We're finally are starting to jump off the script people. I'm so nervous!
Four
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It was the middle of the night. The sun had since long set and still had quite awhile before it would rise again and she was still working.
"Peregrine is on the move again!" He murmured softly into the device near his wrist.
"Holy hell, does that woman ever sleep?"
"Pull it together Mullhall; you want to run with the big dogs. You want to have your shot at guarding the Falcon one day – then here is where you prove yourself. Peregrine is even busier and does more running around in a single day than the Falcon believe it or not. If you can handle this, then you'll have my backing for the promotion. It's time to clean house with some upper agents anyway."
A long suffering grunt of acknowledgement was all he received in return.
Agent Tomas Stanton meant what he said though; Agent Patrick Mullhall was a fantastic agent, five years his junior but sharp as a tack. He had what it would take to guard the President of the United States but the upper echelons of the Secret Service were saturated with 'company men'. Men who had gotten to their position and had gotten just a little too comfortable, men who had forgotten what their core duties were.
Hal Rimbeau was sadly one of those men. His loyalty needed to be solely to the President of the United States and while Tom had no doubt that he'd take a bullet for the man, he didn't know how to separate his own personal views from his professional life. Hal had no business consorting with the First Lady the way he did on a regular basis. Hal thought he was being discreet when he reported to the woman but he was anything but. Tom being the senior agent was always well aware of Hal's whereabouts, including when he would slip off to brief the First Lady.
Although there was an entire team of Secret Service Agents devoted to protecting the President, there was always a pair that became a favorite. It just so happened that this time around Tom became this President's favorite. Little did he know that half of his favored team was being rather disloyal, it was something Tom had approached his superiors about quietly. In turn he was given the order to scout and train another agent quietly as a replacement. The swap would need to be quiet and done as seamlessly as possible.
Tom felt little to no remorse about his deception when it came to replacing Hal. There were two core objectives to this job, keep the President safe and guard his secrets above all else. Hal was failing miserably with the latter. Another balm to his conscience was simply that the First Lady was a self-serving shrew. Women like Millicent Grant often acted as though they were better and more important than those around them. Mrs. Grant would speak rather freely when she believed she was alone or as alone as she could get surrounded by agents.
Concern for the President's safety also came in to play as well. Mellie Grant could easily become a credible threat as a woman scorned. Of course none of this seemed to ever cross Agent Hal Rimbeau's mind.
"What the hell is going on, it's a full media blitz out here?" Mullhall asked.
"Hold your position; this is the home of Sarah Stanner – new client from the looks of things if the news is anything to go by. Get ready to watch the Peregrine in action."
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The rhythmic click of her heels as they echoed through the parking garage was all that could be heard as she hurried toward her car, her mobile pressed to her ear.
"Cyrus, where are you right now?"
"Liv, where the hell do you think I am? Trapped in this big white building for at least another two hours."
"Perfect, I need to come see you. I have something that might be of value but… Fitz and I haven't had a chance to talk yet. I don't want to overstep but – I really think this could help."
"Of course, Liv you know you're always welcome here. You still have your hard pass don't you?"
"Yeah I just… damn, Cy that's the other line. I got to go but I'll try to swing by tonight if not tomorrow. Just… just don't move on anything yet."
"Wait Liv-"
The sound of the dial tone rang in his ears.
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My friend.
My child.
My daughter.
My huge pain the ass.
Pick up the phone!
"Liv!"
"What,"
"Oh thank god! You on this?"
"I'm on this,"
"Good, because it's not true,"
"Hmm then why do I hear you pacing?"
"We stand behind him, we stand behind his character. Randal is a judicial genius, Liv. One of the finest of our generation, he deserves to sit on the highest court in the land. I am telling you it's not true."
"He's not my client, Cy. She is,"
"I am asking you to shut this down, have Stanner deny it."
"I will do whatever is in the best interest of my client,"
"Liv, Olivia you are killing me here – please, we need this."
"Cy, you know how this works if, if it happened. A flat denial will merely fan the damn flames."
"Liv… just try not to set this thing alight, please."
"I will do my best, goodbye Cyrus."
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Tonight. For one night only, it was the knock down drag out grudge match of the century. Cyrus Rutherford Beene versus Millicent Grant, it was a race to see who could get into the Oval first.
"I need to see the President, like right now."
"I'm sorry, he's not – he doesn't want to be disturbed." Lauren Wellman tried to explain sheepishly.
"Who is he in there with?"
"I can't say,"
"Lauren I hired you, handpicked you to be the person who sits at this desk and answers this phone. I did that, Lauren. I chose you, you owe me and you're going to let me in there."
"Mister Beene I can't, not until he gives me-"
"Not until his wife comes in with his beautiful baby boy." Mellie cut in.
"I need to see him now!"
With that Lauren finally gave up and poked her head into the Oval.
"Mister Beene and the First Lady are both here to see you sir,"
"Cyrus!"
K.O. Knockout – and the crowd goes wild for a Mister Cyrus Rutherford Beene!
"What is it?"
"There's a story on Murray Randal, it's a problem."
"What do you mean there's a problem, we vetted him extensively."
"It's just an old affair, it'll blow over in a single news cycle then he'll be confirmed as planned."
"I have American Citizens who are about to get their heads chopped off by terrorists, Cyrus. You told me this guy was clean and I do not need this now."
"Sir,"
"Just fix it,"
"It's being… handled sir,"
A look of disbelief and a hollow laugh escaped his lips.
"She's on this?"
"In a matter of speaking sir,"
"Cy!"
"The woman from the alleged affair, a Sarah Stanner – Liv is handling her."
"One news cycle Cy, that's all we can spare."
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A single chime and it began.
