Jay Halstead was driving, his eyes focused intently on the road ahead. The silence in the truck was thick, almost palpable. Erin Lindsay sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing over at Jay.
"So, should we get to know each other?" Erin broke the silence.
"No," Jay replied without looking at her.
Erin nodded, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "I feel like a housewife," she said dryly.
Jay smirked, finally glancing over at her. "Awe."
Erin rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat, thinking for a moment. "Alright, I've got two questions for you about your personal life."
Jay raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, this should be good. What are your questions?"
"First, you driving all the time, I'm not down with that," Erin stated.
"Seniority rules," Jay responded.
"I've been on the job longer," Erin countered.
"I've been in this unit longer," Jay cut in.
There was a moment of silence as they both stared ahead. Jay finally broke it.
"What's your other question?"
Erin sighed, looking out the window for a moment before turning back to Jay.
"What's your deal with Voight?"
Jay sighed deeply and pulled the truck over to the side of the road. He turned to Erin, his expression serious.
"This stays between us."
Erin nodded, leaning in as if expecting a deep confession.
"We went to prom together," Jay said, acting serious.
Jay sighed and cursed under his breath. They both got out of the truck, Jay walking ahead.
Erin followed, a smirk on her face.
"So, if we got married, would I need your dad's permission?" Erin asked.
"Whoever wants to marry me should save themselves the trouble," Jay scoffed.
Erin laughed, shaking her head as they continued walking.
Erin and Jay walked into a small, cluttered shop, making a beeline for the counter where the shop owner stood. The shop was filled with various knick-knacks and items, creating a chaotic atmosphere.
"We need to take a look at your security cameras," Erin said, her tone firm.
The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with a wary expression, crossed his arms. "With a warrant?" he asked.
Erin and Jay exchanged a glance before nodding. Erin pulled out a piece of paper with a suspect description on it and held it up to the shopkeeper.
"We're looking for someone who matches this description. He's wanted for questioning in a serious case," she explained.
Jay looked the shopkeeper up and down, his tone casual but laced with sarcasm.
"I don't know though, I'd hate to jump to conclusions," he said.
The shopkeeper sighed, clearly frustrated but resigned. He gestured towards the back of the shop.
"Fine, follow me," he said.
Erin and Jay followed the shopkeeper to the back room where the security monitors were located. The room was dimly lit, with several monitors displaying various angles of the shop.
Erin and Jay were back at the precinct, standing by Erin's desk. They were laughing and exchanging playful banter.
"You know, for a guy who hates jumping to conclusions, you sure do it a lot," Erin smirked.
Jay grinned. "Only when it comes to you."
Their moment was interrupted as Voight walked over, a serious expression on his face.
"We need to do an undercover buy. You two up for it?" he asked.
Erin and Jay immediately straightened up, nodding in unison.
"Absolutely," Erin replied.
"We're ready," Jay added.
Voight nodded, satisfied, and gestured for them to follow him. As they headed towards the locker room to get suited up, Voight turned to the rest of the unit.
"Let's make sure everything is in place. This needs to go smoothly," he instructed.
The Intelligence Unit, including Burgess, Atwater, Dawson, Voight, and Jules, were crammed into the undercover van, their eyes glued to the surveillance equipment. Voight leaned into the radio, his voice steady.
"Stay sharp, you two."
Erin banged on the door of a rundown building. Jay stood beside her, acting jittery, biting his nails and itching his body. A neighbor walked out, clearly annoyed.
"What the hell are you doing?" the neighbor demanded.
"Just trying to score some peace and quiet. You got a problem with that?" Erin replied sarcastically.
The neighbor grumbled and walked back inside, locking the door behind him.
The door Erin was banging on finally opened, revealing a suspicious-looking man.
"Hey there. My man's going into rehab tomorrow, and we need one last hit," Erin said, flirting.
"Rehab, huh?" the suspect eyed them warily.
"Yeah, trying to get clean. You know how it is,"
Erin stepped inside, but Jay noticed blood on the suspect's jeans. He quickly pulled Erin back, causing her to look confused.
"We'll come back when your dealer's here. You know, Marco," Jay said to the suspect.
"You've been up my ass about scoring some H. Make up your mind!" Erin played along, her frustration seeming real.
Jay started snapping, making it look convincing. Erin turned to the suspect, speaking in Spanish.
"No podemos esperar. Necesitamos esto ahora."
The suspect hesitated, then nodded, letting them inside. Erin and Jay exchanged a quick, knowing glance before stepping in.
Jay knew it was a risky move. He suddenly pretended to throw up, doubling over and making retching noises. Erin looked at him, confused but playing along.
"Jay, you okay?" she asked, her concern sounding genuine.
Using the moment, Jay guided them both out of the house, slamming the door behind them.
Once outside, Erin's anger flared.
"What the hell was that?" she demanded.
"I just saved our asses," Jay scoffed.
