Canon through Steve's rescue from North Korea, where this story picks up.

Lori doesn't exist; Malia is an ER Doctor.

Danny: Hey, hey. It's Jenna. Get a trace up right now. Hey Jenna, it's Danny. Where are you?

Jenna: Danny, I'm sorry. I screwed up. I'm so sorry.

Danny: It's okay, it's okay. Just tell me, where's Steve?

Jenna: It's WoFat. It's WoFat, Danny. He has him, and I led Steve right to him.

Danny: Is he alive?

Jenna: We're south of Kaesong. A town called…

Danny: A town called what? You broke up. Say again. Jenna, I can't hear you. Where's Steve?

North Korea

"I've got him! I've got Steve!" Danny yelled to the others, relief flooding through him.

Joe rushed to help as Danny pulled a disoriented Steve from the back of the truck.

"Guys, I've got another prisoner here," Chin called. "Young woman. She's unconscious."

"Steve, was there another prisoner held with you? A girl?" Danny asked.

"What? No . . . I don't know . . . where's WoFat?" Steve asked.

Chin came around the side of the truck, a young woman cradled in his arms.

"No, oh no, no," Steve muttered. Danny followed his gaze. Her shirt had ridden up in Chin's grip, and they could clearly see bruising surrounding the same distinctive burn marks that marred Steve's torso.

Gutches shouldered his weapon and took the pack Chin was carrying. "You got her, Kelly? We need to hump it out of here. I don't see any option but to bring her out with us, sort this out when we get home."

Danny started to walk with Steve, and stumbled as Joe remained rooted and motionless, staring at the young woman.

"Joe, let's move!"

Danny couldn't help but notice how Joe kept casting worried glances at the young woman, and then at Steve. He almost seemed . . . reluctant to get Steve back to the helicopter. That made no sense, but then few things with Joe ever did.

As Frank saw the group coming through the tree line he broke into a wide smile and started up the rotors.

"Frank," Kono gestured, "looks like they found an extra."

Frank chuckled, "Well, when you storm the castle . . ." He broke off, his face turning to stone. "Son of a bitch," he muttered angrily, jumping out of the pilot's seat. Frank moved across the clearing with a speed and strength that belied his appearance, covering the distance between himself and Joe in seconds.

Joe was not prepared for the vicious right hook that caught him square on the chin, and Danny once again barely kept himself and Steve on their feet. To his surprise, Joe did not offer any defense.

Frank did not spare another glance to Joe, but drew up short in front of Chin and gently brushed the young woman's hair out of her face.

"How badly is she hurt?" he asked Chin.

"She's unconscious but breathing," Chin replied, "and her pulse seems steady."

Gutches broke in. "I don't know what the hell is going on but we need to move NOW and sort this out later."

"Frank," Joe started.

"No. Get in the chopper. Don't touch her."

The group struggled the rest of the distance across the clearing and into the helicopter. Chin and Danny traded glances at the heated exchange, but had their hands full with their charges.

They settled Steve onto the floor of the helicopter, and Chin gently laid the young woman down. Steve reached out to help him, wincing as the movement aggravated his battered ribs, but unwilling to let her head rest on the hard floor. Still disoriented, Steve looked to Danny for answers.

"Did you come after her, too, Danno? Did Jenna . . . I don't understand. Who is she?"

Danny shook his head. "No idea, Steve. No, Jenna didn't mention her."

Steve frowned at Joe, who was clenching his fists and avoiding eye contact.

"Joe? What's going on?"

Before Joe could offer an explanation, Steve was distracted by a soft moan, as the young woman struggled to open her eyes and sit up.

"Shhh, it's okay,"Chin soothed. "You're safe, we've got you."

She opened her eyes and looked up at Steve. He had a vague flash of recognition, but before he could wonder, she looked at Joe.

"How did you know where to find me?" she asked.

Joe sighed and shook his head. "I didn't, kid. Sorry."

"You weren't . . . you weren't even looking for me?" she asked, disbelief and betrayal evident in her face and tone.

She struggled to sit up, refusing Chin's and Steve's efforts to keep her settled. Joe reached out a tentative hand to her, but she turned away from him and leaned against Chin instead. Steve frowned at her reaction and looked at Joe, who just shook his head.

Danny rubbed his hand over his face, and shrugged at Steve's questioning look. What did he expect? There were always more questions than answers with Joe.

The moment the helicopter was safely on the ground, Frank bolted from his seat and came around to the open doorway, reaching for the young woman. She willingly let him scoop her into his arms, his hand pressing her head onto his shoulder as he gently smoothed her hair.

"I'm sorry, darlin', I had no idea. If I had known, Tangerine and I would have blown the place to smithereens and pulled you out of there," he said.

"S'okay, Frank, you and Tangerine still saved the day. Put me down, now, you big lug. I'm okay," she said, kissing Frank fondly on the cheek. "Am I staying with you now?"

"No, baby girl, it's not safe for you here now. Go on back with this team." Frank hugged her again, gently, and then nodded at Chin and Kono. "Take good care of her, will you? Kono, keep these assholes in line, yeah?" Kono smiled at Frank as she helped the young woman toward the waiting transport plane.

Danny helped Steve out of the helicopter. "Come on, Super SEAL, this was not just another day at the office, okay? Would you take it easy?" He grumbled good-naturedly as he continued to fuss over Steve.

"We need to get them to a hospital," Danny protested as everyone moved toward the plane.

"Too risky," Joe stated, in the commanding manner that Danny had come to know and hate.

"I have to agree," Commander Gutches said. "WoFat no doubt has eyes and ears in every civilian hospital in this area, and a military hospital would create its own set of problems. We'll patch them up as best as we can on the transport. We've got plenty of . . . humanitarian supplies."

Frank rounded on Joe. "You owe answers, Joe, and you know it. How long do you think you can keep this up?"

Steve drew himself to his full height, despite the ache in his ribs.

"I agree. What the hell is going on, Joe? Who is she, and why did WoFat have her?"

Joe ignored Steve and addressed Chin and Danny.

"Come on, let's get everyone loaded up."

Steve started to argue, but Frank put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Kid, it's a long story and you deserve all of it, but it's about to get really interesting around here if you all don't get a move-on back to the DMZ. Take good care of your sister, you hear me?"

Steve looked at Frank in confusion. "Mary? Mary's okay, right?" Steve turned to Danny in panic.

"Yeah, babe, she's fine," Danny assured him, "Come on, let's get going before we attract too much attention."

"Ow," Steve protested, batting Gutches hand away. They were safely in the air over South Korean airspace.

