All language subtitles for Billions.S06E03.STD.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-NTb_[English] (SUBRIP)

[Scooter]
Previously on Billions.

Michael Prince Capital
is not off to a banner start.

I work for a legend.

-I'm out.
-Team up?

Done.

We need to be clean.
Beyond reproach.

I find myself
unwilling to help you.

He seems to be after
more than profits here.

I am hereby creating
The Prince List,

shedding all the dirty capital
currently invested.

Bud Lazzara. He's the key.

We're not paying.

Big retailer's
been playing dirty.

Rask Sportswear.

And we're gonna short
the snot out of it.

There's a problem
with the short.

You created this problem,
fix it.

His wife came by yesterday.

It's no coincidence that you
got involved with my sponsor.

Are you trying to buy back
the relationship you want?

I haven't given up.

I know you bribed Mr. Santulli,

the head of the
Door & Custodial Union.

[Prince] Rask is tanking.

[Scooter] Killed the buyout
and fed it to the dogs.

[Taylor] You saw the news
about the Games?

[Scooter]
They're pulling them.

Prince isn't just
playing the markets.

His chessboard is much bigger,

and I don't think he's done

making his moves yet.

The very first
New York Olympics.

Every time New York has fallen--

It has been lifted up
and rebuilt

by a great man.

And that's you this time.

And he won't stop
till he gets what he wants.

["Midnight Rider"
by Gregg Allman plays]

Well, I've got to run

To keep from hidin'

And I'm bound...

I just achieved slow-wave sleep,

which you know
I struggle with.

-Why am I--
-We've got a problem.

Better be a real, bigtime--

Trust me. It is.
It's why I called you in.

The issue is--

[Prince]
You didn't call me in.

Of course, there's no need.

That's why I have
an alert set up.

If there's
middle-of-the-night swipe-ins,

it's either because
people are quitting en masse

and stealing drives,

or there's
a margin call-level problem.

Which is it?

It's... more of the latter.

Well, you have
a captive audience.

I, uh...

met up with Mafee tonight.
Drinks, you know?

We stayed friends,
I hope that's not any kind--

-Speak.
-Right, well...

he kinda spilled some major tea.

"Tea" is gossip.

Yeah.
About what?

About the Olympics.

We are rolling, Wyatt.

I'm not on Molly right now.
Or ever.

Tombstone?

Never mind. We got something
huge in the works.

Real estate-focused SPAC.

Offering's coming out this week.
You should invest.

-I should?
-It's our ticket, man.

They call these things
"blank check companies."

Whale-sized
investors launch them

to raise IPO-level money

they can plow into
whatever the hell they want to,

totally unbridled.

In this case, holding company
for prime city real estate.

I'm familiar with SPACs.

-They're all over the Street.
-Right.

Anyway, it's a partnership
with a big--

Well, a really big
and also really not-so-big guy.

You sound enthusiastic.

We blew through
our risk management,

doubled down on this thing.

You're a brand-new firm,

and you're risking it all
on sponsoring a SPAC?

No worries. It's an STD.

-Uh, what? Gross.
-A sure thing, dude.

-Oh.
-And beyond that,

it's a gold medal situation.

[Prince] Buying up land
for the Olympics.

Another player's
making my move. Who?

He didn't say.
Thus, this meeting.

Now I get why you woke me up.

All right, if anyone needs
to go home, shower up,

put on your daytime Garanimals,
go ahead and get back here.

[Kristy] I can send one of
the drivers if anyone needs it.

-Do it. Also--
-I'll send the other driver

to Veselka, then Chinatown.

Anyone want anything else,
let me know, we'll deal with it.

Okay, folks, Kristy's
organizing the midnight snacks

and strong coffee.

-[claps hands]
-Let's get into it.

[Chuck] Sacker,
I want your best ideas--

press, political, financial,

hell, I'll even take spiritual--

on how we'll fell the highest
net worth individual--

Son.

I thought there'd
be some perfectly legal

fringe benefits to you being AG,

but I find myself a squirrel
who can't get a nut.

Dad, you can't just--

Oh, I told your girl
I was expected.

And asked could she get me
a tomato juice

from the diner
around the corner.

Told her I'd protect the door.

And I did.
From the inside.

Anyway.

I was getting
my paperwork in order

to make an offer
to buy your land,

and then you let someone
skip in line ahead of me?

-My land?
-The NYAG's Office

monitors the disbursement
of certain land for proper use,

does it not?!

Ah, family.

Love to see it.

Love to leave it behind.

Jesus Christ, Dad.

We can do this
at your house, later.

-Or never. Never works, too.
-Not for me.

I was going to throw up
one of those 80/20 jobs

with the "poor door."

Luxury condo building

with the separate entrance
for the unwashed.

