Undercover
Beginning this episode, we start panning in on the Dallas skyline at dusk and hear smooth (‘I’m the man’) music playing. Then we watch a Dodge Viper come slowing down around the corner and the driver pulling up in front of a club. The driver is Officer Carlos Sandoval and he’s in plain clothes. As he gets out of the car, the bouncer calls him Martinez and Carlos identifies the bouncer as Joe. The two clasp hands and Carlos make his way into the club (love the whole black attire, he’s got evil goin’ on).
Just inside the club we see a blonde in a white/black evening dress and Carlos takes hold of her right hand and kisses it (somebody is playing it smooth tonight). Still walking in, Carlos taps another guy and they say their hellos, moves to a table and say hello to another group of people before kissing another woman on the cheek.
As Carlos moves to the dance floor he continues his rounds of cheeking the ladies, but not dancing himself (aw man, come on dance. Or maybe he can’t dance and we really shouldn’t be exposed to that kind of comedy).
Walking over to a small bar, Carlos identifies a young lady as Nicole and grabs a champagne glass from her hands. Nicole gives Carlos her glass and questions him as to his saying that he would call her (uhoh, looks like this batter was caught in the run). Carlos tells her that he will, drinks and then tells her that he’ll call soon (Hey Nicole! Don’t let him off the hook with an answer like that!). She tells him that he better call and moves in to kiss Carlos, after a few short smooches Carlos pulls back and tells her he’s got to check another scene. Nicole just stands there with a smile as Carlos goes off in back of the club (Can anyone guess why Nicole has that smile on?).
Up on the second level of the club Carlos is let in by the “door man,” but upon entering the room, two men draw their guns and Carlos sides his hands up (that means he raised his hands only to the elbows). As he does that move, Carlos asks the three in the room if his coming was a bad time. The man sitting at a table tells him that it’s not a bad time for friends, then moves to Carlos and the two flinch and embrace.
The man (Johnny Primo) asks Carlos how he’s been and Carlos tells him fine (In Spanish! Wow. Anyway we can hear more Spanish from Carlos?) Johnny then says that he talked to Nicole a bit earlier and Carlos says that he ran into her down stairs. Johnny rags on Carlos for being busted by Nicole and the two slap hands, as Johnny continues with Carlos, calling him brother, he tells Carlos to keep his promises. Then Johnny gets back to business and asks Carlos if he’s getting his usual five (Carlos is buying drugs from Johnny).
Just then Johnny’s boys bring in a guy named Ricky, and Ricky looks scared out of his mind. Johnny tells Ricky that he’s been looking for him and Ricky tells Johnny that he’s been around. Johnny doesn’t like Ricky’s lying, so he hits him. As Ricky tries to stutter his way out, Carlos moves to leave, but Johnny tells him to stay and watch.
At this time, Johnny’s boys are taking a large piece of plastic and placing it behind Ricky. Carlos tells Johnny that he’ll do whatever he says and Johnny is pleased (calls Carlos, Carlitos) then continues with Ricky by giving an elaborate speech on trust. Johnny’s speech goes on how trust is paramount and how anyone in his operation can take the whole thing down. He continues by saying that if they steal from each other then the trust is gone and death is the only payment.
As Ricky stutters that he’s sorry and that he’ll pay Johnny back, we watch Carlos looking at this conversation somewhat disturbed as he fidgets in his chair. Johnny then tells Ricky that it’s too late, steps back and fires one shot on the mark at Ricky.
As Johnny does this Carlos closes his eyes, but below in the club no one can hear the gun shot since Johnny used a silencer. Johnny tells his men to get rid of Ricky and they do. He then walks back to Carlitos and tells him that trust is paramount to their work. Carlos just stares and Johnny continues by saying that’s what happens to those who break trust, then he tells Carlos to call Nicole (I think Johnny is a bit suspicious of Carlos) {editor's note -- or Nicole's uncl. Or both.}.
Back in his Viper, Carlos pulls up to his place and at this time we hear Johnny’s words echoing in Carlos’ mind. Johnny’s words continue as we see Carlos get into the freight elevator up to his loft, grab a beer out the fridge and put it to his forehead. {editor's note -- did anyone else have a few other ideas of how to relieve that headache? Just checking....} Still holding the beer to his head, Carlos hears the elevator engage to pick someone up from below to his place. He quickly puts away the beer and pulls out his revolver, just in case it’s someone coming to get him.
