"The military have escorted them down..." "It looked like a door was opening." "I don't think it is." " This is not a hoax." "That is real out there." " It's silver-grey in color..." "That was the scene in California's Mojave Desert three years ago today." "The historic first view of the Newcomer ship upon its dramatic 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 get back to where they came from." "Now that civil liberties attorneys have had the Newcomers released from quarantine," "What are the reactions in communities where they've settled?" "Why do we have to take them?" "Why can't they go to Russia?" "I'll drink to that." "I'm in college now." "I'm going to be going to school with nine- or ten-year-olds." "There goes the grade curve." "There goes my job future." "I have to compete with..." "If a ten-year-old is twice as smart as me, 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 if not now, when?" "Hey Henry, how you doing tonight?" "You working hard?" "You get 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 of here." "I don't trust 'em, that's all." "Good day..." "Take a hike, will you?" "Jesus Christ." "God, that stink." "Why has it gotta be sour milk they get wasted on?" "Why not Jack Daniel's or Thunderbird?" "What's wrong with that?" "Look at this." "Fred Astaire and Ginger Slag." "What the hell's that?" "Look at this." "They call this a game." "It's a circle-jerk." "Cowboys and Slags." "They make up shit." "I don't know what that is." "Beating each other to death." "So are you gonna go or are you not gonna go?" "How do I go?" "Put on your wash-and-wear suit, clip-on bow tie, have your Landlady tie your shoes for you, then you show up at the church." "It's simple." " Me and Carol are going." " That's nice." "Come on, now." "We've known Kristin since..." "Well, since she was conceived." "Remember?" "Up in that cabin at Big Bear?" "You and Edie pounded the walls so hard, me and Carol picked plaster out of our hair for a week." "I don't know, Tug." "Obviously, I want to go to Kristin's wedding, but I don't..." "You're just bummed out because your ex-wife and her new husband are paying for it." "If Kristin had to get married where I could afford it, it would be beans in a bowling alley." " Now does that look suspicious or what?" " Whatever gave you that idea?" "This is one-Henry-seven." "We got a possible 2-11 in progress." "Porter's minimarket on Virginia and Court." "Request backup." "Come on, forget that shit." "Let's go." "Listen." "Pay attention." "Tell me what those ugly bastards are doing in there." " Two gentlemen." "Long, black raincoats." " Long, black raincoats." "Two gentlemen." "Long, black raincoats." "With long, black shotguns." "Oh, that's no good." "That's not very good at all." " Have you got your vest?" " Of course." "In the trunk of the car." " That's where mine is." "I feel better now." " Yeah." "Well, I'm gonna go across the street and get a better angle on that door." " Yeah, you watch your ass." " You watch my ass." "Oh, shit." "Freeze." "Hey, freeze." "Tug." "Get out of there." "I can't." "Do you mind?" "Tug." "Go ahead, I'll cover you." "OK..." "Oh, shit." " What's happening?" " Hi there, sir." "How are you?" "Do you mind stepping out here for a second?" "We got a bit of trouble." "Tug..." "Oh, shit." "Stop." "Whoa, whoa." "Take it easy." " Are you OK?" " I'm all right." "I'd better call this in." "Ow, my hand." "Are you all right?" "God, I hate you." "Get out of here." "I don't need your goddamn help." "Take it easy, will ya?" "Except for the magazine, it looks like a standard 12-gauge." " So how come it went clean through the car?" " BRI sabot slugs." "These puppies are nasty." "Tug might as well have been hiding behind a rosebush." "Heavy stuff for knocking off a minimarket." "An identical round was used in the shooting of a newcomer named Hubely two days ago." " Yeah, but how come...?" " Francisco, give me a hand." "She won't budge." "Hey, listen." "Do you think there's a connection...?" "Up yours." "Hello, Daddy?" "Dad, are you there?" "Pick up the phone, please." "I really need to talk to you." "Daddy, why are you being so stubborn?" "Can't you just forget about your hassles with mom?" "It's my wedding." "I mean, come on." "You gotta be there." "Listen, I already worked