A/N: Happy Friday! Just putting this up here and then I'm going to head outside to enjoy the beautiful weather that we're finally enjoying, after that long winter. I'm going to bask in the sun and hope for inspiration for a new story. Happy Reading!

Chapter 30: Retaliation

Moving from the pitch darkness of the mine, to the moon lit darkness of the outside world, was a welcome, and painful, motion from the horrors down below. Few of the people trapped down in the mine were able to move on their own, but those that could walked out ahead of the officers, while many who clung to life, defiantly, were helped out of the place, and sadly those who were dead would be left behind until the coroner could arrive to retrieve them. They'd been down there for a long time with nothing to sustain them. Everything about the movement out of the mine was solemn and reverent, as so many had died in the darkness by the hands of their own, but there was a determination in those who lived and a need to help those who suffered.

As they exited, the scene was one of confusion and despair. The cattle hung about the quarry, unsure of their surroundings, and people gathered around the sick and the dying, as rescuers moved in with their vehicles.

Danny stepped away from the group of people and up to a man who had been down below and who had walked out of his own accord. He'd refused treatment at the medical station that had been set up, knowing he was in far better condition than many of the others, and he stood aside to let the professionals do their work. Slowly he mulled about, moving cows and horses as far away as he could, to make room for the others, but without leaving the quarry.

"I'm sorry about what has happened to you and your family," Danny said as he came to stand next to the man and a grouping of horses who still seemed very skittish in the moonlight. "But I must ask you how this happened."

"You must know part of the story if you've been able to find us, and I am sure there is much that we don't know, but I can tell you that we were corralled together by my brother's sons and two other people - a man and a woman who had many large weapons. They shot two of our boys who tried to protest and they lead us down into the mine, forcing us to carry the wounded with us. We were there for many days, as they worked in the passage. We could hear them talking and planning, while the children begged for food and water, cried and screamed, and the fear that we would all die down there set in. All we could do was pray, and beg for some mercy, until finally it was silent in the mine and we were left to die. You are a god sent for those of us who believed that we would be saved."

"This was done to you by your own nephews?" Danny asked, he knew the answer but it was still a shocking concept for the devoted family man.

"Those boys have been nothing but trouble all their lives. The last thing Kimo said to us, before locking up in, was that we were weakness and the thing that stood in the way of his greatness. They'd been brainwashed. Both boys spoke of their greatness - like it was something that we'd never seen or hope for, for them. Their intelligence had been wasted on us - that's what they said. The idea that they could build up themselves as better than us because they were smarter, and no one ever gave them the chance, in our family, to be great. They said they were building a new family, a better, smarter, family and then Kona laughed and locked us up. All as if we were nothing, and had been nothing, to them." The poor man explained as tears came to his eyes. "The cattle came into the mine after us, but not long after, and there was trouble getting the animals into the darkness, but it was done. Why kill the animals too, surely they couldn't blame them like they blamed us."

Danny shook his head, as he stroked the side of the horse's head to calm it down. He was at a loss for words but his suspicions were true. Gladys had gotten to the boys and somehow he knew that the rescue of those they were able to save was not going to push them into the wilderness as Steve had hope, but something else would happen in retaliation.

"I can't answer your questions, not because I don't want to, but because I don't know what is happening," Danny said as the man's eyes pleaded with his and the horses seemed to become calm around them. "I think, I mean I am going to assume, that the cattle was put down their for the soul purpose of distracting us. They were in the left side of the passage, while you were in the right. We usually go left first, it's just habit, and the scared, hungry, confined, cattle would be the last, best, barrier between you and us. Lucky for us, we've dealt with cattle before and it was just a minor inconvenience before getting to you. One last thing after we'd gotten through all their other traps but they underestimated us and what we've done before."

"There were more barriers? We heard them working, but we couldn't make it out." The man stated.

"Yes, we encountered many triggers and copious amounts of explosives, including military grade plastics. Do you have any idea how the twins could have gotten their hands on such things?" Danny asked.

"The man and the woman seemed very military, and the boys have clearly been long under their influence. I don't know how, but I do believe they knew what they were doing."

"The man they were will had military ties. He is dead now, and I believe with more investigation, we will find how they came to have the explosives. They've been very well prepared." Danny said thoughtfully, and very darkly. "You had no idea that this was going to happen? They boys gave you no need to worry?" he asked.

"No, I mean, they weren't with us very much because they were wild and uncontrollable, and got into a lot of trouble with the law. Truth be told, we hadn't seen them in months, since the last time they were released from prison, because we wouldn't let them back here to be a bad influence on the smaller children. They needed to get their acts together, but clearly that isn't what they did."

"No, they found someone who would help nurture that defiance in them. They were the perfect prey for Gladys and her cause."

"And that cause is?"

"To destory Five-O and get revenge against us for killing her brother." Danny said. "And she's doing a very good job of giving us the run around. I'm so sorry you had to get caught up in all of it. It should have never gone this far, or affected so many innocent people. I blame myself and I don't know how to stop her." Danny admitted to the poor man before him. "I don't know what else to do."

