Scandal (2012–2018): Season 6, Episode 15 - Tick Tock - full transcript
As the clock ticks down to the inauguration of the first female President of the United States, Olivia takes a big risk to ensure Mellie's safety.
- Fitz: Do we have Maya?
- Not yet.
Then why am I here?
Because this is the fun part.
Mr. Rosen has authorized access
to every street cam in D.C.
We've tracked Maya's movements
to a warehouse in Ivy City.
Remember when we used
to hate the Patriot Act?
We're a minute out.
Jake's in the field? Since when does
the Director of National Security
make house calls?
Since we learned that Maya, the mother
of the President-Elect's Chief of Staff,
is America's Top Monster.
My father wants to keep
this off the books.
Jake's there to make
sure it stays that way.
I'm not even here. I'm in Boca,
playing pinochle with my parents.
How are you doing?
Finding out your mother's
behind all this...
Last time I talked to my mother,
she made it crystal-clear
how she feels about me.
This was not personal.
We're just stepping stones
on her way to a paycheck.
So that's it.
Maya did all of this to make some money?
David: Well, not some money.
If you knew something
terrible was gonna happen,
something that would tank the
economy of the United States...
You know,
because you were the one doing it...
All you'd have to do
is bet against the U.S.
Short the dollar, invest in gold...
- You'll make millions.
- Billions.
There's profit in chaos.
We're here. Are we a go?
♪
Take her.
Go, go, go!
Clear!
Clear!
Clear.
She's gone.
Wait.
Are you seeing this?
That's Mellie's
inauguration parade route.
Mellie...
She's going to assassinate Mellie.
[Camera shutter clicking]
You've got to be kidding me.
Your mother?
[Chuckles]
Okay. So it's official.
Everyone in your family
has wanted me dead
at one point or another.
- Mellie...
- It's fine.
You know, when you're me,
things are only weird
when someone's not trying
to take your cake away.
But this is my cake, Olivia...
Bought and paid for.
We will get to the bottom of this.
My father...
[Chuckles] Damascus Bainbridge?
Anybody else climbing
out of this clown car?
I promise you, in three days,
you will take the oath of office,
and the White House will be yours.
But...?
But we do need to consider
other options for your safety.
[Sighs] Go on.
Like swearing you in
behind closed doors.
Canceling the inauguration?
Altering the ceremony.
I'm not stupid.
Which is why you understand
that the inauguration is
just ceremony... pomp, fluff.
Yet every president
before me has had one.
I understand what I'm
asking you to consider,
but you need to think about
a Plan B if it comes to that.
Where are you going?
To make sure it doesn't come to that.
[Door closes]
Of course Olivia's mom
is behind all this.
Woman makes my mom look like a saint.
I ever tell you what'd happen if I'd
stay out just one minute past my curfew?
Let's just say Gladys was not happy.
Okay, Huck, when was the latest
security update installed?
- Uh, last Tuesday.
- Run another one... today.
If Maya Pope's here in D.C.
planning an attack on the inauguration,
we need to take every
precaution imaginable
to make sure we're protected.
That includes
triple-encrypting our files...
Upgrading our firewalls...
Look, we can't be too careful, people.
Did you redecorate in here?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I moved the couch,
cleared off the table.
- You bought a new chair.
- And some art.
Fancy.
That chair is from home,
this "art" is from the
corner stand down the street.
It's not that big of a deal.
Don't get all defensive, Robin.
It's just strange
seeing you settling into your new digs,
is all.
Yeah, well,
things are gonna be different now.
- I'll say.
- Enough.
Security update,
encryption, firewalls...
- Get it done.
- You got it...
Boss.
[Door closes]
[Camera shutter clicking]
David: Shift changes, call signs,
schematics of the D.C. sewer system...
Maya's thorough, I'll give her that.
Rowan: Too thorough.
She left us with an
orgy of information...
Useless unless we have a
sense of the specific plan.
Well, I can have my analysts take a
look, try to find some kind of pattern.
Could have something to do with him.
Maya left behind a ton of
surveillance photos of this guy.
H. Fenton.
Secret Service Agent Harold Fenton.
Suspended back in August for
being a degenerate gambler.
He was reinstated just last month.
You get to be reinstated?
Rowan: He's her way in past security.
A mark like that would easy to con
out of his security credentials.
But that's the one
thing we didn't find...
No badges, no key cards, nothing.
She hasn't met with him yet.
[Inhales sharply]
Lady Luck is shining down on me today.
You're ready to go right now,
aren't you, baby?
Oh, sorry.
That's just my sidearm.
I'm Secret Service.
Mm.
Does that mean you would
take a bullet for me?
[Both laugh]
[Knock on door]
Damn.
I forgot to put on the
"Do Not Disturb" sign.
Stay.
[Door opens]
♪
You know who I am?
Yes. Uh, yes, sir.
Go home to your wife, Harold.
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
- Maya.
- I know you.
What the hell is this?
You're arresting me?
Well, that's what
happens when you conspire
to assassinate the President
of the United States.
No. No!
That's crazy!
♪
Is this really necessary?
I told you, I'm not behind this.
Come on, girl. Can you talk to him?
Tell him he's got the wrong person.
I came here to help.
I was trying to get that
man in the hotel room
to tell me what he knew so
I could protect my daughter.
You understand, right?
Oh.
So you can't speak?
So much for black-girl magic.
Stop talking.
I'll stop talking when
you start listening.
- I've heard enough.
- I want a lawyer.
You can't keep me in here forever!
Unless...
that's your plan.
Is it, Eli?
Our little Livvie's in trouble.
Mama's trying to help her,
but you'd rather punish me.
You'd rather put me in chains
than help your own girl out.
That's okay.
But just so you know,
if something happens to our Livvie,
that's on you.
Maya: ♪ Go down, Moses ♪
♪ Way down to Egypt's land ♪
♪ Tell ole Pharaoh ♪
♪ To let my people go ♪
Eli, Eli, Eli...
Come on, now.
You got to let me out of here.
You think you are helping,
but I promise you...
You... are... wa-sting... time.
Down the drain. Whoosh!
[Groans]
Why would I come to town
if I planned all this, huh?
Answer me that.
I would stay as far away as possible
from this inauguration,
and I certainly wouldn't be
stupid enough to get caught.
If you bring your ass in here,
then maybe I can explain to you
what I heard through my trusted sources
and why I came to
protect my daughter...
Our daughter.
Maybe you should go in there.
Not yet.
Let her wear herself out.
Then she'll say something
actually worth listening to.
Hmm...
I guess you're not coming.
Damn shame.
I tell you, being a black woman,
"Be strong," they say.
Support your man, raise a man,
think like a man.
Well, damn. I got to
do all that? [Scoffs]
Who's out here working for me,
carrying my burden,
building me up when I get down?
Nobody.
Black women out here
trying to save everybody,
and what do we get?
Swagger jacked by white girls
wearing cornrows and bamboo earrings.
Ain't that a bitch?
But we still try.
Try to help all y'all.
Even when we get nothing.
