I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: Post E Malama. Season 1 Episode 16. Housing Commissioner Bruce Hoffman goes after Danny with a vengeance after Danny threatens him over the Stan issue. Hiring professionals to first obtain Stan's tapes which Danny now has and then to dispose of Danny.

NOTES: this chapter should answer a ton of questions. I'm working on hard on it - I hope you like it! Be warned that if not done, I'm definitely going to be unable to do anything on the weekend (wine festival). And the muse will be tipsy!

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Chapter Four – Under the Island

Finally going to bed in her old room near four in the morning, June fell asleep immediately. Waking in the early afternoon, she stretched and stared contentedly at the ceiling for a few minutes. Smiling, she heard her mother faintly humming outside in her small flower garden.

Yawning, she made her way to the kitchen, put water on for tea and flipped the TV on for noise. As she sipped her tea on the old couch, she blandly watched a few commercials and then a quick news snippet. Recapping the week's top events, the newscaster's second blurb was about Aaron Brenner's indictment. Citing the assistance of the Five-O task force, June nearly dropped her tea when she saw McGarrett's image briefly as he and his team departed the courthouse.

"That's him!" she nearly shouted. Getting up, she ran outside to her mother and literally pulled her back into the house. Flipping channels and trying to find other updates, June finally gave up and went to her mother's computer. "Here. This is him – this is the other guy." Pointing to the article's online images, her mother could clearly see McGarrett's as she read the byline about the Five-O task force.

June was excited and relieved. "We need to see him. Can we do that?"

Nodding, Loni was already headed for the phone. "This is good June. Uncle can help. I'll call him now and see what he can do." Calling her older sister, Loni explained briefly what she needed from her sister's husband. June perked up when she heard the "Oh! He's working today then?" and as the call ended, her mother seemed slightly worried.

"Let's go now June. Get dressed." And she was on her feet quickly, old habits taking over as she reacted to her mother's requests. "Uncle is working today and we can go see him."

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Parking in front of HPD headquarters, Loni walked confidently into the offices and asked to see her brother-in-law, Duke Lukela. Sensing the tension as she watched the flurry of activity, June was uneasy as she waited next to her mother.

"Maybe we should go." June whispered and she folded and unfolded the stack of loose papers in her hands. "Uncle seems to have a big case on his hands."

But Loni was already moving towards Duke as he came out of his office. With a big hug, she quickly explained that she and June needed to speak to him privately. Frowning, Duke put his hands on Loni's shoulders gently.

"Another day, okay." He was abrupt and very distracted, as he tried to escort her out of the HPD offices. "We have a possible kidnapping and I can't take time right now. So later, Loni, please." But as he tried to walk her past the front desk, she resisted and refused to budge. Pulling her daughter forward, June mumbled and was already embarrassed by her mother's persistence. "Hi Uncle. I'm sorry …."

Ignoring them both, Loni was firm and she snagged her daughter's hand anchoring her to the spot. "June has information, Duke. It's important and it may help."

Sighing, Duke ran both hands over his face and through his thinning hair. Having been raised traditionally, he automatically respected the mystical and religious aspects of his culture. However, he wasn't entirely sure it had a place or purpose in police work and certainly not with the issues they were facing that day.

But looking at his niece's concerned face and knowing Loni wouldn't let it rest, he nodded once. "Alright, my office but this can't take too long."

Closing his door, he sat back as June hesitatingly began with her accidental meeting and resulting premonition. She then glossed over her notes and paperwork – explaining the vivid feelings and fears for the man she had bumped into. Having printed the recent news article off the internet, she pointed to McGarrett's photograph.

"He was with this man on Saturday night and he's with Five-O. It was his friend that I bumped into and he's the one in danger. Can we please talk to him so I can explain things? I don't know how else to find his friend again."

Stunned, Duke stood up from his desk. "Danny Williams?" Looking from Loni to June, he made a gut decision and was on the phone seconds later. "Steve, can you please come down to my office right now?"

Unsure of how Steve would react to the young girl and the unorthodox information, he warned them. "The man you bumped into last night - the one that you've so strongly connected with … he's part of Five-O too. His name is Detective Danny Williams." On edge, Duke continued. "He's the one we're looking for – it looks like he was kidnapped late last night."

