I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Note: DEA Agents Joe Cano and Girardi are OC's established in my previous stories. Especially in "A Birthday to Remember" and "Amnesia" where no love was lost between Five-0 and Joe Cano.
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Chapter Two – The Deep End
There was total silence in the bull-pen when Steve laid out the directive given to them by Governor Denning to once again team with the local DEA offices. Danny's unease was most palpable as the announcement was made and Steve presented the high level information provided to him thus far.
He had expected the general response from his own team since he had the same personal reaction in the Governor's office.
"You're kidding, right?" Steve's comment was not exactly professional, but it was honest and Denning had given him a wry, understanding smile.
"I'm serious. Very serious." Meaning the combined DEA, HPD and Five-0 forces, Denning had added. "They're hammering us with activity .. trying to distract and divide our energies. This would be the third major drug deal with a very determined faction of the Yakuza." The Governor slid a thumb drive of the schematics and most current files of the DEA's intelligence across his desk. "I'd like to damage the Yakuza to the fullest extent possible - and wherever possible."
Steve considered the rampant activities and knew that Denning's words rang true. The activities of the factions had been escalating and were relentless. The DEA numbers were limited and torn; both HPD and Five-0 should be assisting whenever called upon.
"Bobby Girardi will be calling to setup a more formal meeting with you. But review and share this with your team as a pre-read of sorts. These are warehouse schematics and particular intel they are sharing with us."
Steve finally had accepted the thumb drive grudgingly and couldn't help an adamant sarcastic remark. "I hope there's been a few changes over there. I need to protect my own people …"
Stayed by the Governor's knowing hand, Steve didn't have the opportunity to finish his statement. "I understand and agree with your concerns. And we did discuss it." Denning leaned back in his chair before continuing with a further explanation.
"Cano may be part of the larger DEA team, but he's been demoted. According to Girardi, the DEA has acknowledged and has taken full responsibility for that man's actions. He endangered his own team, Danny and then of course, Kono. So while yes, you may be exposed to him during this mission … Cano has zero decision-making authority and will not have a primary role."
But Steve's own team was not confident in that information as he presented it to them and plugged in the thumb drive to their smart table. He was surprised when Chin was the first to break the awkward silence and adamantly voice his concerns.
"I don't like it. And I don't trust it." Chin was disgusted as he simultaneously rolled through the files on the thumb drive and blatantly disagreed with their orders.
"They've proven themselves to be an illicit bunch and while Girardi's a decent guy, our experiences have obviously been problematic."
"Painful I'd say." The not so quiet remark was ruefully made by Kono as she unconsciously ran her fingers over her temple and into her hair where she'd been creased so many months ago.
Glancing once towards Danny who was still remaining queerly silent, Steve sighed as he brought their attention back to the warehouse schematics.
"Agreed and understood. But we have our marching orders and will manage not only our part with the Yakuza, but also our interactions with the DEA with the utmost diligence."
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Cano's glee was in over-drive when he left the office a few hours earlier than planned with the excuse of needing to get to a doctor's appointment. He patiently explained to Girardi that he would be back within the hour since the appointment was close to the office - and after all, it would be his last official checkup of sorts.
But in reality, Girardi had told his team that he'd be meeting with Five-0 the next afternoon to review preliminary plans for their newest joint mission. Cano was anxious in his need to run a newly conceived and very important personal errand.
"An appetizer of sorts." He whispered out loud to himself as he slammed his car door. "A teaser. Something to get the blood going."
His new idea was foreboding and done simply out of sheer spite. With his access to a multitude of computer systems and records, Cano still had his own open files on Danny Williams and his family. When the office was virtually deserted during lunch, he'd sent a picture of Grace Williams to his cell phone and confirmed the time. The available information on their Five-0 peers was nothing new that the DEA hadn't had rights to in the past. But Cano's use of it now was definitely out of the ordinary and would provide him with a resource to plant an ominous threat.
Wearing a nondescript but expensive windbreaker, dark aviator sunglasses and a neatly emblazoned military baseball cap, he adopted a severe limp as he entered a local florist. Purchasing two yellow roses, he parked near the school and chose one flower. He then limped his way to Sacred Heart and waited for school to be let out for the afternoon. Brazenly, he stood slightly hunched near two mothers who were also waiting for their children and smiled warmly at them acting for all he was worth like a proud grandfather.
"I'm here to see my grand-daughter." Cano chuckled and brandished the pretty yellow flower in their faces.
"It's a surprise you see." Acting harmless and doddering, Cano was convincing and soon had the two women gushing about the lovely gesture.
"But I can't stay .. family issues .. you see." The women frowned unhappily on his behalf and one even gently laid her hand on his arm in sympathy.
"That's so sad …" She stressed with tears in her voice. "Just so very very sad for you and your grand-daughter."
A few minutes later, Cano spotted Grace Williams and doggedly intercepted her before she could make it down the stairs.
"For you dear Grace." Cano said softly as Grace briefly hesitated and then accepted the yellow rose with a confused expression. Tapping the brim of his cap, he patted her once on the head and limped away sadly with shoulders hunched for the benefit of anyone watching and in the total opposite direction of his car.
As she held the flower and watched the man walk away, Grace stood for a minute on the stairs before shrugging and running off to her mother's car. Having just pulled up, Rachel was on the phone and had missed the brief exchange with Cano, but smiled when she saw the rose in Grace's hand.
"That's pretty." Assuming she'd got it in school for some reason, Rachel was still on the phone and she mouthed the words to Grace as she got in the back seat. But Grace didn't have time to say anything about the rose or the stranger since her mother was still on the call and already driving away. Sticking the rose in the side of her backpack so it peeked out from a pocket, the yellow flower would essentially be completely forgotten until the next day.
The two women who had been talking to Cano grimaced sadly as they witnessed the very heartbreaking family situation that seemed to happen right in front of their eyes.
"Such a shame!" One whispered to the other as they watched Cano step away from Grace and leave in a forlorn shuffle down the sidewalk.
"He's such a lovely gentleman."
~ to be continued ~
