AN: Thanks for patiently waiting the extra two days for this update! It's extra long so hopefully it's well worth the wait. Also, thanks for all the continued feedback! It truly drives the story. Enjoy the update!

Warning: some violence

Kono had never been particularly good at sitting around and doing nothing. After a long debate between herself, Chin, and Duke, they decided not to announce Steve's disappearance to HPD or the Governor. That would poke holes in their carefully crafted story for the reasoning behind Danny's kidnapping, forcing them back to square one. No, they would withhold that info for as long as possible.

All of them knew it was a stupid plan, but they didn't have many options. If Kingsley knew they were onto him, then he would disappear and take Danny and Steve with him. That was an option none of them were willing to take.

However, they did decide to bring in Charlie Fong discreetly, both to provide them intel and to ensure the crime scene was processed correctly should word get out that Steve was kidnapped too. While Chin oversaw the processing of the crime scene where Steve was kidnapped, she was relegated to staying back at HQ to ensure that the kid stayed safe. While vital, it didn't exactly have the action she so desperately craved.

While others preferred to sit in solitude and process problems, Kono needed to move. It's why surfing was such a vital part of her life. The physical activity combined with the therapeutic effect of the waves gave her the space to think and work out her problems. In police work, she liked to walk around the crime scene and feel it out to work through the case.

But now, she couldn't exactly do that. After compiling the information Chin relayed to her from the crime scene, all she could do was pace angrily by the smart table and wait for him to get back. While Charlie and Duke investigated the scene, Chin was busy crafting an airtight cover story that explained Steve's absence from the rest of the world.

Danny was missing and now Steve was busy chasing down leads. That's all anyone outside of Five-0 and Dr. Sterling knew.

According to Chin, most would buy Danny's disappearance as some sort of retribution from the drug bust or a move to leverage Vivoldi out of police custody. With Duke's backing, Five-0 would remain lead on the case and thus be able to keep the real reason for the kidnapping secret. Chin and Kono would focus on continuing the Vivoldi case as they normally would - which would allow them to investigate Kingsley without arousing suspicion - while Steve alone 'searched for Danny.'

But this late at night - or this early in the morning, depending on your point of view - Kono's patience was long gone. She needed to do something, anything, damn it! Sitting here wasn't going to help them locate Steve or Danny any quicker.

Or could it?

During all the confusion, they'd barely questioned Sarah - not to mention that the kid was still a little scared of Steve and Chin. Perhaps she could shed some light on this ever-darkening situation.

Mind made up, she headed towards her office with newfound purpose. The kid had been sleeping for hours now - she definitely deserved it - and Kono wasn't above waking her up if it meant saving her teammates.

But Sarah wasn't there.

As the lump in throat suddenly doubled in size, Kono raced through the glass door and desperately scanned the entire space for signs of the young elite. The blanket and pillow sat wrinkled on her tiny couch, but Sarah was nowhere to be found. Which, she realized, was somewhat of a trend for her lately. First Danny, then Steve, and now their only lead vanished in thin air!

Wait a minute.

"Sarah?" she called to her supposedly empty office. "Sarah, I know you're in here, kiddo."

A faint rustle from near her desk confirmed her theory, but the room remained disappointingly empty. It wasn't surprising, but Kono still swallowed back a swell of disappointment. The kid was traumatized and had endured more than enough for an entire lifetime. The mandatory psychology course she'd taken at the police academy emphasized that victims of repeated trauma fortified themselves with coping mechanisms that presented even in a safe environment.

Apparently, one of Sarah's was her invisibility, and Kono refused to take that away from her.

As slowly and clearly as she could, she pulled over her desk chair and sat down near the door. "That's okay, you don't need to appear if you don't want to. I just wanted to ask you some questions because you might be able to help me find your friends faster. Is that okay?"

No answer. She was beginning to feel a bit stupid, but Chin always reminded her to trust her instincts. And right now, her instincts were screaming at her to keep talking to the empty room.

