He's still got that ass, Olivia thought, observing her former partner from the doorway of his office. And I've still got those feelings. He hadn't heard her yet, it would be so easy to turn around and run away. The exit was right there, a few feet to her left, the cruiser parked right next to the handicap ramp, it would be so easy. But it would be spitting on the memory of the murdered women, women who would never get justice if she let her own feelings rule her decisions.

She knocked softly on the door.

Elliot Stabler, older but the same Elliot Stabler, stood up from where he was bent over a filing cabinet behind his desk with his back to her. His lips parted slightly and his blue eyes stared into Olivia's own brown.

For a long, painfully long time, there was silence.

Dickie Stabler brushed past Olivia with an armful of documents, "dad, I need for you-", he looked back at Olivia and grinned, "Olivia."

Olivia grinned emotionally. "Dickie?" She laughed wistfully. "You're a man now."

Dickie grinned roguishly. "And you're just as hot as always." He wrapped his arms around her and they embraced as though almost a decade hadn't passed. "It's so great to see you. How've you been?"

Olivia sniffled loudly. "I can't believe I'm crying. Look at you. You're taller than me."

"I'll always look up to you." Dickie assured her. He grabbed a Kleenex off his dad's desk. "So, how's the case going?"

Olivia wiped her eyes. "Uh, that's why I'm here, actually. I've got something to discuss."

"I'll leave you to it then." Dickie said. He turned to his dad. "Those papers, I need your signature before close today." He slipped out and shut the door.

Olivia turned back towards her old partner.

"Uh, you wanna...sit?" Elliot offered awkwardly. He motioned at one of the chairs in front of her. "You want some water or something? I've got a Keurig."

"I'm good." Olivia said quietly. She sat down and crossed and uncrossed her legs nervously.

Elliot meandered around his office for a moment, befuddled and a little irritable, before sitting down. "Sorry."

"No, I am." Olivia said quickly.

Elliot grabbed his coffee cup and took a sip, missing his mouth and spilling all over his pants. "Ah, Jesus."

"Is this a bad time?" Olivia asked.

"No." Elliot muttered, grabbing a handful of tissues and dabbing his lap. "Shit. I have a change of...", he looked up at her. "What can I do for you?"

"My unit-uh, the unit-uh, you know what I mean-we want to put someone undercover in one of your locations." Olivia said in a jumble.

"I just supply the manpower, I don't have a say over who the businesses employ." Elliot said.

"We were thinking you'd be the intermediary between us and them." Olivia explained. "Your company being the link with everything."

"What do you want me to do?" Elliot asked.

"Call up one of the companies, tell them, I don't know, tell them the fraud unit is investigating some mismanagement of money and they connected it to one of your guards and the police department wants to put a unit undercover in their company in order to catch them." Olivia said.

Elliot stared at her without giving away his mind.

"It's better than saying you have a rapist and murderer working for you." Olivia stated.

"Fair enough." Elliot agreed.

"There isn't anything fair about this." Olivia muttered, looking away.

"I'll give a few of the businesses a call, see who wants to be the target, and assign Palmer to them. I'll give you a call when it's set up, you can get your team ready." Elliot said.

"We're ready." Olivia said.

"Is it gonna be Rollins?" Elliot asked. "Small and blonde, probably a prime Palmer target."

"It's gonna be me." Olivia said.

Elliot stared at her with his brows raised. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Olivia answered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first three nights at the first three businesses amounted to nothing. If security was doing patrols through the building they never came around. Olivia rest her chin against her fist and stared absently at the dark computer monitor. She felt inside of her knee high boot for her combat knife, having been unable to fit her off-duty gun inside.

She got up and stretched, moving to the door to peek around the frame. The hallway, dark, except for the intermittent sconces, was quiet. She moved silently down the hall towards the employee lounge and flipped the light on.

She grabbed a K-Cup and filled the back container with water. Stifling a yawn while the machine whirled and gurgled, she leaned against the counter and closed her eyes.

"Hello."

She stifled her jump and turned. "Hi." She smiled politely.

The pockmarked man in his thirties stepped into the room, hand on his Glock."I heard a noise. I'm Palmer, security. What are you up to?" He stepped closely. He had stale, tobacco breath, and watery dull-brown eyes. He smiled, revealing a broken canine and stained, yellowed teeth, a cavity visible on the front-most molar.

