Chapter 2

Cornucopia of Secrets

"So, tell me, Harrison, I love your name by the way…how long have you known Olivia Pope? How is it to work with her? Did the President ever stop by your office to visit?"

Harrison grimaced. Another groupie, he thought as he let his head fall back on the futon. His date was peppering him with questions about his boss and her boyfriend, the former President. In the 6 months since the President had resigned and Olivia moved to Atlanta by way of Virginia, Harrison's dating life received a definite boost. They weren't reporters. He could sniff a reporter a mile out. These were women obsessed with the relationship between Olivia and the President. They were looking for information about them.

Initially, Harrison refused to look a gifted horse in the mouth. He would often add embellishments in response to their please for information:

"One time, I interrupted them kissing in her office. Let me demonstrate," He told one of his groupie dates. Tonight, though, he wanted some stimulating conversation and genuine fun instead of indiscriminate, groupie sex. Stacy slid behind Harrison and began massaging his shoulders while she whispered more questions in his ear.

Maybe one more night won't hurt. I'll 86 the groupies tomorrow, Harrison said as her ample breasts brushed against him.

Harrison tried to ignore the loud vibration of his cell phone on the coffee table.

"Harrison, baby, your phone." Stacy reached for it, but he grabbed the phone before she could.

A new text message scrolled across the screen.

Unknown: Hey brother. Can you get rid of your company? I am downstairs. Nate

Harrison sighed in a rush of relief and disbelief. He rose from the futon, engrossed in his reply text to Nate. He forgot about Stacy.

Harrison: Come up in 10!

"Stacy, I need to cut our night short. Something urgent has come up." Harrison ushered Stacy to the front door.

"Call me?" Stacy said.

"Sure." Harrison said with a weak smile, not planning to ever call her again.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Harrison opened it without looking through the peephole.

He grabbed Nate by the shoulders. "Man, where have you been? Get your ass in here. You have some explaining to do!" Nate smiled, and they hugged, pounding each other on the back.

Harrison observed Nate's attire and physique. He was dressed in a black sweat suit, black ankle boots, and a black jacket. The only non-black apparel was the grey t-shirt visible around the neckline. He carried one duffle bag and a laptop bag. He looked like he'd lost some weight.

"What's with all the black? You look like a bank robber. Not the best attire for a black man in America or anywhere for that matter."

Nate grinned at Harrison as he dropped his bags and took off his jacket. He walked to Harrison's refrigerator and stuck his head in. "Do you have anything to eat? I am starving." Nate placed a beer from the refrigerator on the counter.

"Had I known you were coming I would have been prepared. There is leftover pizza from Mellow Mushroom. It's from the night before last."

Nate arranged 3 pieces on his plate and placed it in the microwave. He stood watching the plate go in circles through the microwave window while the timer counted down.

"I can't wait to tell Liv you are here. I am texting her and…" Harrison's head was bent as he prepared to send the message. When Nate snatched the phone from his hand, he looked up in surprise.

"What are you doing? Liv will be happy to know where you are since you disappeared the day after she hired you. It all seemed surreal because she marched in that next day to announce that she was leaving for Virginia because the President was resigning."

"Is she in Virginia now?" Nate said as he shoved Harrison's phone in his pocket. The ding of the microwave signaled that his pizza was ready. Nate sat at Harrison's tiny kitchen table.

"Why did you leave DC so suddenly? Where did you go? Your cryptic postcard didn't give me any clues," Harrison said, grabbing a beer and joining Nate at the table.

Nate devoured the pizza in large mouthfuls, stopping only to take big gulps of beer.

When the plate was empty, he pushed it away and downed the rest of the beer.

"Where is Carrie living now that her knight and shining armor has given it all up for her?" Nate asked.

"Are you okay, Nate? Because you are acting sort of odd right now."

"Where is she living? Is OPA still functional?"

"I am not going to answer your questions until you answer mine. Can I have my phone back?" Harrison held out his hand.

"Not right now, little brother. My apologies for how I am acting. I just…things are really screwed up in this world. Why did I leave? Grant forced me to leave the country for twelve months. He even gave me a plane ticket and specific instructions. I had to leave only the parts of the states that are joined, touching, contiguous. What kind of request is that? He sent one of his people to threaten me with an ultimatum: Either leave the country for a year and never, ever…his words…contact Carrie in any way or be…killed. This is the second time he has ordered me away from her. I didn't obey him then, and I'm not about to start now. This last 6 months I've been investigating Mr. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. I should be afraid of him, considering all that I know now, but I am not. It has made me hate him." Nate's words rushed out in a frenzy.

"Why would he do that? How does he even know you? Do you think Liv told him about your past relationship?"

