Scandal (2012–2018): Season 2, Episode 1 - White Hats Off - full transcript

- Fine. Who do you work for?
- Olivia Pope.

Last season on Scandal.

*** but this is not a law firm.

We solve problems.

Manage crises,
save reputations.

Why did she hire me?

Olivia Pope fixes things.
That's who she is.

You need fixing.

Everyone in this office
needs fixing.

Quinn, state your name
for the record.

You don't have to answer that.



Her name isn't actually
Quinn Perkins.

Who the hell is she?

Well, as far as we know,

Quinn Perkins didn't
exist until 2008.

I'm an assistant
U.S. attorney, Liv.

I prosecute crime.

So at some point, even with
you, I gotta do my job.

I ran her prints.

Don't worry.
I did it myself.

Which is a good thing, because
otherwise, there would be

about half a dozen U.S.
agencies looking for her.

Do you want to tell them
who you are or should I?

You're having
an affair with Olivia Pope.

I am not having...



"Having," "had."
Don't Clinton me with words.

Something happened
between you and Olivia.

A man who isn't president
can divorce his wife.

Fitz...

A man who isn't president
can have a life...

The life he wants,
the life he's always wanted.

Some men aren't meant
to be happy.

They're meant to be great.

I'm gonna need
to take my husband back,

because clearly I have to do
everything myself from now on.

I was on my way, but Olivia
convinced me I was needed here,

especially at such a fragile time,
given that I'm newly pregnant.

Who are you right now?

The woman who got you elected.

So go be the man I voted for.

Well, I was thinking yellow,

but if it's a boy, the
press will make an issue

of a boy with a yellow nursery.

So we could do primary colors.

Red is strong, patriotic.
Fitz, are you listening?

What?

I think Kimberly Mitchell
will like red.

DNC's logo
for America's baby is red.

A few of the other networks
are going with blue,

but that's just foolish until
we reveal the sex of the baby.

I should've taken
Martha Stewart up on her offer

to decorate the nursery.

Red is all right
for a nursery, isn't it?

It isn't too nontraditional.

I don't know.

Kimberly Mitchell is coming.

She's coming, Fitz, here,
to talk to us

about America's baby.

Amer... for God s...
What?

I am working, Mellie.

You're staring out the window.

Because you are here.

Are you moving on east Sudan?

I am not discussing
foreign policy with you.

The aircraft carriers have been
on standby for two weeks.

Son of a...
What's the delay, Fitz?

Move them off the
east Sudan coast.

Show some power.

Make Kinyazi realize
you mean business.

America is not having a baby.
We are... you and me.

America's baby?
For God sakes, Mellie.

Everything is not
a political move.

Honey, you are not some
toothless mechanic from Indiana,

and I am not some chunky girl
from a trailer park.

We didn't fall in love

and get drunk and do it
in the back of a pickup truck.

This baby, bless its heart,
is not ours.

This baby
is our patriotic duty.

This baby was conceived
in service to our country.

This is America's baby.

And Kimberly Mitchell is coming

to watch us find out
whether it's a boy or a girl

because you are the leader
of the free world

and you couldn't keep
your pants zipped

and your hands to yourself.

This baby
is my way of giving you

a little political bang
for your buck.

So tell me, do you like the red

or do you like the yellow?

Red.

Great. Me too.

♪

There she is!

What is Ms. Dwyer's
state of mind

after six months
of federal detention?

What does she think about
her new nickname...

"The molotov mistress"?

Do you think
she fancied fire play

during sex with her boyfriend?

We've heard the government feels
very confident in their case.

Insiders are calling it
a slam dunk.

Oh, I'm sure they are, bill.

But I find that
a bit premature,

given that we've just started
hearing opening statements.

If I were
the U.S. attorneys office,

I think I'd stay away
from sports metaphors.

They're not the most
athletic group now, are they?

Look,
all I'll say right now is,

everyone on the defense team
is very much looking forward

to making our case.

We have no doubt
justice will be served.

She killed seven people!
Where's their justice?

The molotov mistress
should burn for this!

My client, Lindsay Dwyer,
will be proven innocent.

Ready for court, Ms. Dwyer?

