sick and tired
of covering for him, you know?

It's like every time I think
things are getting better,

he gets distracted by something again.

[radio buzzing]

-Uh, Candace, I gotta call you back.
-[Candace] Bye.

-[radio buzzing]
-[sighs]

[buzzing]

[radio beeps]

-Hello.
-[Coltrane] Hey, baby. It's me.

-Is everything okay?
-Yeah.

-How you feeling?
-[Ebony sighs]

Can't keep anything down this morning.
I guess there's more than one reason why.

That friend that you introduced me to,
Candace Stiles?

-Yeah, I was just talking to her.
-Let me guess. She's mad at her husband?

I dropped some sneakers off
at Noah Stiles' AAU game this morning.

Are you sure that was smart?

I need him off balance.
That's where you come in, baby.

I've seen them twice now,

and their relationship
is on an active fault line.

I need you to get sh*t shaking.

[exhales]

Babe, Candace is a real friend, and…

[ominous music playing]

I told you,
I don't wanna be involved anymore.

And you won't be.

As soon as you get Candace on lock,

she'll distract Stiles just long enough
for me to do what I need to do

and come home to you.

I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright?
I love you.

[sighs]

[ominous music continues]

[line dialing]

-[Candace] Hey.
-Hey, Candace. Sorry about that.

Do you wanna have lunch tomorrow?

You can talk to me
all about you and Isaiah.

Oh, girl, that's just what I need.

[door squeaks]

How did Noah do?

Uh… won the game.

[Cruz] What the hell is this?

Yo.

We've got cases piling up,
and you're doing criminal vision boards?

Coltrane Wilder showed up
at Noah's game today,

giving away sneakers.

Cruz, hey, he's taunting me.
Making this sh*t personal.

These guys made it personal
a long f*cking time ago, carnal.

And maybe Coltrane Wilder
is working with them.

Or maybe his morning plans
had nothing to do with you.

"Coltrane Wilder,
CEO of realty company Wilder Holdings,

gifts AAU teams new sneakers."

-Third year in a row.
-It's a f*cking… It's a facade.

That's from last year.

This n*gga think he Nino Brown
on f*cking Thanksgiving.

We still have no hard evidence
connecting Wilder to any crime.

The watch complaint was pulled.
The jewelry heist case is closed.

And Sealey shut us down.

Don't you think it's time to let this go?

He k*lled Manny Shaw, Cruz.

I know it.

-Where's the proof, compa?
-[knocking on door]

Lieutenant, I got a hit on that glass
you brought me the other day.

You stole a glass from the gala?

-I didn't steal it.
-What am I saying? Of course you did.

How much did you pay Yamaguchi
to be here on a Saturday?

Don't worry about that.
What you got for me?

So I compared that glass DNA
to the detonator DNA

from the downtown jewelry heist. No dice.

-[Cruz] But you said you got a hit.
-Two, actually.

Because of your generosity, Stiles,

I reached out
to a forensic genealogist contact

just in case our detonator DNA
matched anyone in our system.

Now, it didn't get an exact match,
but whoever handled that detonator

has a paternal DNA link
with a Donald "Big Crank" Davis

as well as a Darren Stroman.

Davis is doing life
for aggravated manslaughter.

Stroman did some time in Lancaster.

Could be a son, grandson,
nephew, grandnephew.

Stiles, stop by anytime, man.
I'm saving up for a motorcycle.

-I'm your sugar daddy and sh*t.
-[Yamaguchi] Yeah.

-Cruz.
-Guchi.

Davis. Davis, like Deon Davis.

And Darren f*cking Stro, Stroman,

who Coltrane brought
to my son's basketball game today.

Cruz, hey.

I told you. Those Persians
didn't do the jewelry store heist.

Davis is military.

All we have to do now
is just request a DNA match.

Department of Defense gives it to us.
We get the task force back together.

If you got the glass a different way
and tested the DNA, sure.

And you paid Guchi here to do the test!

-None of this is admissible, Stiles.
-Wilder's guys don't know that, Cruz.

-Isaiah.
-Okay, okay, okay, okay.

Viggiano and Harper said that
Stroman has two little girls, right?

Okay.

I'm gonna get him to talk.

[sighs]

You a hard man to find, Darren Stroman.

We had to call your mama's house
to get you to come down here.

Hey, you hungry?

Huh?

What you know about Jim Dandy?

See, I'm a dark meat man myself.

Mm-hmm. Oh, you want a wing?

Strawberry soda?

f*ck it. More for me. [chuckles]

Oh, man.

Mm!

[chewing]

[Stiles] Mm-hmm.

Bro, where was you at on Halloween night?

Mm?

Because I got a robbery
up in Beverly Hills

with your crew's name written all over it.

What about Diamond District?
Been there lately?

'Cause I got you and three other n*gg*s
hitting a series of stores.

Blowing up walls.

And I bet dollars to doughnuts

your baby, Uncle Deon,
was the expl*sives man.

Y'all dropped two bodies there.

We found some unalive Persians
covered in diamonds.

Four more bodies.

I got good news, and I got bad news.

