Original subtitles

It had been a really tough year.

Yep. REALLY tough.

Since my dad got transferred to Bilbao, things weren't at all easy for me.

I arrived as a kid and I suffered a terrible pre-adolescence.

Being the son of a Civil Guard commander wasn't evewone's cup of tea there.

Especially if you become good friends with a guy who seems to be like you,

but who's the exact opposite.

That is: son of an important leader of the Basque left wing.

Still, our friendship was genuine

But there was a powerful reason that brought us together.

That white or beige...

...or brown powder:

Horse. Junk.

Smack. Skag.

Infinite names to refer to heroin in a friendlier way.

I often wondered if Urko and I expected what happened that November evening.

When we arrived in Baracaldo, doing our best to cope with the shakes,

the pains and all the angst of the monkey on our backs

after three days of total withdrawal.

Calm down.

Calm down.

You're in luck.

This is almost 100 grams.

And it's primo smack.

We were out of our minds.

Let's go!

The only thing we could think of was to hide out at Beti's house.

An Argentinean friend who worked in massage parlors

and various forms of covert prostitution.

We didn't go out for three days,

shooting up non-stop.

There's no denying that Urko was weaker than me.

And the idea of having become a killer must have been unbearable for him.

I don't know.

The fact is he couldn't get over it.

He's dead!

It was a really hard blow for me.

Right away I sensed that only my father could help me.

I would have liked to interview you along with the other boy's father.

But there's no chance of that.

Our newspaper's parliamentary reporter tried to get him to talk the other day.

But he insists on the official version.

His resignation is due to strictly personal reasons.

And he has nothing more to say.

Although there's a lot we don't know yet, I must admit that.

Mr. Aramendia is a person of integrity and great respect.

His son's unfortunate death makes his attitude understandable.

You should also understand that for an information professional,

this is very important news.

Why?

Just imagine. The son of a Guardia Civil commander

and the son of an "Abertzale" member are suddenly involved in a violent crime.

A violent crime?

The only thing we can talk about here is an accidental death from an overdose.

But I'm referring to the double murder

of a drug dealer from Barakalo known as "The Gimp" and his wife.

The shells that were found match the Civil Guard's standard ammunition.

Listen, Mr...

What did you say your name was?

Miguel Caballero. From the Madrid newspaper "24 Hours".

Well in Madrid, Mr. Caballero, you people are very confused.

It is well known that ETA has committed many murders

with weapons stolen from our armed forces.

You recently escaped an ETA attack.

But I wasn't aware that they'd stolen any weapons from you.

That's right.

- ETA didn't steal any weapons from me. - It was stolen afterwards.

- Also a no. - Are you sure?

Very sure. Who could have stolen it from me?

Your son Paco, for example.

Look.

If I granted you this interview it's because my colonel requested it.

But I'm not about to put up with your impertinence.

And haven't you considered, commander,

that if your superiors asked you to accept this interview,

it's because they also fear someone might confirm

these rumors?

What rumors?

More than rumors, I'd start referring to indications.

Indications allowing one to suppose something, on the other hand, very human.

- And perfectly understandable. - Just a minute!

At this point, I have nothing more to say.

Very well, commander.

I have no choice but to accept your silence.

And even though you don't believe it, I wish you luck.

I'm sure you're going to need it.

I'm going to prescribe Nolotil for the pain.

That's all I can do.

Thank you, Colonel.

I don't know.

I'm a little embarrassed about this situation.

No. There's no reason.

Lots of militaw men's sons have been coming in lately with the same problem.

Calm down, son. Calm down.

I can't, Dad! It hurts too much! My whole body hurts!

Remember what the doctor told us.

The only solution is to man up!

- Hang in there. - I already told you I can't, Dad!

I need a little horse. Right now!

If not, I'm going to die, Dad!

Paco.

It's 4:30 in the morning.

- At this time... - Yes, yes.

I know where to get some, Dad.

But Paco...

Get dressed.

I said get dressed!

Don't make so much noise. You'll wake the girls.

How much did you say you needed?

25.000

Fuck.

Here.

Be very careful.

My father asked for leave from his command and we moved to Madrid.

Both of us naively thought that leaving Bilbao would be a solution.

We sent my little sisters to Palencia, to one of our aunt's house.

The poor girls were still feeling sad about the recent death of our mother

who had left us just a few months before.

Madrid appeared to me as my vew last hope.

My father was prepared to take me to see the best specialists.

We both thought there would be a doctor who could find a solution to my problem.

We went to live at my grandmother's place.

She'd been a widow for almost 10 years, sharing her loneliness with old Adela

who'd been in service at her home since she was a child.

- Mother! - My son!

- Sir! - Hello, Adela!

My baby. My baby.

- Young master! - Hello.

It was an old apartment.

Huge.

With high ceilings.

It always felt cold to me, even when the radiators were at full power.

I remember that old piano as an untouchable object in front of which

you always had to hold back the temptation of touching its keys

so it wouldn't go out of tune.

Oh...

Shall I bring the young master his breakfast? I made him hot chocolate.

Sssh! Don't wake him up!

He's had a very rough night.

I heard him get up so many times.

I think the boy isn't well.

And of course, his father doesn't want to tell me anything.

I don't know.

It's as if he were ashamed that the boy is sick.

Come with me, ma'am. I want to show you something.

Christ, what's the mystery!?

Let's see it.

Let's see what you found.

- Look! - Was the practitioner here?

- No! - Well then?

I found it in the trash can this morning.

It's an insulin syringe.

Like the ones my cousin Elvira used to use.

Imagine if the poor child also turns out to be diabetic.

Oh, ma'am, you think so?

Here, take this and throw it in the trash.

Come on!

- Adela? - Yes ma'am?

This thing,

not a word about it to anyone.

Understood?

May I come in, Lieutenant?

Come in, man, come in.

Back in Bilbao again?

As you can see. The news from here is a big seller.

I'm looking for Torrecuadrada's son.

What a pain in the ass.

The interview I got you caused me a lot of grief.

The commander is furious with me.

Get ready because it's going to be a long one.

But that case is closed already.

What do you know?

So the case is closed?

Well that's a shame.

You know what I was thinking of headlining the story I'm writing?

Son of Civil Guard commander suspected of murdering 2 heroin dealers.

You're going way too far, mister.

You told me you were only interested in the relationship between

Congressman Aramendi's son and Commander Torrecuadrada's son.

