Hawaii Five O
Come Undone
Steve McGarett found himself at Honolulu International Airport checking arrivals from the mainland on the off chance of catching any crooked people wishing to hide in Hawaii. He moved through the people collecting their bags and was suddenly stopped by someone pulling his jacket.
"Where did you go, and what's with the suit dad, you were wearing a Hawaiian shirt when we landed, you know, to help you blend in."
Steve turned round and took his sunglasses off and looked at the child standing in front of him.
"Excuse me?"
The child looked at him.
"Hey, what is this, look at your suit, how much did this cost you, the sunglasses too?" The child said moving round him. "Have you got enough money to head back home after this expedition?" The child added.
"I'm sorry but, you must have me confused with somebody else…, I'm…"
"Claira, Claira!"
Steve looked up and through the crowd towards a man shouting to the child. He stepped back as he recognised that the person heading towards him was himself.
The child now stepped towards the other man and looked at both of them.
"Dad?" She said confused.
Steve stared at his double wearing a tourist Hawaiian shirt carrying baggage for a new life.
"Who the hell are you?" The man said stepping forward.
Claira stopped him and swung him round.
"Dad, I thought he was you."
"Who, him? You thought? Why would you think I would look like that when we've been with each other for over twelve hours?"
"But dad, he, he does look like you." She said moving closer to her father.
Steve and his double looked at one another now more than ever.
"Come on, I've secured us a taxi to our hotel, we'll leave him to his open mouth." The man said pulling the child round.
"A taxi, you?" The child said following the man but carried on looking at Steve still standing in his original spot.
Danno now moved up to Steve as they lost sight of the pair.
"I know, I had to do a double take too, but I knew you wouldn't be seen dead in a shirt like that." He said.
"Did they come off the mainland plane?"
"Yeah, I've checked them out, the kid is seven…"
"What about…"
"Your double, well, his name is Paul Trenton and believe this or not but, he is in the export business."
"I thought he was exporting something…"
"But, not to the mainland."
Steve now looked at him.
Claira watched the tall buildings sail past in the back of the taxi cab as she realised her father was watching the clock.
"Have you got that meter fixed or something?"
Claira now laughed which made her father look at her.
"What? I tell you Claira now that we are not on the mainland they are going to take us Americans for anything they can."
"Even our nickels and dimes, yes dad." She said looking back to the buildings sailing past.
"Anything, you mark my words. That guy back there, they probably roll them out every time a plane gets in from the mainland."
"No dad, he looked, he looked important because…" She said looking back at him.
"What? You think I wouldn't look good in a two hundred dollar suit, ha?"
"I didn't say that dad…"
The cab now pulled in and Claira kept quiet but couldn't help thinking about the stranger she mistook to be her father.
Steve walked into his office as Danno brought in a maxed out folder and put it on his desk as he looked at the first set of pages.
"Exporting to anywhere other than the mainland is becoming big business via Hawaii." Danno said sitting down in front of him.
"Don't tell me, our Chinese nationals."
"One of our main importers. They are just looking for anyone not exporting to the mainland."
"No doubt they are already aware of Mr Trenton's business."
"I don't think they would be interested."
"No?" Steve said looking up.
"Paul Trenton is low, and I mean really low in exporting terms. He's only here because he saw an out of date international exporting video and just had enough money for the plane ride."
"Has he got an open ticket?"
"Yes, three months."
"What about the child? Three months in Hawaii, surely they must have told the school of their plans."
"Nothing on the child, but three months at Claira's age I would suspect that some temporary school would be required."
"Especially if he cancels the open ticket and decides to stay on the island." He said looking at him.
Claira looked at her dingy room that her father had set themselves up in then her suitcase.
"Don't think that this room will be your home for the next three months. I am on the hunt for a warehouse that I will be working from a.s.a.p."
"Well how long will that take?"
"Give me a chance to get my ear to the ground, find out what's around, sweetheart, please." He said lightly punching her.
"Dad..."
"Trust me. I've never let you down yet, have I?" He said hugging her.
"That's because we've only been a day or so from home. This, this is something totally different, dad, I know that much." She said as she looked at her neatly packaged clothing.
A few days later Paul started putting his calling card around local warehouses and managed to secure an office in a dock warehouse that he quickly moved into and started to make his own. Claira walked up the long stairwell to the office and peered in.
"Wow, is this it?" She said looking around.
"No, this is the office. Our living quarters are through there. Go on in, I have to get some posters up to entertain my new clients."
"What new clients? Your order book is empty."
"Something I wish to change very soon now." He said grabbing his order book and kissed her then went out.
She watched him go then moved through the top office and looked at the open expanse of their new home.
Steve pulled into the car park and looked at the workmen putting up the Trenton Exports sign above the warehouse entrance in front of him. He then headed in and through the building and noticed the offices upstairs and started to climb the stairs and into the open ended offices as he noticed Claira cleaning an area for herself.
She heard someone behind her and turned round. They stared at each other but Steve soon decided that he had to break the silence.
"I was hoping to catch your father around here."
"He just left." She said moving away.
He looked around.
"Is this where you are staying now?"
"I guess. It might change though, not being on the island before, you know."
"Well, I'll try and catch your father later." He said stepping away.
"Why do you look like my dad?"
He stopped and turned back and took a deep breath.
"I've no idea. Maybe I should be asking that question to your father."
"You know, if it wasn't for the suit, the sunglasses, you, you could have passed for him. But I guess that's what makes you who you are, the two hundred dollar suit, etc." She said turning away "And thankfully that's not my dad."
"Look, I'll come back later, much later." He said then left the office and headed out of the warehouse.
Claira moved to the window and watched him drive away.
Paul soon got orders and their upstairs accommodation soon started to take shape as the workers arrived and the warehouse was being used to its full potential.
Claira was accompanying her father on one such visit to a fellow warehouse to speak to another prospective company.
She walked around the warehouse and noticed the work their people were doing then noticed a man with a small gun round his waste as another man moved up to her.
"What are you doing here?" A Chinese man said which made her spin round.
"Hurh, my, my dad, he's here talking to one of the men, in there."
"Then you should be with your father and not walking around here."
"What, what kind of work are you doing round here?"
"Nothing that a kid would be interested in, now go, go!" The man said pushing her away.
"But, if my dad is going to be working with you."
"Then we will cancel the contract."
"What, no, no!"
"Then just go!"
Claira now ran out of the warehouse and ran to her father's rented car and hid behind it looking at the men walking in and out.
