Steve wasn't surprised when Serena re-entered his cell with two guards who stood on either side of the door. Each man held a weapon pointed directly at his chest and at this distance there was no way in hell they would miss.
"Now, Commander, or maybe, since we are going to be very close over the next couple of hours I should call you Steve," Serena said and held the manacles and leash in front of her as she sat down. "Wo Fat is entertaining several business associates, but he was agreeable to letting you watch the fights from my booth. There was a stipulation that you should be restrained and led by a leash."
"Go to hell!" McGarrett snarled and pulled away, painfully aware of the weapons trained on him.
"Come now, Steve, don't you think it would be better to cooperate with me and at least get a glimpse of what to expect when you enter the cage? Wo Fat is strong and smart, but like you he's also trained in many forms of martial arts. I'm sure he's been studying you as well as the other contestants vying for dominance."
"I don't need to prove anything to anyone."
"Maybe not, but I thought you were going to make Wo Fat ay for killing your friend or does that matter to you anymore?"
"It matters," McGarrett said with chilling clarity. He could not give up the chance he had to take his own kind of revenge on Wo Fat and soon found his arms locked behind his back as Serena attached a four foot long leather leash to the collar around his neck. He swallowed his pride and stood tall as she looked him over like he was a piece of meat.
"I must say you look good. Have you ever thought of being a submissive?" Serena asked and chuckled softly when he didn't answer. "I guess it really doesn't matter since we won't have a chance to find out. We better get moving or we'll miss the opening fight and believe me it's really something and gets the blood pumping."
Steve knew there was no choice but to comply and allowed the woman to lead him from the room. He could have put up a token fight, but all that would result in was being hit by one of the guards. That wouldn't help once he stepped into the cage, so he bit back the urge to attack and pretended to walk meekly at the woman's side.
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Chin, Kono, and Danny exited the limo and stood watching as the other guests moved away from their cars and were escorted toward the back of the house. There were more than a dozen cars parked in the main area, with several parked on the well manicured lawn. There were Jags, Camaros, Corvettes, and even a bright yellow Lamborghini parked amongst the limos.
Melanie Taylor had explained how things worked with the cage fights and told them as her guests she was responsible for their behavior. She knew why they were here and would help in any way she could, but she would not do anything on her own unless there was no choice. They would remain here until their escort arrived and then Kono would accompany Melanie into her private box. Once inside Joe, Chin, and Danny would be allowed to watch the fights, but they were to remain inside the box until they saw McGarrett. After that all bets were off and Melanie understood she would have no say in what they did.
Danny swallowed several times in an effort to keep what little he'd eaten inside, but there was nothing he could do about the dull ache in his side. His head pounded and he leaned heavily against the car as Chin and Kono watched him worriedly.
"Danny, why don't you wait in the car?" Kono asked softly, relieved that Melanie's attention was on Joe White and not on her. The woman had scrutinized her during the trip and left no doubt as to what her interests were, but Kono had simply told her she did not go that way. Melanie had simply told her not to close the doors on something she'd never experienced.
"I'm going, Kono," Williams said and unconsciously rubbed his side. A man and woman walked toward Melanie and spoke to her before motioning for the group to follow them. Danny smiled thinly at Kono before joining Joe and Chin as they walked behind Melanie and Kono. They walked past several others who seemed to be waiting for their escorts and continued past the house. The back lawn was as immaculately cared for as the front and they were led toward a white arch that marked the start of a path.
"Danny, are you sure you're all right?" Chin asked.
"No, but I'm not going anywhere until we find Steve," Williams answered softly and felt Chin's strength as he walked closely beside him. Danny's instincts kicked in and he studied the area in case they needed a quick way out. The problem was there were just too many people on hand to watch two men beat each other up for the sake of entertainment.
It took ten minutes to reach their destination and Danny listened as Melanie exchanged pleasantries with several other guests who were waiting to be escorted through a set of heavy gates. He caught snatches of the conversations around him, but when he heard Wo fat's name it took Chin's hand on his arm to stop him from acting on it.
"We need to wait until we verify that Steve is here," Chin warned.
"If Wo Fat is here then you can bet Steve is too!" Williams snapped, but he knew the other man was right.
"Ms. Taylor, we can seat you now," a young woman dressed entirely in black told them as she handed out fliers to Melanie and Kono. "There is a special fight added at the end of today's program."
"Is there?" Taylor asked and hooked her arm through Kono's. "I told you this was a good day to catch your first fight."
"It is a last minute addition, but it should prove to be very entertaining. Would you like me to have Champagne sent to your seats?"
"That would be wonderful, Nadine, and perhaps you could ask Serena for the rest of the night off," Taylor said and smiled wolfishly at the pretty woman.
"Of course," Nadine said and led the way toward an open door.
