Chapter 10: A Meeting Of East And West
Danny had protested slightly but he was too tired to really put up a fight, and before long Peter, Kono, and Chin had spread out the contents of Peter's cases over a table that had been brought in from somewhere else in the hospital. They'd been offered the use of the hospital board room but Danny was adamant that he needed to remain on the ward with his children.
A few times Eliza tried to interrupt their process but she was sent back to Charlie's room like a dog with its tale between its legs.
Soon enough the whole team, along with what they'd found, and a white board that took up a whole wall was wheeled into the waiting room. Effectively turning a hospital stay into Five-O headquarters.
"If you can't bring the detective to the office, bring the office to the detective," Kono said once everyone had arrived.
"Why didn't I think of this?" Steve asked.
"Because I sent you away." Danny answered.
"Not your best idea, D." Peter accused.
"Thanks for coming Peter," Steve said as he shook hands with the new comer. "For the time being you're one of us," He added and handed over a badge. "Glad to see someone who can keep Danny in line."
"I'm glad to be here, and to be of service to all of you," Peter nodded and accepted the badge graciously. "But some sunscreen might have been a better gift idea." He joked and for the first time in a long time Danny laughed out loud.
"You haven't changed one bit." Danny said with a shake of his head.
"Excuse me, I work in a very dangerous profession. The last thing I need is a melanoma!" Peter countered.
"Don't worry, it rains a lot," Danny tried to settle his former partner and childhood friend.
"And then what?" Peter asked. "The sun comes out and you have to reapply?" He asked sarcastically.
"Pretty much," Danny nodded and settled into a chair.
"We'll have you well protected. Don't worry about a thing, well aside for the case," Steve said seriously not picking up on the nuances of the former partnership.
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Peter nodded as he looked to Danny and tried to stifle a laugh. "But seriously, I'm particular about these kinds of things. It's a fault, I know it, but we're all allowed out OCD."
Danny laughed again and then fell silent as shadows clouded into his eyes and his thoughts pulled him back to his unfortunate reality.
"So now that we're all here, we should get started," Lou said as he stepped toward Peter and introduced himself and motioned to Toast and made that introduction as well.
"Nice to meet you," Peter smiled.
"Sorry," Danny said with a shake of his head. "My mind is elsewhere and I forgot you haven't met all these people."
"Not your fault, D." Peter said, "As for the rest of you, how rude!" He added and the only person who laughed was Danny.
"Sorry," Kono said and cast down her eyes.
"It's a joke," Peter said, "a dark, twisted, Jersey way of doing things. I'm sorry."
"'Cause if you walked into a place and didn't make the proper introductions and your old Italian mother, or grandmother, caught you, you'd get a good old slap upside the head." Danny explained. "Rudeness isn't tolerated, but child abuse is a teaching tool," He added sarcastically and Peter laughed.
"I wouldn't call it child abuse, because you always got a sweet and a kiss as an apology," Peter commented.
"And a curse in Italian under her breath," Danny concluded.
The former partners laughed together and then apologized again. "We're being rude again."
"You two have a lot to catch up on," Steve said. "We understand."
"This is neither the time, nor the place," Danny said with a shake of his head. "Maybe later."
"Yeah, you're right. So what's going on so far?" Peter asked.
"Well, Rachel and Stan were murdered. A note was left for Danny and Toast has been able to identify three people based on Danny's knowledge." Steve stared. "What we really need is your side of the story."
"What did the note say and who are the people here?" Peter asked ignoring the second bit of Steve's answer.
"Izzy, Frankie and Mack." Danny answered knowing that his former partner would know exactly who he was talking about. "The letter basically said he was taking two lives for two lives and could come for the rest of us." He finished and Kono handed Peter the copy of the note.
"I also have surveillance of Izzy arriving with about six people. Danny identified three of the six. Do you recognize anyone else?" Toast asked as he spun around his laptop and Peter leaned in for a closer look.
"This isn't good," Peter said with a long sigh as he looked at the image and nodded his head. "I know these men."
Danny perked up. "What's happened since I left?"
"A lot, but let's start at the beginning," Peter said and threw open one of the case files he'd brought with him.
"You gotta be very careful, D. I could get in so much trouble for this," Peter warned as they sat together in the setting sun of a bright Jersey summer.
"My training is almost finished. I'll be on the force with you soon enough and who doesn't know about the Pelagio family?" Danny asked with a huff. "Everyone who is anyone know they are scummy."
"True, but I can't talk about the case with civilians," Peter protested.
"Peter, we've been friends since before we were born. Our moms are closer than sisters. I'm no civilian," Danny said with a laugh. "You're the big brother I never had and here you are a detective already. I have looked up to your from day one. I'm following in your footsteps."
