A/N: Hey all. Here's the new chapter of Countdown. Now that Elliot knows who he is, the answers will be coming!

Slowly though. Come on! You don't think I'd stop torturing you that quickly did you, hahaha.

Disclaimer: I don't own SVU or Apollo 11. If I did I'd be having the party to end all parties: Meloni, Mariska, and the Moon, hahahahahahahahahaha!

This chapter is for Stabson! Keep kicking ass my good friend. If anyone hasn't read her new fic Revival, drop what you're doing and do so!

Also, a big shoutout to my friend Lillybug991, another great writer I have the pleasure of knowing :)

Enjoy and review!

Chapter Eleven: Dangerous Ground

4:20 PM, July 13th, 1969; Belleview Hospital, New York City

A dark red blush covered Olivia's cheeks upon recollecting the memories. "Yes, we dated El." This was getting into dangerous territory; losing his memory or not Elliot was still married to Kathy and that declared him off limits.

Elliot gulped, his mouth suddenly becoming dry. He had dated this beautiful woman? He imagined what it would have been like; walking hand in hand along the sidewalk, leaning over a candlelit table to kiss her, helping to slip off her clothes as they collapsed into bed, waking up with her in his arms as the sunlight streamed through the window…

He shook his head; what the hell was he doing? He was married for Christ's sake. However, there was something so, right about this that Elliot couldn't put his finger on. He felt guilty but couldn't stop thinking about Olivia, smiling and talking, smelling faintly of scented soap.

"Were we happy?" he asked, wanting to know. Studying her expression, Elliot saw a slight change in her demeanor. Whereas before she had been chipper and happy now there was some edge to it. That wasn't a good sign.

"Oh sure," Olivia remarked, the bad memories flooding back. She blinked a few times, trying to rid them from her thoughts; it wasn't going to do Elliot any good right now, not when he didn't even remember. "The relationship just ran its course," she lied.

A profound sadness coursed through him. How could he have let a woman like this slip from his grasp? To Elliot it seemed a worse tragedy than losing his memory. "I guess we were just young huh?"

"Yeah," she breathed, smiling softly. "I was in med school at the time and you were in Korea, so I guess that's right." 'Best to let him down gently,' Olivia thought, much as it pained her to do so.

"So that explains all the scars," he quipped, earning a chuckle from them both. Remembering the picture of the cute girl with Olivia, Elliot decided to inquire about that. "Is that your daughter?" he asked, pointing to the photo on her desk.

Olivia smiled widely at the thought of her baby girl. "Yep, my little Maureen. The light of my life."

Elliot nodded; looking at the picture, he felt happy at the love mother and daughter said. "I'm sure the father is very proud of his little girl."

"Uh," Olivia searched her mind for the right words. "My husband at the time isn't around anymore." At his questioning look she elaborated. "After getting my first job I met Dean, my husband, and we had a pretty quick romance. I thought he was charming so when he proposed I said yes. Turns out he was a total flake; divorced him after catching him in bed with some girl, wasn't the first one I may add." Olivia shrugged. "Haven't seen him in years; when he found out Maureen was born he fled, I think to somewhere in Europe."

Fists clenched, Elliot tried to remain calm. "Well if he comes back I'll kill him. A good woman like you doesn't deserve to be treated that way."

"Whoa," Olivia laughed. "Easy tiger; glad to see your temper is still strong and volatile as ever." Elliot had always been protective when it came to her, a trait she secretly loved. 'No, he's married.' "I don't really care anymore. I love Maureen and we take care of each other."

"That's good to hear," Elliot smiled. "So, is there a man in your life?" He didn't know why, but he just had to know.

"Yes," Olivia replied. "His name is David Hayden."

Elliot felt like an idiot. Of course Liv would have a man in her life. She was a drop dead gorgeous divorcee with a great job and a wonderful personality; men would be lining up around the block to grab a chance with her. "Is he Prince Charming?"

She giggled. "No, but he's nice, makes me laugh, and treats me like a queen."