Danny heard the noises and raised voices from inside and blinked several times as the bright lights stabbed at his eyes. The smell of sweat and alcohol permeated the area and made him nauseous. He followed the group through the narrow corridor and looked around the enclosed cavern. The place was bigger than he first thought with row after row of seats on an upper level while private boxes were slightly raised above the stage. The boxes were set far enough apart that they were completely obscured and impossible for those in the seats to see what was happening inside.
The cage was constructed of iron bars that were set at one foot intervals and rose to the ceiling of the chamber. There were chains linking each of the bars, while the floor was simply the raised stone of the interior of the mountain. The only door to the cage had a lock on the outside, making it impossible for the combatants to open it until the fight was over and the guard unlocked the device attached to it.
The seats were nearly filled as Williams and the others were led to Melanie Taylor's booth. The crowd was already anxious for the fights to begin and money exchanged hands as the first two combatants were led into the cage. Both men circled each other, their eyes glazed with anger as they grabbed the bars and screamed at the onlookers.
Danny wasn't sure if this was all part of the show or if the men in the cage had been given something that fueled the fire inside them. Their eyes were wild as the chains on the bars rattled violently, and he shook his head at the rabid way the onlookers reacted to the scene. It made his stomach churn that people could be so damn callous when it came to human lives.
"Danny, come on," Chin said, relieved when Williams turned away from the cage and followed the group toward the private box.
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Steve was led along the narrow corridor toward a door that opened onto a large cavern. The cage was set at the center and he felt Serena pull on the leash as the guard shoved him between the shoulder blades to get him moving again. There were two men already in the cage and they seemed to have garnered the attention of everyone in the surrounding area.
"Oh, Serena what a beautiful pet you have there," an elderly woman observed and reached out to touch Steve's biceps.
"He is isn't he, Dona Maria, but please keep your hands off the merchandise," Serena warned.
"Will he be fighting or is he just for show? How is he in bed?"
"Yes, he will be fighting and as for the second question...a woman never tells," Serena observed. "I do believe your boy is waiting to escort you to your seat."
"When will I be allowed a private box?" Dona Maria Alvarez asked.
"I'm afraid there are none available right now, My Dear, but when one does open up I will keep you in mind," Serena said and watched the woman as she studied McGarrett hungrily. "Excuse me, Dona Maria, but the first fight is about to get underway and I have yet to make my wager."
"I'll be putting my money on this one," the elderly woman said and smiled as she touched McGarrett's arms before walking away. "She's such an old fool."
Steve ignored the woman as she led him toward a set of stairs that led toward one of the private boxes that were slightly elevated to give the patrons the best view of the cage. He could see the other boxes, but could not see who was inside, but if the noise level in the area was any indication the place was packed.
People seemed to show their worst when there was a chance of bloodshed and Steve knew that's exactly what was going to happen here. The two men in the cage were the first of four bouts, his and Wo Fat's being the last. There were men and women of all ages, most were filthy rich and didn't think twice as long as the entertainment kept them enthralled.
"I think they're ready for this, don't you agree, Steve?" Serena asked upon reaching her box. She motioned to the guards to take up position behind her as she took her seat and made sure McGarrett was seated on her left so he could enjoy the fights as much as she did.
"Why do you do this?" McGarrett asked.
"Because I can," Serena answered and laughed at the look on his face. "Please tell me you weren't expecting some mundane answer like I needed the money or I had no choice? I have plenty of money...more than I could spend in one lifetime, but what I needed was excitement. The adrenalin rush that comes with seeing a man beaten until he's senseless. The joy of seeing blood spilled because men know their baser need and blood lust isn't something reserved just for vampires."
"You're one twisted bitch," McGarrett spat and got the reaction he wanted as she turned and slapped him.
"No, I'm a woman who knows what I want and I'm not afraid to take it. If you happen to live through the day then I'll gladly make this collar and leash a permanent addition to your wardrobe. You'll find that I can be quite the bitch when I want to be, Steve," Serena warned, but turned back to the cage as a man's voice came from the speakers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would take your seats we can start tonight's entertainment with the first of four fights. In the cage now are two men who were voted most likely to die by...well, it doesn't really say that, but I'm sure they'll tear each other apart for your viewing pleasure. Let the fight begin!"
"Oh, Steve, watch and learn," Serena said and smiled as the men in the cage fought with all the instincts of animals in a frenzied rage.
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Kono had never been one to shy away from a fight and although she had not been a cop for long, she'd seen her share of blood. The fight taking place in the cage was like nothing she'd ever seen before because the men were fighting for show. It wasn't like watching a boxing match or two wrestlers battle for supremacy, because in most case they were staged. This was two men brought down to their baser instincts and turned her stomach as she watched one man shoved to the ground. His opponent took great pleasure in shoving his face against the rough surface. The winner lifted his arms in the air and kicked the downed man in the ribs several times before being dragged out of the cage.
