01x03 - The Algorithms of Control

[bunniefuu]

Corporate espionage is
a dirty way to get rich.

- I'm not a spy.
- Uh, manipulating people

and situations to influence markets
for client advantage is what, then?

- Consulting.
- Hailey.

John.

I swiped on you at the
bar. That's how I found you.

No, it isn't.

I need to know who you really are,

so start telling me.

None of this sh*t
happened until I met you.

Obviously, this was a big
mistake, so I am letting you go.

You know what? f*ck no.

- What?
- I'm not going.

God, it's so good to see you.

- It's been too long, huh?
- Yeah, it has.

- It's a simple job.
- Why me?

I know I can trust you.

All we need to do is suggest
that the Banomar Group

and the Treasury Department
investigator are somehow

in bed together... nothing tawdry,

just a few photographs
to feed the narrative

and squash the investigation.

There's video of you. Listen.

- HAFIZ: They cut Weir in.
- LARTER: Valence f*cked us.

[expl*si*n]

Were you in that expl*si*n?

- What the hell happened?
- This was not the plan.

Shut up!

Nothing has changed.

Miles, no!

How do I access Valence's comms data?

Without his password

and his authenticator,
there's no getting in.

Five wrong tries,

the whole server just bleaches itself.

It's impossible.

REPORTER [OVER TV]:
Authorities have identified

a person of interest in
the mysterious deaths

of tech entrepreneur Miles Valence

and Treasury official Edward Homm.

G-MAN: Your father d*ed
fighting for this country.

He did what he did so
that you and your mother

wouldn't have to suffer
through his hell.

Oh, you're really
messing this one up, John.

Nice to see you, too, Dad.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT, OVERLAPPING
NEWS BROADCASTS]

BEN: You need to know
what you're getting into.

This is not cops and robbers

or three-dimensional chess

or any game you've ever played.

The enemy is everywhere,
but he can't be seen.

The enemy is highly intelligent
and highly resourceful.

Eyes and ears will be on you everywhere,

and you must act accordingly.

It requires absolute
commitment to the plan,

absolute trust in one another,

and absolute doubt in anyone else.

Now, if you can't do that...

trust me

and trust the plan...

there's no point in going any further.

You able to do that?

Yes.

BEN: What about you?

- Yes.
- BEN: Mm.

Good.

KIDS: Fight! Fight! Fight!
Fight! Fight! Fight!

Fight! Fight! Fight!
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

- Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
- TEACHER: Weir!

- Weir! Weir!
- ["FIGHT" CHANT CONTINUES]

Stop. Weir!

I'm calling your mother.

Again.

CLAIRE: Johnathan, lunch.

Johnathan.

[PANTING]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

No!

[SIREN CHIRPS]

[CAR APPROACHES, CRASHES]

CLAIRE: Johnathan.

Johnathan.

What are you doing?

I told you never to come here.

I can't do this anymore.

I am sending you away.

RESIDENCE DIRECTOR: Wake up.

Come on.

- [CLAPS]
- Out of bed.

Let's go.

MATH TEACHER: Who wants to come up?

John?

Come up here.

You're the one in most need.

Stop.

Mr. Valence.

Come up here and show
Mr. Weir how it's done.

WEIR: Hey, Miles.

- Do you know this book?
- What?

- Do you know it?
- No, but it looks interesting.

WEIR: I found this stuff by the safe.

Lots of numbers, and some are circled.

And this article, it's the same thing

but with the letters circled.

VALENCE: Maybe it's a cipher.

A-A code kind of.

Hold on.

I learned a lot about
this for computer class.

See? Code.

I-I think that's what he wrote there.

Can you do it?

I-I don't know. What's in the safe?

I don't know.

Can you do it or not?

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

VALENCE: Why do you want
to get in the safe so bad?

Is there money or something in it?

WEIR: I just want answers.

Do you really think
the answer's in there?

Just open it.

♪ ♪

CARTER AIMES: So, what's your pitch?

Your company is the fastest-growing

snack food brand in the entire world.

Your Macaroni and Cheese
Puffs are a huge hit.

Your stock price is riding high

because of record-breaking sales.

And right about now, you're wondering,

"What the f*ck do I
need these guys for?"

VALENCE [CHUCKLES]: That's
because your main competitor,

Unified Grain Mills, they're
in the process right now

of testing a copycat product,

Mac Cheezies.

And they have three times
your marketing reach,

so when they enter the space,

you're gonna see a
huge dent in your sales.

Your earnings in Q and beyond
are gonna take a massive hit.

WEIR: But we can buy you time.

