November: The Light.
"Alright I gotta admit it I'm impressed" Jo Danville let out a low whistle as she surveyed the facilities of the Chelsea University's Forensic Archaeology department.
"Yeah makes me wish I'd paid more attention in history class" Hawkes agreed.
Now dressed in street clothes the entire team had relocated to the Archaeology department at Aiden's suggestion to avoid the possibility of news of their activities getting back to Sinclair moving about Jo began to assign various tasks to her team.
"Phoebe, Lucy and Lindsay have arrived safely at Chez Messer" Don Flack strode into the Lab Jess in tow "And believe me my guys will make sure they stay that way."
"Baker and Smithy have the front covered, Tennant and Troughton are out back and Will Hartnell is on the fire escape" Jess nodded "All have been told not to take any chances."
"Where's the big guy" Flack asked.
"In there" Jo nodded to Stella's office "With Aiden."
Mac had commandeered Stella's desk and was currently going through the paperwork Aiden had given him; he was particularly interested in the Ariadne since the CCTV footage Adam had managed to locate had shown Stella's SVU arriving at the docks but not leaving he was trying to put together a time line of events and the ship seemed to be the key to everything.
"Tell me more about Tasso" He asked Aiden.
"Tasso is the Professor's younger brother from what Stella says her Grandparents died when they were both fairly young and Professor P brought him up. Originally their family were Olive farmers but the Professor was smart enough to earn a scholarship to Athens University unfortunately the Papakota's land was claimed by the Greek government some sort of compulsory purchase deal and they ended up broke. Tasso took it personally if you check with the Greek Police I'm sure you'll find he's got a Rap sheet that would make Capone blush" Aiden told him "The man is pure evil Stella never liked him she said he scared her but Professor P couldn't bear to cut him loose...he was always having to bail Tasso out of trouble."
"Is he married? Kids?" Mac continued.
"No...I don't think so" She shook her head "His only hobbies and interests seem to be money, more money and hurting people."
Mac pressed a few buttons on Stella's keyboard "Well Stella is right her Uncle has been making a lot of trips to the US recently and he was here when both his brother and George Kolovos were killed."
"No surprises there then" Aiden sighed.
"What about Professor P? Is there anything else you can remember about his final days" Mac wondered "Anything might be important."
"Look my mom took off when I was two, my dad ...well let's just say that there is more than one candidate for that job Professor P he got me out of Care...he and Stel they are my family" Aiden fumed "No way is he the monster you keep trying to make him out to be."
"I'm being to realize that" Mac assured her "But if we are going to get Stella back than I need to know everything."
"It was weird for years he and Stella had planned to undertake a joint project together researching the myth of The Hanging Garden's of Babylon they'd even gotten tenure at The University of New Orleans..." Aiden explained "But before he died he kept disappearing for hours at a time, he missed several important meetings with Stella and the University it made no sense. The project was due to begin next January until he decided that it was a bad idea and that he planned to retire...Stella couldn't understand it they had a massive row over it and that was the last time she spoke to him."
"Which must make his passing so much harder" Mac held his head in his hands "No wonder she was so hurt...so angry with me."
"I...um...I probably should have said something to you earlier but Stella told me to tell you that she is sorry for the things she said that she knows you weren't responsible for his death and that she wishes thing could have worked out differently between you" Aiden paused biting her lip "I think...no I know she really cares about you maybe even more that Val."
"Mac I really think you should get out here now..." Jo yelled out from the Lab.
Dazed Mac trudged out of Stella's office to find himself face to face with a guy in a black suit and Chief Sinclair "I'll save you the trouble" Mac snapped "I quit."
Stella's head felt like it had been kicked by a thousand...no a thousand, thousand mules; cursing softly in Greek to herself she tried to work out what exactly had happened to her and more crucially where the hell she was. The last thing she remembered clearly was a giant fist hurtling towards her at a truly frightening speed; she'd been hiding behind a stack of crates waiting to see who arrived to collect her father's mysterious package... well so much for that brilliant plan Nancy Drew she wasn't. Wherever here was it was cold, extremely smelly and dark, she was lying on a mattress upon a hard metal floor a floor which seemed to be rolling to and fro. At least she really hoped it was the floor that was moving and that it was not all in her head because honestly she really couldn't be sure. Even more worrying her left leg had a heavy iron band around it and when she tried to move she realized she was shackled to the floor.