Just as the occupants of the elevator come out, Carlos comes around the corner and tells them to freeze. {editor's note -- using the now classic "Carlos points his gun and looks threatening" move. A little over used, but very well done.} Seeing that it’s ranger Walker and Trivette, Carlos puts his gun away.
*****Commercials*****
Coming back, the three are in front of a pic diagram of the Vaquero drug ring hierarchy. Carlos points out that Johnny Primo killed Ricky in cold blood and Walker chimes in to Trivette that it’s time to take down this ring. Carlos wants more time cause he thinks he can get the leader ‘el vaquero,’ but Trivette also pulls to close the case.
Carlos gets a bit agitated (we go back and forth with Trivette and the el vaqueros. Somebody needs to help Trivette say el vaquero/vaqueros; it just isn’t working for him. Say it with me now Va-ke-ro, not VAA-KER-o) and Trivette goes to log in the drugs while Walker talks about Carlos’ focus on this undercover job. He tells Carlos to not let this get personal and when Carlos tries to play it off, Walker tells him that he knows about his brother Hector.
Carlos looks a bit spaced and we see a flash back of Carlos as a little boy with his big brother Hector. Carlos is telling Hector that he’s going to be late for dinner and that their mother will hang them, but Hector just tells Carlos to get leave him alone and go.
As Little Carlos goes back home, we see a man pass him and shoot his brother. Little Carlos runs over to Hector and yells for someone to call for help and then we fade back into the Carlos now undercover.
Coming out of his trance, he tells Walker that he knows Hector was a junkie. Walker nods and Carlos continues by telling him that the day his brother died, it had almost killed his mother and he promises that while this operation is personal he won’t lose his focus. Walker believes that Carlos is true to his promise and leaves Carlos in the loft to get some rest (nice décor on the loft Carlos).
Over at Thunder Karate, we watch as Trent has two of his students take the mat and practice for an upcoming tournament.
After those two finish up, Trent calls up his brother Tommy and Espinoza. The two practice and moreover show that their kicking abilities and don’t actually make contact. Trent calls the two on this and tells them to now use their heads while using their feet.
After they go at it again, Trent calls the class to formation and then begins a pep talk on this weekend’s competition. At this moment Jake Lyons comes into the studio and begins to harass Trent and his students on how, this weekend his students are going to kick those of Thunder Karate. Trent asks Jake what he wants and Lyons walks between the rows harassing certain students and offering them free lessons at his karate school. Just as he’s making a final offer to the students, and none have accepted the offers, Walker walks in and announces that Lyons offers would be good if the lessons were (which in his mind they weren’t).
Lyons then backs down and Trent dismisses his class and gives them another talk about how proud he was of his class for not losing their cool, as Lyons was very frustrating. Trent then turns thanking Walker for walking in at the right moment cause having Lyons was frustrating. So Walker then suggests to Trent that they work off the frustration and we watch as the two work out and square off a little.
As we watch Walker and Trent square off, Walker is continually pinning Trent down, but just as Trent gets the upperhand he gets cocky and loses focus. Thereby, Walker takes advantage and flats out Trent to the mat.
After Trent has tapped out, Walker asks him if Trent’s still frustrated and Trent tells him that he’s more frustrated then before at himself and not Lyons.
Flashing over to a red Viper crusin’ the streets, we hear Trent’s voice calling Carlos ‘Viperman’ and asking how he likes working with Walker. Carlos tells his friend that while he loves being a uniformed cop, the chance to do all he’s doing now is a dream come true. Carlos continues by telling Trent that he enjoys working with Walker and that Walker is intimidating cause he knows everything, and that he can see Walker had a big impact on Trent.
Trent tells Carlos that yeah Walker had a big influence on him and tells Carlos to remember what he was like when they were kids, rebelling against everything and anything. And just as this touching moment is flowing just right, Trent spots trouble off to their right and tells Carlos to pull off in that direction.
As the two pull up we see that three guys are beating up another man. Trent tells the guys to leave the man alone, but one of the guys tells the two to leave them alone and that the guy they have stole their car radio. The man being beaten up (Charlie) tells Trent that he maybe homeless but he didn’t steal their car radio. And just as the bad guy is about to hit Charlie again, Trent grabs the man’s fist and reiterates that he said for them to leave Charlie alone.
