Tolerance Book II

Chapter Sixteen: A Fatal End

Aftermath

Mans' inhumanity to man never ceased to amaze Al as he walked out of the grisly alley with Antonio in search of Voight.  The pair had been unsuccessful in their search of the parameter for Wells as Burke spoke to Jay and the two brothers.  Arriving shortly after the explosion neither man had been eager to enter the narrow passage knowing they could be facing the loss of their friends.  Their immediate worries however had been allayed when the Sergeant and Adam emerged carrying Jay between them with Burke bringing up the rear.  There was no need to enquire about the siblings.  That had been ten minutes ago.  Forensics were on the way and an ambulance stood waiting but its' proposed passenger was not interested in being taken care of.  Al sighed.  Jay just couldn't seem to catch a break.  The explosion which killed the siblings had been surprisingly less powerful than they had feared.  That meant Jay had been saved from being mortally wounded but he did not escape unscathed.  The reddening of the tissue around his right eye foretold of a black eye in the coming days, he had hurt his still recovering dislocated shoulder when he had been blown off his feet and his right hand had been hit by flying debris causing a deep laceration. He was also favouring his ribs.  Approaching the back of the ambulance where Jay sat on the steps between the open doors as a Paramedic wrapped the injured limb Al exchanged a concerned look with Voight before addressing his young friend.

"So you giving trouble Kid?"
"What did ye find?" Jay wasn't interested in small talk.
"Forensics will tell us more but Burke figures Wells was close by to detonate it."
"And the timers were just for effect," Antonio added.
"Where is he?" Jay referred to the Bomb Technician as he tried to stifle a wince when he moved his shoulder inadvertently.
"Still checking the scene."
"Is he okay?"
"He wasn't hurt," Voight reassured, "you were the only one who got hurt."
"Besides Mike and Frank," Jay commented looking at the ground.
"Kid for now I want you to get checked out at the hospital," Voight nodded to the fifty something Paramedic before forestalling any protests, "and since Mark here has been good enough to patch you up the least you could do is let him do his job."
"He bandaged my hand."
"That's a temporary fix," Mark Hunter was used to reluctant patients, and even if Voight hadn't taken him aside on arrival and asked that he treat the injured man no matter what arguments he gave, he was determined to ensure the young Detective got checked out properly, "you need stitches.  Also you may have a concussion .......,"
"But ...,"
"Kid the quicker you get checked out the quicker you can get back to work," Al pointed out, as usual the voice of reason.
"I need to talk to ..... the family ....,"
"Already on it," Voight had Mouse checking the next of kin for the brothers, "and I'm going to handle it. You get checked out and I'll talk to you later.  Ruzek and Dawson are going with you."
"Sarge there's no need.  I'll be fine on my own," Jay protested, giving into the inevitable but unwilling to be molly coddled.
"They're with you Halstead," Voight repeated firmly, he wasn't taking any chances even if Jays' presence at the scene was coincidental.

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Mercy Memorial ER

An hour later Jay sat on a chair in a curtained off cubicle.  He had refused to don a gown and lie on the gurney, an unspoken statement that he was not staying.  Adam and Antonio had tried to draw the younger man out but apart from short responses it was clear he was not in the mood for company. Adam exchanged a worried look with Antonio.  There was nothing either man could say to erase the guilt the injured man was feeling, however irrational. Burke had spoken to Adam before they left for the hospital and explained that the brothers knew their fate and didn't want Jay, or himself, to die with them. Adam had not relayed this to his pale friend yet, he would wait for an opportune time when he would hopefully believe the words.

For his part Jay sat eyeing his freshly bandaged hand and tried to ignore the newly acquired two broken ribs.  The stitches and painful ribs paled in comparison to the deaths of the brothers.  He had had time to think during the ride in the ambulance and realized his weariness had betrayed him.  He should have known Burke was luring him away from the bound men for his own safety.  If he hadn't been so damn tired maybe he could have come up with some way to rescue Mike and Frank.  Of course in his head he knew that if there had been a way to save the brothers Burke would have implemented it but in his heart it wasn't so clear cut.  That was the trouble.  The heart wasn't governed by logic and common sense but by powerful emotional elements.  He needed to shore up his defenses and focus on the seemingly impossible task ahead, catching Wells once and for all.

Canal Street

Voight watched Burke exit the alley from his stance by his SUV.  The man looked upset but the Sergeant knew he had a good reason to be.

"I don't think all the bars of explosives used on each device were real," the Bomb Technician imparted as he approached the sombre man, "Jay would have been killed and we'd all have been injured if they had been."
"And they were out of sight in the alley," Voight agreed with the younger mans' conclusion, "he wanted to contain the damage."
"Why?"
"I'm guessing we're going to receive footage of the brothers so he needed somewhere away from the general public," Voight had also been contemplating why their target wanted to minimise the damage, "it will be another way of hurting Halstead."
"Guess that makes sense," Burke agreed unhappily, "but are you still certain it was just a coincidence that Jay spotted them?"
"Yeah.  You know we didn't decide which route we were taking until we had left the hotel and yourself and Adam went a different way.  Wells couldn't have known in advance."
"Did Mouse track down the next of kin?"
"Yeah," Voight sighed heavily, "I'm on my way to talk to them now."
"Mind if I tag along?"
"It won't be pleasant," the Sergeant frowned but then realized Burke would be familiar with such visits when colleagues were injured or killed, "why do you want to meet them?"
"Thought it might help if I explained that Mike and Frank knew what was going to happen and helped me get Jay away from the danger."
"You sure you want to do this?" Voight pursed his lips, of all tasks a Law Enforcement Officer was required to perform it was the most unsettling for ones' words destroyed loved ones' lives right before ones' eyes.
"Wouldn't have offered if I didn't," Burke insisted.

The Bomb Technician was being truthful.  He wanted to catch Wells more fervently than ever.  With this latest atrocious act the mans' persecution of the young Detective had well and truly gone beyond the realm of any malevolence Burke had ever before encountered.

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HS Headquarters

Voight and a subdued Burkes' return to Headquarters some time later coincided with Jays' arrival with Adam and Antonio.  If anyone was wondering how the wounded Detective was faring the looks of concern blanketing his friends' faces as they accompanied him over to their section provided an adequate answer.  Voight saw the drained features as Jay sank down on his swivel chair and wished he could protect his friend from any more hurt but with Wells still a free man that was going to be a difficult task.  He looked over as the door to Murphys' office opened and the Assistant Director stepped out catching his eye.  The DVD the HS man held up momentarily confirmed his suspicions.  Jay was about to be put through the grinder, again .....

tbc