Power Book II: Ghost (2020) s01e04 Episode Script

1 Previously on Ghost This is a mock trial, a dress rehearsal.
So you reached out to Tommy because you had all the power? It's not true.
I'm trouble in court, Tariq.
Just give Davis whatever he wants.
Did James tell you that his former attorney, Terry Silver, was sleeping with his wife, Tasha? - Saxe.
- I'm afraid he di Before you answer that, if you say yes, we can arrest him for murder.
Now that you mention it, I remember now.
You make sure I testify.
Tasha is no queenpin, and Saxe is dirty as fuck.
Don't make this about you and me.
As you like to say, there is no you and me.
If he's gonna take over for me, he needs to learn.
He's not built like Cane and Diana.
Why does it have to be Dru? Cane, I want you to go with your brother and watch his back.
It's like they want the cops all up in their business.
Fuck these little niggas.
Papi, can you do me a favor? I told you, girl, my house, my rules! Did you do what I asked? Yeah, I put the phone and the pill in her cell.
I think she gave it away.
Would you look at that? We could make a killing here.
All I need is a supplier.
If I agree to work with you, you cannot live with Zeke.
Does that mean we have a deal? Your son is fine.
Make sure he does what we say.
If you don't, Tariq dies.
Who this? Rule number one, always pay the exact amount discussed.
- Yep.
- Rule number two, make sure shit's on time.
Kids at Stansfield got money, so if you come up short, that's on you.
No problem.
- Rule number three - Always pay in cash.
That's right.
You do those, won't be no problems.
I hate problems.
I understand.
Hi, I'm here to see Mr.
Stern.
Mr.
Stern is waiting for you.
Thank you.
Tariq St.
Patrick.
Nice waves.
I'm getting seasick just looking at you.
Thank you.
I appreciate it.
But I'm here to speak to Mr.
Stern.
Uh, I'm Stern.
Well, Kamal-Stern.
I hyphenate.
First name's Sebastian, but you can call me Bash.
Simon and I just got married, and everything with my husband's name on it must be as phenomenal and amazing as he is.
So let's hear what you got.
Well, these days, you know the name of the game is convenience.
Whatever anyone is ordering, whether it be a ride, clothes, a meal, they want it to arrive to their door instantly, right? I want to do the same with tutoring.
It'll be run through an app called CourseCorrect.
I think it's brilliant.
Selling papers to the dumbs is a tried and true tradition of the Ivy League.
Well, no, I'm not selling papers.
I'm tutoring, like I said.
Uh-huh, sure.
Now, let's talk aesthetics.
- I could help.
- You code? I can't be summed up by any one word.
Coder, tastemaker, producer.
Opportunist.
Depends on the opportunity.
Well, I need all my app payouts in cash.
No wire transfers, no direct deposits.
Uh-uh, Simon will want a record.
And what would you want? How 'bout three percent of all profit? Fifteen of gross revenue.
Three percent is already a lot.
So am I.
Okay.
How 'bout five percent? And neither of us tells Stern about this.
Tell him what? Yes, Ma? Tariq, we need to talk.
Listen to me, whatever you're doing, I need you to stop and go get a piece to protect yourself.
Ma, I'm having enough problems getting in and out of these university buildings without one.
- I don't need one.
- Tariq, I'm not stupid, okay? I know you're selling out there to pay for Davis.
You need to tell me who you're dealing with.
Look, Ma, I'm doing what I need to do to get you out, all right? It doesn't matter what I'm doing.
You don't need to know.
Just know it's all good.
It's not all good.
You need to go get a gun right now.
Where the hell am I gonna get a gun? Anyone I could ask right now is gone.
Kanan, Dre, Tommy Dad.
Okay.
Look, Ghost and Tommy used to have these dead drops all over the city in case they ever had to cut and run.
Now, Tommy might have cleared them out, but if he didn't, there should still be a gun in one of those spots.
I'll send you the address right now.
Fifteen minutes to lunch, bitches! Look, I gotta go.
Please do this right away.
Machiavelli's The Prince is all about inheritance.
It's about taking over a kingdom that was once occupied by a great ruler and making it even greater.
It's about war, betrayal, alliances.
Now, the single most important lesson you will learn from The Prince, if you're going to strike out at an enemy, destroy them totally and all at once.
And that's the perfect segue for our announcement.
Uh, Professor Milgram, please.
It's that time of year again.
The coveted Canonical Studies Fellowship program is now open for applications.
Whoo! That's what I'm talking 'bout! The winning student will receive an all-expenses-paid stay in Washington, D.
