It was the longest 10 hours of all of our lives. In the end Olivia was saved and Lewis was dead. Olivia was stronger this time and although he worked hard to deconstruct her, and take her even further down the path of madness, it didn't work.
I knew each of us wanted to have a shot at Lewis. We were the first ones to find Lewis, Olivia, and Louisa. We discovered that after his father was put in jail, and his mother ran off, he was placed with his grandmother at a small cottage out near Harriman. We drove up to see if he was there, after we had a local sheriff check for signs of him. The sheriff said there was a vehicle there that fit the description of one that had been reported stolen. He also confirmed Lewis had lived there as a child with his grandmother. Amaro, Fin, and I decided to drive up there. We had to take the detail assigned by the ones running the show to travel with us to the area.
We arrived, along with the back-up. Once we arrived, and took an inventory, we came up with a plan. Amaro would retrieve the girl. I would try to talk to Lewis and distract him. He was obsessed with women and so I pushed Fin and Amaro to agree I should try to talk to Lewis. Fin would lead the rest of the players on the outside. They would work with the back-ups to put an end to the situation.
Lewis was so focused on Olivia that Amaro was able to free the girl shortly after we approached the house. Lewis heard the noise and went to the room where he had tied up Louisa and saw she was gone. He yelled and laughed saying Olivia would pay for each mistake we made. "I am already enjoying my time; you make it better with each misstep". As much as we each wanted to kill him we stuck to our plan.
I slowly approached the house calling out to let Lewis know that I was coming toward the door. There were probably 12 or so officers already there. The local Sheriff also called in the nearest S.W.A.T. team. I felt very vulnerable but had to put my faith in Fin and Amaro. I continued to approach the door, my guns were both left behind but I kept on the bullet proof vest. Lewis yelled out to me, "Stay out if you don't want your boss to get hurt". Inside of me I was swept by such disgust and hate, but I could not give in to him.
"Lewis, I'm not armed; I'm just here since I'm the one that started this whole thing. I figured we could bring it full circle. I am the one that arrested you in the park and brought you in, remember"? I heard something inside, talking or movement. I was at the door and I knocked. I heard Olivia, she was mumbling to him. He opened the door and dragged me in. It was too late to turn back. He removed the vest and checked for weapons, enjoying the entire process.
He leered and made some comment that he was sure I'd love whatever he could bring on; "I looked like the kind that would enjoy it". I recoiled and try to draw my arm away. He smirked, "you are here sweetheart, now I get to play". I told him I wanted to see Olivia and know she was OK. I told him that "the guys outside won't hesitate to shoot you, I'm your opportunity to live through this". I didn't honestly expect him to survive and from his expression he didn't take me seriously either.
"You want to see Olivia, come on let's go and visit her". He pushed me forward towards a room where Olivia was sitting in a chair her hands tied together in front of her and her legs to the chair. He removed the duct tape that he must have used to keep her from yelling out to us. She looked at me, her eyes held fear, exhaustion, and strength. I saw the look in her eyes that she was angry and she had not lost her fire. I asked her how she was doing. She looked at Lewis, slightly smiled, "I am doing well, just chatting with Lewis here about how I plan to make sure he finds a new home in hell, and won't be around to hurt anyone else".
Lewis looked at Olivia, raised his gun, and smiled. "I think I'll take you with me". I went to lunge to stop him when Olivia yelled at me to "stop"! Lewis turned the gun to me and smiled. "It's Amanda, right"? "Why don't you have a seat on that bed over there"? I apologized for my action, looked at Olivia who nodded a quick affirmative, and went over and sat on the edge of the bed. I looked at Lewis and was trying to figure out what direction to take. He had Olivia in front of one window. The room only had one other window and it was at the top of the room, narrow, and running the length of the room. He had that blacked out from the inside. There was a door to a bathroom that appeared to only be open from the bedroom. I continued to gather as much as I could from the room, from the entry, and Lewis.
