All language subtitles for Billions.S06E10.1080p.WEB.h264-GOSSIP-NHI.srt

Previously on Billions.

The 2028 Games

can no longer be
held in New York City.

He had to remind
me that he took from me.

Now it's time to take back.

He'll come
charging right at you.

We need to wave
something to get his attention.

That park is the perfect target.

He's coming after all
the Vandeveld Park keyholders.

Someone needs to advocate

for the people who
actually pay taxes,

and on this one, that's me.

I need you to write a letter
to the New York Senate

requesting a special
session to vote on his removal.

State
Attorney General Rhoades

has used his seat of power
to wage personal vendettas.

- Aye.
- Aye.

- Aye.
- Charles Rhoades Jr is hereby

removed as attorney general
of the state of New York.

I am not actually shot
dead in my trench.

Close your eyes,
Chuck. It's over and done.

And with heavy hearts,

we raise our glasses to a man

who led this
office so intrepidly.

Chuck, I'm just sorry
this couldn't be a proper

beefsteak sendoff, but--

Oh, I'm off red meat anyway.

Well, as long as you never
lose those carnivorous instincts,

we, the people, still need them.

Well, I'm not sure what
good they'll do me now, but...

You, Chuck Rhoades,

reminded us how to take
on great foes and forces

without fear or
concern for oneself,

and you leave us fortified to
continue on in that same spirit.

Hear, hear.

We'll miss you, Chuck.

Now I'll have to actually
do my own case work.

Well, I'll miss the
mission, and all of you.

The whole place.

Even the Barney
Miller coffee.

- Thank you very much.

Thank you, guys.

You okay?

-   Of course, why?
- Just a feeling.

Maybe it's the calling
that's a problem.

I want to see too. What
are you doing this week--

- er, this weekend.
- Uh...

You can.

- Just got to Telemark.

By Saturday, I'll
be on a portaledge.

We're trying to
beat Papert's record.

- This is your second attempt?
- Third.

You want to come with?

Be a good-luck charm?

I'm seeking the exact
opposite of an icy ledge

and suspension ropes.

Tempting.

But I'm solid with my plans.

So we're here again.

We're not anywhere.
You're not being punished.

If the snow hits early,

I can have you helicoptered
from Yukon to Oslo.

I'm a call away.

Am I going to see
you with a microphone

taped to your lapel,

sitting next to Anderson
Cooper in the Toobin seat?

Ooh, it has to be
bad luck to call it that.

And, no, I don't think
that's where I'm headed.

Public service of another
sort. A different elected office.

Or a podcast, maybe.

Building an audience
seems to be the best moat

anyone can
manufacture these days.

- And since you were sidelined--
- I'm on the sidelines.

But the verb form, it
fails to accurately capture

the force with which I
was ripped from this office.

This is no coach's
DNP. This is a putsch.

And despite what
I said to the room,

in the spirit of bonhomie,
you have to know that I--

we are still very much
engaged in this fight for the soul--

Well, no, I am engaged.

No doubt, it's my job to be.

And as you did,

I have to move the
office forward in my way.

And I handpicked you for this.

I saw a rough diamond
with jeweler's eyes.

You said it was
with a tailor's eye.

I did indeed, yes. Point stands.

Change is hard.

No one expects you
to be happy with this.

Or content.

But enjoy the valedictory.

This is a celebration of you.

Yeah.

Like a wake.

I don't mind you Coming here

And wasting all my time

'Cause when you're
standing Oh so near

I kind of lose my mind

It's not the perfume
That you wear

It's not the
ribbons In your hair

- Get in, Rhoades.
- When you rendition someone,

it's better to cuff and rope
them before the talking starts.

Otherwise, they
may take off running.

Oh, you try running
in those wingtips,

you'll fall on your ass
like Buster Keaton.

At which point we can get
to the binding and so forth.

Thanks for the
offer, guys, but, uh--

Chuck, we have your things.

A plan has been made.

We're taking you
to Rundas Lodge.

Fresh air. Delicious vittles.

And vigorous bodywork.

I was going to stroll
across the bridge.

Take a contemplative
constitutional

through a crumbling city.

Feels more appropriate
than lounging in some spa.

No, you can take
your constitutionals

when you're in the nursing home.

- Get in the damn car.
- Don't make us drug you.

You look so fancy I can tell

And I don't mind you Hanging out

And talking in your sleep

I guess you're
just What I needed

Just what I needed

I needed someone to feed

I guess you're
just What I needed

Just what I needed

I needed someone to bleed

Now, all phones
in the GoDark bag.

Signal blocking,

off the grid for the duration.

Not happening.

Oh, I'm working the
shit out of this puppy

to find the next perch from
which to exact my revenge.

All that will be there after.

I encourage you to do the
reset. It's why we're here.

No, I'll reset the fuck out
of myself phone in hand.

Well, if one guy has
his phone, that ruins it.

Fine.

And you're reimbursing
me for the GoDark bag, son.

Hmm.

Rhoades has
been felled, but not finished.

I would like to
talk about next--

I don't. Don't want
to talk about that.

You want to talk
about the spoils.

The theory is,

you must reward
yourself after a victory.

It strengthens the subconscious

to lay it all on the
line in the next battle.

Without it, an autonomic
weakness sets in

for which even iron
discipline cannot compensate.

