Empire (2015–…): Season 5, Episode 12 - Shift and Save Yourself - full transcript
Cookie is offered a career game-changer; Jamal works diligently to make Tiana and Treasure's track a success; Lucious, Cookie and Giselle deliberate future plans for the artists at Empire.
Previously on Empire...
Your nose is bleeding.
- (COUGHING)
- Andre!
I'm a Lyon and I'm done
apologizing for that.
GISELLE: I could get you back
running the company you built
with me as co-partner.
I'm Damon Cross
and I'm a game changer.
- Nobody move!
- (WOMAN SCREAMING)
Our money is sitting
in a Panamanian bank
and we need someone to help us.
I'm not going anywhere
without my money.
She's worth it.
Set up a meeting with Damon Cross.
Damon Cross is no longer
a client for good reasons.
- AGENT: FBI.
- Mr. Rawlings, you can call me Meghan.
CONWAY: You're gonna tell
me about the connection
between Lucious Lyon and Damon Cross.
I can put you all in the same room.
Oh. That's a little Doctor Who of you.
I mean, this is from
the Platinum Party.
Anyone who's anyone was there.
- You gonna party like this, huh?
- (LAUGHS) No.
- Told you I'd get you in.
- This is amazing.
- Watch your back. What's up, my man?
- Excuse me.
♪ Stop, I don't want you back ♪
♪ I been thinking 'bout me,
don't get me off track ♪
♪ Drop all the hope you got ♪
♪ You been callin' me up, boy,
let's just not ♪
♪ I can't lie, no,
since the day I met you ♪
♪ It should've been the day
that I left you ♪
♪ And I heard that you miss me now ♪
♪ But I'm gonna have to let you down ♪
♪ And now my ex man texted
my best friend ♪
♪ Saying "I'm the best"
but I'm on to the next man ♪
♪ Wearing that dress that you
breakin' your neck in... ♪
Now this is a turn-up.
- Yeah, they go big, they go big.
- Thank you, honey.
- Here's to the sexiest chick here.
- Aw.
- Ain't I, though? Then...
- You is.
♪ Did it all
just to make a statement ♪
♪ It look good, don't it, so amazing ♪
♪ So, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... ♪
Tiana looks good back up
on that stage.
That damn Eddie tried to bench
her since she had her baby.
And we spent all that time
turning her and built
to a superstar and now he's
renting her out like some pony
- at a party.
- Cookie, Lucious.
Look at you.
- Looking good.
- Hey, where's Eddie?
He's probably banging
his new assistant.
(LAUGHS) Shh.
Oh, it's so good to see
that you haven't lost
your sense of humor, Cookie.
Considering you've lost
everything else.
I would slap you, Giselle.
But animal cruelty
is a crime in New York.
LUCIOUS: Ooh.
(CHUCKLES)
- (GISELLE SCOFFS)
- Slither away, snake.
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ Drive 'em crazy, I drive 'em crazy ♪
♪ Did it all
just to make a statement ♪
♪ It look good, don't it,
so amazing... ♪
Damon, what are you looking at?
♪ So, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
My future.
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ It look good, don't it, so amazing ♪
♪ Oh... ♪
Gettin' on my damn nerves.
Was that Lucious Lyon?
(SIGHS) Yes. I can't believe he thinks
he's actually gonna get Empire back.
(SIGHS) It's in his blood.
Word to the wise: don't let
Eddie hear you say that.
I don't really care what Eddie thinks.
I don't think you should, either.
Jeff. What are you...?
Are you coming on to me?
Only if you say yes.
You really feeling yourself,
huh? (LAUGHS)
- Come on, now.
- (LAUGHS)
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ It look good, don't it,
so amazing. ♪
(CROWD CHEERING)
What can I say?
You missed a real humdinger.
Please cut the cameras.
Audio, too. Just shut
the whole thing down, please.
Okay.
(DOOR CLOSES)
You do know that Guantanamo is
still open for business, right?
Damn. The one thing
Obama promised and didn't do.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
See, my president... he's not
so interested in rules,
just results, which means
that I can crawl so far up
your ass with a microscope
and I'll find any number
of prosecutable offenses.
Ugh. Sounds like one of his tweets.
You're being very aggressive,
Counselor.
I'm just saying.
I don't really think
that you're grasping the gravity
of your situation, Thirsty. You see,
if I nab one big fish,
it puts me on the front page.
I put two whales on the boat?
Puts me in the governor's mansion.
I am going to hook Damon Cross
and Lucious Lyon.
So guess what that makes you?
Come on, guess.
My bait.
Lucious wants
to turn that old crack house
- into a rehab.
- Hmm.
But I think a community center
will offer more services.
What you think?
Well, the rehab part
is important, too.
Of course you'd say that.
The Cookie Lyon Community Center.
- Has a ring to it, doesn't it?
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Okay, so his little secret,
passing-for-white bastard
goes and tries to destroy everything
that you've built,
now Lucious gonna buy you
some old crack shack
and now you trust him?
Trust who?
- Hey, baby.
- Hey. Uh...
I-I was just telling, uh,
Carol, here, about the focus group.
And how, uh,
Empire has lost
the trust in these streets.
- LUCIOUS: No, don't worry about that.
I'll fix it. - (MOUTHING)
No, I mean, we'll fix it.
So, you know what Mama says, right?
That trust takes years to earn,
seconds to break,
and a lifetime to rebuild.
- Shh.
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Hey, how did she get my damn number?
- Who's that?
- Some agent out in L.A.
She's been following my Insta stories
- and she wants to make me a star.
- Mm.
Don't tell me you falling for
some Hollywood shuffle game.
- Look, we got real work we're doing.
- Well, why not?
Maybe this agent can get you
some good publicity.
I mean, you sure as hell could use it.
Tell me about it.
(GROANS) I'm out, baby.
But this woman is a bulldog.
I'm gonna have to give her
a hard "no" in person.
These pancakes dry.
No, I didn't make those. Juanita!
♪
That's great news. (CHUCKLES)
TERI: A 92 on his calc midterm.
- He's always been so good at math.
- Aw.
Even when he was a little boy.
I'm so proud of him.
He's doing so great.
- I'm proud of you, too.
- WOMAN: Mr. Lyon.
Um, that meeting's
happening now, Teri.
- I'll call you back.
- Okay, see you soon. Bye.
Okay. Bye.
There's absolutely
no metal allowed in here.
Hop onto the table.
Okay, so remember to lie
as still as possible.
- Scooch up a bit.
- Okay.
Keep your arms tucked in, knees down.
And try to remain calm. Okay.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(MACHINERY CLICKS, WHIRS)
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
♪
- ♪ Brand new Rari, brand new wrist ♪
- ♪ Rari... ya ♪
- ♪ Call my stylist, I'm about to have a fit ♪
- ♪ Broke hater ♪
- ♪ Way too icy, don't slip ♪
- ♪ Ya ♪
♪ Baby girl, don't drown ♪
♪ In the drip in the splash ♪
♪ Lately I been swervin',
call it whiplash ♪
♪ I been busy plottin'
on some get-back, so get back ♪
♪ Gimme some space,
I got pennies to make ♪
♪ I got dollars to flip,
I fell outta my ship... ♪
I thought you were supposed
to be working with Cookie.
She made me a floater.
Today, I'm a PA on Hakeem's set,
tomorrow, who knows?
Well, we all got to start somewhere.
♪ Superhuman swag... We don't
give it out to mortals ♪
♪ Hold da dog, I'm so riggidy
raw, pass me the biggidy ball ♪
♪ That's a score...
Are you really sure? ♪
♪ You want me to figgidy fall,
'cause I go Michael Myers ♪
♪ Psycho... Suicidal, to a rival ♪
♪ Lose ya title... who's ya idol? ♪
♪ Put my right to the Bible ♪
♪ I'm the truth, whoo ♪
♪ Steppin' out da coupe... ♪
I'm not feeling the dancing, still.
Mm. It's too much and it's too little.
♪ I remove you, like voodoo...
I'm a Rottweiler... ♪
- Cut. Cut.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
Y'all, we really got to work
on this choreography.
- It's just basic as hell.
- It's getting worse.
Look, I-I don't mean to overstep.
But I-I think you're right...
I think it is basic.
They should be giving you lines
and something...
...sexier.
Oh, really?
(CHUCKLES)
Take off your headphones.
Look, I...
- I really wasn't trying to...
- No, no, no. I mean,
can you, like, show them
whatever that smooth,
- whatever. All right, cool.
- Yeah. Y-Yeah. Absolutely.
- Yes.
- Um, dancers,
can y'all just talk to Maya
for a second?
- Hi. I'm Maya. Um...
- Show them the sexy!
- That was the important part.
- Show them the something.
♪ I remove you, like voodoo...
I'm a Rottweiler ♪
♪ Wit a popped collar,
you're a poodle, I pursue you ♪
♪ Then you lose, 'cause you food ♪
♪ Never cry wolf to a werewolf ♪
♪ Too cool, I go zoom-zoom ♪
♪ In dat brand-new Rari,
brand-new wrist ♪
♪ Call my stylist,
I'm about to have a fit ♪
- ♪ Way too icy, don't slip ♪
- ♪ Don't slip ♪
♪ Baby girl, don't drown
in the drip. ♪
So, obviously, the footage is rough.
