By LucyMcB

Synopsis:
There is a contract out on McGarrett and when an explosion leaves the two senior Five-0 detectives injured, one is kidnapped and held to ransom for the life of the other in a seedy nightclub. But the tables soon turn and time begins to run out before the contract is fulfilled.

CHAPTER ONE

He came to with a smell like cordite in his nostrils and the taste of blood in his mouth. Ears ringing he tried to sit up and winced as pain shot through his side, cracked ribs complaining as his muscles worked.

Through eyes fogged by smoke his first thought was of his partner. He scanned the area, aware of where Danny had been a few minutes earlier but now was nowhere to be seen.

There was blood on the pavement, tiny splatters around where he lay and a bigger, more worrying pool of it where Williams had been. Debris was all around.

Now he was panicking.

Groaning, Steve tried to stand up and he fell back as his legs failed him. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his mind racing. He wasn’t even sure what had happened it was all too fast.

All he remembered was Danny’s warning shout as he pushed McGarrett away from the car, then a bright light and darkness.

Once more he tried to stand and this time, he managed it. Steve grasped his ribcage, every breath causing him pain as he got slowly from his knees to his feet. He was alive, thanks to Danno. But where was his detective?

The explosion had torn through the vehicle and left nothing but wreckage. The inside was still on fire, leather burned to a crisp and any evidence destroyed. Red doors lay like dead butterflies from where they had blown off their hinges and an unfortunate young palm tree by the kerbside had been rendered in two by flying metal, emerald leaves scorched and blackened.

“Danno!?”

No answer.

Swaying and holding his side, Steve surveyed the scene but a quick glance told him what he feared, that Danny was missing. He couldn’t see the younger man anywhere – all that was left was his ruby red blood.

Exhausted and in shock Steve’s knees gave way and he dropped to the tarmac, the hot grey material looming towards him as his vision blurred. He needed to rest but he needed to find Danny more. He couldn’t understand where Williams had gone.

From the corner of his eye someone rushed towards him. A bystander had seen the explosion and hidden from view until he felt it safe to come out. Eyes as wide as saucers the store owner crouched down beside McGarrett and put a hand on his shoulder.

“You okay mister?” The man asked anxiously.

His breath smelled of alcohol and his clothes of tobacco and it nauseated Steve but he managed to speak through a throat seared by heat, “Call Five-0 – get Kalakua or Kelly.”

“You’re hurt! I’ll get an ambulance.” He said and took out a totally inadequate and discoloured handkerchief and pressed it against Steve’s face. Up until then Steve hadn’t even noticed he was bleeding from where shrapnel had cut his cheek.

“Thanks,” he said and replaced the man’s hand with his own as he tried to stem the flow of blood.

As the man tried to leave Steve grabbed his wrist and the guy’s eyes widened even further. “Tell me,” he asked groggily, “Did you see what happened?”

The man nodded his head. “Some. I…I heard the explosion. My shop is over there..” he said pointing to a now windowless emporium.

Steve closed his eyes, aware that he could black out but needing answers, “What about the other man?” He asked desperately.

“Which other man?”

“The man who was with me, I think he’s injured. Did you see what happened to him?

“Oh…that man.” The owner responded and his eyes dropped to the ground as if he found the shattered glass of deep interest all of a sudden.

Steve grabbed the man’s collar and pulled him towards him until they were eye to eye. The man struggled and gripped McGarrett’s fist. “What happened to him?!” He asked angrily.

“Steady on, I’m just trying to help you know!”

McGarrett loosened his hold and winced when his ribs complained. He apologised, “Sorry. But it’s important to me.”

The shopkeeper nodded, “He was lying over there. I ah…I think he was dead.”

Steve followed the man’s gaze but of Danno there was no sign. “Where? Where is he?” He asked, voice rising in panic.

“The car. There was a car!”

“Car?”

“I saw two men. They got out, picked him up and drove off.”

“Help me up would you?” Steve asked and the small man struggled to help the Five-0 Chief to rise on his weak legs.

Once standing McGarrett proudly took his arm from around his helper’s waist and straightened his mussed hair, before replacing the cotton to his bleeding cheek. He couldn’t understand why anyone would take Danny Williams and not knowing that, or the condition his friend was in, was worrying him more than any of his own injuries.

“Which direction did they go?”

A small crowd was forming now and an HPD car rolled up. One of the bystanders must have called it in, McGarrett realised with relief.

The store owner pointed up the road.

“They raced out of here pretty fast, didn’t even stop to check on you! Do you know them?”

McGarrett shook his head and replied distractedly, “No, I don’t know them and I don’t know why they would have taken Danno either.”

They heard the siren before the ambulance arrived and then all seemed to happen at once. The HPD officers pushed back the public, keeping them at a safe distance, the ambulance crew started checking him over and the pounding in his ears got worse.

Steve felt vaguely disconnected with it all, the noise, the smell, the carnage; it all seemed a million miles away. All except for the last shout of Danno’s, his friend’s blue eyes staring at him in shock and the blood on the ground. “What have they done with Danno?”

“You okay? Hey…mister…you okay…?” The shopkeeper’s voice grew fainter and fainter and the light bled from his mind as he slowly sank into the arms of an ambulance man, unconscious.

**

Thomas `Rent’ Barlow was a former small-time crook with big-time ambitions. He owned a string of gambling dens in Honolulu, all of which were paid for by the night club he inherited from his parents. He was wealthy but not overly so.

Donny and Lulu Barlow had doted on their son but as a child little Tommy’s ambition was to run their night club and as a teenager nothing stood in his way. After a particularly nasty fight with his beloved family involving their bringing up the touchy subject of some schoolgirl friends of his he had been pimping on the side, young Tommy was told never to set foot in the Club again. His response to this was to arrange for a couple of his more muscular friends to don masks and capes and beat his parents to death – in front of him. It was all very theatrical and Tommy enjoyed the spectacle. The police never found their killers and whilst Master Tommy Barlow was a strong suspect no one could prove his involvement.

Now Thomas was in his forties and no one told him what he could or couldn’t do. The Night Club was renamed `Phantom’ in honour of those muscle-bound friends and he began transforming it from a regular place of entertainment to a seedy den of iniquity. He liked it that way.

‘Rent’ was his nickname as anyone could rent Barlow – for a price.

This particular day he sat behind his expensive desk in his lavishly appointed office, picking his nails with a paper knife and whistling the National Anthem. He felt patriotic; he was doing his country a favour.

There was a hurried knock at the door and upon his command the imported walnut doors opened and two of his men came in dragging what looked to be a bundle of rags.

Angry that his expensive Turkish carpet (also imported) was being subjected to goodness-knew-what dirt, Rent stood up and dropped the knife to the desk with a clatter.

“What is this?” He asked, pointing at the bundle which turned out to be a man and not a jumble sale collection.

