Upstead (First Kiss)

Chapter 3

Hello guys! Here is the third chapter. Before you get into it I want to point out a few things. The timeline in this story is not pertinent to any plot as such but I have used characters and events to my needs. Hope you understand. Enjoy. :)

It was past 11 at night but no one complained because one of their own was missing. Voight arrived with Kim and Atwater. Kim looked as though someone had punched the hell out of her. The worry and tension on her face was evident. Earlier that day Adam had been shot and she had spent the entire day with him and now Hailey was missing, what the hell was going and why didn't this day just come to an end? Kevin wasn't calm either, he was ready to find this person and lock him or her up for good. Voight seemed like himself, he was calm on the outside but everyone knew he was boiling inside. Hearing the news about Hailey Ruzek had wanted to join the team but was strictly forbidden by Will and his team. They didn't need unnecessary danger and tension. When the team arrived Jay was already looking around for any clue as to who would have done this. He had already sent the blood splattered on the ground to the forensics lab, hoping with all his hear that it was the offender's and that this offender was on the database, which would lead them directly to him.

"What the hell happened Jay?" Voight enquired frantically.

"I don't know Sarge," Jay said wishing he knew. "I had come to meet her after we met your CI, but when I arrived she didn't open the door. So I assumed she was already asleep but still wanted to check in on her once and that's when I found the blood and realised she wasn't even there."

"Hmm," Voight said, sensing something was going on between the two but deciding now was not the time to get into that. The central goal was to find Hailey, fast.

"Alright," he began again. "Let's toss this place up and look out for anything that could give us a clue. I am sure there will be something that will show us how to proceed."

The team nodded and all of them entered Hailey's house. Before anyone could say anything more Jay said with a firmness that nobody could oppose, "I'll take the bedroom."

The team didn't argue and everyone took a specific room and began looking for any clue that they could find. Jay thought it best to let Hailey's personal life remain private for as long as possible. And he was the only one who knew her house from corner to corner. He entered her bedroom in a frenzy, shuddering at all the blood that was pooled there. He had to do something and he had to do it fast. Suddenly he remembered the kiss they had shared in the bull pen and that memory instantly brought tears and anger to his being. He was ready to find this monster and kill him if necessary. Nobody had the right to lay a hand on Hailey and he was going to make damn sure that that happened. As he looked at the bed he couldn't help but think what would have happened. Would they have used this bed tonight? What would have they done? These thoughts were too painful and Jay couldn't let them occupy his mind. What was even more painful was the idea that Hailey, in fact, didn't feel the same way. That thought was his undoing and he let the tears fall down his cheeks. He was so angry and frustrated that he smacked the bed with his hand, instantly realising that was tampering with the evidence. But what happened next was something beyond Jay's understanding. As he had taken out his anger on the sheets a small piece of paper had elevated and fallen back on the bed. Jay quickly moved to grab it and see what it was. All he saw were four characters etched, 'RB, 35'. From the handwriting he could discern it was Hailey's and he stormed out of the room. The team heard his voice and they all gathered to look at this paper, hoping with all their heart it was a clue Hailey had left.

"Alright, so what's this? What does it mean?" asked Voight.

"It could be a person's name and his age," Kim added, her brain turning in all possible ways to decipher this clue.

"Could be," Jay agreed, hopeful for the first time.

"We have to run it through our database to find out," Kevin added, also feeling at ease that they could finally find something.

"Alright, so let's move," Voight declared.

The team rushed to the district and everyone was at their computers. But after a good fifteen minutes they realised they hadn't found anything. Jay got up in frustration and banged his fist on the desk. They were back to square one. Suddenly Kim called out, "Jay just get me Hailey's file where all her arrests are stored."

Jay quickly opened his partner's drawer and grabbed a large file. He realised his head was not working at the moment but anyone who could help should be supported. "Open to her thirty-fifth arrest and see what comes up," Kim ordered.

Jay did that and the person he found on that page made all the hair on his skin stand up. This could not be happening. As Jay did not say anything Kevin grabbed the file and read, "Ronald Booth." He queried, "Who the hell is this guy?"

In his mind Jay thought, the guy who had almost raped Hailey. But he said instead, "A guy Hailey busted when she was undercover and again a few years back. How the hell did he get out of prison?"

