I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: Post E Malama. Season 1 Episode 16. Housing Commissioner Bruce Hoffman goes after Danny with a vengeance after Danny threatens him over the Stan issue. Hiring professionals to first obtain Stan's tapes which Danny now has and then to dispose of Danny.

NOTE: I've gotten a couple of "guest" messages – and I reiterate that I haved zero medical knowledge. So please take it with a huge grain of salt. I Google and do some basic research but I adapt as needed to make this FICTIONAL story make as much sense as possible without opening up and researching the Mayo Clinic Almanac. So while I appreciate the medical corrections/advice/the "I'm sorry but you're wrong .." comments, et al. I am trying to have it make sense and do take facts seriously. But remember it's for fun, it's not going to be perfect. Thank you – I feel better now!

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Chapter Ten – Under the Island

Rousseau sat on the old couch in his rental and used the remote to channel-hop as he picked through a messy but delicious Chinese take-out meal. Thoroughly enjoying his dinner he was very content as he idly flipped around on the old TV. Oddly enough inexpensive Chinese was his favorite self-indulgence and especially after what he considered to be a productive day.

As he settled on watching local news, the weather gave way to a special report that focused on a downtown shooting earlier that afternoon. Eyes glowing eagerly, Rousseau leaned forward to hear more about Edwards' demise.

Instead, he found himself glaring at the happy young reporter that blithely informed the listening community that the unknown victim was being treated at Queens Medical, current condition unknown. Glowering, Rousseau put his food down and neatly began to clean up from his dinner. Carefully closing each take out box, he placed each one uniformly in the small refrigerator and then tidied the small coffee table.

From years of experience, he knew that he had two options. Attack swiftly and without delay when victims and assigned protection were least prepared. Or, wait patiently for the inevitable comfort level to sink in and for mistakes to be made as the sense of alarm eased and became the mundane.

Not having time for the latter and much preferring action, Rousseau began to gather his gear together. He would have a thorough plan hatched within a few hours that would ensure Edward's permanent end. The fact that it had to be finalized in a hospital setting only provided for an additional level of challenge. Humming a nameless tune, Rousseau was on his way to the hospital within thirty minutes.

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Hawk-eyed, Steve stood with arms folded in the back of Danny's room as he watched the organized activity around the bed. Duke had a uniform already stationed outside that room and one by the operating theater monitoring everyone in Stan's immediate vicinity. For kicks, he had also placed two officers at the main entrance to additionally observe general traffic. And yet another was at the Edward's residence.

Still unconscious, Danny had been through and subsequently passed the CT scan. But his cheekbone was indeed fractured and he'd have one hell of a headache when he woke up from a rather severe concussion. Two ribs were also confirmed as fractured and would take time and rest in order to heal.

Covered in blankets and with chemical heat packs changed out twice thus far, his temperature was grudgingly up to ninety-six degrees and approaching a more acceptable range. Nevertheless, he was still shivering sporadically and there were concerns over his blood pressure readings. Intravenous fluids were being administered, as well as warm, moist oxygen – the mask of which clouded as he gently breathed in a normal, though somewhat shallow, rhythm.

As Danny was settled in the room, the nurse dimmed the lights and signaled to Steve that he could come forward. "Stay as long as you'd like of course." She kindly offered. "He's coming along nicely. But he needs to remain as quiet as possible."

Steve had been prepped by the doctor but was patient as the nurse reiterated some key points. He had especially been worried about a described and possible heart fibrillation side effect – though remote in Danny's case, Steve would take keeping the patient quiet very seriously as he recovered and stabilized.

Thanking her, Steve stood over Danny and leaned his elbows on the bed's rails and studied his pale face that was nearly hidden behind the oxygen mask and bulk of blankets that were still arranged around his head and neck to retain warmth.

"So, Danno." Steve started in a hoarse whisper. "So." And he trailed off in exasperation.

Frowning at himself, Steve puffed his cheeks in frustration as he loudly sighed. "Anyway. You can wake up now you know. I'm hearing that you should be actually. Awake, that is. So knock if off and stop being such an obstinate jerk."

Eyes closed, Danny was listening to Steve's deep voice. Missing many of the words, he couldn't bring himself to mind too much since he found the resonant tone soothing and he was very tired. Unable to help himself, he continued to shiver every so often under the heavy blankets. Parts of him were still cold, but he was most blessedly and finally warmer. Taking stock, he was exhausted and definitely hurt just about everywhere. Each small breath was painful too, but that pain was fairly manageable and the unrelenting noise of the crashing surf was gone. That in itself was the ultimate miracle.

But he furrowed his brow and forced himself to crack his heavy eyes open at Steve's last choice of words. Wincing at the light and the sudden flare of pain in his head, he moaned softly and slammed his eyes shut tightly at the mistake. Though dimmed, Danny was still used to the cave's darkness and the artificial light in the room aggravated his eyes. Overly sensitive from the concussion and now feeling dizzy, he panted shallowly. And as he tried to raise his hand to his aching forehead, that too pained him considerably and he let it drop back to the bed with a hiss. "Owww." He groaned as he realized how much every part of his body really did hurt.

"Danny?" He could hear Steve instantly attentive as his voice sounded closer. "Danno? Don't try to move."

Moistening his lips, Danny silently agreed about the advice and lay quietly as the dizziness and nauseating pain in his head slowly tapered down to a passable level. Even though his eyes remained closed, he could almost feel Steve's worry rolling off him in waves. "You're pretty banged up Danno. But you're going to be okay." His voice was low and soft as he tried to help Danny ride out the worst of his discomfort.

