" We could jump in the car, if..." " We'll wait." "Did you get the congressman anything for his birthday?" " No." " I got him cuff links." " Silver, with his..." " We don't talk about birthdays." " We don't do gifts." " Why not?" "You should return the cuff links." "Doug." "Tried calling you." " I left my phone in the..." " We need to talk." " What's going on?" " Christina." "I just spoke to her." " Did Zoe?" " Yeah, and that's not all." " They tracked down Rachel, too." " Francis." "Tell me about Rachel." "Where is she?" " I have her under control." " That's not what I asked." "I drove her home." "We don't have to worry about her." "You said the same about Ms. Skorsky." " Anyone else involved?" " Just Janine and Zoe." "They asked about Russo's arrest, and they know he went to see Kapeniak." "I assume that's as far as they've gotten." " Assume nothing." " I'll alert Barney Hull." " What do you want me to do about Zoe?" " I'll handle Zoe." "Get to work." "Yes, sir." "I emptied it." "You're another year older on Tuesday." "And we can't have a vice president who smokes." " Can you finish?" " What?" "I'm good." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "I just said finish." "Well, I don't want to just..." "if you're not..." "OK, fine." "Whatever." " Did I do something that made you...?" " No." "Zoe, you can't say something like "just finish" and then shut down." "This is safe, Zoe." "I'm not him." " Good morning, Jackie." " Good morning." " Richard Russell?" " Civil Rights Act, 1963." "Not everyone can be on the right side of history." "Not even Lyndon for a time, but he would've never become majority leader without him." "Well, there's no Johnson Senate building." "No, he had to settle for a presidential library." "So it's been some time since you and I have had a chance to catch up." "You've been an outstanding deputy, Jackie." "More effective than your more seasoned colleagues." "You're a coalition builder, a fighter when you have to be." "Tell me, where do you see yourself headed?" "I'd like to aim for the chair of Armed Services." "Or Homeland Security." "Have you ever considered serving in the leadership?" "I figure that might be possible eight, ten years from now." "What if I suggested that you could serve in the leadership this term?" "To replace me, as whip." " You're being tapped for VP." " Let's assume that's true." " That makes sense, but me as whip?" " Yes." " A third-term congresswoman?" " A universally admired incumbent who also happens to be a war veteran." "Webb is next in line." "Or Buchwalter." "Mmm-hmm." "So just consider that for a moment." "They'll draw votes from one another." "I'm not saying you wouldn't have to fight for it." "But I'd be willing to give you the ammunition." "Come over here." " What is this?" " My files on Webb and Buchwalter." "Why don't you take a look?" "We'll speak in a few days." "Oh, and there's one on you." "You might wanna begin by reading that one first." " What'd Janine say?" " Strip club's not open yet." " You look into Kapeniak?" " If he's on the grid, I'll find him." " Drop me at Metro Center." " Not the office?" "I'm gonna talk to Rachel." "She'll deny everything, like she did last night." "She can't deny getting into Stamper's car." "You saw her." "Maybe you send a version of the story about her dad." " No one would print it." " Rachel doesn't know that." "She said, "Go to town, bitch." It won't work." "I have to get in her face." "Congratulations." " We're thrilled for you." " Thank you." "I wanted to fill in Bob and Terry personally." "Now, let's get to it." "I have to leave for Pittsburgh in what?" " Twenty minutes." " Homestretch with Jim." " Whistle-stop tour." " Looking good out there." "Very good, but we don't want to take any chances." "Now, your replacement as whip, Frank." "Bob has already shared some thoughts." " I like Howard Webb." " Webb is a solid choice." " Have you thought about Wes Buchwalter?" " Buchwalter's a hothead." " Well, could you live with Webb, Frank?" " Webb is a good tactician, but he lacks follow-through." "The problem with Buchwalter is, he's too abrasive." "No charm." " Lots of enemies." " Is there a third option?" "They're the two most senior members in the caucus." "It's their turn." "Mr. President, what if we let the caucus pick?" "Let it be a wide open race." "Both men are qualified." "The leadership should be united in this." "We don't want to back different candidates." "So we stay out of it, and neither of us backs anyone." "I like it." "The caucus will respect someone who did it the old-fashioned way." "Well, gentlemen, it's your call to make." "Figure it out amongst yourselves, let me know what you decide." " Thank