S.W.A.T. (2017) s03e21 Episode Script
Diablo
1
Previously on SWAT
Baby, it was a rough day.
I'm not gonna be able to make it tonight.
This is important, Hondo.
Your friends are gonna be
there, and-and your folks.
That's what this is about?
'Cause you didn't know
my parents were coming?
Nichelle, sometimes I'm not gonna be
able to make it to things.
I mean, if you want
to date a SWAT officer,
I mean, that's just the
way it's got to be.
How long do you
think you can keep covering up
for your son's drinking and driving?
He's gonna continue driving
drunk until he hurts himself
or someone else. He can punish
all of SWAT to get to me.
I'm deputy mayor of this city.
You don't know much
about police work, do you?
Everything that happens
in an LAPD interrogation room
is recorded
from the moment that door opens.
You need to make this right.
And seeing Buck like that,
in that dark place,
made me realize how much I have to lose.
I admire the courage it
took for you to tell me that.
You fail a second PFQ,
department regulations
has you riding the bench.
Come on, Luca!
What do we got? What do we got?
Two seconds under!
You're back!
I'll spare you the nightmares.
Nelo Venegas, aka El Diablo.
He's the head
of El Septimo's drug cartel.
He's pretty brazen to show his face
on camera killing law enforcement.
El Diablo released
this video three months ago
after a failed Federales raid
on an El Septimo warehouse.
A message to the Mexican government
that he and his El Septimo
cartel are above the law.
He thinks he's untouchable,
and in Mexico he might be,
which is why he hasn't stepped
foot on U.S. soil in five years.
Agent Simons here and the
rest of his DEA colleagues
have been tracking the
Septimos for a while.
And up until now we've had no idea how
they've been smuggling
their heroin into this country.
Fortunately, the Federale
who died in this video
didn't do so in vain.
Before he was grabbed,
he managed to transmit
some intel that shed a light
on the El Septimo pipeline.
Baldwin Hills Airport?
That's right, the El Septimo cartel
takes full advantage
of this public use landing strip
because it has no customs
or control tower.
They drop their drugs,
turn around and take off?
What about border security? How
do they even make it this far?
Apparently, thve been analyg
the FAA monitoring practices,
studying their radar
surveillance,
and they found a blind spot.
The planes cross the border
way out over the ocean,
but they stay low enough
to avoid radar until they reach
Catalina Island where they pivot,
slip right through the airspace
gap into Baldwin Hills Airport.
And if anyone does see them,
it just looks like your average
millionaire returning
from a beach weekend.
When's the next shipment come in?
According to our intel,
tomorrow morning a twin-engine
Navajo is gonna be landing
with their monthly shipment.
El Diablo's soldiers are bringing
in over a half a ton of heroin.
Our SRT team's in Phoenix right now
getting prepared for a
large-scale meth bust.
Which is why I offered up
SWAT to be the primary.
- Our pleasure.
- Now, El Septimo
is highly trained, heavily armed,
and sophisticated in countersurveillance.
Lieutenant Lynch here
tells me you're the best.
That's what we need.
So we get a planeload
of dope off L.A. streets,
and the DEA gets a few Septimos
to flip on their boss.
- So what are you thinking, Hondo?
- Tomorrow morning.
That's one more day of planning
than we usually get.
4:00 a.m. wake-up call tomorrow.
- Justice never sleeps.
- Hope you weren't looking
for an easy first day back, Luca.
Couldn't think of a better way to
kick things off, bro.
Well, let's hope he isn't too rusty.
Oh, oh! Oh, oh, okay, okay.
- You still got it, you still got it.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- Hey. Jokes aside,
so good to have you back.
- See y'all tomorrow.
- Dark and early.
Hey, uh, I never got
the chance to tell you,
but, uh, putting your career
and your reputation on the line
to go up against the deputy mayor
that was pretty badass.
Just didn't want another
drunk driver to walk free.
Standing up to the mayor
wasn't just about the drunk driver,
was it?
It was about your mom,
the accident she got into
- all those years ago.
- Street, I
We both lost parents at a young age.
I I just, I get the impulse
to want to change the past.
I wish I could do it, too.
I'm just saying, I I get it.
And, uh, I'm proud of you
for sticking up for what you believe in.
You should be, too.
Deacon. I'm glad I caught
you before you left.
Dr. Hughes. Hey, listen, I'm so sorry
about missing our last appointment.
What can I do for you?
We have a bunch of
recruits from the Academy
touring HQ tomorrow
I'm talking to them
about mental health resources
that they can take advantage of
in the LAPD.
Thought if I could get it on their radar
early in their careers,
normalize the discussion
- It cuts through the stigma.
- Right.
But then I was thinking
it might be more effective
if it came from somebody
that they admire,
like a decorated SWAT officer.
Only if you're willing. No pressure.
Uh, I mean, it's one thing
talking to you
about this stuff in private,
but I might work
with these recruits one day.
You wouldn't have to
discuss anything personal.
Just tell them what the services are
and how they can use them.
I don't know.
Maybe find somebody else?
No problem. Just thought I'd ask.
Say hi to Annie for me.
How you doing, Sybil?
- Hondo. Hey.
- Wow.
Looks like Othella Baker's donation's
being put to good use.
Yeah, we started renovations today.
Is Nichelle around?
She is not.
Do you know when she'll be back?
Have you tried calling her?
To be honest, we had a little
disagreement, and, uh
it was my fault.
She's not returning my calls or texts,
so I figured I'd come
and apologize in person.
Yeah. She was kind of upset.
Look, I don't know the details, but
I know she was hurt.
Yeah.
I could've handled it a lot better.
So I'm here, trying to make it right.
She's been gone a week now.
Gone? Where?
You really don't know?
She's going around to nonprofits
like ours across the country
Chicago this week, Houston the next
trying to borrow some
of their more effective ideas.
She's trying to find
the best way to spend
the half-million-dollar donation.
She doesn't want to screw it up.
All right, listen, if you hear from her,
will you tell her that I'm calling,
that I'd love to talk to her?
I'll pass it on.
I appreciate that.
- Take care.
- You, too.
Hey. Big man.
We're heading to the motor pool.
You ready?
You know that feeling before a raid
nerves, excitement?
Yeah.
Last few months, I didn't know
if I'd ever get a chance
to feel that again.
I'm just savoring it.
