"...4-0-2-3-1 on contact at 18 miles." "2- speed 250, mile radius 2-3-0." "Both sides..." "We've talked to the military." "They've escorted it down." "There appears to be a potential..." "It looked like a door was opening..." "This is not a hoax." "That is real out there." "That was the scene in California's Mojave Desert three years ago today- the first view of the Newcomer ship upon its arrival." "These Newcomers, we soon learned, were a genetically engineered race adapted for hard labor in almost any environmental condition." "In effect, their ship was a slave ship, washed ashore on Earth with no way to return to where they came from." "Now that attorneys have successfully lobbied for the Newcomers' release from quarantine, what are the reactions among the communities?" "Why us?" "Why can't they go to Russia?" "I'll drink to that." "I'll be going to school with 9- or 10-year-olds." "There goes my job future." "I have to compete with" "If a 10-year old is twice as smart," "I'll be working here." "By far the strongest words of acceptance came from then-President Ronald Reagan." "We've come to a turning point... a moment for hard decisions." "If not us... who?" "And ifnot now... when?" "Hey, Henry, how you doin' tonight?" "You working hard?" "Hey, you got your green card, buddy?" "Slagtown." "I hate this place." "Look at that geek." "I hate it." "Look at this crap." "I wonder if their plumbing's the same." "Yeah, it is." "What?" "Oh, man, get out ofhere." "Ugh." "I don't trust'em, that's all." "Good day." "Take a hike, will you?" "Jesus Christ!" "Why do they get wasted on sour milk?" "Why can't it be Jack Saniel's orThunderbird?" "What's wrong with that?" "Look at this- Fred Astaire and Ginger Slag." "What the hell's that?" "They call this a game." "It's a circlejerk." "Cowboys and slags." "Ha ha ha!" "They make up shit." "Beating each other to death." "So are you going or not?" "How do I go?" "You put on your wash-and-wear suit, your clip-on bow tie, then you show up at the church." "It's simple." "Me and Carol are going." "Well, that's nice." "Hey, come on now." "We've known Kristin since... well, since she was conceived." "Ha ha ha haaa!" "Remember?" "Up in that cabin at Big Bear?" "You and Edie were pounding so damn hard, we had plaster in our hair." "Look, I- obviously, I want to go to Kristin's wedding." "You just bummed your ex-wife and her husband are paying for it." "If Kristin got married where I could afford it, we'd be in a bowling alley." "Soes that look suspicious?" "Whatever gave you that idea?" "We got a possible 211 in progress," "Porter's Minimarket, corner ofVirginia and Court." "Requesting backup." "Come on, forget that shit." "Let's go." "Listen..." "pay attention." "You tell me what those ugly bastards are doing in there." "Two gentlemen, long, black raincoats." "Long, black raincoats." "With long, black shotguns." "Oh, that's no good." "It's not very good at all." "You got your vest?" "Of course." "In the trunk of the car." "I feel a lot better now." "Well, my brother," "I'm going to get a better angle on that door." "You watch your ass." "You watch my ass." "Shit." "Freeze!" "Hey, freeze!" "Aah!" "Tug!" "Come on, get out of there!" "I can't!" "So you mind?" "Tug!" "Go ahead, I'll cover you!" "OK." "Oh, shit!" "Hey, what's happenin'?" "Hi there." "How are you?" "You mind stepping out here?" "We got a bit oftrouble." "Tug." "Oh... oh, shit." "Aaaah!" "Yaah!" "Ha ha!" "Ha ha!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Oh!" "Whoa, whoa." "Whoa, whoa!" "Take it easy." "You OK?" "I'm all right." "I better call this in." "Ow, my hand." "Jesus." "Are you all right?" "Oh..." "God, I hate you." "Get out ofhere!" "I don't need your god damn help!" "Take it easy, will you?" "Except for the magazine, looks like a standard 12 gauge." "It is." "How come it went clean through the car?" "B.R.I. Sabot slugs." "Tug might as well have been behind a rosebush." "Pretty heavy stuff for knocking off a minimarket." "An identical round was used in the shooting of a newcomer named Hubely two days ago." "How come" "Francisco, she won't budge." "Hey, uh- Hey, listen, uh... you think there's a connection?" "Hey!" "Up yours." "Hello, Daddy?" "Dad, are you there?" "Willyou pick up the phone?" "I really need to talk to you." "Why are you being so stubborn?" "Can't you forget about your hassles with Mom?" "It's my wedding." "Come on, you got to be there." "Listen, I already worked it out with Tug." "Nothing will stop him from dragging you to that church on Sunday." "It's at 2:30, and please don't be late." "I love you, Daddy." "Ahh, I shouldn't have said that." "Nowyou'll pull this tape out and save it, right?" "Bye." "This is the gas company." "Your bill is past