A/N: I lost the groove for this story but I think I'm getting it back! I've been writing so much romance and fluff lately, I need a little suspense and action. Enjoy!

December 3rd, 2016 – 11:10 a.m.

"Came from a burner. Untraceable," Fin commented, reading from the text on his phone. He stood in the middle of the apartment, rereading the text message before he slipped it back into his pocket and walked to the bedroom.

Rollins followed behind him, scanning the floor for any other evidence the initial walkthrough could have missed. But the apartment was immaculately clean…almost like no one even lived there. However, it was unsurprising seeing as how Barba was either always in his office or in the bar down the street.

"Of course it did. Nothing's ever easy," she grumbled, feeling an uneasy worry settle on her shoulders, as did the rest of SVU. She wasn't his biggest fan and he wasn't hers, but they'd been working with the ADA long enough for him to be considered part of their little family. He knew a lot about the more private and serious parts of the detectives lives and even if it was a part of his job, there was a level of trust and respect they all put in him.

It didn't surprise her that she and everyone else were worried about his well-being. With her and Carisi heading the investigation into the death threats (which they thought was done and closed), she couldn't help but feel a bit responsible and Carisi did too, if the look on his face was any indicator.

She patted his arm as they entered the room, leafing through a pile of crumpled notes with black writing. He flashed one at her that had a particularly nasty message written on it and she understood what it was right away. She was a bit shocked he kept the threatening notes, but knew better. Barba was smart.

"Liv," Amanda called out to the Lieutenant who stood staring out the window of the bedroom with a blank look on her face. Above everyone, Liv was obviously taking this the hardest. It was no secret the two were closet to each other. The two of them spent more time together than everyone combined and Amanda had an inkling there was a tad bit more than friendly feelings between the two, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

Ultimately, it was her boss' business and it would stay that way. However, if Liv needed comfort, then she would give it.

"We can set up a perimeter. Get security footage from the lobby and back entrances and from the restaurant across the street…," the blonde suggested, keeping her voice quiet enough so she didn't alert the other two men in the room. She glanced over her shoulder to see Fin texting on his phone and Carisi still reading through the pile of notes.

When Liv just nodded, Amanda bit back a sigh and rubbed the woman's shoulder comfortingly, "We'll find him, Liv."

Rollins didn't wait for a reply before she turned on her heel, nodding for Carisi to follow her out. Fin watched the two leave, unsure whether or not to go with them or to stay and offer some words to his longtime partner and friend. Liv was one of the strongest people he knew, though and any comfort she needed she would find in herself.

She was allowed to have a moment where she wasn't so sure and strong and he would give it to her. Without a word, he followed the other detectives out of the room, leaving Liv in the silence of Barba's untouched bedroom.

December 3rd – Time Unknown

Barba woke with a stinging slap to his face and a bright light blinding him again. He instinctively curled up and leaned back, wanting to put as much distance between him and the men above him. Except, there was only one man above him and he looked more like a scared teenager than anything.

"Here," the kid dropped a plate of strange looking meat that smelled like dog food in front of his face. Barba scrunched his face as the smell assaulted his nostrils.

"No fork?"

Barba's smart remark lifted the corners of the kid's mouth for a second before he hesitantly looked around the area. The kid bit his lip, looking like he was warring with himself, trying to come to a decision. It was a look the ADA had seen numerous times on victim's faces when they were trying to decide if they truly wanted to open up to him or the detectives. He'd also seen it on suspects who were close to breaking.

It gave him a little flicker of hope. The kid didn't know it, but he could be Barba's only way out of this mess.

"Just eat it or else," the kid said in a voice that was more than likely meant to be menacing. In fact, Barba supposed this entire encounter was supposed to be menacing, to bring him down a notch and make him eat food meant for an animal.

"What's your name?"

The kid froze for a second, surprised by the question and the fact that he wasn't being taken seriously. His mouth moved faster than his brain did, muttering his name before he could stop himself. It probably wasn't a good thing that the lawyer knew his name, but the chances of the man making it through the week were slim to none. Not with everything the higher-ups had planned.

The picture message Victor had sent from one of the burner cells earlier to that female detective was just to mess with them. To give them hope that they could find him alive when all they would do was collect a bag of bones by the end of it.

"Zeke? You a new member? They have you doing all the bitch work?"

Zeke tensed up, angry for a split second before he nodded. This conversation was starting to get into dangerous territory. Subconsciously, he knew this. Before Victor and Romero left, they warned him not to let him talk or ask questions and now here he was, giving answers like an idiot.

"Are you going to eat or do you want to starve?"

Barba glanced down at the plate, absolutely refusing to stick his mouth or face anywhere near it. He wasn't a dog and he wasn't going to eat like one, so he shook his head no and the kid snatched the plate away angrily.

"What are they going to do to me?"

Zeke scoffed, "Like I'm going to tell you, old man."

"Can you at least tell me what they want with me?"

"I don't know but you must have done something to piss them off," Zeke replied, turning on his heel to walk over to the trash can, dumping the plate and the empty can of dog food just as his phone began to buzz.

