Chapter Four

DEA agent Harrison Lawrence and Conner, a more violent or unpredictable faction, take over the power vacuum. A string of violent altercations results from the area's escalating tensions as competing gangs fight for dominance. In the Organized Crime Task Force, agent Conner understands that they still have a lot of work ahead of them; in order to avoid more chaos, they must now negotiate this hazardous new environment.

Harrison considers the ethical implications of their actions as they plan their next course of action. Every choice has the potential to tip the scales, either bringing the community back to peace or causing it to spiral further into chaos. Harrison and Conner and agent Saw were all together continuing to investigate the Jose Alvarez case—and Harrison is much more intense about the matter of the investigation. Harrison wants justice badly for his dead girlfriend.

Harrison and Conner are all at a hotel where another smuggler was living in currently and Harrison and Connor including agent Saw had dressed up in their DEA and Organized Crime Task Force uniforms/tatical vest. They immediately pulled out their guns from their holsters and were quietly walking to the door of the smuggler Hernandez who Harrison and agent Saw listened to over the phone conversation between Jose Alvarez and him.

After Harrison, agent Saw stood by the left side of the door and agent Conner and his task force team stood behind him, Harrison and Conner overhead Hernandez talking in Spanish over the phone once again and Harrison counted backwards from three and they immediately and furiously kicked the door down after Harrison tried to open it and the door was locked and Harrison pointed his gun at Hernandez and he shouted at Hernandez to put down his phone and get on his knees and Hernandez kneeled down on his knees and Harrison walked up to Hernandez before he puts away his gun hack into his holster and he takes out his handcuffs while agent Saw, Conner and the task force team had all their guns pointed at Hernandez.

Harrison sighed and he pulled Hernandez up from the floor and he looked him straight in the eyes.

"You're gonna wish you haven't seen me," says Harrison.

Hernandez evilly smiled at Harrison, and said, "you'll never find Alvarez." Hernandez mocked Harrison by laughing at him.

"Get him out of here," says Harrison, sighing.

One of the team of the Organized Crime Task Force had grabbed Hernandez by the arm and shouted "let's go!," before he and Hernandez walked out of the hotel room. Now up next—Hernandez is to be interrogated. As part of their investigative and enforcement responsibilities, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents like Harrison do question suspects.

A formal investigative technique used to elicit information and possible confessions from people suspected of drug-related offenses is interrogation. Making the distinction between an interrogation and an interview is crucial. Both are employed by DEA agents, and the strategy varies according to whether the subject is an arrested suspect or a possible witness. Agents usually try to collect information during interviews in a more conversational way, letting the interviewee freely share their insights.

On the other hand, in order to extract confessions or important information regarding criminal activity, agents may use more direct and occasionally harsher techniques during interrogations. After arriving at the interrogation room, Harrison and Peter were walking into the interrogation room and they saw Hernandez handcuffed  and sitting behind the interrogation table. Harrison sighed and he pulled out a chair before sitting down next to agent Conner.

Hernandez and agent Harrison Lawrence looked at each other's faces once again. Until Hernandez's lawyer came to the interrogation room and said, "agent Lawrence, agent Saw, I am Hernandez's lawyer," says Mrs. Ava Nash before shutting the door and then sitting next to Hernandez at the interrogation table. Hernandez and other smugglers are able to and do retain legal counsel, particularly for criminal defense when they are accused of criminal activity.

The smuggler, not the attorney, is the client of the legal representation. A lawyer who represents an accused smuggler is obviously different from a lawyer who has engaged in illicit activity with their client. This distinction is important because it emphasizes the moral obligations of attorneys to protect the law and defend those who are charged with crimes.

To uphold their integrity and guarantee that justice is done, a lawyer must carefully negotiate these intricate relationships.

"I see that my client is being framed for the murder of let's see—ah. Your girlfriend, agent Lawrence—Ms. Alyssa Joanna?"

Harrison sighed and said, "yeah." Harrison nods his head.

"Well I have to say that my client is innocent and he has nothing to do with her murder," says Ava.

"Now listen Mrs. Nash, but Hernandez had a relationship with Jose Alvarez. We overheard him on the phone," says Harrison.

"You mean that my client was being set up by Alvarez and forcing him to be a smuggler?" wondered Ava.

Harrison sighed for the third time in a row, and he was frustrated.

"No." says Harrison angrily.

"I do say that Hernandez here wanted to work for Jose Alvarez. Now speak Mr. Hernandez or you're gonna have a lot to do with me," says Harrison.

Hernandez leans over to the side of Ava and he whispers in her ear. After leaning back up in his chair, Hernandez looked at Harrison in a smile and Harrison knew Hernandez was mocking him again.

"My client doesn't understand English well. So I suggest we can have my client be arraigned in federal court and he will plead not guilty," says Ava.

"Oh come on. He does know English. He just doesn't want to confess where Alvarez is," says Harrison.

Harrison slid the lukewarm coffee toward the smuggler Hernandez. The styrofoam cup skidded across the sterile metal table, stopping just shy of Hernandez's cuffed hands.

Across the table, Harrison leaned back in his chair, affecting a casual posture that didn't match the hard glint in his eyes. He didn't need to shout. The silence of the room was far more effective.

