8:25 AM – Stabler Residence
Elliot awoke to the sound of his alarm clock, ringing with a loud, annoying chime, as expected. He reached his arm over to his right and turned off the alarm. He yawned as he began to stretch, still feeling sleepy. As he sat up he turned over and examined his wife, Kathy, sleeping soundly. The only thing Elliot wanted to do at that point would be to stay with his wife in bed, but he denied himself, kissed her forehead, and went to get ready for work. After brushing his teeth and giving a quick shave, he dressed himself in his usual attire, ready for the day ahead of him; he walked towards the door, but heard his wife mutter something.
"Have a good day," Kathy said before Elliot left. He turned around, smiled, and walked out of the room. He silently walked out the front door and started the engine of his car.
8:32 AM – Olivia's Apartment
Waking up shortly after her alarm began to ring; Olivia disabled her buzzer, and slowly sat up as she began to get ready for the day. A headache that began the previous night was still bothering her as she awoke. Ignoring it, she took some aspirin and got out of bed. Still feeling sleepy, she continued her morning routine, showering, brushing, and dressing; she equipped herself with her usual belongings and made her way out of the apartment complex.
She exited the complex and entered her car, but after turning her car keys in the ignition, the car failed to start. "Oh come on…" she muttered, but after many failed attempts to start the vehicle, it simply wouldn't start up. Eventually she gave up, exiting her car and began to walk down the street, making her way to the nearest subway.
After she entered the underground transit station she waited patiently for the next train along with others. She felt out of place, a cop, waiting for the next subway train to take to her job. There are many other methods of transportation she would rather take, but she had to make do with what she had. Eventually the train arrived, long overdue according to Olivia's schedule. She boarded the train along with the others waiting, and took a seat close to the back of the last car. Just as all the passengers boarded, the operator began to continue his duties.
9:07 AM
"Wait! Don't pull off yet!" somebody said as she ran towards the closing doors. Olivia recognized the person to be her friend and co-worker, Casey Novak. Initially surprised to see her friend boarding a subway train, Olivia rushed to the operator in hopes of changing his mind.
"There's another passenger trying to get onboard, could you please open the doors for her?" She pleaded.
"Eh, she can board the next round," The operator decided.
"Yes, she could, but it would more convenient if she were to board this one, wouldn't you agree?" Olivia tried to reason with the annoyed operator, trying to refrain from using authority. Shaking his head, he pushed a lever backwards, opening the doors and allowing her friend to board the train. She thanked the operator and walked towards Casey as the train moved into motion.
"Funny seeing you here," Casey said while sitting down next to her colleague. "Didn't feel like using your car?"
"Didn't have a choice, my car wouldn't start." Olivia answered.
"No gas, maybe?"
"I filled the tank yesterday; there must be something up with the engine." She continued, but she then turned to ask her friend the same question. "What are you doing here?"
"My bike got a flat tire; I figured the subway would be a good alternative.
"It happens." Olivia said. The train suddenly hit a bump, causing a sharp pain to Olivia's head as she grasped her forehead with her hand.
"You feeling okay?"
"I've got a small headache."
"I noticed. You take any pills to help it?"
"A couple, but it didn't do much. The rocky ride sure isn't helping either." Olivia said as the train continued down its path.
9:19 AM
The train continued along the subway, getting closer and closer towards their stopping point, Olivia and Casey continued to talk and chat in the sparsely populated train, with the only passengers being Olivia, Casey, and 12 others. The operator continued to oversee the train's progress, keeping an eye on the railway.
Suddenly, as the train continued through a long empty hallway, he noticed a large stone barricade, completely blocking the train's progress. "What is that doing there?" The train operator thought to himself. Acting as fast as he could he alarmed the passengers. "Everybody hang onto something! We've got a big barricade ahead!"
Instinctively everyone grabbed onto the nearest pole, ready for the shift. Quickly the operator used the brakes, slowing the train down and also causing the gravity to shift slightly. Eventually the train came to a complete stop, about 10 meters away from the barricade. The passengers began to chat and wonder what a barricade was doing in the middle of a railway, and so did Olivia and Casey, but they still wait in their seats for the operator to investigate.
