"Jackie? What's...what's going on?" Olivia stood in her wrecked apartment, her gun still poised at an unfamiliar man, who was equal stunned. The man turned slightly to glare at Jackie.
"I thought you said she would be back until later!" He hissed angrily, backing up as Olivia advanced towards him.
"Why? Were you going to clean up this mess for her?" Jackie countered. She had her usual cool expression on. She didn't seem too upset or surprised at Olivia's sudden entrance.
"No, it's just..." The man started again.
"It's just that you're not even supposed to be here!" Jackie cut him off.
"Uh, you called me..."
"I most certainly did not! Why would I risk..." Jackie seemed to suddenly remember that Olivia was in the room. Grabbing the man's arm, she herded him toward the door. Olivia didn't bother to fight the urge to follow them. Jackie seemed unaware, or did care, of this. She and the man were now standing in the hallway, speaking in loud whispers.
"I don't know! Why would you take such a big risk?"
"I wouldn't! Damn it, they've got this placed bugged!"
"You know what...Really? They really have this place bugged?"
"Did I stutter?"
"Well, how do you know?"
"I just do, okay?"
"What are we gonna do?"
"We? Soon as Benson falls asleep, I'm gonna get my ass the hell outta here!"
"What about me?"
"What about you? I ought to let the Feds deal with you..."
"Why would you do that?"
"Why'd you take my sister?"
"I already told you..."
"Besides, Benson far too involved..."
"What?"
"She spotted you outside the diner and climbing out the window."
"I...I wasn't outside the diner..."
"Save it. I saw you too. Now, do you want your money or not?"
"Hell, yeah!"
"Then you let Nicole go and I'll fork over Gravois..."
"You can do that?"
"Why would I say it if I couldn't?"
"Alright, I'll have TJ give you a call."
"Yeah, while you're at it, get some people to clean that mess up. It's bad enough that you got the poor woman involved; now you done trashed her place..."
"You turning soft, JO?"
"Shaddup..."
Olivia didn't wait for Jackie to come back. She hauled ass right out of her apartment. Running blind, she didn't know where she was going until she stepped out of her car in front of Elliot's house. Fear overriding her sense, she began to pound wildly on the door. Elliot slowly opened the door, a gun in his hand, and fear all over his face. Ben stood behind him on the staircase, hair disheveled, just as frightened.
"Jesus, Liv! Why'd you come up here, pounding the door like you were the police?" Elliot's face broke into a smile at his own pun, and even Ben was chuckling. Olivia was standing in the foyer, hands on her knees as she tried to gain control of her breath.
"Where's Jackie?" Ben asked the first words he had spoken to her in days. Olivia looked up and studied Ben's face. He seemed genuinely concerned about why Olivia was here and why she hadn't brought Jackie. He almost looked like a kid who was disappointed that his big sister hadn't made good on a promised visit. Olivia continued to watch as he slowly realized that Jackie simply hadn't come with Olivia and he slowly trudged back to bed. Olivia could see him nod at the officer appointed to watch over him.
"Where is Jackie?" Elliot asked, as Olivia led him to the kitchen. She was surprised that there was another officer sitting at the table, but since he was dozing, she was comfortable enough to have a private conversation with Elliot. "...And how'd you get past the officer stationed outside?" Elliot, who was clearly confused, had been asking her non-stop questions since she entered the house. Olivia held up her hand to silence him. She took a deep breath and recounted the entire conversation she'd eavesdropped on.
TBC
a/n: Bumbumbum!!!!!! What happens next?