01x04 - Hand

[bunniefuu]

This box, it was recently brought
to my attention

by a highly regarded expert
in the field.

Based on my research,

I believe I've identified its location.

You're local, and from what I'm told,

you're the best at what you do.

I don't work cheap.

Rest assured, you'll be
paid handsomely for your effort.

I'll get it done.

No. No.

- Mmm.
- Try this.

Mmm! Mmm.

- Is that Gruyère?
- Swiss fondue dumpling.

It's fusion.

It's genius... but Mama's never
gonna let you serve that tonight.

- Too weird.
- She'll never know what's inside.

Tell that to Mama. She loves surprises.

Surprises? Surprises are for people
who don't have jobs.

Hey, you call this progress?
What's wrong with your hands?

Nothing. See, I'm fine.

I'm just out of practice.

The Soongs are going to come
in six hours.

Everything about this dinner
has got to be perfect.

Or else Mrs. Soong
is gonna make that face.

- What face?
- This face.

Oh, ha ha ha. Very funny.

Jin, there's more in the car.
In the car.

Bye.

Ah, not gonna lie, Althea, this
"Buying of the Bride" thing sounds...

The academic term is "bride price."

"Buying of the Bride" is country.

And what does it sound like?

One of those cow shows.

Cow shows?

- Like a livestock auction?
- Yeah.

Look, Dennis' parents
aren't measuring my girth

and bidding on me with cash.

It's a tradition in Mrs. Soong's family.

I get some presents,

the in-laws get to bond.

Then why aren't the Soongs hosting?

Mama intercepted.

She's much more comfortable
on home turf.

The Soongs wanted to have it
somewhere chic

with sustainable cuisine,
like Chez Panisse.

They're friends with Alice.

Dennis' parents sound kind of snobby.

What's wrong with your hand?

It's the burn.

The pain's been flaring up.

You're sure it's not carpal tunnel
from being on your phone all day?

Yes, I'm sure.

Oh, my God, Nicky, you're obsessed.

Okay, if you're looking
at my browser history,

Henry and I were just researching...

Actually, I moved on to your socials,

and what it looks like
you're researching is Henry.

Okay. You know what? Hey...

Not that I blame you.

- Damn.
- We're friends.

- I was just...
- "Researching"?

Althea.

Hey, some big sister advice?

Playing footsie over textbooks
is nice and all,

but this guy is eligible,

totally hot, obviously into you.

- I don't know that he's into...
- Obviously into you.

Just saying, why not lock it down?

At least figure out
what's going on between you two.

What's holding you back?

Mmm, he just texted, by the way.

Okay, give me. Thank you.

- Hey.
- Oh, hi.

I see you're obsessed, too.

Uh, with what?

The special key we found?

Our only lead to maybe finding
one of the weapons

before Zhilan collects all eight,

unleashes biange,
and becomes unstoppable?

Oh, right. That key.

I was looking online, nothing matched.

Same here.
So I came at it from a different angle.

I thought, what does a key open?
Doors, cabinets, boxes.

Okay. What'd you find?

Well, I dug up history, folklore,

and I found this old
Chinese children's story,

a fairy tale called
"The One True Warrior."

It's about a little girl
who goes on an epic quest

and finds a box.

Hmm. Girl, warrior, sounds pretty cool.

Look at the end.

Henry, the design on the box.

- Whoa.
- Same exact marking as our key.

No real details on the box
or where it came from, or what's inside.

The story ends before she even opens it.

Henry,

real key...

Real box.

Real story.

The fairy tale is true.

Now we know what we're looking for.

Nope.

Nope, that's not it.

- Bingo.
- That's it.

Mimi he, from the Yuan Dynasty.

Sold for $1.8 million at auction.

Oh. Who bought it?

A private collector.
Some hedge fund guy named Tom Travers.

He's based in SF.

After graduating from Wharton in 1996,

Travers took a summer internship
in Beijing,

where he developed a life-long passion
for acquiring Chinese antiquities.

Charming.

Says he lives alone in Napa Valley.

Nice digs for a bachelor.

Looks like he keeps
all his loot in his house.

Look.

That could be it.

Okay, so what do we do?

Like, drive to Napa,
see if he'll talk to us?

