StartUp (2016) s03e07 Episode Script

1 You get to 100 mil by the end of this quarter, and we'll give you your little Series B.
MARA: I was 15.
You talkin' 'bout sellin' to Little Haiti.
We talkin' 'bout catchin' our legs.
RONALD: Bruh, you can't do that.
- TAMARA: Oh my God.
- (YELLING) - What you want me to do? - Do nothing.
They're gonna pay.
- FRANTZ: Oh shit! - (GUNFIRE) MAN: Find the canisters? MAN 2: Not exactly.
RONALD: If we could figure out a way to police the network ourselves.
- It is a very slippery slope.
- IZZY: I've got a way in.
Stella's developed a software that can send data back to us.
I can take that and create a filter that dumps intel into a folder for you.
NICK: The NSA? Again? Apparently they just love us over there.
We don't have an Agent Rebecca Stroud at the NSA.
(ELEVATOR DOOR DINGS) (SIGHS) Hey.
You need to sign in, Kelly.
For Christ sakes.
- You also need a visitor's badge.
- Are you shitting me, Earl? - (ELECTRONIC BEEP) - I don't make the rules! Please fire Earl.
Okay I got a hold of my guy over at the DOD, - credentials check out, 100%.
- NICK: Wow.
- So those two asshats, they're NSA? - Yep.
Correct.
Well, then who the fuck is Agent Rebecca Stroud? I mean, who the hell leveraged the seizure of my money, Kel?! I don't know! A fraud.
She's a freakin' impostor.
Hey, look, they're wavin' at us.
KELLY: What do you want me to do here? Listen, you don't have to tell them anything.
- All right? - Jesus Christ.
AGENT DRUMMOND: Folks, um, we're a little concerned that you may be compromised.
Which is extra concerning, when you consider the nature of our visit today.
DRUMMOND: Do these security cameras work? Do you have footage of her, by chance? RONALD: Yeah, the security cameras, they work, but I don't know if we still got the footage, though.
We can definitely check for you, though.
- AGENT BRADLEY: That would be helpful.
- What? I'm sorry, you said the nature of your visit? What is that? Uh, your network as you may be aware, is sometimes used as a communication channel for terrorists.
- We don't keep tabs on our users.
- Regardless we picked up some intel.
A missing cache of chemical weapons has fallen into the wrong hands.
Recent chatter suggests these weapons are going to be used to carry out an attack.
Potentially on U.
S.
soil.
Potentially as early as next week.
For obvious reasons, it would be very helpful if we could scrape the network.
Just to check for for any possible transmissions.
- That's gonna be tricky.
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry - that's just not going to be possible.
- Potentially thousands of innocent lives we're talking about.
WES: And that is incredibly sad and, um Hey, but maybe we should just The problem is, we're agnostic.
We just don't work like that.
Well, it's it's worth the discussion, though, right? Yeah, maybe it's worth this one, specific thing Well, well, the tricky thing is, you know, even if we want to cooperate - the way our network is built - Completely decentralized, massive encryption, I know, but There's no central ledger, so there's no way - to scrub that data, anyway.
- Then we better find a way.
Well, look, um I mean, I, for one, am incredibly sympathetic to the work that you are charged with, but we're just not able to work with feds.
We're just not set up that way.
Then, we're just gonna have to come back with a warrant.
KELLY: No, you won't.
'Cause what you're asking is unconstitutional.
Mm-hm, and, well, it's logistically impossible.
Even with a warrant, so WES: Anyway, uh, I think, uh, it's best that we put a pin in this meeting.
We've got a business to run here, so Okay.
Wow all right.
(TENSE MUSIC) (ELECTRONIC BEEP) (THEME MUSIC PLAYING) NICK: Nobody out there can know about this.
Okay? It'll mess them up, they won't be able to work.
That's what you're worried about right now? I'm just saying, I don't think they need to be thinkin' about chemical weapons.
Okay, well, I don't think you need to be thinking about - what they're thinking about.
- If you could stop the next 9/11 from happening, you'd do that, right? They had all the information on 9/11, it happened anyway.
- That's not true.
- WES: How do you know? Oh, yeah, that's right.
