01x07 - The Assassination of Payton Hobart: Part

[bunniefuu]

[sighs] When is he gonna wake up?

We've put him in a medically induced coma.

We still haven't been able to diagnose

what's causing Payton's fever
and symptoms.

I want to slow down blood flow
to the brain

so we can perform some other tests.

Is all this necessary?

Yes! It's necessary.

For God's sake,
they're just some shiny stones.

The last thing Payton said to me was
he thought someone might've poisoned him.

Yes, that would've been
two poisonings in one week,

but he's a very polarizing figure.

This is not playing out
like any poison I've ever seen.

What about
one of those fancy Russian ones?

[doctor] Do you have reason to believe
the GRU would be targeting him?

The problem is here.

Hello. Everybody not related to me,
please leave.

[Georgina] Well...

so pleased you finally found the time
to come visit your son in the hospital.

You told me you would love him
as much as the others.

Both of us have said things
we didn't mean, it seems.

I got a phone call earlier today.

[phone ringing]

- Yes?
- Now you listen to me, you son of a bitch.

She told him everything. How you two
did it in every room of the house.

[Luther]
Planning on running away together.

And then I found your packed suitcase
in your closet. Do you deny it?

No.

- It's all true.
- [Luther] Yes!

- Congrats, dude!
- Hear that, you lil' squib? You're out!

You have broken your promise...

and I am betrayed,

humiliated.

But I refuse to be cruel,

so I will, of course,
continue to send the funds necessary

for Payton to recover
from his latest illness,

but if and when he does recover,

it will be a rude awakening for him.

It will be the last dollar
either of you will ever receive from me.

You're out of the will,

and so is Payton.

Other than that, I wish you the best.

And I mean that sincerely.

[Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago" playing]

♪ I fell in love again ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

♪ Drove to Chicago ♪

♪ All things know, all things know ♪

♪ You came to take us ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

♪ To recreate us ♪

♪ All things grow, all things grow ♪

♪ We had our mindset ♪

♪ All things know ♪

♪ All things know ♪

♪ You had to find it ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

Why me?

- Why...
- [knocking at door]

[sighs]

What?

It's me.

Can I please come in?

No.

I'll keep it professional. I swear.

I heard the news.

[door shuts]

It's awful.

You know, for the first time,

I thought my life was gonna be normal.

I got away from my nana.

It felt so great to be single. No offense.

And now this, it's just...

Who just ends up in a coma anymore?

Do you know what even happened?

Yeah.

Actually, I do.

You do?

- Can I have one of those?
- Yeah.

Have you ever heard of Philoctetes?

Well, Payton's gonna die the same way.

Except not because of a Hydra,
'cause those aren't real,

but because I sh*t him with a BB
that I soaked in possum guts.

You... You sh*t Payton?

And if they don't get him antibiotics,
like, right away,

he's gonna die of sepsis.

- Just like Philoctetes.
- Oh, no!

Why did you do that?

Why did you do that?

Because Nana told me I had to k*ll him!

Of course she did.

And I wanted to.

- He's the reason why we broke up!
- I can't be here with you.

Infinity! Don't leave!

I can't live without you!

I'll die!

[security chain rattling]

[slow beeping]

We've reached a consensus.

Thank God.

We need to keep him under sedation
for further observation.

Further observation? [stammers]

My son is dying!

You say your son thought he was poisoned,
but that doesn't happen.

He was vomiting blood.

Now we just want to get his fever down.

Then we can run more tests
to find out what's going on here,

because his jaundice might mean

that we are seeing the first signs
of liver failure.

- Oh, my God!
- Have you guys heard of Philoctetes?

I forget the word that he used,
but my boyfriend,

he wanted to k*ll Payton,

so he soaked a BB in possum guts
and he sh*t him in the butt with it.

- What are you talking about?
- He just told me. I came straight here.

- Did you say possum guts?
- What are you...

If that really happened,
Payton would be suffering from sepsis.

Sepsis! That's the word he used.
That's what he has.

- That's it.
- [Georgina] Are you sh1tting me?

- We've got a code blue!
- Let's get some antibiotics in the IV bag.