Steve moved stiffly toward Chin and Kono, who were gently cleaning and dressing the young woman's cuts and bruises. Joe remained aloof, his jaw darkening in a bruise from Frank's punch.

Steve crouched in front of the young woman and extended a bruised hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gently touching the line of steri-strips Kono had placed over a cut just over her eyebrow.

She smiled wryly, as she reached out and touched a similar set of bandages over his eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm okay. How do you know Joe?"

Steve blinked in surprise. "How do YOU know Joe?"

She bit her lip nervously and glanced at Joe. She was clearly reluctant to answer; she seemed almost afraid of Joe, and it didn't sit well with Steve.

"Hey, hey," Steve said softly, "It's okay. I'll deal with him later, yeah? Okay. Why were you at that compound? Can you tell me what happened? Did someone ask you questions?"

She hesitated.

"Okay, let's start with some easier questions," Steve said, his voice gentle. He sensed that he was about to spook her. "My name is Steve McGarrett. I'm a Commander in the US Navy and the head of a task force in Hawaii. My team is called Five-O. Has Joe ever mentioned us to you?"

She shook her head slowly.

"No? That's alright, I'll introduce you. This is Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua, and over there is Danny Williams. They're members of my team. Those two yahoos are SEALs, on, um . . . vacation, apparently."

She relaxed a little, and smiled at Steve. Kono handed her a water bottle, which she accepted gratefully, and she seemed to relax further as Kono sat down next to her. Not for the first time, Steve was reminded of how lucky he was to have Kono in Five-O. Among her many invaluable skills, she had an amazing presence – comforting or terrifying, whichever was needed.

"What is your name? Do you know why you were at the compound?"

"Riley. Riley Patterson. And I have no idea why I was there. Some men grabbed me after work . . . I think someone drugged me, but I know I was on a ship at some point. And then I woke up, in that place, and this man wanted to know about Shelburne."

Steve's head snapped up.

"Shelburne?" he asked, his pulse quickening. "What do you know about Shelburne?"

Riley tensed, and Kono shot him a warning glance.

"Sorry, sorry," he murmured, reaching out to gently stroke her hair. "I'm sorry. I know that must have been terrifying. Look, I promise, you can trust me and my team. We are going to keep you safe. But I need to know . . . I desperately need to know . . . do you know anything about Shelburne? I swear to you, if you do, you can tell me, and whatever it is, I'll protect you."

Riley shook her head. "I don't, I swear. I don't understand. I thought maybe you did. I heard him . . . I heard him asking you the same questions. When you got there they left me alone –" she broke off, clamping her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What?" Steve asked, "What, you're sorry that they left you and came to me?"

Riley nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, no," Steve assured her. "No, don't be sorry. I'm not. I'm so glad that they left you alone and didn't hurt you any more than they already had. Look, I'm okay, I walked away. My team got to us, okay? We're safe now. You're safe now. Don't be sorry."

Chin had rummaged through one of the boxes and produced some light blankets. He offered one to Riley and she accepted it gratefully, and he handed another to Kono.

Steve realized that Riley had been at the compound even longer than him, and although she didn't seem to be as severely injured, he knew that she had at least some bruised ribs and had encountered the business end of that damned cattle prod at least once. He tamped down on his anger for the moment, and focused on what needed to happen here and now.

"You need to get some rest, okay? We'll sort through all this when we land. Just . . . can you just tell me, how do you know Joe – and the pilot, Frank, you know him too?

Riley glanced at Joe again, who was still refusing to look in their direction.

"I'm really not supposed to say, but I don't know any way around it," she said. "Joe is a U.S. Marshall. He's my case worker. I'm in WITSEC. I would worry about getting kicked out of the program for telling you, but I'm pretty sure I have bigger problems at the moment. Frank is . . . well, sort of like the cool uncle but it's a long story."

Steve chuckled. He admired her spirit and her sarcastic take on the situation. "Yeah, I would agree. Well, you're in Five-O protection now, Riley. Rest, it's a long flight."

Chin handed Steve a couple of blankets. "I think you need to take your own advice, brah. You look like a train-wreck."

"Good to see you too, Chin," Steve smiled tiredly at his friend, "And Chin – thanks."

"Always, brah. Ohana, right?"

Steve made his way back to Danny, pausing to glower down at Joe.

"Look me in the eye, Joe. I'm going to say this once now, and then I'm going to deal with you when we land. I don't know how or why you've convinced that young woman that you're acting as her WITSEC case worker, but you are going to give me some straight answers and then I am taking over and getting her sorted out. Because whatever the hell you were trying to do clearly didn't work, and it damn well could have cost her life."

Joe turned a steely gaze on Steve. "Are you sure it's my fault, son? Weren't you warned, that if you kept digging into your family secrets, you might not like what you find? Have you considered that maybe it's your meddling that caused this?"

Steve clenched his fists and took a menacing step toward Joe, but Danny, sensing the impending explosion between the two men, placed himself bodily between them.

"Down, boy," he said, pushing a hand against Steve's chest. Steve cringed and gasped. The adrenaline was wearing off and the hurt was setting in.

Danny moved his hand to wrap gently around Steve's bicep instead. "Sorry, babe," he murmured, "But look, maybe now is not the time and place for you to beat the truth out of Joe. I mean, there will be a time, and there is definitely a place, and I intend to be there, believe me. But right now, let's get you and – Riley? – Riley home, and fixed up, and rested, okay?"

Steve reluctantly backed away and let Danny help him get settled in the supremely uncomfortable seats. Content that whatever Joe's intentions were, his team would keep Riley safe and comfortable, he let himself doze.

The first hours back on the island were a blur. The SEAL team nine members quietly changed back into their civilian clothes and sauntered back onto base after their "vacation".

Kono, Chin, and Danny had their hands full trying to convince Steve and Riley to go to the hospital.

"I'm fine," Steve insisted, as he swayed on his feet.

"Me, too," Riley echoed, stumbling against Kono.

"Neither of you are fine," Danny ranted, turning a new shade of red. "Look at you, the both of you. You're dead on your feet and barely upright. You are – at the very least – dehydrated, exhausted, and concussed, with a side of bruised or broken ribs."

"Just bruised," Steve argued.

Riley paused. "Okay, one of mine might be broken." At that, Chin and Kono started to gently move her toward Kono's car.

