Chapter 14
Kalani had the good fortune to not have broken her knuckles when she punched the wall outside of CMO Price's office. It had been a couple of days since Price had tried to derail Kalani's dreams to continue to serve her country as a USN SEAL.
Right now she was sitting in front of her computer in the 5-0 headquarters. It had been a week since that ill-fated visitation at the Coronado V. A. Hospital. Steve and Catherine had taken Kalani to an Urgent Care Center in Honolulu after leaving the V. A. to get a second opinion on her knuckles. The on-call physician had determined that all Kalani had done was bruise the bones and muscles in her knuckles; despite the bloody mess that the CMO glued together and wrapped up.
The cuts on her knuckles had warranted being stitched up. The physician had groaned at the process of cleaning off the wound glue that Price had applied and muttered under his breath something along the lines of incompetent bureaucratic doctors.
Kalani had chuckled at his anger because she was still reeling from her previous appointment. After all was said and none. The physician dismissed the co-payment, "Consider this an emergency follow-up. I'll deal with all the bureaucratic red-tape that Dr. Price has made. I'm sorry you guys have had to deal with her. You're not the first military family to come through these doors after being treated by that Nut Job," he finished.
Steve shook the man's hand, and Kalani hugged him, "Thank you so much. I thought for sure I'd be out of operation for at least another month. She had me thinking they were broken."
The physician smiled and ruffled Kalani's hair. Steve held his breath waiting for his daughter to blow her top off at someone ruining her hair. He had be pleasantly surprised when he saw her laugh and hug the man before her. Looking at the physician he realized why she wasn't, the man had been an old friend of her grandfather's son. Steve couldn't believe that he hadn't realized it until now.
"Thank you Harry," Kalani beamed, "You're a lifesaver." Harold Tippen had helped her grandfather by babysitting her when he had to work while Steve was away on deployment. He had been the closest thing Kalani had ever considered to be an older brother. They started rapidly losing contact with each other as soon as she was commissioned by the Navy to find her grandmother.
'Harry' as Kalani affectionately called him ruffled her hair again. She was the only one he allowed to call him Harry, he much preferred to be referred to as Harold or Dr. Tippen.
Getting annoyed with the hair ruffling, Kalani glared at her 'Big Brother', "Watch the hair buddy," she seethed while trying to tame her now extremely messed up hair.
"Then don't call me Harry," he looked down on her with a pointed look, then ruffled her hair some more with a smirk on his face.
Kalani gave an angelic face at her equally annoyed 'Big Brother', "Never going to happen. You're my Hairy Beary, now and forever," she taunted the older man by sticking out her tongue.
"It amazes me that you're smarter than me but you can still be reduced to a six-year-old when someone sets a single hair on your head out of place," Harold scoffed remembering the much-hated pet name she had given him.
"Just be lucky you didn't take her hostage," Steve stated breaking up the comedic scene before him, "Otherwise you wouldn't be standing where you are," he finished seriously.
Harold nodded, he was well aware of Kalani's real purpose in life. "You haven't found her yet? Have you," he asked cryptically.
Kalani just shook her head negatively. The less Harold knew the better. "It's only a matter of time before she slips up. No matter who you are, you can not stay hidden in the underground forever." She finished stoically. "Anyway, I won't keep you from your rotation any longer. Thank you again," she hugged him.
"Don't be a stranger Adelle," Harold ordered, only to chuckle after hearing her groan. He knew just how badly she disliked being called by her middle name.
Kalani and Steve bid him farewell and walked out to the car where Catherine was waiting.
The following week, Kalani was finally sitting behind her desk, in front of her computer in the 5-0 headquarters. Steve and Catherine made her promise to wait for at least a week before rallying for help to get her back to active duty. She was fine with that since rapid movement irritated the stitches on all of her knuckles.
At the moment she was on hold with the Pentagon, waiting for Falcone to answer his personal line. It was just easier to contact the Admiral than the President.
"This had better been important," Falcone answered his phone. He didn't have to ask if it was her on the other end. She had to enter a special code designed just for her to get through to his desktop.
Kalani silently smiled on her end of the phone, if he was greeting her like this, then his day was sucking just as bad as her life was now. "I don't make contact with you in four months and this is how I'm treated? The shame Admiral. The shame."
She could hear her commanding officer let out a grieving sigh, "McGarrett, tell me you have some good news for me," he asked changing his tune.
Disappointment threatened to seep in through her core but she pushed it down. "I'm afraid not Sir. CMO Nadine Price has sidelined me for the next four to six months. It's almost as if she wanted to medically discharge me."
Falcone grumbled some unintelligible words. Kalani could only get about every fourth word. Then he sighed, "If you're not active yet then why are we having this discussion," he demanded.
Kalani knowing this tone knew the pressure Falcone was under. "I'd like your permission to get several second opinions on Price's diagnosis."
