Chapter 7:
This is the worthwhile fight
Jay quickly reached for his phone and dialed Sergeant Voight's number, his hands trembling slightly with a mix of fear and urgency. After a few rings, Voight's gruff voice came through the line.
"Voight, " he answered, his tone as sharp as always.
"It's Jay, " he said quickly, his voice tight with tension. "We've found evidence of the Andrews brothers' involvement in human trafficking, and they know who Erin really is. We need backup, now. "
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Jay could practically hear Voight's mind working. Finally, Voight's response came, his voice hard as steel. "Copy that. Backup is on the way. Stay put and secure the evidence until we arrive. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. "
Jay's grip tightened on the phone. He knew the gravity of the situation, but waiting felt like a death sentence for Erin. Still, he had no choice. "Understood, Voight. We'll hold tight until backup arrives. "
He ended the call, turning to Antonio, who was already securing the evidence. His expression mirrored Jay's own grim determination. "Backup's coming, " Jay said, his voice low but resolute. "Let's make sure these files don't go anywhere. "
Antonio nodded, but his jaw was set with tension. They worked in silence, gathering the files and photos they had uncovered, securing them in a duffel bag. The evidence they had just found was damning—proof of the Andrews brothers' extensive involvement in trafficking, enough to put them away for good.
But the deeper they got into the files, the clearer it became that Erin was in far more danger than they'd realized. The Andrews brothers had been collecting information on her for weeks. Photos. Dossiers. Maps. They knew who she was.
The air between Jay and Antonio grew thicker with tension as the minutes dragged by. Both of them stood guard, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger. But the nagging question loomed: where were the Andrews brothers now?
Minutes later, Jay's phone buzzed again. It was Voight.
"We've got a problem, " Voight said, his voice gruff and urgent. "The Andrews brothers are nowhere to be found, and Erin's unreachable. "
Jay's stomach dropped, but before he could respond, Voight continued.
"But listen, they don't know about you and Antonio yet. They still think you're their guys. So the exchange is still on. "
Jay felt the surge of frustration rising in his chest. "What do you mean, 'keep the cover'? " he snapped, his voice rough. "Erin's in trouble, and we're supposed to just act like nothing's happened? "
Voight's voice was calm, but firm. "I get it, Halstead. I do. But blowing your cover now won't help Erin. You and Antonio are still on the inside. We use that to our advantage. The Andrews think they've got the upper hand, so we let them. They'll slip up, and we'll take them down. "
Jay's hand gripped his phone tighter, his hunger, exhaustion, and frustration coiling into one sharp ball of anger. "With all due respect, boss, " Jay said, his voice low and seething, "Erin's out there, alone. Her cover's blown, and you're telling us to play nice? "
Voight's voice was as steady as stone. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you. Erin's smart, and she knows how to handle herself. You want to help her? You follow my orders, keep the cover, and get to the exchange. We'll find her, but we do this by the book. Understood? "
Jay's jaw worked as he tried to keep his temper in check. But deep down, he knew Voight was right. Erin would want them to stay smart, to keep the mission alive. He couldn't let his emotions get in the way. Not now.
With a heavy sigh, Jay replied, "Yeah, I understand. " But the frustration still burned hot inside him.
Voight continued, his voice softening just slightly. "We'll get her back, Jay. Trust me. "
Jay ended the call and threw his phone down on the table, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Voight still wants us to keep the cover, " he muttered bitterly. "Even though Erin's cover is blown, we're supposed to act like nothing happened. "
Antonio nodded grimly, his expression mirroring Jay's frustration. "Voight knows what he's doing, " he said, though his tone was less than certain. "We just have to play this right. "
Before Jay could respond, Antonio's phone buzzed. He checked the screen and then looked up with urgency.
"Looks like we've got something, " Antonio said, his voice tense but focused. "Marcus Andrews is holed up in a warehouse on the west side. It's the last known location we have on him. He's planning to make the exchange soon. "
Jay's pulse quickened. "Let's go. "
The warehouse, a run-down building on the outskirts of the city, was a perfect spot for the kind of deals the Andrews brothers thrived on. Jay and Antonio arrived just after dusk, pulling their car into a hidden corner of the lot, out of sight.
