Right now, an ordinary woman is doing her weekly grocery shopping
and putting the groceries in the trunk of her car.
She doesn't know it yet,
but she's about to be kidnapped.
They'll determine the ransom
based on her car, her clothes, her latest-generation cell phone.
In that moment, her life depends on one phone call.
And let's pray her husband picks up.
Because if he doesn't, she can say goodbye to one of her toes.
I know this because I'm a police officer.
And because I spent four hours inside a fucking trunk.
Bárbara, there's been another express kidnapping.
Fuck. They forgot the sugar.
Damn it, I was very clear. Two sugars.
It's not that hard.
Arthur, I'm going to be really honest with you.
Things aren't looking good.
Everything they told you is a lie.
There's no helicopter.
They're not stopping the patrols.
They aren't letting you go.
So, we're screwed.
Well, yeah.
Things never turn out the way we'd hope.
I speak from experience.
I'm getting a separation.
Are you a cop?
Criminal psychologist.
What are you doing here?
Well,
they seem to think I'll know what to tell you.
But honestly, I'm at a loss.
Each case is unique
because every person is unique.
What the fuck?
How can she be so crazy?
I'm worried about that grenade, Arthur.
How can you build trust with a vest on?
Do you have a family, Arthur?
I have two daughters.
Gus and Camila.
And I assure you
it's like having a grenade in each hand.
I don't know how to fucking diffuse them.
I have a four-month-old.
What's her name?
María.
And the guy in your trunk,
his name is Paul.
He's French.
Early retiree.
Before dropping that grenade,
think about María,
think about Paul,
and think about yourself.
Does Bárbara know you called in Parra?
Look, let's do something.
I'll come closer
and you're going to give me that grenade very carefully.
What color are María's eyes?
Brown.
Does she look like her mother?
Like her grandmother.
Arthur,
María is going to be very proud of her dad.
What the fuck?
This happens because no one pays attention to me.
They think I'm crazy.
They think that express kidnappings can be solved like any other crime.
But they're wrong.
Things have changed.
We live in a fast-paced society with no time to think.
And of course, we get what we deserve.
But we need to stop for a second.
Reassess things.
Otherwise, we'll never survive
the express lives we lead because everything is express.
Express crimes, express sex, express divorces, express food.
And of course, express couples therapy.
How are you?
Bárbara, tell me.
What does Santa do right in your marriage.
How are you?
I'm fucking great.
- It wasn't your fault. - Right.
Do you want me to spend the night?
No. No, I don't want to confuse the girls.
I could really use a shampoo for charred ends.
And a hug.
He's affectionate.
Even though we've been together for many years,
I'm crazy about him.
Sex is perfect.
Hold on.
- Santa. - What?
The last thing we need is sex, okay?
Okay.
Here?
Are you guys out of your minds?
You're being filmed!
How embarrassing.
Get the fuck inside!
We're pathetic.
Mom, I googled you yesterday.
In Miss Serrano's class.
Our assignment was to type our parents' names in Google.
And when I wrote yours, ugly pictures came up.
What kind of ugly pictures?
With blood and stuff.
Are you angry?
No.
No, of course not, my love.
No, but I believe that Miss Serrano
should have asked me
before looking me up on the Internet,
Don't you think?
What's wrong?
Do you want to talk about the photos?
No.
Will you show me?
Of course.
What do you remember from your kidnapping, Bárbara?
Nothing.
Did any thoughts cross your mind?
Did you think about someone?
What did you feel?
It felt like I had a stick that broke inside my head.
And then, a prick.
That's it?
No.
That wasn't it.
No because now, all my shoes are too big on me now
because I'm like a penguin.
Have you seen me do this? Walk like this?
Are you a penguin, too?
Well, mama penguin says to go to bed.
Go to sleep, it's getting late.
Are you still locking yourself in your trunk?
No.
No, not for months.
Well, sometimes it crosses my mind, but...
I got over that.
Who's going to karaoke on Friday to celebrate her birthday?
Karaoke's so cool!
