The sounds of honking cars and engines were the first to come back then the smell of flowers and car exhaust. Olivia opened her eyes to find that she was looking up at the sky clearly still on her back and from the stiffness of her back still on the sidewalk. She moved her head from side to side then sat herself up.
"Easy now. Not so fast." She did not recognize the voice and could not see who it belonged to. She felt a pair of hands grab her by the armpits and help to push her up. Once sitting Olivia looked around and found a young blonde women with long hair pulled up into a bun, mesmerizingly blue eyes and a dark tan kneeling next to her supporting her. She was short and squat but athletic and powerful looking, like a running back in football. She wore a pair of dark blue jeans, a lax the nation t-shirt and sneakers. Olivia noticed the belt matched the sneakers she wore and that she wore a rather tatty looking bracelet with something written on it on the left wrist and a sparkly, old but classic, watch on the right wrist.
"How are you feeling? Does your head hurt? Having any trouble breathing? I didn't call for an ambulance but I can." Olivia had to take a minute to process all these questions. After a minute or so she answered.
"I feel dizzy and confused, yes my head hurts and no I can breathe fine. Where is the guy who jumped me? I'm a cop and I need to find that guy."
"Take it easy now. The guy didn't get far. Just relax." The women said a look of concern on her face. Olivia thought for a second trying to remember details.
"Someone knocked the man off of me. Was that you?" she asked gaining some snippets of her memory back.
"Yeah I knocked him off of you. Just in time if I do say so myself. You were looking pretty blue. He is handcuffed just over there. I didn't think you would object to me reading him his rights either." She pointed to the nearest parked car. The man was sitting on the ground against the car panting, his hands behind his back.
"Who are you with then?" Olivia asked.
"Manhattan SVU. Pendleton Rhoades and you must be Olivia Benson."
"Yes I am. Nice of you to show up." Olivia said a high level of annoyance in her tone.
"Do you think you can stand?" Penn asked.
"If you will give me a hand then yes." Penn got to her feet and positioned herself in front of Olivia then offered her hands to Olivia who obliged grabbing hold and pulling herself up. She faltered slightly but was able to gain her balance quickly and release Penn's hands.
"So what is this morons story? Why did he jump me?" Olivia asked looking down at the handcuffed man while rubbing her forehead.
"Dose it matter? He assaulted a police officer, no explanation needed." Penn answered.
"Yes an explanation is needed. What if he is working for someone who wants me dead? That someone is still out there and could be sending someone else to try and kill me. Maybe he is a cop hater with a list of cops to kill. He didn't manage to kill me so now I can figure out who else is on his kill list. Every detail is important for one reason or another." Olivia answered. She had a bad feeling about this women. She did not seem to be big on the details and simply angled for the closing of cases and convictions with or without knowing the details.
"Ok. Ok. I get it." Penn answered. "I understand. Now do you have a car or should I call a cab?"
"Yes I have a car. It's on the other side of the street." Olivia answered still rubbing her head. She was starting to develop a disliking for Penn and her pretentious attitude.
Penn dragged the handcuffed man to his feet and walked him to the car.
"I think I should drive." Penn said looking back over her shoulder at Olivia.
"Together for five minutes and you already want to drive? You move fast rookie." Olivia staggered as she approached the car.
"I was just thinking you still look a little dazed from that blow to the head and the lack of oxygen to your brain. Driving may not be something you want to have to focus on right now." Olivia arranged her face into a fierce look of distain. This was her signature move that always got her what she wanted from her former partner. However this time she looked straight into Penn's shimmering blue eyes and almost immediately forgot what she was fighting for. After a minute or two she managed to look elsewhere. She vigorously shook her head to clear her thoughts only to intensify the dizziness and instability she was still feeling. She managed to reach the car grabbing on for support.
"Maybe your right. You should drive." Penn shoved the assailant into the back of the car, closed the door then climbed into the drivers seat. Olivia made her way around the car to the passenger side. She tossed the keys in through the open window.
"Are you getting in?" Penn asked. Olivia answered by holding up one finger. She braced herself with both hands on the window frame before vomiting all over the sidewalk.
"You really need to be looked at." Penn said over the sounds of splattering vomit. Olivia emerged a moment later pale and shaking. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve then managed to open the door and get in.
"I'm fine let's just get back to the house. Captain Cragen is expecting me." She said. Reluctantly Penn started the car, pulled away from the curb and off down the street.
