#one chicago

[wwemcumuscleslover]

I doo have a feeling they could be best friends...

Does someone also think that.

[my4ncy]

REMINDERS

season two episode six

masterlist

HER HAND HOVERED OVER the notebook page, a single sentence already written down.

Nothing else came.

She stared at the paper for a while, pen still in her hand. It wasn't like she had nothing to write about. If anything, there was too much of it. But every time she tried to put something down, her mind went blank again.

Letting out a sigh, Amy closed the notebook and dropped the pen next to it. It wasn't happening.

The sound of her phone ringing forced her out of her thoughts. She picked it up. "Hughes."

Jay skipped the greeting. "We caught a body. It's bad." She could hear it in his voice. "I'll send you the address."

She knew him well enough to recognize the tone immediately. Either the scene was gruesome, or the victim was a child.

As soon as she had the address, Amy grabbed her jacket and rushed out. Once she arrived, she took in the scene. Police officers were pushing civilians back behind the tape, making sure no one got too close.

Intelligence had already taken control, talking to witnesses and trying to piece together what had happened.

And in the middle of it all was a small body lying in the street, a white sheet covering her.

Amy went up to Jay, Alvin and Antonio. They were standing by the patrol cars. "What do we got?"

"The victim's name is Mya Watkins," Antonio said, briefly glancing at his notepad. "10 years old."

"She was a state's witness set to testify in a theft case this week," Jay added, his arms crossed. "Shooter walked up, put two in her head, and ran off." His voice wavered slightly, clearly bothered by this case.

Amy's eyes flicked briefly toward Alvin and Antonio— both fathers, both visibly affected in a way they didn't say out loud.

She nodded slightly. "I'm guessing no one saw what happened."

Antonio shook his head. "This was a message to the neighborhood. Don't snitch."

She thought over the very little information they did have. "They killed her in the middle of the street." Amy looked over at the body. "I doubt much planning went into this."

"You'd be right," Jay said. "Homicide found two 9-mil shell casings next to the body, so they didn't bother cleaning up after themselves. They're on their way to ballistics for analysis now."

Alvin was watching Amy closely. She didn't have much of a reaction to any of it. It was almost impossible to figure out what she was thinking.

"No, Mya!" They heard a woman cry out. When they turned, they saw Kevin holding back a crying woman, who was trying to reach the body. The mother.

"She's all alone! Please!" The mother's cries landed heavily over the scene, pulling attention from everyone present.

"I'll see you at the district," Amy muttered, before turning and heading back toward her car.

She quickly put the story together, printed out the photos, and put everything on the whiteboard. It was all ready by the time the unit showed up.

"James Grant," Amy started as everyone gathered around. "Senior at Anderson High. Star forward on the basketball team."

"Kid's a lock for the pros," Jay added. Amy glanced over at him and nodded once.

"Robbery-Burglary picked him up for holding up a corner store a few months ago," she continued. "Mya witnessed the incident, agreed to testify against him, and now she's in the morgue."

Kevin glanced around briefly, slightly taken aback by how bluntly she said it. No one else reacted. After a second, he pushed the thought aside and focused back on the board.

"So she was the only thing that stood between Grant going pro..." Erin trailed off.

"And spending the next five years in Stateville," Antonio finished her sentence. She nodded.

"The coach confirmed that Grant was playing a tournament in Evanston at the time of the shooting," Amy stated. "He has an alibi."

Erin looked over at her. "Maybe that was the plan. Have eyes on Grant while Mya gets shot somewhere else."

"This kid's connected enough to order a hit on a witness?" Alvin questioned. He didn't seem so sure.

Amy pointed at one of the photos on the whiteboard. "His uncle is."

Kevin's eyes were drilled into the image. He stepped closer, getting more determined. "We got anything on him?"

"Plenty." Amy grabbed a folder from her desk and handed it to the Officer. "Devon Tucker, O.G. vice lord turned gun runner."

The Officer flipped through the pages. There was a lot there— crimes, associates, family history. Amy had included notes on all of it.

He read over the part about the uncle and nephew, being able to piece together what kind of relationship they had— the written notes that Amy put in helped a lot. "Looks like he's been looking out for his nephew since the boy learned how to dribble."

"He's locked up at MCC on a federal weapon charge." Kevin glanced up and met Amy's eyes. She had thought the uncle was involved immediately, and now so did he.

Hank glanced between them, before his eyes landed on the Officer. Kevin had a look on his face— it was determination and something else the Sergeant couldn't place. "Think he ordered the shot from inside?"

Kevin turned to the Sergeant. "I bet my star on it."

Once Amy gave him a nod, confirming she thought the same, Hank was satisfied. He turned to Alvin. "Let's go have a chat."

The two older men grabbed their jackets and headed out.

As Amy was about to turn and go to her desk, Kevin spoke, stopping her, "hold on, Detective."

She looked at him. "Yes?"

"How do you do it?" Kevin asked as he handed back the folder. He glanced at the whiteboard, before meeting her gaze again. "Not care about the victim."

She almost wanted to shrug at the question, thinking the answer was obvious. "The victim and her family don't care how we feel about it. They care that we solve it."

Not waiting for a response, Amy headed for her desk, leaving the Officer still trying to figure out what exactly he thought about her.

Hank and Alvin met a dead-end and the case seemed to stall, but they kept working despite that. Figuring they'd be at the district for a while, Amy went to the break room and made coffee. They were gonna need it.

She sat at the round table, one hand wrapped around the mug, the other resting lightly against her chin. Her fingers drifted, almost absentmindedly, to the scar at her throat. A habit more than a thought.

Jay came into the break room a moment later and went straight for the coffee machine. He didn't say anything at first, just filled a cup and leaned back against the counter for a second.

"He asked me about you," he said finally. "Atwater." He crossed over and took the seat opposite her. "About the case."

Amy nodded slightly. "I already had this conversation with him."

"And?"

"And nothing." She lowered her hand from her throat, resting it against the table instead. "He's not the first person to wonder why I supposedly don't care about victims." She gave a small shrug before taking another sip of coffee. "Let him."

A quiet chuckle escaped Jay at how unbothered she was. "You'd sound terrifying if I didn't know you." That got a laugh out of her.

"You should still be terrified," she replied, taking another sip of her coffee.

The grin on his face widened. "Oh, really?" She nodded, a faint smile still present.

Comfortable silence followed, as the two Detectives sipped their beverages and let their minds go back to the case.

Amy let out a quiet sigh, her gaze settling on the table for a moment. "I think people rely on us too much for us not to focus completely," she said finally. "My dad used to say emotions cloud judgment. That bad judgment gets people killed and killers freed."

Jay nodded slightly. "Yeah, I guess, that's true."

"The cases need our focus, especially cases like these." Amy leaned back, glancing at the folder on the table.

He leaned against the table, a grin tugging at his face as she flipped through the file. "Aw, you do care." She didn't respond. Just lifted a hand and flipped him off, which made him laugh.

////

HANK CALLED THE DETECTIVES into his office the following morning. Not only was Commander Fischer there, but they also noticed a few members were missing. The Sergeant informed them that Antonio, Adam and Kevin were undercover in prison.

"As far as anyone knows, they're detainees like any other, which means they'll be treated as such," he told them. "I mean, only the warden knows they're inside. Anyone else finds out, it'll shut us down."

"Who's watching over them?" Fischer questioned.

"One of my best undercovers. So, while Atwater's on the inside trying to get Tucker on a wire copping to ordering the hit, we're out here doing everything we can to I.D. the shooter and then link him back to Tucker."

Fischer paused before he nodded slightly. "Sounds like fun." He turned and walked out of the office.

"That's the new commander?" Jay asked. "Sounds like fun," he mimicked Fischer. "Weird dude."

Hank shrugged slightly. "I spoke to Mya's mother," Erin told him. "She's on her way in for her interview."

"Where we at with the shell casings from the scene?" Hank asked.

"Firing pin signature doesn't match anything in the database, and no usable fingerprints," Amy replied. "Shooter was careful."

"Then we go back to basics. Check every camera we're linked to— CPD pods, commercial, residential surveillance. And run every in-service call that came in last night. I want to be briefed."

"Got it, boss," the Detectives replied before heading out of the office, passing Alvin where he leaned against the doorframe.

As they entered the bullpen, Erin pulled Jay aside to talk to him, and Amy went to her desk.

She decided to check CPD pods and surveillance, like Hank had asked them to do. Hopefully something would turn up. Amy made some calls, while Erin talked to Mya's mother.

Hank entered the bullpen just as Amy got off the phone. "Get a hit off the pods?"

"Not yet," Amy said. "CPIC's gonna extend the review radius to another six blocks."

Jay walked in, holding a folder. "Patrol responded to a hit-and-run collision a half mile from our crime scene last night. Call came in minutes after Mya was killed."

Alvin was leaning against Jay's desk. "Driver in a hurry to get lost."

