Hi there!

It's been awhile, but I hope it was worth waiting for this chapter. The content of this chapter was the first thing that came to my mind when I decided to write a fanfiction. Then I made up the previous chapters so the story makes sense. I hope you will enjoy!


The ticking of a clock can annoy even the most patient person in the world. Especially when the ticking should be deafened by people talking about the evidence, witnesses' statements or possible motive. But in the bullpen all you could hear was the clock ticking. Everybody was sitting by their desks and reading files, browsing through pictures from the crime scenes or searching databases in their computers.

Only Jay wasn't busy with the case. He was just staring at the wall across from him. His thoughts were focused on Melanie and this whole situation with her. What is happening with the girl now? Who has used her to threaten Jay and the team? Having informed his every CI that could possibly know something about it, all he could do was wait.

"I'm gonna catch some fresh air." He stood up, took his jacket and quickly went down the stairs. The sun went down a couple of hours earlier so the streets were covered with a warm orange gleam coming from multiple street lamps. It wasn't that freezing now but instead, the evening was covered with rain. Yeah, we all like the weather change so fast.

"Hey, what's up?" Burgess went out through the front door and joined Jay on the stairs.

"Just went out to catch some fresh air and clear my head."

"How are you feeling? I've heard somebody jumped you."

"I'm fine. Thanks though." He looked at Burgess and put his hands into his pockets "Do you have cigarettes?"

She looked at him confounded "No, I don't smoke."

Jay put his hood on his head and put the hand back in his pocket "Yeah, me neither."

"Listen, I have to go now." He nodded with understanding "But if you worry about that girl – don't. There was nothing more for you to protect her." She patted him on this back to cheer him up.

"Thanks, Kim." A small smile on his face could be noticed.

She run down the stairs and went to a parking lot. That's when Jay's phone rang.

"Halstead."

"The girl is safe, she's okay but if you continue looking for her, she might not be anymore."

Jay's heart started beating faster. How the hell…

"You got that?" Asked the man. It was a male voice, one hundred percent.

"I got it, relax."

Then there was just beeping. Damn it! He hit the wall with his hand. They knew about him asking his CI's for Melanie. But how? The fun is over. These guys know too much. He ran back inside the precinct.


A man in a black hoodie watched Jay enter the building. He took scissors out of his pocket, pulled out a sim card out of the phone and cut it in four pieces. Tossing them on his hand he slowly turned around and walked to his car.


"If we are doing this undercover operation – now it's the time to start it."

Everybody broke off from their work and looked at Halstead who's just ran into the bullpen.

"What happened?" Antonio got up and came closer to Jay.

"He called me. Told me to back off, if we don't, they'll hurt Melanie. They know I'm looking for her."

Voight dropped his head. This is all happening too fast. Glancing at Alvin he tried to find the answer to questions mounting in his head right now.

"They must have wired your cell after the attack. I'll check this out." Jay handed Ruzek his cell and put his hands on his hips not knowing what to do, sit down or go somewhere. Being helpless was never pleasurable.

"Voight, let's do this, I'm ready. Olinsky is done with the files and the cover, right?" Al nodded and took the papers out of his drawer.

"Alright, I'm calling commander Jacobs right now, Antonio – prepare your cover and the rest of you go home, tomorrow I want you at 6 sharp, we'll discuss the plan and start the operation around 10. Any questions?"

Again in the room all you could hear was the clock ticking.


Around 8 on the white board in the bullpen Voight listed the plan of the operation. Step by step. Burgess and Roman were called upstairs as well as the team might need their help. After he make sure everybody followed there was time for Ruzek to wire Antonio. Alvin and Jay went to change their clothes. Their task was to cover Antonio, pretend to be his assistants.

They had to be ready for meeting with the commander Jacobs at his district at 11. Meeting him as Walter Beck, the owner of W.B. Glass, a company producing items made of glass, and his assistants. Mr. Beck wants to donate a substantial amount of money to 31st district, so the commander invited him to the precinct. They all hoped a cover like that is enough.

The moment everything was ready, Antonio, Jay and Alvin moved to their cars and drove to the precinct. There's no backing off.


The first part of the day went smooth. They met commander Jacobs, Antonio had a few interviews for local newspapers, everything according to plan. Burgess and Roman extended a little bit their manor in order to keep an eye on Antonio. The trap is set, all they can do now is wait for the killer to raise to the bait.

"Maybe there's something more to do. Waiting is killing me." Antonio wandered around Voight's office.

"Sit tight and wait. He must find out that there's new beneficial. Tomorrow he'll learn it from the newspapers."

"And if he don't? I would…"

"I know what you would but first I want to take it easy. You've seen the plan, I have another card up my sleeve, just be patient."

Antonio looked at the others in the bullpen. It was after 9 p.m., all of them were tired.

"Let's head to the safe house. Everybody looks tired, that was a long day."

Voight nodded. "Just watch out for yourselves."

"We will. See you tomorrow." Antonio left the office.

"Let's go, we're calling it a night." No one was happy nor unsatisfied.

"Hey, guys!" Ruzek run up to Antonio and his 'assistants' on their way out of the building "I'll go with you to check on one thing, I don't have a reception on one of the cameras on the front of the house. I don't know what happened, gotta fix it."