Five thousand mill
of Ceftriaxone-Vancomycin.

You've never given him antibiotics?
You stay right there!

- How did you not catch this?
- [doctor] You said he was poisoned.

We don't treat poisoning with antibiotics.

[Georgina]
Oh, my God. You didn't do a blood panel?

[doctor 2] We did do a blood panel,
which showed elevated white cell count,

but we didn't consider
a bacterial infection.

Also, this is California, okay?

We don't just give everyone antibiotics
the second they walk in.

What kind of hospital is this?

Did you say your name was Infinity...

[soft music playing]

[Dusty] The Superior Suite,
that does have an ocean view, right?

A partial view? What does that mean?

That if I lean out ten feet over
the balcony I might see a sliver of ocean?

Never mind. Let's just book it.

- But you do know this is...
- [music stops]

[Dusty gasps, hangs up phone]

Oh! [laughs]

- You came back!
- No, I'm not staying.

I just came to say goodbye.

- Goodbye. Yeah.
- No.

I'm on my way to the airport.
I'm going to Paris. [laughs]

And I called the police, Nana.

I told them what you did.

- What? When?
- Just a few minutes ago.

I mean, I kept having to tell them
over and over and over again

because they thought
that I was pranking them,

but I'm gonna get all the proof
that I need from that dickweed, Ray.

And then...

you are going downtown, Nana.

[whispering] Are you wearing a wire?

Hmm?

[whispers] Am I being recorded?

No.

[louder]
Well, then, I have something to say.

- Okay.
- And I will say it just to you.

I had nothing to do with that boy
trying to k*ll the...

- Payton?
- Yeah, whatever.

And I will never admit...

to hurtin' your mama.

But what happened to you,

yes, I did it.

And I am sorry, I know that is not enough.

But those are the only words I have.

Oh, I love you, Infinity.

I do. I love you.

And I never meant to hurt you,
but I guess I did.

A little.

And then, you know,

I've been thinking
and I might have some...

psychological problems, you know?

And I... I think...

I probably need to get some help.

- But...
- Nana!

[Dusty sobs]

It's really, really great
to hear you say that.

Yes, and that's why
I've just booked a spa vacation.

- Huh?
- [Dusty stammers]

Ten whole days of, like,
facials and massage.

- I think it's gonna do me a...
- You booked a spa vacation?

I need help!

Christ, I've been trying
to tell ya I am sorry!

Sorry I'm a person
who needs attention and adulation,

but I've been that way
since the day I was born.

I had dreams, honey.

I am sorry. I am so sorry!

That's not enough, Nana.

[exhales]

Just not gonna cut it.

Now, wait, I am all you've got!

Nana...

Wait a minute, you need me, Infinity.
You need me to...

- No, I don't need you.
- Yes, you...

- No...
- [Ricardo] Infinity!

[Dusty] Jesus H. Christ!

- [Infinity groans]
- Can't you knock?

- Nana.
- Did you call the police?

- Did you call the police on me?
- Uh...

No.

Oh, yes, she did.

Yes. Yes, she did!

- No, she didn't. She didn't.
- And she told them everything, dumbass!

Then they're probably on their way
over here right now.

Why did you do that, Infinity?

Now I have to k*ll myself!

What is that, lighter fluid?

That's right!

- You know how John Wilkes Booth d*ed?
- Uh...

He got trapped in a barn,
he had a broken leg,

and he got b*rned to death.

And that's how I'm going out,
except for the broken leg.

Ricardo, don't.

Please stop.

[Dusty] No, go ahead, do it.

Come on, let's have a Buddhist barbecue.

I won't go to prison, Infinity.

I won't share you with another man!

I love you.

I love you too, Ricardo.

Okay? I love you. Just...

Nana, is that a g*n?

Put that down. Please put that down.
When did you get that?

Oh, I got it 30 years ago,
when I was working in a used car lot.

It was the '80s. cr*ck was just beginning.

Put the g*n away, Nana!

No, I don't want to live anymore.

Nana, don't.

Infinity, it was an accident.

I loved your mama...

and I thought the hospital would save her.