"How can you watch this, Melanie?" Kono asked.
"It's not always like this, Kono," Taylor offered. "I think the fights are more brutal because they are building up to the main event."
"It's sick," Kono told her.
"It's addictive, Kono, and you might find you enjoy it if you let yourself relax."
"That'll never happen."
"Won't it? Tell me, when you're doing your job and chasing a child molester does your heart beat faster? Do you want to catch the sonofabitch and make him pay for what he did?"
"That's different..."
"Is it? I don't think so," Taylor said as the second set of combatants were led into the cage and the door locked behind them. "Can't you feel the animal instincts kicking in?"
"No, I can't and to be honest I don't want to," Kono said and turned to see Danny wilting like a flower left too long without water. She wished they'd been able to convince him to stay in the car, but he was as stubborn as their boss no matter how much he denied it.
5050505050
Wo Fat watched as one of the men in the cage struck out and landed a hard right fist to his opponent's right chin. The man's head snapped back and blood spurted from his mouth and landed on the people seated in the first row. Several people made new wagers as the fight intensified and the blood lust gripped the onlookers.
Wo Fat knew Steve McGarrett was watching the fights with Serena Lewis and briefly wondered what he thought about the brutality of what he was seeing. It didn't really matter because in less than an hour they would be inside the cage and he would teach his half brother what it meant to fight for something you believed in.
He watched as the two combatants attacked each other with the smaller of the two getting in several damaging blows to the other man's upper body and face. Blood ran from a cut to the man's left cheek and his opponent opened it even more when he connected with a devastating right cross that sent him sprawling across the floor.
Wo Fat leaned forward and watched as the fight came to an end and reached for the glass of brandy on the table in front of him. He allowed himself this one drink because he wanted to stay sharp when he entered the cage. It would not be good if he went after McGarrett if he over indulged. It could wait until he finished with his half brother and then he'd drink to his cold, dead body.
Wo Fat leaned back in his chair as the fight came to a close and the final two combatants entered the cage amidst cheers and jeers from the crowd. He didn't give a damn who won or lost, but concentrated on his hatred for anyone related to John McGarrett. After this ended and he had what he wanted, then maybe he would make good on his threat to go after Mary. She obviously got her looks from her mother and as sick as it sound he'd been strangely attracted to her. He would never act on it, but he could use it to throw his opponent off balance.
Wo Fat was no fool, and he knew with McGarrett's training he would be hard to beat, but beat him he would and at last he would have revenge on his father's son. He would finally prove that he was worthy of the McGarrett name and trample it into the ground in defiance of everything his father and half brother stood for. He finished the alcohol and watched as the new fighters circled each other like the caged rats they were.
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Serena Lewis watched as the third fight ended with one man crawling from the cage while the other was dragged out. She didn't know if the second man was dead or alive and didn't give damn one way or the other. She'd watched McGarrett closely during the match, and was surprised to find he showed no emotion. It seemed as if he'd tuned everything out and was concentrating on the fight that would soon take place.
"I guess it's up to you now, Steve," Serena said and stood up. She pointed to the man who was making his way to the cage and smiled. "It seems your half brother is anxious to begin. What about you, Steve, are you ready to face him?"
Steve had seen Wo Fat the minute the man had stepped out of his private box. The man held his head high and had a confidant swagger in the way he crossed the short distance to the cage. The swagger meant nothing to Steve, because once this was over the sonofabitch would be dead and he'd make sure Grace and charlie knew how much their father loved them. If Rachel would allow him too, he would do the things he knew Danny would if he was around to do them. He'd even take Grace for a manicure and pedicure if that's what she wanted.
"I believe we're being summoned," Serena told him and led him out of her box by the leash as the crowd roared its approval.
Steve took a deep breath and prepared himself for the fight of a lifetime as he made his way toward the cage.
5050505050
Danny stood up as Wo Fat stepped into the cage and instinctively knew Steve was close by. Kono, Joe, and Chin stood at the same time and the noise level in the cavern rose to near unbearable decibels.
"Do you see Steve?" Kono asked.
"No, but he has to be close," Chin answered.
"There's nothing you can do right now so sit down and wait," Melanie ordered. She knew the trio were anxious to find their friend, and she knew he was here, but until he was actually brought in there wasn't a damn thing they could do.
"Where is he?" Danny spat, anger evident in his voice.
"There!" Chin answered as the impossible happened and the noise got even louder.
"We need..."
"You won't get anywhere near the cage, Joe," Melanie warned. "There are too many guards."
"Chin, get in touch with Duke and tell him we've found Steve and they can move in!" Williams said as the cage was opened and McGarrett stepped inside, unaware that his friends were closer than he knew.
TBC!