"Insist all you want, Steve, but I have a feeling that if you don't go, she won't go . . . and even you aren't so stubborn as to interfere with getting her the care she needs, right?" Danny decided to use Steve's hardwired protectiveness of others against him . . . whatever, if it would get him to an ER he would resort to his best parenting tricks. "Besides," he continued, quietly, so that only Steve could hear, "if she was there longer than you, even . . . "

Steve looked at Danny, stricken. "Shit, Danny . . . if those animals . . . "

"Hey, hey," Danny soothed, "look, she seems pretty much okay, but it's SOP in police procedure, I would assume it's the same in . . .whatever the hell procedure it is that crazy ninja SEALs follow, too, if there is such a thing."

Steve nodded tersely. "Yeah, okay, let's go. Where's Joe?"

Danny and Steve looked around.

"Chin, Kono," Danny called out. "Where's Joe?"

Chin pointed to a Jeep at the far end of the runway. "Gone with the wind. I don't think he wants to answer your questions any time soon."

Steve tensed as if to start running, and Danny smacked him gently on the head.

"Idiot, what are you going to do, catch him on foot and beat answers out of him? Look at you, you're barely putting one foot in front of the other."

"But, Danny –"

"No, Steven. Enough. I don't think you're going to get any real answers out of him, anyway. Maybe your girlfriend will be able to help."

"She's not my girlfriend," Steve responded, automatically. "But yeah, let's call her."

"Way ahead of you, babe. She couldn't get here in time to join our merry band, but she will be arriving at Casa de McGarrett early tomorrow morning."

Steve grinned. "You called her?"

"I called her, you Neanderthal, of course I called her. I called your not-girlfriend so that she would know that her not-boyfriend was in peril of death by stupidity. She had some leave owed to her, she'll be able to stay here for about a week."

"I love you, Danno. I don't tell you that enough," Steve slurred his words just a bit.

"Okay, that's a concussion talking, but I'll take it. Now, for the love of God, get in the car and let's follow Chin and Kono to the hospital, okay?"

Steve nodded tiredly. "Yeah, we definitely need to have Riley checked out. Danny, do you think it's shock or . . . did you notice that she's holding it together remarkably well for a civilian?"

"Now that you mention it," Danny responded, rubbing his eyes, "yes, she is entirely too composed. And she knows Joe. Everything about this situation is wrong, Steve. Everything."

Malia was waiting for the group when they arrived at the ER.

"We need to just reserve a suite for Five-O," she said, hugging them each in turn.

"Brought a guest this time," Chin said, "Malia, this is Riley Patterson."

"Riley, come with me, let's get you taken care of."

Steve nodded at Kono. "Stay with her. No one aside from Five-O and Malia has access, you got that?"

"On it boss," Kono nodded back and ushered Riley in to the treatment room indicated by Malia.

Malia looked sternly at Steve. "You – go in that treatment room and do not leave until I've looked at your chart, got it? I'll send someone in to patch you up. Anything broken? Need stitches?"

Steve shook his head. "I'm a little beat up but it's nothing Motrin and steri-strips won't fix, Malia."

"I'm sending a doctor in and we'll let him be the judge of that," she retorted. Looking at Danny, she added, "Keep him where he belongs, Danny, make sure he gets checked out."

"I will, Malia, and I'll get the doctor to check the concussion that I know he has that he conveniently didn't mention while I'm at it," Danny smirked.

Kono eased Riley onto the gurney. "Whoa, there, sistah," she said, as Riley came dangerously close to face-planting off the side.

"Sorry . . . I'm a little woozy," Riley shook her head, and then paled as the movement caused a wave of nausea to wash over her.

Malia entered the room and closed the door gently behind her. "Hi, Kono. Riley? Is it? I'm Dr. Waincroft, but please, call me Malia. Where are you injured?"

Riley winced. "Bruised ribs, I think one might be cracked. I have a couple of electrical burns."

Malia gestured toward Riley's shirt. "Can you lift that up? Is that okay? We won't do anything without telling you."

Riley struggled a bit to pull her shirt up from her ribs.

"She also got dizzy and queasy," Kono added to Malia, as she gently helped Riley move to show Malia the injuries. "She doesn't remember how she got this cut over her eye, it could have been from a hit."

Malia ran expert hands gently over Riley's head and neck. "There's a nasty bump on the back of your head, too, Riley," she explained. "I'd say consistent with a strike from a handgun, which unfortunately I've seen plenty in dealing with Five-O." She flashed a small penlight in Riley's eyes. "But, based on your pupils, I would say it's a mild concussion. You must let us know if you feel worse, or if your headache or dizziness gets worse instead of better, okay? And we'll continue concussion checks for at least twelve hours."

She turned and pulled a set of scrubs out of the cabinet. "Okay, Riley, let's get you changed into some clean scrubs, and we're going to get some x-rays of those ribs, and treat these burns." Gently, she added, "Do we need to run an assault kit, sweetheart? "

Riley shook her head. "No."

Malia held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded. "If you remember anything or decide at any point that we need to do that, you let me know, okay? Kono and I will be with you the entire time. Riley, I imagine that your medical reports will be requested as evidence. Is it okay if your information is shared with the team?" Malia asked.

Riley shrugged. "Sure. You realize though that I have no idea what's going on. I don't think I'm being very helpful."

"I don't think you need to worry a bit about that," Malia assured her. "Why don't you rest a bit and I'll go check on Commander McGarrett; make sure he hasn't fled the scene."

Malia found Chin sitting outside Steve's treatment room, typing furiously on a laptop.

"Hello, stranger," she said, dropping an affectionate kiss to his forehead. "I'm not even going to ask what is going on, because you probably can't tell me."

"Can't tell you, because I have no idea," he replied. "When we went to get Steve, we found her. Things were going sideways so we decided to get her to safety first and ask questions later. I'm not sure Steve is ready to know the answers."

"Well, he will settle for nothing less than the truth," Malia commented.

Chin sighed. "True. I'm afraid of where this rabbit hole will lead though. It involves Joe, and secrets, and WoFat – a dangerous combination."

"I'm so glad you're home safely; all of you. And more or less in one piece, I hope? Has the doctor been in to see Steve?"

"Yep, left a little bit ago. I'm not sure if he convinced Steve to take any pain meds."

Malia knocked gently on the door, and peeked inside. Danny gave her a tired smile and waved her in.

"Super SEAL is dozing," he said quietly.

Malia smiled and picked up Steve's chart, flipping through it quickly. Two broken ribs, hairline fracture of the cheekbone, concussion, dehydration, multiple electrical burns. She searched through the chart for his ECG and nodded in relief that it was almost perfectly normal. She frowned at the severe abrasions on his wrists which had not yet been bandaged, and she reached for supplies to clean and dress them as she talked.

"Did he take any pain medication?" she asked Danny.

