Tolerance Book III

Chapter Eighty-Nine: A Well Deserved Rest

Homeland Security Headquarters

Two hours later the Unit alongside the Assistant Director and Parker occupied the Conference Room.  Jay sat half slumped in a chair by the window making a valiant effort to keep his eyes open.  The adrenaline that had fuelled his rescue of the Author had long since abandoned him.   He thought back over the past couple of hours.  Upon arrival at Headquarters Murphy had taken one look at the pale Detective and promptly made a phone call.  Much to Jays' disgust he was subjected to a medical examination courtesy of a Bureau Doctor.  His arguments on the subject had been quickly squelched when the Assistant Director had pointedly stated the only other option was a trip to the hospital.  Too tired to continue protesting the younger man had mutely accepted being poked and prodded only to be informed, along with Murphy and Voight who had insisted on being present, what he already knew, that he was in dire need of proper rest and should not be on active duty.   The kindly middle aged Doctor had departed after giving the Detective a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.  Murphy and Voight had both waited until the medical professional had departed to speak to the previously missing man.

"You look like hell," Voight observed bluntly but he couldn't hide the genuine worry that laced the words.
"Lack of sleep is kinda part of the job Sarge," Jay downplayed his condition with a casual shrug.
"This is more than lack of sleep and you know it," Murphy insisted with a grim expression, "and I would love nothing more than to give you a few days off but ....,"
"I understand Sir," Jay noted and he did, it wasn't the Assistant Directors' fault they had to stop a Serial Killer.
"We can't give you a few days off but after we have a discussion you are going to lie down for a while," Voight declared in his best no nonsense voice.
"But ....,"
"But nothing.  You collapse and you're no good to us."
"What do you need to discuss?" Jay changed the topic, Murphys' dark looks had forewarned him there was more bad news coming his way.
"We found a link between Thompson and ...... your father," the Assistant Director sat down opposite the young Detective and Voight did likewise, sadness and regret crossing his features.
"It appears Thompson and your Old Man at one point or other shared ....... photographs," the Sergeant explained softly, there was no way to cushion the blow just as there was no need to clarify what photographs he was referring to.
"You mean .....," Jay, if possible, became even paler as the last bit of colour in his complexion drained away at the realization the photographs documenting his childhood nightmares had been seen by the Director as a form of entertainment.
"Halstead that piece of information has not been shared with anyone outside your Unit and Peter," Murphy hastened to offer some moeicum of consolation knowing it wasn't much.
"Murphy did some checking the old fashioned way," Voight put in knowing the younger man wasn't firing on all cylinders and would have asked questions if he had been, "Mouses' background checks as you know came back clear ...,"
"...... I did some unofficial checking through some old friends," the Assistant Director took up the explanation quietly then continued with a grimace of distaste, "turns out Thompson has a proclivity for kids being  ..... hurt."

Jay came back to the present and stifled a yawn as he heard his name being called.  Unsurprisingly his attention was distracted.

"What?"
"Parker offered to take you back to his place," Murphy repeated patiently, "it's just twenty minutes away so if we need you you can get back here quickly."
"There's no need ...," the green eyed man began to protest but was summarily cut off.
"Halstead you either get a few hours' sleep or we're on a plane out of here first thing tomorrow," Voight stated firmly.
"Come on man," Adam walked over to stand beside his friends' chair, "while you get some rest I get to watch Jaws. Doc here has three of them."
"I haven't actually watched them," Parker put in when he noticed Murphys' amused look, "they were a gift."
"Didn't know you were into horror films," the Assistant Director chided, hoping the banter would derail any argument.
"Jaws isn't a horror film!" Adam insisted as Jay slowly rose to his feet reluctantly.
"What would you call it? A comedy?" Parker asked all the while surreptitiously watching the slow movements of the unwell man.
"A .....  thriller."
"Good thing you didn't become a Movie Critic," Voight tossed in as he too kept an eye on the green eyed Detective.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours," Jay finally spoke up ending the light hearted chatter.
"You'll be back in twelve hours at the earliest," Murphy stated, "right now that's the minimum amount of time you need to recoup.  Take it while you can.  Something tells me Billings isn't finished with you yet."
"No he isn't," Jay concurred with quiet certainty then headed for the door with the Psychologist and Adam on his heels before anyone could respond.