Ready.

I helped you move!

I lent you
2,200 freakin' dollars,

and you go bang that skank

while I took
your freaking laptop

to the freaking genius bar
for four freaking hours.

You are so dead!

Two days later, Ms. Dwyer

calmly wrapped a bomb in a box

and mailed it to her
boyfriend's office.

And when Jesse Tyler
opened that box,

he and six of his coworkers

were blown to bits.

How could they think
i built a bomb?

You know me. I can't operate
the cappuccino machine.

Focus, Quinn.
Tell us what you know.

She'd been dating Jesse
six months.

Jesse banged Elaine,

a programmer who worked
two cubicles over at Cytron.

Quinn... sorry, Lindsay Dwyer...

Saw a text on his phone
that read, and I quote,

"you wore me out.
I think you broke my bed.

Sideways happy face."

She called him immediately,
got his voice mail.

I was drunk. I was angry.
I said things.

You threatened his life.

And then he died.

Motive is clear as day.

So let's poke holes
in this thing.

It's all circumstantial.
There's no signature or receipt

proving it was Quinn who
dropped off that package.

No prints on any of
the bomb components.

Your honor, the defense
would like to make a motion

to dismiss the indictment
for insufficient

and circumstantial evidence
tying my client...

Motion denied.

Look, I can stomp on the evidence
till I'm blue in the face,

but the question
we still can't answer is,

if she didn't do it...
Why did you run?

I was scared.

Look, I went home, and my
apartment was surrounded...

Cops and FBI agents
taking out all my stuff.

A woman standing outside told me
that the girl who lived there

blew up a building,
killed seven people.

But if you were innocent, you
just could've called a lawyer.

You did work with
a bunch of 'em.

Also I hear they're
in the phone book.

Enough. She thought
she was being framed.

It makes no sense.
Do you buy it?

No question she's lying
about her alibi.

But I have a hard time buying
her as some unabomber freak

who can mix Clorox
and toothpaste

and blow up
half an office park.

- No offense, Huck.
- None taken.

Olivia obviously
knows something we don't.

Stephen would've been able
to get it out of her.

Stephen's gone.

And now she's drowning.

I freaked.

I checked in to the first
motel I could find.

I-I needed to think.

Look, and then suddenly,
someone knocked me out,

and a couple days later,
I woke up in a D.C. hotel

with this new identity.

Passport, birth certificates,
social security card...

Those things don't come easy
or cheap.

When I woke up,
they were all there,

just...

Laid out for me.

A whole new life.

If you tell me what you know
about the girl,

maybe I can help.

She didn't do it.

Okay.

How do you know that?

Liv, you gotta give me
something, anything.

For God sakes,
I'm the prosecuting attorney.

If anyone even knew
I was here...

If I take this to trial,
you know what'll happen.

You'll make your career.

I'll eviscerate her.
I'll have to.

You wear your hat.
I'll wear mine.

Dr. Brown, this dissociative
fugue state you described,

the one the defense
claims explains

her magical travels
from California to D.C.,

have you ever witnessed
this condition?

No.

In the last hundred years,

how many of these fugue states
are on record?

Well, uh, none
that I've heard of.

None?

So we're witnessing
medical history.

How exciting. And how
convenient for the defendant.

Objection.

What about
putting her on the stand?

She's the girl next door.
She's likable.

It might be our best shot.

No, we do that,
we open her up to cross

and expose the gaping holes
in her story.

We find whoever set her up
with her new life,

whoever brought her to D.C.

She says she never even
saw the guy's face.

Because she made him up.

She's lying to us.

Lindsay Dwyer had the motive.

Lindsay Dwyer had the means.

And after she murdered
these seven people,

Lindsay Dwyer ran away, changed
her name to Quinn Perkins,

and started a new life,

like nothing ever happened.

Fun's over.

Now is the time
to hold her responsible.

Now is the time
for Lindsay Dwyer

to stop playing games
and pay for her crimes.

I'm asking
for the death penalty,

because that woman
is a cold-blooded murderer,

and I believe she deserves it.

And by the time
we're done here,

I'm pretty sure
that you'll agree with me.

