Chapter 3 - Redemption
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*~*~*

The ultimatum was given, and Chin slowly counted down the minutes as he racked his mind for a way to cease being a victim and be helpful if the situation took another turn for the worse.

Taking another glance around the room, Chin noticed something different about one of the vents. Looking closer, he was pretty sure he saw familiar looking sandy curls. After checking to make sure none of the gunmen were watching him, Chin risked another glance up and this time Danny saw him looking.

Danny held up one hand with the fingers spread out and Chin caught the silent question, four? Discreetly, he nodded and Danny made more motions with his hand this time asking if Chin had his gun. When Chin nodded again, Danny signaled for him to be ready. Chin tensed, that sign could only mean one thing: Steve was getting ready to storm the place.

That meant that Steve knew he couldn’t give Gios what he was demanding and Chin wasn’t surprised. Steve would never stand by a bargain that included pardons to the offenders.

Moving quietly, Chin nudged Tim and gestured for him to take Tilda. When his son looked confused he whispered, “Take care of your sister.”

Tim looked nervously at the gunmen but obeyed. “Dad, what’s happening?”

As Chin studied his son he saw a glimpse of the man he would become as Tim hid his fear behind a mask of determination and strength. In that instant, Chin decided to give his son his trust. “The instant you hear shots, lie flat on the ground. Understand?”

Comprehension dawned as Tim shot back in hushed tones, “Yes, but what about you?”

His father fought against a sudden lump in throat. His independent antagonistic son still cared about him. The rebellious teenage act was nowhere to seen as Tim continued to look at his father with worry in his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. Now, make sure everybody else knows what to do.”

Tim looked like he wanted to protest but the gravity of the situation made him recognize his responsibility.

Chin remained still as he watched Tim pass on his message and took another glance at the gunmen but their actions were passing unnoticed as they all seemed to be more concerned about a threat from outside. That reassured the detective that they had no idea that Danny was laying in wait above their heads and for the first time since the whole affair had started Chin had hope.

Even though he knew that it would involve more risk, Chin poked the shoulder of the woman seated on his right; he had a duty to warn and protect all of the hostages not just his family. “Ma’am.”

The women slowly cocked her head to show that she was listening and Chin quickly whispered the same words he had given his son with orders that she also pass them along. She shot him a skeptical look but followed his suggestion without any protest. It was obvious that she didn’t like him but at least she hadn’t told the gunmen that there was a “crooked cop” in their midst and Chin was thankful for that.

His task done, the worried father took one more good look at his family praying, that it wouldn’t be the last time he saw them alive. Lin’s gaze met his and Chin knew that his message had gotten across. His wife’s eyes were set and determined but behind the façade Chin could see her fear. It was more than fear for their children, she was looking at him as if she wasn’t excepting to see him alive again.

Chin looked away as he couldn’t promise that her feelings weren’t wrong. He couldn’t afford distractions if things broke loose. Forcing himself to become strictly professional, he reached down to his side and grasped his gun, thankful that his guards were convinced that their prisoners posed no threat.

“Time,” called one of the unnamed gunmen.

“Be ready,” Gios ordered as he moved to where he could shout out at the forces gathered outside. “So, Mr. I-Hope-You’ve-Been-Productive Fuzz, have my demands been met?”

Steve’s response was immediate. “I am giving you one chance, Gios. The Governor cannot legally sign an order to stop the building of Ikehu Power Plant but if you throw down your weapons and come out with your hands up then the governor has agreed to allow an independent review of the ecological impact of building the plant in that area. If that review agrees with your position it would have the power to stop the project.”

Chin almost drew his weapon as Gios’ face twisted into an expression of fury. “That does nothing and you know it!”

Steve’s voice remained calm as he added, “Also, you have to consider the fact that if you don’t surrender, you and your men will be killed for no reason and your cause will die with you. So will you surrender and give your cause a chance or stand and die for no reason at all?”

Steve’s words allowed for no compromise and had little chance to satisfy the gunmen. However, Chin didn’t blame Steve; he was simply speaking the unvarnished truth but he knew that inside his boss was anything but the calm he projected.

“You think I’m buffing!” Gios screamed.

