(elevator bell dings)
DIANE: Welcome to Lockhart, Agos & Lee.
As you probably know, we are an all-service law firm
with a rich tradition.
The firm was formed 12 years ago
by Jonas Stern and myself,
Diane Lockhart.
Last year, the firm reconstituted itself
with Cary Agos and David Lee as name partners.
We occupy two floors in the Dryden Building--
the executive suite on the 28th floor
and the 27th floor, where support staff
and most associates work.
As a new associate, you will be given a card key
for your assigned floor,
and you will be provided an employee handbook.
Due to severe overcrowding,
not all of you will receive an office.
Some of you may have to work from cubicles for the moment.
Lastly,
Lockhart, Agos & Lee is a true meritocracy.
One of our name partners came from where you sit now
in a mere six years.
It can be done, and we expect no less of you.
So give yourself a hand.
(applause)
(ding)
Well, look at you, big-time lawyer.
Well, look at you, coming back home.
Yep. Not much has changed.
Did we make a mistake?
I don't know. We'll see.
CARY: Hey, Alicia.
God. This is really weird.
I know, but not bad weird, is it?
Not yet. Well,
first things first, there's no room on the 28th.
I know. There might be soon.
But you will have the biggest office on the 27th.
Hey, it's where I started out.
It's where we started out.
And I'm on the 27th, too. So we can pass notes.
Aw, that's nice. (phone chimes)
Eh, something from the partners.
I have to get back upstairs,
but drop by and we'll catch a bite.
It's great to have you back. Thanks.
Oh, Lucca, I have to introduce you at some point to Monica.
Oh, we've already met.
CARY: Oh-oh, right, yeah. On the other, um,
Chumhum case. Well, you'll love her.
Shall we drink that now?
(chuckles)
Oh.
Yeah,
I'd hire you.
HOWELL: Alicia, I think I need to hire you.
Do you remember me? I'm Howell.
(click)
Uh, yes, hello.
Um, this is Lucca Quinn.
Howell is the firm's technology director.
I-I don't think I know your last name.
Just Howell.
Anyway, I have something
seriously incredible to show you.
So, last night my girlfriend Amy and I go
to the closing night of Deviceroy.
Device what? Deviceroy.
It's the consumer electronics show.
Like the big CES one in Vegas
but without the hookers or Cirque du Soleil. So,
monster after-party, 15,000 people.
End of the night, Amy finds something on the floor
under a table. So she gives it to me.
I wake up this morning. Ooh.
I realize what it is. ALICIA: What what is?
HOWELL: The Foil. The new Chumhum tablet. Their big
contribution to the gadget market. Comes out in two months.
I don't understand. Someone just left it there?
Yeah. So I tweeted a picture of it.
Next thing I know, two different tech blogs are calling me
so they can be the first to review it.
Gadgy's offering me 100 grand.
$100,000?
Scoops like this are like the Pentagon Papers to these sites.
They want an answer in an hour. So I need to know
if I can sell it and if you'll negotiate it for me.
I, uh... Yeah. Sure.
$100,000? Lucca, uh,
let's just take a minute on this, okay?
Just give us a minute.
This could be sticky.
One Selfie. Mango, carrot, ginger, kale, mint,
apple, bee pollen. Thank you.
That's going to be disgusting, just so you know.
What is a Selfie? It's a make-your-own.
You're supposed to take a picture with it
and post it online.
I know, right?
Um, and what is an "Arlen-ergy"?
It's pronounced "Arlenergy."
Like "energy" but with an "Arlene" in front of it.
(chuckles) It's named after our owner.
Juices are the new vanity plates.
Well, what do you recommend?
The juice bar down the street.
It's half the price. Mmm. (chuckles)
Or a NutMegan.
I'll take the "Arlene-ergy."
'Cause I'm a sucker for advertising.
Is that why you bought that shirt, advertising?
You don't like my shirt? Actually, I do.
But very few girls would say that.
Hey.
Um...
do you get a lunch break?
It's not Europe, so I only get an hour.
(whirring)
So good to have you back.
Thank you.
Home is where they take you in, right?
Happily take you in.
Um, and you know Lucca. Yes.
Early this morning. I have to introduce you to Monica.
I think you'll like each other.
We were across the table from each other,
on the Chummy Maps case.
