Original subtitles

Thank you.

I tell you, Hooker, every time we get Chinatown duty, the hairs on the back of

my neck stand up.

There's a lot of misguided hostility out there.

Chinatown's never been tougher to work, that's for sure, Junior.

Doesn't make it any easier that the people don't trust the police enough to

to us.

And when they do, it's one of ten different languages.

It's become a melting pot down there for all the Southeastern Asian culture.

Thai, Laotian, Japanese.

And a hotbed of crime.

That's like tonight if the gangs don't get you, you're liable to catch a bullet

in the middle of a dope or prostitution war.

I don't know. Times have changed.

Neighborhoods. Faces.

Time was, I knew almost everyone down here by their first name.

Yeah? The word I heard is, you know, all the ladies.

Good and the bad.

What about the ones in between? Those two.

Yeah, well, I hope some of them still remember your name, because I still got

the feeling that all hell is going to break loose tonight.

We're almost there, Mike.

Get out now, Mike.

Come on.

Get out. I'm not going to worry about that. The girl.

Possible 187 reported 6th and Carpenter. Two male suspects in late model gray

van. Last seen moving south on 6th. Handle code 3.

4 Adam 30, that's a roger.

Late model gray van. Going south on 6th.

Did you see how he got to that intersection?

Whoever is driving knows what he's doing.

The gate

is

closed.

He outdrove me.

But he does it one time.

One time only.

She was one of the boat people.

An Amerasian.

Her mother was Vietnamese.

Her father was an American GI. She came to this country six weeks ago. That's

all very interesting.

Yeah, it's also interesting the way she was killed.

Looked just like the street slings I used to see in Vietnam.

Hands tied behind her back, one shot through the heart.

Nothing taken from the body, money rings, everything left behind. The

oriental warning.

Intelligence briefed us that there are several Viet gangs operating in the

Lieutenant. Thanks for all your hard work tonight, gentlemen, but we rolled

those intelligence reports from before, and it usually turns out to be two 60

-year -old Vietnamese grandfathers banging away at one another with pop

over a barbecued chicken in a condo driveway. Yeah, but they were popping

other with a .357 Magnum, not pop guns.

And why couldn't the Vietnamese gangs be moving in the massage parlor operation

in the downtown area?

And the people involved, especially if they're from Southeast Asia, are always

reluctant to go to the police.

Right, sure. Sign the report, Hooker, huh?

When we wrap this one up, it'll turn out to be her boyfriend or her ex

-boyfriend or some John that felt that her massage wasn't worth all his money.

She was an off -the -street prostitute, Hooker. It was a crime of passion. That

was poor Mai's business, remember?

Passion.

What are you doing?

Calling a friend and administrative vice.

You mean prostitution is a street crime.

And vice might like some street cops looking into it.

I didn't know you were acquainted with the Southeast Asiatic mentality.

I found a fresh source of information just recently.

And you should see this source of information.

I'd like to.

Hello, Fred.

I'm sorry to wake you, it's okay.

Somebody gunned down a 19 -year -old Vietnamese out -call girl tonight.

I'd like to find out why.

All right, ladies, I knock, but nobody... What's the matter?

What can we

do for you?

Who's in charge here?

Me.

What happened?

Nothing.

It doesn't look like nothing.

I'm all right. Just leave me alone.

You see, Sergeant, she just wants to be left alone.

All right, buddy, you get out of here and you stay out of here.

Look, she won't tell me.

But maybe one of you girls want to keep this from happening again.

No, he'll come back.

Not now he won't.

You're Barbara Canton?

That's right.

His name is Blood Henderson.

He's not brave enough to be a pimp.

He used to work here as the out -call driver.

Excuse me.

Why don't you go home, huh?

Will you call me later?

Will you be here?

I'll be here.

What can I do for you, Sergeant? You called the homicide detectives last

and you left before they got here.

Well, I was scared.

After I saw Maya on the ground, I... What else did you see?

Who else did you see?

Why do you want to make it tough for me?

You know, it was hard enough just to come back here. The Board of

shows you to be at 60%.

owner in this place and sole holder of the building lease.

Isn't that a great deal to give up if somebody's trying to force you out? I

back, didn't I? Don't you want to stay?

You know, I don't get it, Hooker.

Half the time you cops come around, you try to put my girls in jail, close me

up. I don't get time to go to greater crimes or lesser crimes.

Going to jail for alcohol prostitution is one thing. Mine is murder, it's

another. Well, at least we agree on that.

