Location:SVU Squad Room. Cragen's Office.
"What do we do now?" asked Olivia, still clutching the yellow Post-it note.
She, along with Morales, Fin, and Munch, looked to Cragen, awaiting anxiously for their next orders. None of them would dare to admit it, but they all feared the worst.
"We find Elliot," Cragen spoke calmly as possible.
He too was worried, but he refused to let it show. He had to remain calm and stay strong for his unit.
"Morales," Cragen swallowed hard. "Forget tracking down Wilkerson's location. Can you figure out where Elliot is or where he's going? I bet my pension he's going to meet Wilkerson somewhere."
"Working on it," Morales nodded, as he tapped away at his laptop. "Trying to get a location fix on his cell phone now."
"Good," Cragen then turned his attention to Munch and Fin. "What did Elliot say when he left here? Was his behavior unusual in any way?"
"He said he was going on a coffee run," answered Munch. "He seemed okay until he tripped over Liv's desk. Of course, now I realize, Elliot intentionally tripped in order to hide the note. I'm sorry, I missed it. I should read more into it."
"It's cool," Fin assured him. "We all missed that one."
"There's nothing we can do to change that now," Cragen said, sternly. "But we can focus on catching Wilkerson and getting Elliot out of this mess alive."
"We'll do whatever you need us to do," Olivia declared. "Just say the word."
Cragen looked over at Morales. "You got a fix yet?"
"Not quite," Morales' gaze fixed steady on the computer. "I don't have an exact fix, but I do have a general area fix within a ten mile radius. He's moving north along Chelsea Piers."
He turned the laptop around so they could see the map on the monitor screen. He pointed to the screen showing them Elliot's general location which was marked by a small, blinking red dot. They watched as the dot moved slowly across the screen.
"Should we go after him, Captain?" suggested Fin.
"Not just yet," Cragen answered. "I think I can figure out where he's meeting Wilkerson." He looked at Morales. "There's quite a few old buildings in that area. Are any of them abandoned?"
"Give me a second to find out," Morales tapped away at the keyboard. "Um... There's a seafood restaurant that closed down six years ago. It's about twenty miles from Elliot's location."
"That's one possibility," Cragen said. "Are there any others nearby that we can rule out?"
"Checking it now," Morales continued searching.
"Captain?" Munch spoke up. "The seafood restaurant doesn't seem like the Wilkerson's style. He likes lurking in the dark, which gives him a sense of control over his victim's environment. They never know when or where he'll strike next. He'd want Elliot to meet him in place that's not only dark, but has lots of hiding places where he can watch Elliot till he's ready to strike. And I can't see him doing that in some ratty old lobster shack."
"You're right," Cragen realized. "Morales, can you find any places like that nearby Elliot?"
"I think I've got it," Morales announced. "Fifteen miles from Elliot's location is an old shipping container port. It shut down in nineteen ninety-two. Plus, it was once owned and operated by an Arnold Wilkerson, father to Randall Wilkerson."
"That's got to be where he's going," Olivia was certain of it. "Think about it, Captain. A place only he knows his way around with lots of shipping containers to hid in."
"Let's move out then," Cragen ordered. "Munch and Fin in one car, and Olivia and me in another. Morales, you stay here and keep us updated on Elliot's location."
Location: Shipping Container Port. Chelsea Piers.
Wilkerson sat silently in his hiding place awaiting Elliot's arrival. He looked at his watch. If Elliot followed his directions correctly, he should be almost there. A snide grin spread across Wilkerson's face as he reveled in the fact that he had Elliot right where he wanted. Elliot may have figured out Wilkerson's identity, but he was still the Shadow Stalker. It was he who was calling the shots now. And it would be he who would finish off Elliot once and for all.
In his pocket, Wilkerson's phone began to vibrate. He removed his phone from his pocket and opened it up. He received a text from Elliot.
I'm here, it read.
Enter the port from behind the main building, Wilkerson texted back. There's a hole in the fence by the dumpster.
He returned the phone to his pocket and quietly slipped inside an open, empty shipping container. There he waited for Elliot to make the first move. At first, nothing seemed to be happening and Wilkerson began to grow impatient. What was taking Elliot so long? He should have made it inside the port by now.
