Fic-High Stakes, Desperate Measures (4/4)
***
Adam Noshimuri stood outside, waiting by an SUV, surrounded by his entourage. Danny had changed into a black t-shirt, a rifle hung over his shoulder, so yeah, he felt extra intimidating and walked up and stood toe to toe with Noshimuri. The responsibility hefted on his shoulders fueled his adrenaline.
"Don't do any funny stuff. You wait on the main road by the six mile marker until you're given the signal."
"I'm well aware of the plan. Wait until given the order, go the speed limit to give your team time. Once I hit the side road leading to the airfield, I'll be visible from the hangar for two miles."
"At a mile out, the sniper will take out your tire," Danny reminded him. "Have your minions try to fix it. It's all about stalling. Hopefully, Maslov will take the bait and exit the hangar to meet with you and give us enough time to find McGarrett before they grab him for the exchange."
"And once I lure Maslov out of his hole, the SEAL Team will swoop in and snatch their man." Noshimuri tilted his head. "Not sure if I like being that close to a fire-fight."
"You won't. You're not the target and Maslov will be too busy running in the other direction. Just keep your head down and stay out of the way." This time, it was Danny's turn to smile like a vulture. "But just in case - does the bulletproof vest fit all right? Not too tight?"
"It's fine. Must be a new type - very thin. You can't even tell I'm wearing it unless you're looking." Noshimuri adjusted his shirt collar. "Can I keep it when this is all over?"
"Sure. Because if you do anything, anything at all to screw this up, you'll need more than a vest. Capiche?"
Noshimuri slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. "Wouldn't dream of it."
***
Police training included the use of assault rifles, but since week one, Steve had the team undergo monthly drills, ingraining complete familiarity with the weapons. Danny used to complain about them and Steve would stare at him all stone faced until Danny returned to the firing range, grumbling under his breath. Never again. He adjusted his tac vest as they crept closer to their destination.
Chin and Kono walked beside him just as dangerously strapped, the two of them like modern-day Rambos. The sun had set and they blended into the evening darkness.
When he was within a few hundred meters of the rear of the building, Danny dropped and crawled on his belly through the wet, thinning grass, flicking away tiny rocks that dug into his elbows. It'd drizzled earlier and Danny's arms and legs were covered in slime. It was disgusting. He glared at Chin beside him, who shook his head at him. Danny bet Steve actually loved crawling around in the muck like a pig in camo.
"Freeze," Catherine instructed over the com.
Danny held up a fist.
"All bogies are still inside. Noshimuri is in position and will proceed on my mark. When I give the signal, make your way to the rear exit."
"Copy that," Danny whispered.
"Once you're inside, go to radio silence. I'll hear everything within several feet of your position. There are three bogies with the package: two inside the room, one outside."
"Copy that," Danny said with a grimace. He hated referring to Steve as the package, but those were the terms Catherine used.
"A two-man patrol is making its way toward the rear of the building. When they leave, you'll have a seven minute window before they return."
Danny gripped the rifle in his hand. "Got it."
Kono's shoulder brushed against his as she crouched beside him. Danny nodded at Chin who readied his weapon.
"On my mark," Catherine said. "Three, two, one. Now!"
It was a thirty-second mad dash across a snarl of overgrown grass. Danny nearly tripped over a divot and Chin grabbed his elbow as they sprinted toward the metal door.
Kono quickly punched in a code given to them by Khalid. Danny and Chin covered her until the door beeped. Danny nudged it open with his foot and Chin aimed his shotgun and went in first, Kono and Danny taking up the rear.
"You're clear," Catherine instructed. "The other seven bogies are inside the hangar. The two-man patrol hasn't deviated from their route. You have seven to nine minutes before they return."
All of them had studied the layout. Emergency lighting cast dim shadows and it took a few moments for Danny's eyes to adjust to the darkness. Down ten meters, turn right. No stopping. The hallway went on forever, the air thick with a musty odor.
His heart beat like a war drum in his ears and Danny tried to quiet his heavy breathing.
"Six minutes," Catherine warned over the radio. "You're making good time. Your next left is coming up...now."
Danny would have run right by it. He took the turn, forcing himself to slow and go cautiously down the short corridor.
"After twenty meters, take the next right. Your target will be ten meters away. There's still one bogie outside the room, two with the package."
Danny hugged the wall as he approached the corner. Chin and Kono crowded behind him, waiting on his signal. Danny quickly wiped his sweaty palms over his pants before pulling out a taser gun, allowing his rifle to hang at his side.
He held up three fingers, ticking them down to zero. Danny rounded the corner, squeezed the trigger, and sent two electrodes into the guard's chest. Kono swooped over at the same time, covering Danny as the guard slumped to the ground, his body convulsing from fifty thousand volts.
Disengaging the taser, Chin quickly grabbed the guard's ankles and dragged him around the corner. Then he knocked the guy out with a punch to the face, gagging and tying him up with zip-ties.
"That's far enough," Catherine told him. "The patrol never goes down that way."
Danny aimed his rifle at the door and waited for Chin to take Danny's right side while Kono remained on his left.
"Both bogies are at the north end of the room," Catherine informed them. "They're only a few feet away from Steve."
Steve. Not the package. Danny swallowed, trying to quell the adrenaline causing his hands to shake. He nodded at Chin who pulled out a flash-bang. Surprise and incapacitate; that was the goal. Kono punched in the code, Danny jerked open the door, and Chin lobbed in the stun grenade. Danny looked away as the room exploded in light and sound.