Kimberly Mitchell is coming.

America gets their news
from Kimberly Mitchell.

America eats dinner
with Kimberly Mitchell.

Be nice to her.

Kimberly Mitchell.

Kimberly Mitchell is good.
It's good.

Is it? Because I thought we
were running a country here.

You need it after
the "New York Times" thing,

which I told you...

The man should get
to take a vacation.

Yeah, at his ranch,
behind gates,

where the public can't see
how rich he is.

He's the leader
of the free world.

He's not
supposed to be successful?

He's supposed to be poor?
Man of the people.

Man of the people.
Name me one president...

- Abraham Lincoln.
- Abraham Lincoln?

He was on a yacht, Cyrus.
It had a crew of 14

and was trailed
by a coast guard vessel

housing eight secret
service agents

and a special diving team
in case he fell overboard.

The economy is in a freefall.
People are hungry and jobless.

They don't want Donald Trump.
They want...

Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln.

Kimberly Mitchell. Okay.

He's gonna invade east Sudan?

We haven't decided.

He invades, he's gonna get
his ass kicked by the democrats.

- We haven't decided yet.
- He hasn't decided.

They're
beheading children, Liv.

The CIA reports say
little kids, 4 or 5 years old.

Not American kids, but still,

the heads of kindergartners
are piling up in east Sudan.

I've decided.

Then don't push him.
You push him...

You lose him. I know.

What?

Five minutes every other monday
in the park isn't enough.

Cy...

- You know that man better
than anyone. - Cy...

- He responds to you. Talk to him.
- No.

I'll talk to him.
Maybe see if...

Stephen quit.

He moved to Boston,
married Georgia.

He's gonna be, I don't know,
a normal person.

What does that have to do...

People move on.

Liv...

I have to go.

Be nice to her...

I'll be nice
to Kimberly Mitchell.

Look, I obviously don't
have all the information

about why Quinn's
so important to you.

You'll probably never tell us.

Personally,
I'm not happy about it.

I can live with it,
but at this point,

we're spinning our wheels.
We're gonna lose this, Liv.

Then let's get started
on that jury reading.

I want to know where we stand.

Olivia Pope, Associates?

And you are?

I'm an aide to congressman Shaw.
The great state of Rhode Island?

He told me to get you
and your associates.

He's got a problem.

I don't get summoned.
Clients come to me.

He can't come to you.

The problem...
It's in his office.

There is a really big problem
in his office,

and if you don't come, then
I am probably losing my job

and going back

to the... the... the great state
of Rhode Island.

If I'd made a decision
to go to war in east Sudan,

I'd be talking to my generals
instead of you, Mr. President.

And a united front

is the quickest way out of
this mess, don't you agree?

We all have interests
in the region...

All right.

Good night.

- Russia?
- France.

I find it's easier
to unite our allies

and get congress on
board when I'm not busy

showing off a baby crib
to Kimberly Mitchell.

Well, that baby is getting us

piles and piles
of political capital,

enough to fill fort knox.

Mellie's approvals
are in the high 80s.

Yeah?
Where are mine this week?

Mid 50s.

Low mid 50s, high 40s.

Nothing a splendid
little war wouldn't fix.

Am I right?

I hadn't considered that,
but come to think of it,

Teddy Roosevelt
did get a second term.

We're talking about
American lives.

Don't be cute.

Listen, I don't
like this baby parade

any more than you do.

It's a pain in the ass
and distracting as hell,

but saving the union wasn't
Lincoln's only concern either.

Can't hurt to be
a man of the people,

especially in the flyovers.

How is she?

Man of the people?

That only comes
from one person.

She's good.

She's busy, you know.

Olivia Pope.

And all this time, I thought
I'd never have to meet you.

What can we do for you this
evening, congressman Shaw?

The thing is,
my desk clock stopped.

Mm. It's lucky
we came to you then.

I went to change the
batteries, and when I did,

I found this.

It's a live view C.C.D.

motion-activated
wireless transmitter,

- 2.4 gigahertz, .00...
- Use your words.

Someone's been watching you.

Any movement in the room
turns on the camera,

records what you're doing,
even if the lights aren't on,

then transmits the signal

to whoever has
the camera's I.P. address.

