Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 15, Episode 20 - Beast's Obsession - full transcript

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.
ding–ding

[Never tear us apart]

— ♪ —

— ♪ — Don't ask me — ♪ —

— ♪ — What you know is true — ♪ —



— ♪ — Don't have to tell you — ♪ —

— ♪ — I love your precious heart — ♪ —

— ♪ — I — ♪ —

— ♪ — I was standing — ♪ —

— ♪ — You were there — ♪ —

— ♪ — Two worlds collided — ♪ —

— ♪ — And they could never
tear us apart — ♪ —

— ♪ — We could live — ♪ —

— ♪ — For a thousand years — ♪ —

— ♪ — But if I hurt you — ♪ —

[Car alarm blips]

— ♪ — I'd make wine
from your tears — ♪ —

— ♪ — I told you — ♪ —

— ♪ — If we could fly — ♪ —



— ♪ — 'Cause we all have wings — ♪ —

— ♪ — But some of us
don't know why — ♪ —

— ♪ — I was standing — ♪ —

— ♪ — You were there — ♪ —

[Phone ringing]

— ♪ — Two worlds collided — ♪ —

— ♪ — And they could never — ♪ —

Morning, sunshine.

— ♪ — Ever — ♪ —
— I missed you.

— ♪ — Ever tear us apart — ♪ —

[Dramatic music]

— ♪ —

Okay, everybody, listen up.
Here's what we have so far.

At approximately 10:45
last night,

William Lewis,
complaining of chest pains,

was transferred from Rikers
to Bellevue prison ward

where all attempts
to resuscitate him failed.

Ten minutes
after being pronounced dead

he suddenly came back to life
on the gurney,

and he was held overnight
for observation.

At some point
Lewis apparently convinces

the D.O.C. Officer there
to uncuff him.

He then snaps
the officer's neck.

Lewis was discovered missing
at 8:45 this morning.

But how'd he get out
of that ward?

Still don't know.

This nurse was found raped,
hanging in the closet.

Still hasn't regained
consciousness.

Her cell phone, purse,
car keys... all missing.

We have an alert out
on her vehicle.

Which is a white camry,
New York plates. N-S...

Don't even bother.

He'll ditch it
before he escapes Manhattan.

He may not
be leaving Manhattan.

Why would you say that?

Because he called me
this morning

from the nurse's cell phone.

He said that he misses me.

Which is precisely
why I've been ordered

to take command of this unit.

— Excuse me?
— Lieutenant Murphy?

Sergeant Benson.
We've spoken on the phone.

Yes, we have.
What are you doing here?

— One PP didn't call?
— No, they didn't.

That's classic.

You can't be in charge
of a manhunt

when you're the target
of the man you are hunting.

I know William Lewis
better than anyone.

And I'll be relying on that.

He is our suspect,
and this is my unit.

No longer.

As of this moment I am acting
commanding officer of SVU.

We're in this together.

He's been out three,
maybe four hours.

He's already killed a brother
officer and raped again.

The department's on alert,
but you know his patterns.

We'll see this through
to his capture.

Rollins, I'll need a breakdown
of his known associates,

his profile,
prison contacts.

Anything and everything.
We've already started on that.

Then finish it.

Actually I was just about

to have Fin and Rollins
go to Rikers.

I was gonna go to Bellevue.
You're not going anywhere.

With my partner Nick Amaro.

— No, we've met.
— Yes, we have.

Amaro can go to Bellevue
with Rollins.

Fin, is it?

Go to Rikers.

You're to stay here
or a hotel.

Intelligence will provide
24-hour protection

until Lewis is apprehended.

— I don't need protection.
— It's not your decision.

Is that the captain's office?
I'll be needing it.

This conversation
you had with Lewis,

— he say anything else?
— No.

He was really
pronounced dead.

He rose like Lazarus.

Look, this is, uh,
temporary, right?

Everything is,
including your command here.

You knew someone
would come in eventually.

Can I get my messages?

This is
your protective detail.

Sergeant.

I'm detective Delano.

This is detective Carlson.
You're our principal.

We're your new best friends,
shadowing you 24-7.

Yeah. Just for the record
I didn't request this.

