All language subtitles for Billions.S07E07.WEB (SDH)

[Philip]
Previously on Billions.

I buy a half hour

on every major network,
live speech.

Solicit honest feedback
from your employees.

Use it as fuel for the speech.

He goes into the speech
confident, he comes out sailing.

I've been told
I needed to see you.

When Wendy wants something,
she's very persuasive.

And that's why I called her.

With Bradford running point,

the feedback's
gonna be jet fuel.

So you want us to go back around

and troll for negative feedback?

This could implode MPC,

as well as the campaign
and all of our places in it.

I would consider it
a personal favour.

[Chuck]
We are gonna do something

extremely hard.

When did I become
Lex Luthor?

Someone's quitting
isn't capitulation.

So I shouldn't worry about

seeking real love.

I'm saying the way to get it
is to be a winner.

Thank you...

for not keeping me safe.

The destiny is in me.

I put him back together

after you kicked the pieces
across the floor.

I'm Mike Prince.

Mike is trending
on every platform.

It's done.

I saw.

Someday, and that day
will definitely come,

I will call upon you
to repay this debt.

This is totally amazing.

That's how I do. I aim to amaze.

You've done it. I thought it was
only a theoretical model.

It was, back when you were
a Stanford Cardinal.

It's viable now.

What compressive strength
have you managed to achieve?

As you know, the standard crap
ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 psi.

My little baby
gets close to 6,000.

-Damn.
-Plus, when the cracks form,

the bacteria creates
a self-healing effect.

It's an organic, high-tech mimic
of the lime clasts

and volcanic ash
from Ancient Roman concrete

that's had those buildings
standing for thousands of years.

-Beautiful.
-Yeah.

It's almost ready
to go to market

and present
to the Cement Masons unions.

That's why I moved the lab
here a little while back.

Before you do,

you gotta let me walk you
in to my guy.

[thud]

[engine turns off]

[Quinn]
Okay, so you are gonna want

to practice your starts,
your stops, your signals,

and your merges
before your next road test

so you don't have to do
this whole Phi Slama Jama

a third time.

So I definitely failed?

Flatter than a pancake.

And when you're ready
to give it another go,

you just head to the website
and book another test.

[Senior] Well, since-- since we
know he'll pass the next one,

how's about we save everyone
the trouble.

He was so close this time.

There must be a way
to shave a point or add one?

Close? No.
Not a word I'd use.

The bus was close, though.

Which bus?

The bus that your young charge
almost sideswiped,

like Rick Mahorn did Wilkins
that time.

Phi Slama Jama.
Rick Mahorn.

You're a sports fan.

And unlike the boy, sir,
you are a quick study.

[laughs] That I am.

What's your name, sir?

Quinn. Ern Quinn. Mr. Quinn.

Well, Ern,
I think the thing to do

is for you to get some tickets
to see a game,

which is expensive, I know.

So, what I'm thinking is,

we make that happen...

and then you make
the driver's license happen.

-[police siren blurts]
-This is ridiculous.

I was social friends
with Robert Moses!

Don't say your daddy's name.

I'll tell them
to call Mom.

No. She'll flay me.

I should have made one of them
come with me.

These DMVs--

Stands for Dumb Motherfucking
Varmints, by the way!--

just want to charge
a higher price.

I got this.

[exclaims]

To build.

That's man's impulse.

Well, mine, anyway.

But the best-made structures,
how long do they last?

Not long enough that future
civilisations won't use

the rubble of ours
as a mere foundation.

Until now.

Bio-inspired
vascular concrete.

It recognises the weaknesses
within the concrete system

and is able to enzymatically
repair itself.

This will revolutionise

the country's crumbling
infrastructure.

This material
rebuilds the past,

fortifies the present,
secures the future.

This is magnificent.

It really is.

This is a game changer.

But the path
from innovation to market

is fraught with danger.

It's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
out there.

This can't be one of those
that doesn't make it.

[laughs] Uh...

What danger, exactly?

Deep-pocketed competitors,
copycats,

foreign governments
willing to steal it.

As you know,
all those things and more

can destroy
a young company.

But I can protect it.
And you.

[typing]

[sighs]

You see, man's impulse
is also to buy.

I want to get behind this
in a big way.

I can take care of knocking out
the competitors,

as well as all
the execution stuff,

the blocking and tackling

you don't need
to get bogged down with.

This is something
that will help the world,

and we'll all get rich doing it.

I'm having in-house counsel join

so we can move quickly
and aggressively.

I'm prepared to purchase
your entire company

and back a more robust
timetable,

rolling this out
in the next 14 months.

No, no, I'm not
handing you the reins.

This is my life's work.

Which you'll lose no matter what

now that you've stuck
your head out.

But we can prevent that.

We will prevent it.

This way, your vision
is protected

and you get paid fairly.