This guy now faces Trent and throws a hit at him, but is deflected. One of the other guys takes a swing at Carlos and now Carlos has his hands full. As the two friends defend the homeless man Charlie, we watch Trent take out two guys and stand back as Carlos is still wrestling the third. As Trent steps back, he watches as the bad guy gets few good hits off Carlos, slamming him in the chin and gut. The three bad guys then know they’re beat and move from the scene, with Trent shoving one into Carlos and Carlos pushing that guy off (someone in the sound effects department got a little too ‘punch sound’ happy).
As Charlie begins to thank Trent and Carlos, we see that Carlos swipes his mouth and hold his stomach, Carlos then introduces himself as Carlos Martinez and Trent introduces himself. Charlie continues by saying that he's glad they stopped to help and not many would have for someone like him. He also says that if he can ever return the favor he will. Carlos tells him not to worry and starts off to his car as Trent tells Charlie he was glad to help and hands Charlie some money.
At the car, Carlos is standing looking into the sideview mirror to check what the bad guy had done, when he was hit in the jaw. Trent comes up to the passenger’s side and asks Carlos how his jaw is. Carlos finishes rubbing his chin and tries to play dumb, by saying ‘What do you mean?’ Trent then pulls a punch line with Carlos by saying ‘your chin really gave that guy’s knuckles a pounding.’ Carlos knows this was a jab and as he gets into the Viper, Trent tells Carlos that he really needs to start martial arts training. Carlos asks him when and Trent boxes Carlos in by telling him now, but Carlos is not too enthusiastic about starting right away (the exchange of looks is so wide and hilarious, it’s too much to explain. These two can really play off of each other).
Flashing over to Thunder Karate, we see Carlos in a gui and he’s jumping around telling Trent that he can take care of himself with boxing (I say jumping around like a fool, but you can call it whatever you want). Trent looks at Carlos with a ‘yea right’ smile and then connects an outside right kick to Carlos’ mid-section. Carlos doubles over from the contact and he tells Trent that maybe he’s right (I’d say painfully right).
Trent begins Carlos’ training sequence by showing him a reverse punch. We then move on to see the two executing various combinations of punches and kicks. As Carlos mimics Trent’s moves, Trent encourages his friend to continue, and they then move to Carlos performing what he’s learned on a hang bag. Trent tells Carlos that he’s doing good and that even with all his complaining he’s picking up everything with ease. Carlos jokes with Trent by saying that he’s a good student. But Trent catches the play and tells his friend that maybe he’s just a good teacher, then pushes the punch bag into Carlos (what a couple of comedians).
Possibly later that day in Carlos’ loft, he Walker and Trivette are discussing the final details of Carlos’ last buy. Instead of Carlos’ usual five grand it seems the two rangers have given him fifty grand. Carlos looks at this with a bit of amazement and Trivette reminds him that this is Carlos’ last buy.
Carlos then questions the Rangers as to what to do if Johnny Primo becomes suspicious of this sudden demand jump. Walker and Trivette tell Carlos that he’s got a buyer who’s just lost his suppliers in a drug bust.
Carlos then questions what he should do if Johnny wants to meet the new buyer. The two Rangers tell Carlos that is just what they want, and for Carlos to tell Johnny that he can’t meet with the buyer until Monday when he gets in from California.
That night at the SPY club, Carlos is meeting with Johnny and telling Johnny that he’s increased his purchases cause he’s got a buyer who’s lost the supply on a bust. Carlos then gives Johnny the option of handling the supplying of all, part or none of the fifty grand weekly purchase. As Johnny hears this, he tells Carlos that he doesn’t like doing business with strangers. And just as Carlos is closing the briefcase with the fifty grand, Johnny puts his hand on top of it and quotes his grandmother on saying that a stranger is a friend whom you have yet to meet (I think that’s the right quote).
Hearing this, Carlos smiles at Johnny and then Johnny asks ‘Carlitos’ when he can meet the new buyer. Carlos tells Johnny that the buyer is back in LA and that they can meet on Monday, but that he’ll not only want to meet with Johnny but El Vaquero. Upon hearing this, Johnny looks distant and tells Carlos that meeting El Vaquero will be no problem. So Carlos tells Johnny that he’s going to leave the fifty grand with him until Monday, and Johnny asks Carlos to come to the bar and have a drink.