Yeah, well, don't savor it too long
unless you want Tan driving your ride.
Hell no.
Air Three to Command.
Visual of aircraft approaching airport.
Roger that. We got visual.
Signal quality is spotty.
Hills are interfering
with the transmission.
20-David, you got incoming
El Diablo's soldiers
- and the drugs. Everything a go?
- Roger that.
- Luca, you good?
- Ready to rumble, boss.
20-David's in position. We got the front.
- Deacon's team's got the back.
- Wait for my command.
Plane's about ten seconds out.
Here we go.
Wait for it.
Not yet.
Initiate.
What's going on?
Why isn't she stopping?
It's trying to take off again!
- Hondo!
- We see it!
He's not gonna make it.
Air Three, we lost visual.
Problem with the signal.
Working to get it back.
Hondo,
what the hell's going on down there?
He clipped us! The wing's
on fire! It looks like he's going down!
- Where?
- About a half a mile north.
Get that on the radio!
Plane's about to crash in South L.A.
Holy hell.
Lucky it didn't take out any civilians.
Tan, Luca, clear that plane.
Chris, Street, check for witnesses.
I need another unit
blocking at 48th and Western.
- Who was the first on site?
- I was.
Witnesses saw six men
get out of the plane.
Four went north, two ran south,
all carrying heavy firepower.
We set a three-block perimeter;
nothing so far.
Make it five.
This is 20-David to Command.
We are setting a five-block perimeter.
We need Mobile Command on-site
to broadcast
any prowler 911 calls
and pull every security cam
in the area to help us
narrow down the search.
All right. Roger that,
Hondo. We're on our way.
This is R-Commander. I need
all units in the area responding
and a K-9 grid search initiated.
Each handler get with a SWAT team.
What the hell happened to the mission?
Air-17, let's expand that grid
on all four sides.
Roger that, Commander.
We have a serious situation.
Some blood in the cockpit
and outside the plane, but no heroin.
If they weren't smuggling heroin,
- what were they smuggling?
- We'll figure that out later.
Right now it looks like
we got six Septimos
at large in this neighborhood.
Chris and Street, you partner with K-9.
See if they can pick up a
trail on Stockwell Avenue.
We know at least one of them is injured,
so keep your eyes open for blood.
Luca, Tan, we got to
get you a block east.
Deacon and I will follow
a street over on Vesta.
We'll sweep from south to north.
Becker's team is en route.
They'll start on Segundo
and move south towards us.
If the suspects are in
this grid, then we squeeze them.
This op ain't over until all
six of them are brought in.
- Am I clear?
- Yep.
Clear.
Shots fired in Memorial Park.
- Officer down.
- That's two blocks away.
20-David en route.
Vámonos, vamos.
Move, move!
We got an officer down at the
south entrance of Memorial Park.
Multiple gunshot wounds to
the neck and leg. He breathing?
Yeah, barely. Hang in there,
buddy. We got you. We got you.
20-David has eyes on active shooter.
Hispanic male, dark clothing.
- What's your name, Officer?
- Gretchen.
Gretchen Willis. We were outgunned.
There were four of them
at one point. Three ran off.
- Which way?
- I didn't get eyes.
Had to duck for cover
and wait for you all.
Okay. You did the right thing.
Hey, he needs an ambulance.
It could be a few minutes
before we stop the shooter
- and clear the area.
- That's too long.
Hondo, we got to get
this guy to a hospital!
I can get him there. I can do it.
All right, help him. We'll cover.
Load and go to Black Betty.
Move, move. Luca, let's go.
We got to end this.
Hondo, you got a shot?
Negative. Not from this angle.
Civilians behind him.
Call in the K-9.
How's he doing?
He's losing a lot of blood! Hurry!
Chris, Street, provide cover fire.
I think he's out of ammo.
K-9 unit. Send your dog.
K-9's on the move.
Stop resisting!
Stay down! Stay down.
Secure the K-9.
Turn around! Hands behind your back!
Suspect one in custody.
Hey. Hey. Stay with me. Stay with me.
Almost there.
Officer Gatens. Officer Gatens!
Just hang on! I'm getting us there, man.
He's not breathing, Luca.
Hey!
Hey, you can slow down.
He hasn't had a pulse
in a minute and a half.
He's gone.
- Officer Willis.
- Hey. Uh, what hospital
did you take my partner
to? I want to see him.
This is gonna be really hard
for you to hear.
No.
My teammates,
they rushed him to the hospital.
He fought till his very last breath.
Officer Willis said
there was four Septimos
when her and Gatens arrived.
The others got to be close.
You take Chris and the K-9 and
see if you can pick up a trail.
Deacon and I will search
from a block east.
- Guy just killed a cop.
- Hey.
Stay focused. We still got five Septimos
on the loose.
Wait a minute. Hold on a second.
Hey, guys. Check this out.
What do you got?
Right there. The tattoo
from El Diablo's video.
Our suspect's got the same one.
La Mano.
- You said "La Mano," as in
- Manuel Reyes.
El Diablo's personal bodyguard?
That's right. And he is never
not by El Diablo's side.
What are you saying? El Diablo is here?
If La Mano was on that plane,
El Diablo was, too.
He's on U.S. soil.
Yeah. Roger that.
Rocker's squad arrested
two more Septimos.
He's sending photos.
Three out of the six are now in custody.
Now, as far as we know,
the remaining three
have not escaped the perimeter,
- including El Diablo.
- El Diablo coming here, risking capture
by U.S. authorities,
it's out of character.
I'll let you ask him why
when we bring him in.
Hold it. Got him.
That's El Diablo with
the red striped jacket.
Where's that location?
77th Street seven minutes ago.
R-Commander to SWAT team, patrol units.
Suspects were last observed
crossing 77th Street.
Heading north. Sending descriptors now.
Look how they're moving.
The last three guys regrouped.
It's like they know this
area and have a plan.
Yeah, they're heading somewhere specific.
Well, there's more than
a few public use landing strips
in the L.A. area. The Septimos
use Baldwin Hills because it's near
one of their main distribution hubs.
Meaning El Diablo could have
an entire network of allies close by.
Who's the head of El Septimo's
distribution in South L.A.?
Well, it used to be a guy
named Bernie Guzman,
but he spent the last six months
in California State Prison
in Lancaster. We're still gathering intel
- on who replaced him.