Won't last long.
We're gonna get this guy.

His heart stopped,

and we did CPR
for about 15 minutes.

I pronounced him dead.

Two minutes later
he auto-resuscitates.

Uh, they call it
the Lazarus effect.

He did have
a heart attack though?

That's what we thought
at first.

[Sighs]

But then I got
his toxicology back.

The guy should still be dead.

He had, like...
Three grams of Propranolol

in his system.

It's, like, 150 times
the therapeutic dose.

Good way to get yourself
transferred out of Rikers.

He started shaking,
sweating.

Then he just dropped,
grabbing his chest.

— You get him the drugs?
— Me? Nah.

Come on, you're head of BX9.
You got access.

My sergeant put you away.

You sure you and Lewis
didn't bond over that?

You can't pin this on me.
Ask anybody.

Lewis was a monk in here.

What's that?

Inmates can get food
from the outside in here?

Where'd these come from,
Carlos?

I got no idea.

Oh, my God, William escaped
from the hospital?

He's not here.
Have you heard from him?

No. I swear.

But you did go visit him
yesterday.

I visit him every day.

Bringing him
spiked cupcakes.

I just wanted him
to feel better.

He's been having
anxiety attacks.

He couldn't eat or sleep.

He was wrongly convicted.
He's been suffering.

Where'd you get the drugs?

They're legal.
I have a prescription.

I get stage fright
during my mandolin auditions.

There! That's Lewis.

He just grabs some scrubs
and walks out?

Nobody's
even paying attention.

Monday morning shift change.
This place is a mess.

And Lewis knows that,
he's been here before.

Who signed off
on the transfer

from Rikers to Bellevue?

Dr. Janice Cole.

She called in sick today.

We've been trying to reach her.
She's not answering her phone.

[Dramatic music]

Is this the nurse's car?

Yeah, he switched the plate,
but the VIN numbers match.

Clean,
nothing in the trunk.

Dr. Cole!
NYPD!

Hit it.

Upstairs.

Hey, Lewis was here.

— Nick.
— Clear!

Hey.

She's cold.

Clear!

Hey.

Humor me.

Clear!

The doctor has a daughter.

So she's got two daughters.
Now where are they?

What kinda monster is he?

[Whimpers]

— Oh! Sweetie.
— Holy mother...

— She's alive.
— I need sergeant Benson.

You're okay, sweetheart.
[Grunts]

Jeez, call a bus.
Call a bus!

I'm on it.

— Hey.
— Are you sergeant Benson?

[Panting]
Why? No.

He... he wanted me to tell her
what he did to me

and that he has
my little sister.

Okay, so Lauren's in surgery,
internal injuries.

The missing sister,
Amelia Cole, she's 12.

He's been with her
how long?

Lauren's hazy
about the timeline.

I take it no hits
on the doctor's e-zpass,

license plate readers?

He wanted us
to find the Cole family.

He doesn't want us
to find him.

You're half right.

He didn't want us to,
but he's baiting Benson.

We have her apartment
covered?

Her old apartment,
her new apartment.

You do know the smart ones
changes their patterns, right?

Sergeant Benson,
you shouldn't be here.

Yeah, well,
I heard Dr. Cole's daughter

has a message for me.

Is she conscious?

She's just getting out
of surgery.

Look, if you were needed
I would've called you.

I told you to hold the fort.

And I'm sorry
to disobey your orders,

but he has
a 12-year-old girl,

and now you've seen
what he's capable of.

I won't stand on principle.
You're here now.

[Knocking on door]

Lauren...
I'm sergeant Benson.

This is lieutenant Murphy.

[Gasps]
Thank God!

He said he'd kill my little sister
unless you tell the truth.

The truth?

Well, what else
did he want me to know?

What he did to me,
how he did things.

He said you'd like to hear
the details.

Okay.
Lauren, would you...

Would you feel more comfortable
if it was just us?

Okay.
I'll be right outside.

Just tell me what happened.

[Door closes]
Um...

My mom stayed home from work

because my little sister
had a temperature.

She was sleeping,
I was in my room.

I heard my mother scream,
then a gunshot.

