(PLANE FLYING OVER)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(PA ANNOUNCER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
Okay. I assume you all know what's going on here.
Here is where the algorithm selects the trades.
Here are our executed orders. Here's an option we put on last night.
For 12.5 million options to sell Vista Airways
at 7.28 euros a share.
That's a heck of a chunk of the market.
A little risky, if you don't mind me saying so.
All airline stocks are fragile these days, Bill.
I'm perfectly easy with that position.
EZRA: Vista Airways had 12% passenger growth in the final quarter
and a revised profits forecast up 9%.
Plus, they just took delivery of a new fleet of aircraft.
So, I don't get that position. Makes no sense.
May I? Of course.
Proctor & Gamble, six million short at 62.
Exelon, three million short at 41.50. Jesus.
Is an asteroid about to hit or what?
We haven't lost your money yet, have we, Mr. Klein?
(PLANE ENGINE WHIRRING)
(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)
Am I missing something or are those positions way out of line?
You're not missing anything. VIXAL is...
Did Marieme get ahold of you?
She wanted a meeting of the risk committee.
LIN: Alex...
Give me a minute, Hugo. I'll be right back.
What have you got for me? Well, they're in your name.
How old are they? I don't remember...
Recently, they were emptied,
and a month later, the same amount plus interest was deposited back.
How much? Like, 12 million, give or take.
You must have authorised it.
Okay. Let me look into this.
You just don't tell anyone about this, okay?
MAN: Oh, my God! Look at this!
NEWSREADER: ...67 aircraft operated by the Swiss company, Vista Airways...
Vista Airways, did she just say Vista Airways?
MAN: Yes.
...on the outskirts of the city, shortly after take-off.
It's not yet known how many passengers
or crew members were onboard the flight,
or if, indeed, there are any survivors.
And the only pictures we can bring you at this moment
show plumes of smoke on the edges of
the Weltwald Freising woodland,
just to the north-west of Munich Airport.
Well, emergency services are currently at the scene...
MAN: No survivors. No way anyone's getting out of that.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that there was a possible explosion
moments after the aircraft took off.
Turn it off. BILL: Holy shit.
This just happened and Vista Airways stock is down 15% already. It's crashing.
EZRA: Wow. Your little black box is really cleaning up, Alex.
VIXAL-4 must be a fortune teller.
BILL: (MUFFLED) The fund stands to make
20, 30 million dollars from this one trade.
(BREATH TREMBLING)
(GRUNTING)
MARIE-CLAUDE: Dr. Hoffman? Mr. Quarry is asking for you.
Yeah. I'll be right out!
(ALARM BLARING)
NEWSREADER: ...67 aircraft operated by the Swiss company Vista Airways,
carrying up to 150 passengers.
Eyewitnesses say that the plane got into trouble
not long after taking off.
And further reports suggest
there's a possible explosion onboard the aircraft.
Well, these pictures, just in, show emergency services at the scene...
Hey.
ALEX: I just wanted to check in, make sure you're okay.
God, have you seen the news? Yeah. It's horrible.
Are you able to get away?
I can't.
We were half way through the presentation when the crash happened.
There's a couple of things I have to take care of here,
but I'll be there as soon as possible, okay?
How's your head?
What do you mean?
Your head, Alex. It was split open this morning.
Oh. (CHUCKLES) Right, yeah. It's fine. Normal.
I'll be there before it starts, I promise.
I love you. Love you, too.
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
HUGO: Let's keep this quick, please. Marieme, what's the damage?
To us, or to Vista Airways?
I think we'll be looking at an official investigation.
HUGO: Why? We didn't know that plane was gonna fucking crash.
MARIEME: VIXAL made a huge bet to the down side on Vista Airways
just before the crash
and the inevitable share price collapse.
An investigation is almost guaranteed.
They'll have detected unusual activity surrounding Vista Airways stock.
It'll lead them straight to us.
But we haven't done anything illegal.
