Act 2

Steve's brow furrowed with concern. "Chen Yu. What do we know about him? How long has he been in the City? Is he involved with the local underworld? With any of the tongs?"

Stone shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, Steve. We've got a few undercover guys working in Chinatown. We'll contact them to see if they've picked anything up. Meanwhile, Danny here can get the book on Chen."

"Get anything recent on this Emperor Norton, too."

Dan nodded and headed for Records. He wasn't too hopeful that he'd find anything. He knew that Steve would check with his intelligence contacts, so maybe they'd learn something that way. At least Wo Fat was in prison. He hoped. Given Fat's ability to worm his was out of difficult situations, Williams wondered if the master spy was still there.

o-o-o-o-o

Wo Fat carefully lowered the delicate porcelain cup of rare white tea and reached for an almond cake, a favorite delicacy. "McGarrett is here in San Francisco. Good. It will be easier to set a trap for him here and easier for us to disappear once I have achieved my revenge. The so-called Emperor Norton - Fat snorted with laughter - has given the local police a suitable hint. My old friend will not be able to resist and we will soon have the necessary bait to reel him in." He lifted the cup in an impromptu toast "Death to McGarrett!"

"Death to McGarrett!" Chen Yu repeated. "He owes you an immeasurable debt for that last imprisonment. It will be a pleasure to see that it is paid."

o-o-o-o-o

"Phone call for you. Mike," Inspector Bill Tanner interrupted. "It's Father Scarne. He's got some information you should hear."

"Thanks, Bill," Stone responded as he reached for the phone. His expression changed as he listened to the priest. "Thanks, Joe. I'll meet you at Old St. Mary's." Mike was already reaching for his trademark fedora and raincoat. His words became so many staccato punches. "Scarne's picked up some news about some kind of trouble brewing in Chinatown. One of the street gangs is behind it, maybe the Jade Moon. There's been a shooting. Emperor Norton. Don't know how bad." Mike pulled his gun from the desk drawer. "Use my office and phone for now, Steve. I'll fill you in later." He motioned to Tanner, "Tell Danny to find whatever we've got on the Jade Moon gang, too."

McGarrett, always impatient at inactivity, realized Stone knew the City and its denizens far better than he or Danno did. He'd call Newkirk at MI-6 while he waited for Williams to return from Records

o-o-o-o-o

Red light flashing, Mike pulled into the parking lot near Old St. Mary's, sprinted into the Chinatown church and headed for the sacristy. "Joe!" he called to the priest. "What's happening? Norton? What's his condition?"

"Just a minor flesh wound, Mike," the cleric responded. "Paramedics took him and his mutts to the ER at General. They'll keep him there until you can question him."

"Thanks, Joe. Anything else? You mentioned the Jade Moon gang."

"Some of their young punks got a little trigger happy. They claim Norton's been hanging around, making a pest of himself, trying to mooch free chow from local eateries, especially the Jade Tiger. They said they just wanted to scare him."

"That's where the gang meets, isn't it?" Stone rubbed his chin. "Norton was at SFPD this morning, complaining about being thrown out of the place by a tall, thin Chinaman. Danny got a description and a police artist's sketch. The man was tentatively identified as Chen Yu."

"Chen Yu," Scarne mused. "I've heard that name lately. There seems to be something fishy about him, maybe connections to some underground activity. Drugs?"

"Espionage, possibly," the cop corrected. "Steve McGarrett's in town for the Vashon - Nardini preliminary hearing. He and Danny recognized the man as a major player in a spy ring. Stone tapped his friend's shoulder and continued, "Thanks, Joe. I've got to get to General and talk to the Emperor. I'll bring him in for questioning. McGarrett will want to be part of this."

"Black-and-whites took the witnesses' statements," the priest added. "I'd like to be there when you talk to Norton. He knows me from the Seamen's Center."

Mike nodded as the two men headed for the car.

o-o-o-o-o

Steve looked up at the sound of a familiar footstep. "What do you have, Danno?" He motioned the younger officer to a chair.

