Tolerance Book II

Chapter Fifty-Three: The Unknown

Most of the men on the rooftop stood in stunned disbelief as Jay wordlessly took the telescopic sight off of the M24 with a head shake and handed it over to Al.  Five seconds remained.  Jay had taken the  shot too early.  Voight looked from the ex-Lieutenant to his old friend and back before lifting a pair of binoculars to his eyes reluctantly and focusing on the IED.  One second flashed up on the timer and he involuntarily tensed up in readiness for the carnage that was about to be unleashed.  Zero flashed and then ....... nothing.  No ominous explosion of sound and debris ensued.  Stunned the Sergeant turned back to Jay.

"What the hell?!"
"Sarge," the limping man gestured to the rooftop opposite and unnecessarily pointed out, "Baker needs to be helped."
"Ruzek!"
"Yes Sarge?"
"You're with Dawson. I want Halstead at my place.  We'll all rendevous there tonight ... ,"
"Sarge .....," Jay hastily attempted to protest but was quickly shut down.
"Later Halstead," Voight ordered as he moved towards the stairwell door, "everyone else with me now!"

Jay watched his friends jog off purposefully after Al gave him a rueful grin and a wink.  Turning he found twin hard looks directed his way.  Adam and Antonio looked downright relieved and furious all at the same time, a rare combination. Guess he had some explaining to do. 

"How did you know?" Antonio was the first to break the silence tersely even as he picked up the abandoned crutches and handed them over to the obviously pained man.
"Know what?" Jay asked innocently, he couldn't contain his relief that Baker was alive so decided to have some fun with his friends.
"That the yellow wire was the trigger!" Antonio rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Who says I didn't make a mistake?"
"Jay!  So help me if you don't start talking you're going to see a side of me you don't like," Adam threatened with a glare, he understood his friend was releasing tension but he wanted answers.  Now!
"Hell you don't need to get riled up," Jay
got reacquainted with the crutches gratefully as he grinned at his friends mischevously, "you need only ask."
"Give me patience!"

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Rooftop

Baker, it transpired, had been informed he was going to be shot by one Jay Halstead at noon.  The man had been kidnapped at gunpoint and blindfolded before being injected with what he assumed was a sedative.  When he came around he was strapped to the chair on the rooftop.  He had been blissfully unaware of the explosive device underneath him.  Upon being released and shown the now harmless bomb he had promptly lost his breakfast all over a too slow moving Murphy.  To his immense credit the Homeland Security man had managed to keep his grumblings free of expletives while he ignored the amused looks of his companions.  Really he had to start doing some exercising, this was the last straw!  Parker had been on at him for some time about going to the gym.  As had his daughter.  He resolved there and then to finally take action.

Nearly an hour later Al strolled over to where Voight stood surveying their lofty surroundings.

"You knew?" the Sergeants' question was half accusing but held no rancour.
"Nope."
"Hell Al I think I lost ten years ....,"
"No harm," the veteran Detective chided before becoming serious, "no sign of King.  So what do we do now?"
"We re-group."
"Halstead won't like staying with you."
"You saying I'm a bad Host?"
"I'm saying hospitality isn't your thing as we've discussed before," Al joked in familiar banter, "but you know what I'm talking about.  He won't want you getting caught in the crosshairs."
"Never said it was a permanent arrangement," Voight pointed out.
"Never said it wasn't either."
"You know me too well my friend."

Ten feet away Mouse leant against the wall of the stairwell entrance and watched as Murphy ineffectively tried to wipe as much digested food off of his dark sweater as he could with one linen handkerchief.  It was a losing battle.  He turned his gaze to the intended Victim as he was assessed by two Paramedics. It was not the outcome that had been anticipated but he was relieved beyond measure that his best friend didn't have to carry the weight of another taken soul on his conscience.  Sighing he turned to look around as footsteps approached.