Danny knew it was time to go home and looked at Melanie Wallace as the new shift arrived on the scene and exchanged details with the officers already on duty. He waited until they were done before speaking with the owner of the house.

"Detective, I'm afraid you people will have to leave. I don't want you here overnight," Wallace told him.

"We won't interfere with…"

"No, you won't, because you won't be here. I'm sorry, but my cooperation only goes so far and I do not want you people here while I'm sleeping. If Patrick calls I will record it and maybe you will be able to trace his whereabouts. Leave now, Detective, or I will not allow you to return in the morning," Wallace told him.

"A man's life could depend on your decision, Mrs. Wallace."

"It could, but unless you can prove it then I am telling you to leave my property. There's no discussion about this, Detective. I will not have you here during the night and if you continue to argue I will make sure you're not here tomorrow either. If he does call I will try to find out where he is, but for now you need to leave," the older woman told him.

Danny silently cursed and ran his fingers through his hair in disgust, but he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do about her decision. He quickly told the others to pack it in for the night and followed them outside. He stood beside his car and watched as Wallace closed the door of her home before he got into his Camaro and drove toward Five-O headquarters.

Danny wasn't at all surprised to find Chin and Kono still there when he arrived and was glad he'd stopped long enough to pick up coffee and sandwiches. He hand them out and waited for an update on what little they had.

"What happened with Mrs. Wallace?" Chin asked before biting into the ham and cheese sandwich.

"She decided she wanted her privacy at night," Williams snapped.

"Easy, Danny, did she say whether we could continue to monitor her calls during the day?" Kono asked.

"Yes, she did, but that doesn't help if her brother calls during the night," Williams told them.

"Kamekona called to say he's got several leads, but nothing concrete yet," Chin offered.

"What kind of leads?" the Jersey native asked.

"He wouldn't go into details," Kono answered. "Danny, if he finds out anything that could help us he'll call."

"I know, but if we knew what he was working on we could put Five-O's resources on it."

"Kamekona's got his own resources and he'll use every one of them to help find Steve," Chin vowed.

"Ever wonder how he got his sources?" Williams asked.

"Does it really matter? He's helped a lot of people…not just Five-O," Chin answered and brought up several files he and Kono had been working on. "We've been able to come up with 46 properties that could belong to Paulina Donaldson, but we need more info if we're going to narrow it down."

"Are these just the ones in Hawaii?"

"These are just the ones on Maui," Chin answered. "We've got a separate list for the other islands."

"How many variations on those names are there in total?" Williams asked,

"320," Kono answered. "Most of those are scattered around The Big Island."

"Dammit to hell! We need to narrow it down," Williams snapped.

"We're trying, Danny, but if we're not careful we could overlook the very name we're looking for," Chin advised. "I spoke with the governor and he's calling in several favors to get us the help we need."

"Is that going to be enough?" Kono asked.

"It'll have to be right now," Chin said and glanced at the clock. "It's getting late and we're all tired. Why don't we call it a night and come back at it with fresh eyes?"

"Come on, Danny, you know Chin's right," Kono offered.

"I know, but I can't help feeling we need to hurry," Williams said as they locked down Five-O headquarters and headed their separate ways. He made his way to his car and leaned against it as he looked up at the darkening sky overhead. Where had she taken Steve and how much time did they have before SuperSEAL went SuperNOVA on her ass?

5050505050

Kishi knew what would happen if his parents or Paulina discovered what he was thinking. He knew they thought he was simple-minded and they could be right, but he knew he was smarter than they gave him credit for. He loved his mother and father, but he wasn't sure whether they loved him. They had taken Paulina as their own and he often felt left out.

Kishi knew Paulina was dangerous and understood she would kill him if she ever found out about his treasures. He'd started collecting them from the first time she'd brought one of her male friends here. It was hidden in a cave not far from here, one he'd found during a late night walk along the overgrown trail further down the beach. It was his haven when he needed to think.

Kishi stood near the open window and stared at the sleeping man. He was better looking than some of the others and there was no doubting that he worked out. The problem was that he could not defend himself while Paulina and the others kept him drugged. Could he help McGarrett escape? Would they find him if he hid the man in the cave until he could get help for him? It felt strange to him…this feeling that he needed to help Steve McGarrett, and he knew he had to fight it.

"Kishi, why are you in here?"

"I wanted to make sure she is safe," the big man lied as his mother moved to check on the captive.

"He is sedated and will sleep through the night. You should not be here unless Paulina tells you your presence is required. Go down to the kitchen and eat, but do not touch the cake it is for your sister."