Is that admirable or ridiculous?
[Laughing] I don't know!
I know me sitting here is ridiculous
when I could be helping,
but you don't want my help.
You want to do it all by yourself.
Mr. Big Strong Black Man.
God forbid you let a sista
like me help you out.
Naw, you don't want that.
Don't let me put you on
my back when you fall.
Wipe the crust out of your eyes.
Put a pep back in your step.
Because when we do,
you resent us for making you better,
smarter, stronger.
Then drop us so you can
be with someone basic,
someone without all that
baggage you left us with.
But we still try.
[Inhales deeply]
That's why I'm here...
Trying and saving and trying to save,
like we do.
Here I am.
Admirable or ridiculous?
Baby, you tell me.
You coming in here or what?
Tick, tock, Eli.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock...
[Camera shutter clicking]
Can I come in?
You don't need to ask
to come in, Charlie.
Will you quit being so weird?
- I'm not being weird.
- You're being weird.
I just [Clears throat] want to know
what the rules are gonna be now.
Rules? What rules?
There are no rules.
Are we allowed to talk
about personal stuff
in the office anymore?
Can I hold your hand?
- Can I give you a kiss?
- Charlie...
[Elevator bell dings] And
what about the wedding?
All the extra responsibility
you've got here,
all the demands that come
from running this place...
How are you ever gonna have
time to plan for a wedding?
I mean, is there even
gonna be a wedding anymore?
Liv's here.
Oh! Hey.
Liv, hey. Hi. Is Maya talking yet?
She said she's here in D.C. for me,
- that she's trying to protect me.
- From who?
Whoever's really planning this attack.
- You don't believe her, do you?
- Of course not.
This is my mother.
She hired someone to kill Mellie.
We need to figure out
who that assassin is
and shut them down.
They're out there somewhere,
and because this entire thing
is completely off the books...
- You need to hire us.
- You up for the job?
Of course we are.
Good.
I'll send you everything we have so far.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
♪
Do you like it?
It only matters that you like it.
♪
Okay. Let's get to work.
[Clears throat]
- Huck: You okay?
- I'm fine.
- I can come with you.
- No.
You stay here. Help Quinn.
She's your boss now.
Help her do her job.
Your mother's back.
She is.
It's okay. My father's
taking care of it.
Is he?
He's Command.
He'll handle it.
Father and Command...
Those are two different things.
- [Elevator bell dings]
- Just be careful.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
- tick, tock, tick, tock...
- [Door opens]
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
Tick, tock...
No progress?
Patience.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
[Inhales deeply]
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock...
[Breathing heavily]
You remember Ocean City?
Here we go.
4th of July.
And the bushel of crabs
that I undercooked?
You get sick,
Livvie gets stung by a jellyfish,
and to top it off,
we got stranded in that dry town
for five days because
of that tropical storm.
[Gasps] I remember.
Boy...
do I remember.
[Sniffles]
You remember Ocean City,
too, don't you, baby?
Huh?
[Voice breaking] Don't you, baby?
Don't you, baby?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?!
Don't you remember?
Don't you?!
Don't you, baby?!
Don't you?
Don't you remember?
And there it is.
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?!
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
[Door opens, closes]
Tell me I don't look as old as you.
You look good.
You've been taking
good care of yourself.
Been on my "Eat, Pray, Love" ish.
As much as I would like to hear about,
but, as you say, tick, tock.
How have you been?
As if you didn't know.
I don't.
- Livvie out there?
- No.
Can I talk to her?
She doesn't want to talk to you.
She wouldn't be happy
if she knew you were
treating me this way.
Shackled,
locked up with no food or water...
Olivia wants nothing to do with you.
She sees you for what you are...
A woman with no integrity,
no values, whose beliefs
shift with the changing wind.
That's you talking, not her.
Maybe I could convince
her to speak with you
against her better judgment.
Yeah?
- What's that gonna cost me?
- Answers.
Who did you hire? Who's
pulling the trigger?
Is Mellie Grant the only target?
I want to hear the entire plan.
How you hooked up with those goons
at the Fund for American
Renewal who imprisoned me.
Somebody imprisoned you?
These games end now.
White folks?
[Chuckles] You must've hated that.
You really think that
I would get involved
in something that would hurt Olivia?
That I would take
something away from her
that she desperately wants?
Now, I came here to do a job that,
despite all of your flaws,
I always trusted you to handle...
Protect our daughter.
But clearly, you're not
up for that anymore.
How dare you.
- Here we go...
- You orchestrated the entire plan,
weakened me for money
or vengeance or both,
and now you accuse me
of not being able to protect Olivia?!
So much anger.
You are the cause of my anger.
No!
You want me to be.
And if you would listen
instead of acting like you know
every damn thing all the time,
you would realize we
could work together!
Oh, you care about Olivia?
- Yes!
- The daughter you ran out on.
You left her motherless!
And you put me in prison.
I put Marie Wallace in prison.
You gave birth to her,
- but you are not her mother.
- Stop!
Does that hurt to hear?
Eli...
Does it?
Yes!
Can I not make up for that?
Tell me.
Because if people cannot
make up for their mistakes,
I would've kept my ass at
home instead of coming here
and risking the one
thing I know I love...
My freedom...
to try and do something
good for my daughter.
Did you tell them about Sandra?
Who?
Oh.
[Chuckling] Oh.
Oh, Sandra.
The one that got away.
The broad with the Afro puffs
you went to graduate school with.
The one I always knew
you were comparing me to
whenever I didn't care to hear about
some prehistoric penguin
you were about to dig up.
Her.
That's how they got to you.
They found her, used her against you.
Damn.
They're good.
They knew you.
Well, no wonder you
think I was involved.
I'm sorry, baby.
Maybe we can't make up for our mistakes.
Maybe we can't change.
Maybe we just keep doing
the same dumb stuff
over and over.
I could not make you happy
because your happiness
was not the mission.
♪
But I loved you.
And, Eli, you deserve to be loved.
♪
That was the best vacation we ever had.
[Chuckles] Ocean City.
Me sick on crabs,
Olivia stepping on a jellyfish.
Because we were a family.
Because it was just us.
Yeah.
[Keys jingle]
♪
[Door closes]
Three days, folks.
We are three days away from
inaugurating our next president.
And for the first time in history,
a woman will take the Oath of Office.
Hotels in the greater D.C. area
are reporting record occupancy rates
as women from every state in the nation
make their way to town,
leading forecasters to predict
one of the largest inaugural
crowds of all time.
Rachel?
In addition to the official
inaugural events...
- [Door opens]
- Let Service know I want to move.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Damn it!
- Nothing?
- I've tried tracking Maya's movements
to see if she's meeting
with anyone here in D.C.
I even ran co-traveler analytics
and searched all of her known aliases.
It's no use. She's a ghost.
No. If Maya hired
someone to shoot Mellie,
if she paid someone,
there has to be a record of
the transaction somewhere.
Terrorist 101, Robin...
Keep the books clean.
We're talking contract work, aren't we?
That means there's a money trail.
