Take Two: Chapter Eight
A/n: Sorry for the extended time between updates. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and please keep reviewing. Your reviews means so much to me.
The second door led to another stairwell and another dark room. Steve sighed very loudly at this realization. He was pretty sick of the maze this warehouse had turned out to be.
"You realize that we're underground, right?" Steve muttered more to himself as he and Kono descended the stairs cautiously.
"Yeah, boss."
"No, I mean, this…infrastructure must have been around for a long time. A World War Two bunker, or something of the sort." Steve stopped suddenly, glancing around the place. His flashlight ran along the walls.
"Shit." Steve gripped his flashlight tighter.
"Boss?" Kono raised an eyebrow.
"Danny. If he's down here, he's probably freaking the hell out." Steve sighed. "The walls keep getting narrower."
"Yeah, but how?" Kono asked. "How can the foundation be narrower than the rest of the building?"
"We're definitely in some sort of maze." Steve noted. He circled this new room.
Kono shined her flashlight on her watch. "Boss, it's eleven in the morning."
"Shit, are you serious?" Steve scowled. They must have slept through the night after the explosion. It had been twelve hours since they went to the warehouse. "Okay." He took in a breath. "This could be good. I'm sure Lou knows where we are. Lou will get us. Now let's get Danny and Chin."
Lou Grover stared at Joel Novak, his arms crossed at his chest. "So, Mr. Novak, tell me again about the letter from your brother's captors."
Joel had his head in his hands. He was beside himself. His attempt to save his brother had ended up with the kidnapping of four members – four – of Hawaii's most elite crime force. Now the remaining members were attempting to find Chin, Danny, Kono, Steve, and Michael.
"Mr. Novak." Lou poked him with a pen. "It's your turn to speak."
"I-I don't know. I just asked Lt. Kelly to follow up on the letter. I guess that means my brother was really there, right? Does that mean the letter was correct? My brother's here?"
"I asked about the letter, son."
"Mr. Novak." Abby stepped forward. "Mr. Novak, may I ask you a few questions?"
I suppose." Joel said wearily.
"Mr. Novak, I have to say, I've looked through your records, and you and your brother lived very private lives after you graduated high school."
"Yes, that's true. Well, our parents divorced, and-"
"Even before then, however, it appeared that your brother completely went off the map, long before you did."
"I wouldn't say that. He went to school, he got his CPA; he did a lot."
"Yes, he was an accountant. We checked your brother's place of employment, however, and there was no indication of your brother even being employed."
"Furthermore, we haven't heard jack shit about your brother, except from you." Lou cut in.
"W-What do you mean?" Joel asked. "He's in the…the yearbook. Check the high school yearbook. He's there."
"Actually," Jerry entered the 5-0 floor, walking over to his teammates. "We've checked the yearbooks. All of them. No Michael Novak. You're not even in the yearbook."
"I don't understand." Joel whispered.
"No. No, we don't understand, Mr. Novak." Abby sat down next to Joel. "Mr. Novak, please."
Joel was shaking his head again. "What do you want me to say?"
"How about where the rest of our team is? How about that Michael Novak isn't real? How about you knew the whole time and sent 5-0 into a death trap?" Lou exclaimed.
"What are you saying?"
"Mr. Novak." Lou said. "You know what we're saying."
"You've got it wrong." Joel said. "Listen to me, this is all wrong. Please. Please!"
Eric walked in, sensing he was interrupting something. He was used to interrupting something, however, and shrugged to himself before walking towards Lou and Abby. He was holding some of Michael's supposed possessions. However, when he finally reached the four, Eric seemed to realize he walked in on a tense situation. He set the findings on the table and was silent for once.
"Enlighten us." Lou was saying.
Joel shook his head, exasperated. "Okay, you think I trapped you? Fine. Fine. What do you want me to say? This was all a rouse? Fine. This was all a rouse. But I'm not the one responsible, okay? Did you ever think that I'm being set up too?" Joel looked at Lou. "I'm being set up too!"
Lou's eyes were ablaze with fury. "Boy you better explain yourself right now or-"
"They chose me because I happened to know Chin from school. That much is true. Because they wanted all of 5-0, not just the one that killed Marco Reyes."
