Chapter 1
I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12TH
It was no real surprise when the threats came into the Five-0 team upon the heels of Allen ”Darry” Darien being justly apprehended and charged with three counts of murder, racketeering, and money laundering. The mobster was facing life imprisonment if all the charges stuck firmly; and that was exactly where the prosecution was heading.
The high-powered and well-heeled mobster was facing an ironclad case and it was almost normal or par for the course that his followers would do what they could to manipulate or intimidate anyone involved in the pending trial. So, the threats escalated as jury selection came to a close and the trial date was subsequently set to begin.
Protective details were setup and the jury was sequestered for their safety from the very start. Because of the high-profile case, the date for trial was finalized nearly immediately for that same month.
But then the threats became personal when Steve McGarrett was subpoenaed as a key witness; as the witness to the last murder of a police officer. Committed by Derry in cold blood, Steve’s testimony in regard to this murder would become critical in sentencing the criminal to life in prison.
On Wednesday, June 12th Steve sighed in disgust as his gloved hands sealed one of the latest short letters into a protective clear plastic envelope for Charlie Fong to process. He was sitting in his office and he looked up to do an automatic headcount of three across the bullpen where the others of his team lounged around the smart table.
The count of abstract threats now numbered over fifty and he knew that Charlie wouldn’t find anything. What preyed most heavily on his mind was the verbiage of the latest two promises.
“We lose. You lose. Protect your own as we protect ours.”
The second had just been received moments before and it was decidedly different.
“Friday, June 14th. D. Day.”
Little did Steve - or anyone for that matter - know that ‘D. Day.’ would soon signify that Danny was particularly in danger for that coming day. At the time, Steve only frowned and reminded everyone to watch their backs and exercise their usual high level of caution.
He assumed ”D. Day.” meant ”Darry” or ”Darien” and not their Danny ... until Danny Williams didn’t show up for work that morning and they found the blood-stained Camaro parked in a deserted warehouse parking lot with his gun and wallet tossed to the pavement.
But Danny and his badge were missing; without a trace.
He understood in detail what they wanted when the last ominous letter was received that very night at his own home.
“Plead the 5th. Or you lose.”
The trial was scheduled to begin on Monday, June 24th and they had no idea where Danny had been taken. Neither the judge, the courts, nor the Governor would consider postponing the trial until the Detective might be located - preferably alive. It was an unfortunate and terrible truth since it would be seen as a type of negotiation with a terrorist-like contingent.
Steve was ordered to do the right thing at the time of the trial and with a sinking heart, he knew that he would regardless of the outcome. So time was ticking at both a slow but much too fast, pace.
In what had now become the most recent dire of notes, Steve was instructed to plead the 5th when called to the stand or Danny would lose his life. His choices were perjury or a forced mistrial and still, there were no guarantees that his partner would be released alive and in one, whole piece.
They were dealing with consummate professionals. There were no clues, no prints, not a single witness; nothing to go on except the startling volume of blood in the car and the remaining members of the team were at a terrible cross-roads.
Following Danny’s abduction, there was absolute silence and no other communication for almost an entire week.
The Five-0 team and the Honolulu Police Department literally turned the island upside down and then on its head looking for their partner and friend. Tempers were high and Steve had become relentless in the cause to find Danny; forgoing sleep and all else for hours and then the interminable long days on-end.