Steve was in Duke's office just a few minutes later and staring incredulously at the young and very uncomfortable girl. She was fidgeting next to her mother and almost afraid to meet his eyes.

She also seemed vaguely familiar, but Steve couldn't place it right away. "Don't I know you?" he asked.

Interrupting and to save his niece from having to repeat herself, Duke quickly filled Steve in on why June and Loni had come to HPD. Speechless, Steve listened with growing impatience and then indicated to Duke that he needed to speak to him outside the office.

Closing the door, Duke took the brunt of McGarrett's tirade. "Yes I remember bumping into her last night. She said something odd to Danny. But are you kidding me! A psychic, Duke? You brought me down here for a psychic and her mother?"

Having learned from the lab that the blood was indeed Danny's, Steve was upset and very angry as he spoke in a loud gravelly hush. "We don't have time – I don't have time to listen to this."

June glanced nervously at her mother as she heard the furious murmur outside the office and knew they weren't welcome. "Can we go please?" June's voice shook as she heard McGarrett's voice continue to rise.

Trying to comfort her daughter, Loni shook her head no. "Trust Uncle. We'll wait." Taking the trembling hand in her own steady one, Loni insisted that they patiently remain in the office until Uncle could help.

Outside his office, Duke was almost as upset. "Steve, I'd normally agree with you. But we have nothing – absolutely nothing." He genuinely liked Danny from his first days transferred in from the mainland. And the crime scene investigation was turning up zero leads. Sighing, he pushed gently. "Just hear them out. It could help in some way. If it were anyone else other than family, I wouldn't have even seen them, let alone called you down here."

Continuing, Duke was puzzled. "And don't you find it odd – the entire circumstance last night? And today, June shows up here? She didn't know either of you and didn't know Danny was missing."

With a dark expression, Steve glared at Duke and then relented slightly. "I'll have Kono come and get them. They can speak to her about all of this." Rubbing already tired eyes, Steve was miserable as he looked into Duke's windowed office at the two women and realized that he didn't have a choice.

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Battling mixed emotions and hoping it wasn't a complete waste of time, Kono sat with June and Loni in her office. Making herself focus on the girl, she did her very best to evaluate what was presented in a serious and objective manner. As Duke had been, Kono of course was very familiar and respected cultural norms. But she was fully sure they had no usefulness in her daily work.

Feeling a need to explain, June was defensive as she introduced herself to Kono. "Listen. I'm not some weird crazy psychic with a colorful hole-in-the-wall shop." And she looked in apology to her mother. Having heard it all before, Loni remained tolerant and almost rolled her eyes.

But standing across from Kono's desk, June was serious as she tried to justify herself. "I have a college degree and a real job that I'm actually good at. I don't do things like this."

Tapping her desk and spreading June's papers across the open space, Kono nodded with appreciation. The two were about the same age and temperament and were automatically comfortable together. June was also likeable, and so Kono's smile was genuine when she replied. "Alright. I get it. So, let's go over what you have and see what we can find out."

The three reviewed June's findings for over two hours. Taking a break, Kono tried to summarize those things that could be relevant. Obviously, yes Danny had been in danger. And the level of urgency June felt seemed to indicate the "closeness" of that danger and how quickly he had disappeared. And since the blood samples matched Danny, her sense of an injury was valid. But who and why remained a mystery.

Trying to delve into the "where", Kono was frustrated. "So June, you sensed darkness and the ocean."

Nodding, June closed her eyes. "But it was dank and cold …. It smelled bad. Like old, stagnant sea water." Learning to wait, Kono said nothing. "It wasn't fresh like the real ocean and there's no breeze."

Frightened, she opened her eyes. "It's a bad place. Dark. Oppressive. It feels "heavy"." She whispered. "They left him alone … and he's scared."

Kono's stomach churned at the words and she had to pause a minute to collect her thoughts "Yeah. Okay." She softly replied. But then Loni and Kono looked at each other as they came to the same conclusion.

"Sounds like a cave, doesn't it?" Loni said quietly.

"Yeah, it does. Or even an military bunker." But Kono wasn't sure how much any of this would help Danny. If there was any validity to the assumptions, the sheer magnitude of caves and old bunkers on the island was massively overwhelming.

