Chapter 10

Monday morning, 0832 hours (GYT)

Kono walked into the lobby of the Trinidad Hilton dressed in shorts and a tee shirt dropping the overnight bag she carried onto the floor when she stopped at the registration desk.

"May I help you?" the clerk asked.

"I sincerely hope so," she said with a sigh. "Because I'm desperate," she told him, offering a tired smile as she ran her hand through her hair, pushing it behind her ear. "It's been a nightmare. My daughter and I flew all night to meet my husband who is on R&R with the Navy, my daughter got sick on the plane and then we were delayed at the airport, and now my husband isn't feeling too well either." She pointed toward the front door to the the man dressed in dirty cargo pants holding a little girl. "I tried to check into our room down the street and they said that check-in isn't until noon. Please tell me you have a room to spare that we could check into right now." She sighed again. "I just don't think any of us can make it until noon."

"Of course we can help you," the man assured her. "You should have chosen the Hilton in the first place," he told her with a wink and a grin.

"Bless you," she said, pulling out her credit card and handing it to him. "And our next trip will definitely be Hilton all the way."

He glanced at the card and ran it through the machine. "Ah, Mrs. McGarrett since you aren't listed on the card, I'll need your husband's signature on the receipt."

"Of course," she murmured, turning around. "Honey, you need to sign this."

The man walked to the desk, holding his 'daughter' in both arms, her face tucked against his chest. He was glad he had taken the time to pull the zip ties out of her hair, letting it fall on and disguise the side of her face. The last thing they needed was for a hotel clerk to ID Aliyana from her photos on the news. He grabbed the pen and hastily signed his name. "Thanks, man." Steve nodded at the clerk and added, "we really appreciate your help. Our vacation hasn't gotten off to a very good start."

The clerk looked at the scratches on his face. "Sir, if you or your daughter needs medical attention, we have a doctor on call who can be here in a matter of minutes."

McGarrett shook his head and smiled. "I'm OK… just kind of tired, and we think she has a stomach bug. But I appreciate your help. We'll be fine after some rest."

"Of course. Everyone here at the Hilton will do whatever we can to ensure your vacation is a good one. Here are your key cards. The room number is listed on the envelope. Take the elevator down the corridor to your right and go to the third floor. If there is anything we can do, please let us know."

"Thank you so much," Kono told him before taking Steve's arm. "Honey, let's get her to the room and then we can get our bags."

"Sounds good," he replied. As they walked down the hall, he whispered under his breath, "Phase 1 was a piece of cake."

"Yeah," she laughed. "Never knew my vacation would be so exciting. First, I participate in a firefight while hanging out of a chopper, then a rescue, and two hours later I end up married and with a four year old. And that's just the first day."

"All in a day's work. But speaking of cake, when we get to the room, can you order breakfast?" He jiggled Ali in his arms until she giggled. "I can hear someone's tummy rumbling. Good job, Ali. You did great pretending to be asleep." Once they were on the elevator, he set her down so she could walk.

"Why did you tell him we were both sick?" he asked Kono.

She turned him around so that he could see his reflection in the metal surface of the elevator cab. "Have you looked at yourself in the mirror, Honey? Trust me, you two can use some help. And since you didn't have any other clothes, I needed to cover why you were in fatigues, so I told him you were on R&R."

"Good call." He stared at their reflections in the mirrored wall, then looked down at Ali and grinned. "I guess the two of us do look pretty rag tag, don't we?"

The little girl made no comment, but grinned back and reached up to hold his hand.

