Where is the one with the face I can't live without?
Let me choose the picture
and see her as she is.
Let me pick the angle to catch her unaware.
Do you ever look at yourself?
Do you know how beautiful you are?
Or are you more beautiful because you can't look?
Why can't I see the way you brush your hair?
Where is a picture of you walking up the stairs?
Reading a magazine?
I don't want to tell you what to do.
I want you to just do something.
On your own.
I want to see you like the stranger that I am...
and then feel it in my chest,
then my stomach,
then everywhere else,
when you finally look at me like you know me.
Want a nightcap?
It'll help your English.
We should have tequila to help your Spanish.
This thing is killing me.
Which thing?
The demonstration piece.
So, they text each other on burner phones.
Now, I found this one guy way out in la casa de la chingada,
and everybody's giving me his name.
I mean everybody.
Of course, it's not a guy.
It's a store.
But the guy who owns it supposedly wants to talk.
But, next thing we know,
he's in a single-car accident.
Ran into a giant propane tank.
Kaboom.
Dental records.
I just want to do my job. You know, I d--
I don't want to get people killed.
Or get killed yourself.
They're texting each other,
and they can get 6,500 people to show up in Chapultepec
in 25 minutes notice.
So I figure it's someone at the phone company.
To the phone company.
So, how's your health?
I made it through the blood test.
Did you meet the doctor?
No. I have an appointment for tomorrow
to address their primary concern,
-which is can I pay for it.
So, you need the bank account number.
-Yeah. -You know, they can verify
the funds, but they can't transfer them.
It's gonna look like the wire's pending,
but it won't really go through.
So you won't have much time.
I don't need that much time.
So why bother?
Because this charlatan is taking advantage of incurables.
"Charlatan."
Mm.
That's good.
Money makes the world go round.
Why is that a story?
He's making them think they have a chance, and they don't.
They're dying.
It's a $250,000 sugar pill.
I don't know.
That seems like injustice to me.
No, it's good.
It's symbolic.
I used to think that way.
But then you grew up.
Those people are gonna die anyway,
and there are teenagers
disappearing for having an opinion.
Can you get me the bank number?
In a minute.
Your first thought is the most human.
"There but for the grace of God go I."
Well, go and ask.
It's been an hour.
Hey, don't upset yourself.
Do you have any idea if we're going to see the doctor today?
We have an intake protocol,
but we'll do our best.
I was told I would see the doctor today!
I've got to ring the jet to tell them when we're leaving.
Then you realize
that they may not be worthy of grace,
because they are not gracious.
I put names to the faces.
Gertrude Schafer and her adoring husband Klaus.
He's earned millions as an advisor
to emerging dictators
after learning his trade with the Stasi.
The man with the jet?
Rupert Hughes.
How perfect that he's gasping for air.
He's been polluting it for decades
by manufacturing ammonia in Northern India.
¿Señor Morazan?
I'll give you $100,000 for your appointment.
Bloody Mexicans.
Arms dealer.
Venezuelan phone company executive.
A general in charge of Indonesian oil and torture.
Billionaires,
and not one dollar made in the light of day.
It's hard to tell who the victims are here.
Of course that got my attention.
I thought about the steady stream of criminals
who believe they're entitled to more life because they're rich.
This kid's life hasn't even started.
I have to borrow another sport coat.
I have too much fake money in my fake bank
to dress like a journalist.
Buenos días.
Let's make it on the record,
and in English, shall we?
Give us a shot at The New York Times.
Are you recording this?
Dr. Siqueiros, have you ever actually cured anyone?
Yes.
Do you have any evidence,
since all your results are self-published
and scientifically unreviewed,
that that's anything more than a coincidence?
My work is well-respected,
but of course, it's always possible.
That's science.
So what would you say to those who believe
that you're taking advantage of the terminally ill
whose desperation knows no financial limit?
There is nothing illegal going on here, Mr. Erikson.
You've come here looking for the truth,
and the truth is my interest in humanity over time.