I forgot, Wes, you a heartless asshole.
Alright, let me try this argument on you.
What would happen to your business if people found out - your business was responsible for the next 9/11? - Mm-mm.
Don't happen like that, brother.
Well, I'm thinkin' it's about to.
They had a mass shooting in San Bernardino, okay? The FBI goes to Apple, they say, "We need for you to unlock this phone.
" Apple says, "Go fuck yourself.
" Guess what? - People are still buying Apple! - Apple's stock actually went up after that.
Goddamn y'all done lost your minds.
We're talking about thousands of innocent people, are you guys being serious right now? We don't even know, these guys might be bluffin'.
We don't even know if these guys are who they say they are.
Okay, well, maybe we can find out for ourselves.
We can figure it all out, right? Using Stella's police software? WES: What? Using Stella's what? It's my thing.
It's my pet project, it ain't her fault.
I asked her to develop an algorithm to triangulate chatter, transactions, keywords.
Basically ping us when something like this go down.
WES: Huh You know about this shit? - NICK: I tried to tell 'em - No one consulted me about this shit.
Well, it never finished, Wes.
So it don't matter.
Huh - We could finish it.
- MARA: Exactly.
- Oh, fuck no, man.
- RONALD: One time.
- Just this once, just this one time.
- NICK: When does it end? I think right about there, Nick.
It's it's really sad, Ronald, really sad, okay? But it's not our thing.
That ticker there that's our problem! We are nine million away from Series B.
Alright? That's all we should be focused on right now! You go down this slippery slope, and nobody's gonna wanna fund us.
Bullshit.
You know what? Fuck this shit! Show of hands! Who's in agreement here? Alright, it's my two against your two.
Nick, you're the tiebreaker.
What's it gonna be? Some vigilante bullshit, or Series B? RONALD: Wow y'all evil.
I had some day-ones go dark, broke inside.
I seen some of them cap their own families.
But y'all? I ain't never seen evil like that.
(DOOR SLIDES CLOSED) (SEAGULLS CAWING) - NICK: Hey.
- IZZY: Hey.
- Does anyone know you're up here? - Mm-mm.
No? Okay, um, sorry.
It's been a weird day.
Yeah, what's up with the suits that came in today? Will you turn off your phone? - What? - Power down your phone.
Just power it down.
- What's wrong with you? - All right, so ever since ArakNet has been getting more attention, some crazy shit has been happening.
Uh, about a month ago, we got a visit from an agent of the NSA.
Now, she sat in our conference room and she gave us her credentials.
And she wanted access to the network.
Of course we told her no.
Goes against everything ArakNet is.
So, she starts messing with us.
She she froze Wes's money.
She tried to turn Ronald, probably a whole bunch of other shit we don't even know.
We keep going, because screw surveillance, and also big finance is finally looking at us in a different way.
So, today, these two suits show up, also NSA.
Turns out they didn't have any idea who she is.
She's like a a con-artist, or something.
(TENSE MUSIC) Yeah, yeah.
- So, she's not even - Not NSA! I do not know who the fuck she is! - Wow - Yeah! - So, wh - So, I know you've only been back a couple days, but I mean, can we go after this woman? - Like, legally? - No, go after her digital trail.
Do you have her information? Well, I did, but, you know, apparently it's not real.
- What about a picture? - We're going through the security footage now.
Okay.
That'll help.
I can run a facial scan program.
And cast a net on any of her socials, - Google Images, you name it.
- Okay.
Okay, obviously, no one can know about this okay.
- Okay.
- Get you that footage.
- All right.
- As soon as we have it.
Yeah, just Do you have another one of those? - A cigarette? - Yeah.
- You smoke? - No.
Thank you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) (ELEVATOR DINGS, DOORS OPEN) You're late.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
(SIGHS) Team's on deadline.
Would've been sketch if I'd just split early.
Want a drink? No, that'll knock me on my ass right now.
All right, well, you're all logged in already, just pick up where you left off.
- How you doin' today? - Me? - Yeah.
- I'm great.
Went for a swim, got in some good brain work.
- Cool.
- Crazy thing.
You know when you get in the water, get those endorphins going.
Allows you to see things different.
Perspective, it's a hell of a thing.
