As soon as Ben noticed the ambulance sitting outside waiting for them he unlocked the front door and looked toward his partners and gave them a look. A second later they and a couple of Doctors brought Kevin out on a stretcher and he opened up the doors allowing them to take him outside of the hospital with an umbrella over him in order to keep the raging storm away from him. Detective’s Stabler and Benson opened the ambulance doors in the back and as they got out of the way a few paramedics began loading him.


“What’s going on with him?” Detective Stabler demanded as he watched Kevin with emotion written all over his face. “Is he okay?”


“He suffered a bullet wound to the gut. We performed surgery on him to remove it and were successful at it – he did just fine throughout the whole thing and has been given medication. He is just resting. He’s been in and out a few times and every time he has he’s asked for Ellie. He’ll probably do that some more just so you know.”


“Hopefully the next time he does I will be able to tell him she’s right here and have her hold his hand and everything,” Detective Stabler insisted softly. Detective Benson wrapped an arm around his shoulders then and began leading him toward the building.


“Come on El let’s go get this over with.”


“Make sure Harry knows to go to his cousin when you get him there Craig,” Detective Stabler called out to the paramedic. “Don’t let him be alone, make sure he has plenty of loved ones with him when he wakes up again.”


“I’ve got it Elliot I promise. Don’t worry about it.”


“Would you like to go and make sure all of that happens yourself?” Detective Benson asked him with a small hint of hope.


“No. Ben asked for me and I have to be the one to get Ellie back to him” and with that he pulled away from her and went into the building despite the fact that he was supposed to wait until all of the hostages have been let out. Detective Benson sighed heavily and exchanged looks with Detective Tutuola before going in after him and Detective Tutuola followed her. As soon as they all three were in there Ben looked at all of them.


“Has Kevin been loaded safely into the ambulance?”


“Yes,” Detective Stabler answered and Ben looked at the rest of the hostages whom he had gotten to all line up while they waited.


“All of you may go now – there are paramedics out there who will take care of you” he explained and the hostages wasted no time in doing as they were told as if they were afraid he might change is mind. As Cindy the receptionist reached Detective Stabler on her way out she gently grabbed his hand causing him to squeeze hers gently and he gave her a reassuring look.


“Did Steven get out okay? Please tell me that he did Elliot” She pleaded.


“He did,” Detective Stabler reassured gently. “With the Backstreet Kids hours ago – I rescued him myself and everything. I’m sure you will see him at Banner Health when you get there.” Cindy now looking relieved and grateful let go of Detective Stabler’s hand and she followed the rest of the hostages out. When they were all gone and it was just the four of them standing in there, Ben turned his attention on them.


“They’re all gone…now will you please explain to us what these complications are?”


“Sean got a hold of Ashley and has dragged her off to who knows where…but I’m assuming it’ll probably be the one camera that is turned off,” Ben began while pointing to the television screens.


“No, that’s Brooke’s office” Detective Stabler replied softly. “Steve turned that one off earlier so he and the kids could hide in there.”


“I mean the other one camera turned off” Ben answered. Do you have any idea what room it might be?”


“The basement,” Detective Benson answered after looking at all of the rooms on the screen and trying to determine which one was missing. “From all of the times I’ve looked on the screens that BSB Security have set up, I’ve seen a basement. There isn’t one there now.”


“There never was one to begin with,” Ben informed. “That screen has been blank the whole time I’ve been here.”


“Well, I think we’ve just figured out how they got in…” Detective Tutuola spoke up.


“The basement window had alarms on it – not to mention it was boarded up for the storm I’m sure” Detective Stabler reminded.


“Then there must be another entrance down there,” Detective Tutuola insisted. “I’m telling you why else would it be blank? Just earlier today AJ and everybody was watching Ashley make progress with the Sean Punching Bag down there remember?”


“Kota told us about all of the secret entrances.”


“Kota has been terrified of the basement ever since she was dragged down there and molested by Tom El remember? She won’t go anywhere near it now. It could be possible that there was a secret entrance she doesn’t know about down there…and it makes sense – think about it. Every baddie that we’ve ever had in this building has used the basement.”


“Well while we’re standing here arguing about it, Ashley is most likely down there being tortured to death,” Ben reminded urgently.


“What were the other complications that you had? You made it sound like there was more than one” Detective Tutuola questioned.


“Damien got Wiley and Marcus too – my guys are working on that one though.”