Oh. Right.
So, uh, you haven't even sat down yet and you have something?
Yes. Howell.
Our I.T. guy.
Right. Uh, Cary briefed me.
How is this tablet not considered stolen property?
It was abandoned. It's more accurately defined
as lost property.
Uh, by law, Howell has
to give the owner a chance to recover.
He has to at least attempt
constructive notice. Not by law.
Lucca, can you give us a minute?
(door shuts)
We can't be a part of this. She's right
on the law. And how it's enforced.
We can't risk a lawsuit from Chumhum over a casual favor
to an employee. (knocking)
LUCCA: Just to confirm, this call is being recorded
for quality and training purposes? MAN: Yes, it is, ma'am.
How may I help you? DIANE: What is this?
Chumhum Customer Service. How may I help you?
Hi. Uh, I have in my possession
a prototype of the new Foil tablet.
I'm sorry... Excuse me? The Foil tablet.
I have it. That's not possible, ma'am.
It is, because I have it. The Foil will be released
in time for back-to-school sales.
Would you like me to give you the Web address?
No. Uh, could I speak to a supervisor?
I am a supervisor.
Ah. So you have authority to answer my questions?
That's correct. Then could you advise me on the best way to return
the tablet to the company? It's not the Foil, ma'am.
The Foil will be released in time for back-to-school sales.
So I can keep it?
Whatever you have, you can keep.
Shall I direct you to the Web site?
Constructive notice given
and rejected. Howell is now firmly in
the "finders keepers" territory, and we can help him sell it.
Why don't you give us a minute.
So this is bureaucracy.
(door shuts)
The Israeli Army? Really?
Yeah. But it's not like I shot anyone.
One time I did this great thing along the Egyptian border.
They have these five-women sharpshooter teams
camouflaged in the desert.
You stay all night in a pod
about the size of these two tables.
Five women, all night,
and all you can do is whisper.
It's really terrifying but really cool.
Did you see any terrorists?
No. Bedouin nomads, mostly.
Now I'm here in this stupid juice bar 3,000 miles away.
It's 11:00 p.m. in Israel
and my friends are slipping into their desert pods right now
and I'm... here talking to you.
Weird.
Yeah.
Were your parents afraid of you being over there?
Of getting stabbed, no.
Of turning Orthodox, yes. (chuckles)
Actually, just my mom was. She's the worrywart.
My dad was too busy to notice I was gone.
Mmm. Why?
What does he do?
You know Governor Peter Florrick?
Sure. He's his chief of staff.
(coughs) Or...
was. Then wasn't.
Now is again, I think. (chuckles)
Hmm.
I know.
He also ran Peter's campaign for president.
So he must have every
rich person in Illinois knocking down his door. Eh.
He's a dork.
Although I was Alicia Florrick's
body woman for her campaign for state's attorney,
which he also ran. And Alicia Florrick?
What was it like working for her?
You are a curious one, aren't you?
No. I just... I don't meet too many, you know, like,
Malcolm Gladwell connector types.
So, tell me about you. What do you do?
I'm a student. Nothing exciting.
Nothing like dealing with a lot of campaign money.
Yeah, I know. What do you study?
Computers. Programming.
Really? Tell me more. (chuckles)
Dad.
I'm busy, Marissa.
A young man asked me to lunch today. Congratulations.
Let me know when I have to spring for a wedding.
His name was Scott Devereaux,
and he had a lot of questions about you.
I don't know him. Questions like
who you have dinner with, who gives money to the campaign,
how often you talk with Alicia.
What is this again?
A young man took me to lunch but had much more interest
in you than in me.
He said he was a student. What's he look like?
Oddly enough, I convinced him to take a selfie.
I trained you well.
Oh, my God. He's an FBI agent.
What's his name? Scott Devereaux.
No, no, no.
Hlavin.
Roland Hlavin. What did he ask?
Did he mention a judge? Schakowsky?
No. Why?
What did he ask?
...Malcolm Gladwell connector types.
So, tell me about you. What do you do?
I'm a student. You recorded it.
Nothing exciting. I did.
Nothing like dealing with a lot of campaign money.
Yeah, I know... What?
It's just... Now I get why people have children.
They can admire themselves in someone else.
Hi.
Ma'am.
How do you like my office?
