48 hours
Once again: I don't own anything related to this great show LO:SVU. I just like to mess with the wonderful characters Mr. Wolf has created. Thanks for all the Law and Orders.
A/N: Thanks so much for the "coins" and the new record! Now I know that you can also be mean (and that I must be doing something right here). Destiny leads to a worse scenario. So be it. I won't torture you any longer (extra grin for FutureMrsStabler…). Hope you enjoy nevertheless (or should I say because of?... insert vicious laughter). Here is chapter…
12
Captain Don Cragen was astonished when he saw the caller identification on his phone.
What's wrong, was his first thought. What has happened?
"Cragen."
"Hi, Cap."
"Hi, Olivia," he replied. "What's up?"
"Hum. Actually I'm not sure. But I did not want to call Elliot instead. They're making a barbecue tonight."
"Where are you?" her boss wanted to know.
"At home." She sighed. "I have nothing specific to do, I mean, to occupy my mind. Did anything happen this weekend?"
"Not as far as I know. Would you like to go to work, Olivia?"
"I'm not sure of that either. I just need something to keep me from thinking too much."
"Well, what's wrong about thinking? It's our most efficient weapon."
"As long as we think about a case, yes," Olivia confirmed. "My head seems to be on overdrive. I'm worrying about tomorrow. Elliot will testify in the Mendoza trial."
"So what are you worrying about?" Cragen was genuinely concerned. It was unlike Olivia to have ruffled her composure easily. There had to be something wrong. He heard her sigh.
"I really can't tell. It makes me nervous that this trial depends almost entirely on Elliot. He wasn't the least bit nervous on Friday and maybe that's what makes me nervous now."
"I don't think that it's so dependable on Elliot," Cragen told her in his usual authoritarian but calm voice. "Mack Taylor will testify, too. And forensic evidences are very much appreciated by jurors since the start of these CSI shows."
"Elliot's statement connects part of the evidence with the defendants."
"And what exactly are you worried about?" Cragen wanted to know.
"If I could tell that, I would feel better," Olivia sighed. "I just wanted to talk about it and not bother Elliot and his family."
"And I was your next choice?" Cragen slightly chuckled. "No, Olivia, honestly. You know you can talk to me whenever you feel you need it, okay."
"Yes, I know. And I very much appreciate it, Captain."
"Feel better?"
"Yes, I feel better now. Thanks."
They were exchanging some small talk before she finally hung up.
xxx
Queens
Minutes seemed to stretch to hours. Elliot glanced at the clock on the cupboard, it read ten past six p.m. Still tremors passed his body. Blood rushed in his ears and his pulse throbbed in his temples and the base of his neck.. Since they had brought Maureen upstairs he had not heard or seen anything of her. Since the scream early this morning he had not heard anything of Kathy and the other kids either.
When did he come down for breakfast? He could not remember but estimated eight to twenty past eight in the morning. They had been early for a Sunday because they wanted to go to the zoo.
That makes almost ten hours! A chill ran over his back. Ten hours! And they will stay until after my testimony. Perhaps longer, another thought struck his mind. What if they want to wait until the jury pronounces the decision?
This gave him the creeps.
He could cope with the threats against himself, but the threats against his family almost killed him.
Even though he did not doubt the honesty of the men's threats he could not bring himself not to react at all when they mistreated him. His insides burnt with tension. Rage and hatred consumed him.
He fervently racked his brains to find a way to get rid of the intruders. But as much as he thought about it, he could not get any idea. He could put it either way he liked. With each scenario he ended up with injured or dead members of his family.
They had him, they had him good.
He could not risk anything. He had to play along with Barry and prepare the testimony. The next opportunity to contact someone might be at court. Maybe he could find one of his colleagues and confide in him.
The detective understood perfectly well that rope and gag were meant to humiliate and demoralize him. And he had to admit that it worked. With each breath he took the rope tightened and gave way again. He hurt, not only physically but also mentally.
Elliot felt someone tamper with the gag and one moment later it was carefully pulled out of his mouth. Glad to be freed from it he took a deep breath. Next to get loose were the part of the bondage that held his upper arms. Wrists and ankles remained bound.
Barry stepped in front of him, a glass with water in hands. He brought it up to Elliot's lips and let him drink.
"So… I guess your temper cooled down considerably. Am I right?" Barry sneered.
Though Elliot did not answer, his look was downcast. Right now to avoid Barry's sight seemed to be the only way to cope.
"Don't retreat again, Elliot," Barry scolded and laid one finger under the detective's chin to make him look up.
