All language subtitles for Law & Order SVU - 23x02 - Never Turn Your Back on Them.AMZN.WEB-DL-NTb+STRONTiUM

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.

- Is this even real?
- It seems like it is.

The trafficking case is now
focused on Congressman Howard.

We picked up the aide, Ruben Ortiz.

He asked me to make sure that
former interns were in the suite.

The girl that he drugged,
she was 16 years old.

Let's just stop right here.

Today we announce the arrest
of George Justin Howard.

Joe Velasco, I'm on the job.

- Call Chief McGrath.
- Catalina's flipped.

I was to find homeless women
who would have sex with him

in exchange for subsidized apartments.

You need to make this go away.

We can protect you.

We need you to testify.

Passersby claim that
they saw Catalina jump.

Find Rosa and find Jenna now.

Tragedy in Harlem tonight
as Catalina Machado,

founder and CEO of Proud Life,
apparently committed suicide

after the indictment
of Congressman Howard

and the continuing investigation
into allegations of corruption

and sex trafficking
within her organization.

After her arrest and
then her indictment,

Catalina took her own life here tonight,

as investigators really closed in

on a decades-long
sex-for-housing scandal.

Sources say Catalina's empire
began to collapse weeks ago

when several women
disclosed to SVU detectives

they'd been coerced
into sexual relationships

with city workers, housing
management, and elected officials.

Tom, make sure to process

this sliding-glass door handle
for prints and touch DNA.

I was home when I got called,

got here as soon as I could.

Oh.

Do we have any idea how this happened?

It's unlikely that it was an accident.

The balcony railing is perfectly intact.

The... the M.E.'s looking at trajectory

and force of impact.

I know Catalina well enough;
she'd never commit suicide.

She's been fighting her whole life.

We're still canvassing.

But nobody on that street
or in this building heard

or saw anything.

So we're looking at street cams,

security cams, her phone, emails.

And there's no sign of any
foul play in this apartment.

And there's more bad news, Chief.

Ruben Ortiz was found dead
in his bathtub an hour ago.

Slit wrists.

What about our other witnesses?

Kat is on her way to
Rosa Estrada's apartment.

I've got calls in to the warden
at Rikers about Paulie Banducci.

- And Jenna?
- Not answering her phone. Neither are her parents.

I've alerted the Bayonne
Police Department.

I've got Rollins and Joe Velasco
on the way to the house now.

So Congressman Howard's cleaning house.

Or somebody's doing it for him.

He still thinks that he's a
future presidential candidate.

There is no way that his fingerprints

will be anywhere near this.

Rosa?

Rosa, it's Detective Tamin.

Go.

- Thank God you're okay.
- I'm not okay.

- What happened?
- I get calls.

They said if I don't keep my mouth shut,

they're gonna hurt
Filipe. I saw men outside.

Okay, I don't see anyone out there now.

They left, and I'm leaving too.

Rosa, where are you gonna go?

We're taking the dollar bus to Buffalo.

- I have a cousin there.
- Please don't.

I know that this is scary.

It's not safe if you leave the city.

Please let us protect you, okay?

We can put you in a motel.

Officer?

This is Officer Raleigh.

He's gonna stay with
you and Filipe, okay?

Please, Rosa? You're safer here.

- Paulie Banducci?
- You're too late.

- The man didn't make it.
- What happened?

He got jumped.

Cracked skull, never
regained consciousness.

What, the C.O.s beat him up,

or they just look the other way?

You know how it goes.

C.O.s, inmates, nobody likes a rapist.

Jenna's parents still
aren't answering their phone.

Neither is Jenna.

I don't like this.

I don't like any of this.

Come here.

What the hell are you
doing? Easy, Maverick.

NYPD.

Ray, this is Detective Rollins.

We met at the hospital.
Why are you here?

Where's Jenna right now, Mrs. Evans?

Up... upstairs, asleep.

We... we just... we went to dinner.

We've been trying to call you.

Yeah, we were watching the game.

- Jenna!
- Honey?

- What's going on?
- Jenna?

- All right, guys, calm down.
- All right, all right.