It's got a view.
What do you think?
Look at my chair.
(clang)
I like it. It fits you.
Off-center?
Tilted.
(chuckles)
How do you keep your beard that length?
I mean, at a certain point, you're either clean-shaven
or you're Abraham Lincoln, right? No.
It stays like this. Since birth.
(click)
We kissed.
I know.
So what do we do now?
I don't know. I'm not big on planning.
Do you think it will be weird for us--
working in a corporate setting?
Well,
I'm freelance.
You are.
You're freelance.
Okay. You know, they probably
want me to work.
So good seeing you, workmate.
You too.
(computer dings)
Oh, come on.
Seriously, you're dropping it?
It makes us nervous. Howell's an employee.
He needs your help.
Yes, but we are in a weird place with Chumhum.
We don't really want to poke the bear.
Wow, things have really changed around here.
What's that?
You're back home.
It's always exciting here.
Hello, my name's Perry Dunst.
I'm with the TAPS unit. What unit?
We have a warrant for the arrest of Drummond Howell.
On what charges? Trafficking in stolen property.
That's him right there,
gray sweater. Go ahead and cuff him. DIANE: What is TAPS?
DUNST: Mr. Howell, please get on your knees,
put your hands behind your head.
What the hell's going on? Howell,
don't say anything. We're Mr. Howell's lawyers. May I see
that warrant?
Ma'am, please stay back.
Howell, stay calm.
We will take care of this.
Who are those guys?
*
(indistinct conversations, phones ringing)
Three years?
I didn't sell anyone this prototype. Did you
speak to anyone besides us about the possibility
of selling? Just Amy,
my girlfriend. You got to keep her out of this.
We will. Just remember, whatever these agents ask,
we do the talking.
I thought you weren't representing me. We weren't.
Now it's the firm.
Hello.
DIANE: Mr. Gross.
Ah, it's the law firm that's
the perpetual stone in my shoe.
So, uh, you seem to have something of mine.
CARY: Sir, I think we should handle this through lawyers. I've spoken to Agent Dunst,
he's agreed to drop the charges-- lucky you-- if you
return my prototype, and if you give me
the name of the person who gave it to you.
Why do you need the name?
Mrs. Florrick.
I'm sorry about your husband's loss.
Thank you. Why do you need the name?
Chumhum's suffered an unprecedented
security breach. I need to know
exactly what went wrong so I can make sure
it never happens again.
ALICIA: Howell won't give up his girlfriend.
Even if it means going to jail for three years?
Yes.
Why are they allowing Neil Gross
into an interrogation room? ALICIA: I don't know.
And why is he the one making the offer?
Have you ever heard of TAPS before?
Never.
So what's going on here?
Hello, Don.
What the hell are you doing here, Eli?
I just need a minute.
You wearing a wire?
No. Are you?
Why would I be?
Is that a yes or a no?
It's a no, Eli. I wasn't expecting to see you
in my chambers.
I come bearing bad news.
Of course you do.
I think the FBI is investigating
our... business last year.
They're certainly investigating something.
They were here? Roland Hlavin.
That little smartass. What was he asking?
He was asking about Alicia Florrick.
Alicia?
TAPS--
Technology Allied Protection Service.
What is that? It is a multi- agency task force
that works with Silicon Valley's biggest companies
to clamp down on technology theft.
The iPolice?
Yeah. There is such a thing?
Oh, yeah. And you want to know something interesting?
More interesting than the iPolice?
Lead agent over there, Dunst. He's based
in San Francisco. The prototype was
reported missing at 2:30 a.m. and yet here he is,
in Chicago, bright and early.
LUCCA: How'd he get here so fast?
Neil Gross' private plane. (phone dings)
That is interesting.
Diane needs you back at the office.
Why?
I don't know. Go, I've got this.
All rise
for the Honorable Judge Hal Ferris.
Angry faces.
Looks like fun.
Fire away.
Your Honor,
my client was arrested on the flimsiest of pretenses.
Wait a minute.
There's a trail
of ants here, Harris.
Have you been eating sandwiches on my bench again?
No, Your Honor.
Can we do something about this?
I'll get right on it. Good.
Okay, uh, I'll stand for this one.
I'm a little grossed out.
And I can't wait to hear more, counselor.
