Ok, well, I didn't mean for this story to go on hietus, but somehow it happened. Hopefully, I'll be able to stay on top of all this. It would be nice if I didn't have to sleep...yeah...the need to sleep really sucks. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter! (And don't forget to review!)

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Olivia walked into the Missing Person's precinct. It had been three days since she had seen Elena and her curiosity was eating her up inside. She grabbed a passing officer and asked where she could find Roger Palms. The cop directed her to a corner cubical.

As she approached, she could see a heavyset man with glasses was sitting in a wheeled office chair, traveling among five different computers. He looked up pleasantly, "Can I help you?

"Yeah, I'm Olivia Benson. I'm also a friend of Alex Cabot and I was wondering if I could get an update on a case transferred here three days ago."

"Alex, huh? Nice lady," He commented as he slid to a computer and started pulling up files, "I'm guessing you want to know about Rebekah Pedroza?"

Olivia nodded as she watched his eyes drift down the screen, "You're with SVU?" he said suddenly.

The brunette nodded.

Roger shuddered, "I see a lot, but that's got to be tough. Can I ask why you want to know so bad?"

"I was the interpreter who first took Elena Pedroza's statement when she first reported it."

Roger nodded slowly; Olivia saw that she had to be a little more convincing. "Look," she started, "I know you're not supposed to tell me about an open case, but I have a gut feeling about this one and I just need to know if they have any leads."

The squat man stared at her for a moment, unreadable. Then, "If I didn't know Detective Gates like I do, I'd never believe you."

"Pardon?"

"Pamela Gates is handling the case. Mrs. Pedroza's brother came in two days ago, looking for the same information you are. I had to tell him that everything was still up in the air. I thought he looked heartbroken, but Gates saw something else. A 'gut feeling' if you will." He smirked, "Anyway, her and her partner followed the guy back to his house." He looked up cryptically at her, "He lives in a crack shack."

Olivia wrinkled her nose, "You think this is connected with drugs?"

Roger shrugged, "It's the lead we're following. Brother gets into trouble; the shark threatens the family…"

"Did anyone pick up Elena?"

"What's going on?" A sharp voice demanded a voice. Olivia spun to see a slender woman in jeans and heels, red hair cascaded down her shoulders and her badge hung on her chest like a medal. "Palms, what are you doing giving out information on my case?" she accused the man.

"Whoa, chill," Olivia said calmly, she flipped out her badge and presented it to the detective. "I'm just curious; I took Elena's statement three days ago. I just wanted to see if Rebekah had been found. I'm assuming you're Detective Gates?"

The redhead took the badge and scrutinized it, she looked up skeptically as she handed it back. "What division are you with?"

"SVU."

Gates nodded, "Fine. What do you want to know?"

"Roger told me what you found at Lukas Pedroza's house. Did you question, Elena?"

"Vehemently denies knowing anything about her brother's habits."

Olivia studied the look on the redhead's face, "And you don't believe her?"

"Of course I don't, not after we found her fingerprints all over the place."

"That's doesn't mean anything."

Green eyes snapped to meet the older woman. "I graduated the Academy, detective."

Olivia backed down gracefully, "I assumed as much."

A tall athletic male came up behind the redhead, "You makin' trouble, Gates?" His light southern accent betrayed his playfulness.

"Shove it, Spade." She threw back sarcastically.

Olivia felt the camaraderie between them. Partners. She realized.

They couldn't have looked more different. Her flaming red hair and pale skin against his natural even tan and brown hair; and her thin lips and curves verses his pouty lips and angular jaw line.

She held out her hand, "Olivia Benson, Special Victims."

He took it, "Wyatt Spade, I'm Pamela's partner."

"Look," The brunette started, "I'm not looking to make trouble. I just wanted to know about the Pedroza case."

"Oh, is that all?" He looked at his partner, "Did you tell her about the ransom note?"

