Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 24, Episode 1 - Episode #24.1 - 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.

Detective Frank Cosgrove.

I was with the girl
when she was shot,

so I'm not going anywhere.



So we're thinking that
this girl's trafficked.

What are you doing
talking to Mark Sirenko?

I've been working this prick
for six months.

You walk up to his front door,
start asking questions?

I saw you. I was there.

And I'm coming for you.

You have a CI on the inside?

Why don't we use him
to solve the murder?

I need you
to clone his burner.

Use your head. Be smart.

- Found our pimp.
- NYPD!

No, no, no, no!
Don't shoot! Don't shoot!

Just shoot me!
I just... I'd rather die!

So where would you
like to start?



Would you feel comfortable
telling us your name?

How about the name Ava?

You know a girl named Ava?

Do you know Ava's dead?

A man shot her
just a couple of hours

after the two of you
were together on that yacht.

I know this is difficult
to talk about.

And I know that
you don't want to be here.

But whatever did happen
on that yacht,

you did nothing wrong.

You're a kid.

You... you can stop.

I don't need any of this.

You don't have to pretend
like the world

is this big, happy place and
that you're gonna help me.

I'm not pretending.

If I say that
I'm gonna help you,

I am going to help you.

I already have help.

I already got people
who love me, who protect me.

And I am not about
to rat them out.

What is this?

I want you to see
for yourself

this woman that loves you.

Casserole is baked, Sam.

We found you
with a 14-year-old girl.

We also recovered your
phone and laptop records.

We been through
all your devices already.

Lots of pictures
from lots of girls.

We got you, Sam.

The more you cooperate
with us,

the better you live
from here on out.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Yes, you do.

The only thing that people
agree on these days,

Sam, is this:

burying people
who've hurt young kids.

I don't...
I don't want to watch this.

Let's just watch
a little bit longer, okay?

You ask me,
I think it's time

to start worrying about you.

You're a survivor, Sam.

You're good at taking care
of yourself.

Hell, it's the only reason
you're alive right now.

So why don't you
listen to that instinct

and start working with us?

Let's, uh...
let's talk about this

14-year-old girl
we found you with.

Who is she? She live with you?

You take care of her?

'Cause she sure as hell
tried to protect you.

She cut me up.
Well, she tried.

You two are close, yeah?

She loves you.

I'm guessing you love her too.

I have no idea
who that girl was.

That girl was on the yacht
doing business.

If she's a whore,
that's her choice.

We don't know each other.

And we sure as hell
don't love each other.

You heard her.

Um, she doesn't mean that.

She's only saying that
because you have her in cuffs.

Maybe, but I'm guessing
that if she really loved you,

she would have said
something else, hmm,

something a little more kind.

You charge me with whatever
you want to charge me with.

- I just want to get out of here.
- I'm not charging you anything

because you did nothing wrong.

That woman did.

No. No, no, no.
Sam's a good person.

Okay, she... she... she loves me.

She protected me.

She didn't protect you.

She exploited you.

And she's gonna
go to prison for it.

Then I'll say
it was all my idea.

It's not gonna matter.

Nothing you do or say
is gonna affect her reality.

It won't.

Nicole, that woman used you.

She and Sirenko used you.

She's going to prison for it.

And we're gonna
find Sirenko, trust me.

Nicole, you and me, we're here.

I promise you, I will help you
no matter what.

But right now,
I need you to help me.

Ava's dead because of them.

Help Ava.

Please, help your friend.

Please.

*LAW AND ORDER
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*

*LAW AND ORDER SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
Season 24 Episode 01

Episode Title: "Gimme Shelter (Part 2)"
Aired on: September 22, 2022.

Nicole Merrick,
14, foster kid.

She ran away from her
abusive foster parent

more than a year ago.

And how long was Nicole
with Sam and Sirenko?

Just with Sam.

Nicole only saw
Sirenko sometimes.

Sam she lived with
for nine months.

Nicole, what can
you tell me about

that morning on the yacht?

What do you remember about Ava?

We were meeting
Sirenko's friend.

Nicole doesn't
have any names.

But that night, her and Ava
went to a party on that yacht

with a john, an old man.

