They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think

**They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think** is the eighth episode of the first season of the Cinemax original martial arts crime drama *Warrior*. It premiered on May 24, 2019. The series has since been acquired by Max.

## Synopsis

After a bloodbath on the streets of Chinatown, the Hop Wei and Long Zii consider a novel way to end hostilities. Ah Toy and her real-estate business partner, Leonard Patterson, hit a fork in the road in their effort to buy a valuable piece of land. After promising jobs to Leary's Irish workers, Mercer toasts Crestwood at a fundraiser, while Penny struggles to hold her tongue. Mai Ling warns her brother against waging a battle he may not win.

## Plot

The Hop Wei and Long Zii battle in Chinatown, both sides heavily armed with axes and both sides taking by loses in the battle.

Mayor Blake and Buckley get word of the war in Chinatown between the rivaling tongs. It would take a small army to establish true law and order, which they don't have. Buckley argues that the Exclusion Act is the only other solution, with Crestwood being the right man to deliver it. However, Blake isn't sure that he wants to back Senator Crestwood's play against the Chinese. Buckley advises Blake to take a stand and pick a side.

Bill and Lee arrive in Chinatown to the aftermath of the battle between the Long Zii, who lost seven members, and the Hop Wei, who lost four members. Before long, Buckley shows up with Senator Crestwood, who has come to see how he can help. This is the fourth such incident in San Francisco in as many weeks. Obviously, this lawlessness can't continue. They have already been forced to extend their police presence just to contain the violence. Crestwood argues that this is a national problem and that they should staunch the flow of the Chinese into their ports immediately. Lee notices the Fung Hai watching from afar and suspects that this is more than a typical gang feud.

With Long Zii gone, Mai Ling is clearly running the tong and is taking a far more aggressive approach than her predecessor. Chao arrives with a message from Lao Ting. He wants to know if the Hop Wei and Long Zii can come to terms. He requested a meeting at the temple. A negotiation on neutral ground between Father Jun and Mai Ling. Young Jun is very much against going to meet with her, but Father Jun reminds him that Mai Ling is a new threat, and her moves, unlike Long Zii's, he can not anticipate and know her mind until they meet face to face.

Lee shows Chao his sketches of the Fung Hai and asks if they look familiar, but Chao isn't interested in answering his questions. Lee's simply trying to understand the war, but Chao tells him that he's too young, too white, and too stupid. Chao advises Lee to stop trying to understand if he wishes to survive.

Bill requests that Chief Flannagan take him out of Chinatown, as he didn't become a cop to clean up blood or be a pawn in someone's political game. However, the chief denies his request.

Leary is struggling to keep his people together, as there hasn't been work for weeks. He's keeping them fed with bread and is offering some of them what little money he has. As a cart of coolies comes passing by, the Irishmen begin pelting them with rocks, blaming the Chinese for their misfortune.

Mayor Blake informs Byron that his bid for the cable car track has been approved and that there will be no more delays moving forward. Blake has vouched for Byron, and if he comes through, there will be plenty of work to come. Once those tracks are laid, they will be on the forefront of modernity. Blake then invites Byron to a dinner he's hosting tomorrow evening for Senator Crestwood.

Patterson informs Ah Toy that Timmons rejected their offer on the Spring Valley property. Somehow, he and his partner figured out that Patterson was simply a front for Ah Toy, who was actually purchasing the property. They threatened to kill the deal and expose them to the bank unless he and Ah Toy pay them more, $5,000 to be exact, and if they are reported, the bank will seize all of Ah Toy's assets, which she refuses to allow to happen. They have no choice but to pay the $5,000, but only after they close the deal on Spring Valley.

As leader of the Chinatown Business Association, Lao Ting has called a meeting with Father Jun and Mai Ling, who are accompanied by Young Jun and Li Yong. Father Jun is willing to end the war, but only if the opium treaty is upheld. When Mai Ling refuses, Father Jun is willing to work out a supply deal for Long Zii territory, but for now, he wants her word to honor the treaty and not receive any more opium shipments. He also asks for an apology. Lao Ting doesn't like the increased police presence and believes that the best option is for both tongs to select their best fighter for a duel. If the Hop Wei win, the treaty stands for five more years. If the Long Zii win, they carve out an area in which they can distribute molasses independently.

Penny asks Ah Sahm where was he the other night, as she waited for him, for hours. Ah Sahm wanted to be there, but he had no choice, relating back to his business with the Hop Wei. And now she's hearing about dead hatchet men in the streets of Chinatown. She worries that one day he'll leave and won't come back. She doesn't even know what she was thinking by ever pursuing any type of relationship with him. They don't even exist outside her apartment, and they have no type of genuine future. Ah Sahm tells Penny that she's the one good thing he's found in the entire country, but that's not enough for her. She's the mayor's wife and he's a criminal. They could never work. Penny tells him to leave and never come back.

Bill makes his way through Chinatown and notices that he's being followed by the Fung Hai, who are demanding that he repay his debt. Instead, Bill beats one of the tong members until Lee intervenes. Lee then asks Bill how much he owes. He simply replies that they don't get paid enough.

