A/N: So when I started writing this story, I didn't think it would get this serious, nor did I think I'd be writing any whump in it. But, it happened, I'm sorry...
Thank you to everyone for the wonderful reviews, I will reply to the backlog ASAP, I promise. I've just been so busy writing that I thought you guys would understand and be happy with another update over me telling you how nice the reviews are and whatever else I say when I reply to the reviews! But look out; I'm going to get caught up!
As always, I own nothing.
Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Old Enemies
The following morning Steve walked into the office feeling quite proud of himself and his accomplishments. He had gotten to a 24 hour grocery the evening before, after dinner and dancing had finally ended, and had managed to get everything that Mrs. Williams had asked for. He got up early Sunday morning, went for a run, a swim and even had time to tidy the house and filled one of his mothers old vases with flowers from the garden, realizing just how over grown it had really gotten, before he left the flowers and a note for Mrs. Williams and headed into work.
Danny called half way to the office. He sounded cheerful in the presence of his daughter, and he told Steve he was taking his parents and Grace to church before the Williams' would head to Steve's and Danny would come into work. Danny also mentioned that Patrick had done some searching and had lined up a fuel pump for the Marquise that he would work on during the day, and would hopefully have up and running by the time they were finished their days work.
Steve smiled to himself as he pulled into the nearly deserted parking lot, made note of the two other vehicles, a red Cadillac Deville that was in pristine condition, and a black SUV that wasn't Chin's but that could have been any other officers vehicle. He also noticed that Chin's bike was parked near the building and that there were already several tourists arriving to catch a glimpse at the regal statue of King Kamehameha I.
When he finally made his way through the Palace and into the Five-O officer, he found more action then he had seen in any of the other spaces that occupied Palace. All the computer monitors flashed, a phone was ringing off somewhere beyond and Steve found Chin and a stack of files with Jenna already at the smart table.
"What do you have for me?" Steve asked as he looked down at the table.
"This is the map of the venue and the list of available HPD officers Danny has decided we are using for security on Friday night," Chin explained. "As you may have guessed, Danny fired everyone else."
"He fired them?" Steve laughed, "Like the Trump, he just pointed and told them 'you're fire'?"
"As much as I could see Danny doing that, I doubt it was that amusing. The governor has already called and wants you and Danny in her office this morning to 'talk' about this over reaction." Chin explained.
"Do you think Danny is over reacting?" Steve asked.
"Danny may be a little prone to over exaggerate, but when it comes to police work, he doesn't over react, and our case against Malikahi is growing." Chin answered.
"Last night, before Dinner, Danny went by the closed venue to Malikahi and all his men," Jenna added, "and it's a good thing too because, with a little digging, I found dirt on every last one of his security personnel." She explained. "They all have ties to gangs, drugs, violent crimes, and even the Yakuza."
Steve's eyes flashed something like rage at the name placed before him.
"Danny's precautions are merited; at least now we can be sure we trust the security for Friday night." Chin stated.
"What if we're wrong about all this and we're looking in the completely wrong place?" Steve asked playing devils advocate. "What if, Malikahi isn't the threat, but just coving up his dirty past?"
"Do you trust Danny?" Chin asked.
"Yes," Steve answered. "With my life, with my sister, yes I trust Danny completely."
"Then we're not wrong." Chin said.
"And if we are wrong, that's the reason we're spending the rest of the week at the venue preparing our crew and monitoring every last person that comes in and leaved that space." Kono stated as she joined the party at the table. "I have list of the serving staff, kitchen and chefs, valets, managers and guest for the event. I also have the hotels advanced guest list to see who has reservations in the building, how many rooms are not yet filled, and if anyone looks suspicious, we'll pick it up." She added as she handed the files to Jenna. "Also, I just got off the phone with Charlie Fong, though he didn't find any DNA material on the envelopes or letters, he managed a partial print and, gift of the gods, there was an eyelash in the envelope which he managed to run for DNA. Guess who it belonged to," Kono asked with a sly smile.
"Malikahi," Steve stated.
"That's right boss."
"I'm gonna get on these people," Jenna smiled and moved off to her little office space. "You guys go after the big wigs."
"Thanks Jenna," Steve smiled and watched as little analyst sauntered away to her corner.
"Danny also managed to pull this for us," Chin stated as he uncovered the file from the previous evening. "Malikahi, before he became chief of the governors security staff, was pretty infamous in Maui and on theBigIsland. He managed to get all of his records sealed on the islands because of his connection, but the FBI has been following him for quite some time. He's flaunting his power to them, right out in the open, and they can't do anything because he's protected by the governor. They believe him to be responsible for a series of high profile bombings which involved injuries to other high government officials and dignitaries."
"You think a bombing might be his MO?" Steve asked.
"I don't know, but I think we've got to search that building from top to bottom to make sure he hasn't had time to set up something that might crash the governor's ball." Kono said.
