All language subtitles for Mind.Games.S01E04.1080p.WEB-DL.DD5.1.H.264-NTb-eng

Afraid to ask.

That's your new wallpaper.

Miles, run off
a thousand copies of this.

We're gonna plaster
Ross' office with it.
Uh, no.

Between paper and toner costs,
we really can't do it.

Seriously, you have a problem.

And, you, I have no idea
what you're talking about.

Um, I was at home
on the phone with Beth

planning a relaxing weekend

when I get a call from ed boski.

Sophie's dad.

The girl
we got out of the cult.
Oh.

Well, he wanted to know why

we had put a reporter
in touch with him.

Ross, we don't need you
generating any publicity.

I didn't have anything
to do with this.

I don't even understand...
What did ed say exactly?

He said that a reporter called
with all kinds of questions

about us, our business,

what exactly we had done
for his family and how.

That doesn't sound good.
No.

Some hack writing
a puff piece... this could...

Trust me, when they start out
talking to everyone but you,

they're not writing
a love letter.

He's planning to bury you
and then ask you for a comment

just before he tosses in
the last shovelful of dirt.

This is how the end started
at Ross' last "business."

You really have to do
the little air quotes?

Yeah, but we have a real
business, not a Ross "business."

Seriously,
it's really insulting.

Put the words "fraud"
and "convicted felon"

in an article about us,
and I doubt "real business"

is the first thing
most people think.

Before we panic,
let's call ed back,

find out who this reporter is,
see what he's really about.

How do we...
Read his stuff.

Does he write mostly

community-interest pieces
about dog adoption

or hit pieces about escorts
with corrupt politicians?

And if it's the second one?

Hello?

I'm sorry, uh,
I have an appointment,

and there was no one
out front, so...

Oh. Yeah.

Well, we don't
have anyone out there,

but come in.

This is gonna be fine.
We got nothing to hide.

[ Sighs ]

What?
That is exactly
what he said the last time.

Four days later,
he was in handcuffs.

So, Ryan,
what's up with the tattoos?

You're not a fan?

Tattoos represent
a fundamental misunderstanding

of the persistence
of personal identity.

Okay.
Let me put it this way.

What was your favorite song
five years ago?

I don't know. I...
actually,
it doesn't really matter.

Is it your favorite song now?

No.
Exactly.

Now imagine that song

around your neck
for the rest of your life.

The philosophical question
of who we are through time

is actually
very interesting.
My apologies, Ryan.

Clark sometimes forgets
what "very interesting"
actually means.

How can we help you?

There's a bill
coming up for a vote
in congress on Friday,

and my dad
was gonna vote for it,

but lately he seems
he's changed his mind,

and I want you
to change it back.

Wait. Who...
who's your father?
Representative mckee.

And what's the bill?
It would make trigger locks
for handguns mandatory.

It was
his only campaign promise.

He's pushed for it nonstop
since getting elected.

And if he backs out,
others will follow.

Why is he backing down?
Pressure from the party.

The bill is controversial,

and they want to
keep his district,

so they're threatening
to pull his re-election funding

if he goes ahead with it.

So, if we get him to
change his vote back,

we pretty much
wreck his political career?

I don't know. Maybe.

It doesn't really matter.
He might disagree.

He promised
he was gonna do something.

He needs to do it.

[ Scoffs ]
That's kind of the opposite

of how politics usually works.

Are you saying
you can't help me?

I'm just saying that
making political enemies

might not be an ideal
survival strategy for us.

And binding someone
to the opinions

of their former self
is kind of tricky.

Again, imagine your
favorite song from
five years ago,

but this time, it's...
stop talking about
my favorite song.

This isn't about taste.
It's...

How about you imagine something.

Imagine that it's six years ago

and you're
staying with your Uncle.

He's got guns.

Your dad hates guns.

He's very clear about that.

He's very clear that
you need to stay away from them.

But instead...

You decide to sneak one out,
take it home.

Then one night, you
and your brother are
screwing around with it,

and you accidentally shoot him.

Imagine that.
[ Cellphone beeps ]

Your little brother.

8 years old,

lying there scared and bleeding.

And he asks you
if he's gonna die...

and you tell him no,

promise him he's gonna be fine.

And he isn't.

Now, imagine that
you lost your mom to cancer

and now your brother,

and all you have left
is your father,

who decides this will never
happen to anyone else.

So, imagine he runs for office
and gets elected,

all the while telling
people that he's gonna
fix this and change it.

