02x04 - I Get Physical

[bunniefuu]

Come on, Luke.

Oh, sh*t.

Must be on a mission.

Gotcha.

[grunts]

Oh [winces]

[in Jamaican dialect]

You told me stay out of your yard.

Harlem is not your yard, boy.

It's mine.

[both grunting]

You can't talk tough if you can't breathe, eh? [people speaking indistinctly]

Seen? What's What's My name? They call me Bushmaster.

Who are you? The stone the builders refused.

[D.

W.

]

Luke.

Luke! [theme music playing]

Damn, Luke.

Shabba Ranks laid you out.

[camera shutter clicks]

[D.

W.

]

You all right? [grunts]

Did you get a name? [D.

W.

]

"Bushmaster.

" Some sh*t like that.

You know them Jamaican n*gg*s.

Couldn't tell if he was singing or talking.

[Luke panting]

[sighs]

[line ringing]

[automated voice]

Please leave your message for 718-555 [door opens]

Oh.

You look hungover.

You okay? - You look like you had the long night.

- Me? I woke up like this.

Whoa.

What happened? I got ambushed by this Jamaican cat named Bushmaster.

He knocked me on my ass.

Well, did he have a supersuit? No.

He was just fast.

Unnaturally fast.

Well, he is Jamaican.

Wait a minute.

You telling me this cat was as strong as you without any special equipment? - I gotta find him.

- No.

Hold up.

You don't look good.

Let me call Claire.

Bobby don't.

Aw, come on, man.

You went Eric Benét? - [grunts]

- Really ain't your day, huh? Sit down, man.

You look concussed.

I've had worse when I was in high school.

Just Just takes some time to shake it off.

Yeah, well, don't take too long.

I'm just saying, anyone who can take you on bare-handed can't be good for Harlem.

I'mma go to a bodega and get some ice.

The freezer's busted.

[sighs]

You gotta be the only straight guy I know who likes show tunes.

[chuckles]

Do you know any? There's no way No, no, no, no way I'm living without you I'm not living without you I don't want to be free I'm staying, I'm staying And you - [drawer closes]

- And you, and you Whoa, wait a minute.

[Bushmaster]

You told me stay out of your yard.

- What? - Harlem is not your yard, boy.

- Yo, run that back.

- It's mine.

Down goes Cage.

Down goes Cage! Excuse me? A Harlem citizen was just assaulted, and you're laughing? Does anybody have a name on the suspect, huh? - Bailey, I'm surprised at you.

- [Nandi scoffs]

- Look, I was just joking around.

- [Misty]

Mmm-hmm.

Misty, I mean, you weren't shocked when Tyson finally lost? I was five.

[tsks]

Ronda Rousey, then.

You know what Bailey means.

Lighten up! What's the problem? Back to work.

Detective.

Did you see that tape on Luke Cage? He got what my father would call an old-fashioned ass-whooping.

And that doesn't concern you? He made it clear.

He has no use or desire for police interference.

And we still don't have a lead on Arturo "Rey" III's m*rder*r.

Meanwhile, Nandi's over here singing like she's Jennifer Holliday.

Bailey and Nandi just came off another double homicide.

They can blow off steam and work the case.

I'll tell you this much.

I'm confident if you're out working on your own on that Rey case, or anything else freelance, - you might as well not even come in.

- Mmm.

Where are you going? [Misty clears throat]

Rehab, for my arm.

That's the genius of it all.

It looked like it was all Mark Higgins's idea.

Once properly motivated, he saw the error of his ways.

[Piranha]

Higgins's vote turned the tide with the board.

The merger went through.

The Atreus stock that you purchased was practically pennies on the dollar.

Your investment now, on paper, worth $350 million.

And the more Atreus grows, the more your money will grow.

- Bitch better bring my money.

- [exclaims]

- [both chuckle]

- This is just the beginning.

You are on the precipice of a whole new world.

How do you feel? Abuzz with possibility.

Well, congratulations, Madam Councilwoman.

- HRH Mariah.

- Her Royal Highness.

What's next? Just a few things.

You know, minor details.

Complexities I'm sure you don't want to be bothered with right now.