His marital status notwithstanding, Elliot felt envy stab his heart. 'Lucky bastard.' "I guess he shares your values?"

"Yep; he's a widower so his daughter comes first in his life, followed by his work."

"Which is?"

"He's a prosecutor, very dedicated to his job as am I. I may not be starry-eyed about men," 'Men not named Elliot Stabler that is,' "But I am still idealistic about my field. There are still many mysteries about the human mind that need to be unraveled and I hope to be the one that does it."

Her words brought back his dilemma like an onrushing train; the reminder was painful to say the least. "I wish you could unravel the mystery of my mind," Elliot murmured, eyes shifting to the ground.

Olivia's heart broke for him. 'Oh El,' she wanted reach out and pull him into her arms but knew she couldn't. "It is strange."

Despite the situation, Elliot couldn't help but think how cute she looked as she wrinkled her nose, lost in thought.

"There aren't many causes for this type of global amnesia. You could have suffered a cranial injury that left no outside trace, but then you'd still have a headache."

"I feel fine," he told her.

"You may have been under a lot of stress, but I probably would have heard about it through mutual friends. You don't smoke or take drugs; I know you and you're not in the right physical condition."

"So what's left?"

"You aren't schizophrenic so there's no way you could have been given the combination drug/electrotherapy treatment which could have caused…" She abruptly stopped, eyes widening.

"What?" Elliot asked, starting to get worried. It was as if they could sense the other's tone instantly.

"Joseph Bellow," Olivia breathed.

"Who?" He was confused.

"I just remembered Joseph Bellow, a patient listed in the logbooks last night. He stayed in my head because the name sounded made-up."

"What was wrong with him?" Now he was really confused.

"He was admitted late yesterday night while I wasn't here and discharged early in the morning, a strange enough occurrence." She then paled. "He had schizophrenia, oh shit!"

Elliot began to connect the dots. "So this Joseph Bellow…"

Standing up, Olivia grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the office, passing her startled secretary. "We need to check his file," she stated matter-of-factly, Elliot thinking that she was far stronger than she looked. A sudden image of her pushing him up against a wall, their lips locked in a heated kiss filled his mind. 'Jesus,' he thought, shaking his head to clear the image. 'I'm married dammit!'

Entering the records office, Olivia turned on the light and immediately began digging into files. "Here we are," she began to read out loud. "White male, six foot three, two hundred pounds, thirty-nine years old…" she trailed off, a pit of ice forming in her gut.

Elliot's guess was confirmed. "You think it could be me?"

Olivia nodded, feeling petrified for Elliot. "The patient was given the treatment that can cause Global Amnesia." Without warning she set the file down and hugged him. "I'm sorry El," she murmured. "If I had known…"

"You couldn't have known Liv," Elliot observed, hugging her back. He loved her in his arms but the revelation about his memory scared him. This had been done deliberately, which explained the shadows trailing him on the street and in the station. That was why Brian had stayed with him at the station, to make sure the treatment had worked. "Who did this?"

Pulling out (though being in Elliot's arms had been as good as she remembered), Olivia's lips curled into an angry snarl. "My so-called colleague Dr. George Huang, admitted the patient, you. I'd love to know his rationale for conducting this kind of shitty, underhanded, malpractice-ridden…" She ran a hand through her long, auburn hair, calming herself. "Maybe I'm just mad at him for getting the position of Director of Research today instead of me."

"Wait," Elliot exclaimed. "He got promoted today?"

It suddenly came to her, an even greater feeling of dread filling her gut. "Yes. It can't be a coincidence."

"Fuck coincidence Liv, he must have been bribed." Elliot's mind was racing at the point, like every nerve ending in his brain had sprang to life. He finally had a clue on why he was in this mess and was running with it.

"He got the promotion for this irregular treatment. I can definitely see it," Olivia hissed. "Huang's always been weak and ambitious like that."

"He can't be doing this alone," he replied. "Someone must have put him up to it, a senior doctor in the hospital?"

