06x08 - The Big Ugly

[bunniefuu]

[PRINCE] Previously on Billions...

[KATERINA BRETT] The
Olympic Games in

are awarded to...

New York City.

- [ALL CHEER]
- [CHUCK] My guess is,

somewhere inside this is
a direct bribe of sorts.

A quid pro quo.

The Olympics.

You want to be on the
performance coaching team.

To run it.

Use my talents to turn those athletes

into medal machines.

Done.

I can't stay. You can come with,

but I have to go back
to the St. Regis to pack.

- Pack?
- Before the Games,

I need to spend time in the mountains.

Yeah, but I thought we
were going to try here. Us.

The Olympics mean something
very different to me

than they do to you.

This is everything I ever worked for,

and I need you to do the work

and climb for the kiss.

Yes. You're right.

And I will.

[CHUCK] Prince didn't pull this off

all by his lonesome.

So we separate Prince
from his power base.

Let him fall like the
smoke from the fireworks

drifting down on this fine city.

[CROWD CHEERING]

Prince, let's go. Wake up.

Get your sh*t on. Time to go.

How cold is it out there?

We're not doing that. Let's go, come on.

[SIGHS]

[HUFFS]

[PRINCE] I guess that's
why I hired Gabby Reece.

[REECE] The worst thing that can happen

is a person gets comfortable,

and then they think the
world is a comfortable place.

You have to be comfortable
being uncomfortable.

You catch my drift? I mean, otherwise,

you would think, like,
this pace is running.

But this is a jog.

Well, it's more like a walk.

It's a long run. It's not a sprint.

Life is a sprint.
You just hope it's a long one.

When I do this for real,

when I run the original marathon route,

it'll remind people
of doing hard things,

and the original meaning of the Games.

The original run into Athens
was to bring a message

about a w*r that was finally won.

And the messenger,
he d*ed because his cardio was crap.

And you know what?
You haven't won a damn w*r yet.

Come on! Pick it up!

[HUFFS]

- [SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]
- [DOG BARKING]

- All right.
- Okay, thanks.

There he is.

Good to see you, Mike.
We saved a seat for you.

[PRINCE] Good to see you.

[GAYLE] Very impressive pace. Bravo.

I'm just trying to stay loose,
turn my mind off.

It's the closest thing
I know to meditation.

But this particular run has
a higher purpose, doesn't it?

I want to celebrate what
humans are capable of.

And, yes, when I do this run
in the summer months

before the Games begin, I hope

thousands join me all around the world.

Millions, even,
just to help welcome the Games

to New York City.

But that is the purpose

of the traditional run, right?

People all around the world

get to carry the torch
to the destination.

But with you, it seems very personal.

You seem, some say, deeply invested,

maybe more than what people
are comfortable with.

So here's a question:

what, if anything,
are you trying to say about yourself?

And I ask that because these Games

are for all global citizens,

not just for Michael
Thomas Aquinas Prince.

[LAUGHS]

Well, Gayle, I could throw

the famous Roosevelt quote at you

about getting in the ring.

But instead,
I'll give you some Dusty Rhodes.

Okay.

"Let me tell you something, Daddy.

"I am the bull of the woods,
and it ain't my dream.

It's the American dream."

Now be careful you don't accidentally

get in the way of a bionic elbow.

Duly noted. And ouch.

[LAUGHS]

Is that the purpose
of the traditional run?

- That people all around...
- [CHUCK] Wow, look at that.

A couple of bona fide heroes, huh?

Split times are no joke.

Especially into mile eight.

Really?

And for Prince to stay with her...

that's no mean feat.

And the guy's got a day job

with pretty decent remuneration.

They ought to bottle his sweat

and sell it for a
million dollars an ounce.

I'm surprised... shocked, really...

to see you succumb to
the testosterone-infused

stylings of this guy.

You don't buy into him
carrying the torch

for all of New York City, then?

Oh, yes, of course.

The great man carries
the torch for us all.

Be a real shame if the bull of the woods

got his big run canceled and
ended up hanging on a hook.

The question is, how?

What's the only thing worse
than not getting what you want?

Getting what you want,

but having it ripped from your hands.

[LAUGHS]

It's like I hired my own twin.

[PRINCE] Anyone know what
"sic 'em" actually means?

It's a command originating
from the order for att*ck dogs

to seek, to pursue with lethal focus.

Now, if you own a great dog,
a loyal dog,

a dog that would k*ll
for you on that command,

as every person here
would for each other,

you're very careful not to
speak that command loosely.

You save those words
for when the target is clear

and the moment is exactly right.

The rest of the time, you rein them in,

keep them fed but not full,

exercised and ready to go.

Now, why am I giving you this
little canine chalk-talk?

Because the Olympic Games
are going to present

an opportunity for maximal profits,

and so I want everyone here
to free up some capital.

