Original subtitles

In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered

especially heinous.

In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious

felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

I am so sorry.

Take it easy. You made it. You made it.

Sam. Excuse me, can I get a glass of wine here?

Did you hear from your mother? Yeah, the last report from Staten Island.

The kids are making popcorn. They're watching movies that they probably

shouldn't be watching, but everybody's happy.

Thank you.

Did Liv keep you later?

No, she had to kick me out. I lost track of time.

I'm really sorry.

No, no, relax, relax.

Sounds to me like you're finally back on a job that makes you happy.

I am.

I'm happy.

It's weird.

Why is that weird? I don't know. I guess I'm just used to hopping around

different jobs, and this feels permanent.

Enjoy it.

Be bored. Just for a minute.

Here. Happy second anniversary.

Silence is almost eerie. You hear me complaining?

Hey, I'll take a shower.

Don't you go anywhere.

Drop. Lower the gun. Drop it or I'll shoot. Shooting counts the crease. You

Sergeant Rollins.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Put her on the ground.

Kick it to me. There's still time to get out of this. Do it!

I said to me! Just forget about the gun.

Just tell us what you want.

Back up.

He walks over.

Slow.

You time up. We're not doing that. I'm in control!

Do it!

Unravel it.

Unravel it!

Don't move!

Go. Go.

Amanda, anything?

Not yet, but we have every cop in the city on the lookout. Just make sure that

they have his full description.

He was white, young, 20s probably. He had medium build. He had brown eyes.

Amanda, we got it. Why don't you have a seat? Okay.

Look, is there anything at all familiar about him? Did you, the sound of his

voice, a familiar scent?

We know him. We didn't recognize him, but he sure as hell knew who we were.

Yeah, he knew our names.

And he knew how to break in. He was waiting here for us, Liv. Did he say

anything that gives us motive? Anything?

Oh, he wanted us both dead.

Okay, he didn't need to say it. And the way he referred to us, Sergeant and

Counselor, like, I know that we're looking at a targeted attack, but I

could be revenge.

I'm sending a protective detail, okay, to Staten Island for your kids and your

parents. And I'm putting you two in a hotel until we know more.

Good. It could have been.

Really, really bad. It wasn't because you kept your head about you and you

protected yourself. And you are safe and your children are safe. We're going to

get them. I want a patrol car on every block a mile out until we say otherwise.

Hey, I just wanted to see with my own eyes that you're all right. We're fine.

Thank you. The department is devoting every available resource to that. We

be meticulous and swift.

My personal number.

Call anytime.

Appreciate it, Chief.

Yeah.

You all right?

You want the honest answer?

Me neither.

When it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. Yeah.

I'm here to support you, whatever you need.

Well, I want...

It's for you to take the lead on this. And before you answer... Wow.

Okay.

Thank you.

She'll need to be modified while the shooting's being reviewed. Of course.

Give up her gun, which I imagine will go over like a leprechaun. She understands

protocol. Phil, if you need me to be the bad guy, I'll take the hit.

And tell her I won't listen to reason.

I appreciate that.

I'll handle it. Sure.

and I'll get her on top of the list for the psychic vow.

You just find who did that.

I will.

Hey, what did we get from Winnetha? Neighbors are bust.

He heard the guy in the fire escape.

He couldn't get a good look.

But the Amazon driver did. Said that he saw a man in a COVID mask get into a

blue Honda.

Did we get a license plate? No. Let me show you why.

The plate's got some kind of cover on it. The guy knows what he's doing.

too far away to ID the driver, but the perp gets into the passenger side.

Means that he had an accomplice. Did any other cameras pick this up? No, none

better than this. We'll put out an APB on what we got. Okay, did we get

back from the lab? No prints on the cord that was left behind, but they're

pushing his blood through CODIS.

Hey, where's Ross?

So, tell me you want to be alone without telling me you want to be alone. I just

needed to focus.