"Everybody remain calm," The operator said, "I'll investigate the situation and call in for support." With that, he exited the train and walked towards the barricade. As he walked closer and closer he began to notice the texture of the 'barricade'. The appearance began to look artificial, like it was made out of paper, or some other weaker material.
Suddenly, the fake barricade 'opened', as it began to form an entrance like a door. The operator stepped back and suddenly noticed five figures standing behind the doors. "So you guys are behind this?" The operator shouted. "You think this is funny? Scaring a whole train of passengers with your joke?"
One of the men broke the silence by letting out a laugh. "I thought it was pretty funny." the man said.
"What do you mean by that?" The operator shouted back. "I got 911 dialed right here! Soon I'll be the one laughing." The men began to walk towards the operator, and as they were revealed by the light of the train, the operator noticed that they had firearms, dark clothing, and shades. "Oh no…." The operator thought to himself, and suddenly...
(Bang)
Olivia's eyes widened at what sounded like a gunshot. But before she could move two men with submachine guns stormed the front entrances, wildly firing their guns towards the ceiling. "Everybody put your hands behind your head and down on the freakin' floor, now! One of the criminals shouted, "Anyone doing otherwise gets a bullet through their head!" The same one said, continuing to threaten the passengers. Immediately the passengers complied, dropping their items, putting their hands behind their heads and dropping to the ground. Two more men entered the train from the back and began to search the passengers as well, collecting phones and other communication devices, and sealing off the exits. Once the items were collected and confiscated one last man entered the train from the front entrance, no doubt the leader of the pack. While his henchman each wore balaclavas covering their faces, the leader wore shades and a do-rag, showing his Van Dyke beard.
"Alright everyone, stand up." The leader said. The passengers complied again. "Now sit back down in your seats." He said as the crowd followed. Olivia eyed the situation and noticed four of them guarding the front and back, two on each side, each holding MP5s. Her pistol would be no match against them, nor did she have the option to use it, as she one of the thugs removed it from her.
"This is a hostage situation," the leader continued, "and no one will be harmed as long as the city of New York agrees to my terms. So make yourself at home, get comfy, this may take a while." He said with a smile as he retreated to the operator's seat.
Olivia and Casey began to whisper to each other. "'The city of New York'? " Casey asked, "What does he mean by that?"
"They're going to hold us hostage until he gets the money he wants from the officials." Olivia said, "I wouldn't see a group of thugs hijacking a train for any other reason."
"So what do we do?" Casey questioned, "They'll kill us eventually—
"They won't kill us as long as we follow his orders." Olivia interrupted Casey, who was noticeably worried. "For now, we wait."
9:48 AM – Special Victims Unit Precinct
Elliot sat as his desk going through multiple folders, viewing developing cases going on through New York City, but not a second went by where he didn't wonder what was holding up his partner, Olivia Benson. "Maybe she ran out of gas or something," He thought, "Or maybe her phone is off," he remembered when he called her cell number earlier. Elliot's co-worker, Odafin Tutuola, or Fin as his friends call him, walked over to his colleague.
"Call me crazy but it looks like something's bothering you." He jokingly asked.
"Just going over this case, "Elliot said as he tried to shift his mind towards his job. "'Fifteen year old gone missing, last seen in a supermarket.'" Elliot read from the paper. "It gets under your skin sometimes."
"You gotta do better than that El," Fin said as he clearly saw through Elliot's lie. "What's really bothering you?"
Just as Elliot was about to tell the truth, Donald Cragen, the Captain of the precinct, burst through his office doors. "Elliot, follow me." He said as he began walking towards him. Without hesitation he followed his boss towards the precinct's communication room, hooked with GPS systems and microphones, used for communicating to those in trouble.
"We've got a situation going on," Cragen said, "A subway train has been taken hold of by 5 perpetrators, armed and dangerous."
"Anyone hurt?" Elliot asked.
