Chapter 2 – We Can't Take Command
A/N: NOT a new chapter, just a re-upload due to the glitch with the first one
Across town, after the trial
Jake stepped out of the trial room with David by his side and worry all over his face, he couldn't get the thought of him possibly just signing his death certificate out of his mind. The others didn't understand Command, B613 and the dangers of crossing them like he did. He remembered what it was like the last time he crossed Command and disobeyed and order, he ended up in cold, dark and isolated hole for God knows how long but he knew how important this was to Olivia and he'd risk anything for her.
"Well? How did it go?" Olivia questioned worriedly. Even she was have second thoughts about this.
Jake raised his head up a little from staring at the ground and his eyes landed on hers. "I think it went okay." He responded with a small smile.
"Okay? It went great, the jurists were sympathetic, engaged, they loved him, if we keep this up, everything should be good." David intervened with slight excitement.
David's recount of how the trial went down was music to her ears. She then began to feel a little of the weight she was carrying on her shoulders lift and her heart was no longer heavy. A small smile appeared and she was more confident than ever that her mission to finally take down her father. Jake caught
In the midst of the small celebration between the three, Huck came running down the hall shouting Olivia's name with concern very evident on his face.
"Liv!? Liv!" He yelled in between breaths and stopped when he finally laid eyes on her. He raised his arm and stuck his thumb out behind him. "Something has happened." He panted out. What on earth could have him this anxious? What was going on? And what was he doing here. Surely whatever has him so worried couldn't be that huge. She had these thoughts running through her head as she followed him down the hall and out the back into the parking lot.
She was pulled out of her thoughts at the sounds of screams, cries, loud chatter, "Oh my God's" and the sight of flashing ambulance lights, cameramen, reporters, Jake covering his mouth with his hand and then holding his head in the both of them and Quinn rushing to David's side as he regurgitated after jumping off of a bus full of people. In the midst of all the craziness, she snapped out of her confused thoughts after hearing a reporter speak "12 jurists have been brutally murdered." Those six words played on and on in her head, on a loop, louder and louder. It was all she heard her jaw dropped and eyes began to water. She felt her knees weaken and she wanted to scream out but something was stopping her, probably the overwhelming shock and horror of the situation. She felt her heart race and like it was struggling to do it's job. She felt her stomach tighten in knots and her breaths were coming out like gasps. She wanted to keel over onto the floor and faint, and it almost felt like she was about to before Jake ran up to her and placed his hand on the small of her back. This put her a little at ease, knowing someone was going to support her through this tough time no matter what. All she could ask herself was how? How did her father continue to stay one step ahead all the time? She couldn't take it, she couldn't take it any longer, this was the straw that broke the camels back.
Meanwhile at the White House
Mellie sat in her living room with her elbows rested in her lap and her head held in her hands. "12 jurists have been brutally murdered." She was shaking and racked with guilt. She raised her head out of her hands and instantly covered her mouth. What had she and Fitz done? She couldn't handle this. She managed to calm herself down and look for Fitz who she knew probably hadn't watched the news yet. She found him in the Oval sat at his desk.
She paced over to him with that very concerned look on her face and breathing heavily.
"Mellie? What's the matter?" He questioned as he got up out of his chair and walked around his desk to comfort her.
"You haven't seen the news yet?" She asked him resting her hand on the armrest of the seat next to her.
"No. Should I have?"
She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "That list, that list I needed your help getting a hold of?"
"Yes...Mellie what's happened?" He said as he placed his hands on raising the volume of his voice a little
"They've been murdered! What the hell have we done?!" She cried as she sat down.
He placed his hands over his face and then brought them into a praying gesture by his nose. He was in such shock at her words. He didn't want to believe her but he knew for sure she couldn't be lying about this, she was too broken and shook up. He took a seat next to her and placed his hand on her knee.
"I'm going to ask this once Mellie, this man that blackmailed you, what was his name and what does he do?" He sternly asked.
Her mouth fell open and she looked into his eyes. "I...I can't remember. I can't remember his name. I just remember...It was something, Banbridge"
"OH GOD! Mellie think! This is serious!" He yelled with huge concern on his face.
