Hawaii Five-0: Accidental Discovery
~ Part Four ~
Danny gritted his teeth as the pain from the cramp in his leg intensified. Katrina placed the phone in her hand to her ear.
"Cliff." Katrina said once the person on the other end picked up. "We need you out here right now. Danny's cramping up and I don't know how much longer we have." She snapped the phone closed and stepped closer to Danny.
"Stay back." Danny ordered, throwing out a hand.
"I'm not going anywhere and neither are you." Katrina told him firmly. "Just keep breathing, Danny. Only a few minutes more and then you're home free." She paused and spoke softer, "Don't you dare step off that mine."
"Not planning on it." Danny ground out. Fire was climbing up from his calf and into his thigh; the muscles cried for movement. They had been too still for too long. Taking a deep breath in, he noticed that Katrina was biting her lower lip and there was a frown on her face.
He managed to force a light tone. "You always stand out in bomb zones with your patients?"
"Just the special ones." Katrina shot back, her worried expression not leaving her face. She looked up at him and Danny realized suddenly how much taller he was. He looked up quickly as something at the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Katrina turned around as well and the worried expression shifted slightly at the sight of a tall, older gentlemen wearing a ball cap and carrying a black book. Danny almost swore it was a bible and he couldn't help but give a little grunt at how ironic that thought was.
"Cliff." Katrina greeted the man.
"Dr. Cassidy." Cliff replied with a nod. He turned to Danny. "How you doing?"
"Just great." Danny replied sarcastically.
"Daniel Williams." Katrina told Cliff. "He's been out here for about forty minutes now. Fluids are in, but it's the cramp that concerns me."
Cliff nodded. He shot Katrina a look that Danny couldn't read; something wasn't right here.
"Anything else?" Cliff asked.
Katrina shook her head. "Nothing relevant."
"Ok then." Cliff nodded to the two soldiers behind him and they spread out. Danny watched them go and then directed his attention back to the obviously retired soldier in front of him. But Cliff wasn't looking at him.
"I want you out of the area." Cliff told Katrina.
"I'm staying." Katrina argued. She motioned to the IV bag on her shoulder. "You can't do both."
Without saying a word, Cliff turned back to Danny and gave him glance. "Forty minutes." He grunted. "Let's see if we can't have you out of here in twenty."
"Twenty's good." Danny replied. "Ten would be better."
Cliff nodded. "I hear you." Handing his black case to Katrina, Cliff got down on his hands and knees in front of Danny and peered at the land mine which by now had been completely uncovered.
Feeling the knot in his stomach returning, Danny looked up and focused on what the other two men were doing. Both of the men were carefully sweeping the ground around where the other mines that had been detected.
Cliff sat back on his heels, a frown firmly fixed on his face. Danny could tell that he was trying to think up a way to disarm the mine. The silence was deafening. The sudden sound of a click from their left made all three of them looked up.
One of the soldiers had found another mine in the worst possible way; he had stepped on it. The young man quickly stepped off, throwing himself into a roll as the mine exploded behind him.
The next few seconds would always be a blur to Danny. He saw the soldier flying through the air and the next moment he was tackled by Cliff.
5-0
Steve had been watching anxiously from the sidelines as Cliff and his team walked into the bomb zone. Behind him, Chin was talking with Lt. MacDonald over the current plans they already had for the building when the first explosion went off.
All of them looked up from whatever they were doing and Steven grabbed the binoculars. He didn't even get them to his eyes before the second explosion.
Steve looked but all he could see was dirt and smoke from the explosives. He dropped the binoculars and started for the tape line. "Call the paramedics!" He ordered over his shoulder.
5-0
Katrina heard the click from her left and whipped her head around to see the young solider throw himself off the mine. It was a controversial tactic, but one that most soldiers swore worked. The explosion came quickly after that. Katrina ducked her head and turned back to Danny in time to see Cliff tackle the other man.
Katrina threw herself away from the mine and covered her head as the explosive device went off. For the second time today, dirt and metal rained down on her. The dust quickly settled and Katrina got up. Her first thought was for the young soldier, but he had already gotten to his knees, shaking his head.
Katrina turned back to where Danny had stood and saw that the mine had blown a hole the size of a large mixing bowl in the dirt. Stepping carefully around the mine, she went towards Cliff who had just gotten to his feet; they were ok.
5-0
The older colonel had tackled Danny so fast that he didn't even have to time to shout. There was another explosion and then the back of his head hit the ground. Danny was showered with dirt and tiny pieces of metal.
