Authors Note - Thanks for the reviews keep them coming and here's chapter four hope people like it.
Chapter 4. Granting Immunity Pt 1
Lacey was behind her desk writing and going over her files as her hair was in curls as usual but the left side tucked behind her ear. She wore a gray pants suit set with a black button down as her blazer and coat rested on the back of her chair.
Nick walked in making her look up. "Woah there he is, how was visiting Zara?"
"Pretty good I got to see her so I'm not really complainin, did I miss anything?" Nick asked sitting down.
"Well Fin still is still sarcastic, Amanda is still blonde, Carisi is still new, Barba ego is still the same Liv is still in charge and I still have anger issues." Lacey nodded getting amused looks from the team.
"So not much then?" Nick brow raised sitting down.
Amanda chuckled patting Nick's shoulder. "Good to have you back." She walked over to her desk he smiled watching her before opening his laptop.
Lacey kept her eyes up from her papers looking between the two of them a small smirk spread across her face. "Nick, you want a coffee I'm heading to the break room." She said getting up walking.
"Yeah I could use one just put-" Nick started to say but was pulled out of his chair.
"Oh no you're coming with." Lacey said as they walked into the break room fixing their cups of coffee. "I saw that you know."
Nick leaned back resting this hands in the table. "Here you go again with this speculation Lacey."
"Speculation?" Lacey paused before handing him a cup of coffee. "Oh no my friend my eyes don't lie to me except when they see something on Google but that's a whole nother ball game. Like I keep telling you before Nick your secret or safe with me just own up to it."
"My secret? What about yours?" His brow raised.
Lacey stirred her coffee with the stick before putting it in her mouth. "What secret?"
"You and Barba which I remind you is definitely against the law." Nick said as they slowly began walking back to their desk.
Lacey chuckled lightly. "Oh no, no that fling ended long before our careers started."
"You still love him though." Nick said.
"Well...I...oh hush and drink your coffee." Lacey said drinking her's walking away sitting back down Nick just smirked before having a seat.
"You guys finish your girl talk?" Fin asked looking up from his laptop.
"Fin be nice you and Carisi will get your's later." Lacey said.
"I think I'm good for the day." Carisi held up a hand.
Lacey shrugged. "Your loss man." They all shook their heads at her letting out small laughs. Her desk phone rang she made a confused face but put Her coffe down and picked it up. "Liv your office is only a couple feet away yah know...okay I will tell everybody." She hung the phone up. "Suit up were heading out."
Lacey said putting her blazer and coat on as everybody got up and started putting on their coats and stuff.
"Must be important if all of us have to leave." Carisi said.
Olivia walked out her office putting her coat on. "What happened?" Lacey asked.
"So a group of kids from Tribeca Academy went off campus today for lunch and had a rainbow party." Olivia said as they all began walking out the squad room towards the elevators.
"A rainbow party? Wow they're still having those?" Lacey asked with a small smirk.
"I thought they were a suburban myth." Fin said.
Olivia shrugged. "Yeah, well apparently not explicit photos were taken and then they went viral at the school. So we've got a lot of kids, panicking parents.."
"Did I miss an episode of Girls? Remind me what a rainbow party is." Nick said .
"Remind you?" Carisi questioned.
Lacey smirked. "It's when girls wear different shades of lipstick and they take turns on the guys."
Amanda nodded as they all got in the elevator. "Yeah, the first guy to get every color of the rainbow he wins."
"Come on." Olivia sighed. "We'll brief each other in the car guys let's go."
Lacey pressed the floor button shaking her head before scoffing out a laugh. "I'm never having kids."
"With you there." Amanda nodded.
They got to Tribeca Prep and met Principal Schwartz who was already waiting by the door they began walking up the steps. Lacey looked around as some kids eyes almost went bug eyed seeing cops there.
Lacey sighed. "I remember being in a school like this."
"Didn't you graduate from a school like this?" Carisi asked.
"Yeah, I would have but that girl Jessica was asking for it since Pre-K so use your imagination of what happened from there." Lacey said before catching up with Olivia.
"Why did so many scenarios just come to my head?" Carisi asked.
"Because it's Lacey." Amanda said plainly.
"Thank you for coming so quickly I don't think that what they did was a crime." Principal Schwartz said in a worried tone.
