A/N: Hello Again! Don't you love the updates every day? I have one more chapter after this one for you and then I have to get back to writing. I want to thank those of you who have started to follow this story and who have commented. I miss you guys! I'm so glad you like it! More angst and intrigue to come but not a whole lot of Whump…I mean Danny is in a box…not much can happen right? Or can then? Muhahaha. Sorry, I'm feeling really dramatic today! More to come tomorrow!
Enjoy!
Chapter 4: Ransom
Kono and Lori arrived to find the whole building blocked off by yellow caution tape and police officers as the outside of the building was a buzz with activity both law enforcement and civilian. The girls flashed their identification at the entrance to the lot and then bolted to where they saw Steve and Chin standing.
"We found a bat with blood on it, a bullet in a wall and this," Steve stated and held out a piece of paper to Kono and Lori.
"It's a receipt for a five foot, eight inch, mahogany casket." Kono gasped.
"We know where it was purchased from, maybe we can find out by whom." Steve sighed.
"Have you ever heard of Schrödinger's Cat?" Lori asked seemingly out of the blue.
"Yeah why?" Steve asked angrily.
"Because Kono got another message from our unknown caller, they want to know if she knew about Schrödinger's Cat." Lori explained.
Steve sighed, ran his shaking hands through his hair. "They are toying with us. Danny could be alive or dead if you follow Schrödinger's principle."
5-0
By 12am the smart system was working at full tilt. Finger print searches and crime scene photos were layered over everything and four members of Five-O tired to put the pieces together as Steve's new phone, with his old sim card, began ringing.
"What do you want?" Steve demanded as he connected the phone and the unknown caller to the smart system completely expecting another cryptic riddle.
"I assume you've got a good enough trail to lead you through my little rat race." The voice stated.
"Where is Danny? Is he alive?" Steve asked.
"Oh he's as alive as he is dead, and as dead as he is alive." the voice chuckled. "It's all up to you McGarrett. This little experiment is all about Five-O, or should I say Four-O, there are only four of you now!"
"There are five of us you bastard!" Kono yelled.
"If you've not got a nice thing to say, say nothing at all!"
"What do you want?" Steve asked again.
"The moon and the stars," the man laughed, "have you traced this call yet?" his laughter continued.
Kono shook her head.
"Well let me help you," The voice sang. "This is a cellular phone, a disposable, and I am walking casually down the Waikiki beach. When I'm finished conversing with you fine people I'll have finished with this phone. And I'll be well on my way to another beautiful location. I will tell you that I believe that if you watch the traffic cameras, like the one I've just passed and waved at, you'll find me to be a handsome man but not Hawaiian. If you trace the finger prints I've left you, you'll find I've had altercations with Detective Williams before. If you are a clever bunch and do as I say you will see the good Jerseyan again."
"Give us proof he's alive," Steve demanded.
"Is Schrödinger not enough to go on?" he asked jovially. "Alright, the detective has a bump on the head but he should make a full recovery. He was breathing the last I laid eyes on him, but my colleagues have taken him to a secured location, which I'm sure you could find if you are clever enough."
"So, if you want us to find him, what is the purpose of your charade?" Chin asked seeing the anger flash like fire in Steve's eyes.
"Entertainment Lieutenant Kelly," The kidnapper answered.
"What is your name?" Lori asked.
"I'm sure you'll know soon enough Agent Weston."
"If entertainment is what you are after, what was the point in taking Danny?" Steve asked.
"He's your prize McGarrett. I want to see if you really are the best of the best. If you can find the detective and open Schrödinger's box, then I'll be happy to play whatever game you want with me. Catch me if you can McGarrett."
"What if I refuse to play your game?" McGarrett asked.
"Then I release the poison that will kill the cat."
"Fine, the game is yours. What do we do now?" Steve sighed.
"Put together the puzzle." The kidnapper laughed, "You have until noon today to know who I am. After that you'll get more clues."
"I want proof of life!" Steve stated, "Hard proof that Danny is alive."
"In the morning," The man chuckled, "for now get some rest, or have a drink. I prefer rum. 'Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me. We pillage, plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot…" he sang and Steve could almost hear the man skipping along to the song, and then he ended the call.
"Did you get the trace?" Steve asked.
"He's telling the truth," Kono stated and motioned to the screen. "It's a disposable cell; we can trace it to wherever he drops it but not back to him."
"If he's at the beach there are more cameras then he thinks," Chin stated.
"Or maybe he knows and he's giving us more to go on," Lori suggested.
"I'll get the surveillance," Chin stated, "not that it will show much in the dark."
"I managed to record the whole conversation." Kono added, "And we know Danny had run into this guy before. I'll go through his old cases to see if I can flag anything with the fingerprints."
"I'll help you," Steve sighed. "Have we got anything else back from the lab?"
"Yes, the dirt is from up in the Mililani valley; hundreds of acres of land." Lori sighed.
"And the surveillance from the governor arrived about an hour ago." Kono added.
"Before dawn I want to see his face!" Steve stated angrily.
"We're on it boss!" Kono and Lori stated together and their attention was pulled back to the smart system.
Steve sighed and walked off to his office. It was going to be a long night.
A/N: Today's references come from The Pirates of the Caribbean Song by Disney, from the poem Catch Me If You Can and by the letter D…wait no.