- You think we could flip Bernie?
DEA already tried. No dice.
If we can figure out
who El Diablo's new L.A. connection is,
maybe we can figure out where
he's going and get ahead of him
in case he manages to slip our perimeter.
All right.
Find him.
He found something.
26-David.
K-9 found what appears
to be El Diablo's jacket.
We're in an alley between 67th and 68th.
Airship-17,
conduct a thorough search of that area.
All teams stand by for backup.
Hey. Hey. Can't be out here.
- You live back here?
- Yeah. This is my house.
Have you seen anyone coming through here?
Nah. I'm sorry.
I don't want to be involved.
Hey, wait, wait, wait. If you saw
anything, you tell us right now.
These men are extremely dangerous
and have already shot people
in your neighborhood.
You need to talk to us right now.
All right, look,
I don't know if it's anything,
but I did see somebody come running
through here a couple minutes ago.
All right? He had a gun,
so I waited him out,
but I have no idea which way he went.
Was he wearing this jacket?
Yeah, I think so.
- That's it?
- That's it.
All right. Thank you.
Stay inside your house
till we clear the area.
26-David.
We have a witness saying he saw
an armed suspect at our location
matching El Diablo's description.
Sounds like El Diablo might have
ditched his two friends
to keep a low profile.
Hondo, you and Deacon
head one street north to 67th.
Chris and Street,
keep an eye on 68th. Roger.
25-David.
Code 6 on the east alley behind
815 Gorham Avenue.
Suspects headed down this alley
could be hiding in tents.
Send a team to the front of the house.
Roger. Sending backup.
LAPD.
Hey, hands where we can see them. Hey!
They're high as hell.
Have you guys seen anyone
come through here?
You.
Look, stay here. I'll clear.
- Don't you go in there.
- Ma'am, sit down. Sit down.
Hey, buddy.
It's okay, my man. Come here.
Come to me.
22-David.
No Septimos,
but we need transport for one male
- and, uh, one female.
- Where's my mom?
And a child seat for an
approximate three-to-four-year-old
- for Child Services.
- Roger.
Patrol will meet you at
the corner of 80th and Gorham.
All right,
that was Lynch. Good news and bad news.
Bad news is we still don't
know why El Diablo's here.
Good news, Lynch has a line
on Bernie Guzman's longtime
girlfriend, Rosa Montez.
Got an address?
Patrol car's on the way to
pick her up now.
LAPD! Open up!
Uh, it's okay. I am fine.
We need to search your house.
Open the door!
It's okay. Goodbye.
Sir, is your family here with you?
No. I-I'm alone.
You can trust us.
Why don't you finish questioning?
I'll move on to the next house.
Roger that.
All right, just a couple more questions,
and I'll be on my way.
This is 20-David, Code 6.
Possible suspect inside home
on 68th Street.
Making entry.
LAPD! Police!
Hands where I can see 'em!
Walk back towards me slowly.
Keep coming.
All right, stop. Face the wall.
Down on your knees. Keep your hands up.
Put your hands on your head.
Go, go, move.
You good?
Yeah.
Cuff this son of a bitch.
It's all right. I'm police.
You're safe. You're safe.
It's 20-David.
Two suspects in custody.
Is one of them El Diablo?
That's a negative.
He's still out there.
Jorge?
Jefe.
20-David to Command.
Rest of this block is clear.
No sign of El Diablo.
I'll shift you one block west.
Take the south end.
Rocker and Stevens will take the north.
Chris and Street, anything on 68th?
No sign of anyone so far. Still
making our way down the block.
Roger that. We have
five Septimos in custody.
Only El Diablo left.
Let's tighten up the perimeter
and smoke him out.
Rosa Montez?
Yeah. What's this about?
Your boyfriend Bernie Guzman.
What about him?
Are you aware that Bernie is a
member of the cartel El Septimo?
He's pretty high up, too.
Sold El Septimo's dope
all over South L.A.
- News to me.
- So you wouldn't
happen to know who took over for
him after he went to prison?
- How would I know that?
- Yeah, I figured as much.
Bernie hasn't told you anything.
I'll probably have better luck
with the blonde he's sweet on.
Wait.
- Blonde?
- Yeah.
Oh.
Nah.
- You're full of crap.
- What?
You thought you were the
only one making conjugal visits
to Bernie in Lancaster?
I have an ID here
you might want to look at.
I heard you were the jealous type.
- What's her name?
- How about this?
You tell me who is heading up
South L.A. for El Septimo,
and I'll tell you who she is.
Name for a name.
Yeah, Rosa, this guy screwed you over.
His name is Jorge.
The new guy Jorge Valdovinos.
Anything else?
- Address? Description?
- Uh-uh.
I never met him. I just heard
Bernie mention his name a few times.
Okay.
Hey!
What's her name?
The blonde bitch?
Oh, there's no blonde. I made that up.
But on the bright side,
your boyfriend's faithful.
Jorge Valdovinos, L.A. local.
Loosely affiliated with Los
Huesos until they were taken down.
Looks like he shifted allegiance
to El Septimo
and runs South L.A. for them.
- Last known address?
- Still searching.
I'll send it over as soon as I get a hit.
Roger.
- Any luck?
- Says he didn't see anything.
He's been cooped up inside
since he saw LAPD.
Chris.
26-David tracking possible suspect.
Gray hoodie, Van Ness and 70th.
He just went into that complex.
Suspect has entered apartment
complex at 9510 Van Ness.
We're checking it out.
Commander, we got a hit.
Jorge has a car registered to an
apartment inside the perimeter.
I'm sending the address over now.
Van Ness and 70th?
That's where Chris and Street are.
24-David. No sign of
him here. All's clear.
Chris, Street,
El Diablo has back-up at that location.
- ¡Vámonos!
- Fall back now! Now!
Get out of there now!
26-David. We are under heavy fire!
- At least a half-dozen suspects.
- 20-David en route!
22-David on the way!
I'm out. Switching to secondary.
I think I winged El Diablo!
He's alive. They're on the move.
26-David. El Diablo with another suspect
headed for the stairwell on
the north side of the building.
45 seconds out!
Just hang in there.
Cover!
We got to go!
Go, go, go. Go, go!
Right! Right! Right!
Let's go!
Running low. Switching to secondary.
Roger.
Chris, get down!
Let me see.
