TO THE WALL
by
GM
August
1968
"Look, Leila, I'm sorry, but I told you this case is
important."
The reply to that excuse could be heard
all the way from the earpiece of the phone in Dan Williams' hand, to the
doorway of his cubicle where Steve McGarrett leaned, eavesdropping on the
latest not-too-successful exploits of his colleague.
"So
your case is more important than the concert tonight?"
Williams pulled a cigarette from a pack
in his pocket and deftly lit it using one hand.
"I didn't say that, honey."
If Steve would have known what a
swinger Williams was, he might not -- no, Steve stopped the thought
mid-formed. Danno was a natural for this
team and he would have placed Dan here under any circumstances. If there wouldn’t have been an opening, he
probably would have made a slot for the enterprising young officer. McGarrett liked Williams and for months had
thought about bringing him in when Ray Kaimano retired. That blessed event occurred last year and Dan
was recruited the very next week. Steve
had decided to make the change long ago, but didn't want anyone to know until
he asked Dan AFTER Kaimano left. Steve
wanted Dan's first impressions of being a Five-0 detective to be fresh, not
tainted with Ray's cynical view of the world of police work.
In truth, Steve wanted his youngest
officer to focus on HIS teachings and advice as opposed to anyone else’s. Some would label his idea egotistical (many
labeled HIM egotistical!), but Steve considered it hedging his bets. Danno was young, idealistic, fresh and
moldable. No, that was too strong an
appellation. Trainable. Already a good cop, Steve hoped to make him a
fantastic Five-0 officer.
"Hey, Leila, come on, this is
important!" the sandy-haired cop
rubbed his forehead in frustration.
Imploring to the girl apparently had
little affect. "And I'm not important Danny Williams?"
"I didn't say that."
"Oh,
I'm just not as important as police work!
Well maybe you're not important enough for me to date anymore."
Steve heard the click all the way from his position. Yeah, Danno was going to make a great officer
around here. Just a few little edges
needed to be -- honed.
"Having a little trouble,
Danno?"
Williams started, dropping his cigarette
on some papers and hurriedly, gingerly stamping out the ashes with his
hand. "Steve! Hi!"
Folding his arms, McGarrett tried not
to smirk. Yeah, still a few rough spots
there on young Officer Williams.
"That's a nasty habit you know, Danno. When you gonna give it up?"
"Oh, I -- uh -- I don't know,
Steve. I'm cutting back, but it's tough,
you know?" Brushing the ash onto
the floor, then wiping his hands on his trousers, Dan straightened and finally
focused his full attention on his boss.
"So, uh, how was lunch with the Attorney General?"
"Come on in and I'll fill you
in. Oh, and bring the Manapaka
file. Stuart was asking about our
progress on that."
A voice boomed from behind him. "I can help with that, Steve."
Kono Kalakaua tried
to wedge himself into the doorway of Williams' cubicle. It proved a tight fit with McGarrett already
there, so the big detective sidled into the small room. "Got that info from HPD on
Manapaka. He's into some heavy stuff,
bruddah." He spotted a donut box on the filing cabinet behind
Williams. "Hey, Danny, did you
remember to save me that last jelly donut?
Man, I am so starved. Can't expect
me to do nothing else today without some sugar and jelly to give me some
strength."
The boss shook his
head and grumbled under his breath.
"The case, Kono. What did
you find out?"
"Manapaka's
spendin' more than a caretaker should.
Drug trade is good business. But
he's throwin' the money around big time."
"Good,"
McGarrett nodded. "I'll want you to
go out to Waimanalo to question him this afternoon."
"After lunch,
right?" Kono leaned over the desk
to make a grab for the donut box and Dan leaped up, quickly snatching the pink
box out of his reach. "No!" He darted an alarmed glance at
McGarrett.
Kono was upset. "Hey, man, you promised!" He grabbed the box. "Well, I'll take whatever's left." Something shifted inside. "What else is in here?"
Danny tried to wrench it away, but Kono
adroitly, for a man his size, shifted to protect his treasure and opened the
lid. "Hey, you trying to hoard the
last jelly, Danny? That's not nice,
man."
Glancing again at McGarrett, swallowing
hard, Dan made a grab for it again, not even coming close to the big man's
donut. "It's old."
Puzzled, Steve watched the byplay with
amused confusion.