The whole family is going.
No way... I have plans.
So, cancel them. Your father is coming.
Dad! Just like last year!
Listen, Cami, nothing is like last year.
They're getting divorced, even if they do still screw in the car.
Don't say that in front of your sister.
But then, are you and Daddy together again?
- Is he moving back in? - No, honey, he's not.
Hey, why don't you just tell your boyfriend to come?
We don't bite in this house.
Look, you know what I think?
This morning, you woke up,
you picked up your phone and asked Siri:
"Hey Siri, how can I become a good mother in ten minutes?"
And you came up with this shitty idea.
Girl...
give me a break.
- Whatever. - Great.
I'll walk.
My kiss?
- You don't deserve it. - Then come in the car with me.
Kiss or car.
Your choice.
Do you argue with your daughter?
Yes.
We butt heads a lot.
I guess because we're so much alike.
She's a teenager, I guess.
It's complicated.
Actually, she's not your sister.
Someone left her at my door one night
and I kept her.
You forgot my kiss.
Mom, stop it!
No, not until you give me my kiss.
I want my kiss.
My kiss.
Hi, guys.
This is dirty blackmail
from a mother to her 17-year-old daughter.
My kiss?
I should kill you.
My kiss.
- Have a good day. - Thank you, sweetie.
Gus, another kiss for me, please.
Asshole.
Santa, what happened on the call with the kidnapper?
What about it made Bárbara so resentful?
Because they called me four times before I finally picked up.
We were fighting all the time,
so I didn't think the call was important.
I never imagined It could be my wife's kidnapper.
Bárbara?
What went wrong?
Everything.
Everything failed. The police, the protocol, my husband.
Everything failed.
But you know that your husband didn't fail you.
- You know that, right? - Yes, I do.
I do.
I know that it's not his fault but...
But after the third unanswered call...
That man amputated my toe.
Hi, sweetheart.
It's okay.
- Do we have a dog now? - No.
- What's it called? - No name.
The girls will love it.
They won't love it because it's not ours.
- Where's the commissioner? - Bárbara, don't do it.
It won't fix anything.
Attention, please. Listen up, I have good news.
Parra, our special operations partner,
is out of the ICU.
Let's hear it for Parra!
Well, that's a pity.
He played in the Tetuán bowling league.
He went on Wednesdays with some friends.
Excuse me?
I don't really bowl, so what I do know?
But I think you have to put your fingers in some holes, don't you?
What are you getting at, Bárbara?
His fingers are all burned, Commissioner.
He'll never play again.
Yesterday it was Parra, but tomorrow it could be any one of us.
Capdevila, do you have kids?
Two boys, eight and four years old.
I have two daughters.
And I'm terrified of getting a call from someone asking for a ransom.
I know what this is all about, Bárbara.
This is about your Express Team.
Yes, Commissioner. Yes, it is.
A rapid response team.
No protocols, no intermediaries, no bullshit.
Because we deal with a lot of bullshit.
Commissioner, a group that really saves lives.
Are you still in therapy, Bárbara?
Excuse me?
I asked if you're still in therapy?
- What's that got to do with it? - Your job was to stop that boy
from blowing up the grenade.
But it exploded.
These things happen because they aren't being done well.
Her work is very dangerous
She does dangerous things. She puts herself in danger, and others in danger.
That's not true.
You are mother. You have two girls.
You think you have a black belt in kidnappings.
You come here schooling everyone.
But then, you don't have a fucking clue how to live your own life.
I love her. She's my wife and my kids' mom.
- I want her to be safe. - I'm not in danger.
Really, I mean, he's totally exaggerating.
- You took off your vest. - Did anything happen?
- That's enough. - Something happened.
I deserve respect! I deserve respect!
I deserve respect!
You're crazy!
I've given so much for this team.
Shit.
What a fight.
- Why the fuck are you following me? - Bárbara?
Bárbara Vázquez?
My name is Santiago Roldán.
I work for Mrs. Emiliana Ortega.
Who?
