Chapter 26
AN: Sorry about the long wait, hopefully I'll get the next chapter out sooner.
In the hour that has passed since Barba left the station for Olivia every single second has felt like it has lasted an eternity. Sitting in her office Olivia has tried every connection she could think off, even calling retired agent Hammond, and to her dismay no one has been able to offer help or advice about where she could find Alex.
"Damn it," Olivia says annoyed, as she hangs up with her latest dead end, and as she hangs up the phone Olivia looks at the picture of her, Noah, Alex, and Antonio that she keeps on her desk, a photo that was taken of them when she and Alex told their boys the truth.
"Liv," Rollins says as she knocks on the doorframe to Olivia's office, and causes Olivia to look away from the photo and at the younger detective.
"Have you got something?" Olivia asks, desperately hoping that the answer is yes, as she needs something to chase, a lead to follow.
"I have," Rollins says, taking a tentative step inside as she is concerned about how this is going to go, as what she must tell Olivia isn't necessarily good news. "Liv, Liam Connor's died in prison two months ago," Rollins explains, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Immigration records indicate that Patrick came to the states right after that," Rollins explains.
"Which means he could have been planning this for a while," Olivia realizes, knowing how bad that is, and that it likely means nothing good for Alex. As Olivia speaks, she sees Elliot, Bell, and Barba all walk into the squad room. Hoping that one of them found something Olivia gets up and hurries out. "Did you find something?" Olivia asks, looking between the trio, needing one of them to say yes.
"Kressler's a snake, but I'm sure he doesn't know anything about either Connors," Barba explains, as while Kressler is a good liar Barba is beyond sure that he didn't know anything, he made sure of that.
"Liam Connor's is dead," Olivia explains, and she sees the horror she is feeling reflected on Barba's face. "Did either of you find anything?" Olivia asks, looking between Elliot and Bell.
"I think the old IRA guys might have know something but they we're going to talk to us," Elliot explains. Honestly, he is debating going back with Carisi, as he knows that could potentially change the outcome, but he isn't completely sure that it would be worth it.
"We need to find something! Ally is out there, and she needs us! We need to find her!" Olivia exclaims, sounding frustrated and upset, as she desperately needs to find Alex, and needs to know she is okay.
"Liv," A hesitant voice says, and Olivia looks to see that Richard has walked several steps closer to her. "Antonio's not okay, I'm really worried about him," Richard admits, knowing that right now, Antonio needs Olivia as while he has tried to help he hasn't been able to considering the circumstances.
"Where is he?" Olivia asks, knowing that she has to do whatever she can to help Antonio.
"Breakroom," Richard answers and Olivia heads straight there.
Walking into the breakroom Olivia sees Antonio sitting alone at one of the tables and so she walks over to him. As she gets closer to him Olivia sees that Antonio is staring at something on his phone.
"Antonio?" Olivia asks, as she sits down across from him, and as she does Antonio slides the phone over.
"That was the first picture Mami and I took together," Antonio reveals as Olivia looks at the image of a young Antonio, and Alex with badly dyed red hair, under normal circumstances Olivia would use something like this to tease Alex as it is so not her, but considering everything going on the thought doesn't even cross Olivia's mind. "I kept it with me through all the moves, even when we had to move incredibly quickly," Antonio explains, as Olivia slides his phone back over to him. "I eventually took a picture of it and saved it to the cloud, but I still have the original, in the draw next to my bed," Antonio reveals. "When we first left New York, I thought I was alone in the world, but Mami quickly made me realize that I wasn't. She's been there for me since the Marshals snuck us out of the courthouse…. I can't lose that," Antonio explains, looking lost. "Liv, I may be an adult, a grown man, but I need my Mami," Antonio says, tears in his eyes.
"I know," Olivia says, before leaning forward and hugging Antonio. "I know," Olivia says, as she hugs Antonio and kisses the top of his head; wanting to do more to help him but considering she can't really think of much to help her she isn't sure there is much she can do for Antonio right now.
While Olivia and Antonio are in the breakroom Elliot notices that Liz and Richard are sitting together away from others, on one of the empty desks. Wanting to check in on them Elliot walks over to his children.
"Hey," Elliot greats, looking between Liz and Richard. "Do you want to talk?" Elliot asks his kids, offering them something that he is really not good at, but he wants to try to do better. Hearing their father's office both of the Stabler twins know it is a big deal it is and so without needing to say a word they decide that they will go along with him.
"Three years ago, I walked into Vita Nova because I needed a change, but Alex gave me so much more," Liz reveals, not sure that she can completely put into words everything Alex means to her. "Dad, Alex isn't just my partner, she's my friend, and my mentor; family," Liz explains. "I wouldn't be who I am today without her, she's given me so much including my best friend," Liz explains, as that's what Antonio is to her while he has a different relationship with her brother. "I'm not ready to do this on my own," Liz admits. If she had to, she will continue Vita Nova without Alex, but she really, really doesn't want to have to.