"Anything beats
starving." Kono bit into the big,
fluffy confection and seconds later gave out a strangled cry, spitting out the
mouthful, dropping the box, and reflexively smashing the remaining jellyroll in
his hand. Red oozed from his mouth, from
the smashed donut and all over the front of his white shirt.
Fast on his feet, McGarrett managed to
zip back out of the line of fire of the red spray. The unmistakable odor of ketchup permeated
the little office. Over Kono's cursing
and Williams' moaning -- both officers rushing to clean up the desk and floor,
Steve dropped back, covering his mouth with a hand so no one would see his
smile.
Once more Kono -- the easiest target in
the office -- the one habitually the most volatile and funny -- fell victim to
a Williams’ practical joke. May, the
secretary, bumped into Steve. An amused
look passed between them as she scooted in and handed the detectives paper
towels.
"Danny!" Kono groaned as he beheld his ruined shirt.
Williams glanced up to McGarrett to
check on his boss' mood. Steve didn't
really appreciate the jokes Dan liked to play.
He didn't think it was in keeping with the dignity nor the sober
business of the police unit. Finishing
the clean up, Dan contritely patted Kalakaua on the shoulder.
"Sorry, Kono. I didn't think this would happen." He scowled.
“Quite so --explosively anyway.” Joining Steve by May's desk, he sheepishly
grimaced at the boss. "Sorry,
Steve. Guess I filled it up too
much."
Pinching his lip, Steve gave a curt
nod. "Kono, give Danno the file on
Manapaka." To his youngest
detective he offered a bland comment to his neutral expression. "Come on, Danno, we're going to
Waimanalo."
Steve turned and walked toward the door
confident his orders would be obeyed to the letter. Yeah, Detective Williams was going to have to
have a few edges smoothed out before Steve felt he was really fitting in and
part of the team.
*****
Silence prevailed during most of the
drive to the windward coast. For the
first leg of the journey, McGarrett was mute, allowing his officer to stew in
his own juices. Danno did indeed bring a
lot of spice to the mix of detectives.
Pretty soon, he'd have to grow up and fit in the groove a little better. Being a nightclub swinger, a practical joker,
a little bit naive', detracted from his true value. Underneath that youthful spirit was a core
enthusiasm for the job -- for life -- that Steve wanted to mingle with the
predictable, staid methods of Five-0.
Fresh blood.
With a sigh Steve admitted that Danno
was a little too fresh sometimes.
McGarrett had hoped, eventually, to name Williams as second-in-command
of the unit. Maybe after Chin retired. That would be a few years. By that time maybe the kid would be ready.
When they exited the freeway and were
sailing along the coast on
"Right." He seemed a bit wounded. "I didn't forget." Now that the hush was finished Williams
girded his courage and faced his companion.
"Listen, Steve, I know you don't like the practical jokes -- "
"I thought I told you no
more. Last week. After you glued Chin's pipe to his pipe
rack." The clipped words echoed the
curt mood of the boss.
"I just couldn't help myself. Kono is so easy . . . ." His voice trailed away at the ominous
silence of his companion. "No more,
Steve, I promise."
Darting a glance at his detective
Steve's expression was neutral.
"We're running the state police, Danno -- "
"I know. I've never done -- " Cutting off an explanation, he sighed. "No more."
One of the great things about Danno was
that their debates, their occasional disagreements, never lasted long. When Steve proved his point, showed the kid
he was right, Danno accepted it and moved on.
End of discussion. He knew how to take orders and worked harder than any
detective Steve had ever seen.
Especially when it came to accomplishing what McGarrett wanted --
sometimes before he asked. Trying to
impress the commanding officer happened a lot in the Navy, but there were
always ulterior motives. So far, Steve
hadn't seen any sign of hidden agendas for Williams. Dan just wanted to stay on Steve's good
side. Score one for hero worship.
"So are you going to take some
extra time and stay for a holiday in the snow?"
"I'm going for the International
Drug Control Conference," he reminded needlessly."
Williams shrugged easily. "
"I haven't taken a vacation since
I was appointed to organize and run Five-0."
"Wow!" The alien concept was startling to the
fun-loving Williams. "Why?"
Steve laughed. "I guess I didn't think I
could." A smirk played at his lips. "I have this thing about being in
control in case you hadn't noticed."
This time Dan laughed easily. "Yeah, I've noticed." More comfortable, he studied his mentor. "So why don't you go to
The idea was appealing to McGarrett,
and he had actually thought of that himself, but he still vacillated about
going. Leave Five-0? Whom would he put in charge? When Ray Kaimano, his old second-in-command
was around they always disagreed, but Ray had known how to run the shop. Chin, of course was the unofficial
second-in-command since Kaimano left.