You don't buy me out.

I made my bones when you were
going out with cheerleaders.

So, a Moe Greene no.

What ended up happening
to old Moe after that?

Thank you all
for your time.

And the fucking scones.

I'm not selling.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[clears throat]

[sighs]

Look, he put his whole
professional life into this.

I just think he didn't see
the blitzkrieg coming.

I didn't either.

Maybe you can go
and talk to him.

I can. I'll try.

But he is stubborn.

I mean, real stubborn.

Yeah, okay, you do that.

Talk some reason into him.
This is the way he wins.

Because if I can't have
his company this way,

I want his tech.

And I'll get it.

Legally. Aboveboard.

Fins up, you know
what I'm saying, Kate?

We'll make a dang fortune,
and this is the kind of idea

custom-made to campaign on.

A new foundation
for America.

I'm on it.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[sighs]

[cell phone vibrates]

Hello, son.

Dad, I'm fine.

Kev, that's code
for "not fine."

I fucked up
and said your name.

[Chuck] To whom?

I found the one sorry
son of a bitch at the DMV

that doesn't know the difference
between a gratuity and a bribe.

Don't say another word,

either of you.

I'm planning
on telling Mike

he should punt
on the performance reviews.

Oh, you're planning.

Well, I mean,
if you want to,

I'll of course
step back and--

I thought that's why
you said it that way,

so I would do it for you.

For Mike. For the firm.

It's not something
that can be punted.

After those truth-telling
sessions, folks are queasy.

I think the staff knows
that Mike would never use

performance reviews
as a way to exact vengeance

on people who merely spoke
the truth about what they felt.

Yeah, well, the mere fact

that you just referred
to them as "staff"

says a lot about how
they'll feel being judged.

Well, I guess your finger
is just lodged

right on the carotid of--

[Wags] No guesswork.

That's all anybody talked
about at movie night.

Movie night? Is that
a colloquialism for something?

Popcorn. Big screen.

I'm surprised
you decided to skip.

Oh, shit.

Didn't know
this was a thing.

Wasn't invited.

I should have
double-checked their list.

-I just assumed they'd--
-What'd you watch?

Double feature.

Glengarry
and Wolf of Wall Street.

[chuckles] Of course.

Do they even know what Wolf
is really saying?

Victor does.

Sacker, obv. Rian.

The rest,
they think they should know

how to sell a pen better.

-You'll come next time.
-Oh, no.

You're the man of the people.
I'll remain where I belong.

Slightly above the staff.

Your words, not mine.

Scooter just texted me.

I understand the concern
about the performance reviews.

-When the fuck did you--?
-You don't get here

without being able
to multitask.

Like how you can do
a double shot of Michter's

while re-enacting your favourite
Nikki Dial-Rocco Siffredi scene.

Who are those people?

[both]
Better you don't know.

Okay.

I'll recuse myself
from the review process.

I was planning
on doing it anyway.

I can't be seen as rewarding or
punishing anyone on the team...

Team. Not staff.
There you go.

...just because they said
bad or good things about me.

Still, we have to do it.

Can't go forward
without a thorough look back

and a real evaluation of trading
tendencies, habits, all of it.

How does that work
without you in the middle of it?

You two will run the thing.

I'm glad to leave it
in your able hands.

I need in there. Thank you.

Dad. Kevin. What?

It's just
a bureaucratic squabble.

This aged man's attempt
at bribing me

failed as badly as this young
man failed his driving test.

-He called the cops.
-You called the cops?

I called the cops.

[officer]
If money changed hands,

we're going to have
to arrest and charge.

[sighs]

Don't make me
ask the question.

What question is that?

Please.

Yes, I know who you are.

But it's a tight spot here.

Can we have a moment
with my father?

[sighs]

Charles, why are you
even here,

and what did you think
you were doing?

Making sure it went well.

-[scoffs]
-That peon had it in for Kevin

the moment he saw the Jag.

It intimidated him.

And like I said,
he didn't know the difference

between a bribe and a tip.

[Quinn] I heard that.

You're going to jail.

And Rhoades, Kevin,
will be prohibited

from holding a license to drive
in New York state.

Jesus!

[Chuck] I am aware
that attempted bribery--

if that is in fact what can be
proved to have happened here

--is a serious offence.

I can guarantee his appearance
at arraignment,

but if you will do me
the courtesy

of releasing him
and referring this

to the DA's office
for investigation,

it would be appreciated.

I'd have to check
with my superiors.

Well, check with the commish.

I have Raul Gomez
in my favourites.

Thank you.

[scoffs]

The Department of Motor Vehicles
is not a playground

for the well-connected
to do as they will.

Ha!

That is a clerk's mentality...

and a clerk you will always
fucking be.

Dad! Not helping.

Uh...

You know,
the sad fact is

that some senility
awaits us all

in the golden years.

