Chapter Two: Dangerous

That had been over four years ago when he'd been a Detective in Vice and Antonio had never been able to forget that night. The operation had been successful and it had given his career the boost he needed to take that step into Intelligence but it was also the first time he had realized that his marriage wasn't as solid as he had thought it was. During his time with Laura he had barely looked at another woman but that moment with Maggie had put his heart in dire straits. He had never meant for it to happen, he put it down to being caught up in his role and the two of them had never talked about it afterwards. However when he thought back over it, he realised that his reaction to her was never about the role he played, it had always about Maggie. The two of them had been partners for a couple of years before she got snatched up for the Oskar Bembenek operation and he had to admit he felt the absence in her life when she had vanished. His days had been a hell of a lot brighter when she'd been around. She made him feel worthy of being cared for, that he was more than just a cop or a father. He felt that he had lost part of his identity in his marriage to Laura, that for her he always had to be one or the other. His wife had never understood that being a cop was in his blood. It was more than a job for him, it was a calling and when she had asked him to give it up last year, it had all come to a head and he was forced to admit that with Laura he hadn't felt like himself in the longest time.

Sergeant Hank Voight was seated in front of him. The other man was reading the scrap of paper that Maggie had provided them, it was spread out on the surface of the standard issue oak desk that decorated his office as he bobbed his head taking in all of the details. Antonio allowed his gaze to stray as he took in the room around him. He had always thought of Voight's office as an extension of the man himself. It was furnished by the department in a simple and no frills kind of way. The only personal affects that Voight had added was the framed American flag on the shelf behind him and the seven by five inch silver framed picture of his late wife Camille. It made Antonio's heart pang just a little when he looked at that picture. Camille had been gone for a few years now and he couldn't imagine what it must feel like to watch the love of his life slip away like that, day by day being eaten alive inside by cancer.

Voight straightened his spine before clasping his hands together and reviewing Antonio with keen analytical eyes. Antonio seemed more reserved than usual and Voight didn't need to be a mind reader to see those cogs turning in the other man's head. Maggie O'Neill was important to the other man, he had known it the first time he had seen the two of them interacting together when they were partners in Vice. He'd been courting one of them for his team at the time and put them both through the operational ringer testing strengths and studying weaknesses before Maggie was offered the Bembenek operation. He felt like he'd gotten to know each of them pretty well in those few weeks so he had no qualms about approaching Maggie for information when he'd needed a break in a case. It was against protocol but she was more than happy to help if it got the bad guys off the streets.

He wondered what her father would have thought of all this if he had survived that gunshot to the abdomen he had taken in 98 during the same stakeout that had left Al with a bullet in the shoulder and himself pinned down trying to figure out a way to get to them. Voight didn't doubt that the other man would be pleased to know that someone was watching out for his daughter.

"The information's solid." Antonio told Voight, interrupting the other man's train of thought. Antonio's right fist was clenched, his knuckles rapping lightly against the arm of the chair as he spoke. It was a sign of tension, one that Voight had come to recognize during his time working with the other man. Antonio was one of the best detectives he knew and Voight felt lucky to have the other man on his team however he was far from infallible. Voight was aware that he was under a huge mental strain with a messy divorce hanging over his head, it didn't help that Laura was withholding custody of the children until the details were hammered out. The sergeant knew it had to be killing the other man deep inside not being able to see his kids. Both Ava and Diego were the light of his life, he hated that the other man was going through that. Voight knew a thing or two about feeling emotionally isolated. There hadn't been another woman in his life since Camille and as far as he was concerned there never would be.

"How's Maggie doing?" Voight found himself asking as he sagged back in his chair, his elbows resting upon the padded arms as he clasped his hands in front of him.

Antonio paused for a moment before answering. He considered the dark circles that had marred Maggie's pale skin this evening under the harsh florescent lights. Sleep didn't come easy when you were fearing constantly for your own well being . He knew from experience how life could become complicated once you went undercover. There were pieces of yourself that you could never get back once you had given them away. Two years under Oskar Bembenek had to take it's toll.

"She's tired." Antonio finally submitted into the conversation. "Two years is a long time away from your family. I see her brother sometimes at Sunday service."

"I'm guessing he's still praying for her." Voight responded knowingly with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"He's a priest, it's what they do." Antonio said with a shrug of his shoulders before he reached for the piece of paper, holding it up between both of his fingers."I guess we better get rolling on this."