Chapter 9
After hours, when the door to the waiting room opens and Dr. Carter walks in with a tired face, it gets quiet and everyone looks at him expectantly.
He looks at them seriously, almost sadly, then clears his throat: "I'm sorry. I would so much like to give you positive news. Unfortunately, I can't do that yet. Despite surgery, the commander's life is still in danger. The bullet entered the right ventricle of his heart and got stuck there, the fact that he was able to receive immediate medical attention is the only reason he is still alive at all. We have placed him in an induced coma and the next few days will show if Commander McGarrett will make it."
Dr. Carter looks around the room.
"I know how much the commander means to you and I'm sorry, I would have liked to tell you something else." Quietly, he leaves the room.
Shocked, they sit there, no one moves, all must first process what they have just heard. Suddenly Catherine jumps up and runs out of the room. Tears run down her face. She remembers the promise she made to Steve.
"Dr. Carter!" "Lieutenant Rollins?"
"Can I see him? Please. I ... I promised him yesterday I would come back today. I'd like to keep my promise." Thoughtfully, the doctor looks at her. Then he nods. "But just for a moment, please." Soon Catherine is sitting at Steve's bedside. She tries to tune out all the machines, IVs and monitoring equipment, not quite succeeding. She takes his hand.
"Hey Sailor, I'm back, just like I promised. And I'm going to stay. ... Now it's your turn. Promise me you'll fight, Steve, please!"
Soon after, Catherine has to leave Steve again. At the door, she takes one last look at him and then quietly closes the door behind her. Once in the waiting area, only Danny, Chin and Kono are still standing there. The nursing staff has sent everyone home with the promise to get back to them immediately if anything is wrong. Wordlessly, Danny takes Catherine in his arms. Gratefully, she leans against him for a moment.
"The HPD has come forward. They arrested the sniper based on the face search at the airport. He's sitting in the interrogation room with us." Catherine nods.
"Let's go, then."
Catherine and Danny take on the sniper while Chin and Kono get the background information. Who he is is still unclear. His ID is fake and according to the database he doesn't exist at all. They check his cell phone data, but quickly realize they're getting nowhere here. The cell phone is a brand new one, which he apparently bought at the airport. It has not been used at all. Soon Catherine and Danny come back upstairs. The guy doesn't say a word.
Since they've been back up in the hall, Catherine hasn't spoken a word.
"Catherine, what is it? What are you thinking about?" She jolts up from her musings.
"We have a ghost sitting down there. According to the databases, he doesn't exist, has a clean cell phone and a fake German ID." Danny nods.
"What's your point."
"I've had something like this before. ... I have to make a phone call."
She's about to go into Steve's office when she remembers something else.
"What else we can try to do would be to try to trace his path here on the island, especially after Steve was shot. He must have left that old phone somewhere."
"That's a good idea, and I'm evaluating the cell phone numbers dialed in at the hospital at that time, maybe we can get an overlap with another location?"
"Good idea!"
Catherine pulls the door of Steve's office shut behind her. She wonder if the shooting of Steve has something to do with her. She picks up her cell phone and dials a number.
"Lieutenant?"
"I'll send you a picture."
"Good."
Catherine hangs up again and presses send. She hopes she is wrong.
She leaves Steve's office and rejoins the others. Part of the rental car's route can already be seen on the monitor. Chin has focused on the route after the attack and reconstructed it using the images from the traffic cameras; the GPS had probably been deactivated by the shooter. On the other screen is a list of cell phone numbers that keeps changing. At the time of the shooting the list is the largest, then it gets smaller and smaller until there is really only one blinking number left. The cell phone is located on a private property. Kono and the others know the corner. The owner has set up a tent city there for homeless people, most of whom simply can't afford the expensive rents despite regular work.
Danny grabs the Silverado key and starts walking. Then he stops and turns around once more.
"Is anyone coming?"
"Yeah, yeah sure."
Catherine runs to him. In the car, they remain silent, each of them thinking his or her own thoughts. Then they are there and enter the grounds. A young man approaches them.
"Can I be of assistance to you, detective?"
"Probably."
Danny pulls out his cell phone and shows the young man the photo of the shooter.
"Was this man here today?"
"Yaaaaa, I think so. I don't know what he was doing here, though. He was gone pretty quickly." "Thanks."
Danny turns away. The cell phone could be anywhere else here. He picks up his cell phone and dials the number. It begins to ring on another young man who has just walked past them. He freezes, looks at Danny briefly, and runs off in the opposite direction.
"For real now?" Danny runs off. Catherine after him. When Catherine realizes the young man is making a turn, she cuts him off shorthand. Panting, Danny arrives at them.
"So, you and I are going to have a little talk." "I haven't done anything."
"Then why are you running away?" The young man blushes: "I was afraid that when you saw my new cell phone, they would think I had stolen it. But I didn't. I found it in the trash."
Catherine nods.
"I understand. But unfortunately, we're here precisely because of the cell phone. It belonged to a guy who shot my friend today, and I need to know who he's been in contact with like that. What's your name?"
"Josh." He looks at her.
"But there was no data on the phone, or I could have given it back. Am I going to get in trouble now?"
"No. Josh, look. You give us the phone and we'll try to recover the data, and I promise you someone will bring you an equivalent for it later, okay?"
The other young man rejoined. Catherine looks at him.
"Your friend here can attest, you're getting a new phone from Five-0, okay?"
Josh nods and hands her the phone.
"All right." Catherine pulls out an evidence bag and bags the phone.
"Thanks, Josh."
When they get to HQ, they take the phone to forensics right away. Hopefully they can recover it. Catherine's contact has not yet contacted them. As night falls, the friends decide to call it a day. Questioningly, Danny looks at Catherine.
"Do you want me to drive you home?" She shakes her head.
"Do you think they'll let me see Steve?"
"I was just wondering the same thing. Come."
Dr. Carter is standing in the hallway when Catherine and Danny arrive.
"I've been waiting for you."
"How is he?"
"Unchanged, his condition is still critical. If you'd like, you can stay with him, though." Almost simultaneously, they both nod.