Oh, bullshit.

Oh, are you saying he's...?

There are over
100 types of dementia.

So, it can be tough to pinpoint
which we're talking about,

but I think it's clear
that something...

My last med workup
says I'm sharp

as a goddamn titanium tack.

Can you say the same?

The commissioner
is granting your request.

You're free to go.

But he is indeed
referring it

to the DA's office.

Great. Swell. Perfect.

Wouldn't have it
any other way.

Thank you, officer.

And thank you, sir,

for your fealty
to the auto safety corridor.

I note the sarcasm,
for the record.

[sighs]

Bowing and scraping
like that?

-[Chuck sighs]
-I thought you had juice!

Can we just get out of here,
please?

Well, this should be more fun
than movie night.

No one thought
you would want to come.

And right they were.

[Philip]
Okay, on the screens

in front of each of us
are dossiers

covering the P&Ls, activities,

results and tendencies
of each person who works at MPC.

We will conduct interviews
and do the feedback sessions

after we--

We aren't at
the feedback stage yet.

-You'll be called in.
-Yeah, no, we won't.

My man speaketh the truth.

I'm not sure why I just used
that biblical version of speak,

but I did, so...

Because what we are saying
is as monumental

as that language implies.

Yes. Yeah.
We were elected to tell you

that we all reject
the framework of this panel

judging us and our work.

The employees can't reject--

-Team members.
-Absolutely.

The team members
can't reject the idea

that their performance
is being evaluated.

Well, we are rejecting you,
all of you,

as the ones evaluating.

You don't get to pick
how management decides.

Management does.
That's how business works.

Upon a time it did.
Not now.

It's true, Wags.

We are in an un-brave new world.

I mean, no offence,
Scooter,

but you're not in touch
with the rank and file.

You don't even come
to movie night.

-I wasn't inv--
-'Cause we knew you wouldn't

want to and didn't want
to put you in the position.

As I said.

Look, the only one with
the right to decide our fate

is the actual decider.

But you all said that once you
gave your evaluation of Prince,

you weren't comfortable
with him conducting this review.

That is right and true.

Yeah, well, he decided
to change everything,

so we all reject
the whole of it.

You roll it all
for a least a year.

No performance reviews
until then.

Or you can do it without
any performers to review.

You do know that comp
is directly tied

to performance review?

Not this year,
it isn't.

Well, fuck.

Indeed.

Well, you really brought out
the all-star team

for this vital matter of state
security involving my father.

As have you, Chuck,

with the great and powerful
Freddie Eisen in your corner.

He always brings a gun
to a knife fight.

Yeah, it's just like
the government to lard it on.

You're always looking for
a chance to squander resources.

[chuckles]

Uh, no offence, Chuck.

Yeah, sure, Eisen.

Look, I think we all know

the bright light
of attention

is on this matter
because of me.

You're trying
to bleed me here.

Bleed you? For what?

A notch in your hatchet.
Uh, making a quota.

Some time in the limelight.
Who knows?

Rubbish. We have kept
the press out of it so far,

and that's proof
that you're off base.

But this is
a chargeable offense.

Ah. This is where I come in.

-Mm.
-Uh, rubbish.

You're gonna have an impossible
time proving anything

beyond giving
an unlawful gratuity,

which is a class "A"
misdemeanour.

So, no jail time,

a fine,

and a course... maybe.

There is no driving course
on how not to be an asshole.

But in this case,
maybe we invent one.

[whispering inaudibly]

Okay.

But we expect
the maximum on the fine,

and even that may not placate
the DMV folks.

Agreed.

You got a good deal here.

A real sweetheart.

[clicks tongue]

Better than you deserve.

If my client will take it.

I'll let you know.

[door opens]

Well, if the bank
wants to call that loan,

you tell them you'll move
the corpus of the trust

to another institution.

Dad, don't conduct your
so-called business from here.

We have to resolve
this situation--

Some birds are chirping
in the background.

I can't hear a thing.

Get back to me with good news.

There is nothing to resolve with
the DMV as far as I'm concerned.

Well, as counsel,
I have to disagree.

At least present you
with the deal we were able to--

Well, no matter how good a deal
you think you struck

with your colleagues,

I won't sign it.

They should apologise to me.

And Kevin.

Thank you for your efforts,
Freddie.

[sighs]

You picked the wrong guy
to try to charm, Pop.

So now you have to--

That examiner
was a power-mad little man

who should have passed Kevin
on principle alone.

[laughs]

Uh...

what principle is that?

That the Rhoades family
has contributed more

to this city and state than--

Tell that to the bus driver.

No, no.

You see, close call or not,

Kevin avoided that bus.

-Ah.
-And that's all that matters.

-That's real life.
-[laughs]

Near collisions. Near disaster.

That's when the mettle shows.

