Fic- High Stakes, Desperate Measures (2/4)
36hrs:03mins remaining
A food supply truck drove up to the Academy of the Sacred Heart and parked right outside the cafeteria entrance, the bomb squad hidden inside it. Danny squeezed the binoculars until his fingered ached.
Kono brushed a hand down his arm. "We're lucky it's Saturday."
That was the only reason why he'd kept it together on the drive over and put up with the idea of operating things from the ice cream shop across the street.
"Yeah," he mumbled, thinking about the seven hundred children who attended the school.
Khalid paced while he spoke on his cell phone, directing the operation. Danny was still ticked at not being the one in control of things. But Khalid had ordered the Navy Bomb Disposal Unit to the scene before anyone from Five-0 could call HPD, placing the op under NSA jurisdiction.
It was chilly inside the ice cream parlor and he shivered. "Is all the cloak and dagger crap really necessary?"
"If there is a bomb inside, we don't want to alert Maslov that we're on to him."
Kono's ears perked up at Khalid's response. "So you think there's a chance he's still on the island?"
But Danny knew the real answer Kono wanted. Could Steve still be here? Was there a real chance of finding him?
"Until we have evidence otherwise, I'm going to operate under that assumption," Khalid said, sidestepping the answer.
"You honestly think this Maslov would have the school under surveillance?" Danny asked.
"Why risk it?" Khalid challenged. "He used it against Commander McGarrett and still could be using it as leverage. We want to find it before he does detonate it."
The pastel blues and pinks of the walls did little to ease Danny's growing agitation. All the glittery stars on the ceiling and rainbows splashed across the stools reminded him of Grace giggling and asking for a sugar cone with extra sprinkles. The little ice cream parlor was a favorite spot of theirs and probably hundreds of other parents and kids after school.
He nodded at Kono as she sat down next to him at the counter. "You hear from Chin?"
"He's still chasing down leads on how Maslov could have entered the island. He went to ElJet Charter Company to talk to the owner about a guy matching Maslov's description."
Khalid's phone buzzed and he walked to the other side of the shop for a tense conversation while Danny watched him out of the corner of his eye. "Did you call Catherine about checking this guy out?"
"Yeah. She said she'd get back to us ASAP."
Finishing his call, Khalid strolled over. "They located the device in a supply closet near the gym. They're disarming it now."
Danny's stomach dropped. His little girl's school had bomb inside - a fucking bomb. She'd been this close to shrapnel and fire and rubble. And God, how many children could have been maimed or killed? This was Hawaii, not Baghdad.
"Danny?" Kono whispered.
"Gimme me a minute."
He stared at the polished white stonework and ornate pillars surrounding the school, thought about the laughter echoing off the alcoves, and walking inside with Rachel for parent-teacher conferences. He bit his bottom lip. Steve had saved Grace. Of course, he'd saved all the other kids too, but the leverage, the pressure point to Steve's Achilles' heel had been Danny's daughter.
It felt like a hot knife to the gut.
Danny cupped his face between his sweaty hands in revulsion at being grateful for what Steve did. Because Grace was everything. After coming so close to losing her-
He sprang to his feet, Kono flinching in surprise at the sudden movement. Riding a wave of adrenaline, Danny marched right up to Khalid, all his thoughts tumbling out in a rush of heat and anger.
"I want everything you have on Ivan Maslov. How he became a master terrorist. What motivates him, what makes him tick. I want to know his favorite thing for breakfast. What turns him on, what scares the living shit out of him. And I want to know it all right now."
35hrs:39mins remaining
Danny drove with Kono in the passenger seat, putting him in the awkward position of focusing on the road while Khalid spoke from his spot in the back.
"In 1997, The Council of Europe barred the country of Belarus from membership for its undemocratic voting during their elections."
"I don't need a history lesson," Danny said, gripping the steering wheel harder.
"You want to know what makes Maslov tick? Then you'll listen to my lesson," Khalid fired back. "Belarus is a state out of line with international law and human rights and Alexander Lukashenko has ruled it for nearly two decades."
Danny glared in irritation at Khalid in the review mirror and the agent dabbed at his sweat-slicked brow with his pocket square. "Maslov is under the protection of Lukashenko. He started as one of the secret police in that country, built up money and men until he set off on his own."
Kono turned around in her seat. "Belarus isn't exactly a military powerhouse."
Danny glanced up and watched Khalid loosened his tie as the AC struggled to cool the rest of the car. "No, but it's a well armed country and security is - lax."
"So what happened?" Danny took a hard right, tires screeching. "Maslov just suddenly decided to become an arms dealer?"
"We're not sure. He worked his way up the ranks of a corrupt government run by an even more corrupt president." Khalid grabbed the safety handle as Danny took another fast turn. "In 1999, Maslov started dealing arms to Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War just as Lukashenko suggested to Yugoslav President Milosevic that Yugoslavia join the Union of Russia and Belarus."
"Dude," Kono whistled. "Talk about classic shadiness, arming the same side that his country wanted to become allies with."
"Not only that, but once Maslov made inroads with the Serbs, he switched sides by selling weapons to the KLA."
"How did Maslov get cozy with Lukashenko?" Danny asked, trying to keep his foot off the accelerator. God, he was driving like Steve now.
"Functions or parties. We're not sure." Khalid shifted forward in his seat. "But we think their relationship solidified sometime a year later when Russia's President Putin offered Lukashenko a deal over oil."
"And we care because?" Danny growled, increasingly frustrated.
"Maslov was the go-between for the Belarusian army and Russian forces and consequently started selling Russian intelligence to Syria even though they were allies."
"Why?" Kono asked.
"Because it was easier for Syria to sell those secrets to the true buyers: the Chechnyan separatists. After that success, in 2003 during the Iraq War, U.S intelligence traced arms shipments from Belarus through Syria to arm Iraqi insurgents."
"Unbelievable," Danny muttered.
But Khalid wasn't done talking about the monster they were after.
"Maslov got out of arms dealing and refined his taste for selling state secrets. With ties to the Middle East and Eastern Europe, he reached out to Asia."
Khalid continued dabbing at his sweaty face. "By 2006, Lukashenko orchestrated undemocratic parliamentary elections to extend his power and control over his people. Maslov provided Lukashenko with a secret police force in exchange for protection from foreign governments while expanding his black market empire."
