01x11 - Beautiful Betrayal

[bunniefuu]

[♪ "Sweet Child O' Mine" playing]

♪ She's got a smile that it seems to me ♪

♪ Reminds me of childhood memories ♪

♪ Where everything was as fresh
as the bright blue sky ♪

♪ Now and then when I see her face ♪

♪ She takes me away
to that special place ♪

♪ And if I stare too long
I'd probably break down and cry ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Sweet child of mine ♪

I love you, Mama.

Aw. I love you too, darling.

[gasps]

- [thuds]
- [song ends]

[needle clangs]

My boys.

It's good to see you've downgraded
your substance dabbling.

Come on, Pop. Take a hit.

I'll just end up ruminating
about all the shell corps I've set up

- to hide all our cash.
- [both chuckling]

- Bermuda, Cayman, Zurich, Delaware.
- [new Gunther] Delaware.

Wow. Delaware.

Well, come on, Dad.

Now that we're on pace to triple
the wealth of Gates, Elon Musk, and Zuck,

it's time to... [softly]
...let loose a little bit.

We're celebrating! [chuckles]

Nah. No, no, I will stick
with a glass of the Pappy.

No, come on, that's not all
that we're celebrating, right?

No. Uh, Dad,

we have something
for you in the grand salon.

I know that we have swung
and missed so many times in our life,

but we have been listening to you
with a level of clarity

that we have never had before,

and that is because of you.

Listen.

I am really excited.

I think that... [inhales deeply]
...we delivered a big one.

Something that brings us together
as a family, I think.

Okay. Where's your mother?

- Well...
- Should she come?

Dad, f*ck, just go.

- Salon?
- It's at the grand salon, yes.

You know where it is,
down and to the left.

You're gonna love it.

Oh.

Yeah... No, I, uh...

I don't mess around anymore,
so you'll have to leave.

Scoot.

From the time they were born,

you instilled in them the importance
of fulfilling your wishes above all else.

All their lives, they searched,
attempted, and failed.

Until now, it seems.

[softly] Franny?

Don't act so f*cking surprised,
you smug idiot.

No, I-I-I... [stammers] I had no idea.

I-I swear.

[new Franny] They knew
exactly what you wanted,

and they did what was necessary
to make it happen.

I admit I'm not...

upset.

You're...

[whispering] You're so...
you're so f*cking hot.

Mmm. [moans]

[kissing]

Th-They were... They were right.

We're bound together like never before.

How... How can you not be
th-the slightest bit thrilled?

I mean, you have to admit,
you feel amazing.

I feel like a prisoner trapped
inside a body that is not mine.

Everything that I had worked for,
everything that I had earned,

my scars, my stretch marks...

the age I owned,

taken from me.

I know this is a lot to handle.

And I am gonna have
a serious talking-to with the boys.

But know this...

I love you.

Y...

You are the only one.

Always have been.

And very soon,

you will understand
just how much you've been given.

I understand just fine, Byron.

Do you remember when we got this?

Hon, I'm gonna be honest, these things
have always been more your department.

Eighteenth century, French antique.

For surviving our 12th anniversary.

Yes.

Turn-of-the-century Italian chandelier
from 1916.

Their value...

their beauty comes from their age.

I get it.

- [plant thuds]
- I was a g*dd*mn work of art.

And the one thing you never bothered
to notice is that some people are perfect,

just as they are.

I was hoping you'd get rid
of that piece for decades.

[whispering] That was my favorite piece,
believe it or not.

[glass crunches]

A flea market find...

three months before we met.

If I could go back and talk to that girl...

now, that would be a gift.

Franny! No. No! Franny.

Help!

No. No. Franny.

[shouting] Help! Somebody Help!

Franny! Franny!

[♪ eerie music playing]

[♪ ominous music playing]

[chuckles]

- Hey.
- [Bella] Hi.

- Wow, you came.
- [Bella chuckles]

Are you kidding?
I wouldn't miss it for the world.

I love it. Last one bailed last minute
with cold feet.