A few moments later she noticed her father walking out and head over to her in the car.
"Hey, where did you get to?"
"Dad, those guy's they, they."
"Yeah, I know ten million dollars worth."
"What?"
"They want to deal with me with selling parts to Europe straight over the mainland's head! Claira, if this works out we could buy a house in a very respectable part of Hawaii. I could send you to the best school on the island."
"Dad, you, you can't deal with them they have guns."
"What are you talking about, guns? You and your imagination, Claira really. They deal in car parts, Chinese car parts for the European market being shipped straight round the world."
"Car parts, Chinese car parts?"
"Come on, get in, I am going to celebrate. We are going to have a Chinese and toast the beginning of a union between the Trenton's and the Chinese! I can see the headlines now, a lowly man and his daughter securing the best price for cheap car parts to the rest of the world."
Paul said as he watched Claira get in and he pulled out of the car park and away from the warehouse as she looked back at the men looking back at them.
The orders did come in thick and fast and the warehouse become a very big part of the dockside that everyone was soon talking about Paul Trenton and his Export warehouse that Steve could not spend a day without hearing about his alter ego around the shipping community.
Steve was in his office one day when someone brought in a Chinese national under arrest who had been working for Paul and recognised him and dodged his police officer and moved up to him.
"Mr Trenton sir, I did not know you were here sir, on my behalf."
"That's not your employer, that's our boss Steve McGarett, come back over here." An officer said pulling him away.
"Again with mistaking me for that Paul Trenton…" Steve said looking at him.
"Well, I know you don't want to hear it but, if it wasn't for the suit, the car, even the kid…"
"The responsibility of Hawaii under my belt, yes I've heard it all before, but I have no wish to deal with low grade machine parts." Steve said closing the door to his office.
Danno walked into his office some time later.
"We've just interviewed that Chinese national who works in Paul Trenton's warehouse and I think you should hear something."
"Don't tell me his voice is like mine too." Steve said moving to sit on the side of his desk.
"No, not Paul Trenton, but the people he has working for him."
"Cheap labour, there's nothing we can pull him in on over that."
"Not yet, unless he was employing someone who was hired to put in parts other than what should be being shipped overseas."
"Such as?"
"Take a look at these pictures." Danno said handing them to him."
Steve looked at the pictures of car parts in crates and then another one with guns between the parts.
"This is Trenton's warehouse?" Steve said standing up.
"They are sitting in his warehouse waiting to be loaded onto a ship, to France."
"France? Wait a minute; didn't we just get a communiqué from the mainland about a new business of foreign car parts being shipped to the mainland via France?"
"That's why I thought you might be interested." Danno said looking back at him.
Claira moved through the big open area of the upstairs office and moved to the window as she recognised Steve's car pulling into the car park and moving past the workers mistaking him for Paul. Claira ran down the stairs and out of the warehouse and straight up to him.
"He's not my dad. Would you see my dad wearing a suit like that? He's not my dad, he's…"
"Claira!"
She spun round and noticed her father.
"Dad, dad he's here."
"I can see." Paul said stepping up to him. "Claira told me you had called by when I was out. I thought you had forgotten…"
"I didn't forget. I actually thought you wouldn't be worth a visit because I was told you were…"
"Not worth a visit because you thought me some kind of low life with your face, is that what you were going to say?"
"Dad, please."
"Does this look like something that a low life would accomplish in such a short time?"
"You found your feet, I must say." Steve said looking around.
"I'm sorry, is that how you say some kind of well done in Hawaii because I missed that."
"Come and take a look at our warehouse Mr McGarett, you'll love it."
"I don't think he's here for the Chinese nationals Claira, he's here to confuse you some more, like he did at the airport. Still haven't got the dress sense right yet, no?" Paul said touching his jacket.
Claira now pulled Steve on into the warehouse as more and more workers greeted him and looked confused at seeing two men virtually the same walking around the warehouse.
They soon went upstairs to the office area where Paul took his seat at his desk watching Steve very closely. Claira made him a coffee and handed it to Steve then made one for her father and handed it to him as she moved to stand next to him looking on.
"The reason I am here is because one of my men received information that you are transporting Chinese car parts to Europe via the ships that are on the return leg from the mainland."
"That's right, anywhere but the mainland, new possibilities there."
"But an old way of gun running." Steve said and watched for a reaction in Paul but realised Claira had stepped away from Paul.
Paul laughed and looked at him.
"What a way to start a conversation, gun running, Paul Trenton Exports through and through. I would not be interested in spending the rest of my life behind bars, especially in Hawaii of all places."
"We're leaving here within two months." Claira said then looked at her father.
"Excuse me? If this deal brings in a sizeable return in two months I may decide to stay here. We discussed this earlier." Paul said looking at her.
Steve watched as Claira moved away and sat in the corner to watch the both of them.
"Do you know something about this Claira?" Steve said looking at her.
"Hey, hey, you do not talk to her, not ever."
"Dad, maybe Mr McGarett might be onto something. I did see…"
"Claira!"
"What did you see Claira?" He said looking at her.
"That is enough. I said, you don't talk to my kid."
"Fine, we can do this here or at the station, your choice." Steve said standing up.
"Dad." Claira said moving back to her father's side.
"I am no gun runner. I am a businessman making a buck away from the mainland like any respectable person would. You think I'm wrong you go get your proof and I'll see you in court, double or no double. How my kid could think you were me."
Steve left the office and headed to his car and looked back to the office area at Claira looking back at him.
The next day Claira went into town and entered the five O station. She waited at the reception desk as the door opened and Steve walked out.
She stood up as he moved to her.
"Thanks for making the decision to come in today. I know this is hard for you."
"My dad would kill me if he knew I was here."
"Well, he won't know. This is between you and me." He said as he led her to his office and closed the door.
Claira watched him move to his desk and sit down.
"First of all, I'm not your father; I am not going to get mad at you for anything you say to me."
"My dad's not mad at me. He only puts that front up because he was scared you might stop him doing his business. My dad's brilliant, Mr McGarett…"
"You can call me Steve."
"My dad is the best." She said sitting forward.
He looked at her then stood up and moved to sit on the corner of his desk.
"Yesterday, before your father stopped you, you said you saw something."
Claira nodded frantically like a dog waiting for an acknowledgment.
"When dad got the contract for those Chinese car parts last month. This guy there had a gun on him and he said that if I said anything that they would cancel the contract right there and then."
"So, not to upset your father you did not say anything."