Kelly was a solid cop, but Steve had hesitated officially naming him in
the second slot. Why, McGarrett asked himself
now? How would Chin handle daily crisis
living at the decision making level of Five-0?
No problem, he was sure. Then why
did he not give the responsibility to the veteran detective? Was he waiting for someone else?
Kono -- no -- too much stress for the
guy.
Danno?
Absurdly, that's exactly what Steve wanted to do. Despite all logic and reason, McGarrett's
instincts told him Dan was a natural leader.
More importantly, he was someone completely in sync with Steve's goals
about Five-0. In addition, he had
something neither Chin, nor Kono had in such a degree. Ambition.
Not to take over Five-0, but to be part of Five-0.
Williams knocked himself out trying to
be what McGarrett expected him to be. If
left in charge, Dan would do anything for the unit and break his back making
sure everything went right while the boss was away. Still, the kid was young, and at
thirty, was he ready to handle such a big load? Not that much younger than when Steve was
given the job of organizing Five-0 -- but McGarrett didn't think the comparison
accurate. Danno was perceived as being
so much younger. And in this politically
dependent job perceptions counted way too much.
Was McGarrett ready to sweep aside hierarchy and seniority, risk
damaging the good will with Chin and Kono, to pop Williams up to the number two
slot after just months on the job? No,
McGarrett decided, he wasn't ready to test Williams like that yet.
As they neared the beach McGarrett
adjusted his thinking to the matter at hand.
Their suspect,
Manapaka worked and
lived as caretaker on the property of the
There was not enough
evidence to arrest the man, but McGarrett thought leaning on him and making him
nervous would cause a slip-up. Kono
would have been the logical choice for intimidation, but Steve felt he needed
to get Danno out of the office and pin him with a lecture. Maybe he would let the kid handle some tough
talk pressure and see how he did in the field.
He had never had much interest in knowing about Williams' on-the-job
performance on the beat, face-to-face with the lawless element. Maybe this was a good time to find out. Or maybe he should just handle it
himself.
*****
The
"Manapaka's in
the gardens," he reported as they threaded through the brightly attired malihini crowd.
A young,
good-looking, blond tour guide was giving an introductory speech and McGarrett
noted her giving Danno the once over.
Glancing behind him, he was not surprised to see "interested" eye contact and open appreciation returned
by the young detective.
McGarrett paused at
a stand displaying a colorful layout of the community. "Danno, take the back path around to the
ocean," he ordered, tracing the route with a finger. "Chin and I will go in the front.
Manapaka might try to make a break for it," he warned sternly, "so
try to keep your mind on business."
Williams
blushed. "Don't worry,
Steve." He raced off on a back
trail.
McGarrett shook his
head as he watched the detective disappear.
"He's still
young, boss," Chin reminded in a fatherly tone. "Besides, his tricks never hurt
anything. Except Kono's shirts," he
smirked.
So the Five-0
coconut wireless was working overtime.
McGarrett refused to cut the young man any slack. "He's a detective, Chin. He's got to come up to speed with the rest of
the team. Age and inexperience aren't
excuses."
The tourist group
had started up the main path and McGarrett crisply wove through the people,
Chin close behind. They took a side path
up to the gardens and avoided the main knot of spectators. There were a few people snapping pictures by
the neatly hedged flowers and Steve slipped by them. He had never been here -- never been to a
number of the tourist traps around his home island -- and could not pause now
to appreciate any of the beauty.
The artist within
would have liked to stop and absorbed the scenic splendor. The blossoming flora; the rich, dark lava
walls, the thatched houses, the breathtaking azure ocean crashing in the background
of the village. All things great and
small around him were wondrously spectacular.
He promised he would come back here.
Next time he had a day off.
Whenever that might be.
The core of the
ancient village was surrounded by a stonewall as tall as McGarrett. Within the compound were small thatched huts
and a long house in the back where craftsmen occasionally gave demonstrations
on native woodcarving or canoe building.
The Five-0 detectives strode into the courtyard just ahead of the
picture-snapping sightseers. The
tourists spilled through the narrow gateway while McGarrett and Kelly went
around to a maintenance shed behind the open-sided long house.
