Cuarenta Minutos

drug overdose

Joshua John Miller

David T. Friendly

Scott Rosenbaum

David Ehrman (consulting)

Tom Flores (associate)

**Cuarenta Minutos** is the 2nd episode in the series. It translates to "Forty Minutes."

## Summary

Teresa must prove her worth to Camila; Epifanio gets closer in his hunt for Teresa; in Mexico, Brenda tries to hide from the cartel.

## Netflix Summary

To avoid prostitution, Teresa offers to be a drug mule and is put to the test. Meanwhile in Mexico, Brenda and her son try to evade Epifanio's thugs.

## Plot

###### Warehouse, Dallas, Texas

After a rude wake-up call and witnessing another girl being drugged against her will, Teresa asks to speak with Camila. An annoyed cartel worker hits her and splits her lip. As she's licking her wounds, a mule named Aveline offers her a rag and some food, as well as advice -- the guy that hit her is the nicest guy in there. Aveline says that as a mule she gets bonuses that the other girls don't get and that she tries to help the other girls. She says that "it's good to stay quiet in here, like a mouse" while shaking a cat toy shaped like a mouse. Aveline promises to come back and take care of Teresa that afternoon. She starts to rise to get to the airport, when her face changes and she keels forward.

Teresa calls for help. The men groan in annoyance at the sight of her dead body, because the bags of cocaine inside her have burst *again.* The men bring her to a table and cut her open, pulling bags of cocaine out of her intestines. Teresa uses the distraction to make a run for it. She jumps onto an unsteady roof while attempting to outmaneuver two men with guns and it gives, causing her to be captured.

James Valdez enters the workroom where Aveline's body lies on the table. A cartel member reports that they saved twenty-two bags from her. James reaches inside her body with his bare hand and pulls another bag out, replying "twenty-three."

###### Street in Mexico

Brenda frantically calls her Teresita, begging her to call back. Tony complains that he is hungry, to which Brenda replies that his father went 6 days without eating when he broke out of jail and that he needs to *be a man.* The pair intend to go to the family store, but pause when they see that it's being watched. A van rolls up and Brenda recognizes the driver, Oscar, whom she has known since she was eleven. They get into the van and Oscar drives them away as Brenda apologizes for the things she did to him as a child.

###### Quinceañera in Mexico

Camila arrives at her goddaughter Anita's, Rubin's daughter, quinceañera with a crown as a gift. She sits at a table full of men and tells them to stop talking about business because this is a family event and these moments are precious. She watches as Rubin places the crown on Anita and as they dance together. Camila receives a text from James that says that Teresa tried to run. She leaves the party and returns to the warehouse.

###### Warehouse

A cartel member tells Camila have lost two bags from Aveline's body. The other members try to figure out a plan to meet their deadline on such short notice, while Camila sits down with Teresa. *So... you're a runner.* Camila calls her husband, knowing that he wants to kill Teresa. The two talk about Teresa, with Epifaño asking Camila to let him know if she is found. Camila hangs up and deduces that Teresa must be worth more than money to her husband. Teresa replies that she's 'just the girlfriend' and Camila says that 'since she's so good at being a girlfriend, she's going to make her a girlfriend to a lot of people,' ordering her minions to drug Teresa up and put her to work. Teresa puts up a fight when the men try to hold her down. Camila halts them before they drug her, asking Teresa again why Epifaño is interested in her. Teresa denies any involvement with him. As Camila walks away, Teresa screams *wait* and says that she can deliver the drugs. Camila reminds her that there's problems with the balloons and that the police can stop the car she's in because they know what her cartel is doing. Teresa repeats that she'll do it. Camila tells them to prep her and walks out with James.

James says that there's no point in prepping Teresa because she'll die too. Camila reminds him that the chemist he hired is responsible for all of this and that James doesn't have a choice but to drive faster, because Han is an important client needs his shipment.