Yes, Your Honor.
We request that the U.S. Attorney show...
Your Honor?
Yes, I can listen to you
and watch ants
at the same time.
We request that the AUSA
show probable cause or release him.
Well, let's get to it, then.
Mr. Gross contacted us at 2:35 a.m.
We then interviewed Blake Reedy,
the engineer who was carrying the prototype.
Mr. Reedy stated that the device had been stolen
from his backpack at the Deviceroy after-party.
We took it from there.
There were over 15,000 people at the party.
How did you locate Mr. Howell?
We worked the guest list,
cross-referenced it with known offenders.
We identified
Mr. Howell, then tracked down his tweet
with his pictures of the Foil.
Thanks, this is perfect. The Foil is the stolen tablet, Your Honor.
Uh-huh.
The known offenders list-- why was Mr. Howell on it?
Well, he's something of a low-level hacker.
Low-level? I'm not low-level.
Fanboy stuff, mostly. Unveiling new
game specs before they're released.
But he's also been suspected of hacking
law enforcement databases. Objection,
no foundation. Withdrawn.
No more questions.
Okay, next. Um, Agent Dunst,
you're technically with the FBI
but also serve on TAPS--
the Technology Allied Protection Service task force,
is that correct? It is, although
I would not call myself technically with the FBI.
Does the FBI have a steering committee, sir?
A... Steering committee.
No.
Does the Secret Service or the Chicago PD?
Not that I know of. How about TAPS?
Does they have a steering committee?
Yes, they do.
And, um, who serves on this committee?
Law enforcement. Experts in their fields.
And...
I'm not sure what you want me to say.
CEOs of Silicon Valley's 14 biggest companies--
don't they serve on the steering committee too?
DUNST: That's right.
Including Neil Gross?
Objection. Relevance. I am just
trying to identify
who Agent Dunst reports to.
Your Honor, the TAPS steering committee
coordinates the protection of the country's technology,
which is a national security issue.
And you know how much I love my national security secure.
Uh, I'm guessing that the answer to Mrs. Florrick's
question is, "Yes,
I do report to Neil Gross."
That is correct. Well, then I've heard the answer.
Overruled.
Did TAPS receive a grant from Chumhum?
Objection.
Did your unit receive
a grant from Chumhum, agent?
Yes, Your Honor.
So now I've heard that answer too.
Overruled. Agent Dunst,
isn't it true that last year alone,
four agents from TAPS
left for senior jobs at Chumhum's security department?
Objection. These questions are irrelevant.
Were there grounds to arrest the defendant?
That's the only question that matters here.
This is a massive
conflict of interest, Your Honor.
TAPS is effectively acting
as Mr. Gross' personal security force.
TAPS is a legitimate law enforcement organization.
Issues of conflict of interest
are more appropriate for trial, counselor.
So for the moment the is only question is:
is there enough evidence to hold your client?
Oh, good, uh, Lucca, we need you on the Dipple filing.
Oh, I'm in the midst of the Howell defense.
I thought that was Alicia. It is.
But it's-it's me too.
Actually, we would rather have you on the Dipple filing,
if that's all right. You can work with Monica.
You'll love working with her. She's fantastic.
Monica...
do you remember Lucca?
Yes. From the Safe Filter suit.
Well, now you're on the same side.
Yes, now we are.
Can you show Lucca what we're doing?
Sure can.
So... I'm supposed to really like you.
Yes, let's share about our common experiences.
Blake Reedy,
design engineer on the Foil development team.
I designed the home button...
with Mr. Gross' input,
of course. And you brought the prototype
with you to the Deviceroy conference?
Yeah. I'd work on it during breaks.
And how can you be sure
you didn't lose it during one of those breaks?
My backpack has a power plug. When I'm not working
on the device, it's always plugged in there, charging.
And did you take the tablet out during the after-party?
No, it was in my bag the whole time.
But I remember that guy
bumping into me by the martini bar.
Mr. Howell, the defendant? Yeah.
And when I got back to my hotel room 20 minutes later,
I saw the Foil was gone. Thank you.
Uh, so you never took the device out of your backpack?
I was like a Secret Service guy carrying the football.
(chuckles softly)
Um, this is from the comments section
of the tech blog Gadgy.
