They call this the Windy City, but I call it the City of Ice. That's much more appropriate. The wind always blows, but you get used to that. But the ice only crawls across the city on certain nights. Those nights are the nights that people slip and fall. They slip and fall into piles of money, into piles of cocaine, some men claim to fall into piles of vaginas. When the idiots blab too much about their good fortune, I'm there to even the score.
No one is allowed to manhandle others into giving them half their stuff. No one is allowed to make money without paying some back in taxes. No one is allowed to abuse their power. They try, but that's what police are for. The police are there to make sure everyone is following the rules, even the hard rules. But who's there to police the police? Well, that'd be me.
I'm good at my job, and I earned my job. I paid my dues. I will not waver when faced with hard tasks. This is why. This is why I was chosen to deal with him.
Hank Voight.
The higher ups at the Ivory Tower say they want to change. They say they want to see Chicago PD become a respectable Police Force, a modern Police Force. I sigh as I look over his file one more time. We have to meet outside of office hours. It's the only way to keep it a secret that one of the toughest, crooked, cops in the city is now squeaky clean. Either my superiors think I'm amazing at my job, and thus able to handle him, or they know I'm amazing at my job and they're afraid I'm going to take theirs. If Voight screws this up, whoever is working with him is toast too. So they saddled me with Voight. The man practically spits at me when he talks. He's old school, probably still calls us "the rat squad" behind our backs. But he does seem to be willing to listen.
I have only met with him once. Got to see him in person, feel him out. He shows his age in his face, but he is still in shape. I have no doubt he could still pick up a little gang banger and shake a story out of him, and he'd better. Voight got the deal of the century, getting out for good behavior before displaying that good behavior. It is amazing what lawyers agree to anymore.
I work out and stay in shape because deep in my chest there lies a hope that I can do regular police work again someday. Maybe for a different city, like Flint. They need the help and would welcome me with open arms. There would be few people there that I would have to cater to, but there is always a few. There's always someone bigger than you, or someone who has more pull than you. You have to play the game no matter what field you're on. Flint would be a smaller playing field though, and I've had enough of the big city.
For now, I am babysitting Voight. I have to make sure that he doesn't blow up and ruin everything. He prefers to meet by the river. He says he needs the fresh air after being inside all day. He tells me about how he's got to make sure that the same players are still in charge. Like he wasn't communicating with the outside while he was in Stateville. Whatever floats his boat. I just need results. He's talking about how much he loves this city. My love for the city has grown as cold as ice. I can't find a single thing about it to love.
It's our third meeting. We're done talking. He's walking away, I'm turning to walk away, then he stops. I wonder if he's going to spit out the question that's been rolling around in his head. The entire time we've been talking I could hear a question clanking around in his brain. This should be good.
"Why I.A.?"
Oh wow. Leave it to him to ask the deep question that others are afraid to. I think about giving him the usual answer that gets others off of my back, but I know it won't work on him. He is one smart cookie, and he wants the real answer.
"Because that badge hanging on your belt means something. It stands for safety and honor. The people who wear it are supposed to uphold the law, not use it for personal gain, or to scare others, or to bully them. I went into I.A. to make sure that the people wearing the badge are worthy of it."
To my surprise he didn't sneer, or try to defend his actions. He smiled a genuine smile at me and nodded his head. Then he left.