Um, can I get you, like,
a coffee or something?

I don't really like coffee.

Yeah, me neither.

[chuckles softly]

Okay, fine, I'm nervous.

I get it. I get it. I am too.

You? Why?

[smacks thighs] Look who
I'm sitting across from.

I... I haven't been this way very long,

uh, and I'm still getting used to

a girl like you even talking
to me at all. [sighs]

Like me?

Bella, you would not be sitting there
if you saw me before.

Stop. No offense, but I've never been able
to be all that picky.

[Conor scoffs] Hopefully,
picky enough to walk right by me.

I... I was a mess.
I was 345 pounds at my heaviest.

I was depressed and addicted to anything
and everything considered edible.

Wow.

Yeah. Yeah, it was bad.

So bad that a couple of years ago,
I had a gastric bypass

along with some skin removal.

f*cking brutal complications.

I had nerve damage in my legs.
I could barely even walk without help.

And at my size back then,
it was my only option, you know?

[inhales, exhales]

I spent a lifetime trying everything
under the sun hoping to win that battle.

Diets, lifted weights,
f*cking fat camp. [chuckles]

God, tell me about it.
Teas and powders and supplements.

[Conor] And then after the bypass,
I did the weight loss drugs.

Only lost 15 pounds.

And then I got pancreatitis from it,
so I had to stop,

and then that wasn't an option.

I was desperate,
and I would've done literally anything.

This was the easiest choice I ever made.

Did you go to one of those pop-ups
I've been seeing?

Uh, yeah, yeah, not cheap.

I, uh, I did the payment plan, but still
needed to max out three credit cards.

Is that why you're doing this?
To pay it off?

[smacks lips] I mean, yes, but...

I also know how I felt
when I got the chance at a new life.

And when I learned there was more
than one way to get it...

I wanted to help give other people
that same feeling.

Oh, did...

did you think I was giving you
an injection?

Uh, I mean... [chuckles]
I-I don't know. I...

A version of The Beauty
can also be spread via bodily fluids.

- Sex?
- [Conor] Yes.

Oh. I'm-I'm sorry, is that...
is that not okay?

Um. No. I... I mean, I just...

I... I didn't really think about it.

Okay.

It's just, um...

[chuckles] I-I should probably tell you.

I've never done that before.

[Conor chuckles]

Oh. You're a virgin?

- Well, don't say it like that.
- No, I'm...

I told you,
guys aren't exactly chasing me around.

No, no, I'm just surprised.

Well, it's not exactly how I imagined it.

But, uh, it will be worth it.

Um... Um...

I have...

Oh, hey, just, uh, keep
that for now, okay? Not here.

Okay, I just want you to know
that it's all here.

[Conor] Yeah.

- It wasn't easy to get.
- [safe beeps]

[pearls rattling]

[Conor] You pawned stuff?

Am I proud of that?

No. [breathing heavily]

Will it be worth it?

Yes.

[inhales, exhales]

[Conor] You know,
you don't have to do this.

[♪ ominous music playing]

What do you mean?

I don't know, in high school,
things just feel so intensified,

and the world is bigger than that.

I just want you to be happy
and feel amazing about yourself.

For the right reasons.

Weird question,
can I get pregnant from this?

No. Excellent question.
And no. No, you can't.

The onset of infection kills
any potential fertilization process.

[smacks lips] I learned that in
the concierge clinic. I should also add...

Full panel tested as of last week.

And, um, as you know, this is kinda, like,
a new thing, so technically, there's--

- Risk of side effects. Yeah.
- Yeah.

And I-I know
I'll need boosters and stuff.

- [Conor] Yes.
- I... I know, and I don't care.

Can I tell you something?

Okay.

To make sure the... the dose that
I'm giving you is strong, is good,

I, uh... I snuck a second dose
at the clinic this morning.

Injected myself in the break room.

Is that safe? You... You did two doses?

[Conor] Yeah, only two weeks apart.

[Bella] And? No reaction?

