Mari & Ilna-There simply aren't adequate words to describe how AWESOME the two of you are. Thanks for inspiring me. Thanks for your friendship. And thanks for not strangling me when I decided to completely redo this story a little over a week before it was due to be posted. I know you're used to my relentless tweaking but that went above and beyond. Thanks for the comments along the way. And thanks for the proof job Ilna!
Sandy-You're simply the best. Thanks for 10 years in the fandom trenches. Here's to many more.
REAL Worlders-I can't find the words to express how much your support and enthusiasm mean to me. You guys are AWESOME. You're always so very generous with your comments and reviews and I am so far behind in replying it's shameful. Please know it is not a lack of appreciation but merely a lack of available time. Please know that each and every one is read and treasured.
So, the next monster is finally here. I hope it meets expectations. There will be 5 chapters in all. One posted each of the next 5 days.
Together (1/5)
In our togetherness, castles are built- Irish proverb
Catherine blinked her eyes rapidly and tried to control her breathing as she struggled to take in her unfamiliar surroundings. She had no idea where she was and couldn't seem to focus her thoughts long enough to figure it out. She felt fuzzy. Confused. Disconnected from her body in a way. As if total clarity was just outside her reach.
She fought hard to refocus her attention on the things she was capable of processing in her current state.
There was a high-pitched beeping sound in her ears, the origin of which she couldn't immediately identify, with a rhythm as steady and unchanging as a metronome.
Her mouth was almost painfully dry. Her limbs were heavy. The thought of summoning enough energy to get up and make it to the door seemed impossible.
She lifted her head slightly and immediately the entire room began to spin. A powerful wave of nausea rolled over her causing her to squeeze her eyes closed, clamp her jaw shut, and breathe through her nose in an effort to avoid vomiting.
Once it passed she tried again.
This time more slowly.
She opened her eyes a crack and this time without lifting her head off the pillow turned very slowly from side to side. To her left was a stainless steel IV stand and a small machine with multiple knobs that appeared to be monitoring her vital signs and transmitting the results to a small, attached screen. It also seemed to be the source of the beeping.
Beyond those items there was a large window. She could see a tiny ray of sunlight shining through the slight separation of the closed black-out style curtains.
'Is this a hospital?'
She desperately tried to gather her thoughts but she couldn't get her head to clear. She felt as though she was fighting her way through a thick fog. Thoughts and ideas entered her mind and then quickly disappeared before she could grab hold of them.
'What am I doing in a hospital?'
She attempted to push herself into a sitting position but when another wave of nausea struck she was forced to give up on that idea. As she slumped back she felt something hard under her hand.
A call button.
She pressed it frantically and waited.
A few seconds later the door at the far end of the room opened and the light from the hallway poured in illuminating the silhouette of a petite woman in the doorway. At least she thought it was a woman.
The figure reached out and turned on the room's overhead light and Catherine was forced to close her eyes against the intrusion. Her head suddenly felt as though someone had it in a vice and was turning the screw double time.
"It's been awhile since you've seen the light."
Catherine could tell the voice was moving closer to her current position. Also, that it was definitely a woman. The next sentence was delivered from directly beside the bed.
"Your eyes need time to adjust. Just take it easy and don't try to rush things. Your body will let you know when it's ready."
"Where … ?" Catherine started then stopped to clear her throat. She wasn't sure if the scratchiness in her voice was caused by lack of use or by a combination of nausea and grogginess.
"You're perfectly safe. You're in a secure medical facility." The woman's matter-of-fact tone, which was most likely meant to be soothing, actually had the opposite effect.
Catherine became agitated and began to pull angrily at her IV lines. "A secure ... where? Why? What's going on? Where's Steve?" she demanded.
"Come on now. You can't do that. You're gonna hurt yourself." The woman placed one hand softly on Catherine's shoulder as she used the other to gently but firmly pull her arm away and check to make sure the IV was still secure.
Catherine stopped struggling and took a few seconds to look at the woman beside her. She was average height and very slender. About 55 years old. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled back in a bun and she was dressed in navy blue scrubs with a lanyard around her neck that held an ID badge identifying her as Penelope Pace.
