05x12 - No Direction Home

[bunniefuu]

[AXE] Previously on Billions...

It needs to be legalized, and federally.

Yeah, right on, hop-head.

My two enemies have linked up.

Whatever he's goin' after,
I'm gonna take it.

This is about control
over me one last time.

D'you want to be done?
Then let's be done.

I sold to Axe.

I have to share some sh*t that's
making me feel seriously awk.

Taylor went behind Axe's back
to lay off the cannabis deal

to a third party.

Whoa, f*ck. Who?

[WENDY] Lawrence Boyd.

You can't really say you're playing

unless you're willing to
put your highest value

pieces on the board.

[AXE] My country house.
It is now your house.

Just cross out Prince's name in the deal

and put mine in.

And I will use his due
diligence as my own.

f*ck yeah!

He actually closed on that money.

Time to arrest Winslow.

You found the one CEO who
also happened to be running

- a criminal enterprise.
- Just another drug dealer

moving major weight.

Douse the f*cking smokes. Now!

Sometime in the next hours,

they believe they'll
have you in custody.

And they don't believe
you have a way out this time.

What do you want us to do?

I have no f*cking idea.

He here? Up in his office?

Where else he gonna be?

It is his office, right?

For now.

So I finally got a clean test.

Just in time for this.

Worst-case it for me.

No point in that.

- We need to mount a vigorous...
- Worst-case it.

You want to talk worst-case scenarios?

Okay. But it'll be a mood k*ller.

It's hard to k*ll
what's already dead, Orrin.

[ORRIN] Fair.

Okay. Worst case is

the NYAG has you on a pu-pu platter

of violations related
to Winslow's arrest.

As the head of a bank,

it is your fiduciary responsibility

to know your customer's business...

the fact that she was selling

and processing, through Axe Bank,

the proceeds of illegal marijuana.

So... I'm the farmer
in the f*cking dell.

Right in the center of the circle.

Worse, Rhoades can work
with the Manhattan DA

and potentially his old cronies
at the US Attorney's Office

to use that as a gateway to local,
state, and federal

money-laundering violations

and false records and statements.

They will see you are
more than negligent,

that you willfully ignored
and actually conspired

with the money-laundering.

This will have real teeth criminally.

Fangs, because they go deep

and suck the life out of you.

f*ck!

How many years am I facing?

We'll pick off the shakier
aspects of the case.

We'll claim there were efforts
made to conceal by Winslow.

We'll work the jury pool
for maximum weakness

and/or affinity.

Worst. Case.

Don't make me say it again.

Now. How many years?

Fifteen, , likely,

for you as the chairman.

For the CEO...

But I hardly had a
chance to do anything.

I'm a figurehead.
You know it. I know it.

They definitely know it.

They don't give a sh*t, Wags.

No, they don't.

Your name's on the contract
as CEO, Wags.

You signed. It was notarized.

So you take the weight
right along with Bobby.

Isn't this, I don't know, entrapment?

Only if Chuck induced Winslow
to grow the illicit crop.

He likely found out about this
after the fact and used it.

But whatever he did wrong,
whatever was out of line,

- I will dig into.
- Damn right.

Because believe me, you will find
there's plenty out of line.

This way this guy rolls.

And we need to show the world.

The freezing of your assets,
along with Axe Bank's

and Axe Asset Management's funds,

will coincide with the issuance
of an arrest warrant on you.

Jesus Christ.

They're gonna arrest
and freeze me too, aren't they?

m*therf*cker.

This has been defined as a
worst-case scenario meeting, so,

yes, of course they are, Wags.

Fast or slow...

how do you want to play it?

Let 'em bring it. Let's get it on.

I'll make it happen as
quickly as possible, then.

I can arrange a surrender,
but you'll have to honor it.

You can't do a runaround like last time.

Oh, I'll honor it.

More than that,
I'm gonna fight it loudly and publicly.

And once and for all,
because he's in my way now,

on things that are even more
important than business.

So push the timeline on this, Orrin.
Fast.

The arrest, the battle, the victory.

I will.

I can't handle your defense
myself, Wags.

But I'll put you with a k*ller.

Talk later in the ante meridiem, Bobby.

Don't you have a meeting to attend to?

Seems that should now
become the priority.

Yeah.

Before I go, I need you
to understand something.

I can't.

There's no scenario where
I survive a year in jail,

much less what we're looking at here.

You're not going to jail.

Well, you might.
It's probable, actually.

But you are a lot stronger
than you think you are.

I know exactly how strong I am,

and it's one notch less
than strong enough for jail.

We'll get with consultants.

I'll have it all
organized for ourselves.

It will suck,

but this is something
you will live through.

Axe,

I worship at your altar, sir.

