HUCK: [ECHOING]
We've all done bad things.
I need you to do something for me.
[ECHOING] We've all hurt people.
Be my Command again.
k*ll Cyrus Beene.
It's what you do next that matters.
You want to k*ll Cyrus Beene?
I want you to handle Cyrus, yes.
- [SCOFFS]
- I would do it myself,
but we both know
that's not a possibility.
- Mellie, I'm not...
- We have no choice.
[WHISPERING]
You're not a k*ller, Mellie.
I am the Commander in Chief
of the Armed Forces.
I k*ll every day.
With drones in far-off villages,
with the choices I make about
how many troops to send
to keep the peace,
which countries get aid
from my government.
People die on my watch every day.
All of them more innocent
than Cyrus Rutherford Beene.
You're under suspicion
for attempted m*rder
for taking Cyrus' plane down.
What do you think happens
when you're...
You are as precise
and capable a k*ller as any,
and do you know you can make
Cyrus' death look...
I do not k*ll!
[SIGHS] Not anymore.
♪
, Americans d*ed in World w*r II.
♪
Heroes.
There is such a thing as a just w*r.
And we are in the middle of one.
This is not a w*r.
This is w*r!
And he is the architect of this w*r.
He is the villain, Olivia.
Where is your patriotism?
I am the state.
He is the enemy of the state.
He is attacking democracy,
attacking the Oval, attacking freedom.
Attacking you.
Attacking me.
Me, Liv.
♪
You worked so hard to get me here.
Two women outran the boys
all the way to the Oval.
Cyrus doesn't get to steal that
out from under us.
Cyrus does not get to rewrite
the history of women.
He doesn't get to erase our climb.
Does he?
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
CYRUS: Admiral, thanks for coming.
I just want to make sure
we're keeping an eye on Mellie.
Things are ramping up.
We need to be sure
she's not gonna try to do
anything stupid.
Of course. But I also think
we might consider adjusting the plan.
Adjusting the plan?
[CHUCKLES]
- Now is not the time to start...
- Well, hear me out.
You said yourself that Olivia Pope
isn't going to sit quietly by
and let this happen.
- Olivia Pope.
- I think the timing's right
for a targeted, preemptive strike
against Olivia Pope and her team.
- If we can just...
- Don't be greedy, admiral.
We have the chessboard set up
exactly the way we want it.
The queen is in check.
Impeachment is nigh.
Now is not the time
to go on the offensive.
We do that, we risk making
ourselves vulnerable.
No, now is the time
to defend our position.
Mr. Vice President,
I'm simply suggesting that...
And I appreciate the input.
But let's not
overcomplicate things, huh?
Stick to my plan.
[CHUCKLING] The President
of the United States
is a prisoner in her own house.
You just need to make sure
she stays that way, all right?
♪
- Yes, sir.
- Attaboy.
♪
The British PM,
the Prime Ministers of India, Pakistan,
the President of France,
the German Chancellor...
Just tell me who hasn't called.
Um, I don't know if there...
Who... who...
Who should I get on the line first?
- No one.
- No one?
But they will call. They will all call.
I will need to tell them something!
First of all,
wipe that look off your face.
You are a woman. Not Bambi.
And this is the White House,
not a blazing forest.
Yes, ma'am.
[SIGHS]
"The President
is very busy doing her job
for the American people.
She will return your call
when she is able."
- That is what you will tell them.
- Yes, ma'am.
Because until further notice,
the only person you put through to me
is Olivia Pope.
Yes, ma'am.
♪
Tell Secret Service
I'll be using the tunnel
to move between the Oval
and the residence from now on.
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
[ALL REPORTERS SHOUTING]
The Justice Department cannot,
at this time, provide details
without compromising
our ongoing investigation
into the hijacking of Air Force Two.
What I can confirm
is that President Mellie Grant
is a person of interest
in that investigation.
[ALL REPORTERS SHOUTING]
We will provide updates
as new information comes to light.
And that is all I can say at this time.
Thank you.
MAN: Is it true there's a ransom?
You want us to kidnap
the Vice President of the United States?
No, I just want access to him.
If I can get him alone,
I can convince Cyrus
to end this ridiculous scheme
against Mellie.
But you're the last person
he wants to see right now.
Do you still have
the number he gave you?
Yeah, but it was a burner.
