[Taylor] Previously on Billions...
I get we're in a game that requires us to win.
I got tired of beating up on the defenseless.
There are things they were comfortable with at Axe Cap
that we will never do here.
You think that I let the Attorney General
stick his hand up my ass and run me like a sock puppet.
I'm just glad I got out of there
before I had to get caught up in any of that.
Oh, I'm really glad to see you here tonight,
in that Brioni suit, which is the mark
of the lawyer who is successful at everything
that doesn't really matter.
There's no shame in not being able to hack it
at the highest levels of the real game,
but the revisionist history, that's for your wife at home...
Not for the man who fucking knows better.
We put out this fire by sucking oxygen out of the room.
I'm glad to continue... To renew...
[Taylor] Axe got to all of the bankers.
Winston and the quant team have a huge stat arb opportunity
that I'm gonna have to leave on the table
if we don't lock in leverage by end of week.
Mm.
Can I get the box?
This is working for me.
Please?
You once told me you knew people who...
switched it up.
But that's not Chuck, not his arousal template.
[Troy] For him it's not a game. It's rooted deep.
They are trying to hang you from the yardarm.
Make them defend instead of attack.
All I want is vengeance, and it will be had.
And we all know what I need to do it.
A perch.
If you try to again put yourself in a position of public trust,
I will be forced to let slip the dogs of war.
"I am chomping at the bit to be your next Attorney General"!
- Yes! - [cheers and applause]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
♪ Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" ♪
♪ Well, they blew up the chicken man ♪
♪ In Philly last night ♪
♪ Now they blew up his house, too ♪
♪ Down on the boardwalk ♪
♪ They're gettin' ready for a fight ♪
♪ Gonna see what them ♪
♪ Racket boys can do ♪
♪ Now there's trouble busin' in from outta state ♪
♪ And the D.A. can't get no relief ♪
♪ Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade ♪
♪ And the gamblin' commission's ♪
♪ Hangin' on by the skin of its teeth ♪
♪ Well, now, everything dies, baby ♪
[Axe] Where are we at?
[Hall] Couldn't establish internal surveillance.
Fuck.
We knew Taylor wasn't gonna leave a key
under the welcome mat. Who set up their security,
fuckin' George Smiley?
No. Someone else. I know him by reputation.
He's a good man. Thorough.
[Hall] I didn't come entirely empty handed.
Mason Capital's remote logins
haven't been given adequate scrutiny yet.
They will soon, no doubt, but for now...
It's not what you wanted, but...
MaseCap's positions and trading pattern.
Can we do anything with that?
We can use size to soak up the alpha.
It's not a body blow, maybe not even worth the effort.
No, we can do something with that.
Unsettle 'em. Throw 'em off their game.
[Wendy] Buy up the price on names
[Wendy] they want to increase their size in.
Costing them upside
and picking tiny little percentages off their profits.
It'll be like the old water torture...
Drip, drip, drip.
Like the Japanese in W.W.II.
Even though the Chinese invented it...
No they didn't...
Then why is it called 'Chinese Water Torture?'
[Axe] Taylor will try to ignore it.
Tell themselves that it's just a few bips here or there.
But it won't work.
Their need for mathematical perfection
will erode their well-being.
Then a real mistake can be induced.
If you ever get tired of working for him, call me.
Oh, she's not going anywhere.
She's right, you know. The Chinese didn't invent it.
Hippolytus de Marsiliis did,
an Italian.
[elevator dings]
♪ upbeat music ♪
- Morning, Peach. - [woman] Morning.
♪♪♪
[clears throat] Take a look.
♪♪♪
[thumb drive beeps]
♪♪♪
Lock in all these positions, Big Gulp size.
♪♪♪
Excuse me, Axe.
There are other plays that would yield more upside.
Yeah. We're limiting the upside for someone else.
Oh. Exciting.
And a little scary.
[Dollar Bill] ♪ Well they blew up the chicken man ♪
♪ In Philly last night... ♪
♪ And they blew up his house too... ♪
[Dollar Bill] ♪ Out on the boardwalk ♪
♪ They're gettin' ready for a fight, wanna ♪
Stop it. ♪ See what... ♪
[sighs]
I got chicken business with you.
[grunts]
[telephone rings in distance]
What do you know about the Chicken Man?
♪ Dramatic music ♪
[chickens cluck]
♪♪♪
What's the thing?
Arkansas Chicken Index. You know?
Given that Arkansas is a major chicken producer,
and you getting so geeked you broke out the Boss for us,
I'm assuming it's an important fucking index.
It's a market mover. The numbers dictate the price.