Imagine that this Friday,

your father
could keep that promise

and make something good
come from the fact

that you don't have a brother
anymore.

Imagine that
and tell me you give a damn

about politics
or favorite songs.

I know how tattoos work,
Dr. Edwards.

But sometimes our future self
needs to be reminded

of our decisions from the past.

His name was Michael.

And I put it there so I'd see it

every time I look in the mirror.

I'd never ask you
to do anything for me.

But I'd be willing to beg you
to do it for him.

The guy's
basically an assassin.
Who?

The reporter... mark Andrews.

Every story is blowing the lid
off of something.

His Christmas cards probably
blow the lid off of something.

People lose their jobs,
businesses shut down.

I mean, he's like
the grim reaper with a byline.

In addition to Andrews being
a muckraking nightmare,

guess who also turns out

to not only be
an often-quoted source,

but his college roommate
and fraternity brother?

Tom Daniels.
Doesn't ring a bell.

Maybe if I use his full name.

Tom Daniels,
c.E.O. Of Metro mutual,

also known as tom Daniels,
c.E.O. Of Metro mutual,

who stood in that elevator
and swore revenge

after you blackmailed him
into paying for a kid's surgery.

Right. It's all
starting to come back to me.

His reporter friend could write
something that essentially

guaranteed no one ever walked
through those doors again.

Wait. Can he shut us down
before Friday?

I don't know. Why?
Because...

We need to change
a congressional vote by then.

Okay.
We have two problems.

One, how do we
deal with a reporter

looking to pay us back
for blackmailing his friend?

Two, how do we get a congressman

to return to his original
position on trigger locks?

Invite him in.
The congressman?

No. The reporter.

Do what the military does when
they want to control a story.

Embed him.
You mean...

He already knows the bad,
so let him see the good.

He'll at least have to
mention it, and then you
neutralize the blow.

[ Snaps fingers ]
Covert memory reactivation!

Covert what?
Our brain stores memories
while we sleep...

Hold on. Are you talking
about the reporter
or the congressman?

The congressman. Why?
Was somebody talking
about the reporter?

All: Yes!
Oh. Sorry.
I wasn't paying attention.

Megan: Sam was saying
that we should let the reporter

do a sort of ride-along
while we work the case.

No!
Absolutely not!

Especially given the delicate
political nature of this one.

What if we had another case,
one that it wouldn't hurt

to let him see, even...
Even write about?

Uh, we're broke, but suddenly

you're sitting on
a backlog of cases?

We need to focus on the period

when he
made the promise.
Who?

Reconsolidate the old memories

as high-value new ones.
Right.

Is anyone else confused?
Very.

We make one up.
A high-value memory?

What? No, no. A case!
Unh-unh, Ross.

That is how we go from
bad publicity to handcuffs.

Just listen.

Sam wasn't with us yet
when we ran into Daniels,

meaning he doesn't know
she works here,

so his reporter pal won't,
either.

So we make Sam the client,
let him follow her case.

Okay, what are we gonna
accomplish for Sam?

Buy her a car.
What?!

Wow.
I love this job.

Not literally. She was
already going to get a car.

I heard you asking Miles
for some tricks...
We call that science.

That you could use
to get a better deal, right?

So we make it a case.

You play the client,
we work up a strategy,

and he follows along while
we show off what we can do.

You know,
it really is perfect.
Thank you!

It's like a time machine.
What now?

If... if he meant what he said
during the campaign,

bringing his memories forward
should elevate their value.

You're talking about
the congressman again?

Yeah. Why?
What are you talking about?

Doesn't matter. Do you
know how to do whatever
it is you just said?

Yeah, I just
hone in on specific cues

to reactivate
the relevant memories.

Do you need my help with that
sentence I didn't understand?

Not yours, specifically.

Do you understand the plan
to deal with the reporter?

Miles is buying Sam a car
for some reason?

Close enough!
Let's get to work!

Does anyone have any idea
what we're supposed to be doing?

Miles: I thought I did,
and then it went

all sort of telepathic
there at the end.

They'll come get us
when they realize that...

Hey! Come on!
Come on, guys! Let's go!

You will eventually explain
what it is we're doing, right?

I told you... four years ago,

this was the congressman's
campaign headquarters.

We're looking for auditory
and olfactory cues

that he would associate with
what it was like back then.

Okay.
We understand the what.

We're just totally confused
as to the why.

Well, think of the way
of smelling a certain perfume

can bring back memories
of your mom

or hearing a certain song

can remind you
of a high-school crush.

