_
Good morning, kiddos. Whoa.
That-that looks, ambitious.
Is this a...
a blowtorch? Wh...
- That is a hot skillet. - Yeah, it is.
And even hotter pancakes.
I put some of Mawline's spicy jam in there.
Are they still camping?
My best guess is they've probably
checked into the Driskill Hotel by now.
Stella, by the way, they wanted me to tell you
good luck. And, sweetie?
Your Laredo game, I'm...
I'm gonna try my best to make it to the game.
- Yes. - Clean your room. Hey, that skirt's too short.
Dad!
Hey, if you can't make it to the game,
I can just show it to you
when we get back from Laredo.
- I'm filming it with Ruby. - Ruby?
This the same Ruby that told you
to crash my undercover operation?
She didn't tell me to.
So, anyways,
we are supposed to be filming the dance next Friday.
But I'm, I'm thinking about asking her to go.
Yeah?
You don't think she'll say yes?
I think that is a tricky question.
Can we talk about something simpler?
Like gun control?
Or Dad's DPS hearing?
Wow. Very funny. You're out of luck on that one.
It was postponed.
Which I do have to check on.
Augie... be careful.
All right.
Stella, sweetie, you'll be great.
Okay. I'll see y'all soon.
God, you weird-smile when you text him.
No, I don't.
Shut up.
- Hey. Yep. - Trey.
- What, you hurt your hand again? - Nah.
Good to see you, man.
- Good to see you, too. - Yeah.
No, don't even tell me.
You actually did hurt it?
You're a little too committed to this bit, my man.
Okay, it's not a bit. I-I burnt it at breakfast.
But... by the way, aren't you supposed to be driving
my kids to Laredo, Coach?
Yeah, yeah. I'm-I'm heading out right now.
You, you checking in on Micki?
- Yeah. How's she doing? - I don't know.
How would you feel if your mom got arrested
on her way to do a psych eval on your partner
for their anger issues?
- Hey. - Micki.
Babe, I'm out.
- All right. - Bye, babe.
Hey. I, just came to ask about your mom.
Yeah.
Apparently she's being detained in San Antonio
for a DWI hit-and-run.
I don't buy it.
She doesn't even drink...
her whole MO is accountability,
- which really doesn't jive with hitting or running. - Yeah.
I'm with you there.
Though, if she were convicted it would make life easier on you.
I hope you're joking.
Walker, I'm just...
I'm still... reeling.
I'll come with you. San Antonio.
- I don't need backup. - It's not backup.
Look, if I go, we can make this an official case,
since it doesn't involve anyone from my family.
And so what am I?
- Just a silent observer? - You know what?
We'll come up with a creative title
for you along the way.
Okay, well, just nothing with "assistant" in it.
No, no. Take however long you need, Walker.
Things are, pretty slow here at the office.
I appreciate it, James... Captain.
All right.
It ain't easy lying to your brother,
I will tell you that.
I know.
I'm lying to him and Bret.
But what can we say right now?
Hey, maybe Carlos Mendoza wasn't
the slam-dunk perp that we all thought he was?
Well, any prosecutor would've called that a slam dunk.
I just don't understand why an innocent man
would continue to lie about killing Emily.
Well, that's why we're here, isn't it?
Since Geri is MIA.
That drone footage has her two miles away the night of.
Not a lot Geri could tell us anyway.
Other than why she was making sketchy payments
to an art gallery through her bar.
If we can't follow Geri, then we follow the money.
_
Almost done with the bags?
Yeah, almost.
No thanks to you.
Here you go.
_
Hey. Any word from that friend of yours?
No.
Hey, Ruby. Check this out.
Hey, you brought the big guns.
Hey, yep.
So I was actually thinking..
for the dance we're supposed to cover next week,
if, I could...
Hey. Perfect timing.
This is our newest A/V member.
Todd, August was just talking
about the dance next week.
- Same one I'm taking you to, Rubes? - Yeah.
Um, I was just going to say that I...
could film it alone,
so that you guys could
go to the dance together.
Augie,
can you help me with my camera?
- Yeah. - I think it's broken.
Just thought it looked like you didn't want to be there
while "Rubes" was happening.
Yeah, that? No.
A bunch of kids go to the dance together just as friends, so...