Understood, on a visceral level.

Even without all
the science-y words.

Hell, I don't even
wait for a win.

- That's just debauchery.

I spoke with
Andy. She's not free.

But what Scooter was describing

I think is even more important
for the troops than the general.

- They'll be fine.
-  No, no, no.

They need to eat the
dragon's heart, to taste it.

Really? This group?

Especially this group.
There's no other way.

Is that some sort of code
for a hard reboot, or a...?

Call an
all-hands meeting.

Night after tomorrow
at the house.

Pull!

Crap.

They break when they
land, if it's any comfort.

Being a wiseass is unbecoming
for a member of the bench.

And this choke is faulty.

Sure it is.

Pull.

- Wasn't ready.

Only a fool says
"pull" if he isn't ready.

Too much pulling in
your room last night.

Watch and learn, boys.

Pull.

I think I nicked the second one.

- Oh, bullshit.
-  Clean misses.

Pull!

Whoa!

A double! You're in the zone!

I just picture Prince's
face on the clay,

and the pellets seem to find it.

Obsession focuses a man.

I am obsessed with helping
you rebrand and refocus, Chuck.

We think you need a position,
a power base to operate from.

We don't want to see you
spiral out going after revenge.

Chief Counsel
at a defense contractor.

Now, that is the kind of money

that wipes the stain
of any failure away.

You can strategize about
Prince along with me,

or we can shoot in silence.

Because the idea that
some fresh air and mud baths

could change who I am or
what I stand for is laughable.

Chuck, we don't want
you to change entirely.

But some growth, some effort--

No, uninterested.

Try, for just a moment,

being the kind of
man who might sit

on the highest
court in the land.

A listener, a considerer
of all possibilities.

Consultants, lobbyists.

These people wield more
power than you ever had.

- We have a list.
-  He can't.

Like a leopard can't
change its spots.

And that's not just
a cliché. It's true.

You shave the coat,

the spots are still there,
right down to his fucking hide.

I'm heading back
to make some calls.

Well, you're going
to look desperate.

No. Activated.
Motivated. Not desperate.

It's different.
They'll see that.

And maybe try throwing
your guns at the clays,

you might actually
hit something.

Ehh.

Our custom is to
pick up, say hello.

I am tired of explaining

Olympic sponsors' down
payments are non-refundable.

You took a shot and missed.

Go copulate with yourself,
you cheap-ass fuck.

I hope that wasn't your pastor.

Now, I have come
here to actually help you.

Is this a setup?
Like with a boy?

Because I don't think you
and I have the same taste.

Setting you up to win
that congressional seat.

Call this number.

He is the best at
digging up shit on people,

far better than the
other side'll have.

You need to see what
he unearths on you.

On me?

I thought the idea was to
find shit on the other side.

First things first:
Know thyself.

I appreciate it. I do.

Um, but my closet's bare.

Not a skeleton to be found.

Please.

Anyone with a five-figure 401

has hidden shit
they've forgotten about,

or never even knew about.

Once you're in the race, it
won't stay hidden for long.

You can get ahead of yours,

or wait till the other
side splatters you with it.

Your call.

Pretty sure my call
is not making this call.

Then yours won't be
much of a race at all.

How great's your book
doing since you got it back?

I'm not ashamed of it.

Yeah, you feel
good about it, don't you?

You know, some
religions think that the egg

is the symbol of the soul.

- Did you know that?
- Rian] Does this make sense?

"DAOs are Internet-native
organizations collectively run

and owned by their members."

Or should I add: "an
exclusive pipeline into crypto"?

Do you know where I can get
High John the Conqueror root

in New York? I want to try it

and see if it--

Whoops. Someone's down
the Angel Heart rabbit hole.

I am, way down,
and it is truly fucking

with my sleep-wake homeostasis.

When you watch it end to
end, over and over again,

it actually gets less clear.

It starts to slither
through your mind

like a cinematic
human centipede.

You could, and I'm
not just saying this

because Mickey Rourke
is, well, Mickey Rourke.

Just stop watching.

Yeah, but I have
to prove my theory

that everyone is a Harry
Angel or a Johnny Favorite.

Ugh, some of us are Lisa
Bonet trying to make the world

forget Denise Huxtable existed.

Philip seems to be creating

a real "leader of
men" vibe on the floor.

Why I'm staying in here.

I have something for you,
if you have the bandwidth.

Heads up.

We're closed tomorrow.
Whole operation.

That's really more a me decision

than a directive
from up on high.

There's an all-hands
tomorrow night at Prince's.

So, no, it's not.

Office is to remain
empty tomorrow

while everyone
gathers their thoughts.

And the subject
of this all-hands is?

Known upon arrival.

All other questions,

please submit to "Oh,
right, we don't give a shit."

We'll see you there.

Okay, then.

What was all that?

They've been living
on borrowed time

in another man's memories.

It's just so much better
when we parallel play.

I appealed to them
and I implored them,

but the answer is no.

No service until the
party is fully seated.

I did get drinks.

Parochial fucking posture.

We have Chuck
declared legally dead,

and in ten minutes,

we are sawing
into bison rib eyes.

Agreed?

I'll get him.

I understand.

- Again, I understand.

But I'd like to meet in person

to tell you what I
plan to do about it.

Mm-hmm.

And I await word
from your office.