it out with Tug." "Nothing is gonna 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." "I shouldn't have said that." "Now you're gonna pull this tape out and save it." "Bye." "This is Mark Helfrey from the gas company, Mr Sykes." "Your bill is past due..." "Matt." " Oh, Matt, I'm sorry, man." " Yeah, thanks." " What did you dig up?" " Jesus, Sykes, it's not even been ten hours." "Me and Alterez are on it, OK?" "Yeah." "That makes me real happy." "Ever tried to make a case in Slagtown?" "The list of Newcomer informants is about as long as a list of Mexican war heroes." "Hey, come on." "Nobody talks to nobody down there." "Half of 'em don't even speak English." "The other half, only when it suits 'em." "No, it's gonna take some time." "Yeah, I know it'll take time with you two." "Nobody wanders off." "I've got an announcement." "You OK, Sykes?" "I'll make it short." "This is a directive from Chief Evener, on orders from the mayor, under mandate from the Federal Bureau of Newcomer Relations." "As of nine this morning, one Newcomer uniform officer has been promoted to the rank of detective, third grade." "We've got him, gentlemen." "Volunteers for duty with the detective, see me in my office." "Otherwise, I will choose a volunteer myself." "That's all." "What'll he do if he gets too many volunteers?" "Draw straws?" "How long has this Slag been on the force anyway?" "A year max, right?" "I was in uniform eight years before I became detective." "I don't know about you guys, but I won't take this." "I'm calling the union." "Where the hell's he going?" " Bob." " Yeah, Sykes?" "Yeah, I'd like to volunteer for duty with the new..." " You know..." " Look, Matt..." "You don't have to jump right back in." "Why don't you take a few days, relax?" "I'd like to stay on, thanks." "All right." "Detective Sergeant Sykes, Detective Francisco." " We have met." " Yeah, right." "Victor Goldrup, Mayor's Office." "Congratulations, gentlemen." "You won't be investigating Bill Tuggle's death, you know." " Leave that to Federchuk." " Right." "Procedure." " You?" " Yes, sir." "There is a case I'd like to take on, though." "A homicide, a Newcomer named Hubely." " Granger and Pitts are already on it." " Yeah, right." "But Granger and Pitts, they got a full case load." "I thought, what with Francisco here, the first Newcomer plain clothes, and what with the body being found in the Newcomer community, you know..." " Don't tell me what to think." " He's got a point." "It's exactly what we need for this early advancement program." "All right, all right." "We work my hours." "I do the driving, and you do the paperwork." " You gotta learn it, so you can do it all." " I'd like to thank you for what you are doing." "What's that?" "Oh, wait, wait." " Let me get something straight in your head..." " You want cream and sugar?" "No, I wanna get something straight in your head." "We are not pals." "We're not getting married, taking long walks together." "And don't call me "Sergeant"." "Call me "Sykes" or "Matt" if you got to." "I am Samuel." "Would you like a doughnut?" "Change your mind?" "Sam Francisco?" "Sam Francisco?" "No, I ain't buying that." "I'm not buying that." "I'm not gonna introduce you to people as "Sam Francisco"." "I think I'll call you "George"." "George?" " OK." " OK." "Oh, they hung one on you." "I heard a lot of good ones before, like Humphrey Bogart, Harley Davidson..." "I guess they got punchy after giving names to a quarter million people." "Let me ask you something." "Were you at the back of the line?" "Oh, no." "My true name is Stangia Sorentzaah." "Sorentzaah, well, gesundheit." "I'll call you "George"." "Fine, thank you." " I didn't know which paper 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?" " Wait." "What is this?" " That is a car deodorizer." "That's mine." "Anyway, what's it bother you if we think your name's funny?" "It doesn't, right?" "That is exactly so." "It is like your name." ""Sykes"?" "I'm sure it doesn't bother you that to us it sounds just like "ss'ai k'ss", 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?" " 454 Casull." "We're talking twice the impact energy of a .44" "Magnum hot load." "It only holds five." "The shells are too big for six in a cylinder." "Hell, Matt, you only need one." "No, two." "Thanks." "How