"Coming in!" " Come on." "Double time!" " Let's go!" "Come on!" " Don't blow it." " Steady!" "All right, guys." "Move out!" "Let's go!" " Where's Stark and Westlake?" " Didrt make it." " Rudy too?" " All three." "Oh, man!" "What happened?" "Cuban soldiers caught us in a cross fin'e on the beach... an hour after you guys took off." "Shit, man, that's bad." "We're fucked now." "Fidel Castro today accused the United States... of being behind yesterday's predawn raid... on what appears to have been a drug processing plant... some 30 miles south of Havana." " A force of 20 men landed..." " Twenty?" "What an insult." "It should have felt like 50." "Three of the men were killed by Cuban military forces." "They've been tentatively identified as James Stark, Kevin Westlake... and Rudy Garcia, all from the U.S." "Talk about how many we killed." "Goddamned bureaucratic bitch." "U.S. Officials deny involvement... in this independent venture... utilizing mercenaries and financed by anti-Castro forces." "Officials went on to say there was no way such a raid..." " could have been launched..." " In other words... we no longer officially exist." "In other words, we're out of a fucking job." "Shit, man." "I've got a mortgage to pay." "Congress will launch a full investigation into the raid." "Deny American involvement?" "Deny that, motherfucker." "You couldn't just change the channel?" " Kick his ass!" " I fucking changed the channel." "Me and fucking Elvis." "So what do we do now?" "Nothing." "We just wait." "Something will come along." "Who is that?" "Get that fool!" "Get him, boy!" "I'll teach you!" "Now I'll show you." "You ain't done yet." " Jerome, are you okay?" " Get off of me." "I don't need your help, dude." "Why don't you try me?" "Mr. Tay, I want you out of here." "Both of you, out!" " Fuck you!" " Get out!" "Go to class!" " Go to class." " Please go to class." "Go on." "Get out of here." "What is it with you?" "You're determined to be O.T.'d?" "I'm standing here." "You're always hassling me." "I'm not hassling you, Mr. Lacas." "I'm speaking to you because you're intelligent, you're a leader." "I need you to look at me for two minutes, Juan." "I've heard the speeches, Jane." "I don't make speeches." "I'm speaking to you with respect as a person." "You're no person to me, bitch, so back the fuck off." " 'Cause if you don't..." " If I don't, what?" "You'll fucking wish you did." "What were his exact words?" "What were his exact words?" "That if I didn't back off, I'd wish I did." " No, "fucking" wish you did." " Yes." "That's terrible." "But technically speaking, it wasrt a din'ect threat." "You mean he didn't say he was going to stab me with a knife at 4:15 p. m." " No, he didn't say that." " But his attitude was threatening." " I can't O.T. Him for attitude." " Look, Claude." "You know me." "I don't quit on my kids." "But this guy is dangerous." "The kids are scared of him." "Believe it or not, some are here to learn." "I agree, but I can't boot him out... without definite proof of wrongdoing." "I don't want a lawsuit." "Fine." "You want proof?" "I'll get you proof." "Here she comes." "Cute, sweetheart." "All for nothing, mama." "Have a beer with us." "I want to see that beautiful ass." "Fucking bitch." "Fuck you up, bitch!" "I'm gonna lick your pussy like this." "Get the fuck out of the car!" "See you later!" "I'll drop by the house." "You bastard." "I've never been so happy to see anybody in my life." "I missed you too." "What's going on?" "My students are trying to kill me." "How are you?" "Hey, come here." "Let me take care of it." "Shale." "Shale, you always had the greatest hands." "I missed you, cariña." "What are you doing here anyway?" "Arert you supposed to be off on some secret mission?" "No, they retin'ed us." "Really?" "You okay with that?" "No." "What are you going to do?" "I guess I'll be a stockbroker." " Yeah, right." " I could be a stockbroker." "Shale?" "Joey." "Got a gig." "Meet me at 10:00 at the strip joint." "Hey, it's Uzi night." " Try your luck." " Joey." "Tell me about the gig." "This guy's name is Wolfson." "He's a lawyer." "I hate lawyers." "He's money." "This guy's got a client who's looking for a trained crew." "He wants to meet you tomorrow, 10:00." "Trained crew for what?" "That's what the meeting's for." "I