Scandal s07e15 Episode Script
The Noise
1 [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
LONNIE: The suspect goes by the name of "Charlie," no last name an obvious alias.
He held a stash of dozens of forged IDs, including one that gained him access to the White House in recent months.
Secret Service has been informed.
His place of business has been secured and protected as a crime scene.
Agents conducted a thorough search of the premises for other devices that may have been used to infiltrate Airforce Two systems.
There was a massive stockpile of electronics that would've put RadioShack to shame.
The confiscated devices are being decrypted.
The suspect's associate briefly questioned and released, but Quinn Perkins and Associates remains shut down until further notice.
Is the suspect talking? The suspect remains tight-lipped.
I've got to hand it to the man he's been remarkably resistant to our methods of persuasion.
[CHAINS RATTLING.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
This can all stop, Charlie.
Are you kidding? I've never felt better.
But you got to tell me, though are Bert and Ernie over there Moroccan? 'Cause I swear I had the same full-body treatment at a hammam in Marrakech.
Are you ready to talk? I told you, I'm being set up.
I got nothing else to say.
Sorry, when I said ready to talk, I meant me to you.
I have no interest in keeping you here.
Seeing you in pain gives me no pleasure, truly.
I'm just a guy doing his job.
And my job today is to get you to walk out of here without handcuffs.
Oh, yeah? How's that gonna happen? I offer you a deal.
You sign, you go home simple as that.
This is a con This is a confession.
Filled with lies.
We know that you were hired to assassinate the Vice President.
We're not after you.
You sign this confession, and you're on your merry way.
We just need your signature, affirming the person who hired you to kill Cyrus Beene was Mellie Grant.
Cyrus Man, wow.
You know, when that guy goes for it, I mean Hijacking his own plane, framing the President recruiting you.
Is it crowded in there? In his pocket? It's gotta be jammed.
You know, your ability to concoct such a detailed conspiracy was really admirable.
But, unfortunately, you aren't gonna be able to lie your way out of here.
Your only ticket home is punched with pen to paper.
I won't be used by Cyrus to impeach the President.
I'm not a traitor.
You'd be a patriot, a liberator and a free man.
Once Cyrus Beene moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you walk out this door, fully pardoned.
Sign the confession, Charlie.
Go to hell.
He's all yours.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- They took Charlie.
- I know.
[BREATHES SHAKILY.]
There are Feds at QPA.
They've arrested Charlie, and now they're packing it into boxes.
Quinn, I'm so sorry You know I don't give a damn about Cyrus.
I don't care if he staged a hijacking for publicity.
- He wants the Oval.
- And he can have it, for all I care, but he can't have Charlie.
I understand.
You shouldn't have gone behind our backs.
I didn't think you would take the case if you knew it was for me.
You're right we wouldn't have.
But now it's not only for you anymore, is it? What are you suggesting? [SIGHS.]
A partnership.
We have a common enemy, and whatever our differences, right now, we put them aside.
- Of course.
- And, Liv, I want to make something clear.
I am doing this for Charlie, not for you.
Understand? I do.
Then let's not waste any more time.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Cyrus Beene hijacked his own plane.
And now he's framing Charlie.
FITZ: This is a new low, even for Cyrus.
We need to tell Mellie that Cyrus is coming for her.
And that Charlie's innocent.
A President can fix that, right? It's a hard sell, politically.
Not if we can prove that the special prosecutor is in Cyrus's pocket.
Is that what we think? Why is that so hard to believe? Because it's Lonnie Mencken.
The man's record is impeccable.
Cyrus hijacked a plane, framed an ex-spy, and conflicted an attorney general out of investigating him.
Do you really think he would leave the appointment of special prosecutor to chance? Do you want to talk to Mellie or should I? I want Charlie alive, so not Liv.
While you're working on Mellie, the rest of us can look into Lonnie, see if we can find anything that pries him away from Cyrus.
Whatever it takes to bring Charlie home safely.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[SIGHS.]
[LOCK BEEPS.]
He didn't sign it? I'm afraid not.
We knew he'd be a tough nut to crack.
These old spies, they'll never do anything they don't want to do.
All that damn training.
My men have training, too.
We need to be patient.
Is there anything else? Wait.
We're doing this wrong.
It's not Charlie we should be pressuring.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hey.
What're you doing? We'll be discussing sensitive information.
We need privacy.
You can't be too careful when everyone has a phone in their pocket.
So you're back now? For this, I'm back.
Okay.
Are we ready? - [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- ABBY: Alonzo Mencken, 64, former U.
S.
Attorney from the Eastern District of Virginia.
Recently appointed Special Prosecutor in charge of the investigation into the hijacking of Air Force Two.
Ah.
You know what he looks like.
Sorry.
Couldn't find any of your sticky paper.
Lonnie graduated top of his class from Stanford Law, where he met his wife.
They've managed to stay together all these years, for better or for worse and I mean worse.
Uh, 20 years ago, their only son, Adam, was gunned down in a mass shooting at a mall.
Adam was 9.
He died in Lonnie's arms.
I remember this.
It inspired him to become a prosecutor.
He's dedicated his life to keeping violent offenders behind bars.
All the while earning a reputation for being tough but fair.
I've protested a lot of crooked prosecutors in my day but never Mencken.
He's the epitome of an honorable public servant.
So how does someone like that end up in Cyrus Beene's pocket? Money troubles, maybe? Has he recently received a Cézanne-sized delivery? - Cézanne? - We think Cyrus might've used the Cézanne Glackland gave him to fund We don't have to recap right now.
Does he have debts? Is he a gambler? Has he made any large purchases? Uh, he has a mortgage and some credit-card debt nothing out of the ordinary.
No shady transactions, no secret offshore bank accounts, no large deliveries to his house.
His web history is Boresville, too no weird porn sites, no late-night visits to Craigslist.
He even keeps his SafeSearch on maximum setting.
The guy is a Goody Two-Shoes.
[CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
What? [SIGHS.]
Oh, damn it.
Don't worry.
We'll keep at it No, it's it's not that.
It's my nanny.
Robin's ear infection is flaring up.
She's screaming her little face off.