I'm afraid now I'll be more interested in other types of relationships.

For example, the one those drug dealers had with the Civil Guard.

You see, my sources

assured me that they were getting drugs here.

In this command headquarters.

Come to think of it, that front page would also make a big impact.

Careful it's not another kind of impact.

You're playing with fire.

I have to admit you have a very particular sense of humor.

But don't worry, Lieutenant.

You know I'd never publish anything compromising without consulting you.

Our newspaper defends collaboration with our institutions.

But with the necessary criticism, of course.

To the point. What the fuck do you want?

Come on, Lieutenant. Cut the crap, we've known each other for years.

You know damn well what I'm looking for.

Encarna, come on out. There's a man here to see you.

Good afternoon, Miss.

I'm Miguel Caballero from the newspaper "24 Hours."

Tell me, what can I do for you?

I understand you saw the Gimp and his wife's killers running away.

- Is that right? - It is, but

I already explained everything to the police.

And the Civil Guard too.

Do you think you would recognize that boy?

- The one with the curls? - This one precisely.

I'd swear that's him.

Totally oblivious to these investigations,

My father and I spent the first days in Madrid

visiting doctors' and psychiatrists' offices.

Each one had a different theory.

Either they wanted to lock me up in an insane asylum,

or send me to work on farms where remorseful heroin addicts

trade their needles for shovels.

And they set out to cultivate the land like honest and clean farmers.

Finally, the one who convinced us the most was a Chilean doctor.

In this country there really are no adequate centers

for the detoxification of heroin addicts.

The only treatment I recommend

is Metasadin-based detoxification.

A methadone compound.

I must warn you that it is not an officially authorized treatment.

But it is the only one that's effective in overcoming withdrawal symptoms.

So we are dealing with something that is outside of the law, right?

Well, let's just say it's not within the law.

Look!

Adela, I already told you, no sweets.

Donut W Qr r y' T1156 Th

It's made with saccharine for special diets.

It's just that the boy likes it so much.

Paco. My little Paco.

You have to be careful with these things.

You can't give in to your cravings.

Am I right, Evaristo?

When one is sick, it is necessary to be disciplined.

Mother, where did you get the idea that Paco is sick?

It was my fault, sir.

I found the syringe in the trash and showed it to the missus.

I don't know why you're being like this. There's no need to hide things.

It's not all that serious.

Just look at Aunt Elvira.

She lived forty years depending on syringes.

Back then it was a nuisance because you had to boil them.

But now with the ones you use and throw out, it's so much better.

But what was wrong with Aunt Elvira?

The same thing as you.

She had high blood sugar.

I'll go, Adela.

Mother,

the two of you are wrong.

There's nothing wrong with Paco.

Yes, hello?

Yes, Colonel. I'm listening.

Today's paper?

Right away, Colonel.

At your command.

A CIVIL GUARD COMMANDER'S SON SUSPECTED OF KILLING TWO HEROIN DEALERS

All this is just miserable slander.

I have no doubt about it.

But I hope you can appreciate my situation.

If the judge issues a warrant for his arrest,

and I confess I don't think he'll hesitate to do so,

the matter is beyond my jurisdiction.

Colonel,

my son is innocent.

Patience, Torrecuadrada, patience.

We must have faith in justice.

I'm losing faith in everything.

All I can do is recommend a good lawyer.

A man you can trust entirely.

Here you go. Laureano Alonso.

You can tell him that I sent you.

I assure you that he knows exactly how to handle these cases.

Thank you, Colonel.

- But I need something else. - What is it?

I would like to be present during my son's questioning.

You know very well that's impossible.

It isn't up to us.

He'll be questioned in Madrid at a national police station.

To put it bluntly, Colonel,

what I want is to make sure he isn't subjected to abuse.

But Torrecuadrada,

Don't tell me you're afraid he'll be tortured.

- That's illegal. - Please!

We all know the procedures that are still being used

both in police stations and in Guardia Civil barracks.

Come on, come on.

I'll find out who's the commissioner in charge of his case.

You don't have to worry.

Trust the security forces, Torrecuadrada.

And don't worry.

Yes?

It's me, young master.

Coming.

Young master.

Two men are here who say they need to speak to you urgently.

- Two men? - Yes, young master.

They say they're from the police

and that they have orders to take you into custody.

- Does my grandma know? - No, young master.

She's not back from mass yet.

What's wrong, young master, what's wrong?

The last time the police were in this house was during the war,

when the Reds took your Uncle Erminio away to execute him.

It's okay, Adela.

This time they won't go that far.

Please, don't let my grandma find out.

Dad's going to arrive soon from Bilbao.

Good evening, Commissioner.

At your service.

- How are things going? - Very well.

Martinez is putting on the pressure.

Keep it up, keep it UP-

And your father,

what did he think of all this?

My father didn't know anything.

Let's see...

Who fired the gun?

So it was the Basque kid?

You know we want to help you out.

You just have to be reasonable and cooperate a little.

So,

we agree that it was Aramendia's son who fired the gun.

Isn't that right?

Yes.

The boy's statement was very sensible.

At least we're lucky he's putting the blame on the other boy.

If my son said it was Urko who fired, it's because it's true.

His statement is the least of it, commander.

In front of the judge, we'll deny everything.

And that's possible?

Naturally.

Just trust me.

At your command, sir.

- Here, file number 223. - Very good.

- You're a Guard's son, aren't you? - Yes.

Come on, get in.

I spent three days completely alone in the holding cell.

When I was arrested, they took my methadone pills.

That was even worse than losing my freedom.

Hey, you.

Move your head or I'm going to piss all over it.

Relax, dude.

You'll get used to it.

Hurry it up. You going to eat or what?

Lunchtime.

Aren't you coming to eat?

No, no. I'm not hungry.

UP to you.

Fuck, dude. Get a move on.

- You're new here, right? - Yes.

Do you know what time it is?

A little after 1:20.

Now that's a fancy watch!

Get off me!

You piece of shit!

Motherfucker!

Come here, asshole!

What's happening in there?

Nothing. Chino and his boys are kicking the new kid's ass.

Son of a bitch!

Fuck you!

Shut up! Sto Shut up!“ cwmg!

Fuck! I think they're overdoing it.

Maybe, but the kid knows how to defend himself too.

Anyway. Let's go open the cell block door.

I can hear them coming back from the mess hall.

Come on, let's get out of here.

