A/N: I apologize for the delay between posts. My muse took a vacation. The neighbors I've been borrowing my internet signal from are having issues. Consequently, I no longer have the capability of updating these stories on the computer my stories are on. At any rate, I have it worked out. Again, sorry for the delay.
This is not a chapter for the kiddies. It is a little dark. You have been forewarned. The rating on this story has been updated, accordingly.
"You know, I heard once that if you dropped a penny from really high up, by the time it got to the bottom it would have picked up enough speed to kill a person." Elliot walked up behind Olivia and looked out over the ledge.
"I can think of a couple people I'd like to be standing there when I drop it." Olivia turned to face him, noticing his concerned expression.
"Jackson. The other one?" He narrowly missed planting his hand on a patch of bird poop. He wiped his hands on his pants, nonetheless.
"Cragen. I've put in too many years here to have him doubt me now. The kind of people we put away…how could he think I could do something like that? I hope to God I never see that look on his face again. He was disgusted, Elliot. As if I would even for a second, think of doing something like that to anyone. He should have believed me. I am not a…" She shivered in the warm, summer sun. She'd been left alone for too long. Her thoughts had wandered to the darkest nooks and crannies of her mind. Places she'd gone before but somehow had been steered away from in the past.
"A what? Say it, Liv, because if you don't recognize what you're about to say then you're lying to yourself, either way. Do you really think you have it in you to do something like that? I know you. Don't you know yourself?" He placed his palm on her shoulder and squeezed. Her muscles were rock hard under his touch.
"A rapist. Okay, a rapist. I just… I see all the looks people give me when they find out. Pity. Shock. Horror. Behind it all, I know they're afraid. Why do you think you and Cragen were the only ones who knew? If people find out, I'm done, Elliot. I'm done, and there's not a thing I can do about it. Like father, like daughter, right?" She closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the city block out her thoughts. She wondered, briefly, what people thought of the moment before they jumped. Maybe the honking horns and the diesel engines of the city buses weren't enough to keep them grounded. She laughed bitterly at the pun.
"Don't even go there, Liv. You said the charges were dropped. Maybe the guy just wanted to mess with you. How many times have I gotten into trouble with the Captain and gotten out of it? Too many to count; I'm still here, Liv. Besides, it sounds like it was Cragen's idea to investigate this. No one else has to know except whoever is in charge of it, and no matter how pissed off he is at you he isn't going to feed you to the wolves. No one is going to find out about Jackson. No one is going to find out about your father. It's been a secret this long." He saw her open her eyes slowly. It reminded him of someone who was just waking up and trying to determine what was reality or dream. In her case, a nightmare.
"I hope all of this is over soon. I don't know what's worse; watching my back because of Adam or watching my job because of Jackson. I don't even want to say his name. What'd I ever do to him?" She wrinkled her nose, disgusted at the mention of his name.
"Maybe the job is getting to him. Maybe he's a first class asshole. I do know that he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Right now what I want to know is why what Adam is doing following you. You coming down?" In the drama of the morning, he'd forgotten about Adam. Only briefly, though.
"Yeah. I'm coming down." Deep down, the situation with Adam was really bothering her. Sure, she should handle herself when it came to certain situations. She'd experienced men like Adam before, though, and they only escalate. She didn't want to be there when he did.
Elliot joined the guys in the squad room. They looked around him, searching for Olivia.
"How's Liv?" John frowned when he noticed she wasn't there.
"Frustrated. She'll be okay, though. Is Warner in yet?" Seeing them shake their heads, he grabbed the phone to dial the familiar number.
Olivia returned moments later and booted up her computer. She logged in and went through the familiar motions of looking up Adam's background. No hits. She tapped her fingernails on the keyboard. She typed it in again. Nothing. Frowning, she tried again with another spelling.
"Guess I don't have to ask what you found. What'd he say his last name was?" Elliot came up behind her and looked over her shoulder.
"Donetti. I tried one 't', then two. Nothing. Damn." She sat back in her chair and stared at the screen.
"Either he doesn't have a record, or he's not exactly who he says he is. Whichever you want to believe is up to you, but my gut tells me this guy isn't going to give up. Check your cell." He nodded toward her drawer and watched her flip it open.