The rest of the unit, including Burgess, Atwater, Dawson, Voight, and Jules, got out of the undercover van and walked over to Erin and Jay.
"What happened?" Voight asked, his tone serious.
"We saw something on the suspect's jeans. It looked like blood, but I'm not sure," Jay explained.
Voight stopped him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You did the right thing. Let's regroup and figure this out," he said.
The entire unit gathered at the back entrance of the precinct. Jay walked ahead, heading towards the staircase. Erin quickly caught up to him.
"Thanks back there," she said softly.
Jay smiled, giving her a light punch on her vest.
"That's why you have backup," he replied warmly.
He turned and walked upstairs, his smile lingering. Erin watched him for a moment, a small smile on her face, before following him inside.
The unit was back at their desks, working on paperwork related to the case. Jay was focused on his report, scribbling notes and reviewing details. Voight stepped out of his office and called Erin over.
"Lindsay, my office. Now."
Erin got up and walked into Voight's office, shutting the door behind her as instructed. Voight immediately got in her face, his voice rising in anger.
"What the hell were you thinking out there? You almost got yourselves killed!"
Erin stood her ground, but it was clear she was taken aback by Voight's intensity.
"You're damn lucky you had Jay with you. If it weren't for him, who knows what could've happened," Voight continued.
Erin nodded, taking a deep breath. "I know, Voight. It won't happen again."
Voight stared at her for a moment, then stepped back, his tone softening slightly.
"Just be more careful next time. We can't afford to lose anyone."
Erin nodded again, understanding the gravity of the situation. She turned and left the office, heading back to her desk.
Jay looked up from his paperwork, giving her a questioning glance. Erin just shook her head slightly, indicating she'd explain later.
Voight was driving, his eyes focused on the road. Jay sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone, looking at his CI's contacts to track down their suspect, Marco.
"Marco's been laying low, but I think I found something," Jay said, texting furiously.
Voight nodded but didn't say anything. Jay continued to dig through his phone and found a piece of evidence.
"Look, this might be our lead," he said, showing his phone to Voight.
Voight smirked, glancing at the phone briefly.
"You're going places, kid," he said, reaching over and squeezing Jay's neck affectionately.
Jay slapped his hand away, making a playful noise.
"Ahh, come on, Voight."
Voight took a few strange turns, and Jay looked around, confused about their destination. Voight finally parked outside a rundown building.
"This CI yours?" Jay asked, recognizing the place.
Voight smirked and got out of the driver's seat. Jay followed, but Voight stopped him with a comment. "Stay in the truck."
"That's your big plan? For me to stay in the truck?" Jay asked, pulling the door shut.
"Just trust me on this one," Voight said, smiling.
Voight walked off, leaving Jay in the truck. Jay sighed, leaning back in his seat.
"Whatever," he muttered, resigned to waiting.
Voight walked over to a rundown building, where his CI (Confidential Informant) was waiting. The CI, a scruffy-looking man, glanced around nervously as Voight approached.
"Relax, it's just me," Voight said calmly.
The CI nodded, still looking uneasy.
"You got the cash?"
Voight pulled out an envelope. "Right here. Now, what do you have for me?"
The CI took the envelope and quickly counted the money before slipping it into his pocket.
"Marco's been moving product through a new guy. Name's Tony. He's been laying low, but I heard he's got a big deal going down tonight."
"Where?" Voight asked, nodding.
"Abandoned warehouse on 5th and Main. Midnight," the CI replied.
Voight patted the CI on the shoulder, a rare gesture of appreciation.
"Good work. Keep your head down."
The CI nodded and quickly disappeared down the street. Voight turned and headed back to the truck, where Jay was waiting.
Jay looked up as Voight got in, curiosity written all over his face.
"So, what's the plan?"
Voight smirked. "We got a lead. Let's get back to the precinct and gear up."
The unit was all geared up, walking out of their trucks. Voight and Dawson were talking as they moved towards the abandoned warehouse.
"You ever try that Dominican meat?" Voight chuckled.
"Yeah, once. Let's just say it was an experience," Dawson smirked.
Suddenly, shots rang out. Everyone hit the ground, taking cover behind their vehicles. Jay and Jules quickly moved to the trunk of their truck.
"Get the long guns!" Voight shouted.
Jay and Jules nodded, grabbing the rifles from the trunk. They stayed behind the truck, returning fire.
Ricochet bullets pinged off the metal around them. Voight pulled out his radio, calling for backup.
"Shots fired! We need backup at the abandoned warehouse on 5th and Main. Multiple suspects, heavily armed," Voight said into the radio.
The team continued to exchange fire with the suspects, holding their ground as they waited for reinforcements.
The unit, led by Voight, slowly advanced towards the shooters, staying low and using cover. They noticed a few people trying to leave the building.
"Stay down, stay inside!" Jay shouted, pushing them back inside.
