Industry (2020–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - The Fool - full transcript

Don't take this the wrong way,

but I feel like
you're the type of guy

who's, like,
never taken a moment

to, like,
think about who you are.

- I'm just wiping!
- Like your identity,

your existence,

- your fucking adequacy.
- Yeah, that sounds tiring.

Don't you think that, like,
people underestimate you?

Not when I'm printing biz.

When you're printing biz,

it doesn't matter
about your relationships,



or the firm, because you are...

Printing biz?

Oh!

Yeah, I'm not sure
Eric agrees with that.

Harper, Jesse fucking Bloom?

Today you touched the face
of God,

and for a moment became him.

- This really works.
- Yeah.

Like a bat up your night-dress.

Fuck!

Excuse me.

Simon. Theodore.

- Uh, mine, right? The afters.
- After what?

"After the party to
the hotel lobby?"



Come on. Let's go.

Forget your beer.
Forget your beer.

"When Graham
Gray is offered a pill

that rids him of his conscience,

he must ask
himself the question,

'How much of his humanity

is he willing to give
up to get ahead?'”

Belongs in an airport.

God, he must know
someone at Faber.

Only explanation.

Good luck to him.

Gus has been writing
his for over a... year?

It's, uh...

Andy McNab in Westminster.

Please re-enter the workforce.

I had a teacher
once who told me,

"Your life depends upon
your power to master words."

He made me feel ten feet tall.

I... I need to go to bed.

Oi, what have you
got to wake up for?

8:00 a.m. family
book club Facetime.

Good night.

Why are
you so scared of going to bed?

There's nothing more
terrifying than a cold pillow.

- Yeah.
- Is that your fiancé?

I gotta go.

Uh, dude, hang
around. Hang around.

Congrats on the sex.

So, you've got a big
family? Must be eventful.

Mm.

- It's just you?
- Uh, I have a brother.

Older. Ten minutes older.

So, he's the paragon of virtue?

Kinda.

What's his story?

I'm 75 percent sure
that he's in Berlin.

Uh, he likes to travel.

I, uh, need to get some sleep.

I'll see you in the office.

Don't worry about it.

Look at the mess you made.

I have half the Rican
board shitting into my inbox.

Love it.

They sent me a "check
the box to proxy vote" form.

Did you sign?

Why
would I sign away voting rights

twenty-four hours
after buying 42 percent

of this fucking thing?

Well done, by the
way. You in the office?

Oh, my son just got home.

I don't know where
he spends his nights.

Hey, you're
not connected to anyone

that went to Oxford, are you?

I get the sense that
Oxford is not unlike the mob.

You think you could hook me up

with a tutor, like, yesterday?

Kid's got a deadline looming.

We had a whole day
planned tomorrow,

and now I have to drag
him to fucking Wales.

I'll see what I can do.

All part of the service.

Riddle me this.

How many grouse can you
massacre with an AR-15?

Sub-question. Why do
banks still do this shit?

I'll see you on the shoot.

The shoot.

You wanted to see me?

My mentor Newman got me this

the first time I traded with Meriwether
at Long-Term Capital Management.

He made up some bunkum about...

how many pockets it's seen.
Real estate deals, divorces,

insolvencies, arrest
warrants, declarations of war.

When he handed it to me,

he said, "Choose
your own adventure."

I genuinely thought
letting Bloom in was smart.

- Saved the book.
- Bloom's a get. No question.

Hence, rite of
passage memorabilia.

But look, he isn't some
guy you just cover.

I could hear ten
red flags in the trade

a third-year's ear
simply isn't tuned to hear.

You panicked, he heard it.

And then...

- he ran you over.
- But Felim pulled...

Bloom knew we had a position.

Knew it was almost hung.

Waited until Rishi
was in max pain

before taking it.

But Felim pulled. We were DOA.

Felim was waiting
to squeeze Rishi,

who would have improved.

Felim wins, the desk
wins, and Rican wins.

They were counting on
Felim to anchor the deal.

Not only did you lose
control, but you replaced Felim,

a known entity friendly
to the board's agenda,

with Mr. Covid!

I was servicing a client
three times the size of Felim.

A skilled salesperson
protects the client and the firm

while letting both
think they're his priority.

Win-win.

We particularly know how
crucial Felim is to our desk.

And especially to you. I know...

To us.

Harper.

