"Where's my brother?" Will questions the intelligence unit when Hailey brings him into the bullpen.
"We don't know," Hailey tells him. "Jay didn't show today. We were trying to locate him when you called me."
"Have you heard from him?" Voight questions.
"No, I haven't talked to him in a couple of days," Will answers looking at Hailey, giving her the unspoken timeline of training Casper.
"Has he mentioned anything unusual to you?" Voight questions. "Did he think he was being followed?"
"No! What's going on?"
"Has Jay told you anything about our case?" Voight questions.
"No, just that it was a tough one," Will answers.
"We think that our suspect is taking military people and torturing them," Hailey tells the older Halstead, leaving out the murdering part.
"That's how Jay fits," Will mumbles to himself. "Why would they take Jay? He's been out for thirteen years," Will questions the unit.
"It looks like the military members that are being taken are part of their branch's specialized units."
"What are you doing to get him back?"
"We can't find anything other than the military connection," Ruzek tells Will.
"Where was Casper found?" Hailey asks.
"I don't know, but I got him from Red Door Animal Shelter," Will tells them.
"That can narrow it down," Atwater states as he goes onto his computer.
"Casper, come here," Hailey calls the dog. Casper goes over to her and she starts looking him over.
"What are you doing?" Ruzek asks.
"Trying to see if there's anything on him that can help."
"Is there anything?" Will asks.
"No, just some dirt and leaves."
"What can I do?"
"Take Casper back to Jay's and stay with him," Hailey tells him.
"Hailey-"
"I'll call you when we have Jay," Hailey tells him giving him the same look that she gives Jay when he's being stubborn.
Will takes a deep breath before calling Casper and walking down the stairs.
"Let's see how you hold up compared to the others," the second man tells Jay.
"My team's going to find me. And when they do, you'll wish you were dead," Jay spits out.
"They won't find you… until we want them to."
"Come on, Casper," Will calls the dog as he enters Petco.
Casper follow behind the red-head. Will lead Casper to the self-serve dog wash stations in the back. "Let's get you cleaned up for Jay."
Will proceeds to give Casper a bath, getting off the dirt and leaves that stuck to the puppy from being on his own.
"Hailey, Vanessa, go to the shelter where Casper ended up," Voight tells the two.
The two girls get up and leave the bullpen heading to Hailey's car.
"Do you think we're going to find him?" Vanessa asks.
"We have to. He didn't survive Afghanistan just to die here."
"If Jay was taken by the same people, does that mean the other body is going to show up soon?" Vanessa questions, realizing that their fourth body has yet to make an appearance,
"Maybe we can save both of them."
Jay swallows a scream as one of his kidnappers burn him with a meatal rod.
"Looks like this kid is going to last longer than the last," the third man states.
"Is there anything you can tell us about where Casper was found?" Hailey asks Anna.
"No, but Sam, the dogcatcher who brought him in, might be able to."
"Where is he?"
"He should be in the back, I'll take you to him," Anna offers coming out from behind the desk.
"Thanks," the young officer speaks up as the follow Anna into the back.
"There he is," Anna tells the two pointing to a man getting a dog situated into a cage before leaving.
"Sam?" Hailey questions.
"Yeah?"
"Chicago PD, we have some questions for you."
"Regarding?" Sam asks, confusion clear on his face.
"The yellow lab you fond this morning," Vanessa answers.
"What does a stray have to do with the police?"
"The 'stray' belongs to a detective of the Chicago police department, who is missing and believed to be in danger," Hailey snaps.
"So, where did you find him?" Vanessa asks.
Stunned by the detective's attitude, Sam gives them the location of where he found Casper.
Will opens Jay's apartment to let himself and Casper in. Casper runs into Jay's room to find his human. He searches everywhere before whining and going back to the living room to Will.
"I know, buddy, I know. The team will find him," Will tells the dog. "You must be hungry," Will remembers as he goes to where Jay keeps Casper's things. Casper whines again.
