All language subtitles for Billions S07E09 Game Theory Optimal 1080p AMZN WEB-DL DDP5 1 H 264-NTb_track4_[eng]

[Kate Sacker]
Previously on Billions.

What is that?
A fire crackling?

Yeah. Lobby bar. It's homey.

- All of you are gonna get one.
- This'll track your sleep,

your resting heart rate,
and other vitals

in the name of well-being
and productivity.

You wear it 24/7.

- [loud crash]
- FBI!

Spread out!

Dr. Gilbert,
my name is Chuck Rhoades.

- You know I'm innocent.
- Innocent?

No, I cannot credit
that assertion.

We'll make a dang fortune.
And this is the kind of idea

custom-made to campaign on.

He's one of the heads
of the firm.

Young guy named
Philip Charyn finds himself

on the opposite side of Prince.

Sounds Byzantine.

[Wendy] It seemed to me
that he was asking me

to bring you
in on the situation.

- 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.

[Wags] I love
that you're ditching

your race for Congress.

You should go long, Purell.
I'm not ditching a thing.

But you're still here?

Most important actions
a president can take

are those that assure

that no nuclear weapon
is ever fired.

If a hostile nation state
were going to initiate,

I would be open
to launching first

in order to shut them down.

Even if it may mean the end
of the world as we know it.

People without self-doubt
should never put themselves

in a position of complete power.

They're the only ones
who should rule,

because the other people
let self-doubt rule them.

That would never be me.

[Billy Joel:
"I've Loved These Days"]

Now we take our time

So nonchalant

And spend our nights

So bon vivant

We dress our days

In silken robes

The money comes

The money goes

We know it's all

A passing phase

We light our lamps

For atmosphere

And hang our hopes

On chandeliers

We're going long

We're gaining weight

We're sleeping long

Hope you enjoy.
Take your time.

Thank you, Sal.

Counselor, you've been
eyeing me all night.

You're the only other person
in the establishment.

Not sure where else
I might look.

I didn't say
you were looking at me.

I said you were eyeing me.

Of course you're looking.
We're talking.

But, uh, your eyes
keep searching my face,

trying to find an answer.

Only thing is, you're
dancing around the question.

[chuckles] Oh!

Once a cop, huh?

Even in retirement.

Not observant 'cause I was
an officer of the law.

Reason I was an effective
officer of the law,

reason I rose
in the ranks as I did,

that's because, to start,
I had the power of observation,

which, you want to know
what that really is?

I suspect I'm gonna hear
your perspective on it.

So, yeah, sure.

It's the refusal
to look away.

We all want to,

especially when
we glimpse something

we'd prefer not to see,

or we notice something
we'd rather not deal with.

You know, guys know their wife
is stepping out on them

months, years before
they bring themselves

to accept that knowledge.

Same way an investor has that
sneaky feeling in his stomach

that his money guy
is lying to him.

But he writes it off to the last
veal parm he had for lunch...

And you think
you've noticed something

in how my eyes
are alighting on your face?

If you stall much longer,

we're gonna have to ask them
to open for breakfast.

And they didn't even
do that for Sinatra

when he was sitting back
over there

in the sanctified seats.

Well, I'm sure they would have,
if he'd asked.

[chuckles]

Chuck, we've supped.

We've libated.

Now's the time.

Now is the time, huh?

Okay, okay.

Now is the time.

Just out with it, Rhoades.

The practice of making sure
a guilty man goes down,

whether the evidence exists
or needs to be helped along,

when no doubt exists
in the minds

of the arresting officers,
their peers, et cetera.

It used to happen sometimes.

Still does, I'm sure.

Guy would stick a bag of dope
in a wife-beater's car.

That kind of thing.

Because you knew the world
would be better with him gone.

Yeah, but...

it never works the way
the cop thinks it will,

flaking a guy.

Not really.

Somewhere between the idea and
the execution, things go wrong.

You gotta have the evidence
of guilt of the actual crime,

not the crime
you think he might commit

or also committed.

The one
you're arresting him for.

Or else?

Anima in periculo.

[laughs]
Oh!

You remember some of the Latin
the nuns gave you.

That brings a smile.
But if I wanted to ensure

my soul would never be in peril,

I'd have become, I don't know,
a veterinarian.

[scoffs]
Yeah.

But still, this is different.

What it does to a person's
insides to frame someone.

And that's still not why it's
on my "do not recommend" list.

The problem is,

the system collapses
under its own weight.

Not right away. Soon enough.

Those lines on the road to
justice exist to serve everyone.

They should not
be traipsed over.

But what if the guy
isn't only guilty,

but a continuing
and enormous danger to society?

To the world?

So it is some kind of permission
you're after, not guidance.

I can't grant it.