And Chicken Man's the guy who puts out
[Axe] the Arkansas Chicken Index.
'Zactly. Latest numbers land today.
We need to be long.
Because there won't be any chickens?
It's better than that. There's plenty of chickens.
And the early chicken action is counting on that.
But Chicken Man will say that there's very few chickens.
And the price will skyrocket.
Why will he say that?
'Cause he's supposed to drag his ass out
to multiple farms and production houses
to get an accurate count.
But the guy's Otis of Mayberry.
[Dollar Bill] So he'll go to one or two,
[Dollar Bill] to make an appearance, but that's it,
[Dollar Bill] he's not counting shit.
[Dollar Bill] What the guy does is, he sits there
[Dollar Bill] on his couch and calls
[Dollar Bill] a few of the major poultry producers
[Dollar Bill] and just asks them for their numbers.
Yeah, I need to get a report on the birds.
And they say their numbers are low
'cause it keeps the prices high. Right.
It's like a teacher letting a kid grade his own tests.
♪♪♪
If the Chicken Man is wrong,
why does he get to stay the Chicken Man?
Because he's wrong in the way the producers want him to be.
They installed him. And they keep him in place.
He's a chicken patsy.
I assume you've got a solid source.
♪♪♪
[Wags] How do you know the Mobilized Meals gal?
How do you know where to find mustache wax?
If it's crucial, you get it done.
What does he eat?
She says he's partial to chicken.
♪♪♪
Bill...
what's your level of certainty?
♪♪♪
I am not uncertain.
Size up the position.
Could mean a 300 million dollar win.
♪♪♪
[Senior] It's time for Pericles to stroll the Parthenon.
You smile, shake some hands.
Like a pol on the hustings. Which you are.
Make the important people feel important.
If they were really important,
they wouldn't need me to make 'em feel that way.
As Michel Foucault said...
Save that falderal for someone with nothing better to do
than to parse your Ivory Tower crap.
Maybe I'll just stay home.
Son, are you hungover?
Because it's one thing for a governor
to start his day at 11 a.m.,
but a New York State Attorney General
needs to be a credible sentinel on the watchtower.
Not in the bag,
it's a migraine wearing out its welcome.
Well, walk it off.
The leaders of Local 1199,
the Service Employees International East,
will be here at my casino for the opening...
Yours?
My land, so close enough.
Now, these guys represent 400,000 votes.
You've got some glad-handing to do.
Oh, my God.
I heard that.
Do you think JFK complained when Ol' Papa Joe
sat him down with the steel workers?
You're delivering Schenectady, Dad, not Ohio.
Schenectady is the Ohio of New York State.
Be here.
[door opens]
[sighs]
- [cellphone thuds] - [doors close]
Donna, did you get more Excedrin?
All I got is Tums.
Does that help?
No. It really doesn't.
Can't say I'm sad about that.
Oh. You're a real empath, Lonnie.
[chuckles] My empathy for you died the night
of your hateful soliloquy at that restaurant.
Sympathy went too considering you gave it in front of my wife.
Regrettable.
But like all men of consequence,
we put it aside to move forward toward our common goal.
Yeah. We tried to do that.
But the fundraiser is off.
Getting behind me is good for your firm.
You made them see that.
I rope in donations from the partners,
you get to flaunt your political clout.
You don't know there's a missile coming at you.
[chuckles] I'm the hermit kingdom right now.
Plenty of armament pointed at me at all times.
No. Not pointed.
Launched.
I got called for comment on an article about you,
about an old case that you failed to prosecute.
So did my firm's PR rep. Because of the event.
Which case?
SugarVape.
Flavors designed to hook kids.
Marketing to target them.
And a whistleblower you hung out to dry.
The guy didn't have the goods. That case couldn't be won.
We would've looked like schmucks on wheels
if I brought that to court.
This editor running the piece
seems to think that his readers will find
the SugarVape CEO's relationship with various members
of your father's social group very titillating.
[sighs] Fuck.
Which editor?
Lucien Porter.
Don't cancel the fundraiser.
Oh, I will spike that article. You know I will.
Why should I?
You finally have the advantage on me.
You keep this alive, I actually owe you.
[scoffs]
Tell you what I'll do.
- I'll hold off for now. - Uh-huh.
But at a certain point,
this is gonna be out of my hands.
So why don't you
get that Excedrin
and do what you have to do.
[chuckles]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[Taylor] Something isn't right.
Explain the discrepancy
between realized gains and expectations.
[Taylor] And don't you dare blame latency.
Okay...
Transaction costs were a little higher than we modeled.
There seems to be more adverse selection
than we anticipated... Can we just say it?