Just before the
detectives disappeared behind the huts, Chin noticed Manapaka enter the village
compound in a small golf cart filled with gardening tools. The suspect spotted them as they
approached. Quickly turning the cart to
spin around and escape, the little vehicle tipped in the uneven, slanting, soft
earth and tumbled onto it's side, wedging across the entrance.
Almost able to
predict what was going to happen, McGarrett felt an instant of indecisive
alarm. Manapaka was trapped and the look of panic on the man's face indicated
he was frightened. The man reached into
the back of the cart and pulled out a rifle.
Out in the open,
Steve and Chin had no time to dive for cover.
Manapaka fired. They dropped into
the dark volcanic dirt and drew their weapons to get a bead on the shooter. Before Steve could aim he was hit, sending
his revolver flying. Screaming tourists
were scattering, running in all directions.
Chin used the confusion in his favor and grabbed the unconscious
McGarrett, stumbling toward one of the huts on the side of the courtyard. Before they reached safety a bullet struck Kelly
in the leg and he skidded into the ground atop his boss.
*****
Walking around the
wall of the compound, Williams continually recriminated himself for his poor
judgement. His fatal humor had really
cooked him this time. McGarrett was
probably having second thoughts about bringing him into Five-0. What if Steve cancelled his long awaited
holiday because he didn't think he could trust Williams while he was away? Danny would die of embarrassment. What if Steve bounced him back to HPD? Aside from the humiliation, Williams would
never forgive himself for foolishly throwing away the best dream job in the
world. Worse, he would have lost the
respect of a man he was devoted to emulating.
How was he going to prove to Steve that he could be trusted and was
responsible enough, mature enough, to be part of this exalted team?
At the sound of
gunfire Williams immediately raced back toward the entrance. While his fast moving feet kicked up the
loose, rich earth he automatically categorized the shots as rifle and pistol
fire, even though his mind was bewildered at how a shoot out could be happening
at the tourist village. Manapaka wasn't supposed to be a vicious criminal, but
it looked like things had taken a nasty, unexpected turn for the worse.
Revolver in hand, at
the gateway he skidded to a halt. In an
instant he assessed the grim situation.
Several bodies were still in the center of the compound -- two more
people leaned against a hut -- one or both of the women injured, one of them
the blond tour guide. No sign of Steve
or Chin --
A shot whizzed past
his shoulder and Danny flew into the bushes along the tree-lined walkway. Several more shots plunked into the
trees. There was no returning small arms
fire. What had happened to Steve and
Chin? They weren't in the middle of the
area. Were they hurt? Dead?
Danny swallowed down the terror at that possibility.
"Don't you come
near me, cop!"
Manapaka he guessed.
Never having been in
a hostage situation before, Williams wondered what he should do. What would Steve do? Take charge and get those people out of
danger. And find his fellow
officers. Easier said than done.
"Manapaka, this
is Danny Williams of
"I got all
kinds of hostages in here, cop.
Including your other cops."
Williams released a
breath. Okay, at least Chin and Steve
were alive. "You've got a lotta big
pilikia, bruddah," Williams
shouted back sternly. "Release the
hostages before it's too late."
"Like you gonna
make me, cop? Now go get me somebody
who's gonna help me. I want a car -- no
-- a helicopter to get me outta here. Wikiwiki, go do it!"
An officious looking
woman in a muumuu ran up to him. "What is going on?"
He dragged her down
behind the tree. Succinctly he explained
their situation and told her to call HPD and Five-0. Needlessly, she reminded him of the affect
this would have on the village's reputation and how terrible this was. How could this happen in
"Everything is
going to be fine," he reassured patiently.
"There are Five-0 officers inside with the hostages. And I'm going to deal with the gunman out
here. Just go and make the calls,
please."
Bolstered, she
hurried away. Dan leaned his head
against the tree and sighed, rubbing his sweat-damp hair in frustration. He had no idea if McGarrett and Kelly were
okay or if they could do any good at all inside. And he had no clue what to do on this side of
the wall. Amazing to think he actually
wanted this job, he mentally berated.
Instantly he took back the silent thoughts. Moments ago hadn't he been ready to move
heaven and earth to prove he could handle himself as a Five-0 officer? Well, here was his chance to prove he wasn't
just talk -- that all the things he promised Steve were true about him. Shaking on the inside, he turned back and
studied the walls of the compound.
Somehow he was going to get the hostages -- including his friends -- out
of this alive.
*****
"Steve? You going to be all right?"