Right...
Listen, I've been there.
It *s when somebody gives you fireworks
but you can't give them back.
All right, girls. Let's get a move on.
Is that your...
Water boy.
Thirsty, aren't we?
Hey, what happened?
We almost left without you.
Aw, were you worried?
Should I be?
Duke ruined our family.
He's the reason your mom is dead.
And we're not just gonna let that sit,
now, are we?
Should I be worried?
Course not.
Let's go.
Hey.
- Hey. - What'd you get?
Case file.
Bail just cleared, my mom should be out any minute.
You know, I still don't understand
how this got pinned on her.
Racial profiling, maybe?
Mexican-American driving a fancy car?
Look, all I know is ACLU's gonna have
- a field day when they hear about this. - Hey.
Mom, thank God.
You bailed me out?
I've already called someone else.
You shouldn't have come here, Micki.
All right, I'm sorry. My mom's accused
- of a nonsense crime... - Micki, stop.
Look, I called some people, we'll get the press involved,
- it's gonna be... - I told you to stop.
No calls, no press.
I will take care of this myself.
Micki...
I did it.
So that's it?
Your childhood home?
Wait, wait, wait.
We're not gonna go in, Walker. We're just...
we're just gonna keep an eye out
in case she does something weird.
We're spying on your mom?
Look, I know you want to believe
Adriana is innocent, but she said it herself...
Yeah, I heard her, and I don't believe her.
There was blood at the crime scene, Micki.
The report said it matched your mom's.
It was an incomplete DNA profile;
that would never hold up in court.
You know what will hold up in court?
Adriana pleading guilty. That's case closed.
Look, if she was involved in an accident
where enough blood was collected,
we'd see bruises at the very least.
Maybe... that's what her scarves are for.
Look, even if you're right... which you're not...
it still doesn't explain the bracelet
they found at the scene.
Patron saint for addicts. So...
So, my mother would never wear a religious pendant.
She calls the church
"The Organized Mafia of Sainthood".
- It's just not her. - Micki...
I know what it's like
to go after things that don't make sense to you.
But listen, if-if they make sense to everyone around you,
maybe you should listen.
It's like,
"Rocco's Radio", right?
The simplest explanation is usually the truth.
It's a famous principle.
That's Occam's Razor, you chump.
How did I work so much harder than you
and end up with the same job?
Maybe because I
can spot a suspect leaving their premises
while you would rather ramble on about a razor.
Okay.
Go, Stacy.
All right.
We're doing this.
So...
you and my sister?
Yeah. Yeah.
Is it... is it weird for you?
It's fine.
It's not... it's not like I'm her dad or anything.
Well, sometimes I, I am.
But I'm-I'm fine. I'm fine.
But also curious.
'Cause, like, how do you...
I mean, how do we guys...
Dude, spill it.
How do I get a girl to like me?
Man, I can teach you
how to get a girl to like you, little guy.
Dude, we are literally the same height.
We're at a place with a pool.
This calls for the UV-13 method.
Okay, but it's, like, freezing outside...
Whatever.
The point is there are vacation vibes.
Works indoors, too.
So when you're downstairs by the pool, or not the pool,
make sure to find that right light angle.
From the Sun, or the bulb. Either works.
And how does one do that, you ask?
- We didn't. - 42 degrees.
That's the angle deviation from the light's incoming rays
and it looks kick-* when it hits your shades.
Okay, Billy, is that even true?
Nobody should wear shades indoors.
It's physics. Of course it's true.
So, find that exact angle
and walk 13% slower than you normally do.
Girls won't be able to tell,
which makes it the perfect slo-mo walk.
Right.
But, like, that's not something
that I-I would usually do.
- So? - So? I mean,
what's the point of doing it if it's not the real me?
Gotta say, I didn't peg you as a contemporary abstract fan.
I'm not. But sometimes
you don't know what you're looking for until you see it.
Right?
Hola.
¿Estás abierto?
Um... un momento.
Would you mind filling this out?
Thank you.
Hi.
Hola.
Spanish, English or...
Whatever lo Que tú quieres.
That's a good one.
I was just passing by the store. It looked interesting, so...
It's a gallery, not a store.
I'm-I'm sorry.
I mean, you sell art here, right?