His ears were ringing as he felt Cliff stand up. Katrina ran up to them and Danny saw her lips move but he couldn't hear what she said. Cliff motioned to his ears and Katrina nodded. She motioned for him to sit down. Danny sat up, but Katrina knelt down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder keeping him down. She gently took hold of his right arm.
Danny looked down and realized that the IV had been ripped out when Cliff had tackled him; he was bleeding. Katrina quickly pressed a square of gauze over the cut. With her other hand, she turned his head, checking his ears.
Ignoring Katrina's order, Cliff was still standing with his radio in one hand and his cell phone in the other. Danny saw him drop the phone to his chest and point with his radio at something. The young soldier who had stepped on the mine was on his feet and he gave his CO a thumbs up; he was fine. The suit had protected him.
Danny saw Cliff's mouth moving fast and knew that the older man was yelling at the soldier. The ringing in his ears had died down and he could make out a few of the words. Danny knew he was in shock, but he suddenly was also very angry.
5-0
The explosions had thrown the crime scene into a flurry of new activity. Steve had to push through people as he made his way into the bomb zone. Careful to avoid the roped off areas, Steve made his way towards where Cliff was standing phone to his ear.
Cliff saw him and acknowledged him with a nod. Steve made a beeline towards the retired colonel.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Steve asked once he was within speaking distance; careful to keep his voice level.
Cliff motioned to his ears with the phone. "Give it a few more minutes." He said loudly.
Steve couldn't wait a few more minutes. "What the hell was that?" He asked loudly. "You could've killed him."
"He moved." Cliff replied. "The explosive caused him to raise his foot. It was just an inch, but it was enough to set the mine off. He would be dead, Commander." Cliff placed his phone back to his ear and turned away. "Yeah, I'm still here."
Steve turned away from Anderson and towards Danny who was sitting on the ground with Katrina bending over him. Stepping around a few more people, Steve walked over to them. Both of them looked up.
"Paramedics are on the way." Steve told Katrina. "How is he?"
"He is just fine." Danny spoke up loudly from the ground. He shot Steve a quick glare. "I can speak for myself. My vocal cords are not damaged in any way."
"I'l have to get back to you on that." Katrina replied, glancing up at Steve. "I haven't had a chance to check him out fully yet. Here, hold that." She told Danny placing his free hand on the gauze on his arm.
Steve watched as Katrina quickly gave Danny a through check. It was mostly good news; Danny had no concussion, no seeable inner ear damage from the explosion, and no shrapnel imbedded anywhere. It was his leg that concerned Katrina.
Steve could see it in her face as she touched Danny, and in Danny's face. The muscle strain of standing perfectly still for a full forty-five minutes had taken it's toll on his partner.
"You still want that painkiller?" Katrina asked Danny with the hint of a smile ghosting at the corners of her lips.
"Only if you're sure that I won't kill us all." Danny replied dryly.
Steve caught the undercurrents of an inside joke. He looked up at Chin called to him. In the midst of all the confusion he had forgotten about the forensic's team. From the look of things, they had found something.
"You'll have to go the hospital for sure." Katrina said and Steve glanced down at his partner again. Danny nodded.
All three of them looked up as the paramedics walked onto the scene. Katrina quickly brought them up to speed. It was agreed that Danny would be to be carried out.
"I can stand." Danny argued, almost pushing himself to his feet.
"Not a good idea." Katrina shot back, resting a hand on his shoulder. "If there is any damage to the muscles, you don't want to make it worse, trust me."
"Just take it easy, Danny." Steve agreed.
"Like you did?" Danny shot back. "Mr 'I-Don't-Need-A-Stretcher, but almost fell down twice? It's a blow to a man's ego is what it is."
"Just let them help you up, Danny." Steve sighed.
"Fine. I'll let them help me. Better yet, I'll let them carry me past all these people and have the crowd stare and mock silently. I might even get my picture in the paper."
"Are you mad about something?" Steve asked, a frown starting to form on his brow.
"Dogs get mad, Steven. People; people get angry." Danny shot back.
"Ok. Are you angry about something?" Steve rephrased the question.
"Yes!" Danny replied. "I'm angry that some idiot didn't clear the area properly before we walked into it, I'm angry that I missed picking Grace up from school, and I'm angry that some old retired soldier tackled me and that I banged my head on a rock!" He let out an angry sounding sigh.
There was a few seconds of silence.
"Feel better now?" Steve asked finally.
"No. My leg hurts." Danny shot back.
"If it makes you feel any better, I sent Kono to get Grace." Steve told his partner.
"And the muscle relaxant should take effect soon." Katrina told him, butting in. "Now, are you finished expressing your feelings or should we wait a few more minutes for you to shrink yourself before we take you to the hospital?"