But I'm telling you right now, I'm never

walking into a jail cell
with my name on it.

Whatever I have to do, I'll do it.

I believe you.

Thanks for telling me.

But we are a long way
from walking into a cell.

[DOOR OPENS]

[SIGHS]

Not really the kickoff
I envisioned for us.

I wanted a conscious...

a beginning.

I pictured thatched
huts over blue water.

Not courtrooms. Board shorts.

Not suits and ties.

Yeah, well, that's the thing
about something real.

It doesn't have to look like a fantasy.

[SIGHS] You're still in?

Where am I standing?

Where I always have.

Back-to-back with you,

wading into the fight together...

[SIGHS]

...which means getting
back to the office before

all this really breaks.

Deal with the troops while you...

Yeah.

Start breaking things... as discussed.

Warrants are imminent.

And I have to say, the idea of
him being surprised like this...

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, there's something glorious in it.

His plane?

Uh, being watched.

Poised to seize both of them.

Tail numbers have no-fly orders.

- Smart.
- Oh, no circus this time.

The assets are ready to
go into the deep freeze.

So now it's down to the perp walk.

What do you have planned?

The lefty g*ns scoop up
while he's about to do a job,

or the shake-and-wake while he's in bed?

I considered all of it.

But I want it to be at the office.

I walk him out rear-cuffed
in front of his loyal troops.

Let them see him broken.

Let that break them.

You seem tired. Late night?

Nah. Just couldn't sleep on
account of all the excitement.

What about Winslow?
What are you gonna...

Oh, that's wired. She's in custody

but has been provided
access to a cell phone

in case he calls,
so as not to raise suspicion.

Nice. Seems like you covered all the...

We're aware you plan
on arresting my client

Robert Axelrod shortly.

It is the policy of this office

not to comment on ongoing
investigations, if there is one.

Mr. Attorney General, Chuck, come on.

Let's spare everyone the raree-show

and set a surrender date.

I'm thinking hours from now,

with the place to be
mutually agreed upon.

If I agree, if you say
Axelrod will surrender,

it's your word, your law license,

and your ass on the line, Mr. Bach.

Assurances have been made,

so I can make them to you. But hey,

see for yourself.

...what amounts to a
campaign against me,

resulting in what I understand
is to be yet another arrest.

So I say to the Attorney General,

come on, Chuck.

Come on down here and arrest me now.

I can prove my innocence.

f*ck me. He's downstairs.

Right across the street.

...and so you know, as I do,

that whatever kind of
supposed crime I committed

is really just the crime
of living and breathing

in Chuck Rhoades's general vicinity.

This is f*cked.

Yeah. But our man's
f*cking 'em right back,

and in their backyard, no less.

This seems like going up
to a m*rder hornet's nest,

shaking it and almost
asking it to sting you.

If Bobby Axelrod shook a hornet's nest,

the g*dd*mn hornet ought to have

the g*dd*mn sense to stay inside.

I don't know, Dollar Bill.
A hornet's kind of like me.

Once we're in att*ck mode,
we don't f*cking retreat.

You're freaking me out.

But look, now is the time to stand

to get this thing done once and for all.

So come on, Chuck.

Charge me with something
and see if you can make it stick.

Oh.

So, then, you heard me.
Where are the cuffs?

Oh... you don't get to
decide the when and where

- on my timetable.
- [CHUCKLES]

It appears that your timetable
is as many years as you like.

But it seems like just yesterday
you were striding in my office

to tell me that you had nothing to lose.

Or was it the day before yesterday,

and yesterday was when
you were telling me

that it was worth it for
you to go down with me.

This is personal. It's not judicial.

And this is when I finally
get my chance to prove it.

Oh, yes.

He will get the day in court
he so richly deserves.

Once I have everything in order,
and I will, quite soon,

it'll happen.

Mr. Axelrod will surrender to me.

That's a legal term, to be clear, Chuck.

[CHUCKLES]

So I will. Technically.

But know this...

I will be fighting you
to my dying breath.

[REPORTER ] Another word before you go?

[REPORTER ] Mr. Rhodes
before you leave.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

So then, any more questions?

I will answer whatever
my mouthpiece will allow.

[CLAMORING]

[APPLAUSE]

Well, I want to cheer too,

but these circumstances
feel trepidatious.

Yeah, I'm feeling
discomfited about my future.

Oh, look, the f*cking vocab twins.

You guys aren't getting it.

You don't drag an alley
fighter into an alley.

'Cause that's what Axe is,
an alley fighter,

a real Carboni.

And that's where Chuck
Rhoades just dragged him.

While they're alley fighting,
where does that leave us?

