"Detective Upton. How are you?" Commander Brennan caught her off guard in the locker room. "Got a minute?"

"Sure." She closed her locker door after holstered her weapon.

"How's it going here?"

"Good, great."

"I hear good reports. You are making a name for yourself, a good name despite being in this unit."

"It's a good unit." She was warned about this Unit, it's reputation was well known but she also knew she had the backbone to stand up to the bad behaviour and make it a better, less controversial unit. There was no way this place was taking her down with them. It was a stepping stone, she needed more experience and to get away from people who wanted her to fail. One thing this unit didn't do was set you up to fail.

"Yes, it gets the job done. That's impressive and my sources inform me a big part of that is you. Especially after the whole Lindsay debacle, the unit needed a good strong honest female, a moral compass. You are going places." Lindsay troubles were also well known, very well known and not getting involved in personal dramas was the smart thing to do.

While Hayley was wary, the commander always had an agenda it was nice to be recognised for her work. She worked hard and didn't always get the rewards. The team had the tendency to not single any one person out for good work, it was a team effort and for the most part she was fine with that but every now and then a pat on the back was good for the soul and the ego. Not to mention it would look good on her resume to get some recognition for her efforts.

"Thank you."

"You are due some furlough, perhaps you should take it sometime soon. You know the policy of letting it build up?"

"One day, it's been a bit hectic here lately."

"Yes, it certainly has. I think it would be good for you, it's good for everyone to take a break, dealing with the worst of the worst tends to wear you down and things sneak up on you."

"Nah I'm good, thanks for the advice though. Anyway, I've got to get to work."

"Of course, just one question. I was surprised not to see you at the crime scene last night?"

"What crime scene?"

"Oh some drug deal gone bad. Must have been nice to have the night off though?"

Despite the hairs standing up on the back of her neck she managed to keep her voice even.

"Bath and bed early. Read a book, washed my hair."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Your boyfriend busy?"

"Don't have a boyfriend." She shrugged although her heart did beat a little faster. "Just me and a couple of pot plants. Too busy for anything else, this job is a relationship killer."

"Don't I know it?" Brennan smiled sweetly. Hayley nodded and headed towards the door. "One more question? Officer Ruzek, he's got a bit of a temper? Been known to rough up some suspects."

"No more than any of us. Gets the job done."

"At home?"

"Wouldn't know. Perhaps ask Burgess, she was engaged to him once."

"Really?" Brennan cocked an eyebrow. Of course she knew that, she knew everything. "Anyway, thanks again Detective Upton. I look forward to working a little closer with you."

Hayley just nodded. It was a strange conversation and she felt a little uncomfortable and took a second to shake it off before she hit the bullpen. It surprised her to see Adam in Voight's office and the fact the door was shut didn't bode well, although there was no yelling so that had to be a good thing.

Halstead looked at her quizzically when Brennan followed her back into the bullpen and headed straight for Voight's office again. She just shrugged it off and hoped like hell she kept her face neutral. She had no idea what was going on. Inside her guts were churning, she knew she'd just been played and had the feeling the shit was about to hit the fan.

A minute later Adam came out, grabbed his jacket and headed straight for the locker room. He did not even look at her or anyone for that matter. She saw Kim make a move to follow him so she leapt up and beat her to it and she felt everyone's eyes on her as she chased after him.

By the time she came back out of the locker room after trying to talk to Adam, Brennan was gone and Voight was standing at the whiteboard, clearly pissed off. "Magnus Cole. Ruzek's CI was brutally murdered in the early hours of this morning. A witness puts Ruzek at the scene at the time of the murder although I, for one don't believe it. We need to find the person responsible, today."

"Boss." Atwater started.

Voight held up his hand. "Kev, let's just find the person responsible and the rest will fall into place."

"Where's Ruzek?" Kim piped up.

"Suspended." Voight angrily slapped his photo up on the board. "He's counting on us, his friends to find the truth." Hayley didn't miss the very pointed stare, Voight was angry. "I will say this once. Do not contact Ruzek at all, not even a text message. Our every move is being watched."

"Sarge…" she stood up. "…I need to talk to you."

"You've done enough." He turned back to the rest of them and doled out some orders. Leaving Hayley on desk duty, which surprised everyone. Something was going on that they weren't privy too and they had learnt it was wise not to ask.

Jumping up to grab a coffee she wasn't surprised when Halstead followed her and closed the door. "What's going on Hayley?"

"Nothing for you to worry about."

"Really. Ruz is suspended, Voight's acting weird, you are on desk duty. Something is going on."