I doubt a guy like that
will take a meeting with us,

let alone let us handle
his private artifacts.

You're right.

He's speaking at an emerging markets
conference in Amsterdam this week.

It's all just
sitting there in his house.

What are you suggesting?

I'm suggesting...

we go on a little adventure.

Hey, Brad.

- The Evan-ator.
- Don't.

I hate it when you call me that.

And about that favor,
I really shouldn't have asked.

Too late, bud.

Got the information you asked for.
Check your inbox.

So, what?

- No, "Thanks, pal"?
- Uh, yeah, thanks.

Okay, so how do we get inside?

The front door.

The guy's rich.
Lock pick isn't gonna cut it.

Yeah, well, it's not my only trick.

Your tag.

So, if we get inside his house...

When we get inside...

When we get inside,
what are we gonna do?

We can't just rob him.

No, of course not.

We're just gonna sneak inside,
use your key,

take a little peek inside that box.

I can't believe I destroyed
one of the best cups of coffee in SF

with five packs of sugar,
and you're not even drinking it.

I'm sorry.

I wasn't expecting you. I'm slammed.

I can't find my stethoscope.

Look, I know you're busy,

and that you've
barely found five minutes

to have a coffee date with me.

But if I find your scope,

you're coming out with me.

Deal.

- See you at 7:00.
- Mmm-hmm.

Mm-mm-mm. We are serving
my great grandmother's Peking duck.

What's wrong with our dumplings?

The Soongs have a standing reservation
at Chez Panisse.

They are not going to want
our country food.

Our country food
put three kids through college.

Did you see that pair of pants
Althea was wearing today?

It looked like
it was made of solid gold.

A present from Mrs. Soong.

Solid gold pants, huh?
Sounds uncomfortable.

And the Cantonese lessons?

She's turning her into one of them.

Or one of us.

So you think that duck's
gonna solve the problem?

Just because Althea eats
fancy French food

and wears expensive pants,

that does not mean
she's still not our own daughter.

The pink suit or teal sequins?

The pink suit.

You're just saying that
so I don't spend another six hours

doing a fashion show in my closet.

I'm saying that
'cause you look hot in it.

Plus, it's good luck.

Didn't you wear that
when you got your last promotion?

Too corporate.

I don't want your mom thinking
I'm making some kind of statement

in a power suit.

It's just dinner.

A dinner where I'll be appraised.

You've already been appraised.

Priceless. And not just in my eyes,

my mom's, too.

What is this?

Family heirloom.

And trust me,
she wouldn't be giving this to you

if she didn't think you were amazing.

Does it narrow down what you can wear?

Are you kidding?

With these rocks, I could wear sweats.

Speaking of sweat,
someone needs to take a shower.

Ew!

Go!

I thought I told you I don't wanna talk.

I'm not calling to
pressure you.

I found another woman.

She's willing to go on the record.

The story's coming out tonight.

He's done.

I thought you should know.

Thank you.

We need a code.

Baby powder?

Watch and learn.

People only really touch
their security code numbers.

The oil from their fingertips
leaves a residue.

One, six, nine. Four digit code.

Well, how do we know the order?

We don't.

And we only get three tries.

He was born in 1969.

Wait.

He was born in June. June 6.

6-1-6-9.

Slow down.

That article said
he graduated Wharton in 1996.

Worth a sh*t.

We're in.

The box was right here.

He must have moved it.

We'll split up, it could still be here.

Yeah.

You okay?

Sorry. Yeah, no, I'm fine.

It's just... this sculpture,

it's part of a series.

It was designed by an Italian painter

and carved by
Qing Dynasty royal craftsmen.

Anglo-French troops looted
from the Old Summer Palace

outside Beijing
during the Second Opium w*r.

China's been trying to get
this piece back for decades.

It doesn't belong here.

I'm fine. Let's just keep looking.

Henry?

This is it.

Okay. Time to take that peek.

Nicky, look out!

- Well?
- I got the box. It's done.

It was her.

Zhilan? You sure she had
something to do with this?

Think about it.

The only reason we got the key
and started this whole quest

is because of what we found
in Professor Chau's office.

She kidnapped Chau.

Probably worse.

Exactly.