Charlie was supposed to pick up the prescription drops, but I guess he didn't get the chance.
Go.
Do what you have to do.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Miss Perkins, hope I'm not disturbing you.
Let me get this straight.
You'd like Charlie to sign a confession that would frame the President of the United States for ordering him to hijack Air Force Two, all in an effort to stage some horrifically calculated assassination attempt on you? More or less.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah, there's no way in hell It isn't really asking too much, now, is it? Let Charlie go.
You want to help your boyfriend, then you need to help me.
Convince Charlie to sign the deal that's in front of him.
Do it while the poor guy still has a hand left to hold a pen, at least.
Oh, this usually works for you, right? Strong-arming loved ones into doing things against their will.
Not this time.
You want my help? - I am not gonna help you - I'm assuming you voted for her.
Had your cute little "Future Is Female" T-shirt on when you went to the polls that day, 'cause, you know, girl power and all that crap.
You voted for Mellie Grant despite everything you knew about her.
You want to talk about the things I know? Let's start with the things I know about you.
This isn't about me.
I mean, it is, at the end of day, but right here, right now, it's about your loving, doting fiancé.
You're choosing Mellie Grant over the father of your child? This conversation's over.
What is it with you people and Olivia Pope?! For the love of It's like you're all little wind-up toys, aimlessly fluttering about.
After all this time? This has nothing to do with Olivia Pope.
Quinn, come on! Your intellect has always been so remarkable.
Olivia Pope still believes she has a shot at getting back to the White House.
She needs Mellie Grant to stay right where she is.
She doesn't care about poor Charlie.
She's already made her choice.
Isn't it time you made yours? The number to a burner phone that I'll have in my possession for 24 hours.
If I don't hear from you, well my condolences to you and your lovely family.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Where's Teddy? Geraldine's bringing him in a couple of minutes.
I was hoping we could have a second to talk.
Oh, I'm a little busy, but sure.
Do you have another case you need the White House involved in? I'm here to talk about Charlie.
[SIGHS.]
Here we go.
He's innocent, Mellie.
Let me guess Liv sent you.
Nobody sent me.
I'm here because you need to know the truth.
The man you have in custody is innocent.
He had nothing to do with the hijacking.
This is all Cyrus.
Hoo-boy! This just keeps getting better and better.
Olivia is bored, isn't she? No one wants to hire the ousted Chief of Staff, so she's now spinning delusional yarns about the Vice President hijacking his own plane? He basically admitted it to her.
He planned the whole thing.
For what reason? To give himself a spotlight.
He's gunning for your job, Mel, and he's not waiting till the end of your term.
Gunning for my job by almost crashing his plane? It doesn't make sense.
[BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Do you have any evidence? [SIGHS.]
No.
Because you know what makes sense? That Olivia paid Charlie, her old buddy, and whoever else from that gang of criminals she employs to help her plan some elaborate coup, and now she's trying to cover it up because Charlie got caught.
Olivia has made serious missteps.
But she has always, in her way, had your best interests at heart the country's best interests.
You know that.
Cyrus has motive to come after you, and there is no way Olivia would go to this length to meddle with your administration.
[SIGHS.]
Fitz, be careful or you will end up her accomplice.
And I have too much responsibility to be a single parent.
[SIGHS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
She won't hear it not from me, at least.
She's got a lot of people in her ear over there.
Yeah Cyrus Beene and Jake.
She'd rather trust them than listen to reason, just because I Because you lied to her.
I don't blame her for having her guard up.
All I'm saying is, we can't blame Mellie.
We also can't give up on getting through to her.
We need her on our side.
You have another idea? She'll take a meeting with me.
I might be able to get through to her.
Set something up.
You okay? [CHUCKLES.]
You know you did good work in there.
In the White House.
Just because it ended badly I know.
We should get back to work.
HUCK: No red flags on Lonnie's wife's phone, and his brother's a dead end, too.
What if we look at it from the other direction? The Cézanne is missing.
Cyrus didn't just stick a $100-million painting in a closet.
ABBY: The White House logs are clean.
If he got the painting out, it wasn't through the front door.
Could he have used his assistant? Cyrus isn't that sloppy, but I'll check, just in case.
There you are.
Hey.
How's Robin? Fine.
Everything okay? Quinn? They're offering Charlie a deal.
What kind of deal? Immunity, in exchange for his cooperation.
Cooperation? But he didn't have anything to do with the hijacking.
I know.
They want him to say he did it for Mellie.
Did you talk to Lonnie Mencken? - Who told you this? - Cyrus.
Cyrus had the nerve to bring this to you directly? I'm in charge.
You want him to take the deal.
- Wouldn't you? - No.
It saves Charlie's life.
While ruining Mellie's.
Ah.
Well, at least we know what your priorities are, not that I'm surprised.
- That's not fair.
- Is it not? She's the President.
Quinn, Liv, clearly both of you are She's your President.
She's the trophy you won for all your years of chasing power.
Look even when she's kicked you out, you won't let go of her.
That's not what this is about.
If we don't fight to stop this, we're responsible for whatever comes next.
Don't be so grandiose.
You guys, can't we discuss this a little bit more calmly? Quinn, this is about right and wrong, about democracy You lost your right to give moral lectures when you ordered your father to shoot me in a basement! [CLEARS THROAT.]
And it's not about right and wrong, Olivia.
And it's not about democracy.
This is about family our family, not yours.
Mr.
Vice President, are you happy a suspect has been brought into custody? MAN: Can you give us any more details about the investigation? Would you like to send a message to the suspect? Right now I'm putting all my faith in Special Prosecutor Mencken.
I survived that hijacking for a reason, and it's not to stand here and send vindictive messages to the hijacker.
I got a job to do, folks, and I've got to get back to it.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- [REPORTERS ALL SPEAKING.]
- Thank you.
We will.
Next time we will.
Thank you.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Okay.
Bye-bye.
Thank you.
It's a possibility, I suppose.
But the the Vice President masterminding a hijacking of his own plane forwhat? His turn on the nightly shows? To start building his campaign.
To take over my job.
Even for Cyrus, it's a little [SIGHS.]
