Billions (2016–…): Season 6, Episode 2 - Lyin' Eyes - full transcript

Previously on Billions...

This company, formerly
known as Axe Holding Company,

Axe Asset Management,
and Axe Bank,

belongs to me now.

We used to work for a killer.

Now we got a guy who
wants to know how we feel.

Just tell me what you
need to succeed here.

A boss I can trust
and work with.

The artillery. I didn't
come looking for a war.

I need this place,

but you fuckers need me too.



Listen, you motherfuckers,
we've got a new general.

You'd better get
in fucking step.

I'm unlike the man
who came before me.

I do not break the law.

Billionaires break
the laws of decency.

I need to get to the right
decision and approach.

What if we weren't attached to
the way it's always been done?

I am hereby creating
The Prince List,

which involves shedding all the
dirty capital currently invested.

Follow me!

Yeah!

You wanted your war, you got it.

Fire in the hole.

♪ And I feel ♪



♪ That time's a-wasting, go ♪

♪ So where ya
going to tomorrow? ♪

♪ And I see ♪

♪ That these are lies to come ♪

♪ So would you even care? ♪

Almost. Good.

Again.

Hands go a little softer
in the big city, Mike?

Oh, he'll tell ya
he's a quarry man,

a limestoner from
birth, that he was...

Born with calluses.

Which is true.

But you can't keep
'em counting dollar bills.

Just get bigger ones.

Diamond shaped.

You wanna try a
different route, Mike?

No. I gotta send this.

Just do what she did.

I'm no Andy,

or I'd be coaching the games.

L.A. 2028. Badass.

An American coaching
an American team

for an American Olympics.

Lot of room to
make history there.

Just like with this jump, Mike,

you wanna downplay
the significance.

See the handhold
and will yourself to it.

Just do it.

Closer.

How long do you
have to be in L.A. for?

We'll see how long it
takes to build this thing.

Construction on the
complex starts next week.

Let's try this again, Mike.

I'm heading back in the morning.

I think if you can get
your left hand in that crimp

before you go for the
dyno, you'd have it.

Uh-huh. You wanna
grab dinner before I leave?

We're not gonna do that.

You can take the
next months' shipment

in the name of a
freight forwarder.

Freight forwarder?

Freight forwarder
and a customs broker.

- All right?
- Hmm-hmm.

- Good, good, good.
- Where are you going with this?

You just listen.

We're gonna stand
this thing on its head.

Eyes up.

Mase Carb. You, too.

You know what some folks
would call Paul Revere these days?

Dreamy?

A whistleblower.

He called out bad actors
at great risk to himself

and helped win a righteous war.

What does it take to
break with the ranks

and blow the whistle
on wrongdoing?

Big retailer's
been playing dirty.

Shoes and gears
say "Made in China,"

but they're using forced labor
in Uighur concentration camps.

Rask Sportswear.

Rask? Love them.

I wear their board
shorts when I shred.

When you...?

At home, when I play Among Us.

But if I did surf...

They do make great shit.

All the same.

Second-generation
company currently headed up

by the founder's
son, Stuart Rask, Jr.

It has over 1,000 retail
locations worldwide.

Market cap, 30 billion dollars.

And we're gonna
short the snot out of it.

I want us positioned
to take this ride down

like Slim Pickens on
the nuke in Strangelove.

All the way to the
ground and then...

I'm definitely
anti-concentration camp,

but Rask hasn't had a
bad quarter in literally years.

And I'm not using
literally figuratively,

I'm using "literally" literally.

Rask has the financials

to withstand the
siege of Leningrad.

It's a "shame and short."

The key is to build social pressure
that goes beyond the numbers.

Make it unacceptable
to be seen wearing Rask,

let alone holding their shares.

I'll grab my ma's rosary

and pray while we're at it.

Taylor sees it just right.

A sportswear brand
is the perfect target.

Once we expose Rask,
their sponsored athletes

will swear off the brand,
the fans will follow.

The stock will be over.

And if we pull it off,
it'll send a message

to the Prince List
investors, the retail sector,

- and the world, won't it?
- Yeah.

It's a statement win.

Get after it.

Why were they pushing back?

They're concerned
they're being sent to charge

a machinegun nest
for moral reasons.

And they don't trust a
leader asking them to do that.

For profit, for greed,

they'll charge like it's
the beach at Normandy.

