a hand in a blood-soaked sleeve wrings water out of a piece of cloth and as the camera follows the hand over, we see it must be Junior, tending to Suzy’s cuts from the broken window. Suzy is bound and gagged, trying not to cry. Junior tenderly dabs at the cut, asking her gently if it’s painful. Suzy doesn’t even try to answer, and doesn’t look at him. Junior, whose shirt is even more bloodied than it had been in the garage, tells her she has to understand that he’s only doing this for her, because he doesn’t want her to be hurt. he’s trying not to cry himself as he adds, When you’ve calmed down, you’ll understand that our only hope is each other. That’s why we have to be together. Suzy is obviously trying to figure out a way to escape. Junior continues to gently clean her cuts, and asks where the information Gus sent her is. she jerks her head away at that, which causes Junior to squat down in front of her and turn her face to look at him. he tells her in a firm tone that he’s not crazy. he pleads with her not to look at him “like that” – he’s giving her a chance to live. but she has to help him, he continues in a gentle tone – where are the files? she still doesn’t even try to answer. You’re still in love with “ese infeliz,” aren’t you? he asks with a slight edge. Is that it? he sits on the bed next to her and unhappily asks why she can’t love him. he’s crying a little bit as he points out that he’s willing to die for her – how can she continue to want to sacrifice herself for someone who couldn’t protect her? firmly, he stands and tells her there’s no point in her continuing to protect Gus – he’s a dead man.
<O-Team interrogation room>
Gus is pacing around now, telling Nancy the reason he went to see Benitez was because he thought Benitez had something to do with Vero’s kidnapping, but when he got into it with Benitez he realized that Benitez didn’t know anything. that was Gus’ only hope, and now it’s gone! Nancy points out that if Benitez did know something, obviously no-one wanted him talking and that’s why they killed him. Gus leans over the table and asks if he can trust her – he is thinking of doing something but the O-Team can’t know about it. Nancy tells him of course he can trust her, but, she points out, the O-Team’s whole focus right now is finding Vero. he should work with them on this. Gus says he can’t risk it – the Narcos are after him, right? and if they think that the O-Team is after what he’s thinking of doing, they’ll kill him. Nancy tells him she doesn’t think he should put himself in danger, but Gus steamrolls over her objections, telling her Vero is the woman he loves most in the world and [what’s happened to her] is all his fault. Benitez mentioned some guy, Ramiro Barrientos, what does Nancy know about him? seeing Nancy knot her brows but not say anything, Gus thinks she’s holding out on him – don’t do it for him, do it for Vero. Nancy tells him the problem is, she’s never heard of a Narco by that name. Gus pleads with her to get him information about this guy – his phone number, his address, whatever. Nancy says she doesn’t see what this has to do with Vero’s kidnapping, and Gus asks her to please just get him the information. Ok, sighs Nancy, wait for me here.
<residential street>
DIddy Dearest checks a briefcase before getting out of his car and looking sternly up and down the street. he approaches a house.
<Suzy’s / outside a house?>
Junior is back kneeling on the floor in front of Suzy. he caresses her unwilling face with his (still bloody!) hands as he softly pleads with her to please let him love her – that’s all he asks. he gently removes the gag and goes to kiss her, but she mutely turns her head away. frustrated, he stands and tells her she’s giving him no other choice than to kill her. Suzy’s had it – she stands and yells at him to do so. she would have rather he’d killed her than to have slept with an assassin. it’s clear her words are hurting him. she continues, begging him to kill her so she doesn’t have to feel filthy any more. his cel phone rings. she guesses it’s his boss calling, and taunts him with it – telling him to answer and tell his boss that he hasn’t done his job yet because he’s a coward and crying like a baby. Junior slugs her and she falls onto the bed, unconscious. groaning with the effort of bending over, Junior picks his cel up off the floor and answers, trying to sound normal. of course, it is DIddy Dearest calling. he’s stomping up some stone steps as he angrily wants to know why Junior didn’t answer when he’d called before. Junior apologizes, saying the phone was turned off. DD wants to know if he’s killed Suzy yet and Junior says he was just doing that now. Well hurry up and finish, snaps DD, and get to the airport. I want you on the first flight back to Mexico. I need you here immediately. Junior wants to know why – has something happened? DD tells him yes, but he’ll fill Junior in when he’s back. DD reminds Junior he wants conclusive proof of Suzy’s death, and that it was slow and agonizing. No mistakes, Junior! he warns. Junior is still trying to sound normal, but it’s costing him. fortunately for him, DD is too wrapped up in his own little fantasies to notice. after DD has cut the connection, Junior tries to take in what he’s been ordered to do. he walks over and gently brushes Suzy’s unconscious face with shaking fingers, sighing heavily.