"Well would you, my dad's the best and once he has a contract signed and sealed…"
"Yeah, I've seen people like your father before."
"We've got to convince my dad that something is wrong, but he won't listen to you and he thinks that I am too over protecting towards him, what with being in Hawaii away from the mainland and all."
Steve stood up and moved to the window.
"I need to get someone into that warehouse where the parts are being packed."
"How are you going to do that, the Chinese only know my dad and sometimes he has to get permission to walk around his own warehouse?"
Steve looked at her.
"There is one way I would be able to walk around in my own warehouse."
"You mean my dad's own warehouse..." She said looking at him then realised what he was saying to her.
A few days later Steve picked Claira up away from the warehouse and they went back to his apartment in town.
"If my dad ever catches me raiding his wardrobe…"
"I know, I know, you won't sit down for a month. He won't catch you, I promise."
Claira watched him looking at the cheap suits and jumpers in his hands.
"This isn't going to work." She said.
"Why not?" He said looking up.
"Because, you don't look like my dad."
He looked at her.
"Stay there." He said stepping into his bedroom.
Claira looked around Steve's apartment and noticed another bedroom and ventured in and looked around.
"Claira, what the hell are you doing in here, this is not your home."
She spun round to see her father in front of her and froze.
"Dad, dad I didn't mean to be here, but Steve…" She stopped and looked around for Steve to appear then realised who it was and cautiously stepped forward and swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Steve?" She asked checking him out.
"Is that proof enough for you?" He said looking at her.
"You, you knew he would be mad at me, and you."
"Well I don't exactly know what else he would say besides that. You said he has a softer side but I haven't seen it yet. He strikes me as a money and power hungry man 24/7."
Claira smiled.
"He is, but when we're alone. You'll see that when we walk around the warehouse and..."
"When did you say your father is going across the bay?"
"Tomorrow night he catches the ferry over and he won't be back till teatime the next day."
"He's leaving you for the night, alone?"
"Don't look so worried; dad has left me alone for a few days before you know."
"Does anyone know he is leaving for the bay?"
"No, I thought you said you didn't want anyone to know."
"I don't." He looked at his watch. "I'll call Danno to get a copy of your father's car and correct plates etc…"
"Well, what for? You're not going to be my dad for the rest of eternity, are you?"
"No, but I want this done properly Claira or not at all. I'll drive you back to the warehouse and when your father leaves for the bay I will arrive sometime later and take over until your father is due back the next day."
"Take over what? My dad lets the place virtually run itself…"
"Yes, and I've seen the consequences of your father's allowance of the place running itself."
"Wait a minute; if you walk in there all guns blazing they'll know you're not my dad right there and then."
"I'm not going to walk in there all guns blazing. I just don't want you left in that place alone, that's the least I can do for you."
She looked at Steve dressed as her father.
"Now that's my dad's soft side."
They looked at one another.
The next day Claira sat in her room as the noise of the workers bellow came through the concrete supports and the inadequate noise cancelling flooring.
Her father walked in with his six dollar suit on and looked at her.
"Well I've got to catch that ferry." He said looking at his watch and adjusting his cheap tie.
"Then you better not keep them waiting then."
"Are you okay? You've been quiet over dinner…"
"I'm fine, dad. You have to go, so you said."
"Yeah, I have. Look, when this deal has settled down, I promise you, we'll spend some time together."
"Great, well I'll wait for that day."
"You make sure this lot locks up properly, okay."
"Okay, I will." She said as he kissed her.
"I love you."
"Love you too." She said then watched him step away and left her to the room alone as she looked around.
Sometime later she walked to the window in her father's office and looked to see her father's car pull in and parked as she quizzed herself for a moment then realised who it was and moved to the stairs and reached the bottom in double time and out towards the front of the warehouse as she recognised Steve as her father acknowledging the employees as his eyes now met Claira's and he smiled.
"Dad." She said quietly.
"Hey, and how have you been while I was out?" He said kissing her.
"Fine, just fine."
They walked through the warehouse hand in hand with the acknowledgment or more workers and headed up to the office where Steve sat down in her father's chair.
"Well, you're here, don't rub my dad's nose in it, sitting in his chair and all." She said pouring out a cup of coffee and handing it to him.
"I understand that you want me in and out of here without anyone noticing…"
"Of course I want you in and out of here as you said but, if he walked in here now…"
"He would kill you?"
"No, he would kill you."
"Alright, alright. You stay here and I'll check out my workers in my warehouse." He said grabbing the cup and stood back up.
"Dad, I mean…"
"No, you mean dad."
"I can't, I can't keep this up." She said walking out of the office and into the home Paul and Claira had made.
Steve watched her go and slowly followed her.
"Claira, Claira…"
She stopped but did not turn round.
He moved up behind her and was about to put his hand on her shoulder but stopped.
"I can't do this without you. Would you like to come with me and make sure that I understand what has to be done in your father's warehouse?"
She turned round and looked at him then looked behind him and took his hand.
"Dad!"
Steve turned round and noticed an employee in the office.
"You stay there…"
"But dad…"
"No, their my employees, and this is our home. You stay here." He said loudly then went out with Claira looking on.
Claira found herself edging forward to the office as the employee chatted to Steve and grabbed her father's cup and sipped his coffee like she had done so many times before.
"Alright, thanks for bringing this to my attention. I'll go sort this out." Steve said making a note on the pad in front of him as Claira tried to look at what he was writing. "Sweetheart?" He said taking the cup from her.
"Dad?"
"Are you okay?"
"What, what." She said pointing to his pad.
Steve grabbed her hand and pulled her into him and lightly kissed her.
"Nothing for you to worry about, your dad's here." He said and squeezed her hand as they looked at one another.
The employee acknowledged them and went out.
"What's going on?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
"Nothing? Dad, their, their, they." She was fighting for words to say.
"You want to start that again."
They looked at one another.
"Come on, let's close this place up." He said getting up and they went downstairs and walked around the warehouse.
Claira moved through the back of the warehouse and recognised one of the men from the other warehouse. He also recognised her and moved forward to block her moving any further. She stopped and became scared and started to move back again.
"Dad,… Dad!"
"What?" Steve said behind her.
She spun round and buried her head into him.
"Dad, it's that guy that I told you about."
Steve held her but looked at the man folding his arms in front them.
"Is something wrong Mr Trenton?"
Claira looked up to Steve.
"No, nothing is wrong. We're just closing up. Are you heading off soon?"
"I am. I'm just checking this corner out."