A few B-roll shots of the warehouse they're making cocaine in play to heighten the amount of fear Teresa is feeling. James takes Teresa's picture, with her now in a light pink top, to use as for her fake passport. Teresa is handed her first small bag of cocaine to swallow. She gags herself over and over to force each one down as James and Camila look on. She swallows 23 bags; she is told that the plane leaves in 40 minutes and that the bags could dissolve before then. Camila gives Teresa her necklace of the patron saint Malverdee back, asking whether it gave her faith or comfort, because she's going to need it.

###### James' stolen car

James and Teresa are in the car together on the way to the airport, with James speeding. Teresa looks to the cross around his rearview mirror and says, "You're religious? That's a laugh." James responds that he's not religious, whoever they stole this car from is. James begins to quiz Teresa on the information on the passport, scolding her for giving the wrong address number. James continues to drive irresponsibly and Teresa tells him that 'driving like a *pendejo* isn't gonna help.' Teresa's heartbeat becomes audible, which will be noticeable at times throughout the next couple minutes. He nearly hits some pedestrians on his way to the airport, slamming on the breaks before continuing to drive.

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James asks Teresa how she feels and she replies that she doesn't know. He comes to a road closed off for construction and says that they're never going to make it, which Teresa contradicts. He tells her that she has 10 minutes left. James takes off his sunglasses and turns to Teresa, telling her to listen to him. They argue, and James tries to get her to throw up the cocaine before it kills her. She refuses and insists on finishing the job. He puts his sunglasses back on and takes another way to the airport.

Teresa screams *Airport! Airport!* at James before he misses the sign and he responds that he knows what he's doing, before they are t-boned by a Yukon XL. The two exit the car and make a run for it. They run through the airport in order to make it to Teresa's flight, stopping to grab their tickets. James tries to make conversation with a emotionless security guard, complaining that Teresa is always late. Teresa walks through the metal detector and is being waved down with a wand. James is cleared too and they run through the rest of the airport.

###### Dallas airport

Teresa attempts to enter a restroom, but James grabs her and tells her that that's not where they're going. They enter a room labeled "Authorized Personnel" that has just been opened with a keypad by a member of the airport staff, which James shared a nod with in the hallway. Teresa immediately starts trying to throw up the drugs in the sink. James is next to her counting the bags and rinsing them off. Teresa has three bags left and she says that she can't throw them up. James tells her that they're starting to dissolve and coaches her through it. He grabs the soap dispenser and squirts soap in her mouth, which makes her throw up the remaining bags.

   They leave the room, with James walking in front of Teresa with a bag on his shoulder. A man in a tan suit, Han, walks by and takes the bag off of James' shoulder as James sniffs and puts his signature leather jacket on. They exit the airport and get into a taxi.

###### Taxi, TX

In the taxi, Teresa asks James how he knew about the soap thing. He replies that when he was a kid he wanted to ditch school and drank half a bottle. He never did it again.

###### Warehouse

Teresa enters the pen where they keep the women to find a toy mouse on her bed. She pauses at the sight of it, while a woman on the other side of the fence tells her in Spanish that it should have been Teresa that died, not Aveline. Teresa glances around at the other women and sees that they are all watching her.

###### Sinaloa

Epifaño is visited by Pote and Cesar, who tell him that they haven't found Teresa, but they've had a cellphone ping on Brenda. Their conversation continues as the camera cuts to Brenda, who is crying silently while watching television with Tony's head on her lap. Epifaño tells the men to continue to track Brenda, and Pote responds that they will as the focus come to Brenda's phone, which is pinging from the other side of the couch.

###### Teo's office

Camila visits the office of Teo Aljarafe and asks him to purchase a trawling company for her, without her husband's knowledge.

###### Sinaloa wilderness

Cesar opens a trunk to reveal Oscar, who helped Brenda and Tony escape. Cesar says that he pulled out three of Oscar's teeth and he still didn't tell him where Brenda was. Cesar then takes out his gun and kills Oscar. Cesar turns to Pote and tells him that it is his and Gato's fault that Teresa escaped, and since Gato is in the hospital recovering, he must take care of Oscar's body and be ready when Brenda turns her cellphone back on.