- GISELLE: Mm-hmm.
- JAMAL: But seriously, y'all, I mean,
this is 'Keem back at his best.
- You know what I'm saying?
- COOKIE: Yeah, that is great,
considering Hakeem hasn't done a video
- in what... like, two years?
- Right.
- But he didn't miss a beat.
- COOKIE: No.
But you want to know what he
has not done even longer?
Boy ain't been on tour.
- Well, touring is expensive.
- JAMAL: It can be, but why can't we take
some of the Panama money? We
put that towards a tour...
COOKIE: Ah, ah! Boy. Can't nobody know
where we got our cash infusion from.
- Shut your head.
- My point is
we need a tour,
so why not put together
a Hakeem and Jamal Lyon
Resurrection Tour?
Right.
It gets people's minds back
on what's most important.
And what's most important
at Empire? Music.
- COOKIE: That's right.
- GISELLE: What you're talking about
- is Lyon music.
- LUCIOUS: No. No.
We're talking about the music
that built Empire.
- That's right.
- LUCIOUS: My music built it.
It makes my sense that my sons
should resurrect it with theirs.
Empire is no longer your
personal playground, Lucious.
A decision this large
requires my support.
Well, well, I'm sorry,
you forget that I built
this so-called "playground."
I know where the swing set is,
the slide, and the sandbox.
You've got 20%, and that gives you
a conversation at this
table, but not the last word.
- (CHUCKLES)
- We go with this immediately.
COOKIE: Yes, I agree.
(EXHALES SHARPLY) Okay.
We'll see about that.
Did that just happen?
We moving on it or not?
You damn right we're doing it.
We're just gonna wait
until we put a pin
into that corporate problem
right there.
No, no, no, no, no.
Let me deal with Miss Giselle.
- JAMAL: Oh, Mom.
- No. no.
We are professionals, remember?
COOKIE: Yeah, I'm very professional.
Nothing happened
at the Platinum Party, okay?
And you're making a conspiracy
out of a coincidence.
Do you think all that I have is
some kind of hip-hop hoedown
to connect you to Damon and Lucious?
Besides me being their lawyer. Hello!
- Oh, my God...
- Which means any communications
with either one of them
falls under the protection
of attorney-client privilege.
Privilege is pierced when the attorney
is engaged in an ongoing crime,
Counselor.
- And you have no evidence of that!
- Sit down.
Sit down.
(CLEARS THROAT)
You know that feeling you get,
that little tingle when you know
that somebody's watching you?
Well, you should be vibrating
like your lady's rabbit,
'cause the Feds have been
watching your every move.
So if I were you, Thirsty,
I'd get comfortable.
'Cause you're not going anywhere.
The only thing that is gonna
save you, Thirsty, is the truth.
Okay.
Okay.
Maybe there's more to this.
Please.
Enlighten me.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Well, you guys...
you guys have been starting
at the Platinum Party.
But this story really begins
in another place at another time.
It's, um...
the story of a-of a guy
and a girl. Vera.
It's a love story.
I'm here to drop off
- a plea bargain for ADA Smith.
- Mm-hmm.
Put it on the pile.
A man's life hangs
in the balance, sweetie.
I'd really like to hand it
to him personally.
It's a bad day for a plea bargain.
DA's in his feelings over his ex.
THIRSTY: Oh.
What do you suggest?
Come back Thursday after 2:00.
Right after his happy ending massage.
(CHUCKLES) Okay.
- Okay.
- Thanks for the intel.
Mm-hmm.
Looks cute, huh?
Hey, you know what? I'll catch
up with you downstairs.
Um...
how about I, uh, b-buy you some lunch?
I'm not interested in lunch.
Oh.
But you can buy me dinner.
CONWAY: What does
Vera... who, by the way,
sounds like
a make-believe girlfriend...
have to do with Damon and Lucious?
Look, you want me
to tell you the truth,
then you got to be patient.
All right? I'm getting there.
GISELLE: It's unbelievable.
- Yeah. Today would be great.
- (KNOCKING)
Let me call you back.
- Hey.
- Hi, Cookie.
Look, um, I know we're
equal partners and everything,
but, uh, Lucious' face
is still on that logo.
And I'm not saying it's right,
but he's gonna be strongheaded,
and that's just the way it is.
That's the way it is.
That sounds like an excuse,
not an explanation.
What does your 20% think?
Is it handcuffed to his?
(CLICKS TONGUE) Okay.
Hakeem is in no way
ready to headline yet.
The road can be really rough on you.
- So we agree. The tour's off.
- I didn't say that.
I said my baby's not ready
to headline.
Look, what do you think about Empire
launching a national tour featuring...
all of our artists... Empire and LFM?
The risk is too high.
Come on, man. Go hard or go home.
See, Cookie, you can say that
because you have a family
and a husband to back you up.
Empire is all I have.
It's everything we got. Everything!
I called Kelly Patel.
- Oh, really?
- Mm-hmm.
So, you went running to tell teacher
because you knew
you wouldn't get your way.
The parent company
has a 40% stake in Empire.
Kelly has a right
to know what's going on.
He'll be here later today.
Oh, really?
So did you snitch about Panama, too?
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Of course not.
He doesn't need to know
all our business.
(SHORT CHUCKLE)
We need this tour.
So were you ever gonna
tell me about this tour?
Yeah, I know.
Between this and Hakeem's video
and this whole Treasure/Tiana thing,
it's like the universe don't
even want me to miss Kai, so...
Who is Kai?
Stop talking about him. God.
I'm not hearing any music. Why's that?
I-I tried, man.
Uh-uh.
- Y'all, what's good?
- TIANA: Jamal,
- I really tried, but I can't do this.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
- She is completely unprofessional.
- Unprofessional?
- Girl, what is you talking...?
- Not getting any work done.
- (INDISTINCT BICKERING)
- Oh, my God. Really?
It's been like this all day?
- All day.
- BECKY: For real?
Isn't your baby crying somewhere?
Talk about my baby one more time.
Talk about my baby,
and you gonna have to
get you a security guard.
Why don't she got
the baby monitor in here?
- Where is the baby?
- ...a mother, I will drag you.
Girl, keep talking.
I'm unprofessional?
- Oh, word?
- Yeah.
- We cannot work together.
- You just got here.
You doing a lot of this.
You need to do this.
- I hear your baby crying. Go
check on your baby. - Okay.
- Jamal, please come take out the trash.
- Really? Jamal.
- (SIGHS)
- And don't talk about my baby no more.
- Jamal, I can't do this.
- You talk a lot for...
(VOLUME LOWERS)
Thank you.
I don't know. I mean,
after a couple of dates,
we hit it off.
Uh, Vera quit her job
at the DA's office.
Before I knew it,
she was working for me.
And it was magical.
I mean, she was beautiful.
You're giving me cramps.
Please, get to the point.
Vera w-was fascinated by celebrities.
All right, she was obsessed
with this Platinum Party,
so I had to finagle
a couple of invites for us.
That night,
that's when I ran into Mr. Lyon.
I've seen enough. Let's go home.
- Oh, after-party, huh?
- Yeah. (GIGGLES)
Thirst, Thirst, Thirst, Thirst.
- What's up, man?
- Hey. -Hi.
- One second, Mama.
- Hey.
What's up, boss?
You ready to take the Empire or what?
It's more like the opposite right now.
What's up? What you need?
How much I owe you right now?
Oh, we ain't gonna talk about that.
It's a party atmosphere.
Come on, I know where you live.
I don't like owing people.
And until things get right...
I should take a leave of absence
for a little while.
- Just till things get right.
- Say no more, mon ami. I get it.
You call me when you need me.
Enough said.
I'm sorry, man.
It's okay. Nothing to
be sorry about, man.
- When it's right...
- It's right.
- Sorry.
- Nice jacket, though.
I'm rubbing off on you.
Baby, are you okay?
Yes. Everything's good.
It's all good. Come on, let's go home.
No, no, no, no. We should stay.
Let's not forget why we're here.
I quit my job to help you
build your practice.
Yes.
And, babe, I believe in
you, but we have no money
- coming in.
- We have no money coming in.
- No.
- This is true.
Then let's work the crowd
and do what we do.
- Okay.
- Find the money.
- I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry.
- No, it's okay.
- All right.
- (LAUGHS)
- I'm gonna get some drinks, okay?
- Yeah, okay.
Okay.
Hey, how you doing?
Can I get a couple of tequila shots?
There you go.
There's a lot of beautiful women
here tonight, huh?
Ah. I hadn't noticed.
Thirsty Rawlings, right?
I'm sorry, do we know each other?
No. I'm Damon Cross.
But, you know, I'm looking
for a personal attorney.
Somebody who can be discreet,
you know what I'm saying, resourceful.
And-and I heard you do good work
with the Lyons.
- Ah. You know the Lyons, huh?