- So that could be...
- Anyone with a computer.

Anyone with a smartphone.
Anyone at all.

Congressman,
do you have any enemies?

Anyone who might want to catch
you doing anything improper

or even just embarrassing?

You work in this town.

Show me a politician
who doesn't have enemies.

Any republican operative
could've put that here.

Hell, any democrat who wants
to score a point off me

on the house floor
could've done it.

But when you found out someone...
republican, democrat...

was illegally recording you
in your office,

you didn't go to security
or capitol police.

You came to me.

Ever take a bribe
in this office?

No, Ms. Pope,
I do not take bribes.

Trade votes
for campaign contributions,

reveal state secrets,

fund raise
on government property?

Of course not.
I don't break the law.

I'm sure you don't,
but yet, here we are.

So if you didn't break the law,
what did you do?

I had...

Relations earlier tonight.

In this office?

On this desk.

Jacob Louis Shaw, 32, single,

first-term congressman from
the great state of Rhode Island.

Trying to make a name
for himself on the hill,

but he's a little too pretty

for the party elite
to take him seriously,

meets Jennifer Price, 35,

junior partner
at Frey and Kimble...

Also single...

At a fund-raiser
at the Smithsonian

at or around 5:30 this evening.

Armani skirt suit,

mid-heel pumps,
tasteful cleavage.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.

Let me reiterate that from what
the congressman has told us

and the angle
the camera was placed,

your face was most likely
kept out of frame.

Most likely?

Oh, my God!

The girl didn't do it.
She's mortified,

and a registered democrat,
who would still like

to donate the maximum
personal contribution

to your campaign.

I went through
all the D.C. gossip web sites.

One called Capital Spill

just bought
a bunch of bandwidth.

They're expecting
extra traffic.

The right-wing blog?
What does that mean?

They're launching
something big.

Something that'll bring in
a lot of eyeballs.

It means
they want to save America

by streaming your private
parts, congressman.

Surprised me, Hollis.

Thought you were
strictly old-school...

an oil and gas man.

and solar.

You can't just leave that
to the Chinese.

Y'all should come down

and see what our lab boys
are cooking up with manure.

- Just don't shake their hands.
- I'll warn the energy secretary.

The president close to pulling
the trigger on east Sudan?

He's carefully weighing
the options.

It breaks your heart to read
what's going on over there.

Assure the president
that if, in his wisdom,

he does take us to war,

he won't have to worry about
any disruptions

in the foreign energy market.

No shortfalls or gas lines.

Grandma won't even shiver.
You got my word.

And I know texans
and their word.

I believe you do.

Hollis.
So nice to see you.

Well, look at you...

Plumped out and pleased
as a deer tick on a prize bull.

Oh.

I haven't seen you
since the campaign.

Have you been
behaving yourself?

Oh, I doubt it.

- Y'all take care.
- Bye.

What did he want now?

To pledge that his company's
fully prepared to realize

even-more-obscene-
than-usual profits

should we go to war.

I can't make
any headway with Fitz

about this east Sudan thing.
He won't hear it from me.

He won't be pressured on this.
Not by you, not by me.

I don't understand him, Cy.
It's a win-win.

No more dead kids
and he gets a second term.

Relax.
Put your feet up.

You got your big Kimberly
Mitchell thing tonight.

You and that belly

have done enough for Fitz's
reelection chances already.

Our bomb guy did okay, right?

The jurors
bought his testimony?

Except the
three who were sleeping.

Yeah, well, he's a bomb expert.

He's not an entertainer.

Sadly, we needed
him to be both.

The girl Quinn's boyfriend
was cheating with,

maybe she had a boyfriend
on the side.

We need to find someone else
who would've wanted him dead.

I still think our best bet

is trying to find
this mystery guy

who changed Quinn's identity.

Maybe he's holing up
with Santa claus.

Have we tried the North Pole?

You checked the tapes
at the Grand District Hotel

where Quinn says she woke up?

Six months ago.
Nothing.

Maybe Houdini
snuck her in through the back.

Could be tapes
of a freight elevator

or loading dock.