long you been shooting?" "That's pitiful." "Goddamn pitiful." "What are you gonna do in a shoot-out?" "Wave your scores in your exams at 'em?" " Why'd you do it?" " Why'd I do what?" "Agree to work with me." "You don't like me, or any of us." "You have only contempt for us, and yet you make yourself an outcast by making me your partner." "My partner is dead." "He's dead cos one of you bastards killed him, then crawled down some rat hole in Slagville." "You're gonna 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 off Central Avenue near downtown." " With two sabot slugs in his chest." " Through the chest." " Through the chest." " Rupturing primary and secondary hearts." "Hey, nice signal, dickhead." "He was employed at the Consolidated Petrochemical Refinery in Torrance." "He was manager of a methane facility, and a principal partner 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?" "Was he missing anything when they found him?" "Oh." "Property." "He had no wallet, but he was still wearing a watch and two rings." "Those guys last night at the minimart made a half-assed stab at the money in the till." "I don't think that's what they were there for." "I think we got a couple of executions on our hands." " The murder at the minimart is not our case..." " Whoa, whoa." "It is my desire not to break with procedure." " What's wrong?" " Wrong?" " Nothing." "What should be wrong?" " Nothing." " What's wrong with you?" "Parking in..." " Hey, up yours." "You do agree that there's a good chance these two shootings are related, don't you?" "Yes, quite possibly." "Would you also be willing to accept the theory, George, that, quite possibly, by examining the evidence of one case, we might shed a little light on the other?" " Does that sound unreasonable to you?" " Yes." "No, it is not unreasonable, although it is not a good..." "Good, good." "I'm so glad we got that settled, aren't you?" "I think we're really starting to click here, George." "Give me what you got." "I've been over all this with Fedorchuk and Alterez." "Come on, you got nothing better to do, a soft county job like yours." "Yeah, right." "Don't push your luck." "According to the sheet, the guy you nailed outside by the car, this one here, he was one Martin Helder, white male, aged 27." "One armed-robbery conviction, two for sale of controlled substance, and the guy was wired on coke when you stopped his clock." " Have you identified this one?" " He's a John Doe." "Or a Sam Slag, if you like." "There's no ID on him and no fingerprints, so it could be tough." "Lucky for you, you got him in both of his what we loosely call "hearts"." " Lucky I emptied a whole clip in him." " That's how these people are." "You don't hit both pumps, you just piss 'em off." "It looks like the miners' disease." "Hey, what's going on?" " Nothing." " Nothing?" "Run blood tests and keep it between us." "Got an extra head shot if you need one." "We're about ready to cut in." "You're welcome to stick around." "It's fascinating stuff." " Yeah, I'll bet." " Let's look at their personal effects." "What is this?" "What's that?" "It's a rubber." "It's, you know, a condom." "Coney Island whitefish, you know?" "Um, men, human men, they put 'em on their penises to... to protect 'em from having babies." "Understand?" "Uh, excuse me." "Do you need this for anything?" "Nope." "I got my own." "She has her own." "Here." "See?" "You get the picture?" "And that fits?" "Yeah, only it's made of rubber." "It stretches." "And still it fits?" "What's this stuff here?" "It is a resin." "Newcomers working near methane gases at oil refineries must paint it on their boots to protect against sparks." " How the hell do you know that?" " Many of us were hired by refineries because the methane fumes are not harmful to us." "My spouse's brother is one." "So, the Slag they're cutting into upstairs, he worked at a refinery, and Hubely, he worked at a refinery." "I guess that "possible" connection's getting a hell of a lot more possible, wouldn't you say?" "I guess the next thing is for me to talk to the store owner's wife." "I believe I should speak to the widow alone." "All right, you talk to the widow alone." "I'll check out the refinery." "Hey, thanks, huh?" " What about this Hubely guy?" " He was all right, a damn