Olivia hid her disgust and smiled sweetly. "Just making some coffee. Long night. Lots of reports."

"I've never seen you before." Palmer said. he grinned and looked her over like she was a bakery counter and he had free reign.

"I'm new." Olivia chirped. "Just got hired." She continued smiling.

"Oh yeah, what do you do, New Girl?" Palmer asked in a dangerous voice that would have been charming if he hadn't been a murdering psycho.

"Night Auditor." Olivia answered. She held out her hand. "Rachel Martin."

Palmer shook her hand. "Ash Palmer. Call me Palmer."

"Nice to meet you, Palmer." Olivia said. She dropped her hand. "Want some coffee?"

"Cream, two sugars." Palmer directed. He sat down and thumped his booted feet up on the table, scattering old mud and dog shit on the surface. Around the sole a dark red crust stained the cheap, cracked leather.

Blood.

Olivia hated turning her back but kept calm, grabbed another mug and K-Cup. Mechanically she maneuvered around the kitchen, finding cream in the fridge and sugar in the drawer next to the sink. She handed him the first cup. "Hope it's good, I prefer a French press."

"I prefer Irish." Palmer said with a wink. He took out a flask and poured some of the dark contents into his class.

Olivia smiled and grabbed her mug. "Well, I gotta get back. If I don't have those reports done, I don't wanna think about it." She stepped towards the door. "Well, stay safe. Have a nice night."

"See you later, Rachel." Palmer said. He stepped into the hall and watched her walk away.

Olivia turned the corner calmly and once out of view she ran back. She took her radio out of her desk drawer and pressed the speaker. "Contact made, advise location."

The radio crackled. "Carisi and Rollins responding, we're parked two blocks over on Pearl. Everything good on your end?"

"He's a creep, no doubt about it." Olivia responded. "He had dirt on his boots...and what looked like blood."

"Keep us advised, Lieutenant." Carisi said.

Olivia sat for a moment and had a brainwave. She drank down her coffee and made her way back to the lounge. She hit the lights and looked at the mess on the table. She grabbed a paper towel and fished an evidence baggie out of her boot, next to her knife. She brushed some of the dirt and dried red crust into the baggie, sealed it, and marked it, sliding it back in her boot.

She washed her mug out and hung it back up.

She returned to her desk and grabbed her radio. "Carisi?"

"Copy, Lieutenant." Carisi responded.

"I've got an evidence bag with dirt and what looks like blood." Olivia said quietly.

"Can you get it out to us?" Carisi asked.

"Come around and I'll try." Olivia said. "Park near the warehouse, flash your lights when you see me. Get it straight to the lab."

She grabbed her coat and made her way down the hall, listening for footsteps. She pushed the exit doors open and stepped into the courtyard. She felt oddly surrounded and imagined that somewhere in the depths of the building that creep was watching her.

She stepped through the gates and made her way down the sidewalk and around the corner. There was a 24 hour bodega and she saw the unmarked patrol car parked in front of it. They flashed their lights and came down to meet her.

"Tagged and bagged, get it to the lab." Olivia directed. "I want to know as soon as possible if anything pops."

"Is there anyway you can get a fluid sample?" Rollins asked. "Maybe off a cup of a tissue or something?"

"He didn't leave his mug." Olivia said. "But the trash was empty in the lounge so if he uses a paper towel or a tissue for anything and throws it away I'll try and grab it. I have a couple more bags in my boot."

"We'll get this right over." Rollins promised. "Stay safe, radio if you have any trouble. If we're not back there's a couple sector cars patrolling and they'll come right over."

"Thanks, Amanda, Sonny." Olivia said. She nodded towards the store. "I'm gonna grab something, have a backstory for having left." She went into the store and bought a sandwich, and returned to the warehouse.

"Welcome back." Palmer stepped out of the shadows as she reentered the building. "I was worried."

Olivia held up her bag. "Just wanted a bite." She smiled and brushed past him. "See ya later!" She hurried back to her office and lazily flipped through an old copy of Reader's Digest she'd found. The night was looking to be long and boring, but at least she had gotten something.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elliot hung up the phone and started putting his coat on. Dickie watched him from the doorway.