I won't.

Bad for you.
Bad for the whole deal.

You want absolution in advance,

take it up with a commissioner
of a different department.

Why can't you
get this guy

under the legitimate weight
of your own office?

Because this guy can't be got
with normal methods.

He's a king.

But a mad king.

Now you said something.

Old days, when a king
was confirmed mad,

that's when his own court
was ready to depose him.

Help depose him.

They usually ended up
without heads for their trouble.

Well, if they were in the court,
they probably had it coming.

Find them.

Use their own outrage
against him.

I happen to care
about at least one

of these particular courtiers.

[laughs]

Then there's only
one thing to do.

Drink, my friend.

[wine pouring]

[sighs]

I was sitting there at my desk,

waiting for everyone else
but you to leave.

And I sat there
for another hour...

deciding.

I think there's a mutiny
in the works.

Evidence?

Circumstantial
but strongly suggestive.

I was doing my usual
post-decision review process--

You do that? How often?

Once a week,
so I don't get sloppy.

And whilst reviewing,
something came clear.

The moment I went to tell Prince
I was leaving the firm.

The idea to do that,
to leave,

wasn't really mine.

Who whispered it, then?

Wags put it in my head,

and I don't think it was out
of the goodness of his heart.

You think he wanted
to get rid of you?

He came on like he was
looking out for me.

He doesn't do that.

And that insight made me
rethink something else.

A few times, when I've
approached small groups,

they changed the conversation
or stopped talking entirely.

Should we wake Prince?

Not yet. No.

When did this happen?
Who are the groups?

I took contemporaneous notes. Here.

Let's pull it up.

- Pull it up?
- Yeah.

As old Warner Wolf used to say,
"Let's go to the videotape."

We record everything
except privileged conversations.

You record those too,
don't you?

Don't we? Come on.

I have been walking and thinking
about this all night.

After the eating and drinking,
I mean.

Hmm. I inferred that part.

The kids are sleeping,
so let's keep it quiet-ish.

Easy. Not that kind of drunk.

Ah.

The inquisitive kind.

Okay.

Come on.

Fire away.

How do you convince somebody
you won't hurt them

if you really mean it?

Do you need me to play along

like I think you're asking theoretically,

or about some random person
I don't know?

I do not, no.

I have been ruminating
about what caused you

to send your charge
Philip to me.

Sent him because he asked.

Do you need me to play along

like that's true?

I do not.

No.

But I do need a reason
to keep this going.

The Philip thing
made me fairly certain

that you see Prince
the way I do.

Before I respond to that...

I need to know.

What do you see in him
that's different

than what you see
in any other target?

Well, the self-interest
is the same.

The scope and scale
of the ambition is not.

Nor the grandiosity of vision.

Sure, others of his general
stature bilk society

while padding
their own pockets,

but not a one of them
that I have personally chased

had the desire or capability
to get to where his hand

was on the nuclear button
so he could press it first.

Yeah, well...

Yes, this guy would,
or could, at least.

"Could" is unacceptable.

What if I agreed with that?

What then?

I am back at my reason
for the visit.

How do I convince you it would
be safe for you to work with me?

In what way?

I can't find a path
to get him within what I do.

But with someone on the inside,
the path would reveal itself.

If not to bring him to justice,

at least to stop his ascent.

As you know, somewhere deep...

that I would stop short of
causing you irreparable harm...

at this point, I, too, am close
to feeling that in the reverse.

Jesus, it's late.

I sound like
I'm in a Tennessee Williams.

[sighs]

But it doesn't matter
what I feel

about how you'd treat me.

Not really.

What matters is,
for what you want to try,

for it to have
any chance of succeeding,

I'd have to enlist
other people.

I have enlisted other people.

But I can't vouch for you
to them,

because you would hurt them
if you had to

without more
than a moment's thought.

[scoffs]

Well, at least you grant me
that I would take that moment.

I can see that you've grown.

But it doesn't change
the finality of my position.

I can't vouch.

And even if I did,
they wouldn't believe me.

Not after...

everything they've seen you do.

Thanks for answering the door.

I've also felt the kind
of misalignment you describe,

but not from Wags.

Let's just see
what was going on.

[indistinct chatter]

[Wags] ...zooming up
the fucking polls...

[fast-forwarding]

...there is a potential
equal time issue.

[fast-forwarding]

[Wendy] We definitely
need her out of here.

[Taylor]
...running for Congress.

And duty for Prince?

[Wags]
The hazards of staying.

So the cameras
are pointed away

from the PMs
at their desk,

away from the Bloombergs.

There are zones of safety,
and with that,

this is mostly legal.

You take over
your enemy's company,

you put in
appropriate measures

without exposing Prince unnecessarily.