"I'm Penny. I'm your nurse," the woman said, purposely side-stepping Catherine's earlier questions. As she spoke she checked the monitor Catherine had observed earlier and made notes on a small clipboard which she then slid into a compartment at the foot of the bed.
Catherine attempted to follow her movements as best she could but had to close her eyes every few seconds and breathe deeply to combat the continuing nausea.
"Where's Steve?" she asked again.
"The doctor is on his way to talk to you," Penny said calmly. "He'll be able to answer any questions you have."
"Please, ask him to hurry," Catherine huffed as she rubbed her forehead attempting to stave off a tension headache.
"I will," Penny promised. "And in the meantime I'm gonna adjust your IV so you feel a little less groggy. But if you find the pain returns you let me know and I'll turn it back up."
Catherine sighed loudly. "Thanks."
While Penny busied herself checking the various knobs on the machine beside the bed Catherine took a second to assess her physical condition. She wiggled her toes under the blankets and flexed her fingers as subtly as possible. Everything seemed to be in reasonable working order. Truth be told she wasn't feeling any pain at all. At least not at the moment. Her only issue appeared to be nausea. The intensity of which was subsiding slightly but it still rolled over her in regular waves.
"Can you just tell me … " Catherine started, but Penny cut her off.
"I can't tell you anything. I'm sorry. It's way above my pay grade. But Dr. Wolfert should be along to talk to you any minute."
Catherine clenched her jaw in frustration. "Can you at least get me some water? My mouth feels like a desert."
"That I can do," Penny replied with an insincere half smile.
After pouring some water from the plastic pitcher sitting on the small enamel table to Catherine's right, Penny raised the head of the bed and held the glass steady while her agitated patient took a much needed drink.
"Not too fast," Penny cautioned. "You'll choke."
Catherine disregarded the warning and savored several deep swallows. Just as Penny placed the glass back on the table a tall, balding man in green scrubs and a white lab coat entered the room followed by two men in suits. All three wore somber expressions.
As they made their way to the foot of the bed Catherine noticed the men in the suits were armed. They hung back in the shadows as the doctor took a few steps forward.
"Lieutenant Rollins, I'm Dr. Wolfert. I've been in charge of your treatment since you arrived here at the facility."
"And when was that?" Catherine asked testily.
"You don't remember?" The doctor lifted her chart and began studying the latest information. His face was absolutely unreadable. "Have you tried?"
Catherine searched her memory. She was feeling less foggy since Penny adjusted her IV but she still couldn't seem to get her brain to work in the orderly fashion she was used to. "The last thing I remember is Halloween. Well the day after to be exact."
"Nothing after that?" Dr. Wolfert inquired as he made notes on her chart. The tapping of the pen on the clipboard sounded like a jackhammer to Catherine.
She tried again. "No. Nothing after that."
The doctor turned to face her with a very serious expression. "There's no easy way to tell you this, Lieutenant. Today is March 6th, 2016. You've been here with us a little over four months."
"What? That's not possible!" Catherine fought the nausea and pulled herself to a sitting position.
"I'm afraid it is," the doctor insisted. "I can get you a copy of today's paper if you'd like."
Catherine ignored his offer."Where's Steve? I want to see Steve. Steve McGarrett. Please."
Penny moved closer and gripped Catherine's hand tightly. There was something about her action that created a knot of dread in Catherine's stomach. Why was this woman she barely knew offering her comfort?
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Dr. Wolfert said solemnly. "Commander McGarrett was killed along with the rest of his team November 2nd of last year in an attack on Iolani Palace. You were the only survivor."
"What … no." Catherine shook her head adamantly. Her mind refused to even consider the possibility. "That's not possible. I would remember … no … it's not true."
"I'm afraid it is," Penny said sympathetically.
"These men," Dr. Wolfert indicated the two men in suits who had now moved closer to the bed, "are Federal Marshals. They've been assigned to protect you. Whoever killed your team is still at large and you're still very much in danger."
"No, no, no." Catherine fought back tears as she tried desperately to gather her thoughts. "I want to talk to my father. Captain Joseph Rollins. Please."