- [Conor] I mean, it did hurt.
- [gasps, groaning]

- [thuds]
- [Conor] Got kinda dizzy, but...

when I woke up, everything was fine.

And I felt supercharged... [exhales]
...stronger than ever.

Look, Bella, I... I wanted
to make sure that my customers get a dose,

get injected with the most powerful
version of this miracle of science

that could possibly exist.

I guess you could say I...

I took the risk for you.

Whatever small chance
of something bad happening...

it's worth it to me.

The world is changing so fast around us.

Living through such a moment
in history is intense, you know?

Our grandkids will learn all
about this in school one day.

Beautiful grandkids.

[Conor] It's almost like
no one will remember

when apes evolved to walk like man.

It'll be when man evolved...

[sighs] ...to become gods.

[♪ "Goodbye to Beauty" playing]

You feeling okay?

Yeah.

♪ On the marble street ♪

I'm sorry, I have to ask
about payment now.

Oh, right.

♪ A procession spills in ♪

♪ At the White Sea wall ♪

[notes shuffling]

♪ Waves crash and crash again ♪

♪ Darkness shining ♪

♪ Disappearing ♪

Nature's beauty is impressive.

You ready to see what science can do?

♪ Comes like a stranger
and it drifts away ♪

♪ Day follows night, night follows day ♪

♪ Goodbye ♪

♪ Goodbye to beauty ♪

♪ Goodbye ♪

♪ Goodbye to beauty ♪

[Marcy] Bella?

Is that you?

[Bella] I'm going to bed.

Wait just a second.

Where the hell have you been, young lady?

[Bella] Out.

Excuse me?

[door slams]

[smacks stairway]

[sighs]

[♪ ominous music playing]

[chuckles, breathing shakily]

[breathing heavily]

- [cracking]
- [gasping]

[grunts]

- [whimpering]
- [cracking continues]

[grunting]

[vehicle approaching]

[door opens]

Bella.

Bella, the school called,
so I know you skipped today. [panting]

You won't answer your g*dd*mn phone,
so I had to cut my shift short!

Bella, I swear to God,
if you're hungover again...

- Bella!
- [pounds on door]

[♪ eerie music playing]

[phone buzzing]

[panting]

[squelching]

[new Bella whimpering]

Mama.

Help me.

[breathing heavily]

[screams] Bella!

[Bella groaning]

Help, mom, I can't... [whimpers]

[sobbing] Mommy, please. Help me.

[screams]

[sighs] Um. Uncontrolled synthesis
resulting in age anomalies,

catastrophic physical deformities

including but not limited
to multi-vaginal displacement,

craniofacial breast fusion and...
Oh, my...

Whatever this is called here.

Look, h-here's a picture of a girl
named Bella Grant, postinfection.

I mean, as you can see, her deformities,
they're monstrous and catastrophic.

Look, right now about six million doses
of The Beauty have been given

at about an 83% success rate.

We're still trying to get models

on how wide the sexually transmitted
version has spread.

Data shows those mutations
tend to be worse.

All in, we're looking at
roughly 450,000 reported incidents so far.

Initial estimates have 50,000 joining
one of several class action lawsuits,

uh, gathering steam.

That number will surely get higher.

Then we have a...
a fire hose of local, state

and federal agencies
launching investigations.

Attorneys General in eight states
are prepping suits of their own.

And, uh, last but not least,
there's the Department of Justice. So...

[Schuyler] We reached out
to the president.

After the secretary of defense turned
into a nine-year-old,

and Senator Danson's daughter-in-law
had to be institutionalized

with severe deformities...
[inhales deeply]

...he has shifted his position on The Beauty
and is no longer an ally.

The FDA is revoking approval
and is moving to ban it starting tomorrow.

[♪ tense music playing]

Stop the sales.

Shut down the clinics.

Keep the boosters flowing, free of charge.

Reach out to Bruce and the guys in finance

and start cutting checks
as fast as we can.

[Schuyler] So, you want to settle?

- That's what I said.
- All right... [stammering] ...just...