"It's okay you did the right thing by calling us, now, were you able to ID the kids from the party?" Olivia asked.
She nodded. "Yes, I was there were nine of them all ninth and tenth graders their parents pay 45,000 a year in tuition they're not taking this well."
"They never do." Lacey said plainly as they finally made it to the top which looked like the cafeteria. There was parents and kids chatting some yelling at each other making Lacey and Olivia share the same look before looking back ahead.
"Everyone quiet, please." Principal Schwartz said but they just ignored her.
Olivia sighed. "Lacey."
"I'm on it." Lacey said plainy stepping forward. "Hey...Heyy!" Lacey shouted getting everybody's attention. "Thank you now be quite." She said sternly before patting the principal on her back. "Take it away."
Principal Schwartz nodded. "Um the police are here to take your children's statements."
"Police? These are kids." One parent said outraged.
"This is ridiculous." A lady spoke up. "Savannah didn't do anything."
"I realize that you're all upset there will be time to discuss policy going forward. For now we need to deal with the situation at hand this is Sergeant Benson from SVU." She said as Olivia came forward.
"SVU? Are you kidding me?" A guy asked.
"What's going on?" Another woman spoke up.
"That's unbelievable." The same woman from before said with a shake of her head.
"What's unbelievable is that coat with them shoes." Lacey mumbled Amanda smirked.
Olivia stepped forward. "We realize that kids are kids and we want to keep this in proportion. We just also need to determine if any crimes were committed.
"Crimes?" The guy said confused. "This is a mistake, why'd they even call the police?"
"You can be present when we talk to your child." Olivia reassured. "As for cell phones and social media any pictures from the party should not be posted or shared. We appreciate your cooperation, thank you." Olivia walked back over to her team and the principal.
"Shall we begin?" Nick asked.
Principal Schwartz nodded. "Good luck." She walked away.
"Luck ain't the word but I call this side." Lacey pointed.
"Why that side?" Carisi asked.
"Because I like the view Carisi." Lacey said plainly walking away.
Nick shook his head chuckling. "I'll take this side with her."
Lacey was talking to the dad of Leo at one of the tables.
"So we done here?" His dad asked.
"Ah uh not yet your son sent sexually explicit photos of himself and some of the girls to other students." She said as the dad's glare snapped to Leo who rolled his eyes. "Okay, who were you playing lipstick party with?" Lacey asked.
"I'm sorry isn't that Leo's business?" The dad asked.
"Nope not anymore." Lacey shook her head. "Now if you want we can take your son in and have CSU do a body exam choice is yours." She shrugged looking from the dad to Leo. "And I mean a full body exam." Leo eyes widen a bit making Lacey nod seeing he was finally getting it. "Mhm."
After dealing with the parents Olivia sent Lacey, Carisi, and Amanda over to Barba's office to discuss the case. Lacey was writing the rest of the stuff on the white board as Carisi and Rollins stepped out for a second.
She heard Barba let out an amused snort from behind his desk she looked back from the chair she was standing on. "What's so funny?"
"That even with heels you have to use a chair to write something on top of the white board." Barba said closing the file walking over.
"Oh shutup you know height and me aren't the best of friends by now." She said getting down but felt herself stumble until an arm around came around her waist helping her down.
"And you're still clumsy." Barba said moving the chair away Lacey cleared her throat making him quickly remove his arm. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it see it was either you help me or I sprained my ankle." Lacey said turning around to face him.
Barba smirked. "Your saying like that would stop you from running after a criminal down the street Lacey."
She scoffed. "Are you kidding? A bullet couldn't even stop me."
"That I do not doubt at all." Barba said shaking his head before spotting something on her neck he reached lifting the small birthstone necklace up. "You kept it." He said lowly brushing his thumb across it.
"Huh?" Lacey looked down seeing he was talking about the silver birthstone necklace he gave her when they started dating. It had both the color of their birthstones joined together in a circle. "Oh yeah well between my mother's locket and this necklace it seemed to be two things that I can't be without."
"I see.." Barba said stil looking it over before up at her. "Lacey I need to tell you something," He was about to say something until his office door opened making him let the necklace drop back around her neck. "Never mind."
"Sorry if we are interrupting." Carisi said closing the door.
"Your not interrupting." They both said in unison backing up from each other.
