Scandal (2012–2018): Season 2, Episode 3 - Hunting Season - full transcript

A government employee shocks Olivia by revealing how high the scandal goes.

PAT: You lost a big trial.

DAVID: The trial was lost.
I didn't lose it.

The department has decided
you need to take a leave of absence.

NARRATOR: Previously on Scandal...

DAVID: I just wanna know
how she did it. Olivia.

OLIVIA: We won this case.

Quinn is going to live.

And despite popular opinion
around here, that is a good thing!

Ready to work across the hall
from the Molotov Mistress?

(RING)

How are you?



Fine. Except my married ex-boyfriend
keeps calling me.

I know you hate me.

I know you don't even want to be
in the same room with me.

But you have to forgive me.

OLIVIA: How's your pregnant wife?

Tell me what to do and I'll do it.

Let me go.

Red button.

Oh, come on, Senator, he was
nowhere near to pushing that...

Our President was about to push
that big red scary-as-hell button

and take us to war in East Sudan on
faulty, irresponsible intelligence.

KAREN: Which he quickly realized
and took the appropriate steps to...

By firing the CIA director that he
himself appointed five minutes ago!

What does it say for the people
that he surrounds himself with?



This President's more in bed
with special interests

than the last three
Commanders in Chief combined.

Here we go,
same old Democrat partisan...

Just look at
the White House logs, Senator.

They read like a who's who
of big pharma.

NRA, insurance companies.

Oil tycoons like Hollis Doyle

are running around
like they own the place.

Now I think the American people
deserve to know,

what is a man like that doing
with nearly unlimited access

to the West Wing?

And you'll get to respond to that
in a moment, Senator Gilbert,

after we take this short break.

(PHONE RINGS)

Let me guess? Some third cousin died,
then you went out of the country.

You're wearing pinstripes.

Yeah, see, that doesn't explain the
three years of not returning my calls.

Pinstripes on prime time?

Oh, you joined the fashion police.
That's where you've been.

OLIVIA: I don't care what you wear,

just know that no one will hear
a word you're saying

when your suit is moving, vibrating,
across their screen.

Also, you're sighing every time
Senator Gilbert speaks. Don't.

It makes you seem condescending
and elitist. Which, frankly,

doesn't exactly matter because
I'm way too distracted by the...

Pinstripes, yeah.

So, am I in?

Am I finally a client
of Olivia Pope and Associates?

(CHUCKLES)

You agree I'm obviously
in need of your expertise.

Good luck, Senator.

You take care, Liv.

(ALARM CHIRPS)

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

I don't have cash on me,
I don't carry debit cards.

If you're hoping for a ransom,
I don't have many friends.

And if you're planning on
anything else, you should know

that there are security cameras
trained on every inch of this garage,

and the police,
who I am dialing right now,

will identify you within minutes.

ARTIE: There aren't any cameras,
Miss Pope.

In fact, this is the only part
of the building without cameras,

that's why I'm here, that's why I had...

(STUTTERS) I'm sorry, okay, I didn't
mean to follow you or freak you out.

I just they're following me
and they're freaking me out!

And I didn't know where else to go,
and I know that you fix things,

and you solve problems
and I got some problems, Miss Pope.

Some really, really big problems...

You need to get out of my car now!

Okay, I'm sorry, my bad.

They'll kill me, Miss Pope!
Let me explain! You have to.

They're following you, too!

The government, they know everything!

They know all about the late night
phone calls from the West Wing!

(TIRES SCREECH)

I forgot how tiny and cute they are,
the baby clothes.

Yeah.

Feeling okay?

Fine. Great, actually.

Because if you're not sure...

You can't cancel the hunt.

I could if you were ill.
My pregnant wife not feeling well?

Never felt better.
The party loves when you hunt.

Every year I have to spend a day
squatting in some weeds...

A marsh.

...shooting helpless chickens...
- Ducks.

...so the gun crazies...
- The good people of the NRA.

...can feel good about some nut job...
- Citizen.

...carrying a Kalashnikov assault rifle
in the back of his truck!

Exercising the freedoms afforded to him
by the United States Constitution.

You should go shoot the ducks.

I should. I'm an excellent shot.

We have an enormous staff.

I'm sure if you ask,
someone could fold those for you.

It's a 32-piece antique,
hand-embroidered layette.

With a personal note enclosed,

written by Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth.

