Lee and Meilin Chen knew their daughter was lost to them, but they still had Xia and would do everything in their power to keep her safe. They had refused to speak with the police, but understood that they could not avoid them forever. The doctor had already told them there'd been nothing they could have done to save Qiang, but the couple knew that was wrong. Lee had chosen his path many years before Qiang was born, and now that path had led them here.
"Mother, Father, there are two officers from Five-O here and they wish to speak with you," Xia Chen said. She was shorter than her older sister, but just as beautiful. Her eyes shone with tears as she moved to sit beside her parents.
"Five-O?" Meilin said and looked at her husband. "I have heard you speak of them."
"They are a special team set up by Pat Jameson," Lee explained. Minutes after his oldest daughter was shot, he'd received a call from someone who worked for Wo Fat. The man did not identify himself, but warned Lee that he was a lucky man because he still had one beautiful daughter. The threat was very real and Lee knew Wo Fat would not hesitate to kill his family, one by one if he thought he was being betrayed. Qiang's death was a warning and one he would not ignore.
"Should I tell them you will call them?" Xia asked.
"No, it will be better if we speak with them now," Lee told her.
"But, Lee, what if he finds out you spoke with Five-O?" Meilin asked.
"Sooner or later we will have to speak to them and Wo Fat knows that. This was a warning, Meilin, and I will not ignore it. I will do whatever I need to in order to keep you and Xia safe."
"Father, would it not be better to tell Five-O the truth and cut all ties with Wo Fat?"
"Do not speak of such things, Xia. Your father has no choice, but to do as Wo Fat wants...I could not bear to lose you as well," Meilin said.
"I'm sorry to intrude, but we need to talk to you about what happened," Kono said and moved into the room with Chin following close behind her.
"Who are you?" Lee asked.
"My name is Kono Kalakaua and this is Chin Ho Kelly," Kono answered and showed them her badge while Chin did the same.
"Have you found out who killed our daughter?" Meilin asked.
"I'm sorry, we've only just found out what's happened," Kono said and sat opposite the two women. "Do you know of anyone who might have wanted your daughter dead?"
"No, today was her 21st birthday and Jing asked her to marry him," Meilin answered.
"Who is Jing?"
"Jing Tōan," Lee told her. "He has been seeing Qiang since her 16th birthday, but they have known each other for most of her life. Jing's family has lived in China all of their lives and they are well respected there."
"Qiang had no enemies," Xia observed.
"Then she was targeted for another reason," Chin said.
"None that I can think of," Meilin offered.
"What about your husband's ties with The Yakuza?" Chin asked.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Lee told him, anger evident in his tone.
"We know about your dealings with The Yakuza and Wo Fat, Mr. Chen," Chin said. "We know you've been laundering money and..."
"How dare you come here and make accusations while my daughter is on a slab in the morgue. She would be alive if you were doing your job!"
"Mr. Chen, we know you've had dealings with Wo Fat and you've even welcomed him into your home," Kono began.
"Who I invite into my home is none of your business!"
"It is when the people are involved in drug dealings, illegal arms, and human slave trading," Chin snapped.
"We're done!" Chen snapped and stood up. "If you wish to continue this conversation then you can contact my lawyer and go through channels!"
"Mr. Chen..." Kono tried, but the family had already left the room. "Think we were too hard on him?"
"No, he's got to know why Qiang was killed."
"How can you be sure it's got to do with The Yakuza?"
"The timing. Wo Fat is not stupid and he knows we're looking for him."
"So why go after Qiang Chen?"
"Wo Fat probably wants to send a message to anyone who stands against his position as leader of The Yakuza. When 'The Old Man' ran things people respected him and went to him before they stepped on anyone's toes. Wo Fat doesn't seem to give a damn about who he turns into an enemy. He just proved that by killing a young woman who doesn't seem to have any ties to the organization except through her father. When you get back to the office I want you to check into Jing Tōan and see if he had any dealings with them."
"Where are you going?"
"I want to check in with Danielle and see if she found out what happened with the signal."
"He could just be out of range," Kono suggested.
"Maybe, but we need to keep checking the signal in case it's just a glitch."
"Or Wo Fat brings Steve to Hawaii," Kono observed and followed Chin from the room.
5050505050
Jae-Sun Pong stood on the balcony of his hotel room in downtown Honolulu and watched as the sun slowly crept above the horizon. He'd spent the night wrapped in the arms of a beautiful blonde who'd left shortly before six. She was bought and paid for by Wo Fat and he knew the man was happy with the results of his plan. Qiang Chen was dead and her parents had been devastated by the loss, but it had also sent a strong message that Wo Fat was not to be taken lightly and anyone who crossed him would be severely dealt with.