good manager." "I'm gonna have to hustle to fill his shoes." "The men really liked him." "Apparently, one of 'em didn't like him so much." "Here, give this a look." " You think this is the guy who did it?" " Yeah, we think so." "Do you know him?" "It's hard to say." "I hate to admit it, but they all look alike to me." " Wait a minute." " What?" " You know who this looks like?" " No." "Anderson, James Anderson." "He's not in today." "He took the afternoon off." "Yeah?" "Well, I think you're gonna find that he took the rest of his life off." " What?" " Is this where he worked?" "Yeah, right in there." "Hold it." "There's 35% pure methane gas in there." "I don't know how these fells do it." "Yeah." " Thanks." " Anything I can do." "I appreciate it." "I need your help, Mrs Porter." "I will try." "Can you identify these Newcomers?" "No, but my son might." "Here's an oldie but goodie from 1988:" "The Four Tops with "Indestructible"." "Welcome back, Ozzie and Harriet." "Well?" " One second." " We're not even moving." "Safety first." " Bye-bye." " Do you have to yell in my ear?" " Sorry." " Did you learn anything?" "Yes." "Mrs Porter is not taking her husband's death very well." "She identified one of the men from a photo I showed her." "It was Warren Hubely." "All right." "What about the other guy?" "She did not know, but she thought perhaps her son might." " Have you talked to him?" " No." "He's not been home since that day, but she told me where I could find him." " Who's this guy we gotta go see?" " William Harcourt, an associate of Hubely's." "Our guest speaker tonight has done so much in his community." "He certainly has come quite far in the last few years." "Granted, not as far as he came in the years before reaching Los Angeles." "As mayor of this city, it gives me great pleasure to introduce someone who has so really made our city his home." "Ladies and gentlemen, William Harcourt." "I'm particularity 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 have been if it hadn't been such a warm reception." "Excuse me." "Mr William Harcourt?" " Yes." " Good." "I'm Detective Sergeant Sykes, this is Detective Francisco, LAPD." "Sergeant, yes, Detective." "I wasn't aware there were any Newcomers at the rank of detective yet." " I am the first, sir." " Congratulations." "This is my assistant, Rudyard Kipling." "Rudyard Kipling?" "No shit." "We need some information about a business associate of yours, Warren Hubely." "Ah, poor Warren." "Tragic." "Yeah, wasn't it?" "I understand that you and he were partners in some Slag..." "Newcomer real-estate thing." "That's right." "He and I and seven or eight others." "William." "I was wondering if you wouldn't rather ride with Luisa and me?" "Excellent idea." "Ray, I wonder if you know two of your officers." "Detectives..." " Sykes." " Sykes and Francisco." " How do you do, sir?" " Pleasure." "I think we really should be going." "Feel free to call my office Monday morning for an appointment." "Congratulations again on your promotion, Detective." "Remember, you're out there setting an example in our community." "I shall be keeping an eye on you." "He's gonna keep an eye on you." "Sykes was the one who chased us and killed Anderson." "You're lucky he didn't recognize you." "What if he talks to Strader?" "Mr Strader's change of heart is dangerous." "Find him." " I could go to Berlitz for ten years..." " 6.42." "Excuse me." " Here." " I've got it." "How long did it take you to learn English?" " Three months." " Three months?" "We learn quickly." "We adapt." "It is our strength, what we were bred for." "I got a neighbor and she's got this kid who's got a Newcomer girl in the class." "The kid is six years old and she's in the seventh grade." "Can you imagine that?" "Thanks a lot." "It's amazing, totally amazing." "Oh, my God." "I got yours." "Here." "What is that?" "Raw what?" "What kind is that?" "This?" "This is beaver." " What?" " Beaver." "It's tasty." " I'm sure." " Would you like to try some?" " Not on a bet." " I always tell my son" ""How do you know you don't like it if you won't even try it?"" "Let me ask you something." "Would it really put you out badly if you put it under the grill, just for a minute or two?" "Our bodies do not assimilate the nutrients if the food has been