Which ones and how high
do you authorize legal to go?

Whatever it takes, I don't care.

- All right.
- We pay until they stop asking.

- Fine.
- [door opens]

What the f*ck are you two doing here?

This is a board meeting, yes?

Why is robot girl here?

To be a part of the problem-solving team.

[new Tig] This is some all-hands-on-deck
w*r room sh*t, Dad.

We gotta find a way out of this.

Stop! We've already figured it out.

And you have done quite enough already.
Tig, we're settling, we're writing...

Why the f*ck am I explaining
anything to you?

- You can't settle.
- [Winston] Your dad knows what he's doing.

There's not a lot of great options.

Shut your mouth!
I didn't ask you to speak.

Stall. Deny. Bankruptcy restructure.
Spin-off of assets.

Come on, guys!

There's always options at our level.

We have made billions and billions
in profits since this thing hit.

We can't just give it away
and be at breakeven or worse.

It's over.

[new Tig] The great Byron Forst
calling it quits?

I never thought I'd see the day.

Oh, I'm not quitting.

I'm refocusing.

After the BP spill, they bit the b*llet.

They paid 65 billion.

You sponsor some sporting events,
you finance an art gallery,

you cut a ribbon at a solar farm
that doesn't work,

everyone forgets and moves on.

[new Tig] We are not going to end up
like the Sacklers, okay?

Footing the bill and losing the company?

No.

This thing my father built
stays in this family.

Even if he has to go away for a little.

Away?

Well, I mean, a small prison sentence
isn't completely off the table.

That is not happening. No way.

[Schuyler] Did you not see
the disclaimers we threw out there?

These people signed a f*cking waiver.

[new Tig] Waivers. That's it.

You always cover your a*s six ways
to Sunday when it comes to this stuff.

Put down the checkbook.

No, this isn't about optics.

It's about fundamental change.

Fixing everything and everyone.

We will pay.

We will provide resources
to those who were affected.

And we will restructure our company

so as that all resources
can be focused on antidotes

and cures to the effects of The Beauty.

We will fix the things that I have broken
and hopefully bring my wife back to me.

In whatever form, whatever way,
whoever, however she wants.

'Cause she is and has always been
the one person on this planet

that can open my eyes and help me see.

[Winston] We were very sorry to hear
about what happened.

[Schuyler] Just awful. How is she?

She's stable, for now.

I've flown in the best cardiovascular
surgeons from three countries,

they're scrubbing in as we speak.

She'll be fine, I know it, right?

The Beauty is probably
the only reason why she's still alive.

[Diana clears throat]

I think...

I can help.

Considering your initial perspective
on Ray's shortcomings, I'm counting on it.

My artificial intelligence models
are breaking down

The Beauty's viral mechanisms
and mutations.

They are giving shape
to building blocks for nanotech

that could treat
and maybe even reverse its effects.

Throw everything you've got at it.

Lives depend on it.

I think we're done here.

I'm heading to the hospital.
Keep me posted.

Dad.

- Dad.
- [door opens]

[new Tig] Dad, wait.

Dad, we have to talk.

You can't do this.

We're gonna spend the rest of our lives
drowning in legal fees.

We'll lose everything!

Oh, God!

- All that matters to me is your mother.
- Okay.

f*ck everything else.

Yeah, okay.
Yeah, I was just trying to help.

Ask your mother how much help you've been.

Dad, you can't punish me
for doing exactly what you wanted.

It should have been her choice!

[glass squeaks]

You know what I really want?

For this to be the last time
that I ever see or hear you.

Understood?

[new Tig] Fine!

But you can't get rid of my last name.

I'm the heir to this f*cking throne!

[laughing]

Careful.

Dead men don't inherit sh*t.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

[♪ "The Gentlemen Titles" playing]

[♪ music ends]

Well, you know,
there's plenty more where this came from.

So, don't get any ideas.

It's a shame we have to kick off
our little summit with such hostility.

Diana had assured me
this would be peaceful and productive.