"Partial plate narrowed it down to a Nathan Hughes in Wicker Park."

Hank glanced between him and Amy. "Hit it." Jay put the folder on his desk, before following Amy toward the exit.

The two Detectives didn't get much from this visit. They talked to Nathan's daughter and found out it was her car— that it was towed two days prior. It was better than nothing.

They informed Hank, before starting the drive back to the district. "Lindsay got a job offer," Jay said. She turned to him. "Steve Kot made her the offer."

"She got a job offer from ASA Steve Kot?" There was a hint of surprise in her voice.

Jay nodded. "On a task force. She is considering it."

Amy looked away, slowly nodding, trying to wrap her head around it. She tried to compare their unit to this task force— what it could possibly entail. "That's a big decision to make."

"It is." He glanced at her briefly.

They soon arrived at the district and got back to work. Hank and Alvin had gotten a lot more from their visit to the car lot, which turned out to be useful.

"The tow clerk rented the car to Omar Martel," Amy announced, walking up to the whiteboard, Jay trailing behind her. She put the photo on the whiteboard, as Hank and Alvin exited the office. "Martel was detained with Tucker at MCC until a few months ago."

Hank stood by his office door with Alvin. "Bingo."

"He used to run a stick-up crew ripping off dealers and killing them for fun." Jay handed out documents to Hank and Alvin. "Right. Now all of his boys are either dead or in jail, so he's branched out to murder. Last known address is on west 23rd and Pilsen."

"And Grant's cell phone records show him pinging a tower near Martel's house two days before Mya was killed," Amy concluded. She pointed at the picture on the whiteboard. "This is our shooter."

Hank nodded. "Beautiful. All right, let's roll out."

The unit quickly headed down to the garage and geared up, before moving out.

They quickly arrived to the house and Amy was the first to reach the door, a rifle in her hands.

Hank stopped her before she could kick the door open. "Hold on." He knocked on the door lightly, which was drowned by the music coming from inside. "Chicago police," Hank muttered.

The Sergeant moved out of the way and Amy kicked the door open. One after one, they followed her inside the house, clearing each room.

"Clear!" Amy gripped the rifle tight in her hands, slowly making her way up the stairs. They made it up to the second floor.

She moved her weapon to the right. "Clear." There was nobody there.

Jay moved past her to get into the next room, when a woman appeared in front of him, out of nowhere. He quickly grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth before she could scream and alert their suspect.

"Nod your head yes or no," Jay told her. "Is he back there?" The woman nodded rapidly. After making sure she'd be quiet, they moved her out of harms way and kept moving.

The Detectives continued down the hall. Jay signaled for Amy to continue forward while he went into the room to the right.

Jay walked into the room where Omar was. He was standing in front of the mirror, and after a moment, he caught Jay's reflection. He grabbed the clothes on the desk and threw them at the Detective, thinking that somehow would get him out of this situation.

Omar grabbed a knife and started swinging it at Jay, who backed away. Jay grabbed a shirt nearby, and when Omar swung at him again, he wrapped it around his wrist and tried to get the knife away. They struggled for a while before Jay elbowed him in the face.

Jay pulled Omar from the wall. The moment he did, Amy stepped into the room and drove a punch into his stomach. Omar doubled over and hit the floor.

Hank and Erin walked in. "What the hell y'all want?" Omar asked, clearly upset.

Hank walked up to him. "Tough guy, huh?" He stepped on Omar's stomach, which caused him to let out a pained groan. "You think you're hard? killing a child? Listen to me. This can go down a lot of different ways. But only one of them ends well for you."

Alvin approached the door, holding a phone. "Hey, Voight."

Hank kept his eyes on Omar. "I'm busy."

"It's Antonio."

Hank looked at Omar for a moment before backing away. "You got nothing on me," Omar remarked.

"We'll see about that." Jay grabbed Omar, turned him on his stomach, and cuffed him. With him in custody and Tucker's confession, they were able to close the case that night.

After clearing the whiteboard, Amy sat at her desk. She grabbed a black notebook from the drawer and opened it to a new page. Picking up the photo of the child victim, Amy glued it to the white paper, writing her name and date of death underneath.

It was something she did, something she had done since she became a cop. A book to remember the victims— the reason they did their job. That and the book of people she had saved.

They were reminders.

Amy heard him before he spoke. "You still here?" Kevin slowly entered the bullpen, looking over at the Detective. His face was bruised.

"I'm leaving soon." His eyes landed on the notebook and was able to get a glimpse before she closed it. She could see he was surprised by it, but didn't mention it. "Mya's mom is downstairs."

Kevin nodded slightly, before heading toward the stairwell to talk to Mya's mother. Amy looked down at the book and put it back in the drawer, shutting it close.

[my4ncy]

MAYBE

season two episode five

masterlist

IT WAS EARLY WHEN Amy met with Jay in the boxing gym— way too early. But she needed these lessons, because of her shoulder. Also, it was empty, which was perfect.

The radio played quietly in the background. A fan overhead pushed cold air down into the room. Amy sat cross-legged on the mat, working the bandages onto her shoulder.

The tank top with the thick sleeves didn't help. That, and the hour, had her irritated.

Jay stood nearby, finishing his water. He lowered the bottle as he noticed her expression. "Need help with that?"

She let out a huff. "Yeah," she muttered.

He chuckled under his breath, setting the bottle on the bench. Amy got to her feet just as he stepped in.

"When do you wear these?"

"When I'm awake." She pulled her sleeve up toward herself to give him room. "I don't wear them when I sleep."

He placed the first bandage. "What exactly do they do?"

"They support my shoulder, take some of the pressure off." Jay nodded and reached for the next.

The first sat lower, wrapped across her upper arm and the base of her shoulder. The second went higher— laid over the top of her shoulder and pulled across toward her neck, tightening the joint.

Amy stayed still, shifting the fabric out of his way. Jay paused with the last bandage. "Lift your arm." She did without hesitation.

He wrapped it carefully, starting high at the shoulder and upper arm, bringing it underneath before pulling it back across to secure the joint.

"Thanks," she said once he was done, adjusting her strap. He shot her a small smile and moved toward the bag.

Amy stepped onto the mat and flexed her hands once inside the wraps. Jay was already holding the bag when she moved in, settling into stance without needing instruction.

She struck first— clean, controlled. The bag shifted, and he adjusted automatically. "You've been training with Antonio," he said after a few beats.

Amy didn't stop moving. "Yeah." She glanced at him, slowing the punches. "How did you know?"

"The technique you're using."

"Ah." She gave a short nod and picked up her punches again.

Jay held steady as her rhythm settled. "He teaching you to hit or just to look impressive doing it?"

Amy let out a chuckle. "Both, apparently."

"Hm." He shifted slightly. "Explains a lot."

She shot him a look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you're getting better," he said simply.

She worked through another short combination. The pace stayed controlled, but there was a sharper edge now. After a moment, he spoke again. "Your aunt got arrested."

Amy didn't pause, only gave a small nod. "Yeah." She slowed just enough to catch her breath. "Hopefully it sticks this time."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "They'd be idiots not to tighten security."

She stepped back, brushing loose strands of hair from her face. "I don't want to think about her anymore." She caught her breath. "She's locked up. It's done."

Jay nodded once. "Alright."

He lowered the bag, giving her a second. Amy rolled her shoulder, testing the support. It held. She grabbed her water, took a quick sip, and set it back down.

"You good?" Jay asked.

"Yeah." She stepped forward again. "I'm good." This time she didn't ease into it.

The first hit came harder. Jay braced. She followed with another, then another— faster now, more focused. The rhythm shifted— sharper, tighter.

Jay didn't interrupt. He just held steady.

After a few beats, Amy slowed again, just enough to reset her stance. "You ever write?" she asked, more casually this time.

Jay glanced at her. "Write what?"

She hesitated, thinking through how to phrase it, then shrugged. "Nadia said she writes. That it helps her."

Jay adjusted his grip slightly. "Helps with what?"

Amy huffed softly. "Everything, I guess."

He thought about that. "Yeah... I've heard that." He shifted his stance. "You can't really say it out loud, so you just... write it instead." A pause. "Keeps it to yourself."

Amy didn't answer right away. "I tried," she said after a moment.

Jay looked at her. "Yeah?"

She shrugged. "Just sat there." Another hit. "Nothing came to mind."

Jay watched her for a second. "Nothing at all?"

Amy shook her head. "No words. Just... nothing." Her timing slipped. She stepped back and let the bag settle. "Switch."

Jay stepped in, catching the bag as it slowed. Amy moved behind it, bracing it with both hands. "Don't go easy," she said.

"I won't." He started controlled, the bag pushing into her grip. She held it steady. "You're overthinking it," he said between strikes.

"I'm not thinking anything. That's the problem." Another hit.

"Then write that."

She frowned. "Write what?"

"That nothing's coming to mind."

