Person of Interest 1.16: "Risk"

“Banking is looking clever and wearing the right clothes. And we’ve managed the second part.”
- Finch

I have to say this was not one of my favorite episodes of the show. Hence why it’s taken me a while to get this recap done and posted. But I managed to get through the rewatch so here we go. In what is probably one of the most amusing openers so far, we find Reese and Finch in the library and Finch is playing tailor. Reese is going undercover in a Wall Street firm to keep an eye on this week’s POI, Adam Saunders. Reese (being a gun guy) has no clue about banking or Wall Street but Finch says it’s all about looking good. Hence the new suit. It looks like Adam has been in hot water before. He was questioned in a previous SEC investigation.

Reese shows up at Baylor Zimm (Adam’s company) as an asset manager. He claims he’s testing Adam out for his boss. Which I guess is sort of true. We get a nice bit of continuity as everyone takes a breath to watch as the former CEO of the pharmaceutical company (which Reese dealt with when he first met Zoe) is found guilty of murder. Apparently Adam did something that made the bank a lot of money (I really don’t understand the finance stuff. That’s my boyfriend’s side of things). Even with the good news, his boss, Sidney, threatens to fire him and boot down to the Occupy movement. Adam invites Reese out for drinks and can’t clone his phone. I guess someone else is jacking Adam’s phone.

I have to say I would not get in a car with Adam. He drives like a maniac. Though Reese seems just fine. And Adam admits he read all the financial documents on the company to know he should do what he did. While Reese and company are out for drinks, Finch breaks in to Adam’s apartment. He doesn’t find much except a box of cash in the closet. Things devolve quickly at the bar as some of the other bankers are pretty drunk and one of them (Victor) starts a fight. Reese discovers that Adam is sleeping with Sidney when he follows Adam from the bar.

And it’s time to get Carter involved. She gets a delivery at the precinct of a man’s suit with an address on it. She climbs into a cab only to find Finch waiting. It was very Ben-like, I must say. He wants her to go to the SEC regional office and find out what she can about the investigation into Adam. Oh and he ran the meter so he wants payment. Reese catches Adam leaving the building and manages to clone his phone (Finch managed to get rid of whoever was blocking it first). And Reese witnesses one of the SEC investigators harassing Adam. I knew I didn’t like or trust the SEC guy the minute he showed up. He’s too focused on Adam. Carter’s gotten her hands on the SEC files and it looks like upper management was targeted and Adam was a subpoenaed witness. Reese tails him out to a food truck. His uncle (and legal guardian after his mom died) owns it and he asks about a Master Limited Partnership called Tritak that he’s invested in. Apparently MLPs are supposed to be safe but Adam is a little concerned. He goes to a colleague to ask about the company and share his concern with how many of their clients and the firm itself is invested in the company. He pretty much gets blown off.

Adam and Reese end up at a driving range to decompress. I have to admit I never thought I would see John Reese golfing. It’s a little disturbing to be completely honest. But it’s not really useful. Reese brings up Adam’s uncle and Adam gets all defensive. He’s driving Reese back to Baylor Zimm headquarters when they’re funneled by fake construction. Reese grabs the wheel and narrowly avoids getting Adam killed. Carter’s at the scene the next morning looking into the equipment. Meanwhile, Finch pays Adam’s uncle a visit and we learn Adam’s backstory. His dad left after his mom died and every month for years, he’d send $200 in cash to Adam. Adam used it to put himself through school. Adam is once again cornered by Mr. SEC. Adam admits to having run numbers and is going to his office to get his laptop when he gets a text from his boss. He’s on his way to the roof when Finch sees the texts. Reese gets there just in time to avert a second attempt on Adam’s life. As they’re anxiously waiting for the elevator, Adam explains that he told Sidney about his concerns. Things don’t bode well for the boss.

Reese and Adam show up at Sidney’s apartment to find her dead and the murder weapon is a planted champagne bottle with Adam’s prints all over it. Carter figures that out, too when she gets to the scene. The construction equipment was stolen. Reese needs to stash Adam somewhere safe and so he takes him to the homeless camp he slept in for the four months preceding Finch hiring him. I like that we got to see a little bit into Reese’s past that isn’t so distant (i.e. no flashback needed). Things aren’t looking good on the money front either. Tritak is involved in a natural gas line up to the North East. But a bill just passed to fracture shale in New York. So Tritak won’t be necessary anymore. All the people who invested are going to be out millions of dollars. Reese goes to see Victor as everyone is scrambling to try to sell Tritak shares. Adam tells Reese to look around and see who already sold their shares. Finch doe a little hacking and discovers that Paul (Adam’s friend) is the likely culprit. And he’s working with Mr. SEC. Back at the camp, Adam makes a call to his uncle despite Reese told him not to use it. The bad guys have likely found Adam. Adam also gets a little bonding time with Joan (Reese’s homeless friend).

Reese is understandably upset that Adam disobeyed orders and a bunch of thugs hit the camp. Not surprisingly, Reese manages to handle the situation. And things wrap up pretty quickly from here. Adam buys up all the Tritak stock (I’m assuming with Finch’s money) and Paul and Mr. SEC get arrested. Adam gets his uncle’s money back and they buy the building where the homeless camp is set up (and bring some food along). So things for Joan and company are looking up. Carter’s down at the precinct staring at Paul in interrogation and is really confused when she asks where the SEC guy is. He apparently killed himself at home. Carter’s rewatching the arrest footage and sees a familiar face caught on camera dumping a phone in the trash. She meets with Reese and gives him the phone. He hits speed dial and who should answer on the other end but Elias.