Wo Fat removed his shirt and tossed it out the open door of the cage. Next he took off his shoes and socks leaving him in just a pair of shorts. He basked in the glow of the noisy crowd and felt the adrenalin that came with battle as his 'brother' was led toward the cage. There was something about the way McGarrett held his head high and his body straight in spite of the collar around his neck and the leash clutched tightly in Serena's right hand. It wasn't something he'd expected, and he felt a hint of admiration for the man who could pull this off.
McGarrett's body glistened in the bright lights and Wo Fat could hear the women and even some of the men openly talking about his physical appearance. Some thought it was a shame to waste such a fine specimen in this way because he would make more money in a bed, whether he was there willingly or not. Perhaps they would get their wish, if Steve lived through the fight.
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Steve could hear the excitement surrounding him, but kept his eyes on the prize sanding in the cage. Wo Fat looked as if he enjoyed being in the spotlight, but he was going to find out just what a mistake killing Danny Williams was. He'd seen the arrogant SOB remove his shirt and knew it was partly for show, but it was also to give him more freedom of movement during the fight.
"What do you think, Steven? Can you take him?"
Steve didn't bother to answer as the reached the cage and he was led inside. The noise level increased several decibels as the two men face each other and Serena removed the leash and released McGarrett's arms.
"Are you ready to die, Brother?" Wo Fat snarled.
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"Steve!" Williams called, but he knew there was no point because his voice wasn't loud enough to penetrate the growing excitement of the spectators. It sickened him to see so many men and women basking in this type of fight. When Steve had gone into the ring at the MMA it had been for charity and no one was risking their lives. This fight would end with one of the two men brutally beaten and possibly dead.
"We need to get down there!" Chin said as a woman exited the cage and the door was closed and locked. He saw Wo Fat and Steve circling each other like two predators fighting for dominance.
"You'll never get through," Melanie warned.
"We have to try!" White said and watched as Wo fat struck out with his right fist. Steve ducked easily out of the way and countered with a savage kick that narrowly missed his opponent. He knew they were feeling each other out, and that the fight itself would be far more brutal than anything they'd seen so far. Steve was in full SEAL mode and he wouldn't rest until Wo Fat was down for good.
Danny tried to brush past Melanie as Kono moved out of the box. The spectators were standing and the overflow had spread out onto the stairs, blocking their way, but Five-O was not to be denied as they tried to get to the cage.
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Wo Fat smiled as McGarrett used a series of kicks to drive him into the bar's of the cage, but he quickly recovered and struck out with his fists. He connected solidly with his brother's right cheek and followed up with a left to his abdomen. He moved back as Steve ducked below his kick and was surprised when McGarrett countered with a kick that connected with his right leg. It missed it's intended mark, but Wo Fat knew there'd be a bruise there later.
"Not bad, Brother!"
"I'm not your brother!" McGarrett snapped and jumped as Wo Fat tried for a sweeping kick that would have taken his legs out from under him. Steve understood this was a fight that would not end until one of them was dead. He didn't think about his next move and let his instincts guide him as Wo Fat tried for a kick to his right side. The problem was, the other man changed direction and drove his foot into Steve's right side. He felt pain stab through him, but ignored it as Wo Fat tried to grab him.
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Duke Lukela signaled to the other officers that it was time to move in. It had been hard to hear what Chin Ho Kelly had said, but he had caught the fact that they'd found McGarrett. With sirens blaring they drove the short distance to the fenced property owned by Serena Lewis. The guard looked shocked, but refused to open the door even after he was threatened with being arrested for interfering with an officer of the law.
"Open the damn gate!" Duke told him.
"I need to call Miss Lewis!"
"You touch that phone and I'll find several more things to charge you with!" Lukela told him and saw the man's face blanch as he dropped the phone. "Now open the gate and move away from the console!"
"But this is private property and Miss Lewis..."
"Would Miss Lewis prefer we break through the gate?" Lukela snapped, relieved when the man pressed a button and the gate's began to open. "Where's the cage?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the guard answered.
"That obstructing justice charge is going to become a reality if you don't answer the question."
"Look, I just work here."
"Then you're going to be looking for another job, or spending time in jail. Your choice," Lukela warned, and watched as the man brought up a map of the property.
"There's a trail at the back of the house that leads to the base of the mountain. The cage fights are held in there, but you need to get past the guards posted there."
"Don't worry, we can handle the guards," Lukela vowed as another officer cuffed the man's hands behind his back.