Yeah, I'm listening.

WEIR: It's called a
mass psychogenic event.

In layman's terms, simple hysteria.

Our operatives can easily
infiltrate Unified's test groups

and identify recruits
prone to suggestion.

Is it hot?

Are you hot?

No, not really.

WEIR: Then, with a few
carefully placed reactions,

we would induce a nightmare
scenario for them.

Yeah. It's hot.

[SIGHS] Feeling a little queasy, too.

Uh, I guess it's a little
warmer than I'd like.

Hey, what's in this sh*t?

WEIR: We're confident such an event...

I'm gonna puke.

I-I don't feel so good.

WEIR: ... would derail Unified's
release of Mac Cheezies

for at least a year.

I'm nauseous. Can I go to the bathroom?

Sir, could you please stay in your seat?

I'm gonna throw up.

[CHUCKLES]

That is the craziest
sh*t I've ever heard.

You can really do that?

Yeah, it's science.

VALENCE: Not only can we do it.

We guarantee it.

Where do I sign?

[LAUGHS]

I think congratulations are in order.

VALENCE: You, too, brother.

I, uh, I just wanted
to show you something

that I've been batting
around, all right?

- Sure.
- It's, uh, an interesting metric

that I found on a study

about the data that Facebook uses.

- Sure.
- Now, it was designed

to determine if someone's preferences...

so, their behavior really...

could be predicted by a computer model

based solely on their likes.

And, according to the study,

the model was able to
predict someone's behavior

better than a coworker
after just ten likes.

After likes, it b*at their parents.

After likes,

the model was more
accurate than their spouse.

- Holy sh*t.
- Yeah.

Look, we know psychology, behavior,

and we sure know how
to make money at it,

but this big data thing,

it can just...

figure it out bigger,
better, faster than us.

Now, we could build a simulation

and just take all of that raw data,

taking it easily from
somewhere like social media

or databases or online polls,

and we could process it
all for sale to businesses

or politicians

or law enforcement, governments.

I mean, they would pay
huge money for whatever

that data could tell them about people

and how to predict or
motivate their behaviors.

I mean, you can see where
this is all gonna go, right?

Yeah, of course.

I mean, yes.

But is this really what
we want to be doing?

John, this is what we're doing already

with these rich pricks, isn't it?

Using our knowledge against them?

This is just bigger and
much more profitable.

I mean, this is the future.

You know I'm right.

So, let's be a part of it.

All right, you just...

you just promise me that you're
gonna think about it, okay?

I don't need to.

I'm in.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

[CHUCKLES]

Wow.

Oh, God, what are we gonna call it?

REPORTER [OVER TV]: A sad
development out of New Delhi

in the form of a press release

that provides a little closure
for many Indian families.

The Indian government has called off

- all active search efforts...
- Shannon, go home.

I will.

... which vanished
without a trace last May.

The mysterious circumstances surrounding

the flight's disappearance
have not been resolved,

and terrorism has not been ruled out.

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

["ROUTE " BY NAT KING
COLE PLAYING FAINTLY]

♪ Get your kicks on Route ♪

♪ Now you go through Saint Louis ♪

♪ Joplin, Missouri ♪

♪ And Oklahoma City
looks mighty pretty ♪

♪ You'll see Amarillo ♪

♪ Gallup, New Mexico ♪

♪ Flagstaff, Arizona ♪

♪ Don't forget Winona ♪

♪ Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino ♪

♪ Won't you get hip to this timely tip ♪

♪ When you make that California trip ♪

♪ Get your kicks on Route ... ♪

We used to have a lot of
fun with this, remember?

Okay, I don't know who you are,

but I've already called the police,

so if you want to make an
exit, this is your last chance.

I think you're better than that, John.

The door wasn't forced.
I'm not a common criminal.

I'm not searching the
place for a cash box.

I'm just playing your
hi-fi and waiting for you.

Okay, Moriarty, you want
a meeting, call my office.

Now, please leave.

John, it's me.

I said leave.

Maybe you want to sit down.

Acute shock, it can manifest itself

in a variety of ways.

Denial, sublimation of reality,

is a common reaction.

I'm a psychologist. I should know.

A psychologist, John,

like your father.

- [SHOTGUN BLAST]
- Dad?

[SCREAMS]

I think we should sit, take a moment.

We don't have to talk, just absorb,

and-and I will explain everything.

What did you do?

No, it had to be done.
Your lives were in danger.

- If you will just sit down...
- What the f*ck did you do?

Things went wrong. You
weren't supposed to know.

Now, if you would just sit down.

Stop saying that.