Try me.

What's wrong? Share the love.

You two are sitting here having drinks at 10:00 a.

m.

, talking about money that's invisible.

In my world, if you can't touch it, it ain't real.

- I'm hearing him.

- Uh You don't wanna touch this money right now.

Neither your street money from the sales of your g*n franchise, or this new money from your shares.

Your liquid cash is offshore in the Caymans, where it should be.

Chilling in the shade, just in case the SEC, the IRS, the A*F, or any other alphabet boys wanna holler.

[both chuckle]

Look, you've given me limited power of attorney to insulate you.

Harlem's Paradise is part of that trust.

You put up the club? We had to make it look like the club was collateral for a loan to invest in Atreus Plastics.

It covers our street money.

We're fine.

Hernan.

Y'all need to check this sh*t out.

Whoa! Whoo! It's a great day in Harlem, baby! [laughs]

They call me Bushmaster.

Damn! Hate to see such a positive brother like Luke Cage go down like that, but as they say, the game is the game.

Everyone hits the canvas eventually.

Ali, Tyson, Frazier, Rousey, De La Hoya.

There's always another predator.

Someone faster.

Someone better.

That's the New York state of mind, baby.

Personally, I embrace it.

Luke Cage gets the taste smacked out of his mouth.

I got it all right here, exclusive.

Look, I love my brother Luke, huh? We all do.

But this Jamaican cat makes Diamondback look like Ben Carson.

You gotta see this sh*t in HD.

[laughing]

Yo Yo, I'm sorry, Luke.

Look, I got to make a living.

The video blew up.

ESPN bought it as an exclusive.

You're trending everywhere.

Come on, D.

W.

I thought we were cool, man.

[D.

W.

sighs]

What is this, man? [D.

W.

]

We are.

I'm your chronicler.

You think Howard Bingham put the camera down when Ali lost? Everybody wants to see the king get knocked down.

I'm not a king, all right? I don't I don't live my life for other people's entertainment.

It's public domain, man.

The game is to be sold, not to be told.

Leaving town for a while? Why? I saw your girl Claire carrying luggage outside her mom's place.

I thought you two might be getting out of Harlem to lay low.

Don't blame you if you do.

Hey, yo! I got that Luke Cage, y'all, that Jamaican n*gga now playing, yo! - We need to talk.

- About what? I am not talking with him in here.

He's got my back, just like I have yours.

Let me make one thing crystal clear, Che.

You bust up in my office like that ever again, I will cut your balls off and roll 'em like dice.

You gonna blow on 'em first? What's so g*dd*mn important? The guy on TV who laid out Luke Cage is the same guy that took over the Yardies.

Bushmaster.

You heard what he said on that video, about his yard? He's talking about Harlem.

He's talking sh*t.

In one of the bags with money was Nigel's head.

He's sending a message.

If Bushmaster is capable of taking down Luke Cage with his bare hands, what does he need our g*ns for? Unless it's to weaken us.

We have $350 million.

We are done with this sh*t.

What if this sh*t ain't done with us? I don't think Bushmaster is in Harlem for Luke Cage.

I think he's in Harlem for you.

Probably some old beef with Cornell.

No.

No, this goes deeper than Cornell, baby.

I just saw your face when I said "Bushmaster.

" Let me in.

If I don't know everything, I can't protect you.

Um, I don't know this guy.

I know that name.

It's some old business with my grandfather.

Let's unload the rest of the g*n inventory and leave it behind us.

We can make a new history in Monte Carlo.

Dubrovnik.

In Joburg.

Anywhere.

No past.

Just Just future from now on.

Do you want to make a future, Hernan? I would burn in hell for you, Mama.

You know that.

I like you hot.

You save the fire talk for later.

And you can stoke it.

[sighs]

Damn, n*gga.

Just saying.

Excuse me.

Can I help you? This is Claire Temple's apartment.

Actually, it's Claire's mother's apartment.

She's asked me to sublet it.

I'm Luke Cage.

I know who you are.

You're not welcome here until I hear otherwise.

You're not on the lease.

She left you that.

My apologies for the damage.

[woman sighs]

Yo! Guard the Paradise while I'm gone.