you, Mr. President." " Thank you, sir." "Put me through to Secretary Lewis." "Frank, I don't want to go to battle with you on this." " We've been down that road." " I couldn't agree more." " An open race makes me nervous." " Look, it was just a suggestion." " I'll put some thought into it." " Thank you." " You know, let me go work on him." " Well, good luck." " What are you doing here?" " Ask me what I want to order." " Have you decided, sir?" " I need you to quit your job." " Tell Leon it's your last day." " Why?" "Act normal." " Would you want a side with that?" " They found you once." "We can't take the chance they'll find you again." " What am I supposed to do about money?" " Do as I say." "Go home and pack your things." "I'll come by around ten." " I don't get a say in any...?" " Stop it." " One suitcase." "That's it." " Can you at least tell me...?" "I'll take the shepherd's pie with a side of brussels sprouts." "To go." "We don't want a trial, her lawyers don't want a trial, but Ms. Cole won't listen to reason." "That said, if you give me..." "If she wants to go to court, then let's give her that." "Just because she's being unreasonable now doesn't mean..." " I'm done." " That's a knee-jerk reaction." "I've never known you to be a person who is irrational or impatient." "Let me check back with her lawyers..." "What's the soonest we can get a trial date?" " Claire." " Give me a time frame." "Six months, at the earliest." "Inform her people." "Then no more communication." "As your counsel, it is my duty to strongly advise you against this." "I understand and I thank you, Oliver." "Thank you." "So?" "They wouldn't give me individual contact info, but here's every doctor who served in East Africa during the last three years." " And what about the HMO?" " You need a consent form." "It's in the packet." " Can I help you?" " Yeah, I'm looking for Rachel Posner." "She's not here." " Is she coming in later?" " Why?" "I know her." "Well, your friend really screwed me over." " What happened?" " She took off, middle of her shift." "I had to put my hostess on waitstaff duty." "Look, I'm concerned." "Rachel's in real trouble." "I don't care what her personal issues are." " I need to know where she lives." " I thought you knew her." "I do." "It's just been a while and she sent me a text message saying she wants to hurt herself, and now she won't answer her phone." "She has a history of mental illness." "You gotta help me out." "Look, I can't." "Her W-2, the address is a PO box." "I'll take whatever I can get." " Let me see what I got in the office." " Thank you." "If you find her, you tell her not to come back." "I don't need some nut case creating chaos in here." " Nancy?" " Yes, sir." " Is Doug back yet?" " In his office." "And, sir?" "Birthday cards have started to arrive." "A few presents." "Thank-you notes." "Inventory the presents." "Anything valuable..." " Goes in the conference room." " Anything cheap..." " Goes to the interns." " You know what to do with the cards." "Yes, sir." "I'm picking her up tonight." "I got everything set up for her in Joppa." "Where's that?" "Maryland, about 30 minutes north of Baltimore." " That's close to home." " We want her to disappear, but not on us." " Fine." "Do you have the burner?" " Yeah." "Happy birthday." "It's pre-paid." "All you need to do is turn it on and dial." "We still have the phone history." "All the more reason to be safe going forward." " Where are we with Christina?" " I'm on it." "Linda's office." "I called her this morning." " Are you Gillian Cole?" " Yeah." " Have we met?" " No, we haven't met." " You know my husband." " Your husband?" "David Applebaum." " So it's true." " It was a mistake." "You wanna see our kids?" "I can show you pictures." " Mrs. Applebaum..." " Who the fuck do you think you are?" " I'm sorry." " You're sorry?" "I don't think you're sorry." "And don't think for a second you're gonna use that baby to get money out of us." " He doesn't even know I'm pregnant." " But you knew he was married." "How could you?" "Did he talk about us?" " No." " Lying bitch." "Am I embarrassing you?" "Did you think about how you would humiliate me and my kids?" "Use a condom the next time you fuck somebody's husband." "It's been less than 24 hours." "She quits her job in the middle of a shift?" "She's scared." "I'd take off too." "It's Underwood." "He's moving faster than we are." " What about the stripper?" " Refuses to talk." " Kapeniak?" " No current address." "No siblings." " Parents are dead." " Rachel's the last loose end." "She must know something else bigger than the DUI." " Any idea where she went?" " I got a PO box in Dupont." "But none of the clerks have seen