"You've been in here for three hours, Hernandez," Harrison began, his voice low and calm.

"Your buddy Alvarez hasn't even called a lawyer. Not even a phone call to the embassy. Guess he's too busy getting his next shipment ready."

Hernandez's jaw tightened, but he kept his eyes on the one-way mirror, avoiding Harrison's gaze.
"It's a tough business," Harrison continued. "Guys like you get caught, and guys like him disappear. The big boss gets a fancy penthouse and his women, and you get a tiny box."
(Harrison's internal thought, in italics for effect): He's worried. The mirror. He's not looking at me. He's looking past me, probably picturing Alvarez watching him get screwed over.

Harrison pushed a manila folder across the table. It was deliberately thin. A bluff. "I have everything I need to put you away for a long, long time. We know where you offloaded the product, who you paid off, and even the type of encryption on your burner phones. That information didn't come from a magic ball. It came from one of your own".

Hernandez finally looked at him, his face a mix of fear and defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do," Harrison said, his calm breaking just enough to let the steel show through. "But see, you're a small fish, Hernandez. A guy doing what he has to do. Not a monster like Alvarez. You tell me where he is, and we can find a way to help you. The alternative? And Alvarez isn't coming to bail you out." Harrison explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hernandez said, smiling. He was mocking Harrison.

Harrison slammed his hands on the table, the sound echoing off the bare walls of the interrogation room. "Enough with the games, Hernandez. I'm not a rookie detective looking for a promotion. I'm a DEA agent, and we don't need a confession to make your life a nightmare. We just need to decide how long that nightmare will last."
Hernandez flinched, but quickly recovered, meeting Harrison's aggressive stare.

"I told you, I don't know any Alvarez."

Harrison leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. "Oh, you know him. You know his scent. The smell of his money. The fear in his voice when he gives you an order. And you know what else you know? You know he's already moved on. You think he's gonna miss you? He's probably halfway to the Sinalola, counting the money you just lost him. While you sit here and protect a ghost."

He picked up the mug of coffee he had given Hernandez and threw its lukewarm contents against the one-way mirror. It splattered down the glass like a dark, ugly stain.
(Harrison's internal thought): Control the room. Control the pace. Keep him off balance. The stain is a good touch. It's an outward sign of the ugly truth.

"The difference between me and Alvarez, Hernandez? I can get you a deal. I can make this go away. Alvarez will kill you and your family to keep his hands clean. You know this. The only question is, are you ready to choose?"

Harrison grabbed a clean file off the table and tossed it in front of Hernandez, flipping it open to a blurry photo of Alvarez laughing with some associates.

"You're a dead man either way, Hernandez. My question to you is, do you want to die a snitch or a martyr? Because Alvarez won't remember you, but your family will have a story to tell." Hernandez stared at the photo, his eyes wide with a mixture of anger and terror.

The wall of bravado he had built was beginning to crumble.

"My client will not say another word. We will see you in court, agent Lawrence," answered Ava.

"Come on, Hernandez," says Ava once more.

After Hernandez and Ava stood up from their seats, they walked up to the door. After Ava opened the door, she and Hernandez left the interrogation room together. Harrison wiped his eyes in frustration using his fingers. Peter says, "well at least we still have other people to arrest. Maybe they can confess?" Harrison nods his head no.

"Sure thing," says Harrison, sighing.

Peter said, "hey um, I saw your engagement ring lying on your desk. You still have the ring? Since your girlfriend is gone now." Harrison nods his head yes.

"Yeah," answered Harrison in a quiet tone as he looked at Peter, he picked up the ring box.

He opened the ring box and sighed.. Peter smiled at Harrison as he nodded his head. The stale air conditioning hummed, a familiar backdrop to another boring stakeout. Peter gestured with it toward Harrison's left hand.

"So, that's new. You're wearing an engagement ring too."  Peter said, eyeing the silver band glinting in the dim dashboard light.

Harrison looks at his finger."What's new?"

Harrison asked, looking at Peter after looking at his engagement ring on his finger.. "The ring, man. The one on your hand. Not exactly a regulation issue." Peter said. Harrison sighed, an unassuming silver ring on his finger. A small smile, one Peter had rarely seen, touched his lips. "Oh. This."

"You've been with Alyssa for a while. Until she died. Not a promise ring, is it?" Peter asked with a slight smirk. Harrison shook his head.

"No. I was gonna ask her to marry me. Her birthday has passed. I was gonna propose on her birthday," says Harrison.

Peter's smirk melted into a genuine, surprised grin. "Harrison. I am sorry." Peter said. "We designed it together," Harrison said, his gaze distant. "She didn't want a big diamond. Said a simple band meant more." Harrison puts down the ring onto the desk before he speaks once again.

"Will we ever find this Alvarez guy?" says Harrison.

"I'm sure we will. But this could take months or even years. It's not something we investigate overnight," says Peter.

Harrison closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling his breath. Peter gently took his hand and touched Harrison's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" asked Peter. Harrison nodded his head yes and he opened his eyes.

"Okay." Peter said.

Harrison softly smiled at Peter. This time he stands up from his chair and he walks up to the door. After Harrison leaves the interrogation room, Peter stood up from the seat this time. Peter also left the interrogation room—he caught up to Harrison.