"Trouble In Paradise. Again."

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Title: "Trouble In Paradise. Again."

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult language and situations

Summary: Even paradise has its ups and downs. The Hawaii Five-0 family is about to discover more of each.

Date Written: February 10, 2011

Disclaimer: I so do not own Hawaii Five-0; unfortunately!

Honolulu. Hawaii

"Why decapitate her?"

"To send a message, Danny."

"What message? If she was working for Hakeem, she did what he paid her to do. Why kill her?"

"I don't know, yet. Maybe she got greedy and wanted more money; threatened to tell us where Hakeem is if he didn't pay up."

"And you're thinking this is to deter others who might think about crossing him.?"

"Yeah."

"Why take her head?"

"I don't know that, yet, either. C'mon, let's go talk to Warner. Kono, make sure they go over everything in this apartment very carefully."

"You got it, Boss."

Aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan

(Hot, white, intense pain shoots through every nerve in her body and she feels like she's being burned alive. She can't move, can't see, can't feel, can't speak; she's alone. Terror skitters across her heart, and she feels panic begin to rise in her throat like bile. She hates this! Never before has she allowed fear to control her, and she's not about to start now! Concentrate. Concentrate on breathing in and out slowly. Focus! I can, I will, control the pain. I am stronger than the pain. . .Steve. . I need you, Steve, I need you so much! . . .

Caroline slowly becomes aware of sounds all around her and tries to open her eyes but has a hard time getting her body to cooperate. Turning her head slightly, she is hit by a sudden, intense pain that shoot through her head like lightening. Groaning loudly, she feels a hand gently touch her arm and hears a voice laced with comfort.)

"Well, Lt. Thrasher, it's about time you joined us. How are you feeling?"

"My head feels like it's going to explode. Where am I what happened?"

'You're in Sick Bay on the Reagan. You and Lt. Cmdr. McGarrett were forced to eject from your plane. Apparently, you became entangled in some trees and hit your head on a limb when you landed. Keep your eyes closed for a few minutes until you adjust to being awake. You were out for quite some time."

"I remember. We were in a dogfight and badly outnumbered. Sam! Oh my God, is she all right?"

"Cmdr. McGarrett made it out of the plane and landed in one piece. She managed to get you out of the tree you were caught in and got you to a cave where you'd be safe. A SEAL team met up with you and they were finally able to extract you."

"Where is she? I want to talk to her?"

"Cmdr. McGarrett was injured as she was running to the chopper."

"How badly?"

"She's in surgery now. I'll let you know as soon as they through. All right, open your eyes for me slowly so I can take a look and see how you're doing."

"I . . . I can't . . . . Oh, my God! I can't see!"

Honolulu, Hawaii

(Steve and Danny double-team SAC Malcolm Warner of the F.B.I. in one of the interrogation rooms at their office while Kono continues to sift through evidence searching for a lead. For well over an hour, Steve and Danny fire questions at the man, one after the other, but don't get much out of him. Although it seems that Steve was right in his impression that the man is too thick-headed to be involved with international arms dealers and terrorists, Steve still believes he knows something he's not telling them. When Danny looks like he's ready to start pounding away on Warner, Steve gets his attention and nods toward the door. Kono looks just as frustrated as the two men are feeling when they join her at the smart table. The sun is up and Mike and Libby Thrasher are no where to be seen.)

"Where are my future in-laws?"

"They were exhausted so Mike took Libby home. Said he'll call as soon as he hears anything and asked if we'd do the same. Have any luck with Warner?"

"No. He's insistent that he isn't involved with anything illegal and keeps demanding that we release him."

"Something's not right with that guy."

"And you base this on what? Your x-ray vision or mind-reading abilities?"

"He's hiding something. We get anything from the second house?"

"Lots of fingerprints. H.P.D.'s running them through APHIS but I wouldn't expect anything any time soon. There were no prints on the shotgun, shells, or chair and the rope used to rig it to the door was a common variety available at just about every hardware and home center store on the island."

(Steve's cellular phone rings before he can respond to Kono's report, and he answers it quickly. As he listens, a fierce frown comes over his face and then turns into an expression of worry. Steve's concerned eyes travel quickly to Kono and she is gripped with fear. Quickly ending the call and pocketing his phone, Steve steps around the table toward her. Danny, having picked up on the fact that something's very wrong, moves closer to her also.)

"That was Lana. Chin started bleeding internally so they're taking him back to surgery."

"Oh, God. I need to go . . ."

"We're all going back to the hospital, Kono. C'mon."

Aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan

"All right, Lieutenant, try to calm down. I need you to answer a few questions for me. Can you see anything at all, any variations in shades of light?"

"No! I. Can't.. See. Anything!"

"I'm going to order several tests and another MRI and CT. I need you to remain as calm as possible."

"I'm . . .I'm sorry, Doc. . . . I just . .Is this permanent?"

"I won't know anything definite until I get the results of the scans back, Lieutenant. I need you to remain as calm as possible so we can get the tests completed quickly."

"I'll . . I'll try. How are Cmdr. McGarrett and Lt. Montgomery?"

"They're both still in surgery. Try not to worry, Lieutenant, two of the finest trauma surgeons I've ever known are in there with them."