"He's a jealous, sneaky bastard. He's probably been spying on her since their affair began. Maybe he had her investigated and found out we were engaged two years ago. Harrison, I haven't been honest with you. I came back to DC to try to rekindle things with Carrie. Actually, Cyrus promised to help me in exchange for me writing news stories for him. It wasn't until I moved back that I found out about her affair with Grant and that Cyrus wanted me to break them up, in addition to being his journalist whore. He had Cyrus killed and probably Hollis Doyle too. Why didn't you tell me she was sleeping with the President?"

"I didn't know. They kept it a secret for obvious reasons. None of us at OPA knew during the campaign or after Liv quit working at the White House. Welll…Stephen may have known, but he left. I think she resigned as a way to end it, but it didn't end, I guess. She is doesn't share any of her business. Now a lot of things make sense about her actions, though. I guess this ruins your chances of working at OPA. Move on, bro. There is no chance of you two being together. He gave up the most power any one person could have to be with her. She is due to deliver twins any day now. He is very protective of her. I believe he is bluffing about killing you or you heard him wrong. He was the President so instead of just telling you to leave his girl alone, he threatens your life. It's all relative to ones power. Cyrus Beene died of a heart attack and Hollis Doyle committed suicide. He isn't President anymore so he can't send any drones or secret assassins to take you out." Harrison smiled and patted Nate on the back.

Nate walked away from him irritated by his cavalier attitude. "Harrison, this is not funny. Let me be clear because I am going to need your help. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant as we know him is a mirage. There is no record of him existing before his college years. I also checked out his mother, father, two sisters, and brother. I can't find any record of them before this time either. It is like they all appeared out of thin air when he started college."

"What are you talking about? He has been a governor and a president? Candidates are scrutinized and vetted thoroughly inside and out. Something like this wouldn't go under the radar." Harrison began to feel sorry for Nate. I didn't realize he was this scarred by their breakup.

"Maybe some information existed when he was running or his people fed false information to the press. I can't find any information now. What I am about to tell you will sound ridiculous. Just humor me and suspend your judgment for a second. Have you ever heard of the Illuminati?" Nate said.

"I've heard of it…the secret society that controls the world…the eye above the pyramid on the dollar bill…New World Order…the Freemasons? I read a book on conspiracy theories in college. What does this have to do with the President?"

"What you know about the Illuminati is false, but it is a secret organization that does exist and has since 1775. They wield global power by planting its members in key leadership positions around the world. People that are placed in the positions are given a new identity and family so they can't be traced back to the organization. The head of the Illuminati controls the world through the leaders they put in those positions." Nate stopped his explanation because Harrison seemed unconvinced.

"Do you realize how you sound right now? In my line of work, I know that a small few hold the most power and influence in the world. When they get in trouble, they come to us for help…but one secret organization planting people in positions and controlling the world? This is just not plausible, Nate. Things are going to blow over with you and the President. I am sure he was just flexing his muscles. He doesn't mean you any harm."

"I need you to listen and hear me out. Most of my information came word of mouth from members on the lower levels of the organization. There is not much in writing except for the documents about the historical Illuminati that originated in Bavaria. Grant is not just a member, but his biological father leads the organization. The American people think F.T. Grant II is his father, but that is just staging. I am still trying to find out the name of his real father. The plan was for Grant to be President for 8 years while being groomed to take over the organization. He automatically defected from the organization when he resigned the Presidency, but he didn't get permission. Apparently he doesn't have a good relationship with his real father. My sources tell me that the organization plans to force him back in."

"Nate, I am having a hard time believing all this. He can't resume his position as president. Sally Langston is the president now. What are you planning to do?"

"No, not to resume the Presidency of the United States, but the Supreme Eminence of the Illuminati. First of all, I need your help. Where is Carrie? Is OPA still functional?"

Harrison hesitated, but then answered. "She lives in Atlanta with the President and his two children. We are moving OPA to Atlanta after she gives birth."

"You need to be my ears and eyes. Let me know what is going on with her. I am going to Atlanta to warn her about him. She needs to get away because she will be used as leverage to make Grant do what the organization wants. I can warn her if I can get close. I know he has his permanent attaché, Demarchelier, tracking me. I alluded him when I returned to the US, but he will be back on my tracks soon."

"Do you think Liv is really in danger? " Harrison said, feeling uneasy.

"Grave danger. If his real family doesn't try to kill her, he probably will when she tries to leave him after I tell her all this. He and everyone around him are just that controlling and crazy. They have power to harm whomever they choose. Will you help me save her? Can we count on Huck and Abby, too?"

Harrison looked at his brother, not sure if he was speaking truth or the ravings of someone who had gone a little mad.