But not for a cause.

Kobe was skeptical
of the triangle at first.

Show 'em they can win
under you like Phil did,

you'll have 'em for
life, but to do that, this...

Yeah. Has to work. Got it.

- You know your piece?
- I do.

- AG Rhoades!
- Hey.

Wendy told me you'd be
stopping by for your kids.

- Yes, sir.
- I'll...

I'll be just...

If you see a woman, mid-50s,

- blonde hair, yoga everything...
- Hmm-hmm.

- Stall her.
- What's...

I'll be right back.
Guard the door.

Hmm-hmm.

Okay, let me get
those kids down for you.

What the hell was that just now?

Attorney-client?

Sure.

Guy on the tenth floor
got his dates mixed up.

Needed help getting his mistress
out before the wife came back.

Oh. That is a
tremendous feat of loyalty

and timing, no doubt.

You keep a lot of things
straight around here, don't you?

- I have my moments.
- Oh, come on.

Is there anything in this building
that works without your help?

Mrs. Resler!

Your husband wanted me to
buzz him the moment you arrived.

Oh.

♪ Foreboding music plays ♪

Welcome back to the big city.

Can I expect you back
at the office now, too?

Uh, the office is not where my
new war is going to be waged.

Not at first.

Tractor, again?

Maybe.

But the venue matters
less than the message,

the mandate.

Now I realized it's
not one billionaire

having his way with the city.

That's wrong, but
it's not existential.

But the overall effect
of the billionaire class?

They're a scourge.

No, I'm gonna get
'em where they live.

I see.

We're gonna stand
this thing on its head.

Mamet? Okay.

But he pulled that off in a
small town. This is New York.

Well, New York is a lot of
small towns stitched together.

Welcome, members of
Manhattan Door & Custodial.

As president of this union...

I call this meeting to order.

Look at this,

the doorman's vote must
suddenly mean something,

because here's our state
AG crashing my little speech.

Good afternoon, everyone.
No. Far from crashing.

I am here to
champion your cause.

I know how hard you all work
and how little thanks you get.

In fact, during
the recent plague,

who was on the front
lines, manning the doors

while the well-heeled
residents took cover?

You mean the ones
who actually stuck around

and didn't run off to
their beach houses?

I do. Yeah.

No one here got a months-long
vacation like they did.

Which is why, if you'll have me,

I'm going to take up the fight
to get you hazard back pay

for the work you did
during the pandemic.

I volunteer to be your
unofficial mouthpiece

and fight the Tenants and
Property Management Board

on your behalf.

Don't all cheer at once, please.

Okay,

you're a regular knight errant.

Thing is, we don't
want your help.

We're already in the middle
of a negotiation with them,

and we're making progress.

Bringing in some
high-profile state official

could spook the TPMB

and ruin the forward movement.

Plus, you got an angle.

I don't know what
it is, but you do.

You need to know?

As long as it serves
you and yours?

We see folks like
you all day, every day.

We see what they say
versus what they do.

Why should we believe
you're gonna help us?

We don't fucking know you.

I know him.

He's all right.

Thank you, Rafa.

You see the news, don't you?

I have made it quite plain

that, in looking out
upon this state and city,

I have identified the one group

that has made them worse.

And those are the very people
trying to do you dirty now.

I am not like them.

Like Rafa said, I'm all right,

and he knows my whole family.

Wife and kids.

Ex-wife.

Ex-wife is a generous tipper,

and his kids are
"please" and "thank you."

Well, that's good to hear.

And the reason my
children show respect is

they know how I feel

about those who put
themselves out there

for the greater good.

But you know what the one
problem with folks like you is?

You're so busy
taking care of others,

of making sure that
nothing gets in the way

of them living their best lives,
that you put yourselves second.

You just accept what's offered.

That ends today!

Now!

Because I know how to
ask for what's deserved.

Earned. For dignity.

Respect. And I'm going to
use that not on my behalf,

but on yours.

What say you?!

Hell, yeah!

All right, Rhoades.

Go get 'em.

♪ Foreboding music plays ♪

Victor was right.

He's often right.

I grew up...

Guys like that, I always
assumed they were...

No, you'd be correct
most of the time,

and he's some of those things.

But he's smart.

Fascinating.

Anyhoozit, when it
comes to sports brands,

the market has a short
memory for causes,

a long one for numbers.