What's up, man?

What happened to you?

Some scumbags beat me up.

You're lucky.

My first day they stabbed me

and to top it off fucked me up the ass. Can you believe it?

But they also took your shoes.

- Yeah. - If you want, I can sell you some.

They took all my cash.

No, man, you can pay me later.

I trust you. You look like a good guy.

The toe's ripped.

But that way it won't hurt your foot, you know?

You want a discount?

Okay.

Okay, dude. I'll let you have them for 30.

And try to get your act together.

If you don't get your act together

you'll never get by here, dude.

ENTRANCE FOR VISITS AND PAYMENTS

- Go on, start shooting. - Okay.

Look at that asshole with the camera.

- Son of a bitch! - Bastard!

- Shithead! - Get the fuck out of here.

Hey, why don't you go take pictures of your damn mother!

Please, ma'am. Watch this for me.

- Wait a minute, I'm just doing my job. - You have no right to...

- Son of a bitch! Asshole! - I told you not to.

- Commander, I'm just doing my job! - Fucking press! You're responsible for

-all of this! - Get off me! Get off me!

- I have a right to do my job! - But you don't have a right to...

Cut it the fuck out! What is all this? Identify yourselves!

At your service, commander!

Attention! He's a Guard commander!

Get that guy's roll of film!

Hang on, hang on.

We have the proper authorization to take pictures.

I'm sorry, commander.

We'll have to check with the Guard Corps.

Come with me! Let's go! Both of you!

At your service, commander!

Commander,

don't forget to read our paper tomorrow.

Wait 'til you see its beautiful front page!

Come on, let's go!

Hurry UP!

Piece of shit.

And those bruises?

- Did they hurt you? - No, not at all!

It's from playing football in the yard.

I got hit with the ball. Unintentionally, of course.

Paco, you be careful.

If you feel sick, tell them to take you to the infirmaw right away.

Or I'll file a complaint.

- Don't forget that I'm... Don't worry, Dad.

- I'm fine. - Are you sure, Paco?

- Tell me everything that's happening. - What do you want me to say?

I brought you the bucket with a few things.

Adela made you a delicious pie.

By 'EH6 WHY,

some of the things are a little crushed.

I tripped getting out of the taxi and I dropped the package.

I think it's still edible anyway.

Don't worry, Dad.

I'm sure I'm gonna love it.

Come on, let's go. This is over.

Take care, son.

You need to be brave.

Goodbye, Dad.

What's up, kid?

Fuck, Pirri. I didn't see you. You coming from a visit too?

No way, dude. I only have a grandma.

And the poor thing's not in great shape. She's not up to doing much.

Ah, I can pay you for the sneakers now.

Put that away, dipshit.

If someone sees it, you're gonna have problems.

People waiting for drugs!

Come on, no pushing!

Get in line. Come on. Get in line!

You, what's your name?

- Come on, your name. - Jose Antonio Precineo.

Pirri. How do you get pills around here?

- You gotta sign up for the doctor. - Next

- Enhorabuena. - Hey! Second last name?

- Flores. - Next!

But you use that stuff?

No. Well, sometimes.

The truth is I'm a little hooked on horse.

Well, dude, you'll end up falling into the hands of Lehendakari.

- Lehendakari? - Yeah man. I'll tell you about it.

What's up, Alvarito?

You're seeing it.

Hey, this is that Civil Guard's son, right?

Yeah, what's the matter?

Nothing's the matter. Lehenda knows you're here and wants to see you.

- Say what? - Yeah, dude.

Lehenda. Lehendakari.

The fucking Basque inmate from Bilbao.

Who's the Basque guy? And how does he know I'm here?

Why does he want to see me?

Lehenda knows everything, dumbass.

OK, Alverito. Let me explain things to the kid.

Well explain them right, because Lehenda wants to see him tomorrow, got it?

- Yeah, dude. - Right.

What's that spiel all about?

Relax, man. Don't get pissed off.

Thing is, Lehenda's been in solitaw these days.

But he gets out tomorrow and you should get to meet him.

He said yes, man.

But who is he?

I already told you. He's from your town, from Bilbao.

He's not from ETA, is he?

Well, he says he's not, but it looks like he used to hang out with ETA guys.

A long time ago, when he was a kid.

Then he got into other stuff. Hold-ups, drug dealing up in Bilbao.

But apparently, he still has the habit.

- What habit? - Killing Civil Guards.

He blew one's brains out with one shot.

Fuck!

I couldn't get to sleep that night.

All I could think about was this Lehendakari guy.

Who could he be?

Was he a member of ETA?

One of the ones who tried to kill my father?

Careful!

Floor it!

Or did he have something to do with the Gimp's customers?

With the people Urko and I used to sell horse to?

You see, what we want, for now of course,

is for the boy not to be relocated to Bilbao.

Well, as court clerk, you're well aware of what these issues are like.

What... what do you recommend we do?

Well, I don't know. What can I say?

In these cases, you know how it is.

You have to put some weight on the file.

- So it goes to the bottom of the drawer. - Right, right, right.

Could we gain six or seven weeks?

I can't guarantee anything.

You know the mechanism ofjustice, once it's set in motion...

That's precisely the point, that it doesn't get set in motion.

Good one, Alonso!

The things you say!

You son-of-a-gun!

Anyway. I'll see what I can do for you.

I assume you brought all the “information."

Do you know who I am?

Yes. You're Lehendakari.

Well, just call me Lehenda.

- We need to talk, kid. - About what?

About Bilbao.

- The Gimp. - You knew the Gimp?

We were thick as thieves.

Almost brothers.

We lived together for a few years.

I mean I even introduced him to his old lady.

So you and some other sucker killed him.

Unbelievable.

Two fucking kids!

- Anyway, let's go to my crib for a while. - What for?

I have something that can calm you down a lot.

I'm not into shooting up.

Gotta use our nose for something, right?

I haven't shot up in a while.

Before I got put in the joint I was being treated with methadone.

That's bullshit.

All it does is get you hooked on both, on junk and on methadone.

So yeah, kid. The Gimp and I were friends for years.

This one time, he got caught in a horse deal.

And they wanted to send him to jail for years.

I don't know what the fuck happened, but he was freed soon after that.

And I was such an asshole that I didn't even get pissed off.

I continued to trust him and did another deal with him in on it.

It was a really juicy deal.

We were supposed to get two kilos of horse off a boat coming from Thailand.

