Sergeant Hank Voight had been in plenty of tight places before, and he always found a way to squirm right outta them.
But this time with Internal Affairs breathing down his neck and a return visit to the pen a real possibility, he was feeling the squeeze. And desperate men do desperate things, he thought. Whatever it takes. There was no way he was going back to jail…whatever it takes.
Kelly Severide sat in the bull pen at the 21st Precinct. Erin Lindsay had called him in to talk. It had been about two weeks since Katie's rescue, and from the outside looking in she seemed to be on the road to recovery. Sure, she put on a happy face for her brother, for Otis, her mom, but deep inside, Kelly knew she was struggling. The unspeakable had happened to her... changing her in ways she hadn't even realized yet.
But every time she closed her eyes, Vince Keeler was right there. His ugly, sneering face...taunting her...tormenting her. She could never say it out loud...but Kelly knew there were probably moments when she thought it would have been easier if he'd just killed her.
Her mom suggested that she spend some time with family in Colorado and outwardly everyone agreed a change in scenery could do some good. But Kelly didn't want to let her go, because he knew she wasn't the tough cookie she was trying to portray. Every time he talked to her, he could hear the pain...the fear... in her voice. He just wished he could do something. If only he had found her sooner. If only he'd insisted on taking her home that night...or taking her to his place.
But hindsight was always 20/20 and now he'd have to trust the system. The problem was he didn't. Every time he closed his eyes he could still see Keeler's smug face as the bastard walked out of the precinct after the orders came down to cut him loose.
He apparently had some friends in high places... that what Detective Erin Lindsay had said when she told Kelly that her hands were tied.
"There's nothing I can do right now." she said, her voice filled with regret. "But Kelly, I promise you, Keeler's gonna get his. It's just a matter of time."
Erin had been Severide's biggest ally and she was the one who fought hardest to get Katie home safe.
But Kelly was frustrated...no...he was absolutely livid. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. Keeler was supposed to get thrown into some deep, dark hole somewhere...someplace where he'd never see the light of day for the rest of his miserable life!
"Do something, Erin, or I will." He told her.
He knew he already owed her though. She'd gone above and beyond…really the entire Intelligence Team had. Voight had put all their other cases on the back burner when Katie went missing.
As far as he was concerned, it's like the bastards took one of their own. That's what he said...or words to that effect.
His ultimatum didn't sit well with Lindsay. She knew Severide wasn't about to sit on his hands after what that animal had done to his little sister. It didn't matter that he'd only known her a few months. She was still his flesh and blood.
That's why it was important that they played this one by the book. Well...by Voight's book at least. They needed to make this stick.
So for now...the asshole was back on the street...free as a bird...that smug smile plastered on his face.
"You're not gonna do a damn thing," Erin said in low, even tones. "Leave this to us."
"What's he leavin' to us?"
Voight came into the squad room and he passed right by Detective Lindsay's desk on his way to the coffee machine.
"Keeler. I was just telling Lieutenant Severide that we'll take care of him, and he needs to let the cops handle this. " Erin said as she waited for a little back up from her boss.
"Damn right. Rest assured that punk'll get what's comin' to him. I can promise you that," said Voight clasping a hand on Kelly's shoulder before he walked off.
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly the most forgiving person when it comes to somebody hurtin' my family." Kelly said as he stood up to leave. "Erin, thanks for everything you did. I really do appreciate it. But if you think I'm gonna just sit back while that asshole…"
"That's exactly what you're gonna do!" Voight said as he turned back to face Severide. "You're gonna let us do our job. I guarantee...you won't have to wait too long."
As he walked out of the precinct, Kelly told himself there was nothing he could do about the past.
But the future? Now that was a different story.
He strode into Station 51. He was just hoping for a call, for something to get his mind off Katie, Vince Keeler, and what he did to her.
I gotta be losin' it... he thought. When do we ever hope for a fire? An accident? Never.
He barely even said a quick hello to Shay before he disappeared into the locker room... before she could begin her game of twenty questions. He knew his roommate meant well...that she wanted to know he was okay. But the mood he was in, he was liable to bite her head off.
And he didn't want to do that.
Back at the 21st precinct, Voight was on his phone again...his voice getting louder and louder even though he was obviously making an effort to keep it low.
Erin watched his face... knowing something was up.
"What's goin' on, Hank?" she asked her mentor the second he hung up.
Let me in...she thought...so I can help.
"Nothin' you need to worry about," he answered with an unnatural smile.
Smiles were never natural for him.
"Now let's go get that piece of garbage off my streets." he said motioning for Halstead and Olinsky to join them.
He pushed back the thoughts of that bitch from Internal Affairs, trying to focus on the task in front of them…bringing the scum who kidnapped Severide's sweet little sister to justice. But every time he spied a drug deal going down on a corner as they whipped by he heard her threats all over again.
She was getting impatient.
"You better put an end to this, Voight!" she commanded. "These guys aren't your average scumbags. They're smart...white collar...educated. It's going to take your whole team working 24/7 to get them. And that's what Commissioner wants...that's what the Mayor wants...to end it NOW. And if you can't guarantee me results, I can guarantee that your ass will be back in lock up faster than you can…"
Voight had given his word. He had promised her he would shut down the prescription ring infecting the some of the "nicer" parts of the city, particularly the University District. Then the Mayor wouldn't have to be bothered with calls about affluent teens from affluent families OD-ing anymore.
She had given him a deadline…she was under the gun too. She wanted it all wrapped up in a bow within three months. Was she insane? A year would've been more reasonable, maybe even three. But no...Hank Voight had personally guaranteed that these guys would be out of business in three months.
What the hell had he gotten himself into... he thought as he got out of the car.
He had to focus on his current fishing expedition. Catching a slippery son of a bitch named Vince Keeler.
