Scandal (2012–2018): Season 2, Episode 16 - Top of the Hour - full transcript

- "Mr. President." I'll never get
over saying that. - Jake.

Previously on "Scandal"...

How is she?

She's good. Quiet.
Makes my job easy.

She seems harmless.

Olivia Pope
is not what she seems.

Stay on her.

- Yes.
- Yes?

Yes, I will go out with you.

They're running a damn dally

of the most glaring failure
of my presidency,



while we for all apparent
purposes do nothing.

You are doing everything
to get those hostages back safe.

It's not your fault

the intelligence
simply isn't there.

These are the hostages.

Their C.I.A. files were on
Wendy's flash drive.

So Albatross, the mole,
the man who killed Wendy...

He's the one who leaked
their names to the terrorists.

That's him. That's the guy
who wanted what Wendy stole!

That's the guy who killed her!
That's him on the tv!

That is him!

- Mom, I'm starving.
- I think daddy ordered some pizza.

- Ham and pineapple?
- Phil, the wireless is down again.

Yeah, it's been acting funny
all night.



- Emmett, set the table, would you?
- Dad, ham and pineapple?

I have to look at this proposal
before the west coast goes down.

-Try turning it off and turning it on.
- Dad?

- What?
- What'd you get
on the pizza?

Ham and pineapple's gross.

It's Hawaiian. Insult
their culture, why don't you?

Hey. I got pepperoni.
Everybody's happy.

- Ew.
- Gross.

See what I deal with?
Come here.

Mm. Thank you.

Pizza's here.

- Here's a $20.
- Give 'em a tip.

Are you aware
of your mother's past?

- Dad! (Projector and
camera shutter clicking)

Did your mother tell you
about the affair she had?

We are at the home of Ryocorp
C.E.O. Sarah Stanner...

The married woman accused
of having an affair

with Murray Randall, President
Grant's recently announced

- supreme court nominee.
- The alleged extramarital affair

happened 15 years ago
when Randall was

Stanner's Professor
at Harvard law...

Confirmation hearings
have become a battleground

for partisan wrangling,

and if this is what
the democrats meant

by, quote,
"vetting thoroughly,"

I'd say they've made good
on their threat.

Is it true? What they're
saying about mom?

No, sweetie, of course not.

When you have an important
job like your mom's,

sometimes people...
Try to tear you down.

Tell your brother to brush
his teeth and wash up for bed.

No tv, no computer...
Not tonight, okay?

Um... yes, right.

Um, let me just grab a...

But it certainly
has provided...

O-okay, thank you.
I will. Bye.

What'd the lawyer say?

She's sending someone in
named Olivia Pope.

Sorry I'm late.

I would have called,
but I was in a meeting.

Don't worry. I've been
keeping myself entertained.

Oh.
This one is truly special.

Well, Yasmin was
a one-in-a-million kind of girl.

She loved long walks,
dry climates, spitting.

Let me guess.

That means that we are not
having dinner, doesn't it?

It's work.
I have to go.

I was going to bring
this up over dinner,

but I guess now I won't
have a chance, so...

What do you know about

the Kashfari hostage situation?

I work in military
intelligence.

We're all pretty familiar with it.
Why?

I came across some
information that might help.

- You came across it? - You can't
tell anyone it came from me,

and you can't bring it
to the C.I.A.

I don't have the authority
to just show up

with something like that.

And aren't you hooked up

pretty good
with the White House?

I can't go that route.

- And you can't tell me why.
- It could help.

I wouldn't bring it to you
otherwise.

I'll see what I can do.

Are you sure you've got
to go back to work?

I could come over, flip through
some of your photo albums.

Yearbooks, maybe...
It's only fair.

Maybe next time?

So there's gonna be a next time?

I like the sound of that.

- 12 outlets?
- 15.

- That's a big story.
- The biggest.

- No way we're getting past that.
- Not unseen, we're not.

We wait.
Top of the hour.

There a back door?

