Chapter 1 - Eventful Homecomings
Chapter 2 - An Unexpected Offer
Chapter 3 - Details
Chapter 4 - The Good Guys Can Plot Too
Chapter 5 - The Life of a Thief
Chapter 6 - Risks and Rewards
Chapter 7 - An Unlikely Meeting
Chapter 8 - Kaiko's Revenge
Chapter 9 - Revelations
Chapter 10 - Too Close for Comfort
Chapter 11 - A Long Night
Chapter 12 - Smugglers Meet Spies
Chapter 13 - Respect
Chapter 2 - An Unexpected Offer
Chapter 3 - Details
Chapter 4 - The Good Guys Can Plot Too
Chapter 5 - The Life of a Thief
Chapter 6 - Risks and Rewards
Chapter 7 - An Unlikely Meeting
Chapter 8 - Kaiko's Revenge
Chapter 9 - Revelations
Chapter 10 - Too Close for Comfort
Chapter 11 - A Long Night
Chapter 12 - Smugglers Meet Spies
Chapter 13 - Respect
Chapter 7 - An Unlikely Meeting
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Armed with cigars and baby pictures, Chin Ho Kelly was all smiles on his first day back at Five-O. There were cheers all around the office as everyone congratulated the proud father on his new son, Thomas Lee Kelly.
“How’s Lin doing?” asked Ralph who had returned from Hilo the night before.
“Great,” Chin answered. “Her sister came over to help with the kids and that was the sign that I was being kicked out.”
Ralph laughed. “Rachel would do the same thing. But then they’ll complain when you’re not around to change the diaper.”
Kono walked in the door and walked straight up to the new father. “Let me see.”
As Chin handed Kono a picture he saw Steve looking at the scene with interest. Chin could tell that the boss wanted to get back to work but didn’t want to interrupt the joyful moment.
“Thank you,” Chin said to the room. “But if don’t start earning my paycheck, Lin won’t be happy.”
Chin saw Steve nod in thanks and then call out, “Gentlemen.”
The four detectives gathered in Steve’s domain and Steve immediately inquired about the file in Kono’s hand. "What’ve ya got?"
“An ID on the fingerprint.” Setting the file on Steve’s desk, Kono started reading the notes on his notepad. “Name’s Josh Kikeona but goes by Kaiko. Hawaiian, seventeen, a regular kolohe. Da kid’s been in and out of foster care since age six and run away at fourteen. Was arrested for theft at sixteen and spent six months at Juvenile Hall. Kikeona runs a gang downtown and HPD suspects their involved with the car thefts, but dey can’t prove it.”
Chin thought over Kono’s description of the suspect. A young kid, unwanted, in and out of trouble his whole life. Not exactly the type of person he expected to be involved in a theft of this magnitude.
Steve appeared to consider the information while he pursued the file in front of him. “We have a kid, whose gang hangs out in this area anyway. I need a better connection than that to question him.”
“He’s five foot four and skinny. And get dis. When Kikeona was arrested, he managed to trip an alarm. HPD caught him climbing out a window onto da roof.”
Chin privately smiled, Kono seemed to have anticipated Steve’s question. He exchanged a knowing look with Ralph; Kono looked like he was going to work out. Steve also seemed happy with that information and pressed on, “What do you know about his gang?”
“It’s small, but they’ve managed to stay out of trouble even with HPD cracking down. Kikeona has three guys with him. David Harden, a kid he met at juvie. Johnny Pouha, a high school drop-out with a clean record, and some haole kid that joined them recently.”
“How recent?”
“A week, maybe more,” Kono answered. “My sources weren’t sure. Lukela’s been investigating da car thefts and might know more but he and Kainoa got called out to da North Shore for da day.”
Chin hated to interrupt but he wasn’t convinced. “Steve, I’ll buy these kids stripping cars for parts but stealing jewels?”
“Someone had to have let our thieves into those stores and why not a hire a small time punk?” Steve reasoned. “Ralph, you have any loose ends to tie up with Hilo?”
“All finished, the local office is handling the rest of the paperwork.”
“Good,” Steve said. Turning back to Kono, he asked, “Know where we can find Mr. Kikeona?”
“HPD says he currently with the rest of his gang at a soda shop near Pahoa and Koko Head.”
