Hello everyone! Another two weeks have passed and we're back with a new chapter. I hope you'll like it. Have a nice reading!

Chapter 24

TC, Rick and Kumu quickly got in the car and TC sped off, trying to keep up with those numerous police cars all driving to the place where Harold Jones was supposed to be at the moment.

All three friends became extremely nervous. At first their ride was in absolute silence. TC was gripping the wheel again and Rick was looking straight ahead, focusing on Gordon's car driving a few vehicles ahead of them. He glanced at TC from time to time just to make sure his friend was okay. The thing that it was so quiet made it unusual, especially with Kumu as she liked talking and there weren't many situations when the woman fell silent, not uttering one word. Rick glanced at her over his shoulder, fearing that something was wrong with her and noticed that she was looking sideways and seemed to be deeply in thought.

When TC saw that and felt Rick's sudden uneasiness, he glanced in the rear-view mirror, checking on Kumu. It looked like she was there physically but her mind was miles away.

"Hey, Kumu. Is everything all right?" TC asked, deeply concerned for his friend's well-being.

She slowly met his gaze and let out a deep sigh. "I really don't know."

"What's wrong?" Now Rick joined in. "Are you worried about doing this? I can assure you that we're going to be okay and you aren't going to be in any danger. We'll take care of you."

Kumu smiled at the mention of that. "Mahalo, Rick but it's absolutely not what I'm concerned about. It's something else that's on my mind."

"It's about TM and Higgy, isn't it? You don't think they're in that warehouse." TC said.

The woman nodded her head. "Everything Gordon told us seems legit but somehow it just doesn't feel right, you know?"

"The information sounded really credible to me and that guy looks like a possible suspect." Rick stated.

"Yeah but I don't know how to explain it, I think it's not the lead we should follow in order to find Thomas and Juliet. Besides, Jin told us that they're probably held in a different part of the island." Kumu said.

"Remember that the man doesn't have to hold them in the same place he is hiding, they may be somewhere else." Rick pointed out.

"You're probably right." Kumu replied, however she didn't sound much convinced.

"We may tell Gordie about your doubts and give him the information we were given by Jin, and we'll see what he says."

"No, let's wait and see how things at the warehouse will turn out. Maybe Thomas and Juliet are there and everything will be all right after all. We have to hope for the best." She told them.

"Okay, as you wish." TC said and focused back on driving.

The rest of the ride Kumu didn't say a word. She rationalized that what Rick had said made a lot of sense but deep down she could hear a nagging voice saying – Teuila Tuileta, you know something isn't right with this theory. This case isn't that simple, there must be more to it and you know it.

They left the main road and turned into a less traveled one, leading straight to the place where Harold Jones was last spotted. They were just about to find out if their friends were truly there.

They parked the car on the side of the road, behind a long line of police cars. Without wasting any time, Kumu unbuckled her seatbelt and when she reached for the door to open, she was suddenly stopped by Rick.

"Kumu, wait."

The woman froze with her hand holding the car door handle and then she looked at her friend.

"I think it would be a good idea if you stayed here in the car…" When Rick noticed her stern look, he quickly added, "At least for now."

"What?! I can't believe it! You really want me to sit here and do nothing while Thomas and Juliet may need all the help they can get?" Kumu exclaimed, her voice evidently sounded deeply hurt.

"No, Kumu, it's not like that." Rick protested, realizing that what he had just said, had the opposite effect to the one he had intended.

TC saw what was happening so he decided to step in at once. "Kumu, I guess what Rick had meant was that we really care about you and we don't want anything happen to you that's why you'd better wait in the car where it's much safer than out there, where even a gunfight may break out."

The woman tilted her head to the side, as if she was really reflecting on TC's words and just as he was sure he succeeded, she met his eyes and he knew that he would definitely not like what he was just about to hear.

"Nice try, TC but I'm not going to mindlessly sit around. I'm aware of the fact that it may get dangerous at some point but I don't get that easily scared off. If Thomas and Juliet were in my place, I'm sure that they wouldn't stay in the car obediently either." She said and before Rick and TC knew it, Kumu was outside the car, waiting for them to join her.