Bad news,

I got a match for your DNA
from the jewelry store's heist downtown.

Mm-hmm.

You and your whole crew, n*gga.

[laughs]

Six bodies.

All in the commission
of multiple felonies.

I've been thinking about a way
to get y'all the federal death penalty.

I've been up at night, dawg.
My wife like, "Come to bed."

I'm like, "How the f*ck
do I put these Scooby-Doo n*gg*s away?"

-[snap fingers]
-I got it.

-[tense music playing]
-Emmanuel Shaw.

That's my former trainee right there.

Shot and k*lled in pursuit
of your punk-a*s crew two years ago.

Tsk.

All right.

You got those two little girls at home.

And they love they daddy.

How will you and your wife
explain to Tiana and Leyla

that you're never coming home?

Oh, wait, no.
I had that good news, remember?

We ain't even after you, man.

You give me Coltrane Wilder.

You tell me your next job.

And I swear
I will find a way to get you a walk.

We'll sweep away the six bodies,

and Manny,

right off of your sheet.

Come on, man.
The evidence is piling up, player.

I know you, n*gga.

You must not remember me, though.

I played against you in high school.

Middle linebacker, number 56.

You went to Crenshaw, right? Class of '04?

You was the running back.

Kind of nice with it.

However, last game of the season?

[grunts]

I rocked your sh*t into next week.

Put you in concussion protocol
before the half.

[Stro chuckles]

Jim Dandy.

Louisiana Fried Chicken on Manchester
way better than that bullshit.

Oh.

And if that DNA matched me,
I'd be in cuffs already. Come on.

Either arrest me
and let me call my lawyer,

or I'm gonna get up
out of this funky-a*s little room.

It stinks in here.

Am I free to go… officer?

[Coltrane] I got Ebony back on the team.

-How'd you get her to do that?
-It doesn't matter. She's in.

In-in.

She's friends
with a lady named Candace Stiles.

Candace Stiles' husband…

Is Isaiah Stiles,
your pain-in-the-a*s detective?

Bingo.

Wow, I guess it never occurred to me
that Ebony would be foolish enough

to be friends with a cop's wife.

It might be good for us that she is.

Look, we have firsthand knowledge

that their marriage is about
as brittle as a stale cookie.

Ebony gets in her ear,
I know it'll crumble.

That should slow Stiles down.

At least long enough for us
to get your boy's job done.

I see how that can work
if Ebony's in control of the situation.

She's changed.

You sure she's the one in charge?

I have no doubt.

[eerie music playing]

[cell phone buzzes]

[cell phone chimes]

[woman] Dr. Candace Stiles?

Ahh.

I am so embarrassed.

My name's Brenda Johnson,
and I missed the Baldwin Hills Cares Gala.

-My daughter was sick.
-Oh, I am sorry to hear that.

Oh, she's better now, thank you.

I intended to give you this at the gala.

A gift for making Malik Jacobson
our guest of honor.

All the ladies thank you.

[laughs]

It's a couple's gift certificate
from Eden's Bliss Spa.

Maybe you and your husband can go.

[chuckles]

I wish.

He's a bit of a workaholic.

-Oh.
-Mm-hmm.

But I have a friend on the planning
committee who might enjoy it.

-If they offer prenatal massages?
-Oh, they offer it all. [chuckles]

Who's your friend? Maybe I know her.

Ebony Wilder.

[ominous music playing]

Have you met?

Ebony Wilder.

I don't know her personally, no,
but it sounds like she could use it.

-Mm. [laughs]
-[Charlie] Oh.

Gosh, will you look at the time.
I have to go pick the kids up from school.

-But it has been a pleasure meeting you.
-Aww.

-Ah!
-Oh.

-I look forward to seeing you again.
-Likewise.

-Brenda, right?
-Uh-huh.

[ominous music continues]

[suspenseful music playing]

-What the hell?
-[Choi] Don't play hero.

This ain't about you.

Exit slowly.

-Slowly!
-All right, all right.

[Choi] Hands up, m*therf*cker.

-[loud mechanism opening]
-[Deon] Wakey-wakey!

-Get your m*therf*cking a*s on the ground!
-[Stro] g*ns on the ground! Hurry up!

[Coltrane] We're here for your product,
not your lives!

Stay smart, follow directions,
and we'll be gone soon!

-[Stro] Get on the f*cking ground now!
-[Deon] Don't be stupid. Your hands down!

What the f*ck you looking at?
Your a*s on the ground, now!

[unzipping bags]

-[Deon] Phones.
-[Choi] In the bag.

-Phones in the bag.
-[Deon] Come on, phones!

[Choi] Phones, phones!
Give me that f*cking Android.

[Coltrane] I'll say this once.

In 90 minutes, a truck containing
one million single-gram vials of ketamine

will be coming to loading dock number 1.

That truck will be leaving with us!

We're not expecting
any deliveries tonight.

[Coltrane sighs]

Lie to me once, shame on you.

Lie to me twice…

I use this b*llet to bore a hole
straight through your skull.

Right now, I need complete compliance.

If you can do that, I promise
you will make it out of this alive.

Green. Red. Get these people situated.