Wow.

Wow. I am folding these baby clothes.

You are definitely folding
those baby clothes.

(CHUCKLES)

What?

Nothing, it's just...

This is nice.

Yeah.

Um...

Oh, a double capp?

Welcome back.

And a half-caf, no foam, one pump
vanilla, extra hot soy latte.

That's two pumps vanilla. Lindsay.

She'll grow up and get over it
eventually. Just ride it out.

ARTIE: They love to use
what's already in the room,

moldings, picture frames, light fixtures.

But now with this new program,
they don't need bugs,

'cause we are the bugs.

Our laptops, smartphones...
Cell phones!

Cell phones off!
Everybody, turn off your cell phones!

They can track the signals.

Why are you all just standing there?

- What in the hell...
- We eat on that table. Liv?

This is Artie Hornbacher.

Four hours ago,
Artie stole this from the NSA.

You stole from
the National Security Agency?

- (SCOFFS) I'm not in this.
- You're in this.

What is it?

It's called Thorngate. It's everything.

Everything.
It blows "We the People" to pieces!

It removes the stars
and the stripes in the flag!

- OLIVIA: Artie?
- Sorry.

He says he's got evidence the NSA
is spying on American citizens.

HUCK: What, like spying-spying?

Like spying on American citizens?
Here? At home.

- That is everything.
- I told you.

Check him out.

Arthur "Artie" Hornbacher,
low-level NSA data-entry specialist.

Kept the same job, same salary,
for 16 years.

Which is either admirable or pathetic,

depending on your definition
of success.

Easy, menial job which allows him

time to follow his true passion
as an online crusader.

- Against what?
- Every coffee chain in America.

According to Artie,
the decaffeination process is a lie

and a coordinated
governmentlcorporate deception.

(WHISTLES)

ARTIE: I was doing data entry,
same thing I always do,

grouping batches
by source and entry point.

Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Milan.

But then this one batch, suddenly
it's Columbus, Philly, Portland.

The addresses? They're all domestic.
Do you know what that means?

Big Brother, the eye in the sky!

Millions of Americans
are being watched right now

and they have no idea.

You told your supervisors about this?

Of course I did. Repeatedly.

And they said they'd look into it
and then suddenly I'm being followed.

So I took it. Okay?
I took proof of Thorngate.

- Maybe it was a mistake.
- (SCOFFS) Maybe?

But I did it.
So now you have to hide me

because these people,
they won't just kill me,

they'll make it look like
I never existed!

He's also lactose intolerant,

allergic to grass, honey,
strawberries, peanuts,

is a Type 1 diabetic and believes
that vaccines are demonic.

It's just a report on border security.

That's just the firewall.

The NSA protected this program
with everything in their arsenal

in case it ever got stolen.
Like right now.

Seriously, Liv, he's certifiable.
We can't take this guy on as a client.

Just 'cause he's weird
doesn't mean he's crazy.

He thinks the NSA is trying to kill him!

- My story didn't make any sense at first.
- Still doesn't.

- Everyone thought that I was crazy, too.
- Still do.

Might be time to poke the hive.

I know you by reputation.

I'm happy to be able
to put a face to a name.

Thanks for seeing me on short notice.

Of course. What can I help you with?

Just a few questions about Thorngate.

- Thorngate?
- Thorngate.

I'm sorry, am I supposed
to know what Thorngate is?

I just learned about it myself
from Artie Hornbacher.

Again, you've stumped me.
I feel like I'm failing a test here.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Who is Artie Hornbacher?

Just one of your low-level employees.
Complained to his bosses,

claiming your agency is using
a program called Thorngate

to spy on Americans. Ring a bell?

Wow. That would be something,
wouldn't it?

Um... I'm not familiar with this employee
or this program

but I can assure you that we take
these accusations very seriously

and we encourage our employees,
from data-entry all the way to the top,

to speak freely
if they witness any abuse

or wrongdoings by their colleagues
here at the NSA.

Let me check with our oversight board
and see if they've heard anything.

Thanks, but I don't think it's necessary.

There was a 99% chance
Artie was a nut job

and you just gave me my last 1%.

- Sorry to bother.
- No bother at all!

Thanks, Corinne.
Very nice to meet you.

Oh! My pleasure.

Get him out!

It's Olivia, she says to get him out.

Let me talk to her.
Where are we supposed to...

