Tolerance Book III

Chapter Thirty: Setting Boundaries

Central Park

The Unit had unexpectedly been forced into a detour on the way to Headquarters the following morning when notification of another explosion was received.   Voight had directed Al to head straight for the park even as he dialled his cell to update Kevin and Antonio following behind in another SUV.  Now walking towards the crime scene with Al beside him it struck the Sergeant that at least it wasn't the same location King had used. 

"One Victim again?" Al double checked as they reached the cordoned off section where curious onlookers stood with cellphones recording.
"Yeah," the Sergeant stepped under the yellow ribbon after saluting the uniformed Officer, "fifty-four year old Attorney on his way to work."
"Damn."
"Only consolation is it would have been quick," Murphy spoke as he approached the pair after nodding to the rest of the Unit as they fanned out.
"Same story?" Al questioned.
"Yes.  He moved here from Chicago two months ago."
"How is he picking them?!" Voight demanded in frustration as he watched CSI personnel place markings by several small covered mounds.
"Have you checked the Victims' back histories in Chicago for any links?" Jay advanced on the trio with Parker.
"The murders are taking place here," the AD pointed out without answering the question.
"So that's a 'no'?" Voight pressed.
"We did some routine checks but nothing showed up."
"Mouse can do a more thorough check," Voight stated confidently, as far as he was concerned the case was still in its' relative infancy despite the eleven Victims because the Task Force had only just been formed so he understood not every angle had been examined yet.
"You think the answers are in Chicago?" Murphys' words had a note of hopefulness and Voight knew why.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," the Sergeant advised grimly, "obviously New York is the chosen playground."

As the two older men had been talking Jay had wandered off to take in the busy scene.  Between the Unit, CSI personnel, Morgue Attendants and Uniformed Officers there were in excess of twenty people inhabiting what had become one mans' place of untimely demise.   He didn't bother looking under the various covers to view the scattered body parts.  He was all too familiar with how explosives reduced a person to blood and gore.  The Lawyer had also been a sole Victim.  The fact that no one else had been caught in the blast despite the very public setting bespoke of planning.  It also confirmed that the UnSub was clearly observing Victims to ascertain their routines.  As the young Detective suspected the latest murder had reiterated something which had struck him during the early hours of the morning as he perused the various Reports.  The Victims were in fact being targetted in order of ascending age.  Each Victim had been older than the last.  He turned as a footfall caught his attention and found Parker regarding him.

"You okay?"
"Fine," Jay automatically returned, "you never mentioned all the Victims were being killed in ascending age."
"I didn't realize ...," the Psychologist frowned.
"It means the next Victim will be fifty-five or older," the Detective speculated with confidence before adding gravely, "but that doesn't get us closer to the UnSub."
"It's more than we knew," Parker insisted.
"We need to do a different search," the Detective stated as he motioned for the other man to accompany him over to where the Assistant Director and Voight were talking.
"What type of search?" Parker wondered as he hurried to keep up with the pale man.
"Halstead?" Voight looked at his Subordinate knowing something was going on.
"We need to do a search of all passengers on flights from Chicago in the last four months," Jay didn't waste time, "anyone from fifty-five up ....,"
"Why?" Murphy asked in confusion.
"Because as we discussed the UnSub has been picking his Victims based on their age, at least partially, ....,"
"So?"
"All the Victims have been killed in ascending age."
"So this Victim was fifty-four ...," Parker pointed out letting his words trail off.
"Damn," Voight headed off in search of Mouse.

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HS Headquarters Conference Room