S012E03 - “Though The Heavens Fall” - Plot

Act One

A man (Robert Reed) dressed in a three-piece suit walks down Hotel Street with a cane. Two guys across the street watch him and make their move when they feel the time is right. The man walks into a parking garage followed by the two guys. It's a trap for the two guys as a Lincoln Continental drives screaming into the garage! Two other men get out and stop one guy. The cane is actually a sword and the man carves a 'v' into the shoulder of 'Mr. Denby' before hitting him with the sword sheath. In the backseat, the three 'crusaders' toast to "law and order".

The next morning in McGarrett's office, Kimo, Truck and Lori discuss the latest "vigilante attacks" of which there have been four over the last two months. The pattern emerging has been the "victims" have received in turn what they did, "each and every one had a tiny V sliced in his right shoulder" and were brought up on charges but "beat the rap". McGarrett walks in receiving the latest on these attacks. HPD is stumped because the attacks are occurring all over the island so there's no place to center the investigation. McGarrett wonders about the locations of the original crimes. There isn't much to go on, such as descriptions, because the victims don't want any repeat visits. Police know a knife was used because of the 'v's. Five-O pieces together things such as a sword, a bola and a chauffeured limousine from reports and victim statements. The original crimes took place in Pacific Hills, "one of the most exclusive areas in Oahu," which has a few exclusive organizations in its neighborhood. They zero in on the "Sportsmen's Game Club" where, according to Lori, one can't get past the guard without being on the social register.

McGarrett goes to visit the club, specifically Elliott Webster (Dennis Patrick) who he knows personally. While Elliott can't give him a personal tour due to something needing his attention, Elliott offers to buy McGarrett lunch in about 20 minutes. McGarrett strolls the grounds from the pool to the archery range where he sees Diana, Elliott's daughter (Elyssa Davalos) who he met two years before at the governor's ball. McGarrett continues his one-man tour of the grounds, stopping at the door of 'Nu Epsilon,' which turns out to be a fraternity with a whopping 12 members. All of them have had to accomplish some dangerous feat such as climbing the Matterhorn or crossing the Atlantic solo in a sailboat in order to be a member. McGarrett meets up with Elliott and they go to the gym but on the way there McGarrett mentions a friend needs a job. Elliott needs a waiter, but bristles at the name "Tom Kahele".

Various club members are practicing their fencing in the gym when McGarrett and Elliott walk in. One of them is Richard Slade, the man walking with the cane on Hotel Street, whom Elliott introduces to McGarrett. Slade is a member of Nu Epsilon, informing them in English it means "Notable Enterprises" and is a descriptor of the feats the members complete. When the topic turns to hunting game, Slade says, "the game that you hunt, Mr. McGarrett, might be the most dangerous game of all ... the criminal".

Act Two

On her way into work the next morning, Lori stops at a crime scene she became aware of over the police radio. The HPD officer (Solomon Kouha) explains "Muscles" (Michael Strong) comes home and beats his wife to death. The cleaning lady came in and found the wife dead while the husband was passed out on the sofa. When he woke up, the officer showed him his wife and the man confessed to killing her.

At Five-O, Kimo gives Lori at hard time for being late. Lori tells them about the "code three" she stopped at on the way in. Meredith Howell, aka "Muscles," is the man accused of beating his wife to death. Lori becomes distracted by the chalkboard and the notes for Notable Enterprises. McGarrett, Kimo and Lori discuss the vigilantes, Greek mythology and the group's calling card: the Greek letter 'Nu;' the equivalent to the modern 'N'. This is the character cut into the shoulders, not 'v'. Lori muses about putting someone inside the club. McGarrett already has it covered.

Truck is Tom Kahele, a waiter at the Sportsmen's Club. He brings the drink order for two associates of Slade's who mention he's at the courthouse.

Court recesses for lunch. People stream out with an older woman (Peggy Oumansky) laying it out: Howell is free, even after confessing to killing his wife. Slade is the last to leave walking emotionless.

