Tolerance Book II

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Unpredictable

"What's wrong Halstead?" Voight was the first to notice the sudden paling of the younger mans' already washed out features.
"Kid what is it?" Al asked with unusual gentleness as he turned to his fellow ex-Sniper.
"I knew King was at Grand Central because of a tannoy announcement in the background .....,"
"So?" Murphy was perplexed, they already knew that.
"I didn't really pay attention at the time but it was about a missing child," Jay elaborated and noted Adam and the others, bar Mouse, now stood inside the doorway, "it's the child ...,"
"What do you mean?" Kevin asked for everyone.
"King has taken the child."
"You can't know that," Adam argued.
"It doesn't fit his MO," Parker spoke thoughtfully.
"He's unpredictable," Al countered, "and taking a child would definitely qualify under that category."
"I'll contact Grand Central," Antonio headed outside to his desk hoping against hope his perceptive friend was wrong but fearing he wasn't.

"So he was never going to use the rifles and hand grenades?" Adam checked doubtfully.
"A diversion," Murphy offered as he eyed the injured man speculatively.
"I've kept the extra personnel at the venues we flagged," Voight too gave Jay his attention, "but if you're right what's the aim in taking a kid? That's not going to test your skills."
"Maybe he's aware of Jays' other skills," Kevin reasoned.
"But how would he know Jay's a great Profiler for instance?" Parker queried, they knew King was familiar with some of the Detectives' military background but if his assessment was correct it was an indication their target had access to other pertinent information.
"We know King has access to sources he shouldn't," Kevin opined unhappily, "guess we shouldn't be surprised he'd gain some intel on the Intelligence Unit."
"Should have known he wouldn't have made a Rookie mistake like letting the tannoy system accidentally betray his location!" Jays' softly uttered words were full of self-recrimination.
"You don't even know if you're right ....," Kevin began to argue but Antonios' return forestalled anything else he was about to say.
"What have you got?" Voight demanded knowing by the solemn expression whatever the Detective imparted was not going to be good.
"Six year old Peter Hills was reported missing by his Mother, Teresa Hills. He wandered away from her as she checked her bag for their tickets to San Francisco on Amtrak. Peter ....,"
"What?" Kevin prodded when the Italian-American stalled.
"He's terminally ill."
"Hell!" Adam slammed a fist against the wall to vent his anger.
"So there's no question about who took him," Murphy noted.
"Be one hell of a coincidence if it wasn't King," Al put in shaking his head at the turn of events, "but why the ruse about the weapons?"
"Playing the game," Jay shrugged, although upset by the childs' involvement the former Lieutenant knew this was not the time to give into emotions, "he gave a clue. It just took me a while to recognise it "
"You're the only one who did," Murphy concluded with a note of admiration, "and it might just save the boys' life."
"How do you figure that?" Voight questioned bluntly.
"I doubt he expected Jay to recognise the clue so quickly .....,"
"Doesn't really aid us."
"We all know time is of the essence in a missing person case," the New Yorker countered then looked over at Antonio, "has Grand Central been put on lockdown?"
"No ......,"
"What the hell do you mean 'no'!"
"Mrs. Hills didn't report the child missing immediately," Antonio sighed heavily before continuing, "it turns out the boy is at the centre of a legal dispute and she removed him from hospital AMA while the father was at work."
"A custody battle as the child is dying?" Adam shook his head in disgust.
"No, the dispute is in relation to the boys' care. The father wants him to remain in hospital but his mother wants to take him home to spend his final days there."
"Damn," Murphy looked around at the gloomy expressions, "well all that's irrelevant now. We need to get him back safe. Presumably they carried out a search when they were notified?"
"Yes, a very thorough one but unsurprisingly there was no trace. They're combing through security footage as we speak but ....,"
"........ in the crowds a small child can easily be hidden from view," Kevin finished.
"How long passed between the child going missing and the disappearance being reported?" Al queried.
"Thirty minutes."
"He'd have been long gone by then," Murphy spoke the grim truth reluctantly.
"Dawson I want you and Atwater to go down there and talk to the parents. Find out the boys' medical Specialists and where he's received treatment. Check if they've noticed anyone paying them attention lately. King must have been observing them for a while. Also find out what meds the boy's on," Voight directed as he stood up purposefully from behind his desk, "Mouse you go with them and get access to surveillance records for the past month. I want to know if King had anyone helping him."
"Yes Sir," the IT Technician tossed a searching look towards Jay who silently nodded in approval.