What is this? What do you want from me?

I need your help.

Are you f*cking kidding?

Who are you? Where
the f*ck have you been?

I had to make a choice.
Now, I'll understand...

Oh, a choice? This was all a choice?

Believe me, John, if it
wasn't absolutely necessary,

I wouldn't be here.

I've run out of places to go.

Wow.

M-My mom... your wife...
she ran out of places to go.

She d*ed because of you.

She knew, John.

[SHOTGUN BLAST]

Dad?

Dad?

Dad? Dad!

- [WEIR SCREAMING]
- Oh, John.

It's too late. It's too late.

I know.

No! No!

She knew I had to do something.

Look, he has to be
stopped, you understand?

Okay, you need to go.

No, it took me a long time to find him,

and, finally, I got
him, and then the bastard

went and blew up the g*dd*mn plane.

- Just get out.
- Now he's here.

- You must believe me.
- Believe you?

That's never gonna happen.

Get the f*ck out of my apartment now.

Please.

Just go.

Get the f*ck out of my apartment!

Now!

VALENCE: Drink.

John, come on.

Come on.

[SIGHS]

[GRUNTS]

[SIGHS]

Here.

"Safety in numbers," right?

You're still taking that Paxil, yeah?

It was him. I didn't imagine this.

It was definitely him.

What's his f*cking
game? I mean, why now?

[WEIR SIGHS]

He was going on about
conspiracies everywhere.

I mean, real paranoid, delusional sh*t.

- He sounds incredibly sick.
- [CHUCKLES]

- Probably where I get it from.
- [CHUCKLES]: Yeah, probably.

Should I... should I
call someone, or... ?

Okay, okay.

What are you feeling?

It's not good.

You mean, like, eight
years ago not good or... ?

Not yet.

f*ck, I can't go through that again.

I cannot let my mind go down
that f*cking rabbit hole.

- I know it's possible...
- It's okay.

We got through it before. I
will be here to do it again

if I have to, okay? Okay?

- It'll be okay.
- Thank you.

Take a breath.

- Just breathe.
- Yeah.

[STRAINED EXHALE]

He said my mom knew.

- What, that he was alive?
- Yeah.

Come on.

No way.

I always thought she
drank because he d*ed.

Maybe she drank because
she knew he didn't.

Oh, f*ck.

I built an entire life

around everything we found in that safe.

- Yeah.
- My psych degree,

everything I am,

everything I know is predicated
on my life experience,

and now I'm supposed to just
accept that it's all bullshit?

f*ck no!

Or he's f*cking nuts, John.

He keeps going on about
this guy named Crowley

and some new world order that's set up

to hijack governments
and take over the world.

I mean, real Manchurian Candidate sh*t.

[LAUGHS]

He thinks he's some kind
of super spy. It's insane.

Clearly.

- Did he have any proof?
- Of course not.

I mean, he said he had a guy
who was bringing him proof,

who was on the AeroDelhi
flight disappeared last year.

- That's convenient.
- Yeah, convenient.

You're just supposed to take
him at his word now, too?

He tried telling me about all
these top-secret operations

that would, one day, come to light,

vindicate everything that he was saying.

[LAUGHS]: What kind of operations?

Crazy sh*t, like...

like the Russians secretly orchestrating

a t*rror1st-style att*ck
on the Panama and Suez Canal

so they'd have the only
viable trade route to sell oil

to Europe and North America.
I mean, ridiculous, right?

I mean, the rest of the
world wouldn't stand by

and let that happen, right?

Right.

[SOFTLY]: Right.

- [SIGHS]
- He's a f*cking nutcase,

and you should forget you ever saw him.

[VALENCE SIGHS]

REPORTER [OVER TV]: In a
joint t*rror1st att*ck,

simultaneous explosions rocked

both the Suez and Panama Canals,

crippling the global economy as
this critical trade route...

BEN: In our early Agency days,

we developed techniques

on how to manipulate populations.

You know, you saw the research.

The Algorithms of Control.

We used them to undermine elections,

sway public support and
elect favorable regimes.

All that mattered was
that those governments

fell in line with U.S. interests.

But Crowley didn't see it that way.

Crowley saw it through darkened eyes.

He started selling
our cutting-edge psyops

as a service to foreign governments

and to businesses on the side.

Highest bidder, all come.

I've been out there, tracking him,

hunting him, watching him
help oligarchs and dictators.

You pick your scumbag,
Crowley's worked for him.

I almost had him once.

I even stopped a genocide.

Well, almost.

But now he's not working for hire.

He's got so much money,
it's not about that anymore.