Somewhere not too far off came a sound like chains rattling. Or a fence rattling. Wilkerson silently and swiftly exited the container and merged himself with the shadows and the darkness that was so familiar. A darkness only he could navigate. He made his toward the sound, moving quickly and quietly from container to container. He made sure not to get too close. He needed to lure Elliot to the east side of the port by the river. He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Elliot call out.
"Randall!" Elliot's voice echoed loudly against the containers. "I'm here! Show yourself!"
Wilkerson decided not to reveal himself just yet. He wanted to have some fun first. He looked around the container he was hiding in. In one corner was a large wooden box full of broken rusty lead pipes that looked as if they been there for a hundred years. Wilkerson grabbed a small pipe that hard a sharp jagged edge and quietly crept outside the container. He raised his right arm and struck the container with the pipe. Then he took off running among the shadows with the pipe still I his hand.
"I hear you!" Elliot yelled as he ran toward the sound. "Where the hell are you, you son of a bitch?"
But Wilkerson continued to run, moving stealthily around the containers, making his way toward the river. He could feel the adrenaline flowing through his body, pumping deep within his veins. His heart began to pulse faster, and his lungs took in even more oxygen. He began to pick up speed, running even faster, moving throughout the port with ease. He felt unstoppable, almost superhero like.
"Dammit, Randall!" Elliot roared from behind him in the distance. He pursued Wilkerson like a lion hunting its prey. "You can run, but you can't hide."
Up ahead, Wilkerson heard the sound of flowing water. They were almost to the river. He couldn't stop now. Now when he was this close. He kept running until he reached a clearing by the river's edge. He quickly searched for a place to hid. For he knew it wouldn't be long until Elliot reached him. And he wasn't ready to reveal himself just yet. There was nothing around but a few wooden boxes sitting by a broken down shed with the roof caved in. And the only light that shone was from the full moon in the sky above. Wilkerson ducked into the old shed and silently peered out of the broken window, watching and waiting for Elliot. Within a few minutes, Elliot had made it to the clearing. He had lost Wilkerson trail. But he refused to give up. He stopped and looked around, deciding his next move.
"Show yourself, you fucking coward!" Elliot shouted as he caught his breath. "I'm not chasing you anymore! I'm staying right here! So if you want me, come and get me!"
Now it was time. Wilkerson put the lead pipe in his back pocket. He then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a gun. He chuckled menacingly. His chuckle echoed loudly around Elliot.
"Where are you, you bastard?" Elliot demanded, searching for where the chuckle was coming from.
Elliot's gaze rested upon the broken down shed. As he took a stop closer, Wilkerson stepped out into the moonlight. He raised the gun and fired two shots into Elliot's chest. The adrenaline still pumping through his veins made him feel like everything was moving in slow motion. It seemed like Elliot wasn't going down fast enough, so Wilkerson fired another shot. And then another. And another. Until the clip was empty and Elliot's body lay on the ground silent and unmoving.
His hand shook as Wilkerson let the gun fall to the ground. He had done it. Victory never tasted so sweet. He felt invincible once again. As the adrenaline rush began to subside, a sense of clarity came over him. His senses returned to normal and his heart rate slowed to a normal pace. He smiled wickedly as he slowly walked toward Elliot's stagnant body. All that was left to do was watch the life seep out of Elliot then dump his body into the river. As he stood over Elliot, he noticed something was off. His eyes were closed, but there was no blood. He knelt down and took Elliot's gun from his belt. Then he unzipped Elliot's leather jacket, revealing a bullet proof vest.
"What do we have here?" Wilkerson demanded, angrily.
Like a flash of lightning, Elliot opened his eyes and kicked the gun out of Wilkerson's hand. Elliot then punched him in the face, sending him hurtling backwards. The gun skittered across the ground. Elliot tried to reach for it, but the gun fell into the river. He turned to face Wilkerson, who had gotten up off the ground and was running toward Elliot. With his eyes fixed steady on Wilkerson, Elliot lunged forward and tackled him to the ground. As they rolled around on the ground, Elliot focused on trying to turn Wilkerson over to cuff him. But Wilkerson resisted, punching Elliot in the face and pushing him away.