Lacey looked over at Barba giving him a look before looking away it wasn't weird but she wasn't expecting him to spot the necklace. It was a five month anniversary gift and since he was her first real and serious relationship she just couldn't part without it. She felt the necklace before looking over at Barba who's eyes was on the whiteboard reading it over. Maybe Nick was right maybe she did still love him but it's hard when your feelings probably aren't returned. Snapping out if it she put her mind back to focusing on the case and deal with her problems later.
"Nine teenagers alone in a $10 million loft in Tribeca, what could possibly go wrong?" Barba said looking over the board.
"Well," Amanda spoke up. "They got drunk and high stripped down and had an oral sex competition."
Barba's brow raised Carisi then stepped in. "They used different shades of lipstick to-'
"I-I get it." Barba said cutting him off not wanting the details. "No teachers?"
"Nope." Lacey shook her head sitting in the chair in front of his desk.
"They're all minors?" Barba asked.
"Ranging in age from 14 to 16 no one's claiming coercion." Amanda answered.
"Since no minor engaged in sexual activity with anybody over 18 I don't see statutory." Carisi said.
Barba looked away from the board and walked to his desk before looking over at Carisi. "You don't? Not your call..but you're right the bigger issue is these photos." He said motioning to the board before looking over at Lacey and Amanda. "How explicit do they get?"
"Well, help yourself here." Carisi handed him his tablet.
Barba looked through them nodding. "Okay, huh you realize that just showing me these could be considered a federal crime?"
"Seriously?" He looked at Lacey and Rollins.
Lacey nodded slowly. "Yeah, if that's your personal tablet I'd get rid of those."
"How viral has this gone?" Barba asked.
"In the school pretty far." Lacey said.
Barba nodded. "Email? Text? Social media?"
Amanda shrugged. "We're not sure parents circled their wagons they brought up right to privacy issues."
He scoffed. "I'm sure they did, but we gotta track these images down and remove them from the internet."
"Awesome idea!" Lacey threw her hands up fake excited before letting them drop lazily at their sides. "How do we do that?"
"Contact trace it you said these photos have been shared with every student in the school?" Barba asked they nodded he sat behind his desk leaning back in his chair. "Confiscate every kid's phone and go from there."
"Every phone?" Amanda asked in disbelief.
"Okay why not call NSA get them to tap their parents while we're at it?" Carisi shrugged.
"Easy citizen four we're not wiretapping but we have got to protect these kids. With facial recognition geo-tagging, photo tagging, there could be pornographers and predators honing in on them now." Barba said pointing to the board.
"You want to explain that to the parents?" Lacey asked standind up.
"That's your job." Barba said plainly propping his feet up on his desk smirking. "But have fun."
Lacey glared. "Yeah leave us with the hard stuff like we don't have enough work to do...we should confiscate your phone first."
"Enjoy your day detective." Barba waved lowly.
"Yeah, yeah." Lacey called out leaving mumbling threats towards him.
"I think she's excited." Amanda joked heading out with Carisi who smirked.
Barba listened to the door close before continuing to stay leaned back he shook his head she still had that affect on him. Out of every ex girlfriend Lacey got under his skin the most maybe it was her attitude. Actually that was definitely half of it the other half was kind of a mystery.
The next day the team and CSU were up at Tribeca Prep collecting all the cell phones instead of a suit Lacey had on gray jeans. A navy blue v-neck with a light gray jean jacket her hair was in a high pony tail.
She was next to Nick writting on her clipboard. "Gabriel Dole." Lacey called out looking up and saw she didn't get an answer.
"Where is he?" Nick asked looking around.
"Home sick." A blonde woman stepped forward holding a cell making them look up at her. "I'm his mother I have his cell."
They both nodded. "Well, we need his passwords Mrs. Dole." Nick said.
She smiled and nodded. "Trudy Malko I'm happily uncoupled."
Lacey snorted lightly holding back her laugh Nick just gave a curt nod . "Well, is there a landline where your son is?"
Trudy sighed but nodded Lacey reached in the bin handing her a clipboard. "Well here you call him then come back when you've filled this out, k?"
"Okay." She nodded walking away.
Lacey snickered making Nick look over at her. "Oh you think that's funny?"
"A little have you ever thought that blondes are attracted to you, hmm?" Lacey brow raised smirking.
Nick shrugged. "Maybe and you know I think you attract Cuban guys and ADA's." He walked off.
