[ Gun cocks ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Dog barking ]
Mom, Max is missing.
Missing? A.J., weren't you just walking her?
I was. When I got back, I tied her to the patio
and went to the bathroom.
When I got back, she was gone.
[ Sirens wailing ]
All right, let me get some --
[ Car door opens ]
Baby, hold on. Just stay --
[ Pounding on door ]
[ Pounding continues ]
Oh, my God. What happened?
I was attacked out by the parking lot.
What?!
DES: They were teens, three of them!
One of them pulled a gun on me, my gun.
A.J., go to your room, please.
Now! Go.
Are you sure it was your gun?
I know my gun, Sam.
Look, we'll be out here all night
checking in all the apartments.
I just didn't want to alarm you and A.J.
And tomorrow, we're going to serve
Corey with a search warrant.
Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. Hey, are you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine. I'll live.
Listen, Max is missing.
What?
I think Corey's behind that, too.
Just fill him in on what's going on.
I don't want A.J. to get spooked by all these cops
and everything, okay?
Damn it.
Oh, my God.
This is all my fault.
Corey Benton.
-Bennington. -Uh-huh.
Look, you can hold tight. You can put that box down, too.
We have a search warrant for the case of Meagan Phillips.
I already talked to your detective,
so is there anything I can help you with?
No, but on another note, let's talk.
Off the record.
No, man, I ain't talking off the record.
You want to speak, speak to my lawyer.
Shit don't sit tight with me.
No, neither does getting jumped by some young brothers
and having a gun pointed to your head.
I don't know nothing about that.
Yeah, you do.
Yeah, look, I know you had something to do
with the death of Meagan Phillips.
And before that, there was a complaint against you
by a Stephanie Love.
But you spooked her out of town before she could
move forward with the case.
Uh-huh.
Well, your run is up, bro.
Stay the fuck away from Samantha.
Shit. So that's what this is about?
Oh, yeah, that's what this is about.
You know your girl Samantha got me fired from my job.
I got 20 days to vacate the premises,
so I'd appreciate it if I can move on.
Don't worry about that because we'll have a nice cozy cell
for you before then, I promise.
Watch a lot TV shows, huh?
I'm not going to be talking to a girl --
-She's not my girlfriend. -Whatever.
-She's a good friend. -Girl, girlfriend.
-I don't give a fuck. -And what about the dog, huh?
-I don't know nothing about -- -Come on, man.
Taking the kid's dog away, the same dog that you brought them.
I mean, don't you think that's a little petty?
I don't know nothing about no dog.
Uh-huh. Who's a real bitch here? You or the dog?
I know you had something to do with those kids running up on me
last night with my gun,
the same gun that you took from Samantha's apartment.
See, I can't prove it yet.
But once we find those kids,
everything's going to point right back to you.
You keep doing your police work, all right?
-Yeah. -Am I free to go?
No, the next time I see you, we're going to be putting cuffs
on your ass.
Everywhere you turn, you'll see blue.
In the meantime, stay the fuck away from Samantha and her son,
It ain't gonna be nothing nice, all right?
All right?
-Yeah. -Yeah.
Whatever you say.
A.J.
A.J., come out.
A.J., come -- Why aren't you answering?
A.J.: Where have you been? I've been calling you.
Baby, I didn't get any missed calls.
A.J.: I thought maybe someone was trying to break in.
I was texting you.
It's okay. Calm down. Nobody's here.
Baby, I ordered some pizza. Go put this on some plates.
Why is his door cracked?
[ Screams ]
OFFICER: Miss? Miss?
I'm really sorry you and your son had to
experience that.
Whoever did this is a sick son of a bitch.
I know who did this.
You fucking bastard! You twisted son of a bitch!
Miss, please calm down. What's the issue?
He's the issue. He did this!
Miss Jones, please calm down.
We've been here all day monitoring his whereabouts.
Okay? There's a search warrant being conducted
in his apartment as we speak.
I seriously doubt he figured out
a way to sneak over here without anyone seeing.
Well, he did. He figured out a way.
I mean, maybe he had someone do it for him.
But either way, he violated
the temporary order of protection
that we have against him.
