Disclaimer: No, Hawaii 5-0 doesn't belong to me. It does to CBS.
A/N: The third wave of ROLLING IN WAVES became a tsunami! Since it has so many parts already, I decided to post them as a separate story, entitled TAKEN. Don't be surprised if you read its first instalment already because I kept the original posting in ROLLING IN WAVES.
Many thanks to my friend Catherine for going over this story during a quiet moment at the museum.
In this FORTH WAVE, Danny to do things is way, showing how real police work is done.
000
ROLLING IN WAVES: FORTH WAVE
10-The way it is done in New Jersey
His ex-wife would have said that he was paranoid or, his all time favourite, that trouble followed him everywhere. Well, Danny Williams was ready to disprove the latter by pointing out that the suspicious black van, parked in front of his daughter's school, was already there when he arrived. As for the former, all parents should be wary of strange looking vehicles parked in front of their child's school. Period.
Still, Danny hesitated for a second, maybe two; long enough to wonder if he still was afraid of the leverage his ex-wife had regarding his visiting rights with his daughter. The short answer was: no, but he sure was tired of all their fighting.
Trusting his instincts, the detective picked up his cell phone and dialled HPD Dispatch. He first asked the operator to run the plate. When it turned out to belong to a stolen van, Danny provided his location and requested some backup. He also demanded that 5-0 be informed that he was investigating a possible kidnapping.
"One last thing," he told the dispatcher. "Call the school security. Have them keep the kids inside until HPD gives the 'all clear'."
"Understood, Detective," the operator confirmed.
They disconnected as Danny kept on surveying the scene. They did not have a lot of time ahead of them. The school day was about to be over and already a lot of people were awaiting the hundreds of kids about to rush through the front doors.
As he waited for HPD to show up, Danny pondered the various unknowns in this situation. Was it really a kidnapping attempt or was there another intention? If it was a kidnapping attempt, who was targeted? It had better not be Grace, thought Danny. If his daughter was remotely in danger because of something 5-0 was involved in, he swore to God he would kill Steve before Rachel could kill him.
Less than five minutes later, a text message on his cell phone informed him of the arrival of two cruisers on the scene. From his rear-view mirror, he could see one of them parked a few cars behind him. Danny popped the trunk open, and then got out of the Camaro. He quickly retrieved his Kevlar vest before slipping behind a tree. Two patrols officers met up with him while the other team blocked the access up the road.
They agreed that the two officers would walk up to the van from both sides, while the detective would cover the rear of the vehicle. By the time the two occupants saw the officers, it was too late for them to try to drive away.
Suddenly, the rear doors of the van opened and a third man jumped out, attempting to make a run for it. Danny immediately tackled him to the ground.
"Police!" he announced himself as he pulled out his handcuff. "You're under arrest for car theft. That's for starters."
By the time the rest of his team showed, Danny had identified and secured the targeted child: a nine year-old boy. Children and school personnel had been allowed to leave. Gracie was patiently waiting for him in the principal's office, under the watchful eye of her teacher.
"See, Steve," Danny began, one hand ready to highlight an enumeration. "Back up, protective gear, potential victims out of harm's way, and an arrest without any bloodshed, explosion, nor even a single shot fired. It might not fulfill your secret superhero desires, but this, my friend, is real police work. Now, this is all yours. I'm done for the day."
"No you're not," Steve objected.
"Yes, I am. I'm losing precious time with my daughter."
"Right," Steve understood. Knowing better than to argue, he added: "Go. Great job, Danno."
"I will not let you forget this," Danny told him.
Steve snorted. "I'm sure you won't."
A smile of pure satisfaction crept upon Danny's lips as he walked away.
000
End of FORTH WAVE.
A/N: A wave in a single part… Wow! I hope you enjoyed it.
(Dec. 2010)