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

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Eight: Taking A Risk

Once the Patrol Officer confirmed the man in question had in fact taken off in Jays' direction Voight looked at the HS man grimly and the other man raised an eyebrow.

"He always a maverick?"
"Hell the Kid's not a maverick," the Sergeant rubbed the back of his neck trying in vain to relieve tension, "not really. He's just doing what he thinks is right."
"Well come on we'll get to the footbridge before them, I know a shortcut," Murphy instructed tersely as he headed away.
"We spook this guy and lose him it  could drive him underground," Voight reluctantly observed as he jogged to catch up.
"You want Halstead to meet him alone?!" Murphy stopped in his tracks.
"No I don't but he can handle himself.
Unless Halstead signals otherwise we stay hidden," the Sergeant tugged the older mans' arm to get him moving again, "come on show me this shortcut."
"We need to arrest Wells," Murphy argued as he led the way through the trees.
"No arguments there but we wait for Halsteads' signal."
"Hell Voight I just knew you were going to be bossy!'
"Been called worse."
"I'm not surprised!'

Walking at a brisk pace Jay soon saw the old stone footbridge in the distance. He was glad they had all familiarised themselves with the Central Park  layout the night before. It stood to him now. His follower had given himself away as he strode briskly over fallen leaves in his efforts to keep up with the Detective.  Jays' sniper past had come to the fore of its' own volition as he admitted to himself that he could be in imminent danger.  Resisting the urge to look behind for his pursuer he kept up the ruse of looking at his watch.  He wondered just how apocalyptic Voight was going to be later on but purposefully pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind.  Right now he needed to focus on what he was doing.

There were several people in the area so the Detective hoped that would deter the suspect from doing anything violent.  Reaching the footbridge, glad there were no people actually on it, he slowed his pace and walked over to the middle.  Placing his jacket on the stone wall he turned his back to the water and leant against the wall, crossing his arms as the stranger approached. Deciding there was no longer any point in prevarication at this point Jay raised his head as the man drew level.  The first thing to hit him was the guy seemed relaxed as he halted his steps across from the Detective.  The second thing that hit him was that he was holding some sort of remote control in his hand.

"Halstead it's not like you to take off without your Unit," Simon Wells pointed out.
"Do I know you?" Jay asked calmly, not correcting the other mans' assumption about him taking off alone.
"No but I know you."
"What do you want with me?"
"I want to see if you can stop me."
"You're playing a game?"
"No games ....,"
"Sure sounds like it."
"I don't have much time," Wells kept his eyes roving their surroundings.
"You could end this now."
"I could do a lot of things.  Ending this is not one of them."
"There a reason you're going against Petrocellis' wishes?"
"Hell that old man let age soften him. That's one mistake I won't let happen to me."
"Look now that you've got my full attention how about you tell me why you're doing this?" Jay rubbed a hand across his forehead, he knew they had an audience.
"Don't worry about that.  You got a bigger problem."
"Which is?"
"I've set a bomb to go off in ten minutes.  This remote activated it.  It will also deactivate it."
"Where is it?!"
"That would be too easy," Wells shook his head as he laughed to himself, "you don't have much time to evacuate the place."
"How do I know you're not bluffing?"
"You don't," the bomber began to walk away whistling.

Jay took off running in the opposite direction knowing Wells would not stick around close to wherever he had planted the bomb.

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

Over two hours later Jay sat in Murphys' office with Voight, Jefferson and Parker.  No bomb had been found despite a thorough search and a vast evacuation operation. He was blaming himself for letting Wells get away.

"Detective you had no choice," Murphy reiterated for the second time as he looked at the young man staring out tbe window, "you did what any other Cop would do.  We know what he's capable of.  That he has no problem with killing."
"How was his demeanor?" Parker asked after it became clear Jay was not going to respond.
"He was calm, relaxed even," Jay finally tore his gaze from the outside world and faced the others, "he didn't seem shocked when I acknowledged him on the bridge without surprise."
"He knows you're smart," Voight put in, "you've told us what he said.  It's obvious he thinks he knows you."
"You saying he doesn't?" Murphy queried.
"Not if he believed Halstead would stick with his Unit when trouble comes knocking."
"Serge ..," Jay sat down wearily.
"Don't 'Serge' me.  He knows you're a Cop so he's stereotyping you."
"You take off on your own a lot?" the Psychologist frowned.
"Not a lot," Jay shifted uncomfortably.
"So Doc you got any insight into why Wells is doing this?" Murphy checked as he watched the two Chicago men stare each other down, Lord he thought his men were hard to control!
"Not yet," Parker sighed, "even if he doesn't know Detective Halstead well it doesn't matter because he believes he does."
"So he'll keep focusing on him?" Voight finally looked away from his Detective.
"Yes it's likely he will.  He's fixated on him.  What's surprising though is that there was no bomb.  That doesn't fit his MO."
"He didn't actually say it was in the Park?" Jay reminded.
"We'd know if a bomb went off anywhere else," Murphy stated as his phone rang, "yes, yes okay.  We're on the way."
"Where was it?" Jay demanded not needing an explanation for the call as the HS man hung up before getting to his feet with a grim expression.
"Ye're staying at the Intercontinental right?"
"Damn!" Voight cursed vehemently.
"Room 524," Murphy offered succinctly as he headed for the door, "let's move it!"
"Mind if I tag along?" Parker asked.
"Sure," Murphy acquiesced easily, not commenting on the fact the other man rarely did field work.

Room 524 had been destroyed.  After looking at the devastation Parker glanced over to Jay surprised to see a flicker of sadness cross his features, if only momentarily.  On the way to the garage to get their cars Voight had disclosed that the room was Jays.

"This guy sure knows his stuff," Murphy whistled as he assessed the room as the forensic personnel went about their business for although the damage had been catastrophic the rooms on either side remained untouched.
"Just lucky Housekeeping wasn't in when the bomb went off," Jay commented morosely.
"You lose anything of value?" Parker probed knowing it was unlikely but knowing something had saddened the Detective.
"No. I travel light."
"Goes with the territory I guess," Murphy sighed, "might be an idea to find safer lodgings."
"We will," Voight spoke as he took out his cell and walked away.
"Did Wells give you any indication of his reason for contacting you?" Parker queried as he walked over to stand beside Jay.
"I told ye everything he said."
"Yeah I know I was just wondering if he gave you any non verbal signs."
"No Doc," Jay shook his head, "not that I picked up on anyway."
"How did he know ye were staying here?" Murphy posed the question in frustration.
"Probably checked all the hotels," Jay eventually replied, "besides I don't think he's working alone."
"What makes you say that?"
"I definitely don't know him yet he's focusing on me.  Someone else is pulling his strings."
"People do get obsessed with strangers, not just in celebrity circles," Parker pointed out as Voight returned.
"You find better accommodation?" Murphy eyed the Sergeant.
"Yeah.  We'll move there as soon as the rest of the Unit get here."
"Is it safe?"
"Definitely," Voight assured coyly.
"Well that's good," Murphy took no offence at the lack of details given, the less people who knew the address the better.
"I'm not going into protection," Jay spoke firmly, ignoring the surprised looks the two New Yorkers were giving him, "not going to happen Serge."

tbc

MO - Modus Operandi (method of operating).