A/N: Happy Friday Everyone! I hope you are all keeping warm and are happy. Today the sun is out and I think I'm going to go for a walk, because I just need to get out of the house, but first I want to get this update posted for you. Spring is just around the corner!
Enjoy!
Chapter 23: The Loose Ends
Vladimir Prokovia was cleared once more by Toast, before her was taken into Steve's office and guarded by two heavily armed men, while one by one the women and children were identified and separated by family - Vales in Danny's officer, Wards in Chin's and the Prokovias in Kono's. The home made gadgets and scanners that Toast used to sweep each person for bugs, seemed to unnerve the adults more than the large weapons, that the guards were carrying, but the children took great pleasure in the things the genius hacker made in his spare time. Thankfully, the children seemed to rebound from the fear quicker than the adults, and found great pleasure and wonder in the space filled with people to protect them.
"Now what do we do?" Danny asked as the bulk of the Five-O crew gathered into the common space with armed men lining the walls. "Never has this space ever felt so small." The claustrophobic detective added as Doris stood a little too close to him and her son.
"First things first, I think the men downstairs should be told that their families have been saved." Kono said thoughtfully. "They have been very cooperative and are very worried that their family would be targeted, and they would have been had it not been for Vladimir's quick thinking."
"After they attacked us, you want to give up the leverage?" Doris asked sceptically.
"Since they were captured they've been nothing but helpful." Chin countered. "If we ran this place out of spite, nothing would ever get done and no one would ever get a second chance."
"And you've gotten yours today, Doris, so why withhold it from the others?" Steve asked and his words bit at his mother.
"Fine." Doris huffed and crossed her arms. "But I disapprove!"
"Yeah, we can tell." Steve stated sarcastically. "You're disapproval is noted, but ultimately I have the final say. This is my team."
"I think you're harbouring too much anger toward me and so you feel that you have to make an example." Doris countered.
"I'm not a heartless man, and under the circumstances, and if it were Danny or myself, we would expect to know that are people are safe. I think we should give them the knowledge and sight of their families. Maybe it will spark even more loosening of their tongues." Steve reasoned.
"I agree," Danny piped in. "It's not like we haven't done this before. There has to be some humanity in all of this, or where do we find the hope that we need to continue?"
"They are criminals and they were among those who attacked you." Doris protested.
"And if you were in their situation and your children were threatened, what would you have done? Don't answer that, I know you'd fake your own death." Steve snapped.
"I'd kill, kidnap, or disappear anyone and anything, if Grace was threatened." Danny said to answer is partner's rhetorical question. "And I'd probably do anything anyone asked me to, if someone came to tell me she was safe and unharmed."
"And before you went to jail for all the things you did to protect your daughter, I'd, at the very least, let you see her safe and sounds." Steve said.
"So it's settled then, the families will be reunited, but where?" Kono asked before Doris could protest any further. The woman looked about ready to explode once more.
"Up here. You can go and fetch the men, clean them up, and bring them to their families. Danny and I will question Vladimir, and then he too can be reunited with his friends, and all their families." Steve answered. "And don't make the children see their fathers in hand cuffs. Bring them upstairs, tell them why, but before you take them into the offices, take off their restraints. Make sure you have ample cover. I don't want to be too trusting, but children should never have to see their fathers like prisoners." Steve said as he caught the disapproval in his mothers eyes.
"You have a good heart, Steve." Lori said with a nod and followed as Kono, Chin and Duke left the office, followed by a hand full of HPD officers.
"And us?" Catherine asked.
"Keep working. See if you can't get a fully weaponized drone to amuse Danny, and find this bond officer..."
"Mack McMillan." Danny finished.
"He's working with Gladys - providing her with parolees and family men. He was the name we got out of all the men from the airport attack." Steve explained and moved toward his office. "We'll see what else we can get out of Vlad."
"And what about me?" Doris asked before her son could leave.
"Help Toast and Catherine, whatever they need, get it. I trust that you can do that." Steve answered shortly and motioned for Danny to follow him.
5-0
Through the slats in the window covering, Vladimir could see what was happening in the office's common space, but he couldn't make out what was being said. He knew that his family was safe, he could see them, and he knew that he had done the right thing by the men he'd been paired up with, but it wouldn't make up for all of his sins. Right was all that was on his mind, but there was also a twinge of guilt as Danny and Steve entered the office, ushered the security out and then took up their places - Steve behind the desk and Danny to Vladimir's left.
"So you were one of the men who abducted up?" Steve asked as he folded his hands in front of him.
"Yes Sir."
"And you drove the get away vehicle?" Steve continued his line of questioning.
"Yes."
"And you have not been long in this country, all though your brother, Misha, has spent more time here?"
"This is true."
"So you do realize that you are in jeopardy of being sent back to the Ukraine along with your family, for the role you played in the events of the past few days?"
"Yes, I am aware of that, sir."
"Then why did you do it, and why save these people now?" Danny asked from beside him.