"I'm scared too," she admitted, emotions she desperately tried to keep hidden from even her cousin sneaking into her voice. "I'm worried about my friends and I don't know what to do. I'm gonna try to put Kingsley in prison, but I really need your help. Can you help me find him?"

Silence, then a small disembodied voice asked, "They got Steve, didn't they? That's why you and Chin Ho look so worried."

Damn, the kid was perceptive. In another life, she would've been an excellent detective.

"Yes, they did." Honesty was the best policy in delicate situations like this, but something nagged at her a bit. "Although, I don't know why."

"Because he's an elite, just like the rest of you." Though Sarah didn't add a duh at the end, Kono definitely heard it in her tone.

"Well, yes, but he doesn't have a lot of power. You wouldn't be able to tell when he used his abilities just by looking at him. They'd have to read our… our files." She frowned, flipping through possibilities. "Wait, Sarah, when you first saw us, why did you think we worked for Kingsley? We showed you our badges."

The brief hesitation was a tangible thing, something Kono could practically touch. "That doesn't mean anything. I saw people in cop uniforms helping Mr. Kingsley all the time. Mr. Kingsley even said that one told him where to find that one guy in the station."

Suddenly unable to draw a proper breath, Kono tried desperately to suck in oxygen as the words slammed into her like a roundhouse kick to the head. Sure, they'd arrested Kaleo and talk of dirty cops at HPD had been constant since the discovery of Kingsley's network. However, having it confirmed was another thing entirely.

Her skin prickled, almost as though she could feel a laser sight resting in between her shoulder blades. Nothing seemed safe, not anymore. Forget paranoia, this was full-on panic.

I grew up with these people. I trained with them. I trusted them.

"Are you sure?" she choked out, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it again. "Would you be able to recognize them if you saw them again?"

Sarah's voice was closer this time, still hesitant but less frightened. "Maybe. I don't know. But that's why I kept pointing the knife at you at first. You're not mad, right?"

Trying to ignore her world crashing down around her, Kono managed a small smile. "You were trying to protect my friend, so of course not. Thank you for telling me, Sarah. I'm going to text Chin Ho about this right now to make sure that we keep you safe."

She whipped out her phone and immediately crafted a red-alert text. Multiple cops from HPD working for Kingsley. No IDs yet. Check the protection detail on Stallings.

Was that a hand that briefly appeared off to her right? It was gone before Kono could get a good look and she forced herself to remain impassive despite the weirdness of talking to someone she couldn't see.

"Can I help more?" came the young girl's timid tone from the same area where she thought she'd seen the hand. "I want to."

Gathering her thoughts, she forced herself to temporarily discard the information about the dirty cops and refocus on her original line of questioning. "Yeah, Sarah, there is something you could help me with. We asked you earlier if you knew where Kingsley was hiding. Do you remember where he kept you? Is it close by?"

"No, it's far away. Very far away. You'll never find it."

Movement near the couch sent adrenaline coursing through her veins. Slowly, Sarah appeared out of thin air, as though she was pulling away a camouflage curtain. If the situation wasn't as dire, Kono would classify it as one of the coolest things she'd ever seen.

"He always gave us a shot of something that made us tired before leaving and he blindfolded us," the little girl continued, eyes boring into Kono's soul. "When I woke up, I was always in a different place. He moves around a lot."

"Okay, okay." Kono nodded slowly. "Can you describe the surrounding, the building, anything at all?"

Chewing her bottom lip, Sarah's eyes skirted towards the main office area before lowering her voice. "It's not a building."

~H50~

It was a ship. A massive, freakin' cargo ship.

Objectively, the yacht used to transport them was fairly large. However, it was completely dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of the freighter looming above them. Hell, it seemed like a damn rowboat next to this hulk of metal. He didn't even want to think about the sheer number of captives Kingsley and his goons kept prisoner in the belly of the massive monstrosity.