As they went in, a guard blindly stumbled right into Danny and he bashed him in the skull with the butt of his weapon, crumpling the guy in a heap. Danny looked up just as Chin smashed the other guard in the jaw with his rifle, knocking him off his feet. Kono swept in, covering them while Danny and Chin disarmed both unconscious men.
Danny finished securing one of the guards as he glanced over at Steve laying prone on the metal bed frame, his ankles and wrists restrained.
Breathing hard, Danny quickly surveyed the tiny room, his nostrils flaring at the sour, putrid smell. Kono inched closer to the bed frame, her expression anxious even in the low light.
Danny could hear his partner's ragged breathing and carefully approached the bed, trying to clamp down the anger swelling inside at seeing his friend's state. Steve was unshaven and his face peppered with bruises, his clothes streaked with dirt and dried sweat stains. Steve stank of urine and he'd probably never been allowed away from the horrible bed frame.
It took everything in Danny to keep his voice steady. "Steve? You with us?"
The whole bed frame creaked as Steve snapped his head at Danny's voice, yanking his wrists against the cuffs.
"Hey, hey," Danny spoke softly. "Take it easy, we're going to get you out of here."
Steve made a low, throaty growl and started thrashing even more.
Alarmed, Danny bent over and rested a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Shhh, it's okay." Steve's eyes flew open, his breath hitching in rapid gasps. "Come on," Danny pleaded. "I know you can hear me, partner. You've got to calm down.
"We need keys to these cuffs," he shouted.
"On it," Kono and Chin answered simultaneously.
"Danny," Catherine radioed. "I think Maslov took the bait; all other bogies are exiting the hangar."
"Copy that," Danny answered.
Steve continued whipping his wrists and Danny's own heart sped up. He gently pressed his hands on Steve's shoulder to calm him and bit his lip at the heat emanating beneath his palms. "I know you're feeling really messed up right now, but we're going to get you out of those things. Promise."
"I've got the keys," Chin said, but hesitated.
"Come on," Danny snapped, flapping his fingers.
"Be careful, brah. Steve's not with it right now," Chin warned, handing over the keys.
Danny nodded. "I know, but we don't have a choice."
"You have four minutes before the patrol makes their way back over there," Catherine warned.
"Not helpful," Danny muttered.
He was sick and tired of a ticking clock hanging over him.
Danny carefully bent over Steve. "Just in case you forgot, it's me. Danny. Your partner. Chin and Kono are right behind me and we're here to help. So, please try not to headbutt me or anything."
Steve's chest still heaved up and down like he was running a marathon.
The keys shook in Danny's hand before he found the lock. He released the first cuff, revealing several inflamed lacerations around Steve's wrist. He tried ignoring it, tried not to think of Steve's obvious failed escape attempts. Then he noticed Steve's badly deformed thumb and Steve's sheer desperation hit Danny like a ton of bricks. That Steve had managed to free himself only to be chained back up like an animal.
Danny sucked in a breath. "Almost there, partner," he mumbled. "Please don't punch me. I still have the left one to go."
Steve went stock-still and that scared the living crap out of Danny, like waiting on the cobra to strike. "I'm going to unlock the left wrist now. Nod if you understand me, because I really don't feel like getting punched in the face for my trouble."
Danny glanced over at Steve and watched his friend for any sign of coherence or impending attack, but Steve's normally vibrant eyes were glazed over. Danny fumbled, released the second cuff, noticing that Steve's other thumb was also badly swollen. Christ. Steve had dislocated both of them at one point to escape.
Steve's arms flopped down at his sides when both wrists were freed, but he still didn't move.
Kono moved behind him. "I found the other keys; I'll get his ankles."
"Yeah," Danny said. "But be careful."
Kono nodded and spoke out loud while she worked. "Boss, I'm grabbing your leg for a second. I'll get you up and moving in no time." She looked down at Steve's foot, then back at Danny with worry. "His right ankle is really thrashed. I think it might be busted or dislocated."
Damn. Steve had done a number on himself trying to get free. That meant he wouldn't be able to put any weight on it. Then again, Steve wasn't really ambulatory to begin with. Danny breathed deeply and tried to forget the images of Steve's uncharacteristic terror from the video.
"Boss, your ankle is really swollen and the metal has dug deeply into it. Just give me a second...there. Got it," she said, releasing it.
Chin kept one eye on the door and the other on their progress, his focus unwavering. Danny secretly loved him for not yelling at them to hurry up.
Danny watched as Kono uncuffed Steve's left ankle. The moment it was released, Steve bolted off the bed, ramming his full shoulder into Danny and knocking them both down. Steve loomed over Danny and pressed his forearm into Danny's throat. Shocked, Danny gasped for air, digging his fingers into Steve's arm, praying neither of them would injure the other.
Danny dug his knee into Steve's abdomen and pushed with all his might as Chin and Kono yanked Steve by his shoulders. Their collective momentum sent Chin and Kono sprawling onto their backs.
Steve rolled and vaulted to his feet, but fell over in a lurch as he tried to escape. He never stopped moving, skittering across the floor on his hands and knees only to collapse a few feet away. He scooted until he sat up against the wall, wild-eyed and ready to fight.
"ETA on the patrol is one minute," Catherine said.