her." "I could go stake it out, but..." " Have you talked to your guy yet?" " The next day or two." "He's bringing me the police report on Russo's suicide." " I'll press him for more." " And what's your next move?" "Trying to figure out how to respond to this." "I got it a couple hours ago." " I think he's setting her up." " I know how to handle him." " The less he knows, the better." " We might learn something." " Not with him calling the shots." " I'm choosing the place." " As if that makes a difference." " I'm not gonna fuck him, just talk to him." "I'm gonna go to the bathroom." " I'm sorry..." " That's OK." "No, it's not." " I just don't want you to be careless." " I won't be." "You want no life?" "You want more work than three people can handle?" "You want a decent chance that you could be fired within the first month?" "If that tempts you, we can keep talking." "None of that intimidates me." "I've been running a congressional district for the past nine weeks with zero assistance." "Nobody elected me." "Nobody taught me." "I've done it because somebody had to." "What happened was tragic, but you won't get sympathy from me." "I don't have time for it." "I wouldn't be sitting here if I wanted a shoulder to cry on." "Rachel?" "Leave." "I said leave." " Are you packed?" " I'm not going anywhere." " So you didn't quit today." " I did, but I changed my mind." " This isn't your decision to make." " I'm keeping my job" " and I'm keeping this apartment." " No, you're not." " You promised you'd make this go away." " You starting over..." "I already started over." "I don't want to start over again." "I wish you didn't have to." "Get out." " Get out!" " Lower your voice." " I'll fucking kill you." " Go ahead." "I am the only one who can protect you." "Don't you see that?" "You have no idea how much danger you're in." "Hey." "Start packing." " You know I ask every year." " Nothing, as usual." "I thought we could have dinner." "Only if it's someplace where nobody will recognize us." " I don't want anyone..." " I mean at home." "I'll cook something." " No cake." " No cake." " No gifts." " No gifts." "I could do that." "How's the lawsuit coming?" "We'll be fine." "We'd like to increase the size of your detail to full head-of-state status starting tomorrow." "Well, that won't be happening." "It's good to get a head start, so by the time the announcement..." "These are my last few days before I never have privacy again." "I intend to savor these moments for as long as I can." "But, sir, in terms of safety..." "Until I'm confirmed as vice president, security is at my discretion, is that correct?" " Technically, yes, but..." " Then that's settled." "All right, we'll wait until the announcement." "Assuming the confirmation goes through, we'll need to work out the logistics of moving you into the Naval Observatory." "That won't be happening either." "The congressman will be remaining" " in his town house." " But it doesn't have the necessary security infrastructure." " Then you'll need to build it." " We're talking blast-proofing, hard-wired communications networks, 24-hour office space..." "Where there's a will, there's a way." "I'll contact you directly about setting a plan in motion." "Oh, and one last thing before you go." "I'd like to have Edward Meechum serve on my detail." " He's Capitol Police." " For now." "You're about to appoint him to the Secret Service." "That would require an accelerated training program." "Sir, we have plenty of qualified agents, men and women with years of experience." "I look forward to working with all of them as long as Edward Meechum is on the detail." " Thank you very much for your time." " Thank you, sir." "Nancy, have Meechum bring the car around." " You know, last time was the last time." " I know, but this is important." "You keep selling me that swampland." "I'm done buying." " No more." " The cover-up." " You said it went as high as Barney Hull." " That's not what I said." "When you gave me Rachel Posner's arrest file..." "What I said is that arrests don't disappear without a big-ass wand." "That ain't the same as proof." "We think congressional leadership took part." " I don't care." " Yes, you do." "I know you do." " No, I really don't." " When you helped expose the drug ring..." "They were dirty street cops stuffing a few grams in their pockets." "This is different." "Powerful fucking people." "Dirty cops are dirty cops." "You want to protect them?" " I have a pension and a family." " I understand..." "Don't contact me again." " Where's your cell?" " Here." "It's not recording." "I need to ask you to delete all of our phone history." " Why would I do that?" " I'm trying to protect both you and