"Not much on Chen Yu here in the City. More on the Jade Moon," Williams began. Noticing McGarrett's tight-lipped expression, he continued, "What's wrong?"

"Norton's been shot. Fr. Scarne called. Mike's gone to Chinatown to check things out." At Danny's concerned look, he added. "Sorry. Mike told me Norton was one of your snitches. He'll call as soon as he has some news."

Dan nodded his thanks, then handed McGarrett a copy of the material he'd gotten from Records. "Chen Yu showed up here about six weeks ago and seems to have set up headquarters at the Jade Tiger. Jade Moon also meets there. They've got a reputation as thugs for hire. They could be working for Chen."

"Anything else, Danno?"

"I left a message for one of our undercover guys, Pete Wong, to contact me. He knows the gangs almost better than they know themselves. If anyone has spotted a connection between Chen and Jade Moon, it's Pete. I should hear from him sometime tonight."

"Good work, Danno." It felt good – right - to be really working with Williams again. "I'd better read through these." McGarrett picked up the reports.

The jangling ring of the phone on Williams' desk in the outer office jarred both cops out of their thoughts. Dan sprinted to the main office and signaled to Steve. "For you. Duke."

"McGarrett," the tall cop growled. "What's up, Duke?"

"I thought I'd find you at SFPD," a relieved Lukela answered. "Danny tells me you're on a case involving some of Wo Fat's operatives. Jonathan Kaye just called, says it's an emergency. He wants you to call him back immediately."

Steve chewed his lower lip. That must mean trouble, big trouble. He directed his associate back to Stone's office, saying, "I need to call Jonathan; I'll put it on speaker."

"Mike has a secure line." Danny said, activating it as Steve picked up the phone.

"McGarrett?" At Steve's affirmative, Kaye continued, his voice terse. "This matter is top secret, for your ears only . . ."

"Read Williams in. We're working this case together. Your undercover jobs have had too high a cost." And I won't pay the price of losing Danno again. Although McGarrett didn't voice the thought, Dan could read it in the dark-haired cop's resolute tone.

"All right, all right, Steve," the chagrined official returned. "I'll leave it up to your judgment. Danny and anyone else you trust." He stopped for a moment, as if to gather his thoughts. "This is about Wo Fat. We no longer have him in custody."

McGarrett's hand tightened on the phone. Danny could read the anger in his bark. "What happened? How? Don't you realize how deadly that man is?"

"The Chinese government requested extradition about a month ago. You realize that relations between our governments have improved somewhat; we couldn't afford to jeopardize that. We had Chinese assurances that Fat would be dealt with."

"Turned loose and sent back on another spy mission! Why wasn't I informed immediately?"

McGarrett's volcanic temper was reaching dangerous levels. "Go on." He kept his voice deceptively calm.

"It was need to know only. Fat was brought to Hong Kong and handed over to the authorities there for transfer. We know he arrived in Canton. After that, he vanished." Kaye's voice shook. "We lost track of him: our intelligence agencies, MI 6, even the Chinese claim no knowledge of his location. I'm sorry, but we have no idea of his whereabouts."

Steve and Dan exchanged a look. Their thought were easy to read. "Here. In San Francisco," Williams muttered under his breath.

McGarrett nodded. His words echoed the younger man's. "I believe he's here in San Francisco. His lieutenant, Chen Yu, is here also. I want any recent material you have on either of them." Dan scribbled something on a scrap of paper and handed it to his superior. "This is a secure number." Kaye agreed and the call ended.

Danny dropped his head into his hands. "Wo Fat. I'm sorry, Steve."

"Wo Fat." McGarrett gripped his friend's shoulder. "We're in this together. Mike, too. I can't, I won't do this alone."

Dan nodded. "Together." A solemn pledge.

o-o-o-o-o

Author's Note: Old St. Mary's Church is one of the oldest Catholic Churches in San Francisco and was the first cathedral in that archdiocese. It remains an active parish today.

Father Scarne appeared in the SOSF first season episode, "The Unicorn." He is also a character in my story "The Cost of Pride."