Do you have a reason to suspect him? [SIGHS.]
How did Olivia get to you? I'm not saying that he's guilty, but it's worth ruling out.
And so it begins.
Did you know that Cyrus told a bunch of press this morning that he survived the hijacking for a "reason"? Like he'd been anointed or something.
We were pushing him out.
There's only one person we pushed out, and now you're trying to let her back in.
- Who's running this Oval? - I am.
And I want you to look into Cyrus.
- Madam President - Jake.
Do it.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Huck.
I didn't know you were in here.
Is there something you wanted? That woman in the conference room.
Was that Olivia? When you say "Olivia"? The old Olivia.
From before all the bad stuff happened.
What do you think? I think it looks like her.
I think it talks like her.
But I don't trust myself because I know how badly I want it to be true.
And I might just be seeing things that aren't really there.
What do you see? I see the old Olivia, too.
Okay.
Okay.
Here's the thing, though.
I want that Olivia back as much as you do.
So maybe we're both seeing things.
You feel like I do.
I feel like you do.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Yes? Mr.
Vice President, do you have a moment? For you? Always.
Something on your mind? Well, I had a chat with the Deputy Attorney General.
- Did you? - I did.
He seems to be under the impression that Lonnie Mencken found his way onto the hijacking case based on your recommendation.
[CHUCKLES.]
[LAUGHING.]
Is Is that a fact? Well, I'm not sure.
That's why I'm here.
Just happened to run into the the Deputy Attorney General, did you? Or maybe it wasn't happenstance? Maybe you reached out to him because you heard a rumor.
Yes? Well, Admiral, let me assure you.
Rumors are true.
I confess.
[CHUCKLES.]
I hijacked my own plane.
Well I have to say this isn't how I was expecting this to go at all.
Tell you the truth, me, either.
But I'm sure you have a pair of scissors or some other lethal office supply hidden in your jacket pocket that you planned to threaten me with to get me to talk.
So, let's skip that part, shall we? It's boring and a waste of time.
Let's get right to the good stuff.
Which is? The part where I tell you that I have a plan a plan that ends with me planted firmly behind the desk in the Oval Office.
A plan that also includes a job for you in the Beene administration.
You think I'm going to work for you? I think you're going to work with me.
If that's part of your plan, I have to tell you it's flawed.
Ha, maybe, but I don't think so.
You can refuse my offer, but if you do, you will doom yourself to a life as a second-class citizen.
You can take me down, cast me out, save the day.
But you'll still never be anything more to Mellie than a consolation prize the thing she got when she couldn't have Liv.
Just like you were Liv's consolation prize the thing she got when she couldn't have Fitz.
Second place.
Second choice.
You're investigating me because Liv put a bug in Mellie's ear.
You out me? You prove Liv right.
Their bond begins to mend, and it's only a matter of time before they're a team again.
Mellie gets her first choice back.
And if that happens, you're out.
I know you don't like me.
Hell, I don't particularly like you.
But I've seen the future, Jake.
It's us.
Or it's them.
Those are the only options.
You seem fairly certain of that.
I am.
And you will be, too.
Once you've really taken some time to consider my offer.
Admiral.
Don't take too long to make up your mind.
This offer's only available, as they say, for a limited time.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Mr.
Attorney General, you wanted to see me? Yes.
Thought I'd check in on you, see how the investigation is going.
Please, have a seat.
Well, you know I can't discuss any of the details of the investigation with you.
Well, I was just wondering if you needed a sounding board.
I think I'm gonna go now.
Before I have to charge the Attorney General of the United States with obstruction of justice.
The suspect you're questioning down there is innocent.
- You know that.
- No.
I don't know that.
What I do know is that that nameless thug worked on Mellie Grant's campaign, for a firm founded by her former chief of staff, a campaign that ended, you may recall, with the assassination of Mellie Grant's Democratic opponent and the wrongful arrest of Cyrus Beene.
Coincidence? Perhaps.
But I can also put this "Charlie" on the tarmac the day that Rashad was assassinated.
And I can link him to the virus responsible for the attack on Vice President Beene's plane.
Frankly, I've never prosecuted a more open-and-shut case in my career.
I stood in front of the American people, and I vouched for you.
You also told them that you were recusing yourself from this investigation.
Why are you doing this? Does Cyrus have something on you? Or are my friends right, and you've suddenly developed an interest in Post-Impressionist art? [SIGHS.]
A very disturbed young man someone who shouldn't even have been walking the streets in the first place once entered a superstore and legally purchased half a dozen semiautomatic killing machines.
A week later, I was with my boy in the mall.
He was picking out presents for his birthday.
That same young man was there.
My boy was shot twice once in the abdomen, once in the chest, puncturing his lung.
I told him he'd be okay, even as he was drowning in his own blood.
The very last words I said to my son were a lie.
Is that what this is about? Adam? Mellie Grant may be the most progressive Republican we've had in office in a century.
She's pro-choice, pro-immigration, she got free college passed, for crying out loud.
But in one way, she's exactly like the rest.
Mellie loves her guns.
Here we go again.
You all are like a bunch of door-to-door salesmen.
You keep knocking, no matter how many times I tell you I don't want any.
But what if Liv is right and Cyrus is coming after you? And what if there's a reason why the people who care about you the most are the ones who keep knocking? [SIGHS.]
Unless I get hard evidence, there is no way that I am buying in just on Olivia's word.
Olivia isn't trying to trick you.
She's trying to save you.
How can you trust her? Just like that? You remember what she did to you? You mean what she did to us? I remember.
[SCOFFS.]
Got me the press secretary job so she could plant in your head I was using you.
Mm-hmm.
But do you remember why she did that? Because she's a condescending, small person.
A condescending, small person who was trying to make you president, who succeeded at making you president, who right now is trying to keep you president.
She lied to my face multiple times, Marcus.
To my face.
I know.
But you also miss her, don't you? [SIGHS.]
This job It's The fight is endless.
And it's even harder if you don't have somebody in your corner.
I miss having her in my corner.
I miss her.
I do.
Olivia is still in your corner.
- I know she is.
- Mm.
