"Please, Detective, he needs his rest." The charge nurse had just finished checking on Lou and was headed out when he ran into the insistent visitor.
"Look, like I just told the orderly, I need to talk to him."
"Danny? That you?"
Danny had heard Lou speak. "Excuse me." He grabbed the nurse's shoulders and turned him sideways so he could push past him to get into Lou's room.
"I'll let the doctor know he's awake," the nurse said, too tired to argue and left them alone.
Danny could tell Lou had just woken up. His right hand, with the IV attached, was rubbing at his eyes as he was trying to become more aware.
Renee had been patiently waiting for her husband to awaken. She arose from the recliner and grabbed the railing of the bed. "Hey, baby. It's so good to see those gorgeous eyes. How you feelin'?"
"The leg hurts like hell, but I'm feeling much better now that I get to see that beautiful smile." Lou's eyes crinkled in a smile of his own as he admired his wife.
"You, big flirt," she teased.
"Ah, hm." Danny feigned clearing his throat. "I'm sorry. I really am, but, Renee, do you think I can have a minute to talk to the patient?"
"I don't know. He just woke up. The doctor will need to see him and I don't think he's up for it."
Lou saw the uncharacteristic seriousness in Danny's blue eyes. "Sweetie, it's okay. It'll be just a minute… Really, I'm okay," he said with a patronizing smile.
"Well, I don't like it, but all right… Just a minute." She wagged her finger and knitted her brow in warning at Danny as she passed him. "I'll go speak with your doctor and keep him at bay for now, but we'll be right back."
"Thanks, Renee," Danny offered in return. He turned his head toward the door until he knew she was gone, then he stepped back and shut the door for privacy.
Lou's face was now grim with dread. He knew for certain why Danny was asking for a private moment. "He didn't make it. Did he?"
"What? No. I mean not yet. It doesn't look good, but he's hanging in there for now."
Lou blew out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, I… I guess I should have led with that. No, uh, so how about you? Are you doing okay?"
"Danny, I love you, too, but enough with the chit chat. I know why you're here and if it ain't about McGarrett, then it sure as hell ain't about me. Tani told you. Didn't she?"
Danny stepped closer to the bed and nodded. "Yeah." His voice was almost indiscernible. "She told me. Is it true? Was it him?"
"I still don't understand it, but yeah. It was him."
"Maybe you were mistaken. I mean, wouldn't it be hard to see him from where you were… or… or maybe it was someone that looked like him."
Lou shook his head slowly. "I know you don't want to believe it. I don't either, but it was him. I saw him with my own two eyes and it was him."
"But how could that be, Lou? He's dead. The bastard died on the operating table."
Lou pushed down on the mattress with both fists, wiggling into a more comfortable and upright position. "Danny, let me ask you a question. Did you see his body? Did McGarrett? I sure as hell didn't. We just accepted what they told us."
Danny took the weight of what Lou was telling him. Somehow, three years ago, Gabriel Waincroft had managed to live through the gunshot wound and live through the surgery. They had been lied to by the doctor, if he even was a doctor. Gabriel had a lot of money, and a lot of influence, and a lot of people that was indebted to him that must have gotten him through the stumbling block of almost being killed. Now, here he was, back on the island, or maybe he had been here, hiding under a rock, the whole time. Either way, he was back and had literally fired the first shots in this new phase of war that he had declared on Five-0.
After taking a moment to mull it over, Danny let Lou in on his acceptance of their current situation. "Was he alone or did you see anybody else?"
"He wasn't driving. Someone else was. I heard the shots, saw McGarrett go down and right before I got hit, I saw him in the backseat of a black SUV with the window partially down. I saw the barrel and I saw that same grin that I always wanted to wipe off his face."
"Well, Tani got a look at the car, too, and there are other witnesses that will need to be interviewed. We'll start there and get Jerry checking the cameras. At least we know our enemy. That gives us an advantage," Danny reasoned.
"Does it? What if the rat wanted us to see him? A grand re-entrance of sorts. This round to the leg… might have been right on target after all."
"You don't think he wanted you dead, too?"
"Right now, I have no earthly idea what he wanted, but I'm not ruling it out. I wonder what else he's got up his sleeve, anyway."
"Well, if this was his declaration of war, then he can bring it," Danny said while backing toward the door to leave.
"You gonna let Chin and Abby know… and Kono?"
"Not yet. I'm gonna ask Adam to keep it quiet for now, too. I will call Mary and give her an update on her brother, but I'm going to hold off on the others."
"Well, you do what you think is best, but you're two men down and it may not hurt to let them in on it."
"I'll keep it in mind. Let's just make sure Steve pulls through first. I'm going to get out of here and let you get back to your sweet lady."
"Yeah, I know where you're going and, Danny. You know I gotta say it. You be careful. That's what McGarrett would want. Got it?"
Lou had to settle for Danny's confident smile as his reply, hoping he had gotten through to him on some level. He said a silent, little prayer that the rest of his ohana would stay safe in seeing this through… whatever 'this' turned out to be.
