Any “Hawaii Five-O” fans that were thinking this week's December 6, 10th Episode of Season 10 would be lighthearted, with a tinge of holiday cheer, soon felt sadly mistaken in the opening minutes of "O 'oe, a 'owau, nalo ia mea" (You and Me, It is Hidden). Instead, a scene of sultry early-morning lovemaking between Adam (Ian Anthony Dale) and Tamiko (Brittany Ishibashi) soon turns into sheer terror. Tamiko is horrifically abducted by masked assailants, and a naked Adam has to fight for his own life in a knife-wielding battle. It brings a whole new meaning to vulnerable defense.

Some of “Hawaii Five-O” faithful have likely been hungering to see more of Adam, but the character certainly revealed more of himself than he desired to Tamiko’s father, Masuda (Sonny Saito) and his team of henchmen. He regains consciousness to see Masuda staring down at him, mercifully covered in a blue blanket, while Kenji (Fernando Chen) pronounces “we're done here.”

All common sense and probably each and every viewer screams that now is the time to let “Hawaii Five-O” expertise and stealth take over. Adam even declares the “resources” he can bring to bear, but Masuda insists otherwise. Adam calls in sick with “a bug” and begins his plan to take Tamiko back. Meanwhile, the case of a boatman, a photographer, and a chef all falling prey to foul play seems to stump the team.

An unlikely common contact leads to the crucial perpetrator.

Right intent, wrong methods

Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and Quinn (Katrina Law) trade ideas on the case of the three men, all killed by different “fatal arrangements,” while they also ponder over McGarrett's rising cholesterol levels. Steve won't be eating any juicy steaks for a while, but Captain Grover offers dinner with everything to Tani and Junior (Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale) for helping him clean out the garage of his sold house.

Before they leave for cleaning duty, they connect the victims by a recent meeting and a phone call of a few minutes, without any history of prior discussions. A trace to large amounts of money is also discovered between the three, but Lt. Commander McGarrett and “Hawaii Five-O” have to dig deeper to find the person with the motive behind the activity.

Fans have followed Adam Noshimuri since his romance with Kono (Grace Park), the loss of his brother, his family ties to Yakuza, his wedding, owning up to misdeeds, and serving time. At the same time, the character has proven loyalty and service to the “ohana” of the team by enduring unimaginable tortures. He displayed nerves of steel in confronting Japanese crime lords and was left to be consumed by ants, not to mention the run-of-the-mill shootouts through every episode. With that history, it is hard to imagine why Adam so willingly goes against law and order in this situation. They say love is blind, and perhaps that answers the question. Adam deserves love as much as anyone.

Adam pays his way to track Tamiko’s abductors to a Filipino crime gang.

He beats more information out of a lower-level member, with Kenji, to arrange a meeting/swap with Tamiko and her father. Adam promises that it is only a matter of “when” he gets her back, not “if” it happens. Masuda was willing to go as far as to transfer his authority in the underworld before Adam’s plan.

On a desolate, dark night Adam and Masuda arrive and the abductors present Tamiko, telling her and her father to take five steps. Adam has arranged snipers to be ready. When father and daughter run into one another in an embrace, Adam signals to Masuda to “get down” as fierce firing begins. When Adam hugs Tamiko, he realizes that Masuda has been shot. Kenji, Adam, and Tamiko race to get help for the father, but Kenji refuses to go to the legitimate hospital, only “our guy.” Time runs out, and Masuda dies in his daughter's arms, assuring her that “You were my greatest joy,” in his final words.

When Adam brings Tamiko and her family to safety, he tells her that he will be back with a bag of her things. He and Kenji have it out. Adam essentially confronts the budding boss with the truth that if they had gone to a hospital, the shots would have matched Kenji’s gun through an autopsy. Kenji then takes Adam to the yard, where there is “unfinished business” to accomplish. Kenji ruthlessly kills me informant already beaten to a pulp, without blinking an eye.

In the interim, Duke (Dennis Chun) realizes that Adam is not answering his phone. A folder is brought to him by the district attorney, who presents shells matching Adam's weapon, and a folder detailing his role in the crime. Steve calls Adam to come in now, while Duke is with the boss, not in the morning, just as credits roll in this one.

The pairing of Dale and Ishibashi is electric and has a built-in history. Let's hope that these events solidify rather than derail the relationship.

Money can’t buy innocence

Steve and Quinn believe the story of Roger (Gabriel Ellis) doing years in prison for the death of Cameron Winston, who he never knew, and certainly didn't kill. The common connection between the deceased was a wealthy socialite, Maura Kahalana (Nan McNamara) who encountered them all as staff at a charity event. They witnessed her crime of killing her stock trader, who lost her $5 million and then tried to buy silence from them. It was a treat to see Quinn use her CID training to flag deceptive behaviors flashed by the wealthy murderess.

Another treat was to see Steve and Quinn tell Roger he was about to be a free man, and see his daughter grow up.

Captain Grover (Chi McBride) waxes sentimental when he finds his daughter, Samantha’s old bicycle in the garage, and he simply can't part with it without asking her permission first. She tells dad that she is captain of the debate team, and he teases that now she is “Captain Grover” to him during their phone call. All come to the restaurant for the promised meal. He describes how difficult it is to suddenly stop being all the roles that a father is to his children after they leave home. Tani and Junior both stress that her father's love and duty never stop, nor does the love between a dad and his kids.

That kind of investment takes a lifetime to build.

“Hawaii Five-O” takes a brief holiday hiatus after next week's December 13 winter finale. Let's hope some jolly elves sneak in to lift the spirits of the crime-fighters.
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