She knew she'd nearly made a fatal mistake when she'd stayed to watch the explosion and total annihilation of Kamekona's Shrimp truck. Too bad the man hadn't been killed in the blast, but there was no point in dwelling on that now. She walked to the liquor cabinet and reached for the bottle of Chardonnay.
"Sweet nectar for a sweet lady," her date said and pulled her close.
She smiled and allowed him to kiss her as she poured the wine into two glasses. Allen Rider was nearly twice her age and married with three grown children. He deserved what she was going to do to him and her fee was already in her account.
"Why won't you tell me your real name, Amore?" the silver haired man asked, nuzzling her neck as she sipped the Chardonnay.
"If I told you my real name I would be forced to kill you," she whispered and heard him chuckle as he turned her in his arms and pressed his lips against her mouth. The smell of stale tobacco made her stomach churn, but she had learned to ignore her own discomfort, especially where her job was concerned.
"I want you, Amore."
"Then you shall have me, but you have to be clean."
"I took a shower this morning," Rider told her.
"I know, but it is all part of the experience. A shower will make us both feel better and I shall wash every inch of your virile body," she purred as she ground her body against his.
"In that case who am I to argue?" Rider said and finished his drink before taking her by the hand. "Come on…the water's hot, but I'm hotter."
"Yes, you are, but you should go first and I will join you with the items we need. Don't worry, it will be worth it and I promise it will blow you away," she said and took another sip of the liquor as he reluctantly released her and made his way into the bathroom. She knew the drug she'd slipped into his drink would soon take affect and he would be at her mercy.
"Don't be too long, Amore," Rider called in a voice heavy with lust.
"Are you in the shower, Lover?"
"I am…and it's cold without you in here," Rider called.
She removed her clothing and took the knife from the room service tray they'd ordered. The man spared no expense and his final meal had probably cost his credit card over a thousand dollars, but he could afford it, and his family would be better off without him using up their savings. She walked toward the bathroom and heard the shower running.
"Amore, please, I want you."
"Then you shall have me," she said and stepped inside, closing the door. She smiled at the man before making sure she was positioned under the shower nozzle. His eyes widened in surprise as she drove the knife into his chest. Blood spilled from the wound as she covered his mouth with her hand and watched the water dilute the blood that ran down his chest. She knew the knife had penetrated his lung and could hear the death rattle as blood escaped through his mouth and ran down her fingers.
"Men like you deserve what they get. Your wife and children are better off without you and I'm sure, in time, they will forget you even existed. I know I promised to wash you and that is exactly what I am going to do. A shower is the perfect way to get rid of any evidence that I was here," she whispered and stood up. She placed a strainer over the drain to catch any hair she might lose and knew it was time to finish this.
Allen Rider knew he was dying and watched in horror as she reached for the bottle of shampoo and washed the blood from her body. There seemed to be some kind of rattle nearby, and it took a few seconds to realize it was coming from his throat. His eyes refused to focus any longer and he finally realized the choice he'd made was the wrong one as death came for him.
She finished washing and stepped out of the shower, removing the cover from the drain and placing it in a plastic bag to take with her. She'd brought her own towels and quickly dried her body before getting dressed. The water would make quick work of any remaining evidence and she cleaned the knife before using her towel to turn the water off. She removed the knife and washed it in the sink, making sure her fingerprints were no longer on the handle before placing it back on the room service tray.
She'd learned many things since taking on the profession her mother had chosen and had kept her presence in the hotel room to a minimum. She washed the glass she'd used and put the bottle of Chardonnay in her bag. She cleaned everything she'd touched on the room service trolley and made sure she wiped down everything she'd touched.
Satisfied that she'd removed all trace that she'd been there, she pushed the trolley outside and placed the do-not-disturb sign on the door. It would keep room service from checking on the occupant until his time ran out and they'd need to speak with him face to face. She made her way to the service stairs and kept her face hidden from the cameras that were blinking green lights that signaled they were working. When this job had been offered to her, she'd taken the time to go over every detail of the fancy hotel, and knew when the body was discovered, the first thing the police would want was the surveillance tapes.
She checked to make sure the stairwell was empty before hurrying down the three flights of stairs and making her way outside. She had parked her car two blocks away and walked the short distance to the hotel. Now she simply needed to discard the bag with the evidence in it and she would do that far away from the scene of the crime.