In other words, the asshole who took Steve had the protection of an entire country backing him.
35hrs:09mins remaining
Even at nine in the morning, the sun promised another balmy day during the uncharacteristic heat wave. Danny slammed the car door closed and fought the urge to slam it a few more times for good measure. Kicking the front tire crossed his mind. Kono climbed out of the passenger side and shot him a concerned look. He banged his hand on the roof of the SUV, which didn't alleviate a bit of frustration.
He and Kono waited for Chin to pull into the parking lot, forcing Khalid to wait by the drivers' side, the early sunlight glinting off his Ray-Bans.
Locking his car, Chin quickly jogged over to them. "Hey, was the bomb disarmed?"
"The Navy EOD unit successfully removed it a few minutes ago. The remains are being transported back to Pearl for analysis," Khalid answered. "I just -"
When Danny sent him a death glare, Khalid shut up. Danny closed his eyes and wished he knew some of those yoga-type calming techniques. "Please tell me you got something from the charter company?"
"Not much," Chin admitted, but kept his tone of voice even. "Maslov paid in cash and didn't plan a return trip. However, I did get a copy of his flight plan to Oahu. Maybe it'll give us something to follow up on."
Danny kept silent as the four of them walked up the steps, trying not to think how Khalid's soft tread across the marble floor should be a Timberland boot.
Sergeant Duke Lukela flagged them down in the hall, rushing to catch up to them. "Hey, you guys have a visitor waiting on you inside."
"Are you kidding me?" Danny whirled around. "Haven't we filled our quota for random visitors for the whole month, no, the whole year in the last forty-eight hours?"
"He wouldn't take no for an answer." Lukela defended.
"Unless it's the pope, we're busy," Danny snapped.
Kono glared at Danny before turning to the sergeant. "Who is it?"
Lukela cleared his throat. "Adam Noshimuri."
34hrs:33mins remaining
Danny felt like a runaway freight train, tearing down the hall. "You let Noshimuri inside?"
"He refused to wait at HPD," Lukela huffed, trying to keep up with him. "And he insisted that it was a matter of life and death."
Four of HPD's finest stood in the rarely used waiting room of HQ, watching Adam Noshimuri and his two henchmen. The officers parted like the Red Sea when Danny steamrolled over.
Both of Noshimuri's goons bolted to their feet as Danny pointed at finger at them. "You two. Leave. Now."
Kono and Chin flanked each punk while the officers waited, their hands resting on their service weapons. Noshimuri nodded at his security detail, who reluctantly left with Lukela and his men.
Chin took charge, addressing their guest. "You're the last person we expected to see today."
Noshimuri exuded charm, dressed in his charcoal Armani suit and pale olive dress shirt. Such finesse worked well to cover up his devious nature. He studied them with a quick look, his face betraying nothing.
He stood slowly, grabbing an attaché case from the floor and resting it on the empty chair. "Believe me, Lieutenant Kelly, this was the last place I expected to be this morning."
"Why don't you drop the small talk - why are you here?" Kono demanded.
Her quick temper reminded Danny that they were all running on fumes.
Noshimuri regarded her with a bored glance. "Getting down to business. I appreciate that."
Danny wanted to tell him where he could stick his appreciation, but kept his trap shut, battling the need to throw Noshimuri into a holding cell.
"Two days ago, I received an unusual invitation to an online auction," Noshimuri explained. "At first, I thought it was an elaborate scheme, but after careful consideration, I confirmed its legitimacy."
Kono's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What type of auction?"
"One involving the sale of a former Navy SEAL."
32hrs:23mins remaining
Danny didn't remember them exiting the waiting room and piling into Chin's office. But when Chin slammed the door close, it snapped him out of his daze.
"I don't care who you are," Chin breathed at Noshimuri, eyes promising violence. "You start jerking us around and our earlier investigation into your organization will just be the tip of the iceberg. We'll suspend our whole caseload and make you public enemy number one. Pry into every level of your organization, rip it apart, and hound all your associates until they jump at their own shadows."
Chin Ho Kelly rarely showcased his emotions like this, but when he did, it was a glorious sight for Danny to behold.
Noshimuri appeared unmoved by the threat. "I came here because my conscience wouldn't allow me to do otherwise. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure out what to do," Noshimuri spoke before resting his gaze on Khalid in curiosity. Danny had forgotten that the agent was observing them quietly in the corner. "I'm only trying to do the right thing."
"Just -" Danny held up his hand. "Cut the crap and tell us about this auction."
"I received an e-mail inviting me to participate in the auction of a highly valued asset. In the message was a short bio of Commander McGarrett." Noshimuri tilted his head. "Suspicious but intrigued, I clicked on the attachment, which revealed several pages of McGarrett's service record. If I wanted more information regarding the business opportunity, all I needed was to reply."
"Steve's not a fucking business opportunity," Danny growled.
"I was just quoting the e-mail; forgive my poor word choice," Noshimuri apologized.
"And you answered it?" Chin accused.
"Of course." Noshimuri had the gall to look offended. "Obviously, this involved something highly illegal, but I realized I should play along to gather additional information."
Noshimuri relaxed back in his chair like they were chatting over morning tea.
"After an hour, I received another notification. This one included a link to the auction to bid on McGarrett, listed the rules and the accepted forms of payment. The e-mail included reports of various missions that McGarrett was involved in with the ability to request more detailed versions."
Khalid's head practically snapped up at that last bit. "Do you still have these e-mails?"
"I do."
"Did you read them?" Khalid pressed.
"Only enough to determine it would be in my best interest that I didn't," Noshimuri answered with a poker face.
"How did you know this auction was legit?" Chin asked, refocusing the attention back on finding Steve.
"I've heard rumors concerning similar auctions dealing with rare shipments," Noshimuri answered with the vagueness of a politician. "The only name associated with such transactions was a man known in certain circles as Ivan. That same name was the one signed at the end of the e-mails. I didn't suspect a HPD trap, because I highly doubt they know of his existence or are that creative."
"And as a prospective buyer, you were supposed to take this Ivan at his word?" Kono asked.
