She Rides Shotgun (2025) Movie Script
1
[wind blowing softly]
[girl] The bad man lived
in a world with no night.
He was, to his own mind...
a God.
But he was a God
made of other men.
[gentle music]
He had men for a mouth.
He had men for hands.
He had men for eyes.
He had men for blood.
[ominous music]
Forever Steel.
Steel forever.
[school bell rings]
[children chattering]
[pensive music]
[woman] Hey.
Sorry I'm late.
All right. [grunts]
All right.
Let's get you in the car.
[pensive music]
[humming]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[woman] You waiting
on someone, hon?
Oh. My mom.
Do you wanna go inside
and call her?
[hesitates] No.
She's... she's just
a little late sometimes.
Okay.
[footsteps departing]
[ominous music]
[dog barking in distance]
[car approaching]
[tires squeal]
[man] Hey!
You okay?
Can you come over here?
That's it. Come on.
I just need to talk to you
for a second.
Hey.
Where's my mom?
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
Surprise.
Are you allowed to be here?
Yeah, I'm out. I got out, so...
Come on, we gotta go. Let's go.
Get in the car.
Hey, Polly...
Get in the car.
Let's go.
That's it. Come on.
In the car, in the car.
Let's go, let's go,
let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
That's it, that's it.
That's broken.
This is as good as I could
afford right now, so...
So, you hungry?
Huh?
Well, I'm starving.
Gotta be a Blake's
or a McDonald's or--
Did you hurt Mom?
No.
But something's happened.
No.
Everything's fine.
You know, you're safe.
I'm not...
I'm not a...
...a monster.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
-What have you done with Mom?
-[shushes]
[police radio chatter]
Hey. Hey, hey.
-[doors lock]
-Polly.
Don't do that, Polly.
I told you once.
I haven't done anything.
Okay?
Okay?
[pensive music]
We gotta go.
That's my suitcase.
Is it?
And that's Tom's jacket.
You stole it from my house.
[trunk closes]
-Come on.
-[car door closes]
We got some walking to do.
-Where?
-Come on.
We gotta find a motel
and get some sleep.
Motels have parking lots,
too, you know.
And not as big as this one.
We got motels,
airport, interstate.
Anyone looking for me
might be looking for that car.
[Nathan] Just one room
for two people, please.
[manager] You guys
have a great night.
[Nathan] Uh-huh. Thanks.
Kid, you ready?
I'm still hungry.
Jesus Christ. Give it here.
-Can I have--
-There you go.
All right, come on.
-[TV] Our top story tonight.
-Polly, come on.
[TV] A quiet suburban
neighborhood is reeling...
Thank you.
[TV] ...from a shocking
double homicide.
[Nathan] Uh... yeah.
No, I know, I know.
Please, ma'am, please don't...
No, no, no, no, no, no!
Don't hang up.
Please, please!
[Nathan hangs up the phone]
Carla, hey! Hey, it's me.
Uh... it's Nathan. Nate.
Onion.
No. Yeah, yeah. I'm out.
Right. Yeah.
Listen, I, uh... no, no.
Wait, wait, wait.
I just need a second.
I just need a second.
Uh... look.
I don't feel good about it,
but I am...
Sour cream.
...calling in favors,
like, any I can get.
Do you still run with Scubby?
Come on.
-Barbecue.
-Ah, come on.
Please, please, please, please.
Don't make me beg here.
I gotta get going.
No, I get it. Yeah, sure.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. You, too.
[phone smashes]
It's funny how your friends
disappear when you need 'em.
Want a chip?
Close your eyes.
Eat it.
Guess the flavor.
Close your eyes.
Hmm.
It's barbecue.
Barbecue.
You got it right.
Let's just do it quickly,
get it over with.
You gotta trust me. Come on.
No. I don't...
I don't want you to.
Look, I-I promise,
it's gonna be fine.
Watch.
See? Look.
Gone.
I want bangs.
Yeah.
Not too long.
Make sure
it's not over the eyes.
Just to there.
Okay.
Have you done this before?
Yeah, thousands of times.
Let me see?
How much shorter
are you gonna go?
I don't know.
I'm feeling my way.
Let me see.
I look bad, don't I?
You never wrote to me.
You know, you could have.
I tried.
I'm not blaming you or nothing.
You've definitely
not done this before.
[chuckles]
Busted.
One.
Two.
-[Polly whimpers]
-Three.
[uplifting music]
[laughs]
All good? [laughs]
I love this!
It's a little shorter
than I expected,
but I love it.
-This is what I was going for.
-[laughs]
Put your hand here.
You swing with your whole body.
Whole body.
Not just your arms.
You feel that?
Yeah.
Your heel has to come
off of the floor.
That's where the power
comes from.
Off the floor, like mine.
You see mine?
-Like this?
-That's it.
Whole body.
Okay.
Show me again.
Am I gonna hit you?
No. It's fine.
Whole body.
Okay, now, the first thing
to remember.
You gotta hit him in the knee.
Hard as you can.
Right through
that son of a bitch. Okay?
That's gonna make him
bend over a little like this.
Then you hit him
on the back of the head.
Not the front.
Do you know why?
Come here.
Knock me on the front
of the head.
Like a door. Go on.
-Harder.
-Why?
Harder. See?
The front of the head is hard.
It's like a helmet.
You gotta hit him in the back.
You do that.
Hit him hard as you can.
And then you run.
I'm not very strong.
That's why we practice.
You gotta feel weak
to get strong.
Your Uncle Nick used to say it.
If you want your muscles
to get strong,
you gotta push 'em
until they're weak.
That's how life is.
You walk around all day
feeling strong,
you're probably not
getting any stronger.
So listen,
don't hide under the bed
or any of that stupid shit
because people know
to look under beds.
You just hit him
as hard as you can...
then you run.
I got it.
Especially--
If there's blue tattoos.
Blue lightning.
If you see blue lightning,
that means they've hurt people.
[exhales]
This is serious, Polly.
While I was inside,
I upset these guys,
and they're bad people,
they're dangerous.
Polly.
And if they've hurt people,
cracking their heads open
ain't a sin.
All right, I'm gonna show you.
Look.
Imagine they took your bear.
Imagine they took your bear
and they ripped his arm off.
Yeah?
Aim for the knee.
You put your whole body...
-[bat thuds]
-...into the swing.
Show me. Get angry.
Whole body.
-Don't touch my bear!
-Tell him!
-[Polly yells]
-Don't touch my bear!
Don't touch my bear!
-Don't touch my bear!
-I will kill you!
[TV] Woo-hoo!
You're my best friend, Orville!
Whatever!
[TV] Yeah. Excuse me.
What's your favorite
ice cream flavor?
Toilet water.
It hasn't been invented yet.
-[channel changes]
-[TV] Our top story tonight.
A quiet suburban neighborhood
is reeling
from a shocking double homicide
and the suspected abduction
of a nine-year-old girl.
Tom and Avis Huff were
discovered deceased
in their residence
on Hendricks Avenue
early this morning.
The prime suspect
and biological father,
Nathan McClusky,
was only released
from prison this morning
and has known ties
to Aryan Steel,
a violent street gang
whose manufacture
and distribution
of methamphetamine
has led to altercations
with local law enforcement
and rival gangs.
We don't know the whole story,
but we consider
Nathan McClusky to be
a dangerous individual.
This is, uh...
an active investigation.
Uh, we're limited
in the information
that we can provide
today. Okay?
But anyone with information
on the whereabouts
of Nathan McClusky
or Polly Huff can call
our hotline number.
(505) 555-1974.
Anytime.
Day or night.
[TV] Authorities have issued
an Amber Alert...
-Mommy.
-...for Polly Huff,
urging anyone with information
on her whereabouts
to come forward immediately.
The public is advised
to be on the lookout
for a young girl,
approximately four feet tall,
with long brown hair
and blue eyes.
The community remains on edge
as the search
-for Polly Huff intensifies...
-[door opens]
...and questions
surrounding the deaths
-of her parents persist.
-[door closes]
Hey.
Hey, there's nobody in there.
Nobody in there.
[bell dinging]
Sorry, man.
Dude.
Hey. There's nobody in here.
Just messing, sugar booger.
What do you need? Ice?
-A phone.
-A phone?
-What room are you in?
-I don't remember.
Are you here alone?
All right, then.
-What's the phone number?
-I can do it.
Excuse me.
Well, excuse the shit outta me.
[dialing]
[line ringing]
[man] Santa Fe
Police Department.
Hello?
Hello?
I saw my house on TV.
Can you repeat that, please?
It said to call this number
because you're looking for me.
Okay. And what's your name?
Polly.
Polly Huff?
Okay, Polly,
hold on a second. Okay?
We have someone
who wants to speak with you.
[call transfers]
[Park] Hey. Hi.
Uh, is this Polly?
Yes. Who's this?
Polly, it's good to meet you.
This is
Detective John Park speaking.
From the news?
Yeah, yeah. Uh...
I was hoping you would
see me on there.
Polly, is Nathan with you?
Not right now.
Are you hurt at all, Polly?
No.
He wouldn't hurt me.
Okay, listen carefully, Polly.
It's really important
you tell me exactly
where you're at.
We need to come get you
right away.
Can you help me?
[TV] The north central area
of the state,
and perhaps West I-40,
may be a little bit slick
and tricky.
Sunday also, I'm including some
snow showers for
the North Mountains.
[crying] I think
they murdered her.
Her and Tom.
Who-- who's they, Polly?
People with blue tattoos.
Polly.
They'll hurt him. Please.
-I...
-[man yelling in the distance]
I don't wanna be here anymore.
Polly.
Polly, you don't have to--
Stop saying my name!
It's all right.
Listen.
I'm gonna do what I can,
but we can do more
if we work together.
I could send someone
right now, Polly.
How'd that be?
Polly, you called me, remember?
You want my help.
[Nathan] Polly?
[Polly] The Monte Vista Motel.
[call ends]
Monte Vista Hotel!
What'd I say?
Huh?
I said, don't run off
like that, Polly,
or you'll make me upset!
[Polly crying]
Polly!
What the hell are you doing?
[crying] We have to go
right now.
Are you okay? What happened?
Huh? Polly?
Polly, talk to me!
[crying] Mommy.
Mommy!
[crying]
[sobs] Mommy!
Mommy! Mommy's gone!
Mommy!
You said everything was good!
Yeah, I know.
I know. I... I lied.
Nothing's good.
We-we have to go!
What'd you do?
-Polly!
-Grab your stuff!
-We have to go!
-What'd you do?
Please don't make me
tell you why! Please!
-[distant police sirens]
-Just go, grab your things!
What did you do?
[sirens wailing]
[tense music]
Hey.
Hey, no, no.
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
This way, this way. Come on.
This way. [shushes]
This way, this way.
[sirens fading]
[Polly crying]
I didn't give you a choice.
And I should have.
Here's the thing.
You know that bad man
I told you about?
At the motel?
He had people hurt your mom
because of me.
I couldn't save her.
I tried.
But I couldn't save her.
And I'm sorry
you had to find out like that.
Those men are coming for you,
and they wanna do
the same to you.
If you wanna go back
to that motel right now
and find that cop you called,
I'm not gonna stop you.
That is not my place to.
That's not my choice.
I can see that now.
It's your choice.
I wish it were a better one.
I get you don't... know me.
Not really.
But I promise...
I will never lie to you again.
I promise. Do you hear me?
Ever.
Is Mom really gone?
Her strength's in you now.
Can you be strong?
Like Mom?
Gotta feel weak to get strong.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's it.
Get up. Stand up.
Stand up.
Yeah. Here, show me
how you swing.
-Right here. Come on.
-[taps on window]
Okay. Right here.
Show me your best swing.
On three.
One.
Two.
Three.
[emotional music]
[woman] Coming.
[Nathan] Charlotte.
-You said she'd help.
-She will.
Hey, stop that.
Come on, Charlotte. Open up now.
No, I don't fuck with that shit
anymore, Nathan, okay?
I've moved on.
I'm just looking to do the same.
[Charlotte] Well, good for you,
but I don't
fucking owe you anything.
You owe Nick.
Fucking asshole.
On my fucking doorstep--
Come on, come on, Polly.
[Charlotte] I'm not
taking her, Nathan.
[Nathan] I'm not asking you to.