Amy steadied the bag. "That sounds pointless."

"Maybe." Another strike. "Still something."

She didn't respond. The rhythm settled again. Amy adjusted her footing as the bag pushed back.

"Feels like I should have something to say."

Jay slowed just enough to reset. "It'll come."

Amy didn't answer. She just held the bag steady as he picked up again, tightening her grip as it pushed back into her hands. 

After their boxing session, they showered and got ready. It was still too early to go to work, so they went to a diner.

The place was quiet at that hour— half-empty, mostly early regulars and people killing time before the day actually started. They slid into a booth.

The woman behind the counter noticed them almost immediately and came over with a warm smile, wiping her hands on her apron as she reached the table.

"Hey, you two." They greeted the older woman back. "You know," she said, leaning lightly on the edge of the booth, "we got this syrup shipped out last week, all the way from Vermont. It's really good. Would you like to try it out?"

Jay shook his head, briefly glancing at Amy. "No, thanks."

Amy followed a beat later. "We're good."

"The usual?"

"That'd be great," Jay said.

"Yeah," Amy added.

"Alright," the woman said with a smile. She straightened up and turned back toward the counter to put the order in.

Amy's gaze shifted to the window, watching a few cars pass outside. "Vermont," Jay said, drawing her attention. A small smile pulled at his lips.

"That's where the best syrup is from," she replied. "I've heard."

He nodded slightly. "Here you go, you two." The waitress came over with two cups of coffee and set them down in front of them.

"Thanks," Amy muttered, taking hers.

"Thank you," Jay said, picking his up a moment later. The waitress smiled and turned back toward the counter. He took a sip once she was gone.

He let out a hum, almost like he remembered something. "You know what, I know what you could journal about."

Her hand hovered near her mouth, the cup of coffee in her hand. She frowned slightly. "What?"

"Uhh, you could write about what a great partner I am." He tried to come off as serious, but a grin broke out on his face, betraying him.

She let out a chuckle, lowering her hand and putting the cup down. "Oh, yeah." Amy nodded along. "I could, but that would be a short entry," she added with a smile.

He stared back at her, wanting to seem offended— although, he wasn't. "Ouch," he muttered. His response got another quiet chuckle out of her, as she looked down at her coffee and his eyes lingered on her.

When she looked up again, he glanced away.

"It beats sitting in an office with some suit, so I'll figure it out." Amy let out a small sigh, as the waitress walked up to their booth again.

"Here you go." The waitress set the plates down in front of them.

"Thanks," Amy said.

"Thank you," Jay added. The waitress smiled and moved back toward the counter.

They started eating in silence for a moment, the usual rhythm settling back in.

Amy worked through her plate slowly, methodical, cutting the eggs into smaller pieces before eating.

Jay took a few bites, then glanced briefly at her plate before speaking, casual. "Protein is good after a workout."

She didn't look up right away. "Yeah," she said simply, continuing to eat.

They ate in a steady silence after that, finishing their coffee and plates without much more conversation.

When they were done, Jay left cash on the table. They headed out a moment later. The diner door closed behind them, and they made their way toward work.

When they entered the bullpen, Erin and Nadia were standing by Antonio's desk, mid-conversation.

"What's up?" Jay asked, picking up on the tension.

Erin turned to them. "Voight's not here. He's not answering his phone." She set what she was holding down on her desk. "I'm gonna go over there."

She looked to Amy. "You mind coming with me?"

"No," Amy replied, already moving to follow her.

The drive was quiet at first, the engine the only sound between them. Erin kept her eyes on the road, hands tight on the wheel. "He always answers," she said after a moment. "Or he calls back."

Amy didn't respond right away.

Erin glanced at her briefly before looking forward again. "And if he's not here, he usually tells someone. Jay, me... someone."

"He might've stepped out," Amy said.

Erin shook her head slightly. "Without his phone?" There was a beat of silence. "That's not like him."

Amy watched the street ahead, expression steady. "There's a reason for it."

Erin let out a quiet breath, almost frustrated. "Yeah, but what reason makes him not pick up?"

Amy didn't look at her. "We don't know yet." Another silence settled, heavier this time.

Erin's grip tightened again for a second before she forced it to loosen. "I just don't like it," she muttered.

Amy nodded once. "You don't have to." There was another brief pause. "Just don't jump to conclusions before we know what's actually going on."

Erin didn't answer right away. "...Yeah," she said after a moment, quieter now. The rest of the drive passed with less talking before she pulled over.

They stepped out of the car. As Amy shut the door, her eyes landed on the car by the sidewalk. "His car is here." That was weird.

She lingered behind Erin as they approached the front door. When they knocked on the door, there was no response.

Erin reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a key. Amy's attention shifted immediately, and Erin caught it. "I'm his favorite."

Amy stood by as Erin unlocked the door, then slipped the key back into her jacket as she stepped inside.

"Hank?" Erin called out.

Amy followed her in. "Sergeant?" She moved with Erin into the first room ahead.

A table sat in the middle, one of the chairs knocked over. Amy's eyes lifted toward the open entrance beyond it. "Back door."

They pulled out their guns as they moved into the kitchen. Erin's gaze dropped almost immediately to something on the floor. "Phone."

The cellphone was broken, pieces scattered near the counter. The back was empty.

Erin didn't hesitate. She moved toward the basement door and opened it, starting down the stairs carefully.

Amy stayed close behind. "Blood," Erin called.

It wasn't much, just a small smear along the floor near the bottom step, but it was enough. They reached the basement and slowed, taking it in. The hole in the wall stood out immediately. Amy's gaze moved over it, then back to Erin.

Erin didn't say anything, but the worry was there— clear in the way she looked at it, at the space, at everything that didn't make sense.

"We'll find him," Amy said. She holstered her gun and pulled out her phone, already dialing.

It rang once. "Jay," she said, steady. "Grab everyone and get to Voight's house. We've got a situation."

It didn't take long for the unit to arrive at the house.

"There are signs of struggle. We have a smashed phone, a chair on the floor. Also, the backdoor was open," Amy explained to the Detectives as they moved through the house. They stopped by the kitchen entrance. "The two cups on the table suggests that there was a second person here."

Antonio looked at the kitchen table, where he saw a cup of coffee and a cup of tea. "Voight's not the only one who got snatched."

The team split up and started searching the house.

Adam and Alvin went to the basement. Kevin and Antonio moved toward the back. Jay and Erin stayed in the kitchen with Amy.

She stepped closer to the table, glancing at the cup of tea— studying it. "There was a woman here."

Erin raised an eyebrow, looking at her. "Because of the tea?"

Amy shook her head slightly. "The lipgloss on the rim of the cup." This caused the other Detectives to pause and turn to each other in surprise.

"Hey," Antonio stepped inside. "Voight's got cameras outside."

"In the back?"

Antonio nodded. "Yeah."

Amy was already shifting focus. "Then we don't need to test the cup."

They headed back to the district soon after, where Amy took responsibility for reviewing the footage. She sat at her desk and pulled up the video from the back of the house.

She took screenshots, printed them out, and marked the timestamps.

The unit gathered as she started the briefing. "Voight had cameras at the front and back doors," Amy began, placing the photos onto the whiteboard as she spoke. "A young woman arrived at the house at 7:00 a.m. At 7:30, two unknown offenders entered through the back."

She turned to face the team.

"We can't confirm if Voight or the woman let them in. Five minutes later, the woman was seen leaving. One of the men escorted her back inside. And ten minutes after that, they exited through the back with Voight. He appears to be unconscious."

A beat of silence settled over the room. "We've got to put out an all-call and start a city-wide search," Jay said, his arms crossed.

Amy had her doubts about that— knowing Voight wouldn't want it out in the open. Alvin clearly felt the same.

"No," he said, standing by his desk behind Jay. "Because we don't know what Voight was into. We're bringing him home safe. We keep this in-house."

He glanced around the room. "Now— the girl is Olive Morgan. She's someone Justin dated when he was in town."

Erin nodded slightly. "Yeah, I remember her from back in the day. I wouldn't peg her for this."

"We need to run her through every database we've got," Antonio added. "See if her phone's active, get her family, credit cards. She could be connected to these two, whoever they are."

Jay frowned. "Connected? She could've set it up."

"For what it's worth," Kevin said, "Ruzek doesn't think they're local. He's trying something else."

It turned out Adam was on the right track. As the unit worked the leads, he came back with an ID. "Alright, the little guy," he spoke, putting a photo on the whiteboard. "Ian Marks. LKA came back Denver."

He had given the name to Jay already, who did some digging. "I ran his name through the face the nation database," Jay spoke. "His whole family's nothing but crooks. No match on the partner."

Antonio leaned on his desk, frustrated they hadn't gotten further. "The head of this unit's missing four hours already. We need more."

Nadia walked up and handed him a sheet of paper. "Detective."

Antonio frowned. "Cell phone towers?"

Adam turned away from the whiteboard. "That was fast."