Dizzily McGarrett blinked
his eyes, but the vertigo prompted him to close them quickly. "What happened?"
"Manapaka
opened fire."
"Chin. You okay?" McGarrett was having trouble focusing on
anything. It hurt like crazy -- the right
side of his head throbbing in pain, the ache disorienting in its intensity,
blood flowing freely from his scalp.
Both he and his colleague seemed covered in blood -- weak, disoriented
with shock. "How bad?"
"Can't move my
leg," the Oriental cop replied, gripping onto his thigh. Blood seeped out between his fingers. "Got me good, boss."
Leaning next to his
friend, McGarrett patted him on the shoulder, assuring him they would get out
of this. Their backs were against a hut
to the side of the compound. From their
vantage they could see a few of the others trapped in the courtyard. If McGarrett peeked around the shack he could
see Manapaka pacing in the open long house. Manapaka had tried to come near
them and the others in their area, but Chin fired off a few rounds to scare him
off, which worked. Fortunately, the
criminal didn't know Chin had only a few bullets left, while McGarrett's
revolver was still in the dirt somewhere in the middle of the yard.
"Manapaka must
be crazy to try this on cops," Chin concluded darkly. "We sure got surprised."
"Yeah." McGarrett darted a glance at the
compound. His eyesight wasn't too clear,
but he didn't mention that to his officer.
Tourists were vague blurs dispersed around the enclosure. Manapaka could
pick them off anytime since only the policemen were armed. There was no way they could help any of the
ones far away from them. He leaned back
to rest his back and relieve the strain of his headache. "Worries me about what he might do
next."
Chin slid down to
lay on his side, still curled over and holding his wound. "Don't worry. Kono will get us out of here."
McGarrett could hear
the one-sided shouts that Manapaka yelled at someone outside the walls. Danno?
He felt confident Williams was out there dealing with the crisis on that
side. It was up to the new, young
officer to save them. Inexperienced,
yes, but despite the youth of the officer, McGarrett knew Williams would be
doing everything humanly possible to successfully resolve the emergency.
*****
Kono and four HPD
men with rifles jogged up to him on the manicured path. Before they reached Williams' secluded
location they were under fire. All dove
to the ground and took cover behind nearby trees. Inching his way forward, Kono crawled behind
bushes and benches until he could come up beside Williams. In a low voice, Williams explained the
situation, including Manapaka's demands and the uncertainty of Chin and Steve's
conditions. Kono looked ill at the news
and Williams felt a new grip of fear seize his nerves.
"What?"
"Five-0
policy," Kalakaua replied glumly.
"No negotiations with kidnappers."
Williams was
speechless. "That's Steve and Chin
in there with those tourists!"
"I
know." Kono shook his head. "We gotta just threaten him or wait him
out, bruddah. No negotiations."
Kono motioned for
one of the HPD men to throw him a bullhorn.
Staying safely behind the tree, he yelled out to the criminal.
"Hey,
Manapaka. You gotta give this up,
man. Ain't no way out."
"There is with a
helicopter! And I want it in ten minutes
or I start killing hostages!"
Kono shook his head
and looked at the HPD men. "We
gonna wait for the SWAT team. Then we
gonna have to rush him."
Danny instantly
objected, explaining it could get the people inside killed, not to mention kill
the HPD men. Even with bulletproof vests
it would be too dangerous. They had no
idea of the amount of ammo the guy had or what situation the hostages were
in. And the ominous silence from Steve
and Chin was really agonizing. Kono
countered that he had not been in many situations like this, but Steve would
not allow negotiations. What else were
they to do?
Disgusted, Danny
crawled away from the line of fire to join the HPD officers. He took one of the sharpshooter rifles. "Get the chopper. Have the pilot bring it in over the ocean and
toward the gate to the village. I'm
going in from the back."
Distressed, Kono
ordered him not to.
"I'm not going
to be party to killing the people in there." He donned a bulletproof vest. "After this is all over you can have
Steve fire me. You do whatever you need
to, Kono, but I'm not standing around and waiting for that nut case to kill our
friends."
Grabbing some extra
bullets and pocketing them, Williams asked two of the officers to join him and
they jogged toward the back of the walled complex. Crawling back toward a group
of policemen, Kono ordered one of them to send for the HPD chopper. He didn't like Danny's plan, but he didn't
have one of his own that he liked either.
Kono shook his head, wondering how he was going to explain this to
Steve. Hoping Steve was still alive to
yell at him for letting Danny go off on his own.
