"So, what do you think?" Olivia asked Dr George Huang as they sat drinking steaming hot lattes in an all night café, "Can you give us anything?"

Huang looked at the case file in front of him, "Well, your killer's organised judging by the ritualistic way he killed Felicity. Making her kneel in front of him while he hit her over the head. It shows a certain restraint."

"But that jars with the rape, surely?"

Huang nodded, "Whoever raped her was in a frenzy. That's why she was so badly torn. But that doesn't mean that the rapist and the killer can't be the same person."

"How so?" Olivia took a sip of her coffee.

"It's the rape that excites him. Once that's over, he's back in control, ready to execute the next step."

"Killing her." Huang nodded, "But if he's so organised, why just leave the body? Why not bury her somewhere so we can't find her?"

"That could be part of his psychosis. By not hiding the body, he's portraying his sense of power, strength. It's like he's thumbing his nose at the police."

"Giving us the finger more like," Olivia replied wryly, "So, how do we flush him out?"

"You have to give him credit, kudos."

"Kudos?"

"He needs to feel as though you admire his crime. That way, he's much more likely to come further out into the open."

"Do you think it could be Ricky Brown?"

"Fortunately, that's your job," Huang replied. "How you getting on with Cassandra Whelan?"

Olivia stared at him, "How do you know about her?"

"Law enforcement's a hotbed of gossip," he teased her, "Everyone's talking about it."

"She's a bit of a maverick," Olivia admitted, "Going off on her own at the beginning they way she did, but, deep down, she seems to be ok. Munch has a real problem with her." Huang raised an eyebrow at her, "Ok, maybe we all haven't exactly been the perfect welcoming crew, but…"

"But…?"

"Stop it," she lifted her cup again, "You're making me feel guilty."

SSSS

It was the following morning before the others set about the tasks Cragen had given them. Upon realising how tired they all well the night before, their boss had told them to go home and get some rest, on the proviso that they turned up bright and early the following morning. As the hands of her watch moved to nine am, Cassandra was sitting with Fin outside Samantha Baxter's apartment. They had knocked earlier, but had gotten no reply, so they decided to wait. There was a slight air of tension in the car, but it was nothing in comparison to the abject hostility she had experience the previous day and for that at least, she was thankful.

"You get a hold of your father?" Fin asked suddenly.

"No," she replied, "he's been avoiding my calls. He always does this when he thinks he's done something I'll disapprove of."

"Doesn't sound as though he's as much of the boss in your relationship as he'd like people to think."

"Oh believe me, he is. But just occasionally, he has a crisis of conscience." She rubbed her eyes, "You used to be in Brooklyn Narcotics, didn't you?"

He looked over at her, "You been looking me up?"

"No," she laughed, "my partner told me before I left. It's amazing how you can work in the same district as someone and yet never meet them."

"Different squads, different stations, it happens," Fin replied, "Besides, reckon I would have remembered you."

"Why, because I'm the politically equivalent of a rat?" Her tone was harsh.

"I didn't mean that."

"Sorry," she sighed, "For all the people that don't seem to trust me, I trust everybody else even less."

"The other's will come around eventually."

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for the big hug from Munch."

Fin laughed, "You gotta learn how to handle him."

"I'm sure he'd like to handle me, right out of the station. Olivia and Elliot could give him a hand."

"Look, it's gonna get better. It's just hard to get past the whole Daddy thing."

"You seem to have managed it," she looked over at him, "Or is this all some huge ploy to get me on side and then destroy me?"

"Cassandra…"

"Call me Cassie. The few friends I have do."

"Cassie." Fin looked at her, and for the briefest of moments, their gazes locked in mutual understanding.

Cassandra's attention was suddenly diverted by movement on the street in front of them, "There's our girl."

"Got it," Fin replied as they both climbed out and hurried across the street to where Samantha was slowly climbing the stairs to her building, "Samantha!" She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Been anywhere nice?" Cassandra asked as they came up behind her. "We've been looking for you." Samantha didn't reply, "You know, it's polite to turn around when the police are talking to you." She grabbed Samantha's arm and swung her around. "Oh my God."

Samantha's face was bruised and bleeding, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Please…please…"

SSSS

"Ricky Brown? Yeah he was supposed to be in my tutorial group this morning, but he didn't show up. What's he supposed to have done?"

"We want to talk to him in connection with an incident at the Waldorf on Sunday night," Elliot explained.

"The murder of that girl?" Ricky's tutor looked surprised, "You don't think Ricky had anything to do with it, do you?"

"What can you tell us about him?" Munch dodged the question.

"He's a popular kid," the tutor explained, "has a lot of friends on the course, particularly female ones. He works hard and I fully expect him to do well."

"Who are his closest friends?"

