Chin wasn't surprised when he found Danny already working on the files at four in the morning. He knew Williams and McGarrett had a strange relationship from the very beginning. They argued over everything, even when they were in agreement. Steve made a point of driving Danny's car and using the catch phrase 'Book 'em, Danno". Williams, on the other hand, argued over everything, especially when it came to McGarrett doing dangerous things.
What Danny didn't realize was that he was cut from the same cloth. Steve had hung a man over a building by his ankles, but Danny had tied a perp to the trunk of his car and raced along the street at breakneck speed. There were other instances that showed how alike they were, but those were the ones that stuck out in his mind.
"How long have you been at this, Brah?" Chin asked when the other man finally noticed his presence.
"An hour or so…couldn't sleep, so I figured I might as well be working," Williams answered.
"Find anything new?"
"Not a whole hell of a lot," the Jersey native answered. "I did find several things that point to her having property on The Big Island, but that could be wishful thinking on my part."
"Show me what you found," Chin said.
"Everything we do know about Paulina Donaldson tells us she likes to do things in a big way so I started looking at the larger properties and ran them against the names you and Kono came up with. There are half a dozen that fit the bill…"
"We can check each of them, but if she gets wind of it she'll move him," Chin observed.
"Then we need to figure out a way to check into them at the same time. We could get Duke to ask for volunteers," Williams suggested.
"Or see if Wade Gutches and his team are available. That way there is no police involvement until we have something concrete," Chin said.
"And they have the training to go in under cover of darkness," Williams agreed. "I'll give Wade a call."
"Tell him we have six sights we need to check out ASAP, but we need it done so she doesn't get wind of it," Chin said and moved to make a fresh pot of coffee while Williams called the SEAL.
5050505050
McGarrett awoke to the sensation of hair tickling his chest and looked down at the woman sleeping beside him. God, help him, but he needed to get away from her before her unique brand of love killed him. Sometime during the night she'd released his restraints, or someone thought he wasn't a threat anymore. Whatever the reason, he knew he needed to take advantage of it.
Steve knew she would wake the minute he moved, and he needed to get the upper hand before she came to her senses. The fact that they were alone in the room did not mean help wasn't close by. He listened for movement outside the door, but there was nothing except the sound of the ocean waves hitting the shore. If he was going to do something, it had to be now while she was still sleeping.
McGarrett called on his training and forced himself to remain still until he had his emotions under control. He knew he could not underestimate the woman, and knew she could be feigning sleep, but it didn't matter. He damn well wasn't going to stay here and become another toy she could add to her collection.
Steve shifted on the bed, and felt the change in her body as he ignored the pull on the wound in his side. He slammed her head back against the pillows and made sure he kept his hand firmly against her mouth as she struggled to get away from him. For the first time he saw fear in her eyes and smiled as he leaned down and spoke softly in her right ear.
"I could easily snap your neck…believe me?" Steve could feel her trembling as she nodded and knew he had to do something fast. He didn't want to hit her, but she started struggling harder and he knew it was only a matter of time before she managed to free herself enough to cry out. He felt her bite down on his hand and struck her with his fist. Hitting a woman went against everything he'd been taught, but there always seemed to be an exception to every rule. He watched her face and knew she could be pretending to be unconscious. He looked at the dresser and spotted several pieces of gauze.
Without releasing the pressure he grabbed it with his left hand and shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes remained closed and she showed no sign of consciousness as he grabbed a roll of bandages left on the night table. He flipped her onto her back and tied her arms behind her before doing the same to her ankles. Somewhere along the lines he'd managed to pull the IV from his hand and blood dripped onto the floor beside the bed.
McGarrett grabbed the blanket and covered her with it before grabbing the shorts on the chair and pulling them on. He spotted the moccasin near the bed and grabbed those before hurrying toward the open patio door. He listened for movement outside, but there was nothing as he stepped outside and looked around. He spotted the three guards immediately and knew they had underestimated him as the moon reflected off the ocean.
