I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Summary: Sorry for the stupid title to the story – not very creative of me! What can I say. With luck, the story will be much better. But be forewarned, the muse will take it along at will …
During a joint drug bust gone wrong with the DEA, Steve is kidnapped by the drug cartel. Escaping into the Hawaiian jungle but suffering from amnesia, he and Danny eventually take the cartel down.
* Joe Cano is a new character – a DEA Agent – introduced in my little story called "A Birthday to Remember." He's back in his most annoying way!
H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*
Chapter One
Danny was standing with his hands held high in the hot humid jungle – sweat was pouring down his back and mosquitoes were droning in his ears. He'd been hiking alone for over six full hours and he had also just found Steve after two weeks of endless searching – but he didn't dare breathe, let alone move.
To say he was surprised was an understatement. The only thing he could come up with when he stumbled over his friend and his alarming physical condition was,"Easy Steve. It's only me." Which sounded ridiculous even to his own ears.
On his own for the weekend, he had decided to check up on an obscure lead that he and Chin had uncovered just the day before. The elderly owner of an old back-road village convenience mart had possibly seen someone meeting Steve's description. Fading into the jungle, the scruffy and possibly injured man could have been Steve McGarrett, but he wasn't entirely sure. With another joint raid planned with the DEA for Monday morning, Chin had thought the foray into the jungle to be a total waste of time.
But Danny was annoyed with the DEA for other reasons, the major one being that Agent Joe Cano was involved; the man was an absolute idiot running ram shod over his peers and the public in general. He saw no reason to willingly partner again with the man or hold off on other potential leads in the meantime. So with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Danny had decided to investigate the old man's clues.
Packing enough hiking gear, food, water and a first aid kit that would make McGarret proud, Danny had taken off on his own for the day but was prepared to camp out for a week. And now he replayed Chin's disapproving words in his head as he stood stock still in front of an obviously addled McGarrett. "Waste of time Danny. He's not going to be out there, brah."
Breathing out slowly as he faced an angry, confused and well-armed Navy Seal, he muttered to himself. "Not so much after all Chin."
After such a long time of fruitless searches based on a series of false leads, Danny simply needed to try. Steve had disappeared during a botched drug bust held in conjunction with the DEA and Joe Cano's esteemed team. Danny had begun to call the DEA the "Land of Misfit Toys" in private. It seemed lately, that anything they touched was instantly contaminated and that no one had a home for them.
To that end, the proposed raid was a total mess and a side explosion in the old warehouse from drug paraphernalia had been an unforeseen distraction. No one had realized Steve was near the point of explosion and then actually missing until it was much too late.
Sweeps of the property had come up empty and just a few hours later; the demands had come in from the cartel. The DEA was to release their boss 'or else'. However, that simply wasn't the way the State, the DEA or even Five-0 worked - there would be no negotiations of hostages and no release of a federal prisoner. Period. Regardless of whom it was and the head of Five-0 was no exception. And Cano's handling of the cartel's demands was shockingly inept.
Now appalled by the sight before him, Danny's eyes were wide as he stood unmoving in the blazing heat.
"Uh, Steve?" he tried again, but his partner or the guy who used to be his partner – continued to aim the gun unwaveringly and directly at his head.
"You're a mess, buddy." Danny said quietly and in his best non-threatening voice. Filthy, battered and bruised, Steve had lost about ten pounds and was clearly on high alert. The most disturbing bruises and healing cuts were around his face and head - now paling to light greens and yellows. From the explosion or from the kidnappers Danny had no doubt they'd prove to be the source of his amnesia.
Hearing a branch crack behind him, Danny started forward and then couldn't help glancing over his shoulder to see three shadowed shapes moving purposefully towards them. Simultaneously, Steve reacted and switched from holding Danny at bay to swinging reactively towards the dark growth directly over his right shoulder.
"Down now". He roared, as he aimed his weapon now at a different target.
Almost stunned into inactivity, Danny hesitated briefly and then did as he was told hitting the ground hard. Covering his head with both arms as machine gun chatter went off all around him along with the deliberate echoing rounds fired from Steve's gun, he had no time to fumble in his backpack for his own weapon. Mere seconds later, he was hauled to his feet and pushed roughly in front of his friend and deeper into the jungle.