This explained why there was no trace of the scumbag or his dealings on the island. Steve had to hand it to the son of a bitch - this was ingenious. If the authorities even got into the investigation deep enough to realize that the operation wasn't based on land, they'd be looking for a tiny needle in the world's largest haystack. Plus, it was practically inescapable and thus, a perfect prison.

Steve was really looking forward to testing that.

The guards dragged both of them above deck just as the first of the sun's rays began to peek over the horizon, remaining completely silent despite Steve's attempts to rile them. Clearly professionals, three guards immediately pounced on Steve and restrained his hands behind his back while one kept his gun trained on Danny. Then, they bound Danny's hands in front of him before shoving them out of the hold.

They seemed to know that this handoff had the highest risk of something going wrong and eliminated all of Steve's options before he could even try them. Furthermore, they weren't above showing exactly who held all the power. Steve had already taken two kicks to the ribs and Danny received a brief shock that sent him crashing to the deck.

If this continued, Kingsley wasn't going to have his prized possession much longer. Danny's body was rapidly reaching its limit and there was nothing anyone could do once that threshold was reached.

Risking a glance over at his partner, he noted the green paluor and drunken sway and was unsure if it was a result of his abilities or the rough water. Two guards practically held the wobbling man upright, their rough handling ensuring that Danny stayed awake and on edge.

As though he sensed Steve's worried gaze, Danny lifted his head and offered him a half-smirk. Get a load of these morons. They think they got me, but watch me puke all over their shoes.

Honestly, he'd be okay with that if it didn't mean that his shoes also got soiled.

A gun stock to the spine forced him forward once more until he reached the railing. Staring up at the deck high above his head, he couldn't help but shake his head at the tiny metal rungs before him. "You're kidding me," he said to no one in particular.

The pressure of the barrel of a rifle against the back of his head was more than enough indication that they weren't, in fact, kidding.

One guard cut the zip tie binding his hands and he immediately brought them in front, rolling out his shoulders and rubbing his wrists. This climb wouldn't be a challenge for him - his strength and stamina enhancements would certainly help - but he was also certain that Danny couldn't make it.

Apparently, Danny was realizing the exact same thing.

"I hate to break it to you fine gentlemen," came the snarky tone he'd come to rely on so much in recent months, "but there's no way in hell I'm climbing that. First of all, I'm not suicidal like that animal is. Secondly, I - -"

His words were cut off by a cry of pain and Steve winced as the familiar buzz of electricity reached his ears. It was over quickly but Danny still laid crumpled on the deck of the yacht, breaths coming out in ragged gasps. He was moving to help his partner when that same annoying gun barrel stopped him.

"Climb," the guard rumbled, the first words any of them said since dragging them onto the deck.

"Just let me help - -"

But he was quickly silenced by a punch to the stomach. Clenching his jaw, he started up the ladder. Between the rocking ship and the slippery, wet rungs, the climb became challenging enough that he needed to focus on not falling. Still, his mind remained back on the deck of that yacht where a certain blond writhed in pain.

They won't kill him, he reasoned. Kingsley wants him. They can't take the chance of him falling off this ladder.

If only that made him feel better.

He was greeted at the top by several more guys with guns, who immediately yanked him back and restrained his wrists once more. Not bothering to put up a struggle, he silently watched as they lowered down a cable with a harness attached. Within a few minutes, some sort of signal prompted them to begin winching it back upward once more.

He breathed a quiet sigh of relief Danny's head appeared over the side. His friend half-crawled and was half-dragged onto the deck, then was yanked to his feet and restrained before they unfastened the harness. It was all done so smoothly that Steve had now doubt they'd done the same thing a thousand times before.

"Ey, hands to yourself, you cretin!" Danny's breathless voice still held all of its charismatic snark. "Did your mom ever teach you manners? Lemme be the first to let you know that she'd be very disappointed in you."