“What you asked for.” One of his rookies replied and dumped the package onto the patterned wool.

“What I asked for?” Rent said, stepping around the side of his desk and eyeing the charred offering with distaste. Kicking the body with a polished brogue he added, “Turn him over.”

His men complied and Tommy grimaced as he saw the state of the injured man, his clothes had been blown almost from his body and his face and chest were bruised and singed as were his pants. There was also a great deal of blood on the man’s thigh that was threatening to stain his carpet.

Walking back to his desk he casually picked up the blotter and placed it under the wound so that any leakages would soak into the paper and not his prized possession.

Taking out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his hands, he looked back at the man who had spoken and said, “Remind me again Brett – exactly what did I ask for?”

Brett looked at his colleague for reassurance before replying, “Well boss, you told us to bring you Steve McGarrett.”

Rent nodded, “Exactly! Well done! I told you to bring me Steve McGarrett and this is?” he added, pointing to the unconscious man on the floor.

Now both of his employees looked confused.

“Any time you feel like answering, please just go ahead.”

“But this is McGarrett!” Brett said.

Rent crouched down and lifted the head of the wounded man up by his curls. “No this, gentlemen, is Williams - McGarrett’s sidekick.” He dropped Danny’s head back to the floor with a thud and stood up, the whole of his five-foot-four frame facing the two taller men. “Care to explain?”

“I don’t understand,” Brett’s partner piped up, “You told us where McGarrett would be and this is the only person who was there! It has to be him!”

Cronies could sometimes try a man’s patience. Rent closed his eyes briefly before replying. “I told you that one of our rivals intended to lure McGarrett out into the open. I said nothing about him being alone. Have neither of you ever seen the celebrated Five 0 Chief in the papers? This most definitely is NOT the person I asked for. And what on earth happened to him?!”

Brett’s partner stepped forward to face his boss.

“Take those ridiculous shades off so I can see your eyes!” Rent complained and both men did as they were told.

“Um, there was an explosion boss.”

“Did you do that?” The small man asked, knowing full well neither of them were bright enough but prepared to be impressed just in case a miracle should occur.

“Um..no..it happened just before we got there!” The man explained.

“So what? You were following McGarrett as I instructed and you got to the scene as whatever bomb it was went off and you simply picked up the nearest body conveniently lying to hand and thought to yourselves `that must be McGarrett let’s have him’? Hmmn?”

Brett could see his partner was in some distress trying to compute what Barlow had said so he answered for him, “Uh yuh, that’s what happened, right Noah?”

`Noah’ nodded.

Barlow clapped his hands together and sarcasm dripped from his mouth, “Well, well now see how we are progressing!? Slowly but still progressing. So tell me – did you actually look around after the explosion to see if there was anyone else there; perhaps injured or lying a little away from this man?”

“Uh..”

“You see, that’s what I find intriguing about the pair of you. You both want to go far in this business don’t you?” Rent asked and picked a piece of fluff off his jacket as he crossed his arms.

“Uh..yeah I guess.” Noah said and Brett just stared at his boss.

“Well I like that in a man, ambition is good. SO WHY CAN’T YOU THINK FOR YOURSELVES FOR A CHANGE?!!” he suddenly shouted and both men winced from the outburst.

“Sorry boss.” Brett offered.

“Yuh.” Noah added as an afterthought.

“Too little, too late I’m afraid. I shall note it on your records of course. Now get that `thing’ out of here while I try to think. McGarrett is still out there unless he’s dead and I want my cash. There’s an open contract and I will collect! Leave me be while I think of our next move.”

Noah and Brett bent down and picked Danny back up by the arms and legs, hoisting his limp body between them.

“Oh and you’d better give him some kind of first aid. I’m not completely sure what we are going to do with our Mister Williams yet but I may need him alive. Now get out!”

They did.

“And shut the door!”

They did.

**
CHAPTER TWO

McGarrett became conscious shortly after they lifted him into the ambulance and drove off. His mind was clearing faster than his eyesight and he struggled to sit up only to find a restraining hand on his arm.

“Don’t sit up sir, just relax and we’ll have you in the hospital in no time.”

He blinked and saw the cherubic face of a young ambulance man sitting next to him. The man was checking his pulse and Steve frowned.

“I don’t have time for this.” He said almost to himself as his head dropped back onto the stretcher. “I have to find Danno.”

‘Sorry but you’re not going anywhere, we need to get you checked out. Looks like you might have a concussion.” The angel-faced man said having finished his glib diagnosis.

“I’m fine!” The Five 0 chief lied.

“Well let’s just wait for the doctor to make that pronouncement shall we sir? Not long now.”

The rest of the journey Steve was quiet, his mind going over the events leading up to the explosion.

He and Danny had been reviewing statements from a recent murder case when the call came in. It was an old snitch of McGarrett’s, someone he hadn’t heard from in a very long time and although he was surprised to hear from Honu, he trusted the man having had a long and mutually fruitful relationship with him over the years.

Honu told Steve that a large shipment of heroin was destined for Honolulu and he had wind that a buyer was meeting the seller in a downtown location to show him samples. Honu would say no more about his source or the location over the phone but suggested meeting him. He begged Steve to go alone, his distrust of other cops well documented. McGarrett agreed and arranged to meet within the hour.

Steve closed his eyes as he recalled the conversation with Danny afterwards. Williams was instantly suspicious, sighting the long absence of Honu as one of many good reasons not to go alone. Knowing his second-in-command to be right, Steve agreed to take Danno along. Now he bitterly regretted his decision although in hindsight, had it not been for Dan, Steve wouldn’t be alive to regret anything.

It was obvious to him that it had been a set up, but why kidnap Danny and why not finish him off while they could?

He was tired; his ribs and head throbbed unmercifully and he was becoming confused. If he could just close his eyes for a few moments….Steve fell asleep.

**

“What is that?” Brett said as he plonked Dan Williams down onto a bare mattress.

They had taken the injured detective upstairs to an attic room, complete with hot and cold running cobwebs and a dusty lightbulb that flickered on the brink of self-destruction. The mattress had been left there for many years and was damp to the touch but it served its purpose.

“I dunno, looks like metal to me, should we touch it?” Noah said and stared at the shard sticking out of Danny’s right thigh.

“How the Hell should I know, I’m not a doctor?! Best leave it – might bleed more if you pull it out.”

“That must hurt.” Noah offered sympathetically as he took a pair of handcuffs and hooked them around a pipe then clipped Danny’s wrists together, restraining him.

“Yeah well that’s not our problem. The boss says give him first aid. I don’t know the first thing about stuff like this, I’m not a nursemaid!”

“You think he’ll die Brett?”

“Quit asking me questions will ya! Yes maybe, then again maybe not! Seems to me he’s in pretty bad shape but then you look like that after a night in the Phantom so who’s to know.”

“Water.”