"That would be considered an understatement," Kono agreed with him, exiting the elevator and looking for their room. Finding the correct number, they went inside and locked the door behind them. "On to Phase 2. Let's call Chin and Danny."

~~~H50~~~

To any casual observer in Trinidad/Tobago, the man walking around the U.S. Embassy was a tourist, complete with a loud Hawaiian print shirt and a camera slung around his neck. He sauntered along, taking photos of the street, the trees, garden behind the embassy, anything he saw, in order to blend in.

The garden was filled with tropical flowers and trees, the individual beds separated by walking paths. A low stone fence wrapped around three sides of the garden, the front of it butting up against the large building behind the embassy. On one of the paths, a man and woman walked, holding hands, their heads bowed. The man urged the pregnant lady to sit on a black, wrought-iron bench as he sat down beside her.

Movement near the door caught Chin's attention and he continued down the block, snapping photos as he went. He could see only one guard watching the couple. Whether he was a friend or enemy, Chin had no clue. So, taking a page from McGarrett's playbook, he would act first and sort out the details later.

He decided on a plan, and quickly put it into action.

Chin reached down to the sidewalk and rose back up, glancing around and 'noticing' the couple. He opened the gate and walked into the garden. "Hey, excuse me, but this phone was lying on your sidewalk. Is it—"

The guard was immediately in front of him, one hand on his holstered weapon, cutting him off from the man and woman. "You must leave. Immediately. You are trespassing on U.S. soil."

Chin took one step back and gave the guard a withering stare, replying with a bite in his tone, "And I happen to be a U.S. citizen, so I don't see that there is a problem. I was only trying to return a cell phone."

"Well, it doesn't belong here," the guard replied, his hand still around the gun butt.

The man stood and stepped around the guard. "Raoul, it is nothing. I am sorry, sir, for my…associate. We have had some problems at the embassy the past day or so. Please forgive us."

"So, you're sure it isn't your phone?" Chin asked, holding it out.

"No, it is not."

Chin glanced toward the building and saw no other guards around. "Then, my apologies for disturbing you." He bowed his head, before quickly turning around, landing a well-placed elbow into the guard's solar plexus. Chin drew his weapon and hit Raoul in the head before the man even landed on the stone walk.

"President Sanchez, I'm with Steve McGarrett," Chin hastily told the couple. "Please don't be alarmed. Do you know how many guards you have?"

Sanchez had moved back to his wife's side, shielding her for what may come next, but turned toward Chin and breathed a sigh of relief.

"There was always one outside our suite and Raoul on the inside. They are corrupt?"

Chin kept his gun trained on Raoul and removed the man's weapon from its holster. "We don't know for sure, but right now, we're not taking any chances." He walked toward the bench Mrs. Sanchez remained seated on and took his phone from his pocket, scrolling through it. "Mr. Sanchez, we don't have much time, so please sit down. We need to talk. But I bring good news. This photo was taken a couple hours ago. Your daughter is alive." He handed the phone to Sanchez as proof, showing the picture of Ali lying on Steve's shoulder.

Mrs. Sanchez cried out and reached for the phone. "My baby. Are you sure?"

The president hugged his wife. "You're positive? You've spoken with McGarrett?"

Chin nodded. "Yes, I'm positive. I was with them on the flight back," he assured them.

"Oh, thank God," Sanchez said, grasping Chin's hand. "I knew McGarrett could find her. I just thought he was too late."

"I need you to trust me," Chin told him. "I can take you to Ali and Steve, but we need to hurry before anyone comes looking for you." He kept a watchful eye on Raoul who appeared to still be out.

"Of course," the Sanchez's agreed, standing. "How far? My wife may need assistance."

Chin nodded, not wanting to reveal the location in case Raoul was indeed listening in. "This way," he whispered, taking Mrs. Sanchez's other arm and guiding them out the gate. They walked to the far end of the block and once away from listening ears, Chin told them they were headed just across the street to the Hilton.

Mrs. Sanchez finally managed to speak past her tears. "Please tell me. Is Ali unharmed?"

"She looked good to me. A little dirty, but from what McGarrett said, your little girl is a real trooper. Apparently, they really bonded this weekend. And McGarrett looked pretty natural with a baby in his arms," he told them, his eyes crinkling with his smile.

~~~H50~~~

There was a knock at the door and Danny pressed against the door frame, his weapon drawn. "Who is it?"

"Chin. Open up."

Williams eased open the door, allowing Chin to escort President and Mrs. Sanchez into the room. She immediately began looking around.

"Where—"

Danny smiled at her and pointed toward the bedroom of the small suite. "They're trying to clean her up."

