The Things People Will Do For An Oval Office
Chapter 7
Time to Engage the Enemy
Everyone sits dumbstruck as the revelation Harold committed patricide sinks in. Huck knowing time is a luxury they didn't have, puts the thumb drive from this morning into the computer's USB port.
"Am I the only one here with a brain? You know damn well where he's gone? He's sniffing around Olivia Pope! Now that he knows everything that happened was a lie, I have to figure out how to rein him back in. Looks like we're going to have to threaten or hold Ms. Pope indefinitely in order to keep my boy Fitz in line.
Do you want her held nearby or out of the country?
Let's keep her local. He'll demand to see her or spend time her with periodically.
I'll get right on it. Anything else sir? The voice on the tape inquires.
Yes there is. Eliminate the Gideon problem. Make sure it looks like an accident."
Fitz and Huck look at each other. Huck gives the "I got this" nod and exits the conference room. Fitz turns to Olivia. "Livvie do you trust me?" He asks already knowing the answer. His question more rhetorical than literal. It was really more for the benefit of the other gladiators; his way of informing them he will be calling the shots along with Olivia.
"Really, do you even have to ask that question? Of course, I trust you. I trust you with my life."
"Clearly, my father is the lynchpin holding Harold's empire of deceit together. If we rescue my father, Harold will go bat-shit crazy. He will recognize there is a traitor in his mitts. The first order of business when taking down a dictator is to make him think there is a Judas in his inner circle. Destabilize Harold's infrastructure and he will implode trying to ferret out the disloyal.
"Olivia tilts her head to the side and asks, "you know who the informant is, don't you?"
Yes, I do, and I need to make sure Harold never has a reason to suspect the informant is disloyal. We need to direct Harold's attention down a primrose path of our choosing. We need to make the informant Harold's most valuable asset. It is essential the second in command, Langston Hearst, "no relation", look like the informant. Harold handpicked him over the informant's objections.
"Sun Tzu?" Olivia quips.
"Of course, but with a healthy dose of good old American counterinsurgent tactics."
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Fitz methodically checks and distributes his equipment throughout his black camouflage outfit. He runs his thumb along the edge of each knife blade and places one knife in the ankle compartment of each boot. He unzips the side pocket of his left pant leg, to carefully place several shuriken in the pocket. He cocks and checks the chamber of his gun. He screws in the silencer and places the gun in the holster behind his back. Next he places the blowgun into his breast pocket, tear dust in his right pant leg pocket and darts in his right forearm zippered pocket.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Fitz says with an inquiring grin.
"What do you mean? How am I staring at you?"
"Like you want to do things to me, he says with a smirk."
Olivia licks her lips as she gives him a sly smile. "I don't know what you talking about", she says in a sultry voice.
"Really", he says as he slowly advances toward her looking seductively into her eyes. She retreats until her back hits the safe house bedroom wall. Panting ever so slightly, she places her outstretched hand against his chest to keep him at arm's length.
"Stop, you need to stop, what you are doing? I need to leave and let you finish dressing. I cannot believe how turned on I am watching go through your commando prep. I would jump you right now if I weren't afraid something would go off and shoot a hole in the wall or worst yet me. I mean, watching you cock your gun, the way your fingers roll the silencer into the barrel I'm so damn wet I think I could go surfing in my underwear. You're taking the phrase a man in uniform to a completely new level. Your muscles are flexing, your eyes are so focused, the shape of your body; geez I need to stop talking about this and looking at you. You are exuding all manner of sexy right now. Frankly, I'm embarrassed by how I'm feeling. You and Huck are about to rescue your father and I should be worried about you two going into an extremely dangerous situation." Fitz grins from ear to ear.
"Liv, it's just your way of coping with what is about to happen. It helps you keep fear at bay. You're okay baby. I never told you this, but sometimes before going on an op I had to take a very long tortuous cold shower because the thought that I could die in some god-forsaken jungle or third world hell-hole and never see you again sparked some intensely vivid memories and fantasies of us making love." He wraps his arms around her drawing her in flush with his body for a firm hug. Olivia starts to whimper as images of everything that could go wrong fill her mind.