This isn't a question,
Abby, it's an order.

They knew he was data-entry.

She didn't react, she didn't even
blink when I told her...

I'm just asking whether...

They know where he is! They'll kill him!

Tell Huck to get our client
to safety right now!

Alissa, what are you doing...

You are coming back to work.

Because if I have to fetch Jane Powell

another Chinese chicken salad
with no crunchies,

no chicken and dressing on the side,
I am going to scream.

You miss me.

I miss your lunch order,
because it's simple.

And because Jane
is a horrible human being

who may, in fact,
be the pinnacle of everything

that's wrong with
the American judicial system.

And who's telling everyone who'll
listen that you went totally bonkers,

by the way, so keep that in mind when...

Oh, David.

Look, I know it seems like I've gone...

All Beautiful Mind? David!

I can't go back until I figure it out.

How I lost this trial, and how
Olivia Pope made it happen.

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

You can walk me through it. Once!
If you shave, and put on pants.

- Okay, so hear me out.
- Pants!

This is the least safe safe house
I've ever heard of!

Windows?

I've got a scrambler
jamming every frequency.

There's no way to see inside here.

Except, of course, using eyesight!

OLIVIA: Okay, enough.
HUCK: It's decrypted.

Let's see this thing.

Holy...

I told you!

How does it work?

Uh... Give me a name. Someone you
know, someone hard to crack.

- Cyrus Rutherford Beene.
- (TYPING)

(INAUDIBLE)

(GASPS)

- Is that the...
- White House.

- West Wing.
- 20 feet from the Oval Office.

- QUINN: The Chief of Staff.
- Nobody's safe.

Is there audio?

I know you know
how he hates to hunt.

He hates it.

He only does it to get a chance
to spend time with you.

Make sure he knows
he doesn't have to gum up his boots

to know he has my support.

Let's see who else is there.

There's another phone signal
I can pull up.

He still likes to golf, right?

We ought to get him out
to Andrews more often.

- Shut it down.
- Course ain't much to speak of

but I'm sure the man could use
a long, frustrating walk...

- OLIVIA: Huck.
- ... to ease his mind from time to time.

Huck!

I'm trying.

OLIVIA: What just happened?

(STATIC)

HARRISON: Where did it go?

It self-destructed.
I can't bring it back up.

Whoa, whoa! Come on!
Did you try the...

It's dead, okay?
If we want to see it again,

I have to hack in through
the NSA's firewall.

How long would that take?

- Twenty-two days.
- Twenty-two days?

Artie, who else knows about this?

I didn't tell anyone. How could I?

Well, then, we're done here, Artie.
I can't help you.

Wait, you said
you were gonna protect me!

How can I? Without Thorngate
you have no leverage,

nothing to bargain with.
So tell me, who else knows?

Her name is Monica Ocampo.
She was on the development team.

- Does she have access?
- Yes.

But please, I don't want her
to come in any danger.

She's a good person.

Find her!

Should I help?

We're good. Thanks, Lindsay.

Bad optics for a Senator to be
caught loitering, would you agree?

Sorry I'm late.

Enjoyed having you in my ear last night.

Tell me about Thorngate.

Thorngate?

You're on the Senate Intelligence
Committee, Edison, don't play dumb.

And here I was gonna ask you out.

I got two tickets to
the National Ballet...

Thorngate.

I need to know if I go public with
this whether you'll back me up,

- verify its existence.
- Olivia.

Our government
is spying on Americans!

Allegedly.

And your committee
is responsible for oversight.

You took an oath to...

My clearance level is top secret.

I took an oath to do the exact opposite
of what you're asking me to do.

You always did put
your career above all.

Takes one to know one.

Liv, I don't know
what you're getting yourself into,

but you don't wanna play games
with the NSA.

Their ball, their bat, their rules.

HARRISON: I'll take
the lead on this one.

ABB Y: Who made you boss?

That tone. It's bad cop tone.
It's ineffective.

And since we're on the subject,

the way you're badgering that kid,
pouncing on her...

Lindsay Perkins is a lying sociopath!

Bad cop.

You think I can't be good cop?

Huh. Oh, I can be good cop.
Hell, I can be sweet cop.

Someone stole a little something
from the NSA.

They think we may have ourselves
a whistle-blower.

- Concerning what?
- Thorngate.

Are we on top of this?

There's a problem.

There's always a problem.

