A/N: Good Afternoon Everyone! Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
Here is Chapter Two, it's got a lot of filler in it, but it needs it. Hope you like the picture of the cowboys I'm painting!
Enjoy!
Chapter 2: What Cha Gonna Do About It?
Danny and Steve spun around at the sound of the double glass doors opening to their office and what they saw surprised them greatly.
Walking in, flanked by George Snelling and Kawika, was Gloria Robinson – looking disheveled and upset. Her face was red with anger but her movements said more of fear and fatigue. It was a look Steve and Danny hadn't seen on the usually calm and cheerful rancher for quite some time.
"Glow, what happened? Don't you have a tour this morning?" Danny asked as he rushed forward to the woman who shook her head.
"They stole my horses!" Gloria yelled and threw up her hands. She stomped her feet and breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down, but it wasn't working. It was all she could do before she burst into tears. "My poor horses," She sobbed and was held up by Kawika and George.
"Whoa. Calm down. Tell us exactly what happened." Steve said as calmly as he could as Danny reached out and took Gloria into his arms.
"Gloria, Juanita and their school tour were ambushed and their wagon was stolen." Kawika spoke angrily knowing how upset Gloria had been when she had made the frantic calls to help out to her farm.
"Who steals a wagon?" George Snelling huffed as the anger was present in him as well.
"Was anyone hurt?" Steve asked in shock.
"No, the kids are all fine and their teacher is fine. Juanita is a little shaken up and Gloria is pissed, but otherwise, they got away lucky," George answered.
"Lucky, they stole Lilo and Stitch!" Gloria stated in shock. "We're not fine! Those two horses are like my family. I raised them both. They were born on my ranch. Take the wagon, the crops, hell, take all the water in the world but leave my horses, my babies, out of this. Lilo and Stitch are big softies. They don't have the disposition for this and they can't stand up for themselves. They may be huge quarter horses but they're kitten compared to most. The gentlest, most calm…they are out there all alone and frightened – I know it. You have to save them!"
"We'll get on this right away but you need to tell us what happened." Danny said softly as he continued to hold her.
"The tour had started. We were halfway between my place and George's with the forest on one side and the horses got spooked. I should have sped up and took off but I slowed down to see what had gotten my two most reliable horses on edge and then we were ambushed. Six men, all in army camouflage and wearing bandanas over their noses and mouths jumped out from the reserve side and told us to get off the wagon. They then told us to run back and they took off back into the reserve with my babies!" Sighing sadly and reaching out for the chair that Steve offered to Gloria, she sat and shook her head. "Those two were born on my farm at the same time. It was a miracle and I raised them to take over for my other horses that were getting to old. Now they're gone and there is nothing I can do to help them."
"We'll figure this out, Glow, I promise," Danny said softly. "If anyone is going to be able to find them, it's Steve and I, and we'll head out right away."
"We know that forest reserve pretty well now. We'll get your horses back in no time." Steve added optimistically
"Yeah," Danny said and nodded his agreement with Steve as Kono and Chin walked into the office.
"Saddle up. We're heading back to the forest reserve!" Steve stated and before they could ask any questions Kono and Chin spun on their heals and headed back out of the office.
"I'm so sorry you guys. I know you're busy." Gloria sobbed as she braced herself on Kawika's arm but followed Five-O all the same.
"We're never too busy to help a friend, and this is not what should be happening to you anymore." Danny stated as anger flashed in his eyes. "This is not our way and whoever thinks they can do this is in for a rude awakening. Come on Steve, we have work to do."
5-0
Gloria, George and Kawika followed the Five-Os out of their HQ and all the way back to Gloria's farm. HPD were already on the scene when they arrived and we still talking with Juanita. The school children had been released and taken back to their school for counseling and pick up, but their statements had been taken and all accounts of the encounter had turned out to be exactly how Gloria had retold them.
"We found them." Gloria announced to the HPD officers that stood around waiting.
"She wouldn't let us do anything until you got here." Duke Lukela said as Danny and Steve climbed out of the Camaro. "We could have handled this but Gloria insisted that it be handled by people familiar with her property."
"Thanks a lot Duke. We'll take it from here." Danny said and smiled kindly before he walked onward – following Gloria up to the barn.
"I want to get all the horses inside. This was too close to home. I can't risk anymore. I am going to round up my horses and my cattle and as much as I hate locking them up, I'm going to have to." Gloria explained and then coloured slightly. "I could use some help though."
