A/N: Hi all. Thank you so much for your birthday wishes. You guys are the best!
The chapter's a short one, but I promise things will get intense in the next three chapters.
Disclaimer: I do not own SVU, it should be obvious by now.
Major Malcom – Stephen Lang. He was great as a guest on SVU and he stared as the tragic hero (the way I look at it) in the movie Avatar.
Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to my dedicated reader 18lzytwner. Check out her new story Clear Benson. You will not be disappointed ;)
Review and enjoy :)
Chapter 33: Blood Brother
Having decided to do something nice for her parents to show them her appreciation, Maureen shuffled her siblings into the kitchen and was feeding them their breakfast. "Ok Dickie, here you go." She brought the spoonful of oatmeal to his mouth and watched him eat it. "Very good. You see Lizzie, that's how it's supposed to…" She didn't get any further, her brother having spit the oatmeal on her cheek. "Not funny."
The twins thought differently, both of them giggling like crazy. "Mo Mo pway," Lizzie squealed.
"Ugh." Grabbing a towel Maureen wiped the sticky food off her cheek. "I don't know what's worse, dealing with two of dad's children as babies or dealing with them when they're my age. God help mom and dad." She automatically crossed herself, a smirk forming as she thought about it.
"Mo Mo." Maureen turned to see Kathleen staring at her.
Her younger sister was frowning, staring at her cereal bowl. "Yes Katie? You barely touched your frosted flakes."
"Why are mommy and daddy so sad? They seem sad."
Maureen sighed. "Katie, they are very busy at work. They can't be home with us as much and that makes them sad."
"Is it the bad man? Aunt Emily and Uncle Don always talk about the bad man."
'How to explain it to her?' Truth was Maureen was pretty scared about John Roland as well. "Well sis, the bad man is hard to find, and mommy and daddy are the only people the country trusts to find him. It's a lot of pressure, so we need to be extra cute and nice to make them feel better. Right guys?" She glared at the twins, both wearing innocent smiles.
Kathleen's eyes suddenly brightened. "Christmas is coming up. I can ask Santa for something to make them happy again."
Not what Maureen expected but it would do. "That's great sis." She went back to feed the twins.
"I'm going to ask Santa for a little brother or sister."
Maureen stopped in her tracks. Did she hear right? "A little brother or sister Katie?"
"Yep; having a baby in mommy's tummy will make them happy."
The eldest Stabler couldn't argue with that logic. She still remembered when her dad and Mommy Kathy (what she and Katie had begun calling her as Olivia was now mom and mommy) first knew they were having the twins. They had been going through some problems Maureen remembered, but once Kathy was pregnant all of it seemed to vanish. "You are smarter than I give you credit for Katie. Put that in your letter."
"What letter?" Maureen saw her dad walk into the kitchen, an arm draped around her mom who was leaning on his shoulder.
"Good morning to you too," she said back. The two of them had a certain glow about them, plus rumpled clothes and hair. Maureen knew exactly what that meant, especially with the little red mark only mostly hidden by her mother's shirt. It looked recently made.
Elliot looked down at Olivia. "She gets that sass from you."
Olivia rolled her eyes. "So what letter Maur?"
"Kathleen's thinking about her letter to Santa Claus."
"I'm asking Santa for a baby brother or sister," Kathleen chirped.
Olivia's mouth dropped while Elliot spit out the gulp of coffee he had just drank. The twins thought that was hilarious, Maureen not blaming them. "Cat got your tongue mom and dad?"
Neither of them could respond.
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"Duh duh duh duh duh DUH duh DUM; Duh duh duh duh duh duh DA DA DA DA DUM!
"Duh duh duh duh duh DUH duh DUM, Di di di di di di DUM!"
Everything was set up. Plans were drawn, the ally was contacted, weapons were loaded. Whistling happily, all John Roland needed to do was contact Benson and Stabler. The triumph of a lifetime was at hand, the glorious fight he had dreamed of close. In his bones he could feel it.
The sound given off as the blade slid along the whetstone was music to his ears. It was almost like an entire aria or chorus to the warrior. Roland placed the stone on the table next to him and picked a small sliver of string. Carefully, he lowered it on the Katana. The steel cleaved it in two.
"Perfect."
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If there was one thing that Elliot believed most perplexed people about their relationship was their uncanny ability to read each other without speaking. Looking at Olivia he knew she was deep in thought. The way she tapped her thigh and scrunched her nose, it was so adorable. "Penny for your thoughts Liv?"
Olivia was driving them to work today (a Bureau car had already picked up MacMillan an hour before). so she could only spare him a quick look. "Kathleen, she wants a sibling."
"Well so do I Liv," he smiled, placing a hand on her thigh. "There's nothing I want more than to make you a mommy again."
A warm comfort spread through her at hearing his words. Olivia loved her four children to death but she had always wanted to feel a baby grow inside her. 'And now Elliot wants to have one with me.' "I love you so much El. I don't tell you enough."