He's got himself
some interesting representation.

Are we sure? This doesn't sound
like Liv's neighborhood.

She's nosing around senators
on the Intel Committee.

Senator Davis.

Sir, Davis and Olivia...

I don't need a history lesson.

- Sir...
- I want this handled.

I want the screws tightened on this, Cy.
And I want it done yesterday!

You're ticking, sir.

- What?
- You're ticking.

You know how I know you're ticking?

Up until you saw this picture,
you've been happy.

Lately, you've been happy.
Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed it.

Not because of the happiness
but because it's been weird,

like seeing a grandma in a bikini
or a Democrat with a Bible.

You're happy.

But we both know that happy people
are rarely actually happy,

unless they're morons.

You are a brilliant man,
a Rhodes Scholar and a PhD.

Which means you're acting happy
because she won't take your calls

and you won't admit that it bothers you

and God knows what else that goes on
with the Shakespearean drama

that is the women in your life.

You are ticking, sir.

You're a bomb stuffed
in a teddy bear waiting to explode.

Tick, tick,

tick, tick...

Stop it.

How do I defuse the bomb, sir?

Hello, sir. Good evening.

That remains to be seen, ma'am.

(LAUGHS)

You are so funny.

Monica said he was funny,
didn't she, Howard?

Sure did.

- Anyhow, we just need the key.
- The key?

To Monica's. The surprise party?

All I'm saying, that wasn't good cop.

That was some weird,
off-her-medications,

emotionally unstable cop.

Face it. I am good cop,
you're a sore loser and...

Hello? Monica?

You seeing what I'm seeing?

Sleeping pills, hastily written note.
Classic staged suicide.

No, outside.

Black sedan.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

Maybe Artie isn't paranoid enough.

(DOORBELL RINGING)

OLIVIA: I'll be there as soon as I can.

Abby, see if you can expedite
Monica's autopsy.

I want proof it wasn't a suicide.

Tell Harrison to take
the partial license plate number

and see where it goes.

Pinning this murder on the NSA
is how we corroborate Artie's story.

I'm on my way.

Tom. Hal.

(GUNSHOT)

(QUACKS)

Not bad, huh?

(LAUGHS) Actually, fairly pathetic,
Mr. President.

You talk a good game, Fitzy.

But you couldn't hit the side of a barn
from the inside of a barn, I swear.

FITZ: Doesn't look like I'll be having
duck for dinner, that's for sure.

Okay, let's get ourselves some coffee
back at the lodge

and give the President
a little time on his own.

Time on my own?
What am I gonna do with that?

To commune with nature, sir.

I know how you enjoy that.

Yeah, I'll see you guys in a bit.

Where is she?

- Get out of the car.
- No.

- Get out of the car.
- No.

And I don't appreciate
being summoned.

Get out of the car.

Why, so you can shoot me?

Get out of the damn car, Olivia!

Yeah, but Quinn's motive
was clear as day.

Yeah, in a micro-sense you're right.

Wait, don't you have to go to work?

I called in sick again.

Lucky for us, Jane's a hypochondriac

and a bit of a racist so
when I say cold she hears SARS.

You can use that all winter.

Anyway, that's why I focused
so heavily on the voicemail.

That was a mistake.

Wait, the voicemail
where Quinn viciously swore

to gut him like a fish?
How is that a mistake?

I'm saying forget about
all that evidence. Step back.

What's the one thing
we know about Olivia Pope?

She's well-dressed,
she's a workaholic...

Olivia Pope doesn't use her magic
for evil, she uses it for good.

Olivia Pope doesn't move
Heaven and Earth,

and further corrupt the justice system
unless she knows at the end of the day,

she can put on the white hat
and ride out of town.

Yes, but all the evidence
still points to Quinn Perkins.

We're not talking about evidence.
We're just talking about motive.

Well, yeah, she had that, too,
she wanted revenge.

Maybe the motive is bigger than
the revenge of a jilted lover?

Maybe someone else
wanted Quinn's boyfriend

and six other Cytron employees dead?

Tom and Hal could have told me
where they were taking me.

I could have dressed for it.

Shut up.

Where are we going?

We are hunting.

Do I get a gun?

I'm not giving you a gun.

That doesn't seem fair.

Life isn't fair!

What is your problem?

What is my... I don't have a problem.

Then why are Secret Service agents

physically removing me from my home
at 5:00 in the morning?