Our boy has it.

Shows he's got the skills.

That still doesn't speak
to the attempted bribe.

Boyo, if I take the fall
for unlawful gratuity,

that DMV apparatchik
should go down for accepting it.

[laughs]

He didn't accept it.

He allowed you to complete
the criminal act to bust you.

Don't be such an asshole.

Ah.

If you saw the look
on Kevin's face

when he heard
that he had failed...

you'd have done the same.

That's called love.

Yeah, but I didn't see it...

because I wasn't there.

That is true.

He asked you to take him.

Not Wendy or me.

[laughs]

I had been so overtaken
with the idea

that you insinuated yourself

into the situation
with the examiner,

I hadn't stopped to think--

Well, it's high time you did.

He reached out
to a paternal figure

who was not, in fact...

his father.

Maybe he knew I'd risk
life and liberty on his behalf.

Maybe he counted on that.

Maybe he knew
I was the only one.

[sighs]

Who's the asshole now?

Who's the asshole...

now?

[tapwater running]

What the hell
did you do to me?

To you, or for you?

I went over his proposal,
and there's a ton

of upside there.
And what he was saying

about the pitfalls facing
a young company--

You don't think I know
about the pitfalls?

I told you and your
lab mates about them

chapter and goddamn verse
back in the day, if you recall.

This is different.

This is a robber baron making
a move on a proprietary process.

I'm telling you, Mike Prince
is one of the good guys.

-[laughing] Oh, jeez!
-Does he have sharp elbows?

Of course he does.
He has to.

And you want him to.
It's what you need.

But he's got the company's
best interests at heart.

Is that why
he's started an attack?

Your "good guy" Prince

has begun buying up
rival patents.

Even ones vaguely related
to what my process does.

Which gives him standing
to sue me for infringement.

Which will block my work
due to injunction,

potentially for years.

It's called patent sharking.

And it's not
what good guys do.

"Fins up." Fuck!

Yeah-- Shit, look,

it may not be exactly what you
wanted, but similar terms,

some compromises
were always gonna be a reality.

Selling to Prince
without a fight

is the best move now.

If you do,
Prince will relent

and the company
will be spared all this.

You hope.

You will be credited
for creating

this self-healing concrete.

The Nobel Prize doesn't go
to the hedge fund dude

who financed the thing.

Let me lay out a look
at a slightly different future:

yours.

You, Philip...

have been slowly,
or not so slowly,

selling your soul.

And soon,
there'll be none left.

You'll never be happy
at Michael Prince Capital,

because the longer you stay,

the more you'll learn
about Michael Prince...

and the more
you'll hate yourself.

I've been
a scientist-businessman

and a businessman-scientist.

And when one serves
the other, it can work.

The other way
is just a slow death

of everything
you ever hoped to be.

Marc, come on,
you still have a chance

to win big on this
right now.

You just got to show
some flexibility.

It's a wonder I ever achieved
tenure without your counsel.

[typing]

In Will Guidara's book
Unreasonable Hospitality,

he tells a story about how,

when someone misses
a few meetings or is late,

the instinct is
to get right in their face

and give them
massive guff about it.

Instead, Will says
the thing to do

is check in
about their welfare first.

I'm hunky-dory. Peachy keen.

Look, I had stuff
to take care of.

Business stuff, and--

No. Or, yes, but...

whatever's getting in your head,
distracting you from your work,

because you did miss
two meetings,

in which I covered,
of course, but--

No, really, it's a business
thing I was seeing to.

The Ruloff thing.

You need to talk to Wendy.

Your breathing, your cadence,
the pitch of your voice

tell me there's plenty
of emotion

mixed in there
with the business.

I've been there with
an innovator I cared about,

thinking there was a balance
to be struck.

And was there?

No.

I should have focused
only on the business.

Because the corrosive,
controlling part

was already in the inventor,
as it is with your Dr. Ruloff.

That's why he doesn't want
to partner, he wants it all.

I think you got him wrong.

Wendy'll help you
figure that out.

[knocks]

[sighs]

I fucked up.

Huge mistake.

How much is it gonna cost
Prince, the firm?

No.

The opposite, I think.

But despite that,
if something isn't done,

if I don't do something to
change what's about to happen,

I don't know how the hell
I'm gonna be able

to live with myself.

Well, then
you'd better have a seat.

Start at the beginning.

I've likely extricated you
from legal trouble.

Your friend down at the DMV's
gonna get promoted.

And his boss has a kid

who's gonna get
an internship at Justice.

So they'll quietly accept
the misdemeanour.

But what we have to discuss now

is the line of succession
around here.

I just want it to remain clear
that I am a viable alternative

if the two of you are unable
to fulfil your parental duties.

That's all very
well and good, Charles,

but Kevin,

you need to know--

Your mother and I
are your first calls

and your last.