“How?” Detective Stabler demanded with the worry very evident in his eyes now. Detective Benson grabbed his arm gently as if afraid he might do something stupid like run off on his own in this building and try and save them. Ben who isn’t surprised by his behavior in the least bit since he knows that Detective Stabler is both A) very close to everyone in this building and B) someone who needs to be in control of every situation began to explain it to them.


~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile in one of the many bedrooms, Damien currently had Marcus handcuffed to a chair and gagged while Wiley sat on the floor in the bathroom with his arms up above his head cuffed to a towel rack. Wiley currently had his shirt off and he had a sickening feeling inside his stomach that he might be getting some unwanted razor art on his skin if he isn’t careful. He also has a sickening feeling in his stomach that he might not be able to stop it if it happens. How is he supposed to fight back with both of his hands cuffed to a towel rack?

He has his feet…he could kick the guy where it counts…but what good would that do if he can’t even go anywhere when he does? He looked around the bathroom desperately for something that could help him and his eyes suddenly fixed on the rack his hands were currently cuffed to. Could he possibly have the strength to rip it from the wall if he must? He will have to he doesn’t see any other option. He’ll rip the rack from the wall and jam it into anybody who tries to attack him – right in their eye – or something. As morbid as that sounds…at least it would work.

With that plan on his mind set and ready to be put into action he sat there quietly trying to listen in on the quiet murmurs going on out in the other room so maybe he will know when it’s going to happen and be ready. He will have to save Marcus too. Hopefully he won’t be handcuffed to something that can’t leave the floor…or wall. Because he isn’t sure he will be able or have time to find the keys. He sat there quietly listening until he heard a familiar voice coming from above him in a quiet whisper.


“Psst…Wiley!” the voice said and he looked up to find Kori’s face peering down at him through the air vent.


“Kori!” Wiley whispered back gratefully, feeling elated to see her and know that she is okay. Of course she would be okay…she’s Kori after all. But it didn’t stop him from worrying about her. Kori saw this and fought back the overwhelming emotion and regret inside her and she gave him a small loving smile. “How did you know where to find me?”


“Whatever do you mean Wi?” Kori asked in mock exasperation. “I always know where to find you. You’re that reassuring light that chases away all of my troubles and makes everything okay again.” Tears flooded Wiley’s eyes then despite his best efforts to keep them at bay and she continued. “You’re the best thing in my life Wi…you always will be…even if I have to love somebody else. And I’m going to get you out of there because you are too good to be caught up in all of this just because of a bitch that broke your heart.”


“Hey…don’t talk about my best friend like that.”


“I never said a thing about Chris,” Kori teased and Wiley rolled his eyes playfully.


“My other best friend…Kori Mortenson.”


“Mortenson McLean with a hyphen in between them” Kori corrected and he watched as she reached for something and had a feeling that it might be AJ’s hand.


“I never thought I would see that day,” Wiley chuckled.


“I’ll be right back,” Kori promised him and then disappeared and he sat there listening for something to happen. Meanwhile in the other room Damien and gang were standing there talking when the one standing so that he was facing the door noticed Emilio standing in the doorway. He raised his gun to shoot causing Damien to whirl around and do the same no questions asked but Emilio held his hands up in defense.


“Wait, wait, wait, hear me out please – I may have something to offer to you” Emilio insisted coolly. Damien arched his eyebrow.


“What could you possibly have to offer to me?”


“You have to promise not to shoot me or any of the people who come in this room with me first and I will tell you.” Damien stared him down warily for a long moment and then deciding it wouldn’t hurt him any to hear him out he gave him a short nod. Emilio motioned for Kori, AJ, Scott, and Nick to follow him before entering the room and they did just that.


“What if I were to tell you that I could serve you Sean’s life on a silver platter?” Emilio bargained.


“And why would you want to do that for me?” Damien demanded skeptically.


“Hey I think it’s pretty much safe to say that we both hate him,” Emilio began. “We both want to see him fall, and I know where he is at too.”


“What would you get out of telling me? Why not just go after him yourself?”


“Well you see I have a problem,” Emilio informed while shrugging his shoulders. “You for one have my men and have shortened my gang…and two neither of us are getting anywhere with our groups getting in the way of each other like this…are we? It’s a pointless never ending battle over the same thing. So why not work together?”


“You had more than this when we were fighting you in the hall,” another man spoke up. “We only took two. Where are the other two guys that were with you?”


“They’re around,” Emilio answered casually. “That’s not important. What is important here is…do we have a deal?” he asked while turning his attention back on Damien. Damien eyed him for a long moment, and then motioned toward the door.


