Tolerance Book II

Chapter Eight: Possibilities Considered

On the 5th Floor Antonio, taking his turn in the Police uniform, stood at the entrance of the Washroom waiting for the stairwell door to open. The night before they had decided to change tactics. Instead of letting Wells think he had overpowered the Officer on duty they would make it seem fortuitous that he arrived as the Guard was using the Washroom. As he heard the stairwell door moving Antonio turned away and walked into the Washroom without a backward glance. Once inside he advised his colleagues that the subject had arrived.

Voight, Adam and Kevin took the stairs two at a time, unwilling to wait for the lift. From his location Mouse keenly eyed the stranger as he stepped onto the 5th Floor. He was the right height for Wells but the hoodie kept his facial features concealed. Frowning the IT Specialist watched as the man looked up and down the corridor shaking his head and turned to re-enter the stairwell.

"Subject has re-entered the stairwell," Mouse advised quickly, "I repeat subject has re-entered the stairwell."
"Keep eyes on him," Voight huffed out the order as the three men passed the 3rd Floor door.
"What's he doing?" Adam demanded perplexed as he checked his weapon and followed the Sergeant up the next flight of stairs.
"Stop right there!" Voights' stern warning was accompanied by his handgun pointing at the mans' head.
"What ...... I don't ... "
"Put your hands above your head!" Adam instructed walking over to the man after receiving a nod from the Sergeant confirming he had the man in his sights.
"I can't ...," the man replied shakily as he lifted one hand into the air and eyed the three armed men.
"Let's see who we're dealing with," Kevin moved up behind the stranger and pulled down his hood roughly.
"Hey ..... look there must be some kind of mistake ....,"
"Why did you go to the 5th Floor?" Voight cut in, they had not found Wells.
"I thought I was on the 4th Floor."
"Why did you take off your sling?" Kevin queried of the action which had raised the red flag.
"How did ye ....?"
"Answer the question," Voight directed bluntly, this had been their last chance to get Wells in the hospital and he felt the sting of their failure.
"My wife doesn't know I had an accident," the stranger lowered his good arm when he sensed a change in the mens' intent, "she's ....... unwell and doesn't need to be worrying about me."
"Damn," Adam cursed softly, regret lacing his tone, "the 4th Floor is Oncology."
"Yeah."
"Sir?" Voight put away his gun as did the other two.
"My name is David Bixby," the man knew what was being asked, "my wife is in to have fluid removed from her lungs."
"How bad is it?" the Sergeant knew all too well the vicious nature that emcapsulted cancer.
"End stage ...," Bixby responded after a brief pause, "I'm bringing her home once they deal with the fluid."
"Look about what happened ...," Voight began to explain but was quickly stopped.
"I know ye're Cops," Bixby stated and slowly withdrew a badge for perusal, "been on the force for seventeen years. No explanation necessary."
"I'm sorry about this," Voight offered a hand in genuine apology which was promptly accepted.
"Yeah .... me too," Adam put in.
"I hope ye find whoever ye're looking for," Bixby offered sincerely as he nodded to the trio and then headed down the stairwell after a hand signal from Voight that he was free to go.

"That was a waste of time," Adam griped as they walked up the stairwell to the 5th Floor.
"Well I for one will feel better when Jay is back at the hotel," Kevin admitted, "he's looking worse than he did when we set up here."
"He's still recovering from what Wells did to him," Voight noted, at Als' behest he had not informed the others about Jay going into shock.
"Something tells me he's not going to be happy it wasn't Wells," Adam pointed out as they reached the 5th Floor.
"No kidding!" Kevin rolled his eyes.

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Homeland Security Headquarters

Several days later Jay and Adam sat in the Break Room when Voight walked in, looking more grim than usual, with Murphy on his heels. They still had the bug, now supposedly fixed by Beckett, in the Assistant Directors' office to consider when discussing the investigation.