(CHILDREN LAUGHING, PLAYING) RONALD: Waitin' in this line? STELLA: No, no, I'm just waiting for you.
Why are we here? Alright, this ain't about business, girl, it's about it's about right and wrong, aight? - What's happening? - Just sit down.
Okay.
- Are you okay? - Yeah, I'm all right.
Check this out.
What? Look, the suits that came by the office yesterday? They NSA agents.
- What? - They picked up some chatter that there gonna be another 9/11 type attack on U.
S.
soil.
And the intel to stop that shit? ArakNet?! What would you do, Stella? Somebody come and drop that shit on you.
Are you gon' "protect neutrality," or you gon' step in there and help 'em? - The police algorithm? - Reinstate that.
We help them.
This one time.
We don't tell Nick.
We don't tell Mara.
Can't tell Izzy, you cannot tell Izzy - I'm not going to tell anyone.
- So, you down for this? Yeah.
Okay.
- Aight.
Okay.
(CLEARS THROAT) - Yeah.
- Okay, um - So, what we gotta do? Okay, technically speaking, um, the algorithm that we had, it wasn't really that specific.
It would just index data that I intercepted from random notes.
It was pinging on keywords.
So, if you got a list, keywords, on the intel that they think that they're looking for And it'll just like that's it? Well, I mean, it's not super simple.
It takes time.
Okay, they say this shit could go down by next week, you understand? I don't know.
I can't make any promises, especially if we're keeping this on the down low.
- Okay, I'ma get you the keywords.
- I got your back, alright? - This stay between us, aight? - Yeah yeah, I got you, okay? - Okay.
I'ma call you.
- Of course.
Okay c yeah, let me know, please.
- (RAP PLAYING FROM RADIO) - (GRILL SIZZLING) (DISTANT LAUGHTER) (INDISTINCT CHATTER) Hey! Hi, Ronnie, nice to see you! Mr.
Dacey.
'Sup? Man, it smells good in here.
Yeah.
Best damn ribs you ever gon' eat.
(DEEP CHUCKLE) Not better than my mama's.
- Where your mama from? - Tennessee.
I do like me some Memphis ribs, that's f'sho.
These a little different, though.
- Oh yeah? - Yeah, got a nice little Cajun kick to 'em.
Sounds good.
- (AGENT BRADLEY LAUGHS) You don't do spicy.
- Yes, I do! I eat spicy food.
- No, no.
Trust.
- She's makin' stuff up.
- No, you don't.
- We need to make this quick, 'cause my partners can't know.
DRUMMOND: We really appreciate your help here.
So, these are all the keywords we've been attempting to triangulate.
Damn.
- All of this? - DRUMMOND: We need to be certain that we get the right hits.
(PAPERS RUSTLING) (SIGHS) - It's gotta break left.
- Mm-mm.
Nah, it's a tricky green.
- It's gonna return right first.
- It's a hard left, son.
I've been puttin' this green before you were suckin' on your mama's titties.
Alright, well, I'll tell you what.
You make this putt, I'll let you suck on those big ole titties.
- Dude.
- WES: I'll tell you what.
If I miss it, you can suck my dick.
MARTIN: (SCOFFS) Yeah, that makes sense.
Turn turn! Shocker.
Didn't turn.
Did you get my note? - TUCKER: What's that? - WES: New projection? 100 mil by Tuesday? TUCKER: Yeah but it doesn't really matter now, right? What'd you mean? I mean, you playing ball with the intelligence agencies, right? - Where'd you hear that? - TUCKER: That's the word around the office.
Yeah, well, it's bullshit.
Yeah, well, I hope it is, because neutrality is your big selling point, friend.
Well, it's gonna be our big selling point when you guys come in with the Series B.
Well, then we're gonna have to see how this whole thing shakes out with the feds, y'know, before we commit.
Even if it's just a rumor, you understand? MARTIN: What'd you get, bro? Uh put me down for a four.
- MARTIN: You got a four? - TUCKER: Mm-hm.
MARTIN: Lyin' piece of shit.
Wanna know something, man? Did the NSA come to our office? Yeah, they did.
You wanna know what we told them? "Go fuck yourself!" Okay? I consider that to be a badge of honor.