- Jesus Christ.
- We're eating.

Well, we're not eating.

We're waiting for you
so that we can eat.

Ira, what I have an appetite
for won't arrive on a plate.

I know, buddy,

but sitting up here
seething's no good for you.

You've been dinged.
You have no momentum.

No one's going to
touch you right now.

I'm aware, but the last
time I felt like myself

was on the floor
of that chamber.

Win or lose, it's
where I belong.

So why can't you act
like my Chuck Bodak

and close my cut so I
can answer the next bell?

Sometimes a good
cornerman throws in the towel

when his fighter is too
game but overmatched.

Oh, don't you dare.

Look.

They won't serve the
table until we're all seated,

and I don't look forward
to any of our crew

in a hypoglycemic state.

Five minutes, and
you get your food,

and then I'm back to the phones.

I want
to tell you something.

This gristle is as good as
anything I've ever ingested.

Sorry, Chuck, I
snagged your seat.

I didn't know
you'd be joining us.

A surprise to us all.

Oh, I doubt that.

Sure, there might have been
some rhyme to my reason.

Oh, yeah, your
father called me in

to offer you my array
of special therapies.

NADs to lengthen your telomeres.

And that's the fountain
of youth, my man.

Or if that's too exotic for
you, how about some PRT--

"platelet replacement therapy"?

I'll just give you a
shot in the scalp,

you'll be looking like Oscar
Gamble in three months.

Or blast you in the cock,
now you're Jeff Stryker.

I can remake you into
whatever man or woman

that you want to be, cookie.

I'm in need of
neither detoxification,

nor concierge medical cocktails.

Mm. I'll be the judge,

jury, and executioner
on that one.

And I've already
rendered my verdict.

- Look at that pallor.
- Oh.

We're just going to fire
up your frank and beans.

You're going to be like mnh-mnh!

Why don't you
listen to the Doc, son.

We all could use a
little modern-day Geritol.

- Especially you.
- Nope. No time.

I have to get back to the room.

I'm glad you've got your repast.

Just, uh, have
them send mine up.

I see, now, why--
why are you in--

in such a hurry to
get back to your room?

You got yourself a
wonderful lady up there?

Huh? If so, the Doc
has a special, uh--

Calls, Dad. Making calls.

I told him to give it a
rest. He doesn't listen.

Can adults be colicky?

No. Wait, what do
you think that means?

Wait, cranky, out of sorts,
like you are right now.

I'm not colicky.

Out of sorts, I'll allow, sure.

And a little cranky. Fuck.

Give me a Binky and a
blankie and a bottle, please.

Bartender, can I
get a boilermaker?

Only instead of beer,

can you throw baby
formula in that tumbler?

You always cheer me up, Mafee.

So glad you could switch
our weekly to tonight.

Tomorrow, I have
to go to an all-hands

at Michael Prince's house.

That sounds...
maybe threatening?

I don't know.

Is he going to fire
the entire place?

Not sure.

Maybe I'd be better off.
Remove the engine limiter.

Because as is, he neutralizes
certain of my moves,

for reasons only he's privy to.

I'd offer you a
spot at High Plains,

- but we can't afford to pay you.
- Oh, no?

What about your million
in crypto from Axe?

You must have
arbed it ten, fifteen X.

- Where's it at?
- Don't know.

Don't know how much?

I don't think about it.

What the fuck does that mean?

You didn't think about how
much you could have made

with a million bucks of free
electric lightning on a drive?

I didn't.

Mafee, you could have
turned that 15 times, 20.

- Okay.
- Okay?

It is very much not okay.

It is with me, and
it's my money.

So I left it alone.

If I had gotten in the
game with gifted coin,

with something that
just landed in my lap,

I would have started
obsessing, you know me.

I would have tried to figure
out every single possible move

until no other
move was possible,

and then figure it out more.

It would have owned me,
instead of me owning it.

And I don't want to
be owned like that.

I don't understand how
that can make you happy.

Look, I know the theory.

It's immoral to let a
sucker keep his money.

And the market is the sucker.

But the whole snorting
Cymbalta and grinding,

it just wasn't making me happy.

Is it making you happy?

Wags said you'd let yourself in.

I have your self-research.

Some campaign advice too.

What's that?

Don't run.

Your life, your family's
lives will be upended,

twisted beyond recognition.

Win or lose, you'll
never get it back.

I have to run.

Good.

Only kind of person who should.

Why two?

This is the one anyone can get.

This is the one only I can.

So, you're the
one, aren't you...

that helped Axelrod
beat us every single time?

All that matters is,

I'm on your side now.

It's a good thing you're
in the private sector.

At least I know I'm
not getting rousted.

I should roust your
paternalistic self anyway.

Little intense, Kate.

Notch it back a
notch and a half or so.

Maybe if you'd let
me fail once or twice,

I wouldn't have
to bring it like this,

but this wasn't
your way, was it?

Why fail when you don't have to?

Well, this is about a
time where I should have,

in boarding school.

- You were a superstar there.
- I was.

And as I'm sure you
remember, I ended up engaging

in a bit of civil disobedience

which ended up in the
storming of the admin building.

What I remember is
that it was peaceful

until you hurled a paperweight
through a pane glass window

and the whole place went
up Do the Right Thing -style.

Nothing burned. Nobody died.