That man is not supposed to be
within 300 yards of me and my son.
And he was here in my apartment tonight.
A.J. saw him.
Did your son actually see him?
SAM: Well, no.
But goddammit, don't you see what he's doing?
He's taunting us.
-I'm sorry, Miss Jones. -Wait, what?
There's nothing you can do?
That man was in my house with my son!
Do your damn job!
Shit.
[ Line ringing ]
[ Cellphone rings ]
Sam.
SAM: What is the story with this man, Des?
Yeah, I was just about to call you.
I'm so sorry.
Come on, when are y'all gonna arrest him?
DES: We got no charges on him yet.
But we'll get him, Sam. We'll get him.
Nothing was found in his apartment.
It was spick and spam, almost empty.
And Meagan's apartment was cleaned out and renovated.
So whatever evidence might have been looked over before
is either gone or tainted.
I don't deserve this.
[ Sighs ] Sam.
[ Sighs ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
JO: That comes in all kind of exotic sizes.
-Really? -[ Laughs ] And colors.
Now, if you're going to purchase now,
I might throw in a little watermelon flavored lube.
-That's good. -Okay?
I'm telling you, it's the bomb, baby.
You won't -- Hold on, ladies. Hold on, hold on.
Give me a second, got to take this call.
Just a second. Okay, Tanya. That's all you, boo.
Don't hurt nobody. Don't hurt 'em.
Give me a second, ladies. Hold on.
[ Cellphone ringing ]
Hey, boo, what it do?
-Jo. -Sam?
Jo, I need you.
Sammy, what's wrong?
[ Sam sobbing ]
[ Cellphone rings ]
Samantha, it's about time you called me back.
[ Sam sobbing ]
Sam?
Sam, can you hear me?
[ Beeping ]
Oh, lord.
Sam?
SAM: Baby, don't put that in that box. It'll break.
[ Knocking on door ]
Ah! There you go! There he is! There he is!
My God! [ Laughs ]
I told you these ATL niggas was touched.
Girl, don't be coming in here pointing fingers.
First of all, what is in your bag?
You know, I'm so glad you asked because, uh, I got some mace,
a stun gun.
I got a hammer.
Oh, I'm about to let these niggas have it.
And get some money. Watch.
Your auntie brought a hammer.
-Oh, my God. -It's a cute place, though.
All right, Jojo.
Yeah, I missed you so much.
Oh, your mama done got you all mixed up with some crazy men.
Didn't she do it? She did to my baby.
But your auntie is here now, okay?
SAM: Don't say that. Come on, you'll scare him.
-Oh, I'm scaring him? -Yeah.
It's me, huh? Boo-ga-looga-loo!
You've been here for two minutes.
You're already working on my last damn nerve.
-You know what? -Oh, my God.
I'm so happy you're here.
Come here.
Ooh!
I missed you so much.
Oh, girl. You already know.
Anyway. Whew!
-Aunt Jo. -Yeah?
You should come to the protest tonight.
Wait till you see my sign.
-A protest. -Yeah.
JO: Your mama gonna let you go to a protest?
A.J., we already talked about this.
I don't think it's a good idea. We leave tomorrow. Come on.
That's exactly why I should go.
It's my last day, Let me hang out with my friends.
I'm not even scared.
SAM: I am done talking about this.
Enough is enough.
[ Chuckles ]
You all right?
I don't know, Jo.
Maybe I just didn't want to prove mama right.
I mean, you know, you're gonna rub this in forever.
You think?
Girl, I feel like such a failure.
-No. -Yes.
I was in school, I had a good job.
Now all that's gone. It's gone.
You know what? Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
To be honest, I never wanted to give up, and I still don't.
But maybe it's for the best, Sam.
Auntie needs you. We need each other.
Hell, we all we got.
Did you get that? [ Laughs ]
Hmm?
You broke my heart, G-Money.
CMB! CMB!
Come on, man. We all we got.
Am I my brother's keeper?
-Yes, I am! -Yes, I am!
[ Both laugh ]
You know that's right!
[ Laughing ]
Oh!
Thank you for coming. I'm so glad you're here.
You know, I got you, right?