We'll smooth it all
out, on the shoot.

Bloom mentioned a "shoot."

Do you have his ear?

He called me again.

Good. Nurture that.

A trip to Richard
Burton country.

Wales, Harper. Wales.

For weeks, IBD has thought

Felim was gonna buy the
stake you sold to Bloom.

So, Pierpoint organized
a celebratory event

for the new Rican investors.
They know Felim loves to shoot.

Right, yeah.

Still trying to figure out
how that's a viable pastime.

This is a strange island.

IBD is losing their shit,

and holding our
desk's feet to the fire.

But we know everything will
be copacetic once Bloom...

sells his share to Felim.

You and I are not
Eric and Harper in this.

We're vassals of the firm.

Win-win.

- All good?
- Yes, fine.

Bit of a strange conversation
with Enzo Carbone.

I feel like he's no longer
the decision maker there.

Yeah. I got the
sense that was Rocco,

even from the one meeting.

I can't even get
him on the phone.

Thank you for doing this anyway.

I'm excited.

We like names like Tencent.
Tesla. Long term winners.

Buy and hold.

I'd also like to put some
impact investment on the table.

Of course, nominally, it
would be me covering you

in order to avoid any
conflict of interest.

But we'd both be
truly at your disposal.

That painting is...

I think...

ersatz.

Oh, I can assure you it's not.

This is very professional.

She's very
impressive, isn't she?

And in terms of moving
holdings over to us...

This has been a wonderful
end to my morning.

I saw some live
geese, then spinning,

then an unparalleled
hour at Fortnum's.

I'm trying to be more present.

Yasmin knows I'm unsophisticated
when it comes to these affairs.

I always thought
them rather grubby,

although they gild
everything, of course.

I can't really make
any decisions

without speaking
to our family office.

Little Maximus,
who my spies tell me

you've been seeing
rather a lot of, "Mina."

Well, unless there's
anything else?

A memorable time spent with
two very impressive young women.

Mm-hmm.

I've booked us your
favorite spot for lunch.

Your beloved Daphne's.

You do not live
in the real world.

What's the matter?

Did you not sit through
what I just sat through?

This is my job.

This is my career.

I know it's a fucking
alien concept to you.

It's not fucking
parents' evening.

Oh God, another alien concept!

Could you not have
given me 20 minutes

of professional respect?

Stay out of my life.

But I've booked
Diana and Dodi's table.

That's two-fifty total, please.

Oh, fuck. My purse.
I left it on the seat.

Is it just a coffee?
I can get it.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah.

Thank
you. That's really very kind.

I've just come to
expect better ATD.

Attention to detail
from Pierpoint.

Everyone who works for
this, is part of the Rican family,

so I feel a paternal instinct,
and a paternal disappointment.

I'll make sure the
deck's updated

before anyone else sees it.

You know, Bloom hasn't
even signed the proxy vote?

What sorta system have we
built where a stranger can waltz in,

and take forty-odd percent
of a company I built?

James, I know this shoot was
supposed to be a victory lap.

But now, we can be nimble.

Eric Tao, who heads
up Cross Product Sales,

has promised me
Bloom's selling the block

to Felim Bichan at Fenmarsh.
Who was all of our top pick.

I spoke to Felim overnight.

Him owning 42
percent I can live with.

He knows our vision.
We can trust him not to sell

until the timing's right.

We're circling

an eight-billion-dollar
valuation here.

As long as you take
care of this pitch book.

And keep page 27 away from
that crusader Anna Gearing.

Her and her friend

have been a constant
pain in my ass on this.

It's handled.

So, Harper put you up to this?

She a company man?

Think it's her life.

What does... what
does your Dad do?

He's the Ghanaian
Ambassador to Angola.

You're fucking
serious right now.

My dad was a Post Office clerk.

I imagine unlike your dad,

like, my dad did not
expect much of me.

Which college
has Leo applied to?

Uh, he's doing an
open application.

Okay. First error.

What's he going to read?

Uh. Books, I hope?

He needs to write his
personal statement,

that essay,

and it needs to be done
before we return to London.

You spent much time in Wales?

I hear they have a healthy
contempt for the English.

And who do you think
is hornier for cash,

Tony Blair or Prince Andrew?

Do you
consider yourself a Christian then?

