Original subtitles

.

- People are irrational, but predictably so.

I'm Alec Mercer. Welcome to Applied Psychology.

- You're the science guy. - That's Bill Nye.

I'm actually the behavioral science guy.

It's called an auditory illusion.

Our eyes and ears take in electrical signals,

which our brains interpret based on our expectations.

This work can be surprising, stimulating,

profoundly fulfilling, but there's a cost.

[notifications chiming]

- You gonna answer these? A couple say "urgent."

- Well, any of them say I'm fired?

If not, they can wait.

- No, but apparently you have a meeting starting right now.

That part's in all caps.

- Mm. Time is a construct.

I'm frying bigger fish.

- I've noticed a lot of emergency texts

and calls lately.

What's up?

- Maybe 1% of IT emergencies are real security threats.

the other 99 are almost always PEBKAC.

- PEB-what? [notification chimes]

- PEBKAC, as in "Problems Exist Between Keyboard And Chair."

[Alec groans] User error.

I swear, they ought to make you get a license

to operate a computer.

Besides, suckers live to work and I work to live.

- Working and enjoying life

don't have to be mutually exclusive.

- Mm-mm. Do not therapize me this early in the day.

I haven't even had my coffee yet.

[notifications chiming]

- All yours.

I have a book signing today.

- A bunch of folks waiting in line

just so some nerdy scientist can write his name in a book.

Nothing irrational about that.

[soft upbeat music]

[shopkeeper's bell rings]

- Enjoy. - Thank you.

- Uh, excuse me.

Uh, Professor Mercer, I'm sorry.

I need to talk to you.

- My man, there's a line.

If you want a book signed, you can support local businesses

and buy one at the shop next door.

- I'm not here for an autograph.

My daughter is missing. I need your help.

[tense music]

- This is Veronica. - Ah.

- She left yesterday after dinner,

but she wasn't home when we woke up this morning.

- She didn't tell you where she was going?

- She said she was meeting a friend.

She got a ride with someone.

The police don't care because it hasn't been 24 hours.

And yeah, she's over 18--

- Are you sure she didn't run away?

- Look at her. She's not that kind of kid.

She's an artist.

Look, I think something is wrong and I need your help,

like you helped with that journalist

who was poisoned, or that hostage thing.

- You know my work enough to use my tricks against me,

like showing me pictures of Veronica

to invest me emotionally.

- The Identifiable Victim Effect.

- Okay.

- I listen to your books while I work construction.

I know that you help police. I know that your wife is FBI.

- Ex-wife--there's a chapter about divorce in my new book.

- My-my point is I know how brilliant you are, brother.

your insights into how people think,

how you get them to make better decisions,

you're my best hope for finding my daughter.

- Now you're using the complimentary glow effect,

otherwise known as,

"flattery will get you everywhere."

- I can pay.

Now, my wife and I, we can't afford your usual rate,

but we have a few thousand dollars saved.

- Hear me.

The amazing thing about the complimentary glow

is that it works even if the subject knows you're using it.

[Alec inhales deeply]

I'll help you, man.

Free of charge.

[person inhales shakily]

[suspenseful music]

* *

- That was the last time we saw her.

- Do you recognize the car?

- No. We've never seen it before.

- Can you rewind?

* *

Look how she's shifting her head from side to side,

like she's worried someone might see her.

She's holding her purse like a shield.

And that micro-hesitation at the car door--

it's as if she's not sure she wants to get in.

- This, too. Her sketchbook. She takes it everywhere.

- Hmm.

* *

[phone rings]

- [gasps] Veronica, where are you?

- [distorted voice] I have your daughter.

If you want to get her back,

you need to do exactly what I say.

- Please, please, don't hurt her.

- We need proof of life. Put Veronica on the phone.

- Who is that? No police!

- No, he's a friend, not police.

Can we please just hear Veronica?

- Mommy! Daddy! Please, do what he says!

- Enough! Quiet!

If you want your daughter back alive, I want $2.7 million.

I'll contact you with details. You have 48 hours.

[line disconnects]

- $2.7 million?

We don't have that kind of money.

- Do you have anything that's worth that much?

- No. This place is rented. Keith makes all the furniture.

