"The Electoral College meets in four days to select the nation's next President." " Yeah." " And with Cyrus Beene charged in the assassination of his running mate..." " That's right!" " The electors have little choice" " but to rally around Republican." " David!" "Go, go!" "Candidate Mellie Grant." " That's right!" " Those several electors have pledged themselves to third-party candidates..." "That is just so perfectly right!" "Aah!" "Was that an antique?" "Oopsie." "Don't apologize." "That's how every table dreams of going out..." "In a..." "Aw..." "Say, are you thirsty?" "Parched." "Okay." "Shh!" "Shh!" "Shh!" "It's me." "Here's what you're gonna do." "You're gonna walk back in there, you're gonna be perfectly calm, and you're gonna tell your girlfriend she needs to leave because something's come up that needs your attention." "I know." "I know." "She screams real nice." "But she also helped kill the future President and framed Cyrus for his murder." "It's a lot to take in." "Try to act natural... 'cause, David, if she suspects you know, she will kill you." "What are the options?" "Senator, there are no options." "You're telling me to cede the Presidency." "I wish I didn't have to." "That is America out there." "I don't quit on them." "That is not my job." "My job is to fight for them." "My job is to make this world better for them." "Frankie Vargas won the election." "I'm fighting." "I'm not quitting, Olivia." "This is not our party, Senator." "This is not our time!" "The White House belongs to Frankie and Cyrus." "It belonged to Frankie." "You're telling me Cyrus Beene should run the country because Frankie's gone?" "He is not gone." "He was taken." "They took him from his rightful place." "Cyrus was his choice." "We have to do what is right." "If anyone deserves to wear the white hat right now..." "White hat?" "!" "For the love of..." "Get off your cross!" "Like you never murdered anybody?" "!" "Like you never stole an oval or two?" "!" "This is the Oval!" "I was born for this!" "This is mine!" "You don't want to win this way." "Yes, I do!" "You don't!" "I know you don't." "Because if you do this, steal the Oval like this, knowing that murder is the only way you won, you will be no better than those people." "And I know you are better than them." "I know you inside." "You are a better person than most." "You are inherently... good." "It's why you would've been a great President." "Last night the Department of Justice received definitive evidence that alleged assassin Tom Larsen was not in Philadelphia on the night of Governor Frankie Vargas' murder." "Cyrus Beene is innocent of all charges related to the murder of Frankie Vargas." "On behalf of the Justice Department, let me say that we deeply regret the charging and incarceration of an innocent man, especially in a case as sensitive as this one." "What does this mean for the Electoral College vote?" "The vote..." "The vote will take place as scheduled." "Will Cyrus Beene become the country's next President-Elect?" "That's a question for the electors." "If they choose to vote for Cyrus Beene, then, yes, he would become the country's next President-Elect." "In the meantime, Cyrus Beene is to be released, effective immediately." "This is real." "Yeah, it's real." "Mellie's devastated... as she should be, but with time... she'll be okay." "She has to be." "Tomorrow morning, Mellie will make her statement." "She'll cede the Presidency to Cyrus Beene and..." "Liv." "Come here." "Come here." "I wanted this." "I needed this." "You deserved this." "Good night, Fitz." "Good night, Liv." "I know it's not home, but given the amount of media camped out on your doorstep," "I think you'll agree this is a better option." "I had the White House issue a statement on your behalf, asking for privacy at this difficult time." "The press, as you know, will ignore it, which is why there are Secret Service posted outside, just down the hall." "They'll keep guard." "They'll keep watch, rather, and you should be safe here." "My assistant will bring more clothes in the morning." "Is there anything you want, specifically?" "Anything you need?" "Ella." "I need to see my daughter." "Bring her here?" "I asked already." "Michael won't allow it." "But I will ask again." "No need." "Red, I-I'd just like to be alone now." "Of course." "I know this is all very... new." "But you're not just free, Cyrus." "You're the next President of the United States." "Get some rest." "Spread 'em." "The eyes of the world are now on Senator Mellie Grant, whose team has called a press conference for this afternoon." "In the wake of Cyrus Beene's exoneration and release from pris..." "I know that sigh." "What are you doing here?" "That's the sigh of a championship rider whose horse keeps getting sold out from under her, which