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

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Doubts

With the arrival of the rest of the Unit just after Jays' declaration Voight decided to wait until they were resituated to tackle the younger man again. For his part Jay was grateful for the reprieve, however temporary. They had left the hotel quickly and were soon pulling up outside what was to become their new residence. Jay frowned. It looked nice enough, a single storey house, but it was nestled in between a row of similar houses. Jay looked over at Adam who clearly shared his surprise.

"Sarge isn't this a bit risky?" Adam asked as he eyed the peaceful suburban neighbourhood once they drove up the short driveway and got out.
"It's walled in, the trees lining both sides of the street will also provide cover. Besides it has a state of the art security system."
"It's not a safe house," Antonio guessed as he got out of his rental with Kevin, the government didn't spend a lot of money on safe houses.
"No, it belongs to an old friend."
"Does he know the danger?" Jay asked quietly as he picked up his new gearbag and followed the others inside.
"No one will trace us here. We're the only ones who know about it," Voight led the way into the house after opening the PVC door, "why don't we check out the back Kid?"
"I'll get started on lunch," Al walked in carrying two bags of groceries they had picked up on the way, "Ruzek it's your turn to set the table."
"Thought I'd check out the back too."
"Think it will only need the two of us," the Sergeant commented before gesturing for Jay to follow him outside.
"Good luck man," Al spoke in a stage whisper as their youngest Detective passed by him heading for the back door.
"Gee thanks!" Jay replied in kind but the humour did not reach his eyes.

Once alone in the surprisingly large garden bedecked with four weeping willow trees Voight looked at his subordinate sternly.

"Halstead you going off on your own this morning was damned dangerous. Wells could have killed you."
"I did what I had to. He wasn't going to approach me when I was with ye."
"Murphy was impressed with you," the Sergeant conceded around a sigh as he leant against one of the old trees, "you know the hotel wasn't your fault Kid."
"He was targetting me."
"You were nowhere near the place when the bomb went off."
"Semantics," Jay shook his head, "he was letting me know he's in control."
"He'll slip up at some point."
"Yeah but how many people are going to get hurt before he does?"
"No one has a crystal ball," Voight noted grimly, "we can only do so much."
"That's what bothers me. I still don't understand why he's fixated on me. I thought ....,"
"What?"
"I thought maybe he was someone from .... my past."
"You mean from your achool days?" Voight raised a brow, they hadn't even considered that possibility.
"Obviously I was wrong. I didn't recognise him."
"People can change a lot over twenty years," the older man mused, "I'll get Mouse to do some searches with the photos taken off the surveillance cameras in the Park."
"Probably be a waste of time Sarge."
"Won't do any harm to check," Voight knew instinctively that despite the Detectives' words he was relieved the possibility would be checked out.

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

The following day as the Unit sat around a large conference table listening to Murphy give an update with a number of the HS, FBI and ATFE Agents they had met at the last meeting there was in interruption in the form of a firm knock at the door. The speaker threw his gaze towards the ceiling, annoyed at the intrusion, but walked over to see who was brave enough to intrude. Going into the corridor he pulled the door closed behind him leaving his audience ignorant of intruders' identity.

"Feel like I'm back in High School waiting to be told the Principal wants to see me," Adam tried to lighten the atmosphere as silence had descended on the room.
"Guess you'd be familiar with that," Antonio chided as he pulled his gaze from the door.
"Hey I was a good kid! I just got carried away sometimes."
"Let me guess you pulled pranks?" Tim Jefferson grinned, glad for a reprieve.
"Wasn't my fault the Teachers had no sense of humour."
"You pranked the Teachers?" Kevin checked in surprise.
"Well I figured they wouldn't do much besides suspend me," Adam shrugged, "was nice to be off school sometimes."
"Do we even want to know?" Al asked wrily.
"Hell I never did any real damage."
"Just what a boss likes to hear," Voight deadpanned but any further discussion was ended as Murphy walked back in accompanied by Parker.

For his part Jays' hairs had stood up on the back of his neck at the knock on the door. He had tuned out the light conversation going on in favour of hoping whatever caused the interruption had nothing to do with him. His hopes were dashed as both Murphy and the Psychologist glanced at him before the HS man held up an evidence bag.

"This was hand delivered ten minutes ago. It's addressed to Halstead."
"Murphy Halstead has the right to read it alone," Voights' displeasure was obvious.
"We're all working the case," Jefferson put in before shrinking back from the death glare he received from the Sergeant.
"Normally I'd agree but we are on the clock ....,"
"Just tell us what it says," Jay instructed softly as there were murmurs around the room, obviously this was not a time for inter agency politics.
"Wells says he's going to set up a surprise in ..," Murphy checked his watch, "five minutes."
"Where?"
"What are we still doing here?!" Voight rose to his feet as the other occupants followed suit.
"Stay where you are everyone," Murphy instructed loudly to be heard over the
noise, "he doesn't say where the bomb is so we just have to wait."
"Hell!" Voight struck his fist against the table as he retook his seat.

tbc