- Yes. - Okay, I hate to break it to you, but this is a store.
And what are you, a lawyer?
No, no, no, I'm...
I am whatever lo Que tú quieres.
Nice.
You know this place?
No, but I know this isn't the safest neighborhood.
What the hell are you doing, Mom?
Ooh, maybe she's a drug dealer and this is her stash house.
Or maybe Adriana is visiting a friend,
and what all this means is you don't really know her that well.
I used to.
Even then, at least we knew we always had each other.
She used to say the hardest days
was when I'd cry and scream all night and...
...the only thing that would calm me down
was watching the trolleys with her.
Made me feel safe.
Loved.
Like no one else was there and nothing else mattered.
And then, at some point, something...
changed between us. She...
She just kept wanting to protect me,
and I wanted to protect others.
You must think I'm being crazy, don't you?
I think...
you care.
I think you want to make her proud because, deep down,
you want her to finally understand your choices.
And if you care that much...
enough to share all that with me...
then why don't we prove to Adriana that you're right?
So, first question:
Why would Adriana lie?
Well, she's pretty notorious
for taking down cops and agents, Rangers.
Okay, we can dance with that.
Why would she need to protect herself?
Maybe someone in San Antonio has something on her.
No, or maybe someone in San Antonio is threatening her.
Yeah.
All right, that tracks.
I'll have Connie send over all your mom's old cases.
What? You got my six all of a sudden?
All of a sudden?
I'm a hundred miles from home, Ramirez.
I always got your six.
We just needed to find an angle first.
_
It's all right. It's just one game.
I didn't know you spoke Spanish.
Sí.
And, I'm also filming the game, so,
you can just take it home and watch it with your folks.
It's not gonna matter.
I know. 3D is different than video.
No. They're not home.
They're in Mexico.
They would've been deported.
They didn't want to drag me into it, so...
- here we are. - Bel, I'm...
- I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know that. - Nobody does.
You're the first person I told.
You've been going through this all alone.
Damn. This *s.
What *s is that I'm so close to them and we can't even hug.
We can't even...
anything.
It's called Thirsty *, and it's this
underground, secret keg scrimmage
that we do every year.
It's stupid, but it's fun and...
You somewhere else?
No. No, I'm here.
If you didn't want to come,
- you really didn't have to. - No, I did.
Do. Do.
But you're right. There-there is something wrong.
Yesterday, I had a weird talk with my dad.
And he just kind of got into my head and under my skin.
I'm sorry, I-I really just didn't want to lay it on you.
It-it's weird because
the only reason I came here was to be close to him,
but sometimes all I want to be is as far away as I can.
It's not weird. I get it.
But you shouldn't have to leave just because of him.
He's the one in jail.
Speaking from experience...
...it's not our job to inherit our dads' baggage.
Mercedes Ruiz?
My name's Cordell Walker.
- What do you want? - We would like to know
the purpose of your visit with Dr. Ramirez.
She's my therapist.
I called her because I needed help.
Help with what?
That's something between a doctor and the patient.
Something social services should know.
- Is that all? - Actually, um,
Ms. Ruiz, if there's anything important
you can share with us...
Dr. Ramirez is a good woman.
That's all that's important.
And I'm on my way out.
Any leads?
Yeah, two or three...
dozen.
Turns out Adriana has
more enemies with a badge than we thought.
Okay.
Let's say you're my mom
and you get a cop suspended, yeah?
- Okay. - Guy's pissed,
he uses his connections to frame her,
making her unable to testify in court again.
And he becomes a hero with powerful people,
and now she is too scared
- to come forward. - That's good.
All right, let's think on that.
Not yet. You're gonna want to wait.
All right, let's see what you got.
My God.
Right?
Where did you find out about this place?
The guy who runs it is an old friend of mine.
You have other friends?
Yes, Walker, I do.
I mean, he's not, like, a friend-friend.
He's the first guy I ever arrested.
- Shut up. - Yeah.
I mean, I guess I kind of helped him
turn his life around a bit, but this is all him.
Look who's got a little Adriana in her.
- Come on. - I'm serious.
You know, your mom, she risked a longer sentence
to visit that Mercedes woman because she needed help.
She went above and beyond
to take care of someone.
I mean, isn't that the same thing you're doing?
