Tolerance Book II

Chapter Twenty-Two: Obsession

Central Park

As Jay stood with Al on the small stone bridge two days later watching various law enforcement personnel doing their jobs in the aftermath of another explosion he struggled to contain the fury that was longing for a release.  It had been the older Detectives' suggestion that they leave the immediate crime scene and Jay hadn't argued.  Although now out of sight in
three body bags Jay didn't find any comfort in not seeing the latest victims as the image of the mangled bodies was branded into his memory.  Three people had got up that morning unaware today would be their last day. He wondered vaguely if they had told those they said goodbye to before setting off for work that they loved them.  Such random musings could not hide the reality that had resulted in him feeling a rage he feared he could not control.  A brief glance at Al confirmed the other man had known he was about to lose it hence the temporary time out.

The phone call he had received from Lyle King thirty minutes previously had set him an impossible task.  Get to Central Park before an IED exploded. He had not been given any further details and that ensured he would fail. Central Park was the most famous park in New York yet it was only the fifth largest park in the city.  Its' expanse of 843 acres however meant Jay had no chance of locating the potential victims in time even though he had tried, much to his bodies' displeasure.  Everyone had headed for the location ignoring traffic signals in their haste.  In the end the IED had exploded as the Unit and Burke along with various Agents from the investigation team and Patrol Officers spread out and began searching two kilometres away.  The task Lyle King had given Jay was doomed to failure from the onset.  The panicked drive from Headquarters had taken up too much time.  Of course Jay knew that was the intent of the phone call but he still felt partially to blame even if common sense dictated otherwise.  He rotated his good shoulder trying to ease some of the tension coursing through him.

"You have a right to be angry," Al finally broke the silence.
"No I don't," Jay denied crossly, "it's not achieving anything! Three more people are dead because of .....,"
"King," Al quickly interrupted, unwilling to let his friend burden himself with even more guilt, "they're dead because of the twins.  You waste time on holding onto unjustified guilt and your concentration on the case will be affected."
"Hell even knowing they're targetting ill people isn't helping us."
"You reckon the three today were ill?" a new voice queried.
"We'll find out," Al answered Voight when Jay remained silent.
"There are too many ill people to try to protect, even if we could track them all down," Jay eyed the two older men, "so with the knowledge we have we still don't have the upper hand."
"Burke is ready to give us his opinion," Voight relayed why he had joined the duo, "ye ready?"
"Yeah," Jay headed back to where all the activity was taking place, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"This is slowly killing him," Al looked from the injured Detectives' back to the Sergeant.
"We'll get him through this."
"If we don't do it soon it will be too late."
"He's that bad?" Voight was surprised.
"Hell Hank you and me both couldn't handle what he's dealing with."
"He's strong and ....,"
"Even he has a breaking point," Al countered as they followed the subject of their concern.
"Everyone does," Voight acknowledged grimly, "you let me know if I need to take him off duty."
"He shouldn't be here now," Al pointed out with plain honesty, "but we both know he needs to be."
"He's stubborn.  Must be the Irish streak in him," Voight grinned momentarily, "but that stubborness along with us will get him through this."
"I hope so Hank, I really do," Al noted.

The veteran Detective was normally pragmatic, unwilling to favour either optimism or pessimism, but on this occasion the stakes were extra high and he couldn't dispel the worry gnawing at his gut.  The over-riding concern was the glaring unknown ...... why were the Kings obsessed with his friend? Although they figured Lyle King was the main component in the drawn out targetting of Jay Philip King was just as dangerous since he was helping his sibling.  Al had a sinking feeling Jay was going to be badly hurt, again.  He just hoped his well honed instincts were wrong.