Fuck. For a second Danny had forgotten about guards and roaming bad guys. They didn't have time for this if they were all going to get out of here alive.
"Steve! Please," Danny coughed and sputtered, his voice ragged from his bruised larynx. "I know you must be hearing and seeing a ton of crazy shit, but you know my voice. Do you hear me? Please, please, just listen. Focus, okay?"
Danny approached Steve with his palms up. "I'm coming over. And when I reach you, we have to get ready to leave. You understand?" Both of Steve's hands were clenched into fists despite their injuries, but Danny kept inching closer, kept talking, slow and soft. "Grace is safe, by the way. All the kids are, thanks to you. So, you've got to take it easy because you're not going to miss my daughter's birthday, are you?"
Steve squinted in Danny's direction. "D?"
"Yeah, buddy. It's me," Danny rasped, creeping closer until he knelt beside Steve. "It's good to see you."
"Danny?" Steve repeated, his voice dry and broken. He reached out with a trembling hand. "I...please, Danny. I...can't..."
Danny carefully took Steve's arm above the wrist. "Hey. It's going to be fine. Understand? But we need your help getting out of here."
Steve dug his fingers into Danny's forearm until it hurt. Danny placed two fingers on Steve's wrist, felt the frightening hummingbird-like pulse under them. God, it was amazing Steve hadn't suffered a stroke.
"Danny! I just picked up on radio communication from the patrol. They're reporting a security breech to Maslov." Catherine said, voice calm but urgent.
"What? How?" Danny snapped.
"They must have been on communication silence. I think they spotted the missing guard. The patrol has retreated to the far end of the hallway."
Shit.
"Maslov and his security are retreating back into the hangar!"
Damn, damn, damn, damn!
"Danny. You've got to pull back now!" Catherine warned.
"Got it!"
Danny turned his attention to Steve. "You ready? We've got to do your favorite thing and run." Steve bobbled his head and that had to be enough. "Okay, on your feet!"
Pulling an arm across his shoulders, Danny hauled Steve upright and took almost all of his weight when Steve's knees gave out.
"I see how it is. I'm a human taxi now, huh?" Danny wrapped an arm around Steve's waist and anchored him close. He could practically hear the man's heart try to explode. "Do you think you can put any weight on that ankle?" Danny asked. "Steve? Can you hobble?"
"Can't...can't feel anything at all," Steve slurred.
Not good, not good, Danny thought, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. He nodded at Chin. "We're ready."
"Both targets are at the east end of the hallway," Catherine instructed.
Kono moved toward the door, curled her fingers around the doorknob while Chin aimed his weapon.
Suddenly the whole building shook and Danny nearly dropped Steve as they both almost fell down. A roar rumbled throughout the room, the sound of explosions vibrating through the walls and flickering the lights.
"What the hell was that?" Chin demanded.
"Hold on," Catherine's voice was frantic. "Several bombs just went off. I-"
The whole place shook again and Danny held Steve tighter to his side.
"We've got multiple explosions. The heat's distorting all of my imagery."
"Can you give us anything?" Chin asked.
"The first explosion took out the rear exit," Catherine told them. "The whole hallway is gone. I'm trying to find another route out."
Chin pressed the com further in his ear. "What about the second explosion?"
"It was massive. I can't get anything from the area, but I think it took out the hangar."
"What happened with the meeting with Noshimuri?" Chin asked.
"Maslov bolted when security alerted him of the breach. Noshimuri's back in his car and turning around."
"Oh good, at least he's safe," Danny snorted.
Kono paced in a short circuit. "What about the SEAL team?"
"They've been deployed. ETA four minutes but I don't know how long it'll take them to find a way inside," Catherine warned. "I found another exit by the far west end, but it's almost halfway through the building. I can guide you out, but I can't pinpoint the bogies with all this thermal energy."
"Just show us the way, we'll do the rest," Chin ordered. "Catherine, I'm taking point. Danny's busy with McGarrett."
"Copy that," she replied.
***
Kono opened the door with one hand and threw a stun grenade with the other. Chin waited three beats and plunged into the hallway, shooting several bursts from his shotgun. Kono followed after him with suppression fire. In seconds, the sounds of automatic weapons died away.
"We're clear!" Kono shouted.
Danny dragged Steve along, his friend's ragged breathing ghosting against Danny's ear. They followed Kono and Chin down the corridor in a crazy half-stumble. Steve's long limbs and heavy, wavering gait made it tough corralling him.
Steve tried straightening up, but ended up leaning heavier on Danny, his overheated face brushing against Danny's neck.
"Come on, that's good, just stay on your feet," Danny coaxed as he waited for Kono's signal.
Chin held up his hand and the four of them paused. "Catherine, any new intel?"
"The heat from the fire in that area is obscuring my readings, but it's starting to clear up."
"What about the SEAL team?" Chin pressed for more info.
"On the premises, but I can't get a read on them."
Danny waited back a meter as Kono and Chin cleared the next turn. Maneuvering was clumsy with two people and Steve didn't move fast enough, smacking the side of his head against the corner.
"That was a wall, Steven," Danny hissed. "If you can, please try avoiding further brain damage."
"Everything's...blurry," Steve panted.
He couldn't see?
Danny curled his fingers around one of Steve's belt loops. "That would have been helpful intel," he growled.
