Erin's POV

Missing.

I never knew how much a single word could affect me, shatter me, turn my entire world upside down. Standing here in Hank's office, I start to get an idea. I feel the blood drain from my face as my hands start to shake and my legs feel like they belong to a six year old. I can't trust them to hold me up any longer, so I take out a chair and sit down opposite from Hank.

Missing.

There are so many questions forming, none of which come with an answer.

What had happened? Was he in danger?

Danger was nothing new in our line of work.

We put our lives on the line every day, but this was different.

Had he been in danger when I was there last night? Is that why he wouldn't let me in?

A thousand scenarios begin to play in my head.

I shake them off at once.

There is something else that is bothering me.

"He seems to be missing?" I look at Hank in disbelief.

"He might just be out for a morning run."

"Hank." At this point, I almost yell out his name. I know he's just trying to lighten the mood, but this was not the time for one of his stupid jokes.

"His brother called this morning. Apparently, they were supposed to have breakfast together, Halstead never showed. He's not at his apartment. His car is gone."

He continues, telling me that we have absolutely nothing to go on and Jay might turn up any minute. But I stopped listening.

Missing.

He is still talking when I finally find my voice again. "So what are we going to do?"

"There's nothing we can do right now, kid."

I'm waiting for him to add something. Waiting for him to say 'There's nothing we can do legally'. Waiting for him to get up and brief the team. Waiting for him to tell me that we will do everything – anything – to get him back.

Nothing.

"You can't be serious."

Before he can even notice the loathing in my voice, his phone rings.

He looks at me, then nods at the bullpen, giving me my cue to leave.

I shake my head as I get up and walk out. I feel like I'm going to be sick as I sit back down in my chair and stare at the papers on my desk.

It was paperwork from the case we had gotten yesterday.

It's by far not the biggest case we've ever worked.

A new designer drug has recently flooded Chicago's high schools, the side effects of which bringing more and more teenagers – kids – to the ER. Just yesterday, a girl had been found unconscious at a club downtown.

Neither narcotics nor the gang unit could find any leads, so the Commander redirected the case to us, knowing Hank would make sure to find the bastard(s) responsible for this.

My head snaps up at the sound of Ruzek's voice. "Morning boss."

Adam's eyes scan the room before adding: "Halstead out?"

"Halstead is taking a personal day." Hank says to the team but I know he means me. He is letting me know that everything is fine and Jay is okay.

I feel relief. A little, at least. It still doesn't sit right with me. Jay wouldn't miss breakfast with Will. He wouldn't just take a personal day without telling anyone and he certainly wouldn't call in this late to tell his boss.

Apparently, I am not alone in this train of thought. Kim, who is filling in for Dawson today, is on edge. I can feel her nervousness without even looking at her.

"In the meantime: Ruzek, Atwater. I want you back at Med. See if that girl can give you some more intel on her supplier. Al, Burgess. You take the schools left on the list. Talk to the principles, get names. We find the dealer, we find the source."

Hank nods, giving the team permission to grab their jackets and head off.

I shoot him a questioning look.

"You go through the footage with Mouse." With that, he turns back around and walks into his office.


Jay's POV

I hear muffled voices as I open my eyes. Pain pierces through my body and my head is throbbing.

Fuck.

This was the second time in two days that I woke up unable to remember what happened. Although this time, memories of the previous night start coming back to me.

The voices get louder and for the first time I can understand what is said.

"But this is not how it was supposed to go."

"Shut up."

"You said nobody would get hurt."

Fuck.

I look around, searching the room for a way out or at least a weapon. Nothing.

"I said shut up!"

"Dave-"

"You shut your stupid little mouth right now or-"

"Okay, okay. Sorry. So what now?"

"Now, we buy ourselves some time and then we figure out who this guy is." The footsteps are replaced by the sound of a turning lock.

I can't help but feel relief wash over me as I realize that they don't know I'm a cop and that they're not going to kill me, at least not yet.

Two figures step into the room as the door opens. I immediately know who's who.

Dave, the bigger of the two men and clearly the boss, takes a few more steps in my direction before throwing a phone at me. He takes another step before he pulls out a gun and points it at my head.

"You're gonna call in sick today, you understand?" I look at him, trying to figure out who he is and why the hell he would feel the urge to hit my head with a crowbar and toss me into his trunk. At least that's what I suppose had happened.

My hands are tied in front of my chest, which makes it hard to dial the district's number. At least it gives me a moment to try and figure out what to tell Voight. Maybe if I say something incoherent, something about the case that doesn't make sense, something about how I got hung up on paperwork...

"No funny business." Dave says as I hold the phone to my ear, emphasizing his words by bringing the gun closer to my face.

"Hey boss." I can't think of anything unsuspicious to say that would make Voight realize that I'm in danger.

"Halstead. Your brother ca-"

"Taking a personal day today." Is all I can say before Dave grabs the phone and ends the call.

He tucks his gun into the back of his jeans and turns around.

I try and concentrate on his partner. There is just enough light from the hallway coming in for me to recognize him. It's not a man. It's a boy. A 15-year-old sophomore named Lucas Breverick, to be more precise.

Erin and I had interviewed him yesterday, posing as social workers to not scare the entire student body.

Erin. She must know something is wrong. After all, I was on my way to her place when all of this happened.

The room goes dark again as Dave closes the door, leaving me alone on the hard, cold concrete floor.

There has to be a way out.


Erin's POV

"Alright, so I pulled the footage of the last two weeks. The video from two nights ago is in right now. Here is that Hannah girl walking in. After that I lose sight of her. There are two more cameras with different angles, though. So we nee-" Mouse stops rambling the moment he really looks at me, knowing that something's off.

"I need you to ping Jay's phone." I say matter-of-factly.

"Wha-" There is no time to clear up Mouse's confusion.

"Just do it." The look on my face is all Mouse needs to know.

Two minutes later he hands me an address and I'm on my way.


AN: I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think! xx