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: Oooops, I seem to have lost a reader. I hope I did not offend, scare or bore someone… If so it was not on purpose.
Sorry, that I could not update within 24 hours ;-), but I need at least some time to write and to translate your suggestions into parts of the story…:)
14
Queens
Elliot went rigid. His eyes widened.
"Didn't you tell me that you're not expecting guests?" Barry demanded to know.
"We're not. Maybe it's Terry again," Elliot suggested, feeling panic creep into his heart.
One of the others put his head through the door.
"A man, tall, slender, black graying hair, glasses…"
John! Elliot was electrified. What does he want? He felt how he was starting to quiver. So he did not resist when Barry pushed him towards the hall and the front door.
"A colleague?" the leader asked. "The guy who called earlier?"
Elliot shrugged, not trusting his voice.
"Elliot?" the man at the door shouted.
"Get him inside," Barry told the detective and sent one guy upstairs. Then he shoved Elliot forwards.
Elliot's shoulders slumped in defeat. Suddenly he calmed down. He did not even tremble when he reached for the handle. The door swung open.
"Hi, Elliot!" John greeted. "I saw your car when I passed by and figured you're back again." His gaze fell on the light bruise on his co-worker's neck. "What happened to you?"
Elliot had no chance at all. Once more he felt the barrel of a gun in his back.
"Come in, John," he said, hating himself for his betrayal. "I'll tell you, but not on the threshold."
So John passed him inside, curious but not alarmed at all. That changed rapidly when he heard the door slam shut and pivoted, only to see a black masked man at Elliot's side whose gun was trained on his gut.
xxx
Olivia had turned on the TV again. After her call with Don Cragen she felt better. After all she could enjoy the rest of the "Runaway Bride".
I'm so stupid, she scolded herself. What the hell should happen! Alex is right: Mac and Elliot will nail them and she puts on a T with her final speech. When the jury is not buying that, nothing will convince them.
She settled back on her sofa, her glass with red wine in hand and, smiling to herself, followed the escapades of Julia and Richard on the screen.
xxx
John cursed inwardly. He had had crude ideas of what might happen tomorrow or shortly after the trial, what the Mendoza siblings might plan for to free their brother. He did not expect them to do… whatever they did here in Elliot's house.
"Hi," Barry sneered. "So you are John."
John did not answer. He looked right at Elliot who stared at the floor, unable to meet his colleague's gaze.
"Frisk him," Barry ordered his men.
When they closed in on him John felt them push his arms up and he put his hands behind his head. As long as he did not know what might happen here he would not fight. So they patted his body and took his gun and backup weapon.
He looks defeated, John thought as he eyed his friend closely. What have they done to him except to throttle him? When did this happen? What do they want with him?
He would not ask. Certainly he would get to know one way or another.
The man who held Elliot in check - no, actually he did nothing like that, Elliot was just standing there - approached him. From one of his men he took the detective's cuffs. Nonchalantly he held them out, dangling from his index finger.
"Elliot? Would you be so kind to take your friend down in the cellar? And make sure he's staying there," he added.
When Elliot slowly started to move towards them, John noticed him stagger and discovered the rope that tied his ankles over feet without shoes.
What's going on here? He felt shivers run down his back. Now he was genuinely concerned, if not scared.
Elliot did hardly look up when he took the cuffs from the masked man and all the more he did not look at John when he turned to the stairs leading down and opened the door.
John swallowed. After all he did not feel so good. He thought of attacking the two men who were with them in the hall but thought better of it given the state Elliot was in. Thinking it over he had to admit that it would take more than these two to reduce his fellow detective to such an obedient servant. So he turned and descended the flight of steps, Elliot behind him.
Well, Elliot moved more slowly than John. He had to be cautious due to the bondage. It was hardly long enough to let him take one step downwards. So he sat down his right, stepped beside it with the left and took the next step with the right again.
John was already downstairs and turned to watch his friend. It hurt him to see him struggle. At the same time he felt rage rise. What should he do?
