Fighting for Eden
Chapter 2: Cut Off
Five-0 Headquarters. Morning after attacks.
Danny Williams stood in his office while his daughter, Grace was scribbling away in a coloring book. He had not slept the entire night. He had been busy packing Grace's things as well as his own, scared Honolulu would blow up at any minute. Steve, his closest friend, was dead and the phone call he received from the SEAL's wife was chilling…
"Ali, what happened?"
"Danny, Austin was bombed," he could hear Ali's distressed voice through static. "Steve was there, he's dead, Danny. Find my broth-"
"Ali? What are you talking about?"
"Dan-"
"Ali? Ali?" Danny shouted into the phone as Grace looked up at him from the McGarrett's kitchen table. He was house sitting for them.
What had Ali said? A bomb went off in Austin, Texas? And… it couldn't be. The man everybody thought would never die, was dead? His best friend was dead? Ali was all alone in a danger zone? Danny turned on the T.V and surfed until he found the news.
"Cities attacked include Washington D.C, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Baltimore, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix ,Columbus, Denver, Nashville, Seattle, Kansas City, Miami,Atlanta, Raleigh, Chesapeake, Madison, Providence, and Peoria," the reported listed off as Danny's eyes widened, Rachel and Stan had been in Las Vegas.
Who the hell was attacking these cities? How the hell did a city like Peoria get attacked? Nobody in the U.S knew where the hell that was, how did whoever was attacking them know? He didn't want to leave Grace, but at the same time he had to find Chin and Kono.
"It is unclear what other cities, if any more at all, will be bombed," the reporter informed as Danny grabbed Grace's hand. He was not going to wait to see if Honolulu was a target on the list.
"We have to go, we have to get out of here," he told his daughter, forming a plan in his head. "You have clothes?"
"Daddy what's going on?" she asked. "I'm scared.
"Gracie, I need you to just listen to everything I say, okay?" Danny asked, wanting to avoid telling her that Rachel could possibly be dead.
Grace nodded her head and looked up at Danny with her big brown eyes.
"Go get your things from Mary's room," he urged his daughter, suddenly remembering Steve's little sister.
Didn't she live in Los Angeles? Did she make it? It was not possible that the only McGarrett's left would be Ali and the unborn baby. Danny had to find out if Mary was alive somehow, for his best friend. He had to find Josef and Max Sarna for Ali, although he was pretty sure Max would know something about the attacks…
"Danny," Kono called out to him from his doorway, where Chin stood beside her.
"Grace, stay right here. If I call you, you come immediately," Danny told his daughter as he left his office and followed his friends to the large computer.
"We have to get out of Hawaii," Danny ordered. "And that is not coming from the part of me that hates this giant rock; we cannot wait around and see if we're going to be incinerated."
"Danny, we grew up here and we have family here," Chin stated. "It's too dangerous on the mainland for us to leave Hawaii. We can't fly, it's too much of a risk."
"I know, I know, but I have a plan and you guys didn't hear Ali last night," Danny said in a matter of fact-ly tone, dreading that he was going to have to explain Steve's death. "She calls and it's obvious she's crying. Let's remember that this is a woman who was a spy, was orphaned, was cheated on by a high school boyfriend, thought her brother was dead, and went in to Korea with us to save her husband. Not once has she broken down, not once has she felt sorry for herself, but when she called last night it was obvious she had a nervous breakdown because Steve was in Austin when the bomb went off there."
The blonde detective saw Kono and Chin's faces drop in disbelief. It hurt them as much as it hurt Danny. A person who they loved like a brother died, the man who led Five-0 was gone and now it was up to Danny to lead the task force, even if it meant leading them to the mainland.
"Now Ali is alone and pregnant. If things are bad now on the mainland, how will they be in the next eight months when that kid gets here? How will Ali raise that baby by herself?" Danny continued on. "We have to find a boat to sail to California."
"I can call Adam," Kono informed solemnly. "I know he has a boat with enough gas to get us to California and it's just at the port near Waikiki."