Will puts the bowl down and Casper goes over to it before looking at Will again.
"Guys, we got a location on where Casper was picked up. Vanessa and I are headed there now and are going to go out from there," Hailey informs the rest of the team by radio.
"Okay," Voight responds. "Send it to the rest of us and we'll meet you there."
"Do you think we'll find anything?" Vanessa asks.
"I hope so."
"Why are you doing this?" Jay questions through the pain.
"Because," is the only answer he gets before his head is dunked in ice water.
Kim and Kevin join Vanessa and Hailey in fifteen minutes.
"Where are Adam and Voight?" Hailey questions.
"Still at the district," Kim answers.
"The body of the coast guard member showed up," Kevin adds.
"Dammit," Hailey curses.
"Hey, Jay's tough. We'll find him," Kim tells her.
"Where do you want to start?" Kevin asks.
"Vanessa and I will go this way," Hailey instructs pointing to her right. "You two," she addresses the other officers, "go that way," she points to the opposite direction.
"There has to be something going on between the two of them," Kim comments as she and Kevin are looking for any clue as to what happened to Jay.
"I don't kno-" Kevin starts. "Hey, what's this?" he asks as he sees a piece of black metal underneath a trash bag in the ally.
Kim looks to where he is pointing, "Looks like a phone." Kim picks up the phone, the screen is badly cracked, but the two are able to make out a picture of a yellow lab.
"Hailey," Kim calls on her over the radio.
"Yeah?"
"Kev and I found a phone. The screen has a picture of a yellow lab, could this be Jay's?"
"Where are you?" Kim gives Hailey their location and Hailey notes that she will be there with Vanessa in five minutes.
As promised Hailey arrives in five minutes with Vanessa in tow. "Let me see," Hailey reaches for the phone. Hailey punches in a number and the phone unlocks, "This is Jay's."
"So, this is where he was taken," Vanessa mumbles as she looks around.
"Have we found out anything else, like why he was taken?" Hailey asks.
"Nothing," Kevin answers.
"Hey, is that a security camera?" Kim asks pointing at a black sphere mounted onto the brick building.
"Worth a try," Hailey states going towards the building.
Walking into the building, the group sees that it is a café.
"How many?" the host asks.
"Chicago PD, can we speak with the manager?" Kevin asks. The host goes to get the manager, who appears a moment later.
"Can I help with something?" he asks confused.
"Is that a security camera in the ally next to your building?" Vanessa asks.
"Yes, I had it installed after one of my employees was attacked while taking out the trash," he replies.
"Can we take a look at the footage?" Kim asks.
"A detective is missing and we think that he disappeared in that ally," Hailey adds.
"Of course," he leads them to them his office. "What time are you looking for?" he asks.
"Sometime late last night to early this morning," Hailey answers.
The manager nods, bringing the footage to ten o'clock the night before. "I need to get back to work, but if you need a copy, just let me know."
The four thanks him before taking a look at the footage on the computer.
"Hey, what's that?" Kevin questions.
"Looks like a partial," Vanessa answers.
"This is Tanner Geoffrey," Vanessa tells the team as she puts the picture on the whiteboard. "He owns the van that we got the partial from. From what we can make out there were three other figures in the video excluding Jay."
"Geoffrey was rejected from the Marine Corps on the physical fitness requirement," Adam tells the group.
"What if we're looking for others who have been rejected from the different branches of the military?" Kim asks.
"Is there a way to find out that information? Are there records of that?"
"There's not a database, but we can find that information, it might take time though."
Hours later, the team is able to get a list of possible suspects. Their list is narrowed down to people who are still located within city limits, but Hailey is still worried that they are missing possible suspects.
"Hey, I think I have something," Adam tells the rest of the unit.
"What is it?"
"Jonathan Blackthorn– rejected from the army three years ago on the psychological assessment. He has a secondary property in the industrial district– that's where they could be holding Jay," he suggests.