You're good, you're good.
It just hit your vest.
Come on. We got to move.
We can't stay here. Come on!
On your feet. Get on one knee.
It's okay. Stay down. Stay down!
Here, take it.
Come on, let's go. Come on.
Come on. We got to move.
We can't stay here.
Let's go.
How many did you count?
Come on. Come on.
Watch it. How many did you count?
Chris?
Nine. Nine with El Diablo.
- All right.
- I-I got two.
Me, too. I got two.
That's five left.
20-David. 30 seconds out.
26-David. We're looking for
an exit down the south hallway.
Chris, come on.
Come on!
Damn it!
Take cover.
Move.
Move, move, move.
Is there anyone else inside?
Just my daughter.
Okay, get her
and yourself in the bathroom,
lock the door, stay in the tub
and stay low, all right?
Hey. Thank you. Go.
There's four of 'em.
They're checking out the
apartment down the hall.
We can't stay here. Puts
too many civilians at risk.
As soon as they come out, we engage.
What? No, you
You were hit. Stay here.
Street, I'm fine.
All right.
They're coming.
Chris, Street, talk to me!
Coming out!
Welcome to the party.
Are you all right? Do you need a medic?
I'm fine. Caught one in the vest.
- Chris?
- The op's not over.
This is 20-David to Command.
- We got Chris and Street.
- Roger that.
50-David squad and patrol have
the building surrounded.
No sign of Diablo.
I got El Diablo in the leg.
- He was bleeding pretty badly.
- All right, let's move.
Tan, Luca, El Diablo must
still be in the building.
See if you can get a visual
from the roof across the street.
Roger that. We're heading over.
Looks like he's on
the north side, second floor.
Roger that.
No sign of him, Hondo.
Hold it.
Tan and Luca, second floor,
third apartment
- from the east side. Roger that.
- Go.
Chris, Street, get her out of here.
Let's go.
Clear.
Clear.
¡Idiotas!
I have to go now.
LAPD!
Drop your gun. I won't say it twice.
All right, I'm putting it away.
One step further, I shoot.
We don't want anyone else to get hurt.
Tell him to drop his gun!
Hondo,
I got a shot through the window, but
my backstop isn't clean.
Listen to me. We want
to end this peacefully.
Nobody else needs to die today.
It's too late for that.
Tell us what you want. Car full of gas?
Another plane? Money?
You think I'm stupid?
No, no, no, no, no,
this won't end the way you want.
Still not clean.
- Come on, man.
- There's got to be something.
A little more.
Some reason you've come here
after so long. What do you want?
I want you to remember.
When it happens,
when the city goes up in flames
remember I tried to stop it.
When what happens?
I'm clean.
Code 4.
Suspect down.
Hostage is safe.
Simons and the DEA are gonna
interrogate the Septimos
in custody and go through
El Diablo's burner phone,
try to piece together
why he came stateside.
Must have been something big
to draw him out of hiding
after all these years.
What do you think he meant
"Remember I tried to stop it"?
Stop what?
I'll shake some trees, see what I hear.
Do that.
What's wrong?
I don't know.
I just got a feeling this isn't over yet.
Hey.
How you doing?
You know, Gatens wanted
to be SWAT one day.
Bet he would've made it, too.
Maybe it's not my place, but
I know today was
a really hard day for you.
One that you you might
have trouble processing.
We have a doctor at SWAT
Dr. Wendy Hughes and she's-she's good.
Maybe when the time is right,
you-you might consider
talking to her about all this.
Appreciate it,
but I'll figure it out on my own.
Sound like me.
I tend to bury all my feelings.
Until recently, they, uh
they all caught up.
And I talked to her, and
I don't know. Might help.
Really?
I'll think about it.
Thanks.
I'm so sorry.
Rough day.
Yeah, rough damn day, man.
You sure you missed all this?
Yeah.
Missed you guys a lot.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Did you speak to them already?
I was just about to.
I'll do it.
I didn't mean to pressure you yesterday.
- I know. I want to.
- You sure?
You said it could make a
difference coming from me.
You really believe that?
- I do.
- Then, yeah, I'm sure.
Now I'm sure you have a dozen
questions about SWAT, and I'll be happy
to talk tactics and training
in just a minute.
But first, I want to talk about
something else,
something I wish I'd paid a little
bit more attention to
when I was in the Academy.
In this job,
you are going to see things
you wish you wouldn't.
You're gonna feel things
you wish you hadn't.
For a long time, I, uh
I ran away from
getting any kind of help.
But now that I am open to it,
the hope is that's it's
it's gonna make me a better officer.
Better husband, better father.
So if you ever feel yourself struggling,
just know,
the LAPD will have your back.
Certainly has mine.
Good night, Hondo.
Hey.
Hey.
Thanks for picking up.
Sybil told me you stopped by yesterday.
I did. I did. I
The changes look like they're
gonna be amazing.
Thanks.
I hear you're quite the traveler now.
Yeah, well, that donation comes
with a lot of responsibility.
I'm trying to do right by these kids.
Oh, come on. Come on. I know you will.
Look, um
I was hoping to tell you this
in person, but
Nichelle, I am so sorry
about the way I handled things
the last time I saw you.
That's not how I want to be.
And I know I upset you.
I'm not upset, Hondo.
It just clarified things.
You sound so far away right now.
That's because I am.
We're in different places.
We want different things.
It's not a crime. It's just sad.
I really am trying
to be someone different.
I hope you get there.
But for now, my focus has
to be on something else.
Listen, I have to go.
I've got people here
waiting to talk to me.
Okay.
Okay.
Bye.
Got a nice bruise?
Badge of honor.
Damn right.
Tell me something.
In this job, we get shot at,
we get injured.
Come face-to-face with
cartel bosses and their hit men.
Are we crazy for signing up for this?
Yeah, probably.
Almost every SWAT op
would be the scariest day
of most people's lives.
We're not most people.
You and me we already experienced our
worst day when we were kids.
Can't argue that.
Probably what led us here.
Always trying to save the next kid.
Yeah.
Sometimes I wonder, though.
If my life would have been better
if I'd had normal parents,
normal childhood.
Maybe, but then
you would have never met me.
Well, that's one way of looking at it.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Thought you left.
I guess I wasn't ready
to go home just yet.
You good?
I'm trying.
Okay.
