CHAPTER 14
"What do you mean there's someone outside with a gun?" Barlow asked his fleshy employee.
"How can I make something like that clearer boss?" Camomile asked with surprise, brushing a curl out of her mouth. "Man..in alley..with gun. And don't ask me what he's doing there 'cause I ain't got a clue!"
"Noah, go and see what's going on. Brett, just in case locate Johnson and Kapa – get them here and see who else is around. Make sure everyone is armed but don't shoot unless you have to. It could be nothing or it could be the cops, either way we need to be alert. I'm not having this balls up – not now, not so close!"
Noah rushed off without a word.
"On it boss." Brett acknowledged.
"Did I do good?" Camomile asked Brett seductively and, as he moved to go past, she ran a hand up the inside of his thigh, much to his pleasure.
"You did great, slut, now stop touching him up and let him get on with his job!" Barlow hissed.
With a moue of disappointment Camomile clicked her heels and followed Brett out of the room, giving the tall thug a quick pinch to his ass as she went before blowing a kiss back at Barlow in defiance. Rent growled and slung a leather bound dictionary at her from his desk top, almost catching her leg. "Do that again bitch and you're fired!"
Downstairs was eerily quiet. There were normally people milling around, call girls leaving their johns to sleep off their exertions in the few rooms that were set aside for that purpose and other employees of the club clearing up or preparing for the day's activities. Recalling that Joey Johnson closed up early the night before, Noah noted little movement save for a few bleary eyed and exhausted-looking customers and prostitutes like Camomile, counting out their share of green backs.
He walked down the hallway, gun at the ready and was just about to explore the alley when there was a thundering crash, a splinter of wood and four men burst into the back of the club brandishing hand guns. He automatically turned and fired, catching a blond in the leg. Backing up he covered himself with fire, retreating to the corner of the stairs ready to run if necessary. The men looked as though they meant business, just what business Noah wasn't sure but he was taking no chances. He didn't get paid enough to get shot.
All four returned fire hitting one poor client, an elderly man, as he poked his head out into the corridor to see what the noise was about. The bullets caught him in the upper chest and neck, he staggered, grasping his wounds and fell bleeding into the hall. The scantily-clad woman in the room behind him screamed and slammed the door shut, locking it against the intruders and leaving her client to the mercy of whoever was outside. Noah decided Dodge wasn't a safe place to be and took the distraction as an opportunity to rush upstairs.
Barlow was there to greet him, the .38 he had retrieved from the attic in hand. The Derringer was not exactly the best weapon with which to face armed intruders but it was better than nothing. He backed up when Noah rushed towards him and with little time to think stated, "Get to McGarrett! If we can't get out of here we'll have to hold them off!"
More shots were fired in quick succession, ricocheting off walls and furniture. Noah went down as something hot hit him in the shoulder – he sprawled on the runner trying to recover from the shock of being plugged, clutching at his boss' pant legs for help. Barlow kicked him off in distaste.
Judging the situation to be more dangerous than he had realized, Rent ran, yelling out for Brett and the others. Noah lurched to his feet, stumbling along the hallway as the pain spread outward to his limbs and blood pooled across his shirt, he still held the gun - more were coming after him.
Three of the gun men explored downstairs, aiming to clear one floor before taking the rest of the building. More gunfire, people screaming, the sound of glass breaking and doors being kicked in. It all happened so fast no one had time to do anything.
A Chinese assassin was padding slowly up the stairs toward Noah, sure of his kill. He drew a bead on the injured man's retreating back but to Noah's immense relief Brett came to his aid, pulling him inside one of the second floor rooms and lining up an impressive shot that drilled a hole in the aggressor's forehead before he had time to kill anyone else. The small oriental fell back and bounced all the way down the stairs coming to a halt at the bottom and toppling a heavy Willow pattern china pot off a table. It dropped on top of him and up-ended a small-leafed fern onto his face. He was very dead.
"Thanks I owe you!" Noah said breathlessly, grateful that when the chips were down Brett would still look out for his partner. He clung onto Brett's good arm as they checked to see if the hall was clear before stepping out. "We uh better get upstairs, boss man's got a notion they're after McGarrett."
"Get down!!" Brett pushed his friend and dropped low, Noah yelped as his injured shoulder was slammed into the wall but still managed to get off a couple of shots of his own.
This time the person who saved their lives was Camomile. The poor girl had seen Brett drop and thought he was shot. Racing over to him she never saw the man who took her life until it was too late. Brett tried to save her but he was hampered by Noah who had inadvertently grabbed his broken wrist as he tried to rise, making Brett yell with pain.