C.
for a prestigious internship.
Don't your man Malcolm stay in D.
C.
? Ha, you better shoot your shot, bitch.
Past winners have gone on to become So your man in D.
C.
, huh? You gonna apply? - And the cherry on top - I don't know.
the internship counts for Stansfield course credit, conferring upon the recipient the option for early graduation of three years instead of four.
Quite remarkable.
Very good.
Class dismissed.
Who wants to leave college early? That's what I'm saying.
- Um, Professor Reynolds.
- Yes? I wanted to know, what is it exactly that you're looking for in a fellow? Well, we're looking for academic excellence, someone who can represent Stansfield properly, and a good mix of outside activities and interests.
You know, I think you should definitely apply, Lauren.
Is it possible for us to discuss this more, like, maybe over dinner? Uh, yeah.
W-were you thinking off-campus or Yeah, yeah, at my parents' house.
Yes, yes.
At your parents'.
- Of course, yes.
- Great, great.
I know they'll have tons of questions about the fellowship.
And they're big fans of your writing.
Well, if that's the case, then I think you should invite Professor Milgram, to ensure fairness.
Okay.
You should also invite another student for optics.
I'll go.
For optics.
Lovely.
It's a date.
It's a date.
You know you done fucked up, right? Thanks to y'all, the block is hot.
Police are all over the streets.
And for what? Y'all some cloud chasing motherfuckers.
It's one thing to act a fool on your own time, but to let that shit affect my business is another.
We're cutting your supply.
Starting right now.
Y'all just trying to punish us for doing things our way.
Your way? Oh, nigga, you thought you was a leader? 'Cause I ain't seen one in GTG since your pops died.
So fall the fuck in line, or I'll reunite y'all asses my goddamn self.
Puta! Que? What's up? I wanna hear you say it to my fucking face, pendejo.
Puta.
You sure? Puta! Damn.
You beat the brakes off that nigga.
Ain't that what you wanted? I can always depend on you.
Yeah.
Man, you know Scott ain't about to do shit to you.
Did you hear me? Scott's asking around about who was dealing on his turf.
Says he's gonna beat their ass.
I'm the ass, Tariq.
Scott doesn't even know you're the competition.
And on top of that, we got bigger shit to worry about.
We about to open shop.
Trap.
Trap.
Trap, trap! Is there any way you could be cool about this? We gonna do this shit like we did at Choate? Nah, we're on some new shit.
Next level.
There's gotta be truth to the lie.
Some people are gonna actually want to be tutored, so we gotta have students who could school kids and sling drugs.
Financial aid students.
They're smart and need the money.
Perfect.
And you, all you gotta do is use your people skills to recruit.
We gotta walk before we run, so we gonna start with our little referral system.
What's up? You need additional tutoring? Do I look dumb to you? Check it out.
Oh, shit! It's fucking lit.
All right, bet! Get out some freebies and then we let the word of mouth do the rest.
But how does the app even work? I mean, it's simple.
Math is weed.
Econ for uppers.
Chemistry for downers.
Cool, but how do we know who wants drugs and who actually wants tutoring? See, the people that want drugs, they'll order the premium package.
Each order will come with a real study guide, so we can cover our bases.
Dude, you're a genius.
I mean, you can get weed delivered on the West Coast, but this Nah, this is Stansfield exclusive right here.
Let's fuck up some commas.
We could do this all over the city.
We got a problem? What am I paying you for? 'Cause from what I heard, you're playing make believe, - spending my money on a fake-ass trial.
- Okay, look.
The mock trial was an experiment.
Now we know not to put your mom on the stand ever.
Why hasn't your genius legal team thought to put me on the stand? I could just tell 'em that she wasn't the queenpin.
You're her son.
The jury knows any good son will lie for his mother.
Now, see, the spotlight's been on Tasha.
We're moving it over to Saxe.
We expose his malfeasance.
He gets thrown off the case.
Worst case, we're back to the locals.
Best case, the whole thing goes away.
Guess I gotta trust you.
Yeah, that would be in your best interest.
If y'all gonna swing at Saxe, make sure y'all don't miss.
I never miss.
Where do you think he's getting this? Do you think he's into something? He's emotionally closed off, he was raised by two pathological liars, and he's paying in cash.
Come on now.
If Tariq were part of some criminal enterprise, the money would probably be wired from some shady LLC.
We don't need to know, Paula.
It's not our job to care.
Huh? Who? Ah.
It's for you.
You keep staring at the bitch, she gonna come over here and do more than stare.
