1
[Acoustic guitar playing]
[Narrator]
As a kid I watched my dad
show the Salvadoran coffee
farmers how to survive
by streamlining their harvest
to become profitable.
We were some of the last
Americans to leave El Salvador
when the Civil War broke out.
[Helicopter approaching]
[Radio chatter]
[Man shouting]
Our friends Hector
and Milagra
watched their farm
become a battleground.
[Shouting]
- [Shouting]
- [Machine gunfire]
- [Shouting continues]
- [Machine gunfire]
Hector disappeared that day.
[Ronald Reagan on TV] El Salvador is
in the midst of the gravest crisis
in their history.
Thousands of Salvadorian
civilians have been killed
and millions more could be
affected by armed guerrillas
supported by Cuba
and the Soviet Union.
Holly, maybe we shouldn't
let Rob watch this.
Are Hector and Milagra
okay, Dad?
No idea. Haven't heard
from them in two weeks.
- Who are they?
- They supply our Salvadoran coffee.
[Narrator] Hector's wife
Milagra and son Ricardo
were left to keep
the farm running.
[Reagan] The United States
was to help to stop
the advancement of communism
in Central America.
[Shouting]
[Muffled shouting]
[Glass breaks]
[Screaming]
[Men shouting]
[Narrator] Milagra took in
a few war-orphaned children,
offering them a job
and a home.
[Country music playing
on radio]
Just can't get over
So tonight I'll be
drinking myself sober
I can't do it.
You got this.
And the bartender says,
"Forget about her"
As he pours me...
Hey, Mom.
[Narrator] Ironically,
that's when I lost my mom, too.
Holly, take Rob and wait
for me in the back.
Come on, let's go.
I need a lot of money.
[Scoffs]
Kids need their mom.
You got this.
[Thunder]
See ya.
[Acoustic guitar plays]
So long adolescence
Of the frightened soul
You're entering
the ritual...
- [Rob] Will she be back?
- No, not this time.
This bean's
from Papua New Guinea.
These indigenous farmers
are something else.
This is the only farm
in the world
where they grind the bean out of the
coffee cherry and river rock by hand.
The owner's name's Otello.
We're working
getting him Internet.
Give it a taste.
- What do you think?
- I don't know.
Fruity. Sort of.
Ethiopian.
Birthplace of coffee.
Seven years ago,
militants took over the farm
and our friends didn't
get back until last year.
We helped them set up a fair trade
co-op and now they're thriving.
To Ethiopia.
And Salvadoran.
These guys are like family.
Mm-hmm.
Here.
This is me.
Before my dad passed, every year he
used to take me down to harvest.
- [Woman] To El Salvador?
- Yeah.
- Wasn't that dangerous?
- Well, I'm sure he was there with her
- the entire time.
- [Man] Holly.
- Ally's on Skype for you.
- That's my daughter calling.
- From El Salvador.
- Hey, Rob, can you help Carlos unload the truck?
And can you make sure count
before we sign this time?
- I always count.
- Mason, I promised Mikey our tasty Nicaragua.
- Dark?
- Black.
Jesus, Rob.
[Ally]
Hey, Mom.
- Hey, sweetie. Happy Tuesday.
- Thanks.
- Is everything good?
- Just tell her.
- Uncle Rob!
- What's up? Is your report almost finished?
I'm waiting for Ricardo
to send me the soil analysis.
Milagra's guy finally sent me the numbers.
They're in the positive.
Hey, O.I.T. called and they want
your report before orientation.
I just... I need more data.
I haven't really started.
Ally, you need to
take this seriously.
This course is your in
to a full ride.
I know, Mom.
She doesn't want to go.
Jesus, would you just... Really?
- Wow.
- Who's this Laura girl?
Laura, come here.
Come here.
- Meet my mom.
- Hola! Hello!
- And where'd you come from?
- El Salvador.
- [Laughs]
- Uh, she's a neighbor.
Both her parents headed up there
for work and Milagra took her in.
Ally, tell Milagra I'll
be there on Monday, okay?
Have Ricardo come pick me up
from the airport.
I'd like you to come with me
to the fair trade convention.
- Do I have to?
- Yeah, I want to see you. I miss you.