"Elliot!" a voice suddenly called out in the distance.
Into the moonlit clearing, emerged Olivia waving her gun.
"Liv!" Elliot cried out. He was glad to see her, but at the same time he was scared she may be putting herself in danger.
"Freeze, Randall!" Olivia held her gun steady, pointed at Wilkerson. "You're surrounded!"
Wilkerson remained where he stood and slowly put his hands up. Elliot stood up and brushed himself off. He examined himself, checking for any serious cuts or bruises. Once he was satisfied that he was alright, he turned to Olivia and Wilkerson, who had his back to Elliot. As Olivia approached Wilkerson to arrest him, Elliot saw something in Wilkerson's back pocket glimmering in the moonlight. Could it be another weapon? Elliot cautiously moved toward them. He needed to get close enough to see what it was. He didn't want to do anything to botch the arrest.
"Put your hands behind your back," Olivia ordered Wilkerson as she read him his rights.
Wilkerson obeyed and lowered his hands behind him. He wrapped his right hand around the lead pipe in his back pocket. As Olivia turned him around to cuff him, Wilkerson grinned evilly as he pulled out the lead pipe.
"Liv!" Elliot screamed, pushing her aside. "Look out!"
Wilkerson drove the jagged edge of the pipe as hard as he could into Elliot's stomach. It pierced through the bullet proof vest and sank deep into his abdomen. Elliot's eyes widened as he looked down at the pipe lodged in his gut. Blood oozed from the wound dripping over himself and onto the ground. A gurgled cry escaped Elliot's mouth as he collapsed into Olivia's arms.
Location: Shipping Container Port. Chelsea Piers.
"Morales," Cragen spoke into the walkie talkie. "We're at the shipping port. Is Elliot still in the vicinity?"
"Yes," Morales voice crackled over the walkie talkie. "I was able to get a location fix within a five mile radius. He could be close by or he could be down at the other end of the port. That's the best I could get. Sorry, Captain."
"It's okay," Cragen said. "I need you to keep the walkie talkie with you in case we still need you. Understood?"
"Will do," Morales replied. "Good luck out there, guys."
The two squad cars silently approached the shipping port and parked off to the side. Olivia and Cragen stepped out of one car, while Munch and Fin stepped out of the other. As they walked toward the shipping port, all four of them put on bullet proof vests while Cragen laid out the plan.
"According to Morales," Cragen began in a hushed tone. "Elliot is somewhere inside here. Grab a walkie talkie and split up. We'll be able to cover more ground that way."
Suddenly, there came a loud clanging sound.
"What the hell was that?" asked Fin.
"I don't know," replied Munch. "Should we call for back up, Captain?"
"Yes," answered Cragen. "But tell them to move quickly and quietly. No sirens. No lights. If Wilkerson's in there with Elliot, we don't want to spook him."
"Got it," Munch said as he radioed for back up on his walkie talkie.
Once it was confirmed that back up was on the way, the four of them began to search the front gates for an entrance into the shipping port. Once again, the loud clanging noise echoed throughout the port. As Cragen and his detectives searched for the source of the sound, they came across the main building. They split up and searched the perimeter of the building. It was Fin who found the hole in the fence by the dumpster. He picked up his walkie talkie and notified the others.
"I found a way in," Fin radioed. He told them where to go.
The four of them entered through the hole and found themselves in a sea of shipping containers. They listened again for the clanging sound, but could no longer hear it.
"Here's how we'll play it," instructed Cragen. "Munch, you take the west side and Fin, you take the north side. Liv, you take the east side, and I'll take the south side. Notify me the second you find Elliot or Wilkerson. Or both."
The three detectives nodded in response, and then the four of them split up and went their separate ways. Munch went west along the roadside, searching and listening for any signs. Fin searched the north end of the port, along the road and down to the river. Cragen stayed on the south side by the main entrance. And Olivia made her way along the east side by the river guided by the light of the full moon.
Suddenly, the sound of two gun shots pierced the night. And then another. And another. One right after the other.
"Follow the shots!" cried Cragen over the walkie talkie. "Go! Go! GO!"
