After a few minutes of trying to radio Jay again with no answer, the unit started getting concerned.
"Something's off, he should be responding by now," Kim noted, her tone worried.
Voight, who had been quietly observing the others, finally spoke up.
"I think we need to check on Halstead," he said firmly. "Something's not right. Let's head to his last known location."
Everyone nodded, their expressions serious. They knew if Jay was radio silent, it could mean something was seriously wrong.
They quickly packed up their bags and hopped into the car, speeding off towards Jay's last known location.
Erin was the first to arrive at Jay's last known location. As she parked the car and looked around, she noticed something was off: Jay's truck was there, but it was open. She radioed the rest of the team.
"Guys, I'm here, and Jay's truck is open. I don't see him anywhere," she relayed, her voice tense.
The other's radioed back, equally as concerned. "Any sign of struggle?" Voight asked.
Erin looked around the area again. "There's some blood stains on the curb here... and it looks like someone was dragged over here," she reported, her heart rate increasing.
"Damnit," Voight hissed. "Alright, everyone, be on your guard. Looks like we're dealing with an abduction. Keep your eyes peeled."
As Erin investigated further, she made another grim discovery.
"Jay's gun and badge are missing," she reported. "It looks like they stripped him of his uniform and gear to try and hide any trace of him being a cop."
There was a collective intake of breath on the other end of the radio.
"Damnit!" Adam's voice came through. "They're making it look like it's a civilian abduction."
Voight's voice came through next, sounding tense. "Alright, focus. We need to find him, and fast. Keep searching the area."
Jay woke up with a gasp, disoriented and alarmed. As he tried to assess his surroundings, he found himself handcuffed, and moments later, he was yanked roughly out of the van.
He fought against the hands holding him, his heart hammering in his chest. "No, I'm not going in there!" he shouted, struggling to break free.
But the man was relentless. He pushed Jay forcefully to the floor and stepped on his thigh, applying pressure until Jay cried out in pain.
With his leg now throbbing, Jay was rendered immobile. The man roughly pushed him into the van, not caring about the pain he was inflicting.
Jay was then tossed onto the hard floor, his body bouncing against the cold metal. As the warehouse door slammed shut, he was left alone - again.
In complete darkness, the sound of his pained breathing echoed around him. Pain was radiating from his leg, and he knew it was probably bruised, if not worse.
The unit arrived at Jay's apartment, their faces grim. They were all worried about their team member and friend.
As they walked up to the door, Kim turned to Voight. "Who's going to tell the babysitter?" she asked, reluctant to be the one.
Voight sighed. "I'll handle it. You guys… just keep Isabelle calm," he instructed.
The others nodded and Voight stepped up to the door and knocked. A moment later, the babysitter, Nina, opened the door with a smile.
"Hi," Voight greeted, trying to keep his tone calm. "Can I come in for a minute? There's something I need to talk to you about."
Nina looked a little confused but nodded. "Sure, come in," she said, stepping back to let him inside.
Isabelle looked up from Brownie, rushing over.
"Daddy!"
Voight's heart clenched as Isabelle rushed over to him, calling out for her dad. He knelt down so he was eye-level with her, trying to keep his emotions in check.
"Hey, sweetheart," he said softly, giving her a small smile. "I need to talk to Nina for a minute, okay? Can you go play with Brownie for a bit?"
Isabelle looked at him, her eyes wide and innocent. "But I want Daddy," she pouted, her lower lip trembling.
Voight glanced up at Nina, who looked concerned. He knew if he didn't handle this carefully, Isabelle was going to freak out.
He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "I know you do, sweetie, but Daddy's not here right now. I need to talk to Nina for a minute, and then I'll come play with you, okay?"
Isabelle looked on the verge of tears, but she nodded after a moment. "Okay," she mumbled, her voice shaky.
"Good girl," Voight said, patting her head gently. "Go play with Brownie, and I'll be right back, I promise."
