Original subtitles

So, tonight on behalf of the 160 million mothers,

daughters, sisters, granddaughters,

and anyone else who has been made to feel

that there are doors in this world

that they don't have the keys to,

I gladly accept the Republican nomination

for President of the United States.

Are you...

Are you crying?

I'm not crying.

You're embarrassing us.

Thank you, everybody, but this is not my night.

This is your night, our night.

We made this campaign together,

so now let's make history together.

How'd it play?

Could not have gone any better from my perspective.

Yeah, his perspective was through tears.

Shut up.

You cried?

Well, I think that's beautiful. I couldn't help it.

You killed it. Mm.

No response yet from the Vargas campaign,

but we need to be prepared.

Told you so.

Thank you.

Mellie.

Hmm? Be careful.

Mm?

Marcus... I see the way he looks at you.

Oh, come on. He's not looking at me.

He doesn't look at me. How does he look at me?

Senator.

He's young, he admires you, he works for you.

Don't.

It's just very flattering.

I can be flattered, right?

You can.

Knees together.

Olivia, obviously. My God.

I want to be absolutely clear.

You're clear. Graphic and clear.

I've been where you are.

I am aware.

And we don't have time for it.

I am not you or Fitz, so...

you have nothing to worry about.

Okay. Good.

Fine.

Frankie Vargas has been shot.

Literally killed for this job.

I know you killed him, and I'm going to prove it.

I have some information.

I don't know who to talk to,

but this is... Oh, my God.

It was Cyrus Beene.

He killed Frankie Vargas.

It's the only voicemail

that went missing from the FBI tip line.

Less than a day later, her cabin exploded.

Liv, you were with me in the hospital

the night of the assassination.

You saw Cyrus.

You saw how grief-stricken he was.

Just because he killed Frankie doesn't mean he didn't feel bad about it.

We have a suspect in custody.

Nelson McClintock? Nelson McClintock is a patsy.

The evidence against him is overwhelming.

Really?

Then why haven't you charged him yet, David?

Has he confessed?

Has he? We're still working on it.

Of course you are, because he's innocent!

What else do you want me to do, Liv?

I sent the FBI out to the cabin.

There was no evidence.

You sent a couple of scrubs out there!

Actually, he sent the director.

And I brought an elite ERT unit with me.

We've been out there for the past 15 hours.

Director Webster. Olivia.

I didn't know.

I didn't mean any offense, obviously.

Is it obvious?

Have you found anything at that cabin

to tie this woman's death to Cyrus Beene?

No, Mr. President.

And based on what you've seen,

do you consider Cyrus Beene a suspect

in the assassination of Frankie Vargas?

No, Mr. President.

But you're not done looking.

Yes, she is! Mr. President...

I am not investigating Cyrus Beene

based on a tip line and a blown-up cabin in the woods.

I'm not.

I went on television, Liv, stood next to the man,

told the American people that he was their next president.

That was a mistake.

Who told me to do that?!

The election is over, Liv.

And so is this meeting. Thank you all for coming.

Frankie Vargas' funeral is tomorrow.

I want this case locked down.

That won't stop Liv.

As long as she still believes

she has a shot at the Oval with Mellie, any shot...

I'll take care of Mellie.

You make sure we get that confession.

I didn't do it.

Yes, you've made your position clear, Nelson.

The thing is, though, the evidence we have...

It paints a different picture.

Like your social-media presence.

We have several tweets here that have made it quite clear

that you were not a very big fan of Frankie Vargas.

Tweets like, "Get that dumb Mexican off my television.

♪ PutHimDown."

We also have your prints on, well, everything...

Gun, the roof from which it was fired,

the elevator leading up to that floor.

It's more than enough proof to get a conviction.

Now, there is a way to avoid all this.

What is this?

That, my friend, is an agreement.

Confess to the killing of President-Elect Vargas,

and we'll repay that honesty

by taking the death penalty off the table.

You'll live a long and healthy life

as a ward of the United States federal prison system.

What do you say?

