Infinity

TITLE: Infinity (2/?)

AUTHOR: Master F&M

FANDOM: Law and Order: SVU

RATING: Everything from PG to R—just like life.

SUMMARY: A Fin fic— to give him a life that the show refuses to give him

DISCLAIMER: L&O: SVU and all its characters belong to Dick Wolf, NBC, and
whomever

                          else puts the show out for our enjoyment. I just get to play with them.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Sam is a character of my own creation. She does not exist on the
show.

FEEDBACK: Please give some. If no one likes what or how I’m writing, then I should
stop

                      posting. But if you do like . . . then let me know so I will keep going.

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 CHAPTER TWO

6#160;           The mood in the squad room was a little tense. None of the detectives particularly
liked working with anyone outside of their own unit. No one else understood what it was
like to every day see the worst that humanity could offer. Rapists, pedophiles,
murderers—these were the dregs of society. And yet they were also what SVU dealt with
day in and out. The detectives knew they had to trust the people with whom they
worked. Sometimes the carnage got to be too much, and they had to lean on each other
for support. Over the years they had learned how to read one another, and how to react
to each other’s little quirks. Having a stranger in their mist complicated things for them.
Having that stranger be a federal agent put them more than just a little on edge.

            “Okay, people. Listen up.” Capt. Cragen addressed the four detectives in the
room. “I just got some info on the agent the Bureau is sending over to work with us on
the kiddie napper case. Her name is Agent Tagleone. She’s supposed to be a real whiz
with computers, so maybe that will come in handy. She’s also worked for the Bureau for
nearly a decade and supposedly has a lot of experience handling difficult cases.”

            Cragen looked up from the sheet he was holding and saw the unimpressed faces of
his detectives. Inwardly, he sighed. Sometimes it really was like having children. How
many times in the past had he had to coax his people into doing something they didn’t
want to do? It reminded him of his daughter when she was little, and trying to get her to
take her medicine.

 

            “I still don’t see why we have to have their help on this.” Elliot in particular was
not looking forward to having a Bureau agent underfoot. His experiences with the FBI in
the past had left a sour taste in his mouth, so he was not eager to get mixed up with them
again. As far as he was concerned they were all just a bunch of arrogant, pretentious
know-it-alls who ranked right down there on his list with IAB.

            “Because, Stabler,” Cragen said interrupting his thoughts, “we have five victims,
no suspects, and a perp who dragged one of those vics over state lines. The law makes
this a federal case. And besides, we need the help.” Cragen paused and looked at his
detectives in turn to see if there were any more objections. There weren’t.

            “It’s out of our hands now, anyway. She should be here shortly. I expect all of
you to be at your professional best, and to work together on this. Let’s try to remember
what’s important here, okay? These are little girls’ lives at stake, not our egos.” His last
statement was delivered while looking directly at Detective Munch who, in return, gave a
small nod. Satisfied, Cragen turned and went back to his office.

            “I still say we could handle this ourselves.”

            “Why do you have such a problem with this, Elliot? We do need the help. This
case has been going nowhere. We have no idea who this sick creep is, but if a fed can
help get him off the streets, then why are you butting heads with it?”

            Det. Stabler gave his partner an amazed look. “Liv, how can you possibly feel that
way after what happened the last time the feds got involved in one of our cases? Or have
you forgotten what it felt like to be handcuffed, detained and questioned like a common
criminal when it was them who interfered with us? “

            ”No, I haven’t forgotten, but it’s like the Captain said, What’s more important?
Catching

this guy, or getting our noses out of joint? And anyway, we’re not the ones who’ll be
really working with her. How do you guys feel about this?” Both Benson and Stabler
turned to look at Detectives Munch and Tutuola who had until now remained silent on the
issue.

            “I don’t care one way or the other,” Fin answered first, “I ain’t got a beef with the
FBI, so as long as she doesn’t get in the way of me doing my job, I’m cool.”

            “Okay, what about you, John? I know you’ve got to have a big problem with
this.”

            “Gee, El, I don’t know.” Munch took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair
crossing one leg over the other. “I’ve been trying to keep an open mind, you know?
Maybe give her the benefit of the doubt? It is possible that she might actually turn out to
be useful. I suppose not every government agent is a misaligned automaton of our
bureaucratic and antiquated system.” Everyone stared at him with astonishment clearly
written on their faces.

            “What?”

            “I don’t believe it,” Stabler responded. “Of all the times to come out from under
your cloud of paranoia, you choose now. What’s next? You gonna start accepting the
‘lone gunman’ theory?”

            “All I’m saying is . . . ” John’s voice trailed off as he noticed someone entering the
squad room. It was a young woman, early twenties. She was dressed in a silk burgundy
blouse, black jeans, and slightly heeled boots. A very attractive woman with a mass of
loosely curled dark hair that fell below her shoulders, and that she kept trying to pin
behind her ears. Holding a folded jacket over her arms, she searched the room until her
eyes locked on John. A beatific smile broke out across her face, and she rushed across the
room to meet him.

            “Uncle Munchie!” she greeted him, flinging herself into his arms.

            Benson and Stabler gave each other a confused look (Uncle?), then turned to Fin
who was wearing an equally confounded expression (Munchie?). All three turned back to
the reuniting pair:

            “You look great, Princess.”

            “You on the other hand, look a little thin. Are you eating right? When was the
last time you ate at all?”

“Don’t worry . . . I can take care of myself. Still playing mother hen, I see.”

            “Well, I guess I’d better. Left to your own devices, you might find another
bobblehead to fill the void.”

            “Ahh. I always did love that term for my ex-wives.”

            “Ah, excuse me.” Cragen had come out of his office to see what all the
commotion was about. “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure,” he stated.

            “Oh. Yeah. My apologies.” John was clearly delighted with the girl’s presence.
“Sam, these are Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler, my partner, Detective Odafin
Tutuola, and our boss, Captain Cragen. Everyone, allow me to introduce Agent Samantha
Tagleone, my niece.”

            “Actually, it’s Munch again.” She stepped forward, shook everyone’s hand, then
turned back to John. “I changed it back when you left Baltimore. The town wasn’t big
enough for two Munches, but now that you’ve deserted us, I felt obligated to not leave it
Munch-less.”

            “Deserted is a bit harsh, don’t you think? Besides, Baltimore was beginning to
feel a bit too closed in for my tastes.”

            “Well what the hell do you expect when you marry just about everyone in it?”

            Their conversation continued, and the two did not notice that the other detectives
and their captain were growing impatient. They didn’t want to intrude, but felt an
explanation was in order. Cragen decided he should be the one to speak up.

            “Begging your pardon, Miss Tagleone . . . ”

 

            “Munch. It’s Agent Munch. But you can call me Sam.”

 

            “Right. Agent Munch. Sam.” Cragen turned to Det. Munch. “John, did you
know your niece was being assigned to assist in this case?”

            “Of course. Whom do you think gave her a call and told her to get her highly
connected butt over here?”