Fucking hell!

When I realized The Gimp was a Guardia Civil snitch, it was too late to act.

That fucking motherfucker!

Because of him, I've already been stuck in this hole for four years.

And all this time the only thing I thought about

was how to get out of here to crush that bastard and his bitchy wife!

Four years wracking my brains

just to find out that two little punks already killed him.

Un-fucking-believable!

The son of a Civil Guard and the kid of an "Abertzale" member

simply go and kill the biggest scumbag rat in all of Bilbao.

Man, they sure slapped you around.

How do you feel? It's some fucking good smack.

Sure is. I feel fucking great!

At first I felt like kicking your ass, you little bastard!

You took away my reason to live, killing that son of a bitch.

Well, hit him a couple times and blow off some steam.

Shut up, you little bitch! I wish I had the balls this kid has!

Look! Look!

He has tits!

He wanted to be a transvestite, you know?

Fucking touch them! They're firmer than real ones!

Come on!

- Okay, I'm out of here. - Hey, and these scabs?

I see they gave you a great welcome.

You know. A Carabanchel jail custom.

The guy in your cell's a loser.

Why don't you come here to my crib?

No.

I really appreciate it, Lehenda.

But Pirri is a stand-up dude.

He's been really good to me.

Seriously. I don't want to leave him.

That's not a problem, man.

I can get them to authorize both of you coming here.

And why are you so interested in me coming to stay in your cell?

After all, you don't know anything about me.

Because I fucking feel like it.

Look, Paco.

You killed the son of a bitch I hated the most in the whole world.

I think you and I could be good friends.

Lehendakari immediately managed to get Pirri and me sent up to his cell.

Lehenda had his crib at the very top of the cell block.

From there he could see people coming and going like an eagle lying in wait.

After I moved there, life became more bearable for me.

At least I wasn't missing the most essential thing.

- Four coffees. - Okay.

But in a place like Carabanchel, new problems appear all the time.

Check it out. Those guys deal junk too.

But careful with them, because they're the ass-bandits.

- Here, your coffees. - Here you go.

- Hey, you. The cute blond. - Don't even listen.

You! The Civil Guard's kid!

Yeah. What's up?

What's up?

- Saliva until it goes down your throat. - Forget it.

I mean you're looking good kid.

You're giving me a hard-on that's about to burst.

- Hey, are you into it? - Depends. Into what?

Anything you want.

We have everything in our crib.

Why don't you stop by later and we'll shoot up together?

Or does Lehenda have an exclusive on you?

Fuck!

That's some callus you have on your arm!

And your corn hole? How's it doing?

Say what?

Your ass. Does it have calluses too?

No way! This guy's still a virgin.

That's what you think. Lehendakari already sunk his "banderillas” into him.

His “banderillas" and a chorizo from Navarra.

- Damn, his ass is so tight. - Get the fuck off!

You'll make me spill the coffee!

Calm down, man.

Texas has enough money to buy you coffee

and even a few grams if you need them.

But only in exchange for you know what.

Fuuuuck me!

What are you doing Paco? Coffee's gonna get cold.

- It's just... - Yeah.

You see? It's already cold.

This coffee was for me.

Only for me.

And I don't like it cold.

- You fucking... Chill!

Listen Texas.

Let this be the last time you come near the kid.

Got it!?

Fuck, Lehendakari. Don't be pissed.

- We were just joking, man. - You know I don't like jokes.

Let's go, Paco.

How do let him do that to you?

Why did you choke?

Look, dude.

I've known Lehendakari for years.

And I know that with him it's better to choke.

That's her.

Penny! Pretty bird!

Yes? Who is it?

- Encarnacic'>n Lopez Segura? - Yes, just a moment.

Come in, please.

Come in.

What can I do for you?

Yes, we wanted to talk to you.

- Are you alone? - Yes.

My aunt and uncle and cousins are on vacation

in our village.

And you're from the province of Badajoz, right?

Yes.

And do you like the Basque provinces?

Or do you miss your homeland?

I'm getting used to it.

But please, would you mind telling me what you want?

Yes, yes. Of course.

Let me introduce myself. Laureano Alonso, Attorney.

- He is Evaristo Torrecuadrada - Nice to meet you.

Civil Guard commander and father of my client.

You know who I'm referring to, right?

Yes, of course. But...

Have a seat, please.

- Thank you. - Have a seat.

You see, it's about Paco, the commander's son.

He's in jail now as a consequence of your testimony.

We're convinced the boy is innocent but

we believe that if you testified against him,

it was motivated by some special interest.

But I don't even know him.

Well that's precisely why, Miss.

So? What interest could I have?

Let's just say,

an interest that's...pardon me.

- An interest that's lucrative. - Look, I'd never do anything like that!

I'm sure you didn't measure the consequences of your statement.

From just one photo you accused a person

that you barely saw for five seconds in your life.

More precisely,

who you think you saw.

What if it wasn't him?

All I'm asking you to do is to reflect.

Remember it's a Civil Guard commander who's asking you.

A defender of the law.

Let's go. I think we've already bothered her enough.

Forgive us, Miss.

It's no problem.

- They're canaries, aren't they? - Yes.

When I was a boy, there were always canaries at home.

I'm from a mining town, you know?

And I remember whenever my father went into a mine,

he always carried a bird in a cage.

He'd put it on the ground to see if there was any gas.

And if the bird died, the sensible people

immediately understood that their life was in danger.

Anyway, Miss,

I beg you to reflect on it.

And remember that my son's freedom

is in your hands.

Suddenly someone appeared in Carabanchel whose presence was a surprise for me.

I never imagined that my friend Beti would reappear in my life.

But there she was.

Despite my surprise,

I tried to have an affectionate, even funny, conversation with her.

But Beti soon began to voice her reproaches to me.

Unbelievable.

You're such an asshole.

How could you leave me lying there with Urko dead at home?

It's not mine. I don't know whose it is but it's not mine.

And that's not where they found it. So tell me what you did.

What, what did I do? What did I do?

I got blamed for something that wasn't even my problem.

- You could have told someone about it. - Well you could have too.

- But you're too damn proud. - Look who's talking about proud.

What you're saying doesn't even make sense.

Yeah, tell that to someone else.

You keep blowing it off and you're going to get screwed up the ass!

Well he's not even here!

He was in the same position as me and took better advantage of it!

