Scandal Episode 3.17 Flesh and Blood

Jake is in the middle of accusing Olivia of treason when the president interrupts their heated conversation. Fitz is stunned to hear that his mistress slept with his old pal in order to hack his phone. Once things settle down, the planning of what to do about the bomb gets underway. Fitz and Cyrus know what their best option is. Olivia's gladiators do their best to sneak a peek around the Secret Service agent keeping them at bay. They want to see who is entering their offices. It's a familiar figure. You could even say he's like family. Rowan/Eli/ex-Command/Olivia's dad asks, "Mr. President, how may I be of service?"

Rowan lets everyone know that the bomb-maker is named Dominic Bell. He was Maya's old handler. Both of them are out there in the wind. That's why Fitz is canceling an Ohio trip even though its six days until the election. It's safer to stay in the White House. As soon as Quinn finishes reassuring Charlie that she has zero interest in associating with her former co-gladiators, the two of them are summoned to the OPA offices. Jake is on his way out as soon as Olivia declares her allegiance to her father over him. He vows that Rowan is playing her. How does he know this? Well, he trained him to use the exact same methods.

Senator Hightower is dead. He was a great man. Now he's a great opportunity for Fitz to score some presidential points by delivering a public eulogy to his old pal on national TV. Olivia doesn't want him to do it. She vows that he will win the election but he needs to be alive to do it. Olivia promises she'll bring the campaign to him if he stays put in the White House. Fitz agrees to abide by her wishes. He misses her. Liv keeps her word. Fitz does dozens of video interviews as the rest of his staff hits the phones.

Leo Bergen makes a deal with the high school girlfriend of the president's son. He gets a sample of his DNA. A stolen toothbrush would have been fine, but the young lady delivers something a bit more rubbery. Now Leo needs some presidential DNA to backup the rumor about the First Lady asking about a paternity test. He asks for help from Rowan, who gives Olivia the scoop on what's happening. Mellie, who has been drinking heavily for days, wants to see Fitz burn. She lets it slip in front of Olivia that Big Jerry Grant could be the father of her son. She needs her help with the paternity test.

Huck doesn't have time to argue with Charlie and Quinn on a plan to find the bomb-maker, so he goes out and gets the guy solo. Dominic isn't talking. Rowan orders Huck to get answers. Olivia orders him to disregard her dad's decree to have fun while doing so. She asks if she knows Dominic, as he indicated that he once knew her. Rowan explains that he's the only man her mother ever loved. A quick game of Russian Roulette has Dominic making a call to Maya, who coldly terminates the chat even though this means her boyfriend will die. Rowan orders everyone out of the room. BANG! Rowan shoots Dominic dead.

Abby takes a hair off Dominic. Under Rowan's orders, and after a call is made to Leo Bergen, she brings it to a DNA lab. It's not a match to little Jerry Grant until an envelope filled with cash convinces the tester that it actually is a match. Sally Langston's attempt to prove that Fitz isn't Jerry's father has been neutralized. In other random updates, the bomb has been planted by the men in cahoots with Liv's mom. Jake asks David to use his resources to track down Maya Pope. And Olivia realizes that her mother can't love anyone. She lets Jake know that she loves Fitz. She feels as though she betrayed him by sleeping with another.

With Sally Langston gaining serious momentum, Fitz defies Olivia's orders and hits the campaign trail. It's fitting that the defiance is taking place in Defiance, as in Ohio. Rowan lets Olivia know that she is the only person her mother loves. If Liv is with Fitz, there's no way Maya will kill the president. So, Olivia is off to Defiance. Harrison finds the plans for the bombing at the high school where the political rally is taking place. Adnan pulls a gun on him before he can make the call to Olivia, who has just arrived. Fitz makes his speech. In the background, Olivia tells Mellie she'll handle the paternity test if that's what she wants. It is.

Quinn disposes of Dominic's body solo. She couldn't take all the bickering between Charlie and Huck, who is waiting for her when she returns. The two of them engage in their version of verbal foreplay (slapping is involved) before having sex with each other in the parking garage. They don't notice Maya walking past them and into the offices where Rowan is waiting. Maya wants him to bring her baby home.

Olivia whispers something to Fitz, who tells the crowd the sprinkler system in the basement has gone off. An evacuation takes place. Adnan lets Harrison know that the bomb isn't at the high school. Their plans are still in play. Olivia returns to her office to find her father fighting for his life on the floor. Elsewhere, David shows Jake what Maya has been up to. Senator Hightower didn't die of natural causes. Maya Pope killed him. It was part of her plan to get the president in a public place. The bomb is hidden at the church where Fitz is to give a eulogy.

Jake lets the White House know about Maya's plan. He speaks only to Cyrus, who vows to keep the president safely away. He is about to call for an evacuation of the church when he suddenly realizes that Sally Langston is already there. Andrew, too. Cyrus hangs up the phone. He never makes the call. Instead, he walks down the hall barely able to contain his smile. He lies to the president saying there a delay at the church. He asks to hear the eulogy from the safety of the Oval Office. Outside of the White House, Maya Pope activates the bomb from a cell phone. The clock is ticking. There are now less than 60 minutes until detonation.