Steve grabbed his jacket as he ordered, “Let’s go.”
*~*~*
“For Pete’s sake, Danno, you’re taking longer than my Grandma.”
Danny laughed at D.J’s teasing as he lined up for a shot. “Hey, at least I wasn’t the one who sunk the eight ball on his first shot the last game.”
As his stick hit the cue ball, the door to the soda shop slammed open. Before Danny could register what going on, he found himself being pushed against the wall by a large Hawaiian cop. Danny forced himself to not react and to remain still as hands patted him down.
When the cop stepped back, Danny was able to turn around and take in the scene. Kaiko, D.J., and Johnny had likewise been pushed up against the wall beside him. Four plainclothes officers he didn’t recognize stood in the room. In addition to the Hawaiian, there was an older white-haired cop, and a middle-aged Chinese officer. Towering over then was a serious dark-haired man who was clearly in charge. Danny’s heart sunk as he realized who these men had to be.
“Alright fuzz, what’s dis about?” Kaiko called out as soon as the cops stepped back.
The tall cop reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a badge. “McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O. I think you already know what this about, Mr. Kikeona.”
Crap. This didn’t look good, though Danny had no idea why McGarrett would be interested in Kaiko’s little gang. Worried, Danny was fighting hard to keep it from showing on his face. He definitely had not signed up for this.
“Really,” Kaiko spat back. “Enlighten me, cause da last time I checked it’s legal to play pool in dis state or you haoles gonna take dat away from us, too?”
McGarrett seemed unfazed and walked confidently over to the pool table where he picked up the cue ball and started rolling it around in his hand. “Where were you two nights ago?”
“Why’d ya care?”
“Aloha Jewelers on Lilioukalani Avenue was robbed that night.”
“So? Why should I care ‘bout some tourist shop?”
“We found your fingerprints near the scene.”
Kaiko shrugged. “I walk all over dis town, dat don’t prove nothin’.”
“The fingerprint in question was found next to a ripped piece of black glove in the alley behind the store. That suggests to me that you were making an effort not to leave any.”
“What a joke, man. Ya gonna arrest me or somethin’ for hanging out in an alley?”
“That depends. Are you confessing?”
“Look man, I don’t what ya deal is but I wasn’t nowhere near dat store dat night. Ask Danno.”
McGarrett turned and looked at Danny, D.J. and Johnny and asked, “Daniel?”
Danny didn’t have time to think so he just reacted, knowing that he couldn’t afford to blow his cover. “Danno,” he snapped, glaring at McGarrett. “The name's Danno, fuzz, and don’t you forget it.”
For an instant Danny thought McGarrett was going to laugh but instead he turned on of his attention onto him and asked, “You have a last name to go with that?”
Danny felt like he was going to crumble under McGarrett’s stern gaze. Summoning his courage, he shot back, “None that I’d share with you.”
“Tough talk, kid. I hope you do realize that you if don’t come clean to me you’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
Danny was already in a load of trouble, on multiple levels, and it was clear that McGarrett had no idea. So while inwardly cursing his situation, the rookie officer gave the top cop on the island as much lip as he could muster. “You don’t scare me, man.”
“Listen up, Mr. Fuzz,” Johnny yelled out. “Kaiko was with us and we weren’t anywhere near that store.”
“Yeah,” D.J. agreed. “Go find someone else to pin the blame on.”
“You heard them,” Danny added. “We were hanging at our own joint.”
“Very well.” With those words McGarrett set down the ball, turned, and left the shop without another word, his men following behind him.
Danny watched them gather across the road and forced himself to breathe normally. He did what he had too and he wouldn’t be able to do anything differently until he managed to rendezvous with Duke which wouldn’t be until tomorrow at the earliest.
D.J. was the first to speak. “What’d you think his problem was?”
“Not here,” Kaiko ordered. “As soon as da fuzz is gone, we scat.”
While the others waited, Danny walked over to the pool table and looked down at the ball McGarrett had picked up. The game was changing and he no longer knew the rules. Five-O was getting involved in a case they would normally never touch. And did Kaiko really rob a jewelry store? Duke, you never prepared me for this.
*~*~*
Across the street, Steve gathered his men by the police photographer he brought with them. “You got the pictures?”
