So, new obsession, new story! I guess this is set before the last episode (What puts you on that ledge) because I can't bring myself to split up Linstead...
"I'm just saying we could take it in turns," Jay Halstead complained as he watched her open the gate to the Intelligence department of District 21.
Erin Lindsey grinned at her partner as she walked up the stairs. "Nope," she replied.
"It's not fair," he wined like a child.
"Aw," she offered consolingly, "you're still not driving."
She didn't even know why they were having this argument, except that it was something they did. Jay drove often enough when he wasn't with her or on the rare occasions he managed to distract her long enough for him to get in the driving seat, she wasn't petty enough to order him out.
"What time do you call this?" Voight said, cutting abruptly into her thoughts as they reached the top of the stairs.
They both knew better than to answer when he spoke in that tone and Erin raised an eyebrow at their boss not missing how Jay dropped a step back to let her deal with him. It wasn't necessary as she quickly assessed their Sergeant's irritation was not with them.
"Never mind," Voight continued as he put his jacket on, perhaps realising they weren't actually late. "Antonio's lead has panned out, we've got an address, go get suited up."
Not even pausing at their desks they headed down to the garage where their gear was kept. The two of them shared a look once they were out of sight of Voight. She smirked at Jay, she knew he was convinced everyone would figure out they were together when they came into work together so often. She didn't know why he was worried this morning as they hadn't actually been together last night but they had met in the gym first thing. Given that the gym was usually full of cops, they hadn't even kissed their but their distraction with teasing one another as they worked out had resulting in them cutting it fine coming to work.
When they got downstairs everyone was already getting their vests on. Everyone except Ruzek who came running down the stairs minutes after the two of them, Voight following not long after. Within half an hour they were all ready, briefed and good to go.
They were on their way to a warehouse where the guy they had been after for the last week apparently kept his drugs. According to their sources they were likely to catch him there and be able to cripple his organisation by raiding the warehouse and picking up whoever else was there.
They all headed to the cars, Erin ignoring the hopeful look Jay was giving her as she got in the driving seat of their car. She gave him a smug smile as she followed Voight's car out of the lot, he just raised an eyebrow, obviously not amused.
After a few minutes of driving Erin glanced over at Jay.
"Do you want to come over tonight?" she asked. Keeping her eyes on the road she missed his reaction to the question which would have told her immediately what he actually thought of that idea.
"I thought you were going to Voight's?" he asked lightly, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice, he really hadn't expected to be able to see her today.
"I am, for dinner," she admitted, not surprised he had found that out. "I mean after."
"Sure," he agreed.
She frowned at the hesitant tone and looked at him again. He was looking at the road yet she could tell he had more to say. "What?"
"Is this a birthday thing?" he asked after a moment. She hadn't mentioned her birthday to him so he was reluctant to bring it up, but if she wanted to see him on her birthday...
"How did you know it's my birthday?" she was genuinely curious.
"I saw your CI file, I'm not going to forget a thing like that," he grinned, glad he had surprised her.
She smiled to herself, "you never mentioned it last year."
"Figured if you didn't mention it it wasn't my place to," he explained.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "When's your birthday?" She didn't recall they had got together for his birthday last year either, there had definitely been a party for Ruzek at Molly's at some point and they'd had only recently celebrated Burgess's at a big party Atwater had arranged.
He laughed, he was enjoying this. "I'm not telling you," he teased.
"I can find out," she said pointedly
"I don't doubt it."
"In answer to your question, no it's not a birthday thing," she finally answered. "I don't usually do much for my birthday but having mind blowing sex with you will make this day one of the best in a long time."
"And here I thought I had won you over with my winning personality," he tried pretending to be hurt but couldn't help grin at what she had just said.
She just smiled back.
"You're going to Voight's though," he commented, he couldn't help wondering why Voight could have her for a birthday meal, he would have thought since the two of them were together he would come before her father figure. Jay assumed there was a good reason, he really didn't want to be jealous.