-[Deon] Y'all asses up!
-[Stro] Hurry up before I start sh**ting!

-[Deon] Hurry the f*ck up!
-[Choi] To the break room!

-Move it!
-[Deon] You heard him!

-To the f*cking break room!
-[Choi] Move it!

[Deon] Put some pep
in that m*therf*cking step!

♪ Slow dancing in this burning house ♪

♪ I don't wanna go nowhere… ♪

You gonna punish me for inviting
my grandfather to my basketball game?

Nobody said anything about punishing you.
Chill out.

It's your game, kid. If you want
your grandfather there, it is what it is.

♪ When there's miles
And miles of distance ♪

Seriously?

♪ Feel your heart is drifting… ♪

Mm-hmm.

[R&B music playing over stereo]

You guys finished?
I-- I'll go fill the dishwasher.

Uh, yes. And thank you.

-Thank you, Noah.
-Yeah.

Good man.

[chuckles]

You handled that well.

I still don't want
his grimy-a*s grandfather

and his gangster disciples
hanging around our son,

but it's not Noah's problem.

He's just a kid.
I'm gonna handle it with Amos.

No, I--
I promise I'm just gonna talk to him.

He just needs to understand
who's appropriate to bring around our son.

I'm sorry I left the game early.
It won't happen again.

You sound a lot like the old Isaiah.

It's nice to know
he's still in there somewhere.

I never left.

Candace, I maybe got distracted,
and I'm sorry for that, but…

But I'm still here.

♪ You are my only choice… ♪

Are you?

-♪ And we're both just filling voids… ♪
-[Candace sighs]

I miss you.

Shh.

Who you telling, huh? Come here, girl.

[both chuckle]

-[Candace] Mm.
-[Stiles] Mm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, come here.

Noah, go to bed!

Ew!

♪ But that is still debatable… ♪

[Stiles sighs]

I miss being able to turn over
and look at you lying next to me.

Well… we could do it
all over again in the morning.

[chuckles] Mm!

-Get some food afterwards.
-Mm-hmm?

Get back to it at night, if you want.

[Stiles chuckles]

Oh, baby.

-I wish I could, but…
-Mm.

I'm meeting Ebony at her house for lunch.

[ominous music playing]

I hope you're not mad.

It's all good.

[ominous music continues]

[saw whirring]

[zipping]

[man groans]

[music fades]

-[Choi] Truck's almost here.
-[Deon] No doubt.

[Stro] Incoming.

[door whirring]

[Stro] Wanna make it home to Kyle, James,
and that lovely wife of yours, Nancy,

I suggest you listen to my boy.

[Coltrane] Your load is ours, understand?

f*ck that truck.

[keys jingle]

[Coltrane] Get the magic wand.

[beeping]

[beeping rapidly]

Tracker one.

[Choi] Tracker two.

[Deon] Workers are secure.
Ready to roll when you are.

[Stro] Listen the f*ck up.
Tell them to open the gate.

You do some dumb sh*t, it's gonna be
the last thing you f*cking do. Feel me?

-Open the gate.
-[gatekeeper] Copy.

-[Choi] Last tracker.
-[Coltrane] Time to roll out. Let's go.

[suspenseful music playing]

[door squeaks]

-We k*lled that sh*t, cuh!
-[Coltrane] Indeed, we f*cking did.

Stro, Choi, you commanded this space.

And you, you held that sh*t the f*ck down.

You kept the workers in check,
and stood on business. I see you.

-[Deon chuckles]
-To us.

Our fourth and final job.

We came out alive, on top,
and about to make f*cking millions.

Happy holidays, my n*gg*s.

[Deon laughs]

[howling]

[howling in distance]

[indistinct chatter]

Jimmy. Hey, you know
the silver alert from last night?

My guys created a distraction again.

-What the hell are you doing here?
-I'm working this case.

First of all, you haven't
been assigned to this case.

Second, you didn't
even have the courtesy to call me?

I'm not about to get f*cked by the brass
'cause you listened to a scanner

and acted off a hunch. Cruz!

I thought you'd at least know better.

-What did you want me to do?
-The two of you are done here.

Hold up. You send me home right now,
you flood all of Southern California,

possibly Nevada and Arizona,

with a million grams
of pharmaceutical-grade ketamine, Jimmy.

You know that's the primary precursor
to tusi, right?

That's right, Isaiah.
One million grams of ketamine.

The DEA, FBI, and about 100 m*therf*ckers
in different windbreakers

are about to descend on this warehouse.

And the last thing I need
is you telling any of them

that you think there are only
four possible suspects

in the whole g*dd*mn Southland.

-Because they--
-Not another word.

All right, sh*t.

[tense music playing]

Jesus.

Everything under control, Captain?

Yeah. Yeah.

Your boy's good, but not good enough
to be pulling this sh*t.

[car engine starts]

[car drives away]

["All I Do" playing]

[Coltrane] Mm. [kisses]

I think we found the secret cure
for morning sickness.

I wish I knew it was that easy.

I think it's 'cause it's over.

And you're home with me.

I'm all yours from here on out.
No more jobs.