Hoker, the afternoon customers are due and... Well, the uniform makes them a

little nervous, you know? Sort of the black and white out in front.

Welcome back, Barbara.

Oh.

Jim, what a nice surprise.

Hi.

This is Stacy Sheridan, Nikki Kwan. Jim's partner. Hello.

Nikki, we're working on a case that may have a Vietnam connection.

Let's talk over there.

This is off the record, right? My name won't be used.

You sound worried.

Cautious. I have a small import -export company.

I can understand why you don't want to make your Asian contacts unhappy, but we

need to try to scrape together whatever we can.

Right. So it's okay.

An out -called prostitute was murdered last night at a dive called Pacific

Massage. The girl was Vietnamese.

She was born in Saigon and came by way of Hong Kong and an INS green card,

giving her residence status. I had one of those when I came here.

And how can I help? We're convinced there's an organized vice connection to

killing.

Name's Tran Tam.

And you didn't get it from me, okay?

I've already got enough problems with him and the Hanoi connection.

What kind of problems? Why didn't you tell me? All I've had to do so far is to

carry one of his people on my payroll.

You're paying to stay in business?

Jim, if you had grown up on the streets of Saigon the way I did, you wouldn't

always see the police as a solution.

Sometimes they're part of the problem.

In this country, the cops are on your side.

Especially this cop.

I thought you knew that. I do know.

It's just not that easy to change.

I'll see you at seven.

I hope so.

Stacy, take care.

You always that tough on ladies who really like you?

Only when I really like them.

You

told

me she would not come back.

Well, I took sure as hell when one of your boys took out one of her girls the

way they did that she'd catch planes.

Maybe she started to.

And it started over, you know.

Hard to tell about that kind of woman.

You worked for her.

You're supposed to know how she'll react.

You took my money and told me you'd take over the girls.

Don't let me interrupt.

We're almost finished.

Let's try one last time with the madams.

How do you want it handled?

Do whatever's necessary.

But don't get carried away and kill her.

You can go.

But you stay in close touch.

Sure, Mr. Tam.

As soon as they hear anything, I'll let you know.

You're giving this massage parlor madam a great deal of attention.

She's known to the others. If she cracks, they will each fall in line.

You're spending a lot of money to build an empire here.

You're using street gangsters and drug addicts who are more trouble than

worth. Tell me, Nguyen. I'm spending a lot of money, as you put it.

Have I ever missed a payment to Hanoi?

Not so far.

But the lives and happiness of your family depend on using both power and

sense.

This is a long way from Hanoi.

Not true.

Hanoi is right here, in this room, with you.

It's a lot better.

Barbara,

the night Mai was killed, we chased and lost.

A van with two men in it.

Did you see those two men outside the barn?

And today they came to your apartment, didn't they?

Yeah.

They're trying to pressure me into selling out. To Trantan?

Uh -huh.

They said it would only take a few minutes at the attorney's office, and

I'd be out and alive.

Why didn't you give in? Who the hell knows?

Barbara, I want to put two undercover officers inside the massage parlor.

got to be kidding. No, I'm not. They'd shut me down like that.

When this case is wrapped, we may be doing our best to put you out of

But for now, nothing we get will be used against you. We'll be going after

Trantam and the men who work for him.

You know, it must have been the fall down the stairs.

A deal between a madam and a cop named Hooker?

That's got to be made in heaven.

Or hell.

Lady still not cooperating? No, she came around. I've been working out the

details. Cleared them with a brown.

Romano, you'll be the new out -call driver. And Stacy.

I have a job for you.

Check it out.

That's what you're wearing? It's the Pacific massage look.

Hey, Hooker, where is she supposed to wear her wire?

And my trick bag.

An out -of -call girl never parts with her trick bag.

And don't get any ideas about helping me on with it. It's fine just where it is.

You'll only go out and cause a Barbara sentence. She'll only listen to you out

in fake calls.

Jim and I will be monitoring everything that goes on. And we'll be parked right

across the street.

Suppose a customer walks in off the street and wants it all.

Barbara will brief you and the other girls that due to increased police

interest, the girls will only take customers they already know.

Sounds like an outstanding opportunity in police work. I see.

It's funny how the term 316 keeps popping up in this investigation.

316? There was a reference to it in Trantam's INS file. When he applied for

resident status, an informant told the INS agent that Trantam was important in

the 316, and the agent interpreted that to mean a counterinsurgency group.

But the agent's notes were incomplete and the informant was hinky. So when the

agent decided to re -interview his snitch, somebody had already fished his

out of the harbor.