[Charlotte] Then what the fuck
are you doing here?
-[Nathan] I don't know.
-[Charlotte] Huh?
Where are you gonna go?
[Nathan] I don't know. Mexico.
But I really need a friend
right now, Charlotte.
[Charlotte] No, Nathan.
We're not friends anymore.
[Nathan] Look at her.
Look at her!
She's ten years old.
Yeah, I fucking know. Okay?
Everybody is looking for you.
It's really fucking bad.
What did you do?
[Nathan] It doesn't matter.
I was getting out. I wanted out.
I earned my freedom.
[Charlotte] By killing his OG.
They put a green light
on you, Nate,
and it came from the very top.
They're coming for her,
so I really hope
your freedom was worth it.
Look, I'm really, really sorry
that Nick caught all of us
up in this.
That is on him.
That's not on me.
I'm not getting involved again.
-You already are.
-No.
I'm sorry to have to tell you,
you're already involved.
We're still here and Nick isn't.
He is gone.
You owe him. He protected you.
[Charlotte] I don't
owe shit to anybody,
especially not Nick, okay?
You're in this fucking mess
because of him.
[Nathan] Look.
All I have is gate money.
I need run money.
And I'll be gone.
[Charlotte] Okay.
How much are you talking about?
[Nathan] I don't know, like...
two grand, maybe?
[Charlotte] You know
that I don't have that.
Well, can you get it?
I don't know, okay?
Maybe if I make a few calls
or something.
You can stay for one night.
One night.
And I really mean that
this time.
[Nathan] Hey.
Charlotte says we can crash here
while she gets what we need.
You should thank her.
I'm gonna go ditch our car.
[Charlotte] I don't have
too many pillows, but...
I got some towels.
Wanna roll them up?
What you working on?
Homework.
Teacher's pet, huh?
I was, too, believe it or not.
[chuckles]
How do you know my dad?
That's a story.
Maybe not one for kids.
I sorta knew his brother better.
Overall.
Uncle Nick?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's him.
Is he dead, too?
Like my mom.
Honey...
What?
Oh.
Nothing, I'm just...
I'm sorry about all that.
I bet you loved her
bunches, huh?
Your daddy did, too.
Don't ask me how I know.
[chuckles]
I just know.
Didn't my dad love you
more, though?
[melancholy music]
I don't know about that.
It hurts to lose people.
What can you do though, right?
You just kinda gotta hug tighter
to the ones you got.
Hey, don't stand there
in the doorway like that, dummy.
You'll let the moths in.
Can you get off
of her bed, please?
Excuse me.
You're excused.
[office phones ringing]
[Park] Hey, Jimmy.
-You done eating?
-No. Why?
Oh... fuck, man.
-What the fuck?
-[Park laughs]
That's Chuck Hollington.
Steel's top of the heap
on the inside.
And here I thought
we were looking
for our ex-hubby,
Nathan McClusky.
Who do you think
turned Chuck here
into a lawn sprinkler?
You got proof? Witnesses?
Fuck, no. I got a feeling.
This shit happened two weeks
before McClusky was released.
Guard says he was on the outs
with the Blue Bolts.
This could be why
they want him dead.
It's a green light.
So?
So...
Aryan Steel.
Odin's Bastards.
Half the goddamn
peckerwood nation.
You know
who's keeping them flush.
You know who calls
the green light.
And I leave it
the hell alone, John.
We find McClusky.
That's the job.
And we'll do it,
but once we do...
Maybe we could use him.
If he's really soured
with the... the white boys.
Use him for what, John?
Testimony?
Maybe.
This is a double homicide.
This is a kidnapping.
This is not
part of your crusade.
My crusade?
The biggest fucking meth lab
in the Southwest,
in our backyard.
Slabtown's way above
our pay grade.
That why you do this,
Jimmy, the pay?
Well, we can't all
get off on it, John.
Fuck you.
Man, fuck you.
I got a family.
You're scared of him.
The God of Slabtown.
[scoffs]
Oh, you're goddamn right I am.
Everyone should be.
He's untouchable. You know that.
Nobody's untouchable.
All it took was a horse
to bring down Troy.
-Empires fall all the time.
-[stammers]
But what happens when they do?
What's the fallout, John?
I love you. I love you.
But I'm not...
I'm not looking to reap
any whirlwinds together.
Drop it.
Who's the County Sheriff
out in McKinley?
Sheriff Houser.
Maybe he'll have some leads.
Well, don't count on it.
It's all reservation land
over there.
He can't look into shit.
Well, if a storm's brewing,
we should at least let him know.
[pensive music]
Where do you get
your clothes from?
-My clothes?
-Mm-hmm.
I don't know,
kinda all over the place.
Hey, I love your hair.
My dad did it.
He missed a spot back there.
[Polly laughs]
That one's really long.
Look at that!
-[laughs]
-[car approaching]
-You look like Alfalfa.
-[laughs]
What you doing?
You'll get your hands too dirty.
[engine shuts off]
That's good.
Stack 'em.
Otherwise, we're not gonna
be able to eat.
Oh, shit.
That looks just fantastic.
-[Charlotte] Hey.
-Hey.
This is my friend Felix, Polly.
Hey, Polly. Hey, Char.
-Hi.
-Good to see you.
I gotta ask,
what are you two ladies doing
having a barbecue
at 9:30 in the morning, huh?
-Stove's broken.
-Stove's broken?
You know the best way
to fix a broken stove?
-Pay the gas bill.
-[chuckles]
You see, Char?
These are the things that happen
when I'm not around.
Hey, Polly.
Come on.
That's a good handshake.
[tense music]
Real good. Right?
[sniffs] So, uh...
What do you say
we get a little breakfast
in our tummies. Yeah?
[lighter flicks]
[whispers] He's inside.
I'll be right back.
Polly.
I'll be right back.
[Charlotte] Felix?
[shower running]
[Felix] Why you, uh...
why you hiding from me?
-[door slams]
-[lock clicks]
[knocking]
[Charlotte] Polly.
We were having so much fun.
[chuckles]
[whispers] Charlotte.
[Charlotte] Polly, come on.
We can play hide-and-seek later.
[knocking]
Charlotte, I'm giving you
to the count of fucking three.
No. Come on.
Just give me
a fucking second, okay?
Polly, come on!
No, no. Felix!
-Hey!
-[grunting]
-[Charlotte shouting]
-Dad! Dad!
[screams] Dad!
Blue tattoos! Blue tattoos!
[Polly screams]
[grunting]
[yelling]
Polly, get out!
Polly, get out!
[Charlotte] Polly!
[grunting continues]
Felix!
[Felix screams]
[Charlotte] What the fuck,
Nate?! What the fuck?!
What the fuck, Charlotte?!
Fuck you!
What's he doing here, huh?!
What the fuck
do you think he's doing?!
He's bringing the fucking money
-you asked for!
-Bullshit.
Bullshit!
What are you barging in here
for, then, huh?!
Chasing my kid?!
-Huh?!
-He called, okay?
What the fuck
was I supposed to do?!
Everybody is looking for you!
He said that there'd be trouble
if I didn't!
I can't choose sides in this!
You just did.
Hey, hey. Polly.
Stay here, okay?
It's gonna be all right.
Get up!
[grunting]
-[panting]
-[coughing]
Call it off.
Call off the green light.
I can't do that, man.
Yeah, but you know who can,
and you're gonna talk to him.
Oh, the fuck I am.
[coughing]
Fine.
If you're too afraid
to tell him, I will.
My brother was one of his guys.
He was a foot soldier, man,
and now he's dead.
And you ain't even Steel.
An eye for an eye, Nate.
You know what green light means.
You picked a fight
you can't ever win.
You had your chance
and you said fuck that.
Look at me! Look at me!
This ain't about you and me.
He put a green light on a kid.
Are you cool with that?
You know what they call him.
Say it.
No.
You know it.
Say it.
The God of Slabtown.
That's right.
Yeah, well...
Too bad Slabtown's not real.
[Felix] Oh, it's real.
Oh, I seen it. It's real.
My own two fucking eyes,
I seen it.
What do you see?
The name is no joke.
Except he's not a God.
He's a fucking devil.
And he's got eyes
and ears everywhere.
And the devil don't change
his fucking mind.
There's a reason
they won't touch him, man.
Green lights stay green, so...
it would be best to just
take care of her yourself
and make it quick
before he does.
What?
I'm sorry, man.
Where the fuck you going?
Well, if we can't tell him
to call it off, Felix,
I guess we're gonna
have to show him.
Hey, hey, come on! Come on!
Come on, man. Come on! Come on!
We're gonna show
the God of Slabtown
what happens to
every Blue Bolt piece of shit
-he sends my way.
-Come on, man. Come on!
-[skin sizzling]
-[Felix screaming]
I said stay inside.
[pensive music]
[Nathan] Twenty-five, maybe,
to the gallon.
One, two, three,
four, five, six.
Can we talk about Charlotte's?
Uh...
Guys like Felix,
they don't respect you
unless they're scared of you.
So, I had to be scary.
Five...
That's not what I meant.
Polly...
Polly, I'm doing math here.
There's $91.
Gas is three dollars a gallon.
We have enough for 30 gallons.
So...
if the car gets 25 miles
per gallon, that's...
We times the 25 by 30.
Zero. Zero. Zero.
Fifty.
Seven.
750 miles.
Not counting food or hotels.
Thank you.
I mean I wanna talk about
what Charlotte said last night.
I thought you only loved Mom.
I did.
But it's been a long time
since she loved me back.
A really long time.
She loved what's-his-name?
His name was Tom.
He was nice.
I don't doubt it.
Charlotte's nice, too.
Polly...
She nearly got us killed.
She felt bad about it.
I think she loves you back.
That's her problem.
From now on, we're on our own.
Love's not a problem.
Sometimes it is.
Trust me, that woman has got
no business loving me.
Why?
Because I don't deserve it.
Okay?
What, is that
what you wanna hear?
All right, let me try
this math again.
[gentle music]
Yeah, we are fucked.
[both laugh]
All right, so I have one idea.
But it's not gonna be easy.
And you're gonna
have to do as I say.
[engine idling]
Are you good?
Yeah.
Good.
This will only take a second.
Can I help?
No.
Stay here.
Keep the engine on.
Keep the doors locked.
Be happy.
Got it.
-[doors lock]
-Yeah.
That's it.
Okay.
You want some candy?
Some chips?
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
-Mm-hmm.
-What?
Potato chips?
I mean...
do they have sour...
Wait... what about Snickers?
Okay.
All right. Here he goes.
Wait here.
Keep the doors locked.
Be ready.
Okay.
[doors unlock]
You wanted a Mars, right?
I said I want a Snickers.
["Underworld"
by denver luna plays]
[bells jingle]
Empty the register.
Empty the fucking register!
Quickly!
[register beeps]
-All of it.
-[register opens]
I'm watching you.
I'm fucking watching you!
[Nathan shouting]
Take me to the moon
Moon in the water
Water in the waiting room
Satellite is coming
with a handgun
And the tube hole,
tube snake
Playgirl with a loophole
A wire hole...
-Fucking hurry up!
-[beeping]
What the fuck is that?
What the fuck was that?!
Blue and the blue
and the blue
And the red and silver
-[Nathan shouting]
-Siren, siren
The horn,
the velveteen is coming
The stonewashed jean man
Crack, fractures,
cream machine
He's dancing
with his ears on
Pierced he's coming, coming
Hissing, hissing piston
is spreading...
No.
No.
Coming is a claw,
is an animal...
Shit! Shit!
-Dad! Dad!
-[horn honking]
She-she said, silent,
silent
Beautiful shot another shot
And, and, and, and, and shot
and a laugh at me...
[panting]
Laugh at me in the morning
I'm an animal a horn
Horn but hit the siren
Sleeping girl, siren, siren
Kiss the animal,
the animal is...
[Nathan grunts]
Ah, fuck!
When the moon,
the moon will burst...
-No... [panting]
-[horn honks]
[tires screech]
Dad! Dad! Dad!
[tires squeal]
[Nathan groans]
Down in the tube hole,
the tube snake's coming
-[gunshot]
-[Polly screams]
The playgirl running
with a loophole, loophole
Wire in the hole
chains and weeds
-[gunshot]
-And trains and
Blue, blue, blue
and red and blue and red
And silver, silver, silver,
silver siren, siren...
