Marc followed McGarrett through the forest, his feeling of admiration for the man growing with every foot they covered. McGarrett moved like a ghost, quietly and silently. Barely a leaf moved, the animals remained undisturbed...It was like McGarrett was part of nature, one with the forest. Though Marc had received similar training, he couldn’t help but feel a slight spark of envy.

And satisfaction. Satisfaction that he hadn’t been wrong, McGarrett was worthy of his sister. Satisfaction that Reena had fallen in love with a man strong, confident, and capable of protecting those he cared about.

Steve came to a stop on the edge of the clearing, his breathing only slightly heavy, his heart-rate already returning to normal. A white helicopter rested in the middle of the small clearing, the pilot having a smoke a few steps away from it. He appeared to be alone.

A few whispered words and the four Marines circled the clearing, scouting the area for company. Joe called in, reporting he was in place. Chin and Danny circled the clearing behind the Maries and Hawthorne came to his side, pulling his phone out of his pocket, showing him Reena’s position.

She was still behind them and Steve allowed himself a faint grin. Atta girl. She knew they were tracking her and was probably stalling to give them a head start.

He nodded to Hawthorne and they moved in unison along the edge of the clearing away from what appeared to be an old bunker from where, he suspected, Wo Fat and Reena would emerge. He didn’t want to admit, but he and the governor made quite a team, needing mere gestures and glances to communicate, as if they’ve done this a million times before. The guy was good, but that didn’t mean he was ready to admit it aloud. That he ever would be willing to.

Keeping one eye on the pilot, who quickly disappeared into the jungle assisted by a very helpful Marine, and the other on the entrance to the bunker, Steve leaned against a tree, feeling more than seeing Hawthorne strike a similar pose a little behind him.

And they waited.




For the umpteenth time since Wo Fat’s dragged her into the tunnel, Reena stumbled and for the fifteenth time went down onto her knees. Though it went against every single feminist cell in her body, it was rather easy to play the damsel in distress. Though, to be quite honest, she wasn’t overly pretending. Her legs were killing her from all the stumbling, her arms were numb again, and her head was throbbing like hell.

The beam from the flashlight blinded her, before Wo Fat clenched his fingers around her upper arm and dragged her back to her feet, grunting a curse.

They haven’t made three steps, when she went down again.

He scowled, dragged her to her feet, and shook her. “I wonder how you managed to survive this long being so clumsy.”

She let herself go limp, fighting a smile, when he shook her again. He shone the flashlight in her face again, and her eyes rolled back in her head. He slapped her, and she blinked slowly up at him.

“Move, Ms. Logan,” he growled. “Or I’ll just leave you down here.”

It was an empty threat and they both knew it. He needed her. He still needed to get his revenge on her. He needed her to spring another trap. But she still let him drag her along, hoping her brother had enough time to precede them and was already lying in wait.




A hundred paces or so later, Wo Fat pushed open a heavy iron door and Reena was blinded by bright sunlight for the second time that day. It was really getting old and her eyes agreed wholeheartedly.

He pushed her out of the tunnel and she stumbled—for real this time—and would’ve dived head-first into the brush, if he hadn’t caught her by the flexicuff. For a moment she found herself hanging by her wrists, before he righted her with a bruising grip around her upper arm.

Back on her feet, she narrowed her eyes at the helicopter in the clearing that looked like the end of an airstrip already reclaimed by the thick foliage. There seemed to be no one around, but she experienced once more the feeling of being watched. She smiled slightly. They were friendly eyes.

Blue eyes narrowed menacingly in the shadows of the forest as Reena almost lost her footing again thanks to a push from behind. Steve has had enough of this game. It was time to end it once and for all.

A few quiet words into his throat mike and a nod later, he was out of the forest, gun drawn. Goosebumps rose on his skin, as Sabrina’s eyes grew incredibly wide and filled with horror. He’s never seen such a terrified expression on her face and he almost turned to seek out the yet-unidentified threat, when he felt Marcus Hawthorne behind him murmuring, “All clear.”

“Well, well, well,” Wo Fat whispered in Reena’s ear. “He really can’t stay away, can he?”

She felt a tremor run down her spine, and her heart sped up. What was he doing here? Why did Marc contact him? Why did Marc bring him? Why did Marc come himself? They were both in danger because of her and she couldn’t do a thing. Not with her hands tied behind her back, Wo Fat once more holding the ziptie, and a gun against her neck.

A tug on the zipzie brought her back against his chest. “How did they know where we’ll be?” he growled. “Tell me?”

“I have a GPS tracker in my butt,” she snapped.

“Let her go, Wo Fat,” Steve called out, gun aimed at the bastard holding the most important woman in his life at gun point. “Let her go and maybe I’ll let you live.”

Reena felt a breath against her ear. “So brave,” he murmured. “And so foolish.” He whistled.

Nothing happened.

He whistled again.

Still nothing.

Steve smirked. “Don’t bother. Your men are out of commission.”

Wo Fat frowned. How did McGarrett and Hawthorne precede him? How did they know where to be? He glared down at Sabrina. Was it possible she had some kind of tracking device on her? Something Fryer had missed?

He pulled her to the side, keeping both men in his sight, while pressing the gun more firmly against her neck. His mind raced, thinking of all possible ways out and escape routes. It didn’t look good, but he still had his ace to play—Sabrina Logan.

“You let me go and I let her live.”

“Don’t listen to him!” Reena cried. “Don’t let him go!”

“Shut up,” he growled. “Shut up, or I’ll shoot one of them. You choose. Which one? The brother? Or the lover?”

He pointed the gun at Steve and Reena went wild. She bucked, she kicked, she head-butted, and she made him grunt. But it didn’t make any difference. The gun was quickly back in place against her neck, the other hand buried in her hair.

“Reen, don’t move,” Steve ordered, moving closer. “Don’t move.”

“I have my answer,” Wo Fat hissed. He glared at Steve. “My safe passage for her life.”

Steve shook his head. “I can’t do that.”

“Don’t let this bastard go, Steve.”

“Shut up, you bitch.” Wo Fat pulled her head back by her hair and met Steve’s eyes. “I will kill her. She killed Jelena, it’s only fair she pays. But if you let me go, she’s all yours.”

“You’re not leaving this island,” Steve growled.

“Fine.”

She felt the gun against the side of her neck, just below the edge of her jaw. A perfect entry for maximum damage. Reena met Steve’s eyes...

“He’s going for it, son,” Joe’s voice sounded in his ear. “I have a clear shot.”

There was so much in those gray eyes, everything jumbled up, all coming at him at once, he couldn’t decipher it. Her eyes were so soft, so beautiful, slowly filling with tears, Steve knew exactly what he had to do.

He shook his head slightly.

“He’s all yours,” Joe replied.

Steve pulled the trigger.