But I did.

[sighs]

"Mom, my driving test
is Monday morning.

Can you take me?"

"I have a meeting that morning.
Have you asked your father?"

"Dad, Monday morning, DMV?"

Uh-huh.
"Is it possible to reschedule?"

It wasn't possible.

Kev, if you'd answered "no,"
I'd have found the time.

As would I have,
if I'd known

your father responded
he couldn't.

This is about you communicating
your needs more directly.

I did. I called Grandpa.

And I stepped forward,
once more into the breech.

I believe Kevin has
what the kids call receipts.

[scoffs]

None of us behaved
perfectly here.

Ah, shit, Kev,

the immediate answer
should have been yes.

I know that.

I get caught up.

We both do.

This is...

I'm just glad
this is the extent

of the price we're paying,

and that it was your grandfather

and not you
with the bribery.

I will go say good night
to my granddaughter.

And for the record,

Kevin drove the hell
out of that Jag under my watch.

Hmm.

My boy, there was a time
when a Benjamin Franklin

was the key to the city.

My mistake was not accounting
for inflation.

[Chuck groans]

[laughs] Oh, God.

Just when I thought
maybe we weren't too bad

at this parenting thing.

Yeah. Evidence to the contrary.

You and I need to communicate
every day about them.

That's where we fucked up.

Because if we'd been talking
directly, one of us...

-No doubt. No doubt.
-...would have--

As far as working together
better...

I pledge to do my part.

As do I.

[Chuck sighs]

I had a strange convo
at work today.

I have to imagine
that's, uh, the norm there.

Kind of your job.

Yeah, but this...

I'll share,
since it wasn't a formal,

privileged conversation.

I sat him on the couch
instead of the chairs.

Uh-huh.

One of the heads of the firm.

Young guy named Philip Charyn.

There's a real
bare-knuckle business thing

that an outside figure,
young Philip,

finds himself
on the opposite side of Prince.

Emotionally, though.

That's not a position
he can take publicly

within the firm.

Sounds Byzantine.

It seemed to me
that he was asking me

to bring you in
on the situation,

to pursue the issue
on his behalf.

Huh.

And what did you indicate back?

Oh, I talked to him
about the blood-brain barrier.

How it keeps bacteria,
viruses, fungus,

parasites in the bloodstream
out of the brain.

Parallel health achieved
by no cross-contamination.

Well, sounds about right.

And, uh, we should
keep it that way.

For the health of the family
and, uh, our individual sanity.

That's exactly what I said.

[laughs]

Wow.

In this arena,

communication has never
been an issue.

We each know exactly
what the other means,

no matter what the other says.

It's somehow reassuring...

and horrifying
at the same time.

Quite so.

[laughs]

Do I need to call a lawyer?

You sent for me.

You didn't tape an X
to a telephone pole,

but you asked for a meet
just the same.

I don't want to talk to you.

Of course you don't.

Your mouth is dry.

You look like you put in
some hard miles.

You need to hydrate.

Marc Ruloff is a good man,
a great man.

And I put him
in Mike Prince's crosshairs.

That's on me.

What if you could
unwind it?

Find a way to save Ruloff's
company from Prince?

Well, I can't. I've tried.

Maybe I can.

Can you give me
an illegality I can pursue?

That's why we're here.

There aren't any.
That's the problem.

What about you?

You're the guy that likes
a big idea,

that likes the grand gesture,
right?

Mm-hmm.

So put a stop
to patent sharking.

And these sharks
troll published patents

and buy everything
that could credibly allege

the invention
infringes on it.

So they can sue.

Did you know there is
a plasma substitute

that could save soldiers' lives
wounded in theatre?

But the inventor
can't roll it out

because she's surrounded
by sharks.

That is a great injustice,

but I can't change it.

Nor can I change the fundamental
nature of the enterprise

that is Michael Prince.

Because your Dr. Ruloff,

great man that you say he is,

is actually just a harbour seal.

And sharks will shark.

Harbor seals
will harbor seal.

That is the way of the ocean.

[metallic rattling]

Gather around,
you malingerers.

[Scooter]
First, we heard you.

After this year,
with all the changes and drama,

we will not proceed with
the planned performance review.

It is more important that
instead of judging each other,

we come together. So...

we are going to have
the inaugural

Michael Prince Capital
Casino Night at Gotham Hall.

Everyone will be there.

Because you have to be...

and because
you fucking want to be.

This group will
come together as a--

[Rian]
Don't say "family."

That whole
"work unit as family" thing

really stamps you
as a Boomer.

-Gen X.
-We're not Boomers.

Not even close.

We read Doug Coupland
in hardback.

You did.
I'm much younger.

The point is,
we will come together as a--

Goddamned family,
or die trying.

Wags, Scooter. Need you.

