Voights' Office
Jay sat down as signalled by the older man after he closed the door. The concerned looks from his friends did nothing to allay his worry.
"King has become active again," Voight stated without preamble, "he chose the Great Lakes Training Centre. Are you familiar with it?"
"I know it's the one and only Boot Camp for the Navy," Jay replied, "and was built in the early 1900s. Can't say I know anything else about it."
"Were you ever there?"
"No."
"An inactive IED was found in the oldest building ....,"
"So no one was hurt?"
"No casualties."
"So what ties it to King?"
"He left a message ...... for you," Voight inparted unhappily.
"What did it say?" Jay knew it was unlikely the military had relinquished the note.
"Read it for yourself," the older man passed over a photocopy of the missive.
"'I'll be seeing you soon Halstead. This is just a token of what's in store for you. I look forward to playing the game again.'"
"Hell," the Detective handed the sheet back in disgust, "we knew he'd turn up eventually. Those guys didn't want to interview me?"
"Oh they did," Voight explained wrily, "I told them they'd have to wait."
"Surprised they agreed to that Sarge."
"Well it seems they're anxious for our help so at the moment they're willing to play nice. Any idea why they weren't in uniform?"
"No Sarge," Jay shrugged, "maybe they just wanted to blend in."
"But you knew they were military."
"I'm ex-military so I had an inside track," Jay offered, "so when are they coming back?"
"2 p.m."
"It's not like Lyle to avoid casualties," Jay commented as he rose to his feet, "he's probably planning something right now."
"This time he's not getting away," Voight spoke with a finality which caused the younger man to look at him keenly.
"We'll bring him in this time," Jay stated confidently, unwilling to give consideration to any other scenarios his superior might be contemplating.
"So what's going on?" Adam demanded impatiently as soon as his friend exited the office.
"Who were those guys?" Kevin asked.
"Guys let him speak," Al admonished as he eyed the clearly concerned man.
"King left an inactive IED in the Great Lakes Training Center and .....,"
"What's that?" Adam frowned.
"The Boot Camp for the Navy," Al answered.
"There were no casualties but he left a message ...... saying he'd see me soon and the IED was just a token of what's in store in the future."
"So he's still fixating on you," Kevin pointed out in disgust.
"We knew he would show up at some stage," Antonio put in gently, dreading what the man had in store for his friend.
"Yeah," Jay concurred with a heavy sigh as he went back to reading the file he had been perusing before being summoned into Voights' office.
"So who were those two suits with? Kevin asked when no further information was volunteered.
"Military."
"Didn't they want to interview you?" Adams' question was laced with worry.
"They're coming back at 1400."
"That's 2 p.m.," Al explained lightly before an explanation was sought.
"How come they didn't want to talk to you now?" Mouse checked in surprise.
"Look guys ye know as much as I do okay so just leave it," Jay requested, he wasn't in the mood for an interrogation by his friends, however well meaning.
Al caught Adams' eye as he was about to argue and imperceptibly shook his head. Now wasn't the time to push the younger man.
----------------------------
Half an hour later Voight looked up as his door opened and Al walked in closing the door behind him.
"So why did you put off the interview?" the experienced Detective didn't beat around the bush as he sank down on the well worn couch.
"Since when do I have to explain my decisions to one of my subordinates?" the Sergeant enquired tersely as he put down his pen and shoved the form he had been completing away.
"You never have to," Al acknowledged without rancour, "but when a friend asks a question out of concern for another friend you're obliged to give the explanation."
"When you put it that way," Voight capitulated in defeat, "I figured the Kid needed a chance to prepare himself mentally."
"What did you tell him?" Al asked knowing his young friend would have posed the same question he had.
"That I was testing the boundaries with the Navy. No way was I going to tell him the truth," Voight sighed heavily, "they're taking this seriously and ....,"
"That can't surprise you."
"No but they seem to think they don't need to share their findings with us. That is going to cause problems."
"Well we know about the message from King for Halstead so what else do we need to know?"
"I'm not sure ...... I just got the feeling they were holding something back."
"And you asked them," Al stated rather than asked, knowing his long time friend well.
"Yeah but I got nowhere."
"Does the Kid know what you suapect?"
"No and I'm not going to say anything. I want to see what he makes of the situation with a completely open mind."
"If King had access to the Training Center it's more proof that he has help from some people higher up."
"Circumstantial at best," Voight shook his head negating the statement, "despite everything we're no closer to identifying who's helping him."
"Maybe he's calling in favours without people realising what he's doing," Al pondered aloud.
"Highly likely they don't know the specifics but unless they're completely dumb they have to know he's up to no good. Of course ......,"
"What?" Al prodded when his friends' words halted.
"Maybe we've made a wrong assumption. All along we've believed the Kings had influential people helping them. Access to a helicopter isn't cheap not to mention the other things."
"So?"
"Maybe the people who gave them the help they needed weren't allies .....,"
"Blackmail victims," Al cut in.
"Yes," Voight nodded in agreement, his mind running through the various possibilities, "so we need to identify each and everyone of them."