"I flirted with the girl at U.S. Cellular," Nadia said.

Erin looked at Nadia. "Over the phone?"

"Yeah."

Antonio handed the paper to Amy, who scanned the content. "Idiot pinged a local tower. Looks like Marks called his family back in Denver."

Erin scoffed lightly. "Can't be that stupid."

"You choose Voight as a target," Jay said, "you can't be that smart."

Amy leaned on her desk, already typing on her keyboard. "I'll triangulate the pings and get a location."

Alvin nodded slightly. "I'll get the arrest warrant."

By the time the unit geared up, Amy had the location. Jay handed her a vest as they moved out. She put it on quickly, sending the coordinates to the team. They rolled out immediately.

They arrived at the house within minutes.

Kevin kicked the door open and the unit moved in. Amy went first, gun raised.

"The girl!" Hank yelled out. "The girl! The girl!"

Amy pushed forward and reached the room first. Hank was on the floor, blood on his face.

Olive was in worse condition— tied to a chair, a plastic bag over her head, tape over her mouth. Amy holstered her weapon instantly and crossed the room, ripping the plastic away and removing the tape.

She lightly patted the younger woman's cheek until she stirred. Erin moved in to check on Hank.

It took Olive a moment to register what was happening. When she finally came to, Amy pulled out a knife and cut her loose.

"They were—" Olive gasped, panicked. "They were gonna kill the baby. They said— they said they were gonna kill the baby."

She was shaken up, but she insisted that she was fine and didn't need a hospital. Hank was just as stubborn. After speaking with Olive alone for a moment, Amy moved on to Hank.

He was standing in the hallway with Erin, insisting he was fine and assuring her he'd get checked out later. Amy held out a water bottle, which he was quick to turn down. "I'm good."

Her gaze didn't waver, her hand still extended. Hank knew she wasn't going to back down. He took the water.

"She won't say much," she told them, as he sipped the water. "But she did say she's met Ian before."

Hank closed the bottle and nodded slightly, anger flashing in his eyes. "I'll talk to her." He moved past the Detectives and toward the younger woman.

Amy stepped back and moved to the dresser, resting her hand lightly against the edge as the rest of the unit gathered in the hallway.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Antonio shifted his weight, glancing toward the other room, where Hank and Olive were. Kevin stood beside him, arms folded, eyes fixed ahead. Erin lingered closer to the wall, trying to listen to the conversation between their Sergeant and the younger woman. Alvin remained a few steps back, steady, watching the room more than the door.

Amy stayed where she was, posture relaxed but alert.

Jay took the spot next to her, his arms crossed. "She say anything?" His voice was low.

"She's met Ian before," Amy said, matching his tone. "That's all she gave me. Voight might get more out of her."

Jay nodded once. "Hope so."

A quiet beat settled over the hallway.

Hank moved out from the room where Olive was, already mid-conversation, cutting it short as he stepped into the hall. "I want everyone back at the district digging into Ian Marks," he said. "Alvin and I are talking to Olive's friend. Move out."

There was no pushback. The unit turned and headed out.

////

OLIVE'S FRIEND, Josie, was a dead-end.

Hank and Alvin talked to her, but weren't able to get anything useful. The team had followed every lead they could, but none of it pointed to the second offender.

Amy sat at her desk, trying to look for anything that could help them, but was coming up empty. The sound of her phone ringing cut through the silence. She picked it up. "Hughes."

"Hey," Marco answered. "I just wanted to let you know that your two robber friends came to my store today."

Her posture shifted almost imperceptibly—shoulders straightening, attention narrowing as the words landed. Her eyes lifted slightly from the desk.

"I told them I only accept card payments and they fell for it, just like you said they would," he continued.

"You got a name?"

"I did. I'll send it you right now." Marco hung up the call.

Amy kept her eyes on the phone and waited for the text, and then it came. 'Lukasz Gregorie.' Her hands moved to the keyboard, already typing his name on the search engine.

"I got a name," she announced, heads snapped in her direction, just as the results pupped up, which were disappointing. "Lukasz Gregorie is the second offender." She looked up from the screen. "No criminal record."

She leaned back on her chair, already thinking of ways to find him and reasons to bring him in. "How'd you get his name?" Erin asked.

"My CI," Amy answered. "He told me Gregorie and Marks were at his store today. He told them they only accept card payments and Gregorie fell for it."

Erin let out a small scoff, shaking her head, not believing that Gregorie would fall for that trick.

Amy glanced at Erin for a moment, then looked away without responding, eyes shifting to the whiteboard. Ian Marks' photo was pinned next to Olive's friend— both potential paths to Gregorie.

Josie hadn't given them anything useful. Marks still could.

A beat passed.

Then she reached for her phone and dialed Marco, who answered after the second ring. "Yeah?"

"I need a favor," she said, her voice low. "It's about Ian Marks and his family in Denver. Police over there are, let's say, investigating them. I need the word out."

There was a brief pause on the line— long enough for Marco to understand exactly what she was asking without her spelling it out.

"Got it," he said, before they hung up. Now, she had to wait.

Jay had been watching her quietly from his desk. After a moment, he got up, crossed the room, and took the seat next to her desk. "What was that?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Amy didn't look up right away. "I'm reaching out to Ian."

Jay glanced at her. "How?"

"Through his family in Denver. He risked calling them after the abduction," she said, a small shrug. "Figured he cares."

He gave a slight nod, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Smart. You think it'll work?"

She paused for a moment. "Everything about him says it might." A beat. "Doesn't mean it will."

"Tell me we got something," Hank's voice cut through the room as he walked in, Alvin trailing behind him.

"We got the name of the second offender," Amy said, looking over at him. "Lukasz Gregorie."

"He doesn't have a criminal record," Jay added. "It's not going to be easy to track him down."

Hank glanced between the two Detectives, before shifting his attention to the rest of the unit. Nodding slightly to himself, he knew they weren't getting further tonight.

He could tell some of them were tired. "We're done for today," Hank said. "Go home, get some rest. We'll hit it again in the morning."

No one pushed back.

The unit started packing up, chairs shifting, quiet movement filling the bullpen.

Amy grabbed her jacket. Jay did the same, falling into step beside her as they headed out.

////

IT WAS FOUR IN THE morning when Amy and Jay were driving to the gym. Knowing she had a Red Bull waiting for her back at the apartment was the only thing keeping her going.

She sat in the passenger seat, glancing out the window as he drove. The streets were almost empty. They went over the plan, talked through it again. She told him she was ready to train without the bandages— at least, try to.

In the back of her mind, though, Amy kept circling back to Ian. To how he might react to the plan she'd set in motion.

Her phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts and she picked it up almost immediately. "Hughes."

"Ian just left my store," Marco's panicked voice said.

Amy's posture slightly changed as she glanced at Jay, who noticed the shift and looked back at her. "What happened?"

"The plan worked and he's pissed," Marco explained. "I did as you told me. I said the word came from you and now he wants to meet you. It was a bad idea to give him your name, I shouldn't have—"

"No, it was the right thing to do," Amy interrupted him, firmly. "Did he mention where and when he wanted to meet?"

Jay glanced over at her, trying to piece together the conversation, a flicker of frustration in his expression. "At my store," Marco told her. "In three hours."

After the brief phone conversation, Amy turned to her partner to tell him everything. "Ian wants to meet me at Marco's store in three hours."

His face dropped. "He wants to meet you? Why?"

"He knows I put the word out about his family and probably wants to confront me," she shrugged lightly. "He's not the smart one between the two and he could be erratic."

"I'll be there," Jay responded without hesitation. "I'll be close."

"Do we tell Voight?" There was a brief pause as they thought it over. "He'd want to involve the unit and that could be risky."

"We can say we have a lead involving Marks and we are following that lead."

Amy nodded slightly. "Yeah, that could work."

Three hours later, she walked into Marco's store, Jay staying close.

Marco was already inside, standing near the counter but not really settled there. He looked like he'd been that way for a while— shoulders tight, eyes flicking to the door every few seconds like he expected it to break open on its own.

Amy noticed it immediately, but didn't match his energy. She stayed calm, letting her eyes move through the space once— front windows, corners, exits— before she looked back at him.

"It's fine," she said quietly. "Just do what you did before. Keep it simple."

Marco gave a small nod, but it didn't take the edge off him. The store felt too still after that. Even the hum of the street outside seemed distant.

Amy shifted slightly as she stepped closer to the counter, her injured shoulder reminding her with a dull pull. She kept her movement controlled, careful— not favoring it, just adjusting without thinking too much about it.

Another second passed.

Then—

Glass exploded inward.

The first shot ripped through the front window. It happened fast.

Amy's body moved before the sound fully registered, instinct taking over. She grabbed Marco and yanked him down behind the counter, using her good arm while the other tightened on reflex— pain flashing through her shoulder as she pulled him.

"Down!" she snapped.