Yeah, focus on your old cases.

I've got it narrowed down.

Based on what? Motive and recent releases.

There's Robert Watson. He was a fire escape peeping Tom. We collared a few

ago for the third time. Somehow he made bail.

Michael Simmons, a rapist who was escalating when I arrested him 10 years

He was released last month. Then we got Bruce Ingram.

He threatened to kill Carisi after his arraignment.

He was just found not guilty in trial. I remember him. He had a bogus alibi, but

then DNA exonerated him in the final hour. Could still hold a grudge. So I

figured I'll run him down, rule him out with their voices.

Okay. So we knew that the review of the shooting would come back clean. Yeah.

But still need to clear psych.

Yeah, but look, Bruno's out for a funeral. We're down a man. So I just

could... Figured what? You figured it?

Just like you skipped that part?

No, that's just not good for anyone. Plus, Tynan is expediting your

Great. Yeah. All right, so the quicker it's done, the better. Yeah, the quicker

you talk to someone, the better.

Because if you don't, it'll only get worse.

In the meantime, I'll have Curry and Griffin pay these three a visit.

I'll talk to my attorney.

Not the best way to start, Bruce. But they found me not guilty. Can't you

just leave me alone? This isn't about that case. It's about Assistant District

Attorney Carisi.

Never heard of him. No?

Well, he's the prosecutor that you threatened to kill after your

Does that not ring any bells?

What about him? He and his wife were attacked last night.

It's got nothing to do with me.

So threatening to kill him was, what, a hilarious joke?

I was mad.

Cops accused me of hurting that girl.

That prosecutor tried to seal the deal. He ruined my life. Sounds like motive.

I already got my DNA.

Yeah, we do.

But if you want me out of your hair faster, give me a voice reporting and an

alibi.

I was here working.

And I did my time. Don't I get a second chance?

Yeah, looks like you're living it.

Only place that would hire me.

Better than being locked up with some caged animal.

Ten years.

It's a long time.

Maybe long enough to want Sergeant Rollins dead.

She's dead? No.

But someone tried.

It looks like that doesn't surprise you.

I didn't do it.

But you hear things on the inside. I'm not the only one she put away.

Anyone who's capable of doing this?

I might be willing to say. Hey, you like being out of the cage, right?

Let's keep it that way. Give me names.

And your voice.

Shoot and Counselor Carisi dies, Sergeant Rollins.

It's not them. Are you sure? No, I'm positive.

Anything on the names that Simmons gave us? Christian, check them out. They're

all still in prison.

Okay. And did we talk to Robert Watson?

Talked to his parole officer.

Watson was in central booking at the time of the attack.

Still nothing on the blue Honda? Not yet.

I mean, my guess is they either ditched it or they're laying low somewhere.

Or they uncovered the place and they're halfway to the Midwest right now and we

are back to square one.

Okay, Perp's blood came back from the lab.

Match, an attempted murder from a week ago in Brooklyn.

Vic's name, Diana Vitale, 62.

Neighbor found her tied up with a cord, multiple... Wait, I know that name.

Diana Vitale, she's a court reporter. She's retired now, but she worked a lot

trials with Carisi.

Brooklyn homicide, get any leads?

Not yet, no, but Vitale survived.

He's still in the hospital. Great, I'll talk to her.

I can... Amanda, you still need to get to your psych eval.

You gotta do it.

Yeah.

Diana Vitale.

A stab in the back that led to paralysis.

Two more to the abdomen, one of which punctured her stomach. Led to sepsis. We

couldn't control.

She was one of yours?

She is now.

Ready, Mandy?

You come out of retirement just for me?

I still fill in from time to time.

Especially at Olivia's request.

Yeah, so I'm sleeping fine.

There's no insomnia, no nightmares.

Any re -experiencing?

A little.

What crosses your mind?

What I would have done differently. What could have happened if my kids were

home. When you go to that place, how do you feel?