That's the way memories work.

It's, uh,
like a-a bowl of fishhooks.

You pull one out,
a bunch of others come with it.

Okay.
I'm with you so far.

So, we're looking for
little hooks that will let us

pull up the congressman's
memory of his campaign...

A campaign where
he swore day after day

he was gonna pass this bill.

But just reminding him
of his campaign

can't be all it takes
for him to change his vote.

I mean, don't you think
his son has done that?

Don't you think there's
angry voters calling

and doing that every day?

Yeah, well,
that's why what we're doing

is called covert
memory reactivation,

not "calling up someone and
yelling at them" reactivation.

What does
the covert part mean?
Oh, it's simple.

We sneak into his house
and do it while he's asleep.

So, wait now. You want to know
how this place smelled?

Yes. And sounded.

When you were managing
the campaign volunteers,

maybe someone
was wearing a particular cologne

or maybe the office
was newly painted.

Fried chicken.

I'm sorry?

Place smelled like
fried chicken.

[ Chuckling ] Yeah,
one of our early supporters,

he ran that
fast-food place, Gus's.

Sent over fried chicken
almost every day,

which was real nice, except...

It was fried chicken
every day.
Exactly.

What about sounds?

Sounds?
Oh. That's easy.

[ Elevator bell dings ]

Hey.

I'll... I'll give you a piece

when we're done
with the experiment.

Ross!
Where the hell
have you been?

Oh, you brought fried chicken

and a friend with a saxophone.

Ross, William.
William, Ross.

William apparently
played outside the offices

every day
during the mckee campaign.

Very good tippers.
Sorry to see them move on.

I know you called and texted,

but William was not easy
to track down.

Yeah, he was
under a bridge on the West Side.

On a totally unrelated note,

I gave up a national commercial
to be here.

Ross, he's just
waiting in the conference room,

and he does not seem happy to...

Um, oh.
That's interesting.

Miles, where is
the condenser Mike

that we use
for the subject interviews?

Clark, listen to me.
The reporter is here.

So? I thought
you were on that.

Look, what I'm doing
is very important here, Ross!

I'm trying to
keep this from being...
I got to...

the last important
thing you get to do,

do you understand?

But if this guy's gonna
ride along on a "case,"

we need to work it
like a "case."

That means
we meet with the "client"!

God, now you got me doing it!

So meet!
Have Miles sit in!

Thank you. That's
what I've been saying
for quite a while now.

He thinks he's gonna ride along

on a regular case...
Our only case.

If the brains behind the company

is hosting a fried chicken
and saxophone party

instead of meeting with
the client, he's gonna wonder

if maybe there isn't
something else going on.

This guy is dying to blow us up.

If we're gonna defuse it, we're
gonna have to do it together.

Fine!

Guys, go into Sam's office.

Miles, I need a high-fidelity
recording of William

to be played back at low levels.

Megan, latrell,
go get a box of cotton swabs.

Put the ends into the chicken.

Make sure that you really
soak in the grease and aroma.

Soak up the grease.
Got it.

National.

I was gonna be
on TV coast to coast.

How do you think I feel?
I have 80% of a phd.

Really?
I also have a phd.

[ Sighs ]

Do I really have to
go through with this charade?

Defusing things
is not my specialty.

This will be
great practice for you.

I'm gonna go get Sam.

[ Sighs ]

Hi. Hi. Clark Edwards.

I know who you are.

I'm sorry.
Are we not gonna do that thing

where we
pretend to like each other?
Would you prefer that?

No. This is
much easier for me.

I've always found it hard
to smile at people

who are trying to take me down.

You are aware you're
the ones who invited me in.

Ross thinks that if you see
the truth in what we do,

you will feel obligated
to mention it.

But you disagree.
I think you decided
what you were gonna write

when your
fraternity buddy called.

Hey! [ Claps hands ]
You guys want to come
out and meet Stephanie?

Hmm. Can't wait.

Stephanie,
Mr. Andrews understands

that you're willing to
let him follow along

but that you don't want to
use your full name

or be identified in his story,

so don't be afraid
to speak freely.

Can I start out by asking...

He told her to speak freely, so
you should just really observe.

Go ahead.

Samantha: [ Clears throat ]
Okay. Um...

Well, I-I've been
trying to buy a car,

but I don't have great finances.

And, being a single woman,

when I go into
these dealerships,

I-I guess it sort of feels like

I'm always being pushed around.

Um, I don't know if this
is the sort of thing

you guys deal with, but... sure!