< Iztlán Nº6, presumably>
hearing DIddy Dearest stalk into the room, DIddy Dearest’s Evil Kidnappers #1, 2, and 3 all turn and pull their guns. DD immediately puts down his briefcase and holds out his arms, telling them to be calm, he’s not armed. as DDEK #1 (the one who killed Vero) hastily pats DD down, DDEK #2 (balding guy) demands to know what DD is doing there. DD pretends to be surprised by the question, saying he thought he was dealing with professionals – didn’t they have a deal. DDEK #2 says things didn’t turn out the way they’d expected. DD wants to know where “she” is. DDEK #3 (the youngest of the three) shoves his gun into DD’s throat and tells him to get out. DD asks what’ll happen if he doesn’t leave – are they going to kill him? he reminds the three that his assistant knows where each of the kidnappers’ families live and if anything should happen to him, his assistant will track them all down and kill them in retaliation. he suggests they all calm down and talk like reasonable people. the three remaining kidnappers are still very much on edge, and continue to keep their guns trained on him.
<Chepe’s office>
Esteban the Unstable is haranguing Chepe about Gus, as usual, telling Chepe to listen to him and lock up Gus once and for all. in a mild tone of voice, Chepe asks what that would accomplish (he doesn’t say it, but it’s clear he’s thinking, Other than making your jealous ass happy, that is... heh). EtU announces that he’s sure Gus kept all that money that disappeared from Benitez’s accounts for himself. if Chepe lets Gus “escape,” they’ll never see him again and he’s the only person who can lead them to the people who kidnapped Vero. Chepe points out that if Gus intended to run away with the money, he would have done so already. EtU dismisses this, saying Gus just doesn’t want to raise suspicions. he adds that he knows Benitez told Gus something before he died. I asked him about it, he rants, and do you want to know what he said?? That the only thing [Benitez] asked him was to look after his children. Puh-leeze!! Who’s going to believe something stupid like that?! Chepe wearily suggests that they stop speculating and instead concentrate on what they know. What we know – what we know!! rants EtU. What we KNOW is that this guy transferred millions who knows where – THAT we know! and what’s more, he’s been deceiving us from the start. otherwise, how can you explain that Benitez’s assassins knew to be there precisely today?? how could they have known Benitez was going to enter our Witness Protection Program?! we don’t even know what Gus’ plans are!! Chepe’s tired of this. he reminds EtU that the Narcos have been systematically eliminating various members – it’s possible Benitez was one of the victims. naturally, EtU thinks that’s way too much of a coincidence. there are two possibilities, he states: first, that Gus wants us to believe he’s working with us but is really a Narco spy. and the other is that he’s deceiving all of us – Narcos and the we police both – so that he could get to Benitez and steal all his money... EtU concludes by saying that in his opinion this whole Vero kidnap thing is just part of Gus’ “show” (and could it BE any more obvious that what few brains EtU has go completely on the fritz where Gustavo is concerned??? no wonder DIddy Dearest never felt threatened by EtU!!).
<O-Team interrogation room>
Gus is impatiently pacing around as Nancy comes in with a file folder. she hands it to Gus, telling him she hopes she won’t regret this, but this is what little information they have on Frosted Blond Bad Guy (a/k/a Ramiro Barrientos). he’s got not criminal records, he just seems to just be a businessman. as Gus studies the paperwork, she asks him to at least tell her his plan. Gus says he doesn’t want to get her involved. OK, fine, says Nancy. but suppose you find the kidnappers – do you suppose they’re just going to let Vero, just like that? Gus says so, he’s got a plan. he asks her to trust him. she tries to get it out of him but all he will say is that he’s fighting for his love. he tells her he needs to get out of the HQ without anyone seeing him and Nancy, resigned to not learning what his plan is, tells him she’ll help him. But, she adds, please keep your cel on at all times, ok? If I hear anything about Vero, I’ll let you know immediately. And take very good care of yourself.
<Chepe’s office>
Esteban the Unstable has stopped ranting, but is still mounted on his favorite hobbyhorse, only this time he’s attacking from a slightly more oblique angle. he points out to Chepe that they’ve reached a dead end [in the investigation]. Gus is erasing all traces from within, he’s deceiving them – using them. before he can continue or Chepe can reply, there is a knock at the door. it’s Nancy. she tells them she doesn’t have any news, but she’s got a file with the names of some of the criminals with whose captures Vero had something to do. EtU reminds her and Chepe that they’ve already looked into that. Nancy points out that these are the ones who were captured after she (Nancy) had retired from the O-Team and she wanted to know if they could fill her in on some of the details.