I heard some talk about you
giving out tracker rings

before I got here.

Decoys?

We assumed people
would figure it out.

And stop looking
for anything else.

Devious. In a good way.

If you had all this stuff
recorded, why didn't you know?

It's like the NSA
under the Patriot Act,

pulling down
all communications.

When you record everything,
you can't review.

So you wait until
circumstance dictates.

Then look for keywords
and trust it's all there.

I'll have this sent out
and have the sound cleaned up.

But I can tell
by body language

they weren't talking
about the Knicks.

It was after that conversation
in the elevator

that he broached the idea
of me leaving.

You know,
for my benefit.

I don't want to dignify
the colloquial,

but "suss"
does feel appropriate.

We should fire them all,
for starters.

Maybe.

Look at this.

I had hoped the sixth sense
was wrong.

This was taken when they were
in England together,

reportedly in the hotel.

Shit.

I hired an expert
on English architecture

and antiquities weeks ago.

Still waiting
for some kind of verification.

We will move quickly and
decisively when we know more,

but we need
the rest of it first.

So, we're not waking him.

Not tonight. But soon.

You're thinking
about all the things

we can see
with these cameras.

Don't do that.

Pretend you don't know.

The other way
is a path to despair.

Just tell me
the bathrooms aren't--

It was a discussion,
but no.

That was a bridge too far.

Yeah.

I want out.

Out?

I wish I could just bail
on all of it.

I wish I could, I guess,
go backwards

to before I knew so much,

before there was
so much reason to be alarmed.

The burden of what you know

and what you believe
will happen...

I can see why you'd
just want to erase it.

Or, if not erase,
I could just leave.

Absent myself
from the situation.

From Prince Capital.

Let it all fall
where it will,

you know,
despite what I believe.

What's prompting this?

Today. Now.

Chuck came to see me.

Proposed joining sides.

You and he?
Working together?

On this?

And he's right, tactically,

if I could trust him
not to harm my people,

and I... I almost do.

I can see why this...
this interaction, this question,

pushes you to make
your own plans

to scale the wall
to freedom.

But picture yourself,

in whatever setting,

seeing Prince ascend...

whenever you turned on
the television

or opened your browser.

[sighs]

Seeing Chuck with that kind of
hopeless conviction on his face

kind of convinced me that I
probably can't stop it anyway.

So if I was some other place,
some other job,

maybe helping people,
maybe lifting people up,

perhaps I'd feel I was doing
some fucking thing.

Then explore that path.

Put the word out.

Which probably means
just checking that folder

you have in your inbox.

The one that has all
the incoming from headhunters,

hiring executives, CEOs.

I have.
As soon as Chuck left,

I opened that very folder...

and saw a few things
worth considering.

Then consider them.

But also consider...

that as you get closer

to any moment
of huge import,

huge impact,
huge challenge,

the desire to flee
becomes almost overwhelming.

Sometimes that instinct
serves us.

And sometimes
it's trying to protect

what doesn't need protecting

and is, instead,
stopping us

from taking
that very risk

we absolutely need to take.

You've been out
all morning.

You rescheduled
a court appearance.

You skipped the Chiefs' meeting.

You have Allerd running
back and forth

to the records room
for old case files all day.

What are you doing?

I had to reschedule
that hearing

because I needed to be
at a different hearing.

What hearing?

A sentence-reduction hearing.

[scoffs]
I've had a hell of a morning.

[judge] We are here
on the Government's Rule 35,

motion to reduce
defendant's sentence

for substantial assistance
to the government.

How is the government
represented?

Your Honor.

[scoffs]
No.

Wait-- uh, no.
No. Absolutely not.

This man is conflicted.
He-he's gonna try and screw me.

Sir, the nature of this hearing
is to reduce your sentence.

Due respect, Judge,
not with him.

It is a trick.

He visited me in prison
to harass me.

- He's gonna try attack--
- [judge] Sir.

Counselor,
calm your client.

Trying, Your Honor.

The defendant is highly
agitated. I-I'm inclined to--

[Chuck]
Your Honor, please.

Not what I'm here for.

I see there are visits by you.

Does the defendant
have grounds for his claims?

Your Honor, the defendant has
provided substantial assistance,

as described
in the government's papers.

[Gilbert] He's here to mess
with me, I'm telling you.

He's-- he's getting
my sentence reduced

so that he-he can lock me up
for something else.

[judge] You will sit quietly

until the government states
its case, sir,

or you will be sent
out of the room.

Mr. Rhoades, I will give you
about two short sentences

to establish the capacity
in which you're here.

If I don't like it, you're out.

And we will figure out who else
will represent the government.

Despite Dr. Gilbert's
reasonable concerns

about my intentions,

I am here to argue
that his sentence be ended now.

