CHAPTER 5

"Steve you can't seriously be thinking of giving in to the man's demands, it could be suicide?" Kono Kalakua walked back and forth across McGarrett's rug, large feet pulverising the pile into mashed curls. He wasn't sure he could stop his boss from doing something crazy even though he knew the terrible price for non-compliance.

"It may be the only way." Steve said with exasperation. His head was throbbing badly and he just wanted to lie down but that was the least of his worries with Danny's life in the balance.

"You don't even know what they want with you. I won't let you do this!" Kono stated with finality as he parked himself on the side of the couch, much to McGarrett's relief – all that pacing was making him seasick.

"You don't have any choice. Kono listen to me- I don't have a choice and we don't have time to waste arguing about it either!"

"Yes you do have a choice Steve, you can play it by the book like you always do."

"This is Danno we're talking about here! "

"Yeah bruddah, I know that and you know that and that's what's causing you not to think straight! That, and the bump to your head. You would never give in to a criminal's demands so easily if this were a different situation."

McGarrett pulled his hands through his hair, hackles rising on his naked neck. After getting off the phone both men had sat in complete silence, unable to get the sounds of Danny's screams out of their heads.

"And would Danno do any differently if it was one of us out there?"

"No, if I was talking to Danny I'd expect him to do such a pupule thing – his heart rules his head sometimes, especially where you're concerned but not you, you know the score better than any of us. You want to get killed?"

Steve grit his teeth and threw back unfairly, "You want Danno killed?"

That hurt. "I don't want either of you killed, and that seems the most likely scenario at present," Kalakua muttered and stared McGarrett in the eyes, but the seasoned detective wasn't budging and Kono knew when he was beaten. He slapped his hands on his thighs, "Okay boss I give in, how we gonna play this thing?" he said grudgingly.

Steve sighed and reviewed what the man had told him on the telephone, he had reiterated there was to be an exchange, Danny Williams for him and the sooner the better. McGarrett reasoned that it wasn't Danno's life the kidnapper was concerned about but the department's ability to put together a plan if there was enough time. Bottom line – if Steve didn't make it to the drop point by two pm then Williams would be delivered in pieces. There would be no signs of goodwill; there was nothing to give, just a live body or a dead corpse. He was to meet them, on his own, at the International Marketplace and he was to get there by bus. Somewhere nice and public.

The call finished with the usual threats to Williams if anyone followed McGarrett and as a token of their seriousness Rent had a semi-conscious Danny dragged back to the phone once more and the burning end of a smouldering cigar pressed into the flesh on the injured man's chest. Steve and Kono could hear the muffled groan of pain and the sizzle of skin but to his credit Danny never said a word, much to the kidnapper's disappointment.

'It's not like you're in any shape to be doing anything heroic anyway. You should be in the hospital instead of planning your own funeral." Kono continued, not waiting for his boss to reply.

"Look I don't like this any more than you do but dear God you heard what he did to Danno, he must be in a lot of pain – how can I ignore that Kono? Tell me that! I'm in far better shape than he sounds."

"Like I said, how are we gonna play this?"

"We've just over forty minutes, firstly I have to get changed and whilst I'm doing that I want someone over here from the lab as fast as they can, I want a wire."

"Steve that's practically impossible in the time we have!"

"Then if it's only practically impossible' get onto it right now and make it possible!"

Kalakua picked up the phone and did as he was told.

Steve dressed fast, ignoring his protesting body as he used his mind to better advantage trying to think what to do. He needed to order an ambulance to stand by but at a safe distance and if he could get a couple of plain clothes officers in the vicinity they might just have a chance to follow him by sight once the exchange had been made. If he had a wire the chances were better. Sharp shooters would be good but McGarrett doubted he could get it all set up in time and with so many members of the public around it wouldn't be safe to put them in the line of fire.

He needed to go but as an afterthought McGarrett shoved the painkillers Jenny had been so insistent he take with him, into his breast pocket. If he was putting himself into the hands of a sadist he might just be able to use them to his advantage.

Kono stood at his bedroom door, "All sorted. They'll meet us part way Steve, I thought that would be quicker. I called Chin, he'll be there."

"Good thinking. Is there any way we can get a regular bus from that route to stand by to pick me up and drop me off just outside the market? Far enough away they won't get suspicious if they're watching. Then you and Chin follow me. I want officers in plainclothes - as many as we can manage in the next ten minutes to start filtering into the market with some on that bus. We need an ambulance on stand by to pick Danno up.

I just hope to God they weren't bluffing and that he hasn't seen their faces – or he's dead no matter what we do!"

McGarrett passed his gun and holster to Kono and the Hawaiian nodded sadly. "Be careful boss, I don't want to have to say something nice at your funeral!"

The Five-O detective eased his arms into his jacket with obvious discomfort but managed to smile at Kono, "Well I would hate to make you feel awkward you big kanaka!"

He had deliberately picked the brightest color suit he had so it would be easy to spot in a crowd and did his buttons up over his bruised chest with some difficulty on the way down to the parking lot, briefing Kono as he went.

As they got to the street level and went to the car Kono appeared to McGarrett as though he was about to do one of two things; either burst into tears or give him a manly bear hug – neither of which Steve was particularly keen to witness - or feel. A sympathetic twinge pulsed through his ribs. He got into the car before Kono could do either, "Make sure that you get Danno out of there, that's the main priority, that and keeping the public safe."

Kono pulled out sharply, siren on -they had no time to waste in Honolulu traffic, "I know Steve."

"Good and remember Kono, I'm doing this because I want to. If this were a different hostage situation and it was Danno's life for anyone else I would never give in. So don't feel like I would do him any favors if there were civilians involved."