Lori rushes into McGarrett's office to tell him about Howell. He walks because the officers on scene didn't read Howell his rights so the confession is not admissible in court. It seems as if Howell will be the charge altogether.

Slade gathers Nu Epsilon into their meeting room to discuss Howell and the lack of justice in the case. Truck is on his way to deliver room service but stops long enough to overhear part of what Nu Epsilon is up to. The voting procedure is simple and elegant. Two marbles, black and white, are available to each member. Slade opens a velvet bag then picks up both marbles. He drops one in the bag: black for guilty, white for not guilty. But the other members don't know which one he's dropped in. This continues until all members have voted. The bag is then dumped into a chalice. For Howell, all the marbles are black: guilty. Truck moves on as a couple walks down the hall while Nu Epsilon toasts "law and order".

Poolside, Truck continues his rounds as McGarrett asks if he has any coffee. While together, they discuss Slade and Nu Epsilon taking "some kind of vote. Sounded like somebody is being sentenced permanently". McGarrett guesses it's Howell. Truck also tells him about their Latin motto: translated "let justice be done ... though the heavens fall". McGarrett thanks 'the waiter' leaving for his car. Once there, he asks for a patch to Five-O where Lori answers. McGarrett orders "a 24-hour guard on Meredith Howell, starting right now" and wants Five-O to take care of it, otherwise they'll lose too much time.

Kimo and Lori arrive at the Howell residence where they tell Howell he's in protective custody. Howell is resistant to this idea and tells them if they want to guard him, they'll have to do it outside. Kimo asks about a back door and Howell answers there is a "sheer cliff" behind the house. Howell wants to be alone in order to go through his wife's things. Howell professes his love for his wife but Lori doesn't buy it, leading Kimo outside.

Slade and Nu Epsilon drive to the bottom of the cliffs behind Howell's house. Meanwhile, Howell drops off the wagon again and starts drinking. Slade and two members from Nu Epsilon climb the cliffs as Howell drinks himself into a stupor and Kimo and Lori eat their sack lunches. Slade and one of the guys make it into the house, taking Howell and lowering him to their vehicle. Kimo wonders if they should check on Howell and Lori tells him to leave him alone. As Slade and Nu Epsilon finish with their getaway, Kimo decides he wants to call McGarrett so he and Lori go inside to see if they can use the phone. Only they find Howell is gone! Kimo sums it up, "we goofed". DUH!

Act Three

McGarrett is not happy pacing his office and chewing out Kimo for obvious lapse of coverage on Howell. McGarrett doesn't buy the abduction angle until Lori mentions tire tracks below the cliffs. McGarrett orders Kimo to "get on it" to help Truck. But how?

Diana practices at a public archery range when Kimo elbows into her target. Her team's upcoming match is going to be held at this range and she wanted to get a feel for the wind conditions. Diana introduces herself to 'Jim Collins'. Charming Diana, Kimo finds himself in at the club.

Wandering the premises as the new archery coach, Kimo tracks down Truck. They're staying in the same set of rooms on the grounds. Diana finds 'Jim' asking how he likes the club. She tells him about the 500-acre game preserve they have as well as the hunting lodge, which is closed "this time of year". They take a pair of horses and go out anyway, she winning the 'race'. They kiss and Diana tells him, "you don't realize, but you're the only real man on these premises, with the exception of one bunch here called Nu Epsilon". She's familiar with them because "a couple of them are on the archery team," but she's not overly impressed because she considers them "male chauvinists" and "target shooting bores them". Diana takes off on her horse with Kimo following. Further down the trail, someone takes a shot at them. Kimo gets them both on the ground. Kimo takes a look around while the shooter (Jerry LeRal) comes up behind Diana telling her to get up. Kimo comes up from behind him and wrestles the rifle out of his arms. The man claims the area is "out of bounds" for members due to three wild boar running around. Diana snidely says, "if we see any wild boar on the way home, we'll herd them back to you. One boar deserves another". Kimo and Diana mount their horses and take off but not before Morgan demands to know whom Kimo is. Diana informs him he's the new archery instructor.

