Shades Alvarez quotes from Luke Cage

Cottonmouth

What's wrong, Shades?

We should've waited.

Waited? [scoffs] Bump that noise! I got the call. It was me.

Cottonmouth

What happened?

Look, Turk calls me. Tells me, he saw Chic at the shop, slippin'. I came and ask you if it was important that the nigga was breathing. You seem non-committal, so I make an executive decision. [claps his hands]

Cottonmouth

[laughs] That's what you call it? An "executive decision"? [Tone nods and smiles] Okay. Mmm, so you caught him slippin' outside?

Nah, bro, I lit that shit up like a Fourth of July. It was all so Django Candieland shit for real. Lights, camera, action, baby! Somebody call Quentin! [laughs]

Shades

I suggested we wait.

[turns on Shades, annoyed] Wait? Wait for what, Shades? You ain't even down with the clique! You can't give orders. It was loud 'cause it's supposed to be! Niggas need to know you don't rob Cottonmouth!

Cottonmouth

[gets in Tone's face] MY NAME IS NOT COTTONMOUTH!!

[stammering] My--my bad. My bad.

Cottonmouth

[tensely] He's dead, right?

Shades

Chico's laid out. He's done.

[picks up Chico's backpack] It don't matter. We got the money!

Cottonmouth

You had to do it, I guess. Pops can rebuild. He won't like it but I'll donate some money anonymously. It's all gonna be okay...[He notices Tone and Shades are shifting around uneasily, and that Shades has removed his sunglasses] ...What?

Shades

[beat] ...Pops is dead.

A casualty of war. You know...shit happens.

Yo! Where's my money?

Cottonmouth

[confused] How the hell did you get up here?

I'm Turk Barrett, baby. The door ain't been built yet that can hold me back. Now where's my money?

Cottonmouth

Okay, Mr. Barrett. Tone promised to pay you for finding Chico, right?

Yeah.

Cottonmouth

[turns to Tone] That right? [Tone nods yes] Okay.

Cottonmouth

YOU CAN COLLECT YOUR MONEY FROM TONE DOWNSTAIRS, MR. BARRETT! [buttons his suit] I assume that completes our business.

…y'all Harlem niggas are off the hook. I'm going back to Hell's Kitchen where it's safe.

Shades

The trash bag is for the clothes you're wearing. Every stitch goes in. Jewelry, too. Spurlock will incinerate them. The towels you use, the rugs... they all go in that trash bag. Get dressed from the clothes in the garment bag.

Mariah

I look like I'm in shock. Is that why you're speaking to me as if I'm a child?

Shades

I need you to hear me. I want you to win. Do what I say... and when you get away with this... you can go back to being the sexy, domineering bitch, that we all hate to love. Now go.

Mariah

[sighs and sniffles] That's the last time you will ever call me a bitch.

Shades

You don't have any friends.

Diamondback

"A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who comes closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24. Cornell Stokes was that friend for me. And I could trust him like I could my own...brother.

Shades

Forget Cage. The cops are gonna flood this place in a minute.

Diamondback

No. We're staying. Nobody leaves. Not until we have them.

Shades

What you talkin' about, Willis?

Diamondback

You got jokes?

[Interrogating Shades] You should be at Rikers right now, but I held you because I think you have something to say.

Shades

Lawyer.

I know your record Mr. Alvarez. Came up in Harlem, rode around with Cottonmouth in the late '90s, spent some time at Spofford, Sing Sing, then you made it to the big time. Went to Seagate.

Shades

Lawyer.

Cornell Stokes is dead, yet you're still alive. And I've never seen an arraignment happen so quickly. Two million dollar bail? And someone paid it in cash. Who's your new sponsor? [beat] Is it Willis Stryker?

Shades

Law. Yer.

You were part of a hostage situation, Hernan. Even if your lawyer does get you out, you won't be walking away from that. That's multiple kidnapping with weapon charges. How does 25 years to life sound to you? Minimum.

Shades

Are you serious?

Yep.

Shades

[sighs] Okay. Okay, I was in the club. I saw what happened. I know who did it.

Okay, we can protect you, but I need a name to verify. Who was it? Was it Stryker?

Shades

He goes by....."lawyer". [beat] You need me to spell it?

Shades

[hands Mariah the gun he used to shoot Candace] It's old-school, has a nice feel.

Mariah

It belonged to Cornell.

Shades

It suits you.