I'm not
sure I would go that far yet, but...

you know, one of the things
you'd have to get onboard with

is that grief is actually a
concession to a higher power.

Actually studied
theology at Oxford, at Regents.

No way.

- Pronto.
- Rocco. Hi.

It's Yasmin, from Pierpoint.

Yasmin!
Great to hear your voice.

Sorry for the noise.
We're refueling.

Was just seeing
Antoine at Loro Piana.

Some juicy acquisition gossip?

My father staunchly refuses to
become part of the LVMH family.

Huh.

You said you were kind
of straddling two sides

of the business? What was it?

Um, private wealth and,
uh, FX hedge-fund sales.

Okay.

- Bye. Ciao.
- Ciao.

Jackie, are you free to talk
to a client about cryptos?

I don't have time to swot up.

Hedge funds or real money?

Private individual. Italian.

Oh, man, I don't cozy up
to Euro types for no margin.

I like to rip ‘em off, Yas.

The H on their belts
stands for "hoodwinked."

I spent a lot of
lockdown punting cryptos.

Cryptos reek of virginity

and building your own
bomb, but Ken's more fluent

than he cares to admit.

I'm happy to clue
them up. Phone, person.

It's a dinner, tonight.

Well, if you want me, I'm here.

Best self. Need to be
better at managing juniors.

Okay.

Okay. Thank you.

So, Venetia, actually...

Okay.

What the fuck are you
doing on a foreign exchange system?

Hello. Thank you.

WAITER
2: Oh, my God!

Coming.

- Yo.
- Hello.

- You have a minute?
- Yeah, I do. Come in.

They call it a "snug."

Ugly word for an ugly room.

Of course Pierpoint
put you in here.

I made them give your friend
Gus the Queen Elizabeth Suite,

just to fuck with them.

Do you know that Pierpoint
is intending to ambush you?

It's cute when young people
use these militaristic terms

to describe something
so run-of-the-mill.

At least now I can sell
to Felim for a premium.

Always game for making a
quick buck off a competitor,

- it's the part that thrills me.
- Mmm.

I guess showing face could
mean you have a vested interest.

Jacks up the
price of your stake.

It would
probably make life a lot easier

if I just sold to Felim, right?

Or maybe I want to watch
them scramble around me first?

Courtiers around a King.

From what I know about Felim,

he's a walking
fucking affectation.

But I know he's
the great pretender.

He was born in state
housing in Glasgow,

and he acts like Richard Rich.

Deep in the fun of '08, GS
marked down my collateral,

triggered major margin calls.

I needed NAV
waivers to buy time,

but my salesperson,
Amy, sweet kid,

overeducated, bit
neo-conny, but sweet,

made it very clear that
her voice was Goldman's.

So, my custom...
Well, how could I keep...

talking to Amy after
she broke our covenant?

She acted like she
could live without me.

Her life was contingent on me.

Do you think I
should sell to Felim?

Pierpoint want you to.

Sell-side playbook.

You realize that's your boss

trying to "seniorize"
that relationship

by telling you what to do?

I don't care what
your employer thinks,

I don't care what
your boss thinks.

The lie of the sell-side

is that your colleagues
aren't your competitors.

What do you think I should do?

I'm not sure I even know

what the pieces on
the board look like.

Well, then how do you
expect us to play the game?

I'm not sure Rican are
being totally transparent.

Fine.

I'll ask again after we murder
some sentient creatures.

Generally, when
I ask a question like that,

I expect an answer
that's more interesting

than the one you just gave.

You are your view.

They have Au Bon
Climat here. I swear by it.

Let's speak English.

Oh, sorry.

Um... for me,
some sparkling water.

- But you indulge.
- Great.

So, Kenny...

Uh, do you want to clue
Rocco up on the crypto space?

Rocco, Kenny is our guy on this.

I was skeptical about them
as a genuine asset class but...

Well...

Blockchain's like the future.

Right, Kenny?

What does your tattoo mean?

Um...

It... it's fairly trite.

Essentially means "Carpe Diem."

This might sound
a bit strange but...

you a friend of Billy's?

- Yes!
- I knew it.

I'm eight years. Are you...

Oh, just coming
up on four months...

- Congratulations.
- But one day at a time.

Thank you, man.

Yeah. It's "carpe
diem" to civilians, but...

if you know, you know, right?

"Civilians." I like
that.

Yeah.