Somebody in here is watching me.
I think it's her.
Sounds like a you problem.
To ask a sitting U.
S.
Attorney to step off his own prosecution, Mr.
MacLean, that's an extraordinary step.
Well, these are extraordinary circumstances, Your Honor.
Mr.
Saxe has a well-documented bias against my client and her family.
- What? How so? - He was part of an attempt by the U.
S.
Attorney's office to frame James St.
Patrick in the murder of Greg Knox.
Yes, I was part of that prosecution, but I was manipulated by Mike Sandoval like the rest of my office.
In addition, during his most recent attempt to prosecute James St.
Patrick, Mr.
Saxe followed my client's minor son to school and tried to speak to him, ex parte - and without his parents.
- Is that true? Well, I I can explain, Your Honor.
He went to my client's apartment, threatened Tasha and her son with prosecution if they didn't offer evidence against St.
Patrick.
They didn't, Your Honor, and here we are.
Are Mr.
MacLean's allegations true? W should I be punished for being a zealous prosecutor? Zealots use justification to break the law.
I think I will allow Mr.
MacLean to present his witnesses.
Mr.
Saxe, if you are too close to this case or if it is politically motivated, I will ask you to recuse yourself.
Ma shut GTG out the business.
Shut them all the way the fuck down.
She didn't have a choice.
Them niggas is wildin'.
Yeah, but now who's gonna replace 'em? We still need that product moved.
I hear y'all in here talking.
Well, you might as well know, we have a new business partner.
Who? Tariq St.
Patrick.
- What? - What the fuck you mean? We working with that bougie motherfucker? Well, the kids at Stansfield got a lot of money.
If it works, it works.
If not Dru, what you think? There's nothing to think about.
Linking with this Stansfield motherfucker - don't make no type of sense.
- Yo, I'm talking to your brother! Uh, I don't know.
Kid's mad smart.
Seems like he knows what he's doing.
Diana, what's the next move? What you think? I think you should find out exactly how Tariq moves weight at the school.
All right, Dru, you go up there and see what's good with Tariq's operation.
Nah, I'll go up there.
I'll get him to tell me how he does it.
Yeah, Ma, why don't you just send Diana? - She wants to go anyway.
- Let me go.
I'll get the little nigga to talk.
They ain't letting you on no campus, boy.
Look at you.
You ain't in nobody's Ivy League.
Dru, get going.
All right.
And as for you, Diana, can't trust your sneaky ass after what you pulled with your father the other day.
Thought you were slick with that burner.
Thought your daddy wouldn't tell me.
Well, for that, give me that real phone.
Ma, I already said I was sorry.
Give it to me.
Cold world.
Ma, we was better off with Guap.
We can control him.
I can control anybody.
When you know what someone wants, you give it to 'em or you take it away.
You made this decision without me.
We supposed to be a team.
See, Cane, that's your problem.
With teams, different people play different positions.
You're not a decision maker.
What you did with Guap, that's what you do best.
That's your lane.
Stay in it.
- Dru.
- What's good? What are you doing here? Okay, now I see why you agreed to move out of Zeke's room.
This shit's real nice.
Hey, man, I brought you some product.
Man, I don't need no fucking delivery service, all right? Last thing I need is you getting caught on campus with weight in your fucking bookbag.
Monet sent you over here to spy on me, didn't she? All right, whiz kid, you just show me how you do your business, we can make this quick.
Well, actually, I gotta get to class, so Dude, they ran out of chocolate.
I know you like chocolate, but I got you the strawberry one, which is just as bomb, if not better.
Who's the new kid? Is he the plug? No, this is Dru.
He's Zeke's cousin.
And we're actually on the way out.
So later.
Come on.
Wait, but, I dude, I got us ice cream.
'Riq, it's gonna melt! I ain't gonna lie, you about to be hella bored watching me draw stick figures and shit all day.
So I think you should just tell Monet that I was a little busy.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Tariq.
Don't be rude.
Invite your friend to join us.
This is an inclusive space.
I'm Professor Deva, like the deity.
- Who are you? - I'm Dru.
Come on.
Let's get started.
Today's theme, making the foreign familiar.
Pair up with someone you don't know and get those pencils moving.
Tariq, sit here.
Let your friend find the foreign.
Okay.
All right, everybody Let's take out those pencils.
Let's get inspired.
You got a partner? I don't.
I guess that's you.
I'm gonna warn you right now.
I'm only good at two things: eating and playing basketball.
I I suck at drawing.