A fist snapped Danny's head to the side and Steve leapt forward instinctively, which earned him similar treatment. Though he often dismissed his rudimentary power-makeup, this experience was quickly making him grateful for them. Aside from the pain of contact, all effects of the various hits vanished within a few seconds. He could withstand far more - and hopefully shield Danny as well - until Chin and Kono showed up in a blaze of glory.

While he endured the abuse in stoic, unimpressed silence, Danny took the exact opposite route. "You hit like my grandma," he said, spitting a glob of blood onto the deck.

The guard reared his arm back for another blow, but a second man caught his hand before the punch could land. A wordless exchange took place, then both Danny and Steve were shoved forward. "Move."

The silent procession weaved between rows of shipping containers - Steve wondered how many of them held young elites just like the girl he'd accidentally shot - and up metal stairs onto the control deck. For a cargo ship, it was extremely luxurious. Multiple well-furnished rooms lined the hallway and Steve was fairly certain he'd spotted a helipad before getting shoved down the corridor.

Stopping in front of a nondescript door, the guard in the lead knocked once before opening the door and not-so-gently ushering the two captured men inside. Stumbling, Steve wound up toe-to-toe with Brad Kingsley's sickening smirk.

"Glad you could make it," he mocked, looking Steve over once before turning his leering gaze to Danny. "You'll be thrilled to know that your services are already in high demand. I have three clients already lined up for today - a trial run, if you will. Of course, your grand unveiling will occur at the upcoming auction."

"Great. What's my cut of the profit?" Danny snarked, not flinching in the face of Kingsley's flaunt of power. "'Cause I'm telling you right now that I'm not settling for anything less than 65%, although an argument could be made for 60%."

Steve expected Kingsley to whip out his little black fob and douse Danny in electricity once more, but the trafficker only sneered. "Your 'cut' is your friend's life, as I made quite clear earlier. But please, continue making jokes and see how far they get you."

Shut up, Daniel, Steve pleaded silently. You'll only make things worse for yourself.

A discrete signal from Kingsley prompted a guard to grab Steve from behind and shove him into a chair against the wall, hands still fastened behind his back. Grunting, Steve finally examined the spartan room. Aside from the chair he was currently sequestered to, the only other pieces of furniture in the room were a cabinet with a sink and countertop above it and a padded table that looked like it belonged in a doctor's office.

The leather buckled restraints, however, definitely weren't medical issue.

Only then did he notice the woman in the white lab coat standing behind Kingsley, clearly absorbed in the file that sat in her hands. She was the doctor from the warehouse, he realized, the one who confirmed Danny's miraculous healing of the orderly.

Judging from her obliviousness to a very-unwell Danny, she wasn't one of the 'good' doctors.

"Dr. McCallister, are you ready for the examination?" Kingsley said, not turning his attention away from Danny.

Finally, the brunette doctor looked up and surveyed the room in disinterest until her eyes landed on Danny. Eye brightening, she pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose and closed the file. "Yes, sir. I'll perform a full physical and provide you with everything you need for him to operate at peak capacity."

"Excellent. Do you mind if I sit in on this? I wish to fully understand the details of my new piece of property so I can manage contracts in a way that is most profitable."

"I'm not an ATM, pal," Danny piped up, "or a piece of machinery. You want me to earn money, let's start with a good slice of pizza as motivation."

This time, Kingsley did shock Danny, sending him crashing to the floor. The guard's grip tightened on Steve's shoulder, preventing him from leaping to Danny's aid. "If you continue to speak," the trafficker called above the blond's screams, "I will be forced to gag you and your friend will receive a brand new bullet hole. Don't push me."

"Hey! He's had enough!"

Kingsley released the button and Danny's cries quieted. Slowly turning, he eyed Steve with unabashed disdain. "Excuse me, elite? Oh… I can't really call you that, can I? Judging from your obvious weakness, I'm guessing you got nothing more in your makeup than some Body traits with Elemental enhancements. Hardly worth my time and definitely not valuable to me. Make no mistake: you are a pawn here and nothing more."

