Three months had passed since his last run in with Wo Fat and the man seemed to have disappeared completely. So far there'd been nothing that could tell them where he was hiding out and even key members of The Yakuza refused to speak of their leader. Steve was frustrated at not being able to find the bastard who'd made it his personal goal to make his life a living hell.
"Steve, have you heard from Danny this morning?" Kono asked from the outer office.
"Not yet. He's picking Rachel and Grace up at the airport and told me he'd be late getting in," McGarrett answered.
"Is he okay?" Chin asked. They all knew how devastated Williams had been when Rachel decided to work things out with Stan. It seemed to have taken the wind out of his sails for a long time, but recently it seemed as if things were turning around and he'd been spending time with Gabby.
"I think so, but Danny doesn't always open up...even with me," McGarrett answered.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Kono said with a grin. "You two seem to talk..."
"Argue is more like it," Chin said.
"Ha ha," McGarrett smiled at the duo, but turned his attention back to the file on his laptop. Wo Fat would be a thorn in his side until he was brought before a judge to face the charges against him. Pat Jameson had been in his pocket, but Governor Denning seemed to be a good man. Since Lori's departure, things had returned to normal and his team was already making strides to bring down two arms dealers who had ties with Wo Fat and Victor Hesse. The latter was dead now, along with Jenna Kaye. While Steve felt no remorse for Victor Hesse, he did feel the loss of Jenna Kaye more deeply.
Jenna had betrayed him, but he understood why she'd done what she did. The promise that she would be reunited with her fiance had been enough to make her fall prey to Wo Fat. She died in a foreign country, but with Denning's help they'd managed to have her body returned so her family could have a proper burial. He still bore the scars from that ordeal, both physically and mentally and had vowed to bring the bastard down.
Steve knew Wo Fat could be anywhere, but he also understood the man would not let things rest between them. He remembered a conversation they had months ago and kept going back to the question Wo Fat brought up about his past and his ancestors. What was it that made Wo Fat hate him to the point of having him kidnapped and tortured?
Steve thought about Joe White and what he'd revealed about Shelburne, yet something about it didn't quite ring true. It seemed to pat of an answer after what Wo Fat told him about his father. Joe had always tried to protect him and Mary from the past, and right now that's what he felt was happening. White had left Hawaii because he didn't want to put Steve in danger, yet the answers he wanted were still illusive and something he would continue to dig for.
Steve glanced at his watch at the same time his phone began to ring and frowned when he saw who the call was from and quickly accepted the call. "McGarrett."
"Steve, it's Rachel, is Danny there?"
"No, he's not. He told me he would be late this morning because he was picking up you and Grace at the airport."
"He's not here. Grace is anxious to see him."
"Did you have him paged?"
"I tried and I called his cell phone, but he's not answering. This is not like him, Steve."
"No, it's not. Look, I''ll ask Kono to pick you up while I go check Danny's apartment," McGarrett told her, worried that he'd been sitting here while something could have happened to Danny Williams.
"You don't have to send Kono. Grace and I can take a taxi, but call me as soon as you find out where he is."
"I will, Rachel, don't worry, he probably just forgot to alarm his clock," the head of Five-0 explained.
"Danny's a police officer, Steve, I worry about him every day."
"I know...I'm sorry. I'll call," McGarrett vowed.
"Thank you, Steve."
"You're welcome," McGarrett said and placed his phone back in his pocket.
"Problems, Boss?" Chin asked. He'd caught the tail end of the conversation and wondered what could have made McGarrett look like he'd lost his best friend.
"Could be. Danny's not at the airport. I'm going to his place to see if he's there," the SEAL answered and moved past Chin.
"Want some company?"
"No, you and Kono finish up the file on the missing couple."
"We're pretty well done. They were released from the hospital this morning. Kono was going to go over and make sure we had their statement," Chin said.
"Don't you have a meeting with Denning?"
"Damn, I was hoping you'd give me a way out of that," Chin said.
"No way...it's your turn in the hot seat," McGarrett said and stood up. He grabbed his keys off the desk and headed for his truck with a tight knot of worry creeping through him. He drove away from headquarters and was glad there was very little traffic on the streets. He reached Danny's apartment building and searched the parking lot until he found Williams' Camaro parked in his spot. The knot in his gut intensified as he reached the main door and keyed in Danny's code, but there was no answer.
Steve reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys and found the one that would open the main door. As soon as Williams was satisfied that this would be his home for a while, he'd given Steve a spare set to use. Steve knew Danny's apartment was a corner unit on the second floor and hurried toward the stairs at the far end of the building He took the steps two at a time and exited through the fire door to find the corridor empty.
McGarrett could hear a television and several voices, but there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. He moved to Williams' apartment and knocked on the door, shocked when it opened several inches. His hand automatically went to his gun and he used the barrel to push the door open further, aware of the slight squeak of the hinges even as he stepped through the door.
Steve looked left and right and listened for any sound as he pointed his gun in whatever direction he looked. The kitchen and living room were empty, the TV off, and the curtains slightly drawn allowing the sunlight to peek through. A clock ticking to his right was the only sound except for his light footsteps. "Danny?"