"Once I replied that I was interested in the auction, I was offered proof of the legitimacy of the merchandise."
Chin slapped his hands on the table. "You were given proof of life?"
"A video clip." Noshimuri opened his attaché case, revealing a laptop, and logged into his e-mail. "I brought it and all the correspondence with me."
Danny inched closer to a small video image. The camcorder operator's breathing and several off-screen footsteps echoed loud in the speakers. They watched as someone unlocked a door, the video revealing a dimly lit room and focusing on a person lying on top of a rectangular metal frame. Danny squinted. It was a bed frame without a mattress with wires running across it.
He felt his pulse double. The camera panned over a pair of bare feet and ankles handcuffed to the bottom of the metal frame. Then it swept over a set of familiar cargo pants and ended on Steve's face. His eyes were closed.
Chin cursed under his breath and Kono anxiously bobbed up and down on her toes.
Steve's wrists were handcuffed to the frame above his head and a meaty hand spread yesterday's newspaper across Steve's left shoulder long enough to be read before it was pulled away.
"Time to wake up, Commander," a voice instructed.
Steve didn't stir.
A bucket of water was dumped over Steve's head, jarring him into semi-consciousness. The camera zoomed in on his unfocused eyes, darting around in confusion.
"State your name," the voice commanded.
Steve weakly yanked on the cuffs to his wrists and his feet, his efforts uncoordinated.
"Look at me, Commander," the voice demanded.
But Steve's head lolled to one side as if searching for the source of the noise before flopping back down.
"I don't think he knows what's going on. They're keeping him drugged," Chin said, his voice rough.
"Can't have their prize damaged in an escape attempt," Danny growled.
Because mark his words, Steve would have jimmied out of those cuffs and turned that bed frame into a weapon if he were in his right mind. Instead, Danny watched, sick to his stomach, as Steve quickly gave out and his eyes fluttered closed.
Someone roughly shook Steve by the shoulder. "I said, state your name!"
"Fuck you," Steve slurred, his eyes never reopening.
There was a chuckle off-camera and a picture of Steve in uniform was shoved next to his face just in case there was any doubt who was on camera.
"As you can see, Commander McGarrett is in fine form," the voice said.
Then the clip ended, leaving the team stunned.
32hrs:03mins remaining
"When does the auction end?" Khalid's voice pierced the silence. He snapped his fingers at Noshimuri when he didn't respond immediately. "Show me the site."
Noshimuri regarded Khalid, annoyed. "Speaking as a concerned third party, I'm curious. Who are you? CIA? Homeland Security?"
Khalid leaned over, getting into Noshimuri's personal space. Danny watched Khalid switch from debonair to bone chilling menace. "I'm the man who'll have all your computers confiscated with a simple phone call if you don't comply."
Noshimuri leaned forward on his elbows. "Do you know how many lawyers I have on retainer?"
"I don't care if you have an entire firm." Khalid veered closer. "And neither does the Patriot Act."
"You should learn some respect," Noshimuri threatened, rising to his feet until they literally butted heads. "I came as a concerned citizen. I don't have to-"
"Enough!" Danny snapped. "Mr. Noshimuri, would you please show us the link to the auction? It would greatly aid us in our investigation."
It nauseated him to reveal a sign of weakness, but they couldn't afford to have their only lead walk away because of a pissing match between two egos.
"Out of the hope of smoothing over ties between my family and Five-0, I will do what I can to help," Noshimuri said smoothly, sitting down. He entered his e-mail program and clicked on a link. "This is the auction site. It ends on Sunday at six in the afternoon."
"It's ten am now," Chin said, checking his watch. "That's less than two days."
Danny swallowed past the lump in his throat as he stared at the screen. "There's already four bids."
"One point two million," Noshimuri said admiringly.
Danny wanted to rip the guy's face off.
"We might be able to track down the IP addresses of those who are involved in the auction," Khalid speculated with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, we might," Danny said. "But we're more interested in finding the person hosting this demented thing."
Khalid flicked his eyes toward Danny. "The focus of this investigation will be the rescue of Commander McGarrett." The NSA agent pinned each member of Five-0 with a hard stare. "But do I need to remind you of the importance to national security of identifying those involved in kidnapping a Navy SEAL?"
The room fell into a heavy silence, filling Danny's heart with dread.
Noshimuri cleared his throat. "If it would help, I could leave my laptop here for your use."
"No, you're staying right here where we can find you," Chin said.
"You can't hold me here," Noshimuri warned. "But I'll remain a little while."
Danny spun on the leader of the Yakuza. "I don't get it. Why are you here? Why help retrieve the guy in charge of bringing you down?"
"For honor. For the love between a father and his son." Noshimuri's expression revealed a rare sincerity as he held his head high. "Commander McGarrett respected that honor. I'm only trying to repay a debt."
31hrs:40mins remaining
Danny splashed cold water over his face, slapping his cheeks until they stung. The reflection in the mirror seemed drawn and haggard; he looked like a guy on a three-day bender.
He wanted to blame Steve, blame his need to play hero and protect everyone else except himself, but that was the coward's way out. He blamed Maslov, of course; that asshole earned the beating of his life and then some. And no way would he allow the NSA to scoop him out of reach before Danny earned his pound of flesh.
Most of all, he blamed himself for letting Steve walk out of the office, for not picking up on the clues. But really, truthfully, he blamed himself for being Steve's weak point because Steve would kill and die for his 'ohana.
The bathroom door creaked open and the last person he expected to see was Agent Khalid.
"I...ah...brought you some hot tea. I never travel without some." Danny stared at the paper cup like it was a three headed snake. "You're under a lot of stress and I thought it would help. I'm not the bad guy, you know."
Danny winced. He wondered how many times Khalid had to say that on a daily basis. "Sure. Thanks," he mumbled. He sipped slowly and the bitter taste made his eyes go wide. "Oh, wow. That's...um. Interesting."
"My mother's brew. One of the perks of the job. I don't have to explain traveling with loose tea leaves."
The hint of cinnamon, the richness of anise. The flavors hit Danny all at once and his brain skittered to a stop as he stared at the agent.
Khalid chuckled. "You remember me now?"
Danny gaped and stared at Khalid's face, at the scar on his chin. "It can't be?"