Sell off that which
you've been holding on

for the same reason a college senior

holds on to her high school yearbook,

for sentiment and comfort.

And remember what it was like
when the future was brighter

than a shiny red F- .

When you say free up some capital...?

I mean sell the house,
go west and find the gold

before the next guy does.

[VICTOR] Games open a window for sure,

but I don't want to
dump out of great sh*t

on some flyer.

To respectfully echo that concern,

maybe some of us could sit this one out.

I don't mind the bench.

Well, when you own dogs,
you feed them all,

but you save the freshest meat
for those that don't hesitate.

Find the best ways into new plays,

and I'll back your move
with the main fund.

Targets will be transportation,
recommendation apps,

keycard entry systems, personnel,

and hospitality start-ups.

Give Airbnb a good scare.

We're allocating based on performance.

- Whose book has done the best.
- I'll be getting into...

Hold that thought.
Philip get first pick.

He's outperformed everyone lately.

[PHILIP] Thanks.

I'll take air travel,

aim to secure official airline
sponsorship for the Games.

I already started working on Hypersonic,

a new high-tech passenger airline

that travels X the sound barrier.

I've done the research,
and I'm in the process

of building a relationship with the CEO.

Good. You can put Philip in touch.

[PHILIP] I'm happy to let
Taylor go first if they want.

Take Hypersonic, I can see
you're emotionally invested.

I'll go with self-driving cars instead.

Similar sponsorship opportunities.

But next time I get first pick,
I'll be taking it.

No sympathy.

Okay.

Divvy up the rest.

Now, where my dogs at?

[ALL BARK]

Sic 'em!

I don't think I've ever actually seen

a rich, powerful man enjoy it before.

Moments like this,
if you don't actually enjoy it,

what's the darn point?

Where do you go when you
need to breathe a little?

I have a wonderful library
on the first floor of my duplex.

Great old player.

And a -year-old Speyside single malt.

But your family's there.

That makes it all the more pleasant.

sh*t.

Hit me with the real of it.

I'm moving in with Chelz, my girl,

and she wants me to get rid
of my rooms at the Pierre.

I want to make her happy,
but I can't do it, not yet.

I'll move out and in with her,

but I can't actually let the suite go.

So I was thinking you could let
me put them under your name.

I'd pay, of course, off the books.

For a host of reasons,
primary among them

that I don't believe this
serves you or your relationship,

I say no.

I also say... and I mean this...

if you ever find you
need a moment to breathe,

come on over to my place.

There's more than enough
-year to go around.

[RIAN] I'll do it.

You can put the rooms in my name.

Really?

I can tell that's what you need,
not a pep talk.

It's like at Brown,

they didn't lecture you not to do Molly.

Instead, some students
gave you a testing kit

to make sure it's actually
Molly you're doing.

And they hope eventually
you'll just decide to quit.

God f*cking bless them.

And you.

[CHUCK] Well, I hope you're
enjoying the city, Miss Brett.

Or do you prefer Katerina?

We do not yet know each other.

Then Miss Brett it is.

Thank you very much for seeing us.

I'm a big, big Olympics person.

- [CHUCKLES]
- One of my first memories

was watching Klammer on the downhill.

Couldn't believe the
way he got up in the air

yet stayed on the course.

Inspired me to try to do the same

in my chosen field.

The Games mean something
like this to so many.

And I never tire of hearing it.

The majesty, the patriotic pride,

the striving for excellence.

That's all why I was so glad, at first,

to know that they were
coming to New York.

From my understanding,
you wanted to stop them.

Oh, once I found out who was
bringing them to New York,

and whom he was working with...
a certain Colin Drache...

then, yes, I took action.

Not to stop the Games.

No, to protect them
from disgrace, from shame.

But this Drache is not the one
person involved with Prince.

He put together a top group.

Every important business
leader in New York.

Surely they are not all "in on it."

They may not know every move
that Prince has made, but...

Every four years the rumors start.

This is how I know the Games
are really about to begin.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

Much more than that here.

You have a case to present

against Michael Prince and his group?

Let me answer that with a question.

Do you believe an animal...
a bear, say...

can commit crimes against nature,

even though that bear is only
doing what he was made to do?

- I do not.
- Ah.

Then you've never seen
such an animal engaging

in an activity
called high-grading, have you?

- Hmm?
- This is when

the bears are in the last
stages of hyperphagia.

They're eating twenty, thirty,
forty thousand calories a day

to ready themselves
for winter's hibernation.

Now in the beginning,
they catch a salmon,

they eat a salmon.

Natural. As intended.

Yes. But towards the end,
the bears are mostly full.

The supply could be cut off
and they'd be fine.

They'd sail through the winter.
But they don't stop eating.

Instead, they become very picky.

The bears grab the
salmon in their mouths,

they turn them inside out,
devour only the brain and skin,

and throw the rest away.