"Christ Cam get back!" Brett shouted through his agony.
"Oh shit!" Came the unfortunate woman's exclamation as the first bullet spun her into her boyfriend's arms and pushed him to the floor with her weight, taking Noah with them. She sprawled inelegantly on top of him, plump bosom pressing into his face in a parody of love. Another shot, her body jerked and she lay still.
More gunshots and someone pulled the bleeding woman from them both as dark-eyed Joey Johnson finished off the wounded blond killer in their midst with what seemed like a hail of bullets. Brett was teary eyed as he bid the buxom girl farewell then tapped Joey on the shoulder telling him and Kapa to hold for as long as they could. He dragged Noah back upstairs in search of their boss.
Two down, two more to go and hopefully the bad guys still out numbered the really bad guys.
& - & - &
"So where are we off to first Danny?" Chin Ho said as he drove from the hospital.
"Let's try back at the Marketplace Chin, perhaps something will occur to me if we use that as a starting point."
"Okay boss." Kelly said and turned to glance at the man lying along the back seat. Williams looked pale but happier to be on the job, it didn't stop the older man from worrying about him though. It also didn't help that every time he rounded a corner he heard a wince emanate from his passenger. Dan didn't mean to but he was gripping the leather tightly as the car jolted, despite Chin's best efforts to drive smoothly. It was like having his mother-in-law in the car with him, she always clutched the side of the door like she was going to fall out but at least Williams had good reason for it.
As they drove slowly along Dan became quiet. "Do you have any idea what you needed to be out here for bruddah?" Chin asked, breaking through the barrier of silence.
"Not really, just a feeling that something will occur that didn't before. It helps to be out of there, really it does."
"If you say so Danno."
"Yeah Chin. I'm thinking, trust me."
They drove along the back road to the International Marketplace and went in the rear entrance. For the first time both men saw the destruction the fire had wrought. Dan shivered as he looked at the blackened building that was once a restaurant. There wasn't much left of the original structure and some trees next to it had become victims of the flames too; charcoal stumps all that remained of what were once old and graceful plants. It was chilling to see the damage and even more disturbing to think that he could have been as burned as they were had it not been for Kono.
"Bad memories?" Chin asked as he saw the young man shudder.
Without replying to the question Dan said, "Let's get out of here." He closed his eyes briefly. "We need to get to go west, head back up to Kuhio and keep heading in that direction until we meet Kalakua Ave again."
"You sound pretty sure?"
"Fairly." He answered non-committally. Truth was he was struggling to recall much but some things were suggesting themselves as possibilities. As they drove he started a count in his head. The action of returning to the marketplace had given him the figure he sought, it wasn't an accurate means of telling because he had no direction finder but if he could keep it up they would at least have a rough timing and circumference. Although at this rate probably a day too late, we could be going round in circles! He thought bitterly.
"Right here….no…left!" Dan said as he wound the window down and heard the sound of a jackhammer. "I went past that building site - I'm sure, keep going straight." He kept the window down (even though doc would moan at him if he knew) in order to listen more closely to his surroundings.
Chin drove patiently, aware that this could all come to nothing but willing to go with the flow knowing that Kono, Duke and the others were still exploring other avenues.
After ten minutes of turning corners and bouncing along roads according to Williams' increasingly sure instructions but decreasingly coherent voice, Dan asked queasily, "Chin pull over for a second would you?"
There was a distressed note to the injured man's voice that Kelly didn't like, "Sure thing." He complied immediately, parking the car.
"Help me out!!" Dan exclaimed and hearing the desperation from his friend raced to the back door and opened it just in time for Williams to be ill into the road, thankfully avoiding his shoes. Danny retched a couple of times and Kelly felt so sorry for him, gently stroking the middle of his back, unsure what to do to help. Embarrassed and light-headed, the young man accepted the folded handkerchief that was proffered and wiped his mouth. He had a gray pallor and was holding his injured ribcage, the agony of being sick making him weep with pain. "Sorry." He whispered breathlessly and retched again, almost crying out.
"Nothing to be sorry for bruddah." Chin waited for the wheezing to stop before taking his supportive hand away. "Lets go back now Danno. Doc said you shouldn't be doing this, you need to rest!" Chin propped Williams back up and restored the pillow behind him that had slipped onto the floor of the car.