She glanced at him thoughtfully before looking back to the road. "Before I went to live with Voight I don't think anyone had remembered one of my birthday's since I was, like, twelve and Bunny gave me some money as a gift. Which she then took back the next morning to buy dope. But Camille, Hank's wife, she always marked birthdays, not so much with gifts but she always made sure everyone was together for a family meal and she did the same for me. Hank and I still do, although Justin's attendance has been patchy." She shrugged.
Jay just looked at her, so often he thought he understood how screwed up her life was before she was taken in by the Voights but then she'd tell him something like that and he'd realise he didn't really get it. His parents would never have forgotten his birthdays, he wasn't going to begrudge her the only birthday tradition she had. He was just glad she had told him about it.
"And you're seeing Teddy?" he asked after a moment.
"Yeah, I can't remember the last time we were together for a birthday so we're going for lunch. Assuming we don't get too busy with this," she indicated the road before them.
"We should have caught these guys by lunch, I'm sure Voight will allow you off." He knew Voight was generally inclined to give Erin anything she wanted.
"Hmm," Erin replied, unconvinced. Their days often got way too busy to eat, never mind go to lunch.
"Well at least I'm in the mix somewhere," he said lightly.
"What?" she frowned at him.
"I get to see you on your birthday."
He smiled at her but she couldn't help but think he was feeling left out. That was never her intention she just didn't know what the two of them were supposed to do for birthdays, it was easier to pretend that today was any other day.
"You know I'd ditch Voight for you," she said honestly. "But we've always done it and he'd want to know why..."
"Erin it's fine, you don't have to choose between me and Voight," he reassured her. "Have dinner at his and we can meet up after."
She glanced over to him as though to tell how honest he was being. "Okay," she said after a moment.
Looking back to the road she followed Voight's car into the parking lot of a warehouse complex. The place looked mostly abandoned, just a few cars were there hopefully indicating the gang they were after were in the warehouse. She pulled up besides Voight's car, putting on the parking brake as Alvin pulled up on her other side. They had Burgess and Roman waiting a few streets over as back up as well as other uniform units at the ready but for now it was the plain clothed Intelligence unit heading in.
"Erin?" Jay said just before they exited the car, she look over to see him smiling at her. "Happy birthday."
She couldn't help grinning happily to herself as he got out of the car and, schooling her expression, she followed. Within a couple of minutes they had all got their various weapons out of the cars and were ready to raid the warehouse.
They headed to one of the warehouse doors, waiting for Atwater to shoot the lock off it before pouring inside. They entered the warehouse soundlessly, fanning out as they looked for the men they were expecting.
Erin always felt a thrill at this part of her job, hunting down suspects with her team at her side. The awareness that one of them could get hurt terrified her but advancing forward all armed and ready just gave her such a rush.
The space before them was filled with boxes and containers but beyond was an open area where there were perhaps a dozen men working around tables. They all headed towards it weaving in and out of the boxes and once they reached the limit of their cover they all raced forward catching the men unawares.
Within seconds the room was busy with the yells of the cops.
"I've got Tomas," Antonio yelled as he took off after the man they were after who was racing away.
"I've got this one," she called to Voight as she raced after the only other man fleeing. Behind her the yells of her team mates at their suspects faded as she raced after the man through the dark warehouse. Now all she could hear was her heart pounding in her ears as she followed the swift shadow into a series of smaller corridors.
She slowed down, the suspects pounding footfalls had stopped and she had lost sight of him. She rounded a corner warily not surprised to have an iron bar come at her head. She ducked, the bar smashing harmlessly off the wall, and stood quickly to hit the arm with iron bar in it. Disarming her opponent she kicked the bar out of the way as took a step back and brought her gun up.
"Stop!" she yelled at him, glad to see him freeze. "On the ground now!"