Steve moved across the patio, keeping low until he reached the stairs leading to the ground below. He watched as one of McCallum's men lit a cigarette before resuming his conversation with the other men. The SEAL knew he had to move quickly, but he also needed to be careful or he could easily be caught. He made sure the trio were turned away before making his way to the bottom of the steps.
McGarrett stayed low and moved toward the line of trees at the back of the property. He thought about checking for a boat, but the first rays of dawn were showing and he would have to bank on finding another way out. He made it halfway across the lawn when he heard movement from his right and turned to face the threat.
"This way!" the big man whispered and pointed toward the north side of the house.
Steve wasn't sure whether he should trust this man, but the fact that Kishi hadn't raised the alarm was enough to get him moving. He followed the oriental away from the house and into the heavier brush at the north end. He had no idea where Kishi was taking him, but anything was better than the bed he'd been forced to share with the crazy nurse.
"My cave…it isn't far," Kishi told him.
"I need to get help," McGarrett said.
"I will get them…I will help…I must get back or they will know I help you!" Kishi said.
"Where is the cave?"
"Keep north…see big tree near a rock…behind rock is cave. You stay…I come when I can…bring food."
"Thank you, Kishi," McGarrett said and placed his hand on the man's large arm.
"Welcome…I know like what she make me do. No like hurt you," Kishi said and hurried back the way they'd come.
Steve knew he had to find the cave quickly, before his energy ran out. He could feel blood on the bandage on his right side and held his arm tight against the wound as he continued his journey through the brush. The sky had lightened even further and he knew it was only a matter of time before someone found Paulina bound in her bed.
McGarrett pushed through the heavier foliage and was only slightly surprised when he spotted the tree and the rock Kishi had told him to watch for. He hurried behind it, stumbling, and crying out as his foot became tangled in the exposed roots of the tree that could offer his salvation. He forced himself to stand, took a deep breath, and then hurried behind the rock. It took less than a minute to find the hidden opening and he hurried inside, making sure he fixed the covering in front of the opening again.
Steve had no idea what Kishi had hidden inside the cave, but right now, he was too tired to look around. He sat down and leaned against the wall of the cave with his eyes closed. God, he hoped Kishi didn't pay the price for helping him, and vowed to help the big man once he was free. He knew he needed to rest, and once he did he could find a way out of this hell she'd created for him.
5050505050
Asami Ito carried the tray of fresh fruit and coffee to the Paulina's room and gently knocked on the door. She frowned and knocked a little harder, but there was still no answer from inside. She placed the tray on the table to the right of the door and reached for the handle before pushing it open. The room was bathed in sunlight and she knew something was very wrong when she looked at the bed. The blanket covered the body that was too small to be Steve McGarrett and she quickly called for help as she rushed to the bed.
"Paulina," Asami called when she saw the bruise forming on the younger woman's face. She called for help as she removed the gauze from the unconscious woman's mouth. "Paulina, wake up…come on now and open your eyes for me."
"Asami, what's wrong?" McCallum asked upon entering the room, his shirt only partially buttoned.
"He has escaped and he hurt my little one," Asami answered. "Where is the doctor?"
"I'm right here," Liana answered and moved to check on her employer. "She's coming around."
"Steve…hit me…find him," Paulina mumbled and winced as Asami untied her and helped her sit up. "He hit me…you need to find him, Patrick."
"I warned you not to underestimate him, Paulina," McCallum warned.
"He was supposed to be sleeping."
"Did you give him the shot before you fell asleep?" Liana asked and gently probed the swollen area.
"He was sleeping…I didn't think he would wake up so soon," Paulina said.
"I will get a cold cloth for your face," Asami told her and hurried from the room. She passed Kishi and Toshi as they entered the room and hoped they would find McGarrett and teach him a lesson for hitting a woman who loved him.