Now, they are gorging on
only the most choice bits,

k*lling because they can,
because they want to,

not out of need...

and leaving a giant pile
of mostly whole, skinned salmon

sitting there to rot in the sun.

I'll admit this is a disturbing image.

[CHUCK] It should be.

And Mike Prince is one of those bears.

Society is the river,
the citizens are the salmon.

And now he wants the Games, too?

It's high-grading.

I understand what you're saying.

I also understand that it means

you don't have any real
evidence of corruption

or anything else.

When you do,

I will act right along with you.

Until then, I move forward.

[DOOR CLOSES]

"Until then, I move forward"?
Come the f*ck on.

We break Prince off from his friends.

That's how he loses the Games.

With a thr*at to take their money,

a convincing f*cking thr*at.

- I can think of a few.
- Yeah.

There's one they're
particularly worried about.

Long promised.

Now we have to make it come true.

We're going to tax their asses.

Yes, we are.

[LAUGHS]

Here they are, the A-Team.

[KRAKOW] More like heroes of the city.

They cheered for me when
I walked into Marea.

Some people stood.

That's good.
I got invited to join Augusta,

- which is better.
- [SRUTHI] Me too.

We should play a round. Met Gala?

- Yep.
- Yep.

Love what I'm hearing.
It's what I expected.

Ah.

Miss Brett, welcome.

We are partners now. Call me Katerina.

Congratulations on your winning bid

and to this powerhouse organization.

We're going to put on
a spectacular show.

I particularly love
this one-man torch relay

you have been training for.

This is already driving huge traffic

to the ICS website.

Well, that was the intention.

We have all the city's key real estate.

A whole array of resources, really.

Which is why I have
assembled this group,

so I can deploy each
of their special gifts.

We already have the entire bid office

converted to headquarters.

We're getting right to work.

Just wait till you see
the extent of the plans

- I have in place.
- Oh, before that.

A word.

Your attorney general is telling
an ugly story of bribery.

[CHUCKLES] Don't they always?

Yes, of course,

as I suggested when he came to see me.

- He visited you in person?
- He did.

And he had nothing when pressed.

Because, as you know,
nothing untoward happened.

If that reveals itself to be otherwise,

you and I will be having

a completely different conversation.

[EMPLOYEES CHEER AND CHATTER]

[MAN] Great job.

First gold medal of this Olympic era.

- Nice work, guy.
- Use me as your Jim Kiick.

Follow behind and get your yards.

I will.

- What's the thing?
- Philip nabbed % of AutoTelic.

Plus they're donating
self-driving cars

for athlete transpo during the Games.

[TAYLOR] Huge win.

The compressed timeline
to get the cars ready

means AutoTelic gets the
largest urban beta phase

in the history of self-driving cars.

Good for all of them.

I need a huge f*cking win.

Megan.

sh*t.

Superhero stuff right
here in front of me.

Ah, I just worked a little
harder than the other ones.

Here's what I see:

someone with the rarest of abilities.

And you inspire people.

You take them out of their day-to-day

and give them an injection of hope.

- I try.
- But you understand it.

I'm head performance coach
for the Olympics, and...

I'm trying to build out my team.

And I don't want a bunch
of performance shrinks

who haven't been out there.

I mean, the thing is,
you have to really consider

every word when talking to an athlete

who are trying to perform
at the highest level.

It's one thing to have
a coach yell at us,

but if I let you into my psyche...

This is exactly what I need to hear.

And why I want you
to be my partner in this.

I'm in.

Not while I'm playing.

Cool.

That's the sixth generation,

taken at the beginning of the flight

when we found out that
. Gs was a bit too much.

- G-LOC.
- No.

Too much for the plane.
The fuselage buckled.

Had to punch out.

- Maté?
- No, thanks.

The projections on your
company are off the charts.

Business is secondary.

I know aircraft.

Delta wing design,

new composite materials,
tri-spool configuration.

Commercial travel's at
the stagecoach phase.

Hypersonic will be like locomotives.

Make the world crossable.
Make things possible.

That's how I got back
from Australia so fast.

And that was just in the Mini Hype.

Does Mach . .

The Symphony will do .
with souls aboard.

Which is why my firm's
ready to take a big position

at the opening tomorrow,

but I wanted to discuss
a bigger partnership.

Don't want partners. Don't like them.

Sure, ones who don't know that
the single crystal nickel alloy

that allows your engines to
operate above melting point

is the key to your tech.

You know about high-bypass turbofans.

My principal just brought
the Olympics to New York,

and we need the ability
to fly in teams, fans, fast,

from far and wide.

- From Tokyo in eight hours...
- Six...

Once you start flying passengers,
of course.

But before that,
you'll need a bigger market cap,

which will give you
freedom with your board.

- I can give all that to you.
- How?