"Hey, no need, we'll do that for you, my warehouse, my employee."
"No, this is our corner; you deal with your own side."
"Now hang on a minute, this is my warehouse."
The man stepped up to him and Claira moved between them.
"Dad, please, don't." She said pulling at his jacket.
"Listen to your child Mr Trenton or you could lose the contract, as quickly as you got it." The man said staring at him.
"Daddy…"
Steve looked at him then Claira and stepped away. They moved to the other end of the warehouse and closed the door.
"I told you I don't like him and that something is wrong."
"Who are you trying to convince here?"
"You dad, because you wouldn't listen to me."
"No, I'm just interested in the money." He said watching her reaction.
"Yeah and not your back, and sometimes I think that goes for me too. Dad that guy is trouble and he will use that gun on you if you're not careful."
He gave her a hug to calm her down.
"I never knew you cared for me." He looked at her. "I will not let anything happen to you or me, I promise."
"That's what my dad says."
"Thank you."
"No, not you, I mean."
"I know what you mean." He said as they carried on around the warehouse.
Steve turned the lights off and moved upstairs to find Claira in her father's chair.
"Hey, what's with the chair?" He said pointing to it.
"Come on, it's just a chair."
"My chair." He said looking at her.
"Sheesh, you're really playing this role, dad!" She said jumping up.
"Yes, I am. What do you want for dinner?"
"Hurh, dinner?"
Steve looked at her.
"Don't tell me your dad doesn't cook you dinner?"
"No, yes, well we have take away or something like that."
"Really. Well, you're lucky I went shopping before I came here." He said moving back down the stairs.
Claira leaned over the rail.
"Dad, I don't…"
He looked at her.
"Knowing your father, you don't because you haven't been told to try. Now stay there."
Claira moved back to the window and watched Steve go to his car and grab a bag. He soon returned and looked at her.
"Now go watch tele while I make something up for us."
"If my dad smells whatever it is your about to cook, he'll know you've been here."
"Only if you tell him he will, now go." He said pushing her on.
"I'm going, I'm going."
Claira soon became engrossed in the TV and forgot about Steve cooking in the makeshift kitchen.
He soon appeared with two plates and walked in front of the TV to block her view.
"Hey dad…" She said then looked at him.
"Would Miss Trenton like to try Mr Trenton's Hawaiian cuisine?"
She now sat up.
"I didn't know you cooked."
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." He said sitting down next to her.
She started to eat the dinner and loved every bite of it.
"What do you call this, the Steve McGarett surprise?"
"No, I haven't really given it a name, but since you're asking, how about the Claira Trenton special."
"You, you want to name your dinner after me?"
"And why not?" He said smiling.
They soon finished and Steve moved over to the small sink and started to clear away.
"I want to help you clean up, just in case dad notices something."
"He will not notice anything unless…"
"Unless I tell him." Claira said laughing and hugged him.
"You can clean the dishes."
"Yes sir."
Steve poured out a glass of wine that he had brought with the dinner and sat down on the sofa as Claira walked back in checking her hands.
"I don't think I have ever cleaned plates before. Even at home dad would call a take away place or we'd go out somewhere when dad got paid." She said sitting down next to him. "What's that?"
"Ah, just a glass of wine."
"Well, there, that's another difference."
"What difference?"
"The wine, dad is a can of lager or a whiskey if…"
"If, he gets paid." He laughed. "I'll have to remember that."
Claira started to watch the tele again and moved in close to Steve and soon fell asleep.
A thunderstorm started up over the bay and the lightning came through the full glass windows of the warehouse which now woke Claira up and focused in on Steve looking down at her.
"Are you okay?" Steve asked quietly.
She rubbed her eyes.
"The lightning dad, from, from the windows."
"I know, but we don't have any curtains." He said looking around.
She moved her head into his side to shield her eyes.
He now picked her up.
"Dad…"
"I'm not a pillow, sweetheart, so let's put you to bed. Where is your bed around here?" He said looking around.
She realised and looked up.
"I'll go find it for you."
"Claira." He said stopping her. "I'll come and tuck you in."
"Don't bother, you're not my dad." She said and got up as another lightning flash lit the room.
Steve stood up and was pushed back into the chair as Claira hid her head from the light.
"Alright, alright." He said standing back up and carried Claira to her bedroom and put her to bed.
He went back out and turned the TV off and moved into the office and started to check the order books.
He soon became tired and turned the light off in the office and moved to the back and looked at Claira sleeping. He now moved to the other bed but decided not to sleep on it and opted for the sofa instead.
The thunder intensified through the night and the noise soon woke Claira up. She stood up from her bed and move to her father's bed.
"Dad? Dad?" She said and realised the bed had not been slept in. "Dad?" She said becoming scared and then screamed out.
Steve jumped up and looked around.
"Claira!"
He ran into where he had left her but she was not there.
The lightning eliminated the warehouse and Claira ran in and hugged him.
"Daddy!"
Steve spun round and held her.
"It's alright I'm here, it's just the thunder, that's all, your daddies right here." He said picking her up and putting her back in her bed. "Claira, please get some sleep for me. I'm right here and nothing is going to happen to you while I'm here." He said kissing her.
"Their going to kill me dad, they're going to kill..."
"No, they are not going to do anything to hurt my little girl; I'm going to make sure of that. You trust me, don't you?" He said holding her.
She nodded and looked at him.
"I'm going to be right here for you, right here." He said touching her chest.
Steve stayed with her through the storm of the night until she fell asleep and he went back to the sofa.
Claira awoke late the next morning to the noise bellow her and jumped up out of bed and ran out towards the office as Steve stepped in front of her.
"Wow, take it easy there."
"Dad, we're late, we've got to open the warehouse for the employees. Look at the time."
"I have and that's why I let you lie in and I opened up all by myself." He said grabbing a cup and pouring some coffee into it. "Do you want one?"
"No, dad you, you've got to check the place out because my dad is going to be back any minute."
"You want to shout that a bit louder because I don't think the employees understood what you said." He said handing her a cup. "This might wake you up more, so you can start again. Go sit in front of the TV while I sort the rest of the office out."
Claira put the cup to her lips but stopped and moved closer to Steve.
"Dad?"
He looked at her and laughed then kissed her.
"Yes."
She looked at him puzzled.
"Will you go; I'll see you in a minute." He said pushing her on.
She uneasily moved out of the office and moved over to the sofa and watched the morning cartoons until Steve walked in and sat down next to her.
