"It's an awful long way to come to teach Eric a lesson. Why bring him to Hawaii? Something doesn't add up." Steve walked into Danny's office already in mid sentence. When he noticed his partner staring into space, he paused for a second. "Hey, partner, you okay?"
"My sister. I need to call her before we talk about this." Danny grabbed his phone. He'd been lost in thought and procrastinating while Steve had been talking to Chin, setting up their plan for the night. "God, I just don't know what to say to her."
"It's late there Danny." Steve tapped his watch. The concept of time had been lost on both of them all day. "Maybe you should call in the morning?"
Danny waved him off and dialed her number. They waited for someone to pickup.
"Hey, it's Danny. Yes, I know what time it is." He paused and held the phone away from his head a little. "Eric is here with me. Yes, he's fine. Yea, yea, I'm fine too. What?"
Steve couldn't quite hear the conversation, but he didn't need to. He knew Danny was blowing it off, playing it cool. He didn't want his sister to worry. He was shielding her as usual. Like he did for everyone he cared about.
"I'll send him back as soon as I knock some sense into him." Danny turned away as he said his good-bye, rubbing his eyes. Then he hung up.
"That was quick."
"Not much needed to be said." Danny closed his eyes for a moment and then leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. "I didn't want to get into it. What she doesn't know-"
"Won't hurt her. I get it."
/././
"Wait a minute, Danny. I think you've had enough." Steve stopped his friend from entering the interrogation room.
"Wait a minute?" Danny pushed Steve's arm away. "Don't wait a minute me. Please."
Steve blocked the door. "It's time to call it a day."
"I want to spend some more time with Eric. Maybe talk some sense into him." Danny stood, arms crossed in the hallway.
"Come on Danny. We still don't know what we're dealing with here. You need your rest. And we both could use some distance. It's been a long day. Let Chin and Kono handle Eric for a while."
Danny didn't say anything. He simply closed his eyes and sighed loudly.
"You know I'm right."
Still no response.
"You're too close to this, Danny. Too close to Eric. Let Chin and Kono go a few more rounds with him."
"No, no I just don't think so. I don't think that will work." Danny rubbed his eyes. "I don't think there is anything more Eric can tell us. He's a pawn, Steve. I can feel it."
"A pawn? In what?"
"Somebody's twisted game."
This time Steve didn't have anything to say.
"We'll find the Russians. That won't be hard. But I just get the feeling there's something else." Danny brushed his hand across his face. "I can't shake the feeling we're missing something."
Arms crossed, Steve tilted his head and eyed his friend. "What are we missing then?"
"Not sure." Danny winced.
"Hey are you alright?"
"Nothing that a beer and some sleep won't fix." Danny put a hand on the wall to steady himself. "Let's get outta here, babe. I just need to talk to Eric for a minute."
"Ok, Danny, what ever you need."
"And please, stop saying that to me. Stop treating me like I have some terminal disease. I'm okay. Just a little banged up and tired."
"Okay." Steve almost repeated himself. Then he closed his eyes and shook his head. "You go talk to Eric. I'll let Chin know what's up."
/././
Danny walked into the room. Eric seemed almost scared to be alone with his uncle.
"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you." Danny didn't make eye contact at first. He was having trouble composing himself. "Why were you gambling? Especially with those tough guys. You know better than that."
"I needed money for school." Eric didn't hide the tears in his eyes.
Danny wanted to yell, but he knew this wasn't easy for his nephew. "You needed money? It didn't cross your mind to tell someone? To ask for help?"
"I wanted to be a man. Take care of myself. School is expensive. Especially the science stuff."
Danny shook his head. "You're breaking your mother's heart."
Eric looked away, hands covering his face.
"Please look at me."
He turned back to his uncle.
"I want you to know that when all of this is finished, we're gonna have a long talk. I can't even begin to tell you how worried-" Danny sighed. "What I did back when I was a rookie was stupid. You know that, right?"
Eric nodded, and then Danny continued. "You don't have to be like me. You just need to knock it off with the jackass behavior. You're not a kid anymore. Be a man. No wait- just do your best. And remember no one can do this alone. Not even me."
Danny looked toward the door. "You see these people? They would die for me. And it's more than just the job. Do you get that? And because you are part of me, that extends to you. So please, please drop the tough guy act and be straight with me. With Steve. Chin and Kono too. Don't make this any harder than it already is. Okay?"
He squeezed his nephew's arm.