Save something for tomorrow.
I always do.
Good night.
Previously on SWAT
Baby, it was a rough day.
I'm not gonna be able to make it tonight.
This is important, Hondo.
Your friends are gonna be
there, and-and your folks.
That's what this is about?
'Cause you didn't know
my parents were coming?
Nichelle, sometimes I'm not gonna be
able to make it to things.
I mean, if you want
to date a SWAT officer,
I mean, that's just the
way it's got to be.
How long do you
think you can keep covering up
for your son's drinking and driving?
He's gonna continue driving
drunk until he hurts himself
or someone else. He can punish
all of SWAT to get to me.
I'm deputy mayor of this city.
You don't know much
about police work, do you?
Everything that happens
in an LAPD interrogation room
is recorded
from the moment that door opens.
You need to make this right.
And seeing Buck like that,
in that dark place,
made me realize how much I have to lose.
I admire the courage it
took for you to tell me that.
You fail a second PFQ,
department regulations
has you riding the bench.
Come on, Luca!
What do we got? What do we got?
Two seconds under!
You're back!
I'll spare you the nightmares.
Nelo Venegas, aka El Diablo.
He's the head
of El Septimo's drug cartel.
He's pretty brazen to show his face
on camera killing law enforcement.
El Diablo released
this video three months ago
after a failed Federales raid
on an El Septimo warehouse.
A message to the Mexican government
that he and his El Septimo
cartel are above the law.
He thinks he's untouchable,
and in Mexico he might be,
which is why he hasn't stepped
foot on U.S. soil in five years.
Agent Simons here and the
rest of his DEA colleagues
have been tracking the
Septimos for a while.
And up until now we've had no idea how
they've been smuggling
their heroin into this country.
Fortunately, the Federale
who died in this video
didn't do so in vain.
Before he was grabbed,
he managed to transmit
some intel that shed a light
on the El Septimo pipeline.
Baldwin Hills Airport?
That's right, the El Septimo cartel
takes full advantage
of this public use landing strip
because it has no customs
or control tower.
They drop their drugs,
turn around and take off?
What about border security? How
do they even make it this far?
Apparently, thve been analyg
the FAA monitoring practices,
studying their radar
surveillance,
and they found a blind spot.
The planes cross the border
way out over the ocean,
but they stay low enough
to avoid radar until they reach
Catalina Island where they pivot,
slip right through the airspace
gap into Baldwin Hills Airport.
And if anyone does see them,
it just looks like your average
millionaire returning
from a beach weekend.
When's the next shipment come in?
According to our intel,
tomorrow morning a twin-engine
Navajo is gonna be landing
with their monthly shipment.
El Diablo's soldiers are bringing
in over a half a ton of heroin.
Our SRT team's in Phoenix right now
getting prepared for a
large-scale meth bust.
Which is why I offered up
SWAT to be the primary.
- Our pleasure.
- Now, El Septimo
is highly trained, heavily armed,
and sophisticated in countersurveillance.
Lieutenant Lynch here
tells me you're the best.
That's what we need.
So we get a planeload
of dope off L.A. streets,
and the DEA gets a few Septimos
to flip on their boss.
- So what are you thinking, Hondo?
- Tomorrow morning.
That's one more day of planning
than we usually get.
4:00 a.m. wake-up call tomorrow.
- Justice never sleeps.
- Hope you weren't looking
for an easy first day back, Luca.
Couldn't think of a better way to
kick things off, bro.
Well, let's hope he isn't too rusty.
Oh, oh! Oh, oh, okay, okay.
- You still got it, you still got it.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- Hey. Jokes aside,
so good to have you back.
- See y'all tomorrow.
- Dark and early.
Hey, uh, I never got
the chance to tell you,
but, uh, putting your career
and your reputation on the line
to go up against the deputy mayor
that was pretty badass.
Just didn't want another
drunk driver to walk free.
Standing up to the mayor
wasn't just about the drunk driver,
was it?
It was about your mom,
the accident she got into
- all those years ago.
- Street, I
We both lost parents at a young age.
I I just, I get the impulse
to want to change the past.
I wish I could do it, too.
I'm just saying, I I get it.
And, uh, I'm proud of you
for sticking up for what you believe in.
You should be, too.
Deacon. I'm glad I caught
you before you left.
Dr. Hughes. Hey, listen, I'm so sorry
about missing our last appointment.
What can I do for you?
We have a bunch of
recruits from the Academy
touring HQ tomorrow
I'm talking to them
about mental health resources
that they can take advantage of
in the LAPD.
Thought if I could get it on their radar
early in their careers,
normalize the discussion
- It cuts through the stigma.
- Right.
But then I was thinking
it might be more effective
if it came from somebody
that they admire,
like a decorated SWAT officer.
Only if you're willing. No pressure.
Uh, I mean, it's one thing
talking to you
about this stuff in private,
but I might work
with these recruits one day.
You wouldn't have to
discuss anything personal.
Just tell them what the services are
and how they can use them.
I don't know.
Maybe find somebody else?
No problem. Just thought I'd ask.
Say hi to Annie for me.
How you doing, Sybil?
- Hondo. Hey.
- Wow.
Looks like Othella Baker's donation's
being put to good use.
Yeah, we started renovations today.
Is Nichelle around?
She is not.
Do you know when she'll be back?
Have you tried calling her?
To be honest, we had a little
disagreement, and, uh
it was my fault.
She's not returning my calls or texts,
so I figured I'd come
and apologize in person.
Yeah. She was kind of upset.
Look, I don't know the details, but
I know she was hurt.
Yeah.
I could've handled it a lot better.
So I'm here, trying to make it right.
She's been gone a week now.
Gone? Where?
You really don't know?
She's going around to nonprofits
like ours across the country
Chicago this week, Houston the next
trying to borrow some
of their more effective ideas.
She's trying to find
the best way to spend
the half-million-dollar donation.
She doesn't want to screw it up.
All right, listen, if you hear from her,
will you tell her that I'm calling,
that I'd love to talk to her?
I'll pass it on.
I appreciate that.
- Take care.
- You, too.
Hey. Big man.
We're heading to the motor pool.
You ready?
You know that feeling before a raid
nerves, excitement?
Yeah.
Last few months, I didn't know
if I'd ever get a chance
to feel that again.
I'm just savoring it.