Uh, a woman named CandyCane posted
about a "geek-hot engineer" who showed her
the Foil prototype at the Deviceroy party.
Was there another geek-hot engineer with the prototype? Objection.
Sustained. Harris, where are we with the bug spray?
Working on it, Your Honor.
Did you not show this woman the Foil
to impress her?
I-I didn't let her touch it or anything.
But isn't it possible that
you got distracted
and just left it? Objection.
Asked and answered.
Sure. Sustained.
Could you read this text
which is from your... coworker?
How did you... how did you get this?
From your coworker. Objection, your Honor. What is this document?
Uh, well, from what the counselor just told us
it seems to be a text message.
And from all appearances, your witness
recognizes it. So what is the objection?
Foundation. Sure. That's an objection.
Overruled.
ALICIA: Could you read the text message?
Um, "My bad.
"Gotta tell NG.
NG will kill me."
NG being Neil Gross?
Yeah. Didn't you fabricate
the whole theft story because you were afraid
NG might kill you?
No.
Then what does that text refer to?
It being stolen. So why is it "your bad" if it was stolen?
I don't know. Because I was being inexact in my language?
Okay.
When TAPS questioned you, did Mr. Gross
instruct them what to ask you?
GADES: Objection. We've been over this.
Yup. Yeah, you lost this one earlier,
Mrs. Florrick. Sustained.
Nothing further.
I'm losing, aren't I?
We have to shift gears.
The Hard Core has protein, almonds,
turbinado and one hell of an ice cream headache.
ELI: Marissa!
Dad. I need you now! Um...
I'll be right back.
What the hell? Did the Fed ask you any questions about Alicia?
No. I mentioned her, and he asked what she was like,
but I didn't say anything.
He called again and asked me out. Who, Hlavin?
Yeah. Just a few hours ago.
I was thinking "no," but maybe I should say "yes."
Is he after Alicia?
I don't know. Do you want me to find out?
You'll be careful?
Always.
Eli. So the 27th floor again.
Everything comes full circle, doesn't it?
Yes.
First the tragedy, and then the farce.
You need something?
We're good, yes?
We're good.
I think Feds are investigating you.
And your chair is tilted.
They're investigating me for what?
I don't know. I'm trying to find out.
It could be the Judge Schakowsky bribe.
I had nothing to do with that.
Or the electoral board vote. I need you
to call me if Roland Hlavin comes by.
Him? Mm-hmm.
He approached Marissa.
Oh, God. It never ends.
Neil Gross is a fascist.
And fascists must not be allowed to terrorize.
Mr. Dudewitz, hello. Hello,
lawyer, other lawyer.
I'm not a lawyer. Do I care?
I am here, as requested, to stand up to the bully.
I'll be in touch. Yup.
Here's the Howell file, Alicia.
Where are you going?
Me? Upstairs, on another case.
What other case? There's no other case. I'm here.
This is the case.
LUCCA: Diane has me on Dipple.
Stay. I'll talk to Diane.
Great. Now what do you want?
We want what you know about the Foil.
It's a marketing stunt.
LUCCA: What part of it, Mr. Dudewitz?
All of it. The lost device, the arrest of that guy there.
The... The... Aren't you supposed to be
sitting up there?
Yes, but it's opposite day.
See? No gavel, either.
LUCCA: Uh, please continue, Mr. Dudewitz.
What's your name again?
Lucca. I love that name.
How'd you get that name? GADES: Objection, Your Honor.
Relevance. I know, but yet, I'm... I'm curious, too.
Uh, you may answer.
My parents traveled a lot.
I was this close to being called "Budapest."
Budapest. That's funny. What was the question again?
You were saying, um, this is a marketing stunt.
Yes. The lost Foil, this proceeding.
It's a piece of theatre. No, it's a piece of tragic-comedy
conjured up by Neil Gross,
the great carnival barker of our time.
Objection. Relevance. LUCCA: Your Honor, if this is
indeed a marketing stunt, then there is no crime,
which would mean no probable cause.
I'll hear it out. Overruled. LUCCA: What specifically
makes you think this is a marketing stunt?
We talked about the same thing with our first product launch.
Mr. Gross-- and I use "mister" guardedly--
he's about to launch his first foray
into personal computing devices
where products die bloody, violent deaths.
He's invested $800 million.