The older of the two men in the suits began to speak. "Right now all communication has been suspended. We have no idea who can be trusted and who can't. The attack was a devastating blow and we have reason to believe may have been planned with the help of inside information. Until this case is solved no one can be trusted."
"My father can be trusted," Catherine lashed out angrily.
"I'm sorry," the man responded flatly. "The rules are the rules."
"I want to talk to someone who can answer my questions," Catherine demanded. "The governor. Or Sgt. Duke Lukela."
Dr. Wolfert cut in. "Right now you need your rest. There'll be time for questions later."
"No … please … I need to know what's happening," Catherine pleaded.
"Up her medication so she can get some sleep," Dr. Wolfert directed Penny. He made a final note on her chart then reached behind her to hand the clipboard to the nurse. "Monitor her closely and let me know if her condition changes." He turned to Catherine. "The guards will be right outside the door. You're perfectly safe. We can talk more tomorrow."
"No … please … " Catherine turned to Penny. "I don't want a sedative. I need to talk to … " She trailed off as her head became light and she felt herself drifting off to sleep. She tried to fight it but it was no use. As she settled back against the pillows she had one last conscious thought.
'This can't be happening.'
Danny breathed a sigh of relief when he pulled up in front of the beach house and saw Esther's car out front along with Steve's truck and Catherine's Corvette. He'd been sure he was supposed to meet Steve and Catherine for breakfast before Catherine headed to the courthouse for the Sinclair trial and he and Steve headed to work. He specifically remembered teasing Catherine about not being able to eat ketchup on her eggs for fear she might drip some on her court clothes which elicited the expected eyeroll from Catherine and an enthusiastic nod of agreement from Steve.
He arrived at the diner at the appointed time but Steve and Catherine were nowhere to be seen. They weren't inside and their cars weren't in the parking lot. It was unlike either one of them to be late, let alone both of them.
Danny ordered three coffees and waited. Twenty minutes later, and after several unanswered phone calls to both of their phones, there was still no sign of them so he decided to head to the beach house and see if they'd gotten their wires crossed.
The presence of all three cars eased his mind. Surely if there was anything wrong Esther would have let him know right away. Danny knew his best friends considered Esther much more than just a dog sitter. She was a friend. Someone they trusted not only with their beloved Cammie but also to keep an eye on things when a case kept them away from the house for an extended period of time.
As he put the Camaro in park and grabbed the carrier of take out diner coffee from the passenger's seat his phone buzzed with the sound of an incoming call. He glanced at the screen and saw Esther's name, number and a picture of her and Scout that Grace had taken the week before and sent to his phone.
A sick feeling settled immediately in the pit of his stomach.
He scrambled out of the car, placed the coffee on the hood, and headed towards the house at a jog. As he got closer he could see the front door was ajar. He burst through it to find a worried looking Esther sitting on the floor beside a groggy Cammie.
"Oh there you are," she said, relief clearly written all over her face at the sight of him. "I was trying to call you."
"I know," Danny said, eyes moving around the room trying to get a feel for what might be going on. "I got your call just as I pulled up and saw your car. What's going on? Where are Steve and Catherine?"
"I was hoping you'd know." Esther tried to keep the panic out of her voice. "Both of their cars are here but there's no sign of them. And when I came in I found Cammie like … this. Just lying here. I mean she didn't even greet me when I opened the door. And look how glassy her eyes are."
"Are you okay, girl?" Danny asked as his own eyes continued to scan the room.
Cammie could only manage a half-hearted tail thump in return.
"This isn't normal for her," Esther said worriedly. "Steve and Catherine didn't mention anything about her being sick."
"Did you check upstairs?" Danny put his hand on his gun, unsure of exactly what was going on but prepared for anything.
"They're not up there. I even checked the guest rooms and the bathroom. And their bed isn't made either." She looked at Danny with pleading eyes. "This isn't like them. They always let me know if they need to leave in a hurry. And they would never leave Cammie if she wasn't feeling well."
"I know," Danny responded as he drew his weapon. "You wait down here. And let me know right away if you see or hear anything strange."
"Okay." Esther hugged Cammie closer and whispered soothing words in the dog's ear. "It's ok. Everything is gonna be ok."