I." "I'm not facing prison." "You didn't cover up the arrest?" "Was it because you wanted him to be governor?" "No." "He was in trouble so I helped." "And later he expressed a desire to run and I offered guidance." " To an alcoholic?" " To a sober, recovering alcoholic." " Did you want him to self-sabotage?" " Absolutely not." "It got Matthews in the race." "I like to back people who want to succeed." "Take yourself as an example." "You just took advantage of the situation." "Matthews took advantage." "I didn't seek the nomination." "Russo was in the passenger seat when he died." " That's not entirely accurate." " I saw the police report." "And I spoke to the commissioner directly because I cared about Peter and I wanted to know the full story." "He wasn't in the passenger seat?" "The passenger door was open and he was halfway out." "They think that he might have had second thoughts." "If I speak to Barney Hull, he'll confirm that?" " What are you suggesting, Zoe?" " Maybe there was foul play." "If there was a hint of foul play, don't you think the police would have investigated?" " The same police that buried his DUI?" " And you think I was involved?" "There's a connection between you." "Listen to you." "You sound ludicrous." "I'm just asking questions." "No, you're connecting dots that don't exist." "You want me to just walk away, act as if I don't know anything?" "Yes, I got Peter out of a jam." "Yes, I sent him to speak to Kapeniak." "But beyond that, there's nothing to know." "Can you blame me if I find it difficult to trust you right now?" "Trust me or not, but I'm about to be confirmed as the vice president." "And our relationship extends to the Oval Office now." "Don't step out of the sunlight for no reason." "Let's start this new chapter with a clean slate." "Now, you sleep on that and I'll be in touch." "We'll start with blood and hormone tests." "Those results should be back within a few days." "If they're good, we'll move onto genetic testing for both you and your husband." " Have you spoken to him yet?" " Not yet." "I want to do the tests first." "We can do those anytime this week." "I'll have my office call yours." "Oh, I almost forgot." "I've been doing some research on the Internet." "Be careful of the Internet." "Well, I was looking into common issues associated with post-40 pregnancies and this drug came up, but there wasn't much on it." " It's Cruvenae..." " Cruvenae-tenuestrin." "You probably haven't found much because it's still in the beta stage." "And what does it do?" "It helps maximize blood flow to the placenta." "Until CVT, there hasn't been any viable drug for that." "The jury's still out." "But placental insufficiency affects women of all ages." "I wouldn't worry about it for now." "That's putting the cart way before the horse." "You know, Matthews has this locked up, but conservatives on the Hill are saying he's gonna return to Harrisburg with the same myopic deficit growing mentality..." "As to who's gonna replace Matthews when he wins..." " Can I at least turn off the overhead?" " Of course." "Do you want me to go work downstairs?" "No, that's fine." "Just make some room." "You haven't said a word." " No." " Where does that leave us?" "I'm fully prepared." "And I have been for some time." "I know you'll do whatever you think is best." "But Underwood confirmed it." "He's gonna be tapped for VP." "That doesn't get us any closer." "We know that Russo cleared the way for Matthews." "It reinforces the theory, doesn't give us proof." "We can't go after the guy for playing dirty." "And that's not news." " Half the fuckers in Congress play dirty." " He propped up a sham candidate" " just to take him down." " Nobody forced Russo to drink that night." " The guy was an alcoholic." " We don't know what happened, other than three days later, he killed himself." " Are you gonna contact him again?" " I don't know." "We need to slow down, take a step back and reevaluate..." "We already let Rachel slip away." "There's no point until we have more." "We should keep him guessing, not..." "Have more from where?" "From who?" "I don't know." "We should exhaust all options before Zoe reaches back out to Underwood." "It looks desperate." "We are up against a brick wall." "And unless Under..." "Zoe." "Hey." "Hey." "Hey." " I just need to think." " Well, let's think about it together." "I'll call you tomorrow." " Freddy?" " Yeah, Frank?" "Was there something different about these ribs this morning?" "Better or worse?" "I didn't think that they could get any better, but these were something special." "Well, tried a new butcher." "Slow-bleeds his hogs." "It ain't legal, but..." "Well, I won't tell anyone." "I don't know