Because they do what I say.

I don't do what you say.

Why are you helping Artie Hornbacher?

And I don't discuss my clients with you.

You don't discuss
anything with me anymore.

Are you angry that I haven't been
taking your phone calls,

or because I'm helping
Artie Hornbacher?

I am angry because
you're committing treason.

I am angry that you're behaving
like a traitor to your country.

To my country, or to you?

Oh, come on. This isn't personal.

I'm standing in the middle of the forest,

in God knows where,
so you can yell at me?

That feels personal.

I do not care how it feels.

You're harboring a fugitive.
It's criminal behavior.

You and I both well know what
Thorngate is, what Thorngate does,

and who you are going to use it on.

You have no idea
what you're talking about.

You're using it to spy on Americans.

What we use it for is highly classified
and involves anti-terrorism.

They know about
the late night phone calls.

They know those calls
came from the White House.

(OLIVIA PANTING)

Where are you getting this?

Your little whistle-blower, Artie?

The guy who stole Thorngate
from the NSA?

I'm pretty sure the Supreme Court
would consider

this administration spying on
its citizens criminal behavior.

I am protecting my country.

You are dabbling
in National Security issues.

You're upsetting the CIA and NSA,
and my guys at the State Department.

And you're using old boyfriends

to dig up secrets
on the Intelligence Committee.

I'm not...

Senator Davis was your boyfriend
from 2002 to 2006.

You lived together
in Georgetown and in New York.

You had an engagement ring.

And you were seen with him yesterday,
looking fairly cozy, from what I hear.

You two screwing again?

Is he everything you ever dreamed?

Stop walking. Stop walking!

(OLIVIA GASPING)

(MOANS)

(SOBS)

I am not yours.

I don't show up places
because you want me!

I am not yours.

This is over!

I can't say how long.
Everybody's different.

It's just a toxicology report.
It's just sending blood to a lab, right?

Monica Ocampo may
no longer be with us

but she's still with us, still in my care.

Monica's autopsy will take
as long as Monica needs.

I expect that's a courtesy you'll
want for yourself someday, Red.

Monica was the only friend
I had in that place.

Maybe the only friend I had in this city.
They did this to her. I know they did.

There was a black sedan on the scene.
Someone was watching.

I told you! They'll do anything!

I need to get out of here!
Please, I'm begging you!

Snap out of it, Artie!

It's the NSA operating
with the full backing

of the White House
and Justice Department.

They'll find you.

The only way to stop them
is to take this public.

The scary guy hasn't even
de-encrypted the program yet!

Let us worry about that.

You worry about getting ready
for prime time.

Quinn, buy Artie a suit. Slim fit,
single-breasted, two-button, navy.

I want him to look polished,

not one colander hat
shy of a crazy person.

Huck, can you do this?

- HUCK: How long?
- Twenty-four hours?

I think so. Maybe.

My producer, Jack Lynn.

- Hi, Jack.
- Hey.

Sorry, no recording devices.

- We off the record here?
- OLIVIA: For now.

And I need you
to agree on a 24-hour embargo

on anything we discuss here today.

- We don't even know...
- My client's life is at stake.

If you can't agree to an embargo,

I like you, Kim, I came to you first
because I think you're the best,

but you're not the only game in town.

- We talking exclusive?
- OLIVIA: Exclusive.

We agreed on the embargo?

The United States government is using
an NSA program called Thorngate

to spy on millions of American citizens,

in their homes, in their cars,
in their offices.

How?

Why do you have
so many old watches?

Don't touch my stuff! Damn it!

What de-encryption program
are you running?

I've created an accelerated
GPU on Linux

breaking 28.6 billion passwords
per second.

With only three computers?

We're never gonna get through
the encryption in time!

I sent out a rootkit virus to over
5,000 bot-net computers.

The whole city is crunching numbers
for me. Relax!

Relax! You don't finish, I'm dead.

Do you know the kind of things
they do to a man?

I've heard by the end that
you're begging them to kill you.

Oh, is that so?

- What's this?
- What you asked for.

Every black Lincoln with
the letters RNB on the plate.

How about a thank you?

Thank you.

How about a phone number?

QUINN: How did you come across
the information

that Thorngate was being used...

Is being used, this very second.

You just interrupted Kimberly.
You never interrupt Kimberly.