Not unless we sabotaged the plane.
How the fuck would we have done that?
Sabotage is a conclusion people will come to, considering the recent trades.
Could VIXAL have somehow acquired news of the crash before the rest of the market?
VIXAL takes a direct digital news feed from Reuters which gives it, what,
an advantage of a second or two over a human trader,
but there are plenty of other algorithmic trading systems that do the same.
It would take us less than five minutes
to show even the most dumb-assed regulator
that we shorted that stock as part of a pattern of bets to the down side.
There's nothing special.
There's a spread. No coincidence. Get over it.
As a former "dumb-ass regulator,"
I agree with you. It's the pattern that matters,
which is why I tried to talk to you this morning.
I had a pretty shitty start to my day, Marieme, as you can see.
Have you been following our positions?
HUGO: No. I've been rather busy this morning.
MARIEME: I thought so. Well, we're up to 20,000 contracts.
HUGO: Twenty thousand?
MARIEME: Well, Hugo, we started accumulating VIX futures back in April,
when the index stood at 18.
If we had sold, we would have done very well,
and I assumed that's what would happen.
But rather than following the logical course and selling,
we're still buying.
Frankly, I'm seriously worried. Our book's all out of shape.
We're long gold, we're long the dollar.
We're short every equity futures index.
If we don't get on top of this situation, we'll have to notify the board,
and possibly, go even higher. (KEYBOARD CLANKING)
HUGO: So what are you suggesting we do, Marieme?
We have to get properly across what VIXAL's doing, with so many contracts.
We have to start liquidating these positions.
Meaning if the level of our exposure isn't dialled back,
I'll have to notify the investors.
Which means I'll have to talk to the board.
Alex, are you even listening?
Yes, of course I am.
Liquidating our positions at this stage would be a total overreaction, Marieme.
Jesus! We made nearly $80 million last week.
We just made another $40 million this morning.
And you want us to ignore VIXAL's analysis and go back to discretionary trading?
My algorithm is working.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
Come in.
Sorry to disturb.
Dr. Hoffman, you wanted a reminder about Mrs. Hoffman's exhibition.
Yes, yes. Of course.
If you want to get there before it starts.
Let's wrap this up, shall we? (SNIFFLES)
NEWSREADER: Message is said to have gone out at 9:30...
MARIEME: I need to talk to you. Hugo.
(SIGHS) What now? ...on an Islamic terrorist website,
with the Akhwat Alsyf group claiming responsibility.
It appears to have been published
while the Vista Airways flight was still boarding...
It's going to be very difficult for us to deny that VIXAL,
and by association, this company,
knew that this crash was going to happen today.
If that's the case, and we didn't...
HUGO: Let's just all try and stay calm,
and remember we have investors in the building.
We may have profited from that crash, but we didn't bring that plane down.
It's not our fault we happen to be richer for it.
MARIEME: It's immoral.
HUGO: Oh, you mustn't be so pious.
I'll be at the lunch, but I have to go see my wife.
Dr. Hoffman, my name is Olivier.
I have been assigned to you by Monsieur Genoud.
I think it's best we use this exit, sir. Okay.
One moment please.
Okay.
We can go.
MARIEME: Hugo, are you listening to me?
If he won't stay for something as important as a risk meeting,
when his own company is on high alert,
it's clear he's not in his right mind.
Everybody here has witnessed his extraordinary behaviour.
He can't be trusted. And frankly,
I believe we should take steps to remove him.
Don't take it personally, Hugo.
Oh, you're being serious.
(KNOCKING) Not now.
(KNOCKING CONTINUES)
Are you lost? What do you want?
There's something you need to see. Seriously.
VIXAL-4 has been buying a great deal of stock
in a pharmaceutical company that supplies vaccines for Ebola.
We didn't think much of it at first,
but with the crash and now these links to a terrorist group,
plus the amount of stock being purchased,
we're wondering if VIXAL is aware of an imminent outbreak
or, I don't know, something like that.