All final years lopped off.

Dr. Gilbert has tended
to fellow inmates.

He's helped guards
with their health care.

Taught CPR and other first aid
in the facility.

Saved lives.

That is impressive.

But that is really
what he's supposed to be doing.

Rehabilitating.

I don't see it
as grounds for reducing.

[Chuck] Your Honor,
in the current climate,

anyone who improves
the prison system,

makes it more humane,
more functional,

they are providing substantial
help to law enforcement.

Now Dr. Gilbert has provided
useful information

and proven himself
a valuable member of society,

both inside the prison and out.

[sighs]

Motion granted.

And sentence is hereby reduced
to 26 months,

which have been served.

Defendant should be
processed out

by the Bureau of Prisons immediately.

Would you like to return to your
cell to collect your belongings?

I'm, uh, happy to never go back
if I don't have to.

Clerk, see about getting
this man some street clothes.

[gavel bangs]

Enjoy dinner tonight
at home with your family.

Dr. Gilbert, before you go,

there's one thing I would
like do in return.

You have no right
to ask anything of me.

Not a goddamn thing.

What the hell do you want?

To give you the opportunity to
state exactly what I did to you.

Give the full brace.

Leave nothing out.

I let the attorney general
convince me

that breaking the law
was necessary

to upholding the law.

Rhoades hoped-- No.

He knew that I would
receive the maximum sentence,

and he got just that.

Planted evidence,

and left me to rot behind bars
for his sins.

Not my own.

He betrayed me...

Okay, erase this insanity
right now.

- No, sir.
- You got the man early release.

How about having him
say that, at least?

Not the drill on this one.
Needed the damning stuff.

- It's insanity.
- Saying it twice

doesn't make it so.

It was so before I said...

[sighs]
Chuck, man,

this is not the time
to blow yourself up

while making amends.

Oh, it's always
the time for that.

And it's a nice
side benefit of this,

but that's not
what I'm doing here.

I'll wait you out,
'cause the longer I do,

the longer this all stays
right here in the room with us.

If you stay, you're
kind of co-signing,

uh, whatever he does.

I'm not.

Mr. Schirmer, did you try
to stop the defendant

from committing
career hara-kiri?

I'm not leaving.
I'm not letting it happen.

Whatever the fuck it is.

Little favor,
if you don't mind.

A company asked me
to give a talk.

Mental. Huh.

Telehealth start-up.

Even better,
tele-mental health.

Online therapy.

With the current microscope
on Prince,

I want to make sure it's a place
I can be associated with.

Non-toxic.

Paid speaking gig. Nice.

Cha-ching.

It can be.

If you could just
skim their financials,

let me know they're solvent,
there are no red flags.

That'd be good.

Eu entend.

That's Portuguese.

You know,
instead of sitting there

with that Amerigo Bonasera
undertaker look on your face,

check the frame.

Or, no, give me your phone.

Maybe that's better.
Yours is newer.

My phone is kind of permanently
in non-record mode these days.

Probably best.
Okay, I'll use mine.

I'm center frame?

Can you just nod?
That doesn't make you complicit.

Maybe fill me in
on the exact plan.

See these files?

These represent every case
wherein I cut a corner.

The blind trust violation
of Ice Juice.

Arranging voter suppression
to win my AG election.

Remember Hap Halloran,
the municipal administrator?

Bribed him by providing a second
honeymoon for his wife and him

in Puerto Rico.

Organized a heist,
pulled by Jackie Connerty.

[laughs] My God!

Just hearing myself
say it out loud.

Organized a heist.

- A heist?
- [Chuck] Yes, sir.

No, that was a fun one, actually.

A real peach, it was.

[Chuck]
And it did someone a service.

Leah Calder.

We stole back the ring
her spoiled son gave

- her almost daughter-in-law.
- You know, I-I-I--

I don't really need to--
Actually, yeah, don't tell me.

But it was wrong
and a dereliction of duty,

and as such,
I have to catalog it

and speak it into that
recorder right there.

You don't.
You really don't.

Assuming now these files are,
uh, your notes on all of your...

I hesitate to call them
your illegal actions--

[Chuck]
Stop hesitating.

These files represent
the wins only.

The video will be
the full truth.

The breadth of the thing.

I intend to lay it out,
as with the Dr. Gilbert video,

case by case.

What do you keep
checking for?

Well, when someone
does something batshit,

you call in reinforcements.

I had hoped they would show up

- before you rode the lightning--
- [door opens]

I hear you're going
full Section 8.

Talk to me, son.

Got your due diligence
on Mental.

That was fast.

That's why they call me
the cheetah.

They do not really
call me that.

Anyhoo, their business model
is strong like bull.

They hire the doctors full time,
so no per diem work.