As he made his way up the stairs Danny wasn't sure if Esther was trying to keep Cammie calm or herself.
Probably a little of both.
He did a quick, cursory check of the entire floor, including closets, and just as Esther said Steve and Catherine were nowhere to be found. He entered the master bedroom and after a quick check of the bathroom and closet took a few minutes to look around more carefully.
There were no obvious signs of a struggle. No blood drops or overturned furniture. Both phones were on the dresser charging. Their Nick and Nora costumes from Halloween hung on the back of the bathroom door. There were pictures from trick-or-treating lying on the dresser waiting to be framed and hung on the picture wall. Nothing seemed out of place.
Danny stepped hesitantly towards Steve's bedside table. He took a deep breath and pulled on the drawer. Any hope he had that this was all just a big misunderstanding and nothing was seriously wrong disappeared in an instant when he looked inside and saw Steve's badge and weapon.
There's no way he would have left the house without them on a work day.
A quick check of the drawer on Catherine's side of the bed yielded similar results.
Danny holstered his weapon and pulled out his phone as he headed back downstairs. When he reached the living room he gave Esther what he hoped was a somewhat reassuring look before his call connected and he turned his attention to the person on the other end.
"Hey, Chin. It's me." His words tumbled out in a rush. "I need you and Kono to get over to Steve and Catherine's place right away."
"What's up?"
"I don't know exactly what but something's very wrong. There's no sign of either of them." As Danny talked he made his way quickly through the rest of the ground floor, checking each room, but like the upstairs it appeared undisturbed.
"When was the last time you talked to them?"
Danny could tell by the sounds of movement on the other end of the phone that Chin was already on his way.
"Last night around 10:00. You?"
"Earlier than that. Just hang tight. We're on our way."
"Thanks, Chin. Hey listen … bring an HPD team with you. I want people going over every inch of this house and yard … you know ..." Danny could hardly bring himself to say the words. "Just in case."
"I'm on it."
As he hung up the phone Danny noticed an odd look on Esther's face. "What is it?"
"Smell Cammie's fur," she said. "It smells strange. She was just at the groomers a few days ago. This smell is almost … chemical."
Danny leaned over and ruffled Cammie's fur as he moved in close enough to take a whiff.
Between the normally energetic dog's lethargic behavior, her glassy eyes, and the unusual smell of her fur Danny was afraid he knew exactly what happened to Steve and Catherine.
And it wasn't good.
As Steve fought his way back to consciousness the first thing he noticed was heavy weight on his left leg which made it nearly impossible for him to move.
The second thing he noticed was that his right wrist was restrained.
Handcuffed to the rails of a hospital bed to be precise.
He took a deep breath and attempted to assess his situation. The room he was in appeared to be a standard hospital room. The bed beside his was unoccupied. The overhead lights were on but the lack of natural light in the room made it difficult to ascertain the time of day. He could hear a steady buzz of activity in the hall outside the room's only door.
His head was foggy and he was having trouble focusing which he quickly realized was most likely related to the IV hanging from a pole on the left side of his bed.
He tugged at the handcuffs on his right wrist again and suddenly a large man in a suit moved into his field of vision. Steve could see he not only had a weapon on his hip but another in a poorly concealed shoulder holster. His hair brushed the top of his collar and he had what appeared to be a three-day growth of beard.
"Commander McGarrett, my name is Darrin Rivera and I'm with the Marshal's Service," the man said as he casually placed his hand on his gun. "You are in my custody. If you don't stop struggling I'll have the nurse sedate you."
"Custody? What are you talking about?" Steve asked angrily.
"You're under arrest for an act of domestic terrorism," the Marshal intoned somberly. "An act that led to the deaths of eleven innocent people including four of your own team members."
Steve froze.
He searched his memory but the last thing he could remember was being at home with Catherine the day after Halloween. They took Mary, Deb and Joanie to the airport then came home and watched a movie while they ate leftover Halloween candy.
His voice took on a deadly calm. "I have no idea what's going on here but I want to talk to Catherine Rollins or Danny Williams immediately."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible." The Marshal looked at Steve with a smug impression. "Both of them were among the casualties of your attack on Iolani Palace four months ago."