When I get back, we go finish this deal with Bushmaster.

Till then, I need you to watch Mariah's back for me.

All right? How does it feel, man? What? To have your nuts inside Mariah's purse.

Or does she roll 'em like dice? [Misty]

Jamaica me crazy, huh? [Luke]

Ha ha.

Bobby Fish told me I'd find you here.

I hate to say this, but you are a victim.

You wanna press charges? You want him locked up? Nah.

I'll handle it myself.

I knew you'd say that.

What I'm about to show you could cost me my job.

Yeah? What else is new? You want to shadow me as I head to Brooklyn in pursuit of a suspect? No, you follow me.

But I'll accept the ride.

I met this guy when I was looking for Nigel.

He's already made a play on Mariah's arsenal.

You think he pushed Nigel out the way? Well, now he's on my radar.

Your bag is packed, you keep staring at that envelope you just put back in your pocket.

You wanna talk about what happened with Claire? No.

Let me guess.

She was pissed about what happened with Cockroach and how you lost your temper.

Hell, you probably scared her.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

She just has a different idea of what it is to be a hero.

Sometimes, you're gonna take the gloves off.

The rules of engagement exist for a reason.

You used to be a cop.

You remember that.

Since when did you change your name to Iyanla Knight? Hey, you the one living out of a bag right now.

Can I crash at your crib, for a few nights? Hell no.

[scoffs]

What's with all the gear? We all ain't bulletproof.

Now, we are just going in there to observe.

No.

I'm going in, and you're gonna pursue me.

Wow.

That was some real Ripley in Aliens sh*t.

- I was going for Sarah Connor.

- You're gonna need a bigger sidearm.

They got grenades.

Is there anything else you wanna tell me? No, that about covers it.

Are you sure this is the place? The Yardies mush've felt the heat and bounced.

What's that? [Luke]

Candles, weed.

I stopped the party.

I'll tell you that much.

You smell that? [Luke]

Decomp.

You got PC? Wait.

- I hear voices in distress.

Go ahead.

- [chuckles]

You do have a sworn duty to protect.

[grunts]

- Never gonna get used to that smell.

- [Misty]

Mmm-mmm.

[Luke]

Sweet Christmas.

[Misty]

sh*t.

I gotta call this in.

First, I gotta think of a damn good reason why a Harlem detective and Luke Cage are standing over a headless body in Brooklyn.

Just tell them you were following me.

I'm always blamed for something anyway.

Works for me.

Wait, won't that get you in trouble? Eh.

My doghouse is a lot more comfortable than the one you're in.

Touché.

[knock at door]

What is it? [Comanche]

Alex thought you might like a coffee.

Just leave it on my desk.

Did you spit in it? You have something you want to say to me? Shades told me about the deal you two got going on with Piranha.

I was thinking maybe I could help.

I read a lot about stocks when I was inside.

About valuations and risks, the benefits of a fixed price offer versus tender.

Where prices are negotiable.

You know, sh*t like that.

You did time with Bernie Madoff? I'm just saying, Ms.

Dillard, even if you put it in a three-piece suit, street is still street.

Guys like Piranha move fast, so you can never really track what they're doing.

Do you know what he's doing? He's making more money for me than anybody in the history of my family.

Well, I'm just saying if you can't explain the scam to a seven-year-old, you're probably the one getting scammed.

Bye, Comanche.

Right now.

You don't scare me, lady.

I should.

[Tomas]

No photographers.

Knight, is that you? [Misty]

Tomas.

The only time Harlem's favorite detective calls me is when she needs me to cover? Oh, come on.

You know we go deeper than that.

We did.

[chuckles]

Listen, Luke, Tomas.

Tomas, Luke.

Uh, he and I used to work zombie squad back in Harlem.

- Nice to meet you.

- Likewise.

So, what were you two doing snooping around an empty warehouse in my neighborhood? Last time I was here, I had an encounter with the Yardies.

The Yardies? You sure about that? Yeah.

Why? They're old school.

They fought Renkers and Spanglers and the Shower Posse for their share of the drug and g*n market.