Nobody has to deal
with the insurance company.

They do it for you.

Major employee
and patient retention.

They seem to be insulated

from the current
healthcare crapshack.

And they have
a strong market share.

So they're a winner.

Not full-on Simone Biles,
but close.

The bridge between
the therapeutic piece

and the business piece
is not as strong as it could be.

But you're just giving them
a pep talk, right?

I believe so.
Do-- Do you think I should pass?

No. I think it's got potential.

It's a cool comp.

In fact, I might want
to make an investment,

buy some shares
on the private market.

Go ahead.

Thanks for the info.

[no audible dialogue]

"Batshit."

Ira texted that word to me.

I figured he was just
allowing his anxiety

to get the better of him,

as his people
have a wont to do.

We come by it honestly.

The ones that didn't
have anxiety

got run through
by Cossacks.

[Senior]
No doubt.

And in this case,
as back then,

you were exactly right.

It's the only word.

Batshit.

Destroying yourself
when you have enough people

wanting to destroy you already?

Confessing when no salvation
is actually available.

At least his people put their
sins on the head of a goat

and killed the damn goat.

Actually, we'd just leave it
in the woods.

And, uh, easy on the "my people"
stuff, how about?

Yeah, you're right.

I'm tense because I'm watching
our boy fall apart.

So I'm-I'm letting fly
like I'm at the club,

not out in world.

You're right that I am not
after salvation.

Oh, this is worse
than even I feared, then.

You are wallowing in your guilt.

Do you think I've never
felt guilt, Junior?

I've felt it rise up
to the bottom of my throat,

do a reach-around
and tickle my epiglottis.

But did I self-immolate?

- Guessing you did not?
- [Senior] No.

I discharged it with a weekend
on Isla Santana,

in the West Indies.

That's real? Isla Santana?

One huge fee covers open bar
and unlimited assignations

with an international staff
of professionals, right?

I've-I've heard legend,
but you've been?

You can confirm.

Oh, I-I have
emptied my pockets

and my glans
in that blessed place.

It is real.

So real that I had to play
some golf

to get a break from all
the discharging of guilt.

Came back a new man.

I don't think a trip
to Debauchery Island

is gonna do it for me.

You should get tested
for low T.

[Ira] Chuck,
you're obviously right

that true guilt
can't be assuaged

by a romp in the sun
with nubiles.

But that doesn't mean
that this is the time,

is the place, is the venue,
is the forum--

[laughing]

You know, much as I have enjoyed
watching you flail about,

assuming that I am determined
to bayonet myself,

I just-- I can't let it go on
any longer.

[sighs]

You two are my most
loyal compadres, and as such,

I will invite you
inside the lean-to.

Winner, winner,
chicken dinner.

Uh, just an afternoon
green juice for me.

No, no, I found one.

A winner, that is,
I'm pretty sure.

I want to put it
in front of Prince.

A private company
I think will be good for him.

For all of us. MPC.

Have you run it
by Philip and Taylor?

They're occupado.

How would you like
to present with me?

Well, I wouldn't.

You haven't even heard the idea.

I'm sure it's good.

I'm just not sure you're sure.

What about Tuk,
or someone else?

Look, I know how you feel.

It's not easy
going in and pitching.

But if it's strong enough
to do with me,

it's strong enough
to do on your own.

You just have to be
strong enough.

[inhales sharply]

[sighs]

Hey there, boss.

I got a seat reserved for you
on a bullet train

about to leave
the fucking station.

Um, that is the way

the opening of a pitch sounds
around here, no?

I mean, some people's.

Why don't you just tell me
what it is while I take a look.

Can do, can do.

Company is called Mental.

In the telehealth space.

- You can see all the--
- Yeah, we've been wanting

to get into health care since
we quietly slid out of Korlera.

Cool model
with video therapy sessions

and AI support.

Direct insurance billing,
juicy receivables.

They're poised to be both
very profitable and very good.

For, you know, da people.

Which is our brand.

Bingo.

I'm doing it again.

Where'd you come up with this?

Wendy.

[cell phone vibrates]

Yes?

Thank you.

I like it. I'll consider it.

Can I have my tablet back?

Does not augur well,
all of us here.

We are not filled
with lightness and joy, no.

Take a look at this.
It's a screenshot I grabbed.

I see Taylor.

That's the foreground
element, yes.

They are at the hotel where they
stayed when they went to London.

You say "hotel" like it has
quotation marks around it.

Indeed. Sacker and I
had suspicions

that there are mutineers
in the company.

And then I remembered
this image.

I'm guessing it is not a hotel.

No. Not. Expert confirmed.

I have a printout of the report,
but you don't need it.

What you need to know is this:

This molding is a unique design.
One of a kind.

