The Soldier and The Spy: Jay Halstead- Episode 4

Bonus Scene

Present Day

"Kevin."

He paused outside the locker-room to see Voight motioning him over and shot a quick glance at Adam and Jay who he'd been walking in with before following his Sergeant; it wasn't hard to guess what his boss wanted to talk about, Kev just didn't know how he was going to respond to what he had to say.

He'd gone to see Nolan last night.

After his conversation with Tess all the fear he'd had about having to choose between his badge and his morals had pretty much disappeared. He'd never had someone that didn't know him show that much faith in him, someone who understood what it was like not just to want to do a job that no one wanted them to but who understood what it was like to try to do it and still stay true to themselves. Who wanted to make the job better. She'd gone above and beyond for him and while he knew that some of that was because of Jay, Kevin honestly didn't believe that was the main reason. Tess had done what she had because she could. He hadn't even checked what was on the USB she'd given him, partly because he didn't think if he saw what else Nolan had done he'd be able to let it go, but mostly because he trusted her.

But his Sergeant didn't.

Not yet anyway and that was a battle that was going to be long and uphill.

He shared another look with Kim as Voight led him into his office and while his girl had a good poker face on the street she didn't do too well hiding her worry now. Kev knew he was going to tell her and Adam what had happened and he wanted to tell Vanessa and Hailey too but he'd be honest, he was a little more worried about that. He didn't totally get it but those two had beef with Tess, probably because before she'd arrived they'd all been quietly waiting for Jay and Hailey to get together, and he didn't know if hearing what she'd done was going to help or make things worse. And after the way she and Jay had been looking out for him he didn't want to risk messing things up for them. He wasn't about that.

But right now he had to be about this conversation cause Voight did not look happy.

"Listen, I've been thinking about what you said last night and I don't want to jam up your career, you got a damn good one ahead of you but we can't wait much longer before something needs to be done-"

"I already did it."

God damn.

Almost eight years later and he still felt like the kid getting called to the principal's office when his Sergeant looked at him that way.

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"It means I took the third option." He didn't know what but something about that made Voight's brows shoot up and he hurried to explain. "I went to see Nolan last night. I told him that the only way I was giving up my badge was if I took his too. That I'd go to the media, to the streets- he's gonna back off."

"Just like that?"

"He might be fine playing dirty but he don't want the whole world to know about it. I think he meant it."

"And that's it? That's all you did?"

All he'd done.

It wasn't that Kevin didn't want to tell Voight about Tess, he just- he didn't really want to tell him. He loved his team but he did his best to keep out of their drama, tell the truth they all did, maybe a little too much and despite what she'd said he felt like he owed her, he just didn't know the best way to pay that back. But judging by the way his Sergeant looked at him it didn't matter what he said. He already knew, he just wanted confirmation.

"I gave him a USB."

Voight's jaw ticked and he took a deep breath. "And who gave you that USB?"

"Tess."

"Kevin-"

"She got proof. Of what Nolan did to me, what he's done to other cops."

"And what did she ask for in return?"

"Nothing. And she didn't tell me what to do with it either- she said it was my choice. So I chose."

"Kev, do you realize how many ways that could have backfired? We don't even know how she got that information, let alone if it's accurate."

"I think she's shown she knows what she's doing. And she said she got it legally." Most of it, but he didn't need to add that bit. "Look Sarge, I get it could have gone wrong but I didn't have a lot of options. She gave me the best one. And it worked."

Voight just grunted in response, not his angry one but not a happy one either and normally this would be when Kevin called it but that feeling of debt was still itching at him. He meant what he'd said to Tess, he didn't have nowhere near the skills she did, but he had this. He had a boss who, most of the time, listened to him and if he didn't take the chance to speak for her then what was he doing?

"Look, I know that we have had bad luck with people coming in and trying to bring us down, but that ain't her. She just trying to help. And I think we should take it."

Voight's jaw ticked again but he nodded, and when he gestured to the door Kev left; this wasn't going to be an easy adjustment, for any of them, but he meant what he'd said. Tess was here to stay and the sooner they accepted that the better things were going to be for all of them.