We're getting front run somehow.
Obviously. This is about the how...
Man, I fucking knew it.
There was something unnatural about the way
we were getting sawed off.
I even started an email to let you know.
I'm Cassandra,
always seeing the future.
[Hammon] You never sent the email.
The difference between you and Cassandra is:
She didn't wait until after the fact to say it aloud.
Pwned like in the aughts!
It's pronounced "owned." Which, yes.
I only thought it but didn't say it.
Doesn't count. Damnit...
Finish this at your desks.
[door closes] You have it?
- Axelrod. - [Taylor] Yes.
Couldn't have been a huge money maker for him.
So his objective wasn't profit.
It was disruption.
Strategy was to get in my head, make me obsess over it.
And I did, for a minute.
- Should we involve Grigor? - No.
Can't seem dependent on him in that way.
But we do need to seal the cracks in our infrastructure.
I'll make sure Cook is on top of it.
Thank you.
[telephone rings]
Yes?
Send him up.
- ♪ dramatic music ♪ - [telephone clacks]
♪♪♪
[elevator dings]
Nice to see you.
And you.
So.
This is your shop?
This is my shop.
Not much to it, is there?
Don't places like these usually spend
buckets of money on nice digs to impress their clients?
You don't want to seem gilded.
Highlight the brain power instead.
Clean. Simple. Direct.
That's how we make an impression now.
Simple or not, it's nice.
It's...
cool.
I guess could be a word.
How about I have my executing trader give you a tour.
Neat.
Mafee, I'd like you to meet Douglas Mason.
Nice to meet you, Mr. Mason.
Yes. This is...
He's my father.
Okay.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
There comes a time, Lucien, when ideology meets reality.
Even in the newspaper business.
And that's when we Oddfellows swallow petty grievances
and divine a productive way forward.
Your theatrical way of asking me to kill
the SugarVape story?
[sighs]
On a nice afternoon in your next incarnation,
maybe.
I'm working on a tighter schedule than that.
[Porter] "You used to think that it was so easy,
you used to say that it was so easy.
But you're trying, you're trying now."
Doobies? Doobie Brothers?
Gerry Rafferty.
My first job was writing record reviews...
You remember stuff.
I'll tell you what else I remember:
You didn't take me down to Baker Street when you could've.
If you had, we could come to an agreeable compromise
now over milkshakes and handjobs.
But you didn't.
I get that your ass is chapped, Lucien...
When you were US Attorney,
you dealt your goods all over the place.
But not to me.
You wanna go to Baker Street, baby, we'll go now.
Tell me how I can serve you.
The reason I came here is: I want your comment
on the story I am running.
Why did you bow to pressure and fail to prosecute?
Who'd you make the sweetheart deal with?
What do you think happens when a man resorts to threats
in an effort to solicit my attention?
♪ Dramatic music ♪
What do you think happens to that man
when I'm seated in the State AG's office?
That's assuming you win.
And if I were the sort of fella who liked to throw the dice,
that's not the direction I'd toss 'em.
You should know, that's not how dice work.
You're not the only man in this town with a dick to swing.
- You've got enemies. - Oh.
I've got a good idea about who they are.
Who put you up on this nonsense. I won't say the names.
But I will say: I've found their help comes cheap.
[Chuck] Hell, sometimes free.
Oh. You're too old not to know that what's free is flimsy.
You want this story to be true so badly
that it's got you believing in unicorns.
No. Nothing so exotic as that.
Just corruption.
Yours. Porter.
"This city desert makes you feel so cold.
It's got so many people, but it's got no soul."
Remember that.
I'm offering you a glimpse of the future:
You publish that piece,
it'll backfire.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[groans]
First round of pink slime is on me after this baby comes in.
- That stuff is horrifying. - I don't mind it.
We can fry it, with some hot chiles,
or use it as a base for soup and...
Here it is. ♪ Dramatic music ♪
[computer chimes]
[all groan] What?
Problems in Chickenland?
The motherfucking report's delayed.
Why?
Motherfuck if I know.
♪♪♪
[ringing]
♪♪♪
[ringing continues]
[clicks]
♪♪♪
I need to get with Mobilized Meals.
Find out why Chicken Man's in the vapor.
♪♪♪
- Where you going? - [Axe] Arkansas.
To fix this.
I looked at the gap in our cyber defense.
I identified the vulnerability and stitched it up crudely,
but it's gonna take a day or two to reliably address the issue.
Make it a day, not two.
You got it.
[Taylor] Thank you, Cook.
Keep Sara in the loop on this.
Ran it by her first.
[door opens]
[door closes]
♪ dramatic music ♪
...Just the most considerate kid you'd ever seen.
