says who? a fucking wire.
a fiction writer. hogue peruses surveillance photos of sonny red and sonny black. then reads the informant's report.
clarence, you couldn't find the streets with an asphalt detector.
that's doesn't mean it's tonight.
fuck you, clarence.
an agent. undercover.
three weeks.
we had to make up the rules as we went along--
his predecessor.
i am not gonna blow a chance to cripp le the entire fucking mafia just because some fucking empty suit in blue carpet land--
--thinks there's gonna be a shootout tonight after the fucking tarantella.
making those cases is his life.
and so, joe, we wish you bon voyage with this farewell drink. we'd give you a farewell dinner - but why spend all that money when you'll just come crawling back to your old desk? laughter around the table. the clink of glasses.
then maybe i should do it. i'm in a mood to be corrupted.
it's six months.
here you go, joe. joe opens the box. a wide-brimmed al capone fedora. uproarious laughter from the group.
put it onl against his will, joe puts on the hat. more laughter from the group. cut to:
i took over when he retired. lebow covers the receiver with his hand.
who?
i want to know. if we're gonna put a guy inside, i want it to be one of our best guys. lebow goes back to the phone. hogue turns to jules.
joe, this's barbara jones. she's an assistant us attorney.
it'll be ready when you come back down.
maybe that's why he's in the hospital.
score one for our side.
i ' m tired of defending what we did. you're so sure he went over the other side? maybe we should fucking arrest him.
we don't even know where the fuck he is, clarence. remember?
the guy inside spotted sonny black at the wedding. donnze's with him. cut to:
in about two fucking minutes they're gonna start getting suspicious about that . surveillance van.
are you out of your fucking mind? a fucking new jersey telephone repair van in the rear-view mirror all the fucking way to brooklyn? why don't you }ust put a bullet in his head? cut to:
just get that van out of there.
you make it sound like joe's the only one in danger from these g uys-- eight million people in the city of new york are in danger from these guys. if they walk away from this because we don't have the cases they'll be stronger than they ever were.
you have to get that van out of there. just give me the phone.
then make the fucking call. either you trust him or you don't. that's w hat it's a lways been with this. either you trust joe or you don't. hogue thinks a long beat. gets back on the phone.
i told you that wire was a fucking fiction writer.
it's jules, maggie.
how're you feeling?
did you see joe?
the 'b' wants him to come out.
y ou don't believe the shit that c omes up. i have to argue with t hem that he hasn't gone over to t he other side.
i talked to him about that.
maggie. maybe this is none of my business, but--
congratulations. it's over, joe.
you're coming out.
it's over, joe.
in his office. donnie ducks in. jules looks up, sees donnie struggle a beat with his emotion. then the mask descends again.