He must have gotten rid of it by now.
Obviously, but if I can
figure out his movements
- while he had it on him...
- OLIVIA: It might give us a location
for this little heart-to-heart.
Do it.
We'll need a copy of his schedule to
cross-reference.
David can help on that front.
HUCK: And if you can't
talk Cyrus out of it,
what then?
♪
Is there a Plan "B"?
QUINN: We're Plan "B."
While Liv's appealing
to Cyrus' better angels,
we'll be searching his phone for proof
that he coordinated the att*ck
on his own plane.
If we can find the hacker he used,
we can take Cyrus down
and clear Charlie's name.
♪
How is everything fine?
Your boss is being accused of treason.
I've heard.
Are you caught up in this?
- Are you gonna be fired or arrested?
- No.
Well, what about me?
- After the...
- After the business with Robert?
You have nothing to worry about, Nessa.
How can you be so calm?
Because I know I'm safe.
Because I know we're safe.
The Vice President and I
happen to have a very solid
working relationship,
and he has assured me
that once the dust settles,
I will have a central role
in his administration.
Everything I'm doing
is for the two of us.
We're gonna be okay.
Trust me.
You promise?
[CHUCKLES] Absolutely.
We're a team.
The president's approval ratings.
- These are the most recent numbers?
- Yes, sir.
They've... Well,
they've gone down a lot.
One subpoena, and they're
already crucifying her?
- Sad.
- Oh, and more of these.
I know you don't like these.
You throw them away
every time you get them.
But they must be in season or something.
No, um...
They're... lovely.
[SIGHS]
Sir, if the president gets impeached,
that means...
It means that you...
Yes, Hannah.
But for President Grant's sake,
let's hope it doesn't come to that.
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
♪
_
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
♪
Lonnie, we're gonna have...
- [CORK POPS]
- OLIVIA: Lonnie couldn't make it today.
You'll have to settle for me instead.
Take a seat, Cyrus.
♪
Carol, I didn't say that.
So, then, President Grant
is being considered
a suspect for what happened
on Air Force Two?
Just say no, Audrey. Just say no.
I-I can't speak for
the Justice Department or...
MAN: Then who can you speak for, Audrey,
because we're not getting
any answers here.
I already said
that I'd be glad to find out
the nature of...
Of how to punt our questions better?
I'm doing everything I can
to answer your questions
with the information
I have available right now.
- [TV SHUTS OFF]
- Why are you even up there?
Marcus.
Madam President.
♪
♪
[SIGHS]
How are you holding up?
[SIGHS]
Jake Ballard is using my own
press secretary against me.
I've been better.
- You're being framed.
- I'm being royally f... framed.
That's why I'm here.
[SIGHS] I'm glad you're here,
- but there's...
- To help fight back.
Cyrus is controlling
the narrative right now.
You need to be out there in the press
denying these allegations.
The groundskeepers planted peonies.
Since when do you care about
some damn flowers?
I'm not usually into flowers.
But lately,
this is the only spot
where I can get some peace.
This isn't over.
There's only one way it's over.
- One way this ends.
- What's that?
Don't worry.
I worry when people tell me not to.
[SIGHS]
The Chrysanthemums
were hard to keep alive,
so they're trying the peonies.
I'm not allowed to see things die.
I'm protected.
[WHISPERING] Olivia is
working on something for me.
[WHISPERING]
What do you mean by "something"?
This office gets you
one way or the other.
It got Fitz. It got me.
Either you let someone take it from you,
or you lose yourself fighting back.
What are you talking about?
[SIGHS]
Mellie, if you think for once...
[NORMAL VOICE] Thank you
for stopping by, Marcus.
Rachel?
- RACHEL: Yes?
- What are you doing, Mel?
Can you show Mr. Walker out, please?
♪
Everything's gonna be okay.
♪
[DOOR OPENS, CREAKS]
♪
[DOOR CLOSES]
♪
♪
[SIGHS HEAVILY]
OLIVIA: I would have much preferred
for all this to go down
on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
You and me, late at night,
talking about our hopes, our fears,
our wants, and our needs.
Just like the old days.
- What are you doing, Liv?
- But, man.
Times sure have changed.
Haven't they, Cy?
Hm.
First, I'm gonna take your phone.
Huck, take his phone.
- You're gonna want to give it...