And so am I.
I will always be in your corner.
That doesn't belong to you anymore.
I know.
Thank you for meeting me.
It's hard to look at, isn't it? They really trashed the place.
They did.
They don't care about us.
They were doing their jobs.
It isn't personal.
That's exactly what scares me.
It's a machine a giant meat grinder, and Charlie's inside it.
Can you blame me for trying to pull him out? Of course not.
But Never mind.
We don't need to go over it all again.
Well, maybe we do.
"If Quinn has to die for the Republic, then she has to die.
" You said that.
[SIGHS.]
[CHUCKLING.]
Republic.
What is that, even? What ideal is so pure that it can justify hundreds, thousands of people dying to keep it intact? The United States of America.
A nation built on the idea that its citizens are its best stewards.
Its citizens? Or its anointed band of secret assassins? It doesn't mean I was right.
I was wrong.
What happened that day [SIGHS.]
I tried to tell myself it was for the Republic, but that was a lie.
It was for me.
For my own ambitions.
I thought I could fix the world with just a few smart chess moves.
I thought the ends justified the means.
But then you came along talking about justice, and I was afraid you would screw it all up.
I would have screwed it all up.
You had every right to.
I'm sorry, Quinn.
Sorrier than you can ever imagine.
What it must feel like for you now for for me to stand there and tell you that Charlie shouldn't take the deal because of some principle.
- It's - I know it's wrong.
[SIGHS.]
Asking him to confess to a crime he didn't commit, but we are not choosing between right and wrong here, Liv.
We're choosing between being wrong and being dead.
I know.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
My gut is telling me that we have to protect Mellie.
Letting her be framed for treason? It's not right.
The problem is I don't trust my gut anymore.
I, of all people, have no right to tell you to stake Charlie's life on an idea.
The truth is I don't I don't know anymore what's right, what's wrong.
What I do know is I still trust you.
Unlike me, you never lost your way.
That's why I called you tonight.
That's what I wanted to say to you.
Whatever you choose, I will support.
It's your call, Quinn.
It has to be.
[CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
Miss Perkins.
I've given it some thought.
I can't tell Charlie to sign that confession.
It isn't right.
How adorable.
And how considerate of you to call.
Unfortunately for you, I no longer need your help.
What does that mean? It means I've made alternate arrangements.
Thank you for the call, Miss Perkins.
- Enjoy the rest of your evening.
- Oh, oh, wait! Shall we? [BREATHING HEAVILY.]
It's about time you guys figured out a way to get me out of here.
[SIGHS.]
I'm scared my money maker's starting to look like a Picasso.
- Got a mirror? - Charlie.
Toss me the keys for these things, will you? I'm not here to get you out.
Not you, too.
Jake.
We need you to take the deal.
If you don't sign What? You're gonna torture me? [SIGHS.]
Look at my face.
Look at it.
You think there's anything else they could possibly do to me? Anything you could do to me? Not to you.
My assignment is to make you sign the confession.
By any means necessary.
Don't you go anywhere near her! No, unh-unh! You do not get to do that.
How dare you try to put this on me? You think I want to kill Quinn? I like Quinn.
Hell, even you're on my nice list these days, present circumstances excluded.
The last thing I want to do is make your baby girl an orphan.
But Cyrus made his call to the bullpen, and he brought in his closer.
So now I'm here to close.
I can't just take down the president like that.
You can.
And you will.
You know how I know that? Because I was at the funeral.
I stood next to you the first time you buried Quinn, shooting those bullets into the ground.
I saw how much loved her, how much you needed her.
It's the reason why rule number one is rule number one.
I said it to Quinn, myself, the day I welcomed her into B613 no family.
When you break rule number one, you lose control.
And when you lose control, someone else takes it.
I took it.
I am in control.
I'm not asking you to sign the confession, Charlie.
You have no choice, no control.
You will sign it.
'Cause if you don't, you won't have control of when Quinn actually goes in the ground.
But I will.
[SIGHS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hmm.
Mm.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Good morning, Mr.
Walker.
- Hmm.
- Good morning, Ms.
President.
[CHUCKLES.]
[CHUCKLES.]
I prefer Madam.
- Hmm.
- Mm.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
[GASPS.]
Oh! Um, Madam President.
Rachel, what is it? [SIGHS.]
Madam President.
Lonnie Mencken just served me with a subpoena.
A subpoena.
For me.
Because apparently, Charlie is saying I hired him! A person with no last name is accusing me of hijacking that plane, and people are actually believing him.
There is something very, very wrong here, something very, very Cyrus Beene.
We need to handle this immediately.
Get rid of the special prosecutor, bury the subpoena I don't think that's wise.
Jake, are you hearing me? The President of the United States has been served.
The press will be on this any minute, and when they are, stock markets crash, polls sink.
This administration is going down.
No, Madam President.
You're going down.
B613 no longer serves you, and I don't think it's wise to take on the special prosecutor without it.
But you and Olivia can take your chances.
Olivia was right.
She was right about the whole thing, and you were wrong.
I'm sorry, did you get your feelings hurt because a woman did the job better than you did, or is this because I didn't want to hold hands in the Oval? I need you right now! I tried to be an adviser to you, to give you my loyalty, but you didn't want that.
Good luck to you.
Jake! [DOOR CLOSES.]
Earth-shattering news out of the Justice Department today.
Sources there report that Lonnie Mencken, the special prosecutor leading the investigation of the hijacking of Air Force Two, has issued a subpoena to President Grant.
No comment from the White House at this time, but the swiftness of this action has many wondering what information Mencken may have uncovered from the suspect arrested earlier this week and what role the president herself may have played in the hijacking.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[SIGHS.]
You okay? I'm sorry, Huck.
We haven't lost yet.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
I'm not talking about that.
That was the old Liv.
The one who did all those things.
She's gone now.
Right? [CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
I have to go.
[FOOTSTEPS ECHOING.]
Wait.
We've all done bad things.
We've all hurt people.
I need you to do something for me.
It's what you do next that matters.
Be my Command again.
Kill Cyrus Beene.
LONNIE: The suspect goes by the name of "Charlie," no last name an obvious alias.