Knock, knock. "We're ready to go", they hear Huck yell through the door. Olivia attempts to pull away from Fitz but he quickly pulls her back in for a deep, sensual kiss. Her legs start to buckle but she holds on not wanting to tumble. They both take a deep breath, inhaling one another's scent, pressing their foreheads together, rubbing arms and backs as they commit to memory their last moments as victims and their first moments as avengers.
The second they separate Fitz instantly shifts from loving partner to commanding officer. "Are the physicians already at the other safe house? Are you ready to deliver the message to Harold once we have my dad?"
Olivia taking her cue from Fitz's demeanor goes immediately into gladiator mode. "Yes. We have a PTS specialist and an expert on long-term captivity in place to meet your dad as soon as you return. Harrison flew to LA yesterday and retrieved some of your mother's belongings from storage to put in your dad's room. Fitz you favor your mother so I think you're going to be the key element to his recovery. You my love are the only link to his last memories of freedom and happiness with you mother; but I'm no expert."
"I hope that is the case". He says pensively.
"I'm ready to issue our declaration of war to Harold the second you give the go-ahead. Once we do this you know he's going launch a full scale attack."
"Let him bring it. We're ready." Impertinence unmistakably imbuing Fitz's response.
Knock, knock, knock, the door rattles. "Fitz, we need to go now!" Huck repeats, this time his declaration more forceful in tone.
Fitz looks at Olivia one more time before he opens the door to leave. Olivia follows him out.
"Look you two, promise me you won't kill anybody", she whispers with a hint of desperation.
Huck and Fitz look at each other. Fitz as he turns to Olivia with a smile says, "But we are free to otherwise, maim, injure, permanently disable and cause great bodily harm?"
"I don't care what you do as long as you don't kill anyone."
"What if they're trying to kill us?" Huck retorts sarcastically.
"Well it goes without saying they are going to try and kill you", she says rather matter-of-factly. "Your extraction team is made up of former or current black ops operatives is it not? You are perfectly capable on getting in and out without as much as a broken fingernail. But, yes, if it comes down to you or them of course exercise extreme prejudice. I want both of you back here unharmed."
Fitz and Huck grin at each other as if sharing an inside joke.
"I saw that. Don't think I didn't she says with a reluctant smile."
"Kiss for luck", Fitz asks?
"You don't need it babe. You have this. I will however give you a kiss for love. Olivia gives Fitz a quick peck and Huck a pat on the shoulder.
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Whoosh! Fitz takes the first two sentries down with tranquilizer darts. Huck stationed on the roof of the main building is giving hand signals to the extraction team. His infrared scanner and night vision goggles disclose every guard's location. Fitz and three other move in closer to the secluded detached wing serving as his father's prison. Because the extraction team is maintaining radio silence they must depend on Huck's hand signals for directions and to alert them as to any opposing forces. Carter, the demolitions expert, makes his way ahead of Fitz so he can set the charges for the door locks. Fitz and Hemet the weapons expert stand guard as Carter sets the charges. Within seconds there's a puff of smoke as the charges go off and the main door goes ajar. Fitz and Hemet remove their night goggles. Carter steps back as Fitz and Hemet, their guns drawn, rush the door dropping down immediately to shoot tranquilizer darts at the two guards maneuvering toward them.
The informant indicated Fitz's father is being held on the second floor of the three-story building. Carter signals Huck with his flashlight that the first floor is secure as two more operatives take up position on the first floor. Hemet and Fitz slowly ascend the stairs to the second floor, guns cocked and raised to eye level. When they reach the second floor, Fitz looks through the small rectangular door window to determine the location of the other guards. According to Huck's intel, there should be at least six guards on duty at all times.