is why you have to own your own horses." "I mean, what else are you gonna keep in your stables." " Am I right?" " I'm conceding, Liz." "Why?" "Why are you rolling over?" "Now that we know Cyrus is innocent..." "We don't know anything." "Which one of them got to you?" "Cyrus?" "Fitz?" "No, I know." "It was Olivia." "You belong in the Oval, and you know it." "It's not that simple." "There are other things, complications." "Complications?" "This is Washington!" "Do you think complications ever stopped Fitz?" "Why are you really here?" "You don't even like me." "I don't like people." "But, believe it or not..." "I respect you." "You've survived more in this town than anyone could have ever expected." "But giving up a job that's yours?" "Because of complications only a man can handle?" "That's weak." "If I'd have known you'd back down this easily," "I would never have voted for you." "Mellie just cracked the top ten trending topics." "Everyone wants to know what she's gonna do." "Good." "We're all set for this afternoon." "Concession speech at the Lincoln Memorial." "Are you okay?" "Do you need water?" "More pillows maybe?" "You're not bleeding on my sheets again, are you?" "I'm fine." " Hey." " Hey, he said he's fine." "Is that my robe?" " No." " Yes." "He said it feels like money." "Just wash it when you're done." "I thought of an option." "We let the electors decide for themselves." "Mellie." "Just think about it, Liv." "There is nothing you or I can do anymore." "We've already done all we can by running a phenomenal campaign." "Now it is up to those 538 electors to decide who is going to be the next President." "Now we have to let the system..." "The Constitution..." "Do its thing." "Mellie, we already agreed what we have to do." "You're making a speech this afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial." "I don't need to just roll over and concede anymore, Liv." "All I need to do is sit back and watch the Electoral College make history." "Isn't that wonderful?" "No, it's not, because it wouldn't be fair." "Fair?" "To whom?" "To the country." "To Cyrus." "Mellie, I would be in complete and total agreement with you if it weren't for the people who fixed this election." "If it weren't for Cyrus having to go to prison for a crime he never committed." "There is nothing we can do to change any of that." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "I am." "Liz North says..." "Liz..." "North... says?" "!" "Mellie." "I can't do it, Liv." "I just can't." "Those electors aren't simply going to forget that they ever laid eyes on Cyrus's mug shot." "This isn't a fair fight anymore." "Cyrus has been tainted by all of this." "He has been hurt." "Then help him through it." "Fix it for him." "I mean, if anyone can make things fair, it's you, right?" "So, do your best." "Do whatever it is that you feel so compelled to do." "But just know that..." "I am going to do the same." "I'm really sorry, Olivia, but my mind is made up." "Have a good day." "Cyrus Beene." "Our new client." "And the most hated man in America." "Not once we're through." "Not once we've launched a media blast that will remind the electors that Cyrus is not only innocent, but experienced." "Presidential." "Our country's electors should not be fooled by this so-called evidence." "Mellie Grant is your President, not this murderer who got off on a technicality." "All the President is saying is that America has a choice now." "A choice?" "!" "Between an elegant and experienced stateswoman and a greased hog who managed to slip through the bars of his prison cell somehow?" "Cyrus Beene is innocent, plain and simple." "The FBI had enough evidence to arrest Cyrus Beene of murder." "Plain and simple." "How about we just stick with the non-arrested-for-murder candidate?" "Call me old-fashioned, but is that too much to ask of someone seeking the highest office in the land?" "Hello." "I brought two suits." "One is navy." "The other..." "They're not gonna f-fit." "What?" "The suits won't fit." "Not properly, at least." "I've lost 14 pounds thanks to a regimented diet of only the finest prison food." "Cyrus, can I come in?" "Can we talk?" "No." "Matter of fact, if I recall correctly, you told me you'd never speak to me again." "Remember that, Liv?" "I'm sorry." "Of course you are." "Well, thanks for that." "That was something, but I've got some things to attend to, so see you around." "Did you hear about the elector in Virginia?" "The one talking about going faithless." "There's a chance he may switch his vote from Mellie to you." "He believes you should be the President." "Do you have anything to say about that?" "Guy sounds like a moron." "Bye-bye." "First, it's this guy, then another elector in Florida." "Another in Iowa." "Texas." "You're still in this thing, Cyrus." "Can