It's about power. He wants power.

He wants a regime of his own,

and he wants it right here.

Here? Come on. How do you know that?

BEN: Because I wrote the book.

Chapter one, undermine
people's faith in the media

so they begin to doubt the
very nature of the truth.

Chapter two,

polarize factions in society.

When people stop seeing
the other side as human,

then human rights
cease to be an obstacle.

Chapter three,

marginalize the intelligentsia.

If people stop listening to experts,

then they become malleable. Hmm?

That sound familiar?

Chapter four... now,
you'll need chapter four...

elect a candidate under the
guise of restoring order.

Someone smart, someone charismatic,

but someone who can...
can be controlled.

What's chapter five?

Oh, there's no chapter five.

Now the country's yours.

Yes. Oh, yeah.

The bottom line is,
it's happening right now,

a lot faster than I thought it would.

Maybe by even the next election.

- That soon?
- Yeah. [SIGHS]

Time is running out for me, John.

I'm f*cking old.

This is too much for me to do on my own.

Now, you two both know my work.

You've built a career out of
what you found in that safe.

You're the only people
who can help me do this.

Full stop.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Are you gonna help me
get the son of a bitch?

♪ ♪

REPORTER: Police continue to search

for a man in connection with the m*rder

of U.S. Treasury official Edward Homm.

The suspect, John
Weir, is still at large

as both local and federal authorities

step up the search.

In Washington, the latest version

of the Shared Data Act is nearing a vote

in the House this week,
prompting protests

in many major cities.

Though support for the vote is slim,

sponsors hope to make
sure that they can...

BEN: I don't know how you
can be so goddamned stupid.

WEIR: I don't know why
you can't just let it go.

I like the taste of turkey bacon.

It's not some big political
thing. I just like it.

BEN: Oh, come on, John, it's disgusting.

Turkey bacon, it tastes
like salted assh*le.

Nice.

Listen, this whole low-fat craze

was a campaign to sell more wheat goods.

Big Ag financed those studies

and got the feds to back them up.

The messaging scared
the sh*t out of people,

they sold a shitload of pasta

and created a country
full of fat diabetics.

How my own son can be taken
in by that is beyond belief.

Can we please just get back
to what we were talking about?

All right. What else is there?

The girl. She's a wild
card. She's got to go.

- I don't think she's involved.
- Are you % on that?

Of course not.

Well, there you go, it's Occam's Razor.

You want to be %, we k*ll her.

Oh, my God. Would you please
stop with the CIA bullshit?

We're not gonna k*ll her.

It's standard procedure. I can do it.

HAILEY: Would you please stop?

You said he wasn't gonna do this again.

I know what I said.
Trust me, you're fine.

Well, it was standard
procedure in the ' s.

Now? f*ck knows.

Too much Agency oversight.

- I blame Bill Clinton.
- This man raised you?

No, thank God.

And I promise you, he's
not gonna k*ll anybody.

BEN: Listen, I was just thinking
out loud. All right, calm down.

Don't take it personally, sweetheart.

We had a plan.

Which he decided to ignore

and take a lot of risks
because he can't face up

to the fact that his
best friend flipped on him

and then topped himself
when he got found out.

Please, stop trying to psychoanalyze me.

Well, who's got the doctorate
around here, me or you?

You haven't practiced
psychology in decades.

Wait, what?

- You're-you're a psychologist?
- WEIR: You know what?

Next time you want to
fake your own su1c1de,

don't fake it.

Wait, what?!

BEN: You weren't supposed to know.

How many more times do I have to say it?

We agreed to leave this in the past,

but you keep bringing it up.

Fine, whatever.

It's not as if I b*at you.

I was there for you.

I was there when you played
the turkey in the play.

Oh, my God!

That was kindergarten. A lot
of stuff has happened since.

Oh, yeah, you faking
your f*cking su1c1de!

Oh, God, no wonder you're so f*cked up.

What?

I think I've done really
well, given the circumstances.

Did you really do that? How old was he?

Eat your eggs.

- Ten.
- Ten?

That's so f*cked up.

How long did you think he was dead for?

Would you eat your eggs and shut up?!

Excuse me?

WEIR: Hey, don't be an assh*le to her.

She's got nothing to
do with this. years.

- Oh, God. For real?
- For real.

Enough. Listen, can we
get back to the plan?

- And you forgave him?
- No, not entirely.

Oh, God, I don't even know how

you can be in the same room with him.

Oh, God, that's it, I'm gonna
blow a fuse in a minute, really.

We should probably stop talking
about this right now. Look.

We need to know what Valence knew, okay?