The Sanchez's headed for the open door, listening to laughter coming from the bathroom. "Hold still, you little monkey," Kono said, laughing while Steve attempted to pull a new sundress over the girl's head. Her head popped out just as she saw her parents in the open doorway.

"Momma! Daddy!" She ran to them, her arms outstretched. The trio melded in the middle of the bedroom floor with hugs, kisses, crying and laughter. Steve and Kono discreetly left the room, pulling the door closed behind them.

"Wow, Boss," Kono whispered, her face beaming. "Sometimes the job is really worth it."

"This one is ending well," McGarrett agreed, running his hand through his damp hair. He had jumped in the shower after Kono had returned from the store with the dress for Ali and a clean tee shirt for him.

He pulled out a chair in front of the desk and straddled it. "Now let's finish it and take the rest of Ochoa's dissidents out of commission. Chin, what did it look like at the embassy?"

Chin sat down on the couch, his elbows on his knees. "I didn't even go inside. The Sanchez's were walking in the garden behind the complex. There was only one guard with them who was ready to fight, so I knocked him out. We left immediately after that, so I don't know how many others there are. This guy's name was Raoul and I don't know whose side he is on, but I didn't take any chances."

"Don't blame you," McGarrett agreed.

"Hey," Kono interrupted, turning the laptop around for Chin to view a photo. "Is this your Raoul?"

"One and the same. Who is he?"

"Ochoa's nephew, so I'm guessing that says where his allegiance lies."

"OK," Steve thought. "Since the Sanchez's are out of the apartments, I would assume the guards would, once again, be in the embassy itself. If you can get through the back and into the embassy, I can go through the front. I might be a surprise, but at least I can get an audience with the admiral. He has converted a conference room on the third floor into his War Room. Once I'm inside, you can move into position near the conference room and wait for action."

"That should work," Danny agreed.

"Ear mics would come in handy, but we'll just have to wing it," McGarrett told them.

Danny reached for his bag. ""I think I have just what we need," he told Steve, pulling the case with the ear buds out of his duffel. "Never let it be said that Danny Williams does not come prepared."

"Good job, Williams!" Steve grinned and stood, pushing the chair back under the desk, then pointing to the closed bedroom doorway. "I need to see if Sanchez can give us any pointers on the situation before we leave," he told his team. Before he made it across the room, the door opened.

"Steve!" Sanchez said, holding out his hand. "No words can ever express my thankfulness."

McGarrett shook the man's hand, but was immediately pulled into a bear hug. "Thank you, thank you."

The very uncomfortable SEAL returned the hug before pulling away. With a shake of his head, he replied, "That was my job. I'm thankful it turned out this way. Going in, I have to admit, I didn't have a very good feeling."

Sanchez nodded. "It has been a week I do not wish to repeat. But thankfully my daughter is safe and unharmed. All thanks to you and your team."

Steve told him quietly, "You might want to have the doctor check her out. Her nanny was in on this. I watched the woman slap Ali in the face, and I would bet that wasn't the first time it had happened. There was also evidence that they used chloroform on her to keep her sedated. And I overheard her tell Ali that you and your wife were getting a new baby and didn't love her anymore."

McGarrett read the pain in the other man's eyes and hastened to add, "You have a wonderful little girl, Alejandro. I know she was terrified but not once did she have a meltdown out there in the jungle. She did exactly what I asked, when I asked it, although she refused to talk the entire time." He grinned at the other man. "But I think you're in trouble."

"How so?"

"In the very near future, I predict you will have boys standing in line to take her out."

"She is a good girl," Sanchez agreed, his pride evident in his voice. "I will beat off the boys with a stick. But right now, you are all she can talk about." He sobered, and added, "I will have a doctor check her out. I know this was traumatic for her…for all of us." They both turned toward the bedroom when Sanchez's wife and daughter emerged.

Ali held onto her mother's hand, dragging her toward Steve and her father. "Momma, this is Uncle Steve. He said I could call him that because that's what Grace calls him." She raised her arms and her father picked her up for one more hug. "And that is Chin," she pointed him out. "And that's Kono…she bought me the new dress, see? And he's Danny. He's Grace's daddy and he said I can go see her, OK?"