Who knows
what she got out of him before then.

She's been following the same lead,

looking for the same thing,
and ended up at the same place.

The box.
She's always been one step ahead of us.

I guess we're back at zero.

Maybe not.

Everything looks perfect, Mei-Li.

Here we go. Come on.

- Welcome.
- Good evening, Mei-Li. Hello, Jin.

Hello, Diana. Alfred.

Oh! Thank you!

A little something for you.

Your skin. You must tell me
what night cream you use.

No, you look younger
every time I see you.

- Something smells delicious.
- It's just a simple dinner.

- Oh.
- Hardly Chez Panisse.

Here we go.

Oh.

1990.

The year I emigrated.

- Mei-Li as well.
- Oh.

Althea mentioned it.

We came from Hong Kong in 1993.

Terrible year for champagne.

Please, please.

What? Were you expecting a calamity?

Obviously.

Your contact
that might know the thieves,

he lives in a haunted house?

It's an abandoned factory
my friend works out of.

Who is this guy?

Less you know, the better.

- Okay. Let's go.
- Hey, no.

You wait in the car. This guy...

You can't even tell me his name?

All right. His name's Randall,
but that's really all I can say.

You're just gonna have to
trust me, okay?

Lock the door.

Hey, Nicky.

Hey. I saw you called.

Evan?

There's something
you need to know about Henry.

- What about him?
- That break-in at Chau's office,

there was security footage.
I saw you and Henry.

That wasn't Henry's idea, it was mine.

Well, there's more.

I looked into Henry's files.
I shouldn't have, but I did.

And he has a record.

A long one.
Breaking and entering, twice.

- Stop.
- Theft.

- He served time in juvie.
- Evan, stop.

If he was a juvenile, how did you even
get access to his records?

- Those are supposed to be sealed.
- Yes, I know. I'm...

I think this conversation's over.

Nicky, I just want you
to be careful, all right?

How much do you
really know about this guy?

You're gonna love this.

What?

Randall knows the guy
who stole the box.

- Razor.
- Razor?

Yeah. A thief.
Some kind of black market dealer.

Never met the guy,
but he's kind of a legendary figure.

Big-time weirdo,
has a passion for gambling.

The type of guy
who'll make a bet on anything.

According to Randall,
he steals to fund his habit.

How does Randall know this thief?

They're friends.

They got some kind of deal, sharing
intel and sources with each other.

Told you Randall was connected.

Thing is, we gotta move.

Razor lives deep in the woods in Marin.

Randall says that the buyer
dispatched a courier to his house.

The box is getting picked up tonight.

Right.

I want it, I need it

I wanted to be
Just a little bit infatuated

I need a little bit...

I want it, I need it

You got me so easy

Why does no one
give any love to the Bay Bridge?

What about the Bay Bridge?

Thing about an art show,

kinda doesn't work
if you don't actually look at the art.

I'm sorry.

It's just Mrs. Phang, she's texting me...

About her UTI?

Promise. I'm done.

Anything?

No. It's just a bridge.

Maybe you're not looking close enough.

The photographer caught
a skinny-dipper, bottom right corner.

- Really?
- Mmm-hmm.

Where? I don't see it.

I'm hopeless.

Two strikes.

But I'll give you another try.

Come on.

- Here we go.
- It was appealing.

Ooh.

Peking duck.
Mei-Li's secret family recipe.

This looks wonderful.

Mei-Li and I want to thank you
for welcoming Althea into your family.

You've raised a wonderful daughter.

Althea has become our ray of sunshine.

The pear tart she baked
for Alfred's birthday was exquisite.

Althea, you baked?

I just followed the instructions.

The Tartine cookbook,
Mrs. Soong lent it to me.

Oh.

Speaking of Althea
becoming part of the family,

we feel it would best to be open
and honest from the start.

- Of course.
- Absolutely.

We'd like Althea to sign a prenup.

Uh...

I just, uh...

You know I'm not
marrying Dennis for money, right?

Honey, you don't need
to explain yourself.

Did you plan this?

We're just trying
to protect our assets.

From what?

From... From variables.

But honestly,

I don't know
that we should ever discuss this.

Alfred, I told you we should wait.

I'm glad you didn't.

