The Swat team used a lock pick, called a Snap Gun, to open the side door. Joey followed four burly men through the door. They were dressed in black, equipped with body armor and helmets. He wore his usual golf shirt and jeans, but had traded his sports coat for a protective vest.

Erin followed them in. She was supposed to wait until the area had been secured. She tapped Joey on the shoulder and indicated she would go through to the back and let the rescue team in. Joey shook his head no, but Erin was already on the move.

Joey keyed his mic and whispered, "be advised the fibbie is in the building and heading to the back door." He received a click from Angie in acknowledgement.

Avoiding the exterior cameras, Sandy and Lucy got to the back door with the SVU officer, whose name was Judy. Sandy tried the door handle and found it unlocked. She looked at the others and they nodded. They all felt a sense of urgency. Quietly entering, they met by Erin coming from the kitchen. Lucy led them down the stairs to the basement.

She opened the door and knew something was wrong. "Gas," she whispered. "Comms off." She turned off her radio, afraid an incoming message would ignite the fumes. "Sandy, go outside and alert command. Tell 'em to get Fire and Med here, STAT. Try to turn that damn gas off." Sandy left and the rest entered the basement.

The beams of three tac flashlights cut through the darkness and swept the room. ""Over here," Erin whispered. Her light beam centered on an elaborate wrought iron door that secured the wine room. Mattresses with bodies could be seen through the ironwork.

Judy rattled the gate, but it was firmly locked. The women swept the walls, looking for keys. "Not here, not here," Lucy muttered. "Where are they?" Then: "The skells must have 'em. I'll go get 'em. You guys get out and get some air.

Judy said "I'm not leavin them." She looked for something, anything, to pry the door.

Damien had been in the cage with the girls, whispering in Melody's ear to hang on, help was coming. He crossed the room, stepped up to Erin and shouted, "Furnace." He did not know if it would work. But he had to try something.

Erin swung her light around the room and saw the two doors. "Where's the gas coming from?" She walked deeper into the dark basement. Her footsteps crunched on broken glass and she wondered about that briefly as she crossed to the far wall.

The first door she tried opened into the furnace room. The gas smell was stronger here. She ran her light over the heating unit. "No gas line," she muttered. Turning, she saw the hot water tank. A flexible hose came out of the base of the tank. It connected to a black pipe. She ran her light beam along the pipe and came to a red knob. She tried turning the knob but it wouldn't budge.

Erin bent over to put the flashlight down and almost fell over. She was very woozy. Using two hands, she turned the knob a quarter turn. She didn't know if it was enough and tried a little harder, then let it go.

Staggering, she turned to the door. She didn't dare try to pick up her flashlight.

Damien was right there. "The CLOCK, the CLOCK" He hollered.

Eyes watering, Erin saw a red glow next to the door. She grabbed it on the way. It resisted slightly and she tugged hard and it came free. She took three more steps into the larger room and collapsed.