No, that's, uh...
That's a common problem.

We can absolutely help.
Yeah. Right.

Uh, there's a number of
strategies that we can employ

to help you with this process.

[ Saxophone playing ]
Uh, the first one
to look at...

Is, um...

The...

Uh, the first is a reciprocal...

[ Music continues ]
Benefit strategy.

I'm gonna let them know
to knock it off.

Wait.

[ Music continues ]

It brings back everything.

What's that?
The whole context.

Not just the promise.
It's the fishhooks.

Um, I'm sorry.
I have to go.

Clark, we're in the middle
of a meeting.
Stephanie, I'm on it.

Ideas, plans, strategies.
They're percolating.

Just need to think.
We'll keep in touch.

[ Music continues ]

Would you say these meetings
usually wrap up

in two minutes,
or is this a long one?

[ Sniffs ]

Dr. Edwards,
what's going on?

Hey.
Thought we weren't
meeting till later.

Oh, I know.

[ Sighs ] We didn't talk
about your relationship.

My relationship?

Yeah. With your dad.
Relationship with your dad.

Are you guys, what?

We're fine, I guess.

I mean, now.

What about during the campaign?

Then, no.

He hated me, basically.

We couldn't really
be in the same room.

You know how you can tell

when someone
really wants to hit you?

Yeah.
It was like that.

He'd just look at me, and...

All he could think about
was Michael.

He'd fill up
with this rage and sadness.

I'm gonna have to call it off.

Wh-what?

You said you had
a strategy all planned out.

I can get you into his place.
That's not...
no, I'm sorry.

I didn't
think it all the way through.

What? It won't work?
It will.
It's just, look...

We basically bring your father
back to the campaign.

We get him to remember
and feel now

what he thought and felt then,

which should reactivate
his passion for this bill

and get him to
reconsider his vote.

Well, that's perfect.
That's what I want.

But memories aren't isolated.

They bring
a whole context with them.

If we bring him
back to that time,

there's a chance
that he'll not only

rediscover his passion
for passing this bill,

but...

Rediscover his anger...

At you.

That's okay.
No.

No, I need to think
of another way to...
Dr. Edwards.

My dad and I...

We're never going back
to the days where

he was a little-league coach
and I was his star pitcher.

What I did was unforgivable.

If you remind him of that,

it's probably a good thing.
Ryan, look...

[ voice breaking ]
Just please, Dr. Edwards.

If you don't do this,

there's no vote, there's no law.

And then what was it for?

Why did Michael die?

It can't be for nothing.

Please. I'm begging you.

Do it and make it all
mean something.

Please, Dr. Edwards.

You can't be serious!
It's always been
the plan, Ross.

Funny how you didn't
mention the part about

sneaking into
a congressman's bedroom.

I'm not sneaking in.
Ryan's letting me in.

With fried-chicken cotton swabs

and a recording
of a homeless saxophone player?

It's called
covert memory reactivation.

Just repeating that
isn't helping me understand

why we're sending
you out of the office
dressed like a ninja.

It's because we have to do it
while he's asleep.
Why?!

Because when we're asleep,

our brain goes through
consolidation.

[ Sighs ]
Think of it like this.

Our mind
sifting through the day,

deciding what's
important enough to keep

and what to get rid of.

[ Crickets chirping ]

Clark: Memories aren't just
a mental scrapbook, Ross.

They're what define us,

what drives us.

What we choose to remember...

Is nothing short of who we are.

If we secretly use cues...

Like a sound...

Or a smell...

To activate a dormant memory,

your brain experiences it
almost as if it just happened.

The methodology
may be exceedingly simple.

But the effects
are extraordinarily powerful.

When you wake up,
you have no idea

why you've suddenly assigned
great importance

to this set of memories,

but you know your brain
is telling you they're valuable,

saying, "don't forget this.

Don't let this go."

The idea is the same one

that caused Ryan
to give himself that tattoo.

Memories don't just
remind us what we've done.

They point us
at what we're going to do next.

Ross:
Hey! Come on. Wake up.

We got a "case"...To work.

[ Sighs ]

Hey, I'm... I'm sorry.

Um, I'm 50 cents short
for the vending machine,

and I'm just
dying for a can of pop.

Um, could you
help me out by any chance?
Yeah.

What brings you in today?

It's called
the consistency principle.

By getting him
to do her a favor,

Stephanie establishes
a subtle precedent,

and it actually makes him
more likely

to do a favor for her
in the future,

like when
she wants a better price.