cooked." "Please." "That's very attractive." "We're gonna go talk to people and you've got fur in your teeth." "Very attractive." "The store owner's widow thought we'd find her son here." "Just stay behind me." "Hey, just pay attention, you understand?" "Let me handle it." "Watch." "Which one of you Slags is Porter?" "Yo." "Who wants to know?" " Who said that?" " At the end of the bar." "Are you Porter?" "Are you Porter?" "No, Matthew." "I believe this is the one you want." "Is that right?" " Um, Matthew..." " Hey, butt out." "I told you I'd handle it." " But..." " Hey, zip it." "Are these questions a little difficult?" "I'll start with something easier." "Is your name Porter?" ""Screw you."" "Yeah, well, that can't be right." " You don't want to know." " Come on." "Tell me." ""Your mother mates out of season."" "Oh, yeah?" "Don't they teach you anything about us in cop school, little sloker?" "You jerk-off..." "Hey, George." "George?" "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." " Do you know this guy?" " From quarantine." "When we first arrived, we were housed together." "Your mother says Hubely and your father were involved with another Newcomer." "Did you know this other guy that was with Hubely?" " Yeah." " Yeah?" "High-roller dude named Strader." "Joshua Strader." "He runs a club on the West Side." " What club?" " Encounters." " Yeah, I know that joint." " Look, it's all I know." " If you want any more, ask somebody else." " Yeah, right." "He's a pleasant guy." " If I 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." "Look what he did to my flashlight." "Look at this." "Come on." " Any progress?" " Our arms are 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, distributing jabluka to our people." "If you 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've never seen this before." "You ain't gonna believe it." "Sea water's like battery acid to these guys." "Now he won't be talking to those cops, the two who came to question you." "This is getting out of hand." "I want you to deal with it." "Immediately." "We must learn to embrace the things we fear." "I'm very warm." " I'm wearing leather." "I feel like a beaver..." " Hey, man." "Can I help you with something?" "Hey." "Get over here." "Come dance over here." " I'd like to speak to a guy named Strader." " That's his girlfriend up there." "You wanna know something, you'd better ask her, you know what I mean?" "Thanks." "George." "Come to, George." "You're drooling." "Ooh, baby." "Mm, yeah." "Cassandra, police department." "This is Sergeant Sykes..." ""Shithead"." "Perfect." "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?" "Well, she was wrong." "Excuse me." "I have to change." "That's good." "We have no problem here." "We're not here for a high-school paper." "This is a homicide investigation." "And, if you don't stop jerking around, we're gonna have to play a little hardball." "Oh, hardball?" "Sounds interesting." "You going to strike me?" "You could tie me up and then do whatever you want with me." "I have my own ropes." "Does that come free, or do you charge a little extra?" "You have me all wrong." "I never charge money for something that I myself find 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." "I know." "Why don't you hang around here for a while?" "Let me entertain you." " It's Matt, right?" " Yes, indeed." "Tell me the truth." "Have you ever made it with one of us?" "Um, no." "Unless I got drunk and somebody didn't tell me." "Mm." "A virgin." "I find that very arousing." "You sure you haven't?" "There's lots of things I haven't done." "That's not real high on my list." "No, you know." "Don't take it personally." "I'm a bigot." "Maybe you're just a little afraid, huh?" "Maybe you're afraid of what might happen once the lights go out." "Maybe more than you want to admit." "Doesn't that curiosity and that fear all swirling together turn you on?" "Think of it as broadening your horizons." "I like my horizons rather narrow." "Your voice is saying no, but your body's saying yes." "Yeah, wait, whoa." "Excuse me." "My voice and the rest of me is saying that I'll be back in a couple of hours." "You make sure that Strader's here." "You handle the women from now on, you know what I mean?" " 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." "No." "I