What about Charlie and the guys?

Only reason for Charlie to call me
moving forward is to ask about you.

Or see our child.

The guys will be fine.

About to clear
a little over two million each.

I think they'll be okay when I…

When I tell them I'm done.

I'm really done.

-[giggles]
-[chuckle]

["All I Do" continues]

♪ Destination is forever ♪

-[Coltrane exhales]
-♪ The sky is just the beginning ♪

I'm really done.

♪ Ooh, we'll be… ♪

[cell phone ringing]

-Yes?
-[Andrei] Change of plans.

I'm not taking the load.

The f*ck you're not.
We have a deal, Andrei.

And now I'm saying we don't.

[snorts]

[Charlie] You came to me.

Asked for a risky job to be done.
My crew ex*cuted it flawlessly.

Now you wanna back out?
No, that's not how this works.

[Andrei] Shh, shh.

Shh.

[tense music playing]

You talk too much for a woman.

[Andrei snorts]

You know who I am,
who my family is, what we do.

You know we take women like you,
and we make them disappear.

Right… Charlotte?

There's no need for threats.

I respect you and your family.

Now, let's back up.

-I can assure safe delivery--
-[phone beeps]

[busy tone]

f*ck me.

[tense music continues]

[sighs]

-[breathing heavily]
-[radio beeping]

Coltrane.

We need to talk. Now.

The load is dead.
For whatever reason, buyer's backed out.

-Are you serious?
-Backed out?

They're not paying us for the load.

What they think
we finna do with this sh*t?

f*ck that. Them n*gg*s just played us.
I ain't going out like that, cuh.

-They gotta run us their nine M's.
-We don't even know the buyer.

f*ck it. Let's move them shits ourselves.

Nah, you talking crazy, Unc.
That's not our lane.

What lane we in right now then?
Must be the lane for suckers.

We live off the land, y'all.
Eat what we k*ll.

We slaughtered the whole f*cking farm,
and now you telling us we can't feast?

I paid what I owe. The fourth job.
Alright? Cashing it out isn't up to me.

The f*ck you good for then, n*gga?

What happens after a job
is out of my control.

And even if I wanted to…

This was it for me. I'm done.

-What you talking about?
-I'm done!

This is my last run. Payday or no payday.

That's it for me.
I gotta look out for my family.

All right? My wife needs me. I need me.

The f*ck kind of new age
life coach kombucha bullshit is that?

Talking about you need you!
We need this money, n*gga.

I kept my word to you.
I kept my f*cking word.

Now I gotta make
my next move be my best move.

I have to keep my word to Ebony.

And to myself.

[exhales sharply]

I'll be in contact
with instructions on dumping the load.

What the f*ck, cuh?!

Hey!

You better talk to your mans, nephew.
Get us our f*cking paper.

I don't care if he is feeling
some kind of way. I need my M!

Chill, D. He's done.

Let him go.
We gotta figure out another score.

I'll move these b*tches
my g*dd*mn self if I have to.

Hey, check your temperature, n*gga.

You already know I can't let you do that.
Take a f*cking breath.

Cool him out, Choi.
I'm gonna be right back.

-Yo, you wildin', man.
-Man, get the f*ck off me.

'Trane!

Hey, yo, what the f*ck?
That's a lot to drop on us at once.

-No payday, and you f*cking leaving?
-Hey.

Might be a good time
for you to get out too, Stro.

We got a bigger problem.

My guy says the buyer who backed out
is acting kind of wild.

He thinks he's up to something.
Doesn't know what.

Buyer needs to be found and followed.

-So what's up? We gonna chip him?
-No, just get some intel.

-Tail him, see what we see.
-All right, I'll tell Deon and Choi.

No, no. Deon needs to sit this out.
Cool his head a little bit.

Get Choi involved
after Deon goes home, all right?

Three of us can handle this.

Man, you out? For real?

I am, bro.

I have to.

Love you, man.

I love you too.

[plaintive music playing]

-[car door closes]
-[car engine starts]

[cell phone chimes]

[Candace mumbles indistinctly]

Hey, baby.

Pow.

What is-- What is this? Another one?

Isaiah…

-[gasps]
-[Stiles chuckles]

-Are you serious?
-For leaving the game early.

-Thank you, baby.
-[Stiles chuckles]

-It's good.
-Yeah, it's good.

-It's good, babe. [laughs]
-[laughs]

-Help me put it on.
-Yeah, I got you. Get the hair for me.

Ah. [squeals]

-Here.
-Mm-hmm. Hold up. Let me get it like that.

-Ooh.
-Yeah, yeah, hold on.

-There it is.
-Look. It matches my bracelet. [gasps]

Oh, what am I gonna do with you?

We can go upstairs 'cause I got
a few ideas of what you can do to me.

-[Candace] Mm.
-[chuckles]

I wish I could take you down right now,
but my Uber's here.

-Take me to Ebony's.
-Oh, no, babe.

Yeah, I know.
But I'm having wine for lunch.

You know what that does to me.

So, how about you pick me up later
and we can explore what you have in mind.

-Yeah.
-Yeah?

[Stiles] Mm.