[tokens rattle]

Kate has an angle
on the Ruloff thing.

I wanted you to hear it.

We just set it in motion
an hour ago.

Enzy-Novo, biotech firm.

They create the bacterial enzyme
that Ruloff's process uses.

And that, the enzyme,
it's proprietary, I imagine.

As patented as Carla Fracci's
Giselle.

As Jordan's turnaround fadeaway.

-Ah.
-Yes, of course. Yeah.

By buying
into this company

and the underlying patent,

Ruloff will be neutralised.

Without Enzy-Novo, Ruloff is
just making everyday cement.

It'll take him years to replace
or create his own bacteria.

Mm, I'd love to see
Ruloff's face when he finds out

he can't have the starter
for his concrete sourdough.

So, that second,
when he's gut-punched,

is when we go back to him
with our last and best offer?

He'll sell whether
he wants to or not.

He'll have to, because he'll
have no other choice.

He'll end up grateful, Mike,

when he sees what you do
with his idea.

How you blow it out.

And, knowing you,

you'll be sure
to credit him, too.

You know I will.

But all those hugs
will have to wait

for the other side
of the war.

[typing]

I have to sign off.
Who can become the host?

[secretary]
Uh, he's in a meeting.

[Ruloff] I'll tell you and your
lawyer at the same time.

Your attempted purchase
of Enzy-Novo has hit a snag,

and that snag is named
this guy right here.

I wouldn't dignify this,
I were you, Mike.

I didn't hear some rumour
needs confirming.

I'm in an exclusive
negotiation period with them,

so they had to tell me as soon
as your offer floated in.

Well, when your period ends,

I'll be there
with a wheelbarrow full of cash.

You won't outbid me.
I need it more.

That's not something you admit
to a guy

with unlimited resources.

That's why you should do
the magnifying glass/slide stuff

and leave the transactions
and wire transfers to me.

I'll focus on the science
of kicking your ass.

[laughs] You want to get
into a buying war with me?

You're firing a pea shooter
at a tank.

Maybe I have
a tank of my own.

You can go around
buying adjacent stuff.

Meanwhile,
I'll publish my work.

Acclaim, prizes,
media attention will follow.

I'll be the man credited with
rebuilding the world, not you.

Philip...

if this guy has
a vulnerability, a weakness,

a quirk of character
that we can use against him,

now would be
the time to share it.

[sighs]
I'd love to help,

but I've got nothing
to help with.

I was an admiring student.

I've never seen that contentious
side of him before.

I've known him as nice.
Conscientious.

I don't know how to get inside
his head and turn him around.

[clicks tongue]

He's a process guy.

He had a 1966 emerald-green
Karmann Ghia 1300.

He loved that car.

Talked about
how the Karmann Ghia 1300

was made for the road.

They weren't durable cars,

so sometimes
you'd see them in garages.

That really bothers him,

the thought that it might
happen to his.

So he bought an entirely
different Karmann Ghia

and stripped it for parts
to save the green one.

Had someone
in the engineering school

match the paint perfectly.

So he's an obsessive.

[Philip]
I'd put it slightly differently.

He's a man
who follows his passion.

Who builds something
and then takes care of it.

That's where
this is coming from.

I mean, he used to take that car
out to these rallies

with whales from
the Stanford Board of Trustees.

They used to try
and buy it off him,

but he wouldn't sell.

The smile on his face
when he would drive off in it...

pure joy of someone who loved
something enough

to take care of it in a way
that it served him perfectly.

Good. Good. Yeah.

That's just the story
I needed to hear.

Kate, I'm betting
Ruloff cozied up

to some billie board member
of the university

to back his war against me.

We still need to outbid him.

Well, what if we can't?

Yes, if he did get himself
a bigger tank,

that might be the case.

So we sue for injunctive relief

on behalf of one
of our other patents.

We won't win that,
which you obviously know.

Winning won't matter.

As Philip's story tells us,

Ruloff will sacrifice everything
but the central project,

the central idea.

He'd cannibalise
perfectly good cars

just to keep his on the road.

It was the getting it on the
road that was everything to him.

Still is.

If we can keep him in court,

and his prize Karmann Ghia
in the garage,

it'll drive him crazy enough to
share the Karmann Ghia with us,

as long as it gets it moving.

That tracks.

I know what to do.

A hearty welcome to all of you
gamesters, sports, speculators,

pikers, and punters.

Tonight, we offer you the chance
to test your luck

and skill at roulette,
blackjack, craps,

baccarat and Texas Hold 'Em.

Drinks are free, and everyone
starts with 5,000 in chips,

with unlimited rebuys
at your own expense.

Proceeds go to charity,
of course,

but the chip leader
at the end of the night

wins a special prize.

And what a prize it is.

Private air travel and
all expenses paid to Ireland,

to coincide with the Open.