[Sniffles]

I got my dad's old revolver
from her dresser.

And I went downstairs.

He was standing there...

Smiling.

I had the gun in my hand,
but I just froze.

Lauren, it's okay.

That's perfectly
understandable.

He took my gun...

And forced me upstairs
into Amelia's room.

She was still sleeping.

He made me take off
my clothes...

And lit a cigarette.

Then he held the lit end
of the cigarette

on my neck...

And my breasts.

And then he turned me over
and he raped me.

[Sniffles]

He whispered, «tell sergeant
Benson what she missed.»

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Then he tied me up
in the closet.

Took Amelia with him.

Said if I ever wanted
to see her alive again

I had to convince you
to admit the truth.

He said you'd know
what that means.

Whatever it is...

Just do it.

Tell him what he wants to hear.
Please.

Liv, you okay?

No.

Sergeant,
can I have a word with you?

Just a moment.

What exactly did the girl mean
when she said,

«Lewis wants you
to tell the truth»?

This is just
between you and me.

I give you my word.

During the trial,
I testified...

That I beat Lewis
with a metal bar...

Fracturing his skull,
shattering his kneecap.

I remember reading something
about that.

I told the jury that...

He had gotten free
of his cuffs

and had lunged at me.

And you lied.

He was cuffed.

Incapacitated.

You should've killed him
when you had the chance.

There's press downstairs,
I'm gonna make a statement.

Absolutely not.

He has a little girl.

If you give him
what he wants,

he just might
kill the girl anyway.

He's doing this for you.

While he's waiting for you
to move, he won't move.

This is when we hunt him down.

Lieutenant!

They found Dr. Cole's car.

The suspect is considered
armed and dangerous.

Do not attempt
to approach him,

do not attempt
to apprehend him.

If you see William Lewis,
call 911... [Grunts]

Or our tip hotline
at 1-800-555-0199.

Again, the suspect is believed
to be armed

and considered
extremely dangerous.

The department will not rest
until he is apprehended.

Thank you.
No further comments.

CSU found some hair
in the trunk, some blood.

The lab's running it now to see
if it's a match for Amelia.

Well, he didn't leave on foot
with that little girl.

There's damage on the far side
of the car... black paint.

He might've done
a bump-and-rob.

Probably
has another vehicle.

Check missing persons,
carjacking reports, everything.

Lieutenant...

They found a floater
over by the boat slip.

[Radio chatter]
Young white male, no I.D.

Single bullet hole
to the temple.

M.E. says core body temp's
down 12 degrees,

with blanching lividity
on the back.

— Amaro, how long?
— Three hours.

Good. That means the fish
haven't had time

to nibble his fingers yet.

See if his prints
are in the system,

tell 'em to check dental,
tattoos, everything.

We caught a lucky break.

It's Danny weston, 26.
He had a cochlear implant.

So while they waited
to hear back

from the manufacturer,

I went ahead and called
New York eye and ear,

they ID'd him
within the hour.

They only do, like, 100...
Okay, he's deaf.

What kinda car's he driving?
Yes, sir.

Uh, it's a 2013
black acadia SUV.

New York plates.

A black SUV?

I thought you said
we caught a break.

That's like every other car
in Manhattan.

He's in one,
we gotta stop 'em all

till we find him.
Hey, it's Lewis.

He's calling on a landline
from Dr. Cole's cell phone.

He'll only talk to you, Liv.

Track the GPS.

— Go ahead.
— No.

You gotta make him wait.

You make him wait,
it'll make him angry.

When he gets angry,
he gets sloppy.

— Lewis.
— Speakerphone, huh?

You know better than that.
Take me off, now.

It's just us.

Lewis, you want me.
You know you do.

You let the girl go.

I don't think so.

Think I'm gonna keep her.
I like her.

— Say hi.
— Hi.

Amelia.

12 is such a lovely age.

They start to look
like a woman...

Feel like a woman.

But they still smell
like a little girl...

Sweet.
Shampoo and baby powder.

Lewis, listen to me.

Just tell me where you are
and I will come meet you,

whatever you want.

You know what I want...
The truth.

— [Gasps]
— Tonight.

