⋆° დ ༄ UNTIL THERE WAS US
chapter twenty two. start digging.

"Dad!" Wyatt yells, running into Hanks house and attacks Justin in a hug.

"Hey buddy" Justin smiles, then looks up to see Sam walking in with Hank behind her.

"Me and mom missed you" Wyatt says.

"I missed you too" Justin smiles, then pulls Sam into a hug, "And your mom. Like a lot"

~~~

After dinner, Wyatt goes to a spare bedroom to watch TV, while Hank, Sam and Justin are in the living room talking.

"Just six more months of getting top marks in training and I'm eligible for signal corps officer" Justin says.

"I'm really, really proud of you" Hank says.

"Means a lot, Pop. Thanks" Justin smiles.

"You've come a long way, Justin. And I couldn't ask for a better father for Wyatt" Sam says.

"Thanks, Sammy. I couldn't ask for a better kid. We missed 14 years of his life, I don't plan on missing anymore"

"So you were in town last month" Hank says, to Justin.

"Yeah. Yeah, I was seeing a friend. Only had, like, a day and a half, otherwise I would've reached out" Hank nods his head, "dont"

"So, who's this friend?"

"I don't feel like being interrogated, okay? Not when I can spend some time with my son. Besides I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle my own business" Justin says, before heading upstairs to be with Wyatt.

Hank looks at his phone that just vibrated and says, "it's Antonio. We got a case"

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Sam and Hank step out of their vehicle, stepping under the crime scene tape when they're approached by Antonio and Atwater who says, "hey, Sarg. We got one dead female. Found her in the trunk."

"A park district employee was closing the gate. He was about to have the car towed when he notices blood on the rear of the car, called the police." Antonio says, as they walked over to the car to see the dead woman in the trunk.

"Victims hands and feet are tied with barbed wire. Her throats cut. Fingernails are gone, too. I'm guessing she fought back against the assailant. He knew there'd be DNA so he yanked them off" Jay says.

"Cartel hit?" Hank asks.

"Or Russians. They've been known to use barbed wire, too" Dawson adds.

Erin looks at her phone and says. "Mouse ran a work up. Cars registered to the victim. Her names Melissa Wilds. She's 26 years old. We got a an address"

"Call Ruzek and Olinsky. Tell 'em to go over there and do a knock and talk" Voight says.

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"Melissa Wilds" Sam sighs, writing her name on the whiteboard, "her husband was an army private. Killed in a training exercise last year at Fort Bragg along with three others when their chopper went down."

"She has an associate's from Roosevelt and worked as a paralegal for the law firm Sawyer and Sawyer" Antonio says, reading from a file.

"Yeah, I've seen those commercials. They're just high profile ambulance chasers" Kevin says.

"Bigger than that. They do seven figure class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies or schools with asbestos"

"You know, except for a few parking tickets, Melissa has zero priors. She's a working, widowed mom. So the more I'm digging here, I can't see any reason why she'd be associated with Cartels or any Russians" Jay says.

"Well, listen. This girl was tortured with barbed wire. That means the killer either wanted something from her or it was personal. So I wanna know where she was before we found her, who she was with, if she was seeing someone new...hey look who's here" Hank says, as Roman walks onto the unit from the locker room with a box of his things.

"Last day, Huh?" Jay asks, getting up from his desk as the rest of the team gather around him to say goodbye.

Erin hangs up the phone from her desk and says, "Roger Simpson. Melissa's father is downstairs."

Voight looks at Olinsky and says, "Al"

Al sits up from leaning on his desk and says, "we should start drawing straws"

~~~

Sam, Erin and Hank are in his office talking when Jay knocks on the door and walks in and says, "Hey, we got, uh, Melissa Wilds' phone records."

"Okay" Hank says.

Jay closes the door behind him and says, "she and Justin, um, they knew each other." Then he gives Hank, Erin and Sam a piece of paper of the phone records, "looks like there's maybe 20 phone calls and twice as many texts between the two of them last month. The last phone call she made was a half hour before her time of death."

Hank starts dialing a number and says, "he said he was in town to help a friend. Maybe it was her" then puts the phone to his ear.

"Where's Justin now?" Erin asks.

"He should be at Hanks with Wyatt" Sam says, getting a little nervous now.

"Did he ever mention this girl to you?" Jay asks.

