For the next couple of days I got all the information from Washington sorted out in the files on the SkyDrive, there was so much information to shift through and we were still deciding if it was safe to bring everyone else in to the investigation. I had piled everything on Sparx on one table and all the other information regarding Thompson and his team on the other. Marking everything that could be connected with post it notes, I found their personnel files and sat down to read them at the table. To get to the heart of the issues I needed to profile the men who helped train me, find out why he went postal about me? I sure as hell didn't want his advances and made that plain clear to him, but why the violence against me and my family?
A sudden sharp knock at the door had me jump; it was really early and I realised I had worked through the day and half of the night on the project. I headed to the door after putting the files back in the secure box and opened the door. It was Joe.
"What do I owe this pleasure?" I asked leaning against the doorframe.
"I found the cargo container; it's been transported to the docks from its location and hasn't been tampered with. You need to see it if you're going to get any more information about what happened when you were escorting in Afghanistan. Here are the details, good hunting!"
He handed me a folded bit of paper and when I looked back in his direction he was gone; smiling at his skills, I headed back into the house. Steve was doing a stake out with the rest of the team who was aware that I had resurfaced, but we hadn't seen each other yet due to them giving me some time to readjust to everything that happened.
"All right Joe; let's see what's in the box?" I whispered to myself.
Grabbing my keys, I locked up and jumped into my car; hitting the satnav to get directions to the dockyards I sped away and made good time to get onto the freeway before the morning rush hour started. I put on my Bluetooth and made a quick call to dispatch to tell the others where I was headed in case they needed support. They would pass the message along for me as the stake out was due to finish at daybreak. I had just arrived at the dockyard when my phone went, clicking on the dashboard I saw Danny calling.
"Hello Danny, how did it go?" I asked as I parked up.
"All good, major takedown as planned and everyone are fine. Dispatch called and said that you were at the dockyards looking into something about a cargo container? Is this the same container you couldn't remember anything about?"
"Yeah it is. I had a visit from Joe this morning and he passed me the details of the shipping detail and storage markers. I've just arrived and I'm going to speak to the dock master to find its location. Why?" I asked with an edge of wariness from his tone.
"We haven't seen Joe since I told him to lay low, now he suddenly makes an appearance after you leave the base and start investigating new leads. Do me a favour and don't go near the container until we arrive alright. Something doesn't seem right!" he replied.
I agreed and headed to speak to the dock master to get the location before heading back to the car to wait on the rest of the team. Twenty minutes later they all pulled up and I got out of the car to meet them. Kono came over and gave me a huge hug, grinning at her I hugged her back and nodded to her question to see if I was alright. Chin did the same thing and scolded me for running away to the military, but he was delighted to see me again. I looked over to Danny and winked, he shrugged his shoulders and Steve's truck pulled up beside the car and he got out with a scowl on his face.
"Good morning mister cheerful….wake up on the wrong side of the stake out this morning?" I asked.
"Funny! You work through the night again?" he asked noting the tired eyes.
"Don't whine Steve, had a good lead to follow and I found out a lot of information. Then I got a surprise visit from Joe." I replied handing him the sheet of paper with the details on it.
"Any location details for the container?" Chin asked.
"Yeah it's being moved to allow us access. It's seemingly my property now, but I have no clue how or who passed this too me. It's just along here; the dock master has already been made aware we are opening it for investigation and the SIS have been alerted we need a mobile unit." I replied.
I took point and headed along the pathway to where the container was now positioned by the crane. It was a standard looking cargo container, no extra-ordinary markers present. I headed up around the back and then clocked a few holes in the bottom right hand corner – bullet holes. Three distinct bullet holes in a pattern that was used for identification, and as a marksmen's ID on the range. I took a photo of it; it looked familiar, but could belong to any number of marksmen I had trained with. I'd pass it onto a friend in ballistics and they could match it to the database of military marksmen.
"Sadie, you ready to get this opened?" Danny said as we regrouped.
"Yeah, go for it!" I replied.
The doors clicked open and we had to add some elbow grease to get the doors opened fully. It was the strong smell of copper that alerted everyone there had been blood spilled in the container. Everyone drew their weapons and we scoped inside to find the place empty, but also set up like a horror scene. I flashed on the spotlight and I got really bad vibes from the place. We took corners and checked the area for any kind of traps and IED's – there was none. The only thing was a small package of white powder, a metal beam with rope at both ends and a bamboo cane that was discoloured.
My memory recalled back to the moment I was lucid after being force drugged with the meth I had created for the people who had me, I was tied to a metal beam by rope attached to my wrists; I tried to move but stopped immediately as the ache of my wrists and back sent pain through my body. I saw the cane lying on the table behind me as I glanced around the place looking for anything to help me escape. It was maybe a meter long; twenty millimetres wide and serrated at one edge….that explained the tearing pain after the last beating.
A voice snapped me out of it, I rebalanced myself and looked at Kono who was bagging the cane with the SIS technician; I had holstered my firearm already without realising and headed out the container to get some fresh air. I knew the container had something to do with me being captured; now I knew why. It was where I was kept, tortured and experimented on after making up meth for the men, I headed out the box and stood outside as I saw Steve on the phone, he was getting annoyed at whoever had called him – my guess was Joe.
"Lieutenant, are you alright?" a technician said startling me.
"Yes thank you. Have you found anything?" I replied.
"Yes, chemical traces, drug marker and the cane. I'm going to get these processed and the results should be back in a couple of hours. I have to ask again if you are alright as you're really pale and your hand is shaking, there is a possibility you have been contaminated with something and you need checked out."