It leaves you head down, eyes forward,

doing good work earning
returns for the firm...

or the bank, as the case may be.

The rest will sort itself out.

Much like the recent unpleasantness.

We need to stay calm and unified.

That'll be a first for this place.

Yeah. And won't the assets
be frozen and seized?

He'll come up with a workaround.
Like he has in the past.

Like he always does.

Yes, I'm... I'm sure some kind
of arrangement will be struck.

Near-term, the negative press will suck.

But in the long run,

we will win, as we always have.

So was his getting out ahead of it

with a press conference
part of the plan?

These things are fluid.

I can't spare the time or the focus

to take the two of you apart today.

But if I did, believe me,
you'd be lying on the floor in pieces.

Taylor, I can understand why you think

anything you do to him is justified.

You've basically become him,
on his worst day.

But Rian,

you still have the spark
of a soul about you.

The way you used me for...

not even your own ends, but Taylor's?

If you don't about-face now,
this minute,

you won't even recognize who you were

by the time you turn .

I thought you had your arms around this.

I did. I do.

Believe me, I'm taking f*cking measures.

I hope so. Because a wounded
and cornered Bobby Axelrod

is not something many survive.

I'm not for f*ring squads.

- Good to know.
- Yeah.

I saw the Kubrick film as a tyke,

turned me off 'em. But if I were,

it would be for those who
leak secrets to enemy forces,

leave us unprotected against...

Yes. True.

I could tell you stories.

Yeah, I'm sure you could, Karl.

But right now, the story we need to tell

is that of the arrest and
conviction of Robert Axelrod.

Later, we will find
and punish the leaker.

Not against the wall, though.

We'll stop just short of that.

Yes.

For now, I want surveillance on Axelrod

to prevent any bullshit.

I want Michael Wagner scooped up.

We'll sweat him. Work on him to flip.

Probably useless,
but I want my time in the ring.

You'll have it.

We need to put Axe in a
spot where he takes a plea.

No trial.

No popularity contest
or chance to manipulate.

Hmm. We move to sequester the jury,

so that he can't try to buy them.

But, Chuck, we do have
a strong enough case to...

As we have in the past.

No.

We make him admit his guilt.

Take his punishment.

We win with a plea even before a trial

because that win, that justice,

is the important thing.

As Patrick Ewing knows well,

don't settle for a finger roll,

dunk the f*cking ball.

I don't even understand
what Wendy was saying,

but it made me feel icky.

No, she is right.

You won't recognize yourself by
the end of our time together.

Because that person you
were lied to herself

about who she was and what she wanted.

That was a person who
became artsy and quirky

and analytical when she
was picked on as a kid

instead of using what she really felt,

which was hatred.

I did not. I don't hate.

You do. You've turned it
into something else.

Like I used to.

But it was impressed
upon me that instead,

and listen to me here,

instead, it's best turned into fuel

because it's effective.

And nothing burns as clean.

[AXE] This is not a
usual investment meeting.

For this next little stretch,

I'll be relaying my
instructions to you remotely.

As will I.

We won't be in the
office as much as usual.

So it's goodbye for now

while we take cover to fight.

But we will be back at
it again soon enough.

We'll hold it down for you, boss.

I know you will, Bill.

That's why there'll always be a
place for an operator like you

in the money business.

And your place is here, Axe Cap.

Now, keep your eyes open
for opportunity, even now.

You got it.

It feels like we're at the end.

Nah, the end of the beginning
is all, Ben Kim.

Come on.

All right?

Sean, how much is
in the Foundation right now?

The princely sum of million.

We're gonna need a w*r
chest for this battle.

I need to have it transferred to
a new entity for the time being.

I'll send you the information.

I have always had a plan at
the ready for this contingency.

Able man you are.

We'll be back at those
good works soon enough.

As always, I serve at your pleasure.

[EXHALES]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Catch up with you later.

[EXHALES]

I didn't think I needed to hear
what the rest of them did.

And I didn't think you'd show.

- I'm not scared.
- I know what you did.

That Boyd move with the cannabis company

wasn't self-interest or a greed play.

You f*cking baited me.

[SCOFF] You once said to me

you didn't think you
learned enough from me yet.

Seems like now you have.

I thought we'd come together here.

You forced me back into working
for you practically at gunpoint.

So along the way,
you thought you'd team up with Chuck

to f*ck me?

I decided it right from the start,
as you know.

I just forgot for a little while.

Uh-huh.

Even though it was me that took you in?

Just another f*cking math nerd?

One with potential to be sure,

but one of many.

If you had more than one of me,

you'd have gotten rid of
the actual me long ago.

But you didn't because
I am a special f*cking case,

as you might put it.

Not so special you didn't
need me to platform you.