Why would he let a prototype off his premises?
So Chumhum's security lapse was intended?
Objection. Speculation.
Let me hear a bit more, then I'll rule.
DUDEWITZ: Chumhum's security
is legendary.
That compound is more fortified than a missile silo in Kansas.
So why leak the prototype? The Foil's a great product. Kudos, Neil.
At least you have the smarts to hire people smarter than you,
which actually isn't that difficult.
Anthony...
It's the umpteenth tablet in the market.
It has a closed operating system.
Nobody's building apps for it.
Bottom line: nobody cares.
LUCCA: So the arrest of Mr. Howell boosts
its profile by generating publicity?
It does. Neil Gross is a jackass,
but he's no dummy.
Thank you, Mr. Dudewitz.
Anytime. For you.
Now I have to deal with mediocrity, yes? This lady.
Just a few questions, Mr. Dudewitz.
Sure. I can't wait. How do you beat the retina scan
at Chumhum's labs? I have no idea.
That's because there is no retina scan at Chumhum.
Ah, you got me. I'm red-faced.
You have no idea of the security measures at Chumhum, do you?
I don't. I'm as innocent as a suckling babe. You and Mr. Gross
started out together at Freemont Labs, correct? Yes, that's where
Neil tried to write code... with his own feces.
And you still subscribe to
the Research Labs' philosophy
that technology should be shared
and not sold for profit, correct?
You told her to go down that road, Neil?
Mr. Dudewitz... Did you also tell her about
how you created the code for Chumhum
after our visit to the Freemont Research Labs?
Perhaps we can get that in the record. FERRIS: Mr. Dudewitz,
you are to answer the attorney's questions.
Do not address anyone else in the court.
Withdrawn, Your Honor.
No further questions. Excuse me?
GADES: We're done here. No more questions.
What just happened?
I think we just landed a sucker punch.
(chatter, phones ringing)
Hello?
Who have you been talking to, Eli Gold?
Ruth.
I thought you'd been sucked up
into all those snow belt governors' races.
I've kept busy. So, to what do I owe this honor?
Oh, not so much an honor as a bad feeling.
Where'd you get that painting?
Courtney Paige.
It makes me nervous. All those people staring,
like they want something.
I think it's about revolution.
Are you sure? They seem to be singing.
And those trees. ELI: Well, you know. Art.
Are you out to get me, Eli?
Am I... out to get you?
No. Why? Should I be?
You seem to have waited until I was good and gone
to get a little revenge.
What are you babbling about?
Grand jury subpoena... from the FBI.
Well, I'm sure it's just a standard
post-campaign wind-down.
You know, checking we dotted our Is and
crossed our Ts. I've done that drill more than once,
and it does not include an FBI interrogation.
Well, my advice is, don't make too much of it.
Eli, if you're setting me up here,
I will take your skinny little head...
I am not setting you up.
And I give you my word: if I get even an inkling
that you are in jeopardy, I will let you know.
We may be mercenaries, but...
even mercenaries have a code.
(hits envelope) When this thing's over...
It's over.
I promise.
(phone ringing)
You do realize your timing chronically sucks.
I need you to do something for me.
Now? The store is packed.
Well, tell them to buy
juice at 7-11 like normal people!
I need you to call your friend Roland
or Scott, or whatever his name is.
What? Why?
I need you to set up another date.
(sighs)
Hey, where's Lucca?
I don't know.
Wasn't she here helping you?
I think they needed her on another case.
Here she is.
Oh, Lu... What?
MAN: No, right there... Excuse me.
What's going on?
We have a warrant authorizing the search of these premises
for the missing Foil prototype.
Ah, wait. Hold on. We're Mr. Howell's attorneys.
Anything you find here is work product,
and, therefore, privileged.
This also happens to be Howell's place of work,
so, yes, we're authorized.
Mr. Howell's cubicle is downstairs. Your search will be
confined to his work space and will be supervised by one of us.
No ma'am. As IT specialist,
he has access to every
cubicle and office on the premises,
so we'll search where we like. Excuse me.
(indistinct, overlapping chatter)
They won't find anything. How can you be sure?
Because I have it.
DIANE: You were told multiple times the firm would have nothing
to do with this device. I didn't take it to help broker a sale.
It all happened in the moment.