don't know." "I don't like it." "You don't even know what it is yet." " Drugs?" " It's not drugs." "Come on, I busted my ass to set this up." "Don't go in there and fuck it up." "When the world is giving you trouble, think John Janus." "When the world is giving you trouble, think John Janus." ""Soldier of Fortune" magazine calls him the ultimate mercenary." " That's nice." " From Tripoli to Panama he's proven it." "Piano win'e, knives, artillery, land mines..." " bayonets, helicopter repelling..." " Isn't that funny?" "Smoke jumping, parachuting, karate... missiles, guns and his bare hands." "They don't call him a one-man army for nothing." "So when you want clean, private mercenary work at reasonable rates... think John Janus." " That was so hot." " It really was." "Great editing too." "Who was the editor?" "The guy that does rock videos." "Thanks, John." "Stay and watch Mr. Shale's reel." "I don't have a reel." "I see." "Why don't I show John out?" " John." " Thank you, Matt." "Get yourself a video, old-timer." "Thanks for coming." "Really very impressive." " We'll be in touch soon." " Thank you very much." " See you, sweet thing." " Talk to you soon." "God, that's better." "I've been holding that for 20 minutes waiting for her to leave." " Thank you for sharing." " Ten grams of fiber every morning." "Flushes all the toxins right out of your system." "It's great." "Regularity is the key." " You want some?" " No, I flushed this morning." "Orange juice, decaf, tea?" "No, thank you." "Can we talk about the job?" "You're a real cut-to-the-chase kind of guy." " That's me." " Thank you, Dierdre." " Sure, Matt." " Good." "I like that." "Uh, all right." "My client runs an import business dealing in South American goods." "Obviously, his business depends on a steady flow of products." "Regularity is the key?" "Very good." "Exactly." "Delays can cost you a large chunk of the market." "We're looking for trained soldiers... who can guarantee the shipments... and have the ability to deal decisively with anyone who tries to interfere." "Like who?" "Well, our competitors... certain government agencies, which sometimes is the same thing." "Uh-huh." "So what you're looking for is a crew to protect your drug shipments... possibly kill any rival dealers... and maybe even government agents if they happen to get in the way?" "Didrt I say you were a cut-to-the-chase kind of guy?" "You don't want soldiers." "You want killers." "You'll have to excuse me here, Shale... because I wasrt aware there was a difference." "There's a difference." "You want to know what it is?" "Yeah, I'll play." "Tell me what the difference is." "But I don't want any..." "The difference is... you're still breathing." "That cereal does work." " What's with you?" " I told you no drugs." "Did the plate in your head shift or something?" "That's all that's out there." " At least it's a job." " A job, Joey?" "You ever look up the word "mercenary"?" "It's someone who works merely for money." "Everybody works for money." "It's not the money that bothers me." "It's the "merely. "" " Hi, Miss Andrewson." " Hi." "Um, Janie?" " She went jogging at the beach." " Thanks." "Watch out!" "I know it hurts, baby." "Try not to move." "Don't move." "How are you feeling?" "I feel good." "That's the painkillers." "I talked to the cops." "They got an "all-points" out on a six-foot-six Seminole." "Yeah?" "You'll find a zillion of them in the Everglades." " Where are my clothes?" " They hid them so you can't find them." " Yeah, right." " Lie down." " I hate hospitals." " It's just for a couple of days." "Come on." "Your leg's busted." "You can't walk." "It is busted." "Lacas set me up." " Is he the one who hassled you?" " It had to be him." " I'll take care of him." " You'll drop a grenade on him." "If he did it, he deserves it." "No, I don't want you to get into it." "Janie, would you relax?" "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to do." " Okay." " Just get in and stay here... until it's better." "Then help me if you want to help me." "Call Michael Jones." "He's in the book." "Tell him he's got to substitute for me." "Then I want you to call Arlene." "I don't know where she is." "Tell her I won't be in for a while." "Okay?" "Admissions!" "She's in Admissions, I think." "I'm booked this