<Iztlán Nº6>
everything seems to have calmed down a bit, and people are no longer pointing guns at DIddy Dearest. he remarks that things [with Vero’s kidnap] must’ve gotten out of hand. but he understands that these things can happen. DIddy Dearest’s Evil Kidnappers are all still watching him warily as he stands and paces around a bit, telling them it’s not a problem [she’s dead] but he still needs to have the body. DDEK #2, who seems to be the guy in charge, tells DD that the pictures should be more than enough. he takes some Polaroids out of his pocket and tosses them on the floor near DD’s briefcase. keeping himself in control, DD manages to casually walk over to his briefcase and squat down next to it, telling them to keep calm – he just wants to show them what they’re losing. all three kidnappers are now standing again, and have again got their guns trained on him. he shows them a bundle of money and tosses it at one of them, asking why they won’t tell him what they did with the body. DDEK #1 bends over to pick up the bundle and as DD pulls out another bundle, we see DDEK #3 “holstering” his pistol by stuffing it in his belt; DDEK #1 is sitting and paying more attention to the bundle in his hand than what DD is doing over at his briefcase. DD remarks that the briefcase is “very heavy,” and makes as if to pull out another bundle but instead a new camera angle shows us there are only 3 or 4 more bundles in there, along with one of those semi-automatic pistols (the mini-machine gun kind). instead of pulling out more money, he pulls the pistol out instead and guns the three men down. (which i really can’t think was very wise of him, considering he still hadn’t learned anything about what he came to learn, which was where they had put Vero’s body. but as i remarked in another post a few days ago or so, DD has already shown us that, unlike Junior, he can’t think rationally in a crisis). DDEK #2 isn’t quite dead yet, and DD stalks over to him, flipping him over onto his back with one foot. Do you have a wife? DD asks, as he kicks him in the ribs. Do you have children? Tell me!! when the kidnapper doesn’t say anything, DD tells him in a furious undertone that he is going to kill them all, and he’s going to make sure they suffer before dying. that was my daughter you killed, he tells the kidnapper, and shoots him in the head. staring to cry, he starts to pick up the money and the photos, but cannot continue. he sits down among the dead men, the money, and the photos, and cries.
<Father Anselmo’s church>
Gus is standing, but looks as if he’s praying, or thinking, in his head. Father Anselmo approaches and asks if there’s any news about “Cíntia.” Gus doesn’t answer. instead he comments, You know what? My life is no longer my own. I mean, these people have taken it upon themselves to take from me everything about which I most care, starting with my father. I’ve made a decision. FA asks what he’s talking about. I’m going to exchange my life for hers, Gus replies.
<the Boonies>
two campesinos, one towing a recalcitrant mule, are hiking along what appears to be the ridge of the hillside down which DIddy Dearest’s Evil Kidnappers disposed of Vero. the lead campesino reaches the edge and notices the bundle at the bottom. he calls to the other (named Jacinto) and points it out. they wonder what it could be, and think it looks like a sheet. they decide to go investigate. the camera shows us a closeup of Vero in the gaudy plaid blanket. she still hasn’t moved.
<Frosted Blond Bad Guy’s poolside patio>
Frosted Blond Bad Guy is walking around the patio beside the pool (probably en route to his office?) with a man in a suit beside him that he addresses as “Señor Acontador;” Psycho Underling (who actually reminds me a lot of Esteban the Unstable in this scene!!) trails along behind, and a guy in dark clothing who we later see is Ex-Yellow Tie trails along behind him. FBBG asks Suit what his hurry is, and Suit replies that FBBG isn’t going to like what he has to tell him: the 30 million they had deposited in Benitez’s three accounts has been completely cleaned out. they have no idea where they money went. FBBG just keeps saying “thirty,” as if, if he repeated it often enough, Suit would say, Oh, thirty! Well, that’s all right then – I was talking about something else. PU pipes up that he’s sure Gus did it. that’s i wanted to take Gus out from the start, but... (with a sideways glance at E-YT that manages to be both smug and accusatory at the same time), E-YT wouldn’t let me. he preens, waiting for the praise he knows is his due. FBBG sternly looks past PU and just says E-YT’s name. without a word, E-YT turns and walks back a few paces and turns back again. still waiting for his praise, PU finally seems to notice it might not be coming. puzzled, he looks first at FBBG’s unforgiving face, then back at E-YT, who has now drawn his gun and has it pointed straight at PU. PU starts to reach for his own gun as E-YT, at a nod from FBBG, shoots him once in the head. his body falls backward into the swimming pool (and can i just say that choosing to have one of your less reliable underlings put down right in your own home hardly seems like the way to go when you are trying to keep your daughter from finding out about your gangsta lifestyle, you know? for one thing, what if she’s in the house and hears the shot? and for another, even if she isn’t around, it’ll still take time to clear away the body and get the blood out of the pool. FBBG really does know better... all i can think is either he was really pissed off, or he just plain ol’ forgot – neither of which actions seem that in character for him). watching PU’s body fall into the pool, Suit seems shocked, but FBBG just seems to be pleased.