“What?”

“My mum always got hot water when I cut myself. Oh yeah and towels. Hot water and towels.” Noah said ticking the items off his fingers.

“He’s not pregnant for goodness sake!”

“No but it’s a start. We need bandages too.”

Brett shook his head, seeing another side of his big oaf of a friend. For a man who killed without compunction this was a new side to Noah and one that Brett was somewhat distressed to witness.

“Well go and get ‘em them Florence Nightingale.”

“Huh?”

“Oh never mind. Just get what you think you need and we’ll patch him up as best we can. Oh and better get something to blindfold him with. Don’t want him coming to and seeing us.”

“Do we need to gag him? He might be sick and choke.” Noah said, showing a deeper knowledge of first aid than was good for a man in his profession.

Brett just stared at him in surprise and blinked.

“Uh, no, I don’t think that’s necessary. This place is pretty sound proof and let’s face it people scream here most nights!”

“Yuh but this is daytime Brett.” Noah replied, obviously concerned his friend had got the time wrong.

“Just go and get those things will ya. You’re beginning to worry me.”

“Okay. You better press something on that wound until I get back. He might bleed to death.” Noah said as he was half way out of the door.

“You know you are in the wrong profession Noah my old buddy. You should have been a nurse!”

“Ya think?”

“NO! NOW GET A MOVE ON!”

Noah hesitated.

“Hang on. I’m coming with you. I don’t trust you!”

**

“Steve? You okay Steve?”

Chin Ho Kelly’s loud voice roused him. He was lying in a hospital bed, feeling very sleepy indeed and as a consequence was almost angry that he had been woken up.

“’s okay Chin I can hear you, there’s no need to shout.”

Doc Bergman warned the detective that McGarrett’s hearing might be off for a while so he was talking more loudly than normal. He toned his voice down a little.

“Good, we got worried about you there for a while. Sorry I woke you up but we need to talk. How are you feeling?”

“Sore, tired. I’m okay. What happened?”

“Doc says you’ll be fine with a few days’ rest. Mild concussion, some cuts and bruises and two cracked ribs. You were out for a while so they did the X-rays then brought you back up here. Having seen the damage that bomb caused I would say you were very lucky boss!”

“Thanks to Danno.” McGarrett said wistfully and cautiously felt his cheek, fingering the plaster covering his wound.

“Danno?”

“If he hadn’t warned me and pushed me out of the way I would be in the morgue about now.”

“How did this happen and just where is Danny? By the way Steve, you need to know there was a body in the wreckage of the car.”

McGarrett licked his dry lips and Chin handed him a cup of water which he sipped gratefully through a straw. He sighed and shook his head. “Not Danno, that was Honu, an old grass of mine, he was dead when we got there. I don’t know what happened Chin other than recalling Danny shouting and then the explosion. Didn’t you or Kono find out any more from the witness at the scene?”

“We interviewed everyone there but no one said they saw anything!”

“That’s not correct. There was a man, a store owner, he saw two men draw up in a car after the explosion and they took Danno. Chin they took him away and I’m pretty sure he’s injured!!” McGarrett said and anxious to find his friend, lifted the sheet off his legs and started to get out of bed.

“Hey whoa, not so fast! Doc say’s you’re not going anywhere at least for tonight.”

“But we have to find him - ‘I’ have to find him!”

“The state you’re in Steve you wouldn’t be able to find the men’s room. Let the department handle this until you’re back on your feet.”

McGarrett gasped in pain and held his ribs as he swung his legs off the bed determined to find Danny, regardless of his detective’s suggestion.

“I don’t have time for this.” Steve announced.

“Well I do!” Another voice said and McGarrett looked up to see the department’s Medical Examiner, Doc Bergman standing in the doorway looking his usual gruff self.

“You should listen to Chin Ho. He’s right, you’re not going anywhere tonight Steve, you’ll collapse.”

“Aren’t any of you listening to me?” McGarrett said angrily, “Danny Williams has been kidnapped and most probably injured so I haven’t got TIME to waste hanging around hospitals when I need to be out there looking for him!”

“And what good will it do Danny if you have some kind of seizure and end up back here again?”

“That’s ridiculous, I’m fine. I can just as easily rest in my office!”

“Well we’ll see about that.” Bergman said cryptically and turning his back on both men for a second filled a hypodermic syringe with the sedative he had brought along in case the Five-O Chief had one of his famous tantrums.

With record speed he swabbed McGarrett’s arm and injected him before Steve had time to object.

The dark haired man’s face was a mask of betrayal as he grabbed the doctor’s arm and said sleepily, “Someone has to find him doc! Find Danno…he’s hurt..”

“We’ll find him, now rest.” He said with false reassurance as he lifted the drowsy man’s legs back onto the bed and covered him with the sheet before turning to Chin. Both of the Chinese detective’s eyebrows were raised in surprise. “I wasn’t about to argue with him but I am concerned about Danny. If he was as close, or closer to the bomb than McGarrett was then he could be badly injured.”

“Don’t worry doc, we’ll find him.” Chin said and wished that he felt as confident as he sounded. His first job was to locate the shopkeeper Steve had said witnessed Danny’s kidnapping.

Chin looked at the now sleeping man in the bed, then back at the doctor.

“Oh don’t worry, he’ll be fine. When he wakes up he’ll be mad at me but I’m used to that. Now go find Danny.”

“Call me when that happens will you doc?”

“Yes, yes now shoo!”

Chin went, his brow furrowed with concern for both his boss and Danny, but especially for Danny.

If Williams had been kidnapped then Kelly hadn’t a clue where to start looking for him.

**

Danny was shivering, his body reacting automatically to his injuries. As the pain became too sharp he gradually returned to consciousness, surfacing through the layers of darkness until he managed to open his sticky eyelids.

For a few frightening seconds he didn’t know what had happened to him but then his memory came flooding back in glorious technicolour. His eyesight though was not as clear as his recollection of what had happened and he blinked furiously, trying to make his eyes focus properly but they couldn’t. He could make out shapes but everything was blurry and he had a ringing in his ears like Sunday school bells.

He appeared to be in a darkened room although every now and then he saw a flicker of light as it hit his retina before fading again.

There had been a bomb.

Danny recalled seeing it lying on the front seat of the car next to the corpse of McGarrett’s snitch. Honu’s throat had been cut. The bomb was set to go off and all he remembered was shouting to Steve as he tried to get them both out of the way - then nothing but a bright light, searing heat and intense pain.

He coughed and as he did so a sharp pain stabbed in his right side making him cry out as a bolt of agony lanced through his leg and chest. He thought perhaps he was in hospital, but as he struggled to sit up he found his wrists were secured above his head by what felt like handcuffs and he realised that he was in deep trouble.

Danny tested his bonds but nothing gave.

