Sorry for taking forever on this update. I'll try to update faster in the future.
Danny's gaze lingered on the two mysterious figures who had just walked in, studying them with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
"I'll ask this again," he said, his voice firm and tinged with impatience. "Who are you?"
The woman, her piercing gaze unwavering, reached into her blazer and withdrew a small object—a badge. She waved it briefly before tucking it back into her pocket, nodding toward her companion.
"Special Agent Brooks," she introduced herself, her tone measured. "And this is Agent Denise."
A soft scoff escaped Lou's lips behind Danny, and he couldn't help but empathize with the sentiment. Encounters with the CIA rarely spelled good news.
"Look, I don't know what you want, but whatever it is, it'll have to wait," Danny asserted, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "We're kinda busy at the moment, so–"
Agent Denise's interruption was swift and decisive. "I'm afraid it cannot wait, Detective," she stated, her tone holding an air of solemnity. "As my colleague mentioned, we are here on a matter of national security."
Danny couldn't hide his irritation. "To be honest, I was hoping to talk to Commander McGarrett, but the receptionist informed us that he's unavailable at the moment. So, I suggest you find time to step in, Detective."
A mixture of anger and concern churned within Danny. Steve needed him. The people of this island needed him. He had no time for pleasantries with an agency known for its secrecy and veiled agendas.
Lou stepped forward, mirroring Danny's annoyance. "Look," he began, his voice tinged with exasperation, "Some maniac just blew up one of the busiest places on this island last night, and we really have to work on that. So why don't you just tell us what you want and get the hell out of here so we can work?"
Brooks didn't seem phased by their collective frustration. "I know what happened last night," she responded calmly. "In fact, that's precisely why we're here. And it's worse than you might imagine."
Danny raised an eyebrow. It couldn't be much worse than it was already, could it? His mind raced, wondering if there was more to this than just Makoni's revenge.
"Care to explain what is going on here?" he asked.
Brooks sighed as if debating how much to disclose. "Six months ago, someone stole five barrels of radioactive material from the research lab at the University of Michigan."
A thick silence filled the room for long seconds before Danny spoke again.
"You know who stole it?" he asked, hoping his suspicions wouldn't be confirmed.
"Yes," Brooks confirmed. "A few weeks ago, some Albanian mob guys started to look for a buyer. According to our asset, they found one. As far as my knowledge goes, Five 0 already had the pleasure to meet him some years ago."
Danny could feel his stomach shrink. "Please, don't tell me the buyer is–"
"Roko Makoni," Denise finished for him. "A.k.a. The Chief."
"You must be kidding me," Lou said.
"Looks like Makoni got promoted to a terrorist," Jerry joined in.
Danny ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
Brooks continued, "Makoni escaped from the prison, and now we have a reason to believe that not only he is on the island, but he was behind yesterday's explosion. Judging by how you look at me, I believe you reached the same conclusions.
Danny gritted his teeth, anger, and concern coursing through him. "Yeah, we had our suspicions."
"Well, the last night, even though unfortunate, was nothing," Denise chimed in. "A child's play in comparison to what can come next. If Makoni gets his hands on the missing radioactive material, it'll get a lot worse."
Brooks added, "As you know, dirty bombs are one of Makoni's specialties."
Tani interjected, trying to grasp the magnitude of the threat, "So, what? Is he planning to strap the explosives to the stolen barrels?"
Denise nodded grimly. "We believe so."
The team exchanged worried glances, realizing the enormity of the task in front of them.
"I'm sure you understand that we cannot let that happen," Brooks said. "That's why we're here. We need your help to stop this trade before it's too late."
Danny chuckled ironically, feeling the weight of the world crushing him. "You need our help? What, are you understaffed or what? Isn't this a job for the military? Special forces?"
Brooks and Denise shared a knowing look. "Unfortunately, the command is more concerned about their promotions than green-lighting the op," Brooks explained. "By the time we get approval, Makoni will be gone."
"How does Steve fit into all this?" Tani asked.
Danny wished he had an answer to that. It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting Steve back and stopping Makoni's plans.
Brooks flashed her eyes to Tani, then looked back at Danny. "Are we missing something?" she asked.
After a moment's hesitation, Danny explained the situation, his heart cracking at the thought of his best friends at the hands of the madman.
"Well, that's unfortunate," Brooks said. Nothing in her tone suggested genuine concern, though. "I understand you are focused on finding McGarrett, but this is bigger. You need to set your priorities straight."
"My priorities are clear," Danny snapped.
Denise shot him a glare, but Brooks interjected, further highlighting the seriousness of the situation, "If we fail and the trade goes through, McGarrett's as good as dead anyway. If he's not already."
"He's not!" Danny snapped, wishing he'd been more confident about it.
Brooks met his angry haze. "Okay, then," she said. "But if Makoni gets what he wants, he will go into hiding. Fast. Keeping the prisoners around would just make his escape more difficult. You know I'm right."
Danny didn't want to think about it. Couldn't think about it, or he'd fall apart.
"If we don't stop Makoni before it's too late, the damage he can cause will be unimaginable," Brooks said. "So, I suggest you make it your priority."
Lou probed further, "Just to be clear, what damage are we talking about?"
"Thing about the dirty bombs, it's not the initial blast that's so devastating," Brooks explained. "Set one off in the city center, you might only kill a few hundred people with the blast."
"Excuse me, only?" Danny couldn't hide the anger at that statement.
Brooks ignored him. "The point is, the real destruction comes from the dispersion of radioactivity. Render that whole area uninhabitable for hundreds of years."
"How big of a radius?" Tani asked.
"Depends on the quality. And radioactive half-life of the material used."
"So, let's say they used everything they took from the lab," Danny pressed.
"It's difficult to be precise."
"Then estimate."
"I suppose it'd affect close to three hundred square miles," Brooks said.
Danny stood there, dumbstruck.
After a long silence, it was Jerry, who spoke, conveying exactly what all of them were thinking.
"It's about half of this island."
*to be continued*
Hey, thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. It's always appreciated.