- [sobs]
- I can see that now.

Put the g*n down, please.

- Please.
- Put the g*n down, bitch!

No, I don't want to know
what they're gonna say about me!

Nana, no, no.
Please, please, please, no, no.

- [clicks]
- Nana, no!

What the hell?

Oh!

Put that down, Nana.

Oh!

Oh, my God, Nana! You sh*t Ricardo!

- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
- [Ricardo gasping]

You sh*t me!

Oh, wow, I'm sorry.

No...

Wow, I didn't mean to do that.

Somebody call an ambulance!

[sirens wailing]

Agh. Am I dead?

Is this Heaven?

No, wait, it's... it's not...

Well, actually, I don't...
I don't know why you'd be here if it was.

Maybe this is just a dream,
or actually, you know what it is?

It's the synapses in my brain
misfiring or shutting down,

they say that happens
when you have a near-death experience.

All you ever do is think, think, think.

Even now.

Well, I think about you a lot.

I think about...

why you did it.

Why didn't you get help?

Oh, I got plenty of help.

Therapists and medications and EMDR and...

- hypnosis and transcendental meditation.
- Ah.

Nothing made me feel better.

Why, though?
What was so bad about your life?

I mean...

you look like Superman,
and you speak Chinese,

and you had money,

and hugging you is like
hugging a steel shipping crate.

I mean, everyone adored you.

You crossed home plate
just by walking in the door and smiling.

I don't...

It makes no sense.

I feel everything.

There just wasn't enough positive emotion
to balance me out.

So it wasn't because of me?

No.

You were my only relief.

Then how come you were always
trying to make me feel more,

if me doing that would've hurt you?

Because that's what you needed.

I mean, isn't that what you do?

Help people,
even if it puts you at risk of being hurt?

No.

No, I help people because it serves me.

Feeds my ego...

my quest for power and... and validation.

You're a politician.

Well, I'm scared that that's all I am.

I only do this with you.

I mean, you're like this magnet,

just pulling all my feelings out of me.

So how am I supposed to survive
without you?

You need to go back
and bring balance back to the world.

That's the purpose
of the power you're craving.

No, I wanna stay here with you.

You can't.

[heart monitor beep echoing]

[monitor continues steadily]

[gasps] My darling!

Oh, my darling boy!

So you and Mrs. Jackson Sr.
were both gonna k*ll yourselves?

Like a su1c1de pact.

No.

So it's just a coincidence
that you were both gonna k*ll yourselves

in the same place at the same time?

Do you have any idea what it's like
out there for working people?

Our info says Mrs. Jackson doesn't work,

and that you got fired from your job
at the arcade two weeks ago

for taking four days off without asking.

I got nothing!

Do you understand
what I'm trying to tell you?

I'm surprised people like me
aren't showing up places

and k*lling themselves all the time!

All Infinity's grandma and me have
that means anything...

the only...

sunbeam in our lives...

was Infinity.

We were both losing her.

So you sh*t yourself?

No, her grandma sh*t me.

She's a monster.

Not because she sh*t me either,

I deserve to be punished.

But because of what she's done
to Infinity.

Wait, she sh*t Infinity too?

No.

But everything Infinity told you
about her Nana making her sick is true.

And, if you get me two Filet-O-Fishes
with fries and a vanilla shake,

I'll tell you everything you need to know
about Dusty Jackson...

and the deeds she's done.

[grunting]

[father]
My father was a Golden Gloves boxer.

He was set to compete in the '68 Olympics,

but he lost his leg below the knee

to a Bouncing Betty mine
in Van Tuong in '66.

[panting]

He still sparred with me though.

Starting around when I was 11.

He said...

he said I was old enough
to take a b*ating.

And he b*at the living crap outta me.

Even without a half a leg, he had
150 pounds on me and a foot of reach.

And he never once went easy on me.

God bless that man.

Why are you telling me this?

I've been soft on you.

Too easy.

You would've won that election
and you quit!

I didn't wanna win. I didn't care.

So win!

And blow off governing!

It's all just evidence
that you're a winner or a loser!