Jae-Sun smiled at the thought of the upcoming cage fight between Wo Fat and Steve McGarrett. He'd seen many fights during the years, but looked forward to this one. Normally he wouldn't think twice on who he would bet on, but in this case he was hard-pressed to pick a winner. Both men had varying degrees of black belts in different martial arts. McGarrett had even stepped into the ring and held his own with a pro. That might give him a bit of an edge, but Wo Fat had given him drugs to keep him docile...or as docile as a lion in a bloody frenzy.
Pong knew he would bet on Wo Fat out of loyalty for his friend, but a small part of him wanted to see McGarrett take him down a peg. The man had an ego, but he was also no fool. When it came time to step into the cage, he would have something that would ensure his victory over McGarrett.
Jae-Sun turned and walked to the door, opening it to find a young woman pushing a trolley. He knew it contained his breakfast and gave her a healthy tip before she left him alone. The night of sex had left him ravenous and he took the lids from the plate of Eggs Benedict, toast, fresh fruit and yogurt before pouring a glass of orange juice. He sat down and turned on the television just in time to catch the news about Qiang Chen. It was a loss that such a beautiful young woman was dead, but it had sent a clear message. The cage fight would be filled with people who would otherwise shun Wo Fat and his invitation.
Wo Fat was due in Hawaii around midnight, but not by conventional methods. He'd be arriving by yacht at a home owned by a member of The Yakuza outside Honolulu. It had a private dock and had been used on several occasion because of its secluded nature. The cage was actually an underground cavern renovated for just such occasions. The cage was set up in the center with several rows of elevated seats so those in attendance had a good view of the area.
Pong had been there on several occasion, and was really looking forward to this one. The cage fights always ended in death for one of the opponents, that was what kept people coming back. Morbid curiosity was part of human nature, and he wondered how many people could honestly say they wouldn't be interested in watching such a fight. Serena Lewis was a woman who knew how to throw a party. After the cage fights the attendees made their way to the house where they enjoyed themselves with the escorts that worked for her. The woman was exotically beautiful and had taken advantage of it in the world of high rollers.
Jae-Sun finished the orange juice and smiled as McGarrett's picture flashed across the screen and the news anchor reported the story of his disappearance. When they did find him, there wouldn't be much left to bury, Wo Fat would see to that.
5050505050
The rocking motion woke Steve and instinct told him he was on a boat, and he opened his eyes to find a pinpoint of light coming through a small circular window on the right side of the small room. He lay on his left side, his arms secured behind his back, and his legs bent at the knees. He tried to shift his body, but a length of rope linked his bound arms and legs and left him no choice, but to stay as he was.
The last time he'd been awake he'd been in the cell, and now he had no memory of being moved from there to this boat. His head pounded and Steve recognized the after effects of being heavily drugged. He silently cursed Wo Fat and himself for not recognizing what the man had done, and briefly wondered how long he'd been out.
McGarrett knew there was no point in dwelling on it, and turned his attention to freeing his hands. Whoever had bound him knew exactly what they were doing, they'd used plastic ties instead of cuffs and there was no give to them. Steve kept trying to free himself even as he took in his surroundings. He was lying on the floor in a room that was maybe eight by eight and probably the same from top to bottom. It had probably been used for storage, but whatever was being stored had been removed. The room itself was totally bare, not even a speck of dust on the floor.
Steve heard voices outside the room and the lock disengaged before the door opened and a woman stepped into the room. If he hadn't been tied up he would have found her exotically beautiful. Her shoulder length dark hair framed an unblemished face with dark green eyes. She came closer and knelt in front of him, clasping his chin between the thumb and fingers of her right hand.
"He doesn't look like much," the woman said.
"Looks can be deceiving, Serena," Wo Fat said and stood behind her.
"He does have wonderful muscle tone and I can see the fire in his eyes. Are you sure you want to face him in the cage?" Serena Lewis asked as she examined the prisoner and found it hard to resist pressing her lips against his. They would be staying at her home several miles north of Honolulu, and very few people knew how she really afforded to live her lavish lifestyle. Most people thought she'd inherited the money and property, and in a way they were right, at least with the property part of it. The money was a different matter...she lived a double life. Her job at least on paper was a flight attendant, but she really enjoyed her role as a high priced escort and could easily retire with the money she'd earned over the last ten years. Her regulars, like Wo Fat and Jae-Sun Pong were more than generous and that did not count the money made from the private cage fights she held.
"I can take him," Wo Fat said and smiled when the captive tried to pull away from her touch.
"I'm sure you can, but will it be a fair fight or do you plan to keep him drugged?"
"I do not need to keep him drugged any longer. Once we arrive at your home, he will be taken to his cell until the fight tomorrow," Wo Fat told her.
