Pressure Makes Diamonds
Chapter 5
Danny left Jenna to work her technical magic to get the voicemail message off of Steve's phone. She told him that she would call him when she was done with it. Danny had been appreciative of Jenna's real concern for what he was planning to do, but he saw it as worth the risk. He did wonder for a brief moment if maybe he had lost whatever rational mentality he had possessed by working with Steve for the past several months. It had passed quickly though as he felt that it wasn't enough just to clear Steve's name. As long as Wo Fat was out there, he would be a constant threat for both Steve and for the team. When Sang Min had declared that after Wo Fat had killed him, Steve would be next, it wasn't lost on Danny that it was more than that, that they had all been put into the crosshairs. Wo Fat needed to be put down permanently and the only way would be through hard evidence. That or death.
Danny arrived at the safe house. He knocked on the door and applied the security protocols they had all agreed upon. It felt silly and a little too James Bondish for Danny, but heknew it was necessary. Two plain clothed detectives allowed Danny entry and Chin was sitting with Sang Min. Danny didn't like Sang Min and all that he had represented, but he had helped him clear his partner, Meka's, name by revealing Kuleo as the traitor in HPD. In turn, Danny had kept his word and had allowed Sang Min to see his family. Danny didn't know if it was just keeping his promise or if he had been empathetic towards Sang Min's genuine caring for his family, but he hadn't regretted doing it. He had to hope that Sang Min would see that gesture as honorable as well and help them again in exchange for the protection.
"So? How's McGarrett?" Sang Min asked, worry more than concern in his voice. "How does he like being on the other side?"
"Pretty fed up with how he's been played. I am too for that matter," Danny said.
"Wo Fat doesn't play games, Detective Williams. He will get to McGarrett, to me too," Sang Min said sounding less than confident about his safety.
"Now, how's that defeatist attitude going to make me feel after all the accommodations we've made here for you, huh? I seem to remember that you're the one who walked into Five-0 of your own volition asking for our help. If you think you can do better on your own, go ahead and walk out of here, babe."
"That was BEFORE McGarrett got framed for murdering the Governor. He's as much a target as I am now."
"Yeh, well, I'll give your boss props for carrying that off, but I promise you, we will get him."
"Forgive me if I just wait and see if I make it through this alive first before I place all my bets on you."
"Your show of confidence is overwhelming. You think you could shed some light on what Wo Fat is doing?"
"All I know is that he's tying up loose ends so that nothing gets traced back to him. That means me and McGarrett first then he'll pick off each one of your team."
"What about Hesse?"
"Hesse is as good as dead too. He let a personal issue get in the way of Wo Fat's bottom line."
"His brother," Chin interjected.
Sang Min nodded.
"You telling me he's got someone on the inside of the prison?" Danny asked.
"Wo Fat's got eyes everywhere."
"If that were true, you'd both already be dead."
"Maybe. All I know is, it's just a matter of time."
Danny felt his concern for Steve's safety rise.
"Chin, call the warden, get Steve isolated."
"On it," Chin said as he got out his cell phone.
"Look, you kept your word when I helped you. In my world, that stands for something. I haven't forgotten that so I know you're an honorable man, but the fact is, Wo Fat's reach is deep. I don't know how many people he's got in his pocket, but sooner or later, he either buys or threatens loyalty and gets what he wants. He'll get to McGarrett eventually. I guarantee he's just enjoying making us sweat out when he's gonna strike. He's a sadistic SOB."
Danny could only nod. Chin hung up his phone, his face drawn and drained of color.
"What? What happened?" Danny asked, the panic rising in his voice.
"Hesse is dead. They found him in his cell, his throat slashed."
"What? How…" Danny started, but already knew the answer to his question. "Get Steve out of there! Tell them he's sick and needs to be hospitalized, I don't care, just get him out of there!"
Danny's phone began to ring and he saw that it was Jenna.
"Hey, you ready for me to get that phone?"
"I found something that could get Steve cleared," she said.
"What? What did you find?"
"Wo Fat killing the Governor."
TBC