"I piss off a lot of people. This is the first time I've ever been taken hostage," Barba called, resting his head back against the trunk floor. Zeke remained quiet though, attention focused on, what he assumed was his phone.

Barba laid there, taking in the expanse of warehouse ceiling as the only sound echoing through the cold building was the continuous tapping of fingers typing a text message. He wondered where is phone was for a second and if anyone had tried to reach him.

No doubt the court and his colleagues noticed his absence. He was the picture of punctuality and rarely ever missed a court date. Plus, Liv was supposed to meet up with him before and when he didn't, he knew she would go check on him.

He knew it. He could feel it in his bones.

But these guys? They didn't know a damn thing. All they knew was that they were supposed to kill him. Whether they succeeded before the NYPD found him was a mystery. He had unwavering faith in SVU, though. They had, on more than one occasion, let it be known he was one of them, even if he carried a briefcase instead of a badge.

Zeke sighed and locked his phone, rubbing at his eyes as he went about finishing packing up his bag and getting rid of any trace people had been here. Victor and Romero would be back in an hour and they'd be moving the man to the safe house. He was eager to get home, as well. His abuelita was getting worse by the day and the pills he bought from their dealer were going to help with the pain.

Hopefully, she didn't bother asking him where he got them. She'd die from finding out he was with a street gang before the cancer took her. He couldn't have that.

"So…do you have an idea of when they're going to kill me? I'd like to know before I make Christmas Eve plans with my mother."

Zeke growled, annoyed, "Do you ever shut the fuck up?"

"I'm a lawyer, it's my job to talk."

"Figures," Zeke mumbled, continuing to wipe up the beer cans and bottles loitering every available surface in the small break area of the shop. He cursed when he saw the cigarette burns on the wooden coffee table, wondering how he was even supposed to cover it up. The owners were due back in a few days and if they noticed anything out of sorts, they'd call the cops.

It was their usual spot, out of the way from prying eyes, surrounded by other abandoned warehouses. The owner had no knowledge BX9 had a spare key to the place and occupied it with their shady dealings when the owners would leave town.

Of course, they were usually careful when occupying the spot, not wanting leave any trace behind.

"Do you have any water?"

Zeke hung his head at the request, already feeling his controlled anger slipping at the nonstop talking the man had done since he woke him up. Although, he wouldn't ignore his request for a drink, he was about ready to knock him out again so he could clean in peace.

He quickly grabbed the bottle of water he was drinking from earlier and walked it over to him. Barba did his best to lean up as the kid poured some of the water into his mouth. It was awkward but it did the trick in reliving some of the pain he was feeling.

"Can you at least tell me what time it is?"

"If I do will you shut up and leave me alone?"

Barba nodded, staying silent as he watched Zeke pull his phone out of his pocket to check the time. He shoved it back in and said, "12:45 p.m. Now fuck off."

Barba didn't say anything further and simply rested his head down again on the floor, listening as one of his captors shuffled around the warehouse and wondering what Liv was doing at that very moment.

December 3rd – 1:15 p.m.

"Security cams in the lobby show Barba arriving at 10:45 p.m. and nothing suspicious before or after. We even checked the back and surrounding security cameras from the restaurants and bars in the area. Not a thing. Talked to the doorman and few cleaning people and they didn't see anything either."

"So we're dealing with professional ghosts," Rollins groaned, dropping into her desk chair as Carisi paced the length of the squad room, arms crossed over his chest. Liv ran a hand through her loose hair and closed her eyes. The security footage provided nothing just like CSU provided nothing. Not a sample of DNA other than Barba's was found. The only lead they had was a picture of the man tied up in a car trunk somewhere.

The license was hidden; the car was unidentifiable and so was the location. Liv's blood pressure skyrocketed along with her worry as she recalled the picture. Her phone was tapped as soon as they arrived back to the precinct and would remain that way until…

Until…what?

Until she received another picture? Until she got a phone call? They couldn't trace burner phones. They couldn't trace anything because they had nothing. She wanted to cry and throw shit at the same time, but she kept her composure. She wouldn't falter in front of her squad because she was the strong one and they all needed to keep their shit together.

"They're still analyzing the picture downstairs…maybe they can see something we can't," Fin threw out, reclined back in his chair and twirling a pencil in his fingers. He knew saying it was a long shot but they all needed to stay focused and positive, as hard as it was.

"It's just a picture of him in the trunk of a car. What could they possibly learn from that," Carisi scoffed at the suggestion but knew what Fin was trying to do. He appreciated it, too. He could see the worry etched into the lines of Liv's body. Dodd's and the DA's office had been breathing down her back, ready to take this story to the major news networks. There were talks of bringing in the Fed's as well.

Barba was a high-profile New York ADA. This was new's worthy but as soon as it hit the papers, it was going to be out of control. Liv didn't want that. None of them wanted that. The best course of action they could take was to make it seem like they weren't looking as hard as they already had started.

"Let's just hope they see something we didn't. You never know. In the meantime, let's get his phone records. If he's still been receiving threats maybe these guys have left clues."