No one saw her and she slipped past the final security cameras and walked away from the hotel. It took less than 15 minutes to reach her car and she clicked the button to unlock the doors before sitting behind the wheel and putting the key in the ignition. God, she always felt so exhilarated after a killing like this and knew when the time came Steve McGarrett would be the final nail that would solidify her reputation as a cold-blooded black rose.
She reached for the cell phone she used only for these calls and smiled as she hit the single number listed amongst her favorites.
5050505050
McGarrett hadn't slept very long and looked at the laptop lying pen on the table beside his bed. It wouldn't take much to pull it closer so that he could work, but he also understood if he got caught with it Lewis would make good on his threat to take it away. He knew Danny was sleeping and wished he could do the same, but too many things were running through his mind.
Steve sighed heavily and turned on his side as the phone beside his bed began to ring. He picked it up and placed it against his ear as the machine kicked in and began an automatic trace of the call. "McGarrett."
"Hello, Steven, I do hope you realize how lucky your friends are. Kamekona could have been killed today because of you."
"Sorry, but I left that kind of guilt trip in the past," McGarrett told her.
"Really? Why do I find that hard to believe? Perhaps you really are a cold hearted bastard."
"No, I'm just a man who knows people like you are the reason this world needs people like me. You kill for the sake of killing…"
"No, I kill for a hefty payday, but in your case I do it for free. You took something from me…"
"Why don't you just say it like it is? I killed your mother because she deserved it and when I find you I'll do the same without batting an eye," McGarrett vowed.
"Do you really think you'll find me, Steven?"
"I don't think it…I know it and I'd advise you to keep looking over your shoulder because I'm not far behind you."
"You're still in the hospital, Steven, and I'm afraid I have to go. Black roses are hard to find and I need to replenish my stock and save one just for you. Good bye, Steven, I'll be seeing you sooner than you know."
"Sonofabitch," McGarrett softly cursed and realized Williams was awake. "She didn't stay on long enough."
"We'll catch her, Steve," Williams vowed and raised the head of his bed. He glanced at the clock above the door and wondered if his partner had slept at all, but one look at his eyes told him Steve was haunted by the past and he would not rest until they found the woman behind the black rose.
"I know, but how many people will she hurt before we do? I need to find out everything I can about her mother," McGarrett said and pulled the table over the bed.
"Are you sure you're after the right person?"
"I am now…she didn't deny it when I her that her mother got what she deserved," the SEAL answered and brought up the files he'd been working on earlier.
"You know they'll tell Lewis."
"Let them, I'll be done by the time he finds out," McGarrett observed and noticed Williams was trying to look at his laptop. "Stay there…I'll bring mine over. Maybe if we're both looking we'll see something that makes sense."
"You know I don't have your kind of clearance?"
"Not many people do, but I won't tell if you don't," McGarrett assured him with a grin and pulled the table over. He waited for Williams to move over and sat on the edge of the bed before pulling the laptop closer. "You know you'll be in as much trouble as I am if we're caught?"
"If it helps catch her then it'll be worth incurring Lewis' wrath," the Jersey native told him.
"I'll hold you to that," McGarrett said and brought up several Interpol sites.
"Tell me what we're looking for."
"Anything that could tell us about Anastasia Kwiatkowski and her family," McGarrett ordered.
"Is there any way we can link this through my laptop? It would be a hell of a lot faster and easier on the eyes," Williams said.
"Hold on," McGarrett said and pushed his table back to his bed. He pulled Williams table closer, and lifted the lid before looking at his friend. "You sure you want to do this?"
"It's better than dying of boredom."
"I hope you don't regret saying that," the SEAL said seriously. He waited for Williams to sign in and tapped in several keys so that they could link computers and go through the files that much faster.
5050505050
Duke Lukela was never so tired in his life. It had taken everything he had just to make it home and he sighed when he opened the door and his wife walked over to meet him. God, he loved this woman and she'd given him three wonderful children to carry on their legacy. The oldest girl was accepted to the police academy and the twins were both talking about going to medical school.
"Rough day?"
"Very," Lukela told her and walked into the kitchen. He sat at the table and realized just how lucky he was when she served him dinner and coffee.
"Is there anything new about the bomber?"
"Not really. McGarrett thought he saw her at the explosion that killed Mana Kāne," Lukela explained. It always felt like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders when he got home. His wife would listen to everything he had to say and had never spoken of it outside the conversation they had.
"How many were injured in the explosions?"
"14, including McGarrett and Williams," Lukela answered.
