– which ended with Stabler taking a beating, likely from one of Richard Wheatley’s men. It’s still early in the game for the case and for this series. It’s not like the other shows in the Law & Order universe (one case per episode as the general rule); this case will unfold through the season. It may take some viewers time to get accustomed to this format. So far, I like what I see. With the exception of the cookie-cutter, scenery-chewing mob guy Richard Wheatley, characters like Sgt. Bell and Angela Wheatley add personality and interest.
Stabler says he can’t recall who beat him up, and the explanation he gave his son Eli was that it was due to an argument over a parking space. I don’t know how he expects Eli to buy that excuse considering Stabler saw danger coming and told Eli to get inside the building. Parking a vehicle wasn't even in the picture. Speaking of Eli, he and his sister Kathleen make an appearance in this episode, much to my annoyance. Stabler wants Eli to move in with Maureen (Eli’s sister) and Carl as it isn’t safe at the Stabler residence. But Eli worries about leaving his dad there alone. Kathleen thinks Stabler needs help, but Stabler won’t see a doctor because “if the job finds out I'm on meds, they take your gun and badge.” Benson previously told Stabler that he has PTSD and it's clear Stabler is still out to avenge his wife's death.
We learn a bit more about Sgt. Bell. We see her waking up in bed with her partner, who is very pregnant. We also discover Bell likes to drive at high speed, something which seems to make Stabler a little uncomfortable. That’s also because Stabler isn’t in the driver’s seat, literally and figuratively (with the investigation). Bell asks Stabler if he knows what it’s like being Black, female, and gay, and unlike him, that if she crosses any lines, her career is over. Stabler has made a career of crossing lines and he doesn't appear to be ready to stop any time soon.
Here’s what happened with the investigation:
The task force has a bug in Wheatley’s office at Contrapos and, at the task force, Diego and Freddie hear Wheatley threaten Danny Lizer, a real estate agent from Virginia. Wheatley is using an octopus in a huge tank to terrorize Danny by submerging his head in the tank with the clingy creature. Diego and Freddy decides to do nothing about it and let it play out. Danny is working on acquiring a data center, and Wheatley isn’t thrilled about how he’s handling a certain piece of the transaction.
Wheatley and his daughter Dana – who is a senior VP and runs the company foundation - are working on a business deal, something which does not make Dana’s mother, Angela, very happy.
Bell gets CCTV from outside Contrapos and using AI, they ID the guy Wheatley tried to drown and "octopus" to death as Danny Lizer. Freddie announces a pal at ATF got a match on the bullet that killed Manfredi Sinatra. The match was to a body in Virginia. Bell and Stabler speed their way to that location in Loudon County, Virginia. The body is that of Jocelyn Howell, coordinator of business development.
Later, they go to the area where Jocelyn’s body was found – they are in an area known as the data capital of the world. Electricity is cheap and the servers require a lot of it. The person giving out those permits is a “VIP” – and now she’s dead, execution style. They raise Danny Lizer’s name.
While all this is going on, at the Wheatley home, Angela grabs a bottle of wine from Wheatley’s stash and Wheatley isn’t happy that she didn’t ask first. She decides to take two bottles, and doesn’t ask.
Stabler and Bell discuss the data center and they think that Wheatley needed Jocelyn to get the permits because the center didn’t conform to EPA guidelines. Bell suspects that Wheatley used Lizer to pay her off, she got greedy so they killed her. They think Wheatley wanted his own servers to ramp up his criminal behavior. Bell adds that he was pitching this to the Guardo family, and tips Stabler off to Gina Cappelletti, who has been undercover with that family for two years. Bell is switching her over to Wheatley.
Stabler and Bell catch up with Danny who appears to be ready to flee. He basically confirms what they thought Wheatley is doing. Danny also mention that it was the bodyguard who dunked him in the octopus tank, a Middle Eastern or Israeli guy.
Sometime later, Danny is on a video call with Wheatley and Dana and while showing Wheatley the data center, Stabler appears on the screen and cuts the power line and says they are closing it. Wheatley shuts his laptop and is furious.