If I could just confer with my client for a moment.

Give me that.

Can you read that okay?

It's a less polite way of saying go have sexual intercourse with yourself.

Nelson.

It's Mr. McClintock, as in my parents

came to America before yours did, David Rosen.

If you think I'm gonna confess to a crime I didn't commit,

you are sorely, sorely mistaken.

Take me back to my cell!

I am done talking.

That bastard.

So he's just gonna let Cyrus sashay into the White House.

"Here's the keys to the residence, Cy."

We'll nail Cyrus without them.

Jennifer's a loose thread.

We'll pull on that and see where it takes us.

Hold on. Quinn. Quinn.

Get down to Jennifer's cabin.

Get every piece of evidence you can find from the explosion

before the FBI packs it up... Everything.

They're shutting down the investigation any second,

so now. Right now.

On it. See? We're on it.

I'm reminded of a movie

where two women drive off a cliff together.

We can do this, Mellie.

Do not despair. Where are you, anyway?

White House.

Fitz said Teddy's been asking for me, so motherhood.

We'll drink later.

What the hell is going on?

Mellie. Fitz.

Sit down. I am not...

Sit... down.

You too.

You two need to talk. About?

Ways to avoid the implosion of the United States of America.

We are at a crossroads, and the fact that no one knows

who will be sitting in the Oval in January

isn't exactly helping,

so I'm gonna need the two of you to come up with a way,

a plan, a compromise to get us out of this mess.

You think you can do that?

Do you think you can do that?!

Okay.

Yes. Good.

Get it done.

Well?

Go ahead.

What?

You're gonna kill me, right?

I'm assuming that's your plan.

Am I in the right position?

I'm not sure how you normally do this.

I can lean my head forward if that's easier.

I want to make you an offer.

I want you to join my administration

as Vice President on a unity ticket.

I know.

It's not the job you wanted.

But this isn't the job I wanted, either.

But I want to do whatever I can

to try to bring this country together.

Vice President?

So... I'm supposed to serve you?

I'm supposed to allow you to just walk away

with a job that I have worked for,

I have bled for, I was born for, because why?

You just... You asked nicely?

It's not because you deserve it.

It's not because you earned it.

It is certainly not because you are

by any stretch of the imagination equipped for it.

You were never a candidate, Cyrus.

Frankie was. I was.

I still am, not you.

And if you think the only presidential candidate

left in this election is gonna get down on her knees

and be a good little girl for you,

the man who tried to murder his way into the Oval,

honey... you better think again.

Look at me, Mellie.

Look at me.

I had nothing to do with Frankie's death.

Absolutely...

nothing.

And despite everything Olivia's telling you right now,

at some point along the way here,

you're gonna realize I'm telling you the truth,

and then you're gonna feel terrible

about the chaos you will have helped create in this country.

I'm not...

the bad guy here, Mellie.

Not this time, at least.

This time, she is.

60 feet?

And six inches,

but that's if you're throwing from the mound.

From here, it's more like 51 feet.

Why am I doing this again?

Would you say you have a problem with white male voters?

I can make a stronger appeal to them, yes.

Well, they actually still watch baseball.

And throwing out the first pitch at Nationals Park

is a good way to make a strong appeal.

In two weeks?

You can do this.

You have me.

I'm gonna teach you everything I know.

I'm rich. You know that, right?

We could afford a professional to teach me how to do this.

I can see why you don't have many friends.

I am just sure you have better things to do

with your night off.

I can't think of anything better than this.

Can you?

No.

Are you gonna teach me to throw that thing or what?

Let's go.

Show me how you grip it.

That'll work.

So, lob...

or heat?

Heat.

That's my girl.

It's all in the hips.

You're gonna turn sideways

and point that hip directly towards the plate.

Like this?

Uh-huh.

Marcus.

Yes?

I got to go.

Right.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Look, Mellie...

See you in the morning!

Laptop. Score.

Hey, should I call your dad?

You know, permission and all that.

What? No.

Who's gonna walk you down the aisle?