Worth a shot.
Go check it out.

Even if I wanted to help you,

you're talking about
over two years ago.

We don't keep security
footage that old, man.

- You okay?
- Fine.

Where are we?

Look, I know with Stephen gone,

you haven't, uh...

If you ever want to talk,

you know, to a person
about anything,

I'm a person who talks...

Abby, where are we?

Just talked to Drew Havenwood
at the Capital Spill offices/

roach-infested frat house.

They got the sex tape
by anonymous e-mail.

They're releasing it
tomorrow at noon.

Just in time to get picked up

by the major networks
for the evening Blitz.

Harrison!

We got 24 hours
before Capital Spill

blasts Shaw's naked ass
onto every desktop in America.

Get to court.

File an injunction,
effective immediately.

We can't stop the blog
from releasing the tape

if they got it clean, Liv.

We can try.

In the meantime, we prepare to
spin if this thing comes out.

I want every skeleton
in Shaw's closet dusted off

and lined up
so we can take a good look.

You think he's hiding
something else?

Aren't they always?

Where are we

with the Grand District
security footage

for Quinn's trial?

Dead end, but I found a couple
of cams across the street.

It might take a while to get
through their firewall.

- What do you need?
- To get our hands on that sex tape.

Can you take a break?

Oh, you should be in court.

Why aren't you in court?

What the hell is going on?

Thank you for all
your hard work, Ms. Pope,

but my client no longer
requires your services.

Damn it, Quinn.

Look, he's getting me
a plea deal.

It's my best shot.
It's my only shot. So...

You're fired.

I need to speak
to Ms. Perkins alone.

I'm afraid
that's out of the question.

Which might be interesting

if your permission
entered into it.

- I have to counsel against this.
- Why is he still here?

Give us a moment.

I'll be just outside.

Do I really have to do this,

explain to you who I am,
what I do?

Look, I am on trial
for my life here,

and I'm losing!

And you won't
answer a single...

You won't tell me anything.

You haven't leveled
with me for six months.

What do you want to know?

- Why are you doing this for me?
- You're my client.

- Why do you care?
- I care about my clients.

You knew my name wasn't
Quinn Perkins. How did you know?

- I do my homework.
- How did you know?

- I do my homework.
- That's not an answer!

I don't have to answer to you.

I have to produce for you.

I don't do lost causes
or tilt at windmills.

I don't perform miracles
or the impossible.

I make cold calculations
about difficult situations,

and I do not take on
anything I know I won't win,

and I will win this!
I just need you to trust me.

I promise you, I will not
let you die in here.

- We just worked out a plea.
- Oh, really? Congratulations.

For who now? Because you
no longer represent my client.

It's a good deal, Olivia.

Yeah, seven consecutive
life sentences.

For the seven people she killed.

Except you're fired
and there'll be no deal,

if you can even call it that.

You don't ever seem to know
when to leave, do you?

Liv, you're not gonna win this,

and I'm not saying that
to rub your face in it.

I'm saying it because I've
been watching you sacrifice

everything for this girl.

You've been walking around

with the weight of the
world on your shoulders,

and a loss this big, this public...
It could end you.

I'm giving you an out here.
Take it.

Take the plea, Olivia.

I'll see you in court, David.

Her client obtained
the sex tape illegally,

your honor.

It was attached
to an e-mail.

An e-mail from someone who
obtained the tape illegally.

It's fruit from a poisonous tree.

Which would constitute perfect
grounds for an injunction,

your honor,
except there is no proof

that the tape
was obtained illegally,

which means there aren't
technically any fruits

to deem poisonous.

What if the recording were made
using government property?

It wasn't.

- Can you prove that?
- Your honor...

What are you arguing, counsel?

Copyright infringement.

The government owns
the recording device,

so the government
owns the tape.

The government owns a sex tape?

Why not? It's an entirely legal
business enterprise.

It's pornography.

Come on, counselor.

Who are you to tell Uncle Sam
he can't get his rocks off?

Are you hacking?

Would you like me
to explain it?

That would ruin it
for both of us.

Oh, I grabbed the sex stuff
off the Capital Spill server.

It took me less than a minute.

