Chapter Text
Just before the finish line, Kono called and Steve gasped. Danny next to him in the passenger seat threw his head back when he saw the name on the speakerphone. Steve reduced his speed, turned into the hotel driveway and headed for the car park. Only then did he pick up the call.
"Kono?",
The way he pronounced the name said it all: His displeasure at being disturbed and his astonishment that she was asking for the two of them right now, even though they hadn't been on the road that long.
"I just wanted to hear if you arrived safely," Kono said, as if she suspected that she was disturbing them.
", We are, just now!", Steve had his trouble staying friendly. He found that particularly difficult, but not because he didn't like her, that wasn't true. He had just had a wild time and together with Danny he wanted to enjoy his well deserved holiday.
"May I take their luggage?", A woman appeared at the window and didn't seem to notice that Steve was on the phone.
"You are alone aren't you?", Kono now asked, who had of course heard the woman.
"Of course we're alone, why wouldn't we be?", Steve already knew he wouldn't get rid of Kono so easily, no matter what he now tried to tell her.
"Because I just heard someone," Kono said, her voice now more serious.
"You both know you're not supposed to be having fun, you're supposed to be on holiday and relaxing," Kono admonished Steve and Steve took another deep breath.
"That was just one who works here at the hotel. She looks after our luggage, that's all," Danny grinned at Steve, he of course had other plans but Steve didn't go into it.
"I hope so for your sake, because if it's not I'll make sure you have to go back immediately," Kono said and Steve knew she meant it.
"No don't worry, we're really having a relaxing holiday," Steve assured her and Kono acquiesced.
"Are the others from team delta actually here yet?", Kono inquired and Steve got out of the car with Danny.
"I think so, but we haven't met any of them yet," Steve explained while the nice woman from the hotel had already loaded their suitcases onto a cart and was now pushing it into the hotel.
"Well, I won't bother you any longer. But remember to let me know as soon as you know what this is all about," Kono reminded them before she hung up and Steve slipped his mobile back into his pocket.
"I don't have anything against Kono, but she can be a real pain sometimes," Steve ran his arm over his forehead and wiped away the sweat. It was another hot day on the island and it was hard to really stand it in the sun.
"Oh you know her. She's just worried about us, especially after our last case, which could have turned out very differently," Danny took the whole thing totally calmly and wasn't angry about anything. But he had only been acting this way since they had successfully solved the last case.
"Yes, I can understand that, but we're here on holiday and nothing can go wrong," Steve said and the two entered the hotel.
"Don't say that. We didn't know that a dead person could suddenly come back to life," Danny said and Steve nodded. Remembering the case gave him goosebumps all over his body. He just wanted to forget what had happened.
"Let's not talk about it anymore and just forget about it, okay? Besides, let's see about finding Team Delta here," Steve wanted to stop thinking about the last case and move on. The two of them went to the front desk.
"We're Steve and Danny. We've booked a room here for a week.", Steve introduced himself and the man behind the counter typed something into his PC, then nodded and looked at the two.
"That's right. They have room 303, here are their keys.", He handed them the keys and also two cards.
"These cards are for the external areas of our facility. They can use them to access all the rooms.", he explained to them and they took the cards. They had just left the reception when a man in a white suit approached them.
"Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams, how nice to finally meet you here!" he greeted them both with a big grin on his face and pulled one by one into a hug.
"My name is Liam Dixon and I'm with Team Delta. I run the team.", Liam Dixon introduced himself and showed his ID.
"Nice to meet you.", Steve smiled at the officer.
"So, what do you think of this magical hotel?", Liam asked as the three of them walked to the outside of the hotel where, among other things, the pool was located.
"Well, I have to say we haven't checked it out yet, but I guess we'll have time," Steve said and they sat down at a table at the bar.
"But it's really nice here," Danny added after Steve hadn't answered Liam's question.
"I'm really pleased to hear that. I'm here every year at this time and I just love this hotel," Liam Dixon enthused and Danny found his behaviour disturbed now but said nothing more about it. After all, he didn't want to spoil his holiday.
"But I have to confess to you that things haven't been the same here for some time now," Liam ordered a soda for everyone and when the drinks were finally brought to the table.
"What do you mean?", Steve raised an eyebrow.
"Well, someone disappeared here last week without a trace and no one can explain it," Liam explained the facts.
"People here are talking about a murder, although no one knows yet exactly what actually happened and where the missing person is.", Liam took his mobile phone out of his trouser pocket and showed them both a report that had appeared in the newspaper.
"But that doesn't surprise me that people think it was a murder when you can read something like that in the newspaper," Steve and Danny looked at the report.
"And how exactly did this happen? So how did you guys go about this?", Steve wanted to know but Liam shook his head.
