An Unfortunate Mix-Up ✔️

Chapter 15: Shattered Phone

"Damn it, Alex!" Chase lets out as he dials Alex's phone number once again, his call immediately going to voice mail. "I swear this is the last favor I do for your ass...."

He then lets out a sigh, turning off the plane motor as he climbs out of the cockpit. He then twirls the keys in his hand as he makes his way across the runaway towards the hanger that Alex said he'd be standing and waiting.

He walks in the hanger, glancing around feeling totally out of place in seeing not a single person or plane in sight. He keeps walking, his foot kicking an object. He then looks down, seeing a pair of broken phones. He then notices a couple droplets of red not far from them - blood.

He then reaches for his phone in his pocket, debating whether to go into full panic and dial 9-1-1 or perhaps check in the tower to see if someone had come needing medical attention. He pulls it out, unlocking it, the mixture of thoughts swirling through his mind quicker than he could comprehend.

"Don't move!" He hears a female voice yell, causing him to spin around immediately. He sees a gun pointed his way, phone slipping through his fingers, hitting the concrete below. "Chicago Police Department Intelligence Unit. Put your hands up!" 

"This is not what it looks like," he simply says as he watches the dirty blond come closer to him, gun still directed straight at him. "I swear this isn't what it looks like."

"Where is Jay Halstead and Alex Bowman?" Chase could only shrug his shoulders, asking himself the same very question, those thoughts of confusion now turning into concern. It wasn't every day that a gun got pulled on you, as well as a broken phone and blood. Nothing seemed right about this situation.

"I don't know! I came here to pick up Ale-"

"Chase Elliott?" Chase slowly nods his head as she lowers the gun, now her own nerves growing as if he was there but no sight of either Jay or Alex, there was certainly something to be concerned about. "Hailey Upton, Chicago Police Department Intelligence - also Detective Jay Halstead's wife. I came to check on him because I thought he would've met me at Molly's by now."

"I landed, texted Alex to no answer. I called him - no answer. I came walking to see what was taking so long, and found this..." Hailey's eyes lock on the pair of phones, as well as the droplets of blood. She then takes a deep breath, feeling panic rise as there was only a few times she'd seen a similar sight like this before, and it never meant good news for whoever it involved. 

"Come with me...." She wraps an arm around him, protectively, while keeping her other hand on her gun in the holster. She leads him out of the hanger to her truck, motioning for him to get inside. "I don't want us standing there exposed if they come bac-"

"Do you think they've been kidnapped? You need to tell me what's going on." She was about to say something in total frustration, knowing answering his pity questions shouldn't be a concern right now. Each time they wasted talking was a minute that Jay and Alex were further away from the location. 

"To be honest, I don't know what's going on. I'm just following protocol, hoping for the best." She then makes her way around to her side of the vehicle, climbing in as she takes out her radio. Taking a deep breath, she hated to be repeating these circumstances, knots forming in her stomach with each passing second. "5021 Henry, requesting back-up and forensics to O'Hare International Hanger 1212. Found broken phones and blood. Possible abducted male and Intelligence Agent."

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It wasn't long after that Chase was sitting in a room that could be best described as a kitchenette with a fridge, toaster, kettle, table, and chairs. They had offered him coffee or water, to which he declined both. He just wanted to know what was going on as the worry for his friend continued to intensify with each passing moment he sat there in silence.

"We checked the airport security footage," he sees a mid-30's male say as he glances out the window towards the room of agents and computers. He could only hope there was good information to come from what they were doing. "Thankfully, they had a camera on the hanger and boss - this is something that you're going to want to see." 

Chase felt a huge lump form in his throat, knowing if the male was calling over his boss directly it was probably not for good news at all. He began silently saying a prayer to himself, hoping for the best for Alex as he could not have a single clue as to what was going on.

"Derek Keyes!" He hears the older gentleman yell out, slamming his fist on the desk before him as he walks away from the computer. Just what Chase needed to see and hear as every single nerve began to increase that much more. "That prick should've been locked away in prison for yea-"

"Was he the person who kidnapped Jay before?" The female that Chase remembered from the scene - Hailey she said her name was - questioning. Those lumps were growing, as he could feel his stomach churning at the simple discussion before him. What was he going to tell everybody? How was he supposed to notify everyone of what was going on?

"I want to know why he was released from prison - the full story! I want to know who authorized that and why! I want to know why we weren't notified of his release! I want every known contact he had in prison and before going away - contacted! I want every cop aware of what he looks like and looking for him! I want every phone number he's used traced! I want every residence linked to him fully checked, top to bottom! I want him found immediately!" 

Chase glances at the table as he could only picture the worst in seeing the frustration play out before him, knowing every single yell let loose met things were going from bad, to worse, to worst. 

What had Alex gotten himself involved in?