Chapter 1

'Danno,

Catherine is in trouble, I have to go to her and help her. I know you don't like it when I just disappear like this. But there's no other way. Hold down the fort for me.

Love you,

Steve'

How he hates that. Once again, Mr. Super-Seal stealthily slipped away and left a letter on his desk. This time he would not look for it. After all, it's getting silly for him. Furious, he crumples up the letter and throws it in the trash. Then he leaves his office to go to the beach with Chin.

A few hours earlier

The sun has not yet risen when Steve's cell phone rings. He sleepily fumbles over his bedside table, almost dropping it. The caller's number is unknown. "McGarrett?" "Steve?" All at once, Steve is wide awake. "Catherine?" "Steve, I need your help. I'm in Senegal, our operation here went wrong. I'm with Sara at the women's shelter in Dakar." Steve hears screaming in the background. "Damn it, they're coming. Steve, they're storming the house, I..." "Catherine? CATHERINE?" Steve jumps out of bed. He tries to call the number back several times, but there is no answer. He quickly packs up a few things, then heads to HQ to get his gear. He's about to head out again when he remembers Danny. He quickly writes a few words on a piece of letterhead and puts it on his desk. Then he's on his way to Hickam. From there, an aid transport is about to leave for Africa; according to his information, the transport is also flying to Dakar.

Steve is on a plane to Senegal. He is worried about Catherine. Even though he has deleted her number from his cell phone and is trying to be happy with another woman, deep inside he loves her like the first day. Again Steve has to think of the day he was going to propose to her, the ring already in his pocket. If only he had asked, maybe everything would have been different.

Tired, he closes his eyes. He has already been on his feet for hours and there are still a few hours to go before Dakar.

Finally they have landed. Steve shoulders his backpack and takes his duffel bag in his other hand. Then he leaves the plane. Here he is just a private person, without the backing of the Navy, the governor or his team.

He knows nothing, except that the women's shelter was stormed and Catherine was probably abducted. No idea by whom and where. Moreover, he does not know which side the executive is on. And he has no idea where the women's shelter in Dakar is. He stops for a moment. He needs more information. Okay, so first he needs to get to his accommodation and get settled and then he needs to get out where the women's shelter is and pick up the, hopefully, trail there. And he needs a car.

"Commander McGarrett?" Steve looks up. A young man has pulled up next to him in his Jeep Wrangler Willys. Steve recognizes the pilot of the plane. "Do you want me to take them into town? I'm going in anyway. It's not on for me here until tomorrow." "I'd love to, but call me Steve." "Sure, Steve. My name is Frédéric du Pas. But call me Fred." "Pleased to meet you, Fred." Steve puts his luggage in the back seat with Fred's pilot's case and gets in. "You're from around here?" Fred shakes his head and drives off. "No California. But my father is from Senegal, but emigrated to California when he was eighteen. He's been living back here for two years now." When Steve looks at him questioningly he adds. "My parents have separated. Where are they staying?" "I took a room in a small boarding house, I don't need much. A car doesn't seem out of place here though?" "Yes, they should get that. Be careful about renting it though, they'll take your money out of your pocket while you're standing there. How long do they need the car for?" "If I knew."

"Little time out, huh?" Steve nods, should Fred quietly believe he's taken some time off. "Hmm, well, if they can wait until tomorrow morning, they can take my car for now. I won't be back for two weeks then, and it'll just sit around the Airfield for that long otherwise." "Honestly, that would be fantastic. Thank you so much!" Fred drops Steve off at the guesthouse and promises to be back around eight tomorrow morning.

In his room, Steve first drops wearily onto his bed, and shortly thereafter he is asleep. Two hours later, he wakes up again. He sits down with his laptop at the small table in the corner and tries to find out the last whereabouts of Catherine's cell phone. Stupid that he can't get together with the authorities here. On the way here he has seen many a camera. I wonder if he can get the pictures somehow. Thoughtfully he watches the computer calculating. Then it has the last location for him, that is not far from his current position. Steve decides to go to the women's shelter on foot, maybe someone there can tell him something. If they talk to him at all.