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Danny fought to get through the crowd of spectators who seemed so intent on the fight. He could see Chin just ahead of him, with Joe at his side while Kono seemed to be moving even further down. He caught a glimpse of the two men in the cage and winced when Wo Fat connected with a back kick to Steve's abdomen. It drove him backward into the cage, but he didn't go down.
"Steve!" Williams called his friend's name, but it was drowned out by the cheers and jeers from the onlookers. He pushed forward, crying out when someone elbowed him in the side.
"Danny, are you all right?" Chin had seen what happened and returned to help his friend.
"I'm good...get to Steve!"
"Joe and Kono are almost there!" Chin shouted.
"Where the hell is Duke?"
"Are you kidding? Did you see the security they have at the gate and the entrance? Maybe you should go make sure they can get in," Chin suggested.
"I..."
"Danny, you're injured...go. We'll get to Steve!" Chin ordered, relieved when Williams nodded his head and renewed his efforts to get through the mob.
Danny managed to climb down several step before someone shoved him hard and he nearly fell. He glared at the shouting man, but was ignored because something was happening in the cage. He turned to see McGarrett elbow Wo Fat in the face before turning and kicking at his left knee.
"500 on McGarrett!" someone shouted and money exchanged hands as Williams continued down the stairs. The people in the stands had migrated toward the cage and made it impossible for him to get close as he caught sight of Kono as she continued to fight her way through.
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Blood dripped from a cut over his right eye, but Wo Fat didn't take the time to wipe it away as his half brother continued to surprise him. They'd traded blows and kicks, some more devastating than others and for the first time in his life he wondered if another man could really take him down. He moved to the right and tried for a choke hold, but missed as McGarrett ducked below his hands and drove a fist into his gut.
Wo Fat could hear the crowd, but he forced himself to concentrate on his opponent. McGarrett's body glistened with sweat and blood as he moved around the cage. He wondered if the man was as tired as he was, but he was not about to admit it and wondered just how much time had passed since they'd first circled each other.
"I grow weary of dancing around, Brother. Perhaps we should make this more interesting," Wo Fat said and signaled to Serena. It was something he'd prearranged and he wondered if McGarrett was as handy with a knife as he was. "My mother showed me how to handle a knife."
"You're mother was probably a whore and my father took pity on her. Wonder what the going rate was back then!" McGarrett managed and smiled when Wo Fat made a growling noise in his throat before launching a series of blows that connected with Steve's upper body, but they did not do much damage as McGarrett easily ducked away.
"You bastard!"
"No, that's you...I had a loving father!" McGarrett goaded Wo Fat and kicked at his lower leg before turning and delivering a roundhouse kick that sprayed blood and saliva from Wo Fat's mouth.
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Kono struck out at the people on her right and manged to get past several as she stumbled toward the floor. The cage was still ten feet from her with the crowd blocking her view of the two combatants. She heard someone make a wager on Wo Fat and several people taking him up on the bet. Her anger intensified as Joe White tried to get to the door, but he was shoved back.
Kono tried moving to the left, but found her way blocked as several people tried to get closer to the cage. She briefly wondered where Danny and Chin were, but right now she needed to get to Joe and between them they needed to get the cage open and stop the fight before either Steve or Wo Fat died.
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Serena tossed the knives into the cage with a smile. Wo Fat had asked for a knife, but she'd wanted to keep them on even ground. She watched as they fought with more gusto than any of the others and smiled when Wo Fat spotted the knives and lurched toward them, grabbing one at the same time as McGarrett grabbed the other.
Serena knew she would answer to Wo Fat after the fight was over, but she didn't care. This fight was making her more money than she'd ever thought possible. Several of her frequent guests were putting it out over the internet via live feed and it would be the talk of the underground fight circuit for many years to come.
She saw Wo Fat slash at McGarrett, who countered by moving to the left and keeping himself away from the blade. The crowd grew anxious for blood as light flashed off the blades. There was blood dripping from Wo Fat's knife and she looked at the second man to see blood running down his left side. Both men seemed to be tiring, but neither one would quit and that's what she loved about this type of fight.
"I don't understand how they're still on their feet let alone fighting. You've outdone yourself, Serena."
"Thank you, Hans, I'm so glad it is to your liking," Serena told the wealthy businessman who'd been attending the cage battles for nearly a year.