And VIP rounds
with this year's champion

at Royal County Down, Portrush,
Sligo, and Ballybunion.

Release the hounds!

[all cheer]

["Funk 49"
by James Gang plays]

Odd numbers only.

7, 17, 23, 24.

Let's go.

♪ I know where you're going ♪

♪ I don't think
That's acting right ♪

♪ You don't think
It's showing ♪

[chips clink]

Split 'em.

Split.

♪ Falling down
Don't misunderstand me ♪

♪ You don't think
I know your plan? ♪

Again?

Gonna raise.

Point is 9.

I'm backing up mine.

And give me
all the hard ways.

Backing up mine.

You're wrong-way betting me.

Your future
is in your hand.

Damn right it is.

Rebuy.

Already?

Don't worry.
I have a system.

Do you take Venmo?

-There we go!
-[excited chatter]

All right,
let's bet some columns.

[blows]

[dice rattling]

-[croupier] Seven.
-Oh!

Ah-ha. Mama's got
a brand-new bag.

Fuck!

You gooched me.

Well, sometimes
that's what mamas have to do

to get the brand-new bag.

[crowd cheers]

That is the sound
of success.

Tonight's a hit.
A palpable hit.

While you do your thing,
I am going to visit the tables.

-Baccarat?
-I know it's house odds,

but I've been a sucker for it

ever since the original
Casino Royale.

[indistinct chattering]

Mm! Grey Goose martini.
Shaken.

Or stirred.
I don't really give a shit.

Ah, yes, chemin de fer.

Or as you vulgarians
like to call it, baccarat.

I usually play with tiles,
but this will have to do.

Mm!

Banco!

Vanessa.

-What do we got?
-Oh, we've got it all.

So, most of these folks,

the abstraction of having
chips instead of cards,

it's throwing their sense
of value off instantly.

Break it down for me.

[Vanessa] Okay.

This guy Victor, he's over there
rolling it up at roulette.

Aggressive, but smart.

On the other hand,

Tuk Lal's already made his
third visit to the rebuy cage.

He seems to think he has some
sort of system at blackjack.

I don't know.

His buddy Ben Kim over there...

he's squeezing
his original 5K in chips

hard enough to turn them
into diamonds.

But scared money's
not gonna win tonight.

Taylor Mason,

clearly a high-level
thinking poker player,

is crushing everybody
at Texas Hold 'Em.

And over here, the one
they're calling Dollar Bill,

he's a total nihilist
at the craps table.

Keep going. Deep dive.

Tell me how their behaviour here
transfers to the workplace.

So, Ruloff,

far from letting himself
be sharked,

got a killer whale
to protect him,

but it ain't working.

Or it was working so well

that Prince had to come at him
another way

to strike the fatal blow.

Uh-huh. What was the move?

Filed suit to block
Ruloff's purchase of Enzy-Novo.

In California. It's gonna end up
in the 9th Circuit.

Where it'll be years
before it's settled out.

These two are gonna be like

the Lazarus A and Lazarus B
on Trek.

Fighting into eternity.

I don't like it.

Neither one of these guys
should be spending their time

trying to win at all costs.

If this thing is as good for
the world as it promises to be,

they should only be focused
on bringing it out.

And worry about the money,

of which there will be plenty,
later.

I mean, think about it.

Louis Pasteur's
first order of business

was doing the good thing,

not cashing in
on his breakthroughs

like these two brigands.

No single person should control
something like this.

There's got to be a way

to take them both
out of the equation.

Unless the whole thing
is a setup.

Wendy comes to you,
you go to the kid,

he gets you
to swallow the poison,

thinking it's just wine.

Oh, Wendy and I aren't
out there

in that particular bad place,
in that particular way.

And, I mean, if we are,
give me the poison now.

Get it over with.

Or just be careful.

How come he didn't make a move

to stop things on his own?

His move was reaching me.

What else could he do
on the inside?

Well, just play it out.

Don't drink whatever goblet's
put in front of you.

And then it doesn't matter
what's inside it.

Fine. Yes.

We proceed without allowing
any kind of opening,

as we always do.

But proceed we must.

How do we get it done?

The only word
that comes to mind:

Spielbergian.

Is that a word?

It ought to be.

I just got a nasty text
from Marc Ruloff.

That's 'cause it's over.

You blocked him
and beat him?

Nope.

But it's over all the same.

The Department of Defence
did a march-in.

The entire project
was declared classified

by the federal government.

Your patent,
everything in this office,

and everything
associated with this work

will now be controlled
by the federal government.

You have rights,
and there is a process

which will now be overseen
by the Department of Defence.

You dropped the dime
to the government?

Could he have
tipped them off himself?

Killed it instead
of letting you have it?

Don't think so.
Doesn't matter now.

The government
will sit on this discovery

like the Ark of the Covenant
in that endless warehouse.