Oh, man, everybody can draw.
Just takes a little bit of practice, that's all.
- I'll show you.
- Oh, that's beautiful.
Okay.
Yeah, yes, John, I know it's protocol, but did you tell him you made me pursue this case? John? John.
Fucking fuck.
- John Mak? - Yeah.
Just telling me that Davis MacLean sent his recusal motion to the Attorney fucking General, my boss.
Just tell me you found something in St.
Patrick's finances and how the hell they're paying Davis to hang me out to dry.
James St.
Patrick's attorney, Daniel Warren, stonewalled me.
Fuck.
See, the-the key is to find out how Tariq is paying Davis.
- Maybe if we tail.
- Whoa.
You mean tail the kid who's still a minor? - It - You promised me that this would be by the book.
- Yeah? - U.
S.
Attorney Cooper Saxe? - Yeah.
- We brought your niece.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Riley, what have you done now? I see it runs in the family.
We caught this young lady buying over two ounces of marijuana in Central Park.
It's a plant, idiot.
Maybe if you tried it sometime, you'd realize that going home to jack off onto your frozen TV dinner while 2 Fast 2 Furious plays isn't the American dream.
Riley, Riley, Riley, enough.
I appreciate you guys bringing her to me.
If you weren't a U.
S.
Attorney, your mouthy niece would be in Rikers Island right now.
But we are gonna charge her for possession.
I'm so sorry.
Could-could you excuse us, please? I'm gonna I'm gonna hand her her ass here.
Get in here.
Riley, you can't keep doing this, okay? You're almost 18, and now I'm a public figure.
Do you understand what would happen if the press got ahold of this, huh? I'm sure you expect me to bail you out at your hearing, right? My dealer was out of town, and I'm having a party this weekend.
What was I supposed to do, not smoke? Yes! Yes.
Y-you know what, fuck this.
I'm telling your moms.
No, no, no, no, no.
You can't do that.
Courtney's going to flip out, cut me off, and then write an article about it on her blog.
- I hope so.
- Lacey's going to take my phone away and-and ground me for an entire year.
Could you stop calling them by their first names? I'll do whatever you want.
I'll mow your lawn.
I'll trim your dead ends again.
I'll try to get them to stop calling you "Nancy".
Whatever you want.
Actually, you know what? There is something you can do for me.
I knew you were cool.
God damn.
You're amazing at this.
You got an Insta for your art or something? It's a private page.
I just track my progress with it.
Let me follow you.
Can't keep a gift like that all to yourself.
Sergeant Rodriguez, when the U.
S.
Attorney called you to take the stand to impugn the character of my client, - did you have more to say? - I did.
Why do you think he wouldn't let you finish your answers? Because my testimony would have drawn a more accurate picture of his conduct, and he wants everyone to think he's clean now.
Objection.
Characterization.
Uh, come on, Mr.
Saxe.
Okay, how was he not, to use your word, clean? Let me give you an example.
After your client accurately pointed us towards Terry Silver, I took Saxe the U.
S.
Attorney, with me to the scene.
He stole the decedent's phone from the location, pocketing it for later use.
Objection, Your Honor.
Any charges against me for that alleged chain of custody violation were dropped.
That doesn't mean you didn't do it.
He later took the phone and planted it at James St.
Patrick's hotel room.
Again, Your Honor, I want these allegations stricken from the record, unless Sergeant Rodriguez witnessed me committing these acts with her own eyes.
Did you, Sergeant Rodriguez? No.
Then let's move on, Mr.
MacLean.
We will strike those questions from the record.
In moving forward, let's confine the questions to incidents the witness actually saw.
Yes, Your Honor.
Who is Elisa Marie Proctor? Elisa Marie is the daughter of the late Joseph Proctor and Lindsay Proctor.
Saxe cultivated the late Mrs.
Proctor as a witness and, through her, planted a bug on a minor child's backpack in order to listen in on Joseph Proctor's conversations.
He had no warrant for this bug, which I found in his office after Lindsay Proctor died.
Ah, I see.
A warrantless listening device on a minor child.
I don't remember that chapter in law school.
And that's not the worst thing you saw him do, is it? In your report, you mentioned Councilman Rashad Tate? Yes, Saxe pressured Tate to lie in order to establish motive for James St.
Patrick to kill Terry Silver.
I saw Tate's story change before my eyes, as Saxe fed him lie after lie.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Sergeant Rodriguez, when I allegedly coerced Councilman Tate to, uh, lie, did you stop me? I tried.
Ah, sure.
Then you failed.