Prince would know that. He'd
have that knowledge baked in.

I've found five less-established
brands that're dirtier than Rask.

I expect similar brands
like that will fall a little,

in sympathy with Rask, but
how much worse can it get?

Much worse.

All sorts of egregious
shit I'd spell out,

except I hate spelling
things out loud.

Almost as much
as I hate being right

and not being able to prove it.

That's what the money is, proof.

Let's mukbang the whole sector.

No. Hold off for now.

This initiative would
have worked under Axe,

but Prince has
different priorities.

He seems to be after
more than profits here.

So what, are you
saying, "He's a kind man,

a wise man, he has
plans, he has wisdom?"

'Cause vom city at that.

I don't know yet, but
I know he's not Axe.

We're operating differently now.

Mase Carb's not going to be
the siloed resistance anymore.

So we're gonna trust this guy?

We're throwing in, for now,

until we have more information.

Stay on mission.

♪ Tense music plays ♪

Attorney General Rhoades,

I'm at a total loss as to why you've
involved yourself in negotiations

between our Tenants and
Property Management Board

and the Doormen's
& Custodial Union.

All matters involving
members of this state

are within my purview,

and that includes both
of your fine organizations.

But especially when it
concerns those who are often

trod upon by the
powerful and wealthy.

So I have lent them my voice

and my office as venue.

Well, much as
they don't need it,

- I guess it's fine.
- They don't?

No. I was already prepared
to offer a two-percent increase

in management fees.
They've earned it.

Two percent, that'd be great...

Uh, Duilio, please.

Allow me.

Two percent is theft.

Might as well pick
their fucking pockets.

These are the brave souls
who protect you in your slumber.

If this board won't
agree to five percent,

then these negotiations are
nothing but a cruel charade.

No dice.

Because he said? He's Barzini?

Well, Mr. Lazarra is...

Yeah, I know who Bud Lazarra is

and how much real
estate he owns in this city.

What you might not know
is, I speak for the residents.

And we're not paying.

Sunburn, windburn, or whiskey?

It's all three.

Surf, turf, and Glenlivet.

Most of us skipped
town for Covid.

To the Hamptons,
Vail, Caribbean.

They even let some
especially high net-worth

individuals into New Zealand.

So the doormen had the easiest
workday they've ever seen.

Ah, sir, this is the
problem exactly.

Wealthy residents
like yourselves

retreated to the comfort of
their many vacation homes,

leaving their helpers behind,

guarding their empty apartments,

fully exposed at the very
epicenter of a pandemic

unparalleled in modern history.

You stand in their debt.

I find it curious
that our doormen

hadn't thought to bring
this up themselves.

And then you show up,
flinging your shit all around

like a chimpanzee at the zoo.

Yeah. You know, I've heard
about your theatrics, Rhoades.

But you'll receive
no applause here

'cause I've got
better things to do.

That's it?

The meeting's done
when Lazarra is.

That was wrong. This is wrong.

Yeah. I mean, how can
they shortside you like that?

- I mean, two percent?
- Not them. You.

They agreed to a bump that
would make my guys glad,

but now we're getting zilch.

You would have me sit back and
let them take us for a ride, then?

Settle for less than
your union deserves?

- No way.
- What do you propose?

I think it's time for your
boys to go on strike.

Uh-huh. No way. I
can't make them go out.

Not when there's a
real offer on the table.

I...

Look, man.

I'm here to help.

Now, I led with the
goddamn carrot, you know?

Let's just keep going in
that direction, together.

You're gonna have
to show me the stick.

Ah, the stick.

Well, that is wielded
by other agencies.

The DTF, you know?

State Department of
Taxation and Finance.

All that unreported
income from holiday tips

you and your boys enjoy.

I'll try to fight 'em
off, but at some point,

I'll have to investigate

and widen the scope to
every other service union,

letting them know
that the pattern started

with the doormen...

which should do wonders
for your social lives.

Jesus.

Yeah. Well.

Like I said, I'll
try to fight 'em off,

but you were asking
about the stick, and that's it.

The one that's going to
crack you across the skull.

So...

So...

I guess we're on strike.

Rian ran the numbers.

There are more profitable
ways to make the same point

in the same sector.

You think Prince's
lack of experience

in the public
markets is showing?

No, it's not that.

He has the brainpower and
the right instincts for this place.