His anger with this whole fucked up mess felt like a white-hot ball of fury, burning and simmering under the surface. He used it to shuffle them down each hall. Used it to keep Steve propped up as he grew heavier and more uncoordinated. And he used it to keep his mind blank, keep it focused on getting the hell out, and not what his instincts, his cop instincts were screaming about Steve's worsening condition.
"You still with me, babe?"
But he only heard Steve's huffs for air.
Kono and Chin worked in synch, clearing their path through the building as Danny followed, practically carrying Steve. Down ten meters. Then a left. Another thirty meters and a right. The building had too many freaking hallways. How long had they been inside? How long before...
"I'm picking up four bogies coming toward you!" Catherine's voice sounded in all their ears.
There was another turn up ahead, and Chin and Kono each took one side of the wall and waited for their targets to come into view. Danny felt completely vulnerable without a weapon, but his hands were full.
"There are two more bogies making their way from the other end of the hall," Catherine warned.
They were being outflanked.
Danny unloaded Steve onto the ground. "Sorry," he whispered, readying his weapon and standing over him.
He turned around to face the men sneaking up behind them, but a small clanking sound and a familiar looking canister rolled by Danny's feet, followed by a second one near Chin and Kono.
All thee of them shouted at the same time. "Stun gre-"
Danny closed his eyes before the hall filled with light, but he couldn't cover his ears in time as they exploded in pulse-pounding pain. He lost his balance and fell onto his hands and knees, trying not to throw up while voices yelled and screamed all around him.
After his vision cleared, Danny looked up and right into the barrel of a rifle, his M4 swinging uselessly from its tether.
"Don't move," a guttural voice told him.
Danny flicked his eyes at Chin and Kono who held up their hands as they faced several armed goons.
"Disarm them," a familiar voice instructed. The same voice from the video feeds. "If one of them tries anything, kill the others."
Ivan Maslov strutted into view, dressed head to toe in a black suit.
Danny was stripped of his M4 and hands roughly lifted him up, patted him down, removing his grenades and backup. He kept telling himself stall, stall, stall. Catherine could hear everything.
Ivan snapped his fingers. "Everyone over by the wall."
Chin and Kono complied, alert and ready to take action at the first opportunity. Danny stood his ground, refusing to move away from where Steve lay sprawled on his back, exposed and vulnerable.
Seeing his larger-than-life partner like that frightened the shit out of him.
"What the hell did have you been giving him?" Danny demanded.
Maslov pulled a crinkled pack of smokes from his pants pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it. "My own recipe. A little of this. A little of that. Effective, don't you think?"
"Effective at what?" Danny snarled, wanting to punch the guy's lights out. "Wow, you're so big and scary, drugging the shit out of someone and tying him down. That's not cowardly at all. I thought you were supposed to be some big shot. Why didn't you just lock him up or slip him a few Xanax?"
"Sedation is - what can I say? Simple." Maslov blew a clove-scented puff of smoke. "To exert control over one's enemy, you must take theirs away."
Danny's whole body shook. "More stupid quotes? Do you know how many of those I've heard in the last few days?"
Maslov glared at him, undoubtedly unused to being screamed at. "I ordered you to stand over there with your friends."
"I don't follow your orders," Danny spat.
Maslov stormed over with a pompous sneer, his fake accent slipping. "Who do you think you are?"
"SEAL Team Four's ETA is three minutes. Stall them," Catherine whispered in Danny's ear.
"Detective Danny Williams. Five-0," Danny said, standing tall.
The left side of Maslov's face twitched. "Detective Williams, no one steals from me."
Maslov pulled out a Glock, aiming at the center of Danny's forehead.
"We just did," Chin snorted, his voice loud and smug. "And right from under your nose."
Maslov's steel eyes turned murderous as he swung his weapon in Chin's direction.
"A SEAL team is on its way," Danny blurted. "In fact, they're storming the building as we speak."
"You're lying!" Maslov growled, returning his focus back on Danny.
"Do you think it's just the three of us? Seriously? I mean, yeah, it was really easy breaking in and taking out your excuse for security. But what about our backup?" Danny watched self-doubt flicker in Maslov's eyes. "Don't you think this is all just part of the plan? Well, except for the whole timing thing. We screwed that up."
Maslov curled his fingers around the Glock, his cool fading. "You lie."
"Really?" Danny chuckled, trying to goad the man. "Then wait six more minutes."
He watched Kono and Chin out of the corner of his eye, knew they heard Catherine's intel. This was a chess game. Always had been.
A fine scar ran down along Maslov's chin, emphasizing his clenched jaw. "I'll call your bluff."
Maslov jerked his head and one of his goons grabbed Danny by the shoulder and shoved him hard against the wall, a meaty hand firmly holding him in place. The guy reeked of bourbon.
Maslov stomped toward Steve, the cigarette dangling from his lips, and yanked him up by the front of his t-shirt. Steve was boneless, his head lolling onto his chest, Maslov's grip the only thing holding him up.
Maslov pressed the barrel of his Glock into Steve's temple. "If I can't have my seven million dollar asset, then no one can."
Before Danny could shout, Steve's eyes flew open and he grabbed Maslov's wrist and snapped it at a sharp angle. Maslov screamed in surprise, dropping his gun. Using Maslov's falling momentum, Steve jerked Maslov toward the ground, rolling them both up like a pretzel in some crazy move. Steve slipped his hands around Maslov's head and twisted, breaking his neck in one fluid motion.