Wow.
Yo, check out this guy.
Officer Mike Stevenson.
License suspended last year,
and he got it back a month later.
And look at those phone records.
Lot of calls to Adriana.
- Harassment? - Looks like it.
He's got the connects and the know-how.
All right, Walker, finish your tacos.
We got a date with a boy in blue.
Twist my arm.
Hello?
I don't know why, but the guy who put my uncle in prison
was just here.
Welcome to Thirsty *,
Laredo's finest underground soccer match.
Okay, it's not really a match. It's a party.
But it's also a game.
That's the Shot for Shot Arena.
That's the Alice in Wonderland Beer Pong.
And that's the Penalty Kick. Miss it...
and you got to eat the worm.
What?
Yo, Todd!
Want to worm up?
You know it!
Having fun?
I mean, yeah, the party might not be
my type of style, but,
the guests are.
I'm getting a drink.
- You want one? - I'm good.
I see you chose being yourself.
Yeah, well, I mean, it's kind of hard
to catch that 42 degrees of sunlight when it's cloudy out right now.
I mean, besides, the only people
who wear sunglasses indoors are idiots.
- You know? - Okay, you ready?
- Todd. Yeah. - Yeah.
Officer Stevenson.
Trespassing onto a police officer's property?
Now, who in the hell does that?
Someone who has questions about Dr. Ramirez.
Micki, right?
Maybe your reputation in San Antonio
- is bigger than you thought. - Calm down.
She was good, but not that good.
It's her reputation with her mother.
That's how I know who you are.
You're a big deal to her,
which matters a big deal to me.
I'm sorry,
y-you don't even know me.
I know you better than you think.
Like, as a child, you wouldn't eat
hearts of palm because you thought
that they were real hearts.
You say that your favorite movie is Fargo,
when, in fact, I know...
- Nope. Don't you dare. - Hey, hey, let him finish.
I won't.
'Cause she'll get mad if I tell you.
It's just another thing I know about you.
It's not what you think.
No, it's not.
I get it.
He's not harassing your mom, he...
I got the steaks, honey!
"Honey"?
What?
He's dating her.
I guess we're all having steaks tonight.
I knew I liked you, Mike.
Every sale here is to an address in Austin.
That's strange, right?
I mean, art gallery in Mexico, not a single local purchase?
I don't know, you tell me. Aren't you the one who spent
- four days talking to the owner? - Hey.
I was just trying to buy us some time.
Well, you bought us way more than we needed.
And I'm not judging, it's just that we are here on a mission,
- so we can't lose focus. - All right, you want focus?
Look at this address, that one down there.
Northside Nation, Texas gang.
- These are their business fronts? - Yep.
So we think Emily pissed off a crime syndicate?
Well, we don't know that yet,
but if Northside has a hand in it,
then I get why Mendoza's not talking.
My God.
I need a drink.
My brother was right to want to keep digging
- and we should've let him. - I know.
Carlos could have been free a long time ago.
Just 'cause we reopened the case doesn't mean
we're gonna get different outcome
or a different man in prison, all right?
Still, Cordell deserves to hear it from us in person
the second we get back.
You know what?
I stopped drinking when I became captain
but I ain't the captain of Mexico. Make it dos.
Listen, processing is our entire life's journey.
So I'd say you're off to a good start.
Yeah? Well, how long did it take you
to do that with Officer Mike over there?
Because you've been processing
since I joined the Army and we've gotten nowhere.
Okay. That's not all on me.
Children like you have fundamental difficulties
seeing your parents as anything other than caretakers.
Okay.
Just three. Adriana doesn't drink.
- Except for the, slipup last week. - Right.
I was about to get rid of all my booze after her accident,
but she insisted that I keep it.
"Her failure shouldn't affect my liquor cabinet".
Sounds familiar.
Her daughter gave me a taste of that.
Micki took me to task
prepping me for Adriana's psych eval.
I let my emotions
get the best of me when I was handling a perp.
I'm not proud of it.
That sounded almost like a breakthrough.
But it's not about what happens in court,
Yes, ma'am.
- Sure. - I just want to tell you
how much I appreciate you being there for my mom.
Especially after the accident.
Just must have been really tough
seeing her with bruised ribs and-and a cut and...
