A Little Matter of Breaking & Entering

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If there was one thing that Steve McGarrett admired about his partner Daniel Williams it was his determination, and he had it in spades. Steve wasn't sure if it was determination or plain bloody mindedness but he didn't know anyone who could cling so doggedly onto those leather shoes and that tie. It was half past ten at night and they'd been working hard all day but Danny hadn't even loosened the tie even a millimetre. Steve knew what is was to wear a uniform and he was well acquainted with the pride that went into wearing such a uniform but he didn't quite understand Danny. He was a detective and therefore didn't wear a police uniform and this was Hawaii where most detectives wore the same relaxed clothing that they donned at the weekend. Still no amount of teasing from him, Kono or Chin had swayed Danny from his smart mainland look, neither had the heat. Steve certainly admired his determination.

At the moment, it was burning brightly in his partner's eyes and Steve couldn't help glancing over at him occasionally where he sat in the passenger seat of his own Camaro.

Since they had got into the car Danny had opened his mouth to speak several times but then had closed it again with the same determination glowing in his eyes. Steve could tell that he was dying to say something so charged was the atmosphere. He was pretty certain that Chin and Kono who were in the car behind them weren't sitting in exaggerated tension, even knowing their destination.

"What is it?" Steve finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He hadn't wanted to ask because it gave Danny the invitation to complain and in that department Danny didn't need any form of encouragement.

"What's what?" Danny returned his mouth tightening at the corner.

"What do you want to say?" Steve elaborated. "You've been opening and shutting your mouth like a goldfish since we got in the car."

Danny glowered at him briefly but Steve could tell that his determination to keep his mouth shut was fading away.

"I think this is a ridiculous idea," he stated firmly.

"What is a ridiculous idea?" asked Steve a small smirk jerking the corners of his lips. He knew exactly what Danny was referring to but that didn't mean he was going to openly acknowledge it.

"This," Danny responded passionately gesturing out in front of him. "Surely there are better ways to obtain information and evidence than breaking into Richard Arlington's warehouse which could result in punch ups and lots of shooting, not to mention that if we get caught Arlington will know for certain that we are taking an interest in him."

Steve gave Danny a long look which he wasn't sure his partner interpreted accurately.

"Danny, Arlington already knows that he is a person of interest in this investigation," Steve eventually responded looking back at the road. "We have spoken with him twice now. I'm sure that someone as smart as he is knows that we think he is behind it all."

Danny didn't respond straight away. Steve could tell that what he had said had gotten through to his partner but that didn't mean that Danny had to like it. He was always the cautious one which, Steve had to admit, was probably a good thing. He didn't know what kind of carnage could ensue if at least one of them wasn't sensible.

"I still don't thinking that breaking and entering is something I wanted to put on my resume," Danny told him not looking round but instead glaring out the window at the speeding past scenery. "Surely there are other ways to do this."

Steve smiled.

"There probably are," Steve admitted, "but this is the most fun."

Danny's face dropped into an incredulous look which didn't help the smile plastered across Steve's face. He enjoyed teasing his partner especially as Danny enjoyed teasing him so much. It was true that this particular course of action would be the most fun but it didn't mean that he hadn't considered the less dangerous options. Since there weren't really any other options there hadn't been much to consider but at least he had tried. He didn't need to inform Danny of that though.

"Fun, he says. So you're leading me, Chin and Kono into some harebrained breaking and entering foolishness because it's going to be fun. Will it be fun, Steven, when Grace is crying at her father's funeral because his macho-man, G.I Joe of a partner has gotten him kill so he can gave some fun."

Steve rolled his eyes.

"Give over, Danno," he said amiable. "We both know you're not going to get shot this time. I'm going in alone. I just need you, Chin and Kono to stand guard and get me out of there if anything goes wrong."

"Like what?" Danny expostulated throwing his hands up in the air. "In case the rope snaps and you break your neck?"

A frown furrowed on Steve's brow. He hadn't precisely thought about it that way.

"Yeah," he agreed slowly. "I suppose if that was to happen it would count as something going wrong."

Danny stared at him.

"Unbelievable."

Steve didn't bother to respond. He could tell that Danny had now run out of steam. He had known that he would probably have something to say about the whole operation but as far as Steve was concerned bagging the bad guys was the main point of their job descriptions. If that meant he had to resort to a little breaking and entering then so be it.