Elliott gets up from a card game with members of Nu Epsilon including Slade. Diana walks in, meeting Elliott as he's leaving. Diana rips into Slade talking about the warning shot fired by Morgan. Slade assures her Morgan is a sure shot and it had to be for protection. Diana scoffs, not believing a word. Elliott and Diana leave as Slade simmers in his own juices. Slade is upset because he has never heard of 'Collins' or anything about the new archery instructor. Slade orders Harrison (John Allen) to find out more.

Kimo shows up at Truck's room letting Truck in on his hunch that Howell is being held in the hunting lodge. They need to call McGarrett and Truck gets an outside line through the operator (Cathy Foy) to Luana (Laura Sode). McGarrett isn't in the office and Truck conveys the message to her about Howell while Harrison listens in with the operator cutting the connection. Truck hangs up, "we're blown, bruddah". Kimo and Truck go to leave only to meet a gun held by a member of Nu Epsilon.

Kimo and Truck are taken to the Nu Epsilon meeting room where they're tied up and 'put on trial'. Truck reminds them they're cops even though Slade just said that. Slade argues his case not for murder, but for justice. Kimo points out that Howell's confession was thrown out "on constitutional grounds". Slade becomes more aggravated with each passing moment. Slade orders a vote, then emptying the bag of 12 black marbles.

Act Four

Nu Epsilon members ready their guns at the hunting lodge. In an outer building, Kimo, Truck and Howell are held. Howell is desperate and Kimo tells him they'll do their best.

Lori runs into McGarrett's office: HPD is putting together an assault team and a helicopter is going to pick him up "on the Diamond Head side". McGarrett runs out with his weapon out of the shoulder holster.

Slade and Harrison deliver some sandwiches to the shed, slamming the door shut. Kimo mentions he didn't hear the bolt shut and Howell goes for it before being pulled back by Truck who considers it a trap. Kimo and Truck talk odds of staying versus going. The three men run for it, heading into the jungle. Slade leads the hunt as one says, "at least the police officers will have a sporting chance. In spite of their treachery, I feel good about that somehow". Slade calls them "deluded" and not evil like Howell. When Howell can't keep up, Kim and Truck hide him behind erasing their tracks to the spot. Kimo and Truck continue running. Slade, Harrison and Morgan find the tracks following Kimo and Truck completely bypassing Howell. Another member shoots an arrow barely missing the pair as they speed up through the jungle.

At the Sportsmen's Club, Diana stops Elliott driving a golf cart trying to find 'Jim'. As they talk, the HPD helicopter lands on the grounds. McGarrett jumps out running toward Elliott and Diana. McGarrett informs them Nu Epsilon has kidnapped Howell and holding two police officers. When Diana gets over her initial shock about 'Jim,' she tells McGarrett where the hunting lodge is: across from Chinaman's Hat on the North Shore. McGarrett runs back to the helicopter and takes off.

Kimo and Truck keep moving in the jungle evading Nu Epsilon the best they can. Slade takes a shot at Truck, hitting him in the arm. Kimo patches him up and they keep running. Slade is right behind them as Harrison and Morgan hunt in an open field. The helicopter flies over a hill just behind them. The helicopter chases Harrison, eventually knocking him down by the rotor wash. Kimo and Truck set a trap for Slade but Morgan and other Nu Epsilon members take shots as Kimo punches Slade. Getting back to their hiding spot, the helicopter arrives and Kimo shoots back. Two HPD units arrive rounding up the Nu Epsilon members. McGarrett goes after Morgan and arrests him. Returning to the area of the patrol cars, McGarrett tells his guys "well done" and he'll see them at the office.

At HPD, Slade is held in an interrogation room where McGarrett tells him the whole story about Howell. Yes, he hit his wife but a punk robber finished her off as he was caught trying to pawn the watch she was wearing. McGarrett then lectures Slade on the law. He orders, "book 'em, Kimo. Oh, uh, but first, read him his rights".