Falcone laughed, "Are you telling me, that a member of the McGarrett family is asking permission to go outside the parameters of the US Military?"
"Yes, sir," Kalani answered. "As ironic as that may be, my Dad and I need your help finding very specific specialists and bring them to Coronado."
Falcone perked up hearing this. A member of the infamously rebellious McGarrett clan was actually seeking help. If Kalani and Steve McGarrett needed reinforcements to get the younger McGarrett back in action, he'd give them all the reinforcements they needed.
Since Kalani's medical decommissioning right after her abduction, missions that she supposed to be sent on had gone south. He needed her back in action as soon as possible. The medical discharge was not going to be dealt with positively. He would give CMO Nadine Price the disciplinary actions warranted for discharging Kalani. There were only two people with that authority. "I'll give you all the reinforcements you need Commander. I'll also take care of Price's insubordination."
"Please Sir, Let me deal with Price. I think she may be apart of my Shelburne Mission. If I'm correct…"
"Kalani, I've dealt with your family on more than one occasion. If one of you has an idea or hunch, you're usually right," he interrupted and addressed Kalani informally. "Just make sure North Korea doesn't happen again," he warned.
Kalani could hear the promise in her C.O.'s voice because as of right now until she was given medical clearance, she was a disabled veteran. "Understood Sir," she voiced.
"Now what is it you need from me," he finally asked.
Kalani smiled triumphantly, "I need you to pull a lot of strings to get Dr. Freya Navarro pulled from her Doctors Without Borders Mission in Nicaragua. She's an American OB/GYN specialist and she's the best in the world."
Falcone knew how hard it would be to track down this doctor. It would take a week or two just to get her back to the States. "That's a tall order for your short bill," he stated. "Kalani you know that DWB is an international foundation."
"That I do Sir," she sighed, "It's also funded by NATO. If you could convince President Saunders…"
"Then they would have no choice to terminate her mission," he finished for her. "Why didn't you just call him yourself?"
Kalani wanted to laugh, "My cousin Gracie told me about Saunders's reaction to finding out I was a teenager. I highly doubt that he would allow any of his assistants to patch me through to his direct line."
Gracie did, in fact, tell Kalani all about what happened in 5-0 Headquarters during the joint task-force to safely recover her. Fights almost broke out between her Father and the President of the United States of America.
Falcone had to concede to Kalani's train of thought. "Well, he's seen what can happen when once successful teams can fail missions terribly since your absence. Trust me, I am not getting a moment's peace since you've become inactive. Are they any other specialists that will need a Presidential Decree?"
"Yes, Sir, a Dr. Syed Militsky and Dr. Sheila Bergman. Dr. Bergman is the foremost authority on neuroscience medicine and Dr. Militsky is an orthopedic surgeon. Militsky is in Boston and Bergman is in Los Angeles."
"All right McGarrett, Give me a week or two tops, see if I can get these specialists you wish for. I have no doubt that Saunders will jump on board. Good luck with your personal mission. Goodbye," Falcone bid ending the call.
"Thank you, Sir, goodbye." Kalani mimicked the sentiment. As she replaced the phone receiver into its cradle she smiled a mirthful smile.
"I know that look," Gracie said as she appeared in Kalani's office door jam. The younger girl had just come from school. She was happy to see Kalani almost back into her element again. She missed having her cousin in school with her, "What are you up to," she asked, suspicious of the female clone of Steve McGarrett.
"Nothing," Kalani answered, "How can I do anything if I'm considered an invalid?" she smiled extra sweetly.
Gracie's eyebrows shot up straight to her hairline, "Oh now I know something is up. You gotta tell me."
"Ah No, Danno would have a coronary if I got you involved in any more of my shenanigans," Kalani admitted.
Gracie crossed her arms over her chest, leaned against the door jam, and crossed her feet at the ankles while giving Kalani a pointed look. "You have met my father, haven't you," Gracie asked, "Short guy about this tall," she stands straight while stretching her right arm about two inches above her head, "blonde hair slicked back with too much hair gel and constantly has worry lines on his forehead?"
Kalani looked up at Gracie and nodded her head, not understanding where her cousin was taking this. "Yeah so?" She asked with a shake of the head and shrugging her shoulders. Then hardened her face to look serious.
"The man has a coronary every time he sees a gun in my hand. I've been with 5-0 for two years now," she stated while placing her hands on her hips to prove her point.
How Kalani kept her face serious was a miracle because she wanted to laugh at the picture before her. Gracie may try to deny she acts nothing like Danny and it was also true Danny was obsessively trying to somehow sabotage Gracie's time with 5-0. He didn't want the same things that have happened to Kalani to happen to his daughter.
Kalani understood both sides. Kalani was made of a tough stalk, whereas up until about two years ago Gracie was living a practically sheltered life. The decision to have Gracie live a sheltered life was a co-parenting effort between Danny, his ex-wife Rachel, and her current husband Stanley.