[Polly screaming]
Come on, come on! Fucking...
[Polly screams]
[gunshots]
Open the door!
-[doors unlock]
-I opened the door!
Get down!
[gunshot]
[tires squeal]
Hang on! It's all right!
It's all right!
Get down! Get down!
[tires squeal]
[horn honks]
[horn honks]
-[tires squeal]
-[horn honking]
Whoo!
[chuckles]
You got it?
Yeah, I got it.
And I got this.
[tires squeal]
[sirens wailing]
Kiss, kiss the animal
The animal is coming,
telephone tomorrow
The moon, the moon,
the moon...
[engine revving]
Sh...
Seat belt, Polly.
Okay.
[engine revving]
Blanking the world out,
he's pierced
[siren wailing]
Hissing, piston is coming
spreading a claw, claw
Claw, don't forget
the law...
[siren wailing]
Keep it silent, silent,
beautiful in your head shot
Shot laughing...
[engines revving]
-[tires squealing]
-[horn honking]
[tires squealing]
We are running, we are
running, we are running...
[sirens wailing]
Kiss, kiss the animal,
telephone to, to, to tomorrow
You and me...
[engines revving]
Water in the waiting room
The satellite, satellite
with his handgun down
In the tube hole,
the tubes snake's coming...
[tires squealing]
Wire down in the hole
Chains and weeds and trains
And blue and blue and blue
and blue and blue
Hissing, piston is coming,
spreading a claw...
[engine revs]
Don't forget the law,
gun, gun, gun...
[panting]
Keep it silent, silent,
beautiful in your head shot
Shot laughing
A horn, a horn, a horn
hit the siren...
[tires squeal]
A sleeping girl kiss,
kiss the animal
Telephone to, to,
to tomorrow...
[tires squeal]
Down in the water,
water in the waiting room
The satellite, satellite
with his handgun down
In the tube hole...
Whoo!
[laughing]
Oh, my God!
[both laughing]
[groans]
Weeds and trains
and blue and blue...
[groaning]
That guy shot you.
Ah... shit.
Yeah. Yeah.
He... he did a... a little.
You're not okay.
Maybe.
No, um...
I might need your help.
Let's find somewhere
to pull over.
I look
I saw me in my reflection
Flection, flection
Flection, inflection,
connection
Look at my T-shirt
See Mickey's face
in the window
The glass
The two of us listening
To the soft tones
Watch the man
in the stonewashed jeans
[door opens]
Lock the door. Lock the door.
Ow. [groans]
-[muttering]
-You okay?
Mm-hmm. Okay.
Yeah. Shoes.
-Get my shoes.
-Okay.
[pained grunting]
Ah... whoo.
Okay.
Okay, just don't worry about me.
Just go for it.
One quick yank. Yeah?
You remember
when I pulled your tooth?
Not really.
Well, you...
you were kinda small.
The point is
I told you to be brave, and...
you were-- [screams]
Fuck yeah!
[laughing in pain]
-[chuckles]
-Okay.
All right, good girl.
[exhales]
Ah. Ah! [groans]
-Need help?
-No.
[head thuds]
Oh, God.
Yeah. That's, uh...
smells rusty, right?
It smells hot.
Yeah, well...
I can tell you,
it doesn't feel good either.
Get the peroxide.
[Nathan groans]
[exhaling in pain]
That's enough, that's enough.
What about the bullet?
[Nathan] What about it?
What about it?
Don't we have to get it out?
It's done all the bad
it's gonna do.
We'll just leave 'em in there.
Okay. Get me a towel.
Yeah.
-Yeah. Okay.
-Here.
Hey.
You know...
this is my first time
in a church in...
Hell, I don't know how long.
What about you?
Me, too.
Yeah?
Your mom never took you?
Not really.
But this one time
in first grade...
...Mrs. Gonzalez tried to
make us draw a picture
of our family at Christmastime.
Yeah?
I didn't want to.
Why not?
Just didn't.
So I told her I was Jewish.
[both laugh]
She made you do it anyway,
didn't she?
-[groans]
-Do you need--
I got it, I got it,
I got it, I got it.
Nah.
-She called Mom, though.
-Uh-huh.
And Mom took me.
Okay. I need that.
Took you where?
To temple.
Your mom did?
She said if I wanted
to be Jewish, I could be.
[both laughing]
[gentle music]
-Okay.
-Okay.
All right, okay. Okay.
[Polly] Okay.
Here, can you hold that?
-[Nathan] Yeah.
-[Polly] Okay, okay.
Breathe.
Focus on breathing.
It's okay.
They had this old book
they read from.
And it was...
boring like normal church, so...
I decided I wasn't Jewish.
I wasn't anything.
Yeah, I'm not anything either.
Okay, that's good.
[Nathan sighing]
I got you new clothes.
I don't know if this is
your size, but...
I tried.
Oh, yeah?
Do you like it?
Wolves?
Yeah, why not?
You should get changed.
Yeah, gimme a second.
I got a bullet in my leg.
[traffic passing in distance]
[police radio chatter]
[Polly gasps]
Oh, fuck.
Polly.
Oh, shit.
Polly?
We've been looking everywhere
for you, Polly.
[tense music]
Do you know
what your daddy's done?
Trust me, you don't wanna be
in any more trouble
than you already are.
[thud]
-[bone snaps]
-[man screams]
[grunting]
You traitor piece of shit!
This is Steel country!
-We're everywhere!
-[coughing]
It's over.
[groaning]
[metal thudding]
[gunshot]
Polly. Wait.
Stop.
Give me the gun.
[softly] No.
Give me the gun.
[breath trembling]
It's okay. It's okay.
Look at me.
It's okay.
You go inside.
I'm gonna talk to him, okay?
Go inside.
It's okay. I'm coming.
Go, Polly.
[pensive music]
[groans]
[door closes]
What'd he say?
He, uh...
He, uh...
He said he was sorry.
Then he took off running.
We should go now.
Okay?
Okay.
Hey.
I don't make promises anymore
'cause I'm no good
at keeping 'em.
But I gotta tell you.
I wanna tell you.
I don't ever wanna see you
pull a trigger again.
You understand?
-Okay.
-No.
It's not okay.
Do you understand?
You understand why?
You let me do that
if it comes to it, okay?
That's what I do.
That's what I'm for.
[sniffles]
[both crying]
-I'm sorry.
-Shh.
You're a good thing.
You're a good thing, Polly.
And I...
[both crying]
I don't like seeing
good things get ruined.
Okay? Okay.
It's okay.
Okay.
Come on, Polly. We gotta go.
We gotta get far away
from this place. Come on.
Come on.
-Come on!
-[door opens]
[door closes]
[tense music]
[phone dialing]
[Park] Sheriff Houser.
Uh, this is
Detective Park again.
Out of Santa Fe PD.
Just wanted to follow up
on Nathan McClusky.
Wondered if he and his daughter
had been
spotted in your neck
of the woods.
No, sir.
No sign of your fellow up here.
I am actually poking around
this so-called Slabtown,
at your request.
Can't see hide nor hair.
Maybe you're chasing
a ghost, huh?
Can I assist you with
anything else, Detective?
[Park] Yeah, one more thing.
There were shots fired
at a truck stop
bordering your jurisdiction,
not far at all from
where they dumped the car.
A witness report mentioned
an officer
was patrolling nearby,
maybe one of yours.
[metal scrapes]
Yes, that was
one of my troopers on patrol.
We spoke this morning.
He didn't see anything
out of the ordinary,
just a couple of meth heads
didn't see eye to eye.
I will let you know
if it's otherwise.
[Park] All the same,
I'm coming up
to take a look myself.
Maybe afterwards
you can show me
around this Slabtown.
[Houser] Don't waste your time,
like I said.
If I find anything,
I'll give you a holler.
Your focus should be
on finding the little girl.
We prefer to do our own
police work around here,
Detective Park.
And we can handle
very dangerous situations.
Thanks for your concern.
Hey, Ruthie. John Park here.
Wanna put me through
to dispatch?
Thank you, dear.
Hi. Detective John Park.
I'm trying to track down
the location
of a certain cruiser,
not sure of the number.
Officer is Mitchell King.
[dramatic music]
[Polly] You need a rest?
[Nathan] I'll be all right.
Once we hit the road,
we can hitch a ride
to the border,
then we'll be safe.
Dad.
Polly, get down.
[gunshots]
Nathan McClusky,
put your gun down.
I'm Detective John Park.
I just came here to talk.
She will see the back
of your fucking head blow out.
Now put your fucking gun down.
Okay?
Just wanna talk.
For fuck's sake, I'm not Steel.
Yeah, no shit.
You don't look the part.
So, calm the fuck down.
Put the gun down. Okay?
This is a conversation
you're gonna wanna have.
What conversation is that?
Let's talk about how to call off
your green light.
I've seen
your arrest records, Nate.
Attempted robbery.
Intent to sell.
Street fighting.
But no domestic violence.
I suspect you know
where Polly goes to school.
Wouldn't need to...
wait around
at the scene of the crime
for her to get back.
They say you killed your ex.
He didn't.
Thank you.
I agree.
But what about
Chuck Hollington, Nate?
You know him?
All you white boys know
each other, right?
I'm not Steel either, asshole.
Wanna take these off now,
please?
But you sure look the part.
And you took what Steel offered,
protection on the inside.
Yeah.
I ain't judging, man.
These days, just staying alive
is an act of moral compromise.
I know you tried
to cut ties with them.
That's why your wife is dead.
'Cause Chuck Hollington is dead.
'Cause you tried to run from
something you can't run from.
Now here you are again.
What's the point of this?
He's not calling it off.
That's the point.
There's nowhere to run.
-Steel's got pockets all over--
-[Polly] Across the border.
[Park] What's that, hon?
Mexico.
Fresh start.
It's not just the skinheads
looking for you now.
-It's the cops.
-The cops already got us.
Hell, I ain't even read you
your rights yet.
I can take you in, sure, or...
Whew. I can take you
somewhere else.
The meth lab
to end all meth labs.
Slabtown.
You know where it is.
[pensive music]
You know where it is
and you haven't done anything?
It's Troy.
I need a horse.
You know who called open season
on you two?
He calls himself
the God of Slabtown.
But I think his real name...
...is Samuel Houser.
Sheriff Houser.
Out here, their law smiles
on dirty white boys,
'cause dirty white boys
are the law.
Now we know why.
I told you, pockets everywhere.
You ain't got the guts
to blow the whistle.
I could call it in, but...
I don't know
who he's got on payroll.
Under his thumb.
I stick my nose
in the wrong place,
that green light hits me.
I can't let that happen.
But you'll risk my life?
Is that it?
Nate, no offense,
but you did that yourself.
I'm just exploiting
the situation.
You know what happened
to the last guy
who tried who exploit me?
I'm not Chuck Hollington.
I'm not offering you
a life of indentured servitude.
I'm offering you what you want.
It just happens to align
with what I want.
There's no road outta here
that doesn't lead through him
sooner or later.
End Houser...
end your green light.
You walk away from that...
...you walk away.
I'll see to it.
What do you say?
Hey.
Can I have some more taco,
please?
[whispers] What do you think?
[wind whistling softly]
[dramatic music]
[dog barking]
[door opens]
[sighs]
Welcome to Slabtown.
Pinche bullshit fake-ass club.
You know who
you're fucking with?
Huh?
I'm with... [speaks Spanish]
We kick straight up to La eMe.
You don't steal from
the Mexican Mafia, fat ass!
You boys have gotta learn...
that this part of the desert,
it ain't for you.
No, no. Not to live in.
Not to cook in.
Not to distribute.
Hell, not even to mule through.
We both know that you...
have got balloons
of Tecate heroin
hitchhiking in your belly.
Listen.
Listen, man.
I know who you are.
Who you really are. I get it.
And that means we can cut
a deal, right?
Huh?
You trying to bribe a cop, son?
Come on, man.
If you're a cop,
then just take me to jail.
I'm gonna need you to open up.
I trust you know
not to bite down.
Come on.
Open up.
Open up.
Yeah, like a champ.
[man gags]
[vomiting]
Let's get it all out.
[gagging]
Come on.
Yeah.
[coughing]
Good, good, good.
Hmm.
I reckon the goods have
gone too far down the road
to come back.