By making Hypersonic
the official airline

of the New York Games.

f*ck me.

[CHUCKLES]

We've got a hell of a lot to talk about,
my new friend.

Sure you don't want a maté?

Sure, I'll take one.

Azucar or amargo?

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]

Gotta whip it. Whip it good.

It's hard to get the state legislature

to go against the people whose
money put them in their seats.

That's why they call it
whipping the vote. Never easy.

Plus, we only need the threats,
not the action.

It's got to be convincing.

If we can get this cabal of Prince's

to believe we're finally going to close

the carried interest loophole...

And that all their capital gains

will suddenly be considered income

at the state level, too.

That's a % tax hit for them.

Cap gains is their very lifeblood.

Truth is, the people will love this.

We just have to remind
our state reps of it,

that there's some things more
important than deep pockets.

- How do you do that?
- Well, Dave,

some things haven't changed

since Hugh Carey put on
his first straw boater.

You go into their world,
you speak their language,

you solve their problems.

You offer them friendship.

Albany is as Albany ever was.

Instead of duckpin bowling,

you show up just when
they need the help,

when their constituents
are about to rebel

because their property
taxes have been raised.

And you help remind those constituents

just how powerful
their representative is.

And, of course,
you do the bandstand circuit

of bar mitzvahs, confirmations,
christenings and the like.

Sometimes,
you recreate with these fine folks,

up in the deer stand or on the lake.

And, most crucially...

you feel their pain.

So I know you must've
anticipated this part,

even as we scare them
with the state tax,

they don't have to pull
support of the Games.

They're rich enough.
They can move themselves

and their firms
out of state to avoid it.

Ah, now we're talking about
the interstate compact.

- Yep.
- Which is why

you're going to rope the governors

of neighboring and other likely states

into a dinner to make that compact.

They're not going to agree to something

as jacked up as that over dinner,

no matter how good the wine is.

They don't have to.

They don't even need to know
why they're coming to dinner.

They just need to come,
so give them a good reason.

Your guy's going to want to be there,
believe me,

or he'll be caught out.

We're bringing an antitrust case

against medical monopolies.

These bloodsuckers slowed
down essential testing,

shunted off patient care.

They made money off the pandemic.

f*ck Big Health!

Well, it's a slam dunk
with your constituents,

so you'd better get your boss there.

And two other governors
have already committed.

And it's going to be
a hell of a meal too.

Yeah.

So I'll see you there.

Hypersonic. Big plans for them.

They're positioned and ready to go.

The elevator pitch is:

faster than the Concorde,

more accessible than Jet Blue,

and safer than your mother's Volvo.

Do I have your blessing?

- You seem convinced.
- I am.

Then I am.

[KEYBOARD CLACKING]

You know the "four out of
five dentists surveyed" thing

about Trident being
better for your teeth?

Apparently I'm the fifth dentist.

- Meaning?
- We need to hold up a sec.

On Hypersonic.

I haven't been able to
independently verify

the tech claims in their literature.

I see.

Well, we can't wait.

I got clearance, and I want to
size up before the stock moves.

The sizing you're suggesting

goes outside usual risk parameters.

Because we are... I am...

taking into account guaranteed
growth from the Games.

Guarantees don't even work
when you buy mangoes online.

Look, big positions lead to big wins.

Is the big win on Hypersonic,
or against Philip?

[RESUMES TYPING]

I'm tempted to stand here
like Siddhartha until you relent.

Sidd's father knew the kid
would stand there until he d*ed.

You got more Govinda in you.

So we both know you'll give it up

the second you get
lightheaded from hunger.

Oh, and the fifth dentist?

He caved and agreed with the other ones.

We're completing the buy.

[TYPING]

- It's me.
- [COLIN] Good evening, sir.

Well, uh, good day to you, I suppose.

You're a tough man to reach.
Where the heck have you...?

Sat phone's only on an hour a day.

Makes the untraceable more untraceable.

- Protocol, you know.
- Fine, listen...

if there were inquiries,
would our status be solid?

Quite.

Untraceable.
Everything's locked, my friend.

Mm-hmm. Most everyone
who's fallen thought that.

Please. Amateurs.

Right.

You know her better than I do.

Can I count on Katerina
Brett to stay locked

even if there's noise?

Oh, Michael, Michael...

Miss Brett is a mercenary type

who cares about a
proper Games above all.

She will not countenance impropriety.

You understand?

So, in that way, yeah,
you can count on her absolutely.

- Boss...
- Oh, none of that. No, no.

You're no junior.

I paraphrase the modern
philosopher Steve Parish:

I am not the boss. You are not the boss.

The situation, that's the damn boss.

I didn't read Parish at university.

Well, philosophy was his sideline.

His main gig was lead roadie
for the Grateful Dead.

And his experience
on that long, strange trip

taught him, you think you're the boss

right until the car breaks down.