"You going down there?"

"I'm gonna go by the squad-room, see if they have an update." Elliot answered. "I'd like to be able to send a nice, calming email to the various businesses who keep us in business."

"And you're worried about Liv." Dickie added.

"I mean, she's undercover with a murdering rapist, of course I'm worried." Elliot said. He grabbed his wallet and car keys off the desk. "Lock on up, I'll be home in a little while."

He went out and got in his car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia's head drooped from where it was perched against her hand and she jerked herself awake. Yawning she checked the time on her watch, 3:17am. She wiped her chin and stood. Her body was stiff and achy from being in the same position for an extended amount of time.

The lights clicked off.

"What the-". Olivia muttered. She grabbed her cellphone and pressed the lock screen button. Illuminating a face in the dark, she screamed and dropped her phone. "Holy shit!"

The man pretending to be Ashley Palmer laughed in the dark. "I've been waiting for you to wake up,...Olivia." He turned his Mag Lite on and shone it in her face. "You sleep beautifully."

Olivia leaned away from the burning gaze of the light. "Christ."

Palmer knelt and stared into her eyes. "Did you really think you could fool me?" He rose and turned the lights back on. "You NYPD cops are all nothing but a bunch of shit-heads."

Olivia glowered up at him. "It's over."

"It's not over until I say it's over." Palmer growled. "Think about it, an NYPD Lieutenant raped and murdered on her own investigation. Hmm, at least you'd die a hero."

"I have no intention of dying today." Olivia stated. She rose slowly, her hands extended in front of her in the prone position. "Let's talk about this."

"Talk?" Palmer spat. "Talk? You've been a cop for what, twenty-five years, and you think we're gonna talk?"

What's your real name, tell me that, at least." Olivia requested. "Because I know you're not Ashley Palmer."

"My name is Tyler, Tyler Hendricks."

Olivia nodded and slowly sat down on the desk. "Did you kill the real Palmer?"

Hendricks scoffed. "Why would I tell you?"

"We both know I'm not getting out of here alive." Olivia breathed. "You said it yourself. I'm not a fool, and I'm betting that since you were able to evade us for so long, even involving a retired NYPD detective, that you aren't either. We both know how this ends. You could at least gloat a little." She smiled sweetly. "I'm actually really impressed."

Hendricks did a take and looked at her skeptically. "Really?"

Olivia extended her hands out to him, an incredulous smile on her face. "Are you serious? You managed to kill six women without leaving a single strand of DNA or physical evidence at the scene. That's remarkable." No sense in telling him they had his DNA, they had the debris from his boots, no sense making him angry. "I haven't seen that kind of criminal genius in years!"

Hendricks smiled smugly. "Kinda cool, huh?"

Olivia beamed, shaking her head slowly. "So, so cool." She steepled her hands together. "You have to tell me how you managed it all. From Palmer all the way...". She slid her hands slowly across the desk behind her and grabbed her cellphone, thanking the gods she'd never set up a password. Muscle memory guided her to the recording program.

Hendricks grabbed Olivia's empty chair and sat down. "I knew Palmer." He nodded. "He arrested me back in Boston. He was fucking nuts, Olivia, I swear to God, he was in-fucking-sane."

"He was a soldier. A baby-killer." Olivia said, feeling a twinge of guilt for besmirching a war hero.

"I know." Hendricks agreed. "Man, he'd be sitting in interrogation with me and just start staring into space. He was crying. Crying! Can you believe it?"

"PTSD." Olivia said. "He was weak."

Hendricks grinned eagerly. "I did not bank on you getting it. But you do. God, that's great."

Olivia nodded slowly. "I understand. God, after my whole life on this job, of course I understand. I mean," she laughed and flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I get the urge." She nodded intently. "Oh, trust me. I know enough, I could kill anyone without leaving any trace of evidence."

"Palmer picked me up with this dredge from below the bridge." Hendricks continued. "Like, seriously? She was no one, what did she even matter? All I was doing was roughing her up a little, getting what I paid for. That psycho sonofabitch interrogated me for twenty-four hours, really roughed me up. The whore wouldn't talk so they let me go. But Palmer, he just wouldn't let go. He followed me, he kept an eye on me. He stayed on me like a degenerate shadow. Everywhere I went, he was there."

