A/N: Wow, that last chapter was BRUTAL! Stephen was a true friend to the very end. Poor Livvie. As many of you have pointed out, the guilt is going to be terrible. But it's so depressing. Not sure I'm going to go too deep into that in future chapters because I don't want to be a Debbie Downer.
To Dettylover, brilliant observation. Love it!
To A Shy Reader: How did Stephen know to start praying? He could see the writing on the wall, so to speak, when that sword appeared. Yikes!
Thanks to everyone for all your comments and reviews.
This chapter is all about Fitz. Finally! We get to see his full reaction to the video of Olivia in captivity. (P.S: Skip this chapter if four-letter swear words offend you. Just a head's up.)
Chapter 16: Man on Fire
"If there was a God, I would spit in his face for subjecting me to this. If there was a Devil, I would sell my soul to make it end. If there was something Higher that controlled our f***ing fates, I would tell it to take my fate and shove it up its f***ing ass. Shove it hard and far, you motherf***er. Please end. Please end. Please end."
― James Frey, A Million Little Pieces
Every presidency has a defining moment, an event that becomes a dividing line between the before and after. How a president reacts in that moment of crisis is what defines his presidency and his legacy for generations to come. For Bill Clinton it was Monica Lewinsky. For George W. Bush it was 9/11. For Fitzgerald T. Grant III it would be the kidnapping of Olivia Pope.
The knot in Fitz's stomach clenched tighter. There had been only two other times in his life when he had felt this level of intense anxiety and dread. In 1980, when his mother was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor; then in 2001 when he was governor of California during the Sept. 11 attacks; and now today with the news of Olivia's kidnapping. The whole scenario was completely surreal. It made no sense. What was she doing in Pakistan?
He was having difficulty focusing. A cascade of emotions swirled and tumbled through his brain. Anger, sadness, revulsion, hopelessness, confusion and fear. The fear was the worst. It was all consuming, toxic and suffocating. He felt as though he was being strangled from within. His lungs constricted and he struggled to breathe. He felt like he might be losing consciousness. And in that moment the cosmos presented him with a previously unforeseen possibility his mind had never imagined – a world in which Olivia Pope no longer existed. Another wave of nausea hit him. The Leader of the Free World was scared shitless.
Outside the Situation Room, Cyrus, CIA Director Cameron Reynolds and National Security Advisor Ian MacMillan were waiting. Several minutes passed with still no sign of the POTUS and Cam and Mac wondered out loud if one of them should go inside and check on him. "No, give him another minute," said Cyrus.
Just when Cam and Mac had decided they could wait no longer and were about to enter, the POTUS came out of the Situation Room. His face was impassive, revealing no emotion. He blew past the three men and barked, "Oval Office. 5 minutes."
"Cyrus, tell us everything that you know," Fitz said, pacing the Oval Office like a chained tiger. His jacket and tie were off and his shirtsleeves were rolled up.
Cyrus proceeded to tell what he had discovered related to Olivia going to Pakistan 10 days earlier, about her money woes and the bank transfer for $250,000, and about the blog item alluding to a Taliban sympathizer with a White House connection.
"You have a leak," CIA Director Cam Reynolds said matter-of-factly. "Mr. President someone in your administration is working against you. How else can you explain the fact that some gossip blog got wind of Olivia Pope's kidnapping before the White House did?"
Cyrus piped up, "I agree. And I believe that whoever is behind this their real target isn't Olivia Pope but you, Mr. President."
Cam and Mac exchanged worried glances. Cam was the first to speak.
"Olivia Pope left this administration more than six months ago. Her security clearance was cancelled. What on earth could she know about the president that someone would go to such lengths?" The CIA Director paused and looked directly at the President. "Sir, is there something you're not telling us?"
Fitz inhaled deeply and stopped pacing for a moment. He ignored the question.
"Cyrus, call an emergency meeting with the Joint Chiefs. We need to take military action against Pakistan," Fitz said.
"Whoa, hold on now, Mr. President," said Mac jumping to his feet. "Let's not make any hasty moves here. We still don't know who or what exactly we're up against. We can't declare war on a sovereign nation just because some radical extremists are holding a U.S. citizen hostage."
"Well, we need to do something! And we need to do something NOW!" Fitz said, raising his voice.
"Mr. President, you can't go off half-cocked like this!" exclaimed Mac genuinely worried by Fitz's almost manic behavior. "We cannot start World War III over some woman. I know she used to work for you but she is a civilian, a private citizen who willingly traveled to Pakistan for God knows what reason and got herself kidnapped. We don't even know if she's still alive."
When Fitz heard that he became unhinged. He lunged at Mac and grabbed him by his lapels and got in his face. "Olivia Pope is not "some woman" and she is not dead! Don't you ever say that again," Fitz hissed. Cam jumped up and stepped between the two men.
"Mr. President! You need to calm down!" Cam yelled. Fitz backed off but threw Mac a look filled with daggers that would've killed the National Security Advisor on the spot, if that were possible.
Cyrus spoke up: "Let's take a 10-minute break so we can clear the air."
When Cam and Mac left, Cyrus said, "Mr. President, you've got to get your temper under control and keep it together. Cam is on our side, but Mac's loyalties are divided. He's loyal to Vice President Langston. Don't give him any ammunition that could be used against you."
Fitz glared at Cyrus. "God, you are a real piece of work. Is that all you can think about? This isn't the time for political strategizing. Did you not pay attention during that sick, twisted video? Olivia...our Olivia...MY OLIVIA is out there somewhere, cold, alone and frightened. She's being terrorized and tortured by a bunch of barbaric monsters and you want to talk to me about Sally Langston and politics? Cy, I've had it with you!" Fitz said angrily as he headed toward the door to leave the Oval Office.
Cyrus grabbed Fitz's forearm and said in a low voice: "Mr. President, you are hanging by a string right now. Someone is gunning for you and if you're not careful, you're going to make a fatal mistake that could not only get Olivia killed but damage this country for generations to come. I'm the only thing preventing you from falling into an abyss right now. I'm all you've got, so you better damn well believe that I'm on your side!"
Fitz angrily narrowed his eyes at Cyrus. He knew that Cyrus was speaking the truth, but he wasn't ready to admit it just yet. He exhaled and raked his left hand through his hair. "Get Cam and Mac back in here and let's get to work," Fitz said forcefully, walking over and taking a seat behind Resolute, the historic desk in the Oval Office.
The four men spent the next two hours hammering out an initial strategy. Whoever was behind this kidnapping was well funded, well organized and obviously capable of covering their tracks. Finding out who was responsible was going to take a level of stealth and cunning that would require a similar approach. This was a high stakes chess match with no margin for error.
The first thing Fitz wanted to do was to find Huck because he knew that Huck was the closest thing they had to a secret weapon. Huck traveled with Olivia and Stephen to Pakistan but he wasn't in the video. Was it possible that Huck had escaped? If so, where was he?
If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?
And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
– William Shakespeare
To be continued...
(Thanks for reading and reviewing!)