“No, I don’t. That’s why I’m offering you a man’s choice. Will you be a man and take it or will you be a coward who murders children?”

Chin heard gasps from several of the other hostages. McGarrett was playing a dangerous game; he knew that appeals to the man’s conscience wouldn’t work so he worked on the one thing that would keep a desperate man in an impossible situation – pride.

“Let me talk over your offer with my men,” Gios stated; his words hinted at defeat, but what Chin could read of the man’s physical bearings warned him that he had no intention of giving up.

However, one of the other gunman must have been concerned by Gios’ last statement as he asked, “You aren’t going to give in, are you?”

“If we surrender the plant will be built and we’ll spend years in prison,” another argued.

Gios held up his hand for silence as he stated, “I am tired of that cop’s lies. He really thinks he can trick us out.”

”So what are we going to do?”

“Give him our answer.” Gios replied coldly as he took out his gun and pointed it straight at the little girl Amy had bumped into earlier and prepared to pull the trigger...

Chin didn’t stop to think; he just let his instincts take over and responded just like he had many times before. The detective raised his gun, aimed right at the center of the guy’s chest, and pulled the trigger. One shot, one hit. He couldn’t have afforded it to happen any other way, not with the lives of innocents at stake.

*~*~*

“Kono.”

Kono picked up the walkie-talkie and answered, “Yeah, Boss.”

“Just heard from Danny. There are four guys inside. One’s right on the other side of your door and Danny doesn’t have a line of fire. If we move in you need to take him out as fast as possible.”

“Right, Steve.”

Kono stood with his back against the Reptile House, standing as close to the exit as possible without being able to be seen by those inside. Minutes passed and he forced himself to be patient as Steve and Gios exchanged words. As the conversation showed that the likelihood of compromise was rapidly approaching the probably of zero, Kono signaled to his men to be ready.

Then, suddenly, Gios said he would consider Steve’s offer and the conversation had stopped. However, Kono wasn’t convinced of the gunman’s sincerity and the prolonged silence only increased the detective’s unease. So when Kono heard a gun go off he simply let out a bellow of rage for whoever had died and rammed the door while Steve’s voice hollered, “Go.”

Through the doors, Kono immediately spotted his target and felt something slam against his chest as he fired his gun. The Hawaiian’s shot was true as the gunman fell to the ground and Kono stepped over the body as he moved into the room.

Kono took in the scene in one glance. The hostages were lying flat on the ground as Chin was standing over a body with his gun out. Duke was rushing in with his team but there was nothing left to do; Danny must have successfully taken out the other gunmen.

There was an ache in his chest and when Kono looked down he spotted a bullet buried in his vest right over his heart. Part of his brain acknowledged that he was going to have a nice bruise tomorrow while the rest of it was mulling over the fact that he had again survived a brush with death.

As the hostages slowly got up, hugging and crying with their family members, it dawned on Kono that they had done it. Last night, he had thought that Five-O had beaten the odds when they had saved Chin from disgrace. Now, Kono knew that they had truly pulled off the impossible when he realized that Chin, his family, and the other hostages were safe.

Kono would take a bullet in the chest for that result any day.

*~*~*

Relief filled Chin as he saw Duke and Kono lead teams that secured the room. But even as movement stirred around him, Chin just found himself unable to move as he stared into the face of a man who would have killed his children without a feeling an ounce of regret.

Duke wondered over and knelt down beside Gios. “Pau,” he announced.

That one word released Chin from in ability to move as he grasped onto the fact that this man would never be able to threaten his family again. With that knowledge secured, the father turned to check of his family.

They were all standing, though Lin was now holding Tilda, and the others were gathered together. His children’s faces were pale and Gabriel and Thomas were opening staring at him in shock. But that didn’t hurt as much as when Amy saw her father looking she moved to hide behind her mother’s legs. Of all his children, only Tim met his gaze.

Tears threatened to flow as Chin realized that his children were afraid of him. It was a pain no father should ever have to bear.

I just killed a man in front of my kids why I am surprised?

But I did it for them.

Intellectually, Chin knew that in time his children would realize that their father’s job as police officer meant that sometimes he had to kill the bad guys, something the teenagers already knew, but the shock of seeing their father kill was different from knowing that their father sometimes had to shoot and kill people as part of his job.