And I was never
embarrassed about my part in it.

I knew there would
be consequences,

and I was willing to face them.

Well, one must be willing when
one performs civil disobedience.

The risk is what
makes it hard to do.

And you did pay the price.

You were suspended
for, what, two weeks?

Yes. Yes, I was.

And that was it.

Which was strange,
because some of the other kids

had notes put in their files,

and their colleges bounced
their acceptances because of it.

Not me, though.

Which I thought was
because of the ways

that I contributed at school--

student government, sports
and theater and all of it.

That is why.

You paid the headmaster's
mortgage off, in cash,

so she wouldn't
send a note to college,

and they wouldn't
rescind my admission.

And I'd do it again.

You were right to protest.

And you earned
your way into school.

The end.

Folks with a much longer
tenure at the seat of power

and influence have been
doing this stuff for generations,

to people like us.

Why wouldn't we safeguard

our own forward progress?

Yours?

This isn't about me, Kate,

or what I did.

You don't care
about any of that.

You're distracting yourself,

worrying about the externals,

about all the things
outside of yourself

that are impacting your life.

Grow the hell up and realize

the only thing you
can control is you.

And next time you surprise me,

bring a cake and some candles

and get ready to sing
me a goddamn song.

I see we're both of the
Jimmy Conway school.

Early to the meet.

Yeah, well, me more
than you, it seems.

How goes it?

There's a psychological term

for thinking that once you
see someone do something,

you can repeat
the action, unaided.

Dunning-Kruger, sure.

Spyros is a walking
example of it.

- Except for coffee.
- Yeah. Inflated self-assessment.

That's him, except
with the beans.

Wild, though.

Seems the less you
know how to do something,

the more you're willing to
believe you can accomplish it.

The flip side is that optimists
live longer than pessimists,

and aren't as easily
dissuaded from learning things.

At the early stages
of learning, yeah.

But when things get hard,

that's when pessimists put
shoulder into sled and push,

because to them,

everything is difficult.

So exertion is the
only reasonable choice.

Like most things, what you
want is to be able to control

your emotional range enough to
trigger whichever is more useful

in the micro-moment.

Do you do this consciously?
Did you build this consciously?

Oh, this is fun. Is this
what we're doing here?

Well, we're here to
investigate, that's for sure.

Yeah, it's fun as fuck.

Maybe almost as fun as the
state senate session was for you.

The Albany Massacre.

So that's why you summoned me,

to upbraid me for
taking out Chuck.

No, not at all.

But I am fascinated by the
choices you made to do it,

how you did it, why you did,
why you did it the way you did.

And I will need answers.

But not for the
reasons you think.

Why, then?

You asked me a while back
to do the real thing with you,

to sharpen your blade.

And maybe your moves
got me to the place

where I'm ready to do that.

What's the source of the
maybe? Why isn't it a firm--?

Because you haven't
answered my questions yet.

- You haven't asked them.
- Oh, well...

as Pitbull said,

"Get ready, 'cause here I come."

The immersion chamber
is my journey into isolation

and emotional resets.

- Hmm.
- A series of colored lights

and soft but urgent
sounds will surround you.

You don't close your eyes,

you simply watch and let
the experience flow over you.

- Chuck.
- Hmm.

I feel like a 12-year-old again,

but before my pet dog died.

We should put this
in everyone's house.

I think we'd end all
strife, wars, and conflict.

That's what everybody says

the first time they do
magic mushrooms too,

but somehow the wars and
strife just seem to keep on going.

Perhaps you'll solve
that problem today.

We find this process
refreshes and renews the mind.

It's very Altered States.

So, uh, a naked Blair Brown

will come save me from
my homunculus self?

Was that the first Chayefsky
reference around here?

How can that be?

All right, you know what?

Let's just get in.

There's a red panic button,

but you won't panic.

- You'll be safe the whole time.
- Uh-huh.

And I'll be
monitoring your progress.

You're not alone, but
you're completely isolated.

It's comforting.

Just try and stay present.
See you on the other side.

This isn't an intake.

This isn't about meds.
It isn't patient/client.

This a performance
coaching session.

That work for you,
if that's my focus?

It all works for
me... in your hands.

That something you're used to?

Putting yourself in
someone else's hands?

Depends on the grip.
But, yes, I can delegate.

I can relinquish control. I
can free myself of the yoke.

I can trust.

Then why didn't
you relinquish control

of the state senate session?

Trust that it would get
done without your presence.

Define "it."

It wasn't enough for
you to take down Chuck.

You needed to be
there to watch it.

Is that for vengeance?

Certainty? Credit? Voyeurism?

Ah, so this is a reaction
to what I did to your ex?

Are you--?

You did what had to be done,

with an efficacy that
made me curious enough

to want to engage with you here.

That, plus the all-hands,

tells me you are evolving

into the next version
of who you are.

The question is
why, to all of it.

I needed to be there to
make sure it happened.

Yeah, sure, you needed
to be behind the scenes.

But instead, you
let yourself be seen.

Photographed, even.

No one knew how powerful

Robert Moses was
till he was long gone.

That was from a time when
behind-the-scenes power

meant more than power displayed.

That's all changed now.

Credit must be logged.

Yeah. Yes.

The show of personal force
recalibrates expectations.

Not only in the public
sphere, but here as well.

My power in this place
was never in dispute.