Distracted by taking the head count of the guards in the hallway, Fitz does not see the reflection of the guard coming down the stairwell from the third floor in the door window until it is too late. The bullet streaks past his ear shattering the door glass and alerting the second floor five-guard contingent stationed outside his father's door. Hemet quickly drops to the floor, rolls to the base of the stairs and returns fire eliminating the guard with a clean shot right between the eyes.
"Damn it, that's one!" Fitz mumbles under his breath. For a second he can almost hear Olivia screaming, "I said no killing!"
Bullets begin to penetrate the door, Fitz and Hemet jump to opposite sides of the door, but not before a bullet grazes Fitz on his right side. Fortunately, due to the level of adrenaline coursing through his system the wound feels like a scratch. Fitz runs up the stairwell between the second and third floor to assume the cover position for third and first floor incursions. He has a fully automatic weapon in his left hand extending toward the third floor, a semi-automatic piece in his right hand aiming down at the first floor stairs, his head is switching back forth between the two target areas, his reflexes honing in on approaching footfalls from both directions. Hemet lobs a tear gas grenade through the broken door glass and takes up position on the floor to pick-off anyone coming through the second floor door.
Three guards come bounding down from the third floor. Fitz takes each out by shooting them in the kneecap and right hand. As each guard tumbles down the stairs, Fitz stabs them in the shoulder blade to totally immobilizing them. He whips out zip ties from his back pocket and hog ties all three and rolls them against the wall on the landing just above the second floor stairs. He further neutralizes the enemy combatants by taking the knife from his boot and cutting the neckties from the around the necks of the guards. He cuts the ties in half, stuffs one-half in each of the captured's mouths, and then uses the other half to bind their mouths shut.
He pulls the radio from the first guard's breast pocket and places the earpiece in his ear. Fitz tells Hemet that more guards are on the way. "We need to get to the corridor window to signal Huck." At the same time, as Fitz is speaking, two guards push through the second floor door, and Hemet shoots and kills both. "Damn it Hemet, do you have to kill everything that moves?"
"Really, Silencer, are you fucking kidding me?" Silencer was Fitz's handle back in the day. Fitz made sure every identified target always remained permanently silent.
"Weren't you the one who use to say the dead are never a problem or retaliate or some stupid shit like that?" Fitz shook his head exhaling deeply.
"Okay, whatever, try not to kill anyone else I made a promise."
"You may have promised but I didn't. I make no apologies and eliminate any possibility of anyone coming up from behind us to take us out." Hemet barks defiantly.
They put on masks and charge through the second floor door guns blazing in rapid fire. The firefight is brief and the remaining guards go down without a hitch. Hemet looks at Fitz waiting for another do not kill comment but Fitz is too focused on getting to the window at the end of the corridor to signal Huck the information he is hearing over the guard's radio. Fitz pulls out his flashlight, sends a series of coded flashes and alerts Huck to the pending reinforcements heading to their location.
Huck sends his acknowledgement and reaches for his sniper rifle. He sees the first group of guards making their way to the detached wing. He immobilizes each man with a shot to the kneecap or Achilles heel and shoulder. The sound of tires on gravel can be heard as two SUVs speed toward the complex. Huck blows out the front tires on the first car and it careens down the ravine running along the north side of the facility. He fires again and shoots out the tires on the second car. The driver loses steering control and crashes into the side of the main building.
Fitz carefully opens the door to his father's room. He remains frozen at the entrance to the room as he sees the last assigned guard drag his father from his bed and wedge a knife against his father's throat.
"I suggest you back out now while you still can unless you want to see me slice him ear to ear. You are either an idiot or a misinformed patsy. Do you have any idea who you are dealing with? Either way you and your band of merry rescue hero wannabes won't make it out here alive. You are all dead men. If you believe in God I think you better make peace because you are about to die." The guards tone is confident yet menacing.
Fitz makes eye contact with his father, who is disoriented and frighten. Fitz gives his father a reassuring smile, and then turns his attention to the lone guard. "Thank you for the offer. I am a religious man and do believe I need to make peace with my maker." Fitz sensing Hemet behind him puts his hands together as if to pray then drops to his knees. Hemet pops up from behind Fitz takes aim and shoots the guard between the eyes. Fitz rushes the guard to dislodge the knife from his and to make sure he doesn't cut his father's throat because of some involuntary after death spasm.