Shoving back his insecurities that screamed in agreement with the trafficker, Steve maintained his bored expression and silently apologized to his partner for what he was about to say. "Yeah, alright. But Danny's certainly valuable to you, right? And I'm telling you that he'll pass out or worse if you keep this up. Then what would you do, huh? A dead man isn't really of any value to you either."

"He's right."

Everyone's eyes turned to McCallister, who knelt beside Danny. She held two fingers against Danny's neck, who had managed to curl into a defensive position on the floor.

"His vitals are erratic and rather worrisome. I hypothesize that this is due to both the side effects of such an intensive energy expenditure in a near-death healing and the consistent exposure to electrical shocks." Her voice was clinical and cold, squashing Steve's miniscule hope that she could be an ally. "Furthermore, his reaction to these shocks are far more severe than all other subjects. We must proceed with more caution if you wish to keep your appointments today."

With a slight nod at the doctor, Kingsley serenely tucked the fob back in his pocket and motioned to the two guards by the doorway. "Get him onto the table and strip him for the examination."

Gritting his teeth, Steve watched helplessly as they hoisted his partner off the floor and all but threw him on the examination table and cut his restraints. When they attempted to pull his shirt off, Danny weakly batted their hands away. "I c-can do this myself, alright?" he sputtered, fury and resignation intertwining in his tone.

The guards backed off, allowing Danny the space to take off his tattered t-shirt. Hissing as he pulled it over his head, the detective shivered as cool air hit his bruised and cut skin. Steve growled at the sight of his partner's battered torso and Danny flushed, eyes flitting over to him.

Blue eyes met green and Steve mentally willed him to not break eye contact, pouring all of the strength and support he could towards his best friend. Hidden well from everyone else, Danny's fear and pain showed plain as day in the depths of those azure orbs.

I can't do this, came the helpless message.

Jaw clenched, Steve gave a slight, firm nod. Yes, you can. Just hold on, buddy.

Yeah, Kingsley was a dead man, along with every single one of his guards and this doctor.

With no regard for her 'patient's' dignity, McCallister forced Danny to take off his torn pants as well - leaving him in nothing but his boxers - and examined every inch of him. Kingsley looked on with a hungry interest, staring at his prize with nothing short of lust radiating from his stance. For once, Danny kept his mouth shut, hands clenching the padding of the table as uncaring fingers probed his body.

This is what they did to kids, for crying out loud! Innocent children were treated like objects, nothing more than an avenue to make money by being forced to give themselves to scumbags. Carefully tucking away his fury, Steve held it carefully hidden for that opportune moment.

Then, he'd burn this place to the ground.

"He is suffering from severe exhaustion as a primary side effect, but I want to observe all of the side effects of these abilities," McCallister announced, sticking wireless leads on Danny's bare chest before motioning to the guard behind Steve. "Perhaps if I can mute or delay the backlash, you will be able to accomplish multiple meetings with minimal delays. But I must know exactly what presents post-healing."

Kingsley nodded to the guard, who shoved Steve out of the chair and prodded him towards the exam table. Zoned out, Danny apparently missed the implications of the statement until Steve was forced to stand practically on top of him. "Whoa, what - -?"

He was interrupted by the guard, who gleefully unsheathed his knife and plunged it into Steve's shoulder blade. Grunting, Steve struggled to breathe through the wave of pain as the knife was slowly pulled out. Blood streamed from the wound, running down his back and pooling at his waist. It took all of his concentration to keep his knees from buckling.

They just stabbed me!

Swearing up a storm, Danny was already reaching forward. He grabbed Steve's wrist, only for Steve to flinch and pull away.

"I can't let you do this, Danny," he hissed, forcing his voice to remain steady despite the fire in his shoulder.

"Shut the hell up and give me your hand, McGarrett," Danny growled back.