Just... Let's get out of here.

I've been thinking the courthouse, or what?

You know, just...

All evidence goes in here.

Jake.

Sit.

Is this about that dead girl in the cabin?

I hear Liv's on a war path about it.

It's actually about Nelson McClintock.

We have enough evidence to prove he pulled the trigger,

but we still have to prove he acted alone.

And until we can make the argument convincingly,

this case stays open.

Okay, I'm not sure how the NSA can help

beyond what we've already done, but...

I'm not looking for the NSA's help, Jake.

I'm looking for yours.

Look.

Help me slam the book shut on this

and the election is over...

And by "over," I mean over.

Everyone can move on.

I thought you might be interested in that.

Am I wrong?

What kind of help do you need?

Mellie.

What are you doing here?

I was, uh... There was a...

With Teddy just now, there was a thing.

You all right?

Yes, of course.

Also, stop doing that.

Doing what?

Coming up to me with your concern.

You don't get to do that anymore.

Come on.

You didn't choose me.

Nobody does.

Strike one.

Senator Grant brings the heat to Nationals Park

and to her political...

Sending that first pitch...

Every channel. You missed your calling.

What a rush.

I'm still... Those guys get to do that every day?

I particularly love the way

you brushed the dirt off your shoulder afterwards.

This calls for a drink!

This is the good stuff.

The unmarked mayonnaise jar gives it away.

Whoo! Mm.

Damn!

We might win this thing.

I should go.

Yeah.

I should work on that speech.

Good job today.

Yeah.

Marcus.

Yeah.

Don't.

Huh?

Don't go.

What? Oh, you did it?

I have every mission that Charlie has ever been on.

I know. That's what I asked for.

I don't know if it's a good idea.

I mean, you know who Charlie is. You know what he's capable of.

What good comes from reading all the gory details?

You can't just get married without doing due diligence. I need to know everything.

Okay, people. The White House is sticking to their lone-gunman theory.

We need major evidence

to counter their narrative and show Cyrus' guilt.

What do we know about this girl?

Jennifer Fields, our victim.

Left a voicemail on the FBI tip line,

blown up in a cabin in the woods.

28, videographer for the Vargas campaign.

Followed Frankie all day, every day.

Probably captured over 3,000 hours of footage.

We need that footage.

There's nothing on the cloud.

There was a laptop at the scene.

Kind of burned up, but there could be footage on it.

We had our hands on it at the cabin,

but unfortunately, the feds nabbed it from us.

Then nab it back.

That footage is our only hope. Let's go, people.

I apologize.

I was out of line

questioning your authority in the Oval Office.

No, I'm the one who was out of line.

No, it was me,

which is why I'm paying for drinks tonight.

I insist.

Look at us. All grown up.

Look at you.

The FBI. How is it?

Well, I'm the boss, so, you know,

no one's gonna actually comment,

but, you know, I get the look.

The usual "How did you get here" glance.

I love the glance.

And the "You must be in the wrong place" smile.

"The service entrance is in the back" handshake.

Hmm?

Angela drives a nice ride.

I'm in.

Well, I'm glad that you're here. The President is lucky to have you.

Yeah.

Oh.

Oh, no.

Liv, no.

I would never, ever.

You know that.

You and I go back!

Mm. I respect you.

I mean...

President Grant is very...

Attractive?

Magnetic?

Charismatic? Yes.

But no, nothing has happened between us.

Nothing.

And it's important to me that you know that.

Okay.

And nothing ever will.

Unless you give me the green light.

Got a print?

Sending it now.

If it's not okay,

if you still have feelings for him,

the two of you are still......

Just say the word.

No.

No, you should ask him out.

I should?

You think?

Sure.

If he says yes, of course.

Charlie, I need that case file.

As fast as I can, Robin.

If you want to take a shot,

good for you.

Go for it.

♪ I like the sound of funky music ♪ Great.

Yeah. Great.

Got it.

Case file 496-758329.

Evidence?

Yeah, case file 496-758329.