We just need to find it and follow it.
What about that Super PAC
that Peus and that woman were running?
Maya had to pay them
at some point, right?
The Fund for American Renewal?
Already checked.
That account is squeaky clean.
Well, then Maya had to
pay for their dirty work
out of a different account.
Shame they're all dead.
Saves a lot of legwork.
[Chuckles] They're not all dead.
What do you mean?
I mean, there's someone still alive,
someone still walking around
who got paid to do dirty work.
[Elevator bell dings]
Where's Liv?
[Inhales deeply] I'm running OPA now.
Oh. Congratulations.
You brought the bank documents?
It's all in the name of some Super PAC.
The bank's in Macau,
but the funds came from North Korea.
That was their safeguard.
Yeah, we need to start
tracing these ABAs.
See if we can find
more about the account
where the money originated.
Who has friends in North Korea?
Why would you think we have
friends in North Korea?
Huck: I got it.
No, I've got more friends
in the North K. than you do.
I used to kill there on the regular.
Get started.
I never touched it, you know.
The money. Not a penny of it.
I thought maybe when all this was over,
I could give it to charity, or...
What do you want, Abby?
A medal?
I want to help.
Come on.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
[Door opens]
[Footsteps approach]
[Door closes]
Dad.
Dad.
[Sighs]
Couldn't do it.
Couldn't let them take her.
[Chuckles]
I'll let her go eventually,
just not now.
Mom will say anything
to crawl under your skin
and get what she wants.
- You know that, right?
- Mm.
You have to go back in there.
You're the only one who can break her.
She's in custody. She can't hurt you.
Convince your candidate to take
the swearing-in underground
and be done with your mother for good.
It's what's best for you.
You believe her.
Doesn't matter.
It does matter.
Mnh-mnh.
Mnh-mnh.
I used to think she was so...
beautiful.
But she's just bones.
♪
[Chuckles]
Go home.
Get some rest.
♪
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
[Camera shutter clicking]
- Mellie: Thank you for seeing me.
- Fitz: Of course.
President asks you to do something,
you do it.
[Scoffs]
[Glasses clink]
Liv's been keeping you up to speed?
I've never seen so many
Secret Service agents
in my life, even as First Lady.
You can't always see them,
but you can hear them.
It's like having mice in the wall.
When you're president,
that sound never stops.
After a while, it becomes white noise,
so you have that to look forward to.
Liv says we may have to
cancel the inauguration.
If the threat remains,
that is an option available to you, yes.
You'd be sworn in.
But in the Oval, behind closed doors.
[Sighs]
What would you do?
If I were in this situation?
[Sighs]
I'd cancel.
[Sighs]
Of course you would.
You already had yours.
This is old hat for you.
But this...
I have been dreaming
about this my entire life.
I don't know why everybody says
little girls dream about weddings.
Who dreams about weddings?
I always wanted this.
Mellie...
I'd cancel because I know
what it feels like to be shot.
It was my birthday.
[Sighs]
I know.
I was there.
I know.
You were wearing a purple dress.
You remember the color of my dress?
I do. I remember your dress.
I remember arriving at the party,
holding your hand.
And then I remember
suddenly feeling like I'd been punched.
I didn't hear a gunshot at all,
just that punch.
Hit me so hard,
it yanked my hand out of yours.
I thought we were being attacked,
you and me, physically.
I actually thought
there was a person on me, punching me.
And it burned.
Every place I'd been punched burned.
But then I understood.
I understood because
the Secret Service agent
standing next to me
erupted in a spray of blood.
I saw the bullet hit him,
and I knew what was happening to me.
And then I got hit here.
I don't remember anything
at all after that.
So, yes.
If it were up to me,
if canceling this inauguration
meant that I could spare
the mother of my children
experiencing any of that, or worse...
I would.
[Sighs]
But's it not up to me.
It's up to you.
On January 20th...
you will be the president.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
- [Papers thud]
- [Gasps]
Progress report?
I was able to unmask the
last nine months of transfers
into that North Korean
Intelligence account.
And I checked them all.
None of them look like
they came from an account
belonging to Maya Pope.
So this is another dead end.
If we can't find Maya's money,
we can't find our terrorist.
What am I going to tell Olivia?
Well, maybe Maya's telling the truth.
So, my first job as head of
OPA is the one where Maya Pope,
known terrorist, just
happens to be in town
but isn't masterminding the
attack we know is taking place.
Well, she did say she
was here to help Liv.
She's not here to help Liv.
Charlie: Well, people change, Robin.
Look at us.
You're a boss lady now,
I'm your humble servant...
You're literally demonstrating
the opposite of your point.
Also, is that why you've been so weird?
- Okay, maybe we focus...
- Quinn: You cram it.
- You speak.
- Charlie: That's not...
I thought you got your
jollies the same way I did...
Torture, killing...
you know, humble, workaday stuff.
I haven't changed. I'm still me.
You bought a new chair!
I already told you I brought
that chair from home.
I've had that chair forever.
It's my chair.
She's right.
- About the chair?
- About everything.
People don't change.
But power structures do.
Charlie: I don't know!
I never married my boss before.
- Guys!
- Hey, I told you to cram it!
You cram it, because you're right.
People don't change.
You're still you, Maya's still Maya.
She's here, she's connected somehow.
But what if she isn't
bankrolling all this?
What are you saying?
I'm saying if we're
looking for connections,
maybe it's time we search downstream
instead of upstream...
Not at who was giving money
but who was getting money.
♪
[Knock on door]
[Sighs]
Huck.
I wanted to be the one to tell you.
Tell me what?
We thought your mother
was in charge, Liv.
- She's not.
- What are you talking about?
We followed the money. And?
Maya didn't hire the assassin.
She is the assassin.
♪
[Door opens]
Back for more, baby?
[Door closes]
- Olivia: Mom.
- Livvie.
Did they hurt you?
If they so much as laid
a finger on you...
It's okay.
I'm here now.
Dad told me everything.
I looked him in the eye.
He believes you.
I believe you.
You're just trying to help.
You're just trying to figure out
who's behind the attack on
the inauguration, too, right?
Yes, baby.
You're doing this for me.
I'm doing this for you.
You have to let this woman go!
She has rights!
Get in here!
You're gonna have to
give them something.
You know that, right?
You have to tell them
what you've been able
to figure out so far.
I'll be right here, by your side.
I'll protect you, Mom, okay?
When was the last time you ate?
Have they given you any water?!
Tell me what you need.
Girl, bye.
♪
You thought you had me, didn't you?
I'm your mama, baby.
Ain't no fooling me.
I'm gonna give you 30 seconds to tell me
how you're gonna pull off this attack.
Game recognizes game, sweetheart.
Start talking.
Two peas in a pod, you and him.
20 seconds.
Part of it's my fault, I guess.
I wasn't around
to raise you the way you
should have been raised.
[Chuckles] I can only imagine.
- 15.
- I left you to him,
thinking he could only
mess you up so much.
10.
Boy, was I wrong!
