Chapter Seven

Unwanted Opportunities

Samantha Miller looked up in surprise as she saw Voight walk into her office. "Hank," she greeted warmly but there was an undertone of concern in her voice. "Last time I saw you, you lay in a hospital bed, recovering from a gunshot wound."

"I am aware of that," he replied smartly.

"Are you also aware that your doctors estimated you'd need at least two to three weeks to recover properly?"

"Two to three days, that's all I need," he said with a casual shrug.

She chose to ignore him. "After that you would need another assessment before you are cleared for active duty, both physical and psychological, not to mention a trip to the firing range. Or did you conveniently forget all that?" she pushed cunningly as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest.

He shrugged. "Sam, don't give me that. I am perfectly fine to sit behind a desk at this point. What I am not fine with is to be sidelined when there's work to do."

She smirked, her eyes twinkling at his stubbornness. "Straight to the point as always. Why am I not surprised?"

"I promise you; I won't head out on the field. Although, unless you don't want me to go stir crazy, I think we'd both benefit from allowing me back on light duties."

"Hank," she warned. "It's not my call to make. I am not a doctor. There are rules," she held up her hand to forestall the protest she knew would come. "They are there for a reason and you know that."

"And you also know there is no harm in bending them a little," he reasoned, like it was no big deal.

"And we have had discussions about that," she reminded him gently with a smirk.

He knew she was his supervisor yet he had the balls to even suggest such a thing. But that was the kind of person Hank Voight was. He could be a real pain in the ass sometimes but mostly he got the work done with exemplary results.

To her surprise he took a seat opposite her. Usually he would stand, hands deep into his pocket, his back slightly arched back and rocking his heels while conversing with her.

"Are you sure you are alright?" she asked curiously, as it was out of character for him.

He sighed. "Look, something has been brought to my attention which appear to be very low key. I figured you'd know something about it."

Sam straightened in her chair, looking directly at him, searching the depths of his dark brown eyes.

"One of my detectives, Jay Halstead. He has a brother, Will Halstead, who works as an emergency physician at Gaffney Medical Center. It turns out that his colleague, Doctor Scott has gotten himself involved with a CPD officer who's been working undercover for the duration of three years, trying to infiltrate and expose a Serbian Mafia boss," he explained, searching her face for any kind of recognition.

She stared back at him blankly. He had to hand it to her; she had a good poker face.

"You might recognize Doctor Scott as the brother of the Narcotic Unit's Detective Zora Scott or as the son of Lieutenant Reginald Scott over at the 23rd district."

She clasped her hands together in front of her. "Since we both know I am the Deputy Superintendent overseeing that district as well as several others within the city-," she began.

Voight smirked, taking it as a confirmation that she was involved one way or another. He turned somber and serious again as he continued. "Then you might also know that the officer involved has blown her cover and was nearly killed in the raid against Doctor Halstead's apartment building?"

She looked at him but said nothing.

"Before that happened, she went to see Doctor Scott and handed over a bunch of evidence regarding the involvement of drugs and trafficking done by the Serbian Mafia. I would say it's enough to bring them down. Unfortunately, she feels she can't trust her colleagues and claims there is a mole within the unit or department who wants to prevent her from taking legal actions against this Nikola Curkola guy."

Sam pursed her lips into a thin line as he continued.

"According to Doctor Scott's father, this woman - our undercover detective - is a dangerous drug smuggler. And - here's the thing - I believe the coverup was done much higher up in the department so that Lieutenant Scott really thinks that is the case. I've got to hand it to you; it was a good cover until it was blown."

"Don't you ever rest?" she asked cryptically with a twinkle in her eyes as she leaned back again. "Intelligence managed to break up the Los Temidos only days ago, making the last cash-in, finding the largest dope stash in the entire Chicago and now you want to get into this Serbian Mafia assignment and straighten that out as well?"

He actually smirked at that, looking amused. "No rest for the weary," he replied quickly.

"The operation you are talking about was set up during Brian Kelton's time as Superintendent. It was one of the last things he delved into before his demise only weeks later," she informed. "It was considered a high-risk operation and consists of several officers in a mixed configuration between the narcotics division lead by Captain Isaac Bolton and the DEA."

Voight harrumphed as she just confirmed his suspicions. "So, Lieutenant Jeffords has not been briefed about it," he deduced. "Neither has Lieutenant Scott."

Miller shook her head. "I take it you would want to help out and that, somehow, some of your detectives and officers are already involved but-" she paused and fixed him with a stern gaze. "-as much as I would appreciate being able to throw Intelligence into the mix. I am not sure it is such a good idea."

Voight leaned forward, locking eyes with her. "Sam, we're already involved."

"Hank, this will have to be brought to the Superintendent's attention as soon as he's been settled. In the end, it will be his call. However, the Intelligence Unit's track record speaks for itself and you have the highest respect where it is most important."

He waited for the go ahead.

"Now, if I put in a good word, the brass might be ready to let you handle this mess, they won't accept a detective or officer to take the lead. The lieutenants and captains involved would not accept it. Your reputation precedes you when it comes to getting results but-,"

He sighed. "Sam, please get to the point," he said impatiently.

"You are on medical leave. You are not cleared to take point or even run your own unit at the moment," she finished.