Which is why it matters
if I'm thin and pretty

and winning elections?

'Cause if I don't, you're a loser?

You're my child.

How you live reflects on me,
don't you get that?

Then take a good look at me, Daddy.

At me, at the house, at the car
and furniture that you're leasing

because your credit sucks?

It's all a mirage.

We're not winners, Dad.
We're a family of fakes.

Don't know what you're talking about.

You know, Mom's usually
a pretty typical drunk pill-head,

till she mixes Xanax and Pinot
and then it's like she's on truth serum.

And she talks.

About everything.

Neighborhood gossip, sex,
how you make your money.

I have no shame

about how I made my way in this world.

The only shame I feel...

is when I look at you.

You're a quitter and a loser.

And the greatest disappointment
of my life.

[door shuts]

[vehicle brakes squeak]

[car doors slamming]

Okay.

Here we go.

[knocking at door]

Hello, gentlemen.

Mrs. Jackson. Do you mind if we come in?

So let me guess,

he sang like a canary.

Ma'am, you're under arrest
for the m*rder of Dina Jackson

and the attempted m*rder
of Infinity Jackson.

m*rder. [chuckles]

And attempted m*rder.

Wow, that sounds so ominous
when you say it out loud.

You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say

- can and will be used against you in a...
- No, please. Don't even start.

- You gonna handcuff me?
- We don't have to cuff you, ma'am,

but we do have to read you your rights.

- You have the right to an attorney.
- No, just stop.

Okay?

I did it.

I did it all.

I won't even need a lawyer.

Now I know how this is going to go.

I am gonna spend
the rest of my life in prison,

and I deserve it.

And I don't even care.

And just so you know, Payton Hobart knew.

He knew every g*dd*mn thing,

that rich little son of a bitch.

He knew the whole time,

so you better go after him too.

Um, excuse me,
you have to sign in! Young man!

They know. It's out. Everyone knows.

- Whoa, hold on. Who?
- The police. Everyone, they know.

What do they know, James?

Everything!

Everyone knows everything!

[Elliott Smith's "Between The Bars" plays]

[students chattering]

♪ Drink up, baby, stay up all night ♪

♪ With the things you could do ♪

♪ You won't but you might ♪

♪ The potential you'll be ♪

♪ That you'll never see ♪

♪ The promises you'll only make ♪

♪ Drink up with me now ♪

♪ And forget all about ♪

♪ The pressure of days ♪

♪ Do what I say
And I'll make you okay... ♪

[teacher] Okay, guys, again,
and I feel like a broken record here,

the derivative of one
with respect to T is...

- [student] One.
- [teacher] No, not one. Zero.

This is not rocket science, guys.

- Payton?
- Yes?

The principal wants to see you.

[students] Ooh...

[teacher] Do an "ah" when you
get one of these right. Number six...

♪ I'll keep them still ♪

I want your resignation as president
on my desk by the end of the day.

- The only thing I can say...
- Oh, no. No.

You shut your mouth,
you little psychopath.

A crime has been committed
that you are party to.

You aided and abetted an attempted m*rder.

And if you don't want me filing a brief
with the court at your jury trial

telling them that you should spend
the next 20 years behind bars,

you're gonna say, "Yes, ma'am.

Whatever you say, ma'am."

And walk out of this office

and never so much make eye contact
with me again.

Do I make myself clear?

No, I admit it.
That's all I was gonna say.

I... I screwed up,
and I do not deserve to be the president.

You will have my resignation
on your desk...

in an hour. [sighs]

I, um... I did tell her.

Infinity.

I told her what her Nana was doing
to her, that she was being poisoned. Um...

I didn't tell her right away
and that was wrong,

but I did... I did tell her.

But I don't understand.
Why didn't you just go to the police?

Because if we went to the police,

then we lose control of the story, right?

And if it got out,
it would affect the campaign

and it could cost us the election.

And if it cost us this election,
then it could cost us every election.

Okay? I'm not a good person, all right?

I'm...

I try to do good things, right?
But I'm not a good person. That's my flaw.

I'm ambitious.

I am political.

I'm conniving.

I was willing to help Infinity up to the
point of harming myself and no further.