Then why don't
you just talk to him,

voice your reservations,
show him your data?

I'm considering that
this might all be a test.

Does he want us to confront him,

or does he want us to
show that we trust him?

A test?

That sounds like an Axe move,
not something Prince would do.

- I say there's no test.
- So you think he's misguided?

I'm not going to make that
kind of an assessment for you.

If you have your
doubts, talk to Prince.

If I confronted every person
here who gave me reason

to doubt them from time to time,

I'd need headgear and mouthpiece
for every single conversation.

- Everyone?
- Yes.

Present company not excluded.

♪ Foreboding music plays ♪

Alex said he'd be
posting right about now.

Let's check the Tok.

Every time I try to open it,

I'm accosted by Gordon
Ramsay yelling at someone.

Hey, everyone, this is Alex.

I wanted to let you guys know
how I feel about Rask gear.

I just found out they've
been using unethical labor

and lying about it for
years, which is why I use

the NorthFace, a
company I can trust.

Rask is a dumpster
fire of a company,

so this feels about right.

Hundreds of thousands
of views already.

People doing stitches and duets.

It's made it to Twitter.

Naomi Osaka is dropping
their sponsorship, too.

Women's soccer's
talking a boycott.

Stock price is falling.

Excellent.

I saw that the doormen
are officially on strike.

Hmm, the foyers of Manhattan's

wealthiest buildings
stand empty.

Good.

The, uh, negotiation meeting

with the Tenants and
Property Management Board

went the way you
thought it would?

I rejected their paltry
attempts at compromise

and worked 'em
all up into a rage.

Karl!

Take these and deliver them
directly. Addresses are on there.

I want them to go straight from
your hand to their recipient's.

No middlemen.

This will be a real tour
of Central Park views.

Only better way is by blimp.

Now, this one I
will deliver myself.

Bud Lazarra. He's the key.

The other residents will
take their cues from him.

♪ Suspenseful music plays ♪

Ah!

Christ on a bike!

Okay, Bud, keep your focus.

You know what? It's funny,

I'd heard the whole "don't move
your head" thing was a myth.

But right before you
shanked it, Buddy-boy,

I did detect some
wobble in the cranial area.

But I'm sure Mr. Breed
here can train that out of you.

If you weren't an
officer of the court,

your own cranial area would
be getting quite a jolt, Rhoades.

Ah.

Think you wanna hit me now?

This is for you.

A bill for the
doormen's hazard pay.

I might find your antics amusing
if they weren't such a nuisance.

It's like getting your house
egged on All Hallow's Eve.

But your scheme
won't work, Rhoades.

He gets that a lot.

Hmm. And from men even
more entitled than yourself.

Hmm. And they do work, so...

- you might want to think about that.
- Yeah.

And we expect timely payment.

Nice to meetcha, Breedster.

He can use every bit of that
encouraging coaching of yours.

All right, Bud, let's do this.

You're going to face
bigger distractions than that.

AOC just tweeted.
She blasted Rask.

Now there's a heavy hitter.

Is it trending? Has
the market reacted?

Yes and yes.

We're down to $17.00 a share.

You didn't seem
quite surprised enough.

Wasn't I?

That tweet can't
just be good luck.

All right. I made a call.

Nothing improper.

Made sure her
staffers knew the issue.

Nicely done. What
about the other thing?

The rentable equipment is
being pulled to Pennsylvania,

- to wait in the wings.
- What about the companies that own?

They're tied up with
projects elsewhere.

Supply chain is thin in
the industry right now,

a real flexion point.

I know the stakes here,
and I knew what to do.

But if it brings
reassurance to check...

Fair enough.

And thank you.

♪ Tense music plays ♪

It's convenient
that you're up here.

I have an HR matter.

Sure. How can I help?

I'm going to fire Rian.

Whoa. Okay. Reason?

She directly
disobeyed my orders.

No room for ambiguity?

None. She took a position
I told her not to take.

Several, actually.

Not only is it reckless,
but it's also dangerous.

- Was it smart?
- Does that matter?

Come with me.

Firing Rian may be the
best move for you as a boss,

but it's not the best move for
you as a person, holistically.

Since when do we do
holistically in this place?

New place, new thing.

And it applies, since
the whole reason

you want to fire her is
she hurt your feelings.

If a colonel gives an order...