He scoffed. "Of course not. He's just completely exhausted. You'll send some home with him though, yeah? I'll make sure he takes them. Until he feels like Riley is safe, he's going to resist anything that impairs his reaction time and judgment . . . as if being put through the wringer hasn't done that."

Steve stirred at the sound of Danny's voice and struggled to wake completely.

"D'no?" he rasped.

"Hey, soldier," Danny said, reaching for some ice chips.

"Sailor," Steve mumbled, automatically correcting him. "Riley?"

Malia put a soothing hand on Steve's arm. "She's okay, Steve."

"How bad?" he asked, his eyes troubled.

"Actually, she's in better shape than you. I have her permission to share her information, since I assume you'll be requesting her file as evidence?"

"Damn straight," Steve said, more firmly.

"She has a mild concussion, two fractured ribs, and she's severely dehydrated. My guess is that she went days without food, and probably very little water. Her physical injuries are actually secondary to the dehydration, but we have her on IV fluids. She does have two circular electrical burns, similar to the multiple burns you have. But, like you, her ECG is normal, so it didn't cause any significant heart damage." Malia hesitated. "Steve . . . what caused those burns?"

"Cattle prod," he sighed. He hated that Malia had to know these things; he was sure it weighed heavily on her when Chin went into the field, knowing what horrors they could face.

Malia brushed a gentle hand through his hair. "Steve, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're back safely."

Danny cleared his throat. "Did, uhm, was there an assault kit?"

"No; Riley insisted there was no need for one," Malia replied.

"You believe her? " Steve asked.

Malia nodded. "She didn't seem hesitant. And no other physical injuries indicated that she was sexually assaulted. She does have abrasions around her wrists and ankles. She was bound, but she must not have struggled too much."

Steve and Danny both sighed in relief. "Yeah, she said that she thought she was drugged," Steve added. "Concussion . . . I didn't see any bruising to her face."

"No," Malia said, "but there's a decent lump on the back of her head. I'd say consistent with taking a blow to the back of the head, likely with the barrel of a handgun."

Steve nodded. "That's consistent. The little she's been able to say was that she was grabbed after work, thought maybe she was drugged, and thought she was on a ship."

"From a medical exam, that would explain the severe dehydration, and the relatively minor abrasions from where she was restrained. If she was drugged, she wouldn't have been as likely to struggle," Malia agreed. "I sent a second set of bloodwork over to HQ so that Max could run a tox screen from his lab."

Steve fell silent. Danny could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Malia," Steve said, "what's your take on her emotional response? She seems entirely too collected for a civilian. Do you think she's still under the influence of sedatives, or is it shock, or . . . "

"Oh, no. No way, partner, you're not going to try to crack this case tonight. Chin is already trying to find Joe, and find out about Riley. Your only mission tonight is to rest, preferably right here in this hospital bed," Danny lectured.

Malia nodded. "She is remarkably calm, and you're right, Steve, it's likely sedatives and shock. We may know more when the tox screen comes back. I would watch for the shock to wear off, though, and the impact of what she's been through will likely settle in over the next thirty-six hours. And Danny is also right – you both should spend at least one night here."

"Absolutely not," Steve insisted. "Look, Danny, I walked in to WoFat's trap with eyes wide open; someone came and took Riley. He has people everywhere. An orderly, a nurse . . . he could have a person here already for all we know."

Steve began to struggle to sit up, reaching for the IV in his arm.

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?!" Danny pushed him back down on the bed. "You're dehydrated, you goof. Leave that alone."

"Danny - " Steve protested.

"Look, Malia, can we bring Riley in here? Would you settle for that, Steve? We'll have everyone in one place, is that a more . . . how would you put it . . . "

"Defensible position," Steve offered.

"Yeah, that."

Malia nodded. "Her IV can roll with her. Kono and I will bring her to you, okay? And I'm giving you a shot for the pain, no arguing." She went to a cabinet and pulled out clean scrub top. She'd learned long ago not to insult the Five-O team members with hospital gowns, but they would begrudgingly accept scrubs when their clothes had been ruined in yet another incident. "Danny, help Steve get into this. I don't want my patient upset by the severity of Steve's injuries. You know gentlemen, we've discussed that there will be an emotional and psychological fall-out from this."

"I'll make sure Riley's squared away, Malia," Steve answered.

Malia raised her eyebrows at Danny.

He shook his head. "I'll make sure both of them get whatever they need, doc," he said, reaching for the scrub top.

As Malia left, Danny started unhooking Steve's IV bag from the pole.

"Okay, Danny, yeah, let's grab that. Where's my gun and badge, do you have them?"

"What, you Neanderthal? Sit back before you take a header off that bed. I'm following Malia's orders and getting you dressed, you shirtless wonder, before Riley comes in here and sees you looking like a black and blue pincushion. Have to drop the IV bag through the arm of the shirt. You're not going anywhere."

Steve watched, impressed as Danny expertly threaded the IV apparatus through the scrub shirt and pushed it over his head.

"What? You think I haven't done this a thousand times, what with your propensity for getting shot? How do you think you always leave the hospital in scrubs? Do you think any of those poor nurses you terrorize would try to dress you? No, my friend, that falls to me. I could do this in my sleep. Obviously, you take my skills for granted if this is the first time you've noticed this."

Steve smiled. This whole situation was a clusterfuck, to be sure, but Danny ranting was familiar, and good, and it was home.

As Malia left Steve's room, she found Chin and Duke posted outside the door.

Chin smiled at her. "Kono, Danny, and I aren't at the top of our game. I made an executive decision to call for a little back-up. You'll find Grover outside Riley's door. Don't be offended if he scrutinizes you. That last Mission Impossible movie, with those masks, has him remarkably paranoid. Which, I suppose, is not a bad thing."

Malia laughed. "Duly noted. I'm going to bring Riley down here."

"Ah, Steve won't rest until he can keep eyes on her, keep her safe all by himself?"

"Something like that. If it will keep him still for a little longer, I'll settle for it."

"How long will they need to stay?" Duke asked. "I can arrange more shifts."

"Well, they should stay overnight," said Malia, "but I seriously doubt that we will be able to convince them."

Riley protested the use of the wheelchair, claiming that walking was easier on her ribs than sitting in the uncomfortable seat.

"Honestly," Malia chuckled, "are you sure you've only known Five-O for a day? Because you, young lady, are remarkably similar to them in your stubborn refusal of hospital policy."

Kono and Riley smiled at Malia as they walked toward Steve's treatment room; Riley moving stiffly and thankful for Kono's steadying hands.

An aide had prepared a second bed for Riley, and she gingerly eased herself onto the edge, and did not protest when Malia helped her swing her legs up. Although she was a few scant inches shorter than Kono, it was still awkward with her cracked and bruised ribs.