The flickering of his gaze to something behind her was the only warning she got, that and a chill went up her back. The fact that she started to turn was probably the only reason her head was not caved in when something hit it, the blow glancing more than was originally intended.
For a moment everything went black and when she opened her eyes she was falling, almost in slow motion towards the floor, then the floor arrived and the blackness came back. It was likely she came to a very short while later but she had no way of judging that. She could barely see or hear over the pain in her head but she was aware that there were two men standing over her and she no longer had a gun within reach. She groaned rolling onto her side, her vision swam for a moment and then she could make out someone else arriving, the dark form didn't look familiar.
"Saber this place is swimming with cops," the guy she had chased informed the new comer, he sounded scared.
"I can see that," Saber said calmly, he crouched before her with a smile, hand reaching out to stroke her face. She managed to focus on his face and didn't like the look she saw there. She tried to push herself up and scoot away but it was as though none of her limbs were responding. "I see you found a pretty prize."
"They'll be here any second what do we do?" the scared one asked, ignoring the words that chilled Erin.
Saber stood and walked beyond where she could see from her position on the floor, returning returning seconds later and throwing something to the other man, this one was bigger, quiet and calm like Saber
"Tie her up," Saber said.
She tried to resist as the big man tied her hands behind her back but it was as if the world was coming to her through a dark tube, it was a struggle just not to pass out. Then something caught her attention, distant shouts, her team calling for her.
"Hank," she shouted only to wince as it came out barely louder than a whisper. "Jay!" that was louder but probably not loud enough.
"Shut up!" Saber hissed and kicked her in the stomach.
She hadn't seen the blow coming and it left her winded as she automatically curled up around the pain. Over the pounding in her head and whooshing in her ears she could barely make out their plan.
"Take her in the car, make sure they see you and draw them away from here, then I'll stand a chance of getting out," Saber told them.
The big guy obviously had no problems with the orders as he hoisted her up and over his shoulder, she no longer had the energy to offer more than a few kicks in resistance and they had little effect on the big man.
"You're crazy!" the scared smaller one hissed.
"This is what I pay you for!" Saber replied angrily. "You will do it or I will shoot you where you stand."
Evidently the small one was much more afraid of his boss than the police as they were soon making their way through the warehouse. Erin could hear the shouts of her team, they were close and they had called for back up when they found those guys in the first room, there were likely uniforms arriving outside. She doubted they would get far.
She was bleeding she realised belatedly, now she was the wrong up way hang over a shoulder she could feel the warm blood make it's way down her face. She was bleeding a lot, head wounds tended to do that, but as the seconds went by she was feeling less and less like she might pass out and more like she might be able to fight back.
Then they were outside and she winced in the light. The day was cold and clear and there was ice and snow on the ground. She kicked out trying to roll off his shoulder as the men legged it to a car, she could hear sirens but the lot was deserted. Then she was falling as one of her kicks landed, she slipped to the ground, hands tied she couldn't control the descent but she landed on her side and turned on her back to kick at the big man who had carried her. The kicks didn't seem to phase him and he grabbed her feet. They were next to the car she realised with dread and the smaller man opened the back door before coming over to help. He grabbed her shoulders and she bucked as the two of them manhandled feet first her into the back seat, she was determined to make this as difficult as possible and her fear at the situation made fighting back easy.
"Erin!" A yell came from the direction of the warehouse.
"Al!" she screamed as she bucked, easily identifying the voice calling her. "Al!" she couldn't see him beyond the men but she heard a gun shot and the answering ping as it hit the vehicle, Alvin was limited to how much he could fire when she was between the men he was aiming at.
"Get in," the big man said, she realised he was speaking to the smaller guy as he pushed in behind her and the big guy got in the drivers seat, seconds later they were pealing out of the lot.
She continued to struggle against the man in the back seat with her but her feet were facing the wrong way to kick him.
"Stop it or I will shoot you," he said and she froze as he put a gun in her face. "We don't need a live and kicking cop."