due, and" "Yo, Matt." "Matt." "Oh, Matt." "I'm sorry, man." "Matt." "Yeah, thanks." "I'm sorry about that." "What did you dig up?" "Jesus, Sykes, it hasn't even been 10 hours yet." "Me and Alterez are on it." "Yeah... that makes me real happy." "You ever try to make a case in Slagtown?" "The list of Newcomer informants is as long as a list of Mexican war heroes." "Hey!" "Come on!" "Half of'em don't even speak English." "The other half..." "only when it suits'em." "It's gonna take some time." "I know it'll take time with you two." "I've got an announcement." "You OK, Sykes?" "I'll make this short." "This is a directive from Chief Evener, acting on a mandate from the Federal Bureau of Newcomer Relations." ""As of 9:.00 this morning, one Newcomer uniformed officer has been promoted to detective"." "And we've got him, gentlemen." "Volunteers for duty with the new detective should see me in my office." "Otherwise, I will choose a volunteer myself." "That's all." "What's he going to do ifhe gets too manyvolunteers?" "How long's this slag been on the force?" "Ayear max, right?" "I was in uniform eight years before I became detective." "I'm calling the union." "You got it, babe." "We'll back you." "No chance, man." "Where the hell's he going?" "Bob?" "Yeah, Sykes?" "Yeah, I'd, uh... like to volunteer for duty with the new, uh... um... you know." "Uh..." "look, Matt... you don't have to jump right back in." "Why don't you take a few days?" "I'd like to stay on." "All right." "Setective Sergeant Sykes," "Setective Francisco." "We have met." "Yeah, right." "Victor Goldrup, Mayor's office." "Congratulations, gentlemen." "You're to have nothing to do with the investigation into Tuggle's death." "Leave that to Federchuk." "Right." "You?" "Yes, sir." "There is a case I'd like to take." "A homicide." "A Newcomer named Hubely." "Granger and Pitts are already on it." "They got a full caseload." "I thought, what with, uh... excuse me, Francisco here, first Newcomer plainclothes, with the body found in the Newcomer community," "I thought..." "Don't tell me what to think." "It's exactly what we need for this early advancement program." "Yes, sir." "All right, all right." "Good." "We'll work my hours." "I do the driving, and you do the paperwork." "Sergeant, I would like to thank you for what you are doing." "Oh, wait... wait." "Let me get something straight in your head." "Want cream and sugar?" "No, no, I want to get something straight in your head." "We are not pals, we're not taking moonlightwalks together, and don't call me Sergeant." "Call me Sykes or Matt." "I am Samuel." "Would you like a doughnut?" "Change your mind?" "Sam Francisco?" "Ha ha!" "No, I ain't buying' that." "I'm not buying that." "I'm not going to introduce you to people as Sam Francisco." "I think I'll call you..." "George." "George?" "OK." "Oh, they hung one on you." "I, uh..." "I heard a lot of good ones before, like Humphrey Bogart, Harley Savidson." "I guess the guys got a little punchy handing out names to a quarter million people." "You weren't towards the back of the line?" "Oh, no." "My true name is Stangia Sorentzaah." "Sorentzaah?" "Thank you." "I'll call you George." "Which paper do you like?" "I find it difficult to drive and read." "Wait a minute." "I got you your cigarettes." "Where did you get this?" "What is this stuff?" "What is this?" "Tell me, what is this?" "That is a car deodorizer." "That's mine." "Any way, what's it bother you ifwe think your name's funny, right?" "That is exactly so." "It is like your name..." "Sykes." "To us it sounds just like si ikes, two words in my language which mean excrement and cranium." "Shithead." "Why don't you go ahead?" "I'll be right in." "Hey, man." "So what do you got for me?" "You said you wanted the biggest thing I could find, and this... is it." "What in the hell's this?" "A .454" "Casull." "We're talking twice the impact energy of a .44" "Magnum hot load." "Only holds five." "Shells are too big for six in a cylinder." "Hell, Matt, you only need one." "No, two." "Thanks." "How long you been shootin'?" "That is god damn pitiful!" "What will you do in a shoot-out?" "Wave the scores of yourwritten exams?" "Why'd you do it?" "So what?" "Agree to workwith me." "You don't like me." "You have nothing but contempt, yet you're my partner." "My partner is dead because one of you bastards killed him, then crawled down some rat hole." "You're going to help me find that ugly slag son of a bitch, you understand me?" "That's awfully pretty, huh?" "Bring my gun." "Let's talk Hubely here." "His body was discovered three days ago in an alley offCentral Avenue near downtown." "With two slugs in his chest." "Through the chest, rupturing both the primary and secondary