Night Teeth

We're all around you.

Living right under your noses…

and you have no idea.

Things were a lot simpler in the old days.

We hunted you,

and you hunted us.

In Los Angeles,

no one fought harder than a place called Boyle Heights.

So, we struck up a truce

to maintain the peace between our kind and yours.

We lived in secret,

and you convinced yourselves you had never really believed.

You forgot to be afraid.

You made books and movies about us and got most of the details wrong,

while we became richer

and more powerful than you could ever imagine.

To this day, there are some who still uphold the truce,

who keep our secret.

As long as we stick to the three rules.

Don't let humans know we exist,

don't feed on the unwilling,

and never ever enter Boyle Heights without permission.

- -

- Jay! -Sorry.

- You scared me. - I got distracted.

How sorry?

I'll-make-it-up-to-you sorry.

Oh, you'll-make-it-up-to-me kind of sorry.

How are you gonna do that?

What?

Nah, you look nice.

I look nice?

You're so stupid.

What the--

-What is it? - They shouldn't be over here.

-Oh my God. Jay, who is that? -

A dead man.

Put the gun back. We cannot do this.

Holy shit, please keep driving. Jay. Jay, it's green, just go!

- -

- Jay, what's going on? - I gotta warn my guys.

I need you to take the car and go to your brother's. Okay?

- -

- -

Maria!

- -

Good morning, Mr. Perez. What were you dreaming about?

Sorry. I…

Hey, uh, B-plus, 60 bucks.

Thank you, sir. You're a lifesaver, you know that?

You're saving my ass with this paper, bro.

We're gonna check out this club downtown, Three Kings?

Table, bottle service.

-Right. -It's 300 a head. You wanna roll with?

Shit, 300 a head? Uh…

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Nah, I already got some stuff I gotta get into.

-I bet you do. -Next time, my bad.

All right. Stay easy.

Yo!

Yo, what's good, Benny?

Hey, what's up, slick? You got that kit for me?

Let's call it an even 40, bro.

40, like 40 bucks?

-That's what I said. -

I'mma put The Heights on the map. I'm telling you, bro.

Step one, finish this track. Two, set up the label.

Three, world domination. It's simple.

Building an empire, but you can't even play me one track, bro?

Hey. When it's ready, it's ready, all right?

- -

Hello, Benny.

Hey, Grandma.

You came at a good time.

Yeah? Why's that?

I just took out some flautitas and some empanadas.

Nice!

Are you hungry?

You know it. But why do I bother shopping

if you're never going to cook me a sancoche?

You know I don't cook that.

You know that one of these days I'm going to buy you a house.

I don't need my own home, my love.

What I do need is for you to finish your studies

so you can take care of yourself.

Because someday I'm gonna die, and so will you.

Ay, Ma, why you gotta talk like that? So negative. I don't like it.

Well, that's life, son.

We all come tumbling down.

Bro, you told me you could handle it.

No, I told you. This is--

Come on, Jessie, you're really gonna do me like that?

I need someone to cover the car tonight.

It's about Maria.

Yeah, well, I thought I could rely on you!

Yeah, fine, whatever.

Why are you creeping?

If I'd know you was coming through, I would've rolled out the red carpet.

I have to pick up some things, check in on Grandma.

-Check in on your punk ass. -Ha.

Oh, wait a minute. What's this? Bro, that some gray hairs on your head?

Hey, I'm serious. You're getting old, papi.

-Just wait. It's gonna happen to you too. -

I don't know if you're working tonight, but maybe we could go to Mario's,

grab a pizza, watch the game.

I got something else tonight.

All right, then who's covering the car, then?

I had to cancel. Everyone's booked up.

All right, but you see, I was thinking, like, what if,

you see, what if I take the car? Right?

-'Cause I could use the money. -No way.

-Why not? - One, you're a bad driver.

Bad… That's bullshit.

When was the last time you were west of K-Town?

Hey, Jay, my man, look, I am way more responsible

than all them dudes you got out there at the depot.

Yeah, except them dudes at the depot, they got chauffeur's license,

they're insured by the company, and they actually own a suit.

I… You see, the thing is, though, Jay, I got a suit. I got a suit, Jay.

What, you and Maria been fighting? That's what it is?

You having some relationship issues?

If you want to talk to me, you can talk to me.

I give great advice. That's what people be saying.

- Yeah, right. -

Man, whatever.

Where'd you get that?

Don't worry about it.

-What's this thing you gotta do tonight? -I said don't worry about it.

All right. Fine, man. I didn't even…

- - So secretive, man.

- Hey, Benny. -

Scratch it, I'll kill you.

Yo. You serious?

Man! I'm gonna need me one of these.

You can't afford it.

Well, I'mma flip my beats, and I'mma get me a better one.

-What do you think about that? -Listen to me.

Take them where they need to go, come straight back.

- Understand? -Yeah, I understand.

- Check it out. -

Oh shit.

-That's pretty cool. -

Insurance and registration are in the glove compartment.

Chauffeur's license on the visor.

Everything's under my name, so if anyone asks, you're me.

-I'm going to Beverly Hills? - Hey, pay attention.

If anyone asks, you're me, got it?

-Yeah. -Dispatch says it's an all-nighter.

Probably a twentysomething director wannabe high out of his mind.

Act professional, and he'll give you a fat tip at the end of the night.

Hey. Don't blow the sub, Dr. Dre.

Look, if the subs want to bark, you gotta let 'em bark.

No, the subs don't wanna bark. Okay? I'm serious. I'll yank you out of here.

-I'll take the no-show penalty. -Okay. No barking, you got it.

Thanks for doing this.

Hey, just, um, be careful, all right?

I'm always careful.

I got… I got the car!

Huh? What?

- -Oh!

That was a cop. That was a cop.

What? I went in front of the guy!