love you too." " Do you mind?" " No, be my guest." "That hits the spot." " She keeps you on a short leash, does she?" " My wife?" "She worries about me." "Yeah, I know the routine." "Your home is quite disordered." "I thought when I walked in you had been burglarized." "Well, I appreciate your honesty, George." "Ignore the bitch on the left." "That's Edie." "I call her "Edie Amin"." "That's Kristin, my daughter." "The picture's a little old." "She's 20 now." "Getting married, as a matter of fact, Sunday." "Human children can be very beautiful." "Getting married?" "Congratulations." "You're taking Sunday off, then?" "No, I don't know." "Maybe not." "I don't think I wanna go." "She doesn't need her burnt-out father there." "I'm gonna show you something." "This is Susan, my wife." "Oh, yeah." "I remember from when I picked you up." "Oh." "Not bad." "This is Richard, my son." "Four years old." "We named him after the former president Richard Nixon." "You open to a little piece of advice, George?" "Me, I'd tell people I named him after the actor, Richard Burton." "Just take my word for it." "So then the doctor says "If this is my thermometer, where is my pen?"" "You don't think that's funny?" "Look..." "The guy says "This is my..."" "You gotta work with me, George." "I get a laugh with this all the time." "If the doctor has the thermometer in his hand, where is the pen?" "Where?" " In the other man's rectum." " Yeah, it's sticking up his ass," " Correct." " Yeah, but that's what makes the joke." "There's a surprise." "Your mind fills in all these little funny pictures." "There's a guy sitting with a pen up his ass." "Good Luck, George." "I just think that's really funny." "Tell it to me again." "I got another one..." "There is so much our two peoples do not understand about each other." "No shit, Sherlock." "You only come from another goddamn planet, for Chris sakes." "You humans are very curious to us." "You invite us to live in an atmosphere of equally that we've never known before." "You let us own our own lives for the first time and you ask no more of us than you do of yourselves." "I hope you understand how special your world is, how unique a people you humans are." "Which is why it is all the more painful and confusing to us that so few of you seem capable of living up to the ideas you set for yourselves." "Don't count on me, George." "I never had any ideas." " You're all right, Georgie, you're all right." " I am going home." "Yeah." "You go home and you get some sleep." "You'd better drive." "You're too screwed up to walk." "What a wild man." "Yeah?" "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." "He was wiring it to your car." "My car?" " She is going to divorce me." " No, she can't divorce you." "You mate for life, isn't that right?" "She is very progressive." "I am certain she is considering it." " Hey, Matt." " What?" "Does a guy named Strader mean anything to you?" " Yeah." "Why?" " They found him, or what's left of him, washed up on the beach at Zuma." "Fedorchuk and Alterez are on their way." "Thanks, Michelle." "Come on, let's go." " To the beach?" " Yeah, come on, dude." "Surf's up." "Please, I must get out of here." "Huh?" "Why?" " Stop the car." " We're not gonna go near the water, all right?" "I beg you to please stop this car." " Please stop the car." " OK, OK." " Please." " Look, George, we're stopping." "All right?" "Go ahead." "Now get out." "It's cool." "Don't worry." "I'll be back in a couple of minutes." "Thank you." " So that kid was the first to report this?" " Yeah, about eleven." "Goddamn." "How do you know that's Strader?" "We found his wallet in his jacket pocket." ""Joshua Strader" - big as life." "You got any idea as to how long he's been dead?" "Your guess is as good as mine." "The only thing holding him together is his clothes." "Hey, how are you guys doing on Tuggle's case?" "The store owner's son's in a street gang, so now we're thinking maybe it's gang-related." "Yeah, that's real good." "Why don't you guys work on that for a few months?" "Look at your dildo partner." "He's even scared of the sand." "I'd love to see you next to a sea of hydrochloric acid, Fedorchuk." "See how much surfing you'd do." "That's cute." " That's real cute." " I know why he's not coming down