I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes: Don't get too caught up in the following:

- the difference between psychopath and schizophrenic

- the entire validity of each part of Danny's dream

For the first, Max is theorizing based upon what he feels is right. He thinks the suspect is "playing god". But no one has all the information on the suspect so this is Max's conjecture. He is not the right expert to make the final call on what Franklin Ray's real issues are. He's probably more of a psychopath because he lacks remorse and he's a master manipulator, but he is also a narcissist. He knows right and wrong but doesn't care.

Franklin Ray is complex and could be a bit of all these things as a highly functioning individual. Overall and even though he's unraveling a bit while talking to himself or being emotionally all over the place, I really don't see him as schizophrenic.

So, Max's conjecture is just that and and it is not the 'gospel truth' for the story line. Danny says as much in another chapter or two. Also, dreams are wishy washy sometimes. Each and every aspect of Danny's dream is not necessarily going to be spot on. It is his interpretation upon waking. All of this in intentional for the story. Trust, me that some REALLY bad snake-like mojo is coming for him however!

Remember too: this is fan fiction, and I'm no doctor. I've only poked at Google and Wiki's to come up with an interesting make-believe character.

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

CHAPTER EIGHT

"We're not so different, you and I." Franklin Ray's eyes glittered happily and Ramirez wisely remained quiet. Upon arriving at the large mansion, his initial medical evaluation and attempt to call 911 had resulted in the appearance of a fully loaded handgun which now remained trained uncomfortably close to his head. Ponch's instinctive gut reaction had resulted in the gun being discharged into the wall directly behind his right shoulder. Instantly after, he'd been duly dispossessed of his cell phone.

"I nearly forgot you were ex-military." Ray had ruefully smirked about the damage done to his wall. If the big doctor had physically reached him though, Ray knew the outcome would have been much worse than damaged plaster. The unexpected loud blast had caused Riku to jolt in shock, but he was in too much pain by that point to do more than allow his eyes to close of their own volition. Ray had noted the belligerent tightening of Ramirez's fists and approved of the man's readiness to fight.

However, he only wished it was with him .. or even, for him. He only needed time to convince Ramirez of that optimal choice.

"I'll be sure to be more careful with you." He now continued, watching as Ponch's face darkened due to his ever-rising anger. Partially disappointed, yet understanding that his friend's agreeable participation might just require more time, Ray smiled. The man was a medical doctor after all and of course he would put a patient's health first. It was all so refreshingly predictable.

"But yes. We are very, very much the same." He watched closely, perversely pleased that Ponch could become so very angry and yet control himself so well.

For as closely as Franklin Ray was watching him, Ponch was doing precisely the same in return. It hadn't taken long for his astonishment to become something else. Adopting an immediate clinical coolness out of a long-learned habit, he was used to dealing with the unpredictable no matter how painful or surprising in the end it might be. Hs only regret here was not seeing Franklin Ray for what he was much sooner. If he had, Gail Lusscroft might still have been alive.

Before the gun had appeared, the young man whom had been injured not by a pesticide, but by a dangerous snake, had weakly grabbed a portion of his skin between thumb and index finger. Ramirez had completely missed it as a type of warning. As a similar move was repeated though, this time Ponch nodded and stayed hunkered down near the sofa to eventually place a soothing hand on his new patient's arm.

He saw his peer's physical metamorphosis and also understood the message as Ray referred to the time he'd killed a man. Not quite in pure self-defense, Ponch had indeed shot a man at point-blank range and under severe duress to save his family. To save his niece, Rebecca.

Those details would be of no interest to the doctor. The only fact that was of importance was that the esteemed Alphonse Ramirez had in fact at one time, killed. Narrowing his eyes, Ramirez carefully considered how that knowledge might help him because now, he was royally stuck between a rock and a hard place. With Ellen working nights, he'd only left a voicemail for Jasper Mitchell that he might be running late to the office from needing to visit Ray's home. There had been no need to do more. Yet it could just be enough if he didn't show up as planned or return the calls he knew would eventually come.

"Kindred spirits I'd say." Ray intoned and Ponch felt his ire growing. Not a quiet man by nature, it was more than a trial to digest Franklin Ray's true self and worse to put up with his gleeful comments.

"He needs a hospital." Taking refuge in his work, Ponch gently tapped Riku's shoulder. He had instantly assessed the outward physical symptoms to affix an oxygen mask attached to a portable tank. He then diligently ran a second intravenous line for fluids to help combat Riku's shock and a stethoscope remained slung around his neck swinging back in forth in time to his stress. After taking the Indian's blood pressure reading again, Ponch made a disgruntled rough noise under his breath.

"Frank, this isn't going to work."

There was never an issue with a pesticide. The entire discussion had altered significantly after Ponch's initial evaluations which included removal of the pressure bandage to examine the wound. The general mood in the room had plummeted even more based upon the eventual answer to his ongoing inquiries regarding who and how the first intravenous had gotten into the injured man's arm. Lastly, the reluctant truth about what its bagged contents actually held nearly rendered Ramirez speechless as he realized whom he was dealing with.

"I can't do anything more for him here." Ponch growled angrily. Already struggling to breath as the venom slowly began to affect his respiratory system, there was almost nothing else Ponch could easily manage for Riku. "This man needs a hospital."