Jay scanned the area, his heart pounding. If Marcus was here, then they were one step closer to finding Erin. But they had to be careful—one wrong move, and their cover would be blown.
As they made their way closer to the warehouse, they spotted movement near the side entrance. Jay's heart leapt when he saw him—Marcus Andrews, flanked by his two armed bodyguards.
"This is it, " Jay whispered to Antonio. "We take him, we get answers. "
Antonio nodded, his eyes narrowed in focus. "Let's do this. "
They crept closer, staying in the shadows until they were close enough to make their move. Jay could feel the adrenaline surging through his veins, his mind focused on one thing—getting Marcus and finding Erin.
As Marcus turned to speak to one of his guards, Jay and Antonio struck. In one swift, practiced movement, they took down the guards and pinned Marcus to the ground.
Marcus struggled, but Jay's grip was iron-tight. "Where's Erin? " Jay demanded, his voice deadly calm.
Marcus sneered up at him, blood trickling from his lip. "I knew there was something between you two, " Ne smirked despite Jay's grip on him.
"You're too late, " he spat. "She's already gone. "
Jay's heart raced as anger surged through him, but he kept his cool. "Tell me where she is, or you'll regret it. "
Marcus turned his head around, trying to face him. "You want her? You'll have to find her before the night's over. "
The moment stretched into eternity, Jay's knuckles white as he held Marcus down. His mind raced with a hundred possibilities, each worse than the last. Erin's name hung in the air, a dangerous trigger, as Marcus smirked at him.
"You're running out of time, " Marcus taunted. "Tick tock. "
Antonio stepped forward, grabbed Marcus by the collar. "Enough games. Where is she? "
But before Marcus could respond, the sound of multiple vehicles approaching filled the air. Jay's eyes flickered toward the entrance of the warehouse. Blue and red lights flashed through the cracks in the dilapidated walls. Backup had arrived.
The warehouse doors were kicked open, and the members of Intelligence Unit flooded in, guns drawn and ready. Voight led the charge, his face set in stone. Behind him, Upton,Atwater, Burgess, and Ruzek moved in with precision, quickly taking down Marcus' remaining guards.
"Get down! Hands on your head! " Voight barked, his voice reverberating through the space as officers stormed in to secure the scene.
In a matter of moments, Marcus's smirk faltered as he realized the full scope of what was happening. The police swarmed the area, moving in swiftly to cuff Marcus and his men. But to maintain their cover, Jay and Antonio didn't move. They had to sell this—to everyone in the room.
Voight's eyes landed on Jay and Antonio. His expression was unreadable, but the momentary pause in his steps told Jay that Voight understood what they had to do next. Without a word, Ruzek moved in, cuffing both Jay and Antonio to keep the illusion intact.
"You're both under arrest, " Ruzek announced loudly for the benefit of Marcus and anyone watching. He gave Jay a quick, almost imperceptible nod before leading them toward the exit.
Jay played along, gritting his teeth in frustration. He hated this part of the job—being led away like a criminal when all he wanted to do was get answers. But this was the only way to keep Marcus believing that Jay and Antonio were still on his side.
As they were being escorted out, Voight made sure to brush past them, speaking low enough that only Jay and Antonio could hear. "We'll make him talk. " Voight muttered. "Stay low for now. We're not done. "
Jay gave a sharp nod, barely containing the fury inside him. Time was running out. Erin was out there, and they still didn't know where. But Marcus had slipped, just for a second. Jay could sense it—Marcus was cocky, too sure of himself. That meant he'd eventually make a mistake.
As they were led to the squad cars, Marcus was dragged into a separate vehicle, still sneering but with a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
Voight's plan was working—for now. But as Jay sat in the back of the squad car, cuffed and fuming, he knew one thing for certain: they were running out of time, and Erin's life was on the line.