Chapter Thirty-Two - Debriefing

Alex sat next to Olivia in the conference room. Huang was on Olivia's left. Abbie was on Alex's right. Dana, Ike and Russell were across from them. Liv noticed the briefing notes that Dana passed around. She also saw all the legal pads on the table. Abbie had two near her. Alex grabbed one and a glass of water. Alex poured Liv a glass of water and set it in front of her, too.

Ike and Russell were stoic. Dana looked slightly unhappy, but she didn't sound like she was when she started talking. Huang was reserved as always and waiting to see what was going to happen. He knew that overstepped his bounds in requesting that Liv and Alex go to Montgomery, but he knew that he needed to do it. He knew that Liv would just go on her own if he didn't get her permission.

"Alright, we have the facts before us based on the investigation lead by Ike in the field. We also have the supplemental notes from both Special Agent Russell Seabrook and Agent Olivia Benson while they were in the field. We are here today to add the personal notes and reflections from Agent Benson. Everyone ready?" Dana asked opening the debriefing.

"I think we are," Abbie stated.

"Good. Now, Darling, the floor is all yours. Tell us what you didn't tell us on paper. What else do we need to know?"

"How much do you know?"

"Abbie, would you like to answer this one?" Dana asked her.

"We know enough to charge D. J. and Robin with multiple counts drug trafficking, possession with intent, kidnapping, assault of a federal officer, assault of a federal officer during the commission of a felony, murder, assault with the intent to kill and failure to pay income taxes on monies earned, even though it was illegal. I am sure that you have more to add."

"Yes, I do. I will have more evidence once we get back from Montgomery that you will be able to use. But, while Robin was the muscle of the gang and the operations, D. J. was definitely the brains. He was trying to find was to launder the money, to make more legit and easier to move. He found himself without a lot of legitimate businesses."

"What did he do?" Dana asked.

"He made them up as he went along. He delved into anything he could get his hands into to make money, to launder it, to move it. It was his one passion: money," Olivia told them.

"What besides the gas stations and strip clubs did her start?" Dana asked.

"There were, for lack of a better term, brothels. Each madam was under contract. Each brothel doubled as an escort service. They were very good at hiding the extracurricular activities."

"Such as?" Ike questioned.

"The obvious prostitution. They were never allowed to bring a date to the brothel. They always had to go out. They weren't allowed to use hotels either. They were watched by bikers, mostly as hidden security, but if a client refused to pay for their 'full' treatment, they took it."

"Theft and larceny to pay for sex?" Russell asked, then stated "That seems drastic."

"You've never seen what a pimp will do to their girls if they think they've been cheated. Pimps are ruthless. They are only about the money. I have. It isn't pretty," Alex added.

Olivia held her hand. She knew them as well. She knew them all too well.

"Drastic doesn't even begin to cover it. The money came back to the brothel. It was split up and divided for each cut that was taken. The girls were paid their dues and sent on their way. They were only allowed to stay at the brothel to do marketing events, to wait in between clients, and if they tested positive for an STI or pregnant."

"Excuse me, Darling, come again," Dana stated.

"If a girl was found to unable to perform, she could stay at the brothel until she was better."

"You've got to be kidding me," Dana replied.

"No, it was one of the ways that D. J. that could control his merchandise. He knew who was sick, who was pregnant and who wouldn't be able to work again. Those who couldn't work in the brothel were given other jobs to help with their upkeep. Mostly they became the nurses for the other girls, especially the unfortunate girls who got pregnant."

"What happened to them?" Dana asked, now suddenly intrigued with what Olivia was saying.

"None of this is in the notes," Olivia told the rest of them, as Russell and Ike flipped through the binders looking for more information as Olivia watched.

"It's not?" Russell asked.

"No, I was just uncovering this operation when…"

"I understand. Please continue. Fill us in on what we need to know," Dana told her, trying to get them back on track.

"The girls that were pregnant would stay in the brothels and have their babies. The babies were then traded on the black market, sold or adopted out through a sold adoption program that D. J. had been working on with another crime lord in Alabama. I never found out his name. I didn't have time. I was trying to figure out how they were smuggling the children out of the country."

"So, Mara?"

"She was a madam in the brothel in Montgomery. She was feeding me information. I would try to get every run to Montgomery. At least when we were in a town with a brothel, we could stay there free of charge. I am sure that there was on in Savannah. I don't know how many brothels there were. I just know about Mara and Montgomery," Olivia told them.

"So, how do you know there are more?" Ike questioned.