I propped you up, brought you along,

gave you the keys to a
f*cking space shuttle.

I thought you wanted
to get rich together,

and I let that fool me.

But your problem, as an investor,

is that your idealism is at
w*r with your profit drive.

And one day that will ruin you.

While your problem, as a boss,
as a mentor, as a person,

is you see my work product,
my company, me,

as yours to do with as you see fit.

And so now you've k*lled your mentor.

Congratulations.

Must mean... what?

Now you're strong?

You can lead?

Maybe.

I did think I'd feel better
about it, though,

have some sense of victory
or accomplishment.

You never did react well to competition.

No.

But I have come to
realize I'll do anything

for my own autonomy.

So you figured you'd let
the government freeze

everything that's mine,

and then go to your pal Chuck Rhoades

and break off your piece
and go off on your own?

Something along those lines.

But now, all I really feel is...

sadness.

That I want to thank you,
as ridiculous as that is.

And I think I'm...

No, I am sorry.

Sorry that it came to this.

You're sorry?

sh*t. You'll get over it.

The amount of time you spend

feeling bad over slitting
your enemies' throats

will get shorter and
shorter in the future

until it's barely a f*cking blip.

And if you don't get over it,

well, you can bring me some cookies

to Wallkill Correctional
on visiting day.

But I don't think it's
gonna go that way.

And I think you know that.

[CHUCK] Well, Mr. Wagner,

we find ourselves across
the table once again.

Only this time, you don't have
your master to hide behind.

I have Neal, here, though.

[SCOFFS]
'Fraid that's not going to be much help.

Oh, you're facing up to years,
friend-o.

Two bits. Vente-cinco.

That's what a bank CEO like
you who's driven

clear over the lane markers
of Know Your Customer,

smack into the guardrails of
Anti-Money Laundering laws,

is staring down.

Long time. You'll be
a senior citizen looking for

your Social Security check
by the time you get out.

If Social Security even exists by then.

But there is a golden ladder
reaching down to you,

and I am the one extending it.

All you have to do is place
the blame where it belongs

and grab on.

You're talking about me
cooperating against Axe?

I am. Spare us the time
and effort of feigning loyalty.

Just shed that dry, flaking skin

like the reptile you are and
slither away shiny and new.

[SACKER] Tell us how he steered you.

How he forced you.

How he knew about the bad
ton of unregulated marijuana

and yet made the bank
take the cash on board.

sh*t.

You know what?

Life's too f*cking short. Let's do this.

Mr. Wagner, please,
let me represent your interests here.

- It's my job...
- Thank you,

and, respectfully,
you're the best lawyer in the world,

but zip it, Neal.
You'll get paid either way.

Get the papers drawn up
while I clear my throat.

You should probably also
relocate me while you're at it.

I hear Idaho's a nice place

for people with certain beliefs.

Can you be my case officer?

You should put me someplace
where spaghetti marinara

is egg noodles with ketchup.

Will I get to wear a wire?

I hear the batteries make
your balls warm and tingly...

Okay, smart guy.
You can stop f*ckin' around.

Why don't you stop f*ckin' around?

This is a closed meeting.
Your presence is improper.

No. What you're doing here is improper.

You interested in what he's selling,

or should I take it from here?

I leave it in your capable hands.

Better learn to slice the garlic
nice and thin for the joint.

Only it's gonna be on top of
Spam for you two, not steak.

Okay. Come on, Neal.

Shut off your meter.
He doesn't need your help.

I don't use a meter.

Bach really owes me one for this.

I ought to arrest your ass right now.

If you could, you would have already.

Besides, I didn't see
any of your cops out there.

You gonna chase me down the hallway?

'Cause you can't catch me.

She could, maybe. Not you.

Oh, you will be taken soon enough.

As stipulated by your lawyer.

A straight-up bad bankin' charge.

[SCOFFS] The dirty money
got dangled in front of you,

and you hit it like
a rising f*ckin' tarpon.

And now you're got dead to rights.
How's it feel?

It feels like maybe
I'm gonna start pulling

your boat backwards.
'Cause I'm no tarpon.

I'm a f*cking Great White.

Don't you know that yet?

[CHUCKLES] Well. No matter.

Even the biggest get landed.

Yeah, they end up
strung up over the dock

with their bellies sliced open

and people standing around
them smiling for pictures.

That's what I've always been to you.

A trophy.

The trophy.

You can't make anything,

build anything,
earn anything on your own.

So you try to boost yourself
up by tearing me down.

No, you said it once a while back,

about what happens to a lawman
once he puts the star on.

Well, seems you were right.
I am a lawman.

And that star sunk in
deep and reminded me.

It's more than that, though, isn't it?

