Something was wrong.

It was more than a devastating explosion in a crowded restaurant on an otherwise peaceful Friday evening. Danny could feel it deep within his veins, a sense of unease that refused to dissipate.

"Danny, we've tried Steve's phone numerous times, but we can't reach him," Lou said. "I don't like it."

"What do you mean you can't reach him?" Danny snapped, his mind immediately on overdrive.

"Exactly what I said. His phone's turned off. But it might be nothing. Maybe he just needed some time off to get his head straight, you know?" Lou suggested trying to offer a plausible explanation. "Perhaps he's asleep."

Danny shook his head. He'd known his friend for nine years, and in all that time, Steve being off the grid had never spelled anything good. Steve was never the type to turn his phone off. Not even at night. As the head of the governor's taskforce, he was always available 24/7, no matter the circumstances or his state of mind. He'd want to be the first one to know if something happened.

Gritting his teeth against the pain that reverberated through his body, Danny forced himself to sit up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lou asked. His voice held genuine concern.

Danny didn't bother responding. With his bare feet meeting the cold tiled floor, he took a deep breath that instantly caused a jolt of agony to shoot through his chest.

"Danny, stop!"

Lou reached out, his hand poised to push him back down, but Danny swiftly swatted it away.

Ripping the IV out of his arm, Danny winced at the stinging sensation but paid it no mind. His gaze locked with Lou's. "Where are my clothes?"

"Come on, man," Lou pleaded, attempting to reason with him. "You're concussed. You have two fractured ribs, and–"

"Lou!"

"Look, I can go check on him if you w–"

"I'm going with you."

Lou fell silent, finally realizing that there was no stopping him. Danny had no time to lay in the hospital bed. Not after what had happened earlier. Not with two of his teammates in bad shape and another one out of reach.

Not a chance.

He ignored Lou's protests and mustered every ounce of strength to stand up, swaying slightly from the dizziness that accompanied the sudden movement.

They arrived at Steve's house a little after midnight. The sight of the empty driveway heightened Danny's worries. Steve's car was nowhere to be found. Where could he possibly have gone at this late hour?

Lou's expression mirrored Danny's concern, a grim look etched on his face.

Danny didn't bother with knocking. He swiftly unlocked the door using his spare key, preparing himself to enter the alarm code. However, it turned out to be unnecessary.

"Steve?" Danny called out, flicking on a light switch, the tension palpable in his voice.

The silence was the only response that greeted him.

With determination, he made his way upstairs, initially prepared to barge into Steve's bedroom. However, he hesitated and instead chose to knock on the door, with three forceful raps.

"Steve? Are you there?" he called out, his question more a formality than a genuine query, as deep down, he already suspected the answer.

Danny's heart sank as he entered Steve's bedroom. The bed was impeccably made, untouched. It was evident that nobody had slept in it tonight. Dread clenched his stomach, intensifying with each passing moment.

Where did Steve go? Why would he turn his phone off?

"Danny?" Lou called out from downstairs.

He rushed out of the room and glanced down at Lou.

"Look what I found."

His eyes widened as he took in the sight of Steve's weapon in Lou's hand.

"We both know he wouldn't leave it here unless something was wrong," Lou voiced Danny's thoughts out loud.

It didn't make any sense. None at all.

With panic gripping him, he reached for his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed Jerry's number. The call connected after what seemed like an eternity.

"Danny? You okay? I thought you were–"

"Jerry, listen to me," Danny interrupted. "I'm with Lou at Steve's house. I think we've got a problem."

"I'd say we have a few," Jerry said. "But… wait, what are you doing at Steve's house?"

"I need you to try and locate the GPS in his car," Danny said, brushing aside the question. "Right now."

Jerry didn't doubt Danny's request. "Okay, Give me a moment."

Seconds dragged as Danny's mind filled with worst-case scenarios. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something terrible had happened.

"Jerry?"

"I'm working on it."

Danny gripped the phone tighter, his eyes following Lou, who searched the house for any clue of what had happened. But everything seemed fine and in its place, except for Steve and his car being gone. If the crazy super SEAL had disappeared again and left him another cryptic letter without an explanation, Danny swore he would track him down and kick his ass.

Finally, the sound of Jerry's voice broke through the tension. "This is weird."

"What? What's weird, Jerry? You found it?"

"I think."

"You think?" Danny's frustration seeped into his voice.

"I've got the GPS coordinates, but the signal must be weak or something."

"Why?"

"Because it's showing up in the ocean."

Danny's heart lurched, a mixture of shock and disbelief cursing through his veins. The words hit him like a physical blow, stealing the air from his lungs. The ocean? That couldn't be right, could it?

"Are you sure?" Danny's voice wavered.

"I'm afraid so," Jerry said.

A long, tense silence followed. All the doubts dissipated. Steve was in trouble, Danny was sure of it.

"Thanks, Jerry. Send me the location," Danny managed to say eventually. He ended the call and turned to Lou.

Just as he did so, their phones rang simultaneously. They exchanged a look before answering. The called ID on his screen displayed 'Governor'.

"Detective Williams," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

A long monologue followed from the official on the other side of the line, barely letting him get a word in. He finished the call with a frustrated "Yes, ma'am." Then he turned to Lou.

Lou gestured towards his own phone. "It was Tani," he said. "The doctors believe that Adam will be alright."

Danny sighed with relief, grateful for at least a sliver of good news. "That's good."

"What did the governor say?"

"She asked why Steve doesn't answer her calls," Danny said.

"What did you tell her?"

"What was I supposed to tell her?" Danny snapped, throwing his arms into the air. "I know nothing. I have no idea where he'd gone."

"Right," Lou agreed. "What else. I assume she called you because she can't reach him. Does she know anything about what happened out there?"

Once again, Danny shook his head. "No. But she wants us to figure out who's behind the bombing, locate them, and do it as quietly as possible. No delays."

"But…"

"You go to the HQ. Call Tani, too. Do what you can," Danny instructed.

"And you?"

"I need to find Steve."

*to be continued*

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