"Now...now is that anyway for a fine, upstanding American lady to speak" A voice called out of the dark to her in a thick Greek accent unfortunately a very familiar one.
"Tasso...I was wondering when you would show up" Stella managed to pull herself into a half seated position "I suppose you came to collect your package."
"Me no I'm strictly deliveries" Tasso chortled and suddenly a bright light filled the area Stella currently occupied, she had been right the floor was metal in fact the entire room was.
"I'm aboard the Ariadne" She announced taking in her surroundings from the look of things she wasn't the first resident here far from it.
"Correct" Tasso approached her carrying a wooden chair placing it besides her he sat down "And I should apologize for this" Tasso pointed to the newly acquired black eye and split lip she was now sporting "But my employers didn't realize you were family."
"Like that matters remotely to you" Stella spat out angrily.
"Oh...here we go with the Saint Kosta of Manhattan speech" Tasso grinned "I wondered how long it would take. Stella Mu it might interest you to know that your beloved Papa and I started this little Antiques import business venture together after all where do you think the money came from to send you to college or pay for your wedding? I supplied certain rare goods and big brother used his contacts in the antiquity world to sell them. I admit I'm no angel but then again neither was he."
"You killed him didn't you" Stella asked.
"Believe it or not it was an accident Kolovos was becoming far too much of a liability and so I decided it was time to cut him loose permanently if you see what I mean" Tasso sighed "Unfortunately your father had other ideas Kolovos got to his gun before I could get to mine and well the rest as they say is history."
"You set papa up to take the blame for all this" Stella hissed.
"Why not it solved all my problems nicely" Tasso shrugged "Well almost."
"Phoebe's accident how does that fit into this" Stella demanded to know.
"Ah now that was a bad mistake to make I admit it...what you would call a tactical error" Tasso shook his head "Our supply line was so successful it attracted attention in high places and I decided to diversify... use our contacts to import other goods into America livestock for example. When Kosta found out he wanted out of the game, just to walk away. I tried to warn your father that these people would never allow that to happen. He was foolish enough to ignore me and poor little Phoebe paid the price but unfortunately that aroused the interest of your boyfriend Detective Taylor...it's a pity for all concerned that Kosta didn't listen."
"You son of a bitch" Stella tried to lunge at her uncle forgetting her leg was manacled to the floor.
"That rather nicely brings me to the reason your still breathing" Tasso rubbed his hands together and pulled out a cut throat razor from his jacket pocket "The Powers that be want to know how much Taylor knows, how you found out about the package and who you have told about it and the Ariadne...oh yes they are none too bothered how they find out either..."
"Get lost" Stella didn't even flinch when he flicked open the razor.
"Yeah that's about what I expected" Tasso grinned "You know you could have been smart now that Kosta is gone I need a new partner with his specific expertise and contacts, this could have worked out well for you and Phoebe after all this is a family run business."
"Blood money you disgust me" Stella spat in her uncle's face.
"I'll take that as a no then" Tasso punched her in the abdomen "Who knows maybe we'll finally teach you some manners I always thought Kosta was far too soft on you."
Doubled over in pain Stella tried to formulate a plan any plan but all she could think of was Mac and Phoebe, it broke her heart to think that she'd never see either of them again. She'd never be able to see her little girl's first day at school, her high school prom; she'd never be able to tell Mac that she loved him. Tasso crouched next to her with the razor "I know why don't we go get Phoebe...have a real family reunion ...would you like that Stella Mu."
Stella did the only thing she could think of she bit Tasso's nose just as hard as she could, her uncle screamed and fell back in surprise blood pumping from his wound.
"You bitch" He roared.