<Father Anselmo’s study>
Gus is downloading something onto a disk as Father Anselmo asks him, And if I were to ask you not to do this...? Gus says he has to tell him a secret in confession, and facing FA, says, “Cíntia” es mi esposa. FA looks shocked. Si, nos casamos... Me casé con ella porque la amo, porque es la mujer que más amo por encima de todas las cosas en la tierra. ¿Ahora me entiendes...? Wordlessly, FA nods. Gus asks FA to take care of Mom, and to tell her he’s really sorry and he loves her with all his heart. he says he would have liked to have spent his life looking after her, but he has to do this. he asks FA to bless him, and FA does. they embrace each other.
<Suzy’s>
we see Suzy’s bloodstained legs stretched out on the bed. she no longer has her skirt on, so clearly Junior has removed it. breathing as if he’s been crying, Junior walks into the picture, some sort of knife in one hand. as he leans against the doorjamb to the bathroom, he holds up the knife and looks at it as if he’s not even sure what it is. he staggers into the bathroom and puts the knife down on the sink, then, groaning a bit with the effort, starts to gingerly take off his bloodstained shirt.
<Chepe’s>
DIddy Dearest barges in and without preamble asks what they know about Vero. Chepe tells them they still don’t know anything about where she is. DD starts to rant, demanding to know how it is they still haven’t found out anything about where “my daughter” is. Chepe retorts that they were following a lead but someone got to their informant and killed him before he could tell them anything. DD tries to make Chepe tell him who the informant was and to give him details about everything they’ve done so far, but Chepe refuses, pointing out that he can’t give him that information. as DD gets increasingly heated in his demands to know specifically what Chepe and his “inept brigade” are doing to find Vero, Chepe tells him to calm down or they won’t be able to get anywhere. that does it for DD, who screams at Chepe, asking him how he can possibly be expected to calm down when his daughter is dead. of course, Chepe picks right up on that: Dead? Who told you she’s dead?
<the Boonies>
the two campesinos have managed to get down the slope and have found Vero. they agree she seems to be dead.
<Mom’s>
AA Mateo turns as he hears the front door close and hurries over to greet Father Anselmo (Mom and Auntie Ditz apparently haven’t heard anything). AA Mateo asks FA in an undertone if there is any news about “Cíntia.” matching his tone, FA replies that he’s just come from seeing Gus and had no idea Gus was so “affected” by her. if “Cíntia” doesn’t appear soon, Gus is going to turn himself over to the Narcos, along with all the information he has, in exchange for her. how are we going to tell everyone –and what will happen to them all if he does that? worries AA Mateo.
<Suzy’s>
a now shirtless Junior is grimly taking Polaroids of Suzy’s dead body, spalyed on the bed in her camisole and underwear, a large pool of blood staining the sheet next to her neck, which bears a long slash on it.
<Mom’s>
AA Mateo steps away from the women, nervously waiting for news in the living room, and makes a call on his cel. in an undertone he tells Román to please go check on Rosales, the guy who was supposed to be watching Suzy. AA Mateo says he’s been trying to reach Rosales but Rosales doesn’t answer his phone and now he’s worried. Román apparently tells AA Mateo he can get over to Suzy’s pretty quickly. AA Mateo tells him to call as soon as he finds out what’s up. he hangs up and returns to the living room just as Mom stands up and walks out. heading down the hall (maybe toward the bathroom?), she notices Father Anselmo seated on Gus’ bed. she asks him what’s up, and senses he knows more than he’s saying, but FA manages to assure her he’s only worried about Gus and about “Cíntia.” he says he’s worried about what Gus might do. Gus told him how important “Cíntia” is to him. In truth, I’ve never seen him like this [about someone], FA says. Mom grudgingly admits that she hasn’t either.