Now you're prancing around, acting like
you're some carbon copy of his wretched,
impotent ass.
Not a good look, sweetie.
And as if acting like him
is gonna get you somewhere with me.
I've been playing Eli for years,
so you're just playing yourself.
♪
[Chokes]
The games are over, Mom.
What are you doing?
You can't get inside my head.
Livvie...
You can't pull my strings,
because I am nothing like him.
Unlike him, I will kill you.
Livvie...
Go ahead. Tell me to do it. Tell me.
Dare me to squeeze the
life out of you right now.
You don't think I will? Tell me!
Tell me to do it!
- [Door opens]
- Jake: Liv!
♪
- It's okay.
- [Gasps]
Hey!
♪
It's okay.
Maya: It's okay, baby.
Mama understands.
Come on.
I understand.
It's okay.
♪
Things got out of hand.
If I hadn't pulled her off,
she would've strangled her to death.
- I thought Maya was restrained.
- She was. Liv attacked her.
[Sighs]
[Door opens]
[Sighs]
Mellie: Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Mellie, I'm sorry.
- Don't be.
- [Scoffs]
I'm sure there are a dozen people
who would've loved to do what you did.
I failed.
No, you didn't.
I lost control.
If she was ever going to talk,
that ship sailed when I wrapped
my hands around her neck.
I don't accept that.
Because if I accept that,
then that means we have to
cancel the inauguration,
and we are not going to do that.
Mellie...
This is not just a ceremony, not for us.
There are women across
the country right now
getting on buses, getting on planes,
making their way to Washington
to attend the inauguration
of the first female president
of the United States.
This is their moment.
This is the moment.
If we cancel,
if we hole up in the Oval
with a handful of people,
we are telling them that
they don't get their moment.
We are telling them that this
achievement is less than.
We are telling them that sure,
a woman can be president,
but it doesn't deserve to be celebrated
with as much pomp and circumstance
as every man who's taken the office.
Anything short of my
standing on the Capitol steps
in the presence of that crowd...
is an insult.
I won't do it.
We won't do it.
Will we?
No.
We won't.
My mother was paid
for the hit on Mellie.
Turns out, she's just a hired gun.
Jake: She's working for them.
- Yes.
- Who's "them"?
We don't know.
There's a chance my mother herself
doesn't even know who's
running this thing.
I want charges pressed against her.
- Make it happen, Rosen.
- Yes, sir.
No.
- No?
- We're not pressing charges.
We're letting her go.
What are you talking about?
We release my mother,
we send her off into the night,
we track her,
she leads us straight to
whoever's paying her...
Straight to whoever's
really behind all this.
We are not releasing a terrorist
who's been paid to assassinate
the president, Olivia.
Mellie's life is at risk.
Mellie's life is at risk
whether we release my mother or not.
We keep her in our custody,
whoever's out there
will just replace her with someone else.
They'll find another assassin.
Then we cancel the inauguration.
That's no longer an option.
Mellie's determined to go out there
and take her rightful
place as President,
as she should, as she deserves.
You actually think that
Maya is gonna just, what,
drop a trail of breadcrumbs?
It's that simple?
We all know who this woman is
and what this woman is capable of.
She'll play us.
She'll slip the leash
no matter what we do.
No, she's not going anywhere.
- Olivia: Fitz...
- I'll hold off on pressing charges.
But if you don't figure out
who Maya is working for
in the next 12 hours,
she will rot down there, in her cell,
for the rest of her life.
End of discussion.
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
Okay. Well, I think...
Jake: Get out of here, Rosen.
Go. Now.
[Door closes]
You know I'm right.
They'll find another assassin.
We can't let that happen.
We won't.
[Door opens]
We're letting you go.
Haven't we had enough play-acting?
This isn't an act.
This is us taking your lead.
We're using you, Mom... As bait.
Go out there and set up a meet
with whoever's paying
you. I want a name.
I want to know who it
is you're working for.
There'll be a tracking
chip implanted in you.
You'll be under constant surveillance.
Wherever you go, whatever you do,
I will be watching.
If you cross me...
♪
I will hunt you down myself,
and I will kill you.
♪
Get her out of here.
You okay?
Never been better.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Okay, well... bye?
Later.
See ya.
Abby, wait.
What?
You want to get some more punches in?
You think I don't already know that
I'm weak and selfish and greedy?
That I let a tiny drop
of power go to my head
and now the whole nation...
the whole world... is paying for it?
I'm a bad friend.
I deserve to be alone.
I'm pregnant.
Okay.
How far along?
I don't know.
Are you keeping it?
- I don't know.
- What do you know?
I know Charlie has
contacts in North Korea.
What does North Korea have
to do with you having a baby?
I slit a woman's throat
like it was nothing.
♪
People like Charlie,
people like me, we're...
dangerous.
And how can we...
How can I...
♪
Thank you.
For your help today.
This was...
It was nice.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
[Elevator bell dings]
[Sighs]
[Knock on door]
- What have you done?
- Olivia: Wine's on the table.
- I'm having some red,
- Olivia, damn it,
- but I've also got white...
- what have you done?!
Dad, if you want to come in,
have some wine, relax,
that's fine,
but we are not talking about this.
Because you know you're
making a mistake.
Because I can't tell you anything. Your
security clearance has been revoked.
- She played you!
- No, Dad, she played you.
So I took over. I took charge.
She's gonna die, Olivia.
Mellie Grant is going to die,
and it will be your fault.
["God Bless the Child" plays]
[Door opens]
♪ Them that's got ♪
♪ Shall get ♪
Olivia let her go?!
Get her in here. I need to speak to her.
You know why this happened, don't you?
This is...
Maya must have gotten to her,
messed with her head.
Maya is the symptom.
I'm talking about the disease.
The situation's been handled.
Mellie: I should hope so.
If that woman's gonna be out there,
roaming this city,
mere hours before my inauguration...
Do you not trust me?
Liv...
Well?
Nature abhors a vacuum.
Had B613 continued,
none of this would have happened.
You need to reinstate it
by executive order...
Your last act as president.
You think I'd hand that kind of power
back to the man who almost
ruined this country?
Who said I'd run it?!
My time is gone. It's your time now.
You are going to run it.
I made a call... The right call...
The only call...
And I'm going to be making
a lot more of them now,
so believe me when I tell you,
my mother will not fail me.
You understand the balance of power,
the fragility of the Republic,
the inner workings of our military
and our intelligence communities.
Much as I would like to
disagree with myself,
I have to admit,
there is no one more suited for the job
to keep a check on power.
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And when you got money ♪
♪ And all your spendin' ends ♪
♪ Oh, don't you know they
aren't comin' around anymore ♪
You know how to contact us.
When will we know something?
You'll know when you know, baby.
♪ Now, you can help yourself ♪
Olivia is the power now.
Without B613, there'll
be no check on her.
She is the disease,
and she'll end up ruined.
I can see that path for Olivia
as clearly as I can see my
own image in the mirror.
♪ But God bless the child ♪
Okay.
♪ It's always the child ♪
It's settled.