So, listen, as
someone who made a killing

on DogeLite and Ethereum,

the best financial
advice I can give you is

throw a dart at the board.

Yeah.

Nobody knows anything!

So a friend of mine has
just purchased this "Bored Ape."

Should I be adding this
little chimp to my purse?

I'd stick with an
actual yacht club if I were you.

The concept of a buffet
is absolutely abhorrent to me.

I stopped eating
breakfast in my twenties.

I will
say that the tipping culture

at these corporate shoots
gets a little out of hand.

Strikes me as vulgar to carry
that much cash in your breeks.

Morning, Harper.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

What a fucking scruff...

Fieldcraft is so important,
Eric. You never...

Morning, everyone!

Morning. On behalf of Pierpoint,

I am delighted to
welcome Rican Healthcare,

and a number of
its key investors.

Without much
further ado, toast, tea.

Now, McKelvey!

Thank you, Lucinda,
and our newest investors.

Don't look at me.

I'm just hypothetical
in all this.

Well, brevity may or
may not be the soul of wit,

but I think it'd
be irresponsible

to give you all firearms

on the back of some
soporific corporate dirge.

So, the
tele-medicine revolution continues apace.

Virtual 24/7 doctors'
appointments,

remote prescription services,

and Rican Healthcare
remains at the hard edge.

Now, here in the UK,
we're proposing a substantial

public-private initiative,

whereby we partner with
the NHS to deliver Rican

to patients across the country.

Good to have you with us,
Madam Member of Parliament.

Increasing access,

reducing costs,
improving patient care,

pending regulatory approval.
But you know the spiel by now.

Let's not take time
away from the festivities.

James, if I may,
I'd like to ask,

how do you plan on
lowering the US price point

for consumers?

Our interest and stake
from a ESG perspective

was contingent on
broadening access,

so we could service
lower-income households.

We're looking to be as
inclusive as we possibly can.

I mean, uh, accessibility
was a founding tenet for us.

- "A doctor in your pocket."
- Harper Stern. Pierpoint.

An impromptu Q&A session.

So, can you confirm

that the plan is to
lower the US price point?

I was told
that would happen in six months,

then eight.

Base case keeps moving.

We're still working up
the analysis on the timings.

That's what it is,
but you well know

the only reason we exist

is to democratize healthcare,
locally and globally.

And there's still no visibility

on how you plan to fund
that lower price point?

I'm sure once
we've worked the analysis,

it will tell us.

Okay, let's go see
about them birds,

before they start to unionize.

Thanks for that dinner.

Your pal invited me to one
of those posh AA meetings

off the Old Brompton Road.

Incredible networking,
lucky I had my card.

Venetia, we call that kind
of intro by Yas, "value add."

- You should write that down.
- Glad to be of service.

Do you mind if I
get Ven to follow up?

Oh, shit. I already did.

Oh, fuck off! Don't
talk to me about Elon Musk.

Precious metals ETFs

are a popular way to
invest in these metals.

Either through physical
or futures-based exposure.

Super. Tschuss!

Celeste, hi. Um...

I...

I just really wanted to
apologize for yesterday.

My father can be...

- a bit of a child.
- No need to apologize.

Well, I thought, um,

I should be, you
know, proactive.

So...

I had an excellent dinner with
Rocco.

I introduced him to one
of our crypto guys in FX.

They really hit it off. So...

Yeah, I think it could be
super generative for us.

Generative, for whom?

Foreign Exchange
Hedge Fund Sales?

Well, you know, we're always
talking about "One Pierpoint,"

breaking down silos,
cross-pollinating clients.

Yes, well, that may be
in your graduate literature.

You just gave him a
person to speak to in this firm

that is not me.

I don't like to share my guys,

profit-share, mind-share,
whatever. My list is my list.

I'm so sorry.

That was not my
intention at all.

Oh, I'm sure it wasn't.

It's just not what I
had in mind for you.

- Jesse, Eric Tao.
- Yeah.

Oh, I'm surprised
we've never crossed.

Well, why's that a surprise?

Felim, good to see you.

- And you.
- Yeah.

You know, my memory always
seems to relegate you to average.

I remain shocked by your
in-person handsomeness.

Very good.

Well, the indices
are all up this month.

That's all you track, right?

You must be making
out like a bandit.

