TERESA: Previously on Queen of the South...
You are the kindest,
sweetest man I've ever met.
GORDON: You deliver 30 million,
and New Orleans will have herself
a new correctional facility.
TERESA: Marcel isn't answering.
We need to find him before Lafayette does.
Why would the judge wanna frame Dumas?
Good to see you, Marcel.
Lucien, This woman is a major player.
Together, we got a shot.
I thought I taught you better than that, boy.
After all these years, you're just going to topple the judge?
You handed over my primo to the [speaking Spanish].
I want his head.
He killed my godson.
If I can wait, so can you.
There's been a second offer on the waterfront property.
The realtor just gave us 48 hours to counter.
Did Epifanio ever work with anyone in New York?
Someone who could handle this kind of weight?
I can handle the weight.
Can you handle the heat
that will come down from the Russians?
You jeopardized your business with my cousin.
It's time for me to meet him face to face.
I've seen these tats before.
We got a serious problem, Teresa--the Russians.
-TERESA: Pote, turn around. -[tires squeal]
[suspenseful music]
[dramatic music]
♪
Gracias, Luis.
How did you find these men so fast?
James. They're ex-Mossad.
The Russians have an army. You do, too, now.
I'm Avi, ma'am. Follow me, please.
♪
I set up 24-hour patrol on premises.
I personally vetted every man on my staff.
-[cell phone buzzes] -You're in very good hands.
-Thank you. -Ma'am.
Oksana wants to know what happened in New York.
Maybe you should give her a call.
Silence make people nervous.
Not until I talk to James.
[soft uneasy music]
♪
Who are they?
Ex-FSB. Russian military.
The question is, who are they working for now?
Must be Kostya. Who else?
KELLY ANNE: Hey, sorry to interrupt.
The agent just called and wants to know
if we're still gonna make a counteroffer on the waterfront.
Have you spoken to the banker?
Yeah, she set up the account, but we're still
$100 million short of the down payment.
Why doesn't she just give us a loan for the rest of the money?
Well, 'cause that's not how money laundering works.
So we send her money, and she gives it back to us in a loan.
If we want the down payment, we need to get her the cash.
Bankers are ------ banditos.
Yeah. So, Kostya has already paid us.
If we're not gonna send him a second shipment,
how are we gonna come up with an extra
$100 million in one day?
[cell phone beeps]
[line trilling]
[cell phone ringing]
Teresa.
You stood Kostya up after I pushed for your meeting.
Do you know the position that you put me in?
[soft tense music]
[cell phone chimes]
♪
What is this?
These men came to kill me.
Do you recognize them?
I can tell by your silence you do.
Teresa, I don't--
Are you coming after me?
I'm sure there is an explanation.
TERESA: I don't need an explanation.
Tell Kostya we're no longer in business.
POTE: It doesn't make any sense.
Kostya was happy with the first shipment.
Maybe Oksana's telling the truth.
I mean, she sounds as surprised as we were.
JAMES: She's either setting you up,
or Kostya's making a move and not telling her.
[cell phone buzzes]
Hmm, it's George.
Kostya's next load is on the truck.
What do you wanna do, Teresita?
You wanna keep it here or send it to Miami to Boaz?
Send it to the Dominicans.
To Kostya's competition?
[sighs] We can't lose the waterfront.
Kostya had his chance.
I'm done playing games.
POTE: Orale.
We're gonna need more Mossad.
♪
JAMES: [grunts softly]
How are you feeling?
Not bad, considering.
I want to thank you.
You risked your life by coming back.
You didn't have to.
Yeah, I did.
[laughs softly]
So, what are your plans?
I figured I'd start by checking out the security system.
That's not what I meant.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
Are you staying?
Do you want me to stay?
You've done enough. I can't ask for more.
You didn't ask. And this is different.
These Russians are animals.
Yeah.
[sighs deeply]
You should go.
Okay. I'll pack my bag.
Take care of yourself.
You too.
♪
-[knocking on door] -CHICHO: Jefa.
We have a problem at the bar. It's the judge.
♪
[ominous music]
♪
I'm here for Dumas.
I haven't seen him.
You told me to keep my distance.
Well, I've changed my mind.
Dumas trusts you. You can draw him out.
And why would I do that?
You bring me Dumas,
or you'll be the next Mexican I set on fire.