*****
Jogging along the
wall Williams calculated the angle of the bullets. He pondered what he had glimpsed when looking
into the yard. If he were the shooter,
he would take up a position in the long house where he could have relatively
clear visuals all around and an unobstructed view of the gateway. Along the path, he stopped at a large relief
map of the
When he reached the
back Williams leaned on the course lava rocks and caught his breath. He would have to land in top shape and ready
for action. This was his last chance to
reconsider, and he again second-guessed his impulsive decision, wondering if he
was right. Spontaneity had gotten him in
trouble with Steve already. Would this
plan endanger the hostages unnecessarily?
He did believe this was a better way to go than Kono's, so he was
committed to seeing it through.
Personally, it was much more dangerous, of course. And it could still get people killed, but he
believed it was the best way to go.
Finally, it was quickest way to find out what happened to Steve and
Chin, so he would do it.
Completely aware
that many lives hung in the balance, perhaps even McGarrett's, he soberly
summoned his courage around a layer of calm. If anyone was qualified for this
operation it was him. He was a surfer,
a sharp-shooter, a cop. He had a cool
head under pressure and when he aimed and fired he nearly always hit his
mark. And he was desperate to save his
colleagues.
With a palm he
smacked the stones, the solid wall that separated him from a leader he would do
anything for. If this defensive barrier
kept him out, he was going to climb it. If
Manapaka tried to kill him, he would shoot first. McGarrett -- the man who brought him into
Five-0, tutored him, and befriended him -- the man he admired most in the world
-- was in danger. Dan would do whatever
it took to get him out.
*****
Manapaka's continued
shots were irritating -- frightening to the other hostages Steve could see --
but McGarrett was glad for the noise. It
kept him awake. Sitting in the warm
Hawaiian sun, weak from loss of blood and distracted by pain, he could have
passed out except for the annoying sound of the criminal's voice. A few rifle shots in the air indicated
Manapaka's frustration in the negotiations and Steve smiled in wicked black
humor.
"He's not too
happy," Chin observed with pleasure.
"Don't like what Kono is telling him. He's mad there's no helicopter."
Kono? Steve hadn't been able to distinguish the
voice. The buzzing in his head was too
loud. Where was Danno? Well, Kono would have taken over, wouldn't
he? So what could he expect from his
Hawaiian officer? Something logical and
standard.
"Kono won't
give him one," Steve assured with dark satisfaction. That would mean a frontal assault by the SWAT
team. People were going to die, he
grimly considered. Probably one of them
would be Manapaka. "Only one way
out unless he surrenders."
"What's
that?" Chin asked, sitting up to lean on the hut.
McGarrett
listened. The roar of the surf? No -- a helicopter? Anger bubbled within. Negotiate?
Kono knew better than that! What
bonehead was in charge out there? He
wanted to peer around the hut to see what affect this had on Manapaka, but he
didn't have the energy. Instead, he
spotted someone's sandy head pop over the top of the wall only about a dozen
feet away. In an instant, Dan Williams
scrambled over the flat wall and dropped into the loose dirt. Crouching, he ran straight for the injured
officers.
Too late Williams
realized he had attracted the attention of the tour guide and two of her
tourist-hostages, who instantly scrambled to their feet and ran toward
him. The helicopter scooped low, then
veered away and over the compound.
Manapaka's focus, however, had remained on the action inside the walls
and turned toward the hostages. Dan
changed course for the nearest civilian.
He grabbed the blond tour guide and crouching, ran low as he grabbed a
woman in a bright Hawaiian shirt with his other arm. Bullet dust zinged at their feet as Manapaka
fired at their running forms.
A few feet before
the side of the grass covered long house, he flung them into a dive. They tumbled into a pile just beyond the edge
of the house. The corner was riddled
with bullets and from that angle Dan realized Manapaka's was moving -- coming toward
him. He pushed the women away and rolled
to the side. When Manapaka came into
view he loosed off round after round.
The criminal was hit and went down.
Williams scrambled
to his feet and fired, simultaneously dodging the bullets the gunman was
shooting at him. Now out in the open,
Dan wanted to head for the position held by his friends. But the wild exchange had shifted location
in the scenario and Manapaka was now angling toward McGarrett and Kelly. Taking another insane chance, he ran as fast
as he could around a small hut, placing him -- like an armed and dangerous chess
match -- at a perspective where he had a shot at the wounded criminal. Breathlessly popping off a few shots, he did
little more than force the thug to shift to a new hiding place, but that at
least drove him farther away from the downed Five-0 officers.