Patterson meets with Victor Timmons and Lance McCormick to seal the deal on the Spring Valley property, for which he also pays them off with $5,000 for not reporting him and Ah Toy. However, Timmons suggests that there may be a better way for them to resolve their issues. After careful consideration, they've decided that they want to partner with Patterson and Ah Toy. However, before negotiations can continue, Ah Toy arrives and kills both Timmons and McCormick, much to Patterson's disbelief. He is in shock and flees, though Ah Toy assures Patterson that she was just protecting him.

Ah Sahm returns to the Hop Wei house, where he is attacked by several warriors in blue masks, who he defeats with ease. As it turns out, it was just a test by Father Jun. With Bolo gone, it would seem that Ah Sahm is their new top fighter and he will be fighting for the Hop Wei in the duel against the Long Zii.

At the dinner, Senator Crestwood makes it a point to further push is political agenda in regards to the Chinese being violent criminals and gangsters. However, Merriweather couldn't possibly support a candidate who's going to decimate his greatest source of inexpensive labor, that being the Chinese. Byron is in agreement with Crestwood that American labor is the only way to go, and in doing this, they'll also being saving the working class. Penny jumps in and points out that unlike the Chinese, their ancestors arrived on the shore in droves and murdered the natives. They came to a county, found a people they deemed inferior, and stole their land from under them. And since then, they have imported different races they deem inferior to do their dirty work and when that work is done, they lament their presence in the country as an assault on their value. Mayor Blake urges Penelope to stop talking and asks the senator to forgive her.

Ah Toy confronts Ah Sahm after he slapped one of her white customers, which is bad for business. He's drunk and acting reckless with no plan or purpose. And now because of that, he's about to step up against Li Yong, one of the most dangerous men in Chinatown. So if Ah Sahm wants to drink himself to death, then Ah Toy will allow it, as she's done trying to save him from himself. Meanwhile, Li Yong is spending his time more wisely and is training for his fight.

Lucy checks in on Bill, who is clearly having a hard time. She asks if it is like the last time. He explains that it's worse. When Lucy met him, she thought, "There's a man who might be difficult. He might even be an arse from time to time. But he will always keep me safe." It's why she married him and makes him promise that he's going to fix this. She then kisses Bill and tells him that she loves him.

Mai Ling catches Ah Sahm stumbling out of the brothel and tells him that he can't fight for the Hop Wei, as Li Yong will kill him. She suggests that he get injured or break a bone during training, forcing the Hop Wei to pick someone else. But if that happens and the Hop Wei lose the tournament, they won't quit until Mai Ling is dead. However, she tells Ah Sahm not to pretend as if this is about her. It's about him needing to prove to the world that he's the best. Ah Sahm argues that Mai Ling's only real concern is that if she loses, her power play is over. When she denies this, he asks who killed Long Zii.

The following day, Byron arrives outside the Banshee with good news. He reports to Leary that they begin excavation on the cable car track immediately. Leary introduces Byron to the crew and informs them that Mercer will be using Irish labor to lay the cable car track. With people like Byron at their side, they're going to take back their jobs and city.

While cleaning Ah Toy's room, Lai discovers her sword, with which she shows remarkable skill, much to Ah Toy's surprise. Meanwhile, Ah Sahm and Li Yong both prepare for their duel with vigorous training.

Bill, Lee, and Chief Flannagan report to the shore after a call about a body being fished in from the sea. They've identified him as Victor Timmons, real estate tycoon. He was reported missing with his business associate Lance McCormick two days ago. They were called in as it appears Timmons was killed by a sword, which Lee confirms.

## Cast

* Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy
* Jason Tobin as Young Jun
* Dianne Doan as Mai Ling
* Kieran Bew as Bill O'Hara
* Dean Jagger as Dylan Leary
* Joanna Vanderham as Penelope Blake
* Tom Weston-Jones as Richard Lee
* Hoon Lee as Wang Chao
* Langley Kirkwood as Walter Buckley
* Christian McKay as Samuel Blake
* Perry Yung as Father Jun
* Joe Taslim as Li Yong
* Henry Kwok as Lao Ting
* André Jacobs as Merriweather
* Patrick Baladi as Senator Crestwood
* Jenny Umbhau as Lai
* Frank Rautenbach as Patterson
* Emily Child as Lucy O'Hara
* Dan Robbertse as Timmons
* Nicholas Dallas as McCormick
* Zak Rowlands as Sean
* Brendan Sean Murray as Jack Damon
* Robert Hobbs as Stone
* Jacques Bessenger as McLeod
* Nicholas Pauling as Harrison
* David Butler as Russell Flannagan
* Kevin Abbott as Brothel Client
* Daniel Barnett as Party Guest
* Arthur Falko as Unemployed Man
* Nelson Menell as Photographer
* Martin Munro as Reporter

## Trivia

* The episode title was spoken by Bill to Lee in reference to the ongoing tong war.