Mel was a wreck. She had a healing gun shot wound and possibly a broken nose, at the least it was bleeding pretty badly. She was duct taped to an uncomfortable chair and had been injected with a drug that made everything hard to do. She couldn't move, her words were so slurred that they were barely identifiable and she was having trouble discerning what was real and what she was hallucinating.

He hadn't hurt her so far; she had to admit that her busted nose was her own fault. She couldn't feel the pain, which she attributed to the drug, but she could taste the blood running down her face and on her lips. He had her gun and she knew that he intended to use it but he wasn't ready yet. He wanted to talk some more.

"Six years." he continued. "Six years I spent building my empire and in one day you and your nuisance of a husband put all of that in jeopardy. I lost almost twenty of my best men."

She tried to make an insult but the drug prevented her from forming coherant words. She settled on a laugh instead. This only angered him more and the side of her gun made contact with her brow bone, splitting it open as more blood covered her face. She knew that he was going to kill her and that she shouldn't provoke him but what he didn't realize was that she was stalling.

Her only hope was to hold out until Steve and the others figured out that the location that they were sent to was a distraction and they put the rest together. Although if they were too late she could still take solace in the fact that she had written out everything she wanted to tell him and it was in a place where he would easily find it.

"I don't know what brought you to that alley this morning but I trust it has become, and will continue to be rather unfortunate for you and your friends."

Once again she tried to speak but managed nothing more than a deep throaty laugh. This time he fought the urge to strike her. He knew that she was only trying to aggrivate him further though he didn't know why. He assumed it was to bring a quicker means to her end but he wouldn't indulge her. He had plenty of time.


Steve spend down the streets of Honolulu towards Five 0 headquarters and cursed as he and his teammates hit traffic. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed his office praying that Mel would pick up. He grew increasingly worried with each ring he heard on the other end of the line.

"Dammit!" he cursed loudly, startling Chin who sat in the passenger seat of his truck.

He honked the horn, his lights flashing wishing that he had a siren. Danny was a step ahead of him turning on his own siren and trying to will the cars to part. After a few precious minutes they finally moved out of the way enough for them to get through.


"I went through a lot of trouble trying to track you down Melinda." Clancey stated. "I admit that I wasn't expecting the commando."

"Sseeale." she slurred, the drug starting to wear off enough for her to speak.

"A SEAL, I see, even better. Either way it was an unfortunate set back. Tell me dear, how did you end up married to a SEAL anyway? That can't have been easy." he paused. "Nevermind, it's not really important."

"Yuuew woontt..." she tried to say but he interrupted her.

"Don't bother trying. You were going to say that I won't get away with this, so predicatable. Well you're wrong." he said confidently. "I will do more than get away with your murder because by the time that your husband and his team figure out what's going on you will be dead and I will be long gone." he gloated.

"Dooontt..." she tried to plead, tears mixing with the blood covering her face.

"You're wasting your time. I am going to kill you and no one and nothing can stop me."


The Five 0 team finally made it back to their headquarters and quickly got out of their vehicles running into the building. They approached the elevator only to find it disabled, they would have to take the stairs. Their offices were on the top floor and it seemed to take forever to ascend the three flights of stairs to their level.


"Any last words?" Clancey asked as he raised Mel's gun and pressed it against her forehead.

She said nothing, she didn't shed a tear and she didn't shut her eyes. She thought back on her life and regretted letting her pride get in the way of her marriage. She was glad that she had goten to see Steve again, even if it was the last time she would ever see him. She was greatful that she had taken the time to write down her feelings for him earlier. Clancey cocked the gun and her eyes unwillingly drifted shut as he returned the barrel to her temple.


Steve McGarrett took the steps two at a time in an effort to try to reach his wife faster. He blamed himself for leaving her alone and he would be damned if he would let that bastard harm her. He reached the third floor landing and waited as his team caught up to him and they all drew their weapons.

Rounding the corner he could see through the glass doors into the office. Chin was working on opening the doors but it was taking too long. He could only see the side of her bound form, her hair falling in her face and the barrel of a gun resting lazily against her temple. Steve couldn't wait any longer. Startling everyone around him he fired a round into the glass shattering it. He stepped through and they followed, Mel still partially blocked from their view as they approached her cautiously.


Behind Mel's closed eyes flashes of her wedding played through her mind. Her father walking her down the aisle, her floor length white gown, Steve standing at the altar in full service dress blues grinning broadly at her as she approached. She mentally recited her vows waiting for Clancey to pull the trigger but when she heard the shot it seemed distant and she swore she heard the shattering of glass follow it.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head to see that he wasn't there. Instead she saw Steve running towards her while the rest of his team searched the floor for her attacker. She felt herself being cut free and she tried to stand, collapsing in Steve's strong arms.

"Mel. Melinda." he called to her examining her face and obviously deciding that she would live. "Are you okay? What did he do to you?" he questioned.

"Ke - keeddameene." she slurred.

"Ketamine?"

She nodded as best as she could and he embraced her tightly whispering barely identifiable appologies. She shushed him and burried her face in his chest, not caring about the mixture of blood and tears that smeared his shirt. She was just glad that he had gotten to her in time and that she had survived.

"He's gone." Danny said as the others joined them.