He knew it was stupid to enter the granary without backup. The man was an unpredictable psychopath, and smart. This was a very stupid idea. He didn't care .
As he entered the dilapidated building he heard noises from one of the upper floor and he kept his gun drawn. The sand and rocks made it nearly impossible to move silently and quickly. He opted for quickly. He moved up the stairs as silently as possible, following the low rumble of voices and shuffling feet from above.
He kept his breathing slow and controlled while trying to mentally prepare for what he may encounter. When it came to Olivia he struggled keeping a level head. He had to think smart and not barrel in with reckless disregard. Today, recklessness could get them both killed.
The voices grew louder as he ascended the stairs. He crept quietly, but realized there would be no cover once he topped the stairs. He stayed low and quiet, trying to assess the situation and how to best intervene.
The conversation he overheard made his blood run cold.
"I have you both now so I can do you, and let her watch. Or I can cut her down.. and do her while you watch. I'm fine either way."
Elliot felt his hands shaking. He needed to calm the hell down. He breathed, and steadied himself, waiting for the best moment. He wasn't here just for Olivia. A twelve year old child's life depended on how he handled this situation. He hated how his mind instantly drifted to the Gitano case. He tried to tell himself that this was different but was it really? Just like he did then, he knew he would choose her over the job. Every time. And he tried not to feel guilty about it.
Lewis' words drifted down the stairs. So you're just buying time by letting me rape you…that's it?
Nope. That was enough. If they needed to buy time he would put himself on the line not Olivia. There was no way this was happening. Not to her. The rest of the team shouldn't be too far behind him. They just needed a little more time.
Their backs were to him when he finally crested the stairs. He felt physically ill at the scene before him. The girl's arms were extended above her head as she hung behind the table where Lewis had Olivia bound. He swallowed the bile rising into his throat. Her legs were duct taped apart and her hands were cuffed and tied.
Controlled, he reminded himself. Just as Lewis' hands gripped her hips, Elliot made his presence known, "I thought I was clear when I paid you a visit in prison."
Lewis whipped around, and Elliot kept his gun trained on him. He consciously focused on not shooting him. As much as he wanted this monster dead and buried, gunning him down had ethical implications he didn't want to consider.
Lewis lifted his hands away from Olivia's body in an exaggerated motion. "Elliot Stabler." He grinned sadistically. "I thought you would be back with your wife ." He turned back towards Olivia, "You know," he contemplated, "Stabler here is a good Catholic, did know that?" He came around the front of the table, and continued his monologue. "I'm pretty sure they have pretty strict rules regarding Heaven and hell." Lewis' eyes drifted back to Olivia. Elliot's stomach clenched when Lewis ran his fingers through her hair. "Now, I have a question. What happens to the woman who pulls a man away from his Catholic faith and down the road to sin?" He returned his attention back to Elliot, "Do you have any thoughts on that?"
Elliot tried to keep his focus on Lewis, but his eyes shifted to Olivia, and he felt sick at the look of defeat written all over her face. He should have kept his eyes on Lewis because in the seconds Elliot's gaze drifted Lewis pulled his gun.
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Amanda wanted to scream. Why the hell were they being so careful? They needed to get out of the precinct and to that granary. She bounced impatiently as Murphy finally confirmed the location.
"Rollins, Fin and Amaro, you're with me! Let's get all units dispatched now!" Amanda hurried after Murphy with both Nick and Fin following close behind.
After being on the job for so long, she had become almost immune to the adrenaline spikes when entering dangerous situations. This felt different. Maybe it was because they were rushing to save Olivia . Her friend.
Her knees bounced nervously until Nick dropped a hand onto her knee cap. Her eyes caught his, and he reassured, "We are gonna be there soon," he kept his voice low, not wanting Murphy to overhear her almost obvious breakdown. "She's Liv. She's smart. She'll be okay." Amanda nodded, and tried to take down her worry. She reassured herself further when she remembered Stabler was already there, and if she knew anything about that man, she knew he would take a bullet for Olivia. She hoped it wouldn't come down to that.
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"Drop the gun," Elliot commanded.
Lewis took a step closer, and Elliot side stepped in an attempt to situate himself closer to Olivia. "Nah. I'm good. Is this the part where you try to reassure me that we can all get out of here alive if I just drop the gun?"