"Marco who?" Eric asked. Lou shot him a look for Eric to keep his trap shut. Eric shrugged back.
"Marco Reyes." Joel was irritated and sweating. He wiped his forehead with the sleeve from his shirt. "Reyes was killed by Detective Williams because Reyes killed Williams's kid brother. And Lt. Kelly supposedly was involved, which meant the rest of 5-0 was probably involved…at least that was the thinking of the cartel. Even after Detective Williams's botched time in prison, they wanted more. Reyes was the future of the cartel. And they wanted to make sure those who went against him got what they deserved. So they got me. They got me to make up some shit story about a brother and go to 5-0. I wouldn't have ever been in this mess if your detective had kept his gun in his holster."
"Maybe Reyes shouldn't have kidnapped Danny's brother." Lou snapped. "Don't expect any sympathy from us for the death of that low-life."
"So the cartel just picked you, randomly, because you knew one guy on 5-0?" Jerry surmised skeptically.
"No." Joel answered quickly, then paused. Well, not exactly. I had done some business with them in the past. I used to be in the business. I thought I was out. I have a family, now. I'm doing this to keep them safe. Can you understand that?"
"I can understand wanting to protect your family, but now you've put four lives at risk." Lou said. "And you're going to take us to them."
"I'll take you to them if you send some of your team to my family, got it?" Joel stood.
"Fine. A deal's a deal. I'm not having you compromise us again." Lou grumbled. "Abby, why don't you and Jerry get an address from Mr. Novak here as to his family. Then I'm taking him to that damned warehouse, and you better hope we find all four of them there."
"They should be." Joel said. "There's no reason for them to be gone. The whole point was for them to just die there, trapped in the underground catacombs."
"Catacombs in a warehouse?" Jerry asked.
"Used to be a bunker." Joel answered distractedly.
"Oh, co-" Jerry stopped when he saw Lou's look. "Okay, so no Michael Noak? He's not real?"
"No." Joel put his head back in his hands. "I don't have a brother."
"You disgust me." Abby hissed. She was really angry. "You have no idea what 5-0 means to Hawaii."
"And apparently 5-0 had no idea what Marco Reyes meant to the cartel." Joel said.
"Come on, I'm sick of looking at this thug." Lou said, grabbing his car keys. "Let's get out of here, Mr. Novak. We're going to that warehouse."
"Let me write down the addresses to the hotel. My family's there." Joel said. He pulled out a small scrap of paper from his pocket. "You got a pen?" he was looking at Eric.
Eric was standing silently, more silent as he had ever been. He numbly reached for the pen in his lab coat pocket with shaking fingers and handed it to Joel. Joel noticed Eric was staring at him strangely.
"What?"
Eric cleared his throat. "You're pretty sick, you know that?"
"I'm not sick." Joel retorted. "I want to protect my wife, and my son. Don't you understand that?"
"You know what, please don't talk to him, okay?" Lou said. "His uncle is one of the ones stuck in your goddamn bunker. Hurry up."
"Okay, okay." Joel set down the pen and handed the address to Abby. "Thank you."
Lou and Joel left. Jerry went after them, hoping to get in on the action.
Abby noticed Eric was still staring numbly at the pen on the table. "Eric?" She asked cautiously. "Eric, you okay?"
Eric didn't answer right away.
"Please don't worry. We're going to bring Danny home safely."
"Oh." Eric cleared his throat again, eyebrows furrowed together. "Yeah, totally. You guys rock." His voice was lifeless. Abby had no way of knowing. He didn't have the heart to say that he had no idea his uncle, the one who had been like a brother to him, had been murdered by the drug cartel. He also had no idea his other uncle, the one who cared for him so deeply, in his own way, had killed the man responsible and was tortured in a foreign prison because of it. This uncle had not breathed a word of this struggle to Eric. Mattie had died, Danny had lied about how, and Danny had been arrested and beat. No one had bothered to tell Eric.