Subsidized housing units
to trigger the tax breaks.

A real man of the people.

But someone is buying it all up.

As is the normal course of--

No, this is about as normal as
a Gaylord Perry Mystery Pitch.

Just loaded up
with viscous slime.

Aha.

Who bought the land, Dad?

[Sacker] Looks like
several buyers. All shell corps.

Terms have been set. They have
30 days to close with the cash.

Anything unusual
with the approvals?

No. Except there hasn't been
much activity until recently.

You don't need
this development, Dad.

And even if you did, I wouldn't
lift a finger to help.

Not 'cause I don't love you.

Because it would be wrong.

In the past, you didn't really--

Ah. I can't change any of that.

Well, I was a straight shooter
about my plans.

Being shameless does not
change a Haman into a Mordechai.

Bye, Dad.

I can't believe
that I'm raising this, but,

we forget who brought us
this information and we use it.

Yeah.

If a big player or corporation

is going through the land bank

to make big purchases
on the downlow.

Yes. That's absolutely against
the spirit of the thing.

And likely means
some other high-baller

is looking to make
the same move as my father.

-You want me to--
-Yeah.

We need to find out who's
trying to buy up all this land,

and why.

We're gathering.

I know how we're going to
smoke out this mystery bidder.

Put a piece of land up for sale.
The piece bordering Stuy Town.

I thought you were
trying to buy more land--

He is. Whoever's backing Mafee
and Dollar Bill will bite at it.

Yes. It'll come anonymously,
through a shell corp.

Which we'll reject.

But we'll get
enough details to figure out

who's spearheading the SPAC.

And once it IPOs,
we can bend this thing over,

no lube required, and...

I mean, there are many things
within SEC guidelines we can do

to express our
negative sentiment on it,

and convince others
to see it the same way,

-once it is trading publicly.
-There ya go.

That's where I thought
you were going.

But this is Mafee and
Dollar Bill's big investment.

Don't we still love--

I mean,
have fond feelings for--

well, most of us--
some of us-- I do...

Spit it out, you stuttering--

Mafee! I still care about Mafee.

[Taylor]
Yes, as I do, Ben.

But once we find out who's
really going to run the SPAC

for them, Prince will
block it, and, yes,

whatever they've invested in it
will be worthless.

And he feels bad about it,
that fucking baby.

How can you not even care?

You were in an intimate
relationship with Dollar--

I am in a relationship
with dollars, end sentence.

Look, I love those guys.
For real.

We've plundered and partied
with 'em back in the day.

But if they fuck with our shit,
they get fucked.

Great to see
the team spirit is intact.

But I'm a builder,
not a destroyer.

I'll always find
a positive solution

before considering
a destructive path.

I look at every competitor
as a potential new partner...

right up until I can't anymore.

I'm on board
with this approach.

We're happy.

-He's on his way up.
-Good.

We have an important visitor,

someone I'm convinced will
help win over the Commission.

Wags, I want you on
this detail with Scooter.

I'll sit in with you fellas.

Try to have fun.

We're a team.

So it seems.

Fab.

You believe in this
potential new partner bit?

I want to.

Sure, the president of

the International Commission
of Sport

does have some sway,

but there are
104 voting members,

enough of whom must be wooed,

convinced, to influence
the others

who aren't susceptible to
extracurricular handling.

Mike, you want to...

And I speak from experience,
selecting a host city

is a very political process.

Mr. Drache, how does it work?

I want to make an impression.

But as I understand it,

the men and women
of the Commission,

even those key few
I might turn,

don't look kindly
upon strangers bearing gifts.

Because those strangers might be
wearing wires, mightn't they?

But they will take them from me.

Because I was one of them,

before what I refer to as
the "ugliness"

forced me out.

But trust,
I'm still one of them.

[Prince] Good.

I'm glad I can count on
your endorsement

of my plan to land the Olympics.

[sighs]

Possibly.

Possibly?

Your reputation speaks.
It shouts.

And you certainly seem
a top man. But...

you're a little late
to this game.

L.A. had things locked.

Until they didn't.

Yeah, until they didn't.
Cheers to you.

He had nothing to do with that.

No. Of course not.
I'd never suggest.

[Wags] You kinda did,

but we'll let it slide.

Look, you can't have
a Games without a stadium.

And New York doesn't have a
stadium suitable for the Games--

modern, able to be turned over
quickly depending on the event.

-But we will. I will.
-Will you?

Well,
then you may have me too.

If it seems the thing to do.

Gentlemen, I get one shot

every two years between
the Summer and the Winter Games,

so I hew to
the Aintree approach:

stick with the favorite.

No time for long shots.

Eh, maybe we'll speak again.

Cheers.

[sighs]

Do we really need that
fucking guy?

Sadly, we do.

He's the best in the space.

