06x17 - Exit the Dragon

[bunniefuu]

Can I take this to mean the deal is real?

You now are in the shadow of the dragon.

Only the rules of myth apply.

Why me and not chow?

I exist.

The deal exists.

Quinn chow does not.

When do I get what I want?

Thought you were.

Don't intrigue me before bedtime.

My system can't handle it.

What about your system, hmm?

Can it handle a dragon?

It's been known to.

Your decision was supposedly weeks away.

You haven't played fair.

The rules are the dragon's.

Uh-uh.

Don't or die.

Learn to lose better.

I'll take your next deal, too.

One day, the dragon will realize
he has made the wrong choice.

One day soon.

This isn't over, burkow.

Are you choosing your last day?

If you hurry, you can catch the red-eye

back to Hong Kong.

You like danger?

Come play with me.

Don't play with Quinn chow.

I'm ready to seal this
deal whenever you are.

The deal is sealed.

The deal is done.

Okay, so what didn't I hear on the radio?

This homicide is officer-involved.

The Vic was Steve burkow.

Broken neck.

Lipschitz: Obliterated.

There's also bruising around the throat.

M.e. Puts the t.O.D. At : A.M.

You want to talk?

The doorman says burkow
was here all evening.

Tom: Bottle of brut,

$ -a-night suite...

Kind of an expensive lifestyle

for a cop on suspension.

Dirty cops can afford to splurge.

Tom: Room service

say anything?

Yeah. Asian, female

late s-early s.

We think she's Helen Lee

manager of new colony bank.

What she do, leave a card?

No, the server I.D.'d her.

He banks there.

He said that he saw
her inside burkow's room.

Nobody else came or went.

Did he see her leave?

Time of departure is anybody's guess.

Cassy, when's the last
time you had any contact

with your ex-partner?

Three weeks ago, burkow called

and asked what I'd say to the review board.

What'd you tell him?

That I'd go with the truth...

I saw him lift $ , off Tony yoon.

Did he ask you to change your story?

I think he just wanted to know

what I was going to say.

He seemed to accept it.

You sure you need this, cassy?

What I need is to find out

why he was with this banker.

Maybe he was going to deposit this.

Well, I guess my story wasn't wrong.

How can I help you two?

We're here to see Helen Lee.

The branch manager is in a meeting

but I'd be more than...

Follow me.

Did you enjoy it, k*lling him?

All my pleasures are private.

The only thing that's public

is that burkow is dead and I'm not.

So... do we have a deal or not?

You are in the dragon's
lair now, Quinn chow.

I make the rules.

Excuse me

for interrupting.

These people would like to speak with you.

This is my meeting. Leave.

Not anymore it's not.

Please, miss...?

Sergeant. Cassandra St. John

and we need to speak with her.

Ah, I see.

Quinn chow.

Well, we'll... pick this up later.

Cassy: Miss Lee...

Helen... please.

Helen... the reason we're here

is we need to talk to
you about Steven burkow.

He was found m*rder*d

in his hotel room this morning.

He's dead?

We know you were with him last night.

Well, Steve called, sounding so depressed.

Over what?

Well, the last three months

he lost his job and his wife left him

so I went over to see if I could help.

He was a customer and a friend.

He seemed to need some
of the things I can do for him.

About what time did you
go over to... cheer him up?

Around : .

What time did you leave his room?

Around : ... I got home around : .

Do you always give this
extra customer service?

This wasn't a regular thing.

But last night

he sounded so vulnerable

like he was in some kind of trouble.

He said that?

No.

But he was very anxious.

He kept checking his watch.

He wouldn't answer his phone

and he was drinking heavily.

Anybody see you come home?

My doorman must have.

Did burkow say what he
was so depressed about?

No, he was very secretive, indirect.

It may even have gotten him k*lled.

Did Steve ever talk to you

about what he did for a living?

He called himself an entrepreneur.

He said he used to be a cop.

That his partner turned on him...

Destroyed him with a lie.

Thank you.

Helen seemed respectfully
moved by burkow's death

but I didn't sense any shock.

No, I sensed some smugness.

You know, all of her
answers were so perfect.

She didn't k*ll burkow, did she?

I don't know, I guess
we could run her and see.

Steve as an entrepreneur.

That's not the guy I was partnered with.