Johnny pours Carlos and himself a shot and toasts ‘to the big league’ (you got me what they had). Carlos downs the shot and the two embrace Johnny says, ‘Te hablo despues’ and Carlos says, ‘Si. Cuidate’ (for translations see end. If I remember) But after Carlos has left the second floor lounge of the club, Johnny picks up Carlos’ shot glass and hands it to another of his guys to have the prints on the glass run through profiles (Ew! Johnny stuck his fingers in Carlos’ glass).
Over at Thunder Karate, Trent is helping Tommy prepare for that weekend’s Karate Tournament. Trent tells his little brother to watch his opponent’s eyes cause they widen just a bit just before they strike. Tommy thinks that Trent has lost his marbles, but gets a demonstration from Trent and begins to understand.
Over at Carlos’ loft, he’s talking with Walker and Trivette about Johnny taking the trap and that he’ll get to meet El Vaquero on Monday (alright bud! Do something with the hair besides LWB). The two Rangers are pleased, but Walker reminds Carlos that when the stakes are raised anything can happen in the new round.
Back at Johnny’s club, Pablo comes in and gives Johnny the news that the fingerprints that Johnny had him run on the glass belong to a detective Carlos Sandoval. Johnny glances at the info and repeats the last name as if remembering something about the name Sandoval.
*****Commercials*****
In a gym where a Karate tournament is taking place, where we see various scene of the competitors performing. As we watch one particular match between two competitors, we watch as Trent walks the edge of this match and rubs his chin in thought of what’s taking place, and also see Jake Lyons with a smug look as he also looks on (would someone mind pounding Lyons back under his rock please?!).
As the two Karate instructors continue watching, Lyons intentionally bumps into Trent as he watches his student Kevin lose the match. As Kevin comes from the mat, he apologies to Trent for losing, but all Trent has for Kevin is encouraging words that he did well and he’s still a winner (Trent should do self esteem speeches).
We then flash over to more various competitors and theirs performances, as Tommy stretches out his arms/back and tells Trent that he just received a 15-minute warning and that he thought Carlos was coming to watch this event. Trent said that he thought so too, but that maybe his friend was running late.
Flipping back to Carlos’ loft, we see him come out to his car decked out all in black (Yes he’s a man in black, with a small wardrobe as this is what he had on a few scenes ago). Rounding the stairs to the car, Carlos is confronted by Paco and Juan (love the sunglasses babe).
Carlos asks the two what they are doing at his place and Paco tells him that Johnny needs Carlos to pay him a visit. Carlos plays it cool with these two saying that he doesn’t have time and he’s late for another appointment and Johnny can catch him later. But as Carlos goes to put the key in his door, Paco shoots out the rear tire with his silenced gun (Question. Why is Carlos opening his car door with the key when the car has no top?). {editor's note -- Answer. Cos the script said to? Am I the only one who would love to see him just jump over the door into the car?}
Over at the tournament, Walker is at the stands and crouches down to ask Tommy how he feels about competing. After getting a pat on the shoulder, Tommy walks over to the mats and stands in at ready position, ready to go up against his enemy from the Lyons Karate school (this was the bully from the SOT movie).
Changing over, we see a black sedan come and park in front of a building and Juan gets out of the back seat. Juan scans the area, pulls out his weapon and grabs Carlos out the front seat.
Paco and Juan walk behind Carlos and move him up a set of stairs as Carlos tells the two that he’s ‘got places to go, people to see.’ But Paco isn’t happy with Carlos’ jabbering and says’ callate,’ which gets a reply from Carlos of ‘speak English’ (what poor baby doesn’t understand? Can’t pull that one since he spilled out a few Spanish words earlier and knew what was being said).
As the two large men push Carlos into a second floor room, Johnny is seen shadowed at another door and tells Carlos that’s he’s sorry for messing up his plans. As Carlos looks at the room and sees a single chair in the center of the room and plastic everywhere, Johnny comments on Carlitos wanting to meet El Vaquero.
Carlos says that he did and then Johnny punches Carlos in the stomach and then to the chin (But Johnny doesn’t know that Carlos’ chin can beat any opponent). Johnny then grabs Carlos by his chin and Carlos shakes that grip as Johnny tells Carlos that he’s El Vaquero. As Carlos smiles at finding out Johnny’s dual identity, he gets another good hit to his right cheek from Johnny.
Back at the Karate Tournament, Tommy is taking the mats against his bully/opponent. The opponent gives Tommy one good kick and sends him flying, good for a point.