Still have to go through
the side door.

Top of the hour, people.
What?

You on this?

- I'm on this.
- Good. Because it's not true.

Then why can I hear you pacing?

We stand behind him,
we stand behind his character.

Randall's a judicial genius,
Liv,

one of the finest
of our generation.

He deserves to sit on the bench

of the highest court
in the world.

I am telling you,
it's not true.

He's not my client, Cy. She is.

We're sitting ducks, Liv.
The press can practically

- smell us from here.
- We should move now.

I am asking you to
shut this down.

Have Stanner deny it...
cleanly.

And I will do whatever is in the best
interest of my client.

- Liv.
- At the top of the hour. Time.

8:59.

- Now?
- 9:00.

Now.

And we are back live
at the home of Sarah Stanner.

Live at the home of Ryocorp
C.E.O. Sarah Stanner.

Coming to you live
from the Stanner home...

- Top of the hour.
- Top of the hour.

But there are other questions
that need to be answered.

Hi. You must be
Olivia Pope.

I'm Olivia Pope.

Your lawyer said you had kids.

Yeah. Two. Why?

You need to lock all your
windows, close your blinds.

First thing in the morning,
we're gonna send your kids

to stay with a close relative,
someone you trust.

Well, my sister Nancy lives
20 minutes away.

- Good. They'll go there.
- You put out the trash today?

- Yeah. Why?
- Needs to come in.

Wh... (Chuckles) Why would
they go through our garbage?

I-I don't know what you're
used to dealing with, Ms. Pope,

- but we're just normal people.
- Phil.

The press is accusing your wife
of having an affair

with one of the most polarizing
political figures

in the news right now,
so normal is over.

Normal ended hours ago.
And, yes, Sarah,

they're going to dig up anything
and everything about you

they can get their hands on...
Your trash, your voicemail,

your bank statements,
your prescription history...

It's all fair game.
Now, I will do everything I can

to protect you,
to get you through this,

but in order to do that,
in order to do my job,

I need to know how much
trouble we're in,

how much damage control
we're going to need to do.

So, I want to hear
everything that happened,

all of it... every detail,
and it needs to be the truth.

Was Murray Randall
your law Professor at Harvard?

Did you have an affair
with him?

Was he married?
Were you married?

How much of what the press
is reporting is true?

It's all true.

All of it.

What do you see?

Osborne.

And big guys in black suits.

They look armed.

- That's the shadow.
- The what?

C.I.A. Director always
has a shadow.

They live in his basement.

They tail him all day,
every day.

When he eats, they follow.
When he sleeps, they follow.

When he goes to the bathroom,
they follow.

So how are we ever supposed
to get to him?

We don't need to get to him.
He needs to get away from them.

A mole trades in information.

So how can he ever get away
from them to make a drop?

He can't, so he won't.

He'll make the drop
in plain sight,

somewhere public.

We wait for that.

You're good at this...
Stalking people.

You'll get there.

If you think that man's
going to prioritize

a little late-night
chitchat...

Over feeding his own child,

you just don't know him.
Isn't that right?

I need to see the President
right now.

I'm sorry, he's not a...

He... he doesn't
want to be disturbed.

Who's he in there with?
I can't say.

Lauren, I hired you,
hand-picked you to be

the person who sits at this desk
and answers this phone.

I did that, Lauren,
and I chose you.

You owe me, and you're going
to let me in there.

Mr. Beene, I can't,
not until he gives me...

Not until his wife comes in

with his beautiful baby boy.

Right?
I need to see him now.

Mr. Beene and the First Lady both
here to see you, sir.

Cyrus! What is it?

There's a story
on Murray Randall.

It's a problem.
What do you mean,
there's a story?

We vetted him extensively.

It's just an old affair.

It'll blow over
a single news cycle,

then he'll be confirmed
as planned.

I have American citizens
who are about to get

their heads chopped off
by terrorists, Cyrus.

You told me this guy was clean,

and I do not need this now.