- Okay, man, okay.
- Don't you guys get the potential here? Wes Chandler, the Saginaws, coming together like two big Goliaths.
Oh shit, is it still 1999? I didn't know that.
(SCOFFS) What's that, friend? Nothin', your name just doesn't mean that much anymore.
- Alright, bro, come on.
- I'm just sayin'! - I'm just sayin'! - Oh, really? This coming from a guy whose name wouldn't be rat piss if it weren't for his daddy? - Pfft.
Whatever, man.
- My mother busted her ass, with two jobs, just to put food on the table.
- Okay - Okay? I've been humpin' since I could push a mop.
So, don't come to me about names.
'Cause where I come from, the only thing that matters is the callouses on a man's hands.
Well, I got callouses, bro.
- I'm sure you do.
- That's not Guys, can we make the turn? Please? - Hm? - You know something, Martin? It's gonna be all right.
It's gonna be all right.
We'll get you a girl.
May have to go to Craigslist, but we'll get you a girl.
You won't have to jerk off anymore.
- I don't need to go to I got girls.
Plural.
- You know what? - Can we make the turn? - WES: I'm waitin' on you.
(MUTTERING) - Take it easy.
- Whatever, man.
- (BEEPING) - Piece of shit.
(TYPING) SAL: See ya! Yeah, see you tomorrow.
- Good work today.
- 'Night.
Yeah.
(DOOR OPENS) (DOOR CLOSES) (MUSIC INTENSIFIES) - (PANTING) - WOMAN: Hey, buddy! - (INDISTINCT OFFICE CHATTER) - (DOG COLLAR SHAKING) MARA: Okay, that's fine.
Yeah, have him take another crack at the re lease, because, uh mm-hm.
Right, we want to have it ready by the time we hit.
Okay, that's fine.
Yeah okay, bye.
You can hate me if you want, Mara.
That's fine, I get it.
(MOUSE SCROLLING, CLICKING) But, they gotta feel like we're all pulling for the same thing here, you know? Make the jump? Series B.
Saginaw.
- I heard Saginaw moved on.
- Well, for now, yeah.
But, um what if, uh, I don't know they get caught up in a situation where they need a company like ours, for their portfolio.
You know? 'Cause, uh maybe some of their bigger accounts start pulling out.
Y'know? I mean, it's it's just a hypothetical.
But, you know, what if they somehow found themselves in some sort of scandal.
I have a lunch.
Is this that NSA bullshit? Or is this still Charlie? I mean, I told you I fucked up, okay? I'm sorry.
What, do you expect me just to stop caring about this company? (SIGHS) I mean, Jesus Christ, man, this is silly, you know? We're a we're a we're a team.
You and me versus the world.
That's the way it's always been.
We are not a team! We never have been.
Because you've always been you, and I've always been your adorable little party favor.
That's all I've ever been to any of your prospects.
And it's all I've ever been to you.
- (ELEVATOR DINGS) - And I don't care what your excuses are.
Or how hard it was to raise me.
'Cause I think we both know that I did that on my own.
You're the head of PR in a company that I own.
So I'm not gonna ask anymore, I'm gonna tell ya.
We need a PR take-down of these douches at Saginaw before we hit 100 mil.
Let go of the door.
You're just gonna ignore your duties? Fire me.
(ELEVATOR DOOR BUZZES) (ELEVATOR DINGS, DOORS OPEN) (MUSIC PLAYING FROM RADIO) (SIZZLING) This is takin' too long.
It should've been done by now.
They changed the lock while I was gone.
- I can barely fig - You're stallin'.
- Why are you stallin'? - I'm not.
Isabelle I'm gonna go downstairs right now, and get myself a drink.
By the time I get back up here, you better be finished.
(ELEVATOR DINGS) (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (DISTANT LAUGHTER) (CLICK, ELECTRONIC WHIRRING) (ELEVATOR DINGS, DOORS OPEN) (MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (KEY CARD SWIPES, BEEP) (MUSIC FADES) Bar closed? - (RAP MUSIC PLAYING) - (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) (CAR HONKS TWICE) 'Sup, zo.