At this point of the match we continually switch back and forth between watching Carlos being held by Paco/Juan and beaten by Johnny and Tommy getting his butt kicked at the tournament. In these scene changes, El Vaquero asks Carlos who knows about his drug ops. And Carlos being funny and stubborn refuses to answer ‘privileged information. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.’ This earns him a few more hits from Johnny, drawing blood, as Johnny tells Carlos that he is dead either way, but that Carlos could choose the easy way or the hard way (gee I wonder which way Carlos would choose).
Carlos just laughs and tells Johnny that ‘alright, you give me no other option. You’re all under arrest.’ Upon hearing this Paco laughs and looks at his boss, as Johnny punches Carlos once again.
Asking Carlos if he’s had enough, Johnny awaits an answer, but all he gets from Carlos is him chuckling repeating ‘enough’ and saying that Johnny hasn’t knocked him down and that he’s still standing (Isn’t this in a song somewhere? “I’m still standing better than I ever did…”).
Johnny comments on Carlos’ attempt to be funny and gives him a few more hits, before revealing that he (Johnny) was the one who killed Hector (Carlos’ older brother) in the street. This sobers up Carlos, as we see him have a flash back, and gives him the extra energy he needs to finally get out of his predicament.
On the other side of these scene flashes, is Tommy having been taken down once and then again, giving his opponent two points and Tommy none.
We look over at Walker and Alex, as Walker comments to Alex that Tommy isn’t using his head (of course not, Tommy’s head is getting kicked in). We then hear the ref. call points and Tommy, on the floor, looking to his brother/teacher for assistance. Trent just stands where he’s at with his right hand against his face signaling his brother to remember that an opponent widens their eyes just before attacking.
Tommy seems to have gotten this idea and as he and his opponent have been readied to fight, Tommy knocks his opponent to the ground. Lyons looks very unhappy about Tommy Malloy getting a point, but lets it go.
As the two boys stand off for a fourth time, Tommy once again watches for his opponent’s eyes to widen before striking. In doing this, Tommy knocks his opponent and receives another point.
In the Stands we watch as Walker and Alex are following the match and Walker comments that Tommy is finally using his head.
On the last round of the match, Lyons has just finished pushing his student around about letting Tommy get two points and tells the kid to go in there and finish. As the two square off, Tommy once again gets the upper hand and wins the match.
Back over to Carlos, as he escapes (shoving Juan into Johnny and elbowing Paco to the face) he runs through the door that Johnny had first appeared in and hops onto a table to find out where he is. But much to his dismay, as Carlos turns to try and escape the closed off room, Johnny comes in and fires two shots at Carlos. Having no other decision, Carlos jumps out the second floor window and lands back first onto a parked car (well if he hasn’t gotten over his pear of heights, he’s in real trouble now). br>
Juan, Paco and Johnny go over to the window and look at Carlos’ lifeless body, as Johnny tells the other two to remove the body and dispose of it (Hey lets just put a bulls-eye on Carlos).
*****Commercials*****
As Juan and Paco go downstairs to get Carlos’ body, they come upon the car he fell on, but find no Carlos (now how do you explain that after being shot twice in the shoulder blade, beaten and really injured from jumping out a window?). {editor's note -- he's an immortal? Oops, sorry, wrong show.}
Lyons, at this point, is thoroughly pissed and takes it out on his student. As Tommy receives congratulations from Walker, Alex and Trent; he leaves the group to congratulate his opponent. Upon congratulating his opponent, the boy says that he didn’t do anything to deserve it and that how did Tommy knew when he was going to strike. Tommy then tells the boy that he widens his eyes before striking and that’s how he knew when to block and strike.
Lyons, after harassing his student, goes over to Trent and begins to harass Trent on how the match was cute. And that while he (Lyons) hears what a good fighter Trent is, he’s not impressed and can’t wait for the day when he can get Trent on the mat and show him, just who is better (Lyons has a little too much testosterone flying about now, someone put him to bed for a nap). Trent replies to Lyons empty wishes by telling him that the time and place are coming, but not here and now.
Finishing the congratulations to Tommy, Walker questions Trent on Carlos’ not showing up. Trent tells the Ranger that he called Carlos’ place, but got no answer and Alex provides that Carlos might just be late. Trent hopes that is the case, but Walker decides to call up Trivette just to make sure.