Angry.

powerless. But after that, I'm, you know, I feel focused.

So I've heard Benson tells me you've hit the ground running.

What else did she tell you? She told me you returned recently to SVU.

Before that, a stint at Intel, a professor at Fordham.

You like to move around.

I don't see how that's relevant.

I'm not trying to trick you, Amanda.

You and I both know that you'll come up with a good answer for every question

that I ask you. But what you should also know is that all I want out of this is

for you to be honest.

So, why don't you like to stay put?

I guess it comes from how I grew up.

Abusive father, addicted sister.

That must be a very unsettling way to grow up.

Yeah, you're always waiting for the shoe to drop.

Always brace for impact.

I got out of there as quick as I could.

Still, it couldn't have been easy.

Must have felt like you had no control over your life.

Like you were powerless.

Yeah.

It's easy to equate movement...

with survival.

Evolutionarily, it makes sense.

Motion has always meant life. If you stay still, we get left behind.

I guess I don't like being still then.

Then I'd like to give you a little advice.

After I clear you and you return to the field and you find the man who did this,

what I would like for you to do is to slow down.

What else do we know about Diana Vitale? Not much. Retired last year, widowed,

no kids, no known enemies.

Aside from the dozens of scumbags she reported on the court she shared with

Carisi. And me.

So there's 82 cases where Vitale, Carisi, and I intersect.

Okay, any stick out? I'm narrowing it down, but I opened it up to ViCap, and I

got it hit in Queens. Julia Pratt, right? She, um...

Just 20. Same M .O., the break -in and wait. She was tied up with a black

cordon. She was murdered in her apartment building with a knife two

Any connection to law enforcement?

Not in VICAP, but her sister, Rose, is in Astoria. She might be able to tell us

more. Okay. You two stay on Diana Vitale.

Phones, e -mails. See what you can dig up.

Okay.

How'd it go with Wong?

Fine. He cleared me. Yeah, I know. He, uh... I talked to him.

You checking up on me?

Yes, Amanda, I am.

Same way you would do if it were me.

Captain, dispatch called about a white male at an urgent care. Nurse said it's

gunshot wound, left shoulder.

Change of plan.

Head to the urgent care.

He came in dodgy, aggressive with my receptionist. What did he say had

to him?

Said he was working construction.

Said someone clipped him with a nail gun. But I took one look at it, and I

that it was a bullet.

They tried to cut it out themselves. They tried to clean it. Who is they?

He was with a woman, white, brown hair.

She looked strung out.

Good. We are going to need the footage from those cameras.

They don't work, but I did see them drive off.

Blue Honda?

Yeah. Caught the first few digits of the license plate.

My sister lit up.

Every room she walked into, I still can't understand who would want to hurt

I'm so sorry, Rose.

We just have a few more questions for you, okay?

We understand that Julia worked in fashion. Is that right?

She went to FIT.

Her internship gave her a job after she graduated.

Was there ever a time that she explored law enforcement?

Law enforcement?

No.

Why?

Because the man who hurt her may have been targeting the justice system, and

we're trying to figure out if Julia had some other connection to him.

Our aunt is a judge.

She took us in after our mom walked out, became our legal guardian, retired to

Florida in May.

Your aunt is Judge Anita Wright?

Diana Vitale, me, Carisi. There's 82 overlapping cases, but only five

Judge Anita Wright.

So it could have been the defendant in any one of those cases. No, no, I know

who it is.

Henry Messner. We first encountered him in 2013.

He was abusing his little sister, Ruby. Yeah, so he was released from juvenile

detention in 2021.

He got out, he raped a college student, and then...

He murdered his family.

Yeah, I remember this case.

Rollins saved his sister after he took her hostage. And after we arrested

he stabbed Carisi in a competency hearing.

This guy's not still just walking around out there. No, no, no. He stood trial.

He's five years into his 60s, thanks. But that doesn't mean he's not still

pulling the strings. And to find out how, we need to go talk to him.