This is not The Big Red One.

This is about you wanting
blind trust from your acolyte.

It's about culture fit.

We've undergone
a sea change here,

and Rian's still
playing by the old rules.

She's proven herself
unable or unwilling to adapt.

And have you
adjusted, Taylor? Really?

Because firing Rian
sounds like exactly

what Axe would do if
he was in your shoes.

Aim for 15, as
close as you can get.

Let's whack those fucking bids

like they're Frankie
Pentangeli about to testify!

Are you sure we can still
take directions from him?

He's still the...

whatever his job title is.

Ready now, almost there.

Why are we huddling up?

Play's already been called.

Just readying the team to cover their
positions as soon as the stock hits 15.

For a nice tidy profit.

I didn't buy Axe Cap for tidy.

I want a big, sloppy profit.

In your words, Wags, "A
monster pig. A Hogzilla."

Everyone, hold till the
stock dips under five.

Five it is, baller.

Isn't that going
to be a problem?

There's a problem
with the short.

You too?

I'm glad you're here,
Taylor. You should both know.

I have two things to disclose.

One, I'm old pals
with Stuey Rask.

Stuey and I met at
rock fantasy camp.

♪ You can't hide ♪

♪ Your lyin' eyes ♪

♪ And your smile ♪

♪ Is a thin disguise ♪

♪ I thought by now ♪

♪ You'd realize ♪

♪ There ain't no way to hide ♪

♪ Your lyin' eyes ♪

Most of the other attendees
were suburban dads

who thought four IPAs, a joint, and
a spin on Pornhub was a wild night.

Stuey and I...

understood each other.

We were kindred spirits,

rock gods from another life.

He even lets me sing
the Glenn Frey parts.

Touching, but you
said you had two things.

What else do you
need to disclose?

That stock is about
to rebound. Very soon.

- How?
- What'd you do?

I negotiated a buyout, so that
Prince could profit off the short.

But then I added a part two
so that Stuey would be okay.

Come on.

See, I put a buyer in place.

As soon as word of the takeover
gets out, the Rask stock's gonna pop.

You ruined my play

and put hundreds of
millions in capital at risk

because you wanted
to sing Eagles songs?

- He lets me sing the Glenn Frey parts.
- I don't care!

He thought you could
both win this way.

You'd profit off the short,
and Rask would still recover.

If Rask recovers, I don't win.

Uh-oh. The Bloomberg
alert just dropped.

"Astra Sports is preparing an
offer to buy Rask Sportswear,

leaving Stuart Rask, Jr.,
in as CEO for 10 years."

Stock is already rebounding.

We're hemorrhaging
money by the second.

We could try and
cover our position.

We have to stop this takeover
from happening. It's the only way.

Before the Robinhood
knuckleheads jump on him

or we're washed
away by the retail wave.

You created this
problem, fix it.

- How can I fix it?
- If I asked you that question,

you'd say, "I'm a
resourceful motherfucker."

I can be. I am.

You might also say, "If there's
something Rask is hiding,

I'll Easy Rawlins that shit.
In fact, I have it already."

I might. Yeah.

But to do Stu dirty like that...

I mean, Glenn would never
have done that to Don Henley.

Rask isn't Henley. He's Felder.

Don't make me do to
you what they did to him.

Would it be along the
lines of firing me for cause,

tying me up in lawsuits to
enforce a non-compete, et cetera?

You say you're
on the team, Wags.

Be on the team. Do the
thing the team guy does

or you're not on
the team, are you?

What cockamamie
scheme do you have cooking

in that Crock-Pot of a
head of yours now, Sonny?

Well, it is the first battle in
the new war that I'm waging,

against the billionaires,
the criminal class.

And I'm starting
with the doormen.

And since when are you the
voice of Johnnie Lunch Bucket?

Since it suits the
needs of my constituents

in the short and long term.

I'm listening.

But I'm not saying any more.

I'm gonna keep my own counsel.

Ah, hell. My doorman
is perfectly happy.

He always has a big smile
on his face when he greets me.

That is his job, Dad.

And you will have to pay the bill,
just as soon as Bud Lazarra cracks.

That'll never happen.

You'd do not want
to mess with Lazarra.

Why, because you've
thrown in with him already?

Nah, I'm done teaming
up with your enemies.

I took the wrong side of
that bet for the last time.