Hugo, we have to stop trading.
As Alex isn't here... I will always act in Alex's best interest.
And as he believes that VIXAL 4 is doing its job,
I will do no such thing.
Now, I have to take our investors out to lunch,
so, I suggest we reconvene at 3:30
when the U.S. markets open and review the situation then, all right?
I think it would be prudent for a lawyer to be present.
Oh, Marieme, threats don't become you.
And I'll have my comments from this meeting minuted.
Whatever you say. Bye.
Conard.
Dr. Hoffman.
It's not a good day for you, is it Maurice?
Excuse me, sir?
First our home security system, which you installed. Fails.
Now my work computer's been compromised.
What?
Someone has accessed sites from or directed sites to my server.
The worst, worst kind of shit.
What do you mean?
All kinds of stuff connected with the crash today.
Terrorist information, listed in my computer's history
as "domain unknown,"
IP addresses from the dark web.
I mean, after today's trades and the crash,
it looks like I had prior knowledge.
I shouldn't be able to access the dark web, Maurice.
I put software on your computer allowing you to access the dark web.
What? Why would you allow that into our systems?
Not of all the systems, just yours.
Why? Why just mine?
Maurice?
Is this a test, sir?
What the fuck are you talking about?
Someone is fucking with me!
Okay. I understand.
I'll look into this right away.
And don't let anyone in the office know. Not Hugo, no-one. Okay?
Understood.
(TYPING)
(LECLERC SPEAKING FRENCH)
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
(CONVERSING IN FRENCH)
Mmm.
I'll go in alone.
My colleague is just inside the gallery.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
I'm so proud of you.
I just want to make it through without crying.
Who cares if you do?
How sweet.
But I'm going to have to steal her away. She needs to schmooze with buyers.
Schmooze.
Yes. Apres vous, madame. See you later. Merci.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
HUGO: How's it going?
Jesus Christ. Hugo. I'll be at the goddamn lunch.
Just give me one hour.
All right, relax. It's just a quick courtesy call
to let you know that we're on our way to the restaurant.
I can't distract them for too long.
So, enjoy the art. Love to Gabby.
See you soon, all right?
Right. I gotta go. Right.
What's going on? Where's Alex?
He'll be joining us at the Beau Valias.
He is coming, right?
I mean no offence, Hugo, but it's his name above the door.
You're asking us to put our faith and money
into something he's selling us, and he's barely shown his face.
And he's extremely grateful for your patience.
Now, shall we?
Alex!
Bob? Last time I saw you, you turned down my job offer.
You still think I'm the devil come to steal your soul?
BOB: I'm not sure I'd put it like that,
but, yes, I still feel that high-end science and money don't mix.
I offered you an olive branch, Bob, you refused it.
Am I missing something?
BOB: Wouldn't it be hypocritical of me
to work on an algorithm I believed dangerous at CERN,
that was now being used to make money for the already very wealthy?
Anyway, it was a long time ago.
I actually just wanted to see how you were.
I'm touched.
Alex, you were my friend.
Which is the only reason we didn't press charges.
They put me away, Bob.
It might not have been jail,
but they locked the doors at night.
Well, it obviously helped you get better. Look at you now.
Why are you here, Bob?
You invited me.
(SCOFFS) The email.
I never sent you an email.
Here.
Erm...
"It's been a while. Hope you can make it."
That must have been my assistant.
Enjoy the champagne, Bob.
(TAPPING ON MICROPHONE)
(CLEARS THROAT)
Ladies and gentlemen, over here, to the stage. Yes.
After a somewhat long absence,
I should say too long,
please welcome on stage Gabrielle Hoffman.
(CLAPPING)
(CHEERING)
(MICROPHONE FEEDBACK)
Clearly using a mic is beyond me.
Erm... (CLEARS THROAT)
The new work you see here,
the conception of it, came from losing an unborn child.