Maslov slumped against Steve's body, both men unmoving. Danny shoved the goon out of the way, the guard too shocked to react.
Danny went to his knees and pressed finger to Maslov's throat. "He's dead," he announced, pushing the asshole off Steve's chest - a chest much slower to rise and fall than before. "Come on. What was that? Some last hurrah?"
Danny felt for a pulse, finding a sluggish, weak beat beneath his finger, while the rest of the Maslov's people looked on like rubberneckers at a car crash.
"I wasn't lying. Our backup is here," Danny snapped. The idiots looked at each other in confusion. "Your boss is dead. I suggest losing your weapons before a group of really pissed of SEALs discovers one of their own like this."
Taking advantage of the chaos, Kono grabbed the weapon from the nearest guard and cocked him over the head with it. Startled and too stupid to react, Chin easily disarmed one of his while the other three guards stared wide-eyed.
"Get outta here!" Chin yelled at them. "Or do you want to a one-way ticket to Gitmo?"
Danny watched as the three thugs looked at each other and quickly took down the darkened corridor, leaving their two buddies behind.
Danny patted Steve's clammy cheek, terrified at his graying pallor. "Steve! Come on, wake up!"
"Danny?" Kono's worried voice drifted over. "Is he going to be okay?"
"I don't know!" Danny yelled. But his gut did; he'd worked in the Narcotics unit for a year. "His pulse is dropping. His breathing is real shallow. There's no telling what combination of drugs were used. I think they mixed-up uppers and downers and that could give him a freaking heart attack."
"What did they use on McGarrett?" Chin demanded of one of Maslov's men. When neither of them answered, Chin grabbed the one nearest by the shoulder and shoved his Sig in his face. "Don't stonewall me."
"I don't know! I wasn't the one guarding him!" the guy insisted.
"How often between injections?" Danny yelled. "Six, eight hours?"
The heavyset guard huffed. "After he broke Viktor's wrist and Oleg's nose trying to escape? They gave the asshole a dose whenever he caused trouble. And he caused a lot of trouble."
Snap.
Danny lunged to his feet and backhanded the guy across the face. "When was the last dose?" The guard didn't answer and Danny rammed his fist into his mouth, popping his knuckles. "When!" he seethed.
"Enough, brah, come on," Chin whispered in Danny's ear, pulling him away.
Danny fought, jerking out of Chin's grasp, rearing his fist back. "Tell me," he panted out of breath.
"Right before the exchange," the guard yelled, spittle flying from his swollen lips. "Ivan wanted the guy out of it."
Catherine's voice suddenly came over his earwig. "The SEAL team should be right-"
Her voice was cut off by the sudden sound of people busting into the hallway from both directions.
"Everyone freeze!" voices shouted, joined by a chorus of, "Drop your weapons!"
Chin and Kono lowered their rifles. "We're Five-0," Kono told them.
The SEAL team swarmed inside and didn't take any chances. They removed everyone's weapons - the guards, Chin and Kono's - and forced them all to face the wall.
Danny saw three assault rifles pointed in his direction and he held up his hands. "I am Detective Danny Williams, Five-0. The dead body to your right is your first target, Ivan Maslov. He was killed by your second target, Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, Navy SEAL."
Danny allowed himself to be manhandled out of the way, obeying without a word, not wanting to put anyone at risk.
The burly SEAL in front of him was indistinguishable from the others. All six were dressed in full camo gear, their faces obscured by black visors and cloth masks.
The leader checked Maslov for a pulse and shook his head. "Chief, prepare to move this body out for identification. Shark, take squad two, search for and gather all intelligence and any remaining hostiles." The leader moved toward Steve, checked his pulse, and pressed an ear to his chest. "Griffon, Commander McGarrett needs immediate medical attention."
Thank God, they'd been briefed about Steve.
"Our badges are in our pockets," Danny started to say.
"We're well aware of who you are, Detective," the SEAL said. "But for right now, do what I say, when I say it."
"Okay. That's fine," Danny accepted. "What do I call you?"
"LT."
"Okay. Good. LT. I'm cooperating, but this is my partner, and I would really like to remain where I am, please. I'll stay out of the way."
"Don't budge from this spot," LT ordered him.
Danny watched as the corpsman knelt down next to Steve and unshouldered a black canvas medical bag. The guy pulled away his face gear, revealing his dark skin. He quickly got out a stethoscope, pulled up Steve's dirty t-shirt, and listened to his lungs while he grabbed Steve's wrist.
"Pulse is weak at 48, respiration slow and shallow." He let the stethoscope dangle while he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Steve's arm.
"We think he was given a combination of something," Danny told the corpsman. "My best guess is a mix of stims and opiates. The stims started to wear off just a few minutes ago. And he's been given several doses really close together over the last three days."
Enough to drop an elephant, Danny thought grimly. Because as soon as that stimulant wore away, the depressant would hit Steve tenfold.
Griffon released the cuff and placed an oxygen mask over Steve's nose and mouth. "BP's hypotensive, 58 over 39 and dropping. He needs to be airlifted immediately, sir."
"All right. You and Dice transport him out of here. Take his team with him." LT pointed a finger at Danny. "Stay close and stay quiet."
Griffon tried inserting an IV several times. "Damn, he's really dehydrated, can't find a vein."
Danny held his breath as the corpsman palpated Steve's hands and arms, shook his head, and finally inserted the needle in the back of Steve's left hand. "Got a flash!" he said, placing the saline bag on Steve's chest.