“Go wait out in the hall while we discuss it and we’ll get back to you shortly” he answered. Emilio shrugged and then turned and headed for the door motioning for his ‘gang members’ to follow him and they did just that.


“You’re just going to let them go?” they heard the other guy ask.


“They aren’t going to go anywhere. I can see that they’re being truthful with us…” As soon as they were out in the hall, Nick leaned up against the wall for support as it was getting harder and harder for him to even walk and he grabbed hold of Emilio’s arm gently causing him to look at him.


“I promised Ashley none of us would kill him for Ellie’s sake,” he whispered very quietly so that only those standing around him would hear him. “Please don’t make me break a promise to her, I’ve never done so in our entire relationship and I’m not going to start now.” AJ gave him a look. “I’ve messed up, but I’ve never truly broken a promise” Nick amended.


“I know, but we’re going to make them think we’re handing him over” Emilio explained in a quiet whisper that was almost in Nick’s ear. “It will get Marcus and Wiley free and it will get them out of our way so that we don’t have to sneak around or worry about running into them.”


“And what happens when we find Sean and he expects us to just let them kill him huh?”


“We’ve already been through this Nick. You made it perfectly clear that you could get Ashley to do what we want her to do without actually telling her. That is the truth right?”


“Yes but—“


“—So what’s the problem then?”


“—she has to be able to see me. We’re good but we aren’t that good.” Kori gently touched Nick’s shoulder then, the one that wasn’t currently injured.


“If I can fit up into an air vent sweetie I know you can too, especially if we asked you to do it for Ashley.”


“Yes but how am I—“


“—She’ll just know that you are there,” AJ reminded him gently, foreseeing what his question was going to be. “She always does buddy you of all people should know that.” Nick nodded then, allowing Kori and AJ’s words to reassure him and he watched as Scott slid his arms around her waist and pulled her to him from behind and kiss her forehead softly and he longed to be able to hold Ashley again and kiss her. A few seconds later Damien poked his head out the door causing Emilio and all of them to look at him and he motioned for them all to come in. They did just that and saw that Wiley and Marcus have been let go and were now in the room.


“What is your plan exactly? We can’t exactly attack Sean without a plan.”


“The plan is, that your group and most of mine,” Emilio pointed to Kori, Scott, AJ, and Wiley to make it very clear who he was talking about. “Are going to go to the lobby to get into hiding spots where Sean won’t see us and the other part of my group,” he motioned toward Marcus and Nick. “Are going to lure him there.”


“You are going to give such a huge job to only two of your guys?” Damien questioned.


“They can handle it they’re very good at what they do.”


“Fine…”


“All right…if it’s okay with you,” Emilio began. “Mac and Trey go first,” He added using code names. Damien shrugged and Emilio motioned for Marcus and Nick to go. The two of them walked out of the room and as soon as they were out of sight from the other men, Marcus slid his arm around Nick’s waist in order to support him as they walked. He could see just how much he was struggling right now.


“Where are we going?” Marcus wanted to know when they were out of hearing point of everybody in the room.


“To rescue Ashley now,” Nick answered quietly while looking up at Marcus with slightly watery eyes. “Sean has her down in the basement. I am supposed to crawl up into the air vent and get her to see me and get her to understand that she is supposed to get away from him somehow and lead him out into the lobby where the big battle will begin. Except this time we’re on Sean’s side - At least until we can get control over Damien and his guys seeing as how Ellie and Ashley are both hell bent on keeping him alive. Then…who knows what will happen after that – a whole lot of making shit up as we go along but hopefully by the time Damien and them are down it will just be us against two. While I am up in the air vent you are supposed to get a hold of Ben using this walkie talkie,” he added while pulling a walkie talkie from his pocket and handing it over. “Elliot, Olivia, and Fin are all with him including a shit load of undercover cops. You’re supposed to tell them the plan is in motion and then track down Brian, Brooke, and the rest of security – we have all of ten minutes to do this in, that’s all the time Emilio thinks he will be able to stall for. When you find them, get them hidden in the lobby. Understand?” Marcus nodded. “I’m pretty sure I will be able to get to her in time, but if I don’t, grab Ashley out of the way as quickly as possible…things are going to get fucking crazy with that many baddies.”


“No need to tell me twice…see you in a bit” Marcus insisted and then as he hurried off to go track down everybody he also began contacting Ben while Nick hurried toward his and Ashley’s apartment knowing the air vent up there is not only the biggest one that he knows of, but he knows the quickest route to the basement from there.