Maybe his ex-wife knows.

Did you ever meet her?

Yeah, a couple of times.

He had a semi-regular card game. You?

No, he was always very
closed about her to me.

She was a working girl with a son.

He was pretty proud of the fact

that he got her to quit hooking.

Well, maybe she knows the "what."

Not much for a cop on the take, huh?

Well, there wouldn't be much left

if you spent it on hotels, champagne

and branch managers.

Stace.

Tom.

I'm very sorry about Steve.

Can we come in a minute?

Stacy, this is my partner...

Cassy St. John.

Get out.

Stacy, we're both very sorry...

I'm sure you are, Tom.

Get her out of here.

No, we can't do that, okay? Not yet.

You're a cop's wife, you know the drill.

Please, we got to know

what was going on with Steve.

When did you two break up?

We broke up about three months ago.

We tried to dance through
it after she blew him out

but, you know, money got really tight.

I went back to walking, part-time.

Steve freaked and he split.

Do you know where he went?

Where he was staying?

No.

I know this is a hell of a time

but what can you tell us

about Steve's situation?

His situation, Tom?

Was he doing some kind of bank...

What you really want to ask

is did I think my husband was dirty.

Well, you know what I heard?

I heard he had a hotel suite

while I'm sinking a
Jackson trick to feed the kid.

You're going to hear lots of things.

You don't have to believe anything

except for what you know are the facts.

You mean like the fact

that all of Steve's benefits
are on indefinite hold?

The only fact I can be sure of

is that I have you
to thank for all of this.

We're sorry to have bothered you, Stacy.

If you think of anything or, uh...

You just want to talk...

Tom: Cass.

Cass, what she said in there...

No.

That seems about right.

Tom: So we have no idea

where burkow lived or worked

for the last three months.

Helen's alleged alibi places her at home

an hour before the time of death.

Did you get a run back on her?

Yes. Helen Lee...

Hong Kong fashion model with an m.B.A.

Came to the land of
the free seven years ago.

Worked for the bank for the past five.

No priors. She does not
read like a neck-breaker.

So, what is she doing with
a street bull like burkow?

Forensics wanted me
to give you this report.

Thanks.

Must be your lucky day.

Where you going with this, kasner?

You got burkow canned.

Now you can spit in his grave.

Lipschitz: Hey!

Get the hell out

of my squad room, kasner! Go ahead!

Kasner is a mess, his
opinion doesn't count.

And what about your opinion?

Cassy...

No, this is fair.

Well, I wasn't there.

You were. I'm...

Thanks for your support, Tom.

Cass, what I mean is...

No, you know what, I
just need to get some air.

Let her go, it's okay.

Let her go.

I guess I can't offer you a cup of coffee.

Mr. Chow, I didn't even hear you come up.

Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.

No, it's my fault.

I was a million miles away.

Um, Helen Lee tells me

you're investigating the
death of Steve burkow.

Yeah, we are.

I knew him.

Actually, I just recently met him.

What were you doing with Steve?

It's a secret.

I can only tell those who I trust.

Well, who's more trustworthy than a cop?

Steve burkow was a cop.

You know, it's not a good
day for playing games

so I think that maybe we should
talk about this inside the P.D.

Yes, we could

or we can do this over dinner.

Either way, I'll tell you what I know.

Are you hitting on me?

Yes.

Tom: Cass?

Was that chow?

Uh... yeah, it was.

Said he knew Steve.

How?

Um, I don't know yet.

Well, the hundred dollar bill
we found on burkow was stolen.

Imagine my surprise.

The serial numbers match the group of bills

that were headed to the
treasury to be destroyed.

Over $ million in the shipment.

Somebody lifted $ million in dead notes?

Whoo!

Six months ago.

Three weeks before you popped burkow.

You think burkow was part of that heist?

The thought has crossed my mind.

Cassy, what exactly happened
the day that you busted burkow?

We were supposed to be doing

a follow-up on the Miller case.

Steve was running very hot.

He said he had to make
one stop before the interview.

He told me to stay in the
car while he ran this "errand."

He went in.

He wasn't there for more than a minute.

Tony yoon comes out.

A few moments later, burkow steps out.

And I remember that it looked

like he was still talking to someone

inside the warehouse.

Next thing I know, yoon is hit by a car.