Kalani shook herself out of her thoughts, and put her Commander face on, and looked Gracie straight in the eyes. Placing both her hands firmly on top of her desk, and rising slowly from her chair, "Sorry, Miss Williams, but I can not have the wrath of one HPD Detective Daniel Williams sabotage my mission," she stated in her Commander's voice. "Nor from your Mom and Step-Stan."
Gracie visibly gulped in fear, she had only seen Kalani slip into Commander McGarrett a couple of times. If it was being pointed at her, it meant it was something serious. "Fine, don't use my help," Gracie fired back, "Grovel at my feet when you return to normal," she huffed, before stomping out of Kalani's office, "because I won't help you out when your plan goes south!"
Kalani slowly sunk down into her seat, feeling slightly guilty for excluding her cousin and partner, however, she couldn't let Gracie get in trouble for the undertaking at hand.
Not long after Gracie left her office, a very irritated Mary Ann McGarrett strolled into her niece's office with a very excited Joan trying to wiggle out of her arms. "So this is where you've been hiding," Mary Ann voiced her displeasure. "Is disregarding doctor's orders becoming a family trait?"
Kalani sighed as well as rolled her eyes. Then looking up to the ceiling, she mentally lamented. Why are you doing this to me today? Haven't I've been put through the test enough this year? The mental pleas were directed to her deceased elders and any other mystical entity that could possibly be listening. I liked it better when Aunt Mary wasn't so overprotective. She quietly groaned and forcefully smiled.
"Kalani Adelle-KaPua McGarrett, do not dare roll your eyes at me," the older woman screeched.
Well so much for her being non-observant. I might as well face the music. Hopefully, Mom and Dad didn't hear Aunt Mary's displeasure.
Steve and Catherine heard Mary Ann's voice and ran into Kalani's office. Both came upon the scene of the two younger McGarretts having a staredown. Kalani, being extra paranoid and hyper-aware of her surroundings didn't miss her parents' entrance into her office while maintaining eye contact with her Aunt. Damn it! Can't you guys up there give me a God damned break today? Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that!
Joan seeing her favorite male started jumping out of Mary's arms and into her Uncle Steve's. Grabbing hold of Joan, Steve started bouncing the toddler in his arms and making goofy faces. "What's going on in here," he asked calmly so he wouldn't alarm his young and impressionable niece.
Mary Ann turned around and glared at her older brother, "This is your fault. You've allowed her to disregard the doctor's orders," she raised her voice and poked a finger into his arm since she couldn't get to his chest.
Steve continued making goofy faces at Joan, then turned to his sister, "Mary come on, you knew this was going to happen. I know my daughter once she sets her mind on something, she's like a speeding brake less runaway train. You have to let it run its course until it gets derailed."
"I wonder where she gets that from," Mary Ann grumbled. "You're both cut from the same cloth. No regard for rules and order!" She growled at her brother, "Why the hell did I let you give guardianship of your daughter to our father while you were deployed?"
"AH let's see," Steve pretended to ponder while making Joan laugh some more, to make her stop her anxious fussing, she started to make due to her mother's anger. He passed her off to his fiance.
Once he felt that Catherine had a secure hold on Joan, Steve turned to his sister, "Which answer would you prefer? 1. You were a teenager who lacked any form of discipline. Which, if I remember correctly, Dad had to intervene so you didn't end up in Juvie or 2. You were not her biological parent and therefore had no say in guardianship," He questioned with a questioning face.
Mary Ann growled at her brother wanting to slap him, "Oh please you were a teenager yourself when you knocked up KaPua. You were just as reckless and despite the Navy and HPD, you're still the same!"
Catherine and Kalani both looked at each other trying not to laugh at the scene before them. Seeing Steve and Mary Ann come to rows was hysterical. Steve would be the picture of calm while Mary Ann's face would turn beet red.
"Hey, no cheap shots," Steve ordered, "I can point out a lot of shortcomings that you have as well. I've never been put into protective custody for public intoxication!"
Mary Ann coming to the conclusion, she wasn't going to win this fight, made her last-ditch effort, "I'm her God damned Godmother!"
Catherine bounced Joan in her arms and whispered silliness in her ears to distract her from the scene before them. Kalani couldn't hold in laughter anymore.
"I'm her Father!" Steve countered now getting very irritated by his meddling sister.
"I'm the Daughter!" Kalani burst into the argument with laughter. "Come on you two, this has been the same argument you've been having since Grandpa was killed."
Steve and Mary Ann looked to each other and then to Kalani. Both were wearing the famous McGarrett "Bullshit! Come at me bro!" face.
