A manhunt ensues when Victor Paul Gitano, a recently released sex offender, kidnaps two children after killing the rest of their family. Benson and Stabler pursue Gitano to a train station only to find their own relationship challenged. Olivia arrives to see Gitano holding the boy hostage with a knife but the gravity of the situation causes her to panic. Exploiting this, Gitano slashes Olivia's throat and runs away before she can react. Instead of pursuing his target, Elliot rushes to Olivia's aid only to find out that the injury isn't serious. This delay costs the child his life as Elliot finds out when he climbs the stairs and sees him lying in a puddle of blood.