How about we cut the f*ck
and brass tacks this sh*t, junior?

Are we sure it's appropriate to have
grown-up talk with a child present?

- f*ck this--
- Hey, just let it go.

[new Tig] Go ahead, let him have it.

Those prepubescent fingers
probably couldn't squeeze off a round.

As unlikely as it may seem...

our interests have aligned
when it comes to my father.

He is the past. I am the future.

His mess and his mania
have become too untenable

for the family business
and the world at large.

And where the f*ck were you last week?

[new Tig] You think I have any idea
the kind of sh*t he gets into?

However, his recent behavior has shown
the kind of true monster that he is.

His selfish dosing
of my sweet, innocent mother

has led to her life now hanging
in the balance.

Classic. Only when sh*t
ends up on your front lawn

do people like you start to care.

Oh. Better late than never, I guess.

So...

what do we do about him?

Initiate our succession plan.

It's time for new leadership.

The crown must be passed
before any progress can be made.

But he will never do so willingly.
Therefore, he must be eliminated.

A coup.

This is all some
Game of Thrones m*therf*cker type sh*t.

He done got your mama and now you out here
trying to take power from your dad.

This is the type of
white people crazy sh*t I could f*ck with.

I'm f*cking with this.

Pass me the sword and I'm cutting
that m*therf*cker's head clean off.

Hold up, hold-hold up.

The f*ck we care
about your corporate baloney?

Look, if we're gonna pull the world back
from the brink,

you need what the company has to offer.

You need more of this.

The antidote to The Beauty.

It can change me back?
Reverse what happened?

- Yep.
- [new Cooper] Give it to me.

No, don't get excited.
They're full of bullshit.

Yesterday, we found the body
of his lead scientist, Ray.

A casualty, no doubt,
of Byron's ketamine-addled brain.

We dove into his computer systems.

In there, we discovered that
in his attempt to perfect The Beauty,

he seems to have inadvertently found
a reversal mechanism, a cure.

I'm sorry, is there an echo
bouncing around somewhere?

'Cause robot lady over here tried making
big promises like this and well,

it got f*cked up. Look at small fry.

Well, maybe if they'd taken my shot
instead of f*cked.

But why should we buy anything
you b*tches is talking about?

Why else would I bother sitting
across the table

from my father's most trusted hit man?

[clears throat] Look, once again you find
yourselves without a lot of great options.

Diana here had her heart
in the right place

but she was operating
without the kind of insider knowledge

or access I have
to put him right in our sights.

I'm sure that included a few dollars
for her to, you know,

I don't know, play
with her little Terminator friends, huh?

I trust him to finish what we all started.

Help me and you can rid yourself
of this foul infection once and for all.

- [scoffs] Well, f*ck me.
- [Diana] Mmm, mmm, mmm.

[new Tig] The irony. After all this,

you're all pretty satisfied
with your sexy new selves, aren't you?

- Aren't you?
- [new Tig] Very much so.

That's why I intend to perfect whatever
boosters are needed to keep it that way.

And for your fidelity,
I'll make these boosters available to you.

And you, are you ready to dive
into the deep end of organic chemistry

for a chance at being normal again?

I have your word, yes?
No matter what happens, you'll help me?

Last chance.

We will monitor every aspect
of your transformation.

Every data set, every sim we've run
shows that this should work.

But until we actually try it,
no one knows.

You will be our first test.

Hey...

don't do this for me or anybody else.

I told you before
that I'd always love you no matter what.

I love you too.

Let's do this.

[needle pierces]

- [new Jordan gasping]
- [Antonio] Oh! What the f*ck?

Hold him down. Hold him down.

- [new Jordan] Is this supposed to happen?
- It's all okay.

- [new Jordan] It better be okay.
- Guys, I'm gonna f*cking k*ll you.

- Grab his legs, hold his legs. His legs.
- Grab his legs! Grab his legs!

This happened in the tests?

Hold his legs.

[screams]

The rebirth has begun.

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

[squelching]

Cooper.