here." "He forgot his hip waders." "Why don't you lay off of him, you asshole?" "At least I'm a detective, not some outer-shit space thing." "You're right." "You are a real detective." "An honest-to-God detective." "Detect these." " What was that about?" " Nothing." "Hey." "You guys finish your postmortem on Strader yet?" "The Blob?" "They're finishing up now." " Is Mr Bentner here?" " No, he went home early." "His kid was sick." "But he left something here for you." " Here." " Thank you." "Does this have something to do with the tests that he ran?" " What kind of tests?" " I think it was a blood test, on that alien you dropped the other night." "Well, did he find anything?" " Well, George?" " It's nothing." "Don't give me that shit." "It wasn't "nothing" when you asked that... what's his name..." "Bentner to run that test." "He looked like he was about to shit peach pits." "And it's not "nothing" now." "Don't lie to me, George." "You're real bad at it." " You must leave me alone on this." " Oh, no." "I'm sorry, pal." "I don't leave you alone." "You're my partner and I don't work that way." "All right?" "Well?" "No secrets, god damn it." "That Slag up there, he was on something." "It wasn't sour milk." "Am I right, George?" "Tell me, goddamn..." "Shit." "You tell me right 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 it as a reward for labor in the mines." " You?" "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." "Why wouldn't you just tell me something like that?" "Your people do not know about this part of our past and they cannot." "It would threaten our entire existence here." " How did this guy get it?" " I don't know." "Well, was it on the ship?" "No." "This is major, George." "It's very major." "All you had to do was tell me." "Here's Hubely." "Looks like he passed up a few jobs, waiting for the one at the refinery." "Would you punch up "Joshua Strader" for me, darling?" "Released on November 29th, came immediately to LA, and took over a club called the Encounters." "Now the store owner, please." "Cecil Porter." "Released December 1." "Field of expertise:" "organic chemical engineering." "Holy shit." "Look what we're looking at here, George." "You got three Newcomers with nothing in common." "What if one guy shot all three?" "Now you got four Newcomers, totally different backgrounds..." " George..." " Quarantine." "Honey, punch up the occupants of Porter's lodge, will you?" "OK." "Porter was in 772." "Harcourt." "Gin." "Porter somehow created the formula." "Hubely provided the manufacturing at the refinery." "And Strader, through the club, established distribution." "Yeah, then Harcourt wiped 'em all out, so he could have all the marbles." "He's responsible for everything, from Tug on." "Well, I want his ass." "He's mine." "We gotta play this real smart." "Do you understand, George?" " If the drug is here, we must destroy it." " No, hold it." "You're missing the point." "The drug is our evidence." "We need it, you know?" "Hey, that's the guy, right there." " Hey, are you crazy?" "You can't come in here." " Open the door." " So much for playing it smart." " You can't come in here like this." " What are you, crazy?" " Shut up." " Where's the drug?" " What drug?" "This is an oil refinery." " Where?" " You can't do this." "George, I think you're crushing his little chest bones." " Stay outta this, Matthew." " Right." "Tell me where the drug has been taken, or I'll crush your lungs." "O'NeaI, please, do me a favor, don't piss him off." "He gets like this, I can't control him." "I saw him once go in there and pull out a guy's spine and show it to him." "There was nothing I could do." "I had to go throw up." "They took the stuff out this afternoon." "All of it." "Where did they take it?" "The Encounters club." "Quite lovely." "What is your name again?" "Cassandra." "I shall remember that." "All right, now come on, George." "Lighten up." "It's a beauty of a case." "We got it by the short hairs." "He ain't gonna make any more of that shit, I promise you." "If you destroy the drugs, you'll destroy the case." "Why blow the whole thing?" "Please just stick to procedure, OK?" "Fuck procedure." "George, what...?" "George." "God damn it." "George Francisco, open your golden gate" "Open your gate and let me