"She's right, man." Rick spoke.

"Yes but TM and Higgy are trained and have more experience in fighting." TC replied and sighed. "Come on, let's get going. We can't let her out of our sight."

Rick nodded his head and they both left the car immediately.

All three of them stood there and observed Katsumoto briefing the HPD officers and telling them where they should take positions. Then, after glancing his friends' way, he quickly went to his car, opened the trunk and took something out of it. He approached Kumu but didn't have time to say anything because the woman beat him to it.

"Don't tell me to stay in the car cause I've already heard that too many times." Kumu told him, putting her hands on her hips and giving him a meaningful look. "Nothing will stop me from looking for Thomas and Juliet."

Gordon knew he wouldn't win with her, her words clearly indicated that he was in a losing position.

"All right. Here," he said and gave her a vest, "put this on. Although I strongly recommend staying inside the car."

Then he turned to TC and Rick. "I guess you have yours with you."

"Sure, we're always prepared." TC replied with a wide smile and then took out two vests and tossed one to Rick.

Oh, you never get bored with these people. Gordon thought and shook his head in amusement.

Then he said. "Okay, but wait until we enter the warehouse and eliminate any potential dangers. I don't want any of you to get hurt. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir. It's crystal clear." Rick said and stood at attention.

TC chuckled and Kumu couldn't help laughing when she noticed Gordon's face at that moment. It was truly priceless.

Soon the man left them to take charge of the police action. Rick and TC helped Kumu put the vest on and later they observed how the police officers crept to the warehouse and then on Gordon's signal, they entered the building. The three friends didn't know what was happening inside but suddenly they heard some shouting followed by gunshots.

"Should we help them?" Rick asked and exchanged looks with TC. "We've got the guns."

TC shook his head. Although he wanted so much to burst inside and check if Gordon needed their help, he knew that they shouldn't leave Kumu alone. Who knew how many people this man had with him and if they weren't around here?

After a few painfully long minutes, all the noise ceased. When Kumu saw Gordon emerge from the warehouse, she could finally let out the breath she was holding.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She told the detective when he approached them.

"Gordie, tell us what happened there." Rick spoke.

"Well, it turned out that the informant was right. Jones was hiding inside and he wasn't alone – there were a couple of his thugs with him." Gordon shared with them.

"I guess they had guns." TC remarked.

Katsumoto confirmed it sadly. "Yeah, they were armed like they were preparing to go to war. Since they started to shoot at us, we had to take them out."

"What? Are all of them dead? What about Thomas and Juliet? Did you find them? Were they inside?" Kumu started asking questions with machine gun speed. She looked like she didn't even have time to breathe properly.

"Kumu, wait." Gordon addressed the woman who seemed to be all on edge. He didn't want to risk panic take over her. He saw too many times how that strong feeling could make someone act strangely and do things they would never do. "Take a deep breath. In and out." He said while breathing with her.

After a few breaths, he noticed with satisfaction that she visibly calmed down although her voice was a bit shaky when she spoke again.

"Gordon, please. Tell us if you know anything about them."

"All I know is that we've searched the whole place and there was no trace of Thomas or Juliet. We don't know whether they were here or not. As I had told you, the thugs are dead but we managed to take Jones alive."

At that moment, as if on cue, they noticed Harold Jones cuffed and accompanied by a couple of police officers. Visibly limping, he was led to the ambulance nearby and then treated by one of the paramedics.

"During the confrontation Jones got shot in the leg but it's nothing grave if you ask me so don't worry, he'll live." Katsumoto explained.

"Great, all we have to do now is to interrogate him and make him tell us where TM and Higgy are." Rick stated and instantly Kumu and TC eagerly agreed with him.

"Wait." Gordon said, halting them at once. "It's not going to happen this way."

His words made them dumbfounded. He couldn't be serious in this situation, could he?