A very small, rarified space.

Find out who else
he's talking to.

-And make those talks--
-[Wags] Go south?

So he has nowhere else to go
but crawling back to us?

-More or less.
-I'm on it.

Be on it together.

-Yeah, about that--
-Are you serious?

You want us to be your
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe?

I'd have gone with
Murtaugh and Riggs, but, yes.

I am.

News on the land.

All the entities track back
to the same address.

Who're we talking about?

Oh.

Our Sam LeFrak wannabe
has surfaced.

[sighs]

Welcome, welcome.

Todd Krakow.

I see life in the Beltway
was a real sacrifice for you.

[chuckles]
It was an honor to serve,

but, frankly,
I rather enjoy being

back in the private sector.

I missed not having
to report to anyone.

We're all accountable
to each other

and tethered to
this rock by gravity.

If you take the time
to be in the moment...

right there, you can
even feel the Earth move.

Mmm.

I feel the sky

Tumbling down!

[chuckles]

Goddamn that felt good. Yeah.

Couldn't do that
in a Cabinet meeting.

POTUS could, but that was it.

So, is, uh,
that what brings you here?

Wouldn't be a certain
real estate SPAC

set to IPO soon?

Not that I'm involved,
officially.

No. I want you to think bigger.

"Bigger?" Really?

Join my bid.

We agree on one thing:
New York would be

a superb host
for the next Olympics.

Not only am I a believer,
I also happen to be

a highly capitalized partner
to buy land with,

to make inroads
with the city and state

to help win over the Commission.

The Commission? Hmm.

Only a man with Colin Drache
in his employ can achieve that.

-Do you have him?
-Met today.

Seeing him again tomorrow.
So what do you think?

That's a no. Too many words.

Why fight over possession
of the fumble

when we can both
be on the same team?

I'd love a Mike Prince-type
onboard as a partner,

but, just so you know,
I'm QB'ing this baby.

What are you going for, huh?

Rehab your public image
after that precipitous fall

from Treasury?

Reboot your
Manhattan bona fides?

Get on TV?

-Meet chicks?
-[laughs]

You tell me what it is,
and I'll help build the new you.

No, I don't think
you get it.

Once we IPO and close
on these properties--

and I can see I'm not gonna get
your piece

near Stuy Town,
but I don't need it--

I skip right through the permits
to build a new stadium.

Does your bid have one of those?
Didn't think so.

With it, I land the Games,

and then I can have whatever
I want in this town.

So if you want to be
a part of my bid,

then make me a real offer.

That starts with buying
a major block of shares

when they IPO tomorrow
and I announce.

Otherwise, you may end up having
to wait in line to get tickets

like the Commoners.

Can you imagine?

Usually this is the part
where the guy on the other side

of the desk flexes, huffs, puffs

and makes vague
but serious threats.

I don't go to war that way.

I just go to war.

You ready to get going?

Already going.

There's a guy we used
to work with

who can follow Colin around,

do a deep dive
into his data and history,

and find out exactly
what makes him tick.

Let's put a pin in black bag ops

that'll put us right out of
business and maybe into jail.

Unless and until
such time as.

Fine.

Shall we?

-You mean...?
-He said "together."

I'm aware.

Come to where I'm working.

When I'm not riding
shotgun with Prince,

it's where I'm set up.

What the hell is this?

You've never seen
a power map?

Naturally. Just...

wondering where the hell
you got this information.

Welcome to the
21st century, Wags.

I will be your guide.

We have Colin Drache's
business associates,

romantic partners,
places he frequents,

cologne of choice--

[Wags] Dior Sauvage!

So that was the stench hovering
around him like Pig-Pen.

We can't trust a man who wears
cologne before 10 a.m.

We have to. By using this,

we'll determine
his spheres of influence,

figure out what he wants,

and then we'll be able to
identify which way he's leaning.

I hate to give you even an ounce
of satisfaction, Scooter,

but this is pretty fucking cool.

Of course it's cool.
I made it.

But sadly, it's just a start.

Not surprised to see the bulk
of Colin's network's in Europe.

Yeah. Lot of likely cities
in Europe, though.

We do have these kids
who work here.

Very energetic,
sometimes annoying.

So PC, they make John Hodgeman
look like an iMac.

We should use them.

Hey, quantlings, special
assignment. Who wants in?

Here's a chance
to be useful for a change.

Your taunts
don't hurt me anymore.

I'm not sure millennials
are motivated by competition.

How 'bout this?
You both win a trophy.

We need you to do an internet
scrape of one Colin Drache.

You want us to hack someone?

-Black hat?
-That's kinda weird.

Not a hack.

Definitely not asking
you to hack anyone.

More like a perfectly legal
ex-girlfriend stalking job.

Oh, this is more
your wheelhouse.

