Chapter Text
Jay doesn’t sleep much that night.
It’s November and there’s little if any heat making it into the chilly basement.
The wall of the unfinished basement, exposed pipes and all, doesn’t make a very good pillow.
He twists in the ropes binding his wrists but for a little kid, the girl knows her knots and they hold tight.
It’s hard to know how much time is passing but he assumes it’s morning when the door opens and Vic jogs down the stairs.
The man behind him looks to be at least twenty but is dressed like a teenager with sagging cargo pants and a baggy sports jersey.
This must be Vinnie.
“You sure he’s a cop?” He asks, looking Jay over.
“I got his badge upstairs.” Vic says, jerking his head that direction. “Left the rest of his shit in his truck but I figured that might have a use.”
“I keep telling that jerk we can’t keep making his handoff there.” Vinnie growls.
He crouches in front of Jay and pulls the tape away from his face, balling it up and tossing it behind him.
“Don’t recognize you copper.” He says, “Where you from?”
“Chicago.” Jay bites out, “ Had to bring some paperwork to a local precinct.”
“Bad timing on your part, huh?” He smirks and Jay’s eyes narrow.
“Bad moves on your buddy’s part.” he retorts. “I hadn’t decided if it was worth intervening in that small of a deal yet.”
“Doesn’t matter what you were going to do.” Vinnie scoffs. “It’s what you saw.”
“So what?” he shoots back. “You’re going to kill me?
“Do what I have to do.” Vinnie says.
“How do you think this is gonna work out for you?” He challenges.
“It’s not ideal.” Vinnie admits, but shrugs, “but this too shall pass. We’ll deal with you and then move on.”
“Killing a cop is not a good idea.” Jay points out, “murder is bad enough but another cop is on the list of murders we take real personal.”
“Well thanks for that warning but I think I’ll take the chance, anyway.” he taunts.
“Then why don’t you just get it over with.” Jay snarls.
Vinnie just laughs, patting his cheek condescendingly.
“In due time.” He says smugly.
He pulls a roll of duct tape from knee of the oversized pockets on his pants and throws it to Vic.
“Save your gran’s packing tape.” He offers and makes his way back up the stairs.
Vic affixes the tape over Jay’s mouth before stepping back.
Glancing anxiously at Vinnie’s. Retreating back as he does.
Notices Jay watching and schools his features, scowling at him.
“I told you.” He growls before jogging back up the stairs.
Hailey is pissed.
Her husband’s ability to find trouble is unparalleled but if she’d known that a short drive to drop some paperwork at a precinct in one of Chicago’s outer bureaus would lead to him vanishing without a trace she would have insisted on going with him.
She’d raised the alarm about forty minutes after he’d been expected to be home. The first call at the fifteen minute mark had gone unanswered but she hadn’t thought too much of it. When a second call after an additional fifteen minutes hadn’t been answered she’d been a little more annoyed.
She’d pulled the GPS and annoyance had turned to worry as it placed him at the same gas station for over an hour.
She and Kevin pull into the gas station at the same time. Jay’s been here for nearly ninety minutes at this point but his truck, parked in a corner, is dark.
She unlocks it with her set of keys and feels her heart drop into her stomach at the sight of his keys, wallet, holster and phone piled on the driver’s seat.
She opens the gun safe with shaking fingers clumsy under the gloves she wears and sees his weapon safely tucked away.
By the time Adam and Kim reach them twenty minutes later, there’s no good news.
With the exception of one that doesn’t provide a good angle, the security cameras have been broken for months. There are no pods this far out. And the attendant doesn’t remember seeing Jay.
They canvas the nearby houses, hoping someone remembers seeing Jay or has a personal security system that can give them a direction to chase.
But they come up empty. The people in this area don’t want to talk to the police and they aren’t the type to be able to afford personal security.
Voight escapes his meeting at the Ivory Tower and meets them as they return to the station.
“Anything?” He questions.
Hailey just shakes her head, chewing on her lip.