"Alright, let's go."

And the four of them drove to the safe house.


The weather was still messing with people. A gentle rain was falling and the temperature made everyone dream about warm blanket and a stronger drink to heat themselves from the inside.

The safe house Voight have chosen, was rarely in use. Chicago Police had a few locations with houses ready to be moved in while running undercover operations. No one would like to put their families at risk so it was easier to use one of the locations.

Around the house were situated only warehouses, shops and just a few homes. Their house was not the best looking, although it was designed to be useful, not pretty.

Antonio, Jay and Alvin went inside leaving Ruzek in the front where he put his tools and was just about to get started with his work.

The boys were getting themselves comfy in the house. Some microwave food was almost done, Jay managed to find sport on TV and Adam was still outside, soaked to the skin. Everything seemed to be right.

"Has somebody taken my grey bag from the car?" The men shook their heads and went back to the hockey game they've been watching "Good, so you want me to prepare some food and you don't take it from the car? Alright, alright, don't bother bringing it for me." No reaction. "I actually like the rain, so stay here, in a warm house, I'm going out." Antonio wanted to go fetch the bag but Jay got up from the couch, laughing and said: "I'll keep you company, don't worry."

"Come on, Ruzek is outside, I'll be fine. If you're bored you can clean the mess from the table so we can eat here." He patted his younger friend on his back and went outside.

Then the power went out.

"What the hell Ruzek is doing out there with the wires?" Alvin remained silent what made Jay rethink his theory with Adam messing with the electricity. He heard familiar clicking that comes from taking a gun out of holster. If Olinsky reached his gun… Cold shiver ran through his spine. Can't be…

He and Olinsky started moving towards the back door when an explosion shook the building.


"Erin, what are you doing here? I thought you went home."

Erin walked into Voight's office and put a sandwich on his desk.

"Thought you might be hungry." He smiled.

"Still delaying joining the task force?" she sat down and sadly looked at him "You know you can't do it forever. You made the decision, now it's time for consequences."

"In other words, you want to fire me?" They both laughed. Erin needed so badly a little fun and a moment of relax, just not to think about the big changes in her life.

"I'm not. I want you close but I had to realize you're not a lost teenager now. You're a woman and a great police. I understand you have to move on with your career and remember - I'm really proud of you, girl." Erin just smiled at him. Maybe Voight had his issues, but for her – he was the best that could happen to her.

Nadia interrupted, knocking on the door.

"Erin, sergeant Platt wants to see you downstairs, she says it's important." She quickly looked at Voight "I'm sorry I'm interrupting."

"Thanks Nadia, I'm on my way." She smiled at Hank and went downstairs with the girl.

Hank took the sandwich and was just about to eat it when his phone rang.

"Voight."

"Downstairs." Saying just that one word the caller hung up. Voight took his gun out of his drawer and slowly went downstairs. He looked at Platt's desk, but she wasn't there.

"Good evening, sergeant Voight." Said a man dressed black with a mask on his face. He came out the room across Platt's desk. The worst was the fact, that he was using a young woman as a human shield.

"Hello to you too. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"You like fooling people, don't you?" The woman tried to loosen his arm on her neck, but it only made the man hold her tighter.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Voight tried slowly to reach his gun.

"Are you that stupid? Hands up, now!" He yelled "Or the girl dies."

Everyone present in the building tried to find the best possible cover without moving too much.

"Alright, take it easy." Voight slowly put his hands up. He had a plan, but something must distract the man first, so Hank can take the action.

"You should have known, people are not that stupid to believe you, Voight. But your opinion is, that no one is smarter than you, right? But this time you weren't the smartest one." The man raised his hand in which was holding a gun and pointed at Voight. It lasted only a few seconds till the shot was fired.

The girl screamed frantically as the man fell on her with a bullet hole in the back of his head. Voight was holding his gun but it wasn't him who took the shot. As the man fell to the ground, he saw Lindsay on the other end of the hall. And a gun in her hands. All of the people got quickly up from the floor. A couple of uniformed cops went out to search for other potential shooters. Erin came closer to Voight and she hugged him. They lasted like that for a while.

"Who's going to save your butt when I'm not here?" She asked but all he could do was hold her tighter and say "Thank you."

Then Platt brought Nadia who was pretty shaken up from what has happened minutes ago. The phone on her desk rang so she answered it.

"Hey!" She yelled at Voight and Erin "I just got a message that Burgess' and Roman's car was involved in an accident." She looked worried "Help is on the way, but I don't know anything else."

All of a sudden, Voight took his phone out and rapidly dialed somebody. Erin looked at him wanting to know what is going on. After a while he said to her "Antonio's not picking up."

Her blood run cold when she understood what Voight may suspect.

He tried Olinsky's number. Nothing. In the same moment Lindsay tried to contact Jay and Adam.

Their numbers were unavailable as well.


A/N: And here we have a cliffhanger! Honestly, I didn't mean to do it now, after the mid-season finale, but well… All I can promise to the people that read the story is that I won't wait till January and I'll post the next chapter much sooner :)

Thank you very much for reading!

Have a nice day!