Billions (2016) s06e05 Episode Script
Rock of Eye
1
Previously on Billions.
I want to introduce the chairman of the NYC 2028 Olympic Commission, Michael Prince.
Thank you, Mayor Johnson.
You promised me a winning season, Chuck.
Running out of time before I'll have to quit, campaign 25/8.
I can't lose my MVP yet.
I need you, Kate.
Chuck Rhoades is fucking with our Wi-Fi play.
The only winner in this hopeless fucking outing is gonna be your chief legal counsel.
You think I'm concerned because you brought my Wi-Fi play back to Chuck? It's how I know that you'll serve me loyally as well, until I help get you elected to Congress.
You made a deal that you knew would displease me.
I thought we could actually change the world.
If you want to change the world, nine digits ain't gonna do it.
How could you, Kate? After all I taught you.
You made me wait.
What if the professor isn't done teaching? This is business.
This is what not having a soft landing feels like.
You tear your butt when you hit the ground.
Mike Prince and his daughters made the world a better place today.
I lost my advantage.
I failed to protect my goddamn queen.
Welcome to Michael Prince Capital, Kate.
My God, let me finish! When was I not letting you finish? Worked pretty well in Stand and Deliver too.
Life lesson, always carry a cleaver.
Oh, wait.
No.
That's not really the lesson.
The lesson is, know how to change the mood in a room quickly and with authority.
Now, look, I get what you're fighting over.
I do.
Coding team wants more of the budget because you can't make a great app without great code.
Sales team wants more because who cares about the damn code You want to start moving product out the door.
Same with the marketing group.
But here's the deal.
Your customer can have two of these, not three.
Cheap and fast can't also be good.
Good and fast can't also be cheap.
So you can fight over turf, or you can figure out a vision.
Let the budget sort itself out.
Or I can double it.
Everybody gets what they want, and I get a word with the teacher outside.
Not sure that's the right lesson.
Most important one: "Money makes the rules.
" I'm surprised an esteemed charter school like this hasn't hammered it into their heads.
Why scrap over capital when you can raise it? Group, we're gonna take five while Mr.
Prince makes out his check.
If you came here to impress a bunch of teenage entrepreneurs Trying to impress you.
Hire you.
How am I doing? You opening a charter school? Not for your side gig.
Your main gig.
They take care of me at the fund I'm at.
Hmm-hmm.
That's why your resume's floating around.
In my weaker moments, I sometimes think about what I could do in a place built for speed and power.
Then you're talking to the right guy.
Um, what'd you do? Nothing.
Women can be irrational, we know this.
"We" do not.
What'd you do? Not a thing.
I went unattended to a couples dinner.
Willow had a cold, so Roxanne couldn't go.
And the distaff side of the other couple was a fetching brunette Yeah, you had an affair.
Spare me the Penthouse Forum.
No-siree-Bob.
Nothing physical.
Developed a kinship with Judith Felker, Ron's wife, over how thin the consommé was.
So uh, Roxanne kicked you out over dinner table chatter? Well, the next six days of text chatter didn't help.
Did you know that Face ID works when you're asleep? Why wouldn't it? You oughta go after Big Tech.
I dozed off mid-emoji, Roxanne grabbed the damn phone and saw it all.
I'll just drop this here while I test the beds, pick out a room.
The thing about self-help is, if you're getting it from someone else it's not self, and if you're doing it yourself, you didn't really get help.
Carlin.
George Carlin.
No? Yeah.
All-time great.
But not quite like Coach Wooden.
See, he wasn't an entertainer.
He understood life.
Codified what he learned, taught it to his basketball players, made it available to the rest of us.
As I am now making it available to you.
"Initiative," "skill," it all seems kinda basic.
Not ItsMeTinx basic.
Like what it used to mean.
I met him once, when we won State's.
Fundamental, not basic.
It's different.
What'd he teach ya? How to put on my socks and shoes.
How to lace 'em up and tie 'em right.
Know why? Blisters? To remember that every season, we start again from the beginning.
We were champions of this season.
Not the next.
So we'd better do everything right.
Plus, yeah, blisters.
Not self-help.
Help.
- Who's that? - Beats me.
Ten bucks says he doesn't have any blisters.
Remember, you're bowing to the Buddha, not me.
Yes.
Daniel.
I'm ready.
Is that the first sign of readiness, do we think? Stating it.
Are you suggesting I'm not ready to take refuge? Because I have to.
I need to.
What's that? Vegan ice cream.
A gift for you.
It's the best No.
What's that? A gift for you, as I said.
I made it myself.
For what purpose? For to, uh To curry favor.
The very sweetness of the cream is bitter in this way.
Do not buy friendship or comfort.
Where I come from, everything's a transaction.
Where you're going a commitment to the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the goal is to avoid being transactional at all.
Can you do this? Will you try? I'll start with a month.
Go from there.
Start with a day.
When I decide something Start with an hour, even a minute.
Then add a minute on to that one.
That's the work.
We'll meet again in four days, see how it's going.
You're not sure I can refrain from transacting for four days? Whether I'm sure matters not at all.
Well, I am.
I'm sure.
All right, rack the bid, get it done.
What's he, the new golden boy? Took Dollar Bill's slot.
Probably looking for the actual dollar to steal too.
Coach Wooden always said, "I treat my players fairly, but not equally.
Depends on performance.
" And that's what we are evaluating now.
Performance.
Evaluate and decide who starts, who rides the pine And who gets their scholarship pulled.
Now, I've always believed you live in a house before renovating, so you don't sledgehammer a support beam, put a Barcalounger where the bar should be.
Well, our grace period here is coming to an end.
This Friday, I'm reallocating capital at the firm.
If you change strategies, if you stray from the fundamentals, I'll see it, so don't.
Position sizing, focus, restraint consider them our load-bearing walls.
And, uh, oh, yeah, do your best.
For you.
To return to Coach Wooden, "You're the only one who knows whether you've won.
" Pretty sure the guy carving up our trading dollars knows whether we've won.
Was he looking at me when he said "Barcalounger?" Quarter ends Friday.
If you fuck up, it'll be locked in, and you'll be locked out.
What if you fuck up? Then wake the hell up from your nightmare 'cause in this life, I don't ever fuck up.
I know you don't want me here.
Got that right.
Book a room at the Yale Club for my father.
Mr.
Allard needs you.
Have you decided who gets Sacker's office yet? Bureau chiefs have been eyeing it.
That's Graceland, we're not touching it.
Good.
I need ya.
No, you need Marie Kondo.
Jesus Christ.
You got Aaron Burr's gun permit lost in here? But let me guess, you know where everything is, down to the last carbon.
Nope.
Not a clue.
Where are we on the prosecutions Sacker left behind? Flailing, Chuck.
I have to admit, I'm not as savvy on the legal stuff as certain other aspects of the job.
Like this one.
Big seafood wholesaler.
Mislabeled half its product, stuck people with cheaper fish instead.
The seafood fraud case, we need a win on that.
To stand with the consumers who're being fleeced.
Well, we may need a different opposing counsel.
Lady's a pit bull, won't settle it out.
Even though we got her dead to rights.
I see that you did need me.
Okay.
- I'll handle it.
- Good.
But that's not why I needed ya.
Last night, in a private suite at the Garden, a young woman walks up to Governor Sweeney, told him he's wrecking the Empire State - Hmm.
- and not that nicely.
People heard it.
My sources tell me it was Gail Prince.
- Mike Prince's - Oh, I know who she is.
Governor Sweeney still doesn't.
Buffalo Bob finds that out, he's gonna get ornery.
Page Six.
Call over there and That I know how to do.
This'll be sweet.
As a Coolatta with extra syrup.
The Commission never awards the Games to a place it doesn't feel completely welcome in.
So This should pretty much lead to the end of Mike Prince's Olympic bid.
Don't call my mom till I can explain Mom already got the call.
Let's get Kate Sacker in here.
First, I'd like to get Philip Charyn out of here, and understand how he even got in.
It was no setup.
I looked at the resumes the headhunter sent blind.
Who else has that many degrees from Stanford, and Yale and Chicago? You knew.
You kept your nephew out of the Prince Companies for years.
I win this round.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Philip is Scooter's sister's kid.
Managed $300 million in tech at his last firm.
Prince bought out his contract.
That means he'll get a big hunk of our allocations.
And our comp.
Don Fanucci's nephew's not touching my smock.
For the record, offer me a basket of fruit and veggies, I'm taking it.
Keep up the bucket shop bullshit and you'll need it.
Mike said no changing strategies.
Too bad for you, that means losing ones too.
Oh, no fucking way I get bounced over you.
Guys, since "sincerity" is the mortar that holds the "team spirit" and "loyalty" blocks together, maybe we share information.
Best practices? What is this Commie shit, from Mao's Little Red Book? It's from the pyramid.
On the fridge? Biggest hurdle we're facing, Governor Sweeney.
The International Commission of Sport is shy, won't go where it's not wanted.
Never does.
Which is why you'll win him over in the meeting I've set for you.
Yeah, I work quick.
It's what you brought me in for.
I need to know what to expect from Chuck Rhoades by way of interference.
I could use you on the floor.
To clarify reallocation.
- I was perfectly clear.
- As Baccarat crystal.
What I really need is a referee.