Her shoulder.
She hurt her shoulder, not her ribs.
Right. My mistake.
Still, that must have been a tough conversation to have.
You know, you, a cop, your girlfriend's in a hit-and-run.
- Did she admit it straightaway or... - O-Okay.
I-I made a mistake.
And now I'm trying to make amends.
Is that so hard to believe?
I'm just trying to find an explanation
that actually makes sense.
And I gave you one already.
Sorry, I-I start a question
- and I can't stop. - Trey. Hey.
Hey. Yeah, I got an issue.
- All the kids are gone. - What?
- Really? - Yeah, I don't know.
- They must've snuck out. - Okay.
You know, we'll just find out where they are.
- I'll head there right now. - Yeah, I'm on it.
Okay.
I just want to put this mistake behind me now.
Please let me.
Hey, um, that was Trey.
There's been a situation with the kids.
I am so sorry. I-I have to leave.
- Can I take your truck? - No, I'll go with you.
- I... I'm... I can handle this. - Hey.
Now I got your six, partner. Okay?
Give me a second.
So sorry we have to run
and, um, I will leave you and this whole thing alone.
I promise.
Be careful.
Mike, take care of her. I know where you live!
- Let's go, Stella. - Stella, she's on a streak.
Passes to Bel...
- Come on, Stella. - ...who shoots.
Scores!
Alley-oop!
Up top.
Hey, i-is this a part
of Thirsty *?
I-I never played the game before.
Why'd you stop?
We came to play.
We were just leaving.
Don't be a buzzkill.
You see, this is Northside Nation land.
and we didn't get a party invite.
So, if you leave, well, I got to collect the field fee.
Them's the rules.
We don't got nothing to pay with so we're just gonna go.
You got plenty to pay with.
Listen, I get it.
If I was your age and still lived with my parents
I wouldn't want to go home, either.
Brass * on this one?
I got an idea.
Let's play for it.
If any one of you
can score on me,
we'll leave.
Who can score on me?
- I can. - Stella...
- Stella, don't. - Whatever.
If it makes these idiots go.
Feisty.
Now, I like that.
Stella...
Give it your best shot.
Bull's-eye!
No!
Trevor!
- Come on, man. - Trevor, come on.
Trevor!
- Trevor, come on. - Stop!
There you go. There you go.
We got company!
Get the kids to safety
behind those bounds, all right?
- Stay there till I say. - On your right!
Here we go.
Everyone, go! Get behind the dunes now!
Go, go, go, go, go!
Come on, go, go!
Hey, where you going, girl?
It's okay to be scared, sweetheart.
Of what?
A bunch of lowlives
who get off by scaring kids?
Not really scared of that, sweetheart.
Run! Get out of here!
- Go, go, go, go, go, go! - Move out!
- Get it, get it. - Step on it, man.
Get out of here! Go!
Duke.
Look, he-he had this.
Get behind the mounds. Stay with the group.
You, you're coming with me.
I've had run-ins with a few of these fellas in the past.
Northside Nation.
Yeah, no, I'm, I'm familiar.
We, took down a faction in Austin once.
Though, those arrests
lacked tonight's pizzazz.
I'll be sure to make note of that.
We have space in the cruisers
to take the kids back to the hotel,
but, we're a few seats short.
We'll take mine.
The shutterbug and the redhead outside, those are my kids.
Of course she's yours.
Your little girl was out here looking for some trouble.
As soon I'm out,
I'll find her,
and I'll give her the kind of trouble she's looking for.
I bet she'll like it.
You know what?
You just picked up an extra 12 months behind bars,
for violating Statute 61-5-27:
Criminalizing the actions of individuals
who assault officers
or their families with threats of violence or harassment.
Get him out of my sight.
Wow.
Deescalating and not retaliating?
Color me impressed.
You, did get the statute wrong, by the way.
- I was close. - No, you weren't.
If I wasn't so relieved,
I would be cuffing you right now.
What were you thinking?
Were you thinking?
Do you...
Guess I finally figured out what it takes
to get you to my games.
Hey, Dad... just one small thing
before we go back to the hotel.
Why'd you have us stop here?
I think your parents are trying to reach you.
_
Well, fireworks.
Now you can give them back.