And I think that this...

will do that.

Always stick to the plan, remember?

Breaking into Valence's
comms is not part of it.

We need to get that Homm to talk.

Maybe we don't. Maybe this is
all we need to find Crowley.

- Who's Crowley?
- BEN: Just eat your eggs.

Stop saying that! No.

Valence turned on us. Face it.

BEN: I don't know that
with absolute certainty.

Right now, nothing is adding up.

They found Valence dead
with a g*n? He hated g*ns.

The look he gave me
right before he jumped?

[SCOFFS] I can't even explain that.

But, look, may-maybe he was just

trying to protect me from something.

The only thing that I'm
certain about right now

is that absolutely none
of this makes sense.

BEN: No, Crowley got to
him, plain and simple.

Face it, it's a mind game, John.

And you're being sucked in
instead of staying on mission.

WEIR: The last message
that Valence got...

"Do it now"... that was from Crowley.

Now, if I can access
Valence's comms data,

I can trace that call

- right back to the source.
- BEN: Enough already!

Homm will lead us to
Crowley. That was the plan!

We bloody near k*lled
ourselves to pull it off.

So let's get him to talk.

- Who's Crowley?
- Oh, just eat, will you?

WEIR: You really should eat something.

No, none of this is vegan.

Oh, you're a vegan?

Of course you're vegan.
I should've known.

Look, I-I need something to
eat. Can I go to the store?

- BOTH: No.
- Well...

I need, like, a KIND Bar, something.

BEN: Listen, John, I will be

very, very nice to Homm
and get him to talk,

but I tell you now, that and that...

won't bring us to Crowley.

[SIGHS]

[GRUNTING]

Who the f*ck is Crowley?

BEN: Eat your eggs.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Could I, uh, get my phone back?

Uh, j-just to check my messages?

WEIR: Rather you didn't.

Um, how about one of, one of these?

Would that be safer?

Rather you didn't.

You still don't trust me, huh?

Just you...

and the rest of the human race.

So are you, like, a hacker?

[SCOFFS] No, not really.

I just need to enter his password.

The server will ask me for a code,

which will come up on
the fob, and once I'm in,

I'll try and gather as much
communication data as possible.

How do you know his password?

I don't.

But I got some ideas.

sh*t.

[LAUGHS]

What is so funny?

We love numbers.

Games, ciphers.

Safety in numbers.

His password's got to
be something like that.

The Fibonacci sequence was a favorite.

Damn it.

Second attempt failed.

Three more, and he's
locked out for good.

Run a trace on his location.

I'll alert Xander.

Uh, so this...

Crowley guy,

is he after you?

- Or... you after him?
- Both.

Can you get me that
egg timer back there?

Thanks.

Yeah.

Your father, like, he... he's like...

Don't worry, you're not gonna
find a word to sum him up.

[LAUGHS]

Can I ask you something?

What do you say
when-when people ask you

about your childhood?

Like-like, at a party or whatever,

what do you... what-what do you say?

I haven't been in that kind
of situation for a long time.

Yeah, but it must come up, right?

Are you the kind of person

who tells the truth, or...

do you make up something up?

I mean, there's, there's two ways to go.

You either enjoy laying it all out there

making things awkward, watching
'em squirm for bringing it up,

or you avoid it by making up
something nice and moving on.

I'm curious, which one are you?

[CHUCKLES]

I used to tell people that
my dad was in the m*llitary

and we traveled the world
together and it was magical.

I guess I thought it
was better than saying

that he turned me into a
distrustful, paranoid mess

unfit for fatherhood

and incapable of having
normal human relationships.

f*ck me.

[SIGHS] Wow.

[CHUCKLES] Which one are you?

Oh, I'm awkward all the way.

Awkward, for sure.

[BOTH LAUGH]

"What were your parents like?"

And I just go all dead-faced, I go,

"I never have a dad.

I grew up in a car with my mom

until she d*ed when I was seven,

but most of the foster homes were nice."

And they just absolutely die inside.

Like, like they want
to curl up in a ball.

You got to make it awkward.

It's the best, I'm telling you.

Oh.

And the rest?

The rest?

Oh, um...

Well, I did the whole bootstrap thing.

Got myself into college.

Worked my way through law school.

Got married too young.

That did not work out.

Ended up in Pittsburgh.

Reinvented myself and...

currently in hiding with a fugitive

and his f*cked-up father.

- That's about it.
- Wow.

I can't tell whether I'm
supposed to apologize for asking

or if you're telling
me the feelgood lie.

[LAUGHS]

Gas station up the street,
if you're still hungry.