"My attack … what are you … " Steve struggled against the restraints and for the first time noticed what it was that made his left leg feel so heavy. A large plaster cast that went from his toes to his upper thigh.
"Nurse," the Marshal called and a woman appeared in the doorway almost immediately. "Please sedate Commander McGarrett until he can learn to behave." He turned back to Steve. "I'll be back to question you when you calm down."
With one last glaring look he turned on his heel and exited the room without another word.
A second later the nurse approached the left side of Steve's bed, laid her hand on his forearm and squeezed softly. "You really need to settle down, Commander McGarrett, or they're going to make me give you more sedation."
Steve took a deep breath and tried to focus on the woman. She was young, probably late 20s. Her long curly blonde hair fell past her shoulders and she wore an ID badge clipped to the pocket of her bright pink scrubs. She was more heavily made up than any nurse he'd ever seen in a hospital setting. She wore large hoop earrings and gold chain with a cross pendant. His gaze moved down to the hand on his arm and he noticed she had an elaborate manicure with long, he assumed fake, nails.
Something was definitely not right.
"I'm sorry … Kelly," he said, glancing at her ID badge and attempting to sound as contrite as possible. He needed information and he hoped if he could get the nurse on his side she might tell him what he wanted to know. "I'm just … I have no idea where I am. Or what's going on."
She glanced at the door nervously then looked back at Steve. "You're in a secure medical facility," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Where? What's the name of this place?" He kept his voice low, matching hers.
"I'm sorry," she replied apologetically. "I can't tell you anymore than that. I wish I could."
He decided to try another angle. "How long have I been here?"
"Four months." Kelly fidgeted nervously with the IV line. "I really can't give you many details. I don't want to get in trouble."
Steve wanted to press her further but didn't want to chance alienating someone he realized could potentially be a source of help and information he desperately needed.
"I understand." He managed a small smile. "I don't want to get you in trouble." He sighed heavily and squeezed his eyes closed. "This cast … how would I still have a cast after so many months? What happened to me? I just hate this foggy feeling the drugs cause."
"I know it's hard." Kelly rubbed his forearm. "Just hang in there. You really messed up your leg and the doctors had to do some follow-up surgery a few days ago. That's when they put on the new cast."
"I can't remember anything at all," Steve said with a hint of desperation in his voice for Kelly's benefit.
"I know it must be scary," she replied sympathetically. "Listen, here's what I'll do, I'm gonna pretend to turn your sedation up but as long as you stay calm and don't cause any problems I won't really do it."
"Thanks," Steve said gratefully. "That's nice of you. I won't do anything to get you in trouble. I promise."
"I appreciate that," Kelly nodded. "I'll be back in a little bit to check on you. In the meantime try to get some rest." Her hand lingered on his arm for a minute longer then she smiled softly and headed for the door.
Steve took a deep breath and laid his head back against the pillow. Anyone looking in from the hall would assume he was sleeping but nothing could be farther from the truth.
He'd spent years learning to operate in high-stress situations under the worst possible conditions.
Assess the situation then make a plan.
One thing he knew for sure. Nothing here was what it seemed.
He concentrated on his left leg, contracting the muscles as best he could and wiggling his toes. Aside from the presence of the cast everything felt normal. There was no way he'd undergone surgery recently.
He looked at his left arm. Then his right. He flexed slightly, trying not to draw the attention of the people in the hall. Steve knew his own body. If he'd been in a hospital bed for four months his muscle tone would have diminished significantly. He looked and felt as though he'd just worked out no more than a day or two earlier.
The man claiming to be a Marshal was scruffier than any he'd ever seen and no nurse in his experience wore long fake fingernails on the job.
'I don't know what's going on here,' he said to himself. 'But I'm gonna find out.'
Within twenty minutes of Danny's call to Chin there were three separate HPD forensic teams combing the beach house, the yard and Steve and Catherine's vehicles for clues as to what might have happened to them and where they might be.
Esther was in the kitchen, sitting on the floor beside Cammie's water bowl, encouraging her to drink. She'd managed to get a few bites of broiled chicken into the listless dog but not much else.