Lewis was not as confident this time, he appeared almost a little nervous, and I don't think he had the same control. I was hoping I could play on that and use it as the way out. I looked at Olivia. I didn't see any blood on her, she was still in the clothes she had been earlier, and thankfully they didn't look torn. She gave me a very slight look, one to say he had not raped her or done too much physical damage. I was hoping she could give me any clues, even subtly, but Lewis didn't move from the room. The silence was overpowering and Lewis became edgier. Olivia spoke first, "I think you are scared of me…and I still don't think you have the guts to do anything to me, it's been hours already".
My immediate thought was I should take the soft edge, work towards cooperation. Olivia seemed to have some impact on him that made him impotent. He couldn't let go of her because he hadn't been able to conquer her. She knew this and was using it to her, our, advantage. I would have to play the one he thought he could overpower so he would keep some sense of strength and hopefully not lose it and just start shooting.
Time dragged forward. I worked to engage Lewis, hoped to distract him, get him away from the window that Olivia was in front (or push him to move her away), or even better get him to go to another room. The exchanges continued for at least an hour and there didn't seem to be any movement. The S.W.A.T. team was outside now and had tried to call in and use a megaphone to communicate. Lewis gave them no response.
At one point I decided to see if I could turn his attention away from Olivia, get him to take me to another room. Give Olivia a chance to try to free herself. Lewis seemed to like a little antagonism mixed with vulnerability. He apparently couldn't handle the strength that Olivia possessed. I started to work on him.
"Lewis, what is about sexually torturing women that drives you"? He only smiled and said nothing. "I notice you normally pick easy targets, women that won't fight back"? Again he didn't say anything. "I am curious why you are so into Olivia, I'm the one that got you in the beginning and started this whole thing for you. I'm curious what made you skip me and move to Olivia"? I could see him considering responding, I waited.
"You don't shut up, do you"? He paused and looked annoyed with my questions. "Sweetheart, you should be careful". I allowed the fear I was feeling to show through, I actually let my normal shield down. He fed off of fear. "I shouldn't say this in front of Olivia, a part of me knows that I couldn't have survived the ordeal the way she did. I wouldn't have the fight she does. I was actually relieved you didn't choose me as your target".
I had caught him, he switched focus and I could see the same look in his eyes that I knew well. It was the one I must have when my craving, my need to make a bet, would take over. Game was on and I could only hope it ended the right way. Lewis was focused on me and I made sure not to gaze over at Olivia. I had to get him out of this room so she could free herself. I started talking again, "The entire time we were looking for Olivia I was terrified and kept thinking I hope Olivia is stronger than I am". I looked down; I forced myself to remain weak and open, to not let my guard up. I continued talking, "I have had enough traumas to last a lifetime. With my sister, shooting her Ex, having my life revealed in court…including the humiliation of finding out my boyfriend was having sex with other women during our relationship, than hitting a point so low I risked my job and self-respect over my addiction to gambling".
He approached me, reached for me and dragged me up. He hadn't tied me up which I assumed was because I had come in willingly. He shoved me through the doorway and towards a room just down the hall. This room was also a bedroom, it only had two windows and both were blacked out. He began to push me towards the bed. Now the gun was aimed at my head. He picked up scissors and used it to cut off my shirt. He made sure to stab me with the point several times; I let him know it hurt. He grabbed my neck and squeezed so hard I couldn't breathe. The gun was still at my head. "Honey, are you ready to play a game"? I couldn't speak. He let me go and I went down on my knees choking for air. He grabbed my pony tail and pulled it with such force my head felt ready to break off, and dragged me on the bed. He had cuffs on the posts of the bed at the head board. In less than a minute I was now in them and couldn't move my arms. Real tears, from the pain, were now streaming down my face. I was still recovering from being choked, stabbed and my head viciously yanked.
He sat on the bed, gun in his lap, and gently wiped the tears. He started to talk, "you asked for this, you were jealous that I picked Olivia over you. Now it's your turn". He walked over to a desk and picked up something, it looked like screwdriver, and came back to the bed. He had used some rope to tie my legs straight and to the edge of the bed. Next he took the screwdriver and put it near my eye. I was breathing fast and wanted to turn away. Next he licked my face; bit my ear, the entire time with the screwdriver shoving into the area right below my eye.
