Vengeance Will Be Mine XVI

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. But I sure like playing with the characters that CBS and Peter Lenkov have given us.

Thank you everyone who has read my story. And I do love the reviews; they make my day much brighter. So let's see if I can resolve this cliffhanger that I left you with.

Chapter 16

Mac trained his weapon on Catherine as he advanced towards her. Catherine backed up a few steps and pulled the rope out of her pocket. Seeing the short length of rope, Mac chuckled nastily, sure of his ability to control this woman. Keeping a sharp eye on Mac's progress, Catherine took careful notice of when he got closer to the room that Danny was hiding in.

"What am I doing here? What happened to me? Who are you?" she questioned rapidly, keeping his attention centered on her.

"That's none of your concern ku'uipo. All you need to know is you aren't going anywhere unless my boss says you can," Mac smirked as he moved past the open door.

"I'm not your sweetheart; I am an officer in the US Navy. You are in huge trouble for kidnapping me," Catherine declared strongly. She wrapped the ends of the rope around each hand as if she would attempt to use it as a garrote. Mac continued to smirk at her as he advanced. "You can't keep me here."

"Sure I can," Mac gloated then realized that there was someone missing from this scene. "Wait….where's the guy?"

Danny swung the chair over his head and brought it down on Mac's head, the metal seat connecting with the back of the taller man's head. Mac dropped to the ground without a sound.

"I am right behind you, creep," Danny groaned as he dropped the chair to the ground and grabbed his sore shoulder.

Catherine leapt forward to pull the weapon away from Mac and then checked to see if he still had a pulse. Feeling the faint beat beneath her fingers, she fastened the man's wrists behind his back with Danny's cuffs.

"Nice aim," she grinned at the blonde man.

"You were a great distraction," Danny responded. "We work well together."

"Are you looking to change partners?" Catherine teased s she moved to bind Mac's ankles with the rope. Frisking the unconscious man she discovered a handgun tucked in his waistband under his shirt. Taking it she checked the clip and nodded in satisfaction.

"I bet that I'd be safer with you than with McGarrett," Danny quipped as Catherine handed him the rifle as she walked past him on the way to the outside door.

"I don't think you really want to make that bet," Catherine said over her shoulder with a laugh. She paused at the doorway, again looking down at the blood on the doorstep. "Danny, I think this is Steve's blood, we have to get to him before its too late," she added seriously.

"Salter had two others with hm. Steve is trained for this but if he is wounded, he is at a disadvantage," Danny said stopping beside her.

Behind them Mac's radio came to life.

"Mac….Andrew wants the Rollins woman brought to the garage now," the voice ordered. "Leave Williams there for now."

"I think I am insulted," Danny said dryly.

"And I think that was our invitation to join the party," Catherine stated. "It's time Salter gets what is coming to him."

"I am with you on that Lieutenant," Danny nodded. "I'll take point." He moved out without waiting for Catherine to protest, not willing to let Steve's lady walk into a dangerous situation first. He didn't care if she was a capable naval officer, he was Steve's partner and he would be the one leading the charge.

Moving along the front of the building the two approached the corner nearest the large garage. There were several yards of open space between them and the open bay door.

"Let's go," Danny said just as a shotgun blast rang out from the garage.

"Steve….." Catherine groaned and started towards the building. Danny grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Wait a moment," he ordered and scanned the area before giving her a stern stare. "Okay, we move but be ready. We do not know if everyone is in the garage or waiting out here."

Catherine nodded and stayed behind him. She knew she had been about to act impulsively and took a couple deep breaths to steady her emotions. They had to be smart about this or they would all be dead. Following Danny, she started to run towards the open garage door.

A shout from behind them, was immediately followed by a shot that kicked up dirt at Danny's feet. Both Danny and Catherine pivoted and fired at the same time. Their shots found their mark, killing Noa instantly. His body dropped between the vehicles parked in front of the bunkhouse. Several more shots sounded from inside the garage, galvanizing them into action and they raced to the open door.

They reached the doorway just as Kono, Adam and a tactical team emerged from the surrounding jungle and a SWAT truck roared up the drive from the main road.

*H 5-0*

Inside the garage Steve had been biding his time, hoping to catch a break. He kept his main focus on Salter but also made sure Amoy was in his line of vision as well. When Keahi lowered his guard to radio Mac, McGarrett was ready to take action. As he had been shifting from his good leg to the bad one, Steve had been inching closer to Salter who held the shotgun on him.