- Okay.
I'll be right outside.
[KEYPAD BEEPS]
[LOCK DISENGAGES]
Next I'm gonna make you an offer.
End this. Now.
Call your boy and convince him to drop
this outrageous investigation
into the president.
You do that,
you prove to me you still have
some semblance of good left in you,
somewhere, buried deep, I'm sure,
then I'll have no choice
but to let you go.
[CHUCKLES]
Appreciate the offer, Liv.
Very much.
But I'm afraid
I'm gonna have to reject it.
So, what's the alternative?
The alternative?
That's what I said.
[CHUCKLES]
♪
There are people
outside this room right now
piecing together the details,
figuring out exactly how
you h*jacked that plane
and exactly who you paid to do it.
Huck already has your phone, Cyrus.
My team...
You know who else is outside this room?
Another team.
A team of this country's
finest Secret Service.
Wondering where the hell
the Vice President
has run off to.
And I'm very sorry, Liv,
but this team... my team...
whole lot better
than your gaggle of misguided thugs
and one rather irritating little ginger.
What do you think's gonna happen
when someone finds me here
with the president's
former chief of staff?
I'll tell you. They're gonna say,
"Mellie wasn't satisfied
with attempted m*rder.
She had to go and add kidnapping
to the list, too?"
So, someone finds you here.
You're right.
That would be very, very bad.
- Indeed.
- For you.
You wouldn't want someone
to find you in the same place
you and Lonnie Mencken
hatched your evil plans,
would you?
The world gets wind
of potential collusion
between the Veep
and a special prosecutor?
I don't know.
How do you think that one plays out?
I think if you had
any proof of said collusion,
then perhaps the Veep would be worried.
But clearly, you don't,
otherwise you would have used it by now.
I was able to figure out how the two
of you were communicating
in less than an hour.
Gerber daisies wouldn't have
been my choice, but...
All you figured out
was how to tangle yourself up
in a situation
you have absolutely no reason
being a part of.
Enough!
Olivia, this isn't your w*r to wage.
She fired you.
Do you want to go back to prison?
Do you miss it that much?
What I miss, Liv, is this wine.
Haven't had it in ages.
Mmm.
Still never disappoints.
[CHUCKLES]
Then drink up, Cy.
Savor it while you still can.
♪
[CHUCKLES]
CYRUS: Don't mind me.
Just getting comfortable.
Seeing how we may be here a while.
♪
Ah.
CYRUS: Ahh.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
Incoming!
You got that digital clone
of Cyrus' phone?
Huck's transmitting it now.
Is Huck coming back?
That's not for Huck.
What... You want me to hack?
You're always talking about
how you wanted to learn code.
Yeah, I've also been meaning
to take up tap-dancing,
but not while the fate of
the nation rests on my shuffle.
Abby, if Cyrus has been talking
to some black-hat hacker,
their communications
will be on this phone.
The problem... our problem...
is that they'll be behind
layers of encryption.
I don't even know what that means.
It means I need your help.
[CLEARS THROAT] Fine. Let's do this.
Let's hack this sucker.
Okay.
Cyrus' phone should be loaded up.
Open it with the emulator.
You know, the virtual phone thingy.
Oh. I knew that.
♪
[SIGHS] Oh, God.
I'm worried.
- About...?
- Mellie.
I know her, and the woman
I just left in the Oval
isn't the woman I know.
She's under tremendous stress.
She's in a prison over there.
That place is a prison.
Don't just brush it off like
she's having another bad day.
- She's being framed!
- FITZ: I know.
- It's a coup.
- I know.
Then why does it seem like
you don't care?
I care.
She's dark. Desperate.
Capable of going to a place
she won't be able to come back from.
To the place Liv went.
That office... It does that to you.
That's your response?
- No offense, but...
- Oh, I'm sure I'll be offended.
You wouldn't understand.
- Because I've never been the president?
- Yes.
This isn't normal! She isn't normal!
She isn't right!
Her presidency is under att*ck,
as is her legacy.
I've been there. It's not easy.
And sometimes?
There is only one way out...
a way you never would have
possibly considered,
but now it's the only way.
Mellie knew what she was signing up for.
That doesn't make it easier,
but she will survive.
- Because you did?
- What?
She'll survive
whatever dark deed
she's been contemplating
because you did?
