I must say I'm blown away by the response to the short little teaser that was chapter 1.

Thank you all so much for your kind words. You have no idea what it means to me that so many of you took the time to write a review. Also a thank you to everyone I couldn't respond to because they didn't sign in. I also appreciate all the people who didn't leave a review. And I like to encourage everyone who reads a story to leave a few words. Constructive criticism is more than welcomed. So, if you liked something, or didn't, for that matter, let the writers know. I know I am always grateful to hear from you. And I'm sure most others are too.

I won't have much time on Thursday, so you'll get the chapter today. Besides it's almost Thursday at my place anyway.

One more thing and we're almost done with the A/N.

Just a quick note to a guest reviewer about Danny being the second in command. We don't have an official statement that says that Danny is, in fact, the second in command. So your guess is as good as mine. We all just assume that Danny is Steve's second in command, but we don't know it.

One question though, what kind of logic is it that Chin wasn't a cop when Five-0 was founded, therefore, he can't be second in command? Excuse me? Steve wasn't a cop either; he still isn't, and he never will be. But despite that he is the boss of all of them.

And it's a simple fact that Chin, as a Police Lieutenant outranks Danny, the Police Detective. I base my assumption that Chin will be the 'outward' boss simply on rank. And on the fact that in episode 2.20 (the Max Bergman one) Max asks him to reopen the case. And it is Chin, who makes that decision. In my opinion, Danny is the unofficial boss during Steve's absence, but in the hierarchy of Five-0, it is Chin.

But quite frankly, it is really not important. So, calm down and enjoy the ride… or not.


Treason – Chapter 02 - Getting started

Navy Brig, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

Steve has never felt this humiliated in his entire life. Yes, he has been through this process before when he was arrested for the murder of Governor Jameson. But that had been very different. Back then he was still treated with respect, now… not so much.

He is escorted into an empty room and is left alone for a few minutes. Behind a huge window in the wall to the right Steve can see a doctor's office. He knows that he has to go through a physical before he can be further processed and get to a cell. It's part of the booking process.

A short time later four guards, armed with tasers and batons, enter and take position in the four corners of the room. Two more people enter, and one look at their gloved hands doesn't bode well.

"Commander, we're going to take the cuffs off now, and we advise you not to try anything," one of them tells Steve.

Steve looks at the guards and he is sure they are just waiting for him to even blink the wrong way. He nods to the man in front of him and has no intention of making his situation any worse.

The cuffs are taken off and he massages his sore wrists. He can already see some swelling and redness, they had been very tight. Steve watches the two unarmed guys stepping back and wonders what's going to happen next.

"Take off your clothes, Commander. Start with your boots and socks," the one who is dangling the handcuffs is telling him.

Steve complies without saying a word. He crouches down and unties the laces on his boots. A moment later he stands barefoot on the cold tiles.

"Now take the rest off."

Steve takes his time removing first his button down shirt and then the tee. Next the pants find their way onto the growing pile of his clothes.

"All of your clothes, McGarrett," the guard tells him and motions to his briefs.

Steve reluctantly complies with that order as well. He is standing in front of the guards just like the day he was born and waits for further instructions.

"Turn around and put your hands behind your back."

"What?" Steve doesn't believe his ears. They want to cuff him again? Cuffing him while being naked and processed is against Navy protocol.

"Turn around, Commander. I'm not telling you again."

"Why?" Steve looks at the four guards taking a step closer, "Whoa, guys, hold up…" Steve raises his hands to show that he has no intention of getting into any trouble with them.

Unfortunately one of them doesn't see it that way and interprets Steve's raised arms as an attack. Or maybe he is just trigger happy, one will never know. But it makes no difference to Steve.

"Arghhhh," Steve falls down immediately after three darts from the Taser gun embed in his naked flesh. His knees contact hard with the unforgiving floor and all his muscles contract painfully, rendering him helpless. He's lying on the floor, still twitching when his arms are twisted behind his back. One of the guards kneels on Steve's bare back and presses his head down with the baton while the other refastens the cuffs tightly around his wrists.

Next he is roughly flipped onto his back, his shoulders and wrists screaming in protest when his weight lands on them. The three darts are ripped out of his thigh and belly with one tug, after they had been pushed deep into his flesh when he was pressed into the floor. He can feel something warm trickle down onto the floor.

Steve feels completely exposed and sick to his stomach, his head aches mercilessly from being forcibly pushed onto the tiles. After hitting the table at HQ and now the deck, he feels dizzy and his vision is slightly graying. From a great distance he hears a loud voice.

"What the hell is going on here?" Lt. Phil Denver comes into the room and after seeing the naked bleeding man on the floor with four guards standing ready to pounce on him again, takes charge immediately. "Petty Officer, explain this right now! Why is the commander cuffed and injured?"

"We were just getting him ready for the medical examination, he was combative, so we had to subdue him," the petty officer in charge tells the lieutenant.