*****
"What is he
doing?" Kelly wondered in amazement.
"He's going to get himself killed."
McGarrett grimly
narrowed his eyes, as if his wrathful stare could penetrate through the shack
Williams was hiding behind. "That's
the only thing that's going to save him from me," he growled.
His eyes still
weren't up to normal, but he had seen enough to know his young detective was
using himself as a target to take the danger away from McGarrett and the other
hostages. Away from him. If this was
some kind of sacrifice for his benefit, Steve was going to rebuke him like
never before. While he couldn't fault
the kid for motives, he was not going to applaud self-sacrificing heroics for
an officer he wanted around for a while.
*****
Knowing time was
playing against him, Dan paused only long enough to catch his breath, and then
he was off again, racing to the next grass shack that afforded some shelter
behind a large tiki carving. This spot
was close enough to McGarrett's position that he could see his boss. Both Steve and Kelly were hit it looked
like. Grimly he took a deep breath and
dashed across the sand, bullets plucking up the dirt while he dove for cover
beside his colleagues.
"Steve!"
he whispered, sliding in on his knees beside McGarrett. "You're hit!" He glanced at Kelly, dismayed at the obvious
wounds. "You're both hit. Bad?"
His face twitched in sympathetic ache.
"What are you
doing here?" McGarrett barked, irrelevantly wondering if Danno had ever
been wounded before. He didn't act like
it, and he was glad. He wouldn't wish
this on anyone, certainly not a friend.
"What was that all about with the chopper?"
"A
distraction," Williams admitted with a grin. He patted McGarrett on the left
shoulder. "I'm going to take out
Manapaka. Then we'll get you guys out of
here." Without waiting for a
response he glanced around the hut and nearly took off.
McGarrett's iron
grip stopped him. "You're not going
to making yourself a target!"
"Manapaka's
hit, Steve. I can take him out
easy." He glanced at Chin, then
motioned toward McGarrett's head.
"You guys need help. I can
take care of this."
The confidence was
undeniable. The logic was, too, but the
boss still didn't like it and clearly relayed that to his subordinate. The young officer just offered a crooked grin
and admonished them not to worry. He
would be right back.
"The boy's got
guts," Chin offered with admiration after Dan sprinted away.
"Too much of a
hero complex," he complained in return, knowing that was not entirely
true.
McGarrett asked for
Kelly's revolver and received it under protest.
Then the boss leaned over and watched his youngest officer come up
behind the armed criminal who was watching the chopper come in over the palm
trees. Sound was impossible to
distinguish beyond the roar of the blades, but he saw the actions played out
like a staged drama. Williams aimed the
rifle. Manapaka turned, surprised, and raised his weapon. A crack
carried on the wind and Manapaka fell into the sand. Danno kept his M16 trained on the fallen man
as he went to the body, kicked away the downed rifle and checked for a
pulse. Then he straightened and motioned
for the spectators to go to the gate.
When the young officer turned to rejoin McGarrett, the rifle was shaking
and Danny was pale.
"He might
live," he sighed as he dropped into the sand next to his friends. "Help is on the way." He cringed when he got a better look at
McGarrett's head and Kelly's leg.
The world was unbalanced
and Steve felt Williams push him back against the hut. "Good job," he offered. "Risky."
"Somebody had
to get you guys out." He waved over
some medical attendants who had just arrived.
Backing away, he was quickly out of focus as McGarrett surrendered to
the medics.
*****
Before the end of
the week McGarrett entered his offices at
In the aftermath of
the hostage incident, he had plenty of time to think. Media coverage of the event had been
amazingly favorable. Public opinion for
a change was on the cop's side. The tourists
were thrilled they had been rescued by the valiant and daring heroics of
Officer Williams.
Proudly, Steve could
only echo the popular perception of his newest detective. Not that he had showered Williams with
praise. The first time Danno had visited
him in the hospital he had let him know how much he disliked his detectives
putting themselves into danger. The
younger man had been suitably cowed and Steve concluded that such intrepid
actions -- on his behalf -- would be kept to a minimum. He appreciated the actions that had saved
Chin and him from bleeding to death, but he was not going to allow a friend to
risk his life so blatantly.
