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

Chapter Forty-Six: Innocence In Danger

Jay had known from the outset he was on dangerous ground and the drive to the empty warehouse did nothing to dispel his expectation. Upon arrival at the derelict building the two strangers were introduced as Tom and Curt. Getting a proper look at the men Jay thought there was something he was missing but couldn't quite place it. They were both in their early forties and had strong builds. Jay had been surprised to be given an introduction but did not acknowledge the pair. Instead he simply listened to the three men speaking and what became immediately evident was that the two strangers were merely foils in his fathers' plans but what worried him the most was that he realized both men had a childlike mentality. Just how his father had found the pair he did not know but despite the beating he had suffered he knew he had to protect the two men for they were clearly pawns in his fathers' game. He wanted to ask his old man what was going on but he wouldn't give his father the satisfaction. He would tell him when he was ready and only then. So accepting a cup of coffee from the old man Jay watched his three companions through wary eyes as they sat around an old battered wooden picnic table. Although he had accepted the cup the pale man did not drink it. He may be unwell but he wasn't stupid.

"You haven't asked why we brought you here?" Tom eventually asked with a smile as the silence seemed to bother him.
"Nope."
"Well are you going to?" the bigger Curt demanded with a frown.
"Nope."
"You going to tell him?" Tom looked at the older man sitting across from him with a pleading look.
"Why don't you?"
"Can I?" Tom checked eagerly.
"Of course you can. I promised ye we would have fun so go on tell him."
"We're going to rob a bank!" Tom spoke excitedly as if it was an adventure.
"What do you think?" Curt asked.
"Why do ye want to rob a bank?"
"Cause we want the money to run away," Tom put in as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Sounds like a lot of hassle," Jay pointed out and then the thing which had been nagging him finally clicked, "are ye brothers?"
"Yes!" Curt beamed with pride.
"So what do you think?" the old man asked mildly.
"I think ye have no hope."
"Well actually Tom made a slight mistake."
"Oh", Jay knew what was coming and felt his stomach turn.
"We're not going to rob the bank. You are."
"But I thought ...," Curt began but was quickly cut off by the old man.
"This way will be easier and if anything goes wrong Jay can deal with it."
"Like he did the night we played at beating him up," Tom smiled in agreement.
"Played?" Jay let the question out before he could stop himself.
"Yeah in front of the hospital. Don't you remember?" Curt frowned.
"I remember alright. Just didn't realize ye were playing."
"Yeah," Tom offered with a grin, "your Dad told us you were wearing a special vest so when we hit you it didn't hurt."
"Did he?" Jay asked mildly wondering how his father had explained away the bloody head wound, stomping and threat to be quiet as a game but not willing to investigate it further, he had bigger issues to deal with.
"Yeah I did. They know I'd never really hurt anyone."
"Course not," Jay nodded as he winked at the siblings, "so what bank is it?"
"Seaway. It's closest to South Lake Shore," the elder Halstead replied watching his son carefully before eyeing the brothers for a moment, "you understand what's at risk if you fail?"
"Yeah, I do," Jay didn't need to look at the two men, he had already known their lives were at risk.

A half hour later Jay sat alone in the warehouse. The three men had left to get 'supplies' whatever that meant. His father had taken the burner phone he had bought so he couldn't contact anyone even if he wanted to. Sighing resulted in a cough and Jay assumed the chest infection was still there despite the antibiotics. He stood up to walk around trying to figure out why his father chose a bank as a test for him. What Will and the others didn't know about his father, and what he never wanted to divulge to anyone, was that the man had displayed other samples of psychopathic behaviour when trying to hurt his young son. To this day Will still thought their mixed terrier, Max, had been killed when he ran out in front of a car. Jay knew the real story however. The friendly dog had walked in on Jay receiving a beating one hot Chicago summer afternoon many years ago. Will had gone to the Mall with their mother and so the youngest sibling found himself alone with his nemesis. As usual it hadn't taken long for his father to find a reason to start berating him and eventually the rhetoric changed into physical violence. Poor Max initially thought it was just play and had tried to join in. A swift kick from a boot soon educated him. It was then for the first time Jay had seen a look come into his fathers' eyes which to this day he could not ascribe words to. The look soon metamorphosised into a cunning glare and that was when the young boy realized he too was about to be educated. His father had pointed to the crying dog and informed him that if he stayed quiet for the next ten minutes Max would be fine. But if Jay made a sound the affable mutt would be killed. The dog was carried outside the shed and the door locked. Knowing his father meant business Jay did his utmost to stop a sound escaping through his lips as his father punched his side with a closed fist. To this day he couldn't remember how many times he had been hit when a strangled gasp broke free and just like that the fist disappeared along with his father. It took a couple of minutes to regain his feet but when Jay staggered out of the shed the innocent animal had been bludgeoned with a hammer. He'd thrown up at the sight of the mangled body then been handed a shovel to dig a shallow grave. Ignoring his fathers' taunts the young boy had gone inside after digging a hole and retrieved a clean pillow case. Under his fathers' cold indifferent gaze he had gently placed the bloodied bundle into the cloth wrapping and then shovelled dirt over the mound ignoring the fire raging in his side. His father had then informed him that would be the first test of many. Upon returning home Will had been informed that the dog had run out in front of a car when Jay went to lie down with a headache and forgot to shut the side gate. By the time Will burst into his brothers' bedroom in a temper Jay was asleep in his bed, dried tear tracks evidence of his grief. Jay had awoken an hour later to find Will watching him with sad eyes. His sibling had assured him that it wasn't his fault. It was just an accident. Jay knew different however. It was his fault. He had failed the test and Max had paid the price. The following years saw the young boy honing his tolerance.

And now as that young boy grown up Jay surveyed his bleak surroundings. He knew he had another test to face. The only consolation was the old man had always kept his word if Jay succeeded. This time the price of failure would be two childlike brothers. The weary man knew he couldn't rely on his fathers' words however so the consolation held little comfort.

tbc