"You are aware that this room has video surveillance and I could take a look at what really happened? You want to try that explanation again?" Denver motions to two of the guards and gives his next orders. "Help the commander to his feet, and take those handcuffs off. Right now!"

The two sailors are quick to follow the order, and it only takes a minute for Steve to be back on his feet. And to be free of the handcuffs. Steve is handed boxer shorts and a tee shirt.

"Commander, are you alright? Do you need help to get dressed?" Lt. Denver, asks with worry in his voice. He is the doctor who Steve is supposed to see for the mandatory physical examination before even getting near a cell.

"Ah… no, I'm good," Steve feels a bit shaky but has no problem putting on the boxers and a tee. "Thank you."

"Commander, do you want to press charges? I won't tolerate any abuse of detainees on my watch," Lt. Denver tells Steve and looks at the four guards and the petty officer, who he will discipline later.

"No… it was just a misunderstanding," Steve knows it wouldn't be in his best interest to press charges. If they have video footage, he is sure there will be consequences anyway. After all he didn't attack anyone.

"Very well. Petty Officer, take Commander McGarrett to the exam room."

"Yes, Sir."

Steve is led to the adjoining room and told to sit on the examination bed in the middle of the room. He does and looks down at the already slightly blood soaked boxers. The three puncture wounds are not just bleeding, but they also smart. He looks around for something to put on the still bleeding wounds, but there is nothing that is not under lock and key. So he just sits on the gurney-like bed and waits for the doctor to come back.

His head still hurts, but he's not dizzy or sick anymore. Steve has the suspicion that the ill feeling from before had more to do with the situation than with a head injury.

A minute later Lt. Denver enters and it's clear that he obviously had a few words with the guards. "Petty Officer, you can wait outside now. I'll call you when we're done."

"Sir, but…"

"That will be all, Petty Officer." It was clear that this was not open for discussion.

"Yes, Sir. I'll be right outside."

Steve watches the guard leave and wonders what to expect next.

"Commander, I'm sorry for how you were treated. We're all a little on edge, just yesterday a guard was seriously injured by a prisoner. That is no excuse for what happened to you, but I want you to know that is not the norm."

"I understand," Steve tells the doctor, and he really means it. He does understand. They only received the information a former SEAL is being brought in for crimes against the country…their country. They only saw a traitor who betrayed everything they stand for. It's clear to him that he can't expect any sympathy, not from them and not from anyone else in the brig.

"Now let's take a look at those bleeding wounds first," Lt. Denver motions for Steve to lay down and gets the needed supplies out of a locked cabinet. "I'm sorry, but I think it's best to take the soaked underwear off, I'll give you something clean to wear when we're done."

It only takes ten minutes for Steve to be patched up and dressed back in clean clothes. The doctor did a pretty good job and now Steve is sporting a 3 by 3 inch band-aid on his lower belly and a lovely bandage around his upper thigh. The two darts that hit him there did quite a bit of damage. A lot more damage than on his belly. The two puncture wounds are deep and were still bleeding when Phil Denver cleaned them. The big one he closed with two stitches. The most damage was probably done when the darts were ripped out.

"You have quite a bruise on your temple, that didn't happen just now. What happened?" the doctor asks as he takes a closer look at Steve's head injury. "Please follow my finger."

"I hit my head this morning," Steve tells the doc as he follows his instructions.

"You're having a little trouble focusing. Do you have double, or blurry vision?" Denver asks as he gets a penlight out.

"No, not anymore. I feel fine."

"Hmm, I doubt that. But I'll let it slide. You don't present the classic symptoms of a concussion but a look at your eyes tells me enough. Your reaction is very slow and you can't focus. That is enough for me to send you to the infirmary for observation. That means no interrogation until I declare you fit for it. You can have your lawyer visit though."

"I haven't called JAG yet," Steve informs Lt. Denver.

"Why not?"

"I haven't been granted a phone call yet. But they will be informed anyway, I don't have to call them." Steve knows that someone from JAG should be here soon. It's not like he's accused of a petty crime. With espionage and treason he will probably face the death penalty, or at least life in prison. But he knew the risks from the beginning.

"Okay. You have any questions, Commander?"

"No. I know what to expect next. Thank you for helping me."

"I will see you again tomorrow. Good luck, Commander."

Steve only nods at him. He watches him leave and a minute later two guards enter. They bring him a jumpsuit and shoes. Well, at least it's not orange this time, Steve thinks as he takes the light blue suit and matching shoes.

Five minutes later he is fully dressed again and led out of the doctor's office to be escorted to the next station in his journey of becoming an inmate.

H50 – H50 – H50

Five-0 Headquarters

Detective Danny Williams has been pacing ever since the beginning of his held call with the governor. Which means he's been pacing around the smart table for over five minutes now.

"Danny! Stop it. You're driving me nuts. Stop running around," Kono speaks up for the second time since he started his wandering around the table.

"I just need to do something. Why the hell isn't he taking our call? What's more important than the fact that the head of Five-0 was arrested?" Danny is getting impatient, the waiting is getting on his nerves.

"Detective Williams?" Governor Denning's voice can be heard over the speaker phone.

