"He ain't walkin'." Alex watched Ulan Ocampo through the glass.

"Neither should you." Ernesto pointed out. Alex didn't acknowledge that, just continued to fume. Even after four stitches, two painkillers, and a full meal- which the chief had paid for- the murderous intent hadn't left his face. For once, Ernesto didn't advice his friend against it; rather, he shared it. To see Rita clinging to her mother, had brought a burn to his chest. First Lester, now this!

Was she not allowed to trust the world or enjoy it?

"Ulan's not going anywhere." Ernesto crossed his arms, reading the young man that waited for them. Ulan kept his hand atop the table, as though he owned it. Acting as though a broken left arm didn't bother him. But they had both heard the screams and curses one hospital room across from Alex's.

"Ocampo tell you that?" Alex asked, eyes staying on the glass. Ernesto thought carefully, knowing Ike as both a boss and a man. It was easy to forget the second part, but he tried not to. "Ocampo puts his duty to the people first, Alex. Don't underestimate that."

"So I'm just imagining the fact that no one's booked him yet?" Alex finally turned, grimacing at the sudden move. "You and Kai have all the evidence you need. I'll testify to everything else."

So Rita wouldn't have to. Ernesto didn't believe it would come to that; not when they were done with this. He checked his phone. "Either way, a confession helps seal everything."

Besides, why rob themselves of the best part. Alex shared a wicked grin with him. "Let's go then."

They entered the interrogation room, where Ulan continued to lumber in his seat as though without a care in the world. "No visitors unless they're my lawyer."

"Yeah, could be a while." Ernesto dropped a file on the table. "He missed rush hour, but his car- I think it was the carburetor..."

"Naw man, the muffler," Alex shook his head. "Those older models, gotta watch out for 'em."

They circled Ulan like sharks, Ernesto finally sitting while Alex stood in a corner. "But hey, we're here now."

"So let's focus on that." Ernesto folded his hands on the file, tone even, cool- controlled. Ulan gave it right back. "Then anything I say is inadmissible in court. Like it or now, I've got rights."

How Ernesto hated that line! He eyed Ulan, detesting the false assurance he walked in. Even if Ocampo were to rush in here, Ernesto wouldn't let him get two words out. "You and your colleagues stole drugs, with the intent to sell. You planned to kill a DEA agent-"

"Retired." Ulan snarked at Alex.

"And tried to force pills down a little girl's throat." Ernesto let his hatred out. "Whatever rights you think you had, they're gone little man."

A crack tried surfacing, but Ulan held it down; demeaning terms rattled him, as Alex had said.

"Are they?" Ulan scoffed. "When exactly is my uncle doing the press release on the police presence at the hotel?"

Alex's weight shifted; Ernesto kept silent, and Ulan smiled, returning to his relaxed posture. "Strange. He's usually on his third one by now. Unless-"

He shrugged his good shoulder. "Uncle Ike can't spin in his favor. He is our police chief..." He glanced between the two, to make sure they were listening. "And he's the only one who showed me the storage units. Told me where to find the agent. For what purpose?"

Ulan leaned toward Ernesto now, loving the string along. "Maybe to finally score the big pay day his ego deserves?" He leaned farther in, elbow on the table as though claiming ground. "What news channel won't eat that up?"

"You think holding Ocampo's job hostage is going to save you?" Ernesto shared a hidden laugh with Alex. The American sauntered off the wall, getting Ulan to feel his presence behind him. "You're even dumber than I thought."

"Uncle Ike's the dumb one!" Ulan's face tightened, throwing daggers from his peripheral. He glared at Ernesto, spitting the words like bad seeds. "He's a laughingstock whose fat face can't go five minutes without a camera. If you're in his life, it's only so you can make him look good... and he acts like we should be grateful. Like that does us any favors? Well, I'm finally doing some for myself."

Ernesto watched Ulan release the resentment he'd clearly been holding for a while. Alex threw a glance over the kid's bald head, asking questions. They could both guess there was some merit to what was being said; but hardly everything that their chief was.

"You don't give your uncle enough credit." Ernesto stated. "Many appreciate the message he gives to the island. Whatever warrant we ask, he'll give it. Whatever sentence a judge passes, he'll be the one to announce it."

Ulan laughed, shaking his head at the sincerity. "Doesn't matter. They may not buy what I say, but once the doubt's there... it'll never go away."

Alex thumped a hand on his shoulder; the injured one, leaning against Ulan's chair. "You got a point, kid. Once you plant the seed, hard to keep it from growin'. Kinda like when your cellmates learn... who you are." He kept his voice low and sly. "You think cops have it bad? You should see snitches."

Ulan jerked from Alex, unfazed. "I'm no snitch."

"Aren't you?" Ernesto asked, brow raised. A second later, their door opened and Kai stuck her head in. She raised a brow and gave an airy giggle. "Oh, sorry gentlemen. I'll use the next one."

Alex leaned back on his heels as Ulan paled at the prisoner she held at the elbow. A beach-blonde Aussie with a seventies' goatee; and a bruised eye. Kai nodded, Ernesto catching her smirk with the door close. He twisted back to face Ulan. "Your buyer, right?"

"Not on the DEA's top 100." Alex resumed his pace, taking Ulan's superiority with him. "A few raps, a warrant for him down under. Still..." He eased against the opposite wall. "He doesn't like being set up."

Ulan shook his head. "I didn't-"

"You wanted to prove yourself to the blue blood in your family." Ernesto continued the tale. "What better way than using your past resources to lure in a drug dealer." He eyed Alex, inspired. "Y'know, I bet it's not the first time."

"Now there's," Alex ran his hand through the air. "a headline."

"And you thank me by putting me in jail?!" Ulan cried, trying to hold confidence in his voice. Ernesto and Alex shared a shrug. "Wrong place, wrong time... it happens."

"No inmate will believe you." Ulan hissed. Ernesto wagged a finger. "Ah, they don't have to. But..."

"The doubt will be there." Alex resumed his position on the wall.

"My uncle won't risk-"

"Chief Ocampo." Ernesto corrected him, standing. "has risked plenty for you already. He's done."

He pushed a statement paper in front of Ulan; Ocampo's signature already on it. "You're done."