"How do we do that? We haven't identified one person whose aided them yet!" the Detective voiced his frustration in a rare display of emotion.
"That's not true. We know Benson was helping them," Voight referenced the Homeland Security Director who had ultimately lost his life, "and Carlisle the Janitor".
"But he didn't actually blackmail them."
"No but we overlooked something. We should have checked for anyone connected to the helicopter and other aids who was ill."
"That's a pretty tall order," Al commented realistically, "Mouse is a whiz on computers but he needs to have a target to search. Tracking down medical records is not going to be possible without knowing the various MDs and Specialists. Short of accessing peoples' homes physically, illegally, we won't be able to gather what we need."
"So we come up with another way."
"For now what's the plan with the Navy?"
"I insisted I sit in on the interview but I'm not expecting anything new to be divulged. Like I said they're keeping their cards close to their chest."
For his part Jay spent the intervening period prior to the interview reviewing the file he had put together on the Kings. It was not normal practice to open a separate file in an ongoing case for ones' sole perusal but sometimes a case stayed with you and could not be consigned to mere official Reports and findings to be perused during normal office hours. As the King case was still open the young Detective wanted to have all the information accessible to him in one place so he could go over things at his own convenience, whether on or off duty. There was nothing in the file the Unit hadn't already been acquainted with, apart from his own notes and observations. He had decided to go through the records at the front of the thick file regarding the first incident the Unit had dealt with in New York months ago, seeking anything that would provide some answers. It still gnawed at him that the reason for the Kings' interest in him was unknown. Rubbing his temple in concentration he was unaware that Al had come up behind him. The hand on his shoulder startled him although outward appearances did not betray his surprise. He glanced up with a frown.
"What's up?"
"Let's take a walk," the older Detective nodded to the door leading to the Interview Rooms and ambled off not giving his friend a chance to refuse.
"Is there a reason we're going outside?" Jay checked as he followed his companion through the garage and out into the bright day.
"Needed some air."
"Okaaay ....,"
"You have anything new in that file you put together on King?"
"No," Jay admitted with a resigned sigh, he wasn't surprised the other man was aware of his personal file.
"You've been working on the King case ever since we got back," Al stated confidently as he eyed his younger companion, "maybe you need to take a break from it."
"What do you mean? King has just made an appearance and you want me to take a step back?!"
"I just mean thinking about it 24/7 isn't doing you any favours."
"No offence Al but I can look after myself," Jay insisted vehemently, "I appreciate the concern but if things get too much for me I'll handle it."
"Kid you're not a liar so I know you're being honest but from where I'm standing you're already handling too much."
"Where is this coming from?"
"I'm worried about you."
"It's not like you to interfere ....,"
"Hell since when is voicing concern interfering?" Al countered without rancour.
"You know what I mean!" the auburn haired man persisted.
"Okay, okay .... you're right. I don't usually interfere but ....... my gut's telling me something bad is coming down the line."
"We all knew King would resurface and now we can finally finish it."
"Just like that?" Al asked in exasperated bemusement.
"No, not 'just like that' but it will be sorted once and for all."
"How come you're so certain?"
"Because I refuse to accept the alternative," Jay explained after a brief hesitation, "it ends this time, no matter what."
"Well Kid with your determination I guess you're probably right," Al shook his head fondly.
The veteran Detective had known his request would be rebuffed but his esteem for the younger man had spurred him on in uncharacteristically vocalizing his concern. The expected response received did not deter him from the self imposed agenda he had placed on himself. Like Voight he intended to ensure their friend came through whatever King had in store and he knew the other members of the Unit shared this intent.
------------------------
Interview Room
After introductions and formalities were dispensed with and the original missive from King given to Jay for his perusal silence descended on the room.
"So why is King addressing you Detective Halstead?" fifty-four year old Master Sergeant Thomas James eventually enquired as he eyed the ex-Lieutenant across from him.
"We've already gone over this," Voight cut in unhappily, "we do not know why the Kings chose to fixate on Halstead."
"I would like to hear from Detective Halstead," James persisted as he shifted his well built frame on his chair, unfazed by the Sergeants' glare.
"As Sarge said we don't know."
"Yet you continued to work the case?" Supply Sergeant Peter Greyson, the older visitor, enquired mildly.
"It was deemed the most appropriate course of action."
"That course of action might have spurred the Kings on to more murders," James proffered bluntly.
"Impossible to know," Jay responded evenly, he had no intention of being baited so decided to go on the offensive, "so what is a Supply Sergeant doing conducting civilian interviews?"
"That is no concern of yours," James quickly asserted.
"What exactly did King take?"
"We never said he took anything."
"You didn't have to," Jay spared a glance at Voight beside him, sensing he was unsurprised by his guess, before continuing, "a Supply Sergeant doesn't normally do civilian interviews. That tells me two things."
"What?" Greyson frowned.
"Whatever King got his hands on is capable of causing a lot of damage ....,"
"And?" James prompted.
"Staff Sergeant Greyson feels responsible."
tbc
MDs ....... Medical Doctors