Gathering his fading energy, he also didn't try to open his eyes again as he questioned Steve. "Jerk?" He whispered with a cracked and broken voice. "Are you ….. calling me …. names?"

Smiling, Steve relaxed and his smile widened as he happily denied it. "Never. Nope. Wasn't me." And then he snorted at Danny's soft but very intelligible, one worded offended reply of "liar".

Idly fixing the corner of a blanket, Steve remained standing to lean over him, as he quietly recanted. "Yeah I guess I am one at that. But the next time I tell you that you have a tone, you damn well better listen to me." If Danny had been willing to open his eyes, he'd have seen Steve face change to take on a dark scowl.

The best he could do was frown once again in confusion. "What?" he muttered softly. "Huh?"

Gently pushing, Steve kept his hand on Danny's arm. "Listen Danny, you need to rest. But can you tell me one thing? Can you tell me where Hoffman's tape is?"

"Tape?" Danny remained confused as he struggled to understand the question. "Hoffman." He breathed out. "Is this about Hoffman and Stan?" With a low gasp, Danny shuddered and then flinched in pain. His head began to pound unmercifully as he accidentally shifted in the bed.

Noticing the change in the heart rate monitor and the flashes of pain across his face, Steve mentally kicked himself but he needed to know.

"Easy, Danny. I'm sorry but I need to know where the tape is. Everything's okay. But yeah, all of this is Hoffman's doing. You obviously made quite an impression with that tone of yours."

Forcing his eyes open to mere slits, Danny winced but gave himself time to focus on Steve's troubled face. "I told him I'd kill him. For Grace." He ground out with a grimace. Breathing a bit harder, his ribs were kicking in with a vengeance.

"Now why does that not surprise me?" Steve smirked down at Danny's pained face that was beginning to pale. "Shhh. Just tell me about the tape and that's enough for now."

Bothered by Danny's complexion and obvious stress, Steve was more than sorry that he'd asked the question and he berated himself soundly.

"Tell me and then that's it. God I'm sorry." Running his hand over his face, he was anxious and angry with himself. "Damn it, I shouldn't have asked about it yet. It's really not all that important."

"S'okay." Danny muttered in a low voice that was laced with discomfort and rising exhaustion. "Office. File cabinet Taped to bottom of drawer." With his eyes still only partially opened, Danny wanted to sleep. But he studied Steve's face in askance as he clearly needed particular reassurances.

Smiling slightly, Steve nodded as he squeezed Danny's arm through the blanket and was able to honestly reply. "Yes, Grace and Rachel are both fine. Always have been. And Hoffman's in custody. Now please get some rest."

Standing over Danny, Steve waited for his breathing to level out and for the lines in his face to ease. But it was a long time coming and that did nothing to lessen Steve's personal anger at himself.

Finally sitting down in the chair, he wondered what would happen once Danny found out the true extent of the situation. Watching the gentle rise and fall of Danny's blanketed chest, he promised that information certainly wouldn't be forthcoming any time soon.

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Chin sat in silence with a tearful and very ashen Rachel Edwards while Stan was still undergoing emergency surgery. In its fourth hour, the operation was delicate to remove the bullet from where it had settled near Stan's spine. Other than knowing that the bullet had also nicked an artery and that he'd lost a great deal of blood, not much else was being shared outside of the operating room.

While Chin found a change of clothes, Kono had headed Rachel off when she'd first entered the emergency room with every intent of hearing about Danny. But she'd nearly fallen to her knees once Kono had explained that Stan had also been admitted and was in emergency surgery to remove the sniper's bullet.

Unable to grasp what was happening, Rachel was inconsolable as she made Kono tell her over and over again what had occurred during the afternoon hours.

Now finally sitting with Chin, Rachel sat heartbroken and waited for word on her husband.

Cheerlessly, she took his hand and watched the assigned officer pace near the operating room doors. "At least Danny will be alright." She remarked. But her eyes filled with tears as she guiltily broke down once again. "But I turned my back on Stan before he left with Steve this afternoon. I didn't even speak to him after he'd told me what he'd done. I couldn't bear it after seeing what was in that damned box."

Squeezing her hand gently, Chin did his best to support and give her some relief. "Rachel, he knows. And he tried to make it right today and he did an admirable job. Let's just focus on that, okay? One thing at a time." Nodding, she sniffled but was unable to look at him as she worried the many worn tissues in her lap.

Excusing himself, Chin noticed Kono gesturing to him from the opposite side of the small waiting room. Walking briskly over, she took his arm to speak privately. "We got matching partial prints on both the flashlight from the small pack and from a door-knob in Hoffman's office."

Excited, Kono gave a rundown on the match. "Philippe Rousseau, AKA Phillip Ross or Phil Rosen. Last known permanent residence is a flat in Paris. Professional hit man with quite the reputation. He's on every wanted and watch list known to man."

Amazed by the findings, Kono was almost impressed at the lengthy, dark record. "He's more than bad news, Chin. He's lethal. Never leaves a witness alive. Every aspect of what he does is extremely well-orchestrated. Even the few photos on file are negligible and suspect. There's a rumor that he's had numerous plastic surgeries over the years. His last known whereabouts was Brussels and that was about six months ago."

"Sounds like we're the lucky winners now." Chin said ruefully. Running his hands over his face, he quickly reviewed the reports and documents.

"We have to tell Steve now. And then let's have a meeting with Duke and HPD. With this information and what's been done so far, he's coming again – and soon."

~ to be continued ~