When they arrested him,
Howell panicked and stashed it in my cubicle.
They're losing the probable cause hearing.
This is their pushback. We should give them their device.
We can't do that. It's bound up in attorney-client privilege.
(sighs)
We should talk.
Alicia, do you have a minute?
So, we have to find a working rhythm here again.
I know. The Howell case got a bit out of hand.
No, it's bigger than that.
Okay.
When Cary suggested
that you come back, I wasn't against it,
but I was afraid that there might be a few bumps.
Which bumps might those be?
A certain independence
and a resistance to oversight.
Okay.
Tell me how you would like me to improve.
Lucca isn't your associate.
She is the firm's associate.
I understand.
She caught the Howell case with me, so I thought
the associate that caught the case stays with the case.
Sometimes.
If the partners agree.
I see. I'm sorry.
I should have checked with you first. Anything else?
Lucca needs to know that she is answerable to the firm,
and not just to you.
And that's why you have her on the Dipple case?
No. I have her on the Dipple case
because we needed an associate on the Dipple case.
Diane,
I'm thrilled to be back.
I want to be of service.
But I also return with
some cases, clients and knowledge.
You mean, in bond court?
Yes,
I do mean in bond court.
Lucca is good.
She's smart and forward-leaning
and a prodigy.
And with respect,
she shouldn't be given grunt work.
Your advice is welcome.
The partners will consider it.
Thank you.
Anything else?
No, you can go.
Hypothetical, Mr. Gross.
Suppose I knew where the Foil prototype was.
Melodramatic opening,
but I'm listening.
If I could convince my client to return it,
would you convince TAPS to drop the charges?
I would on the condition
that he also tell me exactly how he got it.
No. Then we have nothing to hypothetically negotiate.
Dudewitz is right about you.
You think you're so indispensable
to the fabric of modern society
that you've even bought your own a police force
to do your dirty work under color of law.
Goliath stomping David, right?
You know what these TAPS agents are, Mrs. Florrick?
They are heroes.
Really?
And why is that, Mr. Gross?
Because the Goliaths are the new Davids.
The model of scruffy kids toiling in a garage
is a quaint anachronism.
This isn't 1953, 1973 or even 2003.
The great innovations today
are coming out of corporate labs, not garages.
Everyone thinks Goliath is the villain,
but the truth is that today,
more often than not, he is a victim.
And he needs protection.
Objection. Relevance, not to mention self-aggrandizing.
Let's get back to probable cause, Ms. Gades.
Uh, Harris...
they're back.
I have another call in, Your Honor.
Well, they seem to be getting bigger.
Your Honor, may I continue?
Go for it. Was the leak of the Foil
a marketing stunt, as Anthony Dudewitz alleges?
Hmm. Anthony's currency is, um, conspiracy theories.
They make for fun segments on Discovery Channel,
but they don't comport with reality.
No. No, this was not a marketing stunt.
GADES: But this incident has garnered
publicity for the Foil, has it not?
I can generate publicity
in a million different ways.
I'm a carnival barker, remember?
No, I would never leak the Foil
for one simple reason:
I don't launch defective products.
What is he talking about? I don't know.
GADES: Are you saying the product is defective?
Yes, in its current state.
The... the swipe function has a rebound effect.
It's barely visible, but it's enough to keep me up at night.
And even Anthony Dudewitz can tell you,
I would never use a stunt to leak a product
that is not perfect.
Thank you, sir.
ALICIA: Mr. Gross... FERRIS: That's okay, Mrs. Florrick.
I've heard enough.
What? I'd like to cross.
Mr. Gross has convinced me
that this wasn't a marketing stunt.
Uh, there.
I saved you your cross.
Your Honor... This is a preliminary hearing, Mrs. Florrick,
not a trial.
You can revisit it then
if you can't come up with something better.
I'm entering a finding of probable cause.
We'll set trial for six months from now.
(low chatter, music playing in background)
You're wasting your time with Ruth Eastman.
Am I now?
I've worked with dozens of political operatives,
and Ruth is as upstanding as they come.
I'm surprised.
That Ruth's legit?
No. That you'd defend her
after she pushed you out of Governor Florrick's campaign.
Well, you know.
Bygones.
Hmm. From what I heard, that wound up putting you
on the outs with the entire Florrick family.