Decorating the walls
of Haddon Hall,

a castle owned and,
when this picture was taken,

occupied by Bobby Axelrod.

It is high risk.

High danger.

Asymmetrical return
if you're right.

It is everything I have told you
to have the acorns to try.

Thank you.

Ain't saying
it's gonna work.

[laughs]

Just saying I understand.

And like Watson's 17th hole
at the '82 Open,

ballsy to claim when
you're staring down Nicklaus.

- And had he failed--
- [Ira] But he didn't.

Called the birdie,
hit the birdie.

May Chuck be so lucky.

I guess I'm not
your attorney anymore,

so I have no real standing
to advise you against this.

And I won't,

because as your friend,
I get it too.

[sighs]

[camera chimes]

The first time
I bent the rules.

Actually, let me be more clear.

The first time I abused
my position of office

and broke the law--

the first I remember, anyway--

was back when I was
a line prosecutor.

I had this witness
who wanted to recant.

[sighs]
So, I made it clear to him

that that was not
gonna work.

[Alexis]
So, yeah, thanks for coming.

Really great
to meet in person.

Okay, are we gonna talk
about the supposed topic

of my pretend speech?

Or do you want to tell me
what I'm really doing here?

- Of course.
- Damn, she's good.

The speech was a smoke screen
so you could get me in

and hire me as a consultant?

Since I have
a combination of skills

in therapy and performance,
and a grounding in business.

Am I close?

You're not far off.

The speech was a smoke screen
for consulting,

which was a smoke screen
for the real position.

Oh.

[Alexis]
Our CEO is stepping down,

and like you said, you have
the unique qualification

to take the seat.

You give us the best chance
to do good work,

and you can help people
do and be their best

and build a profitable company
along with it.

[Robin] You'd own a nice piece
of the company.

You'd be responsible
for the day-to-day

- as much as you want to be.
- A lot, we hope.

[Robin]
Plus how and where we expand,

how to keep our therapists
doing optimal work.

The vision of the company.

- [Alexis] Our former--
- [Robin] Soon-to-be-former--

Right, soon-to-be-former CEO
has a very limited vision

of what this company
really can be.

As founders, we spend most
of the time pushing him.

Leading from behind.

We want someone
who's eyes-forward,

and we think that's you.

The compensation package.

- We have to assume.
- Come on, we know.

Yes, we know
that Wags and Wendy

were also with Taylor,

and went to Axelrod
when they were in London,

supposedly on company business.

My allies, lined up against me
with my enemy.

Fire them all. For cause.

That's the feeling, yes, but...

[Luke]
Yes, but if you fire them now,

the bulk of the C-suite
of your eponymous firm,

you'll look like a bad hirer
and a worse manager.

Things will feel unstable.

Plus, they will have
a story to tell.

And they will find a way
to tell it.

Out in the world,
free radicals.

It is far too dangerous
to keep them here.

I can create a pathway,

work it so that when
they are fired,

they will be forced to sign NDAs

in exchange for our promise
not to sue

and seek prosecution of each one
for corporate espionage.

Not now, Kate, but...

Wendy. Come see me.

Meet in my office in 15.

Stay here.

Consider scenarios.

But do nothing.

[Chuck, on video] The first time
I abused my position of office

- and broke the law--
- [turns video off]

Despite what's said on here,

it's a lot of wins
represented on this video.

Big ones.

Cases and ops I was proud
to be a part of.

- And bad people went to prison.
- I know, Karl.

And nothing that happens
will change my scorecard.

Our scorecard.

This isn't my swan song.

You don't want me
to talk you out of it,

- I'm not going to.
- Good.

Now I'm gonna want
all that on a drive

that can't be copied.

All right.

What's the thing?

I've become aware of Mental,
and your involvement.

I don't think it's a conflict.

I'll be speaking and advising,

helping get their therapists
rowing in the right direction.

They're giving me stock
as comp.

All okay.

I agree.

But I have info
about the company

that might help shape
your next steps with them.

The CEO is stepping down.

The board will want someone with
your credentials to take over.

That tracks.
They hinted around it,

but I'm here.

I didn't take the gig.

You know, one thing I've learned

about how to make my people
more effective

is to let them stretch.

I won't lose you if I
encourage you to take leaps.

I-I'll still need you
to work with me

and my top performers.

But also, you could help train
some of the Mental therapists

to work with our younger people.

Synergies are there.

Don't mistake this as being
entirely selfless on my part.

I make a score
on the company.

And I know that when I get
to the White House,

you won't just stay here
with the folks that are left.

But now, maybe I lock in
half of you.

[sighs]

Thank you, Mike.

[sighs]

[door opens]

So I wanted to sit
with you privately

and ask you some important
questions, because, in a way,

I feel like you speak
for the whole trading floor.