The real Fitzgerald Grant sits on the floor, back against the wall shaking uncontrollably. He's slightly gaunt and pale. His eyes are carbon copies of Fitz's but they are vacant and filled with fear. His voice is scratchy and weak. "What do you want with me? Who are you? Are you going to kill me?" He looks at Fitz and sees something familiar and comforting.
"I'll answer all your questions later. Right now I need to get you out here before reinforcements come. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to rescue you and to set you free. Today you get your life and your family back"; Fitz says softly as he stoops to help his father stand up.
Fitzgerald starts to cry. The knowledge that he is about to be released from prison is overwhelming. He looks at Fitz with eyes of gratitude. "Excuse me, do I know you? You seem familiar to me?"
"No you don't, but you knew my mother Genevieve." Fitz says with a smile.
Fitzgerald stares at Fitz, analyzing his facial features. In his mind he dares not hope Fitz is who he thinks he is. Harold had told him years ago what he did to Genevieve to make sure there was a Grant heir. Harold took perverse pleasure in sharing information on the life he was living in Fitzgerald's stead. Fitzgerald wipes a tear from Fitz's face and asks "are you my son Fitz?" Fitz eagerly nods yes. Harold begins to wail and repeatedly grabs and hugs Fitz. "My son, my son, you are my son! You came for me. I prayed every single day that God would send you to me. Oh God, you came for me. You really came for me." Fitzgerald is so overcome with emotion he throws up. Fitz feels his heart breaking at the sight of the broken man before him. He wants to cry too but the rage he feels toward for Harold keeps all other emotions in check.
Hemet stands at the door clearing his throat. "Fitz we have to get going. You're gonna have to save the reunion for the plane." Fitz concurs with Hemet. He wraps his arms around his father and leads him out of his prison to freedom.
The extraction team makes their way to the escape vehicles. Huck lays down cover fire from his rooftop vantage point. One vehicle stops next to the drainpipe attached to Huck's building. Huck shimmies down the drainpipe and hops into the awaiting car. Every member of the team is accounted for, including Fitz's father. Fitz is the only one on the team to sustain any type of injury.
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Fitz and team make it to the airfield without incident. The team scampers up the steps to the unmarked Gulfstream jet. Fitzgerald held onto Fitz for dear life. Fitz spoke softly and lovingly to his father to keep him calm. After the jet reaches its' cruising altitude the doctor on board approaches Fitzgerald to give him a quick once-over and a tranquilizer but Fitzgerald begins to yell. "No more drugs. Please no more drugs." Fitz waives the doctor away and works to assure his father that everything is okay; no more drugs, no more locked rooms and no more days of isolation. Fitz fills his father in on the plans in place for the next few days. After listening attentively Fitz, Fitzgerald completely exhausted falls into a deep slumber. Fitz reclines his father's seat and covers him with a blanket. He kisses his forehead and whispers "welcome home dad."
Fitz walks up the aisle to the back of the plane and sits at the table next to Huck. "Catch me up."
Huck continues typing on his laptop while updating Fitz on the operation. Abby and Quinn have taken care of the Gideon and Edison problems. Gideon is in protective custody and all the documents necessary to prove Edison had nothing to with the fraud taking place in the subsidiaries is in the possession of both state and federal prosecutors. Edison has be given a new identity and relocated to Seattle. He has the seed money for starting his own company, compliments of Grant Industries. We took the money from the off-shore accounts as you instructed. The transfer of funds looks like it went into Hearst's bank account. Harold should learn of the transfer in about a week or so."
"Good. When we land I'll send the text to Olivia so she can start the ball rolling on her end."
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AN - Fitz can be a badass when he wants to be. It figures he'd be the only one to get an owie, LOL.
As always share your thoughts and comments. Until next time, I hope you enjoyed this installment.