Two SEALs had assembled a stretcher and quickly moved Steve onto it.
"All right, let's go!" LT shouted.
Danny ran along one side of the stretcher while Chin and Kono took up the rear as they frantically exited the building to board a rescue helo.
***
Minutes, hours, they all blurred into buzzing rotor blades, shouting, and squawking radios. Voices morphed from SEALs to emergency room doctors, coalescing into a cloud of white noise.
Danny nodded at Chin and Kono's worried faces. Smiled and made useless small talk that he didn't remember. He might have even fallen asleep in an empty examination bed in the far corner; he couldn't remember. But he eventually found himself in a hard plastic chair in the ICU, counting the black dots in the ceiling.
"I'll have you know that I would prefer sleeping in my own bed. My hotel suite has the best mattress, amazing lumbar support, and the air conditioning? The perfect background noise. Much better than this stupid hissing sound," he said, waving at the ventilator.
Danny watched the machine force Steve's chest to rise and fall.
"The doctors say the tube is temporary, something about respiratory support. I told them that you're part fish, but they didn't value my opinion. Sound familiar?"
His eyes drifted toward the IV, the pulse/ox clip on his index finger, and the wires snaking out from under Steve's hospital gown. "The docs ran some tests and discovered you actually do have a heart somewhere inside there. It's fine, by the way. Now that it's started beating regularly."
He leaned on the bedrail, raking his eyes over Steve's unshaven face, his elevated foot, and the braces cradling his thumbs. Danny cracked a smile. "You're going to be such a pain in the ass about paperwork, aren't you? Not to mention crabby about not being able to fire your weapons. And I give you a day before you ditch your crutches."
But Steve didn't stir.
"We're going to have long talk when you wake up, Steven. About the whole walking out with a mass murderer and not telling anyone anything."
The ventilator continued hissing and Danny's heart spiked hard and fast against his ribcage. He sucked in a breath and wiped angrily at the moisture in his eyes, snaking a hand through the railing, careful of the IV, and resting it on Steve's arm.
"But I won't yell at you until after you wake up. Because Grace really, really wants you to come to her birthday party."
***
Danny left the ICU and ran into Catherine in the hallway. "Oh, hey," he said, sheepishly. He'd been in there far longer than the twenty minutes allowed.
"Hey," Catherine greeted back.
She'd changed into a gray Navy t-shirt and jeans and looked far more comfortable than Danny felt. Or maybe exhaustion did that to people.
"He's, um, you know...still asleep."
"Yeah, the docs say they'll take him off the vent in the morning." Catherine stared at the hallway leading to Intensive Care. "The SEAL team discovered vials of methamphetamines and hydromorphone, which I was told was a form of Dilaudid, and that's what they mixed up and used."
"Damn," Danny sighed. No wonder Steve had been so messed up and out of it.
"It makes a sick kind of sense," Catherine said. "The combination of opioids and stimulants would keep Steve somewhat awake if they needed something from him, but unable to fight or escape."
Pure torture for anyone, especially someone like Steve.
"Maslov was a master manipulator," Danny growled. "The only way he could control Steve was to leave him incoherent and confused. Strip away all of his motor skills." His anger swelled. "I'm glad he's dead."
Even he was still amazed that Steve had been able to use one last burst of energy to take out the asshole.
"I don't think everyone is," Catherine smirked. "But I don't care," she said with a pat to his shoulder before leaving him to visit Steve.
***
Agent Yasir Khalid puffed on a cigarette outside the hospital, pacing in a circle as he yapped on the phone. When he saw Danny approach, he ended his call and stomped the cigarette out.
"Don't you know that stuff will ruin your clothes?" Danny asked.
"That's what dry cleaners are for," Khalid said, pushing back his floppy hair. "But I only partake in one or two when I'm really stressed."
"And the last few days weren't stressful enough?" Danny snorted. "I take it you guys didn't get what you were hoping for from Maslov's lair?"
"We confiscated several laptops with thousands of gigabytes of data." He shrugged. "It's a starting place."
"But with Maslov dead, you don't know how he was able to break into all those databases?"
"No. We could still have multiple leaks at SOCOM." Khalid's face turned thoughtful. "But Maslov's no longer a threat and that's a victory. I'm glad we got Commander McGarrett back safely."
There was a giant but looming. Danny could feel it. "You still think we shouldn't have been involved in the rescue?"
"Maybe," Khalid hedged. "But not all SEAL ops are successful; you just don't read about them. Obviously, Maslov had the place booby-trapped. Who knows what the end result might have been."
Danny looked up at clear skies then settled his gaze on Khalid's face. "Thank you. I know you took a big risk."
"Who said taking out the bullies of the world was ever easy?" Khalid grinned and pulled out his Ray-Ban sunglasses. "Look, before I leave, there's someone waiting to meet you."
***
He didn't know who to expect walking toward his car, but Danny stopped at the edge of the parking lot as a burly guy in cargo pants and olive t-shirt approached him while Khalid hung back.
"Detective Williams, Lieutenant Davidson," the man introduced himself.
"Lieutenant."
"I wanted to meet you on behalf of my team," Davidson said, his shaved head held high.
Danny didn't need to be a cop to know this was the leader of the SEAL team from the hangar. "Meet me? For what?"
