Uncovered Undercover

Unit

Chapter 8: Unit

Hailey perked up on Jay's lap, listening. When the voices rang out again, they quickly scrambled to their feet. Jay draped his jacket over Hailey's shoulders again and helped her limp to the door where the two of them stilled and quietly listened, barely daring to breathe.

"Call out!" The voices came closer and became clearer. "Hailey! Jay?"

Both detectives expelled the breaths they'd been holding from their lungs in the form of big sighs of relief, and their shoulders visibly relaxed as the tension they'd been carrying crumbled off. Their unit had found them. They were safe.

When they heard their Sergeant's voice call out for them again, they banged on the door, "In here, Sarge!"

Hailey and Jay beamed at each other, and Jay reached out and took hold of the bolt on the door, but instead of pulling it back, he halted his movement and looked back at Hailey. Quickly, he brought his hand up to the side of her face, cupped her cheek, and leaned in to cheerfully press his lips against hers once more, making her heart flutter with elation. When he pulled back, they looked at each other with sparkling, joyous eyes, and Jay swiftly gave her a few more pecks until they heard the bolt get pulled back on the other side of the door.

Jay did the same on their side, and the door opened to reveal Voight and Vanessa standing behind it.

"Are you okay?" Voight demanded to know with fear in his voice as soon as he saw his officers. "There's a trail of blood on the stairs!"

"That's only partially my doing, but I'm fine. We're fine," Hailey reassured him quickly.

Voight and Vanessa gave her and Jay a quick once over to make sure anyway.

"Guys, we've got them," Vanessa informed the rest of their team over the radio.

The relieved responses from their colleagues came in quickly.

"A paramedic needs to have a look at her. A ricochet grazed her ankle, and she could also use a space blanket. It was freezing in here," Jay noted and adjusted his jacket around Hailey's shoulders.

Vanessa's eyes curiously followed his movements and observed the way his hand lingered on his partner's shoulder before they moved up and connected with Hailey's gaze. Her eyebrow twitched up ever so slightly in an inquisitive manner, and since Hailey was still high on a rush of endorphins after what had just happened between her and Jay, she couldn't hold back the smirk that formed on her lips. Trying to hide it, she quickly bit her lip and briefly looked down at her feet, but Vanessa hadn't missed it, and her second eyebrow joined the other far up on her forehead as excitement flashed across her young face.

"Alright. Let's get you two out of here," Voight agreed. "There's an ambulance waiting outside."

"Come, can you walk?" Vanessa asked Hailey attentively and draped Hailey's arm over her shoulders and wrapped her own arm around her friend's back to help her walk up the stairs.

They had taken just a few steps when Vanessa leaned in close to Hailey. "Finally," she whispered into her ear.

Hailey reacted with an amused eye-roll and a sweet simper. "Your observation skills are impeccable. You should consider becoming a cop."

Vanessa chuckled and gave Hailey's waist an excited, little squeeze.

They began to ascend the stairs, and Hailey noticed the substantial amount of blood on the steps. Asher must have been hurt badly.

"What happened?" Voight asked, relieved to see his officers safe and unharmed, but the agitation and concern hadn't left his voice just yet.

"Everything was going well until the fourth member of the robbery crew showed up," Hailey answered as she climbed one step at a time, evading the drops and little pools of blood. "Unfortunately, he recognised me from when I arrested him a few years ago. I don't remember his name, but I know where to look. That's when things went sideways."