He held a stash of dozens of forged IDs, including one that gained him access to the White House in recent months.
Secret Service has been informed.
His place of business has been secured and protected as a crime scene.
Agents conducted a thorough search of the premises for other devices that may have been used to infiltrate Airforce Two systems.
There was a massive stockpile of electronics that would've put RadioShack to shame.
The confiscated devices are being decrypted.
The suspect's associate briefly questioned and released, but Quinn Perkins and Associates remains shut down until further notice.
Is the suspect talking? The suspect remains tight-lipped.
I've got to hand it to the man he's been remarkably resistant to our methods of persuasion.
[CHAINS RATTLING.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[CLEARS THROAT.]
This can all stop, Charlie.
Are you kidding? I've never felt better.
But you got to tell me, though are Bert and Ernie over there Moroccan? 'Cause I swear I had the same full-body treatment at a hammam in Marrakech.
Are you ready to talk? I told you, I'm being set up.
I got nothing else to say.
Sorry, when I said ready to talk, I meant me to you.
I have no interest in keeping you here.
Seeing you in pain gives me no pleasure, truly.
I'm just a guy doing his job.
And my job today is to get you to walk out of here without handcuffs.
Oh, yeah? How's that gonna happen? I offer you a deal.
You sign, you go home simple as that.
This is a con This is a confession.
Filled with lies.
We know that you were hired to assassinate the Vice President.
We're not after you.
You sign this confession, and you're on your merry way.
We just need your signature, affirming the person who hired you to kill Cyrus Beene was Mellie Grant.
Cyrus Man, wow.
You know, when that guy goes for it, I mean Hijacking his own plane, framing the President recruiting you.
Is it crowded in there? In his pocket? It's gotta be jammed.
You know, your ability to concoct such a detailed conspiracy was really admirable.
But, unfortunately, you aren't gonna be able to lie your way out of here.
Your only ticket home is punched with pen to paper.
I won't be used by Cyrus to impeach the President.
I'm not a traitor.
You'd be a patriot, a liberator and a free man.
Once Cyrus Beene moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you walk out this door, fully pardoned.
Sign the confession, Charlie.
Go to hell.
He's all yours.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- They took Charlie.
- I know.
[BREATHES SHAKILY.]
There are Feds at QPA.
They've arrested Charlie, and now they're packing it into boxes.
Quinn, I'm so sorry You know I don't give a damn about Cyrus.
I don't care if he staged a hijacking for publicity.
- He wants the Oval.
- And he can have it, for all I care, but he can't have Charlie.
I understand.
You shouldn't have gone behind our backs.
I didn't think you would take the case if you knew it was for me.
You're right we wouldn't have.
But now it's not only for you anymore, is it? What are you suggesting? [SIGHS.]
A partnership.
We have a common enemy, and whatever our differences, right now, we put them aside.
- Of course.
- And, Liv, I want to make something clear.
I am doing this for Charlie, not for you.
Understand? I do.
Then let's not waste any more time.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Cyrus Beene hijacked his own plane.
And now he's framing Charlie.
FITZ: This is a new low, even for Cyrus.
We need to tell Mellie that Cyrus is coming for her.
And that Charlie's innocent.
A President can fix that, right? It's a hard sell, politically.
Not if we can prove that the special prosecutor is in Cyrus's pocket.
Is that what we think? Why is that so hard to believe? Because it's Lonnie Mencken.
The man's record is impeccable.
Cyrus hijacked a plane, framed an ex-spy, and conflicted an attorney general out of investigating him.
Do you really think he would leave the appointment of special prosecutor to chance? Do you want to talk to Mellie or should I? I want Charlie alive, so not Liv.
While you're working on Mellie, the rest of us can look into Lonnie, see if we can find anything that pries him away from Cyrus.
Whatever it takes to bring Charlie home safely.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[SIGHS.]
[LOCK BEEPS.]
He didn't sign it? I'm afraid not.
We knew he'd be a tough nut to crack.
These old spies, they'll never do anything they don't want to do.
All that damn training.
My men have training, too.
We need to be patient.
Is there anything else? Wait.
We're doing this wrong.
It's not Charlie we should be pressuring.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hey.
What're you doing? We'll be discussing sensitive information.
We need privacy.
You can't be too careful when everyone has a phone in their pocket.
So you're back now? For this, I'm back.
Okay.
Are we ready? - [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
- ABBY: Alonzo Mencken, 64, former U.
S.
Attorney from the Eastern District of Virginia.
Recently appointed Special Prosecutor in charge of the investigation into the hijacking of Air Force Two.
Ah.
You know what he looks like.
Sorry.
Couldn't find any of your sticky paper.
Lonnie graduated top of his class from Stanford Law, where he met his wife.
They've managed to stay together all these years, for better or for worse and I mean worse.
Uh, 20 years ago, their only son, Adam, was gunned down in a mass shooting at a mall.
Adam was 9.
He died in Lonnie's arms.
I remember this.
It inspired him to become a prosecutor.
He's dedicated his life to keeping violent offenders behind bars.
All the while earning a reputation for being tough but fair.
I've protested a lot of crooked prosecutors in my day but never Mencken.
He's the epitome of an honorable public servant.
So how does someone like that end up in Cyrus Beene's pocket? Money troubles, maybe? Has he recently received a Cézanne-sized delivery? - Cézanne? - We think Cyrus might've used the Cézanne Glackland gave him to fund We don't have to recap right now.
Does he have debts? Is he a gambler? Has he made any large purchases? Uh, he has a mortgage and some credit-card debt nothing out of the ordinary.
No shady transactions, no secret offshore bank accounts, no large deliveries to his house.
His web history is Boresville, too no weird porn sites, no late-night visits to Craigslist.
He even keeps his SafeSearch on maximum setting.
The guy is a Goody Two-Shoes.
[CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
What? [SIGHS.]
Oh, damn it.
Don't worry.
We'll keep at it No, it's it's not that.
It's my nanny.
Robin's ear infection is flaring up.
She's screaming her little face off.
Charlie was supposed to pick up the prescription drops, but I guess he didn't get the chance.