in" "You." "Hey, you." "Police." "Come on, get outta there." " What?" " Get out." "I wanna see you walk that line." " Come on." " What are you talking about?" "Hey, what about me?" "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." "Please feel free to sample the quality." "I'm sure the experience will be everything you remember it to be." "Where'd you get it?" "I arranged to spend some time with three very resourceful men." "Jesus, it tastes like detergent." "That's all the effect it will have on you." "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 of it, Harcourt." "Tell them." " He's got the C-4 charge." " Put your guns on the table." "Get up against the wall, except you." "Take it easy, buddy." "Keep your finger on the button." "You release that button, you not only kill us, but yourself." " To get you and this, I would do it." " You seem to have overlooked something." "That is not in any books as a controlled substance." "Legally, it might just as well be 12 kilos of grape jelly." "The charge is murder, and conspiracy to commit murder." "Hubely." "Porter." "Strader." "You killed Strader?" "No." "No." " Kill them both." " Here?" "Do it." "Don't shoot." "4230 Hollywood Boulevard." "We've got gunfire at club Encounters." "Shit, it worked." " Get the car." "Let's go." " I can't." "You have the keys." "Turn the police light on." "What are you doing?" "Don't put the gun in my face." "Matthew." "I think we lost them." "Move." "Everybody move." "We're the goddamn police." "Up ahead, on your right." "It's blocked." "The goddamn road is blocked." "Oh, Christ." "Head straight for them." "He'll move." "This is chicken, George." "I never lose." "Damn." "You all right?" "Anything broken?" "You all right?" "Don't move." "Put 'em up." "I said put them up." " You move one finger and you're history." " Not history." "Eternity." "I just remembered a joke that my son told me." "Yeah?" "So?" "I'd better not tell it." "I don't tell jokes well." "Probably not, but go on, tell me." "If I begin to tell it and you know the joke, please say." "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "I know it." "It's a funny joke." "I assume, with Harcourt and Kipling dead, you will be requesting a reassignment now." "Well, just for your own good." "I think you'd probably be better with a partner who's more by the book." "But still, George, I gotta tell ya." "For a quiet guy, once you get started, you're hell on wheels, you know?" "And I'd kind of hate to miss your next few days as a detective." "Come on, guys, I'll give you a lift to the station." " Come on, partner." " They want a statement on the shooting." "No, I didn't shoot Harcourt." "I didn't have to." "He OD'd." " You got a match?" " Yeah, in there." "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 Wiltey?" "Sarge." "Something gutted them." "I'm gonna request help and an air unit." "What... what...?" " What is this?" " It's Harcourt." " He's dead." " No, not if he overdosed on the drug." "Massive amounts trigger a change." "Your body seizes up, you appear dead, but it is really a state of incubation." "When you emerge, you are metamorphasized." "We must not let him get away." "What?" "What would happen if humans see what we are capable of becoming?" "Got him." "Wiltey, no." "Hey, you." "Get the hell off my boat." "You heard me." "Get off the boat." "Over there." "Nice view, huh?" "You dumb sack of shit." "For Tug." "Let's have a cold one." "Take her down." "Down." "Take her down." "Your scarf." "Can I borrow your scarf?" "Take her down." "Wait, wait, wait." "What the hell was that down there?" "It looked really weird." "What do you mean, weird?" "It looked like every other Slag to me, just plain ugly." "Here, look at this." "Here, let me hold the tie." "Everybody gets dressed right before their daughter gets married." " Is it on top of the collar?" " No..." "Now it is." " It looks all right?" " You look very good." "Ready, Daddy?" "Yes, honey." "George, I just want to tell you in advance..." "I want to apologize for all the rotten things I'm gonna do and say to you over the years." "It is all right, Matthew." "After all, you're only human." "What a wild man." "Well, my daughter's got a husband." "I got a partner." "He really ain't half bad, except when he's got that rotten milk on his breath."