Chapter 14

There was a small army assembled for the raid. Round the clock surveillance was in place, and Roger had been positively ID'd several times during the last 16 hours. Elliot and even Olivia had rejoined the group, and they were all vested and ready to go.

Cragen looked out at his team. The SWAT officers would take the lead, but his detectives, including the loaners from Major Case, would follow close behind. They were waiting until midnight, in the hopes that most of the children would be sleeping and not rush into the middle of things.

Olivia put her hands on the hood of a SUV and dipped her head down. Elliot's hand was soon on the little bit of shoulder still exposed beneath the vest. "You all right?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled. "Just tired," she said. "The vest is heavy."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be done with this, soon," he said. He walked over to stand with the others, and soon Cragen had his ear.

"Liv up for this?" He asked.

"Sure she is," Elliot said.

Cragen spared another glance in the woman's direction and frowned. "Stabler, I know this is your case, but I want to know she's got your back. Can she handle it tonight?"

"She's got me," Elliot said, looking his Captain square in the eye. "She's always got me."

Logan, Munch, and Tutuola were drinking coffee at the bumper of another vehicle. Munch tossed Logan a bag of pretzels and he smiled. The three had really bonded during the investigation.

Alex watched them banter back and forth and smiled. It was good to team up with others in the Department sometimes. Networking was good for investigations, and this kind of allegiance was good for safety. She glanced over at her partner, who was busy reading something in his binder. He was ready, she knew, but still he studied, just in case something in the profile would help bring this to a resolution peacefully.

Cragen came through and gave them all the ready call. Cups of coffee were split onto the asphalt and weapons were readied. Bobby zipped his binder shut and laid it on the seat of the SUV. He stood elbow to elbow with Eames. They gripped their weapons in a lowered position and waited for the go signal.

It was an abandoned drive up motel, 40 miles out from the city. The local township had no police force and relied on NYPD, so jurisdiction was not an issue. The road was citified enough to maintain a house or a business every 40 yards or so, but country enough to have some tall trees, which gave it a somewhat rustic feel.

Now, at midnight, it was still except for the distant sounds of traffic and occasional sirens from the city. The layout of the motel, a lazy V, had posed some logistical problems for the team, but every officer had the children foremost in their minds, and they were willing to accept some risk. The SWAT team moved in first. Stealthily, they spread out along the rooms, one man to every motel room door, crouching in shadows so as not to be seen by the rooms across the way.

On a radio signal, simultaneously, they busted in the room doors and were followed in by a second wave of SWAT officers.

The detectives listened on the radio as they identified which rooms contained victims and secured them. When the positive ID for Roger came back, the Detectives moved in.

Room 11 was at the apex of the V. Logan, Munch, and Tutuola were the first ones there. Stabler and Benson were diverted to the back of the room, on the off chance he tried to escape out the tiny bathroom window. Goren and Eames were sent to assist in room 7, where another adult was holed up.

The SWAT members whisked children to the safety of waiting patrol cars one by one. Roger was armed, and had Sierra's daughter as a hostage. He was in a standoff with the officer who'd kicked in his door.

Room 7 was also at a standoff. Alex slipped around back while Bobby listened intently to the SWAT man's dialogue. "Put the gun down, and no one will get hurt."

"You're not taking me!" he said. "I'll shoot my way out, if I have to!"

"You wouldn't get far. The place is surrounded."

"I'll shoot as many as I can, then."

In Bobby's earpiece, the man was identified. "Timothy Rourke…" the chatter said. Bobby got on his radio. "Rourke, Eames. Move in."

She got a boost to the small window from an officer behind her and dropped silently to the floor inside. She drew her weapon again and took aim.

She and Bobby had discussed every perpetrator who was still at large, and she had the advantage of Bobby's insight to know how to handle him. She heard Bobby's voice. "Drop the gun, Rourke! This is your last chance!" The SWAT officer didn't say a word, but kept his eyes and his gun trained on the man in front of him.

Just as Alex started feeling the pressure of the trigger against her finger, she saw him jerk his arm higher. She and the SWAT officer fired in unison, and Rourke's weapon discharged into the ceiling. He fell dead to the floor.

In room eleven, things were at a standstill. Roger Turner was demanding safe passage out of the snare, betting the life of his hostage against it. Bobby barely had time to give Alex a nod before he was called by name to the furthest room.

Munch had worked his way in, and was talking to Turner. "All right," he was saying. "They have to make some calls, you know. Your car isn't, uh, isn't really available anymore."

"Give me a cruiser, then."

"You know we can't do that."

He pressed the barrel of his gun into the soft flesh under the girl's jaw. She whimpered and fought hard not to sob. "You damn sure can do it!" he shouted.

"You're right, you're right," Goren said, slightly out of breath from the jog. Munch had holstered his weapon, and as Goren entered he did the same.

"This is Detective Goren, Roger," said Munch.

"Bobby," corrected the big detective. "I'm Bobby. Sade," he said, "You're gonna be all right. We'll take care of you, you'll be dancing to your Mom's songs again soon."

"Get me the damn car!" shouted Turner.

"It's right outside," Bobby lied. He slowly inched his way around the perimeter of the room. Munch took Bobby's lead and moved in the opposite direction. Between the two detectives, there was a narrow path to the door. "You just… go ahead and walk out. The car's there… it's waiting for you."

"I'll kill her," Turner warned. "You trick me and I'll kill her."

Bobby's eyes met the girl's, and she was reassured. "It's no trick," Goren said. "Just let me know when you're ready to go out, and I'll give the signal to them to back down."

"Give it now."

"Okay." Bobby raised his radio and spoke. "Room eleven suspect is on his way out the west door, with hostage."

"Okay… okay…" Turner spoke as he walked. Goren and Munch closed in behind him as much as they could. Just before they got to the doorway, Bobby shouted "Roller!"

The young girl made herself dead weight and dropped to the floor. Roger squeezed the trigger, but her weight had already thrown the barrel in another direction. Before he could fire again, Goren had wrenched the gun from his hand and Munch had him restrained on the floor. The girl ran out the door, hysterical.

"Clear!" the Detectives shouted.