Just like the rest of us.
But you've got a load in you
that's worth
more than your life.
It ain't even much, man.
I'm telling you.
[blade scrapes]
I'm gonna need to head it off
at the pass.
No, wait, wait, please, please.
I'm begging you, man!
I'm sorry, amigo.
But I got better things to do
than wait around
for you to take a shit.
-No, wait!
-Like you said...
[whimpering]
-...you know who I am.
-No, wait! Please!
-[shower running]
-[TV playing quietly]
[shower stops]
[Nathan] Polly, can you
bring me a towel, please?
Thank you.
Just give me a second.
We could run.
Not forever.
He's a bad cop.
That's sorta relative.
I know what blackmail is.
[TV clicks off]
We could turn him in.
Not without
turning ourselves in.
Besides, I don't see
what good that'd do.
Look...
I don't trust him.
Doesn't mean you can't.
He'll do right by you.
Like...
if anything happens.
What do you mean?
What do you mean,
"if anything happens"?
Look, Polly.
I don't wanna talk
about him, okay?
I wanna talk about you.
I don't know anything about you.
I don't know
what your favorite color is.
I don't know what you like
to do after school.
I don't know
who your friends are.
I don't know anything about you.
Tell me.
What do you wanna be
when you grow up? Huh?
Come on,
I should know this stuff.
I wanna know.
A marine biologist.
I'm being serious here. Come on.
Tell me.
Huh?
I don't know.
And I don't care, really.
[emotional music]
Growing up sucks.
I'm sorry.
A dancer, I guess.
Maybe I could be a dancer.
I bet you could.
I bet you will. [chuckles]
What did you wanna be?
Know something funny?
I never stopped to ask myself.
I was always too busy
putting one foot
in front of the other.
I just followed your Uncle Nick.
[sighs]
I would've followed him forever.
But you're smarter than that.
I love you.
And I love you.
Where'd you get the car?
[Park] This boring piece
of shit, it's all yours.
[chuckles] As soon as
the job's done.
The last crime
of Nathan McClusky.
Houser lives nearby.
He'll come on the run
if he thinks something's wrong.
All you got to do
is shake down a cook.
They'll know how to contact him.
If you ask nice.
You put me in a corner.
Yeah, I bet. I know.
And when you come back--
well, if you come back...
...you're gonna be Dave Rubin.
ID papers, a little bit of cash.
But it's gotta look good, yeah?
In-house fighting.
I was never here.
You call when it's finished.
And ditch the phone
when it's done.
And if I don't come back?
She's top priority, you know?
But fuck that,
you're coming back.
Keep her safe.
[chuckles]
Okay. You have my word.
Where will you go?
Put one foot
in front of the other.
You done good.
And she's safe.
[gentle music]
I want you to be brave.
And strong.
Can you do that for me?
Attagirl.
Come back fast.
Okay.
Promise?
Promise.
Okay. I have to go.
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
[emotional music]
You want some...
yellow number five or...
...yellow with some red 40?
Peanuts.
Chocolate.
Sugar.
This actually has
some protein in it.
Corn syrup. Awesome. Yep.
You'd think they'd be different,
the ingredients,
but it's the same.
[knocking]
[knocking]
[Jimmy] John. Open up. It's me.
[knocking]
[tense music]
What the hell
are you doing here?
Why you got a gun
in your hand, John?
'Cause I'm in the middle
of nowhere
doing something
nobody's supposed to know about
and I just got
an unexpected knock on my door.
You wanna put it down
so we can talk?
So you found McClusky?
[sighs]
Yeah.
How'd you find me?
Bugged my car? Tracked my phone?
No, the grapevine's
all you need.
People see, people talk.
And you're not exactly keeping
a low profile, John.
This is Steel country.
I'm sorry.
Never really took you
for a skinhead, Jim.
[chuckles] Oh, God.
Oh, you think I'm them?
Oh, please, man.
Fuck Houser. Fuck Aryan Steel.
Fuck these assholes.
What else was I supposed to do?
Right, someone offers you money,
you gotta take it.
-No.
-Right?
No.
But when a certain kinda person
with a certain kinda power
offers you money or else,
you don't refuse.
What do they have on you?
[scoffs]
[sniffs]
I turned my head.
More times than I care to admit.
You do that enough and, uh...
And eventually,
there's nowhere left to look.
I get it.
This is not personal, John.
It's not personal.
You're my partner.
I'm responsible for you.
And I told you to drop it.
Green light's on you now.
It's over.
Oh, this is... this is funny.
You know, your grapevine sucks.
[chuckles]
You think I'm out here
'cause I wanna be?
Huh? [stammers]
Don't fucking touch it.
Don't touch it, John.
I'm-I'm not.
[Park] What, you-you think
I'm risking my life
for some shithead crank runner?
You know, Houser wants him,
I delivered.
-Bullshit.
-Yeah. Go call him.
-Call him. See.
-Back the fuck up, John.
Back up.
McClusky's headed there
right now
because I sent him.
[laughs]
Are you trying to play me, John?
Are you trying to take a gamble?
What if I did bug your car, huh?
What... what if I heard
everything that you said
for the last 24 hours, John?
Then you'd know
I said what I had to
to get what I want.
You're fucked, John.
Forget it.
McClusky, too.
They know he's coming.
[yelps]
[gunshots]
[grunting]
[gunshots]
[panting]
[grunts]
-[gunshots]
-[Polly crying]
[man grunts]
-[loud thud]
-[gunshots stop]
[breathing shakily]
[slow footsteps]
Come on, let's go.
[wind blowing softly]
[ominous music]
[dramatic music]
[man in distance] There he is!
-[panting]
-[men clamoring]
[dramatic music intensifies]
[man shouting]
[man shouting]
[man] Get on the other side.
[Houser] Nathan McClusky.
Heard you been looking for me.
Is this kismet or what?
You're surrounded, son.
Don't make this hard.
[tense music]
[door opens]
[gunshots]
[man shouting]
[man] Fire!
[rapid gunfire]
[intense music]
[muffled, distorted chatter]
What do you think?
Oh, he's almost out.
Oh, no.
Not yet.
[panting]
[Houser] Don't get me wrong.
You are gonna die here
in this room.
I won't do you the disrespect
to tell you different, but...
I say when.
And I say how.
I say easy or I say hard.
That all depends on
how much you tell me
about Detective Park.
What he knows.
Who he's talked to.
I don't know. I don't know.
Maybe your, uh...
daughter knows, huh?
Maybe you don't help me out...
...I'll string her up here next.
She'll be miles away by now.
She's miles away.
You think so?
'Cause I think
she'll come when I call her.
I think she's a dog
just like all the rest.
Like you.
Like them.
See, dogs run wild
when you're not looking.
They lick the hands
of the strong.
They snap at the weak.
They destroy
because they're bored.
They hump what they can.
They eat and drink what they can
even if they sick it up after.
But...
they give love
to those who show love to them,
even if the giver is no good,
rotten and mean.
They are disgusting creatures
with one saving grace.
-Loyalty.
-[groans]
Now, the Steels
have given you and yours
everything.
Where is your loyalty, Nathan?
I'll ask you again.
You.
The Oriental.
Your little girl.
Who else?
Who else knows about it, huh?
What were your plans?
To kill you.
Hmm?
I'm gonna fucking kill you.
[laughs]
[laughing]
No, no, I don't think so.
You can't kill God, Nathan.
Yes, you can.
You just gotta stop believing.
[laughs]
[dog barking outside]
[siren whooping in distance]
-[dog barking]
-[men shouting]
[man in distance] Get him!
[dog continues barking]
Motherfucker.
[chuckling]
[suspenseful music]
Stay down. Don't move.
[over bullhorn] Samuel Houser.
Put your weapons down.
Come on out.
You're under arrest.
[urgent chatter]
[suspenseful music intensifies]
-[rapid gunfire]
-[men shouting]
[grunts]
Come on, let's go!
Go!
[music intensifies]
[shouting and gunfire continue]
[shouting and gunfire continue]
Go, go, go!
[man shouting]
[shouting]
[triumphant music]
[panting]
[explosion]
[barking]
[barking continues]
[gentle music]
[triumphant music]
[snarling]
[barking]
[snarling]
[tense music]
[shouting continues]
[dog barking outside]
[suspenseful music]
Dad?
Dad?
Dad!
Polly?
Why are you here?
-[metal clangs]
-[Nathan grunts]
Dad?
Dad, it's time to go.
The cops tried to take you away.
We have to go.
The door's right over there.
Let's go.
Come on.
Everything's okay.
Let's just go.
Dad! Over here!
Come on! Let's go!
[Polly grunts, screams]
[gunfire continues in distance]
[grunts]
-[yells]
-[grunts]
[screams]
No!
[Polly crying]
[screams] Daddy!
[Park over bullhorn]
Samuel Houser, come on out.
[Polly] Daddy!
-[Houser] Come on.
-[Polly] Daddy!
-Come on, little fighter, huh?
-Daddy!
[Polly screams]
[grunts]
[Houser] Lower your weapons.
Fuck!
Polly!
-[Polly screaming]
-Lower your weapons
or I shoot her in the head!
I swear to God!
-Back down!
-Sam, put the gun down!
Put the goddamn gun down!
-Lower your weapons, goddamn it!
-Let the girl go!
Lower them!
[tense music]
Stand down!
I'm putting the gun down.
Just... let's talk, okay?
[Houser] You back outta here.
And I'll drop her at the border.
You know we can't do that, Sam.
Don't you see?
You can't kill me!
I am a God of many men.
Men for eyes.
Men for hands.
Men for blood.
Forever Steel.
Steel forever!
[screams]
Go, go, go!
Polly, turn around!
Turn around.
[emotional music]
[gunshots echoing]
[gentle music]
[Park] Ready?
-Maya.
-[Maya] John. Hi.
-How are you today?
-[Park] I'm good, I'm good.
-Thanks.
-[Maya] Good.
How is she doing?
[Park] Real good.
Yeah.
-[Maya] Nice to see you.
-[Park] Thank you.
[Maya] Hi.
[Park] Polly, this is Maya.
Maya, this is Polly.
[Maya] Nice to meet you, Polly.
Hi.
Could I get a hug?
Sure? Yeah.
[chuckles] Oh, welcome.
Oh.
Come in.
We are so grateful to have you
join our family, Polly.
Now, a lot of people
will say things like,
"This is my foster brother,"
or, "This is my foster sister."
We don't use those terms
in this house.
These are your brothers
and your sisters.
We're family.
Okay.
Well, I'm gonna take your bags
to your room.
Why don't you get settled in.
It's almost meal time.
Here, let me grab
your coat, honey.
-I'll take that, John.
-Oh, thanks.
Yeah. Of course.
You need anything,
you call me, okay?
Thanks, Maya.
[Maya] Of course.
We'll see you later, John.
[door closes]
["Leave a Trace"
by CHVRCHES plays]
All right.
Come on, come on.
Hey, kids. Come say hi to Polly.
[children] Hi, Polly.
Let's make her feel
at home, okay?
[children laughing
and chattering playfully]
[girl] Can you dance?
Come on. This one's easy.
[girl 2] What song
are we gonna do next?
[girl 3] Maybe this one.
["Clearest Blue"
by CHVRCHES plays]
Light
Is all over us
Like it always was...
Do you wanna do the first move?
Shaped
By the clearest blue...
The first move would be...
...kinda split your legs apart
and go like this
at the same time.
If ever I try to push away
You can just keep me there
So please say you'll
meet me
Then repeat it.
Meet me halfway
Can you do that?
Tied
To the shifting ground
Like I always was
Like I always was
You
Were the perfect storm
But it's not enough
It's not enough
Not enough, not enough
Just another time
that I go down
But you are keeping up
Holding to a hope
you'll undermine
Never to be reversed
Just another time
I'm caught inside
Every open eye
Holding on tightly
to the sides
Never quite learning why
Whenever I feel
it coming on
You can be well aware
If ever I try to push away
You can just keep me,
tell me
Tell me, tell me
you'll meet me
Tell me,
tell me you'll keep me
Tell me, tell me
you'll meet me
Will you meet me
more than halfway up?
Shaped
By
Clearest blue
Shaped
By
Clearest blue
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
[pensive music]
[music fades]
[wind blowing softly]
[girl] The bad man lived
in a world with no night.