[Wags] We need to see
who he's talking to.

He's our in to the Commission.

We need to know what other
cities he may be dancing with

and which way he's leaning.

I'll send you the details.

What do we get
if we help?

My foot not up your ass?

Honestly, that approach
doesn't work with my generation.

Oh, you're about to see
how well it--

What do you want?

To borrow his Bentley
for a weekend.

You got it.

I decided to kill
the pending land bank deals.

Turn 'em down. Open up
a new application process.

I'd like us
to issue a press release,

then we string Krakow up
for trying to make a land grab

for illicit purposes
before his SPAC even--

You screwed me
out of my Treasury gig,

now you're trying
to do it again!

What's the name of that

Randy Rogers Band song
I like so much?

-"Speak Of The Devil"?
-That's the one.

I'll go get started.

I just don't understand

why you'd side
with Mike Prince on this.

Mike Prince?

Uh, you think
I sided with him to--

Uh, the land bank
killed my transactions.

We had to.

Because like so many others
in the billionaire class,

you're using loopholes
to game the system.

Using private shell companies
to buy public lands?

Veiling disclosures about land
use for community redevelopment?

It may not be illegal,
but it's unethical.

So is your office
accepting graft,

-but that didn't stop you.
-From whom?

Oh, uh, I suppose
we're back to Mike Prince.

You know he just wants
the land for himself.

-How'd he get you on his side?
-He didn't.

But if he tries the same tactic,
he'll face the same scrutiny.

Whatever gig he's offering you
with the Commish,

I'll up it
if you restore my transactions.

-Commish. Right. Sure.
-The Olympic Commission.

Is he gonna give you
something with teeth,

-or something ceremonial?
-Oh.

You two are trying to steer
the Olympics to the City.

May seem weird now, but
Mitt Romney was a fucking god

when he brought them
to Salt Lake.

I could use some of
that social capital.

Turn it into actual capital.
Ka-ching.

Don't make
the cash register sound.

I would never.

So you get this land,
you lead the effort,

you become the chair of
the New York City Commission.

You win, and Prince suffers?

Humiliations galore.

Perhaps we can work this out.

Resubmit you applications,
cards up.

Transparency
will protect us both.

Being open and honest
has never worked for me,

but... I'll try anything.

And, matter of fact,
I will take something.

I'll steer infrastructure

so the people of this city
benefit from all the spending,

and so they don't just end up
with abandoned venues

like Rio's Olympic Park.

That place
is a fucking dustbowl.

You're a true steward
of the people, Chuck.

-Mm-hm.
-I appreciate the consideration.

We have a deal.

Good.

Ka-ching.

Let's, uh, hold a beat
on the press conference.

What's up?

Our friend Krakow will get
his shot at the land after all.

How?
And more importantly, why?

A different way,
with some different codicils--

That greed-driven Meisterburger
gets to bite off

a big part of the city that
we're supposed to safeguard?

To invite redevelopment
into those areas of the city,

don't we need developers?

Not ones who bypass
public approval

to do whatever
the hell they want.

This project doesn't advance
without my guiding hand.

It's for the greater good.

It may not feel
that way now, but it is.

It certainly
doesn't feel that way.

-It feels more like--
-Understood, Mrs. Sacker.

[door opens, closes]

Mr. Mateo.

Mr. Prince.

It turns out
my partnership overtures

weren't met
with open arms.

[no audible dialogue]

Was that about the
Dollar Bill and Mafee SPAC?

Did he assign you
to sanction it?

Like Nicholai Hel?

It's out of my hands.

That means you are
gonna sanction it.

Kill it. Them.

Shit.

Are you still okay
with Prince going after

our former compatriots?
Because he is.

I'm surprised Mafee
was so forthcoming with you

considering he hadn't
suggested any real estate

-speculation with me.
-You and Mafee talk, too?

Of course. We're friends.

We have a standing
weekly dinner.

So then you have
to agree we should save them.

If they are anti-fragile,
they will survive

and thrive no matter
what Prince does.

And if not, well,
I have to take the long view.

So harsh.

That's the way of the gun.

And you're okay with it.

The gun doesn't care
what I'm okay with.

The ruination of the
High Plains SPAC is coming,

and I feel terrible.

I can't focus through the guilt.

You want to be a martyr,
be my guest,

but you're not gonna
find any grenades

to throw yourself onto in here.

I'm the one who put them
in the crosshairs.

Inadvertently.

You woke half the team
in the middle of the night.

That's advertent.

Because we have a lot
riding on the Olympics.

Beyond that, though?

It's... my job.

I could say you're a PM
in a fund

20 times the size of theirs.

Mafee sloppily showed his hand,
you went all in against it.

In what world does
that make you the bad guy?

If you did,
I might feel better.