“Chin,” Duke said as he put a hand on Chinese man’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Chin shook him off. “I’ll be fine.”

Duke backed off but Chin doubted that he failed to notice that the detective had spoken in the future tense. Though, Chin figured that the Police Sergeant understood. Any police officer knew that their job demanded things that they could never share with their family; Chin had just shown his own children the very things he had sought to shield them from.

It was another burden that he would have to bear.

While Chin was lost in his thoughts, Steve walked into the Reptile House and took charge of the situation. When the two detectives met, they exchanged a look that hinted at the many words left unspoken. “See to your family,” Steve ordered in a voice that suggested that there would time for everything else later.

As Chin approached his family, Lin moved swiftly over to her husband and the two embraced, not caring that Tilda was in-between them. As they held one another they didn’t have to speak to communicate their worries and fears from having their family serve as hostages and their shared love and silent joy now that everyone was safe.

When Lin pulled back she looked straight into her husband’s haunted eyes and understood. She understood just how much it was tearing him up inside to have killed in front of his family and she could see that he was in pain from their children’s rejections. But she too knew that in time Chin would find peace. Until that moment arrived, she would continue to be the pillar of support that he consistently relied on.

“Mr. Kelly.”

Chin turned and saw the elderly woman and her granddaughter who had been hostages as well. “Yes?” he answered.

The woman had one arm warped protectively around her granddaughter but her face had lost the hard judgmental look and Chin could see a hint of kindness in her eyes that he hadn’t seen before. “I just wanted to thank you for saving my granddaughter’s life. I was wrong; you are a good cop.”

As Chin acknowledged the praise, he felt a weight lift from his soul that he wasn’t aware that he had been carrying. The accusations of bribery had cut him deeper than he had ever acknowledged and to hear a stranger affirm his goodness meant that there was hope that the past week wouldn’t be what defined his career and reputation.

The Reptile House began to empty as HPD started moving the people outside and Chin helped his wife gather their children and step outside into the sunlight.

The scene they walked into stopped Chin in his tracks. Behind the police barrier was a mass of people all cheering and applauding as the former hostages walked out of the building. Cameras flashed and reporters tried to shout questions over the roar of the crowd.

“Dad.”

Chin turned toward the voice of his eldest son, figuring that Tim wanted permission to take advantage of their newfound celebrity status by talking with the media so he could tell his friends that he had been on TV. However, one look at his son’s face told Chin that he couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“I…I um…” Tim stuttered, struggling to put what he wanted to say into words.

Chin waited silently, knowing from his son’s expressions that he dealing with several conflicting emotions and that that the best thing to do was to give him the time he needed. For it was becoming clear that the events inside of the Reptile House had deeply affected the teenager.

“Look, Dad…what I’m trying to say is…” Tim looked away and Chin could see tears rolling down his cheeks. Then, after a moment’s pause, Tim met his father’s gaze and said, “I love you.”

Oblivious to the cameras and mass of humanity surrounding them, father and son embraced. And as a father’s tears joined his son’s, Chin replied, “I love you too, son.”

In that moment nothing else mattered.

*~*~*

It was late when Danny was finally able to leave the zoo and return home. The detective was grateful beyond belief that all of the hostages were unharmed and Chin’s family was safety home. However, his heart was heavy as he had been forced to kill in order to guarantee that safely. He would never understand what had made Gios decide that taking hostages was the right thing to do.

While Gios’ thought processes disturbed him, what still bothered Danny was the shameless behavior of the media. Reporters had crowded Chin as he tried to leave the zoo, wanting to interview the hero of the hour when only twenty-four hours before they had clamoring for his arrest!

It wasn’t right but there was nothing that he could do about it.

Danny shook his head in frustration as he made sure that his truck with his rifle in it was securely locked. As he walked around to the entrance of his apartment complex he decided that he would call Jane, let her know that he was alright, and apologize for the afternoon. Then he would collapse into bed and sleep for twelve hours.

“Danny!”

Danny recognized Jane’s voice and turned to find her standing in the lawn with a picnic basket at her feet. “I heard on the news that the situation was over and I knew that you skipped lunch. I knew that you would need dinner so I made up a basket so we could eat and watch the sun set on the beach.”