Unable to fathom what was happening, he began to catalogue his injuries rather than give himself over to panic. What he felt and what was wrong with him were two different things but he registered a number of what he assumed to be injuries. His head hurt and his face, chest and one shoulder stung from what felt like burns. He could hardly see or hear and he thought he may have broken at least one rib. What bothered him most though was the agony in his leg. His thigh felt like it was on fire and Danny knew from the wet tickling the back of his leg that he was bleeding.

He had no idea where he was or who held him captive.

He wondered if Steve was there too and as quietly as possible called out, “Steve? Steve, are you okay?” No answer. “Steve? It’s Danny…answer me if you can?” Nothing. It was conceivable that McGarrett hadn’t made it. Danny dreaded to think about that possibility but realised that the explosion could well have taken his friend’s life.

Angry and upset, Danny tugged at his bonds again and tried kicking out with his good leg, all to no avail. He needed to know that Steve was okay.

Perhaps remaining quiet wasn’t the best idea after all. With no gag in place there was a chance someone would hear him yelling and go for help, on the other hand, there was an equally good chance his captors would hear him and come running to shut him up. At least if that was the case Danny would have the opportunity to ask about McGarrett.

He decided to shout.

**

“What is that noise?” Noah said as he walked back upstairs, arms full of equipment destined for their captive.

“Sounds like he’s awake!” Brett offered, unconcerned, as he adjusted his own pile of bandages and other bits and pieces.

“Perhaps we do need to gag him after all, but at least he’s alive. The boss would be mad at us if the cop died.”

“Well we’d better see to it he doesn’t!”

**

In the semi-darkness Danny barely heard the sound of muffled voices nearby and tensed. He wasn’t sure what to expect so decided to keep quiet. He presumed his shouts had done the trick and brought someone to him, but whether it was rescue him or harm him, he had no idea.

The door opened.

“Well, well he’s decided to join us!” A voice said and straining his eyes Danny managed to make out the shapes of two men but couldn’t see them with any clarity. He just knew he didn’t recognise the voice.

“Who are you?” He asked boldly, “And why am I tied up?”

“Psst Brett, he’ll see us!” Noah said in a stage whisper.

“You stupid oaf, shut up! Back towards him with the blindfold and when you get there I’ll switch the light off.”

“And then what?”

“Where am I and why I’m here?” Dan asked but was ignored as the private conversation continued.

“Then, you put the blindfold on him so he can’t see!”

“Oh yuh. But I won’t be able to see to put it on him.”

“Oh you great ninny, give it to me, I’ll do it.” Brett snatched the blindfold off his colleague’s arm and began backing towards the mattress. Every now and then he took a quick peak behind him to see if he was walking into anything, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was ruining his whole plan by doing so.

“Right, get the light.”

“Okay.”

The light went out and Danny felt hands fumbling over his face as someone tied a blindfold over his partially useless eyes. He didn’t bother mentioning to his captors the fact that he didn’t have full use of his senses, they didn’t need to know that he was pretty much defenceless.

“Okay, turn it back on.”

The light came back on but Dan didn’t see it. He was actually grateful for the blindfold as it eased his sore eyes and relieved them somewhat.

“He’s a mess!” Brett commented absently as he bent down to examine Danny’s injuries.

“Who are you?” Dan asked again, the man’s voice penetrating the school bells.

“No one you need to care about.”

“Where’s the other man who was with me? Is he here? Please I need to know!” Dan asked somewhat desperately after having one question answered.

“No one else, just you – and us.” Brett replied and taking out a pocket knife none-too-carefully slit the pants on Danny’s right leg up above where the metal had gone into his flesh. Danny couldn’t help it; as the man tore open the material he cried out with the pain and rattled his wrists against the pipe, rubbing the flesh sore.

“Hey Bre…er…I er mean …be careful, I think you hurt him!

Brett shot Noah a look like daggers at the near mention of his name a second time. “Well you take over then Florence – seeing as you’re so keen to patch him up with your dainty fingers!”

Brett relinquished his place to Noah who knelt down and examined the bloody wound. He tutted and scratched his head, as though making a genuine diagnosis in a hospital.

“Looks nasty!” He offered, “Gimme that bottle.”

Brett passed him the bottle he was referring to and as he did so he saw the label on it. It was one of Barlow’s best bourbons and he just knew their boss would be pissed if he saw them using it.

“What do you need that for?”

“Now who’s the dummy? To clean the wound of course.”

“And where did you get that idea – from an episode of Bonanza?”

Noah blushed as he grabbed the bottle and opened the lid, “Actually Wagon Train but it still works.”

“What do you want with me?” Danny asked the two men. His face was pale and clammy and he had the beginnings of a fever. “Oh GOD!!” He yelled as liquid alcohol was poured into his open wound and he all but passed out.

The pain was unbelievable - Dan threshed about on the mattress and suddenly stopped moving.

“Heck you idiot you’ve killed him!” Brett admonished.

Noah took a swig of the Bourbon and wiped a hand across his mouth. He saw the rise and fall of Williams’s chest and seemed satisfied.

“Nope, he’s not dead. Just passed out. Knew that would happen. Let’s get a tight bandage on his leg. Need some gauze and wrappings to keep it in place. I dunno what the boss wants with him but he might have internal injuries and stuff, he’s got some burns too. I don’t fancy his chances much. This is like putting an inch of sticking plaster over a gunshot – it’s not worth spit.”

“Well what would you have us do Noah? Use your head, we can’t take him to a hospital and Barlow expects us to do as we’re told! He is a cop after all.”

“I know that. All I’m saying is that he’s not going to last long. Still, that’s not our problem.”

“No, it isn’t. When you’ve finished I’d better take that Bourbon back!”

**

A short while later Noah and Brett returned to Rent’s office to report.

“How is our guest faring?” Rent asked.

“Noah’s patched him up a bit but I don’t think he’s too comfortable. Er..he might die boss.” Brett said, prepared to face his chief’s wrath.

“Well that can’t be helped but if that’s the case we need to act quickly or loose our opportunity.”

“Opportunity?” Brett asked, curious as to what his boss had in mind.

“We need bait.” Tommy Barlow said as he spread some old newspapers out on his desk.

“We going fishing?” Noah asked expectantly.

“No you moron we are not going fishing. Well at least not for the kind of fish you’re referring to! We want McGarrett is that correct?”

“Uh yuh.” Noah agreed.

“And what does McGarrett want?” he asked, waving a hand over the papers.

Both men looked at each other blankly.

“Saint’s preserve us from idiots!” Rent said exasperated, “Look at these papers – what do you see?”

They looked. “Uh…stories and pictures?”

Rent’s eyebrows rose higher. “Yes and who are the photographs of?”

Another pair of blank stares.

“The captions! Read the captions! Oh never mind. It’s McGarrett and have you noticed who is with him in every one of these photographs?”

They peered closer, Noah scratched his head.

