By the time Danny reached the office, Chin, Kono and David were already there and deep into a discussion about the case that now took precedence. His anger at McGarrett was still driving him, but he knew he had to let it go until Steve was back on his feet and they could go at it toe to toe. He took deep breath and moved closer to the desk where the information was displayed overhead.
"Good morning, Danny, I thought you were going to see Steve before..."
"I did," Williams interrupted Kono before pointing to the pictures. "What do we have?"
"Not much more than yesterday, although Kono managed to get in touch with an employee who works at The Outrigger. We're going to meet him at his home in an hour," Chin answered.
"What about McMillan?" Williams asked.
"There's a guard outside his door and another one inside. No one's allowed access unless they're on the list and they're not allowed to be alone with him," O'Brien answered.
"Has he remembered anything that could help us find the missing women?" Williams asked.
"Not much. The docs say it's normal with this type of trauma. It's possible that he'll never remember what happened," Kono said. "After chin and I talk to the hotel Employee I'll go see him again."
"Sounds like a plan," Williams told her. "David, I think it's time we checked into the backgrounds of the missing women."
"I though we'd already done that," O'Brien observed.
"We did, but..."
"What is it, Danny?" Chin asked.
"When I left Newark there was a case...a missing woman," Williams said and frowned when he tried to remember what it was about the case that had him thinking so hard. It had been in the midst of the turmoil that was going on in his own personal life and one of the reasons he'd taken a month's leave of absence before following Rachel and Grace to Hawaii.
"What's got you thinking so hard, Danny?" O'Brien asked.
"David, after I left Newark what were you working on?" Williams asked.
"A couple of missing persons, but I was reassigned and the case was handed over to Rollins and Chavez. Why?"
"I'm not sure, but maybe we should give Rollins a call and find out, because something tells me this case and the one in Newark are connected," Williams told them.
"I'll call them," O'Brien offered.
"Thanks, David," Williams said as O'Brien moved away and pulled out his cell phone.
"Danny, what happened with Steve?" Chin asked.
"We argued...Keanna's taking care of him," Williams answered.
"Is he all right?" Kono asked.
"McGarrett's fine," Williams snapped. "He just needs to realize that he's human and has human frailties just like the rest of us. Why don't you and Kono go see..."
"Paul Wallace," Chin offered and motioned for Kono to follow him out as Williams continued to look at what little evidence they had so far.
Danny waited for O'Brien to finish the call and hoped he would have something they could use, but the man shoo his head when he hung up. "Did you get him?"
"I got Rollins, but he's not sure how he can help. They had a problem with the cold case files on the computer, and a fire in the hard copy location," O'Brien told him.
"When did that happen?"
"A couple of weeks before I left."
"And you forgot to mention it."
"No, Danny, I didn't forget. It just didn't seem important at the time."
"Damn it! I know there's something that connects the two case, but without that information..."
"I could contact a couple of others and see if they remember anything about the case."
"I'll do it, but first we need to go see McMillan...maybe we can get him to remember what happened," Williams said.
"Sounds like a plan," O'Brien said and followed Williams out of the office.
Danny waited for his partner to get in on the passenger side and drove away from the office, but instead of heading toward the hospital, he turned onto the street that would take him to McGarrett's home.
"I know I haven't been here long, Danny, but I could have sworn the hospital was in the other direction."
"It is, but I need to talk to Steve and just maybe we can get him to see who you are and that you can do your job," Williams said and missed the look that shone on O'Brien's face before he turned away.
5050505050
Keanna had laid down next to McGarrett and smiled when he'd placed his head on her shoulder. She felt his breathing ease and hoped he would sleep for several hours, but was shocked when his body went rigid and he cried out. Her first thought was that he was having a nightmare, but when his eyes shot open and he stared at her, Keanna knew something was very wrong.
"Steve, listen to me," Keanna said and got off the bed. She touched his face and hoped he could hear her, but his body arched up on the bed and she helpless to help him, but shoved it back as she searched for her cell phone. She knew she'd left it in the kitchen and raced out of the room just as the front door opened and Williams walked in with another man close behind him.