"You had to do something." Olivia breathed. "Tell me."

"I had him follow me to this warehouse area, near the docks." Hendricks leaned forward. "Do you play video games at all?"

"I'm afraid not. Not enough time." Olivia answered.

"There's this one, it's this zombie-post apocalyptic game and part of it is set in Boston and you're chasing this guy what owes you money and he'd down by the harbor, it really does look just like it in the game. It's crazy. I waited for him. I knew he'd follow me so I waited for him. I showed him the broadside of a 2x4. Beat him until he was pulp. Purple and pulpy, like smashed grapes. But he was still alive. I guess he was a tough SOB. So I emptied my revolver into his skull, threw his body in the river, watched him get carried downstream. Gone. Poof. I'm betting some fucking sea shark or whatever ate his ass when he reached the Atlantic." He sat back with a self-satisfied grin.

"That's amazing." Olivia said. "It takes a real genius to make it all work. How did you manage to become Palmer?"

"It was easy, took his license, his social, his insurance card." Hendricks explained. "It's not really all that hard to steal someone's entire identity. I mean, even a cop, soldier, or government official. Most jobs don't do an in-depth background check, see, they just get a written document. Photo ID is hardly ever part of any civilian-sector job. I mean, I couldn't have joined the Secret Service or the military, that would have given up the game, but strictly speaking, jobs like these, security, night auditor, whatever, its as easy as submitting a resume. If your resume doesn't have any red-flags then you're fine. A quick Google search confirms most everything and there's never usually a photo. Bonus points if the name is relatively usual, Facebook and Instagram won't be definitive ends."

"So, you really are a genius at loopholes." Olivia remarked. "Can I ask you a question? Why rape them, why kill them, why torture them?"

Hendricks shrugged. "Because they're women. Because they exist. Because."

"But, that's not really an answer." Olivia pressed. "Were you rejected one too many times or something? Were you abused by a woman when you were younger? What? Why?"

"You know what, shut up." Hendricks snapped. "You don't know anything. This whole time I thought, 'maybe she gets it, maybe she understands, maybe she's actually decent', this whole time you've just been trying to pin me down."

"I really want to know you." Olivia insisted.

"Oh, fuck off, Olivia!" Hendricks barked. "Abused? Me? Rejected? Hell yes I was rejected. Every single time. Everything. Military, police academy, college, my girlfriends, my moth-...". He fell silent. "Why is it so bad that I just reach out and take what I want? I tried to do it right. I tried to be a good person, do the right thing. It's bullshit and it's nothing!" He started pacing. "You know what, stop talking. Just stop talking. Nothing you say is gonna fix this. You're just like the rest of them." He kicked a trashcan across the room.

Olivia hopped off the desk and made for the door. Hendricks grabbed by by the hair and slammed her against the door frame.

"You're not going anywhere, Olivia." Hendricks growled in her ear. He dragged her back and threw her on the floor. "You're even worse than the rest of them. You're a cop. You think you're so powerful. You think you know everything. You think you're gonna define me?! Figure me out?! Fuck you, bitch. No, the only thing you're gonna figure out is how bad I'm gonna hurt you before I cut your fucking throat!" He lunged at her and wrapped his hands around her throat.

Olivia rolled hard and knocked Hendricks against the desk. She hopped up and reached in her boot for the knife. Hendricks reared back and kicked her in the stomach. Olivia grunted and fell on her back, the knife scattering.

Hendricks grabbed it. "You think you can take me?!" He flicked the knife open and slashed her in the ankle, then deeper in the same ankle. Olivia shrieked and lobbed a foot in his direction, meeting his jaw. For a moment Hendricks was down and Olivia bound up and threw open the office door.

She got ten feet before Hendricks, recovered, tackled her, slamming her head against the floor.

"Stupid cunt." Hendricks muttered. He jabbed the knife into the fleshy part of her thigh three times.

Olivia wailed and threw her elbow back, pegging him in the chest. He rolled off and she scrambled to find her footing. Hendricks grabbed her ankle, Olivia reared her captured foot back and kicked him in the face.

Blood spattered everywhere as Hendrick's nose broke. The man wailed out but rose off the ground. Olivia ran towards the exit she knew was just down the hallway to the left with Hendricks hot on her tail.