Her room's at the end of the hall.

- Okay.
- Jenna!

Jenna!

- I got blood here.
- Jesus Christ!

Guys, I need you to stay back.

- What the hell?
- It's locked.

Go.

Jenna!

Jenna? Jesus Christ.

- Jenna?
- Jenna... Jenna!

It's not that far down.
She could have jumped.

- Guys, I need you to stay out.
- Where's my girl?

Just stay out.

I'll call the Captain, you call backup.

Anybody breaks in, my
boy knows what to do.

Well, he did good.

We're running the
bloodstains from the hallway.

So you think someone tried
to break in and kidnap her?

Why?

Okay, so we... we don't know
exactly what happened yet,

but you... you know
that her window was open,

and you said that she had a bike.

We shouldn't have gone
out. We missed their calls.

- Okay, Laura, don't lecture me.
- I checked the shed. No bike.

- Is this her cell phone?
- Yes, yes. So she got away.

Is there anywhere
your daughter might go?

A boyfriend, a friend's house?

She's not allowed to date.

Besides this escapade
she had in the city,

she's always been a good girl.

Okay, we're gonna need
access to her phone,

her computer, social media accounts.

- Do you have her passwords?
- Yeah, of course I have them.

I wanted to put a GPS
tracker on the phone,

but someone thought that was too much.

I'll go get the passwords.
All right, here, hold him.

So they have no idea that Jenna was

- more than Howard's intern.
- No, we soft-pedaled that part

when her mother came to pick her up.

She was petrified that
her dad would find out.

They also have no idea
that whoever broke in

might be connected to Howard.

We just need to find this girl.

The mom might know
more than she's saying.

Damn, I must have left
my cell phone in there.

Oh, I... I... I should get Ray.

He's in the office, making calls.

His brother's a Jersey state trooper.

No need, I'm just so stupid,
I can't find my phone.

Could you call it for me?

- Oh, okay, I'll...
- Here, I'll put in my number.

Sorry, he's a rookie.

Here it is.

Thanks, you're a lifesaver.

Just promise me you'll find my daughter.

We will, Mrs. Evans.

- Smooth.
- Now she has my number.

She had mine.

Well, you called her four
times; she didn't pick up.

I'm just giving her options.

Okay, by the way, at SVU,
we don't make promises

we're not sure we can
keep, especially to parents.

Congressman, do you have
a comment on the deaths

of Catalina Machado and Ruben Ortiz?

Is it true they were set
to testify against you?

Their suicides were a tragedy.

No other comment at this time.

I mourn the loss of my aide
and friend, Ruben Ortiz,

and of Catalina Machado.

They were caught in their
own web of corruption,

and I'm heartbroken that they
chose this tragic way out.

I blame the DA's office and the NYPD

who pressured them to frame
me on these ludicrous charges.

Now, make no mistake, we
believe this was an attempt

by my political rivals
to knock me off the ballot

in 2024, but this is still America.

And we're gonna let the
people decide who gets to lead.

Is the DA going to drop the charges?

We're expecting a call any minute.

Thank you, everyone, thank you.

- Shameless.
- That's the new playbook.

The best defense is
a gaslighting offense.

Two suicides, a jail beatdown,

right before the grand jury.

That's not an offense.
They're going to war.

Our entire case just gets obliterated?

What the hell is going on?

We're trying to figure that out.

And the press is just
feeding us into a woodchipper.

Of course they are.

This is what I feared would
happen when we rushed the case.

- Excuse me?
- Chief.

Chief, there has been a lot
of pressure to get a win fast.

People died.

Yeah, they trusted us,
and now they're gone.

Yeah, you've made your
point. Now let me make mine.

Jenna Evans is still out there.

So, for her sake and ours, find her.

McGrath.

Okay, okay.

No, no, no, that is...
that is good work.

Good work.

That was Joe Velasco.

He just saved our asses.

So I made a connection
with Jenna at the party.

I gave her Q's contact, and it paid off.

She DMed me from an
app on a burner cell...

Just tell us what she said, Detective.

Not much. "Q, I need to see you."

I DMed back, "Where are
you? I'll come get you."