"Don't you think I would have mentioned it if he did?" Hank says, hanging up his phone, "straight to voicemail"

🌙🌙🌙

Sam, Erin and Hank walked into Hanks house to see Kelly holding Gracie with Denise and Wyatt watching tv on the couch.

"Kelly?" Sam asks.

"Hey, Justin called. Asked if I could watch Wyatt" 

"Where is he?" Voight asks.

"I don't know. He left over an hour ago. Said he needed to clear his head."

"Have you tried calling him?" Erin asks.

"I texted him, asked when he'd be back but I got nothing" Kelly says, "what's going on?"

Sam dials on her phone and puts it to her ear, "mouse, I need you to track the GPS on Justin's car, now!"

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Sam, Erin, and Hank track Justin's car, which looks to be abandoned. As they get out, they make their way to the car to check it out. When they open the trunk they find Justin in it with barbed wire around his wrists and ankles and unconscious.

"Oh my god, Justin!" Sam cries out.

"Oh god" Hank says, feeling for a pulse, "he's got a pulse!"

Erin sounds her walkie and says, "Lincoln 50-21, emergency. I repeat, emergency!"

"Oh my god, he's been shot!" Hank yells.

"We need an ambulance at my current location. We have a gunshot wound victim. Get me that ambulance now!"

"Copy that Lincoln 50-21"

"Hank" Sam says, covering her mouth, to keep herself from crying out, while Voight is holding Justin close to him. Erin holds onto Sam, so she doesn't fall to the ground crying.

🌙🌙🌙

"Talk to me" Maggie says, running to the automatic doors, as the paramedics bring in Justin on a stretcher followed by Sam, Hank and Erin.

"It's my son" Voight says.

"Sharon called. We're going to Baghdad."

"GSW to the neck. GCS three. Gun shot wound to the neck and head. Pupils fixed and dilated." A male paramedic says, as the roll him to a room, "signs are tachy on the monitor. He was bound in the trunk of a car"

As Maggie and the paramedics roll Justin into a room, Sharon says, "Hank, let's step outside"

"Is he breathing?" Hank questions.

"I need a CT head! Someone call neurosurgery!" Maggie says.

"Is he still breathing?!"

"I'm checking right now, Hank"

"Come on, let them do their job" Sharon says.

Kelly walks into Med with Antonio and Wyatt.

"Dad!" Wyatt cries out, running over to Sam and hugs her. Tears stain Sam's cheeks as she hugs her son and says, "it's okay, baby. Daddy is gonna be fine. He has to be. He wouldn't leave us"

Sharon closes the curtain as Hank yells Erin, "get everyone back to 21."

"Hank, we don't.." Hank cuts Erin off and yells. "Now!" Before walking away.

🌙🌙🌙

Back on the unit, everyone is gathered around Antonio who says, "everybody needs to hold real tight. And you all know what I mean. Especially you, Sam. If at any point you're not comfortable with something you come tell me."

Sam is sitting at her desk, tears still in her eyes when Hank walks onto the unit with a duffle and sets it down on Jays desk and takes out loads of money, "I want you to put the word out to all your CIs. That's 90,000 grand for any information on who did this to Melissa Wilds and my son"

"Hey, we got this Sarg." Kevin says, "think you should go to the hospital?"

"Alright, let me be clear. I don't need condolences. I need commitment from each of you. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to find who did this. Anybody not comfortable with that should take the next couple of days off."

"Turns out Justin went through basic training with Peter Wilds at fort Campbell, before Peter got shipped to Fort Bragg. That's how they knew each other. They stayed close friends. Melissa started reaching out to Justin about four weeks ago."

"It still doesn't tell us how they were mutual targets"

"Maybe there's a nexus with her job, the law firm" Jay states.

"Check it out" Voight says, before leaving the bullpen.

Erin walks over to Sam and kneels next to her tears in her eyes as well and asks, "Sammy, hey. how's Wyatt?"

Sam looks at Erin and says, "we just found him, Erin. Me and Justin just found our boy after 14 years and now Justin.."

Sam starts to sob and Erin brings her into a hug, "I know. I know."

Jay walks over to them and Erin transfers Sam to Jay, as she sniffles. Jay rubs soothing circles on her back to try and calm her down.

🌙🌙🌙

Sam decided she wanted to go with Jay to where Melissa worked to question her boss.

"Melissa was a great employee. Never complained about the hours, or working weekends, but there was definitely something off with her these past few weeks."