In fact, you took Tate's sworn affidavit and used it to get a search warrant.
If you were so concerned about my conduct, why did you cosign it by presenting that evidence to a judge? You know why.
I wanted that warrant.
We both did.
- You wanted to catch St.
Patrick.
- You know I did.
In fact, in order to get an arrest warrant, did you not obtain a statement from Andre Coleman establishing that he saw James St.
Patrick kill Terry Silver? Yes, I did.
Now, if I told you that I had proof that Coleman was across town from Silver's garage during the known time window of the murder, what would you say? These are his cell records.
Maybe he remembered it wrong.
Or maybe he said what he knew you wanted to hear.
Just like Tate did with me.
It's not our fault if a witness chooses to lie, right, Blanca? Especially when you offer them WITSEC and a chance to skate on a murder.
That's not what happened! No further questions.
Your Honor, my conduct with Tate was standard police procedure, as evidenced by Sergeant Rodriguez using the same tactics with Andre Coleman.
You may be excused, Sergeant.
But as an officer of the court, I would warn you that a transcript of this proceeding will be forwarded to your supervisor.
Sergeant Rodriguez certainly has an axe to grind with you, Mr.
Saxe.
Thank you.
But I still would like to hear from Councilman Tate on the exact nature of your conversation.
Issue the subpoena.
I can't be involved with this shit.
Make it go away.
That's precisely what we're here to do.
You know we can't have our esteemed future governor embroiled in something as salacious as this.
Cool.
I'll be on my way.
Uh, one thing.
Did you lie when you told Sergeant Blanca Rodriguez that James St.
Patrick had motive to kill Terry Silver? I, uh Hm.
Look, I know you gentlemen don't want me to say what I actually know to be true, that James St.
Patrick was a murdering, lying drug dealer, who fucked all around town and put hands on his wife.
Correct, we certainly can't have you say any of that.
And so you won't.
Here is exactly what you're gonna say on that stand.
You two don't seem to understand.
I don't want to testify.
Oh, we understand.
And the DNC's official position on that is we don't give a shit.
Yo, can't talk right now.
Dude, I need more.
Like, way more.
More, what do you mean? The app, bro, it's blowing up.
Demand is high, and our supply is all gone.
And the orders keep coming in.
How the fuck did this happen? We're supposed to be low-key.
Yeah, but Stansfield's trying to turn up.
We're in prime time, bro.
Why aren't you happy? 'Cause I don't have enough product to fill these orders, B.
And if we don't, the app is gonna be grand opening, grand closing.
Fuck.
All right, I'm on my way.
- Tariq.
- What are you doing here? I had to subpoena Councilman Rashad Tate to testify on your mom's behalf.
What? You can't trust him.
That information would have been helpful earlier today.
I told you to stay by your phone.
Why are you here? Check or wire transfer.
We can't keep accepting cash unless you can provide paperwork showing where it's coming from.
I thought lawyers liked cash.
This is a high-stakes case, Tariq.
Your mother's freedom, the future of our firm, which I know you care way less about, but part of my job is making sure that neither of us gets blindsided.
So I need to know what's going on here, and I need to know right now, or I'm telling Davis that we have to drop this case.
Look, I was stealing money, all right? That's why I wasn't by the phone.
Whoa.
It wasn't a stickup or anything like that.
It was my grandmother.
She's the only one that's getting paid from my father's will.
I know where she keeps the money, and I went to go take some.
I didn't want to do it, but I just want my mom to come home.
We can help you, Tariq.
I can help you.
Nobody can help me.
I have to take this.
Bye, Paula.
Bash, I was actually just about to call you.
Yes, congratulations, Steve Jobs.
The app's shattering projections.
Or does that make me Steve Jobs? About that deal we agreed to, I actually need half the money in cash and the rest wired.
I still get 15 percent, right? Fifteen percent? Are you dumb? That's not what we agreed to.
You sound like you need me right now.
You do need me right now, right? All right, fine.
Ooh, it feels nice to be needed.
Fuck.
Okay.
I see they set you up when you're on the basketball team.
I'm on honor roll.
This is for niggas who get As.
In that case, you might wanna drop that art class, 'cause, uh Oh, Picasso got jokes.
For real, I might want you to draw my next tattoo.
You're an artist.
What you think? I mean, wow, that's that's a lot going on.
Look at this one.
This is gonna be my number someday.
Like Kobe.
You mean it's not your number now? Nuh-uh, my asshole teammate, Connor, stole it.
Tried to make me pay him for it.
Oh, shit.