At two p.m., Lou and Joel raced to the warehouse lot. Lou was upset that it had taken so long to get Joel to 5-0 headquarters and to fish the truth out. Supposedly his teammates had been trapped for fourteen or fifteen hours. The thought sickened Lou.
"Help me with this door." Joel said, and he and Lou lifted the door. Smoke poured out onto the street.
"What the hell?" Lou coughed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"From the explosion." Joel said matter-of-factly. "I was told to put that in."
Lou flipped on his flashlight and cursed very loudly, so loudly that Joel jumped. Lou glared at him.
"Don't worry!" Joel held up his hands in surrender. "They shouldn't be on this floor anyway."
"Floor?" Lou entered the warehouse, but turned around to look at Joel. "How big is this place?"
Steve and Kono were on hour two of their journey through what appeared to be some sort of catacomb. They were tired. Kono especially had to stop every so often. She hadn't been able to sleep since Adam was imprisoned, and this further lack of sleep was taking a toll on her. They were thirsty. They were hungry. They had to use the restroom. This was the least of their worries. At the top of their list of complaints was this: they were walking in circles.
"Or not." Kono shrugged. "How can we really tell? It's so dark."
And cold. If not for their sweating, they would have thought the place was very cold.
"Here." Steve said suddenly. His flashlight pointed to a switch. "Kono, here." He flipped the switch without a second thought. Flickering awake, lights turned on. The hallway was illuminated. Steve grabbed Kono's arm, bracing himself for an attack. Kono raised her weapon as well. They were on edge from being alone for so long. Someone could be waiting for them. Michael Novak could be looking for a way out as well. Or Chin or Danny.
After a few seconds of blinking and readjusting to the light, Steve lowered his weapon. They were still alone. Kono followed suit and turned to face her boss. They both looked worse for wear. Kono's face was dirty. She had bruises on her arms. Steve's neck was cut, but the bleeding had stopped some time ago.
"Boss." Kono breathed. "Lights are a good sign."
"Lights are a good sign." Steve agreed. "What do you think, should we head back towards where we came? The door may be open now."
"But Chin and Danny could still be down here."
"Unless we've been walking in circles this whole time."
"No," Kono shook her head. "No, we've been moving. I know we have."
"Danny!" Steve suddenly yelled as a final, desperate effort. "Chin!"
"Michael Novak!" Kono tried. "Chin!"
"Kono! Steve!"
Finally, a response. It was further away, but the voice was definitely Chin's. Kono straightened, her eyes widening, and she ran down a hallway towards the noise and another room. Steve was right at her heels. All the rooms looked the same, and Steve thought they had already gone in this one.
"Hey! Chin!" Kono yelled. "Cuz, where are you?"
"Is Danny with you?" Steve called.
Chin's voice was nearer. They could hear him clearly, now. "Yes, but he's unconscious. I'm not sure where we are, but I can hear you. It's dark. We can't see anything."
"Chin!" Kono yelled again, looking around for a door or any indication as to where they were. Steve came into the room, and instantly looked down. There was yet another door on the ground.
"Kono, here." Steve said, taking her by the arm and showing her the door. She instantly bent down and tugged on the handle. The door was locked.
"Chin, get Danny away from the door." Steve said. "Step back. Got it?"
"Yeah, but there's not much we can go, Steve." Chin seemed worried.
"Well, cover your face." Steve was impatient. He shot the lock. Ripping open the door, he stared down into the hole. The lights that Steve had flipped on illuminated the dark hole.
Danny was out all right, but the gunshot seemed to stir him. Chin was covering his eyes from the sudden influx of light. There was no way up, and they were too far to reach. They had been dropped into the hole and left to die. Steve realized this as he stared at Danny. He was troubled.
"Danny? Is he okay?" Steve asked.
Chin, who had adjusted to the light, nodded. "It's his claustrophobia; look at this place. He's been hyperventilating this whole time." Chin said grimly. "He finally fainted."
"What about you?" Kono asked. She was still on edge, standing and constantly checking the door to the hallway for visitors.
"I've been better, but no damage." Chin said assuredly. "You guys have a clear idea what happened?"
"We haven't really had a chance to think it through, no." Steve shook his head. "We're not sure how we got down here, or how you and Danny got down there."