Maybe not.

Tyrone found the blue Honda based on the partial plate. It belongs to an 18

-year -old with a rap sheet for drug possession.

We know her?

That's Henry Sifter.

That's Ruby Messner.

Our son moved to California.

That's when we got the idea to foster.

Ruby was placed with us five years ago.

She hardly spoke at first.

But she had what she needed.

A bed, food.

We tried to love her. Thought she'd be okay for a while. Beat the odds.

And then she started having problems?

School called every other day.

Crates slipping, running away.

Kept finding pills under her mattress.

We called her social worker, and they put her into rehab for a month.

But things only got worse.

Was Ruby ever violent?

Only with herself.

She cut her arms so deep, it was just awful.

After Ruby turned 18, got herself arrested for drugs.

That was enough.

I told her she had to leave, and I'm not sorry I did.

It was the right thing.

Do you have any idea where she might be or who she might be with?

My guess is with her boyfriend.

What's his name?

Philip something.

We never met him. She was with him when she called begging for money a few weeks

ago. Heard her talking to him.

The number we have for Ruby traces back to this address, but it went dead months

ago. It wasn't her phone she called from.

We still have the number. I tried it a few times.

Ruby never picks up.

Tara was looking into this number that Ruby called from. Hopefully it'll tell

something about whoever this Philip is. It won't tell us about his connection to

Henry. We should be having things right now. So, Amanda, I haven't made a

decision about whether talking to Henry is the best idea.

Well, it's all we have.

Besides the phone number. And we don't know if the killing spree is over yet.

But we do know Henry.

And we know that he'd love nothing more than to string us along and play games,

whether he knows something or not. It's no coincidence that his sister is the

getaway driver.

And Henry can play games all he wants.

But if he knows something, I'll be able to tell just by looking at him. I know

you would.

But I would too.

And I'll be going to Sing Sing.

Henry hasn't caused any problems.

Was he close with anyone? Maybe a guard or an inmate who's been released

recently? Not that I know of. Thank you. And what about his communication with

the outside?

Nothing in his incoming mail to alert our staff and nothing outgoing.

So he hasn't made any calls lately or had any visitors?

No. His last visit was a year ago. His sister, Ruby Mesner.

Oh. You know what they talked about?

No, there's not much in the transcript.

The guards had to pull her out of the room pretty quick.

Why's that?

Because she tried to attack him.

Have a seat, Henry.

You look happy to see me.

It's been a long time since I had any visitors.

Well, I heard that you've actually adjusted quite well.

No disciplinary measures, no issues with other inmates.

We'll probably die in here.

Shouldn't I be making the most of it?

Well, that depends on what that means to you.

I think it means reform.

Rehabilitation. Responsibility.

For what you did to your family.

For what you did to Ruby.

I heard that she actually came to visit you a while back.

So, things got a little... a little dicey.

I don't think you came here about my sister.

I think you're here about something else.

Why do you think I'm here?

Gotta say, I'm surprised that you're the one coming to see me.

Were you expecting someone else?

I always had a soft spot for Detective Rollins. I remember that.

Well, she's actually a sergeant now.

Good for her.

And I heard she's married.

What's his name?

Lawyer. Carisi.

Tell them both I said hello. I will.

After I tell them that I was right.

Right about what?

That talking to you was a waste of time.

Maybe I'm just talking to the wrong person. You know, Sergeant Rollins is

I'm not here to negotiate, Henry.

Well, then I guess we're both walking away empty -handed.

You want to know what I think?

I think you've got nothing to say.

Goodbye, Henry.

Hey. I was just in the neighborhood. I had to, um, pick up some stuff.

Yeah? Huh?

What stuff?

All right, sue me. Look, I'm just checking in on you.

Listen, this, uh, this Henry Mesner thing. Yeah, Benson thinks he's

She won't let me go in.

Yeah, well, maybe she's got a point.