Healing... is an evolution,
not a transaction.
But the transaction is the most important part, clearly.
God does not discriminate between the rich and the poor
when it comes to disease,
but research is not free.
And every case, whether successful or not,
adds to the knowledge that benefits the greater good.
I am part of something bigger.
And all the people who can't afford it--
what are they a part of?
I wonder if you realize
that you devoted yourself to destroying things.
Why would you want to take anything away from anyone?
It's much harder to give, to build, to create.
You're not helping a soul.
You have a nihilistic view of the world,
and all you do is go around
looking for evidence to support it.
That diagnosis... is free.
I don't think you understand me.
I...
I am waiting at the clinic.
You're supposed to be here. Uh...
It's okay that you're not.
It's okay that you're not, okay?
Hello?
¿Hola? ¿Hola?
Pardon me? Are you okay?
Ugh.
I'm-I'm just having a little trouble with our driver.
He seems to suddenly not understand me.
Well, let me... try to get you a taxi.
No, no, I-I can't take a taxi 'cause of my son's condition.
Do you want me to try talking to your driver?
Oh, my God, would you?
Victoria.
He was stuck in traffic.
He's just outside the gate.
Thank you so much.
Why did I take French?
I'm Abel Erikson. Pleased to meet you.
Victoria Hayward. This is my son Nick.
Hi.
I'm Abel.
This is us... finally.
-Get up slowly. -Do you need some help?
No. Thank you.
Okay. All right.
-Mr. Erikson?
Abel.
Can we give you a ride?
It's the least we can do.
We're at the Gran Hotel.
Oh, that's a special place.
So what's wrong with you?
Nicholas. That's rude.
No, it's okay.
No.
It's not.
You're not sick.
Sick people don't mind talking to other sick people.
We're not embarrassed, okay?
I have hemophilia,
so once I start bleeding, I can't stop.
But it's not just like cutting yourself with a knife.
It's inside, too, like a bruise,
or like bones hitting each other.
Or losing a tooth.
You must have to be really careful.
I used to have to inject myself three times a week,
but I developed antibodies to the clotting factor.
Which is weird, because I have a strain
that's not supposed to do that.
Nicky.
That's enough.
We got in a tiny car accident last year,
and I almost died, so she's really paranoid.
Okay. Stop.
What's your favorite clinic?
I've only been to this one.
You have to go to the one in Abu Dhabi.
They have horses walking around like dogs.
That sounds cool.
But the best one was...
Mom, where was the one with the chocolate fountain?
Sils Maria.
Yeah, Switzerland.
Okay, honey, don't bother Abel.
It's fine, really.
-Can I have my phone? -No.
So, how do you like Mexico City so far?
I don't know.
All we do is stay in the hotel and go to the clinic.
Well, there's a lot to see.
Do you live here?
I do.
You're right near the Zócalo.
It's the center of the city and has been since the Mexicas.
Were they before the Aztecs?
They are the Aztecs.
That's their real name.
When the conquistadors came, they destroyed their temple
then built the cathedral with the very same stones.
Cortés.
That's right.
Mom, can we go?
No, you need to rest.
I'm sure Abel has plans.
Do you?
No, I really don't.
You love churches.
You can light a candle.
Don't you want to light a candle for me?
And for him?
I think it's all cobblestones around there.
I can walk.
Fine. Five minutes.
Just to light a candle.
It's so crowded here. We have to be careful.
Yes, of course.
That European building is the palace.
The president speaks from the balcony.
The Zócalo used to be filled with trees,
but to keep order,
the government turned it into a parking lot.
Before that, all of this
was a lake where the city, Tenochtitlán,
floated on top with big pyramids and boats.
And Montezuma.
-Exactly.
This is the cathedral.
You can see it's still a lakebed
because the whole building is sinking.
-What did you say? -That you're important.
It's so nice in here.
It's like Italy.
A lot of gold.
The gold in Europe came from here.
So, these walls are where they would bounce the human heads?
