Tolerance Book II

Chapter Five: A New Plan

The drive back to the hotel had been completed in silence.  Voight knew his old friend was worried about their youngest Detective and so was he.  The harsh truth however was that Wells needed to be stopped.  Voight sighed as he pulled into a spot in the starkly lit underground carpark and switched off the engine.

"I'm not happy about this either," he observed as he remained where he was.
"I know that."
"But?"
"Just surprised Murphy wasn't pushing the idea instead of you."
"I reckon if I didn't push it he would have," Voight admitted.
"So why not let him?"
"This way I figure he'll give me more say in the operation. If it goes south he can blame me."
"He doesn't strike me as a guy who's into office politics," Al countered.
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way I want to be the one responsible for keeping the Kid safe."
"So what exactly is the plan?" Al checked as they got out of the vehicle and headed over to the metal door to the elevators and stairwell.
"I'll let you know when I know."
"Hell Hank you gave Murphy the impression you had something in the pipeline," Al shook his head, his friend didn't usually bluff.
"I will have," Voight assured cryptically as he pressed the button for a lift, "once I talk to Halstead."

                      -------------------------

Despite the Sergeants' intentions he did not get a chance to talk to the younger man until the following night as his injuries conspired to keep him in the hotel the following day.  Although Adam had gladly remained behind the following morning while the others headed off Antonio had taken over at lunchtime as the unaware Detective slept under the influence of the strong opiod painkillers he had reluctantly taken instead of the milder over the counter meds he had used since his release from the hospital.  As he closed the door behind Antonio Hank winced as he recalled the heated argument he had with the young man about the benefits of taking the stronger meds he had been prescribed rather than the milder pills.  It was a testament to how bad Jay had been feeling that he had actually raised his voice to his Superior, a rare occurrence for the self contained Detective.  Putting the lock in place Voight checked the time.  According to Antonio the reluctant patient had been asleep for several hours so he should be waking anytime soon.  Deciding he might as well make himself useful he picked up the Room Service menu as the bedclothes shifted.

To say Jay was surprised to find Voight in his room upon awakening would be a gross understatement.  As the Sergeant hung up the receiver the discomfited man grabbed his jeans from the end of bed and donned them as quickly as his injuries allowed.  Once half dressed he retrieved a black shirt from the chest of drawers and put it on keenly aware of the older mans' gaze. He wasn't sure of the reason for Voights' presence but he didn't have to be a Detective to know whatever it was it had to be important.  Looking around for the black sling he was surprised again when the other man handed it to him.

"So Kid hope you're hungry.  I've ordered two cheese omelettes with fries."
"Yeah," Jay busied himself with the sling rather than meeting his Superiors' gaze, "sounds good."
"The others are eating in the restaurant again. Guess we'll make the Manager happy anyway booking the Private Dining Room regularly," Voight explained as he made his way over to the window and sat down before asking seriously, "so how are you really?"
"I'm fine."
"Kid it's just you and me here," the Sergeant gently reminded, "tell me the truth."
"I'm doing ...... okay.  Be a while before I'm one hundred percent but I'm good to work," the younger man insisted as he sat down at the table finally looking at his visitor to convey his case.
"Kid I'm not going to take you off active duty," Voight quickly reassured, "heck I know you well enough by now to know you can keep going when anyone else would have given up."
"Sarge?" Jay wanted answers and he was just too worn out to be coy.
"Given that Wells is going to keep coming after you .....,"
"I'm not going into Witness Protection!"
"I agree, that would be a bad idea."
"So?"
"I want you to be bait again," Voight explained gravely, "as we've discussed before if we let Wells call the shots this could go on for a long time.  Parker says he definitely wants to play mind games with you."
"I'm in.  Anything you want me to do I'll do."
"You're not going to be on your own," the Sergeant elaborated, admiring his companions' eagerness to throw himself back into the fray even as he still lived with the painful reminders of his last encounter with their current nemesis.