Public confession
on the 6:00 news.

You and I both know
the truth.

The people need
to hear it from you.

Okay.

Lew...
He's gone, he hung up.

He's calling
from Roosevelt island.

I thought you said
he was smart.

That's it...
One bridge in, subway out.

And the tram.
We got him!

Call the MTA, the 116,
and the tramway.

Shut that
and the «f» train down.

Close everything off
and let me know when it happens.

I'm getting a ping
on Dr. Cole's cell.

He's on the tram.

Hey, who's in charge?
Who's in charge?

— Over there.
— We've got it covered.

We stopped the tram.
No one's gotten on or off.

— Bring it in slow.
— Start it up.

Hey, get downstairs, now!

Now, let's go!
Everyone downstairs!

— You see him?
— No.

Open it up, open it up!

All right,
come out one at a time!

All right, everybody,
police emergency.

Hands up,
police emergency!

Let's go, guys, let's go.
Come on, come on, come on.

Down the stairs,
let's go.

Come on, come on, come on.

No Lewis, no Amelia.

I'm still getting a ping
off the cell.

Well, he's not here.
There's no place to hide.

Come on.
Let's move, let's move!

Nick.
[Phone ringing]

What is that?

No, wait for ESU.
Get ESU up here!

Screw 'em.

There.
[Phone ringing]

Hello?
Hi, Amanda.

It's been a while.

You caught me once.

Guess this time
you lost me.

[Hangs up]

No sign of Lewis.
We're pulling street cams

and security footage
from the tram.

Murphy says Taru
traced the incoming call

to the cell we found
in Amelia's backpack.

Signal's coming from a
no-name phone in the east 50s.

[Sighs]

Hungry?

Flood the zone from third
Avenue to the east river,

from 50th street
up to 60th.

Does Lewis have any known
associates in the east 50s?

Well, it's unlikely
that he met anybody in prison

on the Upper East Side.

Wait a second.

His last defense attorney.
She lived near Sutton place.

[Phone ringing]

Olivia.
You found me.

I did.

Your former lawyer's
your next Vic?

You know, the smart ones
change their patterns.

Is Amelia still with you?

It's always about the girl
with you, isn't it?

You don't care about
my attorney, her trials?

You remember the smell
of gas, detective?

Burning flesh?

I'll bet you do.
Lewis, please...

Just...Stop.

— 420 e. 58th.
— I'll close down the block.

Okay, let's go.
Move!

Counselor!

You wanna give sergeant Benson
the message we talked about?

[Grunting]

Here you go,
hold your head up, sweetheart.

You can do it.

Ah, that's all right.

Sorry, counselor doesn't seem
to wanna talk right now.

We're gonna have
to call you back.

Lewis, leave him alone.

If you promise me...
That they will both stay alive,

I will say
whatever you want to hear.

What I want to hear, huh?

You mean the truth?

Yes.

The truth.

A confession? No!

You give a sociopath
what he wants,

he rips your heart out for sport
and holds it in his hand

while you watch, bleeding out.
He has Amelia.

I know what he could
be doing to her.

No, you don't.
You know what he did to you,

you know what
he's done to others.

He's counting on that.

He's not interested
in that little girl.

He's inside your head.

That is the assault
he's enjoying right now.

He's not going anywhere.

My name is sergeant
Olivia Benson, NYPD,

and on the 6th of January
of this year

I testified in the New York
state supreme court

at the trial
of William Lewis.

And on that day,
under oath,

I swore that, when I beat him
with a metal bar,

he had broken free
of his handcuffs.

And I only used the force
necessary to subdue him.

That was a lie.

The truth is,
when I beat Mr. Lewis,

fracturing his skull,
his orbital socket,

shattering his kneecap,
breaking multiple ribs,

and causing permanent damage,
he was handcuffed.

He and I were alone,
he offered no resistance,

and I was not in danger.

The assault was nothing less
than police brutality

and excessive force.

I apologize for the inhumanity
of my actions

and for my perjury.

Since William Lewis
was convicted

based on my testimony,

I request
that D.A. Rafael Barba

inform the judiciary committee
of my actions

and take appropriate steps
to rectify

the unjust conviction
of Mr. Lewis.