Christianity was the new way,
and the Mexicas did not have a choice.
They were brutally conquered.
But both bent towards each other.
Christianity had its own human sacrifices.
The saints and Jesus Christ himself.
And, of course...
the Virgin of Guadalupe.
She's like Mary, but she has brown skin.
-I'm sorry, I really don't want to rush this. -Of course.
You want to light a candle.
So, they would only sacrifice their enemies, right?
Yeah, they were prisoners of war.
And they would cut their hearts out
with a knife made out of glass?
Obsidian. But the part a lot of people don't know
is that the priests would actually eat some of the flesh.
-I know. -I don't know. It's so strange.
Well, thank you, Emilio. We'll see you tomorrow.
Well, I suppose we'll see you at the clinic.
I don't think I'll be back for a while.
Oh.
Well, that's good, right?
Yes.
Well, thank you for the tour, then.
Nicky, say thank you to Abel.
Did you know that the Aztec priests were cannibals?
No, I did not know that.
That's very interesting.
You know, there's so much more to see.
I'd be glad to show you around.
Um, I don't know. We're...
Can't really make any plans.
Well, the Bellas Artes and the Palacio Nacional
are right across the way.
And I do know where to get the best hot chocolate.
-Well, that's very sweet of you.
And you've been so generous with your time, but...
...we really are very busy.
Come on, Mom. Can't we do something fun?
They said tomorrow afternoon.
I'll tell you what.
I'll come by in the morning around 10:00.
If you want to meet me down here, great.
If not, believe me, I'll understand.
Please?
He knows everything.
We'll see.
Adios, Abel.
Hasta luego.
So, the doctor went on the record,
but he made you look like an asshole.
Fuck him. The story's not about him, anyway.
There was this woman there with her sick kid.
-He has hemophilia. -How poetic.
It's a sick kid. I didn't see the poetry.
-Anyway...
he's very intelligent and curious and mature
because the mother has taken him all over the world,
and he's only dealt with adults.
Mostly his mother.
And she...
she's this beautiful person
who is sacrificing everything for him.
Good mother. That's good.
It's more than that. She's interesting.
Uh-huh. And what's her name?
Victoria Hayward. Her son is Nicholas. Nick.
I know what this is. It's-it's not a story.
It's a crush.
I feel for them.
How much time did you spend together?
They gave me a ride, so I took them to the cathedral.
You're not a journalist. You're a fireman.
You just want to run into burning buildings
and carry out the beautiful woman,
or, better yet, carry out her child,
and have her drop to her knees and thank you.
What's wrong with that?
Don't they think you're dying?
I haven't lied to them.
You are so full of shit.
Abel.
Good morning.
I wasn't sure you were coming.
She kept changing her clothes.
Nicky.
Well, it was worth the wait.
We're going to go through this arch,
and then you're gonna close your eyes when I tell you to.
I want you to get the full effect.
Okay, open your eyes.
Diego Rivera.
One of the greatest painters of all time.
It took him six years to create this,
essentially an epic poem celebrating Mexican heritage.
Over here you can see the pre-European culture...
...the indigenous people and their mythology.
Then the bloodshed and violence when the conquistadors came.
Then into the Spanish Inquisition,
more innocents suffering horrible fates.
And the tradition of oppression,
the fight for justice.
At least two revolutions.
It's bleak,
but he paints our fighters, our intellectuals,
our artists,
our workers all as heroes.
Benito Juárez,
Zapata, Karl Marx,
Frida Kahlo.
And then there he is,
a portrait of the artist himself...
...in the middle of everything.
All of history happening at once.
Are they wearing leopard suits or are they part leopard?
It's a jaguar, a jaguar skin.
Cool.
There's so much killing.
Mom, did you see the Russian soldiers?
Those are Napoleonic troops.
-They're French. -Where's my mom?
I'm not sure.
It looked like she was on the phone.
She doesn't just leave like this.
Can we call her?
Mom, where are you?
Abel's phone.
Where are you?
Okay.