He knew he was over
reacting. He should have been pleased
and filled with praise, but the crisis had proven to him something he suspected
about Williams. Within Danno was a strange
mixture of self-doubt and self-sacrifice that could be risky. He would, indeed, go to the wall for
McGarrett or anyone else on the team.
Great character integrity for a cop, but if not tempered with caution,
it could lead to a very short life span.
With Steve wounded, Dan had been desperate,
making some risky choices. He did so
well in the crisis, however, never lacking for courage, wits, coolness under
literal fire, or loyalty. One major
flaw, though, was that young Williams made perilous decisions based on
feelings. His commitment to Steve was a
weakness.
To his ultimate
credit, Dan had shown bravery and tenacity.
Steve sensed, if it came down to the wire, Danno would be willing to do
almost anything to accomplish his duty.
To save a fellow cop. To save
McGarrett. It was beyond the job, beyond
being a cop. Not even in the Navy had
Steve known such complete loyalty and commitment from an officer. That worried
Steve, because he wanted to keep Williams around for a long time. He had big plans for the young man. It cemented the trust, faith and affection he
had in Williams. The selfless actions
led to Steve's decision to move Dan up in the ranks without hesitation.
"Steve, what
you doing back?" Kono was the first to meet him when McGarrett entered.
The big Hawaiian's surprise was obvious.
"You supposed to be here?"
"Why,
Kono," he joked, "Something going on I shouldn't know about?"
The staff gathered
around him, giving him plenty of room, but overwhelmingly happy to have him
back. Williams emerged from his cubicle
and smiled uncertainly at the boss.
Concern shaded the blue eyes, but the grin was genuine.
"Couldn't stay
away," he shook his head. "You
were probably afraid of what the office looked like with just Kono and me
here."
"Yeah, Chin Ho has
sense enough to stay at home when he's on sick leave," Kalakaua chided at
his boss, never afraid to voice an opinion to the stubborn Irishman.
Spreading out his
arms, Steve smiled. "The bullet
just grazed me." He touched his
forehead, just in front of the bullet crease that was hidden by his thick hair.
He still had an incredible headache, but it was getting better every day. Vision had returned to normal and his ears
weren't ringing anymore. Almost as good
as new. He should be able to leave next week
and actually enjoy himself for the much encouraged holiday/business excursion
in
"Sure."
Williams trailed him
in and shut the door. McGarrett slid
into the chair behind his desk and settled in for a moment. He was sore, but he really was okay. Well enough for work, anyway. He leaned back and studied his protégé.
"So how're
things going? Really?"
Danny shrugged,
taking a seat on the edge of the desk, comfortable in the presence of the
boss. "Good. Kono has everything under control. And if you're worried about your trip to
"Thanks. I'm not worried. Cause I'm going to leave you in charge."
Williams' eyebrows
shot up and his mouth dropped.
Steve smirked,
immensely enjoying utter command of his universe. "Yeah, I'm naming you as the
second-in-command of Five-0. Effective
next week. I'm telling the Governor
tomorrow. It will mean a little bit of a
raise. And a lot of headaches. You'll see when I leave."
Danno was still
stunned, but managed to find his voice.
"Why? Why me? Chin deserves it."
"Chin and Kono
are fine officers," McGarrett admitted readily. "But they're not what I'm looking for in
a second, Danno. I need someone who can
handle a crisis with a cool head. Like
you did this week. And someone who will
act in my stead. Not copying me, but
knowing how to handle things instinctively.
That's something that can't be taught, Danno, but a quality that you
naturally possess." He swiveled
around and glanced out the lanai doors at the beautiful scenery of the Palace
grounds. "This is going to sound a
little crazy, but I have a vision for Five-0.
I've organized this, I've run it, and I think about it's future. My second needs to be someone who understands
what I'm doing and works with me. I know
you will do that, Danno. More than that,
I think we share the same goals and ideals.
And I trust you to act as I would when I'm not here."
Williams collapsed
into a nearby chair. "Wow."
Steve leaned
forward, conveying his intensity, his fervent wishes. "It means sacrifice, Danno. You won't have a normal life outside these
walls or within them. You'll get a lot
of heat from the press, from HPD, from the Governor's office. There'll be a lot less sleep and more grief,
but nothing you've ever done will be more rewarding."
Williams
straightened. "And you think I'm
ready for this?"
"Don't
you?"
"I don't
know," Danny admitted hesitantly.
"But if you think I can handle it then I promise I won't let you
down."
McGarrett smiled
confidently. "I'm counting on that,
Danno."
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