"Elliot?" he asked tentatively. "Where are Ka…?"
He could not complete his question. Elliot's look shot up and his blue eyes pierced him. The torment was clearly visible and John understood another part of the situation.
"Upstairs," Elliot croaked.
It gave John the creeps. Never, never ever, he would have thought that it might be possible to turn Elliot into a victim like that. He knew that it could happen to everyone and it would be unrealistic to exclude officers just because of their training. What hurt him was the plain despair in Elliot's eyes.
"How many attackers?" John asked.
Elliot shrugged. "I've only seen five, but there must be more."
John could hardly hear him. "When did they come?"
With a gesture Elliot motioned John into another room. "Around eight this morning," he said, following him.
One whole day! At this realization John's stomach dropped. Armed men, threatening him and his family, hurting him! His gaze fell on a small window. A way out.
"How can I help you?" he asked him and met an incredulous stare.
"You can follow their orders," Elliot answered and held the cuffs out to him.
John was dumbfounded. Bewildered he stared at the metal eights.
"The post, cuff yourself," Elliot ordered toneless.
"I could try and escape through this window," John suggested. "They wouldn't notice me. If I can reach…"
Elliot's look became threatening.
"You can get your head smashed into the wall," he said. "They would notice that you're not here anymore. Do you think they're dumb?"
Suddenly John realized that he was in big trouble. Elliot was determined to not let him get away and that might include that he would attack when it might be the only way to prevent him from escaping. When John saw the masked man enter the room from behind Elliot he knew that he was in for a very uncomfortable night.
"I already suspected that you would cause him problems," Barry said. "C'mon, John, back against the post, arms behind it."
And John did as he was told. Taking the cuffs from Elliot, Barry stepped behind him. With distinct clicks the halves snapped closed around John's wrists.
"Are you surprised?" Barry wanted to know. "I guess it will be in your own interest not to do anything that would draw attention to this house. I'm convinced that Elliot here would kill you if you give us reason to rape his daughter."
John gasped. He did not question the seriousness of Barry's threat, Elliot's behavior testified to that.
"The others are eating right now, so we have time for a little chat." Barry sat down on a box. "Sit down with me, Elliot?"
The detective did not move. He was just about to bury his hands in the pockets of his jeans, when Barry cleared his throat and shook his head. So he crossed his arms over his chest instead.
John watched with amazement. He did understand that Elliot should not hide his hands, another mean to control him. It was the ease with which Barry achieved the detective's obedience. John suspected that there was more than the threats against his family, even as this might have been sufficient.
"So, what were you doing here, John?" Barry demanded to know.
"Wanted to ask Elliot if he would accompany me to have a beer, play a bit pool…"
"That's why you called earlier?"
"Yeah." Actually I wanted to talk with him about possible danger by Mendoza's siblings, he added just in mind. I guess that's done now. "I was bored."
Barry chuckled. "Do you have enough excitement now?"
"I can't complain," John replied dryly.
"Your friend tries to be funny," Barry giggled. "Poor guy. All alone on a Sunday. You're not married?"
"Not currently," John growled. "Always looking for the future ex Mrs. Munch."
That made Barry laugh. "Hey, he can be funny if he tries hard enough." He looked at Elliot. "Don't you think, he's funny?"
Elliot remained silent. He did not want to offer more ammunition than necessary.
"Answer me when I ask a direct question," Barry spat.
"It's a matter of perspective," Elliot mumbled.
Barry giggled. "So we have two jokers here. And now you tell me why you're really here, John."
"If you don't believe me that I was bored and was speculating to be invited for dinner, than that's not my problem."
"Are you so close that you could expect such a gesture?"
"Not unusual between us."
"Well, the barbecue is cancelled today," Barry sneered. "We changed it to Bolognese."
Speaking of dinner, one of his accomplices came down.