Steve comes flying down the street.

I get out of the car...

Then I see him lift the $ , off the guy

the Vic, Tony yoon.

Far as we know, he was
illegal out of Hong Kong.

The driver was Tobias Hyde, right?

Right.

Part-time lawyer, full-time alcoholic.

Took a second-degree ride for it.

Burkow know you saw him take the money?

Yeah. And I said, "if you put it back

we could talk about this in
a non-work environment."

He wouldn't back down?

No, he told me to fold it.

So I had a lieutenant
on the scene search him.

Found the money and burkow was popped.

Tell me again how he took the money?

What do you mean?

You said he just reached in

and grabbed the money.

So he must have known it was there.

I'd like to go back to that
warehouse and look around.

You want to come?

Yeah, I do.

Helen: I probably should have made

the deal with you.

You made more sense on paper.

Why wasn't I first choice, Helen?

Is Quinn chow a trustworthy man?

Why don't you ask Steve burkow?

You talk like you're the only answer.

I understand your decision-making

has been questioned.

And I hear that the dragon-makers

thirst for newer and smarter blood.

You know how long it would take

to get someone into the bank

in my capacity?

How long can a broken flower last?

Make the deal with me.

I can save you.

It's been months since this place was used.

This kind of reminds me of
your place when we first met.

What's that, a spark of humor?

Well, there hasn't been
a lot to laugh about lately.

Hey, Tom.

Yeah?

These numbers mean anything to you?

Tom: I don't know.

International phone number?

Well, it starts with a zero.

No.

Some sort of account number?

Well, we'll give them to marnie

see what she can work out.

Ooh.

Ooh... who are those from?

Mmm. I don't know, let's see.

Ah!

From my mother.

No, that can't be.

These don't have thorns on them.

Who are they from?

I'm not going to tell you.

Why?

Because you'll disapprove.

I'm not your father,
cassy, who are they from?

Okay. It's Quinn chow.

He wants to meet with me.

Good.

What do you mean, "good?"

Nothing. It's great.

Sounds like a... great guy.

Little intense

be a nice change of pace for you.

Okay, I give, what's your game?

Nothing.

Go enjoy.

I'll work the other numbers.

I don't trust you.

Nice talk.

You sure?

I'm working.

I'm dialing.

Yeah, this is detective Tom Ryan.

Yeah.

I'd like to run a background
check on a Quinn chow.

C-h-o-w, yes.

Quinn.

Mr. Chow?

Ha!

You're early.

Yeah, it's a habit.

Thank you for coming.

Um, bad experience in a department store?

Oh, I'm proud to be a
fourth degree black belt.

As you see, it requires diligent training.

Mm-hmm.

Excuse me for a moment.

Sure.

May I offer you something to drink?

Thank you.

So, how well did you know Steve burkow?

Somehow I thought we would
ease into this conversation.

Well, I've been down that road before.

You don't trust my motives?

Should I?

Well, trust that I want to see you

in a more relaxed atmosphere
than a police station.

Steve burkow was a desperate man.

He needed money, so he came to me.

And what do you do, Mr. Chow?

I deal in money.

White market or black?

Wherever the market is, so am I.

Did burkow ever want you to lend him money?

No, Steve burkow wanted me
to make an introduction for him

to Helen Lee, which I did...

For a commission.

Was this the ten million
in stolen U.S. currency?

What ten million?

Now let's talk about your motives.

In exchange for what I'm about to tell you

I would like to commission this deal.

Agreed?

Not a chance.

Then let's talk about something else.

Well, what if I subpoena you instead?

On what grounds and what will I remember?

I'm willing to find out.

The k*lling of Tony
yoon was not an accident.

Tobias Hyde was paid to k*ll him.

How would you know that?

Yoon was a constable
with the Hong Kong police

and he was following the baby dragon.

The baby dragon?

How come this story doesn't
start with "once upon a time?"

Mock me, but not the
dragon or its children.

Their souls are hatched from myth

and they feed on us.

I fear them as should you.

And just who are they?

They're the force behind
every large-scale money deal.

Ten million in dead U.S. currency

would surely count as large.

Indeed it would.

One of the dragon's children

is hunting nearby

and he needs to feed.

Talk to Hyde.

Ask him about the baby dragon.