"Well, Danny has a pretty solid theory." Chin responded.
"How long has he been out?" Steve asked, eyebrows furrowed. He could see the dirt on Danny's face and the cuts on his arms. Sweat adorned his face. He looked miserable in his unconscious state.
"I'm not sure how much time has passed." Chin shook his head. "Can someone contact Lou? My phone's dead."
"Boss. Footsteps." Kono said under her breath. Her shoulders squared. Steve motioned for Chin to be quiet, and he stood as well, gun raised. They prepared for Michael Novak, knowing full well it could be whoever set off the bomb back to finish the job.
It was Lou and Joel Novak. Joel had a rope in his hand. He knew exactly where Danny and Chin would be. Joel was pushed into the room by Lou, who then noticed his partners.
"Oh, for fuck's sake." Lou was unhappy at the state his teammates were in. "Are you all right? Everyone okay?"
Steve didn't say anything. He was staring at Joel, and starting to think more about what Danny could have surmised.
"We're better now that you're here." Kono lowered her gun. "Thanks for finding us."
"Don't thank me yet." Lou brought the rope over to the hole and looked down, seeing Chin and Danny. "You two okay?" He called down.
"We will be. Get us out of here, Lou." Chin said.
"Glady." Lou lowered the rope.
Chin woke up Danny. Danny seemed to be less unconscious and more forcing himself to keep his eyes shut and forget where he was.
"Please, Chin." Danny whispered. "Just kill me, huh?"
"Danny, open your eyes." Chin said. "We're getting out."
Danny did open his eyes. He blinked at the light, relieved at the illumination. When he could focus again, he saw Steve, staring down at him in concern. The two smiled at each other – well, Steve grinned and Danny couldn't help but smile back.
"There's a sight for sore eyes." Steve called down.
"My eyes are sore, schmuck, just like the rest of me. Get me out of here, please." Danny went up first. After stumbling into Steve's arms, he steadied himself, breathing in and out deeply and running a hand along his face. Then he threw up while Chin was being raised out of the hole. It wasn't the most romantic reunion between Danny and Steve. Vomiting generally didn't occur.
Still, Danny was clammy, and recovering from shock. When he spotted Joel Novak his eyes darkened, first in confusion but then in anger. "I hope I have the strength for this." He muttered.
"For what?" Steve asked.
But Danny had already staggered to his feet, and in a not-so-swift movement he slammed Joel against the wall.
"Hey!" Joel cried, looking at Lou for help. Lou simply played with the rope in his hand.
"You better start talking, you punk." Danny breathed out. Kono was surprised, but Steve was starting to catch on. "This was all set up, huh? Huh?!"
"Save your breath, Danny." Lou cut in after watching Joel squirm for a few seconds. "Joel already confessed. The whole blessed thing was a rouse." He glanced at Steve and Kono. "There is no Michael Novak. He's not real."
"No, it wasn't just a setup." Danny shook his head. "It was a distraction too, wasn't it? You needed 5-0 out of the way. For what, huh? For what?"
"No. Not me. Not for me. I'm being setup as well, okay? I just didn't realize it. Don't you realize I'm just a pawn in this game, just like you?" Joel said, struggling against Danny's strong arm. "They told me you would never figure it out, but you did. Clearly, I wasn't told everything."
Danny had not anticipated this. He flinched and shakily let go of Joel, instead glancing at Steve. Steve was staring grimly at him.
"Please tell me the sun is still out, Steve." Danny said.
"Let's find out." Steve said, taking Joel by the arm. The group followed Joel out of the maze. It was far more complicated to get back than imagined. If Kono wasn't so tired, she would try to memorize the layout.
Finally, they returned to the first room. The room Steve and Kono had gone down in before the explosion. The oil bin was still in the room, knocked over. Danny walked past it quickly, telling himself it wasn't purposeful. But it was. Goddamn it, it had to be.
Steve put a hand on his partner's weary, tense shoulder.
As they climbed on the oil bin to finally reach the original warehouse, Steve hoped for first for answers, but also time to sleep. This case was far more tiring than he could have imagined.