"Now, I'm gonna go home and take a nap. My beauty sleep is sorely lacking as you can see." Danny ran a hand through his hair with a smile. "You need to stay here and walk Chin and Kono through everything you've done since you've been on the island. Everything. Don't leave anything out. And don't be an idiot. Kono will kick your ass. She has my permission."
"Do I have to spend the night here?"
"No, you'll go home with Chin. You can get your stuff from the motel. He'll keep an eye on you for me. Because right now, I'm not in a good place. I can't protect you. Just do what they ask, please. I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay Uncle Danny." Eric looked up at his uncle. "I'm sorry."
"I know. Just help us figure this out." Danny wrapped his arms around his nephew and gave him a good squeeze.
/././
Danny walked back to his office when he didn't find Steve waiting for him. He shuffled some paperwork and moved a few things around his desk. His mind a jumble of worry, pain and frustration. He buried his head in a tent of his arms with a sigh.
"Hey." Steve's voice was close.
Danny turned his head to find his friend right there, smiling. "Hey."
"You okay, Danno?"
"I'm alright, but I'm done. I just want to go home." Danny shifted in his chair. He caught the change in Steve's face. "Or your place, where ever. Just anywhere but here with a nice soft bed. Maybe a beer or two. Three got me into too much trouble."
Steve stifled a grin and nodded. Relieved didn't quite cover what he felt. Expecting a fight, he couldn't believe his partner was downshifting so fast. He understood it was tough for Danny to put himself first, so he decided he'd better tread lightly.
"That's right buddy." Steve smacked Danny on the back. "Let's go. Wings are on me."
"Sure they are. Maybe on your shirt." Danny chuckled and then smiled like he'd forgotten how good it felt to laugh.
Steve couldn't help but think things might be okay after all.
/././
They drifted down the street, quiet for maybe the first minute. Then Danny groaned in frustration. Steve raised an eyebrow tossing his friend an inquisitive look.
"It's too easy – the way you found me." Danny ran his hands through his hair, giving his head a good scratch. "They left my phone with me on purpose, knowing that you could trace it. Or that I could make a call. Doesn't sit right with me."
"So they didn't want you dead? They were scaring you?" Steve tried hard to balance keeping his eyes on the road and his partner.
"Maybe. Sending a message. Messing with my head."
"How many people know about you being claustrophobic?"
Danny ignored Steve. He was on his own roll. "Can't believe I didn't think of this before. That's what he wanted. To throw me off my game."
"What who wanted, Danny? What aren't you telling me?"
"Vitor isn't the only person in play here."
"Wait a minute. What?" Steve was confused. "I thought this was all about the Russians and their gambling ring."
"Maybe, but there's also another consideration we need to make. Jimmy restarted the games." Danny looked away and shook his head. "Any friends and family of –"
Steve cut Danny off, finishing his thought. "Might be gunning for you."
Danny nodded and sunk down in the seat, angling the car seat back a bit too much.
"You can't run from it, D."
"Who says I'm running? I am lounging right now. And I feel I deserve just a moment to do so in peace." He sighed as he stretched out. "I've been buried alive, betrayed by my nephew, yelled at by my sister. I could go on, but I'm already getting depressed about it so – I just would like a moment."
Steve nodded. He wanted to say something supportive. But realized he should say nothing at all.
He concentrated on the road, listening and feeling the car on the street. Watching the traffic and marveling as everyone maneuvered safely around one another. Traffic could be surprisingly heavy at the oddest moments. But tonight, all the lights were turning green for him.
And then he saw it.
An average looking beige sedan was following them. He'd switched lanes and took an unnecessary left just to check, and sure enough, the vehicle followed keeping a discreet distance all the while. And then the car suddenly peeled off only to reappear again two streets up.
Steve pulled over, parking on the street. Danny groaned. "Are we there already?"
He repositioned his seat and looked around. "This isn't headquarters, babe. Why are we sitting on some random street?"
"We had a tail."
"A tail. What are you talking about?"
"Someone was following us."
"I know what a tail is, Steven. Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were lounging."
"Funny. Ha. Ha."
"Who ever they were, they're gone now." Steve craned around to get a better look at the street. The offending vehicle had disappeared into the night. "Let's just get back to my place."
Danny sat up and looked around. "What the hell is going on? Someone following us?"
"I'll call Chin and let him know to be careful." Steve pulled out and headed for home. "Maybe it's a good thing you were lounging, Danny. They probably didn't see you."
"So we're still working under the assumption that I'm dead." He cleared his throat. "Because if you hadn't found me when you did-"
"I did find you. End of story."