McGarrett moved to the hallway that led to the two bedrooms, and single bathroom. There was still no sound and Steve instincts kicked in when he saw the light on in the bathroom. "Danny, are you in there?"
His question was met with silence as he pushed the door completely open and revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Steve moved to the first bedroom, the one that belonged to Grace when she stayed with her dad. It was as empty as the rest of the house and Steve took a deep breath before moving to the closed door of the bedroom. He tapped a couple of times and called his partner's name, but again he was met with silence.
McGarrett opened the door and looked inside. The Blinds were closed, but he could tell the bed hadn't been slept in and as far as he could tell Williams hadn't been there for some time. He placed his gun back in the holster and reached for his cell phone. He hit speed dial and was shocked when Williams' cell phone sounded from the outer room. He hurried to the living room area and found the phone on the coffee table beside Danny's keys and several brochures for horse back riding on The Big Island.
Steve's next call was to Chin Ho Kelly and he hoped the Governor wasn't too hard on the man. He hit speed dial and waited for Kelly to answer his phone.
"Hey, Boss, did you find him?"
"No, are you still with the governor?"
"I haven't seen him yet. What's going on, Steve?"
"I'm not sure...could be nothing."
"Could be...now that's something we don't deal in. Where are you?"
"I'm at Danny's apartment. The door was open and his cell phone and keys are on the coffee table."
"What about his car?"
"It's parked in his usual spot. Something's wrong, Chin, I can feel it," McGarrett said.
"Want me to send over the CSI guys?"
"Yes, and have Kono go over to Rachel's place and stay with her until we find out what's happened to Danny," McGarrett ordered.
"I'm on it...look I need to let the governor know what's going on and then I'll be over."
"Okay."
"Try not to worry, Boss, Danny knows what he's doing."
"I know...thanks, Chin," McGarrett said and took a deep breath once he hung up.
Steve knew he shouldn't touch anything until the crime scene team arrived, but his worry for Danny intensified as he looked around the empty apartment. The last time he'd seen his partner was early yesterday afternoon when they found the couple trapped in the cave. Danny had complained about the smell on his clothes and body and told him he was going home to shower.
'All right, Danny, where are you?' McGarrett whispered and turned when he heard a knock on the door. He moved to open it and found himself looking at an elderly woman wearing a dress that didn't quite fit her.
"Who are you? Where is Danny?" the woman asked.
"My name is Steve McGarrett..."
"You the one with many faces," the woman said with a smile.
"Pardon me?"
"Danny say you have aneurism face...blood pressure face...scary face...he never said handsome face, but you got that too," she answered and tried to enter the apartment.
"I'm sorry, you can't come in right now," McGarrett told her.
"Why? Where is Danny?"
"He's not here right now, Miss..."
"Mrs. Himura, but since you friend of Danny you can call me Akemi," the woman told him.
"Mrs..."
"You not listen very well. I said you call me Akemi."
"Akemi, when did you see Danny last?"
"When he come home yesterday. He smell like dirt and said he wanted a shower. I tell him he should go for swim...work faster and make feel better. You swim in ocean?"
"Yes, I do, but Danny doesn't like swimming much."
"This i know, but he took bag with him and went for swim."
"Can you tell me what time that was?"
"Around four...no no, three. I was still watching my soap. Do you watch General Hospital?"
"No, sorry," McGarrett told her.
"Too bad...would enjoy getting a man's opinion. I must be getting back before my tea grows cold."
"Akemi, would you mind giving a statement to police officer?"
"I just did...you police...Five-0 like Danny."
"Yes, but..."
"You no think something happen to him?"
"I don't know...I hope not, but we need to find him," McGarrett answered.
"I give statement...you tell officer come to apartment 206 and I make sure I tell everything I saw," the woman said and turned away, but stopped in front of her door. "You good cop...you find him?"
"I will," McGarrett vowed and closed the door. At least they now had a time line to work with. Danny had spoken with Akemi Himura around three yesterday afternoon before going for a swim. That in itself surprised McGarrett, but lately Danny was full of surprises, ever since he found out the baby Rachel had carried wasn't his.
Steve remembered the day the baby was born and the look on Danny's face when he didn't realize anyone else was there. The only word he could think of to describe what he saw was devastated. The eyes, usually so full of life had seemed to lose that luster when he turned away from the window and realized he was no longer alone. The conversation was short, but Steve knew being in the delivery room had been a bittersweet experience for Williams.
McGarrett looked up at the sound of sirens and knew the crime scene unit would be there any minute. He hoped they would find some clue as to what happened to Danny, because the alternative was too much too think about. What if Williams had gone swimming and gotten into trouble with no one knowing where he was or what he was doing? God, help him, he didn't want to admit it, but the thought of losing Danny was like a dagger to the heart. It hurt just as much as being responsible for his father's death.
"Commander, are you in there?"
"I'm here...the place is clear," McGarrett said and held the door while the two men entered the apartment with their equipment. "You'll need to check Danny's car as well. It's the Camaro parked in the spot designated by the apartment complex. I think it's the same as his apartment number."