Look, at best, he's full of it. At worst, he's not. He could be dangerous.

you saying that as the ADA or as my husband?

I'm saying it as both. Okay, I appreciate it. But right now, me going

to Henry might be the only way we catch the guy that did this to us.

What is it?

Terror trace the number that we're going to answer a call from.

It's Philip Wingate.

He's got an address.

YPD!

Go, go, go, go, go!

Philip Wingate and YPD, we have a warrant!

Pushing up!

Clear.

Clear!

These are the names of the victims.

Yeah.

Public court records on Henry's cases, news articles about him.

They're moving upstairs.

Bedroom door, ready to breach.

NYPD, coming in.

Ruby?

Ruby, where is Philip?

Philip Wingate.

28, parents are deceased, and he's lived with his grandmother since he was

three. Spotty employment records.

He was fired from his last job six months ago, right around the time his

died and left him the townhouse. No criminal records. Only juvenile, which

why his DNA wasn't in the system.

When Philip was 12, he abused a younger cousin.

Guy had a thing for hunting squirrels in Central Park.

Checked all the boxes.

So what did we learn from these journals? Guy is... Very prolific. He

victims' names over and over and over again with what seems like either poetry

or gibberish.

A lot of writing about Henry. I mean, he's obviously obsessed.

But it doesn't explain how they met or whether Henry put Philip up to this. And

nothing that indicates where he's now or where he's headed next. There's over a

dozen of these things we're still sorting through. I say we just ask her.

Yeah, we do.

We helped you out a long time ago, and we might be able to help you out now if

you're willing to talk to us.

I don't know where Phillip is. Yeah, but you do know how this whole thing

started, don't you, Ruby?

We spoke with your foster parents.

Care about me?

I think they tried to.

But, look, after everything that you've gone through, I certainly understand how

it feels like nobody cares, but that's not true.

We care, and we'd like to help you, but we need for you to be honest with us for

us to do that.

Can you do that?

So why don't you tell us about Philip?

How did you two meet?

He found me a few months ago.

He wanted to take care of me.

At first it was fine.

He didn't really want anything from me.

Until he started asking questions.

About Henry?

Yeah.

It was like, how much I remember from when he hurt me.

Did Philip know Henry?

No.

No, no. He said he heard about him on a podcast or the news or something.

Ruby, why is Philip doing this?

I don't know.

He would say things. I didn't know what they meant. Well, what kind of thing?

He was, like, he was, like, in service of Henry.

He was, like, wanted to be close to him.

So that's why he thought you out, huh?

Once he did, I couldn't escape.

So you just went along with him?

You waited while he murdered those people?

And you drove the getaway car? Philip was going to kill me. What was I

to do? I don't go to the cop.

Call us.

Get out of there.

And instead, you helped him kill those people and come after me, my family. He

just told me to drive. I didn't know what he was doing. Yeah, you don't know

whole lot, do you, Ruby? Like where Philip is? You don't know that? I'm

Oh, I don't believe you, Ruby.

I don't.

I think you're protecting Phillip and your brother.

That's enough. You know what? I saved your life. But you didn't. So do I.

We're done here.

Wrong. Now.

Are you kidding me? Yeah. What was that?

You need to cool down. Cool down?

We need her to talk. Yes, and in her current state, I'm not sure that she can

tell us much more. Who cares about her current state?

There's a murderer out there, Liv, and she's involved. I care about her current

state, and so should you. After everything that that girl's been

helped Philip. And now we don't know whether Henry's behind her. Henry is

playing us.

And she just about confirmed that. All that guy wants is your attention.

Yeah, well, he has it. You know, and I could use that if you'd let me go talk

him. Because I'm trying to protect you. I don't need your protection.

I need you to trust me.

That's not what this is about. Then why did you take me out of the room? Because

you're not yourself.

That girl needs our help, not an interrogation.

She is a victim of both Henry and Philip, and quite frankly, so are you.