“It’s Williams! Can’t you see?”

“Doesn’t look like him boss.” Brett offered helpfully.

“Well trust me, if you could actually READ, the caption says Danny Williams, McGarrett’s second-in-command!”

“Still doesn’t look like him.”

-----

Chapter 3

“Oh that hurts! Doc can’t you be more careful?”

“Well how can I be careful when you insisting on moving around? Sometimes McGarrett I wonder how your team puts up with you! You ought to be resting that stubborn Irish head of yours, and your body – you need time to mend!” Bergman huffed as he wrapped a corset-type bandage around the lead detective’s ribs whilst the younger man complained bitterly.

“You don’t seem to understand that we have to find Danno. I can’t lie here knowing he is out there!”

Bergman’s temper softened as he pressed gently on the last plaster keeping the bandage in place. He gazed into his patient’s Prussian blue eyes and shook his head, “Well he’s lucky to have a boss like you to watch out for him.”

“No less than Danno does for me and I’d do the same for any one of my team.” Steve replied but the look on his face told the doctor that it wasn’t just a colleague McGarrett was stressing over, it was his best friend.

Bergman gave him something for the pain and eased Steve back onto the bed, hoping he would take a few hours to rest before discharging himself, but at that moment in time it seemed as though the injured man would do just that. He contemplated sedating him again since the concussion was mild but recalled the tongue lashing he’d received when McGarrett came to. He thought he was going to be arrested for assaulting a police officer the way he had the law laid out to him.

Bergman opted for the easy way out, “Well I’d best be getting back to the morgue, seeing as my critical patients are all deceased!”

Before he left, he turned back to look at his patient, face sombre, “Steve, I know that it’s hard for you to stand by and do nothing, but for now your men are working hard to find Danny and you will only be doing yourself harm if you over tax your body. You’ve had a shock and you’re injured. Trust them to do the right thing and let me do my job. Something will come to light believe me.”

McGarrett closed his eyes, recalling the debris around the wreckage of the car and Danny’s panicked shout. “You didn’t see the blood – it wasn’t my blood Doc, it was Danno’s. He is hurting and someone has got him. I can’t rest. I owe him my life!”

“Then make sure his efforts weren’t wasted.”

Steve frowned at the comment but didn’t reply, he was light headed from the pain and the medication and try as he might he couldn’t fight the fatigue that finally over took him. He was asleep before Bergman had time to leave.

The doctor checked that his patient’s breathing was even and steady then left the detective in charge of the nursing staff.

**

“He’s out of it boss.” Brett announced unnecessarily as the three men stood in the cramped upstairs room staring at Danny Williams who was huddled on the mattress apparently unconscious.

“Amazing powers of perception.” Rent replied rudely and stepping over his dearly departed mother’s first and only attempt at basket weave, he trod the floor boards on tip toes until he reached his captive.

Barlow’s height allowed him to fit neatly under the rafters while the other two men, being a good foot taller, had to crouch to get that close to their prisoner. He examined the attic room critically, “The dust in here is disgusting. Noah, remind me to get some of the girls to clean up.”

“Will do boss,” Noah replied, finding it strange that a full grown man could be so fussy.

“Is he bleeding again?” Rent asked of no one in particular since it was painfully obvious the red colouring on the bandage on Danny’s thigh was blood. “I thought you were fixing him up?” he said, staring accusingly at Brett.

“Well don’t look at me! Noah was the one playing doctors and nurses. And a pretty poor job of it he made too!”

Noah huffed at the ease with which his `friend’ blamed him for everything, it seemed no matter what he did Brett would take credit and foist blame. “Yuh but he’s got something stuck in his leg. I can’t take it out boss. I’ve seen those programmes on the television where they do that and the guy bleeds to death. Could be lethal. You may not think it would make a difference but sometimes leaving it alone is the best thing. You said you needed him alive.”

Rent Barlow narrowed his eyes and not for the first time regretted taking on these thugs even if they did have their uses. It was bad enough but sometimes Noah showed flashes of intelligence that made Barlow concerned he was in the wrong business. “Have you quite finished?” He asked.

“Well no actually I haven’t…I think..”

“SHUT UP!” Barlow interrupted and kicked the side of the mattress making Danny groan inadvertently and curl in on himself. He paused and looked back at the detective. “Hang on. He’s awake!”

“Maybe he just woke up?” Noah offered.

Danny was indeed awake, and had been for some time. He had heard the muffled sounds of people and feigned insensibility hoping to learn something of use. He was in so much pain it was hard to focus on anything but the way his body was letting him down, but he tried.

When the mattress was kicked the movement telegraphed straight to his ribs and he could pretend no longer. He tried but the ruse was over.

Rent bent down and stood back up fast as he smelled sweat, burned flesh and mildewed material. He never liked to get his own hands dirty if he could help it but enjoyed his position of power as a masochistic voyeur. “Slap him.” He ordered.

Brett did as he was told and backhanded Danny across his burned cheek and instant agony exploded in Dan’s concussed head. He bit his tongue in an effort to keep quiet.

Frustrated, Rent took out a handkerchief and mopped his brow, “Try squeezing his leg.”

“Hey careful of that leg!” Noah complained and got an icy look from his boss.

Looking at his partner with eyebrows raised Brett paused only briefly before gripping Danny’s injured leg. That did it. Excruciating needles of fire shot through Dan’s extremities and he screamed out with pain.

“Good – now he really IS awake!” Barlow laughed as Danny cried out and writhed in agony, pulling on the handcuffs and taking more skin off his wrists as his good leg thumped the mattress. “Hey stop that.”

But Williams neither heard, nor cared what his captor said, he was too busy surfing the wave of pain to its conclusion.

“Stop…stop it!” Rent stamped his foot raising unwelcome dust off the floor boards and he began coughing.

“Dammit, bring him downstairs I can’t stay in this disease-infested room.”

He tip-toed back out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving his two henchmen to deal with Danny.

Noah was shaking his head in amazement as Brett bent down to Danny and fumbled with the cuffs. “Okay, better do as the boss says.”

When he felt the handcuffs come off Danny seriously contemplated making a move. He was running with water from the sheer effort of keeping control over the pain but it truly did cross his mind that this might be his only chance to do something.

“Please tell me what you want?” He asked, buying as much time as he could for his body to come back under some semblance of control. He kept his arms over his head in readiness even after the cuffs came off.

“We won’t tell you anything.” Noah answered as his partner made sure the blindfold was still tightly bound over Danny’s eyes.

“Just tell me one thing.”

“Uh what?”

“Is it day or night?”

“Day.” Brett replied, “Now get up!”

Without thinking Danny used all his strength and brought his numb arms crashing down on what he thought was the back of Brett’s neck but he was so weak that all he did was hit a skull and make the man’s bull head bounce off his breast bone. He had a brief moment of time to contemplate the stupidity of his actions and register the expletive that issued forth from his captor’s mouth, before instant agony and a jet black crept across his vision. He almost passed out.