hearts." "Hey, nice signal, dickhead!" "He was employed at the Consolidated Petrochemical Refinery." "He was manager of a methane facility." "He was involved in a real estate venture to develop low-cost housing for Newcomers." "Newcomers." "That's terrific." "Real pillar of the community." "Was he ripped off?" "Pardon me?" "Um... was he missing anything when they found him?" "Oh, property." "Five." "He had no wallet but was wearing a watch and two rings." "Those guys last night at the minimart, they made a half-assed stab at the money in the till." "That's not what they were there for." "We got a couple executions on our hands." "The murder at the minimart's not our case." "I don't want to break procedure." "What's wrong?" "Wrong?" "Nothing." "What should be wrong?" "Nothing." "What's wrong with you?" "Upyours!" "Um... you do agree that there's a good chance that these two shootings are related?" "Yes, quite possibly." "Would you also be willing to accept the theory, George, that by examining the evidence of one case, we might shed a little light on the other?" "Soes that sound unreasonable?" "Yes..." "No, it is not unreasonable." "Although it is not" "I'm so glad that's settled." "I thinkwe're really starting to click, George." "Give me what you got." "I've been over all this this morning." "You got nothing better to do." "Yeah, right." "Don't push your luck." "Anyway, according to the sheet, the guyyou nailed outside by the car- he was one Martin Helder- white male, age 27." "The rap sheet shows one armed robbery conviction." "The guy was on coke when you stopped his clock." "Have you identified this one?" "So far, he's a John Soe... or a Sam Slag." "There's no fingerprints, so it could be tough." "Lucky for you, you got him in both his hearts." "I emptied a whole clip into him." "Usually that just pisses them off." ""It looks like the miner's disease"." "Hey." "What's going on?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "" Run blood tests and keep it between us"." "Got an extra head shot." "We're about to start cutting." "It's really fascinating stuff." "Yeah, I'll bet." "Let's check their personal effects." "What is this?" "What's that?" "It's a rubber." "It's a, um..." "you know, a condom." "Coney Island whitefish, you know." "Um... men, you know, human men... they put them on their penises to protect from having babies, understand?" "Excuse me." "You need this for anything?" "I got my own." "She has her own." "Here." "See?" "You get the picture?" "And that fits?" "Yeah, it's made of rubber." "It stretches, right?" "And still it fits?" "What's this stuffhere?" "Oh, it's a resin." "Newcomers working near methane gases and oil refineries must paint it on to protect against sparks." "How do you know that?" "They hired my people because methane fumes don't harm us." "My spouse's brother is one." "All right." "So, um... the slag they're cutting into upstairs- he worked at a refinery, and Hubely-he worked at a refinery." "I guess that possible connection is getting a hell of a lot more possible, wouldn't you say that, George?" "I guess I should talk to the store owner's wife." "I should speak to the widow alone." "All right." "You talk to the widow alone." "I'll check out the refinery." "Hey, uh, thanks, huh?" "What about this Hubely guy?" "Hubely was a damn good manager." "The men really liked him." "Apparently, one of them didn't like him so much." "Here." "Give this a look." "You think this guy did it?" "He could have been involved." "You know him?" "I hate to admit it, but they all look alike." "Wait a minute." "You know who this looks like?" "No." "James Anderson." "He's not in today." "He took the afternoon off." "I think you'll find he took the rest ofhis life off." "Is this where he worked?" "Yeah, right in there." "Wait." "There's 35% pure methane gas in there." "I don't know how these fellas do it." "Yeah." "Thanks, huh?" "Anything I can do." "Appreciate it." ""I need your help, Mrs. Porter"." ""I will try"." ""Can you identify these Newcomers?"'" "" No, but my son might"." "Here's on oldie but goodie from 1988- the Four Tops with I ndestructible." "Welcome back, Ozzie and Harriet." "Well?" "One second." "We're not even moving." "Safety first." "Bye!" "You have to yell?" "Sorry." "Sid you learn anything?" "Mrs. Porter is not taking her husband's death very well." "She identified one man." "It was Warren Hubely." "Well, all right." "What about the other guy?" "She didn't know, but she thought her son might." "Sid you talk to him?" "No, but she told me where I could find him." "Good." "Who's this guy we got to go see?" "William Harcourt- a business associate of Hubely's." "Our guest speaker tonight has done so much in his community." "He's come