Or maybe missing out on
the Rican block at a discount

has prohibited your fund

from keeping in rude
health this month.

Let's not get caught
up in the low...

skullduggery of our
profession, shall we, Jesse?

I'm not ashamed
of our profession.

We're with the angels.

- No need to dress it up.
- Or dress up even?

Maybe a wee bit more
respect for our hosts?

Oh, I'm dressed up, buddy.

I won't let your cold-weather
breeding convince you otherwise.

Ooh!

Whereabouts was I bred?

You pass to my
eye, very aristocratic.

Imagine thinking
it was a good thing

for a man to live a
life and never change.

Would you mind,
uh, gathering round, please?

Sustainable.

Would you
gather round, please? Thank you.

Come on in, I don't bite.
That's extra.

I'm just trying to
see all the angles,

so I know how to pitch Bloom.

Sing him a fucking song.

Win-win.

Well, I hope you've
all enjoyed your bacon butties,

and soaked up, uh, whatever
you drank in the bar last night.

Uh, now, we've got a
300-bird day for you,

and we'll be taking
in three drives in total.

For those of you who
haven't shot before,

just come to see me,

and we'll get you
sorted, all right?

Oh, and by the way.
This morning you may see

a rare white pheasant.

Now, they enjoy
diplomatic immunity.

Do not shoot.

Five hundred pound fine.

All right?

GRUFFYDD Right, well, if
you're, uh, good to go, follow me.

What is it with you
and bullies, eh, Harper?

You just seem to go
from one to another.

Just because the
business is fickle,

it doesn't mean
that you have to be.

Leo Bloom
is, uh, an interesting name.

Didn't take your dad for
much of a reader.

Jesse thinks that Ulysses
is a yacht in a marina.

Yeah, I think he thinks
people think he's a philistine.

But... he is a big
Mel Brooks fan.

He... he seems invested
in your academic prospects.

He's, uh...
throwing money at it.

Your dad's not
paying me to swim with you.

When
you're ready, I'll be right here.

You'll do fine with a 20 bore.

It's, uh, got a nice small
grip and stock on there.

It's perfect for
someone like you.

- All right?
- Thanks.

I'll give you a set of these.

Oh, and, uh...

Pretty snazzy life, right.

Dogs!

Sorry, Jesse! Wiped
your eye with that one!

Nice shot!

One more drive until elevenses.

Oh, I could murder
a chocolate finger.

Focus on the head.

- One eye should always be...
- Anna!

You made that look easy.

Not just Peg Totty.

- I shot skeet in Beijing '08.
- Huh.

Unsurprisingly,
nobody bothers to ask.

Right.

- Thank you again for the coffee.
- Yeah. Of course.

If I'd known it was you,

I might have
stretched to a cookie.

Well, we are a
Social Impact Fund.

So, it's purportedly
harder to buy us.

- Not impossible, just thornier.
- Hmm.

I didn't know that
a price point cut

was on the cards
for a wider rollout.

Was. Was.

The Rican board don't realize
I can hear them patronizing me

through the corporate verbiage.

We own 18 percent equity.
I'm just a small voice to them.

I need to deliver a price cut,
or my investors will wonder

whether Rican actually
qualifies as a moral investment.

Hmm.

I saw you making a
beeline for McKelvey's car.

- I'm a hawk.
- Eagle-eyed.

Um...

No, it was actually
Felim I was after.

When he takes Bloom's stake,
I'm gonna chew his ear clean off

about lowering that price point.

- What's his position?
- I'd love to know.

Harper, um, this is Aurore,
a risen star in the Tory party.

Very safe seat.

I actually did six years
in DCM at Pierpoint.

-Oh. -Healthcare.

And now an interest
in government.

Aurore's just been nominated

for Health and Social
Care Select Committee.

Rican partnering with the
NHS is an exciting idea.

Is there a timeline on
regulatory approval?

I'm not across those
conversations yet.

Though I do agree,

it's a potentially
exciting idea,

if Rican can deliver
on their promise

to increase access and
reduce costs in the US.

Private healthcare...

it's a very
emotional subject here.

I imagine without a narrative
that speaks to universality,

it's a bit of a non-starter.

- Sloe gin or Bull Shot?
- She'll take a punt on the Bull.

- My pleasure. No problem.
- Thank you.

I'm not
really into blood sports,

but thankfully pheasant
is sustainable...