"He is angry...perhaps you should have let him see the highlights of Detective Williams funeral. It was rather heartbreaking when Grace Williams dropped the white rose into the grave," Serena said and released his face. The anger in his eyes fueled the burning desire inside her and she briefly wondered if she could take him to her bed before the fight.
"I would not advise it, Serena, he would not cooperate," Wo Fat told her.
"I wouldn't be so sure. Remember the first time you and I shared a bed? You were not very cooperative either, but we did enjoy ourselves," Serena said and seductively rubbed up against him.
"How could I forget?" Wo Fat whispered. "How long before we dock?"
"An hour...just enough time to enjoy ourselves," she said and turned to the prisoner. She knelt in front of him and grabbed his face again before brushing her lips against his. "I wish there was time to explore your body, Commander, but I'm afraid that's something that will never happen. Just think how much we could have enjoyed ourselves."
Steve gritted his teeth until she released his jaw and moved to take Wo Fat's arm before leaving the room. His head pounded as her words replayed in his mind and he closed his eyes and envisioned Grace Williams standing at her father's grave. He could almost feel her sadness and see the tears streaming down her cheeks. His heart ached and he knew no matter what else happened, he would kill Wo Fat for taking Danny Williams away from his family.
McGarrett closed his eyes and tried to rest, but his mind continued to conjure up images of Grace Williams and her baby brother. Danny would never know the baby was his, but Steve did, and he'd make sure Charles and Grace knew what a great dad they had. Rachel Edwards might argue with him about it, and he really had no say in the matter, but he would convince her it was the right thing to do. Danny deserved that.
His thoughts turned to Wo Fat and he knew the man's weak point was his hatred for anyone related to John McGarrett. That would be his downfall, because Steve hated him just as much, but he also had a reason to win. A reason that had nothing to do with hatred and everything to do with a silent vow he'd made to Grace and Charles. They would know what a hero their father was and for that to happen, Steve needed to take Wo Fat down for good.
5050505050
Danielle Marceau opened her eyes and stretched the kinks from her back. It had been many years since she'd fallen asleep at her desk, but she'd been working day and night to figure out what had gone wrong with the tracking device. She reached for the cup of coffee at the edge of the papers strewn across the top and grimaced when she downed the cold liquid.
Danielle looked at her watch and knew she should go home, but hated the thought of letting Chin Ho Kelly down. The man cared about those around him and had finally cleared his name with the help of the Five-O team. Since that time they'd managed to do things no one else had and the loss of McGarrett was devastating, especially after almost losing Danny Williams.
Marceau looked at her computer and debated whether or not she should turn it on, but she needed to get some sleep and come at it from a different angle. She sighed heavily and reached for her jacket before leaving the room, and missed the pinging sound that would have alerted her that her device was working.
Danielle drove out of the nearly empty parking lot and drove along the street toward her home as rain fell heavily. She knew she was beyond tired and her body ached with fatigue, but it was only a couple of blocks and there was very little traffic on the streets at this hour. She stopped at a red light, rotated her shoulders and pulled ahead when the light turned red. She didn't see the motorcycle that pulled out of a driveway just ahead of her and tried to avoid a collision by turned hard to the right. The car hit a deep pothole that was scheduled for work later in the day, the tire blew out and she lost control of the car as it scraped along the guardrail before slamming into a tree.
The cars' airbags deployed and deflated, saving her from smashing into the windshield, but the force of the impact snapped her head back against the seat and she lost consciousness. The only sound was the fat drops of rain hitting the mangled engine as the driver of the motorcycle stood up and dazedly looked around before picking up the bike and speeding away from the scene with the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath.
5050505050
Steve felt the boat hit up against something and heard the change in the engine as it slowed the forward momentum. He heard voices outside the door and lifted his head when it opened and two men came into his cell.
"Now, Commander, this is how it's going to go. I'm going to release you, well, mostly release you, but your arms will stay behind your back. Now since you're so good with your feet we'll make sure there's not much room for you to move...I believe it's called hobbling, but I can't be sure. You try anything and I'll make damn sure you won't be able to stand in the cage."
McGarrett listened to the bastard, but he knew the man would not do anything to make Wo Fat angry. If he did, Steve had a feeling he'd be the next one in the cage...maybe Wo Fat's practice dummy. Steve felt the bindings between his ankles and wrists and bit his lip as he stretched and felt the needles and pins in his extremities.
"Get him on his feet," Chan-Sook ordered the two men as he kept his weapon trained on the SEAL.
Steve felt them grab his arms and pull him up, but his legs weren't steady enough to hold him and he would have fallen had it not been for their support. He lifted his head as they pulled him from the cell and blinked rapidly as the bright lights across the pier threatened to blind him. He blinked several times as they dragged him across the deck and down the ramp to the dock. He lifted his head and looked around, taking in the lush foliage as they pulled him toward the shore.
