- Tiago and Molly try escaping their complicated lives. Lewis interrogates a Cal-Tech student. Townsend and Alex's agenda is jeopardized by a Councilwoman. Peter Craft discovers a dark truth at Elsa's home. Mateo visits a Chicano dance hall.
- Tiago grows closer to Molly, while Lewis learns how Hazlet and Molly were connected. Mateo goes to the Crimson Cat and meets Rio, while Townsend and Goss have some heated words. Raul recovers and tells Mateo respect Tiago, and Peter learns the dark secret that Elsa is hiding.—Gislef
- Lewis goes to the morgue to see the charred bodies of his two friends. The coroner, Pat, confirms that they were each shot in the head first and then burned. Lewis asks Pat to keep the murders quiet for a few days, asking him to lose the report. Pat finally agrees, and as he leaves via the stairwell, Lewis weeps quietly and rips his collar in mourning, dropping to one knee and praying in Yiddish.
In Berkshire Heights, Tiago has coffee with Maria out on a picnic bench. Meanwhile, Mateo tells the recovering Raul how Rico intimidated Reilly and the other officers. The boy says that he never saw anything like it, and Raul figures that his younger brother wants to be Pachuco like Rico. Raul says that if the gang had pride, they would have stood with them during the demonstration.
Mateo asks if Raul remembers what happened, then tells him the Tiago shot him after Raul was killing the officers. The boy says that if he was Pachuco, he would have slit Tiago's throat for what he did, and Raul angrily tells Mateo to respect his brother. Raul tells Mateo that Tiago didn't want any of it, and that he's not a Chicago or a cop, and doesn't know what he is. He says that Mateo should be kind, then pleads fatigue and tells Mateo to let him sleep and go be a Pachuco. Once he's alone, Raul looks at photo of himself and his two brothers.
Tiago comes in and asks how Raul is feeling. Raul takes Tiago's hand, puts it on his chest, and the two brothers look at each other.
At City Hall, Townsend is in the gym on a weight-loss agitator, and tells Alex that he's not sure he wants to be mayor enough to lose weight. Alex gives him his schedule and reminds him that they have dinner with Via Hermosa Development about the motorway. Townsend says that it feels good to get the recognition he deserves, and Alex advises him to mind his Ps and Qs since he's more in the public eye and needs to behave himself.
Councilwoman Beck comes and asks Townsend if he plans to build the motorway on the bodies of four dead cops and eight dead Mexicans. Townsend tells her that he calls it healing the city's wounds, and Beck tells him that she's not going to let him turn the city council into his own little Third Reich. She tells him that if he wants a war, he's got it, turns the agitator back on, and says that she will never let him rename the motorway to honor a dead cop. After Beck leaves, Townsend and Alex both glare at her.
At the temple auditorium, Molly goes over her next show. Molly notices Adelaide going over papers, checks her watch, and cuts the rehearsal short to leave earlier. Her mother notices and tells her to rehearse the whole song,, and Molly tells her that she has a costume fitting. Adelaide asks when she'll return, and says that Randolph will drive Molly. Molly says that she'll drive herself, and walks off. Her mother insists that Randolph should drive her, and Molly says that she'll wear her sunglasses and no one will kidnap her. Once Molly leaves, Adelaide nods to Randolph and he goes after Molly.
Molly goes home and puts on a normal dress rather than church garb.
At Cal-Tech, Lewis sits in his car and goes over one of Hazlet's ledgers. He finds a letter and looks at it with interest. Skip comes out and Lewis goes over, flashes his badge, and says that his captain wants a word with Skip downtown at the station for some "routine thing". He then drives off with Skip in the passenger seat.
At the station, Tiago is at his desk going over the Hazlet case. Vanderhoff comes over and points out that Tiago is working on his day off. He asks about Raul and tells Tiago to go home. Tiago stays at his desk, and Vanderhoff talks about the Hazlet's will be just as dead in a few days. The captain says that he learned that working the case of the brutal murder of a 12-year-old girl years ago. He invites Tiago to take some of his Seconal if he needs to sleep after seeing the violence, and tells Tiago to go home.