Yes.
- Did you?
- What?
Survive it. The Oval.
Are you past all
the horrible things you did?
The dark, tough choice you made
to protect your legacy?
[CHUCKLING] Because...
- [CHUCKLES, SCOFFS]
- What?
- Nothing.
- Say it.
You could have fooled me.
You seem haunted, tormented.
And, yeah, you survived.
But don't you think Mellie
deserves better than that?
♪
♪
Karen recently let it slip
that she's thinking about
breaking up with her boyfriend.
Neil Fitzpatrick.
My dear Karen.
There have been so many.
I counseled against it,
which, of course,
had the reverse effect.
Anyway, now that I think about it,
Neil reminds me of you.
[CHUCKLES]
I liked Neil. Neil was different.
Considerate.
But also the kind of strong hand
that Karen needs in her life.
[CHUCKLES] By all measurements,
Neil Fitzpatrick was perfect.
Karen claimed
that he was becoming needy,
deeply insecure.
Posing as an equal partner in public,
but behind closed doors,
looking for a mommy,
a master.
[SIGHS]
Honestly, I doubted Karen's every word.
Told her to stick it out.
I mean, how could someone be
so upstanding and strong one minute,
then so weak and needy the next?
It's impossible, right?
I was wrong.
Karen was right.
And now I see
you are my Neil Fitzpatrick.
A delusional, insecure little boy
who believes he's a leader,
but in truth, has only ever followed.
One girl to another,
one master to the next.
All the while looking strong
and pretty on the outside.
I see you.
Olivia sees you.
Oh, oh.
[CHUCKLING] Cyrus sees you.
[CHUCKLES]
Explains why it was so easy
for him to steal you.
Use you.
[CHUCKLES SCORNFULLY]
Now see me!
I earned this office.
I am a leader of men.
I will always be exactly what I am,
and you will always be
exactly what you are...
Neil Fitzpatrick,
without the excuse of being young.
[CHUCKLES]
And soon enough,
you will be all alone again.
No master. No allies. No love.
Because... time's up!
We're coming for you.
♪
[SIGHS]
[DOOR CLOSES]
Any word from Quinn?
Cyrus isn't budging?
You'll keep at him.
It's the ' , isn't it?
Can't be the ' .
He's already drinking one of those.
Is it the ' ?
What are you talking about?
The wine.
The poison.
Plan "B."
You bought three bottles of Du Bellay.
Two ' s... your favorite...
and one ' because you needed
to be able to remember
which one you poisoned.
Huck.
I just got you back.
I haven't done anything yet.
Yet.
Quinn will track down the hacker.
We will get Cyrus to drop this.
Plan "A" will work.
[KEYPAD BEEPS]
You know what I've been
thinking about a lot lately?
My goddaughter. Sweet, sweet Ella.
How's she doing these days?
[LAUGHS]
If you think you can guilt me
into becoming a better person
by bringing up my daughter, Liv,
it won't work.
Reeks of desperation. Sad, rookie move.
Want to know who I've been
thinking about lately?
Unless it's whoever you hired
to take down Air Force Two,
I don't particularly see the point.
Fitz. I think about him.
More than I'd like to admit sometimes.
It's a shame you haven't been
able to get over him.
I often wonder
if it all comes back to him...
if the two of us are here
in this room right now
all because of Fitz.
He brought us together, you know.
He made us.
Friends. Once.
Friends forever.
Bound together by all those secrets.
You ever think what would have happened
if you never met him?
Where you'd be in the world?
You think... You think
you'd be a better person?
Okay, that's offensive.
I'm sorry.
Not better. Different.
Do you think you'd be
a different person?
- If I'd never met Fitz?
- If you'd never met Fitz.
Come on.
What do you think?
It's just the two of us.
[SCOFFS]
Whatever it is that
you're up to right now...
It's an honest question.
There's nothing about you that's honest.
I want to see something. That's all.
What? What do you want to see?
Answer the question. Hmm?
And I'll tell you.
[LAUGHING]
- You're ridiculous.
- Maybe so.
I'm gonna need another.
- Can I get you one?
- I'll get it.
I'd be exactly the same.
[LAUGHING] No different.
No change, whatsoever,
and I know that, Liv.
I can answer that question, Liv,
because I, unlike you,
know exactly the kind of person I am.
