Chapter 3

Catherine and Lou listened closely to the intruders' radio. Suddenly they noticed one of the men address Five-0.

"Five-0, I know you're still in the building and I'm pretty sure you can hear me. So let's make it very simple, I want the prisoner you have here for interrogation. If I don't have him here in five minutes, I'll start shooting hostages. And just so you know I'm serious..."

Now at least they knew what, or rather who, the men were after. Except they didn't have anyone in the building for interrogation right now. "...I'll start with Commander McGarrett. Better hurry before another colleague of yours gets killed."

As soon as Steve's name came up, Catherine and Lou got scared. Shortly thereafter, they heard a shot and screams, then they couldn't hear anything over the radio.

"Lou, we have to go up to the first floor immediately."

Lou nodded to Catherine and both hurriedly made their way upstairs, informing Chin and Kono at the same time and they both started running immediately.

In the lobby:

As the man aimed his gun at Steve and already had his finger on the trigger, Danny jumped to the side and pushed the man away, firing a shot that landed in the ground. Steve immediately jumped up, knocked the gun out of the man's hand and finally brought him to the ground while Danny turned to the second man. The third man quickly ran to the door, pressed something on the explosive device, and disappeared outside. As soon as he closed the door, the explosive device began flashing rapidly. Steve and Danny quickly tied up the two guys and at that moment Catherine and Lou, followed by Kono and Chin ran into the foyer with their guns raised. Realizing that Steve and Danny had the situation under control so far, they were relieved. Catherine quickly walked up to Steve and hugged him.

"Thank God. I was really worried."

"Oh really? We had everything under control the whole time."

"I'm sure you did."

That's when Chin noticed the suspected explosive device on the door.

"Guys, I think we have a problem."

"The thing just hasn't blinked that much, which doesn't bode well." Danny added.

Steve went a little closer and took a quick look at the construction.

"The third man that was here must have done something with it. Please take everyone down to the basement immediately, you'll be safe there. I'm trying to defuse this thing. As soon as I've made it, I'll let you know over the radio. Come on now, we don't know how much time we have left."

The team immediately moved and led the people, including the two intruders, to the basement. Because the two guys didn't want to reveal how to deactivate the explosive device, which is why they were taken into the basement. However, Danny still had to argue with Steve before he also went into the basement.

"What's the matter with you? Do you want to die? Then just tell me and I'll shoot you, 'cause getting blown to bits is no enjoyable death. Just come with me into the basement and if the thing explodes, at most the entrance here will be destroyed."

"Danny, did you notice the wires here? Who knows if the thing doesn't set off a chain reaction if it explodes and then we might have a much bigger problem. So I have to at least try to defuse it."

"You really are an idiot, Steven! Do you really always have to try to kill yourself?"

"Danny, get the hell out before we're both dead!"

"Fine, but only under protest."

Steve waited until Danny was gone and then turned to the explosive device. He just hoped he could defuse it. He then began cautiously with his plan...

In the basement, the team tried to calm everyone down as much as possible. But Catherine and Danny paced nervously. They eagerly awaited the radio message from Steve that he had deactivated the explosive device.

The minutes passed, nothing was heard...

Steve examined each wire and solder joint. He had to start somewhere. Sweat was already on his forehead and his nervousness was anything but getting better. Then he saw that the device wasn't connected to the explosives at all. The guys had really forgotten to connect the detonators and the explosives. He quickly checked that this applied to all the explosive packages on all the doors and then took the device from the main door and opened it. The fresh air that rushed in felt good. He saw the last guy standing in front of the building, he looked deeply into his cell phone. With three steps Steve was with him, twisted his arm with the mobile phone behind his back and took him to the Palace, in the basement to the others.

Surprised, Danny and the others looked up when Steve was suddenly standing in the basement with the guy.

"I thought you neanderthal animal might tell us what's up with that damn bomb! Instead, you're taking this guy for a walk!"

"Oh, sorry sir, you know, I thought I might arrest him for just standing so comfortably in front of the Palace."

Then Catherine stepped in before this discussion could get any further. "Are you two done soon? Then maybe we should take a look at the guys and ask them what they actually wanted here. Apart from the fact that a few bystanders might want to leave the building again?"

Catherine now turned to the people. "You can leave the building or return to your place of work if you wish. The building is secured and released again."

Mumbling, people left the basement until only the Five-0 team was left.

"Well then, let's see what our guests have to tell us."

They split up again, this time to question the men. After a relatively short time they met again in front of the cellar doors. They hadn't learned much that was new, the whole action was solely to free a certain prisoner who wasn't in the building yet. After asking the HPD, the plan was to bring the man to the Palace for interrogation, but only in the afternoon. Well, now the HPD had three more people to interrogate.

The team went back upstairs and put the equipment back in the closet. Steve decided that was enough for today and gave his team the rest of the day off. Catherine was already waiting at the front door when Danny called Steve back into his office. Catherine, however, had no interest in standing around any longer.

"I'll go to the car."

"Be right there," came Steve's reply.

As Steve entered Danny's office, Danny looked at him invitingly while he was sitting in his chair behind his desk, his arms crossed over his chest. However, Steve didn't understand what Danny wanted. "What?"

"Really? No thanks?"

"Thanks? For what?"

"Maybe something like, Thanks Danny for saving my life?"

Steve looked at him in disbelief. "Danny, seriously now?" He rolled his eyes, "Fine, if that makes you feel better. Thanks. And now you."

"I? Why?"

"If you're taking it that seriously, I want a thank you too."

"For what?"

"For saving all of your lives."

"But you said they didn't connect the detonators to the explosives at all."

"You didn't know that and I didn't realize it until I was trying to defuse the bomb."

"But if I hadn't saved your life, you wouldn't have gotten around to disarming that thing in the first place, so actually..."

"Honestly, Danny, nobody's that specific about something like this. Just be glad everything turned out ok and let's stop this stupid discussion, okay?"

"Okay, maybe you're right. But you really rarely say thank you, buddy. So I have to remind you of that."

"Sure."

Now Danny got up from his chair, walked around his desk and stood in front of Steve.

"Come here, you neanderthal."

Danny pulled Steve into a hug, patting his shoulder as he did so. Steve took the moment and got serious.

"Thanks, Danny, really."

The two broke their hug and smiled at each other.

"You're welcome. And now we go home, you don't get every day off from the boss."

As Steve stepped out of the Palace with Danny, he saw someone with their back to him, talking to Catherine...