Suddenly, Danny’s weariness was gone as the worries of the day and the past week faded away. “I don’t know what to say,” Danny replied.

Jane moved so that she was standing directly in front of Danny. “You promised me that the day was mine.”

Danny smiled. “So I did.”

Then Danny made good on that promise by taking the picnic basket into one hand and Jane’s hand in the other and the couple walked towards the beach and the setting sun.

*~*~*

Darkness descended on Honolulu as many of her residents settled down for the evening, finding peace in the stillness of the night.

But for two individuals that peace was an elusive dream.

One of those troubled individuals climbed the steps of the Iolani Palace to meet the other who was sitting alone in the only room with lights on in the entire building.

It was a scene that was not uncommon even though the participants changed, for all too often it was the people responsible for bringing peace who had the most trouble taking comfort in it.

“Shouldn’t you be home?” Steve McGarrett called out as he recognized the person approaching him.

“I could probably ask you the same question,” Chin Ho Kelly replied as he entered his boss’s office.

Rising from his chair, Steve shook his head. “Chin, you’ve been through enough…”

“And so have you. So have we all.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re not with your family. They need their father a lot more than I need my detective right now.”

Chin took a deep breath and confessed, “It’s one thing knowing your father is a cop and another watching him kill a man. I’m making things easier on Lin by being away from the house at the moment.”

Understanding flickered in Steve’s eyes as he gestured for them to move out onto the lanai. “I’m sorry, Chin. I should have never let the situation descend to the point where you had to shoot.”

“Steve, don’t!” Chin ordered. “We both did what we had to do.”

Steve nodded. “But it doesn’t mean that it was easy.”

Chin studied the Honolulu skyline as he pondered Steve’s words. “No…no it doesn’t.” The Chinese detective took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing, “I think the only thing that kept me sane in that building was knowing that you, Danny, and Kono were outside doing everything you could to get us safely out. You didn’t abandon me when the bribery accusations were leveled and the odds said that you should have. So I had no reason to think that anything had changed in twenty-four hours even though the stakes were higher.”

“You never should have had to gone through either situation.” Steve sighed regretfully as he turned back to his detective. “I would have done anything to have kept you from experiencing either situation.”

“It wasn’t the accusations that hurt as much as the fact that it seemed like everyone outside of this office believed them,” Chin admitted.

Steve countenance darkened and Chin could tell he had struck a nerve. “We live a thankless life. We’re dammed if we do and dammed if we don’t. Yesterday, everyone was demanding your head, today they want to give you a medal. How quickly the world forgets.”

The raw character to Steve’s words told Chin that there was something upsetting his boss that went beyond the stress of either case. A memory of an answered question from this morning rose in his mind and Chin realized that he needed to know what Steve had tried to keep secret from him. “Steve, why did Calhao confess?”

“We did what we had to.” Steve answered softly before he asked, “Do you really want to know?”

“I think I need to.”

Steve appeared to debate his answer but once he started speaking the whole story poured out. “We scared him. Convinced him that Brohme was trying to kill him. I had Danno and Kono trash his office and then shoot in his direction until he came running to me for protection. I’m not proud, Chin, but I didn’t know of any other way.”

Steve’s confession shook Chin to his core. If news of this ever got out, Steve, Danny and Kono would all be looking for a different line of work. The rest of the team had been willing to sacrifice their careers to save his.

“Did I cross the line?” Steve asked. “At the time I could think of nothing but what would happen if we couldn’t clear your name. When Kono figured out that you were a hostage in the Reptile House today, I wondered if it was my punishment for my actions last night.”

The depth of honesty in Steve’s words demanded an honest answer.

“I’ve been in this business longer than you, Steve.” Chin answered as he looked Steve in the eyes, “And during that time I’ve seen cops go bad. You’re not bad. You want to know why?”

Steve nodded.

“You care. And if it wasn’t for your esteem for life and your stubborn insistence to always do the right thing I wouldn’t be standing here before you. Thank you.”

Silence followed as the two detectives stood in the gentle Hawaiian breeze. They no longer needed to speak because they had discovered, by sharing each other’s burdens, they were able to receive the peace that they had been unable to find alone.

PAU