Wait, this interview
is with Kimberly Mitchell?

The seething mouthpiece of the
government's propaganda machine?

Why not just turn me in?

Artie, take a breath. Keep your
head still, maintain eye contact.

Just answer what was asked of you.

If you go off on a tangent you'll
look unreliable. Let's try again.

QUINN: How did you come across
the information

that Thorngate is being used
on American citizens?

This guy is set to reveal

our most highly classified spyware
on prime time?

What happened
to containing this thing?

Olivia's trying an end-around.

Right out of the do-gooder playbook.

Grandstanding, the-public-has-
a-right-to-know, Kumbaya fest.

ARTIE: Think about it this way.

How much of your audience
watches you at home

with their cell phones or laptops on?

I would imagine almost everyone.

Well, then everyone should be
very concerned about this.

He's ready.

My legal options?

They run the gamut.

From gag orders to subpoenas
to seizing everything,

to detaining and prosecuting
in secrecy under various statutes

under the Espionage Act, Patriot Act,
National Security Act.

It just depends on
how aggressive you want to be.

I want you to unleash a legal tsunami.

Don't just empty both barrels,
we go nuclear on this.

- You've got it?
- I've got it.

It put up a beautiful
struggle but I cracked it.

Good work, Huck.

What's going on?

The network just got slapped with an
injunction by the Justice Department.

If we go forward with the broadcast,
we could all get arrested for treason.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I was trying to write
a thank you note to Queen Elizabeth.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is
to write a thank you note to the Queen?

I felt like some yahoo from Podunk.

I was terrified of starting
an international incident.

God, I'm starving.

This baby is eating all of my food.

Is this the duck you shot?

I hope Mickey got a good photo
to show to the press corps.

MELLIE: Mmm!

Mmm.

How was your day?

Honey?

Where's Kip?

What?

Kip Provenza and Mary?

The Commerce Secretary
and his wife who won't shut up.

I thought we were having them over
for dinner in the residence tonight.

Well. I just thought...

What?

Lt'd be nice to have it be just
the two of us for once. Since...

Since what?

Nothing.

I don't buy it.

Which part?

The part where you think
a jilted girlfriend

would never go on a killing spree.

'Cause let me tell you, bitches be crazy.

Look at what Cytron does.

They have contracts with casinos,
offshore betting sites.

Two words, fugue state.

Construction companies,
probably mob-owned.

These guys at Cytron
swam with sketchy.

I bet there's tons of people
out there who wanted to hurt them.

(SINGSONG Y) Fugue state.

This is bigger than Quinn Perkins.
It's bigger than Olivia Pope.

It's a cover-up, Alissa.
And hard as it is to admit,

we were wrong
about almost everything.

Okay, fine. Maybe Quinn
didn't murder those people.

But she did do something.
And without a doubt,

somebody over at Camp Pope
and Associates knows something.

We argue this in court,

we go up against the full legal might
of the federal government,

armies of lawyers,
bottomless resources.

Meanwhile, we're all in jail and Artie,

God knows where they'd rendition
the poor guy.

We fight this with the network,
not in court.

We stiffen their backbone,
appeal to their patriotic duty,

freedom of the press,

unconstitutional intrusion
of the right-to-privacy.

A man's cell phone is his castle.

Meanwhile, we need
those autopsy results

and that partial plate
off the black sedan.

Thorngate is real and a monstrosity.
They don't muzzle us so easily!

Tom. Hal.

What happened to my husband?

Ma'am?

Who did he talk to?
What put Fitz in such a terrible mood?

Because when he left me
to go hunting he was smiling,

and when he came home, he wasn't.

I'm sure we don't know, ma'am.

You can't say. I understand.

So I am just going to say some things.

And when I am correct,
I'd like one of you to blink.

That's all.
Just flutter your eyelashes for a girl.

Ma'am...

The President of France,

East Sudan, Hollis Doyle,

that guy on Fox News,

(SIGHS)

His mother?

Cyrus?

Olivia Pope?

Have a lovely day, gentlemen.

I didn't say a word.

No way in hell
are we airing this interview.

I'm against it,

and to say that my friends here from
the legal department are against it,

well, that's just an exercise
in understatement.

The government will back off,
Brad, I promise.

You promise?

This isn't some two-seconds-of-nipple
FCC fine we're risking.

It's a federal injunction.