And then she ghosted me.

Or someone grabbed the phone from her.

She reached out to you from a burner?

We need to track incoming
and outgoing calls

- from that number.
- Already had TARU run them.

What do you OGs call
it? The LUDS and MUDS?

All right, did you get anything?

He did.

The same number checks in
every Tuesday and Friday

- at exactly 4:20.
- 4:20?

Maybe it's a weed dealer.

Check that number, see
if we can get an address.

Actually, I already did that too.

Good.

Another noise complaint?

I just spent five grand
soundproofing the place.

Not about the music.

Look, is this your number?

- Yeah.
- Who were you calling?

I don't think I want
to tell you guys that.

You want to be implicated

in the possible abduction
of a 16-year-old girl?

Oh, okay, look, the
guy just sells me bud.

That's it. I know him as Chris.

You call for pickup or delivery?

On Tuesdays, he delivers.

On Fridays, I go over there to party.

Call your boy, say you want
to come over and party now.

Put him on speaker.

Where's his spot?

Look, man, my take, this
guy wouldn't kidnap anyone.

- I'm just saying.
- Would he hide someone out?

Okay, well, you're gonna need
to tell us the set up over there.

Is he armed? Does he have a crew?

What are we walking into?

- Okay, we'll take the back.
- Let's go.

Hey, Jenna, you in there? It's Q.

You sent me a message and I came.

You good?

Hey, can you open the door?

I just want to see you.

Down! Get down.

Police, get down. Keep your hands up.

Ugh!

Shots fired, side of the house.

Fin, Kat, anyone hit?

Yeah, the vest caught it.

- Second shot.
- Snuck under.

Damn.

1013, we have officer
down at 559 Degraw.

I need a bus now.

Hey! Drop it.

Drop it before I drop you.

I didn't know you were cops.

- Jenna said someone was trying to kill her.
- Where is she?

- Where's Jenna?
- Damn, man,

- you didn't identify yourselves!
- Where is she?

Down.

Got him.

- Fin, how's Kat?
- She's hanging in.

EMTs are on the way.

Oh, my God, I heard shots.

- Hayden, where's Jenna?
- Q?

- Where is she?
- I don't know.

She's gut-shot with a .45 slug.

I've been putting pressure on it.

- She's bleeding pretty bad.
- We got it from here, Sergeant.

I'm not leaving her.

Jenna! Jenna, hey.

Jenna... Je... hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, Jenna.

It's okay. Come back inside.

Everything's fine.
Everything's safe, come on.

I messed everything up!

No, you didn't do anything wrong, Jenna.

Come back inside.

You reached out to me, remember?

That was a mistake.

Did you send that guy to my house?

- Are you a part of this?
- No!

I'm a cop, Jenna. I'm here to help you.

Fin, I'll meet you at Kings County.

- How's she doing?
- She's fighting.

Say hi, Kat.

Hi, Kat.

That's funny. Hang in there, Detective.

Look, it's all good.
Just get here, okay?

My father's gonna know everything!

What? That you partied a little?

Come on, that's on Howard, not on you.

You dad just wants you safe.

- No, he's gonna kill me.
- Why?

You don't know anything.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

What are you doing?

You see this belt?

My dad used to whip me with it.

Used to whip my mother
even more when he was drunk.

I used to be afraid of
breathing wrong in front of him.

I get it. I know how it is, Jenna.

Yeah. So what'd you do?

One day, I had enough.

I tried to stop him. He
put me in the hospital.

Got himself arrested,
and our lives began.

And you know, when he died,
everyone wanted his car,

his money, and all I
wanted was his goddamn belt.

And I wear it on the job to
remind me of why I do this.

I'm gonna protect you, Jenna.

And you're gonna learn
how to protect yourself.

But you gotta trust me.

Now come on.

Come on. Got you, got you.

Okay, you're safe now.

What's happening?

- What's going on?
- Blood pressure's plunging.

I'll give her something to raise it,

but you gotta keep her awake.

Kat, Kat, Kat, wake up.

Wake up. I'm about to tell you a joke,

but you gotta stay awake
for the punchline, okay?