Upon getting word from Trivette that Carlos hasn’t checked in, Walker tells Alex to get things ready cause they’re going in and Trent tells Walker that he’ll swing by Carlos’ place just to make sure.
Somewhere at a homeless encampment, Charlie is seen with another behind him. This other asks who Charlie has in his ‘space’ and Charlie tells this person that it’s no one and for him to leave. As Charlie moves to lean over the body, we see that is it’s a swollen Carlos and that he’s currently unconscious.
Back to where Johnny and his thugs are, the two sent to retrieve Carlos’ body tell Johnny that the body has disappeared. Johnny is most certainly not pleased upon hearing this and tells the two that the body just didn’t walk away and once again sends the two to find Carlos.
Over at the homeless encampment, one man is telling another homeless man that he must leave since he stole from their community. The accused doesn’t want to leave, but the leader of the community stands firm, so the accused leaves—spitting at a woman.
After the accused homeless man leaves, Charlie comes up to Daniel (the leader of the community) and tells him that he needs to see something. Charlie and Daniel go over to where Carlos is lying, and Daniel gasps at the pain Carlos must be in.
Daniel tells Charlie that Carlos needs a doctor, but Charlie refuses and tells Daniel that he thinks Carlos is wanted (and not by the ladies). Daniel is not happy about Charlie possibly bringing in a criminal to their community, but Charlie tells him that Carlos and Trent came to his defense and he promised to do anything he could to repay their kindness. Daniel knows that Charlie has given his word and will help in making sure Carlos is safe for now, but Daniel suggests that Charlie gets Carlos help and fast (at this time no one in the community knows Carlos’ name or that he’s a cop).
We go over to see Juan and Paco searching the surrounding areas for Carlos and then switch over to Carlos’ loft where Trent is looking at his friends Viper. As Trent circles the Viper, Trent notices that the rear driver’s tire is flat, from a bullet.
Alone with Carlos again, Charlie asks what he’s supposed to do to help Carlos just as Carlos begins to mumble and calls for Trent. Hearing this, Charlie remembers the introduction he received from Trent the other day, and takes off to find Trent. {editor's note -- and at hearing this, all the slash readers and writers went nuts.}
At Ranger HQ, Walker has just told the task force, that Trivette has assembled, that there has been no word from Detective Sandoval and now they’re going to mop up the Vaquero Drug Cartel. Alex then walks into the office and hands Walker the warrants so the task force can go and round the Vaqueros up.
As Juan and Paco begin to ask a homeless man about Carlos, the accused man from the homeless ‘community’ is walking by and Juan spots him. The two decide to ask this guy about Carlos and the accused asks Juan/Paco how good of a friend is Carlos. Upon hearing this question, Paco pulls out some cash and puts it in front of the accused. The guy gives in and they take off with Johnny to go and finish the job they sought out to do (Is it me or are all the bad guys wearing only black in this eps?).
Over at the homeless community we see a mouse (too small to be a rat) on the upper structure of this building and then see Carlos’s beaten face as he mumbles and shifts.
*****Commercials*****
Over at Johnny’s club/dealing centr, Walker, Trivette and the task force walk in to round the Vaquero Cartel up. Walker and Trivette give the members in this place the option of doing things the easy way or the hard way, but these guys choose the easy way.
Then out on the streets, Walker and Trivette are checking out all the Vaqueros’ corners and pick up two that have just finished a deal. The two Vaquero dealers split up to escape the Rangers, but Trivette gets out of the truck and goes after one while Walker continues after the other (My only question is, Why is Walker’s truck continually squealing his wheels? He’s not moving that fast, unless his tires are flat there’s no reason for it other than a happy tire squeal soundtrack person).
Rounding up the last group of Vaqueros, Trivette notifies Walker that they got everyone in the Cartel but Johnny Primo, Paco Montablo, and Juan Ortez. Walker tells his partner ok and for him to shake down the Vaquero members they have to find out where the three missing Vaqueros could be.
As we see Charlie walk in front of Thunder Karate, Trent pulls up and Charlie moves over to Trent (Now how could Charlie tell it was Trent that easily?). Trent asks Charlie what he’s doing there and Charlie tells him that Carlos is hurt badly and that he should come to help him.
Trent then tells Charlie to get in the car, just as we switch over and watch Johnny’s black car drive up to a warehouse. Johnny, Paco, Juan and the accused homeless guy go into the building.
