Semper Ad Meliora (Law & Order)

non timebo mala

Latin: "I will fear no evil"

In which the police and the attorneys rally behind their own, but the viper still has venom left in his bite.

Also known as "Blood Out" from Law & Order: SVU and I am so sorry for how angsty this ended up being . . . and how freaking long it ended up being. This is pushing close to 17K, which is one of the longest chapters I've ever written. I think I've only written longer in my Doctor Who books, and I'm certain that was my "The Day of the Doctor" rewrite. Anyway . . . lots happening here, so I hope you enjoy!

***

"You know the rule. Blood for blood. Get some principiantes to chop the little bastard up, right in front of her."

Sam flinched at the voice on the recording, and Jack raised his hand. Her boss normally was a master at concealing his emotions. Now, his rage was clear on his face. "Enough, Carisi."

Sonny plucked his phone from the desk and paused the recording, and Nolan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "So Captain Benson wasn't the target."

"No," Peter's jaw clenched, and Sam was surprised she didn't hear the sound of breaking bones. "It was Noah. The son of the bitch wanted him hacked up in front of her."

"Oh, my God," Sam buried her face in her hands. "Noah . . . "

"Your case is solid?" Jack asked Sonny.

"With these recordings and the BX9 members we were able to flip?" Sonny nodded. "We can't get more solid than this."

"Good," Jack said coldly. "This bastard threatened the son of an NYPD captain and sent his lackeys to kill the family of one of my prosecutors. Blood for blood? I want his, Carisi."

Sonny nodded with a smirk. "Yes, sir."

***

"Is this normal for a Manhattan courtroom?"

Joe Velasco frowned at the words of the man next to him. "What's that mean?"

"Look around," Mike Duarte gestured around the room. "What is this?"

Velasco looked around, and unease settled in his gut when he saw what Duarte meant. Peter Stone filed into the room first, expression glacial as he glared in the direction of Oscar Papa and his attorney. Behind him came Nolan Price and Samantha Maroun, the pair of homicide prosecutors flanking him. Behind them came Jack McCoy himself, the District Attorney's perfect mask cracking to show the anger he felt. "It's a show of force," Velasco realized as he turned back around, feeling Sonny's confidence radiate off him as he took his place on his side of the courtroom. "They're here for Stone."

"Oscar Papa, you are charged with 19 counts of rape in the first," the judge glanced at the file in front of him. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor," Swope answered for his client.

"And on the two counts of attempted murder in the second?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor."

The judge turned expectantly to Sonny. "People on bail?"

"Oscar Papa is a career criminal who ordered the gangland style hit of an NYPD captain and her 11-year-old son," Sonny answered. "He is the acknowledged leader of BX9, and he's guilty of participation in at least 100 rapes . . . that we know of. We request remand."

"Your Honor, these murder charges are up to interpretation," Swope began.

Sonny cut across him. "The defense intends to paint Oscar Papa as some kind of local youth advocate when, in fact, we all know that he is the head of a criminal organization that could more accurately be described as a death cult."