November 8, 2016 – Election Night
Beverly Hope reports on the historic turnout and notes that Democratic turnout seems lower than usual. Once she finishes, Beverly tells her cameraman R.J. wants to do it one more time. Bob says that he's not going to use any cutaways or bumpers. The reporter wonders why she's there, just as Serena Belinda walks by and asks Beverly if she's voted. Serena says that she's jumping the line to vote for Hillary, and Bob invited her to sit on the coverage desk with him later. Beverly complains that Serena knows nothing about politics, and Serena tells her that it's her turn now.
In the voter line, Meadow complains to Harrison about how no one there is qualified to vote for President, including herself. Inside, Ally and Ivy go into their separate booths to vote. Everyone casts their votes, and Ally hesitantly votes for Jill Stein despite telling Ivy that she would vote for Hillary. Once they leave, Kai brings a man, Gary Longstreet, in to vote. Gary is bleeding from the left stump where his arm was, but he insists that he has a right to vote. Kai helps him into the booth and Gary votes, while Kai votes as well and goes out. Once Gary leaves his booth, he yells at everyone that they've arrived in Trump's America.
November 9
Kai goes to the exercise center and requests Harrison as his trainer. As Kai works out, Harrison says that three clients dropped him and he's grateful Kai picked him. Kai talks about how leftists create labels to divide them, and a man with no label only has an allegiance to what is right. Harrison is impressed, and Kai says that he's an app developer and was a freak when he was a kid. Now he's focused on politics, and tells Harrison that he's straight but he will fight and kill for anyone who is part of his crew. Kai says that he makes sure his people get over. The manager Vinny comes over and tells Harrison to clean up. When Harrison objects, Vinny tells him to put some rubber gloves on and deal with it. Once Vinny leaves, Harrison tells Kai that he has to clean up men who jerked off in the steam room. Kai says that it's humiliating, and Harrison admits that it's the story of his life.
Harrison goes into the steam room and starts spraying down the floor. Something crashes outside and Harrison goes to investigate. There's a smiley-face drawn on the condensed steam on the glass.
Once he's done, Harrison cleans up and hears someone moaning. He checks it out and finds Kai jerking off in the shower. When Kai is done, he says that he'll clean it up himself.
When Harrison arrives home, he finds Meadow watching news reports about Trump's win. Harrison turns it over and realizes that Meadow is crying. She tells him that she messed up and gives him a letter. It's from the bank saying that they're foreclosing on them, and they need to be out in three days. Harrison wonders how it happened, and Meadow says that they're not bringing in enough on Harrison's income. He says that it's her fault, and Meadow complains that the manager at her job sexually harassed her until she had to quit. She kisses him and starts to make out with him, but Harrison stops her.
Later at the center, Vinny manager says that Harrison should have upsold Kai two sessions ago. He tells Harrison to make the sale or he's out of a job, Harrison goes over to Kai and goes to work selling him more sessions. Kai asks why he's talking to him like Vinny. Harrison denies it, but Kai stares at him and Harrison tells him that the bank foreclosed. He admits that he doesn't know what to do and he's nothing, and Kai tells him that he has to understand that the shackles have fallen off of his shoulder. Now Harrison can do anything. Harrison admits that Kai is the only thing that keeps him going, and Kai says that he's just a mirror. He tells Harrison that he is him, and if he says that Harrison is great then he's great. Harrison says that he's great, and Kai tells him that he has to suffer and find meaning in the suffering.
Vinny comes by and tells Harrison that he has another "cleanup". When Harrison deals with it, Kai comes in and draws a smiley-face in the condensed steam, and tells Harrison that he wants to change but doesn't know how. Harrison agrees and asks what he does, and Kai tells him to take his life back. He says that Harrison should show Vinny, and Harrison drops his equipment on the floor and walks off.
Vinny is exercising with weights and Harrison sprays him in the face and says that he wants to feel his pain. He slams the weight bar down on Vinny's throat, and Kai comes up and tells Harrison to show Vinny what it means to suffer. Harrison crushes Vinny's neck, and Kai tells him that he changed his life and is proud to call him his friend. Vinny gasps for air, and Kai tells Harrison to finish him off. He backs away, and Harrison slams a weight into Vinny's face.
The two men go into the office and Harrison panics, saying that he murdered someone. Kai uses Vinny's phone to send a text to all his friends and employees that Vinny is going to be out of town on an emergency. He then wipes the last three weeks of security footage with a virus, and tells Harrison that Vinny doesn't have a family. When Harrison wonders how Kai knows it all, Kai says that he's been watching Harrison and the people around him for a long time. He tells Harrison that the only thing that matter is that he took a step to be someone. Now he's a part of something bigly, and they're going to wipe out everything that Harrison knows and build something bigger and better. Kai asks Harrison if he believes him, and then tells him to put on the gloves so that they can take care of the body.
Meadow goes to the motel where she and Harrison are living, and sees two guys smoking marijuana. She asks them to share but then they refuse, she offers to fuck them for it. They give her a joint and she goes into the motel room. Harrison and Kai are in the bathroom, and Kai is showing Harrison how to cut apart the body. Meadow takes a hit and asks who Kai is, and Harrison says that he's someone to believe in.
