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Meanwhile, Kavanaugh the Rat King got Emolia to lie for him and say Vic had her arrange the hit on Lem.
Ronnie gets in Vic's car, apologizing for being late. Claudette had him following a lead on the San Marcos murders. Vic thought that case was assigned to robbery/homicide. They're staking out an old man named Jupo, founder of the Salvadoran gang. Jupo must have a death wish because he's smoking while hooked up to his portable oxygen tank. He has terminal lung cancer and was granted parole after serving 50 years of a life sentence.
The guys stroll up to the porch. Vic introduces himself. Jupo has never heard of Vic. Indicating the tattooed Latino sitting next to Jupo, Vic guesses, "Your male nurse probably heard of me." Jupo's grandson, does, at least by reputation. "You're the one raging war against us," wheezes Jupo. Vic's problem is with Guardo. Jupo gets defensive: "I built this gang from the ground up."
Vic looks around the decrepit house and messy yard. He remarks the Salvadorans give "one hell of a pension plan." Vic wants Guardo. Jupo refuses to dishonor himself. Vic tells him that Guardo murdered a cop: "You old-school guys, you knew never to do that." Jupo swears he don't know nothing about it and tosses out his opinion about the new generation.
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Asher the uniform calls Vic with bad news: "I'm at your house serving a search warrant." He doesn't know what it's for, but Kavanaugh, Dutch, and Claudette are there too. Vic has nothing to hide, though he appreciates the heads-up.
When he tells the guys, Shane can't believe anybody bought Emolia's story. "Is there something that I need to know?" asks Ronnie. Shane wonders what that's supposed to mean.
All Dutch finds in Vic's closet is a cigar box of old pictures: Corinne in her wedding dress, Corinne holding Cassidy as a toddler. Billings hasn't checked the trash cans because his jacket is new and "garbage is what God made unis for."
Dutch conversationally mentions he thought Billings was taking a personal day. It's Thursday, so Billings wants to wait until tomorrow and make it a three-day weekend.
Dutch, who has no qualms about trash, digs up a crumpled map with Portillo Auto Body circled on it. Lem was killed there and, in his statement, Vic claimed he'd never been there before. The Rat King is sure there's more evidence in the house if Vic was this careless.
At the Barn, Emolia signs her false statement. Billings found a matchbook from Emolia's sometimes employer, Tama's Costura, at Vic's place. According to Vic, they hadn't had any contact since he dropped her as an informant. There was also an envelope with $500 inside the phone book, the amount Emolia said Vic promised to pay for the hit. Kavanaugh wants the envelope tested for prints. Billings doesn't believe Vic would've had Lem killed.
The guys go where Guardo's girlfriend Nydia lives. She isn't home, but they don't mind waiting for the couple to come back.
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"Now might be our last shot at Guardo," says Vic. Ronnie pops the back door open. The floors creak as the guys fan out and search. The house is clear. Vic notices pictures of Guardo and Nydia. Over his shoulder, Vic states he doesn't care about Guardo's loved ones.
Hearing a noise, Vic adds, "Someone's here. Don't get trigger-happy." He wants Guardo to live long enough to be questioned. Nydia makes a phone call in Spanish; the only thing I can understand is Guardo. She goes to the kitchen and starts making lunch. Hope she has plenty for three guests.
Tina complains her new community relations gig is boring. I imagine it would be, but longtime readers know she's too much of a liability on the street. Claudette emphasizes the importance of people in the community feeling safe to tell Officer Friendly about their problems.
Robbery/Homicide faxed a sketch of the suspect in the San Marcos murders. She wants Julien and Tina to pass copies around.
"If you're here to get an update on Vic, I'm too busy," Claudette tells everyone's least favorite councilman. Edgar-veda notices the Barn is pretty empty. Half the staff is looking for Vic while the other half assists Robbery/Homicide. Edgar-veda offers to get authorization to hire more people.
The district's homicide rate has quadrupled since Claudette became captain last week. The San Marcos murder house is in no-man's land between Wilshire, Central, and Farmington. Even though the body count is supposed to be divided equally, Wilshire and Central are pinning all the blame on the new donkey.
Claudette is sure crime stats will go down once she settles in. Edgar-veda doesn't think so. Three Mexican prisons are being consolidated; inmates with three years or less to serve will be released, a large percentage of which might (illegally) cross the border into the States and settle in Farmington. Some of them are likely here already.