The hospital insisted I have an MRI,
when they suspected something was wrong.
I'd never had one before, but going through that tunnel,
the screaming sound of the machine,
I knew it was over,
We lost the baby at five-and-a-half months.
It wasn't the first miscarriage,
but it was certainly the most devastating.
Afterwards, my husband took me to Oxford.
And we came across a 3D model of the structure of penicillin
made by Dorothy Hodgkin, in 1944.
She had built it up on sheets of Perspex.
It was so beautiful.
It seemed, to me, to be the perfect union between science and art.
Losing our baby made me think about how we remember things...
Make sense of them.
Of all the parts of us, the brain is what makes us so unique.
We know so much about the human body,
but the brain remains a mystery.
That's where the idea for this sculpture was born.
I'd spent years drawing the human body,
but what if I could go inside the brain,
and get deeper?
What if I could create a portrait of my brain?
Anyway, er... J'espere que ca vous plaira.
And please come and find me if you have any questions.
(CLAPPING) Thank you.
Any news?
Yeah. Making enquiries, yes.
No, you're not. You're here.
Who was the gentleman you were talking to just now?
That was an old work colleague. I haven't seen him in a while.
Ah, yeah. Because I sensed a little tension.
No. No tension.
And where did you work together?
ALEX: At CERN.
Of course, at CERN, yes, and...
Why did you leave from...
(EXCLAIMS) GABRIELLE: Was that all right?
Oh, my God, that was brilliant. It was so amazing.
Oh, God. I just need to sell something now.
You will, I'm sure of it. Yeah?
Congratulations, Madame Hoffman. Merc', c'est gentil.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
Wait, wait. I have to take this really quickly. I'll be right back, okay?
Okay. All right. Love you.
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
Genoud, what have you got?
I've been trying your other number.
I think it would be best to discuss this on a secure line.
Other number? What are you talking about?
I'm going to join Hugo at the lunch and we can discuss this in person.
It's better that way.
Don't say anything.
I'm going to hang up now.
Genoud? Genoud?
(CONVERSING IN FRENCH)
Hey, sorry...
Were you hospitalised because of a nervous breakdown?
What? Who told you that? Is it true?
It's not that simple.
Oh, my God, what?
(GLASS CLINKING)
BERTRAND: Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen.
Congratulations, Gabrielle.
(CLAPPING)
Fantastique. It's your first sale.
Thank you. Thank you, everyone.
And thank you to whoever bought it.
Hang on, I haven't finished.
And this one.
And...
Bertrand, is this all one buyer?
Indeed, a very wealthy...
Who is it, Bertrand?
Unfortunately, I can't reveal that. It's an anonymous buyer.
It's you, isn't it?
What? I would never do that to you.
Who were you on the phone to just now? My work. I told you.
So, you hang up and two minutes later, everything's been bought?
Bertrand, tell her it wasn't me, okay?
In all honesty, I can't say who it is because I don't know.
My bank just sent me an email
saying they just received an electronic transfer
with reference to this exhibition.
This is good news.
An electronic transfer? Correct.
You need to give it back, because I do not want my work treated like this.
This is a legal situation, Gabrielle.
When a piece of the art is purchased like that, it's gone.
How much did they pay for it?
One hundred and ninety-two thousand francs.
I'll give you an extra 200,000 on top of that
if Gabby can have her work back. I can't do that...
Okay, fine, 400,000, then. Double it. No.
Stop it, Alex. You can't be serious.
ALEX: Gabby, wait!
Gabby. Something very strange is happening here.
Whoever bought your work is the same person that sent me that Darwin book.
I'm sure of it. Someone is trying to fuck with my mind.
Listen to yourself. You're lying.
What? No! Why would I... No.
You have to know that I wouldn't do anything like this to you.
You can't just throw money at situations, Alex.
You couldn't do it when we lost the baby, you cannot do it now.
You won't let me in.
We went through hell for eight years and I never saw you cry.