And look at this.
Championship trophy.
You shooting for the stars, huh? You just make sure you keep winning, otherwise I'm gonna have to cover this one up for you.
I always win.
Fuck.
Hold on, hold on.
It could be my mom.
- All right, mama's boy.
- Shut up, shut up, shut up.
Fuck, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to take this.
Just, you stay right here, all right? Hurry up.
Fuck.
Diana, get down here now! - What is it now? - Your brother's calling.
I send Dru to find shit out, and your phone is ringing and mine isn't.
So pick it up, put it on speaker.
I want to hear what he has to say.
- What's up? - Yo, Diana, listen.
Tariq is blowing me the fuck up, and I'm not with him right now.
Okay, I need you to bring him some more product up to the school for me.
Like, a lot of it.
Okay, I'm leaving now.
Oh, my God, I owe you.
Get in and get out.
I'm not playing with any of you today.
Turns out, I'm not the one you need to be worried about.
Oh, shit.
What's up? - Where's Dru at? - You tell me.
Here.
Thank God.
Appreciate you bringing this, but I got dinner with my professors in a little bit, and I think I'm gonna be late, so.
Hmm, nah.
I'm not going anywhere without my brother.
Are you sure you don't know where Dru is? You ask a lot of questions.
I got one for you.
How come Monet had Dru spying on me? She wasn't gonna send Cane's crazy ass.
And she definitely didn't want me to come up here.
Why not? Because of you.
Why me? Because she thinks I might do something like this.
That's what you came up here for? Zeke told me you wanted permission to take me out.
He told me Monet'd say no.
Monet ain't here.
The fuck were y'all doing? Where have you been? I'ma get y'all cut.
Enough with the word salad, Councilman.
Describe in detail how Cooper Saxe led you to lie about whether James St.
Patrick knew of Tasha's affair with Terry Silver.
I can't, because Saxe did not lead me to lie.
But I regret to admit that I did in fact lie about what I told the authorities that day.
- Excuse me? - You see, Tasha came to me earlier that same day.
She threatened myself, my campaign, and my family if I didn't feed the feds her story about James, that he knew about her relationship, the affair, with Terry.
So with a heavy heart and conscience, I did what I had to do.
Certainly was not my, uh, proudest moment.
And a former cop like yourself didn't think to, I don't know, tell anyone about this? You know, in case it came back on you? I feared for my life, Mr.
MacLean.
Tasha had already strong-armed me into providing a business space for her daycare.
And once I followed her demands, once she was done with me, an attack was made on my life.
Yeah, now, I don't know who was behind that attack, but if my own flesh and blood hadn't been out there to save me, I'd be six feet deep next to James St.
Patrick right now, and New York would have an uncertain political future.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Oh, please.
Councilman, it's no secret that you and James had your own issues.
You said some not-so-nice things about him publicly, but was James St.
Patrick, to your knowledge, a drug dealer? When I said those things, James was my opponent.
That was nothing more than political gamesmanship.
sparring between brothers.
The truth of the matter is that the James St.
Patrick that I knew was an upstanding businessman, a pillar of his community, an inspiration to every single disenfranchised child out there who dreams of rising above a system geared against 'em, just like me.
No further questions.
Then you're dismissed, Councilman.
Your Honor, it's always a pleasure.
You a lyin' ass nigga.
And I hope that I can rely on your support too.
Ciao.
Dru.
Yeah, Ma! Just in the shower.
What you find out? Tariq knew the minute I walked in why I was there.
He told me to my face you sent me to spy on him.
Look, he has a lot more business than he has product for.
Besides that So you didn't find anything out? I'm sorry, Ma.
I didn't.
That's good.
That means he's being careful.
Where's the money? It's in my bag.
Tariq's playing it close to the vest, but his system works.
Baby, when it comes to the business, your father's always been worried about you the most, wondering if you can handle it, if you're soft.
But I was never worried about that.
You smart.
You strong.
You look at every option.
But when it comes to you being in that world, that's what I worry about.
Dru, I want you to be careful with yourself.
Not everybody, every man is like our family.
And nobody's gonna have your back like your family.
You always come home.
Remember that.
Professor Milgram, welcome.
Hey, that's for you.
Wine.
Thank you.
Wow.
So much history.
I love all the artwork.
Cheers, Professor Milgram.
Tariq, how generous of you to stop by.
Please, have a seat.
I'm so sorry I'm late, guys.
School got very hectic for me.
We're just glad to meet more of Lauren's classmates.
Get some insight into her competition.