No, not considerate like she did nice things for people.
Considered like she was always
measuring information around her.
That sounds about right.
Only now they're considerate in both ways.
No, no, she was sweet, too.
When she was real little, she always told me
that when she grew up she wanted to marry me.
[chuckles]
Now I wonder what I should have read into that.
Affection.
And that when I was six, I didn't know that many people.
Well, it was cute, anyway.
I got some work to do.
Douglas, it was a pleasure talking with you.
Thank you for showing me around.
Excluding you, every person you see
in this office is under my employ.
They have chosen to work here because they respect me
and they respect my vision. They're smart to.
In the future, if you find yourself in conversation
with one of them, pay close attention
to the pronouns they use in reference to me.
This talk again, huh?
You came to see me. I thought you were ready.
To use your "preferred pronouns..."
They're the ones used by those who respect me.
Without the quotes.
I'm sorry, kid. I'm trying to get there.
I missed ya. That's why I'm here.
[footsteps approach]
- Yes? - Can I...?
Speak freely.
I just got off the phone
with Grigor Andolov's number two.
He wants to know "when you're going to start
fucking earning?"
Now.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
I just decided to work on a derivative.
What kind of derivative?
- An homage to Vadim Linetsky. - Oh.
You're in a 'path integral methods' sort of mood, are you?
Would you like to help me?
You bet.
♪♪♪
[Cruz] You fucked me.
[Cruz] Closed the damn gate, left me north of the wall.
I got fired.
- And went bankrupt. - Yes.
Those things did happen.
And I feel for you, for what you've been through.
But them's the breaks?
Well... yes.
You didn't have the evidence.
All those kids on the street exhaling
these big ass clouds of piña colada poison?
They're my evidence.
But you were a whistleblower without a whistle.
[Cruz] I did the right thing. You said you'd help.
You brought me on.
And then you yanked the rug and I ended up on my ass.
[Cruz] And now you're running for I-don't-know-what-the-fuck,
and I'm living with my mom.
This is your mom's house, huh?
And there's like six kids on this block alone
that I gotta watch sucking on these SugarVape products
like they're pacifiers.
Would you have preferred that your mother
lose this place after she mortgaged it
to help you pay for the massive civil suit
SugarVape would have brought against you?
You didn't think of that, did you?
I wouldn't let her do that.
They have professionals on staff
whose only job is: sell their bullshit.
[Chuck] That's what corporations do.
If they're willing to poison kids for profit,
nothing's off the table.
- Fuck. You're right. - [Chuck] Yeah.
I shielded you... And your mother...
From the retribution SugarVape was prepared to unleash.
But if you let that article run, they'll sue.
And they'll go after your mom, because she's got the money...
They'll take her house.
Her furniture. Her paintings...
[Chuck] And I'm not in the position
to protect you anymore.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
What can I do?
If you want,
I can tell you how to walk back your statements.
♪♪♪
[dog barking distantly]
Good news, Lonnie.
I've coaxed the genie back into his bottle.
Article ain't happening.
So your firm can host my fundraiser
and we can continue this little symbiosis of ours.
[barking continues]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
Another fucking chicken farm.
[Mobilized Meals] Actually that one's not a farm.
It's a quarantine facility. Sick birds.
Gross.
Try him again.
I've called him a dozen times. He's not answering.
Maybe somebody else got to him, paid him to fuck up the index.
♪♪♪
Hall, what do you have?
Well, they sealed up the cracks in their system.
We lost digital access.
We knew they would. But that was quick, no?
Like I said: I know their guy. He's got some moves.
Anyway, digital access is gone, but I have what's left to us.
- What's that? - A visual.
[Axe] How?
You have something on one of their employees?
Taylor would be able to root out a guilty conscience.
Most people who want privacy in this city
have privacy glass.
If they don't, they have their windows treated.
That is privacy glass. Of course it is.
You're telling me Taylor doesn't have privacy glass?
They do.
But I have this...
It's Israeli.
It uses a spatial light modulator,
and that allows me to take pictures
that people don't want me to take.
Very handy.
The Israelis do not fuck around
when it comes to their spy equipment.
But why is it in your hands
instead of set up taking goddamned pictures.
Oh, it is. This one's for personal use.
Don't you love the notation for bolding?
The double stem?
Yes. I do.
Finding a satisfying answer is a good thing.
Probably why you and I were always at our best
when we kept things mathematical.
Sure. But even when one keeps things mathematical,
a satisfying solution isn't always available.
So you change the math.
Human beings can't command math.
You can't bend it to your will. It doesn't exist to satisfy you.