“Hell and damnation! What just happened?”

“Uh he hit you. You hurt?”

Brett stood up and rubbed his head, “No, made me jump is all. Well help me get his sorry ass downstairs will ya?”

“Lemme just change that bandage.”

“Noah, we don’t have time, you heard the boss!”

“Yeah well I also heard him say he didn’t want the cop dead, didn’t you?”

Brett was exasperated and his head throbbed, he just didn’t like to admit it. Realising Noah was probably right he gave in.

“Yes, so go on, but be quick or we’ll both be for it!”

Noah smiled.

**

Chin paced up and down McGarrett’s office closely watched by Kono who was standing by the door.

“What do you think Kono?”

“Dunno, with the boss in the hospital and Danny missing I figure we need to start looking at grudges. Anyone threatened either of them recently?”

Chin laughed. “You want to go through the longest list on the islands bruddah? Everyone has a grudge against them! You start counting heads and we’re gonna be here until Thanksgiving!”

“Okay, so how about we start with the car and the snitch. Steve said he was going to see the Turtle right?”

“Turtle?”

“Honu - turtle Chin like the soup.”

“Ah!” Kelly stopped pacing and went to sit down but couldn’t quite make himself use McGarrett’s chair. It didn’t feel like Steve had left either man to run Five-O – more like they were carrying on by proxy until he got out of a dentist’s appointment.

“When I spoke to him Steve said that Honu told him to go alone, so we figure that the informant wanted him and not Danny; which doesn’t make any sense since Danny’s the one they kidnapped, not Steve!”

“Yeah, I can’t figure that out either. If Danny wasn’t meant to go with the boss to that meet then whoever planted that bomb meant it for him and Danno just got in the way.”

“His bad luck.”

“Not for Steve. From what the boss said if Danny hadn’t been there he would have been killed for sure!”

“Let’s pull the records of anyone threatening Steve anyway and get the low down on Honu and the cases he helped McGarrett on. Maybe that way we can connect some of the dots. I think there’s more to this than just a low-life looking to get even. Kidnapping Danny just doesn’t fit into the picture.”

“I agree with you.” A voice said from the door and Kono turned around to see a very pale looking McGarrett standing in the doorway with Jenny Sherman hovering over him.

“Steve! What are you doing out of the hospital!?” Chin asked shocked.

“You feeling okay boss, you look terrible?”

Steve did his half-smile and rested a hand on the door. “I’m okay.”

“He discharged himself from the hospital! I had just got a call from Doctor Bergman warning us when he walked in the door!” Jenny said anxiously as she helped Steve into the room and to his desk.

He waved her off with a smile before easing himself down into his chair. It was difficult but not impossible and his ribs creaked.

“I’ll get you something to wash these down.” She said and opened his palm to deposit two bottles of medication that a courier had brought over from the hospital. In his haste to leave McGarrett had neglected to take them with him.

“I don’t need those things. They make my head spin, Jenny take them away.”

“Well Doc said….”

“Never mind what Doc said, he’s a fussy old busy body! I need to think straight so we can figure this thing out with Danno.”

“Well regardless I will bring you some water. In CASE you need them later on!” Jenny huffed and turned on her heel.

“We just knew you couldn’t keep away boss. You in pain?”

“I’ll survive. Close that door would you Kono?”

“Sure.” As Kalakua went to close it Jenny’s hand shot out with a tumbler of water and a sigh. Kono took it and thanked her before shutting her out.

“Right gentlemen, now that I’m back let’s get down to the business of finding Danno shall we?”


**
Chapter 4

Danny stumbled down the wooden staircase, aided by one of his captors, the man’s pungent aftershave choking him with the acid scent of something he couldn’t readily identify, it mixed with the smell of burned clothing and made him want to throw up.

His bad leg would not respond to commands and he hobbled on his good one, dragging the other and leaning heavily on the man’s shoulder as he was marched downstairs. Danny’s hands were cuffed behind him and he was gagged and blindfolded ensuring that nothing but muffled sound registered to him as he concentrated simply on staying conscious, the pain almost unbearable in his closed off world.

Noah had redressed the injury to his thigh but with the shrapnel embedded in his flesh every step was agonising as the foreign object grated against his nerve endings. His breathing was laboured from the damage to his ribcage and he wheezed against the gag.

“Come on, we haven’t got all day!” Brett complained as Danny stumbled again and moaned, his mouth gripping the material clenched between his teeth as a scream tried to force its way past his lips. Brett gripped the injured man’s shoulders, holding him upright as they reached the first floor landing. Noah slipped past them to close the private door to the club’s noisy upper bar. It wouldn’t do for the customers to see them taking their prisoner downstairs.

Noah nodded it was safe and Brett continued, half-dragging the detective along the carpet runner and rucking it up behind them so that Noah was forced to bend down time and again to straighten it.

If the trip from the attic had been difficult to negotiate, the next set of stairs was like a mountain and Brett was tiring as he tried to drag his charge to the head of the staircase. As they stood on the edge of some twenty steep steps, the older of Rent’s two associates seriously contemplated pushing Williams down to the bottom, thereby negating the necessity for him to sweat any more.

He let Danny stand on his own two feet and watched him sway dangerously, taking a perverse sense of pleasure in playing with fate.

Danny didn’t know how close he was to the edge or to falling to what potentially could have been his death as he sensed the ground shifting under him, his balance shot. He wasn’t able to stay upright any longer and pitched forward only to find strong hands grab his arms from behind and pull him back from the brink by his jacket.

“You stupid idiot! You want to kill him?” Noah said in an angry whisper as Brett stood there immobile.

“Easier than getting the cop downstairs, one push and he’s there!”

“Yeah and probably dead. The boss won’t like that. How many times have I told you?”

“Well you take him down then bucko, you’re so Goddamned fond of him.”

Noah elbowed Brett out of his way and took his place at Danny’s side. Gritting his teeth he turned the young detective around like a kid at a blind man’s buff game and hoisted him up onto his shoulder grunting. Danny struggled, unsure what was happening to him and felt pressure on his ribs as he was crushed to Noah’s chest.

Tears of pain welled up in his eyes and he bit down hard on the cotton, white needles of fire exploding in his chest. Finally he sagged, unable to maintain a hold on consciousness any longer as Noah hefted his weight more comfortably and carried him easily down the stairs.

Brett knocked on the door to Barlow’s office and entered on command.

“Good, what took you so long?” Rent eyed his prisoner draped over Noah and was reminded of a similar occasion when his father’s body had been hefted like a sack of potatoes over his phantom friend’s shoulder before being smashed against a wall. A delicious sense of deja-vu thrummed through him.

