Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Debt (2004)

Ming-Na Wen: Li Mei

Quotes 

• Elliot Stabler : Li Mei, you gotta trust me.

  Li Mei : I am afraid.

  Elliot Stabler : I understand that you're afraid, but I can't help you, your sister, or her daughter unless you do trust me. You've gotta tell me everything. Now let's start with Ping. How old is she?

  Li Mei : Fifteen. Ping was only a baby when Jiao and her husband came here. They couldn't take her on the boat. We saved every penny to bring her to America. And then Jiao's husband left and took all our money.

  Elliot Stabler : Where's Ping now?

  Li Mei : I don't know.

  Elliot Stabler : Come on, Hannah told you Jiao paid the man to bring her over here from China.

  Li Mei : Yes, but I don't know if Ping is here.

  Elliot Stabler : And the wedding money is for the smugglers, right?

  Li Mei : These snakeheads charge $50,000 and until you pay off the debt, they own you.

  Elliot Stabler : Now, these snakeheads, I need names.

  Li Mei : I don't know.

  Elliot Stabler : Li Mei, these are the people who have your sister. Now, every second you waste keeps us from finding her.

  Li Mei : Please, you must believe me. I don't know. I begged her not to go. I told her that these people kill if you don't pay them back.

  Elliot Stabler : Your sister took a huge risk.

  Li Mei : Do you have children, Mr. Stabler?

  Elliot Stabler : Yeah, I've got four.

  Li Mei : Then wouldn't you deal with murderers to get your baby back?

• Dr. George Huang : [using a slight accent]  Thank you for coming, Mr. Baker.

  Roger Baker : How can I help you?

  Dr. George Huang : My cousin was caught at the airport. She will be sent back to China. They say you are very good lawyer.

  Roger Baker : I've had some success.

  Dr. George Huang : Please... help her.

  Roger Baker : First, I need to look at her case.

  Dr. George Huang : Okay.

  [he moves towards a jail cell; Li Mei is inside] 

  Dr. George Huang : Shing Shing... .

  [Li Mei stands up] 

  Dr. George Huang : Mr. Baker, this is my cousin Shing Shing.

  Dr. George Huang : I could file asylum papers for her. But that's expensive.

  Dr. George Huang : I cannot pay much right now. Maybe a few hundred dollars.

  Roger Baker : Your cousin is young? She's a good worker?

  Dr. George Huang : She is.

  Roger Baker : I think she could make good money working for a friend of mine. The debt would be repaid in no time.

  Dr. George Huang : [tells Li Mei in Mandarin what Baker just told him] 

  Li Mei : [responds back in Mandarin] 

  Dr. George Huang : She says... she'll do anything.