[Milagra and men shouting]
[Truck doors slam]
[Shouting continues]
Laura?
Laura, wake up.
Que pasa?
It's Milagra.
She's in trouble.
[Shouting continues]
They said something
about money. Who are they?
I don't know.
[Door creaks open]
They're coming for us.
[Man speaking Spanish]
- [Whimpers]
- Shh.
[Shouting downstairs]
- [Yells]
- [Screams]
[Shouting, screaming]
- [TV playing]
- [Phone rings]
[Holly]
Rob, will you answer that?
[Ringing continues]
Mm-hmm. Mmm.
[Ringing continues]
Drew's Brews.
[Laughter on TV]
[Chuckles]
[Glass shatters]
Hey, what's up?
Holly?
Yo, dude?
I'll be there at 10 am.
Okay. Bye.
What's going on?
Ally's been kidnapped.
Let's go!
I don't care if you
lay someone on the tarmac,
you do not take off
without me, got it?
20 minutes. Hurry, Rob.
- Really?
- Well, yeah.
Yeah. Under the circumstances,
this seems terribly appropriate.
I don't know why you're not letting me
go with you. I should be going with you.
You gotta keep the shop open
and be my relay.
We can't close the shop for a few days?
It's ridiculous.
I need you here.
Rob, I've got this.
I don't feel good about this.
I'm telling you that right now.
[Spanish P.A. chatter]
What do we know? Gangs?
Do we owe money? What?
- I don't know.
- Well, do we know who these men are?
Do you know these men?
They wore masks.
Rob called the embassy.
They're expecting us now.
- How many hours has it been?
- 10 or so.
What time exactly
did it happen?
We called you right after.
12 hours, 35 minutes.
- Passport?
- [Gate buzzes open]
This way, please.
- Miss Drew?
- Yeah.
Frank Richards. This way.
What do we know?
Is this Los Discpulos Gang?
More than likely.
Please, have a seat.
They run extortion rings
with a lot of the farms
down in San Bartolom
Perulapa.
- They wore masks.
- What about anything
that would
tell you who they were?
Did they make
any gang gestures?
- No.
- Did you recognize their voices?
What about
any distinguishing tattoos?
- No.
- Are you sure?
What's concerning to me is that they
will usually stick to their word.
If you pay, this sort of
thing doesn't happen.
And the fact that they took
your daughter, an American,
tells me these guys
aren't playing by the rules.
What will they do with them?
El Salvador is a supply zone
for human trafficking.
They will probably try to sell
them to Mexican traffickers,
and they will end up there
or in the U.S.
- [Speaking Spanish]
- Now, don't worry.
I already put a call in
to the government's
inter-agency
trafficking task force.
These guys are top notch,
and they're expecting you now.
Time is critical.
The longer they're gone,
the less our chances.
Vamanos!
[Woman] Los Discpulos Gang started
from Salvadorian war refugees
in Los Angeles in the '80s.
The U.S. deported
the violent ones
and now they're our problem,
and yours.
They're the ones trafficking
girls into your country.
- Do you think these guys took my daughter?
- It's hard to tell.
- Have they tried contacting you?
- No.
- They probably will.
- What if they don't?
- I think you're getting ahead of yourself.
- Really?
- Will they prostitute her?
- Pardon me.
I'm sorry, are we
keeping you up?
I mean, it's siesta time. Maybe we
should just take a couple hours off.
I mean, seriously,
what do you even do all day?
We mostly run awareness campaigns.
We can't invest...
Someone saw something.
Someone knows where they went!
- I understand how you feel.
- No, you don't.
I'm going to get
my daughter back.
Miss Drew, wait!
I know somebody
who might help.
He's, what you would say...
unconventional.
[Ricardo]
Let me talk, okay?
We'll need cash.
No, no, no.
It's not enough.
[Dance music playing]
[No audible dialogue]
Are you Fern?
I was sent here by the police.
They told me
you get things done.
- Who are you?
- Holly Drew.
My daughter and her friend
were kidnapped
and I was told you
could help get them back.
- Do you have money?
- Not much.
Ah, then you...
you give me sex, huh?
[Speaking Spanish]
Okay.