Kono nodded - like he believed anything of the kind! "Well just you remember that the bomb this morning was meant for you and it's pretty unlikely Steve that they have changed their minds about wanting you dead."

"Assuming that the people who planted the bomb are the same ones that have Danno, yes, how could I ever forget?"

Danny couldn't recall being more angry than he was at that precise moment in time. Stuffed into the boot of a car like a mattress in a wash tub, he felt like he couldn't breathe but not just because of the lack of fresh air or his damaged chest, it was because he knew what his best friend was about to do and it irked him more than he could say.

He never saw the attic room again, and for that he was grateful, not least of all because his vision and hearing had cleared somewhat and even blindfolded he was able to make out more of his surroundings downstairs than he had up, they had been careless. If Steve was determined to play hero then he was determined to rescue him. Assuming of course that his captors didn't intend to kill him aswell as McGarrett.

Danny shifted uncomfortably in his cramped condition, his leg and ribs throbbing mercilessly, not to give less credit to his other injuries for adding to his agony! He was still gagged and blindfolded but the rolling noise of the car engine told him what was happening and every bump or corner caused him to bite down on the gag in his mouth as his body was thrown against the metal with jarring regularity.

Time wasn't something he was able to mark terribly well but he attempted to keep a rough running total in his head as the wheels spun and the vehicle pressed onwards. If he could just stay conscious long enough he might be able to track the radius for their search.

A burst of hysterical laughter threatened to choke him as it rose up to his parched lips; given his fevered condition Danny had to give himself credit for continuing to think like a cop. He only hoped McGarrett was thinking that way too.

"You know what to do when we get there?" Barlow asked for the third time in almost as many minutes. Noah hooked an elbow over the passenger seat and turned around to look at his boss languishing in the plush leather of the Lincoln and smoking an aromatic cigar that was so pungent it scratched the back of the henchman's throat.

Noah coughed and rolled down the window surreptitiously, hoping Barlow wouldn't notice, "Yes boss."

Barlow raised one eyebrow in disbelief, "Brett how about you?"

A pair of green eyes looked up to the rear view mirror and Brett nodded, "Yes – I know."

"Good that's settled then, far be it for me to worry about the pair of you, after all it's not like you make mistakes is it?" Rent hissed sardonically as he brushed in disgust at some ash that had fallen onto his pristine cream suit. "And close that window!"

Noah did.

As he watched the streets whizz past with drab pedestrians going about their daily boredom, Barlow was understandably tense. He had plans for McGarrett that no longer involved his original contractor. It was practically open season on the head of the Head' of Five-0 and Rent figured that if one client would be willing to pay handsomely then perhaps other disgruntled ex-McGarrett victims' would be willing to pay even more. He could feel the slide of the crisp inked paper between his fingertips even now. With Steve McGarrett as a commodity, there would be no end of buyers and he could practically write his own check and still do his country a favor by getting rid of the top cop. It warmed his heart.

Of course there was always the slight possibility that he might anger his original client, in which case he would happily reimburse the ten thousand down payment he had already received. A mere drop in the ocean when compared to the figure he would be asking.

What Thomas Rent' Barlow didn't know was that open season had already been declared on McGarrett and whatever he possessed, someone would come looking to take it away.

"Okay Steve, this is the best we could do at short notice. It doesn't have a long range but it should help your men keep tabs on you if they stay within reach. It's the smallest we have too. Lucky for you those bandages should help disguise it." Che Fong said as he slid the tape and locator down the inside of McGarrett's bandaged ribs. "Can you feel that?" Steve winced in response but shook his head at the same time. Che smiled, "Well just don't crush it, it's fragile."

"Thanks Che." McGarrett said as he sat on the bonnet of a squad car holding his side.

Che went off to test the beeper.

Chin Ho crouched down to help McGarrett with the buttons on his shirt and noted how tired his boss was. He looked up into Steve's eyes, searching for a sign that he wouldn't go through with his crazy decision but all he saw was resolve in the depths of blue; that and a pained expression of concern that Chin knew was for Danny.

"Don't tell me not to Chin." McGarrett said as he heard the intake of breath from the Oriental that could have been a sigh.

Chin stopped what he was doing, "Wouldn't dream of it Steve – we all want Danny back it's just..,"

"What's the matter my friend? Price too high?"

"Something like that boss."

McGarrett shook his head carefully, "Well not in my book. Besides, I have every faith that you, Kono and the others will be onto them before I even get within ten feet of the kidnappers!"

Kono walked over, shoulders hunched, "Hey boss, bus is ready – we only have a couple of minutes before his schedule is screwed up. Just in case they're checking."

"Mahalo, let's get going."

With difficulty Steve eased himself up off the car and felt his stomach lurch, whether through nerves or pain he wasn't sure. He looked at his depressed team – or what was left of it, and tried to leave things on a cheery note, "Don't look so glum – Danno will be back soon and then watch out cos he'll crack the whip. He ain't soft like me bruddahs!" But that didn't seem to help at all so he continued more seriously, "Do as we talked about and everything will be fine but just in case anything goes wrong tell Danno…" Tell Danno what exactly? McGarrett was not able to find words enough to express what their friendship meant and how important Williams was to him and he certainly could not sum up in the brief time he had"Tell him to do a better job than I have and not to feel guilty – I would do this again in a heartbeat. And tell him thanks – and to the pair of you – from the bottom of my heart."

Kono and Chin looked at each other and back at him. "Be careful Steve," Chin said for them both.

Steve smiled and clapped each one on the shoulder before straightening his back and shoulders and getting on the bus.

As the driver pulled away Kelly and Kalakua just stared at it until it rounded a corner and was gone from sight.