We're sorry, Althea.

And can I just say, my mother's necklace
looks lovely on you.

Am I worth more with it on?

Is that why you gave it to me?

- I'm sorry?
- That's what tonight was about, right?

My bridal price.

And now with this prenup,

my objective value?

Let's just say it out loud
and put it in writing.

But we won't do it in dollars
because that would be tacky.

What about... ducks?

How many ducks am I worth, hmm?

Let's have an auction.

I'll open up the bidding at, uh...

Four ducks for my legs.

Do I hear four ducks?

Or what about my brain?
I definitely got a 20-duck brain.

Uh, do I hear 25? No?

Okay. What about my body?

I've been told
I have nice curves for a Chinese girl.

Althea.

Why am I negotiating?

The object never has a say
in what she's worth.

Althea...

Uh, is this where you m*rder me?

Take one step closer and you'll see.

Figured if photography
doesn't do it for you,

maybe something
a bit more immersive would work.

Okay.

I don't really get art,
but this is pretty cool.

Uh, yeah.

You're a bit of a Philistine.

Usually a deal-breaker.

Good thing you're cute.

I'm not a Philistine.

It's just...

I've never done this before.

Done what?

I've had hookups, I've had dates.

I just never...

dated. Multiple dates,
same guy, dating. Uh...

So you're a rookie.

Gayby.

Yeah.

If I've been hard to pin down,
if I've been hiding in my phone,

if I'm just really bad at this, it's...

It's because of that.

Does that...

throw you?

Not really.

Besides...

I already knew.

It's kind of obvious.

You've been quiet.

Everything okay?

I saw you.

With the statue.
I saw you give it to Randall.

You said we weren't
gonna rob that house,

that we were just taking a peek.
I never would've...

I traded it for information.

Information that we needed...

- You bought him off.
- Yeah. Yeah, I did.

Randall repatriates stolen artifacts.

He'll get it back to where it belongs.
He's one of the good guys.

If that were true,
why didn't you just tell me?

What else aren't you telling me?

- What are you getting at?
- Evan called.

- Oh?
- He told me about your record.

- You had him look into me?
- No, I...

He did that on his own,
which is a whole other thing. But...

I guess I'm glad he did.

If you had questions
about me or about my past...

you could've just asked.

We're here.

If you want to turn around, we can.

Out of the car.

Didn't you see the sign?
This is private property.

We're here to see Razor.

We've got two little rabbits
here to see you.

- Get rid of 'em.
- Tell him we know Randall.

Wait. Let them in.

Let's go.

You? The little cat burglars
from the house?

What, you come back
to get your ass kicked a second time?

- I'm a friend of Randall's.
- Yeah, I caught that part.

So, Randall just told you
where I live, huh?

Disappointing.

Randall doesn't give up info lightly.

You must have made it worth his while.

- We're here for the box.
- The box is sold.

By the looks of it,
for more than what you two

could scrape up over many lifetimes.

Gary, take them out back.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait!
- I don't like being trespassed on.

I'd like to give Randall a message

of the cost of betraying
your friends. Gary...

- Whoa, whoa.
- No! Fight me for it.

- The box.
- Nicky.

- I thought we already did that.
- A fair match.

I hear you're a betting man.

All I'm proposing
is a simple, friendly wager.

You win, you keep the box.
I win, we get whatever's inside.

In case you haven't noticed,

I already have the box.

But you don't have this.

- Is it real?
- 100%.

- And it's yours.
- If I fight you?

Yeah. Throw in this key,

you could raise the price
with your buyer.

Or I could have my man Gary
just k*ll you,

and I can take the key.

You could.

- But you won't.
- And why won't I?

Because you have a code.

Win or lose, you keep the box.

Sale goes through as planned.

All we're fighting for is a little peek
and claim to whatever's inside.

So...

fight me.

Okay.

You're on.

I can't go back in there.

Yes, you can.

I set my parents straight.

And honestly, I think your mom
likes seeing them taken down a peg.

But I don't think that outburst
was about the prenup.

How could you tell?

It walks like a duck...

Please don't ever say "duck."

Do you want to talk about it?

Not quite yet.

Are you sure I didn't sound
totally insane?

You are by far
the sanest one of us all.