Why won't they get it
into the market?

Well, first of all,
they're inept.

Then, you know,
think of the special interests.

The unions.
The conflicts.

Yeah. They'll use
potential unknown

health or structural liabilities

to get the government
to keep testing it.

Yeah, so, no.
It's not coming to market.

Not now.

So no one gets the benefit.

It's like everyone
just literally said,

"Fine,
kill the damned infant."

Well, the upside is that
when I take the oath of office

and I do declassify it
and release it,

it'll start us off very,
very nicely.

Better: you hold
until right after

you announce
for a second term.

Eight years in office
for President Prince locked up.

Ooh, I like that a lot.

Hold it, then splash.

Maybe Ruloff did me a favour
by trying to stop me.

Let me go over your debt, find
you some corridors out of this.

I think...

No. You've done enough.

More than enough.

Our engagement ends
when you walk out that door.

Before I do, I just want you
to know that my intentions--

I misspoke.

Our engagement ends now.

[door opens]

We're here to set the terms
for the performance reviews.

Should we wait until Philip
is here before we start?

He's not coming.

Oh, well,

there is a new harmonious spirit
on the floor.

We think there's
a road to compromise

that you'll find productive.

It's irrelevant at this point.
We have what we need.

How's that?

You all said nothing
but told us everything.

I've taken Vanessa Selbst's
raw research

and put it into language
that discloses

what the usual comp process
does, and much more.

Using prospect theory,

as based on
Kahneman and Tversky's

Nobel Prize-winning research
recognising loss aversion

that veers directly
into sunk cost fallacy...

along with many other
related pathologies

that were revealed
the other night...

the participation
of the employees

is no longer required.

[Victor]
Shit.

Casino Night wasn't
some team-building exercise.

It was an observation chamber.

Yes, we already know
what we need to know

in order to gauge the employees'
risk assessment,

strategic approach,
expected outcome,

performance in general.

Thanks for your time.

Son of a bitch.

What's next,
the Milgram experiment?

You want to see if we'll
join in shocking each other?

Oh, who was the winner
of the big prize?

Peach took it down.

Fuck me.

-Wow, wow, wow.
-Does she even golf?

I hear she's about to flip it
to a PM at another firm

for 300 grand.

Shame they're so upset.

Victor and Rian had
some of the best approaches.

Unlike the bulk of those losers.

Including you, Wags.

You were in on the gag,
and yet you bled off

$4,900 in chips at baccarat.

Me?

I thought I was on the inside,
that I'm exempt.

[laughs] Oh, no.

No one's exempt.

Goddamn it.

Scooter, you're definitely
not getting invited

to mini golf next week.

None of you are.

Everything I did
went to shit.

I tried to run
a performance review,

and it turned into
a psychological study.

I tried to help the firm
and ended up with nothing.

I tried to help my old teacher,
he lost everything.

I hoped to change the world,
it went nowhere.

You're giving yourself
a lot of credit

for how much
you supposedly control.

[sighs]

No, you're right.

I should give you some.

Because when I went to you
and your ex-husband,

that's when the crap
really started flowing downhill.

Instead of handing out
the kudos and the blame,

why don't we talk about
turning this mess into action.

Because I saw you
in his office,

and I know how you feel.

Whatever plan you're
considering, leave me out.

Whatever you, and Taylor,
and I don't know who else

are thinking about doing...

I can't.

Won't. I don't even want to.

I need, and I will have,
complete deniability.

As-is, right now, there is
nothing I could tell anyone,

nothing I should tell anyone.

I aim to keep it that way.

Then you do that.

You have an old friend
at Defence, don't you?

Did you talk to him lately?

Maybe ask him to, well,
classify something

that could really help
the country,

just to screw over a rival?

If my actions hurt the man,
that is the way it is.

I presume he intends
to declassify it,

if and when
he gets into office.

But I can keep
the wolf at bay for now.

See how that works out.

Right.

A lot of ways
this could have gone

once you connected me
with that fella Philip Charyn.

But then you knew that.

Yep. I suppose I did.

[door opens]

Well, some things
turn out just fine.

Yes, they do.
A lot of things.

["Drive" by R.E.M. plays]

♪ Smack, crack, bushwhacked ♪

-♪ Tie another one ♪
-Congratulations.

♪ To your racks, baby ♪

-[Wendy] So proud of you.
-[Kevin] Thank you.

[Chuck]
Nice. Good job.

♪ Hey, kids, rock and roll ♪

♪ Nobody tells you
Where to go, baby ♪

♪ What if I ride?
What if you walk? ♪

♪ What if you rock
Around the clock? ♪

♪ Tick-tock ♪

♪ Tick-tock ♪

♪ What if you did?
What if you walk? ♪

♪ What if you tried
To get off, baby? ♪

♪ Oh ♪