What it do? Man, you sweatin', bruh, you alright? I'm always sweatin', dog, you know that.
You seemed shook on the phone, that's all.
You good? I'm good.
- How's G? (INDISTINCT) - Yeah, man, he good.
He got this brace on.
It's some black kinda look like RoboCop.
Okay.
- What you gonna do? - Alright, so, spill.
What's what's good? (SNIFFS) Frantz would whoop my big ass if he knew I was talking to you.
E, you you called me.
What's up? (SNIFFS) Shit gettin' real heavy with Declan's crew.
Real heavy, it's gettin' deep.
Heard about Mick's place? Nah Torched it.
Damn.
- Is Mick okay? - He aight.
That spot? It's gone.
And it's Declan? You know it was him? How you know it was him? They sprayed a black swastika on the side of it, that's how I know, dog.
Man, Frantz, them don't get it.
Dog, these fools ready to go all in.
All in.
Back in the past, you know, we strap up, go handle business.
You would strap up, handle business like we supposed to do.
Takin' care of our hood.
Frantz? He talkin' crazy shit 'bout what he gonna do.
- Is that right? - He gon' make it worse for everybody, everybody, dawg.
And the way I see all this playin' out? A whole lotta people, on this side and that side, bought to get their tops blown off.
Feel me? What you gonna do about it? E Everybody out here, they made it crystal clear that I ain't a part of this no mo'.
I'm sayin' though, Ronnie, you started all this, man.
Every bit of it.
Now time for you to fix it.
(MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (TAMARA SHARPLY INHALES) Mm-hm.
Oh.
Now, I don't want to tell you this, but I'm going to, because that's how we do, you and me.
That's how we keep things afloat around here.
Right? Now, I know you ain't gonna like this.
So, get ready to be upset with me.
Get ready to kick and scream, just just get ready.
- Okay.
- Okay.
E and them, they in a really bad spot right now.
- They need money? - Nah But they need help.
Things with Declan's crew done escalated.
They torched Mickey's pub.
Few nights ago.
And Frantz is getting ready to go ham out there in Hallendale.
And, baby, if I don't step in, then a whole lotta folk gon' end up dead, or behind bars.
So, I got to do somethin'.
You feel me? Duty bound, baby.
What you doin'? I am pretendin' that you ain't sittin' on that bed talkin' a bunch of crazy ass shit.
Okay, I knew that you wouldn't understand, so (SCOFFS) that's why I'm gonna go ahead, and do what I got to do.
You gon' risk your career.
The well-being of this family, of this baby.
And you gotta do what you gotta do.
- It ain't like that, Tam.
- What's it like, Ronnie? Huh? Tell me, what is it like.
Is it is it like, is it like when Declan rolled up on me, - in a car full of children - Now, you know that ain't Or, is it like when you went back at him? Hm? - I'm just I'm just askin'.
- You know? It's about talkin'.
Okay? It's about bridging the gap, making peace.
That ain't how it work, and you know it.
Oh, Tam.
How it work? Why don't you educate me on how shit's done in the street? I don't know how it's goddamn done in the street.
You wanna know why? 'Cause we ain't in the goddamn street no more.
We are good here.
Elsie likes her school.
She's got friends.
I like it here.
You said you'll like it here.
And now, why you wanna go, and blow all that up? You like it here? You like this house? You like this bed? Ronnie, ain't nothin' wrong with liking Wait, wait, wait, wait, Tammy, Tammy, Tam, baby, baby, baby.
- What's the thread count on this here? - I don't know! I remember you talkin' a few months back about some bullshit, motherfuckin' thread counts.
- Ronnie, I don't - Since when you care about all of a sudden, you care about a motherfuckin' thread count.
- It feels good, I like it here.
- Hold on, Tam.
Hold on, Tam.
Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho you know how we pay for this thread count? With blood money.
This house, this bed, all this shit, you think this makes us saints? - Ronnie, I don't - Make it so we can turn our back on our friends? - Ronnie, I'm not - But let me tell you somethin'.
This "real" job that I go to every single day? This "real" job that I put on clothes and go to? It ain't no different than thuggin'.
- Ronnie - ArakNet is a gang! - Ronnie, it ain't a gang! - Tam, ArakNet is a gang! It ain't no different than LH7.