The kind who'd trade his conscience in
for a sh*t at power.
Without ever thinking twice.
I know.
If I wasn't keeping Fitz's secrets,
I'd be keeping someone else's.
If I wasn't knocking Mellie
from the throne,
I'd be doing it to someone else.
Doesn't matter.
I am who I am, and I always will be.
So...
listen to me when I tell you,
you can't do a damn thing about it.
♪
♪
_
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
♪
[SIGHS]
[BOTTLE THUDS]
I think you've had enough for now.
[LAUGHING]
You're wasting your time, Liv.
We're wasting our time.
You're gonna have to let me go.
Olivia!
[KEYPAD BEEPS, DOOR OPENS]
Let me...!
[SIGHS] Go.
♪
- [COMPUTER PINGING]
- ABBY: It stopped.
Why did it stop? Did I do something?
Yeah, you... you did.
You infected Cyrus' phone
with a virus that changed his password.
Okay, enter "LS-New."
Hit return. Tell me the numbers you see.
.
- [GASPS]
- We're in!
What do you want...
texts or phone calls?
Okay, no, no, no.
Don't bother. They'll be clean.
- You see that bright red icon?
- Mm-hmm.
That's an end-to-end
encrypted message app.
No back doors.
No zero-day vulnerabilities.
out of hackers recommend it
for shady business dealings.
Oh, like the one you and Charlie use
- when you send stuff to each other?
- Exactly.
Let's see who Cyrus
has been sending stuff to.
LilPymp ?
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
Yes.
- That's our hacker.
- Now what?
Uh, let's track them down.
Open your TOR browser.
[GASPS] Ooh, the darknet?
I've never been on the darknet before.
Well, what are you waiting for?
♪
- What if...
- Quiet.
[SIGHS]
♪
[CELLPHONE CHIMING]
[SIGHS]
♪
Quinn?
We found the hacker.
And...?
He's dead.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
Cyrus k*lled him.
My guess... He'll k*ll Charlie, too.
♪
[CELLPHONE BEEPS]
♪
Uh, we still have other options.
♪
I'm going to head back in.
In minutes,
I'll place an anonymous call
with the Metro Police.
Don't do this.
First responders will find Cyrus' body
and a bottle of wine containing cyanide.
All attempts to revive him
will be futile.
All clues will lead to...
- Liv, please.
- ...Lonnie Mencken as the m*rder*r.
- This isn't you.
- Justice will be served.
- Liv.
- Huck.
It's time for you to go.
Please.
♪
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
FITZ: Mellie?
- Hey.
- Hi.
How are you?
Me? I'm fine.
- How are you?
- Fine.
Good.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
♪
Mellie.
It's lonely here.
I know.
[SIGHS]
I know you know.
Is there something I can do?
♪
♪
You're doing it.
You're talking to me.
♪
I really don't have anyone to talk to.
Even though I can't really talk.
♪
I spoke to Marcus.
♪
You don't need it,
but here's some advice.
Find another way, if you can.
That office doesn't have to feel to you
the way it did for me.
I went there, Mellie.
I justified it. People forgave me.
I forgave myself.
But I have never been the same.
Find another way.
Don't lose it.
Lose what?
Your soul.
♪
You're better than me.
You're better than all of us.
♪
Don't forget that.
I should go.
Okay.
Okay.
♪
[DOOR OPENS]
Mr. Mencken.
Admiral, we have a problem.
We do. You shouldn't be here.
The two of us being seen together
only jeopardizes this investigation
if it hasn't been jeopardized already.
The vice president's schedule
says he's at physical therapy.
Stretching. That's our problem.
Cyrus doesn't go to physical therapy.
That's his cover for when
he's meeting with me.
And if you're here,
that means Cyrus is...
That's our problem.
How about we switch
to the ' Du Bellay?
CYRUS: All the same to me at this point.
♪
What now?
Nothing.
It's...
♪
[SIGHS]
You're thinking about
what I asked earlier...
whether you'd be different.
Of course I'd be different.
It's not even a question.
You... You...
Yes, you would be exactly the same.
You're incapable of change.
But that's not something
to be proud of, Cyrus.
That's...
♪
...sad.
♪
My drink, Liv.
Something needs to numb the pain
- of being stuck down here with you.