This is an example.
Linetsky knew if he were to create a derivative,
it would develop organically in a way he couldn't control.
His only options were to learn to understand
and accept where it was taking him, or step away.
He had to be able to live with that.
Yeah.
We're all trying to understand and accept.
♪ Somber music ♪
♪♪♪
[camera shutter clicking]
Casa de Chicken?
This is it.
♪ Upbeat music ♪
♪♪♪
[doorbell rings]
[sighs]
♪♪♪
[doorbell ringing]
♪♪♪
[Mobilized Meals] I told you he wasn't around.
[door knob rattles]
[door bangs]
♪♪♪
[man speaks indistinctly on TV]
♪♪♪
Oh fuck...
He's fucking dead?
[Dollar Bill] Most people don't nap in that position, so yeah.
Dead seems like a real safe bet.
Get out of there.
Figure out who's gonna take his place
[Axe] and find a way to motivate that person in our direction.
Otherwise your chicken business will consist of you asking:
you want original recipe or extra fucking crispy?
On top of it...
♪ Dramatic music ♪
Chicken Man is dead.
And so is our position unless Bill can figure out
a way to defibrillate it...
♪♪♪
Anything on tap?
Order in. School night.
- Yeah. Me too... - [Porter] You!
- Fuck you, Connerty. - What am I missing?
Your boss here fed me a bogus story.
What? No I didn't.
Ray Cruz just rescinded his offer
to go on record for the article.
Now why would he do that if the whole story
wasn't bullshit from the start?
I'm not sure, but the story's not bullshit.
You know, Chuck Rhoades tried to warn me
you were smoke screening me.
I should have listened to him, but I...
Uh. Excuse me. Hi. I'm Kate Sacker.
- Lucien Porter, editor of... - I know who you are.
And I know the SugarVape case well.
I have no idea what Chuck told you about it,
but I do know that he's motivated to lie
for his own benefit on this one.
Doesn't matter.
Cruz isn't going on record anymore.
[Porter] I've got a big chunk of empty column space.
[Porter] And you've been a fat waste of time.
Start thinking of a make-up call.
It's the least of what I'm owed.
Listen, whatever Chuck pulled with Cruz,
I will undo tomorrow.
I will do this because I can, and because I'm generous...
Which you will see in the near future.
[Connerty] In return, give us a day.
And when Cruz corroborates, you'll be able to
run your story as planned.
Mmm.
You could not get uni like this back home.
Back home is hundreds of miles from any body of water.
Yeah. But you know it's all frozen
on the boat and flown in, anyways.
- Right? - I'm aware.
But the best stuff gets bought up
at the New York fish market
before the rest of it gets loaded onto the plane
for the short hop flight.
Thing of beauty, isn't it?
All written out like this.
[Taylor] It is.
Hey kid.
You know I don't think that
'woke' stuff is all worthless or for idiots
just because I'm no good at it.
Right?
I know it matters.
Right.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
Do I need a girlfriend?
Do you?
Suddenly have a craving for antiquing
and long walks in the Hamptons?
Post-brunch reach-arounds anyway...
Got something for you.
It's a giant Reggie Bar, right?
Better.
[Axe] Let's see it.
You lied.
It's not better than a Reggie Bar.
There's no nougat.
Reggie Bar didn't have nougat either.
But it was a thing of beauty. Like this.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
This is the can opener in the fallout shelter.
Nicely done.
My pleasure. Enjoy.
♪♪♪
[door opens]
Wiki me up to speed.
Taylor knows I'm front-running their positions.
[door closes] They figured it out.
This is their solution to that, how they're gonna spin it
to pick up the basis points that we were stealing.
Obvious.
So obvious...
♪♪♪
[bag zips]
You don't need to come to the casino thing.
If you're not up for it, I mean.
Of course I do. [sighs]
I thought killing that article
would have cured this migraine.
They're tension headaches.
[sighs]
Well, there is one practice
I've found helpful in tension relief...
I'm not a dispensary handing out palliative care.
But if you're in the mood for something mutual,
I can go make sure the kids are asleep.
I've literally got the proverbial...
Headache.
Sure.
Really, Wend.
I don't want to drag you up there with me if it's...
You can pretend you're not a politician,
and I can pretend I'm not a politician's wife.
But we agreed getting you back to being a prosecutor,
it's your calling.
So that's where we are right now. And what we are.
You're right.
I know, you're right.
And you still have those headaches...
because, article or not,
Jock and Connerty are still coming after you.
Right about that too.
Just not sure what to do about it yet.