"He has you." The finality of the conversation was established as Ray continued to keep the gun steadily aimed at Ponch's head. The medical bag that Ponch had in his possession was indeed well-equipped and what he'd already done for Riku calmed Ray significantly. What he saw now only compounded the validity of his near-frantic phone call to his friend

"He has you, Ponch. And you are going to pull him through this." From years of experience, Ponch had developed a deep kit to manage nearly every medical emergency and it was something which Frank was well aware. "You are going to be his best and only chance."

A moment after though, he oddly aimed the handgun at Riku to prey upon his peer's Hippocratic oath. "We're going to move to the apartment above the stables. You will take care of Riku there with what's in your bag, plus whatever you might need from the lab. As I've said, there will be no hospital."

"Lab?" Ponch couldn't help raising his eyebrows at that. Based upon the one-sided smirk, he also knew it was where the murders had been committed. Sagging on his knees, Ponch rubbed his hand over his face roughly. Hs mind was racing through the frightening things he was now learning by every startling second. Franklin Ray was suddenly becoming so much more than even he might be able to handle.

"Is that where the snakes are, Frank?" It was an attempt at the beginnings of a confession and to manage the man, but it completely backfired on Ponch when Ray smiled with a radiant warmth.

"Yes. Some of them, but not my favorites. No, they are here." He purred out the words in pleasure, aching to reveal his most beloved children to Doctor Ramirez in the depths of his very soul. He especially wanted to when Ramirez literally paled and swallowed convulsively with a nervous glance around the room. He sniffed back an amused chuckle as it dawned fully upon Ramirez that Riku had been bitten inside the mansion.

"I keep them here, Ponch. Separate from the project because they are so very special." Ray only partially explained things, content to keep Ramirez off-balance and on edge until he could impress him. "I'll show them to you, but not yet. Later."

Sucking in a bit of a whistling sigh, Ray frowned regretfully because he didn't dare show the doctor his special charges just yet. It would take much more time to gain that confidence. So for now, the stables and the renovated apartment made sense for a number of good reasons. Starting with its relative seclusion from the main house, it also boasted the lab, state of the art surveillance cameras, and inescapable private rooms.

Not only could Riku be treated comfortably there, but Ramirez would be safely imprisoned until he might come willingly onboard. With every prayer he could muster for his beloved Kali, Ray smiled again while waving his gun demonstratively.

"Let's go. You'll have to manage your things and Riku .. we'll take our time. But please, please don't try anything. I'd hate for this to end before it even had a chance to begin."

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O*

"This has got to stop." Danny moaned into his fisted hand as he sat on the edge of his bed. Woken by a scarily vivid dream that was more real than not, he was trembling from far more than a cold sweat-stained t-shirt. He felt truly sick this time as the dream stayed with him at every passing second. He also knew the large bulk of it by heart and he shook his head again, unable to divest himself of it ... confused as to why he could neither rid himself or even simply wake before it unfolded.

The horses in their tidy stable were again disturbed. This time it was due to men who were arguing in a deep fervor of discontent. Banks of center aisle lights were turned on to flood the stable and shine light into each stall as the three men passed by the agitated animals.

The sudden light was overly bright and Danny winced at the sharpness. He was forced to look away for the burning flair of optical pain. Blinking and wincing, even shielding his eyes, he could only see shadowed silhouettes as they traipsed towards a rear staircase. The bleary dark images went up higher to a door above the stalls. One was injured … or sick .. small, lithe and nearly limply held up by another much larger shape.

It was the same dream, yet it was also different. Regardless, Danny thought he knew the big man's profile. He distinctly realized that he should know him so very well. But the fluctuation between stable and richly adorned bedroom was severe as the hissing increased and refused to abate. Unable to wake, he was forced to let it happen knowing that he'd find himself trapped in the large bed.

In his dream and just before he could put a name to the darkened outline of the man's face, Danny found himself in the bed. Breathing hard in trepidation as he felt the weighted coil moving on his chest. Hearing the subtle hiss, he fought the urge but couldn't deny himself from looking.

He failed to keep his eyes closed as the snake's head wavered off his chest and came slowly into his line of sight. Inches away now, Danny moaned in fear because he was unable to move as the brightly colored snake met his gaze.

Eye to eye they stared at each other ... then .. it lunged viciously towards his face in a blur of motion.

This time, Danny screamed from the four-poster canopy bed as the snake jabbed at his eyes. The resulting pain was ten times worse than that in the stables once the overhead lights had been flung on.

The pain worsened even more, then never stopped and completely blinded, he could only continue to scream.

Drenched in sweat from that remembered pain, Danny was visibly shaking as he sat on the edge of his bed in the dark. He thought he had died in the dream. He was sure of it based upon the white-hot agony which lanced into his head. First looking at his hands which lay trembling now in his lap, Danny wearily checked the time. It was early and he could sleep for a few more hours before needing to get ready for work. But he was unable to move from where he sat, rooted amongst rumpled sheets and discarded pillows.

He glanced at the side table knowing this time it would certainly happen even though it was early in the morning and dawn was only teasing the horizon. "Don't do it." With his speaking voice so shattered and dry, Danny coughed through his soft plea, wondering if he'd truly screamed before waking.

"Please don't do it."

Still, he gasped when it did with a stunned curse dying on his lips. As the glimmer of light lit his cell phone, he was up and grappling for the answer button before it could barely finish vibrating once.

Knowing it was Steve, Danny didn't ask his most obvious question as the name of the large man's silhouette suddenly came to him. It materialized in the instant he placed the phone to his ear and his blurted words were made as a factual statement while struggling one-handed out of his ruined t-shirt.

"It's Ponch, isn't it."

~ to be continued ~