"To thank you for your service and tenacity, so that no one on my team had to choose between a mission objective and a brother."
Danny's throat tightened, but before he could say anything, the LT squared his shoulders and jabbed his finger at Khalid. "But you. Don't ever use a SEAL for bait again."
Khalid's face blanched and Danny stared at him slack-jawed, his brain slowly putting the pieces together. Because the one question they never asked was how Maslov knew to target Steve in the first place?
"You sonofabitch," Danny snarled. "You needed a way to flush Maslov out. Were you just behind Steve's leaked file or did you have some cryptic way to whisper the idea of the auction, too?"
Khalid held up his hands. "Let me -"
Danny slugged him in the face, knocking Khalid flat on his ass.
Rolling his neck, Danny nodded at the lieutenant. "I owe you one."
"No, you don't," Davidson said.
With his mission obviously complete, the SEAL walked away.
Danny started toward his car, glancing over his shoulder at Khalid on the ground. "By the way, tell your mom I said hello."
***
After a whole night's sleep, Danny returned to the hospital and made his way to Steve's private room, where he found his partner propped up in bed, channel surfing.
"Look at you, guess those goofed-up thumbs can't prevent you from searching for something good on television."
Steve wiggled the braces taped around his thumbs and turned off the TV, dropping the remote in his lap. "What's that saying? Two hundred channels and nothing's on?"
Steve's voice was rough from the vent, but at least he was breathing on his own with the support of a nasal cannula. His hair stuck out in odd directions and he looked tired and worn. It was unnerving seeing him like this and Danny debated telling him about Khalid because Steve deserved to be told the truth for once. The whole team did.
But not right now. Maybe next week, after Grace's birthday, after they all had a chance to breathe.
"You're looking good, babe, got some color back in your cheeks," Danny said, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Head's still kind of foggy." Steve pointed at the soft walking cast around his foot. "Got to deal with that for two weeks."
"Better than the alternative."
Steve sat up straighter. "I'm not complaining; I'm just itching to get out of here."
Danny grimaced. Steve had been tied down to a bed for three days. He could only imagine his desire to bolt. "Do you remember any of it?"
Steve looked away, a sure sign he wasn't about to share everything going on inside his head. "Not much after the van pulled up in the parking lot. Just snippets. Mostly sounds. Mainly, it seemed as if I was floating around aimlessly." He curled his fingers into the bed. "Sometimes, it felt like I was trapped inside myself. That no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move. The panic, it was so raw, so..."
"What about killing Maslov?" Danny asked, switching subjects.
Steve shook his head and grimaced at the motion. "It was more like I sensed him in the room. I remember this sickly sweet smell whenever he was around. That's what I associated with him."
"He smoked clove cigarettes," Danny told him. Steve got a faraway look in his eye and Danny wondered what he was thinking. If Steve remembered the scent of his tormentor, maybe he'd instinctively homed in on it the hallway. Danny gave his friend's knee a pat. "Don't worry, you'll be out of here and swimming with the dolphins in no time."
"Thanks to you guys." Steve adjusted his head on the pillow and looked over. "I heard what you did to find me."
"Yeah? Well, it wouldn't be so hard if you didn't do stupid shit."
"Maslov had a bomb - he showed me the detonator."
"And you just decided to trade yourself for the promise he wouldn't squeeze the trigger?"
"I did what I had to do," Steve said, unapologetic.
"The last time I checked there was no I in team, Steven," Danny growled.
Steve's eyes went dark. "And you've never had to wade through a pile of bodies of women and children, searching for bomb fragments."
"No, I haven't," Danny conceded, voice low, hoping he never would.
"I've witnessed the carnage that Ivan Maslov left behind. Helped dig graves for civilians." Steve grit his teeth. "I wasn't about to let history repeat itself here."
"At Grace's school." Danny swallowed, the terror and guilt bubbling up again. "He used me against you."
Steve squinted against the sunlight streaming in the window. "He used innocent people against me, Danny. It could have been the hospital Malia works at or Kono's favorite beach."
"True. But it doesn't change who he targeted or which buttons he pushed." Danny got up and closed the curtains. When he turned around, he saw the tension lines around Steve's face ease. Danny sighed. "I'm going to tell you what I told Catherine. Just because you're a SEAL doesn't mean your life should be sacrificed for the greater good."
Steve took a heavy drag on his oxygen. "I don't think that, Danny, but I live my life by a certain code; that's never going to change."
No, it wasn't. Danny knew that. "I'm not asking you to change, you big lug, but even Superman had the Justice League."
"Using comic book analogies?" Steve grinned lazily, but it was obvious his batteries were running low. "That's nice. You and Toast bond over anything else?"
"Hey, we owe that guy a multitude of favors, my friend."
"Speaking of favors, I heard Adam Noshimuri was involved in finding me."
Danny had really hoped to avoid that minefield right now.
"Yes, he was, but I wouldn't put him on your Christmas card list any time soon."
"What did you guys do?"
"Nothing," Danny lied, because his partner wasn't the only one good at subterfuge. "It seems that Joe White's shenanigans with Noshimuri's father earned you a ton of honor kudos. But after this week, they're all used up. The two of you can continue your feud when you get back to work."
"Danny."
"Steven."
Steve stared at Danny, studying his face, and he sighed, his eyes drooping. "We'll talk more about the details you're leaving out later. What about our case load?"