Yeah?

You are gonna let me go there?

Yeah, I can trust you that much.

No phones. Cash only.

Yeah?

You think they're gonna
have a good vegan section?

[BOTH LAUGH]

I doubt it.

Better idea.

An apple tree in the backyard.

Yeah.

That is a better idea.

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

[TIMER TICKING]

He's trying again.

[CHUCKLES] I knew he'd be back.

Does he know that you know that?

It's a safe bet. How's the trace?

Depends on how many
layers he's hiding behind.

If it's one VPN, it's easy.

If it's a cluster, it'll take longer.

The longer he's connected
to it, the closer we get.

TECH: We'll find him.

There's only so many ghost
addresses he can hide behind.

Shouldn't be too long.

Good.

[PHONE BEEPS]

Sir, I can get a location on Weir.

Yes. Actionable.

I have a team standing by.

[PHONE BEEPS]

I have a source deep in
the government, okay?

A deep state guy, okay,
who calls himself Zaius...

- BEN: All right, here we go.
- I... I'm serious!

- Okay.
- True story.

- Open up.
- And Zaius swears up and down

that this, um...

that this-this treasury investigator...

What's his... ? Homm, yeah.

- Look, you're famous.
- Homm. He thinks

Edward Homm was k*lled

because he got too
close to something big.

[CHUCKLES] I mean, it makes sense to me.

Listen, the guy's nuttier
than squirrel sh*t,

but millions of people watch him.

It's a strange f*cking world, isn't it?

Hmm?

Look.

It's safe.

The man don't like Edward Homm.

And if the man don't like Edward Homm,

you know what the man does?

BEN: Come on.

You must be starving.

... the rich and powerful of America...

Come on.

It's either this or the turkey bacon.

... powerful enemies who are connected,

who know people who would be

very happy if he was out of the picture.

Why? Because he...

See, no one wants to hurt you.

We just want to find out
why they wanted you dead.

Nutjob Shaw's right.

One of your investigations
touched a nerve.

So why don't we start from there, hmm?

How many investigations are you running?

Hmm?

Come on, Ed, we're
trying to help you here.

Was it Crowley?

Do you know that name?

Crowley?

Did you stumble on that name?

[SIGHS] Look, we saved your life, right?

You know that.

You found something.

Big enough to make you a target.

We both want the same thing, you and us.

So what's it gonna be?

Are you gonna be all
heroic and difficult?

Or are you gonna be sensible
and help us save the world?

BEN: You need to know
what you're getting into.

This is not cops and robbers
or three-dimensional chess

or any game you've ever played.

No one's ever succeeded
in toppling a democracy

as big and strong as ours.

There are too many checks and balances.

Too big, too rich.

I mean, sure, Putin has
used Crowley to rat-f*ck

elections and hijack
Georgia and Belarus,

and carve it up for
his billionaire buddies

and take his %, but that's a far cry

from taking over a place like
the United States of America.

Now, Putin's already got
more than he can handle,

but Crowley smells an opportunity.

See, a country rife with
anger and division...

... is a job already half done.

So he's making a play.

But to do that, he
needs to find a candidate

and to run him.

And that requires

U.S.-based infrastructure.

Financial and media,

et cetera, et cetera.

Is that how we find him?

Oh, no, you don't
find him. He finds you.

Now, this data intel
business that you've built,

he'll be attracted to that.

Arda?

Yes, but you two have to stage a breakup

so John can come work
under the radar with me

and... you take the company public.

And you make it known
that you can collect

and process data for elections.

And you can build psych
profiles of likely voters

and design strategies to exploit them.

Now, it may take a bit,
but if word gets out

that you've got everything he needs

and you're willing to work with
a less than reputable clientele

and you're comfortable
operating in the grays,

he'll come sniffing
around, I guarantee it.

And we have two big advantages.

He still thinks that I'm dead.

And he doesn't know that you're my son.

Now, that prevents him exploiting family

as a tool of manipulation.

Do you have any family?

None that I give a sh*t about.

BEN: John?

No.

BEN: Hmm. Well...

Arda will be the bait.

VALENCE: "Sources report that
Valence's data-driven approach

to private intelligence consulting

was to blame for the split.

Weir shall retain DBA Advisors

while Valence will take the
new data arm, Arda Analytics.

Plans for the public
offering remain on track."

Blah, blah, blah.

Ooh.

Wow, my quote got the big finish.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

"I'm not debating the ethics
and morals of these tools.

Serving our clientele
is our sole priority."

You sound like a complete douchebag.

I am a visionary.