Director Webster needs it up here ASAP.

So, McClintock.

I'm sorry.

You know I can't talk about the case.

Where the hell have you been?

Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?

I, um... We just got the order.

You just got it?

Okay, listen.

I would turn and walk... No, run

in the opposite direction before the Director sees you,

'cause, man, she is pissed.

I'm sorry. I need to get back to the office.

Angela. Angela, wait.

What?

I-I just want to say that...

Liv.

That I'm really glad we got to talk.

It was really good seeing you, Liv.

Director Webster.

You can drop the fake deference, especially since

you're interrogating my suspect without authorization.

With all due respect, I don't need your authorization.

I'm acting on behalf of the White House.

I got here as fast as I could. What's the emergency?

There's no emergency.

I need an injunction against Abby Whelan.

She's jeopardizing the integrity of my investigation.

Whatever's going on here,

I'm sure we can come up with a non-litigious solution.

Knock yourselves out.

I'm gonna go check in with my suspect.

I'm sorry. You can't go in there.

Abby, she's the Director of the FBI.

She's the one investigating the shooting of Frankie Vargas,

not the White House. I understand that.

It's just that, uh, well,

there's someone in there right now.

Mr. McClintock has confessed to the crime of shooting Frankie Vargas.

Have a good evening.

I'll let the President know he should be expecting you.

What on God's green earth is he doing?

Jennifer's laptop was damaged in the explosion.

In order to access it,

Huck needs to rebuild the hard drive.

You can actually do that?

Huck can.

He got that where exactly?

Do you really want to know?

So long as there is proof on that video

that Cyrus killed Frankie,

no, I am more than happy to stay in the dark.

Have you met the new Director of the FBI?

Angela Webster.

I think I met her a couple times.

Why?

David.

The Constitution's going up in flames.

I need to speak to the President.

He's not in. Where is he?

Hard to say.

He's a busy man, running the country and all.

Don't do this. Don't do what?

Allow you to bother my boss

with a matter that's already been taken care of?

Like I said, he's a busy man.

This most certainly has not been taken care of, Abby.

Not when the White House has decided

to pin Frankie Vargas' assassination on the wrong guy.

McClintock confessed to everything...

To planning his attack for months

to gaining his access to forged press credentials

to his ties to various white-supremacist groups.

He confessed.

Because you forced him to sign some ridiculous paper.

That just isn't true.

Abby, how could you?

How could you manage to do something so terrible,

something so beneath you? What was it you said, Liv?

Sometimes we have to do what's necessary

no matter the consequences.

Don't you dare.

That is what I am doing, Olivia...

My job.

I am protecting this office.

No, you're destroying it.

And if you think a false confession is where this ends,

then you are sorely mistaken.

Believe me when I tell you Cyrus will go to prison

and Mellie will become our next president.

So do me a favor and pass that on to your boss, will you?

What?

You hear they have a confession out of the shooter?

That all?

Cyrus offered me Vice President.

Okay.

What should I do?

What does Olivia say?

I can't ask her. Why not?

You know why not.

Because it's a betrayal? Marcus.

You're young, qualified.

Eight years in the second seat

will only make you more qualified.

You can run again and win.

I believe that.

There's also a freedom in the Vice Presidency.

You're not under a microscope.

You can...

you know, have a personal life.

Right.

Listen, I have to go.

Listen, what if there's a chance

I could still have the presidency now?

I miss you.

What?

You said no one ever chooses you.

Marcus.

I did choose you.

I would choose you.

You just have to choose me.

I have you set with a private sit-down

with Chris Stearns at tomorrow's donor breakfast.

He liked your speech on disability rights.

He has three disabled grandkids and a lot of money,

so bring it home.

I also need you to sign Eleanor Fuller's letter personally.

She holds them up to the light to make sure they're not stamps.

Mellie.

Mellie, where are you?

What? I'm sorry.

I just, um...

Where are we?

Melody Margaret Grant.

I know.

Knees together.

I just...