- [KEYPAD BEEPS]
[DOOR OPENS]
Mr. Vice President.
You ready to get out of here?
Ballard, thank God.
I told you.
All this would be a waste of your time.
Where do you think
you're going?
[LAUGHING] What?
Is she serious?
She can't be serious.
I think she's serious.
You're forgetting your drink.
No more stalling, Olivia.
You're not gonna give him that drink.
We both know why.
[SIGHS]
Here.
Let me save you the trouble.
Take it. Go ahead.
It'll be faster. Easier.
Messier, sure.
sh**ting Cyrus in the face
requires a bit more cleanup
than getting him to drink
a glass of poison,
but you've got people for that, right?
♪
Take the damn g*n, Olivia!
♪
Fine.
You can sh**t me, too.
It's okay. Here. I'll help.
♪
Ballard, eh...
♪
- Eh...
- [EXHALES SHARPLY]
♪
She's not gonna do it. She can't.
She's not gonna k*ll either one of us.
- She's not capable of...
- You have no idea what I'm capable of.
Oh, you talk a big game, Olivia Pope,
but when push comes to shove,
you actually don't do anything.
You give orders.
You unleash your dogs.
You huff and you puff
and you work so damn hard
pretending to be evil.
But at the end of the day, it's not you.
Getting your hands dirty.
Blowing up planes.
Assassinating world leaders. No.
That's the work you leave
for people like me.
You, Mellie, you get to stay clean
because you have people like me.
You get to lull yourself
to sleep at night
because you have people like me.
And if you don't understand that...
If you can't bring yourself
to believe that,
then take the damn g*n, Olivia.
Take it and prove me wrong.
♪
Mr. Vice President.
♪
♪
JAKE: Just because
the vice president's safe
doesn't mean we don't have
a problem on our hands.
Well, it would appear that way,
but if it's all the same to you,
I prefer to address this problem
- using the instrument of the law.
- I couldn't agree more.
I'd suggest we widen the investigation
to include Olivia Pope.
I can easily furnish evidence
demonstrating
that she was involved
in Rashad's assassination.
That's all well and good, admiral,
but if I may be indelicate,
is there a risk that opening that up
may tarnish other parties?
No, I'd make sure to scrub anything
pointing to my own involvement.
But we can review everything
tomorrow morning.
You have a good evening.
So you are involved in this mess.
Vanessa.
What exactly needs to be scrubbed, Jake?
Who the hell were you even talking to?
- Go upstairs and go to bed.
- And to top it all off,
now you're dragging
Olivia Pope into this?
What the hell is going on?
Look, Olivia Pope can't stay
away from the White House.
She should have been netted
by the special prosecutor
from the start. All I'm doing...
You promised me that this
was gonna work out for us...
that we were some team.
Vanessa, listen to me.
The lengths I need to go to right now,
the methods I need to employ,
I just can't...
No, don't you dare keep telling me
that it's all for us.
It is for us!
You're protecting him, aren't you?
- The vice president.
- [SIGHS]
He's the one that you've
been taking orders from
all this time, isn't he?
What is it that
he's making you do, Jake, huh?
Why don't you tell me?
Is he asking you to get down
on your knees at night,
- when you're not here?
- Stop talking!
I'm not doing what the vice president,
or anyone else, wants me to do.
I'm doing what I think...
what I know is best.
Aligning myself
with the strongest allies
so that we do not get left behind!
There is no "we."
You really need to watch
where you're going...
I was supposed to be Jackie Kennedy.
American royalty.
A Daughter of the American Revolution.
Not the wife of
the vice president's bitch.
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
OLIVIA: [BREATHING HEAVILY]
I couldn't.
It's not who you are, who we are,
much as I wish it were.
Because now I have
this sick feeling inside me,
like all the water
has drained off the beach,
and we are two fish
flapping on the sand,
eyeing the building tsunami
on the horizon.
We don't need their methods,
their tools.
We don't need to adopt
or justify v*olence
just because it's been business as usual
for the men who have led this country
since its inception.
The sins of our past leaders
don't need to be our sins.
They may always outnumber us,
out-muscle us, outgun us.
That is why we need to be
smarter, better...
more just.
The only way we can win this
is if our bond is stronger than theirs,
if we hold fast together,
no matter what comes.
Mellie, I am with you.
No matter what you think,
I have always been with you.