She has already found somebody to take my place.

And that of blood, too, Mr. Cam.

Today. Finish it off today.

Do you really think you can turn this country into another South Vietnam?

Why not? They tried to turn Vietnam into something like this country.

I'm just sorry I can't be there when they finally kill this brave prostitute.

R &I just sent this over. R .K. Blood Henderson.

Last arrested, 1978.

First conviction, possession and sale of cocaine.

How's he fit into this?

Well, he came in to take over after Mai was killed. I ran him out.

Barber does his work every morning.

You think he's tied to Trantan? Maybe. He's an ex -con.

But he spent several years in Vietnam.

I gotta tell you, Hooker.

I hate Stacy being in that sewer. Ladies, we've got two new people

work. Stacy and Vince.

Now, Stacy is just going to do alcohol so she can sort of get her feet on the

ground. I thought the whole point was to get her feet off the ground.

Carla.

Carla, do us all a favor and be nice to the new girl for a while, okay?

Now, this is Vince.

Thank you, ladies. The feeling is mutual.

Now, Vince is our new driver.

Any girl making an out -call rides with him.

Even if a customer has to wait, no girl goes out alone.

Clear? If you have anything you want to walk out with later, it's a good idea to

put it in here. We lock it and you can trust most of the girls. Thanks.

Where did you work before?

San Diego.

Yeah, so did I. I had a shot at a Navy commander one.

A shot?

He was thinking of marrying me.

Imagine. A commander.

Lila.

Mr. Yamato from the Beverly Garden Hotel.

Oh, yeah, the Tokyo Tiger.

I should introduce you to him sometime.

He sees blonde hair and blue eyes, and he never wants to go home.

Barbara. Oh, Mr. Edward, how nice to hear your voice.

Yes, Carla is on her way.

Thank you.

I get him again? What about the new girl? I'm assigning the calls, Carla.

Vincent it's the Storm Hotel.

I guess you're really hot for stuff.

I guess Barbara's saving you for something special. Why don't you get off

case? You started the minute I walked through. Why don't you take tricks like

the rest of us and keep your mouth shut, huh?

You know how Mr. Edward hates to be kept waiting.

Stacy, don't mind her.

We're all a little wired after what happened the other night.

What happened the other night?

The girl that worked here, Mai, was killed.

I'm surprised you didn't know.

You mean I'm taking a place?

Hey, Daisy, you just got to town. You need a few bucks.

You got a job. Be grateful.

One thing you got to remember in this line of work, the other night never

happened. It's tonight you got to worry about.

This girl of yours, she was born in Saigon?

Yeah. She's half Chinese, half French.

She's in business for herself, then?

You bet.

Came over here with just the clothes on her back.

Went to night school, studied design.

Now it's Kwan Imports.

Geez, certainly made a hell of an impression on me.

I've got to go to the doctor and I know I can get there all by myself.

I'm driving. Are you pushing? Anybody ever tell you that? Many times.

I know I can really get there by myself. Kidding.

Look, her sedan headed your way. They shot Barbara.

Are you

okay?

Hell no.

Can't you get it out of there?

Come on, hot shot. Give me another driving lesson.

out of the world

Real name, Kaidu.

Born in Saigon, came to this country in 1975.

Worked as a driver for a limousine service.

INS had the same bit of incomplete info that they had on Trantown, that Kaidu

was suspected of being a member of the 316.

Oh, me.

We couldn't get anything from either one of these guys.

They're more afraid of their own countrymen than they are of American

How did Kaidu make a living back in that? He was a professional race driver.

Hooker taught him a little about money driving.

He works for Trantam here?

Right.

How do we prove that?

We can't send Stacy back in there without Barbara to cover it for her. Do

anything to say about that? No, just for openers, you don't.

With Barbara dead, there's nobody to make sure you're only going phony

And who knows if some degenerate might just walk in off the street for... Vince

learned from Carla that blood always had heroin.

Now, with Barbara gone, he'll be back.

It's not going to get him for sales of heroin.

We could twist him and tie Trantam into both murders.

Hooker, you're putting Stacy into one hell of a dangerous situation.

Is making this case that important?

Solving two homicides.

Preventing a repeat performance and putting a stop to this whole dirty

Yes, I'd say it was important.

Then how do we contact Stacy without Barbara on the switchboard? Call in

yourself, and whoever answers, just ask to have me specifically sent on an out

call. That'll work.