All right, it's a good one.

How many cops does it take
to screw in a lightbulb?

Li... Kat, wake up! Wake up.

You're gonna be mad if
you miss this punchline.

All right, how many?

None.

They bust the bulb for being broke

and the room for being black.

O-okay, it was a bad
joke. But listen, listen.

Listen, I got you. All right?

I'm not going anywhere,
and you aren't either.

Hey, just talked to Fin.
They're getting to the hospital.

- Kat's stable.
- Thank God.

Yeah. You okay?

Could use a beer.

At least.

Guess we, uh, we all have our
reasons for doing this job.

What, the story?

Come on, I made my old man
sound worse than he was.

He was okay.

Ah. Yeah.

- What's going on?
- Move back, Sergeant.

Clear!

Again, clear.

Kat! Kat!

- Doc, she's on the job.
- We know, Sergeant.

Take care of her!

Fin!

- How is she?
- I don't know, Liv.

Her heart stopped in the ambulance.

- What the hell happened?
- We got ambushed.

- We had vests, backup...
- Jesus.

I should have been in the front.

Knowing Kat, you probably
didn't have a choice.

- Sorry.
- No, Fin, stop.

Stop, this is not on you. I mean it.

I was asleep. I heard Maverick barking.

Then the alarm went off. I freaked out.

Someone must have broken into the house.

- Did you see or hear anyone?
- No.

I climbed out the window, jumped
off the roof, took off on my bike.

What about strange calls, texts?

Anyone threatening you?

I don't like the way
you're grilling my daughter.

- She should be at home.
- Ray, please.

I don't even know why we're here.

Mr. Evans, we think whoever
broke into your house

might have been an associate
of Congressman Howard,

trying to intimidate
Jenna into not testifying.

My God.

I don't understand what
she's testifying to.

Jenna told me that nothing happened

at the fundraiser, that
she was there as his guest.

That's right, Daddy.

Jenna did nothing wrong,
but she's still 16.

We arrested Howard because
we thought she was in danger.

I taught my daughter how
to take care of herself.

If she said he didn't do anything,

then he didn't do anything.

You've heard Congressman
Howard's a bad guy.

Yes, that housing scandal was...

What's the matter with you?

Jenna had nothing to do with that.

It would help our case
if Jenna were to tell

the grand jury what
happened at the fundraiser.

How many times do we have to tell
you people that nothing happened?

Your daughter ended up in the hospital.

That's not nothing.

Don't you talk to me about my family.

Dad, stop. He saved me.

That's his job.

We meant no disrespect.

I think he did.

I'm grateful to you. You
brought my girl home safe.

Now I'm gonna do the
same. The two of you, up.

I just heard. How's Kat doing?

She's in surgery, but Fin is there.

He'll keep us updated.

Tough day. Kat's been shot.

And three dead witnesses with
no leads on who killed them.

And I'm swimming upstream.

Howard's lawyer, Myron Gold,

he just filed a motion to dismiss.

We getting anywhere with Jenna?

She still claims that
nothing happened sexually

between her and Howard.

Even though she was in
his bed, semiconscious,

half-dressed, while Howard
was unbuckling his pants?

I could compel her to testify,

but she'd probably
just lie on the stand.

She will. She's scared of her dad.

- He's a piece of work.
- What about the mother?

Mothers usually know what's going on.

I hate to admit this,

but Velasco's got a pretty
good rapport with her.

Really?

Well, have him reach out to her.

Good news.

Kat's out of surgery.

They told me I died in the ambulance.

Death is overrated, if you ask me.

I mean, wasn't I supposed
to see some white light

or feel some eternal serenity or peace?

Wasn't your time.

Maybe just a little
floating over my body,

you know, just a taste of the afterlife?

That would be nice, right?

You know what was weird?

When I came out of the anesthesia,

- my mind was racing.
- About what?

- I was thinking about Carisi.
- Carisi?

Not like that. Come on.

Something he said.

I remember when I asked him
if he ever missed being a cop

or had any regrets,

he didn't.

Said he was where he
was supposed to be now.

He knew it.