"Just being with me is enough gorgeous." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I promise, after Roland is dead I will make sure you have a baby." 'Among other things.' Emily had delivered it last night while Olivia was in the shower.
Olivia never felt happier as she pulled into the precinct.
The two of them stepped out of the elevator to a packed bullpen, nearly three dozen NYPD, FBI, and what looked like US Army forces crowding around the collection of bulletin boards. "Munch," Elliot said to the first person he recognized. "What's going on?"
"Ah, the heroes have returned," he chuckled, shaking Elliot's hand and embracing Olivia. "Welcome back guys. All you can see here is Agent Porter's doing. Orders from both Washington and 1PP have made SVU the John Roland assassination unit. Nothing else."
"And here he is now." Elliot unconsciously pulled Olivia closer to him as Dean walked up.
"Glad you made it Olivia," Dean said with a smile, ignoring Elliot. "I'd like to introduce you to someone." He gestured to a white-haired man in a military uniform. "This is Major Dan Malcom of the Army's Special Operation Detachment Delta. A squad of his men have been detached to help hunt down Roland."
"Nice to meet the famous detectives," Malcom stated, shaking each of their hands. "Your reputations proceed you."
"I don't know whether to be flattered or worried," Olivia quipped. Malcom burst out laughing. 'I like this guy,' she thought, feeling from his touch that Elliot felt the same. It was uncanny how much they read each other.
Brrring, Brrring, Brrring…
The entire room felt silent as the special phone on Olivia's desk rang. All knew the significance: it would only ring if the Predator called. Coming out of his office to welcome Liv and El, Cragen immediately burst into action. "Go! Go!"
Elliot and Olivia raced to the phone, only having time to share a knowing look. It was back in the grind the moment they arrived.
"Alright people! I need complete quiet!" Cragen thundered. "Colonel, you ready?"
"No," MacMillan responded with a sad chuckle, "But I'll endure."
"Ok Elliot, go."
Both of them picked up the phone, Elliot speaking. "Hello?"
"Why hello Detective Stabler. It has been too long since we chatted last."
"Any day we talk until Judgement day is never too long for me," Elliot shot back.
"That is a good one, I shall remember that. Now tell me Detective Benson – yes I know you're listening – how is your son doing? Young Richard."
Olivia wanted to strangle him, remembering the fear and anger from when he had stolen her son. "He's fine, doing well actually."
"That's good, I grew fond of the lad." She heard his whistling for a few seconds. "So detective Benson, while I'd love to chat about your family I'm very curious about how you and Detective Stabler spent the reprieve I gave you."
"We took a trip," Olivia said cryptically. Her mouth curled up into a smirk. "A trip to Great Britain."
If that surprised or worried Roland neither Liv, El, Don, nor Porter could tell over the phone. "Great Britain. I've been there before. The countryside around London is beautiful."
"I think you know the countryside around Hereford John." There was silence on the other end. Olivia chuckled coyly. "Isn't that your name? John Roland, Major SAS retired? The British Defence Ministry and Army were very supportive with their disclosures. We know everything about you that you know about us."
The silence continued for nearly twenty seconds until Olivia heard a light laugh. "Well Detectives, good show. No one in my fifteen years of missions ever came close to identifying me. I knew you two were different, better than all of those others. You have proven yourself my warrior equals in every sense of the word."
"Great Roland, and all we had to do to earn that honor was track down the person that killed out friends and kidnapped our son," Elliot hissed. "What would your family say if they knew this?"
"You assume too much Detective Stabler."
"John," MacMillan said, joining the conversation. "Hello John."
John Roland nearly dropped the phone; for the first time in his warrior life he was completely shocked stiff. "Harry? Is that you?"
Olivia and Elliot shared a confused look. The almighty Predator sounded like a wounded puppy.
"Yes John. We need to talk."
"Um…" Roland couldn't believe it, his brother was there with Benson and Stabler. It only meant one thing. His beloved brother betrayed him. "How's my nephew?" It was all he could think of, the genius mind having gone blank.
"He's fine, itching to go to combat though. He gets it from us don't you think?"
"Yes he does." A smile flickered for a moment on Roland's face before remembering why this conversation was taking place. "Why did you betray me Harry?"
Both detectives saw a profound sadness cross on MacMillan's face. It was obviously killing him to help kill his brother. "You know the reason John, and I have a question. For the love of God why?" He choked out the last part. "Why would you do this? You and I took the same oath at our graduation from Sandhurst."
"You know damn well why Harry," Roland yelled, though Olivia could pick up a trace of grief. Quite a difference from the usual John Roland tone of malevolent eloquence. "I failed at my mission in Goose Green. I failed the Colonel and I failed my oath."
"What are you talking about? You won the Victoria Cross, you saved nearly a dozen men by risking your life to take that opposition machine gun position from the Args."
"But I didn't die! I didn't earn it Harry. The Colonel did but I didn't. I had to live with that shame of being looked at a great warrior but it being a lie. Why do you think I joined the Special Air Service? You can't say 'I haven't the foggiest' to that!"
