Jay leaned back in the passenger seat with his eyes shut as Trudy drove his truck towards the warehouse as Atwater went over the 2 way radio. "I did a driveby of the warehouse. I saw movement in a South side window. We're parked down the street from the front entrance. The building is clearly out of service."
"I have officers en route in sneaker cars to hold the perimeter. They will stay out unless you need them." Trudy answered back.
"See if there is a fire escape for the building across the street for the South side. I need to get a high position." Jay instructed without even opening his eyes.
"You got it." Trudy answered, glancing at the detective beside her. They parked and Jay got out grabbing his gun and a couple of water bottles from the back of his truck. He slung the case across his back and gritted his teeth as he had to jump to grab the first ladder to climb the fire escape. He listened to the chatter on the radio as the team planned their breach. They were going to try to talk Harding out but if things went south Jay was the last resort if he could get the shot. Getting Miller back alive was imperative. He was exhausted by the time he reached the roof of the four story industrial building. Sweat was dripping from him. He took his shirt off and poured water from the bottle on his face and hands before drying them on his shirt. He was overcome with nausea and had to vomit in the back corner away from his target several times before he regained control. He rinsed his mouth and spit it out before wiping his face with his shirt again.
"You in position Jay?" Voight called through his earpiece. Jay took a deep breath and pushed the button from the wire attached to his earpiece.
"Give me 2 minutes to set up Sarg." He quickly assembled his gun and found a position looking into the building across the street's windows. He could vaguely see movement inside a room near the center of the building. He looked through the scope of his rifle and could see Miller sitting in a chair, blood down the side of her face. She appeared to be talking, Jay let out a breath of relief that she was still alive.
"I'm all set up Sarg. I see Miller, she's alive. She's near the center of the building, three windows from the westside on the second floor. I do not have eyes on the offender but I believe he's in the room, she's talking to someone." He relayed to the team.
"10-4, I will try to negotiate and I will leave the line open so you can hear what's going on. You have a green light to take the shot if things are going south. " Voight answered.
"We're in position in the back." Upton called over the radio. Atwater and Burgess confirmed they were ready to go on the west side. Jay scanned what he could see of the room through his scope.
"Sarg, I believe I see a bomb in the room. Big barrel with wires on top. " Jay informed the team. Platt immediately called the bomb squad to deploy. Jay returned his focus to Miller and seeing no change he took a second to close his eyes and lay his head on the concrete wall of the roof. His head hurt, his abdomen was on fire but he knew he needed to push through just a little longer. He wiped his hands and face again on his damp shirt before drying his hands on his pants as Sarg gave the order to breach the exterior doors. He took a breath and lasered his focus on the task at hand.
Voight came to the door he believed to be where Miller was being held based on Halstead's description. He knocked on the partially open door.
"Harding, I'm Sergeant Hank Voight with Chicago PD. I'm here to talk." Hank announced. He could hear the team getting into position to back him up if negotiations went downhill.
"Get the hell out of here. This has nothing to do with you!" Harding shouted from inside the room.
"I'm afraid it does when I have a sniper in my city taking people out. What's this about?" Hank gently pushed the door open wider hoping to catch a glimpse inside the room.
"Stay out or I'll blow us all up!" Harding screamed and fired a warning shot beside the door. Hank could hear Jay in his earpiece that he had no shot.
"I'll stay out but I need to know what this is all about. How can I help? What are you hoping to achieve?" Hank asked before quietly telling the team in the mic to hold their positions. Jay saw through the scope of his gun Harding grab Miller from the chair and drag her in front of him with the gun to her head. He was just out of sight from the window.
"I want nothing from you. It's these bitches who need to pay! They abandon their children to strangers. They are more interested in their careers than their flesh and blood. Do you know what those strangers do to the kids they are supposed to be caring for?? Do you know what they did to me??" Harding ranted as he dragged Miller another step closer to the bomb.
"Harding, I'm putting my gun away. My hands are raised, I'm going to open this door a little more so we can talk about how we're all going to walk out of this." Hank holstered his gun. Harding dragged Miller closer to the bomb. Jay heard her cry out in pain through Voights radio.
It must not have a detonator on it but needs to start the timer manually. Jay thought, realizing Harding had no interest in walking out alive. He bit his lip as Harding's head became visible through a small stained glass decorative window above the main window. Jay didn't hesitate but pulled the trigger and watched blood explode just above Harding's ear.
Voight heard the shot and pushed the door open as he drew his gun. He called to his team to breach as he saw Harding fall, dragging Miller with him to the ground a few feet from what appeared to be a bomb. Upton and Ruzek entered from one door as Atwater and Burgess came in from another. Voight ran to Miller and helped her out from the dead body and held her close as she fought the panic.
"He was going for the bomb. He never would have let us out alive." Samantha was gasping with tears rolling down her face. Voight held her close and brought her over to a workbench to sit. She had dried blood down the side of her face from a cut near her temple and a split lip. He glanced up at the window and realized where Jay's shot must have come in.
"Offender down. Unbelievable shot Halstead." Voight radioed his sharp shooter. He was met by radio silence. He waited a few seconds before trying again. "Halstead report."
With a nod he pointed to Hailey and Kevin and they were off like a shot. Out of the warehouse the two ran.
YOU ARE READING
Calm Before The Storm
FanfictionThe intelligence team is hit with a high profile case when a top female judge is shot in her own home. Jay is trying to push through some struggles of his own and not let down his team.