- Not really.
I ran into Cookie a few weeks ago.
I really love how she handles
her business,
and I assume that
that extends
down to the family attorney.
It does.
Maybe I can squeeze you
in sometime next week?
Really?
That sounds... Oh, man, thank you.
- Salud.
- Salud.
- Mm.
- Yeah, I'll be in touch.
♪
Let me get two more.
Thanks.
- Thirsty.
- Ah.
You see that? When one door closes,
- another one opens.
- No.
There are no coincidences.
Lucious lets you go,
and then all of a sudden
Damon Cross wants to hire you?
Wh-What do you know about Damon Cross?
They whisper about him
in the DA's office,
but they can never pin anything on him
because he's too good
at whatever he does.
Sounds like he gonna
keep me busy. (LAUGHS)
I'm serious, Thirsty. He's dangerous.
Look, babe, we just started, okay?
- I don't want to lose you.
- Hey, hey.
How do... how do you go to losing me?
You're not gonna lose me.
All right, look,
if I can handle Lucious Lyon,
I can handle Damon Cross.
Ah.
- Should I close this?
- Please.
- How are you?
- Good.
Please, sit.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Your CT scan results...
are troubling.
And yours looks to be
particularly tricky.
Now, that doesn't mean
that we're giving up.
We've had some success
with a variety...
(VOICE DISTORTS,
CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
...some success at a variety...
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(NORMAL VOICE): Andre?
Andre?
It is so nice to finally meet you.
- You have 15 minutes.
- (CHUCKLES)
Oh, honey, it'll only take five.
Your Instagram Live posts
are deeply moving,
and your ability to resonate
with people is a gift.
- Thank you.
- My mother follows you.
My hairdresser? Obsessed with you.
A major television network
president told me she's a fan.
Sign with me, you'll be
in her office on Monday.
Okay, look, I'm flattered, all right?
But, um, I'm busy
rebuilding my empire.
You could be your own brand
with my help.
Brand? What, like a toothpaste?
(LAUGHS) Hey, honey, try Oprah.
Or Beyoncé.
(LAUGHS) Child, look, I'm busy.
- Thanks for your time.
- What if I told you you could fill in
on The View for Whoopi
when she goes on vacation?
I'd say you're blowing smoke
up my ass.
That network president I mentioned?
She already approved it.
Cookie Lyon,
I'm gonna change your life.
Tee, I swear I'm-a need
blood pressure medicine
by the time I'm done
working with y'all.
It's not my fault.
She keeps stepping all over my vocals.
There would not be a problem
if you would just sing
your part correctly.
I'm singing my part correctly.
You're being extra.
- Hey, hey.
- TREASURE: Really?
What is this beef really about?
I'll tell you what it's about.
You stole my song last time,
and now she wants to turn around
and steal my duet.
No, that's not what happened.
Jeff Kingsley played me the track,
and I thought it was fire.
And then he told me
it was Tiana's,
and if I really wanted it,
I had to fight for it.
So what am I supposed to do?
I'm the new girl.
Eddie used to play
all these same games.
Always comparing me to somebody else.
"Christina's vocals
are bigger than yours."
"Beyoncé's moves
are better than yours."
I couldn't even make it
out of the hospital
before he told me,
"Lose the baby weight."
JAMAL: Mm.
Damn near made me hate myself.
And y'all don't even recognize
the connection here?
I mean, really, you don't see
about just how you're playing
right into the hands of these men?
I love you, Mal, but...
what makes you
any different right now?
TREASURE: For real. You are
just another industry man
telling two women what to do.
- The same old thing.
- Okay, you know what?
I-I'm gonna... I'm gonna receive that.
So let's say that it's
gonna be different from now on.
We got two strong,
black, female artists.
These men are here
pitting y'all against each other
to distract you
from what your actual power is.
Y'all together.
Take all of that power, man,
and put it into the music.
I mean, look,
I don't-I don't want to be a...
an industry man
telling y'all what to do.
- (LAUGHS)
- But can we try it again?
Unified.
- Hmm?
- Okay, okay.
All right.
Thank you, trinket.
Oh, my... Can y'all stop with that?
(LAUGHING)
- You like that one, don't you?
- TREASURE: Hey. Geez.
You're a professional.
All right.
Thank you.
All right, after the party,
did you ever talk
to Damon Cross again?
Nah. It was just a one-off.
He never called.
What about Victor Horst?
(CLEARS THROAT)
Look, I told you
everything I know, all right?
Now you're showing me pictures
of dudes at Mar-a-Iago.
I can't help you with that.
All right, now,
they're expecting me
back at Empire... I need
- to get back to work.
- Victor... Horst.
DAMON: Where we at, Victor?
I converted the diamonds to euros
and funneled the cash
through a charity.
- Yeah, the Orphans of Rwanda Fund?
- Yeah.
Nobody questions dying orphans.
Well, we, uh,
promised them ten percent.
I called the orphanage.
They didn't receive their cut.
Why the hell would you talk to them?
THIRSTY: It's called doing my job...
- assclown.
- You don't work
for Lucious Lyon anymore.
You're supposed to just draw up
the transfer documents.
DAMON: So, tell me, Victor,
how much money actually went
to the orphans?
Here's the beauty of it:
I strong-armed
the orphanage director
to kick us back
the entire ten million.
- (LAUGHS)
- THIRSTY: Eh...
I did a little research.
There's only nine million
in the offshore account.
I think you made a mistake.
Nah, I think you made
the mistake when you...
pocketed...
that ten... percent!
(GRUNTS) I hate liars!
You send two million dollars
to that orphanage.
- Two million.
- Okay.
And he is right about one thing:
I ain't no Lucious Lyon.
I'm a lot more dangerous.
Clean him up.
Get him up. Roll this up.
Get him out of here.
LUCIOUS: What we need
is something bold and new
to bring the fans back to Empire.
That's what I'm talking about.
What makes you think people will
even buy tickets to this tour?
We can't even get fans
to download music.
Exactly. Empire is
in a very delicate situation.
- A tour could be crippling.
- KELLY: From what I'm hearing,
there's no clear vision on how to fund
- this tour.
- LUCIOUS: No vision?
I mean, you're responsible
for us being
- in this position, Kelly.
- KELLY: Excuse me?
COOKIE: Yeah, excuse you.
You hired the computer geek
to run our company.
GISELLE:
So now you're gonna blame Kelly
for Kingsley's vendetta
against his daddy?
COOKIE: What do you know about
running a company, Giselle, huh?
- Eddie made all of the decisions.
- Eddie made
all the decisions?
First of all, that's not true.
- Whatever. Shut up.
- ANDRE: Stop, everybody stop,
stop! Will you stop?!
Everybody stop!
What the hell is wrong with you?!
Every minute spent fighting
is another Empire's not making money!
How the hell can we expect
to rebuild our customers' trust?
You can't even trust each other.
♪ You don't wanna miss a thing ♪
♪ It's about to go down ♪
♪ Baby, don't you know
what you've found ♪
♪ Get over here, stop messing around ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go ♪
♪ Go dow-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-own ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go, go ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ See, I've got so many options ♪
♪ You got priority
but not if there's a problem ♪
♪ And if you waste my time,
proceed with caution ♪
♪ 'Cause I can quit that in a second ♪
♪ So when you pull up
with no headlights ♪
♪ Better make the deadline,
otherwise you're out the game ♪
♪ Otherwise you're out the game ♪
♪ You know there's a good time ♪
♪ Waiting for you inside ♪
♪ You don't wanna miss a thing ♪
♪ It's about to go down... ♪
What do y'all think?
I think that is
what Empire's all about.
I think that is a number-one single.
Yeah, now try and find somebody
to buy the damn thing.
Look, all we got to do is give
the fans something undeniable.
They'll come back.
♪
Give them something.
Yes.
I got to stop Patel before he leaves.
♪
(SCOFFS)
♪ It's about to go down ♪
♪ Baby, don't you know
what you've found ♪
♪ Get over here, stop messing around ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go,
go dow-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-own. ♪
- ♪ 'Cause it's about to go, go. ♪
Thirsty, we know
that you met Victor Horst
in Damon Cross's hangar.
Look, I don't know a Victor Horst.
Really? So then how do you explain
a dozen calls from your cell to his?
We have phone records.
We have correspondence.
We have checks from your account
to his company in Geneva.
You know what? You're gonna
end up just like Victor Horst
if you keep hanging out
with Damon Cross.
So why don't you cooperate
so that we can protect you?
THIRSTY: Look, I've been with
the Lyons for a long time.
Okay? They're like family to me.
If Lucious wants to play poker,
I make a call, that's it.
Mm-mm. That don't explain
where he came up with the buy-in.
Maybe Lucious isn't as broke
as what people think.
So...
his money real?
Get me in the game tonight.
I want to meet him.
For what?
Hey. Get me in the game.
- Look, all I'm saying is it's not
a good... - Nah. You made a call.
You make another call.
Get me in the game.
Tonight.
It's okay. All right.
Get him in the game.
He wants to get in the game...