The sound of a pistol cocking behind Steve's head seconded Danny's request.

This time, Danny kept his eyes open and locked on Steve's face as that newly familiar, intoxicating warmth exploded in his shoulder. Reveling in the sensation, Steve stared at Danny as the pain in his shoulder completely dissipated. He felt the flesh and sinew knitting back together with no adverse effects.

Meanwhile, his friend's complexion paled even further, sweat beading on his brow as he clenched his teeth. His fingers trembled against the skin of Steve's wrist, but they didn't release it. Within a few seconds, the stab wound completely disappeared and that tantalizing warmth slowly faded away.

Danny was already tipping forward and Steve lunged closer, unable to catch his friend with his hands tied behind his back. Still, he managed to buffer Danny and keep him from falling to the floor as his partner collapsed against his chest. "Easy, D, easy, just breathe - -"

Rough hands yanked him back and he balked, receiving an elbow to the back of his skull in retaliation. Another guard stepped forward and pushed Danny's limp body back against the exam table while McCallister eagerly flitted around the semi-conscious elite. Even Kingsley approached the table, hand caressing Danny's pale cheek in possessive fashion."

"Incredible," the snake murmured, licking his lips. "The possibilities of such abilities… and the potential profit is limitless."

The doctor nodded, adjusting her glasses and jotting a few things down on the file. "Agreed, but these side effects will significantly hinder those possibilities. He can hardly heal someone if he falls unconscious." Tapping her chin, she nodded once and addressed Kingsley once more. "I will work on some potential chemical counteragents to this dilemma - both caffeine and methamphetamine come to mind as possible solutions. Of course, it only postpones the inevitable, but you could plan around the episodes."

"Will he be able to function by 9 am?"

Once again, McCallister nodded. "I will make it my number one priority. Aside from a few chip insertions on the newest arrivals, I have no other projects currently. But in the meantime, I have a mild stimulant on hand that should keep him from passing out completely. He should also be subject to minimal damage until I find a solution."

Swallowing the bile that suddenly clogged his throat, Steve growled when Kingsley's fingers dug into Danny's jaw and left little red crescent marks behind. Eyes barely open, the detective didn't even flinch when McCallister plunged a needle into his bicep and pulled off the sticky leads from his chest.

With a smirk directed at Steve, Kingsley strode for the door. "Get some clothes for him," he ordered the guard by the door. "Then take both of them to the hole."

The guard dug out a pair of rough black pants and thin gray t-shirt, which Danny roused enough to don on his own. Meanwhile, the guard restraining Steve cut his bonds and allowed him to help his partner down from the table. Practically holding Danny upright, the blond's tremors rattled against Steve's iron grip. Thanks to the stimulant, the poor guy didn't even get the welcome release of unconsciousness.

Slinging one of Danny's arms over his shoulders, Steve crouched awkwardly in order to bear some of his friend's weight. Shushing Danny's murmured thanks, he raised a disdainful eyebrow towards the guard at the door. "Ready when you are, princess."

As it turned out, the 'hole' was a tiny metal room one level down from the examination room. It was cramped and ill-furnished with one thin sleeping mat and a toilet, a single bare bulb barely illuminating the space. Danny balked a bit at the sight of it but strong hands shoved them in and slammed the door shut, the sound of a lock clicking an ominous reminder of their dire situation.

Immediately, Steve lowered Danny onto the mat and knelt beside him. "How you doin', D? Huh?"

Danny giggled, a hysterical sound that Steve instantly hated. "How d'you think, S-SuperSEAL?"

"Other than the fact that you look like shit, I think you're ready to go the distance against Mike Tyson." Patting his friend's shoulder, he scooched back so that he could lean against the nearby wall. "Level with me, seriously. You gonna have another seizure or something?"

Bringing his knees to his chest, Danny's eyes slipped shut. "D-Dunno. Doesn't matter. 'S only g-gonna get worse, t-trust me. Not my first rodeo with elite t-traffickers."