"We're here for you," George said with a nod. "I might not be a cattle man but I can bring a horse in from its pen."
"I can too," Kawika nodded his agreement.
"And round up won't be hard." Danny stated and with a nod to his partner Steve was ready to saddle up.
"I can't let you do the round up, D. I have to have you out hunting. I need to know that my best men are out there. You have to go out after my horses. I got round up under control if I can have Chin and Kono. You and Steve have to get out to the forest."
"It's more along my lines of expertise," Steve said optimistically and nodded as Danny turned to his partner for confirmation.
"Alright, but I'm not coming back till I find those horses. This could take a long time so someone is going to have to pack us up for an all-nighter. I have to make a few calls, make sure someone can get Grace for me, and then my attention is all on you and this crisis."
"I'll saddle up the horses, and make sure we have everything we need for an impromptu camping trip." Steve nodded. "I'm pretty sure I have everything we are going to need in the truck of your car." He added with a wink.
"I wouldn't be surprised." Danny said and then sighed and walked out of the barn as everyone moved quickly to accomplish the tasks that Gloria had set out for them.
5-0
With an hour put behind them and the afternoon spreading out before them, Danny put all of his affairs in order and then walked back into the stable to find Steve already dressed down in his cowboy gear and bullet proof vest, and ready with two awaiting horses – Kaulike and Target.
"Come on partner, we're loosing daylight!" Steve stated as on edge as his young horse.
This was to be the first time Steve would take Kaulike out on a mission. The training and the partnership between horse and rider had been coming along well but Kaulike was young and inexperience, and so was Steve.
"Hold on," Danny sighed and moved toward the locker room with his vest slung over his shoulder. "You're not going to get anywhere fast with that kind of attitude, besides, Chin isn't back with the guns yet."
"I forgot to pack the shotguns – how stupid of me."
"I didn't think we'd need them either." Danny said and then disappeared into the locker room.
Steve, in his anxiety, began pacing the length of the barn as he waited for Danny to be ready. Steve was ready, or rather he believed himself ready, with a rope slung at his hip, all of his tracking experience with the SEAL in his arsenal, and his horse ready to go. He was sure he could keep up with Danny, the Kahuna Cowboy, but at the same time he was nervous. He knew that all his work had made him a good rider. All his attention to his new horse had solidified their partnership, but Danny was still telling him to find his patients and that made him even more impatient – it made Kaulike impatient as well.
Danny finally came out of the locker room dressed from head to toe in black. His vest was visible over a long sleeved back button down shirt. On one hip were his service weapon and his badge, and on the other a rope – coiled perfectly. He placed a black Stetson on his head as Chin walked into the barn once more carrying two gun cases.
"Here you go sheriff." Chin smiled and handed the guns to Danny.
Danny rolled his eyes as Gloria came into the barn with a bundle and a floppy eared blood hound.
"Provisions for the two of you while you're out there," Gloria said and handed Steve the bundle. "And you're going to take Remington. He's been round those horses since he was a pup. He knows their scent. He'll lead you right to them." She added but there was sadness and a fatigue in her eyes that was unnatural to the usually vibrant woman.
"We'll find them." Danny stated as he swung the riffle over his shoulder and it rested across his back like a quiver. "And we'll bring them back." He said as he rested his hands on Gloria's shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"I know you will," Gloria said and sighed with tears in her eyes, "but I'm afraid of how."
"If anything happened to those horses, there will be hell to pay. I promise." Danny stated and with a quick glance at Steve he unhooked Target from the prep area and headed out of the barn with the blood hound at his heals.
"Here's what we're gonna do," Danny said out loud once he and Steve were out of the barn and away from all the eyes and ears that had been following them. "We're going to ride out to the spot where we know that the ambush took place and then we are going to head into the forest reserve and let Remington do his work. I contacted Catherine and she's monitoring the area for heat signatures. She'll call you on your satellite phone if she finds anything."
"What do you think we're going to find?" Steve asked as he quickly mounted his horse.
"We have no idea why they wanted those horses. For all we know they could be dead. The last thing I want to find is a dead horse, do you hear me Steven, but if it's not that then what could it be? Worst case scenario is we are ambushed ourselves."
"We have plenty of firepower." Steve smirked.
"Against military men?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"I'm sorry if I can't be as optimistic in the situation."
"It's alright; we'll get to the bottom of this." Steve said confidently and followed as Danny led the way out to the trails.