"I've just sorted out two meaningless disputes over a toilet of all things and I found out my child doesn't like thunderstorms."
"Not true, it's because my dad is not here and you…"
Steve laughed and hugged her.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He said looking at her.
"My dad is going to be here any minute."
"No, the ferry doesn't dock until two pm and it takes twenty five minutes to skirt around the coast to this warehouse, I have been here longer than you Miss Trenton."
"In case you have forgotten Mr Trenton, you're not my dad, damn!" She said looking down.
"And I love you too." He said looking at her then looked around. "I'll be gone by lunch. Speaking of which, I made you a breakfast."
"Dad, I've missed breakfast, it's…"
"By the way, it's time a girl like you was thinking of looking for a school on the island."
"But we're going back to the mainland soon, once this contract is finished you said."
"Do you seriously think your father would want to leave the island for the trade that he is doing here?"
"You mean he won't leave because of the Chinese and that man with the gun."
"Something like that, yes."
"Well what can we do about him dad, he could make sure we go back to the mainland in boxes like the things we're exporting."
"Isn't it good you had the sense to speak to Steve McGarett first?" He said looking at her.
She looked away.
"My dad wouldn't agree with you there."
"Come on, a walk will wake you up."
"A walk? Dad, we've got the warehouse to run."
"It can run itself for a few minutes." He said pulling her up and they left the warehouse and walked along the quay.
"When I get back to the office I am going to check with my contacts to find out who that guy is and what he is doing exactly in the warehouse."
"You know what he's doing dad; he's putting something a little more than just motor parts in our crates. If anyone ever found out, look it doesn't bare thinking about dad, what are we going to do?"
"Not we, me and five O, you remember that."
"Well I don't want to be around when whatever you do happens. My dad is going to kill me if that guy doesn't get me first."
Eventually Paul Trenton arrived back to the warehouse and Steve watched him for afar and then went back to his day job and held a meeting with Danno and the other team within five o about the Chinese nationals.
They decide to give Paul one last try and pulled him in one day. He sat at a desk waiting to be seen when he notices Steve and jumps up.
"Well, I thought you would be behind this technicality." He said as Steve led him into his office and closed the door.
"I just thought you'd like to know who you have working at your warehouse. I think it's worth your benefit to know this." Steve said looking at him.
"As long as I get a big fat pay check at the end of the week the President could work there, for all I care."
"Even if they have already made frets against your own child." Steve said watching his reaction.
"Did she talk to you?"
"She's seven years old and has witnessed more than just stock car parts heading for Europe every week. You should be aware of this, or maybe she's already tried to tell you but you're so dollar hungry that you don't want to listen to your own kid."
Paul jumped up and went for Steve and knocked him to the ground.
"You come anywhere near my kid and I find out you'll get more of the same."
Danno walked in and pulled Paul back.
Steve stood up and touched his face and saw the blood.
"Danno, take him down to the cells to cool off."
"Right Steve."
"You touch my kid McGarett and I'll kill you." He said as Danno dragged him off.
Steve changed into a similar pair of two bit clothes and drove over to the warehouse to notice a black limo parked up in his spot and looked around.
Claira came running out from the warehouse and put her head into his side then looked up.
"The Chinese are here on a visit." She said as he held her.
"So I can see and so promptly parked in my bay."
"Yeah, I noticed that too. I tried to get the guy to move but he doesn't speak English."
"Very single minded then. Come on; let's see what they want ha?" He said looking at her.
"Hey, what's with the lip?" Claira said touching it.
"Oh it was nothing, some guy over a kid he doesn't even look after."
"Well I'm glad I haven't met him."
"Me too." He said kissing her.
They now walked into the warehouse and up to the office to find the place full of Chinese nationals.
"Err; this is my office you know." Steve said looking around as he recognised a few key people from five O records.
Eventually a few people left as Claira grabbed a cup of coffee and handed it to him just like she did the day Steve was sitting exactly where the Chinese were sitting, watching his every move.
"Well, this is a little bit more pleasing to the eye." Steve said as Claira moved to her seat and watched the proceedings unfold.
"Our first shipment reached New York yesterday as planned."
"That's good to know, considering I only sell to France." Steve said watching the reactions and they all started to laugh.
"Mr Trenton, you are exactly the kind of man we need in Hawaii, cheap, easy to please and the know how to sell to the right businesses."
"That's what you pay me for." He said then noticed Claira was totally sold that he was her father as her expressions showed him.
"I think we can go one step further now with our exports."
"Well, whatever you can send this way will be handled just as good as the current shipment."
"China is interested in motorbike parts too, longer more refined shipments is what we require from you Mr Trenton. You will be able to handle the shipment from next week, yes?"
"Next week, let me just pencil that in."
Claira now moved up to him.
"Dad, what about going back to the mainland, you said six more weeks and …"
"Is there a problem, Mr Trenton?"
"Yes there's a problem, my dad and I have an open ticket back to the mainland and it expires in less than six weeks time."
"It's refundable, I could also post date it." Steve said looking at Claira.
"No, I want to go home. I don't like it here, they, they…"
"Sweetheart, can we talk about this later…"
"No, I want to let them know that all you think about is money and not about me. I haven't been to school in six months." She said as Steve stood up.
"I know and I'm going to sort something out for you, I promise, but not right now."
"More empty promises ha, dad, as always." She said then ran off out of the office as the Chinese watched Steve for his reaction.
He knew he had to stay calm and looked focused on the job at hand.
"So, where were we, oh yes motor bike parts." He said as he tried to be like Paul.
Claira watched some Trenton named crates heading into the hold of another ship as she recognised her father heading towards her and she tried to dodge past him but he grabbed her.
"Let go of me, you don't care about me, all you want is our name in lights even here in Hawaii."
"Claira, take it easy, it's me, Steve."
They looked at each other.
"Then, then you can stop my dad, Steve he's in there now talking to the Chinese about more orders. " She said grabbing his cheap jacket.
"I know, because I was there."
She looked at him.
"You liar, that was my dad in there, you, you're not my dad!"
"Claira, I know how you feel; I understand how much you love your father."
"Then why are you acting like my dad, I thought you were different."
"I am different but, I have to be your father in front of them and I know that if I don't play this just like your dad then they might rumble my disguise and that would put you in danger."
"What do you mean disguise, you look like my dad, and you are my dad when…"
"Exactly and I would like to keep it that way when I'm..." He said taking her hand.
"How did you get that cut lip, exactly?"
He looked at her.