It's a captain's practice, Wags.
Work it out.
I thought you were a vegan.
It's true what they say, "Never work for your heroes.
" Nope.
All of it is vegan.
Flatware too.
Terravore, the plant-based meat company, just rolled up six other vegan innovators.
We're buying in.
Um, the fork thing's super cool, but Terravore's kind of a big fat yawn in the plant-based space.
India alone discards 120 billion plastic utensils a year.
- The market potential's robust.
- The forks aren't.
Millet's pretty breakable, so pricey to ship.
Everybody's allocation's up for grabs.
This is the week to be ruthlessly strategic.
Here's the strategy, We calculate the largest position we can buy in Terravore, then we buy it.
Governor thing just got a lot harder.
New York Post says Gail insulted him to his face.
Practically spit in it.
- My Gail? - Sorry to say.
It's what I came to tell you.
Your meeting with him is off, unless Gail plans to be there to apologize and then to publicly recant to the paper.
Get him on the phone.
He's not going to take my call, is he? Gail, it's Dad.
Call me back.
- I'll reach her.
Just, uh - She might take my call.
Not your job.
I just needed you to see me on your call sheet today.
To know I'm with you, regardless of who isn't.
"Rich Kid Schools Gov.
" Prince family punchline.
Monologue jokes can't be far fucking behind.
Allow me to suggest the proper tonic a restorative trip to Lake Placid.
And the state debt incurred during those Games.
Why is she lashing out at me? Maybe because she actually just goin' out on a limb here has a problem with the governor.
At the exact moment I'm wooing him for the Games? I say hear her out.
She'd have to pick up the phone for that.
I'm calling a family summit.
I need you to fly in to help the conversation flow and You need me to help get Gail there, that's what you need.
- Thank you.
Yes.
- I can't.
I'm packing for a different summit, Lizard Head Peak.
It's only a five-day window, and not even you can raise the temperature by ten degrees.
Our daughter just jacked it up by a lot more than that.
I need everyone there so I can lower it.
She gets it from you, y'know.
Not cowed by power, or anything, really.
I'm sending a plane.
You'll be on Lizard Head before the anvil hits.
And if I drop everything for you, what does that say to the kids? It says you're strong enough not to stand on ceremony.
We're 5X in Terravore now.
And we were noisy.
The Street knows we're all-in.
Good.
What about the call options? We're out of the money.
Like, way, way out.
$20 above current price.
- Also good.
- Why's it good? These calls expire in weeks, worthless if we don't hit the target, which we won't.
Either you know something we don't, or you're shoving a wrench into the gears as payback for Prince gutting the Africa Wi-Fi play.
My buy raised a red flag because it's not customary for me, so you're here to wag a finger.
But I'm comfortable with my decision.
You can carry on with your day.
Preempting me, satisfying as it may be for you, doesn't change my warning.
There is no bumping the pinball machine at Michael Prince Capital.
Unh.
Don't do that.
But he's right.
You're trading this stock as if you know something you shouldn't.
And I won't be the only one who sees this, which is why he dragged me in here even though I have better shit to do.
And if there is a bump.
Mnh.
It carries criminal penalties.
Not a bump or a nudge or a kick to the coin box.
I believe in the company.
Then I believe I'll be watching.
Less imposing than I expected.
That's the thing about government offices.
The power comes from the man, not the trappings.
What makes you think I'm talking about the trappings? Ms.
Mahar, - or may I call you Daevisha? - Call me Dave.
It's good enough for Starbucks Dave, you can drop the posturing.
Your client's guilty, of literal bait-and-switch.
I can assure you, what's good enough for Starbucks isn't good enough for the people of this state.
They want their fish called by their proper names.
Absolutely.
There's no light between our positions.
Well, other than the sweet burden of proof.
Which you bear.
You know, I read about you, and I expected Someone subservient? - No.
A better person.
- Oh.
Former public defender, first-generation American, defending predatory rip-offs? You left out a couple of things on my resume.
Like Harvard Law, my Fulbright, and the fact that I've never lost a case.
Oh, I know.
I called around, too.
You used to be a killer for our side.
Now you're like those guys Erin Brockovich served water to.
Difference is, I'd know she was bluffing, and I'd drink it down.
Glug glug glug.
Well, the difference is, I'm not bluffing.
I'll be trying this case if it goes to court.
No one else.
I have a mountain of DNA evidence.
I'm Lancey Howard with the jack of diamonds in his hand.
Then it's a good thing no one plays five card stud anymore.
I'm twice as ready as the Kid, anyway.
I'm stoked to go against you.
Excuse me? Last prosecutor of your vintage who stepped into court, ended up with hair dye streaming down his face like the tears of the clown that he is.
Do I look that focused? I am that focused, I just don't look it.
New guy.
You chose the wrong desk.
Oh, is that so? Yeah, we go by Sharpe ratios here.
Highest performers on the left.
Oh.
My risk-adjusted return, I'm a 1.
9.
So I could take yours.
But I was being polite.
What are we measuring next? Patty of the week! Mmm.
Good-looking chunk of chuck.
Blind tasting, here we go.
Mmm.
Nice bite and mouth-feel.
Good fat content and bun-to-patty.
I like American cheese on a burger, this is cheddar.
Medium juicy.
Rating is, a strong buy.
Where's this from? New place from a graduate of Corner Bistro.
Nice.
Well, there you have it.
Sounded like he liked it.
The more he likes them, the harder he throws them.
Another strong buy for all my Russakoff's Raiders out there: ArpCom.
It is ready to rip! Why would you watch him? Even competent day traders rarely make gains.
He is not competent.
Russakoff's the fucking man to like millions of bros.
You're not one, though, so Not the man or not a bro? If you were either, you wouldn't ask.
He watches because Russakoff moves the market when he gets passionate.
It's a fact we don't like, but a legit data point nonetheless.
Now.
Can we talk Terravore? Our buy inched it up to $63.
00.
Yay, team.
That's still a far climb to $75.
00.
The day traders just buy what he tells them? From the depths of their man caves, they do.
And not just stonks.
He's a lifestyle brand unto himself.
Made the kids dinner.
You're welcome.
You're supposed to be at the Yale Club.
Times like this, a man belongs in the bosom of his family.
Grab yourself a lowball.
Everything we need is right here.
Have you even tried to call Roxanne? Tendered an apology? I called Judith to be sure that I hadn't crossed any lines.
Well, having to check is usually a great sign.
She assured me I hadn't.
One call down, one to go.
But we got to talking.
And the bons mots were flying, Sonny, like the Algonquin in '23.
I'm thinking of acting on our kinship, of consummating it.
- She's game - Dad, no.
What happens when this fling ends, like all the others? And you've bulldozed your second home in as many years? It's not like I haven't thought this through.
There is a plan B.
Uh.
You texted "Emergency with your dad.
" He seems fine.
I appreciate like hell you showing up.
You gotta talk to him.
You're the only one who can.
- Issue? - He's forgotten he's married.
No.
No.
You work him through whatever stage life crisis this is.
I help my guys at work.
Our kids.
Maybe now finally myself, if I can.
I came because I thought "emergency" meant something different.
Fine by me.
Never got to unpack.
He's living here now? Ergo, the emergency.
You can go back to your ever-expanding empire.
I'm not gonna talk to you about Kate Sacker, either.
I didn't say a word about her.
Even though she was poached, casus belli, a Cold War thrust in the fucking broiler.
I don't owe you an apology, if that's what you're Oh, no, I hold Prince responsible for that, not you.
You just lured her to his temple of greed.
- It's not Axe Capital, Chuck.
- It's worse.
Because it pretends to be better.
She's very special.
And special to me.
Don't ruin her, Wendy.
Sweeney's hitting back.
He ordered a fresh audit of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, which went 320% over budget.
That's 'cause they were run by resort town hacks.
State's still paying the damn bills.
It's a low-grade stunt.
If Sweeney takes it public, it'll scare off the Commission.
Our bid'll be finished.
If we were willing to consider in a carefully-worded statement, putting some space between you and your daughter on her We're unwilling.
I'm aware that that option is no fun, but if you paid me to create fun, I'd have replaced the stairs with a water slide.
- I'm here to get you the Games - Do it another way.
Afraid we need a little sit-down.
- What's the beef over? - Gold.
- He's long, she's short.
- Details.
Not fucking tattling.
- We'll work it out.
- There, you see.
Before or after your stupid position costs the firm bags o' cash? I meant we're gonna close out your dumb fucking shorts before gold soars.
This is when they need to go to the principal's office.
I don't know enough yet to weigh in on any of this.
And I'm not inclined to do the work to figure it out just now.
Can you give us the room? Kate, you too.
One, Sacker's right about that statement.
You should issue it.
Two, you don't know enough yet to make a determination? If this situation with Gail is taking you Bonnie's short is 88% negatively correlated, Victor's calls expire in six days, three-and-a-half hours I'm the Eye of Sauron, I see all.
But my communication with my daughter has gone from a trickle to dead silence.
The floor, the Commission, that's the easy stuff.
In my, uh, prior employment situation with He Whom I Shall Not Mention Good policy.
Yeah.
With him and the others there I could guide them because there were specific guard rails, things you can or cannot do from those offices.
Expectations.
Limits.
Even when stretched, you kind of knew the contours.