Cammie eyed Danny and the rest of the officers warily. It was as if she knew they were there to help her humans but she couldn't quite figure out why her humans needed help. Whatever she'd been given to keep her quiet and out of the way during the events that lead to Steve and Catherine's disappearance was still affecting her and it had Esther on edge.
"I need to take Cammie to the vet," she said worriedly as Danny entered the room. "I need to get her checked out. I don't know what they gave her but she isn't herself."
"I was just coming in to suggest that," Danny told her. "First and foremost we have to make sure Cammie is ok … obviously. But secondarily, if the vet could give us any idea of what kind of tranquilizer was used on her it might help lead us to whoever took Steve and Catherine."
Esther nodded her approval of that plan and Danny continued.
"I've arranged for Officer Simmonds from HPD to accompany you. He'll also stay with you after you're done at the vet and keep an eye on you and Cammie. Just to be safe until we know exactly what's going on."
"Ok," Esther said determinedly as she scrambled up off the floor. "I'll get Cammie's leash and we can go right away. Do you think Steve and Catherine will be back by tonight?"
"I won't know that until we figure out exactly what's going on." He wished he could say something more encouraging but one of the things he'd learned over the years was that the best way to handle situations like this was with honest answers.
"I'll pack a few of her things and Cammie can come stay with me until Steve and Catherine get back," Esther suggested. "If you think that's ok."
"I think that's a great idea." He smiled genuinely. "I'm sure Steve and Catherine are worried about her and I know it'd make them feel a lot better to know she's with you. Plus … it's probably best if no one stays here at the house until we get all the details of what happened."
Esther squared her shoulders resolutely. "I'll take care of Cammie. You can count on me."
"I know I can," he said sincerely. "Call me after you get a report from the vet and let me know exactly what they say."
"I will," she replied. "And please call me as soon as you know anything at all about Steve and Catherine."
"You have my word," Danny promised. "Officer Simmonds is waiting for you out front."
"C'mon Cammie," Esther said, "Let's get out of the way so the officers can do their work."
"Call me if you need anything," Danny called to her retreating form.
He smiled when she tossed a "Ditto" over her shoulder.
He walked out the back door to see if the forensic team working outside had turned up any evidence and as he reached the end of the deck he steeled himself and looked towards the beach. He was happy to see nothing but undisturbed sand. The thought that his friends might have been dumped in the ocean only to wash up later, their bodies in unspeakable condition, was more than he was capable of thinking about at the moment.
After taking a few seconds to gather himself, and breathe a sigh of relief, he checked with the head forensics tech and was told no significant evidence had been recovered to this point. He made his way back into the house and as he entered the living room he ran into Chin who was coming down the stairs.
"I checked both of their phones," he said. "Steve's last call was from you at 9:54 last night. Catherine talked to Carrie at 10:15. Nothing outgoing since then. No activity on their tablets either."
"They can't have just vanished." Danny's tone was incredulous. "Where could they be?"
"No clues so far but we'll keep digging." Chin stepped back slightly as a young evidence tech came down the stairs carrying all of Steve and Catherine's electronic devices which he had ordered be taken directly to Five-0 headquarters for examination. He knew both Steve and Catherine valued their privacy and he had no intention of making the contents of their devices, no matter how benign, fodder on a lab report which could very easily end up being leaked. "You think this has to do with the Sinclair trial? Catherine was set to testify first thing this morning."
"It's certainly something we have to consider," Danny sighed. "But if it was about that why grab Steve? Why not take Catherine when she was alone and save yourself the trouble of dealing with an angry SEAL?"
Before Chin could come up with an answer Kono joined them. "That was Frank Kaewa," she said as she slid her phone into her pocket. "I called to let him know what's happening and to ask if he's heard from Catherine."
"Has he?" Danny asked hopefully.
Kono's expression was solemn. "Not a word since Friday."
"He must be going out of his mind," Chin said. "This is the last chance for them to get a conviction on Sinclair. If he walks this time they can't retry him."
Danny's jaw tightened. Anton Sinclair was a piece of human garbage responsible for dozens, if not hundreds, of deaths. He had no regard for human life and as soon as a person outlived their usefulness to him he ordered them killed without a second thought.