"Call up CSI and get a team ready to head out. We need our best people on it," Steve stated, "but what are we going to do about Malikahi?" he asked.
"He's wanted, you can take him because you and Danny have higher rank then he does," Kono stated. "But you had better fill the Governor in on it, before you go chasing down her security officer."
"The meetings already lined up," Steve stated with a smile, "pull me together the file and I'll head over right away."
"You wait and take Danny with you," Chin ordered, "you're going to need the backup, and you have to tread lightly. Danny told me what his mother said about the Governor and not trusting her. What if she is in on all this?"
"Or what if she's been duped the whole time," Kono said, "you'll need Danny to be the voice of reason."
"The voice of reason, are you kidding?" Steve laughed.
"You know he is, he's better at reasoning with people then any of us are," Chin stated, "you need to take Danny, just on the premise that he did all this work and came up with this profile before we even knew where to look, the least you can do is give him that."
"I will, I'll wait for him," Steve sighed and marched off toward his office.
"Why didn't you tell him that the governor was the one who signed off on sealing Malikahi's records?" Kono asked suspiciously.
"Because, I can't definitively say that this is her signature until I get the results back from Charlie and the specialists, and I can't tell Steve that I was suspicious of the Governor's signature until I know for sure because then he'll jump down my throat." Chin explained.
"Then why didn't you show him this?" Kono asked and tapped at the stills from the surveillance, from the venue that they had also acquired from Danny.
"Because Danny's not here to keep Steve in check, and if Steve sees a picture of Malikahi fraternizing with Wo Fat, he'll definitely go off the deep end." Chin stated. "We'll cover it with them both when Danny get's here, and we'll deal with the SEAL's wrath then."
5-0
Once church had finished, Danny and his parents parted ways, and Danny headed back to the Palace knowing some of what Chin and Kono knew; having scanned the files obtained on Malikahi before he handed them over to Chin. He had also taken what his mother had said to heart. Something all of a sudden felt off about the Governor, he wasn't sure he had ever felt comfortable with her, but if his mother felt something amiss, then she was to be believed. Steve on the other hand seemed to lay all his cards on the table, and although he seemed to listen to Danny's mom, Danny wasn't sure Steve was ready to believe that the Governor could have her own agenda.
The real question was why, and Danny had been mulling over that question all through church as the priest preached about temptation in the dessert. Why would the Governor wish to threaten herself? What was the reason for pulling them into the fray, if only to be the one plotting the hunt? Maybe she wasn't involved either; maybe she was just another pawn in the big game that was playing out with each and every one of them. There were a lot of very rich, very important people that were going to be at the ball and many high ranking officers from all branches of law enforcement and the military. It was going to bring together teachers and speakers, with politicians and patriots for the common good of supporting the big charities that the Governor had been supporting for many, many years. They were raising money for the children's hospital and programming for the children who suffered from abuse, homelessness and addiction. It was all for a greater good, so why would the Governor plot against herself? The idea just wouldn't leave Danny alone as he pulled away from the little church; right on the waters edge, and drove intoHonolulutoward theImperialPalace.
Danny pulled into the nearly deserted lot and made note of the vehicles there, just as his partner had done, and decided on the parking spot next to Steve's truck. He paused for a moment as a chill ran down his back and swung the door open, feeling the warming sensation of the already hot day. He stole one last glance at his daughter's picture before he ducked between the vehicles and began the slow trek across the Palace grounds. He caught a wave from a fellow officer as he walked, when suddenly the sound of an over active engine and the squealing of tired caught his attention. He spun around just in time to see the SUV with black tinted windows lurch forward from the parking spot, it had just been backed out of, and it pealed away as the pop, pop, of gun shots filled the air and Danny hit the deck. He had only just caught a glimpse at the shooter before he rolled for cover under the red Deville and he felt a searing pain radiate through his upper arm.
5-0
Steve heard the shots through his open window and bolted out of his office as alarms sounded somewhere off in the precinct.
"What's going on?" Kono asked as she ran after Steve.
"There were shots fired. I heard them," Steve yelled as he rushed out, his weapon in his hand.
Movement came from everywhere as the three Five-Os and Jenna pushed their way out into the grounds and heard the panic of the tourists who had been mulling about in the beautiful morning.
"Danny!" Steve yelled when he spotted his friend pushing through the crowd of HPD officers that had gotten to him first.
"Where did it come from?" Steve asked as Danny pushed him aside.
"Black SUV, tinted windows," Danny hissed.
"You're shot!" Jenna cried at the sight of the blood soaking through his dress shirt.
"Yeah, I know!" Danny practically yelled.
"Did you see the shooter?" Kono and Chin asked in unison.
"It was Malikahi," Danny stated, rage in his eyes as he marched off toward the front of the building.