Tiago goes to the bus stop, and Molly sees him from her car where she's been watching for him. She goes over and asks Tiago if they can talk where he's waiting for the bus. She says that she's been praying for Raul, assuming he's dead, and Tiago says that he recovered. The bus pulls up but Tiago sits and says that he's fine. Molly admits that she doesn't go out a lot by herself, and says that she always has work. Tiago says that it's hard to leave the victims behind because they stay in his head, and Molly asks if he wishes he were a normal person who could walk through the market. She wonders if she's a freak, and says that she was raised to be. They talk about how sometimes they just want to be themselves,
Molly apologizes for taking up Tiago's time and starts to go. Tiago asks if she wants to be someone else for a day, and Molly smiles.
Lewis drives Skip out to the hill, and Skip wonders where they are. Lewis picks an isolated spot, pulls over on the side of the road, and tells Skip to come along. When Skip refuses, Lewis pistol-whips him, drags him to the embankment, kicks him in the nose, and tells him that he knows Skip had dinner with Goss and his "friends" a few days ago. Skip says that they'll kill him if he talks, and Skip tells him that he'll kill him then and there if he doesn't. The college student says that death would be the best thing that happened to him, and Lewis gives him a handkerchief for his bleeding nose and invites Skip to tell him about it. As Lewis takes a drink him his flask, Skip asks him if he's ever heard of Werner von Braun.
Tiago takes Molly to the Santa Monica boardwalk, and stop at a shooting gallery. Tiago wins Molly a Popeye doll, and the two of them walk along. As they walk, Tiago talks about his father bringing them to the boardwalk when he was 7 and it was the best day of his life. He says that his brother Tomas and sister Gina were alive then, and tells Molly that they died of cholera. Randolph secretly follows behind them.
Peter calls Laura into his office and asks if Elsa has arrived yet. Elsa hasn't, and Peter tells Laura to cancel his appointment for the rest of the day. He drives to the Branson house and finds Frank sitting on the lawn, crying. Frank says that Elsa is inside. Peter knocks at the front door and Elsa finally answers. Her face is bruised, and he goes to the bathroom with her to tend to her injuries. She says that her husband can't keep her temper down, and Frank knows that her father beats his wife. Elsa talks about how at school, the Jews punch Frank and call him names. Mr. Branson tells Frank to fight back, but Elsa worries that the boy is too small. When she says that America means nothing to her, Peter tells her that it will get better. He offers to introduce her to his German friends, and invites Frank to come to Tom's birthday party. Elsa agrees to come and bring Frank, and then Peter impulsively kisses her. She pushes Peter away and says not in Mr. Branson's house, and Peter apologizes. Elsa tells him that it would be good to be Peter's house for the party, and Peter smiles. Peter goes to his car and drives away, as Elsa and Frank watch him.
On the boardwalk, Tiago and Molly look out at the ocean as the sun sets. Molly says that it's time for to go back to the real world, and Molly says that she can't bring the Popeye doll home, as someone so jaunty has no place in her house. Tiago hesitantly takes the doll and then kisses Molly. When he stops, Molly offers to drive him back to the station. Tiago says that he wants to stay there for a while, and wants the second best day of his life to last a little longer. Molly walks away and Tiago watches her go.
Townsend and Alex have dinner with Goss and his driver, Kurt, and Goss and Townsend discuss how the money will eventually go to Townsend's campaign. Townsend wants to hear how the money will be laundered to him, and Goss says repeatedly that the details are none of his concern and admires Townsend's audacity. The German mildly insults Townsend, and Townsend picks up on it and says that they need to do something about Beck. He tells Goss to do what he does, and have Kurt kill Beck. Townsend points out that without him running the show, Goss has nothing.