The four of them ran as fast as they could toward the sound. Olivia was the first to reach the scene. In a clearing by the river, she saw Elliot on the ground, unmoving, with Wilkerson standing over him. She gasped, fearing the worst had happened. But suddenly, Elliot kicked the gun out of Wilkerson's hand and punched. Elliot went for the gun, but it fell in the river. Then Elliot turned around as Wilkerson charged at him. Elliot tackled him to the ground where they fought until Wilkerson pushed Elliot off of him.
"Elliot!" Olivia called out in the distance.
She emerged into the moonlit clearing, waving her gun.
"Liv!" Elliot cried out. He was glad to see her, but at the same time he was scared she may be putting herself in danger.
"Freeze, Randall!" Olivia held her gun steady, pointed at Wilkerson. "You're surrounded!"
Wilkerson remained where he stood and slowly put his hands up. Elliot stood up and brushed himself off. He examined himself, checking for any serious cuts or bruises. Once he was satisfied that he was alright, he turned to Olivia and Wilkerson, who had his back to Elliot. As Olivia approached Wilkerson to arrest him, Elliot saw something in Wilkerson's back pocket glimmering in the moonlight. Could it be another weapon? Elliot cautiously moved toward them. He needed to get close enough to see what it was. He didn't want to do anything to botch the arrest.
"Put your hands behind your back," Olivia ordered Wilkerson as she read him his rights.
Wilkerson obeyed and lowered his hands behind him. He wrapped his right hand around the lead pipe in his back pocket. As Olivia turned him around to cuff him, Wilkerson grinned evilly as he pulled out the lead pipe.
"Liv!" Elliot screamed, pushing her aside. "Look out!"
Wilkerson drove the jagged edge of the pipe as hard as he could into Elliot's stomach. It pierced through the bullet proof vest and sank deep into his abdomen. Elliot's eyes widened as he looked down at the pipe lodged in his gut. Blood oozed from the wound dripping over himself and onto the ground. A gurgled cry escaped Elliot's mouth as he collapsed into Olivia's arms.
"NOOOO!" Olivia shrieked, holding Elliot as they both tumbled to the ground..
Munch and Fin arrived just in time to see Wilkerson stab Elliot and flee the scene.
"Freeze, Randall!" shouted Munch.
But Wilkerson ignored them and kept on running. Munch and Fin pursued Wilkerson on foot. Meanwhile, Olivia cradled Elliot in her arms.
"You saved my life,"Olivia's eyes filled with tears. "He was going to stab me. But you..."
Olivia stared at the pipe in his stomach. Blood poured from the wound, soaking Elliot and herself.
"I couldn't...," Elliot stammered, lifting up a hand to touch her cheek. "...let him...hurt...you..."
Olivia took his hand from her cheek and held it in her own hand.
"It's okay now, Elliot," she sobbed. "Hang in there, baby. You're going to be okay. Just stay with me."
Elliot lay clutching the lead pipe protruding from his abdomen. The pain was excruciating. The pool of blood seeping from his wound continued to grow larger. But Elliot remained focused on Olivia. He needed to tell her.
"I...I...I..." Elliot struggled to speak, but the pain was almost too much to bear.
"Shhhh," Olivia held his head up so he could breathe. "Don't try to talk. Just lay back. Hang in there. Help is on the way."
Elliot gazed into her teary eyes. "I...love...you...Liv..."
"I love you too, El," Olivia held his face to hers.
As Olivia brought her lips to his, Elliot's eyes closed before her lips touched his.
"No! No! NO!" Olivia began to cry hysterically. "Elliot! Open your eyes! Stay with me! El! Please don't leave me, baby! I need you! ELLIOT!"
Cragen arrived on scene at that moment and knelt down beside a weepy Olivia.
"His pulse is weak," Cragen said gravely, examining Elliot's body. "He still has a chance. But we have to get him to a hospital. And fast."
Cragen took out his walkie talkie and radioed for an ambulance.
"Ten-thirteen!" Cragen spoke loudly and clearly into the walkie talkie. "We have an officer down! Send a bus to Chelsea Piers and put a rush on it!"
Stay tuned! More exciting chapters to come soon! Please feel free to read and review!