And if I agreed
you let down your moral code?

Worse.

And I'd probably sulk.

So then...

own the fact that
Mafee doesn't work here anymore.

Neither does Dollar Bill.

-Well, yeah, but--
-We're competitors now.

I know. But couldn't I at least
warn them what's coming?

Sure. But play that out.

You'd get fired,
and you'd never work again

because everyone would know
you fed our plays

to the competition
because you're you,

and the world's the world,
and that is what will happen.

Wish I hadn't
said anything now.

Can't put that shit
back in the goose.

You don't want
to feel bad again,

act differently. Beforehand.

In the meantime, you're
just gonna have to feel

two things at once
because

that's what life
demands of us.

Thanks, I guess.

I don't feel any better.

Seems to be my specialty
of late.

Tell me, Ben Kim,

do you wish you'd left with them
and stayed loyal to Axe?

Do you?

No.

But I, too, admire
what Mafee and DB did.

Know that.

Then do something.

[door opens, closes]

["Ramblin' Man" by
The Allman Brothers plays]

Lord, I was born
a ramblin' man

Tryin' to make a livin'
and doin' the best I can

And when it's time
for leavin'

I hope you'll understand

That I was born
a ramblin' man

My father was a gambler
down in Georgia

And he wound up
on the wrong end of a gun

And I was born
in the back seat

Of a Greyhound bus

Rollin' down highway 41

Lord, I was born
a ramblin' man

That's it.

That's enough.

Come on, ladies.

I think destiny
is calling us.

And when it's time
for leavin'

I hope you'll understand
that I was born...

Prince says we should add Krakow
to the list of Colin's suitors.

-Figures.
-Prince will knock him off.

We just have to focus
on whoever else.

-What's with the stuff?
-My office.

It's yours now.
You take it.

-I'm fine--
-Nope.

I'm not unaware
of the workflow.

You take it.
I'll decamp here.

You sure?

As it should be.

On your way.

[hums]

[Prince]
Welcome Mayor Johnson.

I get it. You need the room.

I see I'm not
the only new blood in town.

I hope to do in the hedge
fund space what you undoubtedly

will do in City Hall,
Ms. Mayor.

I'm coming home, boys!

[all clapping, cheering]

Mayor Johnson,
I'll keep this brief.

When I supported your campaign,

I promised to come to you
with big ideas.

You supported
my competitors as well.

But go on.

What would you say
to one of my competitors

concealing his efforts
to lure the Olympics here

without consulting you first?

Oh, that?

No new stadium, no bid.

Who is it?

Former
Treasury Sec Todd Krakow.

He hasn't announced yet,
but it's him.

Hmm.

Maybe he has the juice,
but I'm not convinced. For when?

The Games need
a new host city for 2028.

That is a tight turnaround.

And the stadium faced
a lot of opposition

last time this idea
was floated.

Because it's bad for Manhattan.
For congestion,

for affordable housing,
for the environment.

Okay. So you want to bring this
to the City Council to kill?

You could.

But I believe you stand
more to gain

by speaking out
against it yourself.

How's that?

-You're America's mayor.
-[laughs]

With your new profile,

you'd shine
a spotlight on my plan

to build a stadium
in Westchester.

You'd come out
looking like a hero

for putting community impact
ahead of a photo op

and the whims of a rich guy.

I'm not interested
in what it looks like,

and I'm not interested
in making the same mistakes

as the idiot I replaced.

The mistake the idiot
who came before you made

was not caring
what stuff looked like.

Which is why he left office
as a punchline.

Hmm.

-They aren't gonna budge.
-You know for sure?

[Wendy]
You know who invented steam?

John Fitch.

Steam power, anyway.

The state legislature
gave him a 14-year monopoly

to come up with
a commercial use for it.

But Fitch fucked it up,

lost the monopoly
because he couldn't do it.

Steam power
transformed the world,

but the man who invented it
died penniless.

Killed himself.

That's a sad story.

Should come with a
trigger warning for the ending.

The ending is the warning.

[chuckles]

You two are all in
on a steamboat,

but you're gonna
end up like Fitch.

You want to keep affording
these offices

and your business,
you need to listen.

Prince knows
all about the SPAC

and the Olympic play,

and he's lining up
to destroy whatever it is

-you're bringing out.
-Wait.

How the fuck does Prince know

about the Olympics piece?

Shit. It was Ben Kim.

How the fuck does
Ben Kim know?

I didn't tell him anything.

You know that this is the moment
when the detective

realizes you killed
the guy, right?

No one accused you
of anything yet, Mafee,

but you're proclaiming
your innocence,

which tells me
you're guilty as fuck.

What did you tell him?

I didn't tell him
the whole play.

Well, I guess
I gave him enough clues.

Prince knows.
That's all that matters now.