Hendricks grabbed her around the middle and they danced around trying alternatively to free and fight. Hendricks pinned Olivia by her back to the wall and open-hand slapped her across the face so hard she thought her neck might have broken. Having kept hold of the knife during her assault, he jabbed it into her belly. Olivia forced her knee between his leg and brought him to his knees. She kneed him in the chin and ran for the exit, clutching her side.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hell are you doing here?" Fin greeted unkindly.

Elliot shrugged defensively. "Came to see if there's an update."

"Man, you know we can't tell you that. You're not a cop anymore." Fin stated.

"Any word from Liv?" Elliot asked. "Can you tell me that at least?"

Fin sighed. "About two or three hours ago she radioed from inside, apparently she had some kind of evidence. Rollins and Carisi ran it to the lab. Liv told them to wait until it had been run."

"Is anyone there with her?" Elliot asked. "Does she have a team waiting in case she needs anything?"

"Patrol cars in the area but other than that." Fin said. "She didn't want a team, said it would be noticeable, might screw things up."

"Is she supposed to be checking in?" Elliot asked.

"She's been texting every so often." Fin answered.

"How long has it been since her last message?" Elliot demanded.

Fin checked his phone. "Three hours." They glanced at each other. Fin pressed the telephone icon and put the phone to her ear. He glanced back at his former coworker. "No answer."

"I'm going down there." Elliot stated. "You're coming with me."

Fin grabbed his coat and keys and they ran for the elevators.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She heard him coming but didn't look back. She saw the exit sign glowing at the end of the hallway and ran as fast as she could. Hendricks, fast behind her, reached in his utility belt where his pocket knife bounced against his hip. He flicked it open and reached out, grabbing a handful of Olivia's hair. He jerked her back and pressed the knife against her throat.

"Aw, bet you thought you'd get away from me?" He growled in her ear. "I was hoping you'd be alive when I had you but as long as you're warm and dead I don't have a preference. Either way, you're not participating. This is my game." He pulled the knife across the left side of Olivia's neck.

Olivia felt her skin slicing and blood flowing and screamed. She threw her whole body backward, knocking Hendricks and herself to the floor. She pulled herself up and reached for Hendrick's knife. She stabbed it deep into his leg and started running, her head hurting, her neck burning, her whole body throbbing in pain. She felt the cold metal of the doors against her hands and pushed them open.

Cold air rushed over her as she stumbled into the courtyard.

In the distance she heard sirens getting louder and louder. She ran out on to the sidewalk and watched as the squad-car came around the corner. It came to a screeching halt and Fin jumped out.

"Fin!" Olivia called. She ran to him. "I got him, I got him! He's inside. He's injured but he's still alive!"

Fin gave a start when he saw Olivia's bleeding neck and found a tissue in his pocket. He pressed it to the wound. "I've got more officers on the way. I'm gonna call you a bus." He turned to the car. "Yo, call a bus, she's injured!"

Olivia slumped against him, her adrenaline making her feel sick and shaky. "Who's with you?"

"Elliot." Fin answered.

Olivia stepped back, her face indignant. "You brought a civilian to an active crime scene?!"

"He was worried." Fin said with a shrug.

Three patrol cars came to a screeching halt in front of the courtyard of the warehouse. They swarmed the building with guns drawn.

"Fin, go, I'm fine." Olivia insisted. She gasped. "My cell phone! It's in the office. I recorded him admitting to everything!"

"I'll get it." Fin said gently. "Go sit down. You did good, Liv, you did good."

"I'll take her." Came a calm voice behind them.

They turned. Elliot emerged from the car and took his jacket off. "Come on, Liv." He came to her and draped his coat over her shoulder. "You need to see a doctor for that neck, it's bleeding pretty bad."

The ambulance came to a stop behind the squad car and Elliot hurried her over.

"Where are you hurt, Lieutenant?" One of the EMTs called.

"Stab wounds and defensive wounds." Olivia said, gasping as she hopped into the ambulance. She looked down at Elliot. "You can go now, I'm fine."

"Liv-", Elliot implored.

"I'll be alright. Go." Olivia said.

The medics slammed the back doors shut and pulled away from the curb with a wail of the siren.

TBC