He'd run one of the largest drug and prostitution rings in Florida for many years before relocating to Hawaii eight years earlier. The Prosecuting Attorney's office had tried him multiple times on a variety of offenses but somehow he always managed to slip the noose. This was their last bite at the apple and Sinclair was pulling out all the stops to make sure he didn't get convicted.
"At least three witnesses have developed 'memory issues' and refused to testify," Danny spat out angrily. "We know that bastard Sinclair is getting to them. We just can't figure out how. Frank asked for a continuance so we could investigate and the judge turned him down flat. Says the trial starts at 9:00 AM this morning or he's dismissing all charges."
"Without Catherine there's no use in them even going forward," Chin said ruefully. "She did the bulk of the leg work on the case. She's the one who set up the sting that brought him down. Without her the prosecution has nothing."
"Actually we caught a little break there," Kono reported. "Judge Okala's daughter was in a car accident last night."
"Was it serious?" Danny asked.
"From what I hear it wasn't that big a deal at first. Serious enough to need EMTs but not life threatening. She had a few cuts and bruises and apparently one of her legs was trapped under the dash. Unfortunately for her, the first paramedics who showed up on the scene turned out to be incompetent." Kono repeated exactly what she'd been told by Frank Kaewa. "They got her free and got her out of the car but then they couldn't stop the bleeding from her leg. The judge's daughter is pregnant so the blood loss became an issue really fast. By the time another EMT team showed up and got things under control she'd gone into shock. They admitted her to the hospital and the judge is staying with her until she and the baby are out of the woods."
"Any idea how long that'll be?" Chin asked.
"Frank said a couple days at least."
"Ok then we don't have much time." Danny put aside his own personal fear for his friends' well-being and shifted into detective mode. "Chin, I want to know everything there is to know about Anton Sinclair and anyone else connected with this trial. Kono, check anyone who might have been released from prison in the last 60 days who might have a beef with either Steve, Catherine or both and track down their whereabouts for the last 24 hours. I'll start pulling case files looking for threats or anything else suspicious."
"Will do," the cousins nodded.
"Hopefully between the forensic reports and Cammie's vet report we'll get a lead on exactly how they managed to get the two of them out of here without a fight. That would be a big step towards figuring out who's behind this."
"You think they used something airborne?" Chin asked.
"Most likely." Danny said, remembering the strange odor on Cammie's coat. "But we should know more when we get the lab results."
"I'll keep the pressure on them to get it done ASAP."
Danny gave final instructions to the lead HPD officer on the scene and was ready to head out when an idea struck him. He walked quickly to the front porch and called to Kono who was just getting in her car after having been stopped by one of the evidence techs who had a few questions.
"Hey, Kono, hold up a second." He jogged over to her car and leaned in the passenger window. "Can you get me everything there is on Judge Okala's daughter's accident?"
"You think it's related?"
"I think I'm not willing to leave any stone unturned," Danny said.
"Consider it done," Kono nodded.
"Thanks. If we know one thing about Steve and Catherine it's that they're fighters. They're gonna do everything they can to either free themselves or stay alive until we find them. So let's find them fast."
When Catherine next awoke she wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, but her sense was it hadn't been very long. She opened her eyes just a smidge and noticed the sun was still shining through the crack in the curtains, albeit at a slightly lower angle.
She looked at her IV bag and saw very little had run out since Dr. Wolfert ordered his nurse to increase her sedation.
The glass of water sitting on her bedside table had droplets of condensation from the water line down indicating the contents had not yet warmed up to room temperature.
She fought hard against the brain fog that threatened to consume her as she continued to assess her surroundings. She realized that the monitor beside her bed had been beeping the same steady rhythm since she initially awoke with no variation at all.
She took deep breaths and concentrated on slowing down her heart rate.
Same steady rhythm.
She took the opposite approach and intentionally tried to get her heart rate up.
Still no change.
She held her breath.
Nothing.
It was clear the monitor was a fake. Just as she was beginning to think everything in this so-called hospital was.
