Nano Pono 2 of 11
Disclaimer: Hawaii 5-0 and characters belong to CBS, such a bummer.
Meeting and a New Case
It was 6:00 PM at the Honolulu Airport. Steve and Danny were sitting while waiting for the Maryland detectives to leave the plane that had just arrived. Steve looked at Danny for a moment before looking out the window. “What’s your impression of our guests from their jackets?”
Danny shrugged waving one hand in a slightly dismissive manner. “Not very interesting reading. They have very good solve rates but not much else.” Now his hand moved in a more defined arc. “It does't tell us if either of them have ever been a lead detective on a case. Neither of them has been in command of a department.” Steve nodded, he had noticed that too. “Maybe they're more impressive in person than on paper.” He looked at Steve and pointed at him. “I know that you led missions as well as choosing a team while in the SEALs.” Steve looked slightly taken aback as Danny smirked. “I know you didn’t tell me that. I know you.” Both men smiled slightly at that. “This comes from observing you and how you handle our team. At first I didn’t know why you not only picked us, but why you kept all of us. Now I know that you saw the potential for the four of us to work well together.” He waved his hand in the direction of the airplane that was preparing to debark. “From Detective Jackson’s record, he doesn’t have that background. I’m thinking that could be part of the problem.” He shrugged. “We won’t know until we meet them.”
Steve looked thoughtful. “You may be right. I wondered why Jackson was picked to be the head of the task force instead of an experienced department head.” Steve spotted the two detectives walking out of the exit tunnel for their plane. One was a blond man about 5’10”, the other was brunette standing about the same height as the first. He stood up preparing to greet their guests. “Looks like it’s show time. You should feel right at home with these two and their ties.” Steve teased.
“Asshole.” Danny said softly.
Steve spoke first. “Detectives Jackson and Harris?” The two men nodded. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett and this is my partner Detective Danny Williams. Welcome to Hawai’i.”
The blond man spoke. “Thank you. I’m Detective Robert Jackson and this is my Second in Command Detective Michael Harris.” The four men exchanged handshakes.
Steve looked briefly at Danny seeing his own question about Jackson failing to call Harris his partner reflected in Danny’s eyes. Steve stepped back and indicated the direction of the food court. “Would you two like something to drink or eat while we wait for your luggage or would you rather wait until we leave the terminal. I imagine you’re hungry after your long flight.”
Jackson nodded gratefully. “We’ll have something now. Airplane lunches would not be enough to satisfy a kid.” Steve and Danny noticed that Jackson didn’t consult Harris before making the decision. “First I need to use the men’s room. We'll meet you after picking up something to eat.” With that the two men walked off.
Danny’s eyebrows were as high as they could go as the partners watched the two men walk off. “Geez. Can you believe that guy? He would never last as a department head in Jersey, never mind in HPD.”
Steve nodded in agreement as they headed for the food court. “If we can go by first impressions, he would be the officer who is downed by ‘friendly fire’.” Danny snorted.
Without discussing it, the two men got themselves coffee and found a place to sit and wait. “Are you and Grace going to come by this weekend for her next surfing lesson?” Steve inquired before smirking at his partner’s expression.
Danny grimaced slightly. “Of course we will. I think Grace would refuse to talk to me for a week if she didn’t get a chance to see her ‘Uncle Steve’ and go surfing.” Danny smiled indulgently thinking about his daughter.
Steve laughed quietly. “Tell her that I look forward to seeing her too.” Steve decided to address Danny’s misgivings about Grace’s surfing. “Danny, Grace is doing very well. She listens and does exactly what I tell her to do. It doesn’t hurt that she knows that I wouldn’t let her surf for two weekends if she didn’t listen or follow instructions.”
Danny chuckled at that. “Oh she knows. Believe me, she knows.” Before Danny could continue they were joined by Jackson and Harris. Steve and Danny noticed the slightly disapproving frown on Jackson’s face as he sat. Both men wondered what that was all about.
Steve gave the men a few minutes to get their food situated before talking. “Detective Jackson, tell me how many people are there in Maryland’s task force?”
Jackson wiped his mouth before replying. “I have five men working for me.” Steve’s eyebrow quirked up at Jackson’s wording. “Each man has an excellent service record with the Baltimore Police Department.” He took another bite of his food.
Danny pursed his lips before asking, “What kind of experience do these men bring? Do any of them specialize in technology, anti-terrorism, helpful knowledge and/or experience?” He sat back slightly so that he could watch both men better.
Another disapproving frown appeared on Jackson’s face as he replied. “My men are highly competent and experienced detectives. I see no need to have men who specialize in technology; they would be useless in the field.” Steve’s face went blank at the comment. “My men are also used to dealing with the worst criminals in the state. They don’t need to have specialized knowledge.” He continued eating as if he had not been interrupted.
Just as Steve was going to ask another question his phone rang. “McGarrett.” He listed for a minute. “We’ll meet you there.” He looked at the others as he put his phone away. “That was Chin…Detective Kelly. We have a dead body. I hope you two have enough energy to go to a crime scene. If not I can have a squad car pick you up and take you to your rooms.”
Jackson started placing his food on the tray along with Harris as he stood. “We’ll go with you. That is why we are here after all. If it gets to be too late, we’ll take the squad car to our rooms.”
Steve acknowledged this with a nod and stood up along with Danny. “I’ll arrange to have your luggage delivered to your room.” Once the trash was taken care of, they headed out of the airport. “Our car is this way gentlemen.” The two Maryland detectives followed Steve and Danny to Steve's Silverado. Once the carry-on luggage had been stowed and everyone was strapped in, Steve drove out of the airport lights flashing.
A/N: Wait, there’s more? Of course there is in the next chapter.
TBC