There are fights a man
measures himself by,

fights that take more out of him

than even winning gives him back.

Fights that make him. Ali had Frazier.

- I have you.
- No, no, no.

I have you.

I'm Ali in this parallel.

Another thing we can disagree on.

Why, Chuck?

What is it about me that
won't let you break off?

Is it Wendy?

'Cause you know I never
tried to take her from you.

And if I have her now,
you lost her on your own.

I don't need the f*cking reminder.

And I don't know. Not really.

It's something to do with her,
but it's more.

Guys like you...

No, you.

You've accumulated so much

you think laws don't apply to you.

And I'm not talking
about the laws of man,

the ones written down on paper.

I'm talking about the
immutable laws of the universe.

About fairness and right.

Who says we have to live by those?

Maybe we can create our own,
if we have the audacity.

And who appointed you the
keeper of these cosmic rules

in the first place?
The f*cking arrogance.

On my part? You're the one
who just said you created

your own system of right and wrong,

like some f*cking deity.

I didn't presume to that.
I arrived at it.

A Titan steals fire

and gets his liver eaten
every day for punishment.

Another one picks
the wrong side in a w*r

and has to hold the
world on his shoulders

for all time.

A king tells a secret

and has to push a rock up
a hill for his trouble.

Believe it if you will,
or look for the metaphor in it,

one thing's for sure.
We are not very good

at being f*cking happy, are we?

Happy.

What's that?

Family dinners every night?

Playing on the weekend

and going to Nevi's at Christmas time?

Some version of it.

That the kind of happy you're aiming at?

No, you know it ain't.

So you gotta aim at me.

Right or wrong. And when it's wrong,

you gin up some sh*t to make it work.

Un-f*cking-believable!

You actually believe you're innocent.

Well, I might not
have known until right now

just how badly you need to go down.

Oh, you're gonna learn
just how innocent I am

when that jury foreman
reads it out in open court

for the whole f*cking world to hear!

Well, we'll see about that, soon enough.

Yes.

We will.

Tell me one thing.

Who leaked the arrest to you?

[SCOFFS] Who are you?

Kojak with a riding crop up
his ass instead of a lollipop?

Figure it out for yourself.

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]

[TYPING]

♪ Are you lonely tonight? ♪

♪ Are you out on the road? ♪

♪ I'm headed home ♪

♪ To go it alone again... ♪

What I told you before
about using the hate...

it may work for you.

But I should never have said it.

- No?
- No.

The advice I should have given
you about working here...

or anywhere in this business really,

if remaining resemblant
to the person you are now

matters to you at all...

is what Agatha the
precog tells Anderton.

Run.

Run.

If I see you here again,
it'll be to my benefit.

But I hope I don't.

♪ I'm realizing what I've lost ♪

♪ And what I've left ♪

♪ And taking it home ♪

♪ To go it alone again ♪

After years in the music game

and another few in the pot game,

you'd think I'd already
been screwed more ways

than in the Kama Sutra.

But you guys went full
Trudy and Sting on me.

Okay. Here's how I did what I did...

♪ I'll do what I'm told ♪

♪ And buy what I'm sold again ♪

♪ She was enough... ♪

[KNOCKS ON DOOR]

Get us in front of the grand jury.

♪ The wound that won't heal ♪

♪ Is pain I can't feel again ♪

[CELLPHONE RINGS]

There's no way to say this

without it coming off as a bit dramatic.

[SCOFFS] If ever a
situation called for it.

[BACH] It's time to surrender, Bobby.

At the heliport.

Chuck got what he needed
to make it official.

I'm on my way.

Sir.

What are we fighting about
this afternoon, Sonny Boy?

Uh...

No, Dad. I just, uh...

Well, sh*t, old man.

I came over to make the peace with you.

I didn't raise you to
make gestures like that.

I found myself, uh...

Well, I... [CLEARS THROAT]

was on my way to arrest Bobby Axelrod,

and I found myself contemplative.

There was one person I wanted to see.

And it was you.

Good. Ill.

m*therf*cker. Sweetheart.

In whatever role...

you're my father.

And all I do

is in reaction to that in some way.

What about the fact that I tried to f*ck

your entire life's work the other day?

You're willing to just
forget about that?

And the fact that you knew
I would, and used it.

You have been through a terrible ordeal.

I watched you almost
accept your own death.

Anybody would come out of
that questioning everything.

Even their loyalties.

If I were you, I wouldn't go in

for the sentimental reveries just yet.

You've had Axelrod
in cuffs before, Sonny.

Doesn't mean you'll keep him there.

I guess it's possible, Pops.

But I like our odds.

That was supposed to get a very
different reaction out of you.

You were supposed to snap at me.

Call me out for not believing in you,

but you didn't.