Go.
Do what you have to do.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Miss Perkins, hope I'm not disturbing you.
Let me get this straight.
You'd like Charlie to sign a confession that would frame the President of the United States for ordering him to hijack Air Force Two, all in an effort to stage some horrifically calculated assassination attempt on you? More or less.
[LAUGHS.]
Yeah, there's no way in hell It isn't really asking too much, now, is it? Let Charlie go.
You want to help your boyfriend, then you need to help me.
Convince Charlie to sign the deal that's in front of him.
Do it while the poor guy still has a hand left to hold a pen, at least.
Oh, this usually works for you, right? Strong-arming loved ones into doing things against their will.
Not this time.
You want my help? - I am not gonna help you - I'm assuming you voted for her.
Had your cute little "Future Is Female" T-shirt on when you went to the polls that day, 'cause, you know, girl power and all that crap.
You voted for Mellie Grant despite everything you knew about her.
You want to talk about the things I know? Let's start with the things I know about you.
This isn't about me.
I mean, it is, at the end of day, but right here, right now, it's about your loving, doting fiancé.
You're choosing Mellie Grant over the father of your child? This conversation's over.
What is it with you people and Olivia Pope?! For the love of It's like you're all little wind-up toys, aimlessly fluttering about.
After all this time? This has nothing to do with Olivia Pope.
Quinn, come on! Your intellect has always been so remarkable.
Olivia Pope still believes she has a shot at getting back to the White House.
She needs Mellie Grant to stay right where she is.
She doesn't care about poor Charlie.
She's already made her choice.
Isn't it time you made yours? The number to a burner phone that I'll have in my possession for 24 hours.
If I don't hear from you, well my condolences to you and your lovely family.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Where's Teddy? Geraldine's bringing him in a couple of minutes.
I was hoping we could have a second to talk.
Oh, I'm a little busy, but sure.
Do you have another case you need the White House involved in? I'm here to talk about Charlie.
[SIGHS.]
Here we go.
He's innocent, Mellie.
Let me guess Liv sent you.
Nobody sent me.
I'm here because you need to know the truth.
The man you have in custody is innocent.
He had nothing to do with the hijacking.
This is all Cyrus.
Hoo-boy! This just keeps getting better and better.
Olivia is bored, isn't she? No one wants to hire the ousted Chief of Staff, so she's now spinning delusional yarns about the Vice President hijacking his own plane? He basically admitted it to her.
He planned the whole thing.
For what reason? To give himself a spotlight.
He's gunning for your job, Mel, and he's not waiting till the end of your term.
Gunning for my job by almost crashing his plane? It doesn't make sense.
[BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Do you have any evidence? [SIGHS.]
No.
Because you know what makes sense? That Olivia paid Charlie, her old buddy, and whoever else from that gang of criminals she employs to help her plan some elaborate coup, and now she's trying to cover it up because Charlie got caught.
Olivia has made serious missteps.
But she has always, in her way, had your best interests at heart the country's best interests.
You know that.
Cyrus has motive to come after you, and there is no way Olivia would go to this length to meddle with your administration.
[SIGHS.]
Fitz, be careful or you will end up her accomplice.
And I have too much responsibility to be a single parent.
[SIGHS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
She won't hear it not from me, at least.
She's got a lot of people in her ear over there.
Yeah Cyrus Beene and Jake.
She'd rather trust them than listen to reason, just because I Because you lied to her.
I don't blame her for having her guard up.
All I'm saying is, we can't blame Mellie.
We also can't give up on getting through to her.
We need her on our side.
You have another idea? She'll take a meeting with me.
I might be able to get through to her.
Set something up.
You okay? [CHUCKLES.]
You know you did good work in there.
In the White House.
Just because it ended badly I know.
We should get back to work.
HUCK: No red flags on Lonnie's wife's phone, and his brother's a dead end, too.
What if we look at it from the other direction? The Cézanne is missing.
Cyrus didn't just stick a $100-million painting in a closet.
ABBY: The White House logs are clean.
If he got the painting out, it wasn't through the front door.
Could he have used his assistant? Cyrus isn't that sloppy, but I'll check, just in case.
There you are.
Hey.
How's Robin? Fine.
Everything okay? Quinn? They're offering Charlie a deal.
What kind of deal? Immunity, in exchange for his cooperation.
Cooperation? But he didn't have anything to do with the hijacking.
I know.
They want him to say he did it for Mellie.
Did you talk to Lonnie Mencken? - Who told you this? - Cyrus.
Cyrus had the nerve to bring this to you directly? I'm in charge.
You want him to take the deal.
- Wouldn't you? - No.
It saves Charlie's life.
While ruining Mellie's.
Ah.
Well, at least we know what your priorities are, not that I'm surprised.
- That's not fair.
- Is it not? She's the President.
Quinn, Liv, clearly both of you are She's your President.
She's the trophy you won for all your years of chasing power.
Look even when she's kicked you out, you won't let go of her.
That's not what this is about.
If we don't fight to stop this, we're responsible for whatever comes next.
Don't be so grandiose.
You guys, can't we discuss this a little bit more calmly? Quinn, this is about right and wrong, about democracy You lost your right to give moral lectures when you ordered your father to shoot me in a basement! [CLEARS THROAT.]
And it's not about right and wrong, Olivia.
And it's not about democracy.
This is about family our family, not yours.
Mr.
Vice President, are you happy a suspect has been brought into custody? MAN: Can you give us any more details about the investigation? Would you like to send a message to the suspect? Right now I'm putting all my faith in Special Prosecutor Mencken.
I survived that hijacking for a reason, and it's not to stand here and send vindictive messages to the hijacker.
I got a job to do, folks, and I've got to get back to it.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- [REPORTERS ALL SPEAKING.]
- Thank you.
We will.
Next time we will.
Thank you.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Okay.
Bye-bye.
Thank you.
It's a possibility, I suppose.
But the the Vice President masterminding a hijacking of his own plane forwhat? His turn on the nightly shows? To start building his campaign.
To take over my job.
Even for Cyrus, it's a little [SIGHS.]
Do you have a reason to suspect him? [SIGHS.]