"I didn't go by Yasir when we were young because it was tough enough growing up being the only raghead in the neighborhood. I thought Yanni was a cool name at the time," Khalid chuckled.
Danny couldn't believe his eyes, flashes of his childhood zipping through his mind like a home movie. Playing outside with Sugar, his yellow lab. The smell of his mother's pecan pie cooling in the windowsill, tangling with the Gorski brothers after school, watching his cousin at the local boxing ring.
"We used to play basketball together at the YMCA," Danny said. "Fourth or fifth grade?"
"Fifth."
"Then we'd go to your mom's for lunch sometimes and she'd serve us tea." Danny shook his head. "I hated it."
Khalid casually folded his arms in front of him, quickly checking the wall for dirt before leaning against it. "She knew you used to pour it in her potted plants."
Danny couldn't believe it. "Shit. I gave you that scar when we both went after the same defensive player. I knocked you down and you smacked your chin on the edge of the goal post."
"Yes, you did." Khalid rubbed at the faded, jagged line with a sly grin. "It's a great date conversation piece, although I might embellish how I got it sometimes."
It was like a weird time warp. Danny stared at Khalid and his ridiculous Savile Row suit and spa-treated skin and hair. Gone were the second-hand clothes and worn tennis shoes he remembered.
He laughed, but his good humor faded quickly. "What's with the ruse? It's great you're doing well, but it's been like twenty-five years since we saw each other."
"You were friends with me when most kids refused to be," Khalid said, pushing off the wall. "I was honest when I said I volunteered for this assignment."
"Are you kidding me?" Danny was so baffled, so just… what the hell? "I defended you against a few neighborhood bullies. What? When we were nine? And you volunteered?"
"The agency has programs you wouldn't believe," Khalid spoke to Danny like he'd never understand. "After typing in every person involved in the case, the computer spat out my name. When you join the NSA, the background checks are hundreds of pages long, and your personal history -" He shook his head. "You have no idea."
"So what if we're both from the same neighborhood?"
"The agency felt you might be more forthcoming to me than a stranger as the case heated up."
"Is that what this is?" Danny threw up his hands in anger. "Some psychological bullshit?"
"No, Danny, it's not. That's why I didn't do old home week when I first walked in. I got my master's in criminal justice. When 9/11 happened, I applied to the NSA to help track down terrorists, to show my country that not every Middle Easterner hides explosives in their basements." Khalid ran a hand through his wavy hair. "I've spent my life going after the bullies of the world. Believe me when I say that I want to get Maslov and shut him down. I took this assignment when I was approached because I wanted to help Commander McGarrett. Both goals are equally important."
Something Khalid admitted struck a nerve with Danny. "What are you saying? That the NSA doesn't view both the same?"
"I'm saying that the NSA views rescuing Commander McGarrett as a critically important objective." Taking a deep breath, he looked at Danny in thought. "But taking down one of the biggest international criminals is the NSA's overall goal."
Danny lost all words as the shock hit from that revelation.
"This is why I volunteered. Yes, we knew each other a lifetime ago, but I joined the agency because we're supposed to be the good guys and McGarrett is one them. He deserves a fair shot when he needs his country's help."
Khalid cleared his throat, stepped up to the nearest mirror, and smoothed down his shirt, the too-cool facade slipping back into place. Gone was the boyhood friend and back the professional agent. "What was Adam Noshimuri talking about back there about honor and owing McGarrett a debt?"
Khalid wasn't as suave as he thought.
"Nothing," Danny lied. "He and McGarrett have been dogging each other a while."
"Because of Hiro Noshimuri? Adam's father?"
"What about him?"
"Well, Hiro's dead. And HPD suspected Commander White was involved?"
"There wasn't enough evidence to connect Joe with Hiro's death. But that doesn't matter because he skipped town."
"Yet, Adam Noshimuri came here to-"
"You know, thanks for the tea and everything, but we're up against a ticking clock," Danny growled, shoving the empty cup back into Khalid's hands.
Khalid took the cup and threw it in the waste receptacle beside him. He considered Danny a moment and checked his Rolex watch. "You need to call a meeting, say in half in half an hour? I need to update my supervisor."
And with that, Agent Khalid walked out of the men's room, leaving Danny's head swimming, and him questioning whether the NSA and Five-0 shared the same objectives.
31hrs:18mins remaining
Calm, calm, calm.
Danny paced, not giving a shit he was still in the bathroom.
What the fuck? Seriously? What the fuck?
Khalid had been his neighbor across street. Those punks, the Gorski brothers, had unmercifully picked on him, stealing his lunch money, insulting his heritage. Then one day, Danny had stopped on his way home after seeing John and Tommy Gorski jump his lanky neighbor. Together, he and Khalid teamed up and stood their ground together. They forged a friendship and Danny had someone willing to sneak out of the house at night to grab pizza from Devito's after curfew.
And the NSA thought they could exploit that? A long forgotten boyhood friendship? Danny's life, his memories, and emotions were not one of Steve's algorithms they could exploit.
It gave him a horrible headache.
His cell phone buzzed and the pain spiked through his temples. When he saw Governor Denning's number across the display, Danny wondered if he could flush his head down one of the toilets.
"Hello?"
"Detective Williams. Governor Denning."
"Hello, sir."
"I'm about to head into a meeting but I wanted an update."
"Well, sir, we haven't made much progress on regarding the money laundering. We don't anticipate another deposit until Monday, but to be honest, we're-"
"Williams. Locating Commander McGarrett should be the priority of your unit. You have the whole weight of my office and the HPD at your disposal. You need something, I'm just a call away."
"Yes, sir. Thank you," Danny said in relief.
"I expect updates throughout the day. Send them to my personal e-mail if you're too busy to pick up a phone."
"Yes, sir."
"I do want you to contact Lieutenant Hoapili at HPD and get him up to date on your investigation into the Tong. You were expecting a big breakthrough soon?"
"Yes, we were."
"Good. Be sure he has everything he needs to take over."
"I'll do it as soon as I get off the phone with you."
"Make sure that you do. And, Detective, I value Five-0's high-solve rate. I expect success on both those cases."
"Yes, sir."