CONWAY: What is the connection
between Damon Cross
- and Lucious... - There is no
connection between Damon Cross
- and Lucious Lyon.
- You're lying.
CONWAY: So you're telling
me it's just a coincidence
that Damon has this painting?
- GISELLE: This is great.
- WOMAN: Okay. -Hey.
I was just on my way out,
and something was bugging me.
Do-do you got a minute?
Yeah. Sure.
I owe you an apology.
What for?
Making Kingsley CEO over you.
If I had made the right choice
in the first place,
Empire wouldn't be in this mess.
Well, I appreciate you
telling me this in person.
Generally, I don't-I don't
like coming to New York.
But seeing you
kind of makes it all worth it.
Well, it's really good
to see you, too...
- Kelly.
- LUCIOUS: Oh, my God.
- Thank God I caught you.
- Lucious, I don't want
- to relitigate any of this.
- Listen,
under Kingsley's leadership,
Empire betrayed the trust of its fans.
COOKIE: Yeah, so...
we owe our Empire family a debt.
Let's repay it.
Okay.
- Okay, tell me how.
- LUCIOUS: We want to make
the concert tour completely free.
KELLY: (SCOFFS) So your answer
to "Empire can't afford a tour"
is to make the tour free?
- Yes.
- KELLY: That's heartfelt,
but also reckless
and likely to bankrupt you.
My 40% says no.
Hell no.
- Giselle?
- Look, I know it's crazy, but...
this is exactly
the kind of grand mea culpa
that just might work.
Hear me out.
The free publicity
will offset the costs.
The tour will drive up
the record sales.
I can't believe I'm saying this,
but I think I'm gonna side
with Lucious and Cookie on this one.
- Yes! Smart woman.
- Amen. Thank you. - (KELLY SCOFFS)
All right. Majority rules.
But... corporate
is not contributing a dime.
No. We got all of this, man.
KELLY: You better.
Because Empire will either end up
bigger and stronger than ever
or flat broke
and on the auction block.
I'm going for bigger than ever.
- Good luck. Cookie.
- Mm-hmm.
- Thanks for nothin'.
- LUCIOUS: Look at you!
- 20%. Thank you. (LAUGHS)
- Hey, shut up.
- GISELLE: I mean, here we go.
- Yeah.
Why would Damon Cross want a painting
of two people he didn't even know?
It's not what you think.
Oh. Geez.
You knew the game was gonna
get hit and you set me up?
Who you-who you
talking about... Horst?
Come on, man.
That don't make no sense.
- What?
- I tried to tell you not to play.
Tried to do what? You didn't
try to tell me nothing, man.
Okay, I had nothing to do
with that robbery.
- Come on.
- I don't care at all, man.
I'm out $250K,
and I want it right now.
Okay, okay... (STAMMERS) Okay, look.
Okay, now, I can make it right.
I can make it right, okay?
- You can make it right?
- Can I walk?
Let me show you. Okay, look.
All right.
Just give me a second.
This is an or-original
Derrick Adams, okay?
It's worth at least half a million,
twice what you lost, okay?
I can sell it
in a couple days
and get you your money.
Nah, you ain't selling it.
I can-I can get you the money
in a couple of days.
I kind of like it.
Oh, okay. Okay, it's yours.
It's yours.
Okay.
You got me, all right?
I've been lying.
I've been telling you
that this is a story
about a guy and a girl,
but really this is a story
about a guy trying to be
something that he's not.
Okay.
(SIGHS)
Vera... she, um...
she liked the idea
of her man being a tough guy.
But I'm not a tough guy.
And I've never been on the inside
with Lucious or Damon Cross.
I was just trying to keep up
appearances to keep my girl.
What does that have to do with
Damon Cross having the painting?
Lucious' dumb ass... he-he thought
he'd sucker Damon Cross into
a high-stakes poker game, but
Damon turned the tables on him,
cleaned him out,
took him for everything that night.
Lucious had to pay him
with the painting.
He got scared, and he made me
deliver it to him.
So you're just a...
mailman in a shiny suit?
(THIRSTY CHUCKLES)
I was just trying to keep my girl.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
All right, everyone, listen up.
We've gathered
our Empire family together
to make a very special announcement.
A dozen of Empire
and LFM artists are going
to embark on a nationwide tour.
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- COOKIE: Yes.
It will be called The Trust Tour.
And to regain the trust of our fans,
all concert tickets
will be absolutely free.
- (LOUD, OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
- I-I'm sure you're thinking,
if the tickets are free,
how do you get paid, right?
Well, Empire's gonna
guarantee your pay.
Everyone's gonna receive
their normal salaries
and normal fees per contract.
But to kick this thing off
the right way,
what we're gonna do is start this off
in the very same city
where Empire was born
20 years ago...
the City of Brotherly Love,
Philadelphia.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
What the hell happened to Andre?
He should be here.
Uh, yeah, he's somewhere
in his feelings.
You. I'm gonna need you to get ready,
because I want you
to choreograph the whole thing.
- Are you kidding?
- I'm not kidding.
You got it. It's not a problem.
(LAUGHS)
Thank you so much.
So you guys know y'all gonna
need a tour manager, right?
Yeah, do you know of one?
Yeah. You're looking at her.
Girl, get your ass out of here.
LUCIOUS: You good?
- Yeah.
- That was beautiful, man, that love.
Hey. You out here
planning tours for free?
- Come here.
- For free, though?
- Trust me on this one.
- LUCIOUS: All right,
listen, everybody. I know this is
gonna be one of the biggest
and baddest tours
that Empire's ever set out on.
So I'm gonna need y'all
- to bring your A game.
- COOKIE: That's right.
- To the Empire!
- ALL: To the Empire!
- (WHOOPING, CHEERING)
- Let's get to work.
Hey. Hey.
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
(KNOCKING)
TERI: Guess what I got.
Oh, just a little somethin' somethin'.
(TERI LAUGHS)
This is my grandmother's...
...secret recipe.
I need your John Hancock.
Mm, for what?
Trust.
(TERI LAUGHS SOFTLY)
I want Quincy to have the future
the system stole from him.
And I want to give you the world.
What's going on here?
The nose...
the nosebleeds, the...
the doctor? This... The...
Wh... What... what is this?
I have cancer, Teri.
Advanced lymphoma, stage IV.
It's just... it's...
It's a matter of time.
I'm dying.
(GASPS)
(CLICKS TONGUE)
(SIGHS)
How long... how long did they say...
you... you have?
Sign the papers, please, Teri.
No, how long?
A few months.
Oh.
At best.
Thank you.
AGENT: The things a guy'll
do to impress a girl, huh?
His story pans out, but
that doesn't make it the truth.
AGENT: Think we'll ever see him again?
Probably. In a body bag.
Get me everything we have
on the Lyon clan.
I just have to find the precise crack
and exert just the right amount
of pressure.
Before you know it,
Chicken and Waffles
will be behind bars.
What?
You okay, baby?
Yeah.
DAMON: She's fine.
We was just worried about you.
Okay.
You were right.
The Feds have been on you for a while.
Okay. What'd they know?
Whole lot of nothing.
- Even less after I finished talking.
- Good.
Now you can go.
- Help me out.
- Go straight home, okay?
- I'm right behind you.
- Okay.
Hey. Hey, hey, where you going?
Listen, I did what you asked, okay?
So now we're straight. I'm out.
Nah, you ain't out till I say you out.
I need you to keep an even
closer eye on Lucious for me.
A closer eye on Lucious...
or Cookie, my man?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
You know, six months ago,
when we were stuck in that house
without any AC,
with no prospects, with...
without two nickels to rub together.
Now look at us, man.
We're back on the throne.
I mean, this was worth fighting for.
Yeah, it's still the biggest risk
we've ever had to take, Lucious.
Why are you being
so negative right now?
I'm not negative.
I-I believe in us, okay?
I'm just worried. I'm-I'm scared.
For Empire. I'm scared about us.
You know any time we've rolled
the dice on this family,
we've always come up with seven.
What happened with that meeting
with that agent from L.A.?
- Told her I'd think about it.
- You what?
Baby, you're supposed to be
focused on this right now.
Look, Lucious, like most women,
I know how to multitask, okay?
I am working on building
my brand, which is only
gonna help Empire.
I thought you would know that, genius.
Your brand?
Yeah. My brand. That's what I said.
No, it's just funny that they're
trying to make you a star
when you were already born
a celestial event.
Come on.
Celestial event.
My brand. See it now?
(LUCIOUS LAUGHS)
Hey.
Andre.
I cannot sign this, and I won't.
It's for the both of you, Teri.
It's for your future.
Andre, if I sign these papers,
that's me admitting
that there will be no future,
that you'll be gone.
That's what's gonna happen, Teri.
You did not come into Quincy's life...
into my life... by accident.
My son is back at home
where he belongs
because of you.
This... this is not
how the story ends.
You don't understand.
I understand perfectly.
- No, you don't.
- Yes, I do.
I'm gonna help you fight, Andre.
You...
You did the impossible...
for me.
And so I'm gonna do
the impossible for you.