- If my stuff was worth anything,

I wouldn't be framing houses.

So what's going to happen to Veronica?

Because we--we can't pay.

* *

- Why kidnap someone

whose family couldn't possibly afford the ransom?

[ominous music]

.

- I've been digging into the van,

the dry cleaning van that Alec remembered,

contacted the owner's daughter.

- Sioux City, right? I always wanted to see Iowa.

- Liar.

But you're off the hook.

It turns out that she's bringing

her kids to DC in a few weeks,

so I tried to set a meet. - All right.

I'll take care of the arrest report

so you can focus on this.

[notification chimes]

- It's Alec.

He wants to talk. Says it's urgent.

[soft upbeat music]

- So you all have your next kits.

Remember, this time you get $5 for completing it.

* *

[Rizwan grunting]

- Sorry, that's all the time we have for today.

You can all go.

- Wow. - What are you doing?

I was at the smashing. That's the best part.

- Yeah, well, our day has been smashed.

The professor texted.

He's had an emergency, and he won't be back.

- So you're going to teach Psych 30 this afternoon

or-- - Nope. You are.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

I don't want to step on your toes.

I--[gulps] You should totally do it.

- Professor's orders.

The boss has me pulling research on kidnappers,

so you're it.

He said to lecture on the complimentary glow

and its opposite, the humiliation shadow.

- I've only ever taught TA sessions

for eight or ten people.

Psych 30 has 200 students.

- I guess it's time to level up.

[suspenseful music]

* *

[Rizwan sighs]

* *

- Thank you for coming.

- You had me at "kidnapping for ransom."

Keith, Tara, I'm Agent Clark, FBI.

First thing you should know

is that kidnappings are an FBI specialty.

We will get Veronica back safely.

- She's very good at what she does.

- I have already had my techs

try to locate Veronica's cell, but its signal is blocked.

I'll need one of you to come back to my office

so we can tap your cell.

He called you, right?

- He did.

[cars approaching] - More agents?

* *

- Not mine.

Stay inside. [car doors shutting]

* *

[door opens]

Agent Clark, FBI. You are?

- Theodore Akehurst Jr. Call me Ted.

This is my son, Theodore III.

- Trey.

- Akehurst? Like Akehurst Paper?

We have reams of your paper in my office.

Toilet paper, too. - You called him?

How could you call him? - I had to.

He can help.

* *

- Tara used to work for me.

She told me that Veronica had been kidnapped,

and we came as quickly as we could.

This is Rose Dinshaw from VSC.

She's an expert on corporate security

and crisis management.

- Corporate fixer.

- With experience in kidnap and ransom.

The Akehursts will do whatever it takes

to help get Veronica home safely.

- That's good to hear.

But I have to ask, why?

- Like Ted said, I used to work for him.

We're friends. [Keith scoffs]

- Given your guilty fidgeting, Keith's hostility,

and Ted's inability to look away from you,

I'm pretty sure you and Ted had an affair?

Long term?

You ended it.

You and Keith stayed together,

but it's still a source of tension in your marriage.

- I guess having my family's deepest secret called out

is what I get for asking for help

from an expert on human mistakes.

- You and Mrs. Moore?

That's super messed up, even for you.

- Don't talk about things you don't understand.

- I don't see how this is relevant.

- I normally wouldn't have raised it,

but given the circumstances--

I need to ask, are you Veronica's biological father?

- That would explain why she was targeted.

- She's mine.

Believe me, I checked.

- The affair happened after Veronica was born.

- Look, Mrs. Moore has worked at our house

for as long as I can remember.

Veronica and I practically grew up together.

She may not be my sister, but she's still family.

- Pseudo-family bond. - Mm.

- Mr. Moore, it sounds like my dad really hurt you,

but let us help.

* *

[Keith scoffs]

* *

[birds singing]

- Mr. Moore, in my professional opinion,

you should minimize FBI involvement.

Let my firm handle it.

- Akehurst Paper has used VSC for this kind of thing before.

- Sure, overseas,

retrieving executives from professional kidnappers.

Those skills won't necessarily translate here.

A lower-middle class victim, an unreasonable ransom--

those sound like business as usual to you?