quite far in the last fewyears- granted, not as far as he came in the years before reaching Los Angeles." " Ha ha ha!" " Ha ha ha!" "As Mayor of this city, it gives me great pleasure to introduce someone who has so readily made our city his home." "Ladies and gentlemen, William Harcourt." "I am particularly grateful... because I actually had the gall to write in my notes" ""Thank you all for a very warm reception"." "Imagine how embarrassed I'd been ifit hadn't been such a warm reception." "Excuse me." "Mr. William Harcourt?" "Yes." "I'm Setective Sergeant Sykes." "This is Setective..." "Francisco." "L.A.PD." "Sergeant." "Setective." "I wasn't aware any Newcomers were detectives yet." "I am the first, sir." "Congratulations." "This is my administrative assistant-Rudyard Kipling." "Rudyard Kipling?" "No shit?" "Ha ha ha!" "We need some information about... a business associate ofyours" "Warren Hubely." "Ah." "PoorWarren." "Tragic." "Yeah, wasn't it?" "I understand you were partners in some slag..." "Newcomer real estate thing, huh?" "He and I and seven or eight others." "William." "Wouldn't you rather ride with Louisa and me?" "Excellent idea." "So you know these officers?" "Setectives..." "Sykes." "Sykes and Francisco." "How do you do?" "Pleasure." "I thinkwe really should be going." "Feel free to call my office Monday morning." "Congratulations again on your promotion, Setective." "Thank you." "Remember, you're setting an example in our community." "I shall be keeping an eye on you." "He's going to keep an eye on you." ""Sykes was the one who chased us and killed Anderson"." ""You're lucky, he didn't recognize you"." ""What ifhe talks to Strader?"'" "" Mr. Strader's change ofheart is dangerous, find him"." "I've been going to Berlitz for years- 6.42." "Excuse me." "Here." "I got it." "How long did it take you to learn English?" "Three months." "Three months?" "We learn quickly." "We adapt." "It's our strength- what we were bred for." "My neighbor- she's got this kid who's got a Newcomer in the class." "The kid's 6 and in the 7th grade." "Imagine that." "Thanks a lot." "To me, it's, like, totally amazing." "Yes, it is." "Oh, my God." "I got yours." "What is that?" "What kind is that?" "This?" "Yeah." "Beaver." "What?" "Beaver." "It's tasty." "Sure." "Want some?" "Not on a bet." "I tell my son- you don't know until you try." "You tell him that?" "Let me ask you something" "Would it really put you out- I mean, badly- ifyou put it on the grill?" "Our bodies don't assimilate nutrients if the food's been cooked." "You know, George, that's very attractive." "We're going to talk to people, and you got fur in your teeth- very attractive." "# Scarymonsters #" "# Super creeps #" "The store owner's widow thought we'd find her son here." "Just stay behind me." "Just pay attention." "Let me handle it." "Watch." "Yo." "# We've been running#" "# Runningscared#" "Yo!" "Which one ofyou slags is Porter?" "Yo." "Who wants to know?" "Who said that?" "At the end of the bar." "Right." "# She asked for my love #" "# And I gave her a dangerous mind#" "# Nowshe's moving in the street... # #" "You Porter?" "Are you Porter?" "No, Matthew." "This is the one you want." "All right, huh?" "Matthew." "Hey, butt out." "I told you I'd handle it." "But" "Zip it." "I'll start with something easy, like is your name Porter?" "Screw you." "Yeah." "Well, that can't be right." "You don't want to know." "Come on." "Your mother mates out ofseason." "Ha ha ha!" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Don't they teach you anything about us in cop school, little sloker?" "Hey, George." "George!" "Enough." "That's enough." ""You smell like a human"." "A cop." "It fits you." ""I'm sorry about your father"." "" Help us find his killers." "We can talk outside"." "You know this guy?" "When my people first arrived here, he and I were housed together." "Your mother says Hubely and your father were involved with another Newcomer." "You know this other guy?" "Yeah." "Yeah?" "High-roller dude named Strader" "Joshua Strader." "He runs a club on the west side." "What club?" "Encounters." "I know that joint." "Look, that's all I know." "You want any more, you ask somebody else." "Yeah, right." "He's a pleasant guy." "Ifl may make a suggestion." "Yeah, what?" "We have different weak spots than you do." "Next time, a blow to the nerve plexus under the arm here will produce the effect" "I think you were looking for." "I knew that." "Lookwhat he did to my flashlight." "Look at this." "Come on." "Any progress?" "My arm's getting tired." "So far-zip." "I understand you've been resisting my offer." "Mr. Strader, your sense of duty is noble, but... no longer an issue, I'm afraid." "I will not make this offer again." "I