Benson says there's protocol. Stabler says he felt he had to come here. They need to talk. She says she has nothing to say about Navarro. He says about us. She says this is not a time to talk. She's calling it in. Stabler says Kathy wrote the letter, not him.  It was her idea, it would be easier to talk when they saw each other. He tried and tried and Kathy helped dictate. Benson said that so eveyrthing was a lie? Everything was Kathy? Stabler said he wrote the part about it would always be him and her. He slipped it in. He tries to get up and collapses and whispers Liv.

Stabler wakes up the next day on Bell's couch. Bell's wife is not happy Stabler is there.

Bell questions him about the drugging. She says if Benson reports it he'll be pulled off duty. He insists not know when they're so close. He gets a text from Costa and goes.

Albi needs a favor. He has a body and wants Stabler to make it look like the guy died in a fire. Stabler says he has a better idea. He takes the body to a graveyard where a bunch of John Does are buried. Albi says Stabler was never here and necer saw the body.

Stabler has no idea who the victim is. Jett shows up and he gives her the phone. Later, she says the phone can't be decrypted and has been stripped of pretty much all its features. However, she has found a signature in the code. She thinks she knows who created the hack. She wants to go to a hacker convention this weekend to try to catch Malichai. Bell says okay. Brewster orders someone to go w

Bell and her wife meet with Congressman Kilbride. Bell asks him what his interest in the case is. He wants his old firm to take the case pro bono as it is an uphill battle. Bell asks what is in it for him. He says he carried a badge for 26 years.

At the boxing ring, Stabler finds Reggie, w ho thinks Stabler doesn't need him anymore. Stabler says Reggie is his man. He tried to call him but the phone doesn't work. Reggie says it is text only then gets called away.

A woman comes up to Stabler and wonders what the deal is with Stabler having not been interested in the skank from last night. Is he celibate, gay, or what?

There is a hit on the John Doe who was killed. He appears to be only a minor player. Bell doesn't get what the deal is here.

Reggie and Stabler go to the diner. Reggie warns him off talking to Albi's wife.

Outside, the cops throw Eddie against a car and pat him down. A woman says he's not the man who hit her. THey let him go and say he can file a complaint with their supervisor. Stabler says no. He and Reggie walk off. When Stabler is alone he takes out the paper he was passed: the victim's ID.

Anne interrupts the cops' discussion of a possible money laundering scheme involving the victim. She says Hugo has been released from Rikers. That'll lead to a gang war.

A manager tells Stabler Tristan hasn't been seen in a few days. Turns out Albi's wife is the one whose name is on the lease, so the guy won't let Stabler into the apartment.

Brewster is waiting for Nova and wondering where she is.

Jett says she has to look for the guy who is pulling his punches at the convention.

Brewster tells Bell that Nova is missing. Jett says that Nova is outside. Nova says she went to church. Brewster yells at Nova not to do that again. He refuses to let her go to SC for Penda's funeral. He says Hugo is getting out and he needs her here. She says she loved Penda. He tells her he is ordering her to let this go. Nova quits.

Bell finds Nova in the bathroom. Nova doesn't want to talk to her. Bell says she lost someone too. She tells her about Gina. Nova doesn't care. She's been deep undercover for six years. She doesn't get to go home to a businessman husband. Bell informs her that her wife is a lawyer. Nova goes anyway.

Jett insists on going alone. The cop with her doesn't know anything about hacking and will get made in ten seconds.

Bell meets the Congressman. She wants to speak to him without Denise. She thinks he has an ulterior motive. He says he is not hoping for a windfall. What happened to Damon was wrong but no protesters will care. He is interested in her. She must know by now that you can't change the system from the inside. Bell says she believes in the job. He says she is a rising star but she will smack her head against the blue wall. Real power comes from making the law.

Stabler fills Bell in. He wonders if Albi's wife knows Albi killed her boyfriend.

Jett lets her partner know that Malachai is running away. She runs after him. Malachai is caught.

Stabler catches up with Albi's wife. He tells her he's not celibate or queer, just doesn't want to make an enemy of Albi. She claims Albi doesn't care what she does. It's a marriage of convenience. Eddie asks her about Tristan. She says she doesn't know anyone by that name.  She says Albanian men gossip more than women. When are they getting back together?

Stabler stakes out a scene. A cop tells him to move his vehicle. He eventually does.

Stabler follows a black SUV into a garage. Albi is in the SUV and changes his shirt. Another car comes out and Stabler ducks, then follows. He ends up at some sort of club.  Albi lamost sees him  but he ducks back and asks a ugy for the bathroom instead, then goes.

Albi confronts him and asks why he is following him. Stabler says he was worried about him after the murder. Albi insists he is not a f*g. He forces Stabler into the trunk of his car.

Malachi insists the cops have nothing on him.

Albi parks in the middle of the woods. He has a shovel that he tells Stabler to pick up.

Albi tells Stabler to shut up and dig. Stabler won't be quiet. He's sure Tristan fell in love with Albi and Albi shot him by accident. Albi says Tristan was stubborn and stupid while HE is a man. Stabler asks what his plan was -- kill everyone who found out, forever? Stabler says he's n ot his problem. He doesn't care about this and he doesn't talk. He will protect his secret with his life.  Albi shakes the gun at him.

Nova lights candles at the church and says it's for Penda and she's done with Jesus.

Bell shows up. She realizes Nova wanted to marry Penda in this church. Nova tells Bell her name is Carmen. Hugo was the one who called her Nova. She was a player til she met Penda. Bell wants her to come back to the task force so she can save other lives. It won't bring Penda back but it will honor her memory.

Jett goes to see Malachai. He says she's the first person who ever gave him a run for his money. He keeps complimenting her on her hacking skills. Does it bother her to work for the man? He denies working for the Albanians. He just made an app. She knows about some of his other hacks. He rants about Cayman Islands Federal. She says she never said it was.

Jett says she can get the decryption key if Malachai gets off on a lighter sentence. She won't explain how she got her info.

Hugo meets Nova and says he's sorry about her girl. She says they have things to do.

Bell says they're back on track. Stabler goes back t his own car.

Costa asks Stabler why he didn't take the girl. Stabler says Albi had three girls in his room. He gets invited into a meeting with Costa!