Oh, sh*t.

You actually have him this time.

That's why you're here.

This is beyond crowing.

You've actually won, haven't you?

That also means that I
backed the wrong gladiator.

I looked at the situation
from all the angles,

and put my money down on Axe.

And you whupped him.

I guess it's finally happened.

[SIGHS] I went and got old.

Bye, Dad.

Bring me my daughter.

Leave her with me.

I need to tell her a few things.

Firstly, your brother

may not always be a good man.

But he is indeed...

a very great man.

♪ I wish I was a neutron b*mb ♪

♪ For once I could go off ♪

♪ I wish I was a sacrifice ♪

♪ But somehow still lived on ♪

♪ I wish I was a sentimental ♪

♪ Ornament you hung on... ♪

I guess we all got the call.

Yes, we did.

Even you.

Yes.

♪ For million hands upraised ♪

♪ And open toward the sky... ♪

[SIREN CHIRPS]

♪ I wish I was a sailor ♪

♪ With someone who waited for me... ♪

We're finally working together, Chuck.

You're a man of your word.

Appears that I am.

♪ I wish I was a messenger ♪

Well, here we are at the
appointed time and place.

Don't gloat, Chuck.

I'll do my level best not to.

No easy task, though.

- Mr. Wagner?
- Yeah.

What's this?

[HELICOPTER APPROACHES]

Even when you know it's coming,

that last moment of freedom,

it's hard to leave it behind.

Pull him out of there!

We got nothing.

Where's he at?

_

I came to the meet because you texted.

Because I wanted to look into your eyes,

not make any kind of deal.

My guy wants to talk to your guy.

Hasn't he done enough?

Why should he?

If you can't see it,
then you really gotta

make the meet happen.

Because Axe has laser vision,

and he will see exactly what the win is.

[EXHALES]

Believe I know who our leak is.

_

You use your night vision goggles

to help you make your
way along the water?

That's the way the law
really knows someone's in it

for the thrill, you know?
When they get the goggles going.

Yeah, the law didn't see me because

they're watching the front door.

And not how I get my kicks.

I assure you, I take no pleasure...

No, no, of course not.
That would be indecorous.

No, it's fine to set a guy up,
lead him to slaughter,

but to laugh... that's the line, huh?

Yes, that's the line. I take no joy.

You don't have to believe me,
but it would serve you to do so,

to expand your set of beliefs.

So what would you have me
put my faith in, Mikey boy?

Let's start with some facts.

Then we can segue into faith.

I find it easier to convert
the skeptical that way.

The moment you're actually indicted,

eight billion of your
money is frozen solid.

You probably have five,
in your charitable foundation.

Another three-quarters
of a billion offshore.

A few hundred here or there
the government hasn't found yet,

but they will.

And you're facing years

in state and federal banking charges.

You'll want to go to trial,
and you probably will.

But billionaires aren't
that popular right now.

This country's strangled
with inequality,

and you're about to become
the new poster boy.

Your best bet is a plea.

Ten years in state custody with
the possibility of time off

for good behavior.

Lop off another year

for a drug-alcohol intervention program,

and you're still looking at six.

Can you do six?

Could I?

I don't know.

The pandemic felt like solitary,

and I had cars and planes

and five properties to choose from.

But every man has to answer
that question for himself.

And then there's running.

Roman soldiers on campaign
carried three days' rations

and foraged.

Going to ground with
under a billion liquid

is your equivalent of that.

Okay. So that's the windup.

When do you deliver the f*cking pitch?

The f*cking pitch is coming,
and it's nasty, Axe,

a cutter down and breaking
inside the last second.

A real Louisiana Lightning special.

See, you enjoyed that.

You bring it out of me,
what can I tell you.

Look, I won here.

I cut you down. Put you away.

But behind bars?

While that may be part of Chuck's

Cheryl Tiegs fishnet fantasy,
it's not part of mine.

I don't care. I just want you gone.

And now you are.

But you see something more, don't you?

I do.

I'll give you billion
walk-away money for Axe Holding,

the bank, and the asset management arm,

including Taylor Mason Carbon.

We make the deal now,

get it papered before you're arrested

and barred from selling.

That's a steep discount you want.

Pennies on the f*ckin' dollar.

Guys with sucking chest wounds
should save their breath

and not try to negotiate.

Your billions, they're gone.

No good to you.

Me? I might be able
to reorganize the bank,

keep your investors on board
and restart that business.

And then one day your
buddy the Attorney General

unfreezes my money for you?

I have a white paper that says
this transaction is legal,

because right now you're not indicted.

You've not been told you will be.

Your lawyer's not been told.

And even if he freezes it,

I'll find a way to get it unfrozen.