"No," she shook her head, pacing. "The promotion was done at the request of the Snowerby Foundation, who insisted he receive the job in exchange for their grant to the hospital."

"Who at the Foundation would want to wipe my memory?"

"I think I know," Olivia said, fists clenching again. As possessive and protective Elliot was of her she was the same way of him; how quick those feelings came back boggled her mind, but she set that aside. "Finlay Tutuola, he's on the board."

"I remember that name," Elliot recollected, for it was the name Kathy told him of a friend that could help him out. Someone at the CIA… 'Oh shit.' "That still leaves why."

"But now we have someone to ask."

Elliot leaned against the wall, organizing his thoughts at a mile a minute. The last hour had been a series of shocks one after the other: learning he would never get his memory back, finding out he had once dated this stunningly gorgeous woman only to have fucked it up (how he could have been such an idiot he didn't understand), and on top of it to find out that this had been deliberately done to him and the CIA was involved. It was a lot to take in.

"This Fin, I thought he was a friend."

Olivia looked grimly at him. "So did I."

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…

6:00 PM, July 13th, 1969; Apartment of Olivia Benson, New York City

Olivia sat at her dressing table, freshening her makeup, listening to Casey and Maureen laughing at Gomer Pyle USMC on the television in the living room. She carefully applied her eyeliner, making sure the chocolate brown irises shone. All experience told Olivia that her eyes were her best feature.

'Because Elliot loved them.' She remembered how often Elliot would just stare into her eyes, while they sat in a theater, while they were eating, while they were making love. The brunette felt the same way with his azure blues.

Everything that happened today stirring up her strong passions killed her earlier enthusiasm for the date tonight. Angry at not getting the job she wanted, shocked by Fin's betrayal, and shaken to the core at finding that the chemistry between her and Elliot was as strong as ever, Olivia found herself reviewing all her relationships with the men in her life and wondering whether she made the right decisions in her life. With these things going on the thought of watching TV with David seemed insipid, fond of him though she was. She had talked about it with Casey, who's advice wasn't helpful: "You love him, he has no idea about Kathy, so get him in your bed and don't look back. I have no problem watching Maureen while you two fuck in every room in the apartment." While it did have its appeal she was not about to do that.

At that point the phone rang, but before she could get it Maureen picked it up. "Hello, Benson house." Olivia smiled, her daughter was so smart even this young.

"This is the CIA," a deep voice said on the other end. "New York is about to be attacked by an army of stampeding unicorns."

Maureen giggled, "Hi Uncle Fin."

"If one approaches you, do not, I repeat do not attempt to reason with it."

"Unicorns can't talk!" said the mini-Olivia, squealing with laughter.

Her smile at Maureen's happiness disappearing when she remembered what Fin had done, Olivia cut in. "I'm on the extension Fin. Go and put on your jammies Maur."

"Ok mommy," her daughter said chipperly. "Love you uncle Fin."

"Love you too Mo-Mo." His tone immediately changed. "Olivia?"

"Yes."

"You wanted to talk to me earlier? You really chewed out the duty officer."

Olivia nodded, remembering her call back when Elliot had still been in her office. "Yeah Fin. What the hell are you up to?"

"You'll have to ask a more specific question…"

"Oh bull! I know you were ling the last time we talked and I know you're lying now. Why was Elliot at my hospital last night?"

"That's classified information…"

"I want an explanation dammit!"

There was silence on the other end.

"Fin," Olivia said, softening her tone since she knew yelling wouldn't solve anything at this point. "You're Maureen's godfather and one of my closest friends. I want to believe you but you need to tell me the truth."

She heard a sigh over the phone. "Alright. If you meet me for lunch tomorrow I'll tell you everything."

"Alrig…" Olivia paused; she was about to agree until what happened in the hospital came back to her. "Oh no you don't. You didn't trust me enough last night to tell me what you did to Elliot, instead going right behind my back in my own hospital! Why should I trust you now? Spill!"