week." "Can you get somebody to fill in until next week?" "Yeah, okay." "Thanks anyway." " I'll give you a call next week." " Okay." "Bye." "So I need a teaching certificate... and put me on the computer... at the school registry by tomorrow morning." "Oh, Rem?" "Give me some good academic credentials." "I mean good ones." "Yeah, whatever." "Name?" "Something unusual." "Smith." "James Smith." " Morning, Jerome." " Hey, man." "How are you doing, Rolanda?" "Great." "Manuelo, you need a hain'cut, son." "Good morning." "Can I help you?" "Maybe." "I'm looking for Miss Hetzko's room." "My name's Smith." "I'm her substitute." " Claude Rolle." "I'm the principal." " Good to meet you." "You're not one of our regular subs." "She wanted Michael Jones, but he was booked so he called me." "Well, good." "I'll point you in the right din'ection." " Thank you." " Janie's ill?" " She got mugged." " No." "That's terrible." "Hey, put that skateboard in your locker." " Is she okay?" " Apparently, but I don't know her." "Can't be too careful these days." "She's a fighter." "She'll pull through." "Jimenez, you're late." " Upstain's, fin'st class you see." " Thank you." "Bring your paperwork to the office, or you won't get paid." "Hey." "Good luck." "Okay, let's move it." "Get to class." "You're late." "Miss Hetzko's class?" "Let's go." " Who the fuck are you?" " I'm the substitute." "Come on." "Okay, Romeo, that's enough." "Break it up." "Good morning, class." "My name is Mr. Smith." "I will be Miss Hetzko's substitute for the next few days." "Is Miss Hetzko taking a break?" "Is that what happened?" "Mother, we ain't in church." "Okay." "Henry Alvin." "Henry Alvin." "Over here." "If you can't talk, Henry, just raise your hand." "If so many of you can't talk, it's going to be more quiet in here." "Henry Alvin." "Lisa Rodriguez." "Bitch." " Michael Davis." " You all seen Michael?" "That's right." "He's in the hall rubbing your mom's booty, man." " Frank Davis." " Yo." "I'm Frank." "He's just messing with you." " You two brothers?" " No." "He wishes he was." "Get off that damn government cheese." "Juan Lacas." "That was sharp, dude." "Sure was sharp." "What era of history are you studying now?" "The fuck-you era." "And what have you covered so far?" "The button of that ferret ass you got." " Who won World War II?" " Your mama, man." "And... here comes a tough one..." "who discovered America?" "Fat mama." " What's your name?" " I'm Jerome, dog." " What's your name?" " I'm Jerome, dog." "A 16-inch woofer from Opa-Locka." "Straight from the bottom." " Go up there, kid." " Yeah." "Opa-Locka, never drop-a" "Tie them on my peoples Keep it real 'cause it's lethal" "Ain't nothing sweet, dude Miami has us down" "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "That bouncer's dead, yeah." "That's real special, Jerome." "Are you responsible for this coffee, Hannah?" "Don't start with me, Darryl." "I know it's yours... it stays black after you pour cream in it." " You're subbing for Jane Hetzko?" " Right." "Darryl Sherman, English and Drama." " Jim Smith." "Good to meet you." " You too." "Is it true they broke her kneecap?" " That's what I heard." " Sons of bitches." "I get my hands on them, I'll show them a thing or two." "Life is too short to mess with the K.O.D." "I'm Hannah Dillon, School Librarian." " Jim Smith." "Good to meet you." " Stay away from the coffee." "You drink it." "I'm immune." "Excuse me." "What is the K.O.D.?" "The "Kings of Destruction," the top gang in the school." ""Posse," please." "You're so unip." "Could they have been responsible for what happened to Miss Hetzko?" " It's possible." " Possible?" "Nothing happens around here that isn't inspin'ed by the K.O.D." "Or "KOD," as I think of them." "Why would they have been after her?" "Lacas threatened her." "She wanted him transferred." " Juan Lacas?" " Yeah, he's the leader of the K.O.D." "He's a pain in the ass, is what he is." "Why wasrt he just transferred?" "Ask Rolle." "It was his decision." "Criticize Rolle all you want." "He was a cop and knows the law." "No evidence, no case." "Period." "That's right, Darryl." "You keep the faith." "If Hannah had her way, we'd go back to the days... when you could bludgeon a kid for looking at you cross-eyed." "I know." "I went to school here." "Rolle was