"No. I'm pretty okay with you leaving here in a body bag, and I have no desire to convince you to do otherwise." He watched Lewis' movements. The man survived because of his unpredictability and sheer luck. He watched him closely, waiting for the maniac to turn the tables in some drastic way.
Lewis laughed his horrible sadistic laugh. "Well, I'm thinking someone will, I'm just not sure who."
In an instant the barrel of Lewis' gun was pressed to Olivia's temple. She winced and shut her eyes, and Elliot felt tired of the game, particularly when Olivia was cast as the pawn.
He needed Lewis to turn his gun back on him. "You don't want to do that." Elliot tried.
"Oh? Why not?" In a show of power Lewis took a fistful of Olivia's hair and yanked her head backward. Olivia's head whipped like a rag doll and she let out an almost indiscernible wimper.
Elliot steadied his shaky breathing, and resisted the urge to pull the trigger. Not yet. Not with Lewis' gun aimed directly at Olivia's head.
"Well then," Lewis laughed. "I thought Elliot Stabler was incapable of self control." He let go of Olivia's hair and slithered his hand down her spine.
Elliot knew he was being baited, and he tried not to play into the man's obvious attempts at manipulation. Time for him to turn the tables. "You won't shoot her." Elliot challenged. "Then the game is over, and you aren't ready for that."
Lewis grinned and pressed the pistol tighter against Olivia's head. Elliot tried to hide his sharp intake of breath. This was a careful deadly dance and he had to keep his poker face in tact.
With his gun still aimed at Lewis he continued, "I worked at SVU for years. I understand your sadistic endgame. Think about it. If you kill her this will all be over, and I will not hesitate to shoot you. Game over." Elliot maintained eye contact and internally shuddered at the appearance of Lewis' cold dead eyes. "But," Elliot had his attention, so he tried to talk slowly to kill more time. "If you kill me ," He tilted his head, "the game continues. And you have the upper hand again." He tried to keep his eyes on Lewis not Olivia. Her pleading eyes would distract him and he needed Lewis to pull his gun on him .
Lewis considered the idea, and Elliot tried to sell it further. "Think back. I'm the person she wanted to see most before she died." He tried to slow his pounding heart. "Think of how much pain my death would cause her."
Lewis continued to consider his offer, but he didn't seem decided until Olivia cried, "No El. You're not doing this." For the first time since Elliot arrived he watched her actually pull against her restraints.
Lewis' smile returned as he turned his gun back to Elliot. Olivia's attempt to have Elliot reconsider only sold Lewis on the idea. He got off on her pain and her obvious protesting only solidified the idea in his mind. He took a couple steps away from Olivia and Elliot let out a silent sigh of relief. At least for now she was safe.
That didn't stop her from trying to return the focus to her. Damn , he loved her, but she was making this difficult.
"Come on Lewis you know I'm what you want right now." Her voice held a desperation he had never heard. "Killing him accomplishes nothing."
"Nah." His eyes never wavered from Elliot now that he found another way to torture her. "I think I like his idea better actually."
When her pleas went unheeded she tried appealing to Elliot. "Elliot don't do this," she practically begged. "You don't have just me to worry about. Eli. The kids. I don't have anyone who needs me. Please El." Her brown eyes filled with tears.
He hated that she viewed her life as somehow less important than his. In his eyes, his life choices left him irredeemable. She did so much good in the world. If the scales needed to be balanced, he would gladly take her place.
She attempted one more pleasing look, "Please." Her voice barely registered above a whisper, and it took everything inside of him to keep his focus on the man with a gun aimed in his direction.
Lewis looked antsy, like he was done with this exchange and wanted to move on. "Liv," his voice lowered. "I love you, but I'm doing this."
She didn't try to control her tears. He stepped further away from her, hoping to distance himself from her, obscuring her view of what was about to happen.
Lewis lifted his weapon, and Elliot followed suit. He watched Lewis' hand, and waited for the inevitable trigger squeeze.
Two shots rang out, and he wasn't sure if he pulled his trigger or if he even hit Lewis, but he was acutely aware of the familiar feeling of a bullet tearing through his body. He couldn't breathe. This was it. It happened exactly the way he had always imagined. Gunned down for the life of his partner. His best friend. The woman he loved. As he struggled to pull air into his lungs he realized it was worth it. Every moment, every sacrifice was worth it for the time he spent with Olivia. He could die happy.
**Drops this chapter and then runs away... Sorry for the cliffhanger!**
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