Ep 3. Patient Zero

When a mysterious virus spreads through a New York City hospital, the SVU team must race against time to find the source and stop its deadly spread. The episode, titled "Patient Zero," opens with Benson and Stabler arriving at the hospital to investigate a young boy who is exhibiting symptoms of a dangerous, unknown virus. As they try to piece together what's happening, a second case emerges, and then a third. The hospital is quickly overwhelmed, and chaos ensues as patients are quarantined and treated with experimental drugs.

The detectives soon discover that the virus appears to have originated from a group of homeless people who were living in a nearby park. They track down one of the homeless men, who tells them that he was part of a government experiment gone wrong. He was given an experimental drug that was supposed to cure his addiction, but instead it made him sick. He passed the virus on to others in the park, and from there it spread like wildfire.

As the investigation continues, the team must navigate their way through a web of lies and cover-ups. They encounter resistance from hospital administrators who are desperate to keep the outbreak under wraps, and from government officials who are unwilling to acknowledge their role in the disaster. Along the way, they face ethical dilemmas about how far they should go to protect the public, and about the value of human life.

Throughout the episode, tension builds as the virus spreads and the stakes get higher. Patients die, and more cases emerge. Benson and Stabler race against time to find the source of the outbreak and contain it before it's too late. They're aided by a team of epidemiologists who work tirelessly to track the virus's path, and by a doctor who risks her career to help them.

In the end, the detectives uncover the truth about the government experiment and work with the hospital to develop a vaccine. They help contain the outbreak, but not before it has claimed several lives and left many others scarred. As the episode comes to a close, Benson and Stabler reflect on the importance of their work and the sacrifices they're willing to make to protect the public. It's a poignant reminder of the challenges that face those who work to keep us safe, and of the weight of responsibility that comes with the badge.