Because you're a loser. You don't know what the hell you're getting into.

I'm sorry.

I know it was a shitty move to run away and leave you there with all the mess.

But seriously, Beti.

I was like out of my head.

It was a huge blow for me.

Anyway, kiddo. It's all over now.

Don't torture yourself.

And besides, I'm sure your old man will get you out of here soon.

- Will you go back to Bilbao? - No.

Me neither.

They wouldn't let me live there.

I found a job here.

At a massage parlor, of course.

You're such a slut.

What do you want, kiddo? What do you want?

When you get out of here, we'll see each other again, won't we?

Of course, Beti.

Of course.

Pirri didn't take long to take a liking to horse.

And after a few days he was galloping along

like he'd never done anything else in his life.

- Damn! - What's wrong?

Nothing. It went through my vein.

Fuck! I told you to let me help you!

Got it!

Fuck.

What a high.

Well be careful, don't get too attached to it because

the supply's going to run out soon.

It is, good looking, it is.

I know what I'm talking about.

Start saying goodbye.

What's "she" talking about?

Lehenda told me not to tell you anything.

But we have our own plans.

We've been planning it for a while.

Truth is, when I brought you up to my crib,

I did it thinking you wouldn't be very useful.

- And how did you plan it exactly? - It's vew easy.

Perita and me,

we're going to stab ourselves real good.

- Fuck! - To get taken to the hospital.

And that sounds easy to you?

At the hospital I have everything ready to get us out of there fast.

The important thing is to get the fuck out of here.

Don't worry.

This system has worked out fucking great for lots of people.

And I'm much better organized than most of them.

And you think I'm gonna cut you?

With Lehenda, I'd do whatever's needed.

What do you think? You little brat!

Just like I have two tits, I also have two balls!

I'm glad you thought it over.

You've made the right decision which is also the fair one.

No. You won't have to worry about that.

I'll leave immediately for Bilbao and tomorrow we'll make a declaration

rectifying your previous statement.

What you should do now is rest up and sleep peacefully.

See you tomorrow.

- So it worked? - Yes...

We've made a big breakthrough.

Now we have to see what the D.A. says.

Now's the best time.

It's three in the afternoon and their cells are shut until five.

You're sure about this?

My hand won't shake even a little.

My ass can smell the street already.

Paco,

don't you let me down.

As soon as I cut myself,

call the officer and tell him that we're dying

and that they have to take us to the hospital.

Don't worry.

I'll pound on the door until I break my hand.

Both of us at the same time.

Are you ready?

- Ready. - Then no more thinking about it.

What a fag, really!

What do I do? Should I cut her?

You shut up and don't move!

Get them up here Paco! Fucking do it already!

Yeah!

Number!

Number!

Number!

322! 322!

- Cut it the fuck out already! -322!

- You think they killed each other? - No such luck.

- He wants to be taken to the hospital. - Then we're fucked.

As long as their trick keeps working.

You fucking cop bastards! Fuck you all! Fucking murderer!

Shut the fuck up, you faggot!

Or I'll kick your teeth down your throat!

Fucking loser.

This basket case is gonna rot here in jail.

And he didn't have the balls?

Well too bad for you!

In a few day Lehenda will be having fun in the street and you'll be here!

Looking for somebody to fucking suck him off!

You bitch!

Forget about it. It's not worth talking to this damn fag!

So? Let's shoot up?

Okay.

We finished off all the horse we had left.

That's how we spent all afternoon and all night.

Near dawn, we fell completely asleep.

So much so, that we didn't even realize what had happened.

Well I can't understand it!

If the witness recanted, I don't get why they don't release him immediately.

You have to understand, Mr. Torrecuadrada.

At first, we tried to delay the file.

And of course, that's going against us now to a certain extent.

But I assure you it's a matter of a few days.

- Very few. - No, no. Of course.

I completely rely on you.

I'm well aware that the speed or the delay of a file

holds no secrets for a man of your experience.

Thank you, Alonso. Thank you very much.

But unfortunately, one has increasingly more difficulties to get things done.

You can't imagine all the problems we have lately.

These government people!

We know very well what you're saying, Lopez.

We know it very well.

Well, here's all the “information" you need.

We hope everything moves along quickly.

Since they took Lehenda away,

we lost any chance of getting horse.

And that monkey on my back appeared again.

And beyond the pain

the sweating

and the shakes,

what was unbearable was that feeling of being stuck in a black hole.

Where you don't feel like living

or dYinQ

or anything.

And what do I say to him?

I don't know. What do you say?

That you want smack.

We only have 4000 pesetas.

Fucking tell him you'll pay him back.

Okay?

- What did he say? - There are no hard feelings.

In 1O minutes in his crib.

I'm...I'm going with you.

No, dude. He said to come alone.

- You're not gonna shoot up without me!? Fuck no!

Go to our crib and wait for me there.

That's why we're friends, right?

- Check it out. - That fix is looking good!

Fuck.

You can't complain. I put almost a 1/4 gram in the spoon.

- And it's some really good smack. - Okay, dude.

Come on, I gotta get it into my system.

I'm really jonesing here.

I can't take it anymore.

Where are you going to shoot up?

Right here. Like always.

- Here? - Here.

- Check out the kid's package! - Not bad at all.

- Stick it into his cock! - Yeah!

I'm gonna inject it here, where you can't really see it.

Yeah, yeah, I know that already!

You think I'm an asshole?

I know already!

When I came I knew I'd have to swallow your crap.

Look kid.

In Carabanchel I have guys willing to swallow for 200 pesetas.

- Anything at all. - And for less.

The thing is, we think you're funny.

And shit,

fucking a Civil Guard's son has its perks.

Don't you agme, GUYS?

But you have to fuck all four of us.

I'm saving myself for the last.

Because after so many years of shooting up horse,

one needs a little stimulation to get excited.

Although I think maybe with you,

it won't be that hard.

You have to give me at least a gram.

I'm jonesing out like crazy. And my friend is climbing the walls!

Chill out, kid.

With this junk you'll stop your jonesing and you'll forget about everything.

Come on, Texas. I can't...

I can't take it anymore.

Come on. Come on, give me the smack.

The smack?

You already shot up a shitload.

No. I held up my end.

I let all four of you do me. You promised me a gram.

That's enough of your bullshit, kid. What did you think?

That we pay to fuck or what?

You can't fuck me over like that.

At least,

come on, be a good guy and sell me 4000 pesetas of powder.