"Keanna, what's wrong?"
"Danny call 911!" Wahine said and hurried back to the bedroom just as McGarrett dropped back on the bed. She hurried to his side as Williams moved to the other.
"What the hell happened?"
"I don't know," Wahine said and turned her attention to the man whose breathing seemed labored while sweat beaded on his brow and rolled down his face. "Did you call 911?"
"They're on the way," Williams said. "Hey, Steve, hang on...help's on the way!"
"Ha...hard to b...breath," McGarrett managed.
"Steve, just look at me and concentrate on breathing. Don't talk...just breathe," Wahine told him.
"David, where are you?" Williams called.
"I'm at the front door. I'll direct the paramedics inside," O'Brien answered. When Williams had disappeared with the woman he'd spotted the familiar bottle of pills on the table and picked them up. He kept his back turned and reached into his pocket as he flipped off the top of the bottle, counted six pills left of the ten he'd placed there and managed to put six of the original pills into the container before putting them back where he;d found them. He had no idea why he'd kept McGarrett's original medication in his pocket, but was relieved that'd he done so since this would probably be the only opportunity he'd have to replace them.
David moved to the front door and opened it, listening to the worried voices that reached his ears. If McGarrett died now it would leave him in a position to take what he wanted, but he needed more time to ingratiate himself with the team and the governor. He needed the man alive, but debilitated until he was ready to take over. It shouldn't take longer than a couple of weeks, but during that time he would have to do more to cast suspicion on the head of Five-O. Having illegal drugs show up in his system would be just the beginning of his downfall.
5050505050
Steve struggled to breathe past the pain that flared in his chest, but it seemed like every breath came with a cost. His body trembled, his heart trip-hammered in his chest and he wondered how much longer his ribs could keep it from bursting from his body. He heard Keanna talking, could feel Danny's hand on his left shoulder, but his whole world seemed to revolve around just allowing air into his lungs.
"The Paramedics are here!"
"Thank God," Williams said and moved back a two men hurried into the room with a fully laden gurney.
Steve fought to keep his eyes open and looked at his partner as an oxygen mask was placed over his mouth and nose. He could hear Keanna giving orders to the newcomers, but his gaze swept past Williams to the man standing behind his right shoulder. There was no mistaking the look on the man's face or the hint of a smug smile, but Steve could not find the strength to tell his partner to turn around.
"Steve, the paramedics are starting an IV and then we're going to transport you to Queens. I'm going with you," Keanna told him and he managed a slight nod as he felt a prick in his right hand.
"You're going to be okay, Steve," Williams said worriedly.
"Steve, I need to know if you took anything besides the prescription Dr. Hong gave you," Wahine said.
Steve shook his head, his mouth set in a grim line that spoke of pain as the monitors started beeping and the medics shifted him from the bed to the gurney. He felt them cover him with blankets and then wheel him past Williams and O'Brien. One man's face was filled with worry, while the other just seemed to be enjoying himself at McGarrett's suffering.
"Danny, grab the bottle on the table," Wahine said as she hurried after the paramedics.
"I got them," O'Brien said, grabbing the bottle and tossing them to Williams. "Go with them, Danny, I'll meet you there."
"Thanks, David," Williams said and hurriedly locked the door behind the before running to the ambulance and climbing into the passenger side.
5050505050
Chin and Kono waited while Paul Wallace finished with the client and moved to join them at the table near the back of the cafe. He didn't look much older than Kono with dark hair and blue eyes and a body that spoke of heavy duty workouts. When he sat down his eyes seemed to rake over Kono and she smiled in an effort to put him at ease.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak with us, Mr. Wallace," Kono said.
"Please, call me Paul, Officer Kalakaua," Wallace said.
"Thank you, Paul, you know why we're here."
"Something about a couple of guests who disappeared?"