Cassy: Toby, this is

detective Ryan.

We need to talk about Tony yoon.

Well, that interview's over.

Yoon was an accident.

I was drunk; I don't remember much.

Actually, the arrest report states

you only had an alcohol reading of . .

I'm a drunk, it hits me quicker, okay?

We think you were paid to k*ll yoon.

Where did you come up with this fantasy?

You had five $ bills
at the time of the accident.

It was money I was owed.

Did you check the serial numbers

on those bills?

I did.

Hot money, Toby, hot money.

Talk to us.

Come on, we guarantee no resentencing.

You don't have to cop to anything.

We just need information.

Like who wanted to see yoon dead.

This is about Steve burkow, isn't it?

Is it?

I thought it was about the baby dragon.

The what?

Since there's no such thing,
how could this rumor be real?

What rumor?

The rumor that you were trying

to bargain down your
time by sniveling everything

you know about the baby dragon.

This is very unfunny.

Was Steve burkow doing a
deal with this baby dragon?

He might have been.

Trying to launder the ten million?

Couldn't say.

Couldn't or wouldn't?

Ever heard of Quinn chow?

Big time.

Completely legit.

When was the last time
you saw Steve burkow?

A week ago... he was here.

Was this strictly a social call?

Steve needed a few hard
guys to watch over a transaction.

Thought I might know some, but I didn't.

What was the transaction?

I don't know.

He did say that somebody was trying

to side slam his deal with the baby dragon.

Person or persons unknown.

Steve ever say what he did for living?

Everybody knew he was
a cop; That was no secret.

Word on the street was he'd made it big.

That was just a joke about
spreading that rumor, right?

Was it?

The baby dragon will call.

I will get this deal.

Yes, I sent them to Hyde.

I need time to deal with the dragon.

Then they'll vanish.

My money says if we find out

who cut in burkow's deal,

we got our k*ller.

Want to talk about it, hotshot?

Cass, trust me on this.

I was thinking about you.

Well, let me think about me.

Got it?

Yeah, I got it.

Okay, gimme.

Chow semi checks out.

He runs a company called
gray ghost enterprises.

The feds suspected him,
tailed him, but never nailed him.

Of what?

Laundering money.

Specifically U.S. currency.

Was he competing with burkow for the deal?

That's why I ran him.

There's something else not on that sheet.

Chow holds a fourth
degree black belt in karate.

Well, bruises on burkow's
throat, snapped neck.

That's the kind of damage
a fourth degree could inflict.

We've got to find out where
burkow was hiding the money.

I'll talk to Stacy burkow
again in the morning.

She's got to know something.

Want me to come along?

Um, Stacy's still kind of tender.

Oh.

Cass...

About this chow thing...

Trust was always something that
we needed to work on, wasn't it?

Yeah, it was.

Helen, I didn't know you were still here.

What are you doing in here?

I thought you had the
listings for the winslow loan.

I heard about your friend, Steve burkow.

I'd only seen him in here a few times.

He seemed like a nice guy.

We've worked together for two years

and I know nothing about
you, Michael Thatcher.

Well, I'm a banker, Helen, just like you.

Just like me.

Good night.

Night.

It's me.

You have a deal.

I've had marnie run every
combination we could think of

and still we're nowhere with these numbers.

Off-shore accounts, partial
phone numbers, addresses.

Nada.

Cassy...

Yeah.

You ever work a case

with a cop you didn't know personally?

Sure.

What do you exchange first?

Badge numbers.

Bingo, me, too.

, now, wasn't that burkow's number?

Yeah, it was.

And chow said that Tony
yoon was a Hong Kong cop.

Let's see if his badge
number matches any of these.

Now, what...

What?

Okay, hold it.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Got it, thanks.

That was Tom.

He found burkow's place.

Oh, call when you get a match.

I will, I will.

Well, this is how burkow lived.

Tick tock, you take
the left, I'll take the right.

St. John.

Uh-huh.

Thanks, Harry.

Harry got a confirmation on
Tony yoon's badge number.

Fits the sequence.

Any numbers left?

They're working it.

Cassy, take a look at this.

It's burkow's cellular phone bill.

He's called that number over times.

Quinn chow.

Guess who?

Shall I take this to mean
that we're sealing the deal?

That would be a good guess.

Then we shall move immediately.

