House of Cards

Lucas Goodwin was released from a federal detention center

in Terre Haute, Indiana, two months ago.

FBI investigators searched his witness protection residence

- in Dayton, Ohio... - Why was he even out of jail?

He helped the DOJ with an ongoing investigation.

How did you not know that?

WITSEC. Only need-to-know for security reasons.

We found this today at his house. A suicide note, I guess.

This can't go public.

We haven't told the press anything. But this is evidence.

Once the report comes out...

Email this to me.

Mrs. Underwood?

It's two o'clock in the morning. Would you like to go home?

Yes, I'll be out in a moment.

Yes, ma'am.

His liver is just not regenerating fast enough.

What does that mean, exactly?

He needs a transplant, or he'll die.

- How soon? - Days.

We've made him Status 1.

I'm optimistic we'll find him a suitable liver.

The recipient list is classified.

You're the only two members of the administration who've been briefed.

- Is the First Lady aware? - Yes, I informed her this afternoon.

May I?

Please.

I know it's late, but they said you were up, so...

No, I know. I just hadn't eaten all day.

I'm sure you haven't.

- Would you like some salad? - Sure. Thank you.

It's scary, about Frank.

Well, Francis is a fighter.

I wish I could ask his advice. I have my call with Petrov in the morning.

I feel good about my understanding of the plan.

My concern is him railroading me on the call.

Well, would you like me to be on it? An extra set of ears.

I don't... I don't know how Cathy would feel about that.

Well, she doesn't need to know.

I could just listen from up here.

And maybe I could type a note if you get into trouble.

Tight-lipped on the president's recovery.

As of now, he's reported to be in stable condition.

No press has been allowed into the hospital.

Republican presidential hopeful Will Conway

spoke of the president at a rally in Arizona this morning.

I've criticized President Underwood often.

But right now, he's our president...

Come back tomorrow. We're all out.

And we have to pull together, both sides of the aisle...

We're all out for today. Sorry, come back tomorrow.

- We're all out, guys. We're all out. - Are you serious?

Come back tomorrow. We're all out for today, sir.

Bullshit!

Hey...

can I siphon a couple of gallons from you?

Fifty bucks. I'm running on fumes.

I gotta get my kids to school, and my husband to work...

Eighty bucks, two gallons.

Sorry, I can't help you. Sorry.

- The line's open? - Moscow is ready when you are, sir.

You can set it up here.

My Cliff Notes.

I'm ready.

Mr. President, you're on with President Petrov.

Mr. President.

All of Russia is praying for the president's recovery.

I hope you will extend my warm thoughts to Mrs. Underwood.

I certainly will.

You're a brave man to take over during such difficult times.

I just want to make sure we find a manageable resolution to this oil...

I've read some of your books, Mr. President.

I just finished Learning to Learn. It was good.

Thank you.

There was a chapter on visualization that really interested me.

Yes, it's a... a tool for students. It helps them...

I would like you to visualize something.

Now, you're standing in the tundra.

Um, wind, snow...

machines drilling through the ice,

long pipelines stretching to the horizon. Do you see?

If you want to talk about Siberia, I'm more than happy to...

No, no, no. You're not visualizing, Mr. Vice President.

Close your eyes.

All right. They're closed.

Good. Now...

picture the men working those drills and pipelines.

What do they look like?

Um, heavy coats, gloves, boots.

Are they... Chinese?

You see, when I picture this, I don't see Chinese.

I agree with you. The less control the Chinese have, the better.

Then why did you send Milkin to China?

You weren't negotiating with us. We thought they might have more luck.

Their demands would leave us worse off than we were before.

I can get the IMF to provide half the bailout.

This would counteract the Chinese demands for drilling rights...

- You are playing us off each other. - Mr. President...

I think you're in over your head, Mr. Blythe.

If you would just give me a chance to elaborate...

Why give you a chance?

What do you know about Russia? About China?

I've been briefed on...

Forgive me, but...

I don't feel comfortable negotiating with anyone other than the president.

When he recovers, perhaps he and I can speak.

So, are we finished?

The president's in very bad shape.

Sir...

How serious is it?

He needs a liver transplant.

I wasn't aware that...

You better get used to negotiating with me.

If the president dies, it's you and I...

or nothing at all.

My apologies, Mr. President. I didn't intend to insult you.

Let's keep a dialogue open. That's all I'm asking.

I'd like the opportunity to present you with a detailed proposal

countering the Chinese demands.

I'll have Secretary Durant work with your foreign minister,

and then we'll take it from there.

Are you open to that?

Of course.

I look forward to reviewing your proposal.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Sir, we didn't want that to get out to the press yet.

The American people deserve to know, anyway.

Sir, the Russians don't respond well to weakness.

Now that they know that the president...

You heard him say he's open to negotiation.

I'd say that's progress.

Four days and still nothing? No press conference, no briefing.

We have to let them conduct their investigation on their own terms.

- Feels like we're being shut out. - This isn't just the bureau.

They have to coordinate with Homeland and make sure nothing sensitive...

That's bullshit.

There's something about Goodwin that you don't want us to know.

Wrong.

I wanna know why he did this just as much as you do...

but we've gotta let the FBI do its job.

Same theory as when I visited him.

And that was before he struck the plea, correct?

I encouraged him to plead guilty. His claims were unsubstantiated.

Tell us about your meeting with the president

prior to that meeting with Goodwin.

Lucas asked me to investigate. I did.

That involved an interview with Underwood.

You still have your notes?

No notes without a warrant.

The press. Calling non-stop.

We suggest you don't speak to anyone while we're still...

Don't worry. I don't have any interest in getting dragged into this.

Let me go dig up those notes.

Blythe... He told Petrov the president needs a transplant.

- Why would he do that? - Petrov got under his skin.

This is why we should've carried out your husband's plan.

We're giving Moscow too much room to maneuver...

Let's not debate what we can't change, Doug.

If Moscow knows, we'll have to notify the press.

We're doing that tomorrow. Dr. Saxon will do the briefing.

No, I'll do it. It's better coming from the First Lady.

I agree.

We need to address this, too.

The FBI found Goodwin's notes in his house.

- Can we make them disappear? - No, it's already been catalogued.

We need to get out ahead of it and control the story.

All right. Get me a copy and report on the investigation so far.

I wanna see him.

The president.

The Secret Service still won't let me.

I'd like Mr. Stamper to have access to my husband, please.

We have strict orders, ma'am. Only you and...

Would you like me to call the vice president myself?

Douglas, this young man will escort you to his room.

Thank you.

- What time is it? - It's a little past 7:00.

Sir? Sir, it's Doug.

Just because his eyes are open doesn't mean he's fully conscious.

Insufficient liver function.

His brain is swimming in a pool of unprocessed ammonia.

If he's seeing anything, it's probably severe hallucinations.

How long until he has a liver?

Could be hours. Could be days.

He's number three on the list.

Number three?

It's prioritized in terms of need and who was listed first as a Status 1.

- He's the President of the United States. - It's the law.

The attorney general is resigning.

Add that to the press release for this afternoon.

- Her decision or the vice president's? - My decision.

Goodwin's WITSEC was a DOJ responsibility.

We needed a head to roll.

First hers... then yours.

You'll resign tomorrow.

Doug, I know you're under a lot of pressure, but...

You sent the photo of the rebel soldier.

- That's not true. - Personal phone, off the premises.

You know, maybe somebody hacked my account or something...

Are you really gonna keep lying to me?

I could have you arrested.