- Sir...
- Just fix it.

One news cycle.

That's all we can spare.

The First Lady, sir.

- Where's that boy?
- Right here!

Where's my buddy?

- Yes! Are you hungry?
- Oh, boy.

- Did I keep you waiting?
- He's hungry.

- Want to have a snack? I know
you're hungry. - Oh, he is.

Let's have a little...

What proof is out there?
What did they find?

There's some e-mails.

Then you'll need to make
a public statement.

Tomorrow morning we'll set up
a microphone outside.

You want me to get up there
in front of the world

and say I cheated?

We want to make this story

about a philandering
supreme court nominee,

not a philandering C.E.O.
and mother of two.

Now, hopefully there are
other women he slept with

who will come out
of the woodwork

and take the spotlight
off your family.

But in the meantime,
if you want this to go away

as soon as possible,
you need to come clean...

Publicly.

Do it.

Are you sure?

It's been 15 years.

I think you should do it,
Sarah.

And now I'd like
to set the record straight.

I had a sexual relationship
with Murray Randall

15 years ago when I was
his law student.

He was married at the time,
as was I.

The affair was brief.

I got no preferential
treatment in his class...

Nor was my career

as a successful
businesswoman impacted by...

- Take a breath.
- Don't you dare

- tell me to...
- I will not be responsible

for an untimely heart attack.
Take a breath.

Do you have any idea
what we're up against?

Between the nomination
and the hostage crisis,

the American public is willing
to forgive one snafu a term.

- They don't forgive two.
- That is not what this is about.

I just got back
in the inner circle, Liv.

He's listening again.

And all I asked you for
was a simple denial.

Murray Randall is not my client.
The President is not my client.

You're doing this
because he's anti-choice?

I'm apolitical.
You know that.

Is your vagina apolitical?

- Good-bye, Cy.
- We're gonna hit you back, Liv.

We've got to. We're gonna
hit you back hard.

- Cyrus?
- Yes?

Do your best.

You are no longer just pundits,
talking heads.

You are assassins...
Character assassins.

And your target
is Sarah Stanner.

When we nominate a justice
to the supreme court,

we need to know that there are
no skeletons in their closet

that the democrats
can use against us.

It was an oversight,
and I apologize, sir.

So it was an affair then?

It was an affair, yes.

Mrs. Stanner, who up until
this morning

was a successful C.E.O.
and mother of two,

but who is, as of now...

A dangerously unhinged stalker

hell-bent on
Murray Randall's destruction.

She's a good person,
Mr. President.

I always admired
her work ethic,

and I've been pleased
to follow her career

over the years.

The less damage we can do
to her character...

Murray, do you think
you have any say

over how we treat
this woman's character

after what you've done?

You lost your say
the moment we asked

if you would like to be
on the supreme court

of the United States of America,
and you said yes.

Mrs. Stanner, then a law student

in judge Randall's
constitutional law class,

was stalking the judge,
according to sources.

Exhibit "a"...
Her e-mails to the judge,

who never wrote back,
as far as we can tell.

We can't say this stuff
on tv, Cy.

Which is why we leak it online.

Then, when you're asked
about it, you say...

This woman
was a sexual predator

who zeroed in on judge Randall
with unwanted attention

from the very start of the
torts class she took from him.

And I don't know if you've
had a chance to look

at some of the e-mails
she wrote,

but she was definitely
hot for teacher.

To say that she went after him
is an understatement.

I mean, we're on cable tv
right now.

We can't read a sentence
of this stuff out loud

without the F.C.C.
shutting you down.

And he tried to take
the high road

throughout this
whole sordid ordeal.

He never replied
to any of it... not once.

Back off, or I'll release
the other side

of that e-mail correspondence.

There isn't one,
as I'm sure you know.

She wrote to him.
He didn't write back.

Classic sexual harassment.

Or does that only matter when
it's boy on girl?

Sir, I found a classmate.

- A successful attractive
female partisan one? - Oh, yes.