if I'm gonna go back to him." "Went out to his shop." "He's got a room in the back where he does it." "Soundproof." " A whole setup." " Why soundproof?" "'Cause of how they scream." "They can smell it comin'." "You stick that pipe in their throat, next ten minutes is hell." "Bust your fucking eardrums." "Now, the humane way to do it is to make it quick." "Bring out a bucket of slop like it's feeding time, then bam, shovel right to the base of the head." "No screaming'." "Now, he's willing to open up the race, but Birch was very clear: if he can't endorse anyone, you can't either." " That's fair." " You really want Buchwalter to win?" "I want the best man to win." "That sounds like a cagey, bullshit non-answer to me." "I'm on the sidelines for this one, Terry." " You're never on the sidelines, Frank." " I'll see you around." "Claire, you wouldn't return my calls." "I'll be back." "My attorney said that I shouldn't be in contact with you." "Blue Cross said my insurance was canceled." "Oh?" "The severance package gave me health coverage for up to a year." "That sounds right." "So there must be some kind of mistake." "Well, you'll have to talk to the insurance company." "I did." "They said it was terminated." "They can't reinstate it without the employer's approval." "And you want me to get involved?" "There's medication that I need that I can't get unless it goes through my HMO." "Oh, I'm well aware." "I reviewed your records." " What?" " You signed a consent form." "No, I didn't." "You forged my signature?" "Did a Mrs. Applebaum pay you a visit?" " You realize what you're doing is..." " Civil, not criminal." "Have you thought this out?" "Because when we go to court..." "You mean six months from now?" "You're expecting in four, no?" "That's four months without the medicine you need." "I'm willing to let your child wither and die inside you if that's what's required." "But neither of us wants that." "Now tell me, am I really the sort of enemy you want to make?" "But here's the alternative:" "this office, this staff, 22 million a year could be yours." "The CWI could be yours, and you and me, we wash our hands of each other." " You're trying to buy me." " No." "When we first met, I promised to empower you." " I'm fulfilling that promise." " How do I get screwed?" "You don't." "I resign." "You take my place." " No strings?" " None." "Exit polls have Jim Matthews winning by anywhere from a nine to 12 percent margin of victory." " Swofford is expected to make..." " Hello?" " Mrs. Underwood?" " Yes?" "Hi, I'm calling from Dr. Larson's office to confirm your 10 a.m. tomorrow for the blood and urine tests." "I can't come." "Well, if tomorrow doesn't work, we can reschedule for Thursday, or even Monday." "No, I won't be rescheduling." "Please tell Dr. Larson I appreciate all her consultation, but I've put a great deal of thought into this and I won't be pursuing any further tests." "Thank you." "Have you thought about what we discussed?" "I think you're right." "We should start with a clean state." "What about our text messages?" "And the contact." " Are we good?" " Yeah." "We can put all this other nonsense behind us and trust one another and continue to help one another?" " I'd like that." " Then consider the slate clean." "Answer me one thing." "The passenger seat?" "You said Russo was trying to get out, but there was nothing abnormal..." " I thought we just agreed..." " I want to believe you, but I need details, more than what you're sharing." " What's your question?" " The night Russo fell off the wagon, he was at a fund-raiser, the McNeally Cancer Institute." "All in the police report." "Rachel Posner was at the hotel that night." "Who's that?" "The call girl who was with Russo when he was arrested." "I didn't know her name." " She disappeared, Francis." " When?" "Don't act surprised." "I showed the bellmen a photo." " One of them remembers seeing her." " The girl's a prostitute." " I'm sure she frequents many hotels." " But that hotel on that night?" "Well, now you sound like Ms. Skorsky talking." "I haven't discussed this with anyone." "I wanted to ask you first." "I have no idea what happened that night except that Peter started drinking again." "I don't know who was or wasn't there." "I wish I was." " Maybe I could've stopped him." " Do you know where Rachel is?" " Listen to what I am saying." " I'm trying to protect us both." " These are questions anyone could ask." " But no one is except you." "I can't imagine what you're after." "I took a chance, showed up at your house and placed myself at your feet." "Crossed ethical lines, professionally, physically, and I hold myself accountable for that." "Those were my choices and