Chapter 20: An Ounce of Truth for Every Treason, Part 1

"What's this?" Olivia said looking down at the piece of black cloth being handed to her by her main captor.

"It's a hijab, and you're going to wear it today," said the man. (A hajib is the scarf, head covering that Muslim women wear.)

Olivia, who was sitting on the edge of her cot, stood up and looked boldly at the swarthy man in front of her. "You've held me captive for two weeks and now, all of a sudden, you want me to wear this? Why?"

"Because we're going to shoot another video today and you need to look the part," he replied.

Olivia's stomach clenched. Another video. Fear started to mount inside her.

"If you're going to kill me on camera, I will die dressed exactly as I am," Olivia said defiantly. Her clothes were dirty and torn.

"Who said anything about killing you? No, that is not the plan. You will wear this hijab on camera and give a message to your government," the captor said.

"And if I refuse? Then will you kill me?"

"If you refuse I can assure you that we will not kill you, but we will kill your president, President Grant."

Olivia's head snapped upright. "What?"

"Yes, Ms. Pope. You are going to go on camera and reject your country. If you don't, we will assassinate your beloved president."

Olivia struggled to breathe as her chest tightened. After everything that had already happened, she didn't think her barbaric captors could come up with fresh torture. Olivia slumped down along the side of the wall. The tears began to well up in her eyes as she thought of Fitz. After the murder of Stephen, Olivia knew that her captors weren't bluffing about what they would do if she didn't do what they asked. If they said they would kill Fitz, she knew they must have the means to do so.

Her captor came back shortly with a blank piece of paper and a chewed up pencil. "Here. Write down what you're going to say so there are no surprises."

She knew her captor would be back shortly with the video camera. She tried to think of a way she could fix this situation but nothing came to mind. That's it, her mind. That was her weapon. Olivia, still slumped against the wall, put her head down between her knees and put all of her energy into thinking. Her kidnapping. She wasn't the real target. Fitz was. Someone wanted to ruin Fitz and was using her to get to him. Everything was starting to make sense now. Someone knew that she and Fitz were extremely close and that she was his weakness. Someone wanted to provoke Fitz into doing something that would ruin his presidency. But what? Think, Pope, think. She ran multiple scenarios through her mind. If she went on camera and renounced the United States, Fitz would have to denounce her publicly. And if he didn't and the media made a continuous story about "Olivia Pope the terrorist sympathizer," the political fallout would be huge and he'd probably eventually be forced to resign. But if she didn't betray her country, her captors would assassinate him. Either way, her captors won.

Then an idea occurred to Olivia. A way that she could slip an ounce of truth into the treason she was about to commit. She was certain that Fitz would see this video. So she would send him a message.

"My name is Olivia Victoria Pope. I was born April 5, 1977 in Bethesda, MD. I am a U.S. citizen who came here to Pakistan on a mission to help the people. My country has been dropping bombs on the innocent women and children of this country. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. I can be silent no more. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong. So, today, I wish to renounce my U.S. citizenship. I no longer believe in my country. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

"Shut it off!" Fitz growled. "I've heard enough!"

Cyrus and Cam looked at one another. The three men were in the Situation Room watching the latest video received from Olivia's kidnappers. The POTUS was steamed. When the video initially began, Fitz's heart leapt to see Olivia's face but his happiness lasted less than a millisecond when he saw how she was dressed, wearing a hajib, and her face was extremely thin and gaunt. And then when she said what she said, his spirit was crushed.

Cam was the first to speak: "Sir, I think it's time for us to do an honest assessment of this situation. The facts speak for themselves and it's time for us to let this go and move on from this. We cannot afford to spend more time on this."

"So what are you saying exactly?" Cyrus interrupted.

"I'm saying that we need to acknowledge that Olivia Pope is not who you and the President may have thought she was and that she is a traitor to this country. There's no longer any doubt about this."

"Oh, Cam, give me a break, you of all people know the way this propaganda game is played," said Cyrus. "It's obvious that Olivia said what she said under duress. Olivia Pope is a true American patriot. She's being held against her will. What she says on that video is a lie. She just said what she said because her captors forced her to."

"Be that as it may, consider the optics," said Cam, looking directly at Fitz. "When this video gets out, and it will get out, the media is going to go with the easiest and most obvious angle to the story – that a former official in YOUR administration is now supporting the Taliban. There's no other way to spin it. And you, Mr. President, will be permanently damaged by this association unless you come out and forcefully denounce Olivia Pope."

Fitz's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding? Publicly accuse Olivia Pope of being a traitor? Never!"

"Sir, this video is going to get out. We can't stop it. And when it does, it's going to send shockwaves. We need to get out in front of it and have you publicly renounce any affiliation whatsoever or lingering connection between your administration and Olivia Pope."

"Not gonna happen. Never. Ever. No," Fitz said, tapping his fingers on the conference room table.

"Sir, you are not thinking rationally. If you don't take..."

"I said NO!" Fitz yelled.

Cyrus and Cam looked at one another. Cyrus slightly shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of defeat.

"Mr. President, may I have a word with you in private? Cyrus, would you mind giving us the room, please?" the CIA Director asked.

Cyrus got up and walked out. Cam looked across the conference room table at Fitz.

"Sir, I think it's time for us to have a honest discussion," Cam began.

"An honest discussion? I thought that's what we were having!" Fitz replied.

"Mr. President, please don't patronize me. The gravity of the situation we're facing right now cannot be understated. I'm going to ask you a question and I need you to be completely honest with me. What is Olivia Pope to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Mr. President! It's just the two of us here in this room. What is Olivia Pope to you? Is she your mistress?"

"No!"

"So, if she doesn't mean anything to you…."

"I didn't say that! You said that! Don't you dare put words in my mouth!" Fitz said angrily as he stood up and leaned across the conference room table, glaring at Cam.

"Then why won't you take my advice?"

"Because I can't!"

"Mr. President! That is not a reason! What is it that you are not telling me? There's obviously something about Olivia Pope that the Taliban is aware of that your own Director of the CIA is in the dark about. WHAT IS IT?"

"Nothing. They know nothing. There is nothing," Fitz said, almost like a chant as he began to pace the room.

"Sir, with all due respect, you and I both know that is a lie," Cam said, slamming his fist down on the conference room table in frustration. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Nothing."

"So, why are you resisting my advice to publicly reject the Taliban and denounce this woman?"

"Because I can't!"

"WHY NOT?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER with every fiber of my being and I would sacrifice anything, EVERYTHING, including my presidency to protect her!"

An awkward silence descended upon the room. Cam looked across at the POTUS in shock. He had no idea of the depth of feeling the president had for Olivia Pope. He was now seeing Pres. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III in a different light. He wasn't the POTUS but simply a man in love.

Cam Reynolds knew that this conversation was over. There was nothing more to say, so he got up and left the room, leaving Fitz alone with his thoughts.

A/N: Oh boy, the cat is officially out of the bag! Now that Fitz has confessed his true feelings about Olivia to Cam, what will Cam do? I thought he and Fitz were friends, but Cam wasn't all that supportive.

And Olivia's video…did the true meaning of her message fly right over Fitz's head? He heard what she said but was he really paying attention? I think he may have missed it.

Next story update coming on Monday. Subscribe to story alert to get instant gratification as soon as I update.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Neo