Mrs. Ortega is the CEO
of Zentral Risk.
What does she want?
To talk to you.
Triana, stop.
And your mom? What does she think?
What are you doing on Friday?
It's my sister's birthday
and my mom wants to do karaoke as a happy family.
Quit complaining. You're lucky.
Better karaoke than court.
- Nothing's changed? - It's worse.
He thinks I don't know that he takes photos of me.
At least he hasn't stolen my dirty panties or I'd...
Why don't you tell your mother?
Think she doesn't notice?
She's the one who brought that pig into the house after the divorce.
She's co-dependent. She can't be alone.
But I have the solution.
Where did you get that?
That pig is going to shit his pants.
I can't take it anymore.
Come on, hand it over.
- No. - Triana, give it to me now.
You can't go around with a gun.
Girl, you sound like my mother.
Will this take long?
Is it much further?
I have to feed my dog.
What's an insurance agency want with me?
Fuck.
You cops really love asking questions.
I’m not a cop.
- No? - No.
So... what are you?
A criminal psychologist.
What’s the difference?
A cop would ask you questions
and I'd observe you.
Got it.
And when you observe me,
what do you see?
You've recently split up.
Your wedding ring tan is still visible.
And you're not over it yet...
All those Whatsapp texts sent that she's read but not answered.
Dead giveaway.
Two?
Three divorces?
Nice suit,
perfectly ironed shirt,
well-kept car...
At first glance, I'd say you were a salesman or department store clerk.
But no, I'm leaning towards the military.
Everything looks ready for inspection
and the HK that peeks out of its holster is unmistakable.
Regarding your character, well...
I'll use a familiar cliché.
Big phone, big car, big gun.
Probably trying to compensate for a deficiency or hide an insecurity.
Are we talking about a micropenis
or just erectile dysfunction?
That's amazing. Just amazing.
You got almost everything right.
Except the car and the cellphone
belong to the company.
Coffee with two sugars, right?
I see that you know me.
Not as well as I should. I didn't know about your dog.
Oh, it's not my dog.
Is that... what I think it is?
Yes.
The Virtual Reality Dome.
The central piece of a star project rescued from a box.
Your doctoral thesis.
When you published it ten years ago, this technology was pure science fiction.
Today, however, we've made it a reality.
What's the connection with the insurance company?
Fear. Fear moves the world.
People are afraid of loneliness, of pain...
Of kidnapping.
What I do is manage that fear.
A rising concern by Spanish police at the increase in express kidnappings.
The suspects monitor their victim,
and based on their clothes, cell phone, and car,
they come up with a ransom.
Zaragosa, Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla.
The same all over the country.
There have been 184 cases in just the last three weeks.
After the pandemic,
the gap between classes widened,
and there are many desperate people willing to do anything.
Zentral Risk offers insurance with anti-kidnapping coverage.
Yeah.
But kidnappings are a business.
We all know that for large companies,
such as Inditex, Apple, or Real Madrid, to name a few,
borders no longer exist.
The world is an increasingly dangerous place.
We protect them.
Are you interested in the people
or the insurance premium?
Both.
I'm offering you a job at Zentral Risk.
With this cutting-edge technology that, if I may say so,
you won't find in the National Police Corps,
you can have your Express Team
and resolve kidnappings quickly and efficiently.
It's a win-win for all:
my company, of course,
but also families who will recover their loved ones
and you'll be able to sleep knowing you're making the world a better place.
Why me?
Because you're a brilliant criminal psychologist.
And furthermore,
because you know how much one suffers during a kidnapping.
The dog that isn't your dog has just done his business.
I think he feels at home.
How about you?
Express kidnappings have four basic rules.
First of all, there's a reason for the name. There's no time.
If a kidnapping lasts over four or five hours,
we aren't looking for a hostage. We're looking for a corpse.
Speed is of utmost importance.
That means that instead of court permits,
search warrants, or protocols, we need to act above the law,
as fast as possible.
What's up, Dulce?
- Boss. - What's up?