“Uh, what do you want us to do with him boss?” Noah asked, eyes roving around the room for a suitable place to dump Danny.

“If he’s not bleeding you better put him on the couch.”

Without being told twice, Noah flopped Danny’s inert body down onto a vibrant blue vinyl couch where he bounced once and lay still as death.

“I see he’s not with us again.” Rent was unhappy, he needed the detective to speak to McGarrett and wasn’t a patient man.

Brett knew what was required of him and he stepped forward and slapped Danny twice. Nothing. The wounded officer never moved.

“He’s really out of it this time boss. Who knows when he’ll wake up!”

“Then I guess we will just have to wait, won’t we?”

***

Steve leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes briefly, hoping without light his head would stop hurting. Together with Kono and Chin they had gone over the events leading up to the explosion and had all come to the same conclusion; aside from the connection with Steve’s snitch Honu, there was as yet no clue as to who was behind the bombing.

McGarrett had spoken to Che Fong at the lab and discovered little more than he already knew. The bomb had been triggered remotely, which meant the would -be assailants were hiding somewhere within range, waiting for them to arrive; or more specifically – for him to get there. He didn’t figure Danny was expected.

To him that spelled a contract and opportunity. But why not finish him off at the scene and why take Danno instead of him? That part he was completely baffled about. He wondered if there were different elements at work and put that to the back of his mind to mull over.

The materials used to make the bomb weren’t unusual and any individual or organisation with enough knowledge and connections could put one together. Che said it was meant to kill, not maim, and had Danny Williams not been quick thinking and faster acting, they would both be dead. That made Steve’s eyes open again – for all he knew Danno could be dead, or dying.

He was tired and felt a break might help him think straight.

“Chin, speak to Che and run a check on the materials used to make that bomb, find out any suppliers or manufacturers, top priority. I also want Duke and some HPD men to talk to Honu’s neighbours, see if they heard or saw anything strange in the last couple of days. I want to know if he did anything out of the ordinary.”

“Will do boss.”

“What about me?” Kono asked, needing to be doing something to help Danny.

Steve smiled, “You’re going to drive me home. I need to change out of these clothes and grab a shower but the way my head’s spinning I don’t think I ought to drive.” He got up and wrapped an arm around his ribs before adding, “We won’t be long Chin, call me at home if you have anything. I’ll be back shortly.”

“Sure thing Steve, I’ll get onto everything.”

McGarrett nodded and the two men followed their Chief out of the office.

***

Steve was uncharacteristically quiet on the drive back to his apartment. Kono glanced at him occasionally to make sure he was okay and could tell that McGarrett’s brilliant police mind was working overtime, even if he didn’t say anything.

The Hawaiian detective found it hard not to talk, he wanted reassurances regarding his friend and knowing that nothing much could be done to find Williams was making him tense. He rolled his shoulders, loosening the tight neck muscles and concentrated on the road ahead, but like his companion next to him, Kono was thinking of Danny.

Before long they reached McGarrett’s apartment and Steve asked Kono inside for a drink whilst he changed. Kalakua readily agreed. He was parched and soon set about making coffee for them both. Although he’d visited Steve’s place on numerous occasions he didn’t know his way around the kitchen and it took a while to locate everything whilst Steve busied himself in the bathroom.

When he went to the refridgerator to get the cream, Kono saw the photos of Steve and Danny stuck on the fridge door, just a couple of buddy shots from where the two men had gone deep sea fishing. In one McGarrett’s hand was on Danny’s shoulder as the two men proudly showed off an impressive Pacific Blue Marlin they had caught between them. Both men were beaming at the camera and Kono smiled - he had been the one taking the photos that day.

Kono shook his head, trying hard not to get emotional before he needed to. No one knew where Danny was, but that didn’t mean his friend had gone.

He sat down on the couch, coffee forgotten as he got caught up in his memories of their sport fishing trip. He heard the shower going and relaxed as he waited for Steve.

It wasn’t long before the water turned off and Steve padded out into the living room, towel wrapped around his waist as he looked for his non-existent coffee. Kono winced as he saw the bruises on his boss’ chest and shoulders, “That’s got to hurt!” he commented.

“It looks worse than it is,” Steve lied. “So where’s my drink?”

“Oh sorry boss, I was just thinking about Danny I’ll get it now!” the big man went back into the kitchen.

“Yeah Kono, we’re all thinking about him.”

Just then the telephone rang and Steve went to pick it up, automatically thinking it would be the office, “McGarrett.”

“Well well, we finally speak.” A strange man’s voice said at the end of the phone.

Steve was immediately on guard. “Who is this please? How did you get this number?”

Hearing that, Kono appeared from around the kitchen doorway and caught Steve’s eye. He could tell from McGarrett’s face that this wasn’t any ordinary phone call and he stopped what he was doing to listen.

Thomas Barlow chuckled, “Oh you know how it is mister McGarrett? A friend of a friend of an enemy of yours gave me your number. You would be surprised how much is known about the great Chief McGarrett’s private life; your movements, your address, the people you value in your life.” He stressed the word `value’ like a threat and Steve knew instantly where the call was going.

“Your office indicated you weren’t there so it was just an assumption on my part that you were in residence at your apartment. I’m so glad we have the chance to talk. Who I am is of no consequence – what I want becomes more a question of what you want.”

“What do you mean what I want?”

“Come come now you can’t be that stupid surely? I told you that many of your enemies shall we say – understand – how close you are to the members of your unit and that there is one that you are particularly close to, like brothers in fact.”

McGarrett’s heart started racing. He was being toyed with and he didn’t like it. “Get on with what you have to say and stop playing with me!”

Another laugh and this time something shifted in Steve’s head and just for a second he thought he recognised the caller.

“I heard you had a bit of an accident and that one of your officers – Detective Williams - is M.I.A.”

McGarrett mouthed across the mouthpiece `Danny’ to Kono and Kalakua came up to listen into the conversation with Steve, both men’s ears close to the ear piece.

“You could have heard that anywhere if the coconut wireless is as good as you say it is!”

At the end of the phone Rent twitched uneasily, he thought this call would be simple but McGarrett was a difficult man to pin down, “True but not just anyone has the object you seek!”

“Are you telling me you have Danno!” McGarrett blurted out without thinking.

“Ah `Danno’ is it? Yes, I should have thought such a charming young man would have a nickname. Well he is here with me but I’m afraid your colleague is rather the worse for wear.”

Kono’s intake of breath was audible and Steve swiftly put a hand over the mouth piece, not wanting Danny’s kidnapper to hear that he had another person in the room. “If Danny is injured and you don’t hand him over immediatey I will have every law enforcement officer on these islands hunt you down. Oh, and that IS a promise!”

“Then let me reassure you that we have extended every courtesy to our guest. Why, at this very moment he is lying asleep on my couch. Nothing but the best for `Danno’ Willliams!” Barlow lied.

