ANTONIO!
It was a standoff.
Like people would see in an old movie. A sea of police circling around one criminal all pointing their weapons at them waiting for any sign that the criminal was going to try to take one of them out before they could fire a shot. However like many of the films that used that set up it normally turned out that the criminal was the hero and the police the bad guys. But not here.
But this wasn't a movie, and the man they were surrounding was not a victim. He was one once but now that had all changed. He was a cold blooded killer and a child killer at that. He had taken the life of a little boy. And now he held a gun to another little boy's head.
Every cop hated those animals who hurt children, and more so if those animals killed the children. And because of that every cop in the square was ready to fire their weapon at someone who they saw as having no right to breath the same air. And no one could blame them.
The worst thing that a cop could see in their career is finding a young child taken before their life could fully be witnessed or explored. And for many, witnessing such a thing could end their career or turn their whole life upside down.
However the officers that aimed their weapons with the willingness to take the shot that in their eyes needed to be taken, couldn't. Not when another child's life hung in the balance. Conner was innocent. He was an innocent child who did not deserve this. And that was their goal, to get an innocent child home.
They were too late to save the other boy but not this one. Conner had a chance if they played their cards right and that meant working with a child killer. No one wanted to have to tell Conner's family that they had failed to save him. That he wouldn't be returning home to them safe.
However what wasn't helping them was the number of police and news choppers that filled the sky. The police helicopter was there in order to make sure that the correct methods were used along with an eye in the sky in case a chase started.
But the news helicopters were a problem. More likely reporting the whole event on live television as they normally did. And that wasn't something they wanted, as so often after a police shooting there was normally hate aimed not at the criminal but at the police officers themselves.
"This is Detective Erin Lindsay with Intelligence. I need that chopper out of the sky now." Erin spoke into her radio without breaking eye contact with the man in front of him. Erin knew that her order would be relaid to the crew of the news helicopter. And a could of seconds late, they all could hear the sound of a helicopter moving away from them. Also the police helicopter repositioned itself to stop it causing a down draft which was a problem for the police snipers that had been positioned around the square.
Antonio knew that he might not be the right person to talk down a child killer and more so since the boy that he had killed was around the same age as his own son. However then again, knew that he could connect with Kurt. Before Kurt was a child killer he was a father of a murdered son.
He might have only lost his own son for a day however it had left like a lifetime and those feelings were still raw in his mind. He knew that losing a child could destroy a person and he understood that for someone who never got answers they wanted, revenge would seem the only response.
He moved close to Hollister; leaving the protection that he had when he was stood with the officer officers. He felt a long stare follow him which he knew came from Voight. He had a feeling that he was going to get a right talking too when this was all over. Voight might have hated him at the start however he had told him that he was a good detective and wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty when he had too as long as he never crossed the line.
However Antonio ignored his sergeant's eyes and kept them fixed on Connor and Kurt. The little boy was panicking, and he could see very clearly the tears that scarred his face as he looked at all the police officers that surrounded him looking for help. He didn't understand why this had happened and all he wanted to do was to go home.
Erin watched Antonio move closer to the pair, moving closer to keep her line of fire open without risking Connor's or Antonio's lives. She had hoped that Hank would have stopped Antonio getting closer to the pair but he had to trust Hank's chose to let Antonio get close. She knew that the relationship between Antonio and Hank was an odd one but she knew that they trusted each other.
But also she knew Antonio. When he had nearly lost Diego because of his job it had nearly destroyed him. He had blamed himself for putting his family at risk. And she knew that those feelings didn't go away. And with those feelings of nearly losing a child, she could only guess that Antonio might be the best person to talk Kurt into letting Connor go.
Antonio now turned his attention to Kurt, he needed to connect with the man who he knew in his heart he wouldn't hesitate to pull his trigger. Because he was now looking directly at a child killer. If only it was that simple. Because the trust was far worse. He wasn't just looking at a child killer but at a parent who lost their only child in the most horrific way and all he wanted was answers.
"I'm Detective Dawson." Antonio still moving towards Hollister and Connor, with his weapon pointed to the ground and away from him showing that he didn't want to use it. He needed to connect with Hollister and make him work with him in order to make sure that they got Connor home safely. However he had seen what Kurt had done, and he was still a danger.
Also he knew that he could never forgive himself if Connor was to be hurt because of something he did or didn't do. Cases involving kids always got to him. And Antonio knew that he was already on thin ice, and not just with his sergeant but also with his own emotions.
He had lost it in the interrogation room. He knew he shouldn't have hit the guy but for some reason he couldn't stop himself. The father in him caused his anger to erupt. For the first time he had been thankful that Voight had stopped him because he couldn't stop himself. He would have easily killed the man.
And those emotions and hatred was something that he knew wasn't him. He hated feeling like that. Also he knew that he needed to keep that anger in check here. He needed to remain calm.