Can I take some pictures?
Sure.
Come on.
Honey, I'm back.
Sorry to scare you.
It's fine.
Are you okay?
Can we just act like we're talking?
I need a minute.
I-I can't let him see me like this 'cause he'll know.
It's okay.
What happened?
I'm so stupid.
His dad told me not to do this.
He doesn't even know that we're here.
He said it was a waste of money
and it wouldn't work.
And it didn't.
It didn't work at all.
I'm so sorry.
Well, maybe...
Maybe. I know.
He's such a cynic.
I fucking hate that about him.
So you're going to try again.
Yes.
I have to.
I don't know.
He's 12 years old and it takes so much out of him.
And you.
It's just the thought that it might work.
And then this moment.
And I've been living it over
and over and over again.
And I have to...
...perform for him.
Because he's so scared.
I don't think he's scared.
Fine.
I'm scared.
What's he doing?
He's enjoying himself.
Good.
Thank you for this.
And for that.
Honey, we should go soon.
Five minutes.
Nick, my phone.
Oh. Here you go.
Call me if you need anything.
Even if you just want me to stay with him
so you can have some time to yourself.
We like to think of what was here versus what came later.
But in the end, it doesn't matter.
Two peoples, one civilized, one savage.
One white, one brown.
None of this is true.
Both fierce, both violent.
Neither civilized.
In the end, the indigenous people were defenseless.
They fell like a forest and were ground into pulp
to make the paper of Spanish Bibles.
And here they are,
a new crop of trees...
...unable to afford their own fruit.
So once again, the conquistadors gallop in
and seize the harvest.
Life is cheap here.
They would replace all their body parts
with ours if they could.
The ones who have everything,
taking from those who have nothing,
just to get a little bit more.
-Hello? -Hi. It's Victoria.
I know. That's why I answered.
Is it too late?
I didn't want to bother you, but you said to call.
No, no, it's fine. Is everything okay?
Yeah. No, nothing like that.
It's just I can't sleep.
Uh, this might sound weird,
but do you know where I can get some marijuana?
I couldn't bring mine on the plane.
-Done. -Really?
Yeah, yeah, I can bring it over.
Thank you so much.
Do you want to meet in the lobby?
Just come up. Room 317.
Okay. I'll see you.
-Hi. -Hey.
Thank you. How much do I owe you?
Nothing. Don't worry about it.
Thank you. Wait.
Do you want to come in?
Sure.
We have to keep our voices down
'cause Nicky's asleep in the other room.
Of course.
I'm really bad at rolling joints.
Do you want me to do it?
Would you?
-You have your key? -Yeah.
I've never been up here.
That's where we were, right?
Yes. Zócalo, cathedral, Palacio.
It's so beautiful.
I wish I could see more.
When do you leave?
It depends.
I'm trying to hold out as long as I can, but...
I'm kind of up against the clock.
I understand that.
Of course you do. I'm sorry.
I keep talking about myself.
I have no idea what you're going through.
I'd rather hear about you.
You seem so composed.
I'm glad it looks that way.
I'm mostly... angry.
Well, it's not fair. He's so young.
No. It's my fault.
You can't blame yourself.
No, I really can.
Hemophilia is a genetic disease.
I'm a carrier. I gave it to him.
That's a crazy way to think.
Have you ever heard of the Romanovs?
Of course. The Russian royal family.
Yes. I'm a descendant.
No way.
Really?
I'll never understand why people are impressed.
My husband was impressed.
Even you-- and you're obviously
some kind of socialist-- you're impressed.
-It's history. -Yeah.
Well, you'd think that royal blood dilutes over time,
but the poison survives.
Philip used to brag. He was so proud.
Then suddenly I'm the reason
we could lose the thing we love the most.
He's never forgiven me.
Are you divorced?
Separated.
It's not a good time to make a decision.
So what, then?
Were you not supposed to have a child?
Doesn't matter.
The way people feel has nothing to do
with what makes sense.
Well, I admire you.
You're still so alive.