Even as Elliot's head lifted, his eyes did not meet the mirrored glasses. Barry chuckled.
"I need to use the bathroom," Elliot mumbled.
"I don't see a problem. You just have to ask."
Elliot swallowed. Damn! Don't make me beg... But he knew that he had no choice, unless he wanted to pee in his living room. That would certainly annoy the intruders and he was not especially curious to find out what Barry still had in store.
Once more he swallowed before he finally tried to ask.
"Can I use the bathroom?"
"You forgot the magic word, Elliot."
Oh no, not that! He had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. "Can I please use the bathroom?"
"Of course you can. You will answer me some questions first." .
If I can, Elliot thought dismally but remained silent. He just lowered his view again.
"What's your name?"
What kind of a game shall that be? Test questions like the ones you use for a lie detector?
"Elliot Stabler," he answered tonelessly.
"Rank?"
"Detective First Grade."
Barry grinned viciously. "Who's in control?"
"You are," Elliot whispered barely audible.
"Did you say anything? I can't hear you, Elliot. And use complete sentences!"
"You are in control," he repeated a bit louder.
"And what is it you have to do?"
Elliot stared at the glasses. Not for the first time he tried to guess what he was supposed to say. He had a good idea now.
"I have to obey."
"Yeah." Barry sounded satisfied. "That's correct. You know all-too-well who'll pay for your disobedience, don't you?"
"My family will pay for… my..."
"C'mon. Go on."
"They will pay for… my disobedience."
Barry nodded. "Tell me what you'll do tomorrow."
"I'll testify at court."
Barry snorted. That was not wrong but obviously not what he wanted him to say.
"To raise reasonable doubt, so that the jury should find Mendoza not guilty," he added and hated himself for this answer.
"Tell me about your rights," Barry said.
Elliot swallowed. That was a sore spot. He knew the right answer but choked on the words. They were not willing to come out.
"Tell me about your rights," Barry repeated annoyed.
"I… I don't… have any rights," Elliot mumbled.
"You're absolutely right. And why don't you have rights?"
Now Elliot could not look at the man anymore. He slightly bowed his head. How should he repeat that? How should he answer that? Panic filled him.
"I… don't have… rights, b…be…cause you own me." His voice was so low that he hardly heard it himself.
"Louder, Elliot!" Barry scolded. "No one can hear you!"
Elliot stared at the floor and took a deep breath. His lips parted, but still no sound came out. He could not say it again, not aloud.
"C'mon, Elliot. Why don't you have rights?" Barry stepped in front of him and took hold of his chin to force him to look up. "Answer me!"
Once more Elliot swallowed. He suspected that Barry was just about to order someone to bring Maureen back. So he tried to speak again.
"Because you own me," he said and was astonished how clearly it could be heard this time. Once voiced it became more substantial. He did not feel like a cop anymore, not even like a father who tried to protect his children. Somehow he felt similar to what Barry had compared him with – a head of cattle.
Suddenly a face came to his mind. He remembered the shrink, Audrey Jackson, who almost cost him his job some time ago, because she made him confess that he dreamed about killing the perps he was pursuing. In one case she told the team that everyone could be brainwashed given the right circumstances and enough time. He did not remember the time frame she suggested. But he certainly felt as if he was on the verge of being reconditioned.
It scared the shit out of him.
xxx
Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot was at home, sitting at her desk. The tabletop was loaded with books, every single one filled with legal articles.
Still the sheet in front of her was white.
At least this piece of paper was white. The wastebasket next to the old fashioned wooden desk could hardly hold the heap of crumpled papers she already dismissed.
A sigh escaped her.
Why was it so difficult to write this specific final speech? She had almost finished it and then she decided to revoke it.
Alex looked at the page with the original draft. She had thought that the meeting with Olivia might distract her, but now she found that she still could not disentangle her thoughts.
Not even the preparation of Elliot's testimony could assure her that this trial would turn out after her own heart. She could not get rid of the thought that there would be something going wrong tomorrow. Perhaps she should talk with Elliot again.
She looked at her watch.
What did Olivia say? They wanted to go to Bronx zoo and then make a barbecue? Maybe they are already back.
So Alex flipped through her address-book for his cell phone number. When she had dialed she only reached the mailbox. Another call gained her his home number. She let it ring for a while because she guessed that they were on the terrace for barbecue. There was the answering machine. Alex left a short message and hung up.
Damn! Okay, let me try again.
She grabbed her pen and started to write another version of her speech.
A/N: Oooops. Once again we've reached the end of a chapter. Please don't forget to review (I could do with some inspirations...:-)...