Hmm.
Billionaires are not public servants.
The levers are different.
Huh.
Does it ever get any easier, seeing exactly what they should do, and not being able to get them to do it? What'll happen is, you'll just direct it more and more inwardly until you stop serving them.
When you're ready.
Or you'll get out of it all entirely.
That what you're doing? Me? No.
No, I'm thinking about incorporating all of it.
Synthesizing.
Letting go of results.
Breathing.
Ah, the Eastern approach.
Absolutely.
But the old habits.
- I have this guy - A guy? No, not like that.
A priest.
Buddhist.
He's helping me take refuge.
I tried to um, like bribe him.
I didn't even realize I was doing it.
Shit.
You get lost like that, - how's a naif like me supposed to - Oh, hardly.
You've been balancing these equities, the inner and the outer, for most of your life.
I like the Bodhisattva way.
Don't worry about yourself.
Enlighten others.
That's my vibe.
But, mmm not trying to hang onto it as tight as it seems you are.
I'm definitely not bribing any Brahman.
I imagine if you did, they wouldn't see it coming.
So? Sweeney wants to meet with me.
About Mike Prince's Olympic bid.
Barely had to raise it.
Feels like we got a little breeze at our backsides.
Or maybe it's the Lake Placid windchill.
Where are we on an expert witness for my seafood fraud trial? I've reached out to some of the better fish DNA guys.
Not better.
Best.
The testimony in this case is everything.
Needs to be devastating.
Undeniable.
Best guy's named Bowen, but he's not available.
Locked up in cases with other prosecutors.
You sure Dave didn't get him on their behalf? Yeah.
He's not an industry guy.
He's state's expert.
No, I still smell Dave here.
She made sure this Bowen was busy.
Shouldn't matter.
The other three experts are raring to go.
This is Dave Mahar.
I'm sure of it.
She's trying to cut my damn legs out from under me.
You get to this Bowen and let him know, he testifies in this trial for us, he gets me this win, or he never gets hired by any state again.
Why's this one matter so much? She called me, in so many words, "A Giuliani-level hack.
" That's Clubber Lang telling Adrian he's more man than Rocky.
I have a moral and professional obligation to knock her the fuck out now.
I'm gonna be flushed with the bottom ten percent, like G.
E.
did every year.
I'm gonna be G.
E.
'd.
Lot of people here.
Someone's gotta be doing worse than you.
Okay, that didn't come out the way I I'm gonna ask for less assets under management.
If I'm smaller, more concentrated, I can carve a corridor to a bigger profit share.
No.
You never ask for less.
They'll think something's wrong with you, maybe even fire you on principle.
I'm gonna be G.
E.
'd.
It says, "Use the threading wire to pull it through, then remove and discard it.
" I already removed and discarded it.
There was nothing to pull through.
'Cause you removed and discarded it! Look, if ya came to play, the tourney's been delayed.
I need your help on a different kind of play.
A business play.
Why us? Let me tell ya, bro.
I know exactly what you're doing with Terravore.
Trying to pick a winner in a fast-growing sector.
Trying to get it added.
To boost its price and market cap by enough that it's added to the S&P 500.
When it is, all the index funds are forced to buy in, that's the rule.
Which pumps the stock even more, and you can dump it before it cools.
Good read.
But, like I told you, I believe in the company.
Without documentation, it's market manipulation.
I prosecuted people for this.
You sound like Spyros.
Assertion without proof.
Here's what the SEC's gonna ask: "Where the fuck is your proof?" Here I am On the road again Biscuits and gravy.
Dad, I gotta throw a flag on this one.
Illegal emotional manipulation.
Totally unfair for us to have to smell that as we walk into the apartment.
Also, it's not gonna work.
Bob Seger's a nice touch, though.
Reminds me of Sundays when the kids were little.
What? You think I would plan this out? I think you told your staff to let you know the minute we got in the elevator so the chorus of "Turn the Page" would hit exactly when we walked into the kitchen.
Would I be the guy you married if I hadn't? I just so happened to have a mix from Rosie's.
They sent over a care package.
After you sent the plane for it, M-Tap? I can't Yeah, who can remember? The point is, we're having some homemade Indiana biscuits and gravy.
Dad, we were summoned.
I mean, I'm not gonna refuse the food because we all know I'm not I am refusing.
I'm not breaking bread with him at this point.
Yeah, honestly, we're still pissed.
You don't get to police our emotions.
Especially about your bullshit.
I just told them to go at it straight.
Good.
Yes.
Let's get into it.
Because I-I can't live with things being catawampus like this between us anymore.
You're right.
I was not entirely forthright about the cannabis company thing.
Forthright? So you're a soft peddler now.
You'd rather I be as direct as you were with Governor Sweeney? She was right to say what she said.
She may have been, but it doesn't mean she had to say it.
- You're on his side? - I'm on all your sides.
There's there's no sides.
I mean, there's there's one damn side.
I mean, Gail and I are kind of a side, and you're usually on it.
What your sister said put a lot of pressure on your dad when he's trying to accomplish a difficult really hard thing.
- It means a hell of a lot.
- To you and him.
Because if he locks this down, you get a thing, too.
We all get a thing, right, when I do well? All the things.
That's the first time you've ever said anything like that.
We're all grownups here now, aren't we? So let's not leave it unsaid.
You're both billionaires, or you will be partially because of all the times I held my tongue and didn't tell someone what I actually thought.
You made more doing the opposite.
The gift you've given us is, "Have no fear about speaking our minds.
" That's right.
Good.
But, uh, sometimes, even though we don't have the traditional things to lose, we still have a lot to lose.
What are you asking her to do? Apologize.
Tell the governor you didn't mean it.
Tell him - Jesus Christ.
- Fuck that.
- Girls! - I can't apologize for telling the truth.
I won't.
Then your dad'll never make you.
I'll say I'm sorry, too, for the way I handled the business thing.
I should have brought you inside it.
Still not going to do what you want.
Okay.
I wish you would.
But okay.
Will you at least start answering my texts, then? We'll put you back on the family thread.
Oh, I-I'm already on the family thread.
We might've, um, already started a new one.
There I go There I Go Now, Mr.
Bowen, as an expert witness, you have testified that the goods from Ocean's Plenty Wholesalers were not as claimed, but rather cheap, garbage fish, mislabeled and pawned off on an unwitting public.
I'm afraid so, yes.
In my expert opinion.
I object.
Leading question.
- Overruled.
- But, Judge Ms.
Mahar, didn't you see A Few Good Men during law school? You're about to get the judge to reaffirm my guy's an expert.
Judge, I have something to say about the bias You'll have your chance to cross-examine the expert witness.
Ah! See that? And not only is he an expert, he's a scientist whose bias is the truth.
Something your client the conglomerate tried to hide to rake in more profit.
Ocean's Plenty trampled the rules with abandon.
Duped customers day after day, resulting in millions in largesse.
No further questions.
Your moment's arrived, counsel.
So, who paid you to be here today? The State of New York.
They hired me to gather all the evidence in this case.
The State of New York.
Just laying out the truth for the State.
Then, which do you prefer, meat or fish? Or grain? Or dairy? Objection.
Relevance.
We're not planning menus If there's a point, counsel, get to it fast.
The point is bias.
If he loves meat and hates fish it's hard to give a fishmonger a break, isn't it? Sure, I like meat.
I like fish too.
I like grain, bread, whatever.
What does that have to do with Permission to approach the witness.
Recognize those? You're under oath here.
- I'm aware of that - Good, because if you are lying about anything, it's a class-D felony.
There are grave penalties for This is harassment, if she doesn't have an actual line of inquiry Protecting your witness from perjury, I'd say that's an actual The witness knows the penalty for perjury.
He's not an idiot, and you're not even making a defense.
Since we understand the severe penalties for perjury, for you and your wife.
Those documents are IRS Form 990s Okay.
All right.
I'm biased.
For whoever is paying.
Yes.
Enter defense exhibit into evidence.
Multiple payments for $50,000 made out to his wife, from big beef, big poultry, big dairy, to hide the fact that he'll say whatever his paymaster wants him to.
He's a paid gun for hire.
Today it's for the state, tomorrow, whoever's got the next check.
Sir, you have the right not to incriminate yourself further.
That count as a defense to you? You outplayed me.
Took a dirty witness off the board so I'd insist on having him.
Till he tainted all my evidence.
Like that lousy fish you'd never eat.
You got that right.
Look at the bright side.
You got to log a few hours in a courtroom.
Sorry for the drop-in.
I'll clear my schedule.
I need you to add to it.
A call with Governor Sweeney.
So I can apologize.
What made you change your mind? I mean, you knew it would work on me.
You're my fucking father.
And a good one.
I curse like four times a year.
Why do you have to I went to college out of state.
Just get the phone.
Let's call this guy.
Call the governor's office, tell him Gail wants to speak with him.
You know what you want to say? Think it through, don't freelance it.
So, Mr.
Sweeney Mr.
Governor about what I said the other I'm so sorry for what I said the other Mr.
Governor, regardless of my feelings, out of respect for your office, what I said the other night was wrong, and I am so sorry I Forget it.
You don't want me to apologize? I do want you to apologize.
I-I need you to, really.
But, uh I raised you to speak your mind.