My buddy is jonesing out in a bad way!

This covers it.

It's the price of the fix you just shot up.

We're even now.

You're not capable of that.

Listen, Paco.

If you want,

I can invite you to a good fix every afternoon.

With no need for money.

I'm okay with you showing my friends a good time because

for me it's enough to watch the show.

To see ifl get as turned on as before.

And forget about Pirri.

Tell him to get a life.

You're just a shitty faggot.

A son of a bitch.

You're not even good enough to be a fag.

You son of a bitch! Piece of shit!

- Fuck off! Get out! - You piece of shit!

Close the door!

Did you get any?

There's no junk, Pirri.

He didn't give me any.

What are you talking about?

I bet you shot up all of it! Your eyes are like 2 needle heads.

I didn't, Pirri. They only gave me one fix and that's it.

And the cash?

Give me the money right now or I'm gonna get pissed!

They ripped me off.

Those sons of bitches kept even/thing.

This is my fault for trusting the son of a Civil Guard!

Up to you, dude.

Search me if you want to see if I'm carrying.

I'll kill him!

I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch!

Out of my way! Where's that fucking fag?

The fuck you want?

- Where's Texas? - The fuck do you care?

Tell me where he is!

He just went down to the yard.

Close it!

Where are you going?

Texas!!!

What's his problem?

- Kill him! - Come on Texas!

Look out! They're coming.

Now what?

You're still a fucking fag!

- Come on, Texas. What's your problem? - Nothing, fuck!

- Get the fuck off me! - It's not me. It's that loser!

- Let me see him! - Isn't it this guy?

- Francisco Torrecuadrada? - Fucking faggots.

Yeah, what of it?

- You bastards! - Go get your things.

Your father's waiting for you. They've agreed to release you.

Congratulations!

I never saw Pirri again.

What could have happened to him? Could he still be in jail?

- You bastards! - Maybe he's out, twing to make a living.

Who knows?

I think about him often with warmth and sadness.

If a pigeon comes to your window,

treat her with love, she is my person.

Tell her of your loves, my life's dearest,

crown her with flowers, because she's mine.

Oh, my little one, yes. Oh, give me your love,

Oh, come with me, little one, to where I live .

Oh, my little one, yes. Oh, give me your love,

Oh, come with me, little one, to where I live .

And the boy?

I'm sure he went to the bathroom.

Hello?

Just a moment.

It's for young master Paco.

Master Paco, you have a phone call.

Who is it?

A girl.

I'll be right there.

Hi, Beti. How are you?

Yes, I'm doing great.

No way! I had no idea! It's a surprise to me!

Okay. See you tomorrow.

Kisses!

COMMANDER TORRECUADRADA'S SON IS RELEASED

Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

Just this tiny little article?

You know the deal, Fernando. You're the newspaper's editor.

You know that it could lead to a lawsuit.

And who cares? Just another one for our collection!

You know perfectly well that you could squeeze a lot more out of this issue.

In fact, we already dedicated a couple front pages to it.

Yes, but with the wrong information.

Proof of that is that the judge released him.

And what difference does that make?

This kind of news gets burnt out in a day.

Don't you know that tomorrow,

today's newspaper is only good for wrapping fish or wiping your ass?

Well I prefer toilet paper!

Listen, sir.

The witness has disappeared!

And nobody can find her! What the hell do you want me to do?

Good grief. Look.

On the one hand there are those comments

that the police and Civil Guard

pay informants with heroin in the Basque countw.

On the other hand,

we have the military ETA attacks against drug dealers.

Suddenly you have a news item where

in the middle of the whole mess

is the son of a Civil Guard commander.

And you ask me what you can do?

But we've been talking about this for five months.

We didn't hit the nail on the head. We're missing the big story.

That big stow that I'm convinced you can get.

I don't know.

If your friend gives you a hand, of course.

What friend?

That lieutenant in Bilbao's Civil Guard.

I'm sure

that you have more than enough arguments to convince him.

Am I right?

Dear Dad,

I hope this letter doesn't hurt you too much.

I want you to know that I can only be grateful for all you've done for me.

And if I'm going now and leaving you

it's because I'm convinced that I'm hopeless.

I promise you, Dad, that I'll tw not to get into any more trouble.

And I hope that at some point, when I've straightened out my life,

I'll be able to come back to you without feeling ashamed.

Meanwhile, please don't look for me.

Take care of grandma and my sisters who deserve it more than me.

And take a break from so much suffering.

A big hug from your son.

I went to live at Beti's place.

She worked as a prostitute.

She got her johns through classified ads in newspapers.

With the money she made,

I would buy horse

and resell it in wraps for 1000

or 2000 pesetas.

- Fuck off, asshole? What the hell? - I'll cut your fucking throat!

To make more money,

I mixed the heroin with glucose

or any other gunk.

The bad thing is that it was already adulterated when it got to me.

"Cut," as people usually say.

Despite all that, things weren't going well for us.

Both Beti and I had too many competitors.

Workers have once again called for a mobilization

to put pressure on the minister of industry and to demand alternative jobs

before the facility is shut down for good.

I have just been handed a last-minute dispatch that I will read to you.

This morning an inmate from the Carabanchel prison

escaped from the Provincial Hospital.

Imanol Orbea Pretolasa.

AKA: Lehendakari.

He was serving a sentence for drug dealing

and also for the murder of a member of the Civil Guard.

According to police sources, his escape was made possible

thanks to the close cooperation of individuals

belonging to an organized criminal gang.

What do you want?

I want to talk to Lehenda.

Who's that?

I was in the joint with him. He told me to ask for him here.

Well I have no idea who this Lehenda guy is.

I don't know if you get my drift but lots of people go by here.

Look kid.

- If you tell me where to find you... - Yeah,

I wrote down my address here.

Tell him I don't live with my father anymore.

- That I live with a chick. - Okay, okay.

Leave me alone! I don't feel like having sex now!

What's the matter? We haven't fucked for days!

- Don't you like me anymore? - Of course I like you!

That's not the fucking problem!

You know I can't get it up when I'm on horse.

Then don't do so much horse.

Sure, you spend the whole day lying here while I have to kill myself whoring.

Hey, I do my part too out in the street selling wraps!

Ha! Don't make me laugh, kiddo!

If it were all up to your little deals, we couldn't even afford Coca Cola.

Look, Beti.

