Tolerance Book I (Chicago PD/Med FF) by Frances51163

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Read It And Weep

Adams' arrival in the packed kitchen was initially greeted with silence as he dropped his soaking bounty on the ground inside the door and quickly shrugged off his jacket brushing a hand through his damp hair before turning around to face the gathered men. Everyone suddenly seemed to come out of their stupor as voices vied for attention. A shrill whistle immediately restored the silence.

"Talk," Hank instructed his Detective turning to glare at anyone else who attempted to speak.
"He's gone. Found the tracker on his coat," Adam tossed his jacket on the window seat and took out his friends' cell, "left a message."
"What did it say?" Will demanded.
"Read it for yourself," Adam tossed the phone to the startled Doctor who just managed to catch it before it slipped through his fingers.
"No, no .....," Will shook his head in denial as Hank reached out and took the phone.
"What does it say?" Antonio demanded impatiently.
"'Sorry'," Hank looked at the group but remained silent.
"Damn," Al lowered his head.
"Hey guys it's okay," Mouse went over to his laptop and turned it on with a cheeky grin, "I used two trackers."
"Thank God for that," Antonio breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Mouse," Adams' tone caused everyone to tense again, "he left the boots behind. I left them on the porch."
"But that means ....," the IT Specialist got up angrily, "he's out there on his own."
"But how did he get away.  There are cameras everywhere?" Conor moved beside the redhead.
"He probably went down to the lake," Mark offered.
"Dingy is still there," Kevin put in shaking his head.
"He wouldn't have used it."
"Oh my God! He went into the water?" Wills' voice cracked and he walked over and sagged down on a stool, Conor at his side.
"But it's freezing," Antonio countered.
"Wouldn't stop him," Lance spoke from experience, "when Jay sets his mind to something he does it.  No matter what."
"No point in trying to track him," Hank stated succinctly, "everyone be ready in forty-five minutes.  We move out then."
"Move out?" Conor asked raising an eyebrow.
"We're heading back to the city.  That's where the Kid is heading."
"If he doesn't get pneumonia," Will groused.
"Should have thought of that before you went back on your word," Adam pointed out coldly as he headed off to pack, "I'll check his room.  See what he took with him."
"Make it quick."
"Yes Sarge."

As the men filed out Hank turned to Will and Conor at the counter.

"This was going to happen sooner or later," the Sergeant stated pragmatically.
"But ye expected to be able to track him," Conor noted.
"Yeah we did.  Now we deal the hand we've been given."
"Why aren't you mad at me?" Will asked.
"Never said I wasn't mad," Hank explained honestly, "but right now my concern is the Kid."
"It's ours too," Conor assured as he tugged his colleague by the arm and directed him towards the hall before any other words could be exchanged between the two men.

Upstairs ten minutes later Will found Adam in Jays' room packing up.

"I was going to do that," the Doctor stayed at the entrance.
"It's being taken care of," Adam didn't look up at the newcomer.
"Look I didn't mean for ....,"
"Doc we already had this conversation back in the city.  He deserves better from you."
"He's my brother.  I want to make sure he's okay.  I can't let anything happen to him."
"The problem with what you just said," Adam finally looked over at the man as he picked up the now full gearbag after stuffing in the empty knapsack, "is that you're thinking of yourself, not Jay."
"He's my brother.  I don't want anything to happen to him."
"Look Doc I know you care about him but you've got to respect his wishes.  He deserves that.  He told me that he would do anything to make sure yer old man didn't hurt anyone else," Adam sat down on the bed with a sigh.
"He's a born protector," Will nodded and walked over to the bed, "and he's in the right job."
"It's my fault," Adam ducked his head.
"What do you mean?"
"When he said he wouldn't let anyone else get hurt he was really saying he wouldn't let anyone but himself get hurt."
"We all know what Jay is like.  Hell we all knew he'd try to take off at some point."
"Yeah but we thought we could track him."
"This pity party over?" a new voice enquired from the door.
"He left his meds but there's no clothes missing," Adam immediately stood up.
"Okay.  Be ready to roll."
"Yes Sarge," the shaken Detective grabbed his own gearbag from the floor then hefted Jays' gearbag from the bed.

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Once Jay swam past five houses he dragged himself out of the freezing waters.  As the skies darkened, under the cover of a large old tree bedecked with bulky limbs, he shredded the wet top and briefs before switching clothes, using the dampest top as a towel.  His teeth chattered and despite the two relatively dry tops and jeans shielding his previously exposed skin he still shivered uncontrollably.  He kept the wet socks on to protect his feet. After ensuring his weapons had made the short trip without any excess breach of water Jay stashed away the guns and knife after folding the dry notes into his pocket.  He had picked this exit point from the water as the house above was unlit.  Staying by the waters' edge as the torrential rains hid his figure from prying eyes, artificial or otherwise, he made short work of getting onto Sheridan Road and then onto Wentworth Avenue.  Luckily darkness had fallen by that time and clinging to the shadows he quickly made his way on stockinged feet to the nearest motel, booking a room under a false name and ignoring the funny looks he received from the Desk Clerk.  Quickly undressing he practically dived into the shower and allowed the hot droplet fountain to envelope him in its' misty embrace as the chills wracking his body reluctantly began to surrender to the watery onslaught.  Fifteen minutes later he padded barefoot to the nearest vending machine and got a couple of cans of fanta and several mars bars.  After consuming three quarters of a can and a mars bar he gratefully climbed under the covers, leaving his socks drying on the radiator.  Tomorrow would be time enough to think of what he was going to do.  Tonight was a time to rest and recoup energy.  Putting a hand on his aching ribs as he lay on his side he stifled a cough, wishing he had brought his pain meds.

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Two days later Jay had travelled from Glencoe to nearby Evanston.  He knew the team expected him to return to the city but he decided to deal with his foe in unfamiliar territory.  After sleeping for four hours the first night in the motel he had spent the remainder of the time thinking of his old man.  He had accepted long ago that his father wasn't an ally but those dark hours plagued by pain and worry for his sibling and friends had forced him to admit in his heart that his father was in fact an enemy.  The melancholy which had befallen him at that painstaking acceptance was quickly banished to another corner of his mind.  He could not and would not dwell on it.  For now he had to protect his brother and friends and he knew exactly how to draw his father out.  Had in fact always known.  Not that he would ever have divulged it to the others.  Heck they might just think he was crazy.

tbc