♪
It's time for him to go, Teresita.
KELLY ANNE: Pote's right.
He's reckless.
He's gonna try and hurt us however he can.
I have a nice plastic sheet waiting for him.
Not yet.
First, I want to take away his power,
expose how corrupt he is.
Destroy him.
Then we kill him.
Where are we on tracking his money?
I thought we stopped paying him after he kidnapped Oksana.
Oh, we did.
And then two months ago, he hit us up for $30 million.
He said it was a onetime fee, but Teresa figured
maybe he needed it for something specific,
so I hid a few traceable $100 bills in the judge's cash.
It's how banks catch robbers.
That's smart.
So we find out where the money goes,
then we know who the judge paid off.
We got him by the cojones.
[chuckles]
I'll call our banker.
[soft dramatic music]
I need to talk to Marcel.
Make sure he knows we're on the same side.
He's gone underground, Teresita.
We haven't been able to reach him.
[sighs]
I need to get him a message.
♪
I know you're in contact with Marcel.
I would like to speak with him.
Are you here for you or Lafayette?
I'm here for me.
LUCIEN: But he's pressuring you, right?
His boys can't get my people to rat out Marcel,
so you're his proxy.
I'm only here to help him.
LUCIEN: You gave up your own man to the judge.
They burned him alive.
How do I know you won't do the same to Marcel?
You better watch yourself, cabrón.
♪
Marcel grew up at my knee.
I taught him everything that he knows,
but when you started whispering in his ear,
he forgot his own history.
He was tired of being under Lafayette's thumb.
Lafayette always wins in this town.
Which is why you are here.
And Marcel is not.
If I didn't know better,
I'd think you're calling me an Uncle Tom.
Please give him my message.
Thank you.
♪
[soft melancholy music]
♪
[speaking Spanish]
Where you going, cabrón?
I got places to be, Pote.
[grunts]
First, you have a tequila with me.
I never thanked you for sparing Kelly Anne.
Muchas gracias.
-Salud. -Salud.
[coughs softly]
Teresa must have been pissed we disobeyed her order.
I took some heat.
But some sicarios came after Tony.
You're kidding.
Long story, but Kelly Anne saved his life.
So Teresa let her stay.
And then what happened to him?
I dropped my guard.
Thought that we can be like normal people.
[dramatic music]
Sorry. You two were close.
Tony became like a son to me.
He was a good boy.
But this world is not for a child.
They make you weak and vulnerable.
And I promise you, never again.
After I lost Tony, everything changed.
[grunts softly]
So, what you gonna do now?
Just get lost for a while.
Get these hands clean, you know?
[scoffs]
You risked your life to be here,
and you're gonna leave just like that?
[sighs softly]
She doesn't want me to stay.
She might not want you to stay, cabrón,
but she needs you.
♪
[Eamon's "Money Money [Remix]"]
♪
[razor buzzing]
Man, all done, Shorty. How's school going, man?
-SHORTY: Good. -POLANCO: Yeah?
-Getting them good grades? -SHORTY: Yeah.
POLANCO: Good man, good man.
-POLANCO: Hey! -[speaking Spanish]
Hey Shorty, this is Frankie.
I started cutting his hair when he was about your size.
And now he's on the dean's list at Rutgers.
-Cool. -POLANCO: Yeah, yeah.
Study hard. You could be like him.
Now get on home, man.
-Thanks, man. -Straight home.
Now jump in the chair.
Let me tighten you up for the ladies.
I don't know who you've been seeing, bro,
but ain't doing you right, man.
It's an embarrassment, man.
[cell phone ringing]
TERESA: Polanco.
Yeah, everything is set with the banker.
Good. You'll get the truck soon.
Listen, we could have problems with the Russians.
Hey, you let me worry about that, okay?
You just keep those trucks coming.
We'll talk soon.
Now that Polanco's on board,
we have the extra cash to make enough for the waterfront.
Yeah.
[tense music]
♪
[knocking on door]
[speaking Russian]
DIMITRI: Your mother.
Welcome to New Orleans, boss.
You're hard to find, Bogdan.
We've been working.
Kostya sent us to watch the Mexican woman.
Da, a week ago. Hmm?
You on vacation, Bogdan?
Getting shit-faced on Kostya's time?