Yeah, well, don't savor it too long
unless you want Tan driving your ride.
Hell no.
Air Three to Command.
Visual of aircraft approaching airport.
Roger that. We got visual.
Signal quality is spotty.
Hills are interfering
with the transmission.
20-David, you got incoming
El Diablo's soldiers
- and the drugs. Everything a go?
- Roger that.
- Luca, you good?
- Ready to rumble, boss.
20-David's in position. We got the front.
- Deacon's team's got the back.
- Wait for my command.
Plane's about ten seconds out.
Here we go.
Wait for it.
Not yet.
Initiate.
What's going on?
Why isn't she stopping?
It's trying to take off again!
- Hondo!
- We see it!
He's not gonna make it.
Air Three, we lost visual.
Problem with the signal.
Working to get it back.
Hondo,
what the hell's going on down there?
He clipped us! The wing's
on fire! It looks like he's going down!
- Where?
- About a half a mile north.
Get that on the radio!
Plane's about to crash in South L.A.
Holy hell.
Lucky it didn't take out any civilians.
Tan, Luca, clear that plane.
Chris, Street, check for witnesses.
I need another unit
blocking at 48th and Western.
- Who was the first on site?
- I was.
Witnesses saw six men
get out of the plane.
Four went north, two ran south,
all carrying heavy firepower.
We set a three-block perimeter;
nothing so far.
Make it five.
This is 20-David to Command.
We are setting a five-block perimeter.
We need Mobile Command on-site
to broadcast
any prowler 911 calls
and pull every security cam
in the area to help us
narrow down the search.
All right. Roger that,
Hondo. We're on our way.
This is R-Commander. I need
all units in the area responding
and a K-9 grid search initiated.
Each handler get with a SWAT team.
What the hell happened to the mission?
Air-17, let's expand that grid
on all four sides.
Roger that, Commander.
We have a serious situation.
Some blood in the cockpit
and outside the plane, but no heroin.
If they weren't smuggling heroin,
- what were they smuggling?
- We'll figure that out later.
Right now it looks like
we got six Septimos
at large in this neighborhood.
Chris and Street, you partner with K-9.
See if they can pick up a
trail on Stockwell Avenue.
We know at least one of them is injured,
so keep your eyes open for blood.
Luca, Tan, we got to
get you a block east.
Deacon and I will follow
a street over on Vesta.
We'll sweep from south to north.
Becker's team is en route.
They'll start on Segundo
and move south towards us.
If the suspects are in
this grid, then we squeeze them.
This op ain't over until all
six of them are brought in.
- Am I clear?
- Yep.
Clear.
Shots fired in Memorial Park.
- Officer down.
- That's two blocks away.
20-David en route.
Vámonos, vamos.
Move, move!
We got an officer down at the
south entrance of Memorial Park.
Multiple gunshot wounds to
the neck and leg. He breathing?
Yeah, barely. Hang in there,
buddy. We got you. We got you.
20-David has eyes on active shooter.
Hispanic male, dark clothing.
- What's your name, Officer?
- Gretchen.
Gretchen Willis. We were outgunned.
There were four of them
at one point. Three ran off.
- Which way?
- I didn't get eyes.
Had to duck for cover
and wait for you all.
Okay. You did the right thing.
Hey, he needs an ambulance.
It could be a few minutes
before we stop the shooter
- and clear the area.
- That's too long.
Hondo, we got to get
this guy to a hospital!
I can get him there. I can do it.
All right, help him. We'll cover.
Load and go to Black Betty.
Move, move. Luca, let's go.
We got to end this.
Hondo, you got a shot?
Negative. Not from this angle.
Civilians behind him.
Call in the K-9.
How's he doing?
He's losing a lot of blood! Hurry!
Chris, Street, provide cover fire.
I think he's out of ammo.
K-9 unit. Send your dog.
K-9's on the move.
Stop resisting!
Stay down! Stay down.
Secure the K-9.
Turn around! Hands behind your back!
Suspect one in custody.
Hey. Hey. Stay with me. Stay with me.
Almost there.
Officer Gatens. Officer Gatens!
Just hang on! I'm getting us there, man.
He's not breathing, Luca.
Hey!
Hey, you can slow down.
He hasn't had a pulse
in a minute and a half.
He's gone.
- Officer Willis.
- Hey. Uh, what hospital
did you take my partner
to? I want to see him.
This is gonna be really hard
for you to hear.
No.
My teammates,
they rushed him to the hospital.
He fought till his very last breath.
Officer Willis said
there was four Septimos
when her and Gatens arrived.
The others got to be close.
You take Chris and the K-9 and
see if you can pick up a trail.
Deacon and I will search
from a block east.
- Guy just killed a cop.
- Hey.
Stay focused. We still got five Septimos
on the loose.
Wait a minute. Hold on a second.
Hey, guys. Check this out.
What do you got?
Right there. The tattoo
from El Diablo's video.
Our suspect's got the same one.
La Mano.
- You said "La Mano," as in
- Manuel Reyes.
El Diablo's personal bodyguard?
That's right. And he is never
not by El Diablo's side.
What are you saying? El Diablo is here?
If La Mano was on that plane,
El Diablo was, too.
He's on U.S. soil.
Yeah. Roger that.
Rocker's squad arrested
two more Septimos.
He's sending photos.
Three out of the six are now in custody.
Now, as far as we know,
the remaining three
have not escaped the perimeter,
- including El Diablo.
- El Diablo coming here, risking capture
by U.S. authorities,
it's out of character.
I'll let you ask him why
when we bring him in.
Hold it. Got him.
That's El Diablo with
the red striped jacket.
Where's that location?
77th Street seven minutes ago.
R-Commander to SWAT team, patrol units.
Suspects were last observed
crossing 77th Street.
Heading north. Sending descriptors now.
Look how they're moving.
The last three guys regrouped.
It's like they know this
area and have a plan.
Yeah, they're heading somewhere specific.
Well, there's more than
a few public use landing strips
in the L.A. area. The Septimos
use Baldwin Hills because it's near
one of their main distribution hubs.
Meaning El Diablo could have
an entire network of allies close by.
Who's the head of El Septimo's
distribution in South L.A.?
Well, it used to be a guy
named Bernie Guzman,
but he spent the last six months
in California State Prison
in Lancaster. We're still gathering intel
- on who replaced him.
- You think we could flip Bernie?