- ♪ I've got my own ♪
- It's settled.
♪ I've got my own ♪
- Not yet.
Then why am I here?
Because this is the fun part.
Mr. Rosen has authorized access
to every street cam in D.C.
We've tracked Maya's movements
to a warehouse in Ivy City.
Remember when we used
to hate the Patriot Act?
We're a minute out.
Jake's in the field? Since when does
the Director of National Security
make house calls?
Since we learned that Maya, the mother
of the President-Elect's Chief of Staff,
is America's Top Monster.
My father wants to keep
this off the books.
Jake's there to make
sure it stays that way.
I'm not even here. I'm in Boca,
playing pinochle with my parents.
How are you doing?
Finding out your mother's
behind all this...
Last time I talked to my mother,
she made it crystal-clear
how she feels about me.
This was not personal.
We're just stepping stones
on her way to a paycheck.
So that's it.
Maya did all of this to make some money?
David: Well, not some money.
If you knew something
terrible was gonna happen,
something that would tank the
economy of the United States...
You know,
because you were the one doing it...
All you'd have to do
is bet against the U.S.
Short the dollar, invest in gold...
- You'll make millions.
- Billions.
There's profit in chaos.
We're here. Are we a go?
♪
Take her.
Go, go, go!
Clear!
Clear!
Clear.
She's gone.
Wait.
Are you seeing this?
That's Mellie's
inauguration parade route.
Mellie...
She's going to assassinate Mellie.
[Camera shutter clicking]
You've got to be kidding me.
Your mother?
[Chuckles]
Okay. So it's official.
Everyone in your family
has wanted me dead
at one point or another.
- Mellie...
- It's fine.
You know, when you're me,
things are only weird
when someone's not trying
to take your cake away.
But this is my cake, Olivia...
Bought and paid for.
We will get to the bottom of this.
My father...
[Chuckles] Damascus Bainbridge?
Anybody else climbing
out of this clown car?
I promise you, in three days,
you will take the oath of office,
and the White House will be yours.
But...?
But we do need to consider
other options for your safety.
[Sighs] Go on.
Like swearing you in
behind closed doors.
Canceling the inauguration?
Altering the ceremony.
I'm not stupid.
Which is why you understand
that the inauguration is
just ceremony... pomp, fluff.
Yet every president
before me has had one.
I understand what I'm
asking you to consider,
but you need to think about
a Plan B if it comes to that.
Where are you going?
To make sure it doesn't come to that.
[Door closes]
Of course Olivia's mom
is behind all this.
Woman makes my mom look like a saint.
I ever tell you what'd happen if I'd
stay out just one minute past my curfew?
Let's just say Gladys was not happy.
Okay, Huck, when was the latest
security update installed?
- Uh, last Tuesday.
- Run another one... today.
If Maya Pope's here in D.C.
planning an attack on the inauguration,
we need to take every
precaution imaginable
to make sure we're protected.
That includes
triple-encrypting our files...
Upgrading our firewalls...
Look, we can't be too careful, people.
Did you redecorate in here?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I moved the couch,
cleared off the table.
- You bought a new chair.
- And some art.
Fancy.
That chair is from home,
this "art" is from the
corner stand down the street.
It's not that big of a deal.
Don't get all defensive, Robin.
It's just strange
seeing you settling into your new digs,
is all.
Yeah, well,
things are gonna be different now.
- I'll say.
- Enough.
Security update,
encryption, firewalls...
- Get it done.
- You got it...
Boss.
[Door closes]
[Camera shutter clicking]
David: Shift changes, call signs,
schematics of the D.C. sewer system...
Maya's thorough, I'll give her that.
Rowan: Too thorough.
She left us with an
orgy of information...
Useless unless we have a
sense of the specific plan.
Well, I can have my analysts take a
look, try to find some kind of pattern.
Could have something to do with him.
Maya left behind a ton of
surveillance photos of this guy.
H. Fenton.
Secret Service Agent Harold Fenton.
Suspended back in August for
being a degenerate gambler.
He was reinstated just last month.
You get to be reinstated?
Rowan: He's her way in past security.
A mark like that would easy to con
out of his security credentials.
But that's the one
thing we didn't find...
No badges, no key cards, nothing.
She hasn't met with him yet.
[Inhales sharply]
Lady Luck is shining down on me today.
You're ready to go right now,
aren't you, baby?
Oh, sorry.
That's just my sidearm.
I'm Secret Service.
Mm.
Does that mean you would
take a bullet for me?
[Both laugh]
[Knock on door]
Damn.
I forgot to put on the
"Do Not Disturb" sign.
Stay.
[Door opens]
♪
You know who I am?
Yes. Uh, yes, sir.
Go home to your wife, Harold.
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
- Maya.
- I know you.
What the hell is this?
You're arresting me?
Well, that's what
happens when you conspire
to assassinate the President
of the United States.
No. No!
That's crazy!
♪
Is this really necessary?
I told you, I'm not behind this.
Come on, girl. Can you talk to him?
Tell him he's got the wrong person.
I came here to help.
I was trying to get that
man in the hotel room
to tell me what he knew so
I could protect my daughter.
You understand, right?
Oh.
So you can't speak?
So much for black-girl magic.
Stop talking.
I'll stop talking when
you start listening.
- I've heard enough.
- I want a lawyer.
You can't keep me in here forever!
Unless...
that's your plan.
Is it, Eli?
Our little Livvie's in trouble.
Mama's trying to help her,
but you'd rather punish me.
You'd rather put me in chains
than help your own girl out.
That's okay.
But just so you know,
if something happens to our Livvie,
that's on you.
Maya: ♪ Go down, Moses ♪
♪ Way down to Egypt's land ♪
♪ Tell ole Pharaoh ♪
♪ To let my people go ♪
Eli, Eli, Eli...
Come on, now.
You got to let me out of here.
You think you are helping,
but I promise you...
You... are... wa-sting... time.
Down the drain. Whoosh!
[Groans]
Why would I come to town
if I planned all this, huh?
Answer me that.
I would stay as far away as possible
from this inauguration,
and I certainly wouldn't be
stupid enough to get caught.
If you bring your ass in here,
then maybe I can explain to you
what I heard through my trusted sources
and why I came to
protect my daughter...
Our daughter.
Maybe you should go in there.
Not yet.
Let her wear herself out.
Then she'll say something
actually worth listening to.
Hmm...
I guess you're not coming.
Damn shame.
I tell you, being a black woman,
"Be strong," they say.
Support your man, raise a man,
think like a man.
Well, damn. I got to
do all that? [Scoffs]
Who's out here working for me,
carrying my burden,
building me up when I get down?
Nobody.
Black women out here
trying to save everybody,
and what do we get?
Swagger jacked by white girls
wearing cornrows and bamboo earrings.
Ain't that a bitch?
But we still try.
Try to help all y'all.
Even when we get nothing.
Is that admirable or ridiculous?
[Laughing] I don't know!
I know me sitting here is ridiculous
when I could be helping,
but you don't want my help.
You want to do it all by yourself.
