**** WARNING – this chapter contains scenes of physical torture ****
Danny had been calm for about twenty minutes and Steve watched him closely. He noted that his left thigh looked very bad, it was severely bruised and swollen and the gash continued to bleed. Bruising also had spread across his entire lower abdomen. The bruising was not dark though, which was a good sign because dark colored bruising typically meant internal bleeding. But it looked horribly painful and again Steve cursed himself for bringing this pain onto his dear friend.
His thoughts were interrupted as the kidnappers re-entered the cave. He looked up at them and wanting to stall the inevitable torture to Danny he spoke, "Reseph"
"You know my name"
"Of course I know your name. You and Akar were on vacation with your relatives when we raided your family compound. I know that you don't believe it, but we honestly did not know your Mother and sister were there. We were given faulty intelligence. We never would have executed the raid if we had known they were there. There has not been a day since it happened that I haven't thought about them, they were innocent victims. They did not deserve to die…I am sorry"
Akar lunged at the bound SEAL, punching and kicking him relentlessly hollering at Steve the entire time, "YOU KILLED MY FAMILY, YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH…..YOU KILLED MY FAMILY"
Steve could not breathe as Akar kicked him in the face, ribs, chest and groin, again and again. He could take it though…..…..he had taken worse beatings. As the kicks and punches continued he glanced up at Danny and seeing his friend still unconscious but NOT being beaten, a weak smile crossed his bloodied lips…..…he could take it...
Eventually Reseph pulled Akar from him and Steve heard them leave the cave before he passed out from the pain.
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Back at Jacks' home Wade, Tony, Kono and Amanda left to pick up the guns and supplies that were in Chin's truck. Duke had agreed to meet them near Kono's home and he was also going to take Amanda with him and place her under protective custody. They had instructed Amanda to not give HPD any information at this point for all of their protection.
They pulled up to Chin's truck which was parked in front of Kono's home along with an HPD squad car.
Kono introduced Tony and Amanda to Duke, "Kono….can you tell me any more?"
"Duke, we really can't. At least not yet. I'm sure Steve will fill you in when he has a chance"
"Can you have him call me?"
"I will but it might be awhile"
"Are you certain you don't want our assistance Kono?"
Wade then spoke, "At this point Lieutenant Lukela this is a covert Navy SEALS mission"
"I understand. Please have Commander McGarrett contact me as soon as possible and we'll take good care of Mrs. Dorsey"
Kono shook his hand, "Thank you Duke" She then turned and hugged Amanda, "We'll be back soon. You'll be safe with Duke, he's a great man"
Duke allowed them to take Chin's truck. Tony drove, following Wade giving him some time to talk to Kono alone.
"Kono, I know your very worried about Steve and Danny"
"And you're not worried?"
Tony smirked and held out his hand which Kono gladly took into hers, "Of course I'm worried dear, but I worked closely with Steve for a little more than three years. Kono, I don't know how much Steve has told you about SEAL teams and our missions, but we become very close. We depend on each other for our very survival. Very rarely will you find a SEAL married or with children. Our missions take us away from our loved ones for extended periods of time and also our job can endanger those we love. It's just …it's safer to not get too close to anyone, to not love. We become everything to each other" His voice became softer and Kono squeezed his hand, "We have been asked to do some horrible things in defense of our country and no one understands that but another SEAL. We live together, we love and support each other, we cry and we mourn together…we are Brothers in Arms. I've never known a more decent and honorable man than Steve McGarrett. He's saved my life more than once and nobody is better at what he does than Steve, he won't stop fighting Kono. And he'll fight more for Danny than himself because he loves him"
Kono looked at this man and she saw a younger version of Steve. She had never thought much about Steve's SEAL days. She knew he was a hero, and a man of immense courage, but to hear a man who served under him talk about him with such love and admiration….it brought tears to her eyes. Now it was Tony's turn to squeeze her hand, to comfort her...…to comfort both of them.
Kono wiped her eyes, "It sounds like such a lonely life, not being able to fall in love, to have a family"
"It can be. But we always have each other…we're never alone"
"I watch how he is with Danny. The special bond, the friendship they have. And then to see him with Gracie, he's so nurturing so gentle with her. They love each other so much"
"McGarrett, nurturing and gentle huh?" He smiled at Kono, "I'm kidding you. He's a great man Kono. I know you love him, honey we all do. We would all die for that man just as I'm sure your team would. Steve told us a little bit about each of you and he loves you all very much. You ARE his family and I promise that we'll do everything we can to bring him and Danny home to you safely"
He lifted her hand and kissed it. "Trust us Kono"
"I do trust you Tony. Let's bring them home"
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Back at the cave, the reprieve from the torture came to an end as the kidnappers returned.
Not giving Steve a chance to distract him this time, Akar moved straight to the cattle prod and as the first jolt of electricity coursed through Danny he was ripped back to consciousness, "NNNNOOOO…GGGGODDD SSTOPPP…STEEVVEEE….."
Steve didn't want to holler out. He knew that's the reaction these animals wanted.
Two, three, four times the prod was applied to Danny's chest. Each torturous touch to the tender, bruised flesh bringing screams of agony and cries of despair as Danny called out to his partner to help him, to save him. "GODDDD…SSTEVE PPLEASE….HHELP MME SSTEVE" Steve watched, unable to help as his partner's chest was burned. His body twisted and flopped as he tried unsuccessfully to evade the weapon. The sound of the electrical current was horrific but it was the smell…..the smell of his partners' burning flesh that was just too much to take and Steve did the only thing he could do.
He called out to his partner, "DANNY….DANNY, I'M HERE PARTNER….HANG ON BUDDY, DON'T YOU LET THE BASTARDS WIN DANNY…."
"STEE…EEVE….OOOHHHHH GGODDDD"
Tears were flowing down Danny's cheeks and Steve continued to holler out, his voice strong and steady, "DANNY YOU'RE SO STRONG BUDDY, NO PAIN DANNO NO PAIN"
After the fourth jolt was applied just inches above the deeper gash on his chest, which had begun to bleed more severely, Danny thankfully surrendered to the pain and passed out.
Steve glared at their tormenters, "You bastards, I'll kill you all…you fucking bastards"
Russell looked at him and laughed, "Sure you will hero, sure you will"
Once they had left the cave the SEAL turned to his partner. Danny remained unconscious and his body was slowly swaying back and forth. He noticed that Danny's wrists had now begun to bleed. As his body swayed, Steve was able to get a better glimpse at the bullet wound. He could see that the there was no exit wound and the redness and swelling indicated that infection had set in.
His eyes never left his partner as he struggled with his ropes, his wrists burning horribly. As tears streaked down his cheeks he repeated over and over again, "I'm so sorry Danno, I'm so sorry…."
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