Angele calls Stabler from Wheatley’s and asks to meet and texts him the address.
Wheatley speaks with Izak Bekher and asks if anyone knew he was there. Izak says not one that is alive to talk about it, he leaves nothing behind. When Wheatley comments that Stabler’s face was a mess, Izak says he is welcome.
Stabler meets with Angela in a grocery store and she explains she called from Wheatley’s wine cellar, which is a Faraday cage. She’s looking out for her kid, She explains Dana is hosting a charity event; the Foundation's giving away vaccines to the underserved communities. Angela doesn’t know where they got these vaccines or why they're giving them away for free. She thinks something's weird about it.
Richie speaks with Gina at the club.
Later, at the charity vaccine event, Stabler warns Angela to get Dana away so she is not arrested. As Angela moves Dana out of harm’s way, Bell and other police enter and stop the vaccines being given. Sadly, they police end up with egg on their face as the vaccines appear legal and do not appear stolen. As they exit, Stabler tells Diego to find out everything he can on the guy he’s going to talk to, then Stabler speaks with Izak and deftly grabs Izak’s concealed gun from him. He asks Izak if it is legal and he says he has a permit, and Stabler asks if it is city or state.
Later, out for a run, Bell connects with Gina who thinks she’s got Richie on the hook and he will be there. Bell says they will be as soon as she flags them. Gina asks what if their target doesn't show? Bell explains Richie and Joey get into it, then Richie's daddy will send protection. Bell adds that Wheatley has a wine cellar in his house where he does his private phone calls and meetings and she needs a bug in there. Gina asks if she has a warrant and Bell says to let her about the warrant, Gina needs to worry about getting an invitation.
Meanwhile, Diego and Freddie follow Izak in his car. Richie meets up with Gina and she is less than thrilled to see him there, worried they will be seen by Joey. He explains he will roll up and be respectful to Joey.
Back at the task force, Jet gives Freddie and Diego the info on Izak. Later, Bell discusses this with the rest of the team. She explains the weapon that Stabler confiscated from Izak Bekher matches the ballistics for both Sinatra and Jocelyn Howell. Freddie adds Izak is an Israeli national, did some time in the IDF Special Forces, got kicked out of the Mossad. Since then, he's been going around being on the wrong side of every war. Diego adds Izak drives his boss around, but he's more like his bodyguard and fixer. He lives on the Wheatley compound. He was there this afternoon. He changed out his boss's Maybach for his own Ducati. Freddie says this means that he's going up to Nyack tonight to go on a date with his girlfriend and they will watch to see what route he takes. When Freddie says they will all roll up, Stabler slows him down and tells Jet to remind everyone why they just don't roll up on someone like Izak Bekher. Jet explains in 2015 Manila PD tried to arrest the individual for arms trafficking. The lead investigator turned up in a roadside ditch with a bullet between the eyes. Bell adds the charges didn't stick; they have enough to bring in Izak but he doesn't care about killing cops. Stabler explains how this will all happen.
Later that night, Richie causes a scene at the club with Joey about Gina. Izak arrives, soon followed by Richard Wheatley to smooth things over. They trade the usual phony pleasantries and Richard and Richie leave, dad telling son he just saved his ass. Gina follows them out and she tells Wheatley that Richie was defending her against Joey and he didn’t take it too well. He suggests Richie invite her to his birthday dinner and Richie does. Daddy looks either jealous or suspicious or both. Izak tells Wheatley he’s going to Nyack for the night. As they leave, Gina calls Bell and says he just left and her invitation arrived. She says they are ready to go. Stabler dons his vest and asks when he will get to meet Gina, and Bell says probably never and to keep this between them. They all suit up.
Izak races away on his motorcycle and the task force and police are waiting for him down one of the roads, soon blocked in by other police cars. As Izak tries to flee between police cars, Stabler pulls his car into the path of the motorcycle. Izak can’t turn around it, the bike tips, and he falls off it. As other officers cuff him, Stabler announces Izak is under arrest for the murder of Manfred Sinatra and Jocelyn Howell. Izak says they don’t have anything on him, and Stabler asks if he is willing to be his life on that as we cut to black.