Immediately...

after, hmm?

Baby dragon's sealing the deal.

Want me to move?

No, I can do it alone.

Travel plans have burkow
running from Hong Kong

to Washington to here

on bi-weekly intervals.

Tom: I just talked

to a neighbor

showed her a picture of chow.

And?

Chow was here all the time.

Quinn chow was working with burkow.

Who was his competition then?

Chow was both.

He told me he'd work
either side of the law.

Chow took Steve out.

Cassy: So where's the money?

All this is about $ million

so where is the money?

Chow's got to have it.

This makes no sense.

Yoon gets k*lled, chow stays in palm beach.

Burkow gets k*lled

chow stays in palm beach.

If he had the money, he'd be gone.

We're idiots, cassy.

We're looking at this the wrong way.

What do you mean?

We thought burkow wanted

to give the money

to the baby dragon.

It works the other way.

Both burkow and chow are trying

to get the money from the baby dragon.

So the only person left is Helen Lee.

We gotta bust them with the money.

We gotta find them.

This is sergeant Tom Ryan, palm beach P.D.

Has an Asian woman checked in?

He's about , dark hair.

Lee, Asian, beautiful,
about ' ", ' / ".

Got it.

Same hotel burkow was capped in.

St. John.

Uh-huh.

You're positive?

No, thanks.

That was marnie.

The other number belonged to

a secret service agent
working in palm beach.

Who?

The agency won't say.

Want us to cease and desist.

They're sending in other agents.

Burkow was one of ours.

By the way, you've also inherited the job

to get rid of detective St. John.

She was burkow's partner.

She'll eventually come for me.

It's a deal breaker.

Consider it done.

Good.

Just like you did to Steve burkow.

Locals are on-scene.

Did they?

Well, they're cops

they're supposed to be smart.

All of them?

No, no, no, not a problem.

You have transportation coming?

They just need me to call.

It's all here, $ million?

Yes.

So the baby dragon has finally grown up.

With this deal, I will be.

I'll make that call.

I see Lee, but I don't see chow.

Want to take her?

Not without chow.

Evening officers.

May I have your g*ns?

What are you doing, Michael?

It's over, baby dragon.

I'm the new child of myth.

Why?

'Cause it's time.

It's a dead deal.

Where's chow?

Helen, I asked you.

Where...

Is chow?

You are going to die.

The only question you should
be asking yourself is how.

Maybe you ought to ask that
question to yourself, Thatcher.

Come, shih-chi chow.

Feel the power...

Of a myth.

This is my victory.

This is all my myth.

Now that is your reality.

They know everything.

Chow: I did not

k*ll Steve burkow.

The banker lying on the floor did that.

U.S. secret service, badge number .

So you had Thatcher

as burkow's k*ller from the start?

We couldn't arrest him

until we identified Helen
as the baby dragon.

Steve was my partner

my undercover partner

and he regretted

not being able to tell his wife or you.

Will you charge Helen
with conspiracy as well?

No, Helen is not going to be charged.

What?

Helen goes to Hong Kong.

She will be bait for the dragon.

This is a joke.

She'll get witness protection

in exchange for her testimony.

I just thought you should know that.

Nobody's going to believe

Thatcher was the whole operation.

He wasn't.

We're going to spin it.

We'll make it look like

he was working with Steve burkow.

You son of a bitch.

When I have to be.

You're going to let it hang

burkow was a dirty cop?

Steve would understand.

Well, I don't.

I don't think his wife or his son will.

It's done.

Then make it undone.

I don't live in your little world

of half truths and make believe.

Clear burkow or I'll go public on you.

The man died for you, he deserves it.

Trust that...

Just do it.

In the game I play, the beginning

and the middle don't matter

only the ending does.

Then let this one end right.

Shall follow me,
all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the
house of the lord forever.

Let us pray.

In the name of the father and of the son

and of the holy spirit, amen.

What is it, Harry?

Either of you ever know Chris Lorenzo?

Yeah, a little. Why?

He was a hell of a guy.

Hell of a guy.

You okay?

Yeah.

It was an awful day, Tom.

They're all awful.

I appreciate what you did for Steve.

Both of you.

Thank you.

Come on, Cory, we have to go.

Tom...

I do trust you.

More than you'll ever know.

Me, too.