McGarrett could see the two story house set at the top of a small hill, against a backdrop of trees and mountains that would normally be breathtaking. Right now it just reminded him of hell, and the fact that he was about to step into the maw of the beast was as clear as the moon shining down from the sky. He was dragged toward the house, but they bypassed the main entrance and headed around the back.
Steve watched for a chance to make his move, but the man holding the gun stayed safely out of his reach. There wasn't much he could have done with his arms bound behind his back and the short length of chain between his ankles, but that had never stopped him before.
"Come on, Commander, we don't have all day!" Chan-Sook warned as his two men tried to keep the prisoner on his feet.
"We could carry him!"
"No, he'd find some way to use it to his advantage. He's a SEAL after all and those bastards could rip out your throat with the flick of a wrist," Chan-Sook said as they passed the house.
Steve continued to search the area, making sure he had a general idea of where everything was. A high fence surrounded the property, a large gate the only access. Even the dock was situated so no one could enter without going through channels, both figuratively and literally. He licked at dry lips and cursed when the man holding the weapon shoved him in the back and he wound up hitting the ground hard. They pulled him back to his feet and he turned his head to glare at the hated figure who seemed intent on making his life a living hell.
"Come on, Commander, Wo Fat's putting on a party and there are a couple of ladies I intend to have some fun with," Chan-Sook said and smiled as the others nodded their agreement.
Steve stared at the path ahead of them and knew they had to be close to their destination or else they'd be climbing a mountain. It took a couple of minutes for them to reach the end of the path and he saw the massive gate in the side of the mountain itself. It would have been hard to see in a flyover because of the overhanging ledge and the trees that surrounded it. They dragged him to the gate and waited for several seconds while a man on the inside pressed a series of buttons and the heavy bars began to open.
"Impressive, isn't it, Commander?" Chan-Sook said, nodding to the guard as they dragged the prisoner inside.
McGarrett didn't bother answering, but continued to look around. The air was cooler inside the massive cavern and he shivered as the gate closed behind them. Several strings of electrical wiring were attached to the roof twenty feet above his head. It illuminated the area enough so Steve could see three heavy metal doors, one directly in front of him and two on either side.
"Is that McGarrett?" Carl Tracey asked.
"That's him...doesn't look so tough does he, Carl?" Chan-Sook answered.
"That's for sure. Why would Wo Fat even bother putting him in the cage?"
"Brotherly love I guess," Chan-Sook answered and the four men laughed before dragging McGarrett toward the door on the right. "It should prove interesting though...after all he is a SEAL."
"Want to make a side bet on who wins?"
"And have Miss Lewis find out? Are you sure you want to face her?"
"Hell, no..."
"That's what I thought. Get the door open so I can go have some fun," Chan-Sook ordered. "How many does she have besides the main event?"
"There are four guests besides McGarrett. It's going to be a full card and we both know what that means," Carl answered.
"Bonus," Chan-Sook told him.
Steve was only partially listening to the two men and kept his eyes open as they started down a narrow corridor. It was several degrees cooler in here and he knew they were going deeper into the mountain. The path sloped downward and was slippery, but he was able to stay on his feet as he counted the doors on both sides. There were ten doors, each one had a small window with bars and a small slot at the bottom that could be used to pass food into the cells.
McGarrett watched as the man he knew as Carl opened the door and stepped back. The cell was small, maybe ten by ten, with small cot at one end and a toilet and sink set against the wall at the foot of the bed.
"All right, Commander, this is your new home. I'm going to release your hands, but if you try anything I'll make damn sure you're trussed up like the Thanksgiving turkey," Chan-Sook warned.
Steve was forced inside, shoved to his knees and held in place while the ties were cut from his wrists. The two men kept his arms in position until Carl took what looked like a leather collar from the cot and wrapped it around his neck, fastening it in place with a snap. The collar itself was attached to a metal loop set in the rock above the bed.
"Now, Commander, you may try to remove the collar, but it is locked in place and made of a material that was designed by the lady who runs the cage fights. She believes in keeping her animals in check and no one has been able to slip the collar off," Carl warned as the two men released McGarrett and they left him alone in the cell.
Steve sighed heavily as he heard the locking mechanism engage and gritted his teeth as he pulled his hands around in front of him. He rubbed his wrists and waited for the pins and needles to subside before moving to the cot. He stretched the kinks from his back and rotated his shoulders before testing the collar. There wasn't enough room to put a finger between it and his neck and he searched for the lock, but soon found out they hadn't lied about the collar. He lay back and closed his eyes, but soon heard a sound that sent chills through his spine.
McGarrett looked at the ceiling and saw the small opening and knew whatever was being piped in wasn't good. He started to cough and held his breath, but there was no escaping the effect of the gas as his eyes closed and he surrendered to the darkness.
TBC!