would like you to work for me, distributingJabluka to our people." "Ifyou do, you will know wealth and comfort our people never dared imagine." ""I won't do it!"" ""I can't let the nightmare start again"." "Such a pity to lose one's life for an outmoded value." "Mr. Quint..." "I believe it's time for our friend's swimming lesson." "It's important to practice new skills- essential for your growth as a person." "You ain't gonna believe it, man." "Sea water's like battery acid to these guys." "He won't talk to those cops- the two who came to question you about Hubely." "This is getting out ofhand." "I want you to deal with it... immediately." "We must learn to embrace the things we fear." "# Please allow me to introduce myself #" "# I'm a man ofwealth and taste #" "# Been around for long, long years #" "# Stole many a man and sealed his fate #" "# I was around when Jesus Christ #" "# Had his moment of doubt and pain #" "# Made damn sure that Pilate #" "# Washed his hands and sealed his fate #" "Hey, darling!" "# I'm pleased to meet you #" "# Hope you guess my name #" "Whoa!" "# What's puzzling you is the nature #" "# Ofmy game #" "Wanna bag a woman." "Oh, come on!" "# Skipped around St. Petersburg #" "I feel like a beaver in heat." "May I helpyou with something?" "# Killed the czar and his ministers #" "# And the nation screamed in pain #" "I'd like to speak to Strader." "That's his girl up there." "You better ask her." "You know what I mean?" "Thanks." "# Pleased to meet you #" "# Hope you guess my name #" "George?" "Come to, George." "You're drooling." "# What's puzzling you is the nature of my game # #" "Cassandra, police department." "This is sergeant Matthew Sykes, and I'm" "Shithead." "Ha ha ha!" "We're looking for your boss-Strader." "He's not here." "Why ask me?" "The hostess downstairs said you might know." "She did, did she?" "She was wrong." "Excuse me." "I have to change." "That's good." "We have no problem here." "Uh, we're not here doing an interview for a high school paper." "This is a homicide investigation." "And, uh... ifyou don't stop jerking around, we'll play a little hardball." "Oh... hardball." "Sounds interesting." "You going to strike me?" "You could tie me up and then do whatever you wantwith me." "I have my own ropes." "Soes that come free, or you charge a little extra?" "You have me all wrong." "I never charge money for something I myselffind pleasurable." "I am going out to the car." "I will meet you there." "I don't know where Mr. Strader could be." "He comes, and he goes." "Why don't you hang around for a while and let me entertain you?" "Hmm... nice." "It's Matt, right?" "Yes, indeed." "Tell me the truth." "Have you ever mated with one of us?" "Uh... no, unless I got drunk and somebody didn't tell me." "A virgin." "Ahh..." "I find that very arousing." "You sure you haven't?" "Uh... there's lots ofthings I haven't done." "That's not real high on my list." "Don't take it personally." "I'm a bigot." "Maybe you're just a little afraid." "Maybe you're afraid ofwhat might happen once the lights go out?" "Maybe more than you want to admit?" "Soesn't that curiosity and that fear all swirling together turn you on?" "Think ofit as... broadening your horizons." "Oh" "Uh" "I like my horizons rather narrow." "Yourvoice is saying no, but your body's saying yes." "Yeah, well" "Wait, whoa." "Excuse me." "Myvoice and the rest of me are saying I'll be back in a couple hours, and you make sure that Strader's here." "Huh?" "George, you handle the women from now on." "What do you mean?" "I mean you handle the women." ""I know it's midnight"." ""Yes I'm being careful"." ""The human seems likable"." ""We'll be working late tonight, so don't wait up"." "I love you, too." "So you mind?" "No." "Be my guest." "Ahh." "That hits the spot." "She keeps you on a short leash, George." "My wife?" "She worries about me." "I know the routine." "Your home is quite disordered." "I thought when I walked in that you had been burglarized." "Well, I appreciate your honesty, George." "Here." "Ignore the bitch on the left." "That's Edie." "I call her Idi Amin." "Heh heh." "Uh... that's Kristin, my daughter." "Picture's a little old." "She's 20 now." "Getting married, matter off act, Sunday." "Human children can be very beautiful." "Getting married." "Congratulations." "You're taking Sunday off, then?" "Uh... no." "I don't know." "Maybe not." "I don't think I'm going to go." "She doesn't need her burnt-out father there." "I'll showyou something." "This is Susan, my wife." "Oh, yeah." "I rememberwhen I picked you up." "Not bad." "This is Richard, my son, 4 years old." "We named him afterthe former President Richard Nixon." "Ahem." "You, uh" "You open to a little piece of