But apparently, you had a breakdown before you met me.
And that was something that you felt like you shouldn't share with me?
I just... Who are you?
I can't do this.
No, wait, Gabby, this is ridiculous. Hey!
Don't you ever grab hold of me like that again.
Go after her.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
Genoud, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but did I just speak to you?
Alex?
Did I just speak to you? Answer the question.
Yes.
ALEX: I don't need his name, I just need the number.
I can't do that. Jesus Christ! You little shit!
No more of that, please.
It would pain me to arrest you after what you've been through today.
You need to calm down, you know.
My wife's very upset. I'm being set up, and this stupid pedantic little man...
Stupid? Yes.
So stupid to have sold all your wife's work
on the first day of this exhibition.
All I want is the number of the buyer's bank account,
then I can prove that this is a fraudulent account, with my name
that bought my wife's work, okay?
That is confidential information.
You said it, thanks.
(CLEARS THROAT) Right. Can you show me these account numbers, please?
If you don't, it's impeding a criminal investigation.
So, you have to do it.
Fine. Thanks a lot.
Can I see your number, please?
Someone is trying to ruin my life.
LECLERC: Okay.
Thank you, monsieur, for your cooperation.
You received no message?
Just the notification that the pieces had been bought online.
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
Yeah, you're right.
I know.
The numbers match, but that doesn't mean anything.
Other than the fact that various items have been bought
with money that is in your name.
Er, the famous Darwin book and the entire collection of your wife's work.
But maybe you are trying to find a way to avoid being blamed
for a grand gesture that didn't go to plan.
Jesus.
You wouldn't make it in my business.
You wouldn't even get in the fucking door.
You are deliberately misunderstanding the situation. I'm being framed, okay?
Yeah.
I understand.
INVESTOR: The numbers speak for themselves...
Will you excuse me? Of course.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
Alex, tell me you're on your way.
Hugo, it's a fucking disaster here!
Gabby's furious, I think she's going to leave me, and I...
And somebody is trying to screw everything.
Wait, hold on. What's happened?
Her exhibition! Her work. She thinks that I bought all of her work.
Well, that's a generous thing to do, isn't it?
Yeah, but I didn't do it, though. It wasn't me.
(HESITATES) The money came from an account with my name on it,
but it wasn't from me.
Okay, Alex, you're not making any sense.
Just come here, show your face and let's seal the deal.
No. I can't sit and talk to those assholes right now.
They're asking for you. Do you understand?
I'm here, fucking Genoud is here. You need to be here.
Genoud, okay. I'll be there in five minutes.
Great.
Dr. Hoffman! Yeah, I need to go back to work now.
He's going to show, right?
He's on his way to us right now.
INVESTOR: Despite my obvious reservations
about the fact we're benefitting from disaster,
it's undeniable this VIXAL program is extraordinary.
Which is why we think you ought to invest more.
Talking of disaster, do we have anything on Tropix Pharmaceuticals?
Why do you ask?
They're just doing a deal with the WHO on a new Ebola vaccine.
Rumblings of an outbreak.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
VOICEMAIL: Hi, this is Gabby, leave a message. Thank you.
Gabby, can you just call me back and let me know you're okay.
I love you.
I don't want to lose you.
(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)
We're nearly at the Beau Valais.
Please, wait here one moment, sir. I must search the premises first.
Okay.
All good? Oui, monsieur.
Lin, call me back straight away.
Don't speak to Marieme or Alex, just me.
It's urgent.
Claude. Yes, sir.
Olivier!
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
LUKASINSKI: Shouldn't Dr. Hoffman be joining us?
Does he have something more pressing to do today?
Oh, you must know the mind of a genius can wander.
Wander? Not with my money he can't.
Bring us here and make us wait here an hour, yeah.
Doesn't look good, does it, Hugo?
(ALARM BLARING)
(CELL PHONE CHIMES)
(LAUGHTER IN DISTANCE)