Location: Vermont. Drecker Residence.

Calvin Arliss ran excitedly up the stairs to his bedroom and shut the door behind him. His grandparents, George and Evelyn Drecker, had just told him they were going to New York City for the weekend to visit Calvin's mother, Vivian who was in rehab and drug counseling. Calvin let his grandparents believe he was excited about visiting his mother. But he had another reason to look forward to their trip to the Big Apple. He may have been just a child, but his grandparents had no idea how much they underestimated him. He was a kid on a mission. A mission that he had been planning for months. A mission that would very soon be put into action.

He opened his closet and pulled out a suitcase. He then put the suitcase on the bed and opened it. He dug around his dresser, pulling out clothes and throwing them into the open suitcase. Then he went into the bathroom for his toothbrush and anything else he thought he might need. Calvin made sure to shut his bedroom door when he returned from the bathroom. When he was sure he had packed everything, he went back to the closet to grab one more thing. A most important piece pertaining to his mission.

Calvin knelt down in front of a box on his closet floor that contained some of his father's old things, a baseball bat and mitt, his high school diploma, and several yearbooks, among other things. He pushed the box aside, revealing a loose board in the closet floor. He lifted the loose board and reached inside, pulling out an old sock which contained a rather large wad of cash and an envelope with Olivia Benson's address on it. After returning the loose board and box to their appropriate places, Calvin closed the closet and walked over to the open suitcase with the old sock in one hand. With his free hand, he searched for the lining until he found what he was looking for. A small slit just large enough to fit the sock through.

After he hid the sock safely in the lining of his suitcase, Calvin made his way to his desk where his computer sat. It was in screen saver mode, with fish gliding serenely across the screen. He jiggled the mouse, making the fish disappear and the computer spring to life. He opened his email and began type:

Olivia,

Grandma and Grandpa are taking me to New York for

the weekend. We're going to visit Mom in rehab. Maybe

they'll let me come see you. Gotta go. Miss you.

Love, Calvin Benson

He hit the send button and then quickly shut off his computer. He couldn't let his grandparents catch him emailing Olivia. After what his mother, Vivian told them, they refused to let him stay in touch with her. But he was smarter than they realized. He had been emailing Olivia every now then, making sure to delete his emails after they were sent. Or he would simply use his school's computers. His grandparents would randomly check his computer, looking for such emails. Calvin knew they'd never let him see Olivia when they went to New York, But he swore to himself he would find a way to see her. He wished more than anything he was living back in the apartment with her. He often thought about all the fun they had and how wonderful she was to him.

"Calvin!" Evelyn banged on his bedroom door.

"Huh?" Calvin's daydream disappeared and he flashed back to reality.

"Move your ass!" she shouted from the hall. "We need to get on the road soon if we're going to beat traffic! Don't think we won't leave you behind!"

"I'm coming!" Calvin called back.

He grabbed his suitcase off the bed and extended the handle so he could roll it along. He threw on his jacket and then wheeled the suitcase out the door and down the stairs.

Location: New York City. Olivia Benson's Apartment.

For a moment it seemed like any other morning as Olivia Benson readied herself for work. She showered and dressed and did her hair and makeup. Then she went into the kitchen to make herself a quick breakfast. As she lifted her hand to open the fridge, her gaze rested upon Calvin's drawing taped to her fridge. It was a drawing of herself that Calvin made in art class. He had signed it "Calvin Benson." A single tear rolled down Olivia's right cheek, Suddenly, the apartment wasn't the only thing that felt empty. Olivia felt as if she had a large gaping hole in her heart.

As Olivia made herself breakfast, coffee and a toasted bagel with cream cheese, she missed Calvin more than she let herself believe. She missed packing his school lunches every day, and tucking him into bed every night. She missed staying up all night taking care of him when he had a stomach ache. But more than anything, she missed having someone to come home to after a long day at work. This was the closest thing she ever had to a real family, and it was torn apart beyond her control.