Well, I'm glad to hear it.

Son, do you remember
the first summer

that we took the
house at the Vineyard?

You were... You were
probably five or six.

Mmm-hmm, I do.

Are you contemplating
an extended vacation?

Perhaps I should be, but no.

You were a feeble
swimmer, at best.

Finally, one day,

you got out past the shore
break to the calmer water.

You turned to show me,
big, proud smile on your face.

- You didn't see the wave coming.
- Mmm-hmm.

And you didn't warn me.

Warn you? I clapped and
kept your attention on me

until the wave came and
wiped you out completely.

I knew it was a lesson you
needed to learn the hard way.

I got infections in both ears.

So, now you oughta know,

don't turn your back
on oceanic forces.

See, I'm done teaching you
lessons. Those are for your sister now.

I am warnin' you this time,
before the wave breaks.

Lazarra's formidable.

I appreciate the warning
as a gesture of goodwill

and a mark of the beginning of
a new phase of our relationship.

But you and I both know when
I get big game in my sights...

I can't lower my rifle.

Well, in that case, my
boy, I wish you luck.

I'll don my blaze orange...

and step out of
the line of fire.

Goodnight, Dad.

Excuse me!

Hi. I'm Andy Salter.

There's Prince tacked on
there, if you're being particular.

Of course! You're
his ex-wife, or...

Sorry, are you still...

Hi. Good. I figured it
wouldn't be too long.

Since the last time I saw you, the
main sponsor of my climbing team

and the entire games
is potentially bankrupt.

And I just learned that
the construction company

that's building my training facility
can't get the equipment they need.

Somehow the heavy
machinery got diverted.

And now, LA's host
status is on life support.

Meetings are being
held about pulling it.

The commission's set to
start re-shopping the bid.

- There's a plan.
- Yeah. That's clear.

It's all gonna be resolved.

Why are you cratering
my dream gig?

Do you remember our third date?

The Indiana State Fair?

We turned every
booth into a competition.

I swear, if they kept records

for the milk bottle ring
toss and the balloon dart,

we would've smashed them.

I had armloads of those
shitty stuffed animals.

A few times in my life, I've had, I
guess folks would call them epiphanies,

where something just
came clear, in an instant.

And each one set the
tone for everything else.

One was when I first
picked up a basketball.

The other was when I realized
I was able to understand

the intrinsic value of an
opportunity in an instant...

and then there was
that night in the fair.

I knew you were the one.

I was right about all three.

Yeah.

No doubt.

But basketball and markets don't
have agency or free will of their own.

I do.

I see the way you look at me.

Still.

Loving you.

Admiring you.

Still being attracted to you.

None of that means we want
to live the same kind of life.

And none of that means

you get to unilaterally
decide the direction of mine.

- I've never done that.
- You're trying to do that now.

This is about cleaning up a dirty company
and an entire industry along with it.

- It's bigger than us.
- Yeah. Sure it is.

Fine, yes, I stand to profit.

Hugely, in fact.
It's a ten-bagger

- if Rask blows up.
- That's not what I meant.

It's no coincidence that you
got involved with my sponsor.

There are plenty of other ways
to make a point and a profit.

Okay. I looked into the company
because of your proximity to it,

and I saw an opportunity that
was too important to pass up.

- Mike.
- I have a way we can both win.

I was already winning.

I'm just trying to do my own
thing, and you can't leave it alone.

Be honest with me, are you trying to
buy back the relationship you want?

- I haven't given up.
- You should, though.

I just need you to trust me and
see how this is gonna resolve.

If what you say is true,
that I'm not letting you go,

then you have to also know I
anticipated your reaction to it.

When you're on the mountain, you
can know what you're supposed to do,

what you're trying to do. It
doesn't mean you can pull it off.

And if you try and fail, there
may not be a path to recover.

So if you are making
some big move here,

be really sure you
have your footing.

Because you and I are
tied to the same rope now,

and if you peel off, you
take me down with you.

Strike's been called off.

Doormen are back in
uniform and back at their posts.

Billionaires still haven't paid?

Nope.

Well, that was fast.

I guess I have to go
crawling back to Lazarra now.

As we knew you would.

I've got my checkbook

and my first aid kit ready,
depending on the outcome.

This is my city,

and you've come to
learn that the hard way.

I know you bribed Mr. Santulli,

the head of the Door & Custodial
Union, to get his men back to work.