31hrs:02mins remaining
Danny went down the hall, cell phone pressed to his ear, and almost bumped into Catherine who was still dressed in camo with her hair pulled back.
"Sorry," she said, flustered.
"No, it's fine." Danny pocketed the phone. "Hey...I, um, didn't expect to see you here."
Catherine kept nervously checking behind her. "I didn't want to risk calling you."
Danny wondered if paranoia was in the air. "Risk calling me?"
Scanning the hall, she pulled him back toward the men's room. "This thing regarding Steve..." Catherine bit her lip. "His abduction. It's big. Bigger than anything else you could ever imagine."
"I know." When Catherine looked at him oddly, he gestured down the hall. "Agent Khalid from the NSA is here."
"Yeah and his team have set up shop back at Pearl."
That two-faced bastard.
"What do you mean his team?" Danny demanded.
Catherine quickly schooled any emotion. "Five other agents arrived three hours ago with the latest version of Chrysalis and-"
"Chrysalis?"
"Sorry," Catherine said, still keeping an eye for spooks or shadows. "It's a surveillance program. You can feed it a physical description or a photo of a target and it'll search every traffic cam, ATM, and security camera on the island for it."
"They've been searching for Maslov with some super secret spy surveillance and this is the first I've heard of it?"
"Not only that, but they have access to satellite imagery in the event they have a lead on Maslov's location."
Maslov, not Steve.
Catherine kept an eye on the corridor, her whole body a straight line of tension. It started to rub off on Danny as he lowered his voice. "Did you hear anything about Agent Khalid?"
"That he's one of the best."
"That's good news, right?"
"The NSA has been after Maslov for years," Catherine deflected. It was such a Steve thing to do. "They won't let this opportunity slip through their fingers. You know he was sent here because you two knew each other as kids?"
"I just learned that. How did you find out?"
"A lot of favors." Danny stared at her and Catherine stared right back. "When you work in Naval Intelligence, you learn the art of bartering. I used up all my political capital and then some."
Fucking spy games; Danny wanted to pull his hair out. "What else did you hear?"
"His jacket is blacked out. That means he's only given the high priority cases and that he's very successful at what he does."
Instead of filling Danny with confidence, her words only made him even more anxious. Obviously, he wasn't the only one unnerved by the news. Catherine was a formidable woman; anyone able to put up with Steve for years was tough as nails. But that didn't mean she wasn't scared and that fear was written all over her face.
Danny gently took hold of both of her shoulders. "We're going to find him."
Catherine licked her lips and roughly wiped at her face before looking up at him with grim determination. "My source said there was...that there was a video?" she asked, her voice breaking a little.
Danny was proud of himself; he didn't even twitch. "Look. Have you eaten? I haven't had anything since breakfast. Maybe we should-"
"I'm not some delicate flower."
"Oh, I know. I'm sure you and Steve share the newest ass kicking techniques during your time off together." Catherine was gearing up for a fight and he cut her off before she built up too much steam. "He's been tied up and drugged. Nothing else worth seeing."
He knew Catherine was an analyst, but so was Khalid, and Danny didn't want Catherine to have that image of Steve stuck in her head. It was bad enough that it would be engrained forever in his, adding fuel to his nightmares.
Catherine studied Danny's face and he wasn't sure if it was the analyst in her or if she was too exhausted to argue. But she relented, her facial features relaxing. "I can see why you and Steve get along so well."
Before Danny's brain caught up to his mouth, Catherine started to walk away.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"I'm a better asset as your eyes and ears at the base."
"You really don't trust the NSA, do you?"
He really needed to know because he felt like a pawn being bullied around by the rooks and knights on the board.
Catherine turned and straightened to parade rest. "I trust them to do everything in their power to bring down a threat to national security. I trust that they want to see Steve home and secure. But not their priorities."
30hrs:51mins remaining
It was a little past noon and Danny sat restlessly in Chin's office with the rest of the team as they prepared for the meeting. Lukela came in with quarts of surimi salad, egg rolls, garlic chicken, vegetable rice, and mushroom broccoli without a word.
Taking in the feast around the table, Danny couldn't help wonder if the animals holding Steve would even bother feeding him. The pang of guilt was enough to quash the rest of his appetite. Pushing the quart away, he caught Chin watching him.
"They want Steve alive and in good shape."
"I know," Danny sighed, then narrowed his eyes. "Mind reading is kind of freaky."
Chin poked at his food with his chopsticks. "It wasn't hard reading your face, brah."
Khalid took that moment to swoop in and close the door to Chin's office. "Where are we at on Noshimuri's laptop and the bids? Are you able to track down their origins?"
"Not without hacking into the hosting site and risk them shutting the whole thing down," Chin said.
Khalid stared at the floor in thought before looking up at Chin. "Could we do it if we were logged into the site?"
"Yeah. Maybe." Chin stuck his chopsticks into a container and stood up, circling around the small office. "But it requires a login and password to get into the actual auction."
"What?" Danny interrupted. "We can't do that now?"
"No," Chin answered with a shake of his head. "Noshimuri clicked on the link that goes to the main page of the auction. But I just checked and we need him to enter his user name and password to view the other bids or to even place one."
"Then get him to do it," Khalid insisted.
"Wait." Danny held out his hands in frustration. "Didn't we already have this discussion? How's that going to help us track down Steve?"
"It won't," Khalid said, shocking Danny with his honesty. "But the agency wants that information, and if we provide it, then it'll keep them busy while we focus our resources on locating Commander McGarrett."
"Or maybe, just maybe, we could focus all one hundred percent of our energy on finding him?" Danny crossed his arms defiantly. "Or do you need to consult your team first?"
If calling Khalid on the carpet for his lies rattled him, he didn't show it.
"I didn't lie to you when I arrived. I came alone to operate under the radar. My supervisor ordered the rest of my team to back up my investigation from Pearl-Hickam by conducting extensive surveillance."
Danny was sick of wading through such bullshit. "And when were you planning to tell us?"
"Look." Khalid sighed, raking his hand through his hair. "Right now, I'm the only thing standing in the way of an entire NSA team coming in and taking over this operation and locking Five-0 out. I have a good track record and I've been given a slim rope to hang myself with by doing this as a one-man op. Give me something to give them."