By the time I got on the job, we'd dismantled most of the Yardies' leadership.

So, you think they're inactive? Far from it.

Just quieter.

They don't go by "the Yardies" anymore.

What are they called now? Last I heard, they were going by "the Stylers.

" - No style pon we.

- [Misty chuckles]

It always changes.

Old versus new crew, a split, difference of opinion.

But the v*olence is always the same.

The Stylers a priority now? That torso we just picked up comes back as Nigel Garrison, then yeah.

Hopefully, this stays an internal Styler beef.

The last thing Brooklyn needs now is a g*ng civil w*r between two Jamaican factions.

Let alone getting into it with the Haitians, Koreans, Dominicans or anybody else.

Well, we think this guy has something to do with it.

Do you know him? John McIver, yes.

He's a bogeyman.

Makes Jamaican bad men wet the bed at night.

Started off as a baby Styler, but rose his way up through the ranks on his own.

- He's the new news.

- What's he doing here? If he's chopping heads, he's sending a message.

The Stylers are big time now.

If the Yardies are al-Qaeda, the Stylers are !sis.

- Give me a sec.

- [engine starts]

Jesus Christ, Luke, what have you gotten me into? Bushmaster isn't just making a play on Mariah's weapons.

He's got other plans.

[vehicle beeping]

Hey, hey, you okay? Do you need to sit down? I'm fine.

The owner of this warehouse is Gideon Shaw.

Traffic division picked up a Gideon Shaw last week for a busted tail light and gram of weed.

Didn't have papers.

Homeland Security flagged him for his links to the Stylers.

Have they deported him yet? Lucky for you, they haven't.

Shaw's being detained at the ICE facility, Kearny Point.

Well, then we need to speak to him.

You and I can get in there easily.

I don't know about your homeboy.

- Isn't he an ex-con? - He was framed.

Unless it was expunged, there's nothing I can do.

He go on a bender or something? You should go on the Internet a little more often.

What's going on? I'm headed to Jersey with Tomas.

I'll go to ICE and see what I can get out of Shaw.

But you are headed home.

You look punchy as hell.

Fine.

Fine? [chuckles]

What? No epic disagreement? I'm all talked out.

Thanks for the ride.

Luke.

Don't forget your bag.

You ain't coming to my place for it.

Hey, give Claire some time, okay? I believe in y'all.

[Christone "Kingfish" Ingram]

Thrill is gone [playing blues song]

Said the thrill is gone away Thrill is gone Thrill is gone away Although you done me wrong, baby You'll be sorry someday Thrill is gone Thrill is gone away from me I said the thrill is gone Thrill is gone away from me Although I still live on So lonely I'll be Said thrill is gone Thrill is gone away for good I said the thrill is gone Thrill is gone away for good Someday I'll be over it all, baby Just like I know a good man should Said I'm free now Said I'm free from your spell Said I'm free, yeah I'm free from your spell, yeah And now that it's all over, baby All I can do is wish you well Thrill is gone Thrill is gone away from me Said the thrill is gone Thrill is gone away from me, yeah Although I still live on, baby So lonely I'll be Said I'm free now [sighs]

Combining all of these together? Said I'm free, free, free Said I'm free from your spell Yes, I'm free It's all over, baby All I can do is wish you well Nightshade.

[song ends]

Can I help you? I hope so.

You're here for pain reliever.

No.

I was actually wondering if you might have sold something in one of these recently.

Well, yeah.

Any time I sell dried herbs, which is many times a day, I usually bag it up in one of those.

This would have been to a large Jamaican man.

[chuckling]

Those are half my customers.

Can I ask you a question? Sure.

Do you know where your strength comes from? Well, it's a long story, wrapped up in a lot of baggage.

Sometimes when we unpack baggage and repack it, it's not as heavy.

Want to give it a try? Well, I was the subject of a prison experiment.

The only successful subject.

They were trying to accelerate the healing of injuries on the b*ttlefield.

What did they do to you? Put me in a t*nk full of chemicals.

When I came out, I was stronger.

A lot stronger.

And my skin was tough.

Bulletproof tough.

- But still smooth.

- [chuckles]

May I? That's good for your outsides, that toughness.