Another shot followed, tearing through the storefront where they'd just been standing. Marco hit the floor hard, breathing sharp and panicked.

Amy stayed low beside him, already shifting to cover, jaw tight as she pushed through the pain in her shoulder and reached for her weapon, as shots were fired at them.

She returned fire in controlled bursts, moving at the same time— using the counter as cover as she angled toward the side of the store where the shots were coming from. Her shoulder burned with every motion, a sharp reminder she couldn't afford to ignore, but she kept it steady.

Outside, Jay was in position, weapon drawn, returning fire from a better angle down the street. His shots forced Ian to shift, breaking his line of fire on the storefront.

Ian hesitated for a fraction of a second, then he turned his weapon toward Jay.

That window was enough and Amy moved.

She pushed forward from behind cover, closing the angle toward the front door as the glass fractured further around her. Pain spiked through her shoulder again, but she ignored it, locking in.

Ian was focused outside now— on Jay. Amy raised her weapon and fired through the glass door.

The shot hit its mark.

Ian went down hard, collapsing with a shout of pain, his weapon dropping beside him. The firing stopped almost immediately.

Jay moved in fast, covering the distance and securing Ian before he could recover, kicking the weapon away and bringing him under control. 

Amy stayed at the threshold for a second longer, breathing steady but controlled, weapon still raised until she confirmed it was over.

Only then did she lower it slightly, shoulder still aching as adrenaline started to fade. She locked eyes with Jay as he handcuffed Ian.

They both knew what came next.

Amy stepped forward, keeping her weapon trained for another second before holstering it. Ian was already struggling, cursing under his breath, pain setting in fast.

"Stay still," she said, firm.

She reached down, pulling his belt free in one quick motion and tightening it around his thigh, just above the wound. Ian tried to pull away, but Jay kept a firm grip on him.

The two Detectives hauled him to his feet. Jay didn't let go, dragging him toward the car.

Once Ian was in the cage, the door clanging shut behind him, they called Hank.

He arrived at the district already knowing about the shooting and the meet. He didn't say much when he walked in— just took in the room, the cage, Ian sitting inside with a wound wrapped at his thigh, still restrained and watchful.

Jay shifted like he was about to step in, ready to defend what they'd done and why they hadn't brought it to Hank sooner.

Hank saw it immediately and lifted a hand. "We're gonna talk later," he said flatly. "What do we have?"

Amy stepped in first. "Ian is willing to cooperate. He's going to call Gregorie and set up a meet." Hank's eyes stayed on her for a moment— not approving, not dismissive, just measuring. "We send in someone in his place, and once we've got Gregorie boxed in, we move in."

The Sergeant's brows furrowed slightly. "Why isn't Ian going to the meet?"

"If Gregorie sees him wounded," Jay said, arms loosely crossed, "he's going to clock something's off. We lose him."

"We talked about sending Ruzek," Amy added.

Hank nodded slowly. "I'm calling the unit. Set up the meet." He turned and walked out.

Chicago Boat Tours was already active when they arrived.

Amy and Jay blended in quickly, taking a small table near the walking path like any other pair of tourists waiting for a ride. Casual clothes, relaxed posture— nothing that drew attention. Just another couple in the crowd.

From there, Amy's eyes moved constantly without seeming like it. Dock entrances. Foot traffic. Sightlines.

And Adam.

He was further down the walkway, hood up, positioned exactly where he needed to be— still, waiting, unremarkable.

Jay leaned back slightly in his chair. "Can't believe I haven't been here before. It's nice." His eyes were on her as he spoke.

She glanced at him, mostly keeping her attention on their surroundings. "Yeah, it's not bad."

He leaned on the table, not looking away, a faint smile on his face. "We could come here, you know. On a day off."

Amy finally looked at him, longer than a second this time, like she was actually considering it. "Maybe." When she turned her attention away this time, a familiar figure caught her attention. "He's here."

Jay turned and saw him too. He pressed the button on his radio on the table to alert the unit, "target is here."

Gregorie scanned the area once, then again, more focused now— until his attention locked onto the grey hoodie down the walkway.

Adam didn't move.

Gregorie started forward.

Slow at first. Measured. Then more certain as Adam turned and began walking, pulling away from the busiest part of the dock.

"Now," Amy said quietly. They stood at the same time.

Jay moved right, blending into the flow of people. She went left, taking a wider angle, eyes locked on Gregorie.

No rush. No noise. Just control.

Gregorie followed Adam past the densest part of the crowd, the sound of tourists fading as they moved closer to the edge of the dock area.

Amy picked up her pace, and so did Jay.

They passed Gregorie from opposite sides— just two people moving through a busy space— and then slowed again behind him.

Amy stepped into his path abruptly, cutting him off. Gregorie stopped instantly, eyes snapping to her, confusion flashing across his face.

Behind him, Jay was already there. "Don't move," he said, gun drawn, steady.

Gregorie turned slightly, trying to reassess— and froze again as Amy closed the distance without hesitation. She didn't give him time to reset.

"Hands behind your back," she said.

For a moment, he resisted— just enough to test it. Then the cuffs clicked into place.

Adam arrived seconds later, stopping as he took in the scene.

Gregorie didn't speak. He just looked past Amy and Jay— and smirked when his eyes landed on Hank.

Hank walked over slowly, face unreadable, eyes locked on him. He ignored Gregorie entirely and reached down, picking up the black bag where it had fallen.

"Move," Amy said, giving Gregorie a push. She and Jay dragged him away.

////

AMY SAT AT HER APARTMENT table with a notebook open in front of her, the page still mostly blank. The apartment was quiet in a way that felt heavier after a day like this, like everything had finally stopped moving and she was expected to catch up with it.

She held a pen loosely between her fingers, staring at the empty space for a long time before she wrote anything at all. When she finally did, the letters came slowly, uneven.

'I don't know what to say.'

She exhaled through her nose, almost frustrated with the simplicity of it, like even that felt like failure. The pen stayed hovering above the page for a moment before she added more underneath.

'Writing is harder than I thought it would be.'

That made her pause again. She leaned back slightly in her chair, eyes flicking over the words as if she expected them to change or make more sense if she looked long enough.

They didn't.

Her gaze dropped back to the page, and this time she didn't write immediately. The hesitation lingered longer than the words themselves. Eventually, she started again, slower now, more careful.

'I've been thinking about telling Jay something.'

Her hand stopped there.

The sentence sat unfinished, heavier than the rest. She stared at it for a while, thumb brushing lightly against the edge of the pen as if that small motion could push her forward. But she didn't add anything else.

Not yet.

After a moment, she closed the notebook gently, the sound soft in the quiet room, and set the pen down beside it.

[my4ncy]

I DIDN'T EARN IT FOR YOU

season two episode four

masterlist

NINE DAYS HAD PASSED since Amy called Hank that night, telling him she was ready to return to Intelligence.

The decision had settled in quietly after that—along with something else she couldn't quite define.

It started in the kitchen with Jay. A moment she didn't revisit for long. She couldn't put her finger on what had changed, only that something had. And as the days went on, she pushed the thought aside when it surfaced.

Amy was returning to Intelligence. That was where her focus stayed.

Jay gave her a ride that morning, saying it was because it was her first day back. He asked about her aunt as they made their way toward the district.

"I tracked her down," she said as they walked inside. "New York."

His brows drew together. "Like she didn't even try to run."

A faint reaction crossed Amy's face— there and gone quickly. "Hopefully they'll arrest her soon." She slowed slightly, reaching into her jacket to adjust the elastic bandage on her shoulder, a flicker of irritation crossing her expression as she did.

Jay stopped in his tracks, waiting for her. "How long do you have to keep them on?"

"The doctor wasn't sure," she said, straightening her jacket again. "I had an old injury that didn't heal properly. It's hard to tell."

They started heading toward the stairwell, when Trudy's voice called out to them, stopping them in their tracks, "Detectives!"

The two shared a quick look, before approaching the Sergeant's desk. "Got word from headquarters," Trudy said, glancing between them. "You're both up for mandatory firearm re-qualification. Get to the shooting range by Friday."

The Sergeant turned to the documents on her desk, flipping through them.

"And welcome back to you, Medusa," she said to Amy, not meeting her gaze, which fit the nickname well. "I'm sure Burgess marked her calendar with a small heart."

Amy gave a slight nod, a quiet hum of acknowledgment, but didn't respond. Jay suppressed a smile as he followed her toward the stairwell.

"Friday is gonna be a piece of cake," he said.

She unlocked the gate and pushed it open. "For me. I'm a better shot than you."

Jay shot her a look as they stepped through, but didn't argue. Because he knew it was true.

Nadia was sitting at her desk by the entrance when the Detectives walked into the bullpen. She stood immediately when she saw Amy.

"Good morning."

Amy and Jay both paused near the entrance, taking in the bullpen— Hank still in his office with a small group, something already in motion.