One more time.

-Mm.
-Mm.

-See you later, babe.
-All right, all right, hold on, hold on.

-[Candace] Babe!
-[chuckles]

[door opens and closes]

["West Coast Poplock" playing]

[chuckles]

-Hey, happy birthday, Big Mama.
-Hey! [laughs]

-How's my grandbaby?
-Good, come in.

-[Big Mama] Don't get jealous, Regina.
-Ain't nobody jealous, Mama.

Her son know who his Mama is.

-How you doing, Mama?
-Good.

-Good to see you. Come in.
-Good to see you too.

So Jamise and the girls,
they at her mama's crib.

-They be here in a little bit.
-Okay, they can wait. I'm here to see you.

[chuckles]

-You okay, baby?
-Yeah, I'm great.

-Why? I got something on my face?
-No, no, you look fine. I just…

I had a dream last night.

And you were crying your little eyes out.

[laughs]

You ain't gotta worry about that.

sh*t, I ain't cried since…

Yo.

Since you whupped Deon's a*s for breaking
your little mini-sculpture of Black Jesus.

You remember that?

It was a figurine, Darren, that I got
on my one trip to the Bahamas.

My fault, Big Mama.
But for real. You beat his a*s so bad.

And I was in the corner crying
like a baby, thinking I was next.

[chuckles]

Where is Deon? Is he coming?

Big Mama, you know that n*gga always--

Excuse me.

You know Deon's always gonna be late,
but he be here in a second, I promise.

-Okay.
-[car door closes]

Oh!

Come on.

Lord, there's Deon! I just said his name.

Look at my baby's babies coming.

-Ooh!
-What's up, Mama?

-Ooh!
-[laughs]

[Stro] Come here, cuz.

How you doing, girl? Good to see you.

What up, man? Give me a hug.

-Happy C-Day, Mama.
-Thank you, baby.

-Thank you!
-Mwah! Yeah!

So good to see y'all.
Hi, honey. How you doing?

Thank you. Look!

-I like your cardigan.
-I hate you.

[laughs] Looking all spiffy.

You know, you were right.

I told Coltrane about the baby,
and he was so excited.

-He had to contain himself at the gala.
-Aww, yeah!

Speaking of, I heard you left with Malik.

Oh my God.

Is everyone talking
about me getting in his car?

If it's just an innocent ride home,
it shouldn't be a problem, right?

[exhales] Until it does
become a problem. f*ck.

Mm!

Malik and I,
we briefly dated back in college.

-Oh.
-Before Isaiah, of course.

[sighs] On paper, Malik was…

He looked like the more obvious choice,
especially to my parents.

Who in their twenties
cares about what looks good on paper?

[Ebony] Mm.

Isaiah and I just… I don't know.
He just had something better to offer.

You like them th*gs, huh?

[Ebony and Candace giggle]

[Ebony] Noah aside,
have you ever genuinely considered

what life would be like
had you chosen Malik over Isaiah?

You better answer right, girl.

[Candace] Between us,
since the separation, I have.

[Ebony] Mm.

-What the f*ck?
-[Candace] Like today, we're good.

And when things
are good between us, oh, girl.

-Mm!
-[Ebony chuckles]

But when they're bad…

He just makes me feel…

Yeah.

I have thought.

I do think… maybe…

what if I made the wrong decision?

There might be a reason why the universe
has put Malik back in your life now.

Noah's not a little kid anymore.

You might wanna use your intuition.

Explore your options.

Think about what you want
for the rest of your life.

I think you owe it to yourself.

Yeah, f*ck you too, Ebony.

-Oh, these pancakes hitting.
-Yeah.

It's f*cked up you had Big Mama
make 'em on her birthday.

Shut up and pass the syrup.

-Thank you.
-Mm.

Yo, you talk to 'Trane yet about the load?

You know he'd be listening to you
when it's just the two of y'all.

His mind is made up, all right?
So just dead that thought.

Look, them vials is locked away
with the key in Choi's pocket.

'Trane will decide
what he wants to do when he's ready.

He's gonna dump 'em
in the middle of nowhere.

And then we assed out $9 million.

I mean, he ain't even gonna try.

["Everybody" playing]

♪ Everybody… ♪

Aah! sh*t!

[laughs]

Get your a*s up.

Yeah!

Hey! Get the footwork. What?

Hey! What?

Hey! Get 'em, Ma! Hey!

Get 'em!

[yells] Wait, wait.

[coughs]

-[cell phone rings]
-Yo, I gotta take this, cuh.

Yo. All right, hold on.
Hey, stay off my plate.

I know how many sausages I got too.

[giggles] Come on.

♪ Every watch I got cost a brick ♪

♪ Everybody with me wearing Rick, yeah ♪

♪Everytime she see me
She get… and I slip… ♪

[door closes]

Yeah, if you want them,
you gotta take them all.

What? Nah, I need $10 a gram, cuh.

This the type of sh*t doctors prescribe
to white n*gg*s at Burning Man.

Not that animal-grade garbage
they sling downtown, you feel me?

All right, hey,
make sure his paper's straight.

You know where I'll be.