Essentially handed down personally
by the Justice Department,

saying if you air this interview,
you're guilty of treason.

And I'm saying call their bluff.

Generate so much public outrage
on Artie Hornbacher's behalf

that if the NSA so much as gives him
a speeding ticket, they'll stage a coup.

Based on one man's word?

No. Based on this.

Huck?

Go ahead and bring up Thorngate.

Is this some kind of joke?

That's your wife, Julie, isn't it?

My home system is encrypted.
This should not be possible.

- HUCK: You want audio?
- Please.

Anyway, you know
how it is after a baby.

(BAB Y FUSSING)

I mean, I try being all sexy
but I still don't feel like myself,

and, well, he could try
a little harder, too.

Can't remember the last time
he went to the gym.

- Turn it off.
- OLIVIA: There's also a link

to all e-mail accounts
associated with this address,

and access to each computer's
search history.

Shall we take a look?

I said turn it off!

Huck.

Brad, I know this is compelling stuff
but we need...

Shut up.

Do it.

I did okay, I guess, in life.

Saw the Grand Canyon,
had sex with a woman.

I saw The Empire Strikes Back
in the theater.

- After the interview, you'll be a hero.
- Not for long.

I mean, I might be okay for a while but
this story will die down soon enough

and then I'll be looking over my
shoulder for the rest of my life.

At least when you die,
you'll have done something.

Something noble.
More than most can say.

Noble hero, huh?
Never thought about it that way.

(CHUCKLES)

(SMOKE DETECTOR BEEPING)

Oh. I didn't...

The network's in. Artie's sitting
down with Mitchell tonight.

She's willing to come to us, so
coordinate with their production team.

We want to keep it small and safe.

Two camera ops at most,
one sound guy. Abby, what?

Coroner finally got to the autopsy
report on Monica Ocampo.

- It wasn't sleeping pills that killed her.
- What was it?

She OD'd on 1,600 units
of injectable insulin.

(GASPS)

Harrison! Where are we
with the plate match?

Quinn and I have cross-referenced
the entire DMV list.

The car doesn't track back
to anyone at the NSA.

Or government, for that matter.
But get this,

it's registered to a fake address
under the name of Will B. Watching.

Will B. Watching?
Is that some kind of joke?

Huck, where's Artie?

He's in the bathroom again.

Break down the door.

- What?
- Break down the door!

Come on, come on, come on.

He's also lactose intolerant,

allergic to grass, honey,
strawberries, peanuts,

is a Type 1 diabetic and
believes that vaccines are demonic.

(MUTTERING)

(SMOKE DETECTOR BEEPING)

(MUTTERING)

There was a black sedan on the scene.
Someone was watching.

I need to get out of here!

(GRUNTS)

Got it. Let's go.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

- How did this happen?
- He must have known.

He must have
done his homework on us.

ABB Y: Come on.

We know how this happened.

Artie couldn't decrypt Thorngate himself
so he found the one person who could.

Then he killed poor Monica, made
it look like he was being followed,

all so that we'd help him buy time
and get what he needed.

But as for why this happened?

You'd have to ask Olivia that.

And that would be a waste of time
because she's off her game.

Her gut is broken and we have
no idea what she's thinking.

What's going on with her?

It was a mistake!

And the first one
I've seen her make since I got here.

So give her a break.

- Second.
- What?

Second mistake she's made.

Bad cop.

I tried everywhere. I called everyone.

I hacked into the face-recognition
software used by Capitol Police.

I checked every traffic-cam
in the tri-state area.

- All dead ends.
- This isn't on you, Huck. This is on me.

This is my mistake.
I made the wrong call.

HARRISON: Incoming!

(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)

- Where is he?
- Who?

Don't get cute, you're in enough trouble.

Harboring a fugitive,
obstructing justice,

theft of classified intelligence.

I'm so confused.
What are we talking about?

The TV interview was canceled,
which means you lost him.

Which means,
assuming that Artie Hornbacher

got his hands on Thorngate, our
greatest weapon in the war on terror

is out to the highest bidder
as we speak.

That's your problem.

- Excuse me?
- Artie Hornbacher played us.

For two days he wagged our dog,
I'm not proud of that.

But he played you for 16 years.

Who knows what other secrets
he stole along the way

right out from under your nose.

What a great story.

The kind of story that leads
to congressional hearings

and mass firings and books
and movies. Juicy stuff.

What do you want?