Mr. Big Strong Black Man.
God forbid you let a sista
like me help you out.
Naw, you don't want that.
Don't let me put you on
my back when you fall.
Wipe the crust out of your eyes.
Put a pep back in your step.
Because when we do,
you resent us for making you better,
smarter, stronger.
Then drop us so you can
be with someone basic,
someone without all that
baggage you left us with.
But we still try.
[Inhales deeply]
That's why I'm here...
Trying and saving and trying to save,
like we do.
Here I am.
Admirable or ridiculous?
Baby, you tell me.
You coming in here or what?
Tick, tock, Eli.
Tick, tock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock...
[Camera shutter clicking]
Can I come in?
You don't need to ask
to come in, Charlie.
Will you quit being so weird?
- I'm not being weird.
- You're being weird.
I just [Clears throat] want to know
what the rules are gonna be now.
Rules? What rules?
There are no rules.
Are we allowed to talk
about personal stuff
in the office anymore?
Can I hold your hand?
- Can I give you a kiss?
- Charlie...
[Elevator bell dings] And
what about the wedding?
All the extra responsibility
you've got here,
all the demands that come
from running this place...
How are you ever gonna have
time to plan for a wedding?
I mean, is there even
gonna be a wedding anymore?
Liv's here.
Oh! Hey.
Liv, hey. Hi. Is Maya talking yet?
She said she's here in D.C. for me,
- that she's trying to protect me.
- From who?
Whoever's really planning this attack.
- You don't believe her, do you?
- Of course not.
This is my mother.
She hired someone to kill Mellie.
We need to figure out
who that assassin is
and shut them down.
They're out there somewhere,
and because this entire thing
is completely off the books...
- You need to hire us.
- You up for the job?
Of course we are.
Good.
I'll send you everything we have so far.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
♪
Do you like it?
It only matters that you like it.
♪
Okay. Let's get to work.
[Clears throat]
- Huck: You okay?
- I'm fine.
- I can come with you.
- No.
You stay here. Help Quinn.
She's your boss now.
Help her do her job.
Your mother's back.
She is.
It's okay. My father's
taking care of it.
Is he?
He's Command.
He'll handle it.
Father and Command...
Those are two different things.
- [Elevator bell dings]
- Just be careful.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
- tick, tock, tick, tock...
- [Door opens]
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
Tick, tock...
No progress?
Patience.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock goes the clock.
[Inhales deeply]
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock,
tick, tock, tick, tock...
[Breathing heavily]
You remember Ocean City?
Here we go.
4th of July.
And the bushel of crabs
that I undercooked?
You get sick,
Livvie gets stung by a jellyfish,
and to top it off,
we got stranded in that dry town
for five days because
of that tropical storm.
[Gasps] I remember.
Boy...
do I remember.
[Sniffles]
You remember Ocean City,
too, don't you, baby?
Huh?
[Voice breaking] Don't you, baby?
Don't you, baby?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?!
Don't you remember?
Don't you?!
Don't you, baby?!
Don't you?
Don't you remember?
And there it is.
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?!
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
[Door opens, closes]
Tell me I don't look as old as you.
You look good.
You've been taking
good care of yourself.
Been on my "Eat, Pray, Love" ish.
As much as I would like to hear about,
but, as you say, tick, tock.
How have you been?
As if you didn't know.
I don't.
- Livvie out there?
- No.
Can I talk to her?
She doesn't want to talk to you.
She wouldn't be happy
if she knew you were
treating me this way.
Shackled,
locked up with no food or water...
Olivia wants nothing to do with you.
She sees you for what you are...
A woman with no integrity,
no values, whose beliefs
shift with the changing wind.
That's you talking, not her.
Maybe I could convince
her to speak with you
against her better judgment.
Yeah?
- What's that gonna cost me?
- Answers.
Who did you hire? Who's
pulling the trigger?
Is Mellie Grant the only target?
I want to hear the entire plan.
How you hooked up with those goons
at the Fund for American
Renewal who imprisoned me.
Somebody imprisoned you?
These games end now.
White folks?
[Chuckles] You must've hated that.
You really think that
I would get involved
in something that would hurt Olivia?
That I would take
something away from her
that she desperately wants?
Now, I came here to do a job that,
despite all of your flaws,
I always trusted you to handle...
Protect our daughter.
But clearly, you're not
up for that anymore.
How dare you.
- Here we go...
- You orchestrated the entire plan,
weakened me for money
or vengeance or both,
and now you accuse me
of not being able to protect Olivia?!
So much anger.
You are the cause of my anger.
No!
You want me to be.
And if you would listen
instead of acting like you know
every damn thing all the time,
you would realize we
could work together!
Oh, you care about Olivia?
- Yes!
- The daughter you ran out on.
You left her motherless!
And you put me in prison.
I put Marie Wallace in prison.
You gave birth to her,
- but you are not her mother.
- Stop!
Does that hurt to hear?
Eli...
Does it?
Yes!
Can I not make up for that?
Tell me.
Because if people cannot
make up for their mistakes,
I would've kept my ass at
home instead of coming here
and risking the one
thing I know I love...
My freedom...
to try and do something
good for my daughter.
Did you tell them about Sandra?
Who?
Oh.
[Chuckling] Oh.
Oh, Sandra.
The one that got away.
The broad with the Afro puffs
you went to graduate school with.
The one I always knew
you were comparing me to
whenever I didn't care to hear about
some prehistoric penguin
you were about to dig up.
Her.
That's how they got to you.
They found her, used her against you.
Damn.
They're good.
They knew you.
Well, no wonder you
think I was involved.
I'm sorry, baby.
Maybe we can't make up for our mistakes.
Maybe we can't change.
Maybe we just keep doing
the same dumb stuff
over and over.
I could not make you happy
because your happiness
was not the mission.
♪
But I loved you.
And, Eli, you deserve to be loved.
♪
That was the best vacation we ever had.
[Chuckles] Ocean City.
Me sick on crabs,
Olivia stepping on a jellyfish.
Because we were a family.
Because it was just us.
Yeah.
[Keys jingle]
♪
[Door closes]
Three days, folks.
We are three days away from
inaugurating our next president.
And for the first time in history,
a woman will take the Oath of Office.
Hotels in the greater D.C. area
are reporting record occupancy rates
as women from every state in the nation
make their way to town,
leading forecasters to predict
one of the largest inaugural
crowds of all time.
Rachel?
In addition to the official
inaugural events...
- [Door opens]
- Let Service know I want to move.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Damn it!
- Nothing?
- I've tried tracking Maya's movements
to see if she's meeting
with anyone here in D.C.
I even ran co-traveler analytics
and searched all of her known aliases.
It's no use. She's a ghost.
No. If Maya hired
someone to shoot Mellie,
if she paid someone,
there has to be a record of
the transaction somewhere.
Terrorist 101, Robin...
Keep the books clean.
We're talking contract work, aren't we?
That means there's a money trail.
We just need to find it and follow it.
What about that Super PAC
that Peus and that woman were running?