Stacy, it's up to you. I never quit halfway through an assignment before.

I'm not about to start.

Your apartment is always so well -kept.

Almost austere.

Yeah, I'm a neat guy.

You know, I don't exactly like doing what I've had to do.

What?

I've given you questions.

A day to cop goes with the territory, huh?

We need to know what Trantam is after.

Taking over a massage parlor.

Selling narcotics out of it is profitable but limited.

And he's obviously willing to kill whoever gets in his way.

The communists in Vietnam are the relatives of people in this country.

The ones here get words that their relatives there need money.

Extortion.

Trantam enforces the collections and...

Smuggles it all over to the other side.

But, of course, you must never judge the whole Vietnamese community for the

actions of men like Tram Tam.

What is the 316?

How do you know about the 316?

Case histories.

I have to know it all, Nikki.

316 was the number of a suite in the Saigon Public Administration building.

A group of highly trained military officers and agents charged with

counterinsurgency.

Killing the Viet Cong and its sympathizers. Killing the Kong and those

helped them was not evil.

Through 16, they tried to recruit you, Jim.

Grave, intelligent,

leader.

I wish Stacy could hear you say that.

Sometimes we're not always on the same wavelength.

How is your pretty blonde partner?

She's okay.

She's on special assignment.

She's okay.

New face. Let's check the license plates.

It looks like Stacy was right.

Let's come back to glory.

I don't get it, honey. You name a price and I'll come up with it. Because I

didn't come all the way out here to California to argue with you over the

I'm trying to explain to you, sir. I'm waiting for a regular customer to call.

Oh. Hey, wait a minute. What?

Wait, how many rules are on here? The whole name one?

It's a good thing I come back, isn't it?

Who do you think you are?

You around here?

What's your name?

Stacy. Stacy?

Well, what seems to be the problem here, darling?

This gentleman is anxious.

For some kind of love, right?

And what could be better than the way you have a love? Get up. Get up.

Now, Senator, you take my word from an old soldier.

Just don't get no better than this.

You're a baller.

I don't guess you're glad to see me at all, are you, Carla?

What are you, the new driver?

Name's Vince.

You must be Blood.

You heard of me, didn't I?

You know I'm strictly business.

What's it gonna be, Carla?

The cops are out.

So did Barbara.

Cops?

Well, I don't see cops around here.

Let me tell you something else.

The poor little Barbara is long gone. Somebody's gonna take her place.

This is true.

You see, nature abhors a vacuum.

And certain friends of mine are taking legal steps to acquire this property and

the licenses thereof. Did you get that, Vince?

No question about it. You got away with words, blood.

Okay, okay.

Just stay away from me.

Oh, darling, you think I'm going to fall on my sword for one old rose when

there's a fresh dozen out here in the bouquet?

Stacy, wait. Stacy.

Well, let me tell you something, Stacy. I'm a cracker.

And as crackers, it's hard to kill.

But we're hard to love.

That tears it. We've got to pull her out of there. You're right.

Where'd you get it on license?

Nguyen Thi, 957 Hyacinth Lane, Garden Park.

Heavy concentration of Vietnamese in that area.

Let's find out what he does for a living.

Mr. Daisy?

You go back to the mom and pop store.

Give it a couple of hours so blood doesn't get suspicious, and then put in

call. Okay.

Ren solid.

Vince is already talking a dope deal for tonight.

With blood?

Says he has access to as much heroin as I can move, and this parlor is just the

beginning. The brass must have got wind of it. They're hot on him. I'll tell

you, the brass won't be in there when blood drags Stacy back to one of those

massage rooms.

And you think I'd let that happen? How are you going to stop it, Vince? You're

playing his new partner. I mean, what are you going to do? All right, all

all right, you guys.

We can wrap up the prostitution and narcotics for the brass, but it doesn't

for me unless we get the people who ordered the murders of Maya and Barbara.

think that's what the job has always been, hasn't it?

Stacy.

Don't forget your trick money.

And have Romano drive you around for an hour or so and make it look like you

earned it. 200 is just the going rate. Do you want to get a tip?

Yeah, well, they're due here any minute.

I might kick all that out too, you know.

I'm going to find out one way or the other.

Been waiting for you guys. I got a live one at the Granby Motel.

Business must be picking up.

See you later, Vin.

You think that's trouble?

I don't know.

Sound like static.

Then nothing.

I almost had the music up full blast. I can't hear a damn thing.

I like it. Nothing but music for ten minutes.

Okay, that's it. Let's go.