The unit watched as Isabelle went back to her toys, clearly upset at the absence of her dad. Voight followed Nina into the kitchen, motioning for the others to stay back.
"Nina, there's something I need to tell you," he said, his face serious.
Nina turned to him, a worried look on her face. "What is it? Is everything okay?"
Voight took a deep breath, steeling himself. "There's no easy way to say this, but... Jay's been abducted. We don't know who took him or why, but we're doing everything we can to get him back."
Nina's hand flew to her mouth in horror. "Oh my God," she gasped, her eyes wide. "Is he... is he okay?"
Voight looked down, his jaw clenching. "We don't know," he admitted. "But we're working round the clock to find him. I just wanted to let you know in case Isabelle asks about him."
Nina nodded, her mind racing. "She'll want to know where he is," she said, worry etched on her face. "What am I going to tell her? She's already so upset."
Voight put a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.
"Just tell her that he's... on a work trip," he said, knowing it wasn't the complete truth but not wanting to frighten Nina further. "That he loves her and will be back as soon as he can."
Nina nodded again, her eyes watering. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll tell her. And I'll keep her safe and happy until he comes back, I promise."
Erin walks into the room, carrying a sleepy Isabelle.
"I'll look after her, Jay signed over parental consent for me if anything happened to him…"
Voight glanced at Erin as she entered the room, Isabelle half-asleep in her arms. He nodded, relieved that the team had a plan for Isabelle's care.
"Thanks, Erin," he said, his voice gruff. "She's already asking for Jay."
"I know," Erin said, patting Isabelle's back gently as she yawned. "I told her he's away on a work trip, that seemed to calm her down slightly."
Voight nodded, grateful for Erin's quick thinking. "Good," he said, watching as Isabelle's eyes fluttered closed. "Let her sleep. She's been through enough already."
Isabelle mumbled something incoherent, her eyelids still heavy. The unit watched as she settled into a light sleep, her thumb in her mouth.
Kim spoke up, a hint of worry in her voice. "What now?"
Voight ran a hand over his balding head, his mind racing. "Now we work," he said firmly. "We track down every lead, follow every hunch. We won't stop until we find Halstead. He's one of us, and we don't leave our own behind."
Jay had been sitting on the cold, hard floor of the warehouse for what felt like an eternity. His body was starting to ache from the rough treatment, and he could taste metal in his mouth from the blood.
As he tried to shift into a more comfortable position, he heard a door open and footsteps approached. He looked up to seen his abductor standing above him, a phone in his hand.
"We've got a problem," the man barked into the phone, his eyes never leaving Jay. "The cop's a talker. He's trying to sweet talk us. We need to keep him quiet."
The unit was in the bullpen, their eyes bloodshot and faces drawn. They'd been going through camera footage for hours, trying to find anything that could lead them to Jay.
Kevin suddenly pointed at one screen, excitement in his voice. "Guys, look at this. I think I might've found something."
The others gathered around him, their hearts racing. They huddled around the computer screen, watching as the grainy footage showed Jay being manhandled into the truck. The sight of their friend in danger made their stomachs churn.
"Can you enhance the video?" Voight asked, his voice sharp. "We need to see if we can get a better look at the abductors."
Kevin nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard again. A moment later, the image cleared up slightly, and they could see the two muscled figures lifting Jay into the truck. However, their faces were completely covered, making identification impossible.
"Damnit," Adam cursed under his breath. "They're wearing masks. We can't see their faces at all."
Kim's brow furrowed in frustration. "There has to be something we can use," she said, her eyes scanning the screen. "Something that can lead us to who these guys are."
Voight nodded, taking a deep breath to keep his emotions in check. "Keep looking," he ordered. "We need to find something, anything, that can lead us to where they took Jay. We need to bring him home."
Jay had been straining against his binds, trying to get a better look at what was happening. Suddenly, a loud bang rang out, and the abductor dropped to the floor, blood pooling around him. Jay's heart stopped as another shot rang out, his eyes wide with terror.