"But she is not my sister, Mother," Kishi whispered.

"Perhaps not by birth, but she has proven that she belongs with this family. Your father and I had nothing until she came into our lives. You would have been killed on the streets long ago if it wasn't for her generosity. You must not do anything to jeopardize what we now have. Do you understand me?"

"I understand, Mother, but what she does to them…it is wrong. You taught me to be kind to people, yet you turn away while she kidnaps these men!"

"Perhaps it is, but she does love him and she only wants what's best for him. He has put his life in danger and she wants to protect him. Look at them, Kishi, they are sleeping and look content in each other's arms. She will be good for him and he will not want for anything," Asami told him.

'Except his freedom,' Kishi thought.

"What are you thinking about, Kishi?"

"Nothing, Mother," Kishi said and made sure his face showed nothing of his inner feelings as he followed her from the room.

5050505050

Helen Liana looked at the man standing near the pool and walked slowly toward him. She'd seen the damage McGarrett had inflicted and wasn't sure if she wanted to help McCallum or tell him he looked like a raccoon.

"What do you want, Doctor?" McCallum snarled, his voice nasally as if the swelling was effecting the way he spoke.

"I came to see if I can help," Liana said and moved to stand in front of the merc. She got her first good look at the damage McGarrett inflicted and whistled softly. "He really did a number on you."

"I could have killed him if she hadn't interfered," McCallum spat.

"You know she's extremely possessive where he's concerned. She likes to see him hurting, but she doesn't want to see him dead," Liana said. "Why don't you come to my room and I'll see if I can make you forget about McGarrett and Paulina for a while?"

"Nothing will make me forget about that bastard!"

"Well, I could at least take your mind off of him for a while," Liana told him and smiled when he took her arm. "I take it that's a yes?"

"As long as you gave McGarrett enough drugs to keep him out for the rest of the night it is."

"Oh, he won't wake up for quite some time. Paulina wants to keep him sedated for a day or two," Liana assured him. They walked toward the guest house where she was staying and stepped inside as the waves washed away the signs of their footprints in the sand. She closed the door behind them and smiled as she led him toward the bedroom.

"What does she have on you, Helen?"

"More than I like to admit," the woman answered. "What about you?"

"She pays well," was all he told her as he lifted her into his arms and kissed her.

"So you're in it for money?"

"Aren't you?" he asked as they pulled at each other's clothing.

"At first…then I was in too deep to back away. Money has a way of easing the guilt."

"What about your Hippocratic Oath?"

"It's still in effect…I'm not hurting him."

"Not physically, but you're just as guilty as the rest of us," McCallum said and dropped her on the bed.

"True, but it's too late to change that now." She waited for him to strip off the rest of his clothing and join her in the bed. The money Paulina paid her was good, but the fringe benefits she'd discovered were an added incentive. Men like Patrick McCallum knew how to treat a woman and she moaned as his hands played her body perfectly.

5050505050

Kamekona looked at the man walking toward him and clasped hands in a show of friendship. Jamie Chong was a strange one who denied his heritage to strangers, but embraced it when in the company of his friends. He'd known Jamie for more years than he cared to remember, and the man had never steered him wrong.

"Thanks for coming, Brah," Chong said to the big man.

"How are your ladies?" Kamekona asked of the man's wife and baby daughter.

"Cassie is doing great, but she's keeping Maddie up late," Chong said and sat on the porch swing overlooking the ocean.

"You help her?"

"When I can, but I don't have the right equipment for breast feeding," Chong said with a grin.

"I hear you, Brah. Women go through hell when they have a kid."

"Yeah, they do, but when you hold your baby on your arms you can't help, but love them even more. Cassie is so much like her mama and man, does she have a good set of lungs on her. My Mom says she turns after me."

"You always could carry the high notes," Kamekona observed. The moon was high overhead and glinted off the ocean, lending a hint of serenity to the air, but he knew it was time to get down to business. "Jamie, tell me your people got some info on McGarrett."

"Not much, but from what they tell me he's still in the state. Tony said his contacts may have a lead, but he won't know until tomorrow."

"What kind of lead?"

"One of his ladies thought she saw movement at a house that's been deserted for several years."

"What makes him think it has anything to do with McGarrett?"

"She supposedly saw him two days ago."

"Where is this house?"

"On The Big Island, but until I hear from Tony that's all I know," Chong told him.

"When will he get back to you?" Kamekona asked.