Edgar-veda will file for a budget increase and sweet-talk the Wilshire and Central captains into taking their share of the multiple murder victims. Claudette doesn't believe it could be that easy. Edgar-veda asks what she knows so far about Vic.
"Jesus, how long does it take to eat a salad?" asks Ronnie as he, Vic, and Shane emerge from hiding. They could always pull a Lem and raid Nydia's kitchen. They watch as Nydia drives away. Vic checks the call history on her landline: "Guardo's in Mexico. Goddamn it!" He writes down the number.
Shane says, "We can't rush this. We gotta handle it right." They can't wait due to the APB on Vic. Not wanting his friends to go down with him, Vic tells Shane and Ronnie to go back to the Barn.
Vic confronts Aldo the supermarket owner. Aldo is worried people will get suspicious about Vic coming to his store: "Do you want me killed?" Vic lets Aldo know it's not the Salvadorans he has to worry about if he keeps lying. Why is Guardo in San Miguel, Mexico? It seems he's planning to smuggle in a load of prescription drugs next week. He's been there a few days.
"Where's your cell phone?" asks Vic. Aldo hands it over. Vic instructs him to leave the keys and get out of the truck, promising to return it with a full tank.
"Where have you two been?" Claudette demands of Shane and Ronnie. She's been trying to call them all morning. Shane claims their phones were off while they were in the field. Why is there an APB out on Vic? Claudette can't tell them. Dutch asks when they saw him last. Shane claims Vic's taking another personal day. Rat King Kavanaugh needs to talk to both Shane and Ronnie.
Shane's official statement says nobody on the Strike Team had ever been to Portillo Auto Body. Why did Vic have a map to Portillo in his house? Vic promised Emolia $500 to give Lem to the Salvadorans. They found $500 in an envelope with Vic's prints on it. Could Vic have set Lem up? Shane points at Kavanaugh, "You're crazier than that ex-wife of his."
They know Emolia was in contact with the Salvadorans. "Emolia was outed as a snitch. She was probably calling to beg for her life." says Shane. Well, how else does he explain the evidence? Shane guesses she planted it or Kavanaugh did. "That's gold," Rat King chuckles.
Kavanaugh investigated Vic for 6 months and couldn't find anything. It's awfully convenient he has this tidy little story mere days after Lem's death. "Sound like you know a lot about tall tales and planting evidence," says Rat King. Oh, if only you knew. "Vic didn't kill Lem," Shane repeats. (Yeah, it was you doing that, you bastard). Emolia just wants revenge.
Then why isn't Vic here right now defending himself? Shane doesn't think Vic is aware of the APB. He asks if Dutch is really buying this. Dutch's expression says a resounding "yes." Kavanaugh is curious about Shane's involvement (keep working that angle); it's already too late for Vic. Shane can save himself if he tells them where Vic went.
Vic meets with his federale friend Tonio. He needs his help "repatriating" Guardo to the States. Tonio himself is looking for Rocha, a Byz Lat in East L.A. who's wanted for murder in Mexico City. Rocha used to be under the protection of a rich cattle rancher whose daughter he married; he recently left Mexico with her kids. Prescription smuggling would give Vic leverage.
Rocha being arrested in L.A. means the case being entangled in international court: "The mother and rich grandparents are looking for a quicker solution." Tonio will give Vic a cut of the money. He doesn't care what happens to Rocha as long as the kids are returned safely. Tonio asks what Guardo did. "He killed my friend," Vic replies.
Vic calls Ronnie, who informs him that Shane is being interrogated by Dutch and Kavanaugh. Making the understatement of the month, he says, "It's not good." The Rat King found a map to the body shop and a matchbook from Emolia's workplace in Vic's trash. Vic knows it was planted; nobody can prove otherwise. He asks Ronnie to find out who's the current Byz Lat leader in East L.A.
Tina heard they found evidence at Vic's house. "Maybe a little too much," muses Dutch. He challenges Tina to apply Ockham's razor to Lem's murder. Chatton, another philosopher, came up with what Dutch calls an anti-razor: The world has too many variables for people to assume the simplest answer is always correct. She asks what Dutch thinks is going on.
