Juliet and Juliet?

Chapter 9

Elliot raced into the DA's building and headed straight for the elevators. His eyes scanned the lobby as he entered the open car, he turned and saw Lieutenant Goldie running towards him. He reached out a hand to stop the closing doors, allowing Goldie to slip in.

"Did you think I'd just let you go without back up Stabler?" panted Goldie, as he brought his breathing under control.

Elliot released the door and punched '11' on the floor selection panel and looked over curiously at Goldie, "Is there no way this guy can get out?" he wanted to make sure Connors was going nowhere.

Goldie leaned against the back wall of the elevator and checked his weapon, "Nope. All the exits are secure, ''Team 1 should almost be there and the 'Go' Team are behind them" he paused and chose his words carefully, "paramedics are heading up too," he added somberly.

Elliot visibly flinched, he didn't look at him, all he could focus on was what he'd seen on the monitor. Olivia had been waiting for Connors to come out of the office. The hooded figure had stepped into the hallway, been startled at her presence, turned and fired.

It had been over in a heartbeat, when he saw them both go down, he knew they'd both been hit.

Olivia had never been shot on the job before. In the ten years they had been partners he'd seen her stabbed, kicked and punched. He thought of her time undercover at 'Sealview', she had refused to talk to him about the events that occurred in the basement but he'd seen her bruises, watched her withdraw into herself and knew it hadn't been, 'nothing'.

But shot?

Never.

He couldn't see where she'd been hit, he just saw her body recoil backwards and slump heavily to the floor. His decision to enter the building and go to her was non negotiable and he feared Goldie was trying to keep him out of the way.

He turned to Goldie as the elevator flashed '4'.

"That's my partner up there Lieutenant, I'm not standing down," He warned.

Goldie pushed off the back of the elevator, he stood with his feet apart and nodded his head, "No, but you ain't going in 'gung ho' neither." He moved towards the floor selection panel, "We don't know what we're facing up there," he said tapping the button marked, '11' with a finger on his free hand. He looked at Elliot, "Did you stop to consider your options before you punched '11'?" He said as he moved his finger and pressed '7'.

Elliot just looked at him as his brain kicked into high gear,'shit,' he mentally kicked himself, I didn't'. His only thoughts had been to get to Olivia as fast as he could by the quickest route possible. He suddenly realized whoever was on '11' would almost certainly know they were about to get company. His eyes widened at Goldie in realization, "Shit, I nev-"

Goldie cut him off, "Other elevator's stuck on '7', we'll exit there and see why he needs the elevator jammed, then proceed to '11'. Your partner's down, we have no visual on Cabot but we do have visual on the floor," he stopped, looking to make sure Elliot understood exactly what he was saying. "Tact Team are trained for this Stabler, this is where you let me do my job," he said nodding his head seeking confirmation.

Elliot nodded. He kept seeing the image of Olivia recoiling and slumping in his mind, 'Hold on Liv...hold on,' he repeated like a mantra.

The radio on Goldie's belt broke the mounting tension as a voice filled the car, " 'Go' Team to Retriever, you copy? "

Goldie unclipped the radio, "This is Retriever, what's your status?"

"Team 1 located...three dead on stairwell, level '6'"

There was a pause as the gravity of the statement sunk in. The initial assault team had been intercepted by Connors with deadly consequences.

Elliot and Goldie exchanged worried looks.

"Who's missing?" Goldie asked anxiously.

"Brennan."

"Copy that," Goldie responded.

Elliot was still watching him, "What does that mean? Where is he?" he asked confused.

Goldie ignored him, "Does anyone have a visual on David Brennan? Every team report in now!"

Elliot's mind was racing, 'Connors took out Team 1, Did he have Brennan? Why would he take an ESU Agent? Why hadn't Brennan reported in?' he looked expectantly at Goldie, willing him to give him the answers.

They both listened as each team reported no visual on Brennan and floors 1 - 6 were secure.

Elliot looked once more at the floor number...'6'...he removed his gun from his left hip holster and released the safety. He watched as Goldie informed his teams that he was approaching '7' and to take 'the shot' if anyone had a clear visual on Connors.

Elliot and Goldie took up positions on either side of the elevator doors. As the car slowed and jolted to a stop they both nodded as the doors slid open...

David Brennan watched Alex carefully as she entered the hallway in front of him, "Remember what I said," he warned.

Alex refused to acknowledge him and started walking towards the corner of the 'L' shaped hallway. She noticed the black jacket and hood lying on the floor at the wall, hidden from view. 'Bastard,' she thought.

He stopped suddenly, "Wait," he instructed. He tilted his head to one side and winced, he was listening intently to something being said in his earpiece. With the injury to his right shoulder he struggled to move his upper body as freely as he normally would.

Alex reached into her briefcase, she felt the gun pressed into her back.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She looked over her shoulder at him, "I need to put my glasses away, I don't wear them outside, I've got a holder for them in here," she tapped the briefcase, "If I leave wearing them, someone will know something is wrong," she lied.

He nodded and removed the gun from her back. He was still listening to the conversations taking place between Tact Teams and Retriever.

Alex reached into her briefcase and felt her hands find what she was searching for, she slowly puled out the oblong object.

She closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, turned and struck him across the face as hard as she could. The force of the blow causing his head to bounce to the side reflexively. Before he had a chance to react she drove the titanium name plate as forcefully as possible into his wounded shoulder.

He screamed in pain as blood gushed from his nose and his newly re-opened wound. He dropped the gun in his left hand, bent over reflexively and grabbed his bleeding shoulder.

Alex instantly grabbed his shoulders, raised a strong, lean thigh and rammed her knee as hard as she could between his legs. She stepped back quickly and watched as he fell backwards into a crumpled, wheezing heap.

She reached for the forgotten gun that was lying motionless on the tiled floor.

Just as she bent to pick it up a hand grabbed her wrist and threw her backwards, she dropped the name plate and felt nothing but air until she collided with the wall with an ominous thud. Pain flew up her back and she fought the waves of dizziness and nausea that were washing over her, 'Don't pass out, don't pass out' she repeated, willing herself to stay conscious.

He was inches from her face, blood pouring into his mouth, "That was clever Cabot, now I really do look like I got away from a trained killer, thank you," he panted. He spat out some blood and took a cleansing breath, "Pull a stunt like that again... and I'll shoot you myself." he said through gritted teeth, eyes blazing with fury.