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Back at the station Penn secured the prisoner in the holding cell while Olivia cleaned herself up. By the time they reached the squad room Captain Cragen, Munch, and Fin were waiting.
"Where are we with this case?" Cragen asked. "Fin and Munch what did you get from the kid?"
"Doctor said the kid has lots of bruising on the back and buttocks and several old mostly healed fractures. He was scared, didn't want to talk much. Said he would get hit worse if he said anything and that this wasn't the worst beating he had ever had. Seems like a tough kid." Much answered.
"He did get very quiet when we asked about his parents and weather or not they had ever hit him. He didn't say anything but his body language said a lot." Fin added.
"Liv share what you found out from the school nurse and the neighbors babysitter." Cragen said.
"The school nurse said that the kid is quite, a loner and often bullied but he likes it that way. He's to see the guidance counselor a number of times and each time he's deemed fine. What was strange was the principles behavior. He and the school resource officer stayed during the entire interview but didn't say a word until I started asking about the parents. Once I brought up Mr. Gains the principle all but stopped the interview. He told me it wasn't important to the report to discuss the parents. As for the neighbors I talked to the babysitter, a college student at NYU, she said the kids are not seen very often except for Hanley going to and from school in a hired car. She did say that Mia is seen the most often and likes to talk. She also mentioned that the eight year old, Avery, is a violent kid and spends a lot of time beating on Hanley." Olivia finished only to be hit with another wave of dizziness. She rubbed the back of her head with one hand while grabbing the desk with the other doing all she could to keep from throwing up.
"And the car service? What did they give up?" Cragen asked. Olivia struggled to answer as the room shifted in and out of focus.
"Haven't made it there yet." Cragen, Fin and Munch all looked directly at her with surprised and confused looks on their faces.
"Care to share why not?" Her dizziness was intensifying and darkness was creeping in on the edges of her vision. She knew if she opened her mouth she would vomit. Penn had been standing quietly in the background stepped forward and answered.
"It was my fault. I met her just after the interview with the neighbor and insisted she update me on the case. She was very detailed causing it to take longer then expected and we got caught in the evening traffic."
"Traffic? There seems to be a lot of that lately." Cragen said looking from Munch to Penn. "You must be the new detective 1PP sent to us." He added.
"Yes sir. Pendleton Rhoades, most people call me Penn."
"Well detective Rhoades not the best start. You and Olivia go to the car company and find an explanation for the sudden change in driver. That is if the traffic isn't to bad." Cragen said with a strong level of sarcasm in his voice. He turned on his heel and headed towards his office.
"Yes sir." Penn responded to his retreating back. She turned to Olivia who was still holding her head and holding the desk for support.
"Are you going to be alright?" Penn asked leaning in close and speaking quietly.
"Yeah. Just need to use the bathroom." Olivia got to her feet, staggered and almost fell over. Penn was there to catch her and stand her back on her feet. Both looked back at their colleagues. Fin and Munch had their heads together discussing the case, Cragen had returned to his office and no one else in the room seemed to take notice.
"You need to be looked at." Penn whispered to Olivia still holding her.
"I just need to puke and then I'll be fine." She left the squad room making a v-line for the women's locker room. Penn waited patiently outside the door.
When Olivia resurfaced she had regained most of her color and appeared more stable on her feet.
"Better?" Penn asked.
"For now." Olivia answered. "Why don't you drive?"
"No objections here." Penn responded.
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Professional Car Service was located in midtown. Penn pulled into an open spot in front of the building. Olivia stood up and out of the car. She tried to take a step but felt dizzy and staggered. She managed to grab the car and steady herself while the feeling passed.
"I really think you should go to the ER." Penn said making her way around the car.
"No. Let's check this place out then I can go home and lay down." Olivia said. Penn could tell it was a losing battle. She could not resist asking,
"Are you always so stubborn?" Olivia answered with a hard stare. Penn shook her head and followed in silence.
They entered the building and went left through a side door with the car service logo on it. The room they entered was paneled in wood from floor to celling. A single receptionist desk filled the small room. There were no chairs or tables; the room was lit with overhead florescent lights and not vey inviting. A middle age woman sat behind the desk. She did not immediately acknowledge them but looked up a second later.
"Oh hello. Welcome to Professional Car Service I'm Kara. How can I help you?" Penn could tell by the look of surprise on her face that people did not often walk into this office.
"Detectives Benson and Rhoades with the NYPD. We need to speak with your dispatcher or scheduler." Olivia said showing her badge to the women.