"Like?" Sam questions, tired of this conversation already.

"Her demeanor. Melissa was always outgoing, always has a smile on her face, even after losing her husband, Peter. But lately, she's become withdrawn. Distant. And to be honest, that's when I started to get suspicious"

"Suspicious of what exactly?" Jay asks.

Mrs childs gets up from her desk to close the door then says, "we worked a class action suit last year. Several dozen plaintiffs were awarded mesothelioma cancer payouts. All over a million dollars each. After the checks were mailed out, three of the plaintiffs were robbed in home invasions. Some of them badly injured."

"Was Melissa the only one with access to this information?" Sam asks.

"Well, no. But the way she was acting, and now what's happened to her. It can't be a coincidence"

🌙🌙🌙

The intelligence team is geared up and enters a sleazy motel where girls get pimped out at to find Carl Hearnes aka Ginger.

As they get to the door Carl is supposed to be in, Hank says, "this one we don't announce"

Kevin kicks in the door, Carl going for his gun in his bag and Al yelling, "don't move or I'll shoot your head off"

"You, get your clothes and get out of here" Erin tells the blonde who runs out of the room.

"You got a warrant?" Carl asks.

"Melissa Wilds" Voight says.

"Never heard of her" Carl says, as Adam cuffs him.

"The stove" Voight says, as Al drags Hearnes into the small kitchen, "watch the door. Justin Voight is my son" then he points to Sam, "and the father of her 14 year old son" then he punches Carl in the gut and turns the stove on, and puts his hand on Hearnes neck, "you shoot him and then wrap him in barbed wire?"

"No, man. That wasn't me. It was all Kevin!"

"Kevin who?"

"Kevin Bingham. A guy I work with sometimes. He used to bang that girl, Melissa, when they were younger. He got his hooks back into her after her husband died. Forced her to give up info on who was getting big payouts from her law firm."

"Yeah and you did the home invasions." Hank says, before slapping him hard across the face.

"I just do the safes, man! He handles the people, then we split it down the middle."

"Why did he kill her and shoot my son?"

"Melissa wanted out. But Kevin wouldn't let her so she went to Justin for help. Then he called me, wanted me to meet him at that social club to broker a deal for her safety for five grand. I told him, 'leave it alone'. He had no idea who he was messin' with. Kevin knew Melissa was gonna rat him out, so he called Justin to meet! To tie up loose ends!"

"Where's Kevin now?" Hank asks, as tears begin to gather in Sam's eyes again as she clenches her fists in anger.

"I don't know. I swear! He only calls me when there's a job!" Carl yells as Voight presses his face against the hot stove.

"Voight we can do this at the district!" Dawson yells.

"We're fine right here." Hank tells Antonio then he grabs Carl by his hair, "relax. Relax. Where's kevin now?"

"Hiding. Cause he knows you're after him. I swear to god, that's all I know!"

🌙🌙🌙

"Kevin Bingham. He's been racking up felonies since he was 18" Erin says, reading from a file and standing next to the whiteboard, that the team is gathered around, "armed robbery, assaults, battery, burglary. Five years ago, he got popped for attempted murder. A guy spilled his drink at a bar, so Bingham stabbed him 16 times."

"Yeah and he got out of jail three months ago." Dawson says.

"Melissa's father said she and Bingham dated 6 years ago, back in highschool. After her husband died, he started coming around again." Al adds.

"Yeah, so these were sent over in the robbery homicide file" Jay says, pointing to the pictures on the board, "all of these are from recent home invasions where the victims were tied up with barbed wire."

"That is definitely something he picked up in prison" Kevin states.

"So Bingham's parole officer said he stopped showing up, but he's got no LKA" Adam says, walking onto the unit with Mouse.

"Yeah, so we've been running an extensive check on all his known associates, including those off his prison visiting list." Mouse says.

Adam tapes a picture onto the board between Bingham and Hearnes and says, "alright. This is Dillion James. He's Binghams half brother. Visited him all the way up until his parole, putting money into his canteen account. He's got priors for methamphetamine, and a thing for stealing UPS trucks and stealing the stolen goods"

"Where is he?" Hank asks.

"We got a possible house in Rogers park." Mouse says.

"Alright, let's roll out. Antonio..you stay here. Just call us if you get anything"

"Hey. Any word on Justin?" Sam asks, walking over to voight.