If you don't like the way I am or how I do things, I'm out of here!

Then you can look for someone who fucks you much better!

But Paco, babe. You don't understand me.

Come on, get dressed. I think we have a visitor.

What's up, Paco?

What's up, Lehenda?

You fucking look great!

Well you don't.

- With those bags under your eyes. - Come on in!

Look, this is Beti. And he's Lehendakari.

I was looking forward to meeting you. Paco talked about you all day.

All good things, I hope?

Good? Fantastic!

I don't know, dude. It's like he's in love with you.

Thing is that when you get to know me, you can really appreciate my qualities.

Yeah?

And do you have many?

You'll get to know them soon enough.

Come on, have a seat!

- You want something to drink? - How about a beer?

I have everything figured out. I'm going to do fucking great in life.

I'm gonna cut things off with everyone I've hooked up with so far.

But Why?

Those people have been really fucking good to you.

They gave you horse in the joint.

- And they just helped you escape. - Sure, kid. And you know why?

- They offered me a job. - A job?

Yeah, man, but really shitty.

I thought it would be selling horse or something like that. But no way!

- That's not what it was about. -50 what then?

They're organizing groups to hunt down ETA members on the other side of the border.

Fuck me, dude!

Yeah, man, that's what the gig was about.

But I'm not into any of that shit.

It comes down to something between guys from ETA and old friends of mine.

I think fucking them over is bullshit.

What are you going to do?

I decided not to depend on anyone.

To be my own boss.

Good idea.

But you need a lot of dough for that, right?

A lot of dough?

- This is the best kind of dough. - Fuck yeah, but...

Let me see.

- Careful, babe! - Chill, kid. That one's not loaded.

You can count on me.

I'm sick of sucking off slobbery old men.

You shut up!

This isn't for girls.

Dude, it depends on the girl.

You didn't tell me the Argentinean was this good looking.

Well there you go.

She's hot.

Hey. You're not jealous, are you, kid?

- No. - What's the matter?

If he was would you back down?

Me?

I don't back down ever.

Yes?

No, not yet.

He's been in the apartment over two hours.

You want me to abandon my stakeout?

I agree. It's not a good idea to arouse suspicion.

I'm heading back.

Careful. Be careful, she's still alive.

- Hands up! Get in here! - Don't move!

Come on, get in there!

Come on, on your knees. And don't be afraid.

- We just want you to have a little nap. - You're crazy.

- You don't know what you're getting into. - We know perfectly well.

But don't get nervous and start the striptease.

Striptease? What do you mean?

It's real easy. You have to get naked, coppers.

But don't worry. We're not going to rape you.

It's just a dose of Pentothal for you to take a little nap.

- We won't let you use that on us. - Then you decide.

Either a few hours' sleep

or eternal sleep.

Let's go. Get your vein ready, pig.

Something wrong, officer?

You must have a problem with your tank. You're leaking a lot of fluid.

That's weird. It was just inspected recently.

Look for yourself. It's a hell of a trail you're leaving behind.

What are you talking about? There's no trail or anything here.

Well, be careful.

We wouldn't want a trail of blood.

It's weird he came alone.

And that fag on top of it.

You two watch out. I don't trust these people.

And the goods?

- There are no goods. - Say what?

We made a deal.

Here's the cash.

It's not a money problem, Lehenda. You know damn well it isn't.

The organization won't sell you more heroin

-if you don't accept their proposal. - Fucking hell!

How did you ever decide to get involved in political shit?

- Look, we're not interested in politics. - That's dirty war!

I can't believe you, Lehenda.

You know what the deal is with this stuff.

There's a lot of money involved.

And besides...

And besides what?

You know what. For them to let us function,

we have to accept orders from above.

Well,

forget about me.

I'm gonna work on my own.

Got it?

Yeah.

That's why you got mixed up with that kid? The Civil Guard's son?

Look, you.

I get mixed up with whoever the fuck I want.

Well be careful.

You know what he did to the Gimp.

Plus his father's vew dangerous, you know?

He's one of those guys who takes his uniform vew seriously.

- Got it? - Don't try to give me advice to boot!

I know what I'm doing.

So you won't sell me anything?

- Lehenda, I already told you. - Damn fag! All of you go fuck yourselves!

Then there's no doubt about it.

This boy is a hopeless case.

Poor Torrecuadrada.

There you have it, Captain.

This Lehendakari has a lot of pull.

He can fool anyone.

I'm not surprised that kid follows him.

Of course he can fool anyone.

He even fooled all of you.

Say what, Captain?

He totally tricked you.

You helped him escape from prison. And now he left you in the lurch.

He didn't even thank you

for the huge amount of heroin you supplied him with in Carabanchel.

How ungrateful, right?

That's how it goes, Captain. That's life.

And what are you going to do with him?

The organization has decided to forget about Lehendakari.

Now he's your problem.

So you'll serve him up to us on a silver platter?

That's all we can do.

What do you think? I don't know which one to choose.

This one looks best on you.

A beauty. Sincerely, a true beauty.

No doubt about it.

Don't anyone move. This is a stickup!

Hurry up! Hurry up!

- Did he hit you? - It's nothing!

You're bleeding! You need to see a doctor!

Don't talk shit. Come on, hurry up! Let's go to Beti's place!

We'll dump the car on the other side of the highway!

It's bleeding more, isn't it?

Don't worry.

It's just a scratch. Let's go.

You really think Bilbao's a good place to hide out?

We can't stay in Madrid.

- At least there I know how to get around.

I don't know, we might be walking into a lion's den.

What are you talking about?

With all the ruckus we made here, it won't be easy to go unnoticed.

Plus I have an eye on an uninhabited house near Neguri.

A fucking amazing place, you'll see.

OK, we're ready.

Great, road trip.

And to Bilbao.

Alright.

Very good.

In effect, I just received confirmation of what we already suspected.

Our services have detected that your son, accompanied by this individual

and the Argentinean, are taking refuge somewhere near Bilbao.

- Where? - For now,

we don't know.

But how is it possible that they've detected his presence

without knowing exactly where he is?

I understand how you feel, Torrecuadrada, but calm down!

Remember your son is with a very dangerous individual

who is also very elusive.

Trust our men.

Colonel,

I'm willing to leave the force.

It's undoubtedly a decision I should have made a few months ago.

I'm aware that things tend to get complicated.

On the other hand,

certain sectors of the press are willing to continue baiting their readers.