"I had your father pulled in this morning and tried to make him see reason that his company is being used for gun smuggling by the Chinese and that you uncovered their plans."
"And he hit you for that?"
"He hit me because he was protecting you, he does love you Claira, but he will drop everything to make a fast buck even you, and that's where he is wrong."
"I don't want anything to happen to him dad, he's the best, but I'm scared that something is going to happen, and that's why I had to say something back there."
"I know, and I understand what you're trying to do."
"I wouldn't hurt you dad, honest. Those guy's they..."
He now held her.
"It's okay, it's alright. Look, we better get back to the office." He said leading her back along the quay.
Danno alerted Steve that he had released Paul so, he left Claira watching the TV and drove back to five O. He met up with Danno as they went into his office.
"I need to get into the original warehouse to find out what our next shipment is going to be." Steve said checking his paperwork.
"Steve, that place is as tight as a drum."
"Yeah I know. We've got to do this right or not at all." He said moving to the wardrobe of Paul's clothes that Claira had given him.
"What are you thinking?"
Steve turned round and looked at him.
"We raid Trenton's warehouse, pull him in on a Chinese national fake passport rap. It will head straight back to the original warehouse and they will want to speak to Trenton before they can carry on back at his warehouse."
"It's a long shot. They could just dump Paul altogether."
"With such a low out of the way exporter like Trenton Exports, they'd have to get up pretty early to throw me off." Steve said sizing himself up in a cheap suit.
Claira awoke early the next morning and moved out to her father's bed. Paul turned over and noticed her.
"What time is it?" He said watching her climb on to the bed.
"I don't know. I can't sleep, it's so hot."
He checked the time.
"It's not even five yet, Claira!"
"I can't sleep daddy."
"You said that already." He said as he pulled her in for a hug. "Ah, I give up. I might as well get dressed and start opening up downstairs. Do you want to stay in my bed and try and get some sleep here?" He checked her and smiled. "I'll take that as a yes then."
Paul got dressed and moved to his office and noticed flashing lights in the car park bellow. He recognised Steve and ran down the stairs.
"You've got a nerve at this time of the morning."
"Mr Paul Trenton I am arresting you on a charge of employing illegal immigrants to work in your warehouse."
"Your joking right, these people have been working for me for over two months. What are you trying to pull McGarett? I warned you before to not mess with me."
Steve touched his lip as he looked at him.
"Take him away and round up those nationals."
He watched Paul being put into a police car then looked up to the window and saw Claira looking down at him. He moved into the warehouse as the other workers were being led out. He now noticed Claira coming down the stairs and she tried to move past him.
"Wait a minute." He said grabbing her hand.
She quickly pulled it away.
"What did you do with my dad this time ha?"
The man that Claira had seen with the gun now walked out and looked at them.
"He's employing illegal's here, check the paperwork if you don't believe me." Steve said handing her the charge sheet.
"My dad's been an exporter all his working life. He would know more than to get involved in something like this."
"Maybe he had no choice but to employ them." He said as he noticed the man. "Get him out of here." An officer now grabbed him and pushed the man past them and out to a waiting truck. "You're coming back to five O with me."
"I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm staying right here until my dad get's back."
"Then you'll have a long wait. I'm taking this fight all the way to the Chinese warehouse your father got these nationals from. All we have to do is wait for the Chinese overseers to find out and then they'll call for your father only I am going to go in his place and make sure Danno is behind me with the whole five O force behind him."
She looked at him.
"So this is it then?"
"Yes, this is the only way we can put this chain out of business."
"My dad will go ballistic when he finds out."
"That's why you're coming with me back to the office. Go grab your coat; I'll drive you back to town." He said watching Claira run back upstairs.
Steve hit mid morning traffic and looked at Claira checking out the buildings.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" He said touching her hand.
She quickly pulled it away.
"I'm fine. I just want to see my dad, that's all. To know he's alright."
"We'll be there soon." He said looking at the traffic. "So, to you, I really look different in a two hundred dollar suit than I would in a cheap shirt and tie?" He said looking at her.
"You're not my dad, that's for sure." She said looking at him.
"No, I'm not. Take it easy, we'll be there soon. I just forgot about this stupid traffic."
"Now that's my dad talking right there." She said looking at him. "You know, my dad even had a go at the taxi driver saying that he had rigged the meter on the way from the airport to our hotel." She said watching his reaction.
Steve laughed and touched her hand.
"Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart." He said looking at her.
"It's ok. You can't change my dad now, can you?"
They soon arrived at the station and Claira followed Steve to his office.
"You stay there. I'm going to find out where your father is being locked up." He said grabbing a folder.
"He's going to be pretty mad at you." She said jumping onto the seat and watched him go out.
Some nationals had made it to the booking office and recognised Steve as he walked past them.
Danno was watching Paul from the cell entrance as other nationals were being processed. Steve walked in as the nationals had to take a second take.
"You're going to pay for this McGarett, now let me out of here. Everyone here checks out on your so called rap sheet, including me, now let us go."
"Gladly, I just need to process you right out of here. Claira's upstairs waiting for you." He said opening the door.
Paul now grabbed him and pushed him to the wall.
"If you've hurt her."
"Do you want to go back in there? If so you go right ahead, I've got all day, so has your kid."
Paul looked at him and stepped away as Steve adjusted himself.
"I don't need no two hundred dollar suit to distinguish me from you. You're a no body, a no-one and my kid knows that."He said looking at him as they left the cells.
Claira moved to the window in Steve's office and lifted up the blind and came face to face with the Chinese national she had seen before with the gun shipments. She immediately dropped the blind and stepped back into Steve's desk and hid behind it.
The Chinese national now turned round to see Steve leading Paul towards his office and finally realised what was going on and quickly made a hasty retreat out of the station without anyone noticing him go.
Steve went into his office and looked around.
"Claira?" Steve said.
"Where is she?" Paul said looking at him.
"I told her to stay right here."
"Yeah, like she would listen to you, you're not her father, why would she want to listen to you?"
"Claira!" Steve repeated as he moved towards the back of his desk and saw her shaking in the corner.
"Claira, what…?" He said trying to pick her up.
Paul now grabbed him and pushed him out of the way.
"You don't touch her." He said now picking her up. "It's alright sweetheart, I'm right here, daddies right here." He said holding her.
Steve watched him holding her as he sat down and kissed her.
"That guy was there at the window. He saw me here." She said looking at Steve.
"What guy?" Paul said looking up.
"The Chinese national with the guns. The guy that threatened your child." Steve said looking at him.