"If Hawaii is being targeted-"
"Evacuate your families to Samoa, Japan, wherever that's far enough away from Hawaii to avoid the blast, but close enough to get away in time," Danny instructed. "Kono call Adam now, we need to hurry. I told the Sarna brothers to meet us at the port you're talking about. I figured since it's the closest one to where we all live."
Kono nodded as Danny pulled out his own phone out. He had to call the Sarna brothers to make sure they were ready to leave. He dialed Max's phone number and waited while he listened to the ringing tone.
"Max," he heard Max Sarna greet.
"We're securing a boat. Are you ready?"
"Do I sound ready?"
Danny felt annoyance rise in him, "Do you sound ready? I don't know. Would it be hard to just say yes or no? Is everything –"
"Yes we're ready," Max interrupted Danny. "Listen as soon as we're on the mainland, I have to leave you guys."
Danny never understood what it was with Max. He always kept things hush-hush, including from the people he loved.
"Look, I don't care what's going on in your personal life, I mean line of work," Danny purposely said to point out that it seemed as if Max cared too much for his job. "But I'm sure Little Max is terrified and how do you think your sister feels right now?"
"Little Max is with his parents and Ali is with my cousins. She might feel alone because someone she loves died, but she's Ali." Max countered, insensitively. "She's not a little girl."
Danny couldn't believe this guy. He didn't care that the U.S was obliterated, that his sister was widowed and his brother would have no idea on who trust when they were on the road.
"You listen to me," Max continued before Danny could say anything. "There is something important that has to be done to save the country. I have to do it, Danny, or else the US will be crippled, taken advantage of-"
"Do you know who attacked us?" Danny asked. "I just want the truth."
"My family and I'll meet you guys where we agreed upon," Max hung up, ending the conversation.
Danny threw his hands up in defeat and felt like throwing his phone across the room. He was furious that Max was making all these decisions and there was no time in stopping him.
*H5-0*
Eden, Texas.
Day 3 after attack
Ali sat quietly in a rocking chair on Vikki's porch. She fumbled around with a silver necklace that had a cross on it. She had always considered herself a woman of God , but this situation was really tugging on her faith. She understood that belief and trust in the Lord would lead her to safety, but what had she done for this to happen to her? The power had gone out almost immediately after the bomb went off, but she had a chance to call Danny Williams, Steve's best friend. Apparently Hawaii hadn't been targeted. She wondered if Hawaii still had power.
The screen door screeched open and Eric walked out onto the porch holding a duffel bag. He had a solemn expression on his face. Ali arched a brow as she looked up at him.
He cleared his throat, "Katie broke off our relationship. I have to move in with my dad."
Ali was utterly perplexed, "Why would she do that?"
"She says she wanted to end things for a while and that I should leave," Eric admitted as Ali stood up. "She has another man."
"Is it okay if I go into town with you?" she asked, hoping company would take both of their minds off of their misfortunes.
"Yeah, my dad would want to see you anyway," he agreed, but she could tell he was distracted by Katie's abrupt decision to breakup.
The two strolled in silence through the streets of Eden as the sun was setting. The town was so beautiful; every house looked as if it had been taken out of a storybook. There were brick houses with old fashioned windows and Victorian houses in different sizes. The grass on each lawn was still green and each house had a different assortment of flowers in front. There were a few children running around after one another as if nothing had happened to the United States. Ali could remember being the little girl with pigtails, throwing a tantrum over wanting to wear a dress and wanting to be with her older brothers as they wrecked havoc on the town. Her relatives couldn't stop Ali from running out of the yellow Victorian home and playing with Marisa or Eric. Would life still be like that in the next few weeks? Would the nuclear bombs affect the standard of living for her daughter or son?
"Takes you back, doesn't it?" Eric asked.
Ali nodded, "I remember your scrawny little butt falling off of your bike on this street."
Eric let out a short laugh, "Little Eric Samson, trying to impress Little Ali Sarna."
She rolled her eyes, "I don't remember that part."
"We were kids," Eric laughed. "Of course you don't."
They continued to walk down the street until they reached Main Street. The street was filled with disarray. People were standing in front of the town hall, listening to Eric's father, Wyatt, who was the mayor of Eden. Everybody looked scared and unhappy.
