Thanks Angeliena and Saturn :) :)
Jack was anxious to leave. "Tony, we don't even know who the real target is here. Is it Chase or was it Peters? Can we look back at their past missions, also the pending cases, to see if anything comes up? Perhaps a grudge---"
"We're already on it Jack, but nothing yet."
"Thanks," he muttered as he rubbed a hand across his face and down his neck, desperately trying to think if he'd overlooked anything. He could see Michelle had something on her mind. "What?"
"Jack, are you okay with this? You're talking about blame, but you've done everything possible."
"Have I? I don't think so... I let him down Michelle. He's out there being hunted by SWAT because I was so blinded by my past with Nina that I didn't even stop to think if any of this made sense. Everyone else, you and Tony, Chloe and Baker, you all saw this wasn't right. Damnit, he's my partner and all I did was turn my back."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, you---"
"Sorry Michelle, here's Baker. I need to go."
"Good luck."
----
Chase looked up at the spreading branches of the gum tree. He was safe for the moment but he didn't know how long before someone thought to look here. It was the first lesson in Escape and Evasion; hide in plain sight. At least it offered some protection, the tree canopy protected him from the two helicopters flying grids overhead and he was elevated above the level of the low beach shop roofs nearby.
He had kept still when he heard SWAT conduct a careful check of the trees but they had continued on, unaware of his presence. The only danger was from below and he would hear them coming. The dog team had caused a few anxious moments but Chloe's remaining sandwiches had proved a helpful distraction. All I have to do is wait for Jack to arrive, he thought. It had taken awhile for him to see the truth but he knew Jack would have figured it out sooner. Jack was always one step ahead.
Chase finished the last bottle of water and lay back, listening to the sounds filtering up from below. Eventually he fell into an uneasy sleep.