Look, I know it's not the same as
seeing your mom and dad in person, but...
How'd you...
Well, Stella gave me their number.
She also helped set this up, too.
I'm so sorry.
I should have realized something sooner.
I mean, I'm your best friend.
Hey, why don't you help her light those puppies off?
- Let's have a show. - Dude!
- Okay, that was pretty cool. - Yeah.
Hey, what you did earlier...
I know, I know. You should have made that shot,
but that Laredo goalie was no joke, she was good.
Mom, it's beautiful.
That was a nice gesture for Bel.
Well, anyone would have done it.
Where'd you get that humility, kid?
Clearly not your dad.
Walker, I'm sorry, I-I gotta go.
Whoa. Whoa, hold on. Something wrong?
I just remembered something I've gotta ask my mom in person.
Go ahead.
The trolley.
You used to take me there
to calm me down at night, but it wasn't just you.
There was another woman.
Who is she?
It's early, Micki.
Who is she?
You know I'm not gonna quit until you tell me.
She's your mother.
Mercedes is my sister.
And she's... a drug addict.
When you were born, she tried to get her act together
and go to rehab and...
become the mother that you deserved.
So she left you with me.
It was just gonna be for two months,
and then two months turned into six months,
and then a year, and then...
after three years, she finally came back.
But by that time, it was too late... you were mine.
I raised you.
She told me that she was clean, but...
I knew she wouldn't stay that way.
I knew that sooner or later she would drag you down into her mess.
So I told her the truth, that...
she was no longer your mother and she had to let you go,
and she said that she would...
if I paid her.
She sold me?
- I left town, I changed our names... - You-you what?
Wait, what's my name?
Your name
is Micki Ramirez.
What's my name?
Nina.
Nina Ruiz.
You were born in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
But I raised you here, so she wouldn't find us.
Until she did.
A week ago.
She tracked me to one of my lectures,
and she begged me to...
let her see you.
We got into a fight, and...
she drove off, drunk.
And got into that accident.
The one that you said you were guilty of.
I was, in a way.
I was, I was responsible for...
for years of her misery.
I wanted to protect you. It's... it's complicated.
Only you could have uncomplicated it at any point!
But you chose to lie to me
my entire life.
So you wouldn't turn out like her.
That's not your choice to make.
- I'm your mother. - No.
I always asked myself,
why couldn't I make my mom proud?
And you let me feel that way.
You never had that right.
Micki...
All right, ladies, listen up.
What you went through last night was...
...was fairly intense for a non-wartime setting.
But today's game, let's just...
let's just have fun.
Coach Bobby would never say that.
Right. What Coach Bobby would do is neglect the fact
that he was supposed to be watching you all.
Say hello to your new head coach.
- What?! - Yeah.
My God!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
All right, all right, all right. Let's get warmed up.
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go!
Hey, do you need me there?
I'll come to you right now.
No.
I just... want to leave this place,
which apparently isn't even my hometown.
God, this is a nightmare.
I-I can't...
imagine.
Micki, i-if you...
Stop.
You don't need to come.
Just...
please don't tell anybody.
I'm not ready for this to be real yet.
Of course.
Yeah.
- Thanks, Walker. - Yeah. Be safe.
You, too.
Trevor.
Morning, sir.
Morning.
I want to talk to you.
...that was beyond decent.
That took guts.
I should be thanking you.
For saving all of our lives.
That's my job.
But...
what you did,
standing up to that man...
that took bravery.
Didn't feel like it.
I had the shot, but I couldn't take it.
That is exactly the bravery I'm speaking of.
Son...
had you taken that shot,
you have no idea how it would have changed your life.
As someone who's had to do it before, I...
I don't wish it on anyone.
Especially not a young man with his whole life ahead of him.
I-I should head... head down there.
- Don't want to slack on my water boy duties. - Yeah.
Wait, hold on, Trevor.
I'm not done.
I owe you
a "what are your intentions with my daughter" chat.
Remind me.
Next time.
- Next time. - Yeah.
Good morning, sunshine.
You look worse than I do.
Well, that is saying a lot.
Kept thinking about what we got waiting for us back home.
Don't remind me.
Where'd you park the car?
On a street with other cars.
Yeah, that narrows it down.
Here we go.
What the hell?