So, that's what you have?

Oh, that's just the start.

We're gonna be
reversing the strategy

that car dealers
use on buyers...

It's called
the sunk cost effect,

where they make you
wait repeatedly

while they go back to their
manager over and over again

to try to shave off
a few more dollars

till you've invested
so much time and energy

in the negotiation

that you're more apt to agree
than walk away.

Instead, Stephanie's gonna
readily agree to his offers,

but she'll have to keep
checking with the bank...

Us... to get approved.

So, we're gonna
be here awhile.
Yep.

When we take on a case,
mark, no matter how small,

we're all-in.

Clark: Get comfortable.

Mm. Nothing?

No. Not yet.

It's gonna work.
Kind of what I'm afraid of.

Okay. I think he's
at the end of his rope.

Uh, I told him that I thought
it was a totally fair price

and I would beg the bank
one more time.

Perfect! Okay,
here's what you're gonna do.

Take the phone back in.

Ross will be the loan officer
on the other end.

Tell the salesman
that you tried,

but Ross isn't listening,

and you give the salesman
the phone

and ask him to try
talking to Ross.

Letting the salesman
ultimately get Ross to say yes

gives him complete ownership
and investment in the deal.

It's his. He made it.

When Ross agrees, Stephanie
will leave to finalize the loan,

but when she comes back
tomorrow,

she's gonna need
an even lower price.

The fact that he owns the deal,

that he spent so much
time and energy

will push him to accept
just to get it done.

And nothing about
these tactics bothers you?

It's a car dealership.
We're...

We're simply
leveling the playing field.

[ Cellphone rings ]
Fine. Take it. Take it.

I'll see you back at the office.

Latrell? What's the word?

I don't even know
how to thank you.

I mean, I've been trying to
talk to him about it for weeks,

and you do some magic
with chicken and music,

and it... [ Sighs ]

It means a lot to me, really.

So, thank you.

And you and your dad...
Did you two talk?

Uh, no, not exactly.

I went back to the office
after word had leaked

that he switched his position
back to say thank you,

and it was like you said,
actually...

Like we went back to
how it used to be.

He couldn't really look at me.

You could tell
he just needed me to go away.

Ryan, I don't want you to...

No, it's okay, really.

The law's gonna change,
and that's what's important.

And honestly,
it's easier if he hates me.

Makes two of us.

[ Slurring ] Ryan,
it doesn't make it any easier

if he hates you.

[ Groans ]

There we are.

There's dad.

Oh.

I want to go back.

Why can't you go back?

Wait.

Little league.

[ Crickets chirping ]

[ Doorknob rattles ]

♪ I hold my head up

♪ just enough to see the sky

♪ and when we go,
we won't go slow ♪

♪ we'll put up such a fight

♪ when they fade into the dust

♪ and into ash

♪ but all the children
know for sure ♪

♪ this pain will surely pass

♪ strong and wise
[ Vehicle approaches ]

♪ And you are love

[ siren wails ]

Hello!

Sir, you want to tell me
what you're doing up there?

Uh...

I don't suppose
you're familiar with

covert memory reactivation?

Do you have any idea
how this looks?

Reporters get tips, you know.

Mark Andrews
is gonna be all over this.

I'm surprised
he didn't beat me here.

Oh, screw him.
No, Clark!

Not screw him!
Screw you!

Everyone else in that office
is killing themselves

to keep one article
from taking us down!

You're getting wasted
and walking around a
congressman's roof

like a-a deranged Santa claus?

If you don't want to
help us, fine.

The least you could do
is not help him.

I'm sorry.

That's exactly what you're
gonna say to mark Andrews.

And then you're going to explain

that you were drunk
on a congressional rooftop

shoveling grass clippings
down a chimney

because of
a very poorly thought-out

and misguided attempt
to make a political statement

about environment policies
that you disagree with.

Okay?!
Okay.

[ Sighs ]

Now... Explain to me

why you were actually
on a congressional rooftop

shoveling grass clippings
down a chimney.

Oh, hi, mark.
Rough night?

Mark, we were
just about to call you.

Were you?

I have to say,
I'm dying to hear this.

In my zeal
to express my dissatisfaction

over the lack
of political progress

on a host
of environmental issues,

I embarrassed myself,
my co-workers,

and unnecessarily troubled
an innocent congressman,

and I just want to express
my sorrow and regret.

Not bad, but...

You've had practice making
these statements, haven't you?

