Pure and Simple

Chapter Nine

Snake Eyes Bar & Entertainment

Times Square

7:30 PM Thursday

Olivia sighed and looked over Mindy. The van was an awfully cramped space when one had to change clothes and get into character. Mindy was a very shy girl, and it took a lot to convince her to go back to Quentin with a wire on. Olivia told her that it was the only way she would be able to find Peter and India.

"You'll be okay Mindy," Olivia said. "I promise you that we'll take care of you okay?"

Mindy nodded.

Mindy wore a short dress that stopped above midthigh, a halter top, and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun with a long hair extension flowing down her back. Her makeup was glittery and light and she had on long boots.

Olivia adjusted the brooch which was really a camera on her blouse to make sure that it stayed put. She sighed and looked over to a fearful Mindy.

"Ready?"

Mindy nodded.

"Okay guys, Mindy's coming in," Olivia said as she opened the van, which was sitting around the corner from the club. "She's making her way down now."

Mindy looked back at Olivia as she walked around the corner.

"You're okay Mindy," she assured her again. "Everyone's looking out for you," she said. "Detective Johnson is at the stage where the cage girls are, Detective Stabler is at the bar, and Cragen is near the men's restroom. We'll take care of you."

Mindy nodded as she walked around the corner to the bar.

The club was smoky, but not so much that it wouldn't be enjoyable to come to if it weren't for all the illegal activity that went on behind the scenes. The music was playing loudly, and the songs were all sexual in nature, the bar was busy, and of course, there were women serving the men at tables. There was a sizable stage in the middle of the two story club with two closed off areas or cages where the girls who were serving or either dancers period undulated around or hung onto a pole dancing.

Buckley opened up the van and got in with Olivia.

"Hey," he said. "Is she all set?"

"Yeah," Olivia sighed. "She's scared to death, though. I hope she'll be able to pull herself together by the time she gets to Quentin."

Inside, Elliot watched as Mindy entered. He kept his eyes on her as she walked to confront the man who was making her life a living hell.

Mindy could see that Quentin spotted her, and he had sent down one of his body guards to let her up. The brawny man approached her and took her by the arm. Mindy was hesitant, but she decided it would be best not to struggle now and save her energy for later. She wished that Olivia was with her, but Olivia explained that Quentin would be able to tell that she was a cop right off.

Instead of fear, she focused on her son and how grateful she would be to God when she had him back in her arms again and she could already see her sister's smile. She prayed that Serena, Peter, and India were alright. Quentin wouldn't, couldn't hurt them…not if she was back with him.

Mindy felt the fear in her heart as they walked through the doors of the loft.

Quentin stood up and greeted his favorite girl.

"Melinda," he said with a smug grin creeping across his face. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you came back to me," he paused to caress over her cheek. "I told you that you're my favorite. That's never going to change."

Mindy sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know that now, and I am sorry," she said before she kissed him deeply.

The other two jealous women got up and walked out of the loft.

He pulled away and squeezed Mindy's bottom. "Mm, I've missed you baby."

Mindy smiled as she buried her face into his chest.

"I am sorry," she said again.

"Hey, no more apologies," Quentin said a little too softly, even for him. "Now we can be a family. Peter is going to have all this one day."

"A family," Mindy repeated, trying to sound genuine.

"Yeah," Quentin sighed as he took out a knife and pressed the point into Mindy's belly, causing her to gasp. "And I think it's time for us to get out of here."

"Yes," Mindy agreed.

He ripped the wire from her blouse and cut the wiring, causing Olivia to panic outside.

"Guys, he made her!" She said.

Elliot watched as Mindy came out of the elevator with Quentin. He was taking her down the hallway past Cragen. Elliot walked out of the club to meet Olivia at the van because he knew that she was ready to do something stupid.

Mindy was too frightened to do or say anything that was contrary to what Quentin wanted. She had no idea how to defend herself, and if she wanted to see her baby boy again, she had to cooperate.

Outside, Olivia took the keys for Buckley's Sedan and went over to the car.

"Benson, you have to wait," Buckley said. "Benson."

"Shut up Buckley," Olivia snipped. "I'll be damned before I let that bastard hurt anyone else."

"Shit!" Buckley grumbled as he got into contact with Munch and Fin.

Just as Olivia climbed inside the Sedan, Elliot was making his way down the street.

"Liv! Wait," he said as he caught up with her. "If you're going to do something stupid, at least make sure I'm a part of it."

Pier 17

The Onyx

8:50 PM

The ride from Snake Eyes to Quentin's huge boathouse at the pier was filled with tension as he sped through the streets. Mindy didn't dare utter a word as he kept driving. She could only hope that Olivia would help her. The last thing Mindy wanted was to die. She didn't want her son and her sister to be alone in the world.

Serena was still yet young, too young to be trying to take care of a baby with no skills and no degree from high school. She and Peter would be homeless without her. And Poor India already lost people she loved at the hands of the man she thought she loved some time ago.

Her anger burned at her cheeks.

"You monster," Mindy hissed and he looked at her and slapped her.

"Shut up bitch!" He yelled. "I own you! You belong to me and you're going to do whatever I say! You're dumb, you're ugly, and too skinny, and no one loves you. Only I ever loved you. So don't you ever talk to me like that again!"

With that, he slapped her again and she felt the blood on her lip.

They made it to his boat house and he pulled her violently out of the car and pushed her.

He was unaware that Olivia and Elliot had followed him to the pier.

They parked their Sedan quite a distance back, and they ran down the pier.

"That must be his car," Olivia observed.

"I see lights," Elliot said. "He's on the boat."

"I'll look for the kids, you distract Quentin," Olivia said. "Be careful."