Her eyes opened wide and she remembered Elizabeth taking a photograph on her cell phone when she had met this mysterious man. She rose out of her seat and ran out of the oval office.
"Mellie? MELLIE! Where are you going?! He yelled as she left.
Olivia Pope and Associates Office later that afternoon
Olivia, Jake, Quinn and Huck all sat in the conference room looking absolutely defeated. These constant losses to Command was beginning to wear down on them.
"My parting gift to all of you, enjoy." David said in a sarcastic tone. "My justice apartment is equipped to do everything in its power to protect federal grand jurists and they're all dead."
Olivia gave a defiant look at him before speaking "David. It doesn't mean we quit, we fight harder, we justice for the jurist and avenge their deaths." She suggested before folding her arms.
"And normally I'd be all white hat woo hoo, but I got a phone call an hour ago, the courts stenographer, Faye, she knits hideous scarves that I have to wear so I don't hurt her feelings, she was killed in a hit and run whilst walking her dog, which is a funny story because she never had a dog, she hated them, she was chased by one when she was a kid. Everyone in that court room who heard Jake's testimony is dead, except for me and us and while I live for justice, I don't wanna die for it." He left the office along with Quinn and Huck leaving her with Jake and honestly, Olivia didn't blame them. Taking down was Command was turning out to be mission impossible and she just couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt. She didn't know exactly what had come over her but at that moment she just wanted to lose it. She ran to her her office to throw up and Jake ran after her but changed his mind when he decided it was probably best to give her some space for now. He later noticed her pacing in a circle and rubbing her neck by her elevator.
He grabbed her coat and bag out of her office and went over to hand them to her.
"Didn't think you'd get far without these." He said as he handed them to her.
She took them out of his hands without looking up at him and continued to pace up and down "I'm so angry that I'm vibrating, I can feel it in my bones."
He noticed tears were welling up in her eyes and he just couldn't resist it any more and decided to bring her in for a hug to comfort her "Okay" But she denied it and pushed him away.
"No don't hug me." She stressed with her coat and bag still in hand. "I'm sick of being comforted, I'm sick of fighting and losing, I'm sick of him always being in my way, I am not his victim, I am not his child and right now, I don't wanna gladiate for everyone else, I want this, I want what's mine and watch me take it. And then for once in his life he's the scared kid and I'm command and then he's trapped, because you cant take command right?" She had never snapped like this before. She even surprised herself. At that moment she just couldn't take it any more and just let all of her frustration out.
He looked at her with those kind and gentle eyes of his "Right." He softly agreed.
She let out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding and continued to look into his eyes.
"You wanna get out of here, just say the word, any part of the globe is yours, I go where you go." He kindly offered.
"It doesn't matter where I go, I'm still trapped, I'm still his prisoner." She then realised what the next step was.
"You okay?"
"I have to go" There was only one person she knew who had managed to outsmart him and escape his controlling grasp and visiting her was the only way she'd get the help she needed.
The Oval Office
Mellie returned to the office with her cell phone in hand and walked over to Fitz who sat on his office couch with a glass of scotch in his hand.
"Really?! Now is not the time to drink Fitz!" She said bearing her teeth.
"Well you clearly don't seem that bother since you more of a damn about your cellphone than this situation that YOU got us into!" He said in a snarky tone before taking a sip of his scotch and turning to the window
"I went to get my cellphone because I remembered that Elizabeth took a photo on her phone of the man!"
Fitz stopped sipping his drink and looked back at her. She went through her albums and finally came across the image.
"Here." She said walking over to him to hand him the phone. "It was him."
A sudden rage came over Fitz at the sight of this man and his arm began to shake.
"Fitz? Fitz what's the matter?" She asked resting her hand on his arm
"I...know him, I know who he is." He let out before taking another sip.
She narrowed her eyes at him "Who is he and how do you know who he is?" She questioned.
Fitz took a deep breath. "You should...you should sit down." He advised her before gesturing towards the couch and walking over with her.
A/N: Oh shit! Any guesses on what he's about to tell her?
