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

Chapter Ninety-One: Staying Under

The next time Jay woke much to his chagrin Hank and Adam were in the room. Looking at both men he wondered if their presence meant the end of the undercover operation.

"So how are you doing?" Adam asked as he walked over to the bed to help his friend when he began to sit up.
"I'm fine," Jay replied hoarsely as he tried to ignore the fire in his side, "where are De Luca and Lombardi?"
"De Luca was sitting with you up to an hour ago," the Sergeant walked to the end of the bed, folding his arms as he assessed his subordinate, "right now they're at one of Petrocellis' warehouses.  I think it's time to end this.  You're in no fit state to be working."
"Sarge we may never get an opportunity like this again to close down Petrocelli and besides we need to find out if he is going after military targets."
"He hasn't mentioned anything in the recordings.  It's still too dangerous for you to wear a wire so we're still in the dark about that."
"Exactly.  Which is why I should stay in.  Besides if I disappear now they'll know something's up."
"Hell man you look like roadkill," Adam commented drawing a glare from his friend, "you really think he's going after the military?"
"Like I told ye he had Sergeant Billings under surveillance before I went undercover.  It's just a hunch but I think he has something in the pipeline."
"How is Brown with you?" the Sergeant enquired.
"Standoffish. He doesn't like me but that could be because of Petrocellis' son.  He's probably thinking his boss is following his heart rather than his head.  Did ye find out anything about the son."
"Killed in action in 2009 like you told us," Adam explained before becoming very serious, "Jay you look a lot like Vincent.  It's uncanny."
"Damn.  Hate the thought of using his son as a way to bring him down," the injured man confessed honestly, there were a few reasons he had got out of undercover work and the emotional undertow involved was one of them.
"If I let you stay in are you going to be able to deal with that?" Hank asked plainly.
"Yes Sarge.  Petrocelli has to be brought down."
"At the moment I'm willing to leave you stay under but the minute I say it's over you jump.  I want to be very clear about this," Hank pointed out sternly as his cell sounded and taking it out he sighed, "De Luca is on the way back here.  He's just after pulling into the car park.  We're going to have you under surveillance the whole time so the minute you give the signal we'll move in.  You get a bad feeling you go with your gut."
"The Task Force going to be okay if I pull out?" Jay asked doubtfully, he knew what was at stake after all.
"Hell Pete wanted me to pull you out after the accident."
"Anything on that?"
"Seems the guys' brakes failed," Adam grabbed his jacket and followed his boss to the door, "we'll be around."
"Take care Kid."
"Hey!"
"What?" Adam turned back into the room as Voight was speaking on his mobile.
"Tell Will I'm fine.  Leave out the part about the accident."
"O'Sullivan already told him."
"Damn."
"You're lucky.  We're the ones who have to deal with him!" Adam said ironically as he saluted and headed off down the corridor as his friends' chuckle faded.

Pauls' delight at seeing the young man more alert was obvious.  Jay knew Jimmy and Paul had genuinely come to care for him over the past few weeks and in part it was reciprocated to a slight degree.  Any guilt however was far outweighed by the mens' deadly line of business.  He did not fully blame them for Johnnys' death, if they were involved, for the order would have come from Petrocelli or Brown but they still made their living by spreading grief and misery through drugs and guns.  Spending hours with the two older men he realized they could be mistaken for two lovable rogues quite easily if one did not know their background.