- I'm sorry.

I don't think the ransom demand is unreasonable anymore.

$2.7 million is perfectly rational

if the kidnapper knows about Ted's concern for Veronica

and knows that his guilt from the affair

would draw him into this.

So who knew about the affair?

[suspenseful music]

- I never told a soul.

- He's not lying.

He sure as hell never told me about it.

- Veronica knew.

She heard Tara and me arguing about it, um, more than once.

* *

- You think she'd tell her friends?

- She definitely told Corey Gibson.

- Who is that?

- Veronica's ex-boyfriend.

They dated in high school, broke up after graduation.

But later, Veronica told me that she dumped him

because he was dealing party drugs.

Weed, mushrooms, molly.

- Do you have any way to contact this "Corey"?

- His number would be on Veronica's phone.

And she took that with her.

- I can check in with the DEA,

see if they have Corey on their radar.

- I have contacts there, too, and with DC Metro Narcotics.

- I've got him.

My colleagues are testing molly, MDMA,

as a psychotherapeutic.

MDMA isn't always available through official channels,

so sometimes my colleagues get it other ways.

So Agent Clark, studies show that

people trust couples more than men on their own.

How would you like to do a drug deal?

- You know I have to get a sign off for that.

- I don't.

* *

[indistinct chatter]

- You are beautiful.

Or handsome, whichever you'd, uh, rather hear?

Beautiful and handsome.

But not in an inappropriate way.

Smart, too.

You're at Wilton, so you're probably very smart,

um, and funny, and, um--

yeah, never mind.

I--it was to prove a point about the--[clears throat]--

complimentary glow.

[softly] Help me.

[quirky suspenseful music]

Let's--let's, uh, start again.

You're all ugly, and I hate you.

It's just an example, guys.

That's like the opp-- opposite of what I was doing.

* *

[crow cawing]

- He's late.

- Drug dealers aren't known for their punctuality.

- Maybe he didn't buy our story.

Rich out-of-towners looking to score in bulk for a party?

- Still nothing.

- You sound annoyed.

- I don't like nature.

You know that. There are bugs.

- Liar.

- Okay.

How about I am not a fan of corporate fixers like Rose?

They're almost always former Bureau or police

who couldn't hack it or decided to cash out.

Or both.

- Rose definitely isn't FBI or police.

I'm guessing someplace starting with the letter M.

- MI5?

MI6?

You think she used to be a spy?

- I can't confirm that.

Or deny it.

- You're rather impressive,

the way you sniffed out the affair,

how you helped get to Corey as a suspect.

- Like how I know what you're doing?

You and Agent Clark are in conflict over this case.

You want me to be your ally, so you're buttering me up.

- Or I'm just flirting with you.

[engine revving]

Gray roadster.

Matches the vehicle that picked up Veronica.

- What are you doing?

- We're supposed to be a couple.

I'm making it look good.

[tense music]

* *

[mechanical whirring] - That's not a bug.

[whirring getting louder]

- Drone.

- Damn cops.

* *

[engine revving]

* *

[Marisa groans] - Go, go, go!

.

[sirens wailing]

[engine revving]

[dramatic music]

- U-turn. - A what?

- Trust me. U-turn.

[tires squealing]

Whoa!

* *

Oh, man. Uh, a left turn coming up.

Turn left.

* *

Oh, yeah. Nice.

Okay, go straight.

* *

Here you go. Left.

* *

Nice driving.

Okay, stop the car here and block the road.

[tires squealing]

- Brace yourself.

* *

- Out of the car, hands visible.

[indistinct radio chatter]

[dramatic music fading]

- All right, all right!

- How did you know where to go?

- Corey was in fight-or-flight mode.

And people in amped-up, hot states

tend to react by reflex, which means,

in high-speed car chases, Americans tend to turn right.

- So you guessed.

- He turned right.

[smooth upbeat music]

* *

- What are the reviews saying? [groans]

- They're not worth reading. [scoffs]

Studies show that online reviews are self-selected

to be either highly positive or highly negative,

with limited correlation between ratings and quality.

- Except mine probably say I was terrible

because I wasterrible.

