Disclaimer: Dick Wolf owns Law & Order SVU. I only own this story idea and any characters that I create.
Happy Trails
Chapter 12
Olivia's eyes began to droop again and despite her best efforts she gave into her body's exhaustion. Her body lulled back into sleep.
Elliot sighed relaxing as he realized she had drifted back into much needed sleep, her body lax against his. His own body felt exhausted. He looked over at Ben, who was watching the road carefully.
"You really should catch some sleep too," Ben said. "We got quite a bit more road till we get there,"
Elliot nodded as he leaned his head back against the seat. His eyes felt heavy as they closed. Just for a little while, he thought as he drifted off.
Elliot woke up feeling groggy, drugged. He shook his head to clear the odd feeling from his system. His entire body felt heavy, weird. It was like a cross between waking up from a nap or after a surgical procedure. Elliot struggled to get his eyes open. His lids fluttered up, slowly. It took him several tries before they stayed open, let alone could focus. He took in the room, confused. There was glass in front of him, a mirror and a cold steel table with a sheet covering it reminding him of the interrogation room back in the 1-6 sans the sheet.
"Come on, detective. Open those eyes, we have been waiting for you to join the party," Ben cajoled.
Elliot's eyes snapped open widely as the familiar voice filled the room. He went to say something only then realizing his mouth was taped shut. Fuck. He looked around quickly struggling to shake off the remains of sleep. He pulled hard, his hands suspended above him. Turning his head frantically, he caught sight of Munch and Fin to his left. Shifting his head to the right, he inhaled sharply. Olivia's was right beside him, wide awake, the look on her face was pure terror. Elliot struggled against the chains holding him suspended.
"Don't hurt yourself, Elliot." Ben instructed. "I will explain everything," Ben moved in front of them flanked by several younger men. "I want to welcome you to the Grenville police station. This is one of their interrogation rooms. I thought it would be familiar for you and your friends, allow you to be more comfortable during this interrogation."
Elliot glared at the older man continuing to struggle against the ceiling chain. He cursed against the tape.
Ben smiled and nodded in instruction at one of the men who then approached Elliot ripping off the tape.
"You fucking asshole!" Elliot screamed half in pain half in anger as the tape was ripped from his mouth.
Ben approached him. "I suggest you watch your mouth, boy. I like you but don't test me,"
Elliot growled, jerking hard against the chains.
"Those are pure steel, you're not breaking them," Ben said. "Do you know why you're here?" He nodded at the men again. They each approached simultaneously ripping the tape from Munch, Fin, and Olivia's mouths.
"First, I was just going to catch you and kill you for infiltrating my business. It wasn't personal. That would have been painless. Now, one of you will have to suffer. One of you killed my son back in those woods," Ben said his eyes narrowing. "You can save yourself a world of pain by admitting which one of you is responsible,"
"Fuck you!" Fin yelled. He would not be giving up his partner.
"Fuck me, fuck you," Ben laughed ripping the sheet off the table across from them. Uncovering a row of metal objetcs. He approached Fin. "You need to learn a lesson in manners," Ben reached up to the chains, a large pair of metal pliers in his hands, he did not hesitate in cutting off Fin's pink finger. The bleeding was profuse as was the screams retched from Fin's mouth. Blood spurted then cascaded down the back of Fin's hands before cascading in rivers of red down the length of his arms.
Olivia closed her eyes willing herself not to cry, not to show vunerability. She could feel the anger emanating off Elliot. Please, she thought, please El, don't do anything crazy.
"One more time," Ben chanted. "Which one of you killed my son?"
They all remained silent, an agreement of unity.
"Eeanie, meanie, miney, moe," Ben said playfully pointing to each of them in turn before picking up a screw driver from the table. He walked behind them. His movement was quick as he shoved the screw driver into Munch's back.
Olivia let the tears silently flow down her face. Munch howled in pain, the sound making Olivia tremble. She inhaled sharply as Ben came to stand in front of her.
"You really are beautiful and not the one. You wouldn't have kill my son. I can see it in your eyes," Ben traced her face with the now bloodied screw driver. "You could be good for something though,"
Elliot growled.