If your white daughter
was taken by
Los Discpulos,
she will be half way
to Guatemala,
half-drugged
and raped along the way.
Or if she's lucky,
she's dead.
- Where in Guatemala?
- Did anyone see who took her?
- No.
- Then she could be anywhere in Guatemala.
- Where do we start?
- No, no, no, no.
You start on the only road
that goes there.
My daughter and her friend,
who lives with that woman,
were taken from her farm
in San Bartolom.
Buenas noches, Holly girl.
Please.
You know what's worse than sitting
on your ass when you could help?
[Chuckles]
[Chuckles]
[Sobs]
Stop!
[Sobbing]
[Continues sobbing]
[Sniffs]
We'll find them.
We'll find them.
No one saw...
anything?
Um, I might have
seen something.
Come on.
[Hammer clicks]
Ah, you.
I trusted you with my daughter
and you lied to me.
They'd kill me if I talked.
- [Gasps]
- [Car horn blares]
You valued your life over
Ally's and Laura's,
- you selfish coward.
- These are bad people, Holly.
72 people were found beheaded
under an overpass in Mexico.
Los Discpulos did it.
[Cellphone rings]
Hello? Rob? Yeah.
We don't know exactly where.
Somewhere in Guatemala.
Rob, I need you to call
the Guatemalan Embassy.
Tell them what's happened
and give them my cell number.
Hello? Rob?
[Sighs]
- Have you got service?
- Mother has my phone.
I don't know if he heard me
say to call the embassy.
How far to
the Guatemalan border?
A couple of hours.
- What are you doing?
- You dropped your phone.
What's this?
Checkpoint.
Where are we?
We entered Guatemala
an hour ago.
Well, the girls must have
passed through here.
The cops might have them.
- I don't know.
- [Turns off motor]
I'll go see what they know.
[Speaking Spanish]
- [Holly gasps]
- [Gunshot]
[Men speaking Spanish]
[Men shouting]
[Engine sputtering]
[Engine starts]
[Gunshots]
[Laughs]
[Shouts in Spanish]
[Gunfire]
[Sobbing]
[Siren wailing]
[Horn honks]
[Sobbing]
[Dialing]
[Ringing]
Hello?
Rob! They murdered him
and they're chasing me!
- What?
- Rob! The police!
Ricardo, they shot him!
Robbie, you have to help me!
Rob, they killed him!
- Oh, my God!
- Call the Guatemalan Embassy.
I did! I called them. They said they
needed Ally and Laura's picture.
- Holly? Hello?
- Rob?
- Hol...
- [Line cuts off]
[Sirens wailing]
[Grunting]
[Fern]
Miss Drew.
How you doing?
[Speaks Spanish]
Up, up, up, up, up.
For a woman,
you're a very good driver.
What is this?
I changed my mind.
I want to help.
How did you find me?
I never lost you.
Fortunately,
the police did.
For now.
- They killed my friend.
- Yes.
He told them you were
looking for the girls.
- What's wrong with that?
- Those are the wrong police.
Come.
Come.
Wait, so you're saying the girls passed
through here and the cops knew about it?
That's the only reason
to kill him,
to erase the trail.
The good news is, now we
know where they are going.
The bad news is, we have to pass
through the next roadblock.
[Holly]
What's all this?
These, my dear,
are party favors.
They make me
many good friends.
Now, please, get in.
[Speaking Spanish]
They're not loaded.
- [Speaks Spanish]
- No way.
Miss Drew, it's the only way
to get past the police.
How do I know
you won't kill me?
I might.
Ay, Dios.
Seriously, please.
If you stay here,
you will die.
A lone white woman
in the jungle of Guatemala
hunted by corrupt police?
And you already know what they are
capable of when they find you.
Okay, you stay here.
Wait!
Okay. Please.
Come, come, come.
It's going to be fine.
It's going to be fine.
Put your head here, please.
Feet down.
[Gasps]
[Car doors open]
[Doors slam shut]
[Engine starts]
Oh!
What the hell?
Hey, there's
a grenade in here!
[Fern]
Quiet please, Holly. Quiet.
[Brakes squeal]
[Car accelerates]
[Fern] Turn off,
please, flashlight.
[Siren chirps]
[Door closes]
[Scoffs]
We're safe.