I make this statement
of my own volition,

under no duress,
under no coercion,

and under no expectation

that there be a quid pro quo
from Mr. Lewis.

I'm sorry that I didn't
come forward earlier.

Thank you.

[Hyperventilating]

Comfortable, sweetheart?

[Crying]
I want my mommy!

Not yet, honey.

You thirsty?

It's been six hours,
no response.

So we wait.

[Sighs]
You were right, Murphy.

It didn't matter.
He's gonna kill her anyway.

Liv...
[Sighs]

You...
You can't think that way.

Maybe it's time
for you to get some rest.

— Guys, please, I'm fine.
— Rollins is right.

The intelligence detail will
take you back to your hotel.

Lieutenant Murphy...
It's fine.

That's an order.

Mr. right turns out
to be Mr. right now

or Mr. wrong.

Now how's that possible?

You're smart, sexy,
the whole package.

Ah, this from a guy
with a wedding ring.

You mind if I, uh,
use the ladies room?

Yeah, just let me check it.
[Laughs]

Clear.

You mind?

— I'll be right outside.
— Thanks.

—

—

[Unlocks door]

Hey!
Hey! Out of the car!

— What is this?
— Out of the car now.

Police business.
Step away from the vehicle.

What are you doing?

What are you, crazy?
Where are you going?

You had better be kidding me.
How do you lose a principal?

Find her now!

Rollins, Fin, Amaro.

— Benson's gone.
— Lewis took her?

She slipped her detail,
commandeered a town car.

— Oh.
— Any of you know about this?

— No.
— Do not lie to me.

— We didn't know, none of us.
— We'll find her, lieutenant.

Track her radio,
her cell.

Put an alert on the town car,
she's armed!

Amaro.

— What's your partner doing?
— She's going after Lewis.

— She's gonna end this.
— That's exactly what he wants.

Lewis!

I'm here!

Where's the girl?

[Breathing heavily]

Put your hands in the air,
Olivia.

What'd you think,
it was gonna be easy?

After all our time together?

I feel like you don't
even know me at all.

— What do you want?
— Your gun.

Otherwise
you won't find the girl.

Nobody will.

[Unloads clip]

Turn around.

Ow.

Take it easy.
Shh!

Arghh!

No drop gun.
Good girl.

Cell phone.
This, you won't be needing.

You know what?

Think I'll keep the radio.

This way
they can hear you scream

while they're looking for you.

— Where's the girl, Lewis?
— Shh!

Let's go for a ride.

Town car last seen heading
off the BQE at 4:00 A.M.

Toward the Gowanus canal.

Her cell cut off
at the edge of red hook...

Van dyke and Barnell street.
There's nothing out there.

That's kinda
how Lewis likes it.

Past the projects,
ball fields.

Perfect place
for a rat to find a hole.

[Sighs]
Sorry about those potholes.

[Unlocks cuffs]
[Groans]

[Groans]

It's horrible, isn't it?

How the city just...
Lets everything go to ruin.

[Tightening cuffs]

What's the matter, Olivia?

Don't feel like talking?

What?

Oh, lord.

You're not having flashbacks
now, are you?

It's very common, you know...
PTSD.

I mean, it's...
It's real.

You're in your bed
at night,

wake up in a cold sweat,
thinking I'm in the room

with a gun to your head.

Don't flatter yourself.

Nothing to be ashamed of,
Olivia.

All my girls go through it.

I am an agent of change,

nailed to the trajectory
of people's lives.

They might have hopes
and dreams before they meet me,

but then...

Then they run into me,
life as they knew it is gone.

Well, you know, right?

Could be getting out of a car,
opening a door.

You might just hear a sound,
but still you think of me.

You know...

You know, whatever you think
that you did to me,

whatever effect you think
you had on me,

that's in your head.

Huh.

So, um, no dreams
about me at all, huh?

[Sighs]
Dreams?

No.

Well...

Who else you got
in your life?

That cop boyfriend?

I mean, he's gotta be out
of the picture by now, right?

There's no chemistry there.

Even at the trial,
you know,

the few times
that he did come,

you were looking at me,
not him.