How?
How?
TERI: It's okay.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
Your nose is bleeding.
- (COUGHING)
- Andre!
I'm a Lyon and I'm done
apologizing for that.
GISELLE: I could get you back
running the company you built
with me as co-partner.
I'm Damon Cross
and I'm a game changer.
- Nobody move!
- (WOMAN SCREAMING)
Our money is sitting
in a Panamanian bank
and we need someone to help us.
I'm not going anywhere
without my money.
She's worth it.
Set up a meeting with Damon Cross.
Damon Cross is no longer
a client for good reasons.
- AGENT: FBI.
- Mr. Rawlings, you can call me Meghan.
CONWAY: You're gonna tell
me about the connection
between Lucious Lyon and Damon Cross.
I can put you all in the same room.
Oh. That's a little Doctor Who of you.
I mean, this is from
the Platinum Party.
Anyone who's anyone was there.
- You gonna party like this, huh?
- (LAUGHS) No.
- Told you I'd get you in.
- This is amazing.
- Watch your back. What's up, my man?
- Excuse me.
♪ Stop, I don't want you back ♪
♪ I been thinking 'bout me,
don't get me off track ♪
♪ Drop all the hope you got ♪
♪ You been callin' me up, boy,
let's just not ♪
♪ I can't lie, no,
since the day I met you ♪
♪ It should've been the day
that I left you ♪
♪ And I heard that you miss me now ♪
♪ But I'm gonna have to let you down ♪
♪ And now my ex man texted
my best friend ♪
♪ Saying "I'm the best"
but I'm on to the next man ♪
♪ Wearing that dress that you
breakin' your neck in... ♪
Now this is a turn-up.
- Yeah, they go big, they go big.
- Thank you, honey.
- Here's to the sexiest chick here.
- Aw.
- Ain't I, though? Then...
- You is.
♪ Did it all
just to make a statement ♪
♪ It look good, don't it, so amazing ♪
♪ So, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... ♪
Tiana looks good back up
on that stage.
That damn Eddie tried to bench
her since she had her baby.
And we spent all that time
turning her and built
to a superstar and now he's
renting her out like some pony
- at a party.
- Cookie, Lucious.
Look at you.
- Looking good.
- Hey, where's Eddie?
He's probably banging
his new assistant.
(LAUGHS) Shh.
Oh, it's so good to see
that you haven't lost
your sense of humor, Cookie.
Considering you've lost
everything else.
I would slap you, Giselle.
But animal cruelty
is a crime in New York.
LUCIOUS: Ooh.
(CHUCKLES)
- (GISELLE SCOFFS)
- Slither away, snake.
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ Drive 'em crazy, I drive 'em crazy ♪
♪ Did it all
just to make a statement ♪
♪ It look good, don't it,
so amazing... ♪
Damon, what are you looking at?
♪ So, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
My future.
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ It look good, don't it, so amazing ♪
♪ Oh... ♪
Gettin' on my damn nerves.
Was that Lucious Lyon?
(SIGHS) Yes. I can't believe he thinks
he's actually gonna get Empire back.
(SIGHS) It's in his blood.
Word to the wise: don't let
Eddie hear you say that.
I don't really care what Eddie thinks.
I don't think you should, either.
Jeff. What are you...?
Are you coming on to me?
Only if you say yes.
You really feeling yourself,
huh? (LAUGHS)
- Come on, now.
- (LAUGHS)
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ So amazing, so, oh, amazing ♪
♪ It look good, don't it,
so amazing. ♪
(CROWD CHEERING)
What can I say?
You missed a real humdinger.
Please cut the cameras.
Audio, too. Just shut
the whole thing down, please.
Okay.
(DOOR CLOSES)
You do know that Guantanamo is
still open for business, right?
Damn. The one thing
Obama promised and didn't do.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
See, my president... he's not
so interested in rules,
just results, which means
that I can crawl so far up
your ass with a microscope
and I'll find any number
of prosecutable offenses.
Ugh. Sounds like one of his tweets.
You're being very aggressive,
Counselor.
I'm just saying.
I don't really think
that you're grasping the gravity
of your situation, Thirsty. You see,
if I nab one big fish,
it puts me on the front page.
I put two whales on the boat?
Puts me in the governor's mansion.
I am going to hook Damon Cross
and Lucious Lyon.
So guess what that makes you?
Come on, guess.
My bait.
Lucious wants
to turn that old crack house
- into a rehab.
- Hmm.
But I think a community center
will offer more services.
What you think?
Well, the rehab part
is important, too.
Of course you'd say that.
The Cookie Lyon Community Center.
- Has a ring to it, doesn't it?
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Okay, so his little secret,
passing-for-white bastard
goes and tries to destroy everything
that you've built,
now Lucious gonna buy you
some old crack shack
and now you trust him?
Trust who?
- Hey, baby.
- Hey. Uh...
I-I was just telling, uh,
Carol, here, about the focus group.
And how, uh,
Empire has lost
the trust in these streets.
- LUCIOUS: No, don't worry about that.
I'll fix it. - (MOUTHING)
No, I mean, we'll fix it.
So, you know what Mama says, right?
That trust takes years to earn,
seconds to break,
and a lifetime to rebuild.
- Shh.
- (PHONE VIBRATES)
Hey, how did she get my damn number?
- Who's that?
- Some agent out in L.A.
She's been following my Insta stories
- and she wants to make me a star.
- Mm.
Don't tell me you falling for
some Hollywood shuffle game.
- Look, we got real work we're doing.
- Well, why not?
Maybe this agent can get you
some good publicity.
I mean, you sure as hell could use it.
Tell me about it.
(GROANS) I'm out, baby.
But this woman is a bulldog.
I'm gonna have to give her
a hard "no" in person.
These pancakes dry.
No, I didn't make those. Juanita!
♪
That's great news. (CHUCKLES)
TERI: A 92 on his calc midterm.
- He's always been so good at math.
- Aw.
Even when he was a little boy.
I'm so proud of him.
He's doing so great.
- I'm proud of you, too.
- WOMAN: Mr. Lyon.
Um, that meeting's
happening now, Teri.
- I'll call you back.
- Okay, see you soon. Bye.
Okay. Bye.
There's absolutely
no metal allowed in here.
Hop onto the table.
Okay, so remember to lie
as still as possible.
- Scooch up a bit.
- Okay.
Keep your arms tucked in, knees down.
And try to remain calm. Okay.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(MACHINERY CLICKS, WHIRS)
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
♪
- ♪ Brand new Rari, brand new wrist ♪
- ♪ Rari... ya ♪
- ♪ Call my stylist, I'm about to have a fit ♪
- ♪ Broke hater ♪
- ♪ Way too icy, don't slip ♪
- ♪ Ya ♪
♪ Baby girl, don't drown ♪
♪ In the drip in the splash ♪
♪ Lately I been swervin',
call it whiplash ♪
♪ I been busy plottin'
on some get-back, so get back ♪
♪ Gimme some space,
I got pennies to make ♪
♪ I got dollars to flip,
I fell outta my ship... ♪
I thought you were supposed
to be working with Cookie.
She made me a floater.
Today, I'm a PA on Hakeem's set,
tomorrow, who knows?
Well, we all got to start somewhere.
♪ Superhuman swag... We don't
give it out to mortals ♪
♪ Hold da dog, I'm so riggidy
raw, pass me the biggidy ball ♪
♪ That's a score...
Are you really sure? ♪
♪ You want me to figgidy fall,
'cause I go Michael Myers ♪
♪ Psycho... Suicidal, to a rival ♪
♪ Lose ya title... who's ya idol? ♪
♪ Put my right to the Bible ♪
♪ I'm the truth, whoo ♪
♪ Steppin' out da coupe... ♪
I'm not feeling the dancing, still.
Mm. It's too much and it's too little.
♪ I remove you, like voodoo...
I'm a Rottweiler... ♪
- Cut. Cut.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
Y'all, we really got to work
on this choreography.
- It's just basic as hell.
- It's getting worse.
Look, I-I don't mean to overstep.
But I-I think you're right...
I think it is basic.
They should be giving you lines
and something...
...sexier.
Oh, really?
(CHUCKLES)
Take off your headphones.
Look, I...
- I really wasn't trying to...
- No, no, no. I mean,
can you, like, show them
whatever that smooth,
- whatever. All right, cool.
- Yeah. Y-Yeah. Absolutely.
- Yes.
- Um, dancers,
can y'all just talk to Maya
for a second?
- Hi. I'm Maya. Um...
- Show them the sexy!
- That was the important part.
- Show them the something.
♪ I remove you, like voodoo...
I'm a Rottweiler ♪
♪ Wit a popped collar,
you're a poodle, I pursue you ♪
♪ Then you lose, 'cause you food ♪
♪ Never cry wolf to a werewolf ♪
♪ Too cool, I go zoom-zoom ♪
♪ In dat brand-new Rari,
brand-new wrist ♪
♪ Call my stylist,
I'm about to have a fit ♪
- ♪ Way too icy, don't slip ♪
- ♪ Don't slip ♪
♪ Baby girl, don't drown
in the drip. ♪
So, obviously, the footage is rough.