"So when they springing you?"
"The morning," Jay grimaced as he turned onto his uninjured side and made the play he had discussed with his colleagues, "guess this means I'm out of a job."
"Hey don't worry," Paul assured quickly, "the boss said he'll still need you."
"He did?"
"Yeah so you're going to be alright.  That Cab Driver should be strung up!  He could have killed someone."
"Ye're not going to do anything are ye?" the young man suddenly became worried, glad now Adam had placed a bug in the room.
"Nah," Jimmy shook his head, "turns out Brown knows him."
"He does?"
"I saw him talking to him at the scene when you were being loaded into the ambulance," Jimmy explained innocently, not understanding the import of his words.
"Small world I guess," the pale man decided to end the discussion in case his visitor got suspicious, "so how come you and Jimmy aren't in here with me?"
"Amazing we aren't.  Never got shaken about so much.  That was some bang!"
"You don't have to tell me."
"Guess not," Paul looked at his hands nervously before becoming solemn, "do you remember when they brought you in?"
"No. Just remember waking up here."
"Here or in Emergency."
"Here I think," Jay frowned, "no ......... it was in the ER.  Why do you want to know?"
"You started shouting and yelling when you came around.  The Doctor said you had a flashback to Afghanistan.  Apparently he's seen people having flashbacks before."
"Don't remember," Jay rubbed his forehead.
"Guess you saw some pretty ugly things over there."
"Guess so."
"I reckon you would have liked Vincent.  He was never afraid of hard work.  Never complained even when he had a right to.  Despite being the bosses' son he never made us feel small."
"Unlike Brown," Jay was glad to finally get an opening to try to gain some knowledge about the second in command, "he sure doesn't like me."
"You picked up on that huh?"
"Hard not to," the injured man chuckled, holding his side.
"He hates everyone."
"That I can believe," Jay looked up as the door opened and realized the opportunity was now lost as David O'Sullivan entered.

Paul explained, as he stood up to go, that he would be by in the morning to collect him even though the pale man said he could easily catch a cab.  The big man had simply reminded him what had happened the last time he was in a cab.

Finally alone with his brothers' friend Jay put a finger to his lips signalling the man to be quiet as he retrieved the bug from the underside of the bedside rail and promptly dumped it into the jug of water on the bedside locker, knowing the listeners would be scrambling to find out the fault.

"Should I ask?" O'Sullivan queried with a raised brow.
"Best not Doc," Jay looked at his joined hands on his lap, "did you treat me when I came in?"
"Yes I did."
"I ....... did I .......... make a scene when I came around?"
"You didn't make a scene Jay.  You had a flashback, that's all."
"Easy for you to say," Jay blushed in embarrassment.
"True," the kind Doctor conceded readily, "it is remarkably easy to say.  Words are easy. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.  I've read your medical records.  You went through a lot over there. I served in Afghanistan too.  Still dealing with PTSD."
"Sorry Doc."
"Flashbacks, as you know, can happen any time.  Are you still sure about staying at work?"
"Yes.  Haven't had one in a while.  Probably won't have another one for a while."
"You had one the night you were attacked when you went to pick up your brother and friend and you had another one later on."
"Just how much did Will tell you?" Jay demanded in frustration, his life wasn't a damn open book, undercover or not!
"There's that Irish temper," O'Sullivan grinned unperturbed as he pulled back the covers without asking and then lifted up the gown to check the exposed injuries, "to answer your question he told me your recent injuries and sent me your medical records.  He's worried about you and to be honest if he saw you now he'd probably hit the roof."
"Well he won't see me and Doc just to let you know you may be Wills' friend but you don't have the right to discuss my medical problems with him.  You shouldn't have told him about the accident."
"He's listed as your next of kin," O'Sullivan tried to argue.
"Nope," Jay winced as the probing hands pressed on his side, "nice try though."
"Okay so I told him because I assumed he was listed as your next of kin and you were unconscious."
"Nice try but you wouldn't be that careless. Doc I want your word that you won't tell him anything about me in the future," Jay looked up at the older man, "I can always make sure I get admitted to another hospital next time."
"You know you're going to be hurt again?" O'Sullivan asked in surprise as he pulled the gown down and covered the patient once more.
"No I don't," Jay shook his head, he wasn't about to mention he had a feeling he might, "so what's it going to be Doc?"
"Oaky, okay," O'Sullivan said in defeat and offered his hand as a bond, "you're as stubborn as Will!"
"Hey that's a lie! He's older so he's more stubborn."
"If you say so," the Doctors' disbelief was evident as he headed for the door, "I thought one Halstead was bad enough. Now I got two."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to!" O'Sullivan ignored the sputtering response as he stepped into the corridor appreciating the young mans' attempt at levity even if it was just an act.

The experienced medical professional knew his patient was anxious to be considered fit for the task ahead.  He had heard Will speak of his younger brother on many occasions and was in fact glad to finally meet him.  He hoped the Detectives' stubbornness didn't lead to another hospital stay for he sensed he was not about to let anything deflect him from his goal, even his health.

tbc