♪
Relax, Bogdan.
It's good you're still in town.
We have a problem with our Mexican friend.
What kind of problem?
She's selling to Dominicans.
Kostya wants blood.
[dramatic musical crescendo]
So, our banker came through?
I had to twist her arm a little bit, but yeah,
she found our guy.
His name is Gordon Wheeler, and he's the chairman
of a dozen prisons scattered throughout the South.
Why would Wheeler launder 30 mil for Lafayette?
He's not laundering it. He's investing it.
Lafayette sends people to prison.
Why not his own?
Yeah, state pays up to 60,000 per inmate a year.
That can't be legal.
It's not.
You need to find Wheeler and get the proof.
That's how we finish him.
Okay.
Thank you.
[sighs]
What is it?
I called Miami. Boaz hasn't shown.
-You want me to find him? -No.
I'll deal with Boaz. Stay on Lafayette.
Orale.
[leisurely rock music]
♪
Tequila.
BARTENDER: Here you go.
Teresa protected that Russian bitch over her own blood.
She gave Javier to that judge...
Not to mention you do all the work.
I don't need you all up in my ear with that shit.
I guess if you won't do it...
You ain't gonna do shit.
Teresa may be the boss of this cartel,
but I'm still the boss of this family.
[dramatic music]
Now, if you move this camera 20 degrees,
you'll cover all lines of fire.
CHICHO: Okay, I'll take care of it.
You're still here?
Yeah.
I decided to have a look
at your security system before I take off.
Thank you.
[cell phone buzzing]
It's Oksana.
Yes?
I'm in New Orleans.
I have something to show you. It'll explain everything.
Text you the address.
-[cell phone buzzes] -She wants to meet in a motel
in the Ninth Ward.
You know what I think.
I want to hear what she has to say.
Fine. But do it my way.
Okay.
[soft uneasy music]
♪
Hey.
We're locked down. There's no surprises.
Except what's behind that door.
It is fine. He's been paid.
Why are we here?
OKSANA: When the judge kidnapped me,
Kostya knew nothing about you.
He wasn't sure you would save my life.
He sent his men to New Orleans in case they had to intervene.
But there was something about them that he didn't know.
What?
These men were traitors,
plotting against my cousin.
Once you saved me, they targeted you.
They knew that losing your cocaine
would make Kostya vulnerable.
You didn't answer my question.
♪
Back up.
Christ.
Thanks to you, Teresa,
we found the cancer in my family.
And removed it.
What the hell was that?
Dimitri was the last traitor
in the sleeper cell that betrayed Kostya.
My cousin is sorry, Teresa.
He put you in the middle of family conflict,
and he will do whatever it takes to make amends.
Forget it. We're done here.
You need to buy an extra shipment.
[tense electronic music]
♪
The Russians love psychological warfare.
They spread chaos to confuse you,
to take you eye off of matters.
Killing her men in front of you, it's just a mind game.
That's why we're selling to the Dominicans.
I want to make sure we're covered
if we can't trust the Russians.
You think she's lying to you?
I don't know.
But we need to continue our business until we find out.
[cell phone buzzes]
Oscar.
POLANCO: The Russians shot up my shop.
They hit two of my men.
-TERESA: When? -I don't know when!
I want them dead, okay?
[speaking Spanish]
Coney Island, Little Odessa, you name it.
You're playing into his hands.
Good, good, 'cause he's getting what's coming to him.
Hitting them back will cost you even more.
I'm coming to New York. I'll fix this.
[panting]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[dramatic music]
♪
Kostya started a war with the Dominicans.
Yes.
[train horn blares]
KELLY ANNE: Hello, Mr. Wheeler.
Thank you so much for meeting with me.
I got your number from Cecil Lafayette.
It's Gordon.
Any friend of the judge's is a friend of mine.
If I remember our call,
your client is interested in a discreet investment.
KELLY ANNE: She is.
Though you're already in business with her.
You took 30 million of her money from the judge
to build your prison by the rail yards.
Come again?
So, we'll pay you 30 million more to help us
expose the judge's corruption.
In cash or wired offshore, whichever you prefer.
You're either the dumbest Fed I've ever met
or the ballsiest woman on the planet.
[laughs] Well, I'm not a Fed.
Well, either way, we're done here.