Olivia would never forget that day in the squad room. Calvin and her partner, Elliot Stabler, were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors when a social worker walked in with Vivian following behind him. He had orders to remove Calvin from Olivia's care. She had tried so hard to convince the social worker not to take him away, but failed. It took the strength of both Vivian and the social worker to pull Calvin away from Olivia. It felt as if Olivia's heart had been ripped out of her chest. She could still hear him crying out for her as they dragged him out of the precinct.

"It's okay, Calvin!" were Olivia's last words to him. "It's okay!"

The memory faded and Olivia found herself back in her kitchen, crying into her breakfast. She no longer had an appetite, so she threw out what was left of her bagel and coffee. Then she went into the bathroom and washed her face. When she finished, she sat down in the living room with Calvin still on her mind. He would email her from time to time, but it wasn't the same. Olivia missed seeing his face and hearing his voice every day. It had been a few weeks since he last emailed her. She wondered if she should check her laptop before going to work. But before she could decide, her cell phone began to ring. She picked it up and checked the caller ID. It was Elliot.

"Benson," she answered her phone.

"Morning," greeted Elliot's voice. "Have you made it to the precinct yet?"

"No," she replied. "I was just about to leave my apartment now. Why?"

"Good," he said. "I haven't missed you. We just got called to a crime scene. I'll swing by and pick you up."

Location: New York City. Howard Johnson's Hotel.

"What have you got?" Elliot asked as he and Olivia walked into the hotel lobby.

A uniformed officer turned around and walked in their direction. The name on his badge read "Mahoney."

"You SVU?" he asked the two detectives.

Elliot and Olivia nodded and flashed him their badges in response.

"I'm Detective Benson," Olivia announced. "And this is Detective Stabler."

She pointed to Elliot who was standing next to her.

"Follow me," Mahoney instructed them, leading them to the elevators. "I'll explain everything on the ride up to the third floor."

Mahoney pushed the up button and the elevator sprang to life, opening before them. Once the three of them were inside, Mahoney pushed the button for the third floor and turned to face the detectives.

"The receptionist knocked on their door," Mahoney explained. "Apparently, the credit card they used to check in was declined. Turns out it was stolen. When the receptionist didn't get an answer, he opened the door and found a boy, about ten or eleven years old, beaten unconscious."

"Do you suspect abuse?" asked Olivia.

"Without a doubt," replied Mahoney. "This kid was covered in bruises. Judging by the discoloration, some are fresh and some are days old. Maybe even weeks old."

"Where the hell are the parents now?" Elliot questioned.

"No one knows," Mahoney answered. "They weren't here when the maid came in to clean the room. And the receptionist said when they checked in yesterday afternoon, the boy was with him. But they left very early this morning and haven't been back since."

The elevator stopped as it arrived on the third floor and the door swung open, revealing a long hallway with more officers, paramedics, and the Crime Scene Unit coming up and down the hallway. Guests peeked out from behind their doors, wondering what all the commotion was about.

"Did they check out," inquired Olivia as she and Elliot continued to follow Mahoney down the hall.

"Nope," Mahoney shook his head. "They checked in for the weekend and their luggage is still in the room."

"So, they're not from around here?" guessed Olivia.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Mahoney told her. "Apparently, they told the receptionist they were from Ohio. For all we know, that could also be another lie."

"Do we at least know who they are?" Elliot asked. "Did they leave any form of ID in the room or on their luggage?"

"Not that we could see," responded Mahoney. "The ID tags were ripped off the luggage. And there was no wallet or purse laying around, but CSU is still searching for any trace of DNA. Plus, they're dusting every inch of the room for fingerprints. I'm sure we'll find something."

"What about a description?" questioned Olivia. "Can the receptionist describe them to a sketch artist? Or were they caught on any security cameras?"

"He said he could," Mahoney shrugged. "We just haven't had a chance to sit him down with the sketch artist yet. As for the security cameras, TARU is pulling the footage as we speak."

As if on cue, TARU technician, Ruben Morales, turned the corner and walked towards the two detectives and Officer Mahoney. Morales.