Steve cringed at the use of Danny’s familiar name and wanted to throttle the scum for his casual attitude and use of it.

“Which brings us back to your question of what I want.” Rent added when silence ensued.

“I’m listening.”

“Well, first of all I shall come clean and tell you that the damage the explosion inflicted upon your friend is rather severe – or so it appears. I believe he may be in a great deal of pain and sadly I am not at liberty to alleviate the poor man’s discomfort at present.”

“You BASTARD!” Steve hissed and Kono was equally shocked by the kidnapper’s statement.

“Now, now – I won’t have you being rude about my dear departed ones! Name calling will not help the situation, or Williams. It seems to me, although I know little of these matters, that the longer Danny Williams goes without medical treatment the less likely he is to live. You see my point I trust?”

“Oh yes – I see!”

“Good, splendid in fact! So when I tell you the only possible hope for him is an exchange you won’t mind giving it due consideration?”

Kono knew, just as McGarrett did, what the conversation was leading up to and the islander was shaking his head but Steve ignored him, “Cut the small talk and give me the bottom line. What exchange?”

“You – for him. A simple transaction and one that, for his sake if nothing else, should take place sooner rather than later don’t you think? After all, the more blood a person loses the closer they are to meeting their maker.”

McGarrett wasn’t sure what to say. Bottom line was they, whoever `they’ were, wanted him. His life for Danno’s. If he only knew who wanted him and to what purpose. He owed Danny Wiliams his life many times over and would gladly give it to keep his friend safe but Steve knew in situations like these no one normally came out alive so giving himself up could be pointless. He was perplexed and his head, although clearer for the shower, wasn’t as clear as it would normally be.

Ignorning Kono’s hand on his shoulder, he asked, “How do I really know you have Williams and that this isn’t just a game you’re playing?”

There was that laugh again, he had heard it before but where!?

“You policemen are so predictable. I thought you might want a demonstration but you should know that I do this reluctantly. Please hold the line whilst my colleagues awaken Prince Charming from his slumbers.” He said politely and before Steve could reply he heard voices followed by a scuffle in the background and the sound of something heavy being dragged towards the receiver.

“Well the good news is that `Danno’ is awake however the bad news is that he’s being stubborn and refuses to speak to you!”

Kono and Steve looked at each other anxiously, stomachs knotted with worry as they listened intently to what was happening. More voices followed by the sound of what appeared ot be flesh connecting with flesh then a grunt like someone in pain. The two Five-O detectives heard the kidnapper’s voice in the background, ‘You must talk to him Williams, you don’t understand that your health depends upon it!” Followed by a distinct cry of pain. Steve felt sick.

Loud enough that McGarrett could hear Barlow then declared, “Very well, since he refuses to co-operate perhaps making him scream will help!”

Steve grasped the phone to his mouth, cutting Kono out as he yelled down the receiver “NO! Leave him alone do you hear me? Leave him alone!!”

But it was too late and through an agonising scream that pierced his heart Steve heard Danny shout, “Don’t do it Steve!” another terrified scream and then the noise abruptly ceased.

McGarrett couldn’t breathe, the walls were closing in on him all of a sudden and Kono’s arm was on his, helping him to sit down before he fell down.

He felt guilt weigh heavily upon him. He did that. He caused them to hurt Danny. They made him scream because he didn’t believe them. Now what was he supposed to do?

A breathless Barlow came back to the phone, “Proof enough McGarrett or shall I have a toe sent to you along with his badge?”

“I will have your hide for this - do you understand me!? You will never get away from me or the Law!” McGarrett hissed dangerously, the threat not an idle one.

“Relax. He’s not dead, just rather uncomfortable. Now can we talk business or shall I have one of my associates sharpen his shears?”

Kono was horrified. He knew enough of his boss and friend’s temperament to know what he was going to do even before Steve did.

McGarrett was utterly defeated, the toll on his body and mind too much for him to think straighter than Danny’s pain and suffering. Taking a deep breath he replied, “We talk.”

***
CHAPTER 5

“Steve you can’t seriously be thinking of giving in to the man’s demands, it could be suicide?” Kono Kalakua walked back and forth across McGarrett’s rug, large feet pulverising the pile into mashed curls. He wasn’t sure he could stop his boss from doing something crazy even though he knew the terrible price for non-compliance.

“It may be the only way.” Steve said with exasperation. His head was throbbing badly and he just wanted to lie down but that was the least of his worries with Danny’s life in the balance.

“You don’t even know what they want with you. I won’t let you do this!” Kono stated with finality as he parked himself on the side of the couch, much to McGarrett’s relief – all that pacing was making him seasick.

“You don’t have any choice. Kono listen to me- I don’t have a choice and we don’t have time to waste arguing about it either!”

“Yes you do have a choice Steve, you can play it by the book like you always do.”

“This is Danno we’re talking about here! “

“Yeah bruddah, I know that and you know that and that’s what’s causing you not to think straight! That, and the bump to your head. You would never give in to a criminal’s demands so easily if this were a different situation.”

McGarrett pulled his hands through his hair, hackles rising on his naked neck. After getting off the phone both men had sat in complete silence, unable to get the sounds of Danny’s screams out of their heads.

“And would Danno do any differently if it was one of us out there?”

“No, if I was talking to Danny I’d expect him to do such a pupule thing – his heart rules his head sometimes, especially where you’re concerned but not you, you know the score better than any of us. You want to get killed?”

Steve grit his teeth and threw back unfairly, “You want Danno killed?”

That hurt. “I don’t want either of you killed, and that seems the most likely scenario at present,” Kalakua muttered and stared McGarrett in the eyes, but the seasoned detective wasn’t budging and Kono knew when he was beaten. He slapped his hands on his thighs, “Okay boss I give in, how we gonna play this thing?” he said grudgingly.

Steve sighed and reviewed what the man had told him on the telephone, he had reiterated there was to be an exchange, Danny Williams for him and the sooner the better. McGarrett reasoned that it wasn’t Danno’s life the kidnapper was concerned about but the department’s ability to put together a plan if there was enough time. Bottom line – if Steve didn’t make it to the drop point by two pm then Williams would be delivered in pieces. There would be no signs of goodwill; there was nothing to give, just a live body or a dead corpse. He was to meet them, on his own, at the International Marketplace and he was to get there by bus. Somewhere nice and public.

The call finished with the usual threats to Williams if anyone followed McGarrett and as a token of their seriousness Rent had a semi-conscious Danny dragged back to the phone once more and the burning end of a smouldering cigar pressed into the flesh on the injured man’s chest. Steve and Kono could hear the muffled groan of pain and the sizzle of skin but to his credit Danny never said a word, much to the kidnapper’s disappointment.

‘It’s not like you’re in any shape to be doing anything heroic anyway. You should be in the hospital instead of planning your own funeral.” Ko