"Okay, dinner is served. When I'm finished it will be your turn, Elliot." And he went upstairs, leaving the two detectives to the other man, a giant of at least six feet four, maybe taller.
John looked at Elliot as if he wanted to convince him to attack, but Elliot turned and did not react at all. The giant chuckled. He went to Elliot and grabbed his shoulder, shoving him around, so that he faced him.
This guy did not wear mirrored glasses like Barry. His were shimmering in an almost black blue. Elliot stared at them with a blank expression. So they stood for a few long minutes, until the man decided to speak.
"Kneel down," he ordered.
John expected Elliot to obey as he did before, but nothing happened.
Obviously the man was at a loss of options.
He had his orders, too, and to talk with the detective did not belong to them. Now he got himself in trouble because he actually was not allowed to challenge their captive.
Elliot sensed that and chose not to react. So they stood, staring at each other, neither saying a single word. They still had not moved when Barry came back. It took split seconds for him to realize that they were in a duel. And that this was an important moment. He could not risk to lose control over the detective.
"Did he try something?" he asked his accomplice who shook his head. Barry turned to Elliot.
"You must have done something. What has happened?"
No one answered him, still staring at each other. Barry could not reprimand his man without to undermine his own authority so he did the only possible: He identified Elliot as the source of trouble. Stepping directly into his personal space he whispered in his ear.
"I guess I have to explain that again: I am the one you have to follow, and when I'm not present, you do whatever my men tell you to do. Clear?"
Still not releasing the visual contact, Elliot remained silent.
"I asked if I made myself clear." This time the threat was unmistakable.
"Crystal," Elliot murmured.
So Barry looked at his man, nodding. Now they had to put it into action.
"Go down on your knees," the man hissed.
Elliot clenched his teeth, but did as he was told. The defiant look he pierced the man with, made the other realize that it was not his own authority which made him obey. Just when Elliot's left knee hit the ground, Barry took hold of his arm and pulled him up again. With a tilt of the head the henchman was dismissed and left. Barry was not finished.
"Do you have adhesive tape?"
"Should be in there," Elliot nodded towards the workbench.
"Then try find it."
Elliot went to the bench, opened the drawers in search for the requested item and returned with a big roll of tape. Barry nodded his approval and pointed at John.
"I guess you want to make sure that he won't draw any attention on the house," Barry sneered.
So the detective had no choice but to tear off a piece of tape and to do as suggested. When he approached his colleague, John saw the pain in his eyes. With his blue depths Elliot pleaded for understanding as he firmly pressed the tape over John's mouth. The older detective returned the slightest of nods and Elliot cast his eyes down. Then he returned to Barry.
Together they went back upstairs.
Cuffed and gagged John stood in the cellar of his colleague's house and tried to process what had happened. He realized that he could be lucky just to be bound to the post. They might as well have cut his throat. He was of no use for them, just a burden and unwelcome witness.
He had to find a way out or he would sooner or later end up dead anyway. He could not count on Elliot's help but had to do it on his own.
He just did not see a way out.
xxx
Olivia jumped when her phone rang. Now that she could relax she had not expected or anticipated any call. She pressed the mute button on the remote control and grabbed for the phone.
"Benson."
"Hey, Olivia, here's Fin."
"Hey, Fin. What's up?"
"I wanted to meet with John, but he didn't show up. Have you heard anything of him?"
"Sorry, Fin, I haven't."
"He wanted to stop in at Elliot, but I can't reach him either."
"They wanted to go to the zoo today," Olivia explained. "They'll be still on their way. Did you try his cell?"
"No. Had no cause."
"Maybe you'll reach him now."
"Then I'll try again. Thanks, Olivia."
"Call me when you know more, okay."
"I will. Bye."
"Bye, Fin."
Olivia was fed up with TV and turned it off. She strolled over to the shelf to look for a book. When she finally picked one, she snuggled up to the sofa again and soon was lost in the story.
tbc…
A/N: It can't get worse? Let's see… (any input?). Please review.