Go, go, go, go, go.

Honestly, none of this
comes as a surprise.

She was always telling
anyone who'd listen

how hot she thought
Professor Randall was.

I mean, I guess her husband
believed whatever she told him,

but how could he be
so stupid?

Those pictures aren't
even from law school.

That is undergrad. Spring break.
This is absurd.

This is... we... we have kids,
Ms. Pope. We have a daughter.

It's just gonna get uglier.

There's a supreme court
nomination at stake.

They're gonna do everything
they can to paint judge Randall

as the innocent victim here.

We've got to
push back, change the narrative.

Harrison.

Ryocorp's saying the affair

violates the company's
morality clause,

- which means...
- I know what it means.

- We've got another problem.
- What?

Ryocorp thinks
you're in violation

of their morality clause.

They're gonna sue me
for breach of contract,

- take away my shares?
- I don't understand.

They want Sarah to resign
as C.E.O. effective immediately.

They're firing her.

- Lauren.
- Hello, ma'am.

I was wondering
if I could get a look

- at the President's schedule.

Your chief of staff
should have a copy, ma'am.

She does, but I wanted
to see your copy.

Ma'am?
Lauren.

See? Right there.

That meeting isn't on
my chief of staff's version

of the schedule.
It's so late at night,

and three times a week.
Who is it?

I'm afraid I can't say, ma'am.

Lauren...

Uh, I can't say
because I don't know.

Honestly. It must be
a phone meeting.

I just... I-I don't know.

He places the calls himself?

There's no... phone log?

Of course
the President agreed, sir.

So we can count on
your support, senator?

You won't regret it.
Ahh...

Andy, get some champagne
in here.

We just pushed this
nomination through.

Yes!

What are we celebrating?

May we have a moment, please?

Why didn't you tell me?

Tell you what?

That he is calling her again,

that he is sleeping
with her again.

I've seen his real schedule.

I know he's blocking off time
late at night,

and I know that can only
mean one thing.

I don't have time
to listen to this,

because I'm back
in his good graces, Mellie.

So where your husband is dipping
his signing pen these days

isn't my primary concern.

You know as well as I do

that once Olivia gets
her claws in him again,

it will be back to divorce
and taking us all down.

Here's what I know.
I know that he hasn't

mentioned the word "divorce"
in almost a year.

I know that getting involved in

your messy little love triangle
has never gotten me anywhere.

And I also know
that I just saved him

a major public embarrassment...

Which, after the hostage crisis

and your unfortunate
conference call fiasco

means that while you may be
wandering out

in the White House version
of a siberian work camp,

I'm curled up
by the fire inside.

Now, if you'll excuse me,
the President is waiting...

For me.

How did you find me?

I'm a professional.
And it's not like

you're holed up
in some cave in Tora Bora.

Do you know what these are?
These are fax transmissions

sent to a number in Kashfar
two weeks ago.

They're dossiers
on the aide workers.

They're not aide workers.

On the operatives
that were taken hostage.

Did you get this from
the woman who called me,

the one who died... Wendy?

If I'm gonna do something
with this,

I need to know that it's legit.

I need to know
where you got it,

because if I push my way
through certain rooms

and this intel is bogus,

it's my ass on the line.
I'm through.

I can't tell you how I got it,

but I can promise you
it's legit.

And I just have to trust you?

That's how this works, right?

- Mm.
- Miss Pope?

Thank you.
You're welcome.

Don't worry about it.
Happens all the time.

Comes with the territory.

Come on, Samantha.
We're not talking about

naked photos or slander
against the company.

Who hasn't sent
a dirty e-mail or two?

- Oh... try 200.
- It's a rite of passage.

- Not for C.E.O.S.
- Ohh...

She's a public figure,
the face of our company.

She wasn't a public figure
at the time of the alleged

compromise
of the morality clause.

She was a kid. She was 24.
She was in school.

She was married.
In any case,

the legal language
is clear as day.

I know you're under
pressure from the board.