Don't let it go to your head.

Too late.

I like being the bad guy.

It really should've been me.

This is better.

Keeps you and Ben farther
away from the bait.

You're right. You're right.

So I guess all that's
left to do is cut contact.

Might be a while.

Yeah.

Maybe we find a way to
talk under the radar?

Maybe.

Eyes and ears everywhere.

I don't know.

What?

What are you worried about?

Don't let the dirty work get to you.

I'd be more worried about you.

Who the hell else are you gonna talk to?

[BOTH LAUGH]

You'll be okay, yeah?

Well, I-I won't let myself
go down that hole again.

That's not what I said.

Yeah, I'll be okay.

Why didn't you tell Ben about...

I don't want him knowing
anything about my personal life.

I just want to get Crowley.

[TIMER TICKING]

[TICKING CONTINUES]

♪ ♪

f*ck!

Ha, fucker.

How much longer?

Not too long.

We've definitely narrowed
down his location.

- He is still in New York.
- Where?

[BIRD CAWING]

- How do you like them apples?
- Jesus!

[CHUCKLES, STAMMERS]

- You scared me.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

Dad joke. "How do you like them apples?"

Oh.

Yeah, yeah. Dad joke.

Um...

they're-they're actually, uh...

delicious.

I'm sure they are.

They're a heritage breed.

You can't get them in the store now.

I think it's because
they bruise very easily.

Oh. Hmm.

I, uh...

hadn't, um, heard that.

Yeah, bruising.

It's a big problem.

In the apple business, I mean.

[BEN LAUGHS]

Don't be frightened.

I've already said I
wasn't going to k*ll you.

I'm, I'm a man of my word.

HAILEY: Okay, it's just...

Look... [STAMMERS]

this whole spying around...

MISSION: Impossible thing is...

- it's new to me, so I'm just...
- Mm.

I think I'm I think I'm confused.

It... You know?

I've worked hard to patch
things up with my son.

So k*lling you would be a...

definite obstacle to that.

So you stop worrying.

Yeah. Glad to hear that my
continued existence is...

- Yeah.
- ... is, uh, so important to you.

BEN: Mm. Mm.

I was a psychologist.

It was in the m*llitary,

before I joined the Agency.

You know?

[CHUCKLES] One of my first projects

was to make a list of
all the tells of a liar.

It was really interesting.

- Okay. Okay.
- Mm.

So?

Well, so...

Hailey from Pittsburgh
by way of Chicago,

leading counsel to the
Homeless Aid Network...

... I'm gonna ask you a question.

Just one.

All you have to do is look me
in the eye and give me an answer.

What do you think?

[CHUCKLES]: Why?

Well, why not?

Just one. Come on. That's all I need.

Then we can go inside
and eat some apples.

Um...

[SIGHS] Okay, sure.

Are you who you say you are?

Yes.

I am who I say I am, yes.

And who are you working for?

Oh, s-sorry. That's two.

Um, two questions. [INHALES SHARPLY]

But who are you working for?

The Homeless Aid Network.

Good.

I believe you.

- [BEN CHUCKLING]
- [SCOFFS SOFTLY]

Easy. See?

Relax.

Lower your guard. [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

And show me what's in your hand.

Huh?

Your hand.

Show me.

Hmm.

I must be getting old.

Seeing things.

Hmm.

[INHALES DEEPLY]

Okay.

Let's go and eat some apples. [CHUCKLES]

♪ ♪

TECH: Node ,

Seoul, Korea,

which takes us to...

- [TICKING]
- [WEIR INHALES DEEPLY]

[EXHALES]

YOUNG WEIR: You really
think this is gonna work?

- Yeah.
- How?

Well, clue one is these four numbers.

So, most likely, it's
a combination of these.

WEIR: I've tried those.

Safes use three numbers, not five.

I've tried the f-first
three, the last three

and any other combination of three.

It doesn't work.

Well...

Watch this.

Clue two is all the letters.

That means it's alphanumeric.

It's the oldest kind of cipher.

Basically, it'd be a number
for each letter in the alphabet.

Say we do that.

That's what I think it is.

But that doesn't change anything.

It's just the same four
numbers in a different order.

Yeah, but break that
sequence into three parts.

Look.

Like this.

There's only one way it
would work on that dial.

Well, can you do it?

Let's see.

♪ ♪

WEIR: Holy sh*t, you did it!

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

- Oh, my God, you did it!
- I did it.

You did it!

[TICKING]

[DOORKNOB SQUEAKS]

Okay, time's up.

I know what I'm doing.
I've still got time.

TECH: Dutchess County.

