It's My Life ~Linstead

Part 6

We pull up to the district and into my usual spot. It's a bit more crowded on the lot this morning, by 6 cars I notice.

J-"Looks like everyone decided to stay for lunch."

(Everyone is the parents of the kids who are shadowing, minus two for Antonio and Jay and I )

E-"As long as they're buying it's all good" I say laughing. By now we've walked up the steps to the district and go inside. We're a half hour early like normal, and Ruzek isn't in yet, but every student and their parent(s) are already here. I look around for Alex to give her her Starbucks and notice that Platt has everyone in the office across from her desk- a place entirely too small for the number of people that are in there. I don't see Alex so I turn to Platt. Jay is already joking with her about shoving so many people in one place.

J-"Did that office get an addition over night?"

P-"Very funny Halstead."

J-"I'm just saying, that's a lot of people in a small place"

P-"People will go into the smallest place possible if it means not having to be near criminals."

E-"What are you talking about? Who came through?"

Alex is finally making her way out as I say this, and many other people are following her, including a nervous looking Claire and other moms who talked to me last night.

But I'm not looking at Alex or any of them now. Jay isn't either. We're more interested in what Platt has to say.

P-"Bug is out of Stateville, Smith brought him in last night on drunk and disorderly. He'll be bringing through through any minute now"

J-"Bug as in Clayton Howard? The one that we busted for impersonating cops?"

P-"Yup. That one."

E-"How is he out? His term was longer than 3 years wasn't it?"

P-"It was 5, he's out on good behavior"

J-"That guy on good behavior? What's going on in the wardens head over there?"

P-"I'd like to know too. But I was told that they need the space over there"

E-"Unbelievable."

P-"You're telling me. Just do all of CPD  a favor and get him back there before he goes on a rampage again"

E+J-"You got it"

At this point I realize that we now have an audience watching our little conversation. I turn to Alex and hand her her drink.

A-" Thanks. What was that all about"

I look at Jay, deciding to let him handle this one. He is the one that wanted to take her in, after all. And he has a way of giving away basically nothing but at the same time making it feel like everything.

J-"All you need to know is he was in Stateville for a reason"

Bam, there he does it again. That's enough for Alex, but many of the parents, the dads especially, want more info. One of them clears his throat and opens his mouth like he's going to push for more, but chatter comes over Platts radio before he can.

S(Chase Smith, Nadia's bf)- " Bringing Howard through now"

P-"10-4. Everyone back into the office, now. Shut the door, too"

They all file back in, murmuring amongst themselves. Alex doesn't look happy about it, but right now idgaf and neither does Jay, we just want her safe.

Chase appears from the doorway to the holding cells and walks through holding Howard's arm, who has his hands cuffed behind his back. As he goes through Howard looks at Jay and I and nod. We stare him down and he stares back for a while before looking to the ground. He gets the rest of the way through without glancing our way again.

P-"You can come out now!" Platt hollered to the nervous people on the tiny office. They file our and Attwater walks down the stairs from the bullpen.

At(Atwatter)-"Voight wants everyone in the bullpen in 5"

J-"Okay thanks man"

Jay says as we walk over to the stairs that go up to the gate. I turn around and find Alex.

E-"Did you eat yet?"

A-"That depends what you're offering"

E-"So you did?"

A-"Yeah, but I could always eat again."

I gave her my best mom look that blatantly said 'knock it off', and behind her I could see other moms looking at Alex and trying to tell her via telepathically to stop, and then shot me a knowing look as I'm sure many of them have been in my shoes. I glance behind me for Jay to help me out but he's no where to be seen. Great.

I decide to respond my favorite way-with sass. But before I can do this I hear Voight bellow from the bullpen "30 seconds!!!!"   I turn and walk up the stairs and toss Alex a "We'll talk later" over my shoulder. I scan my palm and the gate buzzes to let me up. Jay walks up behind me with a long gun in one hand, and a case of ammo in the other. He grabs the gate to walk up behind me and we hurry to meet Voights time requirements.

We walk in and take a seat at our desks as Adam hurries up stairs and skids into his seat, barley making it before Sergent and Commander walk out of the office. I glance over and see the board is still empty, so that's good. Everyone else is here, sipping coffee and waiting to see what will be said.

C-"Good morning, detectives. As you all know today is the first day that student will be shadowing you. There had been one small change in that, though. Due to unrest that popped up when parents were dropping students off this morning, it has been decided that parents may stay with students until they feel comfortable to leave. Other than that, everything will go according to the plan that laid out at our meeting. Remember that these people are here to see how Chicago's top unit works a case, so do everything as you would normally do. And I do mean everything "

She annunciates this last word, and meets all of our eyes. I can hear the unspoken question, but commander just nods and looks to Voight.

V-"You heard the orders. Everything as usual"

Wow. Ok. Voight just agreed with commander.

C-"Lets get started then. Carry on work as usual, you'll know when the time for socializing  comes. I'm going to go greet everyone with Sergents Platt and Voight and give them a tour. Carry on here. "

With that, commander walks downstairs. Voight hangs back and takes a minute to look each of us in the eyes, lingering a little longer on Dawson, Jay, and I. He nods and takes us all in.

V-"I don't need to tell you this, but I'm going to anyways. They're just kids. Let em be young a little longer. That being said, do your jobs and show them what all this 'most elite unit in Chicago' fluff is all about."

We nod in agreement. And Voight goes downstairs and it's time to begin.

Okay, so first off I want to say thank you for all the love I've been getting over this- you have no idea how much it means. Also, please keep the comments coming- let me know what you think, I love you hear from ya. Please keep voting too! I think I'm gonna start the next part right now cause I'm really excited for it, so maybe you'll get 3 updates in 24 hours- you lucky ducks!! Again, keep the comments and votes coming
~🖖