"I know Wo Fat, but the other man is unfamiliar to me. What is so special about him that Wo Fat would enter the cage and go one on one?"
"His name is Steve McGarrett..."
"Five-O's Steve McGarrett?"
"You know him?"
"I know his reputation, but it still doesn't explain Wo Fat's actions," Hans Baer answered.
"They share the same father. Wo Fat is angry that John McGarrett chose to be a father to Steve, but not to him," Serena explained.
"That I understand," the big man said and turned back to the cage in time to see McGarrett's knife cut into his opponent's upper right arm. The crowd screamed its approval as blood ran from the wound.
"Steve!"
Serena turned to see who had called the name and spotted a familiar figure close by. She knew from the pictures Wo Fat had shown her that it was Danny Williams and an idea came to her. "Hans, see that man over there?"
"There are many..."
"Steve!"
"That one," she said.
"What about him?"
"He's trying to stop the fight and I don't want that to happen. Could you grab him and drag him over here?"
"My pleasure, Serena," Baer said and pushed through the crowd.
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Steve could feel the energy draining from him as he struggled to stay on his feet. One look at Wo Fat was enough to tell him the man wasn't in much better shape. He'd heard someone call his name, but he could not take the time to check who it was. He watched his nemesis toss his knife from right hand to left and waited for him to move before countering with his own knife. It cut a narrow gash in Wo Fat's abdomen and Steve darted sideways when the other man drove his knife forward.
Steve felt the tip enter his lower back, but managed to pull away, silently praying it wasn't too deep. It really didn't matter, because if he didn't get the upper hand soon, he'd be a dead man. He scrambled away and blinked the mixture of blood and sweat from his eyes while keeping just out of Wo Fat's reach. The crowd roared in anticipation and Steve spotted Serena behind his enemy as a big man dragged someone over to her. Someone who looked familiar, and he felt the joy of knowing Danny Williams was alive as he turned and smiled at Wo Fat.
"You're a dead man!" Wo Fat snarled.
"Maybe, but Danny's not," McGarrett said and saw his chance when the other man automatically turned to see what he had seen.
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Duke Lukela showed his badge to the guards at the gate, but they didn't open it until he threatened to shoot them where they stood. It was something McGarrett, both John and Steve would do to get what they wanted.
"We need to get Miss Serena," one man said.
"You will be charged with obstruction of justice and every other charge I can think of if you don't open this damn gate now!" Lukela warned.
"I..."
"You'll spend the rest of your life in a tiny cell with a single window and I'll make damn sure the guards there make your life miserable!" Duke told them and pushed the gate open when he heard the lock disengage. The other officers swarmed in behind him and he started giving orders even as they heard the loud cheering from beyond a partially open door.
"You can't go down there!" a guard warned.
"Watch us!" Duke snapped and turned to two officers. "You make sure these two stay put. The rest of you follow me and stay on your toes!"
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Chin saw the man grab Danny and forced his way through the people, ignoring the angry curses as he blocked their view of the cage.
"Chin! Duke's here!" Kono called as Lukela announced their arrival and people reacted to the threat of being arrested by heading for the exit.
"Danny's in trouble!" Chin told her and continued toward the last spot he'd seen Williams. He craned his neck, but could not see anything beyond the men and women trying to escape. He glanced into the cage in time to see Wo Fat and Steve grab each other and breathed a sigh of relief that the knife had been knocked out of Wo Fat's hand. McGarrett was also empty handed as he worked his way around and wrapped his arms around Wo Fat's neck before dragging him toward the side of the cage.
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"Hans, bring him!" Serena ordered.
"Sorry, you're on your own!" the man said, releasing William as he began pushing toward the exit.
Danny turned his attention to the woman who stared at him with a hint of a smile on her face. There was something cold and calculating in the way she looked at him. She was part of this, what part, he didn't know, but he wasn't going to let her escape.
"Tell Steve it was fun," Serena said and turned away, but found her right wrist trapped in a vice-like grip.
"You're not going anywhere!" Williams said.
"You have no right to..."
"Wrong," Williams said as Chin joined him.
"Duke's here," Chin said.
"Where are the keys to the cage?" Williams snarled.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Serena spat and turned to see Wo Fat break free of McGarrett's hold. "Kill him, Wo Fat!"
Danny shoved the woman toward Chin and rushed to the gate as Duke and several other officers made it to the cage. He saw Wo Fat grab the knife and turn as Steve gained his feet. "Get the fucking gate open!"
TBC!