Your skin is soft, like worn-in leather.

But it's what's on the inside that really matters.

Here.

Drink that down.

It will help with your pain.

[sniffs]

It tastes better than it smells.

- Liar.

Oh, what's in this? [coughs]

- [chuckles]

Sweetsop, some kola nut, some basil.

It tastes awful, I'm sorry.

But trust me, it'll take the edge off of that uppercut you took.

So you saw the video? Who hasn't? Like my mother says, "The ghetto loves a good beatdown.

" Everyone gets knocked down.

The only thing that matters is getting back up.

Sounds like your mother and my father had the same teachers.

[chuckles]

Thanks.

Listen, even though you are who you are, you might wanna get a MRI.

Is there anyone you can see? No.

Not right now at least.

But this herbal sh*t is already doing the trick.

[Tilda]

Still not enough to heal a concussion.

I saw you squinting the second you walked in here.

One of the most common symptoms of a concussion is sensitivity to light.

Well, thank you for your time, Miss Tilda.

Tilda.

Yeah, I'll definitely remember that.

And if you see that guy again, be sure to give me a call.

Yes, sir.

[sighs]

Bushmaster.

What makes him so scary? [in Jamaican dialect]

I hope you never have to find out.

This photo was taken last night in Harlem.

Why is he here from Jamaica? The man on top of the hill.

What? We grew up together.

Me, John and our bredren, Sheldon.

I'm like an older brother to John-John.

There was an elder, Anansi, a bushman, who'd always tell John stories.

John would repeat one about two men.

The man on the top of the hill and the man at the bottom.

The man on top thinks he's better than the man below.

Why? Because the man at the top, he doesn't want for anything.

His belly's always full.

His house his own.

He thinks he can't get att*cked because he can see all around.

But that doesn't bother the man at the bottom of the hill, see? Why not? The man at the bottom knows, at any time he wants, he can walk up that hill, with his blade, and cut off the big man's head while he sleeps.

Why are you telling me this story? John always talk about his mother and father being wronged.

Wronged by those Yankees who think they're superior.

Because they live on the top of the hill.

Bushmaster come back uptown.

Coming for what is his.

He's going to see the family that live up on Sugar Hill.

He's going to take everything back that's his.

Every bloodclaat thing It's like the Bible.

Water destroyed the world last time.

This time fire.

[playing blues song]

I put a spell on you Because, because you're mine You're mine Stop the things you do Stop the things you do I ain't lyin' No, I ain't lyin' I can't stand Can't stand you runnin' around No, I can't stand Stand you puttin' me down Oh, I put a spell on you I put a spell on you 'Cause you're mine I would have thought you taller.

Would you like a drink? Hmm.

[clicks tongue]

I wanna thank you doing a public service for Harlem.

It's almost sad to see you go back to Jamaica.

Or wherever it is you came from.

Harlem is beginning to feel like home.

I think I'll stay a while.

So much craftsmanship went into this place.

You recently renovate? We had no choice in the matter, thanks to Luke Cage.

Yes.

You know who built the bar? Who designed the interior? No idea.

My grandfather Buggy had it commissioned in the late '60s.

- He had a partner? - Partners.

My grandmother Mabel Stokes and my Uncle Pete.

Your people ever talk the name Quincy Purcell McIver? No.

Must not have been that important.

You know, history remembers queens and kings.

Not the flunkies.

You hear that? [Mariah]

What? The talkin' blues.

Those are the ancestors you hear.

They remember.

You can't erase the past.

You can't burn it away.

That's the spell on you.

That's magic.

Science in its purest form.

- I'm hearing no such thing.

- I think where you're standing is the best place to hear the music, you know.

You can see everything.

You can touch it.

Mmm.

This rum is smooth.

Specific.

Bushmaster.

You can't buy it anymore.

It's from a private stock.

Family recipe.

Only two men know the secret of how to make it.

Both dead.

Maybe some things are better left dead.

And frozen in the ice.

Old fire stick's easy to light.

Your arms will serve me well.

Pleasure doing business with you, Ms.

Stokes.

"Dillard," bitch.