"Well, I did see him with the Charles girl once or twice. She was always accompanied by another girl, petite, dark hair."

"This girl?" Elliot showed him Samantha Baxter's photograph.

"Yeah, that's her. There were always a couple of other girls who I don't know."

"What about other guys?"

"That was the thing," the tutor shook his head, "Ricky didn't seem to have male friends, not here anyway. He either kept to himself, or he hung around with the girls."

"Did he participate in any extracurricular activities?" Munch asked.

"Like what?"

"You know, soccer, music…"

"Now you mention it, he's a big rap music fan. There was a charity talent contest held on campus about six months ago and Ricky did a spot. He was good from what I remember."

"He spend time at any studios?" Elliot asked.

"No, but I did hear him talk about a club one day in class. I can't remember the name of it, but I think it's a rap club."

"Thanks for your time," Elliot clapped him on the shoulder just as his cell started to ring, "Maybe if we identify this club, we can find Ricky. Yeah." He paused, "When? Ok, thanks." He hung up.

"Problem?" Munch queried.

"That was Fin. Samantha Baxter's been assaulted."

SSSSS

"Hey Samantha," Cassandra said gently, as she and Fin entered the hospital room where Samantha had been taken, "How are you feeling?"

Samantha shrugged, "Ok I guess."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Samantha looked away, "Who did this to you?"

"I can't tell you," she replied, her lower lip trembling.

"Why not?"

"If I do, they'll kill me!"

"Who?" Fin asked. She didn't reply, "Look Samantha, we only want to help you. We know Felicity gave you the black eye at the party." Samantha looked up quickly, "Tommy told us."

"Tommy should learn to keep his mouth shut," she replied shakily.

"We know that Felicity thought you were coming onto Ricky," Cassandra explained, "and we know she left the party with Mark Watson. What happened after that?"

Samantha sighed, "I just hung around, you know, drank some more."

"Did you talk to Ricky?"

"I guess."

"Did he say anything about Felicity leaving with Mark?"

"He said Mark was welcome to her."

"Did he seem angry?" Fin asked. Samantha shook her head, "Was he at the party with you the whole time?" She nodded.

"So what happened this morning?" Cassandra pressed.

Samantha paused, as if contemplating whether to tell, "I went to the corner store to get milk," she said, "and when I was coming out, I saw Ricky." She took a deep breath, "He wanted to know what I had said to the cops about Felicity. I told him I hadn't said anything, but he wouldn't believe me. He said Mark had been questioned and that the information had to have come from either me or Tommy."

"Where does Ricky hang out?"

"He likes to go to this club, Malucci's. He's there almost every night."

"Did Ricky assault you?" Samantha shook her head, "Then who did?"

"It was Mark."

SSSSS

"That's one rape and one assault. Surely we can bring him in now?" Olivia said, when they had all returned to the station.

Alex shook her head, "As far as the DA is concerned, Mark Watson is still untouchable."

"This is a political game, Alex!" Munch declared, "I could understand if the state was getting something of giving him this twisted form of immunity, but we're not getting jack shit!"

"I understand your frustration," she replied, "but at the moment, there's no movement on that angle. The DA's office and the Senate Committee are sticking to their guns."

"I bet they are," Munch glared at Cassandra again.

"The question is, where do we go from here?" Cragen asked.

"We need Ricky Brown," Alex said, "He might be able to give us something useful. Right now, we're nowhere near even being able to suggest Mark Watson killed Felicity Charles, which is the one thing that would make the DA reconsider."

"Are we thinking Ricky killed Felicity?" Cragen asked.

"Don't see how," Elliot said, "According to Samantha, he was at the party the whole time. The only person we know that was anywhere near Felicity at the time of her death is Mark Watson."

"Well we know Ricky and Mark were as thick as thieves," Olivia said, "and Ricky had no problem with Felicity going off with Mark, maybe he's pulling the strings."

"Only problem is, we don't know where he's hiding out," Alex said.

"Samantha told us that Ricky liked to hang at this club, Malucci's," Fin relayed.

"Never heard of it," Cragen replied.

"It's an R 'n' B, rap club," Fin filled him in, "very popular with the kids."

"You know this how?" Munch asked.

"I got my sources."

"That would tie in with what Ricky's tutor told us about Ricky liking rap," Elliot said.

"So we go in there and bust him," Munch said.

"I doubt he'll give anything up if you arrest him," Alex said, "He's got nothing to gain by talking. He's not in the frame for the rape or the murder, and he's unlikely to drop Mark in hot water."

"What are you suggesting?" Olivia asked, "Undercover?"

Alex shrugged, "It might be the best option. Whoever goes in can get close to Ricky, maybe get him to loosen up and talk." She looked at Elliot.