- Damn. [chuckling] One star?

[Rizwan groans]

- "How can someone be both too loud

and entirely unintelligible?"

[chuckling] Oh, that's just mean.

- Can we help you, Kylie?

- I was compiling some code at home

and my computer got jammed

and Alec said I could work here.

And he said he's expecting some research from you

for the kidnapping case?

- Oh, I just sent it.

- You go, Hermione.

And he wants you to do the lecture again this afternoon.

- Wait, what? Again?

- Mm-hmm. - No! That's an awful idea.

- Okay. So you gave a crappy lecture.

You got bad reviews.

And now, my mad scientist brother wants you to go again.

Look, if you bomb a second time,

it won't be the end of the world.

AIs will be the end of the world.

And that's two, three years away at least.

I'm just saying it's better to live large and in charge

before the robots come, because they're coming.

- Waiting for the singularity is not the answer.

It's a good thing you're upset. It means you care.

- Oh. - Caring's good.

[soft dramatic music]

* *

- Good morning, Corey.

[tense music]

I thought I would see if you were ready to talk yet.

- Got nothing to say. All right?

You've got me here on squat.

Plus, I can afford a good lawyer.

So you might as well just let me go and avoid a lawsuit.

- Interesting how Veronica drew you.

It's like she saw your best self.

She trusted you.

Was that a mistake?

- I didn't know she kept any of this.

- We searched your home and your grow house.

She wasn't there,

but you're still our best suspect in her kidnapping--

maybe even her murder.

- Whoa, whoa.

You think that she might be dead?

- No one's seen her since you picked her up at her house.

So either you did something to her,

or you're our best hope in finding her alive.

- Okay.

When she called me,

I thought she wanted to get back together.

It turned out she just wanted to borrow money.

- Money you made selling drugs?

That's why she broke up with you.

You must have been angry.

- It wasn't like that. Okay?

I just told her how I felt-- upset and used.

And by the end of it, she actually apologized to me.

Then she texted somebody for a ride and left my place.

- Who gave her the ride?

- No clue.

Honestly, I smoked a bowl and went to bed.

- How much money did she ask for?

- 200 Gs.

It was for NESD, the, uh, New England School of Design.

It was some fancy private art college.

She got accepted there, which is a pretty big deal.

Her family couldn't get aid,

her father wouldn't let her take out student loans,

so she came to me.

I said no and that was it.

- You knew about her relationship

with the Akehurst family.

So maybe you thought there was a different way

for you to make a bunch of money for the both of you?

- Kidnapping?

Seriously, why would I mess with that?

Okay? I'm literally making bank selling stuff

that nobody gets busted for.

I don't need the drama.

- I'm beginning to worry

that we may have overlooked a suspect.

Veronica.

- You think she kidnapped herself?

- You heard Corey.

She's in desperate need of money.

This could all be a scam to fleece Ted Akehurst.

- The way he talks about Veronica,

he still cares about her.

I think he's telling the truth.

- Then I defer to your expertise.

- I told you you don't need to flirt with me.

I'm on your side. [Rose chuckles]

- Ever consider that you're a handsome and intelligent man,

and that my flirting has nothing to do with the case?

- You only think I'm handsome because

you're standing on my good side.

- Scars add character.

- Then I have a lot of character.

- Mm.

- All hands--the father just got a call from the kidnapper.

[phone chiming] - Uh, a video call.

- Take it.

Hold the phone close, back against the wall.

- Yeah.

- So they can't see where you are.

- Uh-huh.

- [crying] Daddy? - Hey, Veronica, baby.

Are you okay? - [crying] Dad, I'm scared.

- Okay. Hey, tell me where you are, huh?

Who took you? How can I get you home?

- [crying] I can't tell you anything.

I'm supposed to say he knows about the FBI.

So you have to stop working with them.

He wants his money by sunrise tomorrow.

And if you don't follow his instructions...

he's going to kill me.

- Okay--

[whimpering] Wait.

.

- So you think Veronica kidnapped herself?

- Veronica needs money for school.

Corey said no. Perhaps this was her solution.

If so, Veronica is not in danger

and Trey can stop putting together the ransom.

- Eh, Veronica didn't seem like she was acting.