"What?"

But Danny only flapped his arm in Steve's direction, a clear signal that the story was for another time. "B-being an elite is d-dangerous, y'know. You're alone 'n everyone's out to g-get y'u. G-guess 'm just unlucky; they g-got me twice."

You wanna go at it alone so badly? Congratulations. You just got your wish.

Though Steve already deeply regretted those ill-thought-out words, now he positively loathed them.

Danny's exhausted trembles rocked the thin styrofoam mat and caused it to squeak against the metal floor. As his breaths remained uneven, the blond could only squeeze his eyes shut and ride out the spell. Helplessness practically choking Steve - and boy, he hated that - he moved to the mat, sat down again, and pulled Danny close to share his warmth.

"Well, you're not alone anymore."

And though Danny mumbled complaints about clingy SEALS, he melted into the hold with a quiet sigh of relief. Shivers slowing to an occasional spasm, his cold fingers found Steve's wrist and lightly squeezed.

They sat in silence for a while, long enough that Steve assumed Danny managed to fall asleep. But a quiet, surprisingly steady voice negated that theory. "You gotta k-keep your head down, Steve. Don't give them reasons to hurt you, alright? I doubt Kingsley's gonna keep letting me heal you."

But Steve only shook his head, a slight smile rising to his lips as his sentiment from the beginning of this hellish hurricane of a case spilled out once more. "I'm not gonna let anything happen, Danno."

Judging from the quiet chuff from his partner, Danny remembered it too. "'S impossible to g-guarantee."

"Good thing 'impossible' is my specialty, right?"

All but boneless, Danny burrowed more deeply into Steve's offered warmth. Not that Steve was complaining, especially since it obviously helped with the side effects of Danny's abilities. With Danny's head buried in his torso, he felt more than heard Danny's slurred words.

"I know. I trust you."

And despite the severity of their current situation, Steve beamed into the darkness.

~H50~

Despite Kono's urgent warning and Chin's rapid response time to it, they weren't quite fast enough. After all, Kingsley had eyes and willing hands just about everywhere with an obscene amount of resources to get the job done. Five-0 never stood a chance - the two remaining members always three steps behind.

Vivoldi honored his word not to spill anything on Brad Kingsley's empire, but his 'integrity' did not save his life. Unfortunately, he happened to be caught up in a prison riot at Halawa and died of multiple stab wounds a mere half hour before Kono's call demanding he be put in protective custody. No one was singled out for the death and no guard had seen anything.

Fortunately - or so they thought - Stallings was already under 24 hour guard by HPD in a safehouse. However, Kingsley's reach proved to be far longer than they could've ever imagined. Chin was halfway to the safehouse to check in on things and give the protective detail a warning when the call came in.

Shots fired. Multiple officers down. HFD inbound.

That's right. Apparently, it wasn't enough to put a bullet in Stalling's brain and kill his entire protective detail. Whoever did this also set the building on fire.

If they didn't understand the enormity of Kingsley's empire before, they certainly did now. It cemented the overwhelming sense of helplessness that began creeping up on them the instant they found Sarah on the docks.

Standing alone against a looming tsunami wave with no help in sight, they needed nothing short of a miracle. And for a team that seemed to specialize in them, miracles appeared to be in short supply these days. Kingsley was taking out their team and now their leads one by one, and they were no closer to finding him. Every ounce of their info came from a scared little girl who was technically a person of interest in a homicide - unofficially cleared, but still needed to give an official statement.

With anyone connected to Kingsley being taken out, Sarah was now in immense danger. Which led to the whispered argument that was currently taking place in the Five-0 bullpen while Sarah ate breakfast in Kono's office.

"Kono, she can't stay here."

"Well, where the hell is she gonna go then? This is the safest place for her and she's our only lead! And she's a kid!"