Stock prices are taking
a hit over this scandal.

But if you continue this sexist
campaign against my client,

it's gonna get ugly.

You're pretty.

And you talk real fast,

but I think I can take you.

And just in case I can't,

I've got an army of lawyers
and unlimited funds

in my war chest.

You're outgunned.

Mnh. I'm armed.
With one single fact.

We wouldn't be having
this discussion

if Sarah were a Saul
or a Steve,

and that double standard
will become front and center

in the coverage of this scandal
until the name Ryocorp

is synonymous
with discrimination,

until you have to change
the name on every door

and web site and business card.

Until you have to use
a good portion

of those unlimited funds
rebranding your company.

Like I said...

Ugly.

Good news.

The morality clause
is off the table... for now.

- So I can keep my job?
- Mm-hmm.

That's amazing.
That is the...

First good news we've had
all week.

- Abby.
- The good news is

the affair
was a 2-way street.

A retired security guard
came forward with footage

from a weekend getaway
at a 4-star resort in Cabo.

They were making out
all over the lobby.

- Did you get a hard copy?
- I did, but, Liv,

the date stamp...
It doesn't match the e-mail.

It's from about a year later.

Turn that up.

Next up, caught on tape...

Breathing new life
into the dying controversy

over the nomination
of judge Randall

is newly discovered
hotel security footage

that not only proves that
the affair with Sarah Stanner

was mutual,
but that it was rekindled

a year after her e-mails
to him ceased.

How many lies, Sarah? Huh?
How many lies have you told me?

...Because our investigators
found more footage

of the pair two years later
at the very same hotel.

I'm sorry.
I am so sorry.

What the hell has
our marriage even been?

Did you...

Do you love him?
Are you still screwing him?

- No, of course not. No.
- I don't believe you.

I don't believe anything
you say to me.

I don't believe you!

Wait. Two years.

That's 2000!

Annie was born in 2001.

Phil, please.
Is she my daughter?

Of course she is.
Of course she's yours.

I don't believe this!
I... I don't...

You know what? I don't care!
I don't give a damn!

- I'm leaving.
- No.

- Just get out of my way.
I'm leaving. - Phil...

Just... just get the hell
away from me!

You can't leave,
not with the press outside!

- Phil!
- Go!

Hey!

- Get the hell off my lawn!
- Phil, come on.

I want you all off my property!
Now!

Come on!

Mr. Stanner, were you aware
that the affair continued?

Phil. Listen. Come on.

Let's not do this out here.
Not in front of the cameras.

They're just gonna follow
you down the street.

He just left the bank.

He waited in line
to make a deposit.

You think that's the drop?
I think it could be the drop.

Why?

'Cause who makes a deposit
at a bank these days?

You do it online or use an ATM.

- It's not the drop.
- Why not?

Why not?

Because tellers
are searched nightly

and there are security
cameras everywhere.

Yep.

I'm gonna follow him.

You sure you want to do that?

Yeah. We can't see in.
It could be the drop.

Why? You don't think
I should?

I think you should do
what you think you should do.

Thanks a lot. Have a nice day.

- Hi. Picking up or dropping off?
- Picking up.

Number is 555-0199.

Picking up or dropping off?

I know. I know.

That's why you don't do
cover without the right props.

One of those guys could have
made you, and for what?

Nothing.
I got his phone number.

You think the director
of the C.I.A.

uses his real phone number
to pick up his dry cleaning?

No.

- Need a shirt?
- Yes, please.

Harrison Wright.

- You know what's ugly, Harrison?
- Samantha!

So good to hear from you again.

Ugly is when you tell
your husband

you're at a work conference
one weekend a month

so you can go screw
your married lover in Mexico.

I don't know
what you've heard, but...

For two years straight.

And it's just that kind
of ugliness

that the ryocorp
mortality clause

is designed to protect against.

Where are we at with Randall?

After the hotel romp in Mexico,

he has almost no support.

There's no sense in trying
to ram it through.