And...

And you don't like those parts of me
and I don't either, but...

that might be what I'm stuck with. So...

that might just be who I am.

You were wrong about one thing though.
I really... I did wanna help people.

You'd never believe that,

but I really did want to make this school
a better place.

So, I might not be a good person, but...

I wanted to do good things.

I... I still do.

[door opens, shuts]

[line ringing]

Hello?

Is this the FBI?

I have a crime to report.

Okay, I'm gonna ask a question now
that I think I know the answer to.

But I want your honest opinion.

Do we think I can come back from this?

Recent history has taught us that

candidates can recover from transgressions
that occurred when they were young.

Obama did coke, Dubya had a DUI,

Laura Bush drove through a stop sign
and she k*lled someone.

But this is worse.

This was willful and deliberate
and baldly political

with a sympathetic victim at its center.

It's salacious and bizarre,
and it'll follow you forever.

This isn't your "I didn't inhale,"
this is your Chappaquiddick.

And I warned you.

I said this is gonna destroy
everything we've been working for.

But you didn't listen.

So I'm sorry, Payton.

I truly am.

But I'm out.

I'm out.

[door opens, shuts]

What do you think?

I think the dream is over.

- [upbeat music playing]
- [phones ringing]

[overlapping murmurs]

I don't know whether I should feel
more angry or sad.

I mean, you were married to a man
with hands and a heart as cold as ice

for almost 20 years, you bore him
two sons, made him a home,

and now he just sends you off with nothing
but your precious jewels and some caftans.

They're not really mine.

Nothing is. Nothing is permanent.

[sighs]
Not what you own, not what you love,

not even the things that you think
will break you forever.

They're gonna start the bidding.

Lot number 3335,
emerald earrings with pavé diamonds.

One of a kind. We will start the bidding
at three million...

Ten million!

[auctioneer] Mr. Hobart,
I was saying we'll start the bidding

- at three million...
- Twelve million!

[auctioneer] Going once, going twice...

Sold. Number 44, 12 million dollars.

[gavel strikes]

Keaton, what are you doing?

I'm going to buy every lot.

I won't be outbid.

- [auctioneer] Lot 3319.
- You have to let go.

He's not keeping them.

No, he's going to destroy them
with a steam roller.

[Keaton] Nine million!

[auctioneer] Nine million. Going once,
going twice, sold for nine million.

- Next, lot number...
- At least you're rich again.

...24-karat gold...

I've already donated
all the proceeds from this auction

to charities that help victims
of Munchausen by proxy.

- In your name.
- [auctioneer] Thirteen point five...

Thought it might be time
for a little reputation rehabilitation.

[auctioneer]...number 44. Do I hear 16.5?

- Sixteen point five, on the phone.
- [sighs]

It really is time to let all of this go.

- Twenty-five million!
- [gavel strikes]

[Andrew] Two years ago, I presented
Principal Vaughn with information

suggesting that Infinity Jackson
was being Munchausen by proxied.

Now she's saying that never happened.

Well, guess what, Principal Vaughn?

- I have the receipts!
- [students cheer]

- [Andrew] I recorded the conversation.
- Yes, that's fine. Thank you very much.

I'll meet you at the entrance.

[garbled audio echoes over microphone]

[Principal Vaughn]
Leave my office at once!

[Andrew] Now, I'll admit
the recording is a little garbled

because one of the people speaking
is legally deaf

and the phone was
in the front pocket of my jeans,

but this is proof that Principal Vaughn
knew what was going on

and she did nothing.

[Andrew chanting] Hey, hey, ho, ho
Principal Vaughn has got to go!

- [students] Hey, hey, ho, ho...
- Can I talk to you in private?

That's funny.
I was just talking about you.

We got what we wanted.

- Payton is out of the way now.
- That's what you wanted.

Come on.

I'm giving you an opportunity here.

And what's the opportunity?

I'm president now.

I'm offering you the vice presidency
right here and right now,

and together we can accomplish
all the stuff we talked about.

Taking a Title IX case
all the way to the Supreme Court.

Exactly.