advice?" "Me, uh, I'd tell people" "I named him after the actor Richard Burton." "Take my word for it." "So then the doctor says," ""Ifthis is my thermometer, where is my pen?"' Ha ha ha ha!" "You don't think that's funny?" "Look... the guy says, "This, this is my" "This is my-" You got to workwith me, George." "I get a laugh with this all the time." "If the doctor has the thermometer in his hand, where is his pen, then?" "In the other man's rectum." "Yeah!" "It's sticking up his ass!" "Heh heh." "Correct." "Yeah, that's what makes the joke." "It's a surprise." "Your mind fills in these little funny pictures." "See, there's a guy sitting with a pen up his ass, and, uh... good luck, George." "Tustack." "I just think that's really funny." "Heh heh." "Tell it to me again." "I got another one." "# Sittin'on the dock of the bay#" "# Wastin' time #" "There is so much our two peoples do not understand about each other." "No shit, Sherlock." "You only come from another planet!" "You humans are very curious to us." "You invite us to live among you in an atmosphere of equality that we've never known." "You give us ownership of our own lives, and you ask no more of us than you do ofyourselves." "I hope you understand how unique you humans are, which is why it is all the more painful that so few ofyou seem capable ofliving up to the ideals you set." "Don't count me." "I never had any ideals." "George, you're all right." "I am going home." "# Looks like nothin's gonna change#" "Yep." "You go home." "# Everything still remains the same #" "Get some sleep." "You better drive- too screwed up to walk." "# Tell me true #" "What a wild man." "# Yeah#" "# Sittin'on the dock of the b- #" "# Dock of the b- #" "Ohh!" "# Sittin'on the dock of the b- #" "Yeah!" "# On the dock of the b- #" "# Sittin'on the dock of the b- # #" "Better be good news or money." "Oh, George." "What?" "Hold this." "I feel very terrible." "I'm so milked-over." "Where'd you get this?" "A man... a human... was wiring it to your car." "My car?" "She is going to divorce me." "She can't divorce you." "You mate for life, right?" "She is very progressive." "I am certain she is considering it." "Hey, Matt." "Soes a guy named Strader mean anything to you?" "Yeah." "Why?" "They found what's left ofhim washed up on the beach at Zuma." "Federchuk and Alterez are already on theirway." "Thanks, Michelle." "Come on, let's go." "To the beach?" "Yeah, surf's up." "Come on." "Please, I must get out here." "Huh?" "Why?" "Stop the car!" "We won't go near the water." "I beg you, stop this car." "Please stop the car!" "OK." "George!" "I'm stopping." "OK." "All right?" "Go ahead, get out." "It's cool." "I'll be back in a minute." "Thank you." "That kid reported this first?" "Yeah, about 11:00." "00?" "Yeah." "God damn." "How do you know that's Strader?" "We found his wallet in his jacket pocket." "Joshua Strader, big as life." "You got any idea how long he's been dead?" "Your guess is as good as mine." "Only thing holding him together is his clothes." "Hey." "Huh?" "Howyou doin' on Tuggle's case?" "Store owner's son's in a street gang, so we're thinking maybe it's gang-related." "Good." "Work on that for a few months." "Look at your dildo partner!" "He's scared of the sand!" "I'd love to see you by a sea ofhydrochloric acid." "That's cute." "Ha ha ha ha!" "That's real cute." "I know why he won't come." "He forgot his hip waders!" "Lay offhim, you asshole." "At least I'm a detective, not some outer-shit space thing." "You know, you're right." "You are a real detective, an honest-to-God detective." "Ah!" "Here, detect these!" "Ah!" "What was that about?" "Nothing." "You guys finish your postmortem on Strader yet?" ""The Blob"?" "They're finishing up now." "Is Mr. Bentner here?" "No." "He went home early." "He left something here for you." "Here." "Soes this have something to do with the tests he ran?" "What kind oftests?" "A blood test on that alien you dropped the other day." "Los Angeles steals the ball!" "Sid he find anything?" "Well, George?" "...pass down the middle." "It's nothing." "...drives underneath and makes a slam dunk!" "Hey!" "Don't give me that nothing shit!" "It wasn't nothing yesterday when you asked what's-his-name to run that test, and he looked like he was about to shit peach pits!" "It's not nothing now!" "Don't lie to me!" "You must leave me alone." "No." "I'm sorry." "I don't leave you alone." "You're my partner." "I don't work that way." "Huh?" "All right?" "Well?" "OK." "No secrets, god damn it." "That slag up there, he was on something." "It wasn't sour milk." "Am I right, George?" "Tell me- Aah, shit!" "Tell me now!" "Now!" "The drug is called Jabluka." "It is a potent narcotic." "How potent?" "More potent than any