"Four calls. I'm not sure who from, though. All different numbers." She went into her voice mail. The first message sent a chill down her spine. The second made her nauseous. The third made her dizzy. The fourth…she held a hand up to her mouth, taking it all in.
"Give me the phone." Elliot grabbed the phone from her hands. He repeated what Olivia had just done and closed the phone. He then set the phone on his desk. He dared Adam to call.
"Uh…so, what'd Warner say?" Olivia cleared her throat and tried to remain calm. Someone had to be. Elliot was on the verge of tearing someone apart, and she had an idea who that would be.
"Wasn't there. Don't change the subject. This is serious, Olivia. The guy threatened you. We're telling Cragen when he gets back." He grabbed the phone before Olivia could steal it off of his desk.
"We? Elliot, don't. I don't want to talk to him right now. Just let it be. I seriously doubt he's going to care about anything I have to say, anyway. Besides, it's not like I'm going anywhere. I'm on ass duty for the rest of the week. For free, I might add." She swiped at the phone again before giving up. Once Elliot had an idea in his head, he wasn't letting it go for anything.
"If he calls again, I'm going to get that number traced and bring his ass down here for threatening you. Not to mention stalking." He wasn't about to let Adam get away with what he'd done. The things he said were repulsive.
"He's probably calling from a pay phone; that way I don't recognize the number. I'll try Warner again." She cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear and dialed. After three rings, she got an answer. A few minutes later, she hung up the phone, triumphantly.
"We may have a lead. Warner said the DNA off the milk bottle you found was a match to a Richard Schuster. Guy has a rap sheet a mile long. Guess what his most recent offense was." She twirled clicked the pen on her desk.
"Gee, could it be child pornography?" He grinned as Olivia nodded her head.
"That's not all. Seems Mr. Schuster took a liking to his girlfriend's eight year-old daughter. Mom put a stop to it and took off. The charges were dropped but her name is still on record. Cynthia Morris." She typed the name into her computer and pulled up the address before printing it off. She handed it over, reluctantly. She wouldn't be able to hit the streets. Finally, a lead and she was stuck on the sidelines. Just great.
"Sorry, Liv. I'll let you know how it goes." He folded the paper in half and took off, leaving Olivia behind.
"New lead on your warehouse perp?" Munch had been watching from his desk and came over to join Olivia.
"Yeah. I should be happy, right? I wish I wasn't stuck here." She crossed her arms, defiantly. She really hated her situation.
"Ah, I'm wounded! Well, we'll be out of your hair the rest of the day. Now it's our turn to go traipsing all over Manhattan. Keep your head up, Liv. The thing with Cragen, it'll blow over. It always does." He gave her a pat on the back before he and Fin left.
"Well, fine." She eyed her cell phone that sat on Elliot's desk. She jumped when it started ringing. She took a deep breath before accepting the call.
"I see you're alone. Too bad you're stuck all alone, Olivia." Adam's voice was raspy and thick.
"What do you want, Adam? Just tell me and get it over with." She sighed, preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have.
"I just want you, Olivia. It's not nice to keep me waiting. I've been patient with you, but you just don't seem to get it. I guess I'll have to spell it out for you." He sneered at her silence. Clearly, the call earlier had spooked her.
"Waiting? I never asked you to wait. I want nothing to do with you, Adam. I want my key back and I want you out of my life. You need help and I can't give it to you." She got up from her chair and paced the room. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she turned around.
"Oh, on the contrary. You are going to help me out quite a bit." Adam closed the phone and gave her a sickening grin.
"What are you doing here? Just leave now. It's over, Adam. We're two different people. It didn't work out. Just accept that." She backed away as he stepped toward her. The look in his eyes scared her.
"What am I doing here? I'm taking what's mine, and since your little boyfriend is no longer here, we'll have plenty of time to have some fun." He stepped closer this time and laughed as her back hit the wall.
"He's not my boyfriend, Adam. He's my partner, and who I hang out with is none of your business. We're over, you sick bastard." She knew she was pushing his buttons. She realized too late that she'd gone too far. She felt his breath on her skin and turned her face away, only to have her jaw grabbed forcefully until she was looking at him once again. She struggled to get away, only to be pushed to the ground. He straddled her, pinning her hands beneath her. Phone still in hand, she tried desperately to feel around for the right keys. She hoped she was hitting the right ones. She held the phone to her body to muffle any sound that would alert Adam to what she was doing.