Long time since I was on the
other side of one of these.

In a real way. [SCOFFS]

It feels, um...

Wow.

So this is what it is to lose.

Okay.

Fine. We do the deal.

With one exception...

Taylor Mason Carbon. Let them go.

Break 'em off of Axe Cap.

No can do.

I worked with Wendy and Taylor briefly.

I want them, need them.

That's a deal breaker.

So you get it all?

My money. My companies. My people.

Win, win, win.

And me nowhere to be found.

Yes.

That I consider a win.

Goddamnit.

I'm sorry.

You know he never would have
if there was any other way.

[CHUCK] Mr. Wagner,

this leaves you holding the bag,
now doesn't it?

[GRAMM] As the CEO of the bank,

you'll be f*cking prosecuted.

[CHUCKLING] No.

You see, I'm just a guy
who was offered a CEO job.

I never did take it, though.

See right here? Never signed.

We have carte f*cking
blanche on company records.

We'll find the real one.

Oh, sh*t. No, we won't.

Yeah, Bobby Axelrod was the cosigner,

so you can get him to testify.

But I don't see that happening.
So good luck.

[SACKER] We can't waste
our time with them.

We need to get the FAA,
recheck the no-fly list Axe was on.

- Look at air traffic.
- No point.

Mrs. Sacker, Mrs. Gramm,

when someone leaves a
burning sack of excrement

on your doorstep and
rings your doorbell,

it's best not to stomp it out,
lest you get covered in sh*t.

_

[AXE] I used to think it was
a total waste of $ million.

The third plane?

Of course it's a waste,

just like everything
in the top right corner

of the risk and control matrix.

Right up until you need it.

So how does this work?

I'm a little too tall
to fit into a cello case.

Outfitted as a private cargo jet.

Special container that
houses a regular seat.

You'll be quite comfortable,
I assure you.

Medical instruments on the manifest,
no passengers.

You'll board the chopper
to satisfy the tail,

and then pass through out
into a waiting vehicle.

I'll have things taken
care of on the other end

long before you land.

It's good to be the king.

Hall,

you are a true professional.

In other circumstances,

those words coming from you

would actually, uh, make me smile.

f*ck!

Well...

this turned into a tough day, Rhoades.

I need a drink.

_

Let's go.

All right.

[SCOFFS]

Whoever was on the tail, they got b*at.

It's not their fault,
but never use them again.

This is...

It's done! Fall back!

But start thinking of the next move,

and the move after because
done does not mean finished.

Not in this case.

Mr. Bach, you made assurances.

You will be hearing from us.

Oh, I'll be looking forward to it.

Didn't figure he'd leave you
behind, huh?

After all that effort, all that history,

to just ghost you like that?

Guess you bet on a bad pony, Wend.

Chuck!

Sorry for your loss.

You knew.

I knew? What did I know?

That he wasn't gonna show.

You're acting busted up,
but you were in on it.

You f*cking knew it all.

- [AXE] You got here just in time for the sunrise.
- _

- _
- [WENDY] Yeah. It's nice here, like this.

We can base out of here
while we fight the case.

Do, like, four nights a week,
Thursday to Sunday?

Yeah. Different options
I'm exploring at this time

for defending my liberty.

How different?

Oh, you know,
there have been certain developments.

Could turn out very nicely for us.

Very strong move I'm thinking of.

You're talking in generalities,
like a...

like a politician or something.

Talk to me like Axe would.

I realized this:

I can't spend my life
being some caged animal.

Just can't.

- Right. We're gonna...
- No.

I stay, the truth is,
after the fight, I lose.

They got me. I'm going to jail.

I don't accept that.

You don't have to.

I'm not staying and fighting.

I'm getting outta here.

Where?

To a place on the Continent.

Where there's no extradition
for certain financial crimes.

Where I'll be able to
monitor the arguments

my lawyers are making from there.

We will.

Together.

Come with me.

[SCOFFS]

So much of me...

nearly all of me wants to say yes.

Which part of you is saying no?

[SCOFFS] Look,
being on the run with you...

that part, us together, like that...

I can't think of anything more exciting,

more enticing, but...

I mean, come on, Bobby.
Leaving my life. My kids.

Think of what that would do to me,

who it would turn me into.

It would ruin whatever was
between us, eventually.

Because the kind of
woman who'd do that...

the truth is, you wouldn't want
the version of me that would go.

Believe me, I'd take it.

If you stay, I'm in.

Whatever that means. In all the ways.

Including jailhouse visits,
if it comes to that.

I'm sorry, I can't let it come to that.

And I can't come with you.

I just can't.

[EXHALES]

If we can't finish it,
we can't start it.

Not now.