Come. Come out.
So, Raul?
Your friend?
Brother? Roommate?
Raul and I,
we are survivors.
I have known him
since he was a little boy.
We were both starved,
angry orphans.
You were an orphan?
[Fern] I was a child
of the Civil War.
But a family
take me in for a while.
Those were innocent times.
But not my heart.
I joined the military
when I was 14,
and eventually was in charge
of distributing
the military aid
that my government received
from foreign countries.
Including yours, Holly Drew.
Los Estados Unidos.
- You're not still in the military?
- No.
I did what I had to do
and I got out.
Your parents...
they were murdered?
Did you find those
responsible?
Indeed, I did.
[Gunfire]
And what is it you do now?
I do things for my government,
that for whatever reason,
no one else can do.
And maybe sell weapons
that you stockpiled
during the Civil War?
[Chuckles]
Who are you, Holly Drew?
Who are you?
[Cellphone chimes]
What is that?
A text from my brother.
I sent him a photo of the girls
to send to the embassy.
My dear, we do not know
who the embassy talks to.
We have to be careful.
This is my daughter Ally.
She is very pretty.
And what was she doing
all alone in El Salvador?
Same thing I was doing
in El Salvador at her age,
except she's doing it
to get into college.
Ah, so she's pretty
and smart.
And stubborn.
She doesn't want to go to college.
At least not that college.
She's been fighting me
every step of the way.
Yes, but at some point she has
to be her own person, no?
And this other one,
who is she?
Laura. She was also taken.
From the farm of Milagra.
- Did I tell you her name?
- I suppose so, I...
Text me this photo
so I can send it ahead.
- How did you know her name?
- [Cellphone rings]
[Speaks Spanish]
What is it?
What is it?
- Tell me.
- We are getting closer
- to knowing where the girls are.
- Where?
They're in Guatemala City
in a brothel.
- They're going to call me soon with a name.
- A brothel.
These men, Holly, they will make as
much money off of them as they can.
- And then they will sell them.
- How far is it?
Four hours in a brothel.
Ally, she is...
she is just a girl.
We have to do something
the police... We have to...
We have to call. We have to
call them right now.
No. The men will catch word
and move them again
we will lose the trail.
No. No. No, no, no!
No, you don't understand!
She's just a girl!
- She's just a girl!
- Miss Drew, please.
[Screaming]
This is out
of your control, hmm?
Cllate.
She only has to hang on
for four more hours.
That's all. Okay?
Laura, where are we?
I don't know.
It's Guatemala City,
I think.
Ally, listen to me.
The second this bus stops
and we get any chance, we run.
We run together, okay?
[Sobbing]
[Man]
Shh.
[Sobbing]
No!
[Sobbing]
No, no! No! No!
No!
[Sobbing]
No!
- [Thud]
- [Screaming]
[Thudding continues]
[Spanish P.A. chatter]
[P.A. continues]
[Industrial music plays]
[Laughing]
- Will she be back?
- Not this time.
[Gasps]
Food. Comida, come. Coffee?
Okay. It was not easy.
[Chuckles]
I just find out where
the brothel is located.
- Where?
- Thirty minutes from here.
- Well, let's go!
- Yes, let's go.
- Where's Raul?
- Raul? Uh...
He's going to catch
another ride home.
He's still mad
about the pantalone.
He's very peculiar.
Okay.
- How much longer?
- Five minutes.
Okay.
Ready? Here we go.
Holly, please.
Allow me, por favor.
I'll take Guadalupe.
- What do you know?
- [Translator speaking Spanish]
Holly, please lock the door.
Fern, I'd like to try talking
to her, if that's okay.
Of course, yeah. Please?
What the hell?
You know what I was saying.
Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?
Go check the back.
Please. Please.
- Huh?
- [Grunts]
- Hmm?
- [Grunts]
[Holly]
Is everything all right?
[Woman speaking Spanish]
No, everything is fine, dear.
[Woman continues]
Oh!
Fern! Fern,
this is Ally's.
[Woman continues]
Ahh.
This one is very disdainful.
[Door rattles]
[Shell clatters]
[Slow acoustic guitar]
[No audible dialogue]
[Music continues]
How much farther
to Tenosique?