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Disgusted, he prepared the brown package with the Detective's badge, gun and cell phone. Noticing the dried blood on the handle of the gun, he smiled and left it for impact. Having ransacked Williams' entire place, the tape was no where to be found. The detective seemed to have a simple, day to day existence with little personal belongings and there weren't many other places to look.

Unable to find the tape, he was truly offended and it was time now for Stan Edwards to intervene. It was possible that Stan either still had the tape, or he at least knew where Williams had stashed it. And if it was in the 5-O building, then Stan would be forced to find a way to retrieve it for his client.

As he neatly sealed the box with gloved hands, he briefly thought about Williams in the sea cave, but it was Monday morning and he had things to do.

Donning the helmet and expensive sunglasses, he looked the perfect role of a courier as he put the small box in his backpack. Whistling merrily, he mounted the bike and pedaled directly to Stan Edwards' downtown offices. It was early, but the receptionist was already at the front desk and fielding phone calls.

Smiling at the helmeted young man but barely seeing him, she accepted the package and put it on the side for Mr. Edwards. Thanking her, he was out of the complex and back to his small one-room rental in minutes.

Stan got to work about an hour later and took the small box from reception. Looking at it for a moment, he saw that it had no return address and tossed it aside on his desk. Staring blankly out his fifth floor window, he was distracted and thinking about Rachel. Upset about Danny, he had done his best to calm her about his disappearance, but he was worried. In complete denial, Stan refused to believe that it had anything to do with him and Hoffman.

And Grace was oblivious for the time being and he was thankful for that. They had agreed to tell her that Danno had to work at the last minute rather than frighten the child. Unhappy but apparently understanding, Grace had gone upstairs to play quietly in her bedroom.

Sighing, Stan moved away from the window and sat down heavily in the plush leather chair. Grabbing the box, he shook it gently and heard the rattle of a few objects. Using his letter opener, he pried the tape off and lifted the lid.

"Nononono." he said in abject fear, as he saw Danny's belongings and the blood-stained revolver. Not knowing what to do, he picked up the phone and put it down without dialing three times. Unsure if he was being watched or if the phones were tapped, he wanted McGarrett but was unable to make a decision. Leaving his office, he went to the furthest conference room he could find in the building and called Rachel instead.

"Rachel. I need you to see you." Then hesitating, he immediately changed his mind. "No, no. Maybe not." Stan was flustered and pacing the room in total confusion. Hoffman had done it before and he could get to his wife and to Grace easily. And things had now obviously escalated.

"What's wrong? Stan is it Danny?" Rachel was scared as she sensed his fear and could hear the ragged breathing over the phone. Not getting an immediate reply, she decided for him. "I'm coming over now."

Entering the building at a brisk walk, Rachel kept her head down as she only briefly acknowledged the receptionist. Once in her husband's office, she burst into tears as he showed her the box. "Rachel, what should I do? I don't know what to do."

Struggling for control, she stared at Danny's badge, gun and phone and turned her all of her fury on him. "Stan, what did you do? What happened last week when Danny helped you with that so-called 'misunderstanding'? What did he do for you?"

Not waiting for an answer, she pulled out her cell phone and ignoring Stan's alarm, dialed Steve directly. In a shaky voice, she demanded that he come to Stan's offices but very discreetly. "Make sure you're alone. Make sure no one sees you. Please Steve, hurry."

Chin looked up as Steve's eyes widened while on the phone. Barely saying a word, he was only listening to whomever was speaking and then cut the connection with a curt. "Okay." Grabbing his keys, he was on his way out the door and Chin had to catch up to him at a jog.

"Steve! Wait! Who was that?"

Without pausing, he kept moving as he answered, "Rachel. Something's up at Stan's office. I need to go alone." Unsure if it were wise, Chin wanted to tag along. But Steve stopped him short and was firm. "No, she was specific. I'll call."

Heeding Rachel's warning, Steve was overly cautious as he drove downtown. Parking four blocks away, he took a winding path to Stan's complex. Pausing and searching constantly, he walked into the underground parking garage and took the freight elevator up to the floor below Stan's offices. Assured that he hadn't been seen or followed, he walked the one flight up and came face to face with Rachel in the hallway.