They had been investigating the highly publicised murder of two scientists each of whom had been murdered in their beds. The fact that the both shared the same field, nuclear physics, and specialised in advanced weaponry, was too much of a coincidence for the Five-0 to ignore. Add to that the fact that Richard Arlington, a prominent, wealthy business man, and suspected arms dealer, was holidaying in Hawaii, well, Steve thought the information spoke for its' self. Hence the reason they were currently going to a warehouse owned by Arlington to snoop around.

They duly arrived at the warehouse having not exchange another word during the rest of the journey. Steve cut out the headlights before they reached the place so that no one would know of their arrival if indeed anyone was actually there. He parked a safe distance away and then looked over at Danny.

"It's going to be fine," Steve reassured him. "Arlington is at a party tonight and the last thing on his mind if going to be the safety of his warehouse."

Danny only grunted in response but got out of the car. Steve smiled. No matter how he complained Danny would always back him up, no matter what dangerous, harebrained scheme he dreamed up. He was kind of glad of that.

As he was getting out the car the engine of Kono's car, which she had parked next to them, was dying. He greeted Chin and Kono quietly as he fished his equipment out the back of the car. He hoped that the warehouse wasn't guarded because that would make the situation a lot more dangerous. He wasn't even sure what he expected to find as he was certain a man like Arlington kept all his important documents either with him or sealed in a safe at his very secure mansion. Still, Arlington ran his Hawaiian business out of the warehouse and there was a good chance that there was some evidence of deliveries or shipments that would be large enough to hide weapons. He also wanted to know a little more of the man.

"Right," he said in a business like tone as he hooked a length of rope over his shoulder and then took the safety catch off his gun. "I'm going to go in through the side window. Danny, I want you to come with me, Chin you take the back and Kono you take the front. There shouldn't be a problem but for safety's sake," he gave Danny a long look at this, "earpieces in."

"There are lights in the warehouse to the left," Kono pointed out and Steve looked to where she was pointing to see a dim light in one of the windows of the neighbouring warehouse.

"Keep an eye on it, Kono. Right, does everyone know what they are doing?"

His team nodded. They were suitably dressed in bulletproof vests and had their firearms drawn out ready. Steve could tell that Danny was still reluctant about this but he wasn't going to change his mind now.

"Okay, let's move."

With a boost from Danny getting in the window was fairly easy and he felt quite good about the way he managed to gracefully land on the floor by tucking himself into a front roll like a natural born acrobat. He'd seen that move somewhere before. Oh, yeah, James Bond. Sometimes he wondered if the comparison that had been drawn between himself and Mr Bond at some point wasn't wholly unfounded. He paid no mind to it now however.

The window had brought him in at the foot of the stairs. Quietly but swiftly he climbed up them, his rubber soled shoes make barely the faintest shuffling sound on the steps. At the top of the stairs he turned left and moved along to the door at the end. It was the door to Arlington's personal office, where he had met him just a couple of days previously for the first time. He had been impressed by Arlington. He had an inscrutable mask and a reserved manner that had made it almost impossible for Steve to get any sort of sense of exactly what the man was like beneath his exterior. He was in no doubt of his intelligence.

The door was ajar when Steve reached it and he could hear a rustling behind it. He held his breath. There was someone in the office, shifting around the dark. He saw a flash of torchlight through the gap and it immediately sent his brain buzzing with questions. He knew HPD weren't investigating Arlington and he rather thought he would have been approached if he was treading on the FBI's or the CIA's toes.

He stood frozen in front of the door trying to decide what to do when it opened. He caught a brief glimpse of a rather short figure dressed all in black and was about to call for back up when the figure turned, pivoting on their left foot and slamming their right foot into his chest. The kick robbed him of his breath as he was knocked backwards onto the floor, taken completely by surprise. He was the figure leap over him and then he was up and after it screaming to Danny as he did so.

"Got someone coming your way, Danny," he said in a raised whisper. "Not sure whether they're armed but they've got a mighty right kick."

"I hear you, Steve."

The figure was well ahead of him haring off down the stairs and he followed at swift pace, sure that they were going to make for the window that he had entered by. He was halfway down the stairs when he spotted the window the figure was running for. Not the one he had entered through but the one on the opposite side. As he reached the bottom of the stairs the figure dived through the open window and he followed recklessly as usual.