He was, to his own mind...
a God.
But he was a God
made of other men.
[gentle music]
He had men for a mouth.
He had men for hands.
He had men for eyes.
He had men for blood.
[ominous music]
Forever Steel.
Steel forever.
[school bell rings]
[children chattering]
[pensive music]
[woman] Hey.
Sorry I'm late.
All right. [grunts]
All right.
Let's get you in the car.
[pensive music]
[humming]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[woman] You waiting
on someone, hon?
Oh. My mom.
Do you wanna go inside
and call her?
[hesitates] No.
She's... she's just
a little late sometimes.
Okay.
[footsteps departing]
[ominous music]
[dog barking in distance]
[car approaching]
[tires squeal]
[man] Hey!
You okay?
Can you come over here?
That's it. Come on.
I just need to talk to you
for a second.
Hey.
Where's my mom?
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
Surprise.
Are you allowed to be here?
Yeah, I'm out. I got out, so...
Come on, we gotta go. Let's go.
Get in the car.
Hey, Polly...
Get in the car.
Let's go.
That's it. Come on.
In the car, in the car.
Let's go, let's go,
let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
That's it, that's it.
That's broken.
This is as good as I could
afford right now, so...
So, you hungry?
Huh?
Well, I'm starving.
Gotta be a Blake's
or a McDonald's or--
Did you hurt Mom?
No.
But something's happened.
No.
Everything's fine.
You know, you're safe.
I'm not...
I'm not a...
...a monster.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
-What have you done with Mom?
-[shushes]
[police radio chatter]
Hey. Hey, hey.
-[doors lock]
-Polly.
Don't do that, Polly.
I told you once.
I haven't done anything.
Okay?
Okay?
[pensive music]
We gotta go.
That's my suitcase.
Is it?
And that's Tom's jacket.
You stole it from my house.
[trunk closes]
-Come on.
-[car door closes]
We got some walking to do.
-Where?
-Come on.
We gotta find a motel
and get some sleep.
Motels have parking lots,
too, you know.
And not as big as this one.
We got motels,
airport, interstate.
Anyone looking for me
might be looking for that car.
[Nathan] Just one room
for two people, please.
[manager] You guys
have a great night.
[Nathan] Uh-huh. Thanks.
Kid, you ready?
I'm still hungry.
Jesus Christ. Give it here.
-Can I have--
-There you go.
All right, come on.
-[TV] Our top story tonight.
-Polly, come on.
[TV] A quiet suburban
neighborhood is reeling...
Thank you.
[TV] ...from a shocking
double homicide.
[Nathan] Uh... yeah.
No, I know, I know.
Please, ma'am, please don't...
No, no, no, no, no, no!
Don't hang up.
Please, please!
[Nathan hangs up the phone]
Carla, hey! Hey, it's me.
Uh... it's Nathan. Nate.
Onion.
No. Yeah, yeah. I'm out.
Right. Yeah.
Listen, I, uh... no, no.
Wait, wait, wait.
I just need a second.
I just need a second.
Uh... look.
I don't feel good about it,
but I am...
Sour cream.
...calling in favors,
like, any I can get.
Do you still run with Scubby?
Come on.
-Barbecue.
-Ah, come on.
Please, please, please, please.
Don't make me beg here.
I gotta get going.
No, I get it. Yeah, sure.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. You, too.
[phone smashes]
It's funny how your friends
disappear when you need 'em.
Want a chip?
Close your eyes.
Eat it.
Guess the flavor.
Close your eyes.
Hmm.
It's barbecue.
Barbecue.
You got it right.
Let's just do it quickly,
get it over with.
You gotta trust me. Come on.
No. I don't...
I don't want you to.
Look, I-I promise,
it's gonna be fine.
Watch.
See? Look.
Gone.
I want bangs.
Yeah.
Not too long.
Make sure
it's not over the eyes.
Just to there.
Okay.
Have you done this before?
Yeah, thousands of times.
Let me see?
How much shorter
are you gonna go?
I don't know.
I'm feeling my way.
Let me see.
I look bad, don't I?
You never wrote to me.
You know, you could have.
I tried.
I'm not blaming you or nothing.
You've definitely
not done this before.
[chuckles]
Busted.
One.
Two.
-[Polly whimpers]
-Three.
[uplifting music]
[laughs]
All good? [laughs]
I love this!
It's a little shorter
than I expected,
but I love it.
-This is what I was going for.
-[laughs]
Put your hand here.
You swing with your whole body.
Whole body.
Not just your arms.
You feel that?
Yeah.
Your heel has to come
off of the floor.
That's where the power
comes from.
Off the floor, like mine.
You see mine?
-Like this?
-That's it.
Whole body.
Okay.
Show me again.
Am I gonna hit you?
No. It's fine.
Whole body.
Okay, now, the first thing
to remember.
You gotta hit him in the knee.
Hard as you can.
Right through
that son of a bitch. Okay?
That's gonna make him
bend over a little like this.
Then you hit him
on the back of the head.
Not the front.
Do you know why?
Come here.
Knock me on the front
of the head.
Like a door. Go on.
-Harder.
-Why?
Harder. See?
The front of the head is hard.
It's like a helmet.
You gotta hit him in the back.
You do that.
Hit him hard as you can.
And then you run.
I'm not very strong.
That's why we practice.
You gotta feel weak
to get strong.
Your Uncle Nick used to say it.
If you want your muscles
to get strong,
you gotta push 'em
until they're weak.
That's how life is.
You walk around all day
feeling strong,
you're probably not
getting any stronger.
So listen,
don't hide under the bed
or any of that stupid shit
because people know
to look under beds.
You just hit him
as hard as you can...
then you run.
I got it.
Especially--
If there's blue tattoos.
Blue lightning.
If you see blue lightning,
that means they've hurt people.
[exhales]
This is serious, Polly.
While I was inside,
I upset these guys,
and they're bad people,
they're dangerous.
Polly.
And if they've hurt people,
cracking their heads open
ain't a sin.
All right, I'm gonna show you.
Look.
Imagine they took your bear.
Imagine they took your bear
and they ripped his arm off.
Yeah?
Aim for the knee.
You put your whole body...
-[bat thuds]
-...into the swing.
Show me. Get angry.
Whole body.
-Don't touch my bear!
-Tell him!
-[Polly yells]
-Don't touch my bear!
Don't touch my bear!
-Don't touch my bear!
-I will kill you!
[TV] Woo-hoo!
You're my best friend, Orville!
Whatever!
[TV] Yeah. Excuse me.
What's your favorite
ice cream flavor?
Toilet water.
It hasn't been invented yet.
-[channel changes]
-[TV] Our top story tonight.
A quiet suburban neighborhood
is reeling
from a shocking double homicide
and the suspected abduction
of a nine-year-old girl.
Tom and Avis Huff were
discovered deceased
in their residence
on Hendricks Avenue
early this morning.
The prime suspect
and biological father,
Nathan McClusky,
was only released
from prison this morning
and has known ties
to Aryan Steel,
a violent street gang
whose manufacture
and distribution
of methamphetamine
has led to altercations
with local law enforcement
and rival gangs.
We don't know the whole story,
but we consider
Nathan McClusky to be
a dangerous individual.
This is, uh...
an active investigation.
Uh, we're limited
in the information
that we can provide
today. Okay?
But anyone with information
on the whereabouts
of Nathan McClusky
or Polly Huff can call
our hotline number.
(505) 555-1974.
Anytime.
Day or night.
[TV] Authorities have issued
an Amber Alert...
-Mommy.
-...for Polly Huff,
urging anyone with information
on her whereabouts
to come forward immediately.
The public is advised
to be on the lookout
for a young girl,
approximately four feet tall,
with long brown hair
and blue eyes.
The community remains on edge
as the search
-for Polly Huff intensifies...
-[door opens]
...and questions
surrounding the deaths
-of her parents persist.
-[door closes]
Hey.
Hey, there's nobody in there.
Nobody in there.
[bell dinging]
Sorry, man.
Dude.
Hey. There's nobody in here.
Just messing, sugar booger.
What do you need? Ice?
-A phone.
-A phone?
-What room are you in?
-I don't remember.
Are you here alone?
All right, then.
-What's the phone number?
-I can do it.
Excuse me.
Well, excuse the shit outta me.
[dialing]
[line ringing]
[man] Santa Fe
Police Department.
Hello?
Hello?
I saw my house on TV.
Can you repeat that, please?
It said to call this number
because you're looking for me.
Okay. And what's your name?
Polly.
Polly Huff?
Okay, Polly,
hold on a second. Okay?
We have someone
who wants to speak with you.
[call transfers]
[Park] Hey. Hi.
Uh, is this Polly?
Yes. Who's this?
Polly, it's good to meet you.
This is
Detective John Park speaking.
From the news?
Yeah, yeah. Uh...
I was hoping you would
see me on there.
Polly, is Nathan with you?
Not right now.
Are you hurt at all, Polly?
No.
He wouldn't hurt me.
Okay, listen carefully, Polly.
It's really important
you tell me exactly
where you're at.
We need to come get you
right away.
Can you help me?
[TV] The north central area
of the state,
and perhaps West I-40,
may be a little bit slick
and tricky.
Sunday also, I'm including some
snow showers for
the North Mountains.
[crying] I think
they murdered her.
Her and Tom.
Who-- who's they, Polly?
People with blue tattoos.
Polly.
They'll hurt him. Please.
-I...
-[man yelling in the distance]
I don't wanna be here anymore.
Polly.
Polly, you don't have to--
Stop saying my name!
It's all right.
Listen.
I'm gonna do what I can,
but we can do more
if we work together.
I could send someone
right now, Polly.
How'd that be?
Polly, you called me, remember?
You want my help.
[Nathan] Polly?
[Polly] The Monte Vista Motel.
[call ends]
Monte Vista Hotel!
What'd I say?
Huh?
I said, don't run off
like that, Polly,
or you'll make me upset!
[Polly crying]
Polly!
What the hell are you doing?
[crying] We have to go
right now.
Are you okay? What happened?
Huh? Polly?
Polly, talk to me!
[crying] Mommy.
Mommy!
[crying]
[sobs] Mommy!
Mommy! Mommy's gone!
Mommy!
You said everything was good!
Yeah, I know.
I know. I... I lied.
Nothing's good.
We-we have to go!
What'd you do?
-Polly!
-Grab your stuff!
-We have to go!
-What'd you do?
Please don't make me
tell you why! Please!
-[distant police sirens]
-Just go, grab your things!
What did you do?
[sirens wailing]
[tense music]
Hey.
Hey, no, no.
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
This way, this way. Come on.
This way. [shushes]
This way, this way.
[sirens fading]
[Polly crying]
I didn't give you a choice.
And I should have.
Here's the thing.
You know that bad man
I told you about?
At the motel?
He had people hurt your mom
because of me.
I couldn't save her.
I tried.
But I couldn't save her.
And I'm sorry
you had to find out like that.
Those men are coming for you,
and they wanna do
the same to you.
If you wanna go back
to that motel right now
and find that cop you called,
I'm not gonna stop you.
That is not my place to.
That's not my choice.
I can see that now.
It's your choice.
I wish it were a better one.
I get you don't... know me.
Not really.
But I promise...
I will never lie to you again.
I promise. Do you hear me?
Ever.
Is Mom really gone?
Her strength's in you now.
Can you be strong?
Like Mom?
Gotta feel weak to get strong.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's it.
Get up. Stand up.
Stand up.
Yeah. Here, show me
how you swing.
-Right here. Come on.
-[taps on window]
Okay. Right here.
Show me your best swing.
On three.
One.
Two.
Three.
[emotional music]
[woman] Coming.
[Nathan] Charlotte.
-You said she'd help.
-She will.
Hey, stop that.
Come on, Charlotte. Open up now.
No, I don't fuck with that shit
anymore, Nathan, okay?
I've moved on.
I'm just looking to do the same.
[Charlotte] Well, good for you,
but I don't
fucking owe you anything.
You owe Nick.
Fucking asshole.
On my fucking doorstep--
Come on, come on, Polly.
[Charlotte] I'm not
taking her, Nathan.
[Nathan] I'm not asking you to.
[Charlotte] Then what the fuck
are you doing here?
-[Nathan] I don't know.
-[Charlotte] Huh?
