Huck starts us off by recounting to a naked and duct-taped Quinn his favorite torture techniques. I love the feeling of a toe coming off a foot, too, Huck. However, Huck has decided to be the model of restraint by limiting himself to yanking, without anesthesia but with lots of blood, Quinn's teeth out. I prefer my family and friends' discount to be for clothing and shoes, but I guess Quinn will take what she can get. Huck's going to do A LOT of awful things to Quinn in this episode, but nothing is as terrible as telling her that torturing her will be amazing, and then slowly licking the side of her face as she pants in terror. Nothing.
Huck gets down to business right away, prying open Quinn's mouth and actually inserting the pliers to start de-toothifying. But he's interrupted by his phone. It's Olivia. Flustered for the first time in her life, Olivia tells Huck, on her personal cell phone, with who knows who listening in, that her mother is with her in her apartment. Alive. Huck shuts her down immediately, tells her to get off the phone, get to the safe house. Because if Olivia thinks her apartment isn't about to be raided, she can always stay and learn the hard way it is. Huck hangs up, and can't resist just one act of torture before he's gotta go to work- he yanks out a tooth as Quinn screams.
We flip to another scene of torture, although it's Leo Bergen torturing VP Sally Langston. He's clever. The forms, the pen, are actually in her reach. But he makes it clear, partly by packing them all up, and partly by yelling that she'll lose if she doesn't do what he says, that she'll have to put politics before God. Sally, to her credit, at first tries to laugh him off, then at least looks angry for a second. She offers him gay rights, education, ANYTHING except being pro-choice. Anything. Did Sally learn nothing from 2008? Jesus doesn't get you 50% anymore, Sally. Not even 40% anymore. So Sally, after dallying long enough, agrees to Bergen's terms, and signs the forms, right after he tells her the times they are a-changin'.
Cyrus and James play the cheating husband version of the oblique-questions-with-double-meaning answers-game. Cyrus knows James has cheated, and has the pictures, but James must think that Cyrus is still uncertain, while Cyrus just wants to know how this could have happened to him.
Froot Loops. With an extremely young Michael Jackson singing "Ben" through a Walkman. As if the symbolism of lost innocence was not enough. We see Maya Pope say her last goodbye to Olivia 22 years ago. And something about casseroles. And how it will only be a couple of days. And then we flash to the safe house, with Olivia on one end, and Maya Pope wandering around on the other end, and Harrison and Abby furiously demanding answers from Huck and Jake, who claim to be clueless as to why Maya Pope is actually alive. Maya tells them that she had discovered "the truth" about Eli/Rowan, and was flying to London to give her information to a journalist there, but Rowan had her pulled from the plane under the name of … you guessed it… Omar Dresden. So they officially don't need to talk to the guy Quinn murdered now after all. Quinn will be so relieved. The real fun starts when Maya tells Huck and Jake that she escaped. That's great news, Maya! Let's bend you over a table and find the transmitter! They get out right ahead of Charlie, using his iPad for work as well as play. When Charlie raids the place, all that's still there is the now-useless transmitter.
Rowan discusses how he's going to find his wife while the Gladiators, minus Quinn, figure out how they're going to get her beyond Rowan's reach. Apparently, the plan is Hong Kong. Huck is bummed when Olivia tells him to stay with her mother tonight. And Harrison is getting the passport from "a friend". And, apparently, there's a gel that blocks traffic cameras from seeing inside your windshield.
Quinn's face is bloody, but she's cogent enough to start looking for ways out of the duct tape, especially when she sees her tooth laying beside her.
Harrison's friend is flirty and efficient, especially when she tells him that Adnan Salif is back and says hello. But she'll call him when the passport is ready.
Cyrus is holding on exposing Daniel Douglas, and Mellie tells him to play the cards because a job she hates with a man she despises is on the line, and goddammit, she wants what will disappoint her most.
Maya cozies up to Olivia over breakfast, and goes straight into full mothering mode, reciting a fantasy life she concocted for her daughter of marriage, a kid, dinner with laughs. And love. And happiness. But, Maya points out, she has no laughter in her life. Only dangerous men and a life of intrigue that reminds her too much of Eli/Rowan. Huck and Jake drink coffee and plot against Rowan. Jake decides they need help. Fitz's help.
Fitz is sympathetic, but won't act. At least, not without a far reaching plan that sort of peacefully dismantles B-613 without a body count. But Jake wants action. While Fitz was shaking hands, Jake was getting his bloody. And now, Fitz is president while Jake's ass hangs in the wind. He wants the past 22 years of his life to disappear, so he can put B-613 behind him. Now. And here is Fitz, claiming to love Olivia but doing nothing to free her from her father's threats against the people she cares about. Fitz accuses Jake of trying to be Olivia's knight in shining armor, and warns Jake that Olivia is no damsel. Jake, disgusted, leaves.
Quinn goes for a glass with her feet, and it falls away from her. We cut to Sally Langston telling Daniel Douglas that they're getting the reward of walking the righteous path. Hope he's pro-choice. What Quinn wants, and what Sally wants are both right there… within reach… if they don't fumble and fuck it up.
James pops into Cyrus' office to say hi before heading off to Daniel Douglas. James is ecstatic to continue the interview, but tells Cyrus that Daniel will be coming over to their home to finish somewhere quiet, and verifies that Cyrus will be out. But James is about to be freaked out when he talks to Daniel Douglas, who grabs him and tells him that … HE IS NOT GAY. Daniel tells James that he is attracted to his wife, a Christian, and it is a despicable temptation that is his cross to bear. James goes from fearful to just pitying as Daniel launches into a terrified screed about being a man and being on God's path. It's like the aftermath if Dan Savage fucked Phil Robertson. Because Daniel Douglas IS NOT GAY. Just like that Mr. Garrison on South Park.