It's more than that.

It's the one-two punch:
Albany, now the all-hands.

Yeah, sets them
up for a knockout.

- Who?
- Everyone.

Well, it sure got
everyone here rattled.

I just heard Prince is behind
Chuck Rhoades going down.

If he could do that to
Rhoades, none of us is safe.

You shouldn't believe
rumors like that.

Right. He's not the
kind of man who would--

How would he even...?

Fuck, you're right.

All-hands or a coronation?

Either way, executions
are a-coming.

He wasn't just there. Prince
did him, is what I heard.

How would Prince
have "done him"?

It's state senate vote

parliamentary procedure.

Sure. And Dr. Fowler
was a suicide.

Anyway, we can meet at
my apartment at the open

to organize ourselves
against whatever grilling

he's going to give us.

- We were gonna watch a movie.
- Angel Heart.

You, too, Rian?

I didn't mean to get
sucked into his insanity,

but then I started watching,

and it's so weird
and nihilistic,

and I think maybe perfect.

We've just about figured
out what the fans mean.

They seem to start spinning
at the strangest times.

But, yes, tomorrow.
We'll be there.

Obviously. We're working.

You're not a man who
does things by accident

or who relies on fate,

so you knew the effect
your actions would have.

Want to tell me what you were
hoping the employees would feel?

I was thinking about Chuck.

I was thinking about my
broader outside agenda, about...

Motherfucker!

Whoa!

Yeah.

It's an old carny trick
picked up by behavioralists.

Breaks the pattern.

Now say the words that
you've said to yourself

but don't want to say out loud

for fear they will mark
you an egoist or a fool.

Good. This is good.
This is all good.

Stop trying to prolong it so
you can think of what to say

and say the words.

The Prince Cappers,
most of them still at heart,

are holding back.

They know I'm formidable--

They don't truly fear you.

And they're aware of
how good I am, but--

- But you need their respect.
- Most of all, I need them to--

Ah. Oh.

Love.

You want to be loved.

It's easy for a man like
you to get one of those.

I need all three.

I don't like to admit
that, but it's true.

It's what I demand.

Hey, fucking
Richie. Fucking Richie.

Hey, fucking Richie.
What do you mean, who?

It's Ron.

Yes, Ron! Ron fucking Chestnut!

The big fucking R, kid.

- Damn it.

What did you think, it was your
ex-wife's fucking divorce lawyer

honking at you?

What?

Honk! Honk! Honk!

Pay up, douchebag...

Huh?

Oh. Hold on.

Yeah, I--I--I see
your little sign, dear.

Sir, for the experience
to be its most efficacious,

silence is absolutely needed.

Oh, well, I am almost
done with my call.

And it's almost my
turn to get all efficacious

up in there anyway, so...

- Hey, buddy, you done?
-  He has 12 minutes left.

No, I think I can
afford to give it up.

You need it more than I do.

Call you back. Funny guy, huh?

Yeah. Thanks all the same.

Ahem, so, uh, what do I do now?

I strip? A little
tighty-whitie action?

No, sir, fully clothed.

Ew. Boo.

Color me disappointed.

-  You okay?
- All right, hit it.

Whew!

Oh, it's like a
fucking kaleidoscope!

It's a very cool
sensory experience.

Is this all it does?

Very, and maybe
it'll work on him?

I just hope he doesn't break it.

Look at this.
Let me take a video.

Hey, this is me!

This is me inside
the peyote machine!

I can see how
losing the Olympics

would put you in a, uh,

vengeance and
consolidation of power mode.

- That tracks.
- I agree.

Yeah, especially with the
bribery and dirty dealings

required to have gotten
the Games in the first place.

That's the first time
you've stepped out of line.

- Back it up.
- If I back it up,

it's out the door.
Gone, baby, gone.

I don't work with people
who hold back from me.

You wrangled.

Manipulated. Pressured.
Extorted. Paid folks off.

And I'm okay with that. I'm
fine with someone like you

doing that which is required.

That's not the problem.

- But there is a problem.
- Yeah.

- What's that?
- You're a fucking liar.

Worse, the person you tell
the biggest lies to is yourself.

You spend so much time
twisting yourself up into knots

trying to make yourself
believe that your aim is true

and noble and good.

You almost make
yourself believe it.

You wanted a burning bush
to tell you that what you did

to get this hedge fund
was good and right.

All you have is your
own conscience burning.

Please. The guy who
was here before me--

- No.
- Yes.

We're gonna talk about this.

He wasn't similarly called?

You don't think the voice of
power whispered to him and said,

"Do it all, have it all"?

You want to know?

Axe wanted freedom,
total and complete.

And the other guy,
Chuck, he wants--

he needs a righteous war,

and you gave them both
exactly what they asked for.

No, I didn't give
Axe his freedom.

I paid for it.

And you want to know why
Axe is satisfied with freedom?

Why Chuck is
priapic for warfare?

Why conquest and
victory is enough for them?

Because they are lesser Caesars.

You want to be a greater Caesar?

What are you going to
do with all that power?

Pax Romana.

I'm going to manifest it.

And you're going to help me.

The name plates
are already changed.

You work faster on this shit

than Patton updating
the stars on his jeep.

But I was too slow to get you
on the "no fly" list at security.

I'm guessing...

you're here to
establish a détente.