You're the one
who's obsessed, Lewis.

You could've been in Canada
by now,

but instead you had
to come back for me.

You find it hard to trust
after what we went through?

There's a tendency to isolate,
to withdraw.

You seeing a therapist?

Please promise me
you'll do that.

He probably sits there
with you

and tells you that you're
working through it, right?

«You can be whole again,
Olivia.»

Well, he's lying.

What I do,
and I've seen this

in the victim impact
statements,

nobody ever recovers from it.

The girl, Lewis.
Where's the girl?

Little Amelia?

Her life up to this point
has been all princess movies

and lip gloss.

I'm gonna be her first.
Take me to her, Lewis.

That was...
That was our agreement.

Upstairs.

[Exhales]

Watch out for the rats.

[Exhales]

Amelia, I'm detective Benson.

Listen to me,

the cops are on their way,
sweetheart.

— You're gonna be okay.
— Hi, sweetie!

Hope you haven't been
too scared up here

all alone without me.

Cut her down,
you have me now.

Well, that's up to you.

It's your choice now.

And I have you both, so...

I can do you,
let her watch.

Or I can cut her down...

Do her,
let you watch.

I'm fine either way.

All right, so Taru confirms this is
where her signal died over an hour ago,

and there's been nothing
from her radio.

This is her vest
and her gun.

Where did he take her?

He got a good jump on us.
BQE's close by.

He could be anywhere.

[Sighs]

Gimme your arm.

It's over, Lewis.
They're...

They're coming for me.

They're gonna find...
The car, they're gonna find you.

I see, so you're just buying
time by letting me rape you?

That's it?

Do what you're gonna do.

[Moaning]

[Kissing]

That's it?

That's all
you're gonna give me, huh?

Just gonna stand here,
play possum?

[Laughing]
All right.

You know what,
new game.

My rules...

Not yours.

This is gonna be more fun.

You know what,
I'll be a gentleman.

I'll go first.

Look away.

Look away, Amelia.

Death is not something
to be afraid of, Olivia.

You're going to hell,
Lewis.

[Cocks gun]

Am I?

[Hammer clicks]

Pick it up.

Or I could shoot you first.

Pick it up!

And if you're thinking
of shooting me with that,

just remember there's
five empty chambers, one bullet.

So...
Either you get extremely lucky,

or you pull the trigger,
I shoot you,

and it's just me and Amelia.

So pick up the gun

and put it
to your pretty little head.

Harper call it in?
Yeah, that's the car.

[Sirens blaring]

It's clear!

Okay, pop the trunk.
Pop the trunk!

What the hell
is he thinking?

Go ahead.

Do it.

They're coming for you.

Ow!

Pull the trigger...

Or I'll shoot you
in the head.

[Whispering] Do it.

[Whispering] Do it, Olivia.

No.

No, don't.
Don't. Don't.

[Crying]

Okay. Okay.

It's your turn.

[Exhales]

[Hammer clicks]

My turn.

You know what's ironic
about your little confession?

Even if you tell people
that I shot myself,

they're not gonna
believe you now.

They're gonna assume...
[Cocks guns]

That you shot me...

In cold blood.

Execution style.

[Hammer clicks]

[Helicopter approaching]

Hmm.

Your friends are here.

Let's make it interesting
for 'em.

Testing, testing.

This is William Lewis here.

I'm here
with sergeant Benson,

and we're playing a little game
of Russian roulette.

We're halfway through.

[Sirens blaring]

I'm sliding the gun
across the table

to sergeant Benson.

There's three chambers left,
one bullet.

Pick it up.

[Crying]

Shh!

[Whispering]
Pull the trigger, Olivia,

or I will.

Do it now.

They're coming.

[Hammer clicks]

Where the hell are they?

— Ground floor is clear.
— They're not outside.

Two chambers left,
one bullet.

[Cocks gun]

You know how lucky I am.

Look away.
Look away, Amelia.

[Hammer clicks]

Game over.

Say good-bye, Olivia.

[Radio static]

This is the last thing...
You're gonna think about...

[Drops gun]

Before you die.

The last thing...

You're gonna see.

[Gunshot]
[Screams]