Wrong Side of the Bars is the second episode of the first season and the 2nd overall episode of Chicago P.D.
Summary[]
Antonio's son is kidnapped and he has a feeling the Colombian drug gang is to blame. Pulpo, the Colombian gang leader, is being held in jail and suggests his release may trigger the release of Diego. During the investigation, Halstead learns some new information about Lindsay. Voight offers Antonio a new approach to get information on Diego's whereabouts.
Plot[]
The kidnappers give Antonio an ultimatum - release Pulpo by midnight, or his son Diego is history. The unit only has one play in the interim, a midlevel climber named Ernesto with eyes on a spot in Pulpo's gang. They stake out an old address, and he shows - but Ruzek makes a dumb play, and Ernesto skirts the trap, assaulting Lindsay in the process. Antonio fumes at the wasted opportunity until Jin passes on new info - a live stream from the kidnappers with Diego tied to a chair. Pressure mounting, Antonio makes a private suggestion to Voight - what if they make the deal with Pulpo's men?
Source: NBC.com
Antonio contacts his most reliable informant, Janice, and taps her for knowledge. She digs up intel that sends the unit to a dingy hotel - and an empty room. Right as Antonio finds evidence that proves Diego was there, Ernesto appears in the hallway. After a quick chase, they corner him in the alley where Voight hands Antonio a knife - he's got two minutes before uniforms flood the alley. Antonio nearly gives in to the urge to torture Ernesto, but relents at the last second.
Back at the station, Ernesto refuses to answer questions without a lawyer, a move that sends Antonio into a spiral and stalls the case wholesale. His wife Laura pulls him aside and appeals to him as Diego's mother - get their son back by any means. Moments later, Voight cuffs Ernesto to a cage, and he and Antonio beat the truth out using chains like brass knuckles. Ernesto squeals on Diego's kidnapper, Mateo, and a cell trace leads them to Union Station - and his discarded phone in the trash. The team fans out. Lindsay spots Diego and Mateo boarding a bus headed for Indianapolis.
Source: NBC.com
Against Voight's instructions, Lindsay follows them on, alerting via text that Diego's unharmed. The team arranges for the bus driver to fake engine trouble and stop for repair, buying time for Detective Olinsky and Ruzek to pose as drivers on the backup bus. Everything goes to plan - except Mateo sniffs it out and pulls a gun. Lindsay does the same - it's a standoff in the bus, with no visibility for a snipe from Halstead. Always thinking on his feet (for better or worse), Ruzek runs to the backup bus and rams the back of the "broken" one. The crash sends Mateo to the ground and Diego into Lindsay's arms. Just as Mateo regains his balance, guns are still raised, and Antonio leaps onto the bus and fires into Mateo's chest, killing him almost instantly.
Source: NBC.com
The next day, the team reconvenes in their dress blues at the cemetery for the funeral of deceased Julie Willhite, whose name has been added to the memorial of Chicago police officers killed in the line of duty with her husband unveiling the sticker that reveals Willhite's name. This event - coupled with Diego's retrieval - reinvigorates Voight's cause, and District 21's commander admits as much, allowing Voight to run the Intelligence Unit "his way."
Later, on the outskirts of town, Voight meets with a woman from Internal Affairs, livid at his recent inaction on supplying her with heavy hitters in the city. They have a deal - he acts as a pipeline to high-end criminals, and she keeps him out of prison. Voight laughs it off - she'll get names on his time.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Jason Beghe as Sergeant Hank Voight
- Jon Seda as Detective Antonio Dawson
- Sophia Bush as Detective Erin Lindsay
- Jesse Lee Soffer as Detective Jay Halstead
- Patrick John Flueger as Officer Adam Ruzek
- Marina Squerciati as Officer Kim Burgess
- LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater
- Archie Kao as Officer Sheldon Jin
- Amy Morton as Desk Sergeant Trudy Platt
- Elias Koteas as Detective Alvin Olinsky
Recurring Cast[]
- America Olivo as Laura Dawson
- Arturo Del Puerto as Adres "Pulpo" Diaz
- Monica Raymund as Paramedic in Charge Gabriela Dawson
- Robin Weigert as IA Handler Sergeant Erica Gradishar
- Robert Ray Wisdom as Commander Ron Perry
- Kurt Naebig as Lieutenant Bruce Belden
- Zach Garcia as Diego Dawson
- Maya Moravec as Eva Dawson
- Erik Hellman as Dr. Alec Willhite
- Emily Peterson as Wendy
- Heidi Johanningmeier as Jasmine
- Andrew Saenz as Ernesto
- Eddie Torres as Mateo
Guest Cast[]
- Ava Morse as Emmy Willhite
- Melody Betts as Talia
- Ramon Camín as Guillermo
- Lawrence Kern as CPD Officer
- Michael Dailey as Bus Manager
- Donald Scott as Honor Guard
- Patricia Urbonas Clark as Social Worker
- Sharon Coleman as Union Station Traveler
- Al Luis as Interviewed person
- Andre Mayon as Construction worker
- Charles E Tiedje as Police Sergeant
Trivia[]
- This is the first and only episode to have the "Previously on Chicago P.D." line featured as future episodes of Chicago P.D. like Chicago Fire and Chicago Med would include various flashbacks showing what happened in previous episodes. This type of flashback would later be expanded to the FBI franchise consisting of FBI, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
- Jon Seda (Antonio Dawson) reads the "Previously on Chicago P.D." line.
Quotes[]
Voight: Cut his eye out! Do it! Do it!
Halstead: I'm glad I wasn't Antonio back there, aren't you?
Lindsay: I wish I was, because I know exactly what I'd do.
Atwater: We're going to find Diego, and he's going to annoy you for years to come.