At which point, it is revealed

the carburetor is the boss.

Well, right now,
the situation is an uncooperative boss

who goes by the name
of Governor Sweeney.

He has a conflict and
won't attend the dinner.

He is willing to come a different night.

No, that's the complication,
not the situation.

The situation is, we need him there.

That's the driver. That's the boss.

That's why I'm bringing it to you.

Yeah.

[LAUGHS]

You know,
I bet old Steve Parish would recognize

that Sweeney is Buridan's ass...

caught between hay and water,

equally hungry and thirsty.

We have to convince him to come our way,

or risk ending up dead.

...for that report.
Let's do more on this.

Our emerging action segment...

- [SIGHS]
- [PHILIP] Whoa.

You didn't just go big on Hypersonic,

you went Snake River Canyon big.

I'm familiar.

Magic Valley region of southern Idaho.

It's more of an Evel Knievel reference.

The daredevil.

I've kept myself in the dark about him

because his politics were...

The suits, though.

I'll admit I like the suits. Colorful.

He tried to jump it. The canyon.

Made him the most famous
man in America for a summer,

Ali excepted.

I assume Ali is always excepted
from statements like that.

The problem was,

Snake River Canyon can't be jumped.

Not by a motorcycle.

So Evel built himself
a steam-powered rocket

called the Skycycle X-
and tried to fly over.

And instead,
the most famous man in America...

Ali excepted.

...became the biggest joke in America.

Whole nation watched that
Skycycle malfunction,

trip the parachute,
and Evel drift to the bottom.

His rep never recovered.

And you think Hypersonic
is the Skycycle.

I think it's unproven and
untested in just the same way.

And you came in here as
a compatriot to warn me,

not as a competitor
trying to dislodge me

from a winning position, sure.

This doesn't have to be a competition.

If that were true,
you wouldn't be standing there.

I may not be rooting for you to b*at me,

but I am not rooting
against you, either.

A big win for you won't do me any harm,

but you will screw everyone
if you take a big loss.

True in theory,
yet unlikely in practical terms.

You and I both know your
position is way too big.

For you maybe.

That's fine. Stay safe at street level.

But as Mr. Knievel might have put it,

I'm gonna rev my engines and jump.

[SIGHS]

House rules?

Uh, this contains
certain unmentionables,

which will remain just that.

Keep my paws off the top drawer. Got it.

No, no. The whole highboy.

And the armoire.

And the bottom shelf in the bathroom.

And the top shelf in the bathroom.

And the cabinet over the toilet.

I'll just steer clear of
the bathroom altogether.

Not that I'll ever be here anyway,
but of course.

I'll reimburse you on
Venmo in varying amounts,

balancing it out every three months.

Under "what it's for,"
it'll say "sports bet."

Ooh, better mark those private.

Your gal could be stalking
your Venmo if she's suspicious.

- Stalking Venmo is a thing?
- It is.

Innovation sucks.

Could I maybe get your POV on something?

It's slightly sketch.

"Slightly sketch" is my nom de guerre.

You know what?
It was more of an inside thought.

I get that.

I don't have as many
of those as I used to.

But I get it.

Governor, I need you
in the lineup tonight.

Oh, Chuck, I have to deal
with the Big Ugly tonight.

Everything the state legislature
hasn't voted on tonight gets...

Yes, reconciled, voted on, decided.

- And you need to ratify.
- So you see...

No, I see that you can do it all.

The Big Ugly doesn't wrap

until the wee small
hours of the morning,

and not even Nelson
Riddle could arrange it

so this excuse works on me.

And it is better for you
to be at this dinner.

If you don't go,

you will miss out on this
giant antitrust case,

which'll look bad for you.

[SIGHS]

I'm not as smart as you, Chuck.

No.

So I can't outthink you.

So I got to use my instincts on this.

And they're telling me
not to go to this dinner

because you seem to want me there.

Why?

Huh? Why there? Why then?

I just feel like you're
setting me up for something.

It's a trick,

and I'm just going to end up
looking like a schmuck.

- So, no, thanks.
- [SIGHS]

Fine. Don't go.

In fact, yes, I'll admit it,
your gut is right.

It might be best for you
to leave it to me

and the other governors.

Talk soon, pally.

- Wait. Hold it.
- Mm-hmm.

That was too easy.

You asked me to come
so I'd feel included,

but you follow up here
so I couldn't say later

that you should have told me
it was important to be there.

Ah-ha, you... you don't want me to go.

And if I don't go,

I'm going to end up
looking like a schmuck.

- Ah.
- [CHUCKLES]

Is that what I really want?

[MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY]

[WHIRRING]

Ooh, wait...

- It actually works.
- Yeah!

- Wild!
- [BOTH LAUGH]

The night you gave this to me...

It was the night before the
first company went public.