You're just in time for dessert.
If by "on time", you mean what we used to call - "colored people time".
- Mom.
Well, actually people still use that phrase, you know.
Historically speaking, African American vernacular English still exists in sort of a retroactive pendulum of time that swings back and forth through our history Anyways, Tariq, we were just talking about The Prince.
It's a very short book, so shouldn't take you too long to read it.
I've actually read it a few times.
I studied it at Choate.
No, no, I studied it at Callister actually, yeah.
Hmm, did you transfer schools a lot? Dad, Tariq is very well-read.
So regale us, from my memory, The Prince is a little handbook on how to be the perfect sociopath, right? Well, no, I don't think so.
I feel it shows how to get what you want in the most efficient way.
You know, people are always gonna want your spot.
I think The Prince shows that no matter how much power or money a person may have, they're still gonna want to come for your neck regardless.
So I think it's better to address your competition head on rather than wait for them to storm the castle.
Well, then, perhaps I need to give it another read.
We've been following your family's case, Tariq.
Well done, securing one of the best attorneys in New York for your unfortunate mother.
Hmm, Carrie, you used to know Davis MacLean, right? I did.
And you know what? He's a really good lawyer.
But a win for Davis doesn't always equal a win for his clients.
I want you to be careful.
Well, you know, Carrie, she actually wrote the handbook on helping others, especially after that ostentatious vigil she threw for Tariq's father.
I mean, wow.
Speaking of books, Jabari, when's your second book come out? Oh, his second book.
Came out already.
Came and went.
Publishing can be brutal.
But I'm currently hard at work on my next novel, so Hmm, I think we have one of Professor Reynolds' books around.
Tariq, why don't you help me find it, now? Like, right now.
Excuse us.
Does your brother ever come to these dinners? No, he always felt like he had too much pressure on him.
Felt like he needed to take the most classes, be in the most activities, be at the top of every list.
Sounds like you.
Yeah, except he started taking psych meds to cope.
Then eventually it turned into other drugs.
Then he just had a complete breakdown, losing touch with reality.
Now he's in a facility.
You know, I just don't want that to happen to me.
It won't happen to you.
Why would you say that? Come on, Tariq, you just saw how my parents are.
That's why I need this fellowship.
So I can buy myself some freedom.
Yeah, I feel you.
You know, my last conversation with my father was about how he's trying to take over my life and control everything that I do.
How'd you get him to back off? He died.
You never talk about that.
You always seem so far away, so distant.
You're always running away somewhere.
You okay? It's like everyone wants to ask me a million questions today.
You ask your boyfriend this many questions? Well, maybe if you weren't so quiet, people would have less questions and more answers.
Well, maybe if people wasn't in my face 24/7, I would be more open.
Yeah, whatever.
Look, I know you're just here to scope out your competition for the fellowship.
That is true.
That is one of the reasons.
The other reason is a secret.
Hmm.
Well, you're not the only one with secrets.
How about we trade? You tell me a secret, then maybe I'll tell you a secret.
I could tell you.
Or I could show you.
Lauren, you have a visitor! What's wrong? Who is that? Ah, Malcolm, you light up every room you step into.
You know I had to bring flowers - for my beautiful future mother-in-law.
- Thank you.
Oh, no one's asked for my permission yet.
Malcolm! God, you surprised me! Ah! - With the help of your mother, of course.
- Mm.
I wasn't gonna miss a chance to meet your teachers after I've heard so many amazing things about them.
Truly, she raves.
Well, we're very lucky to have her.
Professor Reynolds has a very hands-on approach with his students.
And you must be Jamal.
Lauren's always telling me about the high schoolers she mentors through our local Jack and Jill chapter.
Babe, that that's not Jamal.
God, you must be starving.
Come on, let's go let's go make you a plate.
He is so nice.
That boy's going places.
You know something, Carrie? I think Lauren's parents have it all figured out, right? That's the type of Black love that I want.
Hmm, well, you can drop the act now, Jabari.
They can't hear you from here.
You know what I think, Carrie? I think you're actually threatened by them.
- Threatened by them? - Yes, because you have to confront your own issues, Carrie.
Yeah, I have issues.
Here's one of 'em.
You minimize my feelings.
Yet you're playing this role of caring teacher to get in that girl's pants, and in front of her parents.
Hmm, Carrie, if that were true, why would I have Lauren invite you, of all people? You had Lauren invite me to rub my face in it.
You know what? This particular level of schoolyard jealousy - is beneath you, Carrie.
- Yeah? I know you fucked your grad student.