Goss calmly lights a cigarette and asks Townsend if he wants to rephrase what he just said. Townsend doesn't, and Goss tells him that if Beck becomes an obstacle, they'll handle her. He tells Townsend that he's making use of him, and he speaks for Hitler and for the next thousand years. Goss asks Townsend if he's going to be with the Nazis or against them, and Townsend excuse himself without responding. Alex tells Goss that she'll be dealing with Townsend for the next week, and it'll be more than a chocolate malt. She tells Goss that the Nazis aren't as smart as they think and leaves.
Outside, Alex catches up Townsend. When she suggests that he go back, Townsend drives off. Alex walks down the street and transforms into her real form of Magda, telekinetically smashing the storefront window as she walks past them.
Lewis: Don't make me hurt you. I had about the worst week of my life, too, and believe me, when a Jew says that, it fucking means something.
Mateo goes to the Crimson Cat Club, where the Pachucos meet. He goes into the main room, where a jazz band is playing as people dance. Rico is dancing in the center of the floor, and sees Mateo watching him. He goes over and dances with Mateo, and women come out and dance with Mateo.
After the band finishes their song, Rico takes Mateo over to meet his queen: Magda, in the guise of Rio. Rico says how Mateo stood toe-to-toe with Reilly, and asks how Raul is doing. Mateo tells Rico that Raul is home and doing well, and Rico asks what took him so long to come to the Cat. When Mateo tells him that he had to work, Rico says that work is for saps and gringos. Rio tells Mateo that they're going to dance, and leads him out onto the dance floor. Before Mateo goes, Rico tells him not to fuck it up.
Mateo and Rio dance, Mateo keeping up with Rio. Rico comes out, and Rio shoves him away. He grabs another woman as a partner, but they're all interrupted when Reilly and two dozen other cops come in and announce that there's a curfew, and everyone is under arrest. Rio punches Reilly and a fight breaks out. Laughing, Rio leads Mateo and Rico out.
At the temple, Molly goes to her suite and finds Adelaide waiting for her. The older woman recites Popeye's song, and Molly realizes that she knows she and Tiago were at the boardwalk. Molly goes on to her bedroom and closes the door behind her.
Down the street, the trio stop and Rio says that she's dago, not Hispanic. She tells Rico that after the cops come into the Cat, they'll shoot down the Mexicans. Rio tells Rico that they have to fight, and figures that they have to fight back. Rico figures that they have to get their piece of the American Dream, and Rio tells him that they have to make the gringos give them what they want, and make them scared because they're everything the gringos fear.
Mateo agrees with Rio, and Rico says that when he was born, he was thrown out like garbage. One day he met a man, Papa Pachuco, and he's not going to throw away the tattoo Pachuco gave him on a war they can't win. Rio tells him that they make LA bleed, and the founded the city and built it. Rico says that before they hit the trenches, they'd better get Mateo fly.
Lewis goes to a bar and drinks. Tiago comes in response to Lewis' invitation, orders him a gimlet, and says that he's taking a couple of days off. Lewis says that he has to bury a pal of his, Anton, who has no family. They drink and Lewis tells Tiago that Molly was screwing Hazlet, and Hazlet bought a love nest for them in Malibu, using church funds. Tiago insists that Molly isn't a fraud, but Lewis says that they got a new suspect.
Noting Tiago is distracted, Lewis asks him if he believes Molly' spiel. Tiago says he still does, and Lewis tells him to grow up because it's a wicked old world. The two of them toast to their saving the world, because it only has the two of them to save it.
Later back in his room, Tiago Skip takes a book out of a case.
Lewis goes to his apartment, looks through what he's gathered on the evidence, then look at a photo of him, Sam, and Anton together.
Adelaide prays outside of Molly's door, while Molly sits on the floor in her bedroom, holding herself.
Townsend goes to a restroom in the park, prepositions one of several young men standing outside, and then goes to the back and have sex.
Mateo and the others go to a tattoo parlor, and Mateo gets a fly tattoo and drinks while Rio looks on.
Tiago sits on the floor, drinks, goes through the Hazlet case, and looks at the Popeye doll that he won for Molly.
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