That man is in this
surveillance video,

but we can't catch his face.

So what's an old man to her?

She's thinking in his 60s,

had an accent,
possibly Russian.

He was kind of gross.

I mean, he just kept talking.

I wasn't really
paying attention.

I usually don't.

I bet.

I fake it.

You don't have
to do that anymore.

So what changed?

What happened?

The morning...

Ava was gonna take a walk
on the yacht for a little bit,

and he realized that

Ava had been recording him.

On her phone?

That's odd because
we never recovered a phone.

Yeah, I would have found it
on Ava when she died.

Then she must have lost it
when she was running.

So Ava must have been
recording the sex.

This old man, he...

He realizes that
she's recording...

He went crazy.

Then he ran after her,

and he grabbed her by the hair

and smashed her
into the counter top.

And then Ava went and... and
grabbed a champagne bottle,

and she whacked him
in the face and then ran.

And I... I... I didn't
know what to do.

The old guy ran after Sirenko
and started screaming at him

and telling him to...
to chase after her,

like she was gonna
ruin everything.

What do you think that
he meant by that, everything?

I don't know.

I just started crying.

Of course you did.

And that's when
Sirenko ran off the boat

and he chased after Ava.

Nicole,

is the man that
you're talking about here?

Look at me.

You can do this
because you are brave.

That's him.

That's Sirenko.

He chased after Ava.

All right,
Sirenko's phone is on.

It's pinging from his house.

So we move hard, we move fast.

And anyone we find in Sirenko's
house, we cuff along with him.

One of his associates
has already been arrested,

so he's probably expecting us.

Assume that he's armed
and willing to fight back.

Watch your corners
and stay tight.

Be careful.

Let's move.

All right, the gate's open.

NYPD! NYPD!

- Police!
- Police!

- Clear.
- Clear.

Clear.

Guys, wasn't there supposed
to be a garage behind here?

What is this?

What?

Scratches on the floor.

Frank.

Yeah, hold on a sec.

- Clear.
- Clear.

Clear.

Garage is clear.
No sign of Sirenko.

Bring in the search team.

Stop.

Everyone, turn your
radios off now.

Frank, you guys good?

Don't come in here!

What's going on?

Cosgrove, talk to me.

Stay back. We're good.

It's all the makings
of a bomb.

That was ammonium nitrate,
diesel fuel.

He's making an ANFO.

It's the same material used
in Oklahoma City.

It makes sense for Sirenko.

He just has no experience
with this kind of thing.

- He's not a bomber.
- But we found what we found.

We recovered Sirenko's phone.

But the whole thing was wiped,
so we got no way to track him.

For all we know, he could
be long gone by now.

We're sure it was an IED?

A very big one.

El, what could Sirenko
want with that bomb?

Look, I've been
tracking him for months.

He's got no ties to any
terrorist organizations.

He's not even a political guy.

The only thing
I can think of is,

maybe he's gonna use it
against one of his competitors?

It's definitely an IED.

From the looks of
the components,

it's a real large-scale device
capable of doing mass damage.

We get here in time?

No... everything in there
is empty.

The device itself is gone.

We've got track marks
on the ground.

Looks like they hauled
the device in the truck.

Could be a U-Haul,
it could be anything

as long as it's big enough.

Jesus.

Let's call in
Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Do we have more than this?

You're telling me
that this man Sirenko

has no priors
in domestic terrorism?

No, but his basement
was full of explosives.

The device is gone.

So we have every reason
to believe

that he's on the move with it.

I understand that.

But how do we know he's even
targeting New York City?

We have 9 million people
in this city to protect.

What's this man's target and
where the hell is he headed?

If we knew that, we'd be
giving it to you, but we don't.

So we need to shut down
all potential

- high traffic targets.
- No, no, no.

We're not doing that
until we bring this

up the ladder to the mayor.

The mayor?

You want to slow things down
so the mayor can weigh in?

We're talking about
widespread panic here.

And what if we're wrong?

Well, if we're wrong,
we're wrong.

Nobody gets hurt.

It's a hell of a lot better
than doing nothing

and being right.

What's the capability
of this device?