I turned round to him and shook my head smiling.
"I'm alright, but thank you. Too much coffee and not enough sleep over the last couple of days. I'll get checked out if I feel worse okay."
He nodded and after I signed the chain of evidence documents I headed over to Steve who signalled for me to come over. He didn't look too happy with the news he received and passed me his phone.
"That was Joe; the container came from the Middle East and has no sender information. I noticed the bullet marker on the bottom right hand corner – do you know who it is?"
"Not 100%, it's going to be impossible to tell without ballistics doing the comparison exam against the database. You know every sniper leaves his tell; it's just another piece of the puzzle that is my life!"
"Yeah, I've already sent the photos to SIS; hopefully they can look into it and get back to us quickly. Are you coming back to the barn?" he replied.
"No, I was going to head home, not feeling that great. I'll see you later okay?" I replied handing him the evidence bags.
"I'll see you in an hour or so, I need to come home anyway. Are you alright, your shaking like a leaf!" he said pulling me to the side.
"Yeah, I'm good; tired and needing some breakfast….im running on empty at the moment!" I replied.
He was looking at me, his eyes glancing over my features and body language as I turned and headed back towards the car, he called my name and I turned around again.
"What did you remember?" he asks bluntly.
I looked up at him and flinched, I thought I had got away with that one.
"Nothing good but I managed it. I'm fine, no nosebleed or headache and I just want to go home, eat and have a long hot shower to relax. I'll see you in a little while okay?" I replied.
I waved to everyone and headed off along the freeway again; I wasn't going home though, I needed help doing something first that would hopefully confirm or deny my conclusion. Pulling up at the public car park at the back of HPD, I headed in through the main entrance and met up with Max who I had called from the car in the medical room.
"Lieutenant, it is good to see you looking so well again, though you are looking incredibly stressed at the moment. Have you had another episode?"
One of the many reasons I loved Max was his no bullshit policy, he could see through any false statements you made and got to the point immediately. He knew me well enough to know that I had had another episode and asked for his help in figuring it out. I let him know about what I was working on, who gave me the information and where it led me too. I told him about the container, what I think had triggered the flashback and why I asked him here to meet me with a camera and testing kit.
"I need you to do the analysis on the cane when SIS brings it in, it's a good chance that it's going to be over two years old and may be dated and contaminated, but all I need is a blood analysis and cross match."
"Consider it done. But may I ask why the camera and measuring kit then?" he replied taking notes on his PDA.
"I need you to compare the cane dimensions to the scars on my back."
He looked at me then it clicked, his emotions running across his face.
"You believe that this is where you were held during the time of your capture and torture?" he whispered as people passed outside.
"It's a strong suspicion, but it fits with what I remembered the minute I walked in there. Do this for me, please Max?" I whispered.
"I will need to inform Commander McGarrett if the tests come back positive, do you agree? That's my one condition!" he replied.
"I agree," I replied as I turned around and took off my top.
Three hours later I was sitting on the beach out the back garden of the house and watching the whales breach the water a good distance out. It was always amazing to watch and one of my favourite relaxing things to do when I had a few spare moments to myself. Max had come by the house and passed me the results of the lab tests on the white powder and the cane. Both came up with my recipe for the meth and my blood had saturated the canes fibrous material. He kept true to his word and had contacted Steve after he passed me the details; my phone had gone crazy within seconds of the team being given the news. I had changed into a long gypsy skirt and top and decided to take a walk along the secluded beach that connected the neighbourhood to the cove. I left a message for Steve in the sand and directions of which way I had gone. The cool clothes were perfect for the walk as the Hawaiian summer was now kicking in and it was getting as warm as 46 degrees at points during the day.
I had walked maybe a mile or so along the coast line and picked up a few shells I found for Grace; she loved the beach and the sea and I said I would keep an eye out for strange shells for her. I stopped at the rock pools slightly further along and watched the sea life dart around the place; it calmed me down, another useful tool to sort out the new information that had been confirmed. I stuck my toes in the empty tide pool and wiggled my toes around at the small fish that bumped my feet; it was total paradise here and I never wanted to leave.
Then I saw him walking along the shore line, he looked like he had just gone ten rounds with the punch bag without his gloves; he was dressed in ¾ cargo pants and a t-shirt, barefoot like there wasn't a care in the world. He looks in my direction and I play with the fish that have come around my feet, trying to sort out what was going on in my head.
"You found the message then?"
He stands beside me and pulls me back against him as I keep looking out into the shore. He nods in response and I take a breath in and let it out slowly.
"You know what was found, what was suspected?" I replied.
I had shut myself down again to prevent the anger from escaping too quickly; I needed to keep a hold of it until the right moment and I could get retribution on those who I trusted and then abused me. Steve had my shoulders and I knew he was dying to get me to turn around, scream at him or anything….any emotional response would do at the moment. But I was cold inside when it came to the past now, I knew how SEALS did it now, the one weakness I had was empathy and compassion. I had neither of the two when it came to those men who captured me.
"JSOC and SACO have been informed of the events and new information found out about Bravofourniner. They are willing to give full authority to hunt them down and bring them in. They want to speak to you and see if you have any requests?"
This time I did turn around to him. I lay my hand on his chest and leaned up to kiss him. I started to walk past him and stopped before holding out my hand.
"I want them dead." I replied.
He took my hand and pulled me back into him.
"You're not the only one!"