Plot

When the younger brother of a gang leader and two other gang members are killed, Major Crimes suspects that they are victims in a gang war; however, when a stolen ATM card is recovered at the scene of the crime, a new motive emerges.

Brenda and Major Crimes investigate the death of 12-year-old Manuel Soto in what appears to be a gang-related shooting. His gang member father, Ferdinand, seems unmoved by his son's death, and when police find two more members of the same gang shot dead, they fear either a gang war or an internal power struggle. A bank card found on one of the dead men belongs to Camilla Santiago, and it doesn't take long to learn that she has been missing for several days. Tracing her to a rape treatment center, the truth begins to unfold. Meanwhile, Fritz has a surprise for Brenda, about which she doesn't seem very appreciative. Provenza is clearly having girlfriend problems.—garykmcd

The squad investigates the death of a 12-year-old boy whose father and brother are both gang members. The boy is found dead in a known gang party house, but soon the case includes two more bodies at a different house related to the same crime. Meanwhile, Fritz brings home a surprise for Brenda, and there's trouble brewing in Provenza's romantic paradise.—TNT Publicity

Fritz sneaks something in a big box in to the house as Brenda gets ready in the morning. He calls it doughnuts, but it's a big moving box. Brenda breezes by for coffee first. He waits.

He reaches in the box and the doughnut scratches him. It's a kitten. She's reluctant. He's a rescue. Fritz has named him Joel, but Brenda thinks Kitty can't be replaced. Her phone rings. She tells him she appreciates the sentiment, but she's not ready to start over again yet with another pet. And she leaves.

The crime scene is an empty house. A gang called the Tres Colores have taken it over as a party spot. There's a dead young boy sprawled on the floor inside. Provenza is grumpy. Fritz tells Brenda Provenza had a fight with his fiancee -- again -- last night.

The boy was killed around midnight last night. He was shot three times in the stomach, threw up, then crawled into the other room and died. His fingertip was shot clean off.

Sanchez says based on his clothes, the kid wanted to be a gangster. His tattoo is just ink. There's no ID on him, but there was an anonymous 911 about a Manuel being shot. All they know so far, Brenda points out while examining his barf (while wearing fabulous red heels), is that Manuel likes strawberry gum.

Back at the office, Provenza is throwing away pictures of him and his fiancee. They've learned that the victim is Manuel Soto, a 12 year old. His father did 11 years for stabbing a guy and his brother Cruz Soto is doing time at Pelican Bay for assault. He used to run the Tres Colores and they think he's still doing so from prison. He's up for parole in a month.

Sanchez says if this is a gang war, killing a kid is over the line and it could get ugly. Commander Taylor makes a call to get Cruz put in isolation in prison so he can't organize retaliation.

Tao reports on two print matches from the house: two known 3C members, including dudes named Sniper and Stank. Brenda sets Proflynza on them. Tao's on warrants and Gabriel and Sanchez are off with Brenda to notify his parents.

At the house, they're greeted by an angry pit bull and a drunk Mr. Soto. His wife left eight years ago. He doesn't know where Manuel is. He called yesterday to say he was spending the night at a friend's house.

Brenda breaks the news to the dad, who doesn't react much. He says his son wasn't "ready" for a gang yet. He has the real version of the gang ink his kid was sporting. He asks when he can get the $2,000 the city gives for a funeral. He won't answer any questions about his other son.

They head to execute a search on Stank's house. There are cops and a coroner's van there when they arrive. Detective Brinsky from Hollenback homicide is already there but hands over the cases, admiring Brenda. Dead in back are Stank a man with the ID of a woman named Camilla Santiago on him, Sniper.

Back at the office, Pope tells Brenda that Narcotics is working a case in the neighborhood and she needs to keep a low profile. She wants a "crime suppression detail" in the area -- tons of police cars -- the opposite of what Pope just said. She thinks it's the start of a gang war. Pope wonders if it's one gang cleaning house.

Major crimes is on their own.

Fritzie calls to let Brenda know he's keeping the kitty for himself. "You and Joel are trying to manipulate me," she protests.

Provenza finds that Flynn has put a picture of himself in uniform in his picture frame. He tears it up.

Gabriel reports they haven't found the murder weapon yet. Sanchez is trying to find the cell phone Manuel supposedly called home on. The phone company isn't giving up records. They can't find Camilla Santiago.