Dutch is curious why Emolia is still in L.A.; after all, the Salvadorans put out a contract on her life. Emolia refuses to talk to anyone other than the Rat King. Emolia blames the police for her being in the middle of this. Enter Kavanaugh, none too pleased that Dutch is interviewing Emolia without him.
Outside, Dutch lays out his theory. Emolia was greenlit, so agreed to pin Lem's murder on Vic so Guardo would spare her life. Kavanaugh says it's a waste of time; they need everyone available looking for Vic. He takes a shot at Dutch about giving private tutoring to "hot unis." (Wonder if he knows Dutch used to have a thing for Danny). Emolia is innocent and the interrogation is over.
Kavanaugh expresses concern to Claudette about keeping Dutch on Lem's case. Dutch's brief romantic relationship with Corinne may have clouded his objectivity. Claudette raises an eyebrow: "Dutch is protecting Vic for his ex-wife's sake? ...What about the personal nature of the case with you?" Kavanaugh shrugs that relations between IAD and regular cops will always be strained. Finally getting Vic off the street would be a major victory for Claudette.
Shane worries the murder charge against Vic could actually hold up. "We can't let him take this hit," says Ronnie. They both sigh. Shane gets fidgety: "What if I said that I was with Lem or something?" (That would at least resemble the truth). "I had a grenade from the bust," he goes on, "It just went off by accident?" In Lem's lap?
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Vic rolls up to the Byz Lat compound and is waylaid by a large gangbanger asking Vic to state his business. Vic wants to see Santi. "Nobody sees jefe without an appointment or a warrant," says Big Byz Lat. They know the local cops and don't recognize Vic. He explains he works in Farmington and wants the destination of their next drug shipment; if he doesn't talk to Santi, those drugs will be seized.
Big Byz Lat makes a phone call and lets Vic in, directing him to a parking space. He asks for Vic's gun. Vic can't do that because it's city issue. Biggie won't let him in, so Vic drops the magazine. Guess Biggie doesn't know most cops keep one in the chamber.
In a basement surrounded by about a dozen gangbangers, Vic asks where Rocha is. Santi guesses Vic's the terms of their agreement: Drugs pass safely over the border in exchange for Rocha. "Great minds think alike," Vic confirms.
Santi warns Vic that busting their shipment will be viewed as an act of war against every Latino gang in L.A. He'll pay Vic for his time if "you forget my face and the scrips." Vic doesn't want money. He's trying to make nice-nice, but if Santi wants "shock and awe," that can be arranged.
One of the younger Byz Lats aims a gun at Vic's head. "Watch it, homes. Little homey's shitfaced, ese," chuckles another Byz Lat. Vic calmly says, "Junior missed the short bus to school today." Santi says something in Spanish. The kid, whose voice hasn't quite broken and whose gun hand is shaky, declares, "I ain't afraid of no cops." Vic points his own gun at the kid's face.
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Vic marches Santi outside, barrel buried in the Byz Lat's kidney. He slaps the magazine back in his gun and gets in the truck with Santi, peeling out before anyone can close the gate.
Vic gives Santi until the next red light to tell him where Rocha is hiding. Rocha is supposed to carry out a hit on Big G (such an original gangster name), a dealer who belongs to the One-Niners. "Rocha doesn't show up or you warn him, I show up with a hell of a lot more than one in the chamber," Vic threatens before pushing Santi out of the moving car.
Vic's next stop is a basketball court. He lets 400-pound Big G know about the hit. However, he also wants Rocha to find his intended victim. Dropped off at his favorite corner, Big G asks what happens if Rocha does a drive-by. Vic is sure a professional like Rocha will fire at close range: two in the chest, one in the head.
Corinne tells Dutch two unmarked sedans are parked outside her house: "I was a cop's wife long enough to know that there's trouble." She hasn't seen Vic since last night and he told her someone's trying to frame him for Lem's murder. Dutch breaks some bad news: There's a warrant out for Vic. Corinne insists, "He would never in a million years."
Dutch says something monotone about evidence. Corinne can't believe he thinks Vic is capable of this. Dutch gently tells her to prepare the kids for the possibility of Daddy going to jail. "What are you doin' to my husband, huh?" Corinne demands of Kavanaugh. Hating Vic doesn't give him the right to accuse him of things he didn't do.