For that press, mine is a very useful case. As you know.

To be able to mix the bitter with the sweet.

The fact is that they've discovered that we're an unpopular force

to be feared and hated.

Speaking badly of us

is always marketable.

Please, Torrecuadrada.

How can you say such things?

The Spanish people, or rather,

the Spanish peoples, love and respect the Civil Guard.

You know that's not true.

I could name tons of examples

from articles, from books,

and especially from movies,

that have been vew successful

just because there was a three-cornered hat in it.

A certain attack on our institution.

Of course the most cautious thing to do is to use cases like mine.

Where one can always say

that they're criticizing people in particular

and not the whole corps in general.

And do you really think we deserve that treatment?

Colonel,

I'm a son, grandson, and great-grandson of servicemen.

I have met people who are disgusting and unworthy of wearing this uniform.

But I don't regret having worn it for all these years.

I've always believed I was doing my duty.

That's why before I leave this institution,

I want to perform one last service.

I need to wear the Civil Guard uniform one more time

to fulfill a painful duty.

An unavoidable duty.

And what are you going to do?

I'm going to take charge

personally

of my son's arrest.

Don't count on my cooperation for this madness.

I'm sorry, Colonel. But I don't need it.

Among our men, there are genuine dunghill rats

who would do very well providing me with this cooperation.

I assume you didn't make me come all the way from Madrid for some nonsense.

I have something that might interest you.

- Some extraordinary news. - Like all of your news.

Commander Torrecuadrada wants to personally arrest his son.

And at gunpoint if necessary.

Let's hope it's necessary.

You think the news is worth it?

- It's worth decent money for sure. - Like how much?

- Would I have the big scoop? - You would.

Of course you would. I guarantee it.

- And when would it be? - Tomorrow.

We've located the boy, and the father's ready to pounce on him.

All that's left is for someone to tell him where he is.

And for you and I to make a deal.

Fuck! What a night!

Fucking shit!

What's up?

You feel like taking a walk?

I feel like getting out of here.

I feel like getting out of all this bullshit.

You have to get used to being patient, dude.

Where'd you put the powder and syringe?

Right over there.

Not much left.

Are you crazy?

There's over 7 grams.

You'll see.

In two or three days we're gonna run out.

And what the fuck will we do then?

Listen up, Paco.

I told you to trust me.

In a few days, we'll take off and everything will be fine.

We have cash, we have guns.

What else do you want?

Nothing.

I don't want anything anymore.

But baby, how many times did you shoot up today?

I don't know. I lost count.

What's wrong, silly?

You think it's the same thing that happened to Urko?

You know what, Beti?

Urko did it right.

A good fix,

a flash,

and wow! Time to rest.

Time to rest forever.

Don't shit yourselves.

I'm not going to overdose.

After all this time we've been together,

you should know me better.

I'm a coward, my friends.

A coward.

- Yes, who is it? - A friend.

I assume you'd like to know

where you can find your son Paco tonight.

You know where?

- Of course I do. - And why didn't you tell the police?

You're a big Civil Guard boss, am I right?

I'm offering you the chance to arrest a criminal.

Or do you plan to keep protecting him like always?

Tell me right now where I can find him!

I'm here to take you in, Paco.

Did you hear me?

Yes, Dad. I heard you.

- Are you alone? - No.

Then everyone who's with you had better come out!

No one gave you permission to come in, Dad.

Eh?

No one gave you permission.

The Civil Guard doesn't need permission to enter the lairs of criminals.

Then be careful, Dad.

Because the criminals in this lair are all armed.

What's wrong? Surprised to see me with a gun?

I don't know why.

It's what I've seen you handling since I was a kid.

You see?

I have a gun.

At the end of the day,

it's what you wanted.

Now I'm just like you.

Armed.

Without having to put that ridiculous three-cornered hat on my head.

Very well.

Since you have a gun, use it.

Come on!

Man up for once in your life.

Shoot me!

I hate to meddle in family matters, Commander Torrecuadrada.

But I recommend you drop your weapon and raise your hands immediately.

Come on, let's go before they surround the house!

- Open for the Civil Guard! - Don't worry!

The coast is clear here. We can get away!

Get away?

To where?

You were right.

You're a coward.

I think it's time to go in.

Come on, let's go!

A smoke?

I never smoke when I'm on duty.

The press covered the story for a while.

Later, little by little, they started to forget.

They put me in jail again.

I was in for almost eight months.

The trial was full of tension

but it didn't last very long either.

Later,

my year of militaw service.

It was like a reunion with the militaw environment from my childhood.

In the end, you always end up turning to the family.

And that was my family.

What's the matter?

Beti.

The kid is fucking wet. Come change him!

You're right. I'm going to change his diaper.

Come here.

You know what?

This afternoon I've been recollecting.

Recollecting? For what?

- To make your life even more bitter? - No.

To try and understand it.

- Are you expecting someone? - Yeah. It should be Jose and Javi.

Hi. Come on in.

- Evewthing okay? - Fucking great.

- Did you sell everything? - All of it.

Here's the cash.

Alright.

- That's three grams. - CooL

It's not the greatest smack.

So don't cut it anymore.

No way, no way. We don't ever touch it.

Well, I hope that's true.

- The customers know you work for me. - Chill.

Later, I'm the one who has to take shit.

Okay, chill out.

You want a beer or something?

Don't worry, we're in a hurw.

We're supposed to meet a customer at the station in half an hour.

Well that's great. It's good to be on time.

And don't forget,

in three days you have to bring me the leftover horse or the cash.

You know there's never any left over.

- Okay. - See you.

See you soon!

- Yes? Who's calling? - Hello, Paco.

Captain Alcantara here.

Ah. Good afternoon, Captain.

It appears that a large shipment is expected to arrive

-on a fishing boat through Lekeitio. - I think so, Captain.

I believe I can get you a good amount of “information" on that matter.

Then don't forget to stop by here early tomorrow morning.

Alright. I'll stop by to see you tomorrow.

And with as much “information" as possible.

Yes, yes, of course.

- I hope so. - As you wish.

The chicken's still in the oven. It's going to burn.

Come here, little guy.

Daddy's going to put you to sleep.

DEDICATED TO THE PRISONERS WE MET AT CARABANCHEL

AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THE SLAVERY OF HEROIN

THIS FILM WAS SHOT IN MADRID, BARCELONA & BILBAO

THE END