Thanks to everyone who read this story and especially to those who took the time to review. Your interest and encouragement inspire me to keep writing!

Conclusion

Mike pulled off his heavy, dark rimmed reading glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. They'd returned to the office where an hour of studying a map of Chinatown had given them little information beyond pinpointing the possible location of a few underground passages, even with the help of a cop born and raised there.

"Sorry, Mike. That's the best I can do," Officer John Chu apologized. "Those tunnels are probably more legendary than real. There's just enough stories still floating around to confirm something, but nothing really definite."

"Then we have no choice," McGarrett growled. "We need to meet Fat and Chen Yu, spring their trap." He pressed his hand to his forehead. Failure could cost Dan's life.

Pete Wong would be at the meet and wear a wire; plainclothes cops would be stationed nearby, with black-and- whites at strategic corners. A call to Father Scarne confirmed that Jade Moon's leaders were gathered at the restaurant. The priest would remain outside, helping to monitor the radio. Steve hoped it would be enough.

Mike glanced at his watch. "Time to go. My jurisdiction, my arrest."

o-o-o-o-o

The scuff of footsteps shocked Dan out of a nightmare world populated by the scuttle of foraging rats, malevolent spies, and visions of Mike and Steve wounded, dying. Instantly alert, his .22 in hand, he stared in surprise at Emperor Norton.

"Ah, Mr., Williams, I apologize for taking so long to find you." Norton was at his most courtly.

"You are armed, I see. Good. We will need weapons to stop the assassins. They plan to kill your partner and the other detective."

Ignoring his throbbing arm, Dan struggled to his feet. "Can you show me the way out of here?"

Norton nodded; then, as if someone had pulled a switch, a change came over him. He pulled a switchblade from his jeans pocket, "Started carrying this little sticker in Nam." It was Mack Jacobs talking, the Emperor suddenly put aside, "And I'm damn good with it. This little beauty saved my life a few times." He returned the knife to its hiding place.

As quickly as he'd vanished, Emperor Norton returned. "Follow me, Mr., Williams."

Danny had no other choice but to follow his unstable guide. His friends' lives were at stake. He prayed his dream wouldn't become a terrible reality.

o-o-o-o-o

How many times had he faced Wo Fat? Steve remembered every encounter. How many times had his greatest enemy slipped out of his fingers? Too many. This time, there had to be no escape. A glance at the surroundings confirmed the presence of several officers, out of sight but ready to round up Jade Moon's thugs. At a nod from the senior detective, they quietly moved into position.

"Ready?" Mike looked at his counterpart. Steve nodded grimly, and the two cops entered the restaurant. Two guards searched them; their weapons were taken ("For safekeeping," one of the guards snickered.), they were pushed into a back office, and confronted Chen and Wo Fat.

The master spy, obscenely polite as always, stood and looked his captives over. "A final meeting, Mr. McGarrett? I trust that it will go to my satisfaction. And Lt. Stone? I am pleased to make your acquaintance. It is only too bad that it will be for such a short time."

McGarrett's wrath escalated to dangerous levels. "You're holding Dan Williams hostage. This will go no further until I'm assured of his safety."

"Inspector Williams," Fat emphasized the title, "will be here shortly. But why should you be so interested in a man you no longer consider your friend?"

McGarrett clenched his fists and lunged toward his enemy, only to be pulled back by one of the guards

o-o-o-o-o

Dan blinked as he climbed through a covered hatchway into the foggy San Francisco alley. Norton? Jacobs? signaled him to follow. They silently walked towards a door further down the passage. Frustrated at finding it secured, the man quietly picked the lock and motioned Dan inside. Intent on listening to a conversation from the next room, neither man saw the guards who grabbed them, clamping calloused hands over their mouths to prevent any noise. Dan's gun was twisted out of his hand. Shoved through a heavy curtain, they were pushed into the office.

"Found these two sneaking around," their captor growled. "The Emperor and Stone's partner."

"Mr. Williams. Your abilities amaze me. But no matter. You are once again where I can use you."

Dan's struggle to escape his captor earned him a swift punch. Steve grimaced at the pain that twisted his friend's features.

Fat once more turned to the two senior officers. "Mr. McGarrett, you hold information and contacts that will be useful to me. Mr. Williams will be hostage for that information. For the time being, both of you remain alive." He gestured toward the San Francisco cop. "You are of no use to me. Mr. Wong, kill him."

"ASSASSINS! STOP!" Jacobs - not Norton - screamed. Pulling out of his captor's grasp, switchblade suddenly in hand, he lunged at Wo Fat, plunging the knife into the spy's shoulder, forcing him to the floor. Wong pointed his weapon at Chen. The man froze as realization struck him. "Dirty cop!"

Danny, fearing for McGarrett's life, elbowed the much larger thug restraining him, pushing the man into the wall as Steve and Mike took control of the situation.

Wo Fat, now in the hands of an SFPD officer, bowed slightly. "I concede the victory to you, McGarrett. Until next time."

"There won't be a next time," Stone growled. I've got a nice little isolation cell reserved for you. In San Quentin! Haseejian! Book 'em!

A worried Steve was at Williams' side, concerned at the exhaustion and pain etching his friend's face.

"Steve . . . you? . . . Mike? . . . OK?" Dan murmured.

McGarrett gently put an arm around the younger man's shoulder, saying simply, "We're fine, Danno, thanks to you.. You saved our lives, my friend, you and Jacobs. Now let's get you out of here!"

o-o-o-o-o

Mike turned to the Chinese cop. "Looks like your undercover days are over, Pete." He studied the man for a moment, then went on. "You were in Steve Keller's class at the Academy, weren't you? Steve always spoke highly of you. And now that Danny's deserting me for Five-O, I'm gonna need a new partner. Interested?" He extended his hand.

Pete's grin was as wide as San Francisco Bay as he shook the older cop's hand, "Interested, Mike? You bet!"

o-o-o-o-o

Epilogue

The remains of an Italian dinner from one of Mike's favorite North Beach restaurants stored in the refrigerator, the three men, coffee in hand, moved into the homicide detective's living room to go over the day's events: the tunnels; Wo Fat behind bars; the Jade Moon gang broken up; Norton staying at the Seamen's Center. The two senior officers spoke quietly when a soft snore alerted them that the still worn Danny had fallen asleep.

"I never should have let him go into that trap," Steve began. "I could have lost him. I owe you for his life, Mike. And for giving him a home when he needed one."

Mike glanced fondly at the younger officer sleeping on the couch, his badly bruised arm once again immobilized. "It's who he is, Steve. He's a born cop and a loyal friend who'd do anything for people he cares about. I'm sorry to lose him, but he belongs with you. Always has. When he left Five-O . . ."

"When I took his badge." McGarrett corrected ruefully.

"When he left Five-O," Mike continued, as if Steve hadn't spoken, "He was devastated, lost. I kind of adopted him, just like I did Steve Keller. In a way, they became the sons I never had. I'll miss him." He grinned, "If you ever decide to throw him out again, call me!"

"Forget it, Mike," Steve laughed. "Not a chance! But I might let you borrow him."

o-o-o-o-o

Historical note: While there is little factual evidence to support the presence of a network of tunnels in Chinatown, there is enough anecdotal material to indicate that at least some did exist. Today, due to both heavy redevelopment and damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, it is doubtful that any still remain.