And she made it a point to call out her kidnapper as a "he"--

one person, armed and male.

- But he didn't appear on the screen.

He could have been an accomplice or not exist at all.

- Okay.

Okay, that's crazy.

Alec, tell her that's crazy.

- [sighs] As theories go, it is not without merit,

except Veronica's eyes.

In the video call, they kept darting to one side,

especially when she mentioned being shot or killed,

like she was looking at a gun.

I don't think she can fake that.

- She wasn't faking anything.

If Veronica needed money from me, all she had to do was ask.

- What are you talking about?

- I've always supported Veronica's art,

emotionally and financially.

Canvases, paints, life drawing classes,

the art camp that she went to last summer.

Who do you think paid for that?

Because you didn't.

- You son of a-- - No!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. - I saw that coming.

- Let me go! - Keith!

Keith, remember what you said, "I was the expert on mistakes."

You're making one right now.

Let's get some air. Okay?

[Keith huffs[

- Oh, you should have let me hit him!

Did you see the way he lorded his money over me,

like I don't want to give my daughter everything?

And his pet suit blaming Veronica.

To hell with the both of them!

- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Getting angry in this situation is natural,

but it isn't helping, bruh.

- You don't understand 'cause you don't have children.

- You're right.

And I can't imagine what you're going through.

But pushing Ted right now is not a good idea.

- Veronica wouldn't need a ransom if it wasn't for him.

Now, granted, I may have forced her

to go to Corey for that tuition money,

but do you really think anyone would have kidnapped Veronica

if Ted wasn't in the picture?

- No, I actually don't.

Now, your wife used to work with him.

From what you know,

is there anybody else who feels about him the way you do?

- Anyone who's ever met him.

[indistinct chatter]

- Hey, sweet one. - Hey. You weren't lying.

Ted Akehurst is a real piece of work.

He stiffs contractors, pollutes the environment,

stabs investors in the back.

He is B-A-D, bad.

Now, here are a list of the Ted haters I found so far.

Now, if you ask me, some of them legit seem like

they might murder or kidnap to get their way.

- Oh, which is a lot more likely than Veronica

kidnapping herself. - Mm-hmm.

- How do we narrow this down?

- $2.7 million is super specific.

I can search the databases at my jobs.

They might have some information

that's not in public record,

see if Ted screwed somebody out of that exact amount.

- Hold up. Rewind.

"Jobs." Plural.

- How else do you think I pay for my product?

[Alec laughs]

- No, lots of techies have multiple gigs these days.

It's no big deal. I got three.

- Which explains the texts and the calls.

- Mm.

My bosses are needy-- almost as needy as you.

[soft upbeat music]

- Professor, can we talk?

I wanted to apologize for tanking my lecture.

- No need.

I kind of expected your lecture to go badly.

I wanted to give it to you anyway--and the next one.

- You're okay with me being terrible?

- Don't tell anyone,

but Phoebe's first big lecture was atrocious, so was mine.

- You were atrocious?

- [laughs] A big lecture hall with a few hundred students,

half of whom don't really want to be there?

Being terrible is the likely outcome,

even a necessary one, because...

science.

- When an experiment doesn't go your way, that's information.

- Exactly.

You don't fail if you learn-- only if you stop.

So give the lecture. Learn.

- Hmm. [Rizwan exhales]

Nice pep talk.

I found something.

- Let's hear it. - Mm.

According to this prospectus I dug up,

Ted founded a company to develop micro-solar panels.

But his startup had a crazy high burn rate,

so he went looking for a capital infusion

to the tune of $2.5 million.

- Which isn't far from $2.7 million.

- Apparently, if he doesn't get it,

his investors are going to lose their shirts.

Maybe one of them figured this is a way to stay afloat.

- I don't get it.

Ted Akehurst has plenty of money.

Why not self-finance? - It's a good question.

Wait.

Ted is Theodore Akehurst Jr.

This startup belongs to Theodore Akehurst III,

his son Trey.

- Shoot. Wrong Akehurst.

But same issue, though.

Why Trey go begging for money when he has a rich-ass daddy?