"Did you see or hear anything Kishi?" McCallum asked.
"No. I sleep after missy say she no need me," Kishi answered and kept his head down.
"He can't have gone far," McCallum said. "I'll get my men and search the grounds."
"Find him, Patrick," Donaldson told him.
"I will, but he won't come back willingly."
"I don't give a damn as long as you bring him back to me. Dr. Liana and I can tend to whatever injuries he has…but don't you kill him."
"I won't…but he will probably need your brand of TLC," McCallum said and left the room.
"Paulina, do you have a headache or blurred vision?" Liana asked.
"My head hurts, but my vision is fine and I don't feel nauseas," the woman answered.
"That's good," the doctor said and checked her pupils. "You should rest."
"Not until they bring Steve back," Paulina told her angrily.
"What if they don't find him, Paulina? What if he finds a way to get word out and the rest of Five-O discovers our location?"
"We'll deal with that if it happens, but right now we have to concentrate on finding him," Paulina said and smiled as Asami returned and placed a cool cloth on her forehead. "Thank you."
"You are welcome," Asami assured her. She glanced at her husband and son, not missing the way Kishi kept his eyes downcast. Did he have something to do with Steve McGarrett's escape? No, he would not do that and bring disgrace to their family.
Paulina lay back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She forced herself to be calm as she thought about the missing man. Did he really think it would be so simple to escape her? When they found him, she would make damn sure he realized that she did not take well to rejection and deceit. She had underestimated him when she'd thought he was sleeping under the influence of the drugs he'd been given and had foolishly left his hands free. She would not make the same mistake again.
5050505050
Wade Gutches looked at the members of his team as they waited for Five-O to join them at the airport. The plan was for them to fly to The Big Island and check out each sight under the cover of darkness. If they could do so without tipping their hand they might just find Steve McGarrett before Paulina Donaldson moved him out of the country. That was if McGarrett's team was right about the fact that they were still in Hawaii.
They had a map and had decided to work from the north end of The Big Island and hoped they could make the search grid in one night. Wade spotted the trio hurrying across the parking lot toward the helicopter and reached out to shake each hand as they joined his team.
"Tell me you've got a plan?" Williams asked.
"We do," Gutches said as he helped spread the map out on the trunk of Williams' Camaro. "We figure we should start on the northeast point and work our way south."
"What if she finds out we're searching the area?" Kono asked.
"She won't, unless she has access to the same equipment we do. We're going to use satellite images and hopefully we'll be able to figure out who's who," Gutches said and allowed his second in command to explain exactly what they would do.
"You can do that?" Kono asked.
"You'd be amazed at what we can do these days, but if we explained it we'd have to take out your whole team and I don't think Steve would like that," Gutches said with a grin.
"Oh, please, as if that was true," Williams said.
"Don't tell me you still doubt what a SEAL can and will do to preserve our secrets, Danny? Especially since your partner is Steve-SuperSEAL-McGarrett," Gutches observed.
"Something tells me I should leave this alone and just go along with your plans," Williams griped.
"Smart man," Chin offered.
"Okay, we need to get moving. Danny, you and Chin are with team one. Kono, you're with me," Gutches said.
"Wait a minute," Chin said. "I thought we were going in as one team?"
"We are, but once we figure out where he's being held we might have to split up and come at them from different angles," Gutches explained.
"Chopper's ready to go," Lieutenant Bradley Jacks told them.
"You heard the man…move out," Gutches told them. He slapped Williams on the back and pointed him toward the waiting helicopter.
5050505050
Kishi knew he had to be careful and make sure he wasn't followed, but if things went as they usually did, no one would see him as a threat. He'd always done as he was told, and why should this be any different? His father and mother were blinded by Paulina's money and saw nothing wrong in what she did to get what she wanted. He'd been a part of it far too long and now he was doing something to help make amends for the past.