"Mom, help me out here," Kalani turned to Catherine. All she saw was Catherine entertaining her toddler cousin. Figuring she wasn't going to get her mother to side with her, she sighed and turned back to her arguing family members, "Fine, please stop arguing."
She waited a moment and observed the situation before her. Steve now had his arms folded across his chest wearing his SEAL face and Mary's face was fire engine red with her hands slammed to hips.
"I'm ignoring Price's orders because I am in the process of getting a third, fourth and fifth expert opinion," Kalani finally answered her Aunt's original question. Hopefully diffusing the tempest in her office. "I'm technically not doing any physical labor either," she reasoned pointing to the pile of paperwork the team left on her desk and her desktop. "Dad is still not allowing me into the field and that is really a technicality. No medical release note, no fieldwork. I have months…and I mean months of backlog work waiting for me to enter into the computer."
"Do you honestly think I would allow Kalani into the crime field without a very thorough clean bill of health," Steve added hoping to disarm his younger sister. He now was wearing his concerned face and moved hands to his hips.
"Yes, Steve I do think you would," Mary Ann seethed. "Again I will say, 'You both are cut from the same cloth.' Injuries don't stop you from wrestling the asshole criminals you encounter on the daily."
Now it was Catherine's turn to cut into the conversation, "I agree with Mary Ann. You two don't always…" she raised her hand that was supporting Joan's back to stop protests from her fiance and daughter. "No, you both will listen," she ordered.
She smiled when she saw the two naturally surely SEALs scowling but not objecting, "You don't follow orders of any kind really. The only reason why Kalani is in the office is that she's behind on her training regimen. She won't be couped up in the house anymore and she's trying to gather digital intel on Doris."
"Mom! Really?" Kalani gasped at Catherine's confidentiality breach. Steve glared at his fiance. He and Kalani had both agreed to keep Doris being alive from Mary Ann. Really, it was for her sanity and their benefit. They didn't want to answer any questions regarding the elder McGarrett.
"Wait, Mom's still alive again? This isn't going to be like North Korea all over again?" Mary Ann lamented. Really with her family, Mary wouldn't be surprised that one of them had faked their own death.
She stayed quiet for a moment "I thought you took care of her when you escaped?" Her eyes widened and she looked at the other three adults in the room, "Oh great you three are going all vigilante again aren't you?"
Kalani widened her eyes at Catherine and her jaw twitched painfully from grinding her teeth. Kalani then twitched her lips, widened her arched her eyebrows and squinted her eyes at Catherine. "Stop helping please," Kalani pleaded while slapping her left hand into her face shaking her head.
The last thing Kalani really needed, was to have Aunt Mary Ann plead with her to save Doris's life yet again. Because as much as Mary Ann hated Doris McGarrett, she still loved her mother and hoped for a non-violent resolution to bring Doris to justice.
Mary heard the story in between the words of the conversation. The realization hit her, she once again turned angry eyes onto her brother and niece, "You don't plan on bringing her back alive do you?"
Kalani shrugged her shoulders sheepishly to her Aunt. "Aunt Mary, she's not going to come back home and face justice willingly. I may have injured her but she's alive and kicking. I have my orders, once I get the second opinions and I'm cleared for duty…"
"Classic, just classic," Mary Ann seethed, "What happened to innocent until proven guilty?"
"Two weeks ago you were raging on about how she basically put me in a wheelchair…" Kalani pointed out. "Grandma did this to me, Aunt Mary. She did this with no remorse even after she found out I was her granddaughter…" being the voice of reason was not a job she liked to do, especially to her free-spirited overprotective Aunt. "She kidnapped me, sold me to the highest terrorist bidder. Why? So she could somehow help bring down the American Infrastructure. She's a double agent, a triple agent even. We don't know how many countries she's working for, but rest assured her mercenary lifestyle will come to an end!"
Seeing pain and anger resonating in her Aunt's eyes, Kalani continued on. "She's not the same person you knew when you were a child. She is evil incarnate. Doris McGarrett is gone and she's been gone for a long time. I'm sorry Aunt Mary," she finished sadly.
Without a farewell, Mary ripped her daughter out of Catherine's arms and stormed out through Kalani's office door.
Kalani suddenly felt fatigued from the whole encounter with her Aunt and getting light-headed. It seemed like her once-solid body turned into a tub of jelly. "Dad, I don't…" before she could finish the sentence, she started to faint.
"Oh shit," Steve spat as he saw his daughter's body start to fall to the floor. His reaction was quick as he caught her upper body with his arms. Then he readjusted her so that he was carrying her whole body in his arms. "Call the team, let them know where going to Honolulu Memorial," Steve ordered his clearly shocked fiance.
Catherine's eyes widened in shock to see Kalani in such a vulnerable situation. No amount of military training could have prepared her to see her own adoptive daughter in this kind of situation. Steve's words knocked her to her senses, she ripped her phone out of its holster and began calling the rest of their team.