I couldn't help myself.

You didn't. I did.

I so did.

Boy, did I!

And I know I should feel guilty

or some kind of shame or something,

but I just can't because my God,

I didn't know it could be this good.

So... okay.

The sex is good, but, Mellie... Good?

No.

I don't think you... Good.

Um...

I wept.

Literally wept.

I actually shed uncontrollable tears of joy

while having sex.

That's not good. That's... mm.

There is a fire inside me now.

I am having almost a religious experience.

I got it.

No. No?

I found the light, Liv.

I was living in the dark.

I was blind, but now I see.

My skin is warm, and I feel generous,

and colors seem brighter, and smells seem stronger,

and I believe in...

I believe.

And the thing is I'm pretty sure it's just...

love.

And I have gone without it all this time.

Hmm.

Can you believe I've missed it?

Can you believe I went for so long never feeling this?

Is this what you felt with Fitz?

Because if it is

I understand.

You should have it. I should have it.

Everybody should have it!

It's happiness.

I'm happy. Marcus makes me happy.

He loves me.

And I'm happy for you.

You deserve this. Oh.

And I'm so glad Marcus is the guy.

I was worried,

but it sounds like you have something real with him.

Worried? Why were you worried?

It's r-really nothing.

People in this town like to talk.

You remember him sleeping with the mayor's wife.

He cared about her.

Of course.

But also, when I met Marcus,

he was a community activist with a civil-rights podcast,

and he gave that all up pretty quickly.

Yeah, to come and work for you.

Yes. Was he doing it for the right reasons?

Maybe.

But you can understand why people might look at that

and, you know, decide he's a climber,

someone who's always looking for the next rung up,

someone who may not always be the most loyal.

But as long as he's doing right by you...

He is! Good.

Oh.

All right, enough girl talk.

I need to get some sleep.

I'll see you tomorrow. Mm!

Mellie.

I'm happy for you.

How's it going? I disassembled the drive

and cleaned off the smoke particles from the platters,

replacing the read/write heads, but that didn't do it.

So I wrote my own software,

creating a virtual way to rebuild the data.

Huck, did you fix it?

Yes.

We got the footage back.

Good. Problem is...

there's over 5,000 hours of it.

Senator Grant.

I'm still weighing Cyrus' offer.

I assumed you were, which is why

in the interest of helping you reach a decision,

we need to have a conversation.

It's the pitch heard 'round the political world.

Senator Grant's stellar strike

has raised her polling significantly

among male voters nationally. A 14-point bump among older white males?

14?

Mellie got out on that baseball field and she sold it.

America's pastime for the win.

Abby... I may need a favor from you.

Okay.

It's about Marcus.

I think he and Mellie...

I think there's something happening between them.

Okay.

I may need you to offer him a job at the White House...

Something big, something he can't turn down.

Is it just a fling, or...

I think it's more than that.

I see.

So, I'd be helping you break them up

the way you broke up me and David.

We're making the President happy.

We do whatever's necessary,

no matter the consequences.

Did you get Marcus the Press Secretary job?

I'll ask again.

Did you get Marcus the Press Secretary job?

Mellie...

Oh.

I can't believe...

This is...

Well, this is a new low for you, for us.

I told myself that this was true, that this was you.

You can't be the one person

who destroys every relationship I ever have, can you?!

Mellie...

Why are you doing this?!

What is wrong with you?!

You asked me to make you President.

Don't tell me you didn't once think about

the laundry list of consequences

that would have ensued if you and Marcus Walker,

a member of your very own campaign team,

black, poll crusher, public-opinion sinker,

political poison Marcus Walker were discovered

to be having a secret love affair

in the middle of your presidential campaign?

I can't believe this.

Because I know I haven't dedicated

the last two years of my life to such outright foolishness,

and I know that you are not that stupid.

It was a choice...

Marcus or the presidency.

One or the other, but not both.

You don't get to have both.

You get to be powerful.

You get to change the world.

You don't get to be vulnerable

or weak or compromised in any way by anyone!