###### Camila's club

Camila pulls up to her club and heads upstairs to take a call from Epifaño. He says that he wants to be perfectly clear about the girl he's looking for. Camila is upset with him for not telling her why he wants Teresa, not letting on that she's met with her. They talk about Camila's new terms for the Dallas side of the business. He gives her a year and says that they'll revisit her terms then. James comes in to tell Camila that Teresa did it, while Camila tells him that Epifaño agreed to her terms. She thinks that he agreed so easily because he doesn't expect her to be in Dallas for very long. Camila instructs James to keep an eye on Teresa.

###### Warehouse

The Queen of the South appears to Teresa as she sits on her mattress in the warehouse and says, "So it looks like you're all settled in. Sweet dreams."

## Appearances

* Teresa Mendoza
* Camila Vargas
* James Valdez
* Brenda Parra
* Epifaño Vargas
* Pote Galvez
* Cesar "Batman" Guemes
* Teo Aljarafe
* The Charger
* Oscar
* Zeferino
* Tonto
* Aveline
* Oscar
* Tony Parra
* Guero Davilas
* Han, the client

## Notes

* Camila says that Isabela's quince is next year, which would make her fourteen.
* They lose two bags when they dissolve in Aveline's stomach.
* The Charger isn't the chemist that created the balloons, but he does serve as a chemist.
* James knows Teresa's name before they meet.
* The quince is for Camila's goddaughter, Anita, who got straight A's that semester.

## Songs

* Mira Que Bonito by José León
	+ Camila arrives at Anita's quinceañera
* Héroe by Jhoni "The Voice" feat. K Rose
	+ Camila speaks with Roman and his men
* Si Tu No Estas by Daniel Indart
	+ Roman presents Anita with the tiara
* El Proceso by Proyecto TQ
	+ Camila arrives at her club and takes a call from her husband

## Quotes

* *Since you're so good at being a girlfriend, I'm going to make you a girlfriend to a lot of people.* -Camila to Teresa, telling her that she's going to prostitute her
* *Wait! I can be more for you. I'll deliver the drugs. I heard what you said. I'll deliver the drugs that your mule didn't.* -Teresa to Camila
* *And you? You can take comfort in knowing you had no choice.* -Camila to James about having to use Teresa as a drug mule even though they expect her to die trying
* *You know driving like a pendejo's not gonna help, right?* -Teresa to James, in the car
* *How do you feel? Answer me!* I don't know. *If you start feeling numb, tell me.* -*James &* Teresa, with James worried about her
* *Okay, listen to me --* No *-- you're not gonna have time.* Drive. *Throw that shit up now. You're out of time.* I am not gonna throw it up! *You're gonna throw it up!* I am doing this. *I'll make you.* Just get off me, you asshole! Drive! *That wasn't the first girl who died. Okay? And I'm not having that again.* Well, then, I'm gonna die too. Because I'm not gonna throw that shit up. So you better put your car in gear, and you better get me to the airport on time. I am doing this job. Drive. *You're gonna die. -James* & Teresa's argument in the car
* *You know this Mendoza girl? Keep an eye on her. I think she might be more useful than I thought. I want you to talk to her. You need to get her to trust you. Tell her, if she's thinking of running away, she shouldn't. If she's thinking of going to the police, they will send her to the ICE, and they'll ship her right back to Mexico, and sooner, rather than later, my husband will find her. Tell her, if she wants to die, she should run. If she wants to live, she should stay with me.* -Camila to James

## Gallery

* James trying to convince Teresa to throw up the drugs
* James handing off the bag
* James taking a picture of Teresa for her fake passport
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/163241424434
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/163241424434
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/164016834349
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/166304815176
* Go to http://qotsgifs.tumblr.com/post/172120112815/hvitserkk-queen-of-the-south-1x02-you-hired-a
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