They didn't even have S.S.H.
tunnel protection. Morons.

Thank you.

Abby's got it.

Anything on the sex tape we
need to be concerned about?

Unh-unh.

No, sirree.

You sure?

Watched it four times.

I'll watch it again
just in case.

I don't think that's necessary.

You find anything else on Shaw?

Uh-huh.

- Anything I should know?
- Uh-huh.

Abby.

Oh. Right? Yeah.
We've got a problem.

When I ask a client to tell me
everything about themselves,

I mean everything.

I did.

Here's 12 things
you didn't tell me about.

I wasn't filmed having sex
with any of them.

I didn't think
it was important.

Last week, you were
seen with these three,

two of them in hotel lobbies.

It's not like
they're prostitutes.

You think that matters?

It only took Abby two hours
to find these women.

If that tape comes out,

how long do you think
the media's gonna wait

before throwing these
on the sexual bonfire?

I am single.

I date women.
I enjoy their company.

There's nothing wrong
with any of that.

Nothing wrong with it

if you want to be
a one-term congressman.

I'm not an idiot,
Ms. Pope.

I am a grown man
engaging in grown-up behavior

because I have
the freedom to do so

and because I believe
in my right to privacy.

I may be a one-term congressman

with a head of hot air
and lollipop dreams,

but I believe
our elected officials

should actually serve the
people who elected them

rather than spending
all of their time

mudslinging and politicizing
every damn issue in this town.

We didn't get the injunction.

I tried everything.
Judge wasn't biting.

Tape's going viral
tomorrow at noon.

So what do we do now?

Now I know you are
even more excited

about what's in this envelope
than I am,

so I won't keep torturing
you two anymore.

Just tell us already.

All right.

Here we go, everyone.

America's baby is...

A boy.

A baby boy.

Oh, Kimberly, I am so glad.

I am just so glad, in light
of this wonderful news,

with a baby boy about to
be born into our family,

that my amazing husband
and his administration

believe in doing
whatever is necessary

in east Sudan

to protect those mothers
and their beautiful children

from the truly horrific genocide
that is happening.

I'm so sorry.

It's just my...
mMy hormones.

Have you come up
with any names yet?

Are we not going to discu...

Just...

Oh, Fitz.

I understand that you're upset,

but there is no reason for you...

You ambushed me on live tv,
you tried to force my hand,

and you used our
unborn child to do it.

I simply did what I always do,

which is help you get
the result that you need.

They're saying this might be
the highest-rated news broadcast

on any network in years
so I think it worked.

And I struck just the tone
you need with the public...

Both hands on my belly
as I shared my concern...

No one elected you!
You're not the president!

You don't weigh in
on foreign policy.

Your opinion doesn't matter!

You are the first lady.

Your job is to plant gardens
and decorate rooms

and let them blog
about your clothes.

You're ornamental,
not functional.

So don't come into the oval
and try to use your brain,

because no one cares.

You always did know just
the right way to hurt me.

Mellie...

I gave up my law career
so you could run for office.

I didn't have to do that.

I know that.
And I appreciate it. I do.

I understand
that you might miss her,

but taking it out on me...

I'm not the one who changed.
You are.

I apologize.

Really.

I'm sorry.

The baby's kicking.
Do you want to feel?

Yeah.

I don't feel anything.

Wait for it.

It's coming.

All right.
Here we go, everyone.

America's baby is...

A boy.

A baby boy.

What?

It's me.

Kimberly,
i am just so glad.

I am so gl...

Hello?

Hello?

Liv, it's a secure line.

Hello.

Hello.

Hi.

Hi.

You can't call me.

You think I don't know that?

I know that.

I can't call you.
I can't talk to you.

I can't see you.
We can't do this.

We can't do this.

What did I say?
I know.

Liv...

No.
Pretend I'm somebody else,

somebody you hate.

Hang up.

You hang up.

Did you see it?

I'm on my third viewing.

Mellie rang the genocide bell.

The mother of my children,
ladies and gentlemen.

And the crowd goes wild.

They love her.

She's a rock star.

Are you going to invade
east Sudan?

You know what I think about?