That's a cute story, Chuck,

but I prefer nonfiction myself.

We settled at the original
two percent number.

So once again,
you've proved yourself

to be nothing more than a
colossal waste of my time.

Ah, but see, I have video.

- Hey. How you doing?
- What's up?

It's a private estate.

Full beach access.

Kauai at Christmastime
is pretty special.

So, when can we get your
boys back on the door?

Right away.

- Thanks for the use of the pooch.
- Sure. Thanks a lot.

Once you were spotted together,
my financial crimes people threw a net

and found the wire transfers.

You may be sophisticated
at hiding baksheesh,

but, uh, Santulli isn't.

That flush on your
face is that, uh, surf, turf

or something else?

This would make a real juicy
morsel to throw to the press.

Yeah, I can imagine every outlet

would want a bite.

But...

I am a reasonable man.

If you can get your
cohort of fellow billies

to agree to a five-percent management
fee increase for the doormen,

I don't believe I'll see
the need to leak this story.

Olivia, how are things
at New York Mag?

Always good when
someone calls with a story.

What's the situation in there?

Chuck's in there right now.

If his meeting doesn't
go the way he wants it to,

he's ready to deliver a cover story
to you with necessary evidence.

If Chuck wins the meeting,
there won't be a story.

This time. But a nice raincheck.

Let's hope the
meeting combusts then.

I'll be waiting in the car.

Why the hell would I trust you?

Because you know
how he operates.

And I'll need you in
my corner down the line.

All right. We'll pay.

I'll round up everybody myself.

It looks like the tides
have turned, Bud.

We can't fight oceanic forces.

Hmm.

Oh, you should have
seen the crimson shade

of old Lazarra's cheeks when
I showed him what we had.

I wish I had a swatch of it to repaint
my living room as a victory trophy.

They're gonna pay.

Tell Olivia to move
on to her next lead?

No.

It's a beautiful night.

I'm feeling like a chat.

You do that, the billionaires of
this city are sure to come after you.

I'd never tell,

but I might tell
her where to look.

Former holders of your very
office did not survive that attack.

Are you sure painting targets on
our backs is the best move right now?

No more skeletons
in my closets to rattle.

Let 'em just try and Spitzer me.

Are you looking for
your way out of this job?

You pigged out on those other
sportswear companies dropping

after I explicitly
told you to wait.

I knew you'd see it.

That's how confident I
was that they'd pay off.

And they did. The numbers
supported my hypothesis.

I upped you from analyst so you
could take positions I supported,

not so you could go off and improv
on your own like an Eric Dolphy solo.

Yeah, well, I waited,

and then Rask started
rebounding, so I pulled the trigger.

Thanks to me, Mase
Carb's in the black now.

You shouldn't have done
that. I already told you no.

My last instructions still stood,
despite the change in Rask's price.

Leaving money on the table
is like seeing a punch buggy

and not punching someone.

It just feels wrong.

But I could have
listened to you. Should.

I should have listened to you.

I will protect you this time. Prince
won't know you made this call.

But this game you're playing...

Yeah. Like Miles's band
recording Bitches Brew.

No net. I got it.

Astra Sports has canceled
its buyout of Rask Sportswear

after learning of
CEO Stuart Rask, Jr's

secret partnership with North
Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

Jesus!

This is what you
were sitting on?

Stuey went to North Korea with
Dennis Rodman some years ago,

even after the other sportswear
companies canceled and backed out.

Remarkable. Why?

Rask was still a boutique brand
back then. They needed to grow.

They came back from
their trip fully capitalized.

Kim's been a silent partner
this whole time. Still is.

- Until now.
- Look at the after-market ticker.

Rask is tanking.

Federal Trade Commission's
doing a full probe.

Well, Wagsy, you did it.

You killed the buyout
and fed it to the dogs.

Hey, Stu...

It...

Listen can't we just talk
about this at rehearsal?

Stuey just kicked
me out of the band.

Olivia told me that Lazarra
article should drop tonight.

- We'd better batten down the hatches.
- Nah.

Let the gale blow. I'm ready.

I'm trying to think
like Hackman in Heist

to understand why turning Lazarra
against you is the smart play,

and I am coming up dry.

Well, something my
father taught me long ago.

Sometimes, you just
have to break some shit.

Find out the strength of the
reaction on the other side.