You call me Stokes one more g*dd*mn time Enjoy your little time on the hill 'cause life is so precious.

Precarious, too, you know.

[audience cheering and applauding]

Ray Ray, stay with Mariah.

Of course.

I'm on her every step.

Where's Comanche? I left him in charge.

His mama called him.

Needed something.

Janis called? [Caribbean music playing]

Hey.

[laughing]

Yes.

Yes, yes! - Yo! What's up? What's up? What's up? - Yeah! - Hello.

- John-John.

[chuckles]

[in Jamaican dialect]

Welcome, bredren.

Jerome.

Man, you aged terrible.

- Hey, watch it now.

- [laughing]

You took care of Luke Cage in Harlem like he was nothing.

He says he's faster than Usain Bolt.

You know I had to correct him.

- Strong correction! - Ooh! [laughing]

Don't frown.

Hey.

How you're back after all this time and didn't check me? You know I love you.

Come.

[grunts]

What? You're mad, too? - I see you've gone up the hill.

- [sighs]

Man, I set foot inside Harlem's Paradise and I saw my kingdom.

- I even drank Bushmaster.

- Hmm.

See my past, I see my future.

Now that the guard dog is out of the way, nothing else can stop me now.

[grunts]

Bam! - I don't need money from you, Nephew.

- Hey.

Don't take nothing, don't ask for nothing and I stay happy.

I insist.

Speak for yourself, old man.

- [laughing]

- Lord have mercy.

- More sh*ts of rum.

- Double.

[line ringing]

[sighs]

I'm risking my life talking to you.

- [Ridenhour]

You don't have a choice.

- There's only so much I can do.

I can't do this overnight.

Mariah, she doesn't trust me at all.

What about your boy Shades? It's the same with him, too.

They're connected and sh*t.

The purpose of you being back on the streets is to infiltrate that connection, not give me excuses as to why you can't.

There's only so much I can do.

If I push too hard, Shades will know somethin' is up.

It's not my problem, brother.

That's a "your problem" kind of thing.

The quicker you give me the information I need, the quicker I cut you loose.

What's new in the zoo? [sighs]

It's "Misty.

" "There are people who run from the fire and people who run into it.

Call us when you're ready.

With love, Danny and Colleen.

" [exhales]

Okay.

You shouldn't be sneaking up on people like that.

The shape you're in right now, an elephant with roller skates could sneak up on you.

You want the good news or the bad news? I'm not sure I can stomach any bad news right now.

Well the bad news is my daughter's sick.

Kidney problems.

She's all the way in San Diego.

How bad is it? They say she needs a transplant.

Man, I'm sorry.

I barely know her.

She was a baby when her mother and I split.

But this is somethin' I wanna do.

Well, what's the good news? Good news is we match.

I can be her donor.

I fly out tomorrow.

Wow.

She called me her hero.

Me.

I ain't gonna front, I lost it.

[chuckles]

You must feel like that every day.

[chuckles]

I'm happy for you, man.

We all gotta do our own part in our own way, right? Yeah.

[sighs]

You talk to Claire? No.

I'm giving her some space.

I don't think she's the one that needs the space, brother.

You know, I thought I figured out how to handle this being two Luke Cages.

There's only one problem with that.

There's only one of you.

As long as you're being pulled in so many different directions, you're you're going to lose your temper.

Every man struggles with that.

But I'm not every man.

Precisely my point.

You're a grown-ass man, yes.

But you're also a grown-ass man who can throw a Volkswagen.

[chuckles]

So you have to be more careful than your average man, 'cause if you lose your sh*t, people's lives could be at stake.

Are you sleeping here? Do you mind? - Ask Pops if it's cool.

- [both laughing]

He'd tell me to get a hotel.

That's right.

That's about the only good thing about him not being here.

That and not washing that damn window every morning.

Well, I guess this is it.

For now, anyway.

Luke, if you need anything Don't Don't worry about me, man.

Go be a hero.

Right back at you, brother.

We're closed, man.

I'm sorry.

Are you Carl Lucas? Who's asking? Mr.

Lucas, I'm a process server with the Superior Court of New York County.

You've been served.

[funk music playing]