"Give me a second." Dan fought to right the world, head pounding and vision blurred but his mind was working overtime and despite his frailty he was recalling things in pieces. It was like the information had been filed away; drawers opening one by one, tipping out folders but not in alpha order.
"Pity the department budget doesn't run to an ambulance Danny – you'd be more comfortable!" Chin quipped, trying to make light of the situation.
Williams didn't answer, listening to what Kelly said suddenly sparked another thought, "Chin! Budgets and finances..that list..the one you said they were checking for that name,"
"What about it?"
"You said they were searching the list of financial suspects for Rent', but he might not be on that! He'll most likely be on the other list – those who have threatened McGarrett. If he's auctioning Steve he's the seller, not a buyer, so he may not need or have money!"
"You could be right!"
"Get them to check now…perhaps it's what we're looking for! There's one other thing – I recall music, really loud with people talking – lots of people. We could be looking for a public place like a bar or restaurant; in fact cross reference that with anyone who owned the restaurant at the Marketplace. Maybe that helps?"
Kelly closed the door, careful not to jar his friend and hurried to driver's window, stretching across to pick up the radio microphone, "Kelly to dispatch,"
"Central dispatch,"
"Put me through to Kalakua at Five-0."
"Patching you through."
A pause then, "Chin is dat you?"
"Yeah Kono, have you gone through that list of suspects for that guy's name yet?"
"Sure we're almost finished, I was going to start on the other one after this just in case, why?"
"Good! Danny thinks he'll be there, and cross reference with any restaurants, bars, clubs et cetera and the owners of the burned eatery."
"Okay, I call you back wiki-wiki if we find anything. Danno okay?"
Chin looked to the back seat and saw Dan's distressed face screwed up in pain, "Yeah he's okay." Kelly lied and Williams gave him a grateful nod.
"Good, we're working on it. You tell him to take care you hear?"
"Tell him yourself." Chin said and turned the radio so that Dan could speak to his friend.
"Hey bruddah, stay off your feet, you got work to do when you get back here!"
"Thanks Kono, just find Steve for me and I'll be fine!"
Kono chuckled, "Okay man, gotta go."
Chin got back in the car and started the engine. "You want me to drive you back now?" he asked, eyeing his colleague in the rear-view mirror.
"No, but I'd be grateful if we can stay here for a few minutes longer, just while I get my breath back." Danny asked, wiping the tears off his cheeks
& - & - &
Steve hadn't a clue what was happening. He heard screams and gunshots but for a moment wasn't sure if he was dreaming or if it was really happening. As he was pulled from an uncomfortable doze, his senses were on full alert, straining to hear anything that might give him a clue as to the situation.
He grit his teeth and pulled at the tethers, feeling completely helpless and desperate to know what was going on. He didn't have to wait long, as the shots became more frequent and the sounds came closer he heard a key turn in the lock and the light came on. Thomas Barlow, his plump cheeks flushed with exertion, glared at his captive, brow furrowed with concern.
"Barlow! What's happening?" McGarrett asked as his eyes adjusted to the light and he struggled in his bonds. Rent turned to peer through the door, watching the corridor beyond. Steve noticed he moved the key to the inside; the man was obviously scared.
"I don't know yet." Came the honest response.
"What's the matter, one of your trusted fraternity double dealing? Decided they didn't like paying?" Steve laughed dryly. "Too bad! Why don't you call a cop?"
Rent trained his gun on McGarrett, unamused by the inappropriate humor. "You talk too much McGarrett. We're dealing with them so don't get any ideas you're out of hot water, don't forget we're all that stands between you and those bullets downstairs so shut up and let us do this our way or I'll shoot you myself!"
"You're sweating so badly your finger would slip off the trigger!"
"I said SHUT UP!"
"How long do you think you have? Five minutes, maybe ten? Is your gun even loaded? It's over. No one's going to pay for something they can take – you advertised a sale and now you have shoplifters. Give it up Barlow, call the police and let us handle this."
Furious, Barlow thumped across the floorboards and backhanded McGarrett, slapping his head back against the wall with jarring force. He felt his jaw creak from the surprisingly strong blow and his bottom lip trickled blood.
"He promised me a million! No one is taking that away from me!!"
Steve ran a tongue around his mouth, tasting iron and felt sickened by it. "Who? Who promised you that kind of money? You're a fool if you believe them. I may be a thorn in everyone's side Barlow but I'm not worth that kind of money, not when every two bit hood in Oahu would happily be in on the kill for a thousand bucks! Your client could get rid of me easy; he just needs to say the word bruddah. All you've managed to do is corral me for some fat shark to finish and rip you off!"