The guys at Dover air force base

who unload the planes
that carry the coffins.

There's a whole section
of the military

dedicated to returning
soldiers killed in combat

to their families for burial.

Right now those guys are sitting
at their desks somewhere

twiddling their thumbs,

collecting a salary
for doing nothing.

Best waste of taxpayer dollars
I can think of.

You have to decide, Fitz.

I know that.

Mellie's genocide quote
is going to be everywhere.

- I know that.
- You want to know what I'd do?

No.

I don't need you.

Spin it. Get out of it.
Don't let it seem like

she boxed you into a
corner on the war.

Use what she said to scare
the crap out of Kinyazi

and the east Sudanese army.

Let people believe
you orchestrated

Mellie's ringing
of the genocide bell

and buy yourself some time
to decide what you want to do.

Don't let them push you.

There's only one leader
of the armed forces,

and his name
is Fitzgerald Grant.

If you go to war, it's because
you want to go to war.

I hate you.

I hate you, too.

Good night, Olivia.

How much time we got before
capital spill posts the footage?

About three hours. Why?

- We're gonna release the tape.
- Ourselves?

Right now, before
they get a chance to.

Why would we want to do that?

We can get ahead of this.
Use it.

It's all about controlling
the narrative.

We e-mail the footage to a
bunch of friendly sources.

We leak it to a
celebrity gossip site

so it doesn't have the
stink of politics on it.

Get ready.

First couple of hours, there'll
be blood in the water.

Our top story,
congressman Jacob Shaw

is dismissing calls
for resignation.

The ethics committee
is meeting today

to discuss how to handle
an alleged...

The guy may not talk softly,
but he carries a big stick

is all I'm saying.

So right off the bat,
you're contrite,

apologize to the voters.

Congressman Shaw,
who's the girl?

Look, what I did was wrong.

This office belongs to the people
of the great state of Rhode Island,

and I work very hard days
to represent their interests

in a manner that's worthy
of their trust and respect.

And I'll do everything I can
to restore honor to the office.

We'll use the media attention

to focus on the issues
you want to discuss.

I just want to point out
that while it's my own fault

that I've become
a national joke,

we're talking about my sex life
instead of the 46 million Americans

who are currently
without health insurance.

Thank you.

And then it's up to you.

We toss it down the middle,

hopefully, you'll knock it
out of the park.

Congressman?

I need to make two calls
before we jump off this cliff.

I appreciate you wanting
to notify your staff,

but until we go viral,
it's best if we...

To Jenny, the girl on the tape.

It's not just my ass out there,
it's hers, literally.

And the other call?

My mom.

♪

In other news,
congressman Shaw,

seemingly undaunted
by the media attention

his sex tape is generating,

today taking the opportunity

to talk about
his education reform plans.

Political pundits are loving

Shaw's
Bob-and-weave performance,

saying this is
exactly what to do

when your candidate
gets caught

with his hand
in the proverbial cookie jar.

Have a seat.
Thanks for coming.

These cameras you see,

they are on.

They are recording us
right now,

so try to keep your pants on.

They got to 'em, Liv.

I finally got into
the security feed.

You can see the Grand
District entrance

clear as day...

But someone erased
a bunch of footage.

There's no sign of Quinn
or the guy that took her.

Where are we
with the jury reading?

I overheard juror number five
on their cell phone.

They're set to hang her.

We're gonna lose.

Someone must
have seen something...

Me or this guy.

I woke up across the country
with a new name.

That doesn't just happen.
It doesn't just...

He's gone.

Whoever made you Quinn
Perkins is gone.

It sounds like I made it up.

Crazy psycho killer
with a crazy psycho story

to cover her ass.

You think I made it up?

It doesn't matter what I think.

It's all about the jury.

They come back with
a guilty verdict, we appeal.

That doesn't work,
we appeal again.

You know how this goes.
You know how we do.

Gladiators in suits,

remember?

Now you know
I gotta make you say it.

Gladiators in suits.

That's right.

Hi, it's me... Olivia.

I know.
It's been a while.

But...

We're gonna lose this thing.

That concludes
the testimony in this case.