Voight seemed to remember the prick and soon enough the team as well recalled this guy and silently everyone knew that this was danger and they had to find him really fast. This information was the cherry on top for Jay, the idea of Hailey being kidnapped by this monster was one that he didn't want to believe. He was the only one who knew how dangerous this guy was, and perhaps now was the time to enlighten the team as well.

Suddenly Voight called Jay, yanking him out of his thoughts, "Jay, I need to speak to you," saying this Voight entered his office and Jay followed. He was asked to shut the door and he complied.

"Sit down Jay," Voight said. But Jay remained standing and Voight began, "I don't know what's going on between you and Upton, but whatever it is you can't let it cloud your judgement. And you know more than anyone else how dangerous this Booth guy is, I don't have to remind you."

"There's something else you need to know Sarge," Jay began, sensing this was the right moment to tell him everything. And just like that Jay recounted the whole story to Voight and for the first time today Voight looked shaken up and slightly unstable. The implications this kidnapping possessed were gruesome and something needed to be done fast. There was a knock on the door and Kim had appeared, "I pinged Hailey's phone and it seems to be near Booth's paint factory.

"Let's roll then," Voight said getting up.

The team arrived outside the factory in twenty minutes and the street was pitch dark. They approached the main entrance silently and tried to bust the lock. Succeeding they entered the building and it stank of oil and paint. No one seemed to be there. They searched the entire building but found no sign of Hailey or Booth. This was a complete nightmare, the more they delayed the greater the chance they would find Hailey in a condition that was not reversible. Halstead then practically screamed, "What do we do now?"

Voight for once did not have a quick answer and that showed how the team was in a rough spot. He finally said, "We have to keep our heads straight. Let's try to dig into Booth more and see if he has anyone who could help him. Also look for isolated places in the ten block radius where Booth could take Hailey. They were all heading out when suddenly Jay's phone rang, he was not in the mood to speak to anyone but he picked up frustrated, "Hello."

He couldn't believe the voice he was hearing on the other end, it was Hailey, literally whispering. Jay immediately put the phone on speaker and Kim tried to ping it. "It's Booth, it's Booth," Hailey was saying.

"We know Hailey. Where are you?" Jay asked ready to attack that place.

"He's taken me to this warehouse on"— and that's when the team heard a gunshot and Hailey's voice trailed off.

The look on Jay's face suggested he had been beaten with a baseball bat. Voight was worried too. Kim announced finally where the phone had pinged off from. They left the building immediately and headed to the location. Jay had never driven so fast in his life and he didn't care. It took longer than expected to find the warehouse, but when they did they went in guns blazing. They could hear sounds from a higher floor and they rushed up silently. In the far corner was a small figure, curled up and not moving. It was Hailey. Jay ran towards her and collapsed on the ground beside her, checking her pulse and wishing to God she was breathing. Meanwhile, footsteps were heard ahead and it was obvious Booth was trying to escape once again. Kim had kneeled down next to Jay as well and she was trying to get Hailey breathing, the tears in her eyes were real and she couldn't bear to see her friend die right in front of her. Suddenly a violent thought overtook Jay's being and he told Kim, "Stay with her."

Jay ran after Booth like a lion targeting its prey and before Voight or Kevin could stop him he was chasing Booth down the stairs on the other side. Come what may, he was going to kill this monster today. Kevin ran after Jay to prevent exactly that from happening. Jay had caught up with Booth in no time and pushed him from behind causing the man to falter and fall on the ground. Jay kicked him several times before kneeling down and punching Booth's face with all the strength he had. In between the punches Booth attempted to speak and all that was heard was, "She's good," a smirk on his face.

At that Jay lost it and choked Booth, hadn't Atwater arrived he would have killed the man. It took all the strength in Atwater to grab Jay off of Booth and lead him in the other direction. Voight had arrived by then and all he said glaring at Booth was, "You move, you die."

The ambulance had arrived and Hailey was not in a good condition. She had lost a lot of blood and she didn't have a steady pulse still. Jay entered the ambulance not seeking permission or caring what he was told, he had to be with her. The ambulance rode off towards Med and the only thought that filled Jay's mind was that whether he would see Hailey again or not.

Well, this concludes the third chapter and it has been a heavy one. I will be waiting for your comments and feedback. Thank you!