a cop?" "Yeah, the gang unit." "He's an amazing man." "Excuse me, Mr. Rolle?" "I'm looking for Juan Lacas's file." "The secretary said you had it." "The file is under review at the moment, Mr..." " Smith." " Smith." "Right." "If it was Petarusky, I'd remember." "Come on." "Have a seat." "Speaking of unusual commitment... how is it that a cop becomes a high school principal?" "You want the short version?" "I was at the Liberty City riots in 1980... not the best time to be a black cop in Miami." "You watch your own neighborhood burn down... people you grew up with getting shot and busted." "You suddenly face a clear choice." "Devastation or education." "I chose the latter." "I went to night school, got my certificate... got my masters, and now here I am." "And running for city council, I hear." "If the voters are wise." "What's your background, Mr. Smith?" "Standard liberal arts education." "I was a government bureaucratic worker." "Mostly in Health, Education and Welfare department." "Then, uh, I guess, like you, I wanted to teach." "You won those scars in the halls of academe?" "No." "Nuns, eighth grade." "Well, you better get back to work." "I really can't issue those files to a temporary employee." " Sorry." " No problem at all." "Thanks for your time." "Oh, I've got to ask." "Doesrt it make you nervous wearing a watch like that around here?" "This watch was a gift from the Junior League." "Anyone trying to take this watch will have to take this arm." "It's been known to happen." "They hack them off with chain saws now." "Students in Wood Shop made these for me." "Every year at fin'st assembly, I give a little demonstration." "Power perceived... is power achieved." "I'd remember that little truism, Mr. Smith." "It will assist you greatly in your teaching." " Nice tie." " We don't need any insurance." "We might." "You haven't heard the gig yet." "Tell us what it is." " It's something different." " Who gives a shit?" "I just want to get back in the action." " It's a school." " Damn!" "It is a school." " I told you, man." " What kind of school?" "A high school." "I'm substituting there." " Substitute for what?" " For Janie." "She got kneecapped by a gang." "She's in the hospital now." "Oh, shit." "We all feel bad for Janie, right?" "But a high school?" "What's in it for us?" "Well, probably nothing up front... but there might be something on the back end." "Maybe something on the back end." "You mind telling me what the fuck is wrong with this picture?" "Fin'st you turn down Wolfson." "Now you want us to go do a job at a high school on deferment." " Hollan, chill out." " Chill out yourself!" "High school is bullshit, man." "You all know what's wrong." "You ain't got the guts to say it." " Why don't you tell us, Hollan?" " I'll tell it, man." "Cuba wimped you out." "You lost your mind and your balls." "Maybe I'll borrow yours." "On second thought, maybe they're too small." "Fuck you, man!" "Fucking queers." "No promises, but I'm telling you, there's something wrong there." "They're not doing thein' homework?" "All I can tell you... is these kids are walking around with cellular phones and pagers... and driving $50,000 BMWs." "There's drugs, and where there's drugs there's cash." "We're not going to walk out of there empty-handed." "It's your decision." "You tell me." "Violation, violation." "Good morning, class." "Today... we're going to talk about Vietnam." "Viet who?" "Fuck that shit." "You had to be resourceful in Vietnam." "You had to grow eyes in the back of your head." "You're a dead motherfucker!" "I don't like disorder in my room." "Clean it up, Tay." "Knock that nigger out, my nigger." "Fuck you!" "You're gonna fuck that nigger up?" "He represent K.O.D." "Stay down there until it looks spotless." "Ah, man, look at him, dog." "All red and embarrassed." "Shut up, Jerome." "And you, hand over the ice pick." "I ain't got no ice pick." "This is my class, Rodriguez." "I don't allow weapons in here." "This ain't your class, bitch." "I'll carry what I want." "Take that Superman shit somewhere else." "It's impolite to stick your finger in somebody's chest." "Would you like it if I did that to you?" "Hand over the ice pick, please." "Thank you." "Sit down." "You broke my hand." "I bent it." "I don't break them on the fin'st offense." "I'm