Twelve hours to find and deliver Artie.
Then we call it even.

I'll give you till noon tomorrow.
If I don't hear from you,

I'll be detaining your entire team
for questioning. Indefinitely.

I want Senator Davis
off the Intel Committee.

- Sir...
- I want him off.

Many a man has been
undone by jealousy.

How did you know
she wasn't taking my calls?

What?

Earlier you said Liv
wasn't taking my calls.

How did you know?

Well, at least we know
Thorngate really works.

Just keeping America safe
from the terrorists, sir.

Liv's not a terrorist!

I wasn't talking about her.

She's not ticking.

You are.

(SIGHS)

I will have Senator Davis removed
from the Intel Committee.

You want something?

I need to make some plans.

- What?
- For my future.

After your first term is done,

because you're never gonna
make it to a second term.

Clearly, you're a once around
the ballroom kind of President.

Mellie, I don't know
what you're talking about.

Olivia Pope.

I am talking about Olivia Pope.

You took her hunting?

Really, honey?

She could be facing federal prison,

but you needed to spend a few
minutes with your girlfriend. That's...

It's sweet.

If it didn't mean the end
of your political career

because you won't make it
to a second term.

I will make sure of it

because I need to make some plans
for my political future.

And I do have a bright,
bright political future.

The sweet lawyer who gave up
her career for her husband,

suffered a miscarriage.

Then had a late in life baby
while First Lady?

That's gold.

That's a future President.

That's a hell of a second act!
And America loves a second act!

Mellie.

Get over her.

Mellie.

Get over her!

You see her again, I'll blow you away.

And I'm an excellent shot, remember?

(DOOR CLOSES)

Hello, Artie.

Nice watch.

Oh.

Hey.

Yeah, I just borrowed it. (CHUCKLES)

(CLEARS THROAT)

You got back in.
Cracked Thorngate a second time.

No small feat.

I didn't need Thorngate to find you.

The watch is old and it has
radium in it which is bad for you

and very easy to track.

I warned you not to touch my stuff,
didn't I, Artie?

We could split the money, all right?
You'd never have to work again.

I like my work.

- (WHOOSHES)
- (GROANS)

Tranquilizer should wear off
in a few minutes.

We'll talk more then.

Where's Huck?

I don't know but we should be
buying him a drink.

He saved our asses.

Gotta admit, Artie was good.

Every little detail
was played to perfection.

The neuroses, the paranoia,
even the allergies.

The man had hives on his neck,
I saw them!

He was a lying mastermind.

Takes one to know one. Lindsay.

Screw you.

Excuse me?

Oh, you didn't hear me?
Go screw yourself.

And when you're done with that,

you can go straight to hell
and screw yourself there.

'Cause I don't want to hear it anymore.

I'm not a murderer and I'm not a liar.
And I'm not going anywhere.

So the sooner you get over it, the better.

And I go by one name now,
and it's not Lindsay!

HARRISON: Ah.

(WHISPERS) I'm Quinn, bitch.

(HARRISON LAUGHS)

Buy me a drink?

That's your line? "Buy me a drink"?

I'm unemployed.
Come on, one charity drink.

You can write it off. I'm a good cause.

Hey. A Manhattan please.

WOMAN ON TV: And lastly,
President Grant took some time out

from his busy schedule

to hunt duck on the Eastern shore.

The White House chef
prepared some of the spoils

and served them up
with a port demi-glace,

roasted turnips and saut?ed greens.

EDISON: Was it you
who taught him to hunt?

Didn't mean to sneak up on you.

What are you doing here?

You didn't hear? I'm a client now.

And how's that?

Because the President
of the United States

had me kicked off
the Senate Intelligence Committee

and is having my behavior "looked
into" by the Ethics Committee.

And to my thinking, it's because
I was reckless enough to talk to you.

So, now I'm your client. Pro bono.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Unless you have a conflict of interest.

You're not still tied
to the White House, are you?

No. No ties.

Hey.

No more walking alone to your car.

Huck, you didn't...

I didn't hurt him. Much.

Anyway, they have him now.

Huck, if I opened a door
that you can't close...

Doors are closed. I'm okay. I am.

You don't worry about me,
I'm handling it.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

Want a ride?

Sure.

(ALARM CHIRPS)

(SIGHS)

(BOTH PANTING)

Yeah.
Ripped By mstoll