We just do this shit from behind a desk, Tam.
And that's real talk.
(DOOR CLOSES) (INDISTINCT CHATTER, TYPING) I'll do what I can.
With Saginaw.
And this isn't an olive branch, it's simply business.
I don't want to lose ArakNet, so I'll do whatever I can.
But you need to tell me everything you know about the shop.
Who's at the top, who's at the bottom, and who's unhappy.
I like this plan.
Good.
(INDISTINCT TALKING) FRANTZ: Look who it is.
Just show up whenever you want now? Y'all still my boys, real talk.
- This about D? - Just hear him out, there ain't no harm in that.
Y'all just sit down.
(SIGHS) - (MUMBLES) - EMMANUEL: Sit down.
(SIGHS) RONALD: E was right.
Lookin' like RoboCop up in here.
I told you.
(CHUCKLES) There ain't ever gonna be no truce with D.
You're wasting your time, zo.
Look, I hear that shit.
Last year, when we was up against it with them Russians, I knew we wasn't gonna take them by force.
We was outmanned.
We was outgunned.
So, what we do? We made our ass important to them.
We made it so they need us alive more than they need us dead.
- Mm-hm.
- And that right there that's exactly what we need to do with D and them right now.
(GILLES AND FRANTZ PROTESTING, INDISTINCT) Hey, just hear me out, aight? I got a way.
- A way to look like a chump, maybe.
- They shot me in the leg, bruh.
- They torched Mick's place.
- Ran up on us at our spot.
- They ain't got no respect for the zo, LH7 - Chill, just listen to the man.
Damn.
(QUIETLY) Let me holla at you for a second.
(LOUD) Quit acting tough for one damn second, bruh.
And just come holla at your boy.
(UNDER HIS BREATH) This shit, man.
(QUIETLY) Look, bruh, I know what's going on.
I been done seen it since before I even moved up outta here.
All these folks is lookin' up to you.
They countin' on you, dawg.
And you keep kickin' that hornet's nest.
A lot of these folks that's trusting in you they gonna end up dead.
And you know that shit's real.
We've seen it happen before.
Ain't that right? (SIGHS) Now, I already talked to Jordy 'bout settin' something up.
You did what now? - Who? - Bruh I ain't gonna do nothing unless you agree to it first, aight? I'm just talkin' about a sit down with D.
And his firsts, okay? They ain't gonna do it, unless it's at they spot.
We talkin' 'bout the four of us roll through, next Tuesday afternoon.
- A sit down? - A sit down, bruh, that's all.
Just think about that shit.
Alright? Just think about that shit.
(MUSIC INTENSIFIES) I'm gonna go pee.
(DOOR CLOSES) (VENT BREAKS OFF, LOUD) (WHISPERING) Shit.
- (DOOR HANDLE MOVES AGGRESSIVELY) - STROUD: You okay? Yeah, I'm just, uh - (TOILET FLUSHES) - Just give me a second.
It's all right, you don't need to put the vent back.
Just come on out.
Open the door, Izzy.
Izzy, open the door.
This makes me sad.
You wanna know why this makes me sad? Because, I thought that we trusted each other, you and I.
I thought that we had a nice thing.
But now, somebody must have gotten to you.
So, who? No one.
So, you just all of a sudden decided I was the enemy? That I did not have your best interest at heart? I'm sorry.
Okay, well guess what now, Isabelle? I I am the enemy.
Because it seems like you and me, we lost our trust, so I'm gonna make this real simple.
I checked your work.
That virus was all but done.
There were three lines of unfinished code.
Backdated from last Friday.
That means that you were stallin', that means you were lying to me.
And that means we have a problem! 'Cause I need you to deploy that virus this week.
Or else, I'm gonna be forced to make those calls I told you about.
And all those ugly, dangerous people who lost their asses when you crashed GenCoin, they're gonna know it was you.
And, hell, I might as well even just include the addresses of your family, 'cause why waste time, right? You already got your sister killed.
And I would highly recommend you not let that happen again, unless you really don't care who it is you hurt.
Are we clear? (MUSIC INTENSIFIES) Yes.