Kishi watched as several of McCallum's men combed the area around the north side of the house. He knew they wouldn't find anything because he'd been careful to cover the trail before returning to the house. Once the mercs were finished he made his way toward the hidden trail and hid just inside the treeline until he was sure no one had noticed him.
Kishi hoped McGarrett was all right, but it had been nearly eight hours since he'd helped him to the cave. The man was injured and needed medical attention, and if he had to, he would carry him and keep him safe. That was something he'd tried before with one of Paulina's other captives, but she'd found him before he'd had a chance to get him to safety. He was lucky no one had suspected him, and, now he was in the same position as he was back then. The difference was, the new prisoner was a SEAL and could take care of himself.
Kishi hurried toward the cave, stopping several times to listen for sounds of pursuit; relieved when there seemed to be no one following him. It did not take him long to reach the cave and he silently prayed McGarrett was still inside.
5050505050
McGarrett had no idea how long he slept, but something tickled his face and he brushed it off. It took several seconds for him to remember where he was and why there was such a strong smell of earth. He used the side of the wall to guide himself to his feet and pressed his right arm tight against his injured side. God, he'd stiffened up while he'd been asleep, and he felt chilled to the bone.
Steve knew he couldn't stay here, but he wasn't sure he could move. His whole body ached and his head felt like it was ready to explode. God, help him, but he wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. He closed his eyes as nausea churned through his gut and slid down the wall of the cave.
"On your feet, McGarrett!"
'Sonofabitch,' McGarrett silently cursed when he heard Joe White's voice inside his head. He felt something around his neck and remembered the collar the bitch had placed around his neck. No matter what else happened, he was taking this thing off before he did anything else. He reached up and touched the offending item with his left hand until he found the catch. He prayed it was not locked in place and breathed a sigh of relief when he was able to release the mechanism.
Steve threw the collar across the cavern, and heard Joe's voice in his head as he tried to breathe past the burning sensation in his side. There was no way he could ignore Joe's voice and he knew he had to find a way to get help before he used up what little energy he had.
'Now! Or you'll do two days in the hole, McGarrett!'
"Sounds like a cakewalk, Sir!" McGarrett whispered, and managed to climb to his feet in the dark cave. He could feel a slight draft and using the wall as a guide, he moved toward the entrance.
Steve pushed aside the brush and looked outside, he heard the birds in the trees, but even those sounds stopped when he stepped out of the cave. God, he felt like hell and realized he probably should have put on the moccasins, but he had no idea where he'd left them. He looked around the area as the birds decided he wasn't a threat and began their incessant whistling. Normally he would have enjoyed the sounds, but his was ready to explode and he'd rather not have to filter the sounds out.
McGarrett knew he had to find help soon, and wondered if he should wait for Kishi's return, but he'd always done things on his own. He needed to find a way out, and get word to the others before Paulina discovered that Kishi was not as loyal to her as she believed. It also meant that he would need to find a way to rescue the big oriental before Paulina decided he deserved to be punished.
Steve took a deep breath and moved outside, shocked when he saw a large shape coming toward him. His vision blurred as he sidestepped, and he fought to stay on his feet and meet this new threat on his own ground.
"You should not be out here!"
"Kishi?" McGarrett asked and waited for the dizziness to pass.
"They know you escape…we need to go," Kishi told him, frowning when McGarrett reached out to grab the nearest tree. "You need rest, but they soon come."
"I'm good, Kishi, can you help me?"
"I help…we move…I carry?"
"No, I can walk," McGarrett told him.
"I carry…easy."
"No, thanks, Kishi, but we better get moving," McGarrett told him and looked around. "Do you know where we are?"
"We are not far from her home. We need to move north…more walk…long time," Kishi explained.
"Are we on The Big Island?" McGarrett asked as Kishi covered the entrance to his little hideaway and began to move north. Steve had no choice, but to go after him and wondered if the man knew where he was when he didn't answer.
TBC