- I'm betting his rich-ass daddy said no,

which means Ted is willing to give Veronica

whatever she wants but won't do that for his own son.

You didn't get the wrong Akehurst.

You got the right one.

- Rizwan,

pull every study we've ever done on zero-sum bias.

- For the lecture? - And for the case.

[energetic suspenseful music]

* *

[phone ringing]

* *

- Dinshaw here. Ready for the exchange.

- Rose, it's Alec.

Do not do the drop. Trey is the kidnapper.

Repeat, do not do the drop.

.

- Well, that was a disaster.

- Is Veronica okay? - I hope so. I never saw her.

When Alec told me to cancel the drop, I had to think fast.

I said I'd found tracking chips hidden in the money.

I asked for them to reschedule.

- And the kidnapper bought it? - He seemed to.

He was angry, but he said he wouldn't hurt Veronica--yet.

Though, he did move up the timeline.

We now have until midnight. - Mm.

- You're sure this is Trey?

- We're sure.

- I pulled Trey's phone records.

His cell phone has been going on and off line

for the past two days.

When it's off,

it's completely signal-dead like it's in a Faraday bag.

The downtimes match with the ransom calls.

- So he bags his own phone when dealing with Veronica,

then uses hers to make ransom calls.

- Then there's the ransom amount.

$2.7 million is exactly what Trey needs

to keep his business afloat

plus what Veronica wants for school.

- You make it seem as if Trey and Veronica

are working together. - Come on now. There's no way.

Veronica dumped Corey for dealing drugs.

She'd never partake in a fake kidnapping.

- I agree.

But I think that when Trey came up with the idea,

he thought that Veronica would go along with it.

That's where he came up with the ransom number.

- That's the, um, anchoring thing, right,

where one sets a-- a set price in their mind,

and it's tough to change it?

- Even after Veronica refused to cooperate.

- You truly believe Trey might kill Veronica?

They're very nearly brother and sister.

- Unfortunately, pseudo-sibling bonds

can also lead to pseudo-sibling rivalries.

- I assume that Trey picked up Veronica

after she argued with Corey.

- Something set him off.

Best guess, she floated the idea

of getting the money from Ted just two days after his father

refused to bail out his startup.

- That would have made Trey angry, jealous, wronged.

- Exactly.

Because the classic sibling rivalry

is fueled by a predictable irrationality

called zero-sum bias.

Zero-sum bias is the misbelief that non-material resources

like love, respect, even good grades

are finite such that if one person wins,

then another one has to lose.

The worst part about zero-sum bias

is that it can make a situation

where everyone could win into a cutthroat competition,

making win-win into win-lose.

- Today, we're going to talk about zero-sum bias.

But first, prizes.

We have gifts for everyone who did well on the last quiz.

Party streamers.

[streamers pop] Whoo.

Rondo, A-minus. You get a prize.

Morales, A. One for you.

Starks, A-minus. Catch.

Nice.

Now it's Wu's turn. We've had three As.

So who thinks Wu will also get a prize?

[indistinct murmuring] Only 20%.

And the correct answer is...

Wu also got an A. [chuckles and applause]

Streamers! [laughter]

And that's zero-sum bias.

You made the mistake of believing the first three As

meant there wouldn't be a fourth,

but the truth is most of you did great.

So streamers for everyone.

[indistinct murmuring]

- Now, for families,

zero-sum bias can make children believe

that their parents' love is a limited resource

and the more one child gets,

the less there is for anyone else.

In Trey's eyes, Veronica stole his father's love.

- We believe that Trey just did this spur-of-the-moment

after he picked up Veronica,

which means that she knows who took her.

- Then even if he gets the money, he can't let her go.

[Alec sighs]

- Please, we need to find her before it's too late.

- He's right. We don't have much time.

When Trey took Veronica, he was in a hot state.

If we go back to the place where he picked her up,

do you think you can determine where he would have gone,

like what you did with Corey?

- Maybe, but Onancock's a long way.

- Wait. Corey lives in Onancock?

That's on Cape Charles, right? - Yeah, half way up on the 13.

- [sighs] This is Rose. Call me back.

It's urgent.

- What's wrong?

- I did some preliminary security workups

to Trey's company,

including on a vacant factory in Sheraton.