Are you with me?
♪
[SIGHS]
I'm with you.
♪
Good.
♪
Now what?
[SIGHS]
♪
Now we find a way to surf the tsunami.
♪
MELLIE: By now it has been
widely reported
that I have been subpoenaed
in relation to the hijacking
of Air Force Two.
Special Prosecutor Lonnie Mencken
has referred to me in the press
as a "person of interest"
in the investigation.
Mr. Mencken's comments
have given rise to rumors
that I, myself, had a vested interest
in the attempted assassination
of Vice President Cyrus Beene.
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
- [ALL REPORTERS SHOUTING]
Madam President.
♪
MELLIE: That is why
I have come out here tonight.
WOMAN: Madam President,
are you complicit with the hijacking?
Is it true you paid a man named Charlie?
♪
[SIGHS]
♪
These rumors, these allegations,
have been stoked by my opponents...
opponents who wish to see the nation
distracted from the good work
that this administration
has done and continues to do.
Opponents who wish to see me
backed into a corner
and to forever tarnish my legacy.
To them I say good luck.
Huh. She didn't k*ll Cyrus.
♪
I will not be backed into a corner.
I will not allow you to spread lies
and to call me a t*rror1st
when I am a patriot.
I'm not trying to bring down jet planes.
I'm shattering glass ceilings
and making history.
I am keeping our borders safe
and giving our daughters hope.
I am the Commander in Chief.
It is my duty to uphold the law,
not to break it.
I am not guilty.
[ALL REPORTERS SHOUTING]
If you did not hear me the first time,
let me say it again.
I... am... not... guilty.
♪
And I will not be bullied.
♪
Truth is on my side,
and I will not stop fighting
until the truth is out.
Thank you.
[REPORTERS SHOUTING]
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
♪
I've been thinking.
About the old days, and...
♪
...I think that was it.
♪
Cask strength.
First fill.
Aged over an entire years.
It used to be your favorite, right?
Back in the day?
Your memory serves.
Well, I thought
we could both use a drink.
A drink.
A drink to the old days.
♪
To the way things used to be.
♪
You realize that this drink
will require you to share
a very expensive bottle...
♪
♪
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Mr. Vice President.
You're out of breath.
Well, Vanessa and I
are having a bit of a disagreement.
What are you doing here?
I think maybe you were right
when you suggested we find a way
to manage Liv and her team.
It may be time to adjust the plan.
I'm happy to hear you say that.
Things are getting out of hand.
That speech Mellie made tonight...
I only hope we're not too late.
Mr. Vice President,
I've taken care of it.
What did... t-taken care of it how?
I spoke to Lonnie.
Olivia Pope is now a person of interest
in both the hijacking of Air Force Two
and the assassination
of President Rashad.
You called Lonnie?
You can't just... The ramifications...
Cyrus.
I did not sign off on this.
I didn't need you to.
You didn't need me to?
This is my operation.
[SNICKERS]
Come here. I want to show you something.
♪
♪
Ballard, what did you do?
Mr. Vice President, when you came to me,
when you asked for my help,
I asked you a question.
Do you remember what it was?
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
I asked you
why you thought that
I'd ever work for you.
In response, you claimed that
I wouldn't be working for you.
I'd be working with you.
That it would be you and me
versus the world,
that we'd be a team.
You proposed a partnership.
Vanessa and I made a similar pact
when we got married.
We agreed to work together,
to have each other's backs,
to listen to one another as equals.
This evening, she made it clear that
that arrangement
was no longer acceptable.
It was sadly time
to dissolve our partnership.
♪
Yes. I, uh... I see.
♪
I don't work for you, Cyrus.
I don't need your permission.
But I am more than happy
to include you in my decision making,
provided that, moving forward,
you remember to include me in yours.
♪
We're just getting started, Cyrus.
I would hate to have to dissolve
our partnership, as well.
Hmm?
So...
♪
What do you say?
♪
I'd say we better get someone in here
to clean up this mess...
because we have our work cut out for us.
♪
Partner.
[GLASSES CLINK]
♪
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
07x16 - People Like Me
Watch/Buy Amazon
A White House Communications Director leaves to start her own crisis management firm only to discover she has not left the past behind.
A White House Communications Director leaves to start her own crisis management firm only to discover she has not left the past behind.