Unlikely Partners Chapter 4
"How far do those radios reach?" Casey asked, as he started sending the guys into clearing the debris. The Bomb squad had also been dispatched and was carefully surveying the area before the Fire Department would be allowed in.
"About 2 miles, we only use them at emergency scenes when we are all there." Stella explained. "Who else would know to use that channel and use Kim's badge number?" As crazy as it seemed, it made sense.
"Let's find a way to see if anyone is inside that building, let alone 2 of our own." Chief Boden warned. It would be a different game plan between a rescue vs. a recovery or a clean up.
"I'll call Voight." Casey stated, as the group behind him waited for their assignments.
"What ya got?" He answered gruffly. He wanted answers and he was getting very impatient with the lack of any.
"Sargent, it's Casey." the Fire captain began. He knew being very direct was the best way to communicate with Hank Voight. "I know this may sound crazy, but are you looking for Burgess?" The firefighters close to him held their collective breaths, hoping that Kim was somehow back at the police station.
Surprised, Hank replied, "Yeah. Her and Jay were on a recon job and disappeared shortly after." "What do you know about it?" He inquired seriously. Why would the Fire captain have any news of Kim's disappearance, he wondered.
"Stella got a message on her radio in morse code, spelling out a number which was Burgess's badge number." Casey confirmed Hank's fear for his two officers.
Boden took the phone from Casey once he got the go ahead from the bomb squad. "Hank, It's Wallace. We just got the approval to send a team in to check if Kim and Jay or any other people are inside the building."
"Send me the address.' Hank demanded grumpily. Nothing had gone right all day, he prayed that this would bring good news. "Send some photos when you get a chance."
"2120 S. Ashland Ave. Hank, we will take good care of them if they are down there." He promised his long time friend, and fellow protector of Chicago.
As he hung up, he saw that his team was already pulling out the equipment needed to cut through the cinderblock and concrete, wood, steel, brick,stone, and glass that used to be the New Pilsen Auto Glass shop that had closed 5 years ago. Ambulance 61 was prepped and ready with Brett and Mackie fully engaged in the investigation. Another fire company backing them up was prepared to hose down anything that caught fire again.
Casey and Kelly were in ropes, prepared to rappel in from the top to get a look inside so they could, one, find out if anyone was inside and two, how to get them out.
Hank had the team meet him off scene to debrief them to give them an update from Boden. He wanted to tell them before they saw the scene and assumed the worst.
"Boss any news?" Adam asked, worried. The rest of the team was confused why they were having a debrief now instead of investigating more leads. Hailey, Trudy, and Kevin waited on him to answer.
"Got a call from Boden. They are sending a team into a collapsed building to see if the white van Jay and Kim were tossed into is in there, and if Jay and Kim are in there." Hank Voight announced matter of factly. "They are waiting on the bomb squad to get out of the way and make sure the scene is safe. "He continued, trying to give them the information they wanted in a calm manner.
"Why do they think Jay and Kim are in this building?" Hailey asked, confused.
"They sent a morse code message with Kim's badge number to Stella's radio." Hank replied, impressed with their ingenuity and hoping it would help them survive.
7:45pm
Matthew Lang, Chief of the Bomb Squad confirmed the scene safe and secure as Station 51 and Intelligence waited impatiently to get inside. "This place has been abandoned for years. What caused the explosion was a pipe bomb, which we have been collecting the pieces over the last few hours." Hank had known Matt for over a decade, and trusted him to make the scene safe for all of his unit, those inside and those outside. "We're sending the pieces to the crime lab."
Chief Wallace Boden nodded his understanding. "Proceed but with caution." He commanded Captain Matt Casey and Lieutenant Kelly Severide. They were fitted with usual fire gear and harnesses to rappel in and tried to find holes to drop down into.
"You really think they are in there?" Adam asked doubtfully, looking at the pile of rubble before him. "I freaking hope so." Hailey replied, feeling useless. "And yet I hope they are not in there." She was afraid for their safety.
Hermann gathered the few volunteers from the police department and fire department and assigned them sections to start making some headway into getting inside the rubble. It was one thing to get Casey and Severide in, it would be another to get Halstead and Burgess out.