- That's a straight shot down the 13 from Onancock.

We should check it out.

- Unfortunately, after Alec called,

I called Ted and shared with him our suspicions about Trey.

Now his phone's going straight to voicemail.

And he knows about the factory in Sheraton.

- Everything Trey's done was

triggered by his father's rejection.

And Veronica said Trey has a gun.

We need to get to that factory before Ted does.

- I'll meet you downstairs. - Yeah.

[tense music]

* *

- Please just let me go.

I won't tell anyone it was you. Please.

- I wish I could believe you,

but you're terrible at keeping secrets.

You told everyone about the affair, including me.

You won't be able to stop yourself

from telling your psycho father what I did--

or mine.

[door slams] [Veronica gasps]

Who's there?

[handgun hammer clicks] Show yourself!

[door slams]

- Trey.

What are you doing?

Veronica, are you all right? [Veronica sobbing]

- Get away from her.

[Ted sighs]

[thunder rumbling]

* *

[gunshot]

.

- Stop, or I'll shoot her!

- I just came to talk.

I feel like what's happening here is my fault.

I'd have gotten here sooner, but, you know,

there was so much snow.

- Snow? It's not snowing.

- Sorry, Eddy. I stand corrected.

- My name's Trey!

- What is he doing?

- He's using absurdism.

He's saying weird things to force Trey to correct him

and ground himself in reality.

It's a way to puncture his hot state.

- Right. You're Trey.

Your father's Ted.

And your sister's Virginia.

- Her name is Veronica, and she's not my sister!

- Great. We agree on the facts.

She's not your sister.

You shot your father and he's bleeding to death.

Also, Agent Clark is just beyond that door.

And there's more FBI on the way.

So let's look at your options.

You could try to kill everyone else here,

but Agent Clark is a really good shot.

And the only reason she hasn't taken you out yet

is I asked her to let us talk.

So if you choose that path, you get shot and/or arrested.

You lose.

- That's my only choice.

And there's no other way.

- But that's not true.

There's always a way to improve even the worst situation.

What does the best outcome look like for you, Trey?

- I get the money. And I get away.

- Not realistic.

We need to think of the best possible options.

Besides, the money's not what you want anyway.

You want your father's love.

That's your win.

You thought Veronica stole it from you,

but love's not a limited resource.

Think about this.

When your father knew that Veronica was in trouble,

he hired Rose.

He delegated.

What did he do when he thought you were in trouble?

- He came here himself?

[sobbing] And I shot him.

I didn't mean to do this.

I didn't mean to do any of this.

- I know.

And now you know that your father loves you.

[Trey breathing shakily]

- If he and Veronica live, you'll find a way through this.

But if your father dies, you go to prison,

maybe even for the rest of your life.

And you lose his love forever.

So please, Trey, put the gun down.

[tense music]

* *

[Ted breathing wheezily]

[Veronica sobbing softly]

Put the gun down.

[Ted shuddering and panting]

[soft dramatic music]

* *

- Mom! Dad! - Veronica!

Come here, come here. - [sobbing] Oh, my God.

- Come here. Are you okay? Huh?

[Veronica sobbing] Okay, okay.

- Oh, my God.

- I'm no expert, but that looks like a win-win-win.

You should let me buy you a fancy dinner to celebrate.

I'll expense it to Ted.

- You want to learn more about zero-sum bias?

- Among other things.

[indistinct radio chatter]

- Congratulations.

You got her back, and no one died.

- Yeah, sometimes you win.

- Maybe this is the start of a streak.

I came to tell you the church bomber, Wes Banning,

finally responded to your interview requests.

He's agreed to talk.

[Marisa chuckles softly]

* *

[elevator bell rings]

- "Adequate." Three stars.

"Fun, actually." Four stars.

"Kinda interesting." Three stars.

- It's still not great.

- Better, though. Better is good.

- The giveaway totally primed them.

Thanks for that.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting your help.

- Because sibling rivalry?

- Mm-hmm. [chuckles]

- Look, I'll admit I can be prone to zero-sum bias.

But we study biases in order to overcome them.

We're a team. We win or lose together.