human drug you can imagine." "The controllers regulated it." "We would receive small amounts as a reward for our labor in the mines." "You were on this shit?" "Yes!" "We all were." "We were genetically engineered as slave laborers." "It was our only means of pleasure allowed!" "The harder you worked, the more you got." "The more you got, the harder you worked." "Thousands of my people... died." "I lost my best friend." "It is a nightmare." "I will not let it happen again." "Wh-Why wouldn't you just tell me something like that?" "Your people cannot know about this part of our past." "Itwould threaten our entire existence here." "How did this guy get it?" "I don't know how he got it." "Was it on the ship?" "No." "I mean this is, uh... it's major, George." "It's really major." "It's simple." "All you had to do was tell me." "Here's Hubely." "Looks like he passed up jobs, waiting for the one at the refinery." "Would you punch up Joshua Strader for me?" "Released on November 29th." "Came immediately to L.A." "And took over a club called the Encounters." "Now the store owner, please." "Cecil Porter." "Released Secember 1." "Field of expertise... organic chemical engineering." "Holy shit!" "What we're looking at here... you got three Newcomers with nothing in common." "What ifit's just one guy that shot the three of them?" "Nowyou got four Newcomers, totally different backgrounds..." "George." "Quarantine." "Honey, uh... punch up the occupants of Porter's lodge number." "OK." "Porterwas in 772." "Harcourt." "Gin." "Porter somehow created the formula." "Hubely provided the manufacturing at the refinery." "Strader's nightclub was the distribution network." "Harcourt wiped them all out so he could have all the marbles." "He's responsible for everything." "I want his ass." "He's mine." "We got to play this smart." "The drug is here." "We must destroy it." "Hold it." "You're missing the point." "The drug is our evidence." "We need it." "Hey!" "That's the guy right there." "Are you crazy?" "Open the door!" "So much for playing it smart." "You can't come in here like this!" "Shut up!" "Where's the drug?" "What drug?" "This is an oil refinery!" "Aagggh!" "Where?" "You can't do this!" "Aagggh!" "I think you're crushing his little chest bones." "Stay out ofthis." "Right." "Tell mewhere the drug has been taken, or I'll crush your lungs." "Hey, O'Neal, don't piss him off." "I can't control him." "I saw him once pull out a guy's spine and show it to him." "I had to throw up, you know." "They took the stuff out this afternoon... all ofit." "Where did they take it?" "Aah!" "The Encounters club." "Quite lovely." "What is your name again?" "Cassandra." "I shall remember that." "George, lighten up." "Don't sweat it." "We got them by the short hairs." "He ain't gonna make any more ofthat shit!" "Ifyou destroy the drugs, you'll destroy the case." "Please stick to procedure, OK?" "Fuck procedure." "Hey, George" "George!" "God damn it!" "# George Francisco #" "# Open your Golden Gate #" "# Open your gate and let me in # #" "You!" "Hey, you!" "Police!" "Get out of there." "What?" "Walk that line right now!" "Come on!" "What are you talking about?" "What about me?" "Senor, that's my truck!" "It's been a long time... hasn't it, gentlemen?" "What is it?" "A sweet indulgence from our past, resurrected for our future." "Feel free to sample the quality." "I'm sure the experience will be everything you remember it to be." "Where did you get it?" "I spent time with three very resourceful men." "Mmm!" "Jesus, it tastes like detergent." "That's all the effect you'll get." "But when my fellow Newcomers learn they can obtain it here, they will work very hard to make as much money as they can to give it to me." "Tell them the rest, Harcourt!" "Tell them!" "He's got the C-4 charge." "Put your guns on the table." "Up against the wall except you!" "Take it easy, buddy." "Keepyour finger on the button." "You release that button, you'll not only kill us but yourself." "To get you and this, I would do it." "That is not in any books as a controlled substance- legally, no different than 12 kilos of grape jelly." "The charge is murder and conspiracy to commit murder." "Hubely..." "Porter..." "Strader." "You killed Strader!" "No!" "Aah!" "Kill them both!" "Here?" "So it!" "Don't shoot!" "4230 Hollywood Boulevard," "Club Encounters." "Yes." "Shit, it worked." "Turn back!" "Get the car!" "Let's go!" "I can't!" "You have the keys!" "Turn the police light on." "Pull it over!" "Don't put that in my face!" "Man, get out" "We lost them." "Move!" "Everybody move!" "Move, will you?" "We're the god damn police!" "On your right." "The god damned road is blocked!" "Oh, Christ." "Head straight for them." "He'll move." "This