Have any of you
considered leaving?

Hey, I just got back.

I signed a two-year contract.

I have two years left as well.

Okay.

Do you feel you're growing?

[Victor]
You mean our books?

Our returns?

[scoffs]

It's been hard.

[Tuk]
Yeah, it has been hard.

Hard to make progress
building good momentum

when we're getting
whipsawed around.

[Victor] Yeah.

Drop hot foreign money.

No more ESG. Go domestic.

"Do good"?

Fuck's sake,
that's not a strategy.

It's been a real pain
in the boccis

trying to find the alpha
through this noise.

Wait, are you asking us about
leaving because you're leaving?

Well, you all did kind of say
that all I was good for lately

was performance coaching.

- But that's a real need.
- Duh.

Will there be a new resource
put in place for us?

[Dollar Bill] Hey!

They're not gonna be
half as good as Wendy.

But...

if you train them,

and they can get us back
to where you get us,

then, hey, get your ya-ya's.

This isn't a session.

Or it's a different kind
of session.

I've made a decision,

and I want to do this
in front of you.

Robin? It's Wendy Rhoades.

I'm accepting your offer.

I've got the DocuSign
on my iPad,

and I've had my lawyer
review it,

so we should be good
to start Monday.

[laughs]

Me too.

And I will see you then.

[inhales deeply]

- [Mayer] Well...
- [laughs]

You know, it's true,

I... I can't abandon
those people at the firm,

despite the state
of my relationships right now.

But I also can't abandon
the prospect

of helping all those
other people out there,

Mental users who I might
be able to touch

through this new company.

And I can't run from what Chuck
has put in front of me.

[inhales and exhales sharply]

I need to do it all.

Somehow.

And just think how good
you have made me feel.

I will go home tonight
knowing that I, too,

have made a small difference.

That's exactly
where I am going right now.

Home.

To try to do the same thing.

I'm bringing you something
I didn't plan on bringing you.

I get what you mean faster
than most anyone you know,

but even I need, like,
one or two more words.

Prince is so smart.
So careful.

So intentional right now.

He just did something for me
that I know

he couldn't have wanted to do,
but he did it

to make me even more beholden
to him, even more in his debt.

And I don't matter at all
compared to most of the folks

he's gonna really be working.

Yeah. He got himself
to where he got himself

because he's very fucking good.

So, the problem is,

if he is the existential threat
we know him to be,

and he's that good,

well, it brought me
to a certain conclusion.

The one that got you
to decide to bring us

whatever it is
you weren't going to.

The conclusion
that we can't do it.

Can't stop him.

Not alone.

That we're depriving
ourselves of a weapon.

But that weapon...

Okay, now I am there.

You're about to say
your ex-husband's name,

because while we have
certain information,

he has tools
that we don't have.

Chuck? She's about
to say Chuck?

Shit.

He came to me.

But not in his old way.

He approached
with an earnestness.

I was moved, actually.

You're saying he got you
to trust him?

He's been working
on himself.

Hold on.

Let me look at you.

This is bad.

You kind of look like
maybe he got to you.

As if you opened
your heart to him.

No. No way.

Maybe I wanted to hear
what he had to say.

[laughs]

Maybe I wanted to offload

some of the responsibility.

But, yes, I find myself
trusting him again.

Adding law enforcement?
The top fucking prosecutor?

Making him privy to shit
we've done and will have to do,

that's bad for all of us.

I don't care what it means
for all of us.

I do, however,
care what it means for her.

Shit.

[bottle clatters]

There's something
I have to do

before we go any further
with this.

Are we supposed
to just wait here?

- [door closes]
- Mr. Wagner.

You don't know me.

Not really.

You may think of me
as a right-hand man,

a second-in-command,

a facilitator, a fixer.

You may not take me very
seriously because of that.

But know this:

when I set my sights

on accomplishing
something important,

I take dead aim,

and I systematically go over
or through everything in my path

until I have reached
that objective.

So consider this your warning.

I know you've been
sweet-talking Wendy,

making assurances to her,

saying a lot of shit
I've heard from you in the past.

But that woman is made
of the finest stuff

on this earthly plane.

Stuff that wretches like us

can only appreciate,

not truly apprehend.

She's ripped herself open

to help the people
at our company survive

the roughest of transitions.

And she deserves
the opposite of betrayal.

On this we agree.

Which is why I will not
allow you to hurt her.

And if somehow you find your way
around me and do hurt her,

if you cross her

or fuck her over,

then fucking you back
will become my mission--

my sole motherfucking reason
for being.

And then there'll be nothing
for you to hide behind,

because I will come for you.

I don't know how,

but I will figure it
the fuck out,

and I will get you.