How did Olivia get to you? I'm not saying that he's guilty, but it's worth ruling out.
And so it begins.
Did you know that Cyrus told a bunch of press this morning that he survived the hijacking for a "reason"? Like he'd been anointed or something.
We were pushing him out.
There's only one person we pushed out, and now you're trying to let her back in.
- Who's running this Oval? - I am.
And I want you to look into Cyrus.
- Madam President - Jake.
Do it.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Huck.
I didn't know you were in here.
Is there something you wanted? That woman in the conference room.
Was that Olivia? When you say "Olivia"? The old Olivia.
From before all the bad stuff happened.
What do you think? I think it looks like her.
I think it talks like her.
But I don't trust myself because I know how badly I want it to be true.
And I might just be seeing things that aren't really there.
What do you see? I see the old Olivia, too.
Okay.
Okay.
Here's the thing, though.
I want that Olivia back as much as you do.
So maybe we're both seeing things.
You feel like I do.
I feel like you do.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
Yes? Mr.
Vice President, do you have a moment? For you? Always.
Something on your mind? Well, I had a chat with the Deputy Attorney General.
- Did you? - I did.
He seems to be under the impression that Lonnie Mencken found his way onto the hijacking case based on your recommendation.
[CHUCKLES.]
[LAUGHING.]
Is Is that a fact? Well, I'm not sure.
That's why I'm here.
Just happened to run into the the Deputy Attorney General, did you? Or maybe it wasn't happenstance? Maybe you reached out to him because you heard a rumor.
Yes? Well, Admiral, let me assure you.
Rumors are true.
I confess.
[CHUCKLES.]
I hijacked my own plane.
Well I have to say this isn't how I was expecting this to go at all.
Tell you the truth, me, either.
But I'm sure you have a pair of scissors or some other lethal office supply hidden in your jacket pocket that you planned to threaten me with to get me to talk.
So, let's skip that part, shall we? It's boring and a waste of time.
Let's get right to the good stuff.
Which is? The part where I tell you that I have a plan a plan that ends with me planted firmly behind the desk in the Oval Office.
A plan that also includes a job for you in the Beene administration.
You think I'm going to work for you? I think you're going to work with me.
If that's part of your plan, I have to tell you it's flawed.
Ha, maybe, but I don't think so.
You can refuse my offer, but if you do, you will doom yourself to a life as a second-class citizen.
You can take me down, cast me out, save the day.
But you'll still never be anything more to Mellie than a consolation prize the thing she got when she couldn't have Liv.
Just like you were Liv's consolation prize the thing she got when she couldn't have Fitz.
Second place.
Second choice.
You're investigating me because Liv put a bug in Mellie's ear.
You out me? You prove Liv right.
Their bond begins to mend, and it's only a matter of time before they're a team again.
Mellie gets her first choice back.
And if that happens, you're out.
I know you don't like me.
Hell, I don't particularly like you.
But I've seen the future, Jake.
It's us.
Or it's them.
Those are the only options.
You seem fairly certain of that.
I am.
And you will be, too.
Once you've really taken some time to consider my offer.
Admiral.
Don't take too long to make up your mind.
This offer's only available, as they say, for a limited time.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Mr.
Attorney General, you wanted to see me? Yes.
Thought I'd check in on you, see how the investigation is going.
Please, have a seat.
Well, you know I can't discuss any of the details of the investigation with you.
Well, I was just wondering if you needed a sounding board.
I think I'm gonna go now.
Before I have to charge the Attorney General of the United States with obstruction of justice.
The suspect you're questioning down there is innocent.
- You know that.
- No.
I don't know that.
What I do know is that that nameless thug worked on Mellie Grant's campaign, for a firm founded by her former chief of staff, a campaign that ended, you may recall, with the assassination of Mellie Grant's Democratic opponent and the wrongful arrest of Cyrus Beene.
Coincidence? Perhaps.
But I can also put this "Charlie" on the tarmac the day that Rashad was assassinated.
And I can link him to the virus responsible for the attack on Vice President Beene's plane.
Frankly, I've never prosecuted a more open-and-shut case in my career.
I stood in front of the American people, and I vouched for you.
You also told them that you were recusing yourself from this investigation.
Why are you doing this? Does Cyrus have something on you? Or are my friends right, and you've suddenly developed an interest in Post-Impressionist art? [SIGHS.]
A very disturbed young man someone who shouldn't even have been walking the streets in the first place once entered a superstore and legally purchased half a dozen semiautomatic killing machines.
A week later, I was with my boy in the mall.
He was picking out presents for his birthday.
That same young man was there.
My boy was shot twice once in the abdomen, once in the chest, puncturing his lung.
I told him he'd be okay, even as he was drowning in his own blood.
The very last words I said to my son were a lie.
Is that what this is about? Adam? Mellie Grant may be the most progressive Republican we've had in office in a century.
She's pro-choice, pro-immigration, she got free college passed, for crying out loud.
But in one way, she's exactly like the rest.
Mellie loves her guns.
Here we go again.
You all are like a bunch of door-to-door salesmen.
You keep knocking, no matter how many times I tell you I don't want any.
But what if Liv is right and Cyrus is coming after you? And what if there's a reason why the people who care about you the most are the ones who keep knocking? [SIGHS.]
Unless I get hard evidence, there is no way that I am buying in just on Olivia's word.
Olivia isn't trying to trick you.
She's trying to save you.
How can you trust her? Just like that? You remember what she did to you? You mean what she did to us? I remember.
[SCOFFS.]
Got me the press secretary job so she could plant in your head I was using you.
Mm-hmm.
But do you remember why she did that? Because she's a condescending, small person.
A condescending, small person who was trying to make you president, who succeeded at making you president, who right now is trying to keep you president.
She lied to my face multiple times, Marcus.
To my face.
I know.
But you also miss her, don't you? [SIGHS.]
This job It's The fight is endless.
And it's even harder if you don't have somebody in your corner.
I miss having her in my corner.
I miss her.
I do.
Olivia is still in your corner.
- I know she is.
- Mm.
And so am I.
I will always be in your corner.
That doesn't belong to you anymore.