"What guns? Who threatened her?"
"Well, if you hadn't had been so wrapped up in the almighty dollar you would have noticed that your crates have been packed with a little more than just car parts. Claira called me because you wouldn't listen to her."
Paul looked at him then at Claira who was nodding frantically at him.
The Chinese national managed to make it back to the warehouse to alert the main dealers and they started to destroy everything before five O found them.
Paul finally gave in to the persistence of Steve and agreed to give them the location on the distribution warehouse the parts were coming from as Steve made planes to raid it the following night.
Steve readied his team a block away from the warehouse waiting for any signs of life.
Claira sat watching the evening news when Paul walked out and grabbed his coat.
"Hey, where are you going? Steve said to stay here because he's raiding the warehouse with five O."
"Oh and we do everything five O says, ha?" He said looking at her.
"Well of course the place is going to be raided tonight, he said that…"
" Yeah, well not before I get my money off those Chinese nationals for defaulting on my contract with them."
"What?" She stood up. "I thought Steve said he would make good and honour the lost interest and bail Trenton Exports out."
"You believe that bull shit from a guy with my face, ha?"
"I thought Steve promised that he was going to be our friend."
"A friend, who likes being me, yeah well when you're older you'll understand about broken promises. I want my cut, and it's now or never with them. I also want to get five O off our back's too once and for all."
"But dad, Steve said…"
"What is it with you and Steve? I'm your father, he just became me to check out the competition, can't you see that yet? He just wants to keep his arrest quota up and he went a pretty poor way about it."
Claira watched him move to the office and grab the paperwork.
"I'm not so sure, dad, I can't let you go. You have to talk to Steve first, please, call him."
"I will, in the morning." He said moving forward and kissed her. "I love you, you just remember that. I'll see you later, I promise." He said running out to the stairs and disappeared out of sight.
She moved to the window to see her father pulling out of his parking space and driving out of the docks. She looked at the phone then sat in her father's chair and clamed up staring at the doorway.
Steve moved through the buildings as the raid began to find the place empty. Danno moved up to him and showed him some burnt out stubs from Trenton Exports.
"They knew we were coming. Someone at the warehouse must have known about you being Paul." He said looking at Steve.
"Oh my god, Claira!"
"What?"
"The Chinese national who escaped back at five O, he must have…" He looked towards the other warehouses. "They'll kill them, exactly what Claira said, we've got to get over there."
Steve now jumped into his car and headed down the coast road to Trenton's warehouse just as Danno rounded up the rest of Five O and left the warehouses to the watching Chinese nationals from another warehouse.
Paul parked his car up in an empty warehouse and walked through them to check them out one by one. Someone noticed him and called the Chinese overseers who quickly surrounded the area as Paul recognised them walking up to him.
"Mr Trenton, or is it Mr McGarett?"
Paul was about to answer when he noticed a gun being pointed at him and he was grabbed from behind and held.
"I'm Paul. Now, wait a minute, we had an agreement here. I didn't get Five O involved; your men spooked my kid, that's all. I'm just here to explain that I need my money. I completed one deal with you. That's got to be worth something."
"You're right. Let's talk."
"Alright." He said moving forward as a shot rang out.
Steve pulled into the warehouses along the bay and was watched entering the Trenton building.
"Claira?" He shouted out from the bottom of the stairs.
She looked up.
"Oh thank god, dad!" She said jumping off the chair and running to the stairs and recognised him.
"You're, you're not my..." She now noticed someone moving up behind him. "Dad!"
At that moment Steve was hit from behind and she watched him fall to the floor. She was now grabbed and tried to scream but it was no use and she now fainted.
Claira awoke first sometime later and immediately started to cough as she realised something was wrong. She looked up and noticed Steve on the floor in the corner. His suit was dirty and torn so to her he looked like Paul at that moment.
She made her way to him and lightly touched him.
"Dad, dad!"
She carried on trying to wake him as the smoke got thicker."
"Dad, please wake up! The warehouse is on fire, dad, daddy!" She said coughing and moving into his side.
Steve slowly came around and started to cough.
"Dad?" She said looking up.
He looked at her.
"Claira?"
"Dad, oh thank god, I think they've torched our warehouse." She said as they hugged.
"With us still in it, I see" He said catching his breath. "Who hit me?" He added touching his head.
"That guy with the guns. Dad, he must have followed you back from the warehouse earlier. Did you get your money from the Chinese that you wanted, because I think he followed you back to try and grab the money from you, and then kill us by torching our home to hide any evidence left, in case Five O turned up?"
Steve looked at her and realised what had happened.
"Of course I got the money back. I told you that I would." He said kissing her then started to choke again.
"And that's why we're here now, like this, because of you. Well, they're going to kill us for sure now, dad."
"No, they're not, because I called Five O before I got back here."
"You, you called Steve? You?" She said looking at him.
"Yeah me, he's going to be here any minute to get us out of this."
"But, I thought you said you didn't…"
"I changed my mind. Don't worry Claira, we're going to get out of this, I promised you that, didn't I?" He said then coughed again.
Claira put her head on his chest.
"I love you daddy and I don't want to die here without you."
"We're not going to die; they're going to be here any minute to get us out of here and I'm going to take care of you." He said holding her.
Claira lost consciousness just as the fire trucks turned up with Five O in tow.
Steve and Claira were quickly recovered from the flames and the destruction of the warehouse and given first aid at the scene in a waiting ambulance as Steve watched the Trenton Exports sign pulled down from its high position. These noises made Claira come around."
"Dad?" She said trying to open her eyes.
"Right here." He said touching her. "I'm always going to be right here for you sweetheart." He said kissing her as he watched her fall back to sleep.
Danno moved forward to break his concentration.
"Steve." He said quietly.
He now left Claira to the paramedics and moved out towards his car.
"I just got word from the divers; they recovered a body from the water by the raided warehouse tonight. One shot straight through the head."
Steve looked at him.
"Paul Trenton, yes?" He said looking at him
"Yes. What the hell happened to make him go back into the raided warehouse after we left? He must have known there would still be Chinese nationals looking on waiting for us to leave."
"Claira said something about Trenton wanting to get his money back from them over the work he had completed before the raid. He must have thought he wasn't to blame for the raid and that the dollar still meant more to him than his own child." Steve said turning back to look at the ambulance.
"Steve, does she, does Claira know who you are?"
"That I'm her father, that's all she needs to know."
"Alright Steve, I understand."