"Move. Run." Used to following Steve's urgent demands without question, Danny kept a firm hold of his pack and took off or rather, allowed himself to be propelled through the dense undergrowth with the sounds of sporadic gunfire following. But he only got a few yards when a jolt took him off his feet. Rolling, he landed on his stomach with a hard oomph and a yelp of pain as a bullet took out his left leg. Blinking furiously, Danny lay there bewildered as the air was completely knocked out of him. But then Steve was yanking him up again and throwing an arm over his own shoulder.
Adrenalin at an all time high, the two ran on – Danny just intent on moving, but Steve with a definite goal in mind – the small and well hidden cave behind the waterfall.
Slowing to check on the progress of their pursuers, Steve didn't look at the man he was virtually carrying now through the heavy undergrowth. In fact, he didn't know why he even had bothered to stop and 'help' the guy when his enemies had snuck up on him so quickly.
Looking every bit like a hiker, Steve had been baffled when the man called out "Steve!" and then had tried to approach him. Laughing and seemingly very happy, the hiker's attitude instantly alarmed him and he'd pulled his gun out demanding that the stranger stay where he was. The resulting crushed and bewildered expression was equally perplexing, but Steve had been unrelenting and hadn't allowed the unknown hiker to move a muscle.
He had been unsure of what to do next with the man until the unexpected enemies showed up. Something had triggered in his head – something about leaving no one behind – something about this guy being familiar – maybe even a friend. And so he had automatically grabbed the hiker up during the momentary lull in the gunfire.
He'd been avoiding the drug cartel for days now – with no memory of who he even was, Steve was living off the land and hiding deep in the jungle. He didn't even know why his enemies were chasing him or who they represented. He had escaped their small enclave just two days after awakening in a cell-like shed. Only knowing that he was in dire trouble from his captors, he'd wasted no time in breaking out. But with nowhere to go and no memory of what had happened, he'd stuck to the jungle. Easily adapting, he found a natural ease in the solitude and an inherent ability to protect himself.
The guy he was dragging was small but fit, and his harsh breathing was loud as he gamely struggled on and tried to help Steve as much as possible. But he was losing a lot of blood, in obvious pain and becoming a liability.
"Keep up." Steve hissed angrily, as he readjusted the arm over his shoulder.
"Trying .. moron .. " Danny wheezed. Eyes dimming, he had questions. So many questions, but with Steve's odd behavior, they'd all have to wait.
"Where you been?" he asked lamely as they continued their aggressive push forward. "What happened to you?"
Looking down finally at the now very pale and wounded man, Steve frowned, shook his head and kept them moving forward at a vicious pace. About twenty minutes later, and pausing one last time, he looked deeply into the trees and was satisfied when he saw no one. Bending low, he pulled Danny through a small opening in the trees and between an outcropping of rocks that led behind a loudly crashing waterfall. The space behind could be classified as a cave if you used imagination. The space was big enough for three people, very damp, and had a ceiling that sloped down to end about twenty or so feet back from the torrential waters.
"You're a total mess, Steven". Danny repeated once again as he was unceremoniously dumped to the ground. But still busy making sure they hadn't been followed, Steve was jittery and on edge. Pacing, he was alternating between peering out through the sheets of water gushing down from the falls and glaring at Danny who lay panting and groaning at his feet.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled down at the hiker, who was clutching the heavily bleeding wound in his upper thigh.
"Oh god." Danny whispered as he weakly lay back heavily on the damp ground. It was dark in the cave, but not too dark to see. The sheets of water hid them quite well from anyone's prying eyes. Looking around painfully, Danny could tell that Steve had been there for quite some time. Likely for the last two weeks – the two weeks he'd been missing.
"We've been looking for you everywhere." Danny panted, and he pulled himself up with every intent of rummaging through his own backpack for the first aid kit.
"Hey." He moaned as Steve pulled it sharply from his hands. "I need to stop this bleeding."
Without responding, Steve stalked to the far side of the damp cave and dumped the entire pack's contents out onto the ground. Shaking out everything, he poked around and then organized things quickly.
Food and water on one side, med kit and then extra gear. But Danny's gun wound up in the back of his pants, as did his cell phone and badge after each was thoroughly examined. Frowning at the picture of the little girl on the cell phone, Steve looked warily at Danny and then thumbed the device entirely off.
"Steve, come on." Danny finally pleaded as he gripped his leg with both hands. "At least the med kit, buddy." Exhausted, Danny lay back again and stared at the cave's ceiling in frustration. "Crap." He muttered to himself as the room started to spin.