"Because, before this whole thing started my brother told me what Gladys had planned and that all loose ends would have to be tied up if we failed. They had been threatening the other men with their families and I knew that my brother would not protect mine if things went south. When the abduction went off without a hitch and you two were safely underground, I knew that we were all loose ends and always would be because we were told to stay true and be ready for our next orders, and so I warned my wife and she hid our children and I warned Vale's wife and Ward's wife and I told them that unless I came for them, they could trust no one because Vale and Ward still believed they would be protected by Gladys and my brother. This is how they ended up safe. This is why they were not in that fire house. My brother called me while I was in the car waiting for Vale and Ward to finish their mission here and when he threatened me, my family and all the other lives because they could not find them to lock them up, I fled and hoped to God that the other men would be caught and that I would get to my family first. When I'd heard that you'd escaped the drain, I knew that the only safe place would be here, and so, here we are." Vladimir explained.
"Why work with Gladys in the first place when you seem smart enough to get away from her?" Danny asked.
"Because I was loyal to my brother, though now I am not sure why. He was the one with the connections and the means to get us out of the Ukraine when whispers of bad things came down from Russia. We were gone, long before the invasion of Crimea, but we'd heard of what was coming because of my brother's ties. He is my elder, as you know, and though the wall came down and the government believed the cold war was over, my brother was still very thick into things. Our father was Ukrainian but our mother was Russian, and a nationalist to boot, and my brother was give to Russia at a very early age. I did not meet him until I was twelve and my mother had died. Father kept me close but Misha came back a soldier and a spy, for my mother's funeral. He is ten years my senior and has been in this country, first under false pretences and then later because he was a captive, and now because of the woman. But he helped me protect my family, and tried to teach me his ways when I came, but you must understand that my family is all I've ever had and they are much more important to me than some woman's revenge. She is not my family and it is very clear now that I don't know and never knew my brother, and he cares nothing for me or my children, not unless my boys will follow in his footsteps."
"So he doesn't have a family of his own?" Danny asked.
"No, family is weakness." Vladimir confessed. "I believe that there is a little girl in this world who was fathered by Misha, but she was never his, nor did he see the use in a girl child to begin with. A boy may have had a different fate, but as it stands the girl is lost to us and I thankful for her sake."
"Did you have access to your brother's plans with Gladys McMahon? Were you trusted when you were working with them?" Steve asked.
"No, he never trusted me and when things were put into motion, I was treated like any of their other unfortunates. I know where their compound is. I know where they might go within the city, but I don't know their plans. I will tell you everything that I can, if you think it will be helpful, but please protect my family."
"We will," Steve vowed and Danny nodded.
"Where would they go? Are they using different names?" Steve asked after a somewhat long moment of silent arguing with Danny.
"Yes, names are their primary concern. You have released all known aliases for Gladys, so they have new ones and they change them often or create new lives to slip in and out of. They live a pair of secret lives established over the years that they've been together or captive for. Misha goes by Mike Walker - he runs a landscaping business and it is quite lucrative. Or he goes by John Joseph Platt and she goes by Mary-Louise Platt - together they run a candy shop that specializes in hand made, local treats. Lastly, she will go by Dahlia Fillee - a photographer for events and portrait sittings. She has a small studio down in Waikiki, which is right in the thick of things. All the businesses drum up good, honest, money when tourists show up wanting a wedding photographer, or sweets to take home the flavours of the islands."
"And which business is near to Mack McMillan's bond office?" Danny asked.
"The candy shop, it's almost right next door. Mack owns two spaces in the building and then Gladys owns the other two." Vladimir answered.
"Hiding in plain sight. I bet that shop will be really familiar." Danny said with a sigh.
"Apparently, her brother had one a long time ago. She's modelled it in the same way and it does very well." Vladimir piped in again.
"They called him the Wonka Killer for obvious reasons," Danny said, "and more, and more it seems like she was his accomplice, or wanted desperately to be a part of his world."
"There is no one in the world more important to her than her twin brother. It's unhealthy how much she loves him. My brother did complain about his wife's infatuation with her dead brother, Daniel, a lot."
"I can only imagine." Danny said with a sigh.
"You've given us a lot to go on, thank you, and I think I would like to keep you as close as possible." Steve said from behind his desk as he pushed his chair back.
"I will help you." Vladimir vowed.
"And we will help you, but be warned, if you try anything, anything at all, my people will not hesitate to put you down."
"Very understandable, sir, I will behave."
"I believe you," Steve said, and all though Danny seemed to slightly protest, Steve came around the desk and removed the man's handcuffs. "I am going to turn you over to my investigations team. You will tell them everything you've told us and whatever else they may ask."
"Yes Sir."
"Danny, I think we need to take a drive down to Waikiki." Steve stated and held out his hand for the Camaro keys.
"We're not going alone!" Danny protested.
"Lord no! We're going to take the girls." Steve stated with a sly sort of smile.
"They are gong to kill you." Danny said with a shake of his head.
"Yes, it is very likely that they will." Steve laughed and the three men left the office for the openness of the bullpen.