"If it wasn't for Claira, I wouldn't be here now, I know that much." He said looking back into the ambulance.
Steve put on his best two dollar suit and drove in to the hospital car park, and got out of his car and headed into the hospital to find an orderly pushing Claira out in a wheelchair.
"Dad!" She said jumping out of the chair and running to him.
"I heard my child was discharged because she's all much better now. I guess I can see that for myself ha?" He said kissing her.
"I couldn't stand being away from you for a minute longer." She said hugging him.
"Well, I did tell you that I wouldn't leave you alone anymore." He said watching Claira nod in agreement.
He now led Claira out to his car and he drove out of the hospital into the morning traffic.
"Ahh,again with the traffic." He said looking at her. "I should have hired a cab but, I'd only be checking the meter every few hundred yards because I swear they rig them over here to get as much as they can out of us." He said trying to make her laugh.
She looked at him, and then looked to the window.
"He's dead, isn't he? My dad, I mean."
Steve looked at her but did not answer her.
"Dad, I know you're Steve McGarett. I mean, when you came back to the warehouse that night, you, you weren't my dad, we're you."
"What gave it away, my suit?" He said looking at the traffic.
She looked down
"My dad's car, my dad's cheap suit…"
"Yeah and that's because I'm your father." He said looking at her. "Nothing changes whether I am in this suit or, or Steve's, I am your father." He said watching her.
She went back to looking out of the window.
"Dad, I want, I want to see him."
"Out of the question."
"Dad."
"No, Claira!"
"He's my dad."
"Oh yeah, whom thought of money instead of looking after his own kid? Yeah, he was your dad alright."
"It's what made him my dad."
"And where does that leave me ha, who cares for you, loves you like nothing on this Earth? Do you just expect me to give you up just like that, because that is not going to happen? I am your father and I hate this damn stupid traffic!" He said hitting the steering wheel.
Claira now started to laugh as Steve looked at her.
"There again, proof enough, I'd say" He added.
She nodded as Steve leaned over and kissed her.
"I love you." He added squeezing her hand.
"I love you too." She said looking at him.
He eventually pulled into his apartment block as Claira followed him into the building.
"It's not as big as our warehouse as you know." He said leading her through the living room and opened the door to the spare bedroom.
She stopped and looked at him.
"You told me I shouldn't go in there."
"I give you my express permission this time because it's your room now and this room has curtains for you to block any lighting that comes up from the bay." He said watching her move to the window and turned round.
"Well, how long are we going to stay here for? Until you find another warehouse or, or something?"
He stepped up to her.
"This is all mine." He said holding her hand.
"Seriously?"
"Bought and paid for out of my own money."
"Wow, cool."
"So, you want anything you just ask, okay."
"Do we get to put the Trenton Exports sign over the door?"
He looked at her.
"Don't press your luck."
She started to laugh.
"I understand." She said looking around. "My own bedroom, like when we were at home."
She said spinning around.
"Are you hungry?" He said moving to the door and looking back.
She sat on the corner of the bed and looked at him.
"Why, what have you got?"
"Oh, nothing much. How about the Claira Trenton special?" He said disappearing round the corner.
She quickly followed him out and watched him head into the kitchen.
They were soon having dinner and afterwards Claira helped clear away with him.
Afterwards Claira moved to the sofa to sit down and started to search through the TV channels.
Steve walked in and sat down next to her and sipped at a can of lager then pulled her into him for a hug and kissed her.
"You okay sweetheart." He said holding her.
"Yeah, dinner was great."
"Thank you. The Claira Trenton special is one of my favourites."
She looked at him.
"Dad."
"Hmm."
"Will I be able to keep my name, Trenton? I mean, I guess you'd have to adopt me, or something."
"You leave all the legal work to your dad, like you always have done." He said kissing her. We'll work something out together that we both like."
Claira relaxed and slowly fell asleep and he picked her up and put her to bed and tucked her in and kissed her goodnight.
Steve drove into work one morning and moved through the back into his office and found Claira grabbing a cup and pouring out a coffee for him.
"Ah, just what I wanted to wake me up in the morning. My two favourite things in life, my child and a hot cup of coffee." He said kissing her and taking the cup from her and sat down at his desk.
Claira stayed by his side as he went through the morning paperwork that came with his job.
Danno walked in with the up to date information report so Claira moved over to take her seat and watched her father talking to him.
"Oh, and the governor is waiting to see you." Danno said finishing his briefing.
This made Claira look up.
"Do you want me to…?"
"No, you haven't met the governor yet, why not today."
Claira nodded and moved back to her father's side as the governor of Hawaii walked in.
"Steve." He said walking in.
Steve stood up and moved out from behind his desk and shook his hand.
"Governor, you haven't met my daughter, yet so I would like to introduce her to you, sweetheart."
Claira now moved forward and took his hand.
"I heard about the accident at the warehouse. Are you two alright" The Governor asked shaking Claira's hand.
"My dad was with me all the time. He wouldn't have let anything happen to me, sir." She said looking up at Steve.
"I need to talk to the Governor for a minute, would you mind stepping outside for me, darling." He said and kissed her.
"Sure dad. It was nice meeting you, sir."
"The feeling is mutual Claira and hope we will meet again soon."
Steve watched her close the door.
"Great kid you've got there Steve, don't lose her to anyone."
"I won't sir. She knows who her father is."
Steve carried on talking to the governor for the rest of the morning.
A man walked around the five O offices selling food and other required things for the day and Claira watched him walking around.
"Hey Danno, who's the guy with the vending machine for a heel?"
"Oh, he just makes his way around the buildings in town selling what he can."
"Has he got a warehouse or something he returns to each night?"
"Yeah, something like your dad's old place." Danno said laughing.
"Don't knock it till you tried it, Danno. I wonder if this guy's heard of my dad's business."
"Only one way to find out, Claira."
"Yeah, my first big sell, dad would kill me if I missed this chance."
Steve soon appeared from his office with the governor and shook his hand. He looked over to see Claira with an order book in her hand giving him the thumbs up sign with a nodding Chinese vender waiting on her every word.
He leaned into the door as Danno noticed him looking back at her.
"Trenton Exports is on your doorstep again." He said laughing.
"I noticed. I think I better get my suit." Steve said moving out to Claira and took the order book from her and looked at the zeros on the page and looked straight back at her.
"Really?"
"Well, I can dream, can't I?"
He smiled and kissed her.
"Yes, yes you can." He said hugging her then went back into his office and closed the door.
THE END
