Note: Here we go with the next one. Poor Wenwalke didn't get much of a break between stories this time. Thanks you so much Wenwalke.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Caught Off Guard

Chapter One

It was mid morning when the team arrived at their latest crime scene. They were immediately briefed by HPD who had responded to a call of shots fired. When first responders got there they'd found a well known drug dealer dead, and the house ransacked. They'd cleared the scene and called in Five-0.

"Well someone meant business." Lou observed the gaping hole in the man's head. He had obviously suffered a quick and violent demise.

"Looks like they searched the house for something, how much you wanna bet it was for his drug stash?" Kono pointed out.

"I think that's a fair guess." Chin agreed.

"Ok, let's split up." Steve ordered. "Chin, Kono, check out the bedrooms. Lou, take outside. Danny and I will cover the kitchen and in here."

The team started their search, Lou, Chin and Kono leaving Steve and Danny alone in the main part of the house. Danny headed into the kitchen and started rummaging through the mess on the floor. Cans of food and cereal packets had been pulled from the cupboards, and dishes had smashed as they impacted with the hard, tiled floor.

Danny turned over the remains of a cup with his foot and saw a small packet containing two white pills stamped with an X. He pulled a glove from his pocket and, after putting it on, picked up the packet then dropped it into an evidence bag.

"I found a packet of drugs." He called out.

"Just one?" Steve called back.

"Yeah." Danny replied then spotted another packet over by the door that looked like it led to an attached garage. He bagged that one too, opened the door and entered the garage. "I found another one, and think I found their exit route."

Steve headed after his partner and stopped dead in his tracks, quickly pulling out his gun. Danny stood in front of him, hands raised. But it was the guy behind him that caught Steve's attention. The man's left arm was wrapped around Danny's chest, revealing a full sleeve of tattoos. He pulled Danny in close, using him as a human shield. His right hand was shaking, his fingers wrapped around the handle of Danny's gun, which was pressed up close to the side of Danny's head. Track marks from years of drug abuse could be seen.

"I'm sorry." Danny apologised for letting himself get caught off guard. He had entered the garage and the guy had come up behind him and grabbed his gun from its holster.

"Don't apologies, Danny. The house was supposed to be clear." Steve turned his attention to the guy holding his friend hostage. "Put the gun down."

"No way. I'm getting out of here and he's my ticket. Now put your gun down and cuff yourself to that pipe."

"That's not gonna happen buddy." Steve tightened his grip on his gun and waited for an opportunity to take the man down. Unfortunately the guy was doing a good job at positioning himself right behind Danny.

"If you want your partner here to live, it is." The junkie yelled back while shoving the gun into Danny's temple even harder, hand shaking. "Let me go and I'll dump him somewhere when I'm clear."

"Just let him go, now." Steve ordered, hoping that the others would hear them and come provide support.

"Put your gun down and cuff yourself to the pipe. NOW."

"Steve, please." Danny begged. "Just do it."

"Danny." Steve didn't trust this guy to keep his word.

"Please, I really want to live to see my daughter again. We're gonna have to trust shaky here to keep his word."

"Put your gun down." The junkie yelled, his finger twitching over the trigger.

"Ok, ok." Steve carefully laid his gun on the floor then took his cuffs out and slid them around the pipe, followed by his wrists.

"Tighten them." The junkie ordered and Steve reluctantly clicked them tighter.

Danny found himself dragged backwards towards the car and heard the trunk pop open, but was grateful that the pressure from the gun grinding into the side of his head was gone. He stumbled forward as he was released from the vice like grip and pushed forward.

"Move the drugs into the front seat." The junkie yelled.

Danny looked down into the trunk and saw a sports bag packed full of hundreds of the bags he'd found in the kitchen, each containing several pills. He lifted the bag out and slowly moved it to the front seat.

"Give me your phone." The junkie demanded. "I know you can track those things."

Danny pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket and handed it to his captor, who threw it onto a work bench that ran along the garage wall.

"Now get in." The junkie grabbed Danny by the shirt collar and pushing him towards the trunk.

"What? No." Danny froze and dug his heals in. "I'm not getting in there."

"Get in now." The junkie screamed, knowing his time before the rest of the team, or HPD, turned up was running out.

"I can't get in there. I'll get in the back." Danny attempted to turn around.

The junkie was losing patience, he wanted to get away from there and he needed a fix, quick. "Get in." He yelled, and when Danny backed away again, he raised the gun and brought it down hard on the back of Danny's head.

Steve yelled and attempted to lunge forward as he watched his partner crumple to the floor, but was restrained by the cuffs biting into his wrists. The man dragged Danny up and bundled him into the trunk, then slammed the lid and ran to the driver's seat. He started the engine and crashed through the garage door, causing HPD officers to scatter across the lawn to avoid being hit. He raced off down the street as Steve yelled to officers to call in a BOLO on the car, and to advise that Detective Williams was in the trunk.

TBC