"Wow…" Came Kono's response as she looked down to the photo that Danny had passed around the table top. He had called everyone in so they could get to the bottom of this. They needed to know the truth. Looking over to Danny she then passed the photo to Chin. "How much are we thinking that this photo is legit?" She asked to him.
Danny sighed. "I'm going with a strong eight out of ten." He told her with a slight shrug. "Sam's very sceptical about it all. She's a bit on edge…convinced it's some sort of trap or if he is alive that he's going to hate us all because we left him there for so long." He sighed. "To be honest…I think she's completely freaked out. When I got to the house she was white as a ghost."
"Not that I blame her." Lou commented as he took the photo as it was passed to him. "I don't know how I would feel if I were in her shoes. I'd probably feel a bit on edge too with everything considering. What about Joe? He turned up and gave this to her right? Surly he's around?"
"I tried to ring Joe but he's out of cell service." Danny told them looking to them before looking to them. "How genuine do you think the photo is?" He asked looking between them all.
"I think we all want to believe that this is genuine." Chin commented with a sigh before he then took the photo once more and studied it carefully. "I mean it looks pretty legit…" Looking to it he frowned. "This building behind him…it looks familiar…" He mumbled before he then started typing away. "Here…" He bought up two photos. "If this photo is genuine then we kinda have a problem…"
"Problem being?" Danny asked looking to his colleague and friend.
"Problem being that if he's alive he's currently in a maximum security prison…and in Japan? They don't allow visitors unless it's lawyer or someone really important. They're not even allowed to send letters or have phone calls. They're quite strict. If he's in there it's going to be very difficult to get in." Chin explained looking to them.
Danny drummed his fingers onto the table top and sighed. "So how do we get in…"
"Joe has contacts…the one that sent this must have gotten inside to be able to take it…" Lou commented looking between them.
"Wait a minute…we're cops….surly we can go in? Say we're investigating?" Kono asked looking to her cousin.
"It could work but it's still strict. I guess we won't know until we try."
"So isn't the question is….if Steve is alive and in that prison…who put him there?" Lou asked looking to Danny. "I know Steve had his fair share of enemies, but who would go this far to sink so low and do that to him?"
"That's one question we need to get to the bottom of it." Danny told him before looking between them all. "Who fancies a trip to Japan then?"
"Shouldn't someone stay behind and keep an eye on Sam?" Lou suggested to Danny.
"You volunteering there Lou?"
Lou shrugged. "Sure. My Japanese isn't up to scratch. I'd be better off here…"
"Okay Chin and Kono grab your stuff. We'll get on the first available flight to Japan. Maybe when we land we will be able to get a hold of Joe." He looked to Lou. "Don't let Sam know what's going on. If she finds out we've gone to sort this out she'll hit the roof. She wanted to be a part of this but I told her she needed to be here for the kids."
"And what if she starts asking questions?" Lou asked to him with a frown.
"Just make something up. If she comes here, which I highly doubt if I'm honest then just say we're out on a case. Keep her in the dark for as long as possible until we know what is what."
Lou looked to him. "You do know if she finds out and you kept her in the dark she's probably going to kill you?"
"Probably but it would be worth it to know if Steve is alive." Danny commented looking to her. "Right now the less Sam knows the better."
Lou nodded to him. "I'll keep an eye on her." He promised to him. They all adored Sam at Five-O. All they wanted was for everything to be okay again. To have their team complete.
"Thanks Lou." He offered him a smile before looking to Chin and Kono. "Let's go. We've got a long flight ahead of us and sooner we go the sooner we will be there."
Chin and Kono nodded to Danny before heading to the office and grabbing their gear. They always had gear on standby. Coming out of the office, Kono looked to Danny. "I've just got off the phone with the airport, there's a flight leaving to Japan in an hour. She said if we can get there in the next twenty minutes they'll let us on."
"Well let's get going." Danny stated before looking to Lou. "Keep me updated on Sam."
"Of course." He told him with a smile before looking to them all. "Good luck. Come back in one piece."
Chin looked to him and laughed a little. "Words of encouragement?"
"Always here to help my brother." He mused looking to them.
The three smiled to Lou before heading out. They needed to get to the car park and to the airport. They couldn't miss this flight.
"Have you tried reaching Joe again?" Kono asked from the back seat, looking Danny as they headed to the airport.
Danny shook his head as he looked back to Kono in the back seat. "I thought I'd wait until we touch down in Japan. He was out of cell service so wondering if he's headed to Japan himself. Hopefully we can meet up and get to the bottom of this."
"You think Sam will be okay?" She asked with a sigh.
Danny gave a small nod. "I think so. I know she's trying to stay strong for the sake of the kids but it's now and then I see the little cracks and I know she's struggling. I guess I never really knew how much of a big part Steve played in her life. It's like she's lost without him. Yes the kids keep her going, but when they're in bed? Well I don't know what she gets up to or how she feels. She puts on a brave face for all of us."
Chin sighed a little. "Well they have been inseparable since they got together…it's understandable if she's been feeling a bit on edge with everything. I mean to bury your husband then find out he might actually be alive…well it's confusing."
Danny nodded a little. "I know…it's just hard seeing her like that you know? She's my baby sister and all I see is her in pain. She might put on a brave face but I can see through past it. I know her and I know what she's like."
Kono smiled to him. "Then let's hope we can take that pain away from her."
Danny nodded a little. He wanted more than anything to make his sister feel better. To take away the heartache, but in a way it was a heartache they both shared. Steve was his best friend. His partner after so many years. To lose him so suddenly and without any warning? It was heart breaking for him as well, but he could fully see and understand where his sister was coming from. He just hoped that he could heal everything for her as best as he could. Like any big brother, he just wanted to protect his little sister.