I can live with them." "I'd like to move forward, but I need to know exactly what I was a part of, that that I wasn't a part of someone's..." "Finish your thought." " A part of someone's murder." " Jesus." "I wanna believe you, Francis." "Janine!" "Damn." " Come in." " I've been calling you." "Come here." "Come in." "Sit down." "Um..." "You want something?" "Some water or... juice?" "You going somewhere?" " Hey." "You going somewhere?" " To my mom's." "In Ithaca." " What?" " I'm leaving." "No, no." "No, no, no." "No." "No way." " We have nothing." " Are you giving up on this?" "There are only three people in the world that know what he has done, and one of them is gone." "If we had anything, Lucas, any hard evidence, or even a fucking quote from a source that would go on record for us, that would be one thing, but we're grasping, and he is not fucking around." "You were the one who told Zoe to pursue this." "She told me what you said:" ""The only stories that mattered were the ones that scared you to death."" "OK, this isn't just death threats!" "This is real!" "He doesn't know about you, but he knows about me." "These were in my mailbox." " No return address." " He took these of her?" "Who else?" "You can keep them, but I don't think they're gonna help you." " We need to stop him." " Sick fucking shit." "Janine, you cannot run away from this." "My entire career, I have always chosen the tough stories." "I have been fearless." "But you know what?" "I'm really fucking scared this time." "He's got power, he's got a lot to lose, and right now he is winning." " Please, I need your help..." " Just wake the fuck up, Lucas!" "The incident occurred at approximately 8 p.m. last night on the northbound tracks of the Cathedral Heights Metro station." "DC Police have ruled the death an accident." "Previously, she worked at the Washington Herald as a metro reporter and political correspondent." "Barnes broke several major stories, including an early draft of the Education Reform and Achievement Act as well as a college newspaper article that derailed Senator Michael Kerns' nomination for secretary of state." " What did you think of the files?" " There's plenty to work with." " Did you look at your own?" " There was nothing there." " Should there be?" " No." "Even if you're lying, the fact I haven't been able to find anything tells me you're good at covering your tracks." "That's valuable to me." " Here's our battleground." " One hundred and 13 votes." "You have the skeletons." "If I lose, they'll come after me." "That's a risk you'll have to take." "How do I know you're not just using me?" "Throwing a wrench into someone else's bid?" "That's another risk." "The alternative is you wait ten years." "You chose me for a reason." "I'd like to know what it is." "All right." "How many missile strikes did you launch?" " Enough to keep me awake at night." " But you did it anyway." " Yes, I did." " How many women and children?" " Too many." " And you launched those missiles knowing all those innocent people would die." "I had orders to eliminate the enemy." "Which you carried out expertly and efficiently." " Have you ever killed anyone?" " No." "I watched." "Apartment buildings, entire villages... gone, like they were never there." "I'd prefer not to talk about it, if that's all right." "You did what needed to be done and that's why I chose you, Jackie." "Service background, clean history, photogenic." "The whole package." "But more importantly ruthless pragmatism." "Are we working together or not?" "Any public or private endorsements for Buchwalter, I come out for Webb." "I'll stay out of the fray." "I give you my word." " Same goes for you, Terry." " All right." "Thank you, Christina." " Gentlemen." " Mr. President, how was Pennsylvania?" "You like Indian?" "Sir?" "I've seen the news." "I know she was close to you." "Terrible tragedy." "I spoke to Special Agent Rockland today, sir." " I begin my training next week." " Very good." "I know it's a day late." "Hope it isn't inappropriate, but I wanted to give you this." "Thank you, Meechum." "That was very nice of Edward." "He shouldn't have spent this sort of money on me." " I've opened some wine downstairs." " I'll be down in a minute." "Did you think I'd forgotten you?" "Perhaps you hoped I had." "Don't waste a breath mourning Ms. Barnes." "Every kitten grows up to be a cat." "They seem so harmless at first, small, quiet, lapping up their saucer of milk." "But once their claws get long enough, they draw blood, sometimes from the hand that feeds them." "For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy." "There is but one rule:" "hunt or be hunted." "Welcome back." "Resynced by madsc"