He might have been the most wimpy of the three men but this was a hard core gang and one look in his eyes convinced her he wouldn't hesitate. She stayed still as he pushed past her and climbed into the front seat, an impressive feat given they were skidding around corners at high speed.
Erin winced as her head hit the door, it didn't hurt as much as it had before and she was sure she had the adrenaline to thank for that. With her arms tied behind her she got her feet under her and pushed herself up into a slouch against the door, bracing herself with her feet against the front seats. She could just about see out the window, enough to see the unmarked cars following them; her team. Unfortunately she could see no situation in which this ended well, it was unlikely these two guys would lose the following cars and she didn't see them stopping either. Which just left a crash, given she was unrestrained laying down on the back seat it certainly made her chances of survival slimmer.
"I don't see this ending well for us," the smaller one commented to his friend as a car horn blazed in front of them, they had just gone through a busy intersection.
His companion said nothing.
"We should have taken our chances with Saber."
"It's our job to protect Saber," the big guy finally gave an opinion.
"Except now we have cops all over us." As if to prove the point the car swerved and as they turned the corner Erin could see the blue flashing lights of the patrol car that had caused their change in course. "They won't stop chasing us with her in here," the small guy glanced back at her.
"We'll see if we can loose them among the warehouses then, let's see how well they know this neighbourhood," the big guy decided. "Why don't you give them something to think about?"
The smaller guy twisted in his seat and shot out the back window, Erin flinched but none of the glass hit her. He continued to fire several shots out the back and she tried to see what was happening as she heard the screeching of tires on tarmac, she desperately hoped he hadn't hit anyone but the cars had been close on their tail.
She couldn't tell what was happening behind them but looking out of the window she was leaning against she could tell they were heading back to the warehouses, the roads were thankfully quieter.
"He's right you know, they won't stop coming. If you pull over now and help us with the investigation I'm sure a deal can be made," she offered.
"Shut up," big man said calmly.
"What kinda deal?" the smaller one asked.
"Don't," big man put a lot of weight behind that word and the other one seemed to think twice about saying anything more.
She winced as the car sped up, quieter roads were not necessary better.
"They are going to catch us, I'd rather not die in the attempt," small guy said quietly.
"Say another word and you'll die one way or another, I promise you that."
If small guy had been going to reply he was distracted by something out the window above her. She looked over to see Voight starting to drive up alongside them, Jay and Antonio with him. Whatever they intended was scuppered as small guy shot at them through the window above her, this time the glass landed on her and the smashing of the window was deafening. She slipped down shaking her head slightly to get the glass off her and, no longer braced, was thrown back against the door as they skidded around a corner. She groaned as her head took the brunt of the impact, black spots crossing her vision.
She didn't bother pushing herself back up to see out and just concentrated on staying conscious. For perhaps another minute big guy raced the car through the warehouses, Erin wasn't even sure they were on the roads anymore. There were a lot of corners and accelerating and decelerating and the small guy was constantly yelling things out.
Then he yelled in terror, the car was breaking hard and she was thrown against the front seats. Then they were falling and she finally realised what happened as they hit the water hard and she was thrown back again. For a moment she hurt too much to appreciate the trouble she was in but within seconds the car had sunk far enough for water to pour in the windowless back door and then the back of the car. With her hands tied there was little she could do but as the freezing water hit her she wondered if it would have made a difference. The shock of the water made her body freeze, her lungs wouldn't work and it was almost impossible to take a breath never mind try to hold her breath and push her way out.
The water filled the car within moments and she had no breath left to hold. Her body finally tried to breath in but all there was was water, freezing water and finally the black spots in her vision became all consuming. The car was sinking fast and the last thing she was conscious of was seeing the light of the surface far above her.
I don't usually finish chapters on cliff hangers but I like to start with the drama! Most of the story is planned and written, I just need to know if anyone would like to read it ;-)