She feigned sleep as she heard someone approach her door and start a conversation with the men stationed outside. They kept their volume level low but she was certain one of the voices belonged to Dr. Wolfert. She strained to decipher what was being said but it was no use. Eventually she heard a female voice and knew Nurse Penny had joined the group.
Finally, Dr. Wolfert began to move down the hall and as he passed in front of the open door Catherine was able to make out a few sentences.
"I'm going to check on the other patient," he said. "If she wakes up or gives you any trouble, double the sedation and just let her sleep."
Catherine cringed. She was barely able to maintain any coherent thought against her current level of sedation. She'd have no chance if the dosage increased.
She decided on the spot to give the appearance of cooperation until she could get a better handle on what was happening and come up with a plan of action.
As she shifted to get more comfortable she felt a little twinge high up on the inside of her left thigh. She hazarded a glance at the door and when she saw no one was looking she raised the blanket slightly, lifted the hem of her hospital gown and looked at the painful area.
When her eyes landed on a small bite shaped bruise she froze.
Instantly she was back at home, in bed with Steve, the night after Halloween. He was nibbling playfully at her thigh when someone began setting off fireworks unexpectedly. The noise made Cammie bark and made both Steve and Catherine jump. The result was a small bruise on her thigh.
Steve apologized profusely as they both had very strong feelings against marking the other's body, but Catherine laughed and said she knew it was completely unintentional and she'd just have to avoid wearing a bikini for a few days.
Judging from the looks of it, that bruise couldn't have been more than twenty-four hours old.
Suddenly Dr. Wolfert's words came back to her in a rush.
He didn't say he was going to check on another patient he said he was going to check on "the other" patient.
Steve.
It had to be.
He was somewhere in this hospital.
And she was going to do whatever it took to find him.
Steve fought to remain calm as the man who had previously identified himself as U.S. Marshal Rivera reentered his room, this time accompanied by a man dressed in scrubs and a white doctor's jacket.
Now that Steve had a chance to get another look he was certain the man wasn't a real marshal.
His weapons weren't anything Steve had ever known to be standard issue for the Marshal's Service. His badge was far too shiny. It looked as though it had never been worn before today. The ID number was also three digits too short. The man's long hair and scruffy beard may have worked if he was on an undercover assignment but it wouldn't be acceptable for a marshal guarding a high-value prisoner such as a domestic terrorist.
Nurse Kelly made her way to Steve's bedside and began to fidget with his IV as the doctor lifted his chart from the holder at the foot of the bed and began to read. He shot Kelly a reassuring look to let her know he had no intention of letting on she hadn't sedated him as ordered.
"I'm Dr. Wolfert," the man in the lab coat said. "How are you feeling today, Commander McGarrett?"
"Confused," Steve answered, allowing just a touch of anger to come through in his tone. He knew if he appeared to acquiesce completely it would raise red flags. "I want to talk to someone who can tell me what's going on."
"When the time is right Marshal Rivera can answer all your questions. For right now you need to rest," Dr. Wolfert said without raising his eyes from the chart.
"Aren't I entitled to an attorney?"
"We've notified Washington you're awake and they're making arrangements to get you counsel. It's going to take a few days," Rivera said.
"I have my own attorney. I'd like to call him," Steve volleyed back.
"I'm sorry but that just isn't going to be possible." Rivera's tone left no room for debate. "You're being held under terrorism statutes. We're getting you an attorney qualified to practice in that area. We won't be asking you to answer questions until he or she arrives."
"How can I answer any questions?" Steve growled. "I don't even know what you're talking about."
"All in good time, Commander," Dr. Wolfert interjected as he moved to the right side of the bed. "We'll see where we stand tomorrow. For right now I'm going to have Kelly bring you some dinner and then you need to sleep."
Again Steve looked reassuringly at the young nurse.
"If you have any pain during the night just let the nursing staff know and they'll call me." Dr. Wolfert reached across the bed to hand the chart to Kelly and Steve froze.
His senses were instantly on high alert.
The sleeve of the doctor's lab coat held a smell Steve would know anywhere.
Catherine's shampoo.
She was somewhere in this hospital.
He was sure of it.
And he was going to do whatever it took to find her.
End Chapter 1
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