Fuck! Five.
I'll tell you, Dad.
I will never understand how a guy that thin-skinned becomes governor.
Some kid gives him a little crap, and he lets it shape policy? I mean the vanity is just so over the top.
Good.
Yeah.
Real good.
Terravore's still tickling $66.
00.
This quarter's gonna be a bloodbath.
I'm never gonna get a sheet of my own.
Hang on.
Russakoff has a new post about Terravore.
Mmm.
Juicy, savory nice patty tension, good bite This is a top pick, outperform! Thi-this is a must-buy with leverage! Where the hell did you get this from? It's Terravore.
100% vegan, plant-based.
You're fucking kidding me.
This is all shoots and leaves? Not the only way it's green.
Mase Carb's yay deep in this name.
It's ready to hockey stick.
Nice, dude, didn't even see you swap out the meat for the vegan shit.
I thought you were gonna make the switch.
Raiders, Terravore is ready to pull a major stiffy! Ohh! Taylor.
Stock's surging on message boards and Robinhood.
- The brosephs are biting! - Taylor.
And once momentum gets going with the retail crowd Taylor.
So you keep saying.
We should be happy.
We had to game it all out from a burger review.
They say the finest bespoke tailors have "rock of eye.
" Can see beyond pattern and chalk to take someone's true measure by instinct, expertise.
You think that's how I beat you? No.
It's how I see beyond the woman who stood up for an indefensible seafood scam to the better person lurking beneath.
I served my client.
No higher calling for a lawyer.
But your professional background, your choice of eatery, tells me you're not meant to cut vicuna cloth to pad your partners' paunches.
You're meant to fit the real villains for orange fucking jumpsuits.
So you came here to yell at me.
I came here to hire you.
I did my 20 years as a PD helping people with nothing get their actual day in court.
I did.
But eventually I wanted to come home to a place I owned, not one I shared with a bank.
So you went white shoe.
It just became time to get paid commensurate with my abilities.
Good.
Good, now we're talking worth.
'Cause those seven figures may convince you of yours and it'll feel fucking great, for a while.
But it's a mirage and you know it.
The worth I can offer is 200 times the ski house that beckons or the beach house that follows that.
There's a war going on, between the very wealth you are trying to accrue and the rest of us.
The stakes are absolute.
And we are under-armed and under-manned, and you will be the difference maker, which will make you feel like yourself again.
Finally.
Good enough data to divvy up the capital yet? Soon.
Keep this going much longer, they'll fuck the place up.
Maybe.
But this place is also a platform for the bigger goals we're chasing.
Screw those up, might as well not even be here.
It all starts with the Games.
Then we need to look at ways to hit Sweeney, before he meets with Rhoades tomorrow.
Wags gave me a phone number of a certain operative.
Yeah, I don't think an assassination, virtual or literal, is the way to go here.
No, I keep on thinking about the vanity of a guy who would let a random insult shape policy.
Probably starts every book he reads at the index, under "Sweeney.
" Where are we on the naming rights for the stadium? We're taking offers.
Bidding's robust.
Let's stop.
Russakoff's Raiders pushed it to 75, and the market cap tipped it over the edge.
S&P 500 just announced.
Terravore joins the index in two weeks.
Good.
Sell the news.
Blow it out, all of it.
You're not selling those calls.
- Or a single share of the stock.
- We're in the money.
If I don't sell now, they'll be worth nothing.
If you do sell, it's manipulation.
I'm backing Spyros on this.
You have a problem with it too? If an employee courts prosecution, we're in HR territory, so, yes.
That won't be an issue.
Legal's been in on this from the start.
I can paper this sale.
What do you have to support the buy? - My gut.
My brain.
- That won't be good enough.
What if it is a bump? And I want to be the pinball fucking wizard, right up to the tilt line without setting it off? Hmm.
How long have you been vegan? Six and a half years.
Well, that's six and a half years of Instacart orders, Amazon deliveries, web searches for vegan products that just became due diligence.
And it's all gonna go in an analyst's report.
For six and a half years now, Taylor has been meticulously researching Terravore and the entire sector.
I'll hang onto that in case the SEC calls.
You know what happened here.
On my watch.
Under my nose.
I know what I think happened.
I also know, no one can prove it.
Blow it out.
Sell all of it.
This isn't what we talked about.
I'm an attorney Wendy, not a monk.
Neither are you.
You think I'd be here if I didn't look up to you? - You looked past me to Prince.
- He gets me.
He thinks you're his Rocking-Horse Winner.
Yeah, well, that guy never missed.
Until it killed him.
It's just an old story.
I could have been a conductor, you know.
For real.
Even at a young age, I could hear when an orchestra was really firing.
When the oboist was hungover or second chair violin was getting over a heartache.
Couldn't pay for a ticket, so I would go when the Phil piped the music out into Lincoln Center.
Even though it was noisy as hell outside I could hear it all.
But in the end, I chose money.
Simple as that.
I met Prince, saw where we could go together, walked away from it.
So buy yourself an orchestra.
You can afford one now.
Yeah, sure.
But I won't, because I'm a realist.
What I'm telling you is, don't sell your private dreams short for the more common one.
What if they're one and the same? Then you wouldn't have been teaching in that charter school.
You can be more than a rich guy at a fund.
You can be a founder, an operator.
- Change the world.
- I know, Senator Corleone.
- Governor Corleone.
- Yes.
Exactly.
If you could only see yourself through my eyes you'd know it's all possible.
Ain't that the human condition.
'Cause all I want is to be here.
And I want you to want me here, I do.
But if you don't I'll be here anyway.
My dad sold insurance.
He always told me, "Control what you can, take out a policy on the rest.
" Get a load of that.
The real version will be up at the opening ceremony in '28.
If you help me get there.
Well, uh why would I ever do that? Because legacies are tricky.
You know, history controls them, not us.
Yeah, well, mine's going to be tainted by what your daughter said.
- Newspapers already wrote that - Newspapers.
They call 'em "history's first rough draft" for a reason.
Same reason the Irish took 'em into the jacks before toilet paper.
That's why I'm offering you an insurance policy on your own history.
Sweeney was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago.
- Where the hell is he? - The meeting's off.
The governor's throwing in with Prince.
He's supporting the New York Games.
Jeez Louise.
I took my own measure today.
Rock of eye.
And I'm here to get what I'm worth.
This woman, Judith she was on my bucket list since before either of us had even remarried.
Yet here you are at Chuck's, not acting on it.
Just waiting.
And you're here to explain why this restraint is good, why this is change.
Nope.
B.
F.
Skinner said free will is an illusion; all we really have is conditioning behavior and its consequences.
And even the worst behavior, followed by pleasant consequences, is bound to be repeated.
I've thought about that a lot this week.
So I need to condition myself.
For the good.
No.
It's why you can't change.
You've only been rewarded for bad behavior so you need to stay the hell away from Roxanne.
Stay away? For her sake.
'Cause you're only gonna cheat or fuck it up in some way.
And she's only gonna suffer.
He made up with her.
He's packing his bags to go home.
- How'd you do it? - I urged him to stay away.
Naturally.
I knew you were gonna come back.
The week I've had, I I wanted to help where I actually could.
Oh, please.
You owed me one after poaching Sacker.
- Not the way I saw it.
- Uh-huh.
Thank you anyway, for hauling him outta here.
Daniel, I need to cancel our meeting tonight.
I couldn't go the four days without being transactional.
I couldn't go four hours.
I'm gonna start over.
Call you when I get there.
Sometimes you cut someone's minutes to remind them of their job.
Sometimes you sit down a starter so they stand up stronger.
Wooden.
Again.
Now, no one's being fired.
This isn't Jack Welch's G.
E.
But too many of you were thrown off your games too easily, so not all of you are gonna keep their minutes.
Victor, you'll keep all of yours.
You showed full exertion and total focus, even in a petty squabble.
But Philip's gonna clean up your book, make it worthy of the fund that bears my name.
Thanks, Mike.
You won't regret it.
Bonnie, I'm cutting your book in half.
You traded against others instead of for yourself, and your call was off.
Wags'll approve all your trades until I think you're ready.
Fuck that.
If I wanted team spirit, I would work for fucking Chick-fil-A.
Where's mine? Philip, I'm doubling the book you had at your old place.
Thanks, Mike, but I'd like it to be halved.
I'll grow my own book if I can carve more profit.
Fine.
Nice.
I like it.
We'll discuss terms privately.
I fucking knew it! You told me not to! I'm so sorry.
Tuk, I'm zeroing you out.
You'll service Philip for now.
He'll teach you to trade from fearlessness, not fear.
Ben, I'm boosting you 10%.
Keep making the bold plays, but unwind the protection.
Lose the training wheels, man.
You don't need 'em.
Taylor Mason Carbon, you'll keep your full allocation.
I welcome your new sense of mission, as long as it never conflicts with mine.
Their shit worked.
It worked, all right.
Thirty million-plus on that trade.
Taylor went Milken in '85, and it worked.
Fucking rapacious.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, not so fast.
I know this can be an all-star team, but you can play way above the rim.
But you'll never get there with blisters on your feet.
That's why I keep hammering you on the fundamentals.
Position sizing, focus, restraint.
And, for all your moves, for all your talent, it looks like Axe never taught you how to put on your socks and your shoes.