DEA already tried. No dice.
If we can figure out
who El Diablo's new L.A. connection is,
maybe we can figure out where
he's going and get ahead of him
in case he manages to slip our perimeter.
All right.
Find him.
He found something.
26-David.
K-9 found what appears
to be El Diablo's jacket.
We're in an alley between 67th and 68th.
Airship-17,
conduct a thorough search of that area.
All teams stand by for backup.
Hey. Hey. Can't be out here.
- You live back here?
- Yeah. This is my house.
Have you seen anyone coming through here?
Nah. I'm sorry.
I don't want to be involved.
Hey, wait, wait, wait. If you saw
anything, you tell us right now.
These men are extremely dangerous
and have already shot people
in your neighborhood.
You need to talk to us right now.
All right, look,
I don't know if it's anything,
but I did see somebody come running
through here a couple minutes ago.
All right? He had a gun,
so I waited him out,
but I have no idea which way he went.
Was he wearing this jacket?
Yeah, I think so.
- That's it?
- That's it.
All right. Thank you.
Stay inside your house
till we clear the area.
26-David.
We have a witness saying he saw
an armed suspect at our location
matching El Diablo's description.
Sounds like El Diablo might have
ditched his two friends
to keep a low profile.
Hondo, you and Deacon
head one street north to 67th.
Chris and Street,
keep an eye on 68th. Roger.
25-David.
Code 6 on the east alley behind
815 Gorham Avenue.
Suspects headed down this alley
could be hiding in tents.
Send a team to the front of the house.
Roger. Sending backup.
LAPD.
Hey, hands where we can see them. Hey!
They're high as hell.
Have you guys seen anyone
come through here?
You.
Look, stay here. I'll clear.
- Don't you go in there.
- Ma'am, sit down. Sit down.
Hey, buddy.
It's okay, my man. Come here.
Come to me.
22-David.
No Septimos,
but we need transport for one male
- and, uh, one female.
- Where's my mom?
And a child seat for an
approximate three-to-four-year-old
- for Child Services.
- Roger.
Patrol will meet you at
the corner of 80th and Gorham.
All right,
that was Lynch. Good news and bad news.
Bad news is we still don't
know why El Diablo's here.
Good news, Lynch has a line
on Bernie Guzman's longtime
girlfriend, Rosa Montez.
Got an address?
Patrol car's on the way to
pick her up now.
LAPD! Open up!
Uh, it's okay. I am fine.
We need to search your house.
Open the door!
It's okay. Goodbye.
Sir, is your family here with you?
No. I-I'm alone.
You can trust us.
Why don't you finish questioning?
I'll move on to the next house.
Roger that.
All right, just a couple more questions,
and I'll be on my way.
This is 20-David, Code 6.
Possible suspect inside home
on 68th Street.
Making entry.
LAPD! Police!
Hands where I can see 'em!
Walk back towards me slowly.
Keep coming.
All right, stop. Face the wall.
Down on your knees. Keep your hands up.
Put your hands on your head.
Go, go, move.
You good?
Yeah.
Cuff this son of a bitch.
It's all right. I'm police.
You're safe. You're safe.
It's 20-David.
Two suspects in custody.
Is one of them El Diablo?
That's a negative.
He's still out there.
Jorge?
Jefe.
20-David to Command.
Rest of this block is clear.
No sign of El Diablo.
I'll shift you one block west.
Take the south end.
Rocker and Stevens will take the north.
Chris and Street, anything on 68th?
No sign of anyone so far. Still
making our way down the block.
Roger that. We have
five Septimos in custody.
Only El Diablo left.
Let's tighten up the perimeter
and smoke him out.
Rosa Montez?
Yeah. What's this about?
Your boyfriend Bernie Guzman.
What about him?
Are you aware that Bernie is a
member of the cartel El Septimo?
He's pretty high up, too.
Sold El Septimo's dope
all over South L.A.
- News to me.
- So you wouldn't
happen to know who took over for
him after he went to prison?
- How would I know that?
- Yeah, I figured as much.
Bernie hasn't told you anything.
I'll probably have better luck
with the blonde he's sweet on.
Wait.
- Blonde?
- Yeah.
Oh.
Nah.
- You're full of crap.
- What?
You thought you were the
only one making conjugal visits
to Bernie in Lancaster?
I have an ID here
you might want to look at.
I heard you were the jealous type.
- What's her name?
- How about this?
You tell me who is heading up
South L.A. for El Septimo,
and I'll tell you who she is.
Name for a name.
Yeah, Rosa, this guy screwed you over.
His name is Jorge.
The new guy Jorge Valdovinos.
Anything else?
- Address? Description?
- Uh-uh.
I never met him. I just heard
Bernie mention his name a few times.
Okay.
Hey!
What's her name?
The blonde bitch?
Oh, there's no blonde. I made that up.
But on the bright side,
your boyfriend's faithful.
Jorge Valdovinos, L.A. local.
Loosely affiliated with Los
Huesos until they were taken down.
Looks like he shifted allegiance
to El Septimo
and runs South L.A. for them.
- Last known address?
- Still searching.
I'll send it over as soon as I get a hit.
Roger.
- Any luck?
- Says he didn't see anything.
He's been cooped up inside
since he saw LAPD.
Chris.
26-David tracking possible suspect.
Gray hoodie, Van Ness and 70th.
He just went into that complex.
Suspect has entered apartment
complex at 9510 Van Ness.
We're checking it out.
Commander, we got a hit.
Jorge has a car registered to an
apartment inside the perimeter.
I'm sending the address over now.
Van Ness and 70th?
That's where Chris and Street are.
24-David. No sign of
him here. All's clear.
Chris, Street,
El Diablo has back-up at that location.
- ¡Vámonos!
- Fall back now! Now!
Get out of there now!
26-David. We are under heavy fire!
- At least a half-dozen suspects.
- 20-David en route!
22-David on the way!
I'm out. Switching to secondary.
I think I winged El Diablo!
He's alive. They're on the move.
26-David. El Diablo with another suspect
headed for the stairwell on
the north side of the building.
45 seconds out!
Just hang in there.
Cover!
We got to go!
Go, go, go. Go, go!
Right! Right! Right!
Let's go!
Running low. Switching to secondary.
Roger.
Chris, get down!
Let me see.
You're good, you're good.