Olivia raised her eyebrow and Gates narrowed her eyes, "No, I didn't, but please, continue to give out classified information, by all means." And with that she stalked away.

Spade turned to Olivia, "She's usually not like that. She's got a thing when it comes to children and drugs."

The brunette read the look well, "Detectives aren't made of stone. Now what is this about a ransom note?"

He beckoned her to a white board, similar to the SVU case board. A copy of the note hung on the wall, along with pictures of Lukas, Elena, and a child who she assumed was Rebekah.

Olivia leaned in, reading.

1 million dollars

Or find her body in the Hudson

34 156th street, the Bronx

Friday 6:30

Police Welcome

"Bastards." She whispered at their callousness. "Prints?" She asked.

Spade flashed a white smile, "You didn't think it would be that easy."

"So you're setting up the sting."

"A three block radius."

"And access points on the River?"

"Of course."

Gates came up behind the two, "Are you all caught up?" she asked saucily.

Olivia ignored the comment and propped her elbow on her arm, a hand covered her chin. "It's Wednesday, they didn't give her a lot of time. Why do they think that Elena Pedroza can even afford a million dollars?"

The redhead sighed and yanked a file off a nearby desk and handed it to Olivia. "We pulled the family records and guess who Elena is related to?"

"Who?"

"Leonardo Soliz." Spade supplied, leaving a moment for the information to sink in.

"Head of the Puerto Rican drug cartel." Olivia said slowly. Holy Fuck.

"Bingo."

"Shouldn't this case get kicked over to DEA then?"

"Actually, the FBI, because Soliz is conveniently international." Gates snapped, "And here they are now."

Olivia turned to find four men in sharp black suits walk in.

One of the men held out his hand expectantly, his inflated ego was apparent to the three detectives. Olivia reluctantly handed him the folder.

"We need all information regarding Elena Pedroza, Rebekah Pedroza, and Leonardo Soliz." He stated coolly.

Without waiting for an answer, his henchmen started to take down the pictures on the whiteboard, another started looking through Gates' desk.

Spade had the good sense to stand as close to his partner as he could, because she looked like she was going to kill someone. Gates was shaking; she turned away from the invasion and stood with her arms crossed, grinding her teeth.

Olivia watched; her lips reduced to a thin line as the thought of Rebekah's safety slip away from her yet again. It's not fair! They shouldn't be able to wipe us clean like this. And they shouldn't be able to push us aside. The least they could do is work with us, let us help them, give us some type of closure.

The agents finished quickly, and like bugs, they scuttled out of the precinct. They may be cruel, but they are not stupid. The Missing Person's bullpen seemed to be reduced to silence. The shining whiteboard glared at the three detectives and the room felt sucked of life.

Olivia took a shallow breath, her heart heavy; It almost feels like a rape.

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Olivia hardened her face as she clipped the 'visitor' tag on her jacket. The hard metal doors slid open for her and she walked in, aware of, but certainly not used to the loud clanging and shrill sirens that accompanied a place like Riker's.

She was escorted to an interrogation room. Fixing the detective with a guarded look, he slouched low in his chair with one hand hanging between his legs and one on the table. She regarded him the same way.

"Lukas Pedroza."

He didn't bother to respond. So Olivia continued, "I'm here about Rebekah."

"No, hablo ingles." He retorted.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't give me that crap. Hablo espanol tambien, hombre."

The corners of his mouth twitched. "Fine, Senorita, what do you think I know?"

"Considering you're…activities," She slid his file towards him, "Would someone want to kidnap Rebekah because of you?"

His eyes narrowed, "What choo talkin' about? You think I had something to do with Becca's kidnappin'? You're wrong."

"A little early to jump on the defense, eh, Lukas? What are you hiding?"

He leaned back, "Look, I'll give it to you straight. Becca's my niece, she family. She belongs with my family…why would I put that girl in danger?"

Olivia threw her hands up, "I don't know, Lukas. You tell me."