I want to introduce the chairman of the NYC 2028 Olympic Commission, Michael Prince.
Thank you, Mayor Johnson.
You promised me a winning season, Chuck.
Running out of time before I'll have to quit, campaign 25/8.
I can't lose my MVP yet.
I need you, Kate.
Chuck Rhoades is fucking with our Wi-Fi play.
The only winner in this hopeless fucking outing is gonna be your chief legal counsel.
You think I'm concerned because you brought my Wi-Fi play back to Chuck? It's how I know that you'll serve me loyally as well, until I help get you elected to Congress.
You made a deal that you knew would displease me.
I thought we could actually change the world.
If you want to change the world, nine digits ain't gonna do it.
How could you, Kate? After all I taught you.
You made me wait.
What if the professor isn't done teaching? This is business.
This is what not having a soft landing feels like.
You tear your butt when you hit the ground.
Mike Prince and his daughters made the world a better place today.
I lost my advantage.
I failed to protect my goddamn queen.
Welcome to Michael Prince Capital, Kate.
My God, let me finish! When was I not letting you finish? Worked pretty well in Stand and Deliver too.
Life lesson, always carry a cleaver.
Oh, wait.
No.
That's not really the lesson.
The lesson is, know how to change the mood in a room quickly and with authority.
Now, look, I get what you're fighting over.
I do.
Coding team wants more of the budget because you can't make a great app without great code.
Sales team wants more because who cares about the damn code You want to start moving product out the door.
Same with the marketing group.
But here's the deal.
Your customer can have two of these, not three.
Cheap and fast can't also be good.
Good and fast can't also be cheap.
So you can fight over turf, or you can figure out a vision.
Let the budget sort itself out.
Or I can double it.
Everybody gets what they want, and I get a word with the teacher outside.
Not sure that's the right lesson.
Most important one: "Money makes the rules.
" I'm surprised an esteemed charter school like this hasn't hammered it into their heads.
Why scrap over capital when you can raise it? Group, we're gonna take five while Mr.
Prince makes out his check.
If you came here to impress a bunch of teenage entrepreneurs Trying to impress you.
Hire you.
How am I doing? You opening a charter school? Not for your side gig.
Your main gig.
They take care of me at the fund I'm at.
Hmm-hmm.
That's why your resume's floating around.
In my weaker moments, I sometimes think about what I could do in a place built for speed and power.
Then you're talking to the right guy.
Um, what'd you do? Nothing.
Women can be irrational, we know this.
"We" do not.
What'd you do? Not a thing.
I went unattended to a couples dinner.
Willow had a cold, so Roxanne couldn't go.
And the distaff side of the other couple was a fetching brunette Yeah, you had an affair.
Spare me the Penthouse Forum.
No-siree-Bob.
Nothing physical.
Developed a kinship with Judith Felker, Ron's wife, over how thin the consommé was.
So uh, Roxanne kicked you out over dinner table chatter? Well, the next six days of text chatter didn't help.
Did you know that Face ID works when you're asleep? Why wouldn't it? You oughta go after Big Tech.
I dozed off mid-emoji, Roxanne grabbed the damn phone and saw it all.
I'll just drop this here while I test the beds, pick out a room.
The thing about self-help is, if you're getting it from someone else it's not self, and if you're doing it yourself, you didn't really get help.
Carlin.
George Carlin.
No? Yeah.
All-time great.
But not quite like Coach Wooden.
See, he wasn't an entertainer.
He understood life.
Codified what he learned, taught it to his basketball players, made it available to the rest of us.
As I am now making it available to you.
"Initiative," "skill," it all seems kinda basic.
Not ItsMeTinx basic.
Like what it used to mean.
I met him once, when we won State's.
Fundamental, not basic.
It's different.
What'd he teach ya? How to put on my socks and shoes.
How to lace 'em up and tie 'em right.
Know why? Blisters? To remember that every season, we start again from the beginning.
We were champions of this season.
Not the next.
So we'd better do everything right.
Plus, yeah, blisters.
Not self-help.
Help.
- Who's that? - Beats me.
Ten bucks says he doesn't have any blisters.
Remember, you're bowing to the Buddha, not me.
Yes.
Daniel.
I'm ready.
Is that the first sign of readiness, do we think? Stating it.
Are you suggesting I'm not ready to take refuge? Because I have to.
I need to.
What's that? Vegan ice cream.
A gift for you.
It's the best No.
What's that? A gift for you, as I said.
I made it myself.
For what purpose? For to, uh To curry favor.
The very sweetness of the cream is bitter in this way.
Do not buy friendship or comfort.
Where I come from, everything's a transaction.
Where you're going a commitment to the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the goal is to avoid being transactional at all.
Can you do this? Will you try? I'll start with a month.
Go from there.
Start with a day.
When I decide something Start with an hour, even a minute.
Then add a minute on to that one.
That's the work.
We'll meet again in four days, see how it's going.
You're not sure I can refrain from transacting for four days? Whether I'm sure matters not at all.
Well, I am.
I'm sure.
All right, rack the bid, get it done.
What's he, the new golden boy? Took Dollar Bill's slot.
Probably looking for the actual dollar to steal too.
Coach Wooden always said, "I treat my players fairly, but not equally.
Depends on performance.
" And that's what we are evaluating now.
Performance.
Evaluate and decide who starts, who rides the pine And who gets their scholarship pulled.
Now, I've always believed you live in a house before renovating, so you don't sledgehammer a support beam, put a Barcalounger where the bar should be.
Well, our grace period here is coming to an end.
This Friday, I'm reallocating capital at the firm.
If you change strategies, if you stray from the fundamentals, I'll see it, so don't.
Position sizing, focus, restraint consider them our load-bearing walls.
And, uh, oh, yeah, do your best.
For you.
To return to Coach Wooden, "You're the only one who knows whether you've won.
" Pretty sure the guy carving up our trading dollars knows whether we've won.
Was he looking at me when he said "Barcalounger?" Quarter ends Friday.
If you fuck up, it'll be locked in, and you'll be locked out.
What if you fuck up? Then wake the hell up from your nightmare 'cause in this life, I don't ever fuck up.
I know you don't want me here.
Got that right.
Book a room at the Yale Club for my father.
Mr.
Allard needs you.
Have you decided who gets Sacker's office yet? Bureau chiefs have been eyeing it.
That's Graceland, we're not touching it.
Good.
I need ya.
No, you need Marie Kondo.
Jesus Christ.
You got Aaron Burr's gun permit lost in here? But let me guess, you know where everything is, down to the last carbon.
Nope.
Not a clue.
Where are we on the prosecutions Sacker left behind? Flailing, Chuck.
I have to admit, I'm not as savvy on the legal stuff as certain other aspects of the job.
Like this one.
Big seafood wholesaler.
Mislabeled half its product, stuck people with cheaper fish instead.
The seafood fraud case, we need a win on that.
To stand with the consumers who're being fleeced.
Well, we may need a different opposing counsel.
Lady's a pit bull, won't settle it out.
Even though we got her dead to rights.
I see that you did need me.
Okay.
- I'll handle it.
- Good.
But that's not why I needed ya.
Last night, in a private suite at the Garden, a young woman walks up to Governor Sweeney, told him he's wrecking the Empire State - Hmm.
- and not that nicely.
People heard it.
My sources tell me it was Gail Prince.
- Mike Prince's - Oh, I know who she is.
Governor Sweeney still doesn't.
Buffalo Bob finds that out, he's gonna get ornery.
Page Six.
Call over there and That I know how to do.
This'll be sweet.
As a Coolatta with extra syrup.
The Commission never awards the Games to a place it doesn't feel completely welcome in.
So This should pretty much lead to the end of Mike Prince's Olympic bid.
Don't call my mom till I can explain Mom already got the call.
Let's get Kate Sacker in here.
First, I'd like to get Philip Charyn out of here, and understand how he even got in.
It was no setup.
I looked at the resumes the headhunter sent blind.
Who else has that many degrees from Stanford, and Yale and Chicago? You knew.
You kept your nephew out of the Prince Companies for years.
I win this round.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Philip is Scooter's sister's kid.
Managed $300 million in tech at his last firm.
Prince bought out his contract.
That means he'll get a big hunk of our allocations.
And our comp.
Don Fanucci's nephew's not touching my smock.
For the record, offer me a basket of fruit and veggies, I'm taking it.
Keep up the bucket shop bullshit and you'll need it.
Mike said no changing strategies.
Too bad for you, that means losing ones too.
Oh, no fucking way I get bounced over you.
Guys, since "sincerity" is the mortar that holds the "team spirit" and "loyalty" blocks together, maybe we share information.
Best practices? What is this Commie shit, from Mao's Little Red Book? It's from the pyramid.
On the fridge? Biggest hurdle we're facing, Governor Sweeney.
The International Commission of Sport is shy, won't go where it's not wanted.
Never does.
Which is why you'll win him over in the meeting I've set for you.
Yeah, I work quick.
It's what you brought me in for.
I need to know what to expect from Chuck Rhoades by way of interference.
I could use you on the floor.
To clarify reallocation.
- I was perfectly clear.
- As Baccarat crystal.
What I really need is a referee.
It's a captain's practice, Wags.
Work it out.