"Morning," Jay said, breaking off toward his desk. Amy remained by the entrance a moment longer.

Nadia reached for a cup from her desk and stepped forward. "I got you a coffee." A small, hopeful smile flickered across her face as she offered it.

Amy looked at her, then at the cup. Nadia was still smiling— expectant, like this was normal. Like Amy had always been someone she could just do that for.

That was what made the Detective hesitate for a fraction of a second. "...Thanks," she said anyway, taking it. Her eyes moved toward Hank's office as she crossed to her desk.

Erin glanced up from her own desk, catching the exchange.

Nadia was still smiling faintly, watching Amy for a second longer than necessary before turning back toward her workspace.

Erin's mouth twitched— something close to amusement— but she didn't say anything.

"What's going on?" Jay asked.

Erin leaned back slightly. "Commander Fischer came in with Alderman Becks and his wife," she explained. "Shut the door behind them."

Antonio walked out of the break room with a coffee in his hand. "Now you have all the information we do."

The two Detectives were glad to see Amy back in Intelligence, despite not showing it. Jay had told them not to make it a big deal, so they didn't.

They soon found out what the small meeting in Hank's office was about— the Alderman's daughter and her friend were missing.

They gathered the little information there was about the teenage girls and met in the bullpen again to go over it.

Antonio put up the photos on the whiteboard, along with the girls' names. "Allison Becks, 16 years old," he started. "Last seen with her friend Hayden Tannenbaum. They were supposed to go back to the Becks' house after a study group. Neither showed. School records do show that both of these girls are in all AP classes and got straight As. Study group's plausible. Maybe they are jammed up. Allison's dad woke up to an email this morning from Uber saying she booked a car in his account last night."

"What the hell's an Uber?" Alvin asked.

"It's like a taxi, but you get a black car."

"So why didn't you say black car?"

Adam stepped in. "It's not just black cars, it's regular cars too. It's an app. You order it on your phone. It's got all your credit card information." He noticed that Alvin didn't understand. "Okay. I'm gonna call the company, see if I can get in touch with the driver." Adam left to make the call.

"Good," Hank said. He turned to Amy, who was sitting at her desk. "And you call State's Attorney Kot. I want a warrant for both girls' cell phones and computers."

She was already reaching for the phone. "You got it, Sergeant."

Hank turned to Jay's desk. "Hey, they got GPS on these cars?"

"Yeah. All of 'em."

"All right, I want...," Hank trailed off, not knowing the technical terms.

"Yep, I got it."

"Yeah, all that stuff. Thank you."

"Hey, Sarge," Adam walked back in before Hank could go to his office. "We got a problem with the Uber driver."

Hank moved immediately, signaling for Alvin and Antonio to follow as he headed out to check it.

Amy stayed back just long enough to finish with the warrant request, her focus already shifting ahead. If something had happened to the girls, it wasn't random.

She stood. "We should talk to Hayden's parents," she said. Jay didn't question it. He gave her a nod before following her toward the entrance.

"You're bossy, you know that?" He joked as they approached the stairs. She gave him a push, a small smile tugging at her lips.

The Detectives went to Hayden's house and sat across from her parents— Gordon and Liza.

"Did Hayden call last night?" Jay asked. "Email?"

"No," Gordon said, shaking his head. "Not after she left the house."

Amy glanced between them. "Can either of you think of anyone who might want to hurt your daughter?"

Gordon frowned, clearly thrown by the question. "No. No, not at all. We don't understand how this can be happening."

Amy's gaze shifted to Liza, who had been quiet the entire time. "Liza?"

She didn't answer. Just shook her head. Amy glanced at Jay. They needed to separate them.

"Hey, Gordon, why don't we step outside for a minute?" Jay said, already standing.

Gordon followed him out, leaving Amy alone with Liza.

Liza sniffled. "This is my fault," she said quietly. "I told her she could go. It was just a sleepover.”

Amy's expression stayed steady. "This isn't your fault. Okay?"

Liza nodded, tears slipping free.

They sat in silence for a moment while she pulled herself together, wiping her face.

"Does Hayden have a boyfriend?" Amy asked. "Maybe she didn't want her dad to know."

Liza let out a small, shaky laugh. "She's always been a pretty girl. Teenage girls... there's a new crush every few weeks. I stopped trying to keep up."

Amy nodded once. "We've got good people working this," she said, standing as Jay and Gordon came back in. "If you think of anything— anything at all— call us."

Liza nodded. "Okay."

"Of course. Thank you. Thank you all so much," Gordon said, shaking Jay's hand before they left.

Outside, Amy was quiet for a moment, her mind already working through it. Then she glanced at Jay. "He's hiding something."

"You think he's lying?"

"There's something."

////

ADAM FINALLY GOT A READ— he pinged one of the phones and got a location. They were hopeful that this would lead them to the girls.

They rushed to the address.

Amy got out of the car along with Jay. "Signal's weak, but it's around here somewhere," Adam spoke into the radio.

Then Hank did. "All right. Spread out. We go through doors if we have to." The unit did as they were ordered, to cover more ground.

They scanned the neighborhood for anything suspicious.

Then suddenly a crashing sound demanded their attention, alerting them. They quickly drew their weapons and turned to the source.

Rushing to the house, they spotted a young girl on the grass, clearly injured. A man was standing by the window, and he started shooting at them.

"Stay down!" Hank shouted at the girl, as they took cover. They shot back at the man.

Amy was kneeling behind a car— her gun in her hand. She looked ahead, where Erin was in a similar position. "I got you, go!"

Erin made a run for it. She ran to the girl, and Amy shot at the man, covering Erin.

"I'm the police. It's okay!" Erin told the girl. She had wrapped her arms around the frightened girl and was attempting to comfort her somewhat and reassure her. "But you gotta move!"

Erin helped the girl from the ground as the others kept shooting. The girl was yelling out in pain as Erin pulled her away. Amy followed them to the side, where they would be out of sight of the man who was shooting at them.

"Breach!" Hank yelled. "Go, go, go!" Adam and Kevin rushed to the door, followed by Antonio, who cleared it.

"All right, you're clear!" The Detectives ran into the building.

"Halstead! Hughes! Around the back!" Hank ordered.

The two Detectives shared a quick nod before they split—Amy went left, Jay went right, moving quickly to cover the rear perimeter.

Amy kept along the fence line, scanning as she moved. Her grip stayed firm on her weapon, though her shoulder gave a dull reminder with each controlled step— nothing that slowed her down.

Jay mirrored her movement on the opposite side. No need to talk. They'd done this before.

Inside the building, the sweep moved quickly. Within moments, the team cleared the interior and pushed toward the rear exit.

Above them, Kevin and Adam emerged at a higher position along the structure, stepping onto the fire escape where they had a clearer view of the yard and fence line below.

"Hey, other side of the fence!" Adam called out to the Detectives.

Amy and Jay both turned instantly, reacting on instinct rather than thought.

Through the gaps in the fence line, they saw a man standing by a car. The trunk was open for a split second— then slammed shut. There was movement inside before it closed.

No hesitation followed.

Both Detectives broke into a run at the same time, cutting straight toward the narrow gate just a few feet away.

"Police! Stop!" Jay shouted, his voice carrying across the yard.

The man didn't even slow.

Amy reached the gate first. She grabbed it low, yanking hard against the rusted frame and chain tension at the top. Metal resisted, holding for a fraction too long before beginning to give.

Jay moved immediately as it loosened, slipping through the opening without waiting.

Behind him, the car door slammed shut.

Amy released the gate as soon as he was through, stepping back to clear space.

Jay sprinted forward the moment his feet hit the other side, weapon drawn, shouting again—

But the engine was already roaring. The car surged forward, tires biting into the street as it pulled away before he could get close enough to stop it.

Although, the offender got away, Hayden was safe and hopefully help them find her friend. Most of the unit headed down to the hospital, so they could talk to her about what had happened with her and Allison.

Amy didn't see the point of all of them going, so she went to the district, where she could look into Gordon. First, she went to the locker room. Her shoulder was bothering her and she felt the need to change her bandages.

Standing in front of her locker, Amy slipped off her jacket before she reached up to her shoulder and ripped off the bandages.

The adhesive gave way with a quiet pull. She peeled the wrap off in one motion, rolling her shoulder slightly as soon as it was free. The movement was controlled, measured— testing range more than comfort.

A dull ache settled in immediately, nothing sharp, just familiar. She rotated her arm once, then twice, checking how the joint held under its own weight.

Satisfied it wasn't anything new, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small tube of anti-inflammatory gel. She squeezed a thin line onto her fingers and rubbed it into the side of her shoulder, working it carefully into the joint where the ache sat the most. Her expression didn't change— focused, routine, like it was just another step in getting ready for work.

She let it sit for a second, flexing her fingers absently as she waited for the slight cooling sensation to settle in.

Then she reached for a fresh elastic bandage.