"Of course that would be Herman Schmidt." The women answered.
"Is he here?" Olivia asked.
"Let me see if he is available." The receptionist smiled politely then picked up the phone and dialed a number. Olivia and Penn stepped back from the counter and looked around.
"I don't think they're used to visitors at this place and she seems very shifty." Penn said quietly.
"She definitely got nervous when she saw my badge." Olivia said. Penn pulled out her cell phone and with the premise of showing Olivia something snapped a picture.
"I'll send this and her name to T.A.R.U for facial recognition and a background check." Olivia nodded her approval. The sound of the phone being hung up returned their attention to the receptionist.
"Detectives Mr. Schmidt is in the garage. You can meet him down there. She stepped out from behind the desk. "If you will follow me I will show you the way."
"Thank You." Olivia said politely. With Penn following behind they made their way down several flights of stairs and into a large underground garage.
There were at least six large lifts and toolboxes at each station. Cars of all different makes and models were parked all over, about twenty in all, each black in color with dark tinted windows all the way around. More than twenty people were spread all over the garage doing various different tasks. No one paid them any attention as they walked through.
The receptionist lead them to a service office were a portly man with unkempt grey hair, stubble on his face and blood shot eyes. Penn's immediate thought was of a long time alcoholic in need of a drink.
"Mr. Schmidt here are the detectives I told you about."
"Ah. Yes thank you Kara." The receptionist smiled then retreated to the stairwell.
"Detectives Benson and Rhoades. We need some information regarding one of your regular clients." Olivia started the questioning while Penn drifted off to look around the garage.
"Which client?" Herman asked.
"The Gains." Olivia answered. "A regular driver who picks up and drops off the kids everyday." As soon as she mentioned the name Herman stopped thumbing through his papers and looked at Olivia.
"The Gains? Ah….Let me think…I am pretty sure we have a client with that name. I'll check for the file." Olivia could tell that he was lying and just trying to buy time while he thought up an answer.
"Is it always the same driver and the same car? Or do you send who ever is available? Any special requests that are unusual?" Olivia asked. Hermon looked up from the filing cabinet, looked around the garage to see if anyone was watching then moved closer to Olivia. Dropping his voice really low he said,
"I cant help you here detective, there are two many eyes and ears. I can being you a copy of the file by tomorrow."
"Can you tell me who would be so bothered by you talking to me?" Hermon looked off put by this question and slightly surprised that she did not know.
"Detective do you have any idea who you are inquiring about? Do you know who the Gains are?" Hermon asked even more quietly. Olivia felt uneasy about this, like she was missing a very big piece of the puzzle. She wanted to ask more questions but was hit with yet another wave of nausea and dizziness and wanted nothing more then to be home in bed.
"Bring the file to the sixteenth precinct tomorrow afternoon or I come back here to arrest you for obstruction of justice." Olivia threatened. Hermon nodded his understanding. She gathered Penn and the two left the garage and exited through the office they had entered through.
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Back out in the street Penn questioned Olivia.
"Did you get anything useful?"
"No. I mentioned the name and he clamed up. Said he couldn't discuss it there, two many eyes and ears. He said he would drop the file off at the house tomorrow morning."
"Why didn't you press him?" Penn asked.
"Because I had another diz…because I felt like giving the guy a chance. He seemed like he genuinely wanted to help us." Olivia was about to reveal to Penn about the dizzy spell but decided against it. She would have insisted she see a doctor and that was not something she wanted to deal with.
"Ok. You look really tired by the way. Why don't I drop you at your place? I'll go report to the captain on my own. "
"That is a great idea." Olivia answered.
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Penn pulled up in front of Olivia's building.
"Thanks for the ride."
"No worries." Olivia opened the car door and stepped out. She closed the door and turned to walk away.
"Hey Benson." Penn called out. Olivia turned around and ducked down so she was even with the car window. "You have a concussion. Set several alarms to wake you up at three-hour intervals and expect to have a bad headache. Drink copious amounts of water to counter act the fluid loss due to vomiting. Keep things dark and quite, anything that will help slow down your brain and allow it to heal." Olivia smiled.
"Only day one and you are that worried about me?" she said.
"Losing my partner on the first day is not the type of reputation I want to have. My career is still young." Penn answered.
"So you're thinking of only yourself then? Good to know." Olivia said still smiling.
"See you tomorrow." Penn said. Olivia stepped back from the car and watched as it pulled away down the street before turning towards her building.