Note. Thanks for all the reviews.
4thofFive: can't reply personally as you're signed in as a guest, but thanks for the comments about the medical stuff. As a nurse, one of my biggest pet peeves is when tv shows which I'm sure could get a medical adviser, totally get it wrong. Shocking a flat line... Argh. So I made sure I research any areas that are outside my knowledge.
Chapter Four.
Danny remained at Steve's as planned for the next few days. The team had picked up a new case and Danny was going out of his mind with boredom, and frustration, at not being able to help. He was feeling back to his old self, and the burns to his hand and foot had healed enough that they didn't need dressing anymore. When Steve had finally got home Wednesday night they had a blazing row about Danny returning to work the next day. Steve had finally given in and agreed that Danny could come back, but only on desk duty for the rest of the week.
Danny returned to work the next day. He made himself busy around the office, completing paperwork, and doing an overdue audit that Steve had been putting off and the Governor was now pushing for completing.
Steve, Chin and, Kono had been out most of the day. They had ended up raiding a house, involving their current case, which had surprisingly brought it to an end with several arrests made. Now all four team members were in their offices, working in their reports from the bust that day, while Danny finished off the audit. Looking up from his computer he was the first to notice the delivery guy enter the office carrying a large gift basket.
He met the guy and signed for it, thanking him and then taking it over and placed it on a table. All three other team members exited their offices wondering who the hamper was from.
Danny took the note out of the envelope and read aloud. "A small token of my gratitude for all your hard work. Governor Denning. P. S. Welcome back to work Detective Williams."
"Wow, that would be a first," Kono said reaching into the hamper.
"Yeah, he must have been feeling generous," Steve said puzzled by the Governors sudden generosity.
"Are you kidding me?" Danny suddenly exclaimed, pulling out a bottle of beer.
"What? Not to your liking?" Chin asked.
"Exactly the opposite, Chin Ho Kelly. I can't believe he got this," He said, holding up the bottle so the others could see.
"Hudson Pale Ale," Steve read.
"Man I got so drunk on this stuff when I was sixteen. I though my dad was gonna kill me when I staggered home and found him waiting up for me," Danny laughed.
"Never heard of it before," Steve said checking out the rest of the hamper.
"It's made in New Jersey. I can't believe the Governor went to so much trouble. You can't buy it here," Danny said.
"He didn't go to that much trouble, there's only one," Kono teased.
"I call it," Danny said.
"It's all yours brah," Chin chuckled as Steve shook his head. He couldn't believe his partner was so excited over a bottle of beer.
"Well it's getting late, I think we should knock off and crack these open," He said passing Chin and Kono a beer.
"Excellent idea. I'm parched," Danny said, popping the lid off the bottle.
Danny gulped down half the bottle before he stopped to savour the taste. When he did, he realised something was terribly wrong. The beer tasted extremely bitter, not the taste he was familiar with, with this pale ale. He saw Steve raise his beer to his mouth and suddenly knocked it away, realising there was something really wrong.
"What the hell Danny?" Steve yelled, shocked at his partner's sudden outburst.
"Don't drink them, I think they're spiked," He answered wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
"What?" Chin said, smelling his beer. "It smells fine."
Steve took Danny's beer and smelt it. "This one doesn't," He said, screwing up his nose. The beer had a weird chemical smell to it.
"It tastes really bitter too. That's not what it should taste like," Danny replied.
"Maybe it's gone off?" Kono suggested.
Steve pulled out his phone and dialed the Governors private number.
"McGarrett, what can I do for you?" Governor Denning asked.
"Sir, did you send us a hamper of beer?"
"Beer? No. I haven't sent you anything. Why?" Governor Denning replied.
"We just had a gift basket delivered with a note saying it was from you. We thought we'd knock off early and have one, but Danny's beer tasted funny. He thinks it's been spiked. And if you didn't send it, then there's a chance he could be right," Steve explained.
"Is Detective Williams okay?" Governor Denning asked.
"Yeah, he seems fine so far, but I think we need to get the drink to the lab, just to be sure. I'll keep you informed sir." Steve hung up. "Chin can you get all this to the lab, have Charlie analyse it. Kono ring and let him know Chin's on his way."
Chin and Kono sprang into action, hurrying to fulfil their boss' request.
"You ok?" Steve asked Danny, concerned for his friend.
"Not really, what the hell could be in it?" Danny replied nervously.
"I don't know, maybe nothing. It could just be a bad beer, buddy, but I think to be on the safe side we should head to the hospital. After you go try and throw up," Steve said steering Danny to the bathroom.
"Oh joy," Danny replied.
Danny emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later to a worried Steve and Kono.
"You ok, brah?" Kono asked.
"Yeah just peachy. Just how I wanted to round off my first day back. A trip to the hospital," He snarked.
"Come on, let's go," Steve said and all three headed for the car.
5-0-5-0-5-0-5-0
At the hospital, Steve was getting rather frustrated as he tried to explain to the triage nurse that Danny may have been poisoned.
"So the beer tasted bitter, that's all you've got to go on?" She asked.
"Yes, but like I've already told you, we already sent it to the lab to be analysed," Steve sniped back.
"And how do you feel sir?" She addressed Danny.
"A bit nauseous now," Danny replied honestly.
"See, he needs to see a doctor now," Steve demanded.
The nurse sighed at the over dramatic reaction. "And he will, but sir, we have much sicker patients here that need to be seen first." She explained.
"Is everything ok, Sally?" a female voice asked from behind. Turning around Steve was relieved to see the familiar face of Dr. Pearce. The doctor who had treated Danny when he was brought in after the electric shock.
"Dr. Pearce. Hey. I was just trying to explain to the Nurse here, that we think Danny has been poisoned. We aren't sure what with yet. The lab is analysing the drink as we speak."
"And I was explaining to the Commander, that with only nausea as a symptom, and nothing more to go on, they would need to wait to be seen," the nurse replied.
"It's ok Sally. I was about to go on break, but I'll take care of this. Come on Danny, let's get you into exam three. We can at least run some blood work while you wait for the results." Dr. Pearce offered.
"Thank you," Steve said, relieved that they were now being taken seriously.
Danny followed Dr. Pearce into the exam room and sat on the gurney. Suddenly looking rather green, Dr. Pearce saw his colour change and passed him a vomit bowl just in time for Danny to start dry heaving.
"Ok, let's just get a set of vitals shall we?" She replied, checking Danny's blood pressure and pulse. She then opened a draw and removed some supplies, quickly inserting a cannula into the back of Danny's hand. She drew off blood for testing, then connected up a bag of saline and started running in fluids.
Danny wiped the tears from his eyes from the dry heaving and stared at his hand. "What's the drip for?"
"You obviously ingested something that's making you sick. So until we know what it is, I'm going to try and flush your system to help remove whatever it was. I'll send the blood to the lab for analysis and get you an anti-emetic to help with that sickness," She explained and left the room.
A nurse came in and helped Danny change into a gown, settled him back on the gurney, then administered the anti-emetics. Steve and Kono waited outside and were soon joined by Chin.
"How's he doing?" He asked.
"He started feeling sick, but that's it so far. They've started him on a drip to flush his system," Steve explained. "We really need to know what was in that drink."
"Fong started processing Danny's beer straight away. He should have an answer to that pretty soon," Chin reassured.
As if on cue Steve's phone rang. "Yeah Charlie, tell me you got something?"
"I do, Commander, but you're not going to like it. Danny's drink contained Ethylene Glycol, more commonly known as anti-freeze. Steve if it's not treated quickly it can lead to kidney failure and death. If Danny doesn't receive the right treatment, he's going to die," Charlie explained.
TBC