Kavanaugh puts a hand on her shoulder, suggesting they go someplace private. "Like my house? You wanna put your hands all over me again? Pin me up against the door?" yells Corinne. Everyone in the squadroom has stopped what they're doing to stare. "You used your badge to get into my house and then you tried to touch me! I didn't feel safe!"
Dutch tries to get her to stop making a scene, but that ship has long since sailed. By now, Claudette has arrived. Corinne wants to file charges on Kavanaugh for the attempted sexual assault.
As Rocha heads toward Big G, Vic gets out of the truck. He shoves Rocha against a fence before he can do what he came to do. Rocha fires a couple of wild shots, panicking kids walking home from the nearby high school. Vic handcuffs Rocha, promising to let him go if he shows him where his kids are. Rocha gives him the name of a motel. Vic handcuffs him to the fence.
Claudette and Dutch talk about the latest development with Kavanaugh. "I believe she believes it [happened]," says Dutch. He never thought Kavanaugh was capable of something like that. Claudette wonders what else he could be capable of. She asks what happens to his pleas of Vic's innocence. Does Dutch see Vic going to jail for Lem's murder as karmic justice, whether Vic is guilty or not?
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Dutch thinks Emolia is lying and that the Rat King told her what to say. He pulled surveillance footage proving Emolia and Kavanaugh never met in the coffee shop. Claudette wants Emolia brought back in.
At the meeting spot, Rocha's kids are reunited with their mom. Tonio is sorry, but Guardo has connections that make him nigh impossible to shanghai. Vic is understandably pissed about Tonio not keeping his end of the bargain, even suggesting Guardo paid off the federale. He won't settle for money or more favors. Can Tonio get Guardo a message? Tonio thinks he might be able to. Vic wants to meet again in two hours.
Kavanaugh asks why Emolia is at the Barn. He and Claudette argue back and forth about whether he can be in the interrogation room. Claudette will only allow him to observe. Shane apologizes to Emolia for calling her son Sebastio a retard; he pleads with her not to betray Vic, who was always good to them. Emolia ignores him.
Once the interrogation room door closes, Claudette smiles as she looks around: "I've fixed a lot of wrongs inside these walls." Her tone soon turns harsh: "Guardo wanted to have you killed! You made up a story about Vic so that you could get witness protection!" Yeah, that's pretty much it. Emolia keeps toeing the party line.
Claudette calls Julien and Asher upstairs, then orders Kavanaugh to leave. If he won't, the uniforms will be happy to help the Rat King on his way. Kavanaugh moseys over to observation.
Claudette knows Emolia's been in a lot of trouble before. Normally, she'd be sympathetic to a woman being ping-ponged between two abusive men, but Emolia let them do it for money. Emolia protests she did it for Sebastio's sake.
Would Emolia would rather lose her soul to Vic and Kavanaugh or be strong enough to get free of them? Claudette understands Emolia is scared. But if Emolia tells the truth, Claudette can get her into witness protection. Vic and Kavanaugh are destroying her life and Sebastio's. Emolia starts to cry.
Kavanaugh wants to talk to the captain. Julien and Asher bar the door. Dutch tells the uniforms to stand down. Kavanaugh barges into the interrogation room. The next thing out of his mouth is an admission that he coerced Emolia to lie and planted evidence in Vic's house. He adds, "But I framed a guilty man."
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Nydia throws a curveball: "I don't know any Guardo." She hasn't even heard of him. Vic guesses they got the wrong house. They start to leave. "Wait!" Nydia calls after them. Guardo gave her strict instructions not to talk to cops. According to Vic, Salceda plans to use Nydia as bait to lure Guardo back to the States. Shane's glad they found her in time.
Nydia wants to call Guardo. Vic advises against that; anyone could be listening. The hit is an inside job. Ronnie will drive her to a safe house. She'd only have to stay for a day or two. Vic will pack some clothes for her.
"What the hell are you doin'?" asks Shane, following Vic into the house. Vic tosses a suitcase onto the bed: "Just pack. I'll explain later." Shane haphazardly puts underwear in the suitcase. Vic pockets a gold cross from the jewelry box.
Kavanaugh smiles that he's never cheated in his life before now. It's ironic he got caught trying to set up someone so dirty. "You set up another cop for murder. Threw away your career. I fail to see the humor," says Claudette. "You sacrificed your integrity for Vic Mackey. You were better than him." Somehow, I seriously doubt that.
