Chapter 8: Damaged

Elliot stepped out where he found Munch, Cragen and Novak.

"How's it going with Fin, the perp talking?"

"He still won't crack," said Munch. "And yet he's still not lawyering up."

"Well that's a good thing."

"Not really depending how you look at it," replied Munch.

"What do you mean?"

"Our guys searched his apartment. Elliot the guy is dying."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

Munch shook his head and Casey responded. "Afraid not, medical bills were found at his apartment so I subpoenaed his medical records. He's got stage 4 Leukemia."

Elliot looked at Cheryl. "Son of a bitch," he said. "That's what she meant when Mercer told her that he had 'been busy correcting some wrongs of his past.'"

"What are you getting at Elliot," Cragen asked.

"It all makes sense. Mercer went after his past girlfriends both as a way of revenge for breaking up with him but also because he's dying. He doesn't have any kids so he figures why not go after the women who he thought were the best connections of his life to intentionally get them pregnant."

At that Olivia Benson had walked into the room.

"Olivia," Cragen said in surprise, "not that I'm not happy to see you but what are you doing here?"

"Elliot called," she replied, "said you had Mercer."

Everyone looked at Elliot. "She had a right to know."

"I um…" Olivia started. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to come."

"Why did you," asked Cragen.

Olivia smiled inwardly. "My mother: She never got to see justice done. She never got to face her rapist. I've always thought that maybe if she had things would've been different. Despite what he did to me I can't let him win. Let me talk to him Cap, I can break him. I know I can."

"Are you sure about this Liv," Cragen asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "I have to do this."

Cragen nodded. "Okay."

Olivia entered the interrogation room. Fin was surprised to see her but said nothing and left the room knowing Olivia wanted to be alone with the guy. Dave was seated with his hands cuffed to the table.

"Well well," said Dave. "If it isn't Livy B, haven't seen you in a while. You became a cop, impressive. No doubt because of your mommy and daddy issues."

Olivia brushed off his last remark. "Really, you don't remember seeing me fourteen days; a couple of weeks ago?"

"Can't say that I do," said Dave. "You're looking good though Livy, maybe a little round on the hips but good."

Olivia bit her lip and smiled. She then went over and leaned into Dave. "You want to play games," she asked. "I've got one or two for you." She kicked his chair knocking him to the floor.

"Why did you do it Dave?"

Dave took a second to try and stand and get his composure. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh sure you do. You raped me plus four other women. That's five rapes Dave."

"You can't prove a damn thing. Can I have my chair back?"

"Oh are you too uncomfortable, let me fix that for you."

Olivia went over to the other end of the table and dragged it a couple of inches dragging Mercer with it.

"So again why did you do it Dave?"

"Don't you remember," he said getting angry. "Don't any of you remember? You trusted me, you wanted me. All I wanted was something in return."

"I was sixteen I didn't know what I wanted."

"You wanted to get away from your mother remember?"

Olivia did remember as much as she did not want to. When she and Dave had been together she did trust him with certain things and in return he always wanted to be a father despite how old they were since his own had never been around. He said he would be a good father and that he would do right by his kid. How could he now after forcibly taking what wasn't his to take?

Liv also remembered her relationship with Dave had faired. Her mother had found out, had been drinking and had threatened to kill her if she didn't break things off.

Dave failed to notice the look in Olivia's face so he continued on. "Poor Livy, mommy was raped. I never knew my daddy. You weren't the first girl to cry that story, I know four other girls who say the same thing."

"So you're saying we got what we deserved," Olivia said now reaching her boiling point.

Dave smiled. "Your words not mine. Doesn't really matter though, I'll be dead before it hits trial. Sucks doesn't it?" he said still continuing to smile.

"You son of a bitch," Olivia said moving the table again.

She then walked over to Dave and got a little closer. "Damn straight," he said with a small laugh. "You're right. I did rape you, all five of you. If you had just given me what I wanted we wouldn't be here would we?"

That was the final straw. Olivia looked at Dave with pure hate in her eyes. She then let out a little smile then reached for his head and slammed it on the table. "You fuckin' bastard," she said as she started to kick him. "How's it like to be someone else's bitch for a change hu?" She kicked him harder in his chest, "No control, nothing you can do, sucks doesn't it? Doesn't it?" She made one final kick in his groin before Elliot and Cragen came in.

"Olivia that's enough," said Cragen as he tried to restrain her.

"Get off me," Olivia said.

"Not until you calm yourself down."

Elliot went over and helped up Mercer.

"I want to sue for police brutality."

"I didn't see anything," said Cragen. "I just came in to see how it was going. Your chair must have fallen out from under you."

"I didn't see anything either," replied Elliot.

"Novak," asked Cragen.

"Not a thing," she replied.

"I'll sue you all for a government cover-up!"

Cragen looked to Elliot. "Put him in the cage and then process him for central booking."

"Gladly," replied Elliot as he un-cuffed Mercer and then re-cuffed his hands behind his back.

"Olivia," said Cragen, "my office."

"Listen cap," Olivia said when it was just her and Cragen in his office with the doors closed. "I'm sorry about what happened in there."

"I trusted you Liv, I didn't want you to kill the guy."

"I know and I'm sorry."

"Lucky for you the charges he wants to file won't stick."

"Yeah lucky me," she said not really believing her own words.

"Listen this isn't really why I called you in here. No one has heard from you since you checked out of Mercy over a week ago except for Elliot who I understand you talked to a couple days ago. Off the record, how are you Olivia?"

"Off the record," she repeated. "I'm trying to get my life going again but I'm a mess."

"Olivia, I know it's none of my business but considering what we know about his motives…"

Olivia knew what her boss was leading to. It was a well known fact that the motive behind Mercer raping his ex-girlfriends wasn't just to get back at them. He wanted something from them.

"You want to know don't you?" Olivia took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can answer that right now."

"I think you just did."

Olivia shook her head and laughed a little in between newly formed tears. "I guess I did."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

~FADE OUT~

END.