you let go of the door?" "Mellie, however, is not going to go down without a fight." "The door." "Let go." "You need to take a shower." "Shave." "Suit up." "You need to get out there and win this thing!" "Let go of the friggin' door!" "I begged you to listen to me." "To believe me." "I told you I was going to die." "And what did you do?" "What did you do, Olivia?" "You left me for dead." "Now you're here." " Cyrus..." " No, no, no, no, no." "You need to understand something here." "You do not get this chance." "You do not get anything more from me." "It is over." "This is over." "I am now a former death row inmate." "I was charged with murder." "You were fully exonerated." "You..." "You think anybody's gonna give a damn about that?" "You're delusional." "Sick." "No." "No." "This is over." "Leave me the hell alone." "I can't." " Yeah, you will." " No, I can't." "Because you're wrong." "This is not over." "This is far from over." "And I'm gonna prove it to you, Cyrus." "You may not believe me now, but..." "Wait!" "The Vargas case is a mess." "I've been on the phone nonstop since Cyrus's release." "I can't believe I have to start all over again." "I can only imagine." "But I know you can handle it." "So, what did Olivia want?" "I'm sorry?" "Olivia Pope." "I heard she was in the White House." "To talk." "Obviously." "Sorry, my mind is in this speech" "I have to give at CPAC tomorrow." "Don't you think it's a little strange that one day Olivia's moving heaven and earth to bury Cyrus, and now, all of a sudden, she's his champion?" "I hadn't thought about it." "She didn't mention anything to you?" "Nope." "Didn't Olivia work here when Tom Larsen was a Secret Service agent in the White House?" "I think so." "I'm not sure." "Well, did they keep in touch?" "Because if there's a connection between them, then that could explain Olivia's behavior." "I would love to work, but if we're not gonna work," "I definitely don't want to talk about the inner workings of Olivia Pope's brain." "Thank you so much for coming." "Before I do this, I need to know, are you 100% sure Cyrus is innocent?" "I would stake my life on it." "Dad?" "What's going on, Dad?" "It's been too long." "I wanted to see you." "Can I show you something?" "This is the last piece I will affix." "Sandra and I... we agreed that this would be the final piece." "A fitting way to complete his story." "I've got Frankie Vargas's widow waiting." "I need to get back to work." "Cyrus is..." " Inside." " What?" "Step inside the box." "Their surveillance system, like any other, is simply a grid..." "An imperfect grid." "It took a while to figure it out." "A lot of sleepless nights." "Counting steps, circling, listening to the sound of cameras shifting as I moved." "These boxes are dead spots." "You need to stop doing what you're doing." "You need to stop trying to make Cyrus President." "I'm giving him back what they took." "There is nothing to get back." "When these people take from you, it is gone." "Finished." "Forever." "I can't believe that." "You don't want to believe that." "These people can't win." "They've already won!" "If Cyrus Beene becomes President, they will kill you!" "You have to stand down, Olivia." "I won't quit." "I will win." "There is no winning." "There's simply life and death." "I remain useful to these people because I assume they believe" "I maintain a certain level of influence over you." "If that goes away, if you walk out that door without heeding my advice," "I am useless to them." "I am extinct." "It was really good to see you, Dad." "I'll see you again very soon." "I promise." "Olivia." "Survival of the fittest, right?" "Cyrus Beene was never anything but a faithful and loyal supporter and friend to my late husband, Frankie Vargas." "We should all be grateful that he has finally been shown to be the innocent man that he is..." "The man we voted for." "The man my husband believed in and chose to carry out his vision for the American people." "It's time Cyrus Beene take his rightful place as President and end this national nightmare once and for all." "Thank you, Mrs. Vargas, for sharing..." "Some interesting poll results this morning." "It seems that Cyrus Beene, thanks in no small part to Luna Vargas's endorsement yesterday, may actually have a shot with electors." "If I'm Senator Grant right now," "I'm looking for a way to stop Beene's momentum." "We're here with Michael Ambruso, estranged husband of Cyrus Beene." "So, Michael, you know Cyrus, I'd say, better than anyone, right?" "I suppose." "Yes." "Do you think he killed Frankie Vargas?" "Liv!" "Well, he's been cleared of all charges due to new evidence." "Yes, we know." "But what my audience and myself would like to know is, do you, Michael Ambruso, believe Cyrus Beene assassinated Governor Francisco