"I told you Olivia, I can explain…"

"Then put your money where your mouth is Fin." She took a deep breath to calm her voice once more. "You should have told me this last night instead of deceiving me, but now will suffice. Tell me the truth or the next call I make will be to the FBI."

There was silence for several long seconds; Olivia was about to hang up when Fin spoke. "Well, I'm on a payphone and your line is tapped so what the hell, but this is classified information and you'll probably find it a bit hard to believe."

"Try me."

"Fine, Elliot is a foreign agent Olivia."

Olivia blinked, figuring she heard him wrong. "What? Are you saying he's a spy?"

"Yes, he's a paid informant for the Soviet Union. He's been passing secrets to the communists for years."

"You honestly think I'm falling for that?" Olivia said sarcastically. Of all the fast ones that people have pulled on her…

"I'm past caring what you believe about it!" Fin said harshly. "He's been passing secrets to the Reds for years! How else do you think they got Gagarin up before we did? Thanks to Elliot they had both their research and ours to work with! What better cover than to be Elliot Stabler?"

'Could it be true?' Olivia thought for a moment before quickly squashing that thought. No, her Elliot would never do something like that (the fact she thought of him as her Elliot not even registering). "Elliot would never betray his country Fin."

"How can you know? He hasn't been close to you in years."

That hurt, hurt her deeply but she pushed it aside since it was true. "Do you have any evidence?"

"Not evidence, proof; I have top secret documents on the Saturn V rocket he attempted to give to a KGB officer."

It just couldn't be true. Not Elliot.

"I need to talk to him Olivia. He's in danger and I'm the only one who can protect him."

"If that's true why'd you wipe his memory?"

"To save his life," was Fin's response."

Olivia was completely puzzled at his answer. "Huh?"

"Olivia, we, I mean the CIA was going to kill him. If the launch of Apollo 11 the day after tomorrow goes south then there's a good chance the Soviet Union reaches the moon before we do. The brass was not going to let Elliot threaten that, so they voted to terminate him. Is he with you?"

"No," she lied.

Fin sighed on the other end. "I don't have time to play twenty questions with you. Just tell him I need to see him ASAP. His life is in danger." With that the phone clicked off.

Olivia collapsed onto her bed. What the hell did Elliot get himself into?

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…

6:30 PM, July 13th, 1969; Home of John and Alexandra Munch, Lynbrook, New York

Everything about John Munch indicated two things, that he was stubborn as hell and he was a very humorous man despite the first trait. Pictures dotted the small house in Nassau County, most of them of him fighting in the Israeli War of Independence, happy family photos of him, Alex, and their twins, and photos of their twins in their military uniforms.

Elliot had stated everything he knew, and he meant everything. Thankfully, both John and Alex believed him. Now, as he set down the phone, that fact was comforting. What Olivia had just told him shook Elliot to his very core.

Munch was staring at him. "What Elliot, what did she say?" He was as shocked as could be at Fin's apparent behavior. There had to be an explanation as to why one of his best friends was doing this.

"She said that Fin told her that I was a Soviet agent."

"Ok," John said, oddly calm about the situation. "What else?"

"When the CIA found out they wanted to kill me but Fin persuaded them not to kill me but to wipe my memory instead."

"That's a huge bit of crap!" Alex exclaimed.

"A vaguely plausible story."

"What the hell?" Alex shouted, glaring at her husband. "What sane person could believe Elliot a spy?"

"Of course I don't believe that honey!" he yelled. "What do you think I am?"

"You really don't want to know what I think you are," she spat back, Elliot trying to melt into the couch. Unfortunately, the fiery blonde (still lithe and beautiful even after two decades of life and twin boys) turned to him. "Olivia doesn't believe that shit does she?"

"No," Elliot murmured. This was affecting him hard, but he was thankful there were people that had faith in him. "She says that in no uncertain terms that I could ever be a spy for the Soviets."