Stella managed to get to her feet but Tasso was up to and grabbing her by the throat he slammed her against a bulkhead "Maybe I'll just kill you then" He hissed and Stella felt the edge of the razor against her throat.
"Freeze Papakota..." Mac Taylor yelled out from behind them "Let her go or I will shoot."
Stella's eyes widened Mac, Don Flack, Jo Danville and several guys all dressed in black suites had entered the room and all had their weapons trained on Tasso.
"Now why would I do a stupid thing like that" Tasso seethed "After all she's my ticket outta here."
"It ain't gonna happen in this lifetime pal" Flack told him "Your ass is all ours."
"Well in that case" Tasso pressed harder on the razor drawing blood from Stella.
Tasso never saw the bullet that hit him, the bullet that left him sprawled out on the floor stone cold, dead, the bullet Mac fired.
Stella slumped to the floor "No, no, no, no" Mac sprinted over to her "Please no..."
Stella woke up to find herself in a hospital bed Mac Taylor by her side.
"Hey" She smiled weakly.
"Hey yourself" He smiled back.
"You look terrible" She nodded towards his stubble and rumpled clothes.
"We've been here three days" He said.
"We have" Stella queried.
"Yes we have" Mac replied.
"Where's Phoebe" Stella panicked "Is she ok? Did Tasso..."
"Shush..." Mac placed a finger on her lips "Phoebe is fine she's been staying with friends of mine Danny and Lindsay Messer they have a little girl too Lucy who is four. Unfortunately Lucy now wants a Phoebe for Christmas of her own, apparently she likes being a big sister we could be in serious trouble here..."
"We" Stella raised an eyebrow.
"Ok me then" He chuckled.
"Mac I'm so sorry for everything..." Stella apologised.
"Apology accepted if you accept mine" Mac told her "This is as much my fault as yours"
"You knew that Phoebe's accident wasn't an accident didn't you" Stella asked carefully "Please Mac I need to know the truth."
"Yes and I should have told you. Flack and Jo looked into her day care centre after I called from the hospital. When Jo examined the swing she realized it had been deliberately sabotaged and that someone inside the building must have been put Phoebe on it knowing she would fall. We worked out that the manager's husband had a string of drug dealing convictions and that together they had been selling through the centre. Tasso's associates must have known that and had blackmailed the manger into helping them to put the frighteners on your dad" Mac explained "At that time we didn't know Tasso or your dad were involved all the manager new was that it was a favour for somebody big."
"Tasso said that papa wanted out" Stella agreed.
"That's kinda how we found you" Mac nodded "It seems that Professor Papakota had approached the FBI with everything he knew, he wanted no part of Tasso's people smuggling operation. He agreed to go undercover for them and to testify against his brother."
"This package he was going to collect it was people wasn't it" Stella demanded to know.
"Your dad knew that Tasso would be bringing in these poor souls and he volunteered to lead the FBI to them" Mac continued "He saved eighteen young women's lives and three children..."
"That sounds like him..." Tears trickled down Stella's face "Just like papa."
"He had a little help from you. When we began looking for you it flagged up to Agent Johnson and he contacted Chief Sinclair although they knew that Tasso would be arriving in New York on the 30th of October they didn't know the name of his vessel. You sent Aiden to me and my team provided Agent Johnson with the information he needed. There seemed only one logical place for Tasso to hold you prisoner and so we raided the Ariadne together" Mac finished off.
"If I didn't know better I'd say papa had planned all this" Stella rubbed her eyes "You know Tasso said it was an accident, papa was trying to stop him killing Kolovos when he was killed."
"Jo took another look at the forensic evidence and for once your Uncle was telling the truth" Mac shook his head "I should have realised no way could the monster behind all this be the father of someone like you."
"He still lied to me Mac" Stella's body shook with tears.
"He did his best to protect you and Phoebe, to make this right Stel" Mac pulled her into his embrace "Maybe we can too."
"Maybe we can at that" She murmured burying herself in his shirt.
A/N:- Thanks once more for all you reviews...keep them coming.