"Goodwin called. He's been moved to ICU. Said she'll call in an hour with an update"

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The team walks up the porch stairs with their guns drawn to Dillion James' address.

"Chicago PD!" Jay tells, using a shotgun at the doorknob to open it and the team storms in to find Dillion and some other guy sitting on the couch.

"Tear this place up. Top to bottom." Hank says, as Jay walks away and Voight stands in front of Dillion with Sam and Al beside him with their guns pointed at them, " your brother, Kevin Bingham, where is he?"

"I-I don't know" Dillion says.

Voights shoots him in the leg and James immediately started yelling and groaning in pain.

"A son of a police officer was left for dead. We know your brother did it" Al says, "so if I were you, I'd be forthcoming."

"I ain't seen him" James says, then Hank puts the gun to his heart, "alright he was here. He came by last night. He was picking up some cash I was holdin' for him and some guns"

Hank puts the gun to Dillion's neck and asks, "where did he go?"

"I don't know. On my life! I'm tellin' you. He said he just needed to get out of town. Until somethin' blew over."

Hank looks over at the other guy and says, "let me see your hands" then puts the gun in his hands, "get binghams picture to every train, bus station, airport and roll camera. Alright, call an ambo. Just tell 'em it was a domestic"

🌙🌙🌙

Sam and Hank walked onto the unit to see Sharon Goodwin and sad faces on everyone on the Intelligence team. Jay walks over to Sam and puts a hand on her shoulder who asks, "What's going on?"

"Hank, Sam. Can we talk?" Sharon asks and they walk into Voights office who closes the door and Sharon clears her throat, "just lay it out, Sharon. Please"

"Hank, Justin's not coming back. The bullet caused a catastrophic brain injury and it's inoperable."

Sam feels immediate pain and numbness. She can't believe this is happening. Her first love, the father of her son, the man she'll always love no matter what. He can't be gone.

"Dead brain tissue is not regenerative so he will be on a ventilator and feeding tubes for the rest of his life. He won't wake up. He won't recognize his family or speak again"

Sam feels this weird pain in her stomach and she puts her hand over it and starts crying, "no, no, no this can't be happening right now. Please, tell me this isn't happening right now, please tell me this is all some sick nightmare"

"I'm so sorry" Sharon says.

Hank pulls Sam into his side before she falls to the ground who says, "Hank, I don't know how I'm gonna tell Wyatt."

A couple minutes later, Hank opens the door and they walk out. Erin has tears in her eyes, watching Sam who is in obvious pain, looking back on the history they had.

flashback..
June 2001

Erin walks up to Justin at his locker and leans against the ones next to his and asks, "I'm here. What's going on?"

"I wanna ask Sammy to marry me"

Erin chuckles and says, "you're kidding right?"

"No" Justin says, shutting his locker, "I'm in love with her Erin and last night she told me she's pregnant with my baby"

"Wait, what? Oh my god" Erin says, hugging the brunette boy, "congrats. But aren't you too young to be getting married. You guys are only 16"

"We're too young to be having a baby too but here we are"

"Well, whatever you decide. I'm here to support you both"

"Thanks sis" Justin smiles, putting his arm around Erin's shoulders as they walk down the hall. Erin's face scrunches up and says, "ew don't call me that"

Flashback over...

"Sam" Jay says, walking closer to his fiancée. Sam flinches and says, "don't"

Sam and Hank follow after Sharon to the stairs so they can pick up Wyatt and go to Chicago Med.

🌙🌙🌙

After Hank leaves Justin's room from seeing him, he takes ahold of Wyatts hand who has tears in his eyes, as Sam walks in to see Justin.

Sam slowly walks over to Justin, who is hooked up to a bunch of wires and holds his hand and starts crying even harder.

"Justin, I am so sorry. Why did it have to be you like this? We just found our son. Why do you have to care about others so much huh? why couldn't you think about your family?!" Sam covers her mouth, because she's been crying so hard, "I'm gonna miss you so much, J. Please, you can't leave me. Please. I love you, Justin. I will always love you"

Wyatt walks into the room and holds onto his mom's hand. Sam looks down at her son who asks, "dad isn't coming back is he?"

Sam shakes her head no and pulls her son into a hug.