"Mara told me that she was in contact with the madams across the Southeast. I don't know how many there are. I don't know what happened to her. But, I do know that she is dead. I know that I need to see the crime scene. I need to see her desk and computer. I need to know why she is dead. I need to help investigate. I need to know if D. J. ordered it. If he did, then we have to find the rest of the madams," Olivia stated.

"Calm down, Agent Benson. We have already arranged for you to go to Montgomery. You will leave in two days. I already have Special Agent Rock Griswold on the scene. He will be picking you up at the airport," Dana told her.

"Don't thank me yet, Benson. Cabot, Carmichael and Huang will be going with you."

George and Abbie smiled at Alex. She knew that they had to discuss to letting Olivia go. George suggested that it would a good idea. It was his idea to send Alex, to keep Olivia calm. Dana agreed. She wanted to go as well, but knew that she was still needed in Quantico. She decided to send Huang, in case Olivia broke while they were there, and Abbie, because she was drawing up charges on D. J. and Robin, whose list of charges was getting longer every day.

"I don't care. I know that Alex is coming. I know that you are sending her with me to help me keep my sanity. I understand that. I also understand why you are sending Huang and Abbie."

"You do?" Dana asked.

"Yes, because you know that I might find more and you'll need them to help link it the case."

"Then, why aren't I sending Ike and Russell?"

"Because, Russell doesn't exist in the real world. He needs to finish his debriefing and get back undercover in Atlanta or wherever the Seabrooks are moving their business. Ike needs to be back in the field. They have done as much as they can for the case. I also know that you are waiting for the agents-in-charge from the DEA and ATF to help you finalize this case."

"When did you get so smart, Sugar?" Dana asked her.

"I've worked with the FBI before. The case didn't take this long and wasn't as dramatic, but I know how you proceed. I also know that you will need to create and good cover story for Russell re-entering public life. I will only get in the way. I can't be in Atlanta. It is a big city but too many people know me there. In Montgomery, I can be discrete and still the information that I am looking for without tipping our hands," Olivia told her.

"That is my point exactly. Rock will meet you, catch you up to speed on what he has and then take you to the brothel. I know that you might find something there that our people missed, but then again, you might not. I am sending you for two reasons, Liv. Don't disappoint me for allowing this. We've got them. Now help us put them under the jail house."

"My pleasure," Liv replied, with a satisfied sneer of smile on her face.

"Good, now that this is settled I make sure that Mischa gets all the plans set up for your trip. Why don't y'all go back to the apartment? Spend some time alone. Hash out whatever need to be hashed out and let us play with the case."

"Sounds good to me," Alex replied.

"Okay, then, if you don't need me anymore," Olivia answered.

"We don't for now. I think that Russell and Ike got all the information that they needed from you while you were undercover. Thank you for your service. I'll have George bring you up to speed on anything else that we might need to share with you. Good day, ladies," Dana told them, dismissing them.

Olivia and Alex stood. Olivia grabbed her briefing binder and started to walk towards the conference room door. Alex snatched and put it back on the table.

"But-"

"Abbie and George will bring theirs and notes, Liv. Let it go for just one night. Let the case go. We can review whatever you want, together, tomorrow," Alex promised.

"Okay then," Liv replied, as they both left.

Alex watched her as the got on the elevator. She finally seemed more relaxed. It was nice. She herself wasn't relaxed. She wasn't really looking forward to going to Montgomery. She really didn't want to know what happened to Mara. She knew it was wrong of her, but she couldn't help but think that she had different priorities now. She didn't want the job to run her into the ground. She wanted the wife, the kids, the white picket fence. She had been a fool before, but, now she had Olivia and Xander, a nice apartment in the City. She had everything that she wanted, but she still wasn't happy.

Alex couldn't put her finger on it. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She wouldn't, no, couldn't be happy until Olivia was. Olivia wouldn't be happy until Robin was dead and D. J. was punished. She knew that finding out how Mara was connected besides being a madam for them would help her achieve this goal. Alex knew how driven Olivia was. The last few weeks had been blissful, but false. She knew in the back of her mind that she would never have time like this again with Olivia when they got back to New York. Olivia was a cop. She was born to be cop. She was damn good cop and Alex couldn't get in her way. No, Alex would need to support her, always and love her, despite the fact that Olivia could get hurt. Alex had known what she was getting herself into when she admitted to Olivia that she loved her, but part of her hoped that she was wrong. It was wishful thinking and she knew that. Now, it was all in her face and there was nothing that she could do.

"I love you, Liv," she said, knowing that her life was changing, again, and there was no way to stop it.

"I love you, too, Alex," Liv replied, giving Alex her trademark megawatt smile.