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

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Four: Team Defense

The drive to Headquarters as Jay shared an SUV with Voight, Al and Adam had mainly been devoid of conversation. Each man wondering how the Briefing was going to go and if Jay was going to be relegated to the sidelines in a public display of sanction for political purposes. Meeting the others in the underground car park the men headed for the elevators.

"Sarge if Murphy wants to sideline me it's okay," Jay spoke as the group entered the car and Adam punched the button for the tenth floor.
"Not happening."
"Besides Wells mightn't react well if you're taken off the investigation,' Antonio noted.
"But ....,"
"Jay we're in this together," Al spoke intensely as he eyed the younger man he admired greatly, "and if they want to push you out we all go."
"They have plenty of personnel," Jay countered.
"They need us," Voight said as they neared their destination, "whether they like it or not."

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As anticipated Murphy and Parker were awaiting their arrival in his office, along with ATFE Agent Jefferson.

"So let's get started," Murphy instructed as he gestured for Jay to take a seat on the couch by the far wall as he leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms and ankles, "this is just a debriefing Detective, not an interrogation."
"Ask me anything," Jay ordered as he took a seat on the black leather surface with Adam at his side.
"You're still adamant you don't know Wells?"
"Hey! I thought you said this wasn't an interrogation," Voight glared from where he was leaning against the closed door flanked by Al and Antonio.
"He's just doing his job Sarge," Jay wondered if he would ever get used to the grizzled Sergeant transforming into Papa Bear at times, "I don't. I didn't recognise him when we spoke in the Park."
"So the phone call this morning was unexpected?" Jefferson joined in with a question.
"Yes."
"We know that!" Kevin scoffed from where he stood in front of the large window overlooking Manhattan.
"Yet he's still contacting you," Murphy stated.
"Yes," Jay replied trying to figure out if the man was on a useless fishing trip or if he had some other agenda, "but I don't have any control over that."
"He sounded quite calm when he phoned," Parker spoke for the first time, "he's definitely got his actions well planned out. Do you have any idea where he might target next?"
"Me?" Jay hadn't expected that probing question from the Psychologist and was wondering if he had misread him as an ally.
"You do seem to think along the same lines."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Adam demanded angrily.
"I'm only asking for some insight into Wells."
"Which Jay can't give because he doesn't know him," Voight cut in, "ye want to tell us what's going on? This isn't like any debriefing I've ever done."
"Look guys we're all on the same side here," Parker quickly interceded, "it's just Jay does seem to know Wells to some extent."
"He already said he doesn't know him," Antonio put in belligerently.
"Okay," Murphy eyed Parker and Jefferson before standing up straight and eyeing the Chicago men, "cards on the table time. The ME provided his preliminary findings on todays' victims. They all died prior to the explosion, just as Halstead suggested they may have."
"He's a good Detective and has good instincts," Voight readily defended the young man, "that doesn't give you the right to doubt his allegiance."
"Nobody said ....," Jefferson began only to be interrupted.
"It was implied," the gruff Sergeant looked at the New Yorkers sternly, "Halstead came here when he should really be dealing with other things. He put his job over personal matters he's been handling. Most people in his shoes would have refused to come to New York. He doesn't need to be treated like a suspect. You're damn lucky he's the man he is."
"Voight I don't have any doubts about your Detective," Murphy insisted, "questions are going to be asked at the Briefing shortly. I just wanted to give ye a heads up."
"You couldn't have just said that instead of asking those questions?" Al asked in disgust.
"That was my fault," Jefferson admitted, "Murph and the Doc here told me Halstead was one of the good guys. I wanted to judge for myself."
"Well?" Voight demanded impatiently.
"Well I agree with them," the tall man noted with chagrin.
"So ye're not suspicious of how he guessed about the four being dead prior to the explosion?" Kevin wanted confirmation.
"No," Murphy replied, "obviously he does have good instincts."

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Thirty minutes later Murphy called for silence in the large conference room and eyed the Agents gathered from various agencies.

"I will reiterate for those who have some doubts I am willing to stake my reputation on Detective Halstead not having any working connection with Wells.  As I just spent the last five minutes explaining all the relevant questions have been asked and answered. We all need to put our focus 100% on Wells and his victims, where it belongs."
"Anyone here on out who has a problem with Halstead working on this can take it up with me," Voight instructed as he looked around the room.
"What he said," Adam joined in gesturing to his Sergeant.
"Ditto," Al and Kevin spoke in unision.
"Me too," Mouse chimed in as Antonio nodded his affirmation, they would always back the Kid no matter what.
"I'm thinking you're very lucky to have such men in your corner," Parker looked over at the subject of their conversation as he tried to lighten the atmosphere in the room, "Papa Bears don't have anything on you guys!"
"There's only one Papa Bear," Adam muttered to himself.
"What's that?" Voight looked at the Detective.
"Oh nothing Sarge, nothing at all," Adam ignored the glares from his
teammates, that nickname was not one they wanted Voight to know about.

"Okay so where are we with forensics?" Jefferson decided to get the conversation back on track.
"There were fingerprints found on the remains of the bomb but they belonged to the victims," Murphy looked up from the Report in his hand, "not sure how they got there but it was likely post mortem."
"So how were the four killed?" Harrison Turner, a newly assigned HS Agent, enquired.
"They were all strangled."
"Doesn't make sense," Jay spoke to the room in general, "strangulation is a very personal act in that you have to get up close to your victim."
"He's killed from a distance until now," Parker expanded, "it does seem rather strange."
"So why the break in MO?" Adam frowned.
"What links do ye have to past bombings? Jay ignored the question knowing it was rhetorical.
"At the moment there are five  bombings we can link Wells to by their components," Murphy pointed to a projector as he signalled for the lights to be turned off, "as ye can see the bombings took place between 2017 and 2019."
"Any of the victims killed prior to the explosions?" Turner queried.
"No. All eleven died as a direct result of the explosions."
"So it's only the components that are a link to Wells?" Voight asked doubtfully.
"Yes," Murphy sighed, "at the moment it's all we have."
"We also know that the victim numbers in the earlier bombings were low," Jay had been eyeing the information on display, "that's in line with the bombings here ...... I mean usually bombs going off results in mass casualties.  Why use bombs at all if you want so few deaths?"
"Good point," Jefferson acknowledged, "but now he's changed tactics by killing the victims before setting off a bomb. What's the point in that?"
"Keeping the numbers down?" Jay guessed.
"Making certain only four were killed," Murphy nodded before continuing, "still doesn't give us an idea of his agenda."
"Maybe we should ask him," Jay drew all eyes to him.

tbc

  MO - Modus Operandi
           (Latin for method of doing    
           something)