"Hey," Steve smiled at her groggily once she was settled.

"Hey," Riley responded, smiling back. Despite her confusion about the whole situation, there was something solid and trustworthy about Steve. His team had been willing to go into North Korea on that decrepit helicopter to find him, after all. "They must have given you the good drugs," she added.

"And you're due for a dose yourself, young lady," Malia chimed in.

Riley started to protest, but a quick mental inventory told her that now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she hurt. Really, really hurt. She had been taught to always maintain control but exhaustion and pain had weakened her defenses.

Danny recognized the warring emotions as they flickered across Riley's face. He'd seen these exact expressions on his partner dozens of times as he struggled to suppress his desperate need for pain relief with his pathological need for control.

"Hey, kiddo," he said gently, "it's okay. Let Malia give you something for the pain. Cracked ribs are a bitch. We're watching your back, okay? And don't let the goofy smile fool you – if something happens, the SuperSEAL there will take out the threat with his IV pole if for some reason we miss."

"Thanks," she said, her voice sounding a little shaky.

Steve nodded in satisfaction as the drugs quickly took effect and Riley drifted off to sleep.

"How quickly can we get out of here, Malia?" he asked.

"Well, if I can't convince you to stay for at least twelve hours of observation," she said, "I guess technically as soon as you both finish your IV antibiotics – another hour or so. Your Demerol will wear off much more quickly than Riley's though – you had yours earlier, and I know how quickly you metabolize pain medication. She will be very groggy for several hours. It's fine for her to be moved, but she's likely to wake up very disoriented."

Steve sighed. "I think that's likely to be the case regardless, Malia. Danny, you think that you and Chin and Kono are up to moving this operation to my house?"

"Already a step ahead of you, partner. Chin has Duke and Grover here, because honestly, we're exhausted, buddy. But there's nowhere else we're going to be. Just relax for a bit, would you? Let the good shot take the edge off, get some rest, okay?" Danny smiled fondly at Steve, his eyes tired.

"Danny, we need to find Joe . . . he knows something . . ." Steve fought to hang on to what seemed like a very important thought. There was something he needed to tell Danny. Something about Joe. And Frank. And Riley. And his sister . . .

"Danny!"

"Yeah, partner?"

"Mary . . . the pilot – Frank? – yeah, Frank . . . he knows Mary, said to take care of her. How does he know Mary?" Steve frowned. "You're sure she's okay? Did you check on her?"

"Shh, buddy," Danny hushed him, "Mary is fine; Chin called her as soon as we landed. I don't know about all the rest. We'll sort it all out, okay? Just – Steve, you've been through hell. I know you want answers, but babe, you have got to rest just for a bit, okay? We will get it all sorted, I swear to you."

"It wasn't for nothing . . . "

Steve's hoarse shout roused Danny instantly. On his feet in a split second, he put a steadying hand on Steve's shoulder.

"Hey, hey, partner, it's okay. We've got you. You're safe."

"Danny," Steve rasped.

"Yeah, buddy, right here," Danny replied, grabbing the cup of ice chips and spooning some into Steve's mouth. Across the room, Kono and Chin stood and stretched as well. Duke and Grover had insisted that Chin join Danny and Kono inside the room and that they all try to rest while they remained posted outside the door. They had quickly consumed the sandwiches that Malia brought for them, and then dropped off into an exhausted sleep.

"Danny, Jenna . . . "

"Shh, we know, Steve, remember? She called us. We found her when we were looking for you."

Steve's heart was still racing, his breathing too fast and shallow. Danny gently cupped Steve's bruised face in his hand. "Look at me, Steven. You're safe. Jenna called us and because of that we were able to find you. There was nothing you could have done to save her, Steve."

Steve struggled to sit up, wincing as the movement aggravated his battered and burned torso. Danny quickly found the button to raise the head of the bed.

"Joe? Have you found anything, Chin?" Steve asked, trying to rid himself of the brain-fuzzing effects of the pain medicine rapidly leaving his system.

"Nothing, Steve. He's vanished. Maybe Catherine will have better luck."

Steve began pulling at the IV still in the back of his hand.

"Okay, let's get out of here, then. Get back to HQ and start putting this together. Starting with Joe and his relationship with Riley – full background, everything we can find. She might be the key to tracking down WoFat."

"I understand, Steve," Chin replied, "but she is also a young woman who has been kidnapped, then beaten and electrocuted for information."

Steve paused. "Yeah, Chin, of course. It's just . . . if WoFat was asking her about Shelburne, he must have had some reason. There must be some connection."

Riley flinched and whimpered at Steve's mention of the name Shelburne. Kono gently brushed her hair away from her face and murmured gently to her. "You're safe, it's okay."

Malia entered the room. "The readings on your heart monitor spiked, Steve. Everything okay?"

Steve nodded and took a shuddering breath. "Yeah, just a little turbulence on re-entry. I'm okay. Ready to get out of here." He nodded his head toward Riley. "Can she be moved yet?"

Malia batted his hand away from his IV and expertly removed it, then moved over to Riley's bed.

"Her IV is finished. I don't feel great about you two leaving, but if I can ensure that you'll follow my discharge orders, then I'll sign off. I understand security is a factor." Malia gently removed Riley's IV. "If you are going to move her, I would suggest doing so while she's still nicely sedated – a car ride will be uncomfortable with these ribs. Of course, the same is true for you, Steve."

He dismissed her with a wave of his hand. He had already compartmentalized the pain and exhaustion, as well as the trauma of witnessing Jenna's death, and was turning his laser focus onto finding answers.

Moving the team to Steve's house took no small amount of logistical expertise, but they were finally at the front door.

Steve was leaning more heavily on Danny than he wanted to admit, but still arguing. "I still don't see why we couldn't go to HQ, Danno," he complained.

"You big goof, you can hardly stand on your own two feet," Danny retorted as he turned the key in the lock. "You need a shower, and you're going to need comfy clothes. Besides," he continued, as they moved through the door, "Riley is still zonked out of her gourd, and it's going to be hard enough for her to wake up here, much less in a law enforcement facility."

Steve sighed. He really didn't mean to disregard Riley. Despite her injuries, nothing about her registered with him as a victim . . . she was remarkably composed on the plane home. He couldn't help but focus on what she potentially could reveal about WoFat. Still, Danny made an excellent point.

"You're right, Danno," he said, limping to the stairs.

"Wow, this indeed a red-letter day. I'm gonna write that down," Danny quipped. "Don't fall over in the shower, SuperSEAL. I didn't fly all the way to North Korea to have to come haul your skinny ass up off your bathroom floor."