[rubber band snaps]
Ow. [notebook thuds]
♪ dramatic music ♪
[rubber band snaps]
[chickens clucking in distance]
♪♪♪
[window whirring]
[sighs deeply]
♪♪♪
[groans]
[window whirring]
[groans]
♪♪♪
[sighs]
♪♪♪
[man] We got six more stops.
Let's get a good, quick count, and we'll be on the road.
Ah, shit.
[cellphone vibrates]
They've sent in the flying squad.
There's fucking seven of them.
Well, then you got six more guys to deal with than anticipated.
What are the chances they can all be bought?
It doesn't look good.
Arnold Rothstein bought the White Sox,
including Shoeless Joe.
Get it done.
All nighter?
I always forget you can do the math.
What can't I do?
Field surgery?
Keep talking, we'll find out.
If you don't mind my asking, why the cold feet?
Man who hangs kitten-Jesus in his living room
doesn't usually get cold feet.
It's my ma's. I'm an atheist.
Sure.
- Well. - [Cruz] It's not cold feet.
I just... I can't risk what I got left.
And I definitely don't want to put my ma in danger.
Yeah. I know it's been a hard ride for you.
But it's not an outrageous question.
Right when you have a chance to get some steam
behind your case with this article,
right when you almost have the justice that you deserve,
[Sacker] publicly, you back out.
I just want to know why.
I really appreciate you looking out
for the little guy in the ring, and that you think
it's the right thing to do to stand in his corner.
[Cruz] But it isn't.
No.
The right thing is to get his ass out of the ring
so he's not taking punches.
No, the right thing to do is to get Triple G
to go in the ring for him and fuck the other guy up.
So come on.
I'm the Triple G of the Southern District.
Lemme get in the ring for you.
And I'm sure you are. But no thanks.
At the end of the day, I just don't wanna get sued.
Mm. So that's what you think.
[sighs] Yeah.
Well, I have an idea who told you that.
But Chuck Rhoades lied to you.
He said you'd say that.
Did he also remember to tell you about your payout?
SugarVape's not gonna sue you. Or your mother.
You're going to sue them. And you're gonna score.
Wait, what?
- I am? - [Sacker] That's right.
[Sacker] Because I'm going to prosecute SugarVape myself,
and even though I cannot promise a conviction,
I can promise that I will make damn sure
to bring out all the facts that'll allow you to qualify
as a federal whistleblower.
And get paid.
[Sacker] Big time.
Your guest room is comfortable.
Flatscreen in there...
4K?
Five.
You know, you make me proud.
My little girl did well for herself.
I'm sorry.
To me, you're still my little girl.
No, I'm not.
You were once.
Not really.
Well, I'm proud.
You challenge yourself. Even more than I do.
See?
You put the spoon on the bottom; it's harder than the fork.
Only one point of contact with the surface
as opposed to a full line.
Harder.
You win.
You know you get it from me.
Define "it."
That unyielding compulsion to get it right.
Precision. Perfection.
Just like me.
If you want, you can stick around for a few more days.
Yeah?
Your mother won't miss me getting in her way
back home for a little while longer.
Of course, I'll have to eat the cost of the flight home,
but it's worth it. I'll pay for it.
I wasn't...
All this?
I could have done it.
But they didn't even have hedge funds back then.
Not that I'd heard of. So I went aerospace.
Figured I'd build something...
I wish I'd been able to give it all to you,
is what I'm saying.
Ah.
Don't listen to me, kid. Just rambling.
Okay.
I won't.
Well.
I'm glad we'll have more time together.
I am too.
I'm glad you're happy.
I hate to interrupt you while you're on the verge
of solving pi,
but they're about to put out a new count on the bird surplus.
Shit... Shit...
Number's high. We're out of position.
Costing us plenty.
[telephone beeps, rings]
Fuckin' Bill. Bill!
I got a solution to our chicken problem...
A final solution.
Bill?!
Did he just say...?
Oh shit, it's a chicken holocaust.
♪ Up-tempo music ♪
♪♪♪
[engine turns off]
♪♪♪
- [groans] - [cellphone chimes]
[sighs]
♪ dramatic music ♪
Shit.
[tablet smashes, glass shatters]
[sighs]
♪♪♪
Fuck!
[cellphone vibrates]
♪♪♪
[cellphone vibrates]
♪♪♪
I guess you can hear the bells ringing for the departed
from all the way Upstate.
Son, did you actually prosecute anyone
when you were US Attorney?
I'm skipping the casino.
Damage control is best performed without an audience.
And yes, by the way, thousands. Most successfully.
So you say.
And absolutely not on skipping this event.
It's more important than ever that you show up.
[Senior] We both know your fundraiser's
[Senior] gonna be canceled, if it hasn't been already.