He's declining
first thing in the morning.

I'm having Scotty
draft a statement.

And who else do we have
on deck?

Soteras. Habinek
over on the 9th circuit.

Murphy, but she's got
the housekeeper thing from '96.

So no one anywhere near
as good as Randall?

We had the votes
to push it through.

Sir, if...

If Liv had gotten her client
to issue a denial

from the start, all this
could have been avoided.

Olivia was behind
tanking Randall?

She's representing
S-Sarah Stanner, sir.

I thought you knew.

I need a minute, Cyrus.

- Sir...
- I need a minute.

You're staying the night again?

We're nearing
arctic temperatures in there.

They shouldn't be alone.

I want the two of you to focus
on her legal case.

The board's voting
tomorrow afternoon

on whether to fire her
over the morality clause.

Her personal life's
falling apart.

The least we can do is try
to save her job.

Cyrus, I already told you...

It's not Cyrus.

I wish you'd just
been honest with me.

I already told you,
I made a mistake.

I don't mean about defiance.

What do you mean...

Fitz?

What do you mean?

Fitz...

All those meetings!

You... you're in Mexico,
screwing that guy!

I-I trusted you!

I-I'm sitting at home
like some kind of idiot.

I made a mistake.
I'm sorry.

We weren't getting along.

I didn't know if we would last.

You made damn sure we wouldn't.

If you didn't think I was
good enough to be President...

I did think you were.

You didn't.

You didn't.

If you had...

I love you.
I am sorry.

I love you.
I was stupid.

- I wish I could take it back.
- You can't!

You know what?

It doesn't matter.
I don't even know why...

That's not why I called.

Why did you call?

I told myself I was calling...

to tell you to back off

from my supreme court
justice nominee.

But really...

I was calling because
apparently

I haven't kicked myself
enough today,

and I needed
a little more misery.

I trusted you, you know?

You were all I had.

You ruined me.

I'm ruined.

I'm ruined!

I don't care.

I will never forgive you!

- Phil...
- I want a paternity test.

I'm going to hang up now.

Okay, you do that.

That's a good idea.

Captain Ballard, sir.

Send him in.

Mr. President...

I don't need an update
on her right now.

I'm well aware of what
she's been up to.

This isn't about her.

Where'd you get these?

An anonymous source sent them
to my office this morning.

You see that fax number
at the top there?

It's registered to a Kashfari
intelligence officer.

One of our drones
just picked him up

driving towards an armed
compound in Tenwar province.

Place is a pretty well-known
safe haven for terrorists.

- Who else knows about this?
- Just me and my immediate superiors.

I felt it was best
to keep a leash on it

- until I spoke to you.
- Is there a team in place?

Just waiting
for your go-ahead, sir.

- Good night, Lauren.
- Good night, captain Ballard.

Don't judge me.

No judgments.

He wants a paternity test.

But... you heard that.
I'm betting you heard that.

I'm sorry.

I know it must not be fun
having us in your house.

No, it's, uh...
It's like a party.

I love it. It's great.

You have front-row seats
to the end of my marriage.

Crap.

I am a terrible host.

You want a drink?

- No. I...
- You have to have a drink.

Otherwise, I'm just
drinking alone.

Sarah, it would be
unprofessional for me...

I'm paying
for your time, right?

This is my dime.
My many, many dimes.

Have a drink with me.

Drink the damn wine.

Mmm. This is...

A $300 bottle of wine.

I was saving it
for an occasion.

My husband calling me a whore
feels like an occasion.

You made a mistake.

No. I mean, yes, I did.

Uh, cheating on him...
that was a mistake.

Our marriage was...

We weren't getting along.
I was young.

I was dumb enough to think
it was okay

if someone else turned me on,
and I made a mistake.

The affair was a mistake.

But that's not the thing.

That's not what's
going to kill us.

The mistake is nothing.

It's that...

It's that you never
told him the truth.

It's that you let him
believe a lie.

I didn't know.

