Chapter 13

After a long shower the next morning, Mel stood by the window with her coffee and enjoyed the view of the ocean. She would miss that. Yes, her house in Düsseldorf was nice too, but she hated the emptiness that greeted her there every day. But she also couldn't part with it yet, there were so many memories in it too. Mel swallowed as that deep sadness threatened to come back.

She pulled her cell phone out of her jeans and dialed Steve's number. Again, it landed on the box. Mel frowned; this was unusual. Steve was actually available 24/7. She dialed Danny's number. Again, the box answered. Mel was getting anxious, something was wrong. When she couldn't reach Tani either, she was sure something had happened. She put the still half-full coffee cup in the sink, grabbed her keys and backpack, and drove to HPD.

Once there, she asked for Duke Lukela.

"Dr. Kinsellla, good to see you, are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you Sergeant Lukela. I'm worried about this. I can't reach Steve, Danny or Tani." A steep crease appeared on the sergeant's forehead.

"This is indeed unusual."

"Do you know what Five-0 was working on? All I know is that they went to Maui."

Duke shook his head.

"Unfortunately, no. And I don't have access to their system either."

"Damn, now how do we get out where they are and how we can help?"

"Jerry."

"Jerry?"

"Yes, Jerry, he was on Five-0 until recently, but then dropped out after he was shot."

"Oh, okay. Where do I find this guy?"

Duke gave her Jerry's address and Mel hurried off. The V8 roared as she chased out of the parking lot.

With squealing brakes, she stopped in front of the small family home, where the door opened as soon as she got out, and a man with a full beard and an Elvis quiff looked out at her.

"Oh, you're not McGarrett at all. I just heard the brakes screech."

Mel smiled and looked down at herself.

"No I'm not. But I need your help to find him."

His eyebrows raised, he looked right and left, then pushed her into the house.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I just know that the team has been investigating Maui for a couple of days. Yesterday afternoon Steve was still trying to reach me, and when I tried to call back in the evening and this morning only the box answered. And I can't reach Danny and Tani either."

"Okay come on."

Jerry grabbed his badge and access card and hurried out the door. Mel ran behind as fast as she could and got into her car. After he got in as well, she looked at him questioningly.

"Headquarters." She nodded and floored the gas pedal. When they arrived at the Palace, Jerry was a shade paler.

„You can definitely drive."

At HQ, Jerry logged into the system and called up the last case file.

"On Maui, a new drug lord is trying to take the reins. The last entry is from yesterday afternoon." Jerry pulled up a map of Maui.

"They suspected the camp was about here in this area."

"Okay, how do we get there?"

"Um, you want ...?"

"Do you have another idea?"

"There are two of us against I don't know how many men of a drug lord. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Okay, then I'll fly without you."

"Who are you? Wonderwoman?"

"Look, you misunderstood me. I don't intend to fight. Because I can't do that at all.

Only the area you just showed me is quite large and from the air all you can see is forest. I'm sure the HPD and their colleagues on Maui need accurate coordinates to access it. I would go along there as a tourist in a jeep and give you Jerry updates on a regular basis. I'm sure you have those weird radio buttons for in the ears, right? And once we find the camp, the HPD can access it with the MPD?"

Thoughtfully, Jerry looked at her. With her red curls in jeans and top, Mel would definitely pass for a tourist.

"Okay."

He dialed Duke's number and explained what they were going to do. Duke reluctantly agreed to the plan. Steve would probably rip his head off for putting Mel in danger like that, but he didn't have a better idea right now either. Mel quickly picked up her doctor's bag and her sturdy shoes, then they were off to Maui in several police helicopters.

From the road, she had quickly rented a jeep with a tent roof, which, when they arrived, was already ready for Mel. She packed her things into the trunk. Sleeping bag and everything else was included in the offer.

Mel unpacked all sorts of things and threw them on the back seat so that the car at least looked a little like it had already been used. The landlord had even quickly gotten some canned goods, which Mel put in a box behind the driver's seat. Three opened them, put the contents in the nearest trash can and the cans in a trash bag, which also ended up in the footwell this time behind the passenger seat. The water bottles landed in front of the passenger seat. Then she drove off. She stopped again at a muddy spot to get her shoes a little dirty, too, and then drove on. She had clipped her cell phone into the front cradle as Navy, but hadn't entered a destination. The little button in her ear was a little unfamiliar, but it was also nice to know she wasn't alone. She had her favorite playlist running and sang along at the top of her voice until she remembered that Jerry was listening to everything live.

When she approached the area, it was a little queasy, hopefully they took her the tourist. Whereas basically she was even one. In between, she stopped and took a few pictures. The area here was already great. Then a few tarpaulins suddenly appeared on the horizon. Mel gave the short info to Jerry. And drove further towards the tarpaulins. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man with a machine gun stood in front of her. Even though she had expected it, she flinched and blinked at the man, surprised and slightly frightened.

"Turn off the engine and get out."

"What, why? Who are you?"

Her voice trembled, but she obeyed and got out of the car. A second man, who had apparently been standing behind a tree, came along and inspected the car. Shortly after, he returned and shook his head.

"She's alone. A tourist." There was something snide in his tone.

"Okay, you can keep going. But stay to the left of the camp. Got it?"

