Disclaimer: No, Hawaii 5-0 doesn't belong to me. It does to CBS.

A/N: Here is my last posting for 2010. Thank you so much for your interest in this story and for taking the time to review. It is a lot of fun to write and knowing what you think of it is very stimulating.

Thank you Marie Thea for beta proofing this chapter! Your help is precious.

000

Taking in the Scene

Steve zigzagged through traffic as he sped towards his partner's apartment. Chin Ho, hunched on his bike, was hot on his tail. Had Danny been with Steve, he would have most certainly ranted nonstop about his erratic driving: called Steve a public menace and a maniac, among other things. Steve found himself missing the often aggravating tirades, and worrying about his friend even more.

They were three minutes out of their destination when Kono informed them that HPD had found the Camaro at Danny's building complex. There were signs of a struggle inside the apartment, but no hint of their colleague. Pushing his worry to the back of his mind, Steve concentrated on reaching the place as fast as possible.

The 5-0 detectives parked at the curb, by two squad cars. A tall and built Hawaii Native patrol officer greeted them by the intact Camaro. Not wasting any valuable time, he lead them to the small studio Danny called his apartment.

"The door was half open when we got here. There is no sign of forced entry, but there was definitely a fight," reported the officer. "We found some blood on the wall by the door."

A sharp smell assaulted them as they reached the door's threshold. "Whoo! Is that kerosene?"

"It sure smells like it," agreed Chin.

Steve's gaze swept the room. The sofa bed had been folded away: the living area and the kitchen lacked Danny's usual clutter. He assumed his friend had intended to leave the place tidy before taking off for New Jersey. Now, the coffee table and the lamp that had been resting on it were smashed on the floor. There was also a bloodied dent in the wall where Danny or his assailant had been thrown, and the disturbing smell of kerosene hung in the air.

"Gun, handcuffs, and cell appear to be missing," Steve observed. "You know, Danny can put up one heck of fight." He exhaled nervously, incapable of voicing what he really suspected. "There's not enough damage to this room."

"You think Gesner used the kerosene to subdue him," asked Chin Ho, examining a stain on the carpet.

"Yes." Blood boiling, he tensed his jaw. "I can't think of any better way to take out a man who already caught on fire once before."

The words were harsh, the reality even harsher. The spree arsonist turned serial killer, had gotten to Danny first. Based on his MO, they did not have a lot of time ahead of them to find their friend alive.

"Someone must have had seen something," Steve said. "Keep asking around. We're looking for a car, suspicious handling of inflammable material, anything on fire. Kono is circulating a picture of Gesner as we speak. Let's get moving."

Chin Ho and the patrol officer exited the apartment. Steve stayed behind long enough to pick up the picture of Grace that was lying on the floor. Carefully, he removed it from its broken frame and slid it into his shirt pocket.

000

A/N: I hope you enjoy the intrigue so far. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Happy New Year!

(Dec 2010)