I don't know if Annie is his.

But it would have...
hurt him if she wasn't,

so I made a choice.

You let him be her dad.

I let him be her dad.

Y-you think the only one
that's gonna suffer is you.

You get a twinge
on father's day,

you suck it up, you...
tell yourself,

okay, this is the price
I'm paying.

This is the cost.

But it's not.
There's a much larger bill,

and it comes due.

And suddenly Olivia Pope
is in your living room.

Damn.

We really have to do the...
paternity test?

You do. You should.

If that's what he wants.

There's a hairbrush
on her dresser.

You can use that.

You have some job.

Fixer.

How do you fix betrayal?

Sarah, you betrayed him.

You did.

You messed up,
and there's a price.

Betrayal always has a price.

But let me ask you something.

Is he a good dad?

He is a great dad.

You did what you thought
was best at the time.

Even if it was wrong,
you thought it was best.

You can't change
the choice you made.

All you can do is not
let it ruin you.

And what if he never
forgives me?

Then you're going to have to
learn to forgive yourself.

That sounds lonely.

It is.

Okay, I've been thinking
about this dry cleaner thing.

- What are you thinking?
- Director of the C.I.A.

That's gotta be a job
where you have no free time.

You're too busy
saving the world.

So why does Osborne
go to the cleaners himself?

- Any assistant could do that.
- Why do you think he goes?

Because the best drops
happen in plain sight.

Yes. They do.

Got him. So easy.

Just gave the number.
Check it.

Inside pockets, too.

Oh, my God.
This has to be...

20 grand at least.

- Holy...
- Stay focused.

What's next?

He can't know we're onto him.

Tell me this happens
all the time,

because otherwise, I am gonna
feel like a total idiot.

I must have given you
the wrong number,

because these suits... they're
definitely not my husband's.

Wrong size, wrong color,
just wrong, wrong, wrong.

What's the phone number?

You ever have one of those days

where you just try
and do too much?

He told me his suits weren't
going to be ready today,

and I try to be superwoman,
do it all,

make him dinner,
get his cleaning.

He can get his own cleaning...
On Saturday,

when it's ready.

You have a better day
than I'm having.

Annie.

What are you doing here?

You're supposed to be
at school.

Mackenzie Myers says
my dad isn't my real dad.

Is that true?

That's why you had
my hairbrush, right?

So you can find out.

I've seen the news.

Aunt Nancy didn't know
I was watching,

but I was.

Your dad...

will always be your dad,

no matter what.

Here's Scotty's statement.
You should take a look.

I've got Randall's office ready
to release it on your word.

- Don't pull it yet.
- Sir?

There's an operation under way

to free the hostages
in Western Kashfar.

Under way? Now?
Choppers are in the air.

They'll be on the ground
in 25 minutes.

I don't under...
Why didn't I know about this?

I figured you had
your hands full.

Just keep a lid on it until
I update you on the status.

If this operation
is successful,

we'll bury this whole
Murray Randall fiasco

in a tidal wave of good news.

Cyrus?

Yes, sir?

I believe the words
you're looking for

are "thank you."

My fellow Americans,

at 5:37 P.M.
Greenwich Mean time,

a Navy S.E.A.L. team
was dispatched

to the Kashfari province
of Tenwar.

Their mission... to find
the three American aide workers

taken hostage
and bring them back alive.

The S.E.A.L. team
executed their mission

without a single
American casualty.

Room's empty. No hostages.

Just take it! Take it!

Over here!

And as for the hostages...

- Yes!
- Yes!

I'm proud to say
they're alive and well.

God bless our servicemen
and women,

and God bless America.

Mr. President.

You did
a hell of a thing today.

Just doing my job.

You get anything?

This contract is so airtight.

Board meeting's at 5:00.

Too bad you don't sign
a morality clause

before you get married...

not that it would have
saved those two anyway.

Why do you assume
their marriage is over?

The way I see it, marriage is a
partnership. You add kids, it's a job.