Now...
Do you see your tendency

toward this kind of
difficult-to-explain
behavior as a problem?

Sadly, it's not
difficult to explain.

I'm just very passionate
about the environment.

But does that really
account for...

Again, I'm... I'm very sorry.

But I-I still hope that
you're planning on joining us

for the remainder
of the current case.

I think you'll be impressed
with what myself

and the rest of our hardworking
team are able to do.

Well, this is awkward.

Like I said, genius shows
itself in very strange ways.

It obviously wasn't smart,

but I had one comment
about little league, no help,

so I found a field.
You were evoking memories

by putting grass clippings
in his chimney?

I wanted to resurrect
a time when they had bonded.

What is this?
What's going on?

Oh, uh, Clark was just
explaining how

we need to find a new strategy

for the case
we already finished.

It's only partially finished.

You mean the part
we were actually hired to do?

Yeah. That part's done. Now
we have to do the other part.

What other part?
What are you talking about?

Ross, we wrecked
their relationship.

Mckee won't even
look at his son.

Okay, we did that.
I did that.

And the thing is, you know,
Ryan thinks he deserves this.

He doesn't deserve this
because...
whoa, whoa, hey, look.

Ryan asked you to do something.

You did it, and he was
very thankful for it.

We can't fix everything
in our clients' lives.

Sometimes... not this time!

This time,
it doesn't end like this.

That's not why I'm here...

To do this to people,
to leave people in pain, okay?

So I'm sorry if it's bad timing

and if you don't want to do it.

But this one isn't over for me.

And it won't be over until
Ryan and his dad are fixed.

But if Ryan doesn't care...

Ryan doesn't know!

Ryan doesn't understand,
latrell!

I do!

My dad was... was my idol.

He taught me
how to throw a curve...

[ Chuckles ]
How to clean a fish.

Basically
made my world go around.

And then
I started having problems,

and then my problems
became his problems.

And it ruined his marriage,

it ruined his life,
and he hated me for it.

Clark, you can't
take anything dad said...

He did, Ross, and you know it.

He hated me
right into the ground.

[ Scoffs ]

And at the time,
I thought it was okay, you know?

"I can handle it.
Hell, I probably deserve it.

He'll get over it," right?

But he didn't.

Because he died.

And I'm not gonna let that
happen to Ryan, okay?

I'll do it.

It's my case.
[ Sighs ]

I'll do it alone if I have to,

but I just wanted...
I wanted you to know that

I-I... [ sighs ]

I'd love your help.

Well, then I guess
we've got to figure out

how to get Ryan's dad
to forgive him, right?

Yeah.
Yeah.

Guys...

Thanks.

[ Sighs ]

My grandmother used to say
everything happens for a reason.

Maybe you were supposed to
end up with this case

because you're the only one
who can go the extra mile...

Apophenia.

What?

Megan!

You're brilliant!
That's it!

The... the human tendency
to see patterns in randomness,

to see meanings in coincidences!

That's it!
Wh...

Can you expand on "that's it"?

We're not gonna bring
Ryan and his father together.

The universe is.

Human beings are essentially

highly evolved
pattern-recognition machines.

That tendency
to assign special value

to coincidental events

is exactly what we're gonna use.

How?

Take Ryan's tattoo.

We make it a logo
for a band or something.

We paper a city block where
his father walks with posters.

It's a coincidence
that makes him think of his son.

We keep doing that...
Taking information about Ryan,

his birthday,
where he went to school.

We create incidents
that all feel like

they're pointing mckee
back toward his son

until we create
the ultimate coincidence

and actually
bring them together.

And what happens then?

With any luck, a miracle.

Make 1,000 posters
of that symbol.

Uh, could 100 work?
Maybe 10?

Time to go.
Latrell, don't cheap out.

Where are you going?

To help Sam buy a car
in such a spectacular way

that her success
becomes breaking news.

Or at least bears a mention
next to the mug shots.

Could I at least
do black-and-white copies?

Samantha: I'm so sorry.

I thought you were
totally being fair,

but when I went
to get the cashier's check,

he said that
he talked to his boss,

and there was absolutely no way

he could approve me
at that number.

So, ultimately,
this is the best I could do.

It's $600 less than what
they said they would give you,

[ telephone ringing ]
And I totally understand

if you can't match that price...

I don't know. I don't...

Excuse me one second.

Hello. Skip Murray.

Woman: Mr. Murray,
this is Pam Jordan

from the
district tax assessor's office.

