Part 08 - AN in Prologue

Short transitioning chapter... next one will be kinda long and may be up by the end of the week... all previous chapters have been reworked - a couple of scenes changed and a new one added... might want to re-read if you are so inclined.

Aliiolani Hale Building, Downtown Honolulu, Hawaii

Chief of Police Alfred Karratti III exited his car and looked around. He immediately spotted Detective Sgt Lukela standing with an unknown pair of civilians and Lt. Kelly. Like Chin, he came from a long line of cops. He walked over to the small group.

Chin looked over and spotted him, "Chief. I'm glad you could get here so quickly."

"Lt. Kelly," he acknowledged. "I'm afraid I can only stay for a few minutes. I'm needed back downtown. Late night session with the City Council is beginning to look like an all-nighter." Before Chin could respond, the Chief looked at the civilians and said, "Detective Lukela perhaps you can introduce me to these good people?"

"Of course Sir. This is Detective Martin Deeks of the Los Angeles Police Department and Ms. Henrietta Lange of NCIS," responded Duke as he pointed out his companions.

The Chief held out his hand to Hetty and stated, "I'm Chief Karratti. Ms. Lange, I assume you are here on behalf of your missing agent."

"Yes we are," replied Hetty including Deeks in the assessment.

"I'm afraid I don't know what LAPD can do to help with a situation here in Hawaii..." the Chief paused.

Hetty responded calmly, "Detective Deeks is a liaison with our offices. He is Agent Blye's partner."

The Chief eyed Deeks dubiously before he congenially replied, "I see. I'm sorry for your loss Detective. I believe the Five-O offices are handling the case."

Marty nodded an acknowledgement.

"Chief," interrupted Chin.

"Yes Lieutenant?" the Chief questioned as he turned to face the formerly disgraced cop.

Chin grimaced, "I'll make this brief Sir. Commander McGarrett has requested that you take the Palace off of lockdown immediately."

"Where is Commander McGarrett?" asked the Chief as he looked around the parking lot.

"He's inside the building," answered Chin.

The Chief's eyebrow raised as he commented with irritation, "If Commander McGarrett is here, why did you call me out of a meeting to come down here?"

"Steve... the Commander is currently stuck in an elevator inside the building. Lockdown procedures dictate that the person authorizing the removal of the lockdown do so in person so that the guard can make a visual determination of identity and to make sure the individual is free of an signs of coercion," explained Chin.

"I am well aware of the policies Lieutenant. I helped the Commander and Governor draft them," sighed the Chief.

"Yes Sir. Sorry Sir. No offense intended," replied Chin contritely. The last thing they needed right now was more delays.

"Chief. I'm sure the Lieutenant only intended to answer your own question thoroughly. Regardless, we do need to get into that building as soon as possible," reminded Hetty. "We have a team of NCIS agents waiting to review the evidence obtained from the crime scene by Five-O and your CIS team. Governor Denning assured me of a high level of co-operation from the law enforcement agencies here in Honolulu."

"Very well. I'll get the ball rolling," answered the Chief who then turned to Duke. "Get your men back to the station as soon as the lockdown has been lifted."

Duke replied, "Commander McGarrett has requested that at least two squads remain blocking the entrance until HECO has re-established power... or at least determined that the power failure was not the work of sabotage."

The Chief shook his head, "Sabotage? Do we have anything substantiating such a claim?"

Chin admitted, "No Sir. Just that it is a coincident that the outage occurred on the same day that a member of Five-O has been kidnapped."

The Chief eyed the four people a moment before agreeing, "Very well. Duke you pick the men to stay."

Duke nodded, "Yes Sir."

"Which officer is on guard duty tonight?"

Duke answered, "Officer Nottingham."

John exclaimed, "Finally." He, Sam and Callen had been watching the exchange from across the lot and were pleased when the Chief finally went up the Palace's steps.

"You aren't kidding," said Callen. He slapped Sam on the back and declared, "Let's go."

John snatched up his bag as the three men hurried forward. They arrived just in time to hear Hetty saying, "Thank you, Chief Karratti for your assistance."

The Chief nodded and catching sight of the additional men opened his mouth to speak before he shook his head and muttered, "I don't really want to know." He eyed the group and acknowledged, "Ms. Lange... good luck finding your missing man."

Deeks spoke up, "Woman... missing woman."

The Chief mumbled, "Sorry." He shook his head a final time before heading back to his vehicle parked at the edge of the lot.

"What a dick," stated Deeks.

Hetty turned on him and stated, "Language Mr. Deeks."

Deeks looked slightly embarrassed as he said, "Sorry Hetty." She nodded even as he whined, "But he is."