"What're you going to do about food!" someone shouted from the crowd.
"People, we need to take an inventory of what we have-"
"Let's go to the diner," Eric urged her, grasping her arm and pulling her towards a small, modern diner on the corner.
"Wait, what about your stuf-"
"I'll drop it off later," Eric assured her as they entered the diner. The diner looked more like a bar on the inside with a few tables, a row of booths along the back wall and a counter where food (and, most likely, alcoholic beverages) was served.
"I'll just sit here," Ali informed, sitting down at one of the counter stools as Eric continued walking towards an older woman whom Ali recognized as his mother, Julie.
"Hey," Anne greeted her.
"Anne, you work here?" Ali asked, surprised.
"Yeah, ever since my first was born. It's a miracle that we had a generator," Anne changed the subject as Ali turned her head back to the window so that she could see what was happening in the streets.
People were listening to whatever Wyatt was telling them and Ali marveled at his geniality. The door to the eatery opened and Vikki's new neighbor, Michael Donovan, came in. He was a tall man with short, brown hair, tanned skin and green eyes. He was wearing a black shirt along with black cargo pants and boots, reminding Ali of something spies wore for black operations.
She laughed when she pieced what she knew together. This neighbor moved here by himself, owned a vicious dog that was kept on the porch all hours of the day, showed up at the diner wearing black ops' attire and, according to Vikki, 'talked funny'. The man had some sort of involvement in the spy world and Ali was sure of it.
"I'll be right back," she told Anne.
She stood from her stool and made her way towards Michael. She wanted to slap herself when she tripped over her own feet and Michael had to catch her.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, thanks," Ali answered, feeling thankful that he had caught her. "You definitely don't look like you belong in Eden."
"You don't either," he responded with a smirk on his face.
Ali didn't let this discourage her from prying information from him, "Are you kidding? I'm blonde and I go to Church every Sunday, if that's not a stereotypical Eden citizen I don't know what is."
"I just moved here from Jericho, Kansas," he informed as Ali tried to see where his eyes wandered. If they wandered to the left, he was using the creative part of his brain to make up a lie, but he just stared right at her.
"So you live here long?" he questioned.
"Long enough for Betty at the grocery store to still give me a lollipop every time I go in there," she answered, feeling awful for bringing Betty into her spy game.
"Must be nice to have a nice, stable hometown," he remarked as Ali internally cheered at her chance to subtly confirm that he was a spy.
"Oh come on!" she jested. "It isn't like you had to live in Korea, China or the Middle East!"
He gave her a sly smile and hesitated before saying, "No. Not at all."
That was all she needed in order to know that Michael Donovan had been employed by the U.S Government. She grinned back at him, made a little more small talk before returning to her stool where Eric was waiting for her. Anne had left to help the cooks in the back with orders and there was slow music playing on the speakers.
"How's the new guy?" he asked.
"Not sure," she replied while Eric stood and took her hand. "What're you doing?"
"Come on, the sun's down, it's not crowded, we should dance," Eric urged her.
"Eric, a nuclear bomb went off," Ali brought up.
"And we might never get to have another evening like this," he pointed out as Ali followed his lead.
He put one hand on her waist while she laid her head down on his shoulder and assured herself it meant nothing. They were both just two scared individuals looking for a friend to keep them safe.
"I'm sorry my cousin's kind of a skank," Ali said, lifting her head from his shoulder.
"The thing is," he looked at her. "I knew all along, but I didn't care. I pretended I didn't know and waited for her to tell me."
"Eric-"
"I didn't care, Ali," he repeated with a twinkle in his eye.
She laid her head back down, unsure of what Eric was really trying to tell her.
As the pair danced, Ali thought of Steve; she cared that she didn't have him anymore. She cared that the man who saved her countless times, worked so hard to provide for her and strived to make her happy was gone. She didn't even have a chance to say goodbye. Of course she had said "bye" when he left for Austin, but she thought he would have been home in the next three weeks. She didn't have a chance to truly say goodbye.