You hide in shame now and people will wonder
what other weaknesses and depravities
there are to discover.
[Senior] You'll get up here, wear a nice suit,
put your arm around that pretty wife,
smile big and face the people.
♪ Daniel Romano's "Chicken Bill" ♪
[chickens clucking]
♪♪♪
♪ And I got in his truck and sat perfectly still ♪
♪ And he said, "I just gotta stop off at the mill"... ♪
[chicken clucking]
♪ And I asked him, "What do they call you?" ♪
♪ And he answered ♪
♪ "Chicken Bill" ♪
♪ They call me "Chicken Bill" ♪
♪ Chicken Bill ♪
♪ The real story of Chicken Bill ♪
[chicken clucking]
Bill.
[Axe] Bill, what are you about to do?
What I always do for you: whatever I have to.
Yes, but specifically,
what are you about to do right now?
What's in the bag, Bill, what's in the bag?
A capon with a case of H5N1-B.
Just enough to freeze transport
on a few hundred thousand infected birds.
Prices will skyrocket.
You intend to kill a few hundred thousand chickens?
They're getting killed anyway.
This just accelerates the process, that's all.
That's a good point. Right, so...
But there is a cost-benefit analysis
to take into consideration here...
That of poisoning the food supply.
One I am familiar with. As you know.
[Wags] One that requires meticulous calibration.
Or else we're all in Contagion:
Gwyneth Paltrow dead on the gurney
and Matt Damon as the last living man on earth.
If I don't do this...
...it's gonna be a huge loss.
- He's right about that. - It's okay.
It's not okay! [chicken clucks]
I'm the guy who delivers.
Yeah. Most of the time, you are.
But, and I can't believe I'm fucking saying this:
we can't all be right all of the time.
Sometimes...
you just gotta take a loss.
♪ Somber music ♪
♪♪♪
Forget it, Bill.
It's Chickentown.
[chicken clucks]
♪ Luciano Pavarotti's "La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetée" ♪
♪♪♪
♪ La fleur que tu ♪
♪ M'avais jetée ♪
♪ Dans ma prison ♪
[chicken squawks] ♪ M'était restée ♪
♪ Flétrie et sèche ♪
♪ Cette fleur ♪
♪ Gardait toujours... ♪
You okay? Yeah.
I just need a second to get the game face on.
♪ Sa douce odeur ♪
♪ Et pendant ♪
♪ Des heures entières ♪
♪ De cette odeur ♪
♪ Je m'enivrais ♪
♪ Et dans la nuit ♪
♪ Je te voyais! ♪
[music fades]
♪ dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
[gasps]
♪♪♪
[sighs]
♪♪♪
[groaning]
[whistles to the tune of Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street"]
♪ Rubber band ring is all that I got ♪
♪ Yeah, rubber band ring ♪
You weren't kidding about the game face.
Nope. Shall we?
♪ Rubber band ring ♪
Let's go act like winners.
♪ Rubber band ring, babe, I love you so ♪
[music fades]
Fuck me!
There's a mistake.
That's good, right?
Lay back, let them run with it, blow themself up...
♪ dramatic music ♪
Only Taylor doesn't make math mistakes.
No.
It's a Sicilian message.
It's a Kappa Mu Epsilon message.
They knew they were being watched.
A lot of effort to lead you on a snipe hunt.
I think they're the one hunting. For something bigger.
The Treaty of Versailles.
♪♪♪
♪ Little Steven's "Soulfire" ♪
♪♪♪
John! How are ya?
[indistinct talking]
♪ Stop the world for a minute ♪
♪ Is that a tear I see in your eye? ♪
♪ This is your chance, this is your moment, baby ♪
[rubber band snaps] ♪ Spread your wings ♪
♪ It's time to fly ♪
[rubber band snaps]
♪ I've seen 'em all come and go ♪
♪ Seen 'em all and ♪
♪ And each one takes a piece of your heart ♪
♪ Takes a piece of your heart ♪ [rubber band snaps]
♪ But I know what your dreams are made of ♪
♪ Made of ♪ ♪ I wait patiently ♪
♪ Ready to play my part ♪
♪ If your soul cries out in desperation ♪
♪ And you're breathless... ♪
Nice to meet you.
Hi. Keep these guys...
Can I have a group photo?
Yes. Of course. Shall we?
[man] You two on this side.
♪ Right here ♪
♪ Riding the soulfire ♪ [camera shutter clicks]
♪ Soulfire ♪
Did you see that? [camera shutter clicks]
They're avoiding being photographed with you.
All of them.
