Juliet and Juliet?

Chapter 4

Alex perched on the edge of her desk, eyes sweeping around the office, wondering if this was the last time she'd be here. She hoped not.

She lifted the titanium plaque off the desk which proudly displayed her full name and title. She ran her fingers over each embossed letter and then turned it over. She read the inscription etched into the natural wood base and smiled. She opened her briefcase and placed it carefully inside. It added considerable weight to the already bulging briefcase but she ignored it, she wasn't leaving this behind.

She looked at her watch, Olivia had only been gone a few minutes, two or three at most. She considered opening the door and going out to meet her. She quickly dismissed the idea. She had learned the hard way how to follow instructions when her life depended on it, 'Not just my life,' she thought sadly.

Watching Agent Tim Donovan being blown up in his own car had been a cruel teacher at the school of life. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and shake off the memories.

She looked up as she heard Olivia's voice outside her closed office door.

"Why aren't the elevators secured?" she barked into the radio.

"Yankee, there's a team en route to intercept. Hold your position"

Alex perched on the edge of her desk, eyes sweeping around the office, wondering if this was the last time she'd be here. She hoped not.

She lifted the titanium plaque off the desk which proudly displayed her full name and title. She ran her fingers over each embossed letter and then turned it over. She read the inscription etched into the natural wood base and smiled. She opened her briefcase and placed it carefully inside. It added considerable weight to the already bulging briefcase but she ignored it, she wasn't leaving this behind.

She looked at her watch, Olivia had only been gone a few minutes, two or three at most. She considered opening the door and going out to meet her. She quickly dismissed the idea. She had learned the hard way how to follow instructions when her life depended on it, 'Not just my life,' she thought sadly.

Watching Agent Tim Donovan being blown up in his own car had been a cruel teacher at the school of life. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and shake off the memories.

She looked up as she heard Olivia's voice outside her closed office door.

"Why aren't the elevators secured?" she barked into the radio.

"Yankee, there's a team en route to intercept. Hold your position"

"Negative Retriever, there's no time. I'll move the package to the stairwell and switch to exit four," Olivia instructed.

"Copy that Yankee"

Alex felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as Olivia burst into the room.

Olivia was in full cop mode, "We need to move. Now!" She reached for Alex's hand as if that would make her move faster. They turned the corner of the 'L' shaped corridor and ran towards the stairwell. Olivia's eyes never leaving the digital floor display above the elevator.

'7' was illuminated.

The 16th precinct was a hive of activity. Phones were ringing, there was a constant buzz of conversation, fingers were tapping furiously on keyboards and an endless swarm of shifting bodies utilized every inch of desk space.

Only a few heads looked up at the raised voices coming from Captain Don Cragen's closed office door.

"Elliot, the building has been evacuated, the perimeter is secure and the only personnel on site are ours. Whatever's going on over there, it's contained. I need you," he pointed a finger at Elliot, "HERE," he raised his voice to emphasize his point.