Vargas?" "No." "I do not think Cyrus killed Frankie Vargas." "But..." "Cyrus is not a good man." "He's a liar." "A cheater." "A manipulator." "His lies know no bounds." "Our entire marriage was about him." "His needs." "I wasn't a partner or a lover." "I was his housekeeper, his nanny." "I picked his daughter up from school and his clothes from off the floor." "And at night, I cried myself to sleep in an empty bed because the man I vowed to have and to hold couldn't be bothered to have me or to hold me." "So, no, Cyrus Beene did not end Frankie Vargas's life, but he ruined mine." "And for that, he doesn't have my vote." "Well, there you have it, folks." "Michael Ambruso, in his own words, telling the world that "till death do us part"" "ends at the ballot box." "Shame on you." "Cyrus was in jail because of a lie, and you just used his family to destroy him." "It wasn't me... or Elizabeth because, like you, she just called, asking if I had done it, which I hadn't." "If anyone should be ashamed, Liv, it's you." "She's lying." "She wants to be seen as the good guy." "Noble." "It's the only way she justifies what she's done, which, in fact, is completely reprehensible." "I've seen Mellie lie before." "This wasn't that." "This was someone else." "Who?" "Liv?" "I went to see my father yesterday." "And?" "He told me to stop." "He said if I didn't, they would kill him." "So it was your father." "He did this." "It would be so easy..." "Don't." "One word to Angela and all this gets settled." "We are not ratting out my father." "He's guilty." "And weak and old and imprisoned." ""We've all done terrible things."" "Those were your words to me." "I forgave Abby." "Now it's your turn." "We should be focused on Cyrus." "We put him in prison, we abandoned him, we left him to die." "Cyrus needs us." "I'm not hungry." "Leave it..." "Leave it outside!" "Damn it." "Can I come in?" "When was the last time you were outside?" "I don't..." "You drink beer now?" "I'm not drinking beer." "Someone distilled this, poured it into a barrel to age before we were born." "It's maybe the best in the world." "Give me another." "Good to be out?" "It's strange." "I can imagine." "No, you can't." "What was it like?" "Prison?" "H-Hell." "Pu-Pure hell especially because..." "I know." "I got jumped in prison." "Crap knocked out of me." "Left for dead." "What?" "!" "A guard set me up." "Let some Frankie supporters have at me." "Needed stitches on the top of my head, cracked a rib." "A drunk kid accidentally hit me with a rowing oar in boarding school." "Pretty much exactly the same thing." "You know why I'm here." "Olivia sent you to get me to fight for the Oval." "I'm sorry, Cyrus." "I appreciate that, sir." "Do you remember what I gave you in the hospital the night of the assassination?" "I believe so." "America." "It's still there, Cyrus." "It's yours." "And as your President, I'm asking you to take it." "Can you do that?" "Are you ready to become President, sir?" "I don't deserve to be President." "You don't spend a decade in Washington without committing a few sins." "I'd committed more than a few." "So, when I was thrown in prison, it made sense." "When my friends abandoned me and my husband left me... that made sense." "It all made sense." "So what if I hadn't killed Frankie?" "I lied." "I pursued my own agenda." "I let my daughter down." "Prison, then?" "A treason charge?" "It was..." "I-It... was almost a relief because I knew I was unworthy." "Except three days ago," "I was released, cleared," ""told," Go out there, Cy." "Tell them you deserve to be President."" "But I know I don't." "Strangely enough, that's what finally convinced me to come here... because nobody "deserves" to be President." "Certainly not the people who most often try to be President." "Except for Frankie." "He... was... different." "The people saw it." "It's why he won." "And maybe it's why we lost him." "In his absence, I offer you something far more meager..." "My flaws... and my service." "Frankie Vargas loved this country." "He embodied the best of our values..." "Diversity, humility, kindness." "Unworthy as I am, his hopes have become my compass." "And that's why I'm here..." "To make you a promise." "If chosen to serve as your President," "I will strive to honor Frankie's legacy, to become worthy of the office that was rightfully his." "What the hell?" "We thought it was time for you to meet your benefactors." "You're working for them?" "We're all working together." "Theodore Peus." "It's so nice to finally meet you." "This is insane." "If you think I am shaking hands with these murderers..." "They've got the votes." "What do you mean, "They got the votes"?" "The electors." "It's been taken care of." "Taken care of?" "Electors are human beings, Senator." "Push the right buttons, they'll