"Reports say the train operator was shot and killed, all passengers are unharmed as of now," Cragen said as he finished his briefing and entered the communication room.
"Why are you telling this to me then?"
"Because we need you to communicate to him through the speaker in the train operator's desk, and you're the best negotiator for this."
"There's something else isn't there?"
Cragen took a short pause before answering, "Olivia and Casey are onboard the train." Cragen said as he noticed Elliot become more worried. His mind became full of questions, mainly why Casey and Olivia were on a train on the first place, but putting his confusion, and his anger, behind him he realized the main focus is to get the situation handled. "I've contacted the SWAT team but someone needs to calm this guy down. I'm putting you through to him now, once he picks up, be calm, and don't piss him off. He could have his men kill the passengers."
"Yeah, I got it, no pressure," Elliot said.
Within seconds, the light on the speaker turned green, and Stabler was now starting a conversation with an unpredictable criminal.
The leader waited patiently for the officials to contact him through the phone on the desk, and within minutes, the phone began to ring. "That was quick," He thought to himself.
"Hello?" The leader said through the phone
"Hello, my name is Detective Elliot Stabler, I'm part of the NYPD and I'm here to make sure things work smoothly. Who am I speaking with?"
"Me? I'm the man who's gonna give this city a run for its money," The leader answered.
"Can I get a name?" Stabler asked, repeating his question.
"Payton," He answered.
"Alright Payton, how are we—"
"This is how it's gonna go down," He interrupted, "I have four men with me, watching the front and back of this train, so don't bother bringin' down your SWAT team or whatever, my men will see them coming from a mile away, and they will be literally blown to bits. Now, I have this entire train of passengers here taken hostage, you try anything fancy, there won't be any left, you got that?"
"I hear you." Elliot said.
"Good," He continued. "What I want here is a ransom, so you better get talking to the mayor after this conversation. What time is it now Elliot?"
"It's almost 10 o'clock."
"Well then, I'll cut to the chase. I want five million dollars down here in 30 minutes."
"…You said five million dollars?" Elliot asked, in shock by the leader's tough demand.
"Oh, did I say five million? I meant five hundred dollars."
"Okay then-"
"Five million dollars down here in 30 minutes! You hear me?" Payton shouted.
"Yeah, I hear you." Elliot responded.
"Good," Payton said, "Because there's gonna be some penalties if you guys are late." Payton turned towards the passengers. "If it's 10:30 and my money still isn't here, I'll have a passenger killed. No questions, no delays, a bullet will go through some poor soul's head; it would be your fault. You hear me?"
"Yes, I hear you." Elliot said, once again.
"Good," Payton continued, "If 5 minutes pass from 10:30 and I still don't have my money, I'll let my men have some fun with one of the chicks on this train, and that would all be your fault too. Should I elaborate that for you?"
"No, that's not necessary. I can assure you your money will arrive before 10:30."
"It damn well better be here. Otherwise that cycle will continue until 11:00, and I'll blow the whole damn train to bits. You know what else?"
"What?" Elliot said, with a slight irritation in his voice.
"That would be your fault too," Payton grimly responded. "Now get moving, it's 10:00." Payton closed as he slammed the phone back to its charging station, ending the call.
Elliot sat back in his chair, pondering on how to solve the dire situation. Cragen and his fellow detectives, who were listening in the previous room, entered.
"I'll contact the officials and give them the details about the situation," Cragen said, "We'll get this solved before he does anything stupid, I'm sure of it."
"Then what do we do? This guy wants 5 million, that's not something you just fork over to someone." Elliot said.
"We know what we have to do, we heard his demand," Cragen said, "But this man is unstable, what will he do?"
Author's Note:
Thanks for reading my story. If you have the time, please review and tell me what you think of it! I can't quite give a clear prediction when the next chapter arrives, but for progress on the story check out my profile for daily updates and other upcoming stories. I also want to give a big thanks to my beta reader, Bob Rhynoplasty; I wouldn't have gotten this story off the ground if I went at it alone. I hope you enjoyed the story, keep checking back!