I found it in some
Sharper Image catalog,

or Hammacher Schlemmer, maybe.

The thought of us being like
those characters in Wall Street

was too funny to me.

We were too nervous to eat.

Never opened it. Glad I kept this thing.

I mean, that would be sweet,

but I know you had
someone buy of them

and stash them in every home,
just in case.

I still love that you
brought it out now.

Damn.

Well, I haven't ever used it,
any of them.

I know that too.

You're romantic. Always have been.

Let me prove it to you.

Move in.

Move your stuff in, at least.

Forget a hotel, or some other apartment,

on your trips here for the Games.

I'm here now. What more do you need?

I need it all.

You know that's the reason
I did the thing, right?

Got the Games here in the first place?

No, you did it to replenish the energy

and relevance coffers of New York City,

along with the actual ones.

Yeah. Both.

I'm not the kind of person
who would ever assume

that level of gesture is for me,

even from you.

Which is why you warrant it.

And now you don't have to assume.

We're a quorum. Good. Let's begin.

I only came because you said
our futures were in the balance.

Oh, your lives are about
to change in a brutal way.

The carried interest loophole
is about to be closed.

[LAUGHS]

[LAZARRA] Okay, Rhoades, sure it is.

You know, this happens every few years,

but there's never the
political will to pass it.

Student loan forgiveness.
Free universal health care.

There are a lot of big
ideas in flux right now,

but the loophole isn't one with teeth.

Ah-ha, but tonight
is a very special night.

Have you ever heard of the Big Ugly?

No?

Well, it's the last night
of the legislative session,

when all outstanding business
is voted on and passed.

You see, the Assembly can't
call it a night until it all is.

And tonight there is an
item that I have jammed

into a certain bill that
will also be passing:

closing the carried interest loophole.

You f*cking kidding me?

- Jesus Christ.
- [KRAKOW] Hold on, g*ng.

No need to sweat through
your Speed Stick.

Loophole closes,
it's easy enough to move a residence

or office or a server
to Jersey or Connecticut,

or even Pennsylvania
for tax filing purposes,

because as Chuck well knows,

without a little something
called an interstate compact,

meaning if those other
states don't agree

to closing the loophole too...

we're in the clear.

[SIGHS]

What do you think they're
agreeing to right now?

Those governors,

with my second-in-command
locking it all in.

Oh f*ck.

Yeah.

So you fund managers can kiss
your cap gains rate goodbye

and suck on straight income tax.

But what's another % in
taxes between friends, huh?

Between city, state and federal,

this now brings you right up to %.

Oh, and you guys who just invest,

don't think they won't pass
the pain along to you in fees.

A few billion bucks between you all...

next year alone.

Welcome to f*cking Cuba, kids.

But you're showing us before it closed.

That's no accident.

Lazarra, you must be one
tough out at Russian roulette.

So, what do we need to do to
get the b*llet out of the g*n?

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]

[WOMAN GRUNTING ON TV]

Whoo! Yeah!

"I've seen better tennis
playing in a tampon commercial."

[WAGS] What the f*ck?

Crap.

I needed to unplug.

Had to get away from my roommate,
you know?

Last time I had a roommate

was Chuck Sheen at Promises in Malibu.

I don't have a roommate either.

I needed...

[SIGHS] I needed to think.

Or not think.

What are you stressing over? You're .

You want to talk it out?

Unpopular opinion:

Youth makes stress worse, not better.

Like, I don't know
what the f*ck I'm doing

with a certain work matter.

I don't know if I should trust myself.

Ah, a real problem. Thus, the Cheetos.

Yeah.

I found something on Hypersonic,
and it's bad.

Full on, not good, bad.

But Taylor doesn't
want to hear that sh*t.

That's been made abundantly clear.

So I don't know what to do.

I've already pushed.

They're the genius, and I'm .

But this time they're wrong.

Is there a trade I can k*ll?

Too late. It's locked.

People who really know
about investing...

and I'm not talking about

cocktail party expert
bullshitters like me,

I mean real operators...

say, the bigger the position,

the more stress there
is on the research.

And if that research shows a cr*ck,

you better f*cking act on it ASAP.

If you freeze in the moment,
you're a corpse.

I can do it for you, but the truth is,

you can't let your boss
eat a giant shitburger.

In the end, they will blame you.

You've got to have the courage
to tell Taylor yourself.

[SIGHS]

Is this like a way for you
to sort of hedge your bet?

This place?

Because I was in a
relationship a while back.

We moved in together,

but we each kept a
locked-drawer file cabinet

in the name of privacy and independence.

Some real Edgar Allan Poe
sh*t started happening

about what was in each other's drawer.

I'm not going to say that's
why it didn't work out...

but it didn't work out.

I guess I'm saying,

hedging's for work, not this.

And if I do it again,
it'll be open drawers only.

