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

Chapter Seventy-Two: Nightmare on Display

Although Jay had tried to argue he wanted to watch the tape alone Adam had insisted he stay with his friend.  The footage, obviously encompassing several years, had been extremely difficult to watch and Adam dreaded to think what turmoil the other man was in as he rewound the tape still staring at the screen although now it was blank.

"God what am I going to do if people see that?" Jays' strangled plea finally ended the silence which had blanketed the room when the final scene of his younger self being battered with a stick ended.
"Like Sarge said your friends won't watch it and as for anyone else they won't know you so it doesn't matter," Adam tried to find the right words to console his friend.
"Doesn't matter!  That's easy for you to say!" Jay raised his voice betraying his distress.
"Hey man I just meant they won't know it's you.  They won't know who that boy is now," Adam grasped for something helpful to say but it was proving difficult.
"You're being naive if you think they'll run it without identifying me," Jay shook his head in resignation as the anger left him just as fast as it arrived, "sorry Adam.  I shouldn't take things out on you."
"Jay I'm fine!  You don't need to worry about me.  You can shout at me all day long if it'll help," Adam insisted as he stood and ejected the VHS cassette, "you know I've been thinking ....,"
"First time for everything," Jay chided lightly around a cough.
"Funny," Adam made a face before continuing, "this contains presumably most, if not all, of the assaults so Mancini copied the footage from the other tapes onto it, or more likely someone else did."
"Yeah I thought of that while we were watching it.  There was only one VCR found in Mancinis' house and no other equipment so it probably was copied by someone else."
"There wouldn't be that many places that would deal with that type of work," Adam expounded as he thought of the possibilities, "we can find out how many .....,"
"No we can't," Jay interrupted, "we can't find out who transferred it because it wouldn't have been done by a legitimate company."
"Why not?"
"Whoever transferred it would have seen what was on the original cassette."
"You could have transferred the taped footage to DVD without watching it," Adam argued.
"Yeah but you couldn't transfer from tape to tape without viewing it.  I don't think so anyway."
"Well we can check it out."
"Yeah," Jay looked at his watch, "didn't realize it was so late.  It's ten before five."
"The tape is four hours long."
"Well at least whoever airs it won't have time to show it all," Jay rose.
"You sound certain it will be shown," Adam led the way over to the spacious black marble countered kitchen.
"Voight will do his best I know that.  Ye all will but there's no way someone isn't going to show it and that means I need to talk to Will."
"I could tell him if you like," Adam offered genuinely as he took chicken slices and cheese out of the refrigerator for sandwiches before passing a loaf of bread to the still pale man to slice, "you could do with some rest."
"Thanks but he needs to hear it from me.  Just wish I knew what to say," Jay confessed as he took a large carving knife out of a black wooden block.
"Whatever you say he'll just be worried about you.  He might be angry but he won't be angry at you."
"I know that but I don't want him going all big brother on me.  He's been bad enough since this all started."
"He's older so I reckon he has a right to go 'all big brother' on you," Adam pointed out as the door opened and Will and Conor walked in, loaded down with grocery bags, leading Hank and the rest of the Unit who were carrying pizza boxes.
"You're supposed to be on my side," Jay huffed indignantly keeping his voice low.
"I am, always," Adam confirmed seriously in a whisper before winking, "but he's bigger than you."
"Ha ha," Jay picked up a piece of crust and tossed it at the other man before addressing the new arrivals, "thought ye agreed on sandwiches?"
"We did," Antonio placed two boxes on the island counter as Al deposited three boxes beside it, "but then we decided on comfort food."
"Just as well we hadn't made ye sandwiches then," Jay said as he cut two thick slices and put the bread loaf away.
"Aren't you having pizza?" Will frowned after placing the grocery bag beside the fridge before taking off his jacket.
"Prefer a sandwich.  So how was yer day?"
"Busy but at least the time went quickly," Conor replied as he assessed the younger man noting the dark circles developing under his eyes, "why don't you sit down and I'll make the sandwich?"
"No thanks Doc," Jay shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.
"Even Jay can't mess up a cheese sandwich," Adam said lightly as he sent the Surgeon a warning look, this was not the time to mollycoddle their friend.
"Unlike you," Al joined in understanding what Adam was trying to do and wishing they had had a chance to warn the two medical professionals of stormy waters ahead.
"Really one of these days ye're going to have to admit I'm a good Cook."
"Nope," Kevin shook his head unrepentantly as he took some plates down from an overhead cupboard, "never gonna happen."
"Definitely not," Mouse concurred as he eagerly opened the box of his choice licking his lips at the Hawaiian pizza.
"Last time I agree to cook," Adam complained in mock disgust as he returned the chicken slices to the refrigerator shelf and took out several beers knowing tonight they would be needed, "you want one Jay?"
"I don't .......," Will was about to argue against his sibling consuming alcohol when a swift kick to the shin, delivered by none other than Hank under the counter, altered his words after a brief pause, ".... know why you like Hawaiian."
"I like Hawai'i," the IT Specialist defended going along with the diversion easily, "besides we got cheese and tomatoe for Al and yourself and pepperoni for Kevin, Jay and Conor."
"Come on I'm starving," Hank stated as he picked up the knife Jay had been using, "you sure you don't want some Kid?"
"Yeah," Jay looked from the Sergeant to Adam who placed the bottles on the counter and returned for more, "think I'll skip the beer too.  Need a clear head."
"Think I'll join you," Conor said and made short work of pouring two glasses to the brim with cool white liquid.
"So we playing poker tonight?" Will checked as he began unpacking the groceries knowing he wouldn't get any answers right now to the real questions he wanted to ask.
"Well the chips are nearly gone," Hank observed ruefully nodding to the nearly empty container of jellybeans sitting on the counter next to the oven.
"Good thing I did the shopping then," Conor smiled as they watched Will take out two large containers of jellybeans.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The meal passed with the men talking about inconsequential matters and berating each other for their various pizza choices.  Before the men sat down at the round table Hank had taken his youngest Detective aside and explained that a tape had been delivered to every station in the city but although most of the stations had agreed not to air the footage four were still undecided.  The Sergeant had explained that he had meetings arranged for the following day.  All of the men noted Jay was withdrawn but nothing was said until the dishes were cleared away and the young man stood up slowly as he turned to his brother.

"Will you fancy a stroll?"
"It's kind of cold for a ......," Will began only to find himself the recipient of yet another kick to the shin, this time courtesy of Adam, "... stroll but if you're game I am."
"Well come on then," Jay ordered as he headed for the door after throwing his jacket around his shoulders, too tired to take his sling off.
"Yes Sir!" Will shook his head as he followed his sibling outside the back door.

"Any more kicks and he'll be limping," Conor said wrily once the door closed then became serious, "start talking."

tbc