It is not my intention
or my plan.

You have my word.

Your word means rat shit.

Bubonic plague rat shit.

Rat shit even the other rats
won't touch.

- You're right.
- I am right.

I mean, I know I'm right.

I'm right? You just said that?

Yeah. So, let's go.

I think we're just about
squared away on Wendy for now.

One issue left.

Who do we actually trust
to oversee the place

once I put the others in a box?

Great. Done.

Call 'em in.

All of 'em.

Thank you all for coming
to this meeting,

this uneasy alliance.

That's a fucking understatement.

I have come to understand
what it will take

to make it possible for us to
work together in this endeavor.

And I have gone
to those lengths.

This is a drive
that cannot be copied.

It contains a cataloguing
of moves I have made,

extralegal and plain illegal,

that would flush me
from office

and public life irrevocably,

would get me disbarred
and jailed

if it were to come out.

Okay, and that proves what?

I have always
been highly skilled

at earning people's trust
through means legit and illegit.

- And at betraying it, Chuck.
- Yes.

That too.

And so I realize that
now I need to give trust.

Wendy, I know if I hand you
this material,

you will never
use it against me,

even if I deserve it,

for the sake of our children.

Sadly true.

But Wags will not hesitate

to ruin me,

as he just made painfully clear
in my office.

So my only question is,
do you trust him

not to burn me with this

if I do right by all of you?

With my life.

Then I do, too.

[Taylor]
Do you have a plan,

now that we can all
trust each other?

I have a goal.
Take Mike Prince's billions.

Separate him from the thing
that makes him so powerful

and attractive to the voters.

Without his money
he is Superman,

and the entire planet
is Kryptonite.

And we're all suddenly supposed
to figure out how to do this

after we've been trying
and failing to do it,

jointly and separately,
for months?

There is a way to us
finding a way.

Another player,
similarly motivated,

who would be a great weapon,

and one who is near and dear
to your hearts.

[cell phones vibrate]

Prince calling me in for a meet.

Me too. Right now.
At his house.

Same. That ain't good.

We have to go.

[Billy Joel:
"I've Loved These Days"]

We light our lamps

For atmosphere

And hang our hopes

On chandeliers

We're going long

We're gaining weight

We're sleeping long

And far too late

And so it's time

To change our ways

But I've loved these days

Are we...?

- [elevator chimes]
- [elevator doors slide open]

This doesn't even look
fun adjacent.

No. Not fun at all.

Wendy, Wags and Taylor have been
plotting an assassination.

My assassination.

Staying silent
is the first wise thing

any of you have done
in a long while.

Do you need me to get security
to escort them out?

I won't be firing
the three of them

and making this public.

Not yet.

No, they're gonna be punished
in a different way.

First, they're gonna lose
every cent of bonus money

they have coming to them,

and their other money
is gonna remain in the fund,

gated, to insure
no further disloyalty.

They'll also lose
their reputations

when they lose the corporate
espionage suit we've filed.

Oh, that's right.
We haven't filed it yet.

But that's, uh...
that's good to go, right, Kate?

Yeah. Hey, it's all ready.

Signed and sealed,
waiting to be delivered.

You're all frozen in place.

Wendy, you're lame-ducked here.

You'll execute
your new CEO duties,

and if nothing else goes wrong,

you'll fully onboard there
after the election.

At which time you'll be fired.

If you haven't
figured it out yet,

I'm a majority owner
of Mental through a shell corp.

Taylor, you're done.

No authority.

No log-in privileges.

A figurehead.

Call it garden leave,
but inside a glass box.

One notable exception to
the outward-facing status quo.

Wagner, you'll lose your ability
to authorize large trades.

And small trades.

And paystubs.

You can just kind of walk around

shouting nonsense mantras
to the traders.

So for you,
nothing really changes.

And Philip.

[Scooter]
Philip, my boy.

My boy.

Take a look at this.

[Philip, onscreen] 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.

[Wendy]
Then you do that.

My office?
You fucking can't--

[Scooter] Before you complain
about the violation

of your doctor-patient
privilege, Wendy,

you should know
that Philip signed a waiver

before that session,
didn't you, Philip?

Of course.

Yes, I did.

Philip will now be vested
with the sign-off power

Wags has been stripped of.

We're done with you.

So you can go.

You have the conn.

Make us some money
heading into the election.

Help me win.

Notify the on-call pilot.

Get the Global Express
gassed and fired up.

- Destination?
- London.

I'm going to Haddon Hall.

[Billy Joel:
"I've Loved These Days"]

So before we end

And then begin

We'll drink a toast

To how it's been

A few more hours

To be complete

A few more nights

On satin sheets

A few more times

That I can say

I've loved these days