Lacey continued go smirk until she caught on and glared in Nick's direction. "Real funny." She mumbled before heading over to Olivia and principal Schwartz who was talking to the lady Trudy.
"I'm finding this very invasive, Hannah." Trudy said with an annoyed expression.
The principal looked at Olivia and Lacey who gave her stern looks she looked back to Trudy. "I'm sure you don't want sexually explicit images of Gabriel going viral on the internet Trudy it's for your son's protection."
She scoffed. "Well, shouldn't that be my call then?"
"Mmm well not if it involves child pornography charges." Lacey said giving the mother a look something about this woman was rubbing her the wrong way.
"It must be stressful to spend so much time in such a dark world." Trudy said giving Lacey a pitty look before walking past them.
Lacey scoffed. "Liv i feel like she insulted me in so many words.." She shook her head as Olivia smiled lightly patting her on the back.
"She's got a lifestyle website she reviews holistic treatments, herbal therapies she's the queen bee of the Tribeca moms." Principal Schwartz said.
"Why does that not surprise me." Lacey looked to the sky before beginning to write back on the clipboard.
"Well there's one in every hive." Olivia said with a small sigh until her phone vibrated. "Excuse me." Olivia walked off excusing herself.
Lacey just continued writing until her phone vibrated pulling it out she saw it was her mother calling. She just hit the ignore button with no problem before shoving it back in her pocket.
"Like she doesn't know I'm working." She said to herself scoffing.
"Lacey," Olivia jogged over making her look over. "I need you to watch over things while I'm out I have to take Noah back to the doctors."
"Sure no problem, but is he okay?" Lacey quickly asked lowering her clipboard.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Olivia patted her shoulder grabbing her coat she headed out.
Later on that day Fin and Nick went to Olivia's home to drop off her work since Noah was exposed to the measles. Dodd's was letting her work from home Lacey hoped Noah was okay she told Liv she would stop by later. Meanwhile Lacey and Carisi headed over to Barba's office to get warrant since some parents were getting stubborn.
Walking in they saw other people in his office as they all were having a discussion and it didn't look like it was going well.
Barba excused himself once he spotted them and walked out. "This is an unmitigated disaster it's not ideal." One person said before he closed the door.
"Can we talk in your office?" Carisi asked.
"I rather not do you see the way he's getting grilled in there." Lacey asked pointing to his office.
"For once she's right that's not a good idea right now." Barba said getting a side glare from Lacey he shook his head. "Now walk me through this again."
"Okay, Taru used the photos from the kids' phones that we confiscated to run a reverse image search." Lacey began.
"How many hits?" Barba asked.
She shrugged. "We don't know, but a lot they're already posted on RedChanlt, dark net kiddie porn sites."
Barba sighed shaking his head. "Some middle school idiot uploaded these images after we explicitly said not to? Why am I not surprised?"
"My mother calls it teenacity." Carisi said getting a raised brow from Lacey.
"And Taru can't trace it back to any of the devices in custody?" Barba asked.
Lacey shook her head. "Nope."
He looked back in his office when somebody shouted before back at them. "I would so not want to be in your shoes right now."
Barba scoffed. "Neither would I but, are there devices not in custody?"
Carisi nodded. "By our count there's seven two from the party Savannah Biel, Hudson Cuesta, and one 16 year old Larry Heller and a few more 14-year-olds."
"But some of the parents were making noise about civil rights violations and all that crap." Lacey waved the last part off.
"I don't want to say I told you so." Carisi pointed to Barba.
"Then don't." Barba plainly said.
"Okay then I will..Carisi told you so." Lacey nodded. "But it's just as likely their parents are worried that their kids are circulating child pornography."
"So you guys need warrants for all seven?" Barba asked.
"That's why we're here." Carisi said.
"Alright I'll get them to you just let me finish up this in here." Barba motioned to the room they nodded heading out as he opened the door to go back in.
"Hey." Lacey called out making him turn around and look back at her. "Keep your head up and put that big brass ego to work in there."
Barba smirked nodding. "That I can do thank you."
"No problem." Lacey smiled before leaving out.
Barba watched her leave his secretary shook her head smirking she cleared her throat. "Mr. Barba your meeting is still going on."
"Right thank you." Barba quickly said snapping out of it going inside.
That was chapter four leave me a review telling me what you think about it! And until the next update