♪ Once upon a time ♪

♪ You dressed so fine ♪

♪ Threw the bums a dime in your prime ♪

♪ Didn't you? ♪

♪ People call say 'beware doll,
you're bound to fall' ♪

♪ You thought they were all ♪

♪ Kidding you ♪

♪ You used to ♪

♪ Laugh about ♪

♪ Everybody that was ♪

♪ Hanging out ♪

♪ Now you don't talk so loud ♪

♪ Now you don't ♪

♪ Seem so proud ♪

♪ About having to be scrounging ♪

♪ Your next meal... ♪

Robert Axelrod?

Your new passport, sir.

Thank you.

[SIGHS]

Wilkomme to Switzerland, Herr Axelrod.

Everything is in order.

♪ How does it feel ♪

♪ To be without a home? ♪

♪ Like a complete unknown ♪

♪ Like a rolling stone ♪

♪ Ahh, you've gone
to the finest school, all right ♪

♪ Miss Lonely, but you know
you only used to get ♪

♪ Juiced in it ♪

Stark.

We'll warm it up.

Yes. We will.

"Write it on your heart

"that every day

is the best day of the year."

Emerson said that.

And if every day is such,

then even this, yes,

this is such a day, too.

This company, formerly known
as Axe Holding Company,

Axe Asset Management, and Axe Bank,

and before that, Axe Capital,

belongs to me now.

You'll find I don't much
speak about things that way,

about who gets what,

who shined by closing
such and such deal,

but I think it is important,
crucial even,

to begin by stating in the
most plain terms what this is.

And what this is...

is mine.

Oh, hey, this is Scooter.

You may come to think of him as my Wags.

Better dressed, better mannered.

Perhaps not quite as much fun

at an all-you-can-eat Vegas buffet

or a mud wrestling establishment,

which are things of the past, anyway,

but still pretty fun.

You may know I come from private equity

and the venture capital world.

That I've been a founder
and an operator.

But after the roller coaster
ride the markets have been on,

I suddenly see opportunity in equities.

Unparalleled f*cking

opportunity.

Anyone who wants to get wealthy...

rich, in your language... can stay,

and we can discuss your place
in the new organization.

Otherwise, now is a good time to leave.

[DOLLAR BILL] Last couple years,

I think I lost my hunger.

My drive, my reason to get up

and do what the f*ck I do.

You just gave it back to me, Prince.

I'll see you on the
g*dd*mn field of battle.

Not so fast, you two.

I guess we're Tessio and Clemenza now.

Well, that one I've seen.

Well, only one of them turned
out to be loyal and useful.

We'll see how that goes
with you, Wagner.

Right.

[ELEVATOR BELL RINGS]

He here? Up in his office?

Where else he gonna be?

It is his office, right?

For now.

You can't do it, huh?

I worked for a legend.

I'm out.

Yeah. This place...

I'm outta here too.

Team up?

Done.

[HAMMERING]

I hope when this all calms down

and you really look at it, and me,

that you won't even want to leave.

But the thing of it is,
we can't even if we want to, right?

You could.
You couldn't work anywhere else,

and I'd own all you left behind.

Because you are now the majority owner

of Taylor Mason Carbon.

When I said, "It's all mine,"

that is what I meant, all.

Including Axe's piece of your shop,

which is the majority piece.

But this will work out for both of you.

I can feel it already.

[DOOR OPENS]

When, Mikey boy?

Hmm. When did you decide to
break ranks and betray me?

Because... and let's make sure
to let all the Axe enthusiasts

among us know, going forward,

you were in lockstep
with me on nailing him.

Right up until you weren't.

Well, Chuck, I was never
really in your ranks.

Never in lockstep.

We just had a similar
problem for a while.

Uh-huh.

Now, you're my problem.

And you know what I do to problems.

Let 'em fester?

No. I do what I did to the last guy

who sat in that chair.

I get rid of them.

No. I got rid of the guy in the chair.

Know how we know this to be true?

[SLIGHT GROAN]

'Cause I'm the one sitting in it.

Not for long, pal.

Not for f*cking long.

♪ You used to ride on a chrome
horse with your diplomat ♪

♪ Who carried on his
shoulder a Siamese cat ♪

♪ Ain't it hard when
you discovered that ♪

♪ He really wasn't where it's at ♪

♪ After he took from you everything ♪

♪ He could steal ♪

♪ How does it feel? ♪

♪ How does it feel? ♪

♪ To have on your own ♪

♪ With no direction home ♪

♪ Like a complete unknown ♪

♪ Like a Rolling Stone ♪

♪ Ahh, princess on a steeple ♪

♪ And all the pretty people ♪

♪ They're all drinkin',
thinkin' that they... ♪