December 2016
Beverly gets a police report of a headless body at a landfill. She and R.J. drive there and Beverly complains that Bob never sends Serena to landfills. Serena is busy back at the WBNR studio doing a piece on relaxation techniques. Beverly does a piece and Bob congrat8lates her on coming back. Kai is watching the broadcast at home and repeatedly watches Beverly say that it's good to be back. He wonders where she was and checks the Internet. Kai discovers that Beverly did reports where local men yelled Trump's catch phrase on camera while she did stories. Beverly finally snapped and attacked one of them. Later, Serena did a piece on Beverly checking herself in for thirty days of psychiatric evaluation.
At the studio, Bob caresses Serena's breast and invites her to his lake house for the weekend to talk about her career. Beverly comes in and says that she actually needs to do some work. Bob tells her that she has to cut a piece out of her story for Serena's wine-tasting piece. Serena says that people want to be distracted from the news. When Beverly tells Serena that sucking dick is no way to build a career, Bob warns her that he could have canned her but HR was worried that Beverly would sue. She tells him that she's the only black reporter and he can't fire her, but Bob tells her to cut the minute and leaves. Serena says that one day she'll be on The Today Show and walks out after him.
Later, Beverly is slashing Bob's tires when Kai comes up and gives her advice on how to do it. she isn't interested in his advice, and Kai offers to buy her a cup of coffee. He says that he doesn't care why she was slashing the tires. Kai figures that she was humiliated as a black woman, and tells her that she should be slashing throats, not tires. He figures that fear in a small town in Michigan can infect the whole world in a matter of days. Kai says that he needs a great messenger to give fear a name. when Beverly wonders who he is, Kai says that he's running for city council. He plans to move from there to dominate the world, and he needs Beverly. Kai promises equal power, and assures her that he's not just tough talk. Beverly wonders why he chose her, and Kai says that rage defines her like no one he's ever seen and asks what it feels like. She says that it feels like wanting to be the last person on earth so she can watch everyone else die first. Beverly admits that she doesn't believe in anyone, including herself, and Kai gives her the address to his campaign office and says that he'll see her in a few days.
Serena is doing a piece about dog adoption jamboree and reluctantly picks up a dog. As her cameraman Cole looks on, three clowns walk up and kill Serena. When Cole runs forward, the clowns kill him as well.
Kai, Meadow, and Harrison are at Kai's apartment examining Meadow's sketches of clown masks. Meadow says that she always wanted to be a painter, and Kai assures her that she's a genius. Beverly comes in and says that she saw the tape of Serena dying, and asks if Kai did it. Kai admits that it was, and says that he did it for her so that she would believe. He tells her that he would do anything for her, and Beverly says that she believes in him. Kai repeats it back to her and hugs her, and Beverly confirms that he's offering equal power.
Later on the breaking news, Beverly hope does a piece on the discovery of Vinny's head at a homeless encampment. She talks about crime devouring their community and the local government turning a blind eye. Kai watches the broadcast and smiles.
November 7
Ivy wants Ally to come with her to an anti-Trump rally. Ally insists that Hillary is a lock, and says that if she thought Trump had a chance of winning then she'd vote for Hillary instead of Jill Stein. Disgusted, ivy leaves and goes to the rally. People are chanting against Hillary. Gary is there and starts arguing with Ivy. When he gestures toward Ivy, Winter intervenes and accuses him of sexual assault. Gary runs to his truck and drives off, and Winter goes after him. Once he escapes, Winter goes back to Ivy and asks if she's okay. She suggests that they get some food and Ivy agrees.
At the Butchery, Ivy says that Ally doesn't think much of her. Winter wonders why she's married to her, and Ivy says that Winter is young. When she asks what Winter is going to be, Ivy says that she's going to be a power behind the throne. Ivy admits that she's angry, and Winter tells her that she should be angry because Gary assaulted her. When Ivy blames herself for freezing, Winter tells her not to be so hard on herself. They commiserate about how white men are entitled.
That night, Gary is closing up the grocery store that he owns. As his cashier Shirley leaves, she reminds Gary to vote and he says that he plans to vote and bring America back. Gary closes up and sees Winter in the aisles. She's looking for tape and explains that she wants to tie someone up. Ivy tases Gary unconscious and Winter picks out the tape for the job.
When Gary wakes up, he finds himself taped to a chair in a basement. A masked Winter and Ivy are there and tell him that they'll call the police in 24 hours. They tell him to get woke and he doesn't matter. Gary curses them, and they gag him and leave. Winter goes home and looks at herself in the mirror, and Kai asks if it's blood on her face. He asks what she did, and Winter tells him that she hurt someone. Kai asks her how it felt, and Winter says that it felt fantastic.
Gary yells for help, and Kai comes in and says that no one can hear him. When he learns that the polls will close in the hour, Gary begs Kai to release him so that he can vote. Kai has a saw, and Gary realizes that it won't cut through the pole Gary is handcuffed to. Gary wonders if Kai is nuts, and Kai says that they've punished Gary for over eight years as an impotent white man. He tells the man that it's Gary's chance to vote and tell the women who have mocked him to fuck themselves, and asks what Gary would give for the chance to do that. Sobbing, Gary screams in defiance and tells Kai to give him the saw. As Kai cuts through the tape and puts a tourniquet on Gary's arm, Gary starts sawing through his arm.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 27, 2017