Not locked.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATES]

Yeah.

[SCOOTER ON PHONE] Where have you been?

The whole world just blew up.

I need you to look past
my glowing complexion

and focus on what you need to hear.

You're not acting on logic.

What am I acting on?

Jealousy.

The Hypersonic investment
is totally f*cked,

and so are we.

f*cked how?

A small aerospace company
of a different name...

a front for Hypersonic...

secretly tested the technology.

This highly pressurized
super stratosphere sh*t.

- And?
- Dalton's Law,

Graham's Law, Henry's Law.

There are major problems

with their tech and aviation physiology.

Static pressure at
the altitude they fly,

resulting in pulmonary hypertension,

clotting, embolisms.

They're trying to fix it,
but it'll take years.

And when people find out...

Here.

Then "bad" is the right word.

How deep is this link buried?

It took you long enough to find it.

Don't even think about pinning
this "garbahge" on me.

I felt the spidey senses tingling.

I tried to come to you.

You were having some
space cowboy moment.

You're right. Crap.

I got sucked in by that
Chuck Yeager-wannabe flyboy.

If I found it, everyone else will.

Soon.

What do you want to do?

The second we make a move,
we'll alert the market.

It'll take a split second
to connect the dots

from us to MPC to the
Olympics back to Hypersonic.

This f*cking stock
will go down to a price

that represents the company's
office furniture and phones.

There's no way to trade out
without taking a massive loss.

Yeah, no.

But sitting on it could be even worse.

We're gutting ourselves either way.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ Yeah Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn ♪

♪ Now I'm down in Tribeca
Right next to De Niro ♪

- ♪ But I'll be 'hood forever ♪
- [LOUD KNOCK ON DOOR]

♪ And since I made it here
I can make it anywhere ♪

♪ Yeah, they love me Everywhere ♪

- Sorry to barge.
- Couldn't reach you.

Didn't want to be reached.
The phone was off for a reason.

♪ Took it to my stashbox
State Street ♪

♪ Catch me in the kitchen like
A Simmons whippin' pastries ♪

[TURNS MUSIC OFF]

And so it's clear that
there was a conspiracy

to bring the Games to New York

by whatever underhanded method
was deemed most expedient.

[KRAKOW] Had we known,

and I speak for all of us on this stage,

we never would have been
party to such malfeasance.

Yes.

We know Michael Prince led the effort

and engaged in these actions by himself.

These men and women were
unknowingly brought in

to an attempt to commit
bribery at a very high level.

You got to be kidding me, Mike.

It's B.S., Andy.

[WAGS] Every friend who betrayed you,

I'll hunt each and every one of
them down and skin them alive.

I'll do it because I want to,
and I'll do it for you.

Yeah, I appreciate it, but no.
I'm going to need them later.

Look, this is bad,

but it's not over till
the ICS says it is.

I need to talk to Katerina.

Thanks.

Not even Dollar Bill could help
me pawn it off anonymously.

No one wanted the block? Spartan-Ives?

The Sovereign Wealth Funds?

- Some dumb Third World despot?
- They smelled it.

We're going to have to wait
until the market opens,

try to bleed it off share by share.

No. We can't do anything.

Our hands are tied
as long as Hypersonic's

bound to the Olympics.

You going to tell Prince?

What?

That I fell prey to
first instinct fallacy

like some rube stumbled
on the monte table

along the midway?

- You outplayed me this time.
- [CHUCKLES]

I pray to the Good Lord in heaven

this is the last time we have to hondle.

You're welcome, Todd.

As long as we're square.

That we are.

Thank you.

- [SIGHS]
- Well, they did their part.

Yep, I guess I have a bill to pull.

Or we let it go to a vote,
see if it passes.

The Big Ugly's on our side.

If it goes through,

it would be New York's most
aggressive wealth reform

since FDR was bankrolling La Guardia.

Could become a test case for the nation.

The world.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, that's f*cking tempting.

So I say we clock out for the night.

Leave it to fate.

No.

No, if I do that,

break my word to this camarilla,

I lose all future leverage.

And your future in the
public sector goes extinct.

Without an actual interstate compact,

which was really just
a fancy-tasting dinner,

the whole thing's
toothless anyway, and...

and I have to be honorable to my word.

Even in this. So we pull it.

[SIGHS]

And then we take the office
out for a celebratory pop.

[SIGHS]

Pull the damn thing.

Yanking like Pee Wee Herman himself.

We can work through this and
still do great things together.

You're looking at the only man

who can bring the Olympics to New York.

- Baseless charges.
- Utter bullshit.

Katerina, standing against these tactics

is the only way we can protect
the Games from real corruption.

You should refer to me as Miss Brett.

I gave this a chance to go away,

but I am afraid the New
York Games are tainted now.

My statement is about
to go up on the ICS site.