God. You never turn it off. What does that mean? It means not everyone

your empathy, Olivia.

I can't have you on this case anymore, Amanda.

You're off.

I had a feeling you'd come. You asked for me, didn't you?

Do you remember the last thing you said to me?

I'm surprised if you do, considering how drugged up you were.

If you ever go after anyone in my family again, it'll be your last day on Earth.

Is that why you came?

To kill you?

No. You can't do that until you know it was me or not.

I know who it is.

Why I'm here is to see if you do.

You want to know if I recognize them?

I know you do. These are all people that helped put you away and the person

who's going after them. Henry, I got to tell you, I'm pretty good at it.

This person is smart, organized, like they're on a mission.

It's your sister, Henry.

It's Ruby.

Ruby didn't do any of this. She's not capable.

You sure about that?

Are you dumb?

She's weak, pathetic.

She's a victim.

Always will be. Okay.

Thank you.

What I meant to say was she couldn't have done it by herself.

She couldn't have known how to hold the knife or what it would feel like when

you push it into someone.

The soft belly.

The bony throat.

A very specific skill set.

And who do we think helped her navigate all that?

Who had that right set of skills?

I did.

It wasn't very hard.

Guards are easy.

They use their phones.

I had a plan.

I just needed someone to help me carry it out. You know, Ruby works best.

being directed no henry i think she did this alone i think she broke into these

people's houses and she stabbed them she kind of done anything without me so

you're the mastermind yes i am

You got one thing right.

Ruby didn't kill these people. A man named Philip Wingate did. He's the

mastermind. And you are a cautionary tale at best.

You're nothing.

Now we both know it.

If I tell you what I know, will you come back to see me? It's too late.

Goodbye. I know him.

I know of him, technically.

And I can tell you about it if you promise, and I mean really promise, to

back and see me every now and again.

What you tell me is actually helpful.

I'll come visit you.

I get a bunch of fan letters.

Never read them, but...

I know a ton of them came from someone who signed them as P .W.

Judge's niece.

Court reporter.

Next I say hello to childhood doctor.

Philip is going after the doctor that Henry saw when he was a kid.

He's going after Wong.

Oh, he's already here.

Okay, go.

Now.

M .Y .P .D.! Go, go, go.

Move it.

All right, go on.

Are you all right?

I'm sorry.

Where'd he go?

He heard the sirens and he went out the back.

Okay, get an EMT in here now.

All right, all units, suspect is on foot. Back exit. I repeat, back exit.

Stop right there.

Hey! No getaway driver, huh?

Guess you took her from me. She was never yours to begin with.

Drop the knife.

You're under arrest.

But I already got what I wanted, Sergeant Rollins.

For Henry to see me.

I saw Henry.

He didn't even know who you were until we told him.

Those letters?

He never read them.

Don't do it!

He

can't

hurt anyone anymore.

Including you.

What happens now?

Given the circumstances, the DA is willing to make you a deal.

Conspiracy in the third. You'll do five years probation.

The first year will be inpatient rehab.

But that deal only stands if you're willing to agree to do something for us.

So next time you're in a bad situation, you call me.

Why?

Because I know what it's like to feel stuck, Ruby. I know what it's like to

powerless.

The next time you feel that way, I'm going to be there to help you with that.

She's the one who helps her.

Hey, sorry to interrupt.

Nosy. Just nosy. How are you, Doctor?

All right.

Recommitting to retirement.

Yeah. How about you?

You know, just getting back to normal.

Well, I'm grateful for your insubordination, if that helps to break

Does not.

Hey.

Thank you.

Of course. Talk soon?

Yeah, talk soon.

Amanda, be well.

Liz, I just want to say, apologize if you don't mean it.

I'm sorry I lost some of your trust.

I understand why you did what you did.

the same way you understand that you will never do it again.

All right?

Deal.

And hopefully that's the last time we'll ever have to think about Henry Messner

again.