I thought you were a vegan.
It's true what they say, "Never work for your heroes.
" Nope.
All of it is vegan.
Flatware too.
Terravore, the plant-based meat company, just rolled up six other vegan innovators.
We're buying in.
Um, the fork thing's super cool, but Terravore's kind of a big fat yawn in the plant-based space.
India alone discards 120 billion plastic utensils a year.
- The market potential's robust.
- The forks aren't.
Millet's pretty breakable, so pricey to ship.
Everybody's allocation's up for grabs.
This is the week to be ruthlessly strategic.
Here's the strategy, We calculate the largest position we can buy in Terravore, then we buy it.
Governor thing just got a lot harder.
New York Post says Gail insulted him to his face.
Practically spit in it.
- My Gail? - Sorry to say.
It's what I came to tell you.
Your meeting with him is off, unless Gail plans to be there to apologize and then to publicly recant to the paper.
Get him on the phone.
He's not going to take my call, is he? Gail, it's Dad.
Call me back.
- I'll reach her.
Just, uh - She might take my call.
Not your job.
I just needed you to see me on your call sheet today.
To know I'm with you, regardless of who isn't.
"Rich Kid Schools Gov.
" Prince family punchline.
Monologue jokes can't be far fucking behind.
Allow me to suggest the proper tonic a restorative trip to Lake Placid.
And the state debt incurred during those Games.
Why is she lashing out at me? Maybe because she actually just goin' out on a limb here has a problem with the governor.
At the exact moment I'm wooing him for the Games? I say hear her out.
She'd have to pick up the phone for that.
I'm calling a family summit.
I need you to fly in to help the conversation flow and You need me to help get Gail there, that's what you need.
- Thank you.
Yes.
- I can't.
I'm packing for a different summit, Lizard Head Peak.
It's only a five-day window, and not even you can raise the temperature by ten degrees.
Our daughter just jacked it up by a lot more than that.
I need everyone there so I can lower it.
She gets it from you, y'know.
Not cowed by power, or anything, really.
I'm sending a plane.
You'll be on Lizard Head before the anvil hits.
And if I drop everything for you, what does that say to the kids? It says you're strong enough not to stand on ceremony.
We're 5X in Terravore now.
And we were noisy.
The Street knows we're all-in.
Good.
What about the call options? We're out of the money.
Like, way, way out.
$20 above current price.
- Also good.
- Why's it good? These calls expire in weeks, worthless if we don't hit the target, which we won't.
Either you know something we don't, or you're shoving a wrench into the gears as payback for Prince gutting the Africa Wi-Fi play.
My buy raised a red flag because it's not customary for me, so you're here to wag a finger.
But I'm comfortable with my decision.
You can carry on with your day.
Preempting me, satisfying as it may be for you, doesn't change my warning.
There is no bumping the pinball machine at Michael Prince Capital.
Unh.
Don't do that.
But he's right.
You're trading this stock as if you know something you shouldn't.
And I won't be the only one who sees this, which is why he dragged me in here even though I have better shit to do.
And if there is a bump.
Mnh.
It carries criminal penalties.
Not a bump or a nudge or a kick to the coin box.
I believe in the company.
Then I believe I'll be watching.
Less imposing than I expected.
That's the thing about government offices.
The power comes from the man, not the trappings.
What makes you think I'm talking about the trappings? Ms.
Mahar, - or may I call you Daevisha? - Call me Dave.
It's good enough for Starbucks Dave, you can drop the posturing.
Your client's guilty, of literal bait-and-switch.
I can assure you, what's good enough for Starbucks isn't good enough for the people of this state.
They want their fish called by their proper names.
Absolutely.
There's no light between our positions.
Well, other than the sweet burden of proof.
Which you bear.
You know, I read about you, and I expected Someone subservient? - No.
A better person.
- Oh.
Former public defender, first-generation American, defending predatory rip-offs? You left out a couple of things on my resume.
Like Harvard Law, my Fulbright, and the fact that I've never lost a case.
Oh, I know.
I called around, too.
You used to be a killer for our side.
Now you're like those guys Erin Brockovich served water to.
Difference is, I'd know she was bluffing, and I'd drink it down.
Glug glug glug.
Well, the difference is, I'm not bluffing.
I'll be trying this case if it goes to court.
No one else.
I have a mountain of DNA evidence.
I'm Lancey Howard with the jack of diamonds in his hand.
Then it's a good thing no one plays five card stud anymore.
I'm twice as ready as the Kid, anyway.
I'm stoked to go against you.
Excuse me? Last prosecutor of your vintage who stepped into court, ended up with hair dye streaming down his face like the tears of the clown that he is.
Do I look that focused? I am that focused, I just don't look it.
New guy.
You chose the wrong desk.
Oh, is that so? Yeah, we go by Sharpe ratios here.
Highest performers on the left.
Oh.
My risk-adjusted return, I'm a 1.
9.
So I could take yours.
But I was being polite.
What are we measuring next? Patty of the week! Mmm.
Good-looking chunk of chuck.
Blind tasting, here we go.
Mmm.
Nice bite and mouth-feel.
Good fat content and bun-to-patty.
I like American cheese on a burger, this is cheddar.
Medium juicy.
Rating is, a strong buy.
Where's this from? New place from a graduate of Corner Bistro.
Nice.
Well, there you have it.
Sounded like he liked it.
The more he likes them, the harder he throws them.
Another strong buy for all my Russakoff's Raiders out there: ArpCom.
It is ready to rip! Why would you watch him? Even competent day traders rarely make gains.
He is not competent.
Russakoff's the fucking man to like millions of bros.
You're not one, though, so Not the man or not a bro? If you were either, you wouldn't ask.
He watches because Russakoff moves the market when he gets passionate.
It's a fact we don't like, but a legit data point nonetheless.
Now.
Can we talk Terravore? Our buy inched it up to $63.
00.
Yay, team.
That's still a far climb to $75.
00.
The day traders just buy what he tells them? From the depths of their man caves, they do.
And not just stonks.
He's a lifestyle brand unto himself.
Made the kids dinner.
You're welcome.
You're supposed to be at the Yale Club.
Times like this, a man belongs in the bosom of his family.
Grab yourself a lowball.
Everything we need is right here.
Have you even tried to call Roxanne? Tendered an apology? I called Judith to be sure that I hadn't crossed any lines.
Well, having to check is usually a great sign.
She assured me I hadn't.
One call down, one to go.
But we got to talking.
And the bons mots were flying, Sonny, like the Algonquin in '23.
I'm thinking of acting on our kinship, of consummating it.
- She's game - Dad, no.
What happens when this fling ends, like all the others? And you've bulldozed your second home in as many years? It's not like I haven't thought this through.
There is a plan B.
Uh.
You texted "Emergency with your dad.
" He seems fine.
I appreciate like hell you showing up.
You gotta talk to him.
You're the only one who can.
- Issue? - He's forgotten he's married.
No.
No.
You work him through whatever stage life crisis this is.
I help my guys at work.
Our kids.
Maybe now finally myself, if I can.
I came because I thought "emergency" meant something different.
Fine by me.
Never got to unpack.
He's living here now? Ergo, the emergency.
You can go back to your ever-expanding empire.
I'm not gonna talk to you about Kate Sacker, either.
I didn't say a word about her.
Even though she was poached, casus belli, a Cold War thrust in the fucking broiler.
I don't owe you an apology, if that's what you're Oh, no, I hold Prince responsible for that, not you.
You just lured her to his temple of greed.
- It's not Axe Capital, Chuck.
- It's worse.
Because it pretends to be better.
She's very special.
And special to me.
Don't ruin her, Wendy.
Sweeney's hitting back.
He ordered a fresh audit of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, which went 320% over budget.
That's 'cause they were run by resort town hacks.
State's still paying the damn bills.
It's a low-grade stunt.
If Sweeney takes it public, it'll scare off the Commission.
Our bid'll be finished.
If we were willing to consider in a carefully-worded statement, putting some space between you and your daughter on her We're unwilling.
I'm aware that that option is no fun, but if you paid me to create fun, I'd have replaced the stairs with a water slide.
- I'm here to get you the Games - Do it another way.
Afraid we need a little sit-down.
- What's the beef over? - Gold.
- He's long, she's short.
- Details.
Not fucking tattling.
- We'll work it out.
- There, you see.
Before or after your stupid position costs the firm bags o' cash? I meant we're gonna close out your dumb fucking shorts before gold soars.
This is when they need to go to the principal's office.
I don't know enough yet to weigh in on any of this.
And I'm not inclined to do the work to figure it out just now.
Can you give us the room? Kate, you too.
One, Sacker's right about that statement.
You should issue it.
Two, you don't know enough yet to make a determination? If this situation with Gail is taking you Bonnie's short is 88% negatively correlated, Victor's calls expire in six days, three-and-a-half hours I'm the Eye of Sauron, I see all.
But my communication with my daughter has gone from a trickle to dead silence.
The floor, the Commission, that's the easy stuff.
In my, uh, prior employment situation with He Whom I Shall Not Mention Good policy.
Yeah.
With him and the others there I could guide them because there were specific guard rails, things you can or cannot do from those offices.
Expectations.
Limits.
Even when stretched, you kind of knew the contours.
Hmm.
Billionaires are not public servants.