So what? You want to be a DA now?

No.

It's just...

I don't know.

Am I where I'm supposed to be?

From what I've seen, you're cut for it.

I know that.

It's...

with SVU, it's just like
we're always there too late.

By the time we get there,

the victim is already traumatized,

and then they just get traumatized more.

It's like, what are we doing, you know?

For me, it's always been about getting

the bad guys off the street.

I hear that.

It's just... I mean, half
the time, they plead out.

Or, if they're rich, they just get off.

It's like, there's gotta be a way to...

to be more proactive, you know?

Kat, listen,

you just came out of surgery, all right?

So it's no time for you to
be making any big decisions.

Just lay back and get
some good rest, okay?

Céline, flowers and balloons?

I didn't know which was better.

Both.

- Oh, my God.
- Hey.

I'm fine, babe.

I'm okay.

I blame the DA's office and the NYPD

who pressured them to frame
me on these ludicrous charges.

Now, make no mistake...

Oh, it's Fin.

How is she?

Well, the surgery went
well. She's stable.

A little loopy, but she'll be okay.

Thank God.

Okay, when do we get her back?

Even just for desk duty.

I'm not sure she's looking to come back.

Come on, just tell her
the more time she takes,

the worse it gets.

It's better to just
get back on the horse.

I don't think that's
what this is all about.

Oh, you're both here. Good.

We finally got something on Howard.

- Fin, keep us posted.
- Will do.

- What do you have?
- Not me, Jenna's mother.

She has proof that Howard
had sex with her daughter.

She saved one of Jenna's dresses.

Howard got Jenna
pregnant when she was 15.

My husband can never know I was here.

You need to swear.

Ray will kill that man if he finds out,

and he'll kill me for not telling him.

I told her we'd keep this confidential.

Well, we're... we're
gonna do everything we can.

Listen, Laura, I can see how
much you love your daughter.

So what can you tell us?

Jenna met Congressman Howard
on a freshman class trip.

She came home giddy.

They exchanged numbers.

And he started texting her,
supposedly about an internship.

So my radar went up a little.

Figured that you could trust him

because he was a congressman?

And she did go to work
in his office that summer.

And we were so proud of her,

and everything seemed fine
until her 15th birthday.

You told me Howard threw her a party

at a restaurant in New York?

Ray and I were concerned,
but it seemed legit.

All the other interns would be there,

and Jenna was so excited.
And he sent a limo.

So we... we let her go.

You must think I am a horrible mother.

No, we don't think that.

So what can you tell
us about that night?

Jenna never admitted it,

but something definitely happened.

So how do you know that?
What makes you think that?

I could tell that she'd been drinking,

and her make-up was a mess.

I tried to talk to her,

and she just yelled at
me to leave her alone.

And I don't know what possessed me,

but, later, I went
into the laundry room,

and I found her dress,
and it was stained.

And I put it in this bag,

and I shoved it in
the back of my closet.

Did she ever mention
it, talk to you about it?

I tried. I tried to get her to open up.

But she just snapped at me.

And then six weeks later,

I found a positive
pregnancy test in the trash.

And then?

And then a few days after that,

a car service came and picked her up

and took her to the city.

And when she got home,
she was white as a sheet.

And she didn't get out
of bed for two days.

Ray didn't see it. He still doesn't.

But I saw.

I saw my baby changing.

What Howard did to her, he has to pay.

Jenna saved the dress? Who does that?

Her mother saved the dress.

So no chain of custody.

We'll be running our own DNA test.

Be our guest.

The lab says there's enough of
a sample to run it ten times.

Sometimes we go to my
grandmother's estate

in Water Mill. She has a hot tub.

The dress could have been contaminated

with my client's DNA a
half-dozen different ways.

Well, we have a photo
of Jenna in that dress

sitting on your lap at
her 15th birthday part.

And setting that aside,
there's the abortion.

We'll be going through
your campaign finances,

- corporate expenses...
- Wait.

- What abortion?
- Really, Congressman?

Are we gonna pretend like you
didn't know she was pregnant?

I mean, she told me she
was, but I didn't think...

wait, hold up.