Steve flipped Danny off over his shoulder, and Danny chuckled and headed back out the front door to help the cousins as they gently moved Riley from the back seat of Grover's huge SUV. Grover gently moved them aside.

"You two are dead on your feet. Let me." With that, he scooped Riley up in his arms, Chin shutting the door behind him, and Kono holding the front door open. Danny had moved ahead into the guest room and turned on a small lamp.

"I'm thinking she'd be most comfortable here," Danny said, "and we can listen out for her even if we're sitting at the table. I give it ten minutes before Steve has this dining room set up as a command center."

"Fifteen," Steve said, coming down the stairs. He was moving determinedly, if a bit stiffly. "First, we need coffee."

Within the hour, Steve had thrown his phone down on the table in disgust.

"Nothing," he growled, "not a record of him flying out, and he's damn sure not taking my calls."

"What did you expect, Steve? He's never been the most forthcoming with answers, and now you've caught him in a blatant lie," Danny answered.

Chin came in from the kitchen, ending a phone call. "I've got absolutely nothing. At this point, Riley is our only lead on this whole mess. She thinks Joe is in WITSEC? So, she must assume she's in WITSEC. But, there's no record of it. I got the Albuquerque office to run a complete check – there's no record under that name, and certainly nothing of Joe White."

Steve was pacing around the dining room, becoming more agitated by the moment. The table was still littered with maps of North Korea, with Chin's laptop and Danny's legal pad adding to the layers. At this point, every question led to a new question. Kono was watching over Riley, so that she wouldn't wake up alone.

"Steve, you should at least sit down," Danny complained, "wearing a hole in the floor and wearing yourself out even further isn't going to help. You're making me dizzy, babe."

"Danny, I can't relax until we get some answers. I have no idea if Riley is still in danger, we don't know where WoFat is going to turn up, and Joe is in the wind. Hell, for all we know, Riley is Shelburne . . . " Steve's voice was rising, along with his frustration.

"No!"

The pained cry came from the guest room, and Steve moved quickly down the hall as Danny and Chin stood to follow him. Steve pulled up short at the doorway and gestured for Danny and Chin to stay back.

"No, please . . . I don't know what Shelburne means . . ." Riley was struggling against Kono, who was trying to calm her.

"Shh, it's okay, Riley, you're safe now," Kono murmured.

"No . . . stop . . . they're killing him . . . "

Steve sucked in a sharp, pained breath. It wasn't her own pain she was remembering, but his. For a moment, he was back in that dank room, hanging helplessly . . .

"Boss?" Kono's voice broke into his thoughts.

"Yeah," he said, moving toward Riley, his big hands gently grabbing her shoulders. Kono stepped back as he brushed the sandy brown hair back from Riley's face. "Hey, Riley, it's okay. You're safe here."

She struggled to open her eyes, fighting off the lingering effects of the pain medication still in her system. "That's it," Steve encouraged, "wake up, Riley, it's okay. We've got you."

Her hazel eyes locked onto his, and he once again had a flash of something familiar that he couldn't quite place. Fear and confusion flickered across her face, but she held his gaze steadily and he could see her gathering the strength to control her emotions.

She took a shuddering breath, but when she spoke it was with quiet determination. "Okay. Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Steve couldn't help but grin as Kono shook her head in disbelief.

"Riley," Steve replied, "your guess is as good as mine. I'm hoping you can help me figure it out."

"Okay. But first, I'm gonna need a shower. And then coffee."

Steve studiously avoided the smirk on Danny's face when Kono retrieved extra clothes for Riley from a drawer in the guestroom.

"Convenient," Danny commented, "that your not-girlfriend keeps plenty of extra clothes here . . . "

"In the guestroom, Danny," Steve deadpanned.

Riley emerged from the shower looking pale but determined. She padded into the kitchen to find the rest of the team pouring fresh coffee.

"Hey, Riley," Chin greeted her warmly, "up for some coffee?"

"Yes, please," she answered.

"I'm making toast for the both of you," Danny announced. "No arguing. You have to get something in you, and I don't want it coming right back up. We'll start with toast."

To his surprise, neither Steve nor Riley put up an argument. Sometimes he wondered if his parenting skills were as – if not more – important as his detective skills in his position in Five-O.

"Riley, I know you have to be exhausted, and in pain, and I'm sorry. But if you'd be up to answering some questions, trying to help us fill in the gaps, we would sure appreciate it. I have no idea of how to assess how much you're at risk, how much you're exposed to WoFat, while I'm completely in the dark." Steve gestured to his comfortable living room. "Here, let's at least find you a comfortable place to sit."

Kono fetched a soft throw from the guest room and handed it to Riley as she gingerly eased her aching ribs into a corner of the sofa, pulling her feet up under her.

Steve perched on the coffee table just in front of Riley.

"Okay, let's start with your connection to Joe White. What can you tell me about how you know him?" Steve began.

Riley took a sip of her coffee and then a deep breath. "I was in the foster care system; well, with an American foster parent but overseas. Japan mostly. When I was about sixteen, Joe White – well, he told me his name was Agent Pierce but then Frank called him Joe or Commander White or, well, other names . . . – anyway, Joe White showed up when I was about sixteen. I was home alone, waiting for my foster mom to come home. She was late. Days late, actually, I had been alone for several days. Agent Pier – Joe White came to the door, showed credentials, and said that she was . . . detained. She'd had to go into hiding. That I needed to be moved, to be protected, and that I was in the Witness Protection Program."

Steve glanced at Chin. No wonder Joe had vanished. There was absolutely no legitimate way to explain his behavior.

Riley paused to take another sip of coffee and nibbled a bite of her toast. "Mmff really good," she mumbled, then swallowed. "Sorry. I didn't think I was hungry. But I think it's been . . . what day is it?"

"Friday," Danny answered. "When was the last time you had something to eat?"

"Um, the last day I remember going to work was Tuesday," Riley answered, taking another bite of toast. She looked at the uneaten piece of toast that Danny had put next to Steve. "You need to eat," she said.

"Yeah, I will," Steve said, "okay, so Joe said he put you in Witness Protection. Where did he take you?"

Riley started to answer, and then narrowed her eyes at Steve and took a big bite of toast. She nodded pointedly at his toast.

"Hooo boy," Kono muttered under her breath. Chin's eyebrows shot up. Danny smiled.

"Fine," Steve sighed and took a huge bite of toast, wincing as he chewed. "Ow."

"What's wrong?" Riley asked.

"Teeth are a little loose in a couple places, and I must have a few cuts inside my mouth."