Her father smiled at her. "I am most certain that can be arranged, Ali."

"Uncle Steve is going to buy me some ice," she explained to her parents. She made a face, not really understanding why his ice was so special.

"Shave ice," Steve corrected her, smiling. "You know, Little Girl, … you really had me fooled. You wouldn't talk to me, so I didn't think you even knew how to talk. And now listen to you… you can't stop!" She jumped from her father's arms into his. "Hey! Hang on there, Kiddo."

"You won't let me fall," she said with assurance, hugging his neck.

"No, I won't let you fall," he agreed, holding her tight before letting her slide down onto the couch.

Mrs. Sanchez hugged him next, still having trouble speaking without getting choked up. "You have given me a most precious gift, Commander McGarrett. We cannot ever repay you."

He hugged her back. "Call me Steve," he told her. "And the only payment I need is an occasional picture of your beautiful daughter. That is thanks enough." He turned to Sanchez and asked quietly, "Can we discuss the embassy?"

The president nodded. "Marisol, please give us a few moments. Ali, would you like to watch TV in the other room?"

"OK, Mr. Flopsy wants to watch Dora."

"Then let's make Mr. Flopsy happy and go find Dora," her mother told her, taking her hand.

Aliyana walked with her mother, turning back to them and waving. "Bye, Uncle Steve."

Sanchez watched them go and then turned back to McGarrett, his gratitude written on his face.

The commander recognized the look and nodded; no further words were necessary. "Have a seat," Steve told him, once again sitting in the desk chair. "What can you tell us about the embassy situation?"

Sanchez raised both hands. "We were kept away from it," he answered. "Raoul received word that dissidents had stormed the embassy itself. I understand three people were killed, but to my knowledge, there was no ransom request, so I do not understand the purpose of the attack."

"I think this was a ploy by Ochoa to keep you on ice and take the spotlight off Guyana. We have him in custody, by the way."

"Ochoa? How did you accomplish that?"

"He came for Ali. His idiotic plan was to 'rescue' her from her kidnappers, then make a big show of giving her back to you so that your people would realize he was the perfect leader for Guyana. But we had rescued her before he got to the compound, so he then proceeded to chase us through the jungle into Suriname. And I am embarrassed to admit this, but Chavez from the U.S. Embassy in your country is a part of this scheme. He ordered our chopper to be shot down before we landed in Guyana."

"Once this is over, if the people will have me back, I will be a good president for them. And Ochoa and his followers will be tried for their crimes."

"Now that's what we wanted to hear," Danny told him. "And with all the unrest in the streets of Guyana, I don't think you'll have a problem regaining power."

"Do you know if the admiral is still at the embassy?" Steve asked.

"I have not heard otherwise."

"We are going there now to finish this."

"I will come with you," Sanchez decided.

McGarrett shook his head. "No. You need to stay here with Ali and your wife. Chin, I think it would be best if you remained here as well. I would feel better if someone was here in case there is a problem. Besides, the guard got a good look at you and they may decide to shoot first and ask questions later."

"The McGarrett specialty," Danny pointed out with a grin.

Chin grinned back, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Understood, Boss. We'll be fine. And I noticed in the bedroom, we have a good view of the embassy. I'll be able to alert you if there are any runners."

McGarrett nodded.

Sanchez sighed. "You are fighting for me and my country. It is only right that I join you there. But I understand." He looked Steve in the eye. "You will return when it is finished?"

"We will contact Chin when it is safe. Now, Mr. President," Steve told him with a smile, "I would think it is time for you to begin working on your second acceptance speech."

The president smiled. "Yes, I can do that. But wait." He looked on the desk and found paper and pen. "Let me show you a rarely-used route from the living quarters back into the embassy. This may be useful to you. I'm sure they realize we have left the premises by now. They will be looking."

"Thanks. Any advantage we have will help," McGarrett told him while they gathered their gear, preparing to leave. He took the paper and studied it, before handing it over to Danny and Kono to do the same. "We'll contact you soon. Chin, keep your ears on."

Kelly nodded and reached for one of the ear buds, adding, "Be careful."

Steve nodded in return. "Always."

~~~H50~~~