- She had an abortion?
- Justin, stop talking.

I... I know it's a woman's decision,

but I don't believe in that.

Well, we have your driver's routes

on the night of the birthday party,

and then, six weeks later, driving
her out to Chelsea Gynecology.

What? You told me it
was a false positive,

- that she made it up.
- Justin...

Anyway, there is no way that it's mine.

I always pull out.

- Okay, we're done here.
- Did you know?

- Shut up, Justin!
- The hell did you do, Myron?

I need a moment with my client...

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- Excuse me.

I'm trying to help you.

I'm protecting you, you half-wit.

What are you gonna do, hit me again?

Get out.

You're even stupider
than everybody told me.

Counselor, it's his decision.

What would you like me to
tell your grandmother, Justin?

Just get out!

All of it, Jenna's
abortion, Catalina, Ruben,

it's all him. He did it.

Whatever he tells you
is coerced, under duress,

and without the
presence of his attorney.

No way will it stand
up in a court of law.

Is that true?

Congressman,

how about you take a seat?

Tell us how we got here.

Once Howard started
talking, he wouldn't stop.

Now, this part is believable.

Howard claims that he's just a puppet.

- And Gold pulls the strings?
- Apparently.

Howard says that Gold
arranged Jenna's abortion,

organized the hits
on Catalina and Ortiz,

Paulie's beatdown, the threats to Rosa.

And do we have proof of any of that?

Gold is smart.

We raided his office,
and we will be digging

through encrypted files for months.

His finances are a maze
of campaign contributions,

Howard Family Trust, PACs
with anonymous donors.

I mean, holding companies
within holding companies.

So this could go on forever.

Any chance he'll take a plea?

You want my client to plead guilty?

- You must be joking.
- We're not.

I know the law better than anyone.

Not that I haven't done
things that I regret,

but you're never going to
be able to prove any of them.

Maybe not, but the Southern District,

we have the resources to conduct

a full forensic investigation
of every detail of your life

for the last ten years.

You know what a living hell that can be.

You can abuse your power, that's true.

So maybe it's time
for me to offer a deal.

My line of work,

I know where a lot of bodies are buried.

- Because you buried them.
- Let me give you two a tip.

I'm offering you something.

Change your affect. Lean in.

Feign interest.

Who are we talking about?

An ex-president.

An ex-president's relatives.

Hollywood royalty.

Real royalty.

Silicon Valley billionaires.

What's your pleasure?

On my way, I'll be there in five.

- All right, thanks, Anya.
- Anya?

Yeah, for a U.S. attorney,
she's actually a good human.

So what do you got? Talk fast.

We still can't tie Gold to
Ortiz or Catalina's suicides.

But accounting did a deep
dive on his offshore accounts,

his holding companies.

He's telling the truth
about who he can take down.

- Well, turns out that some of the mega
-billionaires

he wants to give up, they're
already on the Fed's radar.

And Gold's on their wiretaps.

Yeah, maybe all these guys
should go to outer space.

So you got anything
else? I'm due up in...

I know, in five, in the
room where it happens.

Look at you.

All right, give my best to Anya.

Carisi.

What? Why?

No, I don't understand.

Oh, I know the attorney general's

longstanding tradition of
protecting the powerful,

but is anyone thinking about
justice for their victims?

Sons of bitches.

The DA, the Southern
District, the... the AG,

not a set of balls between them.

You know, if you ask me,

this could have been ten times
bigger than Gotti or Epstein.

All right, all right.

I am so sorry, Carisi.

And Howard?

Okay, well, that's something.

Keep me posted.

So Howard is the sacrificial predator.

He's taking a plea; he's up
for sentencing next month.

And they're not moving forward
with Gold's deal or with Gold.

Who's they? Doesn't matter.

Gold said he had enough to
take down an ex-president.

That was never gonna happen.

Kat!

- Hey.
- Hey.

It's too soon for you to be back.

- How are you feeling?
- Better.

Doctor said it's good
for me to move around.

You got a sec?

It's good to see you vertical.

Have a seat.

So?

I don't know how much Fin told you.

Some.