I'm calling because we've
discovered some discrepancies

in the placement
of your property lines.

By offering him stressful news,

we're raising
his cortisol levels.

Elevated cortisol levels
lead people to seek out

any available rewarding outcome.

This is gonna prime him
to want to simply seal the deal.

Now, as soon as she's off the
phone, we're gonna marry that

with a contiguous consumption
compliance window.

The cookie.
Totally.

See, research has shown
this really strange phenomenon

where if I offer you
something to eat,

you're more apt
to comply with my commands

while you're actually
eating whatever it is
that I've offered you.

So, Stephanie, she's gonna make
a peace offering of a cookie.

Guys, guys,
he's, uh, really angry.

What do you want me to do?

[ Door opens, closes ]
Come back yet?

Clark, this guy is
yelling at me. What do
you want me to do?

Yelling at you? What?

We did a cortisol
selection bias.
What?!

T-to promote r-reward seeking,
and that's good.

If the subject
has limited options!

If his cortisol levels
weren't already elevated,

in which case,
you can simply push him

until he... he snaps
into an adrenaline loop!

You think that
I go out and survey my land

every time
I receive a tax bill?!

I understand, sir,
but that is simply our policy.

This is the carefully executed,

scientific manipulation
you were referring to?

If he's adrenalized,
that changes everything!

Miles:
He's not adrenalized.

Of course he is!
He is yelling at Megan!

No.

Guys, he hung up.

What? Oh.

Skip: You came in,
and you sat down,

and you said yes,
and your bank said yes.

You've wasted
two days of my time.

Do you understand that?

Sa... Stephanie.

You have to match his anger!

Okay?
He's become adrenalized.

Miles: No, don't...
Don't get angry.

The cortisol bias
is still gonna work.

Just, uh, give him the cookie.

No, no, no!
Don't give him the cookie!

If you placate him,
he'll actually...

It's not placating.
It's contiguous consumption.

Get angry!
Snap him out of what...

No! Do not get angry!
Just give him the cookie!
[ Shouts ]

[ Clark and Miles
yelling indistinctly ]
Here!

I brought you this cookie!

What is she doing?

I think she's trying to
angrily give him the cookie.

That...
Would that work, I wonder?

Mark:
Which sounds correct...

Chaotic incompetence
or incompetent chaos?

Maybe I'll just get a place
closer to the train.

[ Telephone rings ]

Edwards and associates.

One moment, please.

[ Telephone beeps ]

It's for you.
Tom Daniels.

Ross: [ Sighs ]

[ Telephone beeps ]

Mr. Daniels.

Is this Ross Edwards
of Edwards and associates?

That's me.
Well, Mr. Edwards,

I have had the pleasure
of reading a copy of an article

about you and your firm
that's set to run tomorrow.

Now, obviously, I'm not
the p.R. Expert that you are,

but from where I'm sitting,
this seems like

the kind of article that, uh,

could put someone
out of business.

So, I'm gonna have my assistant
send you over,

uh, a parting gift.

I understand
you're partial to cookies.

[ Telephone beeps ]

So, now what?

Probably not too much.

We still need to fix
Ryan and his dad.

Kind of a fitting way to end...

Doing something that
we weren't hired to do

and that we're not
getting paid for.

Look, I can't speak
for the rest of you,

but personally, and as short
as it may have been,

this has been the best
job I have ever had the
chance to screw up.

So, I say we finish strong.

Blaze of glory, et cetera.
What do you say?

Who wants to join Clark and me
for one more non-paying gig

that no one will ever
hear about or appreciate?

[ Sighs ]

In.

In.

Definitely.

I went full color
on those posters.

Spared no expense.
Yeah, I'm all for it, too.

I'm just gonna need a ride.

Pseudo-science,
criminal history,

emotionally unstable.

Oh, there's even a mention
of allegations of blackmail.

"No trick too dirty

or opportunity
too underhanded." Wow.

Please stop reading that.
You're breaking my focus.

All right, let's...
Let's run through it.

Megan?
On her way back now.

Staged a run-in with mckee
almost an hour ago

using the fact that
Ryan went to depaul

and that his middle name is Alex

to create our first coincidence.

Congressman mckee?

Hi. My name is Alex.

I'm from the depaul
students association.

Latrell?
Ross:
Already headed back.

10 minutes ago,
he hit the congressman downtown

with Ryan's birthday to create
coincidence number two.

The garage code is 12-16-91.

No, no, listen to me.

12-16-91.

A-are you deaf?
12-16-91!