Hey, what is this? Where's Stacy?

The new girl?

I don't know. Maybe she left. Look, you.

You've worked both sides of the street so long that you can remember what I

the truth now.

Now! Okay.

Blood took her out of here about ten minutes ago.

Hooker!

Looks like Blood didn't buy her cover after all.

Carla got an out call.

Vince drove her. Did you take the call?

No, Blood took the call.

It was a man who asked for him.

Then he sent Carla off with Vince and he took off with Stacy.

She's a cop, huh?

Yes, she is.

I need some more information.

What was the point in bringing her here?

My friend said that we're supposed to bring this thing up here tonight.

Do you know how dangerous it is to kill a policewoman in this country?

You know how dangerous it is to leave this one alive.

Check everything you asked me to.

Nguyen Chi is an attorney, but he's been here since the 50s. All during the

Vietnam War. Correct.

Find out who he represents?

Well, this is a partial, but the computer kicked it out on court records

immigration hearing files.

You gonna be able to help us, Lieutenant?

I think he already has.

What do you mean?

Blood was waiting for Stacy to come back from meeting us. For sure. She only

took one call all the time she was here.

Romano tried to hit him up for her when he probably got suspicious.

What do you think? We blew our assignment? I just think you both went

And Stacy may be paying the price.

I think Blood got a call telling him.

That there was an undercover officer fitting Stacy's description working that

parlor. Who could make that call?

Nguyen Chi, a respected lawyer for the last 30 years. We just got his name a

couple of hours ago. How can you know Stacy exists?

Jim, your friend Nikki Kwan told you and Stacy that she needed to put somebody

from Tron Town's operation on her payroll.

Kwan Imports has only 12 employees, but her legal representations, and she's

been in this country, has been Nguyen Chi. But she's helped us from the start.

She gave me all the information I passed on to you. She told us what we would

have found out eventually from somebody else or from the government. She told

you about Trantown, about Hanoi, and about 316.

Come on.

I wish that was not necessary. He has been with me since Saigon. Believe me,

sorry, but I've been ordered to clean up the mess as quickly as I can. You think

you would have cracked if the police had gotten to him? Then they would use him

to get you.

What about the policewoman?

I will handle that.

You're going home.

Nikki! I wasn't expecting to see you tonight, Jim.

This is Sergeant Hooker.

Sergeant? You know, I didn't think anything of it when you asked me about

partner last night. I even told you Stacy was on special assignment.

I don't know what you're talking about. I think you do.

Lee and she is your lawyer.

They worked a little magic with the immigration to get your citizenship

the other Vietnamese.

I don't know that I want to listen to this. You will anyway.

From what I'm learning, too fast, it's not all quite clear.

Lu Yun -Chi was in this country for three decades, saying he was for Saigon

the time he was working for Hanoi. Was it his idea to bring the 316 apparatus

over here almost intact?

Jim, I told you about the 316.

Sure. There was something in your voice when you told me about that small group

of trained killers who fought for our side then.

Sometimes we have to change sides many times just to stay alive.

I know what you're talking about. I was there.

I also remember the story of a beautiful daughter of a cabinet minister whose

whole family was wiped out by the Kong. There were many such daughters.

I only heard about one.

She was famous for luring Kong leaders into ambush so they could be blown away.

And it was easy because she was beautiful.

And she was only 16 then.

I was the youngest agent of the 316.

Too bad we didn't meet then, Jim.

When you called Nguyen Chi to tell him that you thought Stacy was working

undercover, where was he?

In his office, but he was on his way to Tran Tam's warehouse.

Jim, it didn't quite kill all my family.

My mother is alive in Saigon.

Whatever I have done, it has kept her alive.

After you have taken Trantam to the plane, you'll get 20 gallons of gasoline

return to the warehouse.

I will be waiting.

You're very beautiful.

Where's Stacy? In the front.

Good plan, Stacey.

So what happens to you girls now? We're going to Vegas.

I hear Vegas is pretty tough on working girls.

Hey, no, we're going to go to beauty college. We're going to be

Vegas will never be the same.

I just love Vegas. It's so hot there.

If you ever get to Vegas, Fitz, be sure and look me up.

Count up.

Bye. Bye.

They'll be back in a couple weeks, and we'll be locking them up again.

I don't know. I spent a lot of time talking to Carla. Maybe they will do a

turnaround. Count up.

Did you try to call Nikki?

None of the numbers I had for her are any good now.

What the hell would I say if I found her?

Goodbye.

But she's already said that for you.