She wasn't beneath you.
Or was she? Which one? Hmm? Melissa? I mean, come on, Carrie.
Why do you even care? You know, you talk about helping these kids, but all you do is help yourself.
You don't even know what you stand for.
Hey, do not, do not project your shit on me, Carrie.
I know who I am.
Identity crisis is your problem, not mine.
- Yours.
I know who I am, Carrie.
- Yeah.
You know what, that's your problem right there.
You wanna be with me so bad that you hate yourself for it.
And I'm sorry.
Maybe I hate us both.
Secret agent Uncle Nancy, I'm in.
This isn't a joke, Riley.
All I want you to do is find out who Tariq associates with.
Target yet to be located.
Eh, he's probably macking on the co-eds.
That's what I'd be doing.
God, you are so gross.
Eyes on the target.
Repeat, eyes on the target.
Okay, now remember, you keep your distance, and whatever you do, Riley Merchant, do not talk to him.
Totally hear that.
Over and out.
Don't don't fuck this up.
Riley You have a really dark energy.
Has anyone ever told you that? Nope.
You're not from around here, 'cause I woulda noticed you.
Is the guy in the Strahan jersey always such a dick? Oh, my roommate? Nah, nah, he's just he's shy.
But don't worry about him.
You worry about me.
You smell good.
Can I hit that? Yeah, of course.
She's soaking wet Soaking wet - Shake it like a salt shaker - - Shake it like a salt shaker - Shake it like a dollar, five or ten What would you do for a twenty twen? Get on the stage shake that ass then Get on the pole do a backbend I like that, do it again Here's another ten bitch, do it again Early 2000s Cam'ron? - Oh, you like that? - Flip phone's a nice touch.
- Yeah, it actually works.
- You're not serious.
Yeah.
I'm serious about getting them digits.
Put 'em in.
Word.
Certified pro On the pole upside down is she for real? Yo, what's up? Kid over there got pills if you need 'em.
Skidmarks? N-no.
Wide open, skeet so much They call her Billy Ocean Roll like an 18-wheeler That ho fine, but this ho killer She's leaking She's soaking wet She's leaking Soaking wet Shake it like a salt shaker Shake it like a salt shaker - That guy? - Mm-hmm.
Soaking wet Shake it like a salt shaker So you wanna get outta here? - Hey man.
- Yo, what the fuck? Whoa, personal space.
Take a walk, Hot Topic.
Fuck you, Portlandia! Yeah, put some "respeck" on her name.
- By the way, what is your name? - Riley.
I'm Brayden.
Hey, you didn't think I'd find out? Find out what, that you're a bitch? You should have already known that one, chief.
Get him! Get him! - Get him! - Get him! Get him! - Get him! Get him! - There you go! Get him the fuck outta here.
Get the fuck outta here.
Take him out.
All right, all right, all right, all right! - Fuck! - Yeah, get the fuck outta here! Please tell me you got that.
Interesting.
Wire transfer into our account.
Memo, "Retainer for Tasha Green St.
Patrick".
And would you look at that, from a shady LLC.
Well, damn.
If you can concentrate on that, I'm not doing my job right.
Is it the right amount? Yesterday I clock a gun on this kid, and now this? You still don't think Tariq's worth investigating? Some shit.
How does that help our client walk, hmm? How's that help us stay great, stay undefeated? You're only undefeated because of the work I do to make you that way.
Touché.
Don't forget this.
Marilyn will notice if it's missing.
I know I would.
Paula, you know there's no Don't.
Uh-uh.
Tate killed us with that bullshit he was spewing.
We have to counter that with something concrete on Saxe, from someone he can't discredit like Blanca.
You thinking what I'm thinking? Oh, shit.
Tameika Washington? Ah.
Who are those from? Card says Davis MacLean.
Oh.
You've been served.
Son of a bitch.
What up, Scott? What happened? Yo, man, I got fucking suspended.
For fighting? Not for fighting, for punching a Weston.
That's fucked up.
- Later.
- Yo, peace.
What you sitting over here for? Listen, Tariq, I'm really sorry about what happened last night.
If you would just let me explain You don't need to explain a thing.
All right, I know you had to play the game.
Play the game? Yes, play the game.
Look, we 18, Lauren.
You think I don't know? Well, you're 17.
All right, for like another week or two, but that's not the point.
The point is, I know that we have a lot of options, all right? And that's all right.
Look, just know that I'm not backing down from no competition.
When it comes to the fellowship or you.
Who's Diana? Like I said, a lot of options.