No. What matters to you
is Prince.

But I give no shits about
what matters to you, or him.

And we are not walking away from
a Mayweather-Pacquiao payday

so that Michael Prince
can take it.

[scoffs]
We're already in position.

Our incoming partner
has the land on lock.

Why not bring your boss in

to High Plains
and ride the wave with us?

Boys...

here's how this is gonna go.

When the IPO happens, you're
gonna feel like winners,

like you've finally made it.

But when Prince kills
the Olympic play,

the SPAC is gonna liquidate,
and you're gonna drown.

You need to abandon your plan.

Pull the filing
while you still can,

before you wreck your
reputations and lose your money.

Appreciate you coming
to us with this.

Do you?

First time here,
it's like you squatted

in the middle of the office

and took a big steaming
dump on the floor,

but we know when we're beat.

Speaking of dumps,
we've got some calls to make,

to some investors that are
gonna be plenty disappointed

we cancelled the offering.
We better get to it.

You two are terrible liars,

and you're pulling
from my playbook.

You're not going to heed
my warning, are you?

You wouldn't risk
your career like this.

So you're here at his behest.

And we don't do behest anymore.

What does he think he means,
they don't "do behest?"

It doesn't matter.

Dollar Bill and Mafee
are on a blind profit run,

and they're not going
to protect themselves.

Is there anything else
we can do?

Prince's plan is smart,
thoughtful,

and benefits a lot of people.

Especially people
at this company,

especially people at this desk.
So, no.

If I thought we could
save Dollar Bill and Mafee

from themselves long-term,
I'd do it.

I care for them,
Mafee especially.

But, like I told Ben,
they are who they are.

And, I guess, so are we.

It is my pleasure
to announce that

I will be spearheading
the High Plains Management

real estate SPAC
rolling out as we speak.

Consider it a Krak-SPAC,
if you will.

Once funded, the company
will purchase properties

along the East River
in Manhattan

earmarked for redevelopment,

bringing new life
to the community

by building
an all-weather stadium,

seating capacity for 85,000

and a retractable roof.

Zoning laws were created
for this very reason,

to protect tenant rights

and small business owners.

These are the people
who put me in office.

And I will not let
the Todd Krakows of the world

bulldoze their livelihoods

with plans to build
a nonessential

new stadium in Manhattan.

I won't fast-track it.

I won't even allow zoning for it

without it first
going through extensive

community, committee

and environmental reviews.

And I mean extensive.

I'm talking years.

Boom.

She dropped the payload.

Time to raid the villages.

Thank you. We'll get you those
architectural plans tout suite.

-Ciao.
-[woman] Great, thanks.

[cellphone vibrates]

[chuckles]

[cellphone vibrates]

Oh fuck!

Fuck!

That Krakow SPAC IPO?

You should know, it's not
as rosy as you thought.

The rezoning's
just the beginning.

Krakow is getting machinegunned
like Elias in Platoon.

-Thing's taking a dirt nap.
-MPC has cleared a lane

for a stadium deal of our own.

We've got green lights
all the way to breaking ground.

But I'm your transport
out of the 'Nam.

I'm glad to hear that.

You're smart to stay away
from Krakow.

Dude, you're not
going through your list.

I will.

Just give me sec.

[sighs]

We found out Colin's
a rabid footballer.

-How rabid?
-Keeper at his club rabid.

Three trips across
the globe to see matches

during the pandemic rabid.

So he likes football,
as do millions.

We looked deeper.

There's an opening.

The IPO busted before
it even opened for trading.

[Taylor]
I saw the Exchange halt it

shortly after
the mayor's statement.

No money raised.
Krakow can't back his bids.

And Dollar Bill and Mafee can't
collect any sponsorship fees.

Look, I didn't go
into this to do damage,

but from my vantage,

we're destabilizing a bad actor,

saving the Games from
the corruption and exclusion

that follow men like Krakow,
who only see a payday in this.

But the land,

that's still
worth something to me.

I thought we were
building in Westchester.

Crown jewel was always
the waterfront in Manhattan.

We're just gonna build there
the right way.

Oh, this is Spanish Prisoner.

We're not at the blowoff yet.

There's another act coming.

You'll see soon enough.

I hope you've had some time
to consider my original offer,

though I'd say you've waived
the chance to negotiate.

I somehow thought
you were different.

But your approach
reminds me a lot

of the man whose
office you took.

It's possible you
bring out a similar reaction

in wildly disparate individuals.

I'll think it over
when I drink your blood

after decapitating you.

Accepting loss is hard
for those who lack humility.

But here's a reality check.

You have deals
with the City on land,

but your SPAC is liquidated

and you don't have
the capital to close.

My investors dumped me
like Winthorpe

and Billy Ray Valentine
in the orange juice pit.