[laughs]

Hey, boy.

[cell phone dings]

-That's not funny.
-[cell phone chimes]

-Hey, Ma, I'll be right back.
-Okay.

Hey, Big Mama.

-I gotta step out for a second.
-Right now?

-I know. I'm so, so, so sorry.
-I actually gotta head out too, Ma.

Wait, where?

You two going somewhere together?

Never mind. I know better
than to ask you two what you're doing.

I promise I'll be right back, okay?
I know it's your special day.

-Yeah, no doubt, Ma.
-I love you.

Love you too, baby.

["No Headstone On My Grave" playing]

♪ Free from all this misery… ♪

Hey, n*gga. You better be right back, D.

Hey, chill, nephew. Trust me.

Stu-- f*ck me.

[music stops]

I just don't know
which version of Isaiah I'm gonna get.

The loving, wonderful man I met,

or this cold, distant,
hyper-focused ghost.

What's he so focused on
if he's not focused on you?

-Well, he was focused on me last night.
-Oh.

[giggles]

But then I woke up!

He's out in the guesthouse,
listening to the police scanner.

-Like, that's weird.
-Yeah, that's weird.

No, I'm not supposed
to talk about his cases.

[intriguing music playing]

Oh, I can keep a secret.

[sighs]

A couple years ago,

he had this detective trainee
named Manny Shaw.

We all got to know him.

He had meals at our house,
hung out with Noah.

He was a really great kid.

He and Isaiah responded to a robbery,
and Manny was shot and k*lled.

Isaiah took it so hard.

He blamed himself.

I thought that they caught
the man who did it.

But Isaiah just told me that he thinks
that the man he's chasing now

is the one who really k*lled Manny.

Well…

Is that what you think?

I don't know what to think.

I just want my husband back.

How are you with massages?

-I love them.
-Mm!

Wanna go?

"Eden's Bliss Spa." Where'd you get this?

A really nice lady
hand-delivered it to my house.

-Uh… Brenda Johnson?
-Yeah, I think I know her.

Tall, light eyes, fake Birkin.

Oh! [chuckles]

Yes.

Yeah.

But I mentioned your name,
and she said she didn't know you.

Oh.

-I don't know.
-[doorbell rings]

Oh.

Sorry, I told him to text me
when he got here.

No, that's okay.

Isaiah. Candace will be right out.

Hey, Ebony, good to see you.
Mind if I use your bathroom?

-Yeah, it's just that way.
-Thank you.

[tense music playing]

sh*t.

[laughter in the next room]

[Ebony] Oh my God.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Candace giggling]

-[sighs]
-[Deon] Yo.

[uneasy music playing]

My bad, 'Trane, for coming up here,

but I wanted to hear it
from the horse's mouth.

That load really a wrap?

It don't make sense for us to do
all that work just to let it go to waste.

I got connects. I can flip this sh*t, cuh.

All I need you to do is say the word.

The money's staring us right in the face.
I-- I got responsibilities to handle, cuh.

Everybody got responsibilities, Deon.
You, Stro, Choi, me.

I got mouths to feed at home too.

Mouths at home? What, Ebony pregnant?

Congratulations, homey.
I didn't know y'all was expecting.

Hey. And look, as a father-to-be,

don't you wanna set your kids up
for the rest of their life?

Ain't that what you always kicking to us?
That generational wealth sh*t?

I was banking on this last job
to get my family straight, man.

You're right, Deon.

This last one was on me. I mean,
you did the work, but didn't get a reward.

Do me a favor.

Get Rena on the phone.

Get her on the phone.

[phone calling]

Where the hell you at?
The kids are doing a talent show.

Hey, baby, hold up.
I got 'Trane here. He wanna speak.

Hey, Rena.

I'm gonna make this quick
so I can send Deon back to you.

Text me your bank's name and their address

plus your bank account
and routing numbers.

In about an hour or so,

$500,000 will be wired to your account
from Wilder Holdings, Incorporated.

-Hold up. What?
-Yes, Rena.

Happy holidays.

[chuckles]

Well, oh-- oh my God. Wait.

I-- I don't even know what to say
right now. Thank you, Coltrane.

This gonna change everything.

You don't have to say anything.
You're welcome. All right, now.

[cell phone chimes]

n*gga, what the f*ck was that?

I don't want your money.

-Then what the f*ck do you want, Deon?
-Respect, n*gga!

I can't put that kind of cash
in your hot little hands, man.

Plus, if I gave it to you, that puts us
both at risk for the feds to trace.

Giving the money to Rena, right,
for a down payment on a home,

that's kosher.

I'm gonna set you up with properties.

Then I'm gonna have my company
manage them for you,

just like we do with Stro and Choi.
All right?

You'll have steady cash flow,
month after month,

for doing absolutely nothing.

Or… you could've given me that paper,

and I could've flipped it
into an M off top.

You don't trust me.

I trust you to be you.

Now, can I trust that you'll forget
this load exists, man?

You got it.

The load's a wrap.

Okay.

[plaintive music playing]

Businessman.

"Brenda Johnson"?

Still calling the same old play, huh?