The levers are different.
Huh.
Does it ever get any easier, seeing exactly what they should do, and not being able to get them to do it? What'll happen is, you'll just direct it more and more inwardly until you stop serving them.
When you're ready.
Or you'll get out of it all entirely.
That what you're doing? Me? No.
No, I'm thinking about incorporating all of it.
Synthesizing.
Letting go of results.
Breathing.
Ah, the Eastern approach.
Absolutely.
But the old habits.
- I have this guy - A guy? No, not like that.
A priest.
Buddhist.
He's helping me take refuge.
I tried to um, like bribe him.
I didn't even realize I was doing it.
Shit.
You get lost like that, - how's a naif like me supposed to - Oh, hardly.
You've been balancing these equities, the inner and the outer, for most of your life.
I like the Bodhisattva way.
Don't worry about yourself.
Enlighten others.
That's my vibe.
But, mmm not trying to hang onto it as tight as it seems you are.
I'm definitely not bribing any Brahman.
I imagine if you did, they wouldn't see it coming.
So? Sweeney wants to meet with me.
About Mike Prince's Olympic bid.
Barely had to raise it.
Feels like we got a little breeze at our backsides.
Or maybe it's the Lake Placid windchill.
Where are we on an expert witness for my seafood fraud trial? I've reached out to some of the better fish DNA guys.
Not better.
Best.
The testimony in this case is everything.
Needs to be devastating.
Undeniable.
Best guy's named Bowen, but he's not available.
Locked up in cases with other prosecutors.
You sure Dave didn't get him on their behalf? Yeah.
He's not an industry guy.
He's state's expert.
No, I still smell Dave here.
She made sure this Bowen was busy.
Shouldn't matter.
The other three experts are raring to go.
This is Dave Mahar.
I'm sure of it.
She's trying to cut my damn legs out from under me.
You get to this Bowen and let him know, he testifies in this trial for us, he gets me this win, or he never gets hired by any state again.
Why's this one matter so much? She called me, in so many words, "A Giuliani-level hack.
" That's Clubber Lang telling Adrian he's more man than Rocky.
I have a moral and professional obligation to knock her the fuck out now.
I'm gonna be flushed with the bottom ten percent, like G.
E.
did every year.
I'm gonna be G.
E.
'd.
Lot of people here.
Someone's gotta be doing worse than you.
Okay, that didn't come out the way I I'm gonna ask for less assets under management.
If I'm smaller, more concentrated, I can carve a corridor to a bigger profit share.
No.
You never ask for less.
They'll think something's wrong with you, maybe even fire you on principle.
I'm gonna be G.
E.
'd.
It says, "Use the threading wire to pull it through, then remove and discard it.
" I already removed and discarded it.
There was nothing to pull through.
'Cause you removed and discarded it! Look, if ya came to play, the tourney's been delayed.
I need your help on a different kind of play.
A business play.
Why us? Let me tell ya, bro.
I know exactly what you're doing with Terravore.
Trying to pick a winner in a fast-growing sector.
Trying to get it added.
To boost its price and market cap by enough that it's added to the S&P 500.
When it is, all the index funds are forced to buy in, that's the rule.
Which pumps the stock even more, and you can dump it before it cools.
Good read.
But, like I told you, I believe in the company.
Without documentation, it's market manipulation.
I prosecuted people for this.
You sound like Spyros.
Assertion without proof.
Here's what the SEC's gonna ask: "Where the fuck is your proof?" Here I am On the road again Biscuits and gravy.
Dad, I gotta throw a flag on this one.
Illegal emotional manipulation.
Totally unfair for us to have to smell that as we walk into the apartment.
Also, it's not gonna work.
Bob Seger's a nice touch, though.
Reminds me of Sundays when the kids were little.
What? You think I would plan this out? I think you told your staff to let you know the minute we got in the elevator so the chorus of "Turn the Page" would hit exactly when we walked into the kitchen.
Would I be the guy you married if I hadn't? I just so happened to have a mix from Rosie's.
They sent over a care package.
After you sent the plane for it, M-Tap? I can't Yeah, who can remember? The point is, we're having some homemade Indiana biscuits and gravy.
Dad, we were summoned.
I mean, I'm not gonna refuse the food because we all know I'm not I am refusing.
I'm not breaking bread with him at this point.
Yeah, honestly, we're still pissed.
You don't get to police our emotions.
Especially about your bullshit.
I just told them to go at it straight.
Good.
Yes.
Let's get into it.
Because I-I can't live with things being catawampus like this between us anymore.
You're right.
I was not entirely forthright about the cannabis company thing.
Forthright? So you're a soft peddler now.
You'd rather I be as direct as you were with Governor Sweeney? She was right to say what she said.
She may have been, but it doesn't mean she had to say it.
- You're on his side? - I'm on all your sides.
There's there's no sides.
I mean, there's there's one damn side.
I mean, Gail and I are kind of a side, and you're usually on it.
What your sister said put a lot of pressure on your dad when he's trying to accomplish a difficult really hard thing.
- It means a hell of a lot.
- To you and him.
Because if he locks this down, you get a thing, too.
We all get a thing, right, when I do well? All the things.
That's the first time you've ever said anything like that.
We're all grownups here now, aren't we? So let's not leave it unsaid.
You're both billionaires, or you will be partially because of all the times I held my tongue and didn't tell someone what I actually thought.
You made more doing the opposite.
The gift you've given us is, "Have no fear about speaking our minds.
" That's right.
Good.
But, uh, sometimes, even though we don't have the traditional things to lose, we still have a lot to lose.
What are you asking her to do? Apologize.
Tell the governor you didn't mean it.
Tell him - Jesus Christ.
- Fuck that.
- Girls! - I can't apologize for telling the truth.
I won't.
Then your dad'll never make you.
I'll say I'm sorry, too, for the way I handled the business thing.
I should have brought you inside it.
Still not going to do what you want.
Okay.
I wish you would.
But okay.
Will you at least start answering my texts, then? We'll put you back on the family thread.
Oh, I-I'm already on the family thread.
We might've, um, already started a new one.
There I go There I Go Now, Mr.
Bowen, as an expert witness, you have testified that the goods from Ocean's Plenty Wholesalers were not as claimed, but rather cheap, garbage fish, mislabeled and pawned off on an unwitting public.
I'm afraid so, yes.
In my expert opinion.
I object.
Leading question.
- Overruled.
- But, Judge Ms.
Mahar, didn't you see A Few Good Men during law school? You're about to get the judge to reaffirm my guy's an expert.
Judge, I have something to say about the bias You'll have your chance to cross-examine the expert witness.
Ah! See that? And not only is he an expert, he's a scientist whose bias is the truth.
Something your client the conglomerate tried to hide to rake in more profit.
Ocean's Plenty trampled the rules with abandon.
Duped customers day after day, resulting in millions in largesse.
No further questions.
Your moment's arrived, counsel.
So, who paid you to be here today? The State of New York.
They hired me to gather all the evidence in this case.
The State of New York.
Just laying out the truth for the State.
Then, which do you prefer, meat or fish? Or grain? Or dairy? Objection.
Relevance.
We're not planning menus If there's a point, counsel, get to it fast.
The point is bias.
If he loves meat and hates fish it's hard to give a fishmonger a break, isn't it? Sure, I like meat.
I like fish too.
I like grain, bread, whatever.
What does that have to do with Permission to approach the witness.
Recognize those? You're under oath here.
- I'm aware of that - Good, because if you are lying about anything, it's a class-D felony.
There are grave penalties for This is harassment, if she doesn't have an actual line of inquiry Protecting your witness from perjury, I'd say that's an actual The witness knows the penalty for perjury.
He's not an idiot, and you're not even making a defense.
Since we understand the severe penalties for perjury, for you and your wife.
Those documents are IRS Form 990s Okay.
All right.
I'm biased.
For whoever is paying.
Yes.
Enter defense exhibit into evidence.
Multiple payments for $50,000 made out to his wife, from big beef, big poultry, big dairy, to hide the fact that he'll say whatever his paymaster wants him to.
He's a paid gun for hire.
Today it's for the state, tomorrow, whoever's got the next check.
Sir, you have the right not to incriminate yourself further.
That count as a defense to you? You outplayed me.
Took a dirty witness off the board so I'd insist on having him.
Till he tainted all my evidence.
Like that lousy fish you'd never eat.
You got that right.
Look at the bright side.
You got to log a few hours in a courtroom.
Sorry for the drop-in.
I'll clear my schedule.
I need you to add to it.
A call with Governor Sweeney.
So I can apologize.
What made you change your mind? I mean, you knew it would work on me.
You're my fucking father.
And a good one.
I curse like four times a year.
Why do you have to I went to college out of state.
Just get the phone.
Let's call this guy.
Call the governor's office, tell him Gail wants to speak with him.
You know what you want to say? Think it through, don't freelance it.
So, Mr.
Sweeney Mr.
Governor about what I said the other I'm so sorry for what I said the other Mr.
Governor, regardless of my feelings, out of respect for your office, what I said the other night was wrong, and I am so sorry I Forget it.
You don't want me to apologize? I do want you to apologize.
I-I need you to, really.
But, uh I raised you to speak your mind.
Fuck! Five.
I'll tell you, Dad.
