Release

“What about Detective Welch?” Olivia asked. Fin shook his head.

“You kidding? She won’t let her kids go trick-or-treating or hunt Easter eggs ‘cause it‘s too pagan. What about Melinda Warner, the ME?”

“She and her husband are on vacation, in Hawaii.” With a sigh, Olivia pushed herself back from the desk. “That’s it then, I’m out of ideas.” She groaned and stretched, the sound of her spine popping filling the room like trees cracking in the dead of winter. “God, I wish Alex was here. She’d have really gotten a kick out of all this.”

“Who?” Alex asked.

“Our old ADA, Alexandra Cabot,” Elliot said. He’d rejoined the group, even making half-hearted suggestions, but was still adamant about not participating. Casually, he stepped up behind Olivia and began to rub her shoulders. “She had to go into Witness Protection a while back.” He sighed. “She was a great attorney.”

“Didn’t the two of you have a thing?” Olivia asked, her eyes closed as she enjoyed her massage.

“Didn’t you?” he replied, and they smirked at each other as he rubbed her neck. After a moment, he glanced over at Alex. "So, who've you got so far?"

"Well," Alex said, her eyes raking over the list in one short sweep, "I'm pretty sure Deakins will agree; he'd do just about anything for his 'Dynamic Duo'." She heard Munch snort, but ignored it. "Carver won't be so easy to convince, nor Logan, nor Bishop, for that matter, but we really don't have a choice. We're still two guys and a girl short." Olivia looked up at Elliot, who pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned.

"Okay," he said with a sigh, "let's call Novak." Across the room, Fin groaned.

"What?" Alex asked, glancing around. "Who is he?"

"She is our current ADA," Munch said dourly, "and a bigger pain in the ass than I am."

"And that's sayin' somethin'," Fin said. He glanced over at Alex. "Don't you two have any friends?"

"Not really."

"We don't play well with others," Bobby added, making her smile. "Besides, after ... what Raum did, we should be careful who we endanger." The room was silent as his words sank in. Finally, Munch spoke.

"Okay, let's make those calls and get our expendable friends over here. Maybe they know some guys who won't be missed."