You're a big venue now.
Global commerce, sports franchises...
chit-chat cafes.
But you don't get it because you don't see it.
Life is not what you think it is.
Because of guys like us... you can go on thinking it...
'til reality sets in.
Reality's a motherfucker.
The first thing you do when it hits you...
is wonder where we are.
We do our shit.
You do yours.
But remember... it's a dirty world.
And without us, it'd be a whole lot dirtier.
Welcome to Edison.
Heads up. 2 harbor cops just showed up.
We got problems in here. If they come into bank, shoot 'em.
Any units near 12th and Plaza, respond to an alarm at Plaza Bank.
Approach with caution.
We got it.
What was that?
You're outta your fuckin mind. You know that? Fuck!
- You want onions with that? - Yeah.
There you go.
- Stay down! - Stay down!
Go.
Get in the car!
What are you doing? Get in the car!
Stay calm. I know you're hurt.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
Okay buddy.
I know you're hurt. Get you to your feet, okay?
All your friends are dead, fuckhead.
It's just me and you now.
Come on GI Joe. Come out and play.
Come on.
Drop the gun, walk away, or I'll kill her.
Close your eyes, sweetheart. You don't wanna see this.
It's okay, come on. Come on, it's okay.
Just a flesh wound.
It's okay. You're alright.
It's okay, baby. It's okay.
That bad man's not gonna hurt you any more.
It's okay.
On your knees! Come on!
What's goin' on?
- Lock your fingers behind! - Put your hands behind your head.
Come on crack whores!
Look at that China White, baby. Look at that China fuckin' White.
That's my money, too. That's all my money.
- Motherfucker. - Okay, fuckhead. You squatters?
Fuck you talkin' about?
- You own this house? - No.
- What about you? - No.
- You got a lease? - No.
You got a mortgage? You guys fucked up tonight.
Don't look at me. Don't fuckin' look at me.
Okay, this is how it works.
You never saw us. And we never saw you.
The world just keeps turnin'.
- You ain't takin' us in? - Nah.
Got to all school.
We answer up, get capped for losin' that shit.
Yeah, maybe you should leave town.
Motha' fuckers.
We'll get his license. Rat his ass out to the Feds.
Tired of this bullshit. Fuck that.
Welcome to the majors.
It gets easier after the first one.
Him.
Rafe.
Not ready, bro?
I'll take care of this shit.
The fuck? Oh, you motherfucker.
You fuckin' spit at me? I'll fuckin' kill you!
Aw, Jesus.
Jesus. Jesus.
Oh, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
Come on.
Come on. Stop cryin'.
I haven't seen you around here before.
Who are you?
Isiaha Charles. I just moved here with my mom.
Who's he to you?
I just met him. He gave me a job.
Where'd you do time?
I've never done time.
- You never did time? - No.
Oh, that is good shit.
You want some?
I'm good.
All right. This is how it's gonna work.
Your buddy was smokin' crack and he got fuckin' crazy...
and he came at you with a knife.
Now tell me what happened.
My buddy, he got fuckin' crazy...
and he came after me with a knife.
Which is when Lazerov and I entered the domicile
in response to a domestic disturbance...
and saw the defendant fire one round from a bulldog.
- Is this that bulldog You refer to? - Yes.
- Is this the knife You pried from the deceased's hand? - Yes
- What was he doing with him? - Something to stab the defendant.
Now after the deceased deceased did the defendant resist?
- No. - Did he say anything?
He cried, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
Cried? What do you mean he cried?
He cried. Jesus, Jesus.
That's enough.
- Jesus. Oh my God. - That's enough, Officer Deed.
You may step down.
Thank you.
That'll be a 10 minute recess. We'll reconvene at quarter past.
- What the hell was that? - Testifying.
- To the Second Coming? - Back off.
Officer Deed?
Officer Deed.
Yeah.
- Why'd he thank you? - Who are you?
Josh Pollack. Heights Herald.
- The Jewish handout? - It's a community weekly.
The guy is Jewish? You're shittin' me.
I don't know he's Jewish.
And, what do you care?
You busted him in Ashtown, that's adjacent to the Heights.
Tell our Jewish friends not to worry. They can still walk to worship.
So why'd he say thank you?
It's a manslaughter and possession beef.
- It could've been murder. - So Why did FRAT catch this?
Talk to public affairs.
Officer Deed, can you tell me why FRAT is cruising the streets?
Talk to public affairs.