Maya had to pay them
at some point, right?
The Fund for American Renewal?
Already checked.
That account is squeaky clean.
Well, then Maya had to
pay for their dirty work
out of a different account.
Shame they're all dead.
Saves a lot of legwork.
[Chuckles] They're not all dead.
What do you mean?
I mean, there's someone still alive,
someone still walking around
who got paid to do dirty work.
[Elevator bell dings]
Where's Liv?
[Inhales deeply] I'm running OPA now.
Oh. Congratulations.
You brought the bank documents?
It's all in the name of some Super PAC.
The bank's in Macau,
but the funds came from North Korea.
That was their safeguard.
Yeah, we need to start
tracing these ABAs.
See if we can find
more about the account
where the money originated.
Who has friends in North Korea?
Why would you think we have
friends in North Korea?
Huck: I got it.
No, I've got more friends
in the North K. than you do.
I used to kill there on the regular.
Get started.
I never touched it, you know.
The money. Not a penny of it.
I thought maybe when all this was over,
I could give it to charity, or...
What do you want, Abby?
A medal?
I want to help.
Come on.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
[Door opens]
[Footsteps approach]
[Door closes]
Dad.
Dad.
[Sighs]
Couldn't do it.
Couldn't let them take her.
[Chuckles]
I'll let her go eventually,
just not now.
Mom will say anything
to crawl under your skin
and get what she wants.
- You know that, right?
- Mm.
You have to go back in there.
You're the only one who can break her.
She's in custody. She can't hurt you.
Convince your candidate to take
the swearing-in underground
and be done with your mother for good.
It's what's best for you.
You believe her.
Doesn't matter.
It does matter.
Mnh-mnh.
Mnh-mnh.
I used to think she was so...
beautiful.
But she's just bones.
♪
[Chuckles]
Go home.
Get some rest.
♪
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
[Camera shutter clicking]
- Mellie: Thank you for seeing me.
- Fitz: Of course.
President asks you to do something,
you do it.
[Scoffs]
[Glasses clink]
Liv's been keeping you up to speed?
I've never seen so many
Secret Service agents
in my life, even as First Lady.
You can't always see them,
but you can hear them.
It's like having mice in the wall.
When you're president,
that sound never stops.
After a while, it becomes white noise,
so you have that to look forward to.
Liv says we may have to
cancel the inauguration.
If the threat remains,
that is an option available to you, yes.
You'd be sworn in.
But in the Oval, behind closed doors.
[Sighs]
What would you do?
If I were in this situation?
[Sighs]
I'd cancel.
[Sighs]
Of course you would.
You already had yours.
This is old hat for you.
But this...
I have been dreaming
about this my entire life.
I don't know why everybody says
little girls dream about weddings.
Who dreams about weddings?
I always wanted this.
Mellie...
I'd cancel because I know
what it feels like to be shot.
It was my birthday.
[Sighs]
I know.
I was there.
I know.
You were wearing a purple dress.
You remember the color of my dress?
I do. I remember your dress.
I remember arriving at the party,
holding your hand.
And then I remember
suddenly feeling like I'd been punched.
I didn't hear a gunshot at all,
just that punch.
Hit me so hard,
it yanked my hand out of yours.
I thought we were being attacked,
you and me, physically.
I actually thought
there was a person on me, punching me.
And it burned.
Every place I'd been punched burned.
But then I understood.
I understood because
the Secret Service agent
standing next to me
erupted in a spray of blood.
I saw the bullet hit him,
and I knew what was happening to me.
And then I got hit here.
I don't remember anything
at all after that.
So, yes.
If it were up to me,
if canceling this inauguration
meant that I could spare
the mother of my children
experiencing any of that, or worse...
I would.
[Sighs]
But's it not up to me.
It's up to you.
On January 20th...
you will be the president.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
- [Papers thud]
- [Gasps]
Progress report?
I was able to unmask the
last nine months of transfers
into that North Korean
Intelligence account.
And I checked them all.
None of them look like
they came from an account
belonging to Maya Pope.
So this is another dead end.
If we can't find Maya's money,
we can't find our terrorist.
What am I going to tell Olivia?
Well, maybe Maya's telling the truth.
So, my first job as head of
OPA is the one where Maya Pope,
known terrorist, just
happens to be in town
but isn't masterminding the
attack we know is taking place.
Well, she did say she
was here to help Liv.
She's not here to help Liv.
Charlie: Well, people change, Robin.
Look at us.
You're a boss lady now,
I'm your humble servant...
You're literally demonstrating
the opposite of your point.
Also, is that why you've been so weird?
- Okay, maybe we focus...
- Quinn: You cram it.
- You speak.
- Charlie: That's not...
I thought you got your
jollies the same way I did...
Torture, killing...
you know, humble, workaday stuff.
I haven't changed. I'm still me.
You bought a new chair!
I already told you I brought
that chair from home.
I've had that chair forever.
It's my chair.
She's right.
- About the chair?
- About everything.
People don't change.
But power structures do.
Charlie: I don't know!
I never married my boss before.
- Guys!
- Hey, I told you to cram it!
You cram it, because you're right.
People don't change.
You're still you, Maya's still Maya.
She's here, she's connected somehow.
But what if she isn't
bankrolling all this?
What are you saying?
I'm saying if we're
looking for connections,
maybe it's time we search downstream
instead of upstream...
Not at who was giving money
but who was getting money.
♪
[Knock on door]
[Sighs]
Huck.
I wanted to be the one to tell you.
Tell me what?
We thought your mother
was in charge, Liv.
- She's not.
- What are you talking about?
We followed the money. And?
Maya didn't hire the assassin.
She is the assassin.
♪
[Door opens]
Back for more, baby?
[Door closes]
- Olivia: Mom.
- Livvie.
Did they hurt you?
If they so much as laid
a finger on you...
It's okay.
I'm here now.
Dad told me everything.
I looked him in the eye.
He believes you.
I believe you.
You're just trying to help.
You're just trying to figure out
who's behind the attack on
the inauguration, too, right?
Yes, baby.
You're doing this for me.
I'm doing this for you.
You have to let this woman go!
She has rights!
Get in here!
You're gonna have to
give them something.
You know that, right?
You have to tell them
what you've been able
to figure out so far.
I'll be right here, by your side.
I'll protect you, Mom, okay?
When was the last time you ate?
Have they given you any water?!
Tell me what you need.
Girl, bye.
♪
You thought you had me, didn't you?
I'm your mama, baby.
Ain't no fooling me.
I'm gonna give you 30 seconds to tell me
how you're gonna pull off this attack.
Game recognizes game, sweetheart.
Start talking.
Two peas in a pod, you and him.
20 seconds.
Part of it's my fault, I guess.
I wasn't around
to raise you the way you
should have been raised.
[Chuckles] I can only imagine.
- 15.
- I left you to him,
thinking he could only
mess you up so much.
10.
Boy, was I wrong!
Now you're prancing around, acting like
you're some carbon copy of his wretched,
impotent ass.
Not a good look, sweetie.