Jesse, try and imagine there's
a hoop on the end of the gun

rather than just a bead.

So, you can keep the tail
of the bird inside the hoop,

and that way you can track
the line more consistently.

Hmm.

Isn't it ungentlemanly

to comment on
someone's shooting?

- How many did you get?
- I shot straight.

You're not supposed
to ask, "how many."

How the fuck
is she supposed to know

all the arcane feudal laws
that govern this bullshit?

Is there a handbook they
give certain men at birth or...

Harper.

Why don't you blood yourself?

- What?
- Harp, you, you wipe the...

Just get a couple of
fingers in there and daub.

Anyone for a jam sandwich?

- That's it.
- Let's get our

fingers sticky.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

- Part of the club.
- Great pretender.

Mm-hmm.

Eric, you're about a million
years old in sales years.

You must have been on
too many of these to count.

Isn't it time you
hung up your gun?

Yeah. Maybe. Harper,
can I grab you quickly?

Yeah.

Sticky fingers,
and fishy fingers for all.

Tell your guy to
stop fucking around.

You're not controlling him.

Don't you think we might
be operating in the dark here?

I feel like the board
is deliberately hiding

something material.

Am I gonna have to
talk to Bloom myself?

There,
there! Look, white pheasant!

He won't listen to you.

- I'm not a fucking child.
- Respectfully, yes, you are.

Anyone for a jam sandwich?

Fuck!

Fuck! Fuck!

Missed.

Holy shit!

- Bloody fool, you hit him with the pellets.
- Let me see, let me see.

It's all
right. It's okay.

Is there a medic or first aid?

Oh, my God.
Is there a doctor or

is everyone here in finance?

Maybe, somebody
load up the Rican app?

Good evening, Harper.

No more commotion, please.

Superficial cuts from
a few stray pellets,

and the NHS still has you
waiting for four fucking hours.

But anyway.

Never give a gun to an American.

Fuck, can I get you something?

Aye, drink-wise I will have
something brown and deep.

- A strong water.
- You got it.

Even my nerves
feel a little frayed.

"Harper Stern."

"Face that launched
a thousand fuck-ups."

I'm the one you're supposed
to be pitying please, madam.

Not that Pierpoint think

that your face is
very memorable.

I noticed your picture,

was it in this
morning's, uh, deck.

Yeah, a variant of that.

Happens so often, I've
become desensitized to it.

Can't say the I-bankers
over at Pierpoint

have covered themselves
in much glory today,

especially with all the hoopla
surrounding the pitch book.

Is this page 27?

What was that about?

Did Eric not tell you?

Rican commissioned analysis

on how to fund the
tele-med expansion

to low-income
households in the US.

McKelvey said it
hadn't been done.

No, he, um, elided the
truth to the other investors.

The analysis showed,

the only way to, uh, lower
the consumer price point

was to cut the dividend.

Which, of course,
hurts the share price,

kills the value in
the short term, and...

frankly, makes
it far less likely

to make me want to buy in.

- So, they suppressed it?
- Mm-hmm.

To privilege you, over
investors like Anna?

You should all feel very lucky

I'm even at this
fucking shoot at all.

Understand?

I am really sorry, again,
about your afternoon.

Well, let's concentrate
on the bigger picture.

Because today, for some
reason, the universe has sent down

a wee fucking goblin, to
misuse a firearm in my face.

So when he now sells to
me, which he fucking will...

I'll look back on this...

as the afternoon
that I almost died.

But I still left with the
Devil's things in my pocket.

Slàinte Mhath.

Hi. Is Harper in?
I've been trying her.

Uh, she's away.

Do you wanna come in?

Okay.

I don't know.

I don't even really
know if it's right.

I know I want the fresh
start, new floor, new boss.

Thank you.

I just...

I look at someone like Harper...

and she's just innately
good at her job,

and people just
take her seriously,

and I think, you know,
why can't I have that?

Is she good?

Or does she just always have
her foot on the accelerator?

You know, covet something.

Get it.

Covet something
else. Maybe get that.

And then... die.

Needs must.

I mean, what does your
dad actually want from you?

To be perennially 12 years
old. It's kind of fucked up.

Yeah, well, give it to him then.

Doesn't have to be real
for him to think that it is.

Spoken like a true believer.

Did you get
through that tonight?

Not really.