Guy thanked you?
Jack-off. I hate that fuckin' guy.
- Who's that? - Wallace. Pussy.
Hey.
How'd court go, Frank?
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
- Something I should know? - No. Same old, Same old.
Deed's first murder testimony.
Yep, weapons possession 18 months.
Rafe. Inspection Monday? Be sure you're there.
Pollack.
Pollack!
Pollack.
Yes, sir?
What are you doing?
Article on the murder trial.
I told you to put the verdict on the police blotter.
That's a sentence, not a tome.
It's a legitimate story.
Then find a legitimate paper to publish it.
All I want is the verdict, okay?
Fraud.
Sorry, did you say something?
No, sir. I didn't.
That's what I thought.
Actually I said fraud.
Did you now?
You know why The Times won't hire you Pollack?
You don't do the work.
A thousand words, not a single fact except for the verdict.
Everything else is supposition.
FRAT wouldn't talk to me.
So the point of covert police work is not to talk about it.
This incident is public record, sir.
Involving undercover police who like to keep a low profile,
so they can sleep at night.
You can't imply nefarious activity
because a felon whispered thank you to one of them.
I qualified it with a question.
You qualified...
Watch my lips, son. You're not qualified to qualify.
Nobody cares what you think.
Only what you know and that's diddly 'cause you don't do the work!
Unfortunate this is about as well written as you are uninformed.
You know what?
I think you should try novels. You're fired.
This isn't a real paper anyway.
Perfect for you. Lazy little shit.
Get out while you can.
Shit.
Rafe. Don't make yourself crazy.
You're gonna give yourself a hernia.
Come on. Let's go to bed.
You want the free range Chicken Kiev with potatoes
or vegetables over risotto in a bell pepper sauce?
I'd like a meal prepared to order, not manufactured for distribution.
Ashford was right.
About what?
All this articulate conjecture wrapped around one fact.
- Isiaha Charles, illegal weapons possession. /- Right.
- 8 words if you count the preposition. - Another critic.
- You asked me to read it. - It was mistake.
Because I agree with him?
Come on, sweetie.
You know I thought being fired was the highlight of my day.
You're great sex.
But imperious and penniless are serious social handicaps
and you should stick with your strengths.
I was hoping for sympathy.
Poor baby.
Well, that woulda worked.
Yeah, that's bullshit.
Rafe.
Talk to me, please.
- Is It your headaches again? - Leave It alone, please.
I said I'm okay.
What's wrong with you? I'm worried.
I'm okay. I'm all right.
I'm gonna take a ride.
Rafe please, you need to get help.
He couldn't'a done better, believe me.
Hey, Rafe, what's up?
You're almost a no-show for inspection.
Oh, no no. I had dinner at Maria's.
I thought you were ending that.
I am gonna process ending it.
You can get inspected every day of the week, Rafe, if you need it.
But there are no exceptions.
I need your commitment.
I made my commitment. That's for sure.
All right. Let's go have some fun.
- Say hello to Marilyn. - Hey, Marilyn.
Hey, hero. The girls'll be happy to see you.
He's making me a little bit nervous.
You stalking me now?
- I'm not lazy. - You're stoned.
And you are a vision of temperance.
- This Is Cambodia. - It was Kampuchea at the time.
Wow. I knew you used to be somebody but
- You're burying the lead, kid. - Come on man, I'm a good writer.
So what?
That builds strong papers.
- And this story Is impor... - Pollack.
I don't publish stories.
I publish coupons for merchants who don't kidnap competition,
bomb busses or immolate themselves.
- Am I wrong about the story? - What do I know?
- Help me get It right. - Do the work.
I was in court, I took notes and tried to talk to FRAT.
Talk to the defendant, huh?
He's in Longworth.
Afraid to visit prison?
How am I talk to somebody who knows the defendant well.
How about visiting the scene of the crime, make an assessment.
Okay.
- You're right. - As if I need your affirmation.
I'm not telling you to do this. I'm telling you not to.
Could be dangerous.
Will you help me or not?
Why the sudden urge to get this right?
My girlfriend read it.
Agreed with you.
Right. You're doin' this for pussy.
- Well I wouldn't put it that way. - For Pussy.
What happened to you?
Don't talk to the system.
What the hell does that mean?
Make up somethin'.
5:52 a.m.
The call was for a D and D, domestic disturbance.
We knocked. Couldn't be heard over the shouting.
Well the time, 5:52 a.m.