"You say that like I'm not smart enough to be a detective," Peter accused jokingly and punched his friend in the arm.
"What's it like, a task-force? Detective Sergeant Tidwell is a beast, or so I'm told, and you get to work and learn from that."
"He is, and a little reckless if you ask me, but he's on it and so good at his job. Smartest man I've ever met and his intuition is magical," Peter admitted. "I can't believe my luck. I mean I'm not technically on the task-force but violent crimes is involved so I am working directly with Tidwell and there by indirectly with the task-force. It's crazy."
"They gonna take them down, the Pelagios?" Danny asked excitedly.
"Tidwell believes he's close, closer than ever before." Peter answered.
"Wow, that's insane. Can you imagine taking out a mob like the Pelagios? They've been running the underbelly forever," Danny raved and his youth showed through his excitement. "Imagine being a cop on that team. Goals, man, these are my goals!"
"It's true, the Pelagios are the big fish and the Machiavellis are second only because of their numbers, but you need to calm down, D. We can't underestimate the Pelagio family. They've been at this, like you said, for way longer than we have. They have tricks up their sleeves and we can't predict that."
"True, but you can't cover up forever. Somethings gotta give. Crime is not the answer."
"Did you read that in one of your text-books rookie?" Peter mocked.
"Just you wait. I'll be on this case as soon as I'm on the force. I gotta be," Danny vowed.
"Watch yourself Danny," Peter warned. "You're headstrong and very smart, but green. You got a lot of learning to do and I ain't in any position to help you out. I'm too new myself."
"I know they'll partner me up with a geezer. But I'm quick. I'll be a detective before you know it and I'll be working the mob cases before you can spell Machiavelli." Danny was passionate in his resolve and Peter knew better than to argue with the young man he'd know since the day of his birth.
"Just keep your nose to the grind and you'll make it." Peter said and relaxed a little. "I'm sure you'll do great things."
"How's Keri?" Danny asked after a long moment of silence.
"She's pregnant," Peter said and beamed with pride.
"New job, new wife and already a baby on the way. Man you are living the dream. Did you tell momma yet?" Danny asked excitedly.
"Had I, would this be news to you?" Peter retorted sarcastically.
"True enough," Danny said with a laugh. "Once the ladies know it will spread like wild fire through the families."
"We only just found out." Peter admitted.
"Well 're doing everything you ever set out to do."
"Thank you, and have patience. You'll get here too, one day." Peter smiled.
"Five years, I'll have it all in five years." Danny predicted passionately.
"Oh I don't doubt you. Not one little bit."
"So three generations back and this mob family exsisted?" Kono asked in shock.
"Probably longer," Lou said knowing the ways of the mobs on the mainland.
"Yeah," Peter nodded. "But what we dealt with were the third generation bosses, their businesses and the expansion that they carried out. The longer it went on the more it grew and the more people started dying as a result." He explained.
"It wasn't like they had to start small, their forefathers did that for them. So it was all a matter of economic growth, legitimate coverage of illegal dealings and laundering, and trust within the family," Danny jumped in. "Keep it in the family and keep it all controlled. Detective Sergeant Tidwell lost sight of the trust, busted a brother and before he could lay charges the family has him silenced."
"What they hadn't anticipated was the societal changes and how unpredictable children in this modern age can be," Peter continued.
"Spoiled rotten little rich kids, brought up in the lap of luxury, getting everything they could ever want and never leaning empathy, and wanting things that are absolutely out of reach." Danny huffed angrily.
"As you can see, Danny saw this development and Danny was able to exploit it as a weakness within the mob," Peter explained. "And one by one the brothers fell, children gave up their siblings and the Pelagio family monopoly crashed and crumbled."
"We did the same thing with the Machiavellis and it wasn't long before those deeply rooted mob families gave way to a new school of thought. We didn't eradicate the mob, we just forced it to evolve and with evolution comes growing pains. If you stay on it and are diligent then mistakes happen and things fall apart. The mob is still out there but not to the extent it once was." Danny finished and sighed.
"Which brings us to Danny's departure from Jersey and the issues we are facing today." Peter concluded.
"You said you recognized the other men who arrived with Izzy. Who are they?" Steve asked.
"New-ish players. The mob would have never been on their radar but I fear with Izzy's release and his knowledge, they saw him as perfect king pin material. Exactly what Izzy always wanted, minus the family connection."
"So what is this business about two lives?" Danny asked. "What have I missed?"
