DOPPELGANGER
A/N: This story is based on the Season Seven episode 'Welcome To Our Branch Office', in which a con man employed lookalikes to pose as Steve McGarrett, Dan Williams, Ben Kokua and Chin Ho Kelly, for the purposes of extorting money from businessmen new to the Islands. Naturally the case was solved and the imposters were taken off to be booked, each individual escorted by the 'real' member of the team he was impersonating. The story takes place approximately eight months later. I encountered one difficulty, which was the naming of the characters. In the original show the duplicates were never named, just listed as "fake McGarrett", etc., in the closing credits. I have decided to use variations on the actors' names as my character names, including James MacArthur, who played both himself and his doppelganger in this episode!
As always, the usual disclaimers apply. Not owned by me, no monetary gain; just taking them out to play for a while. - ubicaritas -
Prologue
In the fading light of the day, the sleek grey ship steamed quietly into the harbour, arriving at the same dock from which it had departed six days earlier. As the sailors and dock workers carried out the ritual of tying the lines and securing the vessel, a black car sped along the dock, coming sharply to a halt beside the ship.
Scurrying figures on the deck quickly dropped a gangplank. A tall, dark-haired man, clad in the tan uniform of a naval officer, saluted crisply and strode down the ramp from the ship to the dock. He approached the car and the two men who had stepped out and were waiting for him.
"Gentlemen," the officer said. "I would like an explanation as to how things could go wrong in just six days, so wrong that the Governor himself has recalled me from my Reserve active duty!" He paused to take a breath, studying the uncomfortable-looking men in front of him. "And where's Danno? If the situation were that serious, I would have expected him to be here to brief me!"
Five-O detectives Chin Ho Kelly and Duke Lukela exchanged an uneasy glance. "Well, boss," the Oriental man finally managed to say. "Danny's the reason that things are so serious. He's the reason why the Governor sent for you!"
Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett drew himself up to his full height, slowly taking in a deep breath in an effort to contain his mounting frustration. "Danno? Danno's the reason? Just what the hell is going on around here?"
Chin opened his car's passenger door and motioned for Steve to get in. "Let's get back to the Palace, Steve," he said, trying not to let his own worry show. "John Manticote is there waiting for us; he can explain everything that we know when we get to the office."
Scowling, the head of Five-O allowed himself to be shepherded into the car for the drive back into the city. Realizing he had to let Chin concentrate on navigating through the heavy evening traffic, he refrained from further questions despite the growing concern gnawing at his gut. Danno in trouble... and the Governor and Manticote were both involved? Steve stared blindly out the window as the car sped past familiar landmarks, hoping it was not too late for him to be able to sort out whatever this situation was.
O o O o O
In the kitchen of a small, nondescript house in the suburbs of the city, there was a celebration taking place. The four men gathered there were enjoying a grand take-out meal and some imported beer; the conversation revolved around the success of their venture, and included plenty of self-congratulation and admiration of their own brilliance and daring. Beside each man at the table was an impressive stack of bills, most still crisply bound in their neat bundles, just as they had been in the bank vault that morning.
The de facto leader of the group abruptly stood, almost knocking down his chair in his enthusiasm. "A toast, gentlemen, to the success of our plan." The man, of medium height with curly sandy-coloured hair and blue eyes, raised his bottle high. "To success!"
The three other men also rose, responding as one, "Success!" before bursting into laughter and drinking from their own bottles.
"We sure got them good this time, didn't we!" The tallest of the group, a dark-haired man with a strong chin and deep blue eyes, could barely contain himself. "You got so good with the voice and the expressions, Arthur! Even we could hardly tell the difference between you and your friend over there!" He jerked his head in the direction of the single bedroom door. "Probably his own mother would be confused by now!" He laughed again, drawing approving looks from the other two men.
The man called Arthur nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, Boyd, we got them," he said. "And we're all very much richer because of it! But now, we need to be very careful, because McGarrett's sure to be back in town real soon, if he isn't here already."
"Maybe the Navy won't release him from duty!" The tall, muscular native Hawaiian standing between Boyd and Arthur pointed out with concern.
"Are you sure he'll be back?" The fourth member of the team, an Oriental man with a shock of dark hair combed back from his forehead, continued the questioning. "How do you know this for certain?"
"Something this serious involving his golden boy?" Arthur shook his head in mock dismay. "For sure, Bernie, McGarrett will be here to deal with it. You and Ralph need to stop worrying, okay? Everything is under control. Everything, you hear me?" He strode over to the partially open bedroom door as he spoke. Pointing inside the room, he pronounced, "By this time tomorrow, McGarrett will be reunited with his favourite detective ... at the morgue!"
"To the morgue!" rose the cry from the men, as they returned to their cooling meal at the table, satisfied smiles on their faces.
In the dimly lit bedroom, the huddled figure on the bed stirred slightly at the ruckus being raised in the other room. Tired, unfocussed blue eyes opened for a moment, but, seeing no change in his surroundings, the sandy-haired man sighed slightly and allowed his eyes to close as the comfortable darkness of unconsciousness claimed him once again.
O o O o O
The black sedan had barely come to a halt before Steve McGarrett was out and striding briskly toward the stairs leading in to the Iolani Palace. Hurrying to keep up, Chin Ho and Duke followed their boss up the inner staircase to the door to the Five-O office complex. Steve burst in, and was greeted by a solemn-looking John Manticote in the outer reception area. Behind the District Attorney several senior HPD detectives were visible, in Danny's cubicle and also in Steve's inner private office.
"Steve. Welcome back." Manticote addressed the Five-O chief quietly, extending his hand in greeting.
"Thank you." Steve returned the handshake automatically. He surveyed the activity in the offices for a moment, then took a deep breath. "John, just what the hell is going on here that I got called back from active duty? And why is HPD here going through our offices?"
The District Attorney looked beyond Steve to Chin and Duke, still standing in the doorway behind their boss. "What did you tell him?"
"Nothing," Chin replied, as Duke nodded in agreement. "We came straight back to the office; told him we would explain everything here."
"Good. Thank you." Manticote smiled fleetingly in appreciation. "Let's all go into your office, Steve, although I do have to tell you that you can't touch anything."
Disconcerted, and almost beside himself with impatience, Steve followed Manticote into his inner office, waiting until the last HPD investigator had left the room before speaking. "All right now, John, what gives?" he fairly shouted. "And where's Danno? Is he all right?"
"Steve, at approximately eleven fifteen this morning," Manticote began. "The First State Bank of Hawaii was robbed. Seven hundred thousand dollars was stolen, right out of the vault, practically in front of the manager. The thieves made a clean getaway, and we've had no luck tracking them down as of yet. But we do have a positive identification of one of the robbers, the ringleader, actually." The District Attorney paused, bracing himself for the questions to come.
"How could such a thing happen... in front of the manager, you said?" Steve began to pace, a sure sign that he was already running theories through his mind. "And who was the leader? Was he someone known to HPD or Five-O?"
Manticote sighed. "Steve, the man who led the robbery at the bank this morning was... your second-in-command. Detective Dan Williams."