Use your will. Not your wits.

And make them know your
moves can't be anticipated.

That no one is safe.

I'm not sure that old school
crap is still gonna play.

The old school crap
plays like Bobby Short.

You just have to know when.

Sometime when
I'm drunk enough...

ask me about pancake
eaters. That'll explain it.

Okay. Well, it better.

You promised me a
winning season, Chuck.

Right now we're looking
like the New York Jets.

I'm running out of time before I'll
have to quit and campaign 25/8.

I am under no illusion that
you will be by my side forever.

But right now, we've got our
biggest mandate on the docket.

I can't lose my MVP yet.

I need you, Kate.

And I commit here, and I
sense that you can even feel it

that we are about to
have some very big wins.

And the right kind.

For the folks, like the five
percent the doorman got.

Ones that will propel
you where you want to go.

Where we all need you to go.

And then, once we're done
with that and we're ready,

you will have my
full-throated endorsement

and use of all my connections.

Okay, Boss.

- They're pulling 'em.
- The games?

From the International
Commission of Sport.

"With the human rights abuses
at the hand of our main sponsor...

in direct contravention
to the spirit of the...

delays in construction and
innumerable other problems...

re-opening a modified and
condensed bid process to be completed."

Rask is facing bankruptcy,
and Stuey is being hauled

in front of Congress next
week on human rights abuses.

They looked to other
sponsors, but no one stepped up.

Too smoky at the moment.

When they saw they
couldn't pull it off financially,

they started making
outgoing calls.

Yes.

We should meet
and talk about it.

I see you didn't fire Rian.

Was Prince upset?

I covered for her, actually.

I saw that she had
learned the lesson.

Did you take the
credit for her or for you?

What would I stand to gain?

Your freedom, if
Prince fired you.

No.

I want to stay.

You saw the news
about the games?

Prince isn't just
playing the markets.

His chessboard is much bigger,

and I don't think he's
done making his moves yet.

When I'm done, this city
will look very different.

Over there, you see that?

That's where the
Athletes' Village will go.

We'll turn it all into low-income
housing after the games are over.

And that there is where
we'll build the aquatic center.

It can then be used as
a public natatorium after.

The very first New
York Olympics.

It's a lot of work, Mike.

The city's down,

busted up, hurting.

It's the perfect
opportunity to rebuild.

Every time New
York has fallen...

It has been lifted up and
rebuilt by a great man.

And that's you this time.

Us.

Not only will you
keep your coaching job,

you'll now be head
coach of all sport climbing.

You'll oversee all three events,

lead climbing, speed
climbing, and bouldering.

And the version of this place
you'll see before I'm done,

you won't want to
leave so quickly.

If he is who I think he is,

I may be able to start
doing my job differently,

to change my purpose
and who I am as a result.

You've got a lot
riding on that read.

You still think I'm
wrong about him?

I think we should both
proceed with caution.

I think it's worth considering that
what he did might not have been based

on some lofty ethical reason.

What then, if not ethics?

His wife came by yesterday.

I knew he was married, but
that she's out of the picture.

Yeah, but she still
showed up here.

All of this is some
big romantic gesture?

That, or he has Narcissistic
Personality Disorder.

And what would that
mean, in Prince's case?

He thinks he's better
than everyone else,

and he won't stop till
he gets what he wants.

For you, Coach Salter.

Nice.

You know this is
far from a sure thing.

Sure, there's a lot left to do.

I'll have to gather
some support.

Some support?
You need a coalition.

You have to move
the legislature.

The whole political
machine, city and state.

And the people too.

Need to sell the goddamn
commission on the idea.

Sure. I'm ready for all that.

There something else?

I'm not ready to give up. On us.

Still mad at me?

I reserve the right.

Try on the jacket.
See if you like it.

I'll put it on as soon as New
York is officially announced.

And I'm not moving
here until then.

All right. But if I were you,
I'd start looking at apartments.

Dinner?

Sure.

Dinner.

♪ You can't hide ♪

♪ Your lyin' eyes ♪

♪ And your smile ♪

♪ Is a thin disguise ♪

♪ I thought by now ♪

♪ You'd realize ♪

♪ There ain't no way to hide ♪

♪ Your lyin' eyes ♪

♪ There ain't no way to hide ♪

♪ Your lyin' eyes ♪

Eh.