"Don't look at me," he replied quickly, "Fin's got the undercover experience."

"What about you?" Fin looked at Munch.

"Please," he replied, "Do you really think I could pass for some young, hip hop loving rapper?"

"Young, no. Hip hop loving rapper on the other hand…" Cassandra said.

"Very funny. I'd like to see Daddy's face if you were going undercover. He'd probably make you do a piece to camera first."

"Fin, can you do it?" Cragen butted in.

Fin nodded, "Sure, but I'll need back up."

"The rest of us will be stationed outside and you'll be wired."

"I meant inside," Fin continued, "I'm gonna need a girl."

"What the hell for?" Munch demanded.

"For appearances."

"Well, I'm out," Olivia said, "my clubbing days are long done."

"I'll do it," Cassandra said. The others looked at her, "What?"

"You sure?" Cragen asked, "You don't have to."

"I want to," she insisted, "I want to get this guy and we have to sweet talk Ricky to do it, then I'm ready."

SSSS

That evening, having been briefed on the operation and wearing the tightest top and shortest skirt known to man, Cassandra was having a final conversation with Fin before they went in.

"You sure you'll be ok?" he asked her.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she demanded. "I'm not a kid."

"Just checking."

"Well don't," she replied, "Let's just go in there and get this done." Deep down, she was nervous, knowing that part of her was only doing this to show the others that she could, but she would be damned if they were going to know that.

"Ok," he said, "now, I'm gonna have to touch you."

"Excuse me?" she was momentarily caught off guard.

"Touch you," he repeated, "You know, for effect."

"Effect."

"It's a nightclub, you're supposed to be my girl. I don't put a hand on you all night, it's gonna look suspicious."

"Oh," she said, catching on, "Oh, yeah, right. Sure, that's ok."

"If at any point, it gets hairy, we get out. We wanna talk to this guy, but we don't wanna get killed in the process, ok?"

"Sure," she said, "It's going to be great."

In the car on the way to the club however, Cassandra was starting to wonder if it would be so great after all. She had never been involved in any undercover work before and she was worried she would blow it. Fin seemed totally unconcerned. He was already getting into character it seemed, his hand resting on her knee in the car. She self-consciously pulled her skirt down at the front, but it made little difference.

When they arrived at the club, they checked their wires once more, and Cassandra glanced over quickly at the van parked across the street, where she knew the others were listening. Before she could blink, however, she and Fin were at the door to the club, jumping ahead of the queue. Fin said something to the security guy on duty, and slipped him some money, before taking her hand and pulling her inside.

The club was noisy and the lights low, so that she could barely see her hand in front of her face. Her only guidance, was Fin's hand in hers, warm and comforting.

"Did you know that guy?" she yelled.

"What?"

"The guy on the door!"

"Old friend," was all he would say, "Drink?"

"Sure," she replied, thinking she was going to need it. They headed for the bar, all the time scanning the crowd for Ricky. There seemed to be no sign of him, and when Fin handed her her drink, she nervously took a large gulp.

"Relax," he said in her ear.

"I'm trying," she replied, "but I've never done this before."

"You're doing fine baby." He wrapped his arm around her waist, placing his hand on her lower abdomen. Cassandra felt a slight tingle, but she tried to ignore it. They wandered through the crowds, trying not to look too obvious, and were about to give up altogether, when Fin suddenly tightened his grip on her, "There."

She followed the direction of his gaze and, sure enough, there was Ricky Brown. He was sitting on one of the plush sofas at the back of the club, his arms around two girls. As they watched, he turned to whisper in one of their ears and they both laughed.

"What do we do now?" Cassandra asked Fin.

"Follow my lead," he replied, moving over towards the table, "Ricky? Ricky Brown? How you doing, man?"

Ricky looked up and stared at them, "Do I know you?"

"Sure, man, I'm in here all the time. We talked last time, remember?"

Ricky looked slightly unsure, "Yeah, sure. What's your name again?"

"Fin."

"Oh yeah, Fin. I remember you!" Ricky grinned and Cassandra tried not to show her disbelief, "You were at the rap-off too, weren't you?"

"Sure was. That shit was fly."

"I hear you," Ricky's gaze shifted to Cassandra, "Who's your girl?"

"This is Cassie," Fin pulled her against him, "Picked her up a few nights ago. Ain't she about the sexiest thing you ever seen?"

Ricky nodded, "Come sit here, baby." He patted the space beside him.

Cassandra looked at Fin who nodded, "Go on, baby." She moved forward and slid in beside Ricky, Fin on her other side.

"So, Cassie," Ricky said, his gaze flickering down to her chest, "You must be a model, right?"

Cassandra nodded, "Yeah. How did you guess?"

"You got that sexy look."