"Well, long story short, Bartholomew was murdered in prison and most of the Pelagio family blame you," Peter explained. "And if that wasn't enough, and in retaliation for the hit on Bart, Angelo and Bernardo went after the Machiavelli boy who was the one who ordered the hit. A prison riot ensured and Bernardo was killed. Angelo was transferred and ended up in the same prison as his brother. So we are assuming that Angelo filled his brother in on all the family business even though the Pelagios are spread out all over the continental US."
"They still talk to each other?" Danny asked. "But Izzy hates his older brother."
"What else is there to do in prison?" Steve asked.
"True," Danny nodded.
"And proving to Angelo that he's better is all Izzy has lived for. Hell, I wouldn't be at all surprised if, after he'd dealt with you, he goes back and rubs it in his face, and then orders the hit on his brother himself." Peter jumped back in.
"That's not gonna happen. We are going to stop this here and now." Steve vowed.
"That's the plan." Peter said with a nod.
"I agree with you," Danny said as he stood. "And someone from the outside is feeding the info into them on the inside. How else would they know to look for me here?" He asked.
"It may not be that," Peter said and pulled another file and handed it to Danny. "The Machiavelli boy, Antoni, the one who shanked you at his father's appeal, he was part of the hit on Pelagio. His youngest brother carried it out and was transferred to Halawa corrections to get him away from further retaliation after Theodore Machiavelli was attacked by Angelo and Bernardo. So, my guess is that Theodore has made some friends here and inmates talk. And, if I'm not mistaken, that man is the one Machiavelli that was never part of our bust." Peter finished and motioned to the photo of the group who arrived with Izzy.
"Chadrick, you think that sweet little boy is running with the Pelagio black sheep?" Danny asked and looked at the photo once more. He still didn't see the resemblance.
"Chad has had a very hard time in the last ten years." Peter sighed. "Loads of trouble, his true parentage has come into question and from what we can tell he has a lot of resentment for Giovani and Maria Machiavelli. Turns out Giovanni is not actually his father and he knew it all along. Maria Machiavelli had an affair with Bartholomew Pelagio. Chadrick is the result of that union."
"In fair Verona where we lay our scene..." Danny spoke under his breath.
"Exactly," Peter nodded. "So there is loads of drama and all kinds of fussing about in the federal prison system, and the Pelagio boys blame you for everything. And Izzy has a sweet, young, misguided half brother to pull about and share an empire with and he happens to be half Machiavelli. Talk about sticking it to your parents."
"Well at least we know why." Danny sighed.
"Maybe we should talk to the Machiavelli, Theodore, whom we have access to." Chin offered.
"Good idea," Steve said with a nod. "I think we should send in Peter and Danny. Imagine the shock of seeing you two together again."
"I'm staying with my kids," Danny protested.
"They are safe here with SWAT. I need you in the field." Steve half ordered. "Then you can come right back here. Whether you like it or not, you're involved and you will work this because you're in this deeper than any of us."
"What about the other two?" Toast interrupted before Danny could protest any further. "Give me something else to work on. Chadrick is already locked into my program." He finished and motioned to his laptop.
"The other two are brothers as well, but of no relation to either mob family," Peter answered. "And big bad news, if you catch my drift. I don't know if you've ever had any dealing with the Hesse brothers but..."
"I killed them both, or rather got them killed." Steve interrupted.
"Then you should recognize Fergus and Ronan Brady." Peter countered and Steve jumped to look at the image once more.
"They're arms dealers," Steve sighed and nodded. "They worked for Victor and Anton."
"And settled in Jersey when the Hesse operation went south. They aren't as locked in as Victor and Anton but they can get the weapons they need."
"This is really not good," Steve said with a shake of his head.
"I want to go back to HQ," Toast practically whined. "I want the big computer and the safety of the palace, pronto!"
"I'll take you back," Chin said, "and I'll help with tracking."
"Lou and I will hit some contacts in Honolulu about weapons deals." Kono offered.
"You mean Kamekona?" Steve asked.
"Exactly," Kono nodded. "And we'll bring back lunch."
"All right, that leave me with the Jersey boys." Steve added and laughed to himself.
"Don't ever do that again." Danny warned as he and Peter shot Steve a very disapproving look.
"We're also going to have to stop at a Walgreens or something before we go to deep." Peter added.
"Get waterproof SPF 30, then if it rains you won't have to reapply." Danny offered.
"You still have to reapply every half hour, that's what the 30 stands for!" Peter said defiantly.
"We'll get you a hat!" Danny protested.
"That might work better, D." Peter nodded.
"Can we get going?" Steve asked sheepishly.
"Yes," Danny huffed and stretched. "The sooner we go the sooner I can get back to my children."