Chin scrubbed a hand through his curly hair, inwardly cursing the stubbornness his cousin seemed to emmit since birth. "Maybe this is the safest place, but we can't do our jobs properly if one of us has to stay here to protect her. In fact, we're putting ourselves more at risk, which puts her in danger as well! Kingsley took out the top two members of our team with no effort. We can't risk it!"

"But we can't put her in HPD custody either!" Kono shot back, glancing quickly over at her office. "There's a leak - we already know that - but Sarah doesn't trust cops. Even if she somehow remains safe, she'll run off the first chance she gets! Trust me, it's a minor miracle she hasn't run from us yet!"

"You're right, HPD isn't an option right now. But neither is here." Leaning back against the table, Chin mentally scanned his contacts. HPD leads were out - which eliminated most of his family. Kamekona was too well known in both communities. Which left…

Oh damn. That could work.

"I got an idea." He pulled out his phone and grinned as Kono stared at him in confusion. It rang twice before that familiar voice answered. "Mamo, howzit, bruddah?"

Grinning as understanding dawned on Kono's face, he dutifully nodded along to the cheerful man's explanation of the waves that morning. Because really, Mamo was the perfect option. His deep loyalty to Steve was unquestionable and his knowledge of the islands provided a plethora of options to keep Sarah safe. Furthermore, his calm, kind demeanor would do wonders for the traumatized little girl.

"That sounds great, brah," he said when Mamo finished his surfing update. "Unfortunately, I can't go out and catch a wave today. I called because I need a huge favor on the down-low."

He rapidly explained the situation to Mamo, who immediately agreed. In fact, he claimed to know the perfect spot where he, his wife, and little Sarah could hide out until all of this was over. Between the two of them, they managed to plan a complex drop-off that would allay suspicions while Kono went into her office to inform Sarah.

The young elite was not pleased to say the least, but Kono eventually cajoled her with the promise of surfing lessons and safety with the older couple. The rookie vowed to keep them updated and that by doing this, Sarah was helping them find her friends even more quickly.

For the first time since the case began, something finally went smoothly. Kono - who had Sarah stashed in the backseat of her car - and Chin split up for the drop, each running multiple errands to confuse any possible tails. Sarah was off to one of Mamo's secret hideouts on the North Shore and no one was the wiser.

Now, armed with new knowledge from the young elite, the cousins reconvened at HQ to strategize their next move.

"According to Sarah, the cargo ship is huge. It's carrying a lot of containers, most of which have legitimate contents." Kono paced in front of the giant screens in the Five-0 bullpen. "Elites Kingsley's already sold are kept in the containers are dropped one at a time with their buyers."

Spinning his chair back and forth, Chin nodded in understanding. "What about the ones he keeps and then rents out?"

"That's the tricky part. He keeps the low and mid-level elites below decks in shipping containers'. Either they lack the capabilities to escape or are far too scared to try. He keeps the powerful elites - his favorites - on the control deck in specialized rooms that are basically cages. Sarah didn't know much about them because she's only seen them from the outside."

"Alright, that certainly complicates things. Was she able to tell you anything that could help us? Like the name of the ship, how many kids are on it, how many guards…?"

But Kono could only shrug helplessly. "She's a kid who was scared out of her mind. It's safe to assume that there's a lot of both. Though she didn't know the name of the ship, she did mention that boats and helicopters often came to the ship, so that might help us."

Sighing, Chin shook his head. "It doesn't tell us much, kid. We're never going to find Kingsley and take down his operation unless we change tactics."

She winced when she saw the look in his eye. "I'm not gonna like your idea, am I?"

"Probably not." Rising from his seat, he jangled his car keys. "I think it's time we pay a visit to an old friend."

Yeah, I know I'm still building this, but taking down Kingsley and his massive operation is a daunting task. Would love to hear your thoughts! I really enjoyed building the structure of this setup to the grand finale (which is still a ways out but we're drawing near.) Until next time!