You Shaolin?

La, la, la, la, la, la, la

Yeah, get, get it going

Get ready

Get ready

Get ready

Get ready

My favorite movie of all time
is Executioners from Shaolin.

Never seen it.

Leave it on the floor
You want some more

Get, get it going
Get ready

Pinnacle scene, the priest Pai Mei
demonstrates he's mastered the technique

of moving the weak spot
in his body at will.

Everybody has a weak spot.

Exactly.

Nicky!

Stand down.

He learned to move his weak spot.

Imagine having that skill.

I wouldn't need it.

I don't have a weak spot.

Get ready

They're here to pick up the box.

Yeah, tell them to wait in the car.
I wanna see this.

Go ahead, young Shaolin.

Oh, a scabbard. Dope. What's it for?

A sword.

The look on that woman's face.

It looked like she saw a ghost
when Althea gave it right back to her.

We always taught our children
to respect their elders

and to not talk back.

I know.

Thank God she didn't listen.

I thought Nicky was the headstrong one.

Well, now we've got two.

I wonder who they take after.

At least the in-laws know
how to pick a good champagne.

Mmm-hmm.

How's your hand?

Weirdest thing...

since I touched this,
the pain just stopped.

Like it belongs to me.
Like I was supposed to find it.

That sounds crazy,
but I know this scabbard matters.

And clearly Zhilan does, too.
But we b*at her to it...

because of you.

You've gone on this journey with me,
no questions asked.

Professor Chau's research, the key,
Razor, it all led to us finding this.

I shouldn't have doubted you.

- Nicky, it's okay.
- No. It's not.

We... We both have our pasts,

things we don't know about each other.
But it doesn't matter.

You asked me to trust you...

and I do.

Keep it safe.

For us.

I grew up pretty poor.

Was mostly raised by my grandmother,

had a lot of unsupervised time,
got mixed up in some... some stuff.

- You don't have to explain.
- I want to.

After juvie,

I ended up taking a Chinese
history class at community college,

and it all just clicked.

I found what I was looking for.
My roots, I guess.

And it saved my life.

I finally got out of that world,
all the way out.

That's why people like Travers
make me so... angry.

That's why I know people like Randall.

Because history... I mean, real history,

it shouldn't be hoarded up
in some fancy house somewhere.

It should belong to everyone.

The statue that I took from Travers,

Randall's gonna make sure that
it gets sent back to where it came from.

That's why I took it.

I'll tell you more, Nicky.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Okay, tell me everything.

How was dinner?

It was a hit.

There was some drama
over a prenup,

but Dennis is driving his parents home
and assures me that's not happening.

Just one more thing crossed off
the pre-wedding checklist.

Well, that's great.
I'm sure you're thrilled.

Okay. I've been dying
to talk to you all day.

It's been a ride.

Henry and I were...

Althea, are you okay?

Althea?

A profile of my boss
was supposed to come out tonight,

exposing him as a sexual abuser.

He assaulted a woman at work,

but she dropped out of the story
because she was scared, I guess.

Oh, my God

No, I know she was scared,
because what he did to her...

he did to me.

When?

While you were gone.

It didn't happen all at once,

not at first.

That's the crazy thing. It's the steps.

First it was a comment
on the tightness of my sweater,

then a jab at how my chest
is out of proportion with my ass.

Then I'm his favorite employee at work,
and a promise of a promotion.

But then I've overstepped
in some invisible way.

Then he freezes me out for a week,

so I'm dying to get back
into his good books.

I accept a whisky
after hours in his office.

I don't fight back
when his hand is on my knee.

So he grabs me
and tells me he can't help himself,

I'm irresistible, and he...

So he made a little mistake.

You can't ruin someone's reputation
over a mistake, right?

And that's why I couldn't
talk to the reporter.

Because I was all mixed up.

Why I was so relieved to hear
that another woman wasn't.

That she was braver than me.

Even though I was so sorry it happened
to her, too, but...

relieved in a way?

That sounds so awful.

Hey, no.

I am so sorry...

for what you went through.

For not being here.

I know how that woman feels.

And I have the power to make her, God,

others not feel so scared
if I just spoke out, but...

But I can't.

I can't do it.