"Ken:" "You're entitled to a lawyer, if you'd like one present, officer Davis." "I don't need no stinkin' lawyer." "I came in on my own after Paulie tipped me off to your operation badfellows." "I could've skipped town." "Did I?" "So immunity includes what?" "Immunity from prosecution." "Even if I incriminate myself?" "Even then." "What if I killed somebody?" "I'm not saying I did." "What if?" "What if I pressed a gun against a retired Chicago cop's head and pulled the trigger myself?" "What if, hypothetically put, i did that more than once?" "There's no way the FBI will let me off that gnarly meathook." "If your testimony leads us to the person or persons responsible for ordering the killings," "I'm already authorized to take that step." "No fucking way." "Holy cow." "The justice department, sanctioning coldblooded murder, that's trippy." "We're not sanctioning murder." "Call it what you like." "It is what it is." "I'll need more than immunity from prosecution." "I need protection." "Word gets out I'm cooperating with the feds, with what I know, I'll be lucky to survive the weekend." "Rat people out in Chicago, you're either a dead man or worse." "No offense." "I can file witness-protection paperwork tonight, if you're agreeing to cooperate." "If you choose not to cooperate, then we will be pressing formal charges, based on recordings made earlier today and on Paul's corroborating testimony." "So we're playing poker here?" "Paulie, did you sign up for witness protection?" "Because of the widespread participation of members of the Chicago p.D. -- allegedparticipation." "We've advised Paul to enter the program as well." "Paulie, are you down with all this?" "I am if you are." "Hey." "You did what you had to do, kid." "There's no shame in that." "I wanted off this bat-shit rollercoaster anyway." "You did me a solid, Paulie." "I mean that." "You're my partner." "I'm grateful for that." "[ Phone rings ]" "I'm not going to say one word more till I get the immunity deal in writing and witness protection guaranteed." "And I " " I need a lawyer for all that." "Can we -- can we get this done in like 24 hours?" "You can't hold me without an arrest warrant." "No, and I can't protect you until you formally agree to cooperate." "I'll take that risk." "It's not I don't trust you, Ken, but, hey, we just met." "¶ I got one hand on my heart, now ¶" "¶ the other's on a gun ¶" "¶ the city burns to ashes ¶" "¶ in the house of the rising sun ¶" "¶ in the house of the rising sun ¶" "[ chatter ]" "[ Siren walls ]" "[ Dialing]" "No, no, not yet." "Because I'm not ready to pull the trigger on it yet." "It means you're on standby." "I " " I'll know when I know, all right?" "Keep your phone on." "[ Sighs ] I'm really late, I know." "Kill me, but please don't be mad." "You're mad." "I'm sorry." "I don't have all the time in the world to wait around for you, Ken." "It's crazy at the bureau, with the sting going and the field logistics of running two moles now." "It's nuts." "Two?" "Your cousin Paul brought his partner in, a senior guy, Phil Davis." "You arrested him?" "No, Paul walked him in a few hours ago." "Can you believe it?" "Davis wants to cooperate." "He wants to help." "Guy worked narcotics, homicide, vice, for 20 years." "He's a gold mine." "Well, it makes your job easy." "Well, it's still a lot of work, though." "You turn these guys, you got to keep 'em turned." "The way everybody in this city's been publicly flinging hate-turds at your uncle Jimmy all these years?" "Usually, there's a heroic incentive to turn and stay turned, but in Chicago?" "Man." "Look, if I can reel in some big-league indictments out of this, it will make my career." "Hmm, we're talking about your career again, are we?" "Come on, don't be mad." "I said I was sorry." "Wine okay?" "Wine is fine." "You know, one of the perks of finally having my own big sting I've been running is that my wife doesn't berate me for working late, so we got all night." "I'll grab us a table." "Two of whatever the lady's " "I shit you not, it's -- it's the new face of the old mob." "Remember "godfather III"?" "Michael corleone wanted to go legit." "That's what it looks like today, and that's what makes the justice department's job next to impossible." "It's not no-neck thugs in plus-sized overcoats, packing Tommy guns anymore." "It's legitimate businesspeople, people like you and me, El." "That's what organized crime looks like now." "And they got really organized by getting themselves incorporated and diversified." "Phil Davis told you all of this?" "Only in general terms [Sighs] a preview of coming attractions." "He won't name names, though." "No?" "No, not till we get some formal protection in place." "I don't think he wants to go full relocation, but the way things went down with your uncle Jimmy, he might have to." "Either