"He wouldn't do that to me. He promised me! You'll find out soon enough – you'll see - we'll repel boarders and he will still pay, he has to!"
"Well don't hold your breathe, you haven't got much time left to use it from the sounds of what's happening downstairs! Why not let me go? You might just save your miserable hide that way."
Rent was becoming increasingly agitated, in the back of his mind he knew McGarrett was right, he'd been had. "You cops are all the same, you think we're stupid! It's not us – it's YOU, you make trouble for honest businessmen – I'd do you for free if it wasn't so lucrative to sell you. You AND that pig Williams! He's next on the list – all part of the deal!"
Steve jolted at the mention of Danny's name. If Barlow was referring to him in a future context perhaps he was still alive. That gave him hope. "You kill Williams or let them take me mister and there will be so much heat in these islands not one of you will be able to ask the time of day without being grassed up! That's why no one's succeeded before, they're all scared of the consequences and with good reason."
Before Barlow had time to respond, Brett pushed through the door accompanied by an obviously ailing Noah who was sagging badly on his arm. "What the hell happened?!" Barlow inquired as the two stumbled into the room.
"Two of 'em are dead, at least two more in the building. Joey, Luke and Kapa are trying to hold them off. I dunno boss, there might be more!"
Rent mopped his forehead and mouth anxiously with a handkerchief, this was getting out of hand. "Whose men are they?" He asked.
Noah shook his head and cradled his damaged arm to his chest. "No idea. They just burst in the back, we need to get out of here. What are we going to do with him?" He asked staring at Steve.
"Let me go?" McGarrett offered.
"No one asked you!" Rent spat back.
"Yeah, give him to them!" Brett said angrily. "He's not worth it, we're going to die!"
"What's gotten into you? You're not a coward. He's too valuable, I won't give him up!"
"Cam's dead." Noah stated flatly as if that explained his partner's state of mind. He sank to the floor, unable to stand any longer.
Barlow backed down a little, "Ah. Well that's a shame but I won't let it ruin our deal." He said unsympathetically, "Brett get back out there and make sure you polish off the other two. I want results! We'll hold the fort here."
Steve snorted in disgust, "What fort? You must be mad, you can't hold an attic, they'll just send more men. There's no way out except to give up. With all that gun play the police won't be far behind and that pathetic door won't keep anyone out! Face it you're finished!"
"McGarrett's right boss. There's no escape from up here we need to get to the fire escape!"
"Don't you think they've got that route covered? And don't listen to him he's trying to make trouble. I'm the one who's in charge not him!!"
"Your logic is flawed Barlow, I'm not the one trying to make trouble; it's over – even your hired hands know it."
"Gag him!"
Brett didn't make a move to comply with the order, "No. This is bullshit, hand the cop over. We need to get out of here. I'm not dying because of him OR you!"
"That's the wrong decision, I've had it with you all - if you don't do as I say RIGHT NOW I'll shoot you myself."
McGarrett could feel the tension escalating between the two men but wasn't sure what would transpire or how he could diffuse the situation.
"You wouldn't dare, not in front of witnesses!?"
"Try me – he won't be around long enough to testify, what have I got to lose?"
Brett was fast but amazingly Thomas Barlow was faster and the tall man found a shining .38 leveled at his forehead, business end pressed into the skin before he could get his gun to waist level. The club owner looked feverish, pushed to his limits by the discussion with McGarrett and the lack of obedience from his lackey crew.
"Boss no," Noah said behind him, all but forgotten in the heated exchange.
"Barlow don't be stupid. You need him. There's no time for this!" McGarrett said, aware that they had no time before they were overwhelmed by whatever force was out there.
He just hoped the cavalry were on their way.
"Noah get Brett's gun." Rent ordered.
"I ah…I don't think I can boss." The young man said, meaning he hadn't the strength to stand let alone do anything so physical.
The dapper man spun on his wounded henchman, all he heard was another ordered being disobeyed, another tear in the fabric of his organization, another block to his million dollar goal. He was confused and unable to make decisions any longer, no one said no' to him; it was inconceivable and the straw too many that broke the camel's back, "Another one defying me? Well mister let's see if this teaches you a lesson! You disobeyed my orders so say goodbye stupid." He raised his gun, bullet slipping into the breach.
McGarrett shouted, "NO DON'T!" But Barlow was past listening.
With awful finality a shot echoed through the room.