I am not going to listen to this.

You didn't see it. You couldn't see it!

So I did what I had to do. I did my job!

And I made the choice for you.

You said you wanted the Oval, Mellie,

and it was my job to get it for you.

There are sacrifices.

Marcus was one of them.

Cyrus offered me Vice President.

I know, right?

I mean, I wasn't going to accept.

There was no way I could accept.

But

We are done, Olivia.

Good luck finding a way back to the White House now

because without me...

you have absolutely nothing.

I've got 20 minutes before I have to get back to the Hill.

I've been trying to call you. I got good news.

19.

Abby offered me White House Press Secretary.

Okay.

Did you hear me?

You have a job.

But now I have the job.

It's the White House, Mellie.

"Congratulations" often works in these situations.

When do you leave?

Today.

Okay then.

Mellie.

You should've told me.

I just did.

That you were unhappy here.

I wasn't. Instead of leading me to believe

that this was something that you wanted,

like I'm some idiot.

Mellie, you should be proud.

Oh.

Is that what you tell them?

"Them"?

What's going on with you?

I don't believe this.

I should be proud. Proud.

Of what?

Allowing you to use me as a stepping stone?

A bullet point on your résumé?

Excuse me?

I'm curious.

When you're done with Press Secretary,

what are you gonna do then?

Host your own political show? The networks will be calling.

You gonna write a book? A memoir?

That will be fascinating.

Personally, I'd love to hear all about

how you capitalized on the death of Brandon Parker

to launch your failed mayoral campaign.

And what exactly ever made you

sleep with the D.C. mayor's wife?

Oh, oh.

Maybe it's a Cabinet position you're really after.

That's got to be it, right?

Oh, let me ask you something, Marcus.

How many women do you think you'll have to screw

in order to get one of those?

You're unbelievable.

But I'm not wrong.

You are... wrong.

Congratulations on your promotion, Marcus.

You earned it.

Wait, is that what you're thinking?

That I shouldn't marry Charlie?

Because yesterday, it seemed like you...

I'm thinking we have a lot of footage...

Thousands of hours to go through.

No, we don't. You can stop.

Pack it up. We're done.

I can do it. I just need...

Doesn't matter because we don't have a candidate anymore.

So we pack it up. We give up?

What about truth, justice, country, et cetera?

What is your problem?

My problem?

Back and forth,

hemming and hawing about marrying Charlie.

It's a big decision. And?

And I made it quickly without thinking. And?

And he's done horrible, terrible things. And?

And...

and he's old!

And he somehow loves you.

And you somehow love him,

and you're looking for excuses because you're scared.

I am not scared. Then what?

What is stopping you from accepting something

that most people never have?

What?

Share your life.

Because you're not tethered to power.

Because you live below the radar.

Because you're free from it.

Because you can.

You are being offered normal, maybe even happy.

The fact that you're questioning whether you should take them,

frankly, it's annoying.

Live!

You get to live and love and be happy.

Do you know what some people would give...

Okay, okay. Geez.

I got it.

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Charlotte, I'm meeting Fitz about Cyrus.

Senator Grant, he's in a meeting.

I'll let him know you're here.

Thank you. And, Charlotte?

Can you see if Marcus Walker is in?

I'd like to see him, too.

Of course.

Mr. Walker!

Senator Grant?

She was just here.

It hurt this bad when you left Fitz?

Yes.

Liv.

Huck, leave us alone. We're drinking.

I've been going through Jennifer's video footage.

You're gonna want to see this.

Sorry to interrupt.

There's something you need to see.

I hate the fact that I ever trusted you!

What you did is vile!

Inexcusable!

Frankie, please.

You don't understand.

No, what you don't understand

is the moment I'm elected President of the United States,

my first order of business

will be to put you in the coldest jail cell possible.

Over my dead body

will you get away with what you did!

Frankie.

Well, what do you think?

Is it time for the Justice Department

to actually investigate the murder of Frankie Vargas?

Abby, get me the Attorney General.