Julien and Asher confiscate Kavanaugh's badge and gun. The Rat King is being arrested for interfering with police business under color of authority. Claudette is sure other charges will be added. Let's see here: witness tampering, attempted rape, harassment, tampering with evidence. There'd be more than one count of each if poor Lem were alive to testify.
Claudette tells the uniforms to drive Kavanaugh to police headquarters. She cuffs the Rat King in front and lets him drape his sportcoat over his hands to conceal them. Hopefully, that's the last professional courtesy he gets. Kavanaugh gloats that Vic is Claudette's problem now (which he was to begin with because she's his captain).
Vic brings Nydia's necklace to Tonio. His message: If Guardo ever wants to see her again, he has to personally deliver a $50,000 ransom to L.A. Cash only. "I don't think I want any part of this, let alone what you'll do to him once you've got him," says Tonio.
Vic just wants the message delivered; Tonio can wash his hands after that. The federale agrees. Guardo needs to call Nydia's cell to arrange the drop.
Shane, of all people, says, "The last thing we need is more dirty money." Vic doesn't give a shit about the ransom. Nobody will trust Guardo with their drug shipments if he can't protect his own girlfriend. Shane begs Vic to reconsider. They can't bring Lem back and Shane can't stand it if he loses his best friend too. Vic remains adamant: "Guardo has to pay."
At the safe house, Ronnie sits by himself in the dark kitchen. He jumps a foot in the air when Vic opens the door. Nydia is asleep. Shane tells Ronnie about the new plan. It doesn't seem like they're planning to actually kill her if Guardo doesn't show up. The bigger question is what happens if he does.
Shane is all "uh, maybe we shouldn't do this." Vic says they're both free to go back to the Barn. He takes Ronnie's place at the table and toys with Nydia's phone.
Danny has stopped by the Barn to show off Lee. She sighs to Claudette that he has colic and cries a lot. Claudette has good news: Danny passed her sergeant's exam. The promotion is in effect immediately when she comes back from maternity leave. However, if Danny waits too long, her name drops to the bottom of the list. Claudette tells her to sleep on it, like Danny will with a newborn.
Claudette also has good news for Shane and Ronnie: All charges against Vic have been dropped. "If he's still in the country, tell him he can sleep in his own bed tonight."
Back at the safe house, Shane wants Vic to let Nydia go. "She's how we get to Guardo," says Vic. Ronnie asks, "What happened to no more unilateral decisions?" (If only he knew about the one Shane made). This plan is too risky for his tastes. Vic finds it unfair that Guardo is alive and Lem isn't. If the guys don't want to help him, he'll do it himself.
"What the hell is your problem?" asks Shane, "Can't you listen to anybody but yourself?" (Said the self-centered loudmouth to no one in particular). Lem died because he wouldn't go to Mexico. Does Vic want the grave next to his? Does he want them to all go to jail? After this outburst, Shane storms away. Ronnie takes off his jacket and settles in, telling Vic to go get some sleep. Vic squeezes his shoulder.
"You've been a very busy boy," Vic tells Kavanaugh in lockup. The Rat King counters, "I learned from the master." Vic knows what Kavanaugh did to Corinne. I think the Rat King better watch out in the showers. Kavanaugh is confident "the universe will take out its trash when it's ready." Vic thinks it already has.
Kavanaugh tells Vic he turned Lem into a thug and a thief. Wrong. Unlike Vic, Lem always had good reason when he lost his temper. Kavanaugh knows trying to use Vic's tactics backfired on him, "but I won't be the one hearing my dead friend's screams in my head." Vic reminds Kavanaugh who's going to his own bed tonight.
Kavanaugh shrugs: "I'm at peace. Are you?" "Soon enough," Vic replies. And thus ends the tenure of one of the most despicable characters in The Shield's history.
Kavanaugh conveniently forgot he was a master manipulator before Emolia and the planted map; he played Lem like a fiddle, twisting his head 'til he didn't remember which way was up. It wasn't just Lem's mental health that suffered for it. By the end, his stress-related ulcer had damn near crippled him. I, for one, hope Kavanaugh doesn't get a plea deal. End of episode.
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