"What?! What do you mean by that?" Kumu finally found her voice.

"It means that you can't talk to that man." The detective replied in a very professional way.

"Why? You let Magnum and Higgins talk to suspects numerous times, or at least stay behind the glass and observe, and now when the situation calls for it more than ever, you're telling us that we can't do that? Is that right, man?" TC spoke reproachfully.

"No… I mean yes." Gordon tried to reply and then let out a deep breath. He knew this conversation wouldn't be easy, neither for him nor his friends. "It's really complicated."

"So uncomplicate it." Rick told him.

"I can't but I wish I could. To put it simply, Harold Jones was convicted of many things, one of them was fraud which is a federal crime. He was doing his sentence in a federal prison…"

"So after escaping it and now being caught, he will be under federal investigation." TC finished for his friend.

Katsumoto nodded his head. "Yeah and the feds will be here soon."

"But Gordon, you can't let that happen. It's not just about a criminal who escaped from prison, it's about our friends' lives." Kumu spoke.

"I know…" Gordon said.

"If those agents take him away, we may never get the chance to save Thomas and Juliet. It may be too late." She added, her eyes already filling with tears.

"Yeah, every second counts." TC added quickly.

"I'll do what I can but I have to wait until he's transported to the precinct." Katsumoto replied. "You should go home. I'll let you know as soon as I get something."

His friends instantly started to protest but he stopped them at once. "Please. I'll call you, I promise." He told them in a firm voice. "I have to go now. Talk to you soon."

With that he turned and walked away. TC, Rick and Kumu were left standing there. It's not how it was supposed to be. They had thought that day would be the last without Thomas and Juliet. They had their hopes up and everything was telling them that they would finally get them back or at least know where they were being kept. Now everything went to pieces.

"Guys, what went wrong?" Rick asked.

"Harold Jones went wrong." TC replied with sarcasm.

"If Gordon thinks I'll go home like nothing happened then he's so wrong." Kumu stated, her face told them everything. They really wouldn't like to mess with her at that moment.

"Kumu, listen. I know this whole situation is very frustrating and it's hard for me too but I think…Gordie is right." TC tried to reason with her and when she tried to say something, he instantly continued. "Just think about it – there's really nothing we can do here at the moment. We have to wait until Gordie talks to Jones and as soon as he gets the information out of him, we'll be ready to go and help with getting TM and Higgy back."

Kumu didn't reply at once. It was evident she was contemplating the thing TC had just said. After a long moment, she spoke quietly. "If Jones is going to talk at all…"

"Have a little faith in our friend here. I'm sure Gordie will do everything for the man to reveal the place where he holds them." TC said and gave her a friendly grin.

After a short hesitation, Kumu finally nodded her head, agreeing with him.

"Wow, I didn't know about your powers of persuasion, man. Have you ever considered becoming a politician? I'm sure you'd be very successful in that matter." Rick spoke, grinning from ear to ear.

Kumu chuckled at that.

"Brother…" TC warned Rick and gave him a sharp look.

"Okay, don't shoot." The man replied, lifting his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying, in case you don't know what to do when you're retired."

However, TC's look didn't change so Rick said in the end. "Fine. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't insist."

TC could breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hey, Kumu, you know what? You don't have to go home, let's go to La Mariana and grab something to eat. We'll wait for the news there." Rick told her.

"Well, now you finally have a much better idea. I'm starving. Kumu, what do you think about that?" TC really hoped that their friend would agree to this offer.

After a short hesitation, she replied. "All right, let's go. I just hope we won't wait very long."

With one last look at the whole scene and Gordon talking to some officers, TC, Rick and Kumu got in the car and soon were on their way to La Mariana.

As I said last time, we continue with the searching team for the time being. Sorry for leaving Magnum and Higgins again but no worries - I didn't abandon them. They are somewhere out there, waiting for their turn;) Two more chapters and we'll be back with them. I've just started writing that so stay with me and don't forget to visit in two weeks. I'll be waiting for you with something new to read:)