"No, no, please!" he pleaded, his voice hoarse. "I have a daughter!"
But his words were cut off by two more shots ringing out, and then suddenly he was hit by a sharp, searing pain, and he fell back onto the floor, the wind knocked out of him. His head spun as he struggled to catch his breath, a sharp pain radiating through his stomach.
He tried to move, to sit up, but his body wouldn't respond. It took every ounce of his willpower to stay conscious.
Jay's eyelids fluttered open, groaning as his consciousness returned. His head was pounding, and every movement sent a lance of pain through his stomach. As he looked down, he lifted his shirt cautiously and winced at the sight of two bullet wounds.
"Dammit," he gritted out through clenched teeth.
The wounds stung like hell, and he could feel the dampness of blood seeping through his shirt. He tried to sit up, but the pain was too intense, and he fell back against the cold concrete.
With gritted teeth and a stifled cry of pain, Jay forced himself into a sitting position. Every movement sent a wave of agony through his body, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it.
Spotting the dead man's socks and belt, Jay reached over with trembling hands and grasped them. He knew he needed to bind his wounds to stop the bleeding.
He managed to tie the belt tightly above his wounds, trying to stem the flow of blood. The pain was intense, making his vision swim, but he forced himself to hold on. He knew he had to stay conscious if he wanted to get out of this alive.
With one trembling hand, Jay forced himself onto his stomach, wincing at the strain on his wounded abdomen. The pain was like a hot poker being driven into his stomach, but he gritted his teeth and grunted through it.
Inch by painful inch, he began to drag himself across the cold, dirty floor, each movement an agonising trial of endurance.
Jay's hands trembled as he reached the truck.
With all the strength he could muster, he stood up and hurled the rock at the nearest window. The sound of shattering glass rang out through the empty property, and Jay hoped that someone, anyone, would hear the noise.
He slumped against the truck, trying to catch his breath. The pain in his stomach was overwhelming, but he forced himself to stay upright, waiting for someone to show up. He could feel his grip on consciousness slipping, but he couldn't give in. He couldn't let himself pass out. Isabelle was waiting for him, he repeated to himself over and over.
Jay's vision was starting to swim as he fumbled for the keys in the abductor's pocket. With a trembling hand, he turned the ignition, and the engine roared to life. His breathing was ragged, and his body was shaking violently.
Mustering the last of his strength, he managed to croak out a few words as he hit the headlights on.
"Don't... give... up," he murmured before slumping against the wheel, passing out cold.
The unit was combing the warehouse, their eyes scanning every inch of the place. Suddenly, Adam's eyes fell on the Buick, parked off to the side.
"Hey, Kev," he said, his voice low. "You see that Buick?"
Kevin followed his gaze to the car. "Yeah," he said, a puzzled look on his face. "Wait… do you think…?"
Adam nodded. "It's worth a look at least," he said, already striding towards the car.
Adam was the first to approach, his hand reaching out to touch the cold metal of the door. "Jay?" he called out quietly, hoping against hope for a response.
As Adam touched the door handle, his heart skipped a beat. Something was very, very wrong. The way the car was just sitting there... it didn't seem right.
With a sharp intake of breath, he pulled the door open and what he saw made his blood run cold. There on the driver's seat, slumped motionless, was Jay.
"Oh, God..." Adam breathed, his voice choked with horror.
The others rushed to the car, their eyes going wide as they took in the sight of Jay's unconscious form. Voight's usually stern face creased in worry.
"Is he..." he started to say, but he couldn't bring himself to finish the question.
Kim quickly rushed around to the passenger side, her hand going to Jay's neck, checking for a pulse. Her face was pale as she looked up at the others.
"He's alive," she whispered, her voice shaking. "But he's bleeding."
That was all Voight needed to hear. With a growl of determination, he barked out orders. "Kim, carry him into the back with you, Kev, get behind the wheel!"