It's hard to say.

But from the
components we found,

looks like Sirenko built
a vehicle-borne IED.

That means 50 gallon barrels
of explosive materials

and 1,000 pounds
of explosive capacity.

It can take down
a whole building.

There's a thousand things
this could be.

We just don't know yet.

Let's evacuate first,
ask questions later.

Sounds like a little panic
is in order.

So call your boss
and shut the city down now.

I'm on it.

- Where are you going?
- I'm gonna find a bomb.

It worked.
I can't believe it.

I thought you were crazy, but...

- What worked?
- Your plan. It worked.

I did what you asked,
I reached out to my contact,

told him the police
were sweating me,

just like you told me to.
It's kind of genius.

Actually,
I think I really scared him.

I mean, proof's in the pie.

Pudding.
It's in the pudding.

Oh, well, wherever it is...

- That wire good to go, Jet?
- Yeah.

I don't love this location

because I would have
preferred if...

I... I know what you're saying.

Jet, we had this discussion.
What did we discuss?

Not projecting my fears
and anxieties onto the CIs.

It's okay.
I got thick skin.

All right,
let's go over it again.

- Go over what?
- The plan.

The rest of the plan. Come on.

I play like I'm scared.
The cops brought me in.

They think I'm involved
with this bomb.

Mm-hmm.

They threatened me with all
kinds of crazy charges.

I don't say nothing, so they
start asking about Sirenko.

Exactly, until Sirenko
himself leads the conversation

- towards the target...
- Towards the target.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it.

Uh... uh... the point
is to get him talking

and keep him talking so that
he reveals the location.

You can't just go in there
and bust him 'cause if you do,

he'll lawyer up
and never tell you

where the bomb is planted at.

Just... just... just
don't push too hard.

I'm not gonna push.

I'm good to go.

So you... no, you're not...
hey, come here.

You're not good to go.

Now look, you feel
anything, you know,

anything squirrelly,
anything too hot,

just say, "I'm out of here."

We'll come running.

Your safety
is my first priority.

Now who's projecting
fears and anxieties?

Vince, I'm serious.

- Guy's dangerous.
- I know.

He's got a bomb. I got it.
I'm good.

We're doing this.

Thanks for looking out.

I appreciate it.

I do.

Let's go.

All right, everybody
feeling sharp?

Ready to go.

South side of the structure
is clear.

All quiet
on the western front.

Heads up. I got an incoming.

Black van.

Plate hotel, golf, 7, 8, 9, 4.

Plates come back
to a Delaware LLC.

Black van approaching.
Delaware plates.

Two white males inside.

Copy that.
Be ready to move on my word.

Finally.

You are a hard-ass man
to track down.

You know how many people
I had to call

- to get a message to you?
- Hey, come on.

We can't talk here?

There's too much heat.

- In an empty alley?
- Shut up and walk.

Shut up and walk?

Dude, truth is,
I'm looking out for you.

- You're looking out for me?
- Yeah.

- How's that?
- How's that?

Cops grabbed me up, bro.
They came at me hot.

They accused me of making
some sort of bomb?

Come on.

Let's go, Vince.

Where the hell
are they going?

We don't have
that building secure.

Do we have a layout?

Looks like some kind
of garment factory.

Yo, what is this place?

We'll talk about everything,
but not here.

Do the safe thing, Vince.
Call this.

Let's go.

They're getting
on the elevator.

Where are they going?
What floor?

Going down
to the basement level.

I wish I had a blueprint
for this building,

but I'm not finding any.

All right,
stay steady, Vince.

Gotta be honest.
I don't love it down here.

So tell me, what exactly
did the police say to you?

Like I told you, man,
they asked about this bomb.

They think I'm involved.

- Why?
- Why what?

Why do they think
you're involved?

Oh, um, they said they saw me
with you the other night

in some surveillance video
at your club.

All right,
let's try this again.

Now, what did they ask you?

Well, they said
they searched your house,

found explosives inside.

All right, say anything else?

Well, yeah, they wanted
to know who and/or what

- you were looking to blow up.
- Vince, back off.

But obviously,
I got no idea, so...