And as if acting like him
is gonna get you somewhere with me.
I've been playing Eli for years,
so you're just playing yourself.
♪
[Chokes]
The games are over, Mom.
What are you doing?
You can't get inside my head.
Livvie...
You can't pull my strings,
because I am nothing like him.
Unlike him, I will kill you.
Livvie...
Go ahead. Tell me to do it. Tell me.
Dare me to squeeze the
life out of you right now.
You don't think I will? Tell me!
Tell me to do it!
- [Door opens]
- Jake: Liv!
♪
- It's okay.
- [Gasps]
Hey!
♪
It's okay.
Maya: It's okay, baby.
Mama understands.
Come on.
I understand.
It's okay.
♪
Things got out of hand.
If I hadn't pulled her off,
she would've strangled her to death.
- I thought Maya was restrained.
- She was. Liv attacked her.
[Sighs]
[Door opens]
[Sighs]
Mellie: Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Mellie, I'm sorry.
- Don't be.
- [Scoffs]
I'm sure there are a dozen people
who would've loved to do what you did.
I failed.
No, you didn't.
I lost control.
If she was ever going to talk,
that ship sailed when I wrapped
my hands around her neck.
I don't accept that.
Because if I accept that,
then that means we have to
cancel the inauguration,
and we are not going to do that.
Mellie...
This is not just a ceremony, not for us.
There are women across
the country right now
getting on buses, getting on planes,
making their way to Washington
to attend the inauguration
of the first female president
of the United States.
This is their moment.
This is the moment.
If we cancel,
if we hole up in the Oval
with a handful of people,
we are telling them that
they don't get their moment.
We are telling them that this
achievement is less than.
We are telling them that sure,
a woman can be president,
but it doesn't deserve to be celebrated
with as much pomp and circumstance
as every man who's taken the office.
Anything short of my
standing on the Capitol steps
in the presence of that crowd...
is an insult.
I won't do it.
We won't do it.
Will we?
No.
We won't.
My mother was paid
for the hit on Mellie.
Turns out, she's just a hired gun.
Jake: She's working for them.
- Yes.
- Who's "them"?
We don't know.
There's a chance my mother herself
doesn't even know who's
running this thing.
I want charges pressed against her.
- Make it happen, Rosen.
- Yes, sir.
No.
- No?
- We're not pressing charges.
We're letting her go.
What are you talking about?
We release my mother,
we send her off into the night,
we track her,
she leads us straight to
whoever's paying her...
Straight to whoever's
really behind all this.
We are not releasing a terrorist
who's been paid to assassinate
the president, Olivia.
Mellie's life is at risk.
Mellie's life is at risk
whether we release my mother or not.
We keep her in our custody,
whoever's out there
will just replace her with someone else.
They'll find another assassin.
Then we cancel the inauguration.
That's no longer an option.
Mellie's determined to go out there
and take her rightful
place as President,
as she should, as she deserves.
You actually think that
Maya is gonna just, what,
drop a trail of breadcrumbs?
It's that simple?
We all know who this woman is
and what this woman is capable of.
She'll play us.
She'll slip the leash
no matter what we do.
No, she's not going anywhere.
- Olivia: Fitz...
- I'll hold off on pressing charges.
But if you don't figure out
who Maya is working for
in the next 12 hours,
she will rot down there, in her cell,
for the rest of her life.
End of discussion.
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
Okay. Well, I think...
Jake: Get out of here, Rosen.
Go. Now.
[Door closes]
You know I'm right.
They'll find another assassin.
We can't let that happen.
We won't.
[Door opens]
We're letting you go.
Haven't we had enough play-acting?
This isn't an act.
This is us taking your lead.
We're using you, Mom... As bait.
Go out there and set up a meet
with whoever's paying
you. I want a name.
I want to know who it
is you're working for.
There'll be a tracking
chip implanted in you.
You'll be under constant surveillance.
Wherever you go, whatever you do,
I will be watching.
If you cross me...
♪
I will hunt you down myself,
and I will kill you.
♪
Get her out of here.
You okay?
Never been better.
[Camera shutter clicking]
Okay, well... bye?
Later.
See ya.
Abby, wait.
What?
You want to get some more punches in?
You think I don't already know that
I'm weak and selfish and greedy?
That I let a tiny drop
of power go to my head
and now the whole nation...
the whole world... is paying for it?
I'm a bad friend.
I deserve to be alone.
I'm pregnant.
Okay.
How far along?
I don't know.
Are you keeping it?
- I don't know.
- What do you know?
I know Charlie has
contacts in North Korea.
What does North Korea have
to do with you having a baby?
I slit a woman's throat
like it was nothing.
♪
People like Charlie,
people like me, we're...
dangerous.
And how can we...
How can I...
♪
Thank you.
For your help today.
This was...
It was nice.
♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
[Elevator bell dings]
[Sighs]
[Knock on door]
- What have you done?
- Olivia: Wine's on the table.
- I'm having some red,
- Olivia, damn it,
- but I've also got white...
- what have you done?!
Dad, if you want to come in,
have some wine, relax,
that's fine,
but we are not talking about this.
Because you know you're
making a mistake.
Because I can't tell you anything. Your
security clearance has been revoked.
- She played you!
- No, Dad, she played you.
So I took over. I took charge.
She's gonna die, Olivia.
Mellie Grant is going to die,
and it will be your fault.
["God Bless the Child" plays]
[Door opens]
♪ Them that's got ♪
♪ Shall get ♪
Olivia let her go?!
Get her in here. I need to speak to her.
You know why this happened, don't you?
This is...
Maya must have gotten to her,
messed with her head.
Maya is the symptom.
I'm talking about the disease.
The situation's been handled.
Mellie: I should hope so.
If that woman's gonna be out there,
roaming this city,
mere hours before my inauguration...
Do you not trust me?
Liv...
Well?
Nature abhors a vacuum.
Had B613 continued,
none of this would have happened.
You need to reinstate it
by executive order...
Your last act as president.
You think I'd hand that kind of power
back to the man who almost
ruined this country?
Who said I'd run it?!
My time is gone. It's your time now.
You are going to run it.
I made a call... The right call...
The only call...
And I'm going to be making
a lot more of them now,
so believe me when I tell you,
my mother will not fail me.
You understand the balance of power,
the fragility of the Republic,
the inner workings of our military
and our intelligence communities.
Much as I would like to
disagree with myself,
I have to admit,
there is no one more suited for the job
to keep a check on power.
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And when you got money ♪
♪ And all your spendin' ends ♪
♪ Oh, don't you know they
aren't comin' around anymore ♪
You know how to contact us.
When will we know something?
You'll know when you know, baby.
♪ Now, you can help yourself ♪
Olivia is the power now.
Without B613, there'll
be no check on her.
She is the disease,
and she'll end up ruined.
I can see that path for Olivia
as clearly as I can see my
own image in the mirror.
♪ But God bless the child ♪
Okay.
♪ It's always the child ♪
It's settled.
- ♪ I've got my own ♪
- It's settled.
♪ I've got my own ♪