- Almost sounds like you believe that.

- Yeah, I almost do.

[soft upbeat music]

* *

- Dr. Mercer.

- Keith.

- Hey, uh, sorry to bother you.

But I made this for you as a thank you.

- Wow. This is beautiful.

Hey, I tell you what. I'll trade you.

You didn't get your signed book.

- Oh.

- So I take it by this beautiful gift

that things are well now that Veronica is home?

- She's been through a lot, but kids are resilient.

None of this would have happened

if I hadn't screwed things up with her.

- Well, you projected your perceived failures onto her.

- Mm.

And I see now I have to let her make her own mistakes.

- Sadly-- [sighs]

Mistakes are often the best ways to learn.

- [laughs] Then Tara and I have learned a lot over the years.

- Mm.

- It's good you called out the affair.

It helps us to remember where we went wrong.

And where we went right.

- Sir.

- Ah. [chuckles]

Wow.

Hey, why didn't you and Agent Clark have kids?

You'd be a great dad. [laughter]

- We weighed the pros and cons.

And the whole endeavor seemed...

entirely irrational.

- Ooh, it is. [laughter]

I mean, having Veronica derailed our lives.

- Mm. - I abandoned my art.

Ended up resenting Tara, which led to the affair.

But, mm, I wouldn't trade Veronica for the world.

- Mm, heard that.

- Mm-hmm. [chuckles]

* *

- * Run to the rock *

* The rock was a-melting *

both: * Run to the rock *

* The rock was a-melting *

* Run to the rock * [rhythmic snapping]

* The rock was a-melting *

* All on that day *

- Oh, somebody is in a good mood!

- Mm-hmm.

Crawdad dinner for my brother because your sister loves you.

- Wait a minute. [Kylie chuckles]

Your computer is off. Your phone's not buzzing.

- Mm-hmm. - What happened?

- Rizwan happened.

You know, when I saw

how freaked out he was over those bad reviews,

I realized he really cares about what he does.

And I want to care, too.

So maybe I can stop having to choose

between work and my happiness.

He'll find the right job.

I can have both.

- Win-win. - Mm-hmm.

So I quit my jobs.

- All of them?

- Working three jobs made it so I could save a nice pile

and gave me enough time to figure out

what color my parachute is.

- Mm.

- Meantime, you owe me a Benji for groceries.

- It's worth it. - [laughs]

- You doubled the spices?

- Of course I doubled the spices.

Who you talking to? [laughter]

[soft dramatic music]

* *

- Agent Clark, author of all my troubles.

- You're a serial bomber.

That's the cause of your troubles.

I'm just the one who caught you.

I hear you're ready to make a full confession?

- Cassette tape-recorder.

I like that. Keeping it old-school.

- It stops the defense from arguing

that your confession is digitally altered.

[button clicks]

Subject, Wes Banning. Interviewer, Marisa Clark.

Session one.

Any time you're ready.

- Straight to it then.

- Mm.

- It was me.

I bombed the Methodist Church, April 2002.

There was a big boom and then fire.

I like fire.

13 dead. Will that suffice?

- You worked alone?

- Of course.

Check my grade school report cards.

"Does not work or play well with others."

- For over a decade, you refused to admit anything.

Then right when you can walk free, you confess.

First the parole hearing, now this.

Why the change of heart?

- Say I found religion.

Say I don't want to sin again.

- I was at that hearing.

You said all the right things until someone walked in.

Someone I didn't see.

Then you changed your story.

Who was it?

What do they have over you?

- [chuckles] A dangerous mystery man.

[chuckles] That's--

that's quite the fabulation.

- Or you're covering for an accomplice.

Maybe he was the one that

drove that stolen FedEx van that you used to get away.

- I drove the FedEx van.

I'm a lone wolf.

- It wasn't a FedEx van.

[tense music]

* *

And you would know that if you had been at that church.

You may have made that bomb, but you didn't plant it.

Did you? - It was me.

It was all me.

- Then describe the getaway vehicle.

Color, company logo.

- Guards! - Anything.

- Get me out of here. I'm done.

* *

[shackles clicking]

* *

- End session. [door clanks]

[button clicks]

[Marisa sighs]