Absolution

I'm gonna tell you something.

I been a bad man.

I've been a very bad man, most of my life.

I learned to not trust anybody.

I lost my faith in mankind.

I decided I wanna do one thing...

in my life.

One good thing, in my life, before I die.

Even if I die in the process.

I need to do that for my own absolution.

John, come on in.

As always, I... I appreciate the courtesy.

Please.

We have a situation.

Well... you usually got a situation when you call me. Ain't that right?

Kamal Mekhi, Afghani national.

He's attempting to procure stealth technology for the Iranians and I think he can do it.

Intel says that he has very close ties to Pakistan.

But, he's very smart and very well protected.

Which folks hired you to hire me, now?

- John, i-it's a new column. - A new column?

You're a very unique player in our world, John.

And I only come to you when I know you're the only guy who can do the job.

Well, I mean, I can do it quietly, man. You know that. I can do it quietly.

But if you're using me for some kind of political gain, I'll come back and kill you.

I just want you to know that.

Listen. Does that mean, uh... does that mean you'll do it?

It means, I'm gonna check him out.

And, um... if turns out that he's really a bad guy

and he's really an enemy of the United States of America...

or he's really funding terrorist activity, or any of those things...

I'll make him disappear.

Hey, Johnno.

- How was the flight? - Long, but good to see you.

Everything's set up. Safe house and gear, operational.

Exit route goes hot as soon as you make the call.

We playin'?

- Hop. - Rock and Roll.

I'll get started.

How many?

Unknown, two cars, windows blacked out.

Get ready to go in, on my mark.

Diana, stunning, as always.

Thirty girls a month.

You know us men and our appetites.

Boss'd actually like to do more.

We can talk. Actually, my uncle is coming from Kabul, for my aunt's funeral.

And he's very close to Kamal's cousin.

The man with the connections. I think he'd like to meet the Boss.

He's sick of Kamal.

- Like all of us. - Well, I'll be sure to pass along the invitation.

Kamal is becoming a real risk.

And you know this, as well as me.

How is the fuckin' Afghani parasite, tonight?

Yeah, I bought them from Diana. She has good taste.

You should talk to her, you know, if chicks are your thing.

But you're certainly not my type.

You know, you've been drawing a lot of attention to yourself, lately.

I'm not talking about that now.

I don't fucking work for you. There is only one way the product gets to you.

Me. And I do whatever the fuck I want. Just like the Boss.

How's that for attracting fucking attention?

The Boss wanted to relay his concerns.

See, some of us really aren't into taking risks.

Don't worry. You think I'm a tribal peasant?

I went to Oxford. I'm smarter and better connected that you'll ever be.

Sure.

But just so you should know, the Americans aren't happy.

Oh, fuck the Americans. Get the hell out of here, now what the...

- Have a good night. - Oh, fuck you!

Now, we're gonna go in, when they come out. Nobody's gonna see us. Make it clean.

How was the party?

You know, it'd be a shame to be stuck inside tonight, on such a beautiful evening as this.

Maybe I will take a walk.

Fresh air will do me good.

Hey, what's the score?

One more coming up the stairs.

What the fuck is the...

But I'm protected, what the fuck is...

OK. Take it easy, man. Take it easy.

Listen. Um...

My family is very rich. What the... what is wrong with you? What's your problem, man?

Where your family got that money?

This is my family business. Is not your business.

Your family business is a problem, but,

your mouth is even a bigger problem. You're kind of a liability.

And do you think this is about me? Get out of here, man.

No-no-no, it's not about you. It's about my bosses.

You're the American?

Leave the girls.

- Is the shopping done? - Yeah, man, I got everything that was on the list.

It's all done and done right.

- Anything to return? - No, man, I'm just waiting for reimbursement.

There's been a timing change.

Well, what does that mean?

The exit route is, uh... closed, well, delayed. We got a problem on our end.

Look, there's nothing to worry about, John. I would let you know otherwise, alright?