in charge of this class." "I'm the warrior chief." "I'm the merciless god of anything that sting's in my universe." "You fuck with me and you will suffer my wrath." "Yeah." "Can I go to the nurse's office?" "Sure, Rodriguez." "Go ahead." "Take Tay with you." " Come on, bitch." " Man, take this with you." "Anybody else want to go?" "Okay, let's get back to Vietnam." "Anybody know where it is?" "It's in Korea?" "We facilitated a day care program... so young mothers can come back to school and still see thein' children." "Fuck!" "Ah, no!" "Excuse me." "Get me some ice or something." "This is killing me." " What's going on here?" " Ask Mr. Smith." " I'm suing this fucking place." " Stop that language." "Marvin, we've got trouble in room 3B." "Hey, get to class." "I was a member of a special ops team called "Mercs. "" "Long-range reconnaissance teams that were choppered to the jungle... in areas along the Ho Chi Min Trail." "Fighting with these native mountain tribes." "When we'd run out of bullets... we'd have to take the weapons..." "thein' AK-47s... off the enemy dead and use thein' ammo." "That way we could keep fighting, keep advancing." "That sounds like a Saturday night in Miami, you know?" "My uncle got his legs blown off in Vietnam... but he doesn't talk about it." " We were there because of Hitler?" " Fuck no, dog." "That's World War I you're talking about." "No, those were earlier wars." "We were in Vietnam to fight Communism." "That's why my family left Cuba..." "because Castro turned Communist." " Uh-huh." " What's up, Mr. Smith?" "How many people did you kill in Vietnam?" "I never counted." "Mr. Smith, you lost any homeboys?" "I lost some homeboys." "Me too, dog." "Mostly drive-bys, though." "You ever been shot, Mr. Whatever Your Name Is?" "Sucker." "Yeah, I've been shot." "Check this out." "I've been sliced and shot." "Fuck that shit." "I got shot, you know." "I got an AK in the leg." "That's what I'm talking about." "See you." "Two of your students are in the nurse's office talking a lawsuit." "Why, is the nurse a lawyer?" "Corporal punishment is not allowed in the Dade County school system." "It wasrt corporal punishment." "It was self-defense." "And power achieved is power perceived." "Well, I will admit you got thein' attention." "Which is good, but I can't afford a lawsuit." "Now, if you were to apologize to these two young men..." "Oh, that'll be the fucking day." "Then you leave me no choice." "I have to let you go." "No, wait a minute." "You can't fin'e me without two weeks' notice... not unless you want a public hearing in front of the school board." "Hey, you do what you have to do." "On the other hand, I want to be fain'." "You take your two weeks." "Thanks." "That's all I wanted." " James Smith." " Here we are." " He's in the computer?" " Yes." " What's his background?" " Smith, James." "He's a Harvard grad with a masters from Yale." "Wait, make that two masters from Yale." "This guy is amazing." "And wow... a Ph. D. From Princeton." "You laid it on a little thick." "What do you want on such short notice?" "I'm starting to think he's taking this teaching shit seriously." "You don't have to help me." "I'm not a baby." "I'll get it." "Easy." "I'm home!" "I don't have any groceries or Percocet." "My God, look at the mail." "Leave that stuff alone and get something to eat." "Why didn't you bring it to me?" "I could have done something." "I was just sitting there, doing nothing." "Miss Hetzko, this is Jim Smith." "I want to tell you that everything is under control at school." "Get better and don't worry." "Talk to you later." "Under control?" "Is he teaching them at gunpoint?" "This is the "Miami Herald," and I just..." "What is it?" ""Miss H, you were the only teacher who cared about me." "Please get well and don't give up on us." "Love, Lisa Rodriguez. "" " That was very nice." " Yeah." "Don't cry." "Sit down and have a shrimp roll." "I'm not crying." "Smith probably made her send it anyway." " Oh, no, he didn't." " How do you know?" "I don't know, okay?" "But it figures a few kids might send you a card on thein' own." "It's obvious you have never taught at Columbus High." "Ladies, go to class." "Let's go." "So the war in Vietnam was about turf." "The gangs in the north wanted to take over the turf... of the