Your honor, the defense
would, at this time,

move for judgment of acquittal
based on our earlier assertion

that the government evidence
is circumstantial and does not

- Didn't she try something like
this already? - support the charges.)

It's another pro forma
motion before closing.

Defense can try it twice.
It never works.

Motion granted.

Except when it does.

What the hell?!

Order.
Your honor,

on what grounds?

I agree that the evidence
presented by the people

has been
largely circumstantial.

And because of that,

the government has failed
to prove its case.

This trial is concluded.

This is outrageous!

Order. This... no, I would like
to see you in your chambers.

Counselor, do you want
to be held in contempt?

I said this case is over.

I wouldn't go out there.

Every reporter in Washington's
out for your blood.

David...

No, you don't get to do that...

Talk to me like we're still
Ali and Holmes,

sparring partners by day,
drinking buddies by night.

What happened today
wasn't sparring.

It was me putting
on boxing gloves

and getting stomped
on by Godzilla

before I even entered the ring.

I had the motive.
I had the evidence.

I had the jury.

I won this case.

Let me sneak you out
through the back.

I know you did it.

I don't know how.

But I'm gonna find out.

So we need to talk about...

Back channel
to the east sudanese.

Tell them Mellie's statement
was part of a P.R. strategy

orchestrated by me to rally
the country and our allies

and show that I am willing

to spend every cent of my
wife's political capital...

all of Fort Knox...

on shutting down
his death squads

and protecting our interests
in the region.

Then leak it to the "Times."

Use the First Lady's
press secretary,

and make sure he's quoted
on record.

I want her office saying
she followed my orders.

It's a good plan.

It'll buy you time.
It's a great plan.

It's not a plan.
It's a cover.

It's a lie.
It's defense...

The consequence of being
sabotaged by my own wife,

which I couldn't help but notice
you looked rather pleased about.

It's getting awful drafty
around here, Cy...

Leaks flowing out,

special interests flowing in.

Why am I playing defense
when that's your job?

Why am I cleaning up your mess?

- Mr. President...
- If we go to war,

it's because I want
to go to war.

I don't give a rat's ass

if my approvals sink below
Charles Manson's,

no one...

Not you, not Mellie,
not America's baby,

not the oil lobbyists...

No one tells me when to
take this great nation to war.

Am I making myself clear?

- Crystal.
- Good.

You want to give me
a time-out?

Fine. Great.

My garden's a weed patch.
I haven't seen James in weeks.

I'd relish the chance
to get home before midnight.

But before I go tend
to my roses,

let me just say,
this plan of yours,

this great plan...
It's not yours.

It's Olivia's.

And as long as we're rewriting
our job descriptions here,

keeping your wife on her leash,

that's not in mine.

Quinn will be released
in an hour.

I want a car waiting.

Full security detail
at her apartment 24/7.

There are protesters
outside the courthouse.

We're not taking any chances.

Really? We're not gonna
talk about what happened?

We asked for acquittal.
Judge acquitted. It happens.

No, it doesn't.

The jury was set to convict.

You see their faces? They were
as shocked as we were.

We won this case.

Mm.

Quinn is going to live.

Our client, a 28-year-old
girl, is going to live.

And despite popular
opinion around here,

that is a good thing.

Seriously?
That trial was a joke.

You know it, I know it,
Olivia knows it.

And the only reason
she won't say it

is 'cause she also knows
a whole hell of a lot more

than she's letting on.

What do you think, Huck?

Ready to work across the hall
from the molotov mistress?

Olivia says we trust her,
we trust her.

Company man.

I freaked.

I checked in to the first
motel I could find.

I-I needed to think.

And it was only hours ago
a deadly bomb exploded

at Cytron Software Company,

leaving seven dead.

At this time,
the FBI and local police

are looking for
possible suspect Lindsay Dwyer,

a 26-year-old attorney who...

And then suddenly
someone knocked me out.

was romantically involved
with one of the victims.

Of course we'll have much more
on this story as it develops.

At this time...

And a couple days later,
I woke up in a D.C. hotel

with this new identity.

Mm.

When I woke up,
they were all there,

just... laid out for me.

A whole new life.

She took it,
everything we left for her.

She's good to go.