"Oh, good. You're here," Morales spoke. "I've just finished pulling the footage and I'm taking it back to the lab now. As soon as I find something, you'll be the first to know."

"Okay, thanks," Elliot told him.

With that, Morales continued down the hall and disappeared into the elevator. And Elliot, Olivia, and Mahoney turned the corner where Morales had previously came from and continued down the hall.

"The room is at the end of this hall," Mahoney pointed out. "The last door on the right."

"Do we have any idea where the parents are going?" asked Elliot.

"Nope," Mahoney shook his head. "But we're pulling the LUD's from the hotel room phone. Maybe we'll get a lead."

"How about the boy?" asked Olivia.

"Paramedics are working on him now," Mahoney informed her. "So far, CSU hasn't found anything that can identify the boy. And obviously, he can't tell us. So we have no choice but to wait till he wakes up. Here comes one of the paramedics now."

He pointed to the paramedic exiting the room at the end of the hall and walking in their direction.

"Are you the detectives assigned to the case?" inquired the female paramedic.

"Yes," Elliot and Olivia flashed her their badges. "How's the boy?"

"He's pretty badly beaten," explained the paramedic. "He's got a nasty cut on his forehead. Either mom or dad bashed his head into the dresser, or he fell into it during the beating. He also suffered some head trauma. We won't know how serious until we get him to the hospital. He's still unconscious, but he is breathing and responding to painful stimuli. That's a good sign."

"What hospital are you taking him to?" asked Olivia.

"We're taking him to Mercy," answered the paramedic. "We're loading the boy onto the stretcher now."

"Thanks," Olivia told her.

The paramedic returned into the room.

"Someone had to have heard that kid getting beat up," Elliot said.

"My guys have been canvassing the hotel," said Mahoney. "Several people heard it alright. But they didn't do damn thing to stop it."

"What the fuck is wrong with people?" grumbled Elliot.

"Tell me about it," added Olivia. "How could they just sit back and let it happen?"

Just then, a make CSU team member came out of the room with a piece of paper in his hand. He walked towards the detectives and Officer Mahoney.

"I don't think the parents will be coming back," informed the CSU team member.

"Why do you say that?" asked Olivia.

Because," began the CSU team member. "The only luggage in the room belongs to the boy. There are no clothes belonging to adults anywhere."

"Perfect," grumbled Elliot sarcastically.

"But we were able to find fingerprints, hairs, and fibers," said the CSU team member.

"Enough for a DNA analysis?" inquired Olivia.

"Absolutely," replied the CSU team member. "But that's not all. Paramedics found this envelope inside of the boy's pants pocket. Thought you would want to see this."

He handed Mahoney the envelope, who looked it over before he handed it to Olivia.

"I think you should see this," Mahoney told her.

Olivia held the envelope in her hand as she and Elliot read it over. Written on the envelope was her name and address.

Why did this boy have her address? Olivia thought. How did he even get it?

So many unanswered questions ran through her mind. Olivia read the note over again and again. The handwriting looked awfully familiar. Where had she seen that handwriting before? She paused for a moment to think. Then suddenly, everything clicked inside her mind.

"Oh my God!" Olivia gasped aloud.

"What is it?" asked Mahoney, confused.

"Where's the boy now?" asked Olivia.

"He's still in the hotel room," answered the CSU team member. "The paramedics are loading him up."

Olivia ran down the hall and burst into the hotel room, Elliot and Mahoney hot on her heels. She couldn't believe what she saw. The boy lay unconscious on the stretcher as the paramedics strapped him in tight. As soon as Olivia eyes met the boy's face she immediately started to weep.

"Detective, do you know this boy?" Mahoney questioned.

Olivia, not taking her eyes off the boy, opened her mouth to answer Mahoney, but suddenly became physically ill. She quickly ducked into the bathroom and began to vomit.

Elliot, also in shock, stepped forward and answered for her. "Yes, we know him. His name is Calvin Arliss."

Stay tuned! More to come soon! Please feel free to read and review! Also, if you haven't done so already, please check out my other new story, Coup de Gras!