Look, Kat, you have been through a lot.

Do not underestimate getting shot.

It takes its toll.

It's not about being shot.

Okay. Fin told me that too.

After last year, I thought
things would change.

Like, really change.

But they haven't.

The guys like McGrath
are holding on tight.

I hear you.

So stay, Kat.

Fight with me.

The department needs voices like yours.

Does it?

I mean, Fin told me a while
ago, I don't have the rank

to go up against the system.

They're not gonna listen to me.

I want to talk you out of this

because I believe that change is coming.

Because you have to.

We're not in the same place.
I don't have 20 years invested.

I gotta get out before I get too deep.

Look, I am so happy
for the victims' sakes

that you're here.

I just can't stay.

Okay.

Well, my door is always open, Detective.

I know. Thank you.

Thank you for everything.

I hope you understand.

Gonna miss you around here.

I am gonna miss it.

Take care of yourself.

I will try.

They won't let Gold flip?

What genius on the eighth
floor made that decision?

This is way above the eighth floor.

Our guys were fighting
tooth and nail on this.

Gold's gotta have
bodies on top of bodies.

What about the charges against him?

Officially, the investigation
into his actions is ongoing.

- So...
- So two witnesses get murdered

and they're just gonna let that slide?

My guess, his offer to
give up power players,

people in DC heard
that as a warning shot.

Wow.

How are you doing? You
put so much work into this.

We both did.

On the bright side,
Howard's gonna take a plea.

If he had gone to trial,

then either you wouldn't
have been able to testify

or I wouldn't have
been able to prosecute.

- Did somebody rat us out?
- No, no.

But we, uh...

we do need to talk
about the implications

of whatever it is we're doing here.

I thought you said we
didn't need to disclose

unless it was a serious relationship.

I'm taking this seriously.

So am I,

but nobody else needs to know that.

Not right now.

- Nah, nah, they don't.
- Hmm?

I'll try not to channel
my inner guilty Catholic.

Don't go too far.

I like that guy.

Chief,

what's going on here?

I'm sorry to hear about Detective Tamin.

Why do I feel like we're
winning some battles,

here and there, but...

but we're losing the war?

Because we are.

I when to 1-PP to try to argue
against the Gold decision.

Yeah, I heard that McGrath
was furious about that too.

But I'm guessing that...

that he didn't back you up.

More like he hung me out to dry.

"Read the room," they said.

"You're taking down
a sitting congressman,

but nothing is enough for you."

They made it clear that
inside the Puzzle Palace,

no one sees me as a team player.

But they didn't actually fire you.

No, the optics on that would be bad.

But I have decided to leave

before they can bloody me up any more.

Chief.

My father got me on
the phone last night.

He spent a lifetime at NYPD.

He said, "Son, move on.

Truth is, you'll be
more dangerous to them

outside the department than in."

- Captain, a word?
- Yeah.

No, no, no, don't get
up. Stay off that ankle.

Actually the good
news is the doctor says

that I'm a fast healer.

That's good. That's good.

'Cause we're gonna need
you functioning at 200%.

Don't know if he told you,

but Chief Garland put
in his papers today.

Yes, I, uh, I heard.

Entirely his decision.

No one has more respect
for Chief Garland than I do.

But this, uh, this last year at SVU,

things got too politicized.

So, moving forward, we need
to focus on the real rapes.

- Real rapes?
- Uh, oh... I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, that is
my old-school talking.

Of course we believe all victims.

Right.

But these... you know,
these "he said, she said,"

Monday morning regret cases,

they just collapse
like a house of cards.

I mean, every time we try
to police the bedroom...

Okay, Chief, I
wouldn't... I wouldn't call

acquaintance rapes
"policing the bedroom."

You know what I'm talking about.

I'm not gonna turn
my back on any victim.

Nor do I expect you to.

If you put your mind to it,

there's no one better for this job.

I have absolute
confidence in you, Olivia.

Oh, um, also, we're looking at

a lot of really excellent candidates

to fill Garland's position.

But, in the meantime, you'll
report directly to me, okay?

Is that gonna be a problem?

No, sir.

Okay.