Where are you gonna go?
[Nathan] I don't know. Mexico.
But I really need a friend
right now, Charlotte.
[Charlotte] No, Nathan.
We're not friends anymore.
[Nathan] Look at her.
Look at her!
She's ten years old.
Yeah, I fucking know. Okay?
Everybody is looking for you.
It's really fucking bad.
What did you do?
[Nathan] It doesn't matter.
I was getting out. I wanted out.
I earned my freedom.
[Charlotte] By killing his OG.
They put a green light
on you, Nate,
and it came from the very top.
They're coming for her,
so I really hope
your freedom was worth it.
Look, I'm really, really sorry
that Nick caught all of us
up in this.
That is on him.
That's not on me.
I'm not getting involved again.
-You already are.
-No.
I'm sorry to have to tell you,
you're already involved.
We're still here and Nick isn't.
He is gone.
You owe him. He protected you.
[Charlotte] I don't
owe shit to anybody,
especially not Nick, okay?
You're in this fucking mess
because of him.
[Nathan] Look.
All I have is gate money.
I need run money.
And I'll be gone.
[Charlotte] Okay.
How much are you talking about?
[Nathan] I don't know, like...
two grand, maybe?
[Charlotte] You know
that I don't have that.
Well, can you get it?
I don't know, okay?
Maybe if I make a few calls
or something.
You can stay for one night.
One night.
And I really mean that
this time.
[Nathan] Hey.
Charlotte says we can crash here
while she gets what we need.
You should thank her.
I'm gonna go ditch our car.
[Charlotte] I don't have
too many pillows, but...
I got some towels.
Wanna roll them up?
What you working on?
Homework.
Teacher's pet, huh?
I was, too, believe it or not.
[chuckles]
How do you know my dad?
That's a story.
Maybe not one for kids.
I sorta knew his brother better.
Overall.
Uncle Nick?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's him.
Is he dead, too?
Like my mom.
Honey...
What?
Oh.
Nothing, I'm just...
I'm sorry about all that.
I bet you loved her
bunches, huh?
Your daddy did, too.
Don't ask me how I know.
[chuckles]
I just know.
Didn't my dad love you
more, though?
[melancholy music]
I don't know about that.
It hurts to lose people.
What can you do though, right?
You just kinda gotta hug tighter
to the ones you got.
Hey, don't stand there
in the doorway like that, dummy.
You'll let the moths in.
Can you get off
of her bed, please?
Excuse me.
You're excused.
[office phones ringing]
[Park] Hey, Jimmy.
-You done eating?
-No. Why?
Oh... fuck, man.
-What the fuck?
-[Park laughs]
That's Chuck Hollington.
Steel's top of the heap
on the inside.
And here I thought
we were looking
for our ex-hubby,
Nathan McClusky.
Who do you think
turned Chuck here
into a lawn sprinkler?
You got proof? Witnesses?
Fuck, no. I got a feeling.
This shit happened two weeks
before McClusky was released.
Guard says he was on the outs
with the Blue Bolts.
This could be why
they want him dead.
It's a green light.
So?
So...
Aryan Steel.
Odin's Bastards.
Half the goddamn
peckerwood nation.
You know
who's keeping them flush.
You know who calls
the green light.
And I leave it
the hell alone, John.
We find McClusky.
That's the job.
And we'll do it,
but once we do...
Maybe we could use him.
If he's really soured
with the... the white boys.
Use him for what, John?
Testimony?
Maybe.
This is a double homicide.
This is a kidnapping.
This is not
part of your crusade.
My crusade?
The biggest fucking meth lab
in the Southwest,
in our backyard.
Slabtown's way above
our pay grade.
That why you do this,
Jimmy, the pay?
Well, we can't all
get off on it, John.
Fuck you.
Man, fuck you.
I got a family.
You're scared of him.
The God of Slabtown.
[scoffs]
Oh, you're goddamn right I am.
Everyone should be.
He's untouchable. You know that.
Nobody's untouchable.
All it took was a horse
to bring down Troy.
-Empires fall all the time.
-[stammers]
But what happens when they do?
What's the fallout, John?
I love you. I love you.
But I'm not...
I'm not looking to reap
any whirlwinds together.
Drop it.
Who's the County Sheriff
out in McKinley?
Sheriff Houser.
Maybe he'll have some leads.
Well, don't count on it.
It's all reservation land
over there.
He can't look into shit.
Well, if a storm's brewing,
we should at least let him know.
[pensive music]
Where do you get
your clothes from?
-My clothes?
-Mm-hmm.
I don't know,
kinda all over the place.
Hey, I love your hair.
My dad did it.
He missed a spot back there.
[Polly laughs]
That one's really long.
Look at that!
-[laughs]
-[car approaching]
-You look like Alfalfa.
-[laughs]
What you doing?
You'll get your hands too dirty.
[engine shuts off]
That's good.
Stack 'em.
Otherwise, we're not gonna
be able to eat.
Oh, shit.
That looks just fantastic.
-[Charlotte] Hey.
-Hey.
This is my friend Felix, Polly.
Hey, Polly. Hey, Char.
-Hi.
-Good to see you.
I gotta ask,
what are you two ladies doing
having a barbecue
at 9:30 in the morning, huh?
-Stove's broken.
-Stove's broken?
You know the best way
to fix a broken stove?
-Pay the gas bill.
-[chuckles]
You see, Char?
These are the things that happen
when I'm not around.
Hey, Polly.
Come on.
That's a good handshake.
[tense music]
Real good. Right?
[sniffs] So, uh...
What do you say
we get a little breakfast
in our tummies. Yeah?
[lighter flicks]
[whispers] He's inside.
I'll be right back.
Polly.
I'll be right back.
[Charlotte] Felix?
[shower running]
[Felix] Why you, uh...
why you hiding from me?
-[door slams]
-[lock clicks]
[knocking]
[Charlotte] Polly.
We were having so much fun.
[chuckles]
[whispers] Charlotte.
[Charlotte] Polly, come on.
We can play hide-and-seek later.
[knocking]
Charlotte, I'm giving you
to the count of fucking three.
No. Come on.
Just give me
a fucking second, okay?
Polly, come on!
No, no. Felix!
-Hey!
-[grunting]
-[Charlotte shouting]
-Dad! Dad!
[screams] Dad!
Blue tattoos! Blue tattoos!
[Polly screams]
[grunting]
[yelling]
Polly, get out!
Polly, get out!
[Charlotte] Polly!
[grunting continues]
Felix!
[Felix screams]
[Charlotte] What the fuck,
Nate?! What the fuck?!
What the fuck, Charlotte?!
Fuck you!
What's he doing here, huh?!
What the fuck
do you think he's doing?!
He's bringing the fucking money
-you asked for!
-Bullshit.
Bullshit!
What are you barging in here
for, then, huh?!
Chasing my kid?!
-Huh?!
-He called, okay?
What the fuck
was I supposed to do?!
Everybody is looking for you!
He said that there'd be trouble
if I didn't!
I can't choose sides in this!
You just did.
Hey, hey. Polly.
Stay here, okay?
It's gonna be all right.
Get up!
[grunting]
-[panting]
-[coughing]
Call it off.
Call off the green light.
I can't do that, man.
Yeah, but you know who can,
and you're gonna talk to him.
Oh, the fuck I am.
[coughing]
Fine.
If you're too afraid
to tell him, I will.
My brother was one of his guys.
He was a foot soldier, man,
and now he's dead.
And you ain't even Steel.
An eye for an eye, Nate.
You know what green light means.
You picked a fight
you can't ever win.
You had your chance
and you said fuck that.
Look at me! Look at me!
This ain't about you and me.
He put a green light on a kid.
Are you cool with that?
You know what they call him.
Say it.
No.
You know it.
Say it.
The God of Slabtown.
That's right.
Yeah, well...
Too bad Slabtown's not real.
[Felix] Oh, it's real.
Oh, I seen it. It's real.
My own two fucking eyes,
I seen it.
What do you see?
The name is no joke.
Except he's not a God.
He's a fucking devil.
And he's got eyes
and ears everywhere.
And the devil don't change
his fucking mind.
There's a reason
they won't touch him, man.
Green lights stay green, so...
it would be best to just
take care of her yourself
and make it quick
before he does.
What?
I'm sorry, man.
Where the fuck you going?
Well, if we can't tell him
to call it off, Felix,
I guess we're gonna
have to show him.
Hey, hey, come on! Come on!
Come on, man. Come on! Come on!
We're gonna show
the God of Slabtown
what happens to
every Blue Bolt piece of shit
-he sends my way.
-Come on, man. Come on!
-[skin sizzling]
-[Felix screaming]
I said stay inside.
[pensive music]
[Nathan] Twenty-five, maybe,
to the gallon.
One, two, three,
four, five, six.
Can we talk about Charlotte's?
Uh...
Guys like Felix,
they don't respect you
unless they're scared of you.
So, I had to be scary.
Five...
That's not what I meant.
Polly...
Polly, I'm doing math here.
There's $91.
Gas is three dollars a gallon.
We have enough for 30 gallons.
So...
if the car gets 25 miles
per gallon, that's...
We times the 25 by 30.
Zero. Zero. Zero.
Fifty.
Seven.
750 miles.
Not counting food or hotels.
Thank you.
I mean I wanna talk about
what Charlotte said last night.
I thought you only loved Mom.
I did.
But it's been a long time
since she loved me back.
A really long time.
She loved what's-his-name?
His name was Tom.
He was nice.
I don't doubt it.
Charlotte's nice, too.
Polly...
She nearly got us killed.
She felt bad about it.
I think she loves you back.
That's her problem.
From now on, we're on our own.
Love's not a problem.
Sometimes it is.
Trust me, that woman has got
no business loving me.
Why?
Because I don't deserve it.
Okay?
What, is that
what you wanna hear?
All right, let me try
this math again.
[gentle music]
Yeah, we are fucked.
[both laugh]
All right, so I have one idea.
But it's not gonna be easy.
And you're gonna
have to do as I say.
[engine idling]
Are you good?
Yeah.
Good.
This will only take a second.
Can I help?
No.
Stay here.
Keep the engine on.
Keep the doors locked.
Be happy.
Got it.
-[doors lock]
-Yeah.
That's it.
Okay.
You want some candy?
Some chips?
-Yeah.
-Yeah?
-Mm-hmm.
-What?
Potato chips?
I mean...
do they have sour...
Wait... what about Snickers?
Okay.
All right. Here he goes.
Wait here.
Keep the doors locked.
Be ready.
Okay.
[doors unlock]
You wanted a Mars, right?
I said I want a Snickers.
["Underworld"
by denver luna plays]
[bells jingle]
Empty the register.
Empty the fucking register!
Quickly!
[register beeps]
-All of it.
-[register opens]
I'm watching you.
I'm fucking watching you!
[Nathan shouting]
Take me to the moon
Moon in the water
Water in the waiting room
Satellite is coming
with a handgun
And the tube hole,
tube snake
Playgirl with a loophole
A wire hole...
-Fucking hurry up!
-[beeping]
What the fuck is that?
What the fuck was that?!
Blue and the blue
and the blue
And the red and silver
-[Nathan shouting]
-Siren, siren
The horn,
the velveteen is coming
The stonewashed jean man
Crack, fractures,
cream machine
He's dancing
with his ears on
Pierced he's coming, coming
Hissing, hissing piston
is spreading...
No.
No.
Coming is a claw,
is an animal...
Shit! Shit!
-Dad! Dad!
-[horn honking]
She-she said, silent,
silent
Beautiful shot another shot
And, and, and, and, and shot
and a laugh at me...
[panting]
Laugh at me in the morning
I'm an animal a horn
Horn but hit the siren
Sleeping girl, siren, siren
Kiss the animal,
the animal is...
[Nathan grunts]
Ah, fuck!
When the moon,
the moon will burst...
-No... [panting]
-[horn honks]
[tires screech]
Dad! Dad! Dad!
[tires squeal]
[Nathan groans]
Down in the tube hole,
the tube snake's coming
-[gunshot]
-[Polly screams]
The playgirl running
with a loophole, loophole
Wire in the hole
chains and weeds
-[gunshot]
-And trains and
Blue, blue, blue
and red and blue and red
And silver, silver, silver,
silver siren, siren...
