Victor's close childhood friend EMILIO LOPEZ, a troubled kid who grew up to be a troubled adult -- Victor's mother ROSA has always considered him to be a second son. Out on parole, Emilio has taken a job at the local high school, but little does Victor know that Emilio is the leader of a car theft ring that's already left one person dead. Victor has to chase down his own best friend, who is determined not to go back to jail no matter what.

MAHMOOD, sentenced to community service for his illegal activities (detailed in the episode ""Outlaw Extreme""), is back at it when he and his ""business partner"" SARA FARMAN try to sell the Santa Monica Pier to a wise-guy wannabe LENNY STEINRUDER. But Sara takes off with the money, leaving Mahmood to deal with Lenny's anger -- and learning too late that Lenny has familial connections to a New York mafioso known as the ""Jewish Godfather."" Cory and Chris reluctantly agree to help him only long enough to arrest Lenny as a way of getting to his father-in-l

Victor and Cory investigate the murder of a drug company vice president who worked with local free clinics to get discounted medicine. They discover that a major pharmaceutical company is distributing inferior imported drugs to local clinics and drugstores that minister to the poor.

As part of the murder investigation, Chris is forced to question BO NYBY, a conspiracy nutcase who claims to have witnessed the murder. Chris writes off his rantings as delusional, but when Bo is subsequently shot, she feels guilty and undergoes hypnosis to re-examine Bo's statement for telling clues.

Victor's concerned when he learns his mother, ROSA, is consulting DR. JAIME SERRANO for a health problem that she won't tell him about. Jaime is a childhood nemesis of Victor's, and Victor still holds a grudge. He's able to overcome it and is with Rosa when Jaime tells her she has cancer.