Have Candace down
to your little front, the spa,

and get her to confide to the masseuse

while one of your girls
goes through her purse in the locker room?

She's a civilian, a mark.

I got her to buy into the spa scam
without breaking a sweat.

How can you waste your time
on someone like that?

It's Candace Stiles.
She trusts me completely.

I have her eating
out of the palm of my hand.

Look at these.

She still has feelings
for her ex from college.

I have her questioning
not only her marriage,

but every life choice she's ever made.

Nice work.

You were able to put aside
your little friendship

for the good of the family.

I will do what needs to be done,

even if it means
hurting someone I care about.

Someone you care about?

Wow.

[tense music playing]

Congrats on the baby, by the way.

You could've told me
before you told the cop's wife.

At least I knew she'd be happy for me.

[scoffs]

[hip-hop music playing on car radio]

Yo!

-What up, cuh?
-What's good?

The nameplate just came in
for your mama's chain.

Piece is hittin'.

-Yo. You got it on you right now?
-Cousin's inside wrapping it up.

I'm gonna need the full amount, D.

Say less, n*gga.

Damn!

Horse just come in or something?
Losing streak's over now, huh?

[both laugh]

-Let's go get your mama's gift.
-Nah, man. I'm gonna stay here.

I ain't trying to run into no crazy exes.

One in there now.
On God, I seen her pull up.

-You a scary a*s m*therf*cker, cuz.
-Yeah.

-You know that?
-You don't know Tanisha, n*gga.

Go get my sh*t.

[tense music playing]

[car doors closing]

What up?

[high heels walking away]

Damn. His girl got a fat a*s.

That n*gga ain't know
what to do with that.

[suspenseful music playing]

[radio beeping]

-[Charlie] Talk to me, Coltrane.
-Andrei's hot. Cops are on him.

He's got a problem, but we ain't it.

[man narrating match
indistinctly over cell phone]

Not that-- Oh sh*t, n*gga. Yes!

Whoo! sh*t!

[grunts] That's what I'm talking about--

Whoo!

n*gga.

[hip-hop music being played loudly]

Wait till I tell these n*gg*s.

[hip-hop music grows louder]

-[music stops]
-Hey, what up, loc?

What's up, D?

-This is Marc.
-What up, cuh?

-What's up?
-[cell phone ringing]

Hey! Be right back. My bad.

Yo.

-Now's not a good time, man.
-[Stro] Hey, where you at?

I left, came back. You still ain't here.
We about to fire up the grill, n*gga.

I'm on my way, cuh, but check it.
Hey. I just hit a lick. Clippers won.

Six-leg parlay, n*gga. We up! [laughs]

You left Big Mama on her birthday
to gamble, you f*cking degenerate?

Cuh. I--

Man, all y'all say is, "Deon,
you can't do this. You can't do that."

"If you screw up one more time"
and all the rest of that bullshit.

I can't never do nothing, 'cause nobody
ever takes the time to believe in me.

I got ideas, n*gga. I got a plan.

And after tonight,

n*gg*s gonna recognize
♪ That Deon was right ♪

My name gonna be ringing in the streets,
on the dead homeys.

Look.

Look, man.

All I'm asking is for you
to believe in me for once, nephew.

All you had to do
was spend today with Big Mama,

and you couldn't even get that right.

Whatever this g*dd*mn plan of yours is,

go ahead, do that and f*ck it up
and get back here so we can cut this cake.

[busy tone]

[tense music playing]

Hey, n*gg*s!

Let's do some business. [laughs]

[cell phone ringing]

What's up, baby?

What time will you be home, babe?
I'm making lobster tonight.

sh*t, I'll be home
before you set the table.

Okay. Well, I gotta go. All right, bye.

[Johnson] Isaiah Stiles. Long time no see.

Marc Johnson?

[music sting]

How the hell are you, man?
You still in Narcotics?

Hey, you know it, man.
That's why I'm here.

Got a Gideon Davis flagged in your system?

Yeah, why?

I got him to sell me one million grams
of pharmaceutical ketamine tonight.

-Stop lying. Nah, for real?
-I'm gonna meet him in an hour.

Got a tracker on his car.
About to leave in a few.

You wanna ride?

Uh--

Look, I know y'all bougie m*therf*ckers
at RHD work from 9 to 5…

Nah.

…but if it's a bad night for you,
you could have him when I'm done with him.

-Nah, shut the f*ck up. I'm rolling.
-Mm-hmm.

If I can close this case
and lock these guys away,

I might be able to have a normal life.

Be half a husband for once,
you know what I mean? sh*t.

I'll call home, but let's roll.

[cell phone buzzing]

[chiming]

[Coltrane]
What could you have done, Ebony?

-You did the right thing.
-I checked the security footage.

He blinded your office camera,
but he didn't take anything.

I did a thorough sweep.

[Ebony sighs]

Everything's still in place.

Let's go eat dinner. I'm so hungry.

[intriguing music playing]

King's Gambit.

Nice move, Stiles.

[sighs]

[lobster claw cracks]

I'm eating Dad's.
He not coming home anyway.