[Polly screaming]
Come on, come on! Fucking...
[Polly screams]
[gunshots]
Open the door!
-[doors unlock]
-I opened the door!
Get down!
[gunshot]
[tires squeal]
Hang on! It's all right!
It's all right!
Get down! Get down!
[tires squeal]
[horn honks]
[horn honks]
-[tires squeal]
-[horn honking]
Whoo!
[chuckles]
You got it?
Yeah, I got it.
And I got this.
[tires squeal]
[sirens wailing]
Kiss, kiss the animal
The animal is coming,
telephone tomorrow
The moon, the moon,
the moon...
[engine revving]
Sh...
Seat belt, Polly.
Okay.
[engine revving]
Blanking the world out,
he's pierced
[siren wailing]
Hissing, piston is coming
spreading a claw, claw
Claw, don't forget
the law...
[siren wailing]
Keep it silent, silent,
beautiful in your head shot
Shot laughing...
[engines revving]
-[tires squealing]
-[horn honking]
[tires squealing]
We are running, we are
running, we are running...
[sirens wailing]
Kiss, kiss the animal,
telephone to, to, to tomorrow
You and me...
[engines revving]
Water in the waiting room
The satellite, satellite
with his handgun down
In the tube hole,
the tubes snake's coming...
[tires squealing]
Wire down in the hole
Chains and weeds and trains
And blue and blue and blue
and blue and blue
Hissing, piston is coming,
spreading a claw...
[engine revs]
Don't forget the law,
gun, gun, gun...
[panting]
Keep it silent, silent,
beautiful in your head shot
Shot laughing
A horn, a horn, a horn
hit the siren...
[tires squeal]
A sleeping girl kiss,
kiss the animal
Telephone to, to,
to tomorrow...
[tires squeal]
Down in the water,
water in the waiting room
The satellite, satellite
with his handgun down
In the tube hole...
Whoo!
[laughing]
Oh, my God!
[both laughing]
[groans]
Weeds and trains
and blue and blue...
[groaning]
That guy shot you.
Ah... shit.
Yeah. Yeah.
He... he did a... a little.
You're not okay.
Maybe.
No, um...
I might need your help.
Let's find somewhere
to pull over.
I look
I saw me in my reflection
Flection, flection
Flection, inflection,
connection
Look at my T-shirt
See Mickey's face
in the window
The glass
The two of us listening
To the soft tones
Watch the man
in the stonewashed jeans
[door opens]
Lock the door. Lock the door.
Ow. [groans]
-[muttering]
-You okay?
Mm-hmm. Okay.
Yeah. Shoes.
-Get my shoes.
-Okay.
[pained grunting]
Ah... whoo.
Okay.
Okay, just don't worry about me.
Just go for it.
One quick yank. Yeah?
You remember
when I pulled your tooth?
Not really.
Well, you...
you were kinda small.
The point is
I told you to be brave, and...
you were-- [screams]
Fuck yeah!
[laughing in pain]
-[chuckles]
-Okay.
All right, good girl.
[exhales]
Ah. Ah! [groans]
-Need help?
-No.
[head thuds]
Oh, God.
Yeah. That's, uh...
smells rusty, right?
It smells hot.
Yeah, well...
I can tell you,
it doesn't feel good either.
Get the peroxide.
[Nathan groans]
[exhaling in pain]
That's enough, that's enough.
What about the bullet?
[Nathan] What about it?
What about it?
Don't we have to get it out?
It's done all the bad
it's gonna do.
We'll just leave 'em in there.
Okay. Get me a towel.
Yeah.
-Yeah. Okay.
-Here.
Hey.
You know...
this is my first time
in a church in...
Hell, I don't know how long.
What about you?
Me, too.
Yeah?
Your mom never took you?
Not really.
But this one time
in first grade...
...Mrs. Gonzalez tried to
make us draw a picture
of our family at Christmastime.
Yeah?
I didn't want to.
Why not?
Just didn't.
So I told her I was Jewish.
[both laugh]
She made you do it anyway,
didn't she?
-[groans]
-Do you need--
I got it, I got it,
I got it, I got it.
Nah.
-She called Mom, though.
-Uh-huh.
And Mom took me.
Okay. I need that.
Took you where?
To temple.
Your mom did?
She said if I wanted
to be Jewish, I could be.
[both laughing]
[gentle music]
-Okay.
-Okay.
All right, okay. Okay.
[Polly] Okay.
Here, can you hold that?
-[Nathan] Yeah.
-[Polly] Okay, okay.
Breathe.
Focus on breathing.
It's okay.
They had this old book
they read from.
And it was...
boring like normal church, so...
I decided I wasn't Jewish.
I wasn't anything.
Yeah, I'm not anything either.
Okay, that's good.
[Nathan sighing]
I got you new clothes.
I don't know if this is
your size, but...
I tried.
Oh, yeah?
Do you like it?
Wolves?
Yeah, why not?
You should get changed.
Yeah, gimme a second.
I got a bullet in my leg.
[traffic passing in distance]
[police radio chatter]
[Polly gasps]
Oh, fuck.
Polly.
Oh, shit.
Polly?
We've been looking everywhere
for you, Polly.
[tense music]
Do you know
what your daddy's done?
Trust me, you don't wanna be
in any more trouble
than you already are.
[thud]
-[bone snaps]
-[man screams]
[grunting]
You traitor piece of shit!
This is Steel country!
-We're everywhere!
-[coughing]
It's over.
[groaning]
[metal thudding]
[gunshot]
Polly. Wait.
Stop.
Give me the gun.
[softly] No.
Give me the gun.
[breath trembling]
It's okay. It's okay.
Look at me.
It's okay.
You go inside.
I'm gonna talk to him, okay?
Go inside.
It's okay. I'm coming.
Go, Polly.
[pensive music]
[groans]
[door closes]
What'd he say?
He, uh...
He, uh...
He said he was sorry.
Then he took off running.
We should go now.
Okay?
Okay.
Hey.
I don't make promises anymore
'cause I'm no good
at keeping 'em.
But I gotta tell you.
I wanna tell you.
I don't ever wanna see you
pull a trigger again.
You understand?
-Okay.
-No.
It's not okay.
Do you understand?
You understand why?
You let me do that
if it comes to it, okay?
That's what I do.
That's what I'm for.
[sniffles]
[both crying]
-I'm sorry.
-Shh.
You're a good thing.
You're a good thing, Polly.
And I...
[both crying]
I don't like seeing
good things get ruined.
Okay? Okay.
It's okay.
Okay.
Come on, Polly. We gotta go.
We gotta get far away
from this place. Come on.
Come on.
-Come on!
-[door opens]
[door closes]
[tense music]
[phone dialing]
[Park] Sheriff Houser.
Uh, this is
Detective Park again.
Out of Santa Fe PD.
Just wanted to follow up
on Nathan McClusky.
Wondered if he and his daughter
had been
spotted in your neck
of the woods.
No, sir.
No sign of your fellow up here.
I am actually poking around
this so-called Slabtown,
at your request.
Can't see hide nor hair.
Maybe you're chasing
a ghost, huh?
Can I assist you with
anything else, Detective?
[Park] Yeah, one more thing.
There were shots fired
at a truck stop
bordering your jurisdiction,
not far at all from
where they dumped the car.
A witness report mentioned
an officer
was patrolling nearby,
maybe one of yours.
[metal scrapes]
Yes, that was
one of my troopers on patrol.
We spoke this morning.
He didn't see anything
out of the ordinary,
just a couple of meth heads
didn't see eye to eye.
I will let you know
if it's otherwise.
[Park] All the same,
I'm coming up
to take a look myself.
Maybe afterwards
you can show me
around this Slabtown.
[Houser] Don't waste your time,
like I said.
If I find anything,
I'll give you a holler.
Your focus should be
on finding the little girl.
We prefer to do our own
police work around here,
Detective Park.
And we can handle
very dangerous situations.
Thanks for your concern.
Hey, Ruthie. John Park here.
Wanna put me through
to dispatch?
Thank you, dear.
Hi. Detective John Park.
I'm trying to track down
the location
of a certain cruiser,
not sure of the number.
Officer is Mitchell King.
[dramatic music]
[Polly] You need a rest?
[Nathan] I'll be all right.
Once we hit the road,
we can hitch a ride
to the border,
then we'll be safe.
Dad.
Polly, get down.
[gunshots]
Nathan McClusky,
put your gun down.
I'm Detective John Park.
I just came here to talk.
She will see the back
of your fucking head blow out.
Now put your fucking gun down.
Okay?
Just wanna talk.
For fuck's sake, I'm not Steel.
Yeah, no shit.
You don't look the part.
So, calm the fuck down.
Put the gun down. Okay?
This is a conversation
you're gonna wanna have.
What conversation is that?
Let's talk about how to call off
your green light.
I've seen
your arrest records, Nate.
Attempted robbery.
Intent to sell.
Street fighting.
But no domestic violence.
I suspect you know
where Polly goes to school.
Wouldn't need to...
wait around
at the scene of the crime
for her to get back.
They say you killed your ex.
He didn't.
Thank you.
I agree.
But what about
Chuck Hollington, Nate?
You know him?
All you white boys know
each other, right?
I'm not Steel either, asshole.
Wanna take these off now,
please?
But you sure look the part.
And you took what Steel offered,
protection on the inside.
Yeah.
I ain't judging, man.
These days, just staying alive
is an act of moral compromise.
I know you tried
to cut ties with them.
That's why your wife is dead.
'Cause Chuck Hollington is dead.
'Cause you tried to run from
something you can't run from.
Now here you are again.
What's the point of this?
He's not calling it off.
That's the point.
There's nowhere to run.
-Steel's got pockets all over--
-[Polly] Across the border.
[Park] What's that, hon?
Mexico.
Fresh start.
It's not just the skinheads
looking for you now.
-It's the cops.
-The cops already got us.
Hell, I ain't even read you
your rights yet.
I can take you in, sure, or...
Whew. I can take you
somewhere else.
The meth lab
to end all meth labs.
Slabtown.
You know where it is.
[pensive music]
You know where it is
and you haven't done anything?
It's Troy.
I need a horse.
You know who called open season
on you two?
He calls himself
the God of Slabtown.
But I think his real name...
...is Samuel Houser.
Sheriff Houser.
Out here, their law smiles
on dirty white boys,
'cause dirty white boys
are the law.
Now we know why.
I told you, pockets everywhere.
You ain't got the guts
to blow the whistle.
I could call it in, but...
I don't know
who he's got on payroll.
Under his thumb.
I stick my nose
in the wrong place,
that green light hits me.
I can't let that happen.
But you'll risk my life?
Is that it?
Nate, no offense,
but you did that yourself.
I'm just exploiting
the situation.
You know what happened
to the last guy
who tried who exploit me?
I'm not Chuck Hollington.
I'm not offering you
a life of indentured servitude.
I'm offering you what you want.
It just happens to align
with what I want.
There's no road outta here
that doesn't lead through him
sooner or later.
End Houser...
end your green light.
You walk away from that...
...you walk away.
I'll see to it.
What do you say?
Hey.
Can I have some more taco,
please?
[whispers] What do you think?
[wind whistling softly]
[dramatic music]
[dog barking]
[door opens]
[sighs]
Welcome to Slabtown.
Pinche bullshit fake-ass club.
You know who
you're fucking with?
Huh?
I'm with... [speaks Spanish]
We kick straight up to La eMe.
You don't steal from
the Mexican Mafia, fat ass!
You boys have gotta learn...
that this part of the desert,
it ain't for you.
No, no. Not to live in.
Not to cook in.
Not to distribute.
Hell, not even to mule through.
We both know that you...
have got balloons
of Tecate heroin
hitchhiking in your belly.
Listen.
Listen, man.
I know who you are.
Who you really are. I get it.
And that means we can cut
a deal, right?
Huh?
You trying to bribe a cop, son?
Come on, man.
If you're a cop,
then just take me to jail.
I'm gonna need you to open up.
I trust you know
not to bite down.
Come on.
Open up.
Open up.
Yeah, like a champ.
[man gags]
[vomiting]
Let's get it all out.
[gagging]
Come on.
Yeah.
[coughing]
Good, good, good.
Hmm.
I reckon the goods have
gone too far down the road
to come back.
Just like the rest of us.
But you've got a load in you
that's worth
more than your life.