[camera shutter clicks] [chuckles]
[rubber band snaps] [groans]
♪ dramatic music ♪
[camera shutter clicks]
♪♪♪
Nice spot... For one of us to go over.
I don't want to be at war with you.
Yeah.
I got that you were proposing armistice
the second I looked at the algorithm.
But you should have considered the joys of peace
before you assassinated the Archduke.
It's a distraction. To me, and to you.
It prevents us both from operating at our full potential.
Oh. So you'd like to calm the blood feud
for the sake of self-actualization?
I'd like to end it because it's the rational thing to do.
That's convenient, that you can fall back
on what's rational just 'cause you don't like
the consequences of your actions.
Bullshit.
You're frustrated.
Good.
It's gonna get worse.
[Taylor] You're not seeing the board:
You walked into a trap with Grigor.
You bought into a worthless robotics company
to deny me leverage, which I got anyway.
And now you've killed a day going through a numbers game.
And here you are. And here you are.
Unable to operate unencumbered.
Waiting for the next attack.
Wondering where it's gonna come from.
[Taylor] Yes. Sure.
But you aren't able to operate freely either.
You're planning attacks. Then defending from a response.
Let's stop.
Not waste ourselves on each other.
Our time and energy are too valuable.
Is that all?
I'll offer you attractive terms to invest in my firm.
The Street will know that I am blessed by you,
but also, that I am giving you a look.
♪♪♪
In reality, I won't be giving you that look...
And since I sealed our leaks you won't be getting them
on your own either.
But the story will be enough for it to appear
that you are in the dominant position.
♪♪♪
Okay.
Fine.
Can I trust you on this?
You're the fucking genius, figure it out.
♪♪♪
[car door closes]
Did you agree to a truce?
Did they buy it?
Well. They're a trusting person.
So we'll see.
Time to set up the next part.
♪ Steel bars wrapped all around me ♪
♪ I've been your prisoner since the day you found me ♪
♪ I'm bound forever till the end of time ♪
♪ Steel bars ♪
[cheers and applause]
- [music ends] - [cheers and applause continue]
Thank you so much! Thank you!
It's incredible.
He's never stopped.
He's never let his audience down.
Never quit on them. Yeah.
And they never quit on him, either.
Some are built that way.
The rest of them quit
or die...
That's the way a legend oughta be.
I'll never quit.
I'll never die.
[chuckles]
[groans]
Head still pounding, huh?
Yeah.
Don't worry about all these motherfuckers, my boy.
Just stay standing.
Longer than the next guy. And the guy after that.
Do whatever you need to do to outlast him.
If he loses,
you win, son.
♪ Somber music ♪
♪♪♪
[cheers and applause]
[announcer] Please welcome back
Michael Bolton!
[cheers and applause]
The difference between us, Bob...
One of the many... is:
I've spent the last 8 or so years
putting people in jail.
You've spent them making people unbelievably wealthy.
Mm. My way tends to gather more friends.
That it does.
And yet, here we are.
Friends.
Of a sort.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
Oh, I have traded pleasantries and handshakes
with some truly disagreeable people.
And whatever it says about me as a person, I'll admit,
I'm willing to do it
with a million more of them to achieve my ends.
Willingness to fraternize with the depraved...
Powerful weapon. Oh.
You have to be willing. Yeah.
'Cause someone else out there certainly is.
Mm.
It's not enough this time though.
I'm not going to win this election by that alone.
No? No.
♪ Dramatic music ♪
♪♪♪
I need your assistance on this one.
♪♪♪
Starting with the primary.
And I don't just mean money. Though I also mean money...
- That's a big ask. - [Chuck] Well.
The only way I take office is if I outlast the other guy.
And right now he's got plenty in the tank
to get him to the finish line.
I need you to help me drain him of that.
You want me to help put you
in the State Attorney General's office.
I do.
Last time you were a lawman, it wasn't so good for me.
This time it'll be different.
You sure about that? I've seen a lot of Westerns.
A man changes when he puts on that star.
No sir. Not on the inside.
I wear the badge, I'll be able to do for you.
Favors reap favors.
And I'm sure there's a favor or two
I could help you with.
♪♪♪
[glass thuds]
I have something in mind, yeah.
Name it.
I'll do that on the other side of the war.
♪♪♪
Thank you.
♪♪♪
[sighs]
[door opens]
[door closes]
♪ Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" ♪
♪♪♪
♪ Winding your way down on Baker Street ♪
♪ Light in your head and dead on your feet ♪
♪ Well, another crazy day ♪
♪ You'll drink the night away ♪
♪ And forget about everything ♪
♪ This city desert makes you feel so cold ♪