"Case load? We've been a little busy searching for you and a certain international terrorist. We've behind. I even had to hand the money laundering thing over to the HPD."
Steve scrubbed a hand over his face. "I'm not done with the algorithm for that," he mumbled.
"What?"
"I need to change one of the co-factors in the coding," Steve said, slowly drifting off. "It's not accurate."
He stared dumbly at Steve as he fell asleep, the big goof inadvertently saving Danny from a few more sleepless nights.
***
By the time he got his life in order, met with the governor, and filed some paperwork, another two days had passed. Steve had been discharged early. Thankfully, Catherine and Kono had taken him home.
After Danny got his head on straight, it was time to celebrate Grace's birthday. Rachel's house was filled with balloons, and a dozen of Grace's friends from school ran around, laughing and playing. There were no ponies or clowns, but it still felt like a circus.
Rachel passed him on her way to the den, carrying a tray filled with plastic cups. "Daniel, could you get the door?"
"Why? Does the butler have the day off?"
She rolled her eyes and Danny wandered into the large foyer, surprised to find Catherine and Steve waiting on the front steps. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"
"The last I checked, it was Gracie's birthday." Steve hobbled inside on a crutch, a pink, gift-wrapped box stuffed against his other side. "I'm going to find the birthday girl," he said, navigating by.
"Should he be up and around?" Danny asked Catherine.
She gave him a knowing smile. "He woke up with a migraine in the middle of the night, but it finally faded. He insisted on coming, said he was tired of lying down."
The doctors had warned of migraines and fatigue for at least a week as Steve recovered. Not to mention the psychological repercussions. Danny grimaced; Steve would be crawling the walls even more than normal.
"Kono and Chin should be here any second," Catherine said, looking out the door. "They were right behind me, but I, um, may have a lead foot when it comes to driving."
"You two really are birds of a feather," Danny laughed.
A familiar squeal of delight came from the other room and Danny took a deep breath. "I better go make sure Steve didn't buy my daughter a mini-sniper rifle."
***
He wasn't one for eavesdropping, but when it came to his daughter, Danny couldn't help it. While all her friends were outside batting the crap out of a piñata, Grace sat on the sofa with Steve, completely enamored by her karate outfit.
"The dojo is a very special place. There you'll learn self-discipline and defensive skills with other kids your age." Grace beamed up at Steve. "Do you like it?" he asked.
"I do. Thank you."
Steve smiled down at her, all warm and fond. Grace looked over at Steve's bandaged wrists and her smiled faded, her face growing serious. "Uncle Steve, could I ask you a question?"
Steve's face matched her solemnity. "Sure, sweetheart."
"When the bad man had you...were you scared?" Grace whispered.
Danny almost ran over to break up the conversation, but something about his daughter's voice, that need for some weird form of validation, clutched at Danny's heart.
Steve curled his giant hand around Grace's tiny fingers. "Yeah, I was."
"You were?"
"Of course I was," Steve told her with such sincerity. "But it takes courage to face our fear. And you did that when you were taken. You know that, right?"
Grace nodded her head enthusiastically.
"And that made you a very brave girl."
"I knew Danno would find me. That why I wasn't afraid."
"You know what?" Steve ducked down to whisper in her ear. "I knew your dad would find me, too."
Grace's face lit up. She latched onto Steve and he wrapped his massive arms around her.
Danny's chest swelled in pride and warmth and he wandered over. "Okay, what's with all these hugs? Don't I get any?"
"Of course, daddy!"
Danny bent over and scooped up his daughter in a massive bear hug.
"Did you see what Uncle Steve gave me? I'm going to learn Krav Maga. He said it's going to teach me discipline," Grace squeaked in excitement.
"Discipline? I think that's something Uncle Steve needs to learn more than you," Danny told her.
Grace wiggled out of his arms and snagged her outfit. "I'm going to show mommy."
Danny stared at Steve's contented face as Grave ran out of the room. "If she comes home with a sword, I'm going to kick your ass."
"Krav Maga doesn't use weapons," Steve said with a straight face.
"You!" Danny jabbed a finger at him. "Despite the fact that you're trying to convert my little girl into a ninja, I'm going hug you, too." Danny bent over, giving Steve a squeeze. "I'm happy you're here to celebrate this with my daughter, tough guy."
"So am I," Steve said, squeezing back.
"Hey! There you guys are," Chin said, coming over, both he and Kono sipping beers.
Kono handed Danny one after he disentangled himself.
"Hey, where's mine?" Steve complained from the sofa.
"Sorry, brah. I seriously doubt you're supposed to drink alcohol, but I saw some hugging going on and I can definitely give you one of those."
Kono bent down and squished Steve, who reciprocated with his octopus arms. Chin grinned the biggest grin Danny had seen in a long time and the two of them bumped their bottles together.
"Daddy, it's time to blow out the candles!" Grace yelled from the kitchen.
Steve hobbled up and off the sofa and grabbed his crutches. "Come on, let's sing your daughter a happy birthday."
"Now that's one thing I won't argue with you about," Danny smiled.
Because this was exactly what he'd dreamed of, no three-ring circus or crazy clowns. After a horrible, hellish nightmare of a week, he got to enjoy what he'd fought and sacrificed so hard for. What they all did every single day so they could be surrounded safely with the ones they loved.
Click for fullsize
***
fini-
Here are the links to leave feedback for my lovely artists
fprintmoon's art is here.
mific's art is here.