But look, bro, they're gonna
take another run at me.

And the more you tell me
the better I can protect you,

throw them off the scent.

Slow down, Vince.
Stop trying so hard.

Elliot,
just give us the word.

We're ready.

So you want to tell me
what's happening?

Uh, what do you want me to tell
the cops if they come back?

I can help you,
but you gotta let me.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What's going on?

I can't hear him.

He's too far underground.

Signal is breaking up.

You got eyes?

No, video and sound is shot.

This building must be
pure concrete.

Signal can't get through.

Okay, okay,
I got a second of video.

- I'm trying to help you.
- They're just talking.

What do you want me to say?

I don't want you
to say anything.

You just ask for a lawyer, hmm?

All right?

Yeah, I can do that.

Lawyer up. That's smart.

What do you say, uh,
we get out of here?

Uh, you feel like
having a cocktail?

- On me, of course.
- Jet, he sounds nervous.

This guy is never nervous.
You got eyes?

It doesn't look like
anything's going on.

They're just standing
there now in the basement.

Vince looks like...

looks like he's looking
at some kind of equipment.

What are you talking about?

Just tell me what
he's looking at.

Tools?

Looks like someone might be
pouring a new foundation.

There's a concrete mixer
down there.

It's a hit. We gotta move!

If you need any help
with this bomb thing, I...

I'm your guy, okay?

I'm out of here!

I'm out of here!
I'm out of here!

Elliot!

Elliot!

Elliot, help me!

Elliot!

Go to the basement.
Find the other guy.

I'm going after Sirenko.

Jet, tell me
you got eyes on him.

Elliot!

I... I don't.

I think Vince's camera
got knocked off.

Sirenko made it inside
the elevator with him.

You have to hurry, Stabler.

Oh, God.

Sirenko!

I've lost eyes on Sirenko.

He's down the back stairwell,
southeast side.

Oh.

Hey, Vince, Vince, Vince.

Okay, okay, you're okay.

Jet, I need a bus.

I'm in the building,
fourth floor,

vic has multiple
gunshot wounds.

All right, hey, hey,
hey, look at me.

Look at me. Stay with me.

All right, you did good.

You're gonna be fine,
all right?

- It's not that bad.
- You're a bad liar.

Everything's
gonna be fine.

Get me an ETA on the bus.
I need hands up here.

Bus is en route.

Please...

I don't want to die.

You're not gonna die.

Just breathe, breathe.

You with me? I got you.

I got you.
I'm not going anywhere.

Hold on to me.

In and out, just breathe.

Hold on tight.

Hold on, all right.

You just have to stay here,
all right?

Vince.

Sirenko ran
to the building next door.

Our guys were on him, but...

Good thing is, he's on foot.

Benson has patrol on every inch
in a four-block radius.

Investigative alerts are out.

We'll find him.

I'm sorry.

He was just a kid.

Just a kid.

So what do you want?
You want a deal?

Because right now,
you got more leverage

than you're ever gonna have
for the rest of your life.

Right now, this moment.

So you tell me what you know
and I'll make happen

whatever you want to make,
whatever you want.

I'm gonna ask you again.
Where's Sirenko?

Where would he go?

We know he has a bomb.
We know he's gonna use it.

What's he planning? What is it?

I want a lawyer.

You want a lawyer.

Been sitting in here
with me for over an hour.

Just wasting time.

You're too late.

Where is it?

Tick.

Tick.

Where is it?

Boom.

Elliot, let's go.

We don't have time for this.

I'm so sorry about your CI.

Just tell me
you got something

on that son-of-a-bitch.

We have no leads yet.

We're going after Sirenko's
body guards, his muscle.

Are you kidding me?

You have half the NYPD out
on a goose chase with you,

and all you end up with
is a dead CI?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I've got this.

I... Elliot, I've got this!

Back up.

Stop.

We are doing everything we can
to find this bomb, everything.

You don't get to come in here
and question our tactics.

That is not how this works.
You understand me?

I got something.
Something real.

The van Sirenko drove
to that parking garage,

it's clean, stolen plates,
no good descriptors.

I really wouldn't have been
able to do much with it.