Amy started the wrap low on her upper arm, pulling it snug as she worked upward. Around the shoulder, she tightened it just enough to give support without locking her movement. The fabric crossed close to her collarbone and up toward the side of her neck, reinforcing the joint the way she'd done countless times before.

She tested it once she finished—lifting her arm, rolling her shoulder slightly.

Better.

Not perfect. Just steady.

Good enough.

She grabbed her jacket again and slipped it back on, already moving on in her head before she even closed the locker.

As she turned, ready to go to the bullpen, Nadia walked in.

The younger woman was holding a book in her arms, close to her chest, a pen in her hand. Her grip tightened when she saw Amy, who immediately noticed.

But, she was ready to just move past and get to work. If Gordon knew anything about where Allison could be, then they had to find out.

"It's my journal," Nadia blurted out, stopping Amy in her tracks. "Uhh..." she trailed off, letting out a small chuckle. "It helps... with everything that I've been through."

When Amy interacted with her colleagues, it was about work— about a case, or suspect. Something work related.

Nadia wasn't a cop, so they didn't have much to talk about, so Amy didn't have that many talks with her. And they were always brief and not personal— like almost all of her interactions.

"You don't have to explain," Amy told her, trying to end the conversation that had barely begun. "I'm glad it works for you."

The younger woman responded with a smile, as the Detective moved past her.

As Amy moved across the bullpen, her phone rang. She grabbed it as she reached her desk and looked at the screen— Jay.

"What's up?" She answered the phone.

"Just wanted to let you know that Hayden didn't see the offenders," Jay responded. "Their faces were covered the entire time. We're heading back now."

"All right, see you in a bit." After the brief phone conversation, Amy logged into her computer.

She didn't get further than that before her phone started ringing again. "Hughes," Amy answered.

"This is Dr. Patel with the Medical Examiner's office," a calm voice said. "We've got a positive identification on your decedent from the scene."

Amy reached out and grabbed a pen and her notepad, ready to write down the name. "Go ahead."

"His name is Jason Woodley."

She scribbled down the name. "Alright, got it. Thanks." Amy hung up, before she looked up his name on her computer. She managed to find some things about Woodley before the unit came back.

Not much, just his criminal record and his mugshot.

Amy put the photo on the whiteboard and wrote his name above it, just as the unit entered the bullpen. "The ME just called," she informed them. "Our shooter is Jason Woodley. He is a career criminal and two months out of prison after a stint for armed robbery."

Jay was already by his desk, leaning back in his chair. "Was," he corrected her, with a teasing smile. She shot him a look, not responding. He knew she wasn't bothered by it.

Erin glanced up for a moment longer than she needed to, then went back to her desk, expression neutral.

Hank nodded along, ignoring their interaction, turning to the unit. "Alright. I want everything we got on this guy. Family members, known associates."

"Hank." They looked over to Trudy, who was standing by the entrance. "You got someone downstairs, says she knows you." She turned and went back downstairs.

Hank left the investigation in Antonio's hands, before he headed towards the stairwell.

Amy turned back to her computer. With the whole unit looking into Woodley, she decided to look up Gordon. There was something about that man— his behavior— that didn't sit well with her.

She started looking into him— starting with his family and associates, moving on to his work and financials. He made a descent amount of money.

Scrolling through his financial records, Amy didn't see anything suspicious, not until she went far enough back.

A large sum caught her eyes— 60k dollars.

That definitely stood out. Not just because of how much money it was, but because he didn't make that much money the other months. Why did he make that this particular month?

Amy kept scrolling and went back a few more months— another red flag went up.

60k dollars were taken out. It wasn't making sense.

A large amount of money just left his bank one random day over 10 years ago and appeared again a few months later.

Her eyes darted away from her computer when she heard muttering. Looking up, she saw Jay and Alvin talking to each other, before both stood up.

Jay noticed her looking in their direction. "We're gonna talk to Woodley's mom," he explained, grabbing his jacket. "Only living relative."

She gave him a short nod. "Alright."

"Keep me updated," Antonio told him from his desk.

Amy turned back to her computer as the two Detectives left. A large amount of money were taken out, then the same amount appeared a few months later, with no explanation.

She leaned back in her chair, her eyes not leaving the screen for a few more seconds. Once she did look away, her eyes fell on Antonio, who was sitting at his desk.

"Antonio, can I run something by you?"

He looked up immediately. "Yeah, sure."

"I've been looking at Gordon's financials."

"Hayden's dad?" He asked, his brows furrowed. "Why?" Erin turned to her too out of curiosity.

Amy turned her chair to face Antonio, ignoring the question. "Over ten years ago, 60 thousand dollars just vanished from his account with no explanation. A few months later, the same exact amount returned. Again, with no explanation."

Antonio was quiet for a moment, processing it. "That is unusual."

Erin found it weird too. "So, it was stolen and put back?"

"So, what? Someone robbed Gordon and he stole the money back?"

"He definitely has the money to pay someone to do that," Amy responded with a small shrug. She didn't really mean that as an actual theory, but once the words left her mouth, she couldn't help but start wondering. Did he?

She pauses for a second, returning to her computer.

To test the theory, Amy looked through the arrest record— ten years ago, Chicago, robbery.

Since, she had the specific information, it would be easier, but it still left a lot of people— a lot of suspects. She had to narrow it down.

Their offender is a white male, possibly in his 30s or 40s and he lives in Chicago. That makes the list shorter, but there's still too many people.

Amy adjusted the filters again.

Arrest records. Robbery cases. Chicago jurisdiction. Ten-year window. Incarceration overlap where available.

The list updated on her screen.

Twenty names.

She leaned back slightly in her chair, eyes scanning the results without really reading them yet. It was still too broad to mean anything on its own—but it was manageable now.

Amy pulled her notebook closer and began writing them down, one by one, marking the ones that aligned most closely with timing and repeat offenses. Not assumptions—just patterns that stood out on paper.

Her pen paused once or twice as she studied certain entries longer than others, then kept moving.

Twenty names. Now it was just about finding the one that didn't belong.

Slowly, Amy went through the list, crossing out every name she didn't suspect had done it. She continued as the list got shorter and shorter.

She continued down the list until she got to a specific name— Reid Dryer. There was nothing special about this person at first glance, then she dug deeper.

Reid was arrested ten years ago and was released recently, but what really stuck out was the prison. He had been locked up in the same place as Woodley— that was not a coincidence.

"Hey," Jay walked into the bullpen, trailing behind Alvin. "Woodley's mother just gave us a name."

Amy looked up from her computer. "Reid Dryer?"

His head snapped in her direction, taken aback. "Uh, yeah. How did you know?"

"Gordon." Realization dawned on him. "It's all over some stolen money over ten years ago. Reid served ten years in prison over, I'm assuming, money he stole for Gordon, where he met Woodley, both were recently released."

"Ten years is a long time to plan for revenge."

Antonio stood up. "Alright, so we bring him in." He gestured to Alvin and the two Detectives left.

Amy got up and went into the break room, really needing a cup of coffee. She grabbed a cup and filled it, the machine humming softly.

Jay stepped in a moment later, leaning against the counter. He watched her for a second. "You beat us to it."

She glanced at him, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. "Looks like it."

He let out a quiet breath, shaking his head. "We just got the name."

"Mm." She took a sip of her coffee. "You should've walked faster."

That got a small huff of a laugh out of him. He studied her for a second longer. "How'd you get there?"

"Gordon's financials. Something was off." Jay nodded, following. "Money disappeared about ten years ago," she continued. "Same amount came back a few months later. No explanation."

"And you went digging."

"Yeah." A small shrug. "Arrest records. Robbery. Same timeframe."

Jay exhaled, impressed despite himself. "And you land on Reid Dryer."

Amy looked at him again, that same faint hint of a smile still there. "He overlaps with Woodley."

A beat.

Jay pushed off the counter slightly, arms folding. "That's good work."

She didn't deflect it this time. Just took another sip of her coffee. "Don't sound so surprised," she said lightly.

Jay smirked a little at that, following her out of the break room. "I'm not." They split, going to their desks.

Nadia looked across the bullpen at Amy, watching the Detective as she sipped her coffee and worked on her computer.

She mustered her courage, before getting up and approaching her.

"Detective Hughes?" Nadia said, a little hesitant.

Amy looked up from her screen. "Yeah?"

Nadia shifted slightly, already starting to talk a bit too fast. "I—uh, I was reading through some of the case files from when you were in New York. Just trying to learn, you know, and there was this one case— family member, I think—and you figured it out when no one else did."

Amy stilled for a second, then gave a small nod. "Yeah."

Nadia nodded quickly. "I just— I was wondering how you knew. Like, what made you look at them when no one else did?"

There was a brief pause. Amy leaned back slightly in her chair, studying her for a moment. "Nothing made me look at them," she said. "They just weren't ruled out."

Nadia frowned a little, trying to follow. "But... no one suspected them, right?”