KELLY ANNE: Okay, just real quick,
how do you think Lafayette got $30 million in a day?
[soft tense music]
What kind of people do you think
have access to that kind of cash?
We don't want you, Gordon.
We want Lafayette.
All we need is proof of his involvement
and, like, a land title or articles of incorporation.
I heard you out, so now you hear me.
You can tell whoever it is that you work for
to stick their money up their ass.
Ronnie, get in here.
[grunts]
KELLY ANNE: Last chance, Gordon.
I'd take the money.
Go to hell.
Wrong answer, cabrón.
♪
Morning, jefa. Your jet is ready.
Thank you, Chicho.
I'm gonna come with you.
Pote's not here. You need some security.
You're still hurt.
I'm a quick healer, and I'm already packed.
[sighs]
-[grunts] -POTE: Talk, cabrón.
-[grunts] -Talk!
GORDON: [grunts, coughs]
POTE: That old bird is tough.
Maybe he's more afraid of the judge than he is of us.
His mistake.
RONNIE: You dumb bitch.
You don't know who you're messing with.
No? Who, huh?
He knows the head of the FBI, the DEA.
Which means your ass is toast, mother--
Where are your friends now, cabrón?
[unsettling music]
[retching]
Kelly Anne, you okay?
Yeah, I'm okay.
Maybe you should go outside and get some air.
I'm fine. Keep going.
You heard the lady. Talk.
[screams, grunts]
The next one is in your skull, cabrón.
Zip drive in my safe. 47, 19, 66.
[panting]
♪
[keypad beeping]
[spacey hip-hop music]
♪
♪ [singing in Spanish]
♪
Teresa.
I assume you want to discuss the situation
with the Dominicans.
I made Kostya no promises.
I can sell to whoever I want.
Of course. But now, this is turf war.
War's expensive for everyone.
Then what if you sold exclusively to us?
Say, 30,000 a kilo?
No.
You've already made that offer to Kostya.
We only get to stay in business if there is no war.
If Kostya kills another Dominican,
I will only supply Polanco.
He's my cousin.
That would definitely mean war.
Then there will be a war.
But if he wants to hear my plan,
he should come to my hotel tonight.
[tense music]
♪
Why didn't you ask for my advice, Teresa?
We could have prevented this mess.
Because I don't need your advice.
And I know how to run my business.
Let me know.
Gracias, Chicho.
Who are these boys?
Boys the judge sent to juvie.
We paid him 5 grand a case.
State paid us $45,000 a year to lock them up.
He gave them maximum sentences.
Yeah, so you can make maximum money.
Y'all have been doing this for decades.
So you and Lafayette have made millions off these kids.
They're no angels.
They're poor. They never had a chance.
[tense music]
I didn't make the system.
But you got rich out of it!
You said you only want the judge.
I changed my mind, pendejo. I'll see you in hell!
[yells]
[panting]
♪
You think Oksana will call?
If she doesn't, Polanco will go to war with Kostya.
Why didn't you accept his offer?
You get the money you need, avoid a war you can't win.
We need competition.
Kostya wants to be my only customer.
It gives him leverage. He can set his own price.
That's why you're selling to Polanco.
With the Dominicans, we have a free market.
Pote warned me that you changed.
It's the only way to survive in this life.
Amen.
Is that why you're pushing hard for New York?
You already supply Phoenix, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami.
Isn't that enough money?
It's not about the money.
It's what money can buy. Safety.
But you're not safer now.
You're in business with Russian psychopaths.
When have I not been in business with psychopaths?
[laughs]
Right.
Selling to the Dominicans and the Russians
will double the profit and cut the timeline in half.
Your waterfront project.
It'll bring jobs to New Orleans,
which means political support.
Once we start, we can borrow against it, get investors.
You wanna go legit.
You think I'm crazy.
Smart.
That's the only way to get to a place
where people can't touch you.
Or who you love.
You deserve that.
♪
[cell phone buzzes]
He's on his way.
Where is Kostya?
Are you kidding me with this, Teresa?
[tense music]
This is not how he does business.
But he will be with us.
♪
We're here because I have the best product,
and you control the world's largest market.
Together we can control the supply and the demand,
which means we can set the price
and double our business.
But a war will kill everything.
So I have a proposal.
Thank you.