Jay stayed behind Erin, providing cover. Voight reached the door and, with a powerful kick, burst it open.
"Chicago PD!" Voight yelled.
The unit followed Voight's lead, their voices echoing as they cleared the building.
"Clear! Clear!" they called out in unison.
They moved methodically through the warehouse, checking every corner and room.
The unit was back in the precinct, gathered around a table, discussing the case. Papers and evidence were spread out in front of them. Jay paced back and forth, talking on the phone. He hung up and walked over to the group.
"That was one of my CIs. They confirmed that Marco's definitely involved. He's been using the warehouse as a distribution point for the last few weeks," Jay explained.
Voight nodded. "Good work, Jay. This gives us a solid lead."
"So, what's our next move?" Erin asked, looking at the evidence.
"We need to set up surveillance on the warehouse. If Marco's moving product, we need to catch him in the act," Voight replied.
"I'll get the surveillance gear ready," Burgess said.
"I'll coordinate with patrol to make sure we have backup if things go south," Atwater added.
"And I'll start working on getting a warrant for the warehouse," Dawson said.
The team nodded, each member focused on their task.
The unit was in their blackout gear and uniforms, each paired with their partners. The atmosphere was tense but focused. Erin sat next to Jay, who was behind the wheel, staring into the thin air, lost in thought.
"Hey, where did you and Voight go earlier?" Erin asked, noticing his distraction.
Jay snapped out of his thoughts, glancing over at her.
"We went to see one of his CIs. Got some intel on Marco," he said hesitantly.
"And?" Erin prompted, curious.
Jay sighed. "Turns out Marco's been using that warehouse for a while. We got a lead on a big deal going down tonight."
Erin nodded, processing the information. She could sense there was more on Jay's mind. "You okay?" she asked gently.
Jay forced a smile. "Yeah, just thinking about how this could go down. We need to be ready for anything."
Erin reached over, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. "We've got this. Just like always."
Jay nodded, feeling a bit more grounded. He started the engine, ready to move out with the rest of the team.
Marco suddenly sped out of the lot in a black SUV. Voight quickly pulled up his radio.
"Suspect is fleeing the scene. We need backup!" he called out.
Jay shifted gears and floored the gas pedal, speeding off after Marco. Erin grabbed her radio, calling for additional units.
"All units, we need backup for a high-speed chase. Suspect is heading north on 5th and Main," she said urgently.
The chase intensified as Jay maneuvered through traffic, keeping Marco in sight.
Marco leaned out of his speeding SUV, firing his gun. Jay swerved, managing to dodge the bullets, but in the process, he lost sight of Marco's vehicle. Frustrated, Jay groaned and hit the steering wheel.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed.
Erin quickly pulled up her radio, her voice urgent.
"We've lost visual on the suspect. Anyone have eyes on Marco?"
Burgess's voice crackled through the radio. "We see him! He's heading east on 7th Avenue. We're in pursuit."
Jay sped in and out of vehicles, trying to keep up with Marco. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he whispered to himself, "What is he doing?"
Suddenly, they saw Marco ditch his car, throwing a mother out and driving away with her baby. Jay and Erin pulled up quickly and rushed over to the distraught mother.
"My baby! He took my baby!" the mother sobbed and screamed.
Erin knelt beside the mother, trying to comfort her. "It's okay, ma'am. We're going to get your baby back. Just stay calm," she said soothingly.
Jay pulled out his radio, his voice urgent as he contacted dispatch and the unit.
"Suspect has ditched his car and taken a baby. We need immediate backup. Suspect is heading east on 7th Avenue in a stolen vehicle," he reported.
Jay knelt beside the sobbing woman, trying to get her attention. "Ma'am, what kind of car was it?" he asked urgently.
The woman continued to sob, barely able to speak. Feeling the pressure, Jay snapped at her.
"I need you to focus! What kind of car?"
The woman took a deep breath, managing to give a description through her tears.
"It's a blue Honda Civic. License plate… 4XJ 123," she said, still sobbing.
Jay nodded and quickly relayed the information over the radio.
"Suspect is in a blue Honda Civic, license plate 4XJ 123. All units, be on the lookout," he reported.
The unit was back at the precinct, a sense of relief and accomplishment in the air. Marco was behind bars, looking defeated. The team gathered around, discussing the case.
"Good work, everyone. We got him," Voight said to the unit.
Jay and Erin exchanged a look, both feeling the weight of the night's events lifting slightly.
"You okay?" Jay asked Erin.
"Yeah, just glad we got the baby back safe," Erin nodded.
Voight walked over to Marco's cell, staring him down. "You're going away for a long time, Marco," he said coldly.
Marco glared back but said nothing. Voight turned to the rest of the team.
"Let's get the paperwork done and call it a night," he instructed.
The team nodded, each heading to their desks to finish up. Jay sat down, starting on his report, while Erin took a moment to breathe.