Executive Orders

CH 16 | Shadows and Secrets

"Mr. Garner?" Olivia was only slightly surprised by his re-appearance. There was little doubt in her mind that he'd been lurking, no doubt waiting for her. She could guess why as well; he was easy enough to read. Garner was more than a little concerned about not only the conversation she'd had with Edison, but the fact that he'd been seen in Edison's company to begin with. A Republican visiting a Democrat might be interesting to certain parties.

She could read his uneasiness; Olivia knew that she really shouldn't take so much comfort from his discomfort. But after the way he'd looked at her in the Oval, a part of her did. "Can I help you?"

He wasted no time and went straight to the point. "I was thinking that just maybe everything might be the other way around - my helping you, I mean."

If Garner thought that he was taking control of the conversation by appealing to her curiosity, he thought wrong. Instead, Olivia said nothing, refusing to play his game and by her silence, forcing him to play hers. It took less than a minute before the silence was broken by him clearing his throat. Garner sounded decidedly uncomfortable as if he weren't quite sure of what he should say.

Olivia started towards the elevators, leaving him to scramble to keep up.

His next words rushed out of him, like a confession. "Of course you were surprised to see me coming out of a meeting with Senator Davis -"

"Not especially. Politicians sometimes end up partnering on the oddest things and I'm usually content to stay out of such matters. " Olivia said. "Unless the matter affects the White House and the policies the president backs - then I become very much interested."

Only because as a matter of strategy for she and Fitz it might matter to them later on, Olivia decided to press the point. "Should I be interested?"

"That's something I'd like to discuss with you." Garner said.

"But do you have the time?" They reached the elevators and Olivia glanced at her watch. "I believe that it's almost time for a House Committee meeting, or am I mistaken?"

"No, you're not. There is a preliminary meeting about the response to General Ramos and the San Collondias Summit scheduled, but I'm sure you know that as well." He gave her a reluctant smile. "May I compliment you on being so well informed?"

"It's a part of my job to be so." Olivia shrugged off his compliment. She leaned forward to punch the button, then turned to face him. "It's also a part of my job to figure out just what it is you really want. Did you want me to ask you what business you had with the senator, or did you want to know if Senator Davis had discussed the meeting you two had with me?"

He gave her what Olivia assumed was meant to be a knowing smile, a smile that spoke of many things beneath his words.

"Considering how close you and the Senator were once upon a time, you can forgive me for wondering just how much of the closeness still lingered between you."

"I don't talk about my personal life, neither past or present." Here she was, just thinking a few minutes ago about how much in the past Edison was and now someone was standing right in front of her, trying to use that former relationship in the present. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about it, after all, she and Edison hadn't been a secret, but still - Olivia found herself feeling more than a little annoyed. "Representative Garner, if there's something you wanted to me know or not know - why not just come out and say it."

Her straightforwardness threw him off a little, his smile faltered a little. "Are you always this direct, Ms. Pope?"

"Yes - yes I am. Again, it's a part of my job and being direct usually gets me what I want."