Lost Souls (Agent Severide Serie Book 5)

Chapter 20

21st District Police Department, Chicago 

Zoey sat at her desk reading the riddle the unsub said to her on the phone over and over and over again hoping that it made sense or clicked but she just couldn't focus. "Babe, why don't you head home and get some sleep," Jay suggests walking over and leaning on the desk. "I'm okay," she replied opening her desk drawer and cracking open a small bottle of 12-hour energy drink chugging it back and tossing the tiny container in the garbage. 

"Jay's right there's not much we can do right now, you should go home and rest," Voight said walking through the bullpen. "I wouldn't be able to sleep anyways, I'm more useful here," she replied fighting the urge to yawn. "Zoey, go home and rest that's an order, you can't help anyone if your sleep deprived," Hotch said sternly looking toward the stubborn blonde agent. "I'll drive you home," Jay said walking over to his desk and retrieving his keys. 

The blonde agent sighed standing up from her desk and walking towards the stairs and out of the building walking over to Jay's truck hopping in the passenger seat as he hopped in the driver's seat. "You and I both know I'm not gonna sleep," she replied before yawning and looking at the detective who just smirked as he started the truck and started driving back to his apartment. "Sure," Jay replied sarcastically with that smirk she absolutely loved. 

Jay's Apartment, Chicago 

The truck pulled up outside of the building and Zoey unfastened her seatbelt leaning over and pressing a kiss to her husband's lips. "I love you," she said softly after breaking the short kiss. "I love you too, do you want me to come in- Nah go get back there. Just because I got sent home doesn't mean you can't go work," she replied earning a small smile from the detective. "I'll be home in a few hours, try to get some sleep," Jay told her as she smile and hopped out of the truck. "No promises, go kick ass handsome," Zoey said with a smirk before she walked up the path and disappeared into the apartment building heading straight to the second floor. 

She unlocked the door and shut it behind her walking into the room and kicking her shoes off. The blonde sighed walked over to the couch and took her gun out of her holster and set it on the table before she lay down for a second exhausted. That's when a soft whispered voice sounded through the room startling Zoey awake. "I told you. It was 1 rule," the man in all black from head to toe whispered through a ski mask while pointing a gun toward her. "No" was all the blonde said sitting up and looking down at the barrel of a gun. "1 Rule Agest Halstead- Stop- DO YOU NOT CONSIDER THAT WORKING WITH CPD, IS GOING OUTSIDE THE TEAM FOR HELP!" The man started yelling cutting her off. 

Zoey looked at the table next to the man where her gun was just out of reach, "Listen- ONE RULE" He yelled again. "Listen to me, we can talk abou- I TOLD YOU THIS WAS IMPORTANT" The man yelled as Zoey leapt for her gun just as the sound of a gun rang through the room and her body dropped to the floor instantly. 

As she lay on the floor pain ripped through her chest as she took a gaspy breath reaching for her phone to dial 9-1-1 before everything went black. 

21st District Police Department, Chicago 

Jay sat at his desk looking over the file along with the rest of the intelligence unit when the phone in front of Mouse rang. "Hey guys," the brunette said putting the line on speaker. "This is Hotchner," the unit chief said to the line, "What I had to do was not my fault," a man whispered through the line. "Excuse me?" Hotch answered confused. "It was distasteful and barbaric." the man whispered again as Mouse began tracing the call. "Who is this?" Hotch asked into the line trying to keep him talking long enough to get a location. "No one else had to be hurt," he whispered again as Jay got that same feeling in his gut when he was in Afghanistan or whenever things were gonna get bad. 

"You call yourself the Fisher king?" Hotch asked him, "I told you, there were rules" he whispered. "Remember this the next time you decide to step outside my instructions. Agent Halstead did not have to die like that," he whispered angrily before the line went dead. 

Chills washed over Jay and before he could think he'd grabbed his truck keys and bolted towards teh stairs, and outside to his truck taking off with lights blaring in a matter of seconds. A million things were running through his mind. Please don't let it be true, he thought as Zoey's phone kept going straight to voicemail. 

Jay could hear and see the line of flashing cars of the rest of the team following him as he pulled up to the apartment just as the ambulance took off. The detective followed the ambulance not bothering to stop until she got to Med. 

Chicago Med

The detective Ran through the ED doors just as his wife was brought through the door with Gabby sitting on top of her doing compressions. "Zoey, ZOEY, BABE PLEASE Wake up," Jay said as Will ran over to hold him back from running into the OR. "LET ME GO- Jay stop Dr. Rhodes is taking her into surgery all we can do is just be hopeful and wait. Zoey's strong," Will said trying to reassure his brother who was trying not to cry. "Will I left her at home and I should've been there to protect her- Hey, hey don't blame yourself for that Jay. It's not your fault," Will said reassuringly. "Let's go wait in the waiting room," the ginger-haired doctor suggested considering they were standing in the middle of the ED. 

The two walked into the waiting room to find the intelligence team, the Bau and firehouse 51 all but Kelly who was still in protective custody. "How is she?"Morgan asked, "Is she alright?" Antonio asked next. "They took her up to surgery, she lost a lot of blood but she's hanging on," Will said as Jay went for a walk down the hall a bit taking a seat against the wall and just putting his head in his hands as a few tears left his eyes. I should've stayed with her, was all he kept thinking over and over again.