5: 17, 6: 10.
There's no 5:52.
No report that date and address.
Filed by a Sergeant Francis Lazerov, or an Officer Raphael Deed.
- FRAT files aren't public record. - Why?
- We can't speak for FRAT. - Who can?
FRAT.
Even if you were with a real paper I wouldn't talk to you. That's Policy.
It's public record, Captain Tilman.
It's trial and conviction. Not us, alright?
Here we go.
If you're gonna turn every beef between two losers into headlines
that's gonna seriously compromise our ability to social deviancy.
You know, we might as well pack it up and close shop.
Screw John Q. Citizen. Is that what you want?
I don't think so.
Have a good one.
- Bern! - Sir.
It's Capt. Tilman, head of First Response Assault & Tactical Unit.
Thanks a large part to this gentleman
we're looking at an 82% reduction in homicides, 69 in felonies,
71 in sexual assault.
With those number we can have early intervention program.
In fact I see a day when we won't need courts at all.
- Hi. - No, You Stay away.
No. I'm just looking for somebody. Ms. Melba Charles?
She lives here, right?
She's over there.
Oh, Jesus.
Isiaha Charles? I'm Josh Pollack, I'm a writer.
- I was at your trial. - Oh, Yeah.
Here.
Listen.
After Officer Deed testified, you said thank you.
Why?
I can't talk about the trial.
Can we talk about you?
Who you were before this?
By the way, I'm very sorry about your mother.
What about my mother?
Her stroke.
Stroke?
- You don't know. - Whoa, when?
- A few days ago, I guess. - How bad of a stroke?
Is my mother a vegetable?
I'm sorry.
Oh, Mama.
Motherfuckers!
A'ight, look. You gotta get me outta here.
You gotta get me to my mother.
- I can't. - No, You can.
If you get me out of here, I'll tell you everything you want about the trial.
- I don't know how. - The way they capped Rook.
- What? - Stole the crack, the 40 G's.
Made up that shit about the knife. I'll tell you all of that.
Ma...
I love you.
You hang on.
I'll be home soon.
I promise.
You get this to her. You promise me.
Fuck!
I'm sorry.
Mrs. Charles.
Ma, I love you. You hang on.
I'll be home soon. I promise.
You call me now? I'm not your personal editor.
Just read this.
This is a Pulitzer.
What's it for?
Blowing the judging committee. What do you think?
You saw Isiaha's arrest report?
Copies of the court transcript.
- No mention of cash, coke or guns? - No.
- The emergency dispatch? - The copy's there.
There's no record of a 911 that time, date, address.
You talked to the District Attorney, the Public Defender, Judge.
You told me not to talk to the system.
What do you think?
It could dismantle the department when it's done.
What's missing?
The other side of the story.
They're murderers.
If you believe Isiaha Charles.
You won't publish it as is?
I won't publish it at all.
But The Times will if you get the department's side.
The department? They're murderers.
Right. You're doing this for pussy.
I'm doin' it for this.
Fourth estate, Pollack.
It's the only job protected by the Constitution, and this is why.
This is tyranny.
When you see it you're obligated to yell.
A risk you're unwilling to take, and I don't blame you.
In your new enlightenment I'll take you back to the Herald,
but don't call yourself a journalist.
The coupon king has spoken.
Good night, Pollack.
Oh, here, take this with you.
Go on, leave. Leave.
Go.
- Get the door. - Got it.
You move, you die! Spread 'em! Spread 'em!
- Here. - Against the wall.
Hey Deed!
I got somethin' for ya!
Come on, baseball.
Watch your step!
Fuck.
Shut up, gimme your other hand.
Shut up. All right, let's go.
Bern, I owe you... Anything
Not now, not here. Girls, come out everybody come out.
- Laz. - Yeah.
Take the girls out. I'm going downstairs.
- Party at my house. - Line up Here.
- Let's go. - Come on, sweetie.
Come on. Come on.
Here ya go, cupcake.
The fuck am I gonna do with this?
I thought you gave up muckraking, Moses.
It's Pollack's story.
You heard of anything like this, Levon?
Sure all the time. From felons.
Well, there it is.
D.A. 's office doesn't comment on unsubstantiated accusations.
Why don't you come back when you have specifics?
- We can't be more specific. - What are We talking about?
Innuendo? Hearsay?
D.A. Needs names. Otherwise the office can't respond.
Jack, when did you start referring to yourself as an inanimate object?