"Antonio's not either," Richard says, looking over to where Antonio is with Olivia, and as she knows what her brother isn't saying, what he won't say to their father, Liz puts her arm around Antonio, but makes it seem like she needs the comfort; because she does, but she also knows that he does too.
As he watches his children Elliot realizes just how much he doesn't know, he had no idea that Alex was so important to them; after so many years overseas, he knows so little about the people they are now.
A little away from where Elliot and his kids are Garland and Bell are standing together, watching the Stablers, Olivia and Antonio, and where Barba is with Carisi and Fin, the former having a comforting hand on Barba's shoulder.
"One woman reaches so many," Bell comments, feeling amazed and impressed by Alex's reach.
"More than just this room," Garland says as he knows about all the people Alex has helped, both directly and indirectly. "Ayanna, I may need you to take the lead on this," Garland says, as he suspects that he might have to prepare for the worse. "This is extremely personal for Captain Benson," Garland says.
"I know," Bell says as she quickly realized what Olivia and Alex mean to each other. "Even if ordered to Olivia won't just go home," Bell says knowing that she wouldn't if it was her wife.
"I know," Garland says, as he is desperately hoping that it doesn't get to that, in fact, what he is hoping for the most is that Alex is found safe and unhurt as soon as possible.
After staying with Antonio for a while Olivia heads into her office and for a few minutes she has just been staring out of the window. As she hears footsteps Olivia knows exactly who it is and so she doesn't even turn around.
"Do you know what I can't stop thinking about?" Olivia asks, without turning around, but rather she just continues to stare out the window.
"Lewis," Barba answers, and unknown to both of them Elliot is about to walk into the room, but pauses, as while the name isn't familiar to him it seems to be very familiar to Olivia and he wants to know why.
"Ally has only been gone for a few hours, and I keep thinking about what Lewis did to me in the first few hours," Olivia reveals, causing Elliot to be even more confused, but also concerned, while Barba shivers as unlike Elliot he dose know what that means.
"Liv, we don't know that's what's happening," Barba says in a gentle voice as he has been trying extremely hard not to; but that is a fight he is losing.
"We don't know it's not Rafa," Olivia responds, her voice shaking. "We don't anything about Patrick Connors, we don't know what he's like; what he's capable of," Olivia reminds Barba as she turns around. "The only thing we know is that he's got Alex and he likely wants revenge for what happened to his father," Olivia points out. She has been thinking about what that might mean for Alex and everything she has been thinking isn't good.
"That's not all we know, we know how tough and stubborn Lex is," Barba reminds her. "Liv, Lex won't stop fighting," Barba says as he knows that without a doubt.
"I know," Olivia says, knowing that that isn't much of a comfort. "I just…" Olivia starts to say. "You know Alex and I have gone years without talking, without seeing each other, but now, with what we've become, what we're building, I can't imagine my life without her." Olivia admits, tears glistening in her eyes, as she knows that while she can't imagine her life without Alex she also doesn't want to.
"Did you ever wonder why I didn't go to the funeral?" Barba asks, both of them knowing what funeral they are talking about.
"I never really thought about it," Olivia admits, knowing that that was for a lot of reasons, but now that Barba brings it up, she can't help but wonder why.
"I was going to, I even got dressed," Barba admits, knowing that he has never warn that suit again, but he still has it. "But when I left my apartment, I couldn't go to the cemetery," Barba reveals. "I made a stop and went to the roof of the apartment we once shared," Barba explains, not wanting to go into details about what he did. "I've lived without Lex once, and I never want to again," Barba explains. "Liv, I meant what I said, Lex will never stop fighting, so we have to fight for her; fight to bring her home," Barba tells the person who, other than Alex, is his closest friend.
"I don't even know where we start right now," Olivia admits, and before Barba can respond, before Elliot can stop her, Jet comes running into Olivia's office.
"I have something," Jet says, looking between them, before once more hurrying out of the room. Without a word, though they do exchange a look Barba and Olivia follow Jet out of the room and to the media area where Elliot, who hurried there as soon as Jet hurried past him, Rollins, Bell, Garland, Fin, Carisi, Kat, Antonio, Liz, and Richard already are.
"What do you have?" Olivia asks, looking at Jet who sits back down.
"So, I checked every stationary camera I could think off in the area, including the ones that Fin and Kat brought back and got nothing," Jet says. "So, I decided to get more creative," Jet explains.
"Don't care how you did it, just tell us what you found," Barba requests, looking worriedly at Antonio and Olivia who are standing together.
"I was searching geotagged social media and found something in the back of a video," Jet explains.
"Play it," Antonio requests, and Jet hesitantly presses play as she isn't sure what it means, and she isn't sure that anyone else will know either.
Once Jet presses play everyone sees Alex walking down the street, walking extremely close to a man that everyone knows to be Patrick Connors.
"She doesn't look hurt," Rollins says, looking at Olivia, hoping that helps.
"But she's not fighting," Olivia says, being able to tell from the look on Alex's face that she realized something is wrong. "Why isn't she fighting?" Olivia asks, as from the image of the camera it doesn't look like Connors has a weapon.