I see your love as a stranger.
It makes me...
What?
Sad?
No.
It makes me love you.
What kind of a name is Erikson for a Mexican?
There's lots of Eriksons here.
But my dad was from Texas.
I spent the summers there growing up.
But then he died, and I didn't really have
a reason to go back.
And your mother?
She passed away a couple of years ago.
So you really are alone.
How are you dealing with all of this?
I guess I'm more worried
about the world falling apart.
The water's rising. The cruelty, the suffering.
The money that fuels it.
But I'm just one person.
I don't have a family.
Well, that makes sense in the abstract.
But this is still real... what's happening to you.
I'm fine.
I try to think bigger.
But I'm just like everyone else.
I want. I want...
You are so beautiful.
You don't like it when I say that.
No, it's just I can't.
I don't know.
Maybe it's just the circumstances.
Life and death can make anything look like love.
That's not what this is.
Can you let it be enough, that you know that I want to?
I'll take what I can get.
You have to go.
Oh, look at that.
Where were you?
-What are you doing here? -What am I doing here?
Nick posted a photo of himself at some art museum in Mexico.
You kidnapped him.
How could I kidnap my own son?
You violated the custody agreement.
You gave the hotel a fake name.
This is none of your business.
Y-Yes. Yes, Vicky, it is.
Fine. Call the police.
-I'm going to bed. -Victoria.
I know that this is hard, I know that this is
the absolute worst thing, but you've got to stop this.
You're acting crazy.
You're making his life worse than it already is.
You don't care about him.
You just care about your money and controlling me.
Look at him. He came the same day we did.
You look great.
Abel.
Hey, how's it going?
It's okay. I'm supposed to have one more treatment.
My dad's in there talking to the doctor.
Oh.
It's not gonna work.
You don't know that.
I just want to go home.
I should tell you that I'm not actually
getting any treatments.
I knew you weren't sick.
How?
I've been around a lot of sick people.
I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner.
Whatever.
So, where's your mom?
Back at the hotel.
Well, I hope I get to see you before you go.
It was fun hanging out.
Ready, bud?
What are you doing right now?
What does it look like?
Come on. I want to show you something.
I'm really not...
I'll wait for you in the lobby.
Say it again?
Teotihuacan.
It means "city of the gods."
They say it's a map of the heavens.
The smaller pyramid down there is the moon,
and the big one up there is the sun.
When the Mexica ruled,
it had already been abandoned for centuries.
They didn't know anything about the people who built it,
or even what language they spoke.
But somehow,
they knew not to destroy it.
I don't feel scared here.
I feel like everything's in its place,
like it's been here forever.
Like there is no time.
Yes. That's it, exactly.
Well, that means I get to be next to you forever.
Somewhere.
I wish I could feel this way all the time.
Whenever I rush to put Nicky to bed, I have to stop myself
and remember that I may never do it again.
And those minutes, they get as big as the hours,
and sometimes, as big as the days.
I got to fight not to ruin them by anticipating the future.
You can't have regrets.
You do so much.
Philip's gonna take him away from me.
I need every second with my little boy.
Well, you know what you have to do then.
No. No, I can't go back to him.
We've hurt each other too much.
Maybe just tell him that you love him
because of what you have made together,
that you have accepted that you can't stop anything.
And that the only thing that will help
is going through it together.
You are connected and that's bigger than everything else.
Do you really want me to say that?
No.
I have to tell you something.
What?
I wanted to tell you before, but I didn't know how,
and then it was too late.
But I'm not sick.
I deceived you, and Nick.
I didn't want to.
And I wouldn't have said anything
if you didn't keep looking at me like I was so brave.
So you were never sick.
No.
Yes.
But everything else was the truth.
I'm so glad.
It's not a story.
What is it?
I don't know. It's a poem, or something.
It's god-awful.
Yeah. I think you're right.
So... are you trying to get fired?
No. I think I'm gonna quit.
I need to start over.
You're a terrible journalist.
It's about time.