"But you are Kahuna, you'll figure this out and stop them, because you are Five-O." The man stated optimistically. "And Five-O is here for the island, for the people. You will figure this out."

"We will try, but I don't believe we will save the twins. I think they are too far gone."

"I believe you are right, but do what you can. They are family, after all, and if we can save them, we should." The man stated and with a gentle nod of his head, Danny left the man to himself.

5-0

Steve pushed on with his plan, even though he'd underestimated the Waiholi brothers, and their involvement, he was even more determined because he could see that, once again, he was losing Danny. He called the media down into the site, when he was sure it was safe, and reached out to contact Kawika and the Kapu for help. He made frantic phone calls to the Governor and back to the office, and he reach out once again to Wade and the SEALs just to make sure they were all right.

The images that the news reporters captured, and distributed live, were graphic and disturbing, and the events of the night hit the morning news and all the stations across the island as soon as dawn broke. Gladys's face was plastered on all the island television screens, with her aliases, and the mug shots of the two men who were helping her. They were posted as extremely dangerous and the public was warned not to go near them, to lock their doors and windows, and just stay inside for safety. The news of the case, the connections to the fires and the airport attack shocked and stunned even those who reported it and then finally the connection to the previous case was made. Daniel McMahon was alive, in spirit, all across the island and once it was out there, all Five-O could do was wait and watch, to see what these insane people would do next. They were as prepared as they could be, and yet, it still wasn't prepared enough because logic wasn't with them, only insanity and revenge.

The Five-Os remained at the Waiholi compound for most of the morning as the scene was cleared. They were thankful to not have to stand in front of the press and speak out about the horrors, the Governor was already doing that, informed by the information coming out of Five-O HQ, and all through the morning they received communications from the people back in the office.

The most unnerving part of the whole situation, however, was that no one had heard anything from Carmine, or Doris, in hours. Every attempt at contact had failed and the HPD backup at the hotel had lost visual contact with them as well. Their pedometers still worked but generally speaking they stayed in on location at the hotel - which wasn't a good sign. Something wasn't right with the super spy and her SWAT handler.

Steve became worried, this wasn't what he needed and he cursed his mother for becoming a distraction yet again. Her working with him was just not going to work out. He thought he could disconnect, hell the woman hadn't been a part of his life in year, but that didn't seem to matter. She was his mother. He'd lost her once, found her, and found out why she had to go. It didn't make the situation any easier to deal with, in face, and in Steve's mind, it made it all the more worse.

Danny could tell that Steve's mind had gone somewhere else, hell so had his, but this wasn't the time for that and Danny just wasn't in the mental state to help him. What had he been thinking to send his mother after Gladys in the first place? It seemed liked a good idea, to him, until it just wasn't anymore and Danny had warned him, but this wasn't a time for 'I told you so'.

Truth be told, most of the island was in a panic over the whole situation. Doors were bared and locked, as if in preparation for a hurricane. They headed the Five-O warning because they trusted this group of cops to do what was best for them. People stayed in to stay safe. This whole thing set the islanders on edge and warning sirens sounded the alarm. The emergency system was turned on, as news systems told the public to stay in as long as the sirens sounded. Gladys McMahon had forced the island into lock down and the only people on the streets were emergency personnel and the military, and the occasional crazy bystander who just didn't want to be ordered to stay inside. The situation on the island had turned volatile and this was all part of Steve's plan - or rather the plan he was making up as he went.

"At least people know what she looks like," Steve had said to Danny, as he paced, tossing his cellular phone from hand to hand.

"Sure, and anyone with a gun who thinks they might see her or the brothers are going to shoot. We may have pandemonium on our hands before this is over."

"Maybe, and maybe not, but what else were we supposed to do?"

"Well you either smoked her out of send her underground, and if she's gone underground we'll never catch her."

"She's not safe anywhere on this island, not like this, and if anyone sees her they are going to report it. At least I hope that's what they do. We can take out a car or a house and deal with a hostage situation if we have to. This is it, Danny, the time is now."

"Just as long as your mother doesn't screw us over." Danny huffed as his phone rang. "Doris, where the hell are you?" Danny asked in shock when he realized who had called him, and why had she not called Steve?

"Give me that!" Steve stated and snatched the phone right out of Danny's hand. "What have you done?" he asked into the phone. "Where are you? Are you all right?"

"Never mind me, what have you done? Do you know what happens when you back a wild animal into a corner? I hope you're prepared to defend the Hale because you're about to be under siege." Doris yelled.

"We're not at the Hale." Steve stated.

"Then God protect whoever is. The Waiholi brothers are heading to the Hale. They are not happy you've rescued their family. They have left Gladys and are en-route as we speak. Prepare for battle Steve, because that is what you are about to get!"

"Where are you?" Steve yelled into the phone.

"Tailing the other wild animal. You have bigger problems, don't worry about me. You know the Waiholis know how to use explosives. Carmine is tailing them but he's not going to be able to hold them off alone. Get off the phone and get ready. This is happening!"