cave to your demands." "So you threatened them?" "It's harmless arm-twisting." "What matters is that you are going to be President." "Isn't that great?" "Undo it." " Mellie..." " Undo it!" "I don't want to win this way or even have this conversation." "In fact, I would like you to leave my office." "All of you." "Now!" "Did you hear what I said?" "!" "Are you familiar with the Trojan War, Senator?" "I asked you to leave." "It's the one where the Greeks snuck inside their enemy's gates" " inside a wooden horse." " Rachel?" "!" "Rachel took a walk." "You're our horse, Senator." "Our way into the White House." "You'll be the President, but we'll be in charge because you fear us." "I'm afraid you're stuck with us." "Okay, one..." "I don't fear anyone." "Two... you will never step foot in my White House, let alone tell me what to do." "Maybe we should all just..." "Three..." "I will make it my mission to have you tried and hung for the murder of Frankie Vargas." "That cannot stand." "Have I made myself clear?" "Let's do this." "Let's take tonight, think things through." "And then once we've all had a chance to calm down a little and catch our breath..." "One..." "Now you do fear us." "Two..." "Miss Ruland is your new Chief of Staff now that Miss North has become unavailable." "You report directly to her." "Three..." "If you alert authorities or try to cede the Presidency to Cyrus, we will kill your children." "Have I made myself clear?" "Senator?" "Yes." "Yes." "I think our work here is done." "Congratulations, Senator." "You're about to be President." "What's this?" "The warrant I'm submitting to have Olivia Pope arrested." "On what grounds?" "My team uncovered a large payment to Tom Larsen from a bank account associated with Olivia." "It's all right there." "I'm sure this isn't what it seems." "You're sure?" "Because I'm not." "Tom Larsen said he killed Frankie Vargas." "And this money makes it look like Olivia paid him to do so in order to get her candidate into the White House." "Angela." "I came here as a courtesy." "I know that you and her have history." "I just wanted you to know that my hands are tied." "I have no choice but to bring her in." "You made Olivia your target from the beginning." "You have blinders on." "Excuse me?" "You know what I mean." "And it's so ridiculous and so insulting that you're gonna have to say it for me to truly understand." "This isn't about truth and justice." "It's about something else." "Boy, I am the director of the FBI, not some chick who got dissed at prom." "I'm filing this warrant, and Olivia Pope is going to answer my questions." "I hope you can respect that, respect how I do my job." "And I hope to see you later." "I didn't tell you on the phone." "That was smart, right?" "I thought you'd tell me not to talk, s-so I didn't talk, and I tried not to move, but I did move." "I'm sorry." "But, I..." "Mel-Mellie!" "What happened?" "The blonde lady... killed Elizabeth." "And now the blonde lady is my Chief of Staff, I-I think." "Yes." "Yes, that's what she said." "She said she's my Chief of Staff, and the man..." "Peus?" "The man said the electors were bought or bribed or..." "Or threatened, and he said that their votes were rigged." "And he said that I am the next President of the United States, just like we dreamed, only the nightmare version, and..." "It's..." "It's not too late." "If they're bribing electors, we can follow the money..." " If they catch you doing that..." " find out who's bankrolling them, go public." "There's a process, proper channels..." "They will kill you, Liv!" "They killed Elizabeth!" "They killed the President!" "Once you kill a President to get what you want, what's a fixer?" "An elector?" "A child?" "Teddy?" "Karen?" "Your..." "Your proper channels of law and precedent and decency?" "They don't care!" "Mellie!" "Breathe!" "We are going to get you out of here." "I have to go." "Don't..." "Don't go." "Jake is here." "Jake will take care of you." "Hey." "Eyes on me." "Eyes... on me." "There." "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry for this... mess." "I..." "It's all my fault." "I shouldn't have trusted her." "I am your Vice President." "I am your shield." "I clean up your political messes," "I take the political bullets for you," "I clean up the messes you leave behind." "It's my duty, so you don't apologize to me." "We are in this together." "This is just one bump on a long journey for you and me, okay?" "Now, first things first." "Do you keep a spare suit or dress in the closet?" "Good, because I'm gonna ask you to step out of this one slowly and carefully." "Come on." "There." "Fitz." "Angela's going to arrest you." "She has the money you paid Tom." "I told her it's not what it looks like, but she refused to accept that." "I think this has become