Surprised to see him coming out of the stairwell, she recovered quickly and took his hand to pull him quickly into her husband's office. Closing and locking the door, she wordlessly pointed to the package on Stan's desk as she once again burst into tears. By this time, Stan was sitting back at his desk and shaking uncontrollably with his head buried in his hands. Without looking up at McGarrett, he was mumbling something about it being his own fault.

A cold, hard fury seized McGarrett when he saw what the small package held and seeing the blood stained gun was more than he could take. Knowing better than to touch the box and its contents, he turned his wrath on Stan. "What did you do, Stan? What?"

Physically pulling the man up and out of his cushioned office chair, McGarrett pushed him roughly up against the wall. "This is about Hoffman and your building permits. What did Danny do for you Stan, and why?"

Pale and sweating profusely, Stan was limp and defenseless in Steve's hands. "I don't know what Danny did exactly." Shaking him by the lapels, Steve refused to stop. "I don't believe you." He demanded in a snarl. "Start at the top before I forget myself entirely."

Wincing as Steve slammed him up against the wall for a second time, Stan tried to relate what had happened. "I taped Hoffman. I tried to frame him over the money he wanted for the permits. That's why he carjacked Rachel and Grace that day – he wanted the tapes back. It's the reason he had our home broken into."

Stuttering, Stan was petrified at the magnitude of what was now taking place. "But Danny said he fixed it. And he must have since I got the permits."

With another violent push, Steve was almost growling. "Where's the tape."

Afraid to tell Steve, he hesitated until his body was rattled painfully into the wall yet again. "Danny. Danny has the tape – he insisted that I give it to him. Hoffman must know that."

Listening, Rachel choked back her sobs. "Danny was with you that day. He picked you up from the airport. This was the misunderstanding? This?" Sinking into a chair, she was still trying to absorb Stan's words. "I should have listened to Danny - he was right. But I didn't believe him when he said you were involved with something." Rachel was nearly inconsolable. "I thought he was jealous."

Faintly, she asked Steve. "Why did that package come here? Why?"

With a final disgusted and furious shove, Steve was livid as he stalked away from Stan. "Whoever Hoffman hired can't find the tape. It's a threat." Trying to think past his emotions, he addressed Rachel. "You need to get Gracie and get somewhere safe. Get her out of school and check into the hotel like last time. I'll have an officer meet and follow you from here."

Pointing to Stan, he was enraged. "You, are going to stay with me and tell me everything you know. But I have to get this package to the crime lab." Unwilling to touch it but needing to act, Steve considered his options and looked around the office. "I need a clean plastic bag."

Instantly thinking, Rachel got up and pulled the garbage can out from under Stan's desk. "Will this work?" she asked as she carefully removed the clean plastic liner. Nodding appreciatively, Steve almost smiled. "Yes, sure will." Transferring the box and precious contents, Steve neatly had the bundle ready to go.

After contacting HPD, he quickly made arrangements for Rachel's escort. Hugging Steve she could feel his tense energy as she whispered tearfully, "Please find him." And then ignoring her husband, she turned her back on him as he walked away with Steve. "Rachel?" he tried once, but not getting a response, he was soon forced to follow in Steve's wake.

Returning the way he'd entered the complex, Steve aggressively propelled Stan the four blocks to his truck and then into Five-O headquarters. By the time they'd arrived, Steve was nearly out of control and almost unable to check his rage. Chin at first watched in shock and then reacted when he saw that Steve had Stan Edwards by the back of his suit coat and was manhandling him into his office.

Intervening, Chin stepped between the two men. "Steve! What's going on. Why is he here?" Handing the white plastic bag gently to Chin, he didn't at first answer.

And when he did, Chin could see the grief and anguish on Steve's face. "Danny's things. Chin, these are Danny's things." His emotions were barely contained as he gave instructions. "Get the bag to the crime lab. Have them check everything. Check it thoroughly. We need something – anything."

Exhausted from the adrenalin coursing through his body, he ran both hands over his face. "And you'd better get back here quick too." Pointing to the defeated Stan, Steve continued. "I may not be able to control myself around him."

Glancing up, Stan nearly moaned in fear and remorse. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm so sorry."

~ to be continued ~