"I know how hard this is for you, Duke," she said and reached across the table to hold his hand.
"The kid that died was only 19 and he'd taken the job because his girlfriend was pregnant. They were going to get married and live with his parents."
"It's such a waste of life," his wife said and knew her husband needed to unburden himself or it would keep him awake all night.
"Yes, it is. I went to speak to Mike's widow," Duke said of the cop that was killed in the explosion.
"I know how hard that was for you, Duke. How is she?"
"She's trying to be strong for the boys, but it's hard on her."
"I'll go over tomorrow and see if she needs any help," she said and smiled when he pulled her into his arms. She felt him tremble against her body and wished she could erase the events of the last week. She knew McGarrett and Williams were still in the hospital, and that her husband was working day and night to find the person responsible.
"I must be the luckiest sonofabitch in the world."
"Watch it…that's my husband you're talking about," she said and knew he was far too tired to do anything, but sleep. She took his hand and led him toward the bedroom they shared and hoped she could help him forget, even if it was only for a little while. She helped him undress and was soon lying beneath the blankets with his head resting on her shoulder.
"I love you," he whispered before allowing the sound of her heartbeat to lull him to sleep.
5050505050
"Commander, I have…" Deanna Musgrave's eyebrows shot up when she entered the room to find both patients engrossed in whatever was on their laptops. Both men looked up like deer caught in the headlights of a car and she placed her hands on her hips as she walked over and stood between the two beds. "Now I know Dr. Lewis said you could have your laptops, but under the condition that you did not use them after visiting hours. According to my watch and the medication schedule that ended four hours ago. So, close them up and I'll make sure they stay safe and sound at the nurse's desk."
"I just need to save…"
"Your breath, Commander, because I'm not listening to any excuses. Dr. Lewis' orders were straightforward and I do not want to be the one to tell him that you disobeyed his orders. Close it down or I'll do it for you," the nurse warned. She'd been married to a drill Sargeant for nearly 30 years and knew how to talk to stubborn men like Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams.
Steve reluctantly closed the lid on his laptop and noticed Danny do the same. They'd managed to get through more than a dozen files and he wanted to keep working, but the set of the woman's shoulders and body language told him he'd lost that argument before it even began. He lifted his hands as she reached for the laptop and watched as she did the same with Danny's.
"I'll see that you get these after breakfast tomorrow morning unless Dr. Lewis says otherwise," she told them and left the room.
"Damn, that woman reminds me of Joe," McGarrett observed.
"Drill Sargeant?" Williams asked.
"Iron fisted at that," McGarrett offered and rubbed at his eyes. They burned and he knew he only had himself to blame for that as he glanced at Williams. Danny looked like hell and he instantly regretted getting the man involved in his search for answers.
"You didn't force me to do it, Steve," Williams said and grew quiet when the nurse returned.
"Well, Gentlemen, it seems Dr. Lewis left orders for dull needles, but since we sent them out already I guess we could just shove them into your behinds! So, who's first?"
"I don't need…"
"That would be you, Commander, thank you for volunteering. Now, turn on your side," the woman ordered and heard the other man chuckle softly. "Don't get too comfortable, Detective, I have yours right here as well."
"Shit," Williams spat and winced when she jabbed the needle into McGarrett and disposed of it before moving to his bed.
"Right or left?" she asked and readied the injection. When he turned slightly on his left side she quickly delivered the prescribed medication and smiled at both men. "That should make sure you both get the rest you need. I'll be back to hook up the antibiotics in a couple of minutes."
"Sonofabitch," McGarrett cursed as the drug she'd given him took effect. He knew Williams was probably given the same shot and looked at the nurse who returned to start the medications.
"Don't fight it, Commander, it's going to make sure you get the rest you need," Deanna Murdock said and looked at the man in the other bed. "Detective Williams is already sleeping and your laptops are safe. I'll return them in the morning after Dr. Lewis finishes his rounds."
Steve nodded and closed his eyes, sighing tiredly as he gave in to the lethargy creeping through his mind and body. He drifted back in time as memories became dreams that had once haunted him.
Steve knew the man he protected could mean the difference between an all-out drug war on American soil. Senator Frank McLane was one of the good guys and his mandate had put him in the sights of several drug kingpins, both here and in Mexico. The man had family and that meant he gave hostages to fortune. Those hostages needed to be protected just as much as the senator.
"McGarrett, there's movement at the northern perimeter," Commander Dwayne Harris advised.