As you know, these are the five boroughs of New York.
We will divide the city and make clear boundaries.
Kostya will keep Brooklyn
and the lowest part of Manhattan.
Everything below 14th Street.
They get the Village, SoHo, and Wall Street?
You'll get the micro markets in Midtown,
the nightclubs in Hell's Kitchen,
and the hotels in Times Square,
plus the rest of Manhattan and the Bronx.
Whoa, that's 2/3 of New York.
-We get Queens, yes? -No, you split it.
Polanco gets LaGuardia, Kostya gets JFK.
That is not equal, Teresa.
I don't think I agree with that.
Both of you will charge
the same price per kilo.
And if either of you undercuts the price
or sells in territory that isn't theirs,
I'll cut them off.
Fine.
But I demand that Kostya compensates me for my men.
You demand? You don't demand anything here.
For the ones he murdered and their families.
-Then we have no deal. -Then I will compensate him
by sending his first shipment for free.
♪
And if Kostya kills more of his people,
I'll send sicarios to New York.
-Teresa. -These are the terms.
We can double our business,
or we can go to war.
♪
[cell phone chimes]
That's Kostya.
He agrees to the deal.
♪
If you ever change your mind about them,
your coke and my muscle
will make us the gods of New York.
We'll talk soon.
It's clean.
I'm sorry about Wheeler, Kelly Anne.
I lost my temper.
I saw those boys, and I thought of Tony.
Yeah.
All those lives he destroyed.
Man like that has it coming.
You're not upset?
No.
I'm pregnant.
[dramatic music]
♪
-Yeah. -Are you sure?
-How long? -A few weeks.
I took a pregnancy test this morning.
I took five of them, actually.
[coughs softly]
You have something on your face.
Is this blood?
We're gonna be parents?
♪
[sobs]
The Sun is coming up now.
We better go.
I still have a few more hours to finish the job.
I'll drop you off at the house.
No.
I've come this far.
Are you sure?
♪
-Orale. -Let's go.
Okay.
[sniffles]
TERESA: Can I have a drag?
[soft dramatic music]
♪
[siren wailing]
I want you to stay.
I'd like that.
But you and me-- it can't happen.
Maybe in some other life, but not this one.
I hope you understand.
♪
KELLY ANNE: Hey, we won the bid.
I'm just working on the contracts.
Now we only need 900 million more to pay for it.
Well, we're on target after you closed that deal in New York.
Now, there's another risk you have to consider.
This is a public transaction.
How? We're using shell corporations.
Well, of course, but it means you're gonna own
a big old chunk of the Mississippi River,
and the cat's gonna get out of the bag.
It'll bring attention to your business.
So, last chance before the ink dries.
You wanna back out, or you wanna pull the trigger?
Do it.
-Okay. -He's here.
You sure you wanna do this now?
We don't know where the judge has stashed the kickbacks
from Wheeler, so we don't exactly have a smoking gun yet.
He doesn't know that. Let's go.
♪
Where's Dumas?
I have something else.
KELLY ANNE: [clears throat] This draft contains a database
that's been tracking the millions in kickbacks
you've been getting from sending
over 2,000 boys of color to jail.
Knowing, obviously, if they go to juvie,
they're twice as likely to end up in prison as an adult.
Your new prison.
And they say crime doesn't pay.
Interesting theory.
But you can't prove any of that.
Hmm, your partner, Gordon Wheeler,
kept very detailed records.
Names and court dates and dollar amounts
and well, we have them.
♪
What do you want?
A press conference.
You're going to clear Dumas for the murder of your son.
And if I don't comply?
We'll go to the press and the FBI.
After that, I suppose you want me to resign.
No. You work for me now.
When I call, you answer on the second ring.
You do exactly what I say,
or I'll destroy the only thing you have left.
Your family's name.
♪
Thank you.
We've said all there is to say, Ms. Mendoza.
I have a message for Marcel.
Lafayette has been taken care of.
Really? How's that?
He's going to say he made a mistake.
He'll clear Marcel's name.
I'll believe that when I see it.
Watch the news tomorrow morning and let him know.
♪
The press conference will be at my office at 8:00 a.m.
I'll explain everything then.
[ominous music]
[suppressed gunshot]
What the hell?
Get in. Now.
♪
[projector clicking]