Danny threw up his hands. "Carry away." He told them.
Steve waited until the paramedics took Danny out of the bomb zone using a fireman's carry before he turned towards Chin and the forensic's team. Chin motioned him over. Once again, Steve did the duck and weave through people before he got within speaking distance.
"The forensic boys are going to take the skeleton back to the lab where Max can take a look at it." Chin told him. "Hopefully, we'll have something soon."
"Ok, good." Steve replied.
Chin nodded towards the tape. "How's Danny?"
"Shaken." Steve replied, he shoot a quick look towards the flashing lights of the ambulance. "But he'll be alright." He looked back at Chin. "Let's get this scene contained before anything else happens."
5-0
The short ride from crime scene to hospital went quickly and before he knew it, Danny was in a room hooked up to all kinds of machines. The muscles relaxant that Katrina had given him had already taken effect by the time he was all set up and Danny was feeling ready to get out of this place.
A nurse stepped in with a chart. She smiled at him and then asked him some basic questions. "Alright." She said finally, making a mark on the paper in front of her. "Dr. Freemen will be in shortly to check on you."
"Excuse me, Freeman?" Danny asked with a frown. "I thought Dr. Cassidy was in charge of my case."
"She was recalled to active duty." The nurse told him, placing the clipboard in the crook of her arm. "Apparently, it was a last minute decision. As of a few minutes ago, Dr. Cassidy is longer a doctor in this hospital."
She left the room and Danny once again laid back against the pillows. "Amazing how fast the Army moves." He muttered to himself. He raised himself up again as someone else stepped into the room. He grinned when he saw who it was.
"Hey! Monkey!" He called out as Grace ran towards him. Kono hung back in the doorway and let them have a moment. Danny listened as Grace told him all about her day, obviously Kono had told her a few things about what had happened as she didn't ask too many questions.
Danny was happy with that. His daughter didn't need to know every little detail about his job; especially today.
5-0
Five hours later, Steve, Chin and Kono filed into Danny's room; completed case files in their hands. Danny set aside the magazine he had been reading and pushed himself further up the pillows.
"You're all looking smug." He commented. "You solve the case without me or something?"
"As a matter of fact we did." Steve replied with a quick look at his colleagues. "Kono did a little digging and found out that the Army has records of Japanese prisoners that were taken during World War II."
"Apparently, the Army had captured an Japanese solider and rather then be tortured, he shot himself in the head with one of the officer's pistols. They technically weren't supposed to torture prisoners and rather then get caught with the officer's body, they buried him in the building." Chin finished.
"Later, the American and Japanese compared notes on soldiers that had gone missing. Our solider was one who had been declared MIA. His family never got to bury his body. It's kinda of a sad story." Kono remarked.
"That's it?" Danny asked incredulously. "I stood on a bomb all day just for that? Some sob story about a prisoner of war?"
"Well, what did you think happened?" Chin asked.
"I don't know!" Danny replied. "Something a little more then a suicide that the government has known about for seven decades! Did I mention I stood on a bomb? Risked life and limbs?"
"Several times." Chin replied with a little glance at Steve.
"I saw that." Danny told them. "You're both conspiring against me."
"Actually, I think the universe is conspiring against you." Steve replied. "Isn't this like the fifth time something bad has happened to you?"
"You're one to talk Mr. Battle-Wounds." Danny shot back. "You are the one who almost was drowned by a man wielding nothing less then a boar oar."
"I thought we agreed never to speak about that one." Steve replied, shooting a glance towards Kono and Chin.
Chin clapped Steve on the shoulder. "Oh, we heard all about that one." He assured his boss. "And let's not forget the one where you wrecked Danny's car."
"Thank you, Chin." Danny said. "I was just about to mention that 'little' incident. Speaking of which, I seem to remember a certain someone saying that they would pay for the damage done to said car."
"Yes. And I did." Steve replied. "I don't understand why you're still hassling about it."
"I'm hassling you?" Danny asked incredulously. "You're the one who's always hassling me about needing to lighten up. And while we're at it..."
Chin shot a look at Kono and the two cousins started to walk away from the two men who were bound to arguing for a while more.
"I think I need a drink." Chin commented, trying to ignore the sounds of the argument in the background.
"Ah." Kono turned to her cousin knowingly with a grin on her lips. "You buying?" She asked interestedly.
"I could be persuaded to purchase a few rounds." Chin replied with a easy grin.
"Then count me in." Kono said with a smile. "I'm driving."
"As long as you don't crash my car." Chin replied, holding the door to the private room open for Kono.
"Me?" Kono asked turning to look at Chin with a quick grin. "Never."
-Fini-