"I told him this was top priority and he said he would pay a visit to his lady first thing in the morning. He'll call me as soon as he does. I wish I could give you more, Brah, but that's all I got right now."

"It's more than we had. You'll call me when he calls you?"

"You know I will," Chong said and heard the sound of a baby crying. "Looks like it's midnight feeding time, Brah, and unless you can express milk or change a diaper I'd advise you to leave before Maddie finds you here."

"I hear you…call me as soon as you hear from Tony."

"You know I will, Big Guy," Chong assured him and shook hands.

Kamekona made his way to his jeep and climbed behind the wheel. He'd had it customized for his large girth and loved the vehicle almost as much as he loved food. He drove away from the Chong home and hoped Tony would call with good news.

5050505050

Paulina ran her fingers along McGarrett's jawline and sighed contentedly as she moved her body closer to his. She'd slept for several hours; her head nestled against his shoulder as his soft breathing made her relax. She knew she could not keep him sedated forever, not if she wanted to show him how much she loved him.

She wanted to see his eyes, needed to hear his voice, and feel his breath against her lips. How many times had she been in this position in her life? Would he be the one? Would he give in and finally admit that she was right about what he needed? Could she bend him to her will?

Paulina moved so that she could rest her elbows on his bare chest and look at his face. There were bruises from his encounter with Patrick. Anger flared when she thought of what could have happened if Kishi hadn't been there to stop him. Could she trust McCallum, or had he outlived his usefulness? Perhaps it was time to get rid of him, but she could not do that until she found someone else to take his place.

"Oh, Steve, we could have so much if you'd only admit I'm right. Imagine what it would be like traveling anywhere we want without a care in the world. I can give you that and so much more and you would never have to sacrifice yourself for others. We could spend our lives exploring each other's bodies. We could sail around the world and swim in every ocean or lake we want to. Imagine swimming in the Atlantic in the morning and then jetting across the world to dine in the finest restaurants in Paris. It would be so wonderful to show you the world as it should be seen."

Paulina lay her head on his chest and listened to the strong, steady heartbeat as she drank in the scent she'd come to associate with this virile man. This was perfect. Just what she wanted from the first day she'd seen him in the ICU. She had wanted to be his sole caregiver then, but the rotation of hospital staff made that impossible.

Paulina thought about the other men who'd caught her eye, and wondered why they couldn't accept what she offered. Most men would be very happy to be with her and enjoy the life she offered them, but the ones she chose seemed to enjoy putting themselves in harm's way. She chose men who were strong, intelligent, and caring. She looked for and embraced a man who would give his life for her, but she wanted to stop him from doing the same for other people. The man she chose would be hers in every way possible and would live in the lap of luxury if he simply gave up the dangerous life he'd chosen.

"You'll see that I'm right, Steve. You'll come to enjoy being with me and loving me. I'll take good care of you and when you finally come to see what I can offer, and then I can get rid of men like Patrick. I didn't want you to fight him, but he was doing his job and I pay him well for his loyalty. You need to understand that I will do what I have to in order to keep you alive. If you don't want to see how perfect we are together then I will get rid of the temptations from your past…starting with that bitch…"

"Cath…"

Paulina wasn't sure what she heard, but the smile on his face was perfect, devastatingly gorgeous and she hoped he was reacting to her soothing voice. She kissed him again and felt her body tingle with anticipation of what they could have between them. God, she wanted nothing more than to explore every inch of masculinity that lay beside her, but she wanted him awake and willing. Patience was not one of her virtues and eventually, if he didn't cooperate, she would simply take what she wanted.

"It won't come to that, will it Steve? You won't do that to me…to us. We can have such a wonderful life if you just allow me to show you how I feel. I know you think you love that bitch, but she's no good for you. She can't take care of your needs the way I can. She doesn't even care enough to find out what's happened to you. I bet you thought she'd come looking as soon as she realized you were missing, but she hasn't. She doesn't give a damn about you and probably doesn't know what love means. I do…and I'm willing to take the time to show you, but you have to give me something in return."

Paulina felt tears in her eyes and frowned when one dropped onto his bare chest. She rubbed the salty tear into the skin around his heart and smiled at the significance of what she was doing. "I am marking you, Steve. My tears are shed for our love and when they mingle with the sweat of your body it means we are joined. Sort of like the old blood brothers legends, only this is not a legend."

Paulina laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes as the sound of the waves and the beating of his heart made her smile. She knew this was real; this was the true meaning of love and the fact that he was fighting her so hard just made it more exciting. She felt sleep beckoning to her and smiled as she entered a dream that would soon be reality.

TBC