To give his words more expression, he held his machine gun under her nose. Her eyes grew even bigger.

"Yes, sir." Mel got in, started the engine and drove slowly.

"Jerry? Do you have the coordinates?"

"Yes, HPD is on the way."

"STOP!" Mel froze, and she heard Jerry draw in a sharp breath. Then the man who had frisked her car was standing next to the driver's side. Her brain was working at full speed, what had she missed?

"Get out and bring your doctor's bag."

She closed her eyes briefly. Damn, why had she taken the stupid thing with her. But now she had no choice. She got out and picked up her doctor's bag from the back seat. Then she was taken into the middle by the two men.

As they walked through the camp, Mel tried to look around inconspicuously. Under a tarp, she spotted an old shipping container that had bars in the front instead of doors. And she knew only too well the man who had provisionally bandaged his arm and was looking over at her through the bars. When she felt his disbelieving gaze on her, she tried not to let on, but it was boiling inside her. Steve was hurt, and maybe the others were too.

Then a canvas was pulled aside and they were pushed into the tent. On a cot lay a man with a bullet wound in his stomach. Sweat was standing on his forehead.

"Oh my god. This man needs to get to a hospital right now!"

"You can't. Take care of him."

"Listen, I don't have the right instruments here and I don't have a sterile environment. If I operate on him here, your husband will definitely die."

"A hospital is out of the question, now let's go."

The machine gun pointed at them again. Mel swallowed.

"Please put the gun down. I'm going to try. But it doesn't look good for him."

"If he dies, you die."

Horrified, Mel looked at him. In her ear she heard Jerry breathing heavily.

"I have to put him under ..."

"You operate like this."

"But, ..."

"No buts and now get started."

The half-Irish woman closed her eyes briefly, opened her bag and took out everything she needed. With the bandage scissors, she cut open the man's shirt and disinfected the wound area extensively. By now, sweat was also on her forehead and she could feel her top sticking to her back. As she drew up a syringe of local anesthetic, the rifle came back into her field of vision. Slowly Mel became angry.

"Now let me finally do my work," she barked at the men and carefully placed the syringe around the wound. Then she began the operation. She hadn't operated on a living person in ages, but she simply blanked out everything around her and focused only on the task in front of her. She was so focused that she didn't even notice the gunshots and the screaming around her. It wasn't until she had closed the wound and she looked up again that she noticed Duke standing in the tent entrance, grinning.

"That's not the way it was planned, doctor." She grinned back.

"True, sometimes you have to improvise. How's the team doing?"

At that moment Duke was pushed aside and Steve entered the tent.

He held his arm and stared at Mel in relief.

"Thank God, you're okay. ... Damn, what are you doing here?"

Steve's emotions were on a roller coaster. When he had just seen Mel, whom he thought was safe on O'ahu, on the way to the leader's tent, he had felt sick to his stomach.

"What does it look like to you?"

His eyes grew big.

"That was your plan?" She swayed her head back and forth.

"Well, me operating on the boss here, that wasn't the plan. Actually, I just wanted to find out your position and report that to HPD. Love from Jerry, by the way."

Mel stepped closer and handed Steve the earbud.

"Jerry?"

"Hi boss, are you ok?"

"Yes, thanks to you and HPD."

"Very good."

Mel stepped even closer and took his arm.

"Let's see."

"It's not that bad. Straight through."

"Let me see, please."

She repeated emphatically. Reluctantly, Steve took his hand off his upper arm. Mel removed the temporary bandage and inspected the wounds.

By way of background, HPD also had the gang's head, whom Mel had operated on, taken out of the tent on a stretcher and flown to a hospital.

"Sit down."

Reluctantly, Steve sat down on one of the boxes. Mel cleaned the wounds and disinfected them, then she placed two small syringes and sutured the wounds. Shortly thereafter, they were dressed and Steve was allowed to stand up again. Indecisive, Steve stood close to Mel. Then he simply took her in his arms and pressed her gently against him. She let him and enjoyed his closeness for a moment. Then she detached herself from him.

"What actually happened?"

"I don't even know for sure, the guys knew we were coming and surprised us from behind and then captured us."

Steve looked at Duke.

"Maybe we have a mole in HPD."

Duke nodded gravely.

"We'll get that out."

Mel packed her bag again and left the boss's tent with Steve and Duke. Then she spotted the rest of the team and was glad that there were no major injuries, quickly hugged everyone and then called Tani over and tended to her shot arm.

Two hours later, everyone was back at HQ. Mel had returned the jeep to the landlord and given him an extra tip. How she would have loved to really be on the road with the jeep. But now she stood in the HQ and gave the equipment back to Jerry. He had been warmly welcomed by his friends.

"Thanks Jerry. You really saved our a..."

The latter wanted to wave him off, but Mel also pressed him against him.

"I wouldn't have found them without you. Thank you!" With his head held high, Jerry stood among his former colleagues. "It was good to be back."

Slowly, Mel withdrew. The team had a lot to talk about and everyone asked Jerry what his book was doing that he was writing. Steve realized too late that the half-Irish woman was no longer there. As he stepped up to the window, he saw the Mustang pull out of the parking lot. A moment later, Danny was standing behind him. "You okay Steve?" He nodded, but actually nothing was ok at all.