Liv got up to leave to her office before Amanda cut her off, "Wait. Remember a few months ago? Heredio? Maybe we can pay him a visit."

"Is he still at Ryker's?"

"He served a three-month sentence on a misdemeanor drug charge but he's out now."

Liv considered this information for a moment before she just nodded, sending her and Carisi back out into the field with a reminder to call her with any information they could. She watched as they gathered their things and left immediately, leaving her and Fin in the squad room alone.

"How you holdin' up?"

The question made her want to roll her eyes. How did he think she felt? But she spared him the attitude because she knew he was only checking on her to make sure she was keeping her head above water. It was no secret her and the ADA were close. Closer than most.

Their friendship took a hit with the Tucker debacle, but they rebuilt and got through it. However, their friendship had always been tinged with something. There was always a film over it, something bubbling underneath the surface she didn't want to identify and succeeded in forgetting about.

Now, it was all she could think about.

"I just want to find him."

Fin nodded and didn't say another word, turning back to his computer and getting started on a request for phone records. Liv stood there a second longer before she walked back into her office and closed the door behind her.

December 3rd – 2:05 p.m.

"Hey bitch boy," Victor called out to Zeke as he and Romero entered the warehouse through the backdoor. The teenager tensed up from his spot on the couch where he'd been scrolling through his Facebook feed. He finished cleaning up just ten minutes before and all their stuff was packed up and ready to move out.

"Did you feed him his chow?"

"He wouldn't take it," Zeke reported. He stood and pocketed his phone while he waited for further instructors from the man. Romero sipped from the brown bagged bottle in his hand, too focused on his phone to even pay the kid any attention. Victor hmm'd and went to sit on the couch, pulling a small baggy of a tar like substance along with a dirty spoon and an unopened hypodermic needle kit.

"You're gonna drug him?"

"You gotta problem with that," Victor said dangerously, going about fixing the addicting substance like an old pro. Zeke looked on, uneasy as he sat down and watched the process half-interested.

"This is how we do things. Don't like it, make a run for it. Just don't expect to get out of this gang alive."

Zeke sucked in a breath, fearing those words like he used to fear his father's belt. Those words were told to him before he joined by one of the guys initiating him. He took the warning with a grain of salt, knowing a few ex-members who turned their lives around after escaping. Hearing the warning coming from Victor, though. He was high enough on the totem pole that anything the man said was to be believed.

Regret echoed in the back of his mind now. He should have listened before he got beat to hell on the outskirts of Manhattan.

"Alright, let's get a move on," Victor said after a few minutes of quiet concentration. He pocketed the equipment with practiced ease and ordered him to grab their shit so they could leave. They were due at the safe house soon.

"Abogado," Victor sang, waking Barba from the fitful nap he drifted off into. He jumped back a little at Victor's face shoved into his but was violently pulled forward by the tie still around his neck.

"I have a little present for you," Victor said, grabbing roughly at his right arm still bound behind his back. Barba hissed in pain, feeling the sharp sting of pins dancing along his skin. His entire body hurt, but his arms were in the worst pain from being pinned behind him for so long.

Barba bit his lip to keep the sarcastic jumble of words he wanted to throw at the gangster, knowing it wouldn't end well. This guy wasn't like the kid. He would kill him with no hesitation and he didn't want to risk that chance.

Victor pulled at one of his sleeves, ripping the buttons and shoving the material up until it exposed his veiny forearm.

"Romero," he whistled for his friend, who unhooked his belt from his pants one handed and passed it to him. Victor quickly wrapped it tightly around Barba's upper arm and the feeling in the lawyer's stomach grew ill at the sight of a loaded syringe being brought into view.

"What is that," he said, knowing full well it was drugs but knowing what it was. He was scared at the prospect of whatever it was about to be injected into his blood stream. It wasn't poison, he reasoned, because they seemed like they were needing to keep him alive. From the looks of it, it resembled cooked heroin.

"This," Victor held up the syringe and Barba flinched away when some of the liquid spouted out of the tip and landed on his vest, "Is going to make you really happy."

He tried moving his arm away, but Victor held a firm grip. He could only watch helplessly as the needle was injected into a vein, the brown swirling liquid disappearing into his arm. Call him crazy, but he could feel it crawling through the vein in his arm, traveling through his body in mere seconds.

Victor snatched the needle out of his arm and unwrapped the belt, watching as the lawyer's head hit the trunk floor and his eyes trying desperately to remain open. The high would keep him preoccupied while they made the transfer and hopefully would keep him quiet as well.

Victor slammed the trunk door shut and quickly lit a cigarette, watching his associate and bitch boy gathered up the rest of their belongings and cleared the place. Once he was confident the place was back to normal, he slid into the front seat and started up the car.

"That should keep him quiet till we get to the safe house."

"You didn't give him too much did you? The last guy we did this to died before we could get there," Romero reminded him as he got in while Zeke flung the bags into the backset and dropped down next to them.

"You think I'd waste my dope on this pinche cabrón? Fuck outta here."