Everyone is spared from responding due to the timely arrival of the HECO truck.

Inside the building, Officer Nottingham held up a hand preventing anyone from getting beyond the lobby. "Even though the Chief has given the okay. I'm afraid no visitors are allowed in the interior of the building during a blackout."

Chin stepped to the front and said, "It's okay James. These are guests of Steve and he's okayed their admittance into Five-O's headquarters."

James reluctantly replied, "Well. I guess it will be alright. If Commander McGarrett okayed it. But you or Kono will have to escort them around and since the security camera are out of service everyone's bags will have to be manually searched, IDs will have to be checked, photos taken and the visitor log filled out."

Chin nodded, "Square deal."

James told him, "Things will go faster if we split into two lines. You take half and I'll take half."

Chin agreed. He turned to the group and said "Gentlemen... and lady. Who wants to go first?"

Hetty replied as she handed her carryon bag to the Officer, "Colonel you go with Detective Kelly."

John nodded.

Hetty said, "After you James."

James led them over to a small counter top in the reception area. He placed the carryon bag on the counter and opened it. He spotted the see through lingerie on top and turned red as he shifted it quickly aside. He pulled his hand back and closed the bag. "You're good to go Ma'am." He looked at the men standing further behind and called out, "Next."

Hetty smiled as she lifted her bag off the counter. "Thank you Officer."

Callen shrugged as he said to Sam, "Go ahead."

Sam placed his black bag on the counter and stepped back with a grin. He crossed his arms in a defensive posture that caused his muscles to bulge. James gulped, "Thank you Sir."

Sam replied softly, "No problem."

Deeks leaned over and whispered to Callen, "What do you think was in Hetty's bag?"

Callen replied without looking at him, "I don't want to know." Deeks nodded.

At a separate counter, Chin said, "Well I've already seen the contents once... and once was more than enough. Let's just cut to the chase. Do you have a concealed weapons permit?"

John replied, "Absolutely, but my permit is back on base. Didn't think I'd need it on my honeymoon." He pulled out his dog tags from inside his shirt and continued, "This is all I've got right now. Will these do?"

Chin smiled, "I suppose they'll have to for now. So you and Steve have been friends for awhile?"

John answered, "Bout fifteen years."

Sam snorted from across the way, "I wouldn't say they started out as friends."

Chin looked over at him and asked, "Why not?"

Sam grinned, "Maybe you should ask 'em how they met."

Chin glanced at John with a raised brow.

John shrugged, "Maybe after the case is over we can all get together and talk about old times."

Chin responded, "I look forward to it." He handed John back his cards before saying, "Five-O is just up the stairs. Main doors on the left."

John picked up his duffle, "Mahalo." He moved to stand next to Hetty at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ma'am?" John offered his arm to Hetty.

"Why thank you Colonel," she replied as she placed her hand on his extended arm. "Always such a gentleman."

John drawled back, "Now that is one thing I have been rarely accused of being."

Hetty laughed as they made their way up to the second floor landing. "Why I remember when you were just a little boy, your mother used to..." Her voice trailed off as they moved away from the group.

Sam took his eyes off Hetty and John and said to Nottingham, "Hurry up. You didn't take this long for Hetty."

James gulped as he replied, "Ms. Lange didn't have nearly as many items requiring a review, Sir." However in deference to the scowl Sam laid on him he quickly began piling things back into the duffle.

Callen handed his backpack to Chin. Chin calmly said, "You guys might want to stop intimidating the help. We may need HPD backup before this is over."

Callen looked over at Sam and said, "Stop being so impatient and let the man do his job."

Sam replied back without taking his gaze from the young officer, "His job appears to be annoying me."

James sighed, "Yes, Sir." He snapped the bag closed and hands the bag to Sam.

Sam smiled, "Thank you." He took the bag and headed up the stairs to join the others.

James shook his head and said, "Next."

Marty stepped forward and said, "Sorry no bag."

James eyed him suspiciously as he called over to Chin, "Lt. Kelly, this one doesn't have anything. Is he with the rest of you."

Chin looked over and gave a nodding smile even as Callen replied, "He's just a liaison. They're never prepared."

Marty balked, "Hey I'm prepared. I just figured I'd pick up any non-essentials as I went. Hotels and gift shops carry all the essentials... shampoo, towels, robes, soap, floral shirts, toothbrush, condoms... what else is there?"

Nottingham and Callen eyed him with disbelief.

Marty responded, "What? You guys have a big enough arsenal to start a war." Silence.

"I think we're good brah," interrupted Chin as he handed the backpack to Callen.

TBC