[sighs]

[sends message]

[cell phone chimes]

[cell phone buzzing]

[Coltrane] Mm?

Looks like Candace Stiles is on the way
to her first date with a new man.

That fast? Damn.

She already had one in the chamber.
I simply suggested she pull the trigger.

You did good, Ebony.

Oh, I did better than good.

I learned that he's been unstable
since two years ago

when the young detective
Emmanuel Shaw was k*lled.

Mm.

[ominous music playing]

Baby, is there any way
they can tie you to Shaw?

There is no way

that Isaiah Stiles can connect us
to Emmanuel Shaw or any of this.

We're done.

-Home free.
-Yeah.

[hip-hop music playing]

[cell phone ringing]

Why they so f*cking early?

Ah, it's this n*gga.

-Yo! What up, cuh?
-You stole the key off my ring!

I don't play that sh*t, D!

I know you a thief,
but I ain't think you steal from me.

-When I see you, we gonna squabble.
-In a couple hours, you gonna forget this.

'Cause I'm about
to get us all paid, n*gga.

[laughs]

[police sirens blaring]

sh*t!

f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!

Who called in the f*cking cavalry?

I had to tell my lieutenant
about our meetup. My bad.

-I didn't think they'd do it like this.
-Oh, man.

-[Murphy] All right, listen up.
-I know who's running this shitshow.

Come on.

[Murphy] I want everyone in position now.
Our perp can't leave with those drugs.

Hey, I need Deon alive, Murphy.

-You know that f*ck inside?
-He's about to be my CI.

Mine too. We need him.

Got the call from above. They didn't say
sh*t about keeping no damn perp alive.

-[Johnson] We need them.
-[Murphy] I don't give a sh*t.

Give me this.

-You got five minutes.
-Shut it.

Gideon.

Deon!

It's Lieutenant Isaiah Stiles
with the LAPD.

We don't have time to f*ck around.
I need you to call me right now.



[cell phone ringing]

Deon, this is Lieutenant Isaiah Stiles.
Can you hear me?

Yeah. Talk, n*gga.

Alright, listen.
You're in a bad situation.

Alright, no one else but me
can get you out of here alive.

Now, are you in there alone?

I'm alone, but y'all need to back up.
I ain't playing!

Back up!

[car engine starts]

It's my mama's birthday, cuh.
I'm just trying to feed my family.

That's your natural God-given right.

Listen, if you don't listen to me,
forget feeding them.

They're never gonna see you again.

I mean, you got two families, right?
Two ladies?

Four babies total?

Yeah.

Four kids.

Four kids, man.
You gonna let your women cry over you?

You gonna let your children
grow up without their daddy?

Come on, man, they need you.

You know what happens to kids like that,
especially our girls.

[tense music playing]

All right.

I'm coming out.

Give me two minutes.

Two minutes!

He's coming out!

[emotional sigh]

[beeping]

[cell phone buzzing]

[Deon] Yo, nephew.

-Deon, get back here now.
-Darren, listen.

You good, bro?

Hey, yo.

Yo, you remember when we was kids?

I was like 9, and you was 11,
and you broke Mama's Black Jesus doll?

It was a figurine.

Your ears must be burning up, 'cause
me and Big Mama was talking about this.

-Yo, why bring this sh*t up? You drunk?
-I'm not drunk.

Hey, remember how she found it broken
and just started beating my a*s?

Even though you was the one that did it,
she just knew it was me.

You ain't tell on me either.

You stayed solid, like always.

Didn't even cry.
What's going on, Unc? You all right?

Everybody heard about
how I got whooped for ten minutes straight

and didn't shed one tear.

I was a legend on the block.

[ominous music playing]

Unc, what the f*ck is going on, man?
Where you at?

Just tell me where you at
and Imma come get you.

[ominous music continues]

You was right about me, Stro.

I just keep f*cking up.

Hey, I do want you to know,

even though you my nephew,
I've looked up to you my whole life, man.

And I'm really, really proud of you.

I wish I was half the dad you was, man.

K-k-kiss Big Mama and my babies for me.
Tell them they daddy love 'em.

Get the f*ck out of here.
n*gga, you talking crazy right now.

And tell Rena I tried.

I really f*cking tried.

I'm sorry, Stro.

[beep]

Deon! Deon!

What the f*ck?

[line dialing]

Please answer the phone, Deon.
Come on, man.

[dialing]

[disconnected signal]

[Stro sobbing]

Baby, what's wrong?

Darren?

[dramatic music playing]

[helicopters flying overhead]

[flames crackling]

f*ck it, Stiles. You're out of time!

-My men are moving in on the target.
-No!

-[Murphy] Let's go!
-No, stop! He's coming out!

[tense music playing]

-[Murphy] Let me see your hands!
-[Stiles] Deon!

-[cop 1] Everybody hold!
-[cop 2] Let's see your hands right now!

-Show us your hands.
-[Stiles] Deon, hands!

Deon, look at me!

[Murphy] Put your f*cking hands
in the air right now!

Hands, now!

[g*nf*re]

[g*nf*re stops]

[somber music playing]

[police sirens blaring]

[music fades]