Case by Case Love

Chapter 11: Officer in Distress

"Ambo is already on the scene," Hank says over the radio, trying to keep himself as calm as possible despite all worries increasing based on the response he had heard over the radio from his top detective. "Rescue is here. They are on their way, Jay. Keep talking to me...."

Hank avoided looking over at Erin, knowing they were both thinking the same thing. He was the leader of the unit. He was in charge of everything that happened, and that included all of their safety. He had to ensure that above anything. Being unable to do his job would result in that not happening.

However, he could not help but feel a bit of worry as he stood in the middle of the intersection looking at the building that was broken apart right before him. He knew how strong his officers were. He knew it took a lot to get someone like Jay rattled. If he was radioing he was in distress, it probably wasn't going to be a pleasant scene once he was found inside.

"See if he can give us details as to what's around him, where he may have fallen to when it collapsed," Kelly Severide instructs as he gets the men off of Truck 3 together. It wasn't the first time they had been called to save a detective, and Kelly wasn't about to let Jay down this time. "Everyone is scared of a second collapse so it's just me and Otis going in - against Chief Boden's orders." 

"Be careful Kelly," Hank says as sternly as possible, taking Erin's radio and handing it over to the fire fighter so he could have full communication with them through the process. Erin could hear everything over Hank's so it could be put to better usage. Besides, she was still frozen in the same spot she had beginning taking up over 20 minutes ago. "Jay? I need you give me details man..." 

"Blood..." was the only word that escaped from Jay over the radio, only causing the pit in Hank's stomach to grow that much more. He had never heard Jay complain about his condition before being rescued before, even when he was kidnapped on three previous occasions. He had never complained about pain or anything, even when Angela shot him in the chest. This was certainly not a side of his detective he had ever seen before. 

"Hang in there Jay," Kelly tries to be encouraging at his end as he reaches the edge of the building perimeter, debating the point of entry for him and Otis. He knew that Jay was in the northeast side of the building as that was where suite 507 was located. "Otis and I are on our way. Give me details man..." 

"Fell a couple stories......tunnel.....white walls.....stone......maybe brick...." With each set of words that came through the radio, they could hear the labored breathes from the detective in trying to follow the instructions he had been given. "Can't move my arm...." 

"That's a good start there, buddy. That's what I like to hear from you. Keep talking..." Hank glances over towards Erin at the transmissions, seeing the color draining from her face with each passing minute. He was probably having the same reaction if he looked at himself in a mirror right now, but he was not about to let anyone see that on that surface. He had to be strong. He had to do what it took. He was responsible for their men, their safety, and ensuring they made it home.

"There may have been a window - couple feet in length. One of those wider view corner ones...." Hank pulled back out the drawings of the building they had obtained upon their arrival, trying to find any area that could incorporate everything that his detective was talking about. He was going to do what he could to help Kelly find him if he couldn't do it himself.

"There's a maintenance tunnel on the first floor that aligns with suites 205 through 208 and there above," Hank notices as he looks around the area they all believed Jay to be in. He knew his detective had predicted a couple stories, but it seemed like maybe he had gone from the fifth floor to the bottom. Maybe the debris cushioned the length of fall. "That would explain the bricks. The longer window was installed to allow access for underground work."

"That tunnel is newer construction so it would be better enforced when it came to the shock the building felt by the collapse and closeness of the other explosion," Kelly replies, agreeing with the sergeant's theory as he points towards the area with Otis right in toe. "Jay, I know it may hurt, but I need you to scream if you can..."  

"Call out, Jay. Let him know where you are. Let him find you, please..." Hank felt himself losing hope with each passing second, as he takes his own first careful deep breath of worry for the first time since the whole ordeal started. "Jay? Jay, I need you talk to me!" 

"So much pain!!!" Jay lets out, seemingly as loud as he could with his current situation with how piercing it came through the radio. "Please hurry! I can't...." As much as Hank wanted to let out a sigh of relief in hearing him still answering, the panic was right there on the verge of shining through to match what he was hearing from his detective. How could he remain strong for the unit right now? 

"Got him, Hank!" Kelly lets out as he motions to Otis to follow his lead in noticing a man lying in the back of the tunnel they had crawled down in. He normally wouldn't bother of radioing until they had made their way out, but he couldn't help but assure the man he had grown to be friends with in hearing the piercing nerves by all parties over the radio. "Holy shit, Jay. Be ready medics. He's going to need your help..."