The man nodded.
“Good. Get them developed and in my office as soon as possible. Ralph, head over to Juvenile Hall. Talk the Warden and the guards about Josh Kikeona, and David Harden. I want to know about their friends, anyone they could have learned the skills to pull this type of job from. Chin, I need you to find out who Danno is. Take his picture around to some of the local high schools, maybe we’ll get lucky. Kono, hit the street. I want to know if there’s any talk on the street about this gang; if they’ve suddenly come into money, that sort of thing.”
Getting into his car, Steve glanced back at the shop. A large part of him wasn’t convinced that these kids could pull off these jobs, not without serious help, but his gut was telling him that Kikeona was involved in some manner. Plus, there was something weird about that Danno kid and Steve couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
Shaking his head, Steve shut the door and turned the ignition. There was still a lot of work to be done.
*~*~*
Hours later, they were all back at the house and Kaiko was still furious about McGarrett. Danny listened to Kaiko’s ravings as he leaned against a wall and tried to let the nicotine from his cigarette calm his own nerves. D.J. looked as nervous as Danny felt; he was sitting on top of a pile of crates, his feet kicking nervously against the boards. Johnny alone seemed unfazed by McGarrett’s visit as he was lying down the middle of the floor with his arms crossed behind his head.
“Just who does dat pig think he is, roughing us up for no reason?” Kaiko growled as he paced across the rotting floor.
“He’s a cop,” Johnny reasoned, “he can do whatever he wants. Besides, he ain’t got nothin’ on us.”
“Yeah,” Kaiko said taking a long draw from his cigarette. “But it would be nice ta rough him up for a change.”
“Not happening, man,” D.J. argued. “He’s a cop, untouchable. You mess with him and they’ll lock you up for a long time.”
“I ain’t talkin’ about his person.”
Danny dropped his cigarette. It was crazy, unthinkable…
D.J. jumped up. “No way, man! No way I’m going back to juvie!”
“Johnny?”
Johnny slowly sat up and looked his friend in the eye. “Not worth it, Kaiko. I won’t risk it.”
“Danny?”
Danny, not Danno. Kaiko was testing him and he knew it. If he backed out now, he’d lose his chance at meeting Haku. However, the guys at HPD would never let him live this down if they pulled it off and McGarrett…
Danny pushed the thought of McGarrett from his mind. Succeeding in this case was what was important and he needed Kaiko’s trust for that to happen.
“I’m in. But we’re going to have to plan this carefully if we don’t want to get caught.”
“Sure, Danno. Don’t worry too much. McGarrett won’t know what hit him.”
The case came first and Danny hoped that McGarrett would understand. The worst that could happen would be that he was looking for a new job tomorrow. At least that’s what he hoped.
“How’s Lin doing?” asked Ralph who had returned from Hilo the night before.
“Great,” Chin answered. “Her sister came over to help with the kids and that was the sign that I was being kicked out.”
Ralph laughed. “Rachel would do the same thing. But then they’ll complain when you’re not around to change the diaper.”
Kono walked in the door and walked straight up to the new father. “Let me see.”
As Chin handed Kono a picture he saw Steve looking at the scene with interest. Chin could tell that the boss wanted to get back to work but didn’t want to interrupt the joyful moment.
“Thank you,” Chin said to the room. “But if don’t start earning my paycheck, Lin won’t be happy.”
Chin saw Steve nod in thanks and then call out, “Gentlemen.”
The four detectives gathered in Steve’s domain and Steve immediately inquired about the file in Kono’s hand. "What’ve ya got?"
“An ID on the fingerprint.” Setting the file on Steve’s desk, Kono started reading the notes on his notepad. “Name’s Josh Kikeona but goes by Kaiko. Hawaiian, seventeen, a regular kolohe. Da kid’s been in and out of foster care since age six and run away at fourteen. Was arrested for theft at sixteen and spent six months at Juvenile Hall. Kikeona runs a gang downtown and HPD suspects their involved with the car thefts, but dey can’t prove it.”
Chin thought over Kono’s description of the suspect. A young kid, unwanted, in and out of trouble his whole life. Not exactly the type of person he expected to be involved in a theft of this magnitude.