"Babe, I'm sorry, I didn't think about that," Danny said, walking toward the kitchen. "Oatmeal coming up."

Steve tamped down his frustration, knowing that Danny was right, that if he was going to get his head back in the game he had to regain some strength.

"Okay, so Riley, where did Joe take you when he said you were in Witness Protection?"

"He took me to Frank."

"Frank, our helicopter pilot in North Korea?" Chin asked, incredulous.

Riley shrugged. "Yeah, I stayed with Frank until Joe came back a few years later, when I was about nineteen. Told me that he had great news, there was a scholarship for me at University of Tokyo."

"And how long have you been there?" Danny asked, handing each of them a bowl of oatmeal.

"Was just starting my second year," Riley answered. "I picked up a part-time job at the university; in the English lab."

"And that's where you said you got grabbed, right?" Steve asked. "After work?"

"Yes, that would have been Tuesday evening. I was leaving the lab and walking back to my dorm." Riley paused and pushed her oatmeal around with her spoon.

"Riley, are you okay?" Chin asked kindly. "Do we need to take a break?"

"No, I'm okay," she answered. She looked pointedly at Steve's oatmeal. He rolled his eyes and took a small bite. Riley smiled and took a bite as well. Danny's chuckle was cut short by a glare from Steve, but his eyes crinkled in a smile all the same.

"So, what happened, Riley? On the way back to your dorm," Steve prompted.

"It happened really fast," she said, "I think there were three guys. One of them hit me on the back of the head, and then there was a cloth held over my face. The next thing I knew, I was in a small room. I think it was rocking – that's why I thought I was on a ship – but they kept shooting me up with a needle. So I could have just been really dizzy, I think."

"Is there anything at all that you can tell us about the men? Were they on the ship?"

Riley nodded emphatically. "One of them, the one who held the cloth over my face, had a Yakuza tattoo on the inside of his wrist. He was the one who came in with the needle."

Steve nodded. "This is good, this helps. How do you know Yakuza ink?"

"Growing up near Tokyo you have to be aware. My foster mom made sure I could recognize all of the major crime family body art," Riley answered.

Steve nodded; her explanation made sense. "Okay, tell me what happened, how did you get into the compound with WoFat?"

"We must have traveled all night Tuesday night and through Wednesday and into Thursday. It was light when I got to the compound. I don't remember anything after the last shot they gave me. I woke up with a hood over my face in that . . . cell. The man you call WoFat . . . came in and jerked the hood off my face and asked me about Shelburne. I had no idea what he was talking about. I could only assume it had something to do with why I was in Witness Protection. But I didn't know . . . I'd never heard that name, I had no idea what it meant. He . . . didn't want to accept that. He kept insisting that I did, said that he would make me tell him . . . "

Kono slipped onto the sofa next to Riley and put a comforting hand on her ankle.

"You're doing great, Riley. Do you need to take a break, rest for a bit?" She shot a warning glance at Steve, warning him not to push harder.

Riley shook her head. "No, I'm okay. I just . . . do you know what Shelburne is?" she asked Steve. "I mean, I know you didn't tell WoFat . . . I could hear . . . but do you know? Does it have something to do with the Yakuza? Oliva was in trouble with the Yakuza, so I assume all of this is related to her, right?"

"Yeah, it sounds like there's a connection with the Yakuza; which comes as no surprise in dealing with WoFat. But no, I have no idea what Shelburne is."

"He was so sure we did. Why did he think that?"

Steve took a deep breath, wincing in pain as his ribs and burned skin protested. "I don't know, Riley," he sighed. "I'm so sorry. Whatever this is, I'm so sorry that you are caught up in it. Did he ask you anything else, anything at all?"

"No. He just asked what Shelburne meant, where he could find Shelburne. And when I couldn't answer him . . . " Riley's voice faltered for the first time.

"He hurt you," Steve said quietly, clenching his fists. "Riley, I had no idea . . . I didn't know you were there. I never heard . . . until they pulled us out of the trucks, I didn't know you were there."

Riley shook her head. "There was not a thing you could have done, Steve. I heard the commotion when you came in. I must have been close to you. I could hear . . . I could hear WoFat asking you about Shelburne. I'm so, so sorry . . . I yelled for them to stop but – "

Steve's head shot up. "That was you? I thought . . . I heard – I thought it was Jenna."

"I heard the gunshot and thought he had killed you. I'm sorry you lost your friend."

"Me, too," Steve sighed. "What do you remember next?"

"Another needle. I felt like a pincushion." Riley reached up, wincing, and held her hair away from her neck. Kono gave a low whistle.

"I think you better call Malia, coz," she said to Chin. "This is looking pretty bad, much worse than it did at the hospital."

Chin nodded and stood up to go make the call while Steve stood to get a better look at Riley's neck. It was dotted with injection marks, some of which looked alarmingly inflamed.

"I'm sorry," Riley said, "I guess I was sort of out of it at the hospital. It didn't hurt as much there as it does now."

Steve squeezed Riley's shoulder gently. "Hey, you did great. When you're as severely dehydrated and injured as you are, it's perfectly normal for your mind to try to shut out whatever part of the pain and trauma it can. Malia ran a very sensitive tox screen and she sent a duplicate set of bloodwork over to our lab, too. So, whatever evidence could be collected has been collected. We just want to make sure these injection sites don't get infected or cause you any more trouble."

Riley nodded. She was growing even more pale, and Steve noticed a slight tremor in her hand when she took another sip of coffee.

"Riley," he said, "I know I've pushed you to remember things and I'm sorry . . . but we don't know what they gave you, we don't know how well your memory will hold up. Is there anything else about WoFat, about the compound, that you can remember? All the rest we can try to deal with later – but anything about WoFat I need you to try to tell me now."

Steve had to ignore a disapproving glance from Danny. He knew that Danny's softer side was reluctant to push Riley, but he also knew that details would only become fuzzier as time went on.

"I'm sorry . . . I only remember bits and pieces and it all blurs together. I remember being taken, then waking up a few times in one place, and then waking up at that compound. All WoFat asked me about was Shelburne, and then I heard them bring you in, and then the gunshot . . . I think I must have struggled because I hurt my hands then, and then they gave me another shot, and I woke up in the helicopter." Riley thumped her coffee cup down in frustration. "I can't remember anything useful."

Steve wrapped her trembling hands in his own, tracing his fingers lightly over the bandages on her wrists.

"No, Riley," he said gently, "that's not true. Everything you do remember is a new piece of information. You're doing fine. The most important thing is that we keep you safe, right? The answers will come later."