Her card was used two days by someone taking out the max two days in a row and trying to hide their face. They find a clear shot: It's Manuel Soto. They also see a cell phone in his hand, which should help them with the phone company. Brenda is officially worried about Camilla Santiago.

They bust into her apartment and find evidence of a struggle, but no body.

Flynn reports they have prints from Sniper and Stank in the house, and her prints are in the house where Manuel was murdered.

Sanchez reports that Manuel did call home like his dad said. He also called 911 and hung up and called an Ana Santiago. He calls her. She's Camilla's mom.

Brenda talks to her at the station, trying to convince her to talk. She says there's nothing the police can do. Ana says she's too late. Ana says her daughter has been through enough. We see flashes of an attack. She says her daughter is at a rape treatment center.

Brenda and Provenza go there and meet with a Detective Hendricks, who says Camilla hasn't officially reported. But she does have the results of the exam, which she shares reluctantly. There were scrapes and bruises and a concussion and lots of trauma, plus plenty of DNA.

Brenda goes to talk to Camilla, who says she was grabbed in the parking lot outside of the grocery store Friday. She says she doesn't remember anything except running away and calling her mom. She also called 911 and hung up.

Brenda pulls out a yearbook with Manuel's picture in it and asks if she might have gotten the phone from him. She says no.

But Brenda dials his number and Camilla's purse rings. Brenda goes through it and finds a gun and strawberry gum. She says she got the gun and phone from Manuel, who stood guard so she wouldn't escape. The others left to get beer. Manuel brought her her purse for gum and she grabbed the gun. She says she thinks she shot him and then she ran.

Brenda pulls out two six packs of photos and Camilla points to two men, Stank and Sniper. There was a third, the one who grabbed her, who had a bad eye. They all raped her.

Back at the office, Sanchez has found a 3C with a bad eye, Pescado. His prints were in the house and Camilla's.

Pope comes in because he heard they got Manuel's murderer. Brenda clarifies that they only have the person who shot him. Camilla shot him to avoid being gang raped again, Brenda says.

Tao confirms the bullets that killed Manuel came from the gun Camilla had. But Sniper and Stank were killed by a different gun, someone trying to avenge Camilla? Flynn suggests they just wait for Pescado to turn up dead.

Pope grudgingly agrees to extra uniforms to look for him.

Gabriel wonders if there's any chance Ana did it. But they realize there's another family member who might be avenging: Manuel's incarcerated brother Cruz.

Hot young Detective Brinsky wakes Brenda up in her office, bringing her a thank you box of chocolate. He asks her to dinner. He doesn't care that she's married. The ringing phone saves her.

It's Fritz. Joel misses her.

Provenza contemplates his face in the reflection of his empty picture frame. Flynn guesses that he broke off his engagement. He encourages Provenza to look on the bright side: he doesn't have to wear the clothes she made him buy. He gleefully cuts up his tie and throws away his fruit.

Brenda checks with Taylor that Cruz is still in isolation. But he talked to his dad to get the news about Manuel. Odd, since they had him put in isolation before Brenda told the dad.

They listen to the tape of Cruz and his dad. After his dad tells him who Manuel was with, Cruz tells him to make sure there's a funeral.

The phone call happened at 7:30 a.m. They didn't notify the dad til 2 p.m.

They go back to the dad's house, with animal control.

The dad doesn't make a move when they come in. Both of his hands are under a blanket. They take it off and see he was shot in the leg. He doesn't want any help, "that's the life."

So Brenda pulls up a chair and explains that they have a tape of his call, which she'll play at Cruz's parole hearing, unless he acted on his own. Gabriel reads him his rights. Brenda pulls out a tape recorder.

He says Pescado told him about Manuel and he told Pescado to call 911 so someone would find Manuel. He says he shot Sniper and Stank, but couldn't find Pescado until this morning - when they shot each other. Pescado is dead.

He says the dead gang members disrespected Cruz and him by having Manuel there, so they paid the price. He checks that she won't be speaking at Cruz's parole hearing. Yes, she says, but she will be testifying at both their murder trials.

Brenda visits Ana and Camilla Santiago, to tell them it's safe to go home -- all the men are dead. Camilla asks about Manuel. Brenda tells her she's not legally responsible for his death. Brenda says it's over, but it isn't to Camilla.

Fritz comes home to find Brenda holding Joel. She regifts Fritz her box of chocolate. She admits she was worried about losing Joel like she did Kitty. He open the chocolates. Half of them are gone. "I had a really hard day," she says as she collapses on his shoulder.