It ain't even much, man.
I'm telling you.
[blade scrapes]
I'm gonna need to head it off
at the pass.
No, wait, wait, please, please.
I'm begging you, man!
I'm sorry, amigo.
But I got better things to do
than wait around
for you to take a shit.
-No, wait!
-Like you said...
[whimpering]
-...you know who I am.
-No, wait! Please!
-[shower running]
-[TV playing quietly]
[shower stops]
[Nathan] Polly, can you
bring me a towel, please?
Thank you.
Just give me a second.
We could run.
Not forever.
He's a bad cop.
That's sorta relative.
I know what blackmail is.
[TV clicks off]
We could turn him in.
Not without
turning ourselves in.
Besides, I don't see
what good that'd do.
Look...
I don't trust him.
Doesn't mean you can't.
He'll do right by you.
Like...
if anything happens.
What do you mean?
What do you mean,
"if anything happens"?
Look, Polly.
I don't wanna talk
about him, okay?
I wanna talk about you.
I don't know anything about you.
I don't know
what your favorite color is.
I don't know what you like
to do after school.
I don't know
who your friends are.
I don't know anything about you.
Tell me.
What do you wanna be
when you grow up? Huh?
Come on,
I should know this stuff.
I wanna know.
A marine biologist.
I'm being serious here. Come on.
Tell me.
Huh?
I don't know.
And I don't care, really.
[emotional music]
Growing up sucks.
I'm sorry.
A dancer, I guess.
Maybe I could be a dancer.
I bet you could.
I bet you will. [chuckles]
What did you wanna be?
Know something funny?
I never stopped to ask myself.
I was always too busy
putting one foot
in front of the other.
I just followed your Uncle Nick.
[sighs]
I would've followed him forever.
But you're smarter than that.
I love you.
And I love you.
Where'd you get the car?
[Park] This boring piece
of shit, it's all yours.
[chuckles] As soon as
the job's done.
The last crime
of Nathan McClusky.
Houser lives nearby.
He'll come on the run
if he thinks something's wrong.
All you got to do
is shake down a cook.
They'll know how to contact him.
If you ask nice.
You put me in a corner.
Yeah, I bet. I know.
And when you come back--
well, if you come back...
...you're gonna be Dave Rubin.
ID papers, a little bit of cash.
But it's gotta look good, yeah?
In-house fighting.
I was never here.
You call when it's finished.
And ditch the phone
when it's done.
And if I don't come back?
She's top priority, you know?
But fuck that,
you're coming back.
Keep her safe.
[chuckles]
Okay. You have my word.
Where will you go?
Put one foot
in front of the other.
You done good.
And she's safe.
[gentle music]
I want you to be brave.
And strong.
Can you do that for me?
Attagirl.
Come back fast.
Okay.
Promise?
Promise.
Okay. I have to go.
[car door opens]
[car door closes]
[emotional music]
You want some...
yellow number five or...
...yellow with some red 40?
Peanuts.
Chocolate.
Sugar.
This actually has
some protein in it.
Corn syrup. Awesome. Yep.
You'd think they'd be different,
the ingredients,
but it's the same.
[knocking]
[knocking]
[Jimmy] John. Open up. It's me.
[knocking]
[tense music]
What the hell
are you doing here?
Why you got a gun
in your hand, John?
'Cause I'm in the middle
of nowhere
doing something
nobody's supposed to know about
and I just got
an unexpected knock on my door.
You wanna put it down
so we can talk?
So you found McClusky?
[sighs]
Yeah.
How'd you find me?
Bugged my car? Tracked my phone?
No, the grapevine's
all you need.
People see, people talk.
And you're not exactly keeping
a low profile, John.
This is Steel country.
I'm sorry.
Never really took you
for a skinhead, Jim.
[chuckles] Oh, God.
Oh, you think I'm them?
Oh, please, man.
Fuck Houser. Fuck Aryan Steel.
Fuck these assholes.
What else was I supposed to do?
Right, someone offers you money,
you gotta take it.
-No.
-Right?
No.
But when a certain kinda person
with a certain kinda power
offers you money or else,
you don't refuse.
What do they have on you?
[scoffs]
[sniffs]
I turned my head.
More times than I care to admit.
You do that enough and, uh...
And eventually,
there's nowhere left to look.
I get it.
This is not personal, John.
It's not personal.
You're my partner.
I'm responsible for you.
And I told you to drop it.
Green light's on you now.
It's over.
Oh, this is... this is funny.
You know, your grapevine sucks.
[chuckles]
You think I'm out here
'cause I wanna be?
Huh? [stammers]
Don't fucking touch it.
Don't touch it, John.
I'm-I'm not.
[Park] What, you-you think
I'm risking my life
for some shithead crank runner?
You know, Houser wants him,
I delivered.
-Bullshit.
-Yeah. Go call him.
-Call him. See.
-Back the fuck up, John.
Back up.
McClusky's headed there
right now
because I sent him.
[laughs]
Are you trying to play me, John?
Are you trying to take a gamble?
What if I did bug your car, huh?
What... what if I heard
everything that you said
for the last 24 hours, John?
Then you'd know
I said what I had to
to get what I want.
You're fucked, John.
Forget it.
McClusky, too.
They know he's coming.
[yelps]
[gunshots]
[grunting]
[gunshots]
[panting]
[grunts]
-[gunshots]
-[Polly crying]
[man grunts]
-[loud thud]
-[gunshots stop]
[breathing shakily]
[slow footsteps]
Come on, let's go.
[wind blowing softly]
[ominous music]
[dramatic music]
[man in distance] There he is!
-[panting]
-[men clamoring]
[dramatic music intensifies]
[man shouting]
[man shouting]
[man] Get on the other side.
[Houser] Nathan McClusky.
Heard you been looking for me.
Is this kismet or what?
You're surrounded, son.
Don't make this hard.
[tense music]
[door opens]
[gunshots]
[man shouting]
[man] Fire!
[rapid gunfire]
[intense music]
[muffled, distorted chatter]
What do you think?
Oh, he's almost out.
Oh, no.
Not yet.
[panting]
[Houser] Don't get me wrong.
You are gonna die here
in this room.
I won't do you the disrespect
to tell you different, but...
I say when.
And I say how.
I say easy or I say hard.
That all depends on
how much you tell me
about Detective Park.
What he knows.
Who he's talked to.
I don't know. I don't know.
Maybe your, uh...
daughter knows, huh?
Maybe you don't help me out...
...I'll string her up here next.
She'll be miles away by now.
She's miles away.
You think so?
'Cause I think
she'll come when I call her.
I think she's a dog
just like all the rest.
Like you.
Like them.
See, dogs run wild
when you're not looking.
They lick the hands
of the strong.
They snap at the weak.
They destroy
because they're bored.
They hump what they can.
They eat and drink what they can
even if they sick it up after.
But...
they give love
to those who show love to them,
even if the giver is no good,
rotten and mean.
They are disgusting creatures
with one saving grace.
-Loyalty.
-[groans]
Now, the Steels
have given you and yours
everything.
Where is your loyalty, Nathan?
I'll ask you again.
You.
The Oriental.
Your little girl.
Who else?
Who else knows about it, huh?
What were your plans?
To kill you.
Hmm?
I'm gonna fucking kill you.
[laughs]
[laughing]
No, no, I don't think so.
You can't kill God, Nathan.
Yes, you can.
You just gotta stop believing.
[laughs]
[dog barking outside]
[siren whooping in distance]
-[dog barking]
-[men shouting]
[man in distance] Get him!
[dog continues barking]
Motherfucker.
[chuckling]
[suspenseful music]
Stay down. Don't move.
[over bullhorn] Samuel Houser.
Put your weapons down.
Come on out.
You're under arrest.
[urgent chatter]
[suspenseful music intensifies]
-[rapid gunfire]
-[men shouting]
[grunts]
Come on, let's go!
Go!
[music intensifies]
[shouting and gunfire continue]
[shouting and gunfire continue]
Go, go, go!
[man shouting]
[shouting]
[triumphant music]
[panting]
[explosion]
[barking]
[barking continues]
[gentle music]
[triumphant music]
[snarling]
[barking]
[snarling]
[tense music]
[shouting continues]
[dog barking outside]
[suspenseful music]
Dad?
Dad?
Dad!
Polly?
Why are you here?
-[metal clangs]
-[Nathan grunts]
Dad?
Dad, it's time to go.
The cops tried to take you away.
We have to go.
The door's right over there.
Let's go.
Come on.
Everything's okay.
Let's just go.
Dad! Over here!
Come on! Let's go!
[Polly grunts, screams]
[gunfire continues in distance]
[grunts]
-[yells]
-[grunts]
[screams]
No!
[Polly crying]
[screams] Daddy!
[Park over bullhorn]
Samuel Houser, come on out.
[Polly] Daddy!
-[Houser] Come on.
-[Polly] Daddy!
-Come on, little fighter, huh?
-Daddy!
[Polly screams]
[grunts]
[Houser] Lower your weapons.
Fuck!
Polly!
-[Polly screaming]
-Lower your weapons
or I shoot her in the head!
I swear to God!
-Back down!
-Sam, put the gun down!
Put the goddamn gun down!
-Lower your weapons, goddamn it!
-Let the girl go!
Lower them!
[tense music]
Stand down!
I'm putting the gun down.
Just... let's talk, okay?
[Houser] You back outta here.
And I'll drop her at the border.
You know we can't do that, Sam.
Don't you see?
You can't kill me!
I am a God of many men.
Men for eyes.
Men for hands.
Men for blood.
Forever Steel.
Steel forever!
[screams]
Go, go, go!
Polly, turn around!
Turn around.
[emotional music]
[gunshots echoing]
[gentle music]
[Park] Ready?
-Maya.
-[Maya] John. Hi.
-How are you today?
-[Park] I'm good, I'm good.
-Thanks.
-[Maya] Good.
How is she doing?
[Park] Real good.
Yeah.
-[Maya] Nice to see you.
-[Park] Thank you.
[Maya] Hi.
[Park] Polly, this is Maya.
Maya, this is Polly.
[Maya] Nice to meet you, Polly.
Hi.
Could I get a hug?
Sure? Yeah.
[chuckles] Oh, welcome.
Oh.
Come in.
We are so grateful to have you
join our family, Polly.
Now, a lot of people
will say things like,
"This is my foster brother,"
or, "This is my foster sister."
We don't use those terms
in this house.
These are your brothers
and your sisters.
We're family.
Okay.
Well, I'm gonna take your bags
to your room.
Why don't you get settled in.
It's almost meal time.
Here, let me grab
your coat, honey.
-I'll take that, John.
-Oh, thanks.
Yeah. Of course.
You need anything,
you call me, okay?
Thanks, Maya.
[Maya] Of course.
We'll see you later, John.
[door closes]
["Leave a Trace"
by CHVRCHES plays]
All right.
Come on, come on.
Hey, kids. Come say hi to Polly.
[children] Hi, Polly.
Let's make her feel
at home, okay?
[children laughing
and chattering playfully]
[girl] Can you dance?
Come on. This one's easy.
[girl 2] What song
are we gonna do next?
[girl 3] Maybe this one.
["Clearest Blue"
by CHVRCHES plays]
Light
Is all over us
Like it always was...
Do you wanna do the first move?
Shaped
By the clearest blue...
The first move would be...
...kinda split your legs apart
and go like this
at the same time.
If ever I try to push away
You can just keep me there
So please say you'll
meet me
Then repeat it.
Meet me halfway
Can you do that?
Tied
To the shifting ground
Like I always was
Like I always was
You
Were the perfect storm
But it's not enough
It's not enough
Not enough, not enough
Just another time
that I go down
But you are keeping up
Holding to a hope
you'll undermine
Never to be reversed
Just another time
I'm caught inside
Every open eye
Holding on tightly
to the sides
Never quite learning why
Whenever I feel
it coming on
You can be well aware
If ever I try to push away
You can just keep me,
tell me
Tell me, tell me
you'll meet me
Tell me,
tell me you'll keep me
Tell me, tell me
you'll meet me
Will you meet me
more than halfway up?
Shaped
By
Clearest blue
Shaped
By
Clearest blue
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
Shaped
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
By
Clearest blue
Will you keep it
half-a-way?
[pensive music]
[music fades]