What felt like hours had probably been minutes. He continued to go between hurting me, talking, and then acting as though I was willing. He went over and got the scissors again and cut off my pants and removed my boots. Now I was down to my underwear and bra, feeling the same sense of vulnerability as when Murphy frisked me in the club. Only this time the humiliation and fear were mixed with pain and even more rage. I was Amanda Rollins and this psychopath would not beat me. I knew Olivia and the rest of my team would be in here soon. I had to trust others this time. Lewis didn't have long to live.
I started to talk, "I know this is all because of your dad and what he made you do and watch when you were little. I know you didn't want that, he put you through hell and now you take it out on women. Did your mother ignore what he was doing to you"? He said nothing but his eyes went blank. "You know that you aren't your dad or mother, you don't need to take power through fear and pain. I can show you if you let me out of the cuffs."
He laughed, "you think I'm stupid, oh Mandy, so naïve. I enjoy every moment of this and it has nothing to do with my father or the bitch". I continued using this approach and talking to him, trying to slow him down. I saw a movement by the doorway, Olivia was outside the door. She came in swinging. This time using a hammer he had left in the living room, must have been one of his instruments of torture. He never saw the swing coming. She used such force he flew off the bed. She didn't get his head; it was his side and back. I knew she would kill him this time. He had lost the screwdriver and the gun when she hit him. He started to stand up and said he would kill her first. The hammer came around again and this time it hit his head. He went down and I could see he wouldn't make it through this injury. The self-control Olivia used to stop was immense. She didn't want to be accused of too much force this time and risk jail or losing her job.
She came over to me to free me. Immediately I heard all of the forces outside starting to enter. She yelled out to give us a minute. The key to the cuffs was on a nightstand and she used the scissors to cut the ropes. She knew that I needed to walk out of here and not in my current state. I was tough, but even I wasn't ready to be found half-naked tied to the bed.
She found a shirt and some sweats in a drawer and gave them to me and never said a word. She walked to the door and said we would be right out. I dressed and walked with her to the door. She grabbed my hand and we made our way outside. We let the rest of the detectives and medical team go inside and deal with the scene. Lewis wasn't dead when they got to him, but we learned he was already very close to it. Fin and Amaro had been in the living room but came outside and each took one of us and nearly carried us towards the waiting medics. Fin went with Olivia; he had known her for so long I think he felt she would need someone familiar and he needed to be there for her. Amaro took me; he did lift me up and carried me the rest of the way. I wanted to walk but my neck was still throbbing and my one eye was swelling and I couldn't see well.
I didn't fight; I was so drained and somehow as soon as I was free lost all desire to speak. Amaro looked at me; he smiled and said he never should have underestimated my ability to take care of myself, and our team. He set me in the ambulance and stepped inside. He couldn't be kicked out. They immediately began checking me and started driving to the hospital. None of the injuries were severe in themselves. Bruising was already appearing on my neck and where the scissors had cut and jammed me. My eye was swollen, bruised, and turning red but no permanent damage.
Once we got to the hospital they continued the exam and a team was there to collect all of the evidence. I could see in Amaro's eyes the question, had he assaulted me. I turned to him, "don't worry, Olivia got there with plenty of time. He enjoyed taking his time and torturing me too much. Please go and check on Olivia, please? I need to know that she is OK and we got to her in time".
He acquiesced to my wishes and left the room. The nurse had me remove the clothes to take pictures and do the rest of the exam. I was given a hospital gown and put on antibiotics and given fluids. They also gave me painkillers. I was in a haze and starting to fall asleep. Amaro came back in the room. I woke enough to ask, "How is Olivia?" He smiled, "She is hanging in there. She doesn't have many physical injuries. She is traumatized and they gave her something to relax her. However, Fin said she is tough too, seems to still have that Olivia strength, he didn't break her. I smiled and fell asleep.