Amy shook her head once. "Doesn't matter." Another small pause. "Everyone's a suspect until they're cleared," she added, matter-of-fact.

Nadia nodded slowly. "And sometimes," Amy continued, "the person closest to it is the one you should be looking at first."

Nadia glanced down briefly, then back up. "So... it's not about catching a lie?"

Amy shook her head again. "Not at first."

A beat.

"You look for what doesn't fit," she said. "What they say, how they react— something's off, even if you can't explain it yet."

Nadia absorbed that, nodding more firmly now. "That's... actually really helpful."

Amy gave a small shrug, already turning slightly back toward her computer. "It's just the job."

Nadia hesitated for half a second longer, then nodded. "Right."

Before she could step away, Antonio's voice cut through the bullpen. "We've got Gordon. He's in the interrogation room."

He walked out to the hallway, to go question Gordon, just as Hank stepped in from the stairwell. He had been talking to his visitor, whose identity they didn't know. Not yet.

"Did I hear that right?" Hank asked, looking at the remaining unit. "Gordon is in the interrogation room?"

Erin nodded. "Yeah. Hughes found out he knew more than he was letting on. He's connected to both our suspects."

"Antonio is with him right now," Amy added.

The Sergeant nodded. "Alright." He then turned to Erin. "A word."

She followed him into his office and closed the door. "What's up?" Erin watched as he sat down by his desk, letting out a sigh. This was serious.

"Olive Morgan came to see me," he said. "An old girlfriend of Justin's." Slowly, Erin took a seat. "She's pregnant."

"Justin's?" When Hank nodded, confirming it, her eyes widened. "Does he know?"

"No, not yet." He was still processing the conversation and everything Oliver told him. "Her parents talked her out of having an abortion and she doesn't want to be a mom."

"Then why tell you?"

"She thought Justin would want to be a dad."

"Wow," Erin muttered. He nodded, still not entirely sure how he felt about the situation. A knock cut through the silence.

The door opened. "We got a lead," Antonio told them, going back into the bullpen.

Hank and Erin got up and followed him. "Gordon gave Reid Beck's phone," Antonio said. "We are tracking it down."

"Got something!" Adam called out from his desk, already pushing up from his chair. "Location just came in."

The Sergeant nodded once. "Let's gear up." He laid out the plan quickly as they moved into the garage, grabbing vests and weapons.

Once they drove to the address, Amy approached the building with Antonio and Erin— their weapons drawn.

Slowly, they entered the building, one after another. "That cell phone is in this building," Hank voice spoke into their earpieces. He was sitting in the car with Alvin, outside, positioned a safe distance away. "Halstead, what do you see?"

The Detective was positioned on the roof across the street. His sniper was in place and ready to use if necessary.

Amy moved further into the room, then after a brief moment, heard Jay response. "Nothing yet."

Her flashlight flashed through the room. "Same here. Empty so far," she told the team.

Antonio moved on her left, rifle raised. "Ruzek, how many rooms we looking at?"

"Blueprints are coming in now," Adam answered. He was in a van outside with Kevin. Antonio waited, wanting to be sure of how many rooms there were before continuing.

"We've got something like 15 or 16 rooms," Adam said after a brief moment.

They moved forward, clearing the next section, flashlights cutting through the dark.

"Hold on," Jay's tense voice came through the earpiece. "I got something. Second floor, two people. Big room, the north side of the building."

Amy paused at the stairwell, sweeping it quickly with her light. Clear. "Looks like it could be our kidnapper," Jay added.

"That's the science lab," Adam informed them, after looking at the blueprint.

After gesturing to Antonio and Erin, Amy started moving up the stairs. The flashlights came to use as they reached the top of the stairwell.

The hallway on the second floor was dark. Furniture was scattered, the space partially trashed.

Erin cleared the first room on the left and signaled the others forward. They moved past her.

Two more rooms— clear. Adam's voice came through the radio. "Guys, at the end of the hall, turn left."

They advanced methodically, clearing each space as they went. "Approaching the science lab now," Erin stated.

Antonio took point at the door, signaling a pause. The room beyond was lit. Male voices could be heard, but not clearly.

The Detectives shared a nod— it was time to breach. Amy opened the door, and Antonio went in and then Erin. She was quick to follow them and noticed the gun immediately.

"Chicago Police!" Amy yelled out, announcing their presence.

Antonio stepped forward. "Get down on the ground! Let me see your hands!"

Reid turned to Becks angrily. "I said no cops!" He yelled before he pointed his gun at Becks and pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting his shoulder.

Becks fell on the floor and dropped his suitcase in the process. "Drop it!" Erin yelled at Reid. "Where is she?"

Reid swung the gun toward Antonio. "Shoot me and you'll never find her!" His aim shifted to Erin. "You need me!"

"Where is she!?" Erin repeated.

"Not until I walk out of here," Reid snapped, voice shaking as he kept the weapon moving between them.

Amy stayed still, eyes locked on him. "She's here, right?" she said calmly.

Reid glanced at her. "You brought her here," Amy continued. "She's in this building."

He stared back at her— which she viewed as hesitation. He was about to lie to her and she knew it. "She's not here."

"She's here," she corrected, firmer now. "Which means we don't need you." She raised her weapon slightly, stepping in just enough to close the distance, making it clear she had it aimed at his head. "I can pull this trigger and end it right now."

Silence snapped tight.

They stared at each other for a tense moment, before he finally realized there was no getting out of there. "Okay, okay!" Slowly he lowered his weapon, dropping it to the floor.

Erin moved forward and handcuffed Reid. The other Detectives didn't lower their weapons until he was secured.

Then Alvin's voice cut through the earpiece. "We got her," he said. "We got Allison." The tension was quickly replaced by relief.

////

AMY STOOD IN THE LOCKER ROOM, looking into her almost empty locker. Now that she was back permanently, she needed more things. As of it being her first day back, it hadn't been bad.

Behind her, the door opened and Nadia stepped in. "Detective," she greeted her, a little less hesitant than before.

Amy glanced over her shoulder. "Hey." She turned to her locker again, organizing the few things she did have.

"I don't think I thanked you for getting me the job," Nadia said, taking careful steps closer.

The Detective closed the locker and turned to face the younger woman. "You did."

Nadia hesitated, then smiled a little. "Maybe it doesn't feel like it's enough." There was no doubt in her tone— just genuine gratitude.

Amy studied her for a moment. "You don't have to try so hard," she said simply. Nadia blinked, caught off guard.

She continued, matter-of-fact. "You earned your spot here. I didn't earn it for you."

That landed harder than Amy seemed to intend.

Nadia's expression shifted— surprised, but also quietly reassured. Like she hadn't expected to be seen that clearly.

She didn't think Amy paid attention to her. She certainly didn't think the Detective noticed the work she put in. But clearly, she did.

"Thanks," Nadia muttered, more to herself than anything, before turning and leaving the locker room.

The door opened again and this time Jay walked in. "Hey," he greeted her as he crossed over to his locker.

"Hey." She leaned against the lockers with her arms crossed, as Jay opened his.

"You're still in one piece," he stated, grabbing his bag and putting the strap on his shoulder.

Amy gave him a quick look. Just a little longer than she used to. Not because she was searching for anything—just because her attention didn't move off him quite as quickly as it normally would. "So are you."

"Give it time," he replied, like it was a genuine warning.

That got a small, almost automatic reaction out of her— a faint exhale that was close to a laugh, but not quite. Jay noticed it anyway.

He closed his locker and leaned against it, but not before inching slightly closer. "What are you doing tonight? And don't tell me you're staying here late to do paperwork."

There was slight humor in his tone.

Amy turned to him, shrugging slightly as a small smile pulled on her lips. "I'm going home."

Jay pushed away from the lockers. "Nope. We are going to Molly's."

Her eyes followed him. "We are?"

He hummed. "This was your first day back. I'm getting you a drink."

She stared back at him, trying to determine if he was being serious. Once she knew he was, Amy nodded. "Alright."

His smile widened slightly. "Alright."

Amy backed away from the lockers and followed him out, the conversation continuing.

[archiveofceliste]

[ss-angelcakes]

Is the Chicago Med fandom still alive do you guys wanna see my Rhodestead miis

[archiveofceliste]

[wwemcumuscleslover]

The Best of Chapman and Voight | Chicago P.D. | NBC

For me this is still one of the worst calls on CHICAGO PD.

While they were just workers? OK

But the moment they switched to a romance tryout? NAH.

And NINA CHAPMAN, she is buy far the worst female caracther of this show. Not only she was annoying, but also you could make more than a Lovesick school girl. She was a Lawyer, meant to be strong, and you make a pick me with her.

In the end of the day, Voight will be Voight. And I like to think, he is kind of a deal with the devil when comes to Relationship, what makes me questions, how was him while marry To Camile. Did he kept his cop work separated from home.

Soo many questions.