~~~~~H50~~~~~
Danny was on his phone and walking fast through the parking lot, informing Jerry of their team members' status and that they were facing their former foe once again. Gabriel Waincroft had returned from the dead. Thankfully, Jerry withheld any zombie comments that may have been forthcoming if his boss's prognosis had not been so dire. Danny gave him instructions to begin their search, but was pleased to hear that Tani had proactively relayed the details of the incident, so Jerry had already begun the process of scanning nearby camera footage for signs of the black SUV.
He had just put his phone in his pocket when he realized he had inadvertently gone to the passenger side of his car. This was not the way things should be. Steve should be taking his self-appointed place in the driver's seat and Danny, his place-by-proclaimed-protest. He really didn't care that much that Steve drove his car. His protests were always a means of stirring the pot for entertainment's sake, but he'd never let that control freak know it. In actuality, the doofus probably already knew and was playing along for the same reasons. Steve knew him so well. It was almost eerie sometimes. The reminiscing stopped abruptly as his anger peaked at the realization of what had been taken from him.
"Damn it! Damn you, Waincroft!"
Gabriel was supposed to be the one dead, not Steve. Gabriel had gone into the same hospital three years earlier and had somehow walked out alive. Right now, it was very likely that his friend, his brother, would not be able to do the same thing. A wave of fury overtook him and, without thinking, he swung his fist, backed with a full force of adrenaline, into the windshield. A web of cracks spread out from the area of impact. He pulled his hand back, surprised by his lack of restraint, and shook out the surge of pain that ran from his knuckles up to his elbow. He inspected his hand to find a few shards still buried in flesh, causing blood to run down his fingers. The release was something he needed, though. His hand hurt like hell, but he felt much better for it.
He pulled one larger piece of glass out of his wounded hand and brushed some smaller pieces out. Not seeing anymore, he climbed into the driver seat of his car and reached into the backseat and pulled a navy blue tee shirt from his carry-on duffle that was still there. Rolling it longways, he wrapped the makeshift bandage around the evidence of his rage.
Earlier this morning, he had almost made it to his house from the airport when he had gotten the call from Junior about the shooting. He had slept on the plane, but was still exhausted from the loathsome hours upon hours that it took to get from New Jersey to Hawaii. A real night's sleep in his own bed would have to wait. He had something he had to do before he would be able to truly rest again.
~~~~~H50~~~~~
He had seen the Camaro when he entered the parking lot and had coincidentally found a spot nearby. He rubbed the top of his lip as he stared at the large building in front of him. So far, things had gone as he had hoped, but now he had to satisfy his curiosity as to the status of his handiwork. Gabriel was getting ready to go inside. He had even already opened his door when he saw Danny come out the main entrance. He pulled his door back to look closed without slamming it shut. He had seen the two Five-0 cops go down, but didn't know if the big guy was well enough to pass along the news that the rumors of his death had been greatly exaggerated, as he had intended. If he had to guess, by the look of the second in command, the Captain had come through. He could almost see smoke coming out of the smaller man's ears. When he saw him punch the windshield, it was almost confirmation and at the very least, immensely satisfying.
"Ooo, ouch, Williams."
He leaned back and smiled. After a couple of seconds, the smile became a laugh. What he couldn't be sure about was if the detective's reaction was just about him, or if maybe, the head of the task force had not pulled through, maybe both. It really didn't matter to him, but judging from this entertaining performance of which he was the sole audience, he'd guess a military funeral would be happening in the near future. He couldn't help but chuckle again.
He waited until the Camaro pulled out of the lot, then he once again started toward the medical facility. With a surgical mask wadded up in his hand and the ties hanging loosely, he strolled nonchalantly toward the door. The hem of the ill-fitting scrub pants dragged on the blacktop surface, causing a frayed jagged edge to form on at least one leg. A welcomed cold wall of air hit him as the doors opened and he glanced up at the security camera in the corner of the lobby and gave it a wink and a grin as he walked toward the elevators.
He had gotten to know the hospital well and knew the floor he would try first. The elevator ride gave him a moment to consider going downstairs to the morgue first to see if there were any new arrivals he may be interested in, but he decided to stick with his plan of tracking down his original target.
As he stepped out of the elevator, he quickly averted his gaze toward the floor after recognizing a face that passed him to enter the elevator. He remembered the face as one of the newest members of the Five-0 team. The youthful, guileless look didn't befit the stereotype of the typical Navy SEAL, but the stocky build and obvious strength made up for it. Gabriel wasn't too concerned the person would recognize him, but he didn't want to take the chance. He would find out if his suspicion was correct shortly.
Everything seemed to be falling in line for him. The presence of the rookie had confirmed he had the correct floor, but had also intimated that the probability of the big boss man's survival had fallen to the side of likely. He turned to head down the corridor that would lead to the waiting area.
~to be continued~
\,,,/BronsonL