Once again, Chin walked between Danny and Khalid, providing a physical barrier. "Even if we were logged in, I'm not sure I could root around and track down IP addresses that are more than likely being bounced all over the world."
"I know someone who might help," Danny told them. "Someone who can run circles around any government agency," he added, looking directly at Khalid.
30hrs:40mins remaining
Danny stared at the laptop, almost afraid to touch it and sever the only lead for locating Steve. But he forced himself to re-read the e-mails under the guise of finding an elusive clue, telling himself it wasn't some form of self-flagellation. His finger hovered over one of the attachments as he clucked his tongue.
Something - curiosity, anxiety, the idea of looking behind the curtain - he wasn't sure what, but he clicked the attachment to Steve's service record. It wasn't his full record or jacket or whatever they called it, just detailed snippets of things. He scrolled down until something caught his eye.
MCGARRETT, STEVEN J
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Presidential Unit Citation to Steven J McGarrett, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a Navy SEAL in the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-South, known as Task Force K-BAR, for service between 17 October 2001 and 30 March 2002.
Operating from Oman and forward locations throughout the southern and eastern regions of Afghanistan, K-BAR successfully executed its primary mission to conduct special operations in support of the United States' efforts to destroy, degrade, and neutralize the Taliban and Al-Qaeda leadership and military. During its six-month existence, this Task Force was the driving force behind extremely high-risk missions and unconventional warfare operations in Afghanistan. Task-Force K-BAR reflected great credit upon themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Armed Forces.
MCGARRETT, STEVEN J
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Steven J McGarrett, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy as a member of SEAL Team THREE, Naval Special Warfare Task Group in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM on 14 May 2003, near Tikrit, Iraq. Lieutenant McGarrett led SEAL Team THREE on a counter-insurgency operation through an urban area. The force came under heavy gunfire, one element member was wounded, and laid exposed to gunfire in multiple directions. Lieutenant McGarrett identified the enemy, exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, provided suppressive fire, and dragged his teammate to safety. Later, he called in reinforcements to protect the surrounding area from hostile action.
Danny stared dumbstruck at the records. He knew Steve was a badass, knew the man did some insane stuff, but reading about his deeds, his heroics, twisted the metaphorical knife in his gut.
He arrowed down.
MCGARRETT, STEVEN J
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Purple Heart to Steven J McGarrett, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action on 22 March 2004, leading a coalition force of SEALs, U.S. Marines, and Iraqi fighters against armed Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq. While conducting sensitive operations, his coalition unit was suddenly ambushed. Lieutenant Commander McGarrett displayed great valor returning fire despite receiving a gunshot wound in the leg from enemy fire. Although in intense pain from his wound, Lieutenant Commander McGarrett rapidly identified the enemy positions and maneuvered the coalition forces into an advantageous fighting position. Lieutenant Commander McGarrett demonstrated the highest degree of courage and excellent leadership through his distinguished performance as Team Leader while engaged in Urban Combat Operations. Lieutenant Commander McGarrett personally eliminated multiple enemy-controlled weapon positions, essential in turning the tide of the enemy's ambush. His actions while wounded and under fire as a leader were performed with marked distinction and bravery.
"You can't look at those."
Danny fumbled with the mouse and backed out of the e-mail, but it was too late to fake what he'd been doing.
"Why not?" he asked, turning around to face Khalid who stood in the doorway.
"They're classified for one and-"
"Classified?" Danny snarled, jumping out of his chair. "Doesn't that mean secure? As in free from or not exposed to danger or harm? Because from where I'm sitting, you guys didn't do a good job protecting those files." Poor security was the reason why they were in this mess. He waved at the laptop. "Are these on just any server for some two-bit hacker to grab?"
"No, they're not," Khalid snapped back, showing the first sign of stress. "They're kept in highly secured locations. In fact, Commander McGarrett's service jacket is kept by the Navy, but those mission history reports? They're secured by SOCOM, which is the Special Operations Command, comprised of Navy, Air Force, and Army..." He took a rapid breath. "Don't you see? Maslov was able to obtain all of McGarrett's records. SOCOM provides command, control, and training for all our special missions. The Bin Laden and the Buchanan rescue...." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "All our special operations are in jeopardy."
Khalid had shed his fancy tailored jacket at some point and began removing his cufflinks to roll up his sleeves. "We've got to find Maslov. We need to locate the leaks in our classified operations to protect other special operators and ensure the success of future missions."
"I get it! Damn it, I do." Did Khalid think he was that naïve or stupid? That he didn't want to track down a mass murderer? "We'll find this asshole, but I'm not sacrificing Steve to do it."
"I'm not asking you to!" Khalid yelled, breathing hard. "But I am asking you to help with all sides of this investigation."
Chin poked his head into his office, eyes nervously darting between Khalid to Danny. "Noshimuri's waiting for us in my office."
"Okay." Danny took a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow before looking directly at Khalid. "This is going to be a private meeting."
"Wait a damn minute," Khalid growled in surprise.
But Danny was fed up with the games. This was Five-0's case - their 'ohana.
"Go get a pedicure or something," Danny told him. "You're an outsider and Noshimuri doesn't like you. It's going to be hard enough to ask this asshole for help, let alone have you hanging around." Khalid pulled himself up straight, obviously not wanting to back down, but Danny didn't care. "You want to learn what countries are involved in this? Then we'll talk to Noshimuri. In private."
Click for fullsize
30hrs:12mins remaining
Kono stood next to Noshimuri, who hadn't taken a seat when Danny and Chin entered.
"I heard you require further assistance?" Noshimuri asked.
"Something like that," Danny grumbled.
"Please," Noshimuri said, spreading out his hands. "Don't hold me in suspense."
"We need you to log into the auction site," Chin said, getting straight to the point.
"You do? Why?"
"It'll help our investigation," Chin answered.
"You want me associate myself with possible terrorists. I think that gives me the right to know why," Noshimuri insisted.
Noshimuri held all the cards in this poker game and he knew it, but Danny wasn't going to dance around. "We're not asking you to get involved; you're already involved."
"If I recall, I'm the one who provided you with information regarding the auction to begin with." Noshimuri stood, basking in self-confidence. "I'm sure you read the e-mails. I have to provide proof of funds when bidding and that opens my business up to many security vulnerabilities."