Steve appeared to consider the information while he pursued the file in front of him. “We have a kid, whose gang hangs out in this area anyway. I need a better connection than that to question him.”
“He’s five foot four and skinny. And get dis. When Kikeona was arrested, he managed to trip an alarm. HPD caught him climbing out a window onto da roof.”
Chin privately smiled, Kono seemed to have anticipated Steve’s question. He exchanged a knowing look with Ralph; Kono looked like he was going to work out. Steve also seemed happy with that information and pressed on, “What do you know about his gang?”
“It’s small, but they’ve managed to stay out of trouble even with HPD cracking down. Kikeona has three guys with him. David Harden, a kid he met at juvie. Johnny Pouha, a high school drop-out with a clean record, and some haole kid that joined them recently.”
“How recent?”
“A week, maybe more,” Kono answered. “My sources weren’t sure. Lukela’s been investigating da car thefts and might know more but he and Kainoa got called out to da North Shore for da day.”
Chin hated to interrupt but he wasn’t convinced. “Steve, I’ll buy these kids stripping cars for parts but stealing jewels?”
“Someone had to have let our thieves into those stores and why not a hire a small time punk?” Steve reasoned. “Ralph, you have any loose ends to tie up with Hilo?”
“All finished, the local office is handling the rest of the paperwork.”
“Good,” Steve said. Turning back to Kono, he asked, “Know where we can find Mr. Kikeona?”
“HPD says he currently with the rest of his gang at a soda shop near Pahoa and Koko Head.”
Steve grabbed his jacket as he ordered, “Let’s go.”
*~*~*
“For Pete’s sake, Danno, you’re taking longer than my Grandma.”
Danny laughed at D.J’s teasing as he lined up for a shot. “Hey, at least I wasn’t the one who sunk the eight ball on his first shot the last game.”
As his stick hit the cue ball, the door to the soda shop slammed open. Before Danny could register what going on, he found himself being pushed against the wall by a large Hawaiian cop. Danny forced himself to not react and to remain still as hands patted him down.
When the cop stepped back, Danny was able to turn around and take in the scene. Kaiko, D.J., and Johnny had likewise been pushed up against the wall beside him. Four plainclothes officers he didn’t recognize stood in the room. In addition to the Hawaiian, there was an older white-haired cop, and a middle-aged Chinese officer. Towering over then was a serious dark-haired man who was clearly in charge. Danny’s heart sunk as he realized who these men had to be.
“Alright fuzz, what’s dis about?” Kaiko called out as soon as the cops stepped back.
The tall cop reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a badge. “McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O. I think you already know what this about, Mr. Kikeona.”
Crap. This didn’t look good, though Danny had no idea why McGarrett would be interested in Kaiko’s little gang. Worried, Danny was fighting hard to keep it from showing on his face. He definitely had not signed up for this.
“Really,” Kaiko spat back. “Enlighten me, cause da last time I checked it’s legal to play pool in dis state or you haoles gonna take dat away from us, too?”
McGarrett seemed unfazed and walked confidently over to the pool table where he picked up the cue ball and started rolling it around in his hand. “Where were you two nights ago?”
“Why’d ya care?”
“Aloha Jewelers on Lilioukalani Avenue was robbed that night.”
“So? Why should I care ‘bout some tourist shop?”
“We found your fingerprints near the scene.”
Kaiko shrugged. “I walk all over dis town, dat don’t prove nothin’.”
“The fingerprint in question was found next to a ripped piece of black glove in the alley behind the store. That suggests to me that you were making an effort not to leave any.”
“What a joke, man. Ya gonna arrest me or somethin’ for hanging out in an alley?”
“That depends. Are you confessing?”
“Look man, I don’t what ya deal is but I wasn’t nowhere near dat store dat night. Ask Danno.”
McGarrett turned and looked at Danny, D.J. and Johnny and asked, “Daniel?”
Danny didn’t have time to think so he just reacted, knowing that he couldn’t afford to blow his cover. “Danno,” he snapped, glaring at McGarrett. “The name's Danno, fuzz, and don’t you forget it.”
For an instant Danny thought McGarrett was going to laugh but instead he turned on of his attention onto him and asked, “You have a last name to go with that?”
