Chapter 2

Cragen presses play, the video tape starts off fuzzy, and then Olivia comes into focus on the pedestal in front of the wall.

"I'm not sure who this video is going to, but my name is Olivia Benson. I'm a detective with the NYPD. I was told to read this letter," she reads from a messy paper, "Hello and welcome to my show. Today's contestant is the lovely Detective Benson. Usually our guests are models or actors, but her face was something I couldn't pass up. Most of you know how the show works, but I'll give the directions for our newcomers. This is our first national broadcasting so we're going to start off with a bang.

Starting at 4:00 am, in 24 hours the show will be over. It will be hard to tell who will win. The NYPD or me. If the police haven't found Olivia in 24 hours, than her beautiful delicate face will become my new canvas." Olivia loses her breath for a moment, petrified. He mumbles, "come on!"

She clears her throat, "Every hour I will provide one more clue for the police. This is the first clue: I am a fake, a government conspiracy – if you find me you'll see the hidden man."

Olivia sets down the paper, she looks around the camera at the man, "can I say one thing?" The man shakes his head.

"Just one thing?"

His arm reaches out in front of the camera and pulls her from the pedestal. A ruckus is heard, a whimper, and then she sits back on the pedestal, blood drips from her hairline.

The tape goes fuzzy again.

Elliot swings open the door of the office and slams it shut behind him. Cragen looks over at Huang. All of them file into the precinct. Elliot is pacing back and fourth. He grabs a pen and scribbles on the white board I am a fake / a government conspiracy / if you find me you'll see the hidden man.

He throws the pen to the side and goes after Munch. He grabs him by the collar, "you're the nut whose into all this conspiracy crap, what's it mean?"

"Let go of him Elliot," Cragen interjects.

"Well I'm glad all of you are so calm. I guess I have to find Olivia on my own."

"I care about Olivia too," Munch says quietly, "I have a few ideas."

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Now 10 am, shackled Olivia watches the angsty artist paint on a canvas in front of her. She can't see what it is that he draws, only that by his expression it's sure to be a masterpiece.

"Can I have some water?" She asks quietly.

"Shh!"

"Please, my throat hurts."

"Shh!"

A few moments go by and she knows she has to keep trying.

"Please just some water."

He throws the paintbrush against the wall behind her. He gets up quickly and pushes her to the ground. He straddles her and places his hands around her neck. Squeezing harder and harder Olivia tries to fight him but she can't. Finally he gets up, pulls her and than pushes her to the ground.

"How's your neck feel now?"

He picks up his paint brush and goes back to the painting. Olivia coughs for a good couple minutes than regains normal breathing.

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Fin knocks on the door of Principal Hendricks office. The pretty principal steps out, "can I help you?"

"Detective Fin Tutuola. I'm looking for Anna Maria Robertson."

"Sure. I'll have the office get her from class."

"I'd rather do that myself. Which room?"

"I'll get that for you," she disappears into her office and comes back out with a slip of paper. The classroom number is on it.

"Thanks," he folds it up and puts it in his pocket.

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He charges into the classroom, mostly because he thinks that's fun, and looks around for Anna.

"Excuse me, who are you?" The teacher asks, all the students staring and gossiping already.

"I'm looking for Anna Maria," Fin says, flashing his badge.

The teacher points to the back.

"Come with me please, Anna."

She nods and slowly walks to him, every one is staring. She walks past Fin almost in slow motion and then bolts for the door. She takes off flying down the hall. Fin goes running after. All the students run to the door to watch.

She runs through a small field and then jumps up to a fence. She tries to climb it but it's slippery and she isn't that good of an escapee. Fin catches up and grabs her.

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Fin shows up at the precinct with Anna Maria. He walks her to an interrogation room. Cragen watches.

"Elliot and Munch, figure out the clue," He tells them and then heads to the interrogation room to watch Fin and the young woman.

"So why'd you run if you didn't do anything?"

"I thought you were immigration. My mom told me to run if they came after."

"How well do you know Jamey?"

"We're best friends. Did something happen to her?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what? What happened?!"

"After you called her last night, she headed back to your house and was raped on the way."

"Wait, what?"

"Jamey says you called her after she had left. She forgot a paper."

"That's not true. She didn't leave anything."

"I'll be right back."

Fin exits the interrogation room to go find Cragen, who is standing there thinking.

"Go talk to Jamey again, also track the number."

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Back at the hospital, Fin has a long discussion with Jamey to find that she did get a call from her friend Anna Maria.

Fin asks to take her phone, hops back in the car and goes to see the tech guys at the lab.

"Call the number," Harding, the tech guy tells Fin. He pushes the call button for Anna Maria but Fin's own phone begins ringing. Fin frowns.

"It's a routing device. Whoever called Jamey knew her phone number and knew Anna Maria's."

"What about the voice? She said it was Anna Maria's voice."

"If the perp recorded her voice, he could put it into a system where he could type what to say and the computer would say it in her voice. Its new technology but it sounds like your perp has a knack for it."

"Can you track the number?"

"I'm sure, can I keep the phone?"

Fin nods, "call me if you get anything."