"Maybe he threatened her," Carisi suggests, as everyone watches Alex just get into the van.
"Alex would still fight," Fin and Liz say together. Like everyone who knows Alex well they know that a threat to herself would not have stopped Alex from fighting back.
"It's me," Antonio realizes, guilt in his voice.
"Antonio…." Barba starts to say.
"You know I'm right, Rafi," Antonio says, looking at his godfather. "Mami wasn't the only one who testified against Liam Connors I did too," Antonio reminds everyone. "If Patrick threatened me Mami would do whatever he said if it meant keeping me safe; you know that," Antonio says, guilt in his voice, as Olivia puts an arm around him, having no idea what to say to reassure Antonio as she isn't sure that there is anything she can say.
"Can you zoom and enhance on Alex's right hand?" Garland asks Jet.
"Sure," Jet says and she starts to do just that.
"Why?" Elliot asks curious, wanting to know what Garland has realized.
"I think she's putting something on the van," Garland explains and everyone watches the zoomed version.
"Alex puts something on the top of the van," Richard realizes.
"A tracker," Liz suddenly says, causing everyone to look at her, but she just looks at Olivia. "Liv, think about it Alex was helping someone disappear, she knows the dangers, she knows things can go wrong," Liz explains. "Having a tracker makes perfect sense," Liz says, feeing hopeful.
"It really does," Olivia says, knowing that it is just like Alex to think of something like that. "Now that you know it exists can you track it?" Olivia asks Jet, hoping the answer is yes.
"Not at the moment, but…" Jet starts to say, as she begins to hurriedly type.
"But what?" Bell asks.
"I don't know Alex, but from what you've all said she's smart, and a survivor," Jet says, as she types.
"That's an understatement," Barba says, in a fond tone.
"Which means she would have made sure that there would be a way to track any tracker without her," Jet explains, as she continues to type.
"What are you doing?" Bell asks.
"Checking the systems I mirrored from Vita Nova," Jet explains. "I'm checking for any hidden files or tracking programs," Jet reveals, as she continues to type.
"Anything?" Kat asks.
"Give me a minute," Jet says as she continues to type. As Jet continues to type Olivia feels like every second is torture, as she waits, wanting something that can be used to find where Alex is; before it's too late. "Okay, I've got it," Jet says. "A hidden program for trackers," Jet explains. "Looks like there are multiple trackers connected to the program," Jet explains.
"Are any of them active?" Fin asks.
"One, and before you ask, I'm getting a location," Jet explains. "Okay, got it," Jet says to everyone's relief. "Sending it to the phones of those of you who carry guns," Jet reveals.
"Stay here with Liz, Richard, Jet, Carisi and Rafa," Olivia says to Antonio. "I'll let you know as soon as we know more," Olivia assures him. "But I need you to stay here," Olivia tells him, as she cannot leave until she is sure that Antonio is as safe as possible.
"Thank you," Antonio says gratefully. "I'll stay," Antonio says, and Olivia watches his face to make sure that she can believe what he is saying.
"Let's go," Olivia says and she, Rollins, Fin, Elliot, Bell, Kat and Garland go running out of the squad room.
As the offices go running out of the squad room Antonio, Richard, Liz, Jet, Barba and Carisi watch them go, all hoping that next time they see the offices it is good news.
Not long after they left the sixteenth precinct Olivia, Elliot, Fin, Rollins, Kat, Bell, and Garland arrive at where the tracker led them, a warehouse.
"Elliot, Kat, Bell, take the back," Olivia instructs, and even with the circumstances Elliot can't help but be a little hurt that Olivia didn't want him to be with her.
"Yes Cap," Kat says and she heads towards the back with Bell and Elliot, despite Elliot's misgivings.
"We'll take the front," Olivia says, looking between Rollin, Fin and Garland. Together the four of them head towards the front and entre.
Moving quickly, but carefully, Olivia, Rollins, Fin and Garland make their way through the warehouse, heading deeper inside. Eventually they get to the main area of the warehouse where they find the van that Alex got into. As they get closer to the van, just as Bell, Elliot and Kat get into the same area from the back, Olivia realizes something.
"We've got blood," Olivia says, her voice shaking as she nods at Fin who pulls open the back door of the van. As soon as Fin pulls open the back door it becomes clear that the van is empty, but like on the ground all they see is blood.
"The rest of the place is empty," Bell reveals.
"I'll call CSU," Fin says, pulling his phone as he isn't sure what else to do.
"There's a lot of blood," Olivia says, fighting back the horror she is feeling, but it is a fight she is losing. "If it's Alex's…." Olivia starts to say.
"Liv…" Elliot starts to say, but to his shock, Olivia collapses onto her knees, tears in her eyes. Before anyone else can react Rollins squats down next to Olivia and puts her arms around her.
"We'll find her, Liv, we'll find her," Rollins promises, as she knows that they have no other option, they need to find Alex, and she desperately hopes that they find her before it is too late as she knows what it will do to her boss, her friend, if they don't.
