I wanted to fly
So I became a bird
This can't be happening. Oh, please, this *cannot* be happening.
Those were the only thoughts going through the head of Steven McGarrett as he stared down at the gaping hole in Danny William's neck.
One hour earlier.
"We got the call, let's move, everyone!" Steve shouted, striding into the main area of the office, his hand already reaching to tap a symbol on the smart table.
"Cath was able to track it?" Danny asked, standing up and jogging to grab his tac vest.
"Yes, it looks like she's being held in some sort of fallout shelter just west of here; we can be there in twenty."
Chin glanced up from the smart table, the screen already lighting up with all available blueprints of the structure, shooting a critical eye toward Steve.
"By my count more like thirty, Steve."
Danny thumped Chin good naturedly on the back as he passed by with a tac vest and a duffel slung over his own shoulder.
"He's using Steve math. Take the expected time, divide it by two because he'll be driving with no concern for anyone in the passenger seat, then add five because he's terrible at parking."
"Leave it to you to know everything about how your wife drives, Willams," Chin replied, shutting the smart table down with practiced ease and heading to get his own gear.
Nineteen minutes saw them on the outskirts of the compound, a very proud Steve jumping from the driver's seat with all the energy of an over caffeinated teen. He stood, the velcro on his vest crackling as he pulled it up and slapped it down repeatedly, clearly hoping his impatient hint was loud enough for his partner.
"Hold up, Steve; Chin and Kono will be here soon, please *just this once* could we *please* wait for the bare minimum of backup?"
His entreaties seemed to fall on deaf ears as Steve crossed to the trunk of the car and started pulling out a truly obscene amount of equipment just to dissapear it again as he slid it into his bottomless pockets.
"Was that... was that a grenade? Didn't we have this conversation oh, I don't know, ten times already?
"Listen, she's been in there for two days already, we need to prioritize speed here, Danno."
"First, don't call me Danno, second, that is exactly my point, she's been in there for two days, I'm sure another ten minutes won't hurt... Steve... Steven!" Danny's pleas ended in a strangled shout as Steve began striding decidedly in the direction of the bunker, sliding a clip into his handgun as he walked.
"I really need to retire," Danny muttered as he shut the trunk and hurried to catch Steve up.
They had done this so many times that the actions were almost automatic, Steve taking point and signaling Danny to the other side of the door, Danny pretending he didn't know exactly what Steve meant with his ridiculous army-grade motions. Like a well oiled machine they infiltrated the shelter with practiced ease. It was a matter of only minutes before they found their victim, tipped off by a fresh deadbolt bolted to the outside of a worn metal door. Steve motioned Danny to cover him and kicked in the door.
"Hey, it was locked from the *outside* you neanderthal, you could have just opened it!" Danny whispered, but quickly subsided in his complaints as he rushed inside while Steve covered the door.
She was there. Gagged and bound by her wrist and ankles to a chair in what now revealed itself to have been a large closet or storage room before the security "upgrades."
"Phillipa," Danny started, keeping his voice low and soothing, "we're going to get you out of here, just hold on."
He removed the gag from her mouth and started on the ropes that bound her to the chair while she caught her breath and spat in an attempt to rid her mouth of the taste of rancid cloth.
As soon as she had the air to speak she started wailing, a high pitched keening that Danny knew would draw attention to their location once they started moving.
"Phillipa," he said, placing his hands gently on either side of her face, "I'm going to get you out of here but you need to stay with me, just for a few more minutes, okay? Can you walk?"
Quieting almost immediately, Phillipa nodded.
"Okay, that's good. Just hold on to me and I'll get you out of here," he said with a confidence he almost felt. This was all too easy, which in his line of work never boded well.
"Alright, Steve, we're coming out," Danny said, keeping his voice low, "have you seen anyone?"
"Not a soul." Steve said, a touch of pride in his voice, as though he was the stealthiest man alive (well, Danny had to admit he might be in his better moments), and hadn't just kicked in a door with such a resounding thud Danny thought it was probably audible on the mainland.
"Fine, let's get out of here."
"Your wish is my command, babe."
"I *wish* you could have waited for backup, Chin and Kono must be here by now."
Steve, sighing dispassionately, said, "Hey, nothing bad happened, they probably aren't even here, I bet they took an early lunch or something."
Danny never so strongly believed that Karma is a cruel mistress as in that moment directly after Steve stopped talking and, as if in response, gunfire filled the silent void left behind his words.
Danny went into action. Picking up Phillipa, he slung her small frame over his shoulder, hiding her delicate torso behind his back in an attempt to limit her exposure. Shoving at Steve's back, he shouted, "Go, you animal!" And they both sprinted toward the door that had come in only minutes before, Steve laying down suppressant fire while Danny put all his energy into ensuring Phillipa's safety.
They made it, Danny wasn't sure exactly how, but they made it. Bursting from the enclosed bunker into the mid-morning sun was like the answer to a prayer, and, even better, he could see Chin and Kono, along with several other officers, guns raised and ready for what had quickly spun from a rescue mission into a raid.
Ducking behind their safe line of squad cars, Danny stopped to catch his breath as Steve base slid in behind him. Show off.
"Here, Danny, let me take her, the EMTs should be here soon," Steve said, reaching out and pulling the insensible Phillipa off his shoulder and gently passing her to Chin. Danny didn't respond, he was finding it hard to catch his breath. That didn't make sense, he kept in good shape and the run hadn't been a long one, what was wrong with him? Ugh, and why was he wet? There was no way Phillipa had cried enough to account for the warm stickiness sliding down between his clammy chest and his shirt.
"Hey, Danny, you did good in there. See, no backup needed!" Steve said from somewhere that seemed distant.
Danny wanted to turn around, to tell his partner off for claiming that the mission had been a success; sure, they had gotten the girl, but there was going to be such a pile of paperwork waiting for him. Right now he was too tired to care. Maybe he needed to work harder on cardio. Ah, well, a thought for another time, he was feeling warm and floaty, and with everyone safe, why not shut his eyes for a bit?
"Danny, you aren't still mad at me are you? Hey, I'll wait for backup next time, I promise. Danny? Come on, talk to me. Danny?"
Steve was monologuing, and Danny was comforted by the deep thrum of his voice, even if he couldn't make out the words. Just a little nap and he'd be back to it; he'd earned it, really.
Steve was close enough to catch Danny as he listed sideways before losing control of his body completely.
"Hey, Danny... Danny!" Steve started to yell, gently easing his partner to the ground and turning him over.
Oh.
No. Please, no.
Danny's neck was soaked with blood, a trail of it running down his chest under his vest. For an insane second Steve could only think of the tie Grace had given Danny on his most recent birthday. It was just the same color against his tan throat.
"Danny, Danno, talk to me, please," Steve almost wailed, his medical training forgotten in the sheer terror of how quiet his best friend had become.
Danny's mouth worked soundlessly, like he was chewing on his words but couldn't quite spit them out. Instead of words, a bright trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth, running into the sweat-curled hair at the nape of his neck.
"Officer down! I need help over here!" Danny thought he heard as he closed his eyes. He hoped everyone was alright; he'd check just as soon as he woke up.