Flashback...
December 2001

Sam and Justin wait in the doctors office to find out the gender of their baby. Sam's leg moves uncontrollably and Justin puts his hand on her knee and says, "Sammy, just breathe. It's gonna be okay"

The doctor walks in and sits at her desk with a file in her hand and says, "you guys ready to find out what you're having?"

"Yes please" Sam says. The doctor looks at the file then back at the couple and smiles, "it's a boy"

Justin smiles and says, "yes! I knew it" then pulls Sam into a kiss and resting his hand on her growing belly.

"Congratulations you two"

"Thank you" Sam says.

"I love you both so much. And I just want you to know that I will always be here to protect you guys. No matter what"

"I know" Sam smiles, resting her head against her fiancées, "I love you so much, baby"

"I love you too princess"

Flashback over..

🌙🌙🌙

Hank and Sam sit in Hanks vehicle in the rain, at the Silos and ignoring Erin's calls. When Hank sees a car pull up behind them and they get out, meeting with the guys from Hanks social club.

"We got a package for you in the trunk" the passenger says as the other passengers get out of the car to open the trunk and Hank and Sam find Kevin Bingham tied with barbed wire and gagged.

"I'm Justin's dad"

The guys get Bingham out of the trunk and place him on his knees on the gravel still tied and gagged and then leave. Hank takes a pair of pliers and walks over to the man and takes the gag out of his mouth as Sam takes a revolver from under her belt and points it Bingham.

"Just hear me out for two seconds, okay? Two seconds. I did not kill Justin. But I know who did and I want that son of a bitch just as bad as you." Bingham says. Hank rips down his shirt to show claw marks and says, "where Melissa Wilds tried to fight you off."

"No"

"Right before you killed her and pulled her fingernails out to hide your DNA."

"Okay, look, I can get you 500 grand." Bingham says as Hank walks back to his car, "tonight. In cash. Hey you wanna kill me? I understand. But believe it or not, I liked Justin, and I know he'd want you to have that money"

"Shut up!" Sam says, "are you that stupid?"

Hank walks back over with a shovel, throwing it next to Bingham and uses the pliers to break off the barbed wire.

"Start digging" Hank orders. Bingham stands up, picking up the shovel and starts to dig his own grave as Sam and Hank leaned against the car and watch him.

"He left a note for you two. You're Sam right? I-I have it. I mean, not on me, but I have it." Bingham says.

"Dig" Sam says, pointing the gun at him.

As Bingham starts digging again he says, "I told him a bunch of times, 'you're in over your head, kid'. You think I brought Justin in on this deal? Hell no. He came to me, trying to be some hero for Melissa, and I told him, this don't concern you."

"Keep digging" Hank says.

"Did you hear what I said? He stuck his nose in my business. He was warned"

"So you killed him?!" Sam shouts. Hank puts his hand out in front of the brunette to stop her from moving and says, "dig"

Erin quickly drives down the gravel road to where Sam and Hank are as Bingham starts yelling for help.

"Hank, Sam!" Erin shouts, getting out of the car.

"These people threatened to kill me! I didn't do anything!" Bingham yells.

"Guys, don't do this" Erin pleads.

"Get back in your car, Erin" hank says.

"Do not throw it all away over him." Erin then looks at Sam, "Sammy please. You have kids to think about. You have Jay"

"Get back in your car" Hank says, him and Sam both ignoring what Erin just said.

"Please, Justin wouldn't want you to do this!"

"Get out of here, Erin!" Sam says.

"Justin wouldn't want this!"

"Now!" Hank says.

"Hank, Sam"

Hank glares at Erin, who starts to walk away. "Go with her Sammy"

"What, no" Sam says, shocked.

"Yes. Erin's right, you have a family. Think about the kids"

"Justin's my family too"

"Go! I don't want you to have to witness this"

Sam sighs and follows Erin to her car. Bingham starts yelling, "no! You can't leave!"

Erin and Sam both start crying as Erin drives away and they hear a gunshot.

a/n:

That was the last chapter guys 😭 what did you think?
I only cried about 15 times, while writing this. No big deal.
And I put a couple flashbacks in there too! 💖
We're gonna miss you Justin Voight. You will never be forgotten! 💔💔
I hoped everyone loved the second book, just as much as me. We had plenty of bumpy roads. From Sam and Jay getting engaged and getting a house to having Gracie and Sam and Justin being reunited with Wyatt to Sam finally getting Justice for her mom!
The third book will be out soon, so wait for that!!