"Thank you, Commander," one of the men said.
Steve knew he'd only be in the way if he stayed here and stepped out of the apartment as Chin arrived at the top of the stairs.
"Anything new?"
"Danny's neighbor saw him yesterday around three. He told her he was going for a swim..."
"Danny?" Chin said, surprise evident in his voice. "I thought his idea of swimming involved a pool and heated water."
"It is, but she said she suggested it after he complained about the smell from the caves being on his clothes," McGarrett explained.
"Maybe he just needed some time to himself after what happened with Rachel and the baby," Chin observed.
"I wish I could believe that, Chin, but he would have called and how do you explain his car parked in his spot and his keys and cell phone on the table. Something's happened to him and we need to find him," McGarrett said.
"Okay, so we start at the last point someone might have seen him. Do you have any idea where he would have gone for a swim?"
"The pool," McGarrett said.
"Well, we know that, but it sounds like he was headed for the beach. Do you know where he might have gone?"
"Kailua beach," McGarrett said. "He's taken Grace there a couple of times."
"Why don't we head there. Maybe Mikhail saw him," Chin said of the man who had a little surfboard shop there.
"Come on, we'll take my truck," McGarrett said and made sure the CSI people knew to call him if they found anything.
5050505050
Danny had been taken to a new room and slammed into a chair. The whole time Wo Fat was seated behind a desk sipping a glass of liquor while his men placed plastic fasteners across his wrists and ankles. Nearly an hour had passed since he'd woken in the dark room, and still the bastard didn't acknowledge his presence except to make a slight motion with the glass.
Williams licked at dry lips and wished he could find the moisture needed to form words, but it seemed like forever since he'd had anything to drink. He tried to pulled his arms free, but succeeded in abrading the skin on his wrists.
"You will not be able to pull free, Detective," Wo Fat said and swished the ambler liquid in the glass before drinking what was left. "My people know the punishment for stupidity..."
"Guess that remains to be seen," Williams said.
"How so?"
"They're working for you...pretty stupid if you ask me," the Jersey native answered.
"I see my brother's influence in your words, Detective," Wo Fat said.
"Now why would I let anyone remotely related to you influence my words? I don't even know your brother!"
"I believe you do, but for now I will keep his identity to myself. Now, I know you are wondering why I had you brought here, but again I'd rather not say until I am sure things have been set in motion."
"What things?"
"I want to finish my conversation with Steve McGarrett, and since you seem to be the calming influence..."
Danny couldn't stop the laughter as he listened to Wo Fat's words. "You have got o be crazy. My influence is anything but calming where Steve is concerned. We argue all the time and God knows my blood pressure goes through the roof whenever he's around."
"That may very well be, Detective, but he would do anything for you and that's why you are here."
"Why?" Williams asked.
"I want him to come to me without Joe White or Chin Ho Kelly or Kono Kalakaua or Lori Weston. The only way to insure that happens is to give him an ultimatum."
"What ultimatum?" Williams asked, yet something told him he really didn't want to know what Wo Fat was talking about. He also realized the man had no idea that Lori Weston and Joe White were no longer in Hawaii.
"That's easy," Wo Fat said and moved to sit on the edge of the desk while pouring another drink. "Steve McGarrett comes to me...alone and unarmed or he will find your body in tiny pieces spread across the beach in front of his home. Now I know he will not want to see you harmed, but I'm afraid I need to show him I am not making idle threats so please note this is not personal...at least not where you are concerned, Detective Williams."
"What is it about Steve that brings out the worst in you?"
"You should ask yourself that same question, detective. I have heard rumors of the arguments between you two. Now to mention how at odds you are when it comes to gaining information from your prisoners. I'm afraid neither one of you has any finesse in that department," Wo Fat said and took a sip of his drink. He placed the glass on the desk and reached for something out of Williams' sight.
Danny watched helplessly as Wo Fat reached behind him and pulled out an object he'd seen a few times. He knew what it was for, and also understood that it could be used to inflict a great deal of pain. His already dry throat worked convulsively as his captor stood and tapped he cattle prod against his palm.
"Now, Detective, as a cop I'm sure you recognize this object and as I said before there is nothing personal involved, but I really need Steve McGarrett to understand who is in charge and what is expected of him," Wo Fat explained and used the weapon to part Williams shirt and reveal his chest. He pressed a button and was surprised when Williams showed no sign of fear. "This weapon is for my own personal use, Detective and there have been a few modifications. I can have it deliver a light..."
Danny gritted his teeth and his hands clenched into fists as the minor shock sent pain along firing nerve endings. He felt his body go limp, but glared at the man standing before him.
"Or heavy..."
This time the shock felt like it would stop his heart and a scream escaped his throat as his body shook with the force of the energy being delivered to his chest. It felt like forever, but he was finally able to breathe as Wo Fat placed the cattle prod back on the desk.
"That should be wonderful for a first message don't you think, Detective?"
"Go to hell!" Williams managed and knew he was already there as Wo Fat took several pictures before ordering that he be taken back to his cell.
TBC
Author's Note-Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews, alerts, and favorites. You guy are great.