Chapter 26

Early the next morning Oliva walked into Mellie's bedroom at the White House. It was early morning, the sun wasn't even up yet. Mellie was sitting in her sitting area waiting for Olivia to arrive.

Olivia entered and immediately questioned Mellie, "So have you made attempts to try and reach out to Cyrus? We have to make it look like you were caught completely off guard, and that you are looking for answers."

Mellie sipped her tea. She said, "I did. I called him. I called Hannah to try and locate him, and she stated that she hasn't spoken to him since she left the office for the day."

Olivia said, "Great! That type of urgency is just what we need. I'm going to schedule you to do a press conference this morning. I stayed up last night writing a statement for you."

Mellie asked, "Am I going to take questions?"

Olivia shook her head. She said, "No, because as far as we're concerned things are still developing. So you will release this statement, and leave."

Mellie took a moment to read over the statement Olivia had written. She said, "This is pretty vague. It also sounds a little like we are standing behind Cyrus."

Olivia nodded, "That is how we want it to appear. We want to seem like we are taking these accusations seriously, but until things are proven we want to present a united front. That also helps us with Cyrus. He will think that we are on his side."

Mellie asked, "Ok, so we do all of this, and then what?"

Olivia sipped her tea saying, "Whew, that's good. I needed that. Anyway, this is buying us time so that Huck, and Charlie can make the other evidence that we have look as authentic as possible for when this investigation is starts."

"Olivia, can I ask you a question," Mellie asked?

Olivia was doing things on her tablet. She absent mindedly said, "Sure."

"This isn't just taking down Cyrus. This is taking down your parents as well. Are you sure you're able to go through with this? I know this can be a bit tough for you," Mellie empathized.

Olivia said, "Mellie, I don't think you realize all that my parents have done. My mother tried to assassinate both you, and Fitz in that church bombing, and then my father turned around and killed your son. This changed things between Fitz and I. We are ok now, but things have never been the same. I know that my husband loves me, but I also know that he looks at me and he remembers that it's because of my father that his son is no longer alive. I am going through with this because they don't care about what they do to anyone. They only want to serve themselves. It's about time that Jerry's murder is avenged. This is our time."

Mellie nodded. She said, "I was just making sure. I know that doing something like this isn't easy. I appreciate you standing with me against your parents."

"Frankly, Mellie this isn't about you. This is about all of the wrong that they have done to me. I too am tired," Olivia vented.

Later that morning Olivia was in the oval with Abby, and Mellie. They were getting ready to go to the press corps so that Mellie could deliver her statement. Olivia was typing away on her laptop. She looked up, "Look, since Cy hasn't bothered to show his face I am changing your statement. I just emailed it to you. Abby run to printer so that I can print it."

Abby walked into the outer office to Rachel's printer. Mellie opened up the new statement that Olivia had sent to her. She asked, "Why are we changing the statement. This looks less like we are behind Cyrus, and more like we are throwing him under the bus."

Olivia said, "Because we are. His radio silence doesn't look good for you, or the White House. Reporters have been looking for him to arrive, and hasn't. They have been trying to get him on the phone, or catch him at home, but they can't."

Mellie asked, "Do you think he's skipped town?"

Olivia said, "I'm command. I have ears, and eyes everywhere. I know where they are at all times. They're still here. They are in panic mode. They are trying to figure out a way to turn this on us. As I stated we have eyes and ears everywhere so we will know about any plan they make before they even have the opportunity to execute it."

Mellie nodded. Abby reentered the oval reading over the statement. She said, "This is good, Liv. Hit him where it hurts since he hasn't been man enough to show his face. I like the part where you included his suspected involvement in the Frankie Vargas murder. This is smart."

Olivia's phone began to ring. She put it on speaker, "Huck, what's up?"

"Liv, we have a problem. They are planning a smear campaign. They are manufacturing evidence saying that Mellie had Jake killed. I can handle it. I have footage of this as well. I can release it. I just need you to get your team in place because once we release it they are going to move again," Huck said, getting straight to the point.

Olivia said, "My men are in place. I'm also sending them at text right now. Release the footage. I'm going to have Mellie giving her speech, and then I'll have Abby come up to the podium, and tell her the new info. Then Mellie you announce what has just been brought to your attention. Huck, I'm hanging up now. We have to get to the press room."

Olivia, Abby, and Mellie quickly made their way to press room. Mellie started giving the statement that Olivia had written. On the side lines Abby and Olivia stood busy texting away and whispering on their phones. It was all apart of the facade they were trying to display, that they were learning of this information organically as it happened.