is chickie, George." "I never lose." "Samn!" "Uhh!" "Ohh!" "George." "Anything broken?" "You all right?" "Don't move." "Put'em up." "I said put them up." "Hey... you move one finger, and you're history." "Not history!" "Eternity!" "Aagggh!" "I just remembered a joke that my son told me." "Yeah?" "So?" "I" " I-I better not tell it now." "I'd-I'd-I'd- I never" "I don't tell jokes well." "No, probably not, but go ahead, tell me." "If I-if I- ifl begin to tell it and you know the joke, please say that." "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "I know it." "It's-It's a funnyjoke." "I assume with Harcourt and Kipling dead, you will be requesting a reassignment now." "Well... just for your own good." "I think you'd be better with a partnerwho's, you know, more by the book." "But still, George, I got to tell you, for a quiet guy, once you get started, you're hell on wheels." "I hate missing your next few days as detective." "Guys, I'll take you to the station." "Come on, partner." "They're waiting to take your statement on the shooting." "I didn't shoot." "He OS'd." "You got a match?" "Yeah, in there." "Aah!" "What's this about, Sarge?" "Just keep driving, all right?" "Just drive." "What the heck is that?" "Holy..." "I'm calling for backup." "No." "Leave it be, will you?" "Sarge." "Something gutted them." "I'm going to request help and an air unit." "What-What- What is this?" "It's Harcourt." "He's dead." "No, he's not- not ifhe overdosed on the drug." "Massive amounts trigger a change." "You appear dead, but it's a state ofincubation." "When you emerge, you are metamorphasized." "We must not let him get away." "What?" "What would happen ifhumans see what we are capable ofbecoming?" "Got him!" "Wiltey, no!" "Argh!" "Aah!" "Ah!" "Hey, you!" "Get the hell off my boat." "You heard me." "Get off the boat!" "Over there!" "Argh!" "Nice view, huh, you dumb sack of shit!" "Let's have a cold one!" "Aah!" "Take her down!" "Sown!" "Take it down!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Your scarf!" "." "Can I borrow your scarf?" "Take her down!" "Aargh!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Uh!" "Wait... wait... wait." "What the hell was that?" "It looked really weird!" "What do you mean weird?" "Looked like every other slag, just plain ugly." "Hey, look at this!" "Go ahead." "Wait." "Let me hold the tie." "Ah!" "Sorry." "Everybody gets dressed, right before their daughter gets married." "There you go." "It looks all right?" "Good." "Ready, Saddy?" "All set?" "Yes, honey." "Uh, George, uh, I just want to..." "I'm going to apologize for the rotten things" "I'm going to do and say to you over the years." "It's all right, Matthew." "After all, you're only human." "What a wild man." "Mydaughter's got a husband, I got a partner." "He ain't reallyhalfbad, except when he's got that rotten milk on his breath." "# We are friends #" "# We are brothers #" "# Always there looking out for each other #" "# I n a world where so many dreams #" "# Are broken apart #" "# Yeah, but #" "# When the world tries to beat us #" "# We hang tough #" "# Ain't no way they'll defeat us #" "# 'Cause you and I will always survive #" "# Togetherwe're strong #" "# Heart to heart #" "# Any storm we can weather #" "# You and I #" "# We've become united forever #" "# Two hearts that can beat as one #" "# There ain't a single thing we can't overcome #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Indestructible #" "# We got the power oflove #" "# So strong We can generate #" "# A wall ofsolid love nothing can penetrate #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Whoa, ohh #" "# There's a power #" "# Seep inside us Seep inside us #" "# Ain't no wall that could ever divide us #" "# 'Cause we won't fall We'll show'em all #" "# Justwhatwe're made of #" "# You and I #" "# We're in it together #" "# We stand strong #" "# Through it all united forever #" "# Two hearts that can beat as one #" "# There ain't a single thing we can't overcome #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Indestructible #" "# We got the power oflove Ooh, ooh #" "# So strong We can generate #" "# A wall ofsolid love nothing can penetrate #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Whoa, ohh #" "# Heart to heart #" "# Any storm we can weather #" "# You and I #" "# We've become united forever #" "# Two hearts that can beat as one #" "# There ain't a single thing we can't overcome #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Indestructible #" "# We've got the power oflove #" "# So strong We can generate #" "# A wall ofsolid love nothing can penetrate #" "# We're indestructible #" "# Whoa, ooh #" "# Indestructible Ourworld #" "# Indestructible We're indestructible... # #"