That's the problem
with other people's money.

They can take it away from you.

So, you'll either
go into your pocket--

For a billion dollars
of New York fucking real estate

that you got the mayor
to oppose zoning changes on?!

Don't think so.

I like being rich.

Not gonna end up like Trump.

Or you'll...

Partner with you.

Fine.

Forget drinking your blood,
I'll stand with you instead.

I'll assign the deeds to you,

you and your investors pay.

And I'll be starting QB.

That's fine. It's fine.

Just know we'll be spitting
in Chuck Rhoades's eye.

Hey, don't worry.

I'll handle him.

I can't fucking believe it.
Here you are.

I thought, "There's no way
Taylor would think our dinner's

still on after their firm
destroyed my goddamn company."

But here you are.

It's unfortunate
the way the IPO went,

that the SPAC is zeroed out.

I understand you were warned
not to launch it.

One is business,
the other personal.

-I don't see the linkage.
-You thought you could just

sit across from me,
enjoying those

bok choy pot stickers,
while my life is falling apart,

because of you
and the company you help run?

I knew you were
a fucking cyborg.

And I thought about
letting you sit there

and put the pieces
together on your own.

But I had to see for myself
just how devoid

of all human
understanding you are.

I...

Spain's coming hard.

They somehow convinced
Real Madrid's manager

to give Drache soccer lessons,

all to win him over
to the Madrid effort.

Meaning they figured
out what matters to him.

Wasn't hard.
Guy raises millions for ALS.

So we back up the Brinks truck,

help cure a disease,

and the guy becomes a hero.

And Colin never walks
onto Madrid's pitch.

I'm have a sudden craving
for croquetas.

Want to put in an order?

Sure. Pull up a menu.

Alexa, play my faves playlist.

[Alexa] Playlist faves
on Amazon music.

["Cat's in the Cradle"
by Harry Chapin plays]

You put this
song on your playlist?

Don't tell me you have
a problem with Harry Chapin.

No, I just didn't realize
you had any taste.

Oh...

Thanks.

I think.

While I was away

And he was talking 'fore
I knew it, and as he grew...

This song.

It used to hit me
as the son.

Now it hits me as the father.

And the cat's
in the cradle...

You?

Yeah.

Both.

But we'll
get together then

You know we'll
have a good time then

-[clears throat]
-[sobs]

I said I was fine
with what we did,

but maybe I didn't
see it through.

The associated loss,
in human terms.

I didn't see all
the possible outcomes.

After Mafee left the firm,

I always thought of us
as Bird and Magic.

Kill each other on the court,

but best friends
in the off-season.

We were never
trained to be worried

about unintended consequences.

The win was all that mattered,

and our success only
reinforced that idea.

I say "we were trained,"
but in truth,

I did most of that training,

which is why I guess my attempt
to undo it was clumsy.

The blame isn't just,
or even mostly, on you.

I keep getting sucked
back into the short game,

and I promised myself
I wouldn't do that anymore.

To be fair, your short game
is everyone else's long game.

That only makes it
more disappointing.

So then what actions are you...

are we going to take
to rectify it?

-Here we are again.
-The game has changed.

We need to put the stadium
in Manhattan after all.

-Built at no cost to the city.
-What about the congestion?

Affordable housing?
Impact on the environment?

None of that will be a problem

the way he's going to do it.

Sustainable. Repurposable.
Cutting edge.

And how am I not gonna look
like a flip-flopper?

You're gonna look like
a brilliant negotiator.

You have leveraged
the real estate community

to band together
to build low-income housing

unlike the City
has seen before.

-State-of-the-art.
-Because first it's gonna be...

Yes. Athletes' quarters.

Built at the lowest possible
cost to the city,

by one of our great builders.

You mean if you win,
Chuck Rhoades suffers?

Humiliations galore.

Bud Lazzara's on board?

Not only that, we have the site
and surrounding property,

and a healthy war chest
to close on it with.

Most importantly,
you have my word and a witness.

Then let the Games begin.

[door opens]

Might want to watch your step.

There's blood
all over the floor.

Guess it wasn't good enough
you killed our IPO.

You just had to do a stiff
fucking pile driver

without protecting our necks.

Oh, no, I've got you
tucked safely between my thighs.

Kayfabe all the way.

-I've spoken to Prince.
-And what?

He wants to offer us
our old jobs back?

I'm not walking backwards.

Neither is Mafee.

Well, I'd consider it,

but no.

We know the SPAC was going
to be your opportunity.

Prince asked Spartan-Ives
to fund you instead.

Spartan will write the check,
as a make-good to Prince.

Meaning?

They saved our asses.

At what price?
We got to show fealty?

Pledge our
firstborn sons? What?

How about you take this as an
object lesson, free of charge.