"That's the thing. Nobody's doing anything." said Liam, putting his phone back in his pocket.
"The whole thing is being treated like nothing ever happened, which isn't true because someone really did disappear," Liam took off his sunglasses and put them on the table.
"This hotel is also known for hosting guests from all over the world. A lot of business people come here too who just want to relax, but then they care more about their work than really relaxing. But you know how people are, so I'm not surprised anymore," Liam put his sunglasses back on and ran them through his hair.
"Hm okay, and what's your guess?", Steve wanted to know, who wasn't planning on working this case, but knowing a little more about it was never a bad decision.
"I'm guessing there was a burglary here where a person disappeared who either had something to do with it or witnessed it unintentionally," Steve settled for that.
"Well I'm sure that if something really did happen here, the people here already have it under control,", Steve sat back and drank some of his lemonade.
"But Steve, how can you just sit here so calmly when something so bad has happened?", Liam looked at the two of them as if they were aliens.
"Listen Liam, we are here to have a holiday. While we are supposed to be assisting Team Delta, we are not actually investigating a case. We've had a very busy time and would like to relax a bit before we have to go back to work ourselves," Steve explained and Danny was glad Steve had declined even if he didn't like it.
"Oh, right, I've heard about that. It must have been really awful for you guys," Liam muttered.
"But if you'll excuse me. I've got to get on as well now. I have a lot of appointments today. I think we'll see a lot more of each other here," Liam Dixon said goodbye to the two and left them alone at the table.
"Is it just me or is this Liam Dixon a bit crazy?", Danny looked at Steve.
"Oh, he's a businessman and an officer. He's always busy so he's never relaxed," Steve commented and Danny nodded.
"That's what it looked like. He was getting on my nerves already!", Steve grinned.
"Danny now don't say things like that. Be a bit nicer to him. He's just doing his job.", Steve tried to be serious but couldn't manage it.
"What do you say we look around here a bit and go to the sea? It's not far from here and the hotel has its own beach!", Steve said and Danny agreed and so they set off for the sea.
Danny walked along the beach. Towards evening, the sky had turned dark blue and where the sun set on the horizon, the sky turned red orange and yellow. The weather was wonderful as usual, which was nothing new for Hawaii. Danny didn't regret living here and having sights like this. He loved it here and would probably stay here forever, also because Grace loved it here.
"Say, how are things going with Christin anyway?" asked Steve after the two of them had walked along the beach and were slowly making their way back to the hotel.
"Oh, you know, I've given up chasing a Phantom if it doesn't make sense," Danny said, sighing inaudibly.
"Why is that? I thought you guys were going to talk to each other and work things out," Danny just shook his head in reply.
"If it was that simple, but she won't let me talk to her.",
"I'm sorry to hear that, I hope it does work out somehow," Steve tried to cheer his friend up.
"Oh, it doesn't have to gr anymore. We are two different people who don't fit together. And you should come to terms with that and not get attached to something that will never be the way you want it to be," Danny said, even though the words hurt him a little, he had to say them. He and Christin hadn't spoken in a very long time and he would probably never speak to her again as it made no sense.
"And Grace? Is she taking it well?", Steve wanted to know.
"Grace has never liked Christin. So it's only right that she never has to see her again. And if I'm honest then I can understand Grace too. Christin is not an easy person and everyone has their problems with her," Steve had to laugh.
"Gee Danny, I never thought I'd hear you talk like that.",
"What is it? I'm really serious. Christin didn't really have any friends and there were hardly any people who liked her. I never wanted to understand why, but now I do, as bitter as it sounds, but the others were right all along," Danny said and Steve just laughed.
"Well I hope it gets better soon and maybe you find someone better to be with," Steve said.
"I hope so too.", Danny said and the two entered the hotel.
"Hey you two!" called a voice Danny knew all too well. It was Liam.
"Oh no not him again.", Danny said quietly and got a shove from Steve.
"Behave yourself!", Steve admonished him and Liam came up to them both.
"I see you've already had a look around," Liam said and Steve nodded.
"We've just been to the beach and it's just heavenly here," Steve told them while Danny said nothing.
"Do you guys have a minute? The team would like to meet you.", Liam Dixon led them once around the hotel until they stopped at a door and he opened it.
"Welcome to our team.", he called and they entered and were looked at askance by two other men.
"These are my two best investigators who have never left a case open!" said Liam proudly while Danny stared at him again, almost rolling his eyes. He just couldn't stand that man and he never would. Christin would get along with him just fine. The two were very similar and would get along fine without any problems.
"The two of them are also investigating the case of the missing person here in the hotel, but we're not making much progress at the moment," Liam said and they all sat down at the large table in the room that looked like a meeting room.