I know, girl.
Please, let's go on.
-No justice! -No peace!
How do I look?
Oh, dang, nephew. Okay.
If you rolled up on me in these streets, I'd be shook.
[ Laughs ] Okay, but no, let me guess. Don't tell me.
It's, um, Larenz Tate in "Dead Presidents."
Ooh, I love that man.
Who?
Uh, okay, see, now you're being real disrespectful.
-No, auntie. I'm a spirit. -Spirit?
The Haitians referred to as Fat Jack,
and the Mexicans called it Dia de los Muertos.
It's the Day of the Dead.
This day we celebrate the day to honor our ancestors.
You know, to fight in their memory
and ask them for protection.
I mean, there's no coincidence that the Day of the Dead
is the day we protest, but know they're
screaming out to us for help.
Okay. [ Chuckles ]
Look here, nephew, I'm an open minded,
crystal wearing, incense burning, tree smoking...
[ Laughs ]
...Badu-like bohemian sister, but let me tell you something.
Don't you ever let Nana hear you talking like that, okay?
Hey, Mom.
I think you're petitioning awful hard
to go to these protests.
REPORTER: In the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
SAM: I'm sorry, Munch. My answer is still no.
Two years ago, a lot of young people died during those riots.
I need to keep you safe. What's our golden rule?
You know it, once we're in, we stay in, remember?
REPORTER: We actually saw a decline...
You need to stop. It is not safe.
I know.
REPORTER: The majority of people that you see in these
protests are people that, you know...
You really think I should let him go tonight?
Personally, I think you should let him go.
That's crazy.
That boy has seen and been through a lot.
Okay? And something is coming alive in him, Sam.
I mean, for God's sake, he got your father
and Gerard's blood in him?
That one right there.
That boy about to be a force to be reckoned with.
[ Scoffs ]
Whatever.
A.J.
Damn it! Munchy!
Shit!
Girl, guess who's not in his room?
Oh, he gangster like his auntie.
You need to stop playing. This is not funny.
-Get your shoes. Let's go. -Should we go to the protest?
Yes, let's go.
BOY: Damn, man. Fuck these trigger happy cops, man.
The always killing us. When they ever go to learn, man?
-They won't. -God damn right.
That's why we got to turn this city up, man.
Let's do it. Come on. Let's do it.
-Come on! -I don't want to go to jail.
Why are you afraid of going to jail, man?
Fuck jail, bruh. They always sending us to jail.
We just hanging out with a group of friends,
they always send us to jail.
We don't burn this motherfucking city down.
That's what we going do.
I don't give a fuck about this goddamn system, bruh.
You with me, man?
Let's do this shit.
Hey, bruh. A.J., what's up, man?
Man, you with us, or what?
I'm good. Come on, let's go.
Let's go.
-No justice! -No peace!
-A.J. -No justice!
-No peace! -What are you doing?
-What's wrong? -Um...
I'm gonna stay here.
Stay? Why?
I don't know. I'll catch up with you.
-No justice! -No peace!
All right.
-No justice! -No peace!
Get your shoes on. I'm not playing.
Okay. Hey, girl.
Oh, shit! No! No!
Please.
SAM: What the fuck are you doing here?
-Sam! -What the fuck
-are you doing here. -Sam, listen.
Get the fuck --
-[ Groans ] -Oh, my God, girl.
Get the stun gun.
Girl, what the...
What are we gonna do?
Aah!
Jo!
-Shit. -Aah!
Now you need to leave now!
-Sam, please. -The police are coming.
Please listen to me. I didn't --
No, you're a fucking murderer! You killed that girl.
I did not do what you think I did!
Please listen to me.
No, you fucking stay away from me!
Sam, you heard me, but you didn't see me.
-I heard you on that tape. -But you didn't see me!
Did you see me? No, because I wasn't there, okay?
Look, I was on speaker phone.
No, I fucking heard you.
Keep saying these things.
COREY: No, you threatened me.
I'm not crazy. Don't fucking call me crazy.
I don't -- I don't believe you.
Look, I -- the only thing I'm guilty of
is dating Meagan, and it was a toxic,
dysfunctional relationship.