Right now, the exit wagon is parked, until I get the go, no-go.

So, just stay invisible, until I get back to you.

Roger that.

We got a little delay.

- Oh. Should we be concerned? - I mean, the problem is the job's not over, yet.

What I would recommend is, we go over to the Danube Club, have a drink and just relax.

Lay low. We're ghosts, always ghosts.

- And, uh... we get out of here, right away. - OK.

- Give me, uh... some scotch. Johny Walker. - OK.

And some cigars.

Hey.

Sorry, a little late.

I got a massage.

Took me a little bit longer than expected.

- You must have had a massage with a happy ending. - I'm telling you, the women here are amazing.

You don't see this in Hong Kong.

I don't know, man. Back in the day, were pretty good in Hong Kong, too, you know.

Let me ask you something. Three years ago...

I was walking by...

You and your boss went to get out of a car and... there was a little girl in there.

Bad guys jumped up, to kill your boss.

And it looked to me like...

the little girl was gonna die, in the process. I'm an operator, so it's second nature, for me.

I went in and did some bad things to those folks.

And they were gone forever. Just so happens...

the guy I saved... he was one of the big godfathers of Hong Kong. That was your boss.

He gives you to me, for a year...

as a... gift, for a debt that he thought...

he owes me.

That was three years ago. Why I can't get rid of you?

Remember the Macau job?

I do.

- Well, you saved my life, on that one. - That's what we do.

That's what we do.

From that point on, this was no longer about repaying a debt.

OK? You became my 'hintai.' My brother.

Where I come from, there's a saying.

It means, when the knives come out, if you're my brother,

I'll be there for you. No words need to be spoken.

As the tong's enforcer,

the Red Pope, I'll do whatever it takes to honor them.

That's how we do, man.

We live together, we die together. We walk together, we fight together.

Damn right.

Talk about living.

Excuse me, Johnno.

Hey.

- How are you? - Hi, how are you?

- OK, what's your name? - I'm Angela.

Angela, OK. I'm Chi.

Hi, Chi.

You can run, but I'm gonna catch ya.

Help me.

Help!

Help me.

Help! Help!

Please! Please, help me. They will kill me. Please, please, help me.

- Please-please-please, please help me. - This are none of your business.

Don't you touch me, man.

- Stay out of this. - Please, they will kill me.

That's enough, come on.

You heard the woman. Leave her alone.

- No, you don't... - Let her go.

- We have to leave. - Separately.

Let me know where to meet with you, though.

Wait!

Please. Please, please.

- What are you doing here, man? - I ha-I have nowhere to go, OK?

They will kill me.

Well, move fast and get away from here.

Go on.

- Get out of here. - No.

Listen to me. I have done everything I can do for you.

Please, get out of the car, you have very little time, before they come.

I just know you must be an important man, OK? I see that, and...

what happens to me doesn't matter. I know that, too.

But you're not like them.

Please.

You're sure I'm not like them, huh?

Yes, you're not like them. But you're not like them.

- Would you bet your life on it? - Yes.

Yeah, I'm not like them.

The Afghani got hit tonight. High-end pros. The perimiter guard guard didn't see a thing.

What should we do about it?

Do about it? That waste of space was a liability.

You know what? He just happened to be the direct line to our product,

so I guess what we're gonna have to do is...

- get another line. - How are you?

I'm well, this fine night. How about yourself?

Thank you, fine. You've got four messages and Victor needs to see you.

- Thanks. - Welcome.

Well, there's something else. three of our men got taken down at the Danube Club.

They were chasing a girl. We think it's connected to the hit.

What girl?

Well, she was with, uh... our friend.

Shit.

- What about the men? - Well, he left them alive, on purpose.

- He? - Yeah.

- So, you're saying one guy did this? - Well, he had a partner. An Asian guy.

But the girl went with him.

You brought the girl here?

Yeah, I really fucked up, man. I broke protocol.

Listen, there's a lot of eyes on us, at the club, OK?