After an unfortunate
series of developments,

the ICS has come to the conclusion

that the Games

can no longer be held in New York City.

Fortunately, after talking to
the organizers in Los Angeles,

they will be ready to host the Games,

with brand-new sponsors
and renovated stadiums.

Man, that sucks for our Mikey Prince.

Yes, it does.

But it doesn't suck for us. Me.

This news is our boarding pass
out of our f*cked situation.

We can make a statement saying
that we're exiting our position

because Hypersonic will no longer be

the official airline
of the New York Games,

since L.A. will make
their own airline deal.

We're going to take a hit.

Damn right we are. But , %, not .

This will be the story long
enough for us to evacuate

before the real news gets out.

That their planes will
f*cking hospitalize you?

Exactly.

[PHILIP] I figured there might
be one person at this company

who wasn't upset the
Games just went bye-bye.

I also figured

you'd need help unloading
the shares at the open.

Yes, another set of hands would be good.

Good. These hands are gonna start

by getting some coffee going.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

It's not the particular
memories in this place.

It's the idea that this is
where my memories happened.

But now, new memories.

And no secret rooms.

Or secret compartments out here.

Or up there.

That's the idea.

Never did it before. Never even tried.

Well, we'll try together.

Yeah, we will.

All in. It's time.

♪ Before you got to go Go, go, go ♪

♪ I wanted you to know
Know, know, know ♪

♪ You're always on my mind ♪

- Hi.
- Hi.

I'd ask how it went,
but I saw the announcement.

Yeah.

Where you going?

My hotel. I need to pack.
It's an early flight.

I can change that, you know.
It is my plane.

I know, but I need
to get home and organized.

I missed too much time already,

and I need to start booting
things back up in L.A.

- Ouch.
- Sorry.

But...

I guess we're back where we started.

In some ways.

In others, not.

Our thing's been dormant,
switched off for years...

because of distance.

Not just distance, you know?

It's switched back on now, unless...

I hate to say it,

but if this grand gesture of
yours was really about us...

It was, as I said.

I was trying to bend the world
to my specifications to do it.

Well, that's the way it goes
when you try and do that.

It doesn't work.

You used to say that
in the beginning with us.

Before.

It's gone my way plenty since.

Yeah, I can see that.

But the world's a beast sometimes.

You said you'd be willing to travel

before you knew it was going
to be here, so...

Of course. I'll be in Colorado,
then L.A. every weekend.

Or every other.

Good.

I'll see you next weekend.

For sure.

Well, not next weekend,
'cause the fallout from this

is going to be...

I know.

I'll see you when I see you.

♪ Call me when you get this ♪

♪ Before you got to go Go, go, go ♪

♪ I wanted you to know
Know, know, know ♪

- [HIP-HOP MUSIC BLARING]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[ALL] Hey!

♪ I be Spike'd out ♪

♪ I could trip a referee ♪

♪ Tell by my attitude ♪

♪ That I'm most Definitely from ♪

- ♪ In New York ♪
- ♪ Hey, ah-ha ♪

♪ Concrete jungle
Where dreams are made of ♪

♪ There's nothing You can't do ♪

- ♪ Yeah ♪
- ♪ Now you're in New York ♪

♪ Ah-ha, ah-ha, ah-ha ♪

♪ These streets will make you
Feel brand-new ♪

♪ Big lights will inspire you ♪

- ♪ Let's hear it for New York ♪
- ♪ You're welcome, OG ♪

- ♪ New York, New York ♪
- ♪ I made you hot... ♪

♪ Catch me at the X with OG
At a Yankee game ♪

♪ sh*t, I made the Yankee hat
More famous then a Yankee can ♪

♪ You should know I bleed blue ♪

♪ But I ain't a Crip, though ♪

♪ But I got a g*ng of... ♪

♪ Walking with my clique Though ♪

♪ Welcome to the melting pot ♪

♪ Corners where We selling rock ♪

♪ Afrika Bambaataa sh*t
Home of the hip-hop ♪

♪ Yellow cab, gypsy cab
Dollar cab, holla back ♪

♪ For foreigners It ain't fair ♪

♪ They act like they forgot How to act ♪

♪ Eight million stories
Out there in the naked ♪

♪ City is a pity
Half of y'all won't make it ♪

♪ Me, I got a plug Special Ed,
"I Got It Made" ♪

♪ If Jeezy's payin' LeBron
I'm payin' Dwyane Wade ♪

♪ Three-dice cee-lo Three-card monte ♪

♪ Labor Day Parade,
Rest in peace, Bob Marley ♪

♪ Statue of Liberty
Long live the World Trade ♪

♪ Long live the King, yo ♪

♪ I'm from the Empire State That's... ♪

- ♪ In New York ♪
- ♪ Hey ♪

♪ Concrete jungle
Where dreams are made of ♪

♪ There's nothing You can't do ♪