"It's too bad about that harassment charge. You shouldn't mess with people like that. It can be bad for your reputation. Then again, you already know that." He snickered and tried to pull her arms out. He flipped her over and saw her phone slide across the floor.
"Adam, don't do this." She was above begging. She'd never be reduced to such a thing. She hoped the call went through and that someone would hurry. She cursed the timing of it all. She realized Adam had planned it that way, though. He'd waited for the guys to leave. The way he brought up Jackson, he must have known she'd been stuck at the station.
"Time to go, Olivia." He pinned her injured wrist to the floor as he slid his other hand down her side. He felt her flinch under his touch and grinned. He slid his hand down further until he felt the cool metal of her cuffs. He put one around her wrist and the other on his, effectively locking them together.
"Look, someone's going to be back any minute. You'll get caught. You know what happens when you mess with a cop? You get the needle." She could feel the blood coursing through her veins. She was scared but she didn't dare show it. Her resolve was fleeting, though. It was a matter of time before it broke.
"Who's going to save you, Olivia? I'm your boyfriend. Now put on a good show." He pulled her up and kissed her roughly while his hand roamed downward. He felt her straining to hold him off and it only made him more excited.
"What the hell is going on here?" Cragen walked into the squad room, amazed at the sight before him. He took in Olivia's expression and followed her frightened eyes to where the stranger he'd never seen before had laid his hand. The man squeezed, making her whimper. He balled his hand up in a fist, ready to strike.
"I don't think so, old man." Adam released his hold and pulled a knife from the back pocket of his pants . He opened it and held the blade to Olivia's neck. The situation had just gotten worse.
"Go lock the door. You have ten seconds and if you're late, you're going to have a mess all over your floor. Do it. Now!" Adam yanked on his cuffed hand, pointing toward the door. He saw Cragen hesitate a moment before doing what he was told. Panting and out of breath, Cragen returned.
"Look, I don't know who you are but let's work this out. No one has to get hurt. Just let Detective Benson go." Cragen immediately felt a sense of guilt wash over him to a degree he'd never known. He'd verbally reamed out one of his best detectives and now that same detective was, possibly, living the last moments of her short lifetime.
"No, I don't think so. We're going to do this my way. You see, I've been waiting around for her to come to me. I begged her for a chance but she was too fucking good. Weren't you? Now it's your turn to beg, and he's going to watch." He shoved her against the desk and bent her over the hard surface. He reached inside her pocket and grabbed her key ring. Having changed his plans, he no longer needed the connection. He was about to be joined with her in a different way.
"Sir, you don't want to do this. Let her go. I'm sure this is a misunderstanding." Cragen had never felt so helpless in his life. His hands were sweaty and reached for his side arm.
"Give me your gun. I know you won't do anything stupid, but do it anyway. I'm in charge here, in case you haven't noticed." Adam motioned for the gun.
"Don, don't give it to him. Adam, let him go, okay? He didn't do anything to you. This is between us." She wished reinforcements would show up. She wasn't sure how long Adam would wait until he got what he wanted. She saw Cragen raise his hands up in surrender, his gun in one. He handed it over and stepped back once again. She knew he was scared for her. Hell, she was scared enough for both of them.
"There, you have it. The ball's in your court. What do you want? Tell me and we can work something out." Cragen took one look into Olivia's eyes and saw defeat. He never wanted to see that look. Not on her.
"Damn right it's in my court. Put these on. That pipe will do. Any funny business and she pays." He pointed the gun at Olivia and tossed the cuffs to Cragen. He watched the older man and laughed. The shame was eating him up. After Adam was satisfied that Cragen wouldn't be a problem, he turned his attention back to Olivia. He set the gun and knife down onto a chair beside the desk. Now it began.