We haven't seen each other since...
Since you left the force and didn't come to your party.
How are you doing?
Typical case of girl-meets-boy,
girl-marries-boy,
girl-suspects-boy is cheating on her,
and...
Boom.
We have ample evidence to gouge out that asshole's eyes.
You're still involved in affairs.
Why, yes.
Who wouldn't enjoy recording cheaters during intercourse.
I've always been restless. Now it's called entrepreneurship.
I'm happy to see you.
We're killing romance.
Well, yes.
But, if promiscuity pays... screw love.
You haven't recovered, have you?
And I never will.
Why did you come looking for me?
Second rule: In express kidnappings,
the kidnappers make four to seven calls.
All the information we need to find them is in those calls.
One just needs to listen.
According to the criminal code, it's attempted theft.
The answer is B.
Do me a favor.
Gather your things and leave the classroom.
You thought your hair would keep me from noticing.
But you're hiding an earpiece under there.
We're busted. That's impossible.
How did she know? Wasn't she half blind?
Nobody has better hearing than someone who's been blind since birth.
In my classes, you sat in the eighth row.
You used to nibble the tip of your pen,
and you wore hoop earrings that clinked when you moved your head.
- How are you, Bárbara? - I don't wear hoop earrings anymore.
How did you know it was me?
I know how to listen.
Rule number three:
Everything we do, buy, or consume is stored in big data.
All we need is a hacker who can extract information in real time,
with no respect for privacy laws.
- How many years did you get, Zero? - Not much.
Four years without going near the Internet.
I can't even use an ATM.
Perhaps hacking into the Air Force's systems
wasn't a very good idea.
People get offended by everything lately.
What would you say if I told you that you could surf again?
And the last rule: express kidnapping is a street crime,
committed by acne-faced teenagers with a .38 peeking out of their briefs.
We need one of those street-bred bastards.
How many express kidnappings have you taken part in?
I don't know.
My memory is terrible. I sniffed too much glue as a kid.
It ruined my brain.
Your mother is sick. Lung cancer.
She has two months left, at most.
Your mother worked for me for fourteen years caring for my girls.
I'm here for her, not you.
Leo...
If you work with me, this company will bail you out
so you can get out and see your mother.
Yes.
Our intervention group is quite...
- Atypical. - You can say that again.
It looks like the Star Wars cantina.
I thought you wanted to start a professional group.
And you are.
Each of you has a unique ability to solve express kidnappings.
You can stop there.
How much are we talking? There's a lot of cash in play here.
For each kidnapping ending with a live victim,
we'll get half of what the insurance would pay.
Is this legal?
No.
With all due respect, Mrs. Ortega, but I told you.
This bunch of freaks wouldn't last an hour in Afghanistan.
I know, Santi. But this is not Afghanistan.
Clearly.
Did you just take a picture of my ass?
Me?
No, no, no. I was sending a text.
Okay, but do you want to take a picture of my ass?
No!
Let's talk later.
Your first case, Bárbara.
Eugenia de la Rosa, 14-years-old.
On the way to school,
some men put her in the trunk of a gray car.
When did it happen?
Sixteen minutes ago,
they called her mother and asked for 20,000 euros.
Forward all calls to me.
I want to pick up the phone when they call again.
Maribel, you know what to do.
Filter out any sound, any background noise,
or any frequency that gives us clues.
Malasangre, I want to know who they are,
which neighborhood, what gang they belong to,
if they are experienced, if they are capable of killing.
I want to know everything.
Okay?
- Zero. - Bárbara?
A judge has forbidden me to come within five meters
of computer equipment.
Don't screw me over now.
Bad boys turn me on.
Don't make me wait again!
Have you forgotten that I have your fucking daughter in my trunk?
You seem very nervous.
Call me back when you relax.
- No way. - She hung up.
On the kidnappers!
She's lost it.
You've got some ovaries.
If you'd hung up on me,
I'd have sent your daughter's head via Amazon.
The call came from a tower north of the city,
I don't have the coordinates yet.