<O-Team squad room>
Nancy is seated at a computer, discussing something with a Random Female Squadmember who turns and hurries away as Esteban the Unstable approaches and asks Nancy if they’ve taken care of the protection for Benitez’s wife and kids. Nancy replies that Random Male Squadmember has got them in charge until they can be taken to the border and given new papers. EtU approves, and says when the papers are ready she should give them to Marcela the Pushy. EtU starts to walk away, but Nancy stands and detains him, saying she’s also been really worried about Vero, but she has to believe they will find her, and find her alive. in an I-don’t-really-believe-it tone, EtU says, Hopefully, Nancy – hopefully. as he again turns to walk away, Nancy’s phone rings. he turns back to listen to Nancy’s side of the conversation: Yes? .... Where?! ... Is she alive?!
<Suzy’s>
a young guy in a snug white t-shirt with a sort of Hawaiian shirt open over it, walks in the open door and looks wordlessly around the apartment, noting the bloody handprints smeared along at shoulder height along the living room wall. moving into the bedroom, he puts his hand over his mouth at the sight.
<Mom’s / Suzy’s>
Grandma can’t take the strain of waiting any more. she stomps around ranting that Gus should have called, even if he didn’t have any news to report. that poor girl...! “Cíntia” is so good, she says – God protect her... Auntie Ditz tries to reassure her as AA Mateo’s cel phone rings. it’s Román checking in from Suzy’s apartment, where we can see he’s now standing in the bedroom. in the background behind him we can see the blood-soaked bed and what looks like blood smeared on the wall behind the head of the bed. he says he has bad news: he found Rosales dead, shot in his car. back at Mom’s, everyone has heard the cel ring and has rushed into the kitchen thinking it might be Gus calling with news. AA Mateo motions for them to keep quiet as he asks Román what the police said about it. Román replies that the police haven’t shown up yet but they ought to be arriving any minute. And Suzy? asks AA Mateo. Román reluctantly tells him he’s calling from Suzy’s apartment. There’s blood everywhere, and several bullet holes in the walls, says Román. Obviously they killed her and took the body somewhere else. he asks AA Mateo what he wants him to do, and, choosing his words carefully, AA Mateo tells him to get out of there before the police arrive. Román says if he finds out anything else, he’ll call back. as soon as AA Mateo hangs up on his end, Auntie Ditz asks who called. trying to sound casual, AA Mateo lies and says it was one of the guys in the barrio calling in to say everything is ok. he doesn’t pull it off – AD can tell he’s not telling them everything and starts to press him about it. he snaps and yells at her that nothing’s going on, then stomps away. Mom nervously asks if anyone wants coffee – she has some ready, and she, Father Anselmo, and Grandma all head into the kitchen, leaving AD alone in the living room with AA Mateo. he comes over and apologizes for yelling at her. she unhappily accepts his apology, and he says he’s going to go have some coffee, too. she looks after him sadly.
<Chepe’s>
Chepe sternly tells DIddy Dearest there’s no reason to jump to conclusions as DD tries to cover up his slip of the tongue by haranguing Chepe over the risks the O-Team takes in their jobs. he makes an effort to calm down and tells Chepe he can’t have any idea what he [DD] is feeling, knowing what “esos infelices” could be doing to his daughter. fortunately, before he can start either ranting again or getting really maudlin, Nancy comes in. she tells Chepe that a woman matching Vero’s description has been found. Is she alive? asks DD.
<advances>
the voiceover says, Este lunes se borran evidencias... (they show a snippet of Junior carefully and gently stowing a bundle in the trunk of a car that we’re clearly meant to think is Suzy’s body wrapped up in a sheet, then DD is on the phone asking if he’s done, and Junior replying Yessir); ...y una noticia recupera la esperanza... (Gus is approaching a bunch of suspicious-looking guys in suits on a street somewhere, when he gets a phone call from Nancy telling him they found Veronica. another snippet shows an ambulance team in the Boonies, loading the gaudy plaid bundle onto a gurney as DD comes racing up shouting “Veronica!” then we cut back to Gus, still on the phone, practically collapsing in relief, demanding to be told she’s alright. Nancy only closes her eyes in pain); ...pero la tardanza se vuelve cómplice de la maldad... (a different camera angle as they load Vero onto the ambulance shows us that not only is DD there, so is Chepe and, it appears, Esteban the Unstable and possibly other O-Team members as well. in the next snippet, a doctor is saying that the electric shocks [she received] caused internal hemorrhaging; apparently, he is telling Gus, as we have a shot of his tear-streaked face. we close with a shot of DD’s face, looking typically annoyed. i mean, stern. that may or may not have anything to do with the promos).
Escrito desde Jun 30, 2003, 6:58 AM de la dirección IP 128.248.12.180