"Danny, bring the car around to the east side," he said to his mike with some presence of mind. Surely the figure wouldn't be out here without a car. He dived through the window landing with the same front roll and making sure his weapon was well steadied in his hands when he came to stop on his knees. He glanced left and then right to stop the figure clambering into a dark coloured car. The lights came on and when he looked for a number plate he was irritated to see that it had been removed. He was on his feet as the car started to pull away but when the Camaro came roaring up behind him. He stopped running and then clambered in on the passenger side when Danny pulled up alongside him.

Steve didn't need to say anything. Danny had obviously seen the car and didn't wait for him to even shut the door before he pulled off after it. Steve relayed instructions for Chin and Kono to repair to Headquarters where they would meet up later. There was no sense in getting two cars involved in a car chase.

"One of Arlington's men?" Danny asked briefly as he turned a corner after the car in front.

"Nah, someone else that was snooping around," Steve informed him as he pressed the button for the electric windows. He put his gun out of the open window preparing to fire on the car in front but the car swung to the right, cornering like it was on rails.

"Hell," Danny cursed, "this bastard can drive."

He put his foot down. Steve had to agree with him in the following minutes because it was the most aggressive car chase he had ever been in and he'd been in them in broad daylight swerving into opposite lanes with oncoming traffic. However was behind the wheel of the car in front certainly knew how to drive. In fact, they drove so well that Steve was wondering if the driver was perhaps a professional hired by however was snooping around in Arlington's office. After all he hadn't seen the figure who had assaulted him actually get in the car.

He was flung into the door of the car again as Danny swung the car round left in pursuit of the vehicle ahead. There was nothing ahead of them on that road and it was a fairly straight one. Danny slowed the car down and the moved along slowly looking out either side for signs of a ditched car.

"There," Steve shouted and Danny slammed on the breaks pitching them both forward slightly. Then they were out of the car and Danny was drawing his weapon. They both cautiously approached the car which was sleek in the moonlight. Steve looked out into the darkness wondering where the unknown figure had vanished to. He couldn't hear anything but the sounds that himself and Danny were making as they approached the vehicle.

As they approached the front doors Danny glanced up at Steve from where he was on the driver's side. Steve nodded and together they opened both the doors and thrust their firearms inside. The car was empty. Steve felt like growling. Whoever it was they had gotten away. He slammed the door in anger and was about to address Danny when something hard and warn collided with his back. He went down with the weight of it and found himself struggling on the ground with whom he could only assume was the mysterious figure for Arlington's warehouse. He could tell that he had the advantage of strength but his opponent writhed around like a slippery fish darting out of his grasp until he end up on his back with a pair of knees on either side of his head. He had lost his gun in the tangle and was about to try to shove his attacker off when suddenly the weight was gone.

He rolled up onto his knee to see Danny had a hold of the black figure and was struggling with it until he forced whoever it was to their knees. Danny's tie looked tight around his throat as though the person had tried to choke him with it but Steve couldn't help but grin at him.

"Got 'em Danno?" he asked jovially glad to finally have the figure in custody even if they were still writhing around trying to get free.

"What part of tonight went fine?" Danny complained slightly before he shouted at his prisoner, "Stop bloody moving before I knock you the hell out."

"I'd listen to him," Steve said seriously as he recovered his gun and came wandering over with his torch now in his hand. "He's ferocious when he's tired."

Danny raised an eyebrow at that statement and Steve shrugged one shoulder. The figure stopped squirming and Steve could clearly see bright blue eyes, the only things made visible by the ski mask that Arlington's midnight visitor wore.

"Let's see who is under here now, should we?"

He stood over the figure before him on their knees and slipped his hand under the edge of the ski mask. The figure didn't look up at him but instead kept their eyes trained on the ground. He could feel the heat on the skin of the perp's neck and briefly he felt the pulse in the small hollow before he peeled the ski mask off.

Black curls tumbled down released from the captivity of the skin mask and white skin gleamed in the moonlight. The full lips and high cheekbones were unmistakeable but Steve took a step back just in case he was wrong. He looked down at Arlington's midnight visitor and his breath caught in his chest. He glanced up at Danny very briefly to see that he looked just as surprised as he did by the revelation that their prisoner was a woman but it wasn't her gender that had surprised Steve. He felt his heart hammering in his chest as he looked back down at the woman on her knees.

"Axel?"