But it's a newer model.

It has GPS.

They turned the monitors off,

but the thing still records.

The van visits all
the same places

you would expect it to...
Sirenko's house,

his nightclub,
his crew's place.

But this one
is the interesting one.

House in Queens.

The van's been there seven
times in the past two weeks.

Van sits out front
for a few hours,

then pulls out,
drives back to Sirenko's house.

Whose house is it?

A 73-year-old woman
named Graciella Lopez.

Thing is, Graciella is living

in a nursing home
downtown right now.

She rents her house out.

To who?

NYPD, stop!

Freeze! Freeze!
Show me your hands!

Show me your hands.

Oh, Jesus.

Show me your hands.
Show me your hands.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.

Don't move.

- I'm sorry.
- Don't move.

- Okay, okay.
- Who are you?

What's your name?
How do you know Mark Sirenko?

Oh, God, please,
I swear I'm not involved.

My name's John. John.

You have to start
answering my questions.

- What's your name?
- John. John Ken.

John Ken.
How do you know Mark Sirenko?

He found me, all right?

He said he would ruin my life
if I didn't help him.

I didn't have a choice.
She told me she was 18.

- I was terrified.
- Wait, wait.

Who told you they were 18?

A girl.

A girl I met online.
She told me she was 18.

And then Sirenko, he shows up
and tells me that she's 15.

Said he had pictures
and video of us together.

What did he want from you?

Information about where
I work, badges, parking info,

- security cards.
- Where do you work?

Hotel downtown.

He wants access
to the building.

This hotel, you do events?

Yeah, we're hosting
some NATO event.

Secretary's giving some speech.

When?

Today.

A lot of manpower here.

So you have
credible information

that this is our target?

I am not doing this with you.

A claim of a blackmail scheme
isn't exactly enough...

Then put it on us.

We'll take the heat
from the mayor's office.

But we are going to evacuate.

All right, let's evacuate.

I need a two-block
evacuation zone.

Clear every level of this
building floor by floor.

Come on, people. Let's move.
Let's move.

Everybody out!
Everybody out of the building.

I'm taking the second floor.

- I got down.
- I'll take this level.

It's one of the most urgent
threats to the global order

that we face today.

We must continue
to stand united

in protecting Ukraine's right
to defend itself

against foreign aggression.

NYPD, listen up.

We need to evacuate.

This is not a drill.
Everybody up, out.

Follow the officers
to the nearest exit.

Hey, we're evacuating
the entire building.

Follow the officers down.

They'll lead you out.

Hey, everybody,
listen up, NYPD.

Now, I need this
building evacuated,

so I'm gonna need
everyone to get up,

make your way down the stairs,
calmly but quickly.

Everyone up.
Make your way.

- Move quickly.
- Calmly.

- This is not a drill.
- Come on. Let's hurry.

Let's go, go.

Let's move.

Move out of the building,
down the stairs.

Let's go, let's go, let's go...

I...

Help her up.

I got eyes...
I lost eyes on Sirenko.

He's in the south side
of the building.

He's got a... he had to
have delivered the device.

I'm in pursuit.

Guys, evacuate. Get out.

Let's go, let's go.

Guys, evacuate. Come on.
Let's go.

Cuidado!

Frank, you got eyes?

No, but he's here, Shaw.

I'm telling you,
he is still here.

Hey, what the hell
are you still doing here?

Get out!
Come on, evacuate the building.

Move.

NYPD.

If anybody is in here,
come out with your hands up,

nice and slow.

What's going on?

You need help?

Yeah, glass breaker,
you got one?

Yeah.

Keep evacuating.

Go, now.

This is Detective Shaw.

I got eyes on the device.

I'm in the basement garage,
south side, rear door.

This thing is huge.

It's in a gray van.
Hood of the van is still hot.

Whoever dropped it
has got to be in the area.

Detective Shaw, can you
see a timer on that device?

Yeah, I see a timer.
It's 3:37.

It's ticking down.

Now, walk me through this.
Tell me what to do.

How do I stop this thing?

I'm gonna need you
to evacuate, Detective Shaw.

No, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no.

Listen. Listen.