She was always talking about she wanted to kill herself.
And I was tired of that hanging over my head,
so she threatened me that night, I told her to do it.
I didn't know she was going to fucking do it.
Please.
When I went to the apartment, she was laying there.
Yes, I pulled all the camera equipment out of the apartment.
I'm guilty of that, but she -- she knew that they were there.
She was into that shit.
What was I supposed to do?
A Black man in a White woman's apartment
with all this fucking camera equipment on the day
that she allegedly kills herself?
-That is bullshit. -It was not bullshit!
Bullshit!
You set up Arnez, you took fucking pictures of me!
You didn't do that?!
Did you not do that?
Yeah, I'm -- but I'm only guilty of that.
-And what about Max? -What?
Did you kill Max, too?
I gave you that fucking dog. What are you talking about?
You're rigged my fucking apartment!
You tried to kill me and my fucking son!
You had Desmond attacked! You held him at gunpoint.
That wasn't fucking me!
You need help!
-Alright, I'm -- -If it wasn't you,
then who the fuck wasn't it?
You are sick. Just admit it.
If you can do it, then who fucking --
Who was it? I fucking saw you.
-It wasn't -- -I heard you!
-Who the fuck -- -It was A.J.!
It was your son!
That's what I've been trying to tell you.
Miss Jones, have you noticed any odd behavior from A.J.
in recent weeks?
I know you had something to do with those kids running up
on me last night with my gun.
COREY: Here's the deal.
I need y'all to come by my crib in about an hour.
I need some things I have there thrown away, all right?
Sam, we'll get them.
[ Cellphone tapping, chimes ]
A.J.: I'm taking Max for a walk.
SAM: Stay close.
A.J.: What up, Des?
-[ Grunting ] -Let him go!
All right, now just --
Take it easy, son.
SAM: New piece?
I'm a police officer.
Well, if you think A.J. doesn't like you now.
DES: Take it easy now.
So you a beast, nigga?
A.J.: Mom, Max is missing.
-Missing? -Where have you been?
I've been calling you.
Baby, I didn't get any missed calls.
Mom, I thought maybe someone was trying to break in.
I was texting you.
[ Screams ]
I came across some pretty weird stuff.
Like what?
Your carbon monoxide detectors,
you didn't have batteries in them, so...
What, that just happens on its own?
HECTOR: No, somebody put that there on purpose.
Wait, what?
WOMAN: There is something wrong with A.J.
This type of behavior is triggered
from some sort of trauma.
Little bit?
SAM: What?
What up, Pop?
Hey, forgot my cigarettes,
I'm gonna run back up to the bodega right quick.
G.
Come on! We ain't done packing.
Baby, come on.
I have been moving boxes all day.
I could use a little help. We head out in the morning.
Can't you wait till tomorrow when we head to Atlanta?
Honestly, no.
Look, I'm only going up the block, man.
You hate cigarettes, you don't let me smoke in the house,
so how about you just let me go get one last hit,
take one last look at the block before we bounce.
You know I don't ask for much, right?
You know, what's my golden rule?
-Once we're in, we stay in. -Exactly.
Once we're in, we stay in.
Baby, it is a blessing that you made it home tonight.
Tomorrow's another day.
Go get your stanky cigarettes then.
You know what? Why are you acting like that?
See, now you're being dramatic.
You are so hard-headed.
Oh, you owing me, you know that?
All right, G, fine. Go ahead. Go on.
Handle your business, but just so you know,
you're driving all the way to Atlanta tomorrow.
The whole way.
Okay, whatever. No problem.
-Okay. -Fine.
All right.
A.J., come on.
Oh, hell no, you ain't taking my son with you.
A.J. is staying right here.
You want to go? You a grown ass man? Go ahead.
Bye.
A.J., don't get any ideas. Stay here.
You need finish your work anyway. Bye.
I love you.
GERROD: All right, Babe.
Just kind of like step into it.
Uh-huh, ain't nothing to it but to do it.
Hope they got some candy.
I'm not trying to get a lot of stuff.
I'm just trying to get some stuff for the trip
so I don't get bored.
You know what's funny is just a couple of things
I never told you, man.