"Why don't you drop that weapon, Mr. Hollister, and let's talk?" Antonio said remaining where he was, he knew that if he got any closer he would stop Jay getting a clean shot at the guy. And he needed a plan B if he failed.
Hollister looked directly at Antonio when he answered him. "You ain't the man I need to talk to."
It was like he had planned everything in his head and it hadn't turned out like he wanted. He was shaking. And Antonio knew who Kurt wanted but also he knew what he wanted to do to them. Kurt wanted Boyd and wanted him dead. However he didn't know the whole story.
"I know. You want to talk to Damien Boyd, but I can't allow that." Antonio said honestly, he said holding his hand up with his palm open. He needed to make Kurt understand that it was all over. That he wasn't going to get what he wanted.
"You know what he did." Hollister said, still holding the gun to the Conner's neck. He was losing it and Antonio could see that. He was shaking with emotion and that was also affecting Connor who looked even more scared.
Antonio knew what he needed to do. Hollister thought what he thought was the truth but it wasn't. And making him believe that he was wrong was going to be hard but it was the only thing that he could think of.
"I know what you think he did, but you're making a mistake. He wasn't there. You got an innocent man's child in your hands." Antonio said, moving a step closer. Hoping that Kurt would believe him and let Connor go. But as he did he could see the confusion in Kurt's eyes and in his face.
Hollister looked confused at Antonio and then spoke. "No, no, either he's lying or you are."
Yes. His plan was working. Kurt looked confused at Antonio and then to the world around him.
"It's the truth! Now, look, I got two dozen officers here that would love to take you out." Antonio opened his arms to show Kurt that he wasn't getting out of here but also showing him that if he wanted to live he had to work with him. Antonio also knew that many of the officers around them were only too ready to take Hollister done for killing a child but that would risk Connor. They weren't going to let that boy die in front of them.
"Let's not give them a reason." He added hoping Kurt would listen to him.
Hollister however started to shake even more and he could see the anger start to build. And shouted back at Antonio. "They let him die! Left him under a house like he wasn't a person..."
They all felt for the man, he had lost his son. And the way that the boy's body had been left there was too painful to think about. But it didn't give the man the right to take another man's child.
"He bled out all night…a little kid! They took away the only beautiful thing I ever had in my life." Kurt finished still shaking.
At this point Antonio could see Kurt start to fall apart and he wished that he had his gun in his hand. He had put it away when Kurt had been speaking as he saw that the floodgates of emotion was spilling out. His main focused on getting Conner home safe.
He would leave the shot to someone else.
"I know. Nothing you do is gonna bring your boy back. But you can end this story today, or you can use that gun in your hand and drag another family into tragedy. It's up to you." Antonio watched as Kurt started to lower Connor to the ground from where he had been using him as a human shield.
He knew he was getting through to Kurt. Maybe they would walk out of there alive. "Come on."
Antonio saw the pain writing on Kurt's face; it was the same pain he had felt when he had thought he had lost Diego. Kurt looked down at the boy in his hand and the gun that was sat in the other. Tears ran down his face. Antonio's words had gotten through to Kurt. And they were one more step closer to getting Connor home safe.
However it was the tears that he saw that he knew he was going to let Connor go. Antonio lowered himself to Connor's level so he could get hold of Connor quicker.
"Connor, he gonna let you go. Can you run to me?" Antonio said nodding towards Connor so he would understand. He saw Connor nod at his words. He had a plan that he knew that Voight wasn't going to be happy about but he knew that he needed to create a shield for Connor from Kurt.
Hollister shouted, "I can't let him win!" Still shaking as he held his gun to Connor's neck.
Antonio shook his head at that. He had heard that saying before. Someone thinking that if they gave up it allowed his enemies to win. "There aren't any winners here. It's over. He doesn't deserve this. Toss the piece. Come on, Kurt, let him go."
Time seem to pause. However a couple of seconds late Kurt lowered his weapon from Connor's neck and let Connor go. Antonio took in a breath and Connor ran straight towards Antonio. As this happened he opened his arms in order to grab hold of Connor.
As Connor made contact with Antonio's arms, he turned his body to become the wall between Kurt and Connor. He didn't fully trust Kurt so he become the thing that would stop Kurt from hurting another child.
"It's okay. Get Down." Antonio said in Connor's ear. He couldn't see what was going on behind him so he had to trust his team.
No one lowered their weapons. Kurt might have let Connor go but Antonio and Connor were still in the line of fire. But all they could do was watch in horror as Kurt's face changed from someone who was dealing with all his pain at once to someone who was only filled with anger.
Erin watched this change in horror and all she could do was watch as Kurt lifted his gun and pointed it directly at Antonio. All she could see was Antonio's hands wrapped around Connor's body pulling him close in order to protect him.
"Antonio!" Erin shouted just before two shots rang out causing silence in the square.
Bang! Followed by another Bang!