Looking to his left, he realized Steve had silently walked back and was standing over him with the med kit in hand. Crouching down, he studied Danny's pale and sweaty face and frowned in confusion but he slowly used the kit to care for Danny's leg.
"It's through. All the way." He said matter of factly, as he applied a tourniquet and then neatly packed and skillfully bandaged the wound. "Seems clean."
As he remained prone, Danny nodded his thanks and closed his eyes briefly. Addled or not, Steve was gentle and thorough as he stopped the bleeding.
"Thanks." Danny said quietly as he watched Steve's severe and unchanging expression. Their eyes then met briefly as they measured each other, one pair completely puzzled and the other holding an honest concern.
The next words were said more as a statement as he rocked back on his heels. But the confusion was now more apparent and Steve seemed to be considering the situation.
"You know me."
Nodding again, Danny whispered quietly as he gauged Steve's reactions carefully. "Yeah. We're partners. Police. Five-0 actually."
A multitude of emotions passed over Steve's dirty face as he took in the brief explanation. "Really." he said in what sounded like total disbelief.
"You're Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett. And a Seal too. Navy." Danny added, as he took every opportunity to shed as much light on Steve's background as possible.
"We were on a drug raid a few weeks back. Kono and Chin were there. Catherine is worried about you too." Sighing, Danny closed his eyes as he grimaced in pain. "We lost you."
Disgusted, he added out loud and more to himself. "Stupid freaking Joe Cano and his stupid DEA team."
Blinking furiously, Danny's vision was starting to swirl and darken around the edges. Turning away Steve went back to the pile of supplies and cracked open a bottled water. Searching through the med kit for pain medication, he supported Danny's back as he wordlessly handed him the two pills and motioned for him to drink the water. He then laid him gently back down, using the empty pack as a pillow to elevate his neck and head.
"And you?" Steve prompted quietly, frowning again as if searching hard for a word that was on the tip of his tongue. But then he stammered and shook his head as he pulled out Danny's cell phone from his back packet. Turning it on, he waited for the picture of Grace to light up the screen. "No. No wait."
Facing the picture towards Danny, he tapped the screen. "Danno? What's a Danno?" Grimacing, he shook his head with an exasperated expression. "No. That can't be right."
Closing his eyes with some relief, Danny leaned back and chuckled. "Yeah, that'd it be me. That's my daughter Gracie and your Uncle Steve to her." Upset, he couldn't help mumbling to himself. "God, I can't believe we are having this conversation right now."
Feeling more tired by the minute, Danny kept his eyes closed until he felt himself fading. Snapping his eyes open in alarm, he searched Steve's face with an honest appeal.
"Anything familiar?" Danny said hopefully. "Because truthfully, Steve. I'm really tired." Voice failing and darkness starting to tug at him, Danny reached towards the hand holding the cell phone.
And slowly Steve allowed him to take it. Smiling as he looked at her image, he gave it back as he felt his hand drop pathetically on its own.
"Grace." He whispered softly, as he lost consciousness.
"Danno." Steve muttered to himself as if trying it on for size. Checking the man's pulse and then making sure the tourniquet was alright, he sat down cross-legged on the ground next to him.
Thumbing through the photos on the cell phone, he remained extremely quiet. One picture in particular held his attention for many minutes. Studying it closely, it was plain to see that someone else had taken it. The image included himself, this Danno and the child he now knew as Grace. The three were happily smiling and laughing together on the beach. Grace was between the two men and giggling as she held a shave ice that was dripping everywhere.
Startled by a very strong emotion, Steve couldn't take his eyes off of the picture. Looking down to Danny's face and then back to the cell phone he gasped from the shock of it.
"Danny!" Nearly dropping the phone, he did finally toss it aside to recheck Danny's pulse and sluggishly bleeding wound. As he began to remember bits and pieces, Steve's breath caught as he realized a number of things.
He was indeed Steve McGarrett, he had been missing for a number of days and the wounded man in front of him was no hiker. It was his friend, maybe his best friend and Danny had been looking for him desperately.
He still had no idea about a Joe Cano or a DEA partnership but now his friend – Danny Williams – Danno, was injured. They were fairly deep in the Hawaiian jungle with no cell phone signal and night was falling fast.
"Oh my god." Steve breathed out, as he rubbed his face in dismay.
Tapping his cheeks and then gently bathing his warm face with material soaked with some of the bottled water, Steve tried to rouse his friend to no avail.
"Hey, Danny. I'm sorry. God I'm so sorry." Steve choked out. "Danno, I remember."
~ to be continued ~