It just hit your vest.
Come on. We got to move.
We can't stay here. Come on!
On your feet. Get on one knee.
It's okay. Stay down. Stay down!
Here, take it.
Come on, let's go. Come on.
Come on. We got to move.
We can't stay here.
Let's go.
How many did you count?
Come on. Come on.
Watch it. How many did you count?
Chris?
Nine. Nine with El Diablo.
- All right.
- I-I got two.
Me, too. I got two.
That's five left.
20-David. 30 seconds out.
26-David. We're looking for
an exit down the south hallway.
Chris, come on.
Come on!
Damn it!
Take cover.
Move.
Move, move, move.
Is there anyone else inside?
Just my daughter.
Okay, get her
and yourself in the bathroom,
lock the door, stay in the tub
and stay low, all right?
Hey. Thank you. Go.
There's four of 'em.
They're checking out the
apartment down the hall.
We can't stay here. Puts
too many civilians at risk.
As soon as they come out, we engage.
What? No, you
You were hit. Stay here.
Street, I'm fine.
All right.
They're coming.
Chris, Street, talk to me!
Coming out!
Welcome to the party.
Are you all right? Do you need a medic?
I'm fine. Caught one in the vest.
- Chris?
- The op's not over.
This is 20-David to Command.
- We got Chris and Street.
- Roger that.
50-David squad and patrol have
the building surrounded.
No sign of Diablo.
I got El Diablo in the leg.
- He was bleeding pretty badly.
- All right, let's move.
Tan, Luca, El Diablo must
still be in the building.
See if you can get a visual
from the roof across the street.
Roger that. We're heading over.
Looks like he's on
the north side, second floor.
Roger that.
No sign of him, Hondo.
Hold it.
Tan and Luca, second floor,
third apartment
- from the east side. Roger that.
- Go.
Chris, Street, get her out of here.
Let's go.
Clear.
Clear.
¡Idiotas!
I have to go now.
LAPD!
Drop your gun. I won't say it twice.
All right, I'm putting it away.
One step further, I shoot.
We don't want anyone else to get hurt.
Tell him to drop his gun!
Hondo,
I got a shot through the window, but
my backstop isn't clean.
Listen to me. We want
to end this peacefully.
Nobody else needs to die today.
It's too late for that.
Tell us what you want. Car full of gas?
Another plane? Money?
You think I'm stupid?
No, no, no, no, no,
this won't end the way you want.
Still not clean.
- Come on, man.
- There's got to be something.
A little more.
Some reason you've come here
after so long. What do you want?
I want you to remember.
When it happens,
when the city goes up in flames
remember I tried to stop it.
When what happens?
I'm clean.
Code 4.
Suspect down.
Hostage is safe.
Simons and the DEA are gonna
interrogate the Septimos
in custody and go through
El Diablo's burner phone,
try to piece together
why he came stateside.
Must have been something big
to draw him out of hiding
after all these years.
What do you think he meant
"Remember I tried to stop it"?
Stop what?
I'll shake some trees, see what I hear.
Do that.
What's wrong?
I don't know.
I just got a feeling this isn't over yet.
Hey.
How you doing?
You know, Gatens wanted
to be SWAT one day.
Bet he would've made it, too.
Maybe it's not my place, but
I know today was
a really hard day for you.
One that you you might
have trouble processing.
We have a doctor at SWAT
Dr. Wendy Hughes and she's-she's good.
Maybe when the time is right,
you-you might consider
talking to her about all this.
Appreciate it,
but I'll figure it out on my own.
Sound like me.
I tend to bury all my feelings.
Until recently, they, uh
they all caught up.
And I talked to her, and
I don't know. Might help.
Really?
I'll think about it.
Thanks.
I'm so sorry.
Rough day.
Yeah, rough damn day, man.
You sure you missed all this?
Yeah.
Missed you guys a lot.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Did you speak to them already?
I was just about to.
I'll do it.
I didn't mean to pressure you yesterday.
- I know. I want to.
- You sure?
You said it could make a
difference coming from me.
You really believe that?
- I do.
- Then, yeah, I'm sure.
Now I'm sure you have a dozen
questions about SWAT, and I'll be happy
to talk tactics and training
in just a minute.
But first, I want to talk about
something else,
something I wish I'd paid a little
bit more attention to
when I was in the Academy.
In this job,
you are going to see things
you wish you wouldn't.
You're gonna feel things
you wish you hadn't.
For a long time, I, uh
I ran away from
getting any kind of help.
But now that I am open to it,
the hope is that's it's
it's gonna make me a better officer.
Better husband, better father.
So if you ever feel yourself struggling,
just know,
the LAPD will have your back.
Certainly has mine.
Good night, Hondo.
Hey.
Hey.
Thanks for picking up.
Sybil told me you stopped by yesterday.
I did. I did. I
The changes look like they're
gonna be amazing.
Thanks.
I hear you're quite the traveler now.
Yeah, well, that donation comes
with a lot of responsibility.
I'm trying to do right by these kids.
Oh, come on. Come on. I know you will.
Look, um
I was hoping to tell you this
in person, but
Nichelle, I am so sorry
about the way I handled things
the last time I saw you.
That's not how I want to be.
And I know I upset you.
I'm not upset, Hondo.
It just clarified things.
You sound so far away right now.
That's because I am.
We're in different places.
We want different things.
It's not a crime. It's just sad.
I really am trying
to be someone different.
I hope you get there.
But for now, my focus has
to be on something else.
Listen, I have to go.
I've got people here
waiting to talk to me.
Okay.
Okay.
Bye.
Got a nice bruise?
Badge of honor.
Damn right.
Tell me something.
In this job, we get shot at,
we get injured.
Come face-to-face with
cartel bosses and their hit men.
Are we crazy for signing up for this?
Yeah, probably.
Almost every SWAT op
would be the scariest day
of most people's lives.
We're not most people.
You and me we already experienced our
worst day when we were kids.
Can't argue that.
Probably what led us here.
Always trying to save the next kid.
Yeah.
Sometimes I wonder, though.
If my life would have been better
if I'd had normal parents,
normal childhood.
Maybe, but then
you would have never met me.
Well, that's one way of looking at it.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Thought you left.
I guess I wasn't ready
to go home just yet.
You good?
I'm trying.
Okay.
Save something for tomorrow.
I always do.
Good night.