You run a community weekly Moses
and I'll always have time for you but now that time is up.
Mr. Pollack.
Mr. Reigert. Mr. Wallace.
These aren't the good old days, Moses.
They never were, Jack.
- Why wouldn't you give him - Huh-uh.
- If You were to just - Not now.
Ashford doesn't come here easily.
He didn't have anything specific or actual either.
Ignore it. I'm not insulting Tilman with this.
Yeah, it's Jack.
Can you come on over?
- Why weren't you more specific? - You have a source to protect.
I was that vague, you fired me.
Do you know how pervasive this is?
Are you think they're involved?
I don't know who's involved, and neither do you.
Than why did we even come here?
Levon Wallace, city's best investigator.
If the story holds up he'll confirm it.
What do we do now?
I publish coupons. You should look for a job.
- Mr. Ashford - Look, kid.
You've got a story, access to the D.A. And his best investigator.
If you can't make a career of that you don't belong in this business.
Mr. Ashford.
Stop the Mister. Okay? I'm outta this game.
And your late night visits irk me.
If Wallace confirms your story,
then you have to put the question to Tilman, Lazerov, and Deed.
Use a phone. And pray they don't take the call.
Moses!
Look, kid. It's Friday.
Go do what you're supposed to do. Go get laid, for christ sake.
- Outta the way. - I wasn't doin' a thing.
Yeah, whatever.
- Look out. - All right!
Hey. Just here to dance.
Have a good time.
What?
Oh, my God... Poppy.
Pollack.
- Who's that? - He's a reporter.
We have to go.
- Why? - We have to go.
- That's the guy from your story. - Shh.
He's kinda cute, right?
Are you dating other people?
Don't worry. Looks like he just got engaged.
I saw that. Tough break for you.
You never put a face on it do you? Once published, it will ruin his life.
I'm not ruining his life.
I said your story. God, it is always about you, right?
I do think about that. Okay.
I think about ruining somebody's life.
You're not gonna get self-absorbed and mopey?
Don't get all soft and mopey
Hey, what are you doing?
- What happened? - Come on. Move it!
Get outta the way!
Move! Move!
Don't move, help's comin'.
Aw, fuck.
Officer Deed, Edison P. D. I have 2 down outside the Plaza Nightclub.
I have a medical bracelet here.
It says serum prothrombin conversion, blood type O.
Stay still, buddy. Help's comin'.
- She needs help. - I know. Stay still.
You okay?
Yeah.
Hell. Shit.
Wallace?
You ever answer your fucking phone?
You?
I've been up all night.
Pollack got the shit kicked up last night, so did Willow.
What? Who?
His girlfriend. They're in the hospital.
How bad?
She's in a coma.
She's got factor seven deficiency. It's a blood disorder.
They don't know how she's gonna survive.
And Pollack?
Took a beating but he'll be all right.
Mugged?
Warned.
Who are you?
Deed. Edison P. D. Who are you?
- You don't wanna be here. - Who are you?
Moses Ashford, I own the paper he works for.
- How bad Is he? - He's banged up.
Sedated. Do you care?
- Tell him somethin'? - Tell him What?
Tell him I have nothing to do with this.
- With What? - You gonna Tell him or not?
Officer Deed.
Is there any hope for you, son?
No.
Let go.
- What are you doin'? - Go me.
It's not safe for him here.
Move him somewhere safe.
Come in.
Make yourself as comfortable as you can.
The market will deliver. It's on Wallace's tab.
You have run of the house, but, no matches.
- No fire at All near the barn. - You told me.
All that dry hay could catch fire.
This place has been in Wallace's family for years.
Why do I have to stay here?
You don't have to stay here. Take a plane, go home to mommy.
I wanna be near Willow.
Believe me, it's safer both of you if you're here.
When I publish.
You can't publish.
- Why not? - Look at what they did to me!
Serious journalism doesn't look so good up close, huh?
It's a little hard to tell with this large thing hanging over my eye, thanks.
So who's a fraud now?
You know what? You don't even know what it's like.
Life's a bitch, ain't it?
Think you can swim, then it's oh shit, where are my water wings?
This isn't from swimming pool.
No, this is what you aspire to.
You want a prize? Here's your shot.
See when you asked Charles to tell you his story you committed.
Now you have a moral duty. People depending on you.
Doesn't get any better than that, kid.
Hey, why are you doin' this to me?
Cause you did it to me. I'll call you later.