Tolerance Book III

Chapter Nineteen: Ghosts

Voight Residence

In the early hours of the morning as the moons' rays lit up the night skies Jay quietly made his way to the kitchen, expertly avoiding the creaking floorboards to ensure he didn't disturb anyone else.   Entering the semi-dark area he found he was not alone.  His Host sat at the kitchen table nursing a mug of steaming liquid.    Sighing internally the Detective advanced towards the table knowing the confrontation that had been deferred might as well take place now.

"You want a drink?" Voight checked.
"No thanks."
"So you're not up because you're thirsty."
"Couldn't sleep," Jay opted for honesty.
"Can't imagine why," the older man stated ruefully.
"Sarge about what .....,"
"Halstead I know why you did what you did," Voight interrupted, "and I appreciate that you were trying to protect the Unit but you should have learnt by now we're all in this together.  You sacrificing yourself for us is not an acceptable option."
"But ....,"
"It's not up for discussion Kid," Voights' stern look belied his following emotive words, "we've come too far to lose you now."

Jay shifted uncomfortably on his chair at the warmth conveyed by the older man.  He had never known how to simply accept concern and compliments.  His fathers' actions had instilled such an embedded sense of worthlessness within him that acknowledging any good about himself was, to all intents and purposes, an alien concept.  The old man may be dead and buried but his lessons were forever ingrained in the young man, their indelible marks like stripes on his soul.  The fact that another dead man was also attempting to dictate his life from beyond the grave was an intolerable injustice yet he wouldn't give voice to the wrath that vied for control.  Instead the stoic calm he had instilled in himself from childhood came to the fore once again as he looked at his Superior.

"I never meant to put you in an awkward position."
"Figured that but that's exactly what you wound up doing.  Did you even stop to think what would have happened if King had taken steps to frame you for shooting Adams?"
"Sarge?"
"King could have arranged for someone else to shoot Adams and for you to take the blame," Voight expounded evenly, he had known the younger man had not considered such a possibility and in truth he hadn't either until it was over.
"I .......I didn't think of that," Jay admitted duly chagrined, he should have considered such a possibility!
"Look Kid I didn't think of that option either at the time but my point is if we  consult each other we can hash things out and there's less chance of things being overlooked."
"Yes Sarge."

Voight looked at his companion in the dim lighting provided by the under cupboard bulbs and even without good sight the strained features stood out harshly.  He knew his ire was well known and also knew the Detective had been expecting a fiery confrontation but somehow it seemed enough to let him know that there were other ways to deal with things rather than going it alone.  Besides when talking to Parker earlier the Kid had failed to ask the one question the Sergeant had really been dreading.  Had King written about his old man?  He really didn't have to wonder why the question had not been broached however.  That topic was  deeply personal and for such a private man as Jay it would need to be discussed without an audience.  That left Voight in a quandary.  He wanted to know exactly what Kings' connection to Halstead Senior was but he needed to thread carefully.  He was pondering the timing of discussing the matter now when his companion spoke again.

"I need to tell you something else Sarge," Jay was also grappling with dread but his related to the King case, "I asked Mouse to hack the CCTV at the hotel and ....,"
"You what?!" Voights' infamous anger finally reared its' ugly head.
"I needed to know as much as possible."
"So you told Gerwitz what you intended to do but not your Sergeant.  Is that about right?"
"I was trying to protect the Unit," Jay quietly defended, meeting the intense gaze without hesitation, he stood by his actions.
"Gerwitz is part of the Unit," Voight tersely reminded.
"I know," the younger man conceded softly, the decision to avail of his old friends' expertise had not been made lightly.