You came to me in my dream. You know that?
-What? -Yeah.
You came to me in my dream.
So I knew before you even born,
one, that you were going to be a boy,
two, I was going to name you A.J.
Not really Junior, but after your grandfather
because he's Joseph, so you're named
after your grandfather and me at the same time.
That's your mom's dad.
So, you know, when you move and you go to the new school,
you can tell all the little shorties,
you know, you can give them the exotic version of your name.
A.J.: You got it. What's up?
GERROD: Anthony Joseph.
-Unh-unh. -You got to say it like that.
Joseph.
-What's up, man? -What's up?
Hey, I'm going to grab some stuff.
All right. Don't buy up the whole store man.
A.J.: Yeah, yeah.
What's up, man?
[ Chuckles ] Give me my little green hawks over there, man.
-All this candy, man. -It's a long ride.
All right.
So are you going to eat candy the whole way?
Hey, man.
-Psyche. -See, you playin'.
-You playin'. -Psyche!
-Okay, okay. -Thanks, man.
All right, Mike. Appreciate you, man.
-Huh, what you doin'? -Come on,
-let's take a short cut. -All right.
I mean, long as you not scared.
What you mean scared? Scared of what?
Talking about scared, punk. Hold on, man.
Come on, sit down for a minute.
This is, uh -- this is my last cigarette.
I'm serious. As of tonight, this is it.
I quit smoking.
Okay.
You don't believe me?
-Whatever you say. -Come on, man
I need you behind me on this one, man.
[ Chuckles ]
Serious stuff.
Your mother never wanted me to smoke.
Always said she never married a smoker.
I mean, trust me, it was -- it wasn't easy.
Sometimes I can't believe I pulled that.
Hey.
[ Speaks indistinctly ]
But look what we did. Look at you.
I love your mother, man.
So this is for you, this is for her, this is for us.
Tomorrow, new city.
New beginnings.
All this behind.
Your mother's a smart woman, man.
Protect her, respect her.
Don't be afraid to follow her lead.
Pardon me, G.
Got a loosey, bro?
I'll pay for it.
No, man.
You know what? Actually, you can have
this whole pack.
I was getting ready to throw these away.
MAN: Why don't you break all this shit, nigga?
-You fucking serious, man? -Yeah.
You want to do this shit in front of my C?
MAN: Mm-hmm.
All right, then, I'll see you.
Yeah? I see you, too, nigga.
Now, I want all that shit.
No, no, don't do that, see.
Now, you thinkin' too hard, nigga.
And that ain't a good look for your health.
[ Grunting ]
Aaah!
[ Grunting ]
[ Gunshot ]
Dad!
Dad?
Are you okay?
[ Groans ]
[ Panting ]
A.J.!
Oh, shit.
Oh, it burns.
No! Get up!
-[ Panting ] -Come on!
I'm sorry.
No.
Dad!
[ Sobs ]
[ Groans ]
It's your son!
It was A.J.!
[ Knife stabs ]
SAM: A.J.!
-[ Groans ] -No, no, no!
A.J.!
I told you I wanted to go home.
But you didn't listen.
I told you.
I just want my dad back.
I want to be a family again.
You keep telling everybody he left us.
You know he didn't.
I was there.
SAM: No, no, no, no! Put the knife down!
Baby, please!
You didn't listen.
No!
Baby, I'm sorry!
I'm sorry!
A.J.!
Mama!
They are coming, boy.
[ Siren wailing ]
[ Sam sobs ]
Just miss my dad.
NANA: Give me that knife.
I don't want to talk about him no more.
It's like he never existed.
[ Siren wailing ]
Don't you hear those sirens? They are coming, boy.
Give me the knife.
Give me the knife!
Don't you hear?
[ Sobs ]
I'm sorry, mama.
I'm sorry!
[ Sobs ]
Oh, God.
[ Police radio chatter ]
OFFICER: So what's going to happen to the kid?
He came into the apartment, found his aunt unconscious
on the floor, his mother was back up against the wall.
He stabbed the assailant in self-defense.
Where's my gun, A.J.?
[ Birds chirping ]
[ Splashes ]