"Didn't I tell you?" Fin said, his hand on her thigh.

"You a typical model?"

"In what way?" she replied.

"Do a line or two, screw a few photographers…"

"What do you think?" she replied coyly.

Ricky leaned in closer to her, "I think that I would like to get to know you a whole lot better."

Cassandra laughed nervously, "As tempting as that offer is, I'm afraid I'm already spoken for." She leaned back against Fin, grateful for the feel of him there behind her.

"Shame," Ricky sat back, "Reckon we could have a lot of fun together." He put his hand on her other thigh and ran it up to the hem of her skirt, "A lot of fun."

"Is Mark here?" She asked quickly, and then regretted it.

Ricky's eyes grew dark, "You know Mark?"

"Sure," she bluffed, "me and Mark go way back. When Fin spotted you, he told me you were a friend of Mark's. Isn't that right, baby?" she turned to Fin, who nodded.

"I see," Ricky stared at her, "No, he's not here."

"Shame," she replied, "haven't seen him around much. Just wondered how he was doing."

Ricky paused, "Will you excuse me a minute?" With that, he stood up and disappeared into the crowd.

"Shit," Cassandra said, turning to Fin, "He's rumbled us. I shouldn't have jumped in so quickly about Mark, I'm sorry."

"Relax baby," he told her again, "you're doing fine."

"Any normal boyfriend would be more jealous about another guy touching his girlfriend," she challenged him.

"Any normal boyfriend would be touching his own girlfriend more," he replied.

"Touch me then," she said boldly, "make it look real."

Catching Ricky out of the corner of his eye, Fin slid his hand up between her thighs, his fingers brushing her thong panties. Cassandra's breath caught in her throat and she found herself edging closer to him on the couch. His eyes were saying 'trust me,' and she nodded imperceptibly as he leaned in and kissed her, gently at first, and then harder as the kiss caught fire. Fin slid back on the couch and, taking his hand from between her legs, he pulled her onto his lap so that she was facing him. Still kissing, she ground her pelvis against his, feeling as though she was drunk, knowing she would have been willing to strip naked then and there and let him take her.

"Don't let me interrupt," Ricky said, sitting back down next to them.

Fin and Cassandra broke apart as if they had been scalded. She climbed off his lap as quickly as possible and sat back down on the couch, fighting to catch her breath. She brushed her hair out of her face and turned back to Ricky.

"Sorry about that," she smiled, "but what can you do when the urge takes you?"

He grinned at her, "You that hot and heavy with Mark?"

"I might have been."

"He never mentioned a hot little thing like you."

"Guess I was his little secret," she replied, as Fin kissed her shoulder.

"Yeah. Pity he's getting such a hard time from the cops."

"Cops?" Fin asked.

Ricky nodded, "They think he's involved in Felicity Charles' murder."

"No way!" Cassandra exclaimed, "Why would they think that?"

Ricky shrugged, "He was working security at the party. Go figure. Cops like to finger you for whatever they can."

"Is he involved?" Cassandra asked.

Ricky looked at her, "Well you know him, what do you think?"

She paused, "He doesn't seem the type." Fin's cell rang and he stood up to answer it.

Ricky moved closer to her on the couch and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "You're good. Particularly the little sex show." He stroked the back of her neck with one hand, the other pressing against her stomach so as to muffle the hidden microphone.

"Sorry?" she asked.

"I know who you are, Cassandra." She stiffened and he tightened his grip, "Leaving aside the fact that you've been on TV, you've got cop written all over you."

"Ok," she said, "then you know we've been after Mark." Ricky nodded, "What can you tell me?"

"Only that it's in your best interests to leave well alone," he stroked her throat, "there are things you don't know, things about your own father."

Fin came back over and held out his hand, "Baby, we gotta go."

Cassandra paused, still looking at Ricky, wanting to know more about what he was talking about and what he knew about her father.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Cassie," Ricky said, "give my best to Mark if you see him before I do."

Cassandra nodded and then stood up, taking Fin's outstretched hand. She glanced back at Ricky as Fin led her away from the table and he was sitting smiling after her. She didn't say anything until after they were outside.

"What happened?" she asked, meaning not just the phone call.

"It was Olivia," he told her as they crossed the road towards the van, "something's gone down." The van doors opened and they climbed inside, Cassandra all too conscious about being wedged so close to Fin.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We've got another vic," Olivia told them, "Cragen just got a call to say Samantha Baxter's been murdered."

"Couldn't have been Ricky, he's been in there the whole night," Fin said.

"We're thinking Mark Watson."

Munch looked at Cassandra, "You get anything? We lost sound towards the end."

She shook her head, "No. He didn't tell me anything."

TBC - Thanks for all the reviews so far!