Inside Daniel tells the accused that he’s not welcomed and the accused shuffs him off to Johnny. Johnny is in no moods for games and punches Daniel before pulling out his gun and warning that the next will eat a bullet. Johnny then goes strait to where Carlos is lying. But when Johnny enters, he finds no Carlos just sheets soaked in blood.
As Johnny comes from that space into the open where some of the community have now gathered in this commotion, he asks where they took Carlos. No one answering, Johnny grabs the nearest girl and holds a gun to her, making her show him where they’ve hid Carlos. {editor's note -- I want to know why some 12 year old girl even KNOWS where Carlos is!}
Driving down the highway, Walker gets a call from Trivette that Trent called saying he found out where Carlos is and that he’s hurt. Trivette tells Walker that the homeless encampment is over on Commerce, and Walker takes off for the location.
As the girl Johnny has hostage takes him and his men down to where Carlos has been relocated, Trent comes to the encampment sight with Charlie.
As Johnny has found Carlos he tells the unconscious Carlos that he took the hard way just like his brother Hector. Just as Johnny is ready to shoot Carlos, Trent comes from behind knocking Johnny from his gun. Charlie makes an attempt to help Trent by taking on Juan, but Juan knocks out Charlie, leaving Trent to deal with all three of the Vaqueros.
Trent manages to hold his own as he downs both Juan and Paco, {editor's note -- show of hands here. WHO was surprised that Trent manages to take on 3 bad guys all by himself sucessfully?} but just a suddenly as Trent appeared on the scene, Johnny has appeared behind Trent with his gun aimed at him. Just as Johnny moves to shoot Trent, Walker comes on the scene with his gun drawn and tells Johnny to drop it.
But instead of dropping it, Johnny swirls around and fires at Walker. Johnny misses Walker, but Walker does not miss Johnny. Relieved that he’s still standing, Trent and Walker move to Carlos’ side. Trent says that he’s still alive and Walker goes off to call for an ambulance.
Now over to the Metro Children’s Hospital, we see Trent, Walker, Alex, and Trivette visiting Carlos. Carlos currently has his left arm in a sling, various cuts, bruises, black/blues all over his face.
In the room, Trivette says the drug bust was a success and Carlos then asks about Johnny Primo. Walker says that Primo was killed and Alex says that thanks to Carlos’ good work the rest of the Vaqueros are awaiting trial/going away for a long time. {editor's note -- did anyone else have to rewind the tape several times to really look and make sure Trent was not holding Carlos' hand? OK, maybe it was just me....}
Walker then says that they didn’t get El Vaquero, but they will someday. Hearing this Carlos pipes in that there was no El Vaquero, cause Johnny was El Vaquero and he just used it as a front. Trivette comments that having a cover made Johnny seem the good guy and El Vaquero the heavy hitter and Alex says that it was a good ploy incase he was arrested he could give El Vaquero up to bargain in his trials.
Walker then chimes in that there is more for Carlos to know about Johnny. Carlos asks what and both Walker and Trivette go back and forth giving Carlos this new information. The information was that as Trivette talked to Paco and Juan, he found out they were on the scene when Carlos’ brother Hector was killed. He found out that Johnny was the one who had killed Hector and that Hector was trying to get/stay clean from drugs, but that Johnny wanted to keep Hector hooked. And as an example Hector was killed to show what happened if anyone tried to break free from Johnny’s grasp.
The hospital room now becomes silent as tears begin to form in Carlos’ eye as he begins to say that he thought Hector was killed for another reason other than staying clean.
The camera closes in on Carlos’ battered face as it fades and we see Carlos in front of a grave begin to fade in. We come to see Carlos in his black leather jacket, arm in a sling, kneeling before a grave. The grave is that of his brother Hector’s.
We watch as Carlos makes The Sign of the Cross and touches his brother’s grave saying that he loves him and that he’s sorry. Carlos’ face has now healed, but we can still see tears beginning to form in them as Carlos places flowers in front of the grave and he slowly rises.
As Carlos leaves the grave, he walks over to Trent’s car, where Trent is standing. The two share untold words in their looks as Carlos possibly rubs away tears from his eye and Trent opens the car door for his friend. Trent pats Carlos in the back, closes the car door for him and gets into the driver’s seat.
The two drive out of the cemetery on this cold and gloomy day.
*****The End*****
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