CHAPTER 9 – Station House – Manhattan

ROOM 1

Elliot is very flustered, not wanting this to begin but wanting it to be over. He is sitting across the table from Johnson, an IAB officer that Elliot had never met. That is the only plus about this entire situation.

"Tell me exactly how you found Detective Benson. Make this easier and don't leave anything out." Johnson stated flatly. There was a cold tone in his voice.

Elliot was worried about what was happening with Olivia. He felt horrible for her, in fear she got the same type of prick officer he got.

"Want me to start from the beginning?" Elliot asked sarcastically. Johnson nodded for him to continue.

"Benson never arrived at work that morning. We all knew something was up because that was so unlike her. I called her cell, no answer. Fin and I took a ride to her place. That's when we could see that the door was kicked in and there had been a struggle. Things were thrown all over and the place was a mess. We high tailed it back to the house. The entire place was on this case. We started going through all Benson's files, trying to find anyone who she might have pissed off. It took us four days before we found our lead. Fin was going through files of recent parolees. When he came across Harris, we both had that feeling in our gut that it was him. I pulled his file and started reviewing it. I had gone over and over it and nothing. It was after midnight when I noticed that his Grandfather owned a run down apartment building on the east side. Adrenaline took over. I jumped in my car and took off, never thinking to call for back up. I got to the building and started searching the empty apartments. On the fifth floor I noticed a closed door and that gut feeling kicked in again. When I entered I heard Benson's voice, pleading with Harris and I rushed in."

"How did you become a hostage?" Johnson interrupted, a little perturbed that Elliot was so willing to offer up the information.

"He had a gun to Benson's temple. He cocked it and told me he would kill her unless I did what he said. I knew he was serious and I didn't want to take the risk with Benson's life."

"Where was Detective Benson at this time?"

"Benson was tied to the bed. I could tell she had been badly beaten and abused." Elliot did not want to go into anymore detail than requested. He had been through enough IAB investigations to know how much information to give these guys without giving it all. He was going to protect Liv as much as he could.

"Was she dressed?" Johnson asked with a smirk.

"No she wasn't though I don't know why that is relevant." Elliot responded.

"I gives me a clearer picture of what was happening in that room."

"Why don't you concentrate on why you're here and not picture her at all?" Elliot said more as an order than a question. 'May I continue?" Johnson nodded, still smiling. "Harris tied me to a chair and drugged me just as he had Benson. When I woke, it was morning. He had tape over my mouth, and over her eyes. He raped and tortured her then began to beat us. He raised his gun and was about to shoot me when Fin and Lewis came in and shot him, just as he shot me."

"What are your injuries?"

"He broke both on my legs, shot me in the shoulder. Other than just some bumps and good bruises that's it. End of story."

"Well, I really have no more questions for you. As long as all the stories match you should be cleared." Johnson stood up to shake his hand and all Elliot could think was "is it really gonna be that easy? What the hell's really going on?"

ROOM

"Tell me how you found Detectives Benson and Stabler." Fin had never met this officer before and was glad for that. He hated these bastards and now at least, he could give this guy a chance.

"When we noticed Stabler wasn't at the house, we knew something was up. He had been staying there, just takin cat naps while trying to find Benson. I called Agent Lewis to help out. She had worked with both Benson and Stabler multiple times and I knew she would be more than willing to help out. She got to the house and started going through Stabler's desk. He had left Harris' file open and Lewis started reading through it. That's when she noticed the apartment building. At the same time, I was running the Bluetooth on Stabler's phone. His location popped at the apartment building. We hauled over there, calling for back up and a bus while on our way. We searched until we found the apartment. Lewis entered the room first, saw the gun on Stabler and pulled the trigger. She's FBI, shoot to kill."

"What were Stabler's and Benson's postions when you entered the room?"

"Stabler was tied to a chair and Benson to the bed. After Harris went down, Lewis rushed to Benson, I went to Stabler. By then back up was in the room and the paramedics were on their way up. We cleared the room and get them outta there."

"Was Detective Benson dressed when you found her? What was her visual condition?"

"She was not dressed, and her condition was poor. She looked like she had been badly beaten, black, blue, and bloody from head to toe."

"And Detective Stabler?"

"He was beat up pretty bad too. Harris shot him just as Lewis shot Harris. Bullet got 'em in the shoulder. Could tell his legs were broken and his face was pretty smashed up."

The IAB officer wrote a few things down on his note pad, stood, and motioned to shake Fin's hand.

"Thank you. That should be all for now."

"You kiddin me? That's it? Usually you guys are monsters. What gives?"

"This is a simple investigation to make sure all involved did things appropriately. We are not looking to condemn any of you. We want to make sure this investigation was run as any other one would have been. Not a bunch of detectives going off half cocked in a frenzy trying to find one of their own. Once we get Detective Benson's and Agent Lewis' statements we should be able to make a judgment. We will either clear you or take your shield and send you to mandatory therapy. We just wanna make sure all involved are mentally stable and know what they are doing."

Fin knew better but he couldn't help but feel as though something was seriously wrong with this whole thing. He can't quite put his finger on it but there is something so not right. Fin decides to wait for the outcome and see where everyone stands before he brings his gut feeling up.