Kim swiftly maneuvered her slender frame into the car's interior, carefully shifting Jay's unconscious body into a more upright position. The sight of his blood-soaked clothes made her heart sink, but she didn't have time to dwell on it.
Together, they managed to get him into the back seat, resting his head gently on her lap.
Kevin hopped into the front seat, his hands clenching the steering wheel. He cast a worried glance back at Jay's prone form in the rear-view mirror.
"What now, Sarge?" he asked Voight, his voice tight.
Voight's stern face was set in a grim line. "Call for an ambulance. We need to get him to Med, now."
Adam nodded, already pulling out his phone. Kevin floored the accelerator, the car's tires squealing as they sped off towards Mercy Hospital.
The squad car pulled up to Mercy Hospital, the flashing lights illuminating the otherwise quiet night. As soon as the car came to a stop, the back door was yanked open, and Jay was carefully lifted onto a gurney by the EMTs.
Adam, Kevin, and Voight watched helplessly as he was wheeled into the emergency room, the doors closing behind him with a harsh slam. Kevin's heart ached as he saw Jay's dropped hand fall limply against the side of the gurney.
Without a word, he reached out and gently lifted it back onto the bed, his heart clenching at the sight of his friend's broken body. It seemed so wrong, so unfair that they had found him only for him to be in such a critical condition.
"Is he going to be okay, Sarge?" he asked quietly, his voice breaking.
Voight clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"He's gonna pull through, he has to,"
Kevin, Voight, and Adam stood in the hallway outside the trauma room, their hearts in their throats as they watched the hospital staff work on Jay. The sight of his clothes being cut off, revealing his wounds, was almost too much for them.
"Jesus," Kevin breathed, feeling nauseous at the sight of the blood. "He looks bad."
None of them said it out loud, but the scene before them brought back memories of Olinsky. They couldn't lose another one.
None of them could deny that it was a scary sight.
The team immediately stood up, their eyes focused on the doctor. Voight spoke up first. "How is he, doc?"
The doctor took a deep breath before answering. "He's in critical condition," she began. "Multiple gunshot wounds, one of which nicked his liver. One of the bullets went right through his shoulder, and he lost a lot of blood."
The team paled at the list of injuries. Each one was bad enough on its own, let alone all together. The doctor continued. "We've got him stabilized for now, but he'll need surgery as soon as possible to repair the liver damage."
Voight's hands clenched, his jaw working. "And his chances of survival?" he asked, his voice low.
The doctor paused, her expression solemn. "Right now, they're not great," she said. "He's lost a lot of blood, and the surgery will be extremely sensitive. We're doing everything we can, but his condition is still touch-and-go."
Kim's voice was shaking as she spoke up, her heart in her throat. "Can we see him?" she asked, her eyes pleading.
The doctor looked at her, her expression softening slightly. "I'm afraid he's currently unconscious and heavily sedated," she explained. "We need to keep him as still as possible until the surgery."
Later that night, Erin was at home with Isabella. The little girl was fast asleep in her bed, her favorite stuffed animal clutched in her arms. Erin sat in the chair beside her, watching her sleep.
She couldn't shake the anxiety that gnawed at her. She hadn't heard if Jay had been found.
She knew the team would have called her if something had gone wrong, but that didn't stop her from worrying. As she watched Izzy's innocent face, she couldn't help but think that Jay should be in bed here with them.
The sound of Izzy's soft breathing was the only sound in the room, the silence feeling almost deafening. Erin's mind was filled with worries, each more scary than the last. Just then, her phone buzzed, jolting her out of her thoughts. She quickly grabbed it, her heart beating wildly.
It was a text from Voight: "We found Jay."
Erin read the message, her heart in her throat. But before she had time to process the relief she felt, another text followed.
"He's in bad shape. He's in surgery now."
Erin felt her stomach drop. In bad shape. Those words echoed in her head. What did that even mean? Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again.
"We'll keep you updated,"
Erin's hands shaking, she put her phone down and looked down at her lap.
They'd found Jay.