Ben laughed. "I won't fuck her. I don't think you or her killed my son. I like you, both. There is something about you, Elliot. I like it. You could have more time. If you cooporate," Ben nodded to the men. One approached, grabbing Olivia's chains and unlatching them.
Olivia fell to the floor. Her body hit the concrete hard, her hands breaking her fall. She looked up to see Ben's extended hand. Olivia stumbled to stand refusing his offer of help.
Ben took a stack of clothes from one of the men and handed it to Olivia.
Olivia looked at him and back at clothes, her expression blank.
"Take them," Ben ordered. "You are going to get cleaned up. I can't take you back to my home, to my family like this,"
The man grabbed Olivia's arm. Olivia jerked back, panic filling her. "No!" Olivia struggled against the man's grip. She kicked him, hard only to be rewarded with a fist to her abdomen. She grimaced in pain, grasping at her stomach
"Don't, don't you fucking hurt her!" Elliot screamed pulling at his chains. The plaster of ceiling shook as he yanked with the his entire weight of his body. His shoulders rebelled against the pull, burning as they threatened to rip from their sockets under the force
Ben reached over Elliot's head undoing his chains. Elliot fell to the floor. He scrambled to get up. He stood in front of Ben, his fists clenched ready to fight.
"You want me to kill her? Do you?" Ben asked his breath hot on his face, standing mere inches from Elliot's face without fear. "You cooperate, son."
Elliot froze. "Let me stay with her. Please Ben," Elliot pleaded. He was scared. He did not want Olivia alone not with any of these men. He hated his request in that it left Fin and Munch alone but Olivia was his partner, his life.
"Oh, that is better," Ben smiled. "Take him with her,"
A second man grabbed Elliot's arm following the other man and Olivia.
"Wait," Ben called out picking up another pile of clothes. "These are yours," he handed them to Elliot. "Boys, leave them both untouched." Ben added to his men. "There will be hell to pay if you don't,"
Olivia and Elliot were led down a long corridor past more rooms. The place was long since vacant. Olivia and Elliot both paid attention to everything they passed their detectives skill on high alert. The man with Olivia opened a door to the left steering them into a locker room. They continued to the back of the room to the shower stalls. The man holding Olivia pushed her forward as he let go. "You have fifteen minutes," he sneered.
Elliot stumbled forward as his guard or whatever you wanted to call it pushed him forward as well. Elliot followed Olivia into the showers. Elliot dropped his clothes on the lone bench occupying the room and reached for Olivia.
Olivia fell into his arms promptly dropping her clothes onto the tile floor. "El, what are we going to do?" Olivia whispered against his ear.
"I don't know," Elliot whispered back honestly.
"I expect to hear running water," A voice called out.
Olivia looked back toward the entrance of the room. She bit her lower lip, her chin trembling.
"We need to listen to them right now, Liv," Elliot said steering her toward the farthest stall. "They are armed, we are not. They know this place, we don't," Elliot whispered.
Olivia nodded. She watched as Elliot stood in front of her pulling off his clothes, blocking anyone's sight of her. Olivia reluctantly kicked off the ill fitting hiking boots, pulled the sweatshirt over her head and eased the jogging pants over her legs. The last thing that she discarded was her bathing suit bottom. Elliot guided her into the shower.
Elliot reached for the knobs, turning the water on to the warm side. He watched Olivia, her arms wraped tightly protectively around body. Elliot raised his arms to her hair, massaging it as the water cascaded down around them. He kissed her forehead softly and felt her arms slip from her own body to slide around his. Elliot kissed her nose softly before nudging his own against hers. It was not sexual but rather an altogether different kind of intimacy they shared in that shower. An intimacy that went beyond lust into love as they helped each other prepare each other for what was next.
A/N: So what is next? Still ahead, Olivia and Elliot find out what Ben wants them for when they meet his family, the FBI becomes involved, a trip to a safe house, and a lot more. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for continuing to read. Please forgive any grammatical and/or spelling errors. I am trying to adjust to the new MAC.