I will never understand how a guy that thin-skinned becomes governor.
Some kid gives him a little crap, and he lets it shape policy? I mean the vanity is just so over the top.
Good.
Yeah.
Real good.
Terravore's still tickling $66.
00.
This quarter's gonna be a bloodbath.
I'm never gonna get a sheet of my own.
Hang on.
Russakoff has a new post about Terravore.
Mmm.
Juicy, savory nice patty tension, good bite This is a top pick, outperform! Thi-this is a must-buy with leverage! Where the hell did you get this from? It's Terravore.
100% vegan, plant-based.
You're fucking kidding me.
This is all shoots and leaves? Not the only way it's green.
Mase Carb's yay deep in this name.
It's ready to hockey stick.
Nice, dude, didn't even see you swap out the meat for the vegan shit.
I thought you were gonna make the switch.
Raiders, Terravore is ready to pull a major stiffy! Ohh! Taylor.
Stock's surging on message boards and Robinhood.
- The brosephs are biting! - Taylor.
And once momentum gets going with the retail crowd Taylor.
So you keep saying.
We should be happy.
We had to game it all out from a burger review.
They say the finest bespoke tailors have "rock of eye.
" Can see beyond pattern and chalk to take someone's true measure by instinct, expertise.
You think that's how I beat you? No.
It's how I see beyond the woman who stood up for an indefensible seafood scam to the better person lurking beneath.
I served my client.
No higher calling for a lawyer.
But your professional background, your choice of eatery, tells me you're not meant to cut vicuna cloth to pad your partners' paunches.
You're meant to fit the real villains for orange fucking jumpsuits.
So you came here to yell at me.
I came here to hire you.
I did my 20 years as a PD helping people with nothing get their actual day in court.
I did.
But eventually I wanted to come home to a place I owned, not one I shared with a bank.
So you went white shoe.
It just became time to get paid commensurate with my abilities.
Good.
Good, now we're talking worth.
'Cause those seven figures may convince you of yours and it'll feel fucking great, for a while.
But it's a mirage and you know it.
The worth I can offer is 200 times the ski house that beckons or the beach house that follows that.
There's a war going on, between the very wealth you are trying to accrue and the rest of us.
The stakes are absolute.
And we are under-armed and under-manned, and you will be the difference maker, which will make you feel like yourself again.
Finally.
Good enough data to divvy up the capital yet? Soon.
Keep this going much longer, they'll fuck the place up.
Maybe.
But this place is also a platform for the bigger goals we're chasing.
Screw those up, might as well not even be here.
It all starts with the Games.
Then we need to look at ways to hit Sweeney, before he meets with Rhoades tomorrow.
Wags gave me a phone number of a certain operative.
Yeah, I don't think an assassination, virtual or literal, is the way to go here.
No, I keep on thinking about the vanity of a guy who would let a random insult shape policy.
Probably starts every book he reads at the index, under "Sweeney.
" Where are we on the naming rights for the stadium? We're taking offers.
Bidding's robust.
Let's stop.
Russakoff's Raiders pushed it to 75, and the market cap tipped it over the edge.
S&P 500 just announced.
Terravore joins the index in two weeks.
Good.
Sell the news.
Blow it out, all of it.
You're not selling those calls.
- Or a single share of the stock.
- We're in the money.
If I don't sell now, they'll be worth nothing.
If you do sell, it's manipulation.
I'm backing Spyros on this.
You have a problem with it too? If an employee courts prosecution, we're in HR territory, so, yes.
That won't be an issue.
Legal's been in on this from the start.
I can paper this sale.
What do you have to support the buy? - My gut.
My brain.
- That won't be good enough.
What if it is a bump? And I want to be the pinball fucking wizard, right up to the tilt line without setting it off? Hmm.
How long have you been vegan? Six and a half years.
Well, that's six and a half years of Instacart orders, Amazon deliveries, web searches for vegan products that just became due diligence.
And it's all gonna go in an analyst's report.
For six and a half years now, Taylor has been meticulously researching Terravore and the entire sector.
I'll hang onto that in case the SEC calls.
You know what happened here.
On my watch.
Under my nose.
I know what I think happened.
I also know, no one can prove it.
Blow it out.
Sell all of it.
This isn't what we talked about.
I'm an attorney Wendy, not a monk.
Neither are you.
You think I'd be here if I didn't look up to you? - You looked past me to Prince.
- He gets me.
He thinks you're his Rocking-Horse Winner.
Yeah, well, that guy never missed.
Until it killed him.
It's just an old story.
I could have been a conductor, you know.
For real.
Even at a young age, I could hear when an orchestra was really firing.
When the oboist was hungover or second chair violin was getting over a heartache.
Couldn't pay for a ticket, so I would go when the Phil piped the music out into Lincoln Center.
Even though it was noisy as hell outside I could hear it all.
But in the end, I chose money.
Simple as that.
I met Prince, saw where we could go together, walked away from it.
So buy yourself an orchestra.
You can afford one now.
Yeah, sure.
But I won't, because I'm a realist.
What I'm telling you is, don't sell your private dreams short for the more common one.
What if they're one and the same? Then you wouldn't have been teaching in that charter school.
You can be more than a rich guy at a fund.
You can be a founder, an operator.
- Change the world.
- I know, Senator Corleone.
- Governor Corleone.
- Yes.
Exactly.
If you could only see yourself through my eyes you'd know it's all possible.
Ain't that the human condition.
'Cause all I want is to be here.
And I want you to want me here, I do.
But if you don't I'll be here anyway.
My dad sold insurance.
He always told me, "Control what you can, take out a policy on the rest.
" Get a load of that.
The real version will be up at the opening ceremony in '28.
If you help me get there.
Well, uh why would I ever do that? Because legacies are tricky.
You know, history controls them, not us.
Yeah, well, mine's going to be tainted by what your daughter said.
- Newspapers already wrote that - Newspapers.
They call 'em "history's first rough draft" for a reason.
Same reason the Irish took 'em into the jacks before toilet paper.
That's why I'm offering you an insurance policy on your own history.
Sweeney was supposed to be here 30 minutes ago.
- Where the hell is he? - The meeting's off.
The governor's throwing in with Prince.
He's supporting the New York Games.
Jeez Louise.
I took my own measure today.
Rock of eye.
And I'm here to get what I'm worth.
This woman, Judith she was on my bucket list since before either of us had even remarried.
Yet here you are at Chuck's, not acting on it.
Just waiting.
And you're here to explain why this restraint is good, why this is change.
Nope.
B.
F.
Skinner said free will is an illusion; all we really have is conditioning behavior and its consequences.
And even the worst behavior, followed by pleasant consequences, is bound to be repeated.
I've thought about that a lot this week.
So I need to condition myself.
For the good.
No.
It's why you can't change.
You've only been rewarded for bad behavior so you need to stay the hell away from Roxanne.
Stay away? For her sake.
'Cause you're only gonna cheat or fuck it up in some way.
And she's only gonna suffer.
He made up with her.
He's packing his bags to go home.
- How'd you do it? - I urged him to stay away.
Naturally.
I knew you were gonna come back.
The week I've had, I I wanted to help where I actually could.
Oh, please.
You owed me one after poaching Sacker.
- Not the way I saw it.
- Uh-huh.
Thank you anyway, for hauling him outta here.
Daniel, I need to cancel our meeting tonight.
I couldn't go the four days without being transactional.
I couldn't go four hours.
I'm gonna start over.
Call you when I get there.
Sometimes you cut someone's minutes to remind them of their job.
Sometimes you sit down a starter so they stand up stronger.
Wooden.
Again.
Now, no one's being fired.
This isn't Jack Welch's G.
E.
But too many of you were thrown off your games too easily, so not all of you are gonna keep their minutes.
Victor, you'll keep all of yours.
You showed full exertion and total focus, even in a petty squabble.
But Philip's gonna clean up your book, make it worthy of the fund that bears my name.
Thanks, Mike.
You won't regret it.
Bonnie, I'm cutting your book in half.
You traded against others instead of for yourself, and your call was off.
Wags'll approve all your trades until I think you're ready.
Fuck that.
If I wanted team spirit, I would work for fucking Chick-fil-A.
Where's mine? Philip, I'm doubling the book you had at your old place.
Thanks, Mike, but I'd like it to be halved.
I'll grow my own book if I can carve more profit.
Fine.
Nice.
I like it.
We'll discuss terms privately.
I fucking knew it! You told me not to! I'm so sorry.
Tuk, I'm zeroing you out.
You'll service Philip for now.
He'll teach you to trade from fearlessness, not fear.
Ben, I'm boosting you 10%.
Keep making the bold plays, but unwind the protection.
Lose the training wheels, man.
You don't need 'em.
Taylor Mason Carbon, you'll keep your full allocation.
I welcome your new sense of mission, as long as it never conflicts with mine.
Their shit worked.
It worked, all right.
Thirty million-plus on that trade.
Taylor went Milken in '85, and it worked.
Fucking rapacious.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, not so fast.
I know this can be an all-star team, but you can play way above the rim.
But you'll never get there with blisters on your feet.
That's why I keep hammering you on the fundamentals.
Position sizing, focus, restraint.
And, for all your moves, for all your talent, it looks like Axe never taught you how to put on your socks and your shoes.