Perfect.
And Sam is with Ryan.

Miles:
Yes, we found a band
he liked on his Facebook page,

told him he won tickets.

Sam's gonna be
the promotions representative,

meet him on the El platform.

Afterwards, she walks him
over to the office

to pick up the tickets.
Except things
never get that far,

because, if everything
stays on the clock,

Ryan gets off the train
exactly as mckee is getting on.

They see each other, and then

because coincidences
don't feel like coincidences,

but instead like the universe
has brought them together...

There's mckee.

And there's
coincidence number three.

He recognizes his son's tattoo.

Okay. Go.

Time?

You just checked your watch.

He's on schedule.
It's gonna work.

I just got a text from Sam.

She says Ryan's train
is about two minutes out.

Okay. Okay.
Tell her to clear out.

I want them to just meet
when he hits the platform

so it really seems like
it... it...

Wait. Wait. Whoa.
What's he...

Why's he stopping?

He looks like he...
Like he forgot something.

Come on, come on, come on.
What is he doing?

Why is he... where's he going?!
He's gonna miss everything!

Don't worry. We'll...
We'll come up with another...

No, this is it! Everything
is pointed to this!

Clark, wait!
Wait! Wait!

[ Car horns honking ]

[ Tires screech ]
Sir! Sir!

Representative mckee!
You have to go back, sir!

Sir, sir, sir!
Whoa. Stop right there.

Relax. He's not a problem.
I need to talk...
talk to you for a second.

Clark, you don't want to
do this, okay?

You're on a list.
You don't need to be...
no, sir!
Sir, you need to...

You need to go up on the...
Sir, it's about Ryan!

What are you talking about?

What about Ryan?
What did he do?

Do? Nothing.

He didn't do anything.
I did. I did. [ Sighs ]

I-I-I wanted it to seem like...

Like there were signs,
there were coincidences

that were pointing you
back to your son.

And if you would have
gone on that train platform

like you usually do
instead of turning around,

you would have found him.

He's up there right now
waiting for you,

and he doesn't even know
he's waiting for you,

because I wanted it to
feel like it was fate,

like the... like the universe

was trying to pull you guys
together again.

But it wasn't fate.

It's just us. It's just us.

And I don't have
a better answer.

I don't have better science.
I don't have anything else.

But you need to
go on that platform.

You need to see your son.

And no matter
how hard it... it is,

no matter how strange it feels,

you have to forgive him.

And not just for him.
For you.

Look, I know
you don't know who I am.

You probably think I'm crazy,
and I don't...

I can't imagine...

What it's like to lose a son.

But it's not too late
to get the other one back.

Someday it will. Trust me.

[ Sighs ]
But today it's not.

Are you the nut who was
putting grass in my chimney?

No, sir.

I'm the guy whose father never
forgave him before he died.

And the world
doesn't need any more of me.

[ Man on p.A.
Speaking indistinctly ]

Ryan!

I've been thinking about you.

Suddenly, here you are.

Imagine that.

[ Voice breaking ]
Dad, the other day,

I just wanted to say thank you
for passing the bill.

You know, I know
nothing's gonna change what...

Ross: "A firm with no scruples,
no shame, and no heart.

"Edwards and associates
is populated

"with the sort of people
who seem

"not to genuinely care
about anything or anyone.

"They want only to win

"and seem spectacularly
incapable of even that.

"The last thing our city needs

"is a group like this
running amok...

"unstable, reckless,
and downright criminal.

"Contacting them
seems more likely to result

"in breaking the law
than fixing anything.

"With as many problems
as Chicago faces,

"we'll certainly
be facing one less

when these problem-solvers
close their doors."

Wow.

Let's put that one in a frame
for mom and dad's house.

He did mention that
my research was award-winning.

He also called you
emotionally unstable.

I say we all get drunk.

Ha! It's 4:00
in the afternoon.

Then we have time
to get really drunk.

Latrell, we still got money
in the petty cash,

or we got to hock a computer
on the way to the bar?

Latrell.

I don't understand.

What?

There's 57 messages,
and I'm only on number 8.

Come on.
Don't listen to that stuff.

No, no.
You don't understand.

They all want to
make appointments.

[ Scoffs ]

What?

How?
[ Scoffs ]

Maybe when you have a problem,

a group of criminals who want
to win doesn't sound so bad.

What? Just any press
is good press?

You tell me. You're
the award-winning scientist.

[ Scoffs ]

Maybe it's a sign.

[ Indistinct conversations ]