A détente would presume
that we're still at war.

Skirmish is over,
so let's just, uh...

how would you say it?

Keep the lines of dialogue open.

And when I dialogue with
you, what are we talking about?

It's ironic, me here...

you there.

That was supposed
to be my chair.

If I had have stayed,
I'd be sitting there.

If you had stayed, Michael
Prince would have had

no idea how to remove Chuck.

See?

Ironic.

- Sure.
- I understand you not wanting

to give me a heads-up on
how you're steering the office.

I wouldn't.

Maybe you're coming after us.

But, uh, maybe
you're sitting there

and you're seeing what I saw.

That the world is
more than billionaires

and the people who hate them.

That you can prosecute
the real inequalities.

The ones that don't
put you in the crosshairs

of my current boss.

Because?

Say the rest.

You came here to say it.

The lever that got
Chuck out still exists.

Yes, it does.

I don't know what
my next move is.

But I can tell you this.

You knew what Prince
was planning for Chuck,

and you played on all our
weaknesses to make it happen.

You used everything you
could to manipulate me.

I blame Prince, but I
also know you knew,

and you knew better,
and you let it happen.

So no, I won't give
you the heads-up.

We won't be talking.

You're not welcome here,

because either you always were,

or you have become exactly
who I want to send to prison.

I did what I had to do.

I thought we'd both
be used to that by now.

Glad you finally
joined us for a meal.

A man has to eat,
as you like to say.

He does indeed.

You hurt it shooting?

No, it's just stiff.

I fractured it punching
a wall in frustration

when I lost a
Supreme Court appeal

on a death penalty
case back in '99.

An innocent man
was executed that day.

Ricochet from a
Waterford crystal tumbler

I threw against the wall

when I made and lost
over 200 million in one day.

Ice Juice.

Well, nothing to
show by lifting my shirt,

but the knife wounds
are there, believe you me.

Jeffcoat and the
U.S. Attorney job?

Yeah.

That was a body
blow, to be sure.

But it was one
professional to another,

and I got my licks in later.

No, the more recent purge is the
one I'm going to be healing from

- for some time to come.
- And Prince, that fucker,

was there to watch the
whole thing go down.

Ouch.

You know, the one that
still stabs me in the balls

was a simple procedure.

Decorum dictates that
I can't say her name,

but...

you all know her by her laugh.

You know who I'm
talking about, sugar, right?

The grand dame outlived
her nemesis Johnny Carson,

only to croak on my table.

Oh, shit.

That was the first time
they took away my license,

the fuckers.

Why are you so quiet?

You only book wins?

Nah, the calluses are so
thick he just can't feel anything,

one way or another.

I was king.

I was the king of New York once.

I had so many properties.

Manhattan, Midtown, uptown,

the Bronx...

three dozen, maybe
more at the time.

Was I supposed
to go around myself,

checking the
sprinklers in all of them,

making sure they worked?

The fire doors
unobstructed, unlocked,

not chained against
a rash of break-ins?

My property managers
were supposed to do it.

There were hundreds
of those doors

in the buildings that I owned.

Like the Partido Lounge.

Oh, shit, the fire.

Yeah, Dad, you don't have to...

Place went up like a
goddamned Roman candle.

Carlos Guzman.

That was his name, the monster.

Soaked rags in kerosene
and turned the place to ashes

because his ex-wife was
there with her new boyfriend.

Sirens screaming all night long,

20 different engine companies,

ambulances,

the fucking meat
wagons for the bodies.

Later, I, uh, sat
there in the courtroom

when he received his sentencing.

His eyes were black.

Lifeless.

He was the guilty
party in all the ways.

So...

502 souls went into
the club that night,

423 came out.

The fire took the rest.

Anyway, Carlos
Guzman got 25 to life.

And you know who was on
the front page of the Post,

the Times, all the
papers the next day?

It wasn't him.

It was me.

So you think you
have me all figured out?

Yeah.

It's what I started
to say before.

For you to succeed at being
whatever it is you want to be--

Caesar, Carnegie,
Teddy fricking Roosevelt--

you need to stop
lying to yourself.

- I do not lie.
- You do.

And some of those lies
you'll probably keep telling.

The lies of kindness,
lies to maintain power,

lies to keep things calm.

Big lies, even.

And maybe that's fine.

But inside, you can't.

And why not?

Because it's
getting in your way.

You don't want to be an emperor

because it's good
for other people.

You want power
because you like power.

Because it feels
good in your hands.

Because you can't imagine
anyone else deserves it

more than you do.

But if you lie to
yourself about it,

you'll do real harm with
whatever power you get.

Every generation there's
maybe three people like me.

Why should I waste
being one of them?

Because out of those
three, every 30 years,

nine every century,
90 every millennium,

maybe one fucking guy
doesn't fuck the world up the ass

when he actually gets the reins.

Someone has to sit in that seat.

So I ask myself,

am I the one in a
thousand years?

And my answer

is a full-throated yes.

Let's not forget about you

and what you
want out of all this.

Me?

What do I want,

besides to do my
job and do it well?

You tell me.

My guess is
something significant.

Because if not,

that means you're
a rubbernecker,

a ticket buyer to
the freak show,

some kind of pervert.

Why else would you saw
someone's skull in half,

lift it up and look inside?

So which is it, A or B?

I guess I just don't know.

