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

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-One: Escalation

The men looked up as the door opened.

"Jay what's wrong?" Adam rose to his feet in concern.
"Nothing, just wanted to bounce an idea off ye."
"It couldn't wait till morning?" Antonio asked ruefully as the younger man reclaimed his fireside armchair.
"Knew ye were still up."
"So what have you come up with?" Adam showed his impatience as he sat down again.
"Wells has a contact in Headquarters besides Carlisle ....,"
"What the hell do you mean?" Kevin demanded in shock.
"It makes sense," Jay explained calmly, there was another reason he was having this conversation without Murphy present, "Wells knew about Carlisles' wife being sick yet Murphy hadn't heard about it. Someone put him onto Carlisle."
"What did Carlisle tell ye about Wells contacting him?" Al double checked, they had already discussed the matter but maybe Voight had left some details out, intentionally or otherwise.
"I told ye what was said," the Sergeant assured, knowing what his old friend was thinking, "ye know as much as I do."
"Carlisle said he had asked Wells who told him about his wife but he wouldn't tell him," Anotonio recalled what they had been told.
"And he couldn't find out how Wells knew he worked in Headquarters," Jay reminded.
"So you're having this conversation tonight instead of with Murphy tomorrow?" Adam looked across at his friend thoughtfully.
"You don't think Murphy is the one who ....," Al didn't finish his sentence.
"No," Jay quickly assured, "but he isn't going to be happy if I bring this up."
"You have a point though," Antonio argued.
"He does," Voight nodded in concurrence, "but Jay isn't going to bring it up."
"But Sarge ...," Adam began only he was quickly cut off.
"I said Jay isn't going to bring it up," Voight reiterated sternly before continuing, "I will."
"Hell Sarge it should come from me," Jay was more than willing to take the flack.
"Last time I checked you were a Detective," Voight stared at his subordinate, "you get a promotion I don't know about?"
"No Sarge but ....,"
"It's been decided Halstead," Voight insisted then glanced at his watch, "let's call it a night.  We have an early start tomorrow."
"Schucks I was looking forward to a lie in," Burke groused with mock chagrin as everyone rose.
"Sarge doesn't like lie ins," Adam commiserated in s stage whisper, "so he figures no one else should either."

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

The following morning it had been decided over a table full of hearty Irish Breakfasts, courtesy of Burke, that Voight would speak to Murphy as soon as they arrived at Headquarters but events conspired against them.  Upon arrival they were greeted with a bustling office and people donning their bullet proof vests.  It didn't take a genius to work out Wells had struck again.  Murphy and Parker quickly brought the newcomers up to date. Wells had set off another bomb.  This time in the middle of morning rush hour traffic.  That detail caused the Chicago men and Burke to exchange knowing glances. Before Murphy divulged more information they knew Wells was now escalating. Rush hour traffic had no way of minimising the blast area. Jay forced himself to speak.

"How many?"
"Twelve dead, multiple injuries, some critical," Murphy sighed, sometimes he wondered why he stayed on the job.
"Damn!" Kevin cursed in disgust.
"Let's go," Voight nodded to Murphy and led his men out after they had collected their ready bags.
"Why would he suddenly go for a bigger target?" Antonio posed the question as they decided to use the stairwell for speed.
"Might have been his agenda all along," Al suggested as he fastened his vest.
"Doesn't make sense," Kevin observed as they reached the ground floor car park, "he killed James alone but then increases the victims to double figures? Maybe it wasn't Wells."
"It was," Murphy had heard the end of the conversation as he stepped out of an elevator with Parker, "he left a note at the scene."
"How could he do that? He couldn't hang around for the explosion," Burke frowned in confusion.
"Apparently he gave it to a Paramedic on scene."
"So he gets away from the target zone before the IED explodes then returns?"
"Let's just get there and find out what we're dealing with," Voight decided to curtail the questioning, he knew Murphy was under immense pressure and with Wells escalating his attacks that pressure was going to be exponentially increased.

The scene which greeted the men on arrival at the bomb site twenty minutes later was one of complete devastation. What were once vehicles had been transformed into blackened, smouldering, mangled pieces of metal. The shop windows on either side of the two way street had been shattered sending piercing shards out onto the sidewalks sprinkling pedestrians with painful cuts.  Six ambulances stood at the ready as two pulled away sirens blaring, a signal life was being fought for within their confines.  A triage area had been set up and the walking wounded waited, dazed, for their turn to get medical attention.  Voight looked around as Murphy headed over to where two uniformed Officers were talking to a Paramedic.

"Halstead I want you and Adam to talk to the walking wounded. Best to talk to them now while things are fresh in their minds."
"But Sarge ....," Jay began.
"We'll discuss the note once we're through here."
"We don't know what it says," Kevin stated quietly.
"I want you and Antonio to talk to the Shop Owners," Voight ignored the comment, he wasn't prone to explaining his decisions.
"Yes Sarge," Antonio nodded as he looked around.
"Burke you're with me and Al."
"Sure."
"What about me?" Mouse asked as he tore his gaze from a blackened SUV which eerily reminded him of another fier3 also but he needed the Detective there, "start checking out everyone who has access to our floor, from Secretaries to Agents to Janitors."
"Official?" Mouse checked, knowing he didn't need to elaborate on what he was asking.
"Go the official route first," the Sergeant pursed his lips as his gaze wandered to where Jay was speaking to a young boy, "if nothing shows up go the other way."
"Yes Sir," Mouse took his leave gratefully.

The acrid smell of burnt metal and flesh hung in the air as Jay eyed the surroundings. Paramedics moved between the still shaken wounded people as he felt a tug on his hand. Looking down he found the young boy Marcus whose mother had just given him a short statement. Like most she was having difficulty processing what had happened.

"Hey Little Man what can I do for you?" the young Detective asked gently as he crouched down to give the child his full attention.
"Will you ..... will you find Harry.  He must be really scared," tears welled as the boy spoke, "Mom said ye're the good guys so ye can find him right?
"Who's Harry," Jay knew after talking to his mother that the child had no siblings.
"He's my dog," the impatient reply betrayed the likilihood that his parent had already put off the question.
"Well what does he look like? Is he big or small?"
"He's a puppy.  Mom said he got scared when the big bang happened and ran away," Marcus looked around as his name was called, "I gotta go! Mom said ye only helped people but Harry is a person too!"
"You're right," Jay nodded sincerely, "I'll look out for him. Does your Mom have a photo of him by any chance?"
"I'll ask her!" Marcus ran over to his mother eagerly, glad the Detective was going to help.

Ten minutes later Jay was armed with a photo of the little white Maltichon puppy, dressed in a tiny grey jumper, as an ambulance drove away with the mother and boy.  Adam walked over to stand beside his friend and looked at the photograph sadly.

"You know the chances of finding him are slim."
"His mother told him he ran away when the explosion happened.  She had no point in telling him the dog was caught in the blast.  I didn't promise to find him," Jay explained, "I told him we'd look for him while we were doing our work."
"Who knows maybe he survived," Adam tried to inject optimism into his voice but eyeing the scene around them it was a hard task.

tbc