Just north of the city.

They're pretty close.

All right, scramble the team.

Update them as more come in.

Enough.

No Internet after minutes.

You're breaking your own rule.

I'm telling you, I've still got time.

[TIMER RINGING]

Time's up. You're going to expose us.

Just let me do this.

TECH: sh*t. He's rerouting again.

- TECH : I'm on it.
- [WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]

Taking it back through node .

TECH : Got it.

He's actually south of Dutchess County.

- [SIGHS]
- TECH : That's what I thought.

Uh, okay, okay.

Hey, hey, hey.

Don't do anything until
you have his exact location.

You got it? Be right back.

♪ ♪

Do it. Now. What are you waiting for?

[BEEPING, CHIMING]

sh*t.

[TAPS KEY]

I'm in. I'm in.

He's in.

Almost have him.

[KEYS CLACKING]

[BEEP]

Ossining, I think.

Waiting on the exact address.

- I'll tell the team.
- He's in the messaging server.

D-Do we cut him off?

He said not to.

But he doesn't know that he's in.

Well, where the f*ck is he?

XANDER [CLEARS THROAT]:
Special Agent Madi?

Yes.

- Hi.
- Xander Arnaz.

So, I understand you're
running things for now?

Until the board votes on a new CEO,

which should be soon, yes.

But, frankly, this is not
an opportune time for me.

- So perhaps we can...
- Oh, boy.

Perhaps we can what?

Reschedule.

Are you kidding me?

As you know,

our legal team has fully
cooperated with law enforcement

on the issue of Mr. Valence's death.

Uh, yeah, but...

I'm here to talk about John Weir.

John Weir?

Is this a joke to you, okay?

Why are you messing with me right now?

[SIGHS] I'm sorry, I'm confused.

Yes, you are confused.

Because I kicked my teenage
daughter out of the bathroom

so I could rush my ass down here

because your email said it was urgent

we talk at : about John Weir.

Well, I did not send you any email.

I...

♪ ♪

I'm sorry. We're gonna have
to, uh, pick this up later.

No, no, no. We got to talk about this.

Hey. Where are you going? [SCOFFS]

I'm not leaving!

[STAMMERS]

He's downloading comm data!

What? Why are you... why
are you letting him do that?

- You said not...
- Cut him off!

Cut him off!

f*ck!

Okay, got it. [EXHALES]

Tell everyone we're leaving in five.

Okay.

[GRUNTS]

♪ ♪

[WHIRRING]

YOUNG VALENCE: What are
you waiting for? Open it.

♪ ♪

What is all this?

♪ ♪

What is it?

It's just a bunch of
numbers and bullshit.

This part looks like math.

[SIGHS]

"The Algorithms of Control:

"Cognitive Data Formulae

to Predict and Manipulate
Human Behavior."

Whatever that means.

I don't know what I
thought I'd find in there.

I was being stupid.

There's still more.

Like I said, it's just crap.

There's literally nothing here.

- Well, hang on.
- No.

He didn't give a sh*t about me.

He didn't care. This is
all that mattered to him.

That's not true.

It's bullshit! How would you know?!

Because I do.

That's how I figured out the cipher.

Look.

The numbers were always there.

They just needed to be put in order.

People don't use random numbers

for things that they want to remember.

They use something that
they'll easily remember.

They use something that
means something to them.

Something that they care about.

These numbers represent letters,

and they spell one
thing worth remembering.

Safety in numbers.

WEIR: It's me.

It's me.

If you ever say "safety
in numbers" again,

I'm going to punch you.

♪ ♪

WEIR: Okay.

Watch your head.

There.

[CAR DOOR SHUTS]

[CAR DOOR OPENS, SHUTS]

[CAR DOOR SHUTS]

[PHONE BUZZING]

Sir.

I'm so sorry. Um...

Uh, the plan didn't
go as we'd hoped, sir.

Yes, sir.

... for a complicated world.

Arda Data Solutions...

Okay, look, I just need two minutes.

That's it.

- Come on, man. [SCOFFS]
- I'm sorry.

We'll be happy to have
our attorneys contact you

as soon as possible.

MADI: Rasche.

Rasche, no, listen to me.

I didn't self-motivate.

They reached out to
me, okay? Or Weir did.

Well, I don't know. Maybe they
want someone looking into Arda.

But it doesn't matter.

There is definitely something
bigger going on here.

[SCOFFS] How do I know?

- How do I... Oh!
- [LOUD SPLAT]

[BYSTANDERS SCREAMING]

Call it a feeling.

[BYSTANDERS CHATTERING]