personal for her in a way that isn't helping either of us." "I can talk to David Rosen, have him run interference." "If necessary, I can ask for Angela's resignation." "I'd rather it not come to that, but if that's the only way to stop this nonsense, so be it." "Did you hear what I just said to you?" "Angela's filing a warrant for your arrest as we speak." "Good." "Good?" "This is it." "This is how we win." "Olivia..." "They bought the electors." "Peus and Ruland." "For Mellie." "The only way to stop them is to make it so the electors can't actually vote for her, to remove her as an option." "If Mellie Grant's campaign manager is arrested for framing Cyrus..." " We have another option." " There'd be no way the electors could vote for Mellie." "Why on earth would I allow you to go down for this when your father is guilty?" "Arresting my father won't solve this." "We talked about..." "Arresting your father will solve this!" "The FBI needs a head on a spike." "There is no way in hell" "I am letting you go to prison for life... when he's guilty and you're not!" "No chance!" "I am not asking your permission, and you do not tell me what to do." "If there's one thing you should know by now," " it's that you don't..." " Don't you see?" "I'd lose you!" "Forever." "Your father is guilty." "My father will die." "If he goes to jail, if they see him as a threat, if they think he'll talk, they will kill him!" "My father will die!" "So all this... is for him?" "You arrest my father, you stop me from taking the fall for this?" "For doing what I have to do?" "You also lose me forever." "So I guess, either way, this is goodbye." "I guess so." "You're always right." "Always the smartest person in the room." "Until right now." "Don't." "Don't do this." "I'm sorry." "Today Americans will finally have a conclusion to what has been a tragic and tumultuous election season." "That's because in a few short hours, the Senate meets to certify the votes of 538 electors, who together, will pick our next President." "What are you saying?" "I'm saying the Oval can still be yours." "Do you have anything stronger than this?" "Olivia, what the hell do you think you're doing?" "What's necessary." "It's the only way to prevent Mellie from becoming President and to keep these people from getting what they've been after the entire time." "If I go down, so does she, so do they." "You've made the ultimate sacrifice, Cyrus." "It's time I do the same." "I can't let you do this." "You don't have a choice, Mr. President." "The Deputy Bureau Chief just came into my office and told me that Olivia Pope is not being arrested and that he is now leading the investigation, reporting directly to you." "You did this." "In lieu of transferring you to the field office in Omaha." "This was business." "Or I can simply accept your resignation." "Do you realize that you're interfering with the Federal investigation of the assassination of the President-Elect?" "No, I'm not." "Didn't you hear?" "We have a suspect in custody." "Dad!" "Dad!" "Ma'am." "I-I need to talk to him." "No, you don't." "You will step aside and explain to me why you have a paleontologist in handcuffs, or you will explain it to the President of the United States when he accepts your resignation!" "Which is it?" "Ma'am, these orders came from the White House." "We got you." "Pursuant to the requirements of the Constitution, members of Congress, the Senate, and the House of Representatives have met in joint session for the purpose of counting the votes of the electors for President of the United States of America." "Will the teller representing the state of Alaska please come forward?" "The duly-elected electors for the state of Alaska voted for the following result." "For President of the United States of America..." "Mellie Grant." "Texas votes with the following result..." "Mellie Grant." "Mellie Grant." "I'm sorry, Cyrus." "Montana votes with the following result..." "Mellie Grant." "What do you have to be sorry about, Red?" "Tennessee votes with the following result..." " Mellie Grant." " All of it." "North Dakota votes with the following result..." "Mellie Grant." "California votes with the following result..." "Mellie Grant." "I told you to leave my father alone!" "I told you!" "And for some reason, you find it very hard to believe that if I had to choose between you and him, you will lose!" "You want to stop yelling at me?" "You saw your father taken into custody." "My custody." "He's safe, Liv." "Now you and I can focus on taking down Peus together." "The certificates of all the states have been opened and read." "Mellie Grant will be appointed President of the United States for the term beginning on the 20th day of January." "May God bless our new President..." "And may God bless the United States of America."