As the first shot rang out, all Antonio could do was to grip Connor tighter to his body. However it wasn't till the sound of the second shot did he feel the pain. A sharp flame exploded on his back. He felt himself fall a little forward with Connor when the pain hit him.
He heard Connor cry out as they fell. Something was wrong and he knew exactly what had happened as he had felt that pain before. But he kept his mind off that fact as his job at the moment was to make sure that the boy that clung to his body was safe.
"Antonio, you okay?" Erin shouted running towards Antonio and Conner along with the rest of the team. He knew that from the sound of the shot, it had come from Jay. But at the moment he could speak. He heard Ruzek and Voight pass him to where he could guess Kurt's body was lying.
Hearing other officers set their weapons away he knew that Connor was no longer in danger. So Antonio allowed his body to relax however it was in that moment that he could stop himself from rolling onto his side and away from Connor and couldn't stop a groan and a short cry as the pain traveled up his back.
"Antonio!" Erin shouted pulling Connor away from Antonio's body and passed him off to Burgess so he wouldn't see the blood that she saw start to come away from Antonio's body.
"10-1, squad! Officer down. I need an Ambulance now." Erin shouted down the radio, before seeing the ever growing blood pool that had started to form.
"Antonio, stay with me." Erin said placing her hand underneath Antonio's vest to feel for the hole that had been caused by the round. She found it very easily. The round had just missed Antonio's vest by only centimetres.
However it wasn't long before Hank joined her. He knelt down next to Antonio placing his hand over the wound as he did not too long ago. Erin quickly passed him the pressure bandage that she had in her vest and as Hank pressed onto the wound he felt Antonio's body jerk away from his touch as the pain ripped through Antonio's body at the touch.
"You're going to be fine Antonio. You're going to be fine." She kept saying; looking around to see if the medics had arrived. However he eyes soon fell on Hank's. She quickly saw a glimpse of guilt that was quickly hidden when he noticed her looking at him.
Antonio heard the sound of the ambulance coming closer to him however his mind was dulling as the pain took hold. He could feel his eyes closing and he couldn't stop himself. He knew from listening to his sister was that he needed to stay awake however he couldn't stop it happening. And then his world fell black.
Antonio could hear a beep. A beep that repeated itself. And to be truthful it had started to do his head in. He opened his eyes to find himself in a white room. A room that was clearly a hospital room. However at first, his vision was still blurry and he couldn't make out who was clearly sat next to his bed in one of the chairs. But as his vision improved to make out who it was so did the pain.
Pain shot from his head all the way across and down his back and he couldn't help but let out a groan. As he closed his eyes hoping that the pain would pass he heard the person who was sat next to him shift in their seat so they were closer to him.
"Hey bro. How are you feeling?" The voice was known to him at first his mind wasn't working however as he opened his eyes once again and turned his face to face the man he saw that it was Voight.
It was then that his eyes focused on Voight's face, who had moved closer to him to stop him from stringing himself. Hank would never admitted it, but he was worried about his friend. Hank and Antonio might never seen eye to eye on everything but they worked well as they both cared about their city. And Hank knew that yet again he had nearly lost his second. And it was true as they had nearly lost him in the ambulance.
"Hey." Antonio was able to mutter as he couldn't put a longer sentence together at the moment.
"You had us worried for a moment there bro." Voight said looking at Antonio with the same look he had given Antonio the last time he had been shot.
Antonio's mind quickly caught up with what had happened and quickly felt his heart start to race. "How's Connor?" Antonio said trying to pull himself up in the bed but pain burned in his back caused he nearly fell forward and off the bed and into Voight's arms. Voight quickly grabbed hold of him to stop him from hitting the floor.
"Easy bro, that bullet missed your spine by inches. You will need some time before you will be back on your feet." Voight said as he helped Antonio back on the bed but knew that he needed to answer his friend's question.
He looked at Antonio as he rested on the bars of the bed. "Connor's fine, not a scratch on him. You did good bro." He said patting Antonio's arm.
Antonio sighed and could feel his heart slowing down. Hank smiled softly knowing that the man in front of him was a good man and a hell of a detective. "Now get some rest, you earned it today. However you do have a visitor who has been waiting for you to wake up for the last few hours."And with that Voight went to the door and opened it.
Antonio opened his eyes and smiled as Diego ran into the room and quickly pulled himself onto the bed and grabbed hold of his father in a tight hug to which Antonio returned. His hand fell onto Diego's head as he held his son. Something that he thought he would never do again.
"Hey Diego. I'm ok." Antonio said pulling out of the hug to look at his son's face.
Voight quietly left them to it, but stopped outside the window to watch his detective with his son. He had seen Antonio in his darkest hour and Antonio had seen him in his. It was something that held them close, they both respected each other in a way that was hard to explain. They both knew what they were both capable of. But for now they didn't need to worry about the what ifs. They were safe. And Chicago had survived another day. And so had they.