- GISELLE: Mm-hmm.
- JAMAL: But seriously, y'all, I mean,
this is 'Keem back at his best.
- You know what I'm saying?
- COOKIE: Yeah, that is great,
considering Hakeem hasn't done a video
- in what... like, two years?
- Right.
- But he didn't miss a beat.
- COOKIE: No.
But you want to know what he
has not done even longer?
Boy ain't been on tour.
- Well, touring is expensive.
- JAMAL: It can be, but why can't we take
some of the Panama money? We
put that towards a tour...
COOKIE: Ah, ah! Boy. Can't nobody know
where we got our cash infusion from.
- Shut your head.
- My point is
we need a tour,
so why not put together
a Hakeem and Jamal Lyon
Resurrection Tour?
Right.
It gets people's minds back
on what's most important.
And what's most important
at Empire? Music.
- COOKIE: That's right.
- GISELLE: What you're talking about
- is Lyon music.
- LUCIOUS: No. No.
We're talking about the music
that built Empire.
- That's right.
- LUCIOUS: My music built it.
It makes my sense that my sons
should resurrect it with theirs.
Empire is no longer your
personal playground, Lucious.
A decision this large
requires my support.
Well, well, I'm sorry,
you forget that I built
this so-called "playground."
I know where the swing set is,
the slide, and the sandbox.
You've got 20%, and that gives you
a conversation at this
table, but not the last word.
- (CHUCKLES)
- We go with this immediately.
COOKIE: Yes, I agree.
(EXHALES SHARPLY) Okay.
We'll see about that.
Did that just happen?
We moving on it or not?
You damn right we're doing it.
We're just gonna wait
until we put a pin
into that corporate problem
right there.
No, no, no, no, no.
Let me deal with Miss Giselle.
- JAMAL: Oh, Mom.
- No. no.
We are professionals, remember?
COOKIE: Yeah, I'm very professional.
Nothing happened
at the Platinum Party, okay?
And you're making a conspiracy
out of a coincidence.
Do you think all that I have is
some kind of hip-hop hoedown
to connect you to Damon and Lucious?
Besides me being their lawyer. Hello!
- Oh, my God...
- Which means any communications
with either one of them
falls under the protection
of attorney-client privilege.
Privilege is pierced when the attorney
is engaged in an ongoing crime,
Counselor.
- And you have no evidence of that!
- Sit down.
Sit down.
(CLEARS THROAT)
You know that feeling you get,
that little tingle when you know
that somebody's watching you?
Well, you should be vibrating
like your lady's rabbit,
'cause the Feds have been
watching your every move.
So if I were you, Thirsty,
I'd get comfortable.
'Cause you're not going anywhere.
The only thing that is gonna
save you, Thirsty, is the truth.
Okay.
Okay.
Maybe there's more to this.
Please.
Enlighten me.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Well, you guys...
you guys have been starting
at the Platinum Party.
But this story really begins
in another place at another time.
It's, um...
the story of a-of a guy
and a girl. Vera.
It's a love story.
I'm here to drop off
- a plea bargain for ADA Smith.
- Mm-hmm.
Put it on the pile.
A man's life hangs
in the balance, sweetie.
I'd really like to hand it
to him personally.
It's a bad day for a plea bargain.
DA's in his feelings over his ex.
THIRSTY: Oh.
What do you suggest?
Come back Thursday after 2:00.
Right after his happy ending massage.
(CHUCKLES) Okay.
- Okay.
- Thanks for the intel.
Mm-hmm.
Looks cute, huh?
Hey, you know what? I'll catch
up with you downstairs.
Um...
how about I, uh, b-buy you some lunch?
I'm not interested in lunch.
Oh.
But you can buy me dinner.
CONWAY: What does
Vera... who, by the way,
sounds like
a make-believe girlfriend...
have to do with Damon and Lucious?
Look, you want me
to tell you the truth,
then you got to be patient.
All right? I'm getting there.
GISELLE: It's unbelievable.
- Yeah. Today would be great.
- (KNOCKING)
Let me call you back.
- Hey.
- Hi, Cookie.
Look, um, I know we're
equal partners and everything,
but, uh, Lucious' face
is still on that logo.
And I'm not saying it's right,
but he's gonna be strongheaded,
and that's just the way it is.
That's the way it is.
That sounds like an excuse,
not an explanation.
What does your 20% think?
Is it handcuffed to his?
(CLICKS TONGUE) Okay.
Hakeem is in no way
ready to headline yet.
The road can be really rough on you.
- So we agree. The tour's off.
- I didn't say that.
I said my baby's not ready
to headline.
Look, what do you think about Empire
launching a national tour featuring...
all of our artists... Empire and LFM?
The risk is too high.
Come on, man. Go hard or go home.
See, Cookie, you can say that
because you have a family
and a husband to back you up.
Empire is all I have.
It's everything we got. Everything!
I called Kelly Patel.
- Oh, really?
- Mm-hmm.
So, you went running to tell teacher
because you knew
you wouldn't get your way.
The parent company
has a 40% stake in Empire.
Kelly has a right
to know what's going on.
He'll be here later today.
Oh, really?
So did you snitch about Panama, too?
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Of course not.
He doesn't need to know
all our business.
(SHORT CHUCKLE)
We need this tour.
So were you ever gonna
tell me about this tour?
Yeah, I know.
Between this and Hakeem's video
and this whole Treasure/Tiana thing,
it's like the universe don't
even want me to miss Kai, so...
Who is Kai?
Stop talking about him. God.
I'm not hearing any music. Why's that?
I-I tried, man.
Uh-uh.
- Y'all, what's good?
- TIANA: Jamal,
- I really tried, but I can't do this.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
- She is completely unprofessional.
- Unprofessional?
- Girl, what is you talking...?
- Not getting any work done.
- (INDISTINCT BICKERING)
- Oh, my God. Really?
It's been like this all day?
- All day.
- BECKY: For real?
Isn't your baby crying somewhere?
Talk about my baby one more time.
Talk about my baby,
and you gonna have to
get you a security guard.
Why don't she got
the baby monitor in here?
- Where is the baby?
- ...a mother, I will drag you.
Girl, keep talking.
I'm unprofessional?
- Oh, word?
- Yeah.
- We cannot work together.
- You just got here.
You doing a lot of this.
You need to do this.
- I hear your baby crying. Go
check on your baby. - Okay.
- Jamal, please come take out the trash.
- Really? Jamal.
- (SIGHS)
- And don't talk about my baby no more.
- Jamal, I can't do this.
- You talk a lot for...
(VOLUME LOWERS)
Thank you.
I don't know. I mean,
after a couple of dates,
we hit it off.
Uh, Vera quit her job
at the DA's office.
Before I knew it,
she was working for me.
And it was magical.
I mean, she was beautiful.
You're giving me cramps.
Please, get to the point.
Vera w-was fascinated by celebrities.
All right, she was obsessed
with this Platinum Party,
so I had to finagle
a couple of invites for us.
That night,
that's when I ran into Mr. Lyon.
I've seen enough. Let's go home.
- Oh, after-party, huh?
- Yeah. (GIGGLES)
Thirst, Thirst, Thirst, Thirst.
- What's up, man?
- Hey. -Hi.
- One second, Mama.
- Hey.
What's up, boss?
You ready to take the Empire or what?
It's more like the opposite right now.
What's up? What you need?
How much I owe you right now?
Oh, we ain't gonna talk about that.
It's a party atmosphere.
Come on, I know where you live.
I don't like owing people.
And until things get right...
I should take a leave of absence
for a little while.
- Just till things get right.
- Say no more, mon ami. I get it.
You call me when you need me.
Enough said.
I'm sorry, man.
It's okay. Nothing to
be sorry about, man.
- When it's right...
- It's right.
- Sorry.
- Nice jacket, though.
I'm rubbing off on you.
Baby, are you okay?
Yes. Everything's good.
It's all good. Come on, let's go home.
No, no, no, no. We should stay.
Let's not forget why we're here.
I quit my job to help you
build your practice.
Yes.
And, babe, I believe in
you, but we have no money
- coming in.
- We have no money coming in.
- No.
- This is true.
Then let's work the crowd
and do what we do.
- Okay.
- Find the money.
- I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry.
- No, it's okay.
- All right.
- (LAUGHS)
- I'm gonna get some drinks, okay?
- Yeah, okay.
Okay.
Hey, how you doing?
Can I get a couple of tequila shots?
There you go.
There's a lot of beautiful women
here tonight, huh?
Ah. I hadn't noticed.
Thirsty Rawlings, right?
I'm sorry, do we know each other?
No. I'm Damon Cross.
But, you know, I'm looking
for a personal attorney.
Somebody who can be discreet,
you know what I'm saying, resourceful.
And-and I heard you do good work
with the Lyons.
- Ah. You know the Lyons, huh?
- Not really.
I ran into Cookie a few weeks ago.
I really love how she handles
her business,
and I assume that
that extends
down to the family attorney.