As Mellie was wrapping up her statement the reporters started raising their hands. Olivia sent Abby a text stating that everything was happening right on queue. Olivia knew that the reporters were now privy to the latest leak, and that they were itching to ask Mellie about it.

Abby walked up to the podium and whispered into Mellie's ear exactly what she wanted Mellie to say.

Once Abby stepped back to the sidelines Mellie relayed the message perfectly. Every reporter in the room had their hands raised. They all had questions. Mellie stated that the investigation was ongoing so she would not take any questions right now. When Mellie walked off of the podium the three of them rushed from the room.

Once they walked into the oval Olivia said, "That couldn't have went any better if I had been at the podium myself."

At that moment Olivia's phone started ringing. "Hello?"

It was Rowan. He said, "This is you. We know it's you. So, this is the stance you want to take? You have drawn the line in the sand, and you have chosen sides. You have chosen them. No you have chosen him over us. The game is over Olivia. You have chosen to lose."

"Life is not some game of manipulation. I didn't lose. You did. You lost when you decided to play the game. I refuse to do so," Olivia said just as forcefully as he had delivered his threat.

He said, "Good luck finding us."

Olivia disconnected the line, and she immediately dialed David. When he picked up she said, "Do you have that warrants ready? They are about to try and skip town."

David said, "Everything is a go. I just need you to tell me where to send the team."

Olivia gave him the information that was needed.

Once she disconnected the call from David she said, "Ok, so that's it. Warrants have been issued, and their moving in order to take them into custody. I feel mixed emotions about this. I feel relieved because they are finally getting what the deserve, but at the same time I feel like I am losing a part of me."

Mellie poured a Liv a glass of hooch. She said, "That's why I asked if you were ok with this. I knew that this couldn't be easy for you."

Olivia sipped her hooch and shrugged. "It had to be done. Abby remind me when I pump that I need to dump. I don't want to feed my child hooch laced breast milk."

Mellie said, "I'm sorry, Liv. I totally forgot."

"I didn't I drank it because I forgot, I needed it. My nerves are a little frayed,"

They sat in silence for a while. Each lost in their own thoughts.

Olivia's phone rang. It was David. "We got them, Liv. We actually got them. All three of them are in custody."

Olivia was in complete shock. Part of her thought that they might actually lose them before they had a chance to get them into custody. She asked, "How?"

David said, "They had set up a dummy car, but some of your B613 agents were your father's agents so they knew to be on the lookout for another car. When our men got the dummy car the second car tried to make a run for it. Then your team swooped in on them, and alerted us."

Olivia nodded. She liked what she was hearing. She asked, "Where are they being held?"

David said, "We to took them over to the Pentagon. I know that you probably want time to see them, and Mellie will probably need to make another statement about the arrest and the evidence."

Olivia said, "Yes, Abby's on the statement, now. David, you have separated them, right?"

David said, "Yes, of course. We also confiscated some more helpful evidence. We were able to go get our hands on some of the bogus evidence they were attempting to manufacture."

Olivia blew out a breath. She said, "David, that's great. With that legally obtained evidence we should be able to get the leaked footage included for the trial."

David nodded as if Olivia could see him. He said, "Yeah, I was amazed at our good fortune. I have to go, but I'll talk to you a little later, Liv."

After disconnecting the call Olivia said, "This is going to be open, and shut. We have them. The game is over. Abby, how are you coming with the speech?"

Abby said, "I'm about done."

Mellie rounded her desk pouring more hooch. She said, "I can't believe that this is over, and that I actually came out on top."

Olivia said, "I told you that I had you. I meant what I said. Although, I will no longer be working for you, I want you to know that I will always be in your corner."

Mellie asked, "You still want to leave?"

Olivia nodded, "It's what I need to do, Mellie. I've dedicated too much of my life to this game, but not enough to my actual life. I'm ready to live. I have reasons to live. I can't do this any longer. I no longer get joy from this, and I don't want to do it anymore. I have learned that just because you're good at something doesn't mean it's the best thing for you to do."

Mellie gave Olivia a sad smile she said, "I can't say I like it. I had it in my mind that we would do this together, but I can do nothing but support you in your decision."

Olivia stood and started gathering her things. Mellie asked, "Where are you going?"

Olivia smiled. She said, "Abby can handle things from here. I am going home to tell my husband the great news."

Abby smiled at her friend. She was happy that this weight was being lifted from Olivia's shoulders. She deserved to live. She had been existing in her greatness. Now she had a chance to really walk in it.

A/N: The end is near. One more chapter, and a epilogue. I can't believe it's finally finished, but I am glad that Olivia is getting some peace. Stick with me you guys, as we wrap this thing up.