Tolerance Book III

Chapter Forty-Six: Worst Case Scenario

Downtown Outside Chase Bank

Voight pulled the SUV in beside a squad car and exited with Jay following suit.  Striding towards where his men were grouped together the Sergeant noted two things as he approached.  The first was the men seemed alarmed by his companions' presence and the second no one was meeting his eyes. 

"What have we?"
"There were forty-one Hostages initially but twenty Civilians have been released," Antonio supplied, debating how to deliver the killer blow with Jay listening.
"We have an unforeseen problem," Al took up the briefing seeing the Italian-American struggling.
"Which is?" Voight demanded, his legendary impatience threatening to come to the fore.
"Will and Conor are inside the bank," the moustached man knew there was no easy way to soften the blow as he switched his gaze to a now pale Jay.
"That can't be!" the younger Detective insisted, this could not be happening!
"I hacked into the banks' CCTV system," Mouse explained reluctantly, "they're in there alright."
"Billings didn't cut the Security feed?" Voight raised an eyebrow.
"No."

"What the hell is he up to?" Adam demanded angrily.
"None of this makes sense," Parker stated frowning, their quarries'  actions defied any logic.
"Anyone think it's one helluva coincidence Jay was so close to the explosion and now Will and Conor are in the bank?" Kevin asked the question that had been plaguing him.
"The explosion isn't related to Billings," Antonio quickly pointed out.
"Still ....,"
"For now let's concentrate on what we have here," Voight instructed gesturing to the bank, "what do we know?"
"Well the twenty remaining Hostages are mostly bank personnel. There are seven Customers including Will and Conor," Al stated.

As the men talked Jay had stepped slightly back from the group.  He needed to think.  Catching the Psychologists' eye he motioned him over and spoke quietly.

"What do you reckon?"
"Honestly Jay I'm stumped.  I can't figure out his endgame here."
"He has to know we don't have any evidence against him that will stack up in Court so if we rule our investigation out what other reason is there?"
"To take Hostages?" Parker double checked as he contemplated various triggers for the current standoff.
"Yeah."
"We're missing something."
"Question is what?" Jay rubbed his temple to ward off yet another burgeoning headache, this latest unexpected act by Billings appeared on the surface to be a full on declaration of guilt but was it really?
"You okay?" Parker asked gently, the strain the man was under from the investigation alone was taking a toll but throwing his brother and friend into the mix had to be making the situation untenable for the Detective.
"I'm fine," Jay automatically brushed aside the well meaning concern, "we need to find out if this is Billings' personal place of banking."
"What are you thinking?"
"We know he's having financial difficulties maybe that's the reason for this."

Bank

The seriousness of their current predicament was still setting in amongst the remaining Hostages.  As the initial shock wore off stark reality was sinking in.  Conor could empathise because he felt it too.  He was also thinking about Jay.  His younger friend would no doubt learn of their presence in the bank.  He felt a momentary flash of anger towards Will.  His insistence on travelling to New York had ultimately led to this.  He quickly squelched such emotion.  It wasn't like anyone could have foreseen this.  Conor just hoped nothing happened which would cause Jay more stress.

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Outside in a surveillance van Mouse had worked in his element tracking down the information Jay sought within a remarkably brief period of time.  After reporting his findings he had once again retired to his favoured domain watching the banks' security monitors closely for any signs of Billings' escalating matters.