Danny felt like he was going to crumble under McGarrett’s stern gaze. Summoning his courage, he shot back, “None that I’d share with you.”
“Tough talk, kid. I hope you do realize that you if don’t come clean to me you’ll be in a lot of trouble.”
Danny was already in a load of trouble, on multiple levels, and it was clear that McGarrett had no idea. So while inwardly cursing his situation, the rookie officer gave the top cop on the island as much lip as he could muster. “You don’t scare me, man.”
“Listen up, Mr. Fuzz,” Johnny yelled out. “Kaiko was with us and we weren’t anywhere near that store.”
“Yeah,” D.J. agreed. “Go find someone else to pin the blame on.”
“You heard them,” Danny added. “We were hanging at our own joint.”
“Very well.” With those words McGarrett set down the ball, turned, and left the shop without another word, his men following behind him.
Danny watched them gather across the road and forced himself to breathe normally. He did what he had too and he wouldn’t be able to do anything differently until he managed to rendezvous with Duke which wouldn’t be until tomorrow at the earliest.
D.J. was the first to speak. “What’d you think his problem was?”
“Not here,” Kaiko ordered. “As soon as da fuzz is gone, we scat.”
While the others waited, Danny walked over to the pool table and looked down at the ball McGarrett had picked up. The game was changing and he no longer knew the rules. Five-O was getting involved in a case they would normally never touch. And did Kaiko really rob a jewelry store? Duke, you never prepared me for this.
*~*~*
Across the street, Steve gathered his men by the police photographer he brought with them. “You got the pictures?”
The man nodded.
“Good. Get them developed and in my office as soon as possible. Ralph, head over to Juvenile Hall. Talk the Warden and the guards about Josh Kikeona, and David Harden. I want to know about their friends, anyone they could have learned the skills to pull this type of job from. Chin, I need you to find out who Danno is. Take his picture around to some of the local high schools, maybe we’ll get lucky. Kono, hit the street. I want to know if there’s any talk on the street about this gang; if they’ve suddenly come into money, that sort of thing.”
Getting into his car, Steve glanced back at the shop. A large part of him wasn’t convinced that these kids could pull off these jobs, not without serious help, but his gut was telling him that Kikeona was involved in some manner. Plus, there was something weird about that Danno kid and Steve couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
Shaking his head, Steve shut the door and turned the ignition. There was still a lot of work to be done.
*~*~*
Hours later, they were all back at the house and Kaiko was still furious about McGarrett. Danny listened to Kaiko’s ravings as he leaned against a wall and tried to let the nicotine from his cigarette calm his own nerves. D.J. looked as nervous as Danny felt; he was sitting on top of a pile of crates, his feet kicking nervously against the boards. Johnny alone seemed unfazed by McGarrett’s visit as he was lying down the middle of the floor with his arms crossed behind his head.
“Just who does dat pig think he is, roughing us up for no reason?” Kaiko growled as he paced across the rotting floor.
“He’s a cop,” Johnny reasoned, “he can do whatever he wants. Besides, he ain’t got nothin’ on us.”
“Yeah,” Kaiko said taking a long draw from his cigarette. “But it would be nice ta rough him up for a change.”
“Not happening, man,” D.J. argued. “He’s a cop, untouchable. You mess with him and they’ll lock you up for a long time.”
“I ain’t talkin’ about his person.”
Danny dropped his cigarette. It was crazy, unthinkable…
D.J. jumped up. “No way, man! No way I’m going back to juvie!”
“Johnny?”
Johnny slowly sat up and looked his friend in the eye. “Not worth it, Kaiko. I won’t risk it.”
“Danny?”
Danny, not Danno. Kaiko was testing him and he knew it. If he backed out now, he’d lose his chance at meeting Haku. However, the guys at HPD would never let him live this down if they pulled it off and McGarrett…
Danny pushed the thought of McGarrett from his mind. Succeeding in this case was what was important and he needed Kaiko’s trust for that to happen.
“I’m in. But we’re going to have to plan this carefully if we don’t want to get caught.”
“Sure, Danno. Don’t worry too much. McGarrett won’t know what hit him.”
The case came first and Danny hoped that McGarrett would understand. The worst that could happen would be that he was looking for a new job tomorrow. At least that’s what he hoped.