I know.
Thank you for meeting me.
It's hard to look at, isn't it? They really trashed the place.
They did.
They don't care about us.
They were doing their jobs.
It isn't personal.
That's exactly what scares me.
It's a machine a giant meat grinder, and Charlie's inside it.
Can you blame me for trying to pull him out? Of course not.
But Never mind.
We don't need to go over it all again.
Well, maybe we do.
"If Quinn has to die for the Republic, then she has to die.
" You said that.
[SIGHS.]
[CHUCKLING.]
Republic.
What is that, even? What ideal is so pure that it can justify hundreds, thousands of people dying to keep it intact? The United States of America.
A nation built on the idea that its citizens are its best stewards.
Its citizens? Or its anointed band of secret assassins? It doesn't mean I was right.
I was wrong.
What happened that day [SIGHS.]
I tried to tell myself it was for the Republic, but that was a lie.
It was for me.
For my own ambitions.
I thought I could fix the world with just a few smart chess moves.
I thought the ends justified the means.
But then you came along talking about justice, and I was afraid you would screw it all up.
I would have screwed it all up.
You had every right to.
I'm sorry, Quinn.
Sorrier than you can ever imagine.
What it must feel like for you now for for me to stand there and tell you that Charlie shouldn't take the deal because of some principle.
- It's - I know it's wrong.
[SIGHS.]
Asking him to confess to a crime he didn't commit, but we are not choosing between right and wrong here, Liv.
We're choosing between being wrong and being dead.
I know.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
My gut is telling me that we have to protect Mellie.
Letting her be framed for treason? It's not right.
The problem is I don't trust my gut anymore.
I, of all people, have no right to tell you to stake Charlie's life on an idea.
The truth is I don't I don't know anymore what's right, what's wrong.
What I do know is I still trust you.
Unlike me, you never lost your way.
That's why I called you tonight.
That's what I wanted to say to you.
Whatever you choose, I will support.
It's your call, Quinn.
It has to be.
[CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
Miss Perkins.
I've given it some thought.
I can't tell Charlie to sign that confession.
It isn't right.
How adorable.
And how considerate of you to call.
Unfortunately for you, I no longer need your help.
What does that mean? It means I've made alternate arrangements.
Thank you for the call, Miss Perkins.
- Enjoy the rest of your evening.
- Oh, oh, wait! Shall we? [BREATHING HEAVILY.]
It's about time you guys figured out a way to get me out of here.
[SIGHS.]
I'm scared my money maker's starting to look like a Picasso.
- Got a mirror? - Charlie.
Toss me the keys for these things, will you? I'm not here to get you out.
Not you, too.
Jake.
We need you to take the deal.
If you don't sign What? You're gonna torture me? [SIGHS.]
Look at my face.
Look at it.
You think there's anything else they could possibly do to me? Anything you could do to me? Not to you.
My assignment is to make you sign the confession.
By any means necessary.
Don't you go anywhere near her! No, unh-unh! You do not get to do that.
How dare you try to put this on me? You think I want to kill Quinn? I like Quinn.
Hell, even you're on my nice list these days, present circumstances excluded.
The last thing I want to do is make your baby girl an orphan.
But Cyrus made his call to the bullpen, and he brought in his closer.
So now I'm here to close.
I can't just take down the president like that.
You can.
And you will.
You know how I know that? Because I was at the funeral.
I stood next to you the first time you buried Quinn, shooting those bullets into the ground.
I saw how much loved her, how much you needed her.
It's the reason why rule number one is rule number one.
I said it to Quinn, myself, the day I welcomed her into B613 no family.
When you break rule number one, you lose control.
And when you lose control, someone else takes it.
I took it.
I am in control.
I'm not asking you to sign the confession, Charlie.
You have no choice, no control.
You will sign it.
'Cause if you don't, you won't have control of when Quinn actually goes in the ground.
But I will.
[SIGHS.]
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
Hmm.
Mm.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Good morning, Mr.
Walker.
- Hmm.
- Good morning, Ms.
President.
[CHUCKLES.]
[CHUCKLES.]
I prefer Madam.
- Hmm.
- Mm.
[KNOCK ON DOOR.]
[GASPS.]
Oh! Um, Madam President.
Rachel, what is it? [SIGHS.]
Madam President.
Lonnie Mencken just served me with a subpoena.
A subpoena.
For me.
Because apparently, Charlie is saying I hired him! A person with no last name is accusing me of hijacking that plane, and people are actually believing him.
There is something very, very wrong here, something very, very Cyrus Beene.
We need to handle this immediately.
Get rid of the special prosecutor, bury the subpoena I don't think that's wise.
Jake, are you hearing me? The President of the United States has been served.
The press will be on this any minute, and when they are, stock markets crash, polls sink.
This administration is going down.
No, Madam President.
You're going down.
B613 no longer serves you, and I don't think it's wise to take on the special prosecutor without it.
But you and Olivia can take your chances.
Olivia was right.
She was right about the whole thing, and you were wrong.
I'm sorry, did you get your feelings hurt because a woman did the job better than you did, or is this because I didn't want to hold hands in the Oval? I need you right now! I tried to be an adviser to you, to give you my loyalty, but you didn't want that.
Good luck to you.
Jake! [DOOR CLOSES.]
Earth-shattering news out of the Justice Department today.
Sources there report that Lonnie Mencken, the special prosecutor leading the investigation of the hijacking of Air Force Two, has issued a subpoena to President Grant.
No comment from the White House at this time, but the swiftness of this action has many wondering what information Mencken may have uncovered from the suspect arrested earlier this week and what role the president herself may have played in the hijacking.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING.]
[SIGHS.]
You okay? I'm sorry, Huck.
We haven't lost yet.
[VOICE BREAKING.]
I'm not talking about that.
That was the old Liv.
The one who did all those things.
She's gone now.
Right? [CELLPHONE VIBRATING.]
I have to go.
[FOOTSTEPS ECHOING.]
Wait.
We've all done bad things.
We've all hurt people.
I need you to do something for me.
It's what you do next that matters.
Be my Command again.
Kill Cyrus Beene.