"Adam, don't. Don't do this." She knew it the moment she saw the fire in his eyes. She'd seen that look before. The breath escaped her throat in short bursts as Adam's weight pinned her to the desk. He was too heavy for her. She felt his hands fumbling with the clasp on her pants. She bucked her hips, struggling to throw him off, but it was no use. She whimpered when she heard the zipper slide down. Within seconds, she felt the rush of cold air on her skin. She closed her legs. She wasn't going to let him do it without a fight. This time, she wasn't giving in.
"Shut up. You had your chance to talk. I came by your place. I called you. You had your chance." Adam placed his leg between hers and slowly slid her panties down, enjoying the look of terror on her face. He reached down and shed his sweat pants and boxers before leaning over her, resting his entire weight on Olivia's body. He ran his hand up her shirt and squeezed her breasts painfully, his hands kneading the flesh between his fingers. Flesh he hadn't had the liberty of touching for quite some time.
"Get your hands off her now!" Cragen began pulling on the cuffs, desperate to help her. He'd never be able to live with himself if he was the cause of this. He was responsible for her being there. He should have just believed her. He never should have questioned her.
"Get ready baby. Get nice and ready for me, because I'm going to fuck you dry." Adam shoved two fingers into his ex-lover. He expected her to scream. She merely bit her lip. He'd gone to bed at night with the image in his head. The one where she had her eyes closed, her body splayed out on the bed while his hands roamed over her skin. After he was done, he'd convince her to let him get his frustrations out. She'd always let him. Sometimes it took longer to persuade her, but she always gave in. Her mind said no, but her body said yes.
He continued groping her with one hand while his fingers abused her with his other. He grunted, putting every ounce of effort into it that he could. His fingers grew slick and they felt wet with each pass. He felt himself getting hard and he pulled them out. He positioned himself, ready take over where they left off. He started to count in his head. She deserved a little time to prepare. After all, she'd been a good lay before. Not exactly ready and willing, but she got the job done and she was good. He was about to experience that again, when he heard the sound of footsteps falling. He jerked his head to the side and cursed. He dove for the gun but was too late.
"Get the fuck away from her, you sick bastard." Elliot held his gun. His aim was surprisingly steady. The hold on his emotions was waning. He couldn't afford to lose his cool. He had to focus on Olivia. He kept his gun trained on Adam while he undid the cuffs and gave Cragen back his gun. He was now in charge.
Cragen charged Adam as he tried to get away. Fueled by anger, he tackled Adam and quickly cuffed the man before pulling him up and leading him away from his detectives and into the nearest interrogation room. He gave the detectives a moment to themselves before returning.
"Cragen's coming back." Elliot shed his jacket and held it in front of him so Olivia could fix her clothing in privacy. His gaze was fixed on her face, waiting for the nod. Seeing the slight, up-and-down movement, he set the jacket down and went to her side.
"Are you okay, Olivia?" Cragen already knew the answer before he asked the question. It was a stupid thing to ask. She was savagely torn up and damn-near raped, and he was asking if she was okay. He saw her wince as she let Elliot help her off of the desk. She took one step before her face lost all its color.
"Stay right there. Help is on the way." Elliot had no idea what kind of shape she was in. He eased her back so she could lean against the desk.
"You got my call." She'd never been the praying kind, but she'd have to start. Elliot getting there in time had to be more than luck.
"Yeah. I almost hung up. I thought it was some prank. I hated to do it, but once I heard what was going on, I had to hang up to call the Captain. I was so scared I'd be late. He didn't….he didn't do it, did he? He didn't…." He couldn't say the word.
"No. He just…just…" She lost all ability to form the rest of her sentence. Her face grew red and she briefly locked eyes with Cragen before turning away in shame.
"He did what? You can tell me." He urged her to speak, to tell him what the hell Adam did to her.
"Don't make me say it, Elliot, please. He…he has my DNA on his hand." She begged him with her eyes, pleading for him to understand. His face grew a sickly shade of green and he simply nodded.
"I'll go wait outside for the bus." Cragen, feeling like a lot little boy, turned away. He'd left Adam in the interrogation room. He could do no more than wait around. He suddenly knew what it was like for Olivia. He knew how hard it was standing by, knowing something horrible was happening. Budget be damned, the next time she wanted to go gallivanting all over town, he'd let her. With nothing left to do, he walked carefully around the glass and opened the door. He'd have to get someone to fix it. It was the last thing on his list, though.