From Shadows to Light

Investigations

Olivia had her team discretely gather information on the streets, uncovering that Wheatley had been rebuilding his criminal empire over the past year after faking his own death. They also discovered his obsession with seeking revenge on Elliot. Rafael realized the gravity of the situation – Olivia was in danger. During the Wheatley trial, he had come to recognize that she was the love of his life. Wheatley, blaming Elliot for turning Angela against him and leading to her death, believed that if he couldn't be with his love, neither should Elliot.

Rafael was also doing an investigation of his own, reviewing old cases and connecting the dots back to Wheatley. He realized that the true mastermind behind his shooting was Wheatley, with the arrested individual merely being another one of Wheatley's scapegoats. Rafael hadn't shared this revelation with Olivia, not wanting to add to her worries, but it weighed heavily on him.

In the midst of their separate investigations, a late-night phone call shattered the uneasy calm. Olivia, just moments away from a much-needed respite, was brought up short by the sight of Fin's name flashing on her caller ID. Experience had taught her that calls at this hour seldom bore good news.

"Benson," she answered, her voice steady despite the trepidation building inside her.

"Liv, it's Fin. You need to get down to the precinct. Now."

The urgency in Fin's voice sent Olivia's heart into overdrive, her instincts kicking in. "What's happened, Fin?"

"It's Elliot. He's been arrested."

Her breath caught in her throat, the words echoing in her mind. Arrested? Elliot? It couldn't be true.

"What? How? Why?"

"Looks like he got into a brawl with Wheatley. Beat him pretty bad. IAB's all over it. They're saying attempted murder."

Olivia's mind was spinning, the information too much to take in all at once. Attempted murder? Elliot? This had to be some kind of mistake.

"I'm on my way," Olivia stated, her voice firm despite the turmoil she felt inside.

She ended the call, her body springing into action as she swiftly grabbed her coat and made her way to the door. She felt a small relief knowing that Noah was safe at a friend's house for the night. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, unsure of what she would find at the precinct. The question of whether to call Rafael and involve him hovered in her mind. She was hesitant, not wanting to add to his burdens or create another point of contention between him and Elliot. She resolved to gather more information about the situation before deciding whether to bring Rafael into the loop. He was spending a rare evening with his mother, and she didn't want to interrupt that without good reason.

Reaching the precinct, she spotted Fin immediately. His expression was somber, the weight of the situation evident in his demeanor.

"Liv," he greeted, his tone grave. "This is bad. Real bad."

"What happened?" Olivia asked.

"Elliot's been deep under these past weeks, tracking Wheatley," Fin shared, his eyes searching hers. "Something went wrong."

A wave of dread washed over Olivia at the mention of Wheatley's name, bringing back a flood of memories and unresolved emotions. She hadn't spoken to Elliot since the night he left her apartment, and she had tried to check up on him a few times, only to be met with silence. She assumed he was working undercover again, or maybe he just needed some space. She couldn't help but regret not pushing harder to reach him.

"Liv," Fin's voice brought her back to the present, "you need to see this."

She followed him to the video room where they watched the silent surveillance footage from the warehouse security camera, showing the brutal fight between Elliot and Wheatley. Olivia felt a knot forming in her stomach as she witnessed the violence unfold on screen, her heart aching for Elliot and the dark path he had gone down.