gangs in the south." "Look who made it." "You're late, Juan." "That'll be one demerit." "One demerit?" "Do I write "I'm sorry" ten times on the blackboard?" "No, you're going to write it 100 times." "Let's go." "Life is a chess game, Juan." "This is a crucial move." "I want you to think it over." "You're the one who should have thought it through, motherfucker." "Believe me, I have, Juan." "I have." "Freddy Krueger, knock it off." "This is not a manicure shop." " Get some real nails, girl." " These are real, baby." " Fuck you all." " Hey, really?" "Jerome, you know what your name means in Apache?" "No." "What does it mean?" "Geronimo." "That word Apache in thein' language means "the outcast," "the shunned ones. "" "Like thein' emblem, like players today... outlaws, bandits." "That translates easy enough into the biker gangs of the '50s and '60s." " My times." " The Beaver days." "Yeah, I belonged to a group called the Dragons." "What were the black bikers?" "What were the brothers?" "They were called the Chaplains." " The Chaplains were black?" " What, they wore penny loafers?" "They were the biggest, baddest black group of the '50s." "Where I grew up, it was the Dragons and the Enchanters." "The Enchanters were the girls." "How old were you?" "I was 12 years old when I became a Junior Dragon." "So Mr. Smith was a bad ass, huh?" "So, Mr. Smith, what were some of the other black gangs?" "Gangs died out a little bit in the late '60s... but it came back in the '70s." "There was a gang called the Black Spades." "So these Black Spades were like homeboys?" "All homeboys, 5,000 strong all over the city of Miami." "Dang!" "Fucked up." "If there were 5,000, why are we sitting in this classroom?" "Okay." "What's the future of staying in a gang?" "Bitches." "Money, whores and clothes." "Yeah, yeah." "Maybe a one-way ticket to the joint?" "Got ya." "I wanna get high." " Straight up, smoking." " I didn't mean that, Rodriguez." "I'm talking about the joint." "You know, Raeford Prison upstate?" "That can't happen, Mr. Smith." "We're all juveniles." "Until you're 18, then they throw your ass in a cell... and you become a punk or somebody's sweet boy." " You're gonna get fucked in jail." " They've got to catch me fin'st." "What are we supposed to do, work in some fast food joint... making minimum wage or something?" "Better than a gang funeral." "How many of those you been to?" "Too many." "Too fucking many." "Is that what you want for yourselves... what you want for your kids?" "How many of you have kids?" "You got a kid?" "How many of you want them to be in gangs?" "Why not, if it's so great?" "But it's different when you talk about your kids." "Why?" "You don't want to see your kids get in trouble, get hurt or busted." "I don't want to see you kids get hurt or get busted." "What are we supposed to do?" "I'm not going to bullshit you." "I don't have all the answers." "But I'd like to see all of you survive." "Mr. Smith." "I want to commend you on the way you handled Lacas." "The best part is you did it without violence." "I like that." "I tell you what." "Come by my office after the faculty meeting and we'll talk, okay?" "Okay." "Put those out and get to class." "Today after the faculty meeting." " You're too slow!" " Bullshit, man." "Wait 'til he's off school grounds." "I don't want to kill him right off." "I want to cut him up fin'st." "To the left!" "Look at him." "He's scared shitless." "Shit." "Marvin, we have a code ten in the front hall." "Hannah, get down behind the desk now." "Get down!" "You stay there 'til I tell you to come out." "All right, that's good enough." "Freeze right there." "Put your weapons in the can't." "Let's go!" "You, push it over." "Easy." "That's good." "Hannah, come out here, sweetheart." "Come on." "Look, I want you to roll this into your office." "Are you listening to me?" "Roll this in your office, lock the door... wait 15 minutes, then call the police." "You got that?" "Go on." "Oh, I can't tell you boys how much I've needed this." "When we're done, I want you to say "I'm sorry" 100 times." "Shh." "No talking in the library." "It's time you boys started hitting the books." "Here's one... requin'ed reading." ""Catcher In The Rye. "" " My mistake." "Did I say "catcher"?" " Move in!" "Marvin." "Checkmate, motherfucker."