It does.
Maybe I can squeeze you
in sometime next week?
Really?
That sounds... Oh, man, thank you.
- Salud.
- Salud.
- Mm.
- Yeah, I'll be in touch.
♪
Let me get two more.
Thanks.
- Thirsty.
- Ah.
You see that? When one door closes,
- another one opens.
- No.
There are no coincidences.
Lucious lets you go,
and then all of a sudden
Damon Cross wants to hire you?
Wh-What do you know about Damon Cross?
They whisper about him
in the DA's office,
but they can never pin anything on him
because he's too good
at whatever he does.
Sounds like he gonna
keep me busy. (LAUGHS)
I'm serious, Thirsty. He's dangerous.
Look, babe, we just started, okay?
- I don't want to lose you.
- Hey, hey.
How do... how do you go to losing me?
You're not gonna lose me.
All right, look,
if I can handle Lucious Lyon,
I can handle Damon Cross.
Ah.
- Should I close this?
- Please.
- How are you?
- Good.
Please, sit.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Your CT scan results...
are troubling.
And yours looks to be
particularly tricky.
Now, that doesn't mean
that we're giving up.
We've had some success
with a variety...
(VOICE DISTORTS,
CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
...some success at a variety...
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(NORMAL VOICE): Andre?
Andre?
It is so nice to finally meet you.
- You have 15 minutes.
- (CHUCKLES)
Oh, honey, it'll only take five.
Your Instagram Live posts
are deeply moving,
and your ability to resonate
with people is a gift.
- Thank you.
- My mother follows you.
My hairdresser? Obsessed with you.
A major television network
president told me she's a fan.
Sign with me, you'll be
in her office on Monday.
Okay, look, I'm flattered, all right?
But, um, I'm busy
rebuilding my empire.
You could be your own brand
with my help.
Brand? What, like a toothpaste?
(LAUGHS) Hey, honey, try Oprah.
Or Beyoncé.
(LAUGHS) Child, look, I'm busy.
- Thanks for your time.
- What if I told you you could fill in
on The View for Whoopi
when she goes on vacation?
I'd say you're blowing smoke
up my ass.
That network president I mentioned?
She already approved it.
Cookie Lyon,
I'm gonna change your life.
Tee, I swear I'm-a need
blood pressure medicine
by the time I'm done
working with y'all.
It's not my fault.
She keeps stepping all over my vocals.
There would not be a problem
if you would just sing
your part correctly.
I'm singing my part correctly.
You're being extra.
- Hey, hey.
- TREASURE: Really?
What is this beef really about?
I'll tell you what it's about.
You stole my song last time,
and now she wants to turn around
and steal my duet.
No, that's not what happened.
Jeff Kingsley played me the track,
and I thought it was fire.
And then he told me
it was Tiana's,
and if I really wanted it,
I had to fight for it.
So what am I supposed to do?
I'm the new girl.
Eddie used to play
all these same games.
Always comparing me to somebody else.
"Christina's vocals
are bigger than yours."
"Beyoncé's moves
are better than yours."
I couldn't even make it
out of the hospital
before he told me,
"Lose the baby weight."
JAMAL: Mm.
Damn near made me hate myself.
And y'all don't even recognize
the connection here?
I mean, really, you don't see
about just how you're playing
right into the hands of these men?
I love you, Mal, but...
what makes you
any different right now?
TREASURE: For real. You are
just another industry man
telling two women what to do.
- The same old thing.
- Okay, you know what?
I-I'm gonna... I'm gonna receive that.
So let's say that it's
gonna be different from now on.
We got two strong,
black, female artists.
These men are here
pitting y'all against each other
to distract you
from what your actual power is.
Y'all together.
Take all of that power, man,
and put it into the music.
I mean, look,
I don't-I don't want to be a...
an industry man
telling y'all what to do.
- (LAUGHS)
- But can we try it again?
Unified.
- Hmm?
- Okay, okay.
All right.
Thank you, trinket.
Oh, my... Can y'all stop with that?
(LAUGHING)
- You like that one, don't you?
- TREASURE: Hey. Geez.
You're a professional.
All right.
Thank you.
All right, after the party,
did you ever talk
to Damon Cross again?
Nah. It was just a one-off.
He never called.
What about Victor Horst?
(CLEARS THROAT)
Look, I told you
everything I know, all right?
Now you're showing me pictures
of dudes at Mar-a-Iago.
I can't help you with that.
All right, now,
they're expecting me
back at Empire... I need
- to get back to work.
- Victor... Horst.
DAMON: Where we at, Victor?
I converted the diamonds to euros
and funneled the cash
through a charity.
- Yeah, the Orphans of Rwanda Fund?
- Yeah.
Nobody questions dying orphans.
Well, we, uh,
promised them ten percent.
I called the orphanage.
They didn't receive their cut.
Why the hell would you talk to them?
THIRSTY: It's called doing my job...
- assclown.
- You don't work
for Lucious Lyon anymore.
You're supposed to just draw up
the transfer documents.
DAMON: So, tell me, Victor,
how much money actually went
to the orphans?
Here's the beauty of it:
I strong-armed
the orphanage director
to kick us back
the entire ten million.
- (LAUGHS)
- THIRSTY: Eh...
I did a little research.
There's only nine million
in the offshore account.
I think you made a mistake.
Nah, I think you made
the mistake when you...
pocketed...
that ten... percent!
(GRUNTS) I hate liars!
You send two million dollars
to that orphanage.
- Two million.
- Okay.
And he is right about one thing:
I ain't no Lucious Lyon.
I'm a lot more dangerous.
Clean him up.
Get him up. Roll this up.
Get him out of here.
LUCIOUS: What we need
is something bold and new
to bring the fans back to Empire.
That's what I'm talking about.
What makes you think people will
even buy tickets to this tour?
We can't even get fans
to download music.
Exactly. Empire is
in a very delicate situation.
- A tour could be crippling.
- KELLY: From what I'm hearing,
there's no clear vision on how to fund
- this tour.
- LUCIOUS: No vision?
I mean, you're responsible
for us being
- in this position, Kelly.
- KELLY: Excuse me?
COOKIE: Yeah, excuse you.
You hired the computer geek
to run our company.
GISELLE:
So now you're gonna blame Kelly
for Kingsley's vendetta
against his daddy?
COOKIE: What do you know about
running a company, Giselle, huh?
- Eddie made all of the decisions.
- Eddie made
all the decisions?
First of all, that's not true.
- Whatever. Shut up.
- ANDRE: Stop, everybody stop,
stop! Will you stop?!
Everybody stop!
What the hell is wrong with you?!
Every minute spent fighting
is another Empire's not making money!
How the hell can we expect
to rebuild our customers' trust?
You can't even trust each other.
♪ You don't wanna miss a thing ♪
♪ It's about to go down ♪
♪ Baby, don't you know
what you've found ♪
♪ Get over here, stop messing around ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go ♪
♪ Go dow-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-own ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go, go ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ See, I've got so many options ♪
♪ You got priority
but not if there's a problem ♪
♪ And if you waste my time,
proceed with caution ♪
♪ 'Cause I can quit that in a second ♪
♪ So when you pull up
with no headlights ♪
♪ Better make the deadline,
otherwise you're out the game ♪
♪ Otherwise you're out the game ♪
♪ You know there's a good time ♪
♪ Waiting for you inside ♪
♪ You don't wanna miss a thing ♪
♪ It's about to go down... ♪
What do y'all think?
I think that is
what Empire's all about.
I think that is a number-one single.
Yeah, now try and find somebody
to buy the damn thing.
Look, all we got to do is give
the fans something undeniable.
They'll come back.
♪
Give them something.
Yes.
I got to stop Patel before he leaves.
♪
(SCOFFS)
♪ It's about to go down ♪
♪ Baby, don't you know
what you've found ♪
♪ Get over here, stop messing around ♪
♪ 'Cause it's about to go,
go dow-ah-ah-ah-ah ♪
- ♪ Ah-ah-own. ♪
- ♪ 'Cause it's about to go, go. ♪
Thirsty, we know
that you met Victor Horst
in Damon Cross's hangar.
Look, I don't know a Victor Horst.
Really? So then how do you explain
a dozen calls from your cell to his?
We have phone records.
We have correspondence.
We have checks from your account
to his company in Geneva.
You know what? You're gonna
end up just like Victor Horst
if you keep hanging out
with Damon Cross.
So why don't you cooperate
so that we can protect you?
THIRSTY: Look, I've been with
the Lyons for a long time.
Okay? They're like family to me.
If Lucious wants to play poker,
I make a call, that's it.
Mm-mm. That don't explain
where he came up with the buy-in.
Maybe Lucious isn't as broke
as what people think.
So...
his money real?
Get me in the game tonight.
I want to meet him.
For what?
Hey. Get me in the game.
- Look, all I'm saying is it's not
a good... - Nah. You made a call.
You make another call.
Get me in the game.
Tonight.
It's okay. All right.
Get him in the game.
He wants to get in the game...