Do you ever think...

if we'd have just fucked...

we would have saved
ourselves a lot of...

Disappointment?

I don't really think I would
have debased myself

in quite the same
way, if I thought that...

I would have let you fuck me?

Well, I hoped it would have
been a more mutual experience.

Nah, I mean...

if I thought that...

I was...

on your level.

You were very good at
making me feel like I wasn't.

And honestly, I would
have eaten broken glass

to have had my head
between your legs just once.

And eat my pussy?

Yeah.

That's what I would do.

Right. I'm going to bed.

Feel free to do whatever.

You're an intoxicant, Yas.

Needs must.

- Night.
- Night.

Hey, Papa.

I, um, I wanted to apologize.

I overreacted, and...

I shouldn't have
disrespected you like that.

It's...

it's no way for a daughter
to speak to her father.

Um...

I've just realized that...

I've really missed you.

And...

I just want you
to be proud of me.

Um...

So...

if you want to get dinner
or a drink and catch up,

and you're still in
London, let me know.

Um, I've missed you.

I love you.

Let me know.

Every single boy
in my year at Eton was...

told he should
inherit the earth.

Tell a lot of average people
they deserve everything and...

Yeah, maybe it was
the kind of people

you were hanging
out with, because...

I never really heard
anyone speak like that there.

It was about merit.

Is it actually
merit-based, though?

In this scenario, the
earth is basically Oxbridge.

Once you're there,
you're on a conveyor belt.

I can't take another
three years of it.

Not around those people.

I won't.

You sound like you were lonely.

Hey, I was a big buyer
of the conveyor belt.

You know, three...
three years at Oxford.

Six years in banking or law

- then maybe politics.
- So what happened?

Look, could you... could you
fulfill your part of this obligation,

and write the fucking thing?

I'm guessing your parents had

high expectations
for you too, yeah?

Yeah. Of course.

Then how the fuck
did you end up in here,

tutoring a little slut like me?

Okay.

I'm better than waiting
two and a half fucking hours

for you to finish a swim.

Was it only
two-and-a-half? It felt like 50.

- I was tripping.
- Brilliant!

Given who your dad is,

it's not a revolutionary
act to aim down.

In fact, it's pathetic
you don't aim up.

Oh!

Aurora Adekunle.

- Hi, Jesse Bloom.
- Nice to meet you.

Yeah. It's good
to put a face with the name.

- Yeah, after the, um...
- Yeah.

- Activities today.
- Yeah.

How are you finding it here?

Uh... little stuffy, fusty.

I'd love to talk
to you about fundraising.

Oh, yeah?

Well, "Lord Bloom"
does have a ring to it.

Ah, here comes the, uh, kid

who is forcing my son's
nose to the grindstone.

Yeah.

We were at the same
college, at Oxford.

Oh! Good to know my
Wikipedia's accurate.

I must admit I Googled you

when I was on the can.

It's cute to be known as
the "Tory with a conscience."

Uh, that's just a
nice way of saying

I was treacherous,
and lost the whip.

- Brexit was Brexit.
- Mm-hmm. Fog of war.

Luckily, people
have short memories.

Delicious and incestuous.
Like, uh, everything in England.

Excuse me, I'm keeping
someone waiting.

One of your ex-colleagues
was talking to me about you.

Lucinda.

She said that
you were brilliant,

but you got waylaid by
some corporate politics?

Pierpoint's a great
steppingstone.

I can vouch. But, um...

lifers can die while
they live in there,

if you follow.

Excuse me, if this
is incredibly forward,

but do you think I
could pick your brain

about a potential next step?

You can have the time it takes
to sink another Laphroaig.

Neither of us
have to pay, after all.

So, tell me.
What draws you to politics?

You out here alone?

Certainly feels that way.

I saw Felim earlier.

He's taking it all
surprisingly well.

Did you speak to Jesse?

We caught up with him briefly,
yes.

He had the magnanimity
to apologize.

And he has assured us
he has the magnanimity to sell.

So you spoke to my client
behind my back?

I'm gonna give you
the opportunity

to be honest with me.

Do you know how ridiculous
that sounds?

What do you want me
to say to that?

Maybe give me
the salient information?

Is that fucking crazy?

Because I am wandering around
in the dark.

I tell you what you need to know
to do your job.

How can we work together

if you can't be transparent
with me?