"I see it," McGarrett said and sighted down the barrel of his sniper rifle. He could make out a body, but whoever it was kept to the shadows and just out of range.
"Can you take the shot?"
"No, Sir, I'm going offline until I find her."
"All right, McGarrett, but watch your six," Harris warned. "I'll send Taylor your way."
"Just tell him to stay frosty," McGarrett said of his friend Nick Taylor. The man knew his job, but there were times when his inexperience in real combat came through. Steve moved away from the corner of the house and made his way toward the area where he'd last seen the figure dressed in black. He'd relinquished his sniper's rifle for a specialty handgun that was made for close quarter's fire.
"Hey, Smooth Dog, I got your six."
"Am I supposed to be relieved? Stay back, Bullfrog, and let me handle this," McGarrett ordered. He stayed as close to the cedar hedge as he could and made his way toward the person advancing on the house. If he was right and it was the woman on the most wanted list, then she would be carrying two items, a liquid bomb, and a black rose.
Steve knew he had to stop her before she reached the main house or she would activate the device and kill every one inside. He stood still for several seconds listening for any sound that would tell him where his target was and was rewarded with the sound of a footstep to his left, maybe ten feet from his position.
"Do you have a visual, McGarrett?"
"Negative…I need radio silence, Sir," Steve said and silently cursed the man for not keeping his mouth shut. When this was over, he'd make damn sure the man understood the orders and didn't give a damn that the man was in charge of this mission. He continued to move, listening as the wind rustled the branches above him, but caught the distinct sound of a branch breaking close to his position. He waited to see if it would be repeated and moved forward when he saw a dark shape moving along the tree-lined path.
Steve ignored everything around him, concentrating on the job ahead of him. He needed to get to her before she had a chance to arm the explosive and complete her assignment. He moved with an ease that had given him the nickname Smooth Dog because of the way he moved without making a sound.
McGarrett was within five feet of his target when she turned and looked directly into his eyes. The dark clothing made no sound as she lifted a gun and fired. His mind registered the searing burn of a bullet across his right side, and he returned fire, his bullet struck her in the chest and she toppled backward, but not before she pressed the button on the device she held in her left hand.
"I may die…but I will take you with me."
Steve heard her laugh and dove behind the concrete barrier of fencing just as the cracking sizzle told him the explosive was armed, He covered his head as the bomb sent a concussive force through the area and felt the debris land around and on top of him. He could not hear anything above the ringing in his ears.
"McGarrett, where the hell are you?"
Steve turned onto his back and looked up at the full-bodied moon above his head. He swallowed convulsively as Nick Taylor and Dwayne Harris knelt beside him. There was no mistaking the death of the assassin when he turned on his side and looked into her dead eyes set in the only part of her body that had survived the explosion. A single, perfect black rose landed beside him and he hoped he would never see that particular flower again.
"That's one way of disarming an explosive situation, Smoot Dog," Taylor said.
"Where are you hurt?" Harris asked.
"We need a medic here!" Taylor called.
McGarrett knew those sightless eyes would haunt his dreams, but he understood there was nothing he could have done to change what had happened. Anastasia Kwiatkowski was an assassin and would have shown no remorse for killing Senator Frank McLane. The man was a honest politician and God knew they were few and far between. His eyes closed as the medic knelt beside him and darkness took him away.
McGarrett opened his eyes with a sharp exhale of air as he escaped the dream. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, listening to Danny sleeping in the next bed. He knew it was early, but he could hear the nursing staff making their way along the outer hallway. He stood up, made his way into the bathroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were rimmed with dark shadows and he felt as bad as he looked. He reached for the washcloth and ran water over it before washing his face.
The memory brought on by the dream left him cold, but he knew she'd died by her own hands. If he was right and this was her daughter, then he'd have to be careful. He'd told Danny, Chin, and Kono that he would not go lone wolf, but he might have to if he wanted to catch the woman behind the bombings.
Steve ran his fingers through his hair before making his way back to his bed. He knew Lewis would release him today, but Danny would not get out for another few days because of the injuries sustained in the explosion. Chin and Kono were also injured, but they would be able to help him search for the woman.
McGarrett climbed back into bed and placed his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. There was a small water stain on one of the tiles and he wondered if there'd been a leak at some point in time. God, he hated being alone with his thoughts, especially when they kept returning to the fact that his friends were injured because of something from his past.
TBC