And after all that talk
about not lying to oneself.

I'm not lying to myself.

I'm lying to you.

What are you
talking about? That's my cock.

I'm guessing it was a teacher.

No, but, like, in
all seriousness...

You may recognize him.

Anyway, our good
man suffered a reversal,

- and we had to pull him away.
-  Men's weekend.

Can you even say that anymore,

or does it have to be,
like, "Gendered persons..."?

Diana's celebrating the one-year
anniversary of her divorce.

I grew
up in lake country,

so that's why we came.

These guys came with me,

and it's a real
blast of nostalgia.

Let me, um-- let
me check your pulse.

Are you really a doctor?

That's all we keep saying.
"Are you really a doctor?"

It's completely fresh
and organic pet food.

Is that right?

Private equity money
must be lining up.

It's not just a business.
It's my passion.

Three hots and a cot, some
oily rubdowns in the spa.

You know what I said?
I said, "I'm fucking in."

Get me out of here.

You're all a shitty crowd.

- Ladies.
-  Yeah?

I, um...

I believe I
glimpsed you earlier,

and it is high time

that my friends and
I buy you a round.

Oh, we're fine, thank you.

That's not very friendly, is it?

She said no, thank you.

I wasn't talking
to you, funny guy.

- Fuck, man!
- So sorry, sir.

These shoes cost
more than your house.

Do you even have a house?

Why are we letting people
like you into our country?

Behold the American
aristocrat, Ronald Chestnut.

Yeah, Ron, that's right. I
caught your name earlier.

And Ron is a person who
confuses wealth with class,

and money with character.

Of course, this country
wasn't built on money.

It was built on work.

Honest, hard work,

which is why that
man is more American

than you'll ever be.

Oh, it looks like you
want to swing on me.

Oh...
-  Yeah, I bet!

But we both know you won't,

because I not only caught
your name, I ran it too.

So I know you're on parole
for unpaid child support

and an embezzlement charge.

That's right,
ladies, there he is.

Fancy pants deadbeat,
quite a patriot.

Bet you're kicking yourself
for turning him down.

So you can take
that swing, go ahead.

But if you do, you'll
be collared for fighting,

for drunk and disorderly,
because you're undoubtedly both,

and you'll go back
inside for the rest of those

four goddamn years you owe.

Let's get out of this shithole.

I thought I was going to be
doing some suturing tonight.

It's a good thing my credentials
still work in the database.

Got to love
the government.

Shit, there's no denying it, the
way you came alive just now.

Was a thing of beauty, my boy.

No
matter what we want.

It's who you are. You
see a bully, you have to step in.

And you do it better
than anyone else.

Like I keep trying to tell you,

it's just how I'm built.

All right, now that we've
gotten the group hand job

out of the way, who's
up for a drinking game?

It's called Viking, and
it's very easy to play.

-All right, I'm game,
-I'm the Viking.

I got the two rowers on my side.

- If you don't row, you drink.
- Is that the Viking?

Just easy with the
questions, please.

I'm just trying to
explain the game, so...

- Hey, hey. You leaving?
- Mm.

But Anne seemed pretty impressed
with how you handled that guy.

You hang in, you may get lucky.

Oh, I'm pretty sure
that wouldn't be luck.

Oh, if you say so.

No, I realized something, Ira.

Beyond my place in
the world, and you said it.

Prince showed himself in Albany.

He didn't have to.

You know, once
everything is in motion,

he could've gone and let the
floor fall out from under me.

But he came to watch,

which shows he
loves the blood sport.

And someone who
loves the blood sport

can be induced
into another fight.

One where he's at
the disadvantage,

a fight that he
is going to lose.

- How are you going to do it?
- I don't know. Not yet.

Have a good time.

I'm going to take that
constitutional now.

-  I was rowing.
-  No.

Are you
fucking-- Fine, fuck me.

Oh, boy, here we go.
Round four, ready?

I'm the Viking, I'm the
Viking. Who's rowing?

- I am.
- Okay.

Oh!

Nice.

We're about to break the vase

and see whose dog
tags are inside here.

Can't tell if we're gonna
get made or get clipped.

- That's what makes it all--
- Horrifying?

I was gonna say exciting,
but you got to do you.

Someone sets out
to slay a dragon.

It takes a while.
It's a journey.

A quest that gets sidetracked,

delayed, there are wins
and losses along the way.

This person is a leader,
and behind them is an army,

making sure that when they
do get to the dragon, it will die.

Is this an all-hands or a
meeting of the Tolkien Society?

And finally, it's just
the knight and the dragon,

and the knight isn't
sure how it's going to go.

Wouldn't be a quest of any
worth if it didn't have risk.

It's an epic fight.

The sword finds its
home, and the dragon dies.

But that isn't the end.

I killed the dragon that
was Chuck Rhoades.

You may have become aware,
and it may have disturbed you.

But all of you

guarded the castle
while I was gone.

You rode with me
when you had to.

You protected me
from any threats.

There's a reason why the
killing isn't the end of the story.

The real end is when
you eat the dragon's heart,

passing it around
so everyone can taste

freshly slaughtered power.

You get the most power from
the hearts of your enemies.

Yes.

And since dragon hearts
are hard to come by...

Here you are.

...and something a little
more delicious than blood.

Whoo!

My victories are our victories.