CONWAY: What is the connection
between Damon Cross
- and Lucious... - There is no
connection between Damon Cross
- and Lucious Lyon.
- You're lying.
CONWAY: So you're telling
me it's just a coincidence
that Damon has this painting?
- GISELLE: This is great.
- WOMAN: Okay. -Hey.
I was just on my way out,
and something was bugging me.
Do-do you got a minute?
Yeah. Sure.
I owe you an apology.
What for?
Making Kingsley CEO over you.
If I had made the right choice
in the first place,
Empire wouldn't be in this mess.
Well, I appreciate you
telling me this in person.
Generally, I don't-I don't
like coming to New York.
But seeing you
kind of makes it all worth it.
Well, it's really good
to see you, too...
- Kelly.
- LUCIOUS: Oh, my God.
- Thank God I caught you.
- Lucious, I don't want
- to relitigate any of this.
- Listen,
under Kingsley's leadership,
Empire betrayed the trust of its fans.
COOKIE: Yeah, so...
we owe our Empire family a debt.
Let's repay it.
Okay.
- Okay, tell me how.
- LUCIOUS: We want to make
the concert tour completely free.
KELLY: (SCOFFS) So your answer
to "Empire can't afford a tour"
is to make the tour free?
- Yes.
- KELLY: That's heartfelt,
but also reckless
and likely to bankrupt you.
My 40% says no.
Hell no.
- Giselle?
- Look, I know it's crazy, but...
this is exactly
the kind of grand mea culpa
that just might work.
Hear me out.
The free publicity
will offset the costs.
The tour will drive up
the record sales.
I can't believe I'm saying this,
but I think I'm gonna side
with Lucious and Cookie on this one.
- Yes! Smart woman.
- Amen. Thank you. - (KELLY SCOFFS)
All right. Majority rules.
But... corporate
is not contributing a dime.
No. We got all of this, man.
KELLY: You better.
Because Empire will either end up
bigger and stronger than ever
or flat broke
and on the auction block.
I'm going for bigger than ever.
- Good luck. Cookie.
- Mm-hmm.
- Thanks for nothin'.
- LUCIOUS: Look at you!
- 20%. Thank you. (LAUGHS)
- Hey, shut up.
- GISELLE: I mean, here we go.
- Yeah.
Why would Damon Cross want a painting
of two people he didn't even know?
It's not what you think.
Oh. Geez.
You knew the game was gonna
get hit and you set me up?
Who you-who you
talking about... Horst?
Come on, man.
That don't make no sense.
- What?
- I tried to tell you not to play.
Tried to do what? You didn't
try to tell me nothing, man.
Okay, I had nothing to do
with that robbery.
- Come on.
- I don't care at all, man.
I'm out $250K,
and I want it right now.
Okay, okay... (STAMMERS) Okay, look.
Okay, now, I can make it right.
I can make it right, okay?
- You can make it right?
- Can I walk?
Let me show you. Okay, look.
All right.
Just give me a second.
This is an or-original
Derrick Adams, okay?
It's worth at least half a million,
twice what you lost, okay?
I can sell it
in a couple days
and get you your money.
Nah, you ain't selling it.
I can-I can get you the money
in a couple of days.
I kind of like it.
Oh, okay. Okay, it's yours.
It's yours.
Okay.
You got me, all right?
I've been lying.
I've been telling you
that this is a story
about a guy and a girl,
but really this is a story
about a guy trying to be
something that he's not.
Okay.
(SIGHS)
Vera... she, um...
she liked the idea
of her man being a tough guy.
But I'm not a tough guy.
And I've never been on the inside
with Lucious or Damon Cross.
I was just trying to keep up
appearances to keep my girl.
What does that have to do with
Damon Cross having the painting?
Lucious' dumb ass... he-he thought
he'd sucker Damon Cross into
a high-stakes poker game, but
Damon turned the tables on him,
cleaned him out,
took him for everything that night.
Lucious had to pay him
with the painting.
He got scared, and he made me
deliver it to him.
So you're just a...
mailman in a shiny suit?
(THIRSTY CHUCKLES)
I was just trying to keep my girl.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
All right, everyone, listen up.
We've gathered
our Empire family together
to make a very special announcement.
A dozen of Empire
and LFM artists are going
to embark on a nationwide tour.
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- COOKIE: Yes.
It will be called The Trust Tour.
And to regain the trust of our fans,
all concert tickets
will be absolutely free.
- (LOUD, OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
- I-I'm sure you're thinking,
if the tickets are free,
how do you get paid, right?
Well, Empire's gonna
guarantee your pay.
Everyone's gonna receive
their normal salaries
and normal fees per contract.
But to kick this thing off
the right way,
what we're gonna do is start this off
in the very same city
where Empire was born
20 years ago...
the City of Brotherly Love,
Philadelphia.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
What the hell happened to Andre?
He should be here.
Uh, yeah, he's somewhere
in his feelings.
You. I'm gonna need you to get ready,
because I want you
to choreograph the whole thing.
- Are you kidding?
- I'm not kidding.
You got it. It's not a problem.
(LAUGHS)
Thank you so much.
So you guys know y'all gonna
need a tour manager, right?
Yeah, do you know of one?
Yeah. You're looking at her.
Girl, get your ass out of here.
LUCIOUS: You good?
- Yeah.
- That was beautiful, man, that love.
Hey. You out here
planning tours for free?
- Come here.
- For free, though?
- Trust me on this one.
- LUCIOUS: All right,
listen, everybody. I know this is
gonna be one of the biggest
and baddest tours
that Empire's ever set out on.
So I'm gonna need y'all
- to bring your A game.
- COOKIE: That's right.
- To the Empire!
- ALL: To the Empire!
- (WHOOPING, CHEERING)
- Let's get to work.
Hey. Hey.
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
(KNOCKING)
TERI: Guess what I got.
Oh, just a little somethin' somethin'.
(TERI LAUGHS)
This is my grandmother's...
...secret recipe.
I need your John Hancock.
Mm, for what?
Trust.
(TERI LAUGHS SOFTLY)
I want Quincy to have the future
the system stole from him.
And I want to give you the world.
What's going on here?
The nose...
the nosebleeds, the...
the doctor? This... The...
Wh... What... what is this?
I have cancer, Teri.
Advanced lymphoma, stage IV.
It's just... it's...
It's a matter of time.
I'm dying.
(GASPS)
(CLICKS TONGUE)
(SIGHS)
How long... how long did they say...
you... you have?
Sign the papers, please, Teri.
No, how long?
A few months.
Oh.
At best.
Thank you.
AGENT: The things a guy'll
do to impress a girl, huh?
His story pans out, but
that doesn't make it the truth.
AGENT: Think we'll ever see him again?
Probably. In a body bag.
Get me everything we have
on the Lyon clan.
I just have to find the precise crack
and exert just the right amount
of pressure.
Before you know it,
Chicken and Waffles
will be behind bars.
What?
You okay, baby?
Yeah.
DAMON: She's fine.
We was just worried about you.
Okay.
You were right.
The Feds have been on you for a while.
Okay. What'd they know?
Whole lot of nothing.
- Even less after I finished talking.
- Good.
Now you can go.
- Help me out.
- Go straight home, okay?
- I'm right behind you.
- Okay.
Hey. Hey, hey, where you going?
Listen, I did what you asked, okay?
So now we're straight. I'm out.
Nah, you ain't out till I say you out.
I need you to keep an even
closer eye on Lucious for me.
A closer eye on Lucious...
or Cookie, my man?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
You know, six months ago,
when we were stuck in that house
without any AC,
with no prospects, with...
without two nickels to rub together.
Now look at us, man.
We're back on the throne.
I mean, this was worth fighting for.
Yeah, it's still the biggest risk
we've ever had to take, Lucious.
Why are you being
so negative right now?
I'm not negative.
I-I believe in us, okay?
I'm just worried. I'm-I'm scared.
For Empire. I'm scared about us.
You know any time we've rolled
the dice on this family,
we've always come up with seven.
What happened with that meeting
with that agent from L.A.?
- Told her I'd think about it.
- You what?
Baby, you're supposed to be
focused on this right now.
Look, Lucious, like most women,
I know how to multitask, okay?
I am working on building
my brand, which is only
gonna help Empire.
I thought you would know that, genius.
Your brand?
Yeah. My brand. That's what I said.
No, it's just funny that they're
trying to make you a star
when you were already born
a celestial event.
Come on.
Celestial event.
My brand. See it now?
(LUCIOUS LAUGHS)
Hey.
Andre.
I cannot sign this, and I won't.
It's for the both of you, Teri.
It's for your future.
Andre, if I sign these papers,
that's me admitting
that there will be no future,
that you'll be gone.
That's what's gonna happen, Teri.
You did not come into Quincy's life...
into my life... by accident.
My son is back at home
where he belongs
because of you.
This... this is not
how the story ends.
You don't understand.
I understand perfectly.
- No, you don't.
- Yes, I do.
I'm gonna help you fight, Andre.
You...
You did the impossible...
for me.
And so I'm gonna do
the impossible for you.
How?
How?
TERI: It's okay.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.