Listening, Elliot knew this was a coup. Roland was finally opening up and might offer several clues to his true whereabouts. He then felt Liv's hand squeeze his and knew she felt the same.
"Regardless you had a bloody good career ahead of you. Hell, you should be the commander of the regiment not me. You should have been the one during Operation Barras. Why'd you throw it all away?" Olivia had to remember the dossier from London, the one the Defence Ministry gave them on Roland's courts martial. "You killed those men John."
"Men," Roland spat, his voice dripping with disgust. "Those Provo arseholes were not men Harry, they were chattel – no, worse than chattel. They deserved to die and I gave it to them. Only then the Crown and the Army that I dedicated my life to betrayed me! Threw me to the dogs. I was dishonored and barred from the only legal recourse to atone for my survival."
MacMillan couldn't believe what he was hearing, the pain so evident in his brother's voice. 'If only I could have known, if only I could have helped him.' "John, what's done is done, no one can change that. You have to realize though that only you can decide whether you have honor or not." He had prepared exactly what to say to his brother, the last ditch plea to end this nightmare. "You have committed many crimes brother, many sins, but it isn't too late to reclaim your honor and repent. Turn yourself in John."
Roland didn't respond. He closed his eyes, mind flashing to the fond memories of he, Harry, and dad playing while mum prepared the Sunday roast for all of them. It had been a happier time, a time where the pain had vanished even for a little while. No other time in his life had that happened.
"John, these detectives are going to kill you like a dog. Do the right thing, turn yourself in. I promise I'll do whatever in my power to get you sent back home to Parkhurst. I will not abandon you John." Olivia looked at Elliot, silently communicating with him.
'Can he really get him sent to Britain?'
'He committed his crimes here so he'll have to serve them here.'
'I would love to see him strapped to a gurney, but if it means for this nightmare to be over I'll settle for life in a British prison.'
'Much as I don't think Roland deserves even that I agree.'
"Do the right thing. Reclaim your honor John, and I promise everything will be alright. I would never lie to you." MacMillan heard a sigh on the other end. His heart leapt, hoping his last minute plea had worked.
"You are right Harry," Roland stated. MacMillan beamed while El and Liv let out their respective breaths. "I can and will restore my honor."
"That's great John."
"Indeed." It was Olivia who noticed it first. The malevolent eloquence tinged with amusement had still not returned, nor was this voice the same hurt emotion that it was only moments before. Instead it sounded dead, as if Roland had given up all hope. "This is a sign from the gods brother. Them finding you and cutting off my only chance at escaping is a sign. We are reaching an end to this mission Harry, and end that I will finish myself."
MacMillan's face fell. 'Not good, not good at all.' "John please, don't be foolish."
"One way or another Harry I believe my life has been leading up to this. One final fight, one final ascent onto the field of battle. This will end soon my brother; I plan to see you in Valhalla one day."
"John…"
"Detectives." Elliot and Olivia listened with baited breath. "Be ready. Your greatest challenge is soon coming. Good luck." The phone clicked off.
"No," MacMillan muttered. "No, why! Why John!" His head slumped onto the desk, emotionally and mentally exhausted.
"Doc," Alex asked of Dr. Canseco. "What does this mean?"
The doctor had a grim look on his face. "This could have only ended two ways ladies and gentlemen. He could have broken down and turned himself in to reclaim the love of his family. However I believe he took the other path."
"Which is what doctor?" asked Dean. "We have him cornered like a rat."
"Exactly Agent Porter. When you corner a rat with the intention of killing it, the only thing it can do is attack. Roland is the rat in this case, only far more deadly. We are going to see him at his very worst, at his most brutal."
Without words Elliot pulled Olivia into his arms. The day of reckoning had come, and he prayed that both of them had the strength to endure.
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"Get up you fucking wanker!" Brian Cassidy awoke from his alcohol induced stupor to see a very angry John Roland staring down at him. "If I had any sense I'd kill you right now. Get dressed! We have a task to complete." Cassidy nodded, bolting for the bathroom.
Roland began to breathe deeply, his composure gone. 'Harry, they found Harry.' The safe haven he had built for himself back home was gone. Soon the entire world would know his true identity, the entire world hunting for him. He was a dead man, and thusly had nothing to lose.
Watching, Cassidy felt a chill through his body. Whatever happened he was thankful not to be Olivia and Elliot right now. 'They deserve every bit of it,' he thought.
Removing the satellite phone from his pack, Roland snarled and threw it at the wall. It impacted and shattered into countless broken pieces. "I will end this by tomorrow," he said to the ceiling. "By Odin's name this ends tomorrow, be it my death or theirs!"
A/N: Oh boy! Shit is about to go down!
Five more chapters to go. Be sure to review because if we get to 50 reviews for the chapter ya'll get a bonus Bensler Baby one ;)
God Bless
Alex