It was a beautiful day for a hostage negotiation. The blistering hot sun was high in the brilliant, blue sky and in true Hawaiian style there wasn't a single cloud for miles. Steve took a deep, clear breath ignoring the humid air and feeling a smile lick at his lips as a gentle, cool breeze made the leaves rustle around him. His shirt was surprisingly dry despite the boiling heat and the pure, white colour contrasted with his bronze, tanned skin. Steve slipped his hands from the pockets of his loose beige trousers, handing his smooth phone from his pocket and placing it in his partner's outstretched hand. Danny looked like he was sweltering in his familiar shirt, the sleeves crudely rolled up and his top button undone to reveal a slightly sunburnt chest. Beads of sweat rolled down the detective's flushed face as he placed Steve's phone in his own pocket and exchanged a black, heavy duffel bag in its place. Steve shouldered the bag, flashing Danny a wry smile as his partner glared at him with an even more intense stare than the sun.

"Steven, you sure about this?" he asked simply, his eyes wide and pleading.

Steve chuckled softly, touched by his best friend's genuine concern and also amused by the worried look edged on his features. Danny had a tendency to blow everything out of proportion and be a pessimist no matter the silver lining; there was always some deep conspiracy in every action.

"It's fine Danno!" Steve reassured him, placing a firm hand on Danny's shoulder "All I have to do is walk over there, give him the money and take the hostage; plain and simple. Plus I have you, Chin and Kono backing me up in the trees."

Danny frowned and bit his lip nervously "How do we know he won't just shoot you and the hostage as soon as you make the trade?"

Steve flashed him his most confident, winning smile "Because you won't let him, now stop pulling your aneurism face, they'll be here any minute."

There was an awkward silence as Danny conceded unhappily and Steve's hand brushed against his belt, his heart longing to feel the calming familiarity of his gun at his hip. Noticing the uncomfortable flicker across his friends face, the New Jersey detective fiddled with the badge at his own waist.

"Feels weird not having Super SEAL's best friend at your side doesn't it?" he muttered jokily, pointing to the Commander's hand.

Realising what he was doing, Steve snatched his hand back and rubbed the rough, one-day stubble on his chin.

"Uhhh yeah, I feel a bit…I dunno…naked without it. That gun has gotten me through a lot of scrapes."

Danny smiled genuinely; catching his friend's eyes "That gun had gotten both of u through a lot of tough scrapes."

A roar interrupted the relaxed atmosphere and dust rose from the dusty, dirt path as a car tore up the hillside towards the group. Chin revealed himself from one of the bushes and motioned for Danny to take cover. With a final brotherly hand shake, Danny turned and jogged into the brush, crouching down beside Kono who hid in the line of shrubs opposite Chin.

Steve watched him leave with a mixture of dread and relief, glad that he was relatively out of the firing line and anxious that he was now alone, unarmed, about to face a bunch of ruthless kidnappers. The red sedan gave to a sharp halt a few metres away, the men inside dressed in thick, black balaclavas. Raising his hands above his head, Steve approached the car as one of the men slid out cautiously, gun aimed at the SEAL's head. Steve could practically feel the nervousness radiating off Danny from his hiding space and for a split second Steve was afraid everyone could sense it too; but dismissed it as just a slight uncertainty. This kind of situation was unusual, especially for a task force like 5-0 but this case was far from normal. For one the Governor had refused to tell them who the hostage actually was-other than the obvious that they were very important to the government- and 5-0 had only been given the details of the exchange and authorised unlimited resources for the entire team. And by authorised, it meant they were at complete liberty to organise an air strike, ride into dodge on a tank and fire bazookas if it got the mysterious abductee back safe and unharmed; anything short of a nuclear explosion was permitted after just a phone call, no questions asked. So needless to say whoever this person was, they were very important and that was why the Governor Steve McGarrett had insisted he do the trade himself.