"You don't understand," she said, agitated, "I know better . . . I was taught to remember, to observe things, to – Frank taught me, and my foster mom, and Joe . . . taught me – I should . . . I should never have been taken in the first place, why wasn't I being more aware?"

Steve felt every nerve in his body go on high alert. Something about this whole situation was raising red flags.

"Ah, Steve, can I see you for a minute?" Danny interrupted.

Steve started to object but Danny gave a vehement jerk of his thumb towards the kitchen.

"What, Danny?!" Steve growled.

"You, my friend, are in full aneurysm face, and you're either going to blow a fuse or scare Riley to death."

"But, Danny," Steve protested, "you heard –"

"Yes, yes, I heard and I am every bit as alarmed as you are. Apparently this has Joe White all over it, and if you're thinking what I'm thinking, then Joe knew all along she was a potential target and he's been moving her around under the radar. Something is definitely rotten in Denmark, but you, my friend, are going on adrenaline and caffeine and you need to take a step back from this. That young woman has been through a horrific ordeal, and while she may not be a simple co-ed, she is clearly injured and exhausted. Steve, we are all running on fumes."

Danny's rant was met with a stony silence. Time to try another tactic.

"Okay, look, aside from our doze in the hospital chairs while you and Riley were knocked out, we've had no sleep for over forty-eight hours. Even Kono, the youngest and most party-hearty among us, is about to keel over from exhaustion. If, God forbid, WoFat makes another move soon – are we going to be in any shape to respond?"

Steve sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. "Okay, Danny, you're right. We'll call it a night. We need to organize a detail –"

Danny interrupted him. "Taken care of, partner. Malia is on her way here – she and Chin can take Kono home with them. Duke has a detail assigned to them. Grover has a SWAT detail assigned here, and a detail assigned to pick up Cath at Hickam. I'll stay here, take the sofa."

"Wow, Danny . . ." Steve was speechless. He knew that Danny was entirely capable but he hadn't anticipated the measure of relief of having someone step in and assume some of the burden of responsibility. "That's . . . yes. That's actually a very good plan, Danno. Thanks, partner. I mean that."

"I know, you big goof. You are so intent on saving the world . . . someone has to save you from yourself. And, you know, save your team from your Neanderthal tactics." Danny looked up at the flash of light from the driveway. "I'm thinking that's Malia; Duke's team was expecting her."

By the time Malia came in the door, Riley had drifted to sleep on the sofa, with Kono half-asleep next to her.

"Chin said there are injection sites that I should look at?" Malia whispered.

Kono nodded and gently pulled Riley's hair off her neck. Malia shook her head and pulled a tube of antibiotic cream out of her pocket. At the first touch of her hand, Riley's head shot up, narrowly missing connecting with Kono's face.

"Whoa, there," Malia murmured quietly, "Riley, it's Malia, you're okay. It's just medicine for the injection sites, so they don't get infected."

Riley's eyes were somewhat unfocused and her breathing was rapid.

"He's not dead, though, right?" she asked.

"Who, sweetheart?" Malia responded. Kono nodded to Chin, who understood immediately and moved toward the kitchen.

"Steve, I think you better get in here. It seems our young guest is a little disoriented."

Steve and Danny quickly returned to the living room.

"He's not . . . " Riley caught sight of Steve. "Oh. No. Okay. Not dead."

Steve looked at Malia quizzically, but responded to Riley, "Nope. Very much alive."

Riley looked back at Malia. "Something's . . . I feel fuzzy." Her eyes widened in alarm. "Did you – what was in that cream?"

Malia put a calming hand on Riley's shoulder. "Riley, I promise, I would not do that to you, okay? No one here is going to give you anything without your permission. Remember we ran a tox screen? Is it okay if I tell the team, along with you, what we found? It will help things make more sense."

Riley nodded.

"The injections you were given were apparently a class of benzodiazepine. Max's lab will be able to narrow it down even more specifically. It's a strong sedative; it keeps people sedated – in large enough quantities, to the point of unconsciousness – it affects short-term memory, and it's a powerful anti-anxiety drug. As it wears off, you're likely to find yourself disoriented but that's normal. And there isn't any reason to think there's going to be any sort of long-term damage from it." Malia held out the tube of cream to Riley. "You're going to want to keep this on those injection sites, okay? That's not an ideal location for injections, to be honest, and you're going to feel a lot of muscle tenderness there."

Riley reached out to take the tube, and frowned at the shaking in her hand.

"The shakiness is from the benzo wearing off, and also plain and simple exhaustion," Malia assured her, "and that will go away really soon. I really must strongly suggest that you get some solid rest, though." Malia looked sternly at Steve. "That goes for the whole team."

Steve nodded and smiled somewhat sheepishly at Malia. "Yeah, um, Danny has a plan."

"Well, there's at least one sensible one among you, then," Malia said. "Steve, a word?"

Steve followed Malia into the kitchen. "What is it, Malia, is she okay?"

"Well, yes, but I wanted to follow up on something that came up at the hospital – you pointed out that Riley seemed terribly calm about the situation, for a civilian, and wondered if it was drugs, or shock."

"Yeah, and I still wonder – and now, she's talking about Joe having trained her – I have no idea what's going on but yes, I think she's not reacting like a typical civilian."

Malia nodded. "I agree; I can't speak to any training, of course, but I can tell you that when I said the benzos were powerful anti-anxiety drugs, I wasn't kidding. At high doses – and from what we can tell, there is still a lot in her system, so she must have received massive doses – the benzo drugs have a profound calming effect."

"So this could be the drugs, then."

"Yes; at this apparent dosage, she would have been extremely sedated – almost completely unconscious. Even as the dose wore off, the muscle relaxant effect would have rendered her barely able to move, much less defend herself. She would have been confused, disoriented . . . compliant. And uncharacteristically and artificially calm. But, here's what you need to understand – it's going to take well over twenty-four hours for all of the benzodiazepine to wear off. It's likely to get worse before it gets better."

"You're saying, what, Malia?" Steve asked. "Disorientation, confusion?"

"Yes; and likely increased anxiety. Possibly a more normal – albeit delayed – reaction to this entire scenario. Now, if she has had some sort of training – she may be compartmentalizing, dissociating – that's more your field than mine."

"What should we do?" Danny interjected. At Malia's questioning glance, he added, "Oh, I'm staying here. No way am I leaving Super SEAL here unattended."

Malia smiled. "Actually, Danny, I think if you'll follow your excellent parenting instincts, you'll be just fine."

"She's barely out of her teens, really, only about seven years older than Gracie," Steve commented.

"Wasn't just talking about taking care of Riley," Malia retorted. "Now, get some rest – all of you."