"I am sure I can fix that," he said confidently.

She shook her head. "You are not getting any younger, Hank."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he replied, a little more forcefully than he had intended.

"When I said that your reputation precedes you, I didn't necessarily mean it was a good thing for you," she reasoned kindly. "After bringing Los Temidos to justice, or at least setting the trap that will shatter their operations, you have a promotion coming. I'll advice you to accept that."

He opened his mouth to protest but she was quicker.

"I know Crowley wanted to promote you several years ago and that you turned her down. She might have had an agenda with that offer but I assure you; I do not."

He shook his head wearily. A mix of disbelief and disappointment evident on his face. Sam didn't understand why. She arched an impeccable eyebrow. "I thought you'd like the opportunity and that you'd recognized one when you saw it?" she said.

"I belong in the field, Sam," he said sincerely. "I'd kill myself before accepting a desk job."

Her lips quirked upwards with faint amusement. "Well, your CI almost managed to do it for you."

A sad, defeated look crossed his face for a fleeting moment as he thought back upon Anna Avalos and what she had endured. What he had put her through.

"Don't beat yourself up, Hank. Anna Avalos knew what being an active CI meant. She approached you knowing full well it wouldn't be easy to shatter the Los Temidos," Sam reasoned kindly. "More importantly, she approached you because she recognized you were a man with enough power to help her."

When he didn't reply she continued.

"Please, consider the job offer, Hank."

He hesitated and when he looked at her, he looked a little lost. "If I do take the offer, what would happen to my unit? To my detectives and officers?"

"They'd be offered a transfer to other units or remain in the Intelligence. I do believe most of them would want to stay; I expect nothing less. However, I do know many unit leaders who would like to get their hands on your people," she said with a faint smile.

"I would be disbanding the unit," he mused sadly.

"It was you who put it together," Sam replied. "It is only fitting that you'd be the one to disband it. I do know others have tried over the years."

"No," he said sharply. "I can't do that. I am not abandoning my people."

"You won't abandon them," the deputy superintendent replied seriously. "You would just entrust them in someone else's capable hands."

He huffed. "Someone else's, huh?"

"While your team is made out of exemplary people, none of them are considered as a replacement for you," she admitted.

Voight took a deep breath; things weren't going as he planned.

"I know your track record remember? Handing you the unit in the first place was a decision which was controversial at best. But what you've managed to achieve over the years speaks for itself."

"It has been a team effort," he corrected.

She threw him a careful, dazzling smile. "Yeah, I always knew you could be humble," she said simply. "I expect an answer within a week."

He looked at her, unfazed. "So, do I have the go ahead to jump in? Teasing the Serbian Mafia seems like fun," he said cockily.

She made a face. "You bring me a medical expert saying you can handle it and I'll see what I can do," she offered.

OOOOOO

Detective Jay Halstead frowned as he looked up from his computer screen to see his sergeant walk into the bullpen. Voight was practically striding through the room in his usual self-assured manner but he looked thoughtful and distant. His right arm was in a sling at the moment, something it hadn't been when he'd left earlier.

Jay looked at Hailey across his desk and noted that she frowned as well as their eyes met behind their superior officer's back. She was still a little wary of Voight. She still respected him but she had come to understand that he was - just like her former colleagues at robbery and homicide had described him - a hard ass who'd walk over dead bodies to achieve his goals. When asked about it, he would always justify his actions one way or the other and the discussion would be over.

Over the years serving under him, she had learned that he was very protective of his people, always had their backs, always pulled them out of sticky situations. Unfortunately, sometimes, he was the one who put them in those situations in the first place.

Voight didn't tolerate any of them breaking their own moral code, he didn't tolerate them playing by his rules and he didn't want them to end up like him but - the irony of it all - was that he influenced them to go in certain directions even if he didn't realize it. Before the Roy Walton case she'd wanted to become like him and she was slowly heading there if her actions were anything to go by; especially when she'd gotten Darius Walker killed.

However, when she'd found Voight bent over Walton, the situation had been different. She had been present and directly involved in his demise unlike in the Darius Walker case when she'd let others finish the job for her. To be directly involved - seeing the violence and menace up-front - had made her reverse her steps. In the aftermath it had caused her many sleepless nights; especially when Agent North swept in to try and solve the mystery with Roy Walton's disappearance.

Voight had pushed her, his eyes cold and his unwavering conviction somewhat frightening. He had told her that there was no going back and it was at that moment she'd realized she no longer wanted to become like him. It had been a rude awakening for her that led to the development of a mild PTSD that she never wanted to experience again. After that unpleasant experience she'd decided that she would keep some distance to her sergeant, stand up for her beliefs and refuse to back down if she thought he was about to cross the line again. However, despite what he did she still held Voight in high regard and would continue to follow his lead. Not even during her darkest hour had she considered to quit Intelligence and take up an offer at another unit.

Across the bullpen, unaware of Hailey's self-scrutiny, Jay nodded towards Voight's office and stood up to head after their boss. Hailey merely nodded back and silently communicated she'd stay behind her desk. Her feelings after pulling the kill-shot at Anna Avalos were still raw and painful; even though she knew she had done the right thing.

OOOOOO

To be continued