- Dulce, head out to Chamartin. - Okay.
He'll call back.
This guy is an asshole.
He has no idea what he's doing.
He's not in any fucking gang.
If you hang up on me again, I'll kill your daughter, got it?
Who the hell are you?
I'm the godmother who will pay her ransom
If you don't hurt Eugenia.
Shit! I said no police!
Do you think that the police would be offering you money?
He is a male of about 25. Spanish accent.
He's talking from the back seat of a car.
It's stopped, but the engine is running.
I'd say it's an old V6.
Possibly a '96 Chrysler Stratus.
Are you going to give me the cash, lady?
Of course. You need it, don't you?
What's wrong? A debt?
A shitty job?
You probably work as a mechanic.
Fourteen hours with your head stuck in a carburetor.
- Getting warmer. - And one day,
drinking beer with your buddies, you say:
"Fuck it."
Stop talking. Don't tell her anything, man.
"I don't deserve this."
There's another man in the driver's seat,
Mexican.
And of course, robbing a bank is big league stuff,
but a trunk and an avenue full of ATMs,
is within anyone's reach.
Cut the call, dude.
Don't say anything, she's messing with you dude.
Hand me the fucking phone. Don't fuck around.
The Trinitarios say dude all the time.
Listen, fucking bitch,
Stop fucking around.
We want 20,000 euros and we want them now.
You hear me?
You'll get them.
Some idiots make twice as much for an Instagram post.
They just opened three cans.
- Yeah, what cans? - Something carbonated.
There's another man in the passenger seat.
There are three people.
You are going to leave the cash in the trash can
at the roundabout on Aragon Avenue.
in two hours.
Bárbara, near Aragon Avenue
there's the Atletico Llanera stadium.
You think they're soccer fans?
Atletico Llanera fans even wear their jerseys to jerk off.
Blue and white.
Found them, Bárbara.
They are next to the recycling plant in Alcalá de Henares.
Dulce, I'll send you the coordinates.
Copy that. Give me two minutes.
Hey, beautiful.
Any chance we can get some pizzas?
I'm a little hungry.
I won't say it again, woman!
Two hours isn't long enough to gather that much money.
Eugenia is alive, stuffed in the trunk.
I hear her crying.
Fuck your mother!
Get me the money in 2 hours or I'm cutting off her fingers.
You hear me?
I'm almost there.
Don't let them get away.
I need proof that Eugenia's alive.
Here, bring the phone closer to the girl, dude.
Mom!
Please, please!
Eugenia, I am here,
I'm by your side, I'm holding your hand.
You're not alone. Don't be afraid.
I'm going to get you out of here, I promise.
The driver just shifted into gear.
Enough of this shit! Give it to me!
I think they're leaving.
Is that clear, woman?
A car door closed.
- Two hours. - One's getting out.
Did you hear, woman? Two hours.
Shit!
Dulce, where are you?
The car is gone.
Forget the car. We're looking for the man who got out.
Male, 25 years old, wearing a blue and white T-shirt.
The team's logo is a yellow circle, the ball and the team's colors.
He may have a deviated septum,
like a boxer,
or maybe he's fat.
This guy. Follow him.
He isn't fat, he's asthmatic.
What's wrong with you? Is that funny?
Look, I already have my mother to give me shitty advice.
Do whatever you want, Triana, forget about me.
Lesbo fight?
Oh no!
Why don't you try a real guy?
Jerk off somewhere else, Flaco.
Will you jerk me off?
I heard that you jerk off your stepfather every day, right?
On your knees, asshole.
On your knees!
Say you're sorry.
Boom.
Here he is.
A guy like this, in Afghanistan...
a bathtub and a battery, and he'll sing like a blackbird.
Look at me, where's Eugenia?
Who's Eugenia?
Which hand do you wipe your ass with?
I know I have my rights!
Sure, you are entitled to a fair death,
Your family will never find your corpse,
and you'll rest at the bottom of a fucking river.
- Asshole. - Enough.