You think he's gonna be
able to work with her,

be a team with her
after what she did to him?

I work with you
after what you did to me.

You basically tanked
me and David.

Abby, I'm sorry about that.

You know how sorry I am
about that.

It's fine.
That's my point.

People get betrayed,
people betray.

You deal with it
and you move on.

If it's a partnership,
if it's a job, you move on.

Abby, I will apologize
every single day

if that'll make things better.

I'm not mad, Harrison.
I'm not.

But you're different.

With me. I mean,
you're the exact same...

But you're completely
different.

I'm still me.
We're still us.

I'm just...

I now live in a world
where I know

that you're a gladiator first
and a person second.

That's okay.
Because I can do that, too.

I can be a person second.

I just...

Before, I just didn't know

that's what we were doing
with each other, is all.

We're good.

Abby.

You know what?
I have an idea.

Maybe we're going about this
whole morality thing

the wrong way.

Hmm.

- We have nothing
on these guys. - Doesn't matter.

- What if they call our bluff?
- They won't.

- What if they do?
- They won't.

Gentlemen, let's take
a look at our stock prices...

Don't worry, gentlemen.
We're not here to occupy you.

- Who the hell...
- Relax.

We just need a couple
minutes of your time.

We know you're about to fire
Sarah Stanner

for violating the morality
clause of her contract.

- That's a big decision.
- Huge!

- I'll get security.
- Go ahead, Larry.

It's Larry, right?

Before you have security
set their tasers to stun,

let me just say that in this box
my colleague is holding is dirt.

All the dirt we spent
the past week digging up

on every single one of you.

Dirty dirt. Filthy dirt.
Some of it is illegal,

and some of it's just
downright disgusting.

I'm talking "no amount
of Lysol's gonna clean

that corporate jet" disgusting.

You know what
he's talking about, right?

- Actually, I don't.
- Oh, soon you will.

And so will your families.
So will America.

We wouldn't put a morality
clause in our contracts

if any of us had anything
to worry about.

Well, in that case,
you won't mind

if Abby just opens the box
and starts reading.

Fine by me.

Okay. Let's do this.

So, on the count of three,
we'll all get naked together.

Ready? (Projector and
camera shutter clicking)

One...

Two...

Wait.

Ryocorp won't be enforcing
the morality clause.

Turns out the board has
a few secrets of their own.

Your job is safe, Sarah.

That's...
That's good, thanks.

I have the results
of the paternity test.

Go ahead.
Open it.

But whatever's in there
won't make a difference.

It's not going to erase
the 13 years

you've spent as Annie's dad.

It's not going to
make you stay.

It's not going to let you
walk away.

It's not going to change
how you feel about your family

or even about your wife.

It's not going to bring
you peace, Phil.

You've been through more
in the last week

than most families go through
in 20 years.

The two of you have been
through a war.

You have wounds.

And the only thing
that will let that heal

is time.

Listen.

The sweet sound of silence.

They're on to the next story.

We're reporting live
from the White House.

In a daring pre-dawn raid,
U.S. special forces

have freed American hostages
held in Kashfar...

The operation a model
of precision,

with no casualties
among the hostages

and all four of their captors
dead...

In contrast
to the previous attempt,

this mission is being termed

a complete and resounding
success,

and has provided
a much-needed confidence boost

to the Grant administration
tonight

after several weeks
of political embarrassments.

Until this evening, the hostage
situation in Kashfar...

Did you come here to gloat?

Why would I? Looks like
the mission went perfectly.

It did.

But I had nothing
to do with it.

Didn't even hear about it
until it was already under way.

I thought I was back,
but I was wrong.

Welcome to Siberia.

Turns out I was wrong, too.

Oh, yeah? How so?

He's not cheating on me, Cy.

He's cheating on you.

Oh, my God.

The hostages are free.
What happened to you?

I got mugged.
Did you hear me? They're free.

I'll get you some ice.

Did you send it?

Just now.
I'll take a look.

Thanks.