Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Episode: Ruling Class

Disclaimer: You've heard it before, you'll hear it again. The characters, with the exception of those not normally featured in the show, are copyrighted by NBC, Dick Wolf Productions, and any other bodies with have reserved rights to them. Onward with our story.

Chapter 3

"Well, it's totally understandable how his fear is motivated," Dr. George Huang stated, "In school there is a, for lack of a better term, social ladder. From what you have said of Joseph's body type, he's on the bottom rung. The reason he doesn't want to tell is because he'll be labeled a squealer. If that happens, it social suicide, he'll be entirely ostracized from everyone."

Olivia was a little incredulous at hearing this, "Everyone? Even his friends?" She couldn't believe that telling on a bully could cause a person's friends to abandon him.

Detective John Munch spoke up, "Even his friends. To associate with a squealer makes you a squealer-by-association. You'd have to be friends with the person for nearly your whole life. And even then it would be strained."

Captain Donald Cragen sighed, "So what we're saying is that we have a kid beaten up for being a smear of the bully's gene pool and we have no suspects because our victim it too scared to talk about it?"

Olivia nodded, "That's the long and short of it captain. For the time being Joseph's parents are keeping him at home and having his schoolwork brought to him so he won't get jumped again."

Captain Cragen nodded, "All right, Olivia, you and George go to his home and see if you can get anything more out of him. You both know how to draw things out when they're painful. Fin, you and John canvas the school, try to find out who did this or anyone who might know who did it. Elliot, you talk to the school counselor. See if Joseph has any problems with a specific group of bullies or who our most likely suspects would be."

Olivia and George knocked gently on the front door and Joseph's father opened it up. "Detective Benson and, I only suspect that you are a colleague."

Olivia asked gently, "Myself and my colleague Dr. Huang were wondering if we could talk for a while with Joseph alone, Mr. St. Martin. Joseph might be more forthcoming."

Mr. St. Martin shrugged and let them in, "I don't know how well you'll do the second time around, but if he gets to a point that I believe is too upset, I'll have to ask you to leave."

Joseph was up in his bedroom, strewn about were drawings of three hooded figures. There were lines as to the identity, but the features were unrecognizable. "Hey, Joseph. This is my friend Dr. Huang. We were hoping we could talk more about the three that beat you up."

Joseph sighed, "What more is there to tell? I got the hell beat out of me because I was different, I'm too scared to go to school because I'll likely get jumped again. Any participation class it pretty much in the toilet and I'll probably have to go to summer school. Which means I'll likely get jumped anyhow."

George spoke softly to him, "Look Joseph, we all know that this isn't your fault. If it's anyone's it the three who jumped you. You said you can't tell us...though, you ARE quite an artist. Maybe if you can't tell us, you can draw us a sketch of what any of them looked like or anything else that would tell us who they are."

Joseph seemed to brighten a bit at that. "Yeah...yeah, that wouldn't be like squealing, because I wouldn't be saying who it is." He grabbed a pencil and pad and started to scribbling a sketch. It wasn't exactly a flattering profile of the assailant but it would hopefully do. "That's the one that said that I'd be chosen to be cleaned out of the gene pool."

Olivia smiled and gave him her card, "If you ever need to talk about this some more, you can get me at this number. My desk and cell phone are both there."

George looked at the picture, "You're really brave doing this. Hopefully we'll be able to find out who this is." Upon leaving he looked over the picture, "Well, we have a face. Now maybe we can put a name to it...hopefully if this does go to a trial that Joseph will be able to testify. But, just a victim's ID might not be enough. Bullies back each other up, he probably already has ten people reading to say he was with them all day."

Meanwhile at the schoolyard Fin Tutuola was talking with a member of the "popular" crowd. "Hey, look, I feel for Joseph, really I do. But this isn't as cut and dry as you think. The layers and rules of the schoolyard are written in stone."

Fin had been stone walled by nearly a dozen kids and was quickly coming close to the end of his formidable temper. "You'd better find a loophole then."

The kid, not intimidated by this large police officer said, "Look, it's a law of the schoolyard just like the jungle. The strong prey on the weak. If I could tell you who did this to Joseph I would, but I can't." The bell rang, "Look, my lunch is up. The second set of lunch kids might give you better results."

John Munch was talking with some of the younger girls who weren't thrilled with the idea of saying who did it or who might have. Three had left with frightened looks on their faces. The fourth girl he approached scribbled something on a paper. "Look, you didn't get this from me." On the paper was scrawled, "Room 7-14 ask for the Chief." He rejoined his partner, "Find anything?"

Fin rolled his eyes, "Just a load of BS about law of the jungle and how the strong prey on the weak. You?"

Munch read, "Room 7-14 ask for the Chief. Whatever that means. Let's meet up with Elliot and head back to the station."

Elliot was in the room with Mr. Sharpe the guidance counselor. "Joseph? Certainly, fine boy, though picked on constantly by bigger boys, which in his case is most anyone on a sports team or in a higher grade."

Elliot asked, "Do you have any idea of who might've done this to him?"

"Specifically no. But, feel free to use our textbook for a reference guide, it will show all the different teams. Maybe Joseph will be able to point out who beat him up."

After returning to the station and pooling their findings John and Fin were taken off leg work to research the sketch and the different names. Elliot and Olivia were sent to room 7-14 to meet up with the mysterious person known as "the Chief."

Commercial time, I'd like to send out shout outs to the reviews I got.

WinterGuarder15 -- I hope that this length of chapter is more to your liking

Smithy -- As I said in the reviews this isn't in anyway related to the Columbine or Virginia Tech attacks. I had this idea for quite some time before the Columbine attack happened.

As always reviews and constructive criticism is welcomed. Flaming without just cause will be ignored, flaming with just cause...may be tolerated. And once again to the people who read, I'm terribly sorry to have taken so long to have made this chapter.