"You expressed a hope to improve ties between your family and ours," Kono said, her voice cracking in desperation.
"This is true." Noshimuri's brow furrowed in contemplation. "I tell you what, I'll give you my login and password if you would do me a personal favor."
Here it was, Danny thought. The carrot and the stick.
"What's that?" Chin demanded.
"Nothing difficult," Noshimuri said with a shrug. "Just something involving a few keystrokes."
Chin crossed his arms. "What type of keystrokes?"
"Ones that would put the wrong address on a warrant."
"And if we say no?" Chin asked.
"Then I'm sorry, but I can't help."
"You asshole!" Danny snarled. Moving to Noshimuri's other side, he and Chin bookended him.
"These are just the realities of a negotiation," Noshimuri reiterated, cool as cucumber. "The warrant is for a shipment of black market cigarettes. Not illegal drugs or weapons, nothing involving violent crime."
"You know that all warrants are filed by the local court?" Kono asked.
"Yes, but they get the address electronically," Noshimuri countered. "If someone were to go into the database and change a six to a nine, then the court clerk would use that information for the warrant, making the search invalid."
"Such an edit could be traced," Chin said.
"This is just a simple deal," Noshimuri replied.
"No," Danny said. "This is Five-0 sliding on our asses down your slippery slope. We give you this, what'll you ask for next? And how long before everyone in Hawaii knows you've got us in your back pocket? The Yakuza's pet cops. Wouldn't that be a lei around your neck?"
"Right up until you used it to hang me, Detective. This deal works both ways, makes us both vulnerable - and both a step ahead. Quid pro quo.”
"You make it sound so reasonable," Chin said, disgusted.
"You wouldn't have asked me for my login unless you had someone smart enough to track down - now let me guess - the IP addresses of those other bidders? He or she should be smart enough to cover up the tracks to a simple edit of a warrant." Noshimuri stared them down with the cockiness of a man who knew he'd just won. "I know you need this. It's not rocket science with that NSA agent hanging around."
Danny was beyond wanting to remodel the wall with his fists. "So that whole spiel about honor was bullshit?"
"No, Detective," Noshimuri replied. "I'm here negotiating, am I not?"
28hrs:18mins remaining
Danny stormed down the hall and found Khalid talking on his cell in the bullpen.
Looking up, the agent quickly ended the call and met Danny halfway. "What's the word?"
"All the IP addresses are on there. Punjab, Pakistan. Tegal, Indonesia. Pyongyang, North Korea. Aden, Yemen. And Homs, Syria." Danny threw a flash drive at Khalid. "The auction is up to three point four million."
"How did you-?"
"I have a guy."
"A guy?"
"Yep. We brought him in over half an hour ago."
Danny could play games, too. Even if his expert had a record and reeked of pot.
Khalid gripped the flash drive. "Thank you. I'll update my supervisor and give this to my team."
"Fan-freaking-tastic." Danny seethed, his nerves fried. "I'm glad we've been able to keep the NSA busy so that the rest of us can actually focus on finding the guy who's been kidnapped and set up to be sold to the highest fucking bidder." He stomped right up to Khalid, breathing hard. "Do you think we could make that happen, Agent?"
"Yes, we can. Because my people found a lead."
Danny's heart raced fast and loud in his ears. "You did?"
"I did, Danny. Let's get your team together."
27hrs:37mins remaining
Tension and anxiety were off the Richter scale as they all stood in front of the magic table.
"This is the footage that our surveillance picked up less than thirty minutes ago," Khalid explained. "Facial recognition is seventy-three percent positive the man in this photo is Ivan Maslov."
The screen revealed a man dressed in a dark suit, sitting in the passenger seat of an SUV, smoking a cigarette. Danny walked right up to the plasma, squinting at the fuzzy features.
"Where was this taken?" he asked.
"Outside an exotic tobacco dealer off Kau Belt Road," Khalid said, peering studiously at the screen.
Danny snapped his fingers. "Cloves. The bastard reeked of clove cigarettes."
"Those were banned years ago," Chin said. "But you can still buy them from some shady places 'under the counter', especially if the location is on native land."
"I'm checking for warehouses, buildings, or any place that Maslov might feel comfortable running a base of operations out of," Kono told them.
Danny's heart sped up and he leaned his hands on the table, trying to catch his breath. Maslov was still on the island, which meant so was Steve. They still had a chance of finding him.
"We're already scanned satellite imagery." Khalid never took his eyes off the plasma screen. "Maslov would pick a place with multiple entrances and exits, maybe even a place for a helicopter to land. The structure would be obscured from view but have several lines of sight for incoming vehicles."
"All right," Kono said, typing everything in. "Narrowing down parameters."
"We've already done that, too." Khalid pulled up Google maps. "We've narrowed things down to an abandoned industrial park eight miles southwest, a sugar refinery closed for renovations ten miles northeast, and a cement factory six miles east."
Chin gave Danny a look of exasperation before turning toward Khalid. "You said we have satellite imagery?"
"I'm getting us synced-in with the boys at Pearl-Hickam," Khalid told them, his fingers flashing across the keyboard. "We'll see what they see."
Images popped up on three screens, all showing various colored blobs, a grid with numbers and degrees dissecting them. Danny had used thermal imagery before but it was still hard knowing exactly what he was viewing. He knew red and oranges were heat signatures, but thus far, nothing on screen indicated there were people at any of the locations.
He pressed his fingernails into the magic table until they turned white, his gaze frozen.
Khalid plugged in an earwig and monitored the rapidly changing images. "Location Alpha is negative for targets."
"Location Alpha? Who are you talking to?" Danny demanded.
Khalid waved him off with a 'not now' gesture.
Danny made a noise low in his throat and Kono shot him an anxious expression as she rubbed her hand over her thigh. This was an active op.
"Location Bravo has...." Khalid paused, pressing hard at his earwig. "They have scattered heat signatures - searching for human targets." He shook his head. "Location Bravo is a negative as well."
That left the far right screen. Was it the sugar plant? There were numerous large and encompassing buildings. Blues, greens, and blacks merged and shifted together. But nothing human.