Elliot looked at her.

"Don't try to be superwoman," he said before they went up to the houseboat.

Inside, Quentin made Mindy sit down.

"I did love you very much," he said, pouring himself a drink. "But when you left me, you hurt me."

Mindy began to cry and shiver from the chill.

"Quentin, you've hurt me," she cried. "You abused me. I've learned that is not love!"

"Shut up!" He yelled.

He grabbed his gun and pointed it at her. He walked up to her and pressed the barrel into her forehead.

"If you think I'm going to let you ruin everything I've built, you're wrong," he said. "Sacrifices have to be made. Don't worry, I'll take good care of my son and your sister? Well, she's a pretty girl. I think she'll do just fine."

"What about India?" Mindy asked.

"She's going to be paying for the sins of her mother," he said in a cool tone of voice. "Stand up."

Mindy stood up.

"Bitch," he spat as he was about to kill her.

"Put it down, Iberson," Elliot said in a tense voice, entering the vessel. "Put the gun down and let her go."

Quentin turned around.

"Who the fuck are you?" He asked angrily.

"I'm a detective," Elliot said. "Now, put the gun down. You're caught and back up will be arriving at any moment. I don't want to kill you."

"Yeah you do," Quentin said, training the gun on Elliot instead of Mindy. "All the horrible things I've done…you don't want to even take a practice shot?"

"Don't make me do that," Elliot advised. "My partner is going to find those children, Mindy already told us everything. It's over Quentin you don't want to make things worse than they already are."

Quentin chuckled.

"You cops!" He laughed. "You always try and identify. You have no fucking idea how much I have to lose! I've got to protect me and my own, man. I've got to protect my business just like you've got to protect that hot ass partner of yours. Detective Olivia Benson, is it?"

Elliot felt his heart skip a beat at the mention of his partner's name. How did Quentin know about her?

"She's a beautiful woman," Quentin said, still aiming at Elliot. "Such a pretty face. I'd hate to see her hurt in any way."

"This isn't about her," Elliot said, trying not to show his fear for his partner's welfare. "This is about me and you right here right now."

While Elliot was talking down Quentin, Olivia managed to get a portside door open and she found herself on the right deck with the staterooms. She made her way quietly through the hallway, which was dimly lit. The doors to all the rooms were open, and she peeked in all of them as she went by, trying to look for any signs of children.

Then she heard a baby's cry; from under her.

"Oh my God," she breathed as she opened up a hatch in the floor that led to the hull. Inside, Serena was holding on to Peter tightly and India sleeping on her shoulder.

"Who are you?" Serena asked.

"I'm Olivia Benson," Olivia introduced herself. "I'm going to get you out of here okay?"

Serena said nothing, and she wore a look of shock on her face.

"Serena?" Olivia inquired.

Dmitri grabbed Olivia from behind by her hair and threw her against the wall, knocking off various pictures.

"Ah!" Olivia exhaled in sudden pain in her back.

Dmitri smacked her across her face and she fell to the floor.

Quentin could here the commotion below and he smiled.

"Looks like Dmitri found your partner," he said.

Elliot held his stance, not wanting to let Quentin out of his sight.

Mindy couldn't stand just sitting down and doing nothing to help the people that were trying to help her, and she wanted her family.

She stood up slowly, anger in her eyes, and despite her small, frail body, she tackled Quentin from behind and bit his ear as hard as she could.

He screamed in pain. Mindy clawed, bit, and kicked at Quentin and Elliot tried to get his gun away from him, but his grip was strong and persistent. He fought Elliot off and backed himself and Mindy into a wall, causing her to yelp. Before anyone could react, Quentin turned and shot Mindy out the window, and she fell overboard into the water.

Elliot moved to grab his gun again, but Quentin pressed the barrel against his head.

Meanwhile, Olivia was still fighting off Dmitri. She proved to be a little too quick for him as she ducked into a stateroom. He grabbed her by her neck and pushed her onto her back. He began choking her and she felt dizzy. She didn't think about grabbing her gun out of its holster because she was surprised by his attack. But she was pinned under his brawny weight and she couldn't reach her gun.

Serena managed to get out of the hull and she put India and the baby into a closet in another room and closed the door. She grabbed a decorative weight sitting on one of the many end tables and she entered the room where Olivia was pinned. She knocked Dmitri over his head and he loosened his grip on Olivia's neck. It was then that Olivia managed to kick him off of her and Serena assaulted him repeatedly with the weight. He turned and punched her, getting off of a panting Olivia.

She pulled her gun and fired as he lunged back at her.

Quentin turned at the shots being fired and Elliot seized the opportunity to jump Quentin. The men struggled for a long moment before Quentin knocked the wind out of Elliot and he lunged after his dropped gun. Elliot was faster, and before he gave it a second thought, he shot.

It was then he heard approaching sirens, and when Quentin fell to the ground, shot dead, Elliot sighed and got up, his body aching from the struggle.

"Now you guys get here," he panted.

"El?"

He turned and saw Olivia, who had nasty bruises on her cheek and her neck.

"You alright?" She asked, as Serena emerged with Peter and India.

"Yeah," he said. "You?"

"Fine," she said as the rest of their squad and other unis stormed the houseboat. "Where's Mindy?"

Elliot only shook his head.

Cragen walked in with a look of anger on his face.

"Good work you two," he said as a couple of unis escorted Serena and the children off the boat. "But tomorrow morning, it's your asses."

"Yes sir," Elliot said.

"Liv, you go get checked out," Cragen said.

Elliot walked out with her.

"Serena!" A voice called out. "Peter!"

It was a soaking wet and shivering Mindy.