With Amoy's attention on the radio, Steve took a final step closer to his adversary. As Andrew glanced at Keahi to listen to his conversation, McGarrett jumped forward and grabbed for the barrel of the shotgun. Pushing it upwards as Salter's finger tightened on the trigger, Steve felt the blast of pellets fly past his ear. He twisted the weapon out of Salter's grasp and then wrenched the man's arm behind his back. Steve then brought the empty weapon up across Andrew's throat and held the man between him and Amoy as a shield. Keahi had shoved the radio into his pocket quickly and now aimed his AK-47 at the two men.

"Let him go McGarrett," he ordered.

"No way Amoy. Drop your weapon. I can break Salter's neck before you can shoot," Steve countered.

"Mac is bringing Rollins here. Let him go and we may spare her life," Salter gasped, his hands clutching the gun, trying to move it away from his throat. He was not able to relieve the pressure that McGarrett maintained. "Keahi, get Noa in here."

Shots echoed outside the building and diverted all three men's attention for a moment. Steve felt sick at the thought that Catherine might be harmed by the gunfire. Feeling the pressure let up for just a moment, Salter took advantage of the distraction and kicked backwards, aiming for Steve's injured leg.

Grunting in pain, the SEAL lost his balance and tried to hang on to the shotgun. Salter also rammed his elbow into Steve's stomach and twisted free. He drove his fist up into McGarrett's jaw and sent Steve sprawling. Landing on his back, Steve swung his good leg and swept Salter's legs out from under him. As the man crashed to the ground next to him, Steve bent to retrieve the gun strapped to his ankle.

Keahi had hesitated for a moment, unwilling to shoot for fear of hitting Salter. When he heard the siren of the SWAT truck he knew he couldn't stand by and wait any longer, it was time to gain his own advantage. He fired twice at Steve, the first missing the task force leader's head by inches when Steve reached for his leg holster. The second shot buried itself in Steve's side. McGarrett pulled his gun and fired in one motion, hitting Amoy in the shoulder and spinning the man around as two more shots from the doorway hit Keahi in the chest and arm. Keahi went down moaning in pain and lost consciousness.

Steve saw Danny and Catherine both in the doorway just as Salter landed on top of him and tried to take the gun away from him. Catherine went to check Amoy as Danny approached the two men wrestling on the ground. Danny could see that Steve was bleeding and having trouble subduing the enraged man.

"Hey….hey…hey, stop right there," Danny ordered he came towards the men. He hesitated to shoot as the two men rolled on the ground.

"No….he has to pay!" Salter yelled angrily. He grasped McGarrett's wrist, trying to wrench the gun away from him.

"Not today," Steve growled as he gathered his strength to turn the gun against his attacker's body and pulled the trigger. With a cry of pain, Andrew Salter collapsed on top of McGarrett. Danny leaned down to pull the man off of his partner. He dumped the heavily bleeding man to one side and knelt down next to his wounded friend.

"Hey babe, are you okay?" Danny asked in concern.

"I've been better," Steve panted, his shirt stained with his own blood mixed with Salter's. "Is he dead?"

"He won't last long," Danny said as he looked over at the man who had created this trouble. He was experienced enough to recognize that no one survived that wound.

Kono, Adam and several police officers had entered the garage and Catherine had taken Amoy's gun, turning it over to one of the men before rushing to Steve's side. She dropped to her knees beside him and pressed her hand to his side to try and stop the bleeding. She looked at him with worry mirrored in her eyes.

"Steve, you sure know how to scare me," she said softly.

"McGarrett will die," Salter gasped. "I win."

"The hell you do," Danny said feeling very tempted to kick the dying man. Somehow this seemed too easy an end for the man who had caused so much pain.

"Ambulances are on the way," Kono announced as she joined them. Looking at Salter as his eyes glazed over and he drew his last breath, she sighed. "Guess it is a good thing I ordered the coroner's wagon too."

"Good job Kono," Steve said weakly.

"Thanks Boss, just following your instructions," she said and her brow furrowed in concern as she saw the blood that was continuing to flow around Catherine's fingers. The darn ambulances had better be quick.

End chapter.

Sorry this took a bit to post. My muse got distracted with a new idea and didn't want to help polish this chapter. She really hates ending stories and decided to be difficult. I am working on finishing this story so that she can run with the new idea. Thanks for your patience and for reading.