I was just gonna cut off a hand. He's got two, no big deal.
And then what?
We pull his teeth out?
Or an eye. Come on, boss.
- Let me improvise a little. - Ease up.
I don't like this. I don't like it at all.
Well, don't look, then.
Look kid. This isn't Fortnite.
Lives matter here, you know?
Even if you don't know a damn thing about what that means.
Do you want to be blind and mute?
One more step and you'll be eating drone.
That's enough!
We're trying to save lives here,
and we're about to torture a person.
As long as I am leading this team,
we won't torture anyone!
Is that clear?
What if your daughter was kidnapped, Bárbara?
Would you say the same?
I know how they work.
I know those people.
They're nervous. They're improvising.
Their plan was not to hold the hostage for too long.
So now they're in a hurry.
We will do the opposite.
We are going to take our time.
And we are not going to torture anyone.
Yes?
I'm sorry, I can't talk right now.
I'm working.
What?
This is a very serious offense.
We are teachers, Mrs. Vazquez, but we can't do everything.
Some things can only be taught at home.
And I try, I assure you.
I do what I can.
I'm not trying to justify her,
but my daughter told me
that earlier there was a sexist provocation.
Look, since you bring up the subject of sexuality,
here our students come to learn, not to show off or provoke.
Short skirts, low-cut necklines, and certain attitudes
are unacceptable.
What's unacceptable
is that we can't walk down the street in peace
because we're wearing a short skirt.
For you, kissing is a provocation,
and they have to apologize for being 17 years old.
What's most unacceptable of all
is not being able to feel safe because we are women.
Let's go, Gus.
We need to talk
A gun.
They didn't call me because you've been caught playing hooky,
No.
But because you brought a fucking gun to school.
It sounds so bad, but I didn't have any bullets.
Are you kidding me?
Gus, I don't know how to handle all this,
but until I do, you're grounded.
Do you hear me?
What's its name?
It has no name.
I like it: "No-name."
Is it my birthday present? Tell me it is, please.
Can we keep it, pretty please?
Gus, put the dog in the car.
Come on.
I brought you a gift, too.
- Really? - Yes.
Let's see...
I made you a play-doh finger
so you can wear sandals to the karaoke.
Thank you very much.
It's better than my old one.
Promise me you will wear it.
I promise.
Come on, let's go.
Bárbara, can you hear me?
The plan just fell apart.
They sent a video.
They want more money and they cut the girl's finger off.
So?
What do we do, baby?
Should I get the information out of him with kisses?
Or the machete?
What do we do?
Mom, are we leaving or what?
Bárbara, they'll kill her.
We are about to torture a person.
I know I have my rights.
If your daughter was abducted,
would you say the same?
Do it.
Hey, buddy.
Do you believe in God?
Come on.
It's done.
They're driving through the Extremadura tunnel.
The girl is still alive.
What do remember of your kidnapping, Bárbara?
I remember the loud music from the trunk.
What song was it?
A Happy Heart.
They played music so nobody could hear my screams.
I could hear the traffic and I remember a group of girls
singing to the song that the car was playing at a stop light.
I can't help thinking about those girls dancing
while I thought I would die.
I thought I would die in that trunk.
I said goodbye to my mother.
And my girls.
The brain is mysterious. I didn't say goodbye to my husband.
Or my father.
Just the women in my life.
I felt peace.
I've never felt that way again.
So, I lock myself in the trunk sometimes.
Trying to feel that peace again.
It was like...
being in my mom's womb again.
Daddy!
No, tell me that isn't a 1000-piece puzzle.
- 2000 pieces. - I love it, thanks Daddy!
Dad, have you seen Mom's new toe?
It's beautiful, Cami.
It's our turn, it's our turn, it's our turn, it's our turn.
No, no, I don't want to sing.
Where's Gus?
If they catch me here, they'll expel me.
Gus...
Do you love me?
Of course, I love you.
How much do you love me?
Would you do anything for me?
Because I would for you.
Me, too. Anything.
Even something crazy?
Anything.