"Loyal to you no matter what," Munch observed. "She should have married you back in the day."

"I agree," said his wife. "I never understood why you didn't. Whenever I asked either of you, you'd both clam up to the point of tears."

Elliot wanted to explore this, but there was the matter of this spy problem that took precedence. "John, you said that I could never betray the US. Can you be sure?"

"Hell yes I'm sure."

"How?"

"Because I know people Elliot, and you cannot be a Soviet Agent."

"No, I'm fine," Elliot replied; at that point his stomach began to rumble.

"Looks like you're hungry Elliot," Alex said with a smile. "I'm going to make you guys some sandwiches. Baby, you want one?"

"Sure Allie. I love you."

"Love you too." Alex bent down and gave her husband a quick kiss on the lips, deepening it for a moment before pulling away with a sway in her hips. Elliot shook his head, not beginning to try and decipher their crazy marriage (this fight/lovey dovey cycle happened three times since he arrived).

Sighing, Munch leaned back in his armchair. "As I was saying, you can't be a Red spy. You used to turn in red spies back in the Korean War. There were always a few Alger Hiss-types around, and you were more a Joe McCarthy-type than anything else."

"So, if I were a Communist I wouldn't have turned them in?"

"Exactly, and working for the Communists out of ideology is kind of a from a young age kind of thing. You are rich so money doesn't matter, and you're so squeaky clean so there's no way you could be blackmailed."

Elliot smiled softly. "Glad you have faith in me."

"You're my best friend, even if you can be a pain in the ass."

"Oh shut up boney ass," Alex quipped, arriving with three huge corned beef sandwiches on a tray. A few seconds later she came back with three bottles of Coca Cola.

Tearing into his sandwich, Elliot moaned at the taste; it was the perfect combination of meat, mustard, and onions between the rye. "This is delicious Alex, thanks."

"It's why I married her," Munch joked, receiving a playful slap from his wife. "So, assuming Fin is lying, for what purpose? He likely found out why you suddenly came to New York in the first place so we have to figure out what that was about."

"Too much of a coincidence otherwise," Alex concurred.

Swallowing a huge chunk of beef with a bit of Coke, Eliot gulped. "I must have learned something very important about Apollo 11, so important that I couldn't trust anyone there to tell."

"So Fin intercepted you before you could tell whomever you wanted to tell. It must have been critical enough for him to wipe your memory." Munch chuckled. "For as long as I've known you Elliot you are not one to stay quiet and not rock the boat."

"Believe me," Elliot grinned weakly. "I can tell."

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…

7:00 PM, July 13th, 1969; One Police Plaza, New York City

For the first time in his life, Fin Tutuola was scared. All the avenues of fixing the problem were now shot to hell; Elliot now knew who he was and contacted Olivia, an unmitigated disaster. This project could have been his greatest triumph was slowly turning into a fuck-up that would end his career.

Possibly his life.

If he could find Elliot soon, before him, Olivia, and whoever else they might have talked to could do anything then Fin knew he could patch things up and still come out victorious. It required drastic measures though. It wasn't enough to put Elliot under surveillance, he had to solve the problem once and for all.

With a heavy heart, he unlocked his briefcase and reached inside. The Walther P38 handgun fit in his hand as well as it had before, when he used it back in the Congo. The first time he killed a man was with this gun.

He had been in Elizabethville at the time Patrice Lumumba, the Soviet-backed President of the Congo (called Zaire now) had been executed by pro-Mobutu forces. A young private with sympathies for the President, Albert Kasa, had nearly derailed the whole thing so Fin had to kill him. The young boy looked both peaceful and pained in death, the memory still giving Fin the shudders even though it was eight years ago.

He fit the silencer on beforehand. It may have been unwieldy but it would be easier to use when the time came. Everything ready, he buttoned his coat and headed out the door to his destiny.

A/N: So there we have it, yet another cliffy. I know, I can't help myself, lol!

I hope you enjoyed! Be sure to review this and my other fics!

God Bless

Alex