[Phone rings]
What is it?
The authorities
pulled over the orange bus.
Only the driver was aboard.
He resisted
and he was killed.
We still know where
they're going, right?
Right?
El Hotel de California.
Hotel California?
It's where all the deals
are made in Tenosique.
If we do not catch up
to her there,
she will vanish.
Forever.
[Thunder]
[Fern]
Es el Hotel California.
[Holly]
It looks empty.
[Fern] That is
El Tren de la Muerte.
The Train of Death?
Si, de la Muerte, eh?
They will hide her on it.
Well, where does it go?
To the north.
All the way to the U.S.
What's with the name?
The migrants,
they stow away on it.
The bandits and the gangsters
rape or kill them
along the way.
Some of them, eh,
- they just fall off.
- So, what's our plan?
[Vehicle approaching]
[Holly]
Is that them?
[Thunder]
They're coming out.
- Fern, Fern.
- Ahh.
- Who are the soldiers?
- Mexican State Police.
- Why aren't they doing anything?
- [Chuckles] Come.
How am I supposed to know?
That train is surrounded
by corrupt police,
traffickers, gangsters,
and bandits,
and those that I don't
generally like all that much.
Oops. It was loaded.
Ha!
I am not going to go
anywhere near that train.
This is where
the road ends for me.
- What do you mean?
- I bring you all the way here.
- It should be enough.
- [Thunder]
But Ally's down there.
I don't understand.
My reasons for helping
have expired.
Get on the train.
- The train?
- You keep your head down,
and you should blend in.
But do not talk.
Your accent will
give you away.
Blend in with the migrants.
And when you find
your daughter?
- You jump off.
- Jump off?
The train is slow.
You jump far from it,
you should be fine.
- And what, then?
- Find the police.
- Police?
- The other police. The good ones.
Fern, this is suicide.
Please, come with me.
How far...
are you willing to go
to get her back?
What's this?
Every woman take that
before getting on the train.
It's the, uh,
how do you call...
the morning after pill.
- [Thunder]
- If you get caught,
your body becomes
a bargaining chip.
Fern, please...
It's 500. This is all
I have on me.
I hope it's enough
to buy her back.
But know this,
if they make a deal with you,
they will honor it.
These people live
off the ransom money.
If the word gets out they are not
living up to their agreements,
no one pays the ransom.
Now go.
Godspeed, Miss Drew.
This whole time you weren't
helping Milagra or me.
You were helping
the angry orphan.
Milagra said to tell you it's not
your fault Laura got killed.
She said you were like
a son to her, Fernando Duarte.
Gracias.
[Railroad bell ringing]
[Gasps]
[Train horn blaring]
[Horn blaring]
[Door closes]
[Man speaking Spanish]
[Continues speaking Spanish]
[Bag zipping]
[Shouting in Spanish]
[Shouting in Spanish]
[Shouting continues]
[Cries out]
[Door closes]
[Wind whistling]
Gracias.
[Horn blaring]
[Gasps]
[Sighs]
[Gasps]
[Sobs]
[Cries out]
Where is Roberto Antigua?
Who?
2,000 cash.
You and the girl... go.
I don't have that much.
I have...
I have 500.
500 and you stay with us...
Daughter...
free.
What about me?
How do I know
you'll let her go?
Do we have a deal?
Let her go first.
[Quietly]
Don't touch her.
[Sobbing]
Don't you touch her.
Don't you touch her!
[Quiet music plays]
[Music continues]
[Child giggling]
[Shouting in Spanish]
[Screaming]
[Ally sobbing]
[Sobbing]
A... Ally! Ally!
[Horn blaring]
- How many more?
- Two, I think.
You think?
Or you know?
[Gun cocks]
- [Gunfire]
- [Groans]
[Grunting]
[Sobbing]
Roberto Antigua.
No.
I am not him.
[Chuckles]
[Acoustic guitar playing]
[Siren chirps]
Ally! Oh!
Mom!
[Sobbing]
[Music continues]
Thank you, Fernando.
And you, too...
Holly Drew. Hmm.
Yeah.
- You behave.
- [Chuckles] Yes, sir.
[Acoustic guitar playing]