You don't work with me.
You work for me!

So you don't trust me?

Where is the evidence
that I should?

This has been

one of my longest days
in the business.

And the only reason you're here

is because Mr. Covid
put in a call.

I wouldn't have had you within
a thousand miles of this place.

- Who were you out here with?
- Good night.

Short term play
is to sell to Felim now.

Cheap opportunity,
tidy little profit.

Perhaps shooting our
counterparty in the face

now makes that
the least egregious option.

I found this on top of one
of my son's reading lists.

This Hobbes fucker, man.

This could've been
written yesterday.

The natural state of man.
"A war of all against all."

I mean, it was written
during the Civil War. So...

pretty dim view of humanity.

Then why does it feel so true?

McKelvey wants to sell Rican.

They would need
to cut the dividend

to fund consumer
price point cuts.

They've been
kicking the can around

to maintain the dividend,
increase buybacks and...

most likely sell quickly.

Reading between the lines, I...

think that it's
an acquisition target.

Again, strictly
reading between the lines...

I think they've already engaged
Pierpoint IBD to find buyers.

Okay. So what,
we sit on the block,

let it rip and take profit?

No. That's Felim's play.

It's why he wants
to buy from you.

It's why the board want him.

And it's why my boss
kept me in the dark.

But I have a better idea.

Without the low-income
expansion now,

Rican Healthcare will not get
regulatory approval in the UK.

How the fuck do you know that?

I don't. It's an educated guess

after speaking with a member
of Her Majesty's government.

So, what's the play?

Don't sell. To Felim or anyone.

Buy.

Take FutureDawn's shares.

I have no interest
in a controlling stake.

And I'm already long
over three billion.

I'm not even sure
I'm a bull on this space.

Hear me out.

You only need nine percent
to give you a controlling stake.

Anna will sell you
half of her equity

if you let her choose the board.

Cut the divvy. Fund expansion.

The price will drop
in the short term, but...

there is potential
for this company

to be a market leader
in a genuine growth area.

How many companies
can you say that about?

It's a gamble, but if I'm right,
it's one hell of a long.

You know, it was inevitable

that Eric tried to poach me
on this trip.

Is that what you'd call that?
Hobbesian?

Check me out!

Did you entertain that?

You got a pen?

I need to underline something.

This Hobbes
is worth remembering.

Looks like a gift.

A memento.

Memento mori.

Eric, where is the wee prick?

Let's just get this done,
shall we?

Yeah. Uh, one second.

Please leave a message.

Harpsichord, it's me.
Everyone's down here.

Uh...

we're nearly through this.

See you soon.

Rishi, I need you to
cross a block for me.

Pre-open. 16 million.

Harper, I'm hanging out my arse.

I've not even moisturized,
and pulled the top off it...

I need this to happen
pre-the open.

Bloom is gonna buy half
of FutureDawn's stake in Rican.

Why would he do that?
What's the angle?

Since when do you need context?
Execute the trade.

- Has Eric signed off on this?
- Sign off?

What fucking "sign off"?

You can't pre-arrange
a block sale.

I need the buyer and the seller.

I have that. I spoke to Harry
on Anna Gearing's desk

this morning at FutureDawn.
I have the order from Bloom.

He and Anna Gearing
have already agreed on a price.

She sells at 48,
he pays a quarter.

All right. Well, then get me
a fucking seller!

All trades go through
the execution desk, Rishi.

I have the order.
We don't say no to biz in hand.

One minute before European open.

Morning, James.
How are your eggs?

Getting cold.
Where is everybody?

It appears that, uh,
Jesse Bloom, of all people,

cares more about
the future of this company

than its custodians.

At market open, I'll have sold
half my equity to Jesse.

Giving him the controlling
interest of Rican.

Harry, Harper again.

I need an order
that instructs me to sell

sixteen million shares
of Rican Health at 48...

- Where's my seller?
- Harry confirms.

FutureDawn sells at 48.
Bloom buys at 48.25.

If we fuck Felim
twice on a block,

he will never trade
with us again.

I'm doing my job. Do yours.

We answer to the man who pays.

She has a man who pays.

Execute.

Execute.

Done, 48!

Done, 48.25!

Send the confirms.

You know, without results, Eric,

all we're really left with
is your character.

And what the fuck
is that even, really?

Nice knowing you for a time.

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.