"Take a breath,"
"Don't you dare tell me to-"
"I will not be responsible for an untimely heart attack – take a breath!"
"Do you have any idea what we're up against, between the Supreme Court nomination and the hostage crisis the American public is willing to forgive one snafu a term, they don't forgive two."
"That is not what this is about,"
"I just got back in the inner circle Liv, he's listening again and all I asked you for was a simple denial."
"Murray Randal is not my client; the President is not my client. Besides Cy, we covered this last night. If the affair had actually happened we both know damn well a simple denial wasn't going to make this mess go away, and guess what – it happened."
"Damn Olivia!"
"Goodbye Cy,"
"We're gonna hit you back, Liv. We're gonna hit you back hard!"
"Cyrus,"
"Yes,"
"Do your best!"
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Something Mellie this way comes. The First Lady of the United States had what it took to easily clear a room.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That he is calling her again, that he is sleeping with her again! I've seen his real schedule, I know he's blocking off time late at night and I know that can only mean one thing-"
"I – I don't have time to listen to this because I'm back in his good graces Mellie, so where your husband is dipping his signing pen these days isn't my primary concern."
"You know as well as I do that once Olivia gets her claws in him again it will be back to divorce and taking us all down."
"Here's what I know, I know that he hasn't mentioned the word divorce in almost a year. I know that getting involved in your messy little love triangle has never gotten me anywhere. I know that those two have yet to exchange a civil word with one another in nearly a year and I also know that I just saved him a major public embarrassment – which after the hostage crisis and your unfortunate conference call fiasco means that while you maybe wandering out in the White House version of a Siberian work camp I'm curled up by the fire inside. Now if you'll excuse me the President is waiting – for me." He finished with a smirk.
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It was noon and the low hum of chatter could be heard even all the way up at the house as the reporters continued to hover around the outside of the Randal home for their mid-day news casts.
"Cyrus? Calling to yell at me again?"
"Hi, Hello, How are you? And actually no, you said not to move on anything and since this was before the Randal/Stanner thing broke I'm guessing it had to do with the hostages. What have you got Liv?"
"Ah damn, look it's not something that can be done over the phone and you're right it is. This damn case has tied both of us up. Look I will swing by tonight – no matter what, but it's a face to face type of deal."
"Okay call me,"
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Cyrus had been dreading this particular meeting in the Oval for at least the last hour. After nearly breaking his neck to garner support for the judge it all fell apart after that damn retired security guard and CCTV footage surfaced.
"Where are we at with Randal?"
"After the hotel romp in Mexico he has almost no support, there's no sense in trying to ram it through. He's declining first thing in the morning. I'm having Scotty draft a statement."
"Who else do we have on deck?"
After running through a litany of names and coming up with no one as good, a final sense of defeat settled into the atmosphere.
"I need a minute Cyrus,"
"Sir-"
"I need a minute!"
Once again the burn was back and with it came indecision.
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"Cyrus, just give me-"
"It's not Cyrus,"
As his voice came over the line, her breath caught in her throat. It had been months, months since he had initiated any type of contact beyond their very brief run-in at the Caldwell fundraiser. It was jarring to say the least.
"I wish you had just been honest with me,"
"I already told you I made a mistake,"
"I don't mean about Defiance,"
"What do you mean?"
"Fitz, what do you mean?" She asked again after a pregnant pause.
"I'm ruined – you ruined me,"
"You! I – you know what, enough of this!"
The call ended abruptly before she gathered her things, with a quick excuse to Abby and Harrison that she would return within two hours and to hold down the fort she was in her car and driving toward a building she had done her best to avoid in the past year. With barely a nod to the night guard she flashed her hard pass and made her way into the White House.
Heels left a steady staccato in her wake as she made her way down the fairly deserted halls toward the Oval, only stopping long enough to get Lauren to confirm that he was inside and alone.
"Enough of this! You call me tonight acting as if I'm not on your side – I am forever by your side! I'm sorry your Supreme Court nominee was dirty and I'm sorry that after you basically called me a whore that I wasn't ready to talk to you but damn it to hell Fitz – at the end of the day I am always on your side."
"Liv,"
"No you don't get to talk right now because honestly now is not the time for us to have this conversation but I would never do you dirty Fitz, not really. Randal was dirty and not my client, so I'm not sorry about the way I handled that and honestly its better it came out now before he was confirmed. I basically said this to Cyrus and you know it to be true too."
"Let's not talk about that because right now I have no nominee and all this garbage on top of the hostage crisis I'm about ready to snap."
"Actually, that's why I'm here. I have something that might be the key to ending it all. I was supposed to leave it with Cyrus but – well you called and here I am."
It was then she stepped up to the Resolute Desk and dropped the manila folder on top.
"Liv, where the hell did you get these?"
"I can't say, I'm sorry but I truly can't."
"Livie it's serious as all hell that you got your hands on these."
"I know but – well you know me, I'm hoping that's enough for you to trust me when I say that I can't say how I got a hold of them, at least not yet."
"Liv this is – this is amazing. I need to move on this and I need to do it now but we still need to talk."
"We do but right now – well right now you need to go be the man I voted for." She said, already making her way toward the door.
"Livie, you didn't need to do this. You could have kept this to yourself or hell got it to me using a go between… why?"
She then stopped and turned to fully face him, her hand already on the door handle.
"What's that saying? Ride or die, baby." She said with a small smirk before she slipped out of the Oval.
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"Peregrine is in the nest,"
End Four
Falcon, thank you for that! I hope that you guys like the Secret Service handle I chose for Olivia. Peregrines are a type of falcon that is known to mate for life. I'll be so annoyed if Olivia is given one on the show because I just know it'll be different than the one I picked lol.