You're not giant-killers.

Don't go swinging your swords

into a battles
you've already lost.

I lobbied for this too,
to square things with us.

Suddenly had a conscience
program installed?

-Did you go to Wendy for that?
-I did seek her counsel,

to remind me
what I value most.

So, what, Taylor?

A friendship where
I'm watching every word I say

for fear you're going to
gouge me in the eye later?

I won't offer you any
empty platitudes, Mafee.

But I would like a chance
to talk this through,

repair our trust.

Are we back on
for our regular dinners?

We are.

Did you hear that, Ben Kim?

My god, that was brutal.

But thank you.

Thank you!

Oh, thank Christ.

We didn't blow up!

Mortimer, we're back!

[exhales]

[grunts]

So, this happened.

And Mayor Tess is about to give
another press conference

reversing field.

Prince got to Krakow?

And the mayor.

Prince got Krakow's stadium?!

The way I see it,
you dangled our land

to get a preferred outcome,

and now, instead of a good
initiative against one bad pony,

we've lost it to a pair of 'em.

No, wait.

Wait. In a way,
this actually helps us.

I'm not seeing it.

This proves my point,
doesn't it?

Billionaires plot in secret

to take everything
for themselves.

And the laws protect
their rights to do so.

Prince may have the land,

but he doesn't have the people
that live on it.

Is he going to start
buying people now?

Bet he would if he could.

-We can't let him.
-Uh-oh.

Are we about to see
the return of Farmer Chuck?

What'd Bruce say?

"Wherever there's a fight

against the blood
and hatred in the air,

look for me, Mom,
I'll be there."

I promise
I will think of something

to make it clear
that we are the stewards

of the best interests
of the people of New York,

and not Prince or Krakow.

How?

I need to take a little walk.

That's how.

You ready for
the Colin meeting?

Yep. Your office?

Our office.

I saw what you were doing
with the selfless

"donate the office" play.
Very elevated.

Bonding up with the guys.

Reifying your status
as their sergeant on the ground.

Can't let you get away with it.

-No?
-Uh-uh.

[Wags] So you actually wanna...?

That's right. We share.

Seems our good friend
Mr. Drache is back.

Colin, please, as we'll be
all working together.

So, Todd Krakow no longer
has need of your services?

Alas, no. Nor Spain.

They seem to be the type that
reneges on their prior promises.

While you seem
like the soccer type.

We're pretty tight
with David Beckham.

Maybe there'll be
an opportunity for him

to be on the pitch with you

when he comes to town
for the Games.

Don't worry,
you're home now.

I certainly see that.

I'll let you fellas
get started.

I have a press
conference to attend.

There's no better time
to welcome the world

back to New York City.

I want to introduce
the man with the vision

and personal investment
as our partner,

the chairman of
the NYC 2028 Olympic Commission,

Michael Prince.

[applause]

-Thank you, Mayor Johnson.
-[car horn beeps]

We both share
the same vision

of what a Summer Games
in New York should look like...

[car horns honk]

...an event for everyone.

A chance to showcase and rebuild

in all five boroughs.

But I don't think
the taxpayer...

-[horns continue honking]
-...should shoulder the burden

of the costs.

[multiple horns honking]

My approach incentivizes...

[man yelling]

...the private sector
to join me...

[man] Get out
of the fuckin' street!

Move the fuckin' car, bro!

Get out of the way!

[horns honking]

All right, back it up.

[truck beeping]

Oh, I think
we've got their attention.

[laughs]

So they want to revitalize
the City?

These plutocrats?

Have they thought about
the unintended consequences

to the average citizen?

Do they think about
the average citizen at all?

I am not in this
for the goddamned Bronx Cheer.

Nobody told me about
the "fuck you" parade.

This is the traffic
for a press conference.

What will New York look like
when the traffic quintuples?

[crowd murmurs]

A cabal of billionaires
remaking the city.

What the hell do they know
about the real New York?

How many people
will be displaced

so they can build
an Olympic stadium?

Yeah.

Have they at all considered
what real New Yorkers

want for our city?

Maybe we should remind them
who we are.

Yeah?

What do we do
when the carpetbaggers

and the land barons try
to shove us out of the way?

-We shove back!
-[woman] Yeah!

-We shove back!
-[voices] Yeah!

That's right.

And together, the people,

and those who
represent the people,

we will take back our city!

Take back our city!

-Take back our city!
-Take back our city!

[all chanting]

Take back our city!

-Take back our city!
-Take back our city!

Take back our city!

-Take back our city!
-Take back our city!

Take back our city!

The time is right
for fighting

In the street, boy

But what can a poor boy do

Except to sing for
A rock 'n' roll band

'Cause in sleepy
London town

There's just no place for

A street fighting man

No

Hey!

Think the time is right for