My wins are your wins.

And dragons aren't
the only creatures

that should fly,

so you're all getting a
Wheels Up membership,

plus a hundred K in
flight credits, on me.

Please welcome
Questlove DJing the night.

Put on your red shoes
And dance the blues

Let's dance

To the sound they're
playing On the radio

Let's sway

While color Lights up your face

Look at this. He converted them.

He fucking got them all.
They fucking love him.

Shit, that was
the plan all along.

They're ready.

For what?

I'll run with you

Yeah!

And if you say "hide"

We'll hide

- Hold on.

Here, come on.

- Bingo.
- Where's Chuck?

No idea. He never
came back to the bar.

Well, you were supposed
to hit him with a cocktail

to cure what ails him,

and instead you're walking
off with the prescription.

I can give him the cushion,

but I ain't doing the
pushing, Big Papa.

Well... it's not going
to ruin my night.

Me neither.

This is a classy touch.

Isn't the whole
thing pretty classy?

No, but that's good, you know?

You did it right, honestly.

I mean, I'm sure you
hate it, but the lights are off

and, like, nobody seems
to be judging each other.

Nothing is stuffy or formal.

You found the vibe.

Good. Enjoy.

You're not into it, are you?

Parts. I'm not sure it matters.

Open your mouth.

That is what you think it is.

I took one earlier.

You may not be the kind
of person who does this,

so you can spit it out,
and I'll pretend not to see.

Or...

- Appreciate this.
- Hey, man.

It's a moment, Mike.

Moment that deserves
the real songs.

The night demands it.

Absolutely.

You got a request?

You know, I'm the
best at what I do.

That's why we're here.

You're the best at what you do.

That's why you're here.

- You pick them.
- It's an honor.

Ready?

Coming.

My turn. Hi.

- Did you call the guy?
- I did.

I know exactly how
they'll come after me.

As a hypocrite.

I am someone who says I believe

in what is good
and fair and right,

and not in accruing power,

but who has constantly
sought to use power in her favor.

And has
accrued quite a lot.

It's an easy spin.

We put you into play
using your power for others.

Our friend Michael Prince
has set a shining example

- of exactly that.
- Oh, he has.

And I see how well
it works on everyone.

So you're ready?

Not yet.

Not now.

No, this is where
I'm meant to be.

Plus, I got you guys
on my side now.

I'm good, right?

Yes. You are.

I know the manuscript is late,

but it's worth it.

I'm-- I'm sending you
the last chapter now.

Well, I had to figure
out how it ended.

I just spent the
whole day doing that.

Rock

Freeze

Rock

Freeze

Rock

Blow

Higher, baby

Get higher, baby

Get higher, baby

And don't ever come down

Freebase

This is Uomo nel Presente.

Man in Present.

- Amazing.
- Grazie.

I see how much
it's hitting you, Tuk.

Why don't you finish it?

Me?

Prego.

Tuk!
Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!

Tuk! Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!
Tuk! Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!

Tuk! Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!

Oh, fuck, did I do that?

It's okay.

Its purpose was to exist
for one night only, and then--

Okay, what is that
supposed to represent?

The ephemeral nature of joy

and a reminder to
embrace it when you have it.

I mean, I get the idea that
something exists temporarily.

What was I supposed
to care about,

the temporary
part or the art part?

It is lacking a certain
narrative consistency.

Mm-hmm.

We could leave.

Find some...

together.

I just can't fall in love
with someone I work with.

And I know me, or
at least I know me

when this sort of
situation happens,

not that I've been in
this sort of situation,

but I've been in
something where--

It's a smart choice.

See? I was right.

Prince is Johnny Favorite.

He actually knows who he is.

You really don't
understand that movie.

The fans.

The fans are spinning
when evil is present.

Wow. I see it all now.

If the Earth were to
be swallowed by a black hole,

it's entire mass
would be reduced

to the size of a quarter.

Everything inside the black
hole is outside our knowledge.

We can theorize that it exists,
but we can never be sure.

We know it is infinite.

Like breath.

Close your eyes,

and though you may
have heard it many times,

focus on each breath.

Knowing that breath
goes on forever,

count them until
you reach a million.

Then go beyond that
until you reach a billion,

an almost
incomprehensible number.

You never will reach it,
because by the time you do,

you will have stopped counting.

Which is the whole idea.

You good?

You sleep okay?

Absolutely.

Good.

Let's go!

I got a nice shot of penicillin
for anyone who needs it.

- No need for me.
- Yeah, me neither.

Already had one.

What the hell did you
run off to do last night,

check your voicemail?

You don't know
how to have any fun.

- Worked out for me, though.
- Look, I cannot believe

you actually went
and hired a bunch of--

I did nothing of the sort.

That nice lady,
Anne, and her friends

are what is known in
the trade as civilians.

Where is your mind at, sonny?

Well, I guess my mind

was thinking back
over your history.

Whatever, get
me back to the city,

because you may
have brought me up here

with a plan in your heads,

but I'm the guy
leaving with one now.

Yeah.

This is just what I needed,
and I know just what to do.

So... let's roll.

I don't mind you Coming here

Wasting all my time

'Cause when you're
standing Oh, so near

I kinda lose my mind

It's not the perfume
That you wear

It's not the
ribbons In your hair

And I don't mind you Coming here

And wasting all my time