"Okay, send everyone the address. I want us there yesterday," Voight orders.
"He should break soon," Jay faintly hears as he is being waterboarded. He loses consciousness before he hears anything else.
The team breaches into the building where they believe that Jay is being held. As they breach, they can hear footsteps– running away, trying to escape.
The four suspects split up, causing Voight to go after the first one; Kevin and Kim to go after the second; Adam on the third; and Hailey and Vanessa to go after the last one.
Once Hailey is sure that their suspects are being handled, she goes off to search for Jay. Being careful as she searches each room, Hailey finds Jay tied up on the table where he was waterboarded.
"Jay," she calls. "Can you hear me?' Hailey uses a sternum rub to try to rouse him. Jay moans and Hailey sighs in relief. "Jay?" She calls again.
Jay mumbles incoherently.
"That's it, Jay. You're going to be okay," Hailey tells him before pulling out her radio. "5021 Henry to Main. I need an ambo at my location now. I have an officer down."
"Ambo is six minutes out."
"Hailey," Adam comes into the room.
"Adam, get the emergency blanket from the car! He's freezing," Hailey orders.
Adam runs off to get the requested item. He returns in less than two minutes, helping Hailey wrap the blanket around the injured detective.
Soon after the ambulance arrives and Brett and Foster appear. "What do we have?" Brett questions.
"We don't know exactly. He was taken and tortured, but we don't know how or to what extent. He's barely conscious," Hailey answers.
"Let's get an IV going and put him on oxygen. He's going into shock, East Mercy is closest," Brett tells them.
"Is he stable enough to make it to Med?" Hailey questions.
Brett and Foster look at each other, "Yes," she answers while placing the oxygen mask on him.
Hailey climbs into the back of the ambulance after reminding the team that someone has to call Will and Adam slams the doors shut before the vehicle takes off.
Hailey and Brett hear Jay mumbling something. "Jay, you're okay. We're on the way to Med," Hailey tells him.
Jay grabs the mask and lifts it up a little, "Casper?" he questions worry clear on his face.
"Casper is fine. He's at your apartment with Will," Hailey reassures him.
"Physically, Jay's going to be fine," Rhodes tells the team and Will after examining Jay. "I'm going to keep him overnight for observation. If he lets me, I want to keep him for at least two days before I discharge him."
"Physically?" Kim asks.
"He's now awake yet, but judging from the injuries he received, I want psych to evaluate him."
"Can we see him?" Hailey questions.
"He's being moved to a room right now. In about twenty minutes, a nurse will show you to his room."
"Thanks, Connor," Will nods towards his colleague.
Walking into Jay's room the group is quiet, not wanting to startle him if the detective is sleeping.
"Hey," Jay croaks when they enter.
"How're feeling?" Kim asks.
"Like I went through a meat grinder," Jay answers. "When can I go home?"
"Connor wants to keep you for observation for a couple of days before discharging you," Will tells his brother.
The group stays, filling Jay in on what they know– promising to get to the bottom of it now that they have people in custody until a nurse kicks them out for the night.
"Will?" Jay calls before his brother can leave.
"Yeah?" Will pauses, going back to the bed.
"Casper's really okay?"
"He's fine. He misses you, but he's fine. He got picked up and ended up at an animal shelter. They called me and I picked him up."
"He's okay," Jay whispers to himself.
"Go to sleep," Will suggests. "I'll be here when you wake up."
"Go home, I'll be fine."
"Call if you need anything," Will orders as he leaves the room.
"Is he okay?" Hailey asks when Will exits the room.
"Yeah, he just wanted to know about Casper"
"Should we get Casper? I'm afraid what he went through is going to give him nightmares," Hailey mentions.
"Good idea," Will agrees. "I'll run and get him. Do you know where Jay put the vest I got him for Casper?"
"In the closet with the extra leash and harness," Hailey answers.
"Okay, I'll be back in less than an hour. Do you mind staying until then?"
"No problem," Hailey answers while walking into the room.