This thing is gonna take down
the whole building, okay?

Listen to what I'm saying.

Walk me through this.

How do I stop it?

Shaw, they want you
to evacuate.

Lieutenant,
you're not listening.

- If this thing goes off, it's...
- No, evacuate.

Get out of there right now.

Get everybody out.

Cosgrove, get your ass
out of there.

Out of the building.
Out of the building.

Get these kids out of here.

Get them out! Let's go!
Move, move! Let's go!

Down, down, let's go!
Move, move, move!

Frank, where you going?

We gotta evacuate!

- You good?
- Yeah.

You good?

Where is he?

- What?
- Sirenko.

No, no, no, no, no.
We lost him.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

- Who shot?
- Sirenko, we lost him.

He's gone.

- You know which way he went?
- No.

All right.
You guys, head south.

You guys take west.

Let's go this way.

We've lost eyes on Sirenko.

Repeat, we've lost eyes
on Sirenko.

I'm heading east on Exchange.

Move, move.

Move.

Hey. Sirenko!

Dude!

All right, go, go.

Come on, come on.

Rollins and I
are heading up William.

No sign of him.

Listen, we need
to get Sirenko's face

out to the media, to every
patrol officer out here.

I'm heading to Underwood.

He's gonna wanna
go underground.

I need officers
at all subway stops

and all taxi stands.

We can't let him
get underground!

Okay, anything?

Ah! Nothing.

I got eyes on Sirenko.

He's heading south
on William and Wall Street.

He's got a half a block on me.
I need backup.

All right, everyone,
you heard her.

We contain the area.

I want a perimeter set up
between Broad Street,

Wall Street, and Water Street.
Now.

Not letting this guy
get away again.

Yeah,
he's crossing the street.

Get down. Get down!
Get out of the way!

Stand back!

Stay back!

Step back! Get on the ground!

If you come inside,
I'll kill everyone!

Sirenko, let her go!

Stay down!

What's going on?

Took a hostage.

And there's
more people inside.

- How many?
- I don't know, three?

But it's hard to get
a good look.

Okay. Call ESU in.

What are we doing
just standing outside?

Why don't we go inside there
and engage?

No, all right,
we're not doing this cowboy.

All right, I want you two
to take the rear entrance.

Now.

Call ESU.

Tell them that we need
at least two snipers.

Also, get me a cell phone
as soon as you can.

All right.

Elliot, where are you going?

Just wanna get eyes
on the inside.

Go, go, go.

You go get the phone.

If you try to run,
I swear to God,

I will shoot you.

Go get the phone.

Bring me the phone,
put it on speaker.

Let's go!

Set it down.

Hello.

This is Captain Benson with
the New York Police Department.

They tell me you've taken
some hostages.

I want an SUV
with bulletproof glass

in ten minutes,
or I start shooting people.

And the first is gonna be
a young girl.

I'm gonna shoot her
right in the forehead.

Sirenko, listen to me.

I want you to hear me out,
okay?

I want this to work out
for both of us, okay?

And I know that
we can figure this out

so we're both happy here.

So I'm gonna give you
what you want,

but I'm gonna ask you
to work with me.

You bring me the SUV,

and then we'll talk.

- Okay.
- You have ten minutes.

I need a black SUV,
and I need it immediately

at the hostage site.

And where is my containment?

Okay, I need a wall
of officers now.

What do you see?

I got him.

He's in the back of a column,

so there's no clean shot
on him.

How many hostages?

Everybody up!

On your feet! Get to the back!

Move! Move!

You think I'm messing around?

Okay, hold on a second.

Move!

- He's heading to the back.
- Take it.

- Hands on the wall!
- Don't shoot, don't shoot!

Hands on the wall!

- Drop it! Drop the weapon.
- Hey.

Drop it! Let her go!

Where you going?

You want the gun?

You want the gun?

Come get your gun.

Give you a chance
like you did my undercover.

Pick it up.

Take the gun.

- Ease down, Stabler.
- Pick it up.

Ease down.

Boy, you were dying
to shoot me, huh?

Thanks for, uh...

Yeah.

- Thanks for, uh...
- Yeah, yeah.