Chin walked up to the plasma screen, eyes crinkled in concentration. He stood with his hands clenched into fists at his side. The complex was huge, but the faster the images scrolled over, the more his friend vibrated with tension.
Khalid pressed his earwig, his face scrunching. "Location Charlie is a negative for targets." Looking dejected, he plucked out his earwig. "I'm sorry, guys."
Chin stared at the blank screens with his shoulders slumped.
Kono looked from Khalid to the screens and back down to her computer, face determined. "That was what? Three locations? We should expand the search. I'm sure there are other locations that fit the profile and maybe some that don't."
"I'm sure my team is on it," Khalid said offhandedly.
"But we're not!" Kono reminded him.
Khalid didn't argue, apparently unwilling to engage because of the high emotions in the air. "Of course. Between both our teams, I'm sure we'll discover additional locations."
Knowing the resources of the NSA, they'd just tracked down the three most probable locations. Which meant Maslov wasn't near his home base when he'd been jonesin' for a new pack of smokes.
"We should send someone to interview the people at the tobacco shop," Danny said.
"My guys are already on it," Khalid answered, unaware that Danny wasn't talking to him.
And that really grated on him - on top of the cloak and dagger bullshit and the heavy fog of distrust, of filling them all with hope and popping them with the pin of failure. Five-0 was Steve's team; everyone else was supposed to be backup.
Danny whirled on Khalid. "Your guys are on it? On what? Sitting on you hands? What about the other ten thousand cameras on the island? Widen the damn search by using that fancy Chrysalis system you've been so kind to share with us. Oh, wait a minute. That's right. You never shared that little piece of info with us!"
"My team's trying."
"Try harder damn it!" Danny yelled. "Use all those spy satellites and every other top secret gadget you're not telling us about!"
Then he stomped out of the bullpen and into Chin's office.
25hrs:49mins remaining
Toast didn't look up at Danny when he slammed close the door, huffing and breathing like a bull moose. Toast's nose pointed down at Noshimuri's laptop as he blew out a puff of smoke from the cigarette dangling from his lips. "Nothing's changed, dude."
"Time?" Danny demanded.
Toast stared at Danny in confusion.
"Time, damn it! How much longer until the auction ends?"
"Oh, sorry." Toast checked the laptop and looked back up at Danny. "Um. Twenty-five hours."
Twenty-five hours until Steve was sold like some prized pig; no, a prized weapon to the highest bidder. Fuck.
Danny's nose itched and his eyes burned. "Put that cigarette out."
Toast stabbed the cigarette in an ashtray already halfway full. He stretched his arms above his head and brushed some ash off his Star Wars t-shirt. "Look, dude, I know ya stressed and all, but ease up, will ya? You pulled me out of my house after thirty-six hours of straight campaigning. My league was just about to launch a surprise attack on-"
"I don't care what Dungeons and Dragons-"
"Skyrim, dude."
Danny swore he could feel the blood vessels inside his head burst. His whole body shaking, he closed his eyes and willed the spirit of everything Zen to keep him from performing bodily harm on the idiotic stoner.
"Toast," he grit out with his eyes closed. "Did you get anything else? Anything at all?"
"Sorry, man. I can't get a bead on the IP source. It's being bounced around the world like a pinball. There was another bid an hour ago. Tracked it down to Bogota, Columbia."
Danny opened his eyes. "That doesn't help."
Sighing, Toast pulled out a stick of gum and undid the foil wrapper. "I did find another vid file. It was uploaded to the server but wasn't made available for viewing. Not sure why. They could be saving it for a viewing later."
"Let me see it," Danny said, walking over.
Toast chewed his gum. "You sure?"
"Why? Did you see it already?" Danny snapped.
"Nah, dude. I just, you know. Freaking vids by terrorists aren't top on my list of things to watch, if ya know what I mean?"
Danny sighed; he was so freaking exhausted. "Don't argue with me."
Deep inside, Danny knew he should get the others, but he wanted to see it first. Steve was his partner, his responsibility. His best friend.
Toast hit a few keys and sat back away from the screen. Danny swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry as he slid into the chair. Like ripping off a band-aid, he quickly hit play.
The footage began the same: heavy breathing behind the camera with someone speaking off in the distance. The camera operator answered back in another language and unlocked the door. There was yelling in the room this time. The camera focused on the bed frame then audible cursing followed, the view dropping toward the floor before jerking back up.
Danny's heart was in his throat as he watched. Steve was awake this time - and fighting. The camera didn't focus on anything for too long, as if the operator wasn't sure where to direct the lens. Steve jerked his feet and yanked on the cuffs that kept his ankles in place.
"Fools! What is this? I thought you gave him another dose?" the camera operator yelled.
"We did!" a man yelled in response.
The camera guy growled. "Then you're not mixing it right, you idiot!"
The video bounced up and down before settling on the bed frame again. Steve thrashed around, and Danny could see him yank on his wrists so hard, it was bound to dislocate his joints.
"Partner, just hang on," Danny whispered to the screen, heart thudding in his chest.
Danny heard Steve yell something, but it wasn't in English.
"Neol jug-yeobeo li gess-eo!"
Steve flailed and kicked, the metal frame scraping over the cement floor. But it was a panicked, frenzied kind of energy and anger. And the more glimpses Danny caught, the more he realized Steve was still drugged to the gills.
The camera zoomed on Steve's face. "Smile, Commander."
Steve snapped his head in the direction of the sound, straining his neck, but it was as if he couldn't see the speaker. He yelled again, his voice strangled and hoarse. "Show yourself!"
The camera operator stepped closer until another voice warned him off. "Don't get too close - the bastard broke my nose earlier."
That made Danny smile. "Good for you, buddy."
"Increase the dose," the voice said.
"But..."
"Sdelaĭ eto!" the camera guy shouted back at the guy out of view.
Danny sucked in a breath as the clip ended suddenly and he grabbed the mouse, clicking to see if there was anything else. But there wasn't any more and he felt a hole inside him widen. Surveillance footage, videos, would these be the last images he'd ever see of Steve?
"You, um...okay, dude?" Toast asked.
"No, I'm not," Danny said, heading toward the door to go find the others.
Chapter Three