What do you want to know,
Agent Hlavin
or Devereaux? Hmm?
Instead of poking around with Ruth Eastman
and God knows who else, why don't you just ask me?
What do you want? You'll find out soon enough.
There's a limit to how long you can play this game
before investigation
turns into intimidation.
Are you threatening me?
No, never.
Just observing.
Be careful, Eli.
I have the full resources of the FBI
and the Justice Department behind me on this,
and we always get what we're after.
JASON: Hey.
I heard about the hearing. I'm sorry.
Yeah, looks like we're headed towards a summer trial.
Well, on the upside, Howell can at least make bail.
He doesn't have $250,000.
He will now.
That tech blog site, Gadgy,
just upped their bid to $250,000.
Alicia?
Please tell me you haven't been negotiating with Gadgy.
I'm sorry, I haven't what?
Gadgy just offered Howell $250,000,
which means someone has been talking to them,
and it sure as hell couldn't have been him.
And you think it was me?
Well, you've been hell-bent on proving Cary and Diane wrong.
You can't dig in on principle at a firm like this.
I know that coming here wasn't your first choice--
believe me, it wasn't mine--
but our hand was forced.
I think I found your guilty party.
Or more accurately,
419,000 guilty parties.
ALICIA: Wait a minute.
With all those followers,
I think there's another way to go.
ELI: It's Peter.
You sure?
They don't bring the full resources of the FBI
and the Justice Department against just anyone.
They're trying to bring down another governor.
Which issue specifically?
I don't know.
You know what it's like.
The longer you're in office, the more things there are
that are papered over, put away,
massaged.
Yes, but in my experience,
if you think back through all of the issues
and figure which one you never kept a file on,
never took a note about, never admitted to anyone...
that's the one.
You know...
you were right.
'Bout what? Returning home after losing
a presidential bid, Peter had a target on his back...
...and someone's going to take a shot at him.
Every time.
Good luck, Eli.
(door opens)
(door closes) (sighs)
All rise!
(plastic crinkling)
So Christo seems to have been at work here.
No.
Pete from Maintenance.
Ah.
So he didn't want to tent me, too?
No. He thinks this will do it.
Great.
Well.
It's a real improvement here.
So, we seem to have a new defense here
we're trying, counselor?
Well, not new.
But true.
Mr. Howell is a journalist.
Really?!
When did this happen? A citizen journalist.
Mr. Howell is therefore entitled to protect the identity
of the person from whom he obtained the Foil
and to do as he pleases with the device.
Mr. Howell is not a journalist.
He's a look-at-me with a smartphone.
His tweet about the Foil
falls within the definition of journalism.
He shared information in a public forum,
information he analyzed...
With five exclamation points?
That does not qualify as analysis.
And his post sparked public debate
about whether the Foil would succeed or fail.
This so-called debate includes an emoji of a flaming poop.
Well, it's not as though he tweeted a picture
of his johnson, Ms. Gades.
There's public interest in the Foil,
and his tweets added to the public discourse,
uh, flaming poops notwithstanding.
This court therefore considers the defendant...
a journalist.
Go free and go crazy, Mr. Howell.
(bangs gavel)
(laughing)
The journalism angle you came up with was a home run.
Nice job. Thank you.
Now I need you on something else.
What?
So here we are.
Yep.
Do you know any spirituals?
(laughs softly)
Ruth?
What a nice surprise.
I was in town, figured I'd bring you
a little office-warming present.
El Audaz.
It means "the bold."
That strong, huh?
You'll see.
Well, there is no time like the present.
Rough day?
It was a bumpy reentry.
Yes, I was surprised.
I thought you reveled in your independence.
Big decisions are easy when you have no other options.
(grunts, clears throat)
Oh, you weren't kidding.
(whoops)
Never about tequila. (laughs)
So, what are you up to now?
Couple governor races.
But coming off a presidential, these statewides seem so simple.
I bet.
Mrs. Florrick, I don't want you to get too comfortable.
You... What do you mean?
Your husband has a target on his back.
Well, anyone in public life does.
No, but not like this.
No question Peter loves you,
but he can hurt you.
Drag you down.
Not only destroy everything you've done,
but everything you want to do.
Cash out while you still can.
(clattering)
Captioning sponsored by CBS
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org