"Yes, Vinh Nguyen and Sandra McMillan," Kelly answered. "Do you remember meeting them?"
"I think so. When you called I checked through the photos I took during the weeks they were here."
"You took pictures?" Kono asked.
"It's part of my job here. I'm dabble in photographer ad the hotel pays me to take shots and put them up on the website if I get the clients to sign off on them. I get a hundred dollars for each picture they are allowed to use," Wallace told them.
"Do you have any pictures of Sandra McMillan and Vinh Nguyen?" Chin asked.
"I found a few, but they aren't very clear," Wallace said and handed Kono several pictures.
Kono and Chin looked at the shots and recognized Kevin McMillan with his wife in several shots. The other pictures were of Vinh Nguyen and a man who matched the description given to them by the Coopers.
"Paul, do you know the man in the picture with Vinh Nguyen?" Kono asked.
"I tried to look him up on the hotel registry, but I don't think he was staying here. I think his name was Terry or Perry..."
"Jerry?" Chin asked.
"That sounds right, but I never got his last name and that's why we couldn't use those shots. Too bad because they were really cool and showed how much fun the Luau's cane be," Wallace told them.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about this guy?" Kono asked.
"He was sweetly obnoxious," Wallace answered.
"How so?" Chin asked.
"He talked the talk, but it was like he was putting too much bullshit into it. At the luau he tried to get both Sandra McMillan, but she had no interest in him and he left, but the look on his face was murderous," Wallace told them.
"Do you remember the date this happened?" Kono asked.
"Sure it's on the back of the pictures," the man said and flipped the shots. "I always put the time and date on my pics so it's easy to find them."
"Can we keep these?" Chin asked.
"Sure, that's why I printed them put for you," Wallace said and glanced at his watch. "I need to get back to work, but if there's anything else I can help you with just give me a call."
"We will. Thank you, Paul," Kono said and shook the man's hand.
"You're welcome," Wallace said and smiled. "You know I'd love to take some shots of you, Officer Kalakaua."
"Thanks, but not interested," Kono said with a smile.
"How about a drink? I know this great little place..."
"Perhaps another time," Kono said and followed chin away from the table. Paul Wallace seemed like a nice guy, but right now he was part of an active case and she didn't need the distraction. She heard Chin's phone and waited while he took it out.
"It's Danny," he told her and hit the receive button before placing it to his ear.
Kono listened to the one-sided conversation and watched as worry shone in Kelly's eyes. She waited until he finished his conversation before speaking. "What's wrong?"
"Danny says he's on the way to Queens with Steve."
"What? Why?"
"Something about him having some kind of convulsion. Come on...I'll drive. Thanks again, Mr. Wallace," Chin said as they hurried out of the cafe.
5050505050
After a long shift, Lee Hong was ready to go home and crawl into bed, but when the ambulance pulled into the ER bay, curiosity got the better of him. He was shocked to see his associate step out when the back doors opened. "Keanna, what do you have?"
"Lee, glad you're here. It's Steve McGarrett,: Wahine said as she and Hong helped get the gurney out of the ambulance and pushed it through the ER doors where the nurse directed them to an empty examination room. She went over the vital signs and the treatment he'd received in the ambulance as they disconnected the mobile equipment and hooked the patient up to the stationary units used by the hospital.
"His oxygen level is low," Hong said and moved to stand in front of the patient before speaking directly to him. "Commander, I know this is not what you want to hear right now, but we need to do something to help you breathe..."
"No...no tube," McGarrett tried, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to draw enough air into his oxygen starve lungs.
"Steve, listen to me," Keanna said and waited for him to turn her way. "We don't know what's causing this and I know you're having trouble..."
Steve tried to concentrate on what she was saying but the darkness wavering at the edge of his vision reached out to encompass the room around him and he fought to stay conscious as less and less oxygen entered his body. His last conscious thought was that at least he wouldn't have to feel them feeding the tube down his throat.
Author's Note -thanks again for the wonderful reviews and comments on this one. You guys are fantastic...Winnie