"Brennan cornered me and asked me about his temper. If he'd ever lost it at a suspect. I couldn't lie."

"Right." Halstead turned to leave. "Why'd she ask you?"

Hayley had to think quick. "You know, that incident a year ago when he punched that guy for making a sleazy comment. She asked about that again."

Halstead's hands were on his hips. "And what did you say?"

"That it was a one off and the guy came at him first, same thing I told them last year."

"So why is he suspended?"

"I don't know Jay." Hayley finally snapped. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she felt the pressure build up behind her eyes. This was all going to hell in a hand basket.

As soon as everyone left the bullpen she pulled out her phone, ignoring Voight's warning and called Adam, it was off and went straight to voice mail. 'Adam, call me back please.' It was a relief that they had gone out because it was tense in there. No one was talking, not to her anyway.

Even when they came back they spoke with Voight and left her out of it. Burgess and Atwater clammed up when she walked into the break room for a coffee refill. "Any progress?"

"Nope." Kevin couldn't have said more with one word if he tried.

"Have you heard from Ruz?"

"Nope. Not allowed to contact him remember?" Kevin grabbed his coffee and walked out, Kim stopped for a second and looked like she was about to say something but just smiled awkwardly.

She texted him, 'Adam please just let me explain, she cornered me. Please let me know you are okay.'

The silence was deafening. She needed to talk to Voight and almost dialled Brennan's number but thought better of it. Until she had talked to Voight she needed to keep her powder dry. She'd been played, and that stung.

The gate ground open and Voight appeared at the top of the stairs. He ripped off his jacket on the way past into his office and slammed the door. Taking a deep breath Hayley knocked on the glass and waited for the okay to come in. "What?" Her sergeant reefed opened the door.

"Boss, I need to talk to you." She closed the door behind her, despite the bullpen being empty.

"You got something to say? Now?"

"I stuffed up. Brennan came at me, blindsided me. I know she's trying to find a reason to shut down this unit and that's what I thought it was about. I had no idea." Trying to dig your way out of hole when you had no idea how big or deep it was wasn't easy. She had to figure it out on the fly and right now she wasn't sure it was working.

"You had no idea so chose to lie?"

"I didn't lie."

"So you didn't tell Brennan that you were home alone all night last night, or that you didn't have a boyfriend?"

"No, I did. I don't have a boyfriend. I thought…"

"No you didn't think, you tried to protect yourself even though you had no idea from what. You first right?" Voight didn't hold back. "I imagine Ruzek is grateful for that while he sits at home contemplating what he'll do if he gets tossed from CPD? Or perhaps jail might give him time to reflect, but at least he can sleep at night knowing he's not a liar, small comfort that would be though, hey?"

"That's not fair."

"Nope, it's not fair. All you had to do was tell the truth. Do you realise the hole you've dug for yourself, for Ruzek and for this Unit? You know the scrutiny this Unit is under? You think we need this."

"I'm sorry."

"I told you, all of you not to contact him and what did you do?"

"I had to try and explain what happened."

"Yes and Brennan has already come down on my ass asking why you tried to contact him, perhaps to get your stories straight? Huh? I gave you an order and you barely waited half a day before you ignored it and just made this whole fucking thing ten times worse."

"How? Is she tapping my phone?"

"No, she's got Ruzek's phone, she seized it as part of the IA investigation."

Hayley had no idea and now Brennan had not only her phone calls but also all the text messages they'd sent? She'd asked him to delete them, hopefully he had. This was a nightmare. "I'm sorry."

"Yep." Voight swung around in his chair, turning his back on his Detective. "I am starting to see why you only last a year or two in one spot. You can go home, you are not needed for this."

"Boss." For the second time today she was blindsided. When would she ever learn? "I can help?"

"I said you can go. You've done enough." Voight eased himself back around and glared at Upton as she sat stone like in the chair.

"I can help. I know Ruzek didn't do this."

"So do I."

"Please let me help. You let Antonio stay when his daughter was kidnapped."

"And how well did that go for us? Huh?" Voight wasn't budging. "The best thing you can do is go home, stay out of it and let us clean up the mess you two have made."

Stopping by his locker for a moment she contemplated what had gone wrong. Where she had taken a wrong turn? She chastised herself for being weak; she never should have gotten that drink with him. He was just being kind that night and she was drunk and made the first move. Sure he hesitated once, asked her if she was sure and she was sure. A one-night stand would be fine, they were adults, and they could handle it. It was going back for more that was her downfall.