And enacting a gender,
non-binary history curriculum,

and making every bathroom
and locker room at the school unisex,

and staging a school-wide sit-in
until they abolish Columbus Day.

I don't believe in you, Skye.

- Excuse me?
- I believe in him. In Payton.

Um, news flash: Payton is over.

Maybe that's true,
but he has something that you don't have.

The only thing he has is
a complete lack of empathy.

- He's a sociopath.
- I don't know what makes him tick,

and I don't think he does either,
but that kid spends every waking moment

trying to make this world
better than it is right now,

and I'm sorry, you don't have that.

And I'd be real careful
who you call a sociopath

because you've done things
that you should be very ashamed of,

- and I don't see an ounce of remorse.
- What are you talkin' about?

I know you tried to poison him, Skye.
I went through your trash.

I wanted to give you
the benefit of the doubt,

but there was no other way
Payton could have gotten so sick.

Zinc phosphide, difethialone, warfarin.

- All those things were found in his blood.
- So?

That's just a weird coincidence.
You can't prove I did anything.

That's not up to me.
That's going to be up to the prosecutors.

But I'd find myself a lawyer
if I were you.

Skye Leighton, gonna ask you
to put your hands on your head.

Okay, this is crazy. You know that, right?

You're under arrest pursuant to section
347-A of the California Penal Code.

[man] I've got an emergency
grand jury indictment

charging you with wire and tax fraud,
insider trading, money laundering,

and running an illegal underground
bare-knuckles fighting club.

- Let go of me.
- Pretty bad look as a father

- to have your daughter turn you in.
- [father] You kidding?

- I've never been prouder.
- Okay.

Uppercut to my jaw, sweetheart!

- It's exactly what I was talkin' about!
- Let's go.

That's my girl!

- [mother] What the hell is going on?
- [father] Honey, call the lawyers.

I'm proud of you, you hear me?
I'm proud of you, baby!

[car door slams, engine starts]

[police siren wails]

Where are you going?

New York, I think.

I was happy there.

Maybe I'll just get a job at Bubba Gump's.

And school?

With the summer school Dad made me take
I have enough credit to graduate.

I'll just take my GED test
when I get around to it.

I'm sorry about Dad.

It was only a matter of time.

I'm more shocked it took this long, so...

Do you need any money?

No, I don't want anything.

The happiest I've been in my life
was when I was in New York with nothing.

Money just makes the important stuff easy,

so that we try and make
the unimportant stuff hard

just to make it feel like
we're not coasting,

but I have been
and I don't want to coast anymore.

Take me with you.

No.

[Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago" plays
over stereo]

♪ I fell in love again ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

♪ Drove to Chicago ♪

♪ All things know, all things know ♪

♪ We sold our clothes to the state ♪

♪ I don't mind, I don't mind ♪

♪ I made a lot of mistakes ♪

♪ In my mind, in my mind ♪

♪ You came to take us ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

♪ To recreate us ♪

♪ All things grow, all things grow ♪

♪ We had our mindset ♪

♪ All things know, all things know ♪

♪ You had to find it ♪

♪ All things go, all things go ♪

[Payton] I'm worried about you.

[Georgina]
Darling, I'm going to an ashram.

Maybe I could come with you.

No.

- You need to be on your own with this.
- [sighs]

I'm totally lost.

Everybody hates me.

Harvard pulled its admissions offer.

They said that my behavior wasn't in line

with what they considered to be
"a Harvard man."

I have had everything planned out...

since I was a child, every move...

on a rail, and now...

it's all gone to hell.

Finally.

Your life going off the rails

is the best thing
that could happen to you.

Life isn't a train.

It's a sh*t tornado full of gold.

You don't have to have a plan.

You have to try to stay clean
and grab every gold bar you can.

How can you stay clean in a sh*t tornado?

Well, you can't.

And that's the point.

This isn't the end.

This is the beginning.

For me,

for your father, even though
he doesn't feel that way right now,

and especially for you.

This emptiness is a gift.

You finally know what it's like to lose.

Do yourself a favor...

and let yourself cry as I walk away.

[gasping softly]

[theme music playing]