The lone kidnapper gestured for Steve to follow him, scanning the surrounding area suspiciously as he moved aside for Steve to walk in front of him, hands still high above his head. With a slight hesitation, Steve sucked in a deep breath of the hot, muggy air and slowly shuffled toward the trunk of the red car; the man's gun pressed painfully into his back. Steve stopped and allowed the man to give him a thorough search, his hands patting down his muscles firmly. Satisfied the gun man lowered the gun slightly and stepped a little further back, wary of Steve.

"Hand me the money." His gruff voice ordered, his black eyes narrowed through the holes in the mask.

Steve allowed the hefty bag to slide from his shoulder and held it toward the gunman with one outstretched arm, the other still above his head. The other man nodded his head as the back door of the Sedan opened and another man briefly hopped out, striding toward the pair.

"Toss it to my partner there."

The partner opened his arms as Steve chucked the money bag accurately into his open arms. There were a few moments of almost complete silence-save the birds calling in the trees-as the man zipped open the bag and checked the contents. With a sharp nod, the other man finished, hurling the bag into the back seat, before turning back round.

Relieved he still hadn't been shot, Steve gradually lowered to his sides. When the men didn't react or threaten him he placed his hands confidently on his hips.

"You have the money, now complete the deal and give us the hostage."

The men glanced between each other before the second partner walked around Steve to the opposite side-blocking any hope of escape-and unlocked the trunk with a loud, clear click. The metal top was forced upwards to reveal a prone figure cramped inside the small compartment, bound tightly with zip-ties and a bag slipped over their head. The man heaved the hostage out with a grunt and shook him roughly and the mysterious man cried out in pain as he stumbled and almost hit the floor. Steve slipped a picture from his pocket and gently pulled up the sleeve of the hostage, comparing the tattoos until he was satisfied they matched.

Steve smiled lightly "Thanks then."

But before he could turn to leave the original kidnapper suddenly approached him, till they were but a few inches apart.

"No Commander McGarrett, you're not going anywhere."

Steve froze, shocked by the sudden change and opened his mouth to protest but was silence as the hostage was jostled menacingly and the kidnapper continued.

"Move, speak, do anything to warn your team in the trees and I kill this man."

The masked man pulled his own phone from his pocket and flashed the screen at him. Steve staggered back in surprise as the pictures of Rachael and Grace bound and gagged stared back at him, their faces streaked with fearful tears. For a second his breath hitched and his confident façade faltered but he caught himself, determined not to let on to the others what was so terribly wrong.

"Now Commander, not only do I have your partners family, I also have snipers on the hilltops above your friends." he pointed around at the landscape "The last thing Detective Williams will see is his daughter and ex-wife's dead bodies before he too dies. Unless of course you do exactly what I say."

Steve ground his teeth and tried to remember his training, barely keeping his face an emotionless mask. His hands balled into fists in fury but he didn't need long to decide and nodded his head in submission.

"Right then. As agreed we release our hostage to your friends whilst you climb into that trunk and we drive off into the wind." he said it so casually that Steve felt literal shivers run up his spine.

"Not unless you get in totally voluntarily then we push away our guest and take off before Officer Kalakaua and her cousin can even get a clear shot."

Steve bit him bottom lip as he glanced at the small, dirty trunk then back to the armed man. He nodded and the second partner chuckled, moving forward and slipping thick plastic zip ties over his wrists and tightening them to an agonising level so that they cut savagely into his wrists. Wincing, Steve managed a glimpse at Danny's hiding space, imagining the confused and horrified look on his best friend's face and prayed he wouldn't do something stupid. Content that the SEAL couldn't break his restraints the other kidnapper guided him to the trunk and patted the edge enthusiastically. Steve allowed his captor to roll him inside and the pressure on his muscles as he was forced into the cramped space was uncomfortable to say the least. He was vaguely aware of voices crying his name as the lid slammed down above him and the compartment was suddenly robbed of light. The darkness was almost suffocating as the familiar sound of gunshots ricocheting off metal and the booming clanging deafened him. Steve curled into himself as the engine rumbled in response and the wheels span, the car lurching forward and bouncing on the rocky, dirt road as they took off; leaving his friends-his family-behind.