Tolerance Book I (Chicago PD/Med FF) by Frances51163

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Eight: New Recruit

As Jay put away his cell he noticed Adam coming out of the main entrance followed by Burke.  Just what the hell was going on now he wondered.

"Not like you to leave food behind," he greeted his friend.
"Frank thinks Wells is working with someone else," Adam didn't even acknowledge the ribbing.
"We've already considered that possibility and ....,"
"The shootings are more personal," Burke cut in seriously, "IEDs are more impersonal."
"Like I said we considered the possibility," Jay reiterated, "that why ye abandoned breakfast?" he checked in surprise as he headed back to the entrance.
"Just made sense the way Frank put it," Adam conceded as they made their way back over to their table.
"I agree it does but Wells is the only one sending messages."
"Damn," Adam took a drink of coffee as he looked at his friend carefully, "the phone call. Who was it?"
"Kev," Jay busied himself cutting up a sausage but didn’t take a bite,  his appetite lost.
"And?"
"Wells delivered a ...... package .... to Headquarters for me."
"Ah hell!"
"Do you want me to go?" Burke checked, he didn't want to intrude on their discussion.
"No need. Finish your meal," Adam instructed as he gestured to the remaining beans and fried egg on his plate, "a shame to let it go to waste."
"So you don't think there's any chance at all of Wells working with someone else?" Burke nodded and cut into the egg eagerly as he glanced at Jay.
"We can't rule it out fully," Jay put down his cutlery on the side of his plate, indicating he was finished, and poured himself some more water from a crystal pitcher, "but it seems unlikely.  The Psychologist working on the case figures it's only Wells."
"So what was in the package?" Adam finally asked when it was clear the information was not going to be volunteered.
"Finish your breakfast," Jay directed quietly, "no need for two of us to lose our appetite."
"Damn," Adam took one more bite of salad before pushing his plate away, "what was it?"
"A ...... body."
"What?!" Burke raised his voice in shock then noted the strange looks heing sent their way from the other diners and forced a smile.
"He's getting bolder," Jay commented as he rubbed his eyes tiredly,  what he wouldn't give just to fall asleep and never wake up.
"You're taking this very calmly," Burke observed softly knowing that whatever pressure his bomb disposal work entailed it paled into insignificance compared to what the young Detective was dealing with.
"Jay isn't one to shout and rant," Adam put in ruefully before trying to lighten the atmosphere, "that would be me."
"Yeah I could see that," Burke went along with the banter momentarily then sobered, "hell how did he deliver a body anyway?" he questioned, wondering about the logistics of such a task.
"The delivery guys were told they were delivering a refrigerator," Jay let his gaze wonder to the pale blue skies outside as he spoke, "they were but it wasn't empty."
"That's pretty sick."
"That's one word for it," Adam stated angrily before frowning, "did he send a note?"
"Yeah," Jay replied after a long silence and his companions shared a concerned glance, "he said I was too late."
"Ah hell!"

                          -------------------

After saying their goodbyes Jay and Adam got back to Headquarters as quickly as possible.  Adam had insisted on driving and his friend hadn't put up much of a fight. Truth be told Jays' mind kept coming up with scenarios that might have saved one Thomas James. The married thirty-five year father of two had been shot in the head at point blank range. The killing signalled a change in the attack profile. James was killed alone. Kevin had explained that James was a supplier to the Arena where the IED had exploded but that seemed to be the only link.  Although Jay had informed his companions about the note intimating he had been too late he did not disclose the fact that Kevin had not disclosed tbe full contents of the note over the phone. As they headed back to the city the younger man had divulged this to his friend.  It led to a silent journey from there on.

Hank eyed the Detectives as they entered the open plan area.  Sometimes he hated his job and this was definitely one of those times.  He signalled for the pair to follow him into Murphys' office where the rest of the Unit and Parker were obviously awaiting their arrival.

"So what does it say?" Jay didn't engage in any niceties.
"It says you were too late," Murphy picked up the evidence bag containing the note, "and going on useless road trips can prove fatal, for others."
"He was following us?" Adam glared, they should have been apprised of this immediately.
"We don't think so," Hank answered as he motioned to two empty chairs, "sit down and we'll go over what we know."
"We don't know anything!" Adam groused but sat down as he saw Jay do as instructed.
"We figure he's keeping tabs on us here," Al decided to join in, "when ye weren't with us this morning he guessed ye were off somewhere."
"You know what's wrong with that right?" Adam queried incredulously.
"Yeah," Antonio admitted, "we're guessing. We have nothing concrete."
"Could he know about Burke? Jay suddenly got to his feet, concern etching his tired features.
"I spoke to Frank ten minutes ago," Hank assured readily, "he's aware there's a slight risk Wells knows ye spoke to him.  He'll be on guard."
"But .....,"
"He'll be safe," Hank insisted confidently, "in fact you'll see how safe he is."
"What do you mean?"
"Well it seems he has plenty of paid vacation days to use up so he offered his services with the investigation."
"And you accepted?" Adam voiced his surprise before his stunned friend could.
"Seemed like a good idea," Hank stated easily before eyeing Jay, "he knows bombs inside out, better than the Forensic guys and ...,"
"You can't expect him to ...," Jay interrupted only to be cut off.
"I didn't ask," Hank put in mildly, "he offered after meeting you.  Seems you made quite an impression on him."
"Look Sarge .....,"
"Halstead this isn't a democracy. I say who comes into the investigation ...,"
"Thought that was your job," Parker deadpanned to Murphy in an effort to ease the tension which had suddenly fallen.
"So did I," Murphy concurred with mock despair.
"The more help we have the quicker we catch this guy," Al observed with his usual reasonable thinking.
"He shouldn't be putting himself in danger!" Jay countered ignoring the experienced Detective in favour of glaring at the unrepentant Sergant.
"We all face danger every day. Frank knows what he's getting into," Murphy tried to placate the young man.
"Frank? You know him too?"
"When Voight spoke to him he was on speakerphone so we got to know each other a little."
"Hang on a minute," Adam frowned as Jay retook his seat, "you said Jay made quite an impression.  What about me?"
"What about you?" Antonio eagerly went along with the distraction.
"Didn't I make an impression?"
"I'm sure you did, but it probably wasn't a good one."

                      ................................

Three hours later the men sat in the Conference Room as Burke went through the footage of the bomb sites. 

"Like the Reports say the sites were all chosen to contain the blasts. Even the arena one was relatively small compared to what he could have done," the bomb expert turned away from the large monitor and took off his glasses, "this guy is obviously at home with explosives."
"Why do you say that?" Kevin checked.
"Because apart from the arena one they were all the same size. That shows familiarity.  If he was an amateur the blasts wouldn't be so uniform in nature."
"So you still think he has military experience after going through the full Reports?" Adam looked over at the newest member of the investigation team and realised they were lucky they had his expertise at their disposal.
"Definitely. I've put some feelers out in case anyone has heard something on the grapevine."
"You shouldn't be advertising your involvement in this," Jay pointed out unhappily, he wasn't sure having Burke on the case was a wise move.
"Don't worry I only spoke to people I trust with my life."
"I hope so 'cause that's what you're doing literally, trusting them with your life."
"Halstead the decision is mine.  I didn't recruit him, he approached me," Hank decided to put an end to the discussion with his steely tone.

Jay looked from the Sergeant to Burke and then around the room. He felt a chill run down his spine.  Something bad was coming and he wasn't sure he had the strength to deal with it.  He rubbed his eyes trying to will the pain away.  He didn't have time to be unwell.  Not now ....

tbc