"Sir, thank you for taking my call" Danny says, but rolls his eyes at the same time. "Sir, you're on speaker with Officer Kalakaua and Lt. Kelly."

"That's good. Detective I just got off the phone with Captain Rodgers. He was not willing to give me many details, but told me that they have overwhelming evidence against Commander McGarrett."

"Evidence of what, Sir?"

"That he has been meeting with known terrorists several times in the last seven months. The last such meeting happened this weekend 10 miles north of Oahu. They have surveillance pictures and audio tapes of the meeting. Commander McGarrett will be charged with treason for selling highly sensitive information to an enemy of the United States."

"Sir, that is ridiculous. Steve would never do something like that," Danny tells the Governor with conviction. He knows his friend. "Sir, Commander McGarrett would never betray his country, his uniform or his honor. He has fought for years for this country, Sir, he is not a traitor. Never."

"Detective… Danny… it honors you that you believe so strongly in your friend. But the captain assured me that their evidence will hold in court without any doubt. I… I don't believe the commander is guilty until it is proven. As long as that doesn't happen he will remain my head of the task force. I'm sure McGarrett arranged for one of you to be in charge during his absence?"

"Yes, Sir, he did."

"Good. I expect to hear from you."

"Yes, Sir, of course. As soon as I talk to McGarrett," Danny assures the Governor to keep him informed.

After a quick goodbye Danny looks at Chin and Kono, "Do you believe any of that?"

"No, I don't. But we should look at what they have against him. Maybe he was set up," Chin doesn't believe Steve would betray his country, but he's also sure the Navy wouldn't act without evidence.

"We need to talk to McGarrett. Danny, you should call Catherine. Maybe she knows something," Kono suggests. "And we should probably tell Doris."

"Cath is not here, she's at a seminar in San Diego. Steve told me she will be back on Wednesday. He didn't want to admit it, but he's been missing her big time the last week." Danny has to smile despite the situation when he thinks about his partners 'not-girlfriend'. "I'll call his mom after I talk to Steve."

"Okay. While you go to the Naval base, Kono and I will see if we can 'investigate' Steve."

"No, Chin. You can't. We still have a job to do. We need to finish up the bank job first. You talk to the bank people again, I'll catch up with you after I talk to Steve. Let's finish that up and then we can concentrate on this mess," Danny doesn't like it, but they are still Five-0 and they have to finish their current case first.

H50 – H50 – H50

Two hours later Danny is still not any closer to seeing his friend. When he arrived at the Navy Brig he was told that he couldn't talk to Commander McGarrett since he was just then being processed.

"Detective Williams?" A young lieutenant calls from behind the counter that is closed off from the waiting room by thick glass walls.

"Yes, that's me," Danny stands from his uncomfortable chair and walks over to the counter to talk to the lieutenant again. "Can I see Commander McGarrett now?"

"I'm sorry, Sir. I just received the information that Commander McGarrett was transferred to the infirmary. Visitors are not allowed in there."

"What? Why is he in the infirmary? He was okay when he left the office and brought here. What the hell happened?"

"I don't know, Detective. It seems that there was an incident where he was injured. It says here that he is allowed to see his lawyer. If you like I can ask if you could see him as well?"

"Yes, please can you do that? I would really appreciate it," Danny tells the lieutenant.

"Okay, it might take a while though."

"Thank you."

Danny makes his way back over to the row of seats and sits back down. He has to wait another hour until he is finally allowed to see his friend. It's been almost seven hours since Steve was arrested at HQ.

Danny is led through various hallways until they reach what looks like a small hospital wing. His 'guard' stops in front of the second door on the left. "You are not allowed to have any physical contact. You are also not allowed to give anything to the prisoner. And your visit will be monitored. Any questions?"

"No."

"You have five minutes," the guard tells Danny as he unlocks the door.

H50 – H50 – H50

Steve looks up when the door is opened and is not happy to see Danny. He was hoping that Danny would not be allowed to see him. Well, now he has to deal with it.

"Danny. How did you manage to get in here?" Steve asks as his friend steps closer to the bed Steve is sitting on.

"They gave me five minutes. What happened, are you okay?" Danny looks at the dark bruise that has formed on the side of his partner's head.

"I'm okay. Did you talk to Denning?"

"Yeah, he said you're still the boss until you're found guilty. Steve, we will find out who is framing you. We will get the people who set you up," Danny assures his friend.

"Danny, don't. Listen to me." When he has Danny's undivided attention, Steve looks him in the eyes. "Please don't get involved. You will only get in trouble."

"What the hell are you talking about? Of course we're involved. We will clear your name, Steve. And we won't rest until we find out who set you up," Danny tells his friend.

"Danny… I was not set-up."

"What?"

"You heard me," Steve tells him softly.

"What do you mean?"

"That I'm guilty as charged. Of espionage and treason."

H50 – H50 – H50


Thank you all for reading. So, any guesses about what the heck is going on? ;-)

Next chapter will be up next week. Until then...