He pulled forward, thrusting his upper half onto the table, "I had nothing to do with it. You just lookin' at me cause someone planted drugs in my place." Olivia fought the urge to roll her eyes as he continued, "You should be looking at Elena."

Now we're getting somewhere. "You wanna fill me in?"

Lukas scoffed, feeling he now had the upper hand, "Elena gets herself into enough trouble. Papá is always bailing her out of fucked up relationships."

Olivia raised her eyebrows.

"She picks pendejos for boyfriends. Rich white guys. They're all psychos. One of 'em followed her home once, we took care of that."

The loud buzz indicated someone was entering the cell.

A large Hispanic woman with a sour face walked purposefully into the room and took in the scene. Immediately, she moved up and thumped Lukas on the back of the head, yelling in Spanish.

"Má!" he protested.

Olivia stood, but tried to catch as much of the rapid language as she could. Something about him keeping his mouth shut, disgracing his family and not asking for help.

"Má!" he screamed, "La chica speaks Spanish, Má!"

The older woman sobered up quickly. It was then Olivia saw the man standing in the doorway. He had on a sharp suit and was carrying a briefcase. His look just screamed sleazy lawyer.

"I think you should leave, Detective." He stated coolly. Despite his ethnic look, he didn't have an accent.

Olivia took a step towards the man, feeling the need to clarify, "He didn't ask for a lawyer and my questions were about his niece, not his charges; which are open and shut, by the way. The ADA is going to have a field day…the drugs were in his underwear."

At this, the mother thumped her son across the head again, "Stupido!" She muttered.

Olivia fought back a laugh as she made her way out of the jail.

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As she got her cell phone back from the prison guard, it vibrated in her hand. She answered it. "Benson."

A surprising, but familiar voice answered, "Detective."

"Um…Detective Gates."

"Yes." Came the even voice. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened at the precinct yesterday."

"It's ok." Olivia cut her off, remembering the sick feeling the flooded her stomach as the FBI took their case right out from under them.

"Look," Gates started hesitantly, "I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean what I said. It's just that children and drugs hit home for me."

"I get it." Olivia said gently, but quickly. She didn't want the Detective explaining more than she had to. After all, they had just met yesterday.

"The FBI is taking over the sting. God, I hope Rebekah will be ok."

"She will." The brunette tried to convince herself as well as the other detective.

"Well…that was it. See you around, Benson." And with that she hung up.

Olivia looked down at her dead phone. Something had just happened. She wasn't sure what, but she was fairly certain that Gates and herself had reached some kind of common ground.

As for Rebekah, a plan was forming in her mind. Not a good plan…not even a safe plan…but a plan nonetheless. She pushed the implications out of her mind as she stuffed her phone in her jeans, intend on getting back to the precinct before she was missed.

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Two days later

Alex trotted down the steps of the courthouse, flipping open her cell phone in response to the vibration.

"Hello?"

"Hi Star."

Alex grinned wide. "Hi yourself, guess what."

"What?"

"I won the Hallward case."

"Awesome!"

"Guess what else."

"What?"

"In four and a half hours it's going to be five o'clock on a Friday, and you and I have a date with a television and a bag of popcorn."

There was an unnatural pause on the other line, Alex became worried, "You are coming over tonight, aren't you?"

"Of course I'll be there…but the way things are going over here, I might be a little late."

Alex quelled her disappointment into understanding. "That's fine."

"I'm sorry to rush, but I need to go…I'll bring dessert though, ok?"

Alex grinned into the phone, "I just need you, Liv…but dessert's good too."

"I love you too, Star. I'll see you tonight."

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oooooooo, the plot thickens! I had plans up the wazoo for this story, but they are changing...so even I don't know what's going to happen! So I'll tell you when I know, and in the meantime, don't forget to review! I take praise, plot bunnies, and money (to be used to buy lemons of course). WEEEEEEE!