Olivia gets a flashback that leads to an idea that goes nowhere, because Maya shoots down her idea of tracking down the journalist she was going to see in London. That would put the journalist in danger. Maya insists that as long as Rowan is alive, she must run. Huck doesn't contradict her. Maya says it's okay, she's seen her daughter, and can leave her old life behind for a life on the run.
We see the backs of Charlie and Rowan enter some dilapidated old place, with Jake and some loyal old buddies with guns watching. However, it's two of Jake's buddies who get it, entering a room where a bomb goes off, but there's no Rowan or Charlie. They are in a car, speeding away with Charlie celebrating giving them the slip for a change, and Rowan scolding him for liking killing. Duh, Rowan loves power, not killing. Rowan loves control, not killing. Rowan wants Quinn to check in and earn her keep, so he scolds Charlie for not keeping decent tabs on her, too. She's busy working on that glass.
Huck and Jake commiserate over their loss, and Huck rushes back to Quinn's to spoil her escape. He gives her some lovey-dovey talk and yanks another tooth. Harrison and Abby show up to see Olivia and Maya and tell them Maya's picture is on the no-fly list. Abby tries to sweet-talk boyfriend David into getting her off the no-fly list. No dice.
VP Sally graces Fitz with her presence, to tell him he's a terrible person, and horribly self-centered. With Josie Marcus out, there's a new chance to be the first woman President. Fitz tells her she can't win, but VP Sally wants to make her own opportunities, not wait for Fitz to give her one. Fitz threatens her with total political destruction, and VP Sally tells him to bring it on.
Cyrus races home for more double entendres, and erupts at James, telling James he knows all about the cheating with Daniel Douglas. James throws Cyrus' double-dealing back at him, and demands to know why Cyrus pimped him out. Cyrus trusted James not to ruin their marriage, because that's Cyrus' job. When James demands a divorce, Cyrus angrily tells James that he's got the photos of his sexual escapade, and that James better not be going anywhere. So he held on exposing Daniel, but will happily use the photos to threaten his own husband? Their argument is interrupted by Cyrus trying his best to sound professional and normal on the phone with Fitz, who wants him right away. I guess we know who Cyrus' real husband is.
Fitz wants VP Sally taken care of. Fitz is actually angry at Cyrus, blaming him for losing VP Sally and her right-wing voters. VP Sally is leaving because Fitz's philandering cost him her trust and loyalty, but he still blames Cyrus. Mellie tells Cyrus that he will get over it, and graduate to numbness, which is close enough to fine for her. See it through, she tells him. Put the final nail in his marriage's coffin so Fitz can continue to be a useless President.
Charlie walks in after Huck's latest dentistry, and rescues Quinn. David tells Abby that removing Maya from the no-fly list will actually set off huge alarm bells, putting Maya in more danger. Olivia tells Maya there's going to be another way, and leaves the room to call Fitz from the stairwell. Fitz tells her he knows about Maya, and what can he do? Oh, so Jake can't be a hero, but Fitz can? But Olivia just wants a sympathetic ear, one that won't demand answers, and will just talk about how great Vermont and the future kids are. These two are really going on about the dream now, so you know it will be tragically yanked from them by the end of the season. Fitz decides he will get Maya out of the country. He tells her it will be done, period. She cries a little and thanks him. Fitz hangs up and demands to talk to a general, dammit.
Charlie gives Quinn a drink. Charlie ixnays the crying, reminding her that a few missing teeth isn't the end of the world, and that her fingers are all there. But Quinn is reeling from being tortured by her only friend. Then there's sex, which can be tricky when of you has just had teeth pulled and you want to kiss. But Charlie's a professional.
Cyrus waltzes into VP Sally's office, who has stabbed the pig through its belly, but hasn't seen just how hot her husband is when he's having gay sex. Fortunately, Cyrus can show her. Evidently disgusted with her husband, she calls Cyrus' bluff. Cyrus made the crucial mistake of implicating his own husband in an gay extramarital affair. VP Sally blows him off. Cyrus silently slinks from her office. He's so humiliated he actually apologizes to James, telling James the photos are gone, and begging for forgiveness. But there's a packed suitcase behind James on the bed.
Charlie and Quinn traipse over to HQ, for Quinn to do some digital magic to find the Gladiators for B-613. Charlie loves a chick who can find people for him. Quinn wants the video of her murdering in exchange for tracking down Rowan's enemies. Rowan is impressed.
Olivia sends Maya off on a plane supplied by Fitz. Olivia tries to keep it professional, but Abby is having none of it and sends Olivia off to hug her mom. "Ben" plays again as they have a sentimental goodbye. They recreate the scene from Empire Strikes Back, with one saying "I love you", and the other saying "I know." But Michael Jackson isn't done playing, and teenaged Olivia answers a phone call for "Maria", hanging up on what she thinks is a wrong number. But present-day Olivia starts putting pieces together, and quickly calls Huck back at the office, who tells Olivia that the name on the no-fly list is Maria. Rowan's not the bad guy here. Maya is. And Olivia just helped her escape the country for a place she'll be unreachable.
We cut to a flashback of Huck's torture session, and a terrified Quinn making Huck an offer he can't refuse. We cut back to Rowan's office, and a syringe coming out of Quinn's sleeve, waiting to be used.
Cyrus is woken while sleeping alone in his office by a phone call. It's VP Sally, whispering from Daniel's man cave. Fitz's philandering is about to be the least of this administrations problems. Can Cyrus figure out how to get VP Sally out of a homicide charge?
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