Will goes back to Jay's apartment to be greeted by Casper. "Hey, boy. Come on, we're going to see Dad," he tells the dog while going into the closet to grab the vest.
Pulling the vest from the closet, Will notices that Jay did in fact attach some of the patches to the vest. Taking a good look at the vest, Will notices that Jay attached six of the patches he was given: Service Dog in Training, Do Not Distract, Ignore Me I'm Working, We Are A Team Forever, Access Required By Law No Exception, and Not All Disabilities Are Visible. Will also noticed that there were some patches that he didn't recognize: Do Not Distract PTSD Service Dog in Training and Service Dog in Training No Touch No Talk No Eye Contact.
Will smiles to himself seeing that Jay added some more patches on his own.
"Casper, come here," he calls the dog. Casper comes over and Will places the vest on him. Will then puts on Casper's leash and leads him out the door.
Will walks back into Med with Casper and is stopped by a night nurse, "No pets allowed."
"He's a service dog in training and his handler is admitted on this floor."
The nurse nods and leaves them be.
Will walks into Jay's room to see Jay squirming in the bed, the heart monitor beeping faster than normal.
"Casper," Hailey calls. "Help your dad."
Will helps Casper onto the bed and undoes the leash. Casper moves to Jay's face and starts licking him. When that doesn't help, he lays on top of Jay and the pressure seems to calm Jay down, the monitors attached to him going back to a normal range as proof.
Will moves to take off Casper's vest so the dog is more comfortable for the night.
"Should one of us stay? In case Casper needs out throughout the night?" Hailey asks.
"No, he should be fine. I made him go before we came in and I need to be back at six for my shift. I can let him out then."
"Okay, I'll probably come and check on him before going into work," Hailey tells the older Halstead.
"Sounds good," Will answers as he places the vest on the chair on the side of the bed opposite of the door.
When the two leave, Casper is still on top of Jay providing comfort.
A/N: Sorry it's late, but it's about 1,700 words longer than my average for this story. I know there are a lot of line breaks, but I wanted to switch between "scenes" a lot in this chapter. Once again, it is late in my time zone (2AM) so I will reread this later at a more reasonable time and edit if necessary, but I wanted to get it published. Though, as always, it was ran through Grammarly. I will possibly come up with a better Chapter Title as well.
Regarding my author's note from the last chapter; Who's to say I was criticizing a follower? I was just ranting… this was my own private rant about what I have seen in the fandom. It just happened to be a rant in response to a review. And like I said in the author's note in the last chapter: If I lose readers because of my rant… that's fine because it needed to be said- this fandom can be toxic at times. The shippers are on different sides of the fence, but don't often don't let it be. I'm a blunt person; it's the thing that people either like about me or hate about me. There's no inbetween.
Update on all stories:
-"Rock Bottom": I have not forgotten about it. It will be completed, but I am holding off on working on that until I have time to do more research to portray the subject in a respectful manner.
-"Man's Best Friend": Hopefully getting back to a regular schedule. I have no end at this point, so it will be continued for as long as people are interested and I can keep it fresh. This is also the next story I plan on editing and adding to AO3.
-Whump prompt by floopdeedoopdee: in progress. Have part of chapter 1 done, it will be 5 chapters. I will post when it is complete, one chapter a week.
-Deaf Jay: I am still on chapter 3. The problem with that one is that I am using the deaf chapter from here for the first chapter, so I am trying to make all chapters around 3,000 words which takes me more time than my normal 1,000-2,000 word chapters.
-"A to Z": So, there's three more chapters and I only have to write two of them. I'm going to miss writing one-shots. Should I do a "One-shot Sunday" and publish random one-shots on Sunday? If I did, I would be taking requests- I would just need to figure out how that would work so the request would all be in one place. Also due to this being delayed, Chapter "X" of "A to Z" is probably not going to be published until Tuesday or Wednesday. The good news is that "Y" is already written and just needs to be looked through one more time.