way, i have to file appropriate requisitions for the extra expense." "I swear, if I could legitimately attach the word "terrorism" to this sting, the paperwork would blow through the red tape like shit through a goose, believe me." "I got my boss making some calls to expedite everything and as soon as this goes through -- you're the boss." "No, Vera's still officially my boss till Monday." "But I have the feeling that we're going to hear the names of some very high-value targets very soon." "Say you do land some big fish with this..." "You think the name operation badfellas is too corny?" "...Sting?" "Whoever heads the operation gets to name it." "If you think it's too corny, you can tell me." "I get the feeling around the office that some people think it's dumb." "You know, eyerolling and snickers, that crap." "I can't really change it, now that it's under way, but I respect your opinion." "It's fine, Ken." "And you're still mad." "[ Sighs ]" "I said I was sorry." "Didn't I apologize, first thing?" "What do you want me to do, drop to my knees?" "I was in the middle of a sentence." "I'm sorry." "Go ahead." "I'm just jazzed." "I'm just jazzed, you know?" "'Cause, I mean, to be heading a sting this big and score so huge so early in the game is unprecedented." "Big fish?" "I got keepers jumping out of the lake into my boat." "No one has ever " " I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Go ahead." "If you do land some high-value targets with your brilliantly named operation badfellas, what are your plans?" "Plans?" "Plans, Ken." "They typically involve the future." "Not the past, not the present, but that limited stretch of time we have beyond that to act upon and possibly even realize our wildest hopes and dreams." "I can't talk to you when you're like this." "Like what?" "This." "I'm always like this." "This is who I am." "Not always." "You've obviously got something eating away at you and it's not just 'cause I was late, is it?" "[ Sighs ] Okay." "[ Clears throat ] Let me spell it out for you." "Thank you." "I typically don't go into formal meetings without a bulleted agenda, so why should this be any different?" "That's what I meant, an agenda." "What are your plans if operation badfellows makes your..." "So-called career?" "There's no ifs about it, El." "That's what I'm saying." "With Parerra and Davis both onboard, this thing is a slam dunk." "Not bad for a second-string benchwarmer from Duke, huh?" "Can you just answer the question without all the fucking annotation?" "Okay." "Ahem." "I think I see where this is going." "No, I'm -- I'm not sure that you do." "Oh, yeah, I see it." "I totally see it." "Well, forgive me for needing the reassurance, but where, exactly, is this going?" "You and me, you mean." "That's it, right?" "Us." "If I had a kewpie doll, Ken, I'd hand you one." "See?" "That." "That, right there." "That's what I'm talking about." "I-i don't even know what that means." "A kewpie doll!" "A kewpie doll is a carnival prize, you stupid fucking idiot." "A kewpie doll." "They're essentially valueless." "I still don't know what that means!" "I seriously think that the daily bureaucratic red tape at the justice department has made you borderline retarded." "Well, that doesn't sound like a compliment." "Have you even told your wife about us?" "We're going to have this conversation now?" "When is it a good time for you, Ken?" "With operation badfellas full-steam," "I don't need the extra drama in my life right now, okay?" "So you'll tell your wife after." "Do we have to ruin what we have by imposing timelines?" "I'm sorry, but all I'm hearing are a lot of direct questions, and I'm not hearing any direct answers." "We've only been seeing each other seriously for, what, six months?" "What, the first three months weren't serious?" "It hasn't been that long." "Has it?" "Nine months is a long time, Ken." "Six months is a long time." "It's not that long." "No, it is!" "Okay." "It is a long time!" "It's a long fucking time for me!" "It is!" "For me, all right?" "[ Sighs, clears throat ]" "Would you like some more?" "I'm going to get some more." "[ Chatter ]" "[ Phone rings ]" "Colin, it's bud o'Rourke." "Listen." "I heard about al riordan." "I need a favor." "You got a pen?" "I know what this must seem like to you." "Do you?" "God, yes." "I'm married, I've got kids, I've got you." "A side dish." "I didn't say that." "You didn't have to." "I'm not insensitive to your needs, El." "What...?" "The wine is awful." "Well, I just brought what they had open." "You didn't tell me what you want." "Oh, I think I told you what I want, Ken." "I have told you over and over and over what I want." "Okay, this is not how it seems, at all, okay?" "What the hell are you talking about?" "Us." "It seems like I'm using you, but I'm not, really." "Other field agents, they go to hookers, regularly, believe it or not." "How do I know that?" "They brag about it." "Flagrant defiance of the law, and they brag about it." "Honestly, I don't know how they can do it." "I mean, it's expensive as hell, for one thing." "And, secondly, the disgusting stds?" "It's dangerous." "I don't know, maybe they enjoy the risk, maybe it turns them on." "Stop talking about hookers, Ken." "But -- no, stop it." "No, what I'm trying -- stop it right now." "Stop it." "Not another word about hookers." "I'm making a point." "Which is?" "I'm not using you the way other guys use hookers." "That thrills me in so many ways to hear you say that." "It must seem like it, after we've been seeing each other seriously for so long, but -- but that's not how it is for me." "I..." "I really care about you, El." "And this is not just about the free sex and the Booty-call companionship." "I mean, I put myself at risk for you." "With my family, my job." "If bureau guys go to hookers on a regular basis, how is fucking around with me putting your job at risk?" "FBI, they want us to be good family men." "Good family men who go to hookers regularly?" "No, that transactional bullshit you can keep on the sly by paying cash, but this, you and me, us?" "[ Sighs ]" "If I divorce my wife right now, then it all goes public." "And we start fighting about who gets what and custody of the kids and -- and -- and -- it's messy." "So it's not messy as long as nobody else knows about us, except for you and me." "No, that's not what I mean at all." "Well, then what do you mean, Ken?" "What do you mean?" "Why can't you just say it?" "I'd like to hold off on -- on whatever the next step is for you and me, for us, until after operation badfellas wraps up." "How long is that?" "Well, it's an open-ended investigation." "I don't know." "El, this -- this could make my career, and I don't want to louse that up with divorce trials and custody battles and all that public airing of dirty underclothes." "What's this?" "I went shopping." "It's a gift." "For me?" "Yes, Ken." "Why?" "[ Sighs ]" "Because I'm in love with you, okay?" "I'm not entirely happy about it right now, but at least I can show you, at least I can tell you." "What, we're doing show and tell, now?" "Would you just open it, you ass?" "This is [Sighs]" "You can't -- are you asking me to marry you?" "You're a special agent for the FBI." "Figure it out." "You can't do this." "Oh, I'm doing it." "No, this is wrong." "I'm in love with you, Ken." "I'm asking you to marry me." "I'm telling you and I'm showing you." "I'm putting myself out there for you." "Why is that wrong?" "Well, for one thing, I'm already married." "Right." "Right, and we all know how religiously you've adhered to those vows." "This embarrasses me, El." "This actually embarrasses me." "Why?" "Why?" "Because the man is supposed to do it." "Well, if I had forever to wait around for that," "I would gladly bow to that tradition." "You know, this not only embarrasses me, it -- this makes me very angry, very angry." "It's a gesture of my commitment to you." "It's a symbol of my willingness to spend the rest of my life with you." "And if I say that I'm not ready to make the same commitment right now, you what?" "You walk away?" "Well, I hadn't thought about what I would do if you turned me down, but, yes." "Yes, I guess." "I guess, after I get rejected, walking away would be the logical response." "So, essentially, you're forcing my hand." "I'm asking you to marry me, Ken." "I'm not playing poker." "But this is an ultimatum, yeah?" "Sure." "Well, I'm not sure I like that." "Yes or no?" "It gives you all the power." "Oh, you need to shit or get off the pot." "Doesn't it?" "Yes or no, Ken?" "This is emotional extortion." "Wow." "You know how i feel about you." "Give it back." "No, no." "Give it back to me." "I like it." "Give it to me!" "I just got through..." "Telling you that I need to hold off on whatever the next step is, and I think I was pretty unambiguous as to why, and then you spring this on me?" "[ Crying ] What should I have done differently, Ken?" "Do you want me to get down on my knees?" "Well, of course not." "No, I'll do it!" "don't you dare." "El!" "El!" "El!" "I am asking you to marry me, Ken." "Get up." "No, I'll get up when you answer." "I'm not doing this." "Yes or no, Ken?" "Get up." "For God's sake, get up." "My cancer's back." "Stage iv, everywhere." "I don't have forever to wait around anymore." "I am asking you, please." "I'm asking you to marry me, Ken." "This -- this -- this is emotional extortion." "[ Gasping ] Oh." "[ Crying ]" "Come on." "Come on, sweetheart." "It's all right." "Come on." "Come on, sweetheart." "Come on, it's okay." "I'll get us some more wine." "don't get the well wine." "I want something decent." "[ Sobbing ]" "Can I get two glasses and then a bottle of something really good?" "Thanks." "How long have you known?" "I just found out." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I think I just did." "Before, I mean before, when I first got here." "Because it's not the best way to start a conversation or -- or a date." "Did you get a prognosis?" "Surgery, chemo, radiation." "And then?" "I don't know." "And then I wait and see." "[ Sighs ]" "Do you know what you're going to do?" "I was kind of waiting to see how the whole proposal thing panned out." "Well, I didn't say no." "You can." "It's all right." "No, I -- and, by the way, this is not emotional extortion." "[ Scoffs ] Okay, maybe it was, maybe it was, for a second, but it's not, it's really not." "I'm damaged goods." "I understand." "That's not fair, Ellen." "Well, it's not fair to have two bouts of cervical cancer, either, so God damn it." "My mother died of cancer." "So it's genetic, then." "Not a whole lot of consolation in that, Ken." "They offered her surgery, chemo, radiation, the works." "She didn't want it." "She wanted to die "whole." That's what she told me." "She had a lot of disappointments in her life, my mother, including me." "You're successful." "God, you've got your own consulting firm, you're your own boss, you make more in a year than i could make at the bureau in a lifetime, even with the promotion." "She wanted me to get married." "She wanted to be there." "She wanted me to be happy." "Or at least provide her with the illusion of it." "[ Sighs ] So, what was serpico like?" "Serpico?" "He was pretty cool, actually." "Yeah?" "Yeah." "If he likes you, he tells you to call him "paco."" "Like the movie." "Like the movie, yeah." "He's still kind of a hippie." "Old hippie." "Girls love him." "He's got groupies." "Really?" "Yeah, they follow him around to all his talks." "Did you get his autograph?" "He doesn't like signing autographs." "Mmm." "Now, this is good." "Did my uncle Jimmy and serpico get along?" "Oh, hell yeah." "Hell, they talked for a long time." "Paul too." "Paco's really giving with his time." "Jimmy told him all about what happened in Chicago, how he testified against bud o'Rourke, everything since." "Well, serpico couldn't have been surprised." "No, he wasn't." "In fact, his whole talk was about the schoolcraft case in New York." "It went to trial." "Serpico was asked to testify, for some reason." "You know about this." "Mnh-mnh." "Adrian schoolcraft was an NYPD cop." "Blew the whistle on years of wrongful arrests, underreporting of crime." "Wrongful arrests, I get, but is it a crime to underreport crime?" "Well, sure." "It shows that city hall and big business are in collusion." "Lower crime means better business, better business means bigger and better tax revenues." "I mean, even the FBI isn't 100% sure that Chicago really is murder city, U.S.A. again this year or whether other cities are just better at underreporting crime." "Ugh!" "Sometimes I just want to walk away from it all." "I just want to walk, and I want to keep on walking." "[ Sighs ]" "Jimmy said the same thing." "He said he sometimes goes walking down by lake Michigan, out onto the breakwaters." "Sometimes he wants to just keep walking." "Why doesn't he?" "I asked him that." "He said "unfinished business."" "That, and he doesn't have the nerve." "You know..." "You really should reconcile with your family, Ellen." "Why, because there's no chance in hell of me having one of my own?" "I didn't say that." "I would never say that." "They're not my family." "They're what you have left of one." "You should keep out of it, Ken." "They could support you through this." "Fuck you." "Fuck me, now?" "Yeah, fuck you." "[ Clears throat ]" "You know, i-i might cheat on my wife, Ellen, but I am still a moral man." "How do you square that with yourself, Ken?" "I've always wondered." "Well, it's just a matter of believing in yourself, believing that, deep down, despite your mistakes and your flaws, that you're fundamentally a good person." "Do me a favor, Ken." "Of course." "Anything." "Go away." "What?" "Go away." "No, I'm not going to do that to you, not now." "What, because I'm sick?" "No, because I genuinely care about you." "Now go away, Ken." "Go f..." "Orgive yourself for this mistake." "There's no way I am walking out on you, not like this." "Really?" "Well, if you don't go away," "